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Author: Ron Thornton

  • The Final Word – Is ESPN trying to kill NASCAR?

    The Final Word – Is ESPN trying to kill NASCAR?

    Life is just grand. What could go wrong? We had Saturday night racing at Bristol, which should about compensate for those little irks I tolerate the rest of the week. Sure, I might have turned 55 a month ago, I’m as bald as a certain country’s national symbol, I have the inseam of a dwarf, blood sugar like a Slurpee, my brain exploded about 18 months ago, and I refer to Santa as that skinny old bearded fart. I mean, what more could I possibly have to complain about? Then I watched ESPN’s coverage from Bristol.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”234″][/media-credit]What in hell was that? Okay, I thought Allan Bestwick did a fine job, showed some enthusiasm, but as the moderator he is supposed to be the guy who keeps it all together. He is not supposed to be the most entertaining dude on the show. They might not be the most dynamic duo ever, but usually I can stand Dale Jarrett and Andy Petree. Not on Saturday night. Both were as exciting as funeral commentary delivered from my couch, little enthusiasm, unpolished, and adding nothing to what I was already seeing with my own eyes. Just when I thought it couldn’t get any worse, some twit handed a microphone to Rusty Wallace and Brad Daugherty. Funny how the audio can simply disappear from my television faster than the last crumbs of potato salad and cabbage rolls at a Thornton family dinner.

    Bristol, on a Saturday night, and I started to ponder surfing the channels for a soccer match. Bristol! It takes some special kind of outfit to manage to screw that up, but ESPN did the impossible. However, we can fix this, at least if one isn’t really trying to kill NASCAR and drive all the fans at home away. First, take Dave Burns off pit row and place him alongside Bestwick. The guy always seems excited to be there, with a sense of urgency that I can feel at home. We need to hear more of that. Next, I would send Jarrett and Petree back down to the pits where they have expertise, then hire Wally Dallenbach to join the crew upstairs. He might not have been the most successful driver, but he can talk, inform, and entertain in a fashion that keeps me watching. Lord, do they ever need more of that. Oh, in order to ensure things don’t get screwed up, I would send Rusty and Brad somewhere, anywhere, as long as I don’t hear them during the course of the broadcast.

    Bristol was not a total loss. The final 80 laps of 500 had some entertainment value, enough to almost compensate for the brutal coverage. Brad Keselowski kept ahead of Martin Truex Jr and Jeff Gordon to pretty much guarantee himself a spot in the Chase. Matt Kenseth looked good, but while Tony Stewart had a day from hell (and he wasn’t even watching ESPN) Clint Bowyer was just as bad and did not make up any ground in his hopes for a place in the Chase.

    They try again this Sunday in Atlanta, where 23 drivers still maintain some hope in making the cut. The top eight are locked in, including the Busch boys, Jimmie Johnson, Kenseth, Gordon, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman. Only the worst kind of luck would keep Keselowski out of it. Dale Earnhardt Jr has a 39 point lead with two to go. Defending Atlanta winner Stewart has a 21 point margin, but up to eleven others can still beat out Denny Hamlin for that final wildcard spot through either points, wins, or a combination of both. I mention this as ESPN didn’t even bother putting up the updated standings during their wrap up. Again, thanks for nothing.

    So, while Hamlin will have his hands full on Sunday trying to save his season, it could have been worse. Instead of racing for his life, he could have been stuck with the rest of us watching the broadcast on ESPN.

  • The Final Word – Watkins Glen was all about rain, walls, and a man from down under

    The Final Word – Watkins Glen was all about rain, walls, and a man from down under

    Maybe the greatest legacy Dale Earnhardt left behind for those who followed him were the safety measures taken following the icon’s death a decade ago. After watching the rain delayed action at Watkins Glen on Monday morning, maybe two or three drivers remain with us because of the features since found in those cars. It sure in heck wasn’t about safety barriers this time.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”218″][/media-credit]Kurt Busch went sailing into the corner when a tire let go, and he found himself plowing into the tire cushioned wall. His day, at least his car’s day, was done but Busch wasn’t. A short time later, Denny Hamlin suffered the same problem and the same fate. If anything, Hamlin’s experience hit even harder as the fender met the fence at a spot where it had a concrete support behind it.

