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Tag: Dale Earnhardt Jr

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won Stage 2, his 15th stage win of the season, and finished second at Michigan, passed on the final restart by a bold move from Kyle Larson. Truex leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings, and also leads with 35 playoff points.

    “My Furniture Row Racing teammate Erik Jones restarted right beside me in second,” Truex said, “but Larson forced his way between us anyway. All this time I thought Carl Edwards was the best at driving a wedge between teammates.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson went from fourth to first on the final restart to take the win in the Pure Michigan 400, his third consecutive win at Michigan.

    “I went right between Martin Truex Jr. and Erik Jones,” Larson said. “I’m no expert in math or Roman numerals, but if you take 78 and 77, divide them by 42, you get ‘V.’ That’s ‘V’ for victory.”

    3. Kyle Busch: A costly penalty ruined Busch’s chances of a win at Michigan. He was sent to the rear of the field at the start of the second stage after he pitted while pit road was closed. He still finished a solid 10th and is third in the points standings.

    “My spotter told me pit road was open,” Busch said. “He was wrong. Now I’m going to play the role of spotter. You see my spotter there? He’s a moron.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 13th at Michigan.

    “I said Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s popularity had ‘stunted’ the growth of NASCAR,” Harvick said. “And, in saying so, I may have stumbled upon the reason Junior is so popular—-he’s not an a-hole.”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 16th in the Pure Michigan 400.

    “Kyle Busch called Brad Keselowski a ‘moron,’” Hamlin said, “and everyone is making a big deal about it. It’s not. I’ve been a teammate of Kyle’s for 10 years now; being called a ‘moron?’ That’s a compliment.”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 19th at Michigan and has not posted a top-10 result in his last four races.

    “24, 21, 19,” Johnson said. “No, those aren’t my last three finishes. Those are the ages of my Hendrick Motorsports teammates in 2018.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started from the pole at Michigan and led 105 laps only to finish 17th at Michigan.

    “Our pit strategy left a lot to be desired,” Keselowski said. “In fact, a lot of people were questioning our decisions. Many called it ‘stupid.’ Others called it ‘idiotic.’ One even called it ‘moronic.’”

    8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished ninth at Michigan, recording his 12th top 10 of the season.

    “The Chevy Camaro is coming to NASCAR next year,” McMurray said. “That was big news in Michigan, where Chevrolet is headquartered. As announcements go that sent chills down the spines of Michiganites, it was a distant second to the news that Kid Rock is running for US Senate.”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was in third place with two laps to go before a tire issue dropped him to a 24th-place finish at Michigan.

    “I still have a 31-point cushion over Clint Bowyer,” Kenseth said. “That’s should be enough to get me in the Chase. So, I know where I’ll be in three weeks; I just don’t know where I’ll be next year.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished a disappointing 23rd at Michigan and failed to make up any ground in his quest to make the Chase For The Cup.

    “Like Kevin Harvick,” Bowyer said, “I chose to open my mouth and be critical of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Maybe I should spend more time trying to make the Chase than voicing my unwanted opinion. My foot is obviously better served on the gas pedal than in my mouth.”

  • The Final Word – Michigan’s highlights consisted of one big wreck and one spectacular re-start

    The Final Word – Michigan’s highlights consisted of one big wreck and one spectacular re-start

    Michigan, where winning was everything. Okay, points might have mattered for the likes of Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, and Clint Bowyer, but for everyone else winning was the goal.

    Michigan, where once again an Aussie did the play-by-play, but to be frank, Leigh Duffy’s accent is not a problem for me. I regularly watch the action from the Australian Football League, and it is totally a non-issue. An announcer has to inform, entertain, and it is helpful if they have one of those voices, one of those deliveries that allows you to just wrap yourself in like a warm blanket. That is how you keep fans watching and tuning in. NBC has not yet learned that, I am sad to say, but maybe the action on the track might overcome the deficiencies.

    Not in the opening segment. They went fast, but they were strung out around the oval. A third of the field was lapped, and the dominating car, driven by Brad Keselowski, already has its wins. It was warm up where I live, but I decided to forgo the frosty beer for the moment. At least that gave me something to possibly look forward to.

