Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Dale Earnhardt

Hot 20 – Pocono is another non-restrictor plate race, so which one of just four drivers will win it?

Another race, another win for one of the Big Three. Twenty races down and just seven individual drivers with a tick in the win column. That means, at most, 13 drivers could have a victory by the time they decide who makes the Chase. Something tells me we will not reach anywhere close to that number of winners.

Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson might win, looking at the upcoming half dozen events. Then again, it is just as likely Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, or Martin Truex Jr. will add at least another to their personal collections. Pocono is next, and that is where Truex won last month. Busch won it last July. Still, 2016 was split between Kurt Busch and Chris Buescher, so there is hope. Hope is a good thing.

So are good dads. Now, this amused me. A new Xfinity team was formed, and in the announcement for Tullman-Walker Racing it mentioned that among the owners we have Steve Tullman, a successful entrepreneur (in the medicine making business). By some miracle, they were able to secure the services of a 20-year old ARCA driver named…Max Tullman.

What was so amusing was their determination to avoid stating the obvious, which is a dad with means has bought an opportunity for his talented and dedicated son to advance his dreams. Nothing wrong with that, but not a word about the relationship between the co-owner and the driver. The group is serious, though, even bringing former Dale Earnhardt crew chief Doug Richert along to continue to guide the young driver when they hit the track at Iowa (July 28), Las Vegas (September 15), and Kansas (October 20). Thus far in 2018, the young Tullman has three Top Tens in eight ARCA starts. We will be watching.

We will also be watching this Sunday to see if any numbers other than No. 4, No. 14, No. 18, or No. 78 will mean a damn thing. Other than for the three restrictor-plate races, every one of the other 17 events has been won by a driver with one of those car numbers. Good news for those pulling for a new face in front. Clint Bowyer has never won at Pocono. Neither has Harvick, but he was finished second in four of the last eight there, including both in 2017. It does not look good for the rest of the field, now does it?

Hold on. A car with either a “4” or an “8” might win? Maybe there is hope for Jimmie Johnson after all, if you go by the numbers.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (844 Pts)
The only thing encumbered about his Loudon experience was Harvick riding behind him.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS – 1 E.W. (791 Pts)
Yes, he has six wins, but one does not count when deciding this duel with Rowdy.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (740 Pts)
Pocono in June. Why not Pocono in July?

4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (638 Pts)
On non-restrictor race tracks, the Big Three lead Bowyer 15-2. The rest have been shut-out.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (679 Pts)
I wonder if he now knows how fortunate he was to win at Talladega?

6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (501 Pts)
On the restrictor plate tracks, Jones, Logano, and Dillon lead the Big Three 3-0.

7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (378 Pts)
Daytona is the only reason he is not sitting 19th today.

8. KURT BUSCH – 646 POINTS
No, you go forward, Mr. Blaney. No, no, I insist.

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 635 POINTS
In the words of Yosemite Sam, “Whoa camel, whoa, when I say whoa, I mean WHOA.”

10. KYLE LARSON – 606 POINTS
Did the broadcast at Eldora, but does not think Cup cars need to trade pavement for dirt.

11. RYAN BLANEY – 584 POINTS
No, after you, Mr. Busch. Please proceed. By the way, nice paint scheme.

12. DENNY HAMLIN – 583 POINTS
Loudon was his kind of track, but he did not have his kind of day.

13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 575 POINTS
Taking the former Danicamobile to places it has never gone before.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 522 POINTS
If you can’t win, collect points, and that will work at least for a few more weeks.

15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 520 POINTS
No wins, yet during his career 27 percent of the time finds him finishing in the Top Five.

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 453 POINTS
Finishing 11th at New Hampshire helped him widen the gap.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 425 POINTS
28 points is a big hill to climb unless Alex puts himself in a ditch.

18. PAUL MENARD – 424 POINTS
If he finishes seventh and Bowman is 37th or worse, then the math works out.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 379 POINTS
A Top Six was good last week, but he needs a Top One.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 359 POINTS
Byron is a point behind, with McMurray just four away.

July 25, 2018
Hot 20 – Kentucky, where the thoroughbreds will run unless Stenhouse is moving at ramming speed

Kentucky. Lord, please not Kentucky. It is a track I have no affinity for, but I will be watching on Saturday night. It is all due to NBC. If you watch the broadcast, and still can not stand NASCAR, it is just not for you. If you do watch it and have any love of the sport, you will stick around. The boys and girls make it damn hard to skip forward, no matter how much you try. You just do not want to miss what they will be saying, and that is everything in sports coverage.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not miss anything or anyone, it seemed, last week at Daytona. Now, I am no race car driver. When I drove the computer version, it was in indestructible mode. I missed nothing. If I was a lap or two down, it was because I was driving the wrong way looking to clear the track. I made Dale Earnhardt look like a powder puff competitor in comparison. Stenhouse was not that bad, but do not ask Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, or Kurt Busch, to name just a few. They might think, compared to him, I was the powder puff queen.

