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Tag: Bristol

  • The Final Word – Bristol was so exciting, they made it a two day event

    The Final Word – Bristol was so exciting, they made it a two day event

    Back in 1927, the Bristol Sessions marked what some call the “Big Bang” moment of country music. I bet you thought the city on the Tennessee-Virginia border was all about racing. Well, for a time over the past couple of days, it was. Here and there, at least.

    While Bristol’s bang from the past involved Jimmy Rodgers and the Carter Family, the one that took place Sunday finished the hopes of Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. within four laps. It ended the 99 lap dominance of Ryan Blaney before the end of the opening segment when the leader got taken out. You could say the rain then took care of the rest before the mid-way mark. That brought us to Monday.

    Monday in Bristol was crap. It was cold and it was raining. They might as well have tried to run the sucker in Edmonton. At least we northerners are used to such nonsense. Hell, by the time we hit afternoon it was coming down heavy like Christmas morning up here. Oh, we think such weather in mid-April sucks, too.

    Down south, when they finally resumed, raindrops were all over the windshields and the camera lenses. Who says NASCAR does not run in the wet? When they finally hit the end of the session, the midpoint of the race, Brad Keselowski was again the leader. Kyle Busch was making noise, and even Jimmie Johnson appeared to be something of a challenger.

    Why not Kyle Larson? The gent got himself into the mix and look very sporty as he came up to run point. However, the point is to not go where someone has gone before, like on the inside. Ryan Newman was inside, Larson did not notice that fact until he got spun. The caution allowed him to stay third, with Keselowski and Busch on the lead row of the re-start, and Johnson beside Larson with 175 laps to run.

    They remained our main quartet, with others coming in for a quick guest spot before fading back. Darrell Wallace Jr. popped up to lead his first ever laps in Cup before surrendering top spot to Busch. With about 70 to go, Keselowski started to fade, while the likes of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Newman, Joey Logano, and Austin Dillon poked their noses out to say howdy. With about 30 to go, Keselowski had drifted down a lap when he tagged the fence after his left front went down.

    However, it came down to the remaining trio of our former quartet to bring this one home. With a little bump and run with five to go, Busch took his second straight victory, the 45th of his career. Larson and Johnson also made the podium and enjoyed 40-plus point days. Stenhouse and Alex Bowman rounded out our Top Five. Neither Wallace or Dillon made the Top Ten in the end.

    Next Saturday night, another short track event as they move slightly north to Richmond. As Rodgers might say, time for a little “Moonlight and Skies”…weather permitting.

  • Hot 20 – Nothing like a good swig of Bristol to get the taste of Texas out of your mouth

    Hot 20 – Nothing like a good swig of Bristol to get the taste of Texas out of your mouth

    Texas. That may have been the worst NASCAR race I ever watched. If not, I hope I never remember a worse one. Indianapolis in 2008 might challenge it, but that was due to having to throw out a caution every 10 laps to prevent the damn tires from exploding. That race was a disaster due to the tires. Texas was a disaster all on its own. If you saw it and liked it, I envy you.

    Bristol. This is where all those bad feelings about horrid racing should all go away. It is where Darrell Waltrip won a dozen times, including seven straight. Nine times Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace each shook the suds. It is where Kyle Busch will try to claim his second straight this year to up his own total to seven.

    Bristol is where they have been providing NASCAR thrills twice a year since 1961. Earnhardt and Wallace both won their first there. It was where Davey Allison edged out Mark Martin by inches in 1990. It is where Busch won over Jeff Burton in 2007 and then Martin in the fall race of 2009 by a combined margin of under two-tenths of a second.

    The former Southeastern 500 has had Food City as its sponsor since 1992. Wallace claimed this particular Bristol offering six times. Jimmie Johnson won it last year. Well, there is no time like the present.

    If you watched last week, come on back. This is Bristol. Things will be different this Sunday. I promise.

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS – 257 Pts
    A damn lug nut and some damn lug who could not even tighten a nut. That was Texas.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN – 316 Pts
    Finally got to walk down the aisle, but Harvick did his best to ruin the party again.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 250 Pts
    He coulda been a contender. He coulda been somebody, instead, a tire blew and he was done.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 249 Pts
    A win and averaging over 35 points per race. How sweet life is.

    5. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 159 Pts
    The only member of the Bowtie Brigade with a checkered flag.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 278 POINTS
    So, this is a comeback year? If only his 2017 Richmond win had not been encumbered.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 265 POINTS
    Fifth straight Cup guy to win a Xfinity race. I wonder what those ratings are like?

