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Tag: Denny Hamlin

  • The Final Word – Las Vegas came with some distractions, and not all of them were in Nevada

    The Final Word – Las Vegas came with some distractions, and not all of them were in Nevada

    It was a rainy, blowy kind of Sunday, and that was just in these parts where I live. With a few errands to run, we had Sirius Channel 90 on the car radio so we did not miss the action. Due to the rainy, blowy kind of Sunday at Las Vegas, we did not.

    Rarely do I watch the action live, but we were visiting my father, as the ladies in the family took care of packing up some of my late mother’s things. We gentleman were in front of the television. We also talked a lot. Did I mention our three and five year old nieces were there, the precocious pair being cuteness personified? Under those kind of conditions, one can miss some of the action, so with less than 30 laps to go it appeared we were seeing Kyle Busch rushing toward the finish. Then my sister came into the room, and our attention was further strained. When they waved the flag, it was Brad Keselowski taking the trophy. Okay, what in hell happened? Luckily for me, I taped the race, so an answer would be forthcoming.

    I guess we failed to notice Keselowski make the pass with about six laps to go. It appears Busch was experiencing some vibration that only got worse, tightening the car and affecting his ability to turn. That is usually something one wishes to do when racing on an oval. Down to the final lap, Joey Logano made his pass for second. At the line, Jimmie Johnson edged out Busch for third. At least Kyle was the best Busch brother on the day.

    Kurt Busch started strong, leading for 31 laps. A pit penalty while under the competition caution took him out of the running for top spot, and he never contended again. Still, ninth is not bad. Denny Hamlin actually led for a few laps. Ten, to be exact, but 19th was his fate.

    Only five other drivers really mattered in Las Vegas. Keselowski popped in and out of the Top Three much of the day before he made his final charge. His car proved good enough to overcome a speeding penalty with 80 to go, needing just half of that to get back into contention, going on to claim his 18th career victory. The high winds on the day actually whipped the Stars and Stripes out of the car during the post-race celebration, though the young patriot immediately stopped the car to retrieve the fallen flag. Not exactly Denzil Washington’s scene in Glory, but much appreciated just the same.

    Just about everyone else who mattered were also there at the finish. Logano had led 70 laps, Johnson 76, and Kyle 38 of the final 44 laps, but those missing six were the most crucial. There was one exception.

    Matt Kenseth only led nine, but he was up front much of the day. A vibration caused him to short pit about 60 laps in, but it did not take him long to get back into the mix. Late in the race, just before my sister came into the room, Kenseth was fifth on a re-start. A lap later, he lost the handling as his car drifted up toward the fence, where Chase Elliott smashed into him to wrap up the day for both. The only one who did not think Elliott could not have avoided the crash was Elliott himself, who thought things would have turned out differently if he had only used his brakes. The pair finished just ahead of Cole Whitt for dead last.

    As for the Danica Line this week, it was 21st Sunday at Las Vegas, with Greg Biffle finishing just ahead while Clint Bowyer finished just behind her. Despite all the wishin’ and a hopin’, Patrick is still not a Top 20 performer. She sits 26th in today’s rankings, though that is better than Elliott and Bowyer heading into Phoenix this weekend.

    Three races, three winners. Last year, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was the victor in Arizona. Mind you, five of the previous six races run there were all claimed by Kevin Harvick. I think we have a favorite.

  • Hot 20 – If rules are meant to be broken, somebody forgot to tell NASCAR

    Hot 20 – If rules are meant to be broken, somebody forgot to tell NASCAR

    Rules be rules, and the book was tossed at a number of folks after Atlanta. The biggest hit was taken by Martin Truex Jr. after a roof flap issue meant the loss of 15 points. Thanks to the appeal process, he keeps crew chief Cole Pearn for this weekend otherwise, he would be gone for a race and tagged with a $50,000 fine. Considering it is the second straight race the issue has come up, NASCAR got rather ornery.

    The honchos were not happy. A.J. Allmendinger lost 10 points for issues regarding his rear wheel crush panels. Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, Ryan Newman and Michael McDowell lost 10 each for components of the car not being kosher. Each crew chief also got to donate $15,000 to the cause.

    The poobahs were not done. For failing to pass the pre-qualifying inspection after three attempts, they sent nasty notes to Jeffery Earnhardt’s people, along with the loss of 15 minutes of practice time. Uncle Dale Earnhardt Jr., along with Matt DiBenedetto, and Cole Whitt, were written up after each failed twice.

    The lords of all racing even managed to hand out a $5000 penalty to an XFINITY crew chief, wrote up six others for pre-racing inspection issues, and even tagged a Camping World team for failing post-race inspection.

    Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do?

