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  • NASCAR BTS: Penn Mutual Gets Well With Jimmie Johnson

    NASCAR BTS: Penn Mutual Gets Well With Jimmie Johnson

    Ever wonder what a life insurance company has in common with a six-time NASCAR champion?

    This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes is all about the unique relationship that has developed between The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company and Jimmie Johnson, all because of a Wellness Challenge.

    The relationship began last year with a connection between one of Penn Mutual’s advisors in California who just happened to have a contact with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation.

    “I was out in California meeting with Mark Mitchell, who is an advisor with our Pacific region,” Dave O’Malley, President & Chief Operating Officer of Penn Mutual, said. “We both actually share a love of cars so we were talking about racing and sports.”

    “One of the things that Mark does really well is a lot of experiential marketing. We were talking to him about that and he mentioned the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. We learned more about the Foundation’s mission and some of the things that it was up to, like the Wellness Challenge.”

    “As a life insurance company, wellness is important to us, and we were looking to do more around it. In addition, health care costs for us as a company continue to go up so promoting a good healthy lifestyle fits our corporate beliefs.  So, this seemed like a great partnership.”

    “Plus, Jimmie is just a terrific person and athlete and an even better spokesman. We decided this was the way for Penn Mutual to get involved.”

    This year, Penn Mutual is presenting the Wellness Challenge, which is comprised of three events, including a 5K run on Sunday, May 22, 2016 in Huntersville, NC; a Triathlon on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 in Waxhaw, NC; and a Triathlon on Sunday, September 11, 2016 in Davidson, North Carolina.

    New to the Wellness Challenge is a ‘Virtual Triathlon’ that anyone can do at their own pace and location.  The only stipulation is that the participant completes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run all during the month of October.

    2016 also marks the second year of sponsorship of the Wellness Challenge by Penn Mutual. Penn Mutual does not just provide the funding, however, as their leadership team, as well as their associates, participate in the Wellness Challenge themselves, living out that commitment to wellness and good health by example.

    “Our associates do participate and I even participated in all three of the Wellness Challenges last year,” O’Malley said. “My results, however, are not as impressive as the six-time NASCAR champion.”

    “We did a few events last year to qualify for a chance to go to Charlotte and either run or walk in the 5K. So, we created some nice engagement with our home office associates.  The fact that these events are held in Charlotte fits extremely well with our presence in North Carolina. It really came together as the right fit and the right time for us.”

    Penn Mutual has even bigger plans to involve their associates from across the country in this year’s JJF Wellness Challenge.

    “We want to definitely enhance the sponsorship and the company’s engagement this year,” O’Malley said. “Last year, Jimmie came out to speak to our sales leaders. This year Jimmie will be in the Horsham (PA) home office area and we will be running a wellness challenge up here in August, tying into his appearance at Pocono Raceway.”

    “I think it’s going to be a really well-attended event in this area. We’re working out the details right now with Hendrick Motorsports to have the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet here in our parking lot on the way up to the Pocono race.”

    For O’Malley, the relationship with Jimmie Johnson and the JJF Foundation is not only a corporate commitment but also a personal one.

    “I’ve been a NASCAR fan since I was a teenager,” O’Malley said. “My first favorite NASCAR driver was Bill Elliott. When he retired, I became a big Jeff Gordon fan and now with him retiring, I’m keeping the 24 and now I’m going back to an Elliott.”

    So, what are Penn Mutual’s hopes and dreams for this year’s sponsorship as they get well with Jimmie Johnson and the Foundation?

    “We are hoping to get even more engagement with our corporate teams and even connecting in a stronger way with each other through the wellness initiatives,” O’Malley said. “It’s been fun for us because when you think of Penn Mutual, we have our associates here in our home office in Pennsylvania, but we have about another 400 associates scattered throughout the country.”

    “So, being able to come up with ways for them to connect to our key corporate initiatives is a great way for us to expand our reach. We’re able to have participation from as far away as California to Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

    “If we can take that to the next level this year would be a great accomplishment.”

    And for Penn Mutual, there is an added benefit beyond connection and wellness. The company also has the opportunity to help raise funds for children in need.

    “Jimmie and his team really do a tremendous job with the Foundation and connecting back with the community. Being able to be a part of the Wellness Challenge and what the Foundation does to help children and education is most rewarding.

    “We couldn’t be happier with this relationship.”

    For more information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Wellness Challenge, visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org and for more information on Penn Mutual visit www.pennmutual.com.

     

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals 2016 Axalta Paint Scheme

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reveals 2016 Axalta Paint Scheme

     

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Axalta unveiled the new paint scheme for the No. 88 Chevrolet Wednesday during Champion’s Week in Las Vegas via the Axalta Racing Twitter page.

