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Tag: Carl Edwards

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Coca Cola 600

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Coca Cola 600

    With military tributes abounding and NASCAR patriotism at its best, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 55th annual running of the sport’s longest race, the Coca Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Surprising: In a sport where man so often is at the mercy of machine, the competitive spirit of the drivers surprisingly triumphed over whatever difficulties they were facing in their race cars.

    One such example of perseverance was Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, who triumphed over back spasms that were so severe that he missed final practice to finish the longest race of the season in the seventh spot.

    “It was tough,” Gordon said after the race. “I was aching in there. There was one time when I got on the brakes into (Turn) 1 and it triggered something. I didn’t know what was going to happen after that, but it settled down.”

    “I’m happy that I got through it. It tells me a lot about what kind of threshold I have and I just want to show this team the kind of commitment I have to them because of what they have shown me this year.”

    The driver who triumphed most mightily over his race machines, however, was Kurt Busch, who raced his heart out in the Indianapolis 500, finishing sixth in his rookie effort, and then went on to race in the Coke 600, only to have his engine give up the ghost on Lap 271.

    “To feel the stock car right after driving the Indy car was a day I’ll never forget,” the driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Made in America Chevrolet, said. “I can’t let the mood here with the car dampen what happened up at Indy today. That was very special.”

    “Andretti Autosport gave me a top-five car to try and win the 500 with, and these Stewart-Haas guys gave me a good car too,” Busch continued. “The motor just went, sometimes that happens. All in all I gave it my all.”

    Not Surprising: For Hendrick Motorsports, with their headquarters just up the road from the speedway, there truly is no place like home. And for race winner, Jimmie Johnson, and his team owner Rick Hendrick, Charlotte Motor Speedway is like coming home.

    “I think, number one, Charlotte is kind of home,” Mr. H said after the race. “Won my first NASCAR race here with Sr. in ’83 in the Nationwide or Busch Series. It’s a special place, all the families here.”

    “Winning a race, Jimmie and Chad have been so close this year, and several situations got away,” Mr. Hendrick continued. “To get this one behind us is great.”

    This home track win was Johnson’s first of the season, his 67th victory in 44 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races and his seventh win at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet also broke the tie with NASCAR Hall of Famers Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip as the all-time series points wins leader at Charlotte.

    Surprising: Danica Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had surprisingly much in common in the Coke 600, starting out strong and then both going down for the count with engine issues. Junior finished 19th and Patrick finished an even more disappointing 39th.

    “We had a little bit of an engine issue or something cropping up,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard/Superman Chevrolet said. “But it was very fast. I was very happy with the speed.”

    “We were able to at least finish 19th,” Junior continued. “We could have blowed up and finished in the back. You’re going to have some bad weeks and you’ve got to be able to roll with them. This was one of them and we just have to look at the positives and try not to dwell too much on what happened.”

    “Yeah, it’s really unfortunate,” Patrick said, echoing the words of Dale Earnhardt Jr. “We started off great and started to get tighter and tighter. We couldn’t really figure out how to fix it.”

    “We had a good plan, then dropped a cylinder and lost power, then got rear-ended,” the driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet continued. “That was our day. We’ll just remember the good stuff that happened here at Charlotte and at Kansas last race and build on that for Dover.”

    Not Surprising: Kevin Harvick did not close and was not fast in the pits so therefore it was not surprising that he also was not happy after the race, even though he finished second.

    “We shot ourselves in the foot again,” the driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Folds of Honor Chevrolet said. “We left two wheels loose and played catch up the rest of the night.”

    “We’re just shooting ourselves in the foot on pit road,” Harvick continued. “We have to clean that up because we obviously can’t win races with the fastest car if we make mistakes continuously on pit road. It’s frustrating.”

    Surprising: Jamie Mac is back, backing up his All Star race win with a top-five finish in his No. 1 Cessna Chevrolet.

    “Our car was fast enough that even when we went to the back, we were able to recover and get back to the top-five, which was great,” McMurray said. “We’ve had such good cars all year long and have not been able to capitalize because of tire issues or just some bad luck.”

    “So I’m excited we won last week. We ran really good again this week. Just an all-around good night.”

    Not Surprising: Carl Edwards, one of Ford’s best pitch men, credited his manufacturer’s fuel mileage for getting him a fourth place finish and scoring top honors for Ford in the race.

    “That’s Ford fuel mileage right here,” the driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion said. “You talk about Fords getting great fuel mileage and they did today.”

    “Our car finished fourth and that was probably as good as we deserved to finish,” Edwards continued. “We did have a good run.”

    Surprising: This time, rookie Austin Dillon actually finished ahead of ROTY competitor Kyle Larson to tighten up that rookie recognition battle. Dillon scored the 16th finishing spot while Larson finished two behind in 18th.

    “I’m proud of everyone’s effort on this No. 3 Cheerios Chevrolet team this weekend,” Dillon said. “It was not a bad finish considering all of the challenges we battled during the race.”

    Not Surprising:  Pleased but not satisfied was the theme for the top-finishing Toyota drivers. Matt Kenseth finished third in his No. 20 Home Depot Husky Toyota and Brian Vickers had a great run, finishing sixth in his No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota.

    “I thought we had a top-five car — a lot of it was definitely an improvement,” Kenseth said. “Just needed a little more and couldn’t quite run with the 48 (Jimmie Johnson) and the 4 (Kevin Harvick) and a couple of them other cars. Overall, it was a good night for our Home Depot Husky Tools Camry — we just have to get just a little better.”

    “Our Camry was good all night,” Vickers said. “We were really close to top-five and probably close to a win, we just needed a little more speed.”

