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Hot 20 – To Xfinity and Beyond, or the day Justin Allgaier thought he was Buzz Lightyear

Okay, the biggest story from Indianapolis was not Kasey Kahne’s win. It was not the fact he has received no assurances that he will keep his spot with Rick Hendrick’s stable next season. The one thing we might be assured of is that whoever sits in the No. 5 next year, it sure in hell won’t be Justin Allgaier.

Allgaier will be in the XFINITY version for the Chase this fall, but his reputation took a hit this past weekend. First, he comes into the pits riding the line between the lane and his pit stall. In doing so, Allgaier was out of position and wound up sending his jackman flying and a tire changer skipping out of danger. That was just the first act of this cartoon.

Later, he came in and once again was riding that line between being in his stall and out. They started their work, but the crew had to stop and push Allgaier’s car back to be legal. Then, before they even removed his front right, the driver saw the field coming around to lap him, so he guns it and out he goes. No warning. No lug nuts. Thankfully crew members were not left with no fingers.

No air hose, either. As Allgaier left with the air gun under the car, the hose snapped and came whipping back like a snake with a severe disorder. Then it took some time for the radio calls to him to stop went heeded. By then, the tire was pretty much off, though not completely so at least a penalty was avoided. Good news for the crew, who would have faced fines and suspension, Sadly, by this time the fender was shattered. After some repairs, he was back out but 14 laps down. Bravery was a pit crew still willing to put themselves in harm’s way.

Allgaier, his tire changer, his tire carrier, and his crew chief will all be back on Saturday in Iowa. Our hopes and prayers are with them all. Meanwhile, the Cup folks are in Pocono. It is getting to the point where points matter little. Winning one that counts does. Anyone winless in the Top 30 still has a chance to break some hearts on Sunday, while warming their own.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (780 Pts)
Rowdy was the guy to beat last week and beat him into the fence he did.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (564 Pts)
Did you ever hear about The Little Engine That Could? Jimmie’s could not.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
Today, I have one son in Alta, Norway, one at Niagra Falls, while Kyle was in Ohsweken.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (601 Pts)
He remains Roger’s boy for years to come.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (443 Pts)
Still has the most well known girlfriend in NASCAR, but that is not the center of conversation.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (683 Pts)
Drop a Jimmy John’s sandwich 153 feet off the spotter’s stand, and you get replaced.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
Once a week not enough to keep his competitive fires burning? Jamie should extend an invite.

8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (516 Pts)
Leaving Wood Brothers for Penske, with Paul Menard filling this seat next season.

9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (463 Pts)
If Monster returns, so will Kurt. If not, it could come down to either him or Danica at SHR.

10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
Newman remembers something similar happening a few years ago with that outfit.

11. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (383 Pts)
Got his win, got his place in the Chase, but does his ride go to William Byron in 2018?

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (379 Pts)
Blood-lines and a win gives him job security with a three-team outfit shrinking down to two.

13. KYLE BUSCH – 673 POINTS
Reasons he has failed to win this season…#20 That damn Truex wrecked me.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 599 POINTS
An athlete fights for a place in the Chase; a car driver fights for one in a McDonald’s drive-thru.

15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 588 POINTS
Feeling pretty comfortable…unless Matt, Clint, Joey, Erik, Daniel, or Junior win this summer.

16. MATT KENSETH – 566 POINTS
Time to worry.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 533 POINTS
Time to win.

18. JOEY LOGANO – 515 POINTS (1 Win)
Joey has a win and sits 13th in points. Sometimes that means nothing.

19. ERIK JONES – 440 POINTS
In the game of musical seats, he is bound for Gibbs which opens up one quality ride with FRR.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
Probably more at home in Dorne than in Winterfell, but could soon be found beyond the Wall.

July 26, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex and Kyle Busch wrecked as they battled for the lead on a restart with 50 laps remaining at Indianapolis. Both cars were unable to continue, and Truex’s No. 78 became engulfed in flames. Truex finished 33rd.

“Oddly enough,” Truex said, “Kyle was ‘on fire’ before that. He won the first two stages and was well on his way to winning the race.

“The wreck was my fault; I won’t lie and say it wasn’t. And given my penchant for collecting extra points for stage wins and whatnot, I have to ask, do I get bonus points for honesty?”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 28th at Indianapolis after a late crash that sent the No. 42 Target Chevrolet into the wall and into flames.

