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Tag: David Ragan

  • 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 – 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.

  • Joey Logano Wins Cheez-It 355 at The Glen; Sweeps Weekend

    Joey Logano Wins Cheez-It 355 at The Glen; Sweeps Weekend

    WATKINS GLEN, NY – The 30th running of the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen is in the books, and yet again, Watkins Glen International has produced an exciting race weekend. The Glen solidified their spot atop the polls after announcing all reserved grandstand tickets for Sunday’s running of the Cheez-It 355 had sold out.

    Watkins Glen International commented on the sell-out, stating, “A reserved grandstand sell-out shows just how dedicated and passionate Watkins Glen International fans are.”

    Dedicated is one way to describe it, as WGI announced earlier in the week that they had created additional campsites to accommodate the enormous demand for camping at the facility.

    Sunday’s Cheez-It 355 at The Glen was as eventful as we’ve seen over recent years at Watkins Glen International. Instead of the large crashes and flared tempers, fans saw a clean race out of some of the top contenders for the championship. The race on Sunday progressed as many recent races at the 2.45-mile road course, with fuel strategy coming into play. This year was different in the sense that there was no caution within the last 20 laps.

    Fast forward through the first five cautions, and you have the top 10 cars stacked up as follows: Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Ragan, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Greg Biffle and Sam Hornish Jr. Final pit stops were made over the course of the final yellow of the afternoon between laps 58 and 60, and the only car with a glimmer of hope to make the finish on fuel was the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford driven by Joey Logano.

    Slowly but surely over the course of the final 20 laps, Logano, followed closely by Kyle Busch, picked their way through the field and into the top five. With seven laps remaining, Logano was shown in second, lurking behind the No. 4 of Kevin Harvick.  Harvick, whose radio chatter was not mentioning anything about having enough fuel to make the finish of the race, sealed the most laps led (29), but would come up short in the end.

    As the laps wound down, radios were full of talk about who could make it, who would be short, and predictions of a late race caution ran rampant. There was no late race caution, and on the final lap it looked like Harvick had done what he needed to to save fuel and stay in the lead, and when Logano overshot turn one, a win for the No. 4 team became all but inevitable.

    The only caveat in the formula for a third victory this season for Harvick was the amount of fuel in his gas tank. Though he had a clear track in front of him and space between him and Logano, Harvick’s luck would run out between turns six and seven when he finally ran out of fuel. Logano made the pass on the outside in turn seven and took the checkered flag for the 10th time in his career.

    Logano was ecstatic in Victory Lane following his sweep of both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series races this weekend at Watkins Glen International.

    “This is the coolest weekend of my life,” Logano exclaimed. “Every driver wants to add a road course victory to their resume. This is a dream come true to win at this place.”

    The win marks Logano’s second victory and 16th top-10 finish in 2015. It was the first time in track history for a driver to sweep both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR XFINITY Series races at Watkins Glen International.

    Kyle Busch, who led once for three laps, finished second in the Cheez-It 355 at The Glen and moved into the top 30 in points, the stipulation for him making the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup.

    “We knew we would be (in the top 30 in points), which is probably a reason we played it safe on the fuel strategy,” Busch said. “I could have had a chance and raced the 22 (Logano), but we wanted to make sure we made it to the end.”

    NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points leader Kevin Harvick, who barely missed the win at the end, had enough fuel to make it to the start-finish line in third.

    “I thought I did a pretty good job of saving fuel,” Harvick explained, “and I was only running as fast as I needed to to stay in the lead. Once the No.22 got to me, I had to pick up the pace a little bit. We were in position for the win, two corners away, but that’s just how the middle of this season has gone for us.”

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series moves on to Michigan International Speedway next weekend for the Pure Michigan 400 on Sunday, August 16.

  • The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    Win and you are in, or so the saying goes. Well, not if it is only your fifth race, 16 events into the season. However, running together a string of 10 straight Top Fifteens or better is easier than taking one of these contests, and Kyle Busch checked that off his “to do” list at Sonoma Sunday.

    A late caution allowed him to swing in for fresh tires that he used to maximum effect as he got by Jimmie Johnson then held off Clint Bowyer and his brother for the victory. It marked his 30th Cup decision, but he now needs to get himself in the Top 30 in the season standings. He currently sits 136 points distant behind Cole Whitt for that final eligible spot where wins matter. Whitt, who has an average finish of just beyond 27th, was 22nd on Sunday, so Busch gained 25 points on the day.

    Brother Kurt was second, and one does wonder just how hard he was trying to break his sibling’s heart. I am sure I know what Kurt would say, but he did not seem terribly broken up by the outcome. Bowyer jumped 25 points ahead of Carl Edwards, in points, but without a win that does not matter. Where it does matter, Clint is just a point behind the equally winless Aric Almirola, and five in arrears of Ryan Newman for the final two Chase places.

    Albert Hammond was prophetic when he sang “It doesn’t rain in California,” so we saw none. What we did see was Casey Mears coming to a halt after a rear tire and attached axle housing broke free and outpaced him down the track. We saw Martin Truex Jr. force David Ragan wide into the dirt, but a small nudge later and it was Truex heading into the tires along the fence. Later, Edwards tried to avoid going off the track, nudged Ragan, and both of them found the fence. Carl was literally left sitting in 40th place.