    Martin Truex Jr. is looking forward to the Chase, and he added to his playoff point total with yet another segment win in Stage two. Keselowski and Kevin Harvick were right behind him, but a couple of the others in the top 10 at this point made things interesting. Erik Jones had done well cruising in the top five, while Daniel Suarez was strong throughout the segment. Neither could make the Chase on points, but could they, would they win their way in? I guess that is why we watched the final run. Still, no beer for me. I am a patient, patient man with an iron will.

    Kasey Kahne was not, as shortly after they resumed he popped in front of Suarez a fraction too early and got tossed to the scrap heap. Kahne is in the Chase, but out of that ride for next season. It did the Mexican driver no favors either, as his hopes for victory Sunday came to an end. At least we still had Jones.

    A win would have worked for Bowyer. However, twice being caught speeding in the pits would not. Neither would a tire rub with 50 laps to go that turned into a flat. No win, and a squandered opportunity to make up some points was to be the fate for the man from Emporia, Kansas.

    Joey Logano has a win, but it means nothing toward the Chase. His hopes for another went flat when his tire did the same with 15 laps to go. That brought out a caution, and that increased our interest. With nine to go at the re-start, four time winner Truex was running point, with Jones, Kenseth, and Elliott right behind him. Ken Squier and Chris Economaki could not have set things up any better for what we hoped would be an exciting finish with a lot on the line.

    Truex took off with Jones, his Furniture Row teammate, behind him. They were all that mattered, though you could not tell from the NBC coverage as they focused on battles that in the long run were rather meaningless. It was sliding into ho-hum territory, I began to yearn for that long put off beer, but then a wreck with five to go allowed them to re-set.

    Going into over-time, once again it was Truex, Jones, Kenseth, with Kyle Larson now fourth ahead of Elliott. Was it going to be exciting? Damn right, but that was thanks to Larson bursting between those Furniture Row boys as things turned green and away he went. It was his third win of the season and his third straight at Michigan.

    So, did the standings change much? Nope. Kenseth finished 24th, but Bowyer dropped a further three points behind him for 16th place on the ladder. The gap is now 31 points, with McMurray 52 points over the horizon and Elliott now 62 on the other side of the crest. It was a good day for Larson, Truex, Jones and, thanks to bonus points, Harvick. It was a bit of a bummer for Kahne and Suarez.

    Next up is a Saturday night at Bristol, an event good enough it attracts fans just because it is what it is. Kenseth, Logano, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are previous winners who desperately need to re-live some of those good old times. Get your friends together for the race next weekend. Tell ‘em that Bristol represents the kind of action NASCAR presents every week. Hey, sometimes friends lie to friends over a cold beer. Which reminds me…

     

  • Has Dale Earnhardt Jr’s popularity stunted NASCAR growth or did he save it from itself?

    Has Dale Earnhardt Jr’s popularity stunted NASCAR growth or did he save it from itself?

    Heading into Michigan, Kevin Harvick made some headlines on his radio show when he laid blame for the sport’s lack of progress in recent years in the lap of Dale Earnhardt Jr. That never is a good thing to do.

    “For me, I believe that Dale Jr. has had a big part in kind of stunting the growth of NASCAR because he’s got these legions of fans and this huge outreach of being able to reach different places that none of us have the possibility to reach, but he’s won nine races in 10 years at Hendrick Motorsports and hasn’t been able to reach outside of that,” Harvick said. So, is Junior a “big part in kind of stunting the growth of NASCAR?”

    Junior is an interesting, unique story. In fact, his life story from the date of his father’s death to his winning the 2004 Daytona 500 is pure Hollywood gold. His win when they returned to Daytona in 2001, his four straight Talladega victories, to 2004 when the 500 was his first of six victories that season. Pure gold, damn near fictional if we had not lived to see it happen with our own eyes. The Legend’s fans became those of the Legacy, and those 15 wins in his first five seasons put the focus squarely on him.

    After 2004, he went from extraordinary to ordinary, yet his legion of fans remained. Is it his fault Jimmie Johnson has not been marketed properly? I mean, you shouldn’t see a poster of Jimmie without seeing him flanked by Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. He is NASCAR royalty. Still, he was not the son of a legend.

    Junior is popular because he is the son of that Legend, a young man who had tremendous early success to allow the Earnhardt fans to keep on cheering. He also had enough of a good ole boy personality to keep them loyal through all the tribulations to come.

