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  • Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Change can be a good thing. Sometimes it is, but other times it is a simple reminder that we are getting older and, like disco, what was popular yesterday might not be tomorrow.

    This week, official confirmation arrived that Danica Patrick was leaving the Stewart-Haas No. 10. Coming in with the 2008 Indy Japan 300 to her credit, her model looks, that firecracker personality, she did have her detractors. Was she good enough, was she strong enough? Still, she had great support from fans and sponsors alike.

    Patrick already had set some standards for her gender. She was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and win an IndyCar race. She was that circuit’s Most Popular Driver for six year’s running. Then she moved over to the stock cars, moving full-time to Cup in 2013 where she immediately won a Daytona 500 pole, led the race, and finished 8th. It was her 11th career Cup start. Sadly, in the 169 races since there have been no more poles and just six more Top Tens. The results and then the sponsorship were no longer there to extend her contract with Stewart-Haas past this season.

    I will still wear my No. 88 cap, don my battered No. 8 T-shirt, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be in contention for a title as he retires after this campaign. Be it this year, or next, someone else will be their Most Popular Diver other than the guy who has claimed the honor since 2003. From the time of his first Top Ten at Richmond 18 years ago, the loss of his father, his wins at Daytona and Talladega since, whether he wanted to be or not, Junior became the face of NASCAR. He was absolute magic through 2004, then gave us a resurgence in 2014 and 2015 when he chalked up his final seven victories. With a career total of 26 and his army of fans, he should eventually find his way to the Hall of Fame.

    Unlike Junior, Matt Kenseth won a championship, earned a spot in the Chase, but did not get the choice of whether to stay or not. With William Byron waiting in the wings, that decision was made for him. Kasey Kahne did not win a title, yet he is another man in the Chase with no ride set for 2018. Erik Jones comes into Rick Hendrick’s stable next year to move into the No. 4 as Chase Elliott gets the No. 9 and Kahne’s No. 5 gets moth balled.

    Kurt Busch has a title, a place in the Chase, but does he have a ride for next season? At the end of his contract with Stewart-Haas, he is still officially negotiating a new deal. If Monster Energy does not return as his sponsor, my guess is that he won’t return to that car. Having a sponsor trumps talent. Just ask Paul Menard.

    Then there is Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43. Smithfield Foods has moved its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas and the odds seem to be in favor of them taking Aric Almirola with them to sit behind the wheel. That leaves Petty Motorsports without a sponsor, a driver, and questions are arising as to whether it might be the end of an era.

    Carl Edwards might be back. He might not. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart closed the book on their careers last year. That is a lot of top tier names gone or in limbo, representing a very sizeable number of fans who tuned in every week to cheer them on.

    In the immortal words of disco, their supporters are left pleading “Don’t Leave Me This Way” while NASCAR proclaims “I Will Survive” and the rest of us are left wondering “Where Do We Go From Here.”

    The answer to the last is…Chicago.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2053 PTS (4 Wins)
    Should Cope, Larson, and Hamlin decide you don’t get another win, you don’t.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2033 PTS (4 Wins)
    Derrike Cope was a two-time winner in 1990 and helped make Larson a four-time winner this year.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2029 PTS (2 Wins)
    Visited Furniture Row in Denver. No doubt, Kyle is working for the Russians.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2019 PTS (2 Wins)
    XFINITY series is not dead yet, as I hear Brad beat Kyle at Richmond. How bad have you got it?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2017 PTS (3 Wins)
    Time to carry the freight in his bid for number eight.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 2015 PTS (1 Win)
    “Whether it’s Dale Jr., Danica, myself…people come and go.” I am afraid Harvick is right.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2013 PTS (2 Wins)
    Now, that is how you perform a P.I.T. maneuver.

    8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2010 PTS (2 Wins)
    Picked the right time to have a breakout season.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2008 PTS (1 Win)
    Ten more races with the Wood Brothers before moving on over to the Penske people.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2006 PTS
    Maybe now is the time to consider getting that first career victory.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Not exactly a stellar season but points wise he deserves to be in the running.