    In the meantime, NASCAR boss Brian France came out and endorsed Donald Trump for President. To each his own, but I cannot help thinking that while the Donald might not be everyone’s cup of tea, the character and morality flaws of some of the others leave him looking like Gandhi. Yes, it is a strange, strange world we live in, Master Jack.

    Off to Las Vegas, our Hot 20 performers include…

    1. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 70 PTS
    Still has Atlanta car, but his Daytona car is missing. It happens every darn year to somebody.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 1 WIN – 70 PTS
    Win a race, tie Dale Earnhardt, pretty much lock in a spot in the Chase. Check, check, and check.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 78 PTS
    Won Atlanta’s XFINITY race and outran my five-month-old nephew Oscar. What a guy.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 74 PTS
    If he hopes to repeat in 2016, does that mean Harvick “peated” at Las Vegas last year?

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 73 PTS
    No one mentions his former friend 12919-028 anymore.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 69 PTS
    Will the hometown look the same as he steps down from the plane?

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 64 PTS
    A recent story was entitled, “Logano tries to adjust to new package.” I giggled. I am so immature.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 60 PTS
    Roof flap issues cost Truex 15 points, but the appeal retains for him his crew chief, for now.

    9. ARIC ALMIROLA – 55 PTS
    Some with Cuban heritage are running for President. President Almirola has a ring to it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 54 PTS
    While Mr. France likes Donald Trump, Brad kind of likes the sound of President Keselowski.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 53 PTS
    When I rechecked the point standings from Tuesday, I thought I might have had another stroke.

    12. MATT KENSETH – 51 PTS
    In future, when the flag goes black, maybe they should get back.

    13. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 50 PTS
    Later this season, he will truly be a Sunny Delight. I wonder if Ms. Patrick would agree?

    14. KYLE LARSON – 49 PTS
    A big fan of the NBA Charlotte Hornets. I like the NHL Montreal Canadiens. We both are weird.

    15. KASEY KAHNE – 46 PTS
    Named by Hollywood Life as a Top 10 Hottie of NASCAR. Nope. Danica is all alone.

    16. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 45 PTS
    After failing pre-qualifying inspection twice, even Junior got written up on Santa’s naughty list.

    17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 44 PTS
    Looked good at Atlanta, then they began the second minute of action.

    18. REGAN SMITH – 40 PTS
    Tommy Baldwin should be proud.

    19. CHASE ELLIOTT – 38 PTS
    Thanks to good, clean living and NASCAR penalties, the rookie makes the list.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 38 PTS
    Some got a Charter, some did not need it.

    21. RYAN NEWMAN – 38 PTS
    Must have been a Childress thing, as Newman and Menard are also 10 lighter than first tallied.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Atlanta

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Atlanta

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: One day after winning the XFINITY Series race, Busch finished third in the Folds Of Honor 500. He now stands third in the points standings, eight behind Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin.

    “I originally won the pole,” Busch said, “but my car failed inspection. That gave the pole to my brother Kurt. You could say Kurt backed into the pole. That ‘pole’ at Atlanta caused no damage to Kurt’s car, unlike that ‘wall’ at Dover last October, which damaged Kevin Harvick’s car not only beyond recognition but beyond inspection.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson short-pitted with about 40 laps to go in Atlanta, and held off the charging Kevin Harvick down the stretch to capture the Folds Of Honor 500. With the win, Johnson matched Dale Earnhardt with his 76th career win.

    “That’s why I held three fingers out of the window,” Johnson said. “Not because I was three times as pissed off as Martin Truex Jr. was at Regan Smith, but because I wanted to honor Dale Earnhardt. Just call me the ‘InJimidator.’

    “I have to give it up to Chad Knaus for making a bold strategy call. Chad firmly believes in staying one step ahead of the competition, and two steps ahead of the rule book.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 34 laps and finished seventh in Atlanta, and is now fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “You may have seen me give Regan Smith the finger,” Truex said. “You may not know this, but the Sunday before ‘Leap Day’ is ‘Flip Day.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin fell a lap down early at Atlanta and never recovered, finishing 16th, two laps down.

    “I call it the ‘Daytona Hangover,’” Hamlin said. “The thrill of victory at Daytona is often determined by less than a tenth of a second. The agony of defeat is often marked by more than a fifth of liquor.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 131 laps but was outsmarted in the pits by Jimmie Johnson, who short-pitted to build a big lead, then held on after a late caution.

    “That race was mine to lose,” Harvick said. “But I’ll let my crew chief, Rodney Childers, take ownership of it, though, because he was outsmarted by Chad Knaus. It was a contest to see who was going to pit first. You could say it was a game of ‘cat and Knaus.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 19th at Atlanta after a mid-race penalty left him two laps down.

    “That’s called an ‘improper fueling’ penalty,” Kenseth said. “Apparently, my gas man placed a wrench on the back of the car. That’s a no-no. But not as big a no-no as me placing my front bumper on the back of Joey Logano’s car.”

