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Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

I have an admission to make. I am not all that excited about Pocono this weekend. I thought maybe it had something to do with just getting out of the wrong side of the bed, or that my transformation into a cantankerous old fart had finally reached its conclusion. Sadly, maybe it had something to do with the World 600, a marquee event that was so dominated by one car that it became the Monaco Grand Prix but without all the cool scenery.

Martin Truex, Jr. won that race by leading 392 of 400 laps, with nary an on-track pass for the lead from start to finish. Great for Truex, horrid for NASCAR. To be honest, the action behind him was not exactly nail biting, either. Even NASCAR sees it, and they are not terribly thrilled, either.

The wave of a magic wand to fix it would be nice, but there are a number of factors they have to consider to keep us from wandering off to find excitement elsewhere. Configuring the rear chassis set-up takes away downforce and side force, which seemed to work for All-Star weekend. Then there is tire wear, how different it is between afternoon and evening races. In order to keep you and me interested, it seems there is more to ponder than just who has the best driver, the best car, and the best team on any given day.

Truex’s team hit on the setup and ran away with things last week. That happens. However, not much was happening behind him to generate much heat either, and that should not happen. At least, that is not what a majority of today’s fans want, not what they will long put up with. There is a problem when NASCAR tracks are pulling down grandstands, refusing to release attendance figures, and seeing television ratings plummet. Since 2007, the combined capacity of Charlotte, Daytona, and Talladega has been reduced by 43 percent, by an astounding 205,000 seats.

So, you would think the problem might lie with the fact that NASCAR just is not presenting an exciting product any longer. Maybe the problem is that, in this day and age, what worked yesterday just does not cut it in today’s instant gratification world. I mean, the Indianapolis 500 drew a live crowd of 350,000, had huge local ratings after it was broadcast in Indianapolis for the first time in 66 years, and still the national ratings slipped even further south. This is despite seeing in 2015, for the first time in a decade, the Indianapolis event drawing a bigger television audience than the one in Charlotte.

Is it the racing, or is it us? I mean, not every contest in ever sport is a work of art, so maybe our demands are too high. Sure, 94 percent of NASCAR’s fans are considered white compared to less than 2 percent black, and while half of the fans are 55 years of age and over, less than 9 percent are under the age of 34. Those are demographics that should have them concerned. That said, what is it that draws some to the sport and not others? What keeps them interested and what drives them off? Having an attention span greater than that of a gnat would help.

We want to be entertained and are less likely to sit through what does not. We no longer have to watch anything live so we do not have the patience we once had. We can always seek out more entertainment via a 30 second jump ahead by using the PVR button, the click of the channel to watch something else, the taking of a phone call, a check of text messages, a visit to Twitter, a video game, and you can always discover how things are going in the contest just about any time you want if you are interested enough. That is what NASCAR, auto sports, and just about anything else seeking an audience must face. Keep us interested, or we have something at our fingertips that might.

This cantankerous old fart is about as guilty as the next guy. We have become very much like a seven-year-old playing any sport, all set on chasing that ball until a butterfly comes around and grabs our attention. NASCAR’s task is to present a four-hour escape that we look forward to experiencing each and every week. To date, they appear to be falling short. They simply cannot afford to just mail it in and expect that we will be there. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Pocono Sunday afternoon…

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 405 PTS
If all drivers were like Rowdy, things would be more interesting.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
We are living in the era of a 6-time champion. If that does not excite you, have you tried soccer?

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
Had a need for speed last week, but doing so twice on pit road ruined his day.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
Next Thursday, Jackson, Michigan is the place to share a cool one with Brad at the Chase.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 457 PTS
Others may have more wins, but averaging more than 35 points per race gets the job done.

6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 381 PTS
If only it was always as easy as it was last week.

7. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 347 PTS
Won the last time he visited Pennsylvania.

8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 345 PTS
There is a reason Lewis Hamilton no longer runs Formula 3 races.

9. KURT BUSCH – 421 PTS
No wins but sits second only to Harvick in points.

10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 374 PTS
Elected to the All-Star event, and continues to show why he was a worthy selection.

11. JOEY LOGANO – 373 PTS
All-Star package was good for Joey…the World 600 version was good only for Truex.

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 344 PTS
Special number, special driver.

13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 341 PTS
Even he would agree.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
Without a win, every race is meaningful.

15. RYAN BLANEY – 309 PTS
Ditto.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 309 PTS
Could his paint scheme be termed as Kalahari Resorts blue?

17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 308 PTS
Just to point out, his Pocono adventure might be worth watching out for.

18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 299 PTS
Sponsor Fastenal likes what they see, extending their deal.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 291 PTS
Meanwhile, AdvoCare is not just a sponsor as Bayne was already a client.

