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Allmendinger Fastest in Final Cup Practice

AJ Allmendinger topped the chart in final Sprint Cup Series practice at Watkins Glen International.

The driver of the No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 1:09.149 and a speed of 127.551 mph. Martin Truex Jr. was second in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota with a time of 1:09.187 and a speed of 127.481 mph. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was third in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with a time of 1:09.222 and a speed of 127.416 mph. Kyle Busch was fourth in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 1:09.241 and a speed of 127.381 mph. Matt Kenseth rounded out the top-five in his No. 20 JGR Toyota with a time of 1:09.296 and a speed of 127.280 mph.

Brad Keselowski was sixth in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. Michael McDowell was seventh in his No. 95 Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing Chevrolet. Chase Elliott was eighth in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. Jeff Gordon was ninth in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet and Carl Edwards rounded out the top-10 in his No. 19 JGR Toyota.

Busch posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 124.854 mph. Hamlin was second at an average speed of 124.353 mph followed by Keselowski was third at an average speed of 124.348 mph.

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August 5, 2016
The Final Word – Welcome to Indianapolis, welcome to Kyle’s world

It was the Brickyard 400, presented by Kyle Busch. He led the first lap, he led the last one and led most of the laps in between. If the focal point of a race is at the front, if the drama of a race is to see who is leading the way, this competition was pretty much done when they waved the green flag. In short, Busch kicked their combined asses to take his fourth of the season, the 38th of his career, and his second consecutive Brickyard.

Oh, Kyle also won Saturday’s junior circuit race. 38 Cup wins, 83 junior wins, 45 truck wins (albeit in a series no longer broadcast to Canada), 166 victories in all. Man, that looks impressive, until you remember that all but five of them were claimed after he became a full-time major leaguer. That’s 123 wins against minor-league opposition, almost all on the same weekends and the same tracks the big boys (and girls) ran. That begs the question, just what in the hell is the point to the XFINITY and Camping World Truck series? If the inclusion of Cup guys is to draw out fans to see the spectacle of the top dogs slumming, it sure is not working. I believe there were more folks working the various concessions than were in the grandstands at Indianapolis. It was downright embarrassing. Still, I guess there are some who do not mind being embarrassed, while at the same time the vast majority of us are allowed to do other things with our Friday and Saturday afternoons.

By the way, Daniel Suarez, Elliott Sadler, Ty Dillon, Justin Allgaier, and Erik Jones are the top five guys in the XFINITY series at present. They have a combined four wins between them in 18 events. Kyle Busch has won seven in 11 starts. Watching those who dream of moving up and those wrapping up their careers in moving down, play second fiddle every damn week to the moonlighters from the Show, is obviously no longer of interest for a vast majority of us. Good Lord. So ends my sermon. Amen.

Sunday brought us the final appearances at the venue of Tony Stewart and, as it turned out, Jeff Gordon once again. The FOX announcer suspended his brief retirement to substitute for the ailing Dale Earnhardt Jr. for a couple of races, finishing 13th while Stewart came home two spots better. The Columbus, Indiana native made one hell of a move on that opening lap to move into second. I wonder if Kyle saw it in his rear view mirror?

Due to his absence, Junior drops out of a Chase place. Kyle Larson is 11 points ahead, with even Kasey Kahne sitting a point ahead of Earnhardt, who now is 18th in the derby. Jamie McMurray got a piece of the late race troubles, winding up 19th but remains 26 points to the good in 15th place. A quartet who have drifted almost out of touch were Trevor Bayne (30th), Ryan Blaney (36th), A.J. Allmendinger (38th), and Greg Biffle (39th). Not a good day to experience bad tidings.

As a television event, it was not bad. The final dozen laps were downright exciting, as wrecks often are. Too bad it was a one horse pony show. Too bad only 50,000 folks, according to one news source, bothered to turn out to this “crown jewel” NASCAR event. Compare that to the 300,000 who took in the Indianapolis 500 in May. Just imagine how many, or few, took in Saturday’s preliminary contest.

Next Sunday, it is the triangle known as Pocono. Gordon leads the way with six career wins there, so a seventh would be a nice way to go out one more time. He was third last year. A dozen others on this weekend’s grid all have shared the winning experience there at this two-race venue. Biffle and Kahne could use another one about now.

As for Kyle Busch, he is 0 for 23 at Pocono, with a pair of runner-up finishes. He was 31st in June. I should mention that brother Kurt Busch has three wins, so if any ole Busch will do, you might be in luck. Back in June, both Chase Elliott and Matt Kenseth ran strong, but it was Kurt who led the final 32 laps for the victory.

