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  • Driver reactions following the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol: Funny Car

    Driver reactions following the Thunder Valley Nationals at Bristol: Funny Car

    Alexis DeJoria was finally able to snap a four-year winless streak Sunday afternoon and nearly had a picture-perfect weekend that started on Saturday.

    Despite not having the best qualifying efforts in the first and second rounds, (seventh and eighth), the Bandero Premium Tequila ROKiT Toyota Camry driver picked it up in Q3 and earned her first No.1 qualifier since 2016.

    On race day, the Los Angeles, California native went all four rounds eliminating Paul Lee, a solo run in the second round, a semi-final victory against Robert Hight and eventually winning against J.R. Todd.

    Let’s take a look at where the other Funny Car drivers finished and what they had to say afterward.

    1. Alexis DeJoria (Finished First) – “It’s a huge weight taken off our shoulders,” said DeJoria. “We were number one qualifier and that was the first step. Getting that elusive number one after getting a ton of number twos, that was amazing. Then to get the Wally at the same race is insane. Whatever happens after this, I just hope for the best, but we’re good because we got a Wally. This is a huge confidence builder for me and our whole team. We knew we could do this, it’s just a matter of time. I would say it’s one of the biggest because, as a part-team owner, definitely. Coming back after taking the two years off and getting to work with my mentor, old teammate and friend in Del Worsham. I look up to him and I learned everything I know from Del. To be able to do this with him again and do something we couldn’t do at Kalitta when he ended up driving the other car. But we always wanted to do this again and we were able to make it happen.
    2. J.R. Todd (Finished second, sits third in points, -83) – Todd qualified 12th and was runner-up to DeJoria and knocked out, then Funny Car Championship points leader, Matt Hagan, in the first round. He won over legend John Force in the quarterfinals and once again knocked out new points leader, Ron Capps, in the semis. Todd fell to DeJoria after going 3.929 seconds and 326.32 mph. “We were in a little better position in 2018,” said Todd. “Going into the Countdown this year I knew that we had a good enough car and team to contend for a championship. We have had some hiccups along the way, but we are still in the hunt. We have to keep our heads up and keep fighting.”
    3. Robert Hight (Finished third, qualified fifth, fell to DeJoria in the semis, sits seventh in the points -153 behind first) – “We qualified well this weekend. We put up some good runs, thought we had a competitive Chevy. We got outrun today, wish things were different. But we’re still out here to win. There are two races left in the season and we’ll be out there just like everyone else looking for wins.”
    4. Ron Capps (Finished fourth, took over the points lead and leads by one point over teammate Hagan. He fell to J.R. Todd in the semis and was later disqualified due to hitting the cylinder blocks. Capps had the fastest speed of 329.83 mph) – “This is an all-out battle. We talk about the Countdown to the Championship and talk about how much tighter it seems this year. A lot of press people and media were saying it’s just Matt Hagan and me still in the hunt, and I’m quick to caution everyone because there are so many other cars who can step up and run great and we’ve seen that today with J.R. Todd and that DHL team and Alexis DeJoria. J.R. beat Matt first round and knocked us out in the semis. By no means, especially with Pomona (Calif.) being points-and-a-half, is this thing over. We wanted to grab more points while we were here at Bristol this weekend. The good thing is, we lead the points going into Vegas. It’s almost even. We’re having so much fun and we still have such a great NAPA hot rod and we showed that with qualifying second and making three solid, consistent laps. I’m excited about going to Vegas.”
    5. Cruz Pedregon – (Finished fifth, sits fifth and is tied with John Force in the points standings, fell to Ron Capps in the quarterfinals.) – “A second round appearance for the Snap-on Tools Nitro Funny Car team today at Bristol Dragway. Cruz and team were able to take down Dave Richards in the first round with a 3.96, but ended up falling to Ron Capps in an extremely close race (3.916 to 3.920) and the next round. The championship points have tightened up with two events left. We will head back to Indianapolis tomorrow and start getting our parts and pieces finalized for the final two events of the NHRA season.” – Credit to Cruz Pedregon’s Facebook Page
    6. John Force – (Finished sixth, tied with Pedregon in the points standings -101 back, fell to J.R. Todd in the quarterfinals) – “Not what we were looking for today. Bit of a rough go through the whole weekend. We’re still in the hunt though. Two races left, points and a half in Pomona. We’ll be good. Still have some fight in us.”
    7. Bob Tasca III – (Finished seventh, qualified 11th, fell to Robert Hight in the quarterfinal, sits sixth in the standings -147) He got the first round victory over Tim Wilkerson.
    8. Matt Hagan – (Entered the race as the points leader, fell in the first round to J.R. Todd and now trails teammate Capps by one point) – “It’s a tough one but J.R. Todd and that team, they did their homework and outran us and he left on us. That’s drag racing. I hate to lose and I’m trying to put a smile on right now, but it burns you up inside. We’ve got to go to these last two races and really make them count. That’s why we race them on Sunday because you never know what’s going to happen. I’ve got all of the confidence in (crew chief) Dickie Venables, and we’ll regroup and give it all we’ve got in Vegas.”
    9. Dave Richards (Finished ninth after qualifying ninth and fell to Cruz Pedregon in the first round) Richard’s ET was 4.023 seconds and 311.63 mph to Pedregon’s 3.964 seconds and 294.11 mph. Pedregon is now 3-0 against Richards.
    10. Tim Wilkerson – (Provisionally held the No. 1 qualifier after Friday night’s qualifying run and ended up fourth after Q3 to face Bob Tasca in the first round. Sits ninth in the standings, -241 back) Lost to Tasca in a losing effort with a 6.522 seconds and 103.46 mph.) – “We made some adjustments based on what happened yesterday and they didn’t work at all,” said Wilkerson, in his crew chief lounge in the pits. “We made some changes on Saturday and didn’t get the results we wanted so I tried something else and that didn’t work either which is very frustrating. I am going through the run now and hopefully we can figure it out. I have some time before Las Vegas, but we just missed it today.”
    11. Cory Lee – (Finished 11th after a first round loss to Robert Hight by going up in smoke in the left lane allowing Hight to power to victory).
    12. Blake Alexander – (Qualified 13th and faced Ron Capps in the first round. Also fell to Capps in the first round in a losing effort by smoking the tires)
    13. Paul Lee – (Lee faced eventual winner DeJoria in the first round after qualifying 14th with a time of 6.006 seconds and 112.69 mph. Lee had a slight advantage over DeJoria by having one victory heading into their Round 1 match up. He was also off the starting line first, but eventually had holes coming out of his Funny Car which cost him the race.)

