Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Chase Elliott

  • Chase is winless no more

    Chase is winless no more

    Ninety-eight was the number of times Chase Elliott fired his engine without winning in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series. Eight was the number of times he finished runner-up. Every time he came up short the last two and a half years, there was no one harder on Elliott than Elliott. Over and over, he walked into the deadline room after a race in which he dominated and beat himself into the ground.

    However, it was never a matter of if. Only when the kid who not too many years ago posed with his father Bill Elliott in victory lane at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and roamed the garage with him would do the same.

    On August 5, 2018, there was no dejection and there was no “Elliott was his own worst enemy.” Instead, to the thunderous applause of a sold-out crowd in attendance at Watkins Glen International, he took the fight to and passed points leader Kyle Busch for the race lead, he led the remaining 63 laps, drove his No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to and over the limit and held off defending series champion Martin Truex Jr. to finally win for the first time in the Cup Grand National Series.

    “Holy cow! What a thrill! I don’t know what to say. I’m just so thrilled and so emotional,” Elliott said. “There’s so much relief you know; it’s been working on three years and I hadn’t won a one and came here with a good opportunity today. I was able to get it done. But, just thanks to all the fans. I hope all my buddies are ready to get rowdy tonight because it’s going to be a good one.”

    During the post-race cool down lap, Elliott ran out of gas and came to a halt down the short chute. As a number of drivers slowed down to congratulate him, teammate Jimmie Johnson pushed him to the start/finish line to start the post-race celebration.

    “Well, I just appreciate the support and the respect on the race track,” said Elliott. “Jimmie (Johnson) has been one of my heroes for a long, long time. I leaned on him a lot over this past off season and I always lean on him, but certainly a lot throughout this off season just about the opportunities I’ve had in the past and not closing them out. He has been a big supporter of mine and that was one of the coolest things ever and I will never forget it.”

    He hi-fived his crew, before hopping on the roof of his car to soak in the moment, as the fans showered him in cheers.

    “That’s the coolest thing I’ve ever seen and I just want you all to know that. And, I am very grateful. Thank you, thank you, thank you. Let’s go get some more.”

    The adulation continued in victory lane, as Darrell Wallace Jr., teammate Alex Bowman, the aforementioned Kyle Busch and his father, NASCAR Hall of Fame member Bill Elliott, congratulated Chase Elliott.

    “I don’t know how to describe it,” said Bill Elliott. “I was standing over there and kind of letting the laps run down and I was thinking, you know, what’s going to go wrong now? He (Chase Elliott) held it together and low and behold, (Martin) Truex runs out of gas. It’s just that luck went our way today.”

    While Chase Elliott and the rest of the Hendrick Motorsports organization struggled for most of the season, he picked up his the last three races, with stage victories and Top-10 finishes in each.

    WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. – AUGUST 05: Chase Elliott, driver of the #9 SunEnergy1 Chevrolet, leads Martin Truex Jr., driver of the #78 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GoBowling at The Glen at Watkins Glen International on August 5, 2018 in Watkins Glen, New York. Photo: Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images

    Starting the afternoon in upstate New York third, Elliott quickly challenged Denny Hamlin for the race lead snaking up the esses, before being usurped by Busch in the inner-loop on the second lap. On the 27th circuit, Elliott hugged the tail-end of Busch from the bus stop to Turn 10, before Busch pulled aside to let Elliott take the lead.

    While he didn’t lose it again, Martin Truex Jr. took the fight to him in the closing 14 laps, getting his closest to passing Elliott in the final three laps. Truex missed a mark in the inner-loop with two to go and Elliott pulled away. Heading into Turn 1 on the final lap, however, Elliott carried too much speed into the turn and ran wide, allowing Truex to pull alongside him briefly. The fight ended down the short chute when Truex ran out of fuel.

    “Yeah, so I had a decent gap coming to the white and I felt really good about it,” Elliott said. “I felt too good about it apparently. I got into (Turn) 1 a little hard and started wheel hopping and had to knock it out of gear to keep from spinning out and got… obviously I missed the corner because of that. Luckily, I had a good enough gap to where he didn’t get up next to me and didn’t miss it too bad. So, what a day.”

