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Tag: Austin Dillon

  • Hot 20 – Johnson is again California dreaming while Harvick is staying with SHR…or is he?

    Hot 20 – Johnson is again California dreaming while Harvick is staying with SHR…or is he?

    Best damn finishes ever. Well, for two of the four events to date, that has been the headline for NASCAR in 2016. Daytona and Phoenix were decided by gaps measurable with a ruler, and that has to be a good thing. Hell, a great thing. That said, just how exciting has the visual been, what you and I see on the television prior to the final few laps? Pushing the fast forward button at Daytona was difficult, but it always is. As for the rest, the temptation has been there to quicken the action, if only for a few round and round laps.

    Kevin Harvick won last week by a hair over Carl Edwards. That was a good story. Rumblings that Harvick might bolt Stewart-Haas Racing when it abandons Chevrolet for Ford might be a better one. Oh, no, it is not going to happen, if you listened to the driver at Daytona. Funny, that was the same line Tony Stewart gave before he dashed away from Joe Gibbs when they went with Toyota. Mind you, this is different. For example, we are not hearing anything about anyone about to place Harvick’s name on the wall as a name partner any time soon, but the point is that today’s promise could always wind up broken.

    A piece by Beyond the Flag’s Christopher Olmstead does make one ponder, with sponsor deals with Busch Beer and Jimmy Johns coming to an end after this season and only an option of keeping Harvick for a season longer if push comes to shove. If he bails, some figure he could replace Kasey Kahne in the Rick Hendrick stable. Makes some sense. Still, there is a good chance that where there is Smoke there shall also be Harvick. Rumors can be fun, at least for the gossipers if not so much for the principles involved. Did we not once think a certain Hendrick driver would actually wind up driving for Richard Childress in a car his dad made famous? Nice story, different ending. It could be the same with this one.

    Here is hoping the racing at Fontana proves entertaining from start to middle, as well as the finish. Even more entertaining than any rumors. No doubt, a few of the drivers among our Hot 20 will be front and center this weekend, as Jimmy Johns might be replaced by Jimmie Johnson as Sunday’s center of attention. Now, why am I yearning for a sandwich about now?

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 154 PTS
    In the words of Joe Cocker and Jennifer Warnes, he is once again back up where he belongs.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 140 PTS
    Expect no less than a Top Ten, as long as he has something more than vice-grips to steer with.

    3. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 131 PTS
    Last week he did not have a great performance, yet finished third. Sometimes okay is enough.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 110 PTS
    Needed a bus at Phoenix, as everyone knows its wheels go round and round, not kaboom!

    5. KYLE BUSCH – 154 PTS
    3rd, 3rd, 4th, 4th kind of works as he goes forth.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 137 PTS
    At least, we have one Busch who knows why Big Leaguers do not regularly play Little League.

    7. CARL EDWARDS – 136 PTS
    Carl mattered in Phoenix, he will matter at Fontana.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 127 PTS
    Life lesson #22: Gas and go…but get all the gas you can before you go.

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 122 PTS
    A new generation is making its presence felt…but where are Newman and Menard?

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 117 PTS
    A new manufacturer, trouble in inspection, a race without his crew chief…and all is well?

    11. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 115 PTS
    Would be much, much higher if Daytona had not been so much a disappointment.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 104 PTS
    Some fly charter, some fly coach, and for some, it just does not matter.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 100 PTS
    No matter where he goes to bed at night he always remains Almirola by morning.

    14. KASEY KAHNE – 96 PTS
    Beaten up by a loose air cooling hose in the car, finally beaten by a tire issue outside it.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 94 PTS
    Has never enjoyed a Top Ten season. Even in 2010 (Daytona 500/Brickyard) he finished 14th.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 90 PTS
    Relevant in every race, but just has had trouble before the end of every race…except for last week.

    17. KYLE LARSON – 85 PTS
    Not yet a Top 15 driver. Not yet.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 83 PTS
    Even after the disaster that was Phoenix, he still is the best performer Roush-Fenway has.

    19. GREG BIFFLE – 76 PTS
    A mean handling car meant another long day for the Biff.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 75 PTS
    Average finish of 20th does not cut it, but it beats Trevor, Chase, Danica, Ryan, Paul, Clint…

  • Hot 20 – The heat is on at Phoenix after an endorsement, poor ratings, and some poorer finishes

    Hot 20 – The heat is on at Phoenix after an endorsement, poor ratings, and some poorer finishes

    It is a strange world we live in. Donald Trump appears on his way to the Republican nomination, but an endorsement from Brian France has folks in a tizzy. It could kill the diversity NASCAR is striving for, some claim. That is true. I doubt Trump would be a supporter of any team hiring an illegal alien to drive for them. Crazy, I know.

    If that is not bad enough, the television ratings have gone from bad, to worse, to not nearly as awful as the first two races. In a sport that had something of a cult following a decade ago, NASCAR no longer releases attendance figures, prize payouts, and has torn down some grandstands. The antidote will be found on the track, in their marketing, and in the economy. As always, there remains stark room for improvement in all those areas.