    14. Jim Campbell – (Was ninth after qualifying and fell to John Force in the first round. He now trails Force 6-0 in first-round matchups).

  • Updated weekend schedule for Bristol Dirt races

    Updated weekend schedule for Bristol Dirt races

    Due to steady rain and flooding in the area, NASCAR has postponed both the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) Food City Dirt Race and NASCAR Camping World Trucks (NCWTS) Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt until Monday. The NCWTS will race at 12 noon ET Monday, broadcast on FS1, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio followed by the NCS race at 4 p.m. ET, to be broadcast on FOX, PRN, and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    The NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series head to Bristol Motor Speedway this weekend for some much-anticipated dirt track racing. It will be the first time since 1970 that the Cup Series has competed on a dirt track.

    Both series will have practice sessions and heat races before the main events.

    The lineup for the 15-lap heat races will be determined by a random draw. Only green flag laps will count.

    After the qualifying heat races, the starting lineups for the Cup Series and Truck Series races will be determined by a formula that takes into account the finishing position plus any positions gained during each heat.

    Drivers who finish first in their heat will earn 10 points with second place earning nine points, third place earning eight points, and so on. Also, the drivers will earn passing points for each position they gained during their heat race. All of these factors will be used to calculate the starting lineup for the main events. If there are any ties, they will be broken by current team owner points.

    Because of safety concerns, there will be no green or yellow flag pit stops during the races. All adjustments, tire changes and adding fuel are only allowed during stage breaks with the exception of vehicles involved in incidents.

    Teams, however, are not required to pit during the stage breaks. If any competitors elect not to pit, they will line up ahead of those that pit, on the restart. For those that choose to pit, NASCAR will implement a controlled pit stop system that does not allow vehicles to race on to or off pit road.