    12. KURT BUSCH – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    After the Daytona 500 he has been on cruise control, then they told him he could lose his lease.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Like Kurt and Matt, it is more than just the Chase…but more like an audition for next season.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    His team owner has told him that he was loved and has a job for next year.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 2005 PTS
    Where is an ambulance when you do not need one?

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2003 PTS
    No wins, but he has run a hell of a lot better than his place in these standings would indicate.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 664 PTS
    Two pit penalties and some repair work in a race he had to win to be in.

    18. ERIK JONES – 654 PTS
    With six straight Top Tens, Jones has just given us notice for 2018.

    19. JOEY LOGANO – 652 PTS (1 Win)
    Earned more points than four who made the Chase, but all he got from his win was a trophy.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 568 PTS
    Behind him, you will find such names as Bayne, Earnhardt, Menard, Allmendinger, and Patrick.

     

  • The Final Word – Richmond was all about winning and a parked ambulance

    The Final Word – Richmond was all about winning and a parked ambulance

    Who won?

    That was the one and only question the 60th annual summer event at Richmond had to answer. Who would win it? Three drivers entered had won it twice before, one already had the hat-trick. All 13 with multiple wins there during their career are in or will be in conversations regarding the Hall of Fame.

    Thirteen drivers entered the contest locked into the Chase. Three more were trying to secure their positions, racing to be ahead of the other two just in case. Fourteen others had a chance to steal it away from one of them. All they had to do was win.

    Kyle Busch came away with the bonus points after the opening stage. Good for him in narrowing the gap with Martin Truex Jr. going into Chicago, but no impact on the Chase race. At this point, with the awarded stage markers, Jamie McMurray entered stage two five points behind Chase Elliott and eight back of Matt Kenseth. Unless a first-time winner emerged at the end of the night, that fact was pretty much meaningless. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, and Erik Jones sat among our Top Ten at this point, though an over anxious crew man sent Bowyer back to 34th after being penalized with 295 laps to go.

    What Truex giveth, Truex can taketh away as he claimed the second stage to match Rowdy’s earlier performance. Kenseth was second to pull him even further ahead of Elliott and McMurray. Jones and Logano were joined by Dale Earnhardt Jr. among the Top Ten with half the race left to be run. Bowyer sat 15th.

    Then came one of those weird moments with just over 140 to go. Danica Patrick was 18th when she spun, with some assistance from Austin Dillon. Under caution, an ambulance rolled, then stopped near the entrance way to pit road. That bottle necked traffic, leading to Kenseth striking Bowyer in the rear. When they went green, Bowyer was 22nd, Patrick a lap down in 24th, and Kenseth 37th was off the track. I am not sure where the ambulance went, or even where in hell it was going, but I am sure some drivers had some ideas as to where someone could shove it.

    That left Kenseth dead in the water, parked in the garage, sitting on the bubble, and hoping that no one behind him in the standings won this thing. It did not appear Bowyer was going to. He got penalized earlier due to a pit miscue, had to get the damage repaired after the collision with Kenseth, and then the crew let a tire get away from them in the pits later on.

    Still, there were only three ways of stopping Truex from winning this thing. One, have a wreck to bring out a caution to force overtime. Second, have Kyle Larson slip ahead of him on the restart. Third, see Denny Hamlin hook him and send him flying into the wall on the final lap. Put them all together, and you put Larson in Victory Lane for a fourth time this season. Sixteen were in a Chase place going in, those same 16 open their challenge for the title next Sunday in Chicago.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won Stage 2 at Richmond was on his way to his fifth win of the year before a late caution flipped his fate. Kyle Larson beat Truex out of the pits and pulled away on the restart, while Truex tangled with Denny Hamlin and crashed. Truex finished 20th.

    “Of course I’m disappointed,” Truex said, “but I’ll have a twenty-point lead over Kyle Larson once the Chase starts at Chicagoland. So I like where I’m sitting, mostly because of the ‘cushion’ I’m sitting on.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson beat Martin Truex Jr. out of the pits on the final caution and jumped ahead on the restart, easily claiming the Federated Auto Parts 400, his fourth win of the season.

