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  • Chase Elliott dominates to win at The Glen

    Chase Elliott dominates to win at The Glen

    Started first, finished first is the name of the game for NASCAR’s most popular driver, as Chase Elliott completely dominated to win his fifth Cup Series career victory and his second consecutive win at The Glen.

    “The past month and a half has not been that fun at all, and this team has stuck together, just stayed the course,” Elliott said to MRN Radio. “That’s the most important thing when you’re struggling. So to be able to stay the course, come up here, sit on the pole Saturday, lead the most laps, win the race, I’ve never done that in my career. That’s the kind of team we can be. I feel really confident about that, so we just have to keep it rolling.”

    Stages were broken into 20/20/50 laps to make up the 90 lap race distance.

    Only Ryan Blaney had to go to the rear for making unapproved adjustments prior to the start of the race.

    Stage 1: Lap 1 – Lap 20

    No cautions took place in the first stage, however, there were a couple of incidents. Kyle Busch spun underneath William Byron on Lap 2 in Turn 1. There would be no caution, but more on this later.

    Aric Almirola reported that his shifter was about to break off. There was a near-miss between Denny Hamlin and Byron and Daniel Suarez had grass on his grille.

    In the remaining laps, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Blaney, Joey Logano, Alex Bowman and Chris Buescher all pitted with three laps to go in hopes to have track position for the Stage 2 restart. Byron also had grass on his grille after going through the bus stop.

    It was all Chase Elliott who led every lap to take the Stage 1 win.

    A heated interaction occurred between Byron and Kyle Busch under the stage break, as Byron went to retaliate by running into the rear end of Busch in the esses. However, Byron got the worst of it with damage to his hood.

    Busch would also have more problems occur on his pit stop, as he would be caught being too fast exiting on section eight. Corey LaJoie was penalized for driving through too many pit boxes on exit. Ross Chastain was penalized for having a crew member over the wall too soon.

    Elliott, Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Byron, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Erik Jones, Kurt Busch and Almirola rounded out the top-10 finishers for Stage 1.

    Stage 2: Lap 24 – Lap 40

    Larson assumed the lead as he would stay out under the stage break, but later pitted from the lead on Lap 29.

    On the other hand, Truex had a close call with Keselowski coming to the inner loop by going off the grass a little bit. Logano went through the inner loop grass as well and would have minor front end damage.

    Another driver who had issues with the inner loop was Parker Kligerman who went spinning around after contact with Suarez. Since Larson pitted from the lead, Elliott would assume the lead on Lap 29.

    A caution broke out on Lap 32 when the No. 77 of Reed Sorenson began leaking fluid in the inner loop. This prompted NASCAR to clean up the fluid. Under the caution, Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch pitted along with Byron.

    A restart came with four to go in Stage 2. With that, a battle heated up for the lead between Elliott and Truex for the stage win. However, Wallace was sent spinning into the Turn 5 tire barrier to bring out the caution on Lap 39.

    With the incident, Stage 2 would end under yellow with Elliott once again picking up the stage win. Truex, Harvick, Bowyer, Hamlin, Keselowski, Bowman, Jones, Blaney and Johnson were the remaining top-10 finishers in the second stage on Lap 40.

    Stage 3: Lap 43 – Lap 90

    The final stage began just how it ended with Elliott and Truex contending for the lead. Ryan Newman pitted on Lap 50 for a right front flat and was penalized for driving through too many pit boxes on exit. Hemric also spun through the inner loop two laps later with no caution and the Richard Childress Racing driver suffered major damage to the rear end after contact with Ty Dillon. Due to the contact, Dillon went through the inner loop picking up grass on his grille.

    Green flag pit stops started to take place on Lap 57 with Harvick being the first to pit. Elliott pitted from the lead with 30 to go, while Truex stayed out one lap longer and came in the next lap. Elliott retook the lead right after Truex re-entered the track.

    Two incidents broke out on Lap 61. Johnson went sliding in Turn 5 toward the tire barrier after getting loose. Then, Kyle Busch and Bubba Wallace were bumping and banging on the frontstretch with Wallace turning Busch in Turn 1. A caution came out for the incident.

    The final restart of the race came with 25 to go. Elliott and Truex had a thrilling battle off the restart, banging doors with each other. So much so, that even with Elliott getting the lead, he was concerned with having a flat tire going down.

    But Elliott was able to fend off Truex for his second consecutive win at The Glen. Elliott led all but 10 laps to pick up his second win of the season.

    “Track position, obviously, having a clean air was the biggest thing,” Elliott added. “I thought he (Truex) was a little better there at the end. Just tried to hit my marks and stay mistake free. You know, just not hand it to him. I knew he was going to come up there and pass me, just didn’t want to beat myself and worked really hard at that. Glad we were able to seal the deal, it feels really good.”