“Thankfully,” Larson said, “I was able to escape the flames. In most cases, I only get burned by NASCAR inspectors.

“The race was quite boring until about 20 laps remaining. Much like my cars, the Brickyard 400 is famous for its lack of ‘passing.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the front row alongside pole sitter Kyle Busch and finished sixth, posting his 13th top 10 of the year.

“My spotter had his credential revoked after he tossed a sandwich and it fell off the top of Indy’s Pagoda,” Harvick said. “Joey Logano’s family had quite a scare when reports stated ‘Sliced Bread Thrown From Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch’s quest for a third-straight Brickyard 400 victory ended when he crashed with Martin Truex Jr. on a restart with 50 laps to go.

“Before that fateful restart,” Busch said, “Truex and I played a game of ‘Deal Or No Deal.’ However, instead of finding out what was behind the door, we both found out what was behind the wall.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started at the rear of the field after a transmission change and was battling for the lead late when he crashed as his engine smoked after the restart following the races 11th caution. Johnson finished 27th.

“I went three-wide with Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski late in the race at Indianapolis,” Johnson said. “It was basically a game of chicken. I guess I lost, but that’s okay because my seven Cup titles make this chicken the most likely to get ‘roasted’ at the NASCAR awards banquet.”

6. Brad Keselowski: Kasey Kahne beat Keselowski into Turn 1 on the final restart and won the Brickyard 400 under caution. Keselowski finished second.

“When all was said and done,” Keselowski said, “most drivers had spent over six hours in their cars. That’s way longer than most fans spent in their seats.”

7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 17th at Indianapolis, one lap down to the leaders.

“My Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch said he had a ride lined up for the Indianapolis 500 back on Memorial Day weekend,” Hamlin said. “But Joe Gibbs refused to let Kyle run. I think if you asked Joe, he would tell you that Kyle may be a gigantic ass, but he’s an even more gigantic asset.”

8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray came home 15th in the hot and grueling Brickyard 400.

“The race was a marathon,” McMurray said. “By that, I mean the final 26 miles lasted over two hours.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 39th in the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine 400 at Indianapolis after blowing an engine just 18 laps into the race.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be joining the NBC booth next year as a race analyst,” Elliott said. “To the legions of Earnhardt Jr. fans out there, NBC will heretofore be known as ‘Junior Station.’”

10. Kasey Kahne: Kahne outlasted the weather, late crashes, and several restarts to win the Brickyard 400, ending a 102-race winless streak.

“After a long hot day at Indianapolis,” Kahne said, “I stole a win and got to kiss the bricks. You could say I made out like a bandit.”

July 24, 2017
The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

It rained. TSN (Canada) pulled out, and the channel I was recording the race on abandoned the effort, presenting instead a few toss away programs. Well, to be fair, I did state before that I do not get all that excited about Indianapolis, and it would seem TSN took my comments to heart. On Sunday, they made like the NASCAR Nazi…and no race for me. I guess I could have watched some soccer but, as most folks know, soccer is not really a sport. Not like poker is, anyway.

So, my Indianapolis experience was 12 laps. Then the rain. Pretty exciting stuff. Of course, for those blessed enough to watch the action, things got a tad more exciting later. Much, much later. So, I missed it when Chase Elliott blew up on the 43rd lap. I missed lap 76 when Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the Intimidator, slammed into a hesitator in front of him, taking out his radiator.

I also did not see, with 50 to go on a restart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. fighting for the lead. When Truex broke loose, they were both fighting for their favorite tow-truck operator, as they slammed into the fence. Take a rest, lads.

With 10 to go, Clint Bowyer broke loose, clipped Erik Jones, then destroyed Kurt Busch on his way twirling on down the track like an out of control kid’s toy. Goodbye boys.

With six to go, Kyle Larson grazed the inside wall then went across to the outside to put his beast to bed. TSN…you are jerks.

That required a restart with two to go. Jimmie Johnson was smoking. He got up to the lead, and then the engine expired. Johnson hit the wall, and we were off to overtime.

So, with two to go, again, Trevor Bayne got turned as they went green, and everything turned red for him, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. Something tells me that if I could only have been able to record the final 12 laps, not the opening dozen, I would have been a satisfied fellow.

