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  • Win no. 49 for Hornaday Jr. at Atlanta

    Win no. 49 for Hornaday Jr. at Atlanta

    Ron Hornaday Jr. stayed out on old tires while others pitted and won Friday nights NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Good Sam Club 200 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”247″][/media-credit]Clint Bowyer was catching Hornaday quickly in the closing laps, but Hornaday was able to lead the final 17 laps and win his record 49th NASCAR Truck Series by 1.596 seconds over Bowyer.

    “See that trophy? We stole it tonight, but I’ll take it any way we can get it. Jeff and all the guys worked hard. We got back up to sixth place after that pit stop, they did an awesome job in the pits.” Hornaday said.

    Bowyer led 97 of the 130 laps ran and was looking like his would win his second Truck Series race of the season, but he had to pit for tires and fuel.

    “Got beat by a guy that snookered me, played a better poker game than we did and we got beat. But you gotta hand it to those guys, man we had a great truck. Kevin’s always put me in a great truck. Love this Truck Series, it’s a lot of fun being able to race Kyle for the wins and give him a run for his money.” Bowyer said.

    Kyle Busch finished third, Blake Feese fourth and Ryan Newman finished fifth.

    “We had the second-best truck. For a few moments, we could get in front of Clint. But we didn’t have it on the long runs. We’d always get loose. We could never get it the way we needed it.” Busch said. “The 2 truck was definitely the best truck of the night. It’s fortunate for us he didn’t win given that we’re fighting for the owner’s championship.”

    Newman was racing in honor of his good friend Beau Slocumb, who succumbed to cancer in April. He was driving the No. 08 tribute paint scheme. Slocumb’s friends and family were also present.

    “We didn’t get the victory that we wanted, but a top-five, that’s all we had tonight.” Newman said. “(Tonight) my mind wandered a couple times. (Beau) would have had fun, been smiling, just like me. Probably thinking about where he could put up a tree stand tomorrow.”

    James Buescher finished 10th and took over the series lead by 12 points over Johnny Sauter. Sauter cut down two tires after a fender rub and finished 29th.

     

    Unofficial Race Results
    Good Sam Club 200, Atlanta Motor Speedway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/truckseries/race.php?race=17
    ==============================================
    Pos. St. No. Driver Make Points
    ==============================================
    1 17 33 Ron Hornaday Chevrolet 47
    2 2 2 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 0
    3 6 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 0
    4 27 32 Blake Feese Chevrolet 40
    5 5 108 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 0
    6 8 3 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 39
    7 7 88 Matt Crafton Chevrolet 37
    8 1 4 Ricky Carmichael Chevrolet 36
    9 19 5 Todd Bodine Toyota 35
    10 3 31 James Buescher Chevrolet 34
    11 28 63 Jack Smith Ford 33
    12 4 29 Parker Kligerman * Dodge 32
    13 20 22 Joey Coulter * Chevrolet 31
    14 18 9 Max Papis Toyota 30
    15 26 39 Ryan Sieg Chevrolet 29
    16 10 17 Timothy Peters Toyota 28
    17 21 81 David Starr Toyota 27
    18 25 62 Brendan Gaughan Toyota 26
    19 15 51 Colin Braun Ford 25
    20 16 8 Nelson Piquet Jr. * Chevrolet 24
    21 9 151 Josh Richards Toyota 23
    22 13 7 Miguel Paludo * Toyota 22
    23 31 10 Jennifer Jo Cobb Ford 0
    24 35 66 Chris Cockrum Chevrolet 20
    25 23 23 Jason White Chevrolet 19
    26 22 6 Justin Lofton Toyota 18
    27 32 84 Chris Fontaine Chevrolet 0
    28 24 98 Justin Marks Chevrolet 16
    29 12 13 Johnny Sauter Chevrolet 15
    30 29 178 B.J. McLeod Chevrolet 0
    31 14 20 Johanna Long * Toyota 13
    32 11 60 Cole Whitt * Chevrolet 12
    33 36 109 Charles Vest Ford 11
    34 34 7 Johnny Chapman Chevrolet 0
    35 30 138 Mike Garvey Chevrolet 0
    36 33 93 Dennis Setzer Chevrolet 0
  • Matty’s Picks: AdvoCare 500 Vol. 16 – Atlanta – September 4, 2011

    Matty’s Picks: AdvoCare 500 Vol. 16 – Atlanta – September 4, 2011

    We make our only trip to Atlanta Motor Speedway this Labor Day Weekend, a track where in 1995, the late Dale Earnhardt drove his No. 3 to victory in a race time of 3 hours, 3 minutes, and 3 seconds. That might just be my coolest “quirky fact” yet for Matty’s Picks.

    [media-credit name=”atlantamotorspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”152″][/media-credit]Atlanta has no characteristic of being dominated by one or a few drivers as 7 different drivers have won this race the past 10 years, repeat winners being; defending race winner Tony Stewart (2010 & 2006), Carl Edwards(2005 & 2008), and Jimmie Johnson (2007 & 2004).

    For the first time in 50 years, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will visit Atlanta Motor Speedway just once in the 2011 campaign. Atlanta forfeited its spring race this season to yield an opening in the 36-race schedule for its brother, Kentucky Speedway. Being one of the original NASCAR superspeedways, the track has traditionally drawn two races to the Peach State but with just one weekend on the schedule this year, you can be sure that the fans will pack the grandstands when the lights come on Sunday night.

    Bristol Recap

    For the first time since The Brickyard, I didn’t pick a driver that finished inside the Top 10, so in turn my Bristol recap will be rather brief.

    Before his troubles last Wednesday night in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in Thunder Valley, Kyle Busch had won the previous 5 NASCAR events at Bristol Motor Speedway. His prior dominance in all three major NASCAR series at BMS was my basis for picking him as my Winner Pick last week.

    Busch struggled for the majority of the weekend, (besides the Nationwide Series race Friday night) and his troubles carried into the race on Saturday. His car was NEVER good last weekend, and really drove the wheels off his Doublemint Camry to try and say in the Top 10. Busch eventually would come home 14th and had this to say about his troubles:

    “Kind of a disappointing day, but proud of the guys. We never gave up, but we just never could get the car to where it would feel like it had in the past. That’s kind of what we struggled with all weekend — just not being able to get that special Bristol feel.”

    As for my Dark Horse pick last week, he fared a bit better than Kyle Busch but still failed to finish inside the Top 10 by just one spot.

    Kasey Kahne found himself one lap down just past the midway point in the race, but was fast enough to stay just behind the leaders and catch the lucky dog, putting him back on the lead lap.

