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Tag: Chase Elliott

  • Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Thirty-six races. A few are great venues that produce very entertaining television events. A lot more are not. Some tracks have two events, and you wonder why. Some have two and you wonder…why not three? As our Hot 20 venture to Martinsville on Sunday to open the Round of Eight, would NASCAR be more appealing if we kept 36 races, but ran more of them at tracks people want to see races run? How about nine of them at NASCAR’s three most fan-favored venues?

    If they put me in charge of NASCAR for an hour, this is what next season’s Cup schedule would look like. What do you think?

    Feb. 18 – Daytona
    Feb. 25 – Atlanta
    Mar. 4 – Las Vegas
    Mar. 11 – Phoenix
    Mar. 18 – Fontana
    Mar. 25 – Martinsville
    Apr. 8 – Texas
    Apr. 15 – Bristol
    Apr. 21 – Richmond
    Apr. 29 – Talladega
    May 6 – Watkins Glen (from Dover)
    May 12 – Kansas
    May 27 – Charlotte
    June 3 – Pocono
    June 10 – Bristol (from Michigan)
    June 24 – Sonoma
    July 1 – Chicago
    July 7 – Daytona
    July 14 – Kentucky
    July 22 – New Hampshire
    July 29 – Talladega (from Pocono)
    Aug. 5 – Watkins Glen
    Aug. 12 – Michigan
    Aug. 18 – Bristol
    Sep. 2 – Darlington
    Sep. 9 – Indianapolis
    Sep. 16 – Las Vegas
    Sep. 22 – Daytona (from Richmond)
    Sep. 30 – Charlotte (road course)
    Oct. 7 – Dover
    Oct. 14 – Talladega
    Oct. 21 – Darlington (from Kansas)
    Oct. 28 – Martinsville
    Nov. 4 – Texas
    Nov. 11 – Sonoma (from Phoenix)
    Nov. 18 – Homestead-Miami

    That’s 36 races featuring six on a superspeedway, retaining six on short tracks while expanding to five road courses. Minimal changes, maximum impact. How does it look to you?

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4069 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Not only does he have enough in the bank to have a bad race, but could even take a day off.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4042 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Winning would have been nice, but not being eliminated is even nicer.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4026 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Junior wants teammates and young guns to advance…friends with the wrong team, not so much.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4017 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 606 career starts, he has 303 top 10 finishes. You want to bet against good ole 50-50?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4017 POINTS – 3 Wins
    The drive is alive for his date with eight.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4014 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Virginia is for Lovers…and Virginians. That is the view of this native son of Chesterfield, Va.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 4009 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 68 years, Wood Brothers have not a single driver’s championship. Maybe this is the year.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4006 POINTS
    Might want to think about getting that first win sooner than later.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2236 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Damn engines.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 2184 POINTS
    Damn guys who cannot count.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2138 POINTS
    It was doubtful he was going to win, but after he got all torn up last week all doubt was removed.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 2126 POINTS – 1 Win
    Leaving Hendrick pens and stationary behind him, but will be taking Travis Mack.

    13. KURT BUSCH – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
    After flogging Monster Energy for years, I wonder if he is feeling a bit like Tammy Wynette.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2122 POINTS – 1 Win
    His N.C. team lost 4-2 to the eventual 2002 Little League World Series champions of Louisville.

    15. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2119 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Things got so bad he went from 12th and in the final playoff spot one week, to 15th the next.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2107 POINTS – 1 Win
    His second-place finish at Talladega is sandwiched between two results outside the top 30.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 810 POINTS – 1 Win
    A win a win, but is it really if it is an encumbered one that fails to give you a pass to the Chase?

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 793 POINTS
    His last win came on October 13, 2012, in Charlotte. Even an encumbered one might be nice.

    19. ERIK JONES – 757 POINTS
    One moment his car was facing this a’way, the next it was facing that a’way.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 709 POINTS
    String of six straight among the top 15 came to a crashing conclusion last week.

  • The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    Imagine a race that featured the excitement of Daytona or Bristol. Imagine a race with a broadcast crew that featured the talent of a Chris Economaki, Vin Scully, Danny Gallivan, or a Keith Jackson. Imagine that Yoko Ono co-wrote that song with her husband. That should snap us all back to reality, though that last one is apparently true.

