Author: Ron Thornton

[media-credit name=”Ed Coombs Speedway Media” align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Watkins Glen’s storyline consisted of two things; a great finish and a lot of bad things happening to good people. Kyle Busch was one of the day’s better entries, was leading on the last lap, but when he struck oil he was not as thrilled as Milburn Drysdale was when Jed Clampett did the same. After Bobby Labonte’s engine went south, he started pebbling the track with the black gold like a Minnesota curling ice maker, which was hard to spot but real easy to grease up the tires. No one saw the stuff, but they felt it.

Kyle Busch felt it, went wide. Brad Keselowski felt it, and slid into Busch to erase the leader from the equation. Marcos Ambrose charged up from third, did a little beating and banging as the pair went sliding through the mud, the blood, and the beer, with the man from Snowy River coming out ahead. For Ambrose, he was career win number two as he became the king of the Glen again and gave the King, Richard Petty, another win as a team owner.

So, did NASCAR’s non-call cost Busch a victory, one that might have locked him into the Chase? Yup. The trouble is, no one actually saw oil on the track even though everybody suspected it was out there. I mean, it was either oil or the track turned real icy in one of those Day After Tomorrow sort of weather change moments, but Dennis Quaid was nowhere to be found. However, with the race down to its final lap, it was too late. Busch was out and they let the boys fight it out to see who would endure. It was the right call, though Jeff Gordon would disagree.

Gordon has a win, had the final wildcard spot coming in, but he slipped behind both Ryan Newman and Kyle Busch when he slipped on the slick that final lap to wind up 21st instead of within the Top Ten. With four races to go before the deadline, Gordon is ten behind Newman and four off of Busch.

The rest of the wrecks did not much matter. Brian Vickers is looking to return full time next year, but blew up three laps in. Jamie McMurray was 7th, but a tire blew to conclude his day. Pole sitter Juan Pablo Montoya broke something up front and was gone by the midpoint. Denny Hamlin went from 6th to adios when his engine packed up. Tony Stewart was second, but spun off to oblivion. Dale Earnhardt Jr was in a top ten fight, but spun his way to outside the Top Twenty. It made things entertaining, unpredictable, and kept us watching, but it all did not mean much as far as who hunts for the title and who does not.

The Top Ten remain our Top Ten. Kasey Kahne’s two wins gives him one wildcard spot. Newman has the other, with he, Busch and Gordon in the only points battle that matters. Carl Edwards is six points up on Newman, but still can’t capitalize as he remains winless. Ambrose and Joey Logano still have a shot, but they need at least one more win.  They have Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta, and Richmond left to do just that.

Heading to Michigan this Sunday, ten are pretty much locked in yet ten others still have a shot. If McMurray, in 20th, can win two of the final four, even he could slip in. Yet, Jamie has never won at Michigan. Kyle Busch did at about this time one year ago. Carl Edwards did in 2008 and 2007. So has Newman and Gordon…and Kasey Kahne. It should be an interesting race. Enjoy the week.

[media-credit name=”Tammyrae Benscoter” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Finally, one name has been missing from the list of those who appeared to be in contention for the 2012 NASCAR Spring Cup title. Now, all is right with the world.  After winning in Pocono on Sunday, Jeff Gordon is back. When Jimmie Johnson went for a wiggle, he took himself out of the hunt for the day, ditto for Matt Kenseth, and any thoughts Denny Hamlin might have retained got smashed. However, it allowed Gordon to squirt through on the inside with Kasey Kahne behind him. The caution came out, the thunder boomers returned, and the race ended.

For Gordon, it was the 86th win of his career, his 6th at Pocono, and first of the season. Saturday he celebrated his 41st birthday, crew chief Alan Gustafson got his 37th birthday gift Sunday, and Gordon fans this weekend got what they wanted. At a time when wins, and nothing but wins, is meaningful, the former four-time champion got his win, vaulting him into a points tie with Ryan Newman, who finished sixth, and a dozen up on Kyle Busch among the contenders for the second wildcard spot.