Now, if Kurt is not your boy, I have sad news. With the XFINITY series running Saturday in Iowa, Kyle might not be running. I am truly sorry.

July 25, 2016
The Final Word – Kentucky is wide open for 2017, but the even years belong to Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski is one of the most generous drivers in NASCAR. When they opened the track in Kentucky, did Brad win it in 2011? He did not. No, he was gracious enough to let Kyle Busch take the inaugural event. In fact, he was thoughtful enough to let Kyle take it last year as well. Keselowski is no race hog. Matt Kenseth benefitted from his generosity in 2013. Brad Keselowski is a swell guy. However, note that the even years belong to him and only to him.

Saturday night, Keselowski claimed his third Kentucky contest in six attempts. With the tank running dry and the competition diving down pit road for a top off on fuel, Keselowski just kept going on and on and on to the finish. He managed to turn around to capture the flag, but after that, he was powered by the front bumper of a tow truck. For him, Sonoco was good to the very last drop.

Four wins on the season, at the top of the charts in the standings, three wins and eight Top Tens in his last 10, with a worst finish of 15th in that span. It would appear all is well in Brad’s world. For others, it appears they were traveling behind a honey wagon last weekend.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is trying to at least stay within hailing distance of a Chase place. That cause was not helped a wit in Kentucky. A blown tire just nine laps in and he was toast and dead last. Joey Logano has a win and is high in the points, so when he pounded the wall with just 52 gone and more than 200 to go, it was not as devastating but he was just as parked.

A.J. Allmendinger picked up five big needed points, but maybe just taking the day off would have been better. He got caught up in a multi-car wreck, then got pasted into the fence even worse later on, injuring his thumb while he was at it. Ryan Blaney is dropping further and further from contention, this time, he and fellow rookie Chase Elliott found themselves emulating synchro swimmers in a lovely choreographed dual spin. Neither were to finish in the Top 30. As for Jimmie Johnson, he did not go unnoticed, but that spin 33 laps in did the damage, and the time to make repairs left him behind Elliott on the day, and that was not good.

Carl Edwards was second best on the day while others with a Chase place also finishing in the Top Ten include Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. Tony Stewart was fifth and is 31 points to the good in making his win count toward a championship run. Greg Biffle was sixth, but a win might be what it takes to be in at this point.

Only McMurray appears to have much heat behind him as they move on to New Hampshire on Sunday. He goes in with a 10 point lead over Bayne, with Kasey Kahne 16 off the pace, and Blaney 23 back in the weeds.

Kahne has won there before, while McMurray has not. Going back to September of 2002, only five of the 27 races there were not claimed by someone not currently holding a place in the Chase. Only Kahne (once), Clint Bowyer (twice), along with Brian Vickers and Mark Martin are the anomalies. As for Brad Keselowski, he did not win it last year, but he did in 2014. Do I need to remind you that this is one of those even years?

July 11, 2016
Hot 20 – We realize NASCAR is a commercial enterprise…but enough is enough

Sponsors pay for stuff. They pay enough cash that NASCAR and its track owners have sold their collective souls and it explains why they no longer promote a Firecracker 400, or a World 600, and why they actually dumped, for a time, the Southern 500. Money talks, tradition walks. It is an old story and as long as there is a can of soda to be sold, some tools to be used, a grocery chain with vittles on offer, a casino seeking guests, insurance to be flogged, tents up for grabs, or a car model to be promoted, it appears that will remain the case. Do the folks doing the advertising get their money’s worth? Who cares; that is their worry, not mine.

What an event is called matters little in the grand scheme of things, I guess. A race is a race, and if prestige is swapped for big bucks, I guess that is the price one is willing to pay. To watch the races on television, the price viewers pay is a slew of interruptions in order to make room for a word from a sponsor who is paying too much for a message most of us ignore.

That was not always the case. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip were one hell of a team selling everything from pizza to car parts to beer. The boys from a day not so long ago sold razors, hardware, gum, insurance, cars, and who can forget about that Big Brown Truck? Hell, we watched those commercials and they were classic enough to be watched over and over without complaint. Today, it is a different story. They seem to think they can get away with little creativity, provide little entertainment value, yet apparently not bright enough to realize that a lot of us do not even watch the damn things long enough to even know what they are about.

