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Tag: Chase Elliott

  • Brad Keselowski sweeps weekend at Darlington, wins Bojangles’ Southern 500

    Brad Keselowski sweeps weekend at Darlington, wins Bojangles’ Southern 500

    DARLINGTON, SC — Brad Keselowski took advantage of the final caution in Sunday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, winning the race off pit road to ultimately claim the trophy.

    It was the break he needed, leading the remaining 22 laps and driving the No. 2 Ford to victory lane for his first win of the season, his 25th Monster Energy Cup Series victory and Team Penske’s 498th win, the first at the 1.366-mile track since 1975 when Bobby Allison swept both races.

    Keselowski was excited to win one of the series crown jewels, particularly in the Rusty Wallace scheme he ran in honor of the Throwback weekend.

    “I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my pit crew,” he said. “We were running second and that last stop they nailed it and got us out in the lead. I thought Kyle (Larson) was really good, and he was flat-out flying. I know how it goes. In 2015 we led a bunch of laps and lost it on the last pit stop and today my team won it on the last pit stop. Then it was just about me hitting all my marks and not screwing it up.

    “How cool is this winning in Rusty Wallace’s Throwback car, the Southern 500, Throwback Weekend?”

    Rusty Wallace was almost as thrilled as Keselowski, joining in the celebration.

    “It means a lot to me, it really does,” Wallace said.” The last time we won with this paint scheme, we won the Coke 600 and the Sears Point race out in California with this paint scheme. This was Miller Brewing Company’s return to NASCAR. So, when I saw that he was gonna run this scheme I got really excited, obviously, and I felt like I was watching my own kid tonight.

    Penske teammate, Joey Logano, finished second after leading 18 laps late in the race.

    “We had a good car,” said Logano. “We were like a third-place car and whether it was a short run or a long run it didn’t really matter. We made some adjustments there at the end to take off a little bit better, but I didn’t get by the 42 in time to try to run down the 2. We were just matching lap times, so I couldn’t catch him enough. I was just hoping lap traffic would screw it up enough to try to catch him, but one-two for Team Penske, that’s pretty cool. Brad sweeping the weekend, that’s awesome for him to do at Darlington. That’s no easy feat, so congratulations to them.

    Kyle Larson finished third after leading 284 laps and was clearly disappointed. He is winless this season after a career-high four wins in 2017.

    “It stings for sure to not get a win in a prestigious race like this,” he said. “I want to win every race but I want to win the Southern 500 really bad so it would have been cool to win that but at the same time, to bring a car to the race track like we did this weekend is something to be proud of and a big confidence booster going into the next 11 weeks.”

    Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five finishers at Darlington Raceway. Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray and Denny Hamlin finished sixth -10th, respectively.

    Fourteen drivers are now locked into the Playoffs with only one more regular season race next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Those drivers are Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Keselowski, Logano, Elliott, Kurt Busch, Jones, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Larson, Hamlin and Aric Almirola. Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman will lock themselves into the final two Playoff positions if there isn’t a new winner at Indianapolis who is currently below the 16-driver cutoff line.

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

     

  • Monster Energy Cup Series Playoff Preview/Clinch Scenarios–Darlington

    Monster Energy Cup Series Playoff Preview/Clinch Scenarios–Darlington

    With only two regular-season races remaining in the season, drivers who have not clinched a spot in the Playoffs, have everything to gain and nothing to lose this Sunday in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    Sixteen drivers will compete for the championship after the season finale at Indianapolis on Sept. 9. Twelve drivers have already secured a spot, leaving only four positions up for grabs.

    Kyle Bush, the current points leader with six wins, will be joined by Kevin Harvick, a seven-time winner. Martin Truex Jr. is in with four wins and Clint Bowyer raced his way in by capturing two checkered flags. Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Erik Jones have all visited victory lane once this season and will move on to contend for the championship.

    Three drivers have clinched their spot based on points – Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson. That leaves only four open positions.

    Currently, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman make up the rest of the championship 16-driver field. Will they be able to hold on to those spots? Let’s take a look at what each competitor must do at Darlington.

