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  • The Final Word – Kyle Busch sweeps Bristol to claim his 180th NASCAR victory

    The Final Word – Kyle Busch sweeps Bristol to claim his 180th NASCAR victory

    Bristol is where the legends win. Darrell Waltrip won a dozen times there. Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace each had nine. Then there is Kyle Busch, who’s victory on Saturday night pushed him to six, one more than his brother Kurt and David Pearson. Each one in the Hall of Fame, or will be. No exceptions.

    As far as races go, Bristol provided a decent amount of excitement. It was not one for the ages, but few are. Rowdy claimed his 40th career Cup win, to go with his wins in the junior and truck series on the weekend at the same locale. I guess I should be all a quiver that he pushed his career totals to 91 XFINITY and 49 Camping World victories. That is 180 when all three are combined, just 20 short of Richard Petty’s record in Grand National and Cup. Do the records compare? Let the debate begin.

    Erik Jones is 21-years-old, with 15 wins in the two secondary series but still looking for his first Cup victory. His second place finish Saturday night was fine, but he still needs that victory if he is to make the Chase. With the exception of one other car, he earned it. Busch just earned it more.

    At this time of the year, when all but three playoff positions are written in stone, it has come down to winning. No one is going to catch those hanging on to those three spots except by a win. The best Jones could do was move past Joey Logano into 18th on the ladder and that is just not good enough. Unless Logano, Jones, or someone still winless comes through at Darlington or Richmond, our list of contenders for the championship has been set.

    However, Saturday night was a good night for racing, a good points day for some racers. Very good for the younger Busch and Jones, pretty good for Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth. For the latter, he moves three points ahead of Jamie McMurray into 15th, but with Clint Bowyer still 58 points behind him, McMurray has nothing to worry about. Well, unless the wrong guy wins one of these next two races. The gap between McMurray and Chase Elliott sitting in 14th is just 11 points. Should one of those not yet in come up with a win, then things could get pretty darn exciting, but only then.

    Brad Keselowski had a tire go down six laps in, and that was the last we saw of him last Saturday. Austin Dillon broke loose and got into a wreck during the second stage to end his day. Still, each is locked in the Chase, so the impact was minimal.

    Winning the next race, however, can help make a career. Win the Daytona 500, and you become somebody. Just ask Michael Waltrip and Sterling Marlin. Win the World 600, and you have passed the test in the longest race on the schedule. Win the Brickyard 400, and you get to kiss the masonry at the finish line.

    Coming up is the fourth jewel among NASCAR’s iconic events. One you will be remembered for even if it is the only checkered flag you ever get. Darlington and the Southern 500. Kenseth won it in 2013. Regan Smith has just one Cup win, but it was there in 2011. No one else currently not locked into the Chase has claimed the prize. Now would be the time to make a little history in South Carolina.  Action resumes on Sunday, September 3.

  • Hot 20 – Saturday night it is Bristol, baby!

    Hot 20 – Saturday night it is Bristol, baby!

    There are races you mark down, make plans for, but there are few venues that seem to provide the kind of action that transforms those events into stand alone spectacles. Daytona is one. Talladega is another. You might want to add Darlington, for tradition sake, and Sonoma to the mix. Charlotte hosts the longest and next year they break out the road course for its second date. Then there are the two in Bristol, Tennessee.

    While we continue to yearn for announcers who captivate us with their voices, delivery, dialogue, banter, information, or entertainment value, it does not matter this Saturday night. This time, the track will take care of all that itself. No one is going to run away from the pack. Lapped cars will matter if only for being in the way. Fenders are going to be dented, drivers are going to get hot, and fans are going to find their time well spent. That is not always the case in NASCAR. It is damn near becoming the exception to the rule, but Saturday night they are in Bristol.

    I am not sure if we will have another offering from a shrill voiced fellow with a distinctive accent, but if your head announcer does not sound something like Ken Squier, Chris Economaki, or at the very least Mike Joy, do not hire them. If your booth announcers do not have the bantering chemistry of Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach, you have failed. If the race sucks, at least your announcers can not. The name of the game is to keep us watching. Thankfully, this is Bristol, so that does not matter as much this week.