Busch had a brake breakdown, sending him into the wall and leaving him 33rd on the day. Kahne retained his hold on the first wildcard spot, with his two wins and 11th placing on the ladder. Carl Edwards is just three points back of Kahne and eight ahead of Gordon and Newman, but remains winless. Seventh on Sunday was nice, but without a victory it is meaningless. Joey Logano has one, but he pretty much needs another in the next five events or it is probably over for him.

Dale Earnhardt Jr not only has his win, but remains first in the standings despite transmission problems that left him back in 32nd place, with Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Johnson all within ten points of him. Still, those in the top ten will stay there, with only the hunt for wins and the bonus points they deliver of any importance.

Who will win at Watkins Glen on Sunday? Gordon has four there, though the last was in 2001. Kyle Busch claimed one in 2008. Tony Stewart has three wins this season, tying him with Brad Keselowski, and five wins at the Glen, the last one in 2009.

He and the rest of the top ten are safe, Kahne is safe for at least another week and with a win he could be pretty much a lock for a wildcard berth. Edwards needs a win to take advantage of his points total, while Gordon, Newman, Busch and Logano would boost their shot by a visit to Victory Circle. Oh, we can’t forget that a win by Paul Menard would make things even more interesting.

Please don’t forget those who got caught up in the storm in the Pocono Raceway parking lot, the victims of a lightening strike. At least one fan lost his life, others were injured, and we are reminded about those things which are truly important. Give your loved ones a hug this week.

[media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon has four Cup championships, but Jimmie Johnson now has five. Jeff won the Brickyard 400 four times, and now so has Jimmie. You could think of this as Jimmie having taken over from Jeff as Rick Hendrick’s premier driver. Instead, I see this as two guys who have brought the team nine Cup titles and now eight wins at Indianapolis.

Johnson dominated much of the event, Gordon was fifth, with Dale Earnhardt Jr slipping between them in fourth to take over the lead in points on the season. Another great day for the team, though not as great for Gordon as he would have liked. While Jimmie and Junior are pretty much locked into the Chase, and two wins by Kasey Kahne having him holding down yet another Chase place for the moment, Gordon remains outside looking in. With not enough points to slide in via the top ten, he needs wins, with just six races left to get them before the cut off.

Carl Edwards remains so close, yet so far from contention. 12th in the standings, his lack of wins may very well leave him behind. Problems early left him just a participant on Sunday, coming home 29th. Kyle Busch sits six points and one win ahead of him on the ladder. The points he can get, but that win remains elusive.

Matt Kenseth got taken out by Joey Logano at Indy, but in the overall scheme of things it was meaningless. Kenseth is in, Logano is out unless he discovers another victory. Ryan Newman needs another win, while Gordon probably needs two; two wins in the next six events. Possible, though maybe not probable.

ABC’s race crew is a good one as that network resumed its Cup coverage. I mean, Allan Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, and Andy Petree do a credible job. The pit reporters provide good coverage. The analysts? Well, I’m going to see how long I can go before I mention again what I really think about those boys and girl. It might be tough, but as long as my PVR can skip me past them I just might be alright. Wish me luck.

Next up is the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono. Jeff Gordon won there in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2011. Newman won in 2003. Edwards in 2005 and 2008. Logano back in June. Kyle never has. Winning is now everything. The real standings, the one that really matters, has Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Brad Keselowski with nine Chase bonus points, Denny Hamlin has six, with Earnhardt, Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer each with three. Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr both have none, and each victory until Richmond worth three points going into the Chase. That is what a win would mean to them.