Last Saturday night, 124 commercials got in the way. That is 28 more than what ran a year before. As it is, nearly 20 percent of the airtime over the course of this season has been devoted to commercials but they upped that for Daytona. It reached up to nearly a quarter of what you watched had nothing to do with the race. Then the idiots actually scratch their heads and wonder why the television numbers are down. Duh!

The current model is not working. While we realize everything comes with a cost, that somebody has to pay in order for us to watch the action, they should realize that either we pre-record the action to avoid the commercials, or we hit the head or the galley during such interruptions, or we wander off to do other things instead. Last week, we might have hung around just because of the action promised at Daytona. The sixth running of the Quaker State 400 from Sparta, Kentucky does not have the same pedigree. It is just another race.

You and I know why we watch. Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch have combined to win four of the first five run there at Kentucky. Will one of them take his fourth victory of the season on Saturday? We watch to see if Ryan Blaney can hold down that final Chase place, despite challenges from Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, and Kasey Kahne. We watch to see if Tony Stewart can stay ahead of the two boys close behind in the battle for 30th in points. We watch because we like the sport, the action, and its athletes. We do not watch for the commercials.

The Hot 20 heading into Kentucky include…

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3 WINS (551 Pts)
Winner last week, and he is two for five at Kentucky. Maybe more bubbly is in his future.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (492 Pts)
Won the first race at Kentucky, and won the last race there.

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (527 Pts)
If being at the wrong place at the wrong time was a goal, Edwards attained it at Daytona.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (475 Pts)
Thirty wins since 2010, but none at Kentucky though five for five in Top Tens is pretty good.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
If points still told the tale, he would be at the top, and still might when they finish in November.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (545 Pts)
It seemed that Kurt was very understanding of Logano after Daytona. We shall see, we shall see.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (531 Pts)
Too bad this jerk is on this list. Too bad this jerk is also one hell of a driver.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (482 Pts)
He probably did not appreciate the 30 lap rest in the middle of last week’s race.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (446 Pts)
We heard Denny was hungry for a Daytona sweep. I guess the boy must be starving today.

10. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (443 Pts)
Only three drivers have won the five races held thus far at Kentucky. Matt is one of them.

11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (212 Pts)
He is ba-ack…but can he stay here?

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 482 PTS
The only winless Chaser who heads to Kentucky fairly relaxed. The rest hear footsteps.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 434 PTS
A 29 point pad is good unless an engine goes south or he gets caught up in someone else’s mess.

14. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 433 PTS
Biggest free agents in sports history include the names of Bobby, Reggie, Payton, LeBron, and Junior.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 425 PTS
His Kentucky goal is to keep the likes of Blaney, McMurray, Bayne, and Kahne in the rear view.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 409 PTS
A Chase place would be a wonderful story, but not everyone likes wonderful stories.

17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 405 PTS
Got a little loose, got a lot wrecked. Now his goal has to be to break a kid’s heart.

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 399 PTS
See a Blaney, catch a Blaney.

19. KASEY KAHNE – 396 PTS
Things were getting better, then Daytona happened.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 393 PTS
The Glen is coming up August 7th.

31. BRIAN SCOTT – 209 PTS
Stewart sits 30th in points, just three ahead of Scott. Talk about incentive.

32. REGAN SMITH – 203 PTS
If Scott falters, there is still another shark in the water close behind.

July 6, 2016
Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

We want drivers and fans to be safe. We want action that is anything but safe. It might sound hypocritical, but deep in our hearts, we know it to be true.

Talladega concerned some drivers. Kyle Busch says it was “pretty dangerous for all us drivers.” That may have been true. He also said it “wasn’t very exciting.” That is false. For fans, watching drivers inches apart at up to 200 mph, where disaster is only a sneeze away, is pretty damned exciting.

Personally, it is the threat of a wreck that is more exciting than the actual carnage. The boys and girl are doing something I do not have the ability to perform nor, to be honest, the courage to attempt. It appears to be dangerous and, according to Kyle, that is because it is.

We want the danger. Yet, we also want to see Kyle climb out of his Xfinity car unscathed at Daytona. We wanted to see Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin Jr. step out of their wrecks. We want to see the crushing hits in the NFL, but it appears their helmets cannot prevent the devastation of long-term brain injuries. We want the fights and the hard hits of the NHL, yet the mounting evidence of long-term head trauma has brought rule changes to make the sport safer.

