Tag: Chase Elliott

  • Hot 20 – To Xfinity and Beyond, or the day Justin Allgaier thought he was Buzz Lightyear

    Hot 20 – To Xfinity and Beyond, or the day Justin Allgaier thought he was Buzz Lightyear

    Okay, the biggest story from Indianapolis was not Kasey Kahne’s win. It was not the fact he has received no assurances that he will keep his spot with Rick Hendrick’s stable next season. The one thing we might be assured of is that whoever sits in the No. 5 next year, it sure in hell won’t be Justin Allgaier.

    Allgaier will be in the XFINITY version for the Chase this fall, but his reputation took a hit this past weekend. First, he comes into the pits riding the line between the lane and his pit stall. In doing so, Allgaier was out of position and wound up sending his jackman flying and a tire changer skipping out of danger. That was just the first act of this cartoon.

    Later, he came in and once again was riding that line between being in his stall and out. They started their work, but the crew had to stop and push Allgaier’s car back to be legal. Then, before they even removed his front right, the driver saw the field coming around to lap him, so he guns it and out he goes. No warning. No lug nuts. Thankfully crew members were not left with no fingers.

    No air hose, either. As Allgaier left with the air gun under the car, the hose snapped and came whipping back like a snake with a severe disorder. Then it took some time for the radio calls to him to stop went heeded. By then, the tire was pretty much off, though not completely so at least a penalty was avoided. Good news for the crew, who would have faced fines and suspension, Sadly, by this time the fender was shattered. After some repairs, he was back out but 14 laps down. Bravery was a pit crew still willing to put themselves in harm’s way.

    Allgaier, his tire changer, his tire carrier, and his crew chief will all be back on Saturday in Iowa. Our hopes and prayers are with them all. Meanwhile, the Cup folks are in Pocono. It is getting to the point where points matter little. Winning one that counts does. Anyone winless in the Top 30 still has a chance to break some hearts on Sunday, while warming their own.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (780 Pts)
    Rowdy was the guy to beat last week and beat him into the fence he did.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (564 Pts)
    Did you ever hear about The Little Engine That Could? Jimmie’s could not.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Today, I have one son in Alta, Norway, one at Niagra Falls, while Kyle was in Ohsweken.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (601 Pts)
    He remains Roger’s boy for years to come.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (443 Pts)
    Still has the most well known girlfriend in NASCAR, but that is not the center of conversation.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (683 Pts)
    Drop a Jimmy John’s sandwich 153 feet off the spotter’s stand, and you get replaced.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
    Once a week not enough to keep his competitive fires burning? Jamie should extend an invite.

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (516 Pts)
    Leaving Wood Brothers for Penske, with Paul Menard filling this seat next season.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (463 Pts)
    If Monster returns, so will Kurt. If not, it could come down to either him or Danica at SHR.

    10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
    Newman remembers something similar happening a few years ago with that outfit.

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (383 Pts)
    Got his win, got his place in the Chase, but does his ride go to William Byron in 2018?

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (379 Pts)
    Blood-lines and a win gives him job security with a three-team outfit shrinking down to two.

    13. KYLE BUSCH – 673 POINTS
    Reasons he has failed to win this season…#20 That damn Truex wrecked me.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 599 POINTS
    An athlete fights for a place in the Chase; a car driver fights for one in a McDonald’s drive-thru.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 588 POINTS
    Feeling pretty comfortable…unless Matt, Clint, Joey, Erik, Daniel, or Junior win this summer.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 566 POINTS
    Time to worry.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 533 POINTS
    Time to win.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 515 POINTS (1 Win)
    Joey has a win and sits 13th in points. Sometimes that means nothing.

    19. ERIK JONES – 440 POINTS
    In the game of musical seats, he is bound for Gibbs which opens up one quality ride with FRR.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Probably more at home in Dorne than in Winterfell, but could soon be found beyond the Wall.

  • The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    It rained. TSN (Canada) pulled out, and the channel I was recording the race on abandoned the effort, presenting instead a few toss away programs. Well, to be fair, I did state before that I do not get all that excited about Indianapolis, and it would seem TSN took my comments to heart. On Sunday, they made like the NASCAR Nazi…and no race for me. I guess I could have watched some soccer but, as most folks know, soccer is not really a sport. Not like poker is, anyway.