    Kahne started at the tail of the field and was able to work his way through a bit of traffic after the Lucky Dog, and was able to secure an 11th place finish for his efforts. The finish boosted him two spots in the points standings and he spoke after the race:

    “We worked on the balance of the car all evening. Luckily, we got the lucky dog and were able to work our way up to 11th at the finish. The finish moved us up two spots in the points, which is great with two races left to get in the Chase. We head to Atlanta next week, which is one of my favorite tracks so looking forward to that.”

    Atlanta Picks

    Without a spring race at Atlanta this year, I will be turning to some statistics from prior seasons as well as results from the first race at AMS’ twin sister, Texas Motor Speedway. Texas was modeled after its big brother in 1996, and produces extremely similar racing to AMS with its 24-degrees of banking and corner-entry speeds over 200 MPH.

    Winner Pick

    This week, I’d like to please my girlfriend again by picking her favorite driver. I’m trying to score some brownie points with her after ditching her this Labor Day Weekend to head to South Bend, Indiana to fulfill a dream I’ve had for quite some time. I will be attending my first football game at Notre Dame Stadium as my beloved Fighting Irish take on the Bulls from the University of South Florida.

    At least my girlfriend’s favorite driver has some history at Atlanta Motor Speedway and is extremely familiar with Victory Lane at the track. Jimmie Johnson has 3 wins at AMS and an average finish just outside the Top 10 at 10.4. He finished 3rd in this race last year, but his last win at Atlanta came in October of 2007, the year he swept both Sprint Cup races at AMS.

    Johnson finished 8th at Texas earlier this year, and will probably go down as the best Intermediate Track drivers in NASCAR history. He has tallied 37 of his 54 victories on Intermediate Tracks and averages a Top 10 in all combined races on 1.5 mile courses, a no-brainer pick I would say.

    Dark Horse Pick

    My dark horse pick is desperate for a win here late in the season, and Atlanta is a place I feel he has a good shot at doing it. Clint Bowyer sits 12th in the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings, but with zero wins would find himself on the outside looking in for the last 10 races of the season.

    As it stands now without Bowyer having a win, Brad Keselowski and Denny Hamlin would seal the two Wild Card spots, moving Bowyer aside. Atlanta is a place that Bowyer enjoys racing at as it brings him back to his days of Dirt racing in the Midwest. Atlanta’s slick, high-banked corners make turning though the corners similar to that of driving on Dirt.

    Bowyer scored a Top 10 in this race last year with his 7th place finish, his 5th at AMS, but has failed to finish inside the Top 5 at Atlanta. Bowyer finished second earlier this season at Texas, and has fire in his belly for a win this weekend. Bowyer is looking for a win in the worst kind of way and he might just do it Sunday night.

    That’s all for this edition of Matty’s Picks. As a quick side note, I’m extremely excited for the 2011 College Football season to start this weekend. I’ll be watching my Alma Matter, West Virginia University take on the Marshall Thundering Herd this Sunday afternoon in preparation for the race Sunday Night.

    Until next week…LETS GOOO MOUNTAINEERS!

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE NATIONWIDE SERIES AT ATLANTA

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: THE NATIONWIDE SERIES AT ATLANTA

    NASCAR’s Nationwide Series will play a major role in the big weekend at the Atlanta Motor Speedway with Saturday’s running of the Great Clips 300. With this race comes a very tight battle for the series’ championship that could go down to the final race of the season. There is also the presence of NASCAR Sprint Cup double duty drivers in this race that will likely make their presence felt.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN.

    [media-credit name=”Barry Albert” align=”alignright” width=”260″][/media-credit]The direction of the Nationwide Series’ championship profile seems to be focused on three drivers. Roush Fenway Racing’s Ricky Stenhouse Jr continues to lead the points standings and has been there for the past four weeks. However veteran driver Elliott Sadler, representing Kevin Harvick Inc, has used some very consistent performances as of late and has whittled the Stenhouse lead to a mere five points. Still very much a major player in this championship battle is Turner Motorsports driver Reed Sorenson who is only ten points away from the top.

    The big difference maker in the final resolution of the Nationwide Series championship could very well be based on the bonus points system that comes with winning a race, leading a lap or leading the most laps in a race. This is an area where Stenhouse has excelled so far this season. He has already accumulated 21 bonus points while Sadler has nine and Sorenson has eight.

    The other Nationwide Series championship, the owner’s points, seems to be well settled. Joe Gibbs Racing, and their #18 Toyota team, currently holds a 50 points advantage over Roush Fenway Racing’s #60 Ford team. The Gibbs success, needless to say, has been based on the phenomenal series success of driver Kyle Busch. Joe Gibbs Racing is currently seeking their fourth, consecutive, owner’s title in the Nationwide Series. If they’re successful, and it certainly looks like it, it will be a new series record.

    ************

    What would a Nationwide Series event be without the presence of Sprint Cup double duty drivers? The Great Clips 300 has a pretty impressive collection of Cup drivers who will be looking to gain some information, regarding track and tire conditions, that can be used for Sunday’s race. The truth be known, these drivers will largely be looking to just have some Saturday night fun.

    Kevin Harvick will be in his self owned KHI #33 Chevrolet but will be running this race with a brand new crew chief. On Tuesday KHI announced that Chris Carrier has been named as the new head man on the pit box. Carrier will be very busy at Atlanta doing some double duty himself. He’s also the crew chief for KHI’s #8 Chevrolet, driven by Nelson Piquet Jr, in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Carrier will be on the pit box for both races this weekend. Eventually KHI plans to name a new crew chief for their truck team.

    Joe Gibbs Racing will also be well represented in Saturday night’s race. The always formidable Kyle Busch will behind the wheel of their #18 Toyota. Making his official debut, as the new JGR development driver, will be Ryan Truex who will drive the team’s #20 Toyota.

    Other double duty drivers include Kasey Kahne who will be behind the wheel of the #38 Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports. Meanwhile JR Motorsports has named Jamie McMurray to drive their #7 Chevrolet at Atlanta.

    But the one surprise on the double duty list is the name Brad Keselowski. The Penske Racing driver returns to his Nationwide Series duties for the first time in four weeks following an August 3d test session accident on a road course that left him with a very painful fractured left ankle. All season long Keselowski has been running the full schedule in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. That, of course, was deterred after the accident.

    Penske Racing lined up some high quality replacement from their talent pool to fill the seat for Keselowski’s Nationwide Series Dodge. That talent roster included Kurt Busch, Sam Hornish Jr, Jacques Villeneuve and Parker Kligerman. During the short fill in time this quartet of drivers turned in one win, two top ten finishes and two poles.

