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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Joey Logano: Logano led 227 of 334 laps and held off Kevin Harvick down the stretch to claim the Bank Of America 500. With the win, Logano advanced to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

“I knew Harvick was creeping up behind me,” Logano said. “I knew I had to hit my marks to maintain my cushion. I kind of utilized Harvick’s strategy from Dover, because I knew if he got close enough to see my rear end, it would be bad news.”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 12th runner-up finish of the year.

“I ‘backed up’ my win in Dover with a second,” Harvick said.

“I am the defending Sprint Cup champion, but that doesn’t mean I’m not extremely motivated to win it again this year. Last year means nothing. In my mind, all evidence of that victory has been destroyed.”

3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth at Charlotte, the top finisher among Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

“I dealt with some battery issues,” Hamlin said. “As you know, that comes with the positives and the negatives.

“Matt Kenseth has been JGR’s best driver all year, but he struggled at Charlotte. And, if you remember, he had his issues last year at CMS. So for Matt, nothing is a cinch at Charlotte, except Brad Keselowski’s noggin in a headlock.”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards took sixth at Charlotte, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, who finished fourth, in the top 10.

“I bumped Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sent him into the wall,” Edwards said. “Now, my status with Earnhardt fans has been upgraded, from ‘unlikeable’ to ‘hated.’”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Charlotte, scoring his eighth top-five result of the year. He is third in the points standings, seven behind Joey Logano.

“NASCAR did a sorry job of cleaning the track of oil and fluid,” Truex said. “But let’s face it, if anyone’s guilty of pulling a slick one, it’s not the track at Charlotte, but Kevin Harvick at Dover.”

6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished ninth in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 20th top 10 of the year.

“There were a lot of cars making contact with the wall,” Keselowski said. “The wall played as big a factor in the Charlotte race as it did in the Dover race. For further explanation, see Kevin Harvick.”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Charlotte and struggled thereafter, battling tight-handling conditions and hitting the wall three times, the last of which ended his day. He eventually finished 42nd.

“We thought we had the No. 20 Dollar General car set up perfectly for Saturday’s night race,” Kenseth said. “Then rain postponed it until Sunday. So, after a tough day on Sunday, we were a day late and a Dollar General short.

8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished eighth at Charlotte and has not finished below 14th in the Chase.

“I may be Hendrick Motorsports only hope for the title,” Gordon said. “What’s shocking is that’s a long shot.

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt found trouble early at Charlotte, hitting the wall on lap 70 after making contact with Carl Edwards, then hitting it again after running through a patch of fluid on the track.

“Carl Edwards flat out wrecked me,” Earnhardt said. “I promise revenge is coming. It will be swift and just, and will be called ‘E-taliation.’”

10. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 20th, his day spoiled by an incident with Kyle Larson that damaged his car.

“I damaged the right front of the M&M’s No. 18 Toyota after colliding with Kyle Larson entering the pits,” Busch said. “You can’t blame me for that—I hit the Target.”

October 13, 2015
The Final Word – Rain on Saturday at Charlotte, Rain on the Parade of Some Others on Sunday

Rain. It came on Saturday and it continued to rain on the parade of a few on Sunday. Not on Kevin Harvick, as once again he finished amongst the top two. He won the previous week to stay alive in the Chase and was second at Charlotte. Fourteen times he has been there, to go with 24 Top Tens in thirty races this season.

Joey Logano matched Harvick in the latter statistic, as he dominated the action Sunday to record his fourth victory of the season, ninth over the past two campaigns. Both would be good bets to be in the final four at Homestead. Their odds are certainly better than a few others.

Carl Edwards provided the rain for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Sunday when contact sent Junior toward the wall. He met it again later on, as he opened the Challenger round 19 points out in the weeds. Too early to panic, especially with Talladega still coming our way.

Ryan Newman poured on Matt Kenseth, as both got wet when they had a meeting up high that turned Matt into the fence. Kenseth and the wall were to meet more than once before the car was finally killed. He wound up 42nd on the day and 32 points out of the hunt. Meanwhile, Newman was never a factor as 15th has him six points behind Brad Keselowski, who sits eighth in the standings.

