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  • Hot 20 – The heat is on at Phoenix after an endorsement, poor ratings, and some poorer finishes

    Hot 20 – The heat is on at Phoenix after an endorsement, poor ratings, and some poorer finishes

    It is a strange world we live in. Donald Trump appears on his way to the Republican nomination, but an endorsement from Brian France has folks in a tizzy. It could kill the diversity NASCAR is striving for, some claim. That is true. I doubt Trump would be a supporter of any team hiring an illegal alien to drive for them. Crazy, I know.

    If that is not bad enough, the television ratings have gone from bad, to worse, to not nearly as awful as the first two races. In a sport that had something of a cult following a decade ago, NASCAR no longer releases attendance figures, prize payouts, and has torn down some grandstands. The antidote will be found on the track, in their marketing, and in the economy. As always, there remains stark room for improvement in all those areas.

    A year ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won at Phoenix. Five of the six before that, Kevin Harvick claimed the prize. Now, if anyone could use a win this weekend, Danica Patrick, Chase Elliott, and Clint Bowyer would be among them. They sure are not among the Hot 20 going into Sunday’s action.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 110 PTS
    Drives like Superman. In California, he will even look a bit like him.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 98 PTS
    Flag on the ground, flag on the ground, felt like a fool with the flag on the ground.

    3. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 93 PTS
    Recently was asked if driver confrontations are staged. Sure, about as much as a Republican debate.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 116 PTS
    Best in points, zip in wins. Close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and NASCAR

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 109 PTS
    Has won five of past seven races at Phoenix. If I were a betting man…

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 104 PTS
    Truck decal: Things I hate: warm beer, cold women, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski

    7. KURT BUSCH – 102 PTS
    A pit-road speed limiter button request was made by the speedster to f****** NASCAR.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 96 PTS
    Twice failing template inspection last week earns the team a written note of bad tidings.

    9T. AUSTIN DILLON – 90 PTS
    It has been a while since the No. 3 sat in Victory Lane. It might not be long before it returns.

    9T. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 90 PTS
    Crew Chief is in the sin bin this week, but the driver has been a factor thus far.

    11. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 79 PTS
    If Dillon’s performances surprise you, this must make your head spin.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 78 PTS
    California’s Caped Crusader hopes to repeat at Gotham…er…Phoenix.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 77 PTS
    Bouncing back, or just bouncing. The jury remains out.

    14. RYAN BLANEY – 73 PTS
    While Mr. Elliott gets the headlines, fellow rookie Blaney thrives in un-Chartered territory.

    15. ARIC ALMIROLA – 72 PTS
    Living the all-American dream in the all-American car, employed by an all-American icon.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 69 PTS
    Some consider this to be a slow start, but it is way too early to get terribly excited just yet.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 66 PTS
    Led just one lap this season. Maybe he is going for quality rather than quantity.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 62 PTS
    Getting out of a hole at this time of year is a whole lot easier than trying to do it later.

    19. REGAN SMITH – 57 PTS
    Good start by Tommy Baldwin entry, but last two results have been far from impressive.

    20T. TREVOR BAYNE – 56 PTS
    Finally had a Top 20 finish last week. Well, at least, that is something.

    20T. KYLE LARSON – 56 PTS
    Was looking pretty good, then came Las Vegas.

    20T. MATT KENSETH – 56 PTS
    If NASCAR had a bumper car division, he would be running away with it this season.

    20T. GREG BIFFLE – 56 PTS
    Tied with his former team-mate and ahead of Danica. That might not make him feel any better.

  • The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The drivers liked it. I think most pure race enthusiasts liked it. I kind of liked it. It was not the visual experience Daytona provides, granted, but you could not to sure of anything until it ended. One pit problem, a lack of cautions, and just the second of the day popping up right at the end sure rid us of some of our preconceptions.

    For example, Matt Kenseth was going to have a wonderful day at Atlanta. Sure, what could go wrong? Well, it seems that the most a gasman can do when actually fueling the car, when the can is actually engaged, is to pass gas or maybe sing a little song, but that is about it. He cannot place a wrench on the deck of the car, for example. That would call for a pit penalty. Not so, claimed crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who was too busy arguing the case that he did not seem to notice when NASCAR black flagged the driver, then quit counting his laps. Kenseth sure the hell did, and did not seem terribly happy about it. By the time he came in, he was going to go back out two laps down, and he stayed down to finish 19th despite once leading for 47 laps.

    Kurt Busch led from the pole and looked sweet for the early going. Sixty-two laps worth of sweetness. Then others got even sweeter, but a fourth place finish was not bad. If we thought he who led early would also lead late, we were bound to wind up mistaken.

    Kevin Harvick then would be the guy. He led late. He led the most, with 131 laps on the point. He looked good. Then Chad Knaus ruined everything. He called Jimmie Johnson in early for some fresh rubber in a bid to make up ground. That happened. When Harvick came in under green, a hung front tire cost him four seconds in the pits against Johnson’s time. Harvick was down by more than a dozen seconds, made up half of it, then stalled. It was over, right? Wrong.