    It will be interesting to see how many of its 162,000 seats will be filled in Thunder Valley’s stadium like layout. If they fail to turn out to watch the action on the 0.533 mile track, if they are not crowded on the couch to take it all in at home, do not expect things to get any better when they get to Chicago, Dover, or Kansas. In future, a general rule of thumb would be if a race track is not designed to be the next Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Sonoma, or even a Martinsville, do not build it.

    If I did not follow the sport, if I did not know what each race means to each driver, if I had no idea what the Chase was or what the points meant, if I did not know the difference between an Earnhardt and an Erlich Bachman, I probably would watch only a dozen events each season for their stand alone entertainment value.

    The race Saturday night at Bristol would be one of them.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (933 Pts)
    If you want to win, you got to beat him…team mate or not…

    2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (804 Pts)
    …just like Larson did last Sunday.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (592 Pts)
    Won at Bristol in the spring. Why not on a summer night?

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
    If Johnson does not win, another two-time Bristol winner would not mind wearing the suds.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (505 Pts)
    Better half could be without a ride at SHR next year. I didn’t even know he and Kurt were dating.

    6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (797 Pts)
    They may be from Las Vegas, but Bristol is Busch country.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (787 Pts)
    Harvick is a champion, yet less popular than Junior or Danica. Maybe more so after last week.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (710 Pts)
    It is a girl!

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (592 Pts)
    Maybe Blaney can be the next Junior. You know, someone Harvick can harp on.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (554 Pts)
    Going into his 600th career race, the brothers have each claimed five at Thunder Valley.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (536 Pts)
    The invisible man was fourth last week while averaging 15.9 over the season.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (438 Pts)
    After wrecking with Suarez on Sunday, I bet he wished he was still with the good hands people.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (436 Pts)
    Top Ten last week was his first since he won at Charlotte in late May.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 685 POINTS
    Probably a near lock for the Chase, but that first career win sure would be nice.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 675 POINTS
    Could be 40 points higher if not for wrecking at Martinsville and Pocono.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 654 POINTS
    Odds of 4x Bristol winner making the Chase are better than driving a competitive car next year.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 623 POINTS
    Pit penalties and a flat tire ruined his plans last week, and did him no favors hunting down Matt.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 556 POINTS (1 Win)
    Might feel the worst, but if he came first it would turn his frown upside down.

    19. ERIK JONES – 524 POINTS
    Has a string of three Top Tens. Now he needs a Top One.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 515 POINTS
    Actually 17th in points, but race winners Stenhouse, Kahne, and Dillon now sit ahead of him.

  • The Final Word – Michigan’s highlights consisted of one big wreck and one spectacular re-start

    The Final Word – Michigan’s highlights consisted of one big wreck and one spectacular re-start

    Michigan, where winning was everything. Okay, points might have mattered for the likes of Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, and Clint Bowyer, but for everyone else winning was the goal.

    Michigan, where once again an Aussie did the play-by-play, but to be frank, Leigh Duffy’s accent is not a problem for me. I regularly watch the action from the Australian Football League, and it is totally a non-issue. An announcer has to inform, entertain, and it is helpful if they have one of those voices, one of those deliveries that allows you to just wrap yourself in like a warm blanket. That is how you keep fans watching and tuning in. NBC has not yet learned that, I am sad to say, but maybe the action on the track might overcome the deficiencies.

    Not in the opening segment. They went fast, but they were strung out around the oval. A third of the field was lapped, and the dominating car, driven by Brad Keselowski, already has its wins. It was warm up where I live, but I decided to forgo the frosty beer for the moment. At least that gave me something to possibly look forward to.

