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Tag: Cale Yarborough

  • 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.

  • The Final Word – Dover, where yellow became my favorite color

    The Final Word – Dover, where yellow became my favorite color

    When it comes to extraordinary television, sit on the edge of your seat excitement, Dover under green will not exactly get your heart racing. In fact, Sunday’s race was more of a cautionary tale. When the yellow waved, the interest spiked.

    They waved the flag to start the race. I dozed. There was a caution, but it was for one of the exhaust eaters. No big deal. Then they dropped the jack on leader Kyle Busch in the pits, nearly spun the fingers off tire man Kenny Barber, and then the tire rolled off as Busch pulled out. That got my attention. I bet it got the attention of the entire crew. It sure got the attention of NASCAR. It seems Barber, tire changer Jake Seminara, and crew chief Adam Stevens could all face a major penalty. That could cost them each up to four races. We shall see. However, instead of trying to jump the gun by putting on fewer lugs nuts, the air gun was actually pulling them off instead of spinning them on. Be it a malfunction or a miscue, it was rather memorable.

    Then, back to my nap. For a couple of laps. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not take tires under the caution, but caused the next. The lights went on, I woke up, and Stenhouse had some mangled rubber. That contact with the wall did not help either.

    I was about to head off to dream land when Stenhouse hit the wall again. He was finally done. Still, no nap for me, as on the re-start, Kurt Busch broke loose and drove Brad Keselowski into the fence. Bad Brad was toast. Busch lingered, but the damage he sustained finally got to his tire, which got him into the wall, and finally in to the garage to stay. There were still three-quarters of the race left to run and three bound for the Chase were already gone for the day.

    They pitted, when Clint Bowyer’s crew noticed a mechanical issue. Fluids were flowing out where they should not be flowing. To the garage for repairs. By the time he returned, 18 laps had gone by.

    I was able to get in some serious “zzzz” time for the next hundred laps. That was interrupted by another caution. It would seem Joey Logano met the outside barrier, and the repair time cost him four circuits.

    More than a hundred laps of round and round later, the alarm went off again. Regan Smith, sitting in for the mending Aric Almirola, had his right front surrender. Another caution, another tire, another fence, another retirement.

    As the final laps clicked off, it was Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, and Martin Truex Jr., the contenders. One more caution, and we were off to overtime. Six additional laps under green, we thought. It actually ended under caution.

    Johnson moved to the lead with a better re-start and had gone by the overtime line when all hell broke loose behind them on the front stretch. Ty Dillon wiggled and got punted into the safer wafers, while Trevor Bayne and Kasey Kahne not only rhymed but also were among those who failed to make the line. Under caution, Johnson, Larson, and Truex did, in that order.

    It marked the 83rd career win for Johnson, tying him for sixth all-time with Cale Yarborough. It gave him his 11th career Dover win in 31 attempts, and third victory of the season. As far as the standings go, the only real change of note was Matt Kenseth out performing Ryan Blaney, 13th compared to 32nd, and moving seven points up in the battle for the final Chase place.

    With Pocono coming up next week, here is a final cautionary tale. If you are not in the Top 17 heading to Pennsylvania on Sunday, you are not going to make the Chase on points. With the rest 40 or more points out, their best hopes lie in winning one of the next 13 events. The way things have played out so far, with nine winners to date, even a single victory might not be enough.

    This might be a good time for recent past Pocono winners Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth, and Chris Buescher to catch lightning in a bottle one more time. Either Sunday, or the return date in August will do. Maybe.

  • Darlington Honors Five-Time Southern 500 Winner Cale Yarborough

    Darlington Honors Five-Time Southern 500 Winner Cale Yarborough

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — Darlington Raceway paid tribute to the Timmonsville, South Carolina native, Cale Yarborough, Saturday morning in a special ceremony at the track. In his honor, the Darlington Raceway Sprint Cup Garage was renamed the Cale Yarborough Garage.