Let us see how hot his pals get with him when they re-enter the fray in Kentucky.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (749 Pts)
Was running in the Top Two at Daytona, but failed to get by Stenhouse.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (692 Pts)
Got taken out at Daytona, but it was not the fault of Stenhouse.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (629 Pts)
Managed to stay the hell out of the way of Stenhouse.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (594 Pts)
Hooked by Bubba, and then ran into Harvick. Hey, Stenhouse could not do it all himself.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (618 Pts)
If you can’t beat Joey at Daytona, beat him and beat him again until the car is toast. That works.

6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (448 Pts)
Won his first race, won it at Daytona, in a duel with the defending Cup champ. That works, too.

7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (347 Pts)
Dillon returned to Daytona. No one noticed this time.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 596 POINTS
Also known as Stenhouse victim #1.

9. KURT BUSCH – 566 POINTS
Also known as Stenhouse victim #2.

10. KYLE LARSON – 544 POINTS
Lost a tire, and almost got Stenhouse out. Almost. Imagine the cheers from the garage if he had.

11. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
Last week, he actually took natural disaster training before racing against Stenhouse.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 503 POINTS
A late crash left him 27th last week. His bouncing tire finished well ahead of him.

13. RYAN BLANEY – 496 POINTS
Tired of young drivers taking the blame for NASCAR’s diminishing popularity. They shouldn’t.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 461 POINTS
Will be wearing the Blue Bunny Helmet of Hope. It has nothing to do with Stenhouse.

15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 444 POINTS
Maybe he could use Stenhouse to clear the way, just like the Bandit did for the Snowman.

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 426 POINTS
Lost points to Daytona’s 17th place finisher who was #1 on the hits parade, and in points earned.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 407 POINTS
As Frank might have sung, “Friends, he’s had a few, but then again, too few to mention.”

18. PAUL MENARD – 371 POINTS
Has joined the “have to win to be in” club.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 332 POINTS
Will be racing on the dirt at Eldora later this month and the PVR is set and ready to record.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 318 POINTS
The only Mexican in favor of building a wall, just as long as Stenhouse is on the other side.

21. WILLIAM BYRON – 318 POINTS
When Kyle Busch failed to get by Stenhouse, that meant it was time for Byron to go, too.

July 11, 2018
NASCAR Fans Need to Chill Out

NASCAR fans are always looking for one thing; side by side racing, and passing for the lead a hundred times a race. That is what the fans say they want to see. But that just isn’t the reality, and it never has been.

When people think of the old days of NASCAR, they think of names like Allison, Earnhardt, Petty, Bonnet and Waltrip, among others. They think of the 1979 Daytona 500 finish that saw Donnie Allison and Cale Yarborough wreck going into Turn 3 on the last lap while racing for the win, and that is what fans want to see. But the reality of the situation is that was never the reality at all.

NASCAR has had good racing in the past, but also in the present as well. But to say that the past was filled with constant side by side racing and last lap passes and many drivers competing for the win each week is just a fantasy that the fans of today have made up based on stories from their parents. Stories such as the battles that Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt had, or those of Bobby Allison and Richard Petty; while that did exist, it wasn’t the utopia that most fans try to make it out to be.

There are many different complaints that we could cover today, like the size of the current field, to the racing, to the fact that we have had three drivers and two manufacturers dominate this season. We will touch on them all so that maybe we can open the eyes of the current fans and try to make them realize that we have some of the best racing that we currently have on track, is as good, if not better, than what we had back in the day.

Let’s take a trip down NASCAR memory lane, shall we?

The year was 1985. The place was the Talladega Superspeedway. Bill Elliott had just set a new record for the fastest 0qualifying speed for a stock car at 212 mph. Elliott started on the pole for the race and had an issue and found himself two laps down, which surely meant trouble for the fastest car in the sport. However, over the course of the race, Elliott was able to make up over five miles, two laps, and win the race. This was something that we will probably never see again in our sport, and probably something that would cause a majority of the fanbase to complain that the car was illegal or something else to that effect. Bill Elliott would go on to win a total of 11 races that season.