    Jeff Gordon came in to have a spring rubber removed. That takes time, and it is quicker for a crewman to toss it over the car and over the wall. Too bad NASCAR has a thing about that, so instead of re-starting 26th, he was 28th, but 36th on the track at the end of the longest line. Sixteenth was his fate. Matt Kenseth had a flat that turned into a departing carcass, but no caution, as he hit the pits and his day did the same, landing him in 21st. A.J. Allmendinger was strong early, but a fuel pressure problem crippled his day to leave him 37th.

    Some seem to do well no matter what. Kevin Harvick was fourth, which is not a surprise, except for the disastrous pit stop that saw the jack come down before his left rear was even placed on the car. The end of hope for some, a beginning of a challenge for others, it would seem.

    Ten races are left before the Chase positions are decided, with six of the 16 current position holders still winless, facing various degrees of vulnerability. With Kyle’s win, 32 drivers are still in the hunt, including Justin Allgaier, himself just a point behind Whitt in the rankings. A win at Daytona next Sunday would sure be sweet.

    Last weekend marked the end of the NASCAR season on FOX, with Larry McReynolds leaving the announce booth in favor of Jeff Gordon when they return next February. That ends a 15-year partnership with Mike and Darrell. Personally, I think the wrong guy is leaving to join Michael Waltrip and Chris Myers down in the studio, but I do not make these Boogity-Boogity-Boogity decisions. Next week, NBC arrives back on the scene with Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton doing the honors.

    At Daytona, we wait to see if we have a repeat winner or a new kid in the mix. We will see how the battle settles between Newman, Almirola and Bowyer for the final spots on points. We will watch how Kyle does in relation to Whitt and Allgaier. We will listen and watch, and no doubt evaluate, the new television crew. Finally, it is Daytona in the summer. What else do you need to tune in?

  • David Ragan Road Rallies for LuMind Foundation

    David Ragan Road Rallies for LuMind Foundation

    In spite of all the changes in his life on the track, NASCAR driver David Ragan’s commitment off the track to raising money for the LuMind Research Down Syndrome Foundation has remained steadfast.

    So, on July 6th through July 8th, Ragan will jump out of his Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine and into his road rally car to raise funds and awareness for Down Syndrome cognition research.

    This is the second year of the event, which features teams of decaled cars making ‘pit stops’ at various places, from its beginning at Darlington Raceway and Museum in South Carolina to the finish at various race shops in Charlotte, North Carolina.

    “It obviously was a great event last year so this will be the second annual event,” Ragan said. “It was such a success and everyone had such a good time that the LuMind Foundation decided to do it again in the southeast region. The participants really enjoyed learning about the history of NASCAR, spending time with some of the Hall of Famers, and it was a great chance to introduce people to the sport while raising some money for the Down Syndrome community.”

    While some of the teams may be repeats from the first annual event, there are also newbies who will be taking on the road rally challenge, including Ragan’s new race family at Michael Waltrip Racing.

    “We have some of the same people coming back for the second year, but we also have quite a few new people,” Ragan said. “I would say so far half to three-quarters of the ones who raced last year are coming back again. Then some folks that couldn’t make it last year are making it part of their schedule.

    “We try to keep it at that 20 to 25 team number. That’s a good number to visit the stops and travel in a decent manner.

    “They are starting at Darlington Speedway this year, with a tour of the race track and the museum there. Then they are going to Charlotte. There are a few of the same stops as last year, like Charlotte Motor Speedway, the Richard Childress Race shop and Hendrick Motorsports, but we added a few more new ones like Michael Waltrip Racing and the Go Pro Motorsports complex in Mooresville and the pit stop school in Mooresville as well.

    “The folks at MWR have been so accommodating with this. It all starts from the top and Michael certainly understands the relationship that we have with the fans. So, he goes above and beyond to accommodate any fan that comes to our shop like this.

    “The folks at Aaron’s have also been very good to work with as well. At Michael Waltrip Racing they are going to be checking things out at the shop, learning more about my new team and then they will have a short break there before heading to the Go Pro Motorsports complex.”

    Unfortunately, Ragan himself will have to interrupt his road rally schedule due to additional testing at Kentucky Speedway for the new rules package. But he will get by with a little help from his friends and family.

    “I’m going to have to miss that stop at MWR to test so some of our team and maybe my father will show everyone around,” Ragan said. “I’ve got a few teams myself with some friends and I’ll stop along the way and visit to have some fun with the group.

    “It certainly is a family affair. My mom, my father, and my older brother Adam, who has Down Syndrome, have a team representing Georgia and we have a team representing the Ragan part of North Carolina. Racing is in our blood but being a part of the Race for Research is a lot of fun and something my brother looks forward to.

    “There may be a little rivalry as far as raising the most funds. I’ve got a few more fans on my Facebook page and through Twitter so I may have a bit of an advantage there. But my Dad’s pretty savvy with all the NASCAR-related history so it should be a fun event.”

    Ragan is also passionate about the Race for Research Road Rally because he sees the need on a daily basis, as well as the need to call more attention to those impacted by Down Syndrome and their families.

