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Tag: Clint Bowyer

  • Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Wins mean everything, but doing well in the stages and coming home close to the front seems pretty important also this season. Last week, Matt Kenseth finished ninth, yet lost ground by 30 points to race winner Martin Truex Jr. in Las Vegas alone.

    The maximum number of points one can get, what Truex received last week, is 60, and that includes a win and pass to the Chase. By claiming both stages and finishing second a driver would up their count by 55, and that would be enough to move any driver from nothing to something in a hurry. This is especially true when you remember that sometimes a good driver could end up with just one single point on the day, but enough about Kevin Harvick.

    Most of our leaders should enjoy their time in Phoenix if their histories can give us a clue. Do not expect much from Truex, Kasey Kahne, or Jamie McMurray. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, should move up and just maybe come next week Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be back on this list.

    A win would do it, and Junior did win at Phoenix in 2015. Joey Logano won there last fall. As for Harvick, he is the man. Eight victories, six of the past nine on this track, on one he has at least one victory in each of the past four seasons. I think we just found our favorite for Sunday.

    The points would be nice, but after giving it away in Atlanta, for Harvick, a win would mean everything.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 132 PTS
    Stay relevant, stay close, pass Truex…damn, damn, damn.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 127 PTS
    If you were wondering about that voodoo doll in the form of the No. 2…now you know.

    3. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 93 PTS
    No attempt to hit Joey, but managed to beat on the wall, and was left wanting to beat on his car.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 131 PTS
    Who does a guy have to fight in order to get some recognition by the mainstream?

    5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 129 PTS
    Fifth at Atlanta. Third at Las Vegas. The arithmetic sequence points to good things for Phoenix.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 119 PTS
    “Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time.”

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 106 PTS
    It is early, but this car is again reminding us that this was the ride of Pearson and Bonnett.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK – 92 PTS
    There is video showing Harvick was indeed at Las Vegas…mostly playing the slots in the garage.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 88 PTS
    Being surprisingly consistent, with three top dozens, is a real good thing for Kahne.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 86 PTS
    After the Daytona wreck, a pair of Top Tens gives Ganassi organization two high fliers.

    11. TREVOR BAYNE – 82 PTS
    After Edwards left, Roush needed a star in one of his seats. He just might have one.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 73 PTS
    You will find Kurt, Kevin, and Clint on this chart. As for Danica, Ty Dillon is a better bet.

    13. MATT KENSETH – 71 PTS
    Finishes ninth and drops 30 points to Truex in Las Vegas. You just got to love the points system.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 70 PTS
    Back to a single car operation after nearly 20 seasons with a duo. So far, so good…sort of.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 68 PTS
    A Top Ten at Las Vegas was a hell of a lot better result than his run at Atlanta.

    16. PAUL MENARD – 62 PTS
    Childress drivers have won five times at Phoenix. Neither of those boys drive for him today.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 59 PTS
    Swinging at Joey doesn’t work, berating him has limited effect, but as for a kiss…stay tuned.

    18. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 55 PTS
    Oh, there you are, Jimmie. 31 of those 55 points came to him last Sunday.

    19. KYLE BUSCH – 50 PTS
    “Oops, I did it again,”

    20. ERIK JONES – 49 PTS
    39th, 14th, 15th…it is a learning thing for the 20-year-old.

    20. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 49 PTS
    Not exactly burning up the track, but he wasn’t even on this list last week.

  • Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

    Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

    Stewart-Haas Racing cars were the class of the field the first two races of the season, with a win in the Daytona 500 by Kurt Busch and most laps led in both the 500 and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway by Kevin Harvick. Unfortunately, a 10th-place finish by Clint Bowyer was the highlight of a lousy day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the four-car organization.

    But even Bowyer admitted that was a struggle.

    “To be truthful, we weren’t the best all weekend, but we just kept digging,” he said after the race. “(Mike) Bugga didn’t give up on the box and kept adjusting on it and got me pretty good, the best we’d been right there at the end. It’s a top-10 and gives us some momentum. It’s our third race together and we got a top-10, so we’ve got to keep digging.”