Fast forward two years to 1987. In route to his third championship, Dale Earnhardt claimed 11 wins of the 29 races run that year, and most of them, in a dominating fashion. But keep in mind, this is the supposed “Golden Age” of NASCAR, where one driver didn’t dominate the sport and there were last-lap passes for the win each week.

In 1981 and 1982, Darrell Waltrip had two 12 win seasons. In 1996 and 1997, Jeff Gordon won 10 races each year, and then came back in 1998 and won 13 races.

And now, in 2018, we have people complaining that Kevin Harvick has won five races, Kyle Busch has won four, and Martin Truex has won twice.

This is the most competitive field that NASCAR has ever seen. Gone are the days of the leader lapping the entire field and just completely dominating the race. Now you have 20-30 cars finishing on the same lap, and racing for every position. There may not always be a battle for the lead, but you don’t see the leader lapping the entire field, which means that there is more of a chance for someone to come and challenge the leader for the win.

Honestly, NASCAR fans nowadays need to go back and watch some of the races from the 80s and 90s, and they need to truly be thankful for the racing that we see today because it could be a lot more boring.

~Follow me on Twitter @HMurray76

June 12, 2018
Hot 20 – Hall of Famers and military heroes are honored at Charlotte this week

Jeff Gordon. Four-time NASCAR champion. Three-time Daytona 500 champion. Four-time Brickyard 400 winner. Six-time Southern 500 victor. Three-time World 600 champion. Three-time All-Star race winner. Winner of 93 Cup races. He probably was the most automatic inductee into the Hall of Fame since Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. His was the opening name announced Wednesday for the Class of 2019.

Next, they turned to ownership, with Jack Roush and Roger Penske both given the keys. Roush has 137 victories as the man who owns the garage, putting Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch in their championship rides. Notable drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards also had great success in his cars. Penske has 105 wins to his credit, with Brad Keselowski bringing him his Cup title in 2012. Penske has claimed a few other motorsports accolades over the years, including ownership of 16 Indianapolis 500 winning entries. Among his drivers, you can include the names of Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, Hélio Castroneves, and Rusty Wallace. I think you get the idea.

Two fallen drivers, Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, are popular selections. Both were lost in aviation accidents in 1993. Allison won 19 times in just 191 career starts, winning 10 of them in 1991 and 1992 when he was third best in the standings both times. Kulwicki only won five times in his time, but he was the driver and team owner and took the Hooters No. 7 Ford to the championship the year prior to his death.

This week in Charlotte, they honored the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019. This Memorial Day weekend, they will honor the troops. It is racing’s most celebrated 24 hours, with action starting at Monte Carlo, moving on to Indianapolis, then to Charlotte as NASCAR salutes some of the heroes, both those on active service and those who have made the supreme sacrifice, who make such days as this possible.

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS – 484 Pts
Expects the future of NASCAR to look like the All-Star race did. I bet he does.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 503 Pts
If you are a tender flower who screws up on his pit crew, you might want to reconsider things.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 491 Pts
As long as Larson does not squeeze him into the wall again, then all will be well.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 386 Pts
Let us remember 2Lt. Dale E. Bowyer (1921-1974), Distinguished Service Cross recipient.

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 376 Pts
Defending champion recently visited with his Commander-in-Chief.

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 241 Pts
Won at Daytona. All is good. See you in the Chase.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 396 POINTS
Has a Hall of Famer owner. How cool is that?

8. KURT BUSCH – 393 POINTS
Has driven for two Hall of Fame owners. Top that!

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 380 POINTS
Drive fast on the track, drive much slower on Pit Road. That is a recipe for success.

10. RYAN BLANEY – 365 POINTS
Watch the Spider-Man animated series. Ryan would appreciate it.

11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 342 POINTS
Four Stewart-Haas drivers among the Top Dozen. How sweet it is.

12. KYLE LARSON – 336 POINTS
Don’t squeeze Joey. Don’t squeeze Joey. Don’t squeeze Joey…

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 286 POINTS
Got his start thanks to a Hall of Famer. Between them, they have 11 titles.

14. ERIK JONES – 285 POINTS
Until his boss makes the Hall of Fame, he is left with just 3 Super Bowl rings and 4 Cup titles.

15. ALEX BOWMAN – 271 POINTS
Traded in his car for a Coast Guard Response Boat this week. No points were awarded.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 266 POINTS
Just what we need, another Cup guy driving in the Xfinity series. Let the beat downs begin.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 265 POINTS
It would be mean to suggest that he could get more attention if he dated a Monster Energy gal.