    “There are a lot of charitable events in the NASCAR community that get a lot of attention,” Ragan said. “That says a lot about the NASCAR family because there are so many charities that are close to the hearts of drivers, race team owners and sponsors.

    “But they all rally around and anytime we ask for donations or visiting some of the shops, everyone is so accommodating. We’re all grateful that we are healthy enough to pursue our racing dreams all around the country so we enjoy giving back.

    “And the Down Syndrome community is something that is important to me because my older brother is affected. There are a lot of other families, whether at other shops, those that work for NASCAR, and even in the media group that are impacted by Down Syndrome. Once you start talking about it, a lot of people come out of the woodwork that are in the same boat as we are.”

    When the checkered flag flies on the final stop in the road rally, Ragan hopes that he will have accomplished his goals of raising dollars and awareness, as well as helping NASCAR fans have fun.

    “I’m hoping we can raise awareness and money for research for young kids and adults who have Down Syndrome,” Ragan said. “At the end of the day, this impacts so many families. It doesn’t get the notice or mentions that a lot of other disabilities get.

    “So, if we could just create an awareness and certainly some money to fund research, that is my number one goal. We achieved that last year, having raised over $100,000 which was a great amount. But we also raised awareness with folks that may not know or understand what the Down Syndrome community experiences. And that’s a great thing.

    “We hope that fans will check out the LuMindRaceforResearch.org website to learn more, make a general donation or donate to their favorite road rally team.

    “Just look into it, have some fun and if you are a NASCAR fan, it’s a great opportunity to get some behind the scenes visits to your favorite race shop or race track.”

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Michigan Quicken Loans 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Michigan Quicken Loans 400

    In a day of fits and starts, drops and stops, here is what else was surprising and not surprising in the 47th annual Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

    Surprising:  In spite of the race being rain-shortened, there were some interesting stats and history achieved for at least two of the drivers.

    First, Kurt Busch notched his second win of the season and now has achieved his first multi-win season since 2011. And even more impressive was that Busch scored that win in a backup car to boot.

    “It was a fantastic group effort,” Busch said  “to be able to pull the backup car out and to have it as prepared as it was and then to have the extra work that went into it. All the crew members that Tony Gibson leads rolled up their sleeves, jumped right on in it, and we made it a race-winning backup car.”

    “Excellent pit stops, excellent team chemistry. This is what it’s all about and anytime you win a second race, it really gives you that stamp on you’re in the Chase, now let’s work through these summer months to continue to make the team better.”

    Second, Martin Truex Jr. made history with his third place run in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet. He became the first racer to score 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races since Richard Petty accomplished the feat 46 years ago in 1969.

    “Really proud to have my name mentioned next to Richard Petty,” Truex said. “The King is pretty special and I am so thankful for my team and what they’ve done this year. Hopefully, we’ll keep this thing rolling.”

    Not Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was up on the box and working the bar to take his fan- designed paint schemed No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet to the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Junior stayed on the pit box during the rain delays talking strategy with his crew chief Greg Ives, while also working the track bar throughout the race to gain positions.

    “We had a real good car that was really fast on the long runs,” Junior said. “The No. 41 (Kurt Busch) and a couple of guys were faster than us the first 10 or 15 laps of a run.  But then I could get my car really fast and I could work my trackbar and pass a lot of cars.”

    “I was able to work that trackbar and pass a lot of cars and go forward instead of being just kind of stuck where I was.”

    This was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 13th top-10 finish in 32 races at Michigan and his ninth top-10 finish for the season.

    Surprising:  Kyle Busch took a surprisingly hard hit right into the wall and safer barrier, one that was so hard that his brother Kurt asked his spotter to find out if Kyle was okay. And after the high of winning the Xfinity Series race the day before, Kyle Busch finished dead last in his No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota.

    With that finish, Busch remained 39th in points, nine away from being able to qualify for the Chase if he secured a win as well.

    Not Surprising:  Both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon were bit by problems in the pits involving tires. Harvick had a reoccurrence of a tire valve stem breaking and Gordon had to return to pit road to attend to missing lug nuts.

    Gordon finished 21st in his No. 24 Panasonic Chevrolet while Harvick took the checkered flag in his No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet in the 29th spot. Harvick, however, managed to stay in the point leads, currently 15 points ahead of Truex, while Gordon held onto his 10th place position.

    “We had an awesome Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet today,” Harvick said. “But we had some unfortunate luck.”

    Gordon summed it up by saying “We have not had the best of days.”

    Surprising:  Trevor Bayne had the time of his life at Michigan, scoring his best finish of the season in ninth place and leading the pack of Roush Fenway racers.

    “I feel like this was a really solid weekend for this No. 6 AdvoCare team,” said Bayne after the race. “We qualified inside the top-20 and made really good gains on the car throughout practice. We had a good car today that had good speed all race long.”

    “It’s great to come home with a top-10 finish. (Crew chief) Bob (Osborne) made a great pit call and we were able to catch a break with that caution. This feels great.”