    On the Sprint Cup side, Keselowski has been red hot. He’s currently in 11th in the points, with three wins, and that guarantees him at least a wild card berth in the series’ Chase For The Championship. With two races left, before the Chase line up is officially set, Keselowski could possibly get into the top ten which means he would be eligible for the bonus points for his wins and that would guarantee a high seed position in the Chase.

    While the healing process for his fractured ankle is on track, one has to wonder if this is a good time for Penske Racing to put Keselowski back into their Nationwide Series car. With his Chase status now a certainty, why take the chance of something happening Saturday night that could re injure his foot? It just makes more sense to keep this driver out of the Nationwide car until it’s time for the Chase to start.

    ************

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Great Clips 300 is 195 laps/300miles around the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s 1.54 mile, very fast, quad oval.

    The race has 45 entries vying for the 43 starting berths and the winner’s share of the $942,000 plus race purse.

    15 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 30 in the series’ owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speeds to make the race. The lone exception here is driver Jeff Green who has the option of using a past champion’s provisional.

    Saturday’s Great Clips 300 will be broadcast live by the ESPN2 Network with the “NASCAR Countdown” show beginning at 7 pm eastern time.

  • The hot 20 over the past 10 – If Tony is upset with his performance, imagine what he thinks of Junior’s

    Tony Stewart feels his team is running so bad that if they make the Chase they will just be taking a spot away from someone more deserving. That might be how he really feels, but if he isn’t deserving, then what can you say about Dale Earnhardt Jr?

    [media-credit id=41 align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Hey, Junior’s my guy, but we have to face facts here. He might be 9th in the standings, but over the past ten events the #88 crew has not exactly been charging up the ladder. If you want to feel sorry for a guy, how about Joey Logano. He has the 7th best record in recent weeks, but those first five races of the year, when he could not even bust a Top Twenty, keeps him from contending now.

    I love my mother, but I’m pretty sure I won’t ever see her on Dancing With the Stars. I’m sure my eyes will never glimpse her bungee jumping, walking a tightrope, or winning a Sprint Cup title this fall. I don’t see that last one coming to fruition for Junior either. Over the last ten events, driving to make the Chase, with everything on the line, he is 24th. That does not exactly instill one with the confidence to slap down a wager.

    Junior missed the Top Twenty at Daytona in February, but it wasn’t until June when he suffered that same fate again. At the time, he was third in the standings, but slipped after his 41st place the next outing at Sonoma. Before Michigan he had eight Top Tens; since he has just one. In those past ten events Junior’s average finish has been 19th. If Tony Stewart is not good enough to be in the Chase, then I would expect Dale Earnhardt Jr to slide out of contention for the crown quickly, and quietly.

    Here is a look at our hot 20 over the past ten, along with where they are currently ranked in the official standings…

    1 (5) Jeff Gordon – 371 pts (0-3-7)
    Jimmie has five, Jeff wants five.

    2 (1) Kyle Busch – 369 pts (2-6-7)
    Thirteen Top Fives. 13!!

    3 (3) Matt Kenseth – 350 pts (0-3-6)
    Might not be Mr. Excitement, but still on track to become Mr. Two-time.

    4 (7) Ryan Newman – 345 pts (1-4-6)
    Oh boo-hoo, it has to be tough to be with Stewart-Haas.

    5 (11) Brad Keselowski – 344 pts (2-4-7)
    Wins will get him in, but this boy has a few points to make.

    6 (2) Jimmie Johnson – 344 pts (0-5-7)
    Two more races to tinker, then it is back to business

    7 (18) Joey Logano – 309 pts (0-3-4)
    Maybe too late for this year, but good signs for the season ahead.

    8 (4) Carl Edwards – 303 pts (0-3-5)
    Is this the year?

    9 (6) Kevin Harvick – 301 pts (0-0-3)
    Like Jimmie, like Carl, the real deal will be at Chicago and beyond.

    10 (10) Tony Stewart – 293 pts (0-1-4)
    If this is bad, imagine what good would be like.

    11 (14) A.J. Allmendinger – 293 pts (0-0-1)
    Out of a Chase place since the Bristol disaster last March.

    12 (8) Kurt Busch – 292 pts (1-2-4)
    It was not good, but at least Bristol was better than Pocono and the Glen.

    13 (17) Martin Truex Jr – 287 pts (0-2-4)
    A pair of Top Fives in last three beats memories of Martinsville, Texas, Daytona…

    14 (15) Kasey Kahne – 285 pts (0-1-3)
    Easy to move to where the grass is greener when they sell the farm.

    15 (22) Marcos Ambrose – 279 pts (1-2-4)
    Can a win at Atlanta mean a million bucks AND a place in the Chase?

    16 (20) Paul Menard – 270 pts (1-2-4)
    Things were looking up until they went down the hole the past three weeks.

    17 (12) Clint Bowyer – 269 pts (0-1-3)
    Seeking a new deal, but what he really needs are two great starts.

    18 (13) Denny Hamlin – 264 pts (1-2-3)
    Needs a win.

    19 (21) David Ragan – 257 pts (1-1-2)
    See above.

    20 (16) Greg Biffle – 255 pts (0-0-2)
    You run 20th or worse ten times, including the past three, and you get this.

    22 (19) Mark Martin – 250 pts (0-1-3)
    Of course, in Hollywood, a writer has Mark winning the next two.

    24 (9) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 246 pts (0-0-1)
    Got a new contract, but we want the old Junior back (circa 2008)

    25 (25) Regan Smith – 241 pts (0-0-1)
    Winning is now the only thing, and he might need two.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: A TAILGATE PARTY AT HOT ‘LANTA

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: A TAILGATE PARTY AT HOT ‘LANTA

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be bringing their high energy brand of tailgate party to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for Friday night’s running of the Good Sam Club 200. The truck series will join their Nationwide and Sprint Cup counterparts for the massive NASCAR weekend at Atlanta. Don’t be too surprised if the truck brigade turns out to be the class act of the entire weekend. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time that happened.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”277″][/media-credit]During the SPEED Channel coverage of the NASCAR Camping Word Truck Series event at Atlanta, you will hear a lot of speculation regarding Kevin Harvick Inc and their future in the truck series. The speculation says they may be severely limiting, if not even completing shutting down, the truck side of their operation and, yes, that could mean four time series champion Ron Hornaday Jr could be looking for a ride next year. Remember this is only speculation and nothing is official until we hear a formal announcement from Kevin and DeLana Harvick which could be coming next week. As far as the Atlanta race goes KHI will field three trucks with Sprint Cup driver Clint Bowyer in their number 2 truck. Nelson Piquet Jr will be in his #8 with Hornaday in his traditional #33 business as usual.