    So, my Indianapolis experience was 12 laps. Then the rain. Pretty exciting stuff. Of course, for those blessed enough to watch the action, things got a tad more exciting later. Much, much later. So, I missed it when Chase Elliott blew up on the 43rd lap. I missed lap 76 when Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the Intimidator, slammed into a hesitator in front of him, taking out his radiator.

    I also did not see, with 50 to go on a restart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. fighting for the lead. When Truex broke loose, they were both fighting for their favorite tow-truck operator, as they slammed into the fence. Take a rest, lads.

    With 10 to go, Clint Bowyer broke loose, clipped Erik Jones, then destroyed Kurt Busch on his way twirling on down the track like an out of control kid’s toy. Goodbye boys.

    With six to go, Kyle Larson grazed the inside wall then went across to the outside to put his beast to bed. TSN…you are jerks.

    That required a restart with two to go. Jimmie Johnson was smoking. He got up to the lead, and then the engine expired. Johnson hit the wall, and we were off to overtime.

    So, with two to go, again, Trevor Bayne got turned as they went green, and everything turned red for him, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. Something tells me that if I could only have been able to record the final 12 laps, not the opening dozen, I would have been a satisfied fellow.

    They tried to get it finished one more time, with Brad Keselowski in front, with Kasey Kahne beside him on the inside. Wrong lane decision for Brad. In the first turn, Kahne got by, cleared his rival, and he was gone. Okay, he was gone far enough and soon enough when Denny Hamlin’s smoker dived to the wall, and the caution came out just late enough for the leader to have hit the overtime line.

    Kahne wins. Kahne wins for the first time since Atlanta in 2014. Kahne heads to the Chase. Kahne might have just saved his ride for 2018. A great result for him, not so great for a few others.

    “Ron,” you might be saying, “you seem to know a hell of a lot for a guy who did not get to watch the race.” You would be right, but a series of much-appreciated highlights are made available to scribes like me to take another look at the action on a service available only to a privileged few. I like to call it, YouTube.

    It was a good points day for some, such as Kahne, Joey Logano (fourth), Matt Kenseth (fifth), and Kevin Harvick (sixth), but it was not so hot for Elliott in 39th. Finishing in the second half of the field of 40 we had Dillon, Jones, Johnson, Bowyer, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    When it comes to the Chase, Kahne moves in, leaving just four positions still up for grabs on points alone. Rowdy, Elliott, and Jamie McMurray are still solid. That leaves Bowyer just two points up on Kenseth, with the rest all needing a win to get in. A good points day for even Logano is no longer good enough. However, Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury, is within two points of 30th place. That more than likely would make him eligible for the Chase if he can win one of the next six. He finished 13th on Sunday.

    Pocono is up next, and among the former winners there we have Junior, Kenseth, Logano, and Chris Buescher. One of those boys wins, and all of a sudden Bowyer experiences bad tidings, and McMurray becomes a lot more uncomfortable.

    I hope I get to watch it on television. If not…well, there is always YouTube.

  • Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    The most anticipated race of the week is not the one slated for Sunday in Indianapolis. Sure, the Brickyard has been around since 1909. Sure, it has been home to the Indianapolis 500 since 1911. Yes, it has hosted NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 since 1994, when Jeff Gordon won his first of five at the iconic track. It retains its brick finishing line, where every winner kneels down with his entire crew, along with some family members, to pucker up and lay a nice wet and dirty one in celebration.

    Now, if you want to get dirty, the truck race at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio was the place to be. Dirt. No bricks, no pavement, nothing but slip sliding away dirt. You would think such a showcase would have been broadcast universally. It was not. Unless you had the Fox Business Network as part of your cable package, you were screwed.

    I wonder what Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine of Casablanca fame would have thought?

