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  • Denny Hamlin Looking Forward to Race Day with Pocono Pole Run

    Denny Hamlin Looking Forward to Race Day with Pocono Pole Run

    Denny Hamlin, four-time winner at the ‘Tricky Triangle’, scored the pole for the 33rd annual Pocono 400 with a fast lap of 181. 415 mph and a time of 49.610 seconds. Hamlin broke Jimmie Johnson’s previous track record of 180.654 mph and 49.819 seconds set in August 2013.

    This is Hamlin’s 19th pole in 304 Cup races, his second pole of the season and his third pole at Pocono Raceway. Hamlin’s previous two Pocono poles resulted in victories.

    “It was really good throughout each session,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said. “We were not a pole winning car after practice or really I didn’t think throughout the first round. We just kept getting our car three to four tenths better every time we ran it. A little bit of that was repetition and me getting better and Darian (Grubb, crew chief) made good adjustments throughout each session.”

    “Really it all worked out for us for a pole run. I’m very proud to have that especially at a race track here where track position is going to be premium,” Hamlin continued. “I’m looking forward to Sunday now.”

    As at most tracks, Hamlin acknowledged that the first pit stall was one of the most important perks of having that pole run, however, shared a caveat that the first pit stall was better under the yellow flag than the green at Pocono.

    “The number one pit stop is really good on yellow flag stops but it hurts you a little bit on the green flag stops simply because you don’t have the momentum exiting pit road,” Hamlin said. “But we’ll take it as most of the stops we will be doing will be on yellow flag positions. As tough as passing is, it’s better to be up front than battle through the traffic.”

    Hamlin also credited his qualifying success with the fact that he felt the track was beginning to age a bit, thanks to the temperature changes and the weather. And for Hamlin, that edge could be just the ticket to another ‘w’ under his belt.

    “As the track is wearing in, we’re starting to get our edge back,” Hamlin said. “Typically when you have a car that can get the pole, it tells me we have all the parts and pieces in the car to be successful here.”

    Kurt Busch, behind the wheel of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, qualified in the runner up spot by just two one thousandths of a second. Busch qualified second with a speed of 181.408 mph and a time of 49.612 seconds and scored his fifth top ten start of the season.

    “It was a great run for our Haas Automation Chevy,” Busch said. “We came here with a new approach and to try to get our front ends to settle into the race track a little better. This track can lead to finding some comfort with how smooth it is from the repave.”

    “I was really surprised we had the speed for the pole,” Busch continued. “It’s great to be able to cash in on our first attempt to try a little something different.”

    “It’s just nice to confirm a change on the car and see it go in the right direction.”

    The third position in qualifying was secured by Brad Keselowski, with a speed of 181.316 mph and a time of 49.637 seconds. This was Keselowski’s second top-10 start at Pocono and the thirteenth pole for Team Penske in 2014.

    “We were just all really close on speed,” the driver of the No. 2 Redd’s Ford said. “I didn’t think Denny was that quick but I knew by the second round that Kurt was. We put up a decent lap but just a tiny bit short. On a two and a half mile track, that’s pretty dang close.”

    “I’m proud of the efforts qualifying each and every week,” Keselowski said. “It’s certainly helpful and I’m sure we will get a great pit stall which is always important to us.”

    Kevin Harvick, in the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet, and Jeff Gordon, driving the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet rounded out the top five in qualifying, with speeds of 180.832 and 180.513 mph respectively.

    All of the manufacturers were well represented in Pocono qualifying, with Kyle Busch’s Toyota in the sixth spot and then the Ford of Logano, the Chevrolet of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the Toyota of Brian Vickers and the Ford of Carl Edwards completing the top ten.

    With just 0.562 seconds separating the tenth place qualifier, Carl Edwards, in that tenth spot in his No. 99 Kellogg’s/Cheez-It Ford, summed it up best.

    “That was some pretty tight competition there,” Edwards said. “The track, the cars run really well here so if you make one small mistake it is really amplified because there is so much time on the throttle.”

    “That is a tough qualifying session.”

    2014 NSCS Pocono 400 Starting Lineup

    Pos Car Driver Team Time Speed
    1 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Ground Toyota 49.61 181.415
    2 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 49.612 181.408
    3 2 Brad Keselowski Redd’s Ford 49.637 181.316
    4 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet 49.77 180.832
    5 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet 49.858 180.513
    6 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Peanut Butter Toyota 49.873 180.458
    7 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 50.048 179.827
    8 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard Chevrolet 50.121 179.565
    9 55 Brian Vickers Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 50.126 179.548
    10 99 Carl Edwards Kelloggs/Cheez-It Ford 50.172 179.383
    11 3 Austin Dillon # Dow Chevrolet 50.188 179.326
    12 14 Tony Stewart Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 50.244 179.126
    13 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 50.207 179.258
    14 42 Kyle Larson # Target Chevrolet 50.215 179.229
    15 31 Ryan Newman Wix Filters Chevrolet 50.259 179.072
    16 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 50.265 179.051
    17 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Chevrolet 50.286 178.976
    18 1 Jamie McMurray Cushman/Cessna Chevrolet 50.302 178.919
    19 15 Clint Bowyer RK Motors Charlotte Toyota 50.342 178.777
    20 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 50.37 178.678
    21 47 AJ Allmendinger Clorox Chevrolet 50.48 178.288
    22 43 Aric Almirola Nathan’s Famous Ford 50.521 178.144
    23 27 Paul Menard Moen/Menards Chevrolet 50.553 178.031
    24 51 Justin Allgaier # BRANDT Professional Agriculture Chevrolet 50.765 177.288
    25 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 50.549 178.045
    26 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 50.571 177.968
    27 5 Kasey Kahne Great Clips Chevrolet 50.588 177.908
    28 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Zest Ford 50.61 177.83
    29 9 Marcos Ambrose Stanley Ford 50.801 177.162
    30 7 Michael Annett # Pilot Flying J Chevrolet 51.047 176.308
    31 40 Landon Cassill(i) Newtown Building Supplies Inc. Chevrolet 51.129 176.025
    32 34 David Ragan Taco Bell Ford 51.159 175.922
    33 32 Travis Kvapil Corvetteparts.net Ford 51.175 175.867
    34 23 Alex Bowman # Dr.Pepper Toyota 51.231 175.675
    35 38 David Gilliland Long John Silver’s Ford 51.249 175.613
    36 36 Reed Sorenson Theme Park Connection Chevrolet 51.441 174.958
    37 98 Josh Wise Phil Parsons Racing Ford Owner Points
    38 44 JJ Yeley(i) All City Leasing & Warehousing Chevrolet Owner Points
    39 66 Timmy Hill Land Castle Title Toyota Owner Points
    40 26 Cole Whitt # Burger King Toyota Owner Points
    41 83 Ryan Truex # Burger King Toyota Owner Points
    42 33 Alex Kennedy Dream Factory Chevrolet Owner Points
    43 77 Dave Blaney AmyFchlrVtrnsLwAttrnyLLC/valor4vets.cm Frd Owner Points

