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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

  • Hot 20 – 500 miles at Talladega, as it always has been and always should be

    Hot 20 – 500 miles at Talladega, as it always has been and always should be

    “It’s no secret that attention spans, especially with the millennial fans, are changing,” or so says NASCAR boss Brian France. Hard to argue with that, but it basically states that today’s fans are idiots who need the keys jangled before their faces much like one does with a bored infant. Be it as it may, if NASCAR desires to shorten a few events to keep the droolers engaged, go right ahead. However, there are some events it would be ill-advised to mess with.

    You do not touch the legacy races. The Daytona 500, the Southern 500, the World 600, the Firecracker 400 and the Brickyard 400 are etched in stone. All races at Bristol’s half-mile run 500 laps. If you race at Talladega, you race for 500 miles. These are the events even non-fans take in, the races new fans discover before they even know NASCAR has something called a series championship. The road courses seem about right to me, along with the 500 mile night race at Charlotte. Do what you will with all the rest, as truth be known some of the remaining 24 events are boring as hell to watch unless you know the storylines going in, and even then it might be something of a chore. It is not a case of keeping our attention, but rather ending the monotony sooner than later.

    So, change away in your bid to snare those who have the attention span of a gnat, but beware screwing over your true fans. Those folks have memories that last forever, and forgiveness is not something you can expect to get readily.

    What you can expect is one hell of a race to watch this Sunday, with its Saturday appetizer.

    Hot 20 heading to Talladega…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (357 Points)
    Eighth at Martinsville, 38th at Bristol, first or second everywhere else.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (299 Points)
    That woman always telling people what to do on television has turned him into Jimmie Goldberg.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN ( 324 Points)
    Bristol was a hiccup.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (283 Points)
    Was firing on all cylinders…but one.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (273 Points)
    Richmond was disappointing for Joe Gibbs Racing, though Matt had few complaints.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (245 Points)
    There was no Petty Man, there is no Junior Man, but there is a Hamlin Man…cape and all.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (222 Points)
    Got that monkey off his back.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 315 POINTS
    The most pleasant surprise of 2015.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 275 POINTS
    All-State. Nextel. Sunoco. Gillette. Remember when NASCAR sponsors tried?

    10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 271 POINTS
    How we wish Dale Sr., John, and George could have felt the love when they turned 64.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 264 POINTS
    Ranked 11th best in 2004, 12th best in 2005, ranked here as of today.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 263 POINTS
    Just as he once raced against Petty, teenagers Elliott and Jones will remember racing this guy.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 250 POINTS
    I would like to buy a vowel. Could I have an “A”, Pat?

    14. PAUL MENARD – 239 POINTS
    Hanging out with Gordon testing at Indianapolis. How cool is that?

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 235 POINTS
    No, this is not a single car operation. Why do you ask?

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 234 POINTS
    Next week comes his final appeal…then he loses his crew chief?

    17. DANICA PATRICK – 230 POINTS
    Go Daddy soon to be Gone Daddy.

    18. CARL EDWARDS – 228 POINTS
    It is not all bad. He could still be driving for Roush-Fenway.

    19. DAVID RAGAN – 218 POINTS
    Driving for Mikey after this, filling in for Vickers after sitting in for Kyle.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 205 POINTS
    Always competitive at Talladega…both times.

  • Logging Laps: Whose fault is it anyway?

    Logging Laps: Whose fault is it anyway?

    There were two major stories to come out of Richmond this week. First, we have the victory of Kurt Busch, once again returning to his job, as the amazing wheelman Gene Haas hired him to be for the first time in 35 races. This is also earmarked by the fight of Tony Gibson, a fan and crew favorite in the garage, to overcome his battle with kidney stones to guide the often volatile past champion to the bright lights of the winner’s circle. That, in and of itself, should have been the biggest and most well-seen headline of the week, “Kurt Busch Fights Back to Victory.”

    He showed the class of a champion and his crew chief showed the guts of a fighter that wouldn’t give up no matter how much pain he was in. Those two have been a force to be reckoned with since Busch returned and on so many occasions, they have been oh so close to victory. The trials and tribulations of this team overcoming all odds to finally taste sweet champagne.

    However, the biggest headline this week once again didn’t involve the winner or the race as a whole. No, it involved the sport’s most popular driver and the sport’s most polarizing one, “Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Collide in Richmond.” It was followed by endless media outlets picking up the “story,” a term I use lightly here, and running away to the circus with it; placing blame and making assumptions here and there to satisfy their weekly quota for views and clicks.

    Alright, I’ll bite. So, whose fault is it anyway? Which one of these two top-tier drivers is the one that ruined the other’s day? Who takes blame and who quells the uproar from the rabid fan base that is out for blood? Well, brace yourselves ladies and gentlemen; I have the answer you seek. After carefully studying the video from all available angles, it’s very clear to anyone to see that, wait for it… it is no one’s fault.

    Surprised? Well, you shouldn’t be. There is a reason we call an accident an accident. However, in this day and age of the internet with Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and more, everyone has a platform to voice their personal opinions and viewpoints on any given number of topics. This drastic shift in the way fans participate in the sport has given rise to both amazing opportunities and unprecedented access to the sport we love, but it is also a double-edged sword. All too often the freedom the internet gives fans is abused.

    In the aftermath of the incident that happened on track, while I was providing live twitter updates of the race, I saw my timeline explode with tweets. Before my eyes, I saw the first, unfiltered, raw reactions from the fans of both drivers. Before the video replay was shown, before the professionals in the booth even had time to speak and give their informed insight into the incident, there were people ready to tar and feather either driver for what they perceived as a race ruining fault.

