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Tag: Chase Elliott

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 18th at Charlotte.

“Luckily,” Busch said, “I was already on to Round 2 of the Playoffs. If there’s such a thing as a ‘leisurely’ drive around a ‘roval,’ that was it.”

2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was leading on the final lap when Jimmie Johnson attempted a daring pass and spun, sending Truex off course. Truex finished 14th.

“I deliberately spun Jimmie after the finish,” Truex said. “It’s called ‘an eye for an eye,’ or, as I’m fond of saying, ‘If you take a ‘dump’ on me, I’m gonna take a ‘dump’ on you.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth in the Bank Of America Roval 400.

“I clinched my spot in the next round simply by starting the race,” Harvick said. “Only a driver known as the ‘Closer’ could achieve such a feat.”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski misjudged the entry to Turn 1 on a late restart and caused a huge pileup. Keselowski’s day was done and he finished 31st.

“Turn 1 on the roval is a near-90 degree turn,” Keselowski said. “It appears I didn’t take the ‘right angle’ to safely navigate the corner. As such, my day took a sharp turn for the worse.”

5. Kurt Busch: Busch started on the pole at Charlotte and finished fifth in the Bank Of America Roval 400.

“Personally,” Busch said, “I like the ‘roval’ course. Like me, it’s unpredictable, and also like me, most people say they hope they never see it again.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Charlotte and moved on to Round 2 of the Playoffs.

“What a great finish,” Logano said. “You could call it a ‘fantastic’ finish. Some great finishes at NASCAR races can simply be called ‘tastic’ finishes because there are no ‘fans.’”

7. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer took third at Charlotte and joined his three Stewart-Haas Racing teammates in Round 2 of the Playoffs.

“There are 12 drivers in Round 2,” Bowyer said. “Four of those are SHR drivers. The chances that a driver for SHR ultimately wins the Monster Energy Cup championship are pretty good. How do I know? Because the ‘4’ of SHR is a good bet to win it all.”

8. Kyle Larson: Larson won Stage 1 and finished 25 at Charlotte and is on to Round 2 of the Playoffs.

“But just barely,” Larson said. “I got caught up in Brad Keselowski’s wild ride through Turn 1 late in the race and ended up just squeezing into the next round. I would say all credit goes to the man upstairs, but only if Jimmie Johnson is a floor above me.

“I married my girlfriend Katelyn Sweet last Wednesday. We’ve already produced two children, so we’ve been living in sin and synergy.”

9. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 19th at Charlotte and qualified for the next round of the Playoffs as the 11th driver in.

“Dover is the next destination on the schedule,” Almirola said. “Hopefully, there will be no mention of the word ‘doval.’”

10. (tie): Chase Elliott: Elliott finished sixth at Charlotte and safely qualified for Round 2 of the Playoffs.

“The action at the ‘roval’ was as wild and crazy as predicted,” Elliott said. “That’s all thanks to Jimmie Johnson. Was J.J. driving a Toyota, because he seemed to be on a ‘Kamikaze mission?’”

10. (tie): Ryan Blaney: Blaney took advantage of Jimmie Johnson’s ill-advised pass attempt to steal the in win at Charlotte from Martin Truex, Jr.

“The door opened,” Blaney said, “and I drove right through it. Which is basically what Johnson did to Truex’s door. Johnson and Truex are legends in this sports. Fortunately for me, the ‘stars’ aligned, then wrecked, which gave me the win.”

October 1, 2018
Hot 20 – Charlotte’s roval goes left, it goes right, and possibly where everything will go wrong

They thought Talladega was a wild card. Boy, something tells me that Charlotte’s Roval is going to test them like never before. This one makes the World 600 nothing more than a nice test, a rest in some ways, before the storm coming their way on Sunday.

When your first danger spot is identified as Turn 1, you got to think that the excrement is about to hit the ventilation system. A tire barrier, a safer barrier, and a concrete barrier all await those who fate decides to screw with. Imagine the potential for carnage for the start and any re-starts that follow.

