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Tag: Erik Jones

  • Hot 20 – Watkins Glen is another chance to win, but most are just as desperate to find money

    Hot 20 – Watkins Glen is another chance to win, but most are just as desperate to find money

    Money, it makes the world go round. So I’m told, anyway. While you and I might remain in perpetual financial darkness, the stock markets would seem to indicate that those on top of the heap are reeling it in. That would include, you would think, those who disperse those big sponsorship dollars that are the life blood of NASCAR. Not so, it appears. Either that, or what they are planning to spend their windfall on has nothing to do with motor car racing.

    Target is leaving Chip Ganassi after a 16-year relationship, despite the success of Kyle Larson. That leaves only Lowe’s (Jimmie Johnson) and FedEx (Denny Hamlin) as full-time sponsors on the Cup circuit. Roger Penske, Rick Hendrick, Richard Petty, Richard Childress, and the duo of Stewart-Haas are all said to be hunting down those elusive dollars for next season. To make it worse, Target is redirecting its resources from racing to soccer. Soccer!

    Among the less established outfits, some hire a driver who comes with a team that promises to also bring in the dollars. Paul Menard is the best known example, as his family’s business made it easy for the Wood Brothers to welcome him in as their replacement for Ryan Blaney. The move leaves Childress looking for cash to field a car for his grandson, Ty Dillon, with that family operation.

    Some drivers do not come with a fortune. Gray Gaulding had a deal with B.K. Racing where his family’s marketing firm dug up the sponsorship bucks, allowing him to drive and everyone to make money. The story has it that when those dollars dried up, the 19-year old driver was out. If names like Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch, and Larson can not lock in the funding easily, just imagine how tough it must be for under-performing teams with unestablished wheel-men.

    How anyone makes money in the other two national series is beyond me. The “crowd” for the Xfinity event at Indianapolis, for example, was tragic. Hell, there are reports that claim only 35,000 turned out for the Cup event, in a facility that seats ten times that number. The lack of crowds just about everywhere remains a concern. Not every race can be a spectacle, we know, but you need more than a bunch of cars spread out going round and round in the same position lap after lap. Most fans that came with the fad that NASCAR was were not racing fans, just folks looking for an adrenaline rush. For a time, they got it. Today, they do not, or so it would seem. At least the stage concept has provided us with some different pit strategies and re-starts to try and shake up the field a bit.

    Let us be honest. Some tracks are duds, for the most part. We could argue that last week’s venue, Pocono, could be among them if excitement is what you are in it for. In fact, nearly half of the Cup schedule is placed in spots that yield less than “edge of your seat” outcomes. I do not think Watkins Glen is among them. I think you might enjoy what is coming up this Sunday.

    If you can find any, you might even put some money down on that. If nothing else, you will get better odds than say you would get on seeing Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, and Kasey Kahne all having full-time rides next season. Follow the money…if you can find it.

     

    1. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 3 WINS (823 Pts)
    The Furniture Row driver is simply the best thus far this season. Period.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (566 Pts)
    When Jimmie and Chad retire, Lowe’s should have a place on their Hall of Fame plaques.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (738 Pts)
    If there is any sponsor out there looking to target a premium driver, this would be one of them.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (649 Pts)
    The Cup series is sick, the other two series are dying. Does everybody realize this?

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (468 Pts)
    Has just four more points than Daniel, but two more wins than Mr. Suarez.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (726 Pts)
    Limiting veterans in Xfinity limits Harvick’s sponsorship opportunities. He is not happy.

    7. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Could Kyle tell me how any games he thinks Mike Trout should play in Salt Lake and Mobile?

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (649 Pts)
    Will be ready to race on Sunday, unless Jordan is ready to deliver their second child that day.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (529 Pts)
    It should not be long before the Blaney-Bubba Show arrives full-time in Cup.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (494 Pts)
    On the verge of becoming a free agent? Wow!

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (491 Pts)
    Could we see a return of Newman to Stewart-Haas? Hahahaha. I just made myself laugh.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
    Wins a race, like Kurt, and has no assurance he will keep his job. What does that tell you?

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (395 Pts)
    Brother Ty is ready to take his place in the family business…if they can find the money.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 616 POINTS
    Rule of thumb over the next five races would be to finish on the lead lap. Easier said than done.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 615 POINTS
    Only wins on the marquee tracks. He might want to re-think that.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 594 POINTS
    Could he make the Chase and still be looking for a job next season? Just ask Kasey and Kurt.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 577 POINTS
    Could move closer to Kenseth on Sunday, but if A.J. Allmendinger wins then it is all for naught.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 525 POINTS (1 Win)
    The Glen, Michigan, Bristol, Darlington, or Richmond. Joey has to win one of them.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 464 PONTS
    Unless there is an appeal, Jones’ 25 point penalty at Pocono moves Suarez to right here.