    Kurt Busch dealt with electrical issues that forced him to pit and change batteries with 66 laps to go. He finished in 30th place, four laps down.

    “Obviously it wasn’t the day we were hoping to have with our Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion,” Busch said. “We didn’t have the long-run speed or the balance, and we had an electrical issue that forced us to change batteries on pit road. We kept battling, we didn’t give up. I hoped to have a better run here in front of the hometown fans.”

    The other two SHR cars didn’t make it to the finish.

    Exiting the tri-oval on lap 68, Kevin Harvick suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the wall. He said the tire started vibrating four or five laps prior and was he trying to nurse it to the end of the stage.

    He was critical of the response time by American Medical Response.

    “The worst part was the medical response. It took them forever to get to the car,” Harvick said. “I thought we made that better, but obviously we haven’t.”

    He finished 38th and lost the points lead.

    With 16 to go, Danica Patrick’s engine expired on the frontstretch, relegating her to a 36th-place finish.

    “We just got the car to a place where I think we could have got a little more racy with it,” Patrick said, “especially if we would have caught some breaks, but then it just flattened out. I just rode around the top in case I blew up, but having a teammate behind me was not ideal for the timing of it, but unfortunately it happened. We’ll just move on.”

  • Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    One thing that pops out at you are some of the unfamiliar names among our Hot 20 after a couple of races. Even more so, all the familiar names not there.

    No Jimmie Johnson. No Kyle Busch. No Dale Earnhardt Jr. It is early, and a couple of stage wins at Las Vegas could move them up. A win certainly would, but for now, their usual places are being held by someone else.

    One is a definite Hall of Famer. Hell, they all are, especially when you consider that every eligible driver with 25 wins or more is already there, with the exception of Jim Paschal. I would expect that 25 race winner to make it soon enough. Just not this year. This week, the nominees for the class of 2018 were announced.

    I thought I knew who I would vote for. Then I saw all the names, and it got a bit complicated. For one, just where in hell is Smokey Yunick’s name? A legendary mechanic, builder, and crew chief who came up with innovations that prompted NASCAR’s rule book to come up with restrictions to counter them. You know all those templates the cars need to fit today? You can blame Smokey for that. To say that he was not a fan of the France family is a bit of an understatement. The fact Yunick remains off the ballot would seem to indicate the feeling was mutual…and still is. That is a damned shame.

    Who would I put in? Broadcaster Ken Squier, without hesitation. NASCAR still awaits his successor, the voice that you can just lean back and ride along with on a summer afternoon as you tinker with your own wheels out on the driveway under a blue sky. As for the other nominees, as I said, it gets complicated. Is 25 wins a benchmark for drivers, or do other factors come into play, such as a championship or a tragic loss? How do we determine which owner, which crew chief, what engine builder is deserving? How much weight do you give to those in Cup, compared to other NASCAR series? A lot of deserving names, popular choices, but which five to be included in the Class of 2018? You could say that to try and forecast the outcome is going to be a bit of a crap shoot.

    They are used to that, I guess, in Las Vegas, as the gambler’s paradise is going to get a second race next season. Okay, but where was it going to come from? It makes sense economically to put another event in a town that is just one great big attraction itself. Just as long as it did not take away from a track that features action most love to watch. Not Daytona, Not Talladega, Not Bristol. Instead, the Magic Mile of Loudon, New Hampshire loses its September date after a 21-year run. It was a transfer between two properties owned by Speedway Motorsports’ Bruton Smith, who himself is a Hall of Famer.

    One good bet is that Smith will be joined in the Hall, some day, by the first three names you see among our Hot 20 heading into Las Vegas.

    1. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 86 PTS
    Forget yoga, as nothing relaxes a driver more than a Daytona 500 win and a pass to the Chase.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 84 PTS
    Dear Kevin: Many thanks. Love, Brad.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 90 PTS
    Dear Brad: Kiss my butt. Love, Kevin.

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 82 PTS
    Not a question of if, but when. He is the “next one.”

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 80 PTS
    When it comes to Las Vegas, Joey is great…but has yet to seal the deal.