    Of all the tracks, in all the towns, in all the world, on all the television sets, that race could have been broadcast onto mine. We had our hopes. Canadians will always have Eldora, we thought. No. We lost it. We have to wait until Sunday when Cup action comes to us from Indianapolis. Damn. Well, here’s looking at you, kid, and our Hot 20 as they prepare to pound the bricks.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (758 Pts)
    Finishes sixth or better in seven of his last ten races…but those three he missed he missed big.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (552 Pts)
    Is Alex Bowman the guy to replace Junior next season? As far as Jimmie is concerned, he is.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
    Starting from the rear allows him to give a friendly wave each and every one of his competitors.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (564 Pts)
    NASCAR is shaking up leadership team, prompting a driver to change his name to Brad France.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
    Fewest points among those with 2 wins or more. I bet he feels just awful about that.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (639 Pts)
    It is hard to do play-by-play when Keelan’s hands are covering the toy cars.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (589 Pts)
    Nobody runs away from a grandfather clock but put a live 22-pound lobster in Denny’s hands…

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (486 Pts)
    Loudon was not good, but not really bad. It was just…Loudon.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
    Another race, another few lugnuts loose, another $10,000 fine for another crew chief.

    10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (428 Pts)
    When it comes to cycling with the boys, Ryan would rather be riding a moped.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (363 Pts)
    The fact he is actually 20th in points probably does not cause him any sleepless nights.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 650 POINTS
    Damn stupid penalties, but Sunday it is Indy. Kyle always wins at Indy, doesn’t he?

    13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 587 POINTS
    It is untrue that Elliott has more points than there will be fans in the stands on Sunday. I hope.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 572 POINTS
    Jamie will appear in Friday’s hauler parade. Hoping fans will return the favor on the weekend.

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 526 POINTS
    As long as Logano does not win anytime soon, things are looking good.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 524 POINTS
    Sure, a win at Loudon would have been nice, but Logano’s disaster proved almost as helpful.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 472 POINTS (1 Win)
    He needs another win to get in…and a hell of a lot better scriptwriter for the rest of this season.

    18. ERIK JONES – 427 POINTS
    Gibbs pays his salary, so he is leaving to join that crew next season. It might be a step down.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 404 POINTS
    Has a pair of 6th place finishes to go with a trio of 7th place results. Now, it is time for a Top Five.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 369 POINTS
    The good news is that he leads Dillon by six points. The bad news is…

     

  • Hot 20 – If given a choice, rather than Loudon I would prefer to be stuck in Lodi again

    Hot 20 – If given a choice, rather than Loudon I would prefer to be stuck in Lodi again

    Loudon, New Hampshire is where they hand out a lobster to the winner. Okay, it is not as cool as Dover’s Miles the Monster trophy, with a diecast of the winning car held aloft in its mighty hand. No grandfather clock like they award at Martinsville, or the six-shooters of Texas, and that sweet Les Paul guitar for races in Nashville. On the positive side, you can not eat any of those other awards.

    Will we be thrilled with edge-of-seat riveting excitement at Loudon? It is not exactly a super speedway or features the beating and banging at Bristol nor does it present the rights to go with the lefts of the road courses. It has been on the NASCAR Cup schedule only since 1993, so it does not even have the history of a Darlington or Charlotte. How much is Loudon in need of an excitement transplant? Well, they are putting some sticky substance on the turns for better grip. Yes, hope springs eternal.

    Eleven active drivers have wins there. Kyle Busch is winless this season, but he should be good for the Chase on points alone. Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer seem good for now, but for now might not be good enough in a few weeks. A win for either would be comforting.

    It would mean more for former winners Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. Kenseth leads Logano by seven points in the battle for that final berth. Now, should Erik Jones, Daniel Saurez, Trevor Bayne, or someone else behind them in the standings win, that is where the excitement would truly lie. Then, Bowyer would be sitting on the bubble and the gap between in and out increases. Kasey Kahne won there once and is not even among our Hot 20. Win on Sunday and he certainly would be. That would be exciting.

    For you, Loudon will come down to how your favorite driver performs along with the prospect of someone needing a win getting one. That is where the excitement Sunday afternoon will stem from, along with re-starts and visor cams. Lots and lots of visor cams.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (709 Pts)
    If the Chase began today, he would go in with a 12 point lead…

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (519 Pts)
    …over Mr. Johnson.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (710 Pts)
    Missed qualifying, then sped down pit road, and wound up passing everybody but one.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (536 Pts)
    Wants better cars and more manufacturers. I want better tracks and a lot more visor cams.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (418 Pts)
    On television last Monday, he was the best damned Ninja Warrior in NASCAR.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (599 Pts)
    Finished ninth at Kentucky, and was the last driver on the lead lap…

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
    …while Ryan was 10th at Kentucky…and a lap down.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (419 Pts)
    The smoke proved to be due to a failed axle at Kentucky.

