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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
Hot 20 – Saturday night it is Bristol, baby!

There are races you mark down, make plans for, but there are few venues that seem to provide the kind of action that transforms those events into stand alone spectacles. Daytona is one. Talladega is another. You might want to add Darlington, for tradition sake, and Sonoma to the mix. Charlotte hosts the longest and next year they break out the road course for its second date. Then there are the two in Bristol, Tennessee.

While we continue to yearn for announcers who captivate us with their voices, delivery, dialogue, banter, information, or entertainment value, it does not matter this Saturday night. This time, the track will take care of all that itself. No one is going to run away from the pack. Lapped cars will matter if only for being in the way. Fenders are going to be dented, drivers are going to get hot, and fans are going to find their time well spent. That is not always the case in NASCAR. It is damn near becoming the exception to the rule, but Saturday night they are in Bristol.

I am not sure if we will have another offering from a shrill voiced fellow with a distinctive accent, but if your head announcer does not sound something like Ken Squier, Chris Economaki, or at the very least Mike Joy, do not hire them. If your booth announcers do not have the bantering chemistry of Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach, you have failed. If the race sucks, at least your announcers can not. The name of the game is to keep us watching. Thankfully, this is Bristol, so that does not matter as much this week.

It will be interesting to see how many of its 162,000 seats will be filled in Thunder Valley’s stadium like layout. If they fail to turn out to watch the action on the 0.533 mile track, if they are not crowded on the couch to take it all in at home, do not expect things to get any better when they get to Chicago, Dover, or Kansas. In future, a general rule of thumb would be if a race track is not designed to be the next Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, Sonoma, or even a Martinsville, do not build it.

If I did not follow the sport, if I did not know what each race means to each driver, if I had no idea what the Chase was or what the points meant, if I did not know the difference between an Earnhardt and an Erlich Bachman, I probably would watch only a dozen events each season for their stand alone entertainment value.

The race Saturday night at Bristol would be one of them.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (933 Pts)
If you want to win, you got to beat him…team mate or not…

2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (804 Pts)
…just like Larson did last Sunday.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (592 Pts)
Won at Bristol in the spring. Why not on a summer night?

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
If Johnson does not win, another two-time Bristol winner would not mind wearing the suds.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (505 Pts)
Better half could be without a ride at SHR next year. I didn’t even know he and Kurt were dating.

6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (797 Pts)
They may be from Las Vegas, but Bristol is Busch country.

7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (787 Pts)
Harvick is a champion, yet less popular than Junior or Danica. Maybe more so after last week.

8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (710 Pts)
It is a girl!

9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (592 Pts)
Maybe Blaney can be the next Junior. You know, someone Harvick can harp on.

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (554 Pts)
Going into his 600th career race, the brothers have each claimed five at Thunder Valley.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (536 Pts)
The invisible man was fourth last week while averaging 15.9 over the season.

12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (438 Pts)
After wrecking with Suarez on Sunday, I bet he wished he was still with the good hands people.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (436 Pts)
Top Ten last week was his first since he won at Charlotte in late May.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 685 POINTS
Probably a near lock for the Chase, but that first career win sure would be nice.

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 675 POINTS
Could be 40 points higher if not for wrecking at Martinsville and Pocono.

16. MATT KENSETH – 654 POINTS
Odds of 4x Bristol winner making the Chase are better than driving a competitive car next year.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 623 POINTS
Pit penalties and a flat tire ruined his plans last week, and did him no favors hunting down Matt.

18. JOEY LOGANO – 556 POINTS (1 Win)
Might feel the worst, but if he came first it would turn his frown upside down.

19. ERIK JONES – 524 POINTS
Has a string of three Top Tens. Now he needs a Top One.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 515 POINTS
Actually 17th in points, but race winners Stenhouse, Kahne, and Dillon now sit ahead of him.

August 16, 2017
Hot 20 – If given a choice, rather than Loudon I would prefer to be stuck in Lodi again

Loudon, New Hampshire is where they hand out a lobster to the winner. Okay, it is not as cool as Dover’s Miles the Monster trophy, with a diecast of the winning car held aloft in its mighty hand. No grandfather clock like they award at Martinsville, or the six-shooters of Texas, and that sweet Les Paul guitar for races in Nashville. On the positive side, you can not eat any of those other awards.