    Martin Truex Jr. is looking forward to the Chase, and he added to his playoff point total with yet another segment win in Stage two. Keselowski and Kevin Harvick were right behind him, but a couple of the others in the top 10 at this point made things interesting. Erik Jones had done well cruising in the top five, while Daniel Suarez was strong throughout the segment. Neither could make the Chase on points, but could they, would they win their way in? I guess that is why we watched the final run. Still, no beer for me. I am a patient, patient man with an iron will.

    Kasey Kahne was not, as shortly after they resumed he popped in front of Suarez a fraction too early and got tossed to the scrap heap. Kahne is in the Chase, but out of that ride for next season. It did the Mexican driver no favors either, as his hopes for victory Sunday came to an end. At least we still had Jones.

    A win would have worked for Bowyer. However, twice being caught speeding in the pits would not. Neither would a tire rub with 50 laps to go that turned into a flat. No win, and a squandered opportunity to make up some points was to be the fate for the man from Emporia, Kansas.

    Joey Logano has a win, but it means nothing toward the Chase. His hopes for another went flat when his tire did the same with 15 laps to go. That brought out a caution, and that increased our interest. With nine to go at the re-start, four time winner Truex was running point, with Jones, Kenseth, and Elliott right behind him. Ken Squier and Chris Economaki could not have set things up any better for what we hoped would be an exciting finish with a lot on the line.

    Truex took off with Jones, his Furniture Row teammate, behind him. They were all that mattered, though you could not tell from the NBC coverage as they focused on battles that in the long run were rather meaningless. It was sliding into ho-hum territory, I began to yearn for that long put off beer, but then a wreck with five to go allowed them to re-set.

    Going into over-time, once again it was Truex, Jones, Kenseth, with Kyle Larson now fourth ahead of Elliott. Was it going to be exciting? Damn right, but that was thanks to Larson bursting between those Furniture Row boys as things turned green and away he went. It was his third win of the season and his third straight at Michigan.

    So, did the standings change much? Nope. Kenseth finished 24th, but Bowyer dropped a further three points behind him for 16th place on the ladder. The gap is now 31 points, with McMurray 52 points over the horizon and Elliott now 62 on the other side of the crest. It was a good day for Larson, Truex, Jones and, thanks to bonus points, Harvick. It was a bit of a bummer for Kahne and Suarez.

    Next up is a Saturday night at Bristol, an event good enough it attracts fans just because it is what it is. Kenseth, Logano, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are previous winners who desperately need to re-live some of those good old times. Get your friends together for the race next weekend. Tell ‘em that Bristol represents the kind of action NASCAR presents every week. Hey, sometimes friends lie to friends over a cold beer. Which reminds me…

     

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • Hot 20 – As Richmond arrives, Earnhardt announces his departure

    Hot 20 – As Richmond arrives, Earnhardt announces his departure

    One day they are going to make that movie. It will feature a young Dale Earnhardt Jr. growing up in the shadow of his legendary father. We will see his daddy’s pride as his namesake begins his racing career. That first Tier II win at Texas in 1998. The two Tier II titles that came that year, and the next.

    Two years later, Senior saw Junior take his first Cup victory on that same Texas track. Junior won, ole Dale was seventh in the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. Four races later, at Richmond, Junior won his second. Dad was 10th. The Legend and his Legacy.

    Then came the improbable story line. Dale Earnhardt would leave us on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001. It was a race won by Michael Waltrip, a winless veteran driver who the Terminator put in the seat of a Dale Earnhardt Inc. car. His son finished second. On a day that should have been devoted to celebration, the Man in Black was gone.

    No one would dare write a script like this one. A week later, another of his drivers, Steve Park, would win at Rockingham. His friend and rival, Jeff Gordon, claimed Las Vegas. His race team, now led by a 25-year old Kevin Harvick, returned to Victory Lane for Richard Childress in the next race at Atlanta. What could top this emotional ride? When they returned to Daytona in July, it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning, with Waltrip in second, and we rejoiced as they celebrated atop their cars in the infield as the crowd roared in approval.