    Not Surprising:  Luck was not a lady to either David Ragan or Kyle Larson, both of whom were in full gambling mode. Ragan finished 35th after gambling to get a lap back with pit strategy and Larson finished 17th after gambling on fuel hoping the rains would come.

    “Our Aaron’s Dream Machine was decent today but got down a lap there about halfway through the race,” Ragan, behind the wheel of the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine with a new crew chief on board, said. “We gambled to get that lap back and the caution flag flew about a lap after we pitted.”

    “We were obviously better than where we finished. We just rolled the dice and luck wasn’t on our side today.”

    “Yeah, we could see weather coming there off of (Turn) 4 and just praying that it would get here in time for me to stay out and be in the lead when the rain did hit,” Larson, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet said. “Hey, I applaud my guys for trying.”

    “We are pretty deep in points so we have to take risks like that to make the Chase.  I’m happy with the call, just wish the rain would have come three laps sooner.”

    Surprising:  Ty Dillon, an interloper in the Cup Series, ran better than his brother Austin, a Cup regular, finishing 14th to his brother’s 20th place finish.

    Not Surprising:  Camry driver Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, was the top-finishing Toyota driver He also led the race twice for a total of three laps (of 138).

    “We had a really good Dollar General Camry, it was frustrating when you run all those laps under yellow,” Kenseth said. “Once we got rolling there we had a good car. We got real loose in the second to last run and we just weren’t able to adjust on it. Just didn’t have enough laps.”

    “I thought we could have got to at least second with another seven or eight laps – the rain just came a little too early.”

    Surprising:  Jimmie Johnson was the biggest loser in the point standings, falling two spots to the fifth position. Johnson fought an ill-handling No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet all day and struggled in the pits as well.

    Not Surprising:  Team Penske was again the highest scoring Ford, with Joey Logano in fifth and Brad Keselowski in the sixth spot. And although both had to overcome challenges, they were still disappointed that they did not have a chance to better their results.

    “It was a tough day but we got a good finish out of it,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said. “I felt like we were kind of stuck back in traffic a lot of the race and couldn’t get good restarts in the beginning of the day and kept losing spots.”

    “That was frustrating. The car was loose. We made some good adjustments and got off the majority strategy which played right where we wanted to when the caution came out by staying out and getting a longer run on fuel. The last restart we lost a couple spots unfortunately.”

    “I feel like overall it a good day considering how everything went and starting 11th which wasn’t very good.”

    “I am disappointed because the Miller Lite Ford Fusion was getting better with each run,” the driver of the Miller Lite Ford said. “We were starting to get it where we needed to be when that last big rain came through and I would have loved to see what we had for the final stretch.”

    Surprising: Danica Patrick used her time in between rain drops to plot strategy with her crew chief which allowed her to lead a few laps as well as bring her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet home in the 16th position.

    “The car was completely sideways early in the race,” Patrick said. “Daniel (Knost, crew chief) and I were able to sit down during all of the rain delays and talk through the adjustments we needed to make to help the car handle better.”

    “Then he made the call to pit for fuel early in the race, and that put us in a position to stay out and take the wave-around there at the end and get a solid finish out of the day.”

    Not Surprising: After the race being delayed by rain a total of four times with the final red flag on lap 138 resulting in the official end of the scheduled 200-lap event, it was no wonder that one driver had just about had it.

    We really fought clean air versus dirty air with the car doing completely different things so it was a struggle as far as which one to adjust on,” Brett Moffitt, driver of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford, said after finishing 33rd as the highest rookie. “That second run we ended up pretty good and got good track position. We tried to play the fuel strategy game to beat the weather but it didn’t work out for us.”

    “It would have been good to get it going but it has been a long day for everybody here. I think everyone is glad this is the end of it.”

    The Cup Series will take a break for Father’s Day and will reconvene on the road course of Sonoma on June 28th.

    And to all the dads out there, salud and Happy Father’s Day!

     

  • Chris Buescher Ready to Conquer Monster Mile Thanks to Family and Friends

    Chris Buescher Ready to Conquer Monster Mile Thanks to Family and Friends

    Chris Buescher, driver of the No. 60 Ford for Roush Fenway Racing and current leader of the point standings in the XFINITY Series, is ready to take on the Monster Mile this weekend in Dover, Delaware. But he does so only with a little help from his family and friends.

    “Dad was really the guy who got me into racing first of all,” Buescher said. “He was never in racing himself but he was a fan and went to races in Daytona and at Texas Motor Speedway. He was always a hot rod guy, working on something in the garage.”

    “So I would always try to go out there and help, although I think by helping I probably slowed him down more than anything.”

    “That’s how we got started,” Buescher continued. “We got into motorcycles, Bandoleros which is kind of a strange way to come into racing because most guys go the go-kart route. We had a motocross track about 45 minutes from us in Texas so it made sense to try it.”

    “We went out there on weekends when I was 6 to 9 years old. It was pretty cool loading up the back of the truck, go racing and see what happens. I had a really good time with it. Then I flipped over the handlebars, got run over by a kid at one of the races that my mom came to and that kind of nixed that program. She was over it.”

    “That’s when I got into Bandoleros and Legend cars, with four tires, roll cages and seat belts. We convinced Mom that was safer. We did that for several years, three years in Bandoleros. In the Legend cars, we really started traveling quite a bit all over the East coast. Dad would come out, work in the shop and spectate.”