They tried to get it finished one more time, with Brad Keselowski in front, with Kasey Kahne beside him on the inside. Wrong lane decision for Brad. In the first turn, Kahne got by, cleared his rival, and he was gone. Okay, he was gone far enough and soon enough when Denny Hamlin’s smoker dived to the wall, and the caution came out just late enough for the leader to have hit the overtime line.

Kahne wins. Kahne wins for the first time since Atlanta in 2014. Kahne heads to the Chase. Kahne might have just saved his ride for 2018. A great result for him, not so great for a few others.

“Ron,” you might be saying, “you seem to know a hell of a lot for a guy who did not get to watch the race.” You would be right, but a series of much-appreciated highlights are made available to scribes like me to take another look at the action on a service available only to a privileged few. I like to call it, YouTube.

It was a good points day for some, such as Kahne, Joey Logano (fourth), Matt Kenseth (fifth), and Kevin Harvick (sixth), but it was not so hot for Elliott in 39th. Finishing in the second half of the field of 40 we had Dillon, Jones, Johnson, Bowyer, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

When it comes to the Chase, Kahne moves in, leaving just four positions still up for grabs on points alone. Rowdy, Elliott, and Jamie McMurray are still solid. That leaves Bowyer just two points up on Kenseth, with the rest all needing a win to get in. A good points day for even Logano is no longer good enough. However, Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury, is within two points of 30th place. That more than likely would make him eligible for the Chase if he can win one of the next six. He finished 13th on Sunday.

Pocono is up next, and among the former winners there we have Junior, Kenseth, Logano, and Chris Buescher. One of those boys wins, and all of a sudden Bowyer experiences bad tidings, and McMurray becomes a lot more uncomfortable.

I hope I get to watch it on television. If not…well, there is always YouTube.

July 24, 2017
Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

The most anticipated race of the week is not the one slated for Sunday in Indianapolis. Sure, the Brickyard has been around since 1909. Sure, it has been home to the Indianapolis 500 since 1911. Yes, it has hosted NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 since 1994, when Jeff Gordon won his first of five at the iconic track. It retains its brick finishing line, where every winner kneels down with his entire crew, along with some family members, to pucker up and lay a nice wet and dirty one in celebration.

Now, if you want to get dirty, the truck race at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio was the place to be. Dirt. No bricks, no pavement, nothing but slip sliding away dirt. You would think such a showcase would have been broadcast universally. It was not. Unless you had the Fox Business Network as part of your cable package, you were screwed.

I wonder what Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine of Casablanca fame would have thought?

Of all the tracks, in all the towns, in all the world, on all the television sets, that race could have been broadcast onto mine. We had our hopes. Canadians will always have Eldora, we thought. No. We lost it. We have to wait until Sunday when Cup action comes to us from Indianapolis. Damn. Well, here’s looking at you, kid, and our Hot 20 as they prepare to pound the bricks.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (758 Pts)
Finishes sixth or better in seven of his last ten races…but those three he missed he missed big.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (552 Pts)
Is Alex Bowman the guy to replace Junior next season? As far as Jimmie is concerned, he is.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
Starting from the rear allows him to give a friendly wave each and every one of his competitors.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (564 Pts)
NASCAR is shaking up leadership team, prompting a driver to change his name to Brad France.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
Fewest points among those with 2 wins or more. I bet he feels just awful about that.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (639 Pts)
It is hard to do play-by-play when Keelan’s hands are covering the toy cars.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (589 Pts)
Nobody runs away from a grandfather clock but put a live 22-pound lobster in Denny’s hands…

8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (486 Pts)
Loudon was not good, but not really bad. It was just…Loudon.

9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
Another race, another few lugnuts loose, another $10,000 fine for another crew chief.

10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (428 Pts)
When it comes to cycling with the boys, Ryan would rather be riding a moped.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (363 Pts)
The fact he is actually 20th in points probably does not cause him any sleepless nights.

12. KYLE BUSCH – 650 POINTS
Damn stupid penalties, but Sunday it is Indy. Kyle always wins at Indy, doesn’t he?

13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 587 POINTS
It is untrue that Elliott has more points than there will be fans in the stands on Sunday. I hope.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 572 POINTS
Jamie will appear in Friday’s hauler parade. Hoping fans will return the favor on the weekend.

15. CLINT BOWYER – 526 POINTS
As long as Logano does not win anytime soon, things are looking good.

16. MATT KENSETH – 524 POINTS
Sure, a win at Loudon would have been nice, but Logano’s disaster proved almost as helpful.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 472 POINTS (1 Win)
He needs another win to get in…and a hell of a lot better scriptwriter for the rest of this season.

