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Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

The most anticipated race of the week is not the one slated for Sunday in Indianapolis. Sure, the Brickyard has been around since 1909. Sure, it has been home to the Indianapolis 500 since 1911. Yes, it has hosted NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 since 1994, when Jeff Gordon won his first of five at the iconic track. It retains its brick finishing line, where every winner kneels down with his entire crew, along with some family members, to pucker up and lay a nice wet and dirty one in celebration.

Now, if you want to get dirty, the truck race at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio was the place to be. Dirt. No bricks, no pavement, nothing but slip sliding away dirt. You would think such a showcase would have been broadcast universally. It was not. Unless you had the Fox Business Network as part of your cable package, you were screwed.

I wonder what Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine of Casablanca fame would have thought?

Of all the tracks, in all the towns, in all the world, on all the television sets, that race could have been broadcast onto mine. We had our hopes. Canadians will always have Eldora, we thought. No. We lost it. We have to wait until Sunday when Cup action comes to us from Indianapolis. Damn. Well, here’s looking at you, kid, and our Hot 20 as they prepare to pound the bricks.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (758 Pts)
Finishes sixth or better in seven of his last ten races…but those three he missed he missed big.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (552 Pts)
Is Alex Bowman the guy to replace Junior next season? As far as Jimmie is concerned, he is.

3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
Starting from the rear allows him to give a friendly wave each and every one of his competitors.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (564 Pts)
NASCAR is shaking up leadership team, prompting a driver to change his name to Brad France.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
Fewest points among those with 2 wins or more. I bet he feels just awful about that.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (639 Pts)
It is hard to do play-by-play when Keelan’s hands are covering the toy cars.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (589 Pts)
Nobody runs away from a grandfather clock but put a live 22-pound lobster in Denny’s hands…

8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (486 Pts)
Loudon was not good, but not really bad. It was just…Loudon.

9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
Another race, another few lugnuts loose, another $10,000 fine for another crew chief.

10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (428 Pts)
When it comes to cycling with the boys, Ryan would rather be riding a moped.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (363 Pts)
The fact he is actually 20th in points probably does not cause him any sleepless nights.

12. KYLE BUSCH – 650 POINTS
Damn stupid penalties, but Sunday it is Indy. Kyle always wins at Indy, doesn’t he?

13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 587 POINTS
It is untrue that Elliott has more points than there will be fans in the stands on Sunday. I hope.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 572 POINTS
Jamie will appear in Friday’s hauler parade. Hoping fans will return the favor on the weekend.

15. CLINT BOWYER – 526 POINTS
As long as Logano does not win anytime soon, things are looking good.

16. MATT KENSETH – 524 POINTS
Sure, a win at Loudon would have been nice, but Logano’s disaster proved almost as helpful.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 472 POINTS (1 Win)
He needs another win to get in…and a hell of a lot better scriptwriter for the rest of this season.

18. ERIK JONES – 427 POINTS
Gibbs pays his salary, so he is leaving to join that crew next season. It might be a step down.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 404 POINTS
Has a pair of 6th place finishes to go with a trio of 7th place results. Now, it is time for a Top Five.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 369 POINTS
The good news is that he leads Dillon by six points. The bad news is…

July 19, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole and finished third at New Hampshire, posting his seventh top five of the season. He leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by 38 points.

“Toyota’s led 290 of 301 laps on Sunday,” Truex said. “That should be alarming to U.S. manufacturers. They used to dominate NASCAR. Gosh, if only someone would take it upon themselves to ‘Make America Great Again.’”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson won the pole but had it stripped after failing post-qualifying inspection.

“It was not a good week for me and inspections,” Larson said. “Earlier in the week, I was penalized 35 points for using an illegal rear brake cooling assembly at Kentucky. I profess my innocence, though. To use an overused term, this reeks of a ‘witch hunt,’ and my car is the ‘Target.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth in the Overton 301 at New Hampshire, recording his seventh top five of the year.

“NASCAR used a traction compound at New Hampshire in hopes of promoting side-by-side racing,” Harvick said. “This is 2017 New Hampshire—when someone says ‘Put down that sticky icky,’ it’s NASCAR officials and not marijuana regulators.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started seventh in the Overton 301 and won Stage 2 on his way to a 12th at New Hampshire.