    “The guys did a great job and just really proud of them,” Vickers continued. “Pleased but not satisfied.”

    Surprising: Paul Menard had a surprisingly good run in his No. 27 Serta/Menards Chevrolet at Charlotte, finishing in the eighth spot after starting 21st.

    “We had a great finish tonight in Charlotte considering where we started,” Menard said. “It was a hard fought race the for No. 27 Serta/Menards team, but with some strategy and adjustments we were able salvage what could have been a tough night.”

    “This race in Charlotte is a tough one, but we finished strong.”

    Not Surprising: Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the No. 31 Quicken Loans Chevrolet, epitomized the spirit of the weekend as he never quit and never gave up in spite of cutting down a tire on Lap 293 and finishing 15th in the Coca Cola 600.

    “This Quicken Loans team persevered this weekend,” Newman declared. “We had quite a bit to overcome, but we never gave up.”

    “We started from the back after an issue in qualifying and had a Chevrolet good enough to race all the way up to ninth position before we had a tire cut down on a restart,” Newman continued. “I have to hand it to this team; we never gave up through all the adversity.”

    “I will never stop fighting and nor will my crew, we’ll be fine.”

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves on next weekend to pay a visit to Miles the Monster in the 45th Annual FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware.

  • Trevor Bayne To Compete Full-Time In NASCAR Sprint Sup Series In 2015, Full Driver Line-Up Still In Flux

    Trevor Bayne To Compete Full-Time In NASCAR Sprint Sup Series In 2015, Full Driver Line-Up Still In Flux

    Concord, NC – (May, 24, 2014) – It was announced on Saturday at Charlotte Motor Speedway, that Trevor Bayne will compete full-time in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in 2015. Bayne will drive the No. 6  AdvoCare Ford for Roush-Fenway Racing (RFR).

    This announcement signifies the return of the No. 6 to full-time competition for Roush-Fenway. It was the number of RFR’s first entry in NASCAR Sprint Cup competition in 1988, with driver Mark Martin, who assisted in the announcement Saturday via video in the media center. Martin drove to 35 wins in the No. 6 during his years with RFR.

    Bayne, who currently competes full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for RFR and part-time on the Sprint Cup Series for Wood Brothers Racing, commented about today’s announcement saying, “I’m both excited and humbled to be a part of bringing the No. 6 back to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.” He continued with comments about the primary sponsor, “And to be able to make that move with AdvoCare makes it that much more special. They are a true partner that aligns with my foundation and core values in every way.”

    Team owner, Jack Roush, was also on hand for the announcement. When asked about the significance of the No. 6, Roush replied, “It’s been a goal of the organization to put the No. 6 back out there on track in the Sprint Cup Series and I’m pleased to have AdvoCare behind us as we make the move with Trevor to full-time Cup racing.”

    The addition of Bayne to the full-time Sprint Cup line-up for 2015 also triggered questions about the rest of the RFR drivers. Rumors have been swirling around the garage area over the past several weeks regarding Carl Edwards. Edwards’ contract is up for renewal, and in similar fashion to the last renewal date, Edwards is the topic of many in the sport.

    In a, not so subtle attempt to ask about Edwards without asking about Edwards, one reporter ask if this announcement means the team is a expanding to four cars or is somebody not going to be with the team next year. Roush replied, “Our plans for 2015 are still in a state of flux. Certainly the fact we’ve taken the No. 6 indicates that we have our plans open for a fourth car, but it’s still in a state of flux. We’ll have more to announce on that later.”

    Currently, one of the strongest rumors in the garage area are that Edwards may go to Joe Gibbs Racing and join his former RFR teammate, Matt Kenseth. Kenseth left the organization at the end of the 2012 season and had arguably his best season on record in 2013. Though he did not win the championship, he did compile seven wins, and 20 top-10 finishes leading to a second place finish in the final standings.

    Given the team’s recent lackluster performance, today’s announcement with Bayne indicates that the future is still strong for the team, regardless of Edwards’ status. The question remains however – can they provide their drivers with the equipment they need to compete for the wins and championships.

  • The All-Star Hot 20 is led by its hottest driver; Mr. Johnson, I presume

    The All-Star Hot 20 is led by its hottest driver; Mr. Johnson, I presume

    When it comes to driving for a championship, nobody has done it better this past decade than Jimmie Johnson. Collecting six of the past eight season titles gives a fellow a certain reputation. Add to that four All-Star race victories, and eight Top Fives in just a dozen events, and I think we have discovered our favorite for Saturday night.

    Before they just hand over the million bucks, there will be challengers. The 42-year old Jeff Gordon has been in this thing for half of his life. He will be in his 21st event, a competition he has won three times to tie him with Dale Earnhardt for the second most decisions. Eight others taking the auto out for a spin know what it is like to win this Charlotte exhibition once. Carl Edwards has a win in eight attempts, while Matt Kenseth has a single win but has been in the Top Ten in ten of his 13 attempts. Dale Earnhardt Jr won it his first time out in 2000, with his dad by his side in Victory Lane. Since then, he has rang up an additional ten Top Tens himself, to go with the 2012 Showdown to get into the Saturday night feature.

    As for the Friday night Showdown this year, Clint Bowyer could well get in to Saturday’s fun by finishing amongst the top two. The fan vote selection could go to Danica Patrick, though rookies Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson should get some well deserved consideration. I would expect one of them to make it by finishing alongside Bowyer at the finish line, if both do not actually find themselves ahead of the veteran at the end.

