Tag: chris buescher

  • Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    So it ends. Another NASCAR season. A Hall of Fame career for Tony Stewart. The reign of a title sponsor. The wait for another seven-time champion, or a repeat champion, or maybe the crowning of the newest member of NASCAR royalty.

    Tony Stewart made his mark as an open wheel champion, and three times he proved to be the season best among those with fenders. One more race, one more chance to grab his 50th career win before he moves on to eventually join the Hall of Fame.

    Winston Cup held the rights for more than thirty years. Nextel had it for four, then when they got rolled into Sprint, the Sprint Cup it became for the past nine seasons. That ends at Homestead. Could it be the Monster Energy Cup next season? That remains to be seen.

    Will Jimmie Johnson join with two of the sport’s icons and become a seven-time champion? Can Kyle Busch repeat his championship run of last season and claim his second? Can Carl Edwards or Joey Logano finish the climb to the top of the mountain?

    The answer comes our way on Sunday at Homestead.

    The Hot 20, featuring wins, season-long points, and the official points tallies heading to Homestead.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS – 1095 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The best of the rest remaining in the hunt for the title.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 1027 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    This seems like a good time to order up a double.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 3 WINS – 997 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    Always a bridesmaid, but will he get the ring this time?

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The King and the Intimidator await him as part of a very exclusive club.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 2296 PTS
    One mistake from above and his coach turned into scrambled pumpkin pie.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 3 WINS – 1052 S/PTS – 2288 PTS
    Was close when they started at Phoenix, just not close enough when they finished.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 1027 S/PTS – 2268 PTS
    A win to be in, but there was no room at the inn this time.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS – 986 S/PTS – 2266 PTS
    Rarely do leaders get penalized for passing the pace car to enter the pits. Last week was different.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS – 1083 S/PTS – 2261 PTS
    Thought Joey would be a good fit for Penske after leaving Gibbs. It appears he was right.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 0 WINS – 936 S/PTS – 2255 PTS
    Took over from Jeff Gordon, and still got to race against Jeff Gordon. Sweet.

    11. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1120 S/PTS – 2250 PTS
    The best over the course of the season, but they do not have a trophy for that.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 890 S/PTS – 2247 PTS
    Eneos. If you know who they are, it might be due to this guy.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 0 WINS – S/871 PTS – 2195 PTS
    Official points give him 13th. The season-long tally has him behind Kahne and Newman.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 0 WINS – 873 S/PTS – 2194 PTS
    Paint scheme needs to include a pair of Texas longhorns on the hood. Just a suggestion.

    15. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN – 623 S/PTS – 2192 PTS
    Future Hall of Famer would love to bow out with a 50th victory.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN – 524 S/PTS – 2152 PTS
    One win. The difference between a notable season and finishing 28th in points.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 0 WINS – 894 S/PTS – 894 PTS
    On the bright side, his season was better than that of team-mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 0 WINS – 879 S/PTS – 879 PTS
    Stewart will soon be going, just not to where Newman once suggested he go to.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    It comes down to this….Ryan or A.J. for 19th.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    Might have a teammate, at least for a few races, next season.

  • Hot 20 – There are a lot of nice things to do in Phoenix, but winning Sunday would be the nicest

    Hot 20 – There are a lot of nice things to do in Phoenix, but winning Sunday would be the nicest

    I like being nice. Sure, I can bitch with the best of them, but it is nice when one can say nice things about someone. For instance, I think NASCAR did the right thing by calling the race at Texas last week. Let me see, the race was already delayed by five hours and the skies really opened up with 40 to go. Damn right they should have wrapped things up when they did. The fans at the track no doubt had enough. Those watching on television had enough. We all knew it was going to get wet again, and Carl Edwards was leading when it came down. I see no controversy over the call. In fact, it was downright merciful.

    I think it is nice when someone decides that family comes first, even if it is not what fans want to hear. Twenty-eight-year-old Brian Scott is stepping out of his ride with Richard Petty next season to spend more time with his family. He admits the Cup schedule “has taken its toll” and caused him “to re-evaluate what I want in life for myself and for my family.” You cannot blame a man for that. Some things are just more important.