The next most treacherous part of the track? According to some, the entire rest of the track can claim that honor. Sounds interesting. Sounds more like a demolition derby. Sounds like a race I am not going to miss.

Prepare for some hearts to be broken, along with a few auto body parts. It is the Roval at Charlotte this Sunday.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 1 ROUND WIN (2125 Pts – 7 Wins)
Best on the season, the best at Richmond, so who cares about the Roval?

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 ROUND WIN (2111 Pts – 3 Wins)
I guess you could say he has entered a one race slump.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2141 POINTS (4 Wins)
Another member of the family will be leading the pack…at least prior to the green flag.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2113 POINTS (7 Wins)
Name a scenario where he does not advance. There isn’t one.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2081 POINTS (1 Win)
Not totally out of the woods, but he sees prairie just ahead.

6. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2079 POINTS
No wins but lots of speed, and that might be enough for round one.

7. KYLE LARSON – 2073 POINTS
Charlotte should be easy until he comes across all those curvy parts.

8. KURT BUSCH – 2071 POINTS (1 Win)
He has the talent. He has the equipment. Now all he needs is good fortune.

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2066 POINTS (1 Win)
This whole Roval thing should have a lot of folks nervous, including Bill’s boy.

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 2066 POINTS (1 Win)
The smart money had him out after this round, but now he has to clear just one more hurdle.

11. ALEX BOWMAN – 2061 POINTS
Sitting five to seven points to the good, and that can’t be good.

12. RYAN BLANEY – 2060 POINTS
If Bowman is nervous, imagine how this guy feels.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 2056 POINTS (2 Wins)
Finish four or five points better than the two ahead of him, and all will be fine.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2054 POINTS
If Bowyer does well, it would be smart to stay close to him, though ahead would be even better.

15. ERIK JONES – 2039 POINTS (1 Win)
Has a win this season, but now he needs another one.

16. DENNY HAMLIN – 2031 POINTS
It is either win it all or nothing.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 583 POINTS
A Chevy is nice, but the offer from Ford was nicer…but that is next year.

18. PAUL MENARD – 566 POINTS
As long as he has a sponsor with deep pockets he shall remain safe.

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 552 POINTS
He might not have Danica, but he has something McMurray and Allmendinger do not.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 550 POINTS
Does leaving Gibbs mean leaving all hope behind?

September 27, 2018
The Final Word – A Saturday night to get reacquainted with the Big Three at Richmond

Richmond, the second race of the opening rung of the championship ladder. Only four storylines awaited to be written.

Who would win, and would it be Brad Keselowski for a fourth straight contest?

Who could keep out of danger from falling out of the top dozen as they search for a berth in the second leg?

Who could move up from the next four, already in danger to being eliminated, to challenge for one of those top dozen spots after having some hard luck at Las Vegas?

Finally, who outside of our drivers of interest could make themselves relevant? The best of last week, Jamie McMurray, got wrecked before it was all over. Would someone outside the top sixteen manage to finish the event and make us notice they were even there?

None of the outsiders showed up by the time that opening stage completed. Often it is too early to tell much, but Martin Truex, Jr. and Kevin Harvick dominated while Keselowski showed up late for third. No one else was even close. Chase Elliott was fourth, making us wonder if he was going to erase the nine point gap between himself and those above the cut off line when this one came to a conclusion. Clint Bowyer was the man in his sights, who started with an ill handling car that gave him no breaks in that opening run. As for as those who had to pass a lot of cars in that initial run, both Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin seemed prepared to put forth a good argument before it was all over.

Stage two provided more of the same. Truex ran away with it, with Harvick next up. Keselowski was fourth, so still in the hunt. To this point, the question remained if Elliott would move into the top dozen and replace Bowyer, or not. As for an also ran, Ryan Newman was in the distant conversation. He was also a hot topic before the race. Newman will be leaving Richard Childress to take the ride split between Matt Kenseth and Trevor Bayne this season for Jack Roush.