“I’m frustrated,” Busch said. “I’ve now gone one full year without a win in the Monster Energy Cup series. You could say I’m ‘year-ning’ for a win.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 10th at New Hampshire, posting his seventh top 10 of the year.

“I put myself at a disadvantage from the beginning,” Johnson said. “I was penalized for jumping the start and had to serve a drive-through penalty. As infractions go, my offense was pretty minor. It was a slap on the wrist, which, sadly, is more action than a fight between two of today’s NASCAR drivers.”

6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin held off Kyle Larson to win the Overton 301 at New Hampshire, scoring his first win of the season and first for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“I could feel Larson breathing down my neck,” Hamlin said, “and, by extension, NASCAR inspectors. Luckily, I kept Larson at bay. So, once again, he didn’t ‘pass.’”

7. Chase Elliott: Elliott took 11th at New Hampshire as Denny Hamlin tasted victory for the first time this season.

“Congratulations to Hamlin,” Elliott said. “He won the race and a lobster. Judging by the look on his face, Denny was a little apprehensive about holding that lobster. Of course, what driver is ever totally happy with the ‘handling?’”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski bounced back from early trouble in the pits to finish ninth in the Overton’s 301.

“We managed a good, solid finish,” Keselowski said. “We had some trouble with a jack in the pits, so I guess you would call that an ‘up-and-down’ day.”

9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray started fourth at New Hampshire and finished 17th.

“My teammate Kyle Larson has failed two inspections in the last week,” McMurray said. “Kyle may be the fastest driver in NASCAR. If there’s a Point A and a Point B, Kyle is always the fastest between the two. That’s usually because he finds a shortcut.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished seventh at New Hampshire, posting his third top 10 in the last four races. He is 10th in the points standings, 232 out of first.

“Inspections were the big news of the week in NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I’m well aware of cheating that occurs in NASCAR. After all, I drove for Michael Waltrip Racing. Michael is a man of many talents, and ignoring the rule book is one of them. You could say he ‘wears a lot of pants;’ where the rule book is concerned, however, he wears a ‘skirt.’”

July 17, 2017
The Final Word – In some respects, Loudon was a lot like a trip to my dentist

The weather was nice this past weekend up in my neck of the woods. Sadly, I paid the price for a root canal. No sleep Friday night. Zip for Saturday night. Sunday? The feature race was from Loudon. However, just as I rarely hurt after a visit to the dentist, maybe Loudon would go against type and be just wonderful. A race for the ages. Damn it, I deserved it.

To be honest, Jimmie Johnson deserved his penalty when he jumped ahead of pole sitter Martin Truex Jr. on the start. Just like that, he went from the front row back to 39th in a field of 39. Still, it could have been worse, but fortunately, Johnson did not visit my dentist last week.

It was not all gloom and doom. Kyle Larson might have started from the back once again, but he was soon back in the Top Ten. Chris Buescher had the visor cam this week, and I do love the visor cam. As for my dentist, I do not believe he is a NASCAR fan. Most evil doers are not.

Kasey Kahne is not an evil doer. Just do not ask Erik Jones. Not even mid-way through the opening stage, the two had contact in the pits, and that did bad things to the left rear of Jones. The tire gave up, the wall collected him, and Erik saw his day end early. I am thinking Kahne should meet my damn dentist.

That damn Truex. Well, 38 other drivers might feel that way. He led every damn lap of the opening segment and collected another playoff bonus point. What a pain he is, and if there is something I know a little something about, it is pain. So does Kyle Busch, and while he has never worked on a molar he is known to be irritating. He was enough so on Sunday to dominate the second stage to claim the playoff point for himself.

Pain is having your car going one way, and a failed track bar wanting the rear end to go another. That is especially true if you were Joey Logano, he of the encumbered win which means nothing for Chase eligibility. He was off to the garage for a bit of a stay early in the final stage, as the gap between him and a Chase place only grew. It is now over 50 points. The fact NASCAR was interested in what went wrong and the parts involved might not be welcome news either. Sometimes those folks are worse than some dentists. Okay, I may be exaggerating.

