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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

  • Hot 20 – Charlotte, where this weekend they go the extra miles

    Hot 20 – Charlotte, where this weekend they go the extra miles

    We begin with Monaco, tune into Indianapolis for the matinee, then spend the evening in Charlotte in our 600-mile feature. While we go in concerned about cars running into a house or into a harbor overseas, or find the wall and flipping down the track in Indiana, our biggest concern for the folks with fenders is that they might not be able to pass the leader in North Carolina.

    As we discovered last week in the All-Star contest, if you run up front your only concern is that your car turns sour or adjustments just made the competition better. If neither happens, the leader leads until somebody has to hit pit road. Not terribly exciting in a visual sort of way, yet we shall watch to see if Clint Bowyer can hold on to that final Chase berth, if a past winner can win again, or if someone buried in points might be able to make the leap with a checkered flag performance.

    Of course, Kyle Busch returns from his Daytona injury with zero points, 179 behind the 30th placed Tony Stewart. Well, that is nothing five or six straight wins wouldn’t cure. Hey, I did not say it would be easy.

    Our hot 20 heading to Charlotte…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 3 WINS (389 Points)
    Modifying the side skirt…okay on Fashion TV, not so good in NASCAR. Yet, forgivable.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (437 Points)
    Back in a crushing slump after a runner-up finish in the All-Star event. Yes, that is sarcasm.

    3. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (375 Points)
    Some dream of the double while Joey is content to focus on winning at night.

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN (360 Points)
    How to avoid post-race altercations? Have a NFL linebacker riding shotgun every race.

    5. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (343 Points)
    Noticed Hamlin’s sad eyes, so donated the All-Star race to him. What a nice guy!

    6. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (331 Points)
    A very funny man, but just in a dry sort of way.

    7. Kurt Busch – 1 WIN (292 Points)
    A personal life for Kurt equal to his success behind the wheel would bring me a measure of joy.

    8. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (284 Points)
    Feeling like a million bucks.

    9. Martin Truex, Jr. – 391 POINTS
    All-Star race? We don’t need no stinkin’ All-Star race!

    10. Jamie McMurray – 328 POINTS
    Boasts the prettiest mechanic in NASCAR…12 year veteran Ashley Parlett.

    11. Jeff Gordon – 317 POINTS
    Driving the Indianapolis 500….pace car.

    12. Kasey Kahne – 313 POINTS
    Beat young Erik Jones in an illegal truck last week…but not a terribly illegal truck.

    13. Aric Almirola – 312 POINTS
    Only driver in a Chase position with not a single Top Ten to his credit.

    14. Paul Menard – 306 POINTS
    Comparing Clinton Foundation cash to his dad’s support of Scott Walker? Not even close.

    15. Ryan Newman – 305 POINTS
    I heard Ryan Newman was very pretty. That is how I discovered the actress of the same name.

    16. Clint Bowyer – 272 POINTS
    Inside the top 16…but not very comfortably.

    17. Danica Patrick – 270 POINTS
    Bowyer takes over the final Chase place. Obviously, the man is no gentleman.

    18. Carl Edwards – 265 POINTS
    Amongst JGR drivers, he at least has more points than Kyle. Really.

    19. A.J. Allmendinger – 259 POINTS
    Would love a double, but it won’t happen this year.

    20. Casey Mears – 242 POINTS
    Is this enough to keep Germain Racing interested for 2016?

    20. Greg Biffle – 242 POINTS
    Can a front row start last week transfer into good tidings when it counts this week?

  • The Final Word – It was an all-star Saturday night in Charlotte, but the all-star weekend is still to come

    The Final Word – It was an all-star Saturday night in Charlotte, but the all-star weekend is still to come

    Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, and sometimes you give it away. Denny Hamlin won the All-Star event Saturday night, but Brad Keselowski and his team handed it over.

    With the 10 lap final shootout to go, Keselowski got out of his pit box just behind Hamlin. He gunned it to clear pit road ahead of his rival, but in doing so he was caught speeding. Keselowski, the best in two of the four 25-lap segments and the leader going into the pits, went to the back of the line and his hopes of winning went out of the window.

    With the lead and the clean air that came with it, Hamlin kept ahead of Kevin Harvick to the end to claim the million dollar prize. Sadly, the days of being able to slingshot past the leader to victory, it seems, ended when David put the moves on Goliath. There were just three lead changes on the track; when Kasey Kahne went by Keselowski 15 laps in, when Hamlin loaned it to Kurt Busch for a lap in the second segment, and when Busch went by Hamlin two laps into the fourth segment.

    Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle made the race through their efforts in Friday night’s showdown. Danica Patrick got in through the fan vote. Martin Truex Jr., who is second in points but lacking in wins, was left in the cold when he failed to make the grade through the preliminary event. Maybe an all-star should also be defined as someone in the top three in points, as that person appears very likely to make the Chase one way or another. You know, like one would expect from an all-star.

    Kasey Kahne was seventh Saturday but won Friday’s truck race in a photo finish over Erik Jones. There was just one problem. It seems the winning truck was too low on both sides and high in the right rear. For any penalties for this cameo violation to be meaningful, they would either have to come by way of taking cash from team boss Dale Earnhardt Jr. or take the win away.  It just depends on how serious a violation it was and if, in itself, it made the difference between winning or losing.

    Ryan Newman lost and I am not just talking about the weekend. He got some points back in his first appeal regarding his California tire violation in March but got nothing out of his second appeal to further reduce the penalties to him and his crew. Brian France claims all teams know what the problem was that day. The problem now seems to be that at least some of the teams claim they still do not know what Newman’s group did to get penalized, thus remain in the dark as to how to avoid such an issue themselves. It would seem to me that we have here, as was stated in that other Newman’s movie years ago, is a failure to communicate.

    As Jeff Gordon ran his final All-Star contest, we see a bright horizon for the sport. We have the 18-year old Jones lighting it up in both XFINITY and the trucks, and on Sunday Ben Rhodes skipped his high school graduation to make his XFINITY debut for JR Motorsports. Jones finished third, Rhodes seventh. Not a single Cup guy was to be seen in Iowa, which is the way it should be for the most part.

    Meanwhile, while American Pharoah won the Preakness last weekend to set up a run for horse racing’s Triple Crown in June, next Sunday is truly an all-star extravaganza in motorsports. We begin with the Monaco Grand Prix, followed by the Indianapolis 500, with the World 600 bringing the day to a close. Get the PVR ready and the couch all comfy, as it is going to be a busy day.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s gamble in the pits paid off and he captured his second win of the year, winning the SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas.

    “We stayed out to win it,” Johnson said. “It’s too bad no one stayed up to see it.

    “I called my wife Chandra after the race, but accidentally Face-timed her. She wasn’t too happy about that, and I’m not sure she’ll ever forgive me. But I’m hoping. Let’s just say we both seriously need some ‘make up.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick chased Jimmie Johnson to the finish line at Kansas but was unable to catch him, instead settling for the runner-up finish, his sixth second-place finish of the year.

    “Johnson edged me by less than a second,” Harvick said. “For a race that lasted well past sundown, it was a true ‘Nick At Night.’”

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt came home third in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, as the Hendrick Motorsports drivers took three of the top 4 spots, with Jimmie Johnson capturing the win.

    “Hendrick has flexed its muscles in the last two weeks,” Earnhardt said. “Our engines are a direct reflection of Rick Hendrick because the engines, much like Rick, are ‘loaded.’”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Kansas and finished fifth in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 62 out of first.

    “Even though I didn’t win,” Logano said, “I had a great time racing in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400. It was the closest thing to childhood I’ve ever experienced.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex pitted for fuel only during the race’s final caution, a decision that made him vulnerable to cars behind him with fresh tires. Truex still finished ninth, earning his 10th top-10 of the year.

    “We had a car capable of winning,” Truex said. “We led a race-high 95 laps, but lost the lead after a mistake in the pits. One would think that in a car sponsored by Furniture Row, we’d be able to ‘sit’ on a lead. But it was not to be, and I can’t ‘couch’ my disappointment. Now my detractors will continue to say I can’t win a race, a criticism that a victory would surely put to bed.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch took eighth at Kansas, posting his third top-10 of the year.

    “I’ve got a lot in common with SpongeBob SquarePants,” Busch said. “We both have a teammate named ‘Patrick,’ and neither ‘Patrick’ has won a Sprint Cup race.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh in the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, scoring his seventh top-10 of the year.

    “First the ‘SpongeBob SquarePants 400,” Keselowski said. “What’s next? The ‘Adventure Time 500?’ If that’s the case, the race will air on the ‘Car Tune Network.’”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth at Kansas, posting his sixth top-10 result of the year. He is seventh in the points standings, 106 out of first.

    “It was an otherwise disappointing day for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Kenseth said. “Carl Edwards had the next best finish with a 20th. Carl has only one top-10 finish this year. I think Joe Gibbs has second thoughts about hiring him. With Carl in mind, if there’s one thing Joe would like to see ‘flipped,’ it’s the script.”

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 13 at Kansas in the rain-delayed SpongeBob SquarePants 400.

    “Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s spin brought out the last caution,” McMurray said. “In SpongeBob speak, that’s called going ‘Skidward.’”

    10. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 11th at Kansas and is now 11th in the points standings, 125 out of first.

