Tag: Brad Keselowski

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 11th at Watkins Glen after an untimely late caution cost him any chance of winning. He passed Jeff Gordon to take over the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings, and now leads Gordon by four.

“Let me point out,” Earnhardt said, “that at this point, points don’t mean much. Have I made my point?

“It was a crazy day at Watkins Glen. A.J. Allmendinger proved that a one-car team can compete with the multi-car teams. Chances are that the ‘Dinger’ will be with a big-time team in the future. Instead of losing a ride, he’ll be pimping one.”

2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon won the pole at Watkins Glen but faltered late after electrical issues sabotaged his chances. He eventually finished 34th and now trails Dale Earnhardt, Jr. by four in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“There’s only one word to describe how you feel sitting in a car suffering from electrical issues,” Gordon said. “Powerless.

“The weekend started on a high note. I won the pole on my son Leo’s birthday, and he couldn’t be happier. And can you blame him? What other adolecent has a Coors Lite Pole Award in his bedroom? Besides Kurt Busch?”

3. Brad Keselowski: A promising start at Watkins Glen soured for Keselowski after brake issues relegated him to a 23rd-place finish, five laps down.

“I’d rather have trouble stopping,” Keselowski said, “than trouble ‘going,’ which is a problem 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd deals with on a daily basis. At least that’s what Joey Logano tells me.”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson had a solid finish in sight before a spin on a lap 80 restart sent him hurtling back in the field. He finished a disappointing 28th.

“Sunday’s race was stopped twice so repairs could be made after accidents,” Johnson said. “Chad Knaus radioed me during the delays and asked, ‘How’s the track look?’ I replied, ‘It’s fixed.’ And I fully expect that statement to be taken out of context.”

5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth in the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen and remains winless on the year. He is third in the points standings, 70 behind Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“Unless I can find a win in the next four races,” Kenseth said, “I’ll be starting at the bottom when the Chase For The Cup starts. Where my wins total is concerned, ‘V’ is for ‘void.’

6. Joey Logano: Logano finished sixth at Watkins Glen, recording his 12th top 10 of the year.

“Allmendinger ran a heck of a race,” Logano said. “I guess the competition was a lot like drug problems—he put it behind him.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished fifth at Watkins Glen, posting his fifth top-five result of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 115 out of first.

“I had a good view of the A.J. Allmendinger-Marcos Ambrose battle,” Edwards said. “Allmendinger obviously knew the track well. He’s certainly done his homework. There’s probably only one circuit he knows better than Watkins Glen, and that’s the road to recovery.

“It was a great day for the Cheez-It brand. They sponsored the race, as well as my No. 99 car. If the race in Sonoma is attended by the ‘wine and cheese’ crowd, then fans at the Glen should be called the ‘wino and Cheez-It’ crowd.”

8. Ryan Newman: Newman crashed heavily with 34 laps to go at Watkins Glen, smashing a fence and causing the race to be stopped for over an hour while repairs were made. Newman finished 41st, 35 laps off the pace.

“Race officials raised more red flags than the Mayfield family,” Newman said. “And I’m not happy with safety at the Watkins Glen track. It seems track officials need a crash course in safety.”

“My former teammate Rusty Wallace was recently inducted into the Motorsports Hall Of Fame. I don’t know who told Rusty to ‘Go to Hall,’ but it sure as Hell wasn’t me.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished seventh at Watkins Glen, posting his 11th top-10 result of the year.

“Was God on AJ Allmendinger’s side at Watkins Glen?” Harvick said. “It certainly looked that way. If He was, AJ should change his name to ‘Amendinger.’”

10. AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger repelled the challenges of Marcos Ambrose on two late restarts to win the Cheez-It 355 At The Glen. The win guaranteed Allmendinger a spot in the Chase For The Cup.

“Kimberly-Clarke Corporation renewed their sponsorship of my car,” Allmendinger said, “making the weekend even more satisfying for car owner Brad Daugherty and myself. Kimberly-Clarke produces the Kleenex, Scott, Viva, and Cottonelle brands, and that means Sunday was a great day for white paper and black hillbillies.

“Of course, this doesn’t mean I’m a ‘paper’ champion. It does mean I’m well equipped to wipe up the competition.”

August 12, 2014
Surprising and Not Surprising: Cheez-It 355 at the Glen

As the NASCAR community mourned the death of sprint car driver Kevin Ward Jr., which led to Tony Stewart’s decision not to participate at Watkins Glen, the racing did go on at one of the sport’s more challenging road courses.

And with that overlay of respect for all involved in the tragedy, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 29^th annual Cheez-It 355 at the Glen.

Surprising: For at least two drivers, one with a powerhouse team and the other from a small operation, the race was all about power, from the four-time champion driver who lost it to the first-time winning driver who dug down deep to find the sheer willpower to get to Victory Lane.

Jeff Gordon, whose sponsor Drive to End Hunger just announced their renewal for 2015, looked like the man to beat, scoring the pole position and leading laps early in the race. Then, inexplicably, Gordon’s No. 24 machine slowed on the track and he lost power, finishing a disappointing 34th and losing the points lead to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“I’ve got to get with the team and find out what caused it,” Gordon said. “It looks like we had a battery go dead, two batteries go dead. I didn’t see anything on the volts meter that stood out or anything really going on there that was alarming.”

