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Tag: Chase Elliott

Hot 20 – The Yates legacy will come to life under the hood of a third of the Charlotte field

When one of the legends in the sport leaves us, we remember. If a man is known simply by the company he keeps, Robert Yates did very well.

As a team owner, he was the boss to such NASCAR luminaries as Davey Allison, Larry McReynolds, Ernie Irvan, Dale Jarrett, and Ricky Rudd. His boys led him to 57 Cup wins over parts of nearly 20 campaigns. Jarrett and Allison allowed him to celebrate three Daytona 500 wins and a pair of July races. They each brought him a World 600 victory. He was a five-time winning owner at Talladega. Thanks to Jarrett, he got to kiss the bricks twice at Indianapolis. The boys helped him to a pair of Bristol wins. Six Richmond triumphs, two each delivered by Irvan and Jarrett, with Allison and Rudd chipping in the other two. In 1999, Jarrett delivered a Cup championship. Yes, Yates knew talent, and they produced for him.

Robert Yates also knew engines. Not only was there a Yates engine powering Jarrett, they also sent Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip to the top of the mountain. Yates Engines provided the gusto that provided 77 Cup wins, and continue to do so under the guiding hand of his son, Doug.

NASCAR owner, engine maker, and Hall of Fame inductee in the class of 2018, Robert Yates leaves us at 74 years of age.

When the engines come to life this Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, a third of the field will have Roush-Yates power plants under the hood.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3059 POINTS – 5 Wins
Could sit Saturday night and still rank among the top dozen.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3041 POINTS – 4 Wins
Elliott did not try to block him or send Kyle into the fence and lost. Chase needs a new plan.

3. KYLE LARSON – 3034 POINTS – 4 Wins
Ganassi has won 16 titles – 7 IndyCar crowns, 5 Grand-Am, 4 Champ Car. One appears missing.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3020 POINTS – 2 Wins
Not sure if he be a Hatfield or McCoy, but Rowdy wants to womp him low and womp him high.

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3017 POINTS – 3 Wins
Not only is he NASCAR’s most decorated active driver, but also its highest paid. Sorry Junior.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 3015 POINTS – 1 Win
Wants the future of the sport, Mr. Elliott, to win soon. As for what Mr. Busch thinks…

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 3013 POINTS – 2 Wins
“NASCAR drivers should be making NBA, NFL money.” I wonder if track owners will pony up?

8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3010 POINTS – 2 Wins
Sometimes a gamble earns you seven points and advancement in the Chase.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 3008 POINTS – 1 Win
Give a kid a checkered flag, and that Kyle Larson cap he was sporting comes right off.

10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3006 POINTS
The day he decides to be a selfish jerk on the track is the day he will head to Victory Lane.

11. MATT KENSETH – 3005 POINTS
Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to introduce you to the next WWE heavyweight champion.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3003 POINTS
Ganassi came close in 2005 to a title, but Stirling Marlin broke his leg. This was his replacement.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 2067 POINTS – 1 Win
No doubt he loves his crew chief, but probably loves Stenhouse’s just a bit more.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2065 POINTS – 1 Win
Won the last time he was at Charlotte. Another would be a lovely consolation prize.

15. KASEY KAHNE – 2046 POINTS – 1 Win
Can he do for Leavine Family Racing what Kurt did for Furniture Row?

16. KURT BUSCH – 2044 POINTS – 1 Win
19th was his best first-round finish, and that is just not good enough. It really is not good at all.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 750 POINTS
Sixth place finish at Dover was good. His crew chief’s $10,000 fine…not so much.

18. JOEY LOGANO – 741 POINTS – 1 Win
If Kim Jong-un had launched those bad boys on Wednesday, Joey would have been safe.

19. ERIK JONES – 728 POINTS
If Hamlin is right, we might need a bottle drive to help top up Erik’s salary for next season.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 653 POINTS
Suarez could take the next three races off, and still would easily claim a spot in our Hot 20.