18. PAUL MENARD – 240 POINTS
Patrick County has its heroes, like the Wood Brothers and 1Lt. Leevi Barnard (1980-2009 in Iraq).

19. WILLIAM BYRON – 229 POINTS
He has the right car number to be a Hall of Famer.

20. RYAN NEWMAN – 225 POINTS
Come to think of it, Newman has also driven for a pair of Hall of Fame owners.

May 23, 2018
Hot 20 – Selling NASCAR could be about as tough as trying to sell fans on watching Kansas

For Sale. National sanctioning body. A real fixer-upper. Updated safety features. Decades of tradition. All offers to be considered. Contact Goldman Sachs for further details.

Ever since Bill France gathered together other influential racers and promoters at the Streamline Hotel at Daytona Beach on December 14, 1947, and its founding two months later, it has been a family operation. NASCAR moved from the beach to the big track at Daytona in 1959. A decade later, he brought us Talladega. It was a time when the cars on the track were the cars on the street, with some modifications. By 1966, they introduced changes to the frames and chassis. It was the heyday of short track racing in the south, many of which departed the scene at the same time as the founder handed over the reins.

Bill France Jr. brought the sport into the modern era in 1972. It was the time of Winston Cup. Darrell Waltrip’s Monte Carlo and Richard Petty’s Dodge Charger looked a whole lot like what you could hit the streets in come Monday. Television arrived, at least sporadically, and a nation was let in on what had been primarily a southern secret. Another change in the car appeared when 1981 arrived. Not radical changes, mind you, as Dale Earnhardt’s Goodwrench No. 3 Chevy looked like the beast we all well remember. Fans still turned out in even greater numbers, even when they altered the car once more in 1992. A highly modified body, hours in the wind tunnel, fiberglass bumpers, noses, and tails, and higher costs. If we didn’t know it by then, that old Hudson Hornet was not coming back.

The new millennium brought new leadership as Brian France became the third generation to run the family operation. As Charles Dickens opened the Tale of Two Cities, it truly was the best of times, it was the worst of times. 2001 opened with a nationwide television audience and a long-term contract. It also opened with the death of its greatest active star. In order to provide greater safety, they went to work, and that produced the Car of Tomorrow in 2006, and the sport has never been the same since. No more slingshot passes. Clean air now meant everything. With the splitter and boxy exterior, the cars looked like nothing you would find in a showroom, not that you would want to buy one of them. By the end of the decade, the catchphrase “How bad have you got it” was more like how bad has it gotten. A downturn in the economy and fans quit coming. Seats were torn out of race venues. Attendance figures became a secret. Chicago, Kansas, and Kentucky came on board, but for what reason? Five years ago, a more streamlined sixth generation auto came out. It looked better, but the racing did not get much better.

Now, we are where we are today. Declining attendance, declining viewership, at a time when the most loyal fans are among the oldest, and the drivers they followed are either retired or near the end of the road. Announcers who simply lack the chemistry of good ole boys joking around, telling stories, keeping us entertained, as well as following what action there is on the track. We were reminded of what we are missing when the Cup guys announced the Xfinity race at Talladega. If only every race provided that kind of viewing experience.

Despite their recent purchase of the ARCA series, and the recent memo stating how the France family “remains dedicated to the long-term growth of our sport”, the door is open for the tire kicking to begin. Whoever makes an offer needs to bring back the fans and the sponsors, who are also departing. Whoever comes in will pay billions for the privilege, and they better have a plan. The current one is not working.

What is wrong with NASCAR? Watch Kansas on Saturday night for a hint. Meanwhile, post-race inspections at Dover meant 20 point penalties to Clint Bowyer and Daniel Suarez (rear window violations) while Austin Dillon avoided a point hit for his splitter issue. I wonder what Smoky Yunick would think?

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 466 Pts
Looked damn good even with a vibration, until they had to shut it off.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS (1 E.W.) – 426 Pts
Three clean wins, one encumbered win, and that still equals “four” in my book.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 444 Pts
A fan of Junior, the “Most Popular Driver for the past 100 years.” Joey seems to like old people.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 360 Pts
All he wanted was to become relevant again. Mission accomplished.

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 340 Pts
After a 2017 sweep of Kansas, what is one more?

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 221 Pts
If he had been second at Daytona, he would now sit 19th in the standings.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 365 POINTS
It was nice of Harvick to share the stage for a time at Dover.

8. KURT BUSCH – 358 POINTS
“…seeing this schedule for next year, I’m not excited.” I know how he feels.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 346 POINTS
Just the second best Penske Ford at Dover…and he finished eighth.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 344 POINTS
Obviously got his driver’s license for his skills on the street, not those coming into the driveway.

