Tag: Clint Bowyer

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson clinched his sixth Sprint Cup championship, and first in two years, with a ninth at Homestead. He finished the season 19 points ahead of Matt Kenseth.

“That’s Cup number six,” Johnson said. “Now it takes two hands to indicate my championships. That makes me a second-hand champion, and that’s something everyone needs to get ‘used’ to.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Homestead and finished second, as Jimmie Johnson clinched the Sprint Cup championship. Kenseth finished second in the standings, 19 points back.

“We gave it our all,” Kenseth said, “but that wasn’t enough. And it’s painful. But, all in all, it was a successful year for Joe Gibbs Racing. Still, JGR gently weeps.”

3. Kevin Harvick: In his last race for Richard Childress Racing, Harvick took tenth in the Ford EcoBoost 400. He finished third in the points standings, 34 out of first.

“Like Kurt Busch, I’m off to drive for Tony Stewart,” Harvick said. “I expect a smooth transition from RCR to Stewart Haas. Why? Because with Busch as a teammate, I already want to leave.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished third at Homestead, posting his tenth top-5 result of the year. He completed the year fifth in the points, 56 behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson.

“I was awesome over the last five races,” Earnhardt said. “In fact, I scored more points over the final five Chase races than Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Unlike me, Johnson can look back fondly on the ‘first five.’”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished seventh in the Ford EcoBoost 400, scoring his 22nd top-10 result of the year. He finished the season fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 55 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“I’m happy to have a respectable Chase finish,” Busch said. “But this championship is all about Jimmie Johnson. Six Cups is historic. Based on his driving, Jimmie deserves a statue. Based on his personality, he is a statue.”

6. Jeff Gordon: Gordon, who won last year at Homestead, took 11th on Sunday, just missing his 18th top 10 of the year. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 82 out of first.

“Jimmie Johnson raised the championship trophy for the sixth time,” Gordon said. “I guess you could say, ‘The world is his hoister.’”

7. Joey Logano: Logano, in the No. 22 Penske Ford, finished eighth at Homestead. He finished eighth in the points standings, 96 out of first.

“My friends call me ‘Sliced Bread,’” Logano said. “My enemies call me ‘Slight Build,’ probably because I’m no threat, to them or the Sprint Cup championship.”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won Saturday’s Nationwide Ford EcoBoost 300 and finished sixth in Sunday’s Ford EcoBoost 400. Jimmie Johnson clinched the Sprint Cup title as Keselowski’s one-year reign as champion came to an end.

“This year gave me very little to shout about,” Keselowski said, “and even less to tweet about. But I’m still one of NASCAR’s most individualistic drivers. Hopefully, when all is said and done, they won’t be calling me the ‘one and only’ because of my single Sprint Cup title.”

9. Greg Biffle: Biffle struggled with handling issues and came home 24th at Homestead, finishing ninth in the points standings, the highest among Roush Fenway Racing drivers.

“I’m of good mind to give Jimmie Johnson a piece of my mind,” Biffle said. “Maybe that way, he’ll give me a piece of his, and I can finally say I have the mindset of a champion.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fifth in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead. He finished seventh in the points standings, 83behind Jimmie Johnson.

“Did you see Johnson’s victory burnout?” Bowyer said. “It was impressive, but didn’t produce anything like the smokescreen I made with my spin at Richmond.”

November 19, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started on the pole and finished third in the AdvoCare 500, well ahead of Matt Kenseth, who struggled and finished 23rd. Johnson has a 28-point lead heading into Homestead, and needs only a finish of 23rd or better to clinch the Cup.

“Anything can happen at Homestead,” Johnson said. “But I’d prefer that nothing happen.

“I’m close to my sixth Cup title, which would place me only one behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. My goal is to be mentioned in the same sentence with ‘The King’ and ‘The Intimidator,’ and I don’t see anything stopping me, except a cool nickname.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 23rd on a disastrous day at Phoenix, handicapped by a car that proved unresponsive to adjustments. He started the day seven points behind Jimmie Johnson, and finished in a 28-point hole.

“I won my first Cup championship ten years ago,” Kenseth said. “Likewise, my second Cup championship is history, also.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won at Phoenix, recording his fourth win of the year in his next-to-last race with Richard Childress Racing. He is third in the points standings, 34 out of first.

“This may be my last victory burnout,” Harvick said. “And speaking of ‘burnout,’ I am so ready to leave RCR. When you combine nepotism with narcissism, you get RCR. There’s no ‘I’ in team, and trust me, there’s no ‘me’ in that team.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt continued his strong finish to the Chase with a fourth in the Advocare 500, his fourth-consecutive top 10 and seventh of the Chase. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 63 out of first.

“It’s important to build momentum for next year,” Earnhardt said. “And we have. So, contrary to the fans of Junior Nation, who have a habit of saying ‘Wait ‘til next year,’ I can’t wait ‘til next year.”

5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon bounced back from a difficult Sunday at Texas with a solid 14th at Phoenix. He is sixth in the points standings, 80 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“Jimmie Johnson may be leading the points,” Gordon said, “but I’m looking over my shoulder, as well. Is Clint Bowyer behind me?”

6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished seventh in the AdvoCare 500, posting his 21st top-10 result of the year. He is currently fourth in the points standings, 57 out of first.