    Now, I’ve taken the time this week to let the hostility settle down a bit. At least, I thought I had until the stories began to appear on every news outlet that has anything to do with NASCAR. Heck, even the front page of NASCAR.com had a massive post about this accident, complete with a hastily put together set of quotes from both drivers that seemed to scream, “Look here, race fans, we have drama!”

    Everyone wants to blame everyone else for what has happened without a shred of common sense and without anything being placed into context as to what actually happened. All we know is this; two drivers, racing side-by-side late in the race, made contact. One driver spun and had to retire from the race and the other driver continued on to finish.

    Yes, yes, I can hear you now saying, “But Tony cussed Jr. on the radio and threw his helmet in his hauler, and he must be blaming Jr!” Okay, so, I’ll give you that. Stewart did, in fact, say, “F—ing Dale Jr.,” on his radio after the incident. Most drivers would identify the car they hit or hit them. It is very possible that Stewart’s response was simply because he knew that the contact or wrecking Earnhardt will make your life miserable. Don’t believe me? Just ask Kyle Busch.

    So yes, he said that, three little words. Does that place blame on Earnhardt for the accident? I don’t think so. You know why? It’s simple; because it was an accident. What seems to be lost on the fans right now and as of late is that sometimes, there isn’t direct fault. Sometimes, there is just a set of unfortunate circumstances that create an incident. I firmly believe this was one of them. Here’s why.

    When reviewing the tape, from the turn two camera angle, it’s unclear as to what caused the contact between the two cars. The reason is forced perspective. You’re viewing from a vantage point that is nearly 500 feet away, the same theory that applies if you hold up your thumb to the sun. Your thumb can now block out the sun. That’s forced perspective. Luckily, we have multiple camera angles from which to view the race. The most interesting of which was the on-board camera from the No. 11 car of Denny Hamlin. Hamlin’s car was directly behind the 14 of Stewart and the 88 of Earnhardt. What Hamlin’s camera shows is that Earnhardt made an aggressive move to clear the slower No. 51 car on the track and was put three-wide by Stewart on the bottom. Now, I want to remind everyone that Earnhardt said in his post race interview that, “I was trying to clear the No. 51 on the outside of me, so I was as high as I could go. So, you’ll just have to ask him.” Watch the videos below and judge for yourself.

    https://youtu.be/d0Ryec7snKg


    https://youtu.be/Q4t68fRkpbs?t=53s

    That is key here, fans. Earnhardt was trying to clear the car on his outside. I want everyone to remember that races are played out in hundredths of a second. Driver’s and spotters have to make split second decisions all the time. This is where it get’s interesting. It’s late in the race and everyone is fighting for every spot they can get, every inch of ground on a late race restart, to get every position available. Earnhardt was three wide in turn four, trying to clear the car above him.

    On the camera of the 11 car, it shows that Earnhardt cleared the 51 before he exited turn 4 onto the straightaway, but still stayed about half a groove down on the track. However, Earnhardt seemed to believe he was still on his outside at the time of the contact; those are his words. So, was Earnhardt still giving the 51 room on the outside? Most likely, he was. Why would he risk pinching another car on the outside of him and getting turned into the wall? Split second choices here, people.

    Meanwhile, you have Stewart below Earnhardt. The 14 car was hanging on the left rear quarter panel of the 88. Why? Well, that’s twofold in racing. Even with Richmond being a short track, those cars are travelling well over 120 mph at times. That doesn’t seem like a lot when you compare it to Michigan or California where cars routinely reach 200 plus mph, but it’s still significant, significant enough that aero comes into play at this track. So it stands to reason that if you can get any advantage you can, you’ll take it. Hang on the left rear quarter panel and get a minor draft in this case.

    There is also a second reason you would place your car in that spot and that’s so you can hold position on the other car. At Richmond this weekend, it was hard to pass. We saw it all day. Cars and drivers struggled to pass each other because the outside of the track just didn’t have the grip and speed that the drivers needed. Therefore, the 14 car hung on the 88 to hold his position on the inside for the next corner. No harm, no foul here. Two guys, racing hard, late in the race for every spot they can get. Right? Well, then the accident happened. The 88 car and the 14 car made contact and the entire twitterverse and internet world instantly took up arms in a virtual fight over who is right, who is wrong and who was at fault.

    Guess what? The only people that know are Stewart and Earnhardt. End of discussion. We can sit here and analyze what happened and we can toss insults, make accusations and defame drivers. Heck, some of the communities of fans were so asinine that they brought up a tragedy from last year in some pathetic attempt at justification for their anger. That’s disgusting. It’s wrong. You’re free to have an opinion and you’re free to support your favorite driver through thick and thin. However, sometimes, it’s best to just call a spade a spade and leave it at that.

    What happened at Richmond this weekend between Earnhardt and Stewart was simply hard racing and an accident. Stewart declined comment for a reason and Earnhardt said his piece on TV. That’s the end of it. So many times in the last 25 years, I’ve heard people say, “NASCAR fans are the greatest fans in all of sports.”

    Maybe it’s time we started acting like it.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second to Stewart-Haas teammate Kurt Busch at Richmond, as Harvick scored the runner-up spot for the fifth time this season.

    “Kurt deserved the win,” Harvick said. “He was by far the best car in the field, and everyone knew it. Kurt proved that his girlfriend isn’t the only thing he can ‘throttle.’

