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Tag: Clint Bowyer

  • Hot 20 – A Senior Driver Leads the Pack into Dover as Others Prepare to Ride into the Sunset

    Hot 20 – A Senior Driver Leads the Pack into Dover as Others Prepare to Ride into the Sunset

    Time can bring us many wonderful memories, but it comes with change. Most of us are not all that fond of change. Once we watched the likes of Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt and the Alabama Gang take to the track, to thrill us with their exploits. That was then. Time changed that.

    Jeff Gordon prepares to enter his 790th consecutive Cup race, but time is ticking down on his great Hall of Fame career. Tony Stewart has one more season left in him, then he goes to the sidelines. NASCAR gives us a little more time for most of our favorites than other sports, where our heroes are usually finished by the time they hit 40. Still, even in NASCAR, it is an age when the countdown seems to begin, whether we like it or not.

    We have Greg Biffle, 45, and Matt Kenseth, 43, getting up there. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson both are now 40. Next season, so will Kevin Harvick. Sure, there is always a Chase Elliott working his way up, or an Erik Jones, but we treasure those who we cheered for in our youth, then for those our own age who claimed our support, then we watch those even younger than ourselves hanging them up. Damned time.

    Nothing makes a person feel older than when one of the kids decides to retire. We might find some solace in that one of those seniors is leading the pack heading into Dover this weekend. A senior. I was already driving when that old fossil was born. At least I can still do the same number of backflips that I could do forty years ago.

    I wonder what it is like to do a backflip?

    Here are our Hot 20 heading to their date with the Monster Mile.

    1. MATT KENSETH – CHASE WIN
    You do not have to be the most dominant as long as you finish first.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – CHASE WIN
    First at Chicago, second at Loudon. Is Hamlin trying to tell us something?

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2089 POINTS
    A Top 30 finish is all he needs to move on.

    4. JOEY LOGANO – 2089
    As long as it isn’t in a first lap wreck, staying up with Edwards should do the trick.

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2083
    A visit to Dover and an 11th win on the Monster Mile would be lovely at this time of year.

    6. RYAN NEWMAN – 2074
    How did he end up way up here?

    7. KURT BUSCH – 2073
    Minimal success, with minimal problems, just might work in the Challenger round.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2072
    Jumped a re-start, was running second at the first turn, then 24th after the penalty.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2071
    I’m thinking a move to Toyota sure beats a move to Volkswagen about now. Just sayin’.

    10. JEFF GORDON – 2068
    The length of Gordon’s Cup career is about to turn 790 races long, with no interruptions.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2058
    It is time for McMurray to McDrive his arse off.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 2057
    Driving with an empty bladder is a joy for us, not so much late in the race in NASCAR.

    13. PAUL MENARD – 2056
    Can a driver with a single career Cup win really be a serious candidate for the championship?

    14. KYLE BUSCH – 2056
    Damn tire. Damn wall.

    15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2034
    Dear Kyle: It could be worse.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 2018
    Tony promises to never goad me into spinning out on purpose, so I will never have to fib again.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 732
    2016 came a lot earlier than Kasey had hoped.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 728
    Came close to making the Chase, but even closer to the wall at New Hampshire.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 683
    Stewart wanted the 23-year-old Larson, settled for the 36-year old Bowyer in 2017.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 675
    Finishing fourth at Loudon means we might not see Austin Dillon make this list again in 2015.

  • The Final Word – Kenseth joins Hamlin at Loudon, leaving the rest to scramble at Dover

    The Final Word – Kenseth joins Hamlin at Loudon, leaving the rest to scramble at Dover

    Dammit. Other than for Matt Kenseth, that was probably the most used term from Sunday’s action at New Hampshire. Kenseth led three times at Loudon, but it was those final three laps that really mattered as the former champ locked his way into the next round of the Chase. Along with runner-up Denny Hamlin, the winner at Chicago, Dover is a walk in the clover. However, it has meaning for a few others.

    Dammit. That, or something like that, might have escaped from the lips of Kevin Harvick. His was the dominant car, but he did not have enough fuel in his tank at the end. That forced him to surrender the lead to Kenseth and hit the pits, finishing 21st. On a night when a finish at or near the front was the goal, he now finds himself 23 points out of the final transfer spot for the next round of the Chase. He has just one more opportunity to turn that around.

    Dammit. Clint Bowyer had a disaster at Chicago, losing all the points gained there for a tech violation. Last Sunday, he was better than nothing but still bad as 26th leaves him 39 points out of the hunt. It is either win or bust for MWR’s final title hopeful next week.

    Dammit. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a Top Five coming his way. All he needed was fuel. That stop left him in 25th on the day, and just a point to the good going into next Sunday. He is tied with Jamie McMurray, with Paul Menard a point back.