    Elliott led three times for 80 laps and picked up 60 points, along with seven Playoff points.

    There were four cautions for 13 laps with four leaders among five lead changes.

    Monster Energy Cup Series Race Number 22
    Race Results for the 34th Annual Go Bowling at The Glen – Sunday, August 4, 2019
    Watkins Glen International – Watkins Glen, NY – 2.45 – Mile Road
    Total Race Length – 90 Laps – 220.5 Miles

    Fin Str No Driver Team Laps S1Pos S2Pos S3Pos Pts Status
    1 1 9 Chase Elliott NAPA AUTO PARTS Chevrolet 90 1 1 0 60 Running
    2 4 19 Martin Truex Jr Bass Pro Shops Toyota 90 3 2 0 52 Running
    3 6 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Cares Toyota 90 2 5 0 49 Running
    4 14 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota 90 8 8 0 39 Running
    5 19 12 Ryan Blaney PPG Ford 90 0 9 0 34 Running
    6 20 95 Matt DiBenedetto Procore Toyota 90 0 0 0 31 Running
    7 15 4 Kevin Harvick Busch Beer Ford 90 0 3 0 38 Running
    8 5 42 Kyle Larson McDonald’s Chevrolet 90 7 0 0 33 Running
    9 10 2 Brad Keselowski Autotrader Ford 90 0 6 0 33 Running
    10 7 1 Kurt Busch Monster Energy Chevrolet 90 9 0 0 29 Running
    11 3 18 Kyle Busch M&M’s Hazelnut Toyota 90 4 0 0 33 Running
    12 9 10 Aric Almirola Go Bowling Ford 90 10 0 0 26 Running
    13 16 37 Chris Buescher Cottonelle Chevrolet 90 0 0 0 24 Running
    14 17 88 Alex Bowman Axalta Chevrolet 90 0 7 0 27 Running
    15 12 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr Acronis Ford 90 0 0 0 22 Running
    16 11 34 Michael McDowell Long John Silver’s Ford 90 0 0 0 21 Running
    17 18 41 Daniel Suarez Haas Automation Ford 90 0 0 0 20 Running
    18 22 21 Paul Menard Menards/Dutch Boy Ford 90 0 0 0 19 Running
    19 8 48 Jimmie Johnson Ally Chevrolet 90 6 10 0 24 Running
    20 13 14 Clint Bowyer Rush Truck Centers/Haas Automation Ford 90 0 4 0 24 Running
    21 2 24 William Byron Hendrick Autoguard Chevrolet 90 5 0 0 22 Running
    22 31 38 David Ragan MDS Transport Ford 90 0 0 0 15 Running
    23 21 22 Joey Logano MoneyLion Ford 90 0 0 0 14 Running
    24 26 36 Matt Tifft # Maui Jim/Surface Sunscreen Ford 90 0 0 0 13 Running
    25 25 6 Ryan Newman Acronis Ford 90 0 0 0 12 Running
    26 24 96 * Parker Kligerman(i) TRD 40th Anniversary Toyota 90 0 0 0 0 Running
    27 32 15 Ross Chastain(i) Chevrolet 90 0 0 0 0 Running
    28 30 43 Bubba Wallace Victory Junction Chevrolet 90 0 0 0 9 Running
    29 34 0 Landon Cassill(i) StarCom Fiber Chevrolet 90 0 0 0 0 Running
    30 27 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Military Chevrolet 89 0 0 0 7 Running
    31 28 3 Austin Dillon Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet 89 0 0 0 6 Running
    32 36 52 Josh Bilicki(i) Chevrolet 89 0 0 0 0 Running
    33 35 51 Cody Ware(i) JACOB COMPANIES Chevrolet 89 0 0 0 0 Running
    34 33 32 Corey LaJoie Samaritan’s Feet Ford 85 0 0 0 3 Engine
    35 23 8 Daniel Hemric # Caterpillar Chevrolet 84 0 0 0 2 Running
    36 29 47 Ryan Preece # Kroger Chevrolet 72 0 0 0 1 Rear Gear
    37 37 77 Reed Sorenson Chevrolet 65 0 0 0 1 Steering

     

    Updated Playoff Points Standings

    1. Kyle Busch, 4 wins
    2. Martin Truex Jr, 4 wins
    3. Denny Hamlin, 3 wins
    4. Brad Keselowski, 3 wins
    5. Joey Logano, 2 wins
    6. Chase Elliott, 2 wins
    7. Kevin Harvick, 1 win
    8. Kurt Busch, 1 win
    9. Alex Bowman, 1 win
    10. Aric Almirola, +96
    11. Ryan Blaney, +89
    12. William Byron, +60
    13. Erik Jones, +54
    14. Kyle Larson, +46
    15. Clint Bowyer, +12
    16. Jimmie Johnson, tied with Ryan Newman

    Up Next: The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads back to Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, August 11.