    Denny Hamlin only has to score eight points and he will clinch a spot in the Playoffs. If there is a repeat winner, he will automatically advance to the Playoffs, regardless of points. Hamlin has an impressive history at the track with 10 top-10 finishes in 12 career starts and the best driver rating (110.3). He’s the defending race winner and he also won in 2010.

    Aric Almirola can clinch if there is a repeat winner and he accumulates 25 points during the race. If there is a new winner, he could still secure a spot but would need help.

    Jimmie Johnson could clinch if he wins the Southern 500. He could also claim a position in the Playoffs if there is a repeat winner but he would also need help. Johnson has three previous wins at Darlington.

    For 14 drivers there is only one way to move up into the top 16 and that’s with a win on Sunday. This includes Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman, Daniel Suarez, Paul Menard, William Byron, Jamie McMurray, Chris Buescher, AJ Allmendinger, David Ragan, Darrell Wallace Jr., Kasey Kahne, Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon. Matt DiBenedetto could clinch with a win but he would have to maintain a position in the top 30.

    Tune into the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m. on NBCSN to catch all the racing action as the countdown to the Playoffs continues.

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Back to Darlington, back to a September tradition and the Southern 500

    Hot 20 – Back to Darlington, back to a September tradition and the Southern 500

    Tradition. On Sunday, NASCAR returns to its traditional roots, to the track that was Daytona before Bill France replaced the beach-road course with his 2.5-mile architectural marvel. Before the Daytona 500, the marquee event was held in Darlington.

    The Southern 500 has been on the calendar since 1950, except for a brief period when NASCAR went insane and dug up its roots in the name of a few dollars. On Sunday, the boys will be back to the 1.3-mile circuit of Herb Thomas, Buck Baker, and Fireball Roberts. They made the place famous long before the likes of Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, or Bill Elliott made their marks. Maybe I should say, before the Lady in Black left her marks on them.

    Each of our Big Three have won there as has our only active seven-time season champion. A classic race and a top-notch broadcast crew on NBC to keep you glued to the television. It does not get any better than this.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (1003 Pts)
    His throwback weekend would include a repeat of 2008, except this time in September.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 960 Pts)
    He won his Southern 500 in 2014…in April.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (849 Pts)
    Won it in 2016 after sanity returned and it once again was the Labor Day Classic.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (776 Pts)
    His car will have a Ned Jarrett look, who won the 1965 race by a record 14 laps. Fourteen laps!

    5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (796 Pts)
    21 attempts, 21 times he has not been invited to the Lady in Black’s post-race boudoir.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (768 Pts)
    He will be honoring Pennzoil and Steve Park when they hit the line on Sunday.

    7. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (697 Pts)
    Dad won the Southern 500 three times. If the son could win, that would be awesome, eh Bill?

    8. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (635 Pts)
    He seemed to tame the track in his first outing. Might she be out for revenge this year?

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (475 Pts)
    After Daytona, Dillon disappeared but he has been making some noise as of late.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 733 POINTS
    His car will have the same look at his father’s did…when Ryan was nine.

    11. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 730 POINTS
    Driving a hot rod with a paint scheme Rusty Wallace would love…and does.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 729 POINTS
    Remember Davey Allison’s rookie colors of 1988? Larson will remind you what that looked like.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 707 POINTS
    Eight years, two Southern 500 wins, a pair of runner-up finishes, and all but once in the Top Six.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 658 POINTS
    Racing the colors that made Danica Patrick a winner. Okay, I’m just being facetious.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 604 POINTS
    Driving throwback colors of…himself. Did not win a title in 2012…but did win a Southern 500.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 572 POINTS
    Not sporting throwback colors. Probably was worried it would distract one of the announcers.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 493 POINTS
    Nothing runs like a Deere. That is what Ricky is hoping for.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 481 POINTS
    Will be looking a lot like the first RCR driver to race the No. 31…Neil Bonnett.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 479 POINTS
    A good throwback scheme would be Jack Roush cars that could compete.

    20. PAUL MENARD – 473 POINTS
    Has to win either at Darlington or Indianapolis, or all he gets is a Participation Trophy.

  • The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    Officially, Saturday night’s race was not billed as the Bristol Busch Brothers 500. Those two boys are almost always front and center at the venue. Even when they do not want to be.

