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Author: Ron Thornton

  • The Final Word from Texas, where Tony proved to be all fumes, no gas

    The Final Word from Texas, where Tony proved to be all fumes, no gas

    [media-credit name=”(c) CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”231″][/media-credit]So, what did we learn at Texas?

    Well, we have learned that if you want to play there, you must have a fiddle in the band. Matt Kenseth apparently took no chances and brought along an entire string section. He led for over half of the contest to claim the 19th of his career, and was walking away from the boys like it was the days of old. You know, the winner about twenty laps ahead of the field and with a monkey running around inside the car. Okay, I’m kidding about the ape.

    We learned that while Matt was winning for the first time in a couple of years, the real excitement at the end came from Tony Stewart. He tried to win on fuel, but was too fast in the pits and the penalty would cost him. Well, not really. We watched as Smoke ran out of gas on the final lap and watched his name dance to the right on the crawl. A Top Five? Nope. Ten? Nope. 12th, the last guy on the lead lap and with the least amount of petrol. Once again, Tony wasn’t real fussy about sharing his feelings afterward.

    We learned that Dale Earnhardt Jr’s return continues. Okay, he is just one wreck, one bad engine away from having all the nay sayers return, but so far, so good. He was 24th at Daytona, but no worse than 12th in any race since. Junior was 9th Saturday night and sits sixth in the standings. I understand he kind of likes the track they are heading to this weekend.

    We learned that Carl Edwards would take over the top rung, nine ahead of Kyle Busch and 13 up on Jimmie Johnson and Kenseth. Of course, first means little right now; tenth and the number of wins does. Stewart is ahead of Paul Menard by four points, but the hardware guy would still get in while Jeff Gordon’s win at Phoenix would give him a pass to the ball.

    We learned that Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Kevin Harvick are the others currently sitting pretty. Wins at Fontana and Martinsville leave Harvick solid at this juncture, but there is lots of time, races, and available wins up for grabs before the cut off to get too engrossed with who is where just yet. Unless you happen to be Denny Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, or Jeff Burton. Those lads can be excused for worrying a little bit.

    I learned when bad bugs somehow slip by your anti-virus, you get a weekend off. When they get fixed, you are back in the saddle again. I also learned when a bad bug bites a driver, he might spent a night at hospital. Obviously, some critter had it in for Trevor Bayne, but the elbow has recovered. At least it was an elbow. I can think of worse places to get bit.

    We will learn who is the king of Talladega on Sunday. Junior has won five times there, but the last time was in the fall of 2004. Jeff Gordon has six wins, the last in the fall of 2007. However, if you tally up all the points from the past six races there, the man would be David Ragan, of all people. I know!

    I’ve learned that there are worse places than Okotoks, Alberta, which is where my boys will be involved in a baseball camp this weekend. That means I’ll be watching all the action when we return home. As you don’t fast forward nothing when it comes to watching Talladega, it could prove be a long Sunday evening for one baseball dad. Enjoy your week.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 – Edwards the new flame atop this candle

    Hot 20 over the past 10 – Edwards the new flame atop this candle

    No wins, yet Jimmie Johnson has been able to remain at the top of the mountain, until this week. Carl Edwards put together his fourth Top Ten in five starts this season, to go along with three wins in his past ten, to take over the summit. How long he stays there is another question.

    No one is hotter at Martinsville than Johnson. He was 35th there in his first attempt back in the spring of 2002. He has finished in the Top Ten in the seventeen races he has run there since. If that isn’t dominance, then he needs to start wearing chaps with his leather suit and carry a whip. Johnson has to be considered a favorite to lay a beat down on the field this Sunday.

    Kevin Harvick’s win keeps him at the big boys’ table this week, but Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne both made significant gains. Denny Hamlin may be slipping, but Joey Logano is the one in a free fall.

    Kyle Busch was third at Fontana, but he was second at Charlotte ten races ago and so slipped a point over the past ten races. On the other hand, his brother Kurt, Paul Menard, and Tony Stewart moved up with significantly better results than they had in that race in the fall. So, while Kyle remains hot, those other three have become even hotter. Who said life was fair?