    Notes:

    During the Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt and the Cup Series Food City Dirt Race, caution-flag laps will count, while, as indicated above, only green-flag laps will count for the qualifying heats.

    The choose rule which allows each driver to pick either the inside or outside line for restarts will not be in effect. The race leader will select the lane they prefer and serve as the control car on all restarts.

    The Truck Series field will be comprised of 40 drivers, 35 from the heat races and five provisional slots based on 2021 owner points. The Cup Series field has 39 entries and all drivers will transfer to the main event.

    NASCAR announced the following changes Saturday afternoon:

    Stages lengths for the Cup Series race: Stage 1 will end on Lap 100 (previously Lap 75) and Stage 2 will end on Lap 200 (previously Lap 150).

    Competition cautions for the Cup Series race: There will be two competition cautions, on Lap 50 and Lap 150 at the halfway point of each stage. This will allow the teams a chance to pit and will also give NASCAR two more opportunities for track preparation. Laps for stage breaks and during competition cautions will not count once the free pass car has been sent around.

    Each team will receive one additional set of tires, for a total of six.

    All times are Eastern.

    Thursday, March 25

    4 p.m.: Cup Series random drawing to determine the starting grid for qualifying heat races (No TV)
    4:15 p.m.: Truck Series random drawing to determine the starting grid for qualifying heat races (No TV)

    Friday, March 26

    3:05 PM 3:55 p.m.: Truck Series First Practice – FS1
    4:05 PM 4:55 p.m.: Cup Series First Practice – FS1
    5:35 PM 6:25 p.m.: Truck Series Final Practice – FS1
    6:35 PM 7:25 p.m.: Cup Series Final Practice – FS1

    Saturday, March 27

    4:30 p.m.: Truck Series First Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (11 trucks) – Canceled
    4:45 p.m.: Truck Series Second Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (11 trucks) – Canceled
    5:00 p.m.: Truck Series Third Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (11 trucks) – Canceled
    5:15 p.m.: Truck Series Fourth Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (11 trucks) – Canceled
    6:00 p.m.: Cup Series First Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (10 cars) – Canceled
    6:15 p.m.: Cup Series Second Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (10 cars) – Canceled
    6:30 p.m.: Cup Series Third Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (10 cars) – Canceled
    6:45 p.m.: Cup Series Fourth Qualifying Race (15 Laps) FS1 (9 cars) – Canceled
    8 p.m.: Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt (Stages 40/90/150 Laps = 75 Miles) FS1/ MRN/ SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Postponed

    Sunday, March 28 – Postponed to Monday, March 29

    3:30 p.m.: Cup Series Food City Dirt Race (Stages 75/150/250 Laps = 125 Miles) (FOX/PRN/TSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Postponed to Monday, March 29 at 4 p.m. and will air on FOX/PRN/TSN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

    9 p.m.: Pinty’s Truck Race on Dirt (Stages 40/90/150 Laps = 75 Miles) FS2/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio – Postponed to Monday, March, 29 at noon and will air on FS1/MRN/SiriusXM NASCAR Radio

  • The Final Word – If only all races were like Talladega

    The Final Word – If only all races were like Talladega

    For the third time this season, NASCAR presented a race worth watching. I am not talking about those good ole boys and girls who have the sport in their blood, who love it, cannot live without it no matter what it looks like. I am talking about those who demand an entertaining three-hour experience if they are going to spend the time to take it all in. Talladega delivered.

    This is what drew people to NASCAR in the first place. They did not know a Fonty Flock from a Smokey Yunick, but they knew what they liked. Tons of action, lots of speed, disaster possibly just around the corner, watching guys doing things we could never pull off on our best day, or even contemplate on our drunkest. On Sunday, Talladega delivered.

    Back in the day, we talked about boys who went by the names of Petty, Roberts, Yarborough, Allison, Earnhardt, Gordon, and Stewart, to name a select few. Today, we once again talk about an Elliott, as the son of Bill from Dawsonville took the prize in the end. Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Ryan Preece led three Chevrolets across the line as, for once, the manufacturers made it known they wanted to win. They wanted their representatives to work together to make that happen. Limit what you do for the Ford and Toyota guys. Win one for the Camaro. In the end, thanks to some fine wheelmen and good fortune, Talladega delivered.