Kyle Busch looked good. Then he looked right as he attempted to avoid pit road while at the same time Kyle Larson looked left in a split second move to enter. It was a meeting of the Kyles. At the end of the day, Mr. Busch discovered himself in 20th place on the track and with a 10 point deficit to make up, starting at Kansas this Sunday.

The long range forecast for the race calls for partly cloudy skies and warm temps. Of course, that is now. God knows what the actual weather might wind up being. More than half of the present field of Chasers have a win there, including Kenseth with a pair. Edwards has not, neither has either Busch or either Junior while Newman’s claim to fame came in 2003.

It might be dry on Sunday, but the forecast is calling for a fair number of parades remaining rather damp, at least for another week.

October 12, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Bank of America 500

Starting off the Chase Contender round, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Surprising: While the race was at most drivers’ home tracks, there was another track, one big superspeedway that seemed to be on many driver’s minds, including the race winner Joey Logano.

“We had a great car, the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford said in Victory Lane. “Charlotte is everybody’s home turf and you want to make it happen here.”

“This makes Talladega way easier. I know that’s on everyone’s mind when this round starts and last year we won Kansas when it was the first race of this round and now we were able to get it this time at Charlotte. We’ll get lots of sleep here the next couple of weeks.”

This was Logano’s first win at Charlotte, his fourth victory of the season, and his ticket into the Eliminator Round for the Sprint Cup championship.

Not Surprising: For the third time in the season, the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick finished runner-up to race winner Logano. This was also Harvick’s eleventh time to finish in the second spot for the season.

“We could hang with him (Joey Logano), but I would just lose him every once in a while in traffic,” Harvick said. “It was just extremely hard to pass. But all in all, we weren’t very good all weekend and the guys just did a great job on pit road and made our car better throughout the day.”

“And if those are the off-days, we’ll be just fine.”

Surprising: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. no doubt expressed the sentiment of many drivers, including himself after taking the checkered flag.

“It ain’t over,” the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet said after finishing 28^th. “Don’t worry about that. I mean, we don’t have to go to Talladega and be nervous like those guys that are going to have to play it safe. We can just go hard. So, we’ve got a great car that can win that race.”

“We can go to Kansas and run great. I like that track and don’t see why we can’t run great there and maybe win the race there.”

“It ain’t over.”

Not Surprising: Jeff Gordon was in a sunny mood, thankful for a day race instead of a night race and for finishing eighth when his teammates Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished 28^th, 39^th and 43^rd respectively.

“The day race helped us starting 22^nd,” the driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet said. “At night, it’s so grippy and fast and it’s hard to get multiple grooves; where during the day with the sun being out and heating up the track, losing a little bit of grip, I think it helped.”

“I thought it was a really, really strong effort.”

Surprising: There were just ‘too many’ for Matt Kenseth at today’s Charlotte race. The driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota finished 42^nd after having too many men over the wall too many times, too many close encounters with the outside wall, and too many mistakes on pit road.

“Yeah, I don’t know,” Kenseth said. “Everything kind of snowballed, you know? We were real fast out front, we were kind of tight in traffic and got behind pitting and then I missed the pit stall trying to come around the 21 (Ryan Blaney) and had to back up in the pit and that put us back there, so just kind of snowballed.”

Not Surprising: Aric Almirola may not be chasing a championship, but he and his team feel that they are definitely onto something after finishing top-10 in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Smithfield Ford.

“I’m really happy with our consistency and we just have to keep working at it,” Almirola said. “We have a few more weeks to go to try and steal a win, but, otherwise, I think we’re on to something.”

“I think we’re running a lot better and I’m really proud of everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports for bringing me these nice race cars these last six weeks.”

Surprising: After a close encounter with a pyrotechnics display in the Xfinity race, Austin Dillon remained on fire in the Cup race with a seventh place finish. The driver of the No. 3 DOW – Great Stuff Chevrolet not only finished top-ten in the big show but also busted off a win in the Xfinity race earlier in the weekend.

Not Surprising: At a track the size of Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was not surprising that there was more action in the pits than on the track. Most notably was the collision between the two Kyles, with Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson making contact while coming to pit road.

“I don’t know what happened,” Busch said. “Just can’t say enough about my guys – all the work that they put into these things. They don’t deserve to be put in these situations year in, year out, but we are for some reason.”

“But it’s tough and we’re going to have to battle through with what we’ve got right now.”

