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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

  • The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    I wonder what the highlight was from Las Vegas? Just maybe it was the passing opportunity to see Joey Logano get his ass kicked on pit road. However, before that could happen, a lot of dudes on Logano’s race team quickly took Kyle Busch out of the mix as their driver literally got carried off to safety. Rowdy wound up leaving the fray with a small cut on his forehead.

    I learned I will never get a job as a NASCAR official at track level. Did you see the size of those lads who helped lead Busch away from the melee? I don’t know what their names are, but Mister, Sir, or whatever they want to be called works for me. They were not little fellows.

    As for the spark that led to the tussle, that would have been when Busch dived down to get by a slowing Brad Keselowski on the final lap and made contact with Logano. As they went by, Logano wiggled a bit and the ensuing contact sent Busch for a spin through pit road. Was it all Joey’s fault? Not really, but it sure was fun to watch the aftermath.

    Keselowski had the race won. Then with two to go, he found himself with some kind of mechanical issue that took away his brakes and affected his steering. He fell back, and Martin Truex Jr. completed the sweep with two to go, claiming both Stages and coming back to accept the gift that fate bestowed upon him. For Truex, it marked his eighth career victory, gave him at least a win in each of the past three seasons, and he all but placed himself in the Chase.

    Las Vegas is going to get a fall race next season, but for most of Sunday, it was just a bunch of guys all spread out going fast and turning left. Not terribly exciting visually, at least until near the end. Then things got real interesting.

    Keselowski, along with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney provided the main opposition in this one. In the end, Larson and Elliott were second and third, while Keselowski got the third highest number of points in finishing fifth. Blaney had the fourth best tally despite coming home seventh. To illustrate the impact of the points system now in place, Matt Kenseth was ninth at the line but claimed 30 fewer points, half that of the winner. Being up front all day long and finishing somewhere in the vicinity at the end is what it is all about.

    Not a good day for Kevin Harvick. He had the best total coming in but left with just a single marker after blowing a right front and plowing into the fence in the opening stage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not much of a factor on the day, finishing 16th and still sits outside the Top 25. Jimmie Johnson was 11th and is slowly making his way up the ladder. As for the other hometown boy, Kurt Busch got his win at Daytona but Sunday saw him 30th after having issues much of the day. Unlike his brother, however, he did manage to leave the track without a mark on his head.

    Now it is off to Phoenix, where Harvick has claimed six of the past nine events staged there, including last spring. Logano won there in the fall, and may again as long as he does not have to pass a certain M&M painted vehicle on the last lap. Johnson has four victories, Junior has a trio to his credit. No time like the present to revisit some old glory. Maybe this time we might have something to talk about other than a mechanical failure or a failure to communicate. We can always hope.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • The Final Word – Atlanta goes to Keselowski, with major assists from Larson and Harvick

    The Final Word – Atlanta goes to Keselowski, with major assists from Larson and Harvick

    Atlanta. Let me just say that the damned narrative I had for this race just went to crap over the final 15 laps.

    Brad Keselowski won. 22 victories. This time, if he has any self respect, he needs to send out a few lines of thanks to a pair of drivers. Kyle Larson would be one of them. Larson ran low, did well, but for some reason he thought Keselowski would pass him on high, so he stayed high. Brad passed him down low, and drove away. Larson has one win, and seven runner-up finishes. I am starting to see why.

    As for that other card, that should go to Kevin Harvick. I had thought I was going to write how Harvick led from start to finish. I thought I might mention how he easily claimed the first two stages, led over 200 laps to totally dominate this event. That is what I thought. Then, with about 15 to go, and under caution, Harvick sped on pit road. He went from first to 14th on the re-start, and wound up 9th.

    Even though Harvick leads the standings by four over Kurt Busch, the Daytona 500 winner, and six ahead of Keselowski, that free pass to the Chase will have to wait. On the day, he was credited with 48 points, just five less than the race winner, one fewer than Chase Elliott in fifth, and more than Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, the elder Busch, and Martin Truex, Jr., all of whom finished ahead of Harvick at the end. A good points day, but 17 fewer than what he should have had. Brad, you are welcome.

    It was a day for speeders. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did it early, and sunk like a stone, never to be seen again. Jimmie Johnson did it twice. Expanding the timing lines on pit road seemed to have had the same effect as a new speed trap out on the highway. Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane would have been proud. Some recovered somewhat, while others did not.