    Two-thirds of the way through at Atlanta, we had our first caution for debris. By that time, we had two-thirds of the field lapped. With just three to go, Ryan Newman blew a right rear and caution waved for just the second time on the day. Harvick and Johnson would restart side by side.

    If only Happy had not spun his tires, it might have been close. If only he did not get tagged by Martin Truex Jr. from behind, then rubbed by Carl Edwards from the side, he might have been able to salvage the situation. If only. Sixth was to be his fate, one spot behind Edwards and just ahead of Truex.

    In the end, Johnson won his 76th career race, tying the mark of the late Dale Earnhardt, as his son and Johnson’s teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., came home second, just ahead of Kyle Busch. This is not what we thought would happen with 20 to go. Once again, we were wrong. If we can be so wrong in a race that had just three cautions, including one that came out on the final lap, there must have been some decent racing action going on. With Las Vegas coming up next week, betting on the outcome might truly be the dominion of true gamblers. Hell, we can’t even be sure as to how big the field is going to be anymore.

    The worst Charter car was the 38th place finish of Jeffrey Earnhardt, in a 39 car field. The best non-Charter was Ryan Blaney in 25th. Danica Patrick was 20th, sandwiched between Kenseth and Jamie McMurray. With the win, Johnson joins Denny Hamlin, 16th at Atlanta, as the pair with a ticket all but already punched for the Chase. If nothing else, picking those two to be among the Chasers would have been a very astute pick.

    Thank God there appears to be at least one thing we can be confident about.

  • Biggest Surprise for NASCAR Drivers After Atlanta Race?

    Biggest Surprise for NASCAR Drivers After Atlanta Race?

    While the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500  race at Atlanta Motor Speedway may have been the first test of the new low downforce rules package, the biggest surprise for many of the NASCAR drivers who competed may just have been the ‘big one’ that occurred on the very last lap.

    The wreck, which occurred on the backstretch during overtime, drew the yellow flag that ended the race and crowned Jimmie Johnson the winner.

    The driver with the most damage from the Atlanta ‘big one’ was Aric Almirola. His famed Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Smithfield Ford caught fire and literally burned up the entire back end of his race car.

    Almirola was able to exit the car with the help of some of the NASCAR and fire officials. He was treated and released from the infield care center.

    “This was certainly not the finish that we had hoped for,” Almirola said. “This race was a game in tire management. The tire fall off caused our tires to slide all over the track and made it incredibly difficult to keep the car on the bottom.”

    “Once we fell a lap down, it was so hard to get back on the lead lap with how challenging it was to pass in a loose car. But we ran in the Top-20 all afternoon, and we had a competitive car.”

    “It was disappointing to have a wreck on the last lap, especially with how hard our team worked, but I know that we’ll be able to bounce back next week in Las Vegas.”

    In spite of the melee, Almirola still was able to finish in the 15th position due to the limited number of race cars on the lead lap.

    David Ragan, driver of the No. 23 Dr. Pepper Toyota for BK Racing was also involved in the crash. He too was treated and released from the infield care center and finished in the 32nd spot.

    “Had a lot of fun racing and working on our Dr. Pepper, Toyota Racing Camry today,” Ragan tweeted after the race. “Stinks to get torn up on the last lap! Take the good with the bad.”

    One of sports’ more promising rookies also fell victim to that cursed ‘big one.’ Ryan Blaney, driver of the Woods Brother No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Racing team, went from 16th to 25th as a result of the late race carnage.

    “We had an OK car all day and we were just trying to find some balance,” Blaney said. “Sometimes we were better than others and at the end, we weren’t the best.  We were gonna run 13th to 15th, which would have been an OK day.”

    “I didn’t know what happened initially, but I guess the 43 got a big run off the top and I was inside the 14 and got tagged in the back.  That’s what they’re telling me and, unfortunately, that sent me around, which kind of stinks.”

    “We were just trying to salvage a decent day out of it and it just stinks to run all those laps and then get wrecked at the end of a race.  There are some things we can learn to go onto Vegas next week and we’re excited to bounce back there.”

    The final driver to get caught up in the so-called ‘big one’ was Landon Cassill, driver of the No. 38 FR8 Auctions Ford.

    “They just kind of wrecked in front of me,” Cassill said. “I had the car slowed down to where I felt like I was going the pace of the wreck.  It wasn’t clear in front of me yet, but it was gonna be because it looked like he was gonna go to the bottom and somebody hit me from behind.”

    “It was a frustrating way to end the day because it was a handful anyways.  At that point, we did have a position to race for, but you didn’t want to risk anything.”

    “We just wanted to bring it home in one piece and we didn’t get to do that.  I hate having a tore up race car, but maybe it will give us an opportunity to take a look at it and see what we can do to make it better.”

    Cassill managed a 36th place finish in spite of the crashing all around him.

    One driver that just barely missed the last-lap wreck was Danica Patrick. The driver of the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 10 Aspen Dental Chevrolet scored a top-20 finish when the checkered flag flew.