October 4, 2017
The Final Word – Dover is where they raced but Las Vegas is what is on our minds

Racing is not foremost on my mind today, but Sunday in Dover early in the afternoon it was all that mattered for a few drivers. Ten looked rather comfortable when they determined which dozen would advance on the championship trail, with six others vying for two remaining spots.

Two had to win. For Kasey Kahne and Kurt Busch, that was all that would save them. Good would not be good enough, and when Busch caught a commitment line violation in the final segment, no hope remained for him. Neither had much going for them on that day, as Kahne finished 14th, while the elder Busch was 20th at the stripe.

Jamie McMurray and Ryan Blaney were not safe starting the day. By the time they started the final portion of the race, only bad tidings would put them in jeopardy. As the laps counted down, it came down to three drivers seeking a single position. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. came to Dover tied with Austin Dillon for the final place, with Ryan Newman just one point behind them.

The story of the day, as it turned out, took place at the end of the opening segment. Stenhouse and company took a risk. They long pitted and hoped for a caution to get them track position. The gamble paid off, and despite an ill-handling car that never for better, they used that to finish the segment in fourth and picked up seven points. Seven very important points.

With 50 laps to go, Newman was 13th, Dillon was 16th, with Stenhouse back in 19th. In the standings, that still left Stenhouse two points ahead of Newman and four up on Dillon. Fifty laps later, that is exactly where they remained and Stenhouse advanced.

Up front, Kyle Busch had a much better day than his brother. He got by Chase Elliott with two laps remaining to steal a win, to leave Elliott still in search of his maiden victory. When it came to stout performances, Rowdy, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, Jimmie Johnson, and Elliott all did well. Five of them are among the Top Five as they reset the points for the second round of the Chase and a date in Charlotte. Elliott is not among them. He is in our bottom four, four points behind Stenhouse who currently sits in the eighth position.

Then again, it was only a race. Tragically, this week our focus is not on racing or football players kneeling. It is not even on some foreigner from a different culture, holding different values, following a doctrine literally from the dark ages, aligned with people who wish us harm. That would almost come as a relief. What did occur was darker, less understandable, more ominous, and more disturbing.

Instead, we are reminded that when the U.S. Constitution was written, it was at a time when the best firearm you could possess was a flintlock musket, with minimal accuracy beyond 100 yards, that could fire no more than two or three times a minute.

At this moment, I am not thinking much about Dover or Charlotte. Our thoughts this week are with the people who have been affected by the events that took place in Las Vegas. To be honest, to some degree, we all have been.

October 2, 2017
NASCAR: Dover Cup Series Race Recap

Yesterday’s Apache 400 at Dover International Speedway seemed to be Chase Elliott’s big break. Or so we thought. We all have waited for the moment that the iconic number 24 rolls back into victory lane with rising star Elliott aboard. With 40 laps remaining we all thought this would finally be the moment that he scored his first victory in the Monster Energy Cup Series.

But, second place Kyle Busch quickly emerged at Elliott’s back bumper as they both approached lap traffic. Ryan Newman who was battling to transfer into the Round of 12 battled Elliott and allowed Busch to pass and score his second consecutive victory in the Round of 16.

After Sunday’s victory, Busch spoke to the media about his win and also his battle with Elliott in the closing laps.

“Man, I saw that carrot out there, and I wanted to go and get it,” said Busch, who won for the fourth time at Dover and the 42nd time in his career. “I got within five lengths and I stalled out and I was like, ‘Oh, man, I think that was it,’ you know? But I got back to the top and got enough momentum back rolling. Chase was kind of plugged up with the lapped cars in front of him, so I think the lapped cars actually helped us with that one.

What was probably the most talked about incident after the race was Jeff Gordon and Newman’s post-race conversation in which Gordon said to Newman, ”Thanks for the help,” referring to Newman racing Elliott a little too hard. The two would exchange words and that was that. Newman would not make the Round of 12.

The four drivers eliminated from the next round include Newman, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne and Austin Dillion.

The Round of 12 kicks off this Sunday at 2 p.m. ET on your local NBC channel.