    If you like what you see each and every week, you are in luck. Those very same faces will be under the helmets this weekend, but points matter not and winning means a million reasons to celebrate. History tells us the winner will be a name we might already know, and destined to be one we shall always remember. Let the fun begin.

     

    1. Jimmie Johnson 12 races, 4 wins, 8 top fives, 8 top tens
    2. Jeff Gordon 20 races, 3 wins, 6 top fives, 9 top tens
    3. Tony Stewart 15 races, 1 win, 8 top fives, 9 top tens
    4. Kurt Busch 12 races, 1 win, 5 top fives, 7 top tens
    5. Matt Kenseth 13 races, 1 win, 5 top fives, 10 top tens
    6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 14 races, 1 win, 4 top fives, 11 top tens
    7. Carl Edwards 8 races, 1 win, 3 top fives, 5 top tens
    8. Ryan Newman 12 races, 1 win, 3 top fives, 7 top tens
    9. Kasey Kahne 10 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 4 top tens
    10. Kevin Harvick 13 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 7 top tens
    11. Kyle Busch 8 races, 3 top fives, 4 top tens
    12. Joey Logano 3 races, 2 top fives, 3 top tens
    13. Denny Hamlin 7 races, 2 top fives, 4 top tens
    14. Greg Biffle 10 races, 2 top fives, 3 top tens
    15. Brian Vickers 3 races, 1 top five, 1 top ten
    16. Martin Truex, Jr. 4 races, 1 top five, 2 top tens
    17. Brad Keselowski 5 races, 1 top five, 2 top tens
    18. David Ragan 3 races 1 top ten
    19. Jamie McMurray 7 races, 2 top tens
    20. Danica Patrick 1 race

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took the lead with eight laps to go and held off the hard-changing Kevin Harvick to take the checkered flag at Kansas. It was Gordon’s first win this season and third career win at Kansas Speedway.

    “My pit crew really came through with a great stop,” Gordon said. “In this sport, it’s all about the ‘seconds.’ Just ask Mark Martin.

    “Winning a race is a weight off my shoulders. Now, I’ve got to take that wait off my shoulders, because it’s been 13 years since my last Cup title.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano took third in the 5-Hour Energy 400, posting his sixth top-five of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 48 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “The lights went out on the backstretch during the race,” Logano said. “I guess NASCAR’s “Drive For Diversity” program is working, because it just got darker.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 10th at Kansas, the best finish among Toyota drivers. Kenseth is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 15 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I didn’t see the light,” Kenseth said. “And, I also didn’t see the ‘Lite.’ That’s because Brad Keselowski was driving the No. 2 car with the Würth paint scheme. If you’ll notice, in the word ‘Würth,’ there are two dots over the ‘u.’ On a related note, I’d like to give Keselowski two dots in his ‘i.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt posted his sixth top-five finish with a fifth at Kansas as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon took the win. Earnhardt is fourth in the points standings, 26 out of first.

    “Another problem with the lights for NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “I guess this gives new meaning to the term ‘night racing.’ But let’s not be too alarmed. There are hundreds of blackouts in every NASCAR race, most in the infield, and nearly all involving fans of Junior Nation.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards led six laps and finished sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Kansas. He moved up one spot to fifth in the points standings, and trails Jeff Gordon by 27.

    “After the lights went out,” Edwards said, “NASCAR officials asked the drivers if they could see well enough to continue. You could say, for once, that NASCAR started on the ‘poll.’”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 15th at Kansas, as Matt Kenseth was the top Joe Gibbs Racing finisher, in 10th. Busch is still third in the points standings, 21 out of first.

    “Despite driving the No. 18 Snickers car,” Busch said, “I’m not satisfied.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 24 laps at Kansas, but was no match for the faster cars of Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. He faded to ninth at the finish, and remains winless on the season.

    “I heard Danica Patrick got a big thrill passing me,” Johnson said. “Give her a pat on the back. Usually, when Danica passes a Sprint Cup champion, the only thing back is her lap.”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 119 laps, but was beaten out of the pits on the final caution by Jeff Gordon. Harvick couldn’t catch Gordon down the stretch and settled for second.

    “We just didn’t get it done on the pit stop,” Harvick said. “It’s one thing to get caught speeding on pit lane; it’s another to get caught ‘sleeping.’”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 11th in the 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas, just missing out on his fourth top-10 result of the year. He is, however, in the top 10 in the points, in eighth, 62 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “Clint Bowyer’s mother gave the command to start the engines,” Newman said. “She really gave it a nice personal touch. You could say she put her own ‘spin’ on it.”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 16th at Kansas in the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Toyota. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 66 out of first.

    “It was an eventful race,” Biffle said. “Between the threat of storms, cars on fire, and malfunctioning lights, NASCAR is probably saying ‘Glad we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

  • The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    There are three major stars in NASCAR’s constellation of drivers. They are simply called Jimmie, Junior, and Jeff, and few could argue that this trio has shone the brightest. Jimmie Johnson has six championships, including five in a row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the legacy of the legend, with 15 wins in his first five full seasons and four straight at Talladega. His track success might have cooled, but Junior Nation’s fervor has not. Jeff Gordon, the four time champion, won his third at Kansas, but his first since 2002, to all but lock his place in the Chase.

    Gordon led in points, even without a win, but Saturday night he put a lock on a race he dominated. Well, for all but one other entry, he was the undisputed leader of the pack. Kevin Harvick had designs to add to his win total, only to fall just short. While both drivers have been stellar thus far in the season, only the wreck at Talladega mars Gordon’s record in 2014. Harvick has been a factor in every race, winning two, but he has been up front only until misfortune bit him hard at Las Vegas, Bristol, California, and Texas.