18. ERIK JONES – 427 POINTS
Gibbs pays his salary, so he is leaving to join that crew next season. It might be a step down.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 404 POINTS
Has a pair of 6th place finishes to go with a trio of 7th place results. Now, it is time for a Top Five.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 369 POINTS
The good news is that he leads Dillon by six points. The bad news is…

July 19, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole and finished third at New Hampshire, posting his seventh top five of the season. He leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by 38 points.

“Toyota’s led 290 of 301 laps on Sunday,” Truex said. “That should be alarming to U.S. manufacturers. They used to dominate NASCAR. Gosh, if only someone would take it upon themselves to ‘Make America Great Again.’”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson won the pole but had it stripped after failing post-qualifying inspection.

“It was not a good week for me and inspections,” Larson said. “Earlier in the week, I was penalized 35 points for using an illegal rear brake cooling assembly at Kentucky. I profess my innocence, though. To use an overused term, this reeks of a ‘witch hunt,’ and my car is the ‘Target.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth in the Overton 301 at New Hampshire, recording his seventh top five of the year.

“NASCAR used a traction compound at New Hampshire in hopes of promoting side-by-side racing,” Harvick said. “This is 2017 New Hampshire—when someone says ‘Put down that sticky icky,’ it’s NASCAR officials and not marijuana regulators.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started seventh in the Overton 301 and won Stage 2 on his way to a 12th at New Hampshire.

“I’m frustrated,” Busch said. “I’ve now gone one full year without a win in the Monster Energy Cup series. You could say I’m ‘year-ning’ for a win.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 10th at New Hampshire, posting his seventh top 10 of the year.

“I put myself at a disadvantage from the beginning,” Johnson said. “I was penalized for jumping the start and had to serve a drive-through penalty. As infractions go, my offense was pretty minor. It was a slap on the wrist, which, sadly, is more action than a fight between two of today’s NASCAR drivers.”

6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin held off Kyle Larson to win the Overton 301 at New Hampshire, scoring his first win of the season and first for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I could feel Larson breathing down my neck,” Hamlin said, “and, by extension, NASCAR inspectors. Luckily, I kept Larson at bay. So, once again, he didn’t ‘pass.’”

7. Chase Elliott: Elliott took 11th at New Hampshire as Denny Hamlin tasted victory for the first time this season.

“Congratulations to Hamlin,” Elliott said. “He won the race and a lobster. Judging by the look on his face, Denny was a little apprehensive about holding that lobster. Of course, what driver is ever totally happy with the ‘handling?’”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski bounced back from early trouble in the pits to finish ninth in the Overton’s 301.

“We managed a good, solid finish,” Keselowski said. “We had some trouble with a jack in the pits, so I guess you would call that an ‘up-and-down’ day.”

9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray started fourth at New Hampshire and finished 17th.

“My teammate Kyle Larson has failed two inspections in the last week,” McMurray said. “Kyle may be the fastest driver in NASCAR. If there’s a Point A and a Point B, Kyle is always the fastest between the two. That’s usually because he finds a shortcut.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished seventh at New Hampshire, posting his third top 10 in the last four races. He is 10th in the points standings, 232 out of first.

“Inspections were the big news of the week in NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I’m well aware of cheating that occurs in NASCAR. After all, I drove for Michael Waltrip Racing. Michael is a man of many talents, and ignoring the rule book is one of them. You could say he ‘wears a lot of pants;’ where the rule book is concerned, however, he wears a ‘skirt.’”

July 17, 2017
NXS Recap: Kyle Busch Wins and Ryan Preece Impresses at New Hampshire
By Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service

LOUDON, N.H. – Kyle Busch’s celebratory burnout produced a cloud of smoke over the frontstretch at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but Ryan Preece’s first run in top-of-the-line equipment made an even bigger impression in Saturday’s Overton’s 200 NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

After a major snafu on pit road took a potential win away from Brad Keselowski, who had arguably the fastest car at the Magic Mile, Busch cruised to a 10.425-second victory, collecting his third win in six starts this season, his sixth at NHMS and the 89th of his career, extending his series record.

Driving the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota for the first time, Preece finished second to his far more experienced teammate and left the track hoping his performance will open the eyes of someone looking for talent behind the wheel.