Just to make things interesting, the pit stops brought some interesting events. First, Truex got tagged with tire violation to set him back. Elliott went to the front, moving up three spots, thanks to his crew. That left us watching and wondering how things might shake out when they took the green.

The “Baby” Busch soon rejoined the party, and soon was in front. He had the best car in the end, and won it to get his free pass to the next round. Harvick had the most steady car in the event, and was the runner-up. Like Busch, Truex had a nice comeback, making up nearly twenty spots from is pit miscue to come home in third. All three join Keselowski, who was ninth on that night, locked into the next round of three races based on wins and points. Up next, though, is the Roval in Charlotte next weekend.

Elliott was fourth on Saturday night, and now is ten to the good. Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson are outsiders, yet the pair are within seven points of Ryan Blaney and Alex Bowman. Erik Jones and Hamlin, who wound up 16th, damn near need a win to be in. As for the 24 other boys out on the track for this one, none were among our Top Ten.

The Roval. That is a track that makes Talladega look downright tame. For you and I, a very entertaining race to watch. For the crews, an absolute nightmare to navigate. Let the good times roval next Sunday in Charlotte.

September 25, 2018
Hot 20 – Richmond’s good ole rock and roll road show, gotta go, Saturday night, Saturday night

We know some things. In these times, some folks do not seem to know anything, but we do. Brad Keselowski is advancing to the next round. After Saturday night in Richmond, it should be confirmed that Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch will be joining him. I feel pretty confident about Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano about now.

Some I am almost sure of. Some I am not. Based on how they are running and how they have run, I am pretty sure that anyone behind Aric Almirola, seven of them in total, are fighting for the final three transfer spots in the Chase.

I am not sure nine points is enough for Austin Dillon, for example. I am not ready to bury the likes of Jimmie Johnson, Chase Elliott, or Denny Hamlin just yet. I think there is still hope for Erik Jones.

However, they need to get it done this Saturday night in Richmond. The short track is normal. The next one is not. A week later at Charlotte, the Bermuda Triangle, the Black Hole, the darkness of Mordor possibly awaits with the inaugural running of the Roval. I mean, if Joey Gase winds up being the winner of that race of mystery I would not be the least bit surprised.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 CHALLENGER ROUND WIN (2069 Pts – 3 W)
Is the boy trying to run the table?

2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2087 POINTS (4 W)
Nothing to lose and everything to win…again.

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2085 POINTS (6 W)
Easily cut through the grass at Las Vegas. Imagine if he had been sponsored by Caterpillar.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2060 POINTS (7 W)
Damn pit crew. Damn tires. Damn Las Vegas.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2056 POINTS (1 W)
As long as his next Richmond win is not as encumbered as his last one was, he’ll be fine.

6. KURT BUSCH – 2046 POINTS (1 W)
When a car shoots up toward you at a 90-degree angle, a good day is about to go bad.

7. RYAN BLANEY – 2042 POINTS
A Top Five gives the lad some breathing room.

8. KYLE LARSON – 2041 POINTS
The Rail Rider.

9. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2034 POINTS
How could he scrape the wall? Scrape Blaney, sure, but the wall?

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 2031 POINTS (1 W)
If he gets a decent finish on Saturday night, I will start believing he will advance..but not before.

11. CLINT BOWYER – 2029 POINTS (2 W)
Another Top Ten at Richmond this year might be all he needs.

12. ALEX BOWMAN – 2028 POINTS
Three Hendrick cars in the hunt, but that could be down to one…or none…after the Roval.

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2022 POINTS
Things were going so well until the final dozen or so laps.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2019 POINTS (1 W)
McMurray was doing so well, and then he became a contender collector.

15. ERIK JONES – 2009 POINTS (1 W)
Mr. Harvick, I presume.

16. DENNY HAMLIN – 2008 POINTS
Obviously did not have the same earth moving capability as Rowdy.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 561 POINTS
A decent run last weekend…not that it matters anymore.

18. PAUL MENARD – 551 POINTS
The top three guys out of the Chase recorded Top Tens last Sunday. I should care, but I do not.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 530 POINTS
Will fate be kinder to him next season than it was to Kasey Kahne this year?