    Here are our hot 20 drivers over the past 10 events…

    1 (2) Carl Edwards – 369 pts – Most famous cousin not in the Grand Ole Opry.

    2 (1) Jimmie Johnson – 367 pts – 18 Martinsville races, 17 Straight Top Tens, 6 Wins

    3 (3) Kevin Harvick – 360 pts – As Bobby McFerrin sang, “Don’t be McMurray, be Happy.”

    4 (6) Matt Kenseth – 332 pts – Daytona was a disaster, but 12th or better each race since.

    5 (5) Mark Martin – 329 pts – For the 800th time, once more unto the breach, my friends.

    6 (11) Ryan Newman – 317 pts – 3 top fives, 4 straight top tens, he is taking off like a…rocket.

    7 (4) Denny Hamlin – 304 pts – Drives a Toyota, yet still sinking like a rock.

    8 (10) Kurt Busch – 302 pts – Might be just going around in circles, but NASCAR’s no drag.

    9 (8) Paul Menard – 301 pts – How do you like him now?

    10 (9) Tony Stewart – 301 pts – Tony has been good, but not good enough for Tony.

    11 (7) Kyle Busch – 292 pts – Performing like Junior was supposed to…and once did.

    12 (17) Kasey Kahne – 290 pts – Best Martinsville finish since 2006? Last fall he was 14th.

    13 (12) Juan Pablo Montoya – 281 pts – Already has made a million bucks this season.

    14 (16) A.J. Allmendinger – 276 pts – Steady competitor, but not yet a contender.

    15 (15) Martin Truex Jr – 270 pts – I want the sideburns back.

    16 (14) Greg Biffle – 269 pts – Turn-a-round in last two needs to continue for next two or ten.

    17 (19) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 267 pts – If he avoids disaster, a top ten driver after Darlington.

    18 (13) Joey Logano – 258 pts – Consistency can be a good thing, but 23rd three times??

    19 (18) David Ragan – 240 pts – 14 Top Tens in 2008, but just five since (in 78 races).

    20 (22) Clint Bowyer – 239 pts – First Top Ten last week, but needs to string a few more.

    Other notables…
    21 (21) Jeff Gordon – 239 pts
    22 (20) Jamie McMurray – 223 pts
    25 (24) David Reutimann – 212 pts
    27 (28) Jeff Burton – 191 pts

  • The Final Word as Harvick beats Jimmie at Fontana, but Martinsville promises to be a very different story

    The Final Word as Harvick beats Jimmie at Fontana, but Martinsville promises to be a very different story

    [media-credit name=”Patrick McBride” align=”alignright” width=”277″][/media-credit]So, what did we learn from Fontana?

    Well, we learned that those we had watched up front most of the day were not destined to finish up there. Kyle Busch? Nope, he was third. Tony Stewart? Nah, an unlucky 13th. Denny Hamlin? Sure, he led 15 laps but then his engine started to let loose and 39th was his fate. I could mention J.J. Yeley, who led for two but wound up 41st…but I won’t.

    We learned that when you take the lead for the first time in a race as you are coming to the finish, you end up with more points than any of those other guys. Kevin Harvick gave Jimmie Johnson a wee love tap, then charged to the outside of his rival to claim the bubbly. Anyone else notice those mega-cans of suds in Happy’s hand in Victory Lane? Life is good with Budweiser as your sponsor.

    We learned that skipping the pits on a caution can do good things. Stewart stayed out, caught a later caution as he was getting down to fumes in the tank, and managed to stay up there almost until the end. Too bad about his coach turning into a pumpkin as the race reached midnight, but at least he had his happy face on for a while. Stewart wasn’t wearing it after the race, however, as he skipped the post-race interviews.

    We learned that sometimes even tracks better known for putting one in a coma can provide some pretty good entertainment. Eight stayed out under caution with ten to go, and six of them finished in the top eight. Matt Kenseth slipped on a fresh set of skins, and moved up five spots to wrap up the day in fourth. While Harvick moves to ninth with the win, Kenseth is now in that all-important tenth spot in the standings.