    “What do you know?” Almirola said. “The SpongeBob SquarePants 400, a sea-themed NASCAR race. I’ve heard of ‘mussel’ cars, but this is ridiculous!”

  • The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    It was a fine weekend. Sure, you may think I say that due to Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhard, Jr. and Jeff Gordon coming across the line in that order in Kansas. Okay, there might be some truth in that.

    Our family got together to celebrate a 3-year-old’s birthday, and that was fun. We visited with my mother in her big day on Sunday. I did not actually get to watch the race until about 1:30 in the dark on Sunday morning, thus the rain delay lasted only minutes for me. That was a very good thing. Oh, did I mention the finish?

    This is not to say a good time was had by all. Joey Logano had a hard-charging entry, but a couple of miscues on pit road left him continually having to come back through the field. He got as far as fifth before time ran out. Not bad, but he could have had more.

    For some, running in the Top 30 is a big deal, as it turned out to be for the likes of Michael Annett, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon, Josh Wise and Landon Cassill. Not Top 20’s, grant you, but good enough for a moral victory of sorts.

    Danica Patrick was a Top 30 car, but 27th is nothing to brag about, especially now that she has tumbled out of a Chase place. Yet, it was better than the days barely tolerated by some others. Trevor Bayne is with Roush-Fenway, a good place from which to race, one would think. Not if 31st is your fate. David Ragan went to MWR, but after a trip through the mud he wallowed in 33rd. Tony Stewart? Well, he looked good early, then he checked up to avoid a mishap ahead of him. Too bad Brett Moffitt did not. He ran into Tony, who then hit the wall, and any hope for a good day went up in…er…smoke. Thirty-ninth is not what he needed.

    Another great day for Hendrick, with a winner and two more in the Top Five, with Kasey Kahne back in 17th. Stewart-Haas had a couple up front, with Kurt Busch getting a Top Ten, while the other two were deep in the woods. Penske had a pair of Top Tens, Matt Kenseth was sixth for Gibbs but Carl Edwards had to be content with 20th. Erik Jones looked great in his debut, at least until he lost it late to kill the car against the fence, while Denny Hamlin’s car went for junk late as the latter pair finished 40th and 41st.

    Another very competitive day for Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr., though he had to settle for ninth in the end, yet only trails Harvick in points garnered. That elusive win does not seem too far off. As for Roush Fenway, Greg Biffle was 12th. The rest were outside the Top Twenty. In fact, not a one of them can be found amongst the Top Twenty in the season standings. They can only dream of being as good as Danica, and that is not saying much.

    This Saturday, it’s on to Charlotte and the All-Star race. Winners since the 2014 Daytona 500 right through to Kansas are eligible to run, along with all previous All-Star winners still running full-time, the top two from the preliminary showdown earlier Saturday, and a fan vote for a favorite. Last year, Josh Wise was the beneficiary of a social media campaign, which he no doubt thought was great, though I thought was rather stupid and undeserving. Then again, what do I know?

    Well, I do know I’ll be watching to see if Mr. Johnson can win again at Charlotte and take his fifth classic. Maybe Harvick will be up there. Maybe Junior. Hasn’t Gordon won this three times? Come to think of it, a repeat of last weekend this upcoming weekend might be rather fine.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: SpongeBob SquarePants 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: SpongeBob SquarePants 400

    With the hopes of attracting a younger crowd to the sport with appearances by Squidward Tentacles, Larry the Lobster, and Patrick Star, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 5th annual SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Surprising: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick continued to host their own version of a swap meet, trading wins and runner-up finishes back and forth yet again. This time, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet took the checkered flag first, with the driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet scoring runner-up honors.

    Harvick and Johnson have been having such a swap meet that in the races where Harvick has finished second, Johnson has won each race.

    “We won a championship on pit calls and tires, and everything fell our way,” Harvick said. “We’ve had a lot of things go our way, and we’ve had a lot of things work out, and running up front and having a chance to win, it’s almost harder to win the races when you’re leading races, because you’ve got guys that are a little off pace, like the first four were that stayed out, hoping that they could get a good restart and get the clean air and their car would hold on just long enough to get the win.”

    “It’s no frustration, just keep going at it.”

    “I still think he’s the car to beat right now,” Johnson said of Harvick. “We’re finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now. We’re getting better. We’re closing the gap a little bit each week. But we’ve still got a little bit of work to do.”

    Not Surprising: In spite of not taking home the trophy, Martin Truex Jr. kept his chin up, noting that in addition to scoring his tenth top-10 finish in 11 races and maintaining his second place in the point standings, he took another step forward toward his Victory Lane goal.

    “I felt like tonight we kind of gained a big step in speed, and hopefully that’s something that will continue,” Truex said. “We brought a new car here this weekend and it’s kind of the newest and latest and greatest that we’ve come up with and definitely feel like we closed that gap a little bit.”