    Kansas was not a venue that promised an event for the ages, but it is where the goal of Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was to win. It is where Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch needed to do well while hoping Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney did not. It is where Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott needed to stay out of trouble, while it was to be just a nice day at the office for Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. We watched to see how this chapter of the story would end. For four, the dream of a championship this season would do just that…come to an end.

    Blowing up does not constitute staying out of trouble. Larson did just that in the opening stage, and despite having a decent points advantage over the “have-nots” coming in, we got introduced to the first guy unofficially eliminated in this race from Chase eligibility. No one had joined him in the garage by the time the opening segment concluded, especially Blaney and Johnson. If they faltered, Larson still had a hope. Unfortunately for himself and Stenhouse, all the others in the top dozen were in the top 10 when they took their break.

    Busch claimed the opening segment, the next was claimed by Hamlin. Still no good news for Larson. As they entered that final stage, Larson was not much of a thought, to be honest. It looked more like Rowdy was in, barring a mishap, while that final spot was going to be determined between Johnson and Kenseth. In the early going, Matt led Jimmie by five points as they ran on the track.

    With more than 90 laps to go, we became pretty sure Stenhouse was toast. A cut tire, a brush against the wall, and a trip to the pits pretty much ensured that his hopes for victory were dashed. Kenseth was riding second, Johnson 10th. It appeared that was the race to watch until we watched Johnson go sliding through the grass. They re-started, and shortly after Johnson went for yet another skid. Now down to 70 to go, that final spot was open to one of three guys. Kenseth had drifted back to 14th, Johnson to 27th, with Larson locked in at 39th. Still too much to ask for, you might think, but if Larson was praying, someone was listening.

    They failed to even get another lap in after the latest re-start when Erik Jones pounded the wall and carnage ensued. McMurray got torn up, so his hopes for victory were over, along with his Chase dreams. However, Kenseth also picked up some hurt. All of a sudden, Larson was back in play. If Johnson finished 23rd or worst, he would be eliminated. Kenseth needed to finish no further back than 17th and within seven points of Johnson, or he was eliminated. Larson had to just sit back and enjoy the show. Maybe further discussion with the good Lord might prove helpful.

    Ask and Larson shall receive, it seemed, as it appears He remained tuned in. On the clock to get repairs done, too many boys climbed over the wall in Kenseth’s pit. That gets you punted to the garage. Any goals regarding the day and the Chase for that driver were not going to be realized.

    With both McMurray and Kenseth done, with Stenhouse having no hope for victory, we had to change our focus, adding Busch to the mix. Two of those three would advance. If Johnson finished 22nd or better and Busch was no worse than 25th, Larson was gone. If they failed to do so, then Johnson needed to sit at least three spots ahead of Busch at the line. When they got things running again, Busch was our leader, Johnson was sitting ninth and 60 laps were left.

    For Larson, the direct line upwards went dead as the rest of this one concluded with minimal drama. Busch was 10th, Johnson 11th, and Larson was eliminated. Oh, Martin Truex Jr. claimed his seventh win of the season. He, along with Harvick, Hamlin, Blaney, and Busch all recorded rather stout performances, with Martinsville beckoning them next Sunday.

    Four races are left, along with eight drivers, to decide the title. If history means anything, both Johnson and Hamlin will do very well this Sunday afternoon in Virginia. Imagine how excited those two boys are.

     

  • Hot 20 – Dorothy returns to Kansas after spending last weekend in the Talladega tornado

    Hot 20 – Dorothy returns to Kansas after spending last weekend in the Talladega tornado

    This Sunday, NASCAR action takes us to Kansas. We just cannot get enough of Kansas, which is why we find ourselves watching the action from there for a second time this season. If not Kansas, I guess there is always Kentucky, Chicago, Dover, Fontana, or Pocono , but allow me to calm down my beating heart.