    6. KYLE LARSON – 79 PTS
    Low, low, high, goodbye. Atlanta could have been different if only…

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 67 PTS
    For him, Las Vegas is more like a Kansas song. You know, “Dust in the Wind.”

    8. KASEY KAHNE – 63 PTS
    According to this chart, the second best damn driver for Hendrick.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 63 PTS
    Team was born in 1950. The Legend was born in 1953. The driver was born in 1993.

    10. TREVOR BAYNE – 58 PTS
    Performance Plus is the sponsor. Performance plus is what they are looking for on Sunday.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 49 PTS
    Once trailed Allmendinger until A.J.’s 35 point penalty for his lack of lug nuts at Atlanta.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 47 PTS
    Some say not a good fantasy pick at the moment. To be honest, I’ve never fantasized about him.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 46 PTS
    After the last couple of years, this is just freaking awesome!

    14. PAUL MENARD – 44 PTS
    Name his sponsor. Wrong. It is Valvoline…and Menards.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 41 PTS
    Along with Jimmie, Junior, Kasey, and Trevor, he likes to ride bicycles. Manly bicycles.

    16. COLE WHITT – 38 PTS
    Good start for TriStar Motorsports and its 25-year old wheel man. Can he keep the No. 72 up there?

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 37 PTS
    17th trip to Las Vegas, but third is the best he has done (2015).

    18. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 37 PTS
    Ninth at Daytona. 28th at Atlanta. A betting man might not like his odds for Sunday.

    19. DENNY HAMLIN – 37 PTS
    A messed up rear end (on the car, not the driver) ruined his march down to Georgia.

    20. LANDON CASSILL – 36 PTS
    Thanks A.J.

  • The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    So, you want a car just like the one that won the Daytona 500, eh? Well, you get yourself a sparkling new Ford Fusion. Splash it up with some red on the hood, and basic black the rest of the way around. Polish it up so it is real shiny and pretty. Then take a Louisville Slugger and beat on that beauty from stem to stern. Just to make it more authentic, squeeze it up tight against the right door frame of the garage as you put it to bed. Now…splash beer and some Monster Energy drink all over the sucker, and you will be living the Kurt Busch Daytona experience.

    One lap is all he led in a car that was among 35 that had suffered some damage in some wreck over the course of the day. In the end, Ryan Blaney wanted a piece of him, but the gap only got wider as they came to the line. Chase Elliott wanted it bad, but a car does not run so good when it is out of fuel on the final lap. Kyle Larson’s entry coughed and sputtered, and that allowed the Busch ship to set sail for Victory Lane. For the newly married former Cup champ, this marked his first win on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Things did not go so well for his younger brother. Kyle Busch was among a crew that pitted early, then tucked back in at the tail of the lead lap, just in front of leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. When a rear tire blew, Busch went for a spin and while Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth then piled up into him, Earnhardt clipped the wreckage to remove his front right fender to end the day for the quartet.

    Next week, you might notice some pulled threads that once held the logo on a certain driver’s fire suit, the logo just above the big M&M endorsement. They might be a sponsor for now, but post-wreck Kyle had an observation he wished to share with the world.

    “Obviously Goodyear tires are not very good holding air,” he remarked. “So, it’s very frustrating when we have that down here every single year we’ve been here.” A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

    Fifteen cars were left on the lead lap. Ten others were still running. Fifteen more were parked in the garage. Under the new rules, if you could not return to pit road and make repairs using original parts and racing tape in five minutes, your race is over. Along with Busch, Jones, Kenseth, and Earnhardt, there was Junior’s nephew Jeffrey Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, the couple of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher, and D.J. Kennington. Make that thirteen Americans, a Mexican, and a Canadian.

    Might I suggest that NASCAR introduce a new experience for their fans? They pay to watch the race from a suite, and all drivers out of the race then join them. That would have been one hell of a room at Daytona, but I wonder if they had a venue large enough.

    One complaint. No, it is not about the stages, which were won by Rowdy Busch and Kevin Harvick. I did not really mind the format, to be honest. However, as I am intelligent enough to remember what series I am watching, maybe return the names of the drivers to the windshield instead of “Monster Energy.” I thought doing so a few years back was a nice gesture to help fans identify who was who even if the car number was not visible. I wonder whose idea it was to rescind that nice gesture in favor of extra splash for the sponsor?