    Winning is important, but it sure comes in handy to also be relevant week in and week out. Danica Patrick was just that the entire race, finishing seventh, while Tony Stewart was for a time before coming home 20th. One has a great track record, one does not, but both have driven SHR autos that have been providing sub-par results much of the year. Other than Harvick, one wonders how much are their woes car based. Just ask the fourth member of that stable, as Kurt Busch finished outside the Top Twenty for the ninth time in eleven attempts. If not for his win at Martinsville, which this season makes him relevant, being 28th in points would have otherwise left him an also ran a couple of points beyond the total of even Ms. Patrick.

    However, a win is the golden ticket this season to challenge for the championship. Joey Logano and Harvick have a couple, with Gordon, Junior, and the Brothers Busch among the seven with one to their credit. Seven more are within the Top 16 in points, but a single win and a spot in the Top 30 vaults one up the ladder. Who will be next?

    Before the World 600, the boys and girl have the All-Star race on their schedule this Saturday night at Charlotte. Nineteen are in, having won since the 2013 Daytona 500, by winning this race in the past, or by having been a Cup series champion. Three more will be added, with two coming from the top finishers from among the 23 car field that will run in the Showdown on Friday night. The other will come via a fan vote. If that goes the way I think it will, I would expect the All-Star race to include every driver mentioned above. Yes, even her.

    Who will win on Saturday night? That is easy. Every driver who has ever won the All-Star race since Darrell Waltrip claimed the Winston back in 1985 has or will be either a Cup champion, the winner of the Daytona 500, the World 600 or the night race at Bristol. No exceptions.

    A star won last Saturday night, and another should claim the prize in Charlotte this Saturday evening.

    Darrell Waltrip – All-Star 1985 – Daytona 500 1989 – World 600 1978-79, 1985, 1988-89 – Bristol 1979, 1981-83, 1986, 1989, 1992 – Champion 1981-82, 1985

    Bill Elliott – All-Star 1986 – Daytona 500 1985, 1987 – Champion 1988

    Dale Earnhardt – All-Star 1987, 1990, 1993 – Daytona 500 1998 – World 600 1986, 1992-93 – Champion 1980, 1986-87, 1990-91, 1993-94

    Terry Labonte – All-Star 1988, 1999 – Bristol 1984, 1995 – Champion 1984, 1996

    Rusty Wallace – All-Star 1989 – World 600 1990 – Bristol 1994, 1996, 2000 – Champion 1989

    Davey Allison – All-Star 1991-92 – Daytona 500 1992 – World 600 1991

    Geoffrey Bodine – All-Star 1994 – Daytona 500 1986

    Jeff Gordon – All-Star 1995, 1997, 2001 – Daytona 500 1997, 1999, 2005 – World 600 1994, 1997-98 – Bristol 2002 – Champion 1995, 1997-98, 2001

    Michael Waltrip – All-Star 1996 – Daytona 500 2001, 2003

    Mark Martin – All-Star 1998, 2005 – World 600 2002 – Bristol 1993, 1998

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – All-Star 2000 – Daytona 500 2004, 2014 – Bristol 2004

    Ryan Newman – All-Star 2002- Daytona 500 2008

    Jimmie Johnson – All-Star 2003, 2006, 2012-13 – Daytona 500  2006, 2013 – World 600 2003-05 – Champion 2006-10, 2013

    Matt Kenseth – All-Star 2004 – Daytona 500 2009, 2012 – World 600 2000 – Bristol 2005-06, 2013 – Champion 2003

    Kevin Harvick – All-Star 2007 – Daytona 500 2007 – World 600 2011, 2013

    Kasey Kahne – All-Star 2008 – World 600 2006, 2008, 2012

    Tony Stewart  All-Star 2009 – Bristol 2001 – Champion 2002, 2005, 2011

    Kurt Busch – All-Star 2010 – World 600 2010 – Bristol 2003 – Champion 2004

    Carl Edwards – All-Star 2011 – Bristol 2007-08

    Casey Mears – World 600 2007

    David Reutimann – World 600 2009

    Kyle Busch – Bristol 2009-10

    Jamie McMurray – Daytona 500 2010

    Trevor Bayne – Daytona 500 2011

    Brad Keselowski – Bristol 2011 – Champion 2012

    Denny Hamlin – Bristol 2012

     

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon ran up front much of the day at Talladega before he was collected in the “Big One” on lap 137. He finished 39th, his worst finish of the year, 32 laps down, but held on to the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “Brad Keselowski really made a mess,” Gordon said. “Sure, it was the ‘Big One,’ but a lot of drivers think Brad is the ‘Biggest One.’

    “Hey, the new season of ‘24’ starts soon. I haven’t won a Sprint Cup title since 2001, so I’m longing for the old season of ’24.’”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano was collected in a lap 175 wreck when Jimmie Johnson got loose and triggered a pileup that knocked Logano from the race. Logano finished 32nd, and is now sixth in the points standings.

    “Johnson and Brad Keselowski wiped out half the field, it seemed,” Logano said. “Their reputations may precede them, but accidents seem to follow them.

    “Sure, NASCAR fined Marcos and Ambrose for fighting. But I think NASCAR wants this type of conflict. The ‘Boys have at it’ has become the ‘Fine, And Dandy’ mentality.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished a disappointing 37th after sustaining damage in a lap 137 crash triggered when Brad Keselowski spun, affecting 14 cars. Kenseth is second in the points standings, three behind Jeff Gordon.