The other driver, AJ Allmendinger, drove the race of his life against Watkins Glen expert Marcos Ambrose, running on sheer willpower, as he was bound and determined to get his first ever win in the Sprint Cup Series.

“I wasn’t going to let Marcos take that from me,” AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 47 Scott Products Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing, said simply. “I’ve dreamed about this moment, and I’m not going to forget it.”

Not Surprising: It is not often that the race winner pays homage to the track workers, but AJ Allmendinger did just that, recognizing those that had to make extensive repairs, not only to the Armco barriers but also to the pit road barrels, after two horrific crashes.

The first crash involved Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell, resulting in almost a rebuild of fencing, and the second involved Denny Hamlin hitting the pit barriers hard. Track workers labored furiously making repairs for almost two hours after the serious damage from the two crashes.

“For me to be able to have that race be so memorable about how it ended, for the fans, they were so great for staying around through all the red flags, the track workers did such a great job to fix the fence and everything,” the Dinger said. “It’s just a memorable day to go out there and remember everything that just happened.”

Surprising: Just when you thought that Kyle Larson’s rookie mistake of missing the inner loop would lead to a surprisingly bad finish, the Rookie of the Year contender pulled it off once again, scoring a surprising top-five finish.

“It was a really good day for us,” The driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet said. “We were terrible all weekend long. I was down on myself. It’s probably the most frustrated I’ve ever been with myself, aside from racing sprint cars in Pennsylvania.”

“I can’t believe we finished top five,” Larson continued. “It feels like a win. I was hoping for a top 15 or top 20 going into today. I’m totally shocked and super excited.”

Not Surprising: While it was not at all surprising that the No. 9 Ford of Marcos Ambrose was strong, taking the checkered flag in the runner up position, the Australian also had some Ford comrades with whom to celebrate. In fact, there were four Fords that finished in the top-ten at the Glen.

“I left nothing on the table,” runner up Ambrose said. “We just came up a little short. I am just really proud of my Stanley team. We put a lot of effort into this race and really tried to win it. We won yesterday and came up one short today.”

“I am glad Jimmy Fennig put us in a position to be up there for the win,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Kellogg’s/Cheez-It Ford and fifth place finisher, said. “I am sure like everyone up there that you want the last few laps to do over again. It was a blast and a lot of fun.”

“That was crazy to say the least,” Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, said after finishing sixth. “We had about a fifth place car and had to go through a lot to get back to that point. We fought hard with this Shell Pennzoil Ford and put tires on it late and was very aggressive on the restarts and got a few spots back. I wish there were more laps. The tires were worth a few there at the end but I needed a few more laps there at the end.”

“The racing was really good,” Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford said after finishing eighth. “We were able to make up a lot of ground. It is aggressive and as people got more comfortable it got nuts. You just try to do the best you can and protect your position and race hard. That is about all you can do.”

Surprising: Jimmie Johnson’s troubles continued to plague him, even at Watkins Glen. The six-time champion went for a dramatic spin late in the race, resulting in a 28th place finish. Although he has three wins to his credit and is solidly in the Chase, Johnson fell one position in the point standings, from sixth to seventh as a result.

Not Surprising: Perhaps it was because he can relate to having to overcome adversity and seek redemption in the sport, but third place finisher Kurt Busch had nothing but praise for race winner AJ Allmendinger.

“He won the race today in a fashion that everyone is proud of him for doing, to beat one of the best in the world at driving these stock cars,” the driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet said of race winner Allmendinger. “He deserves the trophy, and he had to pull from within. He had to dig in deep, and he had to believe in himself all the way through this.”

“He’s put himself through all those mental challenges, and today he persevered. He didn’t break down and he brought home a victory, so we’re all very proud of him.”

Surprising: Brakes, or the lack thereof, were responsible for some of the bigger crashes of the day, especially for Cole Whitt, who crashed his No. 26 Bully Hill Vineyards Toyota Camry surprisingly hard into the tire barriers, finishing 43rd.

“It just seemed like something in the rear brakes faded or just actually just completely lost them going into (turn) one,” Whitt said. “It seemed like the front was trying to stop but the rear wasn’t at all and the pedal was just going to the floor on brakes. Not a whole lot you can do there. I was trying to get it turned but there was no way I was going to be able to.”

“Sucks for the guys but I know we’ll rebound.”

Past champion Brad Keselowski also suffered from tire issues, finishing a surprising 35<sup>th</sup> in his No. 2 Miller Lite Ford.

“We had something in the brakes that broke,” Keselowski said. “At Watkins Glen you can’t run without brakes.”

Not Surprising: Matt Kenseth, still without a win, continued his run of good points days, advancing one spot up to third, just 70 behind new points leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kenseth was the top-finishing Toyota driver with a ninth-place result in the race at the Glen.

“It was an okay finish,” the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, said. “Things didn’t pan out quite as we were hoping. But, overall not a terrible day.”

Surprising: Danica Patrick was making quite the bear bond fashion statement after surviving an accident in practice, as well as one during the race. The driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet soldiered on in her bear-bonded race car to finish 21st, after gaining 22 spots

“It was a tough day,” Patrick said. “It was a long race, but Gibson (Tony, crew chief) and the GoDaddy guys worked on the car and we got a 21st out of it, which isn’t bad with the weekend we had.”

Not Surprising: Regan Smith, who was called on at the last minute to replace Tony Stewart in the race, summed up the situation best after an on-track incident at lap 81 caused him to finish 37th.