    Dammit. Kyle Busch is also one behind, tied for 13th in the standings. He lost a tire, found a wall, and that left him 37th. With so much on the line, and some so close or so desperate, Dover might be a place where angels fear to tread.

    Next Sunday, Kenseth and Hamlin are locked in to continue on. Carl Edwards and Joey Logano hold a 33 point advantage over the nearest have nots and just need to avoid very bad tidings. Jimmie Johnson sits 27 points to the good, with Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Ryan Newman holding a cushion between a dozen and 18 points.

    In short, two are locked in, 10 inside remain vulnerable, and four others still have a shot. Nine of those 14 have won on the Monster Mile before. Johnson has 10 wins there, 15 Top Fives, and 20 Top 10s in 27 attempts, taking three of the past four at the track. Anyone have an idea who the favorite might be?

    However, even Miles the Monster was on hand to feast on the six-time champion. In 2004, Johnson was in one of 19 cars taken out in what became known as the Little Big One. So, in the end, we can be sure of nothing, other than Kenseth and Hamlin will transfer, 10 others will join them, and four will not. Let the fun begin.

  • Hot 20 – Harvick feels bad heading to New Hampshire, but I bet Bowyer feels even worse

    Hot 20 – Harvick feels bad heading to New Hampshire, but I bet Bowyer feels even worse

    There is hot, and there is hot. Hot could be winning the opening race of the Chase, securing a berth in the next round, and allowing two races to tinker and prepare for Charlotte. However, after a spin on just the second lap in Chicago, the result was as much a credit to the performance of crew chief Dave Rogers as it was to the driver, Denny Hamlin.

    Hot could be showcasing a dominant performance. Kyle Busch led much of the race, only to melt like an M&M Crispy sitting in the back window over the summer, to come home in ninth. Not good enough to win, but surely good enough to garner some notice that the best for him might be yet to come.

    Hot could be sitting behind the wheel of a good car, one that was near the front. At least, it was until Jimmie Johnson tried to force his way up off the apron after Joey Logano had put him there, only to find an unyielding Kevin Harvick. What did yield was Harvick’s rear tire after the two entries came in contact, sending the defending champ into the wall. Hot was what Harvick was when Johnson tried to explain what happened after the race. A win this week or next might now be Harvick’s best bet to advance.

    Hot could be being part of a team that had controversy leading up to its first ever race, having your own reputation smeared along the way, and then we had last Sunday. Clint Bowyer’s hopes of bringing a title to MWR in its final go round dipped deeper than Harvick’s mood when he got stripped of all 25 points he gained last week. This latest drama began when it was discovered prior to the race that some parts were not properly installed on his car. Crew chief Billy Scott’s wallet is $75,000 lighter and he is gone for the next three races. Time to find some new friends, Mr. Bowyer.

    For those still allowed to show up at the track, Loudon, New Hampshire is next on the dance card. Harvick won there once, back in 2006. Half the time he finishes in the Top Ten. That might not be good enough to get out of the hole he finds himself in. As far as Bowyer goes, I think it is time to break out the shovels.

    The last four to win there have all been Chasers; Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Logano, and Rowdy. It is a good bet one of them could do it again this Sunday. The Hot 20 heading to New Hampshire includes…

    1. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 CHASE WIN
    An early spin, a lap down, but Mr. Roger’s got this trolley back on the rails.

    2. MATT KENSETH – 2052 POINTS
    Needs a win. If he wins the title on points alone again, oh what would people say?

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2049 POINTS (4 Season Wins)
    Chicago was M&M’s biggest heart break since E.T. made Reece’s Pieces his favorite.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2049 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
    Track position trumped fresh rubber last week…but not by much.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2048 POINTS (3 Season Wins)
    Bump drafting on the re-start sure worked well…for him.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 2048 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
    Pit boss Tony Gibson plans to be in Loudon but is leaving his appendix behind him.

    7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2045 POINTS
    Got an unwanted push from Logano during the race, got another from Harvick after it.

    8. RYAN NEWMAN – 2040 POINTS
    July 28, 2013. His win column definitely needs a re-boot.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2039 POINTS
    Oh, just win the damn race on Sunday and get it over with.

    10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2038 POINTS
    To be part of next season’s XFINITY tour in the only place a Cup guy should be…in the booth.

    11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2035 POINTS
    Lost his sponsor and his job through no fault of his own in 2013. There is life after MWR.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 2031 POINTS
    Last Loudon win came in the previous century.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2028 POINTS
    With a heat seeking sponsor, he will be seeking out some heat of his own.

    14. PAUL MENARD – 2027 POINTS
    At a track that does him no favors, Sunday could be more about surviving than thriving.