    “That was a mind-boggling move by Keselowski,” Kenseth said. “That’s said with just a hint of sarcasm. And, as we all know, ‘mind-boggling’ leads to ‘head-shaking,’ which, in turn, can lead to ‘neck-throttling.’ Brad’s taken knockout qualifying one step further to knockout racing.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt hung back in an effort to avoid the inevitable late carnage at Talladega. He succeeded, but in doing so was too far back to make a run to the front. He finished 26th, and is now fourth in the points standings, 19 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I played it safe,” Earnhardt said. “Sure, maybe I wasn’t giving my all to win, which is a violation of NASCAR’s ‘100 percent’ rule. But I was following the ’80 percent’ rule. ‘100 percent’ minus ’80 percent’ equals ‘20 percent,’ also known as ’40 proof’ to the fans of Junior Nation.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 12th at Talladega as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin scored the victory. Busch is now third in the points standings, four behind Jeff Gordon.

    “That was a great run by Denny,” Busch said. “He really made a statement today, and you can see it in his attitude. Now, that sparkle in his eye isn’t a piece of metal.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski ran into trouble on lap 14 when he made contact with Danica Patrick, which sent the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford sliding down the track and into the infield grass. Later, on lap 137, he lost control and caused the ‘Big One,’ collecting 14 cars. Keselowski eventually finished 38th, 28 laps down.

    “It was a tough day for the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford,” Keselowski said. “I can’t get out of here fast enough. I packed everything. I’m even taking blame and responsibility.

    “But I plan to bounce back at Kansas. Hopefully, that ‘bounce’ won’t be off several cars, as was the case at Talladega.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson struggled in the Aaron’s 499, finishing 23rd after a lap 175 spin that knocked out Joey Logano, among others. Still winless on the year, Johnson is seventh in the points standings, 43 out of first.

    “I just lost it,” Johnson said. “I can’t apologize enough to those affected. But how many apologies are enough? Most say six is more than enough. Not me. I’m aiming for a legendary number of apologies.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards had a strong run in the Aaron’s 499 cut short when he cut a tire with six laps to go and started a wreck that took out several cars. Edwards eventually finished 30th, six laps down.

    “You may have seen me warn the cars behind that I had a flat,” Edwards said. “I did that by waving my hand out of my window. I’m surprised anyone understood, because that’s four more fingers than most drivers are used to seeing out of the window of a NASCAR driver.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin outdueled Kevin Harvick on a restart with two laps to go to take his first win of the season, the crash-filled Aaron’s 499 at Talladega.

    “Joey Logano notwithstanding,” Hamlin said, “I can honestly say I was happy to see ‘yellow’ coming at me.”

    10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led with two laps to go at Talladega, but was passed by Denny Hamlin. With no draft help, Harvick faded to seventh, his fourth top-10 result of the year.

    “I couldn’t get a push from anyone,” Harvick said. “Certainly not from Casey Mears. After what went down in Richmond, he’s afraid to ‘push’ anyone.”

  • The Final Word – Talladega, right on the corner of bitter and sweet street

    The Final Word – Talladega, right on the corner of bitter and sweet street

    There are things in life that just irritate a person. There are calls for me to worry about man-made global warming when I got snow falling outside in the month of May. There are three hours of television devoted to a two-minute horse race. There are entertaining races from Talladega, with big names leading, big names wrecking, only to have the thing won by Denny Hamlin. Then there are times when you write your column, forgot to save the stupid thing, only to dump out of the word processor to lose it all. Yes, I am an irritated man.

    I am probably less irritated than, say, Tony Stewart. The only time we really saw his useless beast on Sunday was when it was on the hook being towed off the track after being mercifully taken out of action in 43rd place. Things are going better for me than they did for Brad Keselowski, who decided to squeeze into a place in front of Danica Patrick where there was no squeezing to be done to have his day ruined just 15 laps in. I wonder if Kurt Busch is happy, even though he had another less than stellar outing that ended like that of his boss. Finishing outside the Top 30 probably did not tickle the likes of Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, or Jeff Gordon, all of whom did make some noise before the sound of mashing metal entered their ears.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr is probably a touch peeved at being called in from the front to pit for fuel he did not need to wind up in the back in a position he could not return from. 26th was not what the script was supposed to read. Jimmie Johnson snapped loose early, and though he finished 23rd on the lead lap he was never a factor. He was one place behind Danica, who set a new gender standard at Talladega for her 22nd place result.

    Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer had to have been disappointed. The pair were set for a big run on the final lap to try and catch Hamlin, who was running on fumes, when Justin Allgaier got messed up just as the white flag came out. With a chunk of his bumper left on the track, the caution had to come out before the lads could attempt to make their run for glory.

    Yes, I am saving this version of my column as I go along. Why do you ask?

    So, I am happy, at least happier than I was before the words on my screen disappeared and the bad words came flying out of my mouth. Maybe not as happy as Landon Cassill, as his unsponsored white Hillman Racing Chevy finished the day in 11th. Kyle Larson probably sports a sweeter disposition after the 21 year old was ninth to make it five Top-Tens in 10 starts. Definitely not as happy as the fans at Talladega were when Danica led early, briefly, or when Junior did the same later, and longer. I am guessing that Denny Hamlin is probably happier than me, not that this does anything to perk up my own mood. With his 24th win in his 300th start, and a place in the Chase all but reserved despite missing a race earlier this season, I doubt Denny really gives a damn as to my current state of happiness.

    Kansas comes up this Saturday night, where Hamlin set the track record two years ago by wrapping up the day in just under three hours. Kenseth is happy there, having won two of the past three, while happy is something Harvick was after claiming the prize in the fall. Keselowski and Johnson split in 2011, and that should be cause for joy and even some hope. Meanwhile, this column is saved, and sent. Look at the big ole smile on this face.