“It’s my job to be able to drive a race car and it took me a little longer to get acclimated than I would have hoped it would and felt like at the end there I was finally starting to make some progress and I was able to get consistent with the car and understood the car a little better and what it was doing,” the substitute driver of the No. 14 Rush Truck Centers/Mobil 1 Chevrolet said. “These guys build fast race cars at Stewart-Haas and I was thankful to get to get in one. Definitely not under the circumstances.”

“My day really doesn’t matter right now,” Smith continued. “There are a lot of people more important than me at the moment; so we’re thinking about all those people and our prayers are with them.”

August 12, 2014
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt used a no-tire pit stop to take the lead and subdued the challenge of Kevin Harvick down the stretch to win the GoBowling.Com 400 at Pocono. The victory completed Earnhardt’s season sweep at the “Tricky Triangle” and was his third win of the year.

“That’s the first season sweep at Pocono since Denny Hamlin’s in 2006,” Earnhardt said. “Normally, I would celebrate with a broom, but I can’t. I developed an aversion to brooms when I discovered that Teresa Earnhardt rode them.

“The fans of Junior Nation will certainly party. I’m not sure they’re that into bowling, though. They couldn’t tell you anything about PBA, but they sure know a lot about PBR.”

2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led a race-high 63 laps at Pocono but fell victim to lack of track position and some untimely cautions, finishing sixth. He remains atop the Sprint Cup points standings with a 17-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“Junior’s No. 88 car had the name ‘Michael Baker’ all over it,” Gordon said. “That had to be a new experience for Earnhardt. It’s not often people see the No. 88 car and have to ask, ‘Who is that?’”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski survived an unlucky day at Pocono, salvaging a 23rd-place finish, one lap down to the leaders. Keselowski damaged the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford with after contact with Kurt Busch on lap two, then was an unwilling participant in the lap 117 “Big One.”

“Thanks, Kurt Busch,” Keselowski said. “Just like the last race at Pocono, I had a run-in with a ‘piece of trash.’”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered two blown tires, the last of which sent him into the wall, ending his day at Pocono on lap 111. He finished 39th, 49 laps down.

“We’ve had our share of tires issues this season,” Johnson said. “It’s not a big deal to us. That’s called ‘underinflating’ the severity of an issue, just the opposite of what Goodyear thinks.

“We’ve finished 39th or worse in three of the last five races. But don’t count us out once the Chase starts. Chad Knaus has a lot of things up his sleeve, including a sandbag of tricks.”

5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was collected in a lap 117 pileup triggered when Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin got loose, causing Brian Vickers to check up and create mayhem behind him. Thirteen cars were involved in the accident and Kenseth finished 38th.

“It was the GoBowling.Com 400,” Kenseth said, “and I’d like to pin the blame on Hamlin. But congratulations go to Dale Earnhardt Jr. He deserves to celebrate, not in Victory Lane, but in Victory Alley.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano led 30 laps and posted a strong third-place finish at Pocono, earning his eighth top-five of the year. He is seventh in the points standings, 124 behind Jeff Gordon.

“Richard Petty was the grand marshal for the GoBowling.Com 400,” Logano said. “In the Poconos, they call that being the ‘King Of The Mountain.’

“I’ve always had a ton of respect for Petty. Now I’ve got even more after realizing he raced against Morgan Shepherd for over 20 years and lived to tell about it.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished a disappointing 29th at Pocono as Dale Earnhardt Jr. raced to the win. He is eighth in the points standings, 139 out of first.

“I’m going to blame this on a preoccupation with thoughts of where I’ll be driving next year,” Edwards said. “As was evident at Pocono, my mind was racing, but I wasn’t.”

8. Ryan Newman: Once again, Newman was solid for Richard Childress Racing, taking eighth in the GoBowling.Com 400.

“It was an otherwise tough day for RCR,” Newman said. “Austin Dillon finished 15th while Paul Menard finished 33rd, under Tony Stewart’s No. 14 after that big wreck on lap 117. I hear it’s no fun looking up and seeing Stewart on top of you. But at least Tony was awake.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick chased Dale Earnhardt Jr. for three laps after the final restart at Pocono, but couldn’t get around the No. 88 car. Harvick settled for second, his fourth runner-up finish of the year.

“After a pit road speeding penalty and damage from the lap 117 wreck,” Harvick said, “I was ‘Happy’ to be in that position.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fourth in the GoBowling.Com 400, boosting his Chase For The Cup chances with five races left until the playoffs. He stands ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 140 out of first.

“No team needs a win more than Michael Waltrip Racing,” Bowyer said. “I think all we need is a lively pep talk from Michael. And I think that should work. Everybody knows Michael makes a great cheerleader.”

August 4, 2014

Rookie Kyle Larson Wins First Career Pole at Tricky Triangle

Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and Drive4Diversity grad Kyle Larson scored his first career pole behind the wheel of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet at one of the most demanding tracks on the circuit, Pocono Raceway.

Larson took the pole in knock out qualifying with a track record speed of 183.438 mph and 49.063 seconds, qualifying him for the Sprint Unlimited. He joins rival Austin Dillon, who scored his first pole at the Daytona 500 to open the season, in rookie pole runs.

“It’s great to get my first real pole,” Larson said. “I got the pole at Richmond but that was due to qualifying rain and we were quickest in practice. This time we got to beat the rain and actually earn the pole.”