    For Monster Energy, it was a good beginning for them. Even the car they sponsor won the race. Now, there are some who do not think this was racing. Maybe they are right. However, it was damned entertaining television. Let us hope that Sunday in Atlanta is just as memorable, if not a little kinder on the folks who have to deal with the carnage back at the shop.

  • Hot 20 – The preliminaries are over and it is now time to get racing for real at Daytona

    Hot 20 – The preliminaries are over and it is now time to get racing for real at Daytona

    Sorry, but this column is arriving a day later than my usual Thursday date. Of course, it has something to do with the race that gives me the data to mess around with did not take place until Thursday. It is not my fault.

    So, why do I feel so impelled to share my witticisms when I could have just taken the day off? Well, for the first time since 1982, I can discuss who the hottest drivers are leading into the Daytona 500. Prior to this, there were no points, no benchmarks as to who was hot and who was not, other than to discuss the Daytona weather. I can tell you, sometimes that is not hot at all. I froze my arse off watching Kevin Harvick win the damn thing 10 years ago.

    No, this year we have drivers who have earned points that reflect in the standings, thanks to the awarding, for the first time ever, points for the Duels. Winning one of them has meant that a pair of drivers will enter the Daytona 500 as the co-points leader with the chap who won the other Duel. Only was 10th? You have a big point already in the bank account, along with that 10th place driver over in the other Duel.

    Without any further adieu, here are our Hot 20 as determined yesterday on the track as they prepare for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

    1. Chase Elliott – 10 pts
    What was the name of that guy he replaced?

    1. Denny Hamlin – 10 pts 
    Obviously, does not mind hurting the feelings of Junior’s fans.

    3. Clint Bowyer – 9 pts
    Good things happen when you have a good car to do them in.

    3. Jamie McMurray – 9 pts
    Is this the year for Dimples to shine?

    5. Kurt Busch – 8 pts
    Newly married and being sued. Being Kurt is not boring.

    5. Kevin Harvick – 8 pts
    His backup driver won’t be five until July.

    7. AJ Allmendinger – 7 pts
    Like a magician, he appeared out of nowhere.

    7. Brad Keselowski – 7 pts
    First career Cup win was at Talladega, so of course, he did well here.

    9. Austin Dillon – 6 pts
    Driving under the right number to do great things.

    9. Matt Kenseth – 6 pts
    Only member of that old Roush gang still competing.

    11. Trevor Bayne – 5 pts
    It has been six years since his lone Cup win at…where was that again?

    11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 5 pts
    It has been awhile, but this guy seems rather familiar.

    13. Danica Patrick – 4 pts
    Between her and Ricky, 301 Cup starts, zero wins. The time is now.

    13. Martin Truex Jr. – 4 pts
    New season, new teammate, but 2016 results were not bad, either.

    15. Ryan Newman – 3 pts
    Good thing one wins by a fender, not by a neck.

    15. Aric Almirola – 3 pts
    Teammates…he don’t need no stinkin’ teammates.

    17, Joey Logano – 2 pts
    What is not to love about Joey…oh, let me count the ways.

    17. Kyle Larson – 2 pts
    If he keeps over the wall crew within acceptable numbers, he’ll be okay.

    19. Cole Whitt – 1 pt
    The lad is a ginger, and I’m not lion.

    20. Ty Dillon – 1pt
    First time ever on this chart. Take a bow, young man.

  • The Final Word – NASCAR is back, but what gives with that points system?

    The Final Word – NASCAR is back, but what gives with that points system?

    A new season dawns upon us this weekend, with the Clash at Daytona this Saturday, to be followed by Sunday qualifying for the Daytona 500. After a couple of months sitting around watching world events and gleefully upsetting some with my witty political commentary, it is back to things involving gears and grease. So, much happen since we last chatted?