    “I was honored at the White House on Tuesday. Basically, President Obama and I discussed aerodynamics. We both think spoilers are important; I just prefer the ‘right wing’ to the ‘left wing.’”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started 36th and worked his way inside the top 10 quickly on his way to a third in the Toyota Owners 400. It was Johnson’s fifth top-5 result of the year, and he is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 58 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “I hear Harvick visited the White House,” Johnson said. “I’ve been there and done that, several times. Trust me, I know what it’s like to be surrounded by security. Usually, it’s when Chad Knaus is running ‘secret service’ on the No. 48 in the garage.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano dominated early at Richmond, starting from the pole and leading the first 94 laps on his way to a fifth-place finish.

    “They call me ‘Sliced Bread,’” Logano said. “Just a few short weeks ago, they called Kurt Busch ‘Toast.’”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch was the class of the field for much of Sunday’s race at Richmond, leading 291 laps on his way to the win, his first in 35 races. The victory likely qualifies Busch for the Chase for the Cup field.

    “The No. 41 Stewart-Haas Chevy handled great,” Busch said. “Finally, we can talk about my car’s suspension, and not mine.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished a disappointing 17th at Richmond after dropping a cylinder on lap 254.

    “When you mention ‘No. 2’ and ‘dropped a cylinder’ in the same sentence,” Keselowski said, “you can assume your day has ‘gone to pot.’

    “Kurt Busch just made the Chase field. Now, let’s see if Kyle Busch can. Brian France said he may grant Kyle a waiver when he returns to racing, meaning Kyle could make the Chase with a win despite not being in the top 30 in points. Let’s not automatically assume Kyle will win and make the field. If we assume, Kyle could make an ass out of you and me.”

    6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex posted his eighth top-10 finish of the year with a 10th in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond.

    “Chevrolets took the top four spots at Richmond,” Truex said, “while the best Toyota finish was Matt Kenseth in seventh. I think we know who the Toyota ‘owners’ really are —–it’s the Chevy’s.

    “Did you see that pit road fire in the Xfinity Series? Luckily, NASCAR safety officials put that fire out using their ‘Xtinguish Series.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 14th at Richmond, the only Hendrick Motorsports driver outside the top 10. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 86 out of first.

    “I had a dust up with Tony Stewart with 40 laps to go,” Earnhardt said. “I blame Tony and Tony blames me. Tony couldn’t get his car restarted after the wreck, and he was not happy. Apparently, the old adage ‘Where there’s Smoke, there’s ‘fire’’ is not true.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: One week after winning at Bristol, Kenseth finished seventh in the Toyota Owners 400, his fifth top 10 of the year.

    “Kurt Busch drove an impressive race,” Kenseth said. “Even with Kevin Harvick stalking him, he didn’t fold. I guess Kurt is right—-he didn’t choke.”

    9. Kasey Kahne: Kahne joined Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson (third) and Jeff Gordon (eight) in the top 10 with a sixth at Richmond.

    “It was overall a solid day for HMS,” Kahne said. “If not for Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have joined us in the top 10. But I think Junior’s willing to let it slide. The last thing Tony needs is a guilt trip.”

    10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray led four laps and finished fourth at Richmond, scoring his second top five of the year. He is ninth in the points standings, 93 out of first.

    “Kurt Busch was just too fast for anyone to catch,” McMurray said. “Much like his former girlfriend, you could say Kurt was ‘on a mission.’”

  • The Final Word – Kurt rises to the top at Richmond as Roush-Fenway continues to free fall

    The Final Word – Kurt rises to the top at Richmond as Roush-Fenway continues to free fall

    Rain changed the Saturday night race at Richmond into a Sunday afternoon affair. Was it worth the wait? For Kurt Busch, the answer was “yes.”

    After Joey Logano set the pace over the initial 94 laps, Busch came through to dominate all but 15 of the final 306 circuits to take his first of the season. After his forced three event delay to start this campaign, his 26th career decision lofts him into a Chase place. All he has to do is keep within the Top Thirty, and he looks free and clear in that department.

    Not so for Tony Stewart. After finishing well at Bristol, he clipped Dale Earnhardt Jr. and in the aftermath his jalopy failed to fire. Stewart was out, in 41st, and now just four points ahead of Sam Hornish Jr. in the fight for 30th in the standings. As for Danica Patrick, who also did well the previous week, she was back down in 25th on Sunday. At least Kevin Harvick continues to roll along, coming home right behind his victorious teammate.

    Last year, the Penske pair swept Richmond. Logano’s ride faded after his fast start though he managed to claim fifth. Brad Keselowski lost a cylinder and faded to 17th. Three of the Hendrick drivers had Top Ten days though Junior finished 14th. As for Roush Fenway, who have been tanking like an unarmed Sherman attempting to cross a lake, all sank. None were among the Top Twenty.

    Denny Hamlin was 22nd on Sunday, yet won the XFINITY race on Friday night. Of greater note was the fact the two teenagers, Erik Jones and Chase Elliott, were fourth and fifth. Jones is registered to drive the trucks, where he is three for three in Top Tens, has won on the junior loop in taking another five Top Tens in eight attempts, and could be Kyle Busch’s stand-in after this weekend in Cup. Not bad for a kid who won’t turn 19 years old for another month.

    So, was Sunday’s race worth the wait the rain imposed upon us? Well, if you were a channel surfer, having no idea what the race meant to the Stewart-Haas crew, or to Penske, or Roush-Fenway, or even Hendrick, you might have stuck with it for five or ten minutes. A visual spectacular it was not, even though the cars looked pretty.

    That changes this week, as next up we have the Sunday race at Talladega, a must watch for even the most transient NASCAR observer. You watch that race like you would the Formula One race from Monaco, not believing any sane person would be behind the wheel in any of these entries. Some wags might suggest there is good reason for their disbelief.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Toyota Owners 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Toyota Owners 400

    After the rainy Saturday night race turned into a Sunday day race and with remembrances of Steve Byrnes abounding, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the 61st annual Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

    Surprising: As enthusiastically as Kurt Busch threw his arms around crew chief Tony Gibson to celebrate in Victory Lane, Stewart-Haas teammate Tony Stewart threw his helmet and Hans device into his trailer after wrecking into Dale Earnhardt Jr. and wrecking out of the race to finish 41st.

