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Tag: Denny Hamlin

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

    The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

    With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

    Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

    As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
    Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
    Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
    Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
    A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
    Well, Michigan sure sucked.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
    Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
    His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
    Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
    Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
    The lad likes to get down and dirty.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
    Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
    Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
    Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
    Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
    Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
    Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
    Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.

  • The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    The Final Word – Kevin Harvick dominated the race at Michigan, Keelan dominated after that

    Domination and elimination was the story from Michigan on Sunday afternoon. Kevin Harvick dominated and eliminated everyone else from view. He dominated the opening stage. He overcame another pit road miscue that cost him five spots between stages, but he eliminated the danger to come back to claim that, too. As for the money run, he cashed in big time to eliminate everyone else from the storyline. Well, everyone but one. I’ll get to him in a moment.

    Denny Hamlin started on the pole, but he was eliminated from our consciousness despite finishing eighth. Kyle Busch was beside him at the start, but he did not matter for the most part despite finishing third. Harvick at least was gracious enough to allow both of his main rivals some cameo time up front. Martin Truex Jr. seemed eliminated only to rise again and then get stomped right back down. William Byron spun him out in the opening stage. Truex came back, led a bit but ran out of fuel near the end of the second. He came in while the pits were closed for a penalty. A tire was left unattended, and he got tagged with another. Truex finished 14th.

    In the middle frame, Chase Elliott was eliminated from contention when he had to come in early due to a loose tire. He finished ninth. Kyle Larson also had a tire issue and he also had to pit early. That helped eliminate him from contention, wrapping up the day in 17th. For Erik Jones, it was one damn thing after another. A spin early in the opening stage, only to get spun by Ryan Blaney in the second, and he came home in 13th.

    Brad Keselowski finished second, but few noticed. Austin Dillon did get noticed, having his first quality result since winning the Daytona 500. He picked up a flat tire on the final lap, yet still brought the car across the line in fourth. At least somebody other than someone named Harvick had a notable day.

    Harvick won his seventh of the season, the 44th of his career to tie Bill Elliott on the all-time list, yet even he got eliminated from consideration as the most talked about Harvick out there. When it came to post-race activities, it was six-year-old Keelan Harvick who dominated.

    Dad might have tons of charisma, but the son won in that category walking away. Literally. With the winning car parked on the finish line, Keelan was brought out to walk across the track to fetch the checkered flag. Then Dad put the lad on the passenger side of the car and, with the boy waving the checkers out the window, they drove together to Victory Lane. When the suds were done being splashed, Keelan was taken out of the car and handed a bottle of water to celebrate. He did, splashing dad’s public relations guy Josh Jones from stem to stern, much to the delight of Kevin’s crew chief Rodney Childers and all those watching, including young Keelan himself. Dad won the race, the son continued to win our hearts.

    It was a race to watch, again thanks to NBC. The commentary, the chemistry, the insight, and the pure entertainment value kept us watching the action. It was a single groove track, with the outside lane dominating the inside except for those rare moments when a bit of side drafting before diving down in the corners allowed for a pass. It was a single car event, with a few cameos to at least give the false hope the others might compete against the most dominant car on the day. It ended with a father and a son sharing some life-long memories and sharing those moments with us.

    On a day when outside my window it poured rain all day, Kevin and Keelan Harvick and NBC provided some much-appreciated sunshine. It was a broadcast that made my Sunday all that more joyful for having just been a part of it.

    Now, off to Bristol for a Saturday night of bumping and banging under the lights. There is no question as to what my plans will be.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won Stages 1 and 2 and led 108 laps on his way to a dominant win in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan.

    “The No. 4 Ford was super-fast,” Harvick said. “And, with Busch Light beer sponsoring the car, it was a case of ‘drinking and driving’ that turned out well.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Michigan and finished third, his second consecutive third-place finish and 17th top five of the season.

    “I still have the lead in the Monster Energy Cup points standings,” Busch said. “So, if the question is who’s on top in the points, much as in the case of Brian France, you can charge me with ‘possession.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex came home 14th in the Consumers Energy 400.

    “I was so close to winning at Watkins Glen,” Truex said. “Then I come crashing back down to earth with a disappointing 14th at Michigan. Talk about a sobering experience.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Consumers Energy 400, posting his 14th top-10 result of the year.