    A year ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Phoenix. Five of the six before that, Kevin Harvick claimed the prize. Now, if anyone could use a win this weekend, Danica Patrick, Chase Elliott, and Clint Bowyer would be among them. They sure are not among the Hot 20 going into Sunday’s action.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 110 PTS
    Drives like Superman. In California, he will even look a bit like him.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 98 PTS
    Flag on the ground, flag on the ground, felt like a fool with the flag on the ground.

    3. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 93 PTS
    Recently was asked if driver confrontations are staged. Sure, about as much as a Republican debate.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 116 PTS
    Best in points, zip in wins. Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and NASCAR

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 109 PTS
    Has won five of past seven races at Phoenix. If I were a betting man…

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 104 PTS
    Truck decal: Things I hate: warm beer, cold women, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski

    7. KURT BUSCH – 102 PTS
    A pit-road speed limiter button request was made by the speedster to f****** NASCAR.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 96 PTS
    Twice failing template inspection last week earns the team a written note of bad tidings.

    9T. AUSTIN DILLON – 90 PTS
    It has been a while since the No. 3 sat in Victory Lane. It might not be long before it returns.

    9T. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 90 PTS
    Crew Chief is in the sin bin this week, but the driver has been a factor thus far.

    11. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 79 PTS
    If Dillon’s performances surprise you, this must make your head spin.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 78 PTS
    California’s Caped Crusader hopes to repeat at Gotham…er…Phoenix.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 77 PTS
    Bouncing back, or just bouncing. The jury remains out.

    14. RYAN BLANEY – 73 PTS
    While Mr. Elliott gets the headlines, fellow rookie Blaney thrives in un-Chartered territory.

    15. ARIC ALMIROLA – 72 PTS
    Living the all-American dream in the all-American car, employed by an all-American icon.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 69 PTS
    Some consider this to be a slow start, but it is way too early to get terribly excited just yet.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 66 PTS
    Led just one lap this season. Maybe he is going for quality rather than quantity.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 62 PTS
    Getting out of a hole at this time of year is a whole lot easier than trying to do it later.

    19. REGAN SMITH – 57 PTS
    Good start by Tommy Baldwin entry, but last two results have been far from impressive.

    20T. TREVOR BAYNE – 56 PTS
    Finally had a Top 20 finish last week. Well, at least, that is something.

    20T. KYLE LARSON – 56 PTS
    Was looking pretty good, then came Las Vegas.

    20T. MATT KENSETH – 56 PTS
    If NASCAR had a bumper car division, he would be running away with it this season.

    20T. GREG BIFFLE – 56 PTS
    Tied with his former team-mate and ahead of Danica. That might not make him feel any better.

  • Hot 20 – If rules are meant to be broken, somebody forgot to tell NASCAR

    Hot 20 – If rules are meant to be broken, somebody forgot to tell NASCAR

    Rules be rules, and the book was tossed at a number of folks after Atlanta. The biggest hit was taken by Martin Truex Jr. after a roof flap issue meant the loss of 15 points. Thanks to the appeal process, he keeps crew chief Cole Pearn for this weekend otherwise, he would be gone for a race and tagged with a $50,000 fine. Considering it is the second straight race the issue has come up, NASCAR got rather ornery.

    The honchos were not happy. A.J. Allmendinger lost 10 points for issues regarding his rear wheel crush panels. Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell lost 10 each for components of the car not being kosher. Each crew chief also got to donate $15,000 to the cause.

    The poobahs were not done. For failing to pass the pre-qualifying inspection after three attempts, they sent nasty notes to Jeffery Earnhardt’s people, along with the loss of 15 minutes of practice time. Uncle Dale Earnhardt Jr., along with Matt DiBenedetto, and Cole Whitt, were written up after each failed twice.

    The lords of all racing even managed to hand out a $5000 penalty to an XFINITY crew chief, wrote up six others for pre-racing inspection issues, and even tagged a Camping World team for failing post-race inspection.

    Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?

    In the meantime, NASCAR boss Brian France came out and endorsed Donald Trump for President. To each his own, but I cannot help thinking that while the Donald might not be everyone’s cup of tea, the character and morality flaws of some of the others leave him looking like Gandhi. Yes, it is a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack.

    Off to Las Vegas, our Hot 20 performers include…

    1. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 70 PTS
    Still has Atlanta car, but his Daytona car is missing. It happens every darn year to somebody.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 70 PTS
    Win a race, tie Dale Earnhardt, pretty much lock in a spot in the Chase. Check, check, and check.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 78 PTS
    Won Atlanta’s XFINITY race and outran my five-month-old nephew Oscar. What a guy.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 74 PTS
    If he hopes to repeat in 2016, does that mean Harvick “peated” at Las Vegas last year?

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 73 PTS
    No one mentions his former friend 12919-028 anymore.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 69 PTS
    Will the hometown look the same as he steps down from the plane?