    Like honoring the life of a five-year-old boy. Jake Leatherman’s journey came to an end after a valiant battle against juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. He had become a huge NASCAR fan, and when his mom asked if anyone in the NASCAR community could attend his services this past week in uniform, they did not let him and his family down. They represented such organizations as Penske, Stewart-Haas, Childress, Hendrick and Petty. Sometimes the youngest among us can inspire us to be our best.

    It is sure nice to see that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has returned to racing. Well, not actually racing. Just driving fast. Faster than the law will allow. No pit road penalty, just a cop and a ticket book. Welcome back, Junior!

    The boys and girl are welcomed back to Phoenix on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson and Edwards are locked into the Final Four. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch are in, but by just a point over Matt Kenseth and two ahead of Denny Hamlin. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch either have to win or hope it is a bad day at Black Rock sort of situation for those other dudes.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (4074 Pts)
    Just another nice Sunday drive chatting with Chad on his radio.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – SEGMENT WIN (4049 Pts)
    Was like Gene Kelly last week. You know, just singing in the rain.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 4074 PTS
    After he and Brittany attended young Jake’s funeral this week, I have a whole new level of respect for this couple.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4074 PTS
    Good luck, Kyle. Go out there and break a leg. What? Too soon?

    5. MATT KENSETH – 4073 PTS
    Was having just a so-so season until Dover…then things just sort of perked right up.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4072 PTS
    Two spots open, two points separating the top four contenders.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 4056 PTS
    Of course, if Harvick wins yet again at Phoenix, one of those spots would be spoken for.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 4040 PTS
    Eight remaining Chasers, five of ‘em former champions.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2265 PTS
    Driver most likely to be leading a race won’t win a title this year due to bad luck.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2234 PTS
    Four-time winner this season, he might not be done yet.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2223 PTS
    We know his dad is happy the way Tuesday turned out. You know, so am I.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2209 PTS
    Inexperienced enough to continue driving XFINITY…good enough to win Texas event.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2192 PTS
    After Texas, the “Silver Spoon Kid” might be gunning for the outlaw known as Happy.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2166 PTS
    1 IRL title, 3 Cup crowns, 2 Brickyard 400’s, 4 Firecracker 400’s, 8 road course wins.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2165 PTS
    Wonders how you might be set in regards to ratcheting wrenches and hand tools.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2143 PTS
    I am sure he agrees with me that sometimes you just have to call a race early.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 866 PTS
    Spending his summer driving in Australia. Summer there begins in December.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 850 PTS
    Was caught on a hot mic saying bad things at Texas. The President-Elect knows how that feels.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 773 PTS
    17th in Texas snapped a three-race streak of Top Tens.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 764 PTS
    Considering who is not on this list, this has been a pretty decent season for the 22-year old.

  • Hot 20 – Texas is next, where men are men and women are damned happy about it

    Hot 20 – Texas is next, where men are men and women are damned happy about it

    It would appear I got up on the wrong side of the bed again. Maybe I simply am becoming an old cantankerous SOB. Maybe I’m already there. If I were a muppet, I probably would have a seat in the balcony, if you know what I mean. Is it my fault things just seem to tick me off?

    Oh, what if Jimmie Johnson wins a seventh championship? Some wonder if fans can stand to see him win again, and I wonder what kind of snowflake, safe space, pronoun changing, easily offended, easily bored band of twits have we become? If he wins, great. We are watching a living legend. If he does not, great again, as the dreams of someone else would have been fulfilled. I worry more about what kind of action is presented, if what I see and hear can keep me entertained long enough to wish to continue to watch. If they can manage that, I could not care less if Johnson wins seven or 10 bloody titles.

    I learned something last week. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a future in the broadcast booth. It is not that he is super smooth or has those deep pipes, but rather it is the quality of what comes out of his mouth. I found myself listening to him. That is the trick, and not all have that mastered. From what I hear, few do.