    (i) Ineligible for Driver Points in this Series, # Denotes Rookie

    Source: Timing and Scoring provided by NASCAR Media/NASCAR Statistics

    – See more at: http://www.catchfence.com/2014/sprintcup/06/06/2014-nscs-pocono-400-starting-lineup/#sthash.GStwOJND.dpuf

     

  • Hot 20 – The season’s best driver does not always claim the Cup championship

    Hot 20 – The season’s best driver does not always claim the Cup championship

    There is something about having a single win and getting into the Chase. It gives everyone a chance, one that for some would have pretty much been gone in the wind. Kurt Busch is having about as much luck as Danica Patrick right now, but he has his win. If Danica could just get one, somehow, somewhere, she also could launch herself amongst our contenders. It is that simple. Heck, even Josh Wise could make some noise if he could win, and work his way into the Top 30. Everyone in the Top 36, in fact, still has hope, and that might be a good thing. If not, then the debate as to who will be our new champion would be down to talking about no more than nine or ten drivers.

    Using today’s point system, but giving the winner 25 points instead of just 3, the Hendrick duo of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson rise to the top. Yet, should Matt Kenseth take the prize at Pocono on Sunday he would take over the top rung no matter what the other two boys did. Winning has its privileges, and while it is not as generous or as forgiving as the official method, this does offer a truer reflection of who is hot and who is not.

    If you are a sponsor of Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, or Kevin Harvick, you should be pleased. At the one-third mark of the season, those drivers and the aforementioned trio have been the most relevant each week, with a nod to Denny Hamlin. He remains close even after having to take an extra week off. Yes, that win does help.

    Being the best over the course of the season has never ensured a driver of a championship, no matter what points system or method has been used in the past. Jimmie Johnson (2004), Ryan Newman (2003), Jeff Gordon (1996), Rusty Wallace (1994), Bill Elliott (1985), Darrell Waltrip (1984), and David Pearson (1973) are just the most recent examples. Come to think of it, I wonder how we would look at Newman today had his 8 wins trumped the single victory of Kenseth in determining the crown that season? How would our perceptions have changed in regards to the likes of Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Terry Labonte, and Benny Parsons?

    While we will watch each week to see if a win can salvage somebody’s season, to witness which 16 will be eligible for the title, and who gets eliminated from contention over the final ten events, we should try and remember the drivers who gave us cause to watch each and every week. Here are the hot 20 who have done just that this season.

    (Win bonus increased from 3 points to 25)

    Driver – Points (Wins)
    1 Jeff Gordon – 483 (1)
    2 Jimmie Johnson – 480 (2)
    3 Matt Kenseth – 463
    4 Carl Edwards – 460 (1)
    5 Joey Logano – 458 – (2)
    6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 451 (1)
    7 Kyle Busch – 433 (1)
    8 Brad Keselowski – 426 (1)
    9 Kevin Harvick – 417 (2)
    10 Denny Hamlin – 401 (1)
    11 Kyle Larson – 377
    12 Ryan Newman – 374
    13 Brian Vickers – 366
    14 Paul Menard – 362
    15 Austin Dillon – 358
    16 Greg Biffle – 357
    17 Clint Bowyer – 350
    18 Kasey Kahne – 349
    19 Aric Almirola – 344
    20 A.J. Allmendinger – 337

     

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson backed up his win at Charlotte with a dominant win in the FedEx 400 Benefitting Autism Speaks at Dover. Johnson led 272 of 500 laps for his second consecutive win, and guaranteed his spot in the Chase.

    “The race was delayed 20 minutes to repair a pothole,” Johnson said. “Interestingly enough, I ‘cemented’ my status as a Sprint Cup favorite.

    “That’s my ninth win at the Monster Mile. Obviously, that’s one monster that doesn’t scare me. I like to go fast at Dover. Forget Miles The Monster; I’m the ‘Boogie Man’ at Dover.”

    2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was strong early but faded late to finish 15th at Dover, only his fifth finish outside the top 10 this year. As a result, Gordon fell from the top of the Sprint Cup points standings, and now trails Matt Kenseth by two.

    “What a run by Jimmie Johnson,” Gordon said. “He already had the Dover record with eight wins; now it’s nine. That’s even more than what we’ve come to expect from Jimmie at the Monster Mile. I guess that’s what you call ‘Dover-achieving.’”

    “How about that loose piece of track in the Monster Mile track? It really took a chunk out of Jamie McMurray’s car. I’ve heard of tires having ‘bite;’ this time the track did.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth, still in search of his first win of the season, finished third at Dover, earning his series-best tenth top 10 of the year. He assumed the lead in the points standings, and now holds a two-point edge over Jeff Gordon.

    “Sure, we’re disappointed we didn’t win,” Kenseth said. “But that was my third consecutive third-place finish, so our attitude is still upbeat and optimistic. And that’s the morale of the story.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished eighth at Dover, his seventh top 10 of the year, as Penske teammate Brad Keselowski took the runner-up spot behind Jimmie Johnson. Logano is now sixth in the points standings, 49 behind Matt Kenseth.

    “It was a great weekend for Roger Penske,” Logano said. “In addition to our top-10 finishes, Helio Castroneves and Will Power finished 1-2 in Sunday’s Indy Dual In Detroit. Most owners drive themselves crazy in search of the kind of success Roger Penske enjoys. So, while Helio is climbing the fence, competing car owners are climbing the walls.”

    5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt claimed ninth at Dover, posting his ninth top-10 finish of the year. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 34 behind Matt Kenseth.

    “After winning the Daytona 500,” Earnhardt said, “I’m winless in the last 12 races. That pales in comparison to a 55-race winless streak or a 143-race winless streak. And speaking of ‘pails,’I have a bucket list that’s yet to be completed.

    “You’ve probably heard about my race car graveyard. Unfortunately, it’s not open to the public. In other words, it’s a lot like my Sprint Cup championship—no one can see it.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 14th at Dover as Roush Fenway Racing failed to place a car in the top 10. Edwards is currently third in the points standings, 25 out of first.