  • Chase Elliott wins Pole at Watkins Glen, Hendrick sweeps top spots

    Chase Elliott wins Pole at Watkins Glen, Hendrick sweeps top spots

    Chase Elliott won the provisional pole at Watkins Glen Saturday evening with a lap speed of 127.297 mph. Hendrick Motorsports was able to continue their success in qualifying as teammate William Byron will join Elliott on the front row.

    “Our Napa Chevy was fast there, which is nice,” Elliott said to MRN Radio. “It cooled off a lot and picked up a lot of pace from what it had in practice. Just trying to find the limits of all that. It was a good effort, felt like there was a couple of areas where I could get a little bit more but you always want to get more. We’ll see.”

    Kyle Busch (126.976 mph), Martin Truex Jr. (126.861 mph) and Kyle Larson (126.779) rounded out the top five.

    “It was good,” Larson said concerning his qualifying effort. “I feel like I’ve been running as good as I could today. Just off on speed compared to the No. 9 (Chase Elliott) and the No. 18 (Kyle Busch). We got closer there in qualifying and felt like I ran a good lap. I just gave up time in the Carousel. I’ve got to work on that on my end. But, it was a good effort for our McDonald’s team.”

    There was one minor incident in qualifying with Erik Jones blowing a right front tire going into Turn 1. NASCAR allowed Jones to redo his qualifying lap.

    Final inspection will take place on Sunday morning before the race.

    Starting Line Up
    Watkins Glen International
    Provided by NASCAR Statistics – Saturday, 8/3/2019 @ 07:56 PM Eastern

    1 Chase Elliott
    2 William Byron
    3 Kyle Busch
    4 Martin Truex Jr
    5 Kyle Larson
    6 Denny Hamlin
    7 Kurt Busch
    8 Jimmie Johnson
    9 Aric Almirola
    10 Brad Keselowski
    11 Michael McDowell
    12 Ricky Stenhouse Jr
    13 Clint Bowyer
    14 Erik Jones
    15 Kevin Harvick
    16 Chris Buescher
    17 Alex Bowman
    18 Daniel Suarez
    19 Ryan Blaney
    20 Matt DiBenedetto
    21 Joey Logano
    22 Paul Menard
    23 Daniel Hemric #
    24 Parker Kligerman(i)
    25 Ryan Newman
    26 Matt Tifft #
    27 Ty Dillon
    28 Austin Dillon
    29 Ryan Preece #
    30 Bubba Wallace
    31 David Ragan
    32 Ross Chastain(i)
    33 Corey LaJoie
    34 Landon Cassill(i)
    35 Cody Ware(i)
    36 Josh Bilicki(i)
    37 Reed Sorenson

    The Go Bowling at The Glen is scheduled to get underway shortly after 3:00 p.m./ET on NBCSN and MRN Radio.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch started second in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301 and finished eighth, despite a brush with the wall in the final stage.

    “I’ve had lots of experience with walls,” Busch said. “So have people who tried to interview me when I was a young punk.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished ninth at New Hampshire and leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by three over Kyle Busch.

    “I was just happy to get through the race without suffering from heat exhaustion,” Logano said. “Who’s not at risk of suffering from ‘heat’ exhaustion? NASCAR fans, that’s who. There is not ‘heat,’ also known as ‘rivalries,’ between drivers. And don’t tell me Clint Bowyer vs. Ryan Newman is a feud. It’s not. Newman has a notoriously hard head, and he was wearing a helmet, so he still doesn’t believe that Bowyer actually punched him.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished sixth in the Foxwoods Resorts Casino 301.

    “It was the hottest race ever in New Hampshire,” Truex said. “And it sucked. Some of the younger drivers said it was ‘hot AF.’ I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I’m fairly sure it’s the exact opposite of ‘Cold AC.’”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick held off Denny Hamlin on the final turn to win at New Hampshire, his second consecutive win at the ‘Magic Mile’ and first victory since Texas in November.

    “Finally!” Harvick said. “I’ve got a win. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off me. This freedom must feel like what mini-Kevin Harvick feels like when he strips down to his boxers and a T-shirt.”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin wrecked in Friday practice and almost took the victory at New Hampshire in a backup car, finishing second to Kevin Harvick.

    “Wrecks in practice are a sure-fire way to ruin a weekend,” Hamlin said. “Just ask my crew.

    “But what about that weather? It was hot. It hovered around 100 degrees, and inside the car, it was even worse. I think Fed Ex should take advantage of this in a promotional sense and offer a new delivery package called the hot box’ for discreet deliveries.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 18th at New Hampshire.

    “The Kevin Harvick-Denny Hamlin duel at the end had a lot in common with me and my brother Kyle’s battle at Kentucky,” Busch said. “The biggest similarity is that in both cases, the drivers involved really do not like each other.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole and finished 10th.