While it might be fun to see which of those boys could add to their win totals, Kyle Busch could use a second victory to put a near lock on an invite, but both Newman and Logano needs number two to get back into the mix and force two-time winner Kasey Kahne to work to stay in. Carl Edwards needs a win, and to jump six positions ahead of Busch at Pocono to take over a wild card position, and Jeff Gordon needs to win there, his first, just to move from pretender to contender. Only one thing will matter at Pocono on August 5th…who won?  By my calculations, ten drivers are pretty much locked in, another 16 still have a shot. I mean, how hard could it be to win six straight? Enjoy the week.

[media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”238″][/media-credit]What can we say about New Hampshire, the race track, not the state? The action was not exactly gripping, it proved a dandy cure for insomnia, it showed that Denny Hamlin is still tough, but Kasey Kahne was the one celebrating in the end.

Even though Hamlin dominated much of the event, a stop for four put him too far back to make it all the way back to the front, falling a position short. For Kahne, his second win of the season, with seven races to go before the Chase places are determined, solidifies his hopes to be in the running this fall.

Those in the top ten in the standings stayed there, as no one in the top ten finished worse than 13th. Clint Bowyer and Brad Keselowski are in the bottom two spots, but their lead over Carl Edwards means they will still be in the top ten even if they sit out the next one at the end of the month in Indianapolis. Edwards is close, but no wins leaves him behind Kahne and one-time winner Kyle Busch. Both Ryan Newman and Joey Logano have a win, but are about a dozen points behind Busch.

So, when they venture to the brickyard, Edwards needs a win, Busch needs to keep Newman and Logano behind him in the points, or one of the latter trio could certainly help their cause with a second victory. Anyone not in the top ten that I have not mentioned need wins, at least one, over the next seven. Time is running out.

Time ran out for a NASCAR fan, but that didn’t keep him away from his seat in front of the television. A Michigan woman continued to watch the races from her home with her buddy 18 months after the elderly fellow had died. Of course, breaking up is hard to do, especially if you are cashing the guy’s benefit checks. Hey, someone had to pay for the chips.

Pop something you shouldn’t, as you may well have to pay the piper in NASCAR. A.J. Allmendinger remains suspended over a positive drug test, which some find hard to believe due to the ‘Dinger’s squeaky clean public imagine. Could there have been a mistake? Sure, but my initial feelings about Jeremy Mayfield were similar. He seemed like a nice guy who wouldn’t do anything wrong. That is what he seemed to me. However, this is not a perfect world and sometimes folks are not as they seem, or inept or worse and you even start to wonder how protected these tests are. How protected they are from tampering or a screw up of some manner? Dual tests using different labs at different locations might be something to consider. When fitness freak Carl Edwards points out “people are imperfect. Tests are imperfect,” he is right. Of course, maybe Allmendinger just screwed up. In the meantime, we all wait to see how this plays out.

Out is the U.S. Army, which made a strategic retreat from NASCAR sponsorship, but the National Guard plans to remain a sponsor of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not being an American, they are not my tax dollars being spent, and I do not know how effective the outlay is, but I like the fit between NASCAR, its fans, and the armed forces. This relationship began more than 30 years ago, and while Americans are not perfect, none of us are, they do have every reason to be proud of who they are, what they have accomplished, and of those who guard their freedoms.

This weekend the boys have off, but they return for the Brickyard 400 at the end of July. Edwards needs a win, so does Paul Menard, while the likes of Newman and Logano need to catch Kyle Busch in points…or win again. As for Jeff Gordon, he’ll take two, please. Enjoy the next couple of weeks.

[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”286″][/media-credit]Daytona was once again a thrill ride, with action from start to finish. But enough about the Nationwide event. The Cup side, well the final few laps sure provided something to talk about, but the tandem racing of Friday actually trumped the Saturday evening affair.

Don’t get me wrong, if you determine how good a race was by how much wreckage was featured, you got your money’s worth in each. However, that tandem racing Friday was interesting, with a lot of skill required as the cars had to swap out every few laps to turn the dash dials from red back to blue. Some did it well. Some, such as Mike Wallace, did not, as he went from being the leader to junking himself and a few of his buddies. Kurt Busch won it, even though ten laps before he was a pusher who pushed until all the important dials turned crimson and his coolant was flying away like Old Faithful on wheels. Still, when it counted, he was the man crossing the line first. Austin Dillon was fourth, crossing the line sideways.

