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Tag: Brad Keselowski

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch outpaced big brother Kurt on the final restart at Bristol and took the win in the Food City 500.

    “We both gambled by staying out on the final caution,” Busch said. “We’re from Las Vegas, so gambling is in our blood. By the way, I’m their ‘favorite son.’ And when I say ‘their,’ I’m referring to Las Vegas, and our parents.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fifth at Bristol as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch won for the third time this season.

    “Between Kyle and me,” Hamlin said, “we’ve got five wins this year. So, for JGR, Kyle and I are carrying our weight. Our teammates, Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez, they’re carrying our jock straps.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano and Penske teammate Brad Keselowski were set to battle for the win at Bristol until a late caution changed their fortunes. Both opted to pit for tires, while Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch stayed out. Kyle Busch won the race; Logano finished third.

    “It sucks to lose,” Logano. “And trust me, I hate losing to the Busch brothers, but not nearly as much as I hate being outsmarted by them.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick had to start at the back of the field after failing inspection three times, but salvaged a 13th at Bristol. He is third in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 33 out of first.

    “I finished 13th in qualifying,” Harvick said. “And three failed inspections say I finished first in ‘dis-qualifying.’”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski was penalized late at Bristol for failing to line up properly on a restart, and finished 18th, spoiling what easily could have been a top five finish.

    “That’s what NASCAR calls ‘putting me in my place,’” Keselowski said.

    6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 17th at Bristol, one lap down, and is now seventh in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “We didn’t have a car capable of winning,” Truex said. “Of course, I wasn’t too pleased with the car and its setup. At the ‘Bull Ring,’ it was a case of ‘running of the b.s.‘”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch finished second to younger brother Kyle at Bristol after Kyle nailed the final restart.

    “I should have wrecked Kyle and taken the win,” Busch said. “But Kyle got a great jump on the restart and I couldn’t catch him. In other words, he beat me to the punch, as opposed to some other drivers, who have beaten me with a punch.”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott started on the pole at Bristol and posted an 11th-place finish.

    “I received a free pass midway through the race,” Elliott said, “despite the fact that I was involved in the spin that caused the caution. That clearly goes against what’s written in the NASCAR rule book. At this point, who knowswhat’s written in the NASCAR rule book? What is known is that it’s written in pencil.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney led a race-high 158 laps at Bristol and finished fourth, his fourth top five of the season.

    “I had a spirited battle with Ryan Newman late in the race,” Blaney said. “There was a lot of contact. Luckily, we were able to laugh about it afterwards. Which is amazing in itself, because Newman is hardly ever in ‘good humor.’” 

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished seventh in the Food City 500.

    “Darrell Waltrip is retiring from the FOX broadcast booth at the end of the season,” Bowyer said. “It’s gonna be sad to see DW go, and we all plan to send him off with a show of respect. So, Boogity! Boogity! Let’s go embracing boys!”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: After claiming Trucks and Xfinity series wins at Texas, Busch failed to complete the sweep, finishing a disappointing 10th. Busch still leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings, holding an eight point lead over Denny Hamlin.

    “I didn’t ‘sweep’ the weekend,” Busch said, “but I did ‘brush’ the wall. Now, I’m ‘bristling’ at my failure to complete the sweep.”

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin overcame two penalties and stormed back to win the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas, scoring his second win of the season.

    “Winning in Texas is always special,” Hamlin said. “That is, until you get to Victory Lane, where they hand you two guns, leaving you feeling just like everyone else in Texas.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Texas and now sits third in the points standings, 33 out of first.

    “I’m still winless on the year,” Harvick said. “I’m desperate for a win. My sponsor obligations stipulate that I say the same thing with different words. Jimmy Johns says I’m ‘hungry’ for a win, while Busch Beer says I’m ‘thirsty’ for victory.”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski suffered his worst result of the year with a 36th at Texas, his efforts ruined by a mechanical issue early in the race that sent his No. 2 Ford Mustang to the garage for lengthy repairs.