    “It’s good that Stewart-Haas Racing finally has a win,” Keselowski said. “With one word, Kevin Harvick silenced his critics and gave a shout out to one of his sponsors. He said, ‘Bu-schhhhhhhhhhhhhh.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott suffered from mechanical issues and finished 29th at New Hampshire.

    “It was a tough day for Hendrick Motorsports,” Elliot said. “We didn’t even have a car finish in the top 10. Plus we went through way too many cars. But I trust this organization’s resiliency. So, trust me when I say we’ll be ‘back up‘ next week.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney posted his sixth top five of the year with a fourth at New Hampshire.

    “Some guy named Andy Suess made his Cup debut in the No. 51 car for Rick Ware Racing,” Larson said. “And no, he does not drive for ‘The Cat In The Hat’ Jack Roush.”

    10. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 11th at New Hampshire and is ninth in the points standings.

    “What a drive by Kevin Harvick,” Almirola said. “He faced a huge amount of pressure from Denny Hamlin, yet Harvick remained calm and held him off. Considering the weather, Kevin picked the perfect day to have ‘ice water in his veins.’”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kentucky

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kentucky

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Kentucky to older brother Kurt after a dramatic and spirited two-lap battle for the win.

    “What a finish!” Busch said. “I think all the fans were on their feet, which is surprising because in most cases when you mention the Busch brothers, the words ‘can’t stand’ are used.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano led with two laps remaining but was shuffled back on the final restart and finished seventh.

    “If not for that final caution,” Logano said, “I would have won easily. So thanks Bubba Wallace for ruining my night. It may be the first time the No. 43 STP car has actually impacted a race since Richard Petty retired.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 19th in the Quaker State 400, his night hindered by a late pit road speeding penalty.

    “Sure I’m disappointed,” Truex said, “but I got to witness one of the greatest finishes in NASCAR history. As duels go, I don’t think Kurt and Kyle Busch can top this unless they used real guns. If Kurt lost, he would finally be right about one thing–he knew an assassin.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch made a move from third on the final restart at Kentucky, and held off younger brother Kyle to win his first race of the season.

    “I don’t feel bad for my brother,” Kurt Busch said. “He’s already got four wins this year; he can spare a loss to his brother. I hope it humbles him to see me in Victory Lane. As they say, ‘Little brother is watching.’”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 20th at Kentucky, one lap down.

    “I’m disappointed,” Keselowski said, “but I was thrilled to see such an exciting race. The race had nearly everything, although it lacked a driver taking another driver’s hat off and tossing it to the ground. I hope Clint Bowyer’s paying attention because if you’re going to do something to another driver, you should remember to take their hat off first.”

    6. Chase Elliott: Elliott suffered an early flat tire and fell a lap down, but worked his way back through the field to salvage a 15th-place finish.

    “One week ago,” Elliott said, “the No. 77 car won at Daytona with Justin Haley behind the wheel. At Kentucky, some person named ‘Quin Houff’ drove the 77 and finished 34th, eight laps down. What’s my point? The closest Quin Houff will ever get to being Justin Haley is only by listening to Metallica’s ‘Ride The Lightning’ album.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 22nd in the Quaker State 400. 

    “The No. 4 Ford sported the Hunt Brothers Pizza paint scheme,” Harvick said. “But my car just wasn’t up to par. If my car’s performance was pizza, it would be the kind of pizza served in convenience stores.” 

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin stormed back from an uncontrolled tire penalty to post a fifth at Kentucky, as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three cars in the top five.

    “Erik Jones could have easily won that race,” Hamlin said. “He had a front-row seat for the Kurt Busch-Kyle Busch battle. If they wreck, Erik wins. So, no one wanted to see the Busch’s wreck more than Erik. But let me be clear: everyone wanted to see them wreck; just none more than Erik.”

    9. Alex Bowman: Alex Bowman finished 17th at Kentucky and is ninth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 192 out of first.

    “My Hendrick Motorsports teammate William Byron had a good shot at the win,” Bowman said, “but he jumped a restart and had to serve a stop-and-go penalty. Apparently, he got duped by Clint Bowyer. But really, does Bowyer actually know when or when not to ‘punch it?’”

    10. Kyle Larson: Larson finished fourth in the Quaker State 400.

    “Chris Buescher’s JTG Daugherty Chevrolet was sponsored by Planters Peanuts,” Larson said. “So you may have seen their mascot, Mr. Peanut, at Kentucky Speedway in the pits. That’s unusual because, at most NASCAR races, those without pants are usually in the infield.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was one of 17 cars victimized on lap 119 when Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer made contact, spinning Dillion into oncoming traffic. Truex finished 22nd.