“On a more positive note,” Busch said, “I won my 12th Nationwide race of the season on Saturday. My civilian driving record says I’m not a ‘Sunday driver,’ and, apparently, so does my Sprint Cup driving record.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 27 laps and finished 12th in the AdvoCare 500.

“Sadly, this just wasn’t the year for the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford,” Keselowski said. “Thus, my championship reign is ending at one year. It seems it was ‘2’ time only one time.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle took 13th at Phoenix on a day when Jimmie Johnson all but clinched the Sprint Cup championship. Biffle is now seventh in the points standings, 83 out of first.

“I plan to confront Johnson again,” Biffle said, “and ask him, ‘What’s your problem?’ If he responds, ‘I got 99 problems, but a ‘Biff’ ain’t one,’ then he’s officially the greatest driver of all time.”

9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 20th at Phoenix, another disappointing result in the Chase For The Cup. Bowyer has only two top-5 finishes in the Chase.

“The race was called the ‘AdvoCare 500,’” Bowyer said, “but not by everyone. To me, it was the ‘I Don’t Care 500.’”

10. Joey Logano: Logano scored another top-10 finish with a ninth at Phoenix. He is ninth in the points standings, 97 out of first.

“I almost took out Jimmie Johnson on the first lap,” Logano said. “But I didn’t, and that’s too bad, because I really wanted to have an impact on the Chase.”

November 12, 2013

Hot 20 over the Chase Eight – Good just isn’t good enough when great is what it takes in the Chase

Average a Top Ten finish and you are doing good. Very good. Yet, good is not good enough when it comes to the Chase. Such is the case when there are those who are running great.

Over the past eight Chase events, Jimmie Johnson is averaging better than a fifth place finish. Matt Kenseth has a couple of wins and an average result of just over sixth place. Mere mortals can not compete against that, at least not until someone develops clay feet and returns to earth. If there is any Kryptonite out there, it better turn up at Phoenix and/or Homestead if it is going to do any good for those who have been, well, just good.

Kevin Harvick has been damn good in the Chase. In fact, he would be considered great if not for those other two boys. Dale Earnhardt Jr has done better than a tenth place average. If not for that damn engine blowing up in Chicago.

Ordinarily, during the opening 26 races of the season, Kyle Busch, Jeff Gordon, and Clint Bowyer would have been very pleased. If this had been their first eight, and not their last, they would have thought themselves walking in tall cotton. Even Jamie McMurray and Jeff Burton, both outside the ten best in the Chase events, would have had cause for optimism. Unfortunately for them, this is the time of year when good just is not good enough. Not even very good cuts the mustard.

So, unless bad things happen to good…er…great people at the top of the leader board, there are just two names being considered for etching onto the trophy. Then again, if Junior, Kyle, and Jeff can find themselves outside the Top 30 in a race, there is always a chance that great over eight might not be good enough, either. That is why we will be watching the action from Phoenix on Sunday and why Harvick is still optimistic he could yet leave Homestead, well, happy.

	Driver	Wins	T-5	T-10	Points	Ave. Finish	Best	Worst
1	Jimmie Johnson	2	6	7	330	4.87	1	13
2	Matt Kenseth	2	5	6	320	6.12	1 (x2)	20
3	Kevin Harvick	1	2	6	296	7.75	1	20
4	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	0	3	6	280	9.75	2	35
5	Kyle Busch	0	5	5	278	10.12	2	34
6	Jeff Gordon	1	3	5	273	11.00	1	38
7	Clint Bowyer	0	1	5	273	10.50	3	17
8	Greg Biffle	0	1	3	266	11.12	3	16 (x2)
9	Joey Logano	0	3	3	248	13.62	3 (x2)	37
10	Brad Keselowski	1	2	4	248	14.00	1	37
11	Kurt Busch	0	2	2	246	13.37	2	21
12	Jamie McMurray	1	2	3	245	14.00	1	31
13	Martin Truex, Jr.	0	0	2	231	15.25	8	22
14	Jeff Burton	0	0	1	230	15.62	8	24
15	Ryan Newman	0	0	5	224	16.62	8 (x2)	38
16	Carl Edwards	0	1	3	220	17.00	5	37
17	Paul Menard	0	1	2	218	16.75	4	24
18	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	0	1	2	211	17.75	3	31
19	Kasey Kahne	0	2	2	209	18.37	2	37
20	Denny Hamlin	0	0	3	204	18.62	7 (x2)	38

November 6, 2013

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 255 of 334 laps in a dominant win at Texas, his sixth win of the year. Johnson now leads Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, by seven points in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“I had the same seven-point lead after Texas last November,” Johnson said, “and didn’t win the championship. I’m hoping this is one time when I don’t repeat.”

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished fourth in the AAA Texas 500, slowed by a pit road speeding penalty midway through the race. Jimmie Johnson won and took a seven-point lead in the points standings.

“I’m neither throwing in the towel,” Kenseth said, “nor am I waving the white flag. Ask anyone, except Carl Edwards, and they’ll tell you there’s no surrender in me.”

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt took the runner-up spot at Texas, following Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson across the line. It was Earnhardt’s third second-place finish of the Chase.

“There have been a lot of great drivers who have never won a Cup,” Earnhardt said. “Hopefully, I can put myself in that category some day.”