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 237 POINTS
    Brad has nothing to say regarding the questionable air guns. When did that ever happen before?

    9. KURT BUSCH – 224 POINTS
    All I hear is how great Kyle is at this or how wonderful Kyle did that! Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 222 POINTS
    A pair of pit penalties could not do what that wreck early in the final segment accomplished.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 202 POINTS
    The wheels on the car get ground, ground, ground and then they make a terrible sound.

    12. ERIK JONES – 193 POINTS
    Thinks 400 miles at Texas would be enough. I think 40 feet is enough.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 177 POINTS
    Texas was lovely for Almirola until it wasn’t.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 154 POINTS
    Wished he could have had a day like Almirola. Bowman’s was messed up by the second lap.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 146 POINTS
    30th in Texas and still on this chart. It gives you an idea how bad the day went for others…

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 145 POINTS
    …like Newman. He was 27th after another tire left another driver hitting another wall.

    17. WILLIAM BYRON – 135 POINTS
    A Top Ten. See, Texas did not suck for everybody.

    18. CHASE ELLIOTT – 128 POINTS
    A brace that supports the rear window did not meet specs in Texas, at a cost of 20 points.

    19. DARRELL WALLACE JR. – 126 POINTS
    A new look driver, an old look number, and an old-time sponsor for Bristol.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 123 POINTS
    Okay, this is the Hot 19 along with a trio currently on simmer.

    21. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 123 POINTS
    Lose a couple of pounds, eat a chocolate cake. Gain a few points, then get wrecked. Same idea.

    22. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 123 POINTS
    Are drivers athletes? Well, just ask Kansas football coach David Beaty.

  • The Final Word – Texas, where some raced, some participated, some tuned out

    The Final Word – Texas, where some raced, some participated, some tuned out

    If you are going to watch ‘em race in Texas, you better have a PVR in your hand. My God, that was boring. I mean, with more than half the field lapped in the opening segment and more than 12 seconds between first and second, we were sure not talking about racing wheel to wheel.

    Wrecks. If all you watched the race for was for wrecks, I guess it was salvageable. Not so for Alex Bowman, as he got turned on just the third lap and his day was all but done. It was like when your brother puts his finger up to your face and starts chanting “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you” until you touch him in an unfriendly way and the fight begins. Bowman was not touched, but the car went around anyway. Paul Menard was caught up in the aftermath. Like Bowman, his day was ruined and his winless streak extended to 239.

    Martin Truex Jr. was riding second, with Kevin Harvick somewhere over the horizon, when he lost a front tire but found the fence. He was toast, with five laps remaining in the opening frame. Again, if not for the wrecks, Texas was all about endurance. Yours.

    Yours, and anyone associated with Goodyear. Midway through the second segment, Kyle Larson was sitting in fourth until the right front rubber shredded and the wall did a little shredding of its own. If a big reason they are in the sport is to advertise the durability of their product, Texas did them no favors. None.

    So, what happens to all those lug nuts that come flying off the tires, to bounce unattended on pit road? Well, they can bounce their way into the jacks to gum up the works. That is what happened to Harvick when he pitted after Larson’s misfortune and went from first to ninth. Then, after all that, he did not go 10 laps when he had to come back for a loose wheel. Unbelievable. That dropped him a lap down and out of the Top 20. Such things might cause a man to cuss. Hell, it could cause a nun to cuss. You have to believe somebody is slated to have his backside gnawed off in the very near future.

    So that left us with Kyle Busch taking the middle segment, Kurt Busch was next, with only 13 cars on the lead circuit. As for Harvick, he was the second among those a lap down in 15th. Things just might get interesting before this one was done yet. That is, if you had the endurance to wait it out.

    Maybe a wreck would keep us engaged. A handful of laps into the run to the flag, we got it. Adios Denny Hamlin. Sayonara Brad Keselowski. Goodbye Aric Almirola. Take a bow, Jimmie Johnson. Sometimes good things come to those who wait, even if your good things are someone else’s bad things.

    Harvick came back and was in the mix but still needed some help to close the gap. With under 50 go to, a tire rolled loose in his pits. NASCAR reviewed, and Harvick escaped without a penalty even NASCAR later admitted he should have been tagged with. Ryan Newman had a Top Ten car, then had a tire blow and he hit the wall. Bad news for Newman, more good news for Harvick. Good news for those poor sons of a gun watching this thing.