    “All four Joe Gibbs Racing cars were damaged in that accident,” Truex said. “And Joe Gibbs was feeling really down about it. It’s a far cry from the elation Joe felt from winning three Super Bowls. Seeing four cars damaged in a single wreck? Well, that ‘Super blows.’”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 14th in a wild and rain-shortened Coke Zero Sugar 400.

    “This will certainly be the defining moment of Justin Haley’s career,” Busch said. “Will he ever be able to duplicate this feat? Ironically, he was the winner because lightning struck twice.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano won Stage 1 and finished 25th at Daytona, his chances at the win ended when he was collected in a massive pileup on lap 119.

    “Like many,” Logano said, “I got caught in the big wreck caused by Austin Dillon and/or Clint Bowyer. Who’s to blame? In tennis, they would call it a ‘double fault.’ In football, it would be called ‘pass interference.’ In NASCAR, it’s called ‘racing.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski wrecked on lap 83 after a big push from Kevin Harvick turned the No. 2 Penske Racing Ford. Keselowski finished 39th.

    “Now that’s what I call getting ‘rear-ended,’” Keselowski said. “Of course, when your car is rendered useless, you need to catch a ride. So, I did, in fact, ‘Lyft.’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 35th at Daytona.

    “At the speeds seen at Daytona,” Elliott said, “the turbulence is extreme. It even caused the decals of some guys to peel off. It’s just another way that NASCAR is ‘losing sponsorship.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 10th at Daytona, but could have been the winner if NASCAR officials had called off a restart just a few moments earlier. Instead, Busch surrendered the lead to pit, thinking a restart was imminent.

    “The win was mine,” Busch said, “until NASCAR decided to shaft me. I feel like I just got punched in the stomach, which is a weird feeling because I’m used to getting punched in the face.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 29th at Daytona, suffering extensive damage in a lap 83 crash, and then cutting a tire later.

    “My car was all over the place,” Harvick said. “Now, I can spin that in an interview in which I mention sponsors and say, ‘The No.4 Jimmy John’s Ford Mustang was ‘going places.’

    ‘I sure gave Brad Keselowski a big bump. Sadly, it knocked him out of the race. I guess I gave him a personal ‘drive-through penalty.’”

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 26th in the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

    “This may have been the last time we raced at Daytona in July,” Hamlin said. “The 2020 schedule shows an August date at Daytona, making it the regular-season finale. So, I guess there will no longer be fireworks, but with most of the field scrambling for a last chance playoff spot, there at least will be plenty of ‘sparks.’”

    9. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 21st at Daytona.

    “That’s two consecutive first-time race winners,” Bowman. “First me at Chicagoland, then Justin Haley at Daytona. I thought I was young; have you seen Haley? He’s just a kid. But let’s face it, Kurt Busch should have been the winner at Daytona. And Kurt’s his typical whiny self about it. No matter whose side you’re on, the Daytona winner is acting ‘childish.’”

    10. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished seventh at Daytona.

    “Justin Haley captured what has to be the most unlikely win in Daytona history,” Almirola said. “Sure he was lucky, but he was awfully grateful afterward, thanking his Almighty Father and his Mother Nature.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished ninth in the CampingWorld 400.

    “We just couldn’t get the handling right,” Truex said. “And it’s not like we didn’t attempt several changes and combinations. We went with the ‘Tim Richmond formula because we ‘tried everything.’”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Chicagoland and leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “Thunderstorms caused a lengthy delay after just 11 laps were completed,” Logano said. “Should NASCAR have simply just delayed the start of the race? Logic would suggest they should have, but since when has NASCAR taken any suggestions, much less from logic?”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch struggled with handling at Chicagoland and came home 22nd, one lap down, in the CampingWorld 400.

    “The handling was one thing,” Busch said, “but I also had to deal with a smoke-filled cockpit due to burning rubber. Luckily, I didn’t inhale. There are, however, lots of people who would love to see me ‘in hell.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Chicagoland.

    “How about the ‘Kroger Helmet Cam?’” Keselowski said. “It’s a great feature. It gives fans a bird’s-eye view of what a driver sees. It’s too bad Ryan Newman wasn’t wearing it at the All-Star Race back in May. That way, fans could have seen what a totally harmless Clint Bowyer punch looks like.”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 11th at Chicagoland.

    “We had a disastrous pit stop after Stage 2,” Elliott said. “The tire changer’s hose got stuck under the car. It’s one thing to ‘pimp’ your hose, it’s another thing entirely to ‘crimp’ your hose. Of course, we never want that to happen again. So we’ve made sure all crew members understand they have to keep their hoses in check.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won Stage 2 and led the most laps at Chicagoland, but still came up short of winning with a 14th-place result.