4. Jeff Gordon: One week after victory at Martinsville, disaster struck for Gordon at Texas, as a blown tire on lap 74 sent him into the wall. He eventually finished 38th, 187 laps down, and tumbled to sixth in the points, 69 out of first.

“Are you sure this is the AAA 500 and not the NRA 500?” Gordon said. “Because my championship hopes are ‘shot.’”

5 .Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Texas and is now third in the points standings, 40 out of first.

“Will I be happier at Stewart-Haas Racing?” Harvick said. “Well, as Richard Childress has clearly stated, it’s all relative.”

6. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home tenth in the AAA Texas 500, posting his 18th top 10 of the year. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 69 out of first.

“This race in Texas wasn’t sponsored by the NRA,” Bowyer said. “In hindsight, maybe the race in Richmond should have been sponsored by the NRA, because there was a second amendment made to the Chase field afterwards.”

7. Kyle Busch: Busch, who won at Texas in April, finished 13th on Sunday in the AAA 500. Like many drivers, Busch’s day was hindered by a blown tire suffered early in the race.

“The blown tire put me in a hole early,” Busch said. “I felt much like a North Carolina state trooper chasing me, because I was playing catch up.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 12th at Texas, leading one lap after starting 18th. He is eighth in the points standings, 73 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“I apologized to Johnson for my actions at Martinsville,” Biffle said. “It was only the second most controversial ‘spin’ move in NASCAR this year. Maybe I shouldn’t have grabbed Jimmie from behind, but that’s where I always seem to find myself.”

9. Joey Logano: Logano finished third in the AAA Texas 500, posting his first top-5 result since a fourth at Kansas in early October.

“It felt good to run with the big dogs,” Logano said, “instead of from them.”

10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 30 laps and finished sixth in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas, one day after winning the Nationwide Series race.

“I may not repeat as champion,” Keselowski said, “but the future is bright for this 29-year-old. I see nothing but clear, sunny skies ahead, because the ‘reign’ is over.”

November 5, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 202 laps at Martinsville and finished second, unable to keep eventual winner Jeff Gordon at bay over the closing laps. Kenseth’s runner-up finish forged a tie in the points standings with Jimmie Johnson.

“While I’m thrilled to be knotted atop the points standings with Johnson,” Kenseth said, “Johnson isn’t. In other words, Jimmie’s fit to be tied.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished fifth at Martinsville, three spots behind Matt Kenseth, as Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon took the win. Kenseth and Johnson sit tied atop the points standings, 27 ahead of Gordon.

“While Greg Biffle confronted me,” Johnson said, “Kenseth in-fronted me. If only Kenseth were as easy to handle as Greg Biffle, you could hand me the Cup right now.”

3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon won for the first time this season, capturing the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville and vaulting from fifth to third in the Sprint Cup points standings. He trails Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth by 27.

“I put myself back in the Cup picture,” Gordon said. “Unfortunately, when I try to imagine myself as 2013 Sprint Cup champion, I just can’t ‘picture’ it.”

4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished sixth in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martisville. He is fourth in the points standings. 28 out of first.

“If you saw the Trucks race,” Harvick said, “you know I have a problem with drivers who have been ‘grandfathered in.’ Now you know why I’m leaving Richard Childress Racing. Those kids don’t know what they’re ‘Dillon’ with.”

5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer took third at Martinsville, posting his ninth top-5 result of the year. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 55 out of the lead.

“The 5-Hour Energy car finished third in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500,” Bowyer said. “It seems that Goody’s has taken 5-Hour Energy’s concept and used it to their advantage. You could say they’ve put a ‘new spin’ on shots.”

6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt came home eighth at Martinsville as Hendrick Motorsports placed three drivers in the top 10, led by Jeff Gordon’s first win of the year. Earnhardt is seventh in the points standings, 56 out of first.

“Army National Guard renewed their sponsorship of the No. 88 car,” Earnhardt said. “As you know, the fans of Junior Nation love the ‘armed services,’ especially if that arm is handing them a beverage.”

7. Kyle Busch: After two fifth-place finishes in his last two races, Busch finished a disappointing 15th at Martinsville. He is fifth in the points standings, 36 out of first.

“How about Darrell Wallace becoming only the second black driver to win a NASCAR-sanctioned race?” said Busch. “Now, NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity has a new slogan celebrating black heritage in NASCAR. It’s called ‘What A Race!’”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle started 33rd and finished ninth at Martinsville. He is eighth in the points standings, 58 out of first.

“I made like my rear bumper,” Biffle said, “and got all up in Jimmie Johnson’s grill.

9. Brad Keselowski: After struggling at Talladega, Keselowski finished fourth at Martinsville, one of only two Fords in the top 10.

“All this controversy at Martinsville,” Keselowski said, “and none of it involves me. Once again, I’ve been ‘left out.’”

10. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 12th at Martinsville and is now tenth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 76 out of first.

“Greg Biffle obviously needs a course in confrontation etiquette,” Edwards said. “And I’m the man to do it. Of all people, I’m the one that knows how to teach a teammate a lesson.”

October 29, 2013
Surprising and Not Surprising: Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500

With NASCAR legend and Hall of Famer Junior Johnson giving the command to get the action started and a grandfather clock trophy on the line, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 65th annual Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 Powered by Kroger at Martinsville Speedway.

Surprising: Jeff Gordon had some pretty surprising thoughts in the waning laps of the race as he battled with Matt Kenseth for the race lead at Martinsville and then motored on to Victory Lane.