20. KASEY KAHNE – 290 PTS
Harvick was not after his job, after all, but he will need to dig deeper to retain it.

June 1, 2016
Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

Let me be clear. Any race format that artificially moves entries from behind to plop them up front is a dumb one. I do not care if it is NASCAR’s All-Star Race or one that allows me to charge ahead of the Kentucky Derby field while wearing sneakers and a propeller hat. Dumb is as dumb does.

Thankfully, we move from a waste of a perfectly good Saturday night to one of NASCAR’s marquee events, the Coca-Cola World 600. In fact, it marks the biggest day in motorsports, as our digital recording devices pick up the Formula-1 action from the French Riviera and the streets of Monaco at 8 a.m. EDT. Then our focus shifts to Indiana and the 100th edition of the Indianapolis 500 at 10:20 a.m. EDT, where former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya hopes to repeat. After they drink the milk there, it is off to Charlotte, North Carolina for our 4 p.m. EDT NASCAR date that sees Carl Edwards looking to defend.

Four-time winner Jimmie Johnson goes in seeking to claim the victory that would tie him with Darrell Waltrip for the most World 600 victories. Kasey Kahne is currently in a six-way tie for third best, with three checkered flags to his credit. He is in good company, with the other five being Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. That is damn fine company to be in. An all-time All-Star lineup to be sure.

Every sport has struggled to find the proper All-Star format. Even when you find one, tastes change over time sending organizers back to the drawing board. Baseball is close, and hockey took a major step forward last season. Football is still searching while I appreciate basketball about as much as I do soccer, so I cannot comment.

As for NASCAR, they should begin by not having Brad Keselowski come up with the format, as he did this year. If you need gimmicks in an attempt to make it interesting, it is not interesting. A suggestion to tinker with would be to let racing decide who should be there. The only drivers locked in should be those who won races over the previous 15 months. What you did in years past should not matter but rather what you have done lately. That would have tossed Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, and Kahne back into the mix. Only 11 would have been locked in, with the other nine to be determined on that day.

If they ran three heats, as they did this year, then we could have the top three in each heat advancing to fill out the field for the feature. In order to reduce wear and tear so that those advancing might actually be able to challenge when they get there, I suggest heats of 30, 20, and 10 laps. The opening heat should be calm enough, the second a little hotter, and the dash for the final three positions would be chaotic enough without having them run too many laps. It would be nice to have 20 cars in the feature that might actually be in condition to compete. However, there are no guarantees in this life.

As for the feature itself, 100 laps, 150 miles, for a million dollars, with the rules just like any other contest. That is my proposal, but what are your thoughts?

As for this Sunday, here are NASCAR’s Hot 20 and some of our honored heroes heading into the Memorial Day weekend 600 Miles of Remembrance.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 397 PTS
Pfc. Robert Stephan Underwood, U.S. Army (1949-1968) Missouri

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 381 PTS
Capt. Edmond Jablonsky Jr., U.S. Army (1942-1968) Texas

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 370 PTS
Sgt. 1st Class Kyle B. Wehrly, U.S. Army (1977-2005) Illinois

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 368 PTS
Spc. Joseph T. Prentler, U.S. Army (1990-2010) Michigan

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 418 PTS
Lance Cpl. Nathan Ross Elrod, U.S. Marine Corps (1986-2006) North Carolina

6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 313 PTS
Pfc. Christopher Neal White, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2006) Kentucky

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 308 PTS
Sgt. John Davis Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps (1958-1980) Virginia

8. KURT BUSCH – 386 PTS
Sgt. Nicholas Ray Gibbs, U.S. Army (1981-2006) North Carolina

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 341 PTS
Gunnery Sgt. Justin Martone, U.S. Marine Corps (1974-2006) Virginia

10. JOEY LOGANO – 340 PTS
Spc. Cindy Beaudoin, U.S. Army (1971-1991) Connecticut

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 336 PTS
Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery E. Bohr Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (1964-2003) Iowa

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 315 PTS
SO Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter (SEAL), U.S. Navy (1980-2007) California

13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 314 PTS
Lance Cpl. Aaron Howard Reed, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-2008) Ohio

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 296 PTS
Lance Cpl. Scott Albert Lynch, U.S. Marine Corps (1988-2010) New York

15. RYAN BLANEY – 288 PTS
Signalman Seaman Cherone L. Gunn, U.S. Navy (1978-2000) Virginia

16. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 283 PTS
Yeoman 3rd Class Wendell Williams, U.S. Navy (1965-1991) Ohio

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 278 PTS
Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-2006) Florida

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 275 PTS
Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jason William McCormack, U.S. Army (1972-2015) Alabama

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 273 PTS
SP 4 James H. Woolard, U.S. Army (1949-1969) Ohio

20. KASEY KAHNE – 271 PTS
Lance Cpl. Eric Levi Ward, U.S. Marine Corps (1990-2010) Washington

May 25, 2016
Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports’ Struggles Continue

It’s no secret that Kasey Kahne has struggled to contend for wins in the past three seasons. In his last 84 starts, Kahne has just one win, eight top five finishes and an average finish of 17.3. Those certainly doesn’t sound like the numbers of a Hendrick Motorsports driver.

