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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Charlotte, recording his 11th top-10 finish of the year. He leads the points standings, ahead of Martin Truex Jr. by 41.

“The Coke 600 marked the return of Kyle Busch,” Harvick said, “and he finished a solid 11th. He was in the No. 18 Skittles car. As you may know, the Skittles motto is ‘Taste the Rainbow.’ A typical rainbow is usually comprised of seven colors, which is six more than a typical crowd at a NASCAR race.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson lost control on lap 273 at Charlotte and slammed the inside wall, ruining his night in the Coca-Cola 600. He eventually finished 40th, 30 laps behind.

“Thank goodness that SAFER barrier was there,” Johnson said. “The crash may have looked violent, but it was not. In fact, it was a ‘Lowe’s impact’ collision.

“One year ago, that SAFER barrier wasn’t even in place. Back then, with the letters rearranged, it was called the FEARS barrier.”

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished third in the Coca-Cola 600, posting his seventh top-five of the season. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“You know who else finished third?” Earnhardt said. “Lewis Hamilton at the Formula 1 Grand Prix Of Monaco. Somebody asked Lewis after the race what it felt like to give away the win like that. He said, ‘It’s the pits.’”

4. Joey Logano: Logano led 17 laps and finished 13th at Charlotte while Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski took seventh. Logano is third in the points standings, 66 behind Kevin Harvick.

“What a race by Juan Pablo Montoya at Indianapolis,” Logano said. “He celebrated with the traditional bottle of milk. Now, if you would have told me before the race about a Colombian and a ‘white substance,’ milk certainly wouldn’t have entered my mind.”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led a race-high 131 laps in the Coca-Cola 600 and finished fifth, earning his 11th top 10 of the year.

“I hate to be a whiner,” Truex said, “but I lost a fuel mileage race, outdone by drivers who saved gas. And I’m not happy. They’re celebrating in the ‘conservatory,’ which is the same place I play the world’s smallest violin.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished tenth at Charlotte, posting his fifth top 10 of the year.

“I was proud of my brother Kyle,” Busch said. “He had a great finish at Charlotte. He wanted to return sooner, but I talked him out of it. I quoted an Iredell County sheriff when I said, ‘What’s your rush?’”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh in the Coca-Cola 600 and is now sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“I welcomed a baby girl into the world on Saturday,” Keselowski said. “I don’t think she looks a bit like me, but people tell me she’s got my gums. I even had to look over my shoulder for Kevin Harvick when the doctor told my girlfriend Paige White to ‘push.’”

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on pole at Charlotte and finished fourth after leading 26 laps. He is seventh in the points standings, 101 out of first.

“Carl Edwards was finally able to perform his signature back flip,” Kenseth said. “That’s the first time since joining JGR that he’s landed on his feet.”

9. Carl Edwards: Edwards took the lead on lap 382 at Charlotte and ran away from the field, taking the Coca-Cola 600 win, his first in 31 races and first as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

“It was great to take the No. 19 car with Subway sponsorship to victory lane,” Edwards said. “Up until Charlotte, I don’t think I’ve done my sponsors justice. You could say my performance was ‘Sub par.’”

10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished eighth at Charlotte on a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing, as all four JGR drivers finished in the top 11, with Carl Edwards taking the win.

“Sunday was a great day for motor racing,” Hamlin said, “and a great day for Toyota at Charlotte. Nico won at Monaco, Juan Pablo won at Indianapolis, and Tokyo won at Charlotte.”

May 26, 2015
The Final Word – Monaco, and Indy, and Charlotte, Oh My!

It was the biggest day in motorsports, starting with the streets of Monaco, where they have been racing since 1929. Then, to Indianapolis, where they have been logging 500 miles this time of year since 1911. Finally, the long way home, the World 600 at Charlotte for the boys and girl with fenders.

Overseas, Nico Rosberg claimed the prize for the third straight year. It helps when it is handed to you. During a late caution, the dominant car of Lewis Hamilton was called in for fresh tires. He had thought Rosberg and those immediately behind him had done the same. They had not. Nice call, team. Thanks a bunch. Surprise, surprise, surprise, as Gomer Pyle used to say.

Gomer’s creator, actor Jim Nabors, performed “Back Home Again in Indiana” for the final time last year, but Juan Pablo Montoya was back in Indianapolis. An early mishap cost the former NASCAR performer what passes for a rear fender on his open wheeled car, forcing him back to 30th. That set the stage for his charge through the pack. With just three laps to go, he made his pass for the lead and claimed the crown he first won back in 2000.

They have been racing 600 miles at Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend since 1960, the longest NASCAR event of the season. Martin Truex Jr. would have been the story, had he won after leading 131 laps. He did not. Kurt Busch led the way for 118, but no suds for him, either. In fact, five other drivers led more than Carl Edwards, but it was the man from Missouri doing the back flip in the end as he led the final 21 to take his first of the season, 24th of his Cup career. It might still be a bit premature, but what the heck. Welcome to the Chase, Mr. Edwards.