    7. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished fifth in the Folds Of Honor 500 to score his second top-five result of the year.

    “There were 327 laps of green flag racing,” Edwards said. “We haven’t seen this much green flag racing since 2015. Or, should I say, ‘We didn’t see this much green flag racing in 2015.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch started on the pole and took fourth at Atlanta, one spot behind younger brother Kyle. Kurt is seventh in the points standings, nine out of first.

    “Did you hear?” Busch said. “Brian France endorsed Donald Trump for President. That’s interesting because, in July, NASCAR said it would not hold its Camping World and XFINITY banquets at Trump’s National Doral Resort after Trump made racist and disparaging remarks about immigrants. Apparently, France puts the ‘race’ in ‘racism.’ I can see Trump spin this to even greater advantage: he’ll say he was endorsed by France, and his supporters will believe it’s the country. Viva Le Trump!”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished ninth at Atlanta, plagued by handling issues that likely prevented a top-5 result.

    “In light of Brian France’s endorsement of Donald trump,” Keselowski said, “this is certainly not the first time someone has looked at France and said, ‘What is he doing?’

    “But enough about a pudgy-faced clown who is clueless as to how to run a race, France needs to mind his own business. He can’t even handle the politics of his own sport, much less those of a nation.”

    10. Austin Dillon: Dillon started eighth and finished 11th in the Folds Of Honor 500. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 15 out of first.

    “My younger brother Ty subbed for Tony Stewart in the No. 14 car,” Dillon said. “Tony is out for a few weeks, mostly to rehab a back injury, but also to work on his new cookbook, ’50 Shades Of Gravy.’

    “While Tony is out, Stewart-Haas Racing wants someone in that car. They certainly don’t want that ride empty. Ty is more than happy to occupy that spot. So, with or without Tony, you know there will be an ass in the seat.”

  • The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The drivers liked it. I think most pure race enthusiasts liked it. I kind of liked it. It was not the visual experience Daytona provides, granted, but you could not to sure of anything until it ended. One pit problem, a lack of cautions, and just the second of the day popping up right at the end sure rid us of some of our preconceptions.

    For example, Matt Kenseth was going to have a wonderful day at Atlanta. Sure, what could go wrong? Well, it seems that the most a gasman can do when actually fueling the car, when the can is actually engaged, is to pass gas or maybe sing a little song, but that is about it. He cannot place a wrench on the deck of the car, for example. That would call for a pit penalty. Not so, claimed crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who was too busy arguing the case that he did not seem to notice when NASCAR black flagged the driver, then quit counting his laps. Kenseth sure the hell did, and did not seem terribly happy about it. By the time he came in, he was going to go back out two laps down, and he stayed down to finish 19th despite once leading for 47 laps.

    Kurt Busch led from the pole and looked sweet for the early going. Sixty-two laps worth of sweetness. Then others got even sweeter, but a fourth place finish was not bad. If we thought he who led early would also lead late, we were bound to wind up mistaken.

    Kevin Harvick then would be the guy. He led late. He led the most, with 131 laps on the point. He looked good. Then Chad Knaus ruined everything. He called Jimmie Johnson in early for some fresh rubber in a bid to make up ground. That happened. When Harvick came in under green, a hung front tire cost him four seconds in the pits against Johnson’s time. Harvick was down by more than a dozen seconds, made up half of it, then stalled. It was over, right? Wrong.

    Two-thirds of the way through at Atlanta, we had our first caution for debris. By that time, we had two-thirds of the field lapped. With just three to go, Ryan Newman blew a right rear and caution waved for just the second time on the day. Harvick and Johnson would restart side by side.

    If only Happy had not spun his tires, it might have been close. If only he did not get tagged by Martin Truex Jr. from behind, then rubbed by Carl Edwards from the side, he might have been able to salvage the situation. If only. Sixth was to be his fate, one spot behind Edwards and just ahead of Truex.

    In the end, Johnson won his 76th career race, tying the mark of the late Dale Earnhardt, as his son and Johnson’s teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., came home second, just ahead of Kyle Busch. This is not what we thought would happen with 20 to go. Once again, we were wrong. If we can be so wrong in a race that had just three cautions, including one that came out on the final lap, there must have been some decent racing action going on. With Las Vegas coming up next week, betting on the outcome might truly be the dominion of true gamblers. Hell, we can’t even be sure as to how big the field is going to be anymore.

    The worst Charter car was the 38th place finish of Jeffrey Earnhardt, in a 39 car field. The best non-Charter was Ryan Blaney in 25th. Danica Patrick was 20th, sandwiched between Kenseth and Jamie McMurray. With the win, Johnson joins Denny Hamlin, 16th at Atlanta, as the pair with a ticket all but already punched for the Chase. If nothing else, picking those two to be among the Chasers would have been a very astute pick.