    19. ERIK JONES – 444 POINTS
    With Jones joining Gibbs next season, could that leave open a return of Kurt to Colorado?

  • Hot 20 – To Xfinity and Beyond, or the day Justin Allgaier thought he was Buzz Lightyear

    Hot 20 – To Xfinity and Beyond, or the day Justin Allgaier thought he was Buzz Lightyear

    Okay, the biggest story from Indianapolis was not Kasey Kahne’s win. It was not the fact he has received no assurances that he will keep his spot with Rick Hendrick’s stable next season. The one thing we might be assured of is that whoever sits in the No. 5 next year, it sure in hell won’t be Justin Allgaier.

    Allgaier will be in the XFINITY version for the Chase this fall, but his reputation took a hit this past weekend. First, he comes into the pits riding the line between the lane and his pit stall. In doing so, Allgaier was out of position and wound up sending his jackman flying and a tire changer skipping out of danger. That was just the first act of this cartoon.

    Later, he came in and once again was riding that line between being in his stall and out. They started their work, but the crew had to stop and push Allgaier’s car back to be legal. Then, before they even removed his front right, the driver saw the field coming around to lap him, so he guns it and out he goes. No warning. No lug nuts. Thankfully crew members were not left with no fingers.

    No air hose, either. As Allgaier left with the air gun under the car, the hose snapped and came whipping back like a snake with a severe disorder. Then it took some time for the radio calls to him to stop went heeded. By then, the tire was pretty much off, though not completely so at least a penalty was avoided. Good news for the crew, who would have faced fines and suspension, Sadly, by this time the fender was shattered. After some repairs, he was back out but 14 laps down. Bravery was a pit crew still willing to put themselves in harm’s way.

    Allgaier, his tire changer, his tire carrier, and his crew chief will all be back on Saturday in Iowa. Our hopes and prayers are with them all. Meanwhile, the Cup folks are in Pocono. It is getting to the point where points matter little. Winning one that counts does. Anyone winless in the Top 30 still has a chance to break some hearts on Sunday, while warming their own.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (780 Pts)
    Rowdy was the guy to beat last week and beat him into the fence he did.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (564 Pts)
    Did you ever hear about The Little Engine That Could? Jimmie’s could not.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Today, I have one son in Alta, Norway, one at Niagra Falls, while Kyle was in Ohsweken.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (601 Pts)
    He remains Roger’s boy for years to come.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (443 Pts)
    Still has the most well known girlfriend in NASCAR, but that is not the center of conversation.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (683 Pts)
    Drop a Jimmy John’s sandwich 153 feet off the spotter’s stand, and you get replaced.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
    Once a week not enough to keep his competitive fires burning? Jamie should extend an invite.

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (516 Pts)
    Leaving Wood Brothers for Penske, with Paul Menard filling this seat next season.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (463 Pts)
    If Monster returns, so will Kurt. If not, it could come down to either him or Danica at SHR.

    10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (462 Pts)
    Newman remembers something similar happening a few years ago with that outfit.

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (383 Pts)
    Got his win, got his place in the Chase, but does his ride go to William Byron in 2018?

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (379 Pts)
    Blood-lines and a win gives him job security with a three-team outfit shrinking down to two.

    13. KYLE BUSCH – 673 POINTS
    Reasons he has failed to win this season…#20 That damn Truex wrecked me.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 599 POINTS
    An athlete fights for a place in the Chase; a car driver fights for one in a McDonald’s drive-thru.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 588 POINTS
    Feeling pretty comfortable…unless Matt, Clint, Joey, Erik, Daniel, or Junior win this summer.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 566 POINTS
    Time to worry.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 533 POINTS
    Time to win.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 515 POINTS (1 Win)
    Joey has a win and sits 13th in points. Sometimes that means nothing.

    19. ERIK JONES – 440 POINTS
    In the game of musical seats, he is bound for Gibbs which opens up one quality ride with FRR.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Probably more at home in Dorne than in Winterfell, but could soon be found beyond the Wall.