    Earnhardt said that he had been anticipating the moment as much as everyone else because he had not seen the car in person beforehand.

    Looking ahead to next year, he said, “We got a lot of good things going on for 2016. This is definitely one of them. We got a bright new race car with a great new partner, Axalta, so I’m looking forward to it.”

    Hendrick Motorsports and Axalta announced in October that their primary sponsorship would be moved to Earnhardt’s car next year in the wake of Jeff Gordon’s retirement from full-time racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at the end of the 2015 season. Axalta will serve as primary sponsor for 13 races in 2016, an increase of three races. The coatings company and Hendrick also extended their 23-year partnership through 2018.

    After the unveiling, Earnhardt said, “I really love how bright and beautiful the car is. I think it will stand out on the racetrack really well. It’ll be easy to pick out which is important to the fans. My family always tells me when the car is hard to pick out.

    “This will be an easy one to find. Hopefully, it’s up front.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon seized his opportunity at Martinsville, taking the lead late and holding on for his ninth win at the Virginia half-mile track. With the win, Gordon will be one of four drivers vying for the Sprint Cup at Homestead.

    “I can certainly identify with Joey Logano,” Gordon said. “Because we both ‘owe’ Matt Kenseth.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano was dominating at Martinsville and seemed headed for his fourth straight victory, till Matt Kenseth intentionally wrecked Logano with 47 laps left. Logano finished 37th, 42 laps down.

    “It was a total coward move by Kenseth,” Logano said. “And I should know—I’m all yellow.

    “I’m furious, and so is my father Tom. He was redder than a Martinsville hot dog. He was so irate, he had to be restrained. And speaking of ‘restraint,’ that reminds me of my first memory of my father, when he duct-taped to the seat of a go-cart and said ‘Drive.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 38 laps and finished eighth in the Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.

    “Once again,” Harvick said, “I made a move that kept my championship hopes alive. This time, however, instead of driving into the fray, I steered clear of controversy.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth at Martinsville, and is second in the points standings with two races to go before the finale at Homestead.

    “I can’t wait to hear NASCAR’s response to the Matt Kenseth-Joey Logano incident,” Busch said. “In the ‘Boys, have at it’ age, and just weeks after Brian France used the term ‘quintessential NASCAR,’ it seems that NASCAR, just like Logano, was ‘asking for it.’”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished third at Martinsville, posting his 14th top-5 finish of the year.

    “I think we may need to look into updating the definition of the word ‘accident’ in this sport,” Hamlin said.

    6. Carl Edwards: Despite front-end damage suffered in an early accident, Edwards finished a solid 14th at Martinsville.

    “The crew did a good job of repairing the No. 19 Toyota,” Edwards said. “So good, in fact, that NASCAR wants some pointers on ‘damage control.’”

    7. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex led 27 laps at Martinsville and finished sixth at Martinsville.

    “NASCAR won’t stand for this type of vigilante justice,” Truex said. “NASCAR fans, on the other hand, well, they’ll not only stand, they’ll give it an ovation, as well.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski was collected in an accident that sent him crashing into Matt Kenseth’s No. 20 Toyota. Keselowski’s No. 22 suffered major damage to the suspension, and he limped home with a 32nd-place finish.

    “I did not wreck Kenseth on purpose,” Keselowski said. “No, that’s not me quoting Joey Logano from Kansas. That’s me being honest, and, let’s face it, apparently NASCAR drivers can only be honest when they haven’t wrecked someone on purpose.”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch was collected in a wreck after Brad Keselowski made contact with Matt Kenseth, sending Kenseth’s No. 20 into Busch’s No. 41. Busch finished 34th, 14 laps off the pace.

    “This means I’ll probably have to win one of the next two races,” Busch said. “That puts me in the same boat with three or four other drivers. And speaking of boats, if Matt Kenseth would have done what he did in a boat, he would be ‘docked.’”

    10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr: Earnhardt finished fourth at Martinsville as all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top 12, with Jeff Gordon taking the win.

    “Am I surprised that Matt Kenseth took out Joey Logano?” Earnhardt said. “Of course not. This is NASCAR, in which most of the races take place on oval tracks. Just take a look at the cars turning laps on those tracks, and you’ll realize it’s easy to see ‘what goes around comes around.’”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500

    In race number 33 of the 2015 NASCAR season, here is what was surprising and not surprising after the completion of the 67th Annual Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 at Martinsville Speedway.