    “I’d like to thank my pit crew for their fast work,” Larson said. “But mostly I’d like to thank Derrick Cope for causing that final caution. I should invite him to Victory Lane, but I doubt he remembers how to get there.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch took the first stage at Richmond and came home with a ninth-place finish.

    “Denny Hamlin got busted for using illegal suspensions at Darlington,” Busch said. “Not just his Monster Energy Cup car, but his XFINITY Series car as well. Denny was stunned, but he had no choice but to ‘absorb the shock’ of the ramifications.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fifth at Richmond as the regular season came to a close.

    “I had my win at Darlington encumbered because of illegal suspension,” Hamlin said. “That means I get to keep the trophy, but I’m stripped of the bonus points. Plus, I have to drive with a vanity license plate that reads ‘NCUMBRD.’”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 15th at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup in sixth, 38 points behind Martin Truex Jr.

    “Hey,” Harvick said, “what’s with an ambulance on the track at Richmond? I know NASCAR ratings are hurting, but is this their way of ‘reviving’ the sport?”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished eighth at Richmond, posting his seventh top 10 of the year.

    “I’ll start the Chase For The Cup in fifth,” Johnson said. “I’m not feeling any pressure. I’ve won seven Cup championships, so I don’t plan on changing anything about my preparation, except maybe adding a cheat sheet inside the cockpit that explains how to advance in the Chase.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led nine laps and finished 11th at Richmond.

    “There really should be two Penske Racing drivers in the Chase For The Cup,” Keselowski said. “But, upon further inspection, I realize that Joey Logano won’t be part of the Chase.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth ran into the back of Clint Bowyer with 143 laps remaining after an ambulance inexplicably blocked the entrance to pit road. Kenseth eventually finished 38th but still qualified for the Chase.

    “Kudos to that ambulance driver,” Kenseth said, “for arriving before the accident even happened.”

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 14th and qualified for the Chase For The Cup, where he will start 16th, 50 points behind Martin Truex Jr.

    “I’m a serious long shot to win the Monster Energy Cup championship,” McMurray said. “A 100 to 1 long shot to be exact. That means you can bet $1 on me, and if I win, you would win $100. A safer bet, however, would be to take that $1 and spend it on an item from McDonald’s Dollar Menu. Consider my sponsor obligations fulfilled.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 10th at Richmond, posting his 14th top 10 of the season.

    “The race in Richmond was called the ‘Federated Auto Parts 400,’” Elliott said. “Let’s just be glad it wasn’t called the ‘Con-Federated Auto Parts 400.”

  • Hot 20 – Capital City 400 in Richmond should be as iconic as the Southern 500

    Hot 20 – Capital City 400 in Richmond should be as iconic as the Southern 500

    For a race that has been around since 1958, it is a damn shame that it does not carry the proper branding to link it over the decades to the time it was claimed by the likes of Speedy Thompson, Cotton Owens, and Joe Weatherly. Let us properly honor it and refer to this Saturday night’s contest in Richmond, Virginia as the Federated Auto Parts Capital City 400.

    It is a race that was won by Hall of Famer Richard Petty seven times. Five times it went to Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. Four-time winners included Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace. The winner of three Capital City events, looking to join the legends on Saturday, is Denny Hamlin. This race has history. It has pedigree. It should mean something.

    Unlike Hamlin’s win last weekend, which means about as much as Joey Logano’s spring win at Richmond. Failure to pass post-race inspection means that Darlington win has been encumbered. Unlike Logano, Hamlin already has a win in the bank, so it matters little. Nice trophy, though.

    For the final time, this race is the last chance for those not yet in the Chase to make their mark. That distinction goes to the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis next season. The instructions to each and every driver is a simple one. Win it. It is the last shot for young guns Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez to make it this season. Veterans Clint Bowyer and Logano are in the same boat. At least Logano’s encumbered win came at Richmond in the spring, so maybe there lies some hope. It is the last opportunity in his career for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Winning Saturday night will be everything. With those loose lug nuts biting him at Darlington, Travis Mack sits in for the suspended Greg Ives as Junior’s crew chief this weekend.