Will we be thrilled with edge-of-seat riveting excitement at Loudon? It is not exactly a super speedway or features the beating and banging at Bristol nor does it present the rights to go with the lefts of the road courses. It has been on the NASCAR Cup schedule only since 1993, so it does not even have the history of a Darlington or Charlotte. How much is Loudon in need of an excitement transplant? Well, they are putting some sticky substance on the turns for better grip. Yes, hope springs eternal.

Eleven active drivers have wins there. Kyle Busch is winless this season, but he should be good for the Chase on points alone. Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer seem good for now, but for now might not be good enough in a few weeks. A win for either would be comforting.

It would mean more for former winners Matt Kenseth and Joey Logano. Kenseth leads Logano by seven points in the battle for that final berth. Now, should Erik Jones, Daniel Saurez, Trevor Bayne, or someone else behind them in the standings win, that is where the excitement would truly lie. Then, Bowyer would be sitting on the bubble and the gap between in and out increases. Kasey Kahne won there once and is not even among our Hot 20. Win on Sunday and he certainly would be. That would be exciting.

For you, Loudon will come down to how your favorite driver performs along with the prospect of someone needing a win getting one. That is where the excitement Sunday afternoon will stem from, along with re-starts and visor cams. Lots and lots of visor cams.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (709 Pts)
If the Chase began today, he would go in with a 12 point lead…

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (519 Pts)
…over Mr. Johnson.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (710 Pts)
Missed qualifying, then sped down pit road, and wound up passing everybody but one.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (536 Pts)
Wants better cars and more manufacturers. I want better tracks and a lot more visor cams.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (418 Pts)
On television last Monday, he was the best damned Ninja Warrior in NASCAR.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (599 Pts)
Finished ninth at Kentucky, and was the last driver on the lead lap…

7. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
…while Ryan was 10th at Kentucky…and a lap down.

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (419 Pts)
The smoke proved to be due to a failed axle at Kentucky.

9. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
Points are fine, but that win at Phoenix has made all the difference.

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (341 Pts)
Ryan’s Childress teammate would not even be on this list if not for Charlotte.

11. KYLE BUSCH – 609 POINTS
Won XFINITY race at Kentucky, meaning 12 of 16 on their schedule have been won by Cup guys.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 560 POINTS
Very good driver, but one hell of an ax thrower.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 545 POINTS
One way or another, Hamlin’s gonna find ya, he’s gonna getcha, getcha, getcha, getcha.

14. DENNY HAMLIN – 538 POINTS
What, did that go over my radio?

15. CLINT BOWYER – 495 POINTS
Hot at Sonoma and Daytona, but just lukewarm at Kentucky. Needs to bring the heat on Sunday.

16. MATT KENSETH – 478 POINTS
Loses his ride next season. Talk about having incentive to put forth a great audition run.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 471 POINTS (1 Win)
Win or get more points than Kenseth. Just being better won’t cut it, as we saw last week.

18. ERIK JONES – 426 POINTS
Replaces Kenseth in the No. 20 next season. Needs a win to replace him in the Chase this season.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 373 POINTS
Went from fighting for a Top Ten last week, to just fighting to bring the wreck across the line.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 352 POINTS
Like Kahne, he needed a win. Like Kahne, he found the damned wall instead.

July 12, 2017
Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

As NASCAR swings into Chicago and begins the Chase, I can not help but notice that Denny Hamlin, and now Danica Patrick, have made mention that the season is too long. Reduce some races in length, reduce some altogether, run some mid-week are among their suggestions. I am cool with that, but in my mind there are a dozen races on eight tracks that cannot be touched. Ever.

Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, and Charlotte continue with their two each with no changes to race length. If 600 miles to too long at Charlotte, stay home. You can not tinker with the two road courses at Sonoma or Watkins Glen. The Southern 500 should never again be violated at Darlington. Same goes for the Brickyard at Indianapolis. The racing there might be questionable at Indy, but it has become a crown jewel event. Touch any of them, and more than a few of us fans will be gone. NASCAR simply can not afford to see too many more of us on our way out.

As for the other 24 contests on the other 15 tracks, go for it. However, you risk some upset folks at Martinsville, Richmond, and Atlanta where tradition means something to some people. Remove those tracks, and you remove fans. Texas, Michigan, Las Vegas, Fontana, and Chicago are not going anywhere. The trio of northeast venues, Pocono, Dover, and Loudon, would be tough for NASCAR to abandon. I could not care any less for Kansas or Kentucky, but I am sure there are others who do not share my sentiment.