    It was a day when sometimes they got too close to the line, and what you would expect would happen at 200 mph at close quarters did happen. Kevin Harvick lasted just 10 laps. Denny Hamlin survived 80. Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer were running at the end, but their odds of winning were about the same as your own. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was front and center most of the day but wrecked by the end. If you were looking for fireworks, Talladega delivered.

    Were the FOX announcers great, keeping you informed and entertained? They did not have to be. The race, the actual event, kept us watching all on its own. Sure, we could talk once more about what changes FOX should make, and what NBC did last season, but we’ve flogged that horse past the point of what the SPCA or even Rodrigo Duterte could tolerate. You wanted a race, you got a race. Talladega delivered.

    Daytona. Bristol. Talladega. Ten races, but only three that kept the viewing public glued to their seats, even if they were nowhere to be seen at that track in Tennessee a few weeks back. To be honest, I was so focused on the race, I could not tell you how many empty seats there might have been in the wilds of Alabama. If they could not or would not make the effort to take this one in, that would have been a shame. Talladega delivered.

    Next week, they are in Dover. The Monster Mile they call it. It has been around for 50 years. Miles the Monster, holding a full sized Cup car up in the air, has been there since 2008. The last time the Cup boys visited there was last October. The winner, the youngest ever to do so at the venue, was one Chase Elliott. Will Dover bring us the same kind of experience as we enjoyed this past weekend? Hell no. Few tracks deliver like Talladega can.

  • The Final Word – Bristol, we have a problem

    The Final Word – Bristol, we have a problem

    Bristol is not Las Vegas, Phoenix, Fort Worth or Charlotte. There are reasons to go to the Virginia-Tennessee border. The country is beautiful. On Sunday, it appears a lot of people were taking in the scenery. They sure in hell were not at the race track.

    NASCAR is in serious trouble. Sure, we have commented on the dropping ratings and crowds for years. The pretty people who once made it the thing to be part of have all disappeared and even the sponsors rarely do anything special in their commercials as they did a decade or more ago. We knew things were not great. Then we saw the grandstands at Bristol on Sunday.

    They were “optimizing the stadium configuration for the spring race only” the track folks announced, taking “a more frontstretch and backstretch approach.” That was their way of explaining why not a single soul was sitting in the large stretches at either end of the facility. Not a soul. No doubt the buses arrived to take the sight seers out on their tour and off they went. Not a candy wrapper to be found.

    “To create a more energetic atmosphere” was what was to be enjoyed by the token few left behind. I can smell the bovine excrement from here. In a stadium that is built for 146,000 fans, only an estimated 38,000 bothered to show up for the prizes and to be revved up during the cautions and stage breaks. When one of your most iconic tracks, one that can be counted on to serve up some great action, looks as abandoned as North Wilkesboro, you have a problem. An Apollo 13 kind of problem.

    Sometimes a race can be highly entertaining. Daytona was. Bristol was. Everything in between was not. They actually sucked. I wager that the “action” presented in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, California, Martinsville, and Texas earned the sport not one single new fan. Not one. Instead, they probably sent a few more former fans packing. When they quit turning out at a track like Bristol, disaster looms on the horizon.

    Want a quick easy fix? How about announcers who entertain you in a fashion the race is not. NBC finally got it, with the style of broadcasting delivered by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and company keeping us tuned in just to hear what those boys and girls might say. On FOX, their style depends on the race being worth to watch, as their commentary does not provide a diversion for when it is not. Thus far, six of the eight have not.

    Now, take that NBC-style commentary with his broadcasters who might tell you what is happening, who might make you think, who certainly will make you laugh, and pipe it through as a channel on the scanners worn by those in the crowd. I am sure it would add to the experience a whole lot more than massive sections of empty seats and a few prizes. If they can not fix the racing, at least fix the experience.