    Stewart declined to comment after exiting the care center while Dale Earnhardt Jr. had some interesting words to share.

    “Well, it’s never his fault,” Junior said. “I was doing everything I needed to do. I didn’t drive under, I didn’t drive into him, I didn’t move my line at all. He’s gotta take a little ownership in what happened there.”

    Busch, on the other hand, had much to say after his first win of the season, one that was especially sweet after sitting out for three races at the beginning of the season due to domestic violence allegations.

    “It’s all about team, people, and chemistry within the organization,” Busch said. “So here we are. We’re winners in April. It feels good.

    “Plenty of time to do fun things to build the team up, get stronger, learn from all these races coming up and continue to go forward and like Gene Haas (team owner) said, one win is great; I want four or five more.”

    Not Surprising: Both Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. got back to their top-10 winning ways, finishing second and 10th respectively. And both drivers collectively gave total credit to their team and the efforts they put forth in producing the good finishes.

    “Well, just really fortunate to have a team that consists of a bunch of guys that do their jobs week in and week out,” Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet, said. “I think we’re a better team than we were last year, just for the fact that those guys are just such a tight knit group of people.

    “I tell people all the time it’s very special to be a part of a team that knows what to do with each other without even having to say anything and that’s really what makes it go around.”

    Just as Harvick did, Martin Truex Jr. also credited his team, the No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet for his top-10 comeback.

    “It was a struggle out there, but we made the car better and picked up enough spots to get another top 10,” Truex said. “We’ve made some late-race charges a few times this season and it’s a good feeling to know that we have the ability to overcome these issues.”

    “Once again I am proud of this team for bringing fast cars to the track.”

    Harvick and Truex Jr. also had one other commonality, with both holding serve on their first and third place in the point standings.

    Surprising: Joey Logano took the ‘quote of the day’ honors, with his remarks after taking it four-wide with Jeff Gordon late in the race.

    “I just got in there and closed my eyes and hoped for the best.”

    Logano ended up finishing fifth in his No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford and was by far the highest finishing Ford. In fact, the next finishing Ford was his Penske teammate Brad Keselowski, who finished 17th after being down a cylinder.

    Not Surprising: Jamie McMurray, who has been running strong all season, broke into the top 10 in the point standings with his fourth-place finish at Richmond.

    “When I look back at our race today, you go home and lay down tonight and you think about everything, I really — there’s nothing that I could have done any better,” the driver of the No. 1 Energizer Chevrolet said. “I just didn’t have a car that was quick on the short run. I had one that would go at the end.”

    “When I look back at those restarts, if I could have gotten ahead of him, I still don’t know I could have held him up.”

    “I thought as a team, driver, crew chief, we did a really good job today.”

    Surprising: While Brett Moffitt in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota was the official ‘Rookie of the Race’ finishing 29th, Chase Elliott, in just his second Cup start, finished 16th in his No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet.

    “Yeah, overall I felt like we had a really solid day,” Elliott said. “Really the whole weekend for us here on the Sprint Cup side was solid. I thought we had a good car throughout practice, was able to run well in race trim, and our real struggle was trying to go fast for qualifying. Guys made good adjustments for qualifying to get us in the show, and our car today had great long-run speed.”

    “Unfortunately these races never ran to the long run. It’s always going to be a short run to the finish, and I didn’t tell them to do the right things for that last stop to run a short run.”

    “Lesson learned, and we’ll try to get better for the next one.”

    Not Surprising: While a top-10 finish for Kevin Harvick means Bloomin’ Onions for all at Outback Steakhouse, Jeff Gordon’s top-10 finish meant even more.

    The Jeff Gordon Children’s Foundation tweeted after the race “Way to go @JeffGordonWeb another top 10 finish and $1,000 for childhood cancer research.”

    Gordon also achieved another career milestone in his final season. He officially tied former driver Mark Martin for the most lead lap finishes, 558, in fact, in NASCAR Cup Series history.

    Surprising: Danica Patrick took so many licks but kept on ticking, holding on to finish 25th. Early on in the race, in fact on Lap 5, she and Casey Mears tangled. And although she went sliding, she controlled the car well enough that the yellow flag was not displayed.

    She also battled with Trevor Bayne, as well as Aric Almirola the latter of whom knocked Joey Gase around and almost right into Patrick’s No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet.

    Finally, Patrick also had a bit of a run in off the track, tangling with Clint Bowyer on pit road. As she was entering her stall, Bowyer hit her left rear quarter panel, sending her sideways and almost into her pit crew.

    Not Surprising: All four drivers in the Hendrick Motorsports stable finished strong, with Jimmie Johnson in third, Kasey Kahne in sixth, Jeff Gordon in eighth and Dale Earnhardt Jr. bringing up the Hendrick rear in the fourteenth position.

    But it was Johnson and Kahne who had to start from the back of the field, 36th and 40th respectively to earn their top-10 finishes.

    “We had a great race car and I really felt like that was the case on Friday, except for our qualifying lap,” Johnson said. “With all the long runs that we had, I was able to get through the field and get this Lowe’s Pro Service Chevy up front. Those last few restarts I was able to hang on and duke it out with those guys and get a nice top three finish.”

    “It was pretty inconsistent and there were good runs and bad runs,” Kahne said. “For whatever reason on that last run was really good. I was happy with the way the day ended up.”