    We learned that by finishing sixth, Carl Edwards takes first place. He is nine spots up on Sunday’s fifth place guy, Ryan Newman, ten ahead of Kurt Busch, 11 ahead of Kyle, and 14 up on Johnson. That will change, as Martinsville is not exactly one of his favorite tracks, with no wins, but he finished 8th in both races held there in 2010.

    We will learn that if Edwards is going to be challenged next week, it won’t be by Newman. He is winless at the Virginia track, while Kurt Busch did win there, once, in 2002. He hasn’t a Top Ten there since 2005. Kyle Busch, a winner almost everywhere, has never won in anything at Martinsville. Four times he has been fourth, five times outside the Top Twenty, three times somewhere in between.

    You will learn that the points leader after next week likely will be a certain Mr. Johnson. Six Martinsville wins, 17 straight Top Ten finishes there, with an average finish of between third and fourth since he finished 35th in his first race there way back in 2002. Yes, Virginia, there is a Jimmie Johnson, and he’ll remind you of that fact when the action heats up again this Sunday.

    Enjoy your week. I’m sure Five Time will be enjoying his.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10, as even a winless Jimmie Johnson remains the class of the field

    Hot 20 over the past 10, as even a winless Jimmie Johnson remains the class of the field

    The most exciting driver in NASCAR today chalked up his fourth win at Bristol in his last five races, not counting the five straight Nationwide and Craftsman truck wins to his credit in Thunder Valley. Kyle Busch was our biggest mover, jumping ten spots when you replace his ten point performance from last fall at Fontana with the 47 he pulled in last Sunday. On the downside, he needs to be in the top five the next two events to prevent rolling back.

    Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, has won four of his last seven at Fontana, which is next on the dance card. In fact, over the past ten events held there his worst finish is 11th. Good thing, as he also needs Top Five finishes to maintain his pace. He might be in the midst of a 12 race winless streak, but ten of those were Top Tens and half in the Top Three.

    Yet, the big story isn’t who is on the list this week, but rather who is not. Jeff Gordon comes in 14 points shy, Clint Bowyer is 20 off, while David Reutimann is 27 points on the outside. All are in better shape than Jeff Burton, who finds himself buried a whopping 62 off in the distance. At least here, some bad results can come off to be replaced, hopefully, with something better. When it comes to hot, that quartet are most certainly not.

    As they head of to sunny California, if you don’t count this week, here is a look at the hot 20 over the past 10 Cup races.

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson – 366 pts – Hottest dude hasn’t won in twelve.

    2 (5) Carl Edwards – 364 pts – Should have used the bumper horn

    3 (3) Kevin Harvick – 350 pts – Screw engine gunk, give him a beer.

    4 (2) Denny Hamlin – 339 pts – Got packaged early at Bristol.

    5 (4) Mark Martin – 336 pts – Harvick is Happy, at least until Mark punted him.

    6 (7) Matt Kenseth – 331 pts – Where did he come from?

    7 (17) Kyle Busch – 293 pts – Okay, I get it. He likes Bristol.

    8 (12) Paul Menard – 293 pts – Menard’s; more than a hardware chain.

    9 (6) Tony Stewart – 292 pts – Needed less smoke and more fire.

    10 (13) Kurt Busch – 289 pts – Kyle is his little brother, or is he a big bother?

    11 (9) Ryan Newman – 285 pts – A top ten, yet loses two spots?

    12 (8) Juan Pablo Montoya – 280 pts – Loose wheel, looser fenders

    13 (10) Joey Logano – 277 pts – Forget Bristol, he’s now California dreaming.

    14 (20) Greg Biffle – 276 pts – Now THAT is how you gas and go.

    15 (14) Martin Truex Jr – 275 pts – Looked good for a while, but the while left.

    16 (11) A.J. Allmendinger – 266 pts – Best Buy was the sponsor, bargain basement was the result.

    17 (15) Kasey Kahne – 261 pts – Showed some Kahne-do spirit.

    18 (23) David Ragan – 252 pts – They love logistics, but found Bristol just okay.