October 2, 2017
Chase Elliott Speeds to Lead Final Dover Practice

September 29, 2017
Hot 20 – You will not see any old men taking a knee during the national anthem at Dover

When they play the national anthem in Dover, you will not see a single old man get down on his knees. First of all, it is too damn hard to get back up. Secondly, and most importantly, for some inexplicable reason, an old guy’s knees become as tender as their testicles. That is just an uncomfortable fact of life.

I agree with peaceful protest and free speech. Take that away, and one alternative is to shut up and just go along in order to get along. That is not my way and never has been. However, when all such forms of peaceful protest and opposition against anything are banned, all you are left with is raising absolute hell to gain attention and then you face the risk getting your ass kicked. I do not believe we are anywhere near that.

When your form of peaceful protest is deemed to be disrespectful to your nation, when the paying customer is offended and decides to take their business elsewhere, maybe one needs to reconsider a more effective form of protest. No matter the cause, you want the people with you, to support you bringing attention to it, to even cause them to rally to deal with the issue. To do otherwise renders the action as ineffective and nothing more than a divisive self-indulgement. Lord knows, we have seen far too much of that lately.

If you want to show that you stand for inclusiveness, why not have both teams standing shoulder to shoulder together in visual solidarity for their cause, any cause, while still honoring the nation that has given them so much? With league support, players can wear respectful logos, there could be supportive banners, they could honor those who support their cause, have them on the field for the national anthem, have them sing it, or be part of a respectful yet stirring half-time presentation. These are just some of the things they can do if they truly desire to bring attention to their cause, to seek a solution to the wrongs they wish addressed, rather than just playing at being social warriors. That goes for anyone, even Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Just do not disrespect your nation. At least NASCAR gets it. So did Martin Luther King, Jr.

Now, allow me to climb down from my pedestal and return to writing about sports, where our contenders for the championship will be reduced by four when they complete the Monster Mile in Dover. For an old guy, climbing down from a pedestal is about as painful as taking a knee.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – SEGMENT WIN – 2149 Pts – 5 Wins
Looked like he had something for Kyle last week until fate decided it had something for him.

2. KYLE BUSCH – SEGMENT WIN – 2119 Pts – 3 Wins
At this moment in time, the two best are leading the way.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2125 POINTS – 4 Wins
Locked into the next round, but still searching for a main sponsor for next year.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2106 POINTS – 2 Wins
Was fourth in his final fall race at New Hampshire. Next year, they will be in Las Vegas.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2088 POINTS – 2 Wins
“I’d rather run good and finish bad then run bad and finish a little better, honestly.”

6. MATT KENSETH – 2087 POINTS
No wins but could finish last on Sunday and he still is locked into the next round.

7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2076 POINTS – 3 Wins
Get knocked out early at Dover, and the season can take a very bad turn.

8. RYAN BLANEY – 2070 POINTS – 1 Win
Moving from a single car operation to one with cars and drivers in stock and open wheel.

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2070 POINTS
So damned popular they named the playoffs after him.

10. KEVIN HARVICK – 2069 POINTS – 1 Win
Don’t you just love it when teammates come together?

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2053 POINTS
Nice and steady could work for this round, but probably not so much in the next.

12. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2044 POINTS – 2 Wins
I am guessing the odds of winning the title start getting pretty long about here

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2044 POINTS – 1 Win
He better not take the knee on Sunday, or Grandpa might have to fire his ass.

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2043 POINTS – 1 Win
Not exactly setting the track on fire, yet all he needs is to smolder a bit hotter than some others.

15. KURT BUSCH – 2027 POINTS – 1 Win
Has not won since the Daytona 500. Has to win this Sunday.

16. KASEY KAHNE – 2023 POINTS – 1 Win
What odds must one give in order to have someone bet on him this week?

17. JOEY LOGANO – 719 POINTS – 1 Win
The last time Joey experienced the kind of time-out he received last week, he was 3 years old.