    It took three laps for Kyle Busch to be front and center. He spun, sat in the middle of the track, and watched his car become a pinata. We knew it was the end of the line for the likes of Bubba Wallace and A.J. Allmendinger. It sure did not look good for Rowdy, either. The car looked bad, the rear panel was torn off, but at least he was still running, but two laps down.

    Paul Menard was another of those needing a win to be in the Playoffs. That did not happen on Saturday. After his right front went down he went out. That took just 30 laps. Shortly after, a mechanic issue doused all hope for Jamie McMurray.

    While there might have been a weather system out there on the horizon bringing darker skies, they did not affect Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, or Clint Bowyer in the opening stage, as they came across the line in that order. Not so for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He came in on the outside and stayed there after tagging the wall. Oh, we were not going to see Keelan take another ride with dad. A storm cloud opened up over Harvick due to a tire issue. That put him a lap down, never to be seen again.

    They came and they went, and by the time the second stage wrapped up, it was Joey Logano and Chase Elliott finishing 1-2. It also marked the return of Kyle Busch to the lead lap.

    Aric Almirola had a good day going for himself until he was black-flagged for dumping fluid all over the track. Ole Kyle, meanwhile, kept on coming. That is what Martin Truex Jr. discovered when a familiar face touched his left rear quarter-panel to spin him into the inside wall. When Brad Keselowski spun late in the going, we had 24 laps to go and 10 drivers who looked to be in contention.

    When they bunched up to take the green flag, Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Chris Buescher were up front on old tires. Austin Dillon and Denny Hamlin had two fresh ones. Elliott, Kyle, Logano, and Kyle Larson had new treads. This was going to get wild.

    It took about four laps. Rowdy had a tire going down and spun into oblivion. I bet Truex was sure sad to see that from the garage. Buescher also lost a tire. Chad Knaus saw enough and brought Johnson in for four.

    Not so for Billy Scott. He left Kurt Busch out there. He left him there on old tires to outrun Larson, Elliott, Logano, Erik Jones, Bowyer, and Blaney to take his first of the season, the sixth on this track (though the first in a dozen years), and the 30th of his career. It marked the first win for Scott up on the box and a crew that last year worked with Danica Patrick. It also marked the first time in NASCAR history to see a pair of brothers each boasting 30 career wins.

    Yes, just another Busch Brother day at Bristol.

  • Kyle Larson claims Cup Series pole at Bristol

    Kyle Larson claims Cup Series pole at Bristol

    Kyle Larson won his first Busch Pole Award at Bristol Motor Speedway Friday night in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Camaro with a 127.792 mph qualifying lap. It’s his third pole of the season and his seventh Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career pole.

    It will be a Chevrolet front row in Saturday’s Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race with Chase Elliott starting second after losing to Larson by .0127 seconds. Kyle Busch qualified third with a 127.639 lap and Paul Menard will start fourth. Elliott’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate, William Byron, grabbed fifth place, his best career starting position.

    Larson spoke about the significance of starting up front, saying, “The pole is important here at a short track with this pit road selection, having the first pit stall is huge. You know, it is still a long race, 500 laps here, the pole is important, but it doesn’t mean everything.

    “We had a fast car in practice and race trim I felt like in second practice, so hopefully, that means we will be good tomorrow. The track will still change a lot, tighten up quite a bit, so we’ve just got to be prepared for that to make the right adjustments. I hope we put ourselves in position to get a win finally here at Bristol.”

    Larson and Elliott will have to take advantage of their starting positions if they want to keep Busch, a seven-time Bristol winner, behind them.

    “First, we’ve got to catch up,” Elliott said. We haven’t really even been in the ballpark, at least not in the spring race. I feel like we had a really good car here in the spring and got in a crash there a couple of laps in. So, yeah, I don’t know, to beat him here you’ve got to be perfect because he is perfect here and you’ve got to be perfect. You’ve got to have somethings go your way and at the end of the day, you’ve got to make it happen because that is what he does to win. He does a great job working lap traffic and changing lanes and moving around. So, be perfect or you are not going to beat him.”

    Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Kurt Busch and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top 10 qualifiers and will start the race in positions sixth through 10th, respectively.