Welcome to the Hall of Fame, Bruton Smith. The 88-year old owner of the Charlotte track, along with seven others on the circuit, will be inducted as part of the class of 2016. Joining him will be two-time champ Terry Labonte, the legendary Curtis Turner, six-time Modified king Jerry Cook, and 1970 Cup champion Bobby Isaac.

Landon Cassill was still running at the end of the race in Charlotte. For another hour, 41 minutes, and 49 seconds, he continued to run the 14 miles between the track and the Hall of Fame. This time, the only rubber on the road was on his sneakers. This sounds like something my sons might do. I, on the other hand, am much too smart…and fat…and old…for that.

If you want to win the Indianapolis 500, spend some time in NASCAR. Montoya won his second after 278 races in Cup and the XFINITY series over parts of the previous nine seasons. His Indy lead engineer, Brian Campe, was on the box as a crew chief for 22 Nationwide races in 2009, including seven for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Not a bad apprenticeship.

Jeff Gordon was at Indianapolis, drove the pace car before returning to North Carolina. After getting out of the car, he will head to the broadcast booth to join Mike Joy and Darrell Waltrip at FOX next season. I think they might be replacing the wrong guy, but maybe that is just me.

So, what is next? The Monster Mile in Dover is slated for this Sunday, where everybody who has won there the past nine events also has claimed a Cup title along the way. In fact, over the past six years, the only non-champion to take the checkered flag there was Kyle Busch. Not a bad pick, come to think of it.

May 25, 2015
Hot 20 – Charlotte, where this weekend they go the extra miles

We begin with Monaco, tune into Indianapolis for the matinee, then spend the evening in Charlotte in our 600-mile feature. While we go in concerned about cars running into a house or into a harbor overseas, or find the wall and flipping down the track in Indiana, our biggest concern for the folks with fenders is that they might not be able to pass the leader in North Carolina.

As we discovered last week in the All-Star contest, if you run up front your only concern is that your car turns sour or adjustments just made the competition better. If neither happens, the leader leads until somebody has to hit pit road. Not terribly exciting in a visual sort of way, yet we shall watch to see if Clint Bowyer can hold on to that final Chase berth, if a past winner can win again, or if someone buried in points might be able to make the leap with a checkered flag performance.

Of course, Kyle Busch returns from his Daytona injury with zero points, 179 behind the 30th placed Tony Stewart. Well, that is nothing five or six straight wins wouldn’t cure. Hey, I did not say it would be easy.

Our hot 20 heading to Charlotte…

1. Jimmie Johnson – 3 WINS (389 Points)
Modifying the side skirt…okay on Fashion TV, not so good in NASCAR. Yet, forgivable.

2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (437 Points)
Back in a crushing slump after a runner-up finish in the All-Star event. Yes, that is sarcasm.

3. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (375 Points)
Some dream of the double while Joey is content to focus on winning at night.

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN (360 Points)
How to avoid post-race altercations? Have a NFL linebacker riding shotgun every race.

5. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (343 Points)
Noticed Hamlin’s sad eyes, so donated the All-Star race to him. What a nice guy!

6. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (331 Points)
A very funny man, but just in a dry sort of way.

7. Kurt Busch – 1 WIN (292 Points)
A personal life for Kurt equal to his success behind the wheel would bring me a measure of joy.

8. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (284 Points)
Feeling like a million bucks.

9. Martin Truex, Jr. – 391 POINTS
All-Star race? We don’t need no stinkin’ All-Star race!

10. Jamie McMurray – 328 POINTS
Boasts the prettiest mechanic in NASCAR…12 year veteran Ashley Parlett.

11. Jeff Gordon – 317 POINTS
Driving the Indianapolis 500….pace car.

12. Kasey Kahne – 313 POINTS
Beat young Erik Jones in an illegal truck last week…but not a terribly illegal truck.

13. Aric Almirola – 312 POINTS
Only driver in a Chase position with not a single Top Ten to his credit.

14. Paul Menard – 306 POINTS
Comparing Clinton Foundation cash to his dad’s support of Scott Walker? Not even close.

15. Ryan Newman – 305 POINTS
I heard Ryan Newman was very pretty. That is how I discovered the actress of the same name.

16. Clint Bowyer – 272 POINTS
Inside the top 16…but not very comfortably.

17. Danica Patrick – 270 POINTS
Bowyer takes over the final Chase place. Obviously, the man is no gentleman.

18. Carl Edwards – 265 POINTS
Amongst JGR drivers, he at least has more points than Kyle. Really.

19. A.J. Allmendinger – 259 POINTS
Would love a double, but it won’t happen this year.

20. Casey Mears – 242 POINTS
Is this enough to keep Germain Racing interested for 2016?

20. Greg Biffle – 242 POINTS
Can a front row start last week transfer into good tidings when it counts this week?

May 20, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s gamble in the pits paid off and he captured his second win of the year, winning the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas.