    However, leading is where it was at. You lead, you win, and Kyle Busch did…and did, by 3/10 of a second over Harvick. Finally, a victory after three runner-up finishes to give Rowdy his 44th career Cup decision. Jamie McMurray finished third, while 40-plus point days were recorded by Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, and Erik Jones, who brought it home in fourth.

    Bad days were realized by Goodyear, whoever supplies those air guns some say were responsible for all the vibration issues, and you, the fan. Ten cars concluded the day on the lead lap, just two more a lap down. You know, I’ve been waiting and waiting for my call to join NASCAR’s promotional department. I might have to wait a bit longer.

    Next Sunday, it is Bristol. We give thanks for what we are about to receive. Amen.

  • Hot 20 – Heading to Texas after a week off to ponder some stuff

    Hot 20 – Heading to Texas after a week off to ponder some stuff

    A week off with no races to forecast or summarize. Funny, I did not get the shakes or suffer any other negative reactions. That probably is not a good thing for NASCAR.

    The downtime means that some took the time to ponder how NASCAR might be made better, or at least more palatable. Some theorize that a shortened schedule might do the trick. They either have the attention span of a gnat, or they view much of the menu like some of us react to having to fulfill certain expected family obligations. You cannot wait for the damn things to be over.

    However, others believe more short tracks could be the answer. Maybe those folks are on to something. There are just 10 races on six tracks that feature events I really look forward to. While they include Talladega, Daytona, Darlington, Sonoma, and Charlotte, Bristol is always a joy to take in. In fact, I could be convinced to also include the presentations that are offered at Richmond and Martinsville. They usually provide a pleasant way to spend a few hours on the weekend. Good luck expecting the same from me for California, Texas, Michigan, Chicago, and Pocono.

    There are those who figure diversity will do the trick. Frankly, once they get into the car all I care about if that they have talent and the auto is competitive. A black Canadian woman with some aboriginal ancestry would not increase my excitement if the car is a dud or they remind me too much of Joey Logano. If the race bores the hell out of me, including my sister in the mix might help, but not by much. It does not matter who is doing what, but what they are doing and if it entertains me. If it does not, I care not.

    This month, we have Bristol, Richmond and Talladega to soak in. This weekend, we have Texas. There is a lot to love about Texas, but this venue is not one of them. Hopefully, the boys will prove me wrong on Sunday.

    Here are our Hot 20…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS – 212 Pts
    A fourth win in seven tries this season would put ole Happy in very exclusive company.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 249 Pts
    Making Happy unhappy at Texas this year would make Truex…well…happy.

    3. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 210 Pts
    Last month, he went from low on gas to full throttle to pick up a grandfather clock.

    4. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 148 Pts
    If nothing else, his sponsor will make some wonder as to just what exactly AstraZeneca is.

    5. KYLE BUSCH – 257 POINTS
    Has a closet full of bridesmaid dresses, but he wants his own white wedding moment.

    6. RYAN BLANEY – 233 POINTS
    Like Rowdy, still looking for that first win…but sitting damned pretty in points.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 232 POINTS
    My favorite Cup driver named Joey.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 226 POINTS
    My favorite Cup driver named Brad.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 217 POINTS
    He discovered at Martinsville that it appears Harvick does not like having his backside patted.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 195 POINTS
    I love 3-year old Owen’s question to Bowyer, “Good job, Clint. How’s your hangover?”

    11. KURT BUSCH – 177 POINTS
    Last fall set the Texas qualifying record with 200.915 mph. Wants to top it this spring.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 171 POINTS
    If team-mate Bowyer can end his winless streak, surely Aric can end his at 125.

    13. ERIK JONES – 152 POINTS
    I miss Matt Kenseth, but Jones’ performance is making that harder to do.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 145 POINTS
    Replacing the Most Popular Driver to become Hendrick’s best of 2018…thus far.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 139 POINTS
    Isn’t it about time for Menard to snap his 238 race drought?

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 135 POINTS
    Before you criticize Dillon’s lack of performance since Daytona, he still has more points.

    17. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 121 POINTS
    Still cold as ice, and yet he keeps climbing the ladder.

    18. CHASE ELLIOTT – 115 POINTS
    If an Elliott cussed in a forest and no one is around to hear it, do they still make a sound?

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 110 POINTS
    One eighth place finish can make all the difference.