    Coming out of Talladega to Kansas, and I am just taking a guess here, probably will not increase the ratings. Entertainment value and tradition go a long ways to attracting and keeping the fan base. Last week was the Alabama 500. We started with the Daytona 500. Darlington delivered the Southern 500. We know the early race in Charlotte is really the World 600. How high on your list of must-see traditional spectacles do you rank the Hollywood Casino 400 in Kansas?

    If you are Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano, it would rank pretty high. The pair split the last four of these fall classics.

     

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – SEGMENT WIN – 3120 Pts – 6 Wins
    Earned his pass into the next round and has secured full sponsorship for 2018. Good times.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – SEGMENT WIN – 3101 Pts – 3 Wins
    No communication for much of the race, but a whole lot when it ended.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 3096 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Things were looking good for a while before Suarez and Elliott thought they were in a cartoon.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 3089 POINTS – 1 Win
    A repeat of last year’s Hollywood Casino 400 finish would be just fine with Harvick.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3088 POINTS – 2 Wins
    The Roush boys have fancy pit guns no one else has. All that goes out the window next season.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3087 POINTS
    Found a hole, filled a hole, and then someone tossed dirt in the hole.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 3076 POINTS – 1 Win
    Tough luck last week cost him some points, but he has emerged as a top-tier talent.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3074 POINTS – 3 Wins
    22 Kansas races, 17 Top Tens, along with three wins. Jimmie likes Kansas just fine.

    9. KYLE BUSCH – 3067 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Rowdy Busch? He is more like a Battered Busch.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 3066 POINTS
    Maybe he will become the fastest damned school bus driver who ever lived next season.

    11. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3052 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Best Kansas finish is 11th. Twice. Well, the Chase was fun while it lasted.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3045 POINTS
    21 Kansas races, 4 Top Tens. This does not look good.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 2104 POINTS – 1 Win
    Chase is over, time at Hendrick is near done, but Kansas marks his 500th career start.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2103 POINTS – 1 Win
    Newman is a NASCAR ninja. Unseen, unnoticed, and then late Sunday afternoon he appeared.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 2099 POINTS – 1 Win
    This season has come down to trying to catch Newman and Kahne and staying ahead of Kurt.

    16. KURT BUSCH – 2089 POINTS – 1 Win
    Turning left is expected, but that sharp right-hand turn was not.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 794 POINTS – 1 Win
    Best damn driver not to make the Chase.

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 775 POINTS
    Best damn driver not to make the Chase who was born in Emporia, Kansas.

    19. ERIK JONES – 749 POINTS
    Got a whole face full of McMurray the other day.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 708 POINTS
    Looking good last Sunday, but when he forgot to look to his left things started to look real bad.

     

  • The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole at Talladega. Most years, that is just par for the course. In this, his final season, it was a return down memory lane. Talladega is where anything can happen, where any lead lap car has a shot to win it, and a where one’s dreams can go up in flames, smoke, and mangled metal without notice.

    Just ask Jamie McMurray. He went in clinging to the final berth into the next round of the Chase. Sometimes you make a mistake. Sometimes you decide to turn toward pit road way too high on the track, a place where those with no intention of turning in are still running at high speed. That is what McMurray did just 25 laps in, and got punted to the outside by Erik Jones, then t-boned by Jeffery Earnhardt. By the time Mark Thompson tore off the rear section of his car, the damage had already been done. Done, thy name is McMurray. Somebody needs a win next week.

    Unfortunately for Junior, our leader was hitting the pits as that caution came out for the wreck behind him. Pit lane closed in front of his eyes. The penalty sent him, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott to the back. Totally unfair, totally unrealistic to expect a driver to react in time, I know, but them is the rules. Still, they had over 160 laps to make up the lost ground.

    Earlier in the race, just 14 laps in, the Fords ducked onto pit road and packed themselves together. That paid off in the end of the opening segment, as Brad Keselowski was followed by Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. All but Logano were current Chasers who came in outside the eight berths for the next round of the playoffs. Sometimes a plan works to perfection.