    Junior would win at Dover later in the year, and in October he was victorious at Talladega, the scene of his father’s final victory just the year before. Senior won 10 times at that track, and the 2001 win for his son was the start of four consecutive conquests on the same superspeedway. The movie will take us to the twin Talladega triumphs of 2002, to Talladega and Phoenix the next season, and then to 2004. The Daytona 500, Atlanta, Richmond, Bristol, Talladega, and Phoenix.

    Then came the lean years. The break from his late father’s team. The man who lost a legendary father joined a man who lost a cherished son. The main story went behind the scenes, as the successes on the track became few and far in between. Just four wins over nine seasons. However, there was one more act in the play, a resurgence before the final curtain would drop.

    Four more wins in 2014, including his second Daytona 500. Three in 2015, including his sixth at Talladega, one more summertime victory to give him four at Daytona, and his third career decision at Phoenix. Before the credits roll, the movie will see the on-track heartbreak of 2016, the loss of half a season. Yet, while he wondered about his future out on the track, there was true joy as the year ended with his new bride Amy by his side. A new chapter was about to begin as the movie comes to a close.

    Peter Jackson, if you are not too busy, this is a movie I would really love to see.

    Here are our Hot 20 heading to Richmond this Sunday.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 277 PTS
    Leads the pack, but his day at Bristol was one for the dumper. On to Richmond!

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 244 PTS
    With his 6.72 races per win ratio, his next victory should come by the time they leave Michigan.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 360 PTS
    Great acceleration out of the pits on Monday. Just too great, as it turned out.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 323 PTS
    Had a rare good day at Bristol and now hopes for a rare good day at Richmond.

    5. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 186 PTS
    One win means the difference between fifth and 14th. I hope Junior is listening.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 163 PTS
    Went three laps down and still had a better day than his brother.

    7. CHASE ELLIOTT – 333 PTS
    He was not a factor last week, so explain to me that Top Ten result.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 291 PTS
    Not a fan of the driver, but Cameron Curtis reminds us we all should be a fan of the man.

    9. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 244 PTS
    Granted, we are just eight races in, but 2017 has been a very sweet year for the 40-year old.

    10. KEVIN HARVICK – 239 PTS
    Before you panic, he has 24 wins over the past seven seasons, and a winless streak of just 13.

    11. CLINT BOWYER – 239 PTS
    From second tier a year ago to second place this past week to a place he’s won at twice before.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 228 PTS
    No power steering, no quick fix, no points to speak of, but just check out those biceps.

    13. KYLE BUSCH – 214 PTS
    When the wheels on the car don’t keep round and round, one’s day can go to crap in a hurry.

    14. TREVOR BAYNE – 192 PTS
    Best performer for Jack Roush since Carl Edwards left to join Joe Gibbs.

    15. ERIK JONES – 192 PTS
    The 20-year-old has one Top Ten as he enters his 12th career Cup race.

    16. DENNY HAMLIN – 184 PTS
    Tenth on Monday and now heads to a track where he has won three, including the one last fall.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 168 PTS
    Three Top Tens over the past five contests but just one in eight tries at Richmond.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 164 PTS
    Does Junior’s announcement ease the pressure on him or is the clock still ticking?

    19. ARIC ALMIROLA – 161 PTS
    You could say that Bristol (tire) rubbed him the wrong way.

    20. MATT KENSETH – 159 PTS
    It does not matter where you run all day, as long as you are in the picture at the end.

  • The Final Word – Bristol was the best of times and the worst of times

    The Final Word – Bristol was the best of times and the worst of times

    If rainy days and Mondays really get you down, your Bristol Cup experience must have truly sucked. Sunday was a dandy day to load up the critters two by two, pushing the event to everyone’s favorite day of the week. Then it turned into a tale of many chapters.

    Chapter one was the story of the dominance of Kyle Larson. Being the friendly sort, he turned the pages over to be dedicated to the Martin Truex Jr. story. After that, the final half of the parchment was all about Joey Logano, at least until Jimmie Johnson decided to jump from support to main character. Now, you cannot have a good story without a few surprises. Larson left his number one pit box to jump straight ahead and surprise, he got tagged for speeding. That left him in 20th, hoping to fly through the field in order to reach the likes of Johnson, Truex, and Logano as the final 100 laps ticked down.