While Denny Hamlin made a cameo, the final half of the race essentially featured two drivers. Well, for a while. Truex had a tire issue, had to pit, and that allowed Dr. Busch to return to the lead. Unlike my tale of woe, the patients got a little revenge when Kyle motored too quickly through the pits. That soon turned to the advantage of Truex, as he once again was the drill master wearing the smock and the smirk.

Matt Kenseth tried to set up his own practice with 40 to go, but just as he passed Truex, Kahne touched Ryan Newman. He went for a slide, the caution came out, and we were left to ponder things in the waiting room. All we knew was that somebody was going to win it, but would it be one of the two dominators, or might it go to some other? Talk about a coincidence. Some other is going to be my choice the next time I need to seek dental relief.

Hamlin spelled relief soon after the re-start, as he got by Kenseth and maintained his advantage to the line to walk away with his first win of the season. Some might have needed a win more, but he was not a sure thing for the Chase until he took it. It marked his third win in New Hampshire, the 30th victory of his career. Truex was third while Rowdy fell back to 12th after a pair of penalties changed his day. As for Larson, once again he was the runner-up. Including his two victories, he has finished first or second in nine of the season’s 19 starts.

Aric Almirola returned after mending from his wreck last May in Kansas. He was 24th as he ended his seven event forced vacation. While he did not have the best of days, just being back in the car was great to see. Hamlin had a very good day, while Truex, Larson, Kenseth, and Kevin Harvick, finishing fifth, all had to be satisfied.

Bad days at Black Rock was the fate of Newman and Bayne, while it was like a day at the dentist for Logano and Jones. A big mean ole dentist.

*Note: If you are a dentist or endodontist who is offended by a few passing references I may have included in this article, relax. You are no doubt a wonderful practitioner of the dental arts. You probably are that “some other” I should meet the next time. If you did not hurt me you have nothing to whine about. Me, on the other hand…

July 17, 2017
Hamlin holds off Larson in closing laps of Cup race at Loudon

Denny Hamlin took the lead shortly after the final restart and held off a hard-charging Kyle Larson in the closing laps to win the Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

With all the lead lap cars hitting pit road under the seventh and final caution, race leader Matt Kenseth exited pit road first by taking two right-side tires. This cost him two laps after the ensuing restart with 35 to go when Hamlin got underneath him to take the lead exiting Turn 4.

With nine to go, Larson cut the gap down to under a second. Lapped-traffic slowed his run towards the front, proving crucial to Hamlin scoring his 30th career victory in 417 career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series starts.

“I was just trying to do everything I could to pace,” Hamlin said. “I knew he (Larson) had a very fast car. It just seemed like we were able to get off the corner pretty good and I just ran kind of a pace there which I felt comfortable with. And just in case we had a restart, they wanted to burn the tires up.

“Proud of this whole FedEx Office team, backup car. I put us behind the eight-ball on Friday, but it’s cool to win one like this.”

Larson and Truex, who led a race-high of 137 laps, rounded out the podium.

“I thought I was catching him (Hamlin) at a good pace, but once I would get closer to him, I would get in his dirty air a little bit and get tight,” Larson said. “But, I felt like if I had maybe five, eight more laps I could have gotten to his back bumper and maybe did something. He is probably the best short track racer there is out here. Especially, when it comes to short, flat tracks, but for me to get beat by him is not a cool thing, but I’m proud of that because Denny Hamlin, like I said is really good at this stuff.”

“We were strong for the majority of the race but at the end we lost some speed and couldn’t get to the leader,” said Truex. “The last restart we got the inside lane, restarted third. It wasn’t the place to be, obviously. I think the 11 (race winner Denny Hamlin) started fourth and that was really the place I would have liked to have been. And then we just didn’t get a good restart on the bottom and lost a couple spots and had to battle back and then just didn’t quite have the speed at the end of the race.

“All in all, it was a hard fought day. We had to come from 24th at one point. A good job by everybody and a solid third place effort. Just didn’t have enough there at the end.”

Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five.

Daniel Suarez, Clint Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson rounded out the top-10.

RACE SUMMARY

Truex led the field to the green flag at 3:17 p.m. Johnson was handed a pass through penalty for beating race leader Truex to the line on the initial start.

Truex led from start to finish on his way to winning the first stage. He lost the lead under the stage break to Kyle Busch, who stayed out after pitting under the Lap 36 competition caution.

It was the same story as the first stage, just with Busch at the lead. He led from start to finish and won the second stage. Teammate Hamlin exited pit road the race leader.

Truex worked his way back to the lead on Lap 175, only to make an earlier than planned stop with 83 to go for a flat right-front tire. He un-lapped himself with 63 to go by driving past new race leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. He pitted from the lead with 55 to go, cycling the lead back to Truex.

Busch was handed a pass through penalty for speeding on pit road during this cycle of stops.

Kenseth drove down and edged out Truex at the start/finish line to take the lead with 41 to go.

Ryan Newman’s spin in Turn 2 with 40 to go brought out the seventh caution and set up the run to the finish.

CAUTIONS

Erik Jones brought out the second caution on Lap 41 when he suffered a left-front tire failure and slammed the wall in Turn 2. Cole Whitt brought out the third caution on Lap 68 when his engine expired in Turn 1. Austin Dillon brought out the fifth caution on Lap 88 when he made contact with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and spun out in Turn 4. Caution flew for the sixth time on Lap 151 for the end of the second stage.

NUTS & BOLTS

The race lasted three hours and 36 minutes at an average speed of 105.800 mph. There were 11 lead changes among six different drivers and seven cautions for 34 laps. There was also one red flag that lasted five minutes and 29 seconds during the first stage break.

Truex leaves with a 38-point lead over Larson.

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July 16, 2017
New Hampshire – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend for the Overton’s 301. There are 39 drivers entered into the event with only eight regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin.

Rusty Wallace won the inaugural Cup Series race at New Hampshire, the Slick 50 300, in a Penske Pontiac on July 11, 1993, after starting from 33rd place. It was his fifth win of the year but Wallace would go on to capture five more, giving him his most victories in a single season, with 10. It was his only win at the Loudon, New Hampshire track.

But did you know that the first race at New Hampshire was also Davey Allison’s final race? He finished third, behind Wallace and Mark Martin, scoring his sixth top five of ’93. The following day Allison lost his life in a helicopter crash at Talladega Superspeedway.

There have been 44 Cup Series events at New Hampshire, one each year from 1993 through 1996, with two per year since then. Twenty-four different drivers have won at the 1.058-mile track. Among active drivers, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman lead with three wins each. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch are also multiple winners with two victories each. But did you know that Jeff Burton leads all drivers with four trips to Victory Lane at Loudon?

As the regular season draws to a close, capturing a checkered flag may be the only ticket into the playoffs. For Bowyer (15th), Kenseth (16th) and Logano (17th), time is running out. Kenseth is the defending race winner and after losing his ride with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2018, he may have the most to prove.

Winning the Coors Light Pole could be a key element in accomplishing that goal. Did you know that the pole is the most proficient starting position at New Hampshire? Five of the 44 races (11.3 percent) have been won from first place while another three have been won from second place.

Denny Hamlin could also benefit from a victory. He’s currently 14th in the playoff picture and he goes into New Hampshire with the best driver rating of 102.7 along with two wins, eight top fives and 13 top 10s.

Jimmie Johnson can never be counted out especially with three previous wins, 10 top fives, one pole and the second-best driver rating (101.0). Brad Keselowski has the third-best driver rating (99.3) with one win in 2014, six top fives and three poles.

Kyle Busch remains winless this year. Could this be the track where he changes that? He has two victories, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and two poles with the fourth-best driver rating (98.1). But did you know that he also has three runner-up finishes at Loudon?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is another driver hoping to secure a spot in the playoffs with a trip to Victory Lane in his final full-time season. He has a 97.4 driver rating, the sixth-best, with eight top fives and 15 top 10s. In addition, he leads the way in green-flag speed (125.183) and ranks third in green-flag passes (1,242).