    15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2009 POINTS
    At least all his car parts were attached properly until Jimmie tried to remove them.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 2000 POINTS
    Un-freakin’-believable.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 727 POINTS
    There is speculation that he could be getting a new teammate next year. Might it be Clint?

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 697 POINTS
    Two Top Tens is not exactly what he was signed up for.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 656 POINTS
    Twenty-three years old and stuck at the kiddie’s table. It could be worse. Just ask Austin, Danica, Tony…

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 634 POINTS
    Dear Jack Roush: WTF????

  • The Final Word – Hamlin Happy with Chicago Result, while Happy Was Not

    The Final Word – Hamlin Happy with Chicago Result, while Happy Was Not

    Chicago. The opening race of the Chase. Sixteen drivers would continue the quest, one very likely locking his way into the next round, some setting themselves up with fine starts while others…not so much. So much to watch for, so much at stake, but would all this a good race make?

    Damn right it would. Brilliant pit strategy, some luck, a flat tire, and a lot of air time for a sponsor highlighted the affair. It all started with a spin by Denny Hamlin on just the second lap. He was down low, so low A.J. Allmendinger did not see him and cut down in front, making both burn off some rubber. For Hamlin, it meant a drop from 23rd to dead last.

    That is where his adventure began. One hundred sixteen laps of green followed and by the time a caution did fall, Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray were all a lap down; Clint Bowyer two in the depths. Time to roll the dice, as both Hamlin and Edwards took the wave around and hoped. They got what they wished for shortly after when Austin Dillon’s promising night went away with the bang of a tire and a wall that was not very gentle. With that, the two gamblers were back on the lead lap.

    By the time they were down to the final 70 laps, both were in the Top Ten, and with under 10 to go a debris caution gave the crew chiefs one more chance to strategize. Dave Rogers left Hamlin out to start among the Top Five while Edwards came in for fresh Goodyears. Not much difference between them, though Hamlin did beat his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate to the line, to claim a place in the next round of the Chase that begins at Charlotte in October.

    Kevin Harvick did not live up to his nickname, as Happy was not with Jimmie Johnson. Six-Time got an unwanted push on a re-start from Joey Logano that powered him down to the apron and beside the defending champ. Johnson tried to move back up, Harvick denied him, and the cars touched. Smoke came bellowing from the left rear of Harvick’s auto, then let go three laps later, to leave him 42nd on the night. Later in the garage, he showed his displeasure with Johnson, who finished 11th. As for Logano, he finished an angelic sixth.

    Jeff Gordon was in the 788th race of his Cup career, an unbroken string going back to the final race of 1992. You might remember that his debut also marked the final race of Richard Petty’s career. It also tied Gordon with Ricky Rudd for most consecutive races, a record that should be topped this Sunday in New Hampshire.

    Some thought Gordon jumped a restart just past the mid-point of the race to leave Kyle Busch behind. With the idea of drivers policing themselves finally abandoned, it was judged that Gordon did not so much accelerate away, but that Busch had slowed down coming to the line. The review went in Gordon’s favor.

    Gordon led for 41 laps, Martin Truex Jr. for 39, and Kurt Busch, who finished third, was the point man for 37 circuits. However, the dominant car for most of it was the M&M Crispy Toyota of Kyle Busch. He led four times for 121 laps, but he melted over the final 50 to come home in ninth.

    All but one came home in decent shape, with six points the biggest deficit to be overcome among them. Harvick, on the other hand, is 43 away. Eleven current Chasers have won in New Hampshire in the past, Hamlin among them. So is Harvick. Once. In 2006. I would expect him to go for broke when they break loose in Loudon this weekend.

  • Hot 20 – The Chase for the Championship Commences in Chicago

    Hot 20 – The Chase for the Championship Commences in Chicago

    So it begins. Sixteen drivers, each trying to avoid being one of the four eliminated from contention for the championship after each round of three races.

    The first round, Chicago, New Hampshire, and Dover, will see each running for the best finish amongst those qualified. A win in any of the three would guarantee them a spot in the next round of three events no matter how they might fair in the other two contests. History tells us that Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard will not do well this weekend.

    For them, this would be a good time to rewrite history. For those outside the Top Sixteen, no time like the present to break a few hearts. A win now robs a contender of a free pass and could go a long way in getting sponsors thinking more of what is to come than what could have been.

    That would be the goal of the bottom four amongst our hot 20 heading into Chicago this Sunday.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2012 POINTS (4 Wins)
    The firm of Petty and Earnhardt still has room for another name partner.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 (4)
    Having a leg up on the opposition was not a good thing in his case, but it matters not now.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 2012 (4)
    If his 2003 title started this Chase business, now he can start eliminating his critics four at a time.