Does reducing the danger also reduce the excitement for the fans? It has to. Hall of Famers Sprague Cleghorn, Eddie Shore, Rocket Richard, and Gordie Howe would have had to play differently to avoid lifetime suspensions in today’s NHL. Some used their sticks, some their elbows, and some just beat the crap out of their opponents. Seeing a receiver take the hit just as he receives the ball, slamming straight to the ground or doing mid-air flips upon impact, is a great visual, but it has to take a toll on the human being involved. Does anyone remember Lawrence Taylor’s sack of Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann that broke the pivot’s leg in two places? Pretty amazing. Pretty devastating. For safety sake, change is required, change is happening, and more change is coming.

Deaths have happened in most sports, but very few at the highest level. Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians died in 1920 after being struck in the head by a pitched ball. Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars struck his head on the ice and died in 1968. In football, AFL players Howard Glenn and Stone Johnson died in the 1960’s due to neck injuries. Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions suffered a fatal heart attack in a game in 1971. Then there is professional boxing. Then there is motorsports.

Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, J.D. McDuffie, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, and Carlos Pardo remind us that we cannot build more durable humans, nor dismiss the heartbreak of their loss. Pit road is safer, yet only after the Southern 500 in 1960 cost the lives of mechanics Paul McDuffie, Charles Sweatlund, and official Joe Taylor. We lost crewman Randy Owens at Talladega in 1975. Yet, we liked the excitement of those old cars, the open faced helmets, and the speeding down pit road. We still do, but not at that price.

If NASCAR gets too safe, might it cause fans to wander off seeking new distractions, new outlets for their thrills and emotions? It could. It may have already taken place to some degree. I love watching the action at Daytona and Talladega, watching those who can do what I cannot, or will not, even attempt. I watch what I enjoy, and often we can not say exactly what it is that caused us to lose interest. I loved hockey, the hard-nosed 1960’s, the violent 1970’s, and the grace and majesty of the 1980’s, but it is rare to find me sitting through an NHL game today. Many once loved NASCAR; they had it bad and could not get enough of it. Today, the tracks no longer even release attendance figures and grandstands are being torn down. Sports of all kinds are trying to increase the “fan experience,” all but admitting the action on the field is no longer enough.

Saturday night should be enough. It is Daytona, the Firecracker 400 as it was known until 1989. A race that has meaning, a race that has tradition, a race that has high speeds and, yes, a race that has a measure of danger.

May our Hot 20 and the rest provide us with excitement and, despite our barbaric nature, a safe event.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (452 Pts)
No new rules to slow down the cars at Daytona, and Kyle isn’t happy about that.

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (510 Pts)
Has run good at Daytona, has run bad, but has never won there.

3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (506 Pts)
Tried out an IndyCar at Road America, and plans to run Indianapolis…some day.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (469 Pts)
Daughters cannot listen to team radio…because sometimes daddy says bad words.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (562 Pts)
Sixteen races, 13 Top Tens. Some have more wins, no one has more points.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (527 Pts)
Formula 3000 is just one step below F-1…and could be in Kurt’s future come December.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (493 Pts)
If Tony and Denny had crashed on last Sunday’s final lap, guess who would have won.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (469 Pts)
Tony, Tony, Tony…but did anyone notice Martin finished fifth? Did not think so.

9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (430 Pts)
He did not have Chris Osborne as his eyes in the sky in February. He will on Saturday night.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (421 Pts)
With Tony Stewart behind him at Sonoma, Denny thought for a second he was Ron Thornton.

11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 473 PTS
Good talent, good car, equals good results.

12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 413 PTS
Newman, McMurray, and Junior battled on the track, only to face de-feet in the sky.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 402 PTS
The winner.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 400 PTS
I am trying to remember how his Daytona race finished last year. So is he.

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 398 PTS
If a pissed off Stewart is a motivated Stewart, does that make Jamie his personal Tony Robbins?

16. KASEY KAHNE – 385 PTS
If you think Kasey’s season sucks, please consider Clint’s situation.

17. RYAN BLANEY – 382 PTS
New rule change locks even unchartered teams into Chase races…but they have to be Chasers.

18. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 365 PTS
Damn rolling tire.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 361 PTS
You might remember that he has won at Daytona before.

20. KYLE LARSON – 355 PTS
Do you remember when everyone was gushing over Kyle and Trevor?

30. BRIAN SCOTT – 205 PTS
Sometimes holding down 30th gets you recognition…at least for this week.

32. TONY STEWART – 196 PTS (1 win)
As Kyle did before him. Now cue the Jaws theme.

June 29, 2016
The Final Word – Dreams do Come True in California

Frodo and Sam live. Shane kills the bad men. Cinderella gets the slipper and the fella. Tony Stewart wins at Sonoma.