“This is something I dreamed about, to be honest with you,” said Preece, who won Friday’s All-Star modified race and finished second in Saturday’s 100-lap preliminary to the XFINITY event. “I work hard week-in and week-out at the modifieds, so to be able to have this opportunity means a lot to me.”

Preece, who will race at Iowa on July 29 in his only other scheduled event in the No. 20 car, ran the full NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule last year in Johnny Davis’ No. 01 Chevrolet.

“I don’t take back doing what I did last year,” Preece said. “It was great. People don’t even know that I ran full-time, but I got laps. That’s what you need sometimes. I’ve been doing this all my life, so all I needed was the right opportunity.

“Joe Gibbs gave it to me. Congratulations to Kyle, my teammate. That’s pretty cool to say. Right?”

The race, which ran without a caution from a restart on Lap 97 to the finish at Lap 200, turned on the final cycle of green-flag pit stops. Busch ducked onto pit road on Lap 169 for fuel and fresh tires.

Keselowski, who led a race-high 102 laps, brought his car to the pits on Lap 170 but had to angle his No. 22 Ford around Kyle Larson’s No. 42 Chevrolet, which had started to leave its pit stall as Keselowski pulled in.

When the jack dropped and Keselowski accelerated, the gas can was still locked into its coupler, and the forward motion of the car pulled both the can and the fueler out of the No. 22’s pit stall.

Keselowski had to serve a stop-and-go penalty for dragging equipment outside the pit box. His winning chances gone, Keselowski finished fifth, more than 18 seconds in arrears, as one of six cars on the lead lap.

“I think we kind of coaxed those guys into having to rush themselves and hurry a little bit (by pitting first with a flawless stop), and maybe we put the pressure and that was the difference today,” Busch said. “So great day for us and excited to have the opportunity to be in Victory Lane again here in New Hampshire.”

Keselowski had a succinct summation of the afternoon.

“It’s always fun being fast and leading the most laps and all that, but we just didn’t put the whole race together today,” he said.

Sunoco rookie of the year frontrunner William Byron ran third, with Larson, Keselowski and Ben Kennedy behind him. Byron is second in the series standings, 45 points behind leader Elliott Sadler, who ran seventh, the first driver one lap down.

NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Overton’s 200
New Hampshire Motor Speedway
Loudon, New Hampshire
Saturday, July 15, 2017
1. (1) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 200.
2. (6) Ryan Preece, Toyota, 200.
3. (7) William Byron #, Chevrolet, 200.
4. (3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 200.
5. (2) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 200.
6. (13) Ben Kennedy #, Chevrolet, 200.
7. (8) Elliott Sadler, Chevrolet, 199.
8. (12) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 199.
9. (10) Cole Custer #, Ford, 199.
10. (9) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 199.
11. (4) Matt Tifft #, Toyota, 199.
12. (5) Daniel Hemric #, Chevrolet, 199.
13. (14) Blake Koch, Chevrolet, 199.
14. (19) Ryan Reed, Ford, 198.
15. (21) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 198.
16. (23) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 198.
17. (16) Brendan Gaughan, Chevrolet, 197.
18. (24) Harrison Rhodes, Chevrolet, 197.
19. (18) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 197.
20. (20) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 197.
21. (26) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 197.
22. (39) Dylan Lupton, Toyota, 196.
23. (25) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 195.
24. (15) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 195.
25. (34) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 195.
26. (27) BJ McLeod, Chevrolet, 194.
27. (32) Spencer Boyd, Chevrolet, 193.
28. (33) Timmy Hill, Dodge, 186.
29. (31) Tommy Joe Martins, Chevrolet, 185.
30. (28) David Starr, Chevrolet, 184.
31. (38) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 178.
32. (11) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 173.
33. (37) Martin Roy, Chevrolet, Engine, 163.
34. (22) Brandon Jones, Chevrolet, 157.
35. (17) Spencer Gallagher #, Chevrolet, Suspension, 156.
36. (36) Carl Long, Chevrolet, Electrical, 67.
37. (35) Morgan Shepherd, Chevrolet, Suspension, 59.
38. (30) Jeff Green, Chevrolet, Electrical, 15.
39. (29) Reed Sorenson(i), Chevrolet, Brakes, 7.
40. (40) John Jackson, Dodge, Vibration, 4.
Average Speed of Race Winner: 109.276 mph.
Time of Race: 01 Hrs, 56 Mins, 11 Secs. Margin of Victory: 10.425 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 3 for 15 laps.
Lead Changes: 13 among 7 drivers.