    4. JOEY LOGANO – 2009 (3)
    Had the pole at Richmond, but Kenseth only allowed him to lead 25 of the 400 laps.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 (2)
    His points standing just went from a 30 point lead to a six-point deficit.

    6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2006 (2)
    He and his buddy Greg Ives come in with four straight Top Tens. Three more would be nice.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 2006 (2)
    First Chase champion would like to be the next one, too.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 (2)
    I am not sure if he misses Jack Roush at all, considering how his season with Joe Gibbs has gone.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2003 (1)
    One of six in the Chase who already knows how it feels to be crowned a champion.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2003 (1)
    Team-mates? We ain’t got no teammates. We don’t need no team-mates.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2003 (1)
    Adversity is racing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his throttle leg’s knee.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000
    So…this is the Chase, eh?

    13. JEFF GORDON – 2000
    What better way to ride off into the sunset than with a fifth title?

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2000
    Winless in 2015. Runner-up to Harvick in 2014.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 2000
    Chicago has not been his kind of town.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 2000
    Like his team owner, he is out of a job after this season. Both could use a little good news.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 693
    Fourth at Richmond was like being a groomsman at your sweetheart’s wedding.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 677
    Only Hendrick driver to miss the party this year, needs some positive results heading into 2016.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 618
    Sophomore jinx bit him hard this season.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 611
    Limping along in his worst season ever, as Jack Roush has his worst as an owner.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 352 of 400 laps and cruised to an easy win in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond. The win was Kenseth’s fourth of the season and places him atop the points standings for the start of the Chase.

    “I have the early momentum for the Chase,” Kenseth said. “And speaking of ‘early momentum,’ Joey Logano says I jumped the final restart. I dispute that. If I jumped anything, it was ‘ship,’ when I left Roush Fenway Racing.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick struggled at Richmond, finishing 14th, one lap down, in the final race before the Chase For The Cup.

    “It felt like I was driving on flat tires,” Harvick said. “That made the No. 4 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet ‘leaky fast.’

    “Of course, the tires weren’t really flat. Or were they? The last thing NASCAR needs is its own ‘Deflate-Gate’ controversy.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished eighth at Richmond, posting his 18th top-10 result of the year. By virtue of his one win this year, he will start the Chase with 2,003 points, nine out of first.

    “This is where you’ll see the real drivers separated from the pretenders,” Keselowski said. “Or, if you’d care not to wait, I’ll do it for you. Pretenders: Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray. Contenders: everyone else.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Richmond on a commanding night for the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Matt Kenseth won while Denny Hamlin finished sixth and Carl Edwards took 11th.

    “JGR looks like the team to beat,” Busch said. “Kenseth is dominant while Edwards is domineering. Some people say Denny Hamlin isn’t a threat to win because of his injury, but they don’t have a leg to stand on. Me? I certainly have the talent, but history says that once the NASCAR post-season starts, I hit a wall.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2009 points, three points behind four-time winners Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth.

    “Kenseth clearly jumped the final restart,” Logano said. “Replays verify it. Sure, Kenseth led 352 of 400 laps, but in this instance, he wasn’t ‘in the zone.’”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 11th in the Federated Auto Parts 400 as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth dominated for the win.

    “I traded paint with Kenseth during the race,” Edwards said. “To his credit, Kenseth didn’t give an inch. He’s really manned up. If he wins another championship this year, it seems he will have finally ‘grown a pair.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished fifth at Richmond, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports cars. Earnhardt will join HMS teammates, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in the Chase.

    “HMS hasn’t had a win since Daytona in July,” Earnhardt said. “And we really need it. Our team motto for the upcoming race is ‘Just one, baby.’”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished ninth and will enter the Chase For The Cup in first place with 2012 points by virtue of his four wins.

    “’2012’ is a great number,” Johnson said. “It was not a good year. That’s when my run of six straight Cups came to an end.

    “I just signed a contract extension to remain with Hendrick Motorsports through 2017. That’s good news for a team struggling to find speed heading into the Chase For The Cup. Finally, it’s a good ‘sign’ for HMS.”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 15th at Richmond and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2,006 points, six behind the leaders at 2,012.

    “Now,” Busch said, “the pressure really heats up. This is when you find out what you’re really made of. Sometimes, you never really know what someone is made of….until you go ‘court-ing.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished sixth at Richmond despite driving with a torn right ACL, an injury suffered in a pickup basketball game on Tuesday.

    “I probably shouldn’t have been playing basketball,” Hamlin said. “After all, this is the second time I’ve injured my knee. In both cases, I was wearing my favorite sneakers, the ‘Err Hamlins.’ Anyway, my right leg feels a little loose in the center.”