It was a fairytale end to the action, but on that last lap, it looked like Cujo was going to win the day and break our hearts. On the seventh lap, Denny Hamlin got inside Stewart to take the lead and started to put some distance between himself and the retiring former champion. Then, on the 11th turn, Hamlin made a miscue. Be it a wheel hop, a braking issue, or too much mirror watching, Hamlin went wide, Stewart went inside and used his entire car to block his rival toward the fence. It was over, as Stewart won his 49th victory, the first since everything went to hell for him in 2013.

That all but assures Stewart a place in the Chase, just as long as he can make that win count by making up the nine points that separate him from 30th in that category. It also would be helpful if five of the remaining 10 races between now and when the Chase begins are taken by someone already with a victory. If more than 16 claim a win, then this story would end up with an Ole Yeller kind of conclusion. Please don’t let them shoot Tony.

While Smoke finishes off his career in a good car, Clint Bowyer is spending the year before he succeeds him driving for Harry Scott, Jr. It is like Tony gets a new pair of fresh underwear to start each race, while Clint just gets a different pair of underwear. Trust me, there is a difference. While Stewart was winning, Bowyer’s car quit on the fifth lap. When he tried to restart the lemon, smoke came bellowing out from under the dash, and Bowyer went scrambling to get the hell out of it. It has been a One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest kind of season for him, and time will tell if he is Jack Nicholson or Will Sampson.

Someone needed to scramble just a split second faster for A.J. Allmendinger. The runaway tire in the pits cost him in the late going, falling from sixth to 35th. Considering he climbed back to finish 14th, one is left wondering just how he might have finished the race if fate had been kinder. Talk about good things just disappearing in the Mist.

So, gone are Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon, as FOX makes way for Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton and the rest of the NBC gang. Daytona is back on the dance card this Saturday night for what should be known as the Firecracker 400. It is expected Stewart will pick up the points necessary so that win puts him among the top dozen in the standings. That would, for all intents and purposes, leave Kasey Kahne 13 points shy of a Chase position, and Ryan Blaney 16 out as they wave the green flag.

I guess it is apropos that last Sunday featured this race as well as the season finale of Game of Thrones. You know, one comes back from the dead, another blows up, as everyone wants to sit upon the throne when the season is over. The nice thing is, you do not have to wait 10 months for the next episode.

June 27, 2016
Hot 20 – Like life, Sonoma is a series of challenging twists and turns

It is not always just about NASCAR, as most of us got a chance to check out other things since the boys and girl last ran at Michigan. There was a basketball game in Cleveland I understand of some note. The NHL has an amateur draft this week and it seems you will have yet another reason to go to Las Vegas in the winter soon enough. One of the sport’s greatest icons, Gordie Howe, passed away. Wayne Gretzky’s future son-in-law won a golf tournament, France continues to host a big soccer event, Ichiro Suzuki gets closer to 3000 MLB hits, and the Chicago Cubs are #1. Hell, I am even reading a book.

Sadly, damned idiots are everywhere, as Mike Wallace and his family discovered. Leaving a concert, the former driver was attacked and knocked unconscious and even his daughter was injured as she tried to protect her dad. They will be alright, though Mike requires some dental work. Three thugs have been arrested, and here is hoping real justice prevails. I do not give a damn what their problems are or how pathetic their lives have been. They did wrong and should pay for it.

Meanwhile, some think Jeff Gordon could be the new Regis or Michael Strahan on set with Kelly Ripa. His first season as a FOX announcer is about to come to an end after this month, and we will have to wait until the fall to find out where his future lies. Life sure has a lot of twists and turns. So does Sonoma, the next stop on the NASCAR Cup tour on Sunday.

Here are our Hot 20 heading to California.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (417 Pts)
Just can’t wait to get on the road again, maybe win that Sonoma race again.

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (480 Pts)
Failed to win in Iowa last week. Bet he feels like a total schmuck.

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (472 Pts)
On his off days, this is one pilot who purposely takes his vehicle off the ground.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
Along with Junior, listed by Forbes as among the world’s highest-paid athletes.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (526 Pts)
Fifth in the standings but first in points. By far. Maybe it is time to end his Sonoma jinx.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (496 Pts)
Visited the Middle East to test a Formula One car. That is one way to keep busy on a week off.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
Might be a ways away from taking the Most Popular Driver award, but a Chase place is his.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (433 Pts)
He has a lot of teammates…though he is the only one who gets to drive the car.