    19 (19) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 250 pts – Not hot yet, but I feel it getting warmer.

    20 (18) Jamie McMurray – 249 pts – Driver started with dimples, the car finished with some.

  • The Last Word on Bristol, as Kyle W(inner) Busch again sweeps Tennessee

    The Last Word on Bristol, as Kyle W(inner) Busch again sweeps Tennessee

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]So, what did we learn at Bristol?

    Well, we learned that Kyle Busch is one hell of a driver. Okay, if we had been in a coma the past couple of years, that might have been a revelation. He wins on Saturday, wins on Sunday, and his Bristol tally includes four Cup wins in his last five attempts there, two straight Nationwide wins, and don’t forget the three in a row he has rung up in the trucks. I’m guessing ole Rowdy kind of likes Bristol.

    We learned that if Carl Edwards knew his final shot at getting by Busch was with about thirty laps to go, he would not have been so clean in making the attempt. It is not that Edwards doesn’t mind using some muscle to make a pass, just ask Brad Keselowski. However, if you move a guy you got to leave the guy to avoid payback, but Busch was the one who rode off into the sunset. Edwards had to settle for second, which gives him three runner-up tallies to go with a couple of wins in his last six starts.

    We learned that Jimmie Johnson has not won a race in a dozen tries. However, before we start resizing the crown worn by Bristol’s third place finisher, Five Time hasn’t exactly been slumming it out there. Of those 12, he has been a Top Three guy six times, with eight Top Fives and 10 Top Tens. If that is a slump, there are a bunch of drivers who would love to be so mired.

    We learned that Jeff Burton’s problems continue. 20th at Bristol was the best he has done since he was 19th at Phoenix last fall. The Virginian sits 30th in the standings, almost fifty positions out of Chase contention. If all the gold is in California, he better find himself the mother lode next weekend.

    We learned that bad things happen to good people at Bristol. Burton’s problems made him a pylon out there with a loose wheel, which resulted in Trevor Bayne, David Reutimann, and Denny Hamlin beat up and scrambling for crumbs for the rest of the day.

    We learned that Juan Pablo Montoya’s loose wheel at the mid-point of the race was the beginning of the end for him. Later, when Kasey Kahne got loose and log-jammed the field, the resulting mess made sure Montoya, Bayne, and Jamie McMurray finished outside the Top 20. When Clint Bowyer’s engine blew up, he went from crippled to dead to 35th.

    We learned that when the smoke had cleared, it was that other Busch who was our points leader as Kurt heads west up by one over Edwards. They have a sizable gap over Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, and Paul Menard, who has a pair of Top Tens in four starts. Kyle, Jimmie, and Juan are right behind, with Dale Earnhardt Jr and Mark Martin rounding out the top ten. Jeff Gordon’s win at Phoenix would give him a invite to the party, while Kasey Kahne would get his only because Bayne isn’t turning his Daytona gold into a glass slipper.

    We have learned that the track at Fontana might be sunny but, Lord help me, it more often provides a cure for insomnia than it does excitement. However, there is one guy who just loves the Auto Club Speedway in California. Tony Stewart may have won there last October. Bristol’s fourth place finisher, Matt Kenseth, may have three out there. Even Edwards was the man at Fontana three years ago. However, the guy to watch is Jimmie Johnson, who has claimed four of the last seven they have run there. Maybe that poor, luckless fellow can finally end the heartbreak and break out of his slump. His worst finish in his last ten Fontana starts? Eleventh. Oh, the humanity. Enjoy your week.

  • The hot 20 over the past 10 – Junior is back, Junior is back!

    Yes, after weeks on the outside, a top ten finish at Las Vegas has returned the prodigal son back into our midst, as Dale Earnhardt Jr is again among our top 20. Sure, he is close to the bottom rung of that ladder, but he is hotter than Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, and Jeff Burton. As for Bristol, he did win there seven years ago and has been in the Top 10 more than half of the times he has run there. See, I am a “glass half full” kind of guy.