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 64 PTS
    A recent story was entitled, “Logano tries to adjust to new package.” I giggled. I am so immature.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 60 PTS
    Roof flap issues cost Truex 15 points, but the appeal retains for him his crew chief, for now.

    9. ARIC ALMIROLA – 55 PTS
    Some with Cuban heritage are running for President. President Almirola has a ring to it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 54 PTS
    While Mr. France likes Donald Trump, Brad kind of likes the sound of President Keselowski.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 53 PTS
    When I rechecked the point standings from Tuesday, I thought I might have had another stroke.

    12. MATT KENSETH – 51 PTS
    In future, when the flag goes black, maybe they should get back.

    13. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 50 PTS
    Later this season, he will truly be a Sunny Delight. I wonder if Ms. Patrick would agree?

    14. KYLE LARSON – 49 PTS
    A big fan of the NBA Charlotte Hornets. I like the NHL Montreal Canadiens. We both are weird.

    15. KASEY KAHNE – 46 PTS
    Named by Hollywood Life as a Top 10 Hottie of NASCAR. Nope. Danica is all alone.

    16. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 45 PTS
    After failing pre-qualifying inspection twice, even Junior got written up on Santa’s naughty list.

    17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 44 PTS
    Looked good at Atlanta, then they began the second minute of action.

    18. REGAN SMITH – 40 PTS
    Tommy Baldwin should be proud.

    19. CHASE ELLIOTT – 38 PTS
    Thanks to good, clean living and NASCAR penalties, the rookie makes the list.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 38 PTS
    Some got a Charter, some did not need it.

    21. RYAN NEWMAN – 38 PTS
    Must have been a Childress thing, as Newman and Menard are also 10 lighter than first tallied.

  • Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Interesting things can happen after the first race of the season. Some names usually near the front find themselves as also-rans as the schedule continues on to Atlanta. No Junior. No Biffle, No Bowyer. No Patrick. Okay, I’ve gone too far, I know.

    Still, a lot of the boys who did, do not appear out of place. Regan Smith might have something to prove this year and the same with his owner Tommy Baldwin. Michael McDowell did well in a non-Charter ride and returns to his regular seat this Sunday. Ryan Blaney has no safety line, but the Wood Brothers just need to continue showing up and making races. Odds are the three past contenders should move ahead of this trio before long, but could one or two of them win somewhere along the way and steal a Chase spot from somebody? Why not.

    Last Sunday, it was all about restrictor plate pack racing. Atlanta should be more about the car, the one they worked on, the one NASCAR claims again to be just what we need for more competitive, more exciting action.

    I await the excitement promised for Sunday. Here are our hottest 20 performers coming to Atlanta.

    1. Denny Hamlin – 1 Win – 45 Points
    Toyota claims its first Daytona 500 in a game of inches.

    2. Martin Truex, Jr. – 40 Points
    If Charlton Heston was at the wheel, this car might have hit ramming speed.

    3. Kyle Busch – 39 Points
    39 points better than he was at this time last year. Walks better, too.

    4. Kevin Harvick – 37 Points
    Harvick had a plan last Sunday. Hamlin took that plan to Victory Lane.

    5. Carl Edwards – 36 Points
    A Top Five with a front fender made of peanut brittle.

    6. Joey Logano – 35 Points
    In the best darn Ford on the day. If you are seeking a Roush Ford…there is always next week.

    7. Kyle Larson – 34 Points
    This season, his Daytona 500 proved to be a much better experience than his Rolex 24.

    8. Regan Smith – 33 Points
    Some get a Charter handed to them, but maybe Tommy Baldwin wishes to show his was earned.

    9. Austin Dillon – 33 Points
    Only one man has ever taken the No. 3 to victory in the Daytona 500…and he did it once.

    10. Kurt Busch – 31 Points
    Has he driven a Ford lately?

    11. Ryan Newman – 31 Points
    If you can’t make tracks driving a Caterpillar, you can’t make tracks at all.

    12. Aric Almirola – 29 Points
    Petty people worked hard on their intermediate-track package. Sunday shall be a test of that.

    13. Kasey Kahne – 28 Points
    Who is the best damn driver at Hendrick? Kan’t guess?

    14. Matt Kenseth – 28 Points
    Only the inside lane was moving, until the outside lane did.

    15. Michael McDowell – 26 Points
    Loaned out his Charter ride and beat it as an outsider.

    16. Jimmie Johnson – 26 Points
    Not often Six Time is not visible. That probably won’t be the case in Atlanta.

    17. Jamie McMurray – 24 Points
    Bend ‘em like Beckham? Danica has to work to motor like McMurray.

    18. Paul Menard – 23 Points
    Childress entries were more successful last Sunday than Hendrick Chevys. Interesting.

    19. Ryan Blaney – 22 Points
    Charter? Who needs a stinkin’ Charter?

    20. Brad Keselowski – 22 Points
    According to Hamlin, the least athletic driver, “…with a sprint cup championship,” added Brad.