    “Something in the back of the car just broke,” Keselowski said. “And that was it for my chances of winning. It’s a case of getting ‘rear-ended’ without another car being involved.”

    5. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished seventh at Texas as Stewart-Haas Racing placed all four cars in the top 10.

    “Stewart-Haas Racing placed all four cars in the top 10,” Almirola said. “That’s also known as going ‘4 for 4.’ It sounds great, until you shed light on our most glaring statistic: SHR is 0-7 in the wins department.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 17th at Texas, while Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski finished 36th after suffering a mechanical failure.

    “I won Stage 1,” Logano said, “then it was downhill from there. Brad had two back axles malfunction, and my car’s hood was loose and wavering in the wind. It could have easily blown completely off. It’s the least excited I’ve ever been to talk about ‘rear end’ and going ‘topless.’”

    7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 12th in Texas as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin captured the win.

    “Let’s give it up for Jimmie Johnson,” Truex said. “He won the pole at Texas, and finished fifth. Jimmie’s either rounding into his old championship form, or he’s just an old former champion.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch took ninth in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500, posting his fifth top 10 of the season.

    “NASCAR legend Rusty Wallace gave the command to ‘Start your engines,’” Busch said. “As you would expect, Ryan Newman refused to start his engine, because he absolutely refuses to take any commands from Wallace.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney led 45 early laps before mechanical issues sent him to the garage. He finished 37th, 109 off the lead lap.

    “A part broke,” Blaney said, “causing all the water to leak out of the car. It left me feeling drained.” 

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer scored the runner-up spot in the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500,

    “And that was after starting 25th,” Bowyer said. “Which just proves that qualifying means absolutely nothing in NASCAR. As you saw at Fontana, sometimes we do absolutely nothing in qualifying.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch started 14th and finished third at Martinsville, posting his fifth top five of the season.

    “I won the Trucks Series race on Saturday,” Busch said. “And speaking of the Trucks Series, a fellow named Myatt Snider’s truck is sponsored by Tax Slayer. Tax Slayer would have been better off with their name on a Cup car on Sunday, with a message to all race ticket holders that said, ‘You all deserve a refund.’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski dominated at Martinsville, leading 446 of 500 laps to win the STP 500.

    “That’s three wins by the Ford Mustang this year,” Keselowski said, “all by Penske Racing. Toyota has won the other three races. Chevrolets are winless, and that’s sad, because Chevys are as American as apple pie. And, while you candrive one to the levee, you currently can’t drive one to Victory Lane.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took fifth in the STP 500 at Martinsville, posting his third top five of the season.

    “Martinsville has the best trophy in auto racing,” Hamlin said. “It’s a grandfather clock. In this age of cell phones, it’s nice to see a timepiece with a little antiquity. I think all fans should spend an afternoon watching a grandfather clock operate. Only then could they truly appreciate Sunday’s race.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Martinsville and finished 19th.

    “Brad Keselowski and Chase Elliott were the class of the field,” Logano said. “The other 34 drivers were relegated to spectators, which sucked, because this race was awful for spectators.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished eighth in the STP 500 and is seventh in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “We had SiriusXM sponsorship on our Toyota Camry at Martinsville,” Truex said. “That’s a partnership that had been in the works for quite some time. So, not only could you see it coming, you could hear it coming as well.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished sixth at Martinsville.

    “I’m winless so far this season,” Harvick said, “but I’ve got five top-10 finishes already. So I feel like I’m making progress in each race toward finally achieving victory. That’s why my nickname is Kevin ‘The Closer And Closer’ Harvick.”

    7. Aric Almirola: Almirola started second and finished ninth at Martinsville.

    “Danica Patrick will be a studio analyst for NBC during the Indianapolis 500 in May,” Almirola said. “Word is her chances of winning the race are just as good as when she was driving.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 12th at Martinsville.

    “For those expecting to see bumping and banging at Martinsville,” Busch said, “well, they were sadly disappointed. The only paint being traded at Martinsville on Sunday was between unlicensed tattoo artists in the campground.”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 49 laps, but was no match for Brad Keselowski, who routed the field at Martinsville. Elliott settled for the runner-up spot.