“It was an exciting third round and I had some butterflies actually going into it,” Larson continued. “I was definitely nervous. I felt like I hit all three corners as good as I could. I barely edged out Joey and he has been fast in qualifying.”

“It feels really good and allows me the confidence for Sunday.”

Right behind the rookie were the Penske duo of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, with speeds of 183.408 mph and 182.700 mph respectively. Logano has 17 top-ten starts and Keselowski is right behind him with 16 top-ten starts for the season.

“My Shell Pennzoil Ford is really fast,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said after qualifying. “We unload today and we were loose but the car had a lot of speed in it. We definitely made some good adjustments and in qualifying trim we were decent.”

“The first lap was really good and we tried to keep up with the cycle of tires and fuel,” Logano continued. “We ran the third session really hard and I felt like we nailed the balance and all three corners.”

“I was pretty confident that that was going to be the pole and then we got beat,” Logano said. “This is our sixth front row start of the season, which is good but second sucks. It’s still something to be proud of so we have two fast race cars. I thought my lap was damn near perfect but we got beat.”

Penske teammate Brad Keselowski echoed many of Logano’s sentiments in his shortened media availability due to his travel to Iowa for the Nationwide race.

“Third is a respectable effort,” the driver of the No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford said. “I always want the pole but we had to make an extra run there in the second session and that took us away from having a legitimate run with Kyle.”

“Strong effort. You can win from third and we’re happy with that and we’ll move on.”

As to his heading off to the Midwest after his qualifying at Pocono, Keselowski said that someone had to do that race and so he elected to make the trip.

“I enjoy Iowa,” Keselowski said. “The track has been good to me. Someone had to run it, either Joey or me. So, when we sat down at the start of the year to figure out who was going to start where, this was one that I thought would be good.”

Kurt Busch, behind the wheel of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, and most recent race winner at the Brickyard Jeff Gordon, in the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet, rounded out the top-five in qualifying.

“I had a good turns one and two,” Busch said. “Just got in there and got a little bit too low and got the car out of the track and then had to peddle it all the way from the center out.”

“Still a good lap. The guys have done a good job and just have to get it right for race trim now.”

Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Danica Patrick qualified in the sixth through tenth positions for the 41^st Annual GoBowling.com 400. The rest of the starting grid is as follows:

Pos		Driver	Sponsor	Make
1	42	Kyle Larson	Target	Chevrolet
2	22	Joey Logano	Shell Pennzoil	Ford
3	2	Brad Keselowski	Alliance Truck Parts	Ford
4	41	Kurt Busch	Haas Automation	Chevrolet
5	24	Jeff Gordon	Axalta	Chevrolet
6	4	Kevin Harvick	Mobil 1	Chevrolet
7	18	Kyle Busch	M&M’s	Toyota
8	1	Jamie McMurray	Bad Boy Buggies	Chevrolet
9	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Michael Baker International	Chevrolet
10	10	Danica Patrick	GoDaddy	Chevrolet
11	3	Austin Dillon	American Ethanol	Chevrolet
12	5	Kasey Kahne	Farmers Insurance	Chevrolet
13	11	Denny Hamlin	FedEx Office	Toyota
14	15	Clint Bowyer	RK Motors Charlotte	Toyota
15	55	Brian Vickers	Aaron’s Dream Machine	Toyota
16	14	Tony Stewart	Code 3 Associates/Mobil 1	Chevrolet
17	48	Jimmie Johnson	Lowe’s	Chevrolet
18	20	Matt Kenseth	Dollar General	Toyota
19	78	Martin Truex Jr.	Furniture Row	Chevrolet
20	47	AJ Allmendinger	Scott Products	Chevrolet
21	31	Ryan Newman	Quicken Loans	Chevrolet
22	51	Justin Allgaier	AccuDoc Solutions	Chevrolet
23	17	Ricky Stenhouse Jr.	Ford EcoBoost	Ford
24	13	Casey Mears	GEICO	Chevrolet
25	16	Greg Biffle	3M	Ford
26	99	Carl Edwards	Fastenal	Ford
27	9	Marcos Ambrose	DeWalt	Ford
28	43	Aric Almirola	GoBowling.com	Ford
29	27	Paul Menard	CertainTeed/Menards	Chevrolet
30	38	David Gilliland	Long John Silver’s	Ford
31	98	Josh Wise	Phil Parsons Racing	Chevrolet
32	40	Landon Cassill	Newton Building Supplies	Chevrolet
33	26	Cole Whitt	Toyota of Scranton	Toyota
34	32	Travis Kvapil	FAS Lane Racing	Ford
35	36	Reed Sorenson	Tommy Baldwin Racing	Chevrolet
36	23	Alex Bowman	Dr. Pepper	Toyota
37	83	Ryan Truex	Burger King	Toyota
38	7	Michael Annett	Pilot Flying J	Chevrolet
39	34	David Ragan	A&W Root Beer Float	Ford
40	37	Dave Blaney	Accell Construction	Chevrolet
41	66	Joe Nemechek	Land Castle Title	Toyota
42	33	Alex Kennedy	Little Joe’s Autos	Chevrolet
43	93	Johnny Sauter	Dr. Pepper	Toyota

August 1, 2014

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon blew past Kasey Kahne on the final restart with 17 laps to go and cruised to his record fifth Brickyard 400 win. It was his second win of the season and strengthened his lead in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“Five times!” Gordon said. “That’s amazing! I’m not just a brick kisser; I’m a brick layer.