On-track action begins Friday with practice followed by Coors Light Pole Qualifying at 4:45 p.m. ET on NBCSN. The Cup Series Overton’s 301 will close out the weekend at 3 p.m. ET as we get one step closer to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs.

In the meantime, check out this slideshow for some of the most memorable moments in New Hampshire Motor Speedway’s history.

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

July 13, 2017
Hot 20 – If given a choice, rather than Loudon I would prefer to be stuck in Lodi again

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

July 12, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kentucky

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 152 of 274 laps at Kentucky and easily handled a late restart to win the Quaker State 400.

“I dominated that race from start to finish,” Truex said. “I won Stage 1 and Stage 2, then completed the day with the victory. Total domination. I whipped the field, which makes me a ‘domina-Truex.’”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson started at the back of the field and charged to the runner-up finish.

“NASCAR says I passed 90 cars on the night,” Larson said. “That’s a lot of passing. I doubt 90 of anything has been passed in this sport unless you’re talking about Tony Stewart and gas, or Darrell Waltrip and kidney stones.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth in the Quaker State 400, scoring his 11th top-10 result of the year.

“Nothing against Quaker State,” Harvick said, “but I’m sponsored by Mobil 1. And I’m also sponsored by Busch beer. Mobil 1 makes sure my car is well-oiled. Busch beer makes sure my fans are well-oiled.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Kentucky and came home with a fifth-place finish in the Quaker State 400.

“Here’s an interesting story,” Busch said. “Greg Biffle’s ex-wife alleges in a lawsuit he had a Roush Fenway Racing employee install cameras in her house without her knowledge, and that Biffle shared the footage with others. In other words, Greg had his ‘peeps’ do it for him. Has he responded to the lawsuit? Nope, not a peep from him.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s night at Kentucky Speedway ended early when he was collected when Brad Keselowski got loose on lap 88. Johnson finished last.

“I certainly don’t like being last,” Johnson said, “unless it’s at NASCAR’s year-end awards ceremony. Another place I’m last? As an icon in this sport, because I’ve made a ‘last-ing’ impression.”

6. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third at Kentucky, recording his sixth top five of the year and is fifth in the Monster Energy points standings.

“It was a good finish,” Elliott said, “but I’m still disappointed. I’m looking for my first victory. On the bright side, I didn’t offend anyone by cursing over the radio. So I’ll happily settle for the moral victory.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski got loose on the first lap of the second stage and finished 39th at Kentucky, equalling his worst finish of the year.

“I was very critical of NASCAR’s car design,” Keselowski said. “And I tweeted as much on Twitter. So, if NASCAR wants to know who says they suck, I guess a little bird told them.”

8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh at Kentucky.

“The track at Kentucky Speedway was recently repaved,” McMurray said. “And the fresh pavement didn’t provide a wide enough groove for side-by-side racing. And that made for a boring race. The only racing seen was fans ‘racing’ to the exits.”

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took fourth in the Quaker State 400 as Joe Gibbs Racing cars went 4-5-6.

“That’s right,” Hamlin said. “Matt Kenseth was the only JGR driver not to finish in the top 10. And, since Matt is likely not to be back with JGR next season, you could say he’s the odd man out. Because Matt is odd.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer survived contact with Brad Keselowski early at Kentucky and salvaged a 13th in the Quaker State 400.

“The state of Kentucky is world-renowned for its bourbon,” Bowyer said. “You’ve got Jim Beam, Elijah Craig, and Evan Williams, just to name a few. ‘Clint Bowyer’ would be a perfect name for a new brand of bourbon. I think it would be the finest bourbon in the land. Now, I may be hyping it just because it has my name on, but that wouldn’t be the first time I’ve been accused of intentionally ‘spinning.’”

July 11, 2017
The Final Word – The boy from New Jersey looked real comfortable in his Old Kentucky Home

Kentucky. I love Kentucky. It is the home of bourbon. It is where Daniel Boone killed himself a b’ar. It is where they run a pretty important horse derby every year. Of course, I pre-tape the thing to avoid the four hours of filler to get at the three minutes worth watching. I even once liked its Fried Chicken. Hell, I actually met Col. Sanders once, though I must say that I did not lick his fingers. Just saying.