“We stayed out to win it,” Johnson said. “It’s too bad no one stayed up to see it.

“I called my wife Chandra after the race, but accidentally Face-timed her. She wasn’t too happy about that, and I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive me. But I’m hoping. Let’s just say we both seriously need some ‘make up.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick chased Jimmie Johnson to the finish line at Kansas but was unable to catch him, instead settling for the runner-up finish, his sixth second-place finish of the year.

“Johnson edged me by less than a second,” Harvick said. “For a race that lasted well past sundown, it was a true ‘Nick At Night.’”

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt came home third in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, as the Hendrick Motorsports drivers took three of the top 4 spots, with Jimmie Johnson capturing the win.

“Hendrick has flexed its muscles in the last two weeks,” Earnhardt said. “Our engines are a direct reflection of Rick Hendrick because the engines, much like Rick, are ‘loaded.’”

4. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Kansas and finished fifth in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 62 out of first.

“Even though I didn’t win,” Logano said, “I had a great time racing in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400. It was the closest thing to childhood I’ve ever experienced.”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex pitted for fuel only during the race’s final caution, a decision that made him vulnerable to cars behind him with fresh tires. Truex still finished ninth, earning his 10th top-10 of the year.

“We had a car capable of winning,” Truex said. “We led a race-high 95 laps, but lost the lead after a mistake in the pits. One would think that in a car sponsored by Furniture Row, we’d be able to ‘sit’ on a lead. But it was not to be, and I can’t ‘couch’ my disappointment. Now my detractors will continue to say I can’t win a race, a criticism that a victory would surely put to bed.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch took eighth at Kansas, posting his third top-10 of the year.

“I’ve got a lot in common with SpongeBob SquarePants,” Busch said. “We both have a teammate named ‘Patrick,’ and neither ‘Patrick’ has won a Sprint Cup race.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, scoring his seventh top-10 of the year.

“First the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants 400,” Keselowski said. “What’s next? The ‘Adventure Time 500?’ If that’s the case, the race will air on the ‘Car Tune Network.’”

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth at Kansas, posting his sixth top-10 result of the year. He is seventh in the points standings, 106 out of first.

“It was an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Kenseth said. “Carl Edwards had the next best finish with a 20th. Carl has only one top-10 finish this year. I think Joe Gibbs has second thoughts about hiring him. With Carl in mind, if there’s one thing Joe would like to see ‘flipped,’ it’s the script.”

9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 13 at Kansas in the rain-delayed SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

“Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s spin brought out the last caution,” McMurray said. “In SpongeBob speak, that’s called going ‘Skidward.’”

10. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 11th at Kansas and is now 11th in the points standings, 125 out of first.

“What do you know?” Almirola said. “The SpongeBob SquarePants 400, a sea-themed NASCAR race. I’ve heard of ‘mussel’ cars, but this is ridiculous!”

May 12, 2015
The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

It was a fine weekend. Sure, you may think I say that due to Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhard, Jr. and Jeff Gordon coming across the line in that order in Kansas. Okay, there might be some truth in that.

Our family got together to celebrate a 3-year-old’s birthday, and that was fun. We visited with my mother in her big day on Sunday. I did not actually get to watch the race until about 1:30 in the dark on Sunday morning, thus the rain delay lasted only minutes for me. That was a very good thing. Oh, did I mention the finish?

This is not to say a good time was had by all. Joey Logano had a hard-charging entry, but a couple of miscues on pit road left him continually having to come back through the field. He got as far as fifth before time ran out. Not bad, but he could have had more.

For some, running in the Top 30 is a big deal, as it turned out to be for the likes of Michael Annett, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon, Josh Wise and Landon Cassill. Not Top 20’s, grant you, but good enough for a moral victory of sorts.

Danica Patrick was a Top 30 car, but 27th is nothing to brag about, especially now that she has tumbled out of a Chase place. Yet, it was better than the days barely tolerated by some others. Trevor Bayne is with Roush-Fenway, a good place from which to race, one would think. Not if 31st is your fate. David Ragan went to MWR, but after a trip through the mud he wallowed in 33rd. Tony Stewart? Well, he looked good early, then he checked up to avoid a mishap ahead of him. Too bad Brett Moffitt did not. He ran into Tony, who then hit the wall, and any hope for a good day went up in…er…smoke. Thirty-ninth is not what he needed.

Another great day for Hendrick, with a winner and two more in the Top Five, with Kasey Kahne back in 17th. Stewart-Haas had a couple up front, with Kurt Busch getting a Top Ten, while the other two were deep in the woods. Penske had a pair of Top Tens, Matt Kenseth was sixth for Gibbs but Carl Edwards had to be content with 20th. Erik Jones looked great in his debut, at least until he lost it late to kill the car against the fence, while Denny Hamlin’s car went for junk late as the latter pair finished 40th and 41st.