    “I’m 25 points behind my former teammate Matt Kenseth,” Edwards said. “Once, I had an ‘arm up’ on him; now, he’s got a leg up on me.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick suffered a flat tire while leading on lap 166 and lost two laps, eventually finishing 17th at Dover, one lap down.

    “I’m not sure what caused the flat tire,” Harvick said, “but I’m guessing a piece of the track was the culprit. Do I know this for sure? No, but nevertheless, I have ‘concrete’ evidence.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch’s bid for the Trucks, Nationwide, and Sprint Cup sweep at Dover ended when he slammed the wall on lap 124. Busch was done for the day and finished 42nd.

    “Clint Bowyer just ran me into the wall,” Busch said. “So I chased him around the track. Don’t believe me? Check the race results. You’ll see next to Bowyer’s name, it has ‘running.’

    “I understand Bowyer’s spotter was at fault. So, maybe I jumped the gun a bit when I told Clint to ‘watch where he’s going.’”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Dover and finished second, as Penske teammate Joey Logano took eighth. Keselowski is eighth in the points standings, 59 out of first.

    “I think NASCAR officials did a pretty good job repairing the pothole at Dover,” Keselowski said. “But I think they may have put a little too much cement in the hole. And the No. 2 Miller Lite car agrees when it says ‘less filling.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took two tires during the final caution at Dover and powered to a fifth-place finish, his first top 5 since winning at Talladega. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 84 behind Matt Kenseth,

    “I was the only Joe Gibbs driver who wasn’t ran into by Clint Bowyer,” Hamlin said. “Is there a lesson to be learned from all this? Yes, there is. Don’t say this to Clint: ‘Go ahead. Make my day worse.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Monster Mile FedEx 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Monster Mile FedEx 400

    With Miles the Monster rearing his ugly head in more ways than one, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 45th annual FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

    Surprising: The winning crew chief, usually the one of the most up-tight people in the garage area as even he admits, must have been inspired by Pharrell’s ‘Happy’ song that played pre-race at the Monster Mile.

    Chad Knaus, crew chief for two-time 2014 winner, nine-time Dover winner, and six-time champ Jimmie Johnson, was surprisingly animated in expressing his happiness in the media center after the race.

    “Quite honestly I’m at the best point in my life,” Knaus said. “I’ve been very fortunate to have been in this sport for a long time.”

    “I’ve seen it grow and change, and it’s been a weird circuitous route to get to where we are now, but quite honestly, I’ve never been happier in my life – with my personal life, my performance at the racetrack, what we’ve got going on, and Jimmie has helped a lot with that,” Knaus continued. “So has Mr. Hendrick as far as making me understand that I’ve got to take time away from the facility and understand that there’s life outside of motorsports.”

    “I’ve tried for a long time to deny that fact, but I’m really, really enjoying it all the way around,” Knaus said. “It’s fun. It’s busy as ever, but we’re in a good spot right now.”

    “Everything is great.”

    Not Surprising: Clint Bowyer did his best impression of Miley Cyrus’ ‘Wrecking Ball’, at least in the minds of Joe Gibbs Racing, hitting Kyle Busch and knocking him out of the race early on and then getting into Matt Kenseth on the last restart, after Kenseth spun his tires a bit.

    “It was a day alright,” Bowyer said. “I hated to be in that situation with the 18 (Kyle Busch). It’s one of those deals where I thought I was clear and obviously wasn’t and ruined his day and certainly didn’t help mine.”

    “I had a pretty good run at him (Matt Kenseth) and he was still spinning when I hit him and I knocked him into the wall and I was like, ‘Not another (Joe) Gibbs (Racing) car.’ But what a day. Frustrating day.”

    Bowyer did swing back, however, scoring a fourth place finish in his No. 15 Cherry5-hrEnergySpecialOpsWarriorFnd Toyota.

    Surprising: For only the third time in the past few years, including Martinsville and Daytona, the track itself became part of the headline as a piece of concrete two to three inches deep and six to eight inches wide dislodged, damaging Jamie McMurray’s car as well as the Monster Mile walkway.

    The red flag was displayed for 22 minutes and 22 seconds as NASCAR and the track officials made repairs to the hole in the concrete as well as the shattered area of the walkway.

    “We have equipment and we have product at every facility,” Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s Vice President of Competition and Racing Operations, said. “It is an epoxy type filler that we use, and it’s basically the same filler that’s used any time we make a repair at the track, whether it be asphalt or concrete.”

    “The track doesn’t want things like this to happen any more than we do or the competitors do,” Pemberton continued. “You always have to be ready for the emergencies and everybody wants to have the same perfect race day as they can.”

    Not Surprising: Jamie McMurray was not the only one impacted by unexpected objects encountered on the race track. Martin Truex Jr.’s car was hit by a bird in practice on Friday at the Monster Mile, causing damage to the left headlight area.

    For once, however, the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, was able to overcome the adversity, scoring his best finish to date in 2014 in the sixth position.

    “All in all, it was a good day,” Truex said. “You can just feel that we’re heading in the right direction.”

    “And all the dumb luck we’ve had didn’t bite us today,” the New Jersey native said. “Dover has been good to me over the years and it was also a great feeling to bring home a strong effort at what I consider my home track.”

    Surprising: Brett Moffitt made his debut in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for Jay Robinson Racing and scored a very respectable 22nd place finish in the No. 66 Land Castle Title Toyota. The 21 year old, who tests for Michael Waltrip Racing and Toyota Racing Development, combined that relationship with the Robinson team for the opportunity.

    “Hopefully this will open up more opportunities,” Moffitt said. “Obviously I hope this leads to more races…it’s just about having the right people beside you telling you, ‘Look man, you can do this, just keep digging.’”

    “That’s what I’ve been doing.”

    Not Surprising: Starting at the back of the pack due to an engine change did not deter this young driver one bit. Kyle Larson, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Cottonelle Chevrolet, weaved and bobbed his way through the field to finish as the highest placed rookie yet again.

    Larson finished eleventh and is nineteen points ahead of Austin Dillon in the Rookie of the Year standings to date.

    Surprising: Team Penske had what looked like a good race weekend at the Monster Mile, with Brad Keselowski starting from the pole position and Joey Logano starting third. Both drivers finished the race in the top-10, with Keselowski in the runner up position and Logano in eighth but were surprisingly disappointed after the race, especially about their performance in the pits.

    “Yeah, we just had an up-and-down day,” the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford said. “I started up front and faded to the back pretty early in the race. We just weren’t where we needed to be in the car.”