    “Did you see Ty Dillon run over a chunk of debris on Lap 134?” Busch said. “And this was no small piece of debris. I’m surprised NASCAR officials missed it. Of course, they’ve been known to see debris that actually isn’t there. So, the fact that the didn’t see something that was clearly visible is no surprise. Apparently, much like Brian France, they were ‘blinded.’”

    5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 12th at Michigan as Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick claimed a dominant victory.

    “Kevin is driving like a champ,” Bowyer said. “It’s like he’s from another planet. Let me clarify: if the subject is a 2018 Monster Energy Cup championship celebration party for Kevin, you can go ahead and ‘planet.’”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took the runner-up spot at Michigan as Kevin Harvick drove away for an easy victory.

    “Harvick’s son Keelan picked up the checkered flag,” Keselowski said. “Then he hitched a ride with his dad to Victory Lane. Of course, it’s not like Keelan could drive there himself. It just goes to show that even a six-year-old knows when to call a designated driver.”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Michigan.

    “I pitted on the pace lap to replace a shock absorber,” Logano said. “And anytime you pit on the pace lap for a shock, you know it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

    8. Kyle Larson: Larson, always strong at Michigan, finished 17th in the Consumers Energy 400.

    “Kevin Harvick totally dominated this race,” Larson said. “He won every stage of the race handily. For fans of the sport, it was incredibly boring. It was so boring, it could drive a man to drink. And in some case, the drinking comes before the driving.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Michigan and finished eighth.

    “The Playoff field of 16 will be set in a few weeks,” Hamlin said. “And just seconds after that, we’ll be able to identify the 13 drivers that have zero chance of winning the Cup. There’s the ‘Big 3,’ and then there’s the ‘Little 13.’”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott started 21st and finished ninth at Michigan.

    “I’m still on a high from the events of last week at Watkins Glen,” Elliott said. “Just to be clear, that’s not a quote from Brian France.”

  • Denny Hamlin sweeps qualifying to capture Busch Pole Award at Michigan

    Denny Hamlin sweeps qualifying to capture Busch Pole Award at Michigan

    Denny Hamlin led all rounds of qualifying Friday evening at Michigan International Speedway to score his 28th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pole and his first at the 2-mile track.

    He posted a final-round lap speed of 202.794 mph in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota and will lead the field to green in Sunday’s Consumers Energy 400. Teammate Kyle Busch will join Hamlin on the front row, qualifying second with a 202.731 lap in his No. 18 Toyota.

    This was the second time Hamlin and Busch have started 1-2 mirroring last week’s front row at Watkins Glen International.

    “We’re starting to see results,” Hamlin said. “I mean you can definitely see that we’re gaining speed, gaining momentum, very optimistic about this week. You know this is a racetrack that we’ve had success at before. We’ve never qualified on the pole here before but we have a car that has been driving good all day and if we can duplicate that and have it driving the same in race trim it should be a great day for us.”

    Busch described his qualifying effort, saying, “I thought 3 and 4 went OK. Certainly, I don’t think it was my best time through there. The first couple of runs, we’d been fighting ‘loose,’ so you kind of drive a little differently to be ready for the loose situation, and then on the final run, we were tight.”

    “You guard your entry or guard your center or whatever you do for the loose, and that doesn’t happen, and you’re tight, and then you’re too tight because you guarded for the loose. Just ever so slightly just missed it, I guess. Overall, I didn’t think we were going to qualify there, so we’re certainly pleased with that.”

    Kevin Harvick qualified third followed by Erik Jones in fourth. Richard Childress Racing’s Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman will start fifth and sixth while Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano and Alex Bowman round out the top 10.

    Bowman was the only Hendrick Motorsports driver to advance to the final round. Teammates, Jimmie Johnson, William Byron and Chase Elliott will start 19th, 20th, and 21st, respectively.

    Daniel Suarez, who was third fastest in the first Cup Series practice, was unable to post a time after getting loose in the first round of qualifying in Turn 2 and hitting the outside wall. He will start from the back of the field Sunday.