    “We’ll just have to wait and see if that plays out on other racetracks, but felt like if we can keep doing that and keep finding little things here and there to close that gap and keep being consistent putting ourselves in position I feel like we can win some races.”

    “We’ve got a great team, we’ve got everything we need to do it, and we’ve got a lot of confidence, so we’ve just got to keep getting in that position and try to close the deal.”

    Surprising: With a new crew chief on board, Bono Manion now in for Drew Blickensderfer, Sam Hornish Jr. fared a little better than usual on the intermediate track of Kansas.

    “We had a good car and we took two there at the end,” the driver of the No. 9 Medallion Bank Ford said. “I was a little scared to adjust on it because it had felt good where it was at and we were a little on the free side and I didn’t want to free it up too much.”

    “It ended up being too tight and the guys did a great job making good calls to get the car better and the pit crew did a good job.”

    “It is something to build on and a big improvement for us as far as our downforce racing this year. I am appreciative to have a run like we did.”

    Not Surprising: For the second time in as many races, a driver took NASCAR to task for not throwing the caution. Last race at Talladega, it was Carl Edwards expressing his concern about the lack of caution after wrecking and this race it was Denny Hamlin voicing the same.

    “There was no caution there and then we cut a left rear, blew it off of turn four and spun out, hit the wall at the start finish line,” Hamlin said. “I keep spinning out, I keep hitting the wall and I can’t figure out why everyone is still coming at 200 and I look and the green light is still on.”

    “They didn’t throw a caution until seven seconds after I wrecked. Luckily nobody hit us. They’ll continue to monitor the situation, I’m guessing is what they’ll say.”

    The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota finished a disappointing 41st.

    Surprising: ‘New’ drivers David Ragan, this week for the first time in the No. 55 SquarePants/Aaron’s Dream Machine for Michael Waltrip Racing, and Erik Jones, making his Sprint Cup debut in the No. 18 Red Nose Day Camry subbing for Kyle Busch, both had difficult days.

    Ragan finished 33rd and Jones finished 40th after being involved in accidents later in the race.

    “It’s definitely nice to be as fast as we were and we had a great M&M’s Camry, but I just got loose off (turn) four and lost it,” Jones said. “All my fault, guess I have to go back and figure it out. You know, we had a good night before that.”

    “Something to take from it. I’m ready to do another one — I hope I get another shot.”

    Not Surprising: As has occurred at most intermediate tracks to date, Chevrolet was the dominant manufacturer, scoring the first four spots in the finishing order. In addition to Johnson winning and Harvick scoring runner-up, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Talladega race winner, and Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon finished in the third and fourth places respectively.

    Surprising: Drivers in contention for Rookie of the Year honors finished surprisingly badly. Jeb Burton, leading ROTY candidate had all kinds of problems, wrecking and spinning his No. 26 Maxim Fantasy Sports Toyota.

    Brett Moffitt, behind the wheel of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford was the highest finishing rookie in 34th.

    Not Surprising: At least one NASCAR driver has finally found a home after moving from team to team and even out of the sport at one point in his career. Prior to the race, JTG Daugherty Racing announced the AJ Allmendinger would continue as the team’s driver for five more years.

    “I have always said I have a verbal lifetime contract with JTG Daugherty Racing, but I want to announce today that I have officially signed a contract for a five-year deal,” Allmendinger said. “It’s pretty awesome to see our team thriving and I love our sponsors.”

    They allow me to do what I love to do. I know Tad (Geschickter, team owner) has busted his butt to put all of this together and he has the business model figured out.”

    Allmendinger scored a good run after announcing his new deal, finishing 14th in his No. 47 Dillon’s/Scott Products Chevrolet.

    Surprising: There was some pride brewing on behalf of at least one of the Roush Fenway teams. Greg Biffle, in his No. 16 Cheez-It SpongeBob SquarePants Ford, finished in the 12th position, a definite improvement and step in the right direction.

    “I am really proud of the 16 team,” Biffle said. “We kept adjusting on the car as the night went on and we were able to come home 12th.”

    “We just missed out on the top-10, which is an improvement from where we have been lately, so that is a good sign. We just have to keep working on it and I know they guys will.”

    “It is a little bit of momentum in the right direction, so we will take it and move on to Charlotte.”

    Not Surprising: Kurt Busch finished where he started, both in the eighth spot in his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet. This was also the eighth straight race this season where Busch finished top-15.

    “The Haas Automation Chevy had its fast moments and then it had its loose moments,” Busch said. “We hung onto it most of the night with making her pretty wide on the front straightaway and in the corners.”