    20. WILLIAM BYRON – 108 POINTS
    A 20-year old dissatisfied to be just among our Hot 20. I wonder how Bubba and Trevor feel?

    21. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 108 POINTS
    Wrecked his primary car at Martinsville and the replacement was a dud.

  • Hot 20 – Few are California Dreamin’

    Hot 20 – Few are California Dreamin’

    Excitement, thy name is sure not Fontana. Not usually. There is a reason the idea to bring the Cup folks out to the Auto Club Speedway was abandoned after just seven seasons. It is bad enough to be a yawner on television, but when that is the perception live and in person, you have got a problem.

    NASCAR has some pretty exciting tracks, with Bristol, Daytona, and Talladega leading the way. The entertainment value alone makes those stand-alone events, whether you know the difference between Kyle Busch and Cole Whitt or not. Others are steeped in history, while this season will provide us with familiar tracks becoming quite unfamiliar.

    Last week was Phoenix, where new grandstands going up will cause a move of the start-finish line in time for November. New grandstands going up, new fans parked in those seats, a finish line right in front of all those newly accommodated peepers. What is now Turn Two becomes the focal point. Just imagine a finish where the track opens up, where even a daredevil can take their shot cutting low below the line in a bid for victory. Even the drivers like the idea.

    Then there is Charlotte. They run the 600 miler on the traditional oval in May, but in September they will add to that oval a detour to include the interior road course. Something different to watch for. Something exciting is what they hope for.

    As for California, it is not always a bore. Usually, but not always. Here is hoping we fans discover the exception on Sunday.

    As for our Hot 20…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS – 1 E.W. – 168 Pts
    If the plan is to have his wins match his age, expect two more sooner than later.

    2. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 114 Pts
    Winning the Daytona 500 was awesome, but did he retire after that?

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 156 POINTS
    If the plan was to watch Harvick’s backside every race, things are working out perfectly.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 156 POINTS
    18th at Daytona, Top Fives ever since.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 152 POINTS
    Not always at the front at the end of the day, but he seems to there at some time during the day.

    6. RYAN BLANEY – 152 POINTS
    Proved that country singer Cole Swindell is a bit of a screamer.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 137 POINTS
    Believes he needs just a little bit of speed to catch Harvick. 30 other guys might say the same.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 134 POINTS
    Won the Xfinity race last weekend. I outran a three-year-old. We are both winners.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 131 POINTS
    Will Chip Ganassi allow his driver to do the Memorial Day double? Most doubt it.

    10. CLINT BOWYER – 125 POINTS
    Clint is second best in the SHR garage…

    11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 123 POINTS
    …but not by much.

    12. KURT BUSCH – 117 POINTS
    Tony’s boys were all in the Top Ten on Sunday.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 101 POINTS
    580 consecutive starts. That ties him for ninth with Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie who?

    14. PAUL MENARD – 97 POINTS
    Some days are not good. Some days can get worse. That was Menard’s Phoenix experience.

    15. ERIK JONES – 93 POINTS
    Cup and MLB are similar in that damn few performers of Jones’ age make it to the Show.

    16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 91 POINTS
    Daytona bad. Atlanta good. Las Vegas bad. Phoenix good. He might want to change the trend.

    17. ALEX BOWMAN – 91 POINTS
    The Arizona native son was 13th last week for his best finish of the season.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 88 POINTS
    Still seeking out his first Top Ten of the year.

    19. DARRELL WALLACE JR. – 77 POINTS
    Claimed more points at Daytona than in his next three events combined.

    20. CHRIS BUESCHER – 75 POINTS
    Phoenix was his worst finish of the year. His time on this chart could soon come to an end.

  • The Final Word – Why I will be watching NASCAR again in 2018

    The Final Word – Why I will be watching NASCAR again in 2018

    NASCAR can really tick me off, and the use of “tick” was not my first choice. Yet, every year I seem to get that itch, one that I had already scratched raw the year before, and every year I return. Why? Well, there seem to be a few things about NASCAR that I really, really like as well.

    Daytona. Talladega. Bristol. Sonoma. Darlington. Charlotte (oval and roval). If I were to reduce my interest in NASCAR to just those tracks that pretty much guarantee me something worth watching, these would be it. Ten events. I do love those races just for the entertainment value alone. Daytona is first, which suckers me in every year.