    9. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
    Points are fine, but that win at Phoenix has made all the difference.

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (341 Pts)
    Ryan’s Childress teammate would not even be on this list if not for Charlotte.

    11. KYLE BUSCH – 609 POINTS
    Won XFINITY race at Kentucky, meaning 12 of 16 on their schedule have been won by Cup guys.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 560 POINTS
    Very good driver, but one hell of an ax thrower.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 545 POINTS
    One way or another, Hamlin’s gonna find ya, he’s gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha.

    14. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
    What, did that go over my radio?

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 495 POINTS
    Hot at Sonoma and Daytona, but just lukewarm at Kentucky. Needs to bring the heat on Sunday.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 478 POINTS
    Loses his ride next season. Talk about having incentive to put forth a great audition run.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 471 POINTS (1 Win)
    Win or get more points than Kenseth. Just being better won’t cut it, as we saw last week.

    18. ERIK JONES – 426 POINTS
    Replaces Kenseth in the No. 20 next season. Needs a win to replace him in the Chase this season.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 373 POINTS
    Went from fighting for a Top Ten last week, to just fighting to bring the wreck across the line.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 352 POINTS
    Like Kahne, he needed a win. Like Kahne, he found the damned wall instead.

     

  • Kentucky Speedway – Did You Know?

    Kentucky Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kentucky Speedway this weekend for the Quaker State 400. Forty drivers will compete for the trophy with only nine regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin.

    The inaugural Quaker State 400 was held on July 9, 2011, and was won by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch who led 125 of 267 laps. Busch captured the checkered flag again in 2015 while Brad Keselowski has won three of the six Cup Series races (2012, 2014, and 2016) at the 1.5-mile track. Busch‘s teammate, Matt Kenseth, has one victory at Kentucky, in 2013. But did you know that Kentucky Speedway is the only track on the current schedule where no Chevrolet car has ever won?

    With only nine races left in the regular season winning is paramount. Ten drivers have secured their spot in the playoffs with victories but the clock is winding down for everyone else. Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth are currently 11th-16th in the playoff picture, but none of them have been to Victory Lane this year.

    Keselowski is the defending race winner and holds the track qualifying record with a speed of 188.791 mph, set on June 28, 2014. He leads all active drivers with an average starting position of 4.500 and has the series second-best driver rating (119.2). But did you know that Keselowski is the only driver to win a Cup Series race from the pole (2014) at Kentucky?

    With two wins and four top fives at Kentucky, Kyle Busch is hoping to turn his luck around and grab his first win of the season Saturday. He has the series-best driver rating of 125.6, the series-best average finish (5.167) and has led the most laps in the top 15.

    Kenseth will be trying for a repeat of his 2013 triumph this weekend. With Joey Logano only three points behind him in points, a win is essential. He has the series third-best driver rating (107.9), three top fives and six top 10s. But did you know that with his win in 2013, Kenseth became the oldest Kentucky winner (06/30/2013 – 41 years, 3 months, 20 days)? Another trip to Victory Lane would be icing on the cake.

    This will likely be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last race at Kentucky Speedway as he will retire from full-time competition at the end of this season. While he only has the 13th-best driver rating at the track, he does have one pole, two top five finishes and ranks fourth-best in fastest laps run (34). But did you know that Earnhardt is the oldest driver to win a Kentucky pole? In 2013 he captured the Coors Light Pole Award at the age of 38 years, 8 months and 20 days.

    Qualifying well could be the determining factor for a victory at Kentucky. Three of the six (50 percent) Cup Series races have been won from the front row while five of the six races (83.3 percent) have been won from a top 10 starting position.

    Be sure to tune into the action this weekend as the racing intensifies in anticipation of the upcoming playoffs. The Quaker State 400 will be broadcast on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as Keselowski, low on fuel, holds off Carl Edwards to capture his third win at Kentucky Speedway.