18. CLINT BOWYER – 718 POINTS
Last June at Dover, he had to stop for a leak.

19. ERIK JONES – 703 POINTS
The final eight races are just a dry run for what we might expect to come next season.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 624 POINTS
An average finish of 15.6 is much better than, say, Junior’s 21.6 over the season.

September 27, 2017
New Hampshire Motor Speedway–Did You Know? Playoff Edition

This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second playoff race in the Round of 16. Martin Truex Jr. secured his spot in the next round with his win at Chicagoland while Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman are below the cutoff for transfer into the Round of 12.

But, did you know that Busch and Newman are tied with Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson with the series-most wins among active drivers with three victories each? Kahne has one win at Loudon, three top fives and 10 top 10s. Of the bottom four playoff contenders, Stenhouse Jr. may face the biggest challenge. He has never won at the track and has only two top 10 finishes.

The top competitors for this weekend’s race also include defending race winner, Kevin Harvick, with the fifth-best driver rating plus 10 top fives, 18 top 10s and one pole. Hamlin, who enters the event with the best driver rating of 104.0, nine top fives and 14 top 10s to go along with his three checkered flags, will be on the hunt for his third victory of the season.

Three-time Loudon winner, Johnson, hasn’t scored a top-five finish since his win at Dover in June but expect him to shift into high gear as the playoffs continue. He has the second-best driver rating (100.8) at New Hampshire, 10 top fives, 21 top 10s and one pole. Kyle Busch has two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and two poles and the third-best driver rating of 98.8. Brad Keselowski rounds out the top five drivers at the 1.058-mile track. He has the fourth-best driver rating, one win, three poles, six top fives and 10 top 10s.

But, did you know that the New Hampshire playoff race has never been won by a non-playoff driver? However, five Cup Series drivers have captured their first victory at New Hampshire – Newman (2002), Clint Bowyer (2007), Joey Logano (2009), Robby Gordon (2001) and Joe Nemechek in 1999. This could be good news for driver Chase Elliott who is seeking his first series win.

While this is only the second race of the playoffs, did you know that two drivers who have won the Loudon playoff race have gone on to win the championship the same year? From 2004-2010, New Hampshire hosted the first playoff race. Kurt Busch drove to victory lane in the opening event and continued on to win the 2004 series title. The track has hosted the second race of the playoffs beginning with the 2011 season. Tony Stewart won a series-record five playoff races in 2011 that included the first two, at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, culminating in his third championship.

Tune in this weekend as the action heats up and drivers scramble to secure their spot in the next round of the playoffs. The ISM Connect 300 airs on September 24 at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

In the meantime, check out the video below as NASCAR icon Tony Stewart wins at New Hampshire on the way to his third championship title in 2011.

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

September 21, 2017
Hot 20 – They are getting suspended, hired, fired, and fired up heading to New Hampshire

Everyone is super excited about going to Loudon, New Hampshire for the big event on Sunday. Okay, Alan Gustafson is not. Is not going, that is. Chase Elliott was second in Chicago, leaving him sixth in points. That was then. Now, he is eighth in points. If your car fails post-race inspection, sometimes they take away 15 points, along with your crew chief for a week. Sometimes NASCAR catches you. Sometimes a fan sees on TV tape being removed where tape should not be. Busted. Elliott remains 18 points above the cut-off for the next round, so he is good as long as he remains good in New Hampshire. However, we do thank Alan for his efforts and wish him well…well, until he returns in time for Dover.

Kasey Kahne is good to go for 2018. No doubt Rick Hendrick thanks him for his efforts and wished him well in his future endeavors. Those efforts will take place with the Leavine Family Racing team. That means that after about a hundred events, Michael McDowell departs the No. 95 to be thanked for his efforts and wished well in his future endeavors.

Sometimes when a person gets fired, they say nice things. Sometimes they might even give you a two-year Day-Timer as a parting gift. In my case, I was amused at their choice, being unemployed and all, but as my old one was going to be defunct within three months, I could always use that new one come January. Sadly, come January, my new two-year Day-Timer also required replacement. Something tells me they got my gift from a bargain bin, for things that are almost expired. I never did use the damn thing. Sometimes, they say things like how a person is so versatile and talented, and still, they fire her ass, while thanking her for all she has done and wishing her the best in her future endeavors.

While Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick prepare for their respective futures, XFINITY is looking at their own. We are all excited that they unveiled the branding for 2018 of the NASCAR XFINITY Series this week. Considering what the crowds look like and how few races the actual championship contenders win against the Cup guys dropping down to grab the trophies, I thank them for all they have done and wish the series well in all their future endeavors.

In the meantime, Martin Truex Jr. was the best throughout the season and the best in Chicago. Did you notice that the Top 15 last week were equally represented by the manufacturers? Five Toyotas, five Fords, and five Chevy’s. Now, that is parity. I wish them all well this weekend in their endeavors.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN – 2102 Pts – 5 Wins
The favorite to win the title. After Chicago, does anyone have any questions?

2. KYLE LARSON – 2075 POINTS – 4 Wins
Best damn Chevy at Chicago that was not penalized after the race.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2067 POINTS – 1 Win
Harvick keeps his sponsors by investing in them and believing in them. They return the favor.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2061 POINTS – 2 Wins
Thinks Toyota has an unfair advantage. He is right. They call him Mr. Truex.

5. KYLE BUSCH – 2061 POINTS – 2 Wins
Just wants Brad to know that he also drives a Toyota.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 2058 POINTS – 2 Wins
Him, too.

7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2056 POINTS – 3 Wins
When morale takes a hit when a hurricane hits your town, Jimmie is on call.

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2044 POINTS
An “aerodynamic modification” found in post-race inspection costs 15 points and his crew chief.

9. MATT KENSETH – 2039 POINTS
Audition for 2018 had a good start, placing ninth last week.

10. RYAN BLANEY – 2034 POINTS – 1 Win
When I originally read he was visiting the Magic Mile Club, I thought it too much information.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2031 POINTS
Took his car out for a spin in Chicago last week, and still finished in the Top Ten.

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 2026 POINTS – 1 Win
Sure, the track is like driving on the highway, but pit lane is more like a school zone.

13. KURT BUSCH – 2026 POINTS – 1 Win
Not all vibrations are good, and speeding on pit road always ends badly.

14. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2022 POINTS – 2 Wins
Touch fence. Check. Violate commitment line. Check. Speed down pit lane. Check.

15. KASEY KAHNE – 2021 POINTS – 1 Win
Kurt said no, but Kasey thought it divine to be with Leavine Family Racing in 2018.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2019 POINTS – 1 Win
23rd and pretty much unseen throughout the day. Made the Chase, but isn’t making the grade.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 692 POINTS – 1 Win
16 guys still have a shot at the championship. Joey is not among them.

18. CLINT BOWYER – 688 POINTS
16 guys still have a shot…well…you know the rest.

19. ERIK JONES – 658 POINTS
String of six straight Top Tens hits the ditch big time in Chicago.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 595 POINTS
96 points ahead of Trevor Bayne. 116 points up on Junior.

September 20, 2017
The Final Word – After Chicago, not a whole lot has changed moving forward

So it begins. Chicago, where the Chase began. Chicago, where winning was a big thing, but not the only thing. Win and you advance. Drop out or too near the rear of the pack and all you have is New Hampshire and Charlotte to get it right, to fix the problem, to save your season. Three races, 16 drivers, and just a dozen spots available in order to continue the quest.

Kyle Busch had won two of the previous six events, and his opening segment could not have gone sweeter. He was long gone after the opening lap. Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin were at least in the next time zone to be among the top four.

Others had their work cut out for them. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rubbed the wall, skinned up his right side rubber, but he also ran over the commitment line when he hit the pits. Next thing he knew he was running dead last and was still outside the Top 30 when the segment ended. Too fast under green backed up Martin Truex Jr., who added to his hurt when they needed to return to tighten up some lugnuts between segments. At least he was still 13th when they again waved the green, while Austin Dillon was 22nd. Again, too fast in the pits midway through the opening run earned him a penalty and a hole to dig out of.