    NASCAR is in the advanced stage of talks to replace Sprint, who replaced Nextel, who replaced Winston as the Cup Series title sponsor. Please, Lord, let it be a corporate entity that does not embarrass us by their inclusion. I mean, we already have a majority of races with no lasting identity other than this year’s corporate clown 500 monikers. I am just saying that, please, let it not be the Anusol Cup in 2017.

    Problem. Solution. Last week, the problem was that they ran off 30 laps under caution to figure out what the running order was. A solution would be to not allow more than 3 percent of the scheduled laps to be run off under any one caution before the red flag comes out. In Martinsville, that would have been 15. At Talladega, that would have been five. You are welcome.

    Now on to Texas, where only one of our Hot 20 is safe, four others are close, and three have to make things happen if they want to be in contention later in the month.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (4044 Pts)
    Was kind enough to leave three free passes at the door. Now we watch to see who claims them.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 4039 PTS
    Carl Edwards was about the only teammate not bitching about him come Monday.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 4039 PTS
    Thinks he could have done better if Hamlin had got the hell out of his way.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4037 PTS
    Thinks he could have done better if Kenseth had got the hell out of his way.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 4033 PTS
    All Logano has to do is stay ahead of those Gibbs’ boys and he should be fine.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 4021 PTS
    A Yellow Rose is nice, but Harvick would prefer his first checkered flag of Texas on Sunday.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 4019 PTS
    At least his teammate did not stick his head into his car to say “howdy” last week.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 4005 PTS
    Damn tires. Damn walls. Damn Martinsville.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2226 PTS
    At some time on Sunday, his will be the car in front.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2207 PTS
    Using a season-long format would be second by 19 points to Harvick in the championship fight.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2187 PTS
    Cup driver on Sundays, a truck driver this Friday.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2185 PTS
    No sports analyst has ever suggested a bounty on Chase Elliott. I can’t say the same for Ezekiel.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 2183 PTS
    NASCAR’s Kyle rule in XFINITY and the Trucks does not affect this Kyle just yet.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2156 PTS
    Just one win away from 50, as the clock continues to click down.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2143 PTS
    GearWrench might not be Goodwrench, but it sounds close enough to me.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2123 PTS
    Could he be switching with Biffle for next season?

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 883 PTS
    Unless the news is good next season, Kahne could wind up leaving the same time as his sponsor.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 819 PTS
    Believes a new man should be in the White House come January. I wonder who he means?

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 749 PTS
    Third straight Top Ten came last week, with designs to extend that to four on Sunday.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 735 PTS
    With a Top 20 last week, and with Stenhouse last, look who rejoins out little band of brothers.

  • Hot 20 – NASCAR’s Cup Drivers Runneth over to Swamp the XFINITY and Camping World Series

    Hot 20 – NASCAR’s Cup Drivers Runneth over to Swamp the XFINITY and Camping World Series

    Bless NASCAR’s pea-pickin’ hearts. You have to admit that they keep on trying. With both the junior and truck circuits pretty much irrelevant these days due to the inclusion and the total domination of Cup drivers, NASCAR once again is trying to do the right thing.

    Cup drivers are already banned from the season finales in both minor leagues. Now those with five years Cup experience, not registered to drive for points, can not race in any of those other versions of the Chase, their regular season finales, or the XFINITY “Dash 4 Cash” events. Still, that leaves Cup drivers eligible to race in 10 of the remaining 21 junior races, along with seven of the remaining 15 truck races.

    That means that instead of racing 16 junior contests and winning nine, defending Cup champion Kyle Busch gets to start only 10 times next year. Then he could turn the seat over to, say, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin to fill in for the other 11 rides available. Cup drivers could still dominate for much of the season, though next year they would have to share those opportunities. It is a step forward, but we will have to see if it will be enough to return the spotlight on those who should be showcased in those divisions.

    In 29 events, regular XFINITY drivers claimed 11 of them. Erik Jones took four, Elliott Sadler three, Daniel Suarez a couple, with the others going to Justin Marks and Sam Hornish Jr. Eighteen went to Cup drivers, with half of that total taken by Busch, including their Chase race at Kansas. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have also won and, with less than five years Cup experience, the restrictions would not apply to either of them. Still, it beats doing nothing but will it be enough to stop the major leaguers from moonlighting to kick some minor league butt most weeks?