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

  • Hot 20 – Kentucky – I am so happy I feel like bouncing…just more like Eeyore than Tigger

    Hot 20 – Kentucky – I am so happy I feel like bouncing…just more like Eeyore than Tigger

    Welcome to the Eeyore edition of the Hot 20. Last week, it was Daytona. That was the Happy Snoopy Dance version. This Saturday night, it is Kentucky. My level of excitement is slightly subdued.

    It is not as if there is nothing to watch for. Clint Bowyer might like a win, but he is not quite yet in desperate straits. Matt Kenseth might and with Joey Logano just three points behind him, a win or just a much better day than the one his rival experiences would be sweet. Logano would be fine except for the fact five guys below him in points have wins and Joey’s victory counts for nothing.

    Kenseth won in Kentucky in 2013, and could sure use another. Kyle Busch has a pair there, in 2011 and 2015, but his points total sure looks good enough despite him being winless. In 2012, 2014, and 2016, the winner was Brad Keselowski. Other than to chalk up some more playoff points, he needs it like I need to gain another 20 pounds.

    If a 2017 race winner wins again, it could be pretty ho-hum. If someone 11th through 15th takes the prize, that would be nice. However, if someone 16th or beyond claims the contest Saturday night, Kentucky just might turn out to be mighty interesting indeed.

    Of course, like Eeyore, I can be content in the knowledge that things could always be worse. Not sure how, but they could be.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (516 Pts)
    If this racing thing doesn’t pan out, he could always be a salesman. He is quite the pedaler.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (667 Pts)
    Top gun in points, has a pair of wins, and soon might not be known as the “other” Kyle.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (649 Pts)
    According to Las Vegas, this is your favorite for Sparta’s big race.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (535 Pts)
    Ignore Thornton. “I am Sparta!”

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (395 Pts)
    Wins at Talladega and Daytona. Who the hell does he think he is, Jamie McMurray?

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (557 Pts)
    Has not yet won at Pocono, Texas, or Kentucky. Time to break out the bucket list.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (435 Pts)
    Backward flip into a pool after signing a giant rubber duck. That was his Daytona experience.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (408 Pts)
    Said Junior had the car to beat last week…and, by God, they beat it real good.

    9. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (399 Pts)
    I am starting to think that they keep Newman locked up in a dark room between races.

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (323 Pts)
    Darlington might be three months away, but his paint scheme that day will be so sweet.

    11. KYLE BUSCH – 559 POINTS
    Doesn’t need a third Kentucky win. He just wants it.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 524 POINTS
    Upset with McDowell, but will keep it civil. I mean, Michael is just too damn big not to.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 504 POINTS
    If he is not finishing in the Top Fifteen, it means he crashed.

    14. DENNY HAMLIN – 498 POINTS
    How this race differs from the Daytona 500? If he wins Saturday, the car won’t be up on display.

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 469 POINTS
    Not locked in just yet, but feeling pretty confident.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 445 POINTS
    Not so confident, but he is one of three who has won in Kentucky before.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 442 POINTS (1 W)
    It has been a while since a race winner was sitting outside a Chase place.

    18. ERIK JONES – 386 POINTS
    Has it much easier at an autograph session than, say, Brad Keselowski.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 354 POINTS
    Maybe…just maybe…we have the first Mexican Olympic bobsleigh champion right here.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 351 POINTS
    A Bayne win Saturday would even make Eeyore smile.

  • The Final Word – Daytona…best race of the season

    The Final Word – Daytona…best race of the season

    Daytona. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. A win to be in.

    Well, that is what many were hoping for Saturday night. Junior led from the pole, was sitting up near the front, and finished only behind Brad Keselowski when the opening stage came to a conclusion. No problem. He was contending and that was good enough for the moment.

    Sadly, rather than a presentation of The Greatest Story Ever Told, a flat tire and some grinding work against the fence made it more like the Life of Brian. Earnhardt, who is retiring from full-time racing after this season, still walked among us, just a couple of laps behind where his fans had hoped he might be.

    It could have been worse. Kyle Busch had a tire go down, wiggled briefly in front of his brother, then found himself in the middle of a crap storm. By the time the cars quit hitting each other and the wall, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano, and Austin Dillon were among them with time on their hands. Kyle may have departed, but at least Kurt Busch was left on the track, if that was any consolation.