    On the final lap, David Ragan got a nudge from Boris Said and he met the wall, 100% unprotected concrete, and glanced off it on the driver’s side to smack into the barrier on the other side of the track. In doing so, he clipped David Reutimann who took it hard on his driver’s side before flipping into the air and across the track to nail the wall on the outside. Four cars, nothing but junk, but four drivers who will be ready to roll next week at Michigan.

    Marcos Ambrose has been rolling on NASCAR tracks since 2006 when he arrived as a champion driver from New Zealand. He won three times in Nationwide events, but Monday’s Cup win on the road course marks a high water mark. It was his first win in the series, and a fourth Top Five this season to go with those at Las Vegas, Dover, and the road adventure at Sonoma. Ambrose remains a point out of the Top Twenty but, regardless, still would need another victory to have any chance at a Chase place.

    With just Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta, and Richmond left before the twelve Chase positions are finalized, Brad Keselowski finished second. Those two wins still has him laying claim to the first wild card berth. Kyle Busch led most of the way until the final few laps and wound up third, tied with Carl Edwards for the points lead. Clint Bowyer was 11th at the Glen, remains 11th in the standings, winless and outside the Chase, with 25 points separating him and the man in tenth, Tony Stewart.

    Denny Hamlin’s wreck left him 36th on Monday, 33 points out of the over-all Top Ten, with a 27 point lead over Paul Menard for the final wild card entry. That is good, as long as Bowyer does not win on Sunday at Michigan, or Menard or Ambrose, something none of them has yet done. Hamlin, on the other hand, has claimed the June race both this year and last. Things could be looking up for the Pied Piper. Enjoy the week!

  • The Final Word – Pocono was Fun, Fun, Fun for Keselowski as he decides to Do It Again

    The Final Word – Pocono was Fun, Fun, Fun for Keselowski as he decides to Do It Again

    The Final Word – Pocono was Fun, Fun, Fun for Keselowski as he decides to Do It Again
    August 8, 2011

    With a grandstand and trees
    there’s a place called Pocono.
    That’s where Brad wanted to go
    and wound up winning it all.
    An ankle in a cast,
    some didn’t think he would ever last.
    Maybe it was a labor of love,
    as he drove that Dodge pretty fast,
    Down in Pocono.

    Gordon, Logano, oh they tried, we know.
    The Busch boys and Jimmie, were also in a hurry.
    Labonte, Montoya, wanted to get ya
    Down in Pocono.
    You drove very fast
    Or the others were slow
    Down in Pocono.

    Hey, some folks get carried away, as Brad Keselowski was earlier in the week after he lost his brakes during a Road Atlanta test session that tested just how tough the young man was. With his second victory of the season, the limping lad with the busted ankle moved into the Top 20 and, for the moment, a place in the Chase. Denny Hamlin, who usually rules at Pocono, had some lug nuts fly off in the pits as they had to pick up the pieces, or nuts, to settle for 15th. At least they continue to hang on to that second wild card position as Paul Menard drops out. Meanwhile, those who were among the Top Ten remain so, at least for now.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”216″][/media-credit]Joey Logano could have won if the rains had come and stayed. Instead, after more than an hour cooling their heels and tires, the boys returned to the track to complete the event. While Keselowski beat out Kyle Busch, brother Kurt was beating and banging with Jimmie Johnson coming to the stripe to finish third and fourth respectively. Then they had a discussion as to who was an idiot. In a way, it was something of Hallmark moment, if the card read…

    “Hey, BFF, Forever ended Saturday” or…
    “Bang on the drum all day, but leave my damn car alone” or…
    “Don’t come a knockin’ and cause my car to be a rockin’”

    You can send a card to Carl Edwards, who is a happy man. So is Jack Roush and Ford as the soon to be 32-year old signed a new deal to stay just where he is for years to come.