    *************

    The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will be bringing a very tight points battle to Atlanta featuring a series veteran and two young hopefuls who seeking NASCAR gold at the end of the season. Thorsport Racing veteran Johnny Sauter leads the current standings with 61 points. However, that lead is only seven markers ahead of Turner Motorsports’ James Buescher. The presence of this young driver in the championship profile is especially impressive because he missed the series’ race at Phoenix and had to work hard all season to eradicate that deficit. Third in the standings is Red Horse Racing’s Timothy Peters who is only 15 points out of first.

    ************

    There are four previous Atlanta winners entered in Friday night’s race: Todd Bodine, Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman and Ron Hornaday Jr. From this group, only Busch is a multiple Atlanta winner having won there four times with the last trip to victory lane dating back to 2009.

    Over the years the truck series at Atlanta has displayed a tendency to create some very close finishes. Nine of the last 11 events has featured margin of victories of 0.971 seconds or less. The closest ever Atlanta truck finish came in March of 2005 when Ron Hornaday Jr led Bobby Labonte under the checkers with a margin of 0.008 seconds. It remains as the fifth closest decision in series history.

    **************

    Sprint Cup Chase contender Ryan Newman will be making a guest appearance in Friday night’s truck behind the wheel of the #08 Realtree/Brandt Chevrolet for Turner Motorsports. This race entry is a celebration of life in honor of Beau Slocumb, an employee of Turner Motorsports and former driver, who tragically passed away due to cancer at the age of 26. Newman first met Slocumb while on a fishing trip at his house. The pair quickly became lifelong friends. Slocumb’s passion, beyond racing, was hunting and fishing. Turner Motorsports and Realtree had the Chevrolet truck wrapped with a camouflage design in his honor and stenciled his name above the passenger window. In recent days it was announced by the team that any purse money won from the Atlanta race will be donated to Mrs Slocumb.

    ***************

    Driver Johanna Long will be making her truck series debut at Atlanta Friday night. Her #20 Panhandle Motorsports Toyota will be “Paw Paw Powered.” That phrase will be turned into a decal and placed on her truck in honor of her “Paw Paw”,(Grandfather). Explaining the special tribute, Long said “I’m racing in honor of my Paw Paw this weekend. He’s been battling liver disease for awhile and is still staying strong, so I want this race to be for him. He’s the one who has given me the opportunity to do what I love from the beginning of my career, and he has been my biggest supporter. Every lap I take around the Atlanta Motor Speedway will be for him.”

    ************

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    The Good Sam Club 200 is 130 laps/200.2 miles around the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s massive 1.54 mile quad oval.

    The race has 37 entries vying for the 36 starting berths. Ten of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a start in the race because they are currently outside of the series’ top 25 in owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on qualifying speed to make the race.

    Friday’s Good Sam Club 200 will be broadcast live by the SPEED Channel beginning with qualifying at 5 pm eastern time. The pre race show will be aired at 730 pm eastern.

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: SOME HOT CHASE ACTION IN HOT ‘LANTA

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: SOME HOT CHASE ACTION IN HOT ‘LANTA

    NASCAR’s Sprint Cup teams are headed to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for Sunday’s running of the AdvoCare 500. This is the next to the last race before NASCAR names its official line up for the 2011 Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship. That alone is going to add a lot of high speed drama to a race that will be ran on the fastest track on the Sprint Cup schedule.

    THE STORY BREAKDOWN

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”223″][/media-credit]Going into Sunday’s race at Atlanta six teams have officially clinched their starting berths in the 2011 Chase. That includes Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards. Kevin Harvick, with three wins, and Jeff Gordon, a two time winner, are currently in the Chase based a guaranteed wild card status but it’s highly likely they will officially join the top ten Chase starters this Sunday.

    The magic number for the Chase is 49. That means that any driver, in the top ten standings, who is at least 49 points ahead of the 11th position, after Sunday’s race, will clinch a starting berth in the Chase. The Chase scenario for those seeking to clinch a Chase berth this Sunday is as follows:

    Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon are each 93 points in front of the 11th position. By clinching an official top ten Chase berth they will be entitled to three bonus points for each of their previous wins when the Chase contender’s points are reset after September 10th. To make this happen, Harvick and Gordon has to finish at least 40th at Atlanta, 41st with a bonus point for leading a lap or 42nd with the bonus point for leading the most laps.

    Ryan Newman is currently 73 points in front of the 11th position. To officially earn a Chase berth Newman needs to finish at least 20th at Atlanta, 21st with a lap lead or 22nd after leading the most laps.

    Kurt Busch is 60 points in front of 11th and needs a seventh place finish to clinch, 8th with a lap led or 9th with the most laps led.

    For Dale Earnhardt Jr, 39 points in front of 11th, and Tony Stewart, 21 points in front of 11th, there is no real specific numerical formula for them to clinch this Sunday. They are going to need some help at Atlanta as in the 11th place driver experiencing some bad racing luck. Unfortunately for Earnhardt and Stewart that 11th place driver is the red hot Brad Keselowski. Earnhardt and Stewart may have to consider a conservative racing for points stance at Atlanta and, hopefully, claim their Chase Berths the following weekend at Richmond. This points scenario could get really interesting next Sunday.

    Positions 11 and 12 in the official Chase line up are the wild card berths. Going into Sunday’s race, Brad Keselowski is locked in due to his three wins this year. Denny Hamlin has the second wild card berth with his one win earlier this year.

    However, Hamlin’s wild card berth is not 100 percent safe. A win by Clint Bowyer at Atlanta, who is 12th in the points to Hamlin’s 13th, could load up the wild card drama. A surprise win from either A J Allmendinger or Kasey Kahne would produce the same result.

    The Chase rules states that wild card drivers must be in the top 20 in the championship points. Another surprise, second, win by Paul Menard could put him in the Chase because he’s 20th in the points. Other possible wild card surprises, from drivers with one win, includes David Ragan, three points out of 20th and Marcos Ambrose, four points from 20th.

    *************

    Also at issue this Sunday is the final resolution of the Sprint Summer Showdown promotion. After selecting four qualifying races, the Showdown could be won by any one of three drivers at Atlanta. The grand prizes includes $1 million to the winning driver and their team, $1 million to the winning driver’s designated charity and $1 million to a lucky NASCAR fan.