    “Eighth place is good. It’s something to build on. When we come back here in the Chase, it’s great to have these notes and to go from this point forward.”

    “We could contend early, and then when the pace picked up, we got too loose. So we’ve got to work on that.”

    The Cup Series will next head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Sprint Showdown and the All Star Race weekend.

  • Hot 20 – Kansas race is the SpongeBob SquarePants 400…You just can’t make stuff like that up

    Hot 20 – Kansas race is the SpongeBob SquarePants 400…You just can’t make stuff like that up

    There are a dozen races run on eight tracks that are truly iconic NASCAR events. Last Sunday was one of those races. The SpongeBob SquarePants 400 in Kansas is not. That is not to say we will not see one of the all-time great races this Saturday night…though the odds might be stacked against us. While they have been racing here since 2001, this marks just the fifth spring race since it picked up its second date in 2011.

    Now, I may be a bit unfair in regards to the cartoon derby this weekend. Last year, they had highlights galore. First, we started late due to lightning in the area. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, and Marcos Ambrose all went for wild rides at one time or another to bring out a caution, but it was Jamie McMurray who actually went up in smoke. We had a pair of four-car wrecks, one that just destroyed the auto of David Gilliland. Danica Patrick even ran near the front, and came home with a Top Ten. Hey, we even had the lights go out on the backstretch to cause yet another delay before Jeff Gordon won the thing. Maybe it won’t be a bad one to tune in after all.

    The Hot 20 heading to Kansas are…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (394 Points)
    Fast repairs by the crew helped save an eighth place finish at Talladega.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (342 Points)
    Last week it was Junior’s turn, with Jimmie taking second.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (335 Points)
    Logano won Saturday, but the big boys were racing on Sunday.

    4. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (319 Points)
    When will Payton Ives be named car chief?

    5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (305 Points)
    New sponsor, thanks to a Silicon Valley implant.

    6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (292 Points)
    Wanted a caution on the last lap last week…but Junior fans did not.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (281 Points)
    What he needed last Sunday was a Hendrick engine. Didn’t everybody?

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (255 Points)
    Crew chief got rid of a major pain, and no it was not the driver.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 354 POINTS
    Second in points, ninth on the depth charts, best damn car out of Colorado.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 297 POINTS
    If he does not lose his steering, find the wall, and catch fire, he could top last year’s performance.

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 286 POINTS
    If you squint your eyes, a lot, Kasey kind of looks like Sponge Bob.

    12. PAUL MENARD – 280 POINTS
    Daddy’s money, Paul’s talent, and one hell of a crew chief in Dale Alexander.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 279 POINTS
    Showed the kids what they ought not to do in Talladega’s XFINITY demolition.

    14. JEFF GORDON – 277 POINTS
    Won the pole in Alabama but things went to the pits after a late speeding penalty.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 271 POINTS
    Returning to the truck series this Friday night in Kansas.

    16. DANICA PATRICK – 253 POINTS
    Yes, she is not a good driver…but what does that say about the Boyfriend, the Biff, and the Boss?

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 249 POINTS
    Kansas boy claims this as his home track…but he is 0 for 13 there.

    18. CARL EDWARDS – 240 POINTS
    Missouri boy also claims this as his home track…and is 0 for 15…but has 11 Top Tens.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 229 POINTS
    A bad vibration and no speed, but other than that Talladega was one hell of a great time.

    20. DAVID RAGAN – 224 POINTS
    Moves to MWR this week to make room for the Boy Wonder whose age matches his car number.

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Continues the Family Tradition of Winning at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Continues the Family Tradition of Winning at Talladega

    On April 29, I was reminded once again of Dale Earnhardt’s legacy as my timeline was inundated with pictures and memories commemorating his birthday. It has been 14 years since his passing, but his impact on NASCAR and its fans has not faded with time as some things do. Quite the opposite, the passage of time has only magnified his legendary status.

    There is probably no other track where his shadow looms larger than at Talladega Superspeedway. He holds the record for most all-time wins with 10 and his son is honoring that tradition by following in his footsteps.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured his sixth win at Talladega Sunday, his first victory since 2004, and the emotion in his voice was palpable as he spoke about his dad.

    “I feel like we have a lot of supporters here because of dad’s success. He won so many races here,” Earnhardt said. “And I love when we go to Victory Lane here because I just feel like I add to his legacy. All I ever wanted to do was make him proud, and I feel like when we win at those tracks where he was successful like Talladega, then that’s exactly what we’re doing.”

    While Earnhardt Jr.’s driving style may often differ greatly from that of his dad, there was no doubt at Talladega that he is his father’s son. His teammates remarked on his unwavering determination.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was driving super-aggressive. You knew that he wanted to win this race badly,” Gordon said. “You certainly know all his fans are enjoying this show here. They love seeing Dale Earnhardt Jr. win this race.”