11. KYLE LARSON – 307 POINTS
Named his new daughter Coke. Okay, I am kidding. I think I am kidding.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 304 POINTS
Leaving the track without assistance this year would be nice.

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 268 POINTS
No chance of moving up on this ladder this week, except for a win.

14. ERIK JONES – 253 POINTS
He swears he has seen the ghost of Matt Kenseth at Kansas.

15. ALEX BOWMAN – 252 POINTS
Cup, Xfinity, Trucks, ARCA, K&N…one driver who has touched all of NASCAR’s bases.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 241 POINTS
Without a win in the bag, those penalty points hurt. Chase is one who knows that pain.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 239 POINTS
He has a new teammate this week. Some old guy I hear.

18. WILLIAM BYRON – 225 POINTS
Learned to race in a simulator, then in a car at 15. It is a new era.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 218 POINTS
The Rocketman is fizzing out.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 214 POINTS
Earn a podium finish, and good things happen. Fail post-race inspection, bad things take place.

May 9, 2018
Hot 20 – Nothing like a good swig of Bristol to get the taste of Texas out of your mouth

Texas. That may have been the worst NASCAR race I ever watched. If not, I hope I never remember a worse one. Indianapolis in 2008 might challenge it, but that was due to having to throw out a caution every 10 laps to prevent the damn tires from exploding. That race was a disaster due to the tires. Texas was a disaster all on its own. If you saw it and liked it, I envy you.

Bristol. This is where all those bad feelings about horrid racing should all go away. It is where Darrell Waltrip won a dozen times, including seven straight. Nine times Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace each shook the suds. It is where Kyle Busch will try to claim his second straight this year to up his own total to seven.

Bristol is where they have been providing NASCAR thrills twice a year since 1961. Earnhardt and Wallace both won their first there. It was where Davey Allison edged out Mark Martin by inches in 1990. It is where Busch won over Jeff Burton in 2007 and then Martin in the fall race of 2009 by a combined margin of under two-tenths of a second.

The former Southeastern 500 has had Food City as its sponsor since 1992. Wallace claimed this particular Bristol offering six times. Jimmie Johnson won it last year. Well, there is no time like the present.

If you watched last week, come on back. This is Bristol. Things will be different this Sunday. I promise.

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS – 257 Pts
A damn lug nut and some damn lug who could not even tighten a nut. That was Texas.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN – 316 Pts
Finally got to walk down the aisle, but Harvick did his best to ruin the party again.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 250 Pts
He coulda been a contender. He coulda been somebody, instead, a tire blew and he was done.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 249 Pts
A win and averaging over 35 points per race. How sweet life is.

5. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 159 Pts
The only member of the Bowtie Brigade with a checkered flag.

6. JOEY LOGANO – 278 POINTS
So, this is a comeback year? If only his 2017 Richmond win had not been encumbered.

7. RYAN BLANEY – 265 POINTS
Fifth straight Cup guy to win a Xfinity race. I wonder what those ratings are like?

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 237 POINTS
Brad has nothing to say regarding the questionable air guns. When did that ever happen before?

9. KURT BUSCH – 224 POINTS
All I hear is how great Kyle is at this or how wonderful Kyle did that! Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 222 POINTS
A pair of pit penalties could not do what that wreck early in the final segment accomplished.

11. KYLE LARSON – 202 POINTS
The wheels on the car get ground, ground, ground and then they make a terrible sound.

12. ERIK JONES – 193 POINTS
Thinks 400 miles at Texas would be enough. I think 40 feet is enough.

13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 177 POINTS
Texas was lovely for Almirola until it wasn’t.

14. ALEX BOWMAN – 154 POINTS
Wished he could have had a day like Almirola. Bowman’s was messed up by the second lap.

15. PAUL MENARD – 146 POINTS
30th in Texas and still on this chart. It gives you an idea how bad the day went for others…

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 145 POINTS
…like Newman. He was 27th after another tire left another driver hitting another wall.

17. WILLIAM BYRON – 135 POINTS
A Top Ten. See, Texas did not suck for everybody.

18. CHASE ELLIOTT – 128 POINTS
A brace that supports the rear window did not meet specs in Texas, at a cost of 20 points.

19. DARRELL WALLACE JR. – 126 POINTS
A new look driver, an old look number, and an old-time sponsor for Bristol.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 123 POINTS
Okay, this is the Hot 19 along with a trio currently on simmer.

21. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 123 POINTS
Lose a couple of pounds, eat a chocolate cake. Gain a few points, then get wrecked. Same idea.

22. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 123 POINTS
Are drivers athletes? Well, just ask Kansas football coach David Beaty.

April 11, 2018
The Final Word – The Daytona 500 finish reminded us of when giants ruled the asphalt

Unstable. Set to go off with the least provocation. No, I’m not talking about CNN or late night talk show hosts, most celebrities, or more than a few politicians. What I am referring to is the Daytona 500.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. weebled, wobbled, and stacked ‘em up. He drove off, for the moment at least, but it was goodbye Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, and Jimmie Johnson before they got 60 laps in. Segment two found Chase Elliott the meat in a Ryan Blaney – Brad Keselowski sandwich and the aerodynamics took care of the rest. Adios Elliott, Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Danica Patrick. Then, down to the final couple of scheduled laps on the day, Kurt Busch was near the front but traded paint with Blaney and found himself facing the wrong way. Sayonara Kurt, Alex Bowman, and Matt DiBenedetto, who had looked so good before things went so bad.

Good was remembering 20 years ago when the No. 3 crossed the finish line first, and car owner Richard Childress looking so happy for his driver, Dale Earnhardt. Sunday we saw Childress looking happy once more as the No. 3 of grandson Austin Dillon took the Great American Race. For a brief moment, we remembered a time when things were not so unstable, when the news was really the news, and you could believe what you had heard and seen. Believe me, what we saw at the end of the Daytona 500 felt so real and good, if only because it reminded us of a time past.

Of course, Dillon won it because Aric Almirola threw a block in front of Dillon’s freight train, and wound up as one would expect in such a situation. While Dillon went on to win, Bubba Wallace, driving for Richard Petty, was the guy pushing him to victory, edging out Denny Hamlin at the line. Joey Logano was fourth, which was not as surprising as finding Chris Buescher taking fifth. Blaney, who was seventh in the end, was third in the opening stage and took the second to lead the points standings. He sits six ahead of Dillon and Paul Menard, who was sixth.

It was an entertaining race, assisted by the volatility of the cars that made things a tad unpredictable for us, and for the drivers. The race kept us engaged while the television crew did not drive us off. In fact, the FOX coverage was pretty darn good. I do like the left side of the screen ticker better than the scroll they used to run atop it. Informative and entertaining. What a concept.

Some were not as enthralled with the action. It was not worth a crap if you were named Kyle. Kyle Larson got some damage in that opening wreck and finished 19th. Kyle Busch had tires going down and fenders smacking the fence and wound up 25th. Stenhouse was blowing more steam than Old Faithful late in the second stage, and the Busch wreck really left him steaming in 29th when the day was over.

Heading to Atlanta, Suarez, Jones, and Johnson sit with a single point each for their Daytona efforts. Johnson has won two of the last three raced down in Georgia, with Keselowski the defending race champ. With just five points, ole Brad also could use some stability himself come next week. Last Sunday, as oft times happens at Daytona, we were provided with a good show.

The Daytona 500 finished with some of NASCAR’s most iconic numbers, the No. 3, the No.43, the No. 11 and the No. 22, coming home one-two-three-four. Just for the briefest of moments, the hands on the wheel could have been those of Earnhardt. Petty. Cale Yarborough (or was it Ned Jarrett or Darrell Waltrip?). Fireball Roberts. Those were the days when giants ruled the asphalt. May such memories of the past merge with the reality that was last Sunday. May they just be the harbinger of more good things for Sundays come.

February 19, 2018
Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

DARLINGTON, S.C. — The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this Labor Day weekend for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. This is the third straight year of Darlington’s throwback campaign and this edition will focus on the 1985-89 era. There are 40 drivers on the entry list and, as of today, 32 will run retro paint schemes to honor the rich history of the sport.

The tributes are as varied as the drivers. Did you know that three different Cup Series drivers will feature a salute to Dale Earnhardt? Earnhardt has nine Darlington victories, second only to David Pearson. Jeffrey Earnhardt’s No. 33 car will feature a green and white scheme that resembles the one his grandfather drove in the XFINITY Series in the 1980s. Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevy and Ryan Newman’s No. 31 will honor Earnhardt’s yellow and blue Wrangler scheme. This particular paint scheme is similar to the one Earnhardt drove in 1987 when he won his first Southern 500.

Jamie McMurray will pay tribute to David Pearson, who leads all drivers with 10 Darlington wins, Brad Keselowski will honor Rusty Wallace’s 1994 “Midnight” paint scheme and Trevor Bayne’s car will represent the scheme that Mark Martin drove when he claimed the first Cup victory for Roush Fenway Racing at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1989.