Another very competitive day for Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr., though he had to settle for ninth in the end, yet only trails Harvick in points garnered. That elusive win does not seem too far off. As for Roush Fenway, Greg Biffle was 12th. The rest were outside the Top Twenty. In fact, not a one of them can be found amongst the Top Twenty in the season standings. They can only dream of being as good as Danica, and that is not saying much.

This Saturday, it’s on to Charlotte and the All-Star race. Winners since the 2014 Daytona 500 right through to Kansas are eligible to run, along with all previous All-Star winners still running full-time, the top two from the preliminary showdown earlier Saturday, and a fan vote for a favorite. Last year, Josh Wise was the beneficiary of a social media campaign, which he no doubt thought was great, though I thought was rather stupid and undeserving. Then again, what do I know?

Well, I do know I’ll be watching to see if Mr. Johnson can win again at Charlotte and take his fifth classic. Maybe Harvick will be up there. Maybe Junior. Hasn’t Gordon won this three times? Come to think of it, a repeat of last weekend this upcoming weekend might be rather fine.

May 10, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: SpongeBob SquarePants 400

With the hopes of attracting a younger crowd to the sport with appearances by Squidward Tentacles, Larry the Lobster, and Patrick Star, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 5th annual SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Surprising: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick continued to host their own version of a swap meet, trading wins and runner-up finishes back and forth yet again. This time, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet took the checkered flag first, with the driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet scoring runner-up honors.

Harvick and Johnson have been having such a swap meet that in the races where Harvick has finished second, Johnson has won each race.

“We won a championship on pit calls and tires, and everything fell our way,” Harvick said. “We’ve had a lot of things go our way, and we’ve had a lot of things work out, and running up front and having a chance to win, it’s almost harder to win the races when you’re leading races, because you’ve got guys that are a little off pace, like the first four were that stayed out, hoping that they could get a good restart and get the clean air and their car would hold on just long enough to get the win.”

“It’s no frustration, just keep going at it.”

“I still think he’s the car to beat right now,” Johnson said of Harvick. “We’re finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now. We’re getting better. We’re closing the gap a little bit each week. But we’ve still got a little bit of work to do.”

Not Surprising: In spite of not taking home the trophy, Martin Truex Jr. kept his chin up, noting that in addition to scoring his tenth top-10 finish in 11 races and maintaining his second place in the point standings, he took another step forward toward his Victory Lane goal.

“I felt like tonight we kind of gained a big step in speed, and hopefully that’s something that will continue,” Truex said. “We brought a new car here this weekend and it’s kind of the newest and latest and greatest that we’ve come up with and definitely feel like we closed that gap a little bit.”

“We’ll just have to wait and see if that plays out on other racetracks, but felt like if we can keep doing that and keep finding little things here and there to close that gap and keep being consistent putting ourselves in position I feel like we can win some races.”

“We’ve got a great team, we’ve got everything we need to do it, and we’ve got a lot of confidence, so we’ve just got to keep getting in that position and try to close the deal.”

Surprising: With a new crew chief on board, Bono Manion now in for Drew Blickensderfer, Sam Hornish Jr. fared a little better than usual on the intermediate track of Kansas.

“We had a good car and we took two there at the end,” the driver of the No. 9 Medallion Bank Ford said. “I was a little scared to adjust on it because it had felt good where it was at and we were a little on the free side and I didn’t want to free it up too much.”

“It ended up being too tight and the guys did a great job making good calls to get the car better and the pit crew did a good job.”

“It is something to build on and a big improvement for us as far as our downforce racing this year. I am appreciative to have a run like we did.”

Not Surprising: For the second time in as many races, a driver took NASCAR to task for not throwing the caution. Last race at Talladega, it was Carl Edwards expressing his concern about the lack of caution after wrecking and this race it was Denny Hamlin voicing the same.

“There was no caution there and then we cut a left rear, blew it off of turn four and spun out, hit the wall at the start finish line,” Hamlin said. “I keep spinning out, I keep hitting the wall and I can’t figure out why everyone is still coming at 200 and I look and the green light is still on.”

“They didn’t throw a caution until seven seconds after I wrecked. Luckily nobody hit us. They’ll continue to monitor the situation, I’m guessing is what they’ll say.”

The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota finished a disappointing 41^st.

Surprising: ‘New’ drivers David Ragan, this week for the first time in the No. 55 SquarePants/Aaron’s Dream Machine for Michael Waltrip Racing, and Erik Jones, making his Sprint Cup debut in the No. 18 Red Nose Day Camry subbing for Kyle Busch, both had difficult days.

Ragan finished 33^rd and Jones finished 40^th after being involved in accidents later in the race.

“It’s definitely nice to be as fast as we were and we had a great M&M’s Camry, but I just got loose off (turn) four and lost it,” Jones said. “All my fault, guess I have to go back and figure it out. You know, we had a good night before that.”