    For some, it is also another chance to do something memorable, to interest sponsors to keep them in a decent seat for next season. Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne both have wins, but they need to convince somebody to lay out the big bucks to see their hands on the wheel of a fast car in 2018. Matt Kenseth might make the Chase, but he needs a place to land when it is over. Danica Patrick is said to need some help. Maybe a lot of help. A win would be great for them all, but time is also winding down to turn heads.

    Geico signed on for more years with Ty Dillon, but I got to tell you, those sponsors can be pretty touchy. Just ask Suarez. He hands out some donuts on a tv segment and his Subway sponsorship disappears. Donuts compete with Subway as a breakfast menu item? Hell, I didn’t even know I could eat donuts for breakfast. I do now. Mom lied to me. Maybe I will have me a donut on my way to Quiznos.

    As long as no one currently winless upsets the apple cart, the top sixteen among our Hot 20 head to the Chase. However, just three points separate Chase Elliott, Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray. If a first-time winner comes along this weekend, one of those three would wind up losing their game of musical chairs.

    With NBC’s analyst Rutledge Wood driving the honorary pace car, expect the first crash of the night to take place prior to the opening lap.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (1000 Pts)
    When they reset the points after Richmond, he will remain firmly atop the leader board.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (884 Pts)
    Was running with an Outlaw gang last weekend…and so were his parents.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (653 Pts)
    When will Jimmie return from vacation?

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS (893 Pts)
    Running a distant second in playoff points.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (785 Pts)
    It might be a NASCAR secret, but a win at Richmond and Hamlin drives with the legends.

    6. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (761 Pts)
    Tried to look like Rusty last weekend, wound up looking more like Harpo.

    7. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (536 Pts)
    When you get a bank for a sponsor and scream their slogan in victory, they come back for more.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (867 Pts)
    Had the pole and a Top Ten at Darlington, but things have been pretty relaxing since Sonoma.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (629 Pts)
    Less pressure being the son of Dave, than it was for being the son of Richard, Bobby, and Dale.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (624 Pts)
    No trips to Victory Lane since the Daytona 500 and he has some hearts to win and cash to entice.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (604 Pts)
    Childress has two drivers in the Chase…but for how long?

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (473 Pts)
    Sometimes a win means a lot…

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (464 Pts)
    Sometimes a win does not mean enough.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 737 POINTS
    Seventh best in points, but seven who have done less have a victory or two or three to their names.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 735 POINTS
    What is the case for Chase, the same goes for Matt…and Jamie.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 734 POINTS
    Does not have to win, but he should be encouraged to at least beat Chase and Matt to the line.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 643 POINTS
    If the minimum Chase eligibility was tagged at 500 points, life would have been so much easier.

    18. ERIK JONES – 611 POINTS
    Five straight Top Tens, but needs a Top One this weekend.

    19. JOEY LOGANO – 605 POINTS (1 Win)
    Won at Richmond in the spring. Maybe a win in the fall might actually mean something.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 538 POINTS
    A win and he is in. Same goes for the ten drivers behind him.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex won Stages 1 and 2 at Darlington before his attempts to hold off the charging Denny Hamlin failed due to a right-front tire failure. Truex finished eighth.

    “I did, however, clinch NASCAR’s regular season title,” Truex said. “And if I fail to win the Monster Energy Cup championship, it will also be just another ‘regular’ season.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Darlington as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin took the win.

    “The Monster Energy Cup championship trophy weighs 70 pounds,” Busch said. “That sure is heavy. But some burdens are worth carrying. Just ask my car owner Joe Gibbs.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: After missing pit road on lap 315, Hamlin recovered and tracked down Martin Truex, Jr. to take the win in the Bojangles’ Southern 500.

    “I felt terrible after missing pit road,” Hamlin said. “Let me tell you, missing the pits is the pits.

    “The No. 11 Toyota was sporting the Sport Clips paint scheme. It was ‘Throwback Weekend’ at Darlington, but if you would have seen those colors, you would have thought it was ‘Throw Up Weekend.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Darlington and piloted the No. 4 Busch Beer Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish.