Other drivers being honored includes Davey Allison (Corey LaJoie), Bobby Allison (Matt DiBenedetto) and Alan Kulwicki (Michael McDowell). Check out this preview of all the Darlington throwback paint schemes.

Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend pays homage to a tradition that began on Sept. 4, 1950, when they hosted NASCAR’s first 500-mile race. There were 75 drivers entered into the event but did you know that the race was won by Johnny Mantz? It was his first and only win in the Cup Series. There have been 113 Cup races at the 1.366-mile track and 49 different drivers have won.

Martin Truex Jr. is the defending race winner and is one of only six active drivers who has visited Victory Lane at Darlington. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with three victories while Kevin Harvick (2014), Matt Kenseth (2013), Denny Hamlin (2010) and Kyle Busch (2008) have one win each. But did you know that the last 11 races have been won by 11 different drivers?

With only two races remaining in the regular season, the Southern 500 should deliver a night to remember. Capture the Coors Light Pole Award and you’re one step closer to victory. The pole is the most proficient starting position at Darlington. It has produced 20 winners while 17 drivers have won from the second place starting position. But did you know that the deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 43rd? That driver was Johnny Mantz in the Darlington inaugural Cup Series race in 1950. Qualifying for this year’s Southern 500 will be held Saturday at 1:45 p.m. ET.

Tune in this weekend for all the on-track action beginning with the first Cup Series practice Friday at 1 p.m. ET followed by the final practice at 3:30 p.m. The Southern 500 closes out the weekend Sunday at 6 p.m. on NBCSN.

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

September 1, 2017
Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

With the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington this weekend, it seems like a good time to talk about tradition. The first one in the books was back in 1950, making it the oldest of the sport’s iconic events. Most of the time, it goes to someone who is in or will be in, the Hall of Fame. That number will only grow once Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson get in, along with a few other contenders I can think of.

Bill Elliott won it three times. Gordon has six. Next year, the current driver of the No. 24 moves over to take over the No. 9 once driven by his daddy. Chase Elliott has the name and soon will have the number. William Byron takes over the former Gordonmobile.

Ray Evernham never drove the race, but he was the man on the stand for four of Gordon’s victories. The soon to be Hall of Famer joins fellow inductees Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier and Robert Yates as the event’s Grand Marshals.

We hear that the No. 5 is about to go into mothballs, considering the No. 24, No. 48, and the No. 88 will soon be joined by the No. 9 in the stable of cars owned by Rick Hendrick. While Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s daddy won the race three times, this is the son’s last shot at claiming his first. An Earnhardt has appeared in Cup action every season since 1975. We might even see a cameo by the legacy of the legend next season, wife permitting. However, even if that was not the case, we could still have nephew Jeffery Earnhardt in the running.

By the way, the Earnhardt NASCAR legacy at its highest division actually started on November 11, 1956 when Ralph Earnhardt finished second to Speedy Thompson in his Grand National debut at Hickory Speedway. Dale’s dad ran 51 races at the sport’s highest level. In fact, he finished ninth in the 1961 Southern 500.

Tradition. Thanks to NASCAR’s capitulation to selling out its naming rights to corporate sponsors, we have few iconic stand alone events left. Talladega and Bristol are iconic tracks, but neither has a traditional branded event. If you are selective as to what races you win, there is the winter race in Daytona, the May contest in Charlotte, the summer run at Indianapolis, and Labor Day at Darlington.

Win this Sunday’s Southern 500, and you will be remembered. Win your first of the season, and you will be rewarded with a place in the Chase.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (951 Pts)
Tamed the track to tough to tame a year ago, but will she be a lady this year?

2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (845 Pts)
Coming off a win and another Top Ten in his last two, I think the lad is doing alright.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (628 Pts)
This week saw Genevieve’s first day of Grade One. That is a big deal.

4. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS (850 Pts)
We need some love ‘em or hate ‘em guys out there. He sure in hell is not colorless.

5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (728 Pts)
Then, there are some you just hate. I am hoping Momma Kay might disagree.

6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (528 Pts)
Life is not always a day at the beach…but sometimes it is.

7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (824 Pts)
His idea of a wild card race to determine the last Chase spot is a good one. We call it Richmond.

8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (753 Pts)
Intentionally slow leaving pit road and you risk being sent to the back. Problem solved.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (623 Pts)
One of next season’s sponsors will be Menards. Take that, Paul!