    Chase Elliott. Erik Jones. William Byron. Kyle Larson. Bubba Wallace. Ryan Blaney. The kids. The next generation of stars. Elliott and Larson have already arrived, while it should be fun watching the others rise in the ranks. Some already have shown star power that might make fans give a damn, while here is hoping the others combine talent and personality to do the same.

    Jimmie Johnson. Martin Truex Jr. Kevin Harvick. Kyle Busch. Jamie McMurray. The old farts. If one figures 42 to be old, which I do not. Johnson is a legend, the others are champions. Okay, maybe not McMurray, but despite just seven wins in 546 races, the guy comes across as a decent fellow, and we can always use more decent fellows in this world.

    NBC. I am shocked, too. I thought I would go with FOX, which is usually the case, but I have long since filled my quota of “boogity-boogity-boogity.” Jeff Gordon is one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers but, while thankfully he is no Rusty Wallace, he becomes just white noise after a while. No, I find myself looking forward to NBC for one reason. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s inclusion would have been far-fetched not so long ago, but have you listened to him? He might not be the most polished speaker ever to grace a microphone, but when he opens his mouth something interesting always seems to come out of it. I want to hear what he has to say in his new role. If he and his former crew chief Steve Letarte can deliver on the chemistry front, all the better.

    How will the reduced pit crews perform this season, and might they affect the outcome of a race? Maybe NASCAR has finally fixed the problem where one can not just catch the leader, but pass him.  Maybe, but probably not. But you can always check out sports betting canada and see the odds.  Maybe some extra fans might start trickling in. That is on NASCAR to produce entertaining events on track and in the announce booth. How have they done recently?

    A new season, new optimism, renewed hope. That is why I continue to watch NASCAR. Now, let the bitching begin.

  • Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Thirty-six races. A few are great venues that produce very entertaining television events. A lot more are not. Some tracks have two events, and you wonder why. Some have two and you wonder…why not three? As our Hot 20 venture to Martinsville on Sunday to open the Round of Eight, would NASCAR be more appealing if we kept 36 races, but ran more of them at tracks people want to see races run? How about nine of them at NASCAR’s three most fan-favored venues?

    If they put me in charge of NASCAR for an hour, this is what next season’s Cup schedule would look like. What do you think?

    Feb. 18 – Daytona
    Feb. 25 – Atlanta
    Mar. 4 – Las Vegas
    Mar. 11 – Phoenix
    Mar. 18 – Fontana
    Mar. 25 – Martinsville
    Apr. 8 – Texas
    Apr. 15 – Bristol
    Apr. 21 – Richmond
    Apr. 29 – Talladega
    May 6 – Watkins Glen (from Dover)
    May 12 – Kansas
    May 27 – Charlotte
    June 3 – Pocono
    June 10 – Bristol (from Michigan)
    June 24 – Sonoma
    July 1 – Chicago
    July 7 – Daytona
    July 14 – Kentucky
    July 22 – New Hampshire
    July 29 – Talladega (from Pocono)
    Aug. 5 – Watkins Glen
    Aug. 12 – Michigan
    Aug. 18 – Bristol
    Sep. 2 – Darlington
    Sep. 9 – Indianapolis
    Sep. 16 – Las Vegas
    Sep. 22 – Daytona (from Richmond)
    Sep. 30 – Charlotte (road course)
    Oct. 7 – Dover
    Oct. 14 – Talladega
    Oct. 21 – Darlington (from Kansas)
    Oct. 28 – Martinsville
    Nov. 4 – Texas
    Nov. 11 – Sonoma (from Phoenix)
    Nov. 18 – Homestead-Miami

    That’s 36 races featuring six on a superspeedway, retaining six on short tracks while expanding to five road courses. Minimal changes, maximum impact. How does it look to you?

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4069 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Not only does he have enough in the bank to have a bad race, but could even take a day off.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4042 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Winning would have been nice, but not being eliminated is even nicer.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4026 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Junior wants teammates and young guns to advance…friends with the wrong team, not so much.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4017 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 606 career starts, he has 303 top 10 finishes. You want to bet against good ole 50-50?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4017 POINTS – 3 Wins
    The drive is alive for his date with eight.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4014 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Virginia is for Lovers…and Virginians. That is the view of this native son of Chesterfield, Va.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 4009 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 68 years, Wood Brothers have not a single driver’s championship. Maybe this is the year.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4006 POINTS
    Might want to think about getting that first win sooner than later.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2236 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Damn engines.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 2184 POINTS
    Damn guys who cannot count.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2138 POINTS
    It was doubtful he was going to win, but after he got all torn up last week all doubt was removed.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 2126 POINTS – 1 Win
    Leaving Hendrick pens and stationary behind him, but will be taking Travis Mack.