    The only constant was that nothing was constant. You had the feeling that when they began the final half of the 400-mile journey, everyone had a shot at it. Well, everyone not already beaten to a pulp. Maybe Ryan Blaney would win again. Maybe Chase Elliott would claim his first. If either was to come to pass, they had their work cut out for them. With 155 miles left, Chase Elliott got turned, went across in front of Blaney, and the pair went on a tear through the grass. They were bowed, though not yet beaten.

    Remember Earnhardt? When they went back under green, he was 16th and back on the lead lap. Did the man whose career from 2001 to 2004 read like sensationalized fiction have one more fairytale ending in his library? With 140 miles left, Junior was back in the Top Ten as Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson took over the lead.

    Then it happened. You know how Cinderella ends? Pretty sweet, eh? Well, in this version, Kevin Harvick lost a tire, spun in front of Earnhardt, and it was pumpkin pie for them both. Others spun, but Happy and Dale were the pair that were done.

    Maybe Clint Bowyer was going to lock his spot in the Chase. He trailed only Ricky Stenhouse Jr. with a hundred miles remaining, which is when Keselowski checked out of this one. Tire went down, the nose inhaled the wall, and as he headed to the garage, the two leaders headed to the pits. Good time as any for a much-needed fuel stop. We might have known who was not going to win at this time, but the identity of the winner was still a total mystery. Maybe this is why Daytona races are a joy to watch.

    Sixty miles to go. The top four all looking for a win to vault ahead into a Chase place. Daniel Suarez was followed by Kasey Kahne. Bowyer and Matt Kenseth were in on points, but barely, and that would be in jeopardy if either of those first two claimed this thing. David Ragan, Erik Jones and Paul Menard all desperately need a win, and all were in the mix as the laps counted down. I tell you, it was pretty darn hard to sneak away to get that final cold one the way they were racing.

    With 35 miles to go the winless Chris Buescher, A.J. Allmendinger, and Ty Dillon had moved up to join the others hoping for a season-defining result among the top dozen. Daddy’s adult pop was still calling, but I was still not moving. Incredible action.

    Twelve miles left, and still, we had no idea who would win. We did get a definite idea of who else would not. Kyle Larson got hooked by Stenhouse and went airborne. It was a Days of Thunder conclusion for him and Kenseth, as Blaney had his straw house blown down. As for Kurt, he managed to avoid an accident earlier, only to find that fate was just waiting to claim his auto.

    Eight laps left. Every lap an exciting one, but the only one that was going to matter in the end was the one that ended it. That lap would come in overtime, and while Menard, Bowyer, and Michael McDowell were second through fourth, it was Stenhouse coming home for his second victory of the season. He was a heart-breaker, especially when you consider that, other than Ryan Newman in fifth, the rest of the top 11 Saturday night remain winless on the season.

    Most entertaining race of the year. If you are hoping for another possible Earnhardt storyline in Kentucky next Saturday night, you should expect to be disappointed. In six previous events held at that venue, the winners have gone by such names as Keselowski (3), Rowdy (2), and Kenseth. That is all.

    Now I can go get that frosty beverage.

  • Daytona – Did You Know?

    Daytona – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series travels back to Daytona Beach for the Coke Zero 400. Forty drivers will compete for the trophy as NASCAR celebrates the Independence Day holiday with a weekend filled with racing and patriotism.

    But did you know that the first summer race at Daytona International Speedway was called the Firecracker 250? The 250-miles race was held on July 4, 1959, and was won by Fireball Roberts. He dominated the caution-free event, leading 84 of 100 laps and finishing ahead of the second-place finisher, Joe Weatherly, by 57 seconds.

    Sixty-one drivers have won at least one race at Daytona but only five drivers have posted consecutive wins in the July race including Fireball Roberts (1962-1963), A.J. Foyt (1964-1965), Cale Yarborough (1967-1968) David Pearson (1972-1974) and Tony Stewart (2005-2006).

    Sweeps are rare but did you know that five drivers have won both the Daytona 500 and the July race in the same year? The list includes Fireball Roberts (1962), Cale Yarborough (1968), LeeRoy Yarborough (1969) and Bobbie Allison (1982). The last driver to sweep Daytona was Jimmie Johnson in 2013. This year’s Daytona 500 winner Kurt Busch hopes to join this elite group.

    NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty leads all drivers with 10 Daytona victories, scoring his 200th win at the track on July 4, 1984. But did you know that Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads all active drivers with four?

    Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner with three top fives and four top 10s. He has two wins this year and is one of 11 different drivers who has captured checkered flags. As we head to Daytona, Kyle Busch has the series-best driver rating of 94.7. He’s followed by Earnhardt Jr. (94.2), Kurt Busch (90.6), Denny Hamlin (89.7) and Joey Logano (87.8). But did you know that all of the top five have at least one win at Daytona?

    Kyle Busch (one win) and Jimmie Johnson (three wins) lead all active drivers with three runner-up finishes each. Kurt Busch (one win) leads the way with seven top-five finishes among active drivers as well as being tied with Earnhardt Jr. with nine top-10 finishes.

    As the regular season winds down wins become crucial. Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray and Denny Hamlin are currently in the top 10 in the points standings but are winless this year. But did you know that Clint Bowyer (11th), Matt Kenseth (12th) and Erik Jones (16th) are in the most danger of falling out of the top 16 unless they visit Victory Lane soon?

    However, they are not alone. This will be Earnhardt’s last race at Daytona as a full-time competitor in the Cup Series and it could be his best chance to turn around a disappointing season that has seen only four top 10 results. His ability to work the draft at restrictor plate tracks could give him the advantage he needs if he has any hope to make the playoffs.

    It may seem unlikely given his results this season but his success at Daytona is undeniable. Did you know he has a career total of 17 wins which ranks him third all-time behind his father, Dale Earnhardt, who has 34 victories, and Tony Stewart with 19?

    He also seems to have a knack for winning at Daytona when everything is on the line. After losing his father in the 2001 Daytona 500, he came back in July to win the Pepsi 400, in one of NASCAR’s most memorable and poignant races. Take a look at the video below as Earnhardt discusses the emotional win.

    The on-track action begins Thursday at 3 p.m. ET for the first Cup Series practice and culminates with the Coke Zero 400 race Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. on NBC.

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

     

  • The Story of Speedweeks 2017 for Chase Elliott

    The Story of Speedweeks 2017 for Chase Elliott

    Coming off a stellar rookie season not seen in many years, Chase Elliott looked to capitalize on a spectacular run through Speedweeks 2017.

    He kicked it off by taking the pole position for the 59th running of the Daytona 500 and winning the first Can-Am Duel race, giving him a 10-point head-start on the season.

    So naturally, February 26, 2017, looked promising for the son of 1988 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion and NASCAR Hall of Famer Bill Elliott. While he didn’t win either of the first two stages, he found himself in the lead with 27 laps to go and his chances shot higher when the lead pack formed into a single-file line running against the wall.

    But with four laps to go, his fuel cell ran dry and he went from first to 14th.

    After the race, he said it was a “disappointing” end to a great day.

    “It was a disappointing finish to a good day,” he said. “Just one of those things you can’t do anything about.”

    Elliott enters Daytona sixth in points and still in search of his first win. Which judging by his run at Daytona in February and Talladega in May, before getting caught up in a wreck with 20 to go, isn’t a long shot by any stretch of the imagination.

    While meeting with the media today in the Daytona International Speedway deadline room, he said he felt “good” about his plate racing program and that it’s improved since he earned his first pole in the 2016 Daytona 500. He also went more in depth about his performance through Speedweeks.

    “I feel like our race this past February, just the execution of the Duels, the whole 500 race and all that went really, really well,” he added. “We ran better throughout the whole course of the race in this past 500 than we did in 2016. We didn’t make it very far in 2016 but regardless I think our car was more suited to run well in the race this past year and I think I noticed that and it showed up and was pretty apparent when the race started.

    “I think our car had the same tendencies and ability at Talladega this year but that didn’t go very well either. I thought our car was pretty fast and was able to do things that we would like to see in our race car and I could be that guy.