    Surprising:  It was a surprisingly rough day for the Ford Racing teams, with Aric Almirola as their highest finisher in the 16th position. And it was also a surprisingly difficult race for Ford’s Team Penske, with Brad Keselowski finishing 32nd and Logano finishing 37th after a controversial move into the wall by Matt Kenseth.

    “I got wrecked.  I don’t know. What am I supposed to say about it?” Logano said after he was wrecked while leading the race by rival Matt Kenseth.  “His race was over and he tried so hard to catch us the first time and he took out half the field, and he was successful the second time so I give that to him. It’s kind of a coward move.  Actually, a really coward move for a race car driver to do that, essentially someone as mature and an experienced race car driver that knows what this is all about.”

    Logano’s Ford and Team Penske teammate also had his own encounter with Matt Kenseth, which resulted in a less than satisfactory finish for the driver of the No. 2 Alliance Truck Parts Ford.

    “I got hit from behind and pushed me into the 20 and my right-front wheel hit Kenseth’s left-rear and it just broke the right-front suspension off the car,” Keselowski said. “The car wouldn’t turn and just kept going straight until I couldn’t do anything and I started wrecking everybody.  I just didn’t have any steering wheel left.”

    Logano fell to the eight spot in the Eliminator Eight round and Keselowski fell to the sixth spot.

    Not Surprising:  At a track that has seen many highs and a major low with the loss of so many loved ones in that tragic plane crash, Hendrick Motorsports and their driver Jeff Gordon celebrated one of the highest of highs with a trip to Victory Lane.

    This was Gordon’s 93rd career victory and his ninth win at Martinsville Speedway. And the driver, running his last few races of the season, guaranteed that he will be one of the participants in the Chase for NASCAR’s Sprint Cup championship.

    “This is the sweetest, most amazing feeling,” the driver of the No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet said. “I am so proud of this team. You want to talk about holding back emotions; right now man, wow, we’re going to Homestead!  I can’t believe it. What an incredible battle that was.”

    Surprising:  There were quite a few drivers craving illumination as the race at the track shaped like a paperclip came to a close.

    “It was dark!” Martin Truex Jr. said after finishing sixth in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet.  “It was getting borderline where we had to quit, but I’m glad the fans got to see a good ending.”

    “I love Martinsville,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said after he took the checkered flag in the fourth spot. “But if we are going to run at night we need to put some damn lights up here.”

    Not Surprising:  The highest finishing Toyota drivers, Denny Hamlin in third and Kyle Busch in fifth, both had to overcome obstacles before taking the checkered flag in the top-5. Hamlin had not just one, but two speeding penalties and Busch hit a wet spot that had him spinning.

    “My race was eventful to say the least – two pit road penalties, my car wasn’t very good at all up until the very, very end and we just took a long time to get going,” Hamlin said. “It’s just part of it. This racing now is different now than what it used to be when I first came in the sport and its just survival of the fittest.”

    “I screwed us up early in the race and touched that water down there in turn one and spun out with the 3 (Austin Dillon) car so that was my bad,” Kyle Busch said. “I bent up the front end of the car and it was just never right from there on out, but we persevered and we just made the changes that we needed to make for this car for our conditions that we had. The M&M’s Crispy Camry there at the end was good enough for a top-five so I’m glad we finished there.”

    Although Hamlin was eliminated from the Chase after Talladega, Busch goes into the next Chase race in Texas in the second spot in the standings, just eight points behind leader Jeff Gordon.

    Surprising:  There was a great deal of apparent comradery at the back of the field, which resulted in at least two drivers working their way back up for top-ten finishes.  Both Kasey Kahne and Tony Stewart had to start from the rear in backup cars and both finished well, in fact in ninth and tenth respectively.

    “Kasey (Kahne) and I both finished top-ten in backup cars,” Smoke said. “That was what was really cool; seeing two Team Chevy drivers come from the back like that. He and I both worked pretty good going through the pack there.”

    “I’m happy with it.”

    Not Surprising:  There was definitely ‘more to the story’ of Kurt Busch, who finished 34th after being involved in a wreck that was not of his doing. The driver of the No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet debuted his new sponsor Monster Energy for the first time at Martinsville.

    “For us there is so much more to our story,” Busch said. “It’s been a fantastic season.  I’m really proud to debut a new sponsor in the Sprint Cup series with Monster Energy.  They were here today.  We led laps today we were up front.  Restarting third with a set of fresh tires and 70 laps to go I mean we were in perfect position.  We did our job we just didn’t have luck on our side.”

    Surprising:  Carl Edwards found himself in a foreign land at the end of the race, finishing 14th in his No. 19 XFINITY Toyota.