    Elliott’s victory was the 250th Strictly Stock Series victory for Hendrick Motorsports. It also made Elliott the 192nd different driver to win in the series.

    He leaves Watkins Glen 11th in points, 315 back of Kyle Busch.

  • Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    If we determine who is an actual contender, versus being just a pretender race in and race out, based on an average 20th place result, our field would be reduced to 22. Add William Byron and Jamie McMurray to the bottom of our list, and that is all you need to be concerned about. 357 points in 21 races is the line between the haves and the have-nots, from the front to the back of the pack. Except for this race.

    Watkins Glen forces you to expand that to the one guy who is averaging 21st each week, 16 points per race. He is the guy who is known for being a left and right expert. He is A.J. Allmendinger. The Dinger has one career win. It was at the Glen four years ago. He has a couple of Top Fives there, as well. Six Top Tens in nine attempts. This is where a nobody can become a somebody, and A.J. has made himself known before. While Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr. could just as likely win it, an Allmendinger win would truly mess up the plans of some others.

    He wins on Sunday, and he jumps from 23rd on our charts to eighth, and a lock to be in the Chase. He wins, and Alex Bowman goes from nearly 60 points in, to more than 50 out, just by doing what he has been doing each week. Jimmie Johnson becomes the bubble boy and needing to step it on up just in case another of those outside the Top Sixteen in the standings gets some ideas about shaking up some bubbly of their own later this month.

    It all depends on Allmendinger on Sunday. If he can shift from second to third, instead of down to second, he could be a contender. Let us just pretend that Sonoma did not happen.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (891 Pts)
    He wins every five years at the Glen (2008, 2013), so will he continue the trend?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (833 Pts)
    Forget the penalty points hit after Pocono. He was never going to catch Rowdy in that department.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (762 Pts)
    Won it last year, so if you were wondering if the Big 3 might contend, you have your answer.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (677 Pts)
    Fourth is the best the man from Emporia, Kansas has done in New York.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (690 Pts)
    Top Tens in four of the last five runs there, including a win in 2015.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (533 Pts)
    If Stanley comes aboard next season, will that give him the tools needed to win more?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (402 Pts)
    Got his win back in February, so he is fine…at least, until the Chase begins.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 677 POINTS
    His teammate is Kevin Harvick. Last week, his wife’s teammate was the Duke of Sussex.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 644 POINTS
    Running Xfinity again this weekend. The bad news for him is, so is Christopher Bell.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 626 POINTS
    On Monday and Tuesday, joins Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne for the Osky Challenges in Iowa.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 618 POINTS
    Like all but seven others, he has no wins, but Sunday is one he has won before.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 612 POINTS
    His uncle Dale is a six-time champion of the All Star Circuit of Champions.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 587 POINTS
    Last week, he collided with Harvick in the pits, then upset Matt DiBenedetto battling for 25th.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 569 POINTS
    The new face of Chevrolet. As of late, he might be the only face.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 547 POINTS
    Chevy does have a presence in the Chase, but most of that presence can be found down here.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 496 POINTS
    10th, 14th, 15th, and 16th are not going to sell a lot of cars Monday after the race Sunday.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 440 POINTS
    Bowman can take the weekend off and still be in the Chase…unless a certain someone wins.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 440 POINTS
    Make that, two certain someones.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 408 POINTS
    Okay, okay. Unless someone down here wins, Bowman is fine.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 400 POINTS
    His gloves, and those of 35 others, might appear a bit familiar to fans of Dale, Jr.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch pulled away on a restart with three laps to go and cruised to the win in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I tied Tony Stewart with my 49th Cup win,” Busch said. “One more win and I can finally say, ‘Well, passing him in the buffet line is out of the question, but at least I passed Tony in the standings.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I won the pole,” Harvick said, “but it was nullified when my car failed post-race inspection. If this were the National Basketball Association, I would have been issued a ‘technical’ foul. In other words, I got ‘T’d’ up. And that makes me ‘T’d’ off.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 15th at Pocono.

    “Pocono is a tough track for drivers to figure out,” Truex said. “The ‘Tricky Triangle,’ as they call it, is quite a dilemma for most drivers. NASCAR itself has its own ‘Tricky Triangle’ dilemma—–finding any other driver besides me, Kevin Harvick, or Kyle Busch to win a race.”