    Then with 33 to go, Truex received his own citation. He was now 15 away, with the other aforementioned boys all near the front, but not at the front. Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin took the point to really mess up the narrative as they went green.

    In the end, Johnson prevailed for his 82nd career victory, giving him a win every 6.72 attempts since October 7, 2001, when his adventure began. It also was his second win in as many races. The rest of our main cast finished in the Top Ten, but only Logano achieved a Top Five. That is because Clint Bowyer, Harvick, and Matt Kenseth took the positions right behind the race winner.

    Now, we did notice Bowyer fighting for position outside the Top Ten much of the day. There is no Rosie Ruiz reference applicable to him. In fact, he came back from an early speeding penalty to make his claim. Harvick made some noise in the second segment and was up there when it counted late. As for Kenseth, we did not even know he was out there until near the end, but he was there taking his bows after they dropped the final curtain. With that, he replaces Dale Earnhardt Jr. among our Top 20 in the standings.

    Junior had some issues develop during the second segment that caused him to pound the wall to end his day. One point for his troubles. Kyle Busch had a tire go down during the same segment, then blew it again to find the wall. Two points. Brad Keselowski struggled much of the day, had to go in to fix a host of mechanical issues that developed. Three points. Ryan Blaney lost his power steering early and needed to take the time to fix that issue. Four points.

    It comparison, it was a 54 point day for Johnson, while Truex, Logano, Larson, and Harvick crested 40 in the tally. Sometimes, rainy days and Mondays just work out for you. Heading to Richmond next Sunday, or whenever the weather decides it shall run, Hamlin is the last man to win there. The winner last spring was some guy named Carl Edwards. I hoped he enjoyed Monday’s contest from his couch. I know I did.

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is an all-star venue though Charlotte remains host of the all-star race

    Hot 20 – Bristol is an all-star venue though Charlotte remains host of the all-star race

    Ever since 1987, Charlotte has hosted the all-star race. Some, including Kevin Harvick, figure it should be rotated to other venues like those other sports do. I would agree, only if I had a veto as to what tracks it went to. Even then, I am not sure I would ever agree to the change.

    Do not get me wrong. I do not believe Charlotte always produces the greatest events, but it has three things in its favor. First, it is the home for most of the teams. I like that ole home kind of vibe that comes from having the event just down the road a piece from where they all live. Second, Charlotte has been the home to the longest, most demanding race of the year since 1960. That gives it status and tradition. Third, the all-star race is run just the week before the greatest weekend in auto sports. After the all-stars hit the track, the next weekend we have the Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the World 600 keeping us recording and watching races all through the day. The all-star race at Charlotte is a nice appetizer before we enjoy the main course.

    Now, if the alternative to Charlotte was Daytona, Talladega, Sonoma, or Watkins Glen, then maybe. If it was Bristol, I would be tempted. Why? How about watching the action this weekend and you can tell me as to why that might make a good choice. If it keeps your butt glued to the seat, be it trackside or on your couch, that is always a good thing.

    The all-star race is a month away. Bristol features our Hot 20, and the not so hot 19, this Saturday afternoon.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 274 PTS
    Even if they fail to win their appeal, he will still sit among the top two come Monday.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 315 PTS
    Along with Brad and that other Kyle, favored to take the checkers this weekend.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 1 WIN – 275 PTS
    Fall 2011, second. Spring 2012, third. The other 20 at Bristol, outside the Top Ten.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 190 PTS
    So ends his horrific six-race winless streak. Oh, the humanity. Good Lord.

    5. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 163 PTS
    Since he won, where has he gone?

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 151 PTS
    A theory is that Kurt and Ryan have been hanging out playing Pinochle on race day ever since.

    7. CHASE ELLIOTT – 298 PTS
    Before Junior, the most popular driver was an Elliott. After Junior, it might be again.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 243 PTS
    On his Verizon commercial, he says “We don’t need more Joeys.” I am biting my tongue.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 224 PTS
    Along with Larson, Elliott, and Jones, the next generation has arrived and they are damned good.