    “I can’t believe we made it through there at the end,” Patrick said. “I think I missed about three spins.”

    Whether being a part of the race’s only wreck or just making it through, the biggest surprise for the NASCAR elite at Atlanta was no doubt the ‘big one’, especially during the waning laps of the race.

    But the season is young and there will no doubt be plenty of other major wrecks to sort through. Anyone taking bets on a Vegas ‘big one?’

  • The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

    The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

    “Stay on the bottom, stay in line, and they can’t pass us.”

    For 199 laps, Darrell Waltrip’s observation of the 2016 Daytona 500 was dead on. Then, it became dead wrong. With Matt Kenseth leading Martin Truex Jr. on the bottom, Denny Hamlin jumped to the outside with some rarely seen momentum in that lane. Kenseth moved up to block, overshot just as Hamlin cut to his inside to leave the No. 20 wiggling high and dry. Moving beside Truex the pair fought it out to the line, with Hamlin taking his first Great American Race by about four inches, the closest finish in the history of the classic.

    For 199 laps, it was the inside lane and only the inside that mattered. Nothing moved on top. Until Hamlin’s maneuver, nothing did. In claiming the prize, the most dominant car of the day got back to the front where he had led for 95 laps though he needed to finish it off the hard way. Well, hard for everyone else, but it looked pretty darn easy for the now 27-race winner.

    Racing at Daytona is usually exciting, even when it becomes a single lane contest for the most part. Twenty-year-old Chase Elliott led a couple from the pole, but later his car drifted away from him to leave it wrecked in the infield. Dale Earnhardt Jr. looked strong for the next dozen, and while he was coming back with 30 laps to run, his own snapped from beneath him and found an inside wall. Other than that, Hamlin, Kenseth, and Truex were the only names worth remembering.

    Among the milestones, the worst Charter finish was that of Chris Buescher in 39th after his crash with Matt DiBenedetto near the mid-point on Sunday. The best non-Charter was 15th, recorded by Michael McDowell in the No. 59 of Leavine Family Racing. Danica Patrick is usually the dividing line between the good and the ugly, so the car finishing just ahead of her at Daytona was Greg Biffle in 34th. The pair had a meeting over disputed real estate and neither came away well from that. Right behind her was Junior in 36th.

    There are times when cars can go from the front to near the back and within a few laps they are back racing up front again. That was not this race. Unless you could get back using the checkers method, by jumping over the opposition, it took some time to make up lost ground. Unlike some, this was not a case of follow the leader, but rather one where the leaders ran on the inside and those on the outside just sat there frustrated going nowhere. That is, until the final lap.

    Some claim that is was a snore fest. I disagree as pack racing is never boring. When you drive that close and that fast, with only the first handful of cars not within a racing buddy in tight beside them, things can happen and not all of them good.  It became obvious that the leader was going to likely be our eventual winner. Obvious to everyone, except for Denny Hamlin, that is.

  • NASCAR BTS: Fanterning with Danica Patrick

    NASCAR BTS: Fanterning with Danica Patrick

    There is no doubt that Danica Patrick enjoys a significant fan base, but her new sponsor Nature’s Bakery has decided to take that fandom to a whole new level. This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes explores how fans of the No. 10 Nature’s Bakery Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet can qualify to be a Danica Patrick fantern.

    So, what exactly is a fantern? It is actually a cross between a fan and an intern, a concept developed by Nature’s Bakery Sponsorship Marketing Manager Tyler Key.

    “I did come up with that idea,” Key said. “I actually spent the last five years as the Director of Marketing and Activation at Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR). It was a program that I created at MWR going into the 2014 season and we ran it successfully for over two years.”

    “It’s kind of been my baby throughout as I always have the mindset of creating one fan at a time.”

    Key also felt that it was also a fit for Danica’s new sponsor Nature’s Bakery, a company founded in 2010 making on-the-go snacks that are delicious, convenient, and healthy. With the company’s tagline of ‘Energy for Life’s Great Journeys,’ the Fantern Program was just the right match.

    “I wanted to give these fans a great journey of getting to intern for one race and seeing all the different parts of racing. Everyone sees the action on the track on Sundays but there is so much more that goes into a race day journey, from setting up the pit box to sponsor appearances.”

    “I thought it would be a cool experience to share all that with fans and let them share it all with other fans through their social media connections.”

    To say that the founders of Nature’s Bakery, as well as driver Patrick, were thrilled with this new fantern notion would be an understatement.

    “Our new Fantern Program is a great way to get fans engaged with our new partnership,” Dave Marson, founder of Nature’s Bakery, said. “We’re taking a different approach to our racing program and this is the first of many initiatives we look forward to embarking on.”

    “I really like the out-of-the-box approach Nature’s Bakery is taking with our partnership,” Patrick said. “The Fantern program is just one example of what they have in store and I’ll look forward to meeting all the fanterns at the track this season.”

    The fantern application deadlines will be rolling throughout the 2016 race year, with the due dates being three weeks before any race where the fan wants to intern.  In order to apply, fans have to visit www.NaturesBakery.com/Fantern and either submit their application through a one minute video or through several photos accompanied by a 500-word essay detailing their desire to be Danica’s fantern.