    4. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home 11th in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “Brian France recently reaffirmed his family’s commitment to NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I’m not sure I buy it. France can say one thing and mean another. Of course, it’s no surprise that from someone with a double chin comes double speak.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished a disappointing 26th at Pocono.

    “This was Jimmie Johnson’s 600th Cup start,” Logano said. “That certainly deserves recognition. So let’s give it up for Jimmie. He’s got seven Cup championship trophies to his name. I think the only trophy he’s capable of garnering these days is a participation trophy.”

    6. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 23rd at Pocono and is now 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “This race was called the ‘Gander Outdoors 400,’” Larson said. “Judging by what I saw in the stands, attendance was sparse. But NASCAR’s bigger issue is television ratings. So, I guess the biggest problem is not the ‘Gander Outdoors,’ but instead fans neglecting to take a ‘Gander Indoors.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 10th at Pocono, posting his 11th top 10 of the season.

    “I was really pulling for my teammate Daniel Suarez to pull out the win and qualify for the postseason,” Hamlin said. “As you probably know, Daniel is a native of Mexico. Daniel’s a big part of NASCAR’s ‘Driver For Diversity’ program. And, along with Bubba Wallace, the program seems to be working. Before, however, I wasn’t so sure. Instead of ‘diversity,’ it seems to be more a case of ‘re-versity.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 14 laps and finished seventh at Pocono, recording his 10th top-10 result of the season.

    “I’m still looking for my first win,” Elliott said. “I’ve been close on several occasions, but there’s always something that gets in the way. So, before it happens, I have to overcome the issues that arise when s#it happens.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski spun and hit the wall on lap 121, ending his day at Pocono. He finished 38th.

    “I thought I hit the wall hard,” Keselowski said, “until I saw Bubba Wallace hit the wall with six laps to go. Thank goodness for the SAFER barrier. It’s always good to see a driver walk away from an accident. And, in some cases, like Carl Edwards at Talladega in 2009, it’s pretty cool to see a driver run away from an accident.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Pocono as younger brother Kyle took the win.

    “Great run by Kyle,” Busch said, “but what about the effort of some of these youngsters, like Daniel Suarez and Chase Elliott? Those guys have skills. You might even say each of them is a ‘Baby Driver.’ When I was that young, most drivers questioned my talents. Some even called me a ‘Maybe Driver.’”

  • The Final Word – Pocono at least teased us with the hope of a different story ending

    The Final Word – Pocono at least teased us with the hope of a different story ending

    We all tune in for the potential excitement, but the storylines set up the race. At Pocono, we witnessed Jimmie Johnson make his 600th career start. We wondered if the Big Three would dominate yet again. We also wondered how the bad boys, and maybe a few bad girls back at the shop, would fare after 13 cars failed post-qualifying tech.

    Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were the best qualifying, but the penalty sent them both beyond 25th when they dropped the green. Same for Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano. Would that cripple the chances of four of the top handful of contenders on Sunday? Nope.

    Daniel Suarez needed a win to make the Chase, and he inherited the pole. He looked good and he was part of the conversation most of the day. However, it was Harvick who opened the discussion as he charged from 29th to claim the second spot after the opening stage. Up front was Chase Elliott, who once again went charging to glory like Slim Pickens riding an atomic bomb to detonation to claim it. Suarez had to settle for fifth best, right behind Rowdy and just ahead of Bowyer.

    Next stage, it was Harvick getting the nod, swapping spots with Jones, with Bowyer just behind them. However, some decided to forgo the stage points to hit the pits and grab position just before they closed the service lane. The question remained, would Harvick, Elliott, and Bowyer do better with their strategy than the likes of Kyle Busch, Jones, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. or Suarez?

    It did not seem so, as the younger Busch sat on point and allowed the rest to try to track him down. Harvick was out of the mix after a collision on pit road with teammate Aric Almirola. That forced him to return more than once to ensure the damage was truly corrected.

    The scariest moment came when Bubba Wallace saw a brake rotor go to pieces, sending him on a wild run through the grass in a bid to scrape off some speed before making hard impact with the outside wall, on the passenger side, when he ran out of lawn. He got out under his own power, but he needed a moment to get all his marbles settled. Wallace will be fine, but he will be a hurting unit for a couple of days.