“Something to take from it. I’m ready to do another one — I hope I get another shot.”

Not Surprising: As has occurred at most intermediate tracks to date, Chevrolet was the dominant manufacturer, scoring the first four spots in the finishing order. In addition to Johnson winning and Harvick scoring runner-up, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Talladega race winner, and Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon finished in the third and fourth places respectively.

Surprising: Drivers in contention for Rookie of the Year honors finished surprisingly badly. Jeb Burton, leading ROTY candidate had all kinds of problems, wrecking and spinning his No. 26 Maxim Fantasy Sports Toyota.

Brett Moffitt, behind the wheel of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford was the highest finishing rookie in 34^th.

Not Surprising: At least one NASCAR driver has finally found a home after moving from team to team and even out of the sport at one point in his career. Prior to the race, JTG Daugherty Racing announced the AJ Allmendinger would continue as the team’s driver for five more years.

“I have always said I have a verbal lifetime contract with JTG Daugherty Racing, but I want to announce today that I have officially signed a contract for a five-year deal,” Allmendinger said. “It’s pretty awesome to see our team thriving and I love our sponsors.”

They allow me to do what I love to do. I know Tad (Geschickter, team owner) has busted his butt to put all of this together and he has the business model figured out.”

Allmendinger scored a good run after announcing his new deal, finishing 14th in his No. 47 Dillon’s/Scott Products Chevrolet.

Surprising: There was some pride brewing on behalf of at least one of the Roush Fenway teams. Greg Biffle, in his No. 16 Cheez-It SpongeBob SquarePants Ford, finished in the 12th position, a definite improvement and step in the right direction.

“I am really proud of the 16 team,” Biffle said. “We kept adjusting on the car as the night went on and we were able to come home 12th.”

“We just missed out on the top-10, which is an improvement from where we have been lately, so that is a good sign. We just have to keep working on it and I know they guys will.”

“It is a little bit of momentum in the right direction, so we will take it and move on to Charlotte.”

Not Surprising: Kurt Busch finished where he started, both in the eighth spot in his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet. This was also the eighth straight race this season where Busch finished top-15.

“The Haas Automation Chevy had its fast moments and then it had its loose moments,” Busch said. “We hung onto it most of the night with making her pretty wide on the front straightaway and in the corners.”

“Eighth place is good. It’s something to build on. When we come back here in the Chase, it’s great to have these notes and to go from this point forward.”

“We could contend early, and then when the pace picked up, we got too loose. So we’ve got to work on that.”

The Cup Series will next head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Sprint Showdown and the All Star Race weekend.

May 10, 2015
Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup Preview – Milestones, Firsts and Driver Quotes

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway, eight drivers are locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races. Several prominent drivers are still searching for that elusive victory or the consistency needed to grab one of the eight remaining spots as the Chase approaches.

Milestones:

1) Jimmie Johnson is approaching two career milestones as he heads to Kansas Speedway.

A top-five at Kansas Speedway would give him 200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-five finishes. He is currently tied with Benny Parsons for 12th on the all-time NSCS top fives list and only two top-fives behind Buddy Baker in 11th (201).

Johnson is also one away from 300 NSCS top-10 finishes. He is 16th on the all-time NSCS top 10s list and only two top-10s behind James Hylton in 15th (301).

In the 18 NSCS events held at Kansas Speedway, Johnson has finished among the top 10 a total of 14 times. Combine that with two wins, three poles and the Series-best driver rating (112.1) and it’s a safe bet that Johnson will quickly mark these two items off his to-do list.

2) Reigning champion and current points leader Kevin Harvick is 47 laps away from becoming the 10th driver in NSCS history to lead 1,000 laps or more in the first 11 races of a season.

He has three consecutive poles at Kansas (October 2013, May 2014, and October 2014), holds the track qualifying record of 197.773 mph and has the sixth best driver rating (100.4). Leading 47 laps is certainly within Harvick’s capabilities and Kansas Speedway may be the perfect track to accomplish yet another milestone in his career.

3) Matt Kenseth is only one checkered flag away from 33 NSCS wins. Another victory would move him up to 21st on the all-time wins list, tied with Fireball Roberts.

He has two wins, two poles, six top-fives, 10 top-10s and the second best driver rating at Kansas. After a frustrating finish of 25th at Talladega, Kenseth will be looking for redemption this weekend.

Firsts – Now and Then:

Erik Jones will make his first official start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Kansas in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Although he replaced the ailing Denny Hamlin after the rain delay at Bristol, his drive to a 26^th place finish is credited to Hamlin. Jones has one XFINITY Series win and four victories in the Camping World Truck Series.

David Ragan will begin a new chapter in his career at Kansas in his first race driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota. His primary focus will be centered on securing a spot on the Chase Grid.

“Our expectations are very high,” Ragan emphasized. “At the end of the day, Michael Waltrip Racing has all the tools and resources that Joe Gibbs Racing has or that Hendrick Motorsports or Stewart-Haas Racing has and there’s no reason for us not to be able to win a race and have a shot at making the Chase. Certainly, that is our goal going forward.”

Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2001. It was his sixth win of his fourth championship season. He made it two-for-two at Kansas with another victory at the track on Sept. 29, 2002.

Jason Leffler won the inaugural pole at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 mph. He holds the track record as the youngest pole winner, at 26 years, 0 months and 14 days.

Jim Roper, a Kansas native, won the very first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) race in June, 1949, at Charlotte Speedway. The event was 1,200 miles away from his hometown in Halstead, Kansas, but neither the distance nor lack of a car would deter him.

He purchased a Lincoln Cosmopolitan and drove it from the showroom all the way to Charlotte to compete for the $2,000 purse. He raced with the best including Curtis Turner, the Flock brothers and Red Byron, the reigning modified champion. Roper finished the race, second to only Glenn Dunaway.

But Dunaway was quickly disqualified when the post-race inspection revealed modifications to the rear springs, a bootlegger’s trick to improve the car’s handling. Roper was declared the winner even though he only finished 197 of the 200 laps. He only competed in one more NASCAR race, retiring in 1955 after he broke a vertebra in a sprint car accident.

Noteworthy:

Jeff Gordon is winless in his last full-time Sprint Cup season, but that could change this weekend at Kansas Speedway where he will defend his 2014 win at the track. The victory secured his place in the Chase and was the first of four wins during the 2014 season. Gordon also holds the track record with three victories and leads the series with10 top-five finishes in 18 starts.

Martin Truex Jr. continues to impress, coming off a fifth place at Talladega to capture his ninth top-10 finish of the season. He is second in the points standings, 40 points behind leader Kevin Harvick, but needs a win to guarantee a position on the Chase Grid.

Outside Looking In:

Some of the biggest names in NASCAR are outside the top 16 and desperately need to make something happen, including Clint Bowyer (17), Carl Edwards (18) and Greg Biffle (22).

Bowyer and Edwards are winless at Kansas Speedway while Biffle has two victories. However, Biffle has only one top-5 in his last six outings at Kansas.

Kyle Larson is 24^th in the points standings, partly due to missing the race at Martinsville this season after he fainted following an autograph session. Larson will make his third Cup start at Kansas this weekend. He finished 12th in his first attempt and claimed the runner-up position last year in October. The race will also mark Larson’s 50th career NSCS start.

Tony Stewart heads to Kansas Speedway in 30^th place in the points standings. After a frustrating start to the season, the results of the last few weeks suggest that the team may have turned the corner. Stewart finished in sixth place, his best result of the year, three weeks ago at Bristol and looked to be headed for a top-10 at Richmond until an incident on lap 361 took him out of contention. He has two previous wins at Kansas in 2006 and 2009.

Driver Quotes:

Paul Menard is 12^th in the point standings and is looking for a win to claim his entry into the Chase. “Kansas is a pretty newly repaved track so it’s extremely fast,” Menard said. “Since it’s a night race it will be even faster than during the day. I enjoy night racing, I think it adds another level of excitement. You can see flames from the exhaust and sparks from under the car which makes it cool for the fans. The only downside is we have to wait all day for the race and there really isn’t much to do. I enjoy it, but I’ll be there ready to go whether it’s Sunday afternoon or Saturday night.”

Ty Dillon is looking forward to making his fourth Sprint Cup Series start and his debut at Kansas Speedway. “From all the practices, testing and races I’m starting to get very comfortable in the Chevrolet SS, “he said. “I’m fortunate to be put in the position to race as often as I do and I’m focused on going out and doing the best that I possibly can. Kansas will be a fun race this weekend, not only off the track, but on the track with the high speeds, different racing lines and competition. Our team will be ready.”

Ryan Newman is 15^th on the Chase Grid and looking for a win to solidify his position. He finished in sixth place in his last outing at Kansas Speedway. “Kansas is super fast, I am kind of excited to get back there after it has aged a little bit,” Newman explained. “With the new pavement we’ve had a few years back, it has still maintained its speed. It seems like we keep coming back here with softer tires. In general, the track has maintained the speed and I hope it’s gained some more character.”

Martin Truex Jr. counts Kansas Speedway as one of his favorite tracks. With four top-five finishes in the last six races at Kansas, Truex is hoping to grab the checkered flag this time around. “I love Kansas Speedway,” Truex says. “I don’t know what it is about the track, it’s not much different than any other mile-and-a-half track, but something about the way the corners are laid out there seems to fit my style. I’ve run well at Kansas, led a lot of laps (251) and feel I should have won a few times there. “We’re enjoying the top-10s this season, but we want to get up there and be fighting for a win,” he continued. “Cole (Pearn, crew chief), the engineering staff and all the guys at the track and at the shop have done an outstanding job. We’re having plenty of fun, but we want that victory really bad.”