Beyond Kahne’s struggles, it seems as though HMS, in general, is down this season,thanks mainly to Joe Gibbs Racing. The only driver that is a true threat this season at the organization, is, of course, Jimmie Johnson; he’s the only Hendrick driver to win in 2016.

There’s no question that Chase Elliott has turned some heads, he’s been consistent each week, but he hasn’t truly battled for a win yet this season though he’s been knocking on the door.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains winless this season, averaging a 15th place finish. He’s had three runner-up finishes, those coming at Atlanta, Texas and Bristol. His runner-up finishes though have been overshadowed by the seven races he’s finished outside of the top 10.

Don’t get me wrong, Hendrick Motorsports is still a threat to win each weekend, but the new dynasty in NASCAR in recent years is Joe Gibbs Racing. Including the races that have taken place this season and last, Joe Gibbs Racing has combined for an impressive 21 wins in 48 races; that’s almost half of the races. HMS has just 11 wins in those same 48 races, still not bad, but not even close to the new powerhouse in NASCAR.

That aside, back to Kahne.

Since Stewart-Hass Racing announced their move to Ford in 2017, there has been a lot of speculation that Kevin Harvick might jump ship to HMS next season to stick with Chevy, presumably taking over for Kahne. Harvick quickly put those rumors to bed on Twitter denying any truth to them.

Since those rumors have been squashed for the time being, another question remains. Is Kahne safe at Hendrick? Even with their struggles to find speed this season, Kahne is still the odd man out at HMS. In my opinion, Kahne hasn’t proven much while being at Hendrick Motorsports since joining in 2012. The only thing he’s proven is that he is not a real threat during the season or in the Chase.

Although Harvick has denied a move to Hendrick, sometimes there is truth to rumors. I’m not saying Harvick is moving to HMS, however, you have to wonder if Kahne’s years at Hendrick are numbered and if a possible buyout is on the horizon. If Kahne doesn’t turn it around, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new face behind the wheel of the No. 5 car in the near future.

May 18, 2016
The Final Word – It was Disco Day at Dover, with everyone just trying to survive

Dover‘s event could have been called the Gloria Gaynor 400. Some survived, some did not. Good luck was what they wanted, what more than a few were hoping for, and what at least one got. Matt Kenseth might have been still sitting in a Chase place despite a season of hard knocks and snake bites, yet was proving that being good does not matter much if you are not there in the end. Sunday in Dover, the 2003 Cup Champion was there in claiming his 37th career victory to ease a whole lot of anxiety. However, not everyone had good luck. Not even close.

First, though, the fans were in luck at the end of Sunday’s contest. Kenseth was in front, Kyle Larson behind him, and Chase Elliott the second runner-up. The trio battled to the end, and while they finished in that order, it was the kind of racing NASCAR had dreamed of when they presented the latest car package. In this one, it may have come down to experience winning out over raw talent as they dueled back and forth. Come to think of it, it was no doubt good fortune for Kenseth that he had the clean driving Larson behind him instead of, oh say, Joey Logano. Some had dream finishes, while some were left dealing with nightmares.

Twenty-eight cars were running at the end of 400 laps, only half of those on the lead lap. Tony Stewart is having to play catch up this season after missing eight races, trying to move into the Top 30 as well as win one along the way. He lost ground at Dover, leaving it 67 points out after the track bar mount broke, punctured an oil tank, and he was done with 60 laps to run.

Ten circuits later, Jimmie Johnson was on the outside of the front row for a restart. He got into second fine, but third gear was denied by the transmission. Martin Truex Jr. buried his nose up, well, you know where, with Kevin Harvick continuing the train as the road got plugged in a hurry, as 18 vehicles became involved. With that, everything came to an abrupt end for Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola, who probably busted his pinky in the wreck. It also resulted in Logano, Jamie McMurray, and A.J. Allmendinger finishing outside the Top Twenty.

Out came the red flag to clean up the mess, but it did not take long after they restarted for more bad luck. Carl Edwards got a little loose in front of Larson, then got sent to the promised land where the infield fence’s safety barriers kept him from a more dire fate. Edwards was done in 28th. Bad luck, especially compared to Larson. I believe I mentioned where he finished.