    The 500-lap Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race is scheduled for 6:46 p.m. ET Saturday night on NBCSN.

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

    The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

    With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

    Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

    As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
    Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
    Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
    Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
    A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
    Well, Michigan sure sucked.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
    Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
    His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
    Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
    Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
    The lad likes to get down and dirty.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
    Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
    Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
    Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
    Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
    Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
    Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
    Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.

  • The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    Domination and elimination was the story from Michigan on Sunday afternoon. Kevin Harvick dominated and eliminated everyone else from view. He dominated the opening stage. He overcame another pit road miscue that cost him five spots between stages, but he eliminated the danger to come back to claim that, too. As for the money run, he cashed in big time to eliminate everyone else from the storyline. Well, everyone but one. I’ll get to him in a moment.

    Denny Hamlin started on the pole, but he was eliminated from our consciousness despite finishing eighth. Kyle Busch was beside him at the start, but he did not matter for the most part despite finishing third. Harvick at least was gracious enough to allow both of his main rivals some cameo time up front. Martin Truex Jr. seemed eliminated only to rise again and then get stomped right back down. William Byron spun him out in the opening stage. Truex came back, led a bit but ran out of fuel near the end of the second. He came in while the pits were closed for a penalty. A tire was left unattended, and he got tagged with another. Truex finished 14th.

    In the middle frame, Chase Elliott was eliminated from contention when he had to come in early due to a loose tire. He finished ninth. Kyle Larson also had a tire issue and he also had to pit early. That helped eliminate him from contention, wrapping up the day in 17th. For Erik Jones, it was one damn thing after another. A spin early in the opening stage, only to get spun by Ryan Blaney in the second, and he came home in 13th.

    Brad Keselowski finished second, but few noticed. Austin Dillon did get noticed, having his first quality result since winning the Daytona 500. He picked up a flat tire on the final lap, yet still brought the car across the line in fourth. At least somebody other than someone named Harvick had a notable day.

    Harvick won his seventh of the season, the 44th of his career to tie Bill Elliott on the all-time list, yet even he got eliminated from consideration as the most talked about Harvick out there. When it came to post-race activities, it was six-year-old Keelan Harvick who dominated.

    Dad might have tons of charisma, but the son won in that category walking away. Literally. With the winning car parked on the finish line, Keelan was brought out to walk across the track to fetch the checkered flag. Then Dad put the lad on the passenger side of the car and, with the boy waving the checkers out the window, they drove together to Victory Lane. When the suds were done being splashed, Keelan was taken out of the car and handed a bottle of water to celebrate. He did, splashing dad’s public relations guy Josh Jones from stem to stern, much to the delight of Kevin’s crew chief Rodney Childers and all those watching, including young Keelan himself. Dad won the race, the son continued to win our hearts.

    It was a race to watch, again thanks to NBC. The commentary, the chemistry, the insight, and the pure entertainment value kept us watching the action. It was a single groove track, with the outside lane dominating the inside except for those rare moments when a bit of side drafting before diving down in the corners allowed for a pass. It was a single car event, with a few cameos to at least give the false hope the others might compete against the most dominant car on the day. It ended with a father and a son sharing some life-long memories and sharing those moments with us.

    On a day when outside my window it poured rain all day, Kevin and Keelan Harvick and NBC provided some much-appreciated sunshine. It was a broadcast that made my Sunday all that more joyful for having just been a part of it.

    Now, off to Bristol for a Saturday night of bumping and banging under the lights. There is no question as to what my plans will be.

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Bill France. Bill France, Jr. These men were NASCAR.

    Smokey Yunick. Maurice Petty. Glen Wood, Leonard Wood. Ray Evernham. These men were NASCAR.

    Lee Petty. Richard Petty. Fireball Roberts. Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson. Bobby Allison. Dale Earnhardt. Cale Yarborough. Darrell Waltrip. Bill Elliott. These men were NASCAR.

    Ned Jarrett. Ken Squier. These men were NASCAR.

    Tony Stewart. Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Carl Edwards. These men were NASCAR.

    Rick Hendrick. Joe Gibbs. Roger Penske. Jack Roush. Richard Childress. These men are NASCAR.

    Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick. Martin Truex, Jr. Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski. Kyle Larson. Chase Elliott. These men are NASCAR.

    These men, a few women, and so many others made the sport. Were the sport. Are the sport.

    Brian France is not NASCAR. There is a reason 97 percent of all family businesses do not survive as such into the fourth generation.

    At Michigan on Sunday, NBC’s stellar broadcast crew will once again deliver to our living rooms the people who are NASCAR. Those who matter. The reasons we watch.

    Especially our Hot 20. Only 16 spots are open to qualify for a championship run, but a win gets one in and there are only four opportunities left to do just that. Right now, that is the only driving news that matters when it comes to NASCAR.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (934 Pts)
    Smokey Yunick would not have let a fueling malfunction stop one of his cars from winning.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (864 Pts)
    Such a terrible day it was at Watkins Glen. He only finished 10th. Only.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (813 Pts)
    Everyone was just thrilled Chase won last week…except for this one.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (703 Pts)
    June was a good month to visit Michigan. Hoping August will be just as rewarding.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (691 Pts)
    Nice day at the beach at Watkins Glen, though the only water was pouring from his radiator.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (619 Pts)
    Five Michigan career starts, finishing 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 8th, and 9th. The boy wants another, it seems.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (572 Pts)
    No longer the best 22-year-old driver this season.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (412 Pts)
    A win and you are in. I like that rule, but…

    9. KURT BUSCH – 705 POINTS
    No charges were issued, yet Brian France once suspended him. Just thought I would mention it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 670 POINTS
    Winning his first of the season in his home state would be sweet.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 660 POINTS
    Has won three of the last four at Michigan, a string only interrupted by Bowyer two months ago.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 650 POINTS
    New Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI cap comes 26 years after the original flew out the bus window.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 639 POINTS
    As long as he does not drive like Brian France, he will be in the mix after Indianapolis.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 602 POINTS
    Unlike Canada and Saudi Arabia, Almirola and DiBenedetto have renewed diplomatic relations.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 563 POINTS
    I bet you thought Bowyer was the NASCAR guy with the road service ties.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 523 POINTS
    Unless he gives up 18 points per race between now and after Indianapolis, he is in, unless…

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 461 POINTS
    …Ricky or anyone from him down to Matt DiBenedetto can win one of the next four.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 451 POINTS
    The Wood Brothers auto should be strong at Michigan, but it needs to be the strongest.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Some actually believe Suarez has a shot this weekend to win. Maybe a small wager is in order.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 431 POINTS
    Won at Michigan once in 2003 and once in 2004. He sure could use another one now.

  • The Final Word – Watkins Glen unveils a new fan favorite in Chase Elliott

    The Final Word – Watkins Glen unveils a new fan favorite in Chase Elliott

    I believe one certain guy would agree with me “that was awesome, Bill from Dawsonville!” Watkins Glen was damned entertaining right from the start, thanks to the action and thanks to the best broadcast crew in the business.

    Chase Elliott won his first Cup career race, with his father, one of his spotters, in his ear at trackside. It took 99 races, along with eight second-place finishes, for Chase to win his first, on a road course. It took his dad 116 races, along with eight second-place finishes, for him to win his first, on a road course. Oh, it has been 30 years since Bill Elliott won his Cup championship.

    The son did not have it easy on Sunday. Right from the opening lap, he was fighting it out with some big guns, in Kyle Busch and pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, for the lead. The next lap saw Joey Logano land on the beach with fatal under the hood issues, giving him just the second last-place finish of his Cup career. On the third lap, Aric Almirola got turned into the fence. I know, some folks would not have found all that exciting, but that is probably due to them being in a coma. It was damn good television for the rest of us.

    Busch and Martin Truex Jr. wound up taking off from the rest of the field in the opening stage. Busch went for track position and pitted just before the end of the segment. Truex went for the points and claimed it.

    Stage two was the Kyle and Chase Show, with the 22-year-old challenger moving ahead mid-way through as the two boys finished in that order to set up the final run. Then things got really exciting in the pits. Hamlin tried to pull out, but the air hose was wrapped up with the back tire and the jack man. That caused the tire changer to hesitate coming around as the car took off. The changer went flying, the tire went flying, the airgun went flying, another crewman got hit as the hose snapped, causing him to go flying, along with the tire he was trying to control. Hard to imagine, I know, that they got a penalty for migrating equipment. Knocking the tar out of the crewmen must have been a freebie.