Busch opened the middle frame up front. That did not last long. First, Harvick went by him within a few laps, then Rowdy was in the pits with a loose wheel. He had swapped crews with teammate Daniel Suarez in the hopes it would be a help, not a hindrance. Not sure what they thought after being penalized for a man going over the wall too soon, but it could not have been good. That left the driver two laps down in 30th, and probably a tiny bit heated.

Up front, Harvick surrendered the lead to Elliott after the green flag fuel stoppages. By this time, it was all green, leaving just 13 entries on the lead lap, including 10 title contenders. When they crossed the line at the end of the segment, Elliott led Harvick, with Truex fighting his way back up to third. Only Joey Logano was a non-Chaser among the Top Ten when they handed out the bonus points.

Jamie McMurray was one of the dogs in the hunt, until a couple of laps into the final tour. He went for a spin after contact with Ryan Newman. That brought out a caution, but when they returned to full speed McMurray remained on the lead lap within our Top 20. That is more than we could say for Newman, Stenhouse, and Kasey Kahne. That trio sat a couple of laps down.

Down to the final 65 laps, Truex continued the resurrection of his day, getting by Harvick, followed by Elliott to take over as runner-up. As for Kurt Busch, a vibration sent him to the pits early to drop him off the lead lap to join his brother and Dillon. At least until he picked up a speeding penalty. Then he dropped to 20th, a pair of laps down like three other fellows we know and love.

As for Stenhouse, he picked up another speeding penalty. He had 10 bonus points going into the Chase. He used up all the good they gave him in this one event.

On the other end of the scale was Truex. Coming back from his earlier penalty, he walked off with this one as the best driver thus far on the season and won his fifth of the campaign to lock himself into the next round. Elliott and Harvick were the best of the rest, with Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, and Hamlin all recording stout efforts in Chicago.

Kahne, Newman, and Stenhouse finished outside the Top 20, and when we check the standings heading to Loudon, we have seven drivers within 10 points of the 12th place cut off, some ahead, some behind. Ryan Blaney and McMurray are to the good. Dillon and Kurt Busch are tied for that final entry. Stenhouse, Kahne, and Newman are between four and seven points out.

A week ago, we had Truex dominating things while 11 drivers were within 10 points, one way or the other, from the cutoff. Heading to Loudon, not much has changed.

September 18, 2017
Tales of the Stage Winners

It was a tale of two drives with the stage winners, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, in the Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

Leading the field to the green flag, Busch lead all but two laps during the first cycle of green flag stops on his way to winning the first stage. Leading the field back to green on Lap 88, Kevin Harvick powered by his outside to take the lead exiting Turn 2.

Busch was running second when he made an unscheduled stop on Lap 97 for a loose wheel. Adding insult to injury, he was hit with a pass through penalty for his crew jumping over the wall too soon. He rejoined the race in 27th, two-laps down.

He came close to getting back on the lead lap, being the first car a lap down, but race leader Martin Truex Jr. passed Landon Cassill just five laps before Erik Jones suffered a right-rear tire blowout and spun out in Turn 4 on Lap 210, bringing out the fourth caution of the race.

Busch brought his car home to a 15th-place finish.

“Oh well. We’ll move on…next week. That’s all we can do.”

For Elliott, it was a more stable and stronger run.

After a third-place finish in the first stage, he exited pit road just feet ahead of Harvick on Lap 124, cycled to the lead the following lap and drove onto victory in the second stage.

As was the case with Busch, Elliott lost the lead on the ensuing restart to Harvick — this time, sliding up ion front up him from the bottom lane — exiting Turn 2 on Lap 168.

He didn’t regain the lead, but he did retake and finish second when the checkered flag flew.

“Yeah, just a much-improved day from where we’ve been, which is nice,” Elliott said in his post-race media availability. “Obviously would have been great to battle with Martin a little bit more. We didn’t have anything for him. From where we’ve been to where we ran today was a major, major step in the right direction, frankly where we need to be, where we deserve to be, to the potential we can run.