  • Hot 20 – The cream of the crop for the Daytona 500

    Hot 20 – The cream of the crop for the Daytona 500

    There will be no Daytona 500 victory listed on Tony Stewart’s resume. His recent off-season back injury ensured that. Well, maybe. I cannot help but notice that Michael Waltrip already has a lock on his 29th place in the Great American Race. There is always the chance that, given an opportunity and still with the ability to squeeze into a firesuit, Smoke could be back, at some time.

    The hottest 20 drivers heading into Sunday are all locked in. Thanks to some large wallets, even Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch are good to go for the rest of the season, buying up those Charters from Waltrip’s defunct operation.

    As far as the debate over the Wood Brothers not getting a Charter, I agree that as they have been running part-time, they should not have received one. I do disagree that B.K. Racing got two, or that Go Fas Racing or Premium Motorsports received any. Instead of the only criteria to receive one being reduced to only those who attempted to quality for the past 108 straight races, maybe they should have taken performance into consideration. I mean, between them, those four operations failed to qualify for 29 events last season. Maybe those Charters should have been held for those who attempted the past 36, AND who were among the Top 36 in owner’s points. Good enough to earn a one-year Charter, something they could regain through a Top 36 finish in 2016.

    Thirty-six entries, just like the 36 provisional spots once awarded in past years; awarded based on performance. Qualifying spots should have remained at 43, giving teams seven openings to make it and still be able to challenge for one of those 36 Charter positions. A Charter gives peace of mind, but seven open spots still allow those without a parachute an opportunity to challenge, to compete, to succeed. Just what in hell NASCAR and the members of the Race Team Alliance were thinking when they guaranteed places for at least the next three years while all but closing the door on challengers is beyond me.

    At least, we still have the race, albeit minus three entries and the entire backstretch grandstands. I am sure nobody will notice, or ponder the reasons why. Here are our hot 20, based on their 2015 season long performance.

    1. Joey Logano – 6 Wins – 1299 Points
    Logano arrived in 2014, confirmed that in 2015, and as for 2016….

    2. Jimmie Johnson – 5 Wins – 1155 Points
    The official standings have him finishing 10th; a rather misleading statistic.

    3. Matt Kenseth – 5 Wins – 1046 Points
    When Matt says he is going to run a driver down, he just might mean it.

    4. Kyle Busch – 5 Wins – 867 Points
    His greatest year featured a championship, a busted leg, and a late May start to the season.

    5. Kevin Harvick – 3 Wins – 1321 Points
    Recorded an average of nearly 36.7 points per race in 2015.

    6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 Wins – 1198 Points
    After just two wins in seven seasons, he has seven wins in his last two.

    7. Denny Hamlin – 2 Wins – 1117 Points
    Finishing in the season’s Top Ten eight times in 10 tries, is this the year he takes all the marbles?

    8. Carl Edwards – 2 Wins – 1108 Points
    Wins two and still has to pay for a Charter spot, while BK Racing gets two, after four DNQ’s.

    9. Kurt Busch – 2 Wins – 1108 Points
    Kurt wins twice and gets nothing while the No. 62 DNQ’s 19 times last season and “earns” one.

    10. Brad Keselowski – 1 Win – 1217 Points
    Just a single win but a personal high of 25 Top Tens kept him close.

    11. Martin Truex, Jr. – 1 Win – 1165 Points
    A team that made it all the way to top tier status without the benefit of a Charter.

    12. Ryan Newman – 1052 Points
    I still think Tony let go the wrong driver.

    13. Jamie McMurray – 1052 Points
    He might not be great, but you might have to be in order to out-point him.

    14. Paul Menard – 972 Points
    You hear more about his driving ability and less about his daddy’s cash these days.

    15. Aric Almirola – 940 Points
    Last year, Petty trumped Roush.

    16. Kasey Kahne – 939 Points
    In fact, Hendrick’s weak sister would have led the way for Jack’s crew.

    17. Clint Bowyer – 891 Points
    Teammates once were Waltrip and Truex. Today, he is Michael Annett.

    18. Kyle Larson – 872 Points
    Maybe the best of the kiddie corps…but Chase probably will contest that thought.

    19. Greg Biffle – 869 Points
    Damn good driver with what has become a damn poor team.

    20. Austin Dillon – 832 Points
    Grandpa expects more this time out.

  • The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    Starting in ten days, just about every week the engines will roar to life and 43 cars will take the green flag. However, we all know that not all race drivers and teams are created equal. A half dozen will come from the part-time ranks, and only a couple of dozen will have any kind of hope of even challenging for a win. To put it in culinary terms, you have your steak, your hamburger and, to fill out the field, your hamburger helper. Here is a look at who is who on the menu, with the Daytona 500 less than two weeks away.

    TIER I – THE CONTENDERS

    Few can question that the 2016 champion could well come out of the top tier of drivers. In fact, half of them already know what it is like to claim the crown.