20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 528 POINTS
Jamie McMurray is 26 points behind him. He damn near moved ahead until Lady Luck left town.

September 20, 2018
The Final Word – The first race of the playoffs in Las Vegas damaged the hopes of some

Now it gets real. There is no argument as to whom the contenders are, and who are the pretenders. Say what you will, but even though there might be forty cars on the track, only 16 matter.

It was the playoff opener in Las Vegas and now the race winner and the boys in the hunt for the championship are all we need focus on. The rest are merely hamburger helper, the garnish around the good stuff. Martin Truex Jr. showed early he was pure sirloin by taking the opening stage. All the contenders, in fact, were in the forward half of the field.

Kevin Harvick was among them. However, he could still use a pit crew that matches his driving talents. Some gain ground when they turn in for service. Harvick does the opposite. On Sunday his car got tighter and tighter during that middle stage, not turning worth a damn. Finally, his tire gave up, he clipped the wall, and pole sitter Erik Jones had no place to go but into him. Two contenders were done for the day.

If you ask Harvick, the tires sucked. There were issues with the rubber but it is not clear what those issues were other than the results. Jamie McMurray was our best outsider on the day, a solid Top Ten run going for him, when a rear tire gave up, he spun into the wall, collecting Chase Elliott. He became our third contender to be booted from the event with 55 laps remaining.

Truex allowed Brad Keselowski some time up front but had gone back in front prior to the caution. Things changed in the pits when Keselowski and his Penske compadre Joey Logano emerged just ahead of the defending champ. Logano took the point position, but Truex had just gotten by Keselowski for second when Kyle Busch broke loose to bring out the yellow once again. While Rowdy was now buried in 26th, Keselowski, Truex, and Logano came out of the pits in that order for the final run to the line.

Or so we thought. Up front, Kyle Larson joined the party riding the high side. He got past Keselowski, while behind them Truex managed to get by Logano for third. Just when we started to wonder how things would shake out, another contender in Denny Hamlin went through the grass to tear up his splitter to bring out the caution yet again. The old Etch A Sketch of how this one might turn out got turned upside down and shaken with 20 to go. It was a Las Vegas gambler’s dream, as it was time to lay down your bets as to whether this one was going to go to Keselowski, Larson, Truex, Logano, or might we have yet another surprise coming our way?

If more contenders getting beat to a pulp over the final dozen laps was a surprise, we got a few, along with enough cautions to force overtime. Among the stricken were Jimmie Johnson, when he tagged the wall. Alex Bowman had a tire go down. Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer both had contact…twice.

There was no surprise when Keselowski once again cleared the field and was off to the races in the extra laps needed to jump into an automatic berth into the second round. It was his third straight victory, coming off the Southern 500 and the Brickyard 400. It marked the 500th for Roger Penske in all forms of racing his cars are involved in. Four drivers find themselves needing to fight to get in, heading to Richmond anywhere from six to 20 points on the outside. They include Johnson (22nd at Las Vegas), Elliott (36th), Hamlin (32nd), and Jones (40th). Both Truex (3rd) and Rowdy Busch (7th) are just a handful of points away from being locked into the next round as well.

Things just got real and by the time they leave Richmond Saturday night, things will become very clear for most of the others.

September 18, 2018
Hot 20 – On to Las Vegas, and let the games begin

Change is coming to NASCAR. Not the kind that makes people return in droves to the grandstands, but the change that always comes through the passage of time. Martin Truex Jr. moves to a new team, as his old one folds. That means Daniel Suarez is on the move, replacing the retiring Kasey Kahne. Jamie McMurray is in search of a new ride and we await word as to what the future holds for Kurt Busch.

Sunday in Las Vegas, 16 drivers will go through the first of three gauntlets to see who survives into the next round of the Playoffs. Playoff points give Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Truex good margins to build on to make it through. However, a run of real bad luck and someone else winning can turn things upside down for some. There is always the possibility of a change in the running order by the time we hit October. The question is, who will rise and who will fall?