Surprising: Battery challenge….no problem. In spite of battery issues, Denny Hamline still managed to finish fourth, scoring highest finishing Toyota of the race.

“I ran on the wrong battery all day so we have one battery I guess to run everything and then one to run the motor so I was draining both of them,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said. “My mistake, I usually start on one and run on the other and I just got switched.”

Not Surprising: Martin Truex Jr. could possibly have a second career operating a lemonade stand. He made the best out of a car that he thought was a bit of a lemon, finishing third in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet.

“It was just hard work and a never-give-up attitude,” Truex said. “I honestly, this morning, I was really nervous going into the race thinking we’d be lucky to run 15th with what we had in practice. And Jeff Burton asked me before the race what I thought about my car. And I was like I don’t know; I don’t feel too good about it.”

“So, I’m just really proud of the guys for working hard. The pit stops were great on pit road. This was a big hurdle and now we go to our best track at Kansas, and hopefully getting two more.”

October 11, 2015
Hot 20 – Charlotte has a tough act to follow this week, while Las Vegas is not as safe as I thought

I get it. Racing cars can be dangerous. We have lost people in NASCAR, and one sad day, despite all the advances that have been made regarding safety, we just may lose somebody else. I hope not, but that is the reality we must face. All we can do is greatly reduce the odds.

Great leaps have been made in regards to producing a safer vehicle. Asphalt has replaced grass in many infields, though not all. Berms and gate openings are no longer an infield feature. SAFER barriers in front of concrete walls have made even the worst crashes survivable. However, if there is any chance a vehicle can be deflected in a direction that could put it on a path to hit concrete, it will.

The crash that left Austin Theriault with a compression fracture in his lower back last weekend in the Las Vegas truck race likely could have been less than it was if there had been a SAFER barrier where he hit. Teammate Josh Reddick had crashed in front of him, and when he spilled back onto the track he clipped Theriault, sending him sharply to his right and straight into the concrete wall. Should there have been a SAFER barrier in that location? Damn right. Will there be in the future? Only if driver safety is a real concern and if someone in charge has the brains to see the danger, in Las Vegas and elsewhere, and deals with it.

To be honest, I thought most tracks now had the barriers in such locations. I was wrong. Hopefully, NASCAR will finally make it right. All they need to do is remember that if it can happen to a billiard ball, it can happen to a race car.

Unless one has locked a place, either through a win or an insurmountable points lead, you can get caught by surprise. Jimmie Johnson was reminded of that in Dover when a $50 rear axle seal failed and sent him to the garage for more than 35 laps. That plunged him to beyond 40th on the track on a day when 28th or better would have saved him.

Kevin Harvick saved himself in winning last Sunday, and he heads to a track he won on last October. Johnson has seven career wins at Charlotte. That just does not matter as much as it did last week.

The Hot 20 heading into Charlotte include…

1. MATT KENSETH – 5 WINS
If one win was all it took to win a title, he did it. If it takes five or more, no problem.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Challenged at Dover, finished third, but made it to the next round by a single point.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
If you like this year’s racing, Logano figures we will love 2016’s lower downforce package.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS
Won last October and is seeking to make it two in a row.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS
History shows that Hamlin won’t win Saturday night, but it will not be a disaster, either.

5. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
Can spring success equate into a fall classic?

5. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Difference between Kurt and Jamie…two points…and he was tied for sixth in the standings!

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Exciting enough for you?

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Tech issues caused him to start last, 11th place kept him in the Chase by six positions.

10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Re-starting with the same number of points as everyone else in the Chase…and no black flag.

11. JEFF GORDON – 3000 POINTS
Handing over to Junior a sponsor. Maybe he could also loan him a championship.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 3000 POINTS
A winless championship season is still possible.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2098 POINTS
Rowdy by a point, Junior by a position, as Jamie is left waiting at the altar.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2086 POINTS
All for the want of a damn $50 car part.

15. PAUL MENARD – 2075 POINTS
If Johnson had finished 25th like Menard at Dover, Jimmie would still be in the Chase.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2048 POINTS
So concludes the title hopes of Toyota supported Michael Waltrip Racing (2007-2015).

17. KASEY KAHNE – 770 POINTS
All that is left is to win the battle against Almirola. That is all.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 767 POINTS
Driving a Ford…will keep on driving a Ford next season.