9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (409 Pts)
Stats show that Sonoma is his worse track. Imagine how much fun Monaco would be for him.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (380 Pts)
2 wins, 20 Top Tens. That is the standard for rookies Hamlin set a decade ago.

11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 453 PTS
Still looking for his first victory, but his points collection is rather impressive.

12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 383 PTS
I was hoping for a 2004 Intimidator SS Monte Carlo for Father’s Day. Maybe for Christmas.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 381 PTS
Maybe Junior or this guy could help me out in my quest. They know people.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 374 PTS
Not known as a guy who does well on the pretzel tracks, but maybe he should be.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 369 PTS
Looked great in the Spring 2016 issue of LVLten magazine. Doh! Wrong Ryan Newman.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 364 PTS
Plays something called food roulette with his buddy Darrell Wallace Jr. Training for Survivor?

17. KASEY KAHNE – 353 PTS
For someone supposedly having such a bad season, even a win might not be necessary to turn it all around.

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 345 PTS
A storied yet still single car team making a resurgence this season, and still better than most.

19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 337 PTS
Win at the Glen put him in the 2014 Chase. Why not another road win in wine country?

20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 337 PTS
Not the best place to be, but Kyle, Paul, Greg, Clint, Danica, and Aric would swap in a second.

June 22, 2016
The Final Word – New package excites Brad, Joey, Jeff and D.W. but as for Junior, not so much

Michigan brought us tremendous action. I mean, how could it not? Brad Keselowski tested the new aero package and he was excited about it. In the end, even ole Brad led 10 laps, as did Martin Truex Jr. Chase Elliott led 35, while of the other 145 circuits, 138 of them saw Keselowski’s teammate, Joey Logano, on point. In fact, the 26-year old was up front for the final 48 laps to take his first of the season and 15th of his career.

Fifteen races in, 10 different victors. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not one of them. Did he think the new package was a God-send, like announcers Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon seem to think?

“Not a whole lot different than the other package,” was the assessment of NASCAR’s most popular driver. Mind you, he was being interviewed in the garage after Chris Buescher had wiggled, waggled Junior, who wrinkled A.J. Allmendinger against the outside wall to remove both of them from the action. Even a Top 35 was too much to hope for. From the stat sheet, you could not say the much-promised passing materialized at Michigan, though the lower spoiler made sure things had the feel of a Montana country road in January.

If this were Game of Thrones, those boys were the ice but Kyle Busch was all fire. Rowdy did not even make the mid-point, as his blown engine left the defending series champ dead last. The engine was fine for Denny Hamlin, but after a tire blew up he found himself on a wild ride and a 33rd place finish. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. cut a tire with a half dozen laps remaining and had to settle for 29th. Not good, but their hard times on this day will prove as memorable in the long term as a race that was just newly named for a casino. I mean, even 15 years of Miller and its brands of beer did not leave much of a legacy since they departed as title sponsor after 1998. Since this has been the Kmart Sirius DHL Batman 3M Citizens Bank Life Lock Heluva Good! Sour Dips Quicken Loans FireKeepers Casino 400. Then again, what in hell do I know about event branding?

Still, those holding a Chase place coming in did so when they left Michigan. The kids did fine, with Elliott the runner-up and Kyle Larson finishing third. He sits 23 points out of that final Chase berth currently held by Ryan Blaney, who was 17th on Sunday.

Tony Stewart finished seventh, and while he still needs a win over the next 11 contests to get an invite for himself, he improved his position somewhat. Smoke shortened the gap between himself and 30th in the standings, at which point a win would actually mean something in the season rankings, down to 45 points. A single victory and Top Tens through to Richmond would sure be helpful to his cause.

As for this weekend, they rest. Well, except for Keselowski who will try to take a starting spot away from somebody when the junior loop visits Iowa. I bet he is pretty damned excited about that, too. As for the rest of the grown-ups, they will wait for Sonoma on June 26th.

June 13, 2016
Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

I have an admission to make. I am not all that excited about Pocono this weekend. I thought maybe it had something to do with just getting out of the wrong side of the bed, or that my transformation into a cantankerous old fart had finally reached its conclusion. Sadly, maybe it had something to do with the World 600, a marquee event that was so dominated by one car that it became the Monaco Grand Prix but without all the cool scenery.

Martin Truex, Jr. won that race by leading 392 of 400 laps, with nary an on-track pass for the lead from start to finish. Great for Truex, horrid for NASCAR. To be honest, the action behind him was not exactly nail biting, either. Even NASCAR sees it, and they are not terribly thrilled, either.