    New track president Kerry Tharp presided over the event, saying, “The gentleman (Cale Yarborough) to my right is an icon in our sport.” He went on to cite some of the 2012 NASCAR Hall of Famer’s accomplishments.

    “He won three straight NASCAR premier SERIES championships, from ’76-’78. He won four Daytona 500s. He posted 83 career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victories and 69 poles.” Tharp then concluded by saying, “Ladies and gentlemen it gives me great honor, privilege, to dedicate the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage here at Darlington Raceway, (which) will be forever known as the Cale Yarborough Garage.”

    Yarborough was all smiles as he talked about his memories of Darlington Raceway.

    Cale Yarborough at Darlington Raceway Photo Credit: Tucker White
    Cale Yarborough at Darlington Raceway Photo Credit: Tucker White

    “It means an awful lot to me, he said. “ As you say I was born and raised just across a few swamps from here and Darlington Raceway has always been my favorite racetrack in the world. And to have this honor is just great. It’s something that I will always remember and I still get goosebumps when I come round this place.  I wouldn’t take nothing for winning the 1968 Southern 500, the last race run on the original Darlington racetrack. It’s been a great place for me and I thank you for the honor.”

    Yarborough also spoke about his first trip to the track.

    “I came over here in 1951, I believe, with some friends of mine from school, and I didn’t have enough money to buy a ticket to get in so I walked around the race track and  found a place in the fence that was high enough I thought I could slip under it and that’s what I did.”

    “I slipped under the fence and,” he continued, “I knew that day that this is what I wanted to do and what I wanted to be.”

    “But since that day I slipped under the fence, I have been on top of the fence, I’ve been over the fence,” he added, alluding to the complexity of the track that is aptly named “Too Tough to Tame.

    Yarborough will lead the field to green Sunday evening for the Bojangles’ Southern 500 as the honorary pace car driver. The race will be broadcast on NBC at 6 p.m. ET.

     

     

     

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is a track for legends, but no Junior to be seen as Buescher gets Ford support

    Hot 20 – Michigan is a track for legends, but no Junior to be seen as Buescher gets Ford support

    Michigan. A big track, a fast track. Sadly, not exactly a legacy event, like winning at Daytona or Bristol or Talladega or Indianapolis or Darlington or either road course.

    What it is, is a track where legends have celebrated since 1969. In fact, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Bill Elliott, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Richard Petty, Dale Jarrett, and Bobby Allison have combined for 46 victories there. That is a lot of suds for a lot of Hall of Famers.

    Greg Biffle is the only four-time winner not in yet. In fact, he needs to make it five just to make the Chase this year. Same goes for teammates Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The only driver at the big boy table sitting in a Chase place at present is Chris Buescher. He and crew chief Bob Osborne now attend the Jack Roush organizational meetings as Ford desires to have one of their boys succeed. Instead of leasing older engines and used bodies, the manufacturer wants to see Bob Jenkins compete in the best Roush has to offer. He might be a step-son, but right now he is Ford’s favorite son.

    Being a France has meant running the show, not being the show. At least, until last week at Bristol when Ben Kennedy won the Wednesday night truck event. The 24-year old is the son of Lesa France Kennedy, the daughter of Bill France Jr.

    Being Dale Earnhardt Jr. has delivered some terrific highs and tragic lows. His 2016 Chase hopes are down to winning at Richmond, but maybe his best health hopes are to take it easy until he is truly good to go. Alex Bowman returns to the seat of the “88″ this weekend, with Jeff Gordon expected to be back for Darlington.

    Kurt Busch ran the opening 6273 laps of the 2016 season, a streak that came to an end 372 laps into Sunday’s Bristol affair. While vying for the lead he came into contact with Brad Keselowski, to ruin the day for them both. If one has to go out, might as well do it with all guns blazing. It beats fading away with a whimper.

    Anyone remember the XFINITY or the Camping World Truck Series? If you do, and if you are 12 and younger, you get to go to all those races for free next season. What a wonderful way to introduce young fans to the sport. What a wonderful way of trying to get somebody to attend those races. Nobody else is. They do not really have much to lose. An empty seat buys nothing and appreciates nothing. This move is better than nothing.