    “We’ve received close to one hundred applications already,” Key said. “This is a one day phenomenal experience where you select the race that is closest to you and if you’re selected, we’ve got you covered once you arrive to the track.”

    After being chosen, what should fanterns expect as part of their special blending of fandom and internship experience?

    “They get a hot pass and they get to bring one guest with them,” Key said. “They will get a fantern prize pack bag that will include a T-shirt, hat and lanyard. It will say #fantern on the back of the bag so they can have that keepsake for the event.”

    “The day will start off with them meeting a pit crew member, more than likely the No. 10 tire changer.  They will help the crew set up the pit box and they will be able to ask them any questions, which we have found of great interest to fans.”

    “And then after that, they will have a VIP tour of the pit, garage areas and hauler. One of the highlights is that the fantern will attend a 15 minute meet and greet with Danica and get to interact with her. We hope they take a picture or two to share on social media.”

    “Then they will go and eat lunch with our team. And after that, they will make their way to pit road where they will go out to the starting grid to get a picture with Danica next to the car before heading to the pit box area to watch the race from there.”

    “Depending on the guests at the race, we will also try to rotate the fantern up on the pit box during the race, which is another one-of-a-kind experience.”

    While the Fantern Program is just one of many unique programs that Nature’s Bakery plans to activate this year as part of their SHR and Danica Patrick sponsorship, it definitely is one that meets the motto of the new sponsor.

    “One of our mottos at Nature’s Bakery is to keep it simple and have fun,” Key said. “So, everything we do, we want to try to do that. Being a new sponsor to the sport, we simply want to give back to our fans and let them have fun.”

    “This is just one of many ways that we will be involving fans, from sampling our products at the track to taking other journeys with Danica Patrick.”

    “But right now, we are definitely putting out the call out for all those Danica Patrick fanterns to get their applications in and hope we see them at the track this 2016 season.”

     

  • The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    Starting in ten days, just about every week the engines will roar to life and 43 cars will take the green flag. However, we all know that not all race drivers and teams are created equal. A half dozen will come from the part-time ranks, and only a couple of dozen will have any kind of hope of even challenging for a win. To put it in culinary terms, you have your steak, your hamburger and, to fill out the field, your hamburger helper. Here is a look at who is who on the menu, with the Daytona 500 less than two weeks away.

    TIER I – THE CONTENDERS

    Few can question that the 2016 champion could well come out of the top tier of drivers. In fact, half of them already know what it is like to claim the crown.

    2 – Brad Keselowski
    4 – Kevin Harvick
    11 – Denny Hamlin
    18 – Kyle Busch
    19 – Carl Edwards
    20 – Matt Kenseth
    22 – Joey Logano
    31 – Ryan Newman
    41 – Kurt Busch
    48 – Jimmie Johnson
    78 – Martin Truex, Jr.
    88 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    The odds might favor Kyle Busch repeating in what we hope, this time, will be a healthy full campaign though Harvick had the best season from start to finish. Well, almost to the finish. Johnson has already claimed the trophy six times, and seems to always be in contention even in those years he falls short. If one was going to pick a potential winner, race in and race out, chances are the favorites would come from this list.

    TIER II – THE PRETENDERS

    There are those you expect to have a good shot at being victorious every week, and then there are those who, if they did, probably would not come as all that much of a shock, either. In fact, I would expect at least four of these drivers to make it into the Chase, where a pretender could get hot and become a true contender themselves if things fall into place at the right time.

    1 – Jamie McMurray
    3 – Austin Dillon
    5 – Kasey Kahne
    6 – Trevor Bayne
    13 – Casey Mears
    15 – Clint Bowyer
    16 – Greg Biffle
    24 – Chase Elliott
    27 – Paul Menard
    42 – Kyle Larson
    43 – Aric Almirola
    47 – A.J. Allmendinger

    In this case, a pretender is one with tons of talent, one with a good chance of claiming a Top Ten, but just not a driver you expect taking the checkered flag on a regular basis. I have always liked McMurray, but he just doesn’t seem to be able to clear that final hurdle. Biffle should be rated higher and in previous years he no doubt would have been, but Roush Fenway has not been an outfit on the rise. Kahne has the ability, but not the results in recent seasons. Dillon and Larson are touted as future stars, and just maybe this is the year they meet expectations. Elliott has things to prove, and a lot of eyes with be watching Jeff Gordon’s former ride to see if the rookie can break out in his rookie campaign.

    TIER III – THE PARTICIPANTS

    43 cars hit the track each event, with some having pretty good odds of finishing high in the running order when things are said and done. Some others are not as fortunate.