    “I thought we were going to get a crack at Jimmie (Johnson) and then that last caution came out and we just kind of whiffed on pit road, came out way behind.”

    “I drove back up there, and with the help of the restart got up to second but we just never could really get in front of him.”

    “We weren’t very good today,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said. “Some runs we were and some runs we weren’t. We had a tough day on pit road in the beginning.”

    “We were chasing the car all day and that is what screwed us up.”

    Not Surprising:   Team Penske was not the only one having trouble in the pits. Kevin Harvick, who has been vocal in the media about his disappointment in his team’s performance, struggled yet again.

    The driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet had eight stops on pit road, for a total average of 42.074 seconds. Harvick and company finished 17th one lap down, after starting the race in the eighth position.

    Surprising: In spite of his difficulties, including getting hit by the No. 47 of AJ Allmendinger, crashing hard into the wall, and being in the garage for an extended period for repairs, Greg Biffle and his Pit Bulls were able to keep their streak of completing every race going, the longest in the sport since 2011.

    “I didn’t really know what happened,” the driver of the No. 16 3M Ford said. “I just knew that the No. 47 got into us pretty hard and turned us into the fence. They were racing hard back there and he stuck it into a hole that maybe there wasn’t room for, I guess and he slid off the bottom, got his right-rear caught by the No. 17 and up into us.”

    “It was a chain reaction,” Biffle continued. “This place is tight and fast and when you get racing that hard back there on a restart, stuff like that is going to happen.”

    Not Surprising: Although four-time champ Jeff Gordon seemingly had a good car early on, he faded late in the race to finish 15th, which not surprisingly handed the points lead off to third place finisher Matt Kenseth.

    Kenseth now leads by just two points over Gordon, with Carl Edwards third, Jimmie Johnson fourth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. rounding out the top five in the point standings after the Monster Mile.

  • The Final Word – Dover is over and now to Pocono where Jimmie has not won for an entire year!

    The Final Word – Dover is over and now to Pocono where Jimmie has not won for an entire year!

    Even a ball player could appreciate Jimmie Johnson’s average at Dover, having gone 9 for 25 for a sweet .360 average. Sunday, Johnson led much of the way to lock down his second of the season. Brad Keselowski, who has a win, finished second while Matt Kenseth, who does not, was third. That fact should not be cause to worry at the moment, as Kenseth still has more points than anyone, even without a victory to his credit. If this keeps up, he might not need one.

    Tony Stewart needs a win to make the Chase, but a seventh place result was as good as it got. Kevin Harvick has two wins, but a flat as they came to green after a caution removed him from the lead and contention. Kurt Busch, who has a win and precious little else, was one back of Harvick, in 18th. As for Danica Patrick, if 25th is a decent day, she was better than decent by two positions.

    Some teams you expect to be better, some not. Not much is expected from the BK Racing trio of Cole Whitt (27th), Ryan Truex (32nd), and Alex Bowman (40th) and we were not surprised. We thought Roush would be running better, but Carl Edwards (14th) was as good as it got for those boys as circumstances left Greg Biffle (38th) and Ricky Stenhouse Jr (41st) all torn up. Hendrick may have won, but Penske had the better average with Keselowski and Joey Logano both in the Top Ten.

    When is all clear not all clear? Ask Clint Bowyer or, better yet, ask Kyle Busch. Seeking the weekend Dover three-peat, Busch was charging to the outside of Bowyer, but that is not what his spotter told him. It was clear to us that Rowdy was looking to the outside, only to wind up squeezed into the fence and out of the race. He had definite evil intentions aimed at his rival, but the guy he really should have wanted was high up in the grandstands. Oops.

    When is debris not really debris? It is not if you run over a chunk of concrete and reduce it in size by blasting it to chunks and dust. Ask Jamie McMurray, who was the beneficiary of the gift of masonry Ryan Newman kicked up just in front of him from the newly formed pothole. McMurray clobbered it but good to split his splitter and send him fence-ward. Interestingly enough, he was 16th at the time, yet finished 13th.

    While I shall miss FOX, I believe TNT’s coverage of NASCAR is the superior. Should we discover Pocono to be boring, yet we continue to watch primarily due to the entertainment provided by the announcers, then we have found folks who know how to do their job.

    Why don’t the New York Yankees play three of four games a month against minor league teams on national television? The reason is that would be stupid, but enough about Kyle Busch.

    As long as there are less than 16 race winners, wins lock you into the Chase while being the best in points will still get you there. Welcome to a world where Kurt Busch can lead Matt Kenseth in the standings, where a single victory trumps having more points than anybody else. That means that by this time next week, anyone from the top 36 could find themselves in the Chase by simply winning this Sunday at Pocono. Nothing to it.

     

    SWEET SIXTEEN
    1 Jimmie Johnson – 2 WINS – 436 Points
    2 Joey Logano – 2 WINS – 414
    3 Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS – 373
    4 Jeff Gordon -1 WIN – 461
    5 Carl Edwards -1 WIN – 438
    6 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN – 429
    7 Kyle Busch – 1 WIN – 411
    8 Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN – 404
    9 Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN – 379
    10 Kurt Busch – 1 WIN – 241
    11 Matt Kenseth – 463 POINTS
    12 Kyle Larson – 377
    13 Ryan Newman – 374
    14 Brian Vickers – 366
    15 Paul Menard – 362
    16 Austin Dillon – 358

    CONTENDERS AND PRETENDERS
    17 Greg Biffle – 357
    18 Clint Bowyer – 350
    19 Kasey Kahne – 349
    20 Aric Almirola – 344
    21 A.J. Allmendinger – 337
    22 Tony Stewart – 336
    23 Marcos Ambrose – 331
    24 Jamie McMurray – 317
    25 Casey Mears – 301
    26 Martin Truex, Jr. – 289
    27 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. – 261
    28 Danica Patrick – 239
    29 Justin Allgaier – 223
    30 Michael Annett – 188

    PARTICIPANTS
    31 Cole Whitt – 181
    32 David Gilliland – 175
    33 Reed Sorenson – 165
    34 David Ragan – 158
    35 Alex Bowman – 156
    36 Josh Wise – 149

     

  • Jimmie Johnson Stole the Monster Mile Show to Make it Two in a Row

    Jimmie Johnson Stole the Monster Mile Show to Make it Two in a Row

    For the ninth time, Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet stole the show at the Monster Mile, making it two race wins in a row and virtually guaranteeing himself a place in the Chase for the tenth consecutive year.

    “It was an awesome race car,” Johnson said. “The first run I wasn’t sure we were really going to have the normal Dover magic here. Once the track ‘rubbered’ in our car came to life and it was so good.”