“It was nice to see that we can do it if all things are clicking in the right way, car is driving good, pit stops are good, race execution was nice. It was a pretty uneventful race for the most part.

“I felt like typically when that happens, the better cars always kind of end up towards the front. That proved to be with Martin winning. I didn’t have anything for him, without a restart or something. It also proved that we were second to him. I’m not sure about the 18, if he could have got back up there.

“Aside from those two, I feel like we could run about everybody else. That’s a lot better than we’ve been.”

Busch leaves fifth in points, trailing Truex by 41, while Elliott leaves sixth, 43 back of Truex.

September 17, 2017
Chicagoland Speedway – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend for the first race of the 2017 Playoffs. Sixteen drivers will compete for the title and it all begins in Chicago.

Win and automatically advance to the next round. There are four rounds, each consisting of three races. Four drivers will be eliminated at the end of each round leaving four contenders to battle for the championship crown at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.

The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Chicagoland Speedway was held on July 15, 2001, and was won by Kevin Harvick. There have been 16 Cup races at the 1.5-miles track with 12 different winners. Stewart leads the series with three victories at Chicago. Harvick and Keselowski lead all active drivers with two wins each. But did you know that Stewart, Harvick and Keselowski are the only drivers with multiple wins at Chicago?

Chicagoland Speedway has hosted the opening race of the Playoffs since 2011. From 2004-2010 the first race of the Playoffs was held at New Hampshire. Five different drivers have won the Chicago Playoff race including Martin Truex Jr. (2016), Denny Hamlin (2015), Brad Keselowski 2014, 2012), Matt Kenseth (2013) and Tony Stewart (2011).

But, did you know that three drivers who have won the opening playoff race have gone on to win the championship? In 2004 Kurt Busch won the opener at New Hampshire in the inaugural “Chase for the Championship” and also won the year-end title. Keselowski won the playoff race at Chicago in 2012 and continued on to win the championship crown.

In 2011 Stewart won his first race of the season at the opening playoff race in Chicago and captured four more victories that year, setting the record for the most wins (five) in the postseason playoffs. Stewart capped off the season with his third championship title. But did you know that the opening race of the Cup Series Playoffs has never been won by a non-playoff driver?

Truex, the regular season champion, is the defending race winner while Chase Elliott, who is searching for his first Cup Series victory, has the series-best driver rating of 129.1.

When asked about the importance of winning during the playoffs, Elliott said, “I’d love to advance as far as we can, but I’d love a win. That’s what we’re here to do. We’ve had a year and a half to do it, and haven’t. I take a lot of pride in wanting to win. I also have these last 10 races still driving the 24 car, which it’s been a cool honor to have that. It would mean a lot to me to add to the win list that Jeff has created with that car over the years while I still have the chance. I think that’s an obligation of mine, to try to achieve that. That’s on my priority list. I’d love to win, but I’d love to advance through the Playoffs. I think if you do one, you’re going to have a shot to do the other.”

Jimmie Johnson has the second-best rating (114.7) followed by Kyle Busch (106.0), Kenseth (102.3) and Keselowski (99.7), to round out the top-five.

But did you know that out of the top-10 competitors at this track, Joey Logano is the only non-playoff driver? Logano’s win at Richmond Raceway on April 30 was deemed encumbered due to an issue with the rear suspension, costing him a spot in the playoffs. His last chance for another victory was, ironically, at Richmond Sept. 9, where he finished second.

After the race, Logano said, “This is the test of our character, not only as a driver but as a team and the way we handle these next 10 races. We don’t want to roll over. We want to help our teammates try to win a championship, and ultimately we want to win 10 races. That’s what the goal is at this point. It may be the end of our championship run this year, but it’s not the end of our season.”

As the Playoffs kick off this weekend, expect the intensity to build as the top 16 vie for a victory to propel them into the next round while non-playoff drivers like Logano, attempt to steal a victory.

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on-track action begins Friday with the first practice at 12:30 p.m. ET and qualifying at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Tales of the Turtles 400 closes out the weekend Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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September 13, 2017