    A new points system; well, that ought to be great. Right? Wrong. Let me illustrate. Bob finishes first after the first 60 laps of the Daytona 500. He gets 10 points for doing so. Bob is sitting first after 120 laps. He gets another 10 points. Bob finishes the race, lap 200, in 21st. Bob gets an additional 16 points. Then there is Bill. He finishes the first segment in 11th. No points for Bill. Same thing after the second segment. Then over the final laps of the race, Bill is right up there challenging for the win. Bill falls just short. Bill gets 35 points for finishing second. Bob, when you add it all up, finishes 21st yet he has 36 points, one more point than Bill, who finished the race in second. Sounds just bloody wonderful. What is not to like, eh?

    Pardon me, but I am Canadian, which not only explains the “eh” but also my apology. The Duels will award from 1 to 10 points to the top 10 finishers in each race to count in the season standings. There are changes to how playoff points are awarded, but more on that later. It still comes down to win a race, more than likely make the Chase, and that is all that matters for the moment.

    No Canadians among Cup drivers. No Tony Stewart. No Jeff Gordon…but didn’t we say that last year? No Greg Biffle, at least for the time being. No Carl Edwards. No one seems exactly sure if he is just sitting one out or looking for a seat in the U.S. Senate. I wonder how secure Sen. Claire McCaskill, who comes up for re-election in 2018, is feeling these days?

    We have Clint Bowyer back in a real car, replacing Stewart. Daniel Suarez sits in for Edwards. Chris Buescher kind of replaces Biffle, in a car with ties to Jack Roush and JTG Daugherty Racing. Erik Jones sits in a brand new ride as the long-awaited teammate for Martin Truex Jr. Oh, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is back from his medically enforced vacation. That pretty much covers those who matter…at least those who matter at the moment.

    Wreck a car, park a car. No new shiny noses. No new rear or side panels. You have five minutes to fix the beast on pit row, and if that does not do the trick, a driver’s day is done. Bad news for him, great news for those poor sots back in the garage. If the car is wrecked, it is Miller Time.

    Sorry. I mean, Monster Energy time! Sprint hung up, and now we have a new title sponsor. Of course, for me it was Cup and it remains Cup. If you raced five years in Cup, you are limited to just 10 races in the junior circuit and seven in the trucks this season. They race none of those circuits’ Chase races. See, not all changes are bad. Some are downright about time.

    Still, that points system kind of sucks. Maybe it is just me. By the way, it is good to have you back.

  • The View From My Recliner: Pre-Clash Edition

    The View From My Recliner: Pre-Clash Edition

    After taking the holidays to recharge and fight this never ending cold, it’s time to park myself in the recliner and share my view of what is going on in the world of NASCAR.

    To be honest, the view right now is foggy at best. There are a ton of questions that need to be answered. Some we will never find out the true answer (How long is the contract with Monster Energy and how much did they pay to sponsor the premiere series?) and many others we will find out on the track.

    Last year, the Charter system was going to help give owners something tangible for their teams if they decide to get out. This off-season, we have watched so many charters move around that it is hard to figure out who actually owns charters.

    According to NASCAR.com, here is the updated charter shuffle as we get close to the Clash.

    Premium Motorsports sold this Charter to Furniture Row Racing for its second team, the No. 77. In 2016, the Charter was leased by the No. 46 team of HScott Motorsports.

    Richard Petty Motorsports is leasing the No. 44 Charter to the No. 32 team of Go Fas Racing in 2017 and Roush Fenway Racing will lease the No. 16 Charter to JTG Daugherty Racing’s newly formed second team (No. 37) in 2017.

    Near the end of the 2016 season, Tommy Baldwin Racing sold its Charter to Leavine Family Racing.

    HScott Motorsports’ No. 15 Charter was sold to Premium Motorsports and Go Fas Racing is leasing the No. 32 Charter to the No. 21 team of Wood Brothers Racing.

    Circle Sport and The Motorsports Group merged operations to field the No. 33 team with the Charter Circle Sport had. In 2016, Circle Sport partnered with Leavine Family Racing to field the No. 95 for the season.

    BK Racing sold the No. 83 Charter to Front Row Motorsports, who is leasing the Charter to TriStar Motorsports for the 2017 season.

    This charter shuffling makes me worry about the sport’s future. That is something we can attack later in the season.