    Eligible drivers, their winning qualifying race and their charity includes:

    Paul Menard, Indianapolis, Habitat For Humanity

    Brad Keselowski, Pocono and Bristol, Brad Keselowski’s Checkered Flag Foundation

    Kyle Busch, Michigan, Kyle Busch Foundation

    ************

    During the Atlanta weekend you will also hear a lot of speculation regarding the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup silly season, the annual process of sorting out rumors regarding which driver is going where next year.

    Highlighting the final dregs of this silly season is Clint Bowyer, the driver of the #33 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. It’s well known that Bowyer wants to remain with Childress. In turn Childress is determined to make that happen and there has been some reported intense contract negotiations as of late. However, according to recent reports from ESPN, one of the problem areas seems to lie with this driver’s hesitation to take a pay cut. In the recent past, many Sprint Cup drivers have agreed to salary cuts to help with the high cost of maintaining their teams in the wake of dwindling sponsor dollars.

    There is also an issue of sponsorship with the Bowyer team. It appears that Cheerios, along with other General Mills brands, will not be returning. There is already speculation that says Five Hour Energy Drink may be sponsoring some of the 2012 races if Bowyer remains with the team.

    But the really interesting silly season rumor regarding Bowyer came up in recent days when it was revealed that he had been talking to other teams including Richard Petty Motorsports. This was confirmed by RPM co-owner Andrew Murstein who, during an interview with the Sirius Satellite Radio NASCAR Channel, said his organization has been working on the creation of a third Sprint Cup team for the past six months and were definitely talking to Bowyer.

    **************

    THE LAS VEGAS BREAKDOWN

    Which Chase driver is going to pad his Bonus points total at Atlanta? Who’s going to clinch a Chase berth next Sunday? Who’s going to make waves with the wild card berths? Who’s going to shock us all with a surprise Atlanta win?

    The best way to determine the answers to these questions is to examine the numbers presented by professionals from the Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE).

    At the top of the WSE’s Atlanta ranking are certified Chase contenders Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson each rated at 8 to 1 odds. Edwards has excellent Atlanta numbers that includes three wins, seven top five finishes and a 14.2 average finish ratio, (AFR). Busch is a previous Atlanta winner with a 17.3 AFR and , as we all know, he’s always a threat to find victory lane. Johnson’s numbers are also outstanding at this track and includes three wins, including sweeping both races in 2007, along with ten top fives and a very healthy 10.4 AFR. All three of these drivers are potential winners as well as rock solid wager considerations.

    At 9 to 1 odds is Chase contender Jeff Gordon who is also a solid wager consideration due to outstanding Atlanta numbers that includes four wins, 14 top fives and a 12.5 AFR.

    Kurt Busch leads the Dodge hopes with a 10 to 1 ranking. He’s a three time Atlanta winner with three top fives. However, the AFR, 18.0, is a little on the high side.

    The same applies to Kevin Harvick, also at 10 to 1, who is a previous Atlanta winner with four top fives. However, his AFR, 20.5, is also very high and there has been mysterious performance issues with this team as of late.

    At 11 to 1 odds is car 11. Denny Hamlin presently holds on to the second wild card berth but seriously needs a second season win to fortify his Chase potential. Unfortunately, Hamlin’s Atlanta numbers does not reflect that possibility. He’s still seeking his first win there and has an 18.4 AFR. However, the element of a surprise win from this driver is not beyond the realm of possibility especially in light of some of the surprises we’ve seen this season.

    At 12 to 1 odds you will find the trio of Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart and Brad Keselowski. All three will be drivers to watch this Sunday. Kenseth is win less at Atlanta but he does have eight top fives and a 13.2 AFR. This driver has a habit of quietly riding around during a Sprint Cup event only to show up as a major player at the end of the event. He’s already being touted as a potential 2011 champion.

    Tony Stewart is at the height of frustration over performance levels of his team and has dropped to tenth in points, perilously close to falling out of the top ten. If there’s going to be a badly needed turn around then Atlanta just might be the place. He’s a three time winner with nine top fives and a healthy 11.6 AFR.

    Brad Keselowski has locked down the first wild card berth in the Chase and will be seeking his fourth win of the season that could move him into the top ten and the bonus points that comes with it. However his Atlanta numbers does not support the theory. He has no wins, no top tens and a 30.5 AFR. But, then again, six weeks ago we didn’t believe he had a chance of making the Chase.

    The WSE’s middle tier is led by two time Atlanta winner Kasey Kahne who could make some waves toward the second wild card berth with a win this Sunday. Right behind him are Greg Biffle along with previous Atlanta winner, and Chase hopeful, Dale Earnhardt Jr at 26 to 1. Juan Pablo Montoya is ranked at 30 to 1 followed by two time race winner Mark Martin at 35 to 1.

    Ryan Newman leads a quartet of drivers at 36 to 1. Newman, still seeking his first Atlanta win, could clinch a Chase berth this weekend. Clint Bowyer could create havoc with the second wild card Chase berth with a win this Sunday despite the fact he’s still seeking his first top five finish there. Also in this category are drivers Joey Logano and David Ragan.

    In the WSE lower tier is Jeff Burton at 40 to 1 followed by Michael Waltrip Racing team mates Martin Truex Jr and David Reutimann at 41 to 1. Paul Menard closes the Atlanta ranking at 51 to 1.

    If you do not see the name of your favorite driver on the WSE Atlanta posting then assume they are listed under “all others” at 15 to 1 odds. The one stand out in this particular group is JTG Daugherty Racing’s Bobby Labonte who has six wins, 12 top fives and a 17.8 AFR at Atlanta. If there’s a driver who could shock us all ,to the point of yelling “where did he come from?” then this is the guy.

    Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants us to remind you that these posted numbers are for informational and entertainment purposes only. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their events. But if you’re going to make those bets anyway, and many of you will, then you may as well use the professional number crunching from the WSE or you can opt to spend your gambling budget on Danica Patrick souvenirs before the prices go up due to the monetary value of those contracts she signed last week.

    *************

    THE RACE BREAKDOWN

    Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 is 325 laps/500.5 miles around the Atlanta Motor Speedway’s massive 1.54 mile quad oval and is the fastest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule.

    The race has 47 entries vying for the 43 starting positions seeking the winner’s share of the $6 million plus purse. 12 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a start in the race because they are currently outside of the top 35 in NASCAR owner’s points. These teams will have to rely on their qualifying speed to make the race.

    The Atlanta Motor Speedway has played a significant role in the history of NASCAR and first opened in 1960. The first NASCAR Sprint Cup race was held in July 1960 and was won by the legendary Fireball Roberts from the pole position. Since that time there has been 103 Sprint Cup races at Atlanta that has sent 42 different winners to victory lane. Dale Earnhardt Sr leads the track stats in wins with nine. Bobby Labonte leads all active drivers with six wins. The Wood Brothers leads the category of team wins with 12. 14 Atlanta wins have come from the pole position while 59 wins came from starting positions within the top five.