    Back to the racing, nobody had anything for Busch as even a couple of re-starts, including a green-white-checkers finale, was not going to change how this one was scripted. His 49th career win ties him with Tony Stewart as he successfully defends his Pocono summer title. Suarez was second, behind his teammate, followed by Bowyer and his teammate, one Mr. Harvick. Jones finished fifth, while Elliott had to settle for eighth. As for Truex, 15th was his fate while early front-end damage caused Logano to limp home in 26th.

    Kyle claimed his sixth season win in taking 47 points on the day. Harvick did him five better in that department, with Elliott adding 48 to his tally, 43 for Alex Bowman, and Suarez got 41. Unfortunately, points do not matter for him at this point in the season. A win would be everything.

    Despite it all, the only meaningful change in the standings has Elliott moving 21 points ahead of Johnson for 14th in the standings, while Bowman has increased his margin over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Paul Menard for 16th. That is fine, depending on how Watkins Glen turns out next Sunday.

    That is your storyline for next week, even more so than anything the Big Three might or might not do. Truex won there last year, but four years ago the man was A.J. Allmendinger. A win for him next week, and he takes Bowman’s spot and drops Johnson down to being the man on the bubble.

    If a Top 16 driver wins next Sunday then, well, I hope the action proves to be riveting and you enjoy the broadcast on NBC. As for the story, the ending will probably be very familiar.

  • Hot 20 – Pocono is another non-restrictor plate race, so which one of just four drivers will win it?

    Hot 20 – Pocono is another non-restrictor plate race, so which one of just four drivers will win it?

    Another race, another win for one of the Big Three. Twenty races down and just seven individual drivers with a tick in the win column. That means, at most, 13 drivers could have a victory by the time they decide who makes the Chase. Something tells me we will not reach anywhere close to that number of winners.

    Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson might win, looking at the upcoming half dozen events. Then again, it is just as likely Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, or Martin Truex Jr. will add at least another to their personal collections. Pocono is next, and that is where Truex won last month. Busch won it last July. Still, 2016 was split between Kurt Busch and Chris Buescher, so there is hope. Hope is a good thing.

    So are good dads. Now, this amused me. A new Xfinity team was formed, and in the announcement for Tullman-Walker Racing it mentioned that among the owners we have Steve Tullman, a successful entrepreneur (in the medicine making business). By some miracle, they were able to secure the services of a 20-year old ARCA driver named…Max Tullman.

    What was so amusing was their determination to avoid stating the obvious, which is a dad with means has bought an opportunity for his talented and dedicated son to advance his dreams. Nothing wrong with that, but not a word about the relationship between the co-owner and the driver. The group is serious, though, even bringing former Dale Earnhardt crew chief Doug Richert along to continue to guide the young driver when they hit the track at Iowa (July 28), Las Vegas (September 15), and Kansas (October 20). Thus far in 2018, the young Tullman has three Top Tens in eight ARCA starts. We will be watching.

    We will also be watching this Sunday to see if any numbers other than No. 4, No. 14, No. 18, or No. 78 will mean a damn thing. Other than for the three restrictor-plate races, every one of the other 17 events has been won by a driver with one of those car numbers. Good news for those pulling for a new face in front. Clint Bowyer has never won at Pocono. Neither has Harvick, but he was finished second in four of the last eight there, including both in 2017. It does not look good for the rest of the field, now does it?

    Hold on. A car with either a “4” or an “8” might win? Maybe there is hope for Jimmie Johnson after all, if you go by the numbers.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (844 Pts)
    The only thing encumbered about his Loudon experience was Harvick riding behind him.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS – 1 E.W. (791 Pts)
    Yes, he has six wins, but one does not count when deciding this duel with Rowdy.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (740 Pts)
    Pocono in June. Why not Pocono in July?

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (638 Pts)
    On non-restrictor race tracks, the Big Three lead Bowyer 15-2. The rest have been shut-out.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (679 Pts)
    I wonder if he now knows how fortunate he was to win at Talladega?

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (501 Pts)
    On the restrictor plate tracks, Jones, Logano, and Dillon lead the Big Three 3-0.