    Three big questions in 2017:

    1. Will the new even lower downforce package help the racing product?
    2. How big are the sponsor issues at Stewart-Haas Racing with plenty of inventory available on the 10 and 14 cars?
    3. Will there be a surprise driver who makes the playoffs like Chris Buescher did in 2016?

    Three things I think will happen:

    1. Dodge will announce they will return to the sport with a surprise team in the lead of the effort.
    2. Danica Patrick will be replaced at Stewart-Haas Racing by Matt Kenseth.
    3. William Byron replaces Kasey Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports, Erik Jones replaces Kenseth at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kahne replaces Jones at Furniture Row Racing.

    Enjoy the wreck fest this Saturday and we’ll talk next week with my thoughts on the Clash and the new race formats.

  • Hot 20 – If dreams do come true, why not a Dale Earnhardt 500 at Talladega?

    Hot 20 – If dreams do come true, why not a Dale Earnhardt 500 at Talladega?

    With more than a month left in the old year, talk about the new is already starting to dominate. Tony Stewart is now retired, with Clint Bowyer no doubt thrilled at the chance to get back into quality equipment as his replacement. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting ready to return to racing, though that message from fiance Amy Reimann seems to indicate he never really left. Greg Biffle has left Jack Roush after all these years, with his old ride apparently being put on blocks for next season.

    Dear NASCAR: Please start branding your races so they might one day become stand alone marquee events. Along with the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400, change it back to the World 600 at Charlotte and summertime should mark the Firecracker 400 at Daytona. While we are at it, who would not want to win at Talladega, taking the Hellmann’s Dale Earnhardt 500, or STP’s Richard Petty 500 at Martinsville? A Ridgeway grandfather clock with the King’s face on the face. Hey, it is not our circus, but we have grown fond of some of the monkeys.

    Jimmie Johnson has another trinket to keep polished. NASCAR, in its stupidity, has few iconic events, we know, but Johnson has won them all. Daytona 500? Twice. Southern 500? Twice. World 600? Four times. Brickyard 400? Four more. Ten-time winner at Dover. Nine at Martinsville. Did anyone mention seven Cup championships? Is it too early to wonder about an eighth? Jimmie Johnson is a living, breathing active iconic legend of the sport. Enjoy him while we can.

    Most athletes are done by the time they hit 40. NASCAR is lucky in that way, but even at that age folks start asking the drivers “how much longer?” once they hit the milestone. Johnson, Junior, Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick have already reached the peak of that mountain. The good news is that young gents such as Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Dillon have already arrived, with Ty Dillon coming soon, along with the likes of Erik Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. Those are just the ones with decent rides, either at this level or the one just below. Like XFINITY champ Daniel Suarez, for instance.

    Elliott, Cup’s top rookie, turns 21 within the week. There are 50 drivers younger than him with some experience in the Cup, XFINITY, Camping World, or ARCA series. Harrison Burton finished 22nd in a truck race, third in an ARCA event. Jeff Burton’s boy turned 16 in October. Cole Custer does not turn 19 until January, yet was 10th best in the trucks this season, with a pair of XFINITY Top Tens to his credit in just five attempts. Tomorrow’s stars are coming.

    Let us not rush things, though. 2016 gave us a nice mix of seasoned veterans and fuzzy-cheeked talent, as our Hot 20 bears out.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON (5 WINS – 11 T5 – 16 T10) 5040 PTS
    Gunning for eight in 2017. What, too soon?

    2. JOEY LOGANO (3-16-26) 5037 PTS
    I will never forget what he and Brittany did to honor the family of Jake Leatherman.

    3. KYLE BUSCH (4-17-25) 5035 PTS
    If NASCAR was Canadian, would Kyle be sponsored by Smarties?

    4. CARL EDWARDS (3-9-18) 5007 PTS
    Not at the front of the field in the end, but left as the class of the field.

    5. MATT KENSETH (2-8-19) 2330 PTS
    With the Biff leaving, that ole Roush gang have now all departed for greener pastures.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN (3-12-22) 2320 PTS
    Average finish over the final 21 races was 8.5. Thirtieth at Charlotte ruined everything.