    “When you talk about plate racing you want to be the guy that everybody wants to work with to push and help. If that is the case, then opportunities are going to be there that typically wouldn’t be if you were slower and couldn’t make a lane move forward. It’s really hard to see that in practice and see who is going to be that person or what cars are going to be those cars that you want to work with. But once the race starts, it becomes apparent who those cars are and who is going to be good. It seems like people are just magically more interested in helping you and being with you when that is the case, so that is our goal.”

  • Hot 20 – Daytona in the summer time

    Hot 20 – Daytona in the summer time

    The changing of the guard. NASCAR fans are getting used to that. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and soon Dale Earnhardt Jr. Summer returns, which means FOX leaves to be replaced by NBC.

    I also read that FOX Sports is dumping its prose in favor of video. Ironically enough, I read about it. Some of us still like to read. If I am wrong about that, I may soon be writing about other things for folks who maintain a certain level of literacy.  You would not want me to return to video, but it raises some possibilities. For example, not only could I describe my raised middle digit in salute to what I think about “progress,” but I could visually share it with you should the video censors allow.

    Did you notice Danica Patrick’s visor cam last weekend? I loved it. It had that in-car video game feel. You felt like you were actually in the car because visually you were. You looked out the windshield and saw the hands on the wheel. Of the innovative camera angles presented in recent years, the visor cam is the best. I bet we could even see a raised middle finger should the situation warrant it.

    Sonoma was our featured track last week, which was good. Daytona returns for this weekend. That is great. Kentucky, New Hampshire, and Indianapolis come to our screens after that, but why dampen my mood just yet.

    NASCAR says stage racing will be staying. I might be in the minority, but I like it. I think it is stupid to add an additional stage to the World 600, but I do like it for the most part. They probably offer up too much for those who might have been something in the first half of the race but disappear when it counts, but who ever blamed NASCAR for being perfect? Okay, I just made myself laugh.

    Ten drivers have given the rest of the field the bird, with wins all but locking them into the Chase. Six others are there on points, but that number could dwindle should somebody else claim their first win of the season. Right now, Joey Logano, Clint Bowyer, and Matt Kenseth are fighting it out over those final two playoff spaces. That could change to just the final slot should somebody like Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Trevor Bayne come up with the goods on Saturday night.

    An Earnhardt in Victory Lane at Daytona. Now, I am not sure if that would constitute much of a change or not. It would sure be one way to rocket up to be among our Hot 20…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS – 483 Pts
    The perfect gift idea for his crew chief? A new laptop, of course.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS – 659 Pts
    When you average more than 40 points every week, they start to add up.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 646 Pts
    Hell of a car, hell of an opening stage, too bad about that engine last week.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 519 Pts
    Does anyone really think Penske would let Brad get away?

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 548 Pts
    The winningest driver in Cup…over the past week.

    6. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN – 415 Pts
    Despite the win, Blaney still has seven races in which he garnered less than 20 points.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 389 Pts
    After his appearance on the Today Show, he can never again criticize his pit crew.

    8. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 367 Pts
    If only Paul Menard could find his way to Victory Lane, Childress would be 3 for 3.

    9. RICKY STENHOUSE JR – 1 WIN – 355 Pts
    Mr. Stenhouse. That was not what I would call a love tap.

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 322 Pts
    Going with the red, white, and blue on Saturday night.

    11. KYLE BUSCH – 542 PTS
    Want to be a crew chief for a day? If you do, it is best you come in with deep pockets.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 509 PTS
    Still looking for that first win, but found a new four-year contract extension.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 477 PTS
    Daytona. It is a track worthy of another McMurray victory.

    14. DENNY HAMLIN – 476 PTS
    Won Xfinity race at Michigan. Thankfully, William Byron finally got his win at Iowa last week.

    15. JOEY LOGANO – 434 PTS – 1 Win
    Another unencumbered win, like the one he had there 2.5-years ago, would sure come in handy.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 427 PTS
    Clint’s best finish there is fourth.

    17. MATT KENSETH – 423 PTS
    Has won a pair of Daytona 500’s, but now hopes to overcome his summertime blues.

    18. ERIK JONES – 358 PTS
    Is this just a one season stop before moving on to Gibbs Racing?

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 337 PTS
    Won the big race in 2011, was third in last year’s July contest.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 334 PTS
    10 Mexican wins, 3 Xfinity, 1 truck victory. It is just a matter of time.