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (378 Pts)
    Daytona is the only reason he is not sitting 19th today.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 646 POINTS
    No, you go forward, Mr. Blaney. No, no, I insist.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 635 POINTS
    In the words of Yosemite Sam, “Whoa camel, whoa, when I say whoa, I mean WHOA.”

    10. KYLE LARSON – 606 POINTS
    Did the broadcast at Eldora, but does not think Cup cars need to trade pavement for dirt.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 584 POINTS
    No, after you, Mr. Busch. Please proceed. By the way, nice paint scheme.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 583 POINTS
    Loudon was his kind of track, but he did not have his kind of day.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 575 POINTS
    Taking the former Danicamobile to places it has never gone before.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 522 POINTS
    If you can’t win, collect points, and that will work at least for a few more weeks.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 520 POINTS
    No wins, yet during his career 27 percent of the time finds him finishing in the Top Five.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 453 POINTS
    Finishing 11th at New Hampshire helped him widen the gap.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 425 POINTS
    28 points is a big hill to climb unless Alex puts himself in a ditch.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 424 POINTS
    If he finishes seventh and Bowman is 37th or worse, then the math works out.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 379 POINTS
    A Top Six was good last week, but he needs a Top One.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 359 POINTS
    Byron is a point behind, with McMurray just four away.

  • The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    Watching Loudon on Sunday was a whole lot like watching Shawshank Redemption. I have seen bits and pieces of that movie, maybe, a couple of dozen times or more. The first half of the New Hampshire race had me watching nothing but our favorites of this year over and over and over.

    It was a one lane track to start with. If you were on the outside, you moved. If not, you did not. The guys up front stayed up front. Martin Truex Jr. led the opening stage and was third after two. Chase Elliott was second in the first but claimed the second. Kurt Busch, the pole sitter, was fourth after one and second after two. You get the picture.

    Everyone in the Top Ten for the first half of the contest was among our potential Chasers. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Logano had reserved spots, it seemed. So did Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, and Jimmie Johnson. Ten drivers for 10 positions, all among the Top Fifteen in the standings.

    Then the second half of the race began. It started with Kurt chasing down, well, Chase. Brad Keselowski moved up to take Johnson’s place among our decuplers. Well, for a time he did, before his brakes started to fail and he went from 9th to 20th within a couple of laps. The inside groove opened up, but not by much.

    Then a new face went to the front, as Almirola took over the lead to give the NBC rat pack of Dale, Jeff, and Steve something additional to chat about. Again, usually watching the action from Loudon allows me to fast-forward through the broadcast. Unfortunately, those boys were once again damned amusing and entertaining, so I could not.

    Everybody else seemed destined to be denied entry into the Top Ten. With about 75 laps to go, a window opened. Kurt Busch was heading to the pits but braked when he thought Blaney was about to leave his, leaving both just sitting there for a few seconds. That cost some time and track position. However, the guy who burned his membership card was Bowyer. He got tagged for a pit violation, and simply sunk beneath the waves.

    Later, Bowyer hit the fence with Almirola back in front. After the visitation for service, Kyle Busch was the leader, followed by Harvick, Almirola, and Truex. Something had to give in the end, and with seven laps left it proved to be the back end of Busch, with some assistance from Harvick. Someone was Happy as he went on to claim his sixth win of the season, the 44th of his career. Someone was not happy to finish second. Almirola thought he was the best, but he lost the lead in the pits and then lost traction on the re-start to end his hopes.

    You already know the names of most of those who would claim a Top Ten. Bowyer wound up 35th out of 37 entries, with Ryan Newman replacing him among our race stars to take sixth. Nothing much changed in the standings, with the Top 16 remaining our Top 16. Three drivers; Harvick, Truex, and Elliott; had 51 point days. Each Busch brother had 45, with Almirola putting 41 into the bank. Among those with single digit outings were Bowyer, Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., allowing Alex Bowman to extend his margin for that final Chase berth to 28 points.

    Next Sunday marks the return to Pocono. Last month, it was Truex taking the June version. Last year, it was Kyle Busch in July. Harvick has not won there in 35 attempts. In comparison, Chris Buescher was the summertime winner just a couple of years ago. Now, another such performance would do wonders for a guy currently sitting 23rd in the standings.