    10. KYLE BUSCH – 211 PTS
    Prior to 2012, was 5-for-14 at Bristol. Since they shaved the upper banking, he has been 0-for-9.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 209 PTS
    Arguably having his best season, including the Daytona, Indianapolis, Charlotte trifecta of 2010.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 204 PTS
    Some drivers wear heart monitors, and some others are named Clint.

    13. KEVIN HARVICK – 198 PTS
    Obviously, does not like staying at home in mid-May.

    14. TREVOR BAYNE – 164 PTS
    Tennessee Trevor is intending to make Bristol Bayne country.

    15. ERIK JONES – 159 PTS
    The last first-year driver to win the title was…Red Byron…in 1949…in the division’s first year.

    16. DENNY HAMLIN – 151 PTS
    Springtime at Bristol over the past seven years has meant 19th or worse…except for 2014.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 147 PTS
    With Bush Beans the pole sponsor, might one take it without even having to sit in a car?

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 146 PTS
    He loves Bristol…but will the feeling be mutual?

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 139 PTS
    A pair of Xfinity titles and he is a former American Ninja Warrior. Okay, he also knows Danica.

    20. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 133 PTS
    What? You were expecting Jeffrey?

  • The Final Word – Texas proves Johnson not done yet…as if any sane person believed he was

    The Final Word – Texas proves Johnson not done yet…as if any sane person believed he was

    Enough with the contrived fake news. No, I am not talking about folks who think their candidate was robbed for being of a certain gender, or obviously the victim of the actions of a foreign power, or that they lost to someone who just has to be Darth Vader incarnate. Hell, I’m not even referring to those who deliver you all the news and nothing but the news, unless the facts are contradictory to the narrative they want to present. Nope. None of that.

    Fake news is presented by those wasting our time wringing their hands over whether someone in the Top Sixteen in points is actually going through some sort of career meltdown. A story about nothing. A story about someone who has not won a championship since way back in November. Someone without a single win since November 20th when he locked up that seventh title. Someone barren of triumphs for six entire races. Good bloody grief.

    So, if for no other reason than to shut up the twits, those scribes with the attention span of gnats, those with nothing better to do than spout about nothing, Jimmie Johnson won a race. It was the 81st of his career, one that extended his win streak to at least one a season since 2002. Maybe we should be worried. He has only won once. In the past, the lowest he ever claimed in a single year was two, and that happened once, in 2011. I should be quiet. I do not want to give some moron a fake news idea to run with.

    Johnson was not terribly visible in the opening stage in Texas. Due to changing some flat spotted tires after practice, he started from the rear. They worked on a way to claim second in the second stage and succeeded. Then his beast came alive and was relevant for much of the final run, beating out a hard charging Kyle Larson for the victory. Who else would be the runner-up? Over the past six events, Larson won at Fontana and claimed second in four others. Maybe we need a story to discuss his rapidly expanding two-race slump.

    Ryan Blaney won the opening two stages but was 12th in the end. No win, but like Johnson and Larson, was among six drivers who collected 40 or more points on the day. Jamie McMurray was in a Top Five ride through the opening two segments, and a Top Ten at the end. Kevin Harvick and Brad Keselowski both were near the front for most of Sunday, as well. They had good days.

    Austin Dillon did not. A part of the rear suspension not known to let go did before they even waved the green flag. While the others went down the track, he went directly to the garage. A 33rd place finish was his fate. You could say that, through no fault of his own, at Texas, the cowboy was all hat, no cattle.

    If 40 points mean one did well, a dozen or less equates into 25th place and beyond, probably indicating a day somewhat less than stellar. Hello, Denny Hamlin and Ryan Newman. What they had just was not enough. Nowhere close.