    Jimmie Johnson remains in front with Denny Hamlin still watching his exhaust, but now by just a point. Juan Pablo Montoya is our biggest mover, jumping up nine spots after finishing third in Las Vegas. Biffle dropped eight as his team continues to search for the instructions as to how to gas up a car. Gordon did the same after a good day when boom, leaving him with a lousy 9 points for his efforts.

    Who will do well in Las Vegas? Well, over the past nine years some guy by the same of Busch has claimed the prize half of the time they have run there. As March 20th as my pop’s 78th birthday, maybe it is time for another family gathering to watch the action from Thunder Valley…and have some cake.

    Meanwhile, here is a look at our hot 20 over the past 10 events…

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson – 365 pts
    I wonder who won last winter at Bristol?

    2 (3) Denny Hamlin – 364 pts
    Getting tired watching Johnson’s behind.

    3 (2) Kevin Harvick – 348 pts
    If Harvick met the Turtles, would they be Happy together?

    4 (4) Mark Martin – 344 pts
    Needed a lot more flat tires out there to win on Sunday.

    5 (5) Carl Edwards – 331 pts
    Probably the hottest driver over the past five.

    6 (6) Tony Stewart – 313 pts
    Got hosed at Las Vegas

    7 (7) Matt Kenseth – 306 pts
    Apparently thought Trevor to be a Bayne in the…

    8 (17) Juan Pablo Montoya – 291 pts
    Remember when NASCAR had no Juan to call its own?

    9 (10) Ryan Newman – 289 pts
    Doesn’t like short people. Oh, sorry, that was Randy Newman.

    10 (8) Joey Logano – 289 pts
    Tired of Ambrose calling him joey, then giggling like a little girl.

    11 (9) A.J. Allmendinger – 278 pts
    When it comes to signing autographs, wishes he was Mel Ott.

    12 (11) Paul Menard – 276 pts
    All my dad bought me was a ‘67 Chevy…and I wrecked it.

    13 (16) Kurt Busch – 275 pts
    You can call him Five Time…at Bristol.

    14 (19) Martin Truex Jr – 273 pts
    Starting to show his true(x) colors.

    15 (21) Kasey Kahne – 266 pts
    The rahne in Spahne falls mahnly on the plahne.

    16 (18) Clint Bowyer – 263 pts
    Is Wheaties Fuel put out by General Mills or Sonoco?

    17 (13) Kyle Busch – 256 pts
    Turned on the afterburners…and afterwards he burned up.

    18 (15) Jamie McMurray – 254 pts
    Oh, Jamie Mack, when are you coming back?

    19 (23) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 246 pts
    Yes, Virginia, there is a Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    20 (12) Greg Biffle – 243 pts
    Has some thoughts as to where a gas can should be shoved.

  • The Last Word from Las Vegas, where Edwards wins after Tony gets hosed.

    So, what did we learn in Las Vegas?

    Well, we learned that sometimes the best car on the day does not win, leaving the bubbly to second best. We learned that Saturday when Mark Martin found himself in front on the last lap of the Nationwide race after Brad Keselowski found the fence. We learned that Sunday, when Carl Edwards put Tony Stewart behind him for good to win his third over the last five events. It was enough to make Carl flip out.

    [media-credit id=41 align=”alignright” width=”283″][/media-credit]We learned that hoses can get hooked on a car, flipping air wrenches out of the pit box. The resulting penalty moved Stewart from first to outside the top twenty with a hundred laps to go. He got back in front after going for two tires on one stop, but when he needed four the next time out, Edwards went for the pair that left him the victor, with Stewart the runner-up.

    We learned that Edwards better be careful in Bristol. It seems that you win one day, and wind up in the garage early the next. The same fate that awaited Trevor Bayne after Daytona bit Jeff Gordon on Sunday when he cut a tire and discovered the wall. First one week, 36th the next, as those of us old enough remember how the thrill of victory can turn into the agony of defeat. We miss you Jim McKay.

    We learned that Danica Patrick is not just a pretty face. Okay, I did see the Sports Illustrated layout, but I’m talking about her finishing fourth on Saturday. Best finish ever by a woman in one of NASCAR’s top three racing series. The previous best was by Sara Christian, who ran fifth at Pittsburgh in 1949. She ran in seven races over two seasons and never was featured as a pin-up girl to my knowledge.