    “A lot of it, my Dad was able to come to, especially early on. Then our crew chief Michael took care of things during the week while Dad was at work. I’d get out of school early on Friday and ride with him to wherever we were racing and then Dad would fly in for weekends if we were on the East coast.”

    “But it got to be with Dad’s work that it was a little harder for him to make every race. So, he had to spread them out a little bit more.”

    “It’s the same way now because Mom and Dad started their own company a couple years ago and are trying to get that up and running. So, they don’t get to make it to many races anymore. They are trying to do better this year so we’ve seen them about two or three times so far, most recently in Charlotte.”

    “My Dad really has been the guy that has been my role model coming up.”

    In addition to his family, Buescher also acknowledged that he has gotten some help from some important friends in his racing career, especially from Cup Series driver David Ragan.

    “The whole Ragan family was really a huge help for me coming up,” Buescher said. “When I was thirteen years old and coming up to around fifteen years old racing Legend cars, Ken Ragan, David’s father, was doing the 600 Series and I got to know him.”

    “David was just getting his feet wet in a Roush truck. We got to be good friends and we saw how he was progressing. It got to the point where Ken felt that David was making it in his career and was moving forward. He told me if I could commit to moving out to North Carolina that he would help me do the same.”

    “Mom and Dad couldn’t move out to Charlotte. I have two little sisters at home and they are very involved in school and gymnastics. So, Ken said I should move in where David moved out and he would take care of me.”

    “So, with Ken, Beverly and Adam, they helped me get hooked up with Roush. I worked in David’s shop for a couple of years before I was able to work at Roush.”

    “I still talk to David a lot, especially when the 34 Cup deal came about. I was able to talk to him about that and run through what his thoughts were on it.”

    “It’s been a great relationship and I owe them everything.”

    Buescher has also found help from his crew chief, pit crew and race team as he gets set to tame Miles the Monster for the Dover race weekend.

    “The relationship has gotten a lot better with my team,” Buescher said. “It was never bad, but last year, everyone was new. Everybody had come from different teams and shops and organizations. It was kind of a mix and match crew.”

    “Everyone has worked really hard together and we’re getting to the point where everyone understands each other, knows their jobs and are doing them effectively and efficiently. It’s gone really well.”

    “Scott (Graves, crew chief) has done a great job this season,” Buescher continued. “He is kind of quiet like me and we work really well, keep quiet on the radio and get a lot done. At the end of last year, I felt like we finally found a bit of momentum.”

    “Unfortunately, Homestead was the last race and I didn’t want it to be the last one. So, we wanted to build off that momentum and we have done just that. We fired off really well and the team has done a nice job every week to make sure that we have fast Fords and that they stay together.”

    “Our pit crew has been doing an amazing job and ripping off great stops,” Buescher said. “They have been at least keeping us even or gaining every time we hit pit road. So, that’s been a huge part of it, making sure we don’t give up anything on pit road.”

    “And then when they gain in a time when track position is so important, that’s huge. So, we owe them some props as well.”

    So, what does the young racer think of the Monster Mile and what are his predictions for the upcoming XFINITY race?

    “This is one of those places that is like Darlington because you have to race the race track first,” Buescher said. “That’s something you have to keep in mind. You will race other guys as you get to them, but you always have to keep in mind that you are racing the track.”

    “The first race last year, we just about wrecked down the back stretch with me being too aggressive too early. That took a year or two off my life as close as that one was.”

    “It’s patience here at Dover but at the same time you have to be aggressive. You have to hit your spots early and the restarts are very important. The line you end up in for the restart will also be very important and maybe even more important than ever before.”

    “At the end of this race weekend, honestly I feel like we have a chance to win this race,” Buescher said. “This could easily be a top-five race for us. Our Bristol program, Iowa program were good and what we ran fourth with at the last Dover race were all good.”

    “I’ve no doubt we will be a contender but we will have to find ourselves at the race place at the right time.”

    Thanks to the help and support that he has received from family and friends, Buescher also has his eyes not only on a win at Dover but also on the ultimate prize.

    “We’ve been able to hang onto the points lead and we are making good progress toward a championship run,” Buescher said. “Our stuff has been good and for the most part, we’ve been in the hunt.”

    “The top fives have been racking up and as long as we can stay there, we can get wins,” Buescher continued. “It’s early to talk about points and I’m not particularly a points racer but I do realize the significance of it and how much it would mean to our team, to the Roush Fenway organization and to myself to win that championship.”

    “So, we are going to keep it in our mind for sure and hope to be there at the end.  We’re winning races, running really well and we know with that, everything else will come.”

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Coke 600

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Coke 600

    With every driver well-versed on the name of the soldier memorialized on each car, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 56th annual Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Surprising: While there was a plethora of doubling down at the Coke 600, most of the results were not so positive. Jeff Gordon, for one, did his own version of the double, piloting the pace car for the Indy 500 before the NASCAR race.