    “It’s amazing that we can stay on top of things here with the different generation car, different rules, different tires,” Johnson continued. “This place just fits my style and Chad Knaus’ style.”

    “I don’t even know where to begin,” Chad Knaus, winning crew chief, said. “We came in here with high expectations and things went really well for us right out of the gate. We were pretty optimistic at that point. Qualifying went well and we were excited to get into the event today.”

    “At that point, we tried to manage the race and it turned out to be a pretty good day.”

    Both Brad Keselowski, who started from the pole, and Matt Kenseth, who remains winless for the season, attempted to hang with the six-time champ, but finished second and third instead.

    “We just had an up and down day,” the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford said. “We started up front and went to the back early in the race.”

    “Then we took back off and had some strong runs,” Keselowski continued. “We were probably going to get a crack at Jimmie and then that last caution came out. We drove back up to second with the help of the restart and we were pretty even with Jimmie but it was just a matter of being out front.”

    “It was a solid day for us,” the third place finishing driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota said. “I did a poor job qualifying and so good adjustments and pit stops moved us forward. There was just that one group of cars that we couldn’t quite run with. We just need to be a little bit faster.”

    Kenseth, who looked like he had a shot to win, actually struggled on the final restart with six laps to go, spinning his tires and then getting into the wall.

    “The 48 spun them and I spun them a little bit,” Kenseth said. “I just need to do a better job and let the rear tires quit screaming so I could get going. And then Clint (Bowyer) hit me I guess trying to give me a push there.”

    In addition to being a factor in the final restart with Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer was a factor in another incident early in the race with Kyle Busch, who looked strong as he tried to achieve the sweep of the race weekend after winning both the Truck and Nationwide races.

    Bowyer and Busch tangled on Lap 126, putting Busch out of the race. Bowyer went on to salvage a good finish, bringing home his No. 15 Cherry 5-Hour Energy Special Ops Warrior Foundation Toyota home in the fourth position.

    “I hated to be in that position with the 18,” Bowyer said. “I thought I was clear, obviously I wasn’t. Ruined his day.”

    One of the other major incidents of the race involved AJ Allmendinger, Greg Biffle and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., the latter of whom sustained hard hits on Lap 135.

    “Inside of the car I didn’t really know what happened,” the driver of the No. 16 3M Ford Fusion said. “I just knew that the 47 got into us pretty hard and turned us into the fence. After watching the replay I see what happened.”

    “They were racing hard back there and he stuck it into a hole that maybe there wasn’t room for,” Biffle continued. “There definitely wasn’t room come three-quarters of the way around the corner I guess and he slid off the bottom and got his right-rear caught by the 17 and up into us. It was a chain reaction. This place is tight and fast and when you get racing that hard back there on a restart stuff like that is going to happen.”

    “We were really loose,” Ricky Stenhouse Jr. said. “The 47 jumped to the inside of us there and I tried to stay out of his way and he got me. We met right-rear to left-front and it got him sideways and everything else happened after that.”

    “Our Nationwide Insurance Ford was really, really loose all race long and we were trying to hang on with it,” the driver of the No. 17 Nationwide Ford Fusion said. “We didn’t want it to end that way and we got our teammate caught up in it and tore up a lot of cars.”

    “That is now what we wanted to do. It is a tough end to our day,” Stenhouse Jr. continued. “It is a bummer.”

    In one of the more bizarre incidents and for just the third time in the last few years, once in April 2004 at Martinsville and once in 2010 at the Daytona 500, the red flag was displayed after a piece of concrete dislodged from the race track and hit Jamie McMurray’s car.

    The red flag lasted six minutes and 39 seconds and while McMurray could not work on his car during that time, repairs were made when the red flag was lifted and the driver of the No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet got the ‘lucky dog’ break, soldiering on to a respectable 13th place finish.

    Robin Pemberton, NASCAR’s vice president for competition, addressed the media after the race, advising that NASCAR was not aware of the concrete hole prior to the race and then addressed it immediately after the issue occurred with materials that are utilized regularly for repair work.

    “We do a track walk after every race and in the morning and at the time, that had been a previous patch, but our staff did not see anything wrong with it,” Pemberton said. “The hole was two or three inches deep and six or eight inches by ten inches, so it was pretty substantial.”

    “Our team has equipment and product at every facility in case there is a need for it. It’s an epoxy type filler that we use and is the same material we use whether it be asphalt or concrete.”

    Many of the drivers praised NASCAR’s handling of the concrete repair, including Brad Keselowski.

    “I think NASCAR did a good job or whoever fixed it did a good job of repairing it,” Keselowski said. “It’s hard to come back up there at the end and it was definitely an issue when it happened. You knew it was going to get worse if it wasn’t repaired and a small hole was going to turn into a big hole. I give NASCAR credit to realize that, stop, and fix it.”

    Kyle Larson, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Cottonelle Chevrolet, was the highest finishing rookie yet again. With the third place finish of Matt Kenseth and the 15th place finish by the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet Jeff Gordon, Kenseth gained the points lead over Gordon and is now in P1 by two points.

    The full race results are as follows:

    2014 NSCS FedEx 400 Race Results

    Fin Str Car Driver Team Lap Pts BPts Status TLd LLd
    1 4 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet 400 48 5 Running 7 272
    2 1 2 Brad Keselowski Miller Lite Ford 400 43 1 Running 1 1
    3 21 20 Matt Kenseth Dollar General Toyota 400 42 1 Running 5 17
    4 10 15 Clint Bowyer Cherry5-hrEnergySpecialOpsWarriorFnd Toyota 400 41 1 Running 2 5
    5 7 11 Denny Hamlin Autism Speaks/FedEx Freight Toyota 400 39 Running
    6 16 78 Martin Truex Jr. Furniture Row Chevrolet 400 38 Running
    7 20 14 Tony Stewart Code 3/Mobil 1 Chevrolet 400 37 Running
    8 3 22 Joey Logano Shell Pennzoil Ford 400 36 Running
    9 13 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. National Guard Chevrolet 400 35 Running
    10 15 27 Paul Menard Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet 400 34 Running
    11 5 42 Kyle Larson # Cottonelle Chevrolet 400 33 Running
    12 25 43 Aric Almirola Smithfield Ford 400 32 Running
    13 19 1 Jamie McMurray Cessna Chevrolet 400 31 Running
    14 29 99 Carl Edwards Subway Ford 400 30 Running
    15 6 24 Jeff Gordon Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet 400 29 Running
    16 27 9 Marcos Ambrose DeWalt Ford 400 28 Running
    17 8 4 Kevin Harvick Budweiser Chevrolet 399 28 1 Running 2 24
    18 24 41 Kurt Busch Haas Automation Chevrolet 399 26 Running
    19 17 5 Kasey Kahne Farmers Insurance Chevrolet 399 25 Running
    20 23 3 Austin Dillon # American Ethanol Chevrolet 398 24 Running
    21 11 47 AJ Allmendinger Scott Products Chevrolet 397 23 Running
    22 18 66 Brett Moffitt Land Castle Title Toyota 396 22 Running
    23 28 10 Danica Patrick GoDaddy Chevrolet 396 21 Running
    24 38 36 Reed Sorenson Click It or Ticket Chevrolet 396 20 Running
    25 22 13 Casey Mears GEICO Chevrolet 395 19 Running
    26 30 51 Justin Allgaier # AccuDoc Solutions Chevrolet 395 18 Running
    27 31 26 Cole Whitt # Burger King Toyota 394 17 Running
    28 33 98 Josh Wise iRacing.com/Reddit.com Chevrolet 390 16 Running
    29 32 38 David Gilliland The Pete Store Ford 388 15 Running
    30 43 32 Blake Koch(i) supportmilitary.org Ford 388 0 Running
    31 14 31 Ryan Newman Caterpillar Chevrolet 387 13 Running
    32 41 83 Ryan Truex # Burger King Toyota 387 12 Running
    33 42 77 Dave Blaney Ford 383 11 Running
    34 36 40 Landon Cassill(i) Newtown Building Supplies Chevrolet 382 0 Running
    35 39 7 Michael Annett # Pilot Flying J Chevrolet 378 9 Running
    36 34 34 David Ragan Dockside Logistics Ford 350 8 Running
    37 40 33 David Stremme Little Joe’s Autos Chevrolet 297 7 Overheating
    38 12 16 Greg Biffle 3M Ford 292 6 Running
    39 37 44 JJ Yeley(i) Phoenix Warehouse Chevrolet 232 0 Engine
    40 35 23 Alex Bowman # Dr.Pepper Toyota 208 4 Accident
    41 26 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Nationwide Ford 131 3 Accident
    42 2 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Peanut Butter Toyota 125 3 1 Accident 1 81
    43 9 55 Brian Vickers Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota 73 1 Engine

     

  • Keselowski and Team Penske Capture Monster Mile Pole

    Keselowski and Team Penske Capture Monster Mile Pole

    Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford, and Team Penske did it again, capturing the pole for the FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway with a new track record of 164.44 mph.

    This was Keselowski’s fifth pole in the Cup Series and his second pole, as well as his tenth top-10 start in 2014. Keselowski also ripped off his Monster Mile rookie pole stripe, scoring his first pole in nine races at Dover.

    “It’s been a good year for qualifying,” Keselowski said. “And for most years that has not been the case. Very happy because pit road selection is so important here. We are very pleased with our qualifying position.”

    Keselowski credited Team Penske’s total package for the success that he and his teammate Joey Logano have had so far in qualifying.

    “Speed is the backbone of any success in this sport,” Keselowski said. “But being the backbone it is not the totality. There are ancillary things that you also have to work on with these cars. We are executing and we need to keep that up.”

    “We are qualifying a lot better than this time last year,” Keselowski continued. “I think the cars are better and Ford has done a good job, especially with the nose. We needed those pieces that were outside our control to fall into place.”

    “This is a good start to the weekend.”

    For pole sitter Keselowski, as well as Kyle Busch, who qualified second and Joey Logano, who will start behind his teammate in the third spot, watching the sky was also important to their qualifying efforts.

    “At a track that is concrete like the Monster Mile, it doesn’t attract as much heat as the black asphalt does, but the sun does make a difference,” Keselowski said. “I missed the clouds by about a minute. We still put down a good lap but the track probably had a little more speed in it.”

    Kyle Busch second No. 18 M&Ms Peanut Butter Toyota

    “The car was really fast in practice, Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Peanut Butter Toyota, said. “I really liked it but just wasn’t able to get the speed and kind of slowed down. Just couldn’t quite get enough for that lap.”

    “I think a lot of people were just waiting there and waiting on that cloud,” Busch continued. “We were trying to go as late as we could to see if the track would cool down.”

    “We were fast but came up a little short,” Logano, driver of the No. 22 Pennzoil Ford, said. “We picked up a lot of speed from practice and made some good adjustments. It just was over adjusted a little bit from the first to the second run.”

    “I think everyone was looking for that cloud,” Logano continued. “We were staring at the clouds and I saw all the crew chiefs staring up into the sun. We were doing the same thing and maybe we were chasing ghosts.”

    This was Busch’s sixth top-10 start of 2104 and his tenth in 19 races at Dover and this is Logano’s third top-10 start 10th in 13 races this season.

    Kyle Larson, driver of the No. 42 Cottonelle Chevrolet, was the highest qualifying rookie.

    “It was pretty good for us ending up fifth,” Larson said. “We had a good car in practice and we worked on it there a little bit. I’m happy with a top-5 starting spot for Sunday’s race. If we get our car a little better, we should be right up there in the front.”

    “Sometimes I like this place and sometimes I think it’s awful,” Larson said. “It depends how good the car is because this track is definitely tricky and on the edge. But I feel like I’m pretty comfortable around here. It’s like Bristol and I like that place.”

    Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, and Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, rounded out the top sixth in qualifying, starting the race in fourth and sixth respectively.

    The full run-down of the FedEx 400 qualifying results, including manufacturer and speed in miles per hour are as follows:

    1 Brad Keselowski Ford 164.444

    2 Kyle Busch Toyota 163.785

    3 Joey Logano Ford 163.688

    4 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 163.362

    5 Kyle Larson Chevrolet 163.080

    6 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 163.066

    7 Denny Hamlin Toyota 163.066

    8 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 162.499

    9 Brian Vickers Toyota 162.411

    10 Clint Bowyer Toyota 162.243

    11 AJ Allmendinger Chevrolet 162.155

    12 Greg Biffle Ford 160.995

    13 Dale Earnhardt Jr Chevrolet 162.933

    14 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 162.903

    15 Paul Menard Chevrolet 162.889

    16 Martin Truex Jr Chevrolet 162.844

    17 Kasey Kahne Chevrolet 162.690

    18 Brett Moffitt Toyota 162.602

    19 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 162.580

    20 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 162.550

    21 Matt Kenseth Toyota 162.536

    22 Casey Mears Chevrolet 162.250

    23 Austin Dillon Chevrolet 162.155

    24 Kurt Busch Chevrolet 162.009

    25 Aric Almirola Ford 161.754

    26 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Ford 161.747

    27 Marcos Ambrose Ford 161.725

    28 Danica Patrick Chevrolet 161.623

    29 Carl Edwards Ford 161.573

    30 Justin Allgaier Chevrolet 160.887

    31 Cole Whitt Toyota 160.592

    32 David Gilliland Ford 160.435

    33 Josh Wise Chevrolet 160.206

    34 David Ragan Ford 159.419

    35 Alex Bowman Toyota 159.391

    36 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 159.200

    37 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 159.081

    38 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 159.046

    39 Michael Annett Chevrolet 159.032

    40 David Stremme Chevrolet 158.569

    41 Ryan Truex Toyota 158.124

    42 Dave Blaney Ford 157.618

    43 Blake Koch Ford 156.359

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon overcame back spasms to post a seventh in the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte. He remains atop the Sprint Cup points standings, 11 ahead of Matt Kenseth.

    “Back problems have been an ongoing issue for me,” Gordon said, “as has the quest to win my fifth Cup championship. That’s why the latter part of my career can be described as ‘back and fourth.’

    “We had Regan Smith on standby just in case I couldn’t go. Turns out, we didn’t need him, which certainly isn’t the first time Regan’s heard that.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started on the pole and led a race-high 164 on his way to the win in the Coca-Cola 600. It was Johnson’s first win of the year, and all but ensured his chance to defend his Sprint Cup championship.

    “The No. 48 Chevrolet with the special Memorial Day paint scheme was awesome,” Johnson said. “Matt Kenseth was no match for me. You could say I ‘red, white, and blew’ right past him.

    “You’ve probably heard that I completed a triathlon last Saturday. I’m proud to call myself a ‘triathlete.’ The great Tim Richmond was NASCAR’s original triathlete, because he’d ‘tri’ anything.

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth held the lead on the final restart but was easily passed by Jimmie Johnson, who went on for his first victory of the year. Kenseth eventually finished third, and is second in the points standings, 11 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “Johnson went by me like I wasn’t even there,” Kenseth said. “I could say the same about most NASCAR fans. I may be the most unrecognizable athlete in professional sports today.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished two laps down in 19th at Charlotte after engines problems soured his day. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 38 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I raced Charles Barkley head-to-head a couple of weeks ago,” Earnhardt said. “Charles can really drive. The last time he went that fast, there was a prostitute waiting on him. Where was she waiting, you ask? Well, let’s just say Sir Charles’ car is good at ‘cornering.’”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 100 laps and finished second at Charlotte to Jimmie Johnson. Harvick was going for his third win this season, but couldn’t chase down Johnson.

    “Where’s one of those phantom cautions when you need one?” Harvick said. “I guess that’s what happens on Memorial Day weekend—there’s plenty of red, white, and blue flags, but no yellow.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards posted his third top-five finish of the year with a fourth in the Coca-Cola 600. He is third in the points standings, 24 out of first.

    “Trevor Bayne’s joining the Roush Fenway Racing family in 2015,” Edwards said. “That means a current driver at Roush is likely to say goodbye. Could that be me? If it is, I guess you could call me ‘Cousin It.’”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano finished 12th at Charlotte as Penske teammate Brad Keselowski finished tenth. Logano is now sixth in the points, 54 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “What a run by Kurt Busch at Indianapolis,” Logano said. “And what a run by race winner Ryan Hunter-Reay. Not only does he lead the Indy Car points standings, he’s the most sought-after driver on the talk show circuit now. I guess that’s what happens when the Hunter becomes the hunted.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished ninth at Charlotte, recording his sixth top-10 result of the year. He is now third in the points standings, 24 out of first.

    “My brother Kurt didn’t complete the Indianapolis-Charlotte ‘double,’” Busch said, “but he did finish sixth. I think all NASCAR drivers would agree that’s an incredible accomplishment. And I’m sure all NASCAR drivers would agree Kurt should become a full-time open-wheel driver.”

    9. Brian Vickers: Vickers finished sixth in the Coca-Cola 600, earning his second straight top-10 and fifth of the year. He is now eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 67 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “It’s great driving for Michael Waltrip,” Vickers said. “And it’s great driving the Aaron’s Dream Machine. I like to think my alter ego, who’s a fierce competitor talented enough to contend for the Cup, would drive a car called the ‘Rude Awakening.’ Here’s to dreaming.”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski’s attempt at fuel mileage strategy was derailed by a late-race pit stop for a right-wheel vibration. Still, the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford finished tenth, his fifth top-10 of the year, and is now ninth in the points standings, 71 out of first.

    “We just didn’t get the wheel on tight enough,” Keselowski said. “If that would have happened to the No. 48 car, it would have been called a ‘Shimmy Johnson.’”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took the lead with eight laps to go and held off the hard-changing Kevin Harvick to take the checkered flag at Kansas. It was Gordon’s first win this season and third career win at Kansas Speedway.

    “My pit crew really came through with a great stop,” Gordon said. “In this sport, it’s all about the ‘seconds.’ Just ask Mark Martin.

    “Winning a race is a weight off my shoulders. Now, I’ve got to take that wait off my shoulders, because it’s been 13 years since my last Cup title.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano took third in the 5-Hour Energy 400, posting his sixth top-five of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 48 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “The lights went out on the backstretch during the race,” Logano said. “I guess NASCAR’s “Drive For Diversity” program is working, because it just got darker.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 10th at Kansas, the best finish among Toyota drivers. Kenseth is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 15 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I didn’t see the light,” Kenseth said. “And, I also didn’t see the ‘Lite.’ That’s because Brad Keselowski was driving the No. 2 car with the Würth paint scheme. If you’ll notice, in the word ‘Würth,’ there are two dots over the ‘u.’ On a related note, I’d like to give Keselowski two dots in his ‘i.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt posted his sixth top-five finish with a fifth at Kansas as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon took the win. Earnhardt is fourth in the points standings, 26 out of first.

    “Another problem with the lights for NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “I guess this gives new meaning to the term ‘night racing.’ But let’s not be too alarmed. There are hundreds of blackouts in every NASCAR race, most in the infield, and nearly all involving fans of Junior Nation.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards led six laps and finished sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Kansas. He moved up one spot to fifth in the points standings, and trails Jeff Gordon by 27.