    The Atlanta Motor Speedway is a 1.54 mile quad oval with 24 degrees of banking in the turns. The front stretch measures 2,332 feet, with five degrees of banking, while the backstretch measures 1,800 feet also banked at five degrees. The pit road speed is 45 MPH. The speedway presently has seating for 99,000 fans.

    The weather forecast for the Atlanta area calls for sunny skies on Friday and Sunday with temperatures ranging from 88 to 91 degrees. However weather could play a huge role on Sunday race day with cloudy skies and a 30 to 40 percent chance of thunder storms from Sunday afternoon to Sunday night.

    Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 will be broadcast live by the ESPN Network with the “Countdown” program beginning at 7 pm eastern time. The race re air will be on Wednesday, September 7th, at 12 pm eastern on SPEED.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”236″][/media-credit]1. Kyle Busch: Busch faded late at Bristol, hitting the wall with 87 laps to go,  and finished 14th, behind his three closest challengers for the Sprint Cup points lead, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards, who came home fourth, sixth, and ninth, respectively. Busch and Johnson are now tied for the points lead, 32 up on Kenseth.

    “I take pride in leading the point standings,” Busch said, “especially when my fellow leader is Johnson. As of driver with no Cup championships aspiring to be compared to one with five, this may be my only chance to be ‘like’ Jimmie.

    “But let’s be honest. Win or lose, people love to talk about me. I’m like the Danica Patrick of NASCAR, but with less balls.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished fourth at Bristol, earning his 10th top-5 result of the year, and moved into a tied in the point standings with Kyle Busch, who finished 14th.

    “I feel like I’m flying under the radar,” Johnson said, “despite being the points leader and the five-time defending champion. It just goes to show that in NASCAR circles, memories are short and title reigns are long.

    “Last week, you heard me question Kyle Busch’s ability to handle the pressure of being the so-called favorite. It took only a week for me to be proven right. After winning at Michigan, Busch went to Bristol as not only the Cup favorite, but the favorite to win at Bristol. It’s clear he can’t handle the pressure of the Chase if he can’t even handle the pressure of being chased.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski remained NASCAR’s hottest driver, taking the win at Bristol for his third win of the year and second in the last four races. He is now 11th in the point standings, and a spot in the Chase For The Cup is all but guaranteed.

    “Don’t call this a ‘Cinderella’ story,” Keselowski said. “Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has dibs on that, because he’s the one with the evil stepmother.

    “Am I the biggest threat to Jimmie Johnson’s reign? It was merely a week ago that everyone was heralding another driver as Johnson’s biggest threat, but it appears that now, Kyle Busch is an ‘as been. As a favor to me, please send your condolences to Kyle via his Twitter address ‘@ssKyleBusch.’”

    4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led a race-high 206 laps in the Irwin Tools Night Race, but took four tires during the race’s final caution, falling behind Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex, Jr., who both took two tires. Gordon finished third and remained sixth in the point standings, 48 out of first.

    “I’m not happy with the way NASCAR times pit road speeds,” Gordon said. “Brad Keselowski and Matt Kenseth clearly got away with speeding. I feel that they’re monitored under a completely different set of rules. Of course, who am I to complain? I, of all people, should know that ‘two-timing’ is okay as long as you don’t get caught.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick struggled after a strong start at Bristol, falling two laps down just after the half-way point, and finished 22nd, one lap down. He has only one top-10 result since a seventh at Daytona in July, and is down to fifth in the point standings, 48 out of first.

    “Luckily, things aren’t all bad,” Harvick said. “I won the Camping World Trucks race on Wednesday, then I called Kyle Busch a ‘crybaby’ after he complained about his fate in the Truck race last Wednesday. In both cases, it’s ‘bitchin.’

    “Like some others, I clinched at least a wildcard spot in the Chase by virtue of my three wins. That means I could do nothing from now until the Chase starts, and I’m still in. My lackluster results since my third win at Charlotte indicate that’s the philosophy I’ve been living by since late May.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 110 laps at Bristol, second only to Jeff Gordon’s 206, and finished sixth, as he and teammate Carl Edwards, who finished ninth, clinched berths in the Chase For The Cup. Kenseth improved three spots in the point standings to third, and trails Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson by 32.

    “Carl and I are in,” Kenseth said. “I’m quite relieved, that the thing Carl threatened to ‘punch’ was a ticket to the Chase and not me.”

    7. Carl Edwards: Edwards posted his first top-10 finish in three weeks, coming home ninth in the Irwin Tools Night Race. Edwards remained fourth in the point standings, and is 35 out of first.

    “I certainly haven’t been performing up to my standards,” Edwards said. “My teammates have asked this question for awhile now, but now, everyone wants to know, ‘What’s wrong with Carl Edwards?’

    “Many think I became complacent after signing my huge contract extension with Roush Fenway, and as a result, my performance has been lacking. Is that the case? I’m not at liberty to answer. I can say this: ‘Money talks, and it also speaks volumes.”

    8. Ryan Newman: Newman posted his second consecutive top-10 finish and fifth in the last seven races with an eighth at Bristol, leading four laps on the night. While teammate Tony Stewart has struggled lately, Newman has solidified his place in the standings, and is seventh with two races until the Chase.

    “I won the pole for Bristol,” Newman said, “while Stewart started 43rd. Personally, I haven’t felt that much distance between teammates since Rusty Wallace and I drove for Penske.

    “Tony’s at a disadvantage to some other drivers hovering on the Chase bubble. While Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski, and Paul Menard have one or more victories, Tony has none. That’s okay. I’ve told Tony the wins will come. Right now, he just needs to concentrate on making the Chase. Therefore, his mantra for the next two races is ‘Just in, baby.’”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch, traditionally a force at Bristol, finished 17th in the Irwin Tools Night Race as Penske teammate Brad Keselowski took the victory. Busch remained eighth in the point standings, 81 out of the lead.

    “Brad’s taking the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge to heights I only dreamed about,” Busch said. “It appears he ‘has my number,’ and everyone else’s for that matter.

    “Brad is on an incredible tear as of late. Can anyone stop him? The results of a recent survey suggest the answer is ‘no.’ Drivers were asked, ‘If Brad Keselowski were ‘on fire,’ would you put him out? Most replied ‘no,’ and it looks as though they weren’t lying.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin kept his Chase hopes alive with a hard-earned seventh at Bristol, overcoming damage suffered on lap 297 when he was collected in a David Stremme-David Reutimann wreck. Hamlin moved up one spot to 13th in the standings, and is currently in position to earn a wildcard spot.