    “I slapped the wall on Lap 172,” Harvick said. “I got loose, and there went any chance I had of breaking my season-long winless streak. It’s at 18 races. But don’t be surprised if the wall comes into play again, because, at this point, I’m so frustrated, I’d drive through a concrete wall for a win.” 

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won Stage 1 and finished 15th at Chicagoland.

    “This may have been NASCAR’s most exciting race so far this year,” Hamlin said. “I’m not sure what the exact numbers were, but I’m guessing Sunday’s rating, in true Chicago fashion, absolutely murdered those of previous races.”

    8. Alex Bowman: Bowman held off Kyle Larson to win at Chicagoland, picking up his first Monster Energy Cup series win.

    “I got my car stuck in the grass after my celebratory burn out,” Bowman said. “I forget it had rained cats and dogs earlier. Needless to say, I’ve been ‘swamped’ with ridicule.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished sixth at Chicagoland, posting his third consecutive top-10 finish.

    “The race started about three hours later due to storms,” Blaney said. “It was a long and boring wait for the fans. But don’t knock weather delays. Often, they can be more exciting than the race. But not this race. This race was very exciting. It had everything: exciting restarts, four-wide racing, and passes for the lead. But its most positive attribute was what it lacked—Darrell Waltrip.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 13th in the CampingWorld 400.

    “Word is the 2021 NASCAR schedule will be shorter than 2019,” Busch said. “So, it’s apparently true what stock car old-schoolers have been saying for a long time: ‘NASCAR is less ‘event-ful’ than it used to be.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole and survived an overtime restart to win at Michigan, giving Penske Racing its fifth win of the season.

    “That’s five wins for Penske,” Logano said. “Joe Gibbs Racing has nine. The rest of the field has one. That should be very alarming to NASCAR. It may be the ultimate in competition cautions.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth in the FireKeepers Casino 400 and is now second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, nine points behind Joey Logano.

    “My brother Kurt almost got the win,” Busch said. “But alas, he finished second, which, interestingly enough, is better than he finishes when our parents rank their children, and they only have two kids.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Michigan as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano took the win after starting on pole.

    “It was a great day for Ford Motor Company in its place of origin,” Keselowski said. “Six of the top nine cars were Fords. I was lucky enough to dine with the Ford family on Thursday night. They, like me, will tell you that nothing beats ‘home cooking.’”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third in The FireKeepers Casino 400 after Joey Logano pulled away on a late restart to get the win.

    “I feel like Logano jumped the restart,” Truex said. “By the letter of the rule book, NASCAR officials should have penalized Logano and taken the win from him. That’s not unusual. You saw it in the Canadian Grand Prix. Sebastian Vettel finished first on the track, but a controversial penalty dropped him to second, and left him fuming. Vettel wnnt from ‘F1 to FU.’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott came home 20th at Michigan, his worst finish of the season.

    “Sunday was rained out,” Elliott said. “And we didn’t start on Sunday until 5 p.m. because Fox wanted to televise women’s World Cup soccer. It’s just further proof that NASCAR will always lose out to some sort of football. Ironically, in soccer, people complain because there’s too much passing.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started third and finished seventh at Michigan, and remained winless on the season.

    “I’m very frustrated with my lack of wins,” Harvick said. “It’s hard for me to verbally express my dissatisfaction, so I’ll do so with the No. 4 car sponsored exclusively by Busch beer. It’s ‘total Busch-it.’” 

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took 11th in the FireKeepers Casino 400.

    “We all love driving in races sponsored by casinos,” Hamlin said. “Little known fact: drivers gamble on more than just fuel mileage. Poker is the game of choice for most drivers. We take that to the next level by playing during races. ‘How can you drive, shift, and hold your cards?,’ some may ask. Well, with the help of the ‘HANDS Device,’ of course.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch chased Joey Logano to the end at Michigan, but couldn’t manage to make the pass and settled for the runner-up sport.

    “Several drivers tossed a football with fans during the rain delay,” Busch said. “I’m not the most athletic guy, so I didn’t participate. Heck, my last interaction with ‘pigskin’ was when I met with a back-alley plastic surgeon who suggested hog ear cartilage for reconstructive surgery.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished ninth at Michigan, scoring his first top-10 result since a fourth at Bristol in April.

    “Former NASCAR CEO Brian France pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated,” Blaney said. “His grandfather Bill is a member of the NASCAR Hall Of Fame; now Brian can finally say he got ‘busted,’ as well.”

    10. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 10th at Michigan, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

    “HMS used to win championships,” Bowman said, “much less races. Oh, how the mighty have fallen. HMS used to be the preeminent race team. Now, it seems Hendrick has entered the ‘post-eminent’ stage.”

  • Michigan International Speedway – Did you know?

    Michigan International Speedway – Did you know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Michigan International Speedway this weekend for the FireKeepers Casino 400.