Earlier, running in second place at the time, Brad Keselowski failed to clear Austin Dillon on a pass, tore off his right front fender while renovating Dillon’s left rear. Dillon got repaired and finished 33rd. That was bad luck. Keselowski got repaired and finished sixth. Yes, that would be good luck. Among those currently in a Chase place, seven failed to finish among the Top 20 at Dover, five not even among the Top 30.

At least they can take a bit of a break from points racing, as before the World 600 at the end of the month, Charlotte hosts the All-Star weekend, with the big race slated for Saturday night. After the fun times in Dover, good luck to ‘em all.

May 16, 2016
Hot 20 – Hot topics heading to Dover include team penalties and places to pee, I kid you not

As the boys and girl drive in Delaware this weekend, not everyone gets to go. Kyle Busch, for example, will not have the benefit of his crew chief until the All-Star race. Adam Stevens got sent to exile island along with front tire changer Josh Leslie, and docked $20,000, for a post-race lug nut infraction. NASCAR wants five on, and they must stay on until the race is over and the car no longer is being eye-balled by those who must be obeyed. It appears they really mean it.

Romain Grosjean is a Swiss-born Formula One driver with 88 starts heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. He has two runner-up finishes in his career and ten podiums, including a run of five straight near the end of 2013. Grosjean also drives for Gene Haas, the guy who is Tony Stewart’s partner in NASCAR. He would like to race a big heavy beast of a car with fenders, and some think that could happen in time for Watkins Glen. I said could, not would.

If he does, it will be on a nice smooth freshly paved track. Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and Trevor Bayne did tire tests there this week, and they all seem to like the results. We will see how much they like it in August.

Finally, there is the continuing saga about North Carolina washrooms, where the Governor signed into law a bill saying that the equipment one’s birth certificate attributes to them determines which washroom they can use. This applies to facilities in government offices, universities and road-side rest stops. Some believe NASCAR, which is a huge presence in the state, should take a stand against this law as it discriminates against transgenders. Actually, there are a host of solutions available.

All single-stall facilities should be unisex, just insist all pee where they should pee. Set aside some single stall rooms for those who require a bit more privacy for whatever reason. Set aside facilities marked men, women, and could not care less. Ask any woman in a long lineup if she would jump at the chance to go into the men’s room, any damn room, to seek relief, and many would have no problem with a unisex solution if it might speed things up. In public facilities, the public area can be monitored to ensure security, while it would not matter what equipment is being used to perform the task in the privacy of the stalls. Any arguments?

Of course, when I started this column, I never thought there would be a day when I would be writing about penalties, paving, pee, and poop. Welcome to the new NASCAR.

Now, back to business…and not THAT kind of business. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Dover…

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 386 PTS
If he ends May with a win and starts June the same way, he will have run the table.

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 367 PTS
Carl is to athleticism and fitness what I am to lethargy and slothfulness. We each have our roll to play.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 353 PTS
Already has 10 Miles the Monster trophies on the shelf.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 332 PTS
Scarlett has her first birthday next week. Some things are more important than racing.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 390 PTS
New South Carolina home will have a view of a swamp. Well, to each their own.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 273 PTS
He saw the hole, attempted the split, then lo and behold, it all went for…

7. KURT BUSCH – 350 PTS
The Busch brothers have a combined three wins between them this season. Yes, I’m a jerk.

8. JOEY LOGANO – 320 PTS
Buried the hatchet with Kenseth, but didn’t Lizzie Borden do the same with her parents?

9. AUSTIN DILLON – 307 PTS
The first of what will soon enough become another talented brother act is doing just fine.

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 305 PTS
Before there was Teresa, there was Kerry, Kelley, and Dale Jr. born to the Earnhardt name.

11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 303 PTS
The kid has finished seven of 11 this season in the Top Ten.

12. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 303 PTS
Okay, this time for sure.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 276 PTS
Coming off his worst finish (26th) of the season just after having his best (4th) at Talladega.

14. MATT KENSETH – 269 PTS
Fourth place at Kansas was sweet, but seeing Logano finish 38th had to have been even sweeter.

15. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 265 PTS
Finished eighth last week, yet dropped a spot.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 255 PTS
His weekend was much, much better than the one experienced by his dad.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 253 PTS
Making the Chase could be imperative if he wishes to avoid falling victim to the Ty that binds.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 249 PTS
Spends way too much time outside the Top 15 than inside, and that has got to change.

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 246 PTS
New commercial has the boys over for Sunny D, though hostess is not who you would expect.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 244 PTS
When Mark Martin drove the car, Viagra seemed an appropriate sponsor. Bayne? Not so much.

May 11, 2016
The Final Word – Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more

Funny things happen in Kansas. One day things might seem normal, but then a twister comes, your house takes off, the neighbor lady goes from riding a bicycle to flying on a broomstick, your abode lands on a witch, and then you get a hung lug nut.