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (586 Pts)
After a Daytona 500 and a Brickyard 400, another jewel would appear to be in order.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (574 Pts)
Newman and Dillon will sport autos that will remind us of a certain Wrangler of the 1980s.

12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
Sometimes when Hendrick makes an announcement, it is good news. Sometimes, it is not.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
When it comes to throwbacks, I still love the black Goodwrench…no offense Wrangler.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 711 POINTS
Nothing can be finer than driving the number niner.

15. MATT KENSETH – 703 POINTS
Two ex-champs, one quality ride left. Does either get the chair when the music stops?

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 700 POINTS
Seven wins at Charlotte, Daytona, Indianapolis, and Talladega. Why not one at Darlington?

17. CLINT BOWYER – 642 POINTS
Would he wreck a rival to make the Chase? Maybe, if he was running second.

18. JOEY LOGANO – 583 POINTS (1 Win)
Thought he had a plan to get into the Chase, but the President pardoned Sheriff Joe instead.

19. ERIK JONES – 574 POINTS
Pocono (eighth), Watkins Glen (10th), Michigan (third), Bristol (second). His stock is rising.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 537 POINTS
Whatever happens to the guy who fails to tighten a lug nut that costs his crew chief $10,000?

The rest of the contenders

21. TREVOR BAYNE – 470 POINTS
22. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 416 POINTS
23. PAUL MENARD – 408 POINTS
24. TY DILLON – 395 POINTS
25. CHRIS BUESCHER – 387 POINTS
26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 381 POINTS
27. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 378 POINTS
28. DANICA PATRICK – 352 POINTS
29. DAVID RAGAN – 303 POINTS
30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 268 POINTS
31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 264 POINTS
32. COLE WHITT – 241 POINTS
33. LANDON CASSILL – 241 POINTS

August 30, 2017
The Final Word – Kyle Busch sweeps Bristol to claim his 180th NASCAR victory

Bristol is where the legends win. Darrell Waltrip won a dozen times there. Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt, and Rusty Wallace each had nine. Then there is Kyle Busch, who’s victory on Saturday night pushed him to six, one more than his brother Kurt and David Pearson. Each one in the Hall of Fame, or will be. No exceptions.

As far as races go, Bristol provided a decent amount of excitement. It was not one for the ages, but few are. Rowdy claimed his 40th career Cup win, to go with his wins in the junior and truck series on the weekend at the same locale. I guess I should be all a quiver that he pushed his career totals to 91 XFINITY and 49 Camping World victories. That is 180 when all three are combined, just 20 short of Richard Petty’s record in Grand National and Cup. Do the records compare? Let the debate begin.

Erik Jones is 21-years-old, with 15 wins in the two secondary series but still looking for his first Cup victory. His second place finish Saturday night was fine, but he still needs that victory if he is to make the Chase. With the exception of one other car, he earned it. Busch just earned it more.

At this time of the year, when all but three playoff positions are written in stone, it has come down to winning. No one is going to catch those hanging on to those three spots except by a win. The best Jones could do was move past Joey Logano into 18th on the ladder and that is just not good enough. Unless Logano, Jones, or someone still winless comes through at Darlington or Richmond, our list of contenders for the championship has been set.

However, Saturday night was a good night for racing, a good points day for some racers. Very good for the younger Busch and Jones, pretty good for Kyle Larson, Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth. For the latter, he moves three points ahead of Jamie McMurray into 15th, but with Clint Bowyer still 58 points behind him, McMurray has nothing to worry about. Well, unless the wrong guy wins one of these next two races. The gap between McMurray and Chase Elliott sitting in 14th is just 11 points. Should one of those not yet in come up with a win, then things could get pretty darn exciting, but only then.

Brad Keselowski had a tire go down six laps in, and that was the last we saw of him last Saturday. Austin Dillon broke loose and got into a wreck during the second stage to end his day. Still, each is locked in the Chase, so the impact was minimal.

Winning the next race, however, can help make a career. Win the Daytona 500, and you become somebody. Just ask Michael Waltrip and Sterling Marlin. Win the World 600, and you have passed the test in the longest race on the schedule. Win the Brickyard 400, and you get to kiss the masonry at the finish line.

Coming up is the fourth jewel among NASCAR’s iconic events. One you will be remembered for even if it is the only checkered flag you ever get. Darlington and the Southern 500. Kenseth won it in 2013. Regan Smith has just one Cup win, but it was there in 2011. No one else currently not locked into the Chase has claimed the prize. Now would be the time to make a little history in South Carolina. Action resumes on Sunday, September 3.

August 21, 2017