    In watching the 43 cars come and go, I was reminded that this season we have had 76 drivers make a Cup start in 55 cars, with another car that made an attempt. With all that talent and all those autos, there are only 30 entries that really have any hope each and every week, and that includes those driven by Trevor Bayne and Bobby Labonte. Yet, 41 drivers have more than $1 million in winnings in 2011. Mike Skinner hasn’t exactly been tearing up the track this year, but he probably has more money than you.

    When it comes to wins, Tony Stewart is the man as they leave the tri-oval that thinks it is a road course to the real McCoy at Watkins Glen. Five times Stewart has won there over the past nine events, including in 2009, and he might think it is his turn again. 2010 winner Juan Pablo Montoya might disagree. In fact, he could be having some Good Vibrations himself. Okay, I’ll stop now. Enjoy your week.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 – The cream is rising to the top, with 9 sure bets and a bunch of maybes

    Hot 20 over the past 10 – The cream is rising to the top, with 9 sure bets and a bunch of maybes

    With six races to go to decide who is Chasing and who is just racing, six of the top eight have been among the hottest drivers over the past ten. If I were a betting man, I would lock in Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, and the Busch boys. Heck, the way Denny Hamlin has been performing, take a gamble and lock him in as well.

    Carl Edwards might not be hot, but he is still running pretty warm as of late and I like Ryan Newman’s chances. So, that is nine of the dozen needed for the Chase, with three fighting for wins and points to keep their hopes for a championship alive.

    [media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]The wildcard spots based on wins really makes this interesting. At least one spot will go for wins alone, while Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr could hang on to the final two positions as long as they can put a string of Top 15’s together. If they can’t, and slip out of the Top Ten, this could well become a disappointing season for both of them earlier than expected. Pocono should provide us with a piece of that puzzle.

    Here is a look at the hot 20 drivers over the past 10 races…

    Pos – Driver – Points/10 races – (W-T5-T10)

    1. Matt Kenseth – 371 pts – (1-4-7)
    The Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment…just kidding.

    2. Jeff Gordon – 358 pts – (1-4-6)
    Prettiest eyebrows in NASCAR, and that includes Danica.

    3. Kurt Busch – 358 pts – (1-3-5)
    Beating and banging his own self.

    4. Kevin Harvick – 342 pts – (1-1-5)
    It is not the same without being able to put the fear of the Lord into Kyle

    5. Kyle Busch – 327 pts – (1-5-6)
    Needs a mustache, a black hat, and some self defence lessons.

    6. Jimmie Johnson – 316 pts – (0-3-6)
    Is he trying or just waiting for the real racing to begin?

    7. Denny Hamlin – 311 pts – (1-3-5)
    With time, understanding, and lots of booze I might come to love him.

    8. Joey Logano – 308 pts – (0-3-4)
    Without a win, too little, too late.

    9. Carl Edwards – 304 pts – (0-4-5)
    To sign a new deal all he wants is for Jack to be able to call him “partner.”

    10. Ryan Newman – 301 pts – (1-2-4)
    Sit in the Top 10; check. A win; check. 30 point cushion; check.

    11. Tony Stewart – 296 pts – (0-1-4)
    Still good to go, provided he avoids disaster.

    12. David Ragan – 292 pts – (1-2-3)
    A winner, but trails Menard by seven points in the standings.

    13. Brad Keselowski – 291 pts – (1-1-3)
    That win was nice, but now he needs another.

    14. Paul Menard – 282 pts – (1-2-3)
    Menard’s, now more than just a hardware store.

    15. Clint Bowyer – 277 pts – (0-1-3)
    Last time a guy worked with a guy named Shane, they kicked the crap out of Jack Palance.