    Thank God there appears to be at least one thing we can be confident about.

  • Denny Hamlin Fastest in Final Practice at Atlanta

    Denny Hamlin Fastest in Final Practice at Atlanta

    HAMPTON, Ga.– Denny Hamlin topped the chart in the final session of Sprint Cup Series practice.  The driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota posted a time of 29.419 and a speed of 188.450 mph.

    Martin Truex Jr. was second in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota with a time of 29.454 and a speed of 188.226 mph. Jimmie Johnson was third in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 29.600 and a speed of 187.297 mph. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was fourth in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet with a time of 29.632 and a speed of 187.095 mph as Chase Elliott rounded out the top-five in his No. 24 HMS Chevrolet with a time of 29.653 and a speed of 187.095 mph.

    Kyle Busch was sixth in his No. 18 JGR Toyota followed by Jamie McMurray in seventh in his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet. Casey Mears was eighth in his No. 13 Germain Racing Chevrolet. Kurt Busch was ninth in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet while Ryan Newman rounded out the top-10 in his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet.

    McMurray posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 181.480 mph. Newman was second at a speed of 181.259 mph and Jimmie Johnson was third with a speed of 181.096 mph.

    All that remains for the Sprint Cup Series cars is the race tomorrow at 1 p.m. on FOX.

     

  • Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Interesting things can happen after the first race of the season. Some names usually near the front find themselves as also-rans as the schedule continues on to Atlanta. No Junior. No Biffle, No Bowyer. No Patrick. Okay, I’ve gone too far, I know.

    Still, a lot of the boys who did, do not appear out of place. Regan Smith might have something to prove this year and the same with his owner Tommy Baldwin. Michael McDowell did well in a non-Charter ride and returns to his regular seat this Sunday. Ryan Blaney has no safety line, but the Wood Brothers just need to continue showing up and making races. Odds are the three past contenders should move ahead of this trio before long, but could one or two of them win somewhere along the way and steal a Chase spot from somebody? Why not.

    Last Sunday, it was all about restrictor plate pack racing. Atlanta should be more about the car, the one they worked on, the one NASCAR claims again to be just what we need for more competitive, more exciting action.

    I await the excitement promised for Sunday. Here are our hottest 20 performers coming to Atlanta.

    1. Denny Hamlin – 1 Win – 45 Points
    Toyota claims its first Daytona 500 in a game of inches.

    2. Martin Truex, Jr. – 40 Points
    If Charlton Heston was at the wheel, this car might have hit ramming speed.

    3. Kyle Busch – 39 Points
    39 points better than he was at this time last year. Walks better, too.

    4. Kevin Harvick – 37 Points
    Harvick had a plan last Sunday. Hamlin took that plan to Victory Lane.

    5. Carl Edwards – 36 Points
    A Top Five with a front fender made of peanut brittle.

    6. Joey Logano – 35 Points
    In the best darn Ford on the day. If you are seeking a Roush Ford…there is always next week.

    7. Kyle Larson – 34 Points
    This season, his Daytona 500 proved to be a much better experience than his Rolex 24.

    8. Regan Smith – 33 Points
    Some get a Charter handed to them, but maybe Tommy Baldwin wishes to show his was earned.

    9. Austin Dillon – 33 Points
    Only one man has ever taken the No. 3 to victory in the Daytona 500…and he did it once.

    10. Kurt Busch – 31 Points
    Has he driven a Ford lately?

    11. Ryan Newman – 31 Points
    If you can’t make tracks driving a Caterpillar, you can’t make tracks at all.

    12. Aric Almirola – 29 Points
    Petty people worked hard on their intermediate-track package. Sunday shall be a test of that.

    13. Kasey Kahne – 28 Points
    Who is the best damn driver at Hendrick? Kan’t guess?

    14. Matt Kenseth – 28 Points
    Only the inside lane was moving, until the outside lane did.

    15. Michael McDowell – 26 Points
    Loaned out his Charter ride and beat it as an outsider.

    16. Jimmie Johnson – 26 Points
    Not often Six Time is not visible. That probably won’t be the case in Atlanta.

    17. Jamie McMurray – 24 Points
    Bend ‘em like Beckham? Danica has to work to motor like McMurray.

    18. Paul Menard – 23 Points
    Childress entries were more successful last Sunday than Hendrick Chevys. Interesting.

    19. Ryan Blaney – 22 Points
    Charter? Who needs a stinkin’ Charter?

    20. Brad Keselowski – 22 Points
    According to Hamlin, the least athletic driver, “…with a sprint cup championship,” added Brad.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin powered his way past Matt Kenseth on the final lap, then edged Martin Truex Jr. at the line by .010 seconds, the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, to win his first 500.