    This Sunday, the contenders and pretenders of the Cup circuit head to Martinsville, Virginia. A win earns a free pass to race for the title in Homestead next month. A wreck, and then Texas and Phoenix get a lot more stressful. Eight contenders, but only four will be in the running when it counts.

    Among our Hot 20, Kevin Harvick has been best over the course of the season. That means nothing come Sunday.

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 4000 PTS
    Would have a 37 point lead if season-long points were still the determining factor…over Keselowski.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 4000 PTS
    If you see him in a photo with good friend Michael Jordan, Denny is the short one.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 4000 PTS
    Last year, he was the guy to beat coming out of Talladega…and so they did.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4000 PTS
    Four Cup wins, nine XFINITY triumphs, and a pair of truck flags…he will beat up on anybody.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 4000 PTS
    Harvick was just trying to help me with my contact lenses in pit road. What a pal!

    6. CARL EDWARDS – 4000 PTS
    Some days you race, and some days you ride. Guess what kind of day he had at Talladega.

    7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4000 PTS
    Eight-time Martinsville winner will duel one more time with 9-time…Jeff Gordon.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 4000 PTS
    Spent a lovely Sunday with Kyle and Carl, but he probably will need to race at Martinsville.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2191
    Driving a magic dragon last week. Its name was Puff.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2168 PTS
    Next year, Kansas replaces Talladega as the elimination race. Good for him, but boring for us.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2163 PTS
    His last win was back in August in Bristol’s Xfinity race.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2156 PTS
    His last win was back in February in Daytona’s Xfinity race.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 2155 PTS
    Sure, he won back in June in Pocono’s Xfinity race, but don’t forget that Cup win at Michigan.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2141 PTS
    Down to his final four.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2110 PTS
    23rd in the spring, but second last fall. Time to turn that frown upside down?

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2109 PTS
    A single win leaves Blaney, Bayne, Patrick, Menard, Biffle, Almirola, and Bowyer far behind him.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 803 PTS
    Hendrick drivers have won the past four Martinsville Chase races. Why not another?

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 794 PTS
    #noneckguysmatter

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 717 PTS
    Back among the cool kids after a good run at Talladega.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 717 PTS
    Second at Martinsville this spring gives hope for this fall run.

  • Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    On Sunday, we will have one of those races, on one of those tracks, that provides must-see action. While we have no announcers covering NASCAR today who you might tune in just to hear their description of the action, to hear them enhance the excitement, even those we got can not detract from the spectacle we shall witness on Sunday.

    Only former champions Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick come to Talladega feeling rather relaxed. Both have already advanced to the next round of the Chase, while Chase Elliott needs a win himself on Sunday to move forward. As for the nine others still in the mix, they need to either do well or avoid a disaster, and Talladega tends to foster concern for the latter. Good for the fans, but real worrisome for the competitors.

    NASCAR should be worried. My SpeedwayMedia.com colleague John Harlow made some interesting points in his recent column. He reminded us that NASCAR is still without a title sponsor for the Cup series next season, with Sprint hanging up the phone. They were hoping someone would bite for 10-years and a cool billion dollars. I once hoped Santa was real. Life can be so disappointing. John mentioned how the old guard of team owners is, well, getting old. It happens, but usually, new blood is seen rising up through the mist. Does anyone see the next Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush, or Richard Petty on the horizon? Me neither.

    When NASCAR decided to go Hollywood, to add some glitz and glamour, they did it at the expense of their blue collar, regular folk supporters. It would appear selling one’s soul for a big dollar while parking common sense is not a blueprint to long-term success. Maybe there is a glimmer of hope we might see some of the latter. There could be an announcement soon regarding the restriction of how many junior and truck circuit races Cup guys might be allowed to run. It is about damn time. It has been bad enough in the past, where elite drivers have been taking wins and attention away from the regulars racing off-Broadway. It is worse now that those wins and attention are coming in the midst of the Chase, which has been instituted for the first time in those divisions. A little common sense in dealing with the issue would be like a breath of fresh air. For some reason, I am not yet holding my breath waiting for it to actually happen.