    Did his lack of success over recent years stunt NASCAR’s growth? Maybe, it was his continued presence that kept it from sliding further down the tubes. In fact, the champion has only taken the Most Popular Driver award six times in the season they won the championship. The last was Bill Elliott nearly 30 years ago. So much for Harvick’s theory.

    The Most Popular Driver award has been handed out 66 times. On 50 occasions, the most popular driver had the last name of Petty, Allison, Elliott, or Earnhardt. In fact, since 1970 only David Pearson and Darrell Waltrip (twice) has interrupted that dynasty.

    Mr. Harvick is wrong. It is a combination of success and personality and royal jelly that makes one the Most Popular. Neither Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart laid claim to the award. Neither has Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, or either Busch brother. Neither has Kevin Harvick.

    I guess next year we will have to find another Most Popular Driver. My guess? How about another Elliott. These families have carried NASCAR on their back for decades. Why stop now?

  • Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Now we know why they call it Silly Season. 16 drivers will make the Chase, and we already know that three who have done well enough thus far this season may not have done well enough to save their rides for next.

    Kurt Busch won the Daytona 500, but Stewart-Haas has not yet picked up his option for next season. Even he does not know if they will or won’t. Kasey Kahne claimed Indianapolis, but Rick Hendrick will be replacing him with young William Byron next year. Matt Kenseth holds down the final place for the moment, but Joe Gibbs is bringing Erik Jones back to the mother ship to take that ride.

    Usually we are interested in the winners. This week, other than for Joey Logano, past winners mean nothing. A new winner, or Logano, could really have an impact on who makes it and who might not. Wins have all but locked up 13 positions. Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, and Kenseth hold down the next three, separated by just 11 points. Three positions, three drivers. Good for them, unless someone behind them in the standings wins and turns this into a game of musical chairs, with one of those chairs removed.

    Anyone within the top 33 in the rankings still has a mathematical shot. Even Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury but remains within the Top 30 and thus eligible for the free pass a non-encumbered win would give him. Matt DiBenedetto, Cole Whitt, and Landon Cassill are close enough that an unlikely win could spring them into eligibility.

    Michigan might not be the most exciting venue to watch a race, but the result could be very interesting.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX, JR – 4 WINS (881 Pts)
    Truex and girlfriend Sherry Pollex have given us the season’s most compelling story.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (574 Pts)
    The King, the Intimidator, and Jimmie…all seven time champions.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (759 Pts)
    After back-to-back runner up finishes, has been outside the Top 20 in his last three attempts.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (681 Pts)
    Left a nice note to Truex for the win. Not sure if he left a nice note to Rowdy after the bus stop.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (486 Pts)
    Nobody is talking about his sponsorship disappearing and, this season, that is saying something.

    6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (765 Pts)
    M&M’s are good. Any sponsor sticking around is very, very good.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (746 Pts)
    Figures some of NASCAR’s problems stem from its most popular not being its most successful.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (687 Pts)
    As of mid-Wednesday afternoon, we were still waiting.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
    Moving from Wood Brothers to Penske, and the world is his oyster.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (528 Pts)
    Not everyone has such a smooth transition going from this year to next.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (503 Pts)
    Ryan should know what that is like.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
    Despite Indianapolis, his future in the Cup series could depend on what he does to November.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (406 Pts)
    Meanwhile, some others have job security.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 648 POINTS
    With the exception of a seven-time champion, Hendrick turns it all over to the kids in 2018.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 643 POINTS
    Has finished in the Top Twenty is all but three. In this race, Jamie has become the turtle.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 637 POINTS
    If he gets the results, others do not get the wins, all he would need is a damn ride for next season.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 609 POINTS
    Clint is not wishing Chase, Jamie, or Matt any ill fortune…but if it happens…

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 542 POINTS (1 Win)
    You could say that encumbered win is something of an encumberment.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 508 POINTS
    Third last week means nothing, but could it be a harbinger of what is to come?

    20. ERIK JONES – 477 POINTS
    Crew Chief Chris Gale gets two race vacation, but $50,000 fine might keep him close to home.