Lap Leaders: K. Busch(i) 1-2; B. Keselowski(i) 3-7; K. Busch(i) 8-27; B. Keselowski(i) 28-33; J. Allgaier 34-35; E. Sadler 36-40; K. Larson(i) 41-51; R. Preece 52-53; K. Busch(i) 54-71; B. Keselowski(i) 72-93; K. Busch(i) 94-101; B. Keselowski(i) 102-170; M. Tifft # 171; K. Busch(i) 172-200.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): B. Keselowski(i) 4 times for 102 laps; K. Busch(i) 5 times for 77 laps; K. Larson(i) 1 time for 11 laps; E. Sadler 1 time for 5 laps; R. Preece 1 time for 2 laps; J. Allgaier 1 time for 2 laps; M. Tifft # 1 time for 1 lap.

Stage #1 Top Ten: 42,20,18,1,22,7,48,3,9,19
Stage #2 Top Ten: 22,18,42,20,9,1,3,19,48,2
July 15, 2017
New Hampshire – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend for the Overton’s 301. There are 39 drivers entered into the event with only eight regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin.

Rusty Wallace won the inaugural Cup Series race at New Hampshire, the Slick 50 300, in a Penske Pontiac on July 11, 1993, after starting from 33rd place. It was his fifth win of the year but Wallace would go on to capture five more, giving him his most victories in a single season, with 10. It was his only win at the Loudon, New Hampshire track.

But did you know that the first race at New Hampshire was also Davey Allison’s final race? He finished third, behind Wallace and Mark Martin, scoring his sixth top five of ’93. The following day Allison lost his life in a helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway.

There have been 44 Cup Series events at New Hampshire, one each year from 1993 through 1996, with two per year since then. Twenty-four different drivers have won at the 1.058-mile track. Among active drivers, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman lead with three wins each. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are also multiple winners with two victories each. But did you know that Jeff Burton leads all drivers with four trips to Victory Lane at Loudon?

As the regular season draws to a close, capturing a checkered flag may be the only ticket into the playoffs. For Bowyer (15th), Kenseth (16th) and Logano (17th), time is running out. Kenseth is the defending race winner and after losing his ride with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018, he may have the most to prove.

Winning the Coors Light Pole could be a key element in accomplishing that goal. Did you know that the pole is the most proficient starting position at New Hampshire? Five of the 44 races (11.3 percent) have been won from first place while another three have been won from second place.

Denny Hamlin could also benefit from a victory. He’s currently 14th in the playoff picture and he goes into New Hampshire with the best driver rating of 102.7 along with two wins, eight top fives and 13 top 10s.

Jimmie Johnson can never be counted out especially with three previous wins, 10 top fives, one pole and the second-best driver rating (101.0). Brad Keselowski has the third-best driver rating (99.3) with one win in 2014, six top fives and three poles.

Kyle Busch remains winless this year. Could this be the track where he changes that? He has two victories, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and two poles with the fourth-best driver rating (98.1). But did you know that he also has three runner-up finishes at Loudon?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is another driver hoping to secure a spot in the playoffs with a trip to Victory Lane in his final full-time season. He has a 97.4 driver rating, the sixth-best, with eight top fives and 15 top 10s. In addition, he leads the way in green-flag speed (125.183) and ranks third in green-flag passes (1,242).

On-track action begins Friday with practice followed by Coors Light Pole Qualifying at 4:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Cup Series Overton’s 301 will close out the weekend at 3 p.m. ET as we get one step closer to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

In the meantime, check out this slideshow for some of the most memorable moments in New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s history.

Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

July 13, 2017
Hot 20 – If given a choice, rather than Loudon I would prefer to be stuck in Lodi again

Loudon, New Hampshire is where they hand out a lobster to the winner. Okay, it is not as cool as Dover’s Miles the Monster trophy, with a diecast of the winning car held aloft in its mighty hand. No grandfather clock like they award at Martinsville, or the six-shooters of Texas, and that sweet Les Paul guitar for races in Nashville. On the positive side, you can not eat any of those other awards.