Tony Stewart upped his career tally to 47 Cup victories taking the Saturday night feature. 14 seasons and at least a win in each of them, usually three or more including a trio this campaign. Tony will be back to defend his title in the fall run.

Usually, the leaders tend to gravitate to the front of the pack by the time things end, but Daytona was different. Dale Earnhardt Jr got caught up in a wreck coming to the line and wound up 15th. Martin Truex Jr was 17th, Greg Biffle 21st, Kevin “Pops” Harvick was 23rd, Denny Hamlin 25th, and Clint Bowyer 29th. Carl Edwards was sixth at Daytona, but sits more than 30 points behind the 10th place Bowyer. Carl needs win, even one will do for the moment. As for the two wildcard berths, just 16 points separate Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, and Kasey Kahne.

They will be out to seek a second win this Sunday at New Hampshire, while Edwards and Paul Menard can mess things up among those hoping to “be in via win” should they take the checkered flag. Can we expect a televised thrill ride this weekend? Probably not, but at least we get to watch the TNT boys one final time before Rusty and Brad return to us.

Oh, I wonder when A.J. Allmendinger will return to us? Good clean living guy blind sided by a positive drug test, or does this have any resemblance with the Jeremy Mayfield saga? I don’t know, but what we do know is that Sam Hornish Jr is in the car, when his Nationwide duties allow him, while Allmendinger is out until this is cleared up.

Is Bill Elliott out for good? Elliott has not run full-time since the end of the 2003 season, a year he won his 44th Cup race at Rockingham. His last good finish was a 9th at Indianapolis a year later. His last race was Saturday at Daytona, and at present he has no plans for his next one. It has been a long goodbye for the 56-year old, Throughout much of the 1980’s and 90’s, Bill Elliott was simply, dare I say it, awesome.

Finally, welcome to the world, Keelan Harvick, NASCAR’s rookie of the year for 2032. What, too soon? A lot of good people were born in July, but modesty prevents me from saying more on that. In the meantime, enjoy the week.

[media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]Kentucky might have had its traffic troubles a year ago, but Brad Keselowski managed to make his way to the front Saturday night to pretty much ensure himself a shot at the title. While he moved into tenth place in the standings, it is the fact that Kentucky marked his third win of the season that has the lad sitting pretty. Three should earn at least a wildcard berth, so mission accomplished.

Two wins once gave a man confidence in his future, but an engine sensor plagued Tony Stewart early, sent him to the garage and eventually he wound up 32nd, 31 laps off the pace. Tony is 9th in the standings, and still in good shape, but not untouchable. A lot of guys need to start touching him soon, or their own dreams for the crown will come to an end about two months early.

Right now, it seems the top ten are a near lock, barring some bad things happening, leaving victories as the only path to redemption. Chase placers Matt Kenseth (7th on Saturday), Dale Earnhardt Jr (4th), Jimmie Johnson (6th), Kevin Harvick (11th), Denny Hamlin (3rd), Clint Bowyer (16th), and Martin Truex Jr (8th) all either had good days or at least not a terrible one. Greg Biffle was 21st, but he remains within 25 points of Kenseth at the top. Carl Edwards, winless and 11th,  34 points out of the top ten, is about at a place where a Top Ten in a race means nothing if that place is not first.

So, the fact Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, and Kyle Busch had Top Tens Saturday means almost nothing when it comes to being a November contender. They did not win. Kyle has a win and a tenuous hold of a wildcard invite. Kahne, Ryan Newman, and Joey Logano each have a victory and are all tied in points for the other one. It does not get any closer than that.