    “As you could see by the car paint schemes,” Harvick said, “it was ‘Throwback Weekend” at Darlington. Even NASCAR fans got into the theme, wearing clothes that were fashionable thirty years ago. Then again, maybe those fans had no idea it was ‘Throwback Weekend.’”

    5. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 14th in the Bojangles’ Southern 500.

    “It was an incredible feat for Denny Hamlin to run down Martin Truex Jr. like he did to get the win,” Larson said. “Especially after making such a boneheaded error when he missed pit lane. I hear Denny is fond of playing basketball; he must be a pretty good ‘rebounder.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth placed sixth at Darlington as three Joe Gibbs Racing cars finished in the top six.

    “The fourth JGR driver is Daniel Suarez,” Kenseth said. “We just found out Subway terminated its four-race sponsorship of Daniel because of a pre-race segment in July in which he handed out Dunkin’ Donuts to fans. I guess in Subway sponsorship, there are Do’s and Don’t’s, and donuts are a don’t.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at Darlington, and hasn’t won since taking the checkers at Dover in early June.

    “The No. 48 paint scheme was a tribute to the design on the Lowe’s trucks in 1986,” Johnson said. “As I’ve said often this year, my car drives like a truck.

    “I attended the ‘Burning Man’ music festival with my wife. I couldn’t believe I was actually there. I imagine I said the same thing as a dude who wakes up in a NASCAR infield after a night of partying and questionable hookups: “It’s burning, man!”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th in the Bojangles’ Southern 500.

    “The No. 2 Ford was sporting the throwback Miller Genuine Draft paint scheme,” Keselowski said. “Most people are used to seeing me in the Miller Lite paint scheme. That’s the car that made Rusty Wallace famous, and, in turn, made Ryan Newman angry.”

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray piloted the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet to a 10th-place finish at Darlington, posting his

    “Thirteen drivers have clinched playoff spots,” McMurray said. “Currently, Chase Elliott, myself, and Matt Kenseth hold the final three spots. We three are all hoping for nothing to change as a result of what happens at Richmond, like, some driver way down in the standings taking a surprising win. In other words, if Elliott, Kenseth, and I are pulling for anyone, it’s for the ‘status quo’ to take the win.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer’s engine blew 18 laps in at Darlington and he finished 40th.

    “I’m in a must-win situation at the final regular season race at Richmond,” Bowyer said. “That’s called a ‘win and you’re in’ situation, as opposed to a ‘spin and Martin Truex, Jr. is in’ situation.”

  • Hamlin Rallies from Pit Road Overshoot to Win Southern 500 at Darlington

    Hamlin Rallies from Pit Road Overshoot to Win Southern 500 at Darlington

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — Denny Hamlin overcame a botched pit road entry, resulting in him missing the pits entirely, and took advantage of Martin Truex Jr. collecting the wall with three laps to go to win the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    As the field started hitting pit road on Lap 298 for the final round of green flag stops, Hamlin waited until 55 before making his final stop. He came in too hot and turned his car out onto the track to avoid hitting the sand barrels that line the leading edge of the pit walls.

    However, the high number of cars lapped kept him in contention. As a result, he used his fresher tires to run down the cars in the running order, culminating with his late battle with Truex.

    Entering Turn 3 with three to go, Truex suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the wall. This allowed Hamlin to moezie on by and score his 31st career victory in his 423rd Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.

    “Drove our ass off. That’s as hard as I could drive. We got ‘The Flying 11.’ It’s flying.

    “This track is just amazing. I love this race track.

    “This was weird. To go through the adversity we did right there, missing pit lane. I knew I had to drive my tail off to get it back.

    “It’s good to see the entire state of South Carolina in the stands. Thank you so much,” Hamlin said.

    Kyle Busch finished second and Kurt Busch rounded out the podium.

    Austin Dillon and Erik Jones rounded out the top-five.

    Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Truex, Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top-10.

