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  • Dale Earnhardt Jr. Looking for Three-Peat at Pocono

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. Looking for Three-Peat at Pocono

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. heads to Pocono Raceway with winning on his mind. Last year he swept both NASCAR Sprint Cup events at the 2.5-mile track, becoming only the seventh driver in track history to accomplish this feat. The stakes are even higher this weekend as he attempts to capture a third straight victory. Only two drivers have won three consecutive races at Pocono; Bobby Allison (1982 – 83) and Tim Richmond (1986-87).

    Earnhardt has an average finish of 2.5 over the last four races at Pocono and is hopeful that trend will continue Sunday in the Axalta “We Paint Winners” 400.

    “It seems like guys that run well at Pocono can sustain it. I’ve seen guys sweep there and we were able to do it last year. I like the track, and we have run well there since the repave. I anticipate us being competitive again and hopefully getting three in a row,” Earnhardt said.

    If you consider Hendrick Motorsports’’ record at Pocono, Earnhardt has even more reason to be confident, although one of the most significant threats to a three-peat may come from within the organization.

    Hendrick Motorsports’ drivers have won the last five races at Pocono and their 17 victories at the track are the most of any team. Seven different drivers have won for HMS including Tim Richmond, Geoff Bodine, Terry Labonte, Gordon, Kahne, Johnson and Earnhardt Jr.

    Earnhardt has seven top-five finishes this season, one win at Talladega and is currently ranked fifth in the point standings. However, the revamped No. 88 team, with new crew chief Greg Ives, has struggled with inconsistency. Last week at Dover Earnhardt had to start from the rear after replacing a broken gear. He was able to move up through the field, but a penalty for speeding on pit road resulted in a disappointing 14th place finish.

    This weekend at Pocono, Earnhardt’s greatest challenge will be putting last week’s mistakes behind him. A focused driver, crew chief and pit crew could be all that stands between him, his second victory of the season and that coveted three-peat.

    It could also be the beginning of another sweep and the opportunity to add his name to the record books. No driver has ever swept Pocono twice, but Earnhardt will have some competition as Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin compete with him to be the first to do so.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led the final 23 laps and won the FedEx 400, capturing his 10th win in 27 starts at the famous one-mile track and his fourth win overall.

    “Ten wins at one track is quite an accomplishment,” Johnson said. “If there was any doubt that I’m one of the greatest drivers in history, my dominance at Dover is concrete proof.

    “We were penalized by NASCAR for some minor infractions. As we well know from the plight of Jeremy Mayfield, NASCAR severely frowns upon ‘tweaking.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second at Dover, posting his ninth top-five finish and eighth runner-up of the year. He leads the points standings with a 41-point lead over Martin Truex Jr.

    “Jimmie Johnson won for the 10th time at Dover,” Harvick said. “That’s truly a groundbreaking achievement. Of course, any achievement is ‘groundbreaking’ at Dover—that track is falling to pieces.

    “The No. 4 Chevy featured the Ditech paint scheme. Ditech is a home loan service, as well as one of my biggest supporters. They give me ‘credit’ all the time, in addition to showing lots of interest.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: For the third consecutive race, Truex led the most laps, but fell short of winning. At Dover, Truex led 131 laps and finished sixth.

    “Am I going to win a race this year?” Truex said. “Please, I’d prefer not to be asked ‘leading’ questions.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 14th in the FedEx 400, three laps down, following a pit road speeding penalty.

    “First, we had to start at the rear of the field after changing a rear gear,” Earnhardt said, “then the No. 88 car had a radio issue early in the race. Let’s just say things didn’t sound good all day. Luckily, our radio issues don’t happen with great frequency.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished 11th at Dover, one spot ahead of Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski.

    “I just turned 25 years old,” Logano said. “But listen, I’m no spring chicken. Well, that is unless you ask Ryan Newman. According to Newman, if it’s between March 21 and June 21 and I’m avoiding him, then I’m a ‘spring chicken.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took 12th in the FedEx 400 at Dover, one lap down after starting 19th. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 102 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “What a run by Jimmie Johnson,” Keselowski said. “Ten wins at one track is one heck of an accomplishment, and JJ celebrated appropriately with a beer. Oh, it wasn’t ‘Miller Time’ for Johnson; it was ‘miler’ time.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth suffered a broken front suspension and finished 39th at Dover, his worst finish of the year.

    “Kyle Busch was strong until he wrecked with Brian Scott,” Kenseth said. “Then Kyle stuck his head in Scott’s car and gave him a piece of his mind. Kyle may have broken his leg, but he definitely hasn’t broken character