    After two stages, that Ford plan was still paying dividends. Blaney won the stage, with Keselowski right behind him. Jimmie Johnson had his rear folded by Ty Dillon at one point, but he was still running in the top 10. Same for Denny Hamlin, as an early pit for a loose wheel, came at the same time there was a debris caution. No harm, no foul. As for Junior, he was barely in our top 20 as a planned stop just before the end of the stage was waved off for some reason.

    Sixty laps remaining, and like magic, Junior was back among the top three. How? He was born to a wizard who did magical things at Talladega, just as his son has done throughout his career. Along with the Legacy were young guns, Blaney and Elliott. Of course, with that many laps to go on this track, it meant nothing as to what might happen by the time they reached the end. It was down to sticking on the lead lap and seeing what fate was willing to deliver.

    I said, “WHAT FATE WAS WILLING TO DELIVER.” Keselowski was not hearing much of anything due to a very intermittent radio that only worked on the front stretch. Under a caution caused by a bunch of also-rans at the back of the pack, they reached in to fix it. That left him starting just inside the top 30 with about 30 to go when they returned to green. Junior was sitting inside the top 15 in his final Talladega race.

    Fifteen. Interesting number. By the time this thing ended, that was all that was left running. With 17 to go, Martin Truex Jr. touched David Ragan, who collected Kurt Busch, and all hell broke loose. Johnson was toast, along with Kyle Busch and Stenhouse, while Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth both got roughed up. They were just getting started.

    With 11 laps remaining, Logano and Blaney touched, taking out Blaney, and roughing up Harvick even more, and more was yet to come. Down to six laps, our leaders were Daniel Suarez, Elliott, and Larson. Not for long. Suarez was leading up high when he came down in the corner but Elliott already had his nose there. Suarez got turned into Larson, then came back up to collect Elliott, and that ended the day for two of them while Larson was still able to continue, albeit with a ton of front-end damage.

    Finally, we were down to just four laps, 15 cars, with about eight having any shot of winning. On the start, it was Ryan Newman among the survivors up front, but with a pair remaining Keselowski took over and there he was to stay. Trevor Bayne was third, Logano fourth, with Aric Almirola in fifth. Hamlin and Earnhardt were next, followed by Kasey Kahne, Gray Gaulding, and Ragan to round out our top 10. It might not have thrilled so-called “race” fans, but if extreme sports lights your fire, the Alabama 500 got you all warm and toasty Sunday afternoon.

    Keselowski had a great day, and advances to the next round of the Chase, to join with Truex. Larson, Harvick, Hamlin, and Elliott are all fine, as long as they stay out of trouble in Kansas. Blaney and Johnson need to have good days, Kyle Busch and Kenseth will have to be even better, while Stenhouse and McMurray need to win to be in.

    On Sunday, the television ratings went against the grain and actually went up. Do not expect that to occur again next week. After the thrills and spills of what we just witnessed, it would be an understatement to say that Kansas will not exactly present anything like what was seen at Talladega. Then again, history tells us that might suit the likes of someone like Jimmie Johnson just fine.

  • Talladega – Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    Talladega – Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Talladega Superspeedway for the second race in the Round of 12, only one thing is certain. Anything can, and probably will, happen.

    After his win at Charlotte, Martin Truex Jr. is the only driver who is safe from elimination. For the remaining Playoff contenders, everything is on the line. Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Blaney and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are in the bottom four but no one is safe from the chaos of the unpredictable 2.66-mile track.

    Chase Elliott has the series-best driver rating of 91.4 at Talladega with one pole, one top five and one top 10, but, he only has three starts. He’s no stranger to the wild nature of the track, finishing 30th in May after being involved in a crash.

    Jimmie Johnson is in seventh place in the Playoffs with the fifth-best driver rating of 88.1 at Talladega with two wins, one pole, seven top fives and 12 top 10s. He’s keeping his eye on the prize and says his goal is “to make it through the race and have a good finish. We don’t want to go to Kansas fighting to stay alive in the hunt for an eighth championship.”

    Keselowski, currently 10th place in the Playoff standings, is a popular pick to win this Sunday. He has the series third-best driver rating of 88.7, four wins, six top fives and 10 top 10s at the track. It wouldn’t be the first time that he won in a do or die moment. Did you know that in 2014 he had to grab a victory to avoid elimination in the Playoffs and he did so at Talladega?