“I’d won four of the first 11 Brickyards. The last came in 2004. My last Sprint Cup title came in 2001. I was starting to worry that I’d be stuck on ‘4’ forever. I couldn’t help but think, ‘If the third time is the charm, the fourth must be the limit.’”

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt came home ninth at Indianapolis as all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top 14. Earnhardt is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 24 behind Jeff Gordon.

“Hendrick dominance was on full display,” Earnhardt said. “Gordon ‘kissed the bricks’ with his restart; Kasey Kahne ‘laid a brick’ with his.”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski posted a 12th at Indianapolis, a disappointing run considering his qualifying effort of third. He holds the third spot in the Sprint Cup points standings, 51 behind Jeff Gordon.

“I’m third is the Sprint Cup points standings with 666,” Keselowski said. “I’m told that’s the ‘number of the beast.’ But rest assured, Christians, my cars don’t have horns.”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 14th at Indianapolis as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon captured the win. Johnson is fifth in the points standings, 89 behind Gordon.

“The mayor of Indianapolis declared July 27th ‘Jeff Gordon Day,’” Johnson said. “That’s an impressive accomplishment, but I can top it. I can’t say I’ve had any days named after me, but I have had seasons named after me: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2013.”

5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished third in the Brickyard 400 on a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing, as Joe Gibbs Racing drivers came home 2-3-4.

“It was an awesome day for JGR,” Kenseth said. “And I say, ‘Why mess up a good thing?’ Do we really need Carl Edwards? The last thing this ‘stable’ needs is a jackass.

“Carl is being replaced at Roush-Fenway by Trevor Bayne. I guess Jack Roush finally got that elusive Daytona 500 win.”

6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Indianapolis, his second straight runner-up finish. Joe Gibbs Racing cars all placed in the top five, with Denny Hamlin taking third and Matt Kenseth fourth.

“Good things come in two’s,” Busch said. “At least, that’s what ‘they’ say; ‘they’ being everyone except the parents of Kurt and I.

“I wasn’t on the JGR airplane that collided at the Concord, North Carolina airport. I guess runways can be like race teams: overcrowded.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 15th in the Brickyard 400 on a day dominated by Jeff Gordon. Edwards is eighth in the points standings, 114 out of first.

“Roush-Fenway Racing finally confirmed that I’m leaving the organization,” Edwards said. “Gordon may be kissing them, but I’m hitting the bricks.

“The magnitude of my departure finally hit me on my last pit stop. As I was leaving the pits, I thought to myself, ‘Leaving is the pits.’”

8. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth at Indianapolis to lead the way for Penske Racing. He is ninth in the points standings, 126 behind Jeff Gordon.

“Roger Penske is winless in the Brickyard 400,” Logano said. “He even brought Juan Montoya here to try for the win. It was a one shot deal, but we’re going to send Montoya on his way in style, with a few drinks. In honor of Montoya’s one-shot deal, we’re going to celebrate with a two-shot deal: one for us, and ‘Juan for the road.’”

9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 11th at Indianapolis and remained seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“I’m Richard Childress Racing’s best hope for a spot in the Chase,” Newman said. “Talk about a no-win situation.”

10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won the pole at Indianapolis and led 12 early laps on his way to an eighth-place finish.

“Did you hear?” Harvick said. “Joe Gibbs Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing planes collided on the runway at Concord Regional Airport. It looks like the *&#$ has hit the propeller. Apparently, JGR’s plane hit the SHR plane, which was parked. In other news, Carl Edwards may not be coming to JGR.”

July 30, 2014
The Final Word – After Indianapolis, I am guessing Jeff Gordon still runs with a full tank

Crown Royal attaches a hero’s name to the Brickyard 400 as part of their sponsorship, and this year that honor went to 12 year military veteran John Wayne Walding. Yet, to be honest and if the length of the title could go on to infinity, this should have been called “Crown Royal Presents The John Wayne Walding 400 at the Brickyard to be Dominated Once Again by Jeff Gordon.” That sounds about right.

The California boy who became an Indiana racer as a teen had the car, the speed and this race in the bag from start to unchallenged finish. He might have led only 40 laps, but he was the guy early, the guy late and the guy we were watching for in between. Sure, Kasey Kahne might have had a good run, made some think this might be his day, but Gordon was the only driver who could come and go almost at will. When Kahne drifted back to sixth after the final re-start, there was no more guess work left. Twenty years ago Gordon won his first at the famed Indianapolis Speedway, and last Sunday he claimed his fifth. If the man who celebrates his 43rd birthday next Monday is growing old, he sure is going about it mighty gracefully.

We have come to expect good things from Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and even the winless Matt Kenseth this season and we were not disappointed. We expect Top Tens from Dale Earnhardt Jr. and he got it. Even the kids, Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon, showed why they remain in Chase positions as the pair claimed Top Tens as well.

You know you are having a good season if a bad day means coming in between 11th and 15th. Boo-hoo for Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Carl Edwards. Even Ryan Newman, winless but, like Kenseth, sitting pretty in points, was 11th.

Okay, so it was not all roses and kittens for everyone. For Trevor Bayne, the new guy with Roush next season, it was a chicken or the egg sort of deal. He brushed the wall and he had a tire go soft, but I’m not certain in what order. The end result was him losing control in the corner and coming to a stop after finding the inside wall. Dead last.