    We learned that Greg Biffle can get downright sarcastic when things slide into the toilet. No matter how they tried, they just could not dump enough fuel into the car. Biffle even ran out of petrol at one point and sat in the pit box as he tried to refire the beast. He wound up 28th, three laps down. 3-M Post It was his sponsor, “Shove It!” was what probably was on the driver’s mind. Yes, the Biff was miffed on Sunday.

    We learned a few things about Matt Kenseth. After a caution, the 2003 champion took the green flag on Lap 13 only to discover he had a flat. In he came, down he went on the scoring tower, but he came back to claim11th at the end of the day. Good, yes, but what about him nudging young Mr. Bayne into the fence with 50 to go? Just a racing deal my sweet patoot.

    We learned just how much fun it is to watch Kyle Busch drive a race car. He makes like a kamikaze in diving in where angels fear to tread. Sometimes he catches the grass when making a pass and goes for a skid into a wall. Sometimes he cuts a tire and finds the fence. Sometimes he blows up real good. 30th Saturday, 38th Sunday, but damned entertaining.

    We learned that the feud between Robby Gordon and Kevin Conway has been extenzed into this season, as the pair had a dust up over the weekend at the track. Not sure about the actual spark of this one, but Conway says Gordon owes him some cash, while Gordon claims Conway owes him about 30 times as much. It all stems from a sponsorship deal involving that product endorsed by Jimmy Johnson, the former football coach and Survivor…and not the driver. Conway went to the cops over the altercation and Gordon was put on special emergency probation That, as they say, is the long and the short of it. All this tension. Where is Happy Bob when you need him?

    I’ve learned that it is best to quit while you are ahead. For instance, I could ask what one gets when you combine Viagra with Extenze, but this is a racing site and has nothing to do with pole vaulting. Okay, I guess I haven’t learned a damned thing.

    Bristol is next on the dance card, a track where the winner has been a guy named Busch half the time over the past nine years. Kurt has five of them, Kyle four, including three of the past four run there. The defending champ of the spring race is some fellow by the name of Johnson. As the Sprint boys take next Sunday off, the trucks return to Darlington this Saturday night. Enjoy the week.

  • The hot 20 over the past 10, but Las Vegas is Johnsonville

    The hot 20 over the past 10, but Las Vegas is Johnsonville

    I never knew how much I liked beer soaked sausage until I saw those commercials. In fact, I haven’t really tried one yet from the good folks at Johnsonville, but the guy who has been real brat at Las Vegas in recent years is back for more. Sure, after a three year run Jimmie Johnson did allow Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch to each win one, but Five Time was back in 2010 to take it all back.

    Over the past ten events, he is still averaging nearly 38 points earned per race, or a steady run of 6th place finishes. To maintain his pace, he’ll need to match or better his second place result last October in Kansas. Kevin Harvick was third that day, with a point bonus, so the most either can gain is six points. Of course, both could lose as much as 41.

    Greg Biffle is the one with the most to lose, having won on the plains last fall. That would be certainly a welcome result considering the 35th at Daytona and last Sunday’s 20th at Phoenix.

    Here is a look at our hot 20 over the past 10 races.

    Pos – Driver – Points – Kansas Pts

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson – 379 pts (42)
    With four wins in the last six at Vegas, I like his odds.

    2 (3) Kevin Harvick – 363 pts (42)
    Still waiting on Jimmie to crap out.

    3 (2) Denny Hamlin – 359 pts (32)
    FedEx guy must be getting FedUp waiting his turn to emerge on top.

    4 (4) Mark Martin – 348 pts (30)
    Another wise crack about his age? Nah, they’re starting to get old.

    5 (5) Carl Edwards – 323 pts (39)
    As Labonte felt about Dale, Carl feels about Kyle.

    6 (8) Tony Stewart – 311 pts (42)
    Where there’s Smoke, there’s a bruised Australian.

    7 (7) Matt Kenseth – 310 pts (38)
    Loved him with Crosby, Kenseth, Nash, and Young.