    “It was a bold move to leave the draft and go high,” Hamlin said. “Joe Gibbs’ drivers are known for getting ‘out of line,’ notably Matt Kenseth anytime Joey Logano’s in front of him, or Kyle Busch anytime he’s behind the wheel of a street car.

    “I’m just glad I was able to end Joe Gibbs’ 23-year Daytona drought. Joe said this felt like winning the Super Bowl. Speaking of football, maybe NASCAR should follow the NFL’s lead and make it much easier to pass.”

    2. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex took the runner-up spot at Daytona, falling .010 seconds short to Denny Hamlin in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history.

    “I’m disappointed,” Truex said, “but it was a great result for Furniture Row Racing. To celebrate, Furniture Row is throwing in a free ‘photo finish’ on all products purchased this week.

    “I can’t be too unhappy about finishing second. I think I made a name for myself at Daytona. Unfortunately, that name is ‘Martin Truex II.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch started defense of his 2015 Sprint Cup championship with a strong third in the Daytona 500, as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three cars in the top 5.

    “These Gibbs Toyotas were strong all day long,” Busch said. “We knew if we remained grouped together in the low line, we’d be there at the end. It may not have worked out so well for Tim Richmond, but running a train sure did for JGR.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Leading on the final lap, Kenseth was passed after a daring move to the high line by Denny Hamlin, who sailed past Kenseth’s failed attempt to block. Hamlin went on to edge Martin Truex Jr. as Kenseth slid back to 14th.

    “Maybe I should have held my line,” Kenseth said. “But it’s hard to remain disciplined when you think you may get passed. Trust me, last year taught me how hard it was to ‘be disciplined.’

    “But congratulations to Hamlin. He predicted his Daytona 500 win as a second-grader. Speaking of school, maybe I should have paid more attention in drafting class.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth, and generated the momentum that propelled Denny Hamlin past Matt Kenseth on the final turn to result in Hamlin’s win.

    “That’s the second¬-most famous push in the back I’m known for,” Harvick said. “The first was in Texas in 2014 when I shoved Brad Keselowski. Hamlin’s post-race fist pump was the only punch thrown in either situation.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano, last year’s Daytona 500 winner, took sixth in this year’s race after starting fifth on the grid.

    “I can’t be too sad for Matt Kenseth,” Logano said. “You could say he got what was coming to him.

    “As for the race itself, it was a pretty boring affair save for the last lap. Maybe NASCAR needs to institute a ‘repetition’ caution before fans revolt in a ‘Mutiny On Monotony.’”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished seventh in the Daytona 500, his best result ever in the season’s inaugural race.

    “How about Scottish actor Gerard Butler’s role as Grand Marshal?” Larson said. “Nothing says ‘The Great American Race’ like a Scottish accent.”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 18 laps and was poised for a strong finish until a pit road penalty with 45 laps to go. Johnson was issued a drive-through penalty after NASCAR deemed his pit crew were over the wall too soon.

    “Too many men over the wall?” Johnson said. “Who called this penalty, Donald Trump?

    “Pole-sitter and Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott took a spin through the Daytona infield, as did Danica Patrick. For some drivers, like Chase, it’s a ‘spin in the grass;’ for others, like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., it’s a ‘roll in the hay.’”

    9. Regan Smith: Smith, in the No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet, finished eighth in the Daytona 500.

    “Hamlin wrote a letter in the second grade saying his dream was to win the Daytona 500,” Smith said. “Most NASCAR fans would respond to that by saying, ‘Dreams do come true.’ The remaining NASCAR fans would say, ‘Hamlin could write in the second grade?’”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch started eighth and finished tenth at Daytona.

    “Brian France promised lots of changes for the 2016 NASCAR season,” Busch said. “I guess lead changes wasn’t one of them. There were only four lead changes that didn’t happen as a result of pit stops.

    “But what would you expect from NASCAR’s CEO and Chairman? Maybe ‘CFO’ would be a better title because he’s a ‘Chubby-Faced Oaf.’ France wants to be omnipresent. He should start by just being present. Just to clarify, I took those words right out of Tony Stewart’s mouth. As long as it’s not food, Tony doesn’t mind.”

  • The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

    The Final Word – Daytona was a tale of two lane blacktop, at least for the final lap

    “Stay on the bottom, stay in line, and they can’t pass us.”

    For 199 laps, Darrell Waltrip’s observation of the 2016 Daytona 500 was dead on. Then, it became dead wrong. With Matt Kenseth leading Martin Truex Jr. on the bottom, Denny Hamlin jumped to the outside with some rarely seen momentum in that lane. Kenseth moved up to block, overshot just as Hamlin cut to his inside to leave the No. 20 wiggling high and dry. Moving beside Truex the pair fought it out to the line, with Hamlin taking his first Great American Race by about four inches, the closest finish in the history of the classic.