    “I would say our best race of the year there, at least it felt like one of our better ones. I’m glad we finished strong today because the second to last run was a really bad run. I’m glad the final run we got the right set of tires on.”

    Surprising: Matt Kenseth, and not Denny Hamlin who had won the Xfinity race in a dominating fashion, represented Team Toyota as the highest finisher for that manufacturer in the seventh spot.

    “For us overall, it was pretty good,” Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota said. “We had some runs that were really, really good, some runs were off. Didn’t have the best restart positioning there at the end and got what we could out of it.”

    “We were pretty happy with our FedEx Toyota Camry two days ago — not so much today. Just we missed it,” said Dave Rogers, crew chief for Denny Hamlin, said. “Made a few adjustments and obviously went the wrong way.

    “We had a good car a couple days ago, but not so good today.”

    Not Surprising: In spite of tangling with Danica Patrick on pit road and suffering some right front damage, as well as trading paint with Martin Truex Jr. late in the race, Clint Bowyer still managed to pull off a top-10 finish at one of his favorite tracks.

    “It was kind of tit for tat really,” Bowyer said of his contact with Truex. “We were racing hard there with 20 to go and he comes from the outside and crosses over and he kind of dive bombed me last minute. It really kind of scared me, so I gave him the spot and then fast forward one lap, exactly the same move back and he turned back down and I was already there and I got into him a little bit. It is what it is.”

    “We clearly need to be better,” the driver of the No. 15 AAA Insurance Toyota said. “Hell, after the start of the season we’ve had, it’s starting to feel like a little bit of momentum and we’ve just got to keep digging.”

     

     

  • Hot 20 – As we remember Steve Byrnes, it is on to Richmond

    Hot 20 – As we remember Steve Byrnes, it is on to Richmond

    I am a blessed man. I have a multitude of wants, but I already have all those things I truly need. I just wish that when we pray for a miracle, the odds of realizing it were not as astronomically against its success. When we lose someone as young, vibrant and talented as Steve Byrnes, despite all of our prayers, it does test one’s faith.

    Byrnes loved his family and he loved NASCAR. In his memory, we once again take stock of those who are in Chase contention. As we move forward, we find the likes of Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Larson just outside looking in, while even wins by Trevor Bayne and Tony Stewart would rocket them up among our leaders.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Richmond include…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (314 points)
    First a NASCAR champion and now he is in the White House. Well, for a brief visit.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (258 points)
    After last week, we might know why Jimmie was not picked as Harv’s running mate.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (284 points)
    If he was ahead of Brad at Bristol, how things might have been different.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (255 points)
    If he was behind Joey at Bristol…

    5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (236 points)
    43 years old, but in Gordon years he is just 36.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (223 points)
    Bristol was a pain in the neck, but he is coming home Saturday night.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 281 POINTS
    Bristol wasn’t great, but only Harvick and Logano have more points this season.

    8. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 241 POINTS
    If he can keep the wheels tight and the tires round he should be all right.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 237 POINTS
    Those All-State girls never got him, but he was available this week at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

    10. JEFF GORDON – 227 POINTS
    Five straight in the Top 10 has Pops back in the hunt.

    11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 226 POINTS
    One of five Cup guys driving the XFINITY race. Go Erik Jones!

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 223 POINTS
    Hopes to add Chase place to his Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and All-Star race career resume.

    13. DANICA PATRICK – 211 POINTS
    Bristol was a gift, but enough gifts can add up to something very good.

    14. PAUL MENARD – 210 POINTS
    Odds are his decent finish at Bristol will not transfer to this short track.

    15. CARL EDWARDS – 203 POINTS
    Despite a very ordinary start, still a contender.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 201 POINTS
    After his big penalty, has pegged his way back into contention.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 200 POINTS
    Richmond is a track he loves and that loves him in return.

    18. DAVID RAGAN – 197 POINTS
    Still living the dream as Kyle dreams of his return.

    19. CASEY MEARS – 186 POINTS
    With odds at 500-1, anything in the Top 20 would be welcome.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 180 POINTS
    Roush-Fenway presence could soon disappear with Austin, Kurt, and Larson just behind.

  • Richmond Sprint Cup Preview – Strategy, Milestones and More

    Richmond Sprint Cup Preview – Strategy, Milestones and More

    It sounds simple. If you want to win a race, the best place to begin is in front. But in reality, starting from the pole doesn’t necessarily translate into winning the race…unless you’re racing at Richmond International Raceway. The statistics below tell the story.

    Winning Strategy:

    1) If you want to win at RIR the best strategy is to win the Coors Light Pole Award. There have been 117 Sprint Cup races at RIR and 23 of those were won by drivers from the pole starting position.

    There are four active drivers who have done just that; Kasey Kahne did it in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2007, Kyle Busch in 2010 and Brad Keselowski in the fall race last year.

    2) The second best way to win is to begin on the front row where 13 races have been won by drivers starting in second place. Combine those two numbers and 36 (30.7 percent) of the Sprint Cup races at RIR have been won by front row starters.

    3) The third best way to win is to qualify in the top-ten. Ninety-one of those 117 (77.7 percent) races were won by drivers in the top-ten starting positions.

    Clint Bowyer has the distinction of winning at RIR after starting deepest in the field, 31st, in 2008.

    Milestones:

    As Jeff Gordon heads to Richmond he is on the verge of reaching another significant milestone in an already storied career. Gordon has led 24,778 laps during his Sprint Cup career. If he can add 222 laps to that total, he will become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his 550th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at the Toyota Owners 400 Saturday night. He is 30th on the all-time NSCS starts list. Earnhardt, along with Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, leads all active drivers in wins at RIR; with three victories (Kyle Busch has four wins but is currently inactive). Although his last win at Richmond was in 2006, it remains one of his favorite tracks and could prove to be the impetus Earnhardt needs to capture his first win of the season.