    “To come down that front straightaway the first time and hear that crowd cheering for the cars, the drivers, and this amazing event …to be able to hear that from inside the pace car with the windows down is just amazing,” Gordon said. “Not to mention that the pace car has to get after it pretty good out here because that last lap is 100 mph and through the corners, maintaining that is something.

    “So that was definitely cool. A huge thrill and a huge honor.”

    Unfortunately, Gordon did not have a positive result after his double down as he finished a disappointing 15th place in NASCAR’s longest race of the season with an ill-handling race car.

    Gordon’s teammate Jimmie Johnson also did his own version of the double, which was not positive twice over. The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Patriotic Chevrolet spun twice to finish 40th at a track where he has traditionally performed so well.

    “We just had a really loose racecar,” Johnson said. “We came in with an aggressive mindset to bring an aggressive set-up in the car, drive aggressively and take chances. We said we were going to come in and swing for the fences. We did and I hit the fence.”

    The only successful double down was achieved by none other than Landon Cassill, who finished the Coke 600 in the 39th spot but then ran from Charlotte Motor Speedway to the NASCAR Hall of Fame.

    Here is what Cassill tweeted in the wee hours of the morning after finishing his 14 mile run. “Made it! What a long day. 13.92mi 1:41:49 7:19/mi

    “Made it! What a long day. 13.92mi 1:41:49 7:19/mi avg bpm 155. Thanks @snapfitness and @NASCARHall for tagging along!”

    Not Surprising: The best quote of the long race day into night was, “Is the race over yet?” It was no wonder that Carl Edwards asked that question of his team in what seemed to be a never-ending fuel mileage race to the checkered flag.

    “This one feels different,” Edwards said after getting confirmation that the race was indeed over and he had won. “I don’t know how to explain it other than to just say that it’s a big relief, and more than that, it’s just a big opportunity.

    “Now we can go and just become better, and that’s what we need.”

    Surprising: While Kyle Busch returned to the track for the first points paying race after his injuries from a Daytona crash, teammate Denny Hamlin suffered his own medical issues in the car. Hamlin, who had played 36 holes of golf and a game of tennis prior to the race, suffered a bad headache and dehydration after the race.

    “Probably overdid it a little bit this weekend,” Hamlin said. “I think the dehydration led to a migraine and just felt nauseous the last 100 laps or so.”

    “I feel pretty good. All in all, I felt like that was a great race for us,” Busch said. “I admit I’ve probably got a little left foot soreness, but other than that, everything is pretty hunky‑dory.”

    Hamlin finished eighth while Busch finished 11th.

    Not Surprising: Given that it was the longest race of the season, it was no wonder that at least two engines expired, one of young Ryan Blaney in the Wood Brothers No. 21 and the other of David Ragan with Michael Waltrip Racing.

    “We were fighting hard to get back on the lead lap and looks like something happened engine related – we got really, really hot and something happened internally,” Ragan said. “Disappointed that we had a lot better race car, but saw some encouraging signs that we had some speed in qualifying and the race as well, but we just need to put a race all together.”

    “We, unfortunately, had an engine problem,” Blaney said. ”It was really unfortunate. It sputtered and started to go maybe half a lap before and then it really went up. I didn’t expect it to really explode like that.”

    Surprising: Greg Biffle celebrated his 450th start with a stellar finish, taking his No. 16 Ortho Ford to the finish line in the runner-up position.

    “I’m really excited for the team and the organization,” Biffle said. “We’ve been working really, really hard on our cars. It’s been well documented how bad we’ve been running, so it feels good.”

    Not Surprising: While Martin Truex Jr. has been knocking on the door of his first win of the season, having the fastest car in the last two races, fuel mileage bit him yet again, resulting in a fifth place finish.

    “We had a very fast car all night,” Truex said. “It really hurts knowing that you had the fastest car and didn’t win. I don’t know what to do about fuel mileage races. I’ve never ever in my entire career come out on the right end of them.”

    Surprising: Even with a third place finish, NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was disappointed by not winning a race near and dear to his heart.

    “We’ve got a win so it doesn’t really matter,” the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet said. “We would like to win more races. I want to win this one. I don’t know how many more chances I will get at it.”

    Not Surprising: The fragmentation of the Stewart-Haas Race team continued, with Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch finishing ninth and 10th, while teammates Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick finished 21st and 22nd respectively.

    “It was a really frustrating night,” Patrick said. “The car just felt like it was dragging down the straightaways. It’s the most frustrating thing in the world when you see everyone drive past you, but we dug deep and did our best to get everything we could out of the car.”

    Surprising: Team Penske did not quite have the race that they wanted, with Brad Keselowski finishing seventh and Joey Logano finishing 13th. Both not only struggled with their cars, but Keselowski even struggled with the heat.

    “It was a long race. I hate to see it come down to fuel mileage, but that’s part of the game too,” Keselowski said. “It was hot. I burned my foot and didn’t feel good, but it’s a tough race. I gave it all I had and felt good about the effort we gave.”

    “The sun started going down and our car was not good. Nothing got better,” Logano said. “We went one way with something and went back the other way and nothing.

    “There was never one good thing about the car. Usually you at least get a good exit or a good center and I was just fighting way too much stuff.”