    This is the final year of the Sprint Cup. Soon, it will be parked in the garage alongside the Nextel Cup, the Winston Cup, and the Grand National and Strictly Stock monikers. I joked that the GoBowling.com 400 race in Kansas could have had a worse name, then one wag commented “Don’t diss SpongeBob. That might be next year’s Cup sponsor.” Good Lord, he might be right!

    Heading into Michigan, here is a look at our QuikTrip, Auto Club, Food City, Bass Pro Shops, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, MyAFibStory.com, AAA, Ford EcoBoost, GoBowling.com, Hollywood Casino, Quaker State, Kobalt, STP, Goody’s, FireKeepers Casino, Pure Michigan, Camping World, Good Sam, Xalta, Toyota Owners, Federated Auto Parts, Save Mart, GEICO, Duck Commander, Cheez-It Hot 20.

    Sadly, despite these name mentions, I get not a dime. I obviously need a foundation.
    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (735 Pts)
    So ends Kurt’s streak. Mission accomplished.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (674 Pts)
    Last week Kyle’s car was dying. All Allgaier did was put it out of its misery.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (762 Pts)
    Not the most wins, but probably the best damn car week in and week out.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (689 Pts)
    Having fun and thinking a third beer bath at Michigan is in order.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (659 Pts)
    Good finish last week and with the boss talking an extension, things are good for the Pied Piper.

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (612 Pts)
    If the sticky stuff worked at Bristol, why not pine tar the rest of the tracks?

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (604 Pts)
    Drive well, make the Chase, but be considered an old fart and one’s job could be in jeopardy.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (692 Pts)
    So, that is what a garage looks like.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (684 Pts)
    Since with Penske, has never finished here outside the Top Ten…and won in the spring.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (630 Pts)
    His crew chief is Canadian, eh?

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (400 Pts)
    Tony is a big fan of virtual reality. Nothing gets broken.

    12. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (328 Pts)
    All of a sudden, he is feeling the love from Ford.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 596 POINTS
    A Top Five last Sunday was more than welcome.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 588 POINTS
    If you are surprised he is where he is, say his name slowly. That was our first hint.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 583 POINTS
    At Darlington, he is wearing the former colors of an older Elliott.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 576 POINTS
    He does not need to make the Chase to keep his job. Who am I kidding? Damn right he does.

    17. TREVOR BAYNE – 541 POINTS
    Crew chief Matt Puccia has won twice before in Ford country…with Greg Biffle.

    18. KYLE LARSON – 537 POINTS
    Sunday sure sucked. Maybe it is time for that first career win.

    19. KASEY KAHNE – 537 POINTS
    With Danica buried deep, it appears NASCAR’s two prettiest will both miss the Chase.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 518 POINTS
    Top Ten last Sunday, but needs a Top One this time out.

  • The Final Word – Kyle removes the Kryptonite as Superman wins at Fontana

    The Final Word – Kyle removes the Kryptonite as Superman wins at Fontana

    Among the things I learned on Sunday from Fontana include…

    -you don’t tug on Superman’s cape.
    -you don’t spit into the wind.
    -you don’t put up for long with ole Lex Luthor
    -and you don’t mess around with Jim.

    Jimmie Johnson, that is. For most of the day, the field had to deal with Kevin (just call him Lex) Harvick, who led early and led often. About the only time he did not lead was when he unnecessarily came in early to dump a perfectly good set of tires in a vain bid to eliminate a vibration. Then he was back. In fact, he might have gotten away with it, if not for Kyle Busch.

    Busch was among a number of drivers that were relevant on the day and was running second when he discovered the limitations of the track. That came in the form of the outside wall after a tire indicated that it not longer wished to be of service. Caution waved, the Kryptonite was removed from the track, Busch was left in 25th, and this allowed for the possible finale moviegoers had hoped for.