    Stenhouse may have the biggest challenge this weekend among the Playoff drivers. He’s sitting in 12th place in the standings with only the 11th-best driver rating but a closer look reveals why the Alabama 500 could provide the perfect opportunity to advance. Did you know that he has two wins this season, both at restrictor plate tracks, Talladega in May and Daytona in July?

    Matt Kenseth is presently just outside the top eight with one win in 2012, six top fives and 10 top 10s at the track. He has the series sixth-best driver rating (87.1) but did you know his best finish in the last five races was 23rd in 2016? The Joe Gibbs Racing driver and his team will have to rely on experience, strategy and luck to make it through to the next round.

    You can’t talk about Dega without talking about Dale Earnhardt Jr. He may not be competing for the championship but he is desperately searching for a win in his final full-time season in the Cup Series. Of the remaining tracks, this is probably his best chance.

    Although Earnhardt’s season has been disappointing, it’s difficult to ignore his impressive stats at Talladega, even taking into consideration that he’s only won once since 2004. He has the series second-best driver rating (91.0) and he leads all active drivers with six victories and 12 top-five finishes. But did you know he leads all active drivers in laps led at Talladega with 960?

    Earnhardt also seems to have a knack for winning when the most is on the line and his emotions are heightened. As he heads to Talladega for what may be the final time, his desire to add one more checkered flag to his collection is evident.

    “There are two things that are going to be incredibly motivating this weekend. One of them is going to be the fan support that we’re gonna see. I know they’ll be out there strong, they love the Earnhardts.

    “Also, put that camera on my helmet so I’m wearing that helmet cam all weekend. I purposely asked for that helmet cam for the Talladega race ‘cause imagine, it’s gonna hold me accountable and motivate me to be aggressive. I want to put some stuff on film that people are gonna want to watch. Between that and the fan support, I think we’re going to be in the gas all weekend,” he said.

    Updated:

     

    Will talent or Lady Luck prevail this weekend in the Alabama 500? Tune into NBC Sunday at 1:30 p.m. ET to find out. In the meantime take a look at 12 reasons to watch Talladega as you prepare for what promises to be a wild weekend of racing.

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Talladega is not for wimps or the faint of heart

    Hot 20 – Talladega is not for wimps or the faint of heart

    If there was one NASCAR race I was going to watch this autumn, it would be the action coming up this Sunday at Talladega, Alabama. If the only thing you know about the sport is that usually there is some guy named Junior in the field, this is the one to tune in. If you do not care about points, the Chase or what that even is, could not care less as to who is in what car, but you just want to see something on the television that makes you go “holy crap!”, this is the one race for you.

    Nose to tail, side by side, just inches apart, ripping around a 2.66-mile tri-oval that is 48 feet wide with 33-degree banking in the corners at speeds of over 190 miles per hour. It is obvious to anyone watching what could happen. It is amazing when it does not. When it does, and the Big One almost always takes place and all hell breaks loose, you will wonder about these crazy people who do what they do to provide this kind of entertainment on a Sunday afternoon.

    If all NASCAR races could deliver on the promise of a high-octane thrilling competition every time out, you would already know all this. Instead, we hear about television ratings plummeting along with track attendance, empty grandstands being torn down, sponsors pulling out and a driver’s ability to attract the cash at least as important as what they can do in a race car.

    We have a couple of former champions, one still in the running for this season’s crown, out of their rides for next season. At least one team running in the top twenty this season is folding its tents. As for star power, it does not matter to many fans how they did, but who they are. In that case, the retirements of the likes of Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon, and Carl Edwards, combined with the upcoming departure of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the possible exodus of Danica Patrick leaves a lot of merchandise sitting on the shelves.

    Yet, none of that should matter this Sunday afternoon. Talladega is the one to watch, no matter who is driving or what they are driving for. Just grab your favorite beverage, have your favorite snack handy, ensure that there is a pathway between your seat and the bathroom, and park yourself in your favorite chair for what should be a damned entertaining experience.