    “That was Hendrick Motorsports’ first top five this year,” Elliott said. “It’s not the ideal result, but, at this point, we’ll gladly take any victory, even if it’s simply a moral one.” 

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney took fourth at Martinsville and is eighth in the Monster Energy Cup standings, 70 out of first.

    “Brad Keselowski won the race easily,” Blaney said. “He dominated in a way not seen in a long time. He ate the field for lunch like it was a Martinsville hot dog. In other words, true to the Keselowski heritage, Brad ‘Polish-ed’ them off.”

  • Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin Emerge as 2019’s Big Three

    Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin Emerge as 2019’s Big Three

    Whether NASCAR fans like it or not, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch are now the cream of the crop when it comes to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Not only is that evident by their respective number on wins in just six races this season, but also by their insane amount of consistency.

    In fact, between the three drivers, they already hold five wins, 12 top-fives, 15 top 10s and all have guaranteed spots in the postseason due to their respective wins. Furthermore, the establishment of the new big three seems to show that Ford and Toyota will be battling it out for the title while Chevrolet struggles to keep up.

    Of course, it is still relatively early in the season to say who exactly will nab the title at the end of the year, but the first six races have offered at least a road map to who it might be. With that being said, Keselowski, Hamlin and Busch seem right at the front of the conversation.

    Think about it. Kyle Busch has two wins, five top fives and six top 10s in the first six races of the season, which has firmly established him as the points leader. Then there’s Brad Keselowski, who has two wins of his own this season and an average finish of 6.3.

    Keselowski also has four top-fives and four top 10s which pretty much makes him the most consistent driver in the field so far next to Kyle Busch. Finally, there’s Denny Hamlin, a man that hasn’t been too competitive since his win at Daytona but has stuck around in the point standings thanks to a string of top 10 finishes.

    If nothing else, these three drivers have set the tone for the rest of season and while other contenders may eventually show themselves , its obvious who are the men to beat. Its also obvious that they have the best handle on the new aero package, which could be very valuable as time goes on.

    In the end, these three drivers share five wins among them, two of them winning twice this season and the kind of consistent finishes that look more like stats from a video game than real life. Its seriously just that unreal, but for one reason or another, these three men are just unbeatable right now.

  • Brad Keselowski dominates the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway

    Brad Keselowski dominates the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway

    If he could do it when he was sick, he could do it when he was feeling good. He is Brad Keselowski who drove his No. 2 Penske Racing Ford into Victory Lane today. Keselowski literally dominated the race leading 446 of 500 laps and sweeping all three stages.

    “The car was really good, this Ford Mustang.” Keselowski commented, “Just a great day for our team, awesome execution on pit road. Credit to Doug Yates and all the engine stuff, those guys worked really hard.” He added, “Just one of those days you dream of as a race car driver.”

    Chase Elliott brought his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet home in second place. This was the third top-five finish for Chevrolet and the first for Hendrick Motorsports.

    “Our NAPA Camaro was good, we were about as even with him (Keselowski) as we could be,” stated Elliott. “When we did get to lead there was a little advantage to being out front, being able to work traffic your way and kind of play off this and what not.” He added, “I tried to move up there at the end and I don’t know if I could have got to him, maybe if I moved up a little sooner. Maybe next time.”

    Stage 1 started with Joey Logano on the pole and Aric Almirola on the outside. Brad Keselowski took the lead at lap five and didn’t look back. The first caution came out for Michael McDowell who had a tire go sending him into the wall. Keselowski beat everyone out of the pits to 30 laps. Keselowski was the stage winner.

    Stage 2 started once again with Keselowski on the point. The second caution of the day was for Ross Chastain who lost a rear end axle leaving rear end grease on the track. Keselowski led every lap in the stage winning it easily.