    Paul Menard is 14th in the standings and needs a win to secure his position in the Chase. He’ll make his 300th NSCS start this weekend at Richmond. All Richard Childress Racing entries will feature decals to honor the memory of Richard “Bob” “Poncho” Myers, who passed away April 16. He was the brother of longtime RCR employee, Danny “Chocolate” Myers.

    Defending Cup champion, Kevin Harvick, shows no intention of slowing down this year. With two wins and seven top 10s, he leads the Chase standings. He has also led 950 laps in 2015 and is 50 away from becoming the eighth driver in series history to lead 1000 laps or more in the first nine races of a season. Harvick has led laps in every race this season, with the exception of Daytona, averaging 118.75 laps led per race.

    Firsts – Now Chand Then:

    Chase Elliott has a full weekend coming up at Richmond as he competes for the first time in both the XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series races. As an added incentive, Elliott gets a second chance to impress in his second Cup start. His NSCS debut at Martinsville in March resulted in a disappointing 38th place finish, 73 laps down, after contact with another car and the loss of his power steering sent Elliott behind the wall for extensive repairs.

    The first NSCS race at RIR was April 19, 1953 and was won by Lee Petty.

    Buck Baker won the inaugural pole award at RIR in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.

    The first race under permanent lights was held on September 7, 1991.

    The first season when both races at RIR were night races was in 1999.

    Tony Stewart (1999) and Kasey Kahne (2005) each captured their first NSCS career win at Richmond. A victory for Stewart could kick start a dismal season and provide the momentum to propel him into Chase contention.

    By the Numbers:   

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond –

    110.7 – Denny Hamlin – Leads all active drivers with an average finishing position of 10.412

    110.3 – Kevin Harvick – Series-best Average Running Position of 7.5

    109.8 – Kyle Busch – Four wins at RIR

    99.6 – Clint Bowyer – Two wins, four top fives, 10 top 10s

    99.3 – Jeff Gordon – Leads all active drivers with 18 top five-finishes

    94.0 – Tony Stewart – Won at RIR in his second appearance

    92.5 – Ryan Newman – One win, six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

    91.6 – Brad Keselowski – One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

    91.5 – Kurt Busch – One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s

    89.1 – Carl Edwards – One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

    The Toyota Owners 400 Sprint Cup race will be televised on FOX Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 184 laps at Bristol, but his fortunes turned dramatically when he crashed into David Ragan’s spinning No. 18 car. Harvick finished 38th, 43 laps down, ending his streak of seven consecutive top-10 finishes this season.

    “Jimmie Johnson started that wreck,” Harvick said. “That wasn’t the only one. Let’s just say his Sprint Cup titles aren’t the only reason they call Jimmie ‘Six Time.’”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson survived numerous incidents at Bristol to pull out an unlikely runner-up result in the Food City 500.

    “I was involved in quite a few spins,” Johnson said, “and those spins affected several other drivers. Put it this way: there were a lot of drivers looking at me ‘sideways.’”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano’s day at Thunder Valley soured early when a wreck by teammate Brad Keselowski damaged the No. 22 Ford. Logano eventually finished 40th, 59 laps down.

    “That wreck knocked us both out of contention,” Logano said, “and knocked our relationship into contention.”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started second at Bristol and ran into early trouble when he lost control on lap 18 and slammed the wall, collecting Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano. Both Penske cars suffered extensive damage; Keselowski finished 35th while Logano finished 40th.

    “I’m not sure what happened,” Keselowski said. “Usually, when I take a hard right like that, I expect Denny Hamlin to be in the way, not the wall.”

    “My good buddy Kyle Busch is out of his wheelchair. He’ll probably be racing this summer, and I expect Kyle to be back better than ever. I bet you he’ll be doing 195 miles per hour in the No. 18 at Daytona in July, or the same down some residential area in Moore County, North Carolina in a street car.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished a disappointing 29th in the Food City 500, the first time he’s finished out of the top 10 this season.

    “Kurt Busch looked strong,” Truex said, “until he decided to pit late in the race. Then he rear-ended Carl Edwards. That just killed Kurt’s chances. That’s why he’s known as the ‘Stewart-Haas-assin.’”

    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 16th at Bristol, as Hendrick teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon took second and third, respectively. Earnhardt is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 73 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “From start to finish,” Earnhardt said, “Sunday’s race lasted nine hours. Most NASCAR races only seem to last that long.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole in the Food City 500 and took the win, earning his first win of the season and a spot in the Chase For The Sprint Cup. Kenseth pulled away from Jimmie Johnson to capture his first win since the 2013 season.

    “It’s been a tough year for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Kenseth said. “Kyle Busch has a gimpy ankle, Denny Hamlin has a bum neck, and Carl Edwards has a knucklehead.

    “I must admit I was surprised when Kurt Busch pitted from the lead with 25 laps to go. Of course, it’s not like I’m the only person to question a decision made by Kurt.”

    8. Kasey Kahne: Kahne was a victim of a late pileup triggered when Carl Edwards got loose racing side by side with Jeff Gordon. Kahne finished 37th, the worst result among Hendrick Motorsports drivers.

    “Have you seen Kyle Busch lately?” Kahne said. “You know, Kyle used to drive the No. 5 car for Hendrick. His condition now should remind him of his final days at HMS, because he’s ‘got the boot.’”