“I was thinking, what would Jimmie Johnson do?” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet said. “Or better yet, maybe what would Richard Petty do?”

“I was just hoping that no cautions were going to come out and they didn’t,” Gordon continued. “That clock, there’s nothing better than getting a clock at Martinsville.”

This was Gordon’s first win of the season and his 88^th victory in his career, tying him with Jimmie Johnson and trailing only Richard Petty and Darrell Waltrip on the all-time wins list at Martinsville.

And with the win, Gordon climbed two spots in the all-important point standings to third, now 27 points behind the leaders.

Not Surprising: While the inside lane was definitely the preferred one at Martinsville, the outside lane seemed especially cursed during this seventh race of the Chase at the short track.

“It’s just the nature of the beast here,” Clint Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota said. “That’s how important it is to get to the inside on these restarts.”

“You’d better get your business done quick,” Bowyer continued. “If you don’t, within two corners you’re in trouble because they’re stacked up on the bottom.”

Bowyer survived the curse of the outside lane to finish third, his tenth top-10 finish in 16 races at Martinsville Speedway.

Surprising: While Matt Kenseth was surprisingly confident at a track where he has no wins, only three top fives and a 15^th best driver rating of 80.5, his confidence did indeed bear fruit, with a runner up finish in his No. 20 Dollar General Toyota and a bump back up in the Chase standings.

“I felt like today was an opportunity to get the points lead back,” Kenseth said. “I know Jimmie (Johnson) is always the man here, and he’s still the man here along with Jeff (Gordon) and Denny (Hamlin) for sure.”

“I haven’t had that many good runs here, but we ran good in the spring, we were terrific at Loudon which has always been my worst track and this has probably been my second-worst track, and Jason (Ratcliff, crew chief) and the whole group at JGR gave us such good cars to drive.”

“I couldn’t be much happier, but I am disappointed I got beat there at the end,” Kenseth continued. “I feel like we can go do some racing here in the next three weeks.”

With his good finish, Kenseth actually tied Jimmie Johnson for the point’s lead, however, has the advantage due to his number of overall wins.

Not Surprising: Tempers abound at any short track so it was not surprising that some apologies were due, some were made, and some will remain to be made potentially in the upcoming week as a result of the Martinsville race.

Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Rheem Chevrolet, made several apologies, first to Ty Dillon for his harsh words after the Truck race and then to Ryan Newman for hitting him during the Cup race.

“Yeah, first thing I want to do is apologize to Ryan Newman,” Harvick said after finishing sixth. “I tried to shoot in a gap there and just barely clipped the right rear of his car.”

Carl Edwards also acknowledged that he owed a few apologies after a ‘terrible’ day at the race track.

“I caused the first two cautions when the car was real hard to drive on entry,” the driver of the No. 99 Geek Squad Ford said. “I felt bad about that.”

“The car was real, real loose in and that was the reason I hit Kvapil there like that,” Edwards continued. “I’m going to apologize to him right now.”

There were two drivers, however, who were in no way, shape or form in the apologizing mode, at least after the race ended.

“We made contact, but I couldn’t quite understand why he was down here pulling on my collar like he just did,” Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, said after his pit road interview was interrupted by a visibly upset Greg Biffle.

“You knocked my (expletive) back bumper off mother (expletive)”, the driver of the No. 16 3M Ford said to the five time champ after finishing ninth. “You (expletive) ran into the back of me.”

“Dude, if you want to talk about it, let’s talk about it” Johnson said during the exchange.

“We just did,” Biffle countered as he walked away after being separated from Johnson by a NASCAR official.

Surprising: Brad Keselowski finally had a surprisingly good day, with his career best finish, fourth place, at Martinsville Speedway. And with that, the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford said that he took the checkered flag exactly where he thought he had a car to do so.

“It was a decent day,” Keselowski said. “We weren’t where we wanted to be at the start, but we worked on our car and got it better at the end.”

“The last run was by far the most competitive we were and had probably about a fourth or fifth-place car and that’s where we finished at the end,” Keselowski continued. “It was a solid effort.”

Not Surprising: Chevrolet yet again secured the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup manufacturer’s championship and did so even with three more races left in the season.

This was the 37^th manufacturer’s title for Chevrolet and the eleventh year in a row taking the honors. This was also the 16^th win of the season for Team Chevy.

“To wrap it up with a win, with a great, exciting finish battling it out with a Toyota (the No. 20 driven by second-place finisher Matt Kenseth) is awesome,” Jeff Gordon said. “I know how much that means to Chevrolet.”

Surprising: In spite of his record setting qualifying effort, putting his No. 34 Taco Bell Ford in P8 in time trials, engine woes bit David Ragan and he finished dead last with a broken valve spring.

The driver, however, found the bright spot in his surprisingly bad finish with the positive evolution of his team over this past season, from testing to better work coming from the shop.

“We’ve built some new cars in-house and that’s doing the chassis work, the body work and building the components, so we’ve really evolved a lot,” Ragan said. “We’ve done it from within and I think long-term that’s a big positive for the whole Front Row Motorsports team.”

Not Surprising: Denny Hamlin, traditionally strong at Martinsville and pole sitter for the race, not surprisingly scored another top-ten run in his No. 11 FedEx One Rate Toyota, even with some damage incurred from one of the race’s early wrecks.