    “I thought it was going to be a top-10 there at the end,” Edwards said. “We struggled for a lot of the day, but really proud of all these guys. Our XFINITY Camry was fast at the end, maybe if we got tires – we were just in no man’s land, we didn’t know whether to get tires or not at the end.”

    “That was a crazy day.”

    Not Surprising:  While it might not have been the outcome he desired, the runner-up at Martinsville admitted that he would be leaving with the best of memories of the competition on the track.

    “For me, Jeff Gordon is the only die cast or T-shirt that I ever bought growing up before I made it to NASCAR,” Jamie McMurray, driver of the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet, said. “So it was really a cool moment for me to get to battle with him on a green-white-checkered at Martinsville.”

    “I certainly wish it would have turned out a little bit differently.  But that’s a really good memory for me and a very good moment that I will not forget.”

    Surprising:  While many drivers were relieved after surviving Talladega, Kevin Harvick was thankful to end his time in Martinsville with an eighth place finish, especially after getting run into and suffering significant damage to his race vehicle.

    “Well, we didn’t score many points here last year,” Harvick said. “We were in a big hole leaving Martinsville. It’s very easy to get in a hole leaving here. I feel like Texas has been a very good race track for us as we’ve gone through the past couple of years at Stewart-Haas, and we all know how Phoenix has gone.”

    “So, we just need to have two more solid weeks and hopefully position ourselves well to have a chance to get to Homestead.”

    Not Surprising:  Who says NASCAR cannot be compared to stick and ball sports, especially given that the World Series is currently underway?  Well, driver Matt Kenseth did just that in his post-race comments after finishing 38th.

    “It’s a tough sport, some days you’re the bat and some days you’re the ball,” the driver of the very wrecked No. 20 Dollar General Toyota. “I was the ball a few weeks ago and I was the ball again today so that part is never fun.”

    The Sprint Cup Series will head deep into the heart of Texas for next weekend’s race, the AAA TEXAS 500, the second in the Eliminator Round.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano won the CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega, taking the checkered flag under caution for his third straight win.

    “Having already clinched my spot in the next round,” Logano said, “I knew it didn’t really matter what happened behind me. Of course, no one was saying ‘What happened?’ because everybody knew what happened.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Running with an engine on the verge of blowing, Harvick’s slow No. 4 initiated a crash that forced the race to end under caution, and secured his advance to the next round.

    “I think it would be appropriate to quote Steve Urkel,” Harvick said, “and say, ‘Did I do that?

    “Don’t ask me if I meant to do it. For all intents and purposes, I’m still alive to win the Cup.”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 10th in the Campingworld.com 500, posting his 18th top-10 of the year. He advances to the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “That had to be the most unsatisfactory ending to a Talladega race ever,” Busch said. “And take it from me and any of my girlfriends—we know unsatisfactory endings.

    “I think, eventually, Kevin Harvick will admit he was wrong and do what’s right. As it is now, the only thing ‘right’ was his turn into Trevor Bayne.”

    4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon started on the pole at Talladega and finished third, easily advancing to the next round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick’s actions were fishy,” Gordon said. “So fishy, in fact, they’re complaining about the smell in Denmark.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished fifth at Talladega and joins Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “Things could get very interesting at Martinsville,” Edwards said. “The race is called the ‘Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.’ There are some drivers that want revenge, which will bring them relief, and will cause headaches for their victims. Will there be punches thrown? As they say in the South, ‘I reckon.’ And Sunday will be a day of reckoning, and wreck-oning.”

    6. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex finished seventh at Talladega and secured his place in the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “For all the talk of speed at Talladega,” Truex said, “it took forever to run the final two laps.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth to safely advance to the next round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick will have a blinking eye on the front of his car next week at Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “He should have had it last week because he ‘hoodwinked’ everybody.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 11th and slipped into the Chase, taking the eighth and final spot in the Eliminator Round.

    “I did what I had to do,” Busch said. “That’s a statement, not an excuse.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: A malfunction with the roof flap on the No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota forced Hamlin to pit four times. He was caught up in the final restart crash, the result of which set his car ablaze. He finished 37th, four laps down, and tumbled out of the top eight in points.

    “That roof flap is there for me to exit the car quickly in case of emergency,” Hamlin said. “Ironically, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough after the race.

    “Harvick wrecked his own car at Dover to stay in the Chase,” Hamlin said. “He wrecked the field at Talladega to stay in the Chase. He’ll have to answer to all the accusations saying he did it intentionally. I guess that’s why he’s ‘defending’ champion.”