    Before the Pulitzer-winning wannabe’s shift their focus from Johnson to Dale Earnhardt Jr., his fifth place finish moves him finally into the Top Twenty in the standings. Dillon drops out. Danica Patrick, she who I believe is among our most relevant 27, is sitting 29th in the standings. Chris Buescher and Michael McDowell seem to be presenting the argument that there are actually 29 relevant rides, based on a combination of talent, equipment, and marketing. Some might argue that the number should actually be reduced to 26.

    Maybe those who have been left in a panic with the loss of the bogus “Jimmie Johnson has gone to hell” storyline might want to focus their attention on discussing that one, instead. Just a thought as the rest of us shifts our attention to the week off before action resumes in Bristol. Bristol, where excitement is all but guaranteed. No false news regarding that statement. Anyone disagree?

  • The Final Word – Who in their right mind would enter a brand new machine at Martinsville?

    The Final Word – Who in their right mind would enter a brand new machine at Martinsville?

    Back in 1949, Martinsville was a dirt track. Fifteen cars started the 100 lap event in the opening year of what was to become the Cup series. Red Byron won it in a 1949 Oldsmobile. A brand new car. In those days, there was little modifications done in the strictly stock division. Now tell me, after seeing what became of the car of Daniel Suarez, who in their right mind would put a brand new strictly stock car in a race at Martinsville?

    Kind of makes you wonder why you would put a brand new strictly “stock” car in a 500-lap contest on what is now a paved track in 2017? At least the boys back at the shop are guaranteed work. This time out it was a Ford driven by Brad Keselowski who came up with a victory and a grandfather clock. It was his second win of the season and a 55-point bonanza for the driver who was in the Top Five in each of the first two stages before pulling away for all the marbles.

    Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott also picked up at least 50 points on the day, finishing second and third. Both contenders were strong throughout but just did not have enough to challenge over the final few laps. While remaining winless, the pair is solidly among the best of the rest, along with Joey Logano.

    Logano had an interesting day. He got tagged for his crew leaping over the pit wall too early in the first stage. In the second stage, he had to pit under green when he cut a tire. On a short track usually not that forgiving, he still brought his car home in fourth.

    Jamie McMurray had a nice running car. A top-10 car at least. He tried to extend the life of a tire that had already shuffled off this mortal coil just prior to the end of the first stage. The track said no, and after pounding the wall, his day was done after 105 laps, finishing last and earning one lousy point.

    Same fate for Kurt Busch. At least he was still out there, extending a less than promising day until he got caught up in a little mishap. Just a handful of laps later, cutting a tire and finding the wall himself on lap 295 allowed him to go visit McMurray in the garage.

    Do not speed in the pits. Just a little advice to keep one ahead of the mess, but it comes too late for Dale Earnhardt Jr. After being sent to the rear of the field, a seven car jam up on turn three pushed in his Chevy McChevy face and punctured his radiator. There was no fixing that on pit road, so he joined Jamie and Kurt at the hot dog stand. At least he earned eight big points, but still no Top Tens and remains buried in 25th place in the standings, 40 points out of a playoff spot.

    Suarez saw his jalopy reduced to modified hot rod proportions, and Denny Hamlin hit Danica Patrick in the mess that collected Junior while putting his car face first where it should not go. After that, it did not go anywhere. Both drivers finished 30th and beyond.

    Chris Buescher, who is not among our “27 relevant drivers” was on Sunday. An 11th place run was just fine for the No. 37 Bush’s Beans boys. Though he remains a couple of spots behind Junior in the rankings, he is tied with Patrick for 27th place overall. That almost makes the lad relevant. If you remember, the 24-year-old was not exactly high on our list last season, yet he made the Chase by winning at Pocono in August. We might have to keep an eye on this gent in Texas and beyond.

    Thirty-eight cars were entered at Martinsville. Forty-three once was the maximum, but that was reduced to 40 for last season. They had a full field at Daytona, just 39 in each of the four races after that, and now 38 last Sunday. The last time they had such a short field was 1996, with entry lists of 37 at one race at Bristol as well as both races at North Wilkesboro. Just 36 ran each of two runs that season at Martinsville.