    “We were loose in practice and then it was a little bit tight and I told my guys that I wanted the front to work a little bit better and we just crossed the line,” Suarez said. “We were fast and when we have moments like that, it’s very hard to catch the car. I felt like I actually caught the car, but then once I got to the grey, it was like being on ice. We’re fortunate, the car is still very fast and the car is not too bad. We just have to fix it and hopefully, tomorrow come back for practice and get ready for the race.”

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

    Starting Lineup for the Consumers Energy 400

    1. Denny Hamlin
    2. Kyle Busch
    3. Kevin Harvick
    4. Erik Jones
    5. Austin Dillon
    6. Ryan Newman
    7. Martin Truex Jr.
    8. Ryan Blaney
    9. Joey Logano
    10. Alex Bowman
    11. Aric Almirola
    12. Kurt Busch
    13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    14. Paul Menard
    15. Jamie McMurray
    16. Clint Bowyer
    17. Kyle Larson
    18. Brad Keselowski
    19. Jimmie Johnson
    20. William Byron
    21. Chase Elliott
    22. Bubba Wallace
    23. Chris Buescher
    24. David Ragan
    25. AJ Allmendinger
    26. Trevor Bayne
    27. Ty Dillon
    28. Kasey Kahne
    29. Michael McDowell
    30. Matt DiBenedetto
    31. Landon Cassill
    32. Corey LaJoie
    33. BJ McLeod
    34. Gray Gaulding
    35. Reed Sorenson
    36. Garrett Smithley
    37. Timmy Hill
    38. Jeffrey Earnhardt
    39. Blake Jones
    40. Daniel Suarez

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Bill France. Bill France, Jr. These men were NASCAR.

    Smokey Yunick. Maurice Petty. Glen Wood, Leonard Wood. Ray Evernham. These men were NASCAR.

    Lee Petty. Richard Petty. Fireball Roberts. Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson. Bobby Allison. Dale Earnhardt. Cale Yarborough. Darrell Waltrip. Bill Elliott. These men were NASCAR.

    Ned Jarrett. Ken Squier. These men were NASCAR.

    Tony Stewart. Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Carl Edwards. These men were NASCAR.

    Rick Hendrick. Joe Gibbs. Roger Penske. Jack Roush. Richard Childress. These men are NASCAR.

    Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick. Martin Truex, Jr. Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski. Kyle Larson. Chase Elliott. These men are NASCAR.

    These men, a few women, and so many others made the sport. Were the sport. Are the sport.

    Brian France is not NASCAR. There is a reason 97 percent of all family businesses do not survive as such into the fourth generation.

    At Michigan on Sunday, NBC’s stellar broadcast crew will once again deliver to our living rooms the people who are NASCAR. Those who matter. The reasons we watch.

    Especially our Hot 20. Only 16 spots are open to qualify for a championship run, but a win gets one in and there are only four opportunities left to do just that. Right now, that is the only driving news that matters when it comes to NASCAR.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (934 Pts)
    Smokey Yunick would not have let a fueling malfunction stop one of his cars from winning.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (864 Pts)
    Such a terrible day it was at Watkins Glen. He only finished 10th. Only.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (813 Pts)
    Everyone was just thrilled Chase won last week…except for this one.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (703 Pts)
    June was a good month to visit Michigan. Hoping August will be just as rewarding.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (691 Pts)
    Nice day at the beach at Watkins Glen, though the only water was pouring from his radiator.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (619 Pts)
    Five Michigan career starts, finishing 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 8th, and 9th. The boy wants another, it seems.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (572 Pts)
    No longer the best 22-year-old driver this season.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (412 Pts)
    A win and you are in. I like that rule, but…

    9. KURT BUSCH – 705 POINTS
    No charges were issued, yet Brian France once suspended him. Just thought I would mention it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 670 POINTS
    Winning his first of the season in his home state would be sweet.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 660 POINTS
    Has won three of the last four at Michigan, a string only interrupted by Bowyer two months ago.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 650 POINTS
    New Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI cap comes 26 years after the original flew out the bus window.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 639 POINTS
    As long as he does not drive like Brian France, he will be in the mix after Indianapolis.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 602 POINTS
    Unlike Canada and Saudi Arabia, Almirola and DiBenedetto have renewed diplomatic relations.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 563 POINTS
    I bet you thought Bowyer was the NASCAR guy with the road service ties.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 523 POINTS
    Unless he gives up 18 points per race between now and after Indianapolis, he is in, unless…