    1   (1) Joey Logano 2 wins, 305 points
    2   (2) Kevin Harvick 2 wins, 258 points
    3   (4) Kyle Busch 1 win, 343 points
    4   (5) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 1 win, 328 points
    5   (3) Carl Edwards 1 win, 328 points
    6   (6) Brad Keselowski 1 win, 294 points
    7   (16) Denny Hamlin 1 win, 292 points
    8   (7) Kurt Busch 1 win, 196 points

    9   (8) Jeff Gordon 347 points
    10 (9) Matt Kenseth 344 points
    11 (10) Jimmie Johnson 304 points
    12 (13) Greg Biffle  300 points
    13 (11) Ryan Newman  299 points
    14 (12) Brian Vickers  297 points
    15 (15) Kyle Larson  286 points
    16 (14) Austin Dillon  281 points

    17 (19) A.J. Allmendinger  279
    18 (18) Marcos Ambrose  268
    19 (21) Paul Menard  265
    20 (22) Clint Bowyer  261
    21 (23) Kasey Kahne  252
    22 (17) Tony Stewart  244
    23 (24) Casey Mears  244
    24 (25) Aric Almirola  242
    25 (20) Jamie McMurray  241
    26 (26) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  218
    27 (27) Martin Truex, Jr.  209 27
    28 (28) Justin Allgaier  190
    29 (29) Danica Patrick  176
    30 (30) David Gilliland  152

     

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Aaron’s 499 at Talladega

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Aaron’s 499 at Talladega

    From the wild knock out qualifying that netted Brian Scott the pole position to the crazy green-white-checkered race finish, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 45th annual Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    Surprising: It is not often when two champions wreak such havoc in one race, even if it is on an unpredictable superspeedway. But both Brad Keselowski as well as Jimmie Johnson did just that, having uncharacteristically bad days that negatively impacted so many others in the field.

    In fact Keselowski negatively impacted the field twice, once early on in the race while battling Danica Patrick for the lead and then later in the race causing a twelve car pileup that involved several other drivers, including the likes of past champions Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart.

    “I just spun out in front of the whole field,” the driver of the white Miller Lite Deuce said. “I don’t know why, if I just busted my butt on my own or lost a tire, but I feel bad for everyone that got torn up.”

    Johnson, after suffering his own damage from the first Keselowski incident, had almost the identical problem as Keselowski, spinning out at almost the same exact spot on the race track and catching others in his wake.

    “I got caught up in the first wreck and that did some damage; and I don’t know what happened when I spun out,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s/Valspar Chevrolet said. “I just went out in front of everybody. The car just got real loose going into Turn 3 and turned around and collected a bunch of guys, unfortunately.”

    Keselowski finished the race in the 38th position while Johnson finished 23rd and remains winless.

    Not Surprising: In his 300th start and at a superspeedway not a short track, Denny Hamlin made a statement and won his first race of the season, his first race at Talladega, and his first point’s race at a restrictor plate track. Hamlin also all but sealed up a Chase berth, after missing the Chase completely last season for the first time in his career.

    “It feels good to be back in Victory Lane in a points-paying event,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota said. “We’ve come a long way. We couldn’t finish 22nd in superspeedway races for the longest time and now it seems like when we go, we know we have the knowledge and car that can win.”

    “It feels good to come to these types of tracks and win.”

    Surprising: Jeff Gordon surprisingly kept his point leads in spite of finishing 39th, as well as breaking his streak of 11 consecutive top-15 finishes. Gordon still leads by three points over Matt Kenseth, who came in just ahead of Gordon in the race, finishing 37th.

    “Oh man, we had a great car,” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet said. “I could see where the 2 came from the outside lane and came back down to the inside lane, or middle lane, then wiggled and got turned.”

    “It was unfortunate what happened to him early, but more unfortunate what happened to many of us in that incident.”

    Not Surprising: Whether they had a game plan in their heads or not, both Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer scored their best ever finishes of the 2014 season.

    Biffle, behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M Window Film Ford, finished runner up after leading the most laps at 58. Bowyer, driving the No. 15 PEAK Antifreeze/Motor Oil Toyota, finished third, scoring his first top-5 finish of the season.

    “I had a game plan in my head,” Biffle said. “On our speedway program, they did a great job getting the car ready. This was our Daytona 500 car and we wanted to get up there and run with the guys.”

    “I don’t think you ever really have a game plan,” Bowyer said. “But I like the situation I saw with Biffle. You know he was going to pull out and make a move. I had my teammate right behind me and I was looking forward to that opportunity.”

    “After last weekend, we blew three tires and burned the car to the ground,” Bowyer continued. “To get things turned around on a positive note, we finished Talladega without a crash.”

    Biffle posted his sixth top-10 finish in 23 races and Bowyer posted his ninth top-10 finish at Talladega Superspeedway.

    Surprising: Risk was not worth the reward for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who elected to ride in the rear in the waning laps to avoid the craziness of the finish. Although Junior led the second-most laps in the race, he finished 26th in his National Guard Chevrolet.

    “We already got a win and like I said, I’ve been in too many late-race wrecks,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I didn’t want to be no part of it. And there were three or four there we dodged pretty good.”

    “So, we’ve got a car in one piece,” Junior continued. “You have to have that track position at the end and we didn’t have it. We didn’t tear up our car and we will go to Daytona and try to manage the strategy.”

    Not Surprising: Talladega makes for friendships formed on the fly and that is exactly what happened between AJ Allmendinger and Paul Menard, who finished fifth and sixth respectively.