    16. Dale Earnhardt Jr – 275 pts – (0-1-3)
    Time for talk is over, time for action is now.

    17. Greg Biffle – 274 pts – (0-0-2)
    Now he’s a full race out of the Chase.

    18. Kasey Kahne – 273 pts – (0-1-2)
    For Kasey, winning isn’t everything, it has become the only thing.

    19. Marcos Ambrose – 265 pts – (0-2-4)
    Like the Cubs, he looks ahead to next year.

    20. Martin Truex Jr – 260 pts – (0-0-4)
    New crew chief, but do you see any difference?

    Officially in the Top Twenty…

    21. Mark Martin – 255 pts – (0-1-3)
    What Mark needs to do is win like hell…and soon.

    22. A.J. Allmendinger – 250 pts – (0-1-1)
    Probably a better driver than Petty. Then again, the King is now 74.

    24. Juan Pablo Montoya – 244 pts – (0-0-2)
    Not this season, Senor.

  • The Final Word – Indianapolis was the best darn broadcast of the year

    The Final Word – Indianapolis was the best darn broadcast of the year

    There are times when everything just comes together. Sunday was one of those times, as ESPN began their portion of the season with the best broadcast of the year. They had a track that lent itself to a majestic visual display, cameras located in positions that presented the action in a most appealing and thrilling fashion, and a result that kept you watching to the final lap. In short, the Brickyard 400 was as good as it gets.

    [media-credit name=”Brian Douglas” align=”alignright” width=”257″][/media-credit]Talent is good, but daddy’s money is pretty good, too. It gave Paul Menard a leg up in getting his racing career underway, but that did not come with any measure of respect from the fans. After Sunday’s victory, his first in Sprint Cup, on that particular track, the lad has finally arrived. Ham and eggers don’t win at Indianapolis, and now he sits in one of the wildcard positions for the Chase. Right at this moment, life is pretty darn good for Paul Menard.

    Good finish to the event, thanks to a late charge by Jeff Gordon who picked his way through the field to wind up second. It was good to see both Regan Smith and Jamie McMurray right behind to provide each with a strong result. Dale Earnhardt Jr is now 10th in the standings, with a 19-point cushion over Denny Hamlin, who with a win looks very strong to wind up claiming that other wildcard spot.

    Did anyone hear Rusty Wallace on Sunday? Me neither. 15 minutes away, and a day before, he was part of that horrid Nationwide broadcast from Lucas Oil Raceway. The venue and the announcers, along with camera location, can and do make a difference. As much as I like ole D.W. and the team of Petty and Dallenbach, I liked what I heard from Allen Bestwick, Andy Petree and Dale Jarrett. Now I’m trying to think of when the last time was I had anything good to say about the ESPN coverage. I think the answer is…never.

    From Indianapolis the boys venture east to Pocono, a track that is a rounded corner triangle that I always believed was configured in a way that should provide more entertaining racing on television than it has. Maybe the good folks at ESPN have finally discovered how to present the action in a fashion that will remind us of what we saw this past weekend. It is a venue that has had nothing but A-list winners for more than a decade. It is a list that includes such names as Gordon, Biffle, Hamlin, Stewart, Edwards, and Johnson.

    While Edwards, Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, and the Busch brothers look comfortable to make the Chase, there are others still digging to make sure they are there at the end. There are no shortage of story lines to follow, so there are plenty of reasons for hard core fans to be watching. The secret now is to present something on television that causes even the more pedestrian among us to stop and give it a look. Enjoy the week.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 – You can’t beat Kyle…unless you work or own RCR

    Hot 20 over the past 10 – You can’t beat Kyle…unless you work or own RCR

    Kyle Busch is number one, be it in points, on the podium, or in getting his butt kicked by employees of RCR. His third win of the season at Kentucky last weekend means all he has to do now to make the Chase is not fall out of the Top 20. He might be in like Flynn, but Brad Keselowski is not. He might have his win, but for it to do him any good he needs to move up one spot in the standings. Not too tall an order with only three points to make up when they slide into Loudon, New Hampshire for Sunday’s fun..

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”253″][/media-credit]Others have a little more work to do, which could include picking up that all important victory. With time running out on their Chase chances, that might be the most realistic route to explore. Kasey Kahne and Joey Logano are among the 12 best since we left Talladega but are so far out of the Top Ten that wins might become more important than points before too long.

    David Ragan has been hot as of late, is climbing this ladder, and has both a win and a top 20 position to his credit. Tony Stewart is hanging in the top dozen, but a win by any of the other winless folks in the top twenty would put his Chase chances in jeopardy. Same might be said of Ryan Newman, who sits ninth for the season but seems to be showing signs of heating up at the right time.