    For 199 laps, it was the inside lane and only the inside that mattered. Nothing moved on top. Until Hamlin’s maneuver, nothing did. In claiming the prize, the most dominant car of the day got back to the front where he had led for 95 laps though he needed to finish it off the hard way. Well, hard for everyone else, but it looked pretty darn easy for the now 27-race winner.

    Racing at Daytona is usually exciting, even when it becomes a single lane contest for the most part. Twenty-year-old Chase Elliott led a couple from the pole, but later his car drifted away from him to leave it wrecked in the infield. Dale Earnhardt Jr. looked strong for the next dozen, and while he was coming back with 30 laps to run, his own snapped from beneath him and found an inside wall. Other than that, Hamlin, Kenseth, and Truex were the only names worth remembering.

    Among the milestones, the worst Charter finish was that of Chris Buescher in 39th after his crash with Matt DiBenedetto near the mid-point on Sunday. The best non-Charter was 15th, recorded by Michael McDowell in the No. 59 of Leavine Family Racing. Danica Patrick is usually the dividing line between the good and the ugly, so the car finishing just ahead of her at Daytona was Greg Biffle in 34th. The pair had a meeting over disputed real estate and neither came away well from that. Right behind her was Junior in 36th.

    There are times when cars can go from the front to near the back and within a few laps they are back racing up front again. That was not this race. Unless you could get back using the checkers method, by jumping over the opposition, it took some time to make up lost ground. Unlike some, this was not a case of follow the leader, but rather one where the leaders ran on the inside and those on the outside just sat there frustrated going nowhere. That is, until the final lap.

    Some claim that is was a snore fest. I disagree as pack racing is never boring. When you drive that close and that fast, with only the first handful of cars not within a racing buddy in tight beside them, things can happen and not all of them good.  It became obvious that the leader was going to likely be our eventual winner. Obvious to everyone, except for Denny Hamlin, that is.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: The 2016 Daytona 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: The 2016 Daytona 500

    After one of the greatest finishes in NASCAR history capping off one of the most dominating manufacturer performances ever, here’s what was surprising and not surprising from the Super Bowl of NASCAR, the Daytona 500.

    Surprising: After tearing his ACL last season and ending 2015 a disappointing ninth in the final point standings, Denny Hamlin ended Sunday the victor of the 58th annual Daytona 500. It was Hamlin’s first Daytona 500 victory in his eleventh start in the “Great American Race.” It was also the closest margin of victory of any Daytona 500 race of all time, at .010 seconds ahead of second-place Martin Truex Jr.

    Hamlin dominated most of the day, leading 95 laps, but the driver of the no. 11 FedEx Toyota came in too fast on the final green flag pit stop and ruined his tires. Michael Wheeler, Hamlin’s rookie crew chief, made an audible and changed four tires instead of the planned two.

    The call hurt the team’s track position and mired the Virginian driver in the ninth-sixth range for much of the final 100 miles. A move up the outside to block Kevin Harvick from getting past his Toyota teammates gave Hamlin the momentum to get around Matt Kenseth and nip Truex at the finish line.

    It was Hamlin’s 27th Sprint Cup victory and his second restrictor-plate victory. Including national series victories and exhibition races, Hamlin now has five career victories at Daytona.

    “It’s the pinnacle of my career, for sure,” Hamlin said later on in the media center. “I haven’t got a championship yet. This is obviously the biggest win for myself.”

    “Seeing Denny say it’s his biggest race, biggest thing he’s got, makes me happy,” Wheeler also said in the media center following the race. “I’m a small part of this. Racing has a lot to do with the driver, the actual car, people that build that car, with the spotter involved. Just really happy to be a small part of that.”

    Not Surprising: Toyota’s overall domination of the Sprint Cup series continues, after sweeping the top three and leading for 157 out of 200 total laps on Sunday.

    For much of the latter half of the race, the front three or four cars devolved into a single file Toyota freight train. After the final restart, the first five cars in the dominant bottom lane of the track were all Toyota before the final lap.

    Although they faded last season for much of the Chase, JGR has now won 12 of the last 21 Sprint Cup races. Denny Hamlin believes that teamwork was the key to JGR’s second Daytona 500 victory.

    “I’m just so proud of all my other teammates for us being so committed to each other for 500 miles today,” Hamlin said post-race. ”That was very rare that you see the selflessness that you saw, even with two laps to go.  All of us were committed to pushing that 20 car to a victory.”

    “I think what happened is we came down and our cars were all fast,” Toyota team owner Joe Gibbs added later on. “I think we had good cars. Every time I talked to the drivers, they said, ‘Hey, look, I think we’re pretty good.’ Obviously, there were a lot of other good cars out there.

    “The way it worked out for us, Denny was right, it was teamwork.  For us to hang together that long, that’s one thing about our racing, restrictor plate races, if you can ever do that, it’s great. The problem is you can rarely do that. We did it today.”