Danica Patrick, it could have been a premature end to a promising day, or just one we hoped held promise. When something busted in the rear-end of her car, she was destined for 42nd. Due to her open wheel experience, some hoped she might have done better here than she traditionally does elsewhere. Then again, some hoped for the same from Juan Pablo Montoya and he finished 23rd.

Yes, ABC/ESPN is back, but let us think positive here. Other than Rusty and Brad, they are not all that bad and the pit reporters are top notch. As a poor Canadian boy without FOX1, I discovered last week that even a less than stellar Cup experience beats not having an Eldora experience at all.

A quick word about the Nationwide race. If only our broadcasters quit hero worshiping, coverage of the junior circuit would be so much better. Young Ty Dillon won a career first to move to within 15 points of the top in the standings, so his story mattered. Brian Scott was seventh and the fifth ranked Nationwide driver mattered. The top three in the rankings, Chase Elliott (12th), Regan Smith (10th), and Elliott Sadler (15th), are all in a tight race, so all mattered, but like Scott none were deemed worthy of a post-race interview. Top five finishers Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, and Joey Logano are all Cup guys, none of whom won thus none of them mattered. Still, who was interviewed? You know.

When we had 20 races to go to the start of the Chase, it was pure bovine excrement to read stories of how this driver or that needed to win to get into the Chase. With six to go, not so much. Eleven are in via wins, leaving five spots open. Kenseth and Newman could take a week off and still hold a Chase place, so far so good for them. Clint Bower and the kids feel the heat from Kahne, Paul Menard, and Greg Biffle for the final three spots. Thirteen others remain in contention by being in or near the Top 30 in points, though their pass is probably limited to a win to be in. Tony Stewart remains among them, 30 points behind the 16th ranked Dillon.

This Sunday it is the GoBowling.com Pennsylvania 400 from Pocono, where Earnhardt won in the spring. Another win would be nice, but not crucial. In fact, going over the winners from the past ten years, we have Johnson (3 times), Edwards (2), Kurt Busch (2), Denny Hamlin (4), Gordon (2), Keselowski, and Joey Logano, all of whom already have a 2014 victory.

Kahne has not, though he has two wins at Pocono, including last summer. Stewart (June 2009) and Greg Biffle (July 2010) are also former winners at the track, and a return to Victory Lane is even more crucial for them. With six to go, the sword of Damocles has started to appear hanging over their heads, which is one hell of a place to find an old Greek razor.

SWEET SIXTEEN
1 – Brad Keselowski – 3 WINS – 666 POINTS
2 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 628
3 – Jeff Gordon – 2 – 717
4 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 2 – 693
5 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 603
6 – Joey Logano – 2 – 591
7 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 565
8 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 609
9 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 572
10 – Aric Almirola – 1 – 496
11 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 456
12 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 661
13 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 606
14 – Clint Bowyer – 0 – 577
15 – Kyle Larson – 0 – 562
16 – Austin Dillon – 0 – 559

CONTENDERS & PRETENDERS
17 – Kasey Kahne – 0 WINS – 555 POINTS
18 – Paul Menard – 0 – 551
19 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 550
20 – Brian Vickers – 0 – 532
21 – Tony Stewart – 0 – 529
22 – Marcos Ambrose – 0 – 511
23 – Jamie McMurray – 0 – 499
24 – A.J. Allmendinger – 0 – 466
25 – Martin Truex, Jr. – 0 – 465
26 – Casey Mears – 0 – 455
27 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. – 0 – 397
28 – Danica Patrick – 0 – 382
29 – Justin Allgaier – 0 – 343
30 – Michael Annett – 0 – 325
31 – David Gilliland – 0 – 284
32 – Cole Whitt – 0 – 282

July 28, 2014
Will the Brickyard 400 Separate the Contenders from the Pretenders?

I don’t normally put a lot of stock into the notion that statistics can accurately foretell who will win a race. There are far too many variables in a sport where luck, the actions of another driver and even Mother Nature can conjure up the unlikeliest of winners. But some statistics are difficult to ignore.

There have been 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway and 15 of those events were won by drivers who were past, future or reigning Cup champions.

Jeff Gordon won the inaugural Brickyard 400 in 1994 and captured his first Sprint Cup championship the next year. He followed that victory up with three more in 1998, 2001 and 2004 to go along with three more championships in 1997, 1998 and 2001.

Gordon likes his chances of putting another win in the books this Sunday.

“This weekend there’s no doubt I feel like this is the best chance that we’ve had at winning this race legitimately with the speed of the car as we’ve had in a very, very long time,” he said when he spoke with the media Friday.

“It’s obvious that there’s some competitors out there that are going to be tough, including our teammates,” he continued. “But I think the preparation that we’ve put into it and what we’ve been working on since, you know, the break, and I mean leading into that really are things that we’re really, really excited about seeing what we have here today and during practice and this weekend. But yeah, this is definitely, from an overall strength of the team and speed of the car, this is by far the best chance we’ve had at winning in a long time.”

Dale Earnhardt won the 1995 Brickyard 400 in 1995 famously saying that he was the first man to win it, an obvious reference to “Wonder Boy” Gordon’s win in the first race. The Intimidator was already a seven-time champ but this would prove to be his only win at Indianapolis.

In addition to Gordon, today’s active full-time Cup drivers with multiple wins includes Tony Stewart with two (2005, 2007) and Jimmie Johnson with four victories in 2006, 2008, 2009 and 2012. All three of these drivers have won multiple championships. If you take those impressive statistics I mentioned into account, this could be Stewart’s best chance to snag the win that has eluded him all season.