    The final stage of the race had Keselowski starting back on point. He wouldn’t stay there as Elliott took the lead. The caution flew once again for an incident between Ty Dillon and William Byron. Clint Bowyer who had a frustrating day in the pits earned his first of two speeding penalties of the day. Keselowski, with another great pit stop, took the top spot for the restart.

    Eric Jones had problems with two tires slowing on the track but he was able to work his way to pit road so no caution. Elliott was able to pass Keselowski for the lead. He was the only driver to get past Keselowski with a chance to win the race.

    Matt Tifft stopped on the high line of the track bringing out another caution. Keselowski’s team once again got him out ahead of the rest. The final caution came out for the stopped car of Chastain who had brake issues. Although Elliott and Kyle Busch drove as hard as they could, they were no match for Keselowski who took the checkered flag first.

    Kyle Busch brought his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota home in third.

    “Overall we fought hard for today’s finish, not a finish we wanted to get, thought we had a chance to win actually but it could have been a whole lot worse,” Kyle Busch commented.

    Ryan Blaney had a great race and kept his car toward the front all race long, and came in fourth, Denny Hamlin would round out the top five. Kevin Harvick, Bowyer, Martin Truex Jr., Almirola and Daniel Suarez finished sixth through 10, respectively.

    Kyle Busch leads the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Standings with 273 points, Hamlin is second with 252 points, Harvick is third with 248 points, Logano is in fourth with 245 points, and rounding out the top five is Keselowski with 236 points.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads next to Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday, March 31.

    Monster Energy Cup Series Race Number 6
    Race Results for the 70th Annual STP 500 – Sunday, March 24, 2019
    Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, VA – 0.526 – Mile Paved
    Total Race Length – 500 Laps – 263. Miles

    FinStrNo.DriverTeamLapsStage1PosStage2PosPtsStatus
    132Brad KeselowskiReese/Draw Tite Ford5001160Running
    279Chase ElliottNAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet5002451Running
    31318Kyle BuschM&M’s Chocolate Bar Toyota5009036Running
    41712Ryan BlaneyMenards/Libman Ford5005248Running
    5511Denny HamlinFedEx Ground Toyota5004347Running
    644Kevin HarvickMobil 1 Ford5000735Running
    71014Clint BowyerMobil 1/Rush Truck Centers Ford5006838Running
    8819Martin Truex Jr.SiriusXM Toyota5008538Running
    9210Aric AlmirolaSHAZAM!/Smithfield Ford5003641Running
    10941Daniel SuarezHaas Automation Ford5000929Running
    11293Austin DillonSymbicort Chevrolet50010027Running
    12191Kurt BuschGEARWRENCH/Monster Energy Chevrolet5000025Running
    132213Ty DillonGEICO Chevrolet5000024Running
    141688Alex BowmanNationwide Chevrolet5000023Running
    151421Paul MenardMotorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford5000022Running
    161547Ryan Preece #Kroger Chevrolet5000021Running
    172643Bubba WallaceTransporation Impact Chevrolet5000020Running
    18642Kyle LarsonCredit One Bank Chevrolet5000019Running
    19122Joey LoganoShell Pennzoil Ford50071023Running
    202195Matt DiBenedettoToyota Express Maintenance Toyota5000017Running
    211237Chris BuescherKroger Speed Up Your Cleanup Chevrolet4990016Running
    223424William ByronAxalta Chevrolet4990015Running
    23206Ryan NewmanAcorns Ford4990014Running
    241148Jimmie JohnsonAlly Chevrolet4980013Running
    252417Ricky Stenhouse Jr.Fastenal Ford4980012Running
    262538David RaganMDS Transport Ford4960011Running
    27288Daniel Hemric #Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Chevrolet4960010Running
    28270Landon CassillCGS Imaging Chevrolet494009Running
    293136Matt Tifft #Surface Sunscreen/Tunity Ford494008Running
    301820Erik JonesDeWalt Toyota491007Running
    312334Michael McDowellA&W All American Foods Ford491006Running
    323577DJ Kennington(i)Go-Parts Chevrolet489000Running
    333232Corey LaJoieCorvetteParts.net Ford489004Running
    343015Ross Chastain(i)Rim Riderz Chevrolet365000Engine
    353652Jeb Burton(i)Muzzy Bowfishing Chevrolet163000Brakes
    363351Cody Ware #Jacob Companies Chevrolet55001Brakes
  • Logano wins pole at Martinsville

    Logano wins pole at Martinsville

    For the ninth straight year in the Monster Energy Cup Series, Joey Logano has won a pole.