    One who is not would be Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fifteen other drivers have done better than he has over the past ten. This Sunday might be a good time to reverse the trend. The nice thing about the two wildcard spots into the Chase is that a win can change everything. Eleven drivers currently on the outside looking in could change their season completely with a win on Sunday.

    Here are out hot 20 drivers over the past ten events…

    POS (LW) – Driver – Pts/10 races – (W-T5-T10)
    *Currently has a place in the Chase

    1 (3) – Kyle Busch* – 367 pts – (2-6-6)
    1st over the season, 1st over the past ten, 1st in Kentucky, last on Childress Christmas card list.

    2 (8) – Matt Kenseth* – 350 pts – (1-3-6)
    His eight race plan to earn an average of 38 points per race has worked out brilliantly.

    3 (1) – Kevin Harvick* – 346 pts – (1-2-5)
    Has yet to finish outside Top Twenty since they concluded the Daytona 500.

    4 (2) – Kurt Busch* – 341 pts – (1-3-5)
    When someone yells “Busch you jerk” he just pokes Kyle to turn around.

    5 (6) – Denny Hamlin* – 334 pts – (1-3-5)
    Driving a Toyota while listening to a Ford seems to be working out.

    6 (5) – Carl Edwards* – 325 pts – (0-6-7)
    Carl may do flips after wins, but isn’t his crew chief former stuntman Super Bob Osborne?

    7 (4) – Jeff Gordon* – 319 pts – (1-3-5)
    I thought he was a dwarf until I discovered he was as tall as me…just 90 pounds lighter.

    8 (7) – Jimmie Johnson* – 315 pts – (0-2-6)
    This is just Jimmie being Jimmie, at least until the Chase begins.

    9 (15) – David Ragan* – 303 pts – (1-3-4)
    Daytona and Kentucky brought him into contention, but he’s not out of the woods just yet.

    10 (16) – Brad Keselowski – 295 pts – (1-2-4)
    The last nine has featured a few birdies, the opening nine nothing but bogies.

    11 (17) – Kasey Kahne – 290 pts – (0-3-3)
    Points would be nice, but at this point wins would be even better.

    12 (11) – Joey Logano – 290 pts – (0-2-3)
    Like the girl with the curl in the middle of her forehead, ranges from very, very good to horrid.

    13 (13) – Tony Stewart* – 287 pts – (0-0-4)
    Apparently that second place finish in Las Vegas stayed in Vegas.

    14 (19) – Ryan Newman* – 285 pts – (0-2-4)
    5 Top Fives is impressive, which is why he has not yet faded into the night.

    15 (12) – Greg Biffle – 275 pts – (0-0-2)
    What is it with that single Top Ten over the last eight?

    16 (10) – Dale Earnhardt Jr* – 272 pts – (0-1-3)
    Stopped for two Saturday night, but needed at least three.

    17 (21) – Marcos Ambrose – 271 pts – (0-2-3)
    Hometown zoo has a breeding program for Tasmanian Devils. I know!!

    18 (9) – Clint Bowyer – 269 pts – (0-1-4)
    Back-to-back crashes not exactly helping the cause. Another win at Loudon would.

    19 (14) – A.J. Allmendinger – 257 pts – (0-1-3)
    If the 29-year old makes the Chase, the #43 will have had to return to Victory Lane.

    20 (20) – Martin Truex Jr – 257 pts – (0-0-4)
    If Bullwinkle can pull a rabbit out of his hat, maybe Truex can still pull this season out of his…

  • The Final Word – Raise your hands if you loved Kentucky…anyone?

    The Final Word – Raise your hands if you loved Kentucky…anyone?

    What excitement Kentucky brought us last Saturday night. Let me see if I have it right. Kurt led, then Kyle, Brad for a while, before Kyle did it in style as few can do for career Cup win #22. Oh, Jamie blew up, Junior came in for two when he needed at least three, and after a pair of late cautions, Reutimann, Johnson, Newman and Edwards came out of no where for Top Fives. That pretty much sums it up. Did I mention that the televised version was boring as hell?