    I am looking forward to Sunday. There are few races I really get excited about. There are the two at Talladega, the pair at Daytona, the two at Bristol, the Southern 500, the Brickyard 400, the World 600, the season conclusion at Homestead, and the two road courses. Those are races that promise to provide either magnificent action or at least they continue building on the sport’s rich heritage. Talladega, for me at least, provides both.

    Talladega can be a minefield. We watch to see who among our Hot 20 can navigate through its perils and emerge relatively unscathed on the other side.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (3082 Pts)
    Have a fun day at Talladega…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – SEGMENT WIN (3048 Pts)
    …then back to work in Martinsville.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 3074 PTS
    A 29 point pad would usually relax a guy…but not here.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3072 PTS
    Rarely a bride on the restrictor plate speedways, but usually in the wedding party.

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 3069 PTS
    23rd or better, and he is locked in. Now, if he can avoid an early “Big One” all could be good.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3062 PTS
    Race plans come down to one thing, and that is to not “run into anything too hard.”

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3058 PTS
    A gent with a small bladder has to go pee, the same problem with his car could leave him dry.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Austin, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Joey, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 3039 PTS
    Poor ole Brad wiggled in front of him, and then he wasn’t there anymore.

    11. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3038 PTS
    Just what in hell do they make the grass out of in Kansas City?

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3020 PTS
    Time to get his Ricky Bobby on.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2131 PTS
    It will be his 35th and final Talladega appearance.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2120 PTS
    Finished fifth in Kansas XFINITY race…with Logano fourth…and Kyle Busch the winner. I am so proud.

    15. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2090 PTS
    Just last year he was rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, at Talladega he got goin’.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2088 PTS
    Trails Larson in the battle for Ganassi bragging rights…which is all they have left.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 797 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Elliott this week. Watching Talladega Nights for ideas.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 767 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Dillon this week. Watching Death Race for ideas.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 686 PTS
    Staying the hell out of the way of both Kahne and Newman.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 682 PTS
    Ricky and Trevor are both within seven points, just in case you were interested.

  • Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Heading back to Charlotte, when you look at the Chase and compare it to the situation if they used the season-long standings to determine a champion, it is easy to see why we have a playoff format. It has all to do with generating interest. We want to know who is the best, but today we want the journey to at least be entertaining. Originally, the World Series was established to bring the two top teams from each league together, teams that had never played an inning against one another, to determine which was best. It was the only way to properly determine bragging rights.

    At least it provided some uncertainty as to which team ruled supreme, something to provide a little excitement for the fans at the end of the season. Imagine, a year before the modern World Series came into being. Imagine watching the National League pennant race of 1902 as Pittsburgh claimed the crown by 27.5 games over Brooklyn. They held a 4.5-game lead on May 9th, and never looked back. It was no doubt one hell of an exciting season if one happened to be a fan of the Pirates. It must have been a lot like watching Richard Petty in 1967 when he won 27 races and the rest were content with smelling his exhaust. Instead of drama, it was more a comedy for those who had to share the same tracks as the King that season.

    As for the Pirates, they won again in 1903, albeit by just 6.5 games over the New York Giants. This time the American League champion Boston Americans, the future Red Sox, challenged them and won. That upset some sensibilities, enough so that the Giants, who won the NL in 1904, refused to play the repeating AL champion Americans. That was then. Now we have 10 out of 30 teams playing extra games to challenge for the title in the fall. If there was more weight placed on determining which team was best, and less on the drama, no more than four would be playing at this time of year. Such is not the case.

    Sixteen started the Chase with some hope. That is now down to 12 as they pull into Charlotte. If we relied strictly on the season tally to award the trophy, it would already be down to Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick. Just two points would be separating them. Both could have sat out Saturday night’s race and still have been one-two in the standings come Monday. Hence, the Chase.