    Not Surprising: Brett Moffitt in his No. 34 CSX “Play It Safe” Ford was the highest finishing rookie, taking the final lap in the 31st spot.

    “It was a long race, that’s for sure,” Moffitt said. “In the middle of the race, we got the CSX Ford running pretty good. We just got stuck a couple laps down and could never get them back. Cautions weren’t falling in our favor, so we didn’t get any extra help there. But we learned a lot and we’re thankful to CSX for the support.”

    The Cup Series moves up the east coast to the Monster Mile for the next race, the 46th Annual FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway.

     

  • The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    The Final Word – A fine weekend at Kansas might be a prelude to a similar fine time in Charlotte

    It was a fine weekend. Sure, you may think I say that due to Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhard, Jr. and Jeff Gordon coming across the line in that order in Kansas. Okay, there might be some truth in that.

    Our family got together to celebrate a 3-year-old’s birthday, and that was fun. We visited with my mother in her big day on Sunday. I did not actually get to watch the race until about 1:30 in the dark on Sunday morning, thus the rain delay lasted only minutes for me. That was a very good thing. Oh, did I mention the finish?

    This is not to say a good time was had by all. Joey Logano had a hard-charging entry, but a couple of miscues on pit road left him continually having to come back through the field. He got as far as fifth before time ran out. Not bad, but he could have had more.

    For some, running in the Top 30 is a big deal, as it turned out to be for the likes of Michael Annett, Matt DiBenedetto, Ty Dillon, Josh Wise and Landon Cassill. Not Top 20’s, grant you, but good enough for a moral victory of sorts.

    Danica Patrick was a Top 30 car, but 27th is nothing to brag about, especially now that she has tumbled out of a Chase place. Yet, it was better than the days barely tolerated by some others. Trevor Bayne is with Roush-Fenway, a good place from which to race, one would think. Not if 31st is your fate. David Ragan went to MWR, but after a trip through the mud he wallowed in 33rd. Tony Stewart? Well, he looked good early, then he checked up to avoid a mishap ahead of him. Too bad Brett Moffitt did not. He ran into Tony, who then hit the wall, and any hope for a good day went up in…er…smoke. Thirty-ninth is not what he needed.

    Another great day for Hendrick, with a winner and two more in the Top Five, with Kasey Kahne back in 17th. Stewart-Haas had a couple up front, with Kurt Busch getting a Top Ten, while the other two were deep in the woods. Penske had a pair of Top Tens, Matt Kenseth was sixth for Gibbs but Carl Edwards had to be content with 20th. Erik Jones looked great in his debut, at least until he lost it late to kill the car against the fence, while Denny Hamlin’s car went for junk late as the latter pair finished 40th and 41st.

    Another very competitive day for Furniture Row’s Martin Truex Jr., though he had to settle for ninth in the end, yet only trails Harvick in points garnered. That elusive win does not seem too far off. As for Roush Fenway, Greg Biffle was 12th. The rest were outside the Top Twenty. In fact, not a one of them can be found amongst the Top Twenty in the season standings. They can only dream of being as good as Danica, and that is not saying much.

    This Saturday, it’s on to Charlotte and the All-Star race. Winners since the 2014 Daytona 500 right through to Kansas are eligible to run, along with all previous All-Star winners still running full-time, the top two from the preliminary showdown earlier Saturday, and a fan vote for a favorite. Last year, Josh Wise was the beneficiary of a social media campaign, which he no doubt thought was great, though I thought was rather stupid and undeserving. Then again, what do I know?

    Well, I do know I’ll be watching to see if Mr. Johnson can win again at Charlotte and take his fifth classic. Maybe Harvick will be up there. Maybe Junior. Hasn’t Gordon won this three times? Come to think of it, a repeat of last weekend this upcoming weekend might be rather fine.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: SpongeBob SquarePants 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: SpongeBob SquarePants 400

    With the hopes of attracting a younger crowd to the sport with appearances by Squidward Tentacles, Larry the Lobster, and Patrick Star, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 5th annual SpongeBob SquarePants 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Surprising: Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick continued to host their own version of a swap meet, trading wins and runner-up finishes back and forth yet again. This time, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet took the checkered flag first, with the driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet scoring runner-up honors.

    Harvick and Johnson have been having such a swap meet that in the races where Harvick has finished second, Johnson has won each race.

    “We won a championship on pit calls and tires, and everything fell our way,” Harvick said. “We’ve had a lot of things go our way, and we’ve had a lot of things work out, and running up front and having a chance to win, it’s almost harder to win the races when you’re leading races, because you’ve got guys that are a little off pace, like the first four were that stayed out, hoping that they could get a good restart and get the clean air and their car would hold on just long enough to get the win.”

    “It’s no frustration, just keep going at it.”

    “I still think he’s the car to beat right now,” Johnson said of Harvick. “We’re finding ways to win races, but I just think that they have a bit more control of their own destiny right now. We’re getting better. We’re closing the gap a little bit each week. But we’ve still got a little bit of work to do.”

    Not Surprising: In spite of not taking home the trophy, Martin Truex Jr. kept his chin up, noting that in addition to scoring his tenth top-10 finish in 11 races and maintaining his second place in the point standings, he took another step forward toward his Victory Lane goal.