As long as NASCAR refuses to brand each of its events so they might each become something special, traditional, and untouchable instead of nothing more than a spot to park a sponsor’s name for yet another generic race, a lot of them can disappear, be moved, or reduced in length without much fanfare. I mean, this weekend in Chicago we have the legendary and prestigious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Good bloody grief! What these two drivers are proposing works in theory. However, the devil is in the details, and we should leave it to Mr. Hamlin and Ms. Patrick to toss out a few specifics until we go ballistic. You know we would, no matter what they come up with.

As for the Chase, eight organizations are represented by the 16. Joe Gibbs has all four of his outfits in the running. Stewart-Haas goes with three, missing only Patrick. Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi both came through fully loaded with their two car teams. Barney Visser was also perfect, going one for one with Martin Truex, Jr. We have a pair from Rick Hendrick’s stable, Richard Childress has his grandson, and Bob Jenkins has his surprise entry. Some did not make it, even those with past success. Jack Roush came up empty, despite three entries. Neither of Richard Petty’s cars made the grade.

A dozen veteran Chasers joined by a quartet of first-timers. Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson are joined by rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher. How might they do? As 2014 champion Kevin Harvick lays it down, “Are you happy to be there or do you want to win?” If they want to win, they could do fine. Like the seven former champions back for another drink from the well.

Heading into the Chase, NASCAR has decided to be kinder, gentler to those crew chiefs who break the rules. One loose lug nut does not a suspension make. Now it will take three, and then he is gone along with 35 points. So much for kinder and gentler, and this is a new rule change that goes beyond the Chase and into next season.

Failure to get the winning car successfully through the Laser Inspection Station by a significant amount, and you keep the win, but it won’t mean much. Up to 35 points gone and during the Chase that win might not count toward a free pass into the next round. With the points penalty, that just could kill the season. It is the kind of penalty that cost Ryan Newman 15 markers heading into Richmond.

Newman might not be in the Chase, but after what happened last week, he could wind up being a factor. We will have to wait to see how hot he might be at one member of our Hot 20 heading to Chicago.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2012 PTS
Tied for wins with Kyle, second only to Harvick in points. Brad might be thirsty again.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 PTS
Imagine having to race all 36 races to win the title. Last season seemed so much shorter.

3. DENNY HAMLIN – 2009 PTS
You can shorten the World 600 in Charlotte…or you could to go-cart racing as an alternative.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 PTS
His Chase attitude is to “worry about the consequences when all the dust settles.” Game on.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 PTS
Is this the year he can finally put that brides-maid dress away?

4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 2006 PTS
Has led the pack this season for 1,664 miles. If you are going on a trip, here is your driver.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2006 PTS
Seeking a new nickname. Maybe something that rhymes with “Seven Time.”

4. MATT KENSETH – 2006 PTS
There is nice Matt and there is Chase Matt. You don’t want to make Chase Matt angry.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 2003 PTS
Last year, guess who upset Chase Matt.

9. KURT BUSCH – 2003 PTS
He has a title. Younger brother has a title. All older siblings know that just does not cut it.

9. KYLE LARSON – 2003 PTS
Over his last three races, has finished first, third, and second. That is called momentum.

9. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2003 PTS
Not everyone gets to live in the penthouse. even for what most predict will be a short stay.

9. TONY STEWART – 2003 PTS
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Newman knows!

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2000 PTS
A truck title. A XFINITY crown. There is room on the shelf for one more.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000 PTS
Could former winner of Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 win the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400?

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2000 PTS
Again, the nickname says it all. Would like to change that to “Champ” if he can.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 633 PTS
Who is considered Public Enemy No. 1 in Chicago? Ask Newman; he might have an answer.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 633 PTS
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again next season.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 586 PTS
Unlike some, Bayne is determined to leave any at-track tantrums to his toddler.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 583 PTS
Racing in Chicago, but might have more interest in how the Bears do Monday against the Eagles.

September 14, 2016
The Final Word at Richmond Belonged to Tony Stewart

Drama, that is what we were waiting for at Richmond on Saturday night. Drama and answers. We wanted to know if Chris Buescher would be close enough to David Ragan and 30th in the standings in order to be eligible for the chase? Could Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray keep from being caught by Ryan Newman for those final Chase spots on points? Could anyone outside the Top 16 win and really tumble up the standings? We had to wait for the final two or three laps to get the answer to that last one. With 38 laps to go, Tony Stewart provided us with the definitive response to the first two.