As they return to Daytona, all those in the top ten will be retaining their Chase berths when they leave. They can’t be caught, as both Stewart and Keselowski have their wins as a cushion even if things went totally down the toilet. That leaves only the wildcard spots. Edwards wins, and he gets one for the moment. If he doesn’t, he needs either Stewart or Keselowski to be in the garage before even Joe Nemechek to peg enough points to climb up. A win for Paul Menard, Gordon, or Marcos Ambrose might be enough to move them up, depending on what happens to Rowdy, Kasey, Ryan, and Joey.

Daytona will not be about 43 drivers, or even those thus far having the best seasons. It is all about winning, with all eyes on four gents with a single win, four who need one, and the two spots all eight are gunning for. Then again, if Jamie McMurray or Juan Pablo Montoya win, things would get even more complicated, but first they all must make like Charlie Sheen and win, baby. Win at Daytona. Enjoy the week.

[media-credit name=”Dan Sanger” align=”alignright” width=”238″][/media-credit]Finally. Dale Earnhardt Jr wasn’t the only one wishing them final laps would quickly go by, lessening the opportunities for things to just go to hell. But they did not, and four years (and two days) after he won on fuel mileage at Michigan, Junior did it again. This time, however, he did it by having the best car out on the track. Thus, the long winter of his discontent sprung into spring within days of a new summer.

Maybe. While win number 19 has finally arrived, we would be remiss if we did not also acknowledge that while Sunday ended a 143-race winless slump, four years ago he won to snap a 76-race drought. Tony Stewart reminded us that Sunday at Michigan did not mark a national holiday, this coming from a man who has won seven races since September 19, 2011. Earnhardt has won seven races since, well, Richmond on May 15, 2004. That year marked the final year Junior was Junior, a 15 time winner in his first five full seasons. Since then, there was Chicago on July 10, 2005. There was Richmond on May 6, 2006. There was June 15, 2008 at Michigan, and then there was last Sunday. A week before he turned 30 he won at Talladega. Since then, he has won four.

Stewart was a distant runner-up at Michigan, followed by contenders Matt Kenseth, Greg Biffle, and Jimmie Johnson. Jeff Gordon was sixth, but remains outside the Top Twenty and needs wins and nothing but wins to make the Chase. Those in Chase positions at present remain secure, as even if Brad Keselowski loses his two point lead over Carl Edwards, his two wins maintains his invitation. While Edwards can still make it on points, wins and a wild card position remain the hope for others. Kyle Busch and Ryan Newman hold them at present, with a win apiece.

As they motor west to the coast and the Infinion road course, Edwards’ goal is to either win or be better than Keselowski. Shrub and Newman are fine, unless they get beat by twenty or more positions by Joey Logano or Kasey Kahne, or one of those gentlemen win their second of the season. Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr, and Clint Bowyer need wins at present only for the bonus points they would get for the Chase, but everyone else not already in the Top Ten have to win, and probably more than once, over the next three months.

A year ago, Kurt Busch won at Sonoma. This year, he will not. Jeff Gordon was second. This year, he needs to win. Edwards and Bowyer were next, with Edwards needing it more. Marcos Ambrose rounded out the Top Five in 2011, but today finds himself needing to put his experience to work and go for the checkered flag. Despite all the road course ringers who are brought in special for this race, none have ever won it. Kasey, Kyle, and Jeff have. Maybe we might have to watch for them. Enjoy the week.

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]What a beautiful track. What greenery. What a nice day. What good announcers, who were both informative and entertaining even when the race on TNT might not have always been. I’m not a die hard fan of Pocono, but I enjoyed my Sunday. Maybe I’m just getting soft in my old age. Come to think of it, when I touch my belly it is soft, but that is a tale for another time.

Joey Logano, the 22-year old kid some think should be better than he is, won the thing for Joe Gibbs Racing. His second victory of his career moves him to a 14th place tie with Ryan Newman in the standings, and just one win or 26 points out of a Chase place with a dozen races to go before the reset. It might be a tad early to cast Logano aside just yet.