By the Numbers:

Chase Grid

The following drivers are locked into the 2015 Chase provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races.

1) Kevin Harvick – 2 wins
2) Jimmie Johnson – 2 wins
3) Joey Logano – 1 win
4) Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 win
5) Brad Keselowski – 1 win
6) Matt Kenseth – 1 win
7) Denny Hamlin – 1 win
8) Kurt Busch – 1 win

The following drivers are currently in the Chase Top 16, but without any wins, are not locked in.

9) Martin Truex Jr.
10) Jamie McMurray
11) Kasey Kahne
12) Paul Menard
13) Aric Almirola
14) Jeff Gordon
15) Ryan Newman
16) Danica Patrick

Top 10 Driver Ratings at Kansas

112.1 Jimmie Johnson
105.6 Matt Kenseth
103.9 Kyle Larson
102.8 Greg Biffle
100.5 Jeff Gordon
100.4 Kevin Harvick
96.8 Carl Edwards
95.3 Tony Stewart
92.7 Kasey Kahne
91.3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Tune in to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.

May 6, 2015
Hot 20 – Kansas race is the SpongeBob SquarePants 400…You just can’t make stuff like that up

There are a dozen races run on eight tracks that are truly iconic NASCAR events. Last Sunday was one of those races. The SpongeBob SquarePants 400 in Kansas is not. That is not to say we will not see one of the all-time great races this Saturday night…though the odds might be stacked against us. While they have been racing here since 2001, this marks just the fifth spring race since it picked up its second date in 2011.

Now, I may be a bit unfair in regards to the cartoon derby this weekend. Last year, they had highlights galore. First, we started late due to lightning in the area. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, and Marcos Ambrose all went for wild rides at one time or another to bring out a caution, but it was Jamie McMurray who actually went up in smoke. We had a pair of four-car wrecks, one that just destroyed the auto of David Gilliland. Danica Patrick even ran near the front, and came home with a Top Ten. Hey, we even had the lights go out on the backstretch to cause yet another delay before Jeff Gordon won the thing. Maybe it won’t be a bad one to tune in after all.

The Hot 20 heading to Kansas are…

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (394 Points)
Fast repairs by the crew helped save an eighth place finish at Talladega.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (342 Points)
Last week it was Junior’s turn, with Jimmie taking second.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (335 Points)
Logano won Saturday, but the big boys were racing on Sunday.

4. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (319 Points)
When will Payton Ives be named car chief?

5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (305 Points)
New sponsor, thanks to a Silicon Valley implant.

6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (292 Points)
Wanted a caution on the last lap last week…but Junior fans did not.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (281 Points)
What he needed last Sunday was a Hendrick engine. Didn’t everybody?

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (255 Points)
Crew chief got rid of a major pain, and no it was not the driver.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 354 POINTS
Second in points, ninth on the depth charts, best damn car out of Colorado.

10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 297 POINTS
If he does not lose his steering, find the wall, and catch fire, he could top last year’s performance.

11. KASEY KAHNE – 286 POINTS
If you squint your eyes, a lot, Kasey kind of looks like Sponge Bob.

12. PAUL MENARD – 280 POINTS
Daddy’s money, Paul’s talent, and one hell of a crew chief in Dale Alexander.

13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 279 POINTS
Showed the kids what they ought not to do in Talladega’s XFINITY demolition.

14. JEFF GORDON – 277 POINTS
Won the pole in Alabama but things went to the pits after a late speeding penalty.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 271 POINTS
Returning to the truck series this Friday night in Kansas.

16. DANICA PATRICK – 253 POINTS
Yes, she is not a good driver…but what does that say about the Boyfriend, the Biff, and the Boss?

17. CLINT BOWYER – 249 POINTS
Kansas boy claims this as his home track…but he is 0 for 13 there.

18. CARL EDWARDS – 240 POINTS
Missouri boy also claims this as his home track…and is 0 for 15…but has 11 Top Tens.

19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 229 POINTS
A bad vibration and no speed, but other than that Talladega was one hell of a great time.

20. DAVID RAGAN – 224 POINTS
Moves to MWR this week to make room for the Boy Wonder whose age matches his car number.

May 6, 2015
Hot 20 – 500 miles at Talladega, as it always has been and always should be

“It’s no secret that attention spans, especially with the millennial fans, are changing,” or so says NASCAR boss Brian France. Hard to argue with that, but it basically states that today’s fans are idiots who need the keys jangled before their faces much like one does with a bored infant. Be it as it may, if NASCAR desires to shorten a few events to keep the droolers engaged, go right ahead. However, there are some events it would be ill-advised to mess with.

You do not touch the legacy races. The Daytona 500, the Southern 500, the World 600, the Firecracker 400 and the Brickyard 400 are etched in stone. All races at Bristol’s half-mile run 500 laps. If you race at Talladega, you race for 500 miles. These are the events even non-fans take in, the races new fans discover before they even know NASCAR has something called a series championship. The road courses seem about right to me, along with the 500 mile night race at Charlotte. Do what you will with all the rest, as truth be known some of the remaining 24 events are boring as hell to watch unless you know the storylines going in, and even then it might be something of a chore. It is not a case of keeping our attention, but rather ending the monotony sooner than later.