    After the restart, Johnson moved down to the line, hugged it tightly, and came up to Harvick’s rear quarter-panel. A bit of side drafting tugged Luthor…ahem…Harvick…back enough to set Johnson sailing right by and into the lead. In the end, no super villain, no Kryptonite, not even Batman could stop the inevitable from happening. SuperJimmie won his 77th career victory and marked the 15th straight season that he was won at least twice during the campaign.

    As for Batman, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. could not get by any of the jokers, penguins, or riddlers. He got up to the horizon, but never challenged, finishing 11th. By the way, Superman should always trump Batman. One is an alien who our sun bestows with superpowers while the other is an athletic rich guy with a lot of neat contraptions. No contest.

    Denny Hamlin finished third, and really was nowhere to be seen for the first 150 laps, but was visible in the end. Joey Logano was fourth on the day, was in the vicinity of the lead for much of the time, but probably was best remembered by Martin Truex Jr. as the guy who turned him enough to cause him to solidly tag the fence to turn a good day into 32nd. Also notable were Chase Elliott, who was fifth, while Carl Edwards came in just behind to record yet another solid effort.

    “I’m alright, it really hurt, though,” was the report from Kyle Larson after he lost a tire, touched the outside wall before experiencing a huge impact against the infield barrier that put him up where he did not belong. Danica Patrick was not Supergirl, but she went flying after Kasey Kahne turned her into the wall to demolish her entry. That set the Danica Line artificially to 38th on the day, just one behind Greg Biffle and just ahead of Larson.

    With his win, Johnson moves one ahead of Dale Earnhardt on the all-time list, sitting sixth behind Richard Petty, David Pearson, and Jeff Gordon, while he is eight wins away from passing by the likes of Bobby Allison, Darrell Waltrip, and Cale Yarborough. I do not think anyone is betting the farm against that happening this year, at least, not yet.

    The good news for the field is that Johnson will not win next week. Neither will Harvick, Hamlin, or Kyle Busch, all of whom have been writing headlines over the first five events. After a week off, they all return for Martinsville, a place Kyle Busch has never won. Harvick has just one, compared to Hamlin’s five. Then you have Superman, as one must ask themselves if eight is enough? Well, not if you are within just six wins of the great Cale Yarborough it’s not. Meanwhile, my best wishes to you over Easter.

  • The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    I hate change. I do not care for it. I like things just as they are or, probably more truthfully, as they were.

    I remember coaching two little boys who are not so little anymore. Those were the days when I was Superman, not just the Old Man. I miss my mother and all the grandparents I was blessed with when I was born. I miss cousins who left us far too soon. I miss my youth. Damn it, I miss my hair.

    I loved watching Cale Yarborough in the No. 11 and Richard Petty piloting the No. 43. How I miss seeing Dale Earnhardt in that black No. 3. I wish I could see Rusty Wallace again in that blue deuce though my reasoning is that him driving means there was no way in hell he would be announcing.

    No Jeff Gordon this year, other than up in the booth. Tony Stewart is gone no matter what after this season. One day, sooner than later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hang up those skeleton gloves.

    Sure, I guess there is room for some change. Did you notice the NHL All-Star game? It was its best presentation in 30 years, with a minor league enforcer named as its MVP to prove that Cinderella does indeed wear glass skates. Same day, the NFL had its Pro-Bowl, and it was about as riveting as watching soccer. Trust me, that is not a good thing. Change it or kill it would be my thought.

    Cars are safer now. The tracks are moving that way. Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol pretty much guarantee something worth watching. Too bad we cannot be so sure about a few of the other venues. It would be nice if that could somehow change. They say the racing will be better after their latest tinkering with the cars, but we have heard that before. If those changes prove to be the real deal, that would be a change we could all live with.

    This year, Bill’s son Chase Elliott goes full-time in Cup, joining other recent arrivals Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. Still, they have fans to earn and accolades to accumulate. Once again, we will be cheering on our favorites. Kyle Busch returns as a champion to join brother Kurt as NASCAR royalty. Kevin Harvick looks to retake his trophy while Jimmie Johnson might be tired of loaning out what once was his and his alone. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and the insufferable Joey Logano remain among the top tier of stars in NASCAR’s constellation. You cannot go wrong rooting for the likes of a Matt Kenseth or a Greg Biffle, or admire the efforts put into the team led by Martin Truex Jr.