    13. KURT BUSCH – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
    After flogging Monster Energy for years, I wonder if he is feeling a bit like Tammy Wynette.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2122 POINTS – 1 Win
    His N.C. team lost 4-2 to the eventual 2002 Little League World Series champions of Louisville.

    15. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2119 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Things got so bad he went from 12th and in the final playoff spot one week, to 15th the next.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2107 POINTS – 1 Win
    His second-place finish at Talladega is sandwiched between two results outside the top 30.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 810 POINTS – 1 Win
    A win a win, but is it really if it is an encumbered one that fails to give you a pass to the Chase?

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 793 POINTS
    His last win came on October 13, 2012, in Charlotte. Even an encumbered one might be nice.

    19. ERIK JONES – 757 POINTS
    One moment his car was facing this a’way, the next it was facing that a’way.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 709 POINTS
    String of six straight among the top 15 came to a crashing conclusion last week.

  • The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    Imagine a race that featured the excitement of Daytona or Bristol. Imagine a race with a broadcast crew that featured the talent of a Chris Economaki, Vin Scully, Danny Gallivan, or a Keith Jackson. Imagine that Yoko Ono co-wrote that song with her husband. That should snap us all back to reality, though that last one is apparently true.

    Kansas was not a venue that promised an event for the ages, but it is where the goal of Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was to win. It is where Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch needed to do well while hoping Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney did not. It is where Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott needed to stay out of trouble, while it was to be just a nice day at the office for Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. We watched to see how this chapter of the story would end. For four, the dream of a championship this season would do just that…come to an end.

    Blowing up does not constitute staying out of trouble. Larson did just that in the opening stage, and despite having a decent points advantage over the “have-nots” coming in, we got introduced to the first guy unofficially eliminated in this race from Chase eligibility. No one had joined him in the garage by the time the opening segment concluded, especially Blaney and Johnson. If they faltered, Larson still had a hope. Unfortunately for himself and Stenhouse, all the others in the top dozen were in the top 10 when they took their break.

    Busch claimed the opening segment, the next was claimed by Hamlin. Still no good news for Larson. As they entered that final stage, Larson was not much of a thought, to be honest. It looked more like Rowdy was in, barring a mishap, while that final spot was going to be determined between Johnson and Kenseth. In the early going, Matt led Jimmie by five points as they ran on the track.

    With more than 90 laps to go, we became pretty sure Stenhouse was toast. A cut tire, a brush against the wall, and a trip to the pits pretty much ensured that his hopes for victory were dashed. Kenseth was riding second, Johnson 10th. It appeared that was the race to watch until we watched Johnson go sliding through the grass. They re-started, and shortly after Johnson went for yet another skid. Now down to 70 to go, that final spot was open to one of three guys. Kenseth had drifted back to 14th, Johnson to 27th, with Larson locked in at 39th. Still too much to ask for, you might think, but if Larson was praying, someone was listening.

    They failed to even get another lap in after the latest re-start when Erik Jones pounded the wall and carnage ensued. McMurray got torn up, so his hopes for victory were over, along with his Chase dreams. However, Kenseth also picked up some hurt. All of a sudden, Larson was back in play. If Johnson finished 23rd or worst, he would be eliminated. Kenseth needed to finish no further back than 17th and within seven points of Johnson, or he was eliminated. Larson had to just sit back and enjoy the show. Maybe further discussion with the good Lord might prove helpful.

    Ask and Larson shall receive, it seemed, as it appears He remained tuned in. On the clock to get repairs done, too many boys climbed over the wall in Kenseth’s pit. That gets you punted to the garage. Any goals regarding the day and the Chase for that driver were not going to be realized.

    With both McMurray and Kenseth done, with Stenhouse having no hope for victory, we had to change our focus, adding Busch to the mix. Two of those three would advance. If Johnson finished 22nd or better and Busch was no worse than 25th, Larson was gone. If they failed to do so, then Johnson needed to sit at least three spots ahead of Busch at the line. When they got things running again, Busch was our leader, Johnson was sitting ninth and 60 laps were left.