And with that finish, Hamlin pronounced the team as finally going in the right direction after a very difficult season.

“We ran decent,” Hamlin said. “Even though the car drove as bad as it did, we still were able to be at least somewhat competitive.”

“Seventh isn’t what we like here at Martinsville, but still it’s a step in the right direction,” Hamlin continued. “We’re just trying to get our feet under us.”

“Then that’s going to set us up pretty good for next year.”

Surprising: Sticking with the theme of blown engines, another one bit one of NASCAR’s most promising young drivers Kyle Larson who blew up for the second race in a row. The driver of the No. 51 Target Chevrolet suffered the mechanical issue on lap 165, spinning in his own fluid and bringing out the caution.

“We just can’t seem to catch a break in these two Cup starts that I’ve had,” Larson said. “We blew up in Charlotte and not sure we had a rear end blow up here or what.”

Larson’s day went from bad to worse as he tweeted after the race.

“What a bad last couple of hours. Engine blew up, got a speeding ticket, now my cat just puked and pooped in the car.”

Not Surprising: Kurt Busch admitted right up front that he does not have Martinsville Speedway circled on his calendar. And the track again was a struggle yet again for him as he finished 18^th with a banged up race car.

“We didn’t qualify well (19th), didn’t practice well and obviously didn’t race well,” the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet said. “I don’t know what it is but there’s something about this track that doesn’t suit me.”

“It was a very disappointing performance today,” Busch continued. “Our Furniture Row Chevrolet got banged up early when it took a big hit to the right side.”

“But no excuses, we just didn’t have it.”

The Cup Series next heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the AAA Texas 500, the eighth race in the Chase.

October 28, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth survived to finish 20th at Talladega, seven spots behind Jimmie Johnson. Kenseth’s four point lead became a four point deficit to Jimmie Johnson in the standings.

“I drove like I was expecting the ‘big one,’” Kenseth said, “and it never came. So the fans weren’t the only ones upset that there wasn’t a big crash. I guess I should have been more aggressive. If I’ve been faulted for being anything, it’s too ‘laid back.’”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 13th in the Camping World RV Sales 500 at Talladega, leading a race-high 47 laps to earn two crucial bonus points. He took over the lead in the points, and holds a four-point edge over Matt Kenseth.

“I was playing ‘catch’ with points-leader Kenseth,” Johnson said, “and I ‘overthrew’ him.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick, in the No. 29 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet, took 12th at Talladega and is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, tied with Kyle Busch 26 points out of first.

“This is the only way I can possibly share space with Kyle Busch,” Harvick said.

“That was one of the least exciting Talladega races, despite the fact that cars were topping out at near 200 miles per hour. I guess that’s why they call it ‘full bore.’”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch posted his second consecutive top-5 finish, taking fifth at Talladega. He is tied for third in the points standings, 26 out of first.

“I’m back in the championship hunt,” Busch said. “But if I don’t have a good finish at Martinsville, I’ll likely be done. The last time I was ‘officially eliminated,’ I was taken off the road by a state trooper in North Carolina.”

5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon led 19 laps at Talladega and finished 14th at Talladega, rendering unable to make up ground in the Sprint Cup points standings. He is now fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 34 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“Jimmie’s got the lead,” Gordon said. “Let’s see if he can hold it. With Martinsville up next, history says he can. He’s won eight races there, rewarded with a grandfather clock for each victory. It’s just further proof that the 5-time Cup champ’s greatness is measure in ‘times.’”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch came home 18th at Talladega and is now ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 61 out of first.

“We had Wonder Bread on the No. 78 Chevrolet,” Busch said. “As if you needed more proof that I’m as white bread as they come.”

7. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished tenth at Talladega, his first top-10 finish since a tenth at Dover. He is eighth in the points standings, 57 out of first.

“Kudos to 5-Hour Energy for their contribution to NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “Like its name states, 5-Hour Energy will stay with you for awhile, which is more than I can say about some of Michael Waltrip’s other sponsors.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 11th in the Roush Fenway Racing No. 16 Ford, while teammate Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. took third. Biffle is seventh in the points standings, 53 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“That was a great run by Stenhouse,” Biffle said. “He finished 30 places better than his girlfriend Danica Patrick. Contrary to popular belief, Danica is the one who is ‘whipped.’”

9. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Running second on the final lap, Earnhardt’s bid for victory at Talladega ended when the caution flew on the final lap, allowing Jamie McMurray to coast to victory. Earnhardt’s second was the best result among Chase drivers, and moved him up to sixth in the points standings.

“I’ve made second a habit at Talladega,” Earnhardt said. “And speaking of ‘habits,’ I’ve got as many wins this year as that lady wearing the habit—none.”

10. Ryan Newman: Newman started 17th and finished ninth at Talladega, earning his 16th top 10 of the year.

“That was the most incident-free race at Talladega I’ve ever seen,” Newman said. “Take it from me, that race was turned upside down.”

October 22, 2013
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished third in the Bank Of America 500, one spot ahead of Jimmie Johnson, and extended his lead from three to four in the Sprint Cup point standings.

“There’s one person I want to keep at arm’s length,” Kenseth said, “and that’s Johnson. Everyone else doesn’t matter, except for Carl Edwards, who needs to stay two arm lengths away.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson faltered on the race’s final restart and fell to seventh before charging for a fourth-place finish. He now trails Matt Kenseth by four in the points standings.