    That is one movie sequel I bet he would just love to produce.

  • Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    On Wednesday, the pick-up trucks race on dirt at Eldora. Some figure we need some dirt track racing in NASCAR. The fact is that in these times such a race would be a novelty, just as Eldora is, but does it need to be a feature in Cup?

    Why not? The fact that NBC has finally returned television coverage that actually keeps one glued to the action, entertained and informed with real insight, allows me to watch Loudon without any complaint or the use of the fast-forward feature on my PVR. Finally, I am content with what I watch on the pavement. Being different, though, is not a bad thing.

    Bristol is different. Daytona and Talladega are different. Sonoma and Watkins Glen are different. So will be the road-course feature coming up at Charlotte. Why not a little dirt? Just no gimmicks. We do not need any more gophers. I have had it up to here with “boogity, boogity, boogity.” No more draft tracks. You can even toss out the wild sound laps, where we get to hear the roar of the engines as the announcers take a time-out. It comes nowhere close to being at the live event.

    No more gimmicks. Just tracks that are different. Dirt is good. I have high hopes the New Hampshire experience on Sunday will be as well.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (799 Pts)
    To be the man, you have to beat the man…more times than he has beaten you.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (740 Pts)
    This fall, the Magic Mile will magically look a lot like Las Vegas. Hey, it’s magic.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (689 Pts)
    Has never won at Loudon…yet.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (629 Pts)
    Like Harvick, the pit road experience at Kentucky fell short of the standard set on the track.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (648 Pts)
    A single win locks one into the Chase this season.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (480 Pts)
    Earned his golden ticket, so when does he get to visit the Chocolate Factory?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (362 Pts)
    After Daytona, he went into Witness Protection and has not been seen since.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 630 POINTS
    “We’ve been good, not great this year, and this is a sport of great.”

    9. KURT BUSCH – 601 POINTS
    Three career wins at Loudon ties him with his brother, Jimmie, Ryan, Denny, and Matt.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 581 POINTS
    On Tuesday was at the Lernerville Speedway winning a World of Outlaws event.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 559 POINTS
    The defending race champion returns, but will the checkered flag?

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 546 POINTS
    Might find Loudon too easy after testing this week at Charlotte.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 534 POINTS
    Did the former driver of this car ever threaten to make the Chase? Ever?

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 484 POINTS
    Only a true disaster will keep even a winless Johnson out of the Chase.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 469 POINTS
    William Clyde’s nickname features his season goal. Next year, he wants to be known as Champ.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 427 POINTS
    Spent his Tuesday spinning in Turns 3 and 4 of the Charlotte infield road course. It is sketchy.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 418 POINTS
    He has a standing offer to Kyle Busch to help him stop running his mouth. Jimmy Spencer, Jr.?

    18. PAUL MENARD – 404 POINTS
    23 points between him and a playoff spot, but he averages a 23rd place finish at Loudon.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 348 POINTS
    Pick-up racing is cute. Now, European Truck Racing is for the big boys with the big toys.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 344 POINTS
    Two Loudon starts, two Top Tens. Unfortunately, only a win gets him to where he wants to be.

  • Hot 20 – Kentucky, where the thoroughbreds will run unless Stenhouse is moving at ramming speed

    Hot 20 – Kentucky, where the thoroughbreds will run unless Stenhouse is moving at ramming speed

    Kentucky. Lord, please not Kentucky. It is a track I have no affinity for, but I will be watching on Saturday night. It is all due to NBC. If you watch the broadcast, and still can not stand NASCAR, it is just not for you. If you do watch it and have any love of the sport, you will stick around. The boys and girls make it damn hard to skip forward, no matter how much you try. You just do not want to miss what they will be saying, and that is everything in sports coverage.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not miss anything or anyone, it seemed, last week at Daytona. Now, I am no race car driver. When I drove the computer version, it was in indestructible mode. I missed nothing. If I was a lap or two down, it was because I was driving the wrong way looking to clear the track. I made Dale Earnhardt look like a powder puff competitor in comparison. Stenhouse was not that bad, but do not ask Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, or Kurt Busch, to name just a few. They might think, compared to him, I was the powder puff queen.