    Let’s face it, Atlanta was not Daytona. Pack racing is exciting due to the “what if” factor of someone wobbling or bumping or losing traction at the wrong time. Spread them out, let the visual be of a bunch of folks just turning left a lot, and it is something only a true racing afficionado can appreciate.

    That does not mean it did not come with a few twists. Denny Hamlin had an issue with the rear end of his beast, was able to go to the garage for mechanical repairs, but ran out of time to make a return viable. Ryan Newman had a crew man jump over the wall early, and when a battery issue rose up a bit later, he was toast. No spark also meant Austin Dillon was left in the cold, outside the Top 30.

    Only 39 cars hit the starting grid in this one. None of the three non-Charter entries finished better than 34th. On the bright side, they did not finish dead last either. That honor belonged to the #51 of Cody Ware in the 21 year old North Carolina driver’s Cup debut. Steering issues parked him early.

    Next on the schedule is Las Vegas, where word has it a second race is being sought for the venue. Keselowski has won two of the past three, on either side of a win by Harvick. Johnson has four there. Kenseth has won three. Something tells me the winner next Sunday could well have a familiar face.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell ‘Pleased’ with First Test of New Format at Daytona

    NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell ‘Pleased’ with First Test of New Format at Daytona

    The 59th running of the Daytona 500, with first-time winner, Kurt Busch, included eight cautions for 40 laps and saw only 15 drivers complete all 200 laps. Was this typical restrictor-plate racing or a result of the new race format that NASCAR implemented this season?

    Steve O’Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, shared his thoughts on the new format which features stages and addressed the multiple accidents and the five-minute clock which limits the amount of time a team has to make repairs.

    His first impression of the race was, “I’d say, overall really pleased.” He added, “We saw a lot of great, hard racing. Everybody knows that every driver wants to win the Daytona 500. We saw drivers up on the wheel all day long racing hard and that’s exactly what we expected from the format.”

    When asked about the reason for the number of wrecks that plagued all three series this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, his answer was simple.

    “I think people wanted to win,” he said.

    O’Donnell continued, “People want to win (when they) hit Daytona. We wanted drivers racing up front, racing hard for wins. That’s what we expected. In terms of good, hard racing, that’s what you saw all three days.”

    He also thought that the five-minute clock worked well.

    “Obviously that’s going to be a work in progress as we go”, he explained. “It was NASCAR working with the race teams. When you look at the positives of that, no one exceeded that clock on pit road. The winner of the race was part of that policy. So, if you look at a car going beyond five minutes, usually their day’s done anyway. If we had a line of teams here saying we’ve got to do something we would, but we didn’t have one of them. They all knew that their day was done. It’s unfortunate. But that’s Daytona; it’s a tough place to race.”

    O’Donnell went on to discuss the complexities of restrictor-plate racing at Daytona and said that Atlanta Motor Speedway would essentially be their “first experience with the new rules package.”

    “I think Daytona brings out, you never know what’s going to happen. If you make a mistake here, it’s usually a pretty tough one and it’s a pretty tough day. But,” he maintained, “the stages did produce strong racing.”

    He pointed to another favorable aspect of the race at Daytona, stating, “It also gave some drivers who competed in those first stages who normally would have gone home with one or two points; they were rewarded for running up front early.”

    Several drivers also weighed in on their experience with the revised race format, characterizing the race as “wild,” “the extreme of the Daytona 500,” “aggressive” and “fun.”

    Ryan Blaney, who finished second in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford,  said, “It was one of the more wild 500s I’ve been in, a lot of wrecks that took out a bunch of good cars, which you hate to see. There were only a handful of cars out there that looked OK at the end.”

    AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 47 Kroger Clicklist Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing, who finished in third place, shared his perspective.

    “I mean, I think Daytona and Talladega are going to be extreme,” he said, “because, you know, it comes down to trying to get your track position. You see people lay back. Now with the stages, there’s points on the line. I think Daytona is the most amped up. It kind of changes how people race.

    “To me, I don’t think any of the other 32 races that we’re going to go to, we’re all driving as hard as we can every lap anyway. Yeah, you get a caution with eight to go before the stage ends, there’s going to be strategy. Maybe guys on old tires and that might make some difference when it comes to the stages. I think it’s the extreme of the Daytona 500 and these plate races, the way we have to race. Now with stages, with points being on the line, things are going to happen like that.”