    Unless you are a big fan of Johnson, a change in champion is acceptable, even though I do love dynasties. I like the cars to look like something I might drive, so we give thanks for the demise of the splitter. I once liked Michael Waltrip, but sometimes things change, and I think Clint Bowyer should be the beneficiary of that.

    As much as I dislike change, it is inevitable. Drivers age, retire and are replaced by a new generation. Faces are now encased in helmets and races are won by a matter of seconds, not laps, these days. Since 2001, most weekends television delivers the races to homes in most places. Once we were asked, “How bad have you got it?” Wouldn’t it be nice if we were asked that once again?

    It all returns in less than a couple of weeks, with the Sprint Unlimited featured on February 13, Duel Qualifiers on February 18 and the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21. Boogity, boogity, boogity!

    Okay, some things do need to change.

  • Finley Factor: The Top Five of All Time – Part One

    Finley Factor: The Top Five of All Time – Part One

    In honor of the Southern 500, the biggest race in NASCAR in the 1950s and the first fully paved oval, being moved back to Labor Day weekend, I have decided to list my top five Cup Series drivers of all time.

    A couple of notes first, however. Notice that this is about Cup success, not factoring in any other racing series, NASCAR or otherwise. I don’t think it would be fitting to name AJ Foyt as the greatest NASCAR driver of all time, for example. The second being that, well, this is my list. My word isn’t law, and to be honest you could probably rank any of my top five as the greatest and make a pretty good argument for him. Just remember that this is all a matter of opinion, and I’d actually love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

     

    Before we get started, however, there is one thing I need to get out of the way-

    Honorable Mention: Richard Petty

    Photo Credit: Lisa Berard/xspimages
    Photo Credit: Lisa Berard/xspimages

    Petty was definitely a very good driver, but looking back I feel he had a lot of luck on his side. For example, Petty Enterprises, being one of very few Chrysler teams in the ’60s and ’70s, had most of Chrysler’s racing budget behind it, in addition to a huge STP sponsorship when nobody else had big sponsorship deals. And when the King jumped over to Ford in 1969, although he won the championship, the real star for Ford’s 1969 season was LeeRoy Yarbrough. The man-not-related-to-Cale became one of only two people in history to win the Daytona 500, Coca-Cola (World) 600, and the Southern 500 in the same year. In a time where big races were much more prestigious than the point’s championship, Yarbrough greatly overshadowed Petty in the same make of car. Petty was also one of very few to run full season schedules before 1972.

    That’s not to say Petty was always lucky. If it wasn’t for injury and in one season manufacture politics, Petty could of very easily been a 10-time champion. The championship wasn’t a priority to most before 1972 when the season was shortened and more money was put into the points fund through Winston, but even so Petty wasn’t just a points driver. Petty’s seven Daytona 500 wins may be just as unmatchable as his 200 victory record.

    But let’s also not pretend that all 200 of those victories were really equivalent to today’s modern Cup races. Is winning a 100-mile dirt race in a field of only two or three (at best) good cars really the same as winning a 400-mile race at Pocono against 20-25 good cars? No, and with so many negatives going against Petty, I can’t put him into my top five.

    However, Petty is the most important driver in the history of NASCAR for what he does off the track to this day. Setting a standard for his fellow drivers and projecting a family friendly image in the then not well-respected sport earned him and NASCAR legions of supporting fans. His 1972 STP sponsorship deal, although definitely not the first time a car has been sponsored, showed how race teams could survive in a post-factory team NASCAR. Petty is the last person still involved with the sport who was present at the very first Cup race in 1949, and the King is still a constant presence in the garage area to this day. This is what makes Richard Petty great, not how many races he won or how many Cups he has in his living room.