Newman needed to make up ground, coming in 22 points behind McMurray. As it turned out, he would have had to win to be in considering how those he was chasing finished the night. However, he made a mistake along the way, and that was to run into his former boss and maybe former friend, two or three times. As Stewart swooped gently into a corner, Newman dived to the inside and knocked Smoke to the outside. Next turn, Newman came up and rubbed Stewart again. Oh-oh.

On the straight away, Stewart turned down in front of Newman, who might have been able to take defensive measures if not for Carl Edwards running into him as he slowed down. That caused the contact between Newman and Stewart to be much harder, and pretty much killed all three autos. But wait, that is not all. Others got caught up in the mess, with one of them being David Ragan. As Newman went up the track after the wreck, he wound up directly in front of Ragan, who was left in flames.

When asked later, Newman made some mention about somebody being bi-polar with enough info to Google to explain the mishaps a certain driver had been involved in, no doubt a guy who should retire, and a fellow who purposely drifted down in front of him. Stewart agreed with the latter observation, mentioned that in 10 weeks Newman would get his wish about his retirement and that he got to hit him two times more than anyone else would have gotten away with. By the way, one other guy caught up in the wreck was Brian Scott. Does anyone remember how Darlington went for him?

With that, Buescher, Elliott, and Dillon were in the Chase. As for a first-time season winner ruining the party for McMurray, Denny Hamlin gave us that answer in the end when he dominated two re-starts to walk off with this one, even as a hard charging Kyle Larson tried to be a factor. Kasey Kahne finished sixth on a day he needed to be number one.

Stewart is not leaving a kinder, gentler, passive version of his old self. He is his old self. Scott got dumped last week, Newman this time out. To be fair, he was slowly drifting in front of his old buddy and probably would have taken the brunt of the contact had Edwards not been there to accelerate things. Even if NASCAR got upset with their retiring former three-time champ, we know they refuse to dock points as they transfer to the Chase tally, and other than in the pocket book all they could do is suspend Stewart for a race or two and kill his championship hopes. That is not going to happen, and in this situation, it should not happen.

As for Newman’s comments, I understand that he was angry. However, he came mighty close with his comments to invoking the tragedy and the pending civil case regarding the death of Kevin Ward Jr. in a sprint car accident involving Stewart two years ago. I do not know what their relationship was after Newman was essentially dropped in favor of Kevin Harvick with Stewart-Haas racing, but it can not be very good today.

The Chase for the Championship begins in Chicago this Sunday, where the past five winners there are all current contenders for the title. Brad Keselowski has won twice, Hamlin won there a year ago, with Matt Kenseth and Stewart among the most recent winners.

What are the odds of Tony doing well at Chicago? Maybe that is a question that should be directed to Ryan Newman. Now, wouldn’t that be dramatic?

September 12, 2016
Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

A funny thing happened on the way to Richmond. Ryan Newman finished eighth at Darlington, got to within seven points of Jamie McMurray in the battle for the final Chase place, and then it hit the fan. Actually, it was not very amusing at all as his car failed post-race inspection, and that came with a 15 point penalty. Newman has to make up a 22 point deficit on McMurray, hope nobody below him in the standings wins this weekend, or just win the thing himself to make it. With a contract coming due and the owner’s other grandson ready to move up, this is the time for the Rocket to light the fuse.

Kyle Larson‘s third place finish at Darlington was nice, but he also got tagged 15 points for failing the post-race checkup. However, he loses not a step in the standings and his win leaves him somewhat immune. As for the cash donations, Newman’s crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $25,000, while Chad Johnston, Larson’s bench boss, was fined $22,500. Would it not be lovely if you could fine your mechanic’s ass if he failed to fix your car the first time? Your doctor? How about politicians? We may be on to something here.

There is one other scenario we have not mentioned. If Chris Buescher has a bad day and falls out of the Top 30, it is “hello Newman,” welcome to the Chase.