In the north, things have gotten much colder than usual. In the east, the forecast is for wet and wild. In Las Vegas, the weather for Sunday calls for a temperature of up to 100 F (38 C). Too hot, too cold, too wet and wild. It seems a lot of folks would like to see some change.

For a few near the bottom of the rung among our playoff contenders, positive change will be what they seek this weekend. A few at the top like things to continue as they have been.

I guess change is something we have come to expect in these times. Now, it all depends on what kind of change is on its way.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2050 POINTS (6 Wins)
Odds of making the next round of the playoffs are at least 4-to-1.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2050 POINTS (7 Wins)
The names of the winners of the past five Las Vegas races are Harvick, Keselowski, and Truex.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2035 POINTS (4 Wins)
Team exits NASCAR. Car exits Indianapolis early. Time to stop exiting.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2019 POINTS (2 Wins)
Southern 500. Check. Brickyard 400. Check. A 2nd Cup Championship. On the Bucket List.

5. CLINT BOWYER – 2015 POINTS (2 Wins)
His odds of winning on Sunday are long. Very long.

6. JOEY LOGANO – 2014 POINTS (1 Win)
His last five visits to Las Vegas has seen him roll Top Tens every time.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2014 POINTS (1 Win)
Is this his last rodeo with Stewart-Haas?

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2008 POINTS (1 Win)
One Top Five, two crashes. Dad did not have any better luck at this track.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 2007 POINTS (1 Win)
Has rolled a lucky seven or better his last three trips down the Strip.

10. ERIK JONES – 2005 POINTS ( 1 Win)
One of the big stars of the future, but has the future arrived just yet or not?

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2005 POINTS (1 Win)
Someone below him will move past him by the time they leave the Roval, unless…

12. KYLE LARSON – 2005 POINTS
Running second does not equate into playoff points, but is an indicator of what might be to come.

13. DENNY HAMLIN – 2003 POINTS
His point total should indicate a rather quick exit, but only a fool would bet against him just yet.

14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2001 POINTS
Of course, he will not get out of the opening round, but that car has some serious speed.

15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2000 POINTS
His date with eight will not be easy to lock down.

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2000 POINTS
Making a cameo this season. Needs to be better, not just better than the last half of the field.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 532 POINTS
Decent enough the past seven races, but 11 times outside the Top Twenty killed his chances.

18. PAUL MENARD – 524 POINTS
A Top Ten at Indianapolis, but outside that standard the previous ten events.

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 521 POINTS
Bad luck and a bad engine last week was symbolic of how his season has gone.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 511 POINTS
Making room for Truex next season, so does he replace the retiring Kasey Kahne?

September 12, 2018
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Indianapolis and is seeded second for the start of the Playoffs, which begin at Las Vegas.

“Vegas has myself, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Martin Truex Jr. as favorites to win it all,” Harvick said. “Those are the car numbers 4, 18, 2, and 78 cars. So, if you’re a betting person, odds are ‘even.’”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch led 27 laps and finished eighth in the Big Machine Vodka 400 at the Brickyard.

“We snatched up Martin Truex Jr. not long after Furniture Row Racing shut down,” Busch said. “So, as far as Joe Gibbs Racing goes for next year, Truex is in the ‘fold.’

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was knocked out just three laps in at Indianapolis and finished 40th.

“Furniture Row Racing is shutting down operations after this season,” Truex said. “So, not only am I losing my seat, I’m losing a chair also.”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski got by Clint Bowyer and Denny Hamlin on a late restart and pulled away to win the Big Machine Vodka 400, his second consecutive win.

“I’ve always said, ‘I’d rather be kissing bricks,’” Keselowski stated. “And my wife has often said the same.”

5. Kurt Busch: Busch came home sixth in the Big Machine Vodka 400 At The Brickyard.

“Rain pretty much washed out all track activities for the weekend,” Busch said. “Just ask the fans that spent the weekend in the infield. They’ll verify that there was nothing ‘dry’ anywhere to be found.”

6. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 14th at Indianapolis and will start the Playoffs as the 12th seed.

“If I win the Monster Energy Cup championship from the 12th seed,” Larson said, “it will be the biggest steal in NASCAR history. In other words, it will be a case of ‘Kyle Larson-y.’”

7. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fifth in the Big Machine Vodka 400 at Indianapolis.

“We’re headed to Las Vegas,” Bowyer said, “the betting capital of the world. I think gambling at NASCAR tracks would be great for the sport. And my teammate Kevin Harvick is an expert on the subject because he knows who has the horseshoe up their butt.”

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was leading and on his way to a likely win at Indy before Landon Cassill and Jeffrey Earnhardt crashed, causing a caution that ultimately led to Brad Keselowski’s win.

“That’s the first time an Earnhardt has factored into a win in quite some time,” Hamlin said. “Nothing pisses a leading driver off more than a wreck at the back of the field. First, you see ‘yellow,’ then you see ‘red.’”

9. Joey Logano: Logano finished 13th as Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski took the win.

“That’s two big wins for Roger Penske at Indy,” Logano said. “First, Will Power won the Indianapolis 500 in May, then Brad wins the Brickyard. Local Indianapolis bars have created a drink in our owner’s honor. It’s called the ‘Roger Penske–half milk, half Miller Lite.”

10. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 15th at Indianapolis and will start the playoffs as the eighth seed.

“The NASCAR post-season used to be called the ‘Chase,’” Elliott said. “So, 25 years from now, will I have a son named ‘Playoffs?’”

September 11, 2018
Hot 20 – The impending demise of Furniture Row Racing overshadows Sunday’s Brickyard 400

I had such high hopes for NASCAR, at least since July. That is when NBC came on board and presented the long sought after broadcast crew that could keep fans glued to the track simply by the strength of their commentary. We have waited years for that to happen, and it is crucial for a sport that has yet to solve some on-track competitive issues and more than a few off it. If the racing is not spellbinding, then the commentary damn well better be if you hope to have anyone watching.

The broadcast team could not solve the biggest off-track issue. Economics. Long gone are the days when Bob bought or borrowed a car and went racing. It costs big money to build the big cars with the big engines supported by big technology and hauled around by big trucks. Long, long gone. If you are in Denver, Colorado, it might cost a few more ducats to do so. To be competitive, to be the reigning Cup champion, you better believe the dollars are big. Without sponsorship, even a successful company with a successful sibling enterprise to help shore things up, cannot long last. This week, we discovered exactly how long.

Furniture Row Racing, established in 2005, Cup champions in 2017, will not be around come next season’s Daytona 500. With 5-hour Energy heading to the exits, and with no sugar daddies waiting to take their place, the cash had simply run out. A defending champion who cannot get proper sponsorship. If that is not a wake-up call for the sport, you might as well let them sleep in.

If nothing else, it should make for a very active silly season. Martin Truex Jr. and pit boss Cole Pearn, according to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other published reports are bound in tandem for the mothership. Like Erik Jones before him, a move from Furniture Row to Joe Gibbs Racing is being claimed. If those reports are accurate, Daniel Suarez will take his dance to another ballroom, and it probably will result in a step down in his equipment. The really bad news is that one premier ride is disappearing and what, if anything, replaces it will feature a team destined to sit outside the top twenty-five next season. That will not bode well for the sport.

However, NBC does. Indianapolis might, depending on if the Brickyard 400 has solid rubber to avoid the debacle of 2008. At least the cars are different from the time of that disaster, and I am sure Goodyear has better rubber. I am not sure even this broadcast team could save a race where drivers are pitting every 10 laps to keep their tires from exploding.

This marks the final chance for those outside the Chase to win themselves in. All Jimmie Johnson has to do is come home 19 positions better than Alex Bowman, though Bowman could eat that up in a hurry by winning both stages. All Bowman needs is do, other than that, is to keep those behind him away from Victory Lane. Not likely one will slip by, but it could happen. There are some other possibilities when you see that past winners include such outsiders as defending race champ Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray. They could yet upset the apple cart. However, I do not have much hope of that happening.