    The streak continued with the Penske driver’s 21st career pole and his fifth at Martinsville Speedway.

    “It’s awesome get another pole at Martinsville,” Logano said. “Hopefully we can top it off with another win with the Shell Pennzoil Mustang. This is always a fun race and I always look forward to coming up here.”

    Aric Almirola, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five.

    Stage 1 was fairly calm with Hamlin, the Chesterfield Virginia native, setting the pace with two stages to go. The notables not advancing to Stage 2 included both cars from Richard Childress Racing in Daniel Hemric and Austin Dillon as well as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. from Roush Fenway Racing.

    In Stage two, the surprise of the weekend occurred when the winner of the Truck Series race earlier today and the winner of the past two races in the Monster Energy Cup Series, Kyle Busch, did not make it out of Round 3. He was 14th after his first run and tried to go out and make it into the third round but it was not enough so he will try to go for three in a row from the 14th starting position.

    Ryan Blaney did not make it out of Round 2 as well as Kurt Busch, Erik Jones and Paul Menard.

    After cutting a tire in the first practice, William Byron rebounded to qualify sixth, followed by Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Martin Truex Jr. and Daniel Suarez to round out the Top 10.

    The STP 500 will televised on FS1 with the telecast starting at 2 p.m. ET.

    Follow Bryan on Twitter for the latest updates.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch overcame a pit road speeding penalty to capture the Auto Club 500 at Fontana, scoring his 200th NASCAR victory to tie Richard Petty.

    “This day couldn’t have gone any better for me,” Busch said. “First, Mötley Crüe gave the ‘Start your engines’ command. Then, I won the race. And my fans were even more excited. If you’re a Kyle Busch fan, then I’m your ‘Dr. Feelgood.’”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished second at Fontana and is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 15 behind Kyle Busch.

    “Kyle blew by Brad Keselowski and I like we weren’t even moving,” Logano said. “And Roger Penske is not happy, because his company is all about‘ moving.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex came home eighth at Fontana and is seventh in the points standings, 68 out of first.

    “Kyle Busch’s first Cup win came at California,” Truex said, “and now his 200th NASCAR win took place in the state. Let’s not forget the other 198 winssandwiched between those two. I know Jimmie Spencer won’t, because he just heard ‘sandwich.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished third at Fontana.

    “It’s always tough to watch Kyle Busch win,” Keselowski said. “But let’s face it—Petty’s 200 wins all came in the Cup series. Kyle needed three series to equal the King’s feat. So, Kyle Busch will have an ‘ass‘-terisk beside that record.”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led some early laps at Fontana and posted a solid seventh at Fontana.

    “Fans were booing us at qualifying,” Hamlin said. “But NASCAR shouldn’t be too concerned. Why? Because fans were at qualifying.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started second and finished fourth in the Auto Club 500.

    “My car co-owner Tony Stewart is a nominee for the NASCAR Hall Of Fame,” Harvick said. “I doubt induction really means that much to Tony, mostly because he only gets to punch a ticket, and not Kurt Busch’s face.”

    7. Aric Almirola: Almirola continued his strong start to the season with a ninth at Fontana.

    “Our West Coast swing is over,” Almirola said. “Now it’s time for racing at Martinsville, where an ‘East coast swing’ means a driver you bumped and wrecked on Martinsville’s half-mile track just tried to punch you.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Auto Club 500, posting his fourth top 10 of the season.

    “Congratulations to my little brother Kyle for tying Richard Petty’s record of 200 wins,” Busch said. “I guess that makes Kyle ‘King’ for a day. And the Busch family must be royalty, because many people have labeled me ‘queen for life.’”