    Jimmie Johnson’s race ended on lap 128 in a 17-car accident. He summed it up, saying, “Just a lot of aggression way too early, in my opinion.” His No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy finished in 34th place.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. who led eight laps in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet before he was caught up in a wreck and only completed 106 laps and finished 37th, had a different viewpoint.

    “I really enjoyed the whole week; we had a lot of fun. Everybody’s support, to get back to the racetrack, meant a lot to me. Sorry, we weren’t able to deliver a better result today for all our fans.” He concluded by saying, “At least we went out leading the race.”

    While opinions vary, restrictor-plate racing is known for its volatile nature. The true test of the new format may be the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • The Final Word – A new season, new rules, new hopes, and new busty gals at Daytona

    The Final Word – A new season, new rules, new hopes, and new busty gals at Daytona

    The sun was shining, at least on Sunday, the birds were singing, and joy was back in our hearts. A new NASCAR season is now upon us, and we could not be happier. We learned over the offseason that if a car gets too torn up that it cannot be fixed in five minutes on pit road using original pieces, other than tons of tape, its gets parked. We discovered that the runner-up in a race could wind up with less points than a car finishing 21st. The lesson there is, if you want to pick up extra points, do so while your car is in pristine condition. If it is wrecked, unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, you won’t be back.

    We still were learning things during the Clash at Daytona. Jimmie Johnson broke loose all on his lonesome and clipped Kurt Busch. It straightened out Johnson, but the Busch auto wound up crumpled like a mishandled can of baked beans. Later, Johnson broke loose again, and all he found this time was an inside wall to conclude his race. From what we heard from Johnson and commentator Dale Earnhardt Jr., the boys and girl might have a downforce problem to start the season. Good for fans who want the unexpected, but very bad for drivers.

    We learned that for all the talk about how wonderful the new look Toyotas are, the competition still seems able to do the job. Joey Logano in a Ford won the Clash, though that was due to Denny Hamlin using his Toyota to block Brad Keselowski, sending both for an unexpected ride. When it came to qualifying, no Toyota up front. The Rick Hendrick duo of Chase Elliott and Earnhardt locked their Chevys into the front row come next Sunday.

    We learned that teams should not send too many men over the wall. Kyle Larson’s team did, and Larson got parked late in the Clash. It appears undocumented folks going over the wall will not be tolerated in NASCAR either this season. In, fact, they did a little rewriting of their lawbooks. For example, where once we had multiple levels of infractions, now we shall have only two.

    Level 1 misdeeds include failing weight, heights, or missing three lug nuts at the end, and that could cost up to 40 points, a three-race holiday for a crew chief, and a $75,000 donation. Level 2, which is more a capital offense, includes targeting traction control, tire manipulation, and illegal testing. Seventy-five points, a six-race vacation for the crew chief and others involved, and up to a $200,000 financial slap. It appears NASCAR is going all Carrie Underwood on them. You know, “Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.”

    We learned that if there is a chance a driver got his bell rung, he or she will spend some time with the medics. That goes for all cars having to head to the garage, on a hook or not. After Junior missed half of last season due to a concussion, maybe you could call it the “Earnhardt Rule.” It is a step forward to better ensure even our favorites have to sit if their health is in jeopardy.

    We learned that some NASCAR fans do not like to see busty women wearing leather outfits in Victory Lane. I noticed one in the background behind Logano on Sunday, but I guess I did not get a real good look at her. After reading the complaints, I went searching. I mean, what kind of journalist would I be without doing some due diligence? Okay, the Monster Energy girls are not dressed to impress the Amish, but as long as they do not go around carrying whips and promoting any shades of a certain movie franchise, I’m cool.

    I’m cool with sitting back and taking in the action for this Thursday’s Duels. Hopefully, they will attract a hell of a lot more than the estimated “crowd” of 15,000 that turned out last Sunday. With all but two of the cars locked into the Daytona 500, it might not produce the most intense action ever, but there are points to be awarded to the Top Ten in each of the heats this year. Just think about it. My fellow Canadian D.J. Kennington could not only race his way into the Daytona 500, but he could wind up being the co-leader in points come next Sunday.

    I am sure enjoying my new meds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Dale Jr. Back on Track and Raring To Go

    Dale Jr. Back on Track and Raring To Go

    After missing the last 18 races of the 2016 season while recovering from concussion-like symptoms, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was back on the track Tuesday at Phoenix International Raceway to participate in a two-day test for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams. It’s the first time he’s been on a track after being medically cleared to race last December following a private test session conducted at Darlington Raceway.