Will we be thrilled with edge-of-seat riveting excitement at Loudon? It is not exactly a super speedway or features the beating and banging at Bristol nor does it present the rights to go with the lefts of the road courses. It has been on the NASCAR Cup schedule only since 1993, so it does not even have the history of a Darlington or Charlotte. How much is Loudon in need of an excitement transplant? Well, they are putting some sticky substance on the turns for better grip. Yes, hope springs eternal.

Eleven active drivers have wins there. Kyle Busch is winless this season, but he should be good for the Chase on points alone. Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer seem good for now, but for now might not be good enough in a few weeks. A win for either would be comforting.

It would mean more for former winners Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. Kenseth leads Logano by seven points in the battle for that final berth. Now, should Erik Jones, Daniel Saurez, Trevor Bayne, or someone else behind them in the standings win, that is where the excitement would truly lie. Then, Bowyer would be sitting on the bubble and the gap between in and out increases. Kasey Kahne won there once and is not even among our Hot 20. Win on Sunday and he certainly would be. That would be exciting.

For you, Loudon will come down to how your favorite driver performs along with the prospect of someone needing a win getting one. That is where the excitement Sunday afternoon will stem from, along with re-starts and visor cams. Lots and lots of visor cams.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (709 Pts)
If the Chase began today, he would go in with a 12 point lead…

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (519 Pts)
…over Mr. Johnson.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (710 Pts)
Missed qualifying, then sped down pit road, and wound up passing everybody but one.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (536 Pts)
Wants better cars and more manufacturers. I want better tracks and a lot more visor cams.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (418 Pts)
On television last Monday, he was the best damned Ninja Warrior in NASCAR.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (599 Pts)
Finished ninth at Kentucky, and was the last driver on the lead lap…

7. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
…while Ryan was 10th at Kentucky…and a lap down.

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (419 Pts)
The smoke proved to be due to a failed axle at Kentucky.

9. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
Points are fine, but that win at Phoenix has made all the difference.

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (341 Pts)
Ryan’s Childress teammate would not even be on this list if not for Charlotte.

11. KYLE BUSCH – 609 POINTS
Won XFINITY race at Kentucky, meaning 12 of 16 on their schedule have been won by Cup guys.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 560 POINTS
Very good driver, but one hell of an ax thrower.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 545 POINTS
One way or another, Hamlin’s gonna find ya, he’s gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha.

14. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
What, did that go over my radio?

15. CLINT BOWYER – 495 POINTS
Hot at Sonoma and Daytona, but just lukewarm at Kentucky. Needs to bring the heat on Sunday.

16. MATT KENSETH – 478 POINTS
Loses his ride next season. Talk about having incentive to put forth a great audition run.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 471 POINTS (1 Win)
Win or get more points than Kenseth. Just being better won’t cut it, as we saw last week.

18. ERIK JONES – 426 POINTS
Replaces Kenseth in the No. 20 next season. Needs a win to replace him in the Chase this season.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 373 POINTS
Went from fighting for a Top Ten last week, to just fighting to bring the wreck across the line.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 352 POINTS
Like Kahne, he needed a win. Like Kahne, he found the damned wall instead.

July 12, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kentucky

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 152 of 274 laps at Kentucky and easily handled a late restart to win the Quaker State 400.

“I dominated that race from start to finish,” Truex said. “I won Stage 1 and Stage 2, then completed the day with the victory. Total domination. I whipped the field, which makes me a ‘domina-Truex.’”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson started at the back of the field and charged to the runner-up finish.

“NASCAR says I passed 90 cars on the night,” Larson said. “That’s a lot of passing. I doubt 90 of anything has been passed in this sport unless you’re talking about Tony Stewart and gas, or Darrell Waltrip and kidney stones.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth in the Quaker State 400, scoring his 11th top-10 result of the year.

“Nothing against Quaker State,” Harvick said, “but I’m sponsored by Mobil 1. And I’m also sponsored by Busch beer. Mobil 1 makes sure my car is well-oiled. Busch beer makes sure my fans are well-oiled.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Kentucky and came home with a fifth-place finish in the Quaker State 400.

“Here’s an interesting story,” Busch said. “Greg Biffle’s ex-wife alleges in a lawsuit he had a Roush Fenway Racing employee install cameras in her house without her knowledge, and that Biffle shared the footage with others. In other words, Greg had his ‘peeps’ do it for him. Has he responded to the lawsuit? Nope, not a peep from him.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s night at Kentucky Speedway ended early when he was collected when Brad Keselowski got loose on lap 88. Johnson finished last.