    10. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Earnhardt finished second at Talladega after the final restart carnage caused when Kevin Harvick clipped Trevor Bayne. The caution came out just seconds before Earnhardt overtook Joey Logano for the lead. Earnhardt needed a win to advance to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “Joey Logano took the checkered flag from race command and did some victory burnouts,” Earnhardt said. “I’m surprised Kevin Harvick didn’t do the same, with the yellow flag.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano led 227 of 334 laps and held off Kevin Harvick down the stretch to claim the Bank Of America 500. With the win, Logano advanced to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “I knew Harvick was creeping up behind me,” Logano said. “I knew I had to hit my marks to maintain my cushion. I kind of utilized Harvick’s strategy from Dover, because I knew if he got close enough to see my rear end, it would be bad news.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 12th runner-up finish of the year.

    “I ‘backed up’ my win in Dover with a second,” Harvick said.

    “I am the defending Sprint Cup champion, but that doesn’t mean I’m not extremely motivated to win it again this year. Last year means nothing. In my mind, all evidence of that victory has been destroyed.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth at Charlotte, the top finisher among Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

    “I dealt with some battery issues,” Hamlin said. “As you know, that comes with the positives and the negatives.

    “Matt Kenseth has been JGR’s best driver all year, but he struggled at Charlotte. And, if you remember, he had his issues last year at CMS. So for Matt, nothing is a cinch at Charlotte, except Brad Keselowski’s noggin in a headlock.”

    4. Carl Edwards: Edwards took sixth at Charlotte, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, who finished fourth, in the top 10.

    “I bumped Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sent him into the wall,” Edwards said. “Now, my status with Earnhardt fans has been upgraded, from ‘unlikeable’ to ‘hated.’”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Charlotte, scoring his eighth top-five result of the year. He is third in the points standings, seven behind Joey Logano.

    “NASCAR did a sorry job of cleaning the track of oil and fluid,” Truex said. “But let’s face it, if anyone’s guilty of pulling a slick one, it’s not the track at Charlotte, but Kevin Harvick at Dover.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished ninth in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 20th top 10 of the year.

    “There were a lot of cars making contact with the wall,” Keselowski said. “The wall played as big a factor in the Charlotte race as it did in the Dover race. For further explanation, see Kevin Harvick.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Charlotte and struggled thereafter, battling tight-handling conditions and hitting the wall three times, the last of which ended his day. He eventually finished 42nd.

    “We thought we had the No. 20 Dollar General car set up perfectly for Saturday’s night race,” Kenseth said. “Then rain postponed it until Sunday. So, after a tough day on Sunday, we were a day late and a Dollar General short.

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished eighth at Charlotte and has not finished below 14th in the Chase.

    “I may be Hendrick Motorsports only hope for the title,” Gordon said. “What’s shocking is that’s a long shot.

    9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt found trouble early at Charlotte, hitting the wall on lap 70 after making contact with Carl Edwards, then hitting it again after running through a patch of fluid on the track.

    “Carl Edwards flat out wrecked me,” Earnhardt said. “I promise revenge is coming. It will be swift and just, and will be called ‘E-taliation.’”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 20th, his day spoiled by an incident with Kyle Larson that damaged his car.

    “I damaged the right front of the M&M’s No. 18 Toyota after colliding with Kyle Larson entering the pits,” Busch said. “You can’t blame me for that—I hit the Target.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole after qualifying was canceled and finished seventh at Dover, easily advancing to the Contender Round.

    “And then there were 12,” Kenseth said. “Now, we’re headed to Charlotte, where speeds can reach upwards of 190 miles per hour. And, if history is any indication, the cars won’t be the only thing flying—-fists will be, as well.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick dominated at Dover leading 355 of 400 laps and winning when he had to.

    “I advanced,” Harvick said. “Jimmie Johnson retreated. And that’s certainly not the first time.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second in the AAA 400 and advanced to the next round of The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

    “It’s all about surviving and advancing,” Busch said. “And I did them both at the same time. Add those to the list of things I can do all at once, which includes ‘Whip And Nae Nae.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, already into the next round with his win at New Hampshire, finished 18th at Dover.

    “I took a nice, leisurely Sunday drive,” Hamlin said. “That wasn’t the case for everyone. I’m not saying Kevin Harvick drives like a man possessed, but he emerges from his hauler like a man possessed.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 15th at Dover and is one of four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers to qualify for the round of 12.