    Then we have the Not So Hot, all who can be in with a win…

    21. TREVOR BAYNE – 408 POINTS
    22. PAUL MENARD – 383 POINTS
    23. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 379 POINTS
    24. TY DILLON – 378 POINTS
    25. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 351 POINTS
    26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 349 POINTS
    27. CHRIS BUESCHER – 346 POINTS
    28. DANICA PATRICK – 325 POINTS
    29. DAVID RAGAN – 276 POINTS
    30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 242 POINTS
    31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 242 POINTS
    32. COLE WHITT – 229 POINTS
    33. LANDON CASSILL – 227 POINTS

     

  • The Final Word – Truex wins at the Glen, but the spotlight now falls on the winless

    The Final Word – Truex wins at the Glen, but the spotlight now falls on the winless

    I am sorry. Last week, coming out of Pocono, I said you could bet that Watkins Glen would provide you with a much more entertaining race. I lied. I apologize. As for the NBC announcing crew, they did not make the experience any better. Just saying.

    The early part of the race could be summed up in this fashion. Kyle Busch won the opening stage but came in during the break to tighten a loose wheel and dropped out of the first 30 to begin the second. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had an engine that gave up the ghost, and he was done. Jamie McMurray was doing fine until a 45 second pit stop due to ornery wheels that would not come off…or go on.

    At least the end of the second stage gave us some story lines of note. While Rowdy got back into the Top Ten, Daniel Suarez won that portion of the race. Erik Jones and A.J. Allmendinger were in the Top Ten as well. If any of the latter three won this race, it would have a meaningful impact on those hoping to get to the Chase via points alone. So, with 50 laps remaining there might be some excitement to be had after all. At least, that was what I was hoping for.

    I guess Watkins Glen is where hope goes to die. It appeared maybe Brad Keselowski might win, despite going for a skid with his buddy, the aforementioned Kyle, and being short on fuel. Too bad when he pitted he decided to run through more than three pit stalls to do it. That gave him a penalty and all of his hopes were dashed.

    Matt Kenseth had a run over the last couple of laps. Hey, better late than never. Unfortunately for him, Martin Truex, Jr. was using fuel mileage to make it, after finishing second in both of the opening stages, to claim his fourth victory of the season. A great day for Truex, a good day for the likes of Kenseth and Suarez, who finished third. Even the younger Busch had a 42 point day after wrapping things up in seventh. Duds on the day included the 29th place finisher Jimmie Johnson, with Ryan Newman, Austin Dillon, and Joey Logano also missing the Top Twenty.

    Logano has to win to be in, so no big news there. Clint Bowyer is now 28 points out of a Chase place despite coming home in fifth. Ahead of him are the 16th place Kenseth (637 points), McMurray in 15th (638), and the 14th place sitting Chase Elliott (648). A bad day for any one amongst that trio, and a good one for Bowyer, would make things interesting. So would a victory over the next four events by someone previously winless, which would put the final two spots in play.

    Heading to Michigan next weekend, the 16 winless drivers in the Top 30 in points are the ones to watch for. Them and only them. Kenseth, Logano, and Junior have all won at Michigan before. They might want to do it again. Will it be an exciting race to watch? I plead the Fifth.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex finished third at Pocono as Kyle Busch won from the pole. Truex leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by 48 over Kyle Larson.

    “Kyle was just unstoppable today,” Truex said. “Somebody should tell Kyle ‘Way to go,’ but it won’t be me or any member of my pit crew, especially two of my tire changers that are suspended. That’s because Kyle’s crew chief Adam Stevens had a confrontation with my pit crew at Indianapolis. While Kyle and I made fire, Adam and my crew made fireworks.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch won the pole for the Overton’s 400 at Pocono and led 74 laps on his way to the win, snapping a 36-race winless streak and winning for the first time at Pocono.

    “It feels great to do a burn out,” Busch said, “as opposed to being ‘burned out’ of my car. Ironically, I’ve been ‘spinning my wheels’ all year.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second at Pocono, posting his eighth top 5 of the year, and is now third in the points standings, 97 out of first.

    “That makes four runner-up finishes in my career at Pocono,” Harvick said. “If you think I’m disappointed about that, I ‘second’ that emotion. And trust me, I know disappointment. It permeates my household, in fact. Much of the disappointment stems from the fact that I’m known there as ‘three-inch Kevin Harvick.’”

    4. Kyle Larson: Larson lost his drive shaft early at Pocono, necessitating a lengthy trip to the garage before returning to claim a 33rd-place finish.

    “What’s worse than losing a drive shaft?” Larson said. “Losing a sponsor. Target will no longer sponsor the No. 42 car next year. They’re moving sponsorship from racing to soccer. At least, that’s their goal. It’s seems the red on the red car has been red-carded.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Contact with Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne sent Johnson into the wall on lap 57, ending his day at Pocono. Johnson eventually finished 35th.