19. KYLE LARSON – 718 POINTS
For a time, it appeared he might prove to be Harvick’s spoiler last week.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 706 POINTS
At least Roush-Fenway should finish the season with a single Top 20 entry. Exciting stuff.

October 7, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole after qualifying was canceled and finished seventh at Dover, easily advancing to the Contender Round.

“And then there were 12,” Kenseth said. “Now, we’re headed to Charlotte, where speeds can reach upwards of 190 miles per hour. And, if history is any indication, the cars won’t be the only thing flying—-fists will be, as well.”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick dominated at Dover leading 355 of 400 laps and winning when he had to.

“I advanced,” Harvick said. “Jimmie Johnson retreated. And that’s certainly not the first time.”

3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second in the AAA 400 and advanced to the next round of The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

“It’s all about surviving and advancing,” Busch said. “And I did them both at the same time. Add those to the list of things I can do all at once, which includes ‘Whip And Nae Nae.’”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, already into the next round with his win at New Hampshire, finished 18th at Dover.

“I took a nice, leisurely Sunday drive,” Hamlin said. “That wasn’t the case for everyone. I’m not saying Kevin Harvick drives like a man possessed, but he emerges from his hauler like a man possessed.”

5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 15th at Dover and is one of four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers to qualify for the round of 12.

“Kevin Harvick didn’t waste any time taking over the lead,” Edwards said. “He took off like a bat out of hell, or just like the way he left Richard Childress Racing.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Dover, posting his 23rd top-10 of the year. He advances to the Contender Round of the Chase.

“Kevin Harvick showed why he’s the reigning champion,” Logano said. “Jimmie Johnson showed why the Chase format is his biggest obstacle to winning his seventh Cup. Sadly, it was a simple seal that ruined Jimmie’s hopes. On this day, it appeared a mechanical issue was Jimmie’s ‘Achilles Seal.’”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 16th in the AAA 400, making his way to the next round of the Chase.

“It wasn’t pretty,” Keselowski said, “but the No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion, after a rough start, came through when it counted. You could say it was ‘Wurth’ the wait.”

8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 17th at Dover and claimed his spot in the next round of the Chase.

“I think NASCAR was a bit disappointed,” Busch said. “This was a high-pressure elimination race, and the only thing that got punched was a ticket.”

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt, needing a strong finish to make the Chase, took third at Dover to advance to the next round, but just barely. Earnhardt took the 12th and final spot, tied with Jamie McMurray in points but advancing by virtue of a tiebreaker.

“I heard a strange sound,” Earnhardt said. “It turned out I was almost done in by a loose wheel. Ironically, I ‘squeaked’ by.”

10. (tie): Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a rear axle seal failure at Dover, forcing him to the garage and ending his hopes of advancing to the round of 12. Johnson finished 41st, and won’t be winning his seventh Sprint Cup title.

“That was a $5 part,” Johnson said. “The sad part is, I had to pay for it.”

10. (tie): Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished 12th at Dover and made his way to the round of 12.

“The ‘Drive For Five’ is still alive,” Gordon said. “If I could win my fifth Sprint Cup title in my final season, it would be the most emotional experience of my life. That’s why I’m calling my quest ‘Once More With Feeling.’”

October 6, 2015
The Final Word – With so much on the line for so many, Dover was one hell of a race

Dover, where the Chase hopes of four would be over by the time the haulers moved on down the road. Two came in safe, some were comfortable while others were scrambling to survive. For a pair, it pretty much was win to be in.

Most races come down to a series of snapshots, of moments that determine their fate and those of those challenging them. For Kevin Harvick, it came early, on just the 24th lap of the 400 circuit affair. He took the lead and showed himself to be in the dominant car. For the defending champion, a win would pretty much be necessary to keep his dreams of a repeat alive.

For Jimmie Johnson, it was lap 104. Problems in the rear end forced him to come to the garage for 37 laps, to forever sit beyond 40th, and to hope for someone to experience disaster. He did not need to move up, but he needed somebody to move back toward him. More than one would have been nicer.

That left Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. battling for the bubble spot. Well, as long as Harvick led and no one other than Johnson suffered a major failure, it was going to be either one or the other who would make it in. Just one to four points separated the pair most of the afternoon in the battle for 12th in the standings.