    “I really thought I had messed us up there and that last restart I’ve got to thank Paul Menard,” the driver of the No. 47 Bush’s Beans Chevrolet said. “He just kept shoving me all the way up through the inside of guys.”

    “We had a really fast Richmond/Menards/Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Chevrolet all weekend,” Menard said. “It was really good at the end. On the last restart just pushed the hell out of AJ (Allmendinger) and wound up being okay.”

    Surprising: Both David’s, Ragan (defending race winner) and Gilliland, who are traditionally good at plate racing, had a pretty rough day at the race track.

    Gilliland’s engine gave way on his No. 38 Love’s Travel Stops Ford, while Ragan was involved in a very hard hit during one of the race’s many wrecks.

    “I thought my car was good,” Gilliland said. “We got in that accident and I don’t know if the motor got a little warm when we opened up the duct work, but it just wasn’t our day.”

    “It looked like someone got turned in the middle or the bottom lane and we were just kind of minding our own business up top and all I saw was some cars coming up toward us,” Ragan, behind the wheel of the No. 34 KFC Ford, said. “There was nothing you could do.”

    “It’s just a shame that when somebody makes a mistake it takes out a bunch of race cars.”

    Not Surprising:   Young Kyle Larson was the highest finishing rookie…again, this time bringing his car home not only in one piece but in the ninth position. This was the fifth top-10 finish for the driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet and he sits in the 13th position in the point standings.

    “I spent most of the day just — well, pretty much all day just trying not to make any spectacular moves to put myself in a bad spot to get in a wreck,” Larson said. “Just wanted to stay out of trouble. We’ve been making up a lot of points throughout the year after Daytona, and to come back to another superspeedway, I was really nervous.”

    “Glad to get a good finish and stay up there in points.”

    Surprising: Danica Patrick had one major complaint about her race at Talladega. The driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet was, well, just plain hot.

    “It was a hot day here in Talladega,” Patrick said after finishing 22nd. “I dropped back to get some clean air. Heating was definitely an issue. It really limited me to the bottom lane.”

    “I was getting hot a lot,” Patrick continued. “I think you saw that from a lot of cars.”

    Not Surprising: There were many drivers that were not only happy to have ‘Dega in the rear view mirror but were also glad for a good, safe finish to the race.

    “It was crazy, but everybody did a really good job,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford said. “The racing was pretty good. It was really intense, but safe I thought relative to what we’ve seen in the past.”

    “I expected a few of the big wrecks and tried to avoid those and did exactly that,” Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 43 Gwaltney Ford said. “We didn’t end up on our roof, so it was a solid day and we’ll go on.”

    NASCAR next visits Kansas Speedway for some Saturday night racing under the lights in the 5-Hour Energy 400 Benefiting Special Operations Warrior Foundation.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led 173 of 400 laps at Richmond, but his quest for his first win of the season fell short. He finished second behind Joey Logano after a spirited four-car battle for the win during the final laps. Gordons leads the Sprint Cup points standings, five ahead of Matt Kenseth.

    “This race had everything,” Gordon said. “Excitement, controversy, confrontation, and a punch. Marcos Ambrose really let Casey Mears have it. I guess you could say the Australian gave him a ‘vegemite knuckle sandwich.’ It was ‘Aus-some!’

    “NASCAR doesn’t have the guts to admit it, but I think Ambrose’s punch was good for the sport. There’s plenty of ‘talking smack’ is NASCAR; finally, someone actually did more than just talk it.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano started fourth on the race’s final restart and zoomed to the lead as Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, and Brad Keselowski jockeyed for position. Logano took the lead with three laps to go and held on for his second win of the year.

    “I passed three NASCAR Sprint Cup champions,” Logano said. “While Kenseth and Gordon were sandwiching Keselowski, ‘Sliced Bread’ stole the win. Thanks to my teammate for helping me with the win. Brad then jumped on my hood to congratulate me. I’m not surprised. Just ask Kenseth. Brad was feeling a little ‘froggy.’

    “Marcos Ambrose punched Casey Mears. That aggressiveness inspired me, so I punched my ticket. Here’s hoping it doesn’t punch back.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth lead on the final restart and valiantly held off Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski, but in doing so allowed Joey Logano to slip by for the win. Kenseth finished fifth and was confronted after the race by Keselowski, who accused Kenseth of blocking.

    “Brad had some words from me,” Kenseth said. “He can get mouthy when he’s angry just as easily as he can get ‘gummy’ when he smiles.

    “But there’s no place for violence in this sport, at least not from me. If I ‘raise my hand,’ you can rest assured it’s because I want to ask a question.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished seventh in the Toyota Owners 400, posting his sixth top 10 of the year. He is fifth in the points standings, 32 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I don’t appreciate getting caught up in Brad Keselowski’s desire for vengeance,” Earnhardt said. “He’ll ‘pay’ for this, most likely with a ‘brake check.’”

    5. Kyle Busch: After rough going for the better part of Saturday’s race, Busch stormed to the front on the final restart and claimed third in the Toyota Owners 400. He is now fourth in the points standings, 31 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “What a great run by Joey Logano,” Busch said. “But he’s not the happiest driver of the day. That would be my brother Kurt. He’s thrilled that someone got punched and it wasn’t him.

    “But let’s be serious for a minute. Ambrose and Mears finished 18th and 19th, respectively. Is that worth a punch in the eye? By that rationale, Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who finished 34th and 38th, could have very well scrapped. In that case, someone would have taken one right in the kisser.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski battled for the lead late at Richmond, but was held at bay by Matt Kenseth’s tactics, which were dirty, according to Keselowski. Keselowski finished fourth as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano took the win.