    Just ask Martin Truex Jr. if he likes this format. Ask six-time champ Jimmie Johnson. If it is of any consolation, the 12 best on the season remain in the Chase.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3000 PTS (947 Season Pts)
    Official standings are set by the best first round finish, and Brad’s best was fourth…twice.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3000 PTS (945)
    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I’m guessing that tire did not get any stronger.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 3000 PTS (888)
    If you upset someone, phone and talk about it. Maybe 2015 would have turned out differently.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3000 PTS (872)
    Recently was seen in the White House. Hell, I didn’t even realize he was running.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3000 PTS (867)
    Kicking ass in the final year of a contract is always a great idea.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3000 PTS (852)
    Big Cubs fan hoping his dreams and those of his favorite club both come together this year.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3000 PTS (851)
    If not for the Chase, his hot streak would be meaningless in terms of the championship.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 3000 PTS (844)
    Carl Edwards Jr. is a Cub reliever. No relation.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3000 PTS (787)
    New driver in that ole car and yet the same kind of results. That is how you follow a legend.

    10. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3000 PT (785)
    This time, it was a pit crew member who got caught speeding.

    11. MATT KENSETH – 3000 PTS (781)
    Three Top Tens, along with a pair of Top Fives, worked well in the opening round.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 3000 PTS (764)
    Ganassi misfortune worked to the advantage of the Childress grandson.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2074 PTS
    Cars too technical, sponsors so demanding, emotions too P.C…time to be just an owner.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2073 PTS
    Chip Ganassi had two cars in the Chase.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2053 PTS
    Today, Ganassi has the same number in the Chase as Jack Roush.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2045 PTS
    It was fun while it lasted.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 728 PTS
    If Best of the Rest was a thing, it would belong to Kasey. Not much consolation, I know.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 700 PTS
    Took batting practice with the Kansas City Royals, and looked like he belonged…in a race car.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 649 PTS
    Best damn name in sports.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 645 PTS
    Learning, gaining experience, but really did not need that blow-out to teach him anything new.

  • Buescher says being in the Chase has ‘been a good experience’

    Buescher says being in the Chase has ‘been a good experience’

    Asked how the experience of being in the Chase has been, Chris Buescher said it has “been a good experience.”

    Speaking to the media this morning at Dover International Speedway, the driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford spoke about the experience of being in the Chase.

    “It’s been a good experience,” Buescher said. “We’ve learned a lot through it. We look at Dover as the last race of this round and we really don’t have anything to lose. Chicago and Loudon weren’t the races that we wanted to have and we come into Dover, one of my favorite race tracks.

    “This should be a place where we can really have a good run and see if we can advance to that next round. It’s gonna be tough at this point, but this is probably our best race track out of this round, so I’m excited to get going.”

    Buescher earned his way into the Chase with a win in the rain-shortened Pennsylvania 400 during the summer at Pocono Raceway. He also earned a fifth-place finish in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August.

    During that same stretch of races, however, he’s finished 30th, 35th, 17th, 24th, 28th and 30th. He currently sits 16th in the Chase standings and 30 points out of the 12th place cutoff with this weekend being the first elimination race.

    In his first Cup start at the Monster Mile, he finished 18th four laps down. This time around, he’ll need to finish 11th or better to have a chance of advancing to the Round of 12.

    Despite the odds, Buescher said it’s a little nice to go into a race just worrying about getting the best finish possible.

    “It’s the racing that you’re able to do at the beginning of the year before you’re too worried about the points leading up to the Chase,” he added. “We’ve been in a lot of points racing situations over the last two years and to be able to have a handful where we can go out and like we said, we don’t really have anything to lose here today. All we have to do is gain, so, to me, it’s gonna make it to where we’re able to go out here and not worry about it, take some chances, try and utilize some risk and see if we can pull something off.”

  • Larson Fastest In Opening Sprint Cup Practice At Dover

    Larson Fastest In Opening Sprint Cup Practice At Dover

    In the opening Sprint Cup Series practice session on Friday morning, Kyle Larson ended up being the fastest at the Dover International Speedway.