    After 15 years of watching the sport closely, of commenting on it weekly, it simply became a chore for me. I am not the only one. Next year, NASCAR once again attacks its own tradition. For 11 seasons (2004-2014) they moved the Southern 500 out of its usual Labor Day spot. They even dropped the Southern 500 moniker for a time. When they finally returned to tradition, we thought they might have learned something. They did not. Next season, the former Firecracker 400 July race at Daytona moves to the fall, to be replaced by the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. The track at Indy is iconic, the NASCAR racing there is always horrid. Almost unwatchable,

    They keep saying the current schedule is stagnant. Who in hell are “they?” Are “they” people who actually go to the races, who are continuing family traditions with an annual trek to Daytona in the summer on their own dime? I sincerely doubt it. The tracks are not stagnant. The dates are not stagnant. The damn racing experience and the television commentary are what is stagnant. If you want to do something, fix that.

    Next week it is Richmond. Not bad. Two weeks after that, it is Talladega. Always great. After the shock we got at Bristol, I just hope they have enough fans left to fill at least half of the seats. I am taking nothing for granted.

  • The Final Word – The Southern 500, a celebration of the passage of time

    The Final Word – The Southern 500, a celebration of the passage of time

    Darlington was a day all about time. A time when in 1950 the first Southern 500 was run. A time when some of the great names from the past were brought back to be saluted by their sport in the present. A time when 0.6 seconds can mean everything.

    Just ask Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson. At a time when 14 entered locked into the Playoffs, two were trying to stay there, and up to 14 others were hoping against hope to steal a spot away, it was Larson who sped away. By the time he finished the opening stage, we knew that Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman were not going to be putting up a fight to keep their places. Both had already been lapped by this time and things were not going to get better for either of them. Their fate on that day was now entirely in the hands of others.

    The middle frame provided more of the same. It was all Larson all of the time. While members of the Big Three could always be counted to have a representative somewhere close by, Martin Truex Jr. was not that guy. An uncontrolled tire in the pits proved to be the pits for him and any hopes he might have had on Sunday. As for potential winners, it seemed by the time any of the stages concluded, we only had a dozen or so still on the lead lap. The rest, well the rest were participating, but they sure were not competing.

    Down to the final half of the classic, and it remained the Kyle Larson Show. Even after Clint Bowyer ran over Ryan Newman as one was slowing down to pit while the other could not see through the slowpokes poking along in front of him, it was Larson who was at the front on the re-start. Then, with less than 30 to go, Jeffrey Earnhardt spun his car. The caution came out, and pit road was open.

    Larson’s crew did a fine job. The broadcasters said so, but then there was Keselowski. Fifth after the opening stage, second after the next, his crew did a finer job than Larson’s band of brothers, 0.6 seconds better. Keselowski started up front and disappeared from view. Joey Logano, himself with stage finishes of fourth and third, moved into second by the time they hit the finish line. Larson salvaged third, Chase Elliott and Erik Jones were next, but it was the veteran and a stellar job by his service department that decided the Southern 500 on this particular Sunday.

    That leaves one more Sunday to shake things up. Johnson needs to finish within nineteen positions of Bowman at Indianapolis to ensure he makes the playoffs. Bowman needs to either ruin Johnson’s plans or hope no one behind him in the standings claims victory. That is the only way he can be caught. Kasey Kahne won at Indianapolis last year. Newman, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray have done so in the past. Can one of them, or some other outsider, do it at the Brickyard this Sunday?

    As for Keselowski, this past weekend marked his 25th career victory. It extended his string of seasons with at least one victory to eight. It earned him his first Southern 500, to go along with five Talladega wins, a pair at Bristol, and his 2012 championship in a career that will end in the Hall of Fame. However, that will come in time, sometime in the next dozen years or so. Right now, there is no time other than the present, and the memory of 0.6 seconds at Darlington.

  • The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    Officially, Saturday night’s race was not billed as the Bristol Busch Brothers 500. Those two boys are almost always front and center at the venue. Even when they do not want to be.

    It took three laps for Kyle Busch to be front and center. He spun, sat in the middle of the track, and watched his car become a pinata. We knew it was the end of the line for the likes of Bubba Wallace and A.J. Allmendinger. It sure did not look good for Rowdy, either. The car looked bad, the rear panel was torn off, but at least he was still running, but two laps down.

    Paul Menard was another of those needing a win to be in the Playoffs. That did not happen on Saturday. After his right front went down he went out. That took just 30 laps. Shortly after, a mechanic issue doused all hope for Jamie McMurray.