Did I mention the outstanding broadcast team to take us through all the action on Sunday?

1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (1038 Pts)
With a “regular season” pennant, he should enter the playoffs in the top spot.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 999 Pts)
He is retiring…from Xfinity racing.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (883 Pts)
Defending champion now in a lame duck situation.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (777 Pts)
Hoping some of A.J. Foyt’s No. 14 magic at Indianapolis might rub off on him this week.

5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (835 Pts)
Nothing definite yet as to where he will run in 2019.

6. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (818 Pts)
Penske finishes last week’s classic 1-2, and that has to have Roger feeling pretty good.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (785 Pts)
As demonstrated at Darlington, this truly is a team sport.

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (737 Pts)
At 22, the young gent is not retiring from anything, including his Saturday ride at Indy.

9. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (679 Pts)
Can Erik now be called the original Furniture Row refugee, or is that Kurt?

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (496 Pts)
Daytona (twice), Fontana, and Michigan. Outside the Top Ten everywhere else.

11. KYLE LARSON – 783 POINTS
0.6 seconds. Everything went right last week, except for 0.6 seconds.

12. RYAN BLANEY – 755 POINTS
Still seeking his first Indy Top Ten.

13. DENNY HAMLIN – 738 POINTS
In a dozen starts, has finished on the lead lap at the Brickyard in all but one.

14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 681 POINTS
Do not expect much, as his best finish in six starts at Indianapolis is 13th.

15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 605 POINTS
If Bowman wins the opening two stages he might start getting nervous.

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 586 POINTS
He does not care who wins on Sunday, as long as it is not one of 14 particular drivers of interest.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 518 POINTS
Not exactly hot with Top Ten finishes limited to Bristol, Talladega, and Charlotte in May.

18. RYAN NEWMAN – 503 POINTS
Coming back home again to Indiana, he needs to race like it is 2013 and Jim Nabors is singing.

19. PAUL MENARD – 493 POINTS
Needs to race like it is 2011.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 487 POINTS
Reports claim he is about to play off-season musical chairs.

September 5, 2018
The Final Word – The Southern 500, a celebration of the passage of time

Darlington was a day all about time. A time when in 1950 the first Southern 500 was run. A time when some of the great names from the past were brought back to be saluted by their sport in the present. A time when 0.6 seconds can mean everything.

Just ask Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson. At a time when 14 entered locked into the Playoffs, two were trying to stay there, and up to 14 others were hoping against hope to steal a spot away, it was Larson who sped away. By the time he finished the opening stage, we knew that Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman were not going to be putting up a fight to keep their places. Both had already been lapped by this time and things were not going to get better for either of them. Their fate on that day was now entirely in the hands of others.

The middle frame provided more of the same. It was all Larson all of the time. While members of the Big Three could always be counted to have a representative somewhere close by, Martin Truex Jr. was not that guy. An uncontrolled tire in the pits proved to be the pits for him and any hopes he might have had on Sunday. As for potential winners, it seemed by the time any of the stages concluded, we only had a dozen or so still on the lead lap. The rest, well the rest were participating, but they sure were not competing.

Down to the final half of the classic, and it remained the Kyle Larson Show. Even after Clint Bowyer ran over Ryan Newman as one was slowing down to pit while the other could not see through the slowpokes poking along in front of him, it was Larson who was at the front on the re-start. Then, with less than 30 to go, Jeffrey Earnhardt spun his car. The caution came out, and pit road was open.

Larson’s crew did a fine job. The broadcasters said so, but then there was Keselowski. Fifth after the opening stage, second after the next, his crew did a finer job than Larson’s band of brothers, 0.6 seconds better. Keselowski started up front and disappeared from view. Joey Logano, himself with stage finishes of fourth and third, moved into second by the time they hit the finish line. Larson salvaged third, Chase Elliott and Erik Jones were next, but it was the veteran and a stellar job by his service department that decided the Southern 500 on this particular Sunday.