    9. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 12th in the Auto Club 500 and is now eighth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “The members of Mötley Crüe served as grand marshals for the race,” Larson said. “The Crüe, more than anyone, wants to see a female driver prosper in NASCAR, mostly because they love a little ‘heroine.’”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney took fifth at Fontana and is now 10th in the points standings.

    “Tony Stewart is nominated for the Hall Of Fame,” Blaney said. “In the same week, Mötley Crüe are grand marshals at Fontana. If there’s a song that encapsulates all of that, it’s ‘Smoke In The Boys’ Room.’”

  • Win #200: Kyle Busch Rebounds from Penalty to Win the Auto Club 400

    Win #200: Kyle Busch Rebounds from Penalty to Win the Auto Club 400

    Kyle Busch breaks 200 wins across NASCAR by winning the Auto Club 400 in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series at Auto Club Speedway.

    “I cherish every minute of it,” Busch mentioned when asked to recollect the memories of all his victories.

    In case you haven’t heard, Kyle Busch has been on debate as one of the greatest of all time, especially with the comparison of Richard Petty’s 200 victories in NASCAR. No matter what side you choose, it’s undeniable his accomplishments are nothing short of legendary.

    “It’s something that I don’t necessarily pay attention to,” Busch declared shaking his head. “As long as you’re successful and doing a good job and doing your job about what you know how to do and you’re winning those races, then you’re going to be eclipsing a lot of milestones and certainly it’s been pretty awesome so far.”

    Joey Logano was one position of earning back to back victories on the west coast, but led his Team Penske teammates as the three Fords finished in the top 5.

    “[Brad and I] only raced for about two laps before the No. 18 blew our doors off,” Logano said of Busch. “The fastest car won the race. We just didn’t have nothing for that green car. We held strong today with the Auto Club Mustang. You want to win at the home track of your sponsor. We gave it a solid run. We have a lot of momentum on this race team right now.”

    The Toyota camp mentioned all weekend that the Fords were fast. Busch’s was faster, but with Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick and Ryan Blaney completing the top 5, they were right there to capitalize if the No. 18 made a mistake.

    “We just weren’t very good the first run, but we got a lot better,” Blaney said. “We had a lap-and-a-half on our tires when the caution came out (on Lap 165). I thought if I could control the race from the front row and be the leader that I might be able to hold on because I thought our car was pretty good at the time.

    “I was fourth by the time we got to Turn 1. I got no push. It took 10 laps for it to come in, and we were eighth and drove back to fifth. We had a really fast PPG Ford Mustang, we just never got the lead or track position with equal tires and that hurt us, but overall not a bad day.”

    Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon completed the top 10.

    “It was just an uphill battle to reclaim track position,” said Dillon who faced an illness all race long. “Through hard work, we were able to finish 10th. I’m so proud of this team.”

    Stages Swept by Kyle Busch for the Third Time

    Before the cars left pit road, Austin Dillon began the day on pole after yesterday’s awkward qualifying session, but was on standby for an illness from the previous night. Cole Custer, yesterday’s NASCAR Xfinity Series winner in the Production Alliance Group 300, was the only eligible driver as a replacement. Because he races with a Ford team, he had to sign an exemption so he could be on standby in case Dillon needed to exit the car. Two cars went to the rear for the start for the race. Michael McDowell’s team failed inspection twice, and Matt Tifft had an engine change. The car chief of McDowell was ejected for the rest of the weekend due to the failed inspections per the NASCAR rule book.

    In a press release, Auto Club Speedway announced they were going to run a Five Wide Salute to the fans during the opening laps. Saluting the fans has been a long tradition in racing and short track racing, and this weekend celebrated Auto Club Speedway’s signature racing style of flat out and five wide.

    “This five wide salute will be an impressive sight and is a nod to both our race fans and the grassroots of the sport,” said Dave Allen, President of Auto Club Speedway. “I grew up going to and racing at dirt tracks, and I am very passionate about the community because at the end of the day, we’re all family. I look forward to seeing everyone’s reaction in the grandstands, infield and along pit road.”