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 461 POINTS
    …Ricky or anyone from him down to Matt DiBenedetto can win one of the next four.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 451 POINTS
    The Wood Brothers auto should be strong at Michigan, but it needs to be the strongest.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Some actually believe Suarez has a shot this weekend to win. Maybe a small wager is in order.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 431 POINTS
    Won at Michigan once in 2003 and once in 2004. He sure could use another one now.

  • The Final Word – Watkins Glen unveils a new fan favorite in Chase Elliott

    The Final Word – Watkins Glen unveils a new fan favorite in Chase Elliott

    I believe one certain guy would agree with me “that was awesome, Bill from Dawsonville!” Watkins Glen was damned entertaining right from the start, thanks to the action and thanks to the best broadcast crew in the business.

    Chase Elliott won his first Cup career race, with his father, one of his spotters, in his ear at trackside. It took 99 races, along with eight second-place finishes, for Chase to win his first, on a road course. It took his dad 116 races, along with eight second-place finishes, for him to win his first, on a road course. Oh, it has been 30 years since Bill Elliott won his Cup championship.

    The son did not have it easy on Sunday. Right from the opening lap, he was fighting it out with some big guns, in Kyle Busch and pole-sitter Denny Hamlin, for the lead. The next lap saw Joey Logano land on the beach with fatal under the hood issues, giving him just the second last-place finish of his Cup career. On the third lap, Aric Almirola got turned into the fence. I know, some folks would not have found all that exciting, but that is probably due to them being in a coma. It was damn good television for the rest of us.

    Busch and Martin Truex Jr. wound up taking off from the rest of the field in the opening stage. Busch went for track position and pitted just before the end of the segment. Truex went for the points and claimed it.

    Stage two was the Kyle and Chase Show, with the 22-year-old challenger moving ahead mid-way through as the two boys finished in that order to set up the final run. Then things got really exciting in the pits. Hamlin tried to pull out, but the air hose was wrapped up with the back tire and the jack man. That caused the tire changer to hesitate coming around as the car took off. The changer went flying, the tire went flying, the airgun went flying, another crewman got hit as the hose snapped, causing him to go flying, along with the tire he was trying to control. Hard to imagine, I know, that they got a penalty for migrating equipment. Knocking the tar out of the crewmen must have been a freebie.

    Elliott also clipped one of his crew, who managed to call himself safe after landing on his butt. As for Busch, things were not as spectacular but proved costly. A malfunction caused him to have to come around again to get fuel in the auto. That dropped him from first to 26th. Hamlin dropped from third to 23rd. Elliott was in front, and apparently free as a bird.

    Not quite. When they dropped the green, Elliott was in front, but the guy in his mirror for the next fifty-plus laps was Truex. The defending race winner. The defending Cup champion. As excited as it seemed everyone at the track was to see Elliott win, Truex kind of liked the idea of winning the thing himself. Damn if he did not try.

    Truex came close. Mighty close. On the final lap, though, he ran out of gas. That was one lap prior to Elliott also running out of gas. Fortunately for him, Jimmie Johnson Road Rescue was on the scene to give him a push to where his crew was waiting, and after a brief celebration, they pushed the car and driver the rest of the way to Victory Lane.

    Great race. Great result. Great broadcast. I can not believe I am saying this but, I can not wait for Michigan this upcoming Sunday. If it turns out anything like this past weekend’s action, it will be awesome.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Watkins Glen and led 31 laps before a fuel probe malfunction in the pits, necessitating an extra pit stop. Despite the issue, Busch recovered to post a third-place finish.

    “We just didn’t get enough fuel in the tank,” Busch said. “In other words, I had a ‘halfsie.’”

    2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex stalked race leader Chase Elliott over the final laps at Watkins Glen, but was unable to make the pass. He eventually ran out of fuel and coasted home to a second-place finish.