Eleven races to go, and with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the shelf until the Daytona 500, 23-year-old Alex Bowman will have a dream ride for eight of the remaining contests this season. It will be a good test for the driver who spent the past two seasons behind the wheel for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin. Neither outfit has yet to win a race, boast just two Top Fives and six Top Tens in a combined 781 attempts. Bowman will end the season driving the good stuff. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, finally retires again, after he completes Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville. Sixteen of his 93 career victories came at those venues, including nine coming at the paper-clip.

What driver has the most identifiable car in NASCAR, even to the non-fan? Paul Menard. His name is all over it.

Danny Gallivan, Vin Scully, Ken Squier. If you want to become a legendary hockey, baseball, or racing announcer, they are the prototypes to build upon After just a couple of minutes to get into the swing of things at Darlington, the 81-year-old Squier allowed us to once again hear how it should be done. These gentlemen were poets who were able to describe, inform, entertain, and allow us to witness the action simply through the sound of their voice. To actually see it on television was a bonus, almost an unnecessary one. Squier ended his term providing the lap-by-lap commentary in 1997, though we have been blessed by special appearances, as we were last Sunday. Gallivan retired in 1984 after 32 years calling the action for the Montreal Canadiens, passing away in 1993. The 88-year old Scully is presently bringing his 67-year career behind the Dodger microphone to a close. They remain incomparable and irreplaceable.

Richmond has been part of the NASCAR scene since 1950, and Saturday the race will feature eight present and former Cup champions. Twenty-six of those 40 drivers have combined for 530 Cup victories, and while 12 have locked in their invite to the Chase, another 20 entered have a mathematical shot at one of the four remaining positions.

That includes all of our Hot 20 heading into Richmond.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (797 Pts)
Loose wheel, loose wheel, he thought he had Harvick’s crew pitting him for real.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
Six drivers under the age of 25 have driven for him in the truck series this season.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (840 Pts)
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and let them try to pit my car.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (746 Pts)
First last lap pass for the win at Richmond in the spring, why not the fall?

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (729 Pts)
If he ran NASCAR, would shorten the season and the World 600. Good thing he doesn’t.

6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (696 Pts)
Interested in just winning the Memorial and Labor Day weekend classics this season.

7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (669 Pts)
Without Matt, Jim might have never worked at Dunder Mifflin or met Pam or Michael Scott.

8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (656 Pts)
Jimmie won twice, had Top 10s in five of the seven events to open the season. It’s been a while.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (752 Pts)
With Junior out, does this give Joey a shot at being NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver?

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (728 Pts)
Felt kind of flat at Darlington. Menard’s flat, to be specific.

11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (606 Pts)
Finally, he has two Top Fives in a row.

12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (426 Pts)
What happened to Brian Scott at Darlington? Why, he wrecked, of course.

13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (358 Pts)
Staying within 10 of Ragan next week would be good, keeping him in the rearview, even better.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 659 POINTS
Finish 17th or better and he is off to the ball.

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 651 POINTS
Menard has a sponsor, Dillon has a grandfather, and Newman needs the Chase.

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 642 POINTS
Could have been 30 points up if not for that late Darlington penalty.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 620 POINTS
Penalty cripples his Chase bid, while the other Dillon has designs on his ride.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 598 POINTS
At least Junior has an excuse for not making the Chase.

19. RYAN BLANEY – 573 POINTS
No gloves, no problem, but less money in your pocket.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 562 POINTS
Mr. Tickles? Maybe it was girlfriend Tara who named the cat.

September 7, 2016
The Final Word – I would absolutely suck as a pit crew member, so why won’t Harvick hire me?

A classic. That is what the Southern 500 is. Born in 1950, it predates NASCAR’s jewel events in Indianapolis, Bristol, Talladega, Charlotte, and Daytona. It is the Southern 500, the Labor Day classic at Darlington. It is not a November race, not a race to be branded by Dodge, not run on Mother’s Day or in April. After a dozen years of stupidity, it returned in 2015 to be what it has always been meant to be, the great southern Labor Day NASCAR tradition.

Kevin Harvick lost Sunday’s race in classic style. If a pit crew can screw things up, it can find work on this car. Two pit stops, two disasters. One dropped him from first to fourth. The next, from first to 12th. It has reached the point where even the most understandable reason is rejected as yet another damned excuse. “Someone slashed our spare tires” or “It is hard to change a tire with no arms” or “The dog ate the air wrench” no longer cuts it. Harvick finished second. He should have been first.