    7. KURT BUSCH (1-9-21) 2296 PTS
    Was better in the first half than the second. The good news is that 2017 begins with the first half.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK (4-17-27) 2289 PTS
    Best damn driver in NASCAR this season is a champion…just not for this year.

    9. KYLE LARSON (1-10-15) 2288 PTS
    Second-best 20-something driver this season, and seems to have designs on #1 in the next.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT (0-10-17) 2285 PTS
    Not all Rookies of the Year are stellar choices, but this one most definitely is.

    11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. (4-8-17) 2271 PTS
    Next year, Erik Jones becomes his new teammate. If the boy wins, soda pop for everyone.

    12. BRAD KESELOWSKI (4-16-22) 2267 PTS
    Brad does not think the format led to great racing last week. Brad did not have my television.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY (0-2-12) 2231 PTS
    Joined by Larson, McMurray gave boss Chip Ganassi a pair in the Top Five last Sunday.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON (0-4-13) 2223 PTS
    Some wags figure if Woody from Toy Story drove in NASCAR, he would look a lot like Austin.

    15. TONY STEWART (1-5-8) 2211 PTS
    As iconic as Johnson, Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, L. Petty, Pearson, Yarborough and Waltrip

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER (1-2-2) 2169 PTS
    Proof that one race can make a season.

    17. KASEY KAHNE (0-3-13) 898 PTS
    2004’s top rookie teams with a seven-time champ, a 13-time most popular, and 2016’s top rookie.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN (0-2-10) 895 PTS
    If he had actually been driving a Caterpillar, the car would have looked better after last Sunday.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER (0-2-9) 830 PTS
    If getting the wave around works good enough to claim eighth at Homestead, why not?

    20. RYAN BLANEY (0-3-9) 812 PTS
    Turns 23 on New Year’s Eve. Talk about welcoming in a new year twice at the same party.

  • Hot 20 – Here is hoping for a little Sunday excitement in Kansas…or a bottle of wine in my fridge.

    Hot 20 – Here is hoping for a little Sunday excitement in Kansas…or a bottle of wine in my fridge.

    Usually, when a sport enters its playoff phase, there is news galore. While the Blue Jays, Indians, Cubs, and either the Nationals or Dodgers, continue in their quest for a World Series crown, the excitement seems a bit, well, subdued in NASCAR.

    That is not to say there is no news. Ryan Newman got a contract extension from Richard Childress, so he will continue to drive for them. So, Ty Dillon will either drive a new entry, if they get the sponsorship, or Grandpa leaves him in the minors for another year.

    What goes on when the sun goes down? Other than Jeff Gordon trying to finish a race by candlelight last November, not much of anything at Martinsville. In time for its 70th season next year, lights are going up.

    So, there is news. With Clint Bowyer set to return to decent equipment as Tony Stewart’s replacement, we seem a bit slim on the silly season news front. The big dogs seem all set to stay in their respective kennels for 2017.

    XFINITY driver Daniel Suarez dropped by the White House as NASCAR’s rep for National Hispanic Month. Jamie McMurray talked to some submariners in Connecticut. Yes, nothing but thrilling stuff.

    Dorothy and her little mutt might not be there, but the rest of us will be focusing our attention and our ruby reds on Kansas. Jimmie Johnson is locked into the next round, and thanks to Denny Hamlin’s expiring engine last week, all 12 of our contenders are still within hailing distance of advancing.

    Here is hoping excitement in the form of some great racing action is coming our way this Sunday. I do not know if it is the bit of snow on the ground, the sub-freezing temps outside my house, our ongoing kitchen renovation, or the crown that popped off my tooth, but I could use some excitement about now of the good kind. I am feeling like a politician in mid-rant. You know a case of the blah, blah, blahs.

    I am relying on a few folks from among our Hot 20 to deliver a few thrills this weekend in Kansas.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (3045 Pts)
    His search for a seventh Heaven comes down now to Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix, and Miami.