    2 – Brad Keselowski
    4 – Kevin Harvick
    11 – Denny Hamlin
    18 – Kyle Busch
    19 – Carl Edwards
    20 – Matt Kenseth
    22 – Joey Logano
    31 – Ryan Newman
    41 – Kurt Busch
    48 – Jimmie Johnson
    78 – Martin Truex, Jr.
    88 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    The odds might favor Kyle Busch repeating in what we hope, this time, will be a healthy full campaign though Harvick had the best season from start to finish. Well, almost to the finish. Johnson has already claimed the trophy six times, and seems to always be in contention even in those years he falls short. If one was going to pick a potential winner, race in and race out, chances are the favorites would come from this list.

    TIER II – THE PRETENDERS

    There are those you expect to have a good shot at being victorious every week, and then there are those who, if they did, probably would not come as all that much of a shock, either. In fact, I would expect at least four of these drivers to make it into the Chase, where a pretender could get hot and become a true contender themselves if things fall into place at the right time.

    1 – Jamie McMurray
    3 – Austin Dillon
    5 – Kasey Kahne
    6 – Trevor Bayne
    13 – Casey Mears
    15 – Clint Bowyer
    16 – Greg Biffle
    24 – Chase Elliott
    27 – Paul Menard
    42 – Kyle Larson
    43 – Aric Almirola
    47 – A.J. Allmendinger

    In this case, a pretender is one with tons of talent, one with a good chance of claiming a Top Ten, but just not a driver you expect taking the checkered flag on a regular basis. I have always liked McMurray, but he just doesn’t seem to be able to clear that final hurdle. Biffle should be rated higher and in previous years he no doubt would have been, but Roush Fenway has not been an outfit on the rise. Kahne has the ability, but not the results in recent seasons. Dillon and Larson are touted as future stars, and just maybe this is the year they meet expectations. Elliott has things to prove, and a lot of eyes with be watching Jeff Gordon’s former ride to see if the rookie can break out in his rookie campaign.

    TIER III – THE PARTICIPANTS

    43 cars hit the track each event, with some having pretty good odds of finishing high in the running order when things are said and done. Some others are not as fortunate.

    7 – Regan Smith
    10 – Danica Patrick
    14 – Tony Stewart
    17 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
    21 – Ryan Blaney
    23 – David Ragan
    32 – Jeffery Earnhardt
    34 – Chris Buescher
    38 – Landon Cassill
    44 – Brian Scott
    46 – Michael Annett
    83 – Matt DiBenedetto
    95 – Michael McDowell

    Stewart is on the mend, again, and could be out for quite a spell at the beginning of his final season. Some tend to believe we won’t see him for months as he recovers from his recent back injury. If only Patrick could emerge as the next Jamie McMurray that would be something, but thus far cracking the Top Twenty has been a struggle every week. There is nothing I would like more than to see someone from this group emerge as a pleasant surprise, but they are going to have to prove it for me to believe it. Sure, Stewart could mend enough to rise by the end of the year and Patrick could finally cash in on all of those resources to take it to the next level, but my money would be on Blaney and the Wood Brothers as they return to running a full schedule.

  • The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    I hate change. I do not care for it. I like things just as they are or, probably more truthfully, as they were.

    I remember coaching two little boys who are not so little anymore. Those were the days when I was Superman, not just the Old Man. I miss my mother and all the grandparents I was blessed with when I was born. I miss cousins who left us far too soon. I miss my youth. Damn it, I miss my hair.

    I loved watching Cale Yarborough in the No. 11 and Richard Petty piloting the No. 43. How I miss seeing Dale Earnhardt in that black No. 3. I wish I could see Rusty Wallace again in that blue deuce though my reasoning is that him driving means there was no way in hell he would be announcing.

    No Jeff Gordon this year, other than up in the booth. Tony Stewart is gone no matter what after this season. One day, sooner than later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hang up those skeleton gloves.

    Sure, I guess there is room for some change. Did you notice the NHL All-Star game? It was its best presentation in 30 years, with a minor league enforcer named as its MVP to prove that Cinderella does indeed wear glass skates. Same day, the NFL had its Pro-Bowl, and it was about as riveting as watching soccer. Trust me, that is not a good thing. Change it or kill it would be my thought.

    Cars are safer now. The tracks are moving that way. Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol pretty much guarantee something worth watching. Too bad we cannot be so sure about a few of the other venues. It would be nice if that could somehow change. They say the racing will be better after their latest tinkering with the cars, but we have heard that before. If those changes prove to be the real deal, that would be a change we could all live with.

    This year, Bill’s son Chase Elliott goes full-time in Cup, joining other recent arrivals Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. Still, they have fans to earn and accolades to accumulate. Once again, we will be cheering on our favorites. Kyle Busch returns as a champion to join brother Kurt as NASCAR royalty. Kevin Harvick looks to retake his trophy while Jimmie Johnson might be tired of loaning out what once was his and his alone. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and the insufferable Joey Logano remain among the top tier of stars in NASCAR’s constellation. You cannot go wrong rooting for the likes of a Matt Kenseth or a Greg Biffle, or admire the efforts put into the team led by Martin Truex Jr.