    Larson’s lap at 165.578 mph was his final lap in the practice session as the No. 42 team was preparing for qualifying. Larson enters Dover as the last driver in a Chase advance spot, only five points ahead of teammate Jamie McMurray. Dover just happens to be one of Larson’s best racetracks; the young California driver has four top 10s in his five starts at Dover, including a close second to Matt Kenseth in the spring race earlier this season.

    The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Carl Edwards and Kenseth were second and third respectively. Ryan Newman was the best non-Chaser in fourth while 10-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson was fifth.

    The Chase drivers who stand to be eliminated from Round 1 of NASCAR’s playoffs didn’t fare very well. Austin Dillon was the highlight in ninth followed by McMurray in 16th. Tony Stewart was 24th and Chris Buescher, who sits 30 points out and needs a win to advance to the next round, struggled in 31st.

    Four drivers ran 10 consecutive laps in this session. Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch was the fastest, with an average speed of 159.336 mph. Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, was second and Dillon was third. Trevor Bayne, 27th on the overall chart, was the slowest of the four in fourth place. Busch was 28th on the speed chart, as the No. 18 team focused on race trim instead of qualifying trim.

    The practice started with a 15-minute delay due to rain. Rain is a major part of the forecast this weekend, with the Weather Channel reporting an 80 percent chance of rain on Saturday and a 60 percent chance of rain on Sunday.

     

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  • Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    I hate change. Even good change can take a while to be appreciated. I did not like the Chase when it came out. I do now. I am still perturbed brand names like Firecracker 400 and World 600 were kicked to the curb to make a sponsor happy who obviously had no appreciation for the traditions of the sport. Then again, neither does NASCAR.

    I am not happy that the cars of today no longer look stock, but they are safer and today’s version beats the hell out of the Car of Tomorrow monstrosities. I am bothered by torn down grandstands and hidden attendance figures. I like “Win and You are In,” so even a guy like Chris Buescher has a shot at the brass ring, but now it seems they want to change the size of the pit crew. I find that I do not like the idea all that much.

    NASCAR wants to help folks save money, which sounds good to you and me. However, if MLB or the NFL tried reducing their payroll by one to save a buck it probably would come across looking either cheap or desperate to aficionados. Instead of a pit crew of six, it could drop by one for next season. That is a position that maybe pays out between $1000 to $3000 per race, depending on the team and its performance expectations.

    If that guy is a tire changer, then who will put the tire on the hub for the guy with the wrench? Maybe the jackman has to reach over. Maybe he waits for the rest of the rubber to make its way over. Maybe we have 30-second stops. Maybe the tire guy carries two at a time. Maybe we finally have an opening for gorillas in NASCAR. Oh, safety is another concern, to reduce the number of folks out there on the asphalt. That excuse sounds so much better than “some racing teams are so tight for cash that one paycheck could make a difference.”

    Winning it all comes with a pretty good paycheck. However, to be eligible at Homestead, one has to still be in contention after Dover. Four more of our Hot 20 become also-rans as they reduce the number to 12 on Sunday.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2086 Pts)
    Sit on a guitar, then try to fit it through the templates. Harvick sat on his guitar in Chicago.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2071 Pts)
    Keelan is happy with another trophy, Dad is happy with his free pass to the next round.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2087 PTS
    If you drive hard, damage car, fail post-race inspection, you get penalized…or so he thought.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2085 PTS
    Not locked in, but a 33 point advantage sure beats hanging on by one.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2078 PTS
    Funny, when Logano once tried to pass Kenseth it did not work as well as it did for Harvick.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 2073 PTS
    To describe how bad his 11th place car was at Loudon, they had it put down right after the race.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2071 PTS
    Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep that damn tire from rolling…Hamlin got the raw end of that.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2070 PTS
    With 10 victories, the most by any driver ever at Dover

    9. CARL EDWARDS – 2068 PTS
    NASCAR claims Edwards has commitment issues…at least late at Loudon.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2068 PTS
    If this is what he can do at 20, imagine him with a bit more experience.

    11. KURT BUSCH – 2067 PTS
    First Top Five in 10 weeks sure came at the right time last Sunday.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2057 PTS
    In 10 Dover starts in Cup and XFINITY, his worst finish is 11th (June 1, 2014, Cup race).