     

    1. Cale Yarborough

    Cale Yarborough_Getty

    Cale Yarborough was a very simple driver. He wasn’t going to go out there and conserve his car through a long race like his longtime rival Darrell Waltrip (and according to Waltrip’s book, the two are not exactly good friends to this day). No, Yarborough, similar to his team owner Junior Johnson, went 110 percent every lap of every race, and with Johnson’s driving style, created a multi-year dynasty.

    Yarborough wasn’t the first to win races with the Wood Brothers, but he was the first to do so consistently from season to season. Although Cale did win a dirt track race or two in his early career, like David Pearson he always seemed to turn it up a notch at the big speedways. He was the king of the Southern 500, his hometown race that he won six times in his career. He holds four Daytona 500 wins, 2nd most all-time behind only Richard Petty’s seven.

    There are two reasons why Cale isn’t higher on the list. The first is that he refused to change his style, which cost him victories such as the World 600, a tough race Yarborough never won. The second being that he just didn’t have more years on top. When he ran part time in the ’80s, he did very well but didn’t dominate like Pearson had 10 years earlier, and I doubt he would have beaten Darrell Waltrip or Bobby Allison for a  championship in the early ’80s.

    Yarborough was a character among characters, and might be only behind Curtis Turner when it comes to stories. Like the time when Yarborough poured cold water on a showering Tiny Lund and was chased around a hotel by the naked 6 feet 5 inches tall, 270 pounder. Or the time Yarborough went over the guardrail out of a racetrack and quipped that he knew he was in trouble when he saw grass, as there is, in fact, no grass on the racetrack. My favorite Cale story, though, didn’t even involve him. In Richard Sowers’ “The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities, and Trivia,” Sowers told a story about when Dale Earnhardt Sr. had just won his seventh championship and was doing an interview for the media. During a break in questions and comments comparing him to Petty as the greatest of all time, Earnhardt leaned in and told the interviewer, “We all know Cale was the best.”

     

    1. Jeff Gordon
    Photo Credit: Noel Lanier
    Photo Credit: Noel Lanier

    Jeff Gordon was the first modern NASCAR driver. The Californian, who made his Sprint Cup debut at 21 in the Dupont Chevrolet for Rick Hendrick in 1992, just started in his 785th consecutive race for Hendrick at 44 in the Axalta (which is basically the same sponsor, just a different parent company) Chevrolet.

    Gordon was the first to win a championship for Rick Hendrick and thus helped create a 20-year dynasty for the race team. A bad year for Hendrick Motorsports is not winning a championship, and since 2006 all but one championship winning team uses Hendrick equipment.

    What is there to say about Gordon that hasn’t already been said? He has won at every single track he has raced at in Cup with the exception of Kentucky.  His teaming with Ray Evernham is up there with Johnson-Knaus and Stewart-Zipadelli among modern driver-crew chief pairings. In 1998, Gordon averaged a 5.7 average finish, a feat only beaten by Petty and Yarborough in the modern era against a less competitive field. The year before that, Gordon become the only driver in the modern era to win the Daytona 500, Southern 500, and the Coca-Cola (World) 600.

    Gordon from 1995-1999 was unstoppable and could probably beat almost any other driver at any point in history, but in some ways his overall career has been more impressive. Among Hall of Fame locks, only Jimmie Johnson has also stuck with one team throughout their career, and even then Johnson’s starts will not be consecutive. Gordon is only a month away as of the time of this writing from breaking Ricky Rudd’s streak of 788 consecutive starts. In this new Chase era of drivers being able to miss races for injury without hurting their championship chances, this will probably never be broken.

    Why is Gordon not higher? The only thing holding Gordon back is that he has stuck with one team throughout his career, and thus didn’t have success with multiple teams like say Rudd did. Outside of that, really the drivers ahead I feel are better than Gordon, which really says a lot about the top three.

    Check back early next week for part two plus my Darlington preview.

    All statistics for the Finley Factor are provided for by Racing Reference unless otherwise noted.