    “Kasey had a huge win the previous week at Indianapolis,” Johnson said. “He apparently was still riding that wave of momentum when he slid up the track and got into me.

    “But it was just a racing incident. And let me define ‘racing incident’ for you: it’s when there’s an accident that doesn’t involve cars bursting into flames, a crew chief mouthing off with members of an opposing crew, and a race team unfairly disciplining just one of the involved parties.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took fifth in the Overton’s 400, recording his series-best 11th top 5 of the season.

    “Penske Racing is adding a third car in 2018,” Keselowski said, “and Ryan Blaney will be the driver. Ryan is a great guy, and one of the best things he has going for him is that his father is Dave Blaney, and not Tom Logano. Tom Logano is the Lavar Ball of NASCAR.”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 18 laps and finished fourth at Pocono, as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch took the victory.

    “Kyle Busch was the class of the field,” Hamlin said. “That’s saying something, because it’s not often you can use the words ‘class’ and ‘Kyle Busch’ in a sentence. Now, using ‘Kyle Busch’ and a word that rhymes with class in the same sentence, that’s another story altogether.”

    8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray started third at Pocono but finished a disappointing 26th.

    “The No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet was handicapped by transmission issues,” McMurray said. “That caused a lot of smoke to enter the cockpit. It’s doubly disappointing because at Pocono in June, I wrecked with Jimmie Johnson and my car burst into flames. As the saying goes, ‘Where there’s smoke, there was fire.’”

    9. Chase Elliott: Eliott finished tenth at Pocono and remains winless on the season.

    “I know I don’t necessarily have to win to make the Chase For The Cup,” Elliott said, “but it would sure make things easier. But sometimes just the mere pressure of knowing you need a victory can hinder, impede, and hamper you from doing just that. A lot of drivers, Joey Logano included, call that an ‘encumbered win.’”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer scored a solid day at Pocono, winning Stage 2 on his way to a sixth-place finish. He is tenth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “Thirteen different drivers have posted victories this year,” Bowyer said. “That means there are only three spots in the Chase For The Cup up for grabs. People who know me understand that I’m willing to go to great lengths to secure one of those spots, for me or for a teammate.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Indianapolis

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex and Kyle Busch wrecked as they battled for the lead on a restart with 50 laps remaining at Indianapolis. Both cars were unable to continue, and Truex’s No. 78 became engulfed in flames. Truex finished 33rd.

    “Oddly enough,” Truex said, “Kyle was ‘on fire’ before that. He won the first two stages and was well on his way to winning the race.

    “The wreck was my fault; I won’t lie and say it wasn’t. And given my penchant for collecting extra points for stage wins and whatnot, I have to ask, do I get bonus points for honesty?”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 28th at Indianapolis after a late crash that sent the No. 42 Target Chevrolet into the wall and into flames.

    “Thankfully,” Larson said, “I was able to escape the flames. In most cases, I only get burned by NASCAR inspectors.

    “The race was quite boring until about 20 laps remaining. Much like my cars, the Brickyard 400 is famous for its lack of ‘passing.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the front row alongside pole sitter Kyle Busch and finished sixth, posting his 13th top 10 of the year.

    “My spotter had his credential revoked after he tossed a sandwich and it fell off the top of Indy’s Pagoda,” Harvick said. “Joey Logano’s family had quite a scare when reports stated ‘Sliced Bread Thrown From Indianapolis Motor Speedway Pagoda.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch’s quest for a third-straight Brickyard 400 victory ended when he crashed with Martin Truex Jr. on a restart with 50 laps to go.

    “Before that fateful restart,” Busch said, “Truex and I played a game of ‘Deal Or No Deal.’ However, instead of finding out what was behind the door, we both found out what was behind the wall.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started at the rear of the field after a transmission change and was battling for the lead late when he crashed as his engine smoked after the restart following the races 11th caution. Johnson finished 27th.

    “I went three-wide with Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski late in the race at Indianapolis,” Johnson said. “It was basically a game of chicken. I guess I lost, but that’s okay because my seven Cup titles make this chicken the most likely to get ‘roasted’ at the NASCAR awards banquet.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Kasey Kahne beat Keselowski into Turn 1 on the final restart and won the Brickyard 400 under caution. Keselowski finished second.