The wave of a magic wand to fix it would be nice, but there are a number of factors they have to consider to keep us from wandering off to find excitement elsewhere. Configuring the rear chassis set-up takes away downforce and side force, which seemed to work for All-Star weekend. Then there is tire wear, how different it is between afternoon and evening races. In order to keep you and me interested, it seems there is more to ponder than just who has the best driver, the best car, and the best team on any given day.

Truex’s team hit on the setup and ran away with things last week. That happens. However, not much was happening behind him to generate much heat either, and that should not happen. At least, that is not what a majority of today’s fans want, not what they will long put up with. There is a problem when NASCAR tracks are pulling down grandstands, refusing to release attendance figures, and seeing television ratings plummet. Since 2007, the combined capacity of Charlotte, Daytona, and Talladega has been reduced by 43 percent, by an astounding 205,000 seats.

So, you would think the problem might lie with the fact that NASCAR just is not presenting an exciting product any longer. Maybe the problem is that, in this day and age, what worked yesterday just does not cut it in today’s instant gratification world. I mean, the Indianapolis 500 drew a live crowd of 350,000, had huge local ratings after it was broadcast in Indianapolis for the first time in 66 years, and still the national ratings slipped even further south. This is despite seeing in 2015, for the first time in a decade, the Indianapolis event drawing a bigger television audience than the one in Charlotte.

Is it the racing, or is it us? I mean, not every contest in ever sport is a work of art, so maybe our demands are too high. Sure, 94 percent of NASCAR’s fans are considered white compared to less than 2 percent black, and while half of the fans are 55 years of age and over, less than 9 percent are under the age of 34. Those are demographics that should have them concerned. That said, what is it that draws some to the sport and not others? What keeps them interested and what drives them off? Having an attention span greater than that of a gnat would help.

We want to be entertained and are less likely to sit through what does not. We no longer have to watch anything live so we do not have the patience we once had. We can always seek out more entertainment via a 30 second jump ahead by using the PVR button, the click of the channel to watch something else, the taking of a phone call, a check of text messages, a visit to Twitter, a video game, and you can always discover how things are going in the contest just about any time you want if you are interested enough. That is what NASCAR, auto sports, and just about anything else seeking an audience must face. Keep us interested, or we have something at our fingertips that might.

This cantankerous old fart is about as guilty as the next guy. We have become very much like a seven-year-old playing any sport, all set on chasing that ball until a butterfly comes around and grabs our attention. NASCAR’s task is to present a four-hour escape that we look forward to experiencing each and every week. To date, they appear to be falling short. They simply cannot afford to just mail it in and expect that we will be there. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Pocono Sunday afternoon…

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 405 PTS
If all drivers were like Rowdy, things would be more interesting.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
We are living in the era of a 6-time champion. If that does not excite you, have you tried soccer?

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
Had a need for speed last week, but doing so twice on pit road ruined his day.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
Next Thursday, Jackson, Michigan is the place to share a cool one with Brad at the Chase.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 457 PTS
Others may have more wins, but averaging more than 35 points per race gets the job done.

6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 381 PTS
If only it was always as easy as it was last week.

7. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 347 PTS
Won the last time he visited Pennsylvania.

8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 345 PTS
There is a reason Lewis Hamilton no longer runs Formula 3 races.

9. KURT BUSCH – 421 PTS
No wins but sits second only to Harvick in points.

10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 374 PTS
Elected to the All-Star event, and continues to show why he was a worthy selection.

11. JOEY LOGANO – 373 PTS
All-Star package was good for Joey…the World 600 version was good only for Truex.

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 344 PTS
Special number, special driver.

13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 341 PTS
Even he would agree.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
Without a win, every race is meaningful.

15. RYAN BLANEY – 309 PTS
Ditto.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 309 PTS
Could his paint scheme be termed as Kalahari Resorts blue?

17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 308 PTS
Just to point out, his Pocono adventure might be worth watching out for.

18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 299 PTS
Sponsor Fastenal likes what they see, extending their deal.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 291 PTS
Meanwhile, AdvoCare is not just a sponsor as Bayne was already a client.

20. KASEY KAHNE – 290 PTS
Harvick was not after his job, after all, but he will need to dig deeper to retain it.

June 1, 2016
Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

Let me be clear. Any race format that artificially moves entries from behind to plop them up front is a dumb one. I do not care if it is NASCAR’s All-Star Race or one that allows me to charge ahead of the Kentucky Derby field while wearing sneakers and a propeller hat. Dumb is as dumb does.