One of those was the reason Martin Truex Jr., dominant throughout the evening, found himself down a couple of laps. Sometimes a removed lug nut bounces up where it does not belong and ruins your day. Those flying monkeys did bad things on his parade, though Truex managed to get back on the lead lap before it was over, with 14th his fate.

Sometimes, you get a nice pair of ruby red slippers, and Kyle Busch took the fancy foot gear to the finish line, outdistancing Kevin Harvick, brother Kurt, and Matt Kenseth. All were among the supporting cast but got bumped up to main roles at the end. It marked the third win of the season for Rowdy, the 37th of his career, and now he boasts nine Top Fives in 11 contests. Somebody seems intent on working his way to the Emerald City for a second straight year, and now that Kansas and Martinsville have been removed to his to-do list, that only leaves Charlotte and Pocono for him to record his first win at.

The Haunted Forest is real, my friends. Just ask Jamie McMurray, who thought things were going well until his car was attacked by a big jack man, who hip checked the auto into flaring out its skirt. NASCAR does not like that. Just like that, McMurray was a couple of laps down and stayed down to finish 26th. Tires went flat and, ding-dong, their hopes were dead. Carl Edwards (11th) managed to struggle back, but Trevor Bayne was left outside the Top 20.

Denny Hamlin had a couple of speeding penalties but was rushing back into contention when he went between Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson late in the game. The hopes of most melted quicker than a sorceress at a water park. Keselowski spun on his own, though he recovered to finish 10th. Hamlin did the same time, without any contact, until he contacted Larson against the wall while Joey Logano nailed Denny coming through the smoke. Brad, and Denny, and Kyle, oh my. The trio finished 35th and worse. However, a trio of munchkins did well, with Top Ten finishes recorded by Ryan Blaney, Austin Dillon, and Chase Elliott.

The Yellow Brick Road continues next to Dover for a Sunday matinee, the place where champions go to win. The past 14 winners all have a NASCAR championship to their credit. Those eight drivers are Jimmie Johnson (7 times), Harvick, Kenseth, Keselowski, both Busch boys, Jeff Gordon, and Tony Stewart. Stewart won there just three years ago, and after a 12th place finish on Saturday night, maybe there is a glimmer of hope. One win and a gain of 59 points against the 30th ranked Regan Smith, between now and the conclusion of Richmond, would do the trick.

Now, wouldn’t that be enough to make a guy click his heels in celebration if he only had the heart, the brain, and the courage to do so, along with a little luck?

May 9, 2016
Hot 20 – At least the Kansas race this year is not sponsored by SpongeBob or the Ninja Turtles

Brand names, especially strong memorable ones, can truly make an event stand out. The Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400 have meaning or should, with proper marketing. The Firecracker 400, Old Dominion 500, Mason-Dixon 500 all had a ring to them, not the ka-ching ring they were tossed aside for.

The GoBowling.com 400 this Saturday night in Kansas is a case in point. In fact, it is the very same name of a race held in Dover in 2013 and 2014, tradition be damned. To be fair, it could have been a lot worse. Remember, last year this race was known as the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, a time no doubt when more than a few veteran fans said to hell with it and started tuning in for rhythmic gymnastics for their sports fix.

Even more iconic corporate monikers, such as the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, which has gone by variations of that theme for thirty years, fail to cut it. As was the case with the Coca-Cola 500 at Pocono, one day the corporation will move its money elsewhere. The smart play would be to forever let it be known as the World 600, as it was known for its first 26 years. Even the Coca-Cola World 600 of 1985 remained true to the heritage of the sport while retaining the brand name of the event and still recognizing the corporate support. Today, even the sponsor loses. You tell me what has more substance; the GoBowling.com 400 or the GoBowling.com Kansas 400?

College football had wandered off the traditional path, and even today the Gator Bowl, around since 1945, has been the Taxpayer Bowl since 2014. However, the academic folks were smart enough to realize its season-ending playoffs would be best served by embracing tradition. This is why we have millions tuning into the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Peach, and Fiesta Bowls, with a title sponsor attached. For eight years we had the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but the “Peach Bowl” name was restored as a condition of joining the College Football Playoff rotation. You know, sometimes those schools have some bright people among them. NASCAR could use some of them.

What they do have are some pretty good drivers, with one of them about to win another (Place Sponsor Name Here) 400 event. Again, it could be worse. While SpongeBob and NASCAR team up for a new apparel line, just wait until September when we have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 in Chicago. I kid you not.

Our Hot 20 heading to Kansas include…

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 342 PTS
I must admit I am not a big Skittles fan, but if Kyle ever gets a Smartie’s cake, I am in.