    Let us see how hot his pals get with him when they re-enter the fray in Kentucky.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (749 Pts)
    Was running in the Top Two at Daytona, but failed to get by Stenhouse.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (692 Pts)
    Got taken out at Daytona, but it was not the fault of Stenhouse.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (629 Pts)
    Managed to stay the hell out of the way of Stenhouse.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (594 Pts)
    Hooked by Bubba, and then ran into Harvick. Hey, Stenhouse could not do it all himself.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (618 Pts)
    If you can’t beat Joey at Daytona, beat him and beat him again until the car is toast. That works.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (448 Pts)
    Won his first race, won it at Daytona, in a duel with the defending Cup champ. That works, too.

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (347 Pts)
    Dillon returned to Daytona. No one noticed this time.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 596 POINTS
    Also known as Stenhouse victim #1.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 566 POINTS
    Also known as Stenhouse victim #2.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 544 POINTS
    Lost a tire, and almost got Stenhouse out. Almost. Imagine the cheers from the garage if he had.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
    Last week, he actually took natural disaster training before racing against Stenhouse.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 503 POINTS
    A late crash left him 27th last week. His bouncing tire finished well ahead of him.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 496 POINTS
    Tired of young drivers taking the blame for NASCAR’s diminishing popularity. They shouldn’t.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 461 POINTS
    Will be wearing the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope. It has nothing to do with Stenhouse.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 444 POINTS
    Maybe he could use Stenhouse to clear the way, just like the Bandit did for the Snowman.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 426 POINTS
    Lost points to Daytona’s 17th place finisher who was #1 on the hits parade, and in points earned.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 407 POINTS
    As Frank might have sung, “Friends, he’s had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”

    18. PAUL MENARD – 371 POINTS
    Has joined the “have to win to be in” club.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 332 POINTS
    Will be racing on the dirt at Eldora later this month and the PVR is set and ready to record.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 318 POINTS
    The only Mexican in favor of building a wall, just as long as Stenhouse is on the other side.

    21. WILLIAM BYRON – 318 POINTS
    When Kyle Busch failed to get by Stenhouse, that meant it was time for Byron to go, too.

  • The Final Word – Daytona and NBC delivered the goods, and the bads, on Saturday night

    The Final Word – Daytona and NBC delivered the goods, and the bads, on Saturday night

    Daytona delivered. The action and the broadcast were both superb. If you missed it, you really missed something.

    Unlike Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He missed nothing. On the good, he claimed the opening two stages. He also managed to punt a third-place car, driven by Kurt Busch, into oblivion when he sent Brad Keselowski up toward him, taking out a pretty fair chunk of the field. He was not done. Later, he got the two lead cars when he hooked Kyle Busch, who proceeded to remove William Byron from the point position. When you’ve taken out the top three cars in any race, including both Busch brothers, you have accomplished something.

    Later, when Kyle Larson cut a tire, he hit Stenhouse. Did that finally remove the favorite driver from among his peers? Nope. He managed to finish 17th and collect a total of 40 points for his efforts. Only the race winner matched him in that category. However, Ricky probably lost a hell of a lot of potential Christmas card senders. He should not expect any from a certain family hailing from Las Vegas.

    The herd had been severely culled as they neared the end, but when Kasey Kahne looked out his back window with a dozen laps left to run, there were Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. trying to chase him down. However, that did not last long, as Bubba Wallace hooked Clint Bowyer, who in turn took out Harvick.

    Of course, they could not finish this thing in a single overtime. By the time the second hit the green, it was Truex and Erik Jones coming to the line, with Kahne and Chris Buescher right behind them. Jones got the push, fought off the defending champion, and put himself in the list of Cup drivers with a career victory. A first win, and at Daytona no less.