    “Many drivers on the Chase bubble struggled,” Hamlin said, “including Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, and Paul Menard. That’s good news for me. I normally don’t delight in the misery of others, but being a teammate of Kyle Busch’s has taught me that it’s okay.

    “My Chase situation is good, yet precarious. I have to be at the top of my game, otherwise I could be out. If I ‘mail it in,’ I’ll be sure to ‘Fed Ex-it.’”

  • The New Simpler Point System…Or Not

    The New Simpler Point System…Or Not

    NASCAR tied very hard to make the point system easier to understand for Joe Fan. Apparently, it didn’t work with the revelation today that Jeff Gordon qualified for at least a wild card entry into the almighty Chase for the championship. Huh? The one point difference in positions was supposed to simplify the standings so that fans could understand where their favorite driver was during the season. Then, NASCAR threw in a curve ball with the wildcard. I guess it sounded like the NFL and MLB, so it had to be good, right?

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”246″][/media-credit]It has now become so complicated that even those that have followed the sport for years cannot tell you who will be the 11th and 12th qualifiers or even the leaders for those positions right now. It appears that Brad Keselowski will make the short list, but who is the leading candidate for that 12th man? The question usually follows with an answer that it takes algebra, calculus, and solid geometry to solve. Not much different than the old system? Well, at least that system was based on who had the highest points and positions 1-12 were easy to determine. Now? Not so much.

    The powers that be meant no harm. They wanted to reward winning and get away from the consistency tag that the point system has always had. They started a few years ago when they created the Chase and watched it become a monster before their eyes. From the first race at Daytona, the Chase talk began and has continued. The final ten races are all that matter. Trying to add a bonus for winning made sense until so many first-timers won. Just like it appeared that the Chase was an answer to Matt Kenseth’s one-win championship, this appeared to be an answer to Jamie McMurray’s dream season of last year. McMurray won three big races and did not make the Chase, so the rules were changed. My guess is that no one will admit that, but it’s pretty clear that NASCAR wanted to include the guys who won races since the Chase had taken most of that emphasis on winning away. And now we have the new system with its confusing wild card addition. Look for more changes next year. Someday, they’ll get it right. Or they’ll go back to Bob Latford’s original system and say the heck with it.

    One more comment or two on last week’s races in Bristol. Attendance was light for the Nationwide Series on Friday night, but attendance was good for Saturday night’s Cup race, though not a sellout. There were plenty of empty seats. I think of lot of the reason for this is that the media continues to make comments about how Bristol will be a knock them out race and tempers will flare and all that. That used to be the case, but Bristol is now more like Charlotte. Passing is available on the inside and the outside these days and the one groove track that used to be is gone. That means less beating and banging and less excitement for the fans. That kind of racing is now only found in Martinsville, Virginia. The drivers love the new Bristol and the media is quick to say how much better the racing is on the new surface. They apparently haven’t convinced the fans who pay admission. Just listening to the crowd after the race said it all. They’re not impressed, and that is the bottom line.

    Finally, all the talk about Carl Edwards getting his contract with Roush-Fenway behind him and being able to race better isn’t working out. Edwards has been a non-factor in the races since he decided to re-up with RFR, dropping from first in the standings to fourth with fifth-place nipping at his heels. Just goes to show you that these are machines they are piloting and anything can happen in a race. Just ask Brad Keselowski.

  • SOME COMMENTS DESERVE TO BE REPEATED

    SOME COMMENTS DESERVE TO BE REPEATED

    A surprise resurrection of the Harvick vs Busch feud, under strange circumstances, led to a lot of observations from the recent NASCAR visit to the Bristol Motor Speedway. Many of those observations produced some comments that deserve to be repeated.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”277″][/media-credit]Highlighting the string of NASCAR night races at Bristol was the Camping World Truck Series event. That’s where the on track dust up between Kyle Busch and Elliott Sadler turned into three days of comments that somehow involved Kevin Harvick. Busch, in an effort pass Sadler ran into the front of his truck and slammed into the wall. He made a quick recovery and no caution flag was thrown. However Busch slowly moved around the track and, when Sadler arrived at full speed, he spun him out with a move that was clearly intentional.

    An understandably livid Sadler came over his radio and said “that son of a b***h pulled in front of me. I don’t know what he’s mad about. It ain’t my ******* fault. He ran up into me. If he wants to talk about it after the race, I’ll be glad to. If I could I would break his jaw in four spots. It’s what I’d like to do right now.” It was later reported that the two drivers did talk things over and basically agreed to disagree and it appears to be over and done with at least for now.

    Apparently Kyle Busch wasn’t quite ready to let it go and actually found a way to involve Kevin Harvick his season long Sprint Cup rival. Busch felt Sadler was acting on Harvick’s behalf when he caused him to hit the wall. In a post wreck interview Busch was asked for an explanation and replied: “the guy, (Sadler), is paid by KHI, (Kevin Harvick Inc), so what do you think? He ran into me three times prior in the race and then spun me down the backstretch. He hooked me so I wrecked him.”

    It’s true that Elliott Sadler is an employee of KHI. But Sadler’s contract with Harvick is for his full time services as their team driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. While he has on occasion driven a KHI truck in the NASCAR Camping World Series, on this particular night at Bristol he was driving a truck for Joe Denette Motorsports. The other important aspect here is the fact that Kevin Harvick simply doesn’t need help from one of his drivers to deal with Kyle Busch.

    By the way, where was Kevin Harvick when all of the Busch-Sadler action was taking place? He was in front of the race field in the process of winning this third, consecutive, truck series race. One of the interesting issues here was the lead for the coveted owner’s points championship. Prior to the Bristol truck race, Kevin Harvick Inc and Kyle Busch Motorsports were tied in the standings. Following the Bristol race KHI now holds a 34 point lead in the new standings and that’s something else that may have rubbed Busch the wrong way.

    On the Friday morning, prior to the first Sprint up practice session, it was reported that Harvick hailed Busch and asked if he had “seen the replay from Wednesday’s truck race.” Busch reportedly kept walking through the garage and didn’t respond.

    Later in the day Harvick was conducting a press conference, in the speedway media center, and it was only inevitable that the truck race was going to become a topic for discussion. Responding, Harvick said “the first thing that happened was Kyle Busch shoved him up the race track and then he got mad because Elliott ran into the back of him, and then he, (Busch), drove over the front of him and wrecked himself. “It’s just like old Kyle, I guess, showed up last week and really laid into the fact that he was kind of pouting because he was getting his butt whipped. If he keeps running his mouth he might get it whipped off of the track.”