    “Kevin Harvick didn’t waste any time taking over the lead,” Edwards said. “He took off like a bat out of hell, or just like the way he left Richard Childress Racing.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Dover, posting his 23rd top-10 of the year. He advances to the Contender Round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick showed why he’s the reigning champion,” Logano said. “Jimmie Johnson showed why the Chase format is his biggest obstacle to winning his seventh Cup. Sadly, it was a simple seal that ruined Jimmie’s hopes. On this day, it appeared a mechanical issue was Jimmie’s ‘Achilles Seal.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 16th in the AAA 400, making his way to the next round of the Chase.

    “It wasn’t pretty,” Keselowski said, “but the No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion, after a rough start, came through when it counted. You could say it was ‘Wurth’ the wait.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 17th at Dover and claimed his spot in the next round of the Chase.

    “I think NASCAR was a bit disappointed,” Busch said. “This was a high-pressure elimination race, and the only thing that got punched was a ticket.”

    9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt, needing a strong finish to make the Chase, took third at Dover to advance to the next round, but just barely. Earnhardt took the 12th and final spot, tied with Jamie McMurray in points but advancing by virtue of a tiebreaker.

    “I heard a strange sound,” Earnhardt said. “It turned out I was almost done in by a loose wheel. Ironically, I ‘squeaked’ by.”

    10. (tie): Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a rear axle seal failure at Dover, forcing him to the garage and ending his hopes of advancing to the round of 12. Johnson finished 41st, and won’t be winning his seventh Sprint Cup title.

    “That was a $5 part,” Johnson said. “The sad part is, I had to pay for it.”

    10. (tie): Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished 12th at Dover and made his way to the round of 12.

    “The ‘Drive For Five’ is still alive,” Gordon said. “If I could win my fifth Sprint Cup title in my final season, it would be the most emotional experience of my life. That’s why I’m calling my quest ‘Once More With Feeling.’”

  • Finley Factor: Is Knaus Moving Away From The 48 Team?

    Finley Factor: Is Knaus Moving Away From The 48 Team?

    When Jimmie Johnson takes the checkered flag at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 22, it will be the end of 14 straight seasons with Chad Knaus on top of the pit box for the No. 48 Chevrolet. The results of the partnership have been legendary so far; 72 wins, six Sprint Cup championships, including five in a row from 2006-2010, the 2013 Daytona 500, four Coca-Cola 600 victories, along with wins in the Southern 500 and Brickyard 400.

    Could it be the end of an era next season? If performance isn’t stepped up, there’s no doubt that it’s a possibility.

    This season, while the No. 48 and No. 88 teams have done well overall, both the No. 5 and the No. 24 teams have been practically anonymous. Jeff Gordon has struggled with inconsistency and just a lack of speed throughout his so far disappointing retirement season. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne flat out missed the Chase and many, including Dale Jarrett on NBC this weekend, are beginning to question his talents. The No. 88 has been dominant on the plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega and seems to be the best Hendrick car at this point in the season. Johnson’s season started off strong with four wins in the first 13 races, but only one top-five in the past nine races has many in the garage area scratching their heads.

    Next year will be a very critical time for Hendrick Motorsports. With time ticking on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s hopes for that long awaited championship, Kahne needing to perform under the microscope, and the start of a new era for the No. 24 with Chase Elliott, Johnson could very easily be lost in the shuffle. For the first time since 1995, Hendrick Motorsports will only be employing one former Cup champion to pilot their Chevrolets- Jimmie Johnson.

    It’s fairly obvious that Hendrick will need to make some changes to the No. 5 this off-season. Kahne just signed a four-year extension last year so they aren’t getting rid of the driver. This means that the No. 5 could likely have a different crew chief next year in place of Keith Rodden.

    The No. 24 team’s struggles this season also need to be addressed in time for Elliott’s rookie season, and part of that is possibly moving Alan Gustafson away from the 24 team to a different HMS team. Common sense would dictate swapping Rodden and Gustafson around, but if the No. 48’s struggles continue into the fall months, it could be just about time to split up Johnson and Knaus.

    All great pairings in history – Gordon and Ray Evernham, Richard Petty and Dale Inman, Tony Stewart and Greg Zipadelli, etc., end at some point, and it could be time for this pairing to end. All signs are starting to point to Hendrick considering it; take the wording of HMS press release earlier this week on Johnson, Lowe’s, and Kanus extensions to the team. Nowhere in the release does it say that Knaus will continue past this year with Johnson, only that he will stay with Hendrick through 2018.

    HMS isn’t afraid to make radical changes when teams aren’t performing well. In 2010, they won a fifth straight championship with Johnson but no victories outside of the No. 48 and only one other driver, Gordon, on the stage in Las Vegas at the end of the year. This prompted a huge switch around in crew chiefs – Lance McGrew to the No. 5, Gustafson to the No. 24, and Steve Letarte to the No. 88. Outside of the lame-duck No. 5, which struggled with an aging Mark Martin and a soon to be replaced McGrew, the Hendrick teams improved greatly the following season.