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 337 PTS
Damn near hit the wall last weekend. Thankfully, Junior got in the way.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 329 PTS
Won it for SpongeBob last spring and maybe now he can win it for the bowlers of the world.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 300 PTS
Should be wearing an “I survived Talladega” fire suit.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 351 PTS
On Sunday, he aborted take-off…and that was a good thing.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 269 PTS
Did not have a banner day last week, but as he already has a win, no big deal.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 316 PTS
My guess is if Logano caught fire, his peers would be lining up to help put it out.

8. KURT BUSCH – 312 PTS
When push comes to shove, Kurt has been pushing hard…and then the wrecks happen.

9. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 279 PTS
Replacing the steering wheel with handlebars Saturday night.

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 274 PTS
When times got tough, Truex simply got tougher…and wiser.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 272 PTS
Seventeen pit stops, four wrecks, and yet a third place finish at Talladega on the Intimidator’s 65th birthday.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 271 PTS
If you thought the world loved young Chase, you were not listening to the in-car audio.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 261 PTS
I thought he was having a good season, but he trails Harvick by 90 points and is yet to lead a lap.

14. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 232 PTS
Talladega might have been a trying day, but he is back in a Chase place heading into Saturday.

15. MATT KENSETH – 231 PTS
Thinking of driving a bus at Kansas. The wheels on a bus go round and round, not up and over.

16. TREVOR BAYNE – 228 PTS
Last four starts have seen a rise in Bayne’s fortunes.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 224 PTS
Wants to lead a lap…any lap…anywhere…at some time this season.

18. RYAN BLANEY – 219 PTS
Twenty-ninth in Texas, 11th at Bristol, 28th in Richmond, and ninth last week seems to show inconsistency.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 219 PTS
Ten races, one ninth place finish and another in 10th, might be better than most, but not good enough.

20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 218 PTS
Within 10 of Bayne, and still has a 17 point bulge over Paul Menard in 21st.

May 4, 2016
The Final Word – Talladega; what could possibly go wrong?

Bad things happen at Talladega. If you are not barrel rolling or wall smacking, you just had yourself a nice, pleasant day in Alabama. That kind of thing, in fact, can get you a win, as was the case with Brad Keselowski on Sunday. The White Deux actually looked pretty good at the end, as the 2012 champ won his 19th career race, and second of the season. When all the smoke had cleared, the driver leading the most laps was leading the last one.

For some, things did not quite work out. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is always seen as a favorite, but after the 50th lap, not so much. He lost control, collected teammate Kasey Kahne, and they went back to check out the snacks available in the garage.

Tony Stewart, under doctor’s orders to protect his back, used the caution to crawl out and let Ty Dillon take that ride home. A seventh place finish proved that they had a plan that worked. Most planned to stay on all four tires, but that idea went tumbling down the track for Chris Buescher who did a few barrel rolls after being caught up in some four-wide racing.

Good news for Junior and Kahne fans, as both returned. Maybe that was bad news. Earnhardt actually had his steering wheel come off under caution and did some shaft driving before he reattached it. This is after he helped Carl Edwards avoid the wall when Edwards shot up the track and sandwiched Junior to a merciful conclusion. A few laps later, Kahne could no longer handle his car, which also shot up into the outside wall and he was finally done, too. At least both Hendrick boys got, not just one but, two post-wreck interviews. You got to keep them sponsors happy.

With less than thirty to go, we managed to rid ourselves of yet another Hendrick car. Kurt Busch influenced Jimmie Johnson to move up to take out fellow Top Ten driver Paul Menard in a mishap that involved 17 drivers. Yet, a less numerous yet more spectacular meeting of the metal took place about 20 laps later when Danica Patrick got turned to the inside and invited Matt Kenseth to space camp, who exposed the bottom of his car to the television viewers as it launched. Patrick, meanwhile, made some solid contact with the wall to feel the agony of de fence. Both were done as another half dozen cars got bent out of shape to some degree in that one.

If you thought we were done, you were just ignoring your inner Ricky Bobby. As Keselowski thundered to the line, with Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, and Jamie McMurray behind him, more boys were beating the stuffings out of their boogity boogities. Kevin Harvick, who almost went wheels up, A.J. Allmendinger, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Martin Truex Jr. were among those making mangled metallic memories.

Seven of the Top Ten at Talladega currently hold down a Chase place. Ryan Blaney is just nine points out while Stewart returns to the driver’s seat this Saturday night in Kansas. Thanks to his relief driver, he only has to make up 61 points and pick up a win, to claim a Chase place. Clint Bowyer had a Top Ten and a win still gets him in, or he has 68 points to make up on 16th place. When you think on it, the odds still might favor Stewart. Bowyer has gone winless in 15 attempts in Kansas, and considering the quality of cars he has been blessed with this season, his odds are definitely not terribly high on Saturday.

May 2, 2016
Elliott on the Pole at Talladega

TALLADEGA, Ala.– Chase Elliott will lead the field to the green flag tomorrow at Talladega.

The driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet scored the pole for the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway after posting a time of 49.704 and a speed of 192.661 mph.

“It’s obviously really special,” Elliott said on getting the pole at Talladega. “They were just telling me that on this day 30 years ago I think Dad set the (track) record here. That is pretty special. This has always been a special place to him and certainly great to be here and have the opportunity in Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports, Napa Auto Parts to come be a part of this weekend. Like I said in Daytona, this is all team guys. This had nothing to do with me and they have brought a fast car back. This is our same car that we ran at Daytona. Unfortunately, I didn’t bring it home in one piece, they had to fix it, but they did a great job doing that and hopefully, we can just try to be smart, try to cut down on some of the dumb mistakes I made in February and try to give ourselves a shot and be there at the end.”

It’s his second career pole in the Sprint Cup Series and second of 2016.

“I do think racing and trying to stay up front is important,” he said. “It’s obviously much easier said than done, but I think for us having a good pit road selection is very important. I think that becomes a big factor at the end of the day when you come onto pit road with a big group of cars and being able to run down pit road and have that first box is big. Hopefully, that helps, but you’ve got to get to the end of the day for that to matter. Unfortunately, I didn’t do that in February so hopefully, we can do that tomorrow and see how it goes.”

Austin Dillon will start second in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet after posting a time of 49.765 and a speed of 192.424 mph.

“The No. 24 car has won all the poles the last two years at speedways it seems like,” Dillon said. “To be that close to him and we know we can get a little better here and there, but that is just the big pick up. I think we qualified 24th here the last race. Huge pick up for us and we are excited for the race.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start third in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet after posting a time of 49.799 and a speed of 192.293 mph.

“We picked up a little bit,” Earnhardt said. “I was just talking with Kasey (Kahne) about our lines and what we did different. We think we saw a little bit out there that makes a difference. We were able to pick up a little bit. It’s hard to move forward in the second round at speedways. Usually, what you’ve got in the first round is what you’ve got in the second round, but we jumped a couple of guys and got a better starting spot.”

Matt Kenseth will start fourth in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after posting a time of 49.828 and a speed of 192.181 mph.

“We seemed to have pretty good speed,” Kenseth said. “We had good speed, but qualifying doesn’t necessarily mean a lot for the race. These guys have been doing a good job and I qualified well at Daytona and qualified well here, so that was encouraging that they got the speed in the car.”

Jimmie Johnson will round out the top-five starters in his No. 48 HMS Chevrolet after posting a time of 49.845 and a speed of 192.116 mph.

“The car is really good,” Johnson said. “The race environment is so much different than what we have in practice. We didn’t want to go out in the second (practice session) and risk the race car. We made a few single-car runs in the first just to see where our speed was and to get our tape and our heights right. It’s rare that you come to the race track and find some more speed during the practice session. It’s really done at the shop. We are just trying to minimize our risk and our time on the track.”

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will start sixth in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

“We have a great starting spot,” Stenhouse said. “We have to try to keep our track position all race. I feel like we haven’t done a very good job of that on the speedway races. I think that is a key because you are not going to be able to get track position in the last 30 laps. You have to keep it all race.”

Brad Keselowski will start seventh in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford.

“It was a much better effort than we have had here in the past which bodes well,” Keselowski said. “We were really fast in speedweeks for the Unlimited and it didn’t showcase itself in the 500 at all. We qualified terribly and ran terribly all weekend. That was very disappointing. We came here and qualified well in an impound scenario and that feels good.”

Denny Hamlin will start eighth in his No. 11 JGR Toyota. Carl Edwards will start ninth in his No. 19 JGR Toyota.

“The Toyotas seemed to have some speed, so this is good,” Edwards said. “We actually picked up a little bit of time the second round which is great. Now we’ll just go race.”

Paul Menard will round out the top-10 in his No. 27 RCR Chevrolet.

“We had a nice pick up from yesterday,” Menard said. “That is always a good thing. The cars are cooler in qualifying than they are in race practice. When you can pick up from practice to qualifying that is always a good thing. I’m proud of my guys. A good top 10 starting spot and good pit selection.”

Kasey Kahne will start 11th in his No. 5 HMS Chevrolet.

“Really fast cars and all of us (Hendrick Motorsports) had good speed,” Kahne said. “We slowed down a little bit in the final round, which is surprising, but other than that we were really good.”

Martin Truex Jr. will round out the 12 drivers that made the final round of qualifying in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota.

When asked about his qualifying effort, he said it was “uneventful” in a good way. “Anytime it’s uneventful, it’s good. We’re ready to go racing. I thought everybody picked up, but us, which is kind of interesting, but I don’t know why that is. Other than that, everything is good.”