    Unless you are a big fan of Johnson, a change in champion is acceptable, even though I do love dynasties. I like the cars to look like something I might drive, so we give thanks for the demise of the splitter. I once liked Michael Waltrip, but sometimes things change, and I think Clint Bowyer should be the beneficiary of that.

    As much as I dislike change, it is inevitable. Drivers age, retire and are replaced by a new generation. Faces are now encased in helmets and races are won by a matter of seconds, not laps, these days. Since 2001, most weekends television delivers the races to homes in most places. Once we were asked, “How bad have you got it?” Wouldn’t it be nice if we were asked that once again?

    It all returns in less than a couple of weeks, with the Sprint Unlimited featured on February 13, Duel Qualifiers on February 18 and the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21. Boogity, boogity, boogity!

    Okay, some things do need to change.

  • The Final Word – Gordon wins but it is Kenseth with the knockout at Martinsville

    The Final Word – Gordon wins but it is Kenseth with the knockout at Martinsville

    There are things that matter. A retiring champion seeking to go out in a blaze of glory. A 25-year old looking to complete his career redemption as well as claim a fourth straight checkered flag. An elder statesman who believes that young man deserves something a bit different.

    Some things just do not matter. For example, in the XFINITY series, where Cup drivers have a second home, none of them matter except for a race winner and those actually running for a title. Same goes in Cup, as just eight drivers are eligible to try and chase down a championship. The winner always matters, no matter where they sit in the standings. As for the remainder, if you are not among the eight and did nothing to cause us to gasp, you do not matter.

    It did matter when Chaser Kyle Busch went for a spin at Martinsville after claiming to have found water on the track just before the midpoint. He tagged Austin Dillon and fell into the middle of the field. Same for Carl Edwards, who got into the back of A.J. Allmendinger in the same incident as the accordion effect took over. Both had points to gain, and definitely something to lose. It mattered, and it also gave us a break from the monotony that was Martinsville for much of the day. Much of it, but surely not all of it, as we were to discover.

    With 65 laps to go, a lot started to matter. Matt Kenseth got tangled up with Brad Keselowski and then got popped over to really pop Kurt Busch. It mattered that both Chasers had to go to the garage for repairs, and it mattered for Edwards, as the caution brought him back onto the lead lap. It mattered that Kenseth thought his last name was Hatfield, and Penske drivers were the McCoys.

    Revenge is best-served cold as Kenseth gave us our best gasp moment. Keselowski’s teammate, Joey Logano, the guy who had dominated the race, passed the battered Kenseth, who was nine laps down. Kenseth said on the radio he thought his right front must have gone down, but it appeared for all the world that he purposely hooked the leader and bulldozed him straight into the wall. Anything with a Penske stamp on it appeared to be a target, and one had to wonder if even the Captain himself was safe.

    Brian France thought Logano made a smart decision when he bumped Kenseth out of the way in Kansas. I wonder how smart he thought this hit was? Anyway, Matt got parked, as if his car or Logano’s was going anywhere fast after that. As to what the crowd thought of it, you would have thought Kenseth was an adopted Earnhardt with the ovation he received.

    It was almost anti-climatic that Jeff Gordon finally won in his swan song season. Almost. He was near the front most of the day, and was the best after Logano’s departure, leading the final 22 laps to claim his 93rd career victory. The crowd at Martinsville roared their approval as the four-time champ claimed a final four berth for the Homestead showdown on November 22. Gordon shall retire with wins in all but three of his 23 full-time campaigns; in 1993, 2008, and 2010. He wants just one more win in one specific race before heading off to become one of the sport’s most articulate ambassadors

    Amongst those who mattered, Rowdy overcame his earlier issue to claim fifth on Sunday, a position ahead of Martin Truex Jr., with Kevin Harvick in eighth. Edwards turned his return to the lead lap to a 14th place finish, but not that terribly far out of the running. As for Keselowski, Kurt, and Logano, they have some work to do.

    As for Kenseth, they do promote the Chase as having a knockout format. Well, at Martinsville, Kenseth knocked Logano out. After Kansas, did anyone expect anything less? It is now up to Logano, along with Keselowski and Kurt, to pull themselves off of the canvas to answer the bell at Texas and Phoenix beyond that.

    This column will not appear next week, but returns after Phoenix when we will know who will be joining Gordon in the battle for the championship. Who knows, maybe my return will come sooner than Matt’s.

    The Chase

    1. JEFF GORDON – Win
    2. KYLE BUSCH + 9
    3. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. +9
    4. KEVIN HARVICK +7
    5. CARL EDWARDS -7
    6. BRAD KESELOWSKI -24
    7. KURT BUSCH -26
    8. JOEY LOGANO -28

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas Hollywood Casino 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas Hollywood Casino 400

    Fresh off the announcement of the rules package for next year, here is what was surprising and not surprising from this year’s second race of the Contender round from the 15th annual Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Surprising:  While there were some familiar on-track challenges, from complaints about restarts to concerns about oil in the upper groove, problems on pit road played a pivotal role, particularly for several Chase drivers.