    “Elliott drove his butt off,” Truex said. “He hit all his marks, didn’t make a mistake, and was technically perfect. When I got behind him, I said ‘The chase is on,’ and boy was I right.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 10th in the GoBowling 400 at Watkins Glen, scoring his 18th top 10 of the year.

    “I was not a factor in the race,” Harvick said. “In fact, I was barely seen, which means I played the role of ‘Tiny Kevin Harvick’ and it wasn’t a commercial.

    “NBC had a camera on my feet. If nothing else, it made former NFL coach Rex Ryan a viewer.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Watkins Glen, scoring his 13th top 10 of the year.

    “NASCAR CEO Brian France was arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance,” Busch said. “I’m pretty sure this will result in a revoked license. In other words, he’ll face a ‘drive-through‘ penalty.”

    5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 11th in the GoBowling 400 at Watkins Glen.

    “Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. put on quite a show over those last few laps,” Bowyer said. “You could feel the suspense, and with the race being sponsored by GoBowling.com, fans were on ‘pins and needles.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished last after an oil cooler malfunction sent him through the sand on lap 2.

    “NASCAR put my car on what is known as the ‘damaged vehicle policy,” Logano said. “The last time someone pulled the ol’ ‘damaged vehicle policy’ on me, it was Matt Kenseth.”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished sixth at Watkins Glen, recording his 12th top-10 result of the year.

    “What a drive by Chase Elliott,” Larson said. “He’s the son of Bill Elliott, also known as ‘Awesome Bill From Dawsonville.’ Chase’s win gave Hendrick Motorsports its 250th win, but more importantly, it puts him in the Chase For The Cup. Plus, he may have secured the title of ‘Most Popular Driver.’ An appropriate nickname is ‘Awesome Chase In An Awesome Place.’”

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Watkins Glen and finished 13th.

    “All that work for the pole,” Hamlin said, “and I only led two laps. In the words of former JGR great Tony Stewart on his way out of the bathroom, ‘So much for clean air.’”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott held off Martin Truex Jr. in the closing laps at Watkins Glen and won his first career Monster Energy Cup race, giving Hendrick Motorsports its 250th win in the process.

    “My car ran out of gas on the cool-down lap,” Elliott said. “Luckily, a man I’ve always looked up to, Jimmie Johnson, gave me a push. So, much like Brian France, who took a ride in a police cruiser, it was left to an ‘authority figure’ to get me where I was going.

    “My 62-year-old father will run the Xfinity race at Road America later this month. He’ll be driving for GMS Racing, and they’ve pledged to outfit his ride with a brand new exhaust system. Because if there’s ever a time for new exhaust, it’s for an ‘old fart.’”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 17th at Watkins Glen.

    “Brian France disgraced himself by getting arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance,” Keselowski said. “France was taken to the slammer is shackles. That’s embarrassing. But let’s make it even more embarrassing and call those shackles the ‘HANDS Device.’”

  • Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    If we determine who is an actual contender, versus being just a pretender race in and race out, based on an average 20th place result, our field would be reduced to 22. Add William Byron and Jamie McMurray to the bottom of our list, and that is all you need to be concerned about. 357 points in 21 races is the line between the haves and the have-nots, from the front to the back of the pack. Except for this race.

    Watkins Glen forces you to expand that to the one guy who is averaging 21st each week, 16 points per race. He is the guy who is known for being a left and right expert. He is A.J. Allmendinger. The Dinger has one career win. It was at the Glen four years ago. He has a couple of Top Fives there, as well. Six Top Tens in nine attempts. This is where a nobody can become a somebody, and A.J. has made himself known before. While Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr. could just as likely win it, an Allmendinger win would truly mess up the plans of some others.

    He wins on Sunday, and he jumps from 23rd on our charts to eighth, and a lock to be in the Chase. He wins, and Alex Bowman goes from nearly 60 points in, to more than 50 out, just by doing what he has been doing each week. Jimmie Johnson becomes the bubble boy and needing to step it on up just in case another of those outside the Top Sixteen in the standings gets some ideas about shaking up some bubbly of their own later this month.