    Elliott also clipped one of his crew, who managed to call himself safe after landing on his butt. As for Busch, things were not as spectacular but proved costly. A malfunction caused him to have to come around again to get fuel in the auto. That dropped him from first to 26th. Hamlin dropped from third to 23rd. Elliott was in front, and apparently free as a bird.

    Not quite. When they dropped the green, Elliott was in front, but the guy in his mirror for the next fifty-plus laps was Truex. The defending race winner. The defending Cup champion. As excited as it seemed everyone at the track was to see Elliott win, Truex kind of liked the idea of winning the thing himself. Damn if he did not try.

    Truex came close. Mighty close. On the final lap, though, he ran out of gas. That was one lap prior to Elliott also running out of gas. Fortunately for him, Jimmie Johnson Road Rescue was on the scene to give him a push to where his crew was waiting, and after a brief celebration, they pushed the car and driver the rest of the way to Victory Lane.

    Great race. Great result. Great broadcast. I can not believe I am saying this but, I can not wait for Michigan this upcoming Sunday. If it turns out anything like this past weekend’s action, it will be awesome.

  • Elliott Scores Much Anticipated First Cup Win at Glen

    Elliott Scores Much Anticipated First Cup Win at Glen

    After 98 career starts in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, Chase Elliott finally got the proverbial monkey off his back at Watkins Glen.

    Much like his famous father Bill back in 1983, the Dawsonville, Georgia native scored his first career MENCS race at a road course. Just like his father, he had to endure many runner-ups before celebrating that inaugural Cup victory.

    This time, the 22-year-old racer made his magical moment happen at the legendary 2.45-mile road course in his 99th start.

    Starting third, Elliott was a factor throughout today’s GoBowling at the Glen despite finishing 19th in Stage 1.

    Parlaying pit strategy with a fast No. 9 SunEnergy 1 Chevy Camaro, Elliott battled defending race winner Martin Truex Jr tenaciously before taking the lead en route to a Stage 2 win.

    From there on, it was a cat and mouse game between Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. in the final laps.  Needless to say, Elliott had to earn his first win in the premier division.

    Surely, Elliott tried mightily to hold off one of the title threat triumvirates in the final 15 laps.

    “Holy cow!” Elliott exclaimed after the race. “What a thrill. I don’t know what to say. I’m so thrilled. So much relief. Worked on it for three years. I was able to get it done!”

    Not surprisingly, the No. 9 team has showcased some speed in recent weeks. In fact, Elliott has won at least one stage in a race since the Foxwoods Casino 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    All told, Elliott soaked in the moment and reflected on the struggles that led to his team’s recent rejuvenation.

    “Man, it’s such a relief,” Elliott said. “Had some hard times to get here and learned a lot personally and had to have a good group around me to keep pushing me. This is a helluva day.”

    The final laps played out like an action film or a thriller, as fans stood on their feet, particularly on the final lap. Forced to make a split second decision going into turn one, Elliott’s choice proved to be the correct one on this day.

    “I was starting to wheel hop and I knocked it out of gear to not spin out,” Elliott observed. “I had a big enough gap where Martin (Truex Jr) wasn’t near me. What a day.”

    Elliott’s first Cup win was truly special as he got to celebrate it with his father Bill in Victory Lane.  Notably, the Georgian also snapped a 37-race winless streak for Hendrick Motorsports that dated back to the spring race at Dover in 2017.

    Meanwhile, race runner-up Truex was able to cross the finish line on fumes while third-place finisher Kyle Busch overcame a fueling issue. Daniel Suarez, Erik Jones, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, William Byron, Kurt Busch, and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-10.

    Next up for the MENCS drivers and teams will be the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan International Speedway (Sunday, August 12 at 2:30 p.m. on NBCSN). Fellow Chevrolet racer Kyle Larson hopes to return to the winner’s circle as he bids for his third straight summer race victory at MIS.