    “When all was said and done,” Keselowski said, “most drivers had spent over six hours in their cars. That’s way longer than most fans spent in their seats.”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 17th at Indianapolis, one lap down to the leaders.

    “My Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch said he had a ride lined up for the Indianapolis 500 back on Memorial Day weekend,” Hamlin said. “But Joe Gibbs refused to let Kyle run. I think if you asked Joe, he would tell you that Kyle may be a gigantic ass, but he’s an even more gigantic asset.”

    8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray came home 15th in the hot and grueling Brickyard 400.

    “The race was a marathon,” McMurray said. “By that, I mean the final 26 miles lasted over two hours.”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 39th in the Brantley Gilbert Big Machine 400 at Indianapolis after blowing an engine just 18 laps into the race.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be joining the NBC booth next year as a race analyst,” Elliott said. “To the legions of Earnhardt Jr. fans out there, NBC will heretofore be known as ‘Junior Station.’”

    10. Kasey Kahne: Kahne outlasted the weather, late crashes, and several restarts to win the Brickyard 400, ending a 102-race winless streak.

    “After a long hot day at Indianapolis,” Kahne said, “I stole a win and got to kiss the bricks. You could say I made out like a bandit.”

  • The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    It rained. TSN (Canada) pulled out, and the channel I was recording the race on abandoned the effort, presenting instead a few toss away programs. Well, to be fair, I did state before that I do not get all that excited about Indianapolis, and it would seem TSN took my comments to heart. On Sunday, they made like the NASCAR Nazi…and no race for me. I guess I could have watched some soccer but, as most folks know, soccer is not really a sport. Not like poker is, anyway.

    So, my Indianapolis experience was 12 laps. Then the rain. Pretty exciting stuff. Of course, for those blessed enough to watch the action, things got a tad more exciting later. Much, much later. So, I missed it when Chase Elliott blew up on the 43rd lap. I missed lap 76 when Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the Intimidator, slammed into a hesitator in front of him, taking out his radiator.

    I also did not see, with 50 to go on a restart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. fighting for the lead. When Truex broke loose, they were both fighting for their favorite tow-truck operator, as they slammed into the fence. Take a rest, lads.

    With 10 to go, Clint Bowyer broke loose, clipped Erik Jones, then destroyed Kurt Busch on his way twirling on down the track like an out of control kid’s toy. Goodbye boys.

    With six to go, Kyle Larson grazed the inside wall then went across to the outside to put his beast to bed. TSN…you are jerks.

    That required a restart with two to go. Jimmie Johnson was smoking. He got up to the lead, and then the engine expired. Johnson hit the wall, and we were off to overtime.

    So, with two to go, again, Trevor Bayne got turned as they went green, and everything turned red for him, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. Something tells me that if I could only have been able to record the final 12 laps, not the opening dozen, I would have been a satisfied fellow.

    They tried to get it finished one more time, with Brad Keselowski in front, with Kasey Kahne beside him on the inside. Wrong lane decision for Brad. In the first turn, Kahne got by, cleared his rival, and he was gone. Okay, he was gone far enough and soon enough when Denny Hamlin’s smoker dived to the wall, and the caution came out just late enough for the leader to have hit the overtime line.

    Kahne wins. Kahne wins for the first time since Atlanta in 2014. Kahne heads to the Chase. Kahne might have just saved his ride for 2018. A great result for him, not so great for a few others.

    “Ron,” you might be saying, “you seem to know a hell of a lot for a guy who did not get to watch the race.” You would be right, but a series of much-appreciated highlights are made available to scribes like me to take another look at the action on a service available only to a privileged few. I like to call it, YouTube.

    It was a good points day for some, such as Kahne, Joey Logano (fourth), Matt Kenseth (fifth), and Kevin Harvick (sixth), but it was not so hot for Elliott in 39th. Finishing in the second half of the field of 40 we had Dillon, Jones, Johnson, Bowyer, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    When it comes to the Chase, Kahne moves in, leaving just four positions still up for grabs on points alone. Rowdy, Elliott, and Jamie McMurray are still solid. That leaves Bowyer just two points up on Kenseth, with the rest all needing a win to get in. A good points day for even Logano is no longer good enough. However, Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury, is within two points of 30th place. That more than likely would make him eligible for the Chase if he can win one of the next six. He finished 13th on Sunday.