  • The Final Word – It was the Matt Kenseth 400 at Richmond

    The Final Word – It was the Matt Kenseth 400 at Richmond

    Richmond, where the final battle royal would take place to decide the final line-up for the Chase. Richmond, where we discovered that only six cars mattered at all the entire night, and all of them already had their tickets punched to the party. So, if you decided to watch something that actually promised some real drama, here is what you missed, in a nutshell, at Richmond.

    On the opening lap, we had Joey Logano leading the way, followed by Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch. That was good for nearly 50 laps when Brad Keselowski replaced Busch. Another 50-some laps went by when we had Denny Hamlin replace Keselowski amongst the top trio, to join Logano and Kenseth. You missed all that drama, and we had nearly 300 laps to go.

    Twenty-five laps went by, and Carl Edwards replaced Logano in a podium position, at least for six laps when Busch moved Edwards out, who was never to be seen again, finishing 11th. All you need to remember is that Kenseth and Busch also remained in the top three, and they would remain there the rest of the way. Hamlin replaced Keselowski for 35 laps before Logano got the position back with more than 100 to go. On lap 400, it was Kenseth, Busch, and Logano crossing the line and Richmond was in the books. Kenseth, Rowdy, Logano, Keselowski, Hamlin and, for six laps, Edwards, were the only cars that mattered at all on Saturday night in Richmond.

    Sure, some got excited that Aric Almirola was fourth, but he had to win, and did not. He also needed Clint Bowyer to finish outside the Top 25, and he came home 10th. No, Almirola did not matter a lick on this night. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson all had Top Ten days. All did not matter in the end, or at the start, or anywhere near the middle, but I admit they did have nice finishes.

    What did matter was the fact Kenseth won his fourth of the season and the 35th of his Cup career. He led 352 of the 400 laps. So, I am not really sure if any of the other five mattered at all now that I think about it. The victory means Kenseth enters the Chase tied with Busch and Johnson with each having an additional dozen bonus points added to their tally.

    There were some newsworthy tidbits. We did have another Earnhardt running, as nephew Jeremy Earnhardt finished 13 laps off the pace in 40th, making his Cup debut at the age of 26. Martin Truex Jr. had the worst run amongst the Chasers, as a wall rub messed up the car to leave him six off the pace, 32nd. Just about the only other thing from the weekend of note was that Chase Elliott won the XFINITY race. Yes, someone actually registered in that series. I am as shocked as you are.

    So, the Chase begins in Chicago with the “Sweet Sixteen” hoping to survive the cut over the next three events. According to their career average finishes at the track, one could expect Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Keselowski, and Gordon to do well there. Kyle and Kenseth should also do fine. However, this is definitely not the place Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, and Paul Menard have traditionally enjoyed any measure of success. Unless that changes on Sunday, they might have some work to do by the time New Hampshire rolls around. Hey, if you want drama, that might work for you.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400

    In the last race of the regular season and the one to set the Chase contenders here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 48th annual Federated Auto Parts 500 at Richmond International Raceway.

    Surprising:  One would think that a team owner standing in Victory Lane and one whose four drivers had qualified for the Chase would be a most happy camper.

    Indeed, Coach Joe Gibbs was pretty happy, but he also alluded to the anxiety that he will feel in the three weeks ahead as the first elimination round plays out.

    “Now the problem is, I think for the next three weeks I’ll be ready to throw up at any minute,” Gibbs said after the race. “That’s the bottom line.”

    Not Surprising:  While two teams, Richard Petty Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, were shut out of NASCAR’s playoffs, the way their eliminations took place was not surprising.

    Having not shown much life all season, Roush Fenway drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne not only finished well out of Chase contention but they also completed the regular season in disappointment.

    Biffle had the worst of the team’s days finishing 31st. Stenhouse and Bayne finished 16th and 23rd respectively.

    This was the first time in RFR’s history that one of their drivers failed to make the Chase since its inception.

    In contrast, Aric Almirola, who made the Chase last year with Richard Petty Motorsports, delivered one of the gutsiest performances, finishing fourth. And even with that, the driver of the famed No. 43 Smithfield Foods/Waffle House Ford still came up 17 points short, edged out of Chase contention by Clint Bowyer.

    “Disappointed for sure,” Almirola said. “I drove my heart out tonight. All year long, really.”

    “I feel like we’ve certainly overachieved this year. Our cars just haven’t had the speed, and we’ve managed a way to get good results, and really proud of this race team.”

    “Everybody has done so much to support us, and to come up short, it hurts. We were in it last year and we got a taste of what it was like to be in the Chase. This race team is a great race team and we wanted another shot at it, and we just came up short. Just wasn’t meant to be.”