    7 – Regan Smith
    10 – Danica Patrick
    14 – Tony Stewart
    17 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
    21 – Ryan Blaney
    23 – David Ragan
    32 – Jeffery Earnhardt
    34 – Chris Buescher
    38 – Landon Cassill
    44 – Brian Scott
    46 – Michael Annett
    83 – Matt DiBenedetto
    95 – Michael McDowell

    Stewart is on the mend, again, and could be out for quite a spell at the beginning of his final season. Some tend to believe we won’t see him for months as he recovers from his recent back injury. If only Patrick could emerge as the next Jamie McMurray that would be something, but thus far cracking the Top Twenty has been a struggle every week. There is nothing I would like more than to see someone from this group emerge as a pleasant surprise, but they are going to have to prove it for me to believe it. Sure, Stewart could mend enough to rise by the end of the year and Patrick could finally cash in on all of those resources to take it to the next level, but my money would be on Blaney and the Wood Brothers as they return to running a full schedule.

  • Your Guide to the 2016 NASCAR Season – Driver, Crew Chief Changes & More

    Your Guide to the 2016 NASCAR Season – Driver, Crew Chief Changes & More

    As the beginning of a new year of racing approaches, it’s often difficult to keep up with the off-season changes. Drivers move to different teams, crew chiefs come and go, new sponsors are announced and more. To aid your transition into the 2016 NASCAR season, I’ve compiled a list of the major changes.

    Tony Stewart – No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

    Stewart, who announced that 2016 will be his last season driving in the Sprint Cup Series, will end his career with a new crew chief. Mike Bugarewicz, the former race engineer for Kevin Harvick’s car, will be on top of the pit box in Stewart’s final season. He replaces Chad Johnston who is moving to the crew chief position for Kyle Larson.

    Kyle Larson – No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates Chevrolet

    Chad Johnston moves from Stewart-Haas Racing to become Larson’s new crew chief, replacing Chris Heroy. Johnston was most recently crew chief for Tony Stewart.

    Brian Scott – No. 9 – Richard Petty Motorsports Ford

    Scott will replace Sam Hornish Jr. as he heads to Richard Petty Motorsports to drive the No. 9 RPM Ford. He will be paired with crew chief Chris Heroy (Larson’s former crew chief). Scott has 17 previous Cup starts but this will be his first full-time Sprint Cup season. He will be competing for Rookie of the Year.

    Danica Patrick – No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet

    Patrick will have a different crew chief in 2016 as Billy Scott moves from Michael Waltrip Racing who closed their doors at the end of the 2015 season. He replaces Daniel Knost who was promoted to a senior leadership position within the company. This is Patrick’s third crew chief in as many seasons. Nature’s Bakery will join Patrick as a new primary sponsor.

    Clint Bowyer – HScott Motorsports Chevrolet

    Bowyer will move to HScott Motorsports for one season before moving to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2017 to replace Tony Stewart after his final season. 5-Hour Energy will make the move with Bowyer as primary sponsor for 24 races in 2016.

    Justin Allgaier – No. 7 – JR Motorsports Chevrolet

    Allgaier will move to the XFINITY Series in 2016 with JR Motorsports. He competed for the last two years in the Cup Series with HScott Motorsports but lost his ride when the organization added Clint Bowyer to their lineup. He has three wins in the XFINITY Series.

    Greg Biffle – No. 16 – Roush Fenway Racing Ford

    Biffle will also be the recipient of a new crew chief, veteran Brian Pattie. Pattie replaces Matt Puccia who had been with Biffle since mid-2011.

    Sam Hornish Jr. – Unknown

    Hornish previously drove the No. 9 Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports but Brian Scott takes over driving duties in 2016. Hornish has not announced his future plans.

    AJ Allmendinger – No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet

    Allmendinger will have a new competition director as Ernie Cope moves to JTG Daugherty Racing. Cope’s most recent position was as crew chief for Chase Elliott in the XFINITY Series in 2015. Allmendinger will also have a new crew chief, Randall Burnett. Burnett was an engineer on Kyle Larson’s car this past season.

    Chris Buescher – No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford

    After winning the 2015 XFINITY Series championship, Buescher is moving to the Sprint Cup Series in 2016. He had six Cup starts for FRM last year with a best finish of 20th place at Auto Club Speedway. Buescher will be in the running for Rookie of the Year.

    Darian Grubb – Vehicle Production Director – Hendrick Motorsports

    Hendrick Motorsports recently named Grubb to the newly created position of vehicle production director where he will oversee every facet of race car manufacturing for the organization. Grubb was formerly employed by HMS in 2003 in various capacities including race engineer and crew chief before leaving to join Tony Stewart at SHR in 2009. He moved to Joe Gibbs Racing and in 2012-2014 worked with Denny Hamlin. In 2015, he was the crew chief for Carl Edwards. He has 23 Sprint Cup victories as a crew chief.

    Ryan Blaney – No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford

    Blaney will run a full schedule in the No. 21 in 2016. It will be the first time since 2008 that Wood Brothers Racing has run a full-time schedule in the Sprint Cup Series. Blaney has 18 Cup starts with a best finish of fourth at Talladega in 2015. Because he has not run for Sprint Cup points in his career, Blaney will be eligible to compete for the Sunoco Rookie of the Year award.