    With so many sent to the garage, the rest of the Top Ten were not names we usually associate for such a position. For example…

    3. A.J. Allmendinger
    4. Kasey Kahne
    5. Chris Buescher
    6. Ty Dillon
    7. Matt DiBenedetto
    8. Ryan Newman

    Austin Dillon and Alex Bowman were next. Those two names almost sound like Petty and Earnhardt compared to those just ahead of them. Then there was the quartet that finished in the next five positions…

    11. Jeffrey Earnhardt
    12. Brendan Gaughan
    13. D.J. Kennington
    14. Bubba Wallace
    15. David Ragan

    At least one was an Earnhardt and one drove for Petty. For some brighter lights on the marquee, Daytona was a dark, dark Saturday night. Some managed to earn 10 points or less…

    10 – Aric Almirola
    9 – Paul Menard
    9 – Chase Elliott
    7 – Jamie McMurray
    6 – Kurt Busch
    4 – Brad Keselowski
    2 – Daniel Suarez
    1 – Ryan Blaney
    1 – Denny Hamlin
    1 – Joey Logano

    If you want to know what a pinata feels like, ask Logano. In the first big wreck of the night, that boy had his car hit on every corner and places in between. He described it as the crash that went on and on.

    So, with all the mishaps spoiling the betting line, did it shake up our Chase contenders any? Nope. The sixteen in remain the 16 in. Jones is much more secure in his place, while Bowman still holds on to the last rung, 19 points ahead of Stenhouse. I guess you could say Stenhouse hit the wrong guys.

    As for NBC, the second broadcast of the season was just as awesome as the Chicago effort. Next week is another Saturday night in Kentucky. If they can pull off another excellent, interesting, entertaining presentation from that venue, then there would be no doubt that they truly are for real.

    Daytona delivered. So did NBC. In the words of Warden Norton from Shawshank, “Lord! It’s a miracle!” Let us keep those miracles coming.

  • Chase Elliott earns Busch Pole Award at Daytona; Hendrick sweeps front row

    Chase Elliott earns Busch Pole Award at Daytona; Hendrick sweeps front row

    Reid Spencer | NASCAR Wire Service

    DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – A sprained ankle didn’t prevent Chase Elliott from putting his foot to the floorboard Friday at Daytona International Speedway.

    Elliott powered around the 2.5-mile track in 46.381 seconds (194.045 mph) to win the pole position for Sunday’s Coke Zero Sugar 400 (7 p.m. on NBC, MRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) by a whopping .24 seconds over Hendrick Motorsports teammate Alex Bowman (193.046 mph).

    The Busch Pole Award was Elliott’s first of the season and the fourth of his career, all of which have come at restrictor-plate superspeedways — three of them at Daytona.
    With Jimmie Johnson qualifying fourth at 192.361 mph, Hendrick Chevrolets took three of the top four starting positions for the 18th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race of the season. Third-place qualifier Brad Keselowski broke up the monopoly with a lap at 192.802 mph in the No. 2 Team Penske Ford.

    Earlier in the week, Elliott sprained his right ankle — the one that mashes the accelerator — while “horsing around at the pool.” He had the ankle X-rayed at the infield care center at the track.

    “I didn’t really want to do that, so I’ve been trying to draw as least amount of attention as possible to that,” Elliott said. “But it’s all good. Yeah, had a little ankle sprain, but we are good and ready to go.”

    Saturday’s race will mark Elliott’s 95th start in NASCAR’s top series. Those 94 events have produced 26 top five’s — including eight runner-up results — but no wins.

    “I think it gives everybody confidence,” Elliott said of the pole-winning effort. “Having a good pit stall is certainly nice. That can matter at the end of these races. Sharing the front row with your teammate is also nice, too. 

    “So we’ll just have to see. The race is a whole different ballgame, but to have speed in our Chevrolet is nice, and to have (sponsor) Hooters for their first race of the season on the pole is cool, too. Looking forward to (Saturday) night.”

    Kevin Harvick qualified fifth, followed by Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman, Michael McDowell and Daytona 500 winner Austin Dillon. Seven Fords and five Chevrolets made the final round. Reigning series champion Martin Truex Jr. will start 13th in the top-qualifying Toyota.

    With rain wiping out Thursday’s second Cup practice, Friday’s time trials were more of a question mark than they otherwise would have been.

    “It was OK, I think — you never know what you’re going to get here,” Truex said of his starting position. “Not much practice yesterday, and we didn’t do any qualifying runs, so we just kind of winged it. I think 13th will be an OK starting spot.”

    Series leader Kyle Busch earned the 15th spot on the grid.

    RELATED: Full qualifying results