    Dedicated to Justin Wilson, 1978-2015.

  • The Final Word – Texas was all about Jimmie and Kevin with a Junior cameo

    The Final Word – Texas was all about Jimmie and Kevin with a Junior cameo

    Jimmie, and Kevin, and Dale, oh my. Jimmie, and Kevin, and Dale, oh my.

    Last Saturday night was a good one if you happened to be a fan of one of the above-mentioned drivers. Johnson was the class of the field, leading 128 laps, including the final one. It was his second win of the season and the 72nd of his career. Six-time rather likes the Texas track, having won the last three fall races, now four in his last six attempts, and his fifth win overall in Fort Worth. I am starting to think he likes the place.

    Kevin Harvick, also with a pair of victories this season along with four runner-up finishes, led 96 laps and came home second. Life must be good when finishing eighth at Martinsville represents a slump. As for Junior, well, Mr. Earnhardt led zero laps but he was close, closer still near the end, to claim third. If he could only get a mulligan for both Phoenix and Martinsville, for he has finished between third and sixth everywhere else.

    Another good day as well for the likes of Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski, as the Penske duo finished in the Top Five. Proof positive you can get away with being a two car operation if those teams actually matter. Same goes for single car outfits, as Martin Truex Jr. now has a Top Ten in each race of this season, a huge turnaround from a year ago. As for the likes of Tony Stewart and Sam Hornish Jr, nothing much to write home about regarding this race or this season. Maybe this weekend things will be different. Probably not.

    Maybe they could join the rest of us, experiencing success at home driving a video game version. Next month the new NASCAR ‘15 game comes out. Of course, for me, realism is being able to switch to indestructible mode in order to take out the entire field en route to victory. Hey, it could happen in real life. Having cars flying a hundred feet into the air, now that was unrealistic.

    Unrealistic, like me growing taller, or having my hair back, or holding out hope that one day I might actually become a Cup driver. If I could just shed 60 pounds and 40 years, I could be Erik Jones. You might as well become familiar with the 18-year-old, who is registered in the trucks. All he has done there is win four of his career 20 events, with 16 Top Tens. When he was 16 and 17, he ran ARCA, winning one of 14 with eight Top Tens. Oh, Jones also runs Xfinity, winning his first in nine attempts last weekend to go with six Top Tens. Joe Gibbs did not want to rush him into Cup, going with David Ragan instead of Jones to fill in for Kyle Busch. Even though Ragan sits 10th in the standings, maybe they might want to re-think that. The man child might be ready.

    We are always ready for a day at Bristol, where Jimmie and Kevin and Dale have all won. Once. Jimmie won it five years ago while 10 have gone by for the other two. Kurt Busch and Jeff Gordon each have five, but a few years have ticked by even for them.

    No, your best bet would be Carl Edwards. Winner of three, including the event one year ago, he did pick up his first Top Ten last Saturday. Maybe it is his time to shine this season though if he falters I am sure teammates Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin would be more than willing to pick up the slack. Both are also past Bristol winners.

    As for some Bristol trivia, there were 56 races run at that track between 1973 and 2000. Thirty of those, more than half, were won by Cale Yarborough (9), Darrell Waltrip (12), Dale Earnhardt (9), and Rusty Wallace (9). Hall of Famers all. Oh my, indeed.

  • Matty’s Picks 2015 – Volume 1 – Daytona

    Matty’s Picks 2015 – Volume 1 – Daytona

    After a one-year sabbatical, Matty’s Picks is back for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. I had a great year last year, enjoying a few races from the stands as a fan, but I’m back in action this year on the keyboard and behind the camera lens bringing you my less than expert picks for the races each Sunday.