    8 (6) Joey Logano – 295 pts (27)
    At least he could claim the best finish among 20 year olds at Phoenix.

    9 (11) A.J. Allmendinger – 287 pts (34)
    Takes more time to sign an autograph than anybody on the circuit.

    10 (12) Ryan Newman – 285 pts (35)
    5 foot -11, or 6-3 with a neck.

    11 (10) Paul Menard – 280 pts (37)
    Does his sponsor offer him discounts?

    12 (13) Greg Biffle – 273 pts (47)
    Moving in the right direction, but 35th to 20th??

    13 (16) Kyle Busch – 273 pts (23)
    Ah, dang, sorry about your little car, Carl.

    14 (18) Jeff Gordon – 272 pts (40)
    Forget 0-for-66. Now he is 1-for-1.

    15 (9) Jamie McMurray – 271 pts (34)
    What a difference a year makes.

    16 (14) Kurt Busch – 270 pts (31)
    Once known for his mouth, now best known for his brother’s.

    17 (15) Juan Pablo Montoya – 264 pts (15)
    Juan Pablo sounds so much cooler than J.P.

    18 (17) Clint Bowyer – 262 pts (29)
    If you need body work, Clint knows some guys.

    19 (21) Martin Truex Jr – 258 pts (24)
    Making some noise, but just not enough sweet music.

    20 (20) Regan Smith – 245 pts (18)
    Needs to step it on up before he is asked to step it on out.

    In case you were wondering where NASCAR’s most popular driver is sitting…

    23 (23) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 232 pts (22)
    It will take a while to exorcise the ghosts of 2010.

    Race Talk Radio’s Dennis Michelsen and Lori Munro host a weekly poll of the top 20 drivers, as selected by pundits that include yours truly, Bob Dillner, Monte Dutton, Tom Bowles and a host of others. Check it out at racetalkradio.com

  • The Final Word on Phoenix where Gordon wound up with the final say

    The Final Word on Phoenix where Gordon wound up with the final say

    So, what did we learn at Phoenix?

    Well, we learned that Chad Knaus sucks as a predictor of events. Expect few cautions, he said prior to the race, and within 70 laps more than half the field were dinged. That did not include Joey Logano, who had an engine going south early and blowing up late. A lot of the early victims did manage to return eventually to run laps while down by ten, twenty, or more, but they did come back.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”294″][/media-credit]We also learned that one can come back from a 66 race drought and win again. Jeff Gordon got by Kyle Busch with a slight love tap and hurried along to keep out of range to snap the winless streak. It also brought to an end Busch’s Phoenix streak of winning, after he claimed races Friday and Saturday before having to settle for a lousy runner-up finish on Sunday. As for Gordon, a bit of justice for a little mishap that could have ended his day more than 250 laps earlier.

    We learned that one can wiggle and pretty much eliminate Carl Edwards from contention. Shrub sends Edwards to the curb, who in turns ride Jeff Gordon into the fence. Gordon recovered, Edwards did not. Just an accident, just a little loss of control, or something more conspiratorial?

    We learned that while Team Hendrick had its problems at Daytona, the boys would finish first, third (Jimmie Johnson), tenth (Dale Earnhardt Jr), and thirteenth (Mark Martin) in Arizona. I’m sure we are all so glad their misfortunes have finally come to an end.

    We learned that Trevor Bayne went from last week’s thrill of victory to the weekend’s agony of defeat. Fifty laps in, he tried to duck into a hole that wasn’t quite big enough and thus ended his day. The good news is that he picked up the same amount of points for finishing 40th as he did for winning.

    We learned that Daytona and Talladega are not the only tracks that can feature a Big One. Lap 67, and 13 autos got tangled up when Brian Vickers went sideways and those behind shunted like railcars in a freight yard. Burton, Bowyer, Smith, and Reutimann were among those who started looking ahead to Las Vegas.

    We learned that we were seeing entries being banged up, on average, one every third lap. If that had continued, we would have been watching a whole lot of nothing by Lap 130.