Thankfully, we move from a waste of a perfectly good Saturday night to one of NASCAR’s marquee events, the Coca-Cola World 600. In fact, it marks the biggest day in motorsports, as our digital recording devices pick up the Formula-1 action from the French Riviera and the streets of Monaco at 8 a.m. EDT. Then our focus shifts to Indiana and the 100th edition of the Indianapolis 500 at 10:20 a.m. EDT, where former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya hopes to repeat. After they drink the milk there, it is off to Charlotte, North Carolina for our 4 p.m. EDT NASCAR date that sees Carl Edwards looking to defend.

Four-time winner Jimmie Johnson goes in seeking to claim the victory that would tie him with Darrell Waltrip for the most World 600 victories. Kasey Kahne is currently in a six-way tie for third best, with three checkered flags to his credit. He is in good company, with the other five being Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. That is damn fine company to be in. An all-time All-Star lineup to be sure.

Every sport has struggled to find the proper All-Star format. Even when you find one, tastes change over time sending organizers back to the drawing board. Baseball is close, and hockey took a major step forward last season. Football is still searching while I appreciate basketball about as much as I do soccer, so I cannot comment.

As for NASCAR, they should begin by not having Brad Keselowski come up with the format, as he did this year. If you need gimmicks in an attempt to make it interesting, it is not interesting. A suggestion to tinker with would be to let racing decide who should be there. The only drivers locked in should be those who won races over the previous 15 months. What you did in years past should not matter but rather what you have done lately. That would have tossed Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, and Kahne back into the mix. Only 11 would have been locked in, with the other nine to be determined on that day.

If they ran three heats, as they did this year, then we could have the top three in each heat advancing to fill out the field for the feature. In order to reduce wear and tear so that those advancing might actually be able to challenge when they get there, I suggest heats of 30, 20, and 10 laps. The opening heat should be calm enough, the second a little hotter, and the dash for the final three positions would be chaotic enough without having them run too many laps. It would be nice to have 20 cars in the feature that might actually be in condition to compete. However, there are no guarantees in this life.

As for the feature itself, 100 laps, 150 miles, for a million dollars, with the rules just like any other contest. That is my proposal, but what are your thoughts?

As for this Sunday, here are NASCAR’s Hot 20 and some of our honored heroes heading into the Memorial Day weekend 600 Miles of Remembrance.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 397 PTS
Pfc. Robert Stephan Underwood, U.S. Army (1949-1968) Missouri

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 381 PTS
Capt. Edmond Jablonsky Jr., U.S. Army (1942-1968) Texas

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 370 PTS
Sgt. 1st Class Kyle B. Wehrly, U.S. Army (1977-2005) Illinois

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 368 PTS
Spc. Joseph T. Prentler, U.S. Army (1990-2010) Michigan

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 418 PTS
Lance Cpl. Nathan Ross Elrod, U.S. Marine Corps (1986-2006) North Carolina

6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 313 PTS
Pfc. Christopher Neal White, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2006) Kentucky

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 308 PTS
Sgt. John Davis Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps (1958-1980) Virginia

8. KURT BUSCH – 386 PTS
Sgt. Nicholas Ray Gibbs, U.S. Army (1981-2006) North Carolina

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 341 PTS
Gunnery Sgt. Justin Martone, U.S. Marine Corps (1974-2006) Virginia

10. JOEY LOGANO – 340 PTS
Spc. Cindy Beaudoin, U.S. Army (1971-1991) Connecticut

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 336 PTS
Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery E. Bohr Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (1964-2003) Iowa

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 315 PTS
SO Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter (SEAL), U.S. Navy (1980-2007) California

13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 314 PTS
Lance Cpl. Aaron Howard Reed, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-2008) Ohio

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 296 PTS
Lance Cpl. Scott Albert Lynch, U.S. Marine Corps (1988-2010) New York

15. RYAN BLANEY – 288 PTS
Signalman Seaman Cherone L. Gunn, U.S. Navy (1978-2000) Virginia

16. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 283 PTS
Yeoman 3rd Class Wendell Williams, U.S. Navy (1965-1991) Ohio

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 278 PTS
Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-2006) Florida

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 275 PTS
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jason William McCormack, U.S. Army (1972-2015) Alabama

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 273 PTS
SP 4 James H. Woolard, U.S. Army (1949-1969) Ohio

20. KASEY KAHNE – 271 PTS
Lance Cpl. Eric Levi Ward, U.S. Marine Corps (1990-2010) Washington

May 25, 2016