    For Larson, the direct line upwards went dead as the rest of this one concluded with minimal drama. Busch was 10th, Johnson 11th, and Larson was eliminated. Oh, Martin Truex Jr. claimed his seventh win of the season. He, along with Harvick, Hamlin, Blaney, and Busch all recorded rather stout performances, with Martinsville beckoning them next Sunday.

    Four races are left, along with eight drivers, to decide the title. If history means anything, both Johnson and Hamlin will do very well this Sunday afternoon in Virginia. Imagine how excited those two boys are.

     

  • Hot 20 – The Yates legacy will come to life under the hood of a third of the Charlotte field

    Hot 20 – The Yates legacy will come to life under the hood of a third of the Charlotte field

    When one of the legends in the sport leaves us, we remember. If a man is known simply by the company he keeps, Robert Yates did very well.

    As a team owner, he was the boss to such NASCAR luminaries as Davey Allison, Larry McReynolds, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, and Ricky Rudd. His boys led him to 57 Cup wins over parts of nearly 20 campaigns. Jarrett and Allison allowed him to celebrate three Daytona 500 wins and a pair of July races. They each brought him a World 600 victory. He was a five-time winning owner at Talladega. Thanks to Jarrett, he got to kiss the bricks twice at Indianapolis. The boys helped him to a pair of Bristol wins. Six Richmond triumphs, two each delivered by Irvan and Jarrett, with Allison and Rudd chipping in the other two. In 1999, Jarrett delivered a Cup championship. Yes, Yates knew talent, and they produced for him.

    Robert Yates also knew engines. Not only was there a Yates engine powering Jarrett, they also sent Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip to the top of the mountain. Yates Engines provided the gusto that provided 77 Cup wins, and continue to do so under the guiding hand of his son, Doug.

    NASCAR owner, engine maker, and Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2018, Robert Yates leaves us at 74 years of age.

    When the engines come to life this Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, a third of the field will have Roush-Yates power plants under the hood.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3059 POINTS – 5 Wins
    Could sit Saturday night and still rank among the top dozen.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 3041 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Elliott did not try to block him or send Kyle into the fence and lost. Chase needs a new plan.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 3034 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Ganassi has won 16 titles – 7 IndyCar crowns, 5 Grand-Am, 4 Champ Car. One appears missing.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3020 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Not sure if he be a Hatfield or McCoy, but Rowdy wants to womp him low and womp him high.

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3017 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Not only is he NASCAR’s most decorated active driver, but also its highest paid. Sorry Junior.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 3015 POINTS – 1 Win
    Wants the future of the sport, Mr. Elliott, to win soon. As for what Mr. Busch thinks…

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 3013 POINTS – 2 Wins
    “NASCAR drivers should be making NBA, NFL money.” I wonder if track owners will pony up?

    8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3010 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Sometimes a gamble earns you seven points and advancement in the Chase.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 3008 POINTS – 1 Win
    Give a kid a checkered flag, and that Kyle Larson cap he was sporting comes right off.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3006 POINTS
    The day he decides to be a selfish jerk on the track is the day he will head to Victory Lane.

    11. MATT KENSETH – 3005 POINTS
    Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the next WWE heavyweight champion.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3003 POINTS
    Ganassi came close in 2005 to a title, but Stirling Marlin broke his leg. This was his replacement.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 2067 POINTS – 1 Win
    No doubt he loves his crew chief, but probably loves Stenhouse’s just a bit more.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2065 POINTS – 1 Win
    Won the last time he was at Charlotte. Another would be a lovely consolation prize.

    15. KASEY KAHNE – 2046 POINTS – 1 Win
    Can he do for Leavine Family Racing what Kurt did for Furniture Row?

    16. KURT BUSCH – 2044 POINTS – 1 Win
    19th was his best first-round finish, and that is just not good enough. It really is not good at all.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 750 POINTS
    Sixth place finish at Dover was good. His crew chief’s $10,000 fine…not so much.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 741 POINTS – 1 Win
    If Kim Jong-un had launched those bad boys on Wednesday, Joey would have been safe.

    19. ERIK JONES – 728 POINTS
    If Hamlin is right, we might need a bottle drive to help top up Erik’s salary for next season.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 653 POINTS
    Suarez could take the next three races off, and still would easily claim a spot in our Hot 20.

  • Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

    Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

    With the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington this weekend, it seems like a good time to talk about tradition. The first one in the books was back in 1950, making it the oldest of the sport’s iconic events. Most of the time, it goes to someone who is in or will be in, the Hall of Fame. That number will only grow once Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson get in, along with a few other contenders I can think of.