    [media-credit id=24 align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]Okay, so Bruton Smith, who owns pretty much everything the France family hasn’t already tied down, promises that Kentucky will soon become THE place to go to watch a NASCAR race. Maybe he is right. I heard him talk about how they needed to fix the terrible interstate feeding into the facility, how he planned another 150 acres for parking. Maybe somewhere in there he promised to bulldoze the place and start anew and I just missed it.

    That isn’t to say that the 107,000 fans who took up the challenge to fight their way to the facility did not get their money’s worth. The televised version is nothing like the real deal. You might see some things better or closer up from the couch, but you not only hear the roar of the engines, you feel them when you are there, and there is nothing better than to watch it all under the lights. However, the best way to watch this from home was with the PVR, with all those commercials a lot easier on the conscience to flip by than the so-called action. Kentucky provided a race, not a broadcast spectacular. Heck, due to rain, it didn’t even give us a Waltrip as Michael’s qualifying run in that car saluting his Hall of Fame brother got washed out.

    Daytona and Infineon gave us something to watch, If Loudon doesn’t do the same this weekend, I’m sure Indianapolis will in a couple of weeks. What Kentucky did was it moved Kyle Busch into a first place tie with Kevin Harvick, with 3 wins apiece, with Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon each with a pair. Thanks to his win at Daytona, David Ragan has one wild card spot, with Tony Stewart currently holding down the last one. Brad Keselowski has a win but remains three points shy of the 20th place spot that would give him that final place in the Chase. Once again you have proof that you don’t need exciting racing to provide interesting statistics.

    I just would rather have both. Enjoy your week.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 – No mysteries as to why Harvick is happy heading to Kentucky

    Hot 20 over the past 10 – No mysteries as to why Harvick is happy heading to Kentucky

    The last time the engines roared at Daytona, Kevin Harvick had one that gave up the ghost before most of the others even managed to heat up. That 42nd place finish has been his worst of the season, and in 17 races he has been outside the Top 15 just four times. This is why Happy is just that with nine races to pull before they get down to the Chase to determine a new champion.

    [media-credit name=”Mike Finnegan” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]It seems that if a driver can average 30 points per race, good things are happening. Nine have done that over the past ten events, with another three in there close. Joey Logano is among them and, after missing a Top Twenty spot the opening five events of the season, he has clawed his way back to be in contention for a wildcard should he win between now and Richmond. On the other side of the fence, neither Ryan Newman nor Juan Pablo Montoya have done much lately to indicate they will remain in the hunt.

    A win, or something close to it, in Kentucky could go a long way in changing that perception.

    Here at the hottest 20 over the past ten events…

    Pos (Official) Driver – Pts/10 races – (W-T5-T10)

    1 (1) Kevin Harvick – 358 pts – (1-3-6)
    Summer at Daytona sure beat the winter there.

    2 (4) Kurt Busch – 330 pts – (1-3-4)
    A tough year off-track, a good one on it.

    3 (3) Kyle Busch – 329 pts – (1-5-5)
    Finished 5th and no one tried to beat him up. It was a good week.

    4 (8) Jeff Gordon – 327 pts – (1-4-5)
    Four Top Tens in his last five. That is how you do it.

    5 (2) Carl Edwards – 325 pts – (0-5-7)
    Lately, it has been either a Top Five, or 37th place.

    6 (11) Denny Hamlin – 321 pts – (1-3-5)
    The way he is running, Denny won’t need no wildcard.

    7 (5) Matt Kenseth – 321 pts – (1-3-5)
    Too early to count his chickens, but he has a lot of eggs.

    8 (6) Jimmie Johnson – 321 pts – (1-2-6)
    Have you noticed how popular he got the more he won titles?

    9 (9) Clint Bowyer – 304 pts – (0-2-5)
    Funny how some torn sheet metal can ruin one’s day.

    10 (7) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 299 pts – (0-2-4)
    If it requires lubricant, it got to be some kind of weird racing.

    11 (20) Joey Logano – 295 pts – (0-2-4)
    Running much better as of late, but a win wouldn’t hurt.

    12 (13) Greg Biffle – 290 pts – (0-0-3)
    Four straight outside Top Ten does not help the bottom line.