    While there might have been a weather system out there on the horizon bringing darker skies, they did not affect Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, or Clint Bowyer in the opening stage, as they came across the line in that order. Not so for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He came in on the outside and stayed there after tagging the wall. Oh, we were not going to see Keelan take another ride with dad. A storm cloud opened up over Harvick due to a tire issue. That put him a lap down, never to be seen again.

    They came and they went, and by the time the second stage wrapped up, it was Joey Logano and Chase Elliott finishing 1-2. It also marked the return of Kyle Busch to the lead lap.

    Aric Almirola had a good day going for himself until he was black-flagged for dumping fluid all over the track. Ole Kyle, meanwhile, kept on coming. That is what Martin Truex Jr. discovered when a familiar face touched his left rear quarter-panel to spin him into the inside wall. When Brad Keselowski spun late in the going, we had 24 laps to go and 10 drivers who looked to be in contention.

    When they bunched up to take the green flag, Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Chris Buescher were up front on old tires. Austin Dillon and Denny Hamlin had two fresh ones. Elliott, Kyle, Logano, and Kyle Larson had new treads. This was going to get wild.

    It took about four laps. Rowdy had a tire going down and spun into oblivion. I bet Truex was sure sad to see that from the garage. Buescher also lost a tire. Chad Knaus saw enough and brought Johnson in for four.

    Not so for Billy Scott. He left Kurt Busch out there. He left him there on old tires to outrun Larson, Elliott, Logano, Erik Jones, Bowyer, and Blaney to take his first of the season, the sixth on this track (though the first in a dozen years), and the 30th of his career. It marked the first win for Scott up on the box and a crew that last year worked with Danica Patrick. It also marked the first time in NASCAR history to see a pair of brothers each boasting 30 career wins.

    Yes, just another Busch Brother day at Bristol.

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

    The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

    With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

    Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

    As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
    Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
    Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
    Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
    A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
    Well, Michigan sure sucked.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
    Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
    His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
    Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
    Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
    The lad likes to get down and dirty.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
    Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
    Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
    Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
    Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
    Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
    Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
    Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.

  • The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    Domination and elimination was the story from Michigan on Sunday afternoon. Kevin Harvick dominated and eliminated everyone else from view. He dominated the opening stage. He overcame another pit road miscue that cost him five spots between stages, but he eliminated the danger to come back to claim that, too. As for the money run, he cashed in big time to eliminate everyone else from the storyline. Well, everyone but one. I’ll get to him in a moment.

    Denny Hamlin started on the pole, but he was eliminated from our consciousness despite finishing eighth. Kyle Busch was beside him at the start, but he did not matter for the most part despite finishing third. Harvick at least was gracious enough to allow both of his main rivals some cameo time up front. Martin Truex Jr. seemed eliminated only to rise again and then get stomped right back down. William Byron spun him out in the opening stage. Truex came back, led a bit but ran out of fuel near the end of the second. He came in while the pits were closed for a penalty. A tire was left unattended, and he got tagged with another. Truex finished 14th.

    In the middle frame, Chase Elliott was eliminated from contention when he had to come in early due to a loose tire. He finished ninth. Kyle Larson also had a tire issue and he also had to pit early. That helped eliminate him from contention, wrapping up the day in 17th. For Erik Jones, it was one damn thing after another. A spin early in the opening stage, only to get spun by Ryan Blaney in the second, and he came home in 13th.

    Brad Keselowski finished second, but few noticed. Austin Dillon did get noticed, having his first quality result since winning the Daytona 500. He picked up a flat tire on the final lap, yet still brought the car across the line in fourth. At least somebody other than someone named Harvick had a notable day.

    Harvick won his seventh of the season, the 44th of his career to tie Bill Elliott on the all-time list, yet even he got eliminated from consideration as the most talked about Harvick out there. When it came to post-race activities, it was six-year-old Keelan Harvick who dominated.

    Dad might have tons of charisma, but the son won in that category walking away. Literally. With the winning car parked on the finish line, Keelan was brought out to walk across the track to fetch the checkered flag. Then Dad put the lad on the passenger side of the car and, with the boy waving the checkers out the window, they drove together to Victory Lane. When the suds were done being splashed, Keelan was taken out of the car and handed a bottle of water to celebrate. He did, splashing dad’s public relations guy Josh Jones from stem to stern, much to the delight of Kevin’s crew chief Rodney Childers and all those watching, including young Keelan himself. Dad won the race, the son continued to win our hearts.