    It all depends on Allmendinger on Sunday. If he can shift from second to third, instead of down to second, he could be a contender. Let us just pretend that Sonoma did not happen.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (891 Pts)
    He wins every five years at the Glen (2008, 2013), so will he continue the trend?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (833 Pts)
    Forget the penalty points hit after Pocono. He was never going to catch Rowdy in that department.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (762 Pts)
    Won it last year, so if you were wondering if the Big 3 might contend, you have your answer.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (677 Pts)
    Fourth is the best the man from Emporia, Kansas has done in New York.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (690 Pts)
    Top Tens in four of the last five runs there, including a win in 2015.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (533 Pts)
    If Stanley comes aboard next season, will that give him the tools needed to win more?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (402 Pts)
    Got his win back in February, so he is fine…at least, until the Chase begins.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 677 POINTS
    His teammate is Kevin Harvick. Last week, his wife’s teammate was the Duke of Sussex.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 644 POINTS
    Running Xfinity again this weekend. The bad news for him is, so is Christopher Bell.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 626 POINTS
    On Monday and Tuesday, joins Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne for the Osky Challenges in Iowa.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 618 POINTS
    Like all but seven others, he has no wins, but Sunday is one he has won before.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 612 POINTS
    His uncle Dale is a six-time champion of the All Star Circuit of Champions.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 587 POINTS
    Last week, he collided with Harvick in the pits, then upset Matt DiBenedetto battling for 25th.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 569 POINTS
    The new face of Chevrolet. As of late, he might be the only face.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 547 POINTS
    Chevy does have a presence in the Chase, but most of that presence can be found down here.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 496 POINTS
    10th, 14th, 15th, and 16th are not going to sell a lot of cars Monday after the race Sunday.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 440 POINTS
    Bowman can take the weekend off and still be in the Chase…unless a certain someone wins.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 440 POINTS
    Make that, two certain someones.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 408 POINTS
    Okay, okay. Unless someone down here wins, Bowman is fine.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 400 POINTS
    His gloves, and those of 35 others, might appear a bit familiar to fans of Dale, Jr.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch pulled away on a restart with three laps to go and cruised to the win in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I tied Tony Stewart with my 49th Cup win,” Busch said. “One more win and I can finally say, ‘Well, passing him in the buffet line is out of the question, but at least I passed Tony in the standings.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I won the pole,” Harvick said, “but it was nullified when my car failed post-race inspection. If this were the National Basketball Association, I would have been issued a ‘technical’ foul. In other words, I got ‘T’d’ up. And that makes me ‘T’d’ off.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 15th at Pocono.

    “Pocono is a tough track for drivers to figure out,” Truex said. “The ‘Tricky Triangle,’ as they call it, is quite a dilemma for most drivers. NASCAR itself has its own ‘Tricky Triangle’ dilemma—–finding any other driver besides me, Kevin Harvick, or Kyle Busch to win a race.”

    4. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home 11th in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “Brian France recently reaffirmed his family’s commitment to NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I’m not sure I buy it. France can say one thing and mean another. Of course, it’s no surprise that from someone with a double chin comes double speak.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished a disappointing 26th at Pocono.

    “This was Jimmie Johnson’s 600th Cup start,” Logano said. “That certainly deserves recognition. So let’s give it up for Jimmie. He’s got seven Cup championship trophies to his name. I think the only trophy he’s capable of garnering these days is a participation trophy.”

    6. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 23rd at Pocono and is now 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “This race was called the ‘Gander Outdoors 400,’” Larson said. “Judging by what I saw in the stands, attendance was sparse. But NASCAR’s bigger issue is television ratings. So, I guess the biggest problem is not the ‘Gander Outdoors,’ but instead fans neglecting to take a ‘Gander Indoors.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 10th at Pocono, posting his 11th top 10 of the season.

    “I was really pulling for my teammate Daniel Suarez to pull out the win and qualify for the postseason,” Hamlin said. “As you probably know, Daniel is a native of Mexico. Daniel’s a big part of NASCAR’s ‘Driver For Diversity’ program. And, along with Bubba Wallace, the program seems to be working. Before, however, I wasn’t so sure. Instead of ‘diversity,’ it seems to be more a case of ‘re-versity.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 14 laps and finished seventh at Pocono, recording his 10th top-10 result of the season.