    Surprising: After having to go to a backup car, Martin Truex Jr. spent almost the entire Daytona 500 working with his Toyota teammates in the top five at Joe Gibbs Racing. He ended the day, however, wondering what if.

    “Wish I would have crowded [Hamlin] up the track a little bit more late down the frontstretch,”  Truex said. “Those are split-second decisions. He came out on the right end of it today.”

    It was the first race for the no. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota after years of running Chevrolets. However, it seems the Barney Visser owned team is already comfortable with their surroundings as JGR’s satellite team.

    “We tried for years and years to build a collaboration between Joe Gibbs Racing and Michael Waltrip Racing,” president of TRD David Wilson said after the race. “We got better. We started sharing more. But it really wasn’t the type of collaboration that we wanted to see happen.

    “At the outset when we started talking to Furniture Row, when Joe Gibbs and Barney Visser and ourselves have dinner, I sensed there was a level of trust in each other and a shared value structure that could allow this collaboration to actually succeed. What Martin Truex Jr. did today was huge in saying that he wants to be on this team. I’m incredibly impressed.”

    Another Toyota driver asking what if following the race was defending Cup champion Kyle Busch, who settled in line for third instead of pulling out in front of Hamlin out of turn two.

    “Once Denny jumped up, he just got such a huge boost from the 4,” Rowdy told the media. “Once he did it, I swore I thought about doing it. Once I thought about doing it and didn’t do it, it was too late. That was it. You can’t think that long and not make the move at the same time.

    “So I missed my opportunity. But, you know, that’s racing. That’s how it goes.”

    Not Surprising: Kevin Harvick started off 2016 where he seemed to be most weeks in 2015: in the top five.

    Harvick didn’t end the day with a second Daytona 500 victory, instead having to settle for a fourth place finish after pushing Hamlin to the lead. It almost ended too early for the 2014 Cup champion, though; he saved himself from spinning off of turn four unlike a lot of other drivers in what became a danger zone for drivers.

    “I wanted to be the first car in that outside line because I really thought they would really start pushing and shoving like they did and finally get some momentum coming toward the end of the race,” the driver of the no. 4 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet said. “Denny saw that momentum and was able to jump up in front of us. You look at our day, that first big slide we could have been on the wrecker pretty early in this race.”

    Surprising: After dominating superspeedways all of last season, both Hendrick Motorsports and Team Penske were DOA on Sunday.

    Hendrick’s highest finishing driver ended up being Kasey Kahne, who ended the day 13th. Jimmie Johnson figured to be a factor in the final run to the checkers before a drive-through penalty after his last pit stop relegated the six time Cup champion 16th. Dale Earnhardt Jr., the heavy favorite to win, spun into the inner wall while fighting to get back to the lead in fourth. His day ended in 36th. Chase Elliott, in his first race as Jeff Gordon’s successor in the iconic No. 24 Chevrolet, started on the pole but spun into the infield early on and severely damaged his car. Elliott ended the day in 37th.

    Meanwhile, Team Penske fared slightly better, with defending Daytona 500 champion Joey Logano finishing 6th and Brad Keselowski finishing 20th. Both, however, were never real threats against the Toyota domination.

    Not Surprising: Kyle Larson ended a solid Speedweeks with a solid finish, a seventh place result after spending much of the day in the top 15. Larson had to feel a sense of relief, though; after not finishing his first two Daytona 500 starts, the third time was the charm for “Young Money.” But it wasn’t a stress-free day.

    “The whole time, all the hairy moments we were in, it was just like ‘oh I have to get out of here so I can get to the checkered flag’,” Larson was quoted as saying following the race. “The last lap there it got really hectic. I was pushing the guy in front of me. I was getting pushed from behind. I was just trying to hold a steady wheel.”

    Surprising: Every plate race usually has a surprise or two among the top 15. Drivers and teams that don’t often have the resources to regularly compete for a win often shine at Daytona and Talladega.

    This race was no different, with Regan Smith of Tommy Baldwin Racing finishing eighth and Michael McDowell of Circle Sport-Leavine Family Racing (CSLFR) finishing 15th.

    Not Surprising: Although Richard Childress Racing didn’t make much noise on Sunday, the Chevrolet outfit continued to be consistent and reliable.

    Austin Dillion and Ryan Newman finished ninth and eleventh, respectively, while Paul Menard brought his car home 18th. In addition to that, satellite teams TBR and CSLFR battled the odds and finished with the aforementioned great results.

    The Sprint Cup Series rolls on next week to the Atlanta Motor Speedway for the QuikTrip Fields of Honor 500. The green flag waves at 1 p.m. ET Sunday as drivers race with the new low downforce Cup aero package.