    Stewart-Haas Racing’s Clint Bowyer is the defending race winner. The Ford driver is winless this year but did you know that Ford Motor Company has won 37 of the 99 Cup Series races at Michigan while Chevrolet has won 26? However, this year may be the exception as Toyota has captured nine wins, Ford has won four times and Chevrolet has only one win this season.  

    But did you know that Cale Yarborough won the first NASCAR race in a Mercury for Wood Brothers Racing at Michigan on June 15, 1969? The event was highlighted by an intense battle between Yarborough and LeeRoy Yarbrough during the final 150 laps. On the last lap, the drivers made contact twice. Coming out of the final turn Yarbrough spun and crashed 300 yards from the finish line as Cale Yarborough sped past him to claim the checkered flag. It was the first of eight victories at the 2-mile track for Yarborough.

    Yarborough still holds the Cup Series record at Michigan for most top fives, with 21, and has led the most laps (1308). But did you know that David Pearson leads all drivers with nine wins at Michigan? He also holds the record for the most poles with 10.

    Kurt Busch is the defending pole winner for the FireKeepers Casino 400 and the SHR driver is tied with Team Penske’s Joey Logano with three poles each at the 2-mile track, leading all active drivers. But did you know that 20.2% of the Cup Series races at Michigan have been won from the first starting position? The most recent driver to win from the pole was Chip Ganassi Racing’s Kyle Larson in June 2017.

    Larson and Busch also have the most wins at Michigan among active drivers with three. Notably, Larson also earned his first Monster Energy Cup Series win at Michigan in August 2016. However, Chase Elliott has the series-best driver rating of 104.5 at the track. The only item Elliott has left to check off is a trip to victory lane.

    Elliott enters the race with the best average finish of 5.33. He is currently third in the series driver standings after winning at Talladega and following that up with four more top-five finishes. But did you know that the Hendrick Motorsports driver has scored six top 10s in six career starts at the track?

    And we can’t forget Kevin Harvick who is winless in 2019 after a season-high eight victories last year. But did you know that the driver of the SHR No. 4 Ford enters Michigan with the second-best driver rating of 98.1?

    Harvick has two wins at the track and has finished in the top five in his last seven Michigan races with a victory in August and one runner-up finish in June 2018. This weekend’s race could be a turning point in what has been a frustrating season.

    You can never count out Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch at any venue. But did you know that he has only the 10th-best driver rating (89.2) at Michigan?

    With one win in 2011, an average finish of 18.357, 10 top 10s and six top-fives in 28 starts, Busch will be hoping to carry over the momentum of last week’s 55th career victory at Pocono. On the plus side, the team seems to have turned a corner with top-10 finishes in his last four Michigan races.

    So far this season, there have been six different winners in 14 races with Joe Gibbs Racing leading the way with nine. Tune into the FireKeepers Casino 400 Sunday, June 9 at 2 p.m. on FS1 and MRN to find out which driver will take home the next trophy.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Pocono and led 79 laps on his way to the win in the Pocono 400. It was Busch’s fourth win of the season.

    “That was my 55th Cup win,” Busch said. “That ties me with Rusty Wallace for ninth on the all-time list. Rusty is a NASCAR legend. Anytime I’m on any list alongside Rusty Wallace, I’m thrilled unless that list is Ryan Newman’s ‘S’ list.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished seventh at Pocono as Penske Racing placed two cars in the top 10.

    “Penske Racing is still riding high from Josef Newgarden’s win in the Indianapolis 500 on May 26th,” Logano said. “Unfortunately, as the last two races suggest, Joe Gibbs Racing has been drinking our milk.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took second at Pocono, posting his sixth top five of the season.

    “There was no catching Kyle Busch,” Keselowski said. “I was on his bumper one second; the next second, he was gone. Usually, when I say ‘Kyle Busch is out of my life,’ it brings me immense joy. Not so in this case.”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s engine expired on Lap 91, ending his day at Pocono. He finished 35th and is seventh in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “What’s something that blew up at Pocono?” Truex said. “My engine. What’s something that didn’t blow up at Pocono? Television ratings for the race.”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished fourth at Pocono, posting his fifth consecutive top-five finish, the longest streak of his career.

    “Hendrick Motorsports still only has one win all season,” Elliott said. “Sure, it doesn’t stack up to Joe Gibbs Racing’s nine wins, or Penske Racing’s four, but Rick Hendrick told us not to be discouraged, and to look for motivation in the ‘small victories.’”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished sixth at Pocono as Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Erik Jones finished first and third, respectively.

    “I ended a streak of four consecutive finishes of 15th or worse,” Hamlin said. “I’m happy because the last thing I want to be is the low man on the totem pole at JGR. To avoid that, I simply have to keep up with the ‘Jones’s.’”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 11th at Pocono.