    Sunday is Talladega.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – SEGMENT WIN – 3106 Pts – 6 Wins
    The one guy who comes to Talladega very, very relaxed and without a care in the world.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 3072 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Without a Chase, he would trail Truex by 11 points. No one else is close, hence…the Chase.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3069 POINTS – 1 Win
    Looks to be in good position, but let us not take any chances this weekend.

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3059 POINTS
    Might be saving up his wins for the No. 9 but, if so, he might want to reconsider.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3056 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Instead of NFL kind of money, with dropping support drivers are lucky to make lunch money.

    6. KYLE BUSCH – 3055 POINTS – 4 Wins
    One bushed Busch by the time they were done at Charlotte.

    7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3051 POINTS – 3 Wins
    If a tire goes flat, can the team deliver the new rubber out onto the track as it is a safety issue?

    8. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3044 POINTS
    McMurray’s last win was this race, four years ago.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 3043 POINTS
    List of open seats for next season is dwindling. It is time to make a statement.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3042 POINTS – 2 Wins
    A paint scheme to honor Junior would look even better in Victory Lane.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 3039 POINTS – 1 Win
    Talladega, where “there’s confidence but not a lot of comfort.” Sounds like my wedding day.

    12. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3034 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Won the last time they were at Talladega. He sure could use another one on Sunday.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2086 POINTS – 1 Win
    Has the right car number to do great things at this track.

    14. KASEY KAHNE – 2074 POINTS – 1 Win
    Among those leaving their seats, at least Kahne has found a new home for next season.

    15. KURT BUSCH – 2068 POINTS – 1 Win
    Still looking.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2068 POINTS – 1 Win
    NASCAR driver. Rescue rancher.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 760 POINTS
    I guess you could say he is the best of the rest.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 752 POINTS – 1 Win
    On the positive side, he has run well in Chase events. On the downside, it does not matter

    19. ERIK JONES – 748 POINTS
    Such a fitness freak, he actually runs the stairs with his car while doing a television segment.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 686 POINTS
    If you bet that Suarez was going to finish 20th in points this season, it would appear that you won.

  • The Final Word – Charlotte was a day of triumph for Truex and a rough one for Rowdy

    The Final Word – Charlotte was a day of triumph for Truex and a rough one for Rowdy

    It was a home date for most of the teams as the next round of the Chase opened in Charlotte, North Carolina. Martin Truex Jr.’s outfit hails out of Colorado, so for them, every date finds them on the road. It is a road that could take them all the way to the championship.

    Once again, we were left wondering if one of the leaders would suffer a big points hit due to some unwelcome circumstance. Then there were the four coming in behind Ricky Stenhouse Jr., the eighth-ranked driver. Would Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, Matt Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray start to move up, or would bad tidings await one or more of them?

    As they took off, we were reminded of three things. First, when it comes to an announcing crew that is informative and entertaining enough to keep us tuned in, we are still looking and waiting. Maybe next year. Second, when it comes to jam-packed grandstands, maybe there was something else taking place in Charlotte that was more attractive for folks to attend. A sea of empty seats was evident beyond the racing surface. Third, segment stage points count, and you need them to advance. Truex did not get any the opening stage, but that was a rarity. Brad Keselowski also came up short, but he had wiggle room. However, Stenhouse and Blaney also came up empty, and they did not. Maybe the next segment things would be better.

    It looked good for Kyle Busch. He was up or near the front, but part way through the stage his rear danced up into the wall. That left his back end smiling where it should have been closed-mouthed, and that did not help the aerodynamics a lick. They repaired it good enough to return, but he was a lap down and outside the top thirty. Kevin Harvick and Elliott were 1-2 for the second straight stage, while the top 12 in the standings were among the top 13 on the track opening the final run. They all were there except for Rowdy. He was now two laps off the pace.

    It was Harvick, then it was Truex, and then Kyle Larson taking over point. As for the younger Busch, he went for a skid that was not productive. Sure, he was still running, still trying to minimize a points disaster, but still having a very bad day. That incident did not help Larson. He dropped back after the pit stops, leaving Truex and Harvick up front with about 50 to go.