    13 (12) Tony Stewart – 281 pts – (0-0-4)
    Less rear rubber than what he had at Sonoma was the way to go at Daytona.

    14 (15) A.J. Allmendinger – 274 pts – (0-1-3)
    Has been steady, but what he needs is spectacular.

    15 ( 17) David Ragan – 272 pts – (1-3-3)
    15th here, 17th officially, with his hands currently on a wildcard.

    16 (22) Brad Keselowski – 269 pts – (1-2-3)
    Got a win, but now needs some points.

    17 (19) Kasey Kahne – 266 pts – (0-3-3)
    2012 Hendrick contract has given Kasey his wings to fly.

    18 (18) Mark Martin – 266 pts – (0-1-3)
    Hoping to replace Kasey after he replaces him?

    19 (10) Ryan Newman – 265 pts – (0-1-3)
    Newman has got to get himself a new plan

    20 (23) Martin Truex Jr – 262 pts – (0-0-4)
    In last eight, four Top Tens, four times 20th or worse.

    23 (16) Paul Menard – 257 pts – (0-1-2)
    No doubt on a mission to find Montoya down in the deep.

    27 (14) Juan Pablo Montoya – 236 pts – (0-0-2)
    This isn’t the time to go ice cold, muchacho.

  • The Final Word – It is weird & different, but I like the Daytona-Talladega two car two-step

    The Final Word – It is weird & different, but I like the Daytona-Talladega two car two-step

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”255″][/media-credit]Have you ever noticed that what goes on in NASCAR has a lot of similarities to regular life? When I was a boy, sometimes my daddy would come up behind me and gave me a sharp tap.  It made me go faster, something like bump drafting did out on the track at Daytona. Today, the bump has become more of a massage, including the use of lubricants, and it involves a lot of sliding around. No question, it sure is different, it raises things to a certain level of excitement, and I like it. At least, I do when it comes to discussing the racing applications.

    The reason is simple. There is no way in God’s creation that you or I could pull it off. Saturday night, we saw Brad Keselowski send Trevor Bayne to the promised land when he got too far inside and spun his partner. I could have done the same thing at 30 mph. Driving up to 190, with only the car you are pushing in your sights, with only him and a spotter keeping you from disaster, takes a lot of skill and guts. There is very little room for error. Do it right, and the pair of you can go from the back to the front in a hurry. Do it wrong, and one of you ends up sitting with Trevor Bayne…or Carl Edwards. As they thunder to the line, we have two partners who may or may not stick it out together to the end racing against two or three other teams who are wondering the same thing. It is different, it might be what Dale Earnhardt Jr calls “weird racing”, it might even make you feel a tad uncomfortable, but you can’t say it is not pretty exciting.

    Thanks to a push from Matt Kenseth, David Ragan and UPS finally got to stick it to Denny Hamlin and Federal Express, who finished 13th. It marked the first Cup win for the 25-year old, lifting him into the Top 20, and even placed Ragan in the final wild card spot for the Chase with nine to go. All-in-all, a rather successful day. Not so for Ryan Newman (23rd) and Mark Martin (33rd), a pair of boys who have been sliding as of late and have yet to find some solid ground to rebound with.

    Maybe that will come on Saturday as the boys make their first Cup visit to the 11-year old facility in Sparta, Kentucky. It is about 3-hours away from the hometown of the Waltrip brothers, with Michael making a return to the track in a car with his Hall of Fame brother’s mug on the hood. As you can tell, there are a lot things in life that can make you feel uncomfortable than just lubricated bumpers being massaged by the guy behind. Enjoy the week!

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 – Daytona should be hot, but what about Newman, Martin & Montoya?

    Hot 20 over the past 10 – Daytona should be hot, but what about Newman, Martin & Montoya?

    With ten races to go before the Chase invites get handed out, there are some who just need to keep on doing what they are doing. It is no mistake that Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick currently lead the parade. Then there are the boys who seem to be heating up at just the right time, with Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin are among them. Joey Logano and Marcos Ambrose might still be outside the Top 20, but those two boys also are making noise as of late, providing an argument that maybe we should not count them out just yet.