That was left for Martin Truex Jr. to accomplish. Sometimes, it is just more fun to win a classic event over the holidays. After previous career victories at Dover, Sonoma, and Pocono, this season it has been Labor Day at Darlington and the Memorial Day World 600 in Charlotte. Those are the kind of wins that get a driver remembered.

Winning a title also does that. With Richmond the last stop before the Chase, a dozen drivers are locked in having won a race or more. Chris Buescher claims a spot if he manages to be within ten positions of David Ragan next weekend, thus staying within the season’s Top 30. Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon are a lock should they come home within 23 and 15 spots, respectfully, of Ryan Newman this Sunday. Jamie McMurray lays claim to the final spot should he be no more than six places behind Newman at Richmond, and a first-time winner does not emerge to steal that final Chase place from him. The question is, do Newman, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Blaney, A.J. Allmendinger, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle, or Paul Menard have the horses to do what needs to be done? The odds are long, but remember that they were for Buescher once, too.

It was a true classic at Darlington, but it was something of a classic finish in the truck race at MoSport Park in Ontario on Sunday. Well, the finish between John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer would have gone down as a classic if it had taken place at almost any other track. Two racers rubbing and racing and scraping against the wall to the finish. Instead, on the outside, they had enough prairie to give me a home where the buffalo roam, along with a couple of elk, before they came across any barrier. Rather than taking Custer to the outside wall, Nemechek wound up taking him into the car pool lane. What could have been a classic finish had all the appearances of a demo derby. Does that make Nemechek a wild man or a guy who did what he had to do on a surface that extended much farther out than what we would have normally seen? He won, so does it matter? I bet to Custer, it does. He seemed downright excited as he tackled Nemechek after the race, sending the pair tumbling to the grass. Vengeance is a bitch, and she just might have some bite before their version of the Chase concludes in the truck series. Just ask Joey Logano.

Classic. They have been racing at Richmond since 1953, and the list of the winners there is a smorgasbord of NASCAR history, with all the fixings. It is where three generations of Petty boys have a victory, including 13 by the King himself. Both Earnhardts have won there, with Senior having a 5-3 advantage over Junior. Kyle has a 4-2 lead over Kurt in the battle of the Busch boys. Richmond is where Bobby Allison won seven times, with six wins apiece awarded to David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, and Rusty Wallace.

Sadly, the one-time Capital City 400 sold its soul to Wrangler more than 35 years ago. Since then, the trail has winded through a brewery, a battery outfit, a car manufacturer, to even include a brand of pistachios for a season. A classic event it is not. A classic venue it most certainly is.

Here is hoping for a classic finish. This spring Carl Edwards bumped Kyle Busch out of the way to record the first last-lap pass for the win in Richmond history. Why not another?

September 5, 2016
Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

Who is the greatest country singer ever associated with NASCAR? There has been Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brooks and Dunn, Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, Cledus T. Judd, and lately Blake Shelton. That is a pretty impressive list of talent and it is far from complete. However, there is no question that the King of NASCAR Country was Marty Robbins.

While he is best known for singing White Sport Coat, El Paso, and My Woman, My Woman, My Wife, among his 17 Number One hits and 82 Top 40 entries, Robbins raced. Between 1966 and 1982, he managed to get into 35 Cup events, claiming six Top Tens along the way. He drove them, Hall of Famer Cotton Owens prepared them.

As the boys and girl head to Darlington for the Southern 500, we should remember that the singer once finished seventh in the iconic race back in 1971. A year later, he was ninth again behind the wheel of the No. 42 at the Lady in Black. When you race, you wreck, and he did. A pileup in Talladega in 1974 left him with some 37 stitches in his face. The same year at Charlotte, he deliberately wrecked to avoid a t-bone collision with Richard Childress, some saying the action may well have saved the future Hall of Famer’s life.

He was a legitimate driver. His results were legitimate. Well, all but one. His Talladega result in the spring of 1972 was not. Robbins was disqualified. When they tried to give him rookie honors, he declined, then had the officials check out his carburetor. It was as illegal as it gets. He just wanted to know what it felt like to drive up front with the big boys. I do not believe NASCAR was terribly impressed as they dropped him to 50th. Finishing up front that day was David Pearson, and it marked the debut of one Darrell Waltrip.