    This year, I’ve decided to expand my picks and because the world of fantasy sports has exploded since the first Matty’s Picks column hit SpeedwayMedia.com back in 2010, I’ll be sharing my Fox Sports Fantasy Auto roster each week. In case anyone is unfamiliar with the Fox Sports Fantasy Auto rules, here’s the skinny; Each week, participants pick a roster of up to five drivers who are given a value each week based on past performances, stats and trends. Players are given a pool of $50,000 to play with each week and drivers earned points based on laps led, positions gained and finishing position. I’ll provide a brief recap of my weekly picks, provide an update of how my team is stacking up and even mix in some Vegas odds for those who might be interested in some financial advice throughout the season.

    Hoping to have a bit more success in picking winners this year than in 2013, the year before my sabbatical from sports writing, I’ll be soliciting advice throughout the season, so feel free to drop me a note with your picks throughout the season at mattl@speedwaymedia.com.

    Wasting no time getting into my picks for The Great American Race, I’ll disclaimer my column this week by letting everyone know my picks were made prior to the finish of both of the Budweiser Duel at Daytona races on Thursday night – my once-a-year excuse for making poor picks due to the qualifying procedures for the Daytona 500. Without further ado, here are my picks to start the 2015 season off this Sunday at the 2.5-mile superspeedway in Daytona Beach, Florida:

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  • Hot 20 – Pepsi and Coke be Damned…It is the Firecracker 400

    Hot 20 – Pepsi and Coke be Damned…It is the Firecracker 400

    It is the Firecracker 400, stupid.

    The distance run and the sponsors may have changed, but for thirty years the gateway to summer race at Daytona was known as the Firecracker 400 (250 for its first four runs). It might not be as big as the 500 or have the glamour of the Southern 500, but winning this one means something. Its name should mean something as well.

    This was a race won five times by David Pearson. Four times by Cale Yarborough. Multiple winners included Fireball Roberts, Richard Petty, Bobby Allison and A.J. Foyt long before NASCAR and the race track (pretty much one and the same) sold out to Pepsi. They dropped the Firecracker brand and then, less than 20 years later, we discovered why it is so stupid to re-brand a race to please a sponsor. Pepsi was gone, Coca Cola replaced it, and now we have the Coke Zero 400 Powered By Coca-Cola. What bovine excrement that is, and I’m drinking a damn Diet Coke as I type this. Love the taste but I wonder how much it would take me to sell out to become Coke Zero Thornton, Esq., powered by Coca-Cola.

    Then again, unless my wife or my mother gets paid off, I am guessing they would continue calling me by the name they have always done so. As Coke has not paid me a dime, forgive me for being a traditionalist. The Firecracker 400 it is.

    I do not mind change if it betters tradition. I think points earned over an entire season still best recognizes the best over the course of that season, not through a contrived playoff. I think wins should be worth more than they are, like 70 points instead of a maximum of 48. I think this Saturday night’s Coke Zero Firecracker 400 will be one hell of a good race to watch. I think someone working for Rick Hendrick is going to win it. As that is what has happened over the past three events raced there, I see no reason to think it is going to change this weekend.

    Yes, I guess tradition can be a bit of a pain sometimes, especially if you happen to be driving a Ford or a Toyota this Saturday night at Daytona.

    (Based on points, with winners awarded 25 bonus points, rather than 3)

    Pos – Driver – Points – Wins
    1 – Jimmie Johnson – 660 – 3
    2 – Jeff Gordon – 640 – 1
    3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 638 – 2
    4 – Brad Keselowski – 604 – 2
    5 – Carl Edwards – 580 – 2
    6 – Joey Logano – 563 – 2
    7 – Matt Kenseth – 555 – 0
    8 – Kevin Harvick – 553 – 2
    9 – Kyle Busch – 530 – 1
    10 – Ryan Newman – 514 – 0
    11 – Paul Menard – 488 – 0
    12 – Denny Hamlin – 477 – 1
    13 – Kyle Larson – 474 – 0
    14 – Greg Biffle – 474 – 0
    15 – Clint Bowyer – 473 – 0
    16 – Kasey Kahne – 465 – 0
    17 – Tony Stewart – 460 – 0
    18 – Austin Dillon – 455 – 0
    19 – Brian Vickers – 442 – 0
    20 – Marcos Ambrose – 438 – 0