    Team 24 of Jeff Gordon had a loose lug nut and had to pit, one of Carl Edwards’ pit crew members fell down costing him spots, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well as others, had loose wheels.

    But the biggest pit road issues were faced by Chase contenders Kevin Harvick, who was penalized for taking equipment out of the box, and Martin Truex, Jr. who was penalized for an uncontrolled tire.

    “We’re lucky to come out of it as good as we did,” Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, said. “We didn’t have a great weekend. A lot of things falling on and off.  All and all, it could have been a lot worse.”

    “It was tough day,” Truex said, echoing Harvick. “We were in good shape before the penalty (pass-through penalty for a tire going outside the line following green flag pit stop on Lap 213). We fought hard on the car all day got much better right when we got the penalty. We were fast at the end, but not enough time to get back up there.”

    Harvick finished 16th in the race, which put him in the fifth position in the point standings. Truex finished 15th in the race and is now eighth in the points.

    Not Surprising:  From the land of the yellow brick road, the golden rule was being practiced mightily in Victory Lane.

    “It was good, hard racing,” Joey Logano after tangling with Matt Kenseth to win the race. “We were racing each other really hard and I got in the fence twice on the straightaways.  He raced me hard and I raced him hard back.  That’s hard racing.  That’s the way I race.”

    “If I get raced like that, I’ll race the same way.  That’s how I’ve always been and it will always be that way.”

    Surprising:  There was a surprising runner-up and no, it was not Kevin Harvick. It was actually Denny Hamlin, behind the wheel of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, who captured the second spot in Kansas, putting himself in the runner-up spot in the point standings as well.

    “It was an interesting day for sure,” Hamlin said. “We definitely fought our car early in the day. We made it better, we had some good restarts and the pit crew got us some spots. The next thing we knew we were trying to battle for a race win.”

    “One short.”

    Not Surprising:  In a season of strange happenings at the track, from squirrels to foxes to ducks on track, Kansas featured a weird occurrence as well.  Smoke was reported wafting over the racing surface, causing some concern. But it all turned out to be a bus on fire just outside the track.

    Surprising:  Ryan Blaney had a surprisingly good run, finishing seventh in his No. 21 Woods Brothers Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford.  Yet the young driver admitted to being still in the learning mode as he faces the final few races of the season.

    “I feel pretty good about the rest of the year,” Blaney said. “We’ve learned some things. We still have to get a lot better, but we’re getting there. Being on the race track more is part of it. Things come with time for both me and Jeremy (Bullins, crew chief) and we’re finally getting some time under our belt.”

    Not Surprising:  There were at least three drivers who no doubt want to put Kansas City in their rear view mirrors. Tony Stewart was one, spinning early to bring out the second caution of the day.

    And the other two were Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer, both of whom hit the wall, and hit it hard.

    “I was catching everyone in front of us and then blew a right front,” Dillon said. “We were carrying a lot of speed and just blew a tire.”

    “I thought I could save it, but guess what, I didn’t save it,” Bowyer said. “It was a hard hit. “Very, I hit a wall. Pretty damn hard.”

    “I couldn’t believe how fast it snapped. You usually can ride it along, but that thing came out from underneath of me so fast. As soon as that headlight got some air in it, boy that baby bit and turned me around pretty quick.”

    “I hate that happened especially at home.”

    Surprising:  Jimmie Johnson may not be in the championship hunt, but he may have played a role in how the race at Kansas played out. He stayed out late in the race, preventing many drivers who had had trouble from taking the wave around.

    The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet finished third, posting his 16th top-10 finish in nineteen races at Kansas Speedway.

    “The silver lining of not being in the Chase is having fast cars,” Johnson said.  “It was fun racing. We did have speed in our cars and we are running really well.  We did it again this weekend.”

    Not Surprising:  There was some ‘dad’ flavor at the race, with new dad Kasey Kahne having a good run in fourth and dad Kyle Busch finishing fifth.

    “We just kept fighting and persevering through everything that was thrown at us,” Busch said after the race. “And in case everyone wasn’t sure, Halloween is coming up so grab all those M&Ms for all the kiddies. I know I’m looking forward to my first Halloween with my son Brexton.”

    Surprising:  Kurt Busch went from celebrating his sixth place win, as well as his third place in the point standings, to being decidedly bummed about how close the Chase continued to be.

    “We’re going to Talladega third in Chase Only plus 13?” Busch asked a reporter after the race. “I would have hoped we would have been 25. Plus 13 is not very exciting.”

    “Wow, you kind of deflated my bubble there. I thought a fifth or a sixth was pretty good in this battle but it’s not.”

    Not Surprising:  No one is looking more forward to racing next weekend than Dale Earnhardt Jr., particularly since the upcoming battle will be on his favorite restrictor plate track.