“I certainly don’t like being last,” Johnson said, “unless it’s at NASCAR’s year-end awards ceremony. Another place I’m last? As an icon in this sport, because I’ve made a ‘last-ing’ impression.”

6. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third at Kentucky, recording his sixth top five of the year and is fifth in the Monster Energy points standings.

“It was a good finish,” Elliott said, “but I’m still disappointed. I’m looking for my first victory. On the bright side, I didn’t offend anyone by cursing over the radio. So I’ll happily settle for the moral victory.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski got loose on the first lap of the second stage and finished 39th at Kentucky, equalling his worst finish of the year.

“I was very critical of NASCAR’s car design,” Keselowski said. “And I tweeted as much on Twitter. So, if NASCAR wants to know who says they suck, I guess a little bird told them.”

8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh at Kentucky.

“The track at Kentucky Speedway was recently repaved,” McMurray said. “And the fresh pavement didn’t provide a wide enough groove for side-by-side racing. And that made for a boring race. The only racing seen was fans ‘racing’ to the exits.”

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took fourth in the Quaker State 400 as Joe Gibbs Racing cars went 4-5-6.

“That’s right,” Hamlin said. “Matt Kenseth was the only JGR driver not to finish in the top 10. And, since Matt is likely not to be back with JGR next season, you could say he’s the odd man out. Because Matt is odd.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer survived contact with Brad Keselowski early at Kentucky and salvaged a 13th in the Quaker State 400.

“The state of Kentucky is world-renowned for its bourbon,” Bowyer said. “You’ve got Jim Beam, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams, just to name a few. ‘Clint Bowyer’ would be a perfect name for a new brand of bourbon. I think it would be the finest bourbon in the land. Now, I may be hyping it just because it has my name on, but that wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been accused of intentionally ‘spinning.’”

July 11, 2017
The Final Word – The boy from New Jersey looked real comfortable in his Old Kentucky Home

Kentucky. I love Kentucky. It is the home of bourbon. It is where Daniel Boone killed himself a b’ar. It is where they run a pretty important horse derby every year. Of course, I pre-tape the thing to avoid the four hours of filler to get at the three minutes worth watching. I even once liked its Fried Chicken. Hell, I actually met Col. Sanders once, though I must say that I did not lick his fingers. Just saying.

It also hosts a NASCAR race. To be honest, that does not exactly rank up with those other things that create a soft spot in my heart for Kentucky. Maybe this year it might. I mean, without hope what do we have? With Linkin’ Bridge, you got one of the best renditions of the Star Spangled Banner I have heard all season. Amazing. At least we were off to a terrific start.

When the Chase arrives, Martin Truex Jr. will have a great start when they re-jig the points. Once again he claimed the opening two stages, and once again Kyle Busch was doing his bridesmaid routine, finishing second in both. To be honest, those two were all that mattered the initial 160 laps. They mattered even more than my brother Regan, and it was his damn birthday.

Jimmie Johnson did not matter on Saturday night. Brad Keselowski lost grip but found Johnson as the pair both ended the night in the second stage. Trevor Bayne became irrelevant when Kasey Kahne clipped him shortly after. Bayne remained on the track, only to soon crash completely out.

No one had anything for Truex, but Kurt Busch came up with an equalizer. As he went up in smoke with just two laps remaining, leaving the outcome in doubt as the caution forced this one into overtime. Everyone came in to pit, but one. The one they all were chasing throughout the evening.

It did not matter. No one but Truex would matter in the end as a caution came out late on the final lap to hand the honors over, but really that did not matter either. Nobody was going to catch the 37-year old New Jersey driver short of digging a Kentucky b’ar pit. Truex swept the stages, claimed his third win of the season, just one shy of his quartet from last year.

There was just one notable change on the ladder. Joey Logano fell to seven points back in the fight for the final Chase berth. The eighth place finisher might have been nine positions better, but Matt Kenseth had a 13-0 advantage in segment points.

It was a perfect night for Truex, while Rowdy picked up 50 points for his trouble, finishing fifth. Forty-plus evenings were enjoyed by the likes of Kyle Larson (2nd), Kevin Harvick (9th), Jamie McMurray (7th), Denny Hamlin (4th), and Erik Jones (6th).

For Johnson, Bayne, and Keselowski, well, did I mention that Kentucky was the home of bourbon?

July 10, 2017