    We learned that Kyle Busch, like it or not, is the Intimidator’s successor. Who else can drive like he figures each race is his to win, and be damned to all who gets in his way? Who else can make you smile when he wins, and maybe smile even bigger when he gets wrecked? He leads nearly half of all the laps run in three races, wins two and finishes second in the other, and makes us believe that it is not out of the ordinary. Next Sunday, he returns to his hometown track.

    Sunday, it is the bright lights of Las Vegas that beckon us. It is a track the aforementioned Mr. Busch won at in 2009, a year after the aforementioned Mr. Edwards did the same thing. Of course, it is the same track one certain Mr. Johnson has won four of the past six, including one year ago, for combined winnings of more than $20-million. No doubt, Five Time is one of the few who goes to Vegas and comes away with more than he spent. Enjoy the week.

  • Hot 20 over the past 10 as they race at Phoenix

    Hot 20 over the past 10 as they race at Phoenix

    So, who is the hottest driver thus far this season? Well, that would be 20-year old Trevor Bayne. The kid wins the Daytona 500 his first time out, but he is slated to be a Nationwide driver this season, so he got the win but no points. Is that fair? Is it fair to have Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski the junior series champs these past five years? No, so let the young man and those like him have a shot at attaining glory amongst their peers before reaching for the brass ring. Of course, one of them already has one sitting in his pocket.

    As for the hottest driver over the past ten events run in Cup, that would remain five-time champ Jimmie Johnson. As they move on to Phoenix for this Sunday’s event, each driver would need to match his efforts of ten races ago, in Dover, to maintain their pace. For Johnson, that would mean winning.

    Pos – Driver – Points – (Pts at Dover in Sept)

    1 (1) Jimmie Johnson 385 pts (48 at Dover)
    “I am the champion, my friends, and I’ll keep on fighting til the end.”

    2 (3) Denny Hamlin -25 (35 at Dover)
    Always a Chaser, never a Champ.

    3 (2) Kevin Harvick -34 (29 at Dover)
    Had one of the best damn engines out there…for 20 laps.

    4 (5) Mark Martin -36 (32 at Dover)
    Has a decent start to his final year with Hendrick

    5 (4) Carl Edwards -39 (40 at Dover)
    With Bayne still in diapers, it is Cousin Carl who leads the standings

    6 (6) Joey Logano -59 (42 at Dover)
    Now has company at the kiddie’s table

    7 (7) Matt Kenseth -82 (29 at Dover)
    Not miffed that he got Biffed at Daytona

    8 (11) Tony Stewart -89 (23 at Dover)
    Where, oh where, can his Junior be?

    9 (9) Jamie McMurray -92 (31 at Dover)
    Eight cylinders beat seven every time.

    10 (14) Paul Menard -95 (37 at Dover)
    Daddy has some money, Sonny has some momentum

    11 (12) A.J. Allmendinger -97 (36 at Dover)
    Sitting in a car fit for a King.

    12 (9) Ryan Newman -104 (36 at Dover)
    Adequate start, unfortunate Daytona finish

    13 (10) Greg Biffle -111 (25 at Dover)
    Daytona? He thought it was Demo Derby.

    14 (16) Kurt Busch -111 (41 at Dover)
    Brother, where art thou?

    15 (15) Kyle Busch -116 (39 at Dover)
    The driver was stable, the car was not.

    16 (18) Juan Pablo Montoya -116 (30 at Dover)
    The march to the top has begun.

    17 (17) Clint Bowyer -121 (19 at Dover)
    Second in the Nationwide race, no points. Knows how Bayne feels.

    18 (13) Jeff Gordon -128 (33 at Dover)
    Winning five titles apparently aint easy.

    19 (19) David Ragan -131 (20 at Dover)
    When you re-start to the right, you need to stay to the right

    20 (20) Regan Smith -132 (18 at Dover)
    The folks at Furniture Row are riding their own Rocky Mountain high.

    Race Talk Radio’s Dennis Michelsen and Lori Munro host a weekly poll of the top 20 drivers, as selected by pundits that include yours truly, Bob Dillner, Monte Dutton, Tom Bowles and a host of others.  Check it out at racetalkradio.com