    9. Jeff Gordon: Gordon battled back from a loose wheel that set him back two laps to finish a solid third at Bristol. Gordon started second on the green-white-checkered finish but was no match for Matt Kenseth, who restarted on the preferred outside line.

    “Unlike me,” Gordon said, “Kenseth has no intentions of retiring. Me? I’ve done enough in this business to call it a career. Four Sprint Cup titles and more money than I know what to do with. So I quit this rich.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was running fifth when neck spasms forced him from the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota on lap 22 during the race’s first rain delay. JGR developmental driver Erik Jones took over and finished 26th.

    “That’s some neck ‘restraint,’ something even a HANS device would be proud of,” Hamlin said.

  • Logano Leads Team Dover to Victory Over Earnhardt Jr. and Team Pocono

    Logano Leads Team Dover to Victory Over Earnhardt Jr. and Team Pocono

    In spite of buying his glove the night before the game, Joey Logano led his Monster Mile softball team to a 12 to 6 victory over the Pocono Raceway team led by Dale Earnhardt Jr., with an assist from Darrell Wallace Jr.

    The game featured media members and corporate sponsors on both teams, as well as other NASCAR celebrities including former driver and broadcaster Todd Bodine. Pocono Raceway President/CEO Brandon Igdalsky also participated, hitting a home run in the game.

    Unfortunately, Igdalsky will still have to wear the ‘I Love the Monster Mile’ T-shirt due to his team’s loss.

    “My team kicked everyone’s butt,” Logano said in the post-game media conference. “This is new for me for sure. I had fun though. I had a blast. I was bummed out when it was over because I wanted to keep playing.”

    In addition to this being the first ever stick and ball game for Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Darrell Wallace Jr. confirmed that they too were newbies to being at bat and running the bases.

    “I played basketball before but baseball was never really my thing,” Wallace said. “My guys play on the road, especially if they have a day free. They’ll fly in and try to find a baseball field to go play some softball. I got to play with them in Fontana so I had a little leg up.”

    “I was surprised at how well Joey played,” Wallace continued. “He’s good at ping pong and fooz ball. But I did have two runs so I carried my Pocono team.”

    “I never played in school,” Junior said after the game. “We had a company team and I played on it a couple years. So, I had an idea of what I was getting myself into.”

    “But that doesn’t mean I’m very good at it.”

    In addition to the celebrity softball game, the three drivers did talk some about racing, from what races they wanted to win, their best moments in the sport, to what they thought about both of the Dover and Pocono race tracks upcoming in the race schedule.

    For Dale Earnhardt Jr. he has just two tracks that would be most meaningful to him personally to get in the win column.

    “The 600 at Charlotte would be great to win,” Junior said. “I’ve never won a points race at Charlotte. Darlington is a driver’s race track so winning that would mean a lot to me. Those two really would mean the most to me.”

    Darrell Wallace Jr. said that his best racing year to date was last year, winning both with Kyle Busch Motorsports and on the dirt at Eldora.

    “We were really strong with Kyle Busch and everyone on the Kyle Busch team,” Wallace Jr. said. “We picked up four wins in the Truck Series so that was a great time for me, just getting my name out there.”

    “I think what surprised everyone was the Eldora win. I don’t think anybody picked me to win that race. So, that would have to be the best.”

    “Hopefully my best year will be this year,” Logano said. “But last year was the best year of my life getting married. It was an awesome experience. And having a shot at racing for a championship was a highlight. When we got to Homestead, it was just a great year altogether.”

    “Last year was great for me too, winning the Daytona race and getting some other wins,” Dale Jr. said. “We hadn’t won in so long and we weren’t winning races for the last several years. So, to be able to get multiple wins in the season felt good. Winning Daytona early and getting the pressure off for that Chase, which was the first year of the Chase and everybody was nervous. So, that was good.”

    All three drivers shared their excitement about heading to both Dover and Pocono in the next few weeks, enjoying each track for its uniqueness and for the variety of things to do off-track in the area.

    “Dover is great,” Junior said. “It’s a real challenge because the concrete is so challenging. Getting the car to have good balance there and getting it to turn without losing rear grip is tough. So, it’s a real difficult track just going through the weekend from practice to the race. But it’s fun.”

    “There are a lot of great places to go eat around there. It’s a good area. I enjoy it. I think it’s pretty fun and we’re looking forward to it.”

    “Dover for me is a special place, for one being from the northeast, from Connecticut, which is not too far from there. So, I get to see a lot of family that comes there,” Logano said. “I made my first Xfinity start there and barrel rolled the first time I was ever there. I went back there the year after and they had the program that moved and changes.”

    “They had the ‘Monster’ holding my car and then when you moved it, it showed the ‘Monster’ slamming it into the race track. I was like this is great, thanks, glad to be back!”

    “But it’s a special place to me. My XFINITY races have been very good there with four wins. I haven’t had a Cup win there yet, but it’s been close. I consider it my favorite race track. It’s one of those places that you could drive around by yourself on it and you’d never get bored.”

    “It’s just so entertaining being up and down in the race track and the racing is always competitive there. It’s a fun place to be.”

    “I agree with Joey and Junior,” said Wallace Jr. “It’s a fun place all around. In 2012, I had my fourth XFINITY start there and we sat on the pole for the K&N race. After that, I saw Joey and threw the pole flag at him and he ended up winning the race. He comes back to me and he threw the checkered flag back at me.

    “He had signed it ‘To the Pole Sitter from the Race Winner’. I actually have that flag framed in my apartment.”

    “But to be able to sit on the pole several times there is pretty special. It’s a place where you let it all hang out and you never get bored.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. also has special feelings for the track known as the ‘Tricky Triangle”, especially after winning both of the two Pocono races.