    Denny Hamlin – No. 11 – Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

    Hamlin will have a new crew chief in 2016 as Mike Wheeler, who has been Hamlin’s race engineer for much of his career, takes over the position. Wheeler also served as crew chief in 2015 for the No. 20 car in the XFINITY Series. He replaces Dave Rogers who will move to the pit box for Carl Edwards.

    Carl Edwards – No. 19 – Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota

    As noted above, Edwards will have a new crew chief in 2016 with Dave Rogers taking over the job, replacing Darian Grubb. Rogers is an experienced leader having worked previously with Kyle Busch as well as Hamlin with 15 Sprint Cup victories.

    Jeffrey Earnhardt – Go FAS Racing – No. 32 Ford

    Earnhardt recently signed a multi-year deal with Go FAS Racing to drive in the Sprint Cup Series beginning in 2016. He will run the majority of the races for the No. 32 team while Bobby Labonte will drive for several events. Earnhardt made his Cup debut at Richmond in 2015 and also competed at Loudon. He will be eligible for the Rookie of the Year award.

    Chase Elliott – No. 24 – Hendrick Motorsports

    Elliott moves into the No. 24 ride in 2016 after Jeff Gordon’s departure in 2015. He captured the XFINITY Series championship in 2014, the youngest driver, at age 18, to win a NASCAR national series title, and finished second last year. Elliott made five Cup starts last year in preparation for this season and will be competing for Rookie of the Year honors in 2016.

    Furniture Row Racing – Will change manufacturers from Chevrolet to Toyota in 2016

    After running only Chevrolets since their debut in 2005, Furniture Row Racing has entered into a partnership with Toyota and will field the No. 78 Toyota of Martin Truex Jr. in 2016. Toyota Racing Development will build the engines and Furniture Row Racing will also benefit from a technical alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400, holding off Kevin Harvick to win his first Sprint Cup championship. Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after breaking his leg at a crash at Daytona in February.

    “A pasty white guy from Las Vegas is the Sprint Cup champion,” Busch said. “Ironically, all other driver ‘pale’ in comparison to me.

    “I’ve always dreamed of beating Jeff Gordon for the Sprint Cup championship. I guess dreams do come true. Apparently, when I was a kid, I had very vivid and colorful dreams. But those dreams were nothing like the ones I had on painkillers after surgery to repair my broken leg.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 13th on the grid and finished second to Kyle Busch.

    “’Second’ has been the story of my year,” Harvick said. “I can’t tell you how many times I finished second this year, but I can tell that I will be counting the seconds until the start of the 2016 season.”

    3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon started fifth at Homestead and finished sixth, as Kyle Busch won the race to capture the Sprint Cup championship.

    “I couldn’t believe the support I received,” Gordon said, “even in a losing effort. It reminded me of the applause that erupted when Matt Kenseth wrecked Joey Logano at Martinsville. Without that, I wouldn’t even be here.

    4. Joey Logano: Logano started second at Homestead and finished fourth, posting his 22nd top-five result of the year.

    “I dominated the circuit this season,” Logano said, “so you tell me who the rightful Sprint Cup champion should be. I had six wins and 22 top-10 finishes. You do the math. And speaking of math, if you subtracted Matt Kenseth from the equation, I would be Cup champion.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch finished eighth at Homestead, posting his 21st top 10 of the year.

    “Now there are two Sprint Cup championships in the family,” Busch said. “I guess I’ll have to call my brother ‘champ.’ He’s, of course, been called worse.”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Homestead, his fourth Coors Light pole of the season.

    “I tore my knee up playing basketball earlier this year,” Hamlin said. “So, I’m going to have it surgically repaired. Hopefully, the doctors will use pins and screws because there’s a gas pedal that says my leg definitely needs to be heavier.”

    7. Carl Edwards: Edwards led eight laps and finished 11th at Homestead.

    “Congratulations to Kyle Busch,” Edwards said. “He’ll be a great champion. However, I’m not sure if his reign will do any favors for NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity program because Kyle will be the whitest champion ever.”

    8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex qualified 11th at Homestead and finished 12th, the lowest among championship-eligible drivers.

    “This Chase For The Cup had it all,” Truex said. “Intentional wrecks, intentional wrecks made to look unintentional, intentional wrecks gone unpunished by NASCAR, and intentional wrecks punished by NASCAR. It was ‘quint-intentional.’”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took third in the Ford EcoBoost 400, recording his ninth top five of the year.

    “Jeff Gordon was the sentimental favorite,” Keselowski said. “There were a lot of people pulling for him to win, almost as many as were pulling for Kevin Harvick not to win.”

    10.Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 10th at Homestead, posting his 22nd top 10 of the year.

    “I received an odd drive-through penalty,” Johnson said. “Apparently, a crew member put his hip into a big dent in the side of the No. 48 Chevy. That’s a no-no. NASCAR’s rule book states that it’s illegal for cars to be powered by ‘pelvic thrust.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    With rain interfering one last time and delaying the race start for over an hour, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the season finale, the 17th annual Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Surprising:  The last race of the year at Homestead was surprisingly filled with a series of firsts and lasts. Kyle Busch, of course, scored a host of firsts with his trip to Victory Lane, winning his own first championship as well as winning the first championship in the Cup Series for his manufacturer Toyota.