With 20 to go, that two car duel had widened to a five-car fight. Suddenly, the jack problems that dropped Kurt Busch to 17th had him ahead of the pair by just two points. Kyle Busch was running second, but he was up only by a single point as Junior and McMurray were running third and fourth in the race. Ryan Newman was back to 19th, and his lead was now just a single point. Seven laps later, Brad Keselowski, 15th on the track, was himself just two points to the good in the standings. A dozen laps left, and we still did not know how it would all end. Meanwhile, as all this was going on, Harvick still was running first, Johnson was sitting near last on the track. This movie was promising to have one hell of a finale.

“We believe we can win,” was the chant his crew serenaded their driver in Victory Lane, and they were right as Harvick advanced them to the Contender Round of the Chase. No disaster came to save the day for Johnson, so his dream of seven championships is put off for another season. As for the battle for the final berths, in the end it did come down to Earnhardt and McMurray. They finished tied in points, with the tie breaker going to the man recording the best finish amongst the three Chase races to date. On the day, Junior was third, McMurray was fourth, and that was the difference.

Harvick joins Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin winning their way forward, as Earnhardt, Newman, the Busch brothers, and Keselowski join Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, and Joey Logano as, for them, the hunt continues.

It was one hell of a race, now on to Charlotte this Saturday night to begin the next round.

October 5, 2015
Week Three of The Chase and Danger Approaches

Waiting until week three to comment on the Chase is probably unorthodox, but, as many readers know, hating the Chase is typical of old-timers like this writer. It’s like a team that was horrible all season and barely got in the playoffs still has a chance to win it all. It’s almost unfair. It’s obvious that the format is popular among those fans who are left (most of those who have followed the sport for more than 20 years are gone), and that is alright. So, we have to listen as television and radio guys want to talk non-stop on who is going to be the champion. Once this week a whole call-in show was dedicated to who the final four would be. What a crapshoot.

As it is in these kinds of formats, designed after stick and ball sports, it matters not how your whole season goes, but who gets hot at the end. Remember the wild card teams in baseball who won about 86 games and eliminated the team that won 100 for the season? That’s where we are in this year’s Chase. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are in trouble. Harvick finished in the Top Five at what seemed like every race and Busch’s season since May has been unbelievable. Yet, here they are in a situation where they almost have to win to move to the next round. Both won’t win. Add Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the list. One cannot imagine the wailing and gnashing of teeth if Junior doesn’t make it, but that’s the magic of the Chase, or so they say.

Harvick has had the worst luck. Obviously, his Stewart-Haas team has arguably been the best team all year. He’s only won twice, but he has been a threat in what seems like every race and finished second so many times. Now he faces elimination. A dustup with Jimmie Johnson at Chicago and running out of fuel at New Hampshire and now it’s do or die. Please remember that Dover is not one of Harvick’s best tracks.

Being appalled at television coverage is nothing new. While NBCSN had no trouble documenting the push from Harvick in the motor coach lot last week, they pretty much ignored that Greg Biffle finished fourth and was a threat to win the race. It was a big deal for Roush Fenway Racing, but Biffle is not in the Chase, so all the attention was elsewhere, which is my main criticism of the Chase format. While media concentrates on who’s in and who’s out, who’s in trouble or who’s not, we miss milestones that used to be a big deal. It’s not anymore. It’s all about the championship. I can remember a time when Pearson, Yarborough, and Petty won championships and the races still meant something. Those days are gone. Sadly.

This week, we also saw that a second driver decided to retire at a young age. First it was Jeff Gordon who announced late last year, and now Tony Stewart. Both are in their early 40’s, and it just doesn’t seem right. I first met Stewart at Rockingham in (I think) 1996 when Stewart and Matt Kenseth were racing for the win. Kenseth won the race but used the chrome horn to get by him. Tony was like one of my heroes, A.J. Foyt. He wasn’t a happy camper. He was gracious. I didn’t have any contact after that until the Sprint Media Tour in 2014 when I noticed the difficulty Stewart was having walking. I had broken my ankle at Bristol and in recovery myself. I had the opportunity to exchange notes with Smoke on broken bones. He was funny, sarcastic and just Tony. I will miss him.