    “My little brother Kyle won the race,” Busch said, “in a car sponsored by ‘Hazelnut Spread M&M’s.’ That’s amazing. I think there are now more types of M&M’s than there were passes for the lead on Sunday.”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was in contention late at Pocono before a penalty for an uncontrolled tire ruined his day. Things got even worse when mechanical problems arose soon after the penalty.

    “I was driving the Busch beer ‘Millennial’ car,” Harvick said. “Any rational observer would have thought Kyle Busch was driving the ‘Millennial’ car, what with the ‘Hazelnut Spread M&M’s’ logo splashed across it.”

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home fifth in the Pocono 400, scoring his fifth top five of the season.

    “I’m pleased with our result,” Bowyer said. “The only person I wanted to punch after this race was the NASCAR official who implemented this rules package.”

    10. Alex Bowman: Bowman finished 15th at Pocono and is now 11th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “My Hendrick teammate William Byron won his second consecutive pole,” Bowman said. “That gives Hendrick a series-best six poles. So, our history of qualifying is sterling, but our history of winning is checkered.”

  • Five drivers to watch heading into the Pocono 400

    Five drivers to watch heading into the Pocono 400

    With the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series regular season halfway through, the drivers who are making an impact on the way to the Playoffs have either emerged or are about to. With Chevy drivers finally starting to hit their strides such as Kurt Busch, Chase Elliott and Alex Bowman, it’s a safe bet to go with the Bowtie Brigade heading into Sunday.

    1. Alex Bowman

    Bowman is easily the hottest commodity in the Cup Series right now. With four consecutive top-10s including three straight runner-up finishes, he finally seems to be knocking on the door to Victory Lane. He came close at Kansas, leading 63 laps before losing the lead to Brad Keselowski, but with the series heading into Pocono, this may be the weekend for Bowman. He finished third there in last year’s Gander Outdoors 400, and with Chevy teams starting to show up at the front more often this season, the odds are in Bowman’s, Crew Chief Greg Ives’ and the No. 88 team’s favor.

    2. Kurt Busch

    Busch is obviously having fun in 2019, and it’s easy to tell. He wrapped up final practice for Sunday’s race with a 172.712 lap, which was the quickest of the session. The three-time Pocono winner is making his first trip to the Tricky Triangle with his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing team, for which he has already scored three top-fives and eight top-10s and sits eighth in the points heading into Sunday. What plays into Busch’s favor is that for the most part, despite his troubles (however few they have been this season), he has been at or near the front in almost every race in 2019.

    Busch and Matt McCall have melded quite well and it shows, with runs such as a fifth at Las Vegas and a third at Atlanta, that the team isn’t lacking in speed, and considering that Pocono is a big, fast, 2.5-mile racetrack, Busch is a strong bet to be in contention on Sunday.

    3. Daniel Suarez

    Although the Stewart-Haas Racing Fords haven’t had a victory yet in 2019, they’ve been consistent finishers who have been at or near the front, including Suarez. And with Pocono being one of Suarez’s strongest tracks, he could be a safe bet to be a contender on Sunday. Suarez, the 2018 Gander Outdoors 400 pole-sitter and runner-up, topped Friday morning’s first practice with a 171.798 lap. He also has an average start of 10.2 and an average finish of 12.0 in four starts, which although isn’t impressive, it is solid.

    The SHR Fords aren’t without speed, and with Billy Scott on top of the pit box, Suarez is sure to have another solid day at Pocono.

    4. Martin Truex Jr.

    There is hardly a place where Truex won’t contend or win at, and that includes Pocono, where he won in 2015 and 2018. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver has won three times with Crew Chief Cole Pearn this season, including the most recent event at Charlotte in the Coca-Cola 600. The No. 19 Toyota has won early and often in 2019, with the team really hitting its stride in April and showing no signs of slowing.

    Truex holds five top-fives and 10 top-10s in 26 starts, including those two wins, and considering he’s at the beginning of a hot streak it’d be foolish not to bet on the No. 19 JGR Toyota to be at the front at some point during Sunday’s race.

    5. Chase Elliott

    Once again, with Chevy performance on the rise it’d only make sense to also bet on the one Chevy driver to win so far in 2019. Elliott has been quietly consistent in six Pocono starts, having earned five top-10s including a fourth in his first start there in 2016. The one race where he finished outside of the top-10 was later that year, where he crashed while battling Joey Logano for the lead. He finished 33rd that day, and although his average finish there is 12.0, had it not been for that crash it would have been much higher.

    Elliott has made it a point to master almost every type of track, and he has managed to put himself in contention almost everywhere. His relationship with Crew Chief Alan Gustafson has finally yielded the expected results, and with the confidence that this No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports crew has week in and week out, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Elliott continues to build on his winning ways Sunday in the Pocono 400.

    The Pocono 400 is Sunday on FS1, starting at 2 p.m. ET.