    “After the lights went out,” Edwards said, “NASCAR officials asked the drivers if they could see well enough to continue. You could say, for once, that NASCAR started on the ‘poll.’”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 15th at Kansas, as Matt Kenseth was the top Joe Gibbs Racing finisher, in 10th. Busch is still third in the points standings, 21 out of first.

    “Despite driving the No. 18 Snickers car,” Busch said, “I’m not satisfied.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 24 laps at Kansas, but was no match for the faster cars of Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. He faded to ninth at the finish, and remains winless on the season.

    “I heard Danica Patrick got a big thrill passing me,” Johnson said. “Give her a pat on the back. Usually, when Danica passes a Sprint Cup champion, the only thing back is her lap.”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 119 laps, but was beaten out of the pits on the final caution by Jeff Gordon. Harvick couldn’t catch Gordon down the stretch and settled for second.

    “We just didn’t get it done on the pit stop,” Harvick said. “It’s one thing to get caught speeding on pit lane; it’s another to get caught ‘sleeping.’”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 11th in the 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas, just missing out on his fourth top-10 result of the year. He is, however, in the top 10 in the points, in eighth, 62 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “Clint Bowyer’s mother gave the command to start the engines,” Newman said. “She really gave it a nice personal touch. You could say she put her own ‘spin’ on it.”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 16th at Kansas in the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Toyota. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 66 out of first.

    “It was an eventful race,” Biffle said. “Between the threat of storms, cars on fire, and malfunctioning lights, NASCAR is probably saying ‘Glad we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

  • The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    There are three major stars in NASCAR’s constellation of drivers. They are simply called Jimmie, Junior, and Jeff, and few could argue that this trio has shone the brightest. Jimmie Johnson has six championships, including five in a row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the legacy of the legend, with 15 wins in his first five full seasons and four straight at Talladega. His track success might have cooled, but Junior Nation’s fervor has not. Jeff Gordon, the four time champion, won his third at Kansas, but his first since 2002, to all but lock his place in the Chase.

    Gordon led in points, even without a win, but Saturday night he put a lock on a race he dominated. Well, for all but one other entry, he was the undisputed leader of the pack. Kevin Harvick had designs to add to his win total, only to fall just short. While both drivers have been stellar thus far in the season, only the wreck at Talladega mars Gordon’s record in 2014. Harvick has been a factor in every race, winning two, but he has been up front only until misfortune bit him hard at Las Vegas, Bristol, California, and Texas.

    Winning is important, but it sure comes in handy to also be relevant week in and week out. Danica Patrick was just that the entire race, finishing seventh, while Tony Stewart was for a time before coming home 20th. One has a great track record, one does not, but both have driven SHR autos that have been providing sub-par results much of the year. Other than Harvick, one wonders how much are their woes car based. Just ask the fourth member of that stable, as Kurt Busch finished outside the Top Twenty for the ninth time in eleven attempts. If not for his win at Martinsville, which this season makes him relevant, being 28th in points would have otherwise left him an also ran a couple of points beyond the total of even Ms. Patrick.

    However, a win is the golden ticket this season to challenge for the championship. Joey Logano and Harvick have a couple, with Gordon, Junior, and the Brothers Busch among the seven with one to their credit. Seven more are within the Top 16 in points, but a single win and a spot in the Top 30 vaults one up the ladder. Who will be next?

    Before the World 600, the boys and girl have the All-Star race on their schedule this Saturday night at Charlotte. Nineteen are in, having won since the 2013 Daytona 500, by winning this race in the past, or by having been a Cup series champion. Three more will be added, with two coming from the top finishers from among the 23 car field that will run in the Showdown on Friday night. The other will come via a fan vote. If that goes the way I think it will, I would expect the All-Star race to include every driver mentioned above. Yes, even her.

    Who will win on Saturday night? That is easy. Every driver who has ever won the All-Star race since Darrell Waltrip claimed the Winston back in 1985 has or will be either a Cup champion, the winner of the Daytona 500, the World 600 or the night race at Bristol. No exceptions.

    A star won last Saturday night, and another should claim the prize in Charlotte this Saturday evening.

    Darrell Waltrip – All-Star 1985 – Daytona 500 1989 – World 600 1978-79, 1985, 1988-89 – Bristol 1979, 1981-83, 1986, 1989, 1992 – Champion 1981-82, 1985

    Bill Elliott – All-Star 1986 – Daytona 500 1985, 1987 – Champion 1988

    Dale Earnhardt – All-Star 1987, 1990, 1993 – Daytona 500 1998 – World 600 1986, 1992-93 – Champion 1980, 1986-87, 1990-91, 1993-94

    Terry Labonte – All-Star 1988, 1999 – Bristol 1984, 1995 – Champion 1984, 1996

    Rusty Wallace – All-Star 1989 – World 600 1990 – Bristol 1994, 1996, 2000 – Champion 1989

    Davey Allison – All-Star 1991-92 – Daytona 500 1992 – World 600 1991

    Geoffrey Bodine – All-Star 1994 – Daytona 500 1986

    Jeff Gordon – All-Star 1995, 1997, 2001 – Daytona 500 1997, 1999, 2005 – World 600 1994, 1997-98 – Bristol 2002 – Champion 1995, 1997-98, 2001

    Michael Waltrip – All-Star 1996 – Daytona 500 2001, 2003

    Mark Martin – All-Star 1998, 2005 – World 600 2002 – Bristol 1993, 1998

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – All-Star 2000 – Daytona 500 2004, 2014 – Bristol 2004

    Ryan Newman – All-Star 2002- Daytona 500 2008

    Jimmie Johnson – All-Star 2003, 2006, 2012-13 – Daytona 500  2006, 2013 – World 600 2003-05 – Champion 2006-10, 2013

    Matt Kenseth – All-Star 2004 – Daytona 500 2009, 2012 – World 600 2000 – Bristol 2005-06, 2013 – Champion 2003

    Kevin Harvick – All-Star 2007 – Daytona 500 2007 – World 600 2011, 2013

    Kasey Kahne – All-Star 2008 – World 600 2006, 2008, 2012

    Tony Stewart  All-Star 2009 – Bristol 2001 – Champion 2002, 2005, 2011

    Kurt Busch – All-Star 2010 – World 600 2010 – Bristol 2003 – Champion 2004

    Carl Edwards – All-Star 2011 – Bristol 2007-08

    Casey Mears – World 600 2007

    David Reutimann – World 600 2009

    Kyle Busch – Bristol 2009-10

    Jamie McMurray – Daytona 500 2010

    Trevor Bayne – Daytona 500 2011

    Brad Keselowski – Bristol 2011 – Champion 2012

    Denny Hamlin – Bristol 2012