No win for Dale Earnhardt Jr, but he had a dominating car for much of the event. Eighth on the track, second in the standings, but a win or two would be helpful going into the Chase with the rejigged points. Mark Martin’s part time schedule means he won’t be in the running, but he was a solid number two when they came to the checkered flag last weekend. Jeff Gordon was 19th, leaving him 22nd in the standings and 90 points out of tenth. Maybe Sunday in Michigan will be kinder.

That was not the case last June, with Gordon finishing 17th. He has won twice there, but none in the past decade. Denny Hamlin has gotten the win the past two spring events, so he might be a bit more pumped up. I would expect a great day for Carl Edwards, who comes in with a record of 2 wins, nine Top Fives, and a dozen Top Tens in just 15 tries. That could be good enough to move him back into the Top Ten overall and possibly sending Clint Bowyer back down. Brad Keselowski does not do well there either, but those two wins this season keeps him safe for another week.

As for Junior, he won his last race in this event four years ago, but his average finish is 15th. Twenty-five races at Michigan, four Top Fives. Did I mention he is currently second overall? Enjoy the week.

[media-credit id=26 align=”alignright” width=”243″][/media-credit]Jimmie and Jeff, taking turns ruling the roost at Dover, at least they did until a fox ventured into the hen house in the form of a loose wheel that required a unscheduled stop for tightening. Yes, Gordon could not only challenge Johnson, he could pass him, but no matter how lovely the picnic is, one bite of a crap sandwich will ruin the entire day. 13th was not the fate Four Time needed.

Five Time, on the other hand, picked up his second victory over the past three contests, leaving him fifth in the standings with a pretty good hold on a place in the Chase. With Gordon playing catch up, no one was going to prevent Johnson from claiming his 57th career victory, his seventh on the Monster Mile.

The guy he loaned his title to last year did not get very far before bad things happened. Just nine laps in Stewart slowed as a car got loose in front of him, but Regan Smith could not stop in time behind him. Thirteen cars got caught up in the mess as Stewart finished 25th while Juan Pablo Montoya landed 28th. Stewart is eighth overall, just seven points ahead of 11th place Brad Keselowski, but his two wins still keeps him well above water. Montoya is 20th in the standings, a spot ahead of Gordon, as both see at least two wins as their most viable way to salvation.

Ryan Newman has a win, but is outside the Top Ten, in 13th. He finished 15th after having a tire roll away in the pits and coming close to running down Clint Bowyer’s jackman. Carl Edwards is 12th, has no wins, and no luck at Dover after a blown tire sent him to the garage for repairs and a 26th place finish. Kyle Busch has a win, still is clinging to the Top Ten, but blew up to sit 29th on the weekend. A lot of boys will be seeking redemption heading into this upcoming weekend.

Pocono awaits them on Sunday, a race won last year by Jeff Gordon. Well, it awaits everyone but Kurt Busch. A day after blowing a gasket at a reporter following the Nationwide race, he blew an engine in the Cup race to wind up 24th. That is about 20 spots better than this upcoming weekend as his tirade got him suspended by NASCAR for a week. As for making the Chase, the boy has enough on his plate avoiding problems from week to week. Stupid is as stupid does, but at least Forrest Gump only got upset when someone tried to take liberties with Jenny.

Don’t expect many changes, if any, in our Chase placers at Pocono. Edwards could replace Bowyer with a win, or by finishing at least 16 spots ahead of him. Ryan Newman is in now, but could lose it if Kasey Kahne finishes ahead of him on Sunday or if Kyle Busch tumbles out of the Top Ten and gets the wildcard nod.

As for Junior, he might not have won in nearly four years, but going back to Homestead his worst finish in 14 races is 17th, an average finish of eighth over that time. Earnhardt may have never won at Pocono, but he hasn’t won anywhere else in recent years for that matter. Why not now? Enjoy the week.