    The driver of the No. 88 Halo 5: Master Chief Chevrolet, who finished the last of the Chasers in 21st at Kansas tweeted this after the race, “Tough day at the track. Gonna have those. Bring on @TalladegaSuperS! Taking that same hot rod that won there earlier this season. #ShesFast.”

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Bank of America 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Bank of America 500

    Starting off the Chase Contender round, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  While the race was at most drivers’ home tracks, there was another track, one big superspeedway that seemed to be on many driver’s minds, including the race winner Joey Logano.

    “We had a great car, the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford said in Victory Lane. “Charlotte is everybody’s home turf and you want to make it happen here.”

    “This makes Talladega way easier.  I know that’s on everyone’s mind when this round starts and last year we won Kansas when it was the first race of this round and now we were able to get it this time at Charlotte.  We’ll get lots of sleep here the next couple of weeks.”

    This was Logano’s first win at Charlotte, his fourth victory of the season, and his ticket into the Eliminator Round for the Sprint Cup championship.

    Not Surprising:  For the third time in the season, the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick finished runner-up to race winner Logano. This was also Harvick’s eleventh time to finish in the second spot for the season.

    “We could hang with him (Joey Logano), but I would just lose him every once in a while in traffic,” Harvick said. “It was just extremely hard to pass. But all in all, we weren’t very good all weekend and the guys just did a great job on pit road and made our car better throughout the day.”

    “And if those are the off-days, we’ll be just fine.”

    Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. no doubt expressed the sentiment of many drivers, including himself after taking the checkered flag.

    “It ain’t over,” the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet said after finishing 28th. “Don’t worry about that. I mean, we don’t have to go to Talladega and be nervous like those guys that are going to have to play it safe. We can just go hard. So, we’ve got a great car that can win that race.”

    “We can go to Kansas and run great. I like that track and don’t see why we can’t run great there and maybe win the race there.”

    “It ain’t over.”

    Not Surprising:  Jeff Gordon was in a sunny mood, thankful for a day race instead of a night race and for finishing eighth when his teammates Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished 28th, 39th and 43rd respectively.

    “The day race helped us starting 22nd,” the driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet said. “At night, it’s so grippy and fast and it’s hard to get multiple grooves; where during the day with the sun being out and heating up the track, losing a little bit of grip, I think it helped.”

    “I thought it was a really, really strong effort.”

    Surprising:  There were just ‘too many’ for Matt Kenseth at today’s Charlotte race.  The driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota finished 42nd after having too many men over the wall too many times, too many close encounters with the outside wall, and too many mistakes on pit road.

    “Yeah, I don’t know,” Kenseth said. “Everything kind of snowballed, you know? We were real fast out front, we were kind of tight in traffic and got behind pitting and then I missed the pit stall trying to come around the 21 (Ryan Blaney) and had to back up in the pit and that put us back there, so just kind of snowballed.”

    Not Surprising:  Aric Almirola may not be chasing a championship, but he and his team feel that they are definitely onto something after finishing top-10 in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Smithfield Ford.

    “I’m really happy with our consistency and we just have to keep working at it,” Almirola said. “We have a few more weeks to go to try and steal a win, but, otherwise, I think we’re on to something.”

    “I think we’re running a lot better and I’m really proud of everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports for bringing me these nice race cars these last six weeks.”

    Surprising:  After a close encounter with a pyrotechnics display in the Xfinity race, Austin Dillon remained on fire in the Cup race with a seventh place finish.  The driver of the No. 3 DOW – Great Stuff Chevrolet not only finished top-ten in the big show but also busted off a win in the Xfinity race earlier in the weekend.

    Not Surprising:  At a track the size of Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was not surprising that there was more action in the pits than on the track. Most notably was the collision between the two Kyles, with Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson making contact while coming to pit road.

    “I don’t know what happened,” Busch said. “Just can’t say enough about my guys – all the work that they put into these things. They don’t deserve to be put in these situations year in, year out, but we are for some reason.”

    “But it’s tough and we’re going to have to battle through with what we’ve got right now.”

    Surprising:  Battery challenge….no problem.  In spite of battery issues, Denny Hamline still managed to finish fourth, scoring highest finishing Toyota of the race.

    “I ran on the wrong battery all day so we have one battery I guess to run everything and then one to run the motor so I was draining both of them,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said. “My mistake, I usually start on one and run on the other and I just got switched.”

    Not Surprising: Martin Truex Jr. could possibly have a second career operating a lemonade stand. He made the best out of a car that he thought was a bit of a lemon, finishing third in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet.

    “It was just hard work and a never-give-up attitude,” Truex said. “I honestly, this morning, I was really nervous going into the race thinking we’d be lucky to run 15th with what we had in practice. And Jeff Burton asked me before the race what I thought about my car. And I was like I don’t know; I don’t feel too good about it.”

    “So, I’m just really proud of the guys for working hard. The pit stops were great on pit road. This was a big hurdle and now we go to our best track at Kansas, and hopefully getting two more.”