In a teleconference last week, Stewart was asked his thoughts on the upcoming race.

“If you can’t win the Daytona 500, this is the perfect second to get your first win for the year,” he responded. “So we were one of the teams that did the Goodyear test a couple weeks ago, and we felt like our car was pretty quick. So I was pretty excited about that. It’s just a matter of going back and trying to keep that speed in the car.”

You also have to consider those champions who have yet to win the Brickyard 400 like Matt Kenseth who sits in fourth position in the standings but has no wins this season. Then there’s Brad Keselowski who has been on a tear lately with three number one finishes. Kurt Busch, 2004 champ, has one win this year but is 25th in the points standings. Another victory could give him some breathing room.

Just to make things more interesting, here’s another statistic to bear in mind. The last 11 consecutive Sprint Cup races at Indianapolis have been won by Chevrolet, eight of those going to Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

Whether you put your trust in statistics or Lady Luck, one thing is certain. The Brickyard 400 is one of the toughest races on the schedule and requires the same tenacity and skill that exemplifies a Sprint Cup Champion.

July 26, 2014
Hot 20 – To be Canadian is Like Dealing with the Soup Nazi…No NASCAR for Me!

How can you tell if you are a foreigner? Okay, even that might be getting rather difficult these days of open borders and botched security. However, if you want to watch an American truck race on an American track on an American channel, you might be S.O.L. if you are a Canadian boy watching via a Canadian provider.

You see, a while back my provider dumped SPEED over some nonsense that SPEED was about to go out of business. I mentioned to them that the broadcaster was going to become FOX 1, but I was told I did not know what I was talking about. I usually get that reaction when I marry someone, but I do not remember the nuptials in this instance. So, SPEED went away, my bill remained the same, but my NASCAR opportunities were reduced. Now, if I wished to watch an international soccer game Wednesday night, I would have been in luck. Unfortunately for me, I view soccer as less of a sport than I do poker, though I admit it provides a dandy cardio exercise. Yet, if I wanted to see men run around in short pants, I would go with the Australian Football League. You know, watching real men playing a real sport who suffer real injuries. So, while someone from Nicaragua might have been able to watch the race thanks to your president’s largess, this foreigner could not.

Thankfully, I will get to watch this weekend’s action from Indianapolis. Sure, it is on ESPN and that is like hearing soccer, rather than seeing it, but I do have the option of lowering the volume when it gets to be too much. It does make me wonder when 2015 rolls around how much NASCAR I am going to get up our way. Sure, I could watch the Canadian Tire series, but have you ever watched our Canadian version of NASCAR? I would rather listen to Allen, Rusty, and Brad than subject myself to that unappealing fare if it came down to a choice…and that is saying a lot.

You will not find a Brad Keselowski, a Dale Earnhardt Jr, a Jeff Gordon, or a Jimmie Johnson in the lower tiered circuit. You will find them among the drivers who have made the most impact to date in Cup action. After giving drivers an additional 22 point bonus for winning, we find Keselowski and Junior tied in points, with the former champion given the nod for his additional victory. While the advent of the Chase expands the relevant to a dozen other drivers, this quartet have dominated the scene thus far in 2014. In 19 events this season, the four have combined to take nine of them.

As for this weekend, 20 times they have raced at the Brickyard and eight times the win has gone to someone named either Gordon or Johnson. Maybe a two-time Indianapolis winner, like Tony Stewart, or last year’s victor, Ryan Newman, can break the monopoly. Hey, you could always cheer for a foreigner. Juan Pablo Montoya won there before…just without fenders.

1 – Brad Keselowski – 700 POINTS – 3 Wins
2 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 700 – 2
3 – Jeff Gordon – 692 – 1
4 – Jimmie Johnson – 664 – 3
5 – Matt Kenseth – 621 – 0
6 – Carl Edwards – 618 – 2
7 – Joey Logano – 595 – 2
8 – Kyle Busch – 589 – 1
9 – Ryan Newman – 573 – 0
10 – Kevin Harvick – 572 – 2
11 – Denny Hamlin – 552 – 1
12 – Clint Bowyer – 548 – 0
13 – Paul Menard – 541 – 0
14 – Kyle Larson – 524 – 0
15 – Austin Dillon – 524 – 0
16 – Greg Biffle – 519 – 0
17 – Kasey Kahne – 515 – 0
18 – Brian Vickers – 507 – 0
19 – Tony Stewart – 502 – 0
20 – Aric Almirola – 495 – 1

July 24, 2014
Why the Brickyard 400 Could be Just as Boring as Last Year’s Race

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is one of the most coveted race tracks in the world. It has been the host of one of NASCAR’s most prestigious events since 1994. While some great NASCAR races have been held there, many fans, including myself, were frustrated by last year’s “yawn-fest” of a race.

I am usually quite lenient on the dullness of races and I try to find some exciting aspect to it. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find any redeeming entertainment value to last year’s Brickyard 400. Sure, there’s prestige for the winner and there’s the mystique of The Brickyard history. However, does that mean the fans were truly entertained? No it doesn’t.

According to Racing Reference, the race had 20 lead changes which sounds great, except for one major issue; the race truly didn’t have 20 lead changes. In fact, I believe there were no legitimate lead changes at all. In other words, all of the lead changes came during green flag pit stops. And it wasn’t even lead changes that were scarce; passing in general looked to be almost impossible.