    If I were in charge of Hendrick and the season ended today, I’d move Gustafson back to the No. 5, Knaus to the No. 24, and Rodden to the No. 48. One of Kahne’s weak points has recently been not being able to adapt to a bad handling car, saying that it needs to turn better in the center of the corner. Gustafson is great at setting a car up, and I feel he and Kahne could counteract their own weak points. Rodden is still new to the crew chief job and Johnson should be able to help show him the ropes. Knaus and Elliott would be a great pairing. Knaus seems to be a pretty “we’re doing it this way” type of guy, and Elliott isn’t going to speak back to him like Johnson can.

    Chicagoland Preview, the First Race of the Challenger Round of the 2015 Chase for the Sprint Cup

    Challenger Round Logo (Given to media members at Richmond)

    The Favorites

    Brad Keselowski has recently been owning this track. In the past four starts here, he has an average finish of 3.5 and two victories. It would be hard to pick him over any other JGR/Penske driver.

    This is one of Kevin Harvick’s best racetracks. Although he hasn’t won here since 2002, he has three top-fives over the last four races and, although hitting a bit of a snag at Richmond, should recover from that in time for the Chase.

    The Sleepers

    Kurt Busch seems to always do well here in Chicagoland. Looking back on his past stats here, unless there is a problem on the car, he almost always finishes top-10, in spite of having no Chicagoland victories on his resume.

    Matt Kenseth is a little more inconsistent. In spite of really having no major problems, he only has six top-10s out of 14 starts. He did win here two years ago however and with how large of a role the Gibbs cars have right now, it would be tough to not put him here.

    The Wild Card

    Kyle Larson only has one start at Chicagoland, but it was a third place finish here last season. Being outside of the Chase will enable him and his Chip Ganassi Racing team to really take gambles throughout it, and it begins this weekend.

    All stats for the Finley Factor are as per Racing Reference unless otherwise noted.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 352 of 400 laps and cruised to an easy win in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond. The win was Kenseth’s fourth of the season and places him atop the points standings for the start of the Chase.

    “I have the early momentum for the Chase,” Kenseth said. “And speaking of ‘early momentum,’ Joey Logano says I jumped the final restart. I dispute that. If I jumped anything, it was ‘ship,’ when I left Roush Fenway Racing.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick struggled at Richmond, finishing 14th, one lap down, in the final race before the Chase For The Cup.

    “It felt like I was driving on flat tires,” Harvick said. “That made the No. 4 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet ‘leaky fast.’

    “Of course, the tires weren’t really flat. Or were they? The last thing NASCAR needs is its own ‘Deflate-Gate’ controversy.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished eighth at Richmond, posting his 18th top-10 result of the year. By virtue of his one win this year, he will start the Chase with 2,003 points, nine out of first.

    “This is where you’ll see the real drivers separated from the pretenders,” Keselowski said. “Or, if you’d care not to wait, I’ll do it for you. Pretenders: Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray. Contenders: everyone else.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Richmond on a commanding night for the Joe Gibbs Racing stable. Matt Kenseth won while Denny Hamlin finished sixth and Carl Edwards took 11th.

    “JGR looks like the team to beat,” Busch said. “Kenseth is dominant while Edwards is domineering. Some people say Denny Hamlin isn’t a threat to win because of his injury, but they don’t have a leg to stand on. Me? I certainly have the talent, but history says that once the NASCAR post-season starts, I hit a wall.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2009 points, three points behind four-time winners Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth.

    “Kenseth clearly jumped the final restart,” Logano said. “Replays verify it. Sure, Kenseth led 352 of 400 laps, but in this instance, he wasn’t ‘in the zone.’”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 11th in the Federated Auto Parts 400 as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth dominated for the win.

    “I traded paint with Kenseth during the race,” Edwards said. “To his credit, Kenseth didn’t give an inch. He’s really manned up. If he wins another championship this year, it seems he will have finally ‘grown a pair.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished fifth at Richmond, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports cars. Earnhardt will join HMS teammates, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon in the Chase.

    “HMS hasn’t had a win since Daytona in July,” Earnhardt said. “And we really need it. Our team motto for the upcoming race is ‘Just one, baby.’”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished ninth and will enter the Chase For The Cup in first place with 2012 points by virtue of his four wins.