It also hosts a NASCAR race. To be honest, that does not exactly rank up with those other things that create a soft spot in my heart for Kentucky. Maybe this year it might. I mean, without hope what do we have? With Linkin’ Bridge, you got one of the best renditions of the Star Spangled Banner I have heard all season. Amazing. At least we were off to a terrific start.

When the Chase arrives, Martin Truex Jr. will have a great start when they re-jig the points. Once again he claimed the opening two stages, and once again Kyle Busch was doing his bridesmaid routine, finishing second in both. To be honest, those two were all that mattered the initial 160 laps. They mattered even more than my brother Regan, and it was his damn birthday.

Jimmie Johnson did not matter on Saturday night. Brad Keselowski lost grip but found Johnson as the pair both ended the night in the second stage. Trevor Bayne became irrelevant when Kasey Kahne clipped him shortly after. Bayne remained on the track, only to soon crash completely out.

No one had anything for Truex, but Kurt Busch came up with an equalizer. As he went up in smoke with just two laps remaining, leaving the outcome in doubt as the caution forced this one into overtime. Everyone came in to pit, but one. The one they all were chasing throughout the evening.

It did not matter. No one but Truex would matter in the end as a caution came out late on the final lap to hand the honors over, but really that did not matter either. Nobody was going to catch the 37-year old New Jersey driver short of digging a Kentucky b’ar pit. Truex swept the stages, claimed his third win of the season, just one shy of his quartet from last year.

There was just one notable change on the ladder. Joey Logano fell to seven points back in the fight for the final Chase berth. The eighth place finisher might have been nine positions better, but Matt Kenseth had a 13-0 advantage in segment points.

It was a perfect night for Truex, while Rowdy picked up 50 points for his trouble, finishing fifth. Forty-plus evenings were enjoyed by the likes of Kyle Larson (2nd), Kevin Harvick (9th), Jamie McMurray (7th), Denny Hamlin (4th), and Erik Jones (6th).

For Johnson, Bayne, and Keselowski, well, did I mention that Kentucky was the home of bourbon?

July 10, 2017
Kentucky Speedway – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Kentucky Speedway this weekend for the Quaker State 400. Forty drivers will compete for the trophy with only nine regular season races remaining before the playoffs begin.

The inaugural Quaker State 400 was held on July 9, 2011, and was won by Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch who led 125 of 267 laps. Busch captured the checkered flag again in 2015 while Brad Keselowski has won three of the six Cup Series races (2012, 2014, and 2016) at the 1.5-mile track. Busch‘s teammate, Matt Kenseth, has one victory at Kentucky, in 2013. But did you know that Kentucky Speedway is the only track on the current schedule where no Chevrolet car has ever won?

With only nine races left in the regular season winning is paramount. Ten drivers have secured their spot in the playoffs with victories but the clock is winding down for everyone else. Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Clint Bowyer and Matt Kenseth are currently 11th-16th in the playoff picture, but none of them have been to Victory Lane this year.

Keselowski is the defending race winner and holds the track qualifying record with a speed of 188.791 mph, set on June 28, 2014. He leads all active drivers with an average starting position of 4.500 and has the series second-best driver rating (119.2). But did you know that Keselowski is the only driver to win a Cup Series race from the pole (2014) at Kentucky?

With two wins and four top fives at Kentucky, Kyle Busch is hoping to turn his luck around and grab his first win of the season Saturday. He has the series-best driver rating of 125.6, the series-best average finish (5.167) and has led the most laps in the top 15.

Kenseth will be trying for a repeat of his 2013 triumph this weekend. With Joey Logano only three points behind him in points, a win is essential. He has the series third-best driver rating (107.9), three top fives and six top 10s. But did you know that with his win in 2013, Kenseth became the oldest Kentucky winner (06/30/2013 – 41 years, 3 months, 20 days)? Another trip to Victory Lane would be icing on the cake.