    Busch was a factor. He hit the wall again with 10 laps remaining. Sucked for him, sucked for Truex, it even sucked for Harvick. He came in second, but after a slight pit miscue, he was sixth when they waved the green.

    When they hit the line, Truex was beside Denny Hamlin, with Elliott and Larson right behind, with four remaining. Hamlin did not have a good start, stalling his line, while Truex looked like he was bound for Denver. Then a Busch got in the way of his celebrations once again. This time, it was Kurt Busch getting real loose to go up the hill to clip Larson before continuing on a slide that brought out a green-white-checker finish. If nothing else, if you were still watching you were not going to be tuning out until it was over.

    One thing we learned in this race is that whoever led after the first turn on a re-start was going to lead that lap. The four contending were all contending in the Chase; Truex, Hamlin, Elliott, and Harvick. Yet, did anyone doubt it would be Truex claiming this one, his sixth of the season? He is locked into the next round, while Talladega looms next week. Even Harvick, sitting second 21 points to the good, could be buried in 12th if things go bad in what they call the wildcard of the Chase.

    Kyle Busch had enough in the bank to still sit 11 points on the positive side of the ledger, despite a 29th place result. Too early to write anyone out just yet. McMurray holds down the eighth place, but even the 12th place Stenhouse is just 10 points behind. It could be worse. While good days were recorded Sunday afternoon by Truex, Larson, Harvick, Hamlin, Elliott, and McMurray, just avoiding a bad day in Alabama next Sunday might prove to be even more important.

  • Elliott’s Strong Playoff Performance Indicative of Team’s Strength

    Elliott’s Strong Playoff Performance Indicative of Team’s Strength

    While the Round of 12 of this year’s NASCAR Playoffs is in full effect, Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch are currently at the top of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series headlines as usual. However, sitting in fourth in the playoff standings is Chase Elliott, who reeled off yet another runner-up finish at Charlotte on Sunday to score his sixth-career runner-up finish and 19th top-five finish in 71 Cup Series starts.

    “It’s been a solid start,” said Elliott. “Obviously we’d like to pick up one spot, but overall just the way we’ve been running since the playoffs started has been refreshing, and definitely makes it a lot of fun to come to the track and know that our car is going to drive pretty good, our pit stops have been really nice, and now is definitely the time of year to do that.  So hopefully we can carry it forward, what, five or six more weeks and see what it’s got to offer.”

    Elliott’s runner-up finish in the Bank of America 500 was his ninth top-five and 17th top-10 of 2017, a performance that should have resulted in a win by now; surely a team this strong has what it takes to win, right?

    Well, he isn’t entirely at fault for his lack of Cup victories at this point. If anything, he’s got his father’s laid-back demeanor, and although it’s pleasant to see such a young and laid-back driver he ultimately needs to bring some of the aggressiveness that he showed during his 2014 XFINITY Championship campaign. He’s had opportunities come his way only for them to slip past. That’s not to say that he’s not one of the hardest working, strongest drivers on track right now.

    As a matter of fact, he has the capability to share the spotlight with Kyle Larson as the top Chevy drivers in the Monster Energy Cup Series, if only he would take the aggression to another level. Still, that very well may be the case during the Playoffs; four races in and he has finished second, 11th, second, and second. He’s been down a similar road before as a rookie and it would be all too easy to become too hyped. But he’s no longer a rookie. He’s got 71 starts on his belt, and he’s properly educated in what it would take to score a win.

    He’s got all the right equipment. He’s got the talent and it has shown. He can win and if he keeps up this string of strong runs he will win. It would help if it happens while he’s a Playoff contender. He needs this win to alleviate the pressure he currently has himself under. It’s a conundrum: In order to get rid of the pressure to win, he needs to put the pressure on winning.

    Once he does that, one can only wonder how he’ll feel for his crew.

  • NASCAR: Charlotte Bank of America 500 Race Recap

    NASCAR: Charlotte Bank of America 500 Race Recap

    Charlotte Motor Speedway is becoming Martin Truex Jr’s next home. In 2016 Truex scored his first Charlotte victory in dominant fashion by leading the majority of the race. However, the journey to his second Charlotte win in Sunday’s Bank of America 500 yesterday wasn’t easy.