    “I’m still looking for my first win,” Elliott said. “I’ve been close on several occasions, but there’s always something that gets in the way. So, before it happens, I have to overcome the issues that arise when s#it happens.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski spun and hit the wall on lap 121, ending his day at Pocono. He finished 38th.

    “I thought I hit the wall hard,” Keselowski said, “until I saw Bubba Wallace hit the wall with six laps to go. Thank goodness for the SAFER barrier. It’s always good to see a driver walk away from an accident. And, in some cases, like Carl Edwards at Talladega in 2009, it’s pretty cool to see a driver run away from an accident.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Pocono as younger brother Kyle took the win.

    “Great run by Kyle,” Busch said, “but what about the effort of some of these youngsters, like Daniel Suarez and Chase Elliott? Those guys have skills. You might even say each of them is a ‘Baby Driver.’ When I was that young, most drivers questioned my talents. Some even called me a ‘Maybe Driver.’”

  • The Final Word – Pocono at least teased us with the hope of a different story ending

    The Final Word – Pocono at least teased us with the hope of a different story ending

    We all tune in for the potential excitement, but the storylines set up the race. At Pocono, we witnessed Jimmie Johnson make his 600th career start. We wondered if the Big Three would dominate yet again. We also wondered how the bad boys, and maybe a few bad girls back at the shop, would fare after 13 cars failed post-qualifying tech.

    Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch were the best qualifying, but the penalty sent them both beyond 25th when they dropped the green. Same for Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano. Would that cripple the chances of four of the top handful of contenders on Sunday? Nope.

    Daniel Suarez needed a win to make the Chase, and he inherited the pole. He looked good and he was part of the conversation most of the day. However, it was Harvick who opened the discussion as he charged from 29th to claim the second spot after the opening stage. Up front was Chase Elliott, who once again went charging to glory like Slim Pickens riding an atomic bomb to detonation to claim it. Suarez had to settle for fifth best, right behind Rowdy and just ahead of Bowyer.

    Next stage, it was Harvick getting the nod, swapping spots with Jones, with Bowyer just behind them. However, some decided to forgo the stage points to hit the pits and grab position just before they closed the service lane. The question remained, would Harvick, Elliott, and Bowyer do better with their strategy than the likes of Kyle Busch, Jones, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr. or Suarez?

    It did not seem so, as the younger Busch sat on point and allowed the rest to try to track him down. Harvick was out of the mix after a collision on pit road with teammate Aric Almirola. That forced him to return more than once to ensure the damage was truly corrected.

    The scariest moment came when Bubba Wallace saw a brake rotor go to pieces, sending him on a wild run through the grass in a bid to scrape off some speed before making hard impact with the outside wall, on the passenger side, when he ran out of lawn. He got out under his own power, but he needed a moment to get all his marbles settled. Wallace will be fine, but he will be a hurting unit for a couple of days.

    Back to the racing, nobody had anything for Busch as even a couple of re-starts, including a green-white-checkers finale, was not going to change how this one was scripted. His 49th career win ties him with Tony Stewart as he successfully defends his Pocono summer title. Suarez was second, behind his teammate, followed by Bowyer and his teammate, one Mr. Harvick. Jones finished fifth, while Elliott had to settle for eighth. As for Truex, 15th was his fate while early front-end damage caused Logano to limp home in 26th.

    Kyle claimed his sixth season win in taking 47 points on the day. Harvick did him five better in that department, with Elliott adding 48 to his tally, 43 for Alex Bowman, and Suarez got 41. Unfortunately, points do not matter for him at this point in the season. A win would be everything.

    Despite it all, the only meaningful change in the standings has Elliott moving 21 points ahead of Johnson for 14th in the standings, while Bowman has increased his margin over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Paul Menard for 16th. That is fine, depending on how Watkins Glen turns out next Sunday.

    That is your storyline for next week, even more so than anything the Big Three might or might not do. Truex won there last year, but four years ago the man was A.J. Allmendinger. A win for him next week, and he takes Bowman’s spot and drops Johnson down to being the man on the bubble.

    If a Top 16 driver wins next Sunday then, well, I hope the action proves to be riveting and you enjoy the broadcast on NBC. As for the story, the ending will probably be very familiar.