This will likely be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s last race at Kentucky Speedway as he will retire from full-time competition at the end of this season. While he only has the 13th-best driver rating at the track, he does have one pole, two top five finishes and ranks fourth-best in fastest laps run (34). But did you know that Earnhardt is the oldest driver to win a Kentucky pole? In 2013 he captured the Coors Light Pole Award at the age of 38 years, 8 months and 20 days.

Qualifying well could be the determining factor for a victory at Kentucky. Three of the six (50 percent) Cup Series races have been won from the front row while five of the six races (83.3 percent) have been won from a top 10 starting position.

Be sure to tune into the action this weekend as the racing intensifies in anticipation of the upcoming playoffs. The Quaker State 400 will be broadcast on NBCSN at 7:30 p.m. ET Saturday.

In the meantime, check out the video below as Keselowski, low on fuel, holds off Carl Edwards to capture his third win at Kentucky Speedway.

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

July 6, 2017
Hot 20 – Kentucky – I am so happy I feel like bouncing…just more like Eeyore than Tigger

Welcome to the Eeyore edition of the Hot 20. Last week, it was Daytona. That was the Happy Snoopy Dance version. This Saturday night, it is Kentucky. My level of excitement is slightly subdued.

It is not as if there is nothing to watch for. Clint Bowyer might like a win, but he is not quite yet in desperate straits. Matt Kenseth might and with Joey Logano just three points behind him, a win or just a much better day than the one his rival experiences would be sweet. Logano would be fine except for the fact five guys below him in points have wins and Joey’s victory counts for nothing.

Kenseth won in Kentucky in 2013, and could sure use another. Kyle Busch has a pair there, in 2011 and 2015, but his points total sure looks good enough despite him being winless. In 2012, 2014, and 2016, the winner was Brad Keselowski. Other than to chalk up some more playoff points, he needs it like I need to gain another 20 pounds.

If a 2017 race winner wins again, it could be pretty ho-hum. If someone 11th through 15th takes the prize, that would be nice. However, if someone 16th or beyond claims the contest Saturday night, Kentucky just might turn out to be mighty interesting indeed.

Of course, like Eeyore, I can be content in the knowledge that things could always be worse. Not sure how, but they could be.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (516 Pts)
If this racing thing doesn’t pan out, he could always be a salesman. He is quite the pedaler.

2. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (667 Pts)
Top gun in points, has a pair of wins, and soon might not be known as the “other” Kyle.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (649 Pts)
According to Las Vegas, this is your favorite for Sparta’s big race.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (535 Pts)
Ignore Thornton. “I am Sparta!”

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (395 Pts)
Wins at Talladega and Daytona. Who the hell does he think he is, Jamie McMurray?

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (557 Pts)
Has not yet won at Pocono, Texas, or Kentucky. Time to break out the bucket list.

7. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (435 Pts)
Backward flip into a pool after signing a giant rubber duck. That was his Daytona experience.

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (408 Pts)
Said Junior had the car to beat last week…and, by God, they beat it real good.

9. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (399 Pts)
I am starting to think that they keep Newman locked up in a dark room between races.

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (323 Pts)
Darlington might be three months away, but his paint scheme that day will be so sweet.

11. KYLE BUSCH – 559 POINTS
Doesn’t need a third Kentucky win. He just wants it.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 524 POINTS
Upset with McDowell, but will keep it civil. I mean, Michael is just too damn big not to.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 504 POINTS
If he is not finishing in the Top Fifteen, it means he crashed.

14. DENNY HAMLIN – 498 POINTS
How this race differs from the Daytona 500? If he wins Saturday, the car won’t be up on display.

15. CLINT BOWYER – 469 POINTS
Not locked in just yet, but feeling pretty confident.

16. MATT KENSETH – 445 POINTS
Not so confident, but he is one of three who has won in Kentucky before.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 442 POINTS (1 W)
It has been a while since a race winner was sitting outside a Chase place.

18. ERIK JONES – 386 POINTS
Has it much easier at an autograph session than, say, Brad Keselowski.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 354 POINTS
Maybe…just maybe…we have the first Mexican Olympic bobsleigh champion right here.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 351 POINTS
A Bayne win Saturday would even make Eeyore smile.

July 5, 2017