So, change away in your bid to snare those who have the attention span of a gnat, but beware screwing over your true fans. Those folks have memories that last forever, and forgiveness is not something you can expect to get readily.

What you can expect is one hell of a race to watch this Sunday, with its Saturday appetizer.

Hot 20 heading to Talladega…

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (357 Points)
Eighth at Martinsville, 38th at Bristol, first or second everywhere else.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (299 Points)
That woman always telling people what to do on television has turned him into Jimmie Goldberg.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN ( 324 Points)
Bristol was a hiccup.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (283 Points)
Was firing on all cylinders…but one.

5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (273 Points)
Richmond was disappointing for Joe Gibbs Racing, though Matt had few complaints.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (245 Points)
There was no Petty Man, there is no Junior Man, but there is a Hamlin Man…cape and all.

7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (222 Points)
Got that monkey off his back.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 315 POINTS
The most pleasant surprise of 2015.

9. KASEY KAHNE – 275 POINTS
All-State. Nextel. Sunoco. Gillette. Remember when NASCAR sponsors tried?

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 271 POINTS
How we wish Dale Sr., John, and George could have felt the love when they turned 64.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 264 POINTS
Ranked 11th best in 2004, 12th best in 2005, ranked here as of today.

12. JEFF GORDON – 263 POINTS
Just as he once raced against Petty, teenagers Elliott and Jones will remember racing this guy.

13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 250 POINTS
I would like to buy a vowel. Could I have an “A”, Pat?

14. PAUL MENARD – 239 POINTS
Hanging out with Gordon testing at Indianapolis. How cool is that?

15. CLINT BOWYER – 235 POINTS
No, this is not a single car operation. Why do you ask?

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 234 POINTS
Next week comes his final appeal…then he loses his crew chief?

17. DANICA PATRICK – 230 POINTS
Go Daddy soon to be Gone Daddy.

18. CARL EDWARDS – 228 POINTS
It is not all bad. He could still be driving for Roush-Fenway.

19. DAVID RAGAN – 218 POINTS
Driving for Mikey after this, filling in for Vickers after sitting in for Kyle.

20. KYLE LARSON – 205 POINTS
Always competitive at Talladega…both times.

April 29, 2015
Hot 20 – As we remember Steve Byrnes, it is on to Richmond

I am a blessed man. I have a multitude of wants, but I already have all those things I truly need. I just wish that when we pray for a miracle, the odds of realizing it were not as astronomically against its success. When we lose someone as young, vibrant and talented as Steve Byrnes, despite all of our prayers, it does test one’s faith.

Byrnes loved his family and he loved NASCAR. In his memory, we once again take stock of those who are in Chase contention. As we move forward, we find the likes of Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Larson just outside looking in, while even wins by Trevor Bayne and Tony Stewart would rocket them up among our leaders.

Our Hot 20 heading to Richmond include…

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (314 points)
First a NASCAR champion and now he is in the White House. Well, for a brief visit.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (258 points)
After last week, we might know why Jimmie was not picked as Harv’s running mate.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (284 points)
If he was ahead of Brad at Bristol, how things might have been different.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (255 points)
If he was behind Joey at Bristol…

5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (236 points)
43 years old, but in Gordon years he is just 36.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (223 points)
Bristol was a pain in the neck, but he is coming home Saturday night.

7. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 281 POINTS
Bristol wasn’t great, but only Harvick and Logano have more points this season.

8. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 241 POINTS
If he can keep the wheels tight and the tires round he should be all right.

9. KASEY KAHNE – 237 POINTS
Those All-State girls never got him, but he was available this week at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

10. JEFF GORDON – 227 POINTS
Five straight in the Top 10 has Pops back in the hunt.

11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 226 POINTS
One of five Cup guys driving the XFINITY race. Go Erik Jones!

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 223 POINTS
Hopes to add Chase place to his Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and All-Star race career resume.

13. DANICA PATRICK – 211 POINTS
Bristol was a gift, but enough gifts can add up to something very good.

14. PAUL MENARD – 210 POINTS
Odds are his decent finish at Bristol will not transfer to this short track.

15. CARL EDWARDS – 203 POINTS
Despite a very ordinary start, still a contender.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 201 POINTS
After his big penalty, has pegged his way back into contention.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 200 POINTS
Richmond is a track he loves and that loves him in return.

18. DAVID RAGAN – 197 POINTS
Still living the dream as Kyle dreams of his return.

19. CASEY MEARS – 186 POINTS
With odds at 500-1, anything in the Top 20 would be welcome.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 180 POINTS
Roush-Fenway presence could soon disappear with Austin, Kurt, and Larson just behind.

April 23, 2015