This weekend, Darlington features throwback paint schemes for both the XFINITY event as well as the Southern 500. Michigan winner Kyle Larson will be one of a half dozen Cup guys in that Saturday contest. His paint scheme in that race will honor Marty Robbins.

As Chris Buescher attempts to stay in the Chase by keeping ahead of David Ragan in the standings, and while Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray try to protect their own championship hopes, here is a look at whom or what our Hot 20 honor with their paint schemes heading into Sunday’s Southern 500.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (774 Pts)
Original Miller Lite can design of 1972

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (696 Pts)
Dale Jarrett’s No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (799 Pts)
Cale Yarborough and the 1979 Daytona 500

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (724 Pts)
Tony Stewart, who made his debut in 1999

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (691 Pts)
Darrell Waltrip, behind the wheel of the No. 11 from 1981-86

6. JIMMIE JOHNSTON – 2 WINS (648 Pts)
David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt of the late 1970s and early 1980s

7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (633 Pts)
Ricky Rudd’s 1995 Tide ride

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (721 Pts)
The Haas VF-1 vertical machining center, introduced in 1988.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (716 Pts)
Bobby Labonte’s Busch series, Shell-sponsored car of 1996-98

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
Sponsor Auto-Owners Insurance’s 100th anniversary

11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (582 Pts)
Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar history, going back to 1990, with seven championships, 90 wins

12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (420 Pts)
Bobby Allison and his five Southern 500 victories

13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (334 Pts)
Tribute to sponsor Love’s Travel Stops, in its original 1981 colors

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 628 POINTS
NAPA’s delivery trucks of the 1960s

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 622 POINTS
Saluting first Childress win, with Ricky Rudd, in 1983

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 616 POINTS
Bill Elliott in his 1997 colors

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 601 POINTS
Ricky Rudd’s first Childress win of 1983 at Riverside, California

18. KASEY KAHNE – 564 POINTS
Tribute to Terry Labonte and his 1982 J.D. Stacy-sponsored Buick

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 558 POINTS
Mark Martin, 619 Starts, 35 wins in the No. 6 from 1988 to 2006

20. RYAN BLANEY – 545 POINTS
David Pearson’s 43 wins during the 1970s piloting the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers

August 31, 2016
The Final Word – If Buescher was using the good stuff at Michigan, Ford owes him an apology

It is not complicated. Win and you are in the Chase. Do not, and you better be one of the better three of the rest, and even then only one might slip through. At Michigan on Sunday, Kyle Larson punched his ticket with the first Cup win of the 24-year old driver’s career. To say he was pumped would have been an understatement as he jumped into the arms of his crew with checkered flag in hand.

Two races to go, 16 advance, and 13 of the spots have been spoken for. Or is it 12? Maybe 13. That brings us to the curious case for the Chase of Chris Buescher. With just the Penske pairing of Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano locked in, Ford would sure like Buescher to join them. We hear Roush had taken the boy to their bosom, put him in a top notch chassis and gave him the best engines they got. Then the damn thing started sputtering on the fourth lap. The fourth. Maybe the agency should have held out for a Penske adoption.

As mentioned, the other dozen drivers with wins under their belt this season are locked in. After Buescher sputtered his way around to finish seven laps down in 35th position, he used up some of his cushion over David Ragan. Over the season, Ragan is ranked 31st. He is seven points behind the 30th rated Buescher, and if he catches up at Darlington then Buescher’s pass to the Chase due to his Pocono win would get torn up.

Ryan Newman just became a big fan of Ragan. He sits 17th on the season. While he is 27 points behind Michigan runner-up Chase Elliott, 21 off of Austin Dillon’s pace, he does sit just 15 behind bubble boy Jamie McMurray. However, if Buescher loses his ticket, Newman pops up a position to claim it as his own. Of course, he could go to Darlington and win that damn thing and take all the guess work out of it.

Come to think of it, 12 are locked in, four more currently hold a spot, while up to 18 others have at least a mathematical shot at winning and advancing heading into this weekend. They really do. Sure, Newman has better odds than Kasey Kahne, but both are ahead of the likes of Danica Patrick and Clint Bowyer. Yet, all are still in it, if you go by math and ignore reality. I mean, even Brian Scott, with a win and a charge into the Top 30 himself, can still do it.

All it takes is a win. Maybe some rain at the right time. Just ask Chris Buescher. Now, if he could just get his hands on some of the Ford good stuff for Darlington.

August 29, 2016