    There were, however, an even greater number of lasts in the race, including the last race for Jeff Gordon, the final run for Sam Hornish Jr. under the auspices of Richard Petty Motorsports, the final race for Michael Waltrip Racing as a company, the finale for Go Daddy as sponsor or Danica Patrick’s car, and the final race for Justin Allgaier with HScott Motorsports.

    And while Jeff Gordon basked in the accolades of his last trip around the track behind the wheel, others such as Clint Bowyer bemoaned his last run after crashing and finishing dead last.

    “I don’t know what the hell happened to our car,” Bowyer said. “My car got loose. I couldn’t catch it. I hate to have it end this way.”

    “Unfortunately, it’s over.”

    Not Surprising:  It may have been his first Sprint Cup championship, but Kyle Busch was already a champion coming into his final race, having secured the Truck championship as owner, with Erik Jones behind the wheel.

    “I don’t know how you top this, but I’d sure like to see,” Busch said. “I wouldn’t do it without everyone that surrounds me, my wife, my family, my friends, my employees at KBM, Joe (Gibbs), J.D. (Gibbs), the team at JGR, Adam (Stevens, crew chief).”

    “You surround yourself with good people in business and in sports and it sometimes will more than likely pay it back.”

    “You know, this is pretty special.”

    Surprising:  There were no baby steps involved this season for Martin Truex Jr., who finished 12th in the race but fourth in the championship standings, his highest finish to date.

    “Super proud of our season and really proud to come this far to come from 24th in points last year to fourth this year is a pretty big step,” Truex said. “I don’t think most people realize just how big of a deal it is and how hard it was for us to get that far.”

    “You never know what the future holds, but excited already about next year, and I think we’ll be back here in mid-December testing already for next year.  Not a whole lot of rest, and looking forward to spending a week or so down here relaxing and having a few beers, catching a few fish, and really just let it all soak in what we’ve been able to accomplish, and really proud of everybody on our team.”

    Not Surprising:  While he did not win the race, Kevin Harvick scored his own record of sorts, finishing in the second place for the 13th time for the season. Harvick became the 10th Cup driver to score double-digit runner-up finishes in a single season and his was the first since Bobby Allison in 1972.

    “The 18 car, he just had the speed all night, for the most part,” Harvick said. “You know, as the night went, I just couldn’t find anywhere that would make the car run better.  The higher I would run, the looser it would get. I’d get on the seams and then it would push the front and slide the back. Just never could find anything.”

    “I know we’re disappointed about finishing second tonight, but it’s kind of the theme of the year, finishing second. Unfortunately it’s just one short, but all in all, it’s been a great couple years, and couldn’t be prouder of our bunch of guys.”

    Surprising: While one Kyle was in Victory Lane, another Kyle, Larson that is, was bemoaning a bit the chance that he had to get his first Cup victory. The driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet was stung by the final caution after riding the wall to a fifth place finish.

    “I think I was 1 water bottle away from my first cup win,” Larson tweeted after the race. “Congratulations to Kyle Busch, such an amazing comeback story you had this year!”

    Not Surprising:  Team Penske finished the season strong, with a third and fourth place finish for Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano respectively.

    “I was really proud of my team tonight, really happy with what they were able to give me and we were able to take a run at it, we just didn’t quite have enough at the end on that final restart to hold those guys off.” Keselowski said after the race. “We were really strong and we just didn’t have enough to close it at the end.”

    “Unfortunately, we didn’t win and that’s what we wanted to do,” teammate Logano said. “We had a fast Shell/Pennzoil Ford that led a lot of laps, so I’m proud of the laps we led. We had a few good runs and made an adjustment that just took it out of the track and by the time we got it back we lost too much track position. We had a bad pit stop under green and lost more there, so it was too little, too late. We couldn’t redeem ourselves after a couple mistakes tonight.”

    Surprising:  While Brett Moffitt reveled in winning the 2015 Sunoco Rookie of the Year title, he also revealed that his 2016 future driving plans are a bit up in the air at present.

    “Throughout the season, Front Row has given me a great home, and it’s a great place to be, and thankful for this opportunity and being able to bring home the Rookie of the Year title,” Moffitt said. “Right now my slate is empty.”

    “I mean, we’re working hard, but it’s hard to secure the funding to be able to run in any of the top three series.  If anything would come forward, I’d be more than willing to work with any series, whether it was truck, XFINITY or another Cup ride.”

    Not Surprising:  One young up and coming driver no doubt summed it all up as he raced with one of his idols for the last time.

    “I was a big fan of Jeff Gordon growing up,” Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford, said. “You’re obviously honored to be in his last race with him. I got to race around him a little bit at the beginning of the race. I was having trouble passing him. I was trying to be as nice as I could and let him race his own deal.”

    “But that was fun racing hard with him there.”

    Surprisingly, that concludes the 2015 race season, which seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye. Enjoy the off-season, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and here’s to a great 2016!