    2. MATT KENSETH – 3040 PTS
    Being at the back only allows you see exactly where you plan to be going.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 3036 PTS
    While some were being splattered with fertilizer, he overcame an early tire issue to finish sixth.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3034 PTS
    With his cushion, he plans “to just go and lay up at Kansas.” Ask Hamlin how that worked out.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 3033 PTS
    “Charlotte has turned into Talladega.” Well, Talladega-lite, maybe.

    6. CARL EDWARDS – 3029 PTS
    For a good portion of the race, he thought he was blowing up. Twelfth seemed pretty good after that.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3028 PTS
    As God is my witness, I thought turkeys could fly…and my bump would help Austin.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 3012 PTS
    Tried to avoid the drama, but drama found him, to the joy of four of his competitors.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3009 PTS
    When Rowdy zigged, Chase got zagged.

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 3009 PTS
    Sometimes no help is the best help of all.

    11. JOEY LOGANO – 3006 PTS
    Just in case you missed his tire going down and him finding the wall, he did it again.

    12. KEVIN HARVICK – 3004 PTS
    Thanking Hamlin would not be appropriate, but his blown engine deserves a good ole hug.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 2109 PTS
    Now he gets a Top Five. It would have been nicer had he recorded that a week earlier.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2106 PTS
    His exit is similar to that of Big Papi. Both made the dance, but the music ended far too soon.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2084 PTS
    A second-straight Chase season no longer enough, as Dimples wants to go deeper in 2017.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2070 PTS
    Clint did not win. Danica did not win. Greg did not win. Paul did not win…but Chris did.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 766 PTS
    Too late to matter, but finishing third anywhere at any time has to mean something.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 738 PTS
    Is a new sponsor coming for a new entry, or is Ty is going to have to deal with disappointment?

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 658 PTS
    Does having a good points race really matter? Well, you don’t see A.J. on this list, now do you.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 655 PTS
    OMG…Ryan just met Sam Elliott. Hey, Chase is cool…but I’m talking about Sam Bloody Elliott!

  • The Final Word – If Buescher was using the good stuff at Michigan, Ford owes him an apology

    The Final Word – If Buescher was using the good stuff at Michigan, Ford owes him an apology

    It is not complicated. Win and you are in the Chase. Do not, and you better be one of the better three of the rest, and even then only one might slip through. At Michigan on Sunday, Kyle Larson punched his ticket with the first Cup win of the 24-year old driver’s career. To say he was pumped would have been an understatement as he jumped into the arms of his crew with checkered flag in hand.

    Two races to go, 16 advance, and 13 of the spots have been spoken for. Or is it 12? Maybe 13. That brings us to the curious case for the Chase of Chris Buescher. With just the Penske pairing of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano locked in, Ford would sure like Buescher to join them. We hear Roush had taken the boy to their bosom, put him in a top notch chassis and gave him the best engines they got. Then the damn thing started sputtering on the fourth lap. The fourth. Maybe the agency should have held out for a Penske adoption.

    As mentioned, the other dozen drivers with wins under their belt this season are locked in. After Buescher sputtered his way around to finish seven laps down in 35th position, he used up some of his cushion over David Ragan. Over the season, Ragan is ranked 31st. He is seven points behind the 30th rated Buescher, and if he catches up at Darlington then Buescher’s pass to the Chase due to his Pocono win would get torn up.

    Ryan Newman just became a big fan of Ragan. He sits 17th on the season. While he is 27 points behind Michigan runner-up Chase Elliott, 21 off of Austin Dillon’s pace, he does sit just 15 behind bubble boy Jamie McMurray. However, if Buescher loses his ticket, Newman pops up a position to claim it as his own. Of course, he could go to Darlington and win that damn thing and take all the guess work out of it.

    Come to think of it, 12 are locked in, four more currently hold a spot, while up to 18 others have at least a mathematical shot at winning and advancing heading into this weekend. They really do. Sure, Newman has better odds than Kasey Kahne, but both are ahead of the likes of Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer. Yet, all are still in it, if you go by math and ignore reality. I mean, even Brian Scott, with a win and a charge into the Top 30 himself, can still do it.

    All it takes is a win. Maybe some rain at the right time. Just ask Chris Buescher. Now, if he could just get his hands on some of the Ford good stuff for Darlington.