    Pocono is up next, and among the former winners there we have Junior, Kenseth, Logano, and Chris Buescher. One of those boys wins, and all of a sudden Bowyer experiences bad tidings, and McMurray becomes a lot more uncomfortable.

    I hope I get to watch it on television. If not…well, there is always YouTube.

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear Deal with NBC

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear Deal with NBC

    By Holly Cain for NASCAR.com

    NBC Sports Group announced Monday morning that retiring NASCAR superstar Dale Earnhardt Jr. will join the company on a multiyear deal beginning in 2018.

    The two-time Daytona 500 winner Earnhardt, 42, who is retiring from full-time competition at the end of the season, has worked in the live television booth a handful of times — including at this year’s “The Clash” preseason opener during Daytona Speedweeks — as well as some XFINITY Series races over the last two years.

    NBC broadcasts the second half of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR XFINITY Series seasons. NBC also is partnering with Earnhardt on Dirty Mo Media and Hammerhead Entertainment.

    “It is a tremendous honor not only to join NBC Sports next year but to begin a new career alongside people who love NASCAR as much as I do,” Earnhardt said in an NBC release. “To be reunited with Steve Letarte, to be able to call legends like Jeff Burton, Dale Jarrett and Kyle Petty teammates rather than just friends, to be able to continue going to the track and connecting with race fans, it’s a privilege I don’t take lightly. I will devote my heart and soul to this broadcast team and pledge my very best to the millions who watch it.”

    @NASCARonNBC  Welcome to the team, @DaleJr! Dale Earnhardt Jr. Signs Multiyear On-Air Deal With NBC: bit.ly/2vBm7C2

    Mark Lazarus, Chairman, NBC Broadcasting and Sports hinted that Earnhardt Jr. could have an opportunity outside of NASCAR as well.

    “We are excited to welcome Dale Jr. to our team – both on and off the track,” Lazarus said. “As a company, NBCUniversal allows for talent to stretch themselves across not just their field of expertise, but across other areas of their interests in the media world.”

    NBC executives previously had discussed Earnhardt’s TV potential in conference calls with reporters.

    “I think he’d be an excellent broadcaster,” NBC executive Sam Flood said during a call with media members in June. ” … He’s a talented guy and I think he’d be quite an addition to any broadcast because he’s curious, asks good questions and cares deeply about the sport.

    “That’s the hallmark of our group. These people care deeply about the sport of NASCAR and the growth of NASCAR. … Junior’s got a bright future, it’s up to him where he wants to do it and what the opportunity might be for him.”

    NBC television analyst Jeff Burton, a 21-race winner who retired from NASCAR competition three years ago, also gave his thumbs-up to Earnhardt’s potential behind a microphone.

    “It’s difficult (to leave),” Burton conceded. “But it gives you an opportunity to have an impact on the sport and continue to have the relationships you’ve built over a lifetime and quite honestly to talk about something you’d be watching anyway.

    “I love watching racing and Junior’s no different. It’s been a great transition (for me) and I think it would be for Junior as well.”

  • Earnhardt Receives Piece of Indy’s Scoring Pylon During Retirement Tour

    Earnhardt Receives Piece of Indy’s Scoring Pylon During Retirement Tour

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s farewell tour rolled into Speedway, Indiana this weekend and the gift he received from the Brickyard was a piece of the old scoring pylon.

    The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is the latest in the line of tracks to present Earnhardt with a going-away gift for his final race at the track of the week. It started with naming a litter of service puppies after him at Sonoma Raceway, a painting documenting momentous races through his career at Daytona International Speedway and a jukebox that was donated in his name to the Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

    To commemorate his final race at the track, Doug Boles, president of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, presented as a gift a panel with the No. 8 from the old scoring pylon during his media availability earlier this afternoon.

    “I like stuff like that. We have a lot of old memorabilia and I’ve got a great spot for that one,” Earnhardt said. “This track, to me, has so much history beyond obviously the stock cars. It’s really interesting what this track has been through and how its survived recessions and wars and initially you know this is where all the guys were bringing their cars that they were building Louis Chevrolet and guys like that were coming here and racing and kind of created the auto industry at Indy. I have a lot of respect and admiration for this race track, for its history, for what it means to American motorsports and what it means to motorsports globally. It’s an honor to have an opportunity to ever race here. So, I appreciate that a lot.”