     

  • Hot 20 – Homestead is a place Happy Harvick should love, but so should Gordon and Truex

    Hot 20 – Homestead is a place Happy Harvick should love, but so should Gordon and Truex

    Homestead. That is where dreams are made or, more likely, where they die. That is if they have not already been snuffed for another year before even reaching the season finale. One thing about that track in Miami is that some of the best just do not seem to do their best there.

    For example, try as you may, you will not find some familiar names listed among the Hot 20 at Homestead. If your average finish is 20th or worse, you will fail to make the cut. Among them are Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Paul Menard. That trio of eliminated Chasers has, between them, raced at Homestead thirty times. None has won there and combined they boast just a couple of Top Fives and four Top Tens. Even if they had remained in contention, one would have to be hard pressed to consider any of them a favorite to win this Sunday.

    Yet, as bad as they are, there is one notable driver who is worse. Kyle Busch has failed to even make the Top Twenty in half of his 10 starts. He has won none at Homestead, with an average finish of 23rd place. His best result was fourth in 2012. Last year, he was 39th. If Kyle emerges with the championship after this weekend, he would have delivered the race of his life.

    As for the other three contenders, all have a shot, with defending champion Kevin Harvick leading the way. Last year, he did just that to take the race and the crown. Jeff Gordon won there in 2012 while Martin Truex, Jr. has seven Top Tens in 10 attempts to be right in the mix. All have an average finish of no worse than 11th.

    One may well come away with the race win on Sunday though I believe we can expect some heat from others among Homestead’s Hot 20…

    1. Kevin Harvick – 14 races – 1 Win – 12 Top Tens – 7.6 Average Finish
    A repeat as winner guarantees a repeat as Cup champion.

    2. Carl Edwards – 11 races – 2 Wins – 7 Top Tens – 9.1 AveFin.
    His track record at Homestead makes him a fav to win a title some day. It just won’t be Sunday.

    3. Martin Truex Jr. – 10 races – 7 Top Tens – 10.0 AveFin.
    It is time for a Rocky Mountain high to visit Florida.

    4. Jeff Gordon – 16 races – 1 Win – 12 Top Tens – 10.6 AveFin
    This would be a good time to become known as Five-Time.

    5. Denny Hamlin – 10 races – 2 Wins – 6 Top Tens – 10.8 AveFin
    If what Hamlin is selling is his “starter” home, what in hell does he live in now?

    6. Clint Bowyer – 9 races – 6 Top Tens – 10.9 AveFin
    Still a chance he could leave Michael Waltrip Racing with a final win before the sun sets.

    7. Tony Stewart – 15 races – 3 Wins – 7 Top Tens – 14.0 AveFin
    Oh, how the mighty have fallen…and so quickly.

    8. Kyle Larson – 2 races – 14.0 AveFin
    15th one year, 14th last year. You could say he is improving here each time out. Well, you can.

    9. Jimmie Johnson – 14 races – 9 Top Tens – 14.4 AveFin
    A six-time champion under the previous formats, but not so sure about a seventh under this one.

    10. Kasey Kahne – 11 races – 4 Top Tens – 14.9 AveFin
    Number 5 will be as mellow yellow as the number 24 on Sunday.

    11. Brad Keselowski – 7 races – 2 Top Tens – 15.0 AveFin
    Over the past two events at Homestead, his average finish has been 4.5.

    12. Justin Allgaier – 1 race – 15.0 AveFin
    A Top Fifteen finish would match…well…what he did last year.

    13. Matt Kenseth – 15 races – 1 Win – 7 Top Tens – 15.8 AveFin
    He is back. Will he and Joey meet at high noon, or will peace and harmony reign supreme?

    14. Ryan Newman – 13 races – 5 Top Tens – 15.8 AveFin
    Can drive a dozer from 150 miles away. Let him try that in a race car.

    15. Aric Almirola – 5 races – 2 Top Tens – 16.2 AveFin
    I am thinking that Richard Petty likes him best. At least he gets to return next season.

    16. Jamie McMurray – 13 races – 4 Top Tens – 16.6 AveFin
    Once had problems with Kenseth, but now are best buds. Is there hope for Matt and Joey? Right.

    17. Greg Biffle – 13 races – 3 wins – 5 Top Tens – 17.2 AveFin
    Best damn Roush driver this season, but when your teammates are Stenhouse and Bayne…

    18. Danica Patrick – 2 races – 19.0 AveFin
    It is sad when one thinks of this as one of her better tracks.

    19. Kurt Busch – 14 races – 1 Win – 5 Top Tens – 19.2 AveFin
    Hasn’t won in Miami since 2002, but it was the crashes in 2006 and 2008 that left him dead last.

    20. A.J. Allmendinger – 6 races – 2 Top Tens – 19.5 AveFin
    Great start to his career but 36th and 40th in his last two have marred his average just a tad.

    25. Kyle Busch – 10 races – 3 Top Tens – 23.1 AveFin
    His efforts to date get him included on this list. His past efforts at Homestead do not.