    It was a race to watch, again thanks to NBC. The commentary, the chemistry, the insight, and the pure entertainment value kept us watching the action. It was a single groove track, with the outside lane dominating the inside except for those rare moments when a bit of side drafting before diving down in the corners allowed for a pass. It was a single car event, with a few cameos to at least give the false hope the others might compete against the most dominant car on the day. It ended with a father and a son sharing some life-long memories and sharing those moments with us.

    On a day when outside my window it poured rain all day, Kevin and Keelan Harvick and NBC provided some much-appreciated sunshine. It was a broadcast that made my Sunday all that more joyful for having just been a part of it.

    Now, off to Bristol for a Saturday night of bumping and banging under the lights. There is no question as to what my plans will be.

  • Hot 20 – If only the action at Pocono could be as cool as its name

    Hot 20 – If only the action at Pocono could be as cool as its name

    Some things matter. Some do not. Every weekend, no more than 30 entries matter to some degree. The rest do not.

    Most weekends NASCAR features a race and while some matter to race fans, most do not. Bristol, Charlotte, Darlington, Daytona, Sonoma, and Talladega races matter due to what they deliver and a long history of tradition.

    Some are loyal to the short tracks at Martinsville and Richmond. Indianapolis is an over-hyped crown jewel, great history but not much gripping action delivered. Homestead gets the nod as long as it hosts the final race of the season. Those tracks present 16 of the 36 points events each season.

    Pocono gives us two. It is a track ranked by some down amongst such venues as Chicago, Fontana, Kansas, and Kentucky. Cool name. Interesting layout. Lovely trees in the background. Like Indianapolis, it might be more entertaining for open-wheel racing than for the fender folk. Still, twice a year they return there, and twice a year I forget about the last one and actually look forward to the tri-oval. Each year I hope that it will all come together for a terrific contest.

    Maybe this year. Maybe this will be the one. It is a track that boasts of the performances put in by the likes of Jeff Gordon, Emerson Fittipaldi, Danny Sullivan, Juan Pablo Montoya, and A. J. Foyt.  Kyle Busch won there last July. Ryan Blaney is the defending June race champion. Chris Buescher won there for Bob Jenkins in 2016. Denny Hamlin has four Pocono wins. Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch each have claimed three.

    Yes, the highlight packages of the past from Pocono look truly awesome. The highlights. The actual action come race day….well, maybe this will be the year. I sure hope so. Such things matter.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 573 Pts
    If he runs at Pocono like he did at Charlotte, he might be the only one who matters.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1 E.W. – 485 Pts
    Today, that encumbered win comes in to play.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 506 Pts
    Picks up an average of 39 points per race. You do not have to be loved to be awesome.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 1 WIN – 430 Pts
    If he only had some Kryptonite to toss as Superman on Sunday, he could have won it.

    5. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 421 Pts
    Crew chief Mike (Buga) Bugarewicz would love a happy homecoming.

    6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 244 Pts
    If he had finished second at Daytona, he would be less successful than Suarez.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 437 POINTS
    Won Saturday’s Xfinity race. Please raise your hand if you give a damn.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 429 POINTS
    The only driver in NASCAR to have seen Kyle Busch wearing a diaper. I hope that is true.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 429 POINTS
    “We’re either really good or we’re average at best.” Finishing third is average?

    10. KYLE LARSON – 382 POINTS
    Raced Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Raced Wednesday as an outlaw in Fairbury, Illinois.

    11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 376 POINTS
    The decision to move over from the King to join Smoke has proven to be a good one.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 375 POINTS
    A cylinder let go around lap 150 and they tried to limp it home. Instead, they started a barbecue.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 327 POINTS
    Imagine. Almost an entire year with a single win. I bet Michael McDowell can.