  • The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    It rained. TSN (Canada) pulled out, and the channel I was recording the race on abandoned the effort, presenting instead a few toss away programs. Well, to be fair, I did state before that I do not get all that excited about Indianapolis, and it would seem TSN took my comments to heart. On Sunday, they made like the NASCAR Nazi…and no race for me. I guess I could have watched some soccer but, as most folks know, soccer is not really a sport. Not like poker is, anyway.

    So, my Indianapolis experience was 12 laps. Then the rain. Pretty exciting stuff. Of course, for those blessed enough to watch the action, things got a tad more exciting later. Much, much later. So, I missed it when Chase Elliott blew up on the 43rd lap. I missed lap 76 when Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the Intimidator, slammed into a hesitator in front of him, taking out his radiator.

    I also did not see, with 50 to go on a restart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. fighting for the lead. When Truex broke loose, they were both fighting for their favorite tow-truck operator, as they slammed into the fence. Take a rest, lads.

    With 10 to go, Clint Bowyer broke loose, clipped Erik Jones, then destroyed Kurt Busch on his way twirling on down the track like an out of control kid’s toy. Goodbye boys.

    With six to go, Kyle Larson grazed the inside wall then went across to the outside to put his beast to bed. TSN…you are jerks.

    That required a restart with two to go. Jimmie Johnson was smoking. He got up to the lead, and then the engine expired. Johnson hit the wall, and we were off to overtime.

    So, with two to go, again, Trevor Bayne got turned as they went green, and everything turned red for him, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. Something tells me that if I could only have been able to record the final 12 laps, not the opening dozen, I would have been a satisfied fellow.

    They tried to get it finished one more time, with Brad Keselowski in front, with Kasey Kahne beside him on the inside. Wrong lane decision for Brad. In the first turn, Kahne got by, cleared his rival, and he was gone. Okay, he was gone far enough and soon enough when Denny Hamlin’s smoker dived to the wall, and the caution came out just late enough for the leader to have hit the overtime line.

    Kahne wins. Kahne wins for the first time since Atlanta in 2014. Kahne heads to the Chase. Kahne might have just saved his ride for 2018. A great result for him, not so great for a few others.

    “Ron,” you might be saying, “you seem to know a hell of a lot for a guy who did not get to watch the race.” You would be right, but a series of much-appreciated highlights are made available to scribes like me to take another look at the action on a service available only to a privileged few. I like to call it, YouTube.

    It was a good points day for some, such as Kahne, Joey Logano (fourth), Matt Kenseth (fifth), and Kevin Harvick (sixth), but it was not so hot for Elliott in 39th. Finishing in the second half of the field of 40 we had Dillon, Jones, Johnson, Bowyer, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    When it comes to the Chase, Kahne moves in, leaving just four positions still up for grabs on points alone. Rowdy, Elliott, and Jamie McMurray are still solid. That leaves Bowyer just two points up on Kenseth, with the rest all needing a win to get in. A good points day for even Logano is no longer good enough. However, Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury, is within two points of 30th place. That more than likely would make him eligible for the Chase if he can win one of the next six. He finished 13th on Sunday.

    Pocono is up next, and among the former winners there we have Junior, Kenseth, Logano, and Chris Buescher. One of those boys wins, and all of a sudden Bowyer experiences bad tidings, and McMurray becomes a lot more uncomfortable.

    I hope I get to watch it on television. If not…well, there is always YouTube.

  • Jones Fastest in Final Practice at Indianapolis

    Jones Fastest in Final Practice at Indianapolis

    Erik Jones topped the chart in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 77 Furniture Row Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 48.425 and a speed of 185.854 mph. Kevin Harvick was second in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with a time of 48.433 and a speed of 185.824 mph. Ryan Blaney was third in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford with a time of 48.435 and a speed of 185.816 mph. Jimmie Johnson was fourth in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 48.521 and a speed of 185.487 mph. Jamie McMurray rounded out the top-five in his No. 1 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with a time of 48.528 and a speed of 185.460 mph.

    Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-10.

    Johnson posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 180.951 mph.

    First Practice Results

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/C1720_PRACFINAL.pdf”]

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

    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…

     

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

    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…

  • Jones exits early after wreck at Loudon

    Jones exits early after wreck at Loudon

    Erik Jones’ day ended in last-place following an early wreck in the Overton’s 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.

    Entering Turn 3 just after the Lap 41 restart, he suffered a left-front tire failure. At most tracks, because we run the inner-liner for the left-front, the tire would’ve simply un-chorded. But with Loudon being among the select tracks that NASCAR doesn’t run the inner-liner tires, he wound up veering straight into the Turn 3 wall.