    Surprising:  Forget about making the Chase, Jeff Gordon was just excited about finally having a top-10 car. The driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet was also excited about being able to work with his team to finally make good enough adjustments to end up with a seventh place finish.

    “Excited we finally had a solid night on pit road, on the racetrack, in the race car, communication,” Gordon said. “Everything was just really solid. That certainly gives us something to be excited about these next ten races.”

    “It’s nice to be in the Chase and take that relief and take that breath and now go reset and see what we can do over the next 10.”

    Not Surprising:  Kasey Kahne got himself turned around and ended up the odd man out in the Hendrick Motorsports Chase contingent. His HMS teammates, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, instead are all heading on to compete for the Cup without him.

    “I think the main thing for me is just figuring out how to get a car to turn again,” Kahne said. “I’ve struggled all year to have front turn, and if I don’t have that, I can’t race. That’s how I’ve been my whole life.”

    “We’ll just work on trying to get the cars the way I need them to, and if we can’t, we’ll keep running about 15th.”

    Surprising:  While two of his drivers, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, head to Chase competition, Tony Stewart achieved a milestone that he would no doubt like to forget. The driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished 29th, four laps down.

    Stewart’s 29th place finish was only his fifth outside of the top-25 in 33 career Cup starts at Richmond International Raceway.

    Not Surprising:  Although one’s injuries were much fresher than the other, two drivers with physical challenges managed to not only finish the Richmond race well but also find their spots in the Chase.

    Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Crispy/American Heritage Chocolate Toyota, continued his miraculous comeback with a runner-up position at Richmond. Busch is also seeded in the second place in the Chase, even after missing 11 races due to injuries sustained in the Daytona XFINITY Series race at the beginning of the season.

    Just after tearing another ACL, Denny Hamlin also struggled through his injury to get into the Chase, seeded in the 11th position. The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota finished sixth in the Richmond race.

    “Well, I think it’ll be a lot better next week,” Hamlin said. “Just three days out, really, four nights out, from when it happened, and anybody that’s had it happen before knows that the first week is pretty tough.”

    “I think I’ll start to rehab and everything this week and try to get it stronger and make sure we’re ready to make a Chase run.”

    Surprising:  Paul Menard summed up the sentiments of several of the drivers who made the Chase but had a bad race at Richmond. The driver of the No. 27 Libman/Menards Chevrolet finished 26th in the race and is seeded 15th in the Chase.

    “We don’t know whether to be happy or sad, it was such a bad race for us,” Menard said. “Obviously very excited to be in the Chase. It was a goal that we set at the beginning of the year. Everybody at RCR and the 27 guys and ECR, they work hard.  We’ve had a lot of good runs this year. Tonight just wasn’t one of them, but we did what we had to do.”

    Kevin Harvick, another driver who made the Chase but struggled at Richmond, finished an uncharacteristic 14th. And Martin Truex Jr. finished 32nd after hitting oil from another driver’s car on Lap 39.

    Harvick is seeded fifth in the Chase, with Truex Jr. following in the 10th spot.

    Not Surprising:  With his usual enthusiasm, Clint Bowyer bounded into this year’s Chase, saving the day at least for now, for Michael Waltrip Racing, which will fold at the end of 2015.

    “Well, I mean, just to go through the year we’ve had, I mean, a lot of ups and downs here, a lot of downs,” Bowyer said. “We did this, now we’re in the Chase!  Pressure is off, go cat go! Let’s go out and have some fun.”

    Surprising:  Michael McDowell went from sharing the invocation before the start of the race to being called to the NASCAR hauler after hitting the safety vehicle during a caution on Lap 288.

    McDowell made heavy contact with the right rear of his No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford. McDowell was unhurt, as were the safety workers in the truck.

    “I’m not really sure what happened,” McDowell said. “I’m embarrassed for my team. My mistake. Luckily no one was hurt.”

    Not Surprising:  Kim Lopez, the first woman and Latina to flag races at the highest level, got a tip of the cap as she threw her final checkered flag. Lopez is headed for a new role and challenge in the NASCAR  R&D Center.

  • Hot 20 – The final hurdle for Bowyer and the rest comes this Saturday night in Richmond

    Hot 20 – The final hurdle for Bowyer and the rest comes this Saturday night in Richmond

    If history repeats itself, there will be no surprise winner at Richmond on Saturday night. Going back over the past 10 years, every single driver who has won there is currently locked into the Chase for this year. Except for one.