Josh Wise was the one car that failed to qualify.

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April 30, 2016
Hot 20 – NASCAR gives Tony grief last week, and now some relief at Talladega

Just a week after Tony Stewart criticized NASCAR for its rather lax rules regarding tightened lug nuts, and having to cough up a $35,000 fine for doing so, guess who is once again mandating that all lug nuts be tightened? Apparently there are no “whistler blower” provisions in effect when it comes to spotlighting stupidity. Look at the shock on this ole face. At least a few of Stewart’s peers were outraged enough to go in together to pay the fine for him. Sure, NASCAR could just say “thanks” to Tony and move on. Actually, based on what we have seen over the year, no, they could not. They just do not have it in them.

Coming to Talladega, I doubt many fans have forgotten the fine handed out to Dale Earnhardt Jr. after he won there in 2004. When asked about taking his fifth career victory at the big track, Junior responded on television with “It don’t mean shit right now. Daddy’s won here 10 times.” That cost him $10,000 and a few points. Hell, it is a good thing I am not a driver. I would be broke by June.

Try as they might, they just cannot seem to do what is right. While Stewart looks at his fine as an investment into the safety of the sport, NASCAR spouts off about how its drivers cannot question the integrity of the sport, even if its integrity is sometimes suspect. Their response to a host of issues has been found wanting, both on the track and off it. You would have thought that by now they would know if something could pose a danger, one day it will for someone. A lack of lug nuts, exposed concrete walls, seating too close to the action are among them.

NASCAR has done some good things. The safety of the car is the biggest one, in my opinion. Despite my initial misgivings, I do like the Chase, I do like the new points system, and I do like having wins have more meaning. That said, do you really think Stewart should make the Chase if he cannot complete a race? Ty Dillon will relieve him at some point this Sunday, with Tony getting credit for the points picked up, and even a victory should that happen. Really? Those have long been the rules, but I think time and recent rule changes have made that archaic. If you have to get out of the car, you park the car. No exceptions. Poor NASCAR, even when they try to be understanding, they either fail to understand or they are misunderstood.

You would think NASCAR would even have a team in place to quickly address social issue controversies, especially in these times. When we are actually having unisex changing rooms at swimming pools, washrooms of the same design were not far off. They do not have to buy into what everyone is selling, but NASCAR should at least be prepared to respond one way or the other in terms they are willing to stand by.

Hiding attendance figures is not exactly the response of an open, transparent, people friendly outfit, either. NASCAR even has its own way of eliminating the question of whether a glass is half empty or half full by just tearing down grandstands and calling the smaller configuration a better glass. Some like to think they and their sport or favorite team are in it together. NASCAR does not allow that. That is not helpful when one is going through tough times.

Shooting the messenger, then immediately acting on the message, does not help much either. Having Talladega on tap for our Hot 20 does.

1. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 331 PTS
Loves, loves, loves to love tap his teammate.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 310 PTS
Stewart got fined, but Jimmie, Junior, Kyle, Brad, Denny and Kevin paid it…and happy to do so.

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 302 PTS
If Kyle does not pay Carl back, Samantha just might.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 324 PTS
His sponsor promotes drinking beer and going fishing. What possibly could go wrong?

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 258 PTS
From the Drivers’ Council: NASCAR, you did Tony wrong. Love, Denny and friends.

6. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 255 PTS
Tony will pay his own fine, but thanks to Brad and company a donation goes to fight autism.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 299 PTS
Would love to see what happened last fall repeat itself this spring.

8. KURT BUSCH – 279 PTS
Maybe he could start a Formula One race, and have Lewis Hamilton sub for him.

9. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 278 PTS
Junior loves Talladega, and the fans there love him right back.

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 246 PTS
Top 10 in the standings, more than likely a top 10 on Sunday.

11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 234 PTS
When does this racing thing get hard?

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 234 PTS
Having a good year, yet everyone is talking about brother Ty coming into the weekend.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 224 PTS
Five mph above the speed limit is his street limit. Considering radar is now a cash cow, good thing.

14. KASEY KAHNE – 222 PTS
A career revival constitutes making the Chase and doing well once he gets there.

15. MATT KENSETH – 212 PTS
Having the worse kind of season 25 other drivers can only dream of having.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 205 PTS
Second-best average finisher at Talladega the past two years. That has to count for something.

17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 204 PTS
Some drivers do well with one-car teams. Others are named Clint Bowyer.

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 196 PTS
With an average Talladega finish outside the Top 25, he could see a lot of Danica on Sunday.

19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 193 PTS
Richmond penalty costs the team Crew Chief Nick Sandler this weekend.

20. RYAN BLANEY – 187 PTS
Here partially in thanks to Paul Menard, Kyle Larson, Greg Biffle, and Bowyer

April 27, 2016