    Video replay showed he made contact with Kasey Kahne exiting his pit stall under the previous caution.

    “I guess we cut a left front or a right front (tire) – I’m not sure,” said Jones. “Just made a little contact on pit road, but didn’t have any marks on the tires. We thought it would be fine but obviously not because we didn’t even make it a lap.

    “It’s just unfortunate. The 5-hour Energy Camry was pretty fast. I thought we had probably an easy top-10 car, if not huge adjustments away from a top-five car.

    “Just really didn’t need a day like this, trying to make the playoffs here. Really gonna have to work hard to try and get a win at this point. We’ll keep at it. We just need some good luck out way and hopefully, we’ll get it soon.”

    He leaves 17th in points, 331 back of teammate Martin Truex Jr.

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

    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.

     

  • Erik Jones to Drive the No. 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing Starting in 2018

    Erik Jones to Drive the No. 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing Starting in 2018

    Huntersville, NC (July 11, 2017) – Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) announces today that driver Erik Jones will drive the No. 20 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Camry for the organization beginning in 2018.

    Matt Kenseth, who currently pilots the No. 20 Toyota Camry for JGR, will not return to the organization following the 2017 season.

    “Matt (Kenseth) has been a tremendous asset to our organization over the past five seasons both on and off the track,” said Joe Gibbs, owner of Joe Gibbs Racing. “He’s been a great teammate and a great ambassador for our sponsors. We have a great deal of respect for him and we are working hard to get the 20 team into the playoffs to make a run for the championship. We have a great deal of confidence in his abilities to do just that.

    “At the same time it’s exciting to have Erik back to run fulltime with us starting next season. When a number of circumstances made it clear over the past few weeks that a second year for the 77 car was probably not viable at this time for Erik, we all agreed that we wanted to keep him in the Toyota racing family and felt it was the right time to make this transition. He is an exciting driver that has already proven to have the ability to compete at the highest level of our sport. He is also shown to be a great representative to our partners and we believe he is at the beginning of a long and successful career.”

    Currently competing full time in the NASCAR Cup Series for Furniture Row Racing, Jones sits 14th in the point standings and leads the Sunoco Rookie of the Year Standings. Jones made his Cup Series debut in 2015 filling in for the injured Kyle Busch at Kansas Speedway where he led one lap before a mid-race accident derailed a strong finish in his first-career start. With 21 Cup Series career starts, Jones has led 32 laps and earned one top-five finish and five top-ten finishes.

    In addition to his strong start in the Cup Series, Jones has made a name for himself with the success he has notched in both the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) and NASCAR XFINITY Series (NXS). Making his NCWTS debut in 2013 at Martinsville Speedway, Jones wasted no time finding his way to Victory Lane, earning his first-career victory at Phoenix International Raceway in just his fifth series start. Following his solid start in the Truck Series, Jones competed full-time in the series in 2015. With three wins, 11 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, five poles and 925 laps led, Jones finished the 2015 season as the Sunoco Rookie of the Year and the Youngest Truck Series Champion in History at the age of 19 years, 5 months and 21 days. Making the step up to the XFINITY Series, Jones made his series debut at Chicagoland Speedway in 2014 and earned his first series win in 2015 at Texas Motor Speedway in just his eighth series start. Joining the XFINTY Series full-time in 2016, Jones earned the Rookie of the Year title and made it to the final round of the Championship battle at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but came up short finishing fourth in the series standings with four wins, 15 top-five finishes, 20 top-10 finishes, nine poles and 627 laps led. Jones also holds the title as the youngest driver to complete triple duty, a feat he completed in November 2015 at Texas Motor Speedway where he won the NCWTS race, finished fourth in the XFINITY Series race and 12th in the Cup Series race.

    “This is a really exciting time in my career for me to make the move back to Joe Gibbs Racing full time in the Cup Series and continue to have the success I’ve had with them over the last few years. I will always be grateful for the opportunity given to me by Barney Visser and everyone at Furniture Row Racing this year for my first full year in the Cup Series. I’ve learned a lot this year and I’ve had a great group of guys around me each week to lean on as I figured out my rookie season and how to make my way in the Cup Series. The 77 team, from myself, crew chief Chris Gayle and every crew member, we’ve come a long way since February and we still have a lot to accomplish this season. We’ve hit our stride the last few weeks with strong finishes and while it’s nice to have my plans for 2018 announced, I’m focused on continuing to improve and get this team a win before the season ends.”

     

  • The Final Word – The boy from New Jersey looked real comfortable in his Old Kentucky Home

    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?