    Clint Bowyer has a pair of victories on the 3/4-mile track, but none anywhere to his credit this season. To make it worse, even if a first-time driver does not emerge this weekend to steal his thunder, he still sits just 29 points up on Aric Almirola for the final Chase position, with Kasey Kahne just a couple of points further back. A sour engine, a meeting with a wall or a competitor, a bad tire or messed up pit stop at the wrong time, and Bowyer’s season turns south faster than one’s job security at Michael Waltrip Racing. To make sure he is in, Bowyer needs to finish in the Top 25 on Saturday night. That and hope history does indeed repeat itself.

    The odds are almost prohibitive that the winner this weekend at Richmond will be from amongst our Hot 20…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
    Expect the team of Jimmie, Chad, and Lowe’s to be around for some time yet.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
    The story of the year to this point.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
    Liked Johnson’s car so much he almost took it out with a spin last week.

    4. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
    Progress last week was thwarted by an early Darlington stripe…okay, more like a sledge hammer.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
    A late trip to the pits in Darlington was the pits for Harvick.

    6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
    Getting some real cool throwback gifts from fans lately, including on his last trip to Walmart.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
    Went digital with his Darlington dashboard.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
    After three Bristol wins, he has added a World 600 and a Southern 500 to the collection in 2015.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
    Led the most laps, but Edwards got to walk down the aisle, leaving him a bridesmaid.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
    A Darlington Top Ten, and he wasn’t happy. Has three Top Tens in last four at Richmond.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
    On Saturday night, he denied Daniel Suarez his first career XFINITY victory. My hero.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 726 POINTS
    To make the Chase, he just needs to start on Saturday night. If he gets the flu, it could get messy.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 714 POINTS
    If his finishing position matches his car number, or better, he rockets in as well.

    14. JEFF GORDON – 700 POINTS
    17th will do no matter what anyone else does…and he needs that only if there is not a repeat winner.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 692 POINTS
    Ninth if there is a first time winner…38th if there is not.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 682 POINTS
    25th gets him in if history repeats itself, or a move ahead of Ryan, Jeff, or Paul if it does not.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 653 POINTS
    Has the King’s car and last week stole his old mustache.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 651 POINTS
    Can’t grow a mustache. Okay, I am just guessing here.

    19. GREG BIFFLE – 598 POINTS
    I could get Biffle into the Chase…but it has to be in EA Sports’ indestructible mode.

    20. AUSTIN DILLON – 586 POINTS
    One of three Cup guys in the XFINITY race. Go Austin! Go Rowdy! Go Joey! Just be gone!

    20. KYLE LARSON – 586 POINTS
    Last week, they called him Mello Yello, but is he truly just mad about Saffron?

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Bojangles Southern 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Bojangles Southern 500

    With retro paint schemes, throwback uniforms and the low downforce package all the rage, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 66th annual Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    Surprising:  One driver at least excelled yet again at one of the extended play versions of NASCAR racing. Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 10 ARRIS Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing, won not only the Coke 600, one of the longest races of the season, but also claimed victory with his signature back flip at Darlington this past weekend.

    This year’s race at Darlington was significantly longer at four and a half hours thanks to the record 18 cautions that took place during the event. And Edwards had to work even harder, battling back to Victory Lane from two laps down at one point in the race.

    “I do like the longer races,” Edwards said. “I think growing up it was so cool to me that NASCAR raced these long events, these tough races, and I really enjoy them.

    “It’s fun. These things are like a big adventure. You go out there and you race for three or four hours and you try not to tear anything up. It was so cool tonight to be able to come back from two laps down.”

    Not Surprising:  Not only was Coach Joe Gibbs celebrating a victory with Edwards but he was also reveling in what he called a “great sports story” as one of his other drivers Kyle Busch clinched a spot in the Chase for the Championship in spite of sitting out multiple races due to injury.

    The driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Crispy Toyota finished in the seventh spot at ‘The Lady in Black.’

    “Yeah, I think that’s also a great sports story,” Gibbs said of Busch. “Everything that happened to us there at Daytona and then for him to bounce back in 11 weeks, I felt like the odds were against us.

    “And for him to be able to pull this off and come back, win four times and get back in the Chase tonight — they had a great game plan. They talked all night about the game plan, what they wanted to do, and first up was to make sure that they had enough points tonight that they didn’t have to worry next week.

    “So that was a big deal for them, and it was great for Kyle, and obviously it was great for everybody else over here at the 19 car and Carl.”

    Surprising:  Darlington and stick shifting had a thing or two in common, at least for one driver who just happened to finish runner-up.

    “You know, the race kind of reminded me of — I remember when I was a kid and my dad wanted to teach me how to drive a car, and he gave me a stick shift,” Brad Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller High Life Ford, said. “You practice and you learn and you learn how to drive it and you stall it out all the time and then eventually you kind of start to figure it out and you stop stalling it so much and you get into a pattern and you don’t stall it out anymore.