    It would seem fewer folks are willing to put their brand new strictly “stock” machines on that track, or any track, these days.

  • Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    On Sunday, we will have one of those races, on one of those tracks, that provides must-see action. While we have no announcers covering NASCAR today who you might tune in just to hear their description of the action, to hear them enhance the excitement, even those we got can not detract from the spectacle we shall witness on Sunday.

    Only former champions Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick come to Talladega feeling rather relaxed. Both have already advanced to the next round of the Chase, while Chase Elliott needs a win himself on Sunday to move forward. As for the nine others still in the mix, they need to either do well or avoid a disaster, and Talladega tends to foster concern for the latter. Good for the fans, but real worrisome for the competitors.

    NASCAR should be worried. My SpeedwayMedia.com colleague John Harlow made some interesting points in his recent column. He reminded us that NASCAR is still without a title sponsor for the Cup series next season, with Sprint hanging up the phone. They were hoping someone would bite for 10-years and a cool billion dollars. I once hoped Santa was real. Life can be so disappointing. John mentioned how the old guard of team owners is, well, getting old. It happens, but usually, new blood is seen rising up through the mist. Does anyone see the next Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush, or Richard Petty on the horizon? Me neither.

    When NASCAR decided to go Hollywood, to add some glitz and glamour, they did it at the expense of their blue collar, regular folk supporters. It would appear selling one’s soul for a big dollar while parking common sense is not a blueprint to long-term success. Maybe there is a glimmer of hope we might see some of the latter. There could be an announcement soon regarding the restriction of how many junior and truck circuit races Cup guys might be allowed to run. It is about damn time. It has been bad enough in the past, where elite drivers have been taking wins and attention away from the regulars racing off-Broadway. It is worse now that those wins and attention are coming in the midst of the Chase, which has been instituted for the first time in those divisions. A little common sense in dealing with the issue would be like a breath of fresh air. For some reason, I am not yet holding my breath waiting for it to actually happen.

    I am looking forward to Sunday. There are few races I really get excited about. There are the two at Talladega, the pair at Daytona, the two at Bristol, the Southern 500, the Brickyard 400, the World 600, the season conclusion at Homestead, and the two road courses. Those are races that promise to provide either magnificent action or at least they continue building on the sport’s rich heritage. Talladega, for me at least, provides both.

    Talladega can be a minefield. We watch to see who among our Hot 20 can navigate through its perils and emerge relatively unscathed on the other side.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (3082 Pts)
    Have a fun day at Talladega…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – SEGMENT WIN (3048 Pts)
    …then back to work in Martinsville.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 3074 PTS
    A 29 point pad would usually relax a guy…but not here.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3072 PTS
    Rarely a bride on the restrictor plate speedways, but usually in the wedding party.

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 3069 PTS
    23rd or better, and he is locked in. Now, if he can avoid an early “Big One” all could be good.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3062 PTS
    Race plans come down to one thing, and that is to not “run into anything too hard.”

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3058 PTS
    A gent with a small bladder has to go pee, the same problem with his car could leave him dry.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Austin, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Joey, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 3039 PTS
    Poor ole Brad wiggled in front of him, and then he wasn’t there anymore.

    11. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3038 PTS
    Just what in hell do they make the grass out of in Kansas City?

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3020 PTS
    Time to get his Ricky Bobby on.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2131 PTS
    It will be his 35th and final Talladega appearance.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2120 PTS
    Finished fifth in Kansas XFINITY race…with Logano fourth…and Kyle Busch the winner. I am so proud.

    15. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2090 PTS
    Just last year he was rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, at Talladega he got goin’.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2088 PTS
    Trails Larson in the battle for Ganassi bragging rights…which is all they have left.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 797 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Elliott this week. Watching Talladega Nights for ideas.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 767 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Dillon this week. Watching Death Race for ideas.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 686 PTS
    Staying the hell out of the way of both Kahne and Newman.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 682 PTS
    Ricky and Trevor are both within seven points, just in case you were interested.