    “When I won last year, it was the first time I’d ever won at Pocono,” Junior said, “So, that was a great feeling to finally win there. I’ve been going to that track in the summer time for years.”

    “I had no idea we were going to sweep. That was a big surprise. It’s such a difficult race to win. It’s real hard to get around the leader and you have to be up front the whole race. You’ve got to run hard. You can’t afford to let a guy by because it’s so hard to get back around.”

    “We won last year so you go in real happy and excited and expect to do better. I think our cars are faster and better and I hope that trend stays.”

    Of course, the drivers also took a moment to remember Steve Byrnes, after getting the word at the softball game that the broadcaster had lost his battle to cancer.

    “Him and Dad were great friends,” Junior said. “Steve would tell me many, many times stories about my Dad, something they did together or something funny that happened between them. They were good pals.”

    “I was happy that he got to see everything over the past weekend and to see how much he mattered to everybody.”

    “I’ll second what Dale said,” Logano said. “It is neat that he could get to see everything that the NASCAR teams and NASCAR fans did for him last week at Bristol. That was something special. When you get that kind of respect from this industry, it means you are very special.”

    “I got to know him doing some of the Race Hub shows. He was obviously a great person. I got to learn a lot from him. He’d give me little tips and pointers during commercial breaks. We would just talk and I thought that relationship was special. I cherish those moments.”

    In addition to remembering and paying tribute to Steve, all of the drivers took a moment to recognize the fans that came out to the Trenton Thunder ball park to mix in some NASCAR with some baseball. In fact, the line for autographs throughout the game, especially for Dale Earnhardt Jr., often stretched the length of the stadium.

    “I think this is great,” Junior said. “To be at a ball park is a great environment. Everybody is having fun and enjoying themselves. I tired to sign every autograph and to get everyone I could in between.”

    “It’s cool to be recognized in these kinds of places,” Wallace Jr. said. “For me to spend five minutes signing autographs while Junior is spending an hour and five minutes is really cool.”

    “I look up to Dale in a lot of ways and to see him give back to the fans and the sport is really neat. That’s what pushes me.”

    “It is impressive what Dale does with the fans,” Logano acknowledged. “A lot more people like him more than me! I know why and it’s OK.”

    “My life has gotten busier since the Daytona 500 but I cannot imagine what his life is like. He takes the time to meet every fan. I like meeting the fans in person and on social media and to hear what everyone is talking about.”

    So, how did the drivers sum up their softball experience, whether on the losing or winning side?

    “I gave 110 percent out there,” Wallace Jr. said. “And Logano was just awkward. It was like Forrest Gump when he ran, all arms and legs flying.”

    “But he still got his team to Victory Lane.”

     

  • The Final Word – With all the rain and challenges at Bristol, the only guy missing was Jeff Probst

    The Final Word – With all the rain and challenges at Bristol, the only guy missing was Jeff Probst

    Bristol. Just about the only thing missing was Jeff Probst and his Tribal Council as this turned into a game of survival. With the rains that delayed the start, the rains that stopped it again and again, the day race that ran into night became a reality show of its own.

    Take Kevin Harvick, for instance. He led 186 of the eventual 511 laps, but at Lap 310 he slid into a wrecked David Ragan and he found himself voted off the island in 38th place. If not Harv, then it was Kurt Busch in a dominant car. With eight to go, he took the brunt of it when Jeff Gordon got into Carl Edwards. Busch at least managed a 15th for his troubles.

    Then there was the case of Team Penske. You know you needed a hidden immunity idol when things go down the outdoor commode during the opening credits. Brad Keselowski wobbled and that allowed teammate Joey Logano to put out both their torches. Thirty-fifth and beyond was their fate.

    Do you want more examples? After the Penske wreck on the 19th lap, it rained some more. In that time, Denny Hamlin’s stiff neck got worse and when they restarted 18-year-old Erik Jones found himself racing a Cup car for the very first time, ending up 26th.

    How good was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car? We will never know, as a flat tire took him off the lead lap early, never to be seen again. At least he got 16th when it was all over. As for Austin Dillon, the extra laps before the final re-start ran him out of gas, but even with that he finished 10th.

    After a final caution, they needed a green-white-checker, but rain even delayed that, hence those extra caution laps before the fall of the final green. Matt Kenseth got a fine re-start to take a race he was not all that noticeable in, but the victory shows up just fine in the standings. After no wins last season, his 32nd career triumph had to be sweet no matter how he got it. Jimmie Johnson’s car did not look that pretty, but he came back to slip by Gordon for second while Jeff rebounded from a flat that had him down early to grab third. In short, these boys survived. Nobody thrived.

    Some folks play the game and slip in under the radar. Tony Stewart was sixth Sunday night, but that was a gift for to a guy who was 15th best at best. Danica Patrick was ninth. Another gift. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, the best gift of all. Despite that good fortune, Roush-Fenway entries are still coming up short. Trevor Bayne was 28th, Greg Biffle 30th.

    Ryan Newman, fifth at Bristol, got 25 points back from his appeal over Tiregate. He still is missing his crew chief and two other team members due to suspension, and Richard Childress will continue his quest for their early return with a further appeal.

    It meant jack squat to see Logano win the Saturday XFINITY race at Bristol. Having Daniel Suarez (23 year old from Mexico), Chris Buescher (22), Erik Jones (18), Ty Dillon (23) and Chase Elliott (19) take the next five spots meant everything.

    Sunday we had the day long 2015 Food City 500 In Support of Steve Byrnes. For the NASCAR family, the broadcaster and his fight against cancer, is what truly is meaningful. We have tallied the vote, the tribe has spoken, we want you back just as soon as you are able, Steve.