    “The race reminded me a lot of that because the cars, just five or six years ago when I entered Sprint Cup, were extremely difficult to drive, much like a stick shift when you’re first learning how to drive.

    “And then they’ve gotten really easy to drive over the last four or five years, to the point where we’re all kind of looking around at each other as drivers going, wait a minute here, this isn’t good, it shouldn’t be this easy to drive these.

    “So we asked NASCAR to, ‘hey, make these cars harder to drive, give us our, metaphorically speaking, stick shift back, and they did, and I think somebody thought they’d be really funny and pick Darlington as the track to do that, which would be like if you picked the mountains of Virginia to give somebody a stick shift back.

    “It’s kind of that same feeling.”

    Not Surprising:  A career high and a team record were achieved by two drivers, Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr.

    Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet SS for Stewart-Haas Racing, earned his 18th top-five finish, extending his new single-season career high and topping his 16 top-five finishes from 2010.

    Truex Jr. scored his 17th top-10 finish in 25 races, exceeding Kurt Busch’s team record of 16 top-10s in 2013.

    Surprising:  There was a real lack of communication for the driver of the No. 1 McDonald’s/Cessna Chevrolet, however, he still managed to finish top-15.

    Jamie McMurray had radio trouble throughout the race, which was particularly challenging at a track like Darlington where navigating traffic is essential.

    “We had an okay car tonight,” McMurray said. “I was super conservative.  My radio only worked about two percent of the time.  So, I had a spotter sometimes, but I didn’t others.  I was really conservative on restarts and really throughout the whole race.”

    McMurray remained in the 10th position in the point standings after the Darlington race, still looking to lock himself into Chase contention.

    Not Surprising:  There was no head hanging for another driver trying to also get into the Chase for the championship. Aric Almirola, in his classic throwback No. 43 STP Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports, took the checkered flag in the 11th spot.

    “It was a crazy night,” Almirola said. “A little bit of a struggle at the beginning and then Trent (Owens, crew chief) and the boys made some really good calls and got the car handling a lot better and I was really happy with it there toward the end. We got it the best we could and I think we got out of here with a respectable finish.

    “We need a really good night at Richmond and hope for some bad luck for the 15 but if that doesn’t happen we don’t have anything to hang our heads about to be honest with you.  That is all we had tonight. We will go on to Richmond and race like hell there and see what happens.”

    Surprising:  After winning and having such success at Darlington, it was a surprisingly rough night for Chase Elliott, who was running his last race of his ‘practice’ Cup season.

    The driver of the No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet and the future driver of the No. 24 car, had trouble early in the race as well as later in the race when he cut down a right-front tire on Lap 228.

    “I didn’t feel like it (tire) was going down or anything. It just like going in there, getting into (Turn) 1 and tore up the race car, unfortunately.

    “I messed up there at the beginning of the race and got us behind and you just can’t do stuff like that.”

    Not Surprising:  There were more than Darlington stripes for both Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick. Stenhouse Jr. finished 38th after his hit into the wall and Patrick fared even worse after her close encounter, finishing 42nd.

    “It just snapped around,” Stenhouse said. “It was a lot of fun out there sliding around and tires wearing out and I think this is what we all wanted.  It just bit a few of us.”

    “It snapped pretty hard in (turn) four,” Patrick said. “So, I don’t know, I mean they said it looked like it snapped pretty hard. I’m not 100 percent sure. It could have just gotten loose, but it could have been a cut tire, too.”

    “It’s a bummer. We fought our way back to the lead lap, and I felt like we were in a position to have a decent end to the day.”

    Surprising:  Running the final race of his career at Darlington, the driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet and his crew chief just seemed lost as far as trying to make the car better.

    Jeff Gordon qualified well and started the race in the fifth position. He kept falling back, unable to make the adjustments needed to keep up with the track and finished 16th.

    “I like the aero package.  I like the racecar,” Gordon said. “We just couldn’t ever get track position.  I don’t know, we struggled tonight.  We got it pretty good on the short runs and we were mediocre on the long runs, but not great.  We just had some issues on pit road.”

    Not Surprising:  With a high number of cautions, 18 in total, the best tweet of the day came from Clint Bowyer, who finished the race in 17th in his Buddy Baker Tribute Toyota.

    “Hope no one chose the drinking word CAUTION,” Bowyer tweeted. “They probably dropping cylinders and running a little rough if so!”

    As the Cup Series heads into the final race before the Chase at Richmond next weekend, the sport also paid tribute to Gail Sommer Germain, wife of team owner Bob Germain Jr., who lost her valiant battle with breast cancer at the age of 45.  The No. 13 GEICO Chevrolet race team wore pink armbands at Darlington in her honor.