    To say that he has been looking forward to it, may be a slight understatement, as  Earnhardt told the media at PIR, “We were coming here to test and I was just texting the guys (on his team). I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t know why but I’m just freakin’ pumped up about this.’”

    Although he hasn’t been enthusiastic about test sessions in the past, this year is different. After months out of the car, he has a new perspective and Earnhardt is embracing the opportunity.

    “It’s been a while. You know, you miss the camaraderie, the work, the friendships I have with my road crew,” he said. “I think they miss me, so that makes you feel good. They seem excited that we’re working together and we’re back together. So when you get out there and you put laps down, the communication is right there – we’re communicating really good.”

    “But testing, when you’re racing every single week for 20 years and you have a test here and there, it gets kind of boring. I’m not going to lie,” Earnhardt continued. “But you’ve got to understand what your objectives are, try and motivate yourself. Learning everything that you can learn, being an asset to the team. If you’re sitting on your phone and you’re playing around – you need to talk to your crew chief and discuss with him and listen to what they’re talking about. Be a part of the team when you’re here. You lose sight of that at times. You get lazy. So I’m excited. I’m happy that we’re here. The car’s good. We’ll see how it goes.”

    He’s also using this test session to bolster his confidence. While excited to begin the new season, Earnhardt admits to being slightly apprehensive.

    “I’m just a little nervous, you know, about if there will be any kind of learning curve. But I don’t know. I hope there ain’t. Sometimes you see guys in sports – no matter the type of sport – that are away for a while, that have to adjust to how much has changed since they’ve taken time off. There are some guys that come back that never missed a beat. So I don’t know. I hope there’s no rust to shake off. I’m really anxious to kind of get out there and have some success. Get out and run well. Check that box that I am where I need to be.”

    Looking ahead, Earnhardt is encouraged by the gains the team made last year in his absence and is determined to further their success.

    “The great thing is that the team kept working at the end of last year. We have some good progress – almost won here with Alex – so they’re confident in themselves. For me, confidence is a big, big part of it. The fact that the team doesn’t have any lack of confidence in what they’re doing or where they are, is a good thing. Now I just have to build on that confidence level myself and feel like me and the car are working together.”

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  • Media Tour – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Can’t Wait Until Daytona

    Media Tour – Dale Earnhardt Jr. Can’t Wait Until Daytona

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. wants to get back to racing again. The man that fans fondly call, “Junior,” is chomping at the bit to get back in the No.88 Nationwide Chevrolet in about a month at one of his favorite tracks. Earnhardt talked with the assembled media at the 35th Annual NASCAR Media Tour hosted by Charlotte Motor Speedway

    It’s been a long six months since fans have seen Earnhardt in his ride, but Earnhardt is just as anxious as his loving fans. A crash in June at Michigan International Speedway caused NASCAR’s most popular driver to suffer symptoms of a concussion which became worse after the race at Kentucky Speedway in July. As a result, he did not complete the season but had a very full December. He married his long-time fiancé in December and pondered his future in the sport he loves. He saw a younger Carl Edwards step away from racing for three reasons, one of which was health concerns.

    “To get approved to race is one thing but to decide to race is another,” Earnhardt said. “You have to make the decision if you want to keep racing and if you want to keep racing you’ve got to give 100 percent. I had to answer a lot of personal questions from myself and just really buy in (to returning). All of that was a process and I’m really happy with what I decided to do.

    “I’m just hoping to enjoy what’s left of my career and hopefully I get to make the decision myself as far as how much longer I want to race. I’m really excited about my future.”

    In the years prior to his injury, Earnhardt was a hot commodity on the track. He won seven races in 2014 and 2015, one of which was his second Daytona 500 in 2014, so he’s not ready to retire quite yet. There is much left to do.

    “People have asked me since I turned 40 when I will retire. All I’ve ever said is that I want to be able to make that decision myself. I don’t know when I’m going to stop racing but I want to be able to make that choice and not have it made for me. All that stuff really showed me how much I’ve got going for me and how fun this really is. You can make it difficult or you can enjoy it. This is an incredible position to be in. I can see how you can get burned out a little bit but I’m certainly not feeling that way right now.”

    That has to be good news to his many fans.