    RACE SUMMARY

    Kevin Harvick led the field to the green flag at 6:20 p.m. After caution flew for the first time on Lap 15 for a two-car wreck in Turn 1, Kyle Busch exited pit road with the race lead. Kyle Larson took the lead going into Turn 1 on the ensuing restart. Truex ran down and passed Larson exiting Turn 4 on the final lap of the stage to win the first stage.

    Exiting pit road with the race lead, Larson led the field to the green on Lap 107. Truex took it back on Lap 148, only to lose it to Denny Hamlin on pit road under caution, a result of a two-car wreck in Turn 2 on Lap 155. But Truex forced a three-wide battle down the backstretch to take the lead exiting Turn 4, and with caution flying for Gray Gaulding spinning out in Turn 2 on Lap 197, the second stage ended with Truex winning the stage.

    Hamlin exited pits with the lead and led the field back to green on Lap 204. A cycle of green flag stops sent Truex to the front, only for a caution for debris in Turn 2 to give the lead back to Hamlin, and setting up the run to the finish.

    CAUTION SUMMATION

    Caution flew first on Lap 15 when Trevor Bayne slammed the Turn 1 wall, followed moments later by AJ Allmendinger spinning and collecting the left-rear of Bayne. Caution flew for the second time on Lap 40 when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. slammed the frontstretch wall. The third caution flew for the end of the first stage on Lap 100. The fourth flew on Lap 125 when Daniel Suarez pounded the wall in Turn 1. Caution flew for the fifth time on Lap 155 for a two-car wreck in Turn 2. Gray Gaulding brought out the sixth caution on Lap 197. David Ragan brought out caution for the seventh time on Lap 206 with his spin in Turn 2. Debris in Turn 2 brought out the eighth and final time on Lap 260.

    NUTS & BOLTS

    The race lasted three hours, 46 minutes and 34 seconds, at an average speed of 132.761 mph. There were 20 lead changes among eight different drivers and eight cautions for 38 laps.

    Truex leaves with a 107-point lead over Kyle Busch, having mathematically clinched the 15-point regular season points bonus.

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  • Denny Hamlin Takes Lead on Final Restart to Win XFINITY Race at Darlington

    Denny Hamlin Takes Lead on Final Restart to Win XFINITY Race at Darlington

    DARLINGTON, S.C. —Denny Hamlin took the lead on the final restart, passing Joey Logano with a last lap inside crossover move to win the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 Saturday at Darlington Raceway. It was his fifth XFINITY win at Darlington.

    “Just a really good restart, got through (Turns) 1 and 2 really good, just held it wide open through l and 2,” Hamlin said after the race, “great run by the 22 (Logano) getting back to me there on the last lap. I think that was a throwback to Dale Earnhardt there in Turns 3 and 4.”

    Logano led a race-high 58 laps in his No. 22 Ford and was disappointed with his second-place finish.

    “Obviously, second hurts, Logano said. We want to win every one of them and we just got out-motored. He went through the gear box and got position on me and off he went.  He had me at his right-rear quarter, which allowed him to stay wide open and clear me. I thought I had a run down the backstretch. He knew what I was thinking and I knew what he was thinking. I was just hoping that I got up to the wall and was able to rotate when I got there, but I just got tight when I got there.”

    Harvick was also a strong contender in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Ford, leading 54 laps during the race, but had to settle for third.

    ‘We had a great Hunt Brothers Ford,” he said, but “it just didn’t wind up working out there at the end. I wound up on the bottom and I kept my foot in it over there, got loose underneath the 20. We weren’t the strongest for five or 10 laps and that didn’t really work out with that short run there at the end and we got stuck on the bottom. We got loose and then we got freight-trained, but just a great car. It wound up being a great race and that’s all you can ask for.”

    Erik Jones scored fourth place with William Byron rounding out the top five finishers. Elliott Sadler remains the points leader with a 91 point advantage over second-place Byron.

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

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  • Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

    Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

     

  • Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

    Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The rest of the contenders

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

     

     

  • The Final Word – Kyle Busch sweeps Bristol to claim his 180th NASCAR victory

    The Final Word – Kyle Busch sweeps Bristol to claim his 180th NASCAR victory

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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