    Jimmie Johnson, who finished second, also noted how unstoppable Earnhardt Jr. was as the sliced his way through the field, saying, “He was most aggressive in traffic. He was relentless with a run. He didn’t ever choose to push the car in front of him. Every time he had an opportunity to advance, he took it. He created lanes up through the middle, swapping back and forth, trying to find a way past the leader. I was like, wow, go get it.”

    Earnhardt Jr. also spoke about his personal life and his belief that his father’s legacy gave him opportunities that perhaps, he hasn’t always deserved.

    “Everything is just so good for me right now in my personal life and my racing, the team I’m with,” he said. “I don’t know why. I don’t feel like I deserve this. I just feel overcome with a lot of emotion.”

    He went on to explain, “I think the part I feel I don’t think I deserve is the racing side of it. There’s just not many second chances. I feel like if my name wasn’t Earnhardt that I wouldn’t have had the second chance. I feel like I owe my second chance to my dad, his legacy, because the way I ran from ’09 through those years till 2011 or so, I feel I didn’t deserve to be kept around or hung onto”.

    “But I’m glad that it worked out,” Earnhardt continued, “I certainly felt like in the right situation I could have success. But you just don’t know whether you’re going to get that opportunity. I watched a lot of sons follow a lot of fathers, regardless of the profession, and just have a real challenge of it. That is the part I feel like I’m fortunate about.”

    Life is good for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and although he may sometimes question how he got here, his multitude of fans have no doubt that this is exactly where he belongs.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick qualified 24th at Talladega and struggled to find speed for much of the day. Then, the No. 4 Stewart-Haas Chevy received front-end damage after being caught up in a lap 47 accident. Despite his troubles, Harvick scored a solid eighth-place finish and remained atop the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “I’m not thrilled,” Harvick said, “but I’m ‘Happy.’ Even when I don’t win, it’s easy to put on a ‘Happy’ face.

    “When the going gets tough, the tough get going. And, when the damage gets severe, I persevere. I’m not sure what happened on lap 47. It looks like David Ragan ran out of talent, as they say.

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started third at Talladega as Hendrick Motorsports cars took four of the top five spots in qualifying. Johnson took the runner-up spot behind HMS teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    “What do you know?” Johnson said. “On a weekend when many high-schoolers were off to proms, it was ‘Junior Prom’ at Talladega, and I escorted Dale right to the finish line.”

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt led a race-high 67 laps and won at Talladega for the first time since 2004.

    “I took the win at Talladega,” Earnhardt said, “and the crowd roared. When my fans get loud, they scream at the top of their lungs. And trust me, they mean it from the bottom of their hearts, and their livers.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano suffered significant damage when he was collected in a lap 47 accident triggered when David Ragan’s No. 6 car got loose. Logano eventually finished 33rd, two laps down, and now has two results of 33rd or worse in his last three races.

    “I did win on Saturday in the Xfinity Series race,” Logano said. “I had to make a last-lap block to preserve the win. That was an intense race. And let’s face it, an intense race is what Talladega is all about, because the circuit’s huge infield is utopia for the real ‘in tents race,’ which is white people camping out.

    “All the talk at Talladega was about ‘the draft. And speaking of ‘The Draft,’ if you put Jameis Winston in a car at Talladega, he’d no doubt ‘steal’ a win.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished fifth in the Geico 500, posting his ninth top-10 result of the season. He is now second in the points standings, 40 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “Talladega is NASCAR’s longest super speedway,” Truex said. “’Super Speed Way’ also happens to be the street in Owensboro, Kentucky that the Mayfield’s call home. On that street, there is no speed limit.”

    6. Kurt Busch: One week after winning at Richmond, Busch posted a respectable 12th at Talladega.

    “GoDaddy is dropping their sponsorship of my teammate Danica Patrick’s No. 10 car,” Busch said. “I guess they didn’t want to spend the money. How much money is that, anyway? I’m not sure, but it has to be a ‘father figure.’ Now, people can sarcastically ask Danica the same question they ask Joey Logano—-where’s your Daddy?’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 22nd on a tough day for Penske Racing, as teammate Joey Logano finished 33rd. Keselowski is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 89 out of first.

    “This race had about as much excitement as the Floyd Mayweather-Manny Pacquiao fight,” Keselowski said. “Mayweather and Pacquiao made a combined $200 million for the fight. And, much like in racing, there was a ‘check-ered’ flag waved at the end.”

    8. Kasey Kahne: Kahne started on the front row alongside pole sitter and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon at Talladega. Unfortunately, his day soured when his No. 5 Chevrolet was damaged in a lap 47 pileup that involved 16 cars. Kahne eventually finished 34th, 30 laps down.