“I feel like I may have given one away there,” Johnson said. “Restarts have troubled me all year. And restarts mean I have to re-finish. And clearly, as a two-year title drought would suggest, I don’t finish like I used to.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished sixth at Charlotte, posting his third-straight top-10 result. He is 29 behind Matt Kenseth in the points standings.

“I’d like to say I still have a chance to win the Cup,” Harvick said, “but the facts don’t support that. You could say I don’t have a leg to stand on. And you can say the opposite about Tony Stewart.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth at Charlotte as arch-nemesis Brad Keselowski won the Bank Of America 500. Busch is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 37 out of first.

“I guess I’m more like Keselowski than I would care to mention,” Busch said. “Apparently, we’re both stupid, and neither of us has a chance to win the Cup.”

5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon won the pole on Thursday and took seventh in the Bank Of America 500. He has five top-10 finishes in six Chase races, and is fourth in the points, 36 out of first.

“Talladega next on the schedule,” Gordon said, “and anything can happen. Usually, when I ask for a miracle, I try to speak to God. Nowadays, it’s a little easier—I just talk to Clint Bowyer.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch posted a 14th in the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet at Charlotte, and is seventh in the points standings, 59 out of first.

“I don’t condone my brother Kyle’s characterization of Brad Keselowski as ‘stupid,’” Busch said. “Kyle obviously thinks he’s advocating NASCAR’s ‘Drive For Diversity’ when he, as the pot, calls the kettle ‘black.’”

7. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 11th in the Bank Of America 500 and improved one spot in the points standings to eighth. He trails Matt Kenseth by 63.

“Things could get very interesting at Talladega,” Bowyer said. “Not as interesting as things got in Richmond, but interesting nonetheless.

“Because of NAPA’s pulled sponsorship, Michael Waltrip Racing will run only two full-time teams in Sprint Cup next year. Michael tried his best to do more, but sometimes, you just aren’t able to manipulate the outcome.”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski recovered from trouble in the pits to win for the first time this year, taking the Bank Of America 500 at Charlotte.

“I made a full lap with the jack stuck under my car,” Keselowski said. “That’s the least I can do. I simply returned the favor—that jack’s been giving me lifts all tear.

“And speaking of ‘jacks,’ Kyle Busch is a lot like a jack, in that there’s always a ‘let down.’”

9. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 16th at Charlotte, and is now sixth in the points standings, 58 out of first.

“There will be an NCAA football game at Bristol Motor Speedway in 2016,” Biffle said. “It will likely be the most passing ever seen at a NASCAR track.”

10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 15th at Charlotte, one lap down. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup power rankings, 66 out of first.

“I’m ready for Talladega,” Earnhardt said, “and so are the fans of Junior Nation. They go absolutely crazy in the ‘Dega infield. So crazy, in fact, that they’re known as the ‘Infield-els.’”

October 15, 2013
NASCAR BTS: Kevin Hamlin is Calling All the Shots

While many in the garage area are busy juggling a multitude of responsibilities, this week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes (BTS) focuses on Kevin Hamlin, who is calling all the shots from the spotter’s stand to watching over young drivers starting out in their careers.

Hamlin currently spots for NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Kasey Kahne, as well as up and coming drivers Jeb Burton and Brad Sweet. He has also taken over responsibilities for guiding the career of Cole Whitt, who has recently progressed through the ranks to the Cup level.

Hamlin, however, did not start out in these roles until after having his own career as a driver himself, honing his craft in the Pacific Northwest. And for Hamlin, racing indeed has been in his blood.

“It is a family thing,” Hamlin said. “Both my parents drove, so I was born into it.”

“My mom and dad met at a speedway way back when, so I spent my weekends there growing up as a kid,” Hamlin continued. “I raced quarter midgets and then late models and had some success doing that.”

“I won two championships in the NASCAR Northwest Series and then married my high school sweetheart, conned her into moving to North Carolina six months later, and we chased the dream.”

Hamlin continued to pursue his racing career in North Carolina, from an ARCA deal arranged by Brendan Gaughan to a driver development deal with Chip Ganassi Racing. It was then his career took an interesting turn.

“By the time I knew my contract was up and I was doing a lot of start and parks and test driving (I’ve got more laps in a Cup car than I do a Nationwide car or Truck), I decided I wanted to be more involved in a team aspect than race,” Hamlin said. “While I was racing I was also spotting for John Andretti and Travis Kvapil and getting my feet wet at this higher level.”

“That turned into a deal with Clint Bowyer and then Ty Dillon,” Hamlin continued. “And then I went over to Kasey (Kahne) when he was looking for a guy and it has been a good year and a half so far.”

Spotting for Kasey Kahne has led to a whole additional level of calling the shots in his career as Hamlin has developed his relationship with the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports driver. In fact, he said that the chemistry between them came about almost immediately based on the type of spotting he had done previously for Clint Bowyer.

“I think Clint Bowyer, when I spotted for him, made me into the way I spot now,” Hamlin said. “Clint wanted a lot of information, where other guys are running, where he is getting beat, etc.”

“So, when I did those first few races for Kasey, I just spotted the way I did for Clint and I told him if he needed anything different that we would figure it out as we go,” Hamlin continued. “But he liked what I gave him and it clicked right away.”