I’d love to tell you that that type of racing at The Brickyard won’t be seen this year, but I don’t see that happening. As you may have noticed, the new-and-improved Generation 6 car is faster than ever, and it wouldn’t surprise too many people if the track record at Indianapolis is broken again.

Track records are great, but that increase in speed can lead to difficulties in passing, which is why I believe we will see a repeat of 2013. In fact, it would come as no surprise if we saw another Hendrick versus Stewart-Haas battle, only this time it would be either Jeff Gordon versus Kevin Harvick or Jimmie Johnson versus Harvick. It’s quite possible that Brad Keselowski could do very well there. But I believe Hendrick horsepower will shine.

Beyond the simple fact that the higher speed, the less passing, the track is a general flat track, therefore lending itself to be a one groove surface. As a result, follow the leader racing becomes a common practice due to no second groove to work its way in. The single-groove syndrome is why other tracks, including Phoenix International Raceway, have switched to a progressive banking to therefore offer options across the track.

NASCAR has tried to improve things with taking away the minimum ride height rule; however that hasn’t changed the racing that much, just added a bonus for the teams. It may be why there will be teams struggling who haven’t in the past, but it won’t help the actual racing product at the end of the day.

So with that said my advice to you if you’re watching the race is to stock up on energy drinks so you can stay awake during what could be a terribly boring race. Here’s to hoping I’m dead wrong.

July 22, 2014
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski dominated the Nationwide race on Saturday and duplicated that feat on Sunday, leading 138 of 301 laps to win at New Hampshire.

“Once again,” Keselowski said, “It’s time for the celebratory champagne. But there’s a big difference in breaking out the champagne and breaking open the champagne.

“The No. 2 Penske Ford featured the Redd’s Apple Ale paint scheme. So, at least for one race, I bleed ‘Redd.’”

2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led late at New Hampshire but ran out of gas, settling for a 26th. He remains on top of the Sprint Cup points standings with a 12-point lead over Dale Earnhardt Jr.

“This win really solidified Brad Keselowski’s status as a title contender,” Gordon said. “Of course, that was also evident at Kentucky a few weeks back, where Brad sliced his hand open before declaring his readiness for the playoffs by saying, ‘Let’s cut to the Chase.’”

3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered two flat tires early in the Camping World RV Sales 301, the last of which sent him into the wall, ending his day after just 11 laps. He finished 42nd and is now fifth in the points standings, 72 behind Jeff Gordon.

“Goodyear says we had our tires underinflated,” Johnson said. “I say Goodyear has their egos overinflated.

“Obviously, there were a lot of tire changes in Sunday’s race. But nobody needs to ‘re-tire’ more than Morgan Shepherd.”

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt placed 10th at New Hampshire in a race dominated by Brad Keselowski. Earnhardt was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver in the top 10, and is now second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 12 behind Jeff Gordon.

“Brad Keselowski was awarded a New England lobster for the win,” Earnhardt said. “What has claws, a tail, and horns? Teresa Earnhardt.”

5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 13th at New Hampshire as Roush Fenway teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took ninth. Edwards is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 96 out of first.

“You’ve probably heard about the formation of the Race Team Alliance,” Edwards said. “For heaven’s sake, don’t call it a ‘union.’ If you dare say ‘union’ at most NASCAR events, you may find yourself choked by a Confederate flag.”

6. Matt Kenseth: Still in search of his first win this season, Kenseth took fourth at New Hampshire, leading 12 laps. He is fourth in the points standings, 49 out of first.

“After Hendrick Motorsports won four straight races,” Kenseth said, “Ford has now won the last four. Toyota hasn’t won a race since Talladega back in May. I’m not sure what Toyota’s are searching more for, speed, or answers.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano was running second with less than 100 laps to go when 72-year-old Morgan Shepherd made contact with Logan’s No. 22 Penske Chevy. Logano finished 40th, 90 laps down, while Shepherd took 39th.

“I don’t think Shepherd even knew I was there,” Logano said. “Heck, I’m not sure he even knows where he is. That must be why they call him the ‘Ageless Wander.’

“Shepherd is old enough to be my grandfather, and dumb enough to be my father.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole, setting a Loudon track record of 138.130 miles per hour in Friday’s qualifying. He was fast on Sunday as well, finishing second behind Brad Keselowski. Busch is eighth in the points standings, 103 out of first.

“I finished as runner-up to Brad Keselowski twice at New Hampshire,” Busch said. “And there’s nothing wrong with that. Let me put that into perspective by quoting my brother Kurt when I say, “It’s okay to be second-best.”

9. Ryan Newman: Newman posted his second top-five finish of the year with a fifth at New Hampshire. He is seventh in the points standings, 97 behind Jeff Gordon.

“I’m not so sure about the formation of this ‘RTA’ deal,” Newman said. “I’ll say the same thing about that as I did to Rusty Wallace when I begrudgingly became his teammate: ‘I want no part of this race team alliance.’”

10. Kyle Larson: Larson came home third in the Camping World RV Sales 301 at New Hampshire, posting his fourth top-five result of the year.

“Some say Morgan Shepherd is too old to be racing,” Larson said. “I think I’m in agreement. Shepherd made his Sprint Cup debut back in 1970, and although his age has increased, his speed hasn’t. So, when Shepherd takes to the track in 2014, it’s just like ‘old times.’”

July 16, 2014