    Bill Elliott won it three times. Gordon has six. Next year, the current driver of the No. 24 moves over to take over the No. 9 once driven by his daddy. Chase Elliott has the name and soon will have the number. William Byron takes over the former Gordonmobile.

    Ray Evernham never drove the race, but he was the man on the stand for four of Gordon’s victories. The soon to be Hall of Famer joins fellow inductees Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier and Robert Yates as the event’s Grand Marshals.

    We hear that the No. 5 is about to go into mothballs, considering the No. 24, No. 48, and the No. 88 will soon be joined by the No. 9 in the stable of cars owned by Rick Hendrick. While Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s daddy won the race three times, this is the son’s last shot at claiming his first. An Earnhardt has appeared in Cup action every season since 1975. We might even see a cameo by the legacy of the legend next season, wife permitting. However, even if that was not the case, we could still have nephew Jeffery Earnhardt in the running.

    By the way, the Earnhardt NASCAR legacy at its highest division actually started on November 11, 1956 when Ralph Earnhardt finished second to Speedy Thompson in his Grand National debut at Hickory Speedway. Dale’s dad ran 51 races at the sport’s highest level. In fact, he finished ninth in the 1961 Southern 500.

    Tradition. Thanks to NASCAR’s capitulation to selling out its naming rights to corporate sponsors, we have few iconic stand alone events left. Talladega and Bristol are iconic tracks, but neither has a traditional branded event. If you are selective as to what races you win, there is the winter race in Daytona, the May contest in Charlotte, the summer run at Indianapolis, and Labor Day at Darlington.

    Win this Sunday’s Southern 500, and you will be remembered. Win your first of the season, and you will be rewarded with a place in the Chase.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (951 Pts)
    Tamed the track to tough to tame a year ago, but will she be a lady this year?

    2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (845 Pts)
    Coming off a win and another Top Ten in his last two, I think the lad is doing alright.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (628 Pts)
    This week saw Genevieve’s first day of Grade One. That is a big deal.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS (850 Pts)
    We need some love ‘em or hate ‘em guys out there. He sure in hell is not colorless.

    5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (728 Pts)
    Then, there are some you just hate. I am hoping Momma Kay might disagree.

    6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (528 Pts)
    Life is not always a day at the beach…but sometimes it is.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (824 Pts)
    His idea of a wild card race to determine the last Chase spot is a good one. We call it Richmond.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (753 Pts)
    Intentionally slow leaving pit road and you risk being sent to the back. Problem solved.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (623 Pts)
    One of next season’s sponsors will be Menards. Take that, Paul!

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (586 Pts)
    After a Daytona 500 and a Brickyard 400, another jewel would appear to be in order.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (574 Pts)
    Newman and Dillon will sport autos that will remind us of a certain Wrangler of the 1980s.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Sometimes when Hendrick makes an announcement, it is good news. Sometimes, it is not.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
    When it comes to throwbacks, I still love the black Goodwrench…no offense Wrangler.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 711 POINTS
    Nothing can be finer than driving the number niner.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 703 POINTS
    Two ex-champs, one quality ride left. Does either get the chair when the music stops?

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 700 POINTS
    Seven wins at Charlotte, Daytona, Indianapolis, and Talladega. Why not one at Darlington?

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 642 POINTS
    Would he wreck a rival to make the Chase? Maybe, if he was running second.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 583 POINTS (1 Win)
    Thought he had a plan to get into the Chase, but the President pardoned Sheriff Joe instead.

    19. ERIK JONES – 574 POINTS
    Pocono (eighth), Watkins Glen (10th), Michigan (third), Bristol (second). His stock is rising.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 537 POINTS
    Whatever happens to the guy who fails to tighten a lug nut that costs his crew chief $10,000?

    The rest of the contenders

    21. TREVOR BAYNE – 470 POINTS
    22. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 416 POINTS
    23. PAUL MENARD – 408 POINTS
    24. TY DILLON – 395 POINTS
    25. CHRIS BUESCHER – 387 POINTS
    26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 381 POINTS
    27. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 378 POINTS
    28. DANICA PATRICK – 352 POINTS
    29. DAVID RAGAN – 303 POINTS
    30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 268 POINTS
    31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 264 POINTS
    32. COLE WHITT – 241 POINTS
    33. LANDON CASSILL – 241 POINTS