That leaves one more Sunday to shake things up. Johnson needs to finish within nineteen positions of Bowman at Indianapolis to ensure he makes the playoffs. Bowman needs to either ruin Johnson’s plans or hope no one behind him in the standings claims victory. That is the only way he can be caught. Kasey Kahne won at Indianapolis last year. Newman, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray have done so in the past. Can one of them, or some other outsider, do it at the Brickyard this Sunday?

As for Keselowski, this past weekend marked his 25th career victory. It extended his string of seasons with at least one victory to eight. It earned him his first Southern 500, to go along with five Talladega wins, a pair at Bristol, and his 2012 championship in a career that will end in the Hall of Fame. However, that will come in time, sometime in the next dozen years or so. Right now, there is no time other than the present, and the memory of 0.6 seconds at Darlington.

September 3, 2018
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Darlington, posting his 18th top five of the season.

“I had an incident in the Xfinity Series with a driver named Ross Chastain,” Harvick said. “He flat out wrecked me. Here’s the thing–he’s a nobody. Ironically, though, I was the one asking, ‘Doesn’t he know who I am?’”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch started fifth at Darlington and finished sixth, one spot behind older brother Kurt.

“Luckily,” Busch said, “I wasn’t confronted by a fan like I was after the race at Bristol a few weeks ago. This guy actually put his hands on me. NASCAR needs to make some serious adjustments because this is the ultimate in ‘hand-ling’ issues.”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started third and finished 11th in the Bojangles Southern 500.

“I’ve yet to find a sponsor for the 2019 season,” Truex said. “And that’s really sad because I’m the defending Monster Energy Cup champion; I should have sponsors knocking down doors to support me. Unfortunately, stock cars don’t have doors. And, the window of opportunity is closing fast.”

4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Bojangles Southern 500.

“Bojangles has had their name associated with this race for years,” Busch said. “And Bojangles is known for its chicken. That makes this place near and dear to me because I am known as a chicken.”

5. Kyle Larson: Larson easily won the first two stages at Darlington and finished third, after Brad Keselowski beat him out of the pits on their final pit stop.

“I led 284 of 367 laps,” Larson said, “but we faltered in the pits when it counted. We should have taken first place; instead, it was the ‘won’ that got away.”

6. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 36th after slamming into Ryan Newman, who had slowed dramatically to enter the pits. Bowyer finished 36th.

“The start of the race was delayed by lightning,” Bowyer said. “Race officials even had to clear the grandstands. Usually, it’s the racing itself that clears the grandstands.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished beat Kyle Larson out of the pits on a late pit stop and pulled away to take the Southern 500, his first win of the season.

“It was awesome to run the No. 2 Miller Genuine Draft paint scheme made famous by the great Rusty Wallace,” Keselowski said. “That was back in the day when Rusty’s teammate was Ryan Newman, who really hated No. 2, both the driver of No. 2 and being No. 2.”

8. Joey Logano: Logano finished second at Darlington to teammate Brad Keselowski to give Penske Racing a 1-2 finish.

“My car had the Pennzoil paint scheme made famous by Steve Park,” Logano said. “Matt Kenseth called that ‘getting Parked,’ but I think he was referring to what he did to me at Martinsville in 2015.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott started 11th and finished fifth at Darlington, recording his eighth top-five result of the season.

“It was ‘throwback’ weekend at Darlington,” Elliott said. “It’s a great opportunity to revisit NASCAR’s history. And all but 16 drivers will experience their own personal ‘throwback’ at Indianapolis because after the Playoff field is set, those non-qualifiers will be told ‘you’re history.’”

10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole and finished 10th at Darlington.

“NASCAR and Formula 1 will go head-to-head in November of 2019 with races at Austin and Fort Worth on the same weekend,” Hamlin said. “I think we’ll be just fine. The idea that racing fans in America would choose F1 over NASCAR is simply ‘Prix-mature.’ Texas is NASCAR country, and I expect we’ll drive circles around F1.”

September 3, 2018