    “’2012’ is a great number,” Johnson said. “It was not a good year. That’s when my run of six straight Cups came to an end.

    “I just signed a contract extension to remain with Hendrick Motorsports through 2017. That’s good news for a team struggling to find speed heading into the Chase For The Cup. Finally, it’s a good ‘sign’ for HMS.”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 15th at Richmond and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2,006 points, six behind the leaders at 2,012.

    “Now,” Busch said, “the pressure really heats up. This is when you find out what you’re really made of. Sometimes, you never really know what someone is made of….until you go ‘court-ing.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished sixth at Richmond despite driving with a torn right ACL, an injury suffered in a pickup basketball game on Tuesday.

    “I probably shouldn’t have been playing basketball,” Hamlin said. “After all, this is the second time I’ve injured my knee. In both cases, I was wearing my favorite sneakers, the ‘Err Hamlins.’ Anyway, my right leg feels a little loose in the center.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 44 laps and finished fifth in the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington, posting his 18th top-5 finish of the year.

    “It’s great to see the Darlington race back on its traditional weekend,” Harvick said. “I think fans would agree. Ironically, sitting through a 4 hour and 29-minute marathon on Labor Day weekend is truly ‘work.’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Darlington and led a race-high 196 laps. However, Keselowski was beaten out of the pits on the race’s final caution by Carl Edwards. Edwards held on for the win, and Keselowski was left with a disappointing runner-up finish.

    “I’m a big fan of the low downforce package we ran at Darlington,” Keselowski said. “As I said before, it separates the race car drivers from the pretenders. And, .902 seconds separates the winner from second place.

    “I was sporting the ‘Miller High Life’ paint scheme at Darlington. They call ‘High Life’ the ‘Champagne Of Beers.’ The difference between winning and losing is known as ‘Champagne Or Beers.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished eighth at Darlington and officially clinched a spot in the Chase.

    “It’s a great day,” Busch said. “Usually, when you hear the word ‘official’ mentioned along with a Busch brother, something’s going on in the NASCAR hauler.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth at Darlington, as Penske Racing took two of the top four spots at “The Track Too Tough To Tame.”

    “It was ‘throwback’ weekend at Darlington,” Logano said. “With one race left before the Chase, and only three Chase spots up for grabs, Richmond could be ‘throw punch’ weekend.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards took the lead late at Darlington, using a quick pit stop to beat Brad Keselowski on the race’s final caution. Edwards pulled away to grab his second victory of the season.

    “I went in third and came out first,” Edwards said, “thanks to my pit crew. I owe this win to them. Believe me, they’ll be a part of the victory celebration. Heck, I might even have them DJ the party because they know how to ‘turn tables.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth hit the wall on lap 19 and struggled with handling for the duration of the Bojangles Southern 500, finishing 20th.

    “It was an otherwise strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Kenseth said. “Carl Edwards took the lead in the pits and pulled away for the victory, winning by nearly a second. Carl took off like he was shot out of a cannon. Much like he did with Roush Fenway Racing, Carl left in a hurry.”

    7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt was the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports cars at Darlington, finishing eighth.

    “Right now,” Earnhardt said, “HMS cars aren’t fast enough to compete for wins. With the Chase For The Cup right around the corner, that’s not good. So, much like our current lap speeds, it’s a case of ‘bad timing.’

    “In other news, Danica Patrick has become more famous for her yoga poses than for her racing. Should we call her a ‘yoga master’ or a ‘threat to win a race?’ Either way, it’s a stretch.”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished a disappointing 19th at Darlington and is now winless in his last 12 races.

    “You probably heard my crew chief Chad Knaus married a former Miss Sprint Cup,” Johnson said. “Hopefully, Chad will have more luck with the ‘Lady In White’ than I did with the ‘Lady In Black.’

    “I gave the groom a bottle of ‘Burnt Rubber’ cologne. Chad wore some during Sunday’s race. At a track like Darlington, that’s known as ‘tire wear.’”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch started second in the Bojangles Southern 500 at Darlington and finished sixth.

    “Much like me,” Busch said, “Bojangles is famous for its ‘chicken.’

    “You may have heard that I recently became engaged. I asked Ashley Van Metre and she said ‘yes.’ Soon, I’ll pop the question, and ask her if she’s an assassin.”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished ninth and had a late run-in with Kurt Busch, whom Truex sent spinning after contact on lap

    “Just as Daytona did, Darlington was offering a flag exchange,” Truex said, “in which you could exchange a Confederate flag for an American flag. With race ticket prices skyrocketing and races becoming even less exciting, leave it to NASCAR to offer fan another offer they can refuse.”