“We’ve developed a lingo to where even if I feel like I’m not on my ‘A’ game for whatever reason, he still knows enough the way I do it to know where other cars are around him at all times,” Hamlin said. “Honestly with Kasey it’s been really easy and for whatever reason we hit the ground running.”

Hamlin, like all spotters, has had to learn a different way to call the shots for his driver as a result of what happened at Richmond prior to the Chase. And for Hamlin, life became more complicated but also a bit quieter as well.

“The spotter’s role has changed,” Hamlin said. “The spotter’s role isn’t clear high, clear low and wreck in turn two anymore.”

“Maybe that’s the way it used to be but the role has really developed into letting the driver know where other guys are at, when they are pitting, and trying to work out strategy,” Hamlin continued. “There was a lot of talking back and forth on the digital radio about what you wanted to do with that.”

“It’s a lot quieter for me now that I don’t have the digital because of what happened in Richmond. “

Thankfully, Hamlin’s worst experience calling the shots was not with current driver Kasey Kahne. But it was so bad, however, that it actually became a You Tube video of how not to react on the spotter’s stand.

“My worst spotting experience was at Bristol with Clint,” Hamlin said. “There was a big wreck getting into (turn) three and I got him through the wreck but stupid me said we’re clear, clear, whew and they were wrecking again right in front of him and Clint ran right into that.”

“So, he chewed me quite heavily for that and guys on the No. 33 team were a rough group back then and they were jabbing me about that too,” Hamlin continued. “I learned until your driver gets with that pace car, your head is still on a swivel trying to watch what is happening.”

“So, that is one of my most memorable not so fun experiences.”

Although spotting for Kahne and others keeps Hamlin very busy, he also is calling the shots in a whole new area of the sport, helping to look after the social and digital properties of several drivers, as well as the careers of several upstarts.

“While I work for Hendrick spotting, my day job is working for Fuel Sports Management group, which is Kasey’s agent and they represent a bunch of different drivers,” Hamlin said. “And I also look after young drivers since I’ve had experience looking out for drivers like the next Kyle Larson.”

“I’m the competition end guy where there are others who are better at the contracts and business aspect,” Hamlin continued. “So, it’s a good little mixture of what we’ve got going.”

“My role there has also progressed into working with Cole Whitt’s day to day stuff.”

“I helped put together the deal with TriStar Motorsports for him and with Swan Racing,” Hamlin said. “So, I’m trying to grow as a day-to-day manager for a Cup driver and trying to learn the business side of the sport as well.”

“As much as I love spotting, am I going to be doing it in fifteen years? I don’t know,” Hamlin continued. “So, you have to have something to do during the week to help support the family.”

“That’s where that new role came in.”

Hamlin is most excited about calling the shots in one other area, that of his family and being with his wife, daughter and son.

“There is a lot going on but it’s nice because if I’m done at three o’clock on Tuesday, I’ll pack up my computer and head home and I can work at home,” Hamlin said. “I have that option so I can see my kids and hang out with my wife and still do that family time thing that is so important.”

“We travel so much that it can really wear on you being away from the family.”

And where would race fans be most surprised to see Hamlin ultimately calling the shots?

“I’m really good at coloring,” Hamlin said with a sly grin. “My daughter Grace, who is five, and my son who is three, like to color.”

“My wife is a stay-at-home mom and works her tail off,” Hamlin continued. “So, for me to just come home and hang out and color is fun.”

“You get me a ‘My Little Pony’ picture and Grace and I can hammer that bad boy out.”

For more information about how Kevin Hamlin is calling the shots behind the scenes or for any expert coloring advice, follow him on Twitter @KevinHamlin.

October 14, 2013
Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas Hollywood Casino 400

From weather and tires to a fire off track that was smoky enough to cause a caution, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 13^th annual Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

Surprising: Two ‘lame duck’ drivers who just happen to be future teammates scored the one-two victory punch in the land of Oz, with Kevin Harvick scoring the win from the pole and Kurt Busch coming all the way from the rear of the field to finish runner up.

“To sit on the pole and win the race is obviously a great weekend, and controlling our own destiny by doing that, we are putting ourselves closer to where we need to be with the championship race,” the driver of the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet said. “We’ll just keep having fun and keep doing what we’re doing.”

This was Harvick’s first win at Kansas and his third victory of the season. And with the win, Harvick did indeed help himself in the point standings, climbing into the third position, 25 points behind the leader.

Kurt Busch scored his fourth top-10 in 16 races at Kansas and his 15th top-10 finish in 2013. He moved up two positions to seventh in the Chase standings, 47 points behind the leader.

“Wow, what an unbelievable drive,” the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet said. “We battled hard to come from 41^st and we did this in a backup car.”

“Today is a small little victory in my own mind.”

Not Surprising: With every driver on edge given the track conditions, it was no surprise that tempers flared just a little bit with some of the close racing. Four-time champ Jeff Gordon was one driver who had an issue after some hard racing with Kurt Busch resulted in his third place finish.

“It’s not a NASCAR race if you don’t have a discussion with another driver out there about an incident on the track,” the driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet said. “Everybody is just trying to get every position they could.”

“I got in the outside lane there one time and he (Kurt Busch) just came up and the next lap I got to his bumper and got him loose,” Gordon continued. “I guess that kind of led to him wanting to run into me on the right side on my door.”