    14. ERIK JONES – 314 POINTS
    Three bad luck pit road moments buried any hope of shining last Sunday.

    15. ALEX BOWMAN – 299 POINTS
    One of the greatest coaches in NHL history. What? Sorry, wrong Bowman.

    16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 296 POINTS
    According to TMZ, he believes “Judging Hooters Competition Harder Than Racing Cars”

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 296 POINTS
    His Charlotte experience was better than someone else’s Indianapolis adventure.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 263 POINTS
    Another Cup guy racing Xfinity on Saturday. One more young driver fails to get a ride.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 245 POINTS
    More than 50 points out of the Chase…unless he wins. Winning is always good.

    20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 231 POINTS
    One ahead of Newman and Byron, two up on Wallace.

  • Hot 20 – Saturday night is an evening with the classic that is Richmond

    Hot 20 – Saturday night is an evening with the classic that is Richmond

    We truly are in a sweet spot in the NASCAR schedule. Last Sunday (and Monday) it was Bristol. This Saturday night they race at Richmond. We conclude April with the test that is Talladega. Action good enough to convince anyone who enjoys pure entertainment to become attracted to the sport. At least, until Dover. Then again, that is a pretty cool trophy they hand out there.

    Fans are talking about the Ford Fusion making way next season for the iconic Ford Mustang. There are few car models that instantly recall power and speed. There is a reason we again have the Chevy Camaro. We yearn for the Dodge Charger. Plymouth is gone, but we remember the Barracuda. It will be nice to see at least one more of those classic nameplates making a return to the sport.

    Fan voting for the All-Star race pass is open. Eleven full-time drivers are eligible for having won the Cup title or a previous All-Star event. Five more are in due to having won a race since 2017. That leaves those who have not yet qualified to win at Richmond, Talladega, Dover, or Kansas, or one of three segments in the Monster Energy Open qualifying race, or get the most votes from fans among those not yet qualified. Deadline for voting is May 18.

    Among our Hot 20, that leaves Aric Almirola, Erik Jones, Alex Bowman, Paul Menard, William Byron, and A.J. Allmendinger still seeking a berth. Outsiders on the outside of both include Darrell Wallace Jr., Chase Elliott, and Daniel Suarez.

    Maybe that might change Saturday night in Richmond.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 365 Pts
    The best driver ever? Talk to me in about 15 more wins.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (1 E.W.) – 290 Pts
    Nothing runs like a Ford…a Ford Mustang that is. See you in 2019.

    3. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 286 Pts
    If you are as wacky a fan as Bowyer is a driver, Ford’s Hall of Fans wants to hear from you.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 257 Pts
    Start 450…which ranks 50th all-time.

    5. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 183 Pts
    I thought Dillon was a good guy…and then I saw the color of his hat.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 306 POINTS
    Adjustment to being a dad, “It’s a lot more than taking wedge out, I can tell you that much.”

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 271 POINTS
    Sunday was good, Monday started well, but then came the fade, the tire, and the wall.

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 267 POINTS
    Considering what happened on Sunday, I wonder where Blaney spent his Monday?

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 252 POINTS
    Best solution to the crap pit gun problem “is providing reliable equipment.”

    10. KYLE LARSON – 249 POINTS
    On Monday, he experienced one Kyle too many.

    11. KURT BUSCH – 241 POINTS
    Richmond has new garages and a media center but is probably more interested in Victory Lane.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 211 POINTS
    The Cuban Missile invites Richmond fans to say hello to his little friend…as he drives off.

    13. ERIK JONES – 209 POINTS
    Erik. It is spelled the way a true Viking would spell it. A Viking from Michigan.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 190 POINTS
    Bowman. With a name like that he damn well better be driving a Chevy. No Bowties on a Ford.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 181 POINTS
    Team success is great, but personal success is even better… “this is a selfish sport, right?”

    16. PAUL MENARD – 170 POINTS
    His crew practices competitive frisbee tossing by catching tires…on rims.

    17. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 169 POINTS
    Now, if you want to talk about one of the best ever, we can start with him.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 162 POINTS
    Crew chief fined $10,000 for a loose lug nut. Can you buy a decent pit gun for $10,000?

    19. WILLIAM BYRON – 154 POINTS
    I don’t know. Billy Byron has a nice ring to it, but it is not near as stoic as William.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 150 POINTS
    Will be at the Kroger store at 9351 Atlee Road, Mechanicsville, Virginia today at 5:30 p.m.