    “I felt like tonight we kind of gained a big step in speed, and hopefully that’s something that will continue,” Truex said. “We brought a new car here this weekend and it’s kind of the newest and latest and greatest that we’ve come up with and definitely feel like we closed that gap a little bit.”

    “We’ll just have to wait and see if that plays out on other racetracks, but felt like if we can keep doing that and keep finding little things here and there to close that gap and keep being consistent putting ourselves in position I feel like we can win some races.”

    “We’ve got a great team, we’ve got everything we need to do it, and we’ve got a lot of confidence, so we’ve just got to keep getting in that position and try to close the deal.”

    Surprising: With a new crew chief on board, Bono Manion now in for Drew Blickensderfer, Sam Hornish Jr. fared a little better than usual on the intermediate track of Kansas.

    “We had a good car and we took two there at the end,” the driver of the No. 9 Medallion Bank Ford said. “I was a little scared to adjust on it because it had felt good where it was at and we were a little on the free side and I didn’t want to free it up too much.”

    “It ended up being too tight and the guys did a great job making good calls to get the car better and the pit crew did a good job.”

    “It is something to build on and a big improvement for us as far as our downforce racing this year. I am appreciative to have a run like we did.”

    Not Surprising: For the second time in as many races, a driver took NASCAR to task for not throwing the caution. Last race at Talladega, it was Carl Edwards expressing his concern about the lack of caution after wrecking and this race it was Denny Hamlin voicing the same.

    “There was no caution there and then we cut a left rear, blew it off of turn four and spun out, hit the wall at the start finish line,” Hamlin said. “I keep spinning out, I keep hitting the wall and I can’t figure out why everyone is still coming at 200 and I look and the green light is still on.”

    “They didn’t throw a caution until seven seconds after I wrecked. Luckily nobody hit us. They’ll continue to monitor the situation, I’m guessing is what they’ll say.”

    The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Toyota finished a disappointing 41st.

    Surprising: ‘New’ drivers David Ragan, this week for the first time in the No. 55 SquarePants/Aaron’s Dream Machine for Michael Waltrip Racing, and Erik Jones, making his Sprint Cup debut in the No. 18 Red Nose Day Camry subbing for Kyle Busch, both had difficult days.

    Ragan finished 33rd and Jones finished 40th after being involved in accidents later in the race.

    “It’s definitely nice to be as fast as we were and we had a great M&M’s Camry, but I just got loose off (turn) four and lost it,” Jones said. “All my fault, guess I have to go back and figure it out. You know, we had a good night before that.”

    “Something to take from it. I’m ready to do another one — I hope I get another shot.”

    Not Surprising: As has occurred at most intermediate tracks to date, Chevrolet was the dominant manufacturer, scoring the first four spots in the finishing order. In addition to Johnson winning and Harvick scoring runner-up, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Talladega race winner, and Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon finished in the third and fourth places respectively.

    Surprising: Drivers in contention for Rookie of the Year honors finished surprisingly badly. Jeb Burton, leading ROTY candidate had all kinds of problems, wrecking and spinning his No. 26 Maxim Fantasy Sports Toyota.

    Brett Moffitt, behind the wheel of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford was the highest finishing rookie in 34th.

    Not Surprising: At least one NASCAR driver has finally found a home after moving from team to team and even out of the sport at one point in his career. Prior to the race, JTG Daugherty Racing announced the AJ Allmendinger would continue as the team’s driver for five more years.

    “I have always said I have a verbal lifetime contract with JTG Daugherty Racing, but I want to announce today that I have officially signed a contract for a five-year deal,” Allmendinger said. “It’s pretty awesome to see our team thriving and I love our sponsors.”

    They allow me to do what I love to do. I know Tad (Geschickter, team owner) has busted his butt to put all of this together and he has the business model figured out.”

    Allmendinger scored a good run after announcing his new deal, finishing 14th in his No. 47 Dillon’s/Scott Products Chevrolet.

    Surprising: There was some pride brewing on behalf of at least one of the Roush Fenway teams. Greg Biffle, in his No. 16 Cheez-It SpongeBob SquarePants Ford, finished in the 12th position, a definite improvement and step in the right direction.

    “I am really proud of the 16 team,” Biffle said. “We kept adjusting on the car as the night went on and we were able to come home 12th.”

    “We just missed out on the top-10, which is an improvement from where we have been lately, so that is a good sign. We just have to keep working on it and I know they guys will.”

    “It is a little bit of momentum in the right direction, so we will take it and move on to Charlotte.”

    Not Surprising: Kurt Busch finished where he started, both in the eighth spot in his No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet. This was also the eighth straight race this season where Busch finished top-15.

    “The Haas Automation Chevy had its fast moments and then it had its loose moments,” Busch said. “We hung onto it most of the night with making her pretty wide on the front straightaway and in the corners.”

    “Eighth place is good. It’s something to build on. When we come back here in the Chase, it’s great to have these notes and to go from this point forward.”

    “We could contend early, and then when the pace picked up, we got too loose. So we’ve got to work on that.”

    The Cup Series will next head to Charlotte Motor Speedway for the Sprint Showdown and the All Star Race weekend.