    “Gordon and I started 1-2,” Kahne said. “Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson finished 1-2. All this talk about the ole 1-2, and oddly enough, none of it had to do with anyone punching Brad Keselowski.

    “But congratulations to Junior. He did what he had to do to win. And Jimmie did what he had to do to for Junior to win. I hear JJ’s headed to Key West, Florida to open his new bar. It’s called ‘Jimmie Buffer’s.’”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led five laps and finished ninth at Talladega, posting his fourth top 10 of the year.

    “I hear Jeff Gordon is driving the pace car at the Indianapolis 500 on May 24th. I’m not sure what the pit road speed limit for a pace car at Indy is, but I am sure Jeff will exceed it.”

    10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray just missed a top-10 finish in the Geico 500 with an 11th at Talladega. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “There was a lot of single file racing on Sunday,” McMurray said. “Now at Talladega, when you ask about the ‘lineup,’ you have to specify whether you mean qualifying or the actual race. Talladega is the world’s fastest game of Follow The Leader.”

  • The Final Word – Talladega Produces the 100th Cup Victory by an Earnhardt

    The Final Word – Talladega Produces the 100th Cup Victory by an Earnhardt

    Family. Why do we watch these races, even the most boring among them when there are so many other things we could be doing? It is our sense of family that keeps us tuning in.

    It is similar as to why fans of the Chicago Cubs endure the disappointment, year after year. That would be due to sticking with their beleaguered “family” members over the seasons. You know, such kin as Hack Wilson, Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins, Bruce Sutter, and Ron Santos, to name just a few from the past. Their highs and lows on the field were their fans’ highs and lows. They were all in it together. They still are.

    In NASCAR, it is also all about family. It was started by a family and has featured such families as the Pettys and Allisons. We were thrilled by their success and crushed by their tragedies. They were and remain a part of us.

    Thus, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. broke a decade-long drought at a track he once ruled to win his sixth race at Talladega on Sunday, one of our own had come through. This is a track on which his late father triumphed ten times and this is where his boy had a run of four in a row. When Dale Sr. died, a lot of fans adopted the lad as a son or brother. We mourned with him, we mourned for him, and we followed him. It just dawned on me that I am 18 years older than Junior, old enough to have been his dad. Not a good one, mind you, not at that age, but old enough. I would rather like to think I would have made one hell of an older brother.

    Family. When the car was not so good at Richmond, Greg Ives had some explaining to do. Not to Junior, not to owner Rick Hendrick, but to his eight-year-old daughter. She does not take such disappointments lightly. Last week, she suffered a bad break near her elbow, and the driver offered his crew chief a chance to fly home to be with her. However, a certain eight-year-old told her daddy to stay right where he was. Ives had a job to do, and on Sunday he and Junior completed the task by winning at Talladega. It was Ives’ first on the box, the 24th victory for the racer over his Cup career and, yes, the 100th Cup victory by an Earnhardt.

    It would seem that one of the toughest people associated with this team spent the weekend back in Charlotte mending and cheering on her favorite crew chief and driver. She no doubt will be doing the same this Saturday night when her daddy and his friend are in Kansas. That day also marks the 23rd anniversary of when I first met my wife, Amy, and on that day we will be celebrating my niece Katie’s third birthday. Yes, we will be spending Saturday following that good ole NASCAR tradition. We will be with our family here as we watch members of our other family race in Kansas.

  • Talladega Preview – Records, Winning Quotes & Bill Elliott

    Talladega Preview – Records, Winning Quotes & Bill Elliott

    Talladega Superspeedway is known as a track where anyone can win. It is often more about survival than finesse and it’s had it share of underdogs in the winner’s circle.  Drivers such as Richard Brickhouse, Dick Brooks, Lennie Pond and Ron Bouchard visited victory lane at Talladega for their first and only career win in NASCAR’s top series. In 2013, David Ragan gave Front Row Motorsports its first ever Sprint Cup win at Talladega. The only thing predictable about Talladega is its unpredictability.

    However, there are some drivers who have conquered the restrictor-plate track, most notably, Dale Earnhardt, who accumulated 10 victories at Talladega and remains atop the all-time winners list.

    By The Numbers:

    1) Brad Keselowski enters the race as the defending champion. Last season he advanced to the Eliminator Round of the Chase with a win at Talladega in October after taking the lead on a green-white-checkered restart and holding off all challengers. He has made two other trips to victory lane at the track, in 2012 and in 2009, where he led only the last lap to grab his first Cup career win. Keselowski has proven that he knows how to make things happen at Talladega and with one win already under his belt this season, he has nothing to lose.