    Early in the race, it appeared the No. 14 Ford of Clint Bowyer lost a cylinder. During the final stage, his engine looked to finally let go and ended his disappointing weekend. At the end of the first stage, Dillon lost a tire and the yellow was put out for debris. The field was restarted with one lap to go, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. spun in Turns 1 and 2 in the middle of the pack. Luckily, no one crashed into him, but a few drivers such as Kyle Larson and Ryan Newman either scrapped the wall or bumped into another competitor trying to get around the wreck.

    One big potential game changer was Kyle Busch’s speeding penalty. Kyle also received a penalty in yesterday’s Xfinity race when a crew member appeared to lose control of a tire, and as it rolled into the next pit stall, Busch had to climb his way up through the field. The same was true in Sunday’s race as he was put at the rear of the field after the penalty during pit stops at the conclusion of Stage 2.

    “That thought definitely certainly crosses your mind,” Busch reflected on the penalty that put him in an uphill battle. “I knew we had a great racecar all day long. I wasn’t sure how well we were going to be able to come through the field, get back in traffic, get our way worked back up to the lead. Fortunately, we were in the Interstate Batteries green today with being St. Patty’s day. It certainly is a monumental moment for all of us, including M&M’s, Skittles, and Snickers.”

    In the final stage during green flag pit stops, Darrell “Bubba” Wallace had a flat tire and the debris caused a yellow flag. This trapped some drivers a lap down as roughly six drivers were left on the lead lap. This played into Kyle Busch’s favor since he was leading at the time but had not yet made his pit stop.

    Most of the field took the wave around, and Kyle Busch took what would be the final restart alongside Ryan Blaney. Blaney was the control car as he elected to stay out, but quickly dropped back on the initial start. Busch had a short battle with Logano, Keselowski and Harvick, but would soon reclaim the lead with 26 laps to go and hold it for the rest of the race.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series competes at the first short track of the season at Martinsville Speedway on March 24.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch passed Ryan Blaney late at Phoenix to win the TicketGuardian 500 to complete the weekend sweep at ISM Raceway.

    “Richard Petty’s 200 wins is on my radar,” Busch said. “And I plan on smashing that record and staking my claim as the best NASCAR driver in history. I won’t call myself the ‘King,’ and my name’s not Richard, but people already see me as the biggest ‘Dick’ in NASCAR.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Phoenix and is now second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “Kyle Busch is one win away from matching Richard Petty’s 200 wins,” Logano said. “I think this is a great promotional opportunity for Goody’s Powders, because Kyle has traditionally been one of NASCAR’s biggest headaches.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second at Phoenix as Joe Gibbs Racing took three of the top five spots, with Kyle Busch winning.

    “Hats off to Kyle Busch,” Truex said. “He won the Xfinity race on Saturday, and capped the weekend with Sunday’s win, giving him the sweep. It seems like every week Kyle is a threat to pull off the sweep. The last time a broom was this prominent in NASCAR, Teresa Earnhardt was riding it.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took fifth in the TicketGuardian 500 at Phoenix.

    “I score a hole-in-one on the golf course last week,” Hamlin said. “It was on a par 3, and the club I used was a tire iron.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Phoenix and is third is the points standings, nine out of first.

    “How about that Daniel Suarez-Michael McDowell altercation on Friday during qualifying?” Harvick said. “Those guys were heated! I guess starting 27th on the grid was a big deal to them.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished seventh at Phoenix.

    “My Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Daniel Suarez took down Michael McDowell with a body slam,” Busch said. “I think McDowell deserved a right hand to the chin. How do I know? Because of all the drivers in NASCAR, I know what a punchable face looks like.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 19th at Phoenix, hampered by an early tire issue that left him unable to contend for the win.

    “I blew a tire and slammed the wall during Stage 1,” Keselowski said. “That really caused some issues with the front end. So, for the second time this season, I had a problem with ‘bodily functions.’”