    “Kenseth tried to run me into the wall,” Keselowski said. “I called it a ‘mind-boggling’ move. What’s really mind-boggling is that I found it mind-boggling.

    “We had a car honoring Detroit Genuine Parts. Detroit is known for its car parts. The city is littered with them.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson lost a front tire with 34 laps to go at Richmond and limped home to a 32nd-place finish. He is now eighth in the points standings and still winless on the year.

    “It’s been a tough year for us so far,” Johnson said. “But, despite being a six-time Sprint Cup champion, I’m human just like every other driver. The worse that can happen to me is the same as the worse that can happen to them—-not winning the championship.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards took ninth at Richmond, recording his fifth top-10 result of the year. He remained third in the Sprint Cup points standings and trails Jeff Gordon by 28.

    “Robert Griffin III drove the pace car at Richmond,” Edwards said. “He was recruited by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Those two have a lot in common; they’ve never won a championship, and they both like white women.”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished eighth in the Toyota Owners 400, posting his fourth top 10 of the year. He stands ninth in the points standings, 69 out of first.

    “Casey Mears got KO’d,” Newman said, “while Brad Keselowski got PO’d. I’m shocked….shocked that Ambrose’s punch wasn’t an uppercut. If it had been, we could say that the punch, much like Ambrose himself, came from ‘Down Under.’”

    10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 11th at Richmond, posting the top finish among Stewart-Haas Racing drivers. Race winner Joey Logano joined Harvick as the only two-time winners this season.

    “What a race!” Harvick said. “And what a punch by Marcos Ambrose. I’m sure that left Casey Mears with a black eye, which, in NASCAR’s eyes, is proof enough that the ‘Drive For Diversity’ program is working.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished seventh in the Bojangle’s Southern 500 and held on to the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings. He leads Matt Kenseth by one point.

    “I’m surprised Kenseth didn’t win a race sponsored by Bojangles,” Gordon said, “because he knows chicken better than anyone.

    “But the ‘Drive For Five’ is still alive. And if I win the Sprint Cup title, you can best believe I’ll ride off into the sunset. If not, I might call it a day, anyway.”

    2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt took second at Darlington, posting his fifth top-3 finish of the season. Earnhardt is fourth in the points standings, 26 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I’m sponsored by the National Guard,” Earnhardt said. “Is Kevin Harvick sponsored by the Navy? Because his wife curses like a sailor.

    “As Harvick proved, tires were the most important factor in winning. Maybe we should have put on those extra two tires. I guess you could say we failed. Of course, it’s surely not the first case of ‘blown’ tires this year.”

    3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson took the lead with a two-tire pit stop on a caution with ten laps to go at Darlington. Harvick eventually chased down Johnson and passed Dale Earnhardt, Jr. for the lead on the final lap. Johnson finished third and is now fourth in the points standings, 27 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I’m still winless on the year,” Johnson said. “But winning isn’t everything. Otherwise, I’d have everything. Harvick can have his four tires; I’ll take my six Cups. Unlike those tires, those Cups will last forever.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick’s four tire pit stop on the final caution at Darlington proved the difference. Harvick, restarting fifth, chased down Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr, to secure the win in the Bojangle’s Southern 500.

    “We were ‘great’ in ‘Darlington,’” Harvick said. “Taking four tires was a ‘good decision.’ Those weren’t the only ‘G.D.’s’ heard at Darlington.

    “Gene Haas of Stewart-Haas Racing is planning to field a Formula 1 team in 2015. Gene’s got the money to make it work. He’s loaded. He has to be. Reportedly, he couldn’t pay Tony Stewart enough to have Kurt Busch as a teammate.”

    5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth claimed fourth at Darlington, posting his sixth top-10 result of the year. He is second in the points standings, trailing Jeff Gordon by a single point.

    “The call Darlington Raceway the ‘Lady In Black,’” Kenseth said. “They call Delana Harvick the ‘Lady In Blue’ because of her language. Harvick may be the best driver never to win a Cup championship. Maybe he’s cursed.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 13th at Darlington, as Roush Fenway teammate Greg Biffle was the only Ford in the top 10. Edwards is third in the points standings, 19 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “How is Delana Harvick like the Aflac duck?” Edwards said. “They’re both ‘fowl-mouthed.’”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch finished sixth at Darlington, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, in the top 10. Busch is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 28 out of first.

    “My brother Kurt was wrecked by Clint Bowyer,” Busch said. “Rest assured, Kurt won’t take that lying down. Or at least not before an open-handed slap takes him off his feet.”

    8. Joey Logano: Logano blew an engine with ten laps to go at Darlington and finished 35th, 15 laps down. He fell four spots in the points standings to eighth, 52 out of first.

    “Hey,” Logano said, “I wasn’t the only one cursing my blown engine.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 17th at Darlington on a disappointing day for Penske Racing. Teammate Joey Logano suffered an engine failure, while Keselowski dealt with handling issues late in the race.

    “With no top 10 finishes in the last five races,” Keselowski said, “I haven’t looked like a Cup contender. We’re heading to Easter for a much needed break, and hopefully I’ll be a lot better upon returning. Just call it a ‘Kes-urrection.’”

    10. Kyle Larson: Rookie Of The Year candidate Larson finished seventh in the Bojangle’s Southern 500, scoring his second straight top 10 and fourth of the year.

    “I earned my Darlington stripe,” Larson said. “The ‘Lady In Black’ always leaves an impression. But I think I did the same. Hopefully, this driver of the No. 42 Target car will leave a mark, and not just leave.”