    2) Jeff Gordon is second on the all-times win list at Talladega with six, the most of any active driver. In addition, he is the all-time restrictor-plate wins leader with 12 and leads all active drivers in top-five finishes, top-10s and laps led at Talladega Superspeedway. (Dale Earnhardt Sr. ranks second with 11).

    Gordon seems to be hitting his stride after a rocky beginning to the season and is currently the only driver to have finished in the top-10 in each of the last six races. The streak has moved him from as low as 36th in the points to his current position of 10th. With a little luck, this could be his chance to secure his spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, although his last win was in 2007.

    3) Kurt Busch is coming off a win at Richmond and sits in seventh place on the Chase Grid. This is even more impressive when you consider that he missed three races this season. Also of note, he ranks fourth in fastest laps run (217) and second in laps led (536)

    Busch is fourth in the driver ratings at Talladega and his confidence is growing each week. Look for him to be a contender as he carries that momentum to Talladega.

    4) Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s five victories at Talladega put him third on the all-time list and are the most for him at any track. He also set a record for most consecutive wins with four from October 2001 to April 2003. Of additional significance, he has led in all but three of the 30 Cup races he has entered at the superspeedway for a total of 832 laps. The only other track where he has led more laps is Martinsville (972 laps).

    Even though his last win was in 2004, Earnhardt’s statistics are still imposing claiming the series-best average running position (14.5), the second-best driver rating (90.7) and the third- most quality passes (4,478).  Plus, he has led laps in 27 of his 30 Talladega starts. Earnhardt is still searching for his first win and there’s no place better than at one of his favorite tracks on the circuit.

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Talladega Superspeedway:

    95.6 – Kyle Larson
    90.7 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    89.9 – Matt Kenseth
    88.3 – Kurt Busch
    87.5 – Jimmie Johnson
    85.0 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    84.0 – Brian Vickers
    82.9 – Brad Keselowski
    82.2 – Joey Logano
    82.0 – Denny Hamlin

    Winning Quotes:

    Martin Truex Jr. “I’ve been all over the place at Talladega. However, the one place I haven’t been to in the Sprint Cup Series is Talladega’s Victory Lane, and it’s about time that we get there. I am confident that we will have a contending car on Sunday.”

    Jeff Gordon: “Restrictor-plate racing is a white-knuckle experience where we race in big packs while trying to avoid the ‘big one’ – the big wreck that collects a lot of race cars.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.: “The guy that’s leading the race really is the guy controlling everything. He can block and he can do whatever he needs to do as far as getting in front of the line that’s coming to be able to get the push to maintain his speed. He can do so much more than everyone else in the field. And that’s just the best place to be.”

    Greg Biffle: “I finished second in this race last year and I’m excited to go back.  Talladega is a good opportunity for us to win a race, its pure speed and we have fast Speedway cars, so I’m looking forward to this weekend.”

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: “I’m looking forward to Talladega after seeing the speed our cars had at Daytona earlier this season. We need a win to make the Chase and I think that Talladega is great opportunity for us to be able to get that win. If we can stay out of trouble and avoid the notorious ‘big one’, I think we can leave Talladega with a solid finish.”

    Denny Hamlin: Last year at Talladega, we finally got our first plate win, and it was big for our team. It obviously gave us a Chase berth and a lot of momentum. This year, hopefully, we can get another win there to get more bonus points. It’s all about winning for us.”

    A Slice of Talladega History:

    Thirty years ago Bill Elliott experienced one of the greatest comebacks in NASCAR history at Talladega. The year was 1985 and although his car had led 25 laps of the 1985 Winston 500, an unscheduled pit stop to fix a broken oil fitting line left Elliott almost two laps down, a five-mile deficit.

    Elliott did what he did best. He put the pedal to the floor and passed the field twice in less than 100 laps. Back on the lead lap, Elliott raced into victory lane. But the story doesn’t end there.

    R.J. Reynolds had offered the “Winston Million” to any driver that could win three of the sport’s four biggest races; the Daytona 500, Winston 500, Coca-Cola 600 and Southern 500. Elliott had already won the Daytona 500 and after the victory at Talladega went on to win the Southern 500 at Darlington, earning that “Winston Million.” It catapulted him into the national headlines with a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

    Elliott celebrated the anniversary by re-creating that Talladega win. He strapped into the Ford Thunderbird, put on a helmet, ran five laps and drove to victory lane where he was given a replica trophy. The car hadn’t been cranked since it was put on display at the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 1986.

    He said being back in the car felt “like a million bucks. I really miss the competitive side of racing week-in and week-out. I ran so many laps around this race track and tested here so many times in my career. It feels like it was yesterday I was racing here.”

    Racing at Talladega Superspeedway is challenging, both physically and mentally. Tune into the Geico 500 Sunday on FOX at 1 p.m. ET to discover who emerges victorious.