    8. Kyle Larson: Larson finished sixth at Phoenix, earning his second top 10 of the season.

    “NASCAR moved our year-end awards banquet from Las Vegas to Nashville,” Larson said. “That’s surprising, because I’ve always heard you can get more bang for your buck in Las Vegas.”

    9. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Stenhouse finished 13th at Phoenix.

    “Hailie Deegan is an up-and-coming 17-year-old female driver,” Stenhouse said. “Her aim is to be better than Danica Patrick. Someone should ask Danica what she thinks about this, but it won’t be me, because I’m afraid to pop the question.”

    10. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished fourth at Phoenix, the top finish among Stewart-Haas Racing drivers.

    “Stewart-Haas is winless so far this year,” Almirola said, “but it’s no time to panic. Maybe a short pep talk would be helpful, like these words from Tony Stewart, NASCAR’s poet laureate, ‘You mo fo’s need to find your mo jo’s.’”

  • Ryan Blaney earns pole for the TicketGuardian 500

    Ryan Blaney earns pole for the TicketGuardian 500

    With a lap time of 25.480 seconds, Ryan Blaney captured his sixth career pole for Sunday’s TicketGuardian 500 at ISM Raceway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    Blaney was also fastest in practice earlier in the day after only 10 laps on track with a slightly faster time at 25.403. He was the only driver to break the 25.4 second bracket in both first practice and qualifying on Friday.

    “Nice to get our first pole of the year,” Blaney shared on Twitter. “Really great to have Money Lion with us for their first Cup race.”

    Chase Elliott will share the front row for Sunday’s race. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski complete the top five qualifying positions.

    Alex Bowman and William Byron will start sixth and seventh respectively, putting three of the four Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet cars in the final round of qualifying.

    Kevin Harvick, defending race winner, will go for his 10th career victory at the Arizona 1-mile oval, and start from the eighth position.

    Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones finish the top-10 starting spots. Rookie Daniel Hemric will start his No. 8 Okuma Chevrolet in 11th place.

    The 2018 MENCS Champion, Joey Logano, will start from 12th place, the last position of the final round of qualifying.

    Kyle Larson was third fastest in practice, but had terrible track position during the first round of qualifying. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to continue past the first round, and will start in 31st on Sunday. Bayley Currey was the only driver that elected not to run a timed lap.

    A lot of attention went to pit road shortly after the first session when Daniel Suárez and Michael McDowell had a brief fight. Crew members eventually broke up the fight, and the two would eventually calm down to have a more civil conversation about the on-track altercation.

    “I always have my helmet when I get in and out (of the race car), just an old habit,” McDowell shared with Jamie Little from FOX Sports. “Just miscommunication on the race track. We all kinda waited until the end and then we just had a lot of traffic. Just unfortunate. He was upset that I held him up on his good lap, and then he tried to crash us. I just didn’t appreciate it.

    “It’s just ‘heat of the moment’ stuff. It’s racing. These shorter practice sessions, shorter qualifying, getting late going through tech, intensity ramps up so it’s all a part of it.”

    Suárez felt disrespected by the No. 34 driver’s racing etiquette.

    “Just lack of respect,” after Vince Welch from FOX Sports asked for Suárez’s take on the altercation. “Track position is very big in races these days, and you have to qualify well to have a good stall on pit road, and obviously to have a good start in the race. The race is long, so we can overcome that, but just a lack of respect. Everyone here in the garage knows the second lap is a good one. You have to try to get out of the way if somebody is coming into a hot lap, and he didn’t. He killed me in one corner. I thought he would get out of the way in that second corner, and he didn’t and I almost wrecked him.

    “He was disappointed because I was trying to wreck him afterwards, but that’s about racing.”

    Coincidentally, McDowell (27th) and Suárez (28th) will start together from the 14th row on Sunday.

    The TicketGuardian 500 will be on television on FOX or over radio with MRN on Sunday, March 10 with the green flag scheduled to wave at 3:30 p.m. Eastern Time.