     

  • Truex Brothers Both Bridesmaids at Daytona

    Truex Brothers Both Bridesmaids at Daytona

    Martin Truex Jr. and his younger brother Ryan have shared many racing highs and lows over the years. But this weekend the two shared a major accomplishment, finishing runner-up in their respective races at Daytona International Speedway.

    Ryan Truex went first with his bridesmaid finish for the Daytona race weekend.  The younger Truex, in his No. 81 Toyota Osaka Parts Distributor Toyota for Hattori Racing, finished just behind veteran Johnny Sauter in the Truck race on Friday.

    “Yeah God, if that wreck wouldn’t have happened, I think we had him,” Ryan Truex said after his race on Friday. “The bottom was just the place to be all day. It seemed like you could hook up and bump draft to the front.”

    “It just all came down to who could bump draft the best without locking up and staying out there,” Truex continued. “So, you just had to make the right moves and be there at the end.”

    “And we were and unfortunately, it just didn’t end up in our favor.”

    The elder Truex brother Martin finished second to Denny Hamlin just two days later in the Daytona 500.  He ran runner-up by just 0.010 seconds, the closest margin of victory ever in the history of the Great American race.

    “It was really amazing what we were able to do all day and really just control the race the way we did,” Truex Jr. said after Sunday’s race.  “The last lap, we were in great position behind Matt (Kenseth).  Felt like if Matt would have stayed in front of us, maybe he would have probably held off Denny (Hamlin).”

    “Matt went up to try to block his run, Denny cut inside, made it three-wide.  Just side drafted me off of turn four all the way to the line.  I felt like I had enough momentum to keep him behind me.  I did that all the way up until that last couple feet.  He just shot out that last couple inches on me right before the line.”

    “Circumstances didn’t work out quite as well as they should have.  I could have done a little bit different coming to the line.”

    “It is what it is.”

    Although both Truex brothers fell one position short of claiming victory, both overcame great odds to even take the checkered flags in their respective runner-up positions. Ryan literally was without a ride of any kind weeks before the race and Martin had to go to a backup car after wrecking his primary in the second Duels race.

    “I didn’t have a ride a few weeks ago, and Hattori Racing called me and wanted me to come drive for them,” Ryan Truex said. “So you can’t give up. It’s easy to get down on yourself.  It’s easy to quit. You just have to keep going.”

    “I’m at the track every weekend talking to whoever will talk to you, and you don’t say no to an opportunity. That’s what we did this weekend, and it worked out for us.”

    Older brother Martin also had to face some adversity prior to finishing second, having to race an untested backup car under the bright lights of Daytona.

    “It’s been a tough season down here,” Truex said. “Our guys worked really, really hard.  I think our backup car was the best car we had. In a way, it was a blessing to get in that wreck the other day.”

    Although they may have just missed Victory Lane, both Truex brothers felt their near win positioned them for even better opportunities in the future.

    “At first, it just looked like Daytona would be our only race but the more we got to talking, the more we were going to try to run a full season,” Ryan Truex said after his successful run. “Obviously, we have a few races to fill out, but this finish helps out a lot.”

    “I hope that was enough for us to go full-time, and like I said, we’ve got a little bit we’ve still got to get sorted out for some races, but we’ll be in Atlanta and we’ll be at Martinsville, and we’re second in points right now, I think, so if we can continue that streak, we’ll be good to go.”

    Big brother Martin echoed his brother’s thoughts, especially regarding the upcoming race in Atlanta and the 2016 season overall.

    “It’s always really nice when you come out of this race with a good day,” Truex said. “You start off with that momentum. You’re not 30 points behind. You don’t have to build another racecar.”

    “So there’s a lot of things that are positive about starting the season off right. Obviously, we’re looking forward to Atlanta, absolutely. I think it’s going to be an incredible race.  Lower downforce on the racecars than last year. I think the cars are going to be a real handful.  It’s going to be exciting.”

    “I’m looking forward honestly to just kicking off that part of the season, getting to work, seeing how our cars are, where we stack up to the competition, then compete for wins, try to get back to where we were last year.”

    “The anticipation is high and going into the rest of the season with a little bit of momentum is always a good feeling.”

    And while both Truex brothers would have loved to have been in the bride rather than bridesmaid positions, they acknowledge that it was indeed a huge weekend for the entire Truex family.

    “Really proud of Ryan for what’s he’s done,” Martin said. “He’s had a rough go of racing the last couple years, trying to get a solid opportunity.”

    “These days with it being hard to find funding, he’s been kind of shunned by a lot of teams he’s drove for, did a good job for, because he couldn’t find that backing. So, it was great to see him persevere through those times and find a truck to drive.”

    “And it was great to see him back and excited about the opportunity. Obviously, he did a great job. He’s a great driver.”

    “It’s great to see my brother back on the track.”