    From all of this drama came a genuine funny moment from SPEED Channel reporter Hermie Sadler, the older brother of the truck race victim, and Kurt Busch, the older brother of the truck race instigator. At the beginning of a live interview Sadler asked: “your brother seems to have a problem with my brother, does that mean you have a problem with me?” Kurt Busch had a little problem answering the question. Then again, it’s difficult to speak when you’re laughing that hard.

    **************

    I just wanted you to know that this week’s “comment” column was never intended to become a bash Kyle Busch festival. Somehow the circumstances of the Bristol weekend just turned it that way. I actually respect his talent as a driver and I’m quite impressed with his NASCAR numbers such as becoming the winiest driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series after winning his 50th race at Bristol. I just felt like you needed to know this.

    Now let’s get back to some more Kyle Busch bashing.

    A part of the NASCAR Sprint Cup tradition at the Bristol Motor Speedway is the driver introduction process. The drivers get to select their walk on music and introduce themselves over the track’s PA system. Last year Brad Keselowski, yet another alumni member of a Kyle Busch feud, walked out on the stage and announced “Kyle Busch is an ass !”

    Prior to this year’s Bristol race it was only natural that someone would ask Keselowski if he was planning some special announcements. Responding, he said “every autograph signing that I go to, there are two comments that are always made: one, wreck Kyle Busch and two, Kyle Busch is still an ass. It’s very interesting. I want to have a fan base that likes me for who I am and what I do performance wise. But I understand that there is more to this sport than that.”

    **************

    Kevin Harvick, and his #29 Budweiser/Richard Childress Racing team, officially clinched a berth in the 2011 Sprint Cup Chase For The Championship following the Bristol race. He actually made quick work of that process with his three wins earlier in the season. But here lately he has felt some frustration with some team performance anxiety. That frustration showed during the course of a 22nd place finish, one lap down, at Bristol. Harvick came over his radio and said: “we haven’t run (good) in four f*****g months. We’ve got to get it figured out. We keep doing the same s**t every week.”

    **************

    Right after the Bristol race, Goodyear conducted a two day tire test to determine what tire compound was going to be needed for the Sprint Cup teams to race on a brand new surface recently completed at the Phoenix International Raceway. Kurt Busch was one of five drivers participating in that test. Unfortunately, on the first day, Busch cut down a tire and hit the wall hard. The team had to roll out a back up car.

    That prompted Jimmie Johnson, who had a pit road problem with Busch after the Pocono race earlier this month, to send a “Twitter” message to Busch’s Penske Racing team mate Brad Keselowski. That message read: “the boys back in the shop are looking for pictures of Kurt’s wrecked car from Phoenix. Any help?”

    It’s not exactly clear if the #48 team received the pictures of what they planned to do with them.

    *************

    There were of course a lot of comments regarding Danica Patrick’s plans to come to NASCAR full time in 2012. One of the more honest ones, via “Twitter”, came from the always candid Kyle Petty who wrote “there are drivers out there who can win weekly, but Danica brings a lot of fans and fans means MONEY and NASCAR loves money!”

    ***********

    The final comment of the week belongs to NASCAR Hall Of Fame member Darrell Waltrip who recently commented, also on “Twitter”, on the difference between modern day race drivers and those from the past. In his message Waltrip wrote: “one of my driving buddies once said, the difference between drivers today and in the past, we had wine FOR dinner, they have wine WITH dinner.”

    Now there’s a comment that deserves to be repeated.

  • NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings Analytics – After Race 24

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Point Standings Analytics – After Race 24

    The announcement of a change to the distribution of points across NASCAR national series sparked debate among even the most conservative NASCAR fans.  One of the explanations behind the change was to develop a more dramatic points battle to increase fan interest.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]A debate arose over the fact that a quick calculation would show that very little, if anything, would change in the final championship standings. In fact, even among the more common point distributions across all major racing series, by the end of the season there did not appear to be much of a difference in the order of the final standings.

    Here, I shall contend that debate with weekly comparisons across the three most commonly mentioned distributions, plus my own personal points schedule designed to reward both race winners and consistent high finishes.

    Classic Points System – Standings After Race 24

    In each of the various points distributions Kyle Busch enjoys a commanding lead over the rest of the Sprint Cup field. As has been shown throughout the season, the majority of the standings remains virtually unchanged between the old and new system.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: None

    Changes to Chase Field: NONE

    F1 System – Standings After Race 24

    Kyle Busch’s lead decreases ever so slightly, but Brad Keselowski continues to rocket up the F1 standings as he now sits at the entrance to the top five. Surprisingly, Marcos Ambrose is also in position to jump into the top ten, sitting a mere 13 points behind  Denny Hamlin, while Regan Smith is barely in Wild Card contention.

    With Keselowski and Hamlin residing in the top ten, big changes occur in the Chase field.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Marcos Ambrose (+11), David Ragan (+6), Brad Keselowski (+5), Tony Stewart (-4), A.J. Allmendinger (-12)

    Changes to Chase Field: Marcos Ambrose (IN), David Ragan (IN),  Tony Stewart (OUT), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (OUT)

    IndyCar System – Standings After Race 24

    Busch enjoys a nearly two race advantage over both Carl Edwards and Jimmie Johnson who are currently tied for second. The top ten remains relatively stable, and the race for final Wild Card position is still extremely tight with 12 points separating the three drivers.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Marcos Ambrose (+7), David Ragan (+5), Denny Hamlin (+3), Greg Biffle (-5), A.J. Allmendinger (-9),

    Changes to Chase Field: Marcos Ambrose (IN), David Ragan (IN),  Tony Stewart (OUT), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (OUT)

    Phat’s System – Standings After Race 24

    For an explanation of the points distribution, please see consult table below standings. This distribution is designed to reward race winners, while also rewarding those who run well every week.

    Jimmie Johnson lops of nearly 100 points of Busch’s lead as we inch closer to the Chase. Brad Keselowski jumps up into the top ten, assuring himself a spot in the Chase, while Tony Stewart falls out of the top ten. With both Stewart and Earnhardt, Jr. out of the top ten, there are currently two Wild Cards entering the Chase on virtue of their victories.

    Notable changes in position compared to current system: Marcos Ambrose (+7), David Ragan (+4), Brad Keselowski (+4), Ryan Newman (-2), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (-3), Greg Biffle (-7)

    Changes to Chase Field: Paul Menard (IN), Marcos Ambrose (IN),  Tony Stewart (OUT), Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (OUT)