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2052 PTS
    Beat Larson by six at Dover and mission accomplished…unless Jamie or Tony wins.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2052 PTS
    Take four fresh ones and then charge up the field…well, it sounded good in theory.

    15. TONY STEWART – 2046 PTS
    If Tony wins, he is in…or if he has a good day and the trio ahead of him do not.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2027 PTS
    Hey, it was fun while it lasted. Still, he got more coverage lately than Clint or Danica…

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 699 PTS
    …or Kasey, for that matter.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 676 PTS
    I hear there will be an opening with HScott Motorsports next season.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 642 PTS
    Decent year that saw Blaney drive his first full season for a team back to full-time after a decade.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 627 PTS
    JTG Daugherty Racing is not among the big boys in resources, so just being on this list is a win.

  • The Final Word – As we await the next great announcer, 16 will soon become 12 after Dover

    The Final Word – As we await the next great announcer, 16 will soon become 12 after Dover

    Mistakes. They happen. You just have to learn to overcome them, hopefully not to be repeated. On Sunday I made a mistake, and I know that it will never happen again.

    I listened to some of Vin Scully’s final broadcast for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then I turned the channel to listen to those describing the action for the race at New Hampshire. Big mistake. I went from an 88-year old icon describing the action, informing me with tidbits of information about the 18 players penciled in to the lineups, hitting me with trivia of all descriptions to keep me engaged even during the down times, and kept me glued to his every word and at the same time keeping up with the progress of the game. Scully was a true artist. You would think with 43 drivers, 43 crew chiefs, and 258 crew men, NASCAR announcers would have a vast canvas on which to paint their pictures.

    Be it baseball, football, or describing the action on the track, Scully is the template all should attempt to emulate. The action is often slow in developing, what is newsworthy might take a while to unfold, but you are never bored. You want to stay tuned so you did not miss anything, be it something on the field of play or just as likely some entertaining commentary that amused or educated.

    In NASCAR, Ken Squier did exactly that. A more contemporary team, in my opinion, was Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. They made me laugh, learn, and stay tuned to the broadcast. I did not want to miss a thing. Some wonder why I keep returning to this theme. Have you noticed anything changing for the better yet? You have your answer. I am tired of seeing fans leave, grandstands coming down, and attendance figures hidden away. Aren’t you?

    I think there are announcers out there who do a fine job but not near enough. If a radio or television station or network does not have one, they need to find such a wordsmith. Broadcast schools should produce such skilled practitioners of the art who through time and experience will become the verbal Rembrandts of their time, those who will keep us listening, watching, and caring. To fail to do so is a mistake.

    Kevin Harvick made no mistakes in Chicago, but he suffered misfortune to finish 20th. At Loudon, he suffered neither, got past the 20 of Matt Kenseth to punch his ticket to the Round of Twelve in the Chase. It was his 100th race for Stewart-Haas and his 11th victory for them.

    Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson all had good finishes. They were good enough to join Harvick among the Top Eight on the day. Kyle Larson was just out of the Top Ten, but that was good enough to move him back into contention for the next round. Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott had to settle for Top Fifteen finishes, but even they managed to increase their wiggle room in points.

    Things did not go so good for Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray, Tony Stewart, or Chris Buescher, as that quartet heads to Dover needing to make up some ground before the cut-off. There were no expectations for Buescher, who at 30 points in the weeds needs to win Sunday to advance. Stewart, on the other hand, is hoping to head off to retirement with a stronger challenge, but after finishing 23rd last weekend he is 11 points out. With Dillon and McMurray only five out, he would need to leapfrog ahead of them both and still catch Larson to do it without taking the checkered flag.

    Stewart won at Dover just over three years ago, so it might be a mistake to count him out just yet. However, since that victory, Johnson had taken three there, with Harvick, Kenseth, and the semi-retired Jeff Gordon with the others. In fact, 10 of Johnson’s 77 career decisions have come at Dover. Betting against him this Sunday might prove to be the bigger mistake.