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”236″][/media-credit]While we expect it to be hot at Daytona this weekend, some of our favorites are starting to chill, and not in a good way. Kyle Busch seems to have put the disappointments of Talladega and Charlotte behind him, but Dale Earnhardt Jr could have done without getting caught up in someone else’s mess last Sunday to finish 41st. Coming after a 21st place conclusion to Michigan, Junior needs some good fortune to come his way. Daytona is one place he might expect that.

    Forget Earnhardt’s troubles, as it is Ryan Newman who is a top ten guy heading down the rabbit hole. He might have three Top Tens in his past ten, but five times he has been outside the Top 20. Mark Martin is 14th in the official standings, but lately he has averaging 17th. You need consistency or wins to make the Chase, and the 52 year old has not been accused of either this campaign.

    Hey, it could be worse…unless your name is Juan Pablo Montoya. In more than half of the last ten events, the Columbian has finished in the back half of the pack. You can say he was consistent by finishing 22nd in California, but I’m sure that is not exactly the kind of result they were looking for.

    The boys begin the ten race countdown to the Chase this Saturday night in Daytona.

    Over the past 10 events…

    Pos – (Official Pos) – Driver – Pts-(W-T5-T10)

    1. (1) Carl Edwards – 359 pts – (0-6-8)
    We might have an idea as to why he leads the standings.

    2. (2) Kevin Harvick – 344 pts – (1-3-5)
    Forget a dress like Prince William’s wife wears. I’m getting my wife a firesuit!

    3. (8) Clint Bowyer – 338 pts – (0-3-6)
    Heating up at about the right time.

    4. (4) Kurt Busch – 334 pts – (1-3-5)
    Started turning right and left the rest behind at Sonoma.

    5. (3) Jimmie Johnson – 333 pts – (1-2-7)
    Six straight; why not?

    6. (6) Matt Kenseth – 326 pts – (2-3-5)
    If you can forget about Daytona, Talladega, Richmond, and Darlington, he’s been great

    7. (11) Denny Hamlin – 318 pts – (1-3-5)
    I’m starting to see that whining equates into winning

    8. (5) Kyle Busch – 317 pts – (1-4-4)
    See above.

    9. (9) Jeff Gordon – 310 pts – (1-4-4)
    Half dozen Top Fives keeps him in the hunt.

    10. (7) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 309 pts – (0-2-5)
    Sometimes Lady Luck is with you, sometimes she aint no lady at all.

    11. (13) Greg Biffle – 304 pts – (0-1-4)
    Still in the running with just a single Top Five to his credit this season.

    12. (12) Tony Stewart – 280 pts – (0-0-4)
    It all started when Vickers got even.

    13. (23) Joey Logano – 274 pts – (0-1-3)
    Needs his next ten to be even better than his last ten.

    14. (21) Marcos Ambrose – 272 pts – (0-2-4)
    See above.

    15. (10) Ryan Newman – 272 pts – (0-1-3)
    Officially 10th, unofficially sinking like a stone.

    16. (22) Brad Keselowski – 266 pts – (1-2-3)
    3rd at Darlington, 1st at Kansas, 10th at Sonoma…and not much else.

    17. (15) A.J. Allmendinger – 265 pts – (0-1-2)
    Not quite ready for prime-time just yet, but it is coming.

    18. (20) David Ragan – 263 pts – (0-2-3)
    They might love logistics, but can’t be fond of where they sit here.

    19. (14) Mark Martin – 262 pts – (0-1-3)
    With time running out, this would be the time to go, daddy!

    20. (18) Martin Truex Jr – 261 pts – (0-0-4)
    He can be beaten, and on Sunday was beaten upon often.

    21. (17) Paul Menard – 259 pts – (0-2-2)
    Having his best season ever, but that’s not saying much.

    22. (19) Kasey Kahne – 248 pts – (0-0-2)
    11 wins with the AllState girls, none without. I’m just sayin’…

    26. (16) Juan Pablo Montoya – 231 pts – (0-0-1)
    Thornton can shove this ranking system between his nalgas.