Many have talked about the void that may have caused NASCAR to lose fans starting with the death of Dale Earnhardt. I’ve witnessed that over the last few years. Fans still come in the campgrounds (the most loyal fans) with their big black and white No. 3 flags but many more have 24 and 14 flags. This is another stumbling point for the sanctioning body. As many more icons leave the sport, what will be the effect? Earnhardt was bigger than life, but Gordon and Stewart were the younger generation’s big heroes. That generation has grown up, but many former Earnhardt fans moved to Stewart, Gordon, and Dale Junior. It’s another crisis that NASCAR has to deal with now. The sport is strong, but will the Chase, which probably will eliminate two strong contenders in the first round, and the retirements, have the effect that that horrible day at Daytona caused. We will see.

October 1, 2015
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.

September 30, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Loudon

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took advantage of Kevin Harvick’s fuel misfortune to take the Sylvania 300 at Loudon. The win kept Kenseth atop the points standings and guaranteed his spot in the next round of the Chase.

“Harvick clearly had the best car,” Kenseth said. “To lead 216 of 300 laps and not win? That has to be the ultimate feeling of coming up ‘empty.’”

2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin backed up his Chicagoland win with a strong second-place finish at New Hampshire, following Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth across the line.

“These Gibbs cars have speed,” Hamlin said, “and their fuel mileage is so good it borders on the mysterious. With apologies to Kevin Harvick, you could say they’re ‘freaky fast.’

3. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole at Loudon and finished fifth as the Joe Gibbs Racing driver took three of the top five positions, including Matt Kenseth’s victory.

“There were no punches to the chest after this race,” Edwards said. “But if Kevin Harvick felt the need to punish someone, he would definitely kick himself.”

4. Joey Logano: Logano finished third in the Sylvania 300 and now sits third in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“I’m in great position to advance to the next round of the Chase,” Logano said. “There’s only one driver that needs to drive like a maniac at Dover, and that’s Kevin Harvick. But he put himself in this position. Of all people, Harvick should know how to ‘baby’ a gas pedal.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie rallied from a flat tire, which left him a lap down, to finish a solid sixth at Loudon.

“I went to see Kevin Harvick’s gas tank after the race. Instead of emerging calmly from its hauler, it ‘ran out.’

“Jeff Gordon broke the NASCAR record for consecutive starts. That makes him the sport’s ‘Iron Man,’ but it sure as heck doesn’t make him the most hard-headed.”

6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski was penalized for jumping a restart and dropped to 25th before rallying to finish 12th.

“Usually,” Keselowski said, “when somebody says ‘punch it,’ I duck instead of getting on the gas.

“Jumping a restart is something that Matt Kenseth can do and get away with. Apparently, Matt is sneaky. You saw it last year – he attacked me in between our team transporters before I even knew it. And even when Matt punches you, you don’t even know it.”

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt ran out of gas on the final lap and finished 25th at New Hampshire. He is 12th in the points standings, one point ahead of Kyle Busch.

“The race at Dover is an elimination race,” Earnhardt said. “And you can’t spell ‘elimination’ without ‘E Nation.’ Of course, the Chase isn’t a spelling bee. Hopefully, I can maintain my spot of 12th or improve on it. Otherwise, I’ll be like an Earnhardt fan in a spelling bee—I won’t make it out of the first round.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch blew a tire on lap 159 and slammed the wall, leading to a 37th-place finish. He is 13th in the points standings, one point behind Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 12th place.

“I’ve got my work cut out for me,” Busch said. “I’ve been behind the Eight-Ball before, which is usually because there’s a state trooper behind me.”

9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 10th at Loudon, posting his 14th top-10 of the year. Newman is sixth in the points standings, 25 behind Matt Kenseth.

“I’m the Chase driver no one’s talking about,” Newman said. “That’s because I drive for the team no one’s talking about. That would be Richard Childress Racing. Unless I advance to the next round, RCR will have no chance to win the Cup, so our four teams will figuratively pack it in for the season. That’s when ‘RCR’ becomes ‘RCR & R.’”

10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started second in the Sylvania 300 and led 216 of 300 laps, but ran out of gas with three laps remaining, losing the lead and finishing 21st.

“Our calculations said we had plenty of gas to finish the race,” Harvick said. “Am I in serious danger of not advancing to the next round? Well, you do the math, because you’re probably better at it than we are.”

September 29, 2015
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.

September 29, 2015