    Missing the third round of qualifying on Friday, Truex was determined to search for the speed that he was missing from his fellow competitors. Heading into Saturday’s practice rain forced NASCAR to cancel both Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice sessions and Truex would go into Sunday’s race scratching his head.

    Starting seventeenth on Sunday, Truex hoped that his Friday struggles would not factor in the race. With weather approaching, NASCAR moved the start time up one hour to give a cushion from hurricane Nate quickly approaching the Carolinas.

    Truex missed out by gaining any stage points after Stage 1, finishing 12th. Truex thanked his pit crew for getting him in the position to have a shot to win. Truex would grab the lead from Kevin Harvick during the green flag pit stops on lap 234. He would go on to take the checkered flag winning by 0.911 seconds over second place Chase Elliott.

    After Sunday’s win, Truex spoke to the media on his success at Charlotte.

    “Unbelievable win,” Truex said. “Just a total team effort. Every single guy – every guy on this team just did a perfect job today, and I can’t be more proud of them—and this time of the year is just when you want it to happen.”

    Chase Elliott, for the second consecutive week, finished in the runner-up position and currently sits 25 points above the cutoff position which is Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Chase Elliott spoke about his fight back to another top-five finish and proclaimed that a win is coming for his team.

    “It was a hard-fought day and really, from where we were in those middle stages, I was proud of the way we fought back and were able to get back to the front. It’s frustrating to run like this. We’re definitely tired of running second. But, if we keep running like we are, hopefully, the opportunities will be there,” Elliott said.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. enters Talladega as the proclaimed favorite after winning the last two restrictor plate tracks.

    The second race of the round of 12 kicks off next Sunday at 2 p.m. Eastern on your local NBC channel.

  • Denny Hamlin Captures Pole for Bank of America 500 at Charlotte

    Denny Hamlin Captures Pole for Bank of America 500 at Charlotte

    CONCORD, N.C. — Denny Hamlin captured the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coors Light Pole Award Friday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway with a qualifying speed of 191.598 mph. It was his first pole this season, his second at Charlotte and his 25th career pole.

    Hamlin has scored at least one pole each season during his 13-year career in the Cup Series, with the exception of 201l.

    “It’s good, you always like to keep streaks alive,” he said. “Hadn’t had a pole this year and have had one every other year, but it’s good. We’ve been so close and we’ve made so many final rounds, been in the top five, but not as fast as our teammates. Today we adjusted on it, got it a little better each round and had some goodwill.”

    The Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s No. 11 Toyota will lead the field when the green flag waves for Sunday’s Bank of America 500. Teammate Matt Kenseth will join him on the front row after a 191.489 mph lap, starting second, in the first event of the Playoff’s Round of 12.

    Kevin Harvick, with a speed of 191.394 mph, will start third followed by Kyle Busch in fourth and Clint Bowyer in fifth.  Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Kyle Larson will start in positions sixth through 10th, respectively.

    The pre-race inspection had some teams rushing to make qualifying runs during the first round after failing their first attempt to pass the inspection process, including Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Erik Jones. Busch and Earnhardt were able to qualify in the closing minutes while Erik Jones did not make it through in time to qualify.  Jones will start 38th. Corey LaJoie and Brett Moffitt also failed to make qualifying runs and will start in 39th and 40th.

    Of the remaining Playoff drivers, Ryan Blaney will start 15th, Martin Truex Jr. 17th, Jamie McMurray 18th and Stenhouse 22nd. Jimmie Johnson did not make it past the first round of qualifying and will begin the race in 25th place.

    A frustrated Johnson told NBC Sports, “Multiple trips through inspection doesn’t help by any stretch. We just missed it, so, another frustrating Friday, unfortunately. Back tomorrow and we’ll have to pass a bunch of cars Sunday. It sucks getting behind and starting the weekend behind, but it is what it is and we’ll have to go to work on Sunday.”

    On-track activities will continue Saturday with two Cup Series practices at 11 p.m. ET and 1:30 p.m. ET. The Bank of America 500 will be broadcast Sunday on NBC at 2 p.m. ET

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

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