Gordon’s third place finish did, however, move him up one position in the Chase standings to the fourth spot, 32 points back from the leader.

Surprising: In spite of a speeding penalty, loose race car and an 11^th place finish, Matt Kenseth was feeling incredibly lucky in the Hollywood Casino 400, particularly since he described his No. 20 Dollar General Toyota as the ‘evilest’ car he had ever driven.

Yet even with that ‘evilest’ car, Kenseth not only was the highest Toyota finisher but he also managed to maintain his points lead in the Chase, out front by three after Kansas.

“It was a struggle all day,” Kenseth said. “I was so loose I was ready to crash pretty much at all times of the race.”

“We drove back to 11^th, which definitely isn’t what we wanted or what we need to contend for this thing, but it was a good save for as bad as we were.”

Not Surprising: While some drivers circle dates on the calendar for tracks where they cannot wait to race, others have tracks from which they cannot wait to leave.

Such was the experience at Kansas for Kyle Busch, who yet again was bitten by the Kansas demons that led to his Chase race demise, from third to fifth place, after his 34^th place finish. This was his third straight DNF at Kansas Speedway.

“I have no idea what happened,” Busch said after his race ended in carnage. “All I know is we’re in Kansas, right?”

“Every other track except Kansas seems to be able to bode well for us,” the driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota said. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

Surprising: Five-time champ Jimmie Johnson had a self-proclaimed surprisingly crazy, weird and wacky day that still had him passing cars, finishing sixth in his No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, and gaining points, now just three points back from leader Matt Kenseth.

“All in all it was just a crazy day,” Johnson said. “Weird restarts. Wacky restarts. A lot of chaos there.”

“These cautions kept coming out and they hurt us each time,” Johnson continued, “So we rebounded from all that and passed a ton of race cars, and then on the last lap with I guess two to go, coming down the back, the car started shaking real bad and I thought it was over.”

“We had so many things happen to us and still salvaged a very strong sixth place finish.”

Not Surprising: Richard Petty Motorsports, a team that has seemed to be steadily gaining and moving forward had another good run at Kansas with both drivers finishing top ten.

“It felt like a win because I thought our day was done,” Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 MAC Tools Ford said after finishing ninth. “It was a bizarre kind of a race.”

“The tire was super edgy and unpredictable and you didn’t know if it was the wind or the tire or the car that was making the difference.”

“I am just pleased that we finished and I fought hard all day.”

“We got a top-10 and I would have never told you that was possible,” Aric Almirola, driver of the No. 43 Farmland Ford said after finishing tenth. “We got off in the middle part of the race but salvaged a good finish.”

“I am proud of my guys.”

Surprising: Another team, however, that of Stewart Haas Racing, had a surprisingly ugly day at the race track.

Danica Patrick, SHR driver, wrecked hard on the first lap and finished 43^rd, while Ryan Newman, SHR teammate, got tangled up in a wreck, finishing 35^th and dropping to 12^th in the point standings.

“I knew that going into the race that losing grip was going to be not that hard to do,” Patrick, driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet said. “I said that before the race started.”

“Things just go wrong,” Patrick continued. “If I did something wrong, I apologize to everyone on my team but it’s just a shame.”

“There’s not much to say other than we were in the wrong place at the wrong time and got caught up in an accident not of our making,” Newman said. “It’s definitely a disappointing day for all of us on the Code 3 Associates team.”

Not Surprising: With the challenging track conditions, it was not surprising that restarts were especially challenging for each and every driver, whether a Chaser or not, in the field. In fact, one Chase contender defined the restarts at Kansas as simply ‘insane.’

“The restarts were insane,” Carl Edwards, driver of the No. 99 Fastenal Ford said. “Look up insane and that is the definition right there.”

“It is tough to be racing for points when you have those kind of restarts.”

“It was pretty crazy out there,” Joey Logano, driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford, said. “Every restart you had to be so aggressive to pass people because that was your best shot to pass them and everyone realized it.”

Logano finished the race in fourth while Edwards salvaged a fifth place finish. The two drivers are now in the tenth and eleventh spots in the point standings respectively.

Surprising: The end of the race was most surprising, at least for Aric Almirola and Clint Bowyer, who got into each other coming to the checkered flag.

Bowyer, driver of the No. 15 Raspberry 5-Hour Energy/Living Beyond Breast Cancer Toyota, described his day in a tweet after the race, “What a frustrating day! Started out sh**ty, got a little better, got WAY better, put on 2 tires and s**t the bed…Then lost my mind.”

Almirola described the run-in with Bowyer in a slightly different way, “I beat him on that restart and I guess he was mad about it.”

“That is fine, I am not worried about it,” Almirola continued. “I beat him.”

Not Surprising: With the confluence of weather, tires, track conditions and the Chase pressure, it was not surprising that the record for the number of cautions was broken at Kansas Speedway with a total of fifteen. In fact, there were 71 laps run under caution, a new record for the season.

“We had a lot of gremlins this weekend,” Brad Keselowski, reigning champ and driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford said. “There were so many wrecks and so many yellows that we could never really get going.”

“Oh yeah, we couldn’t get in a rhythm out there.”

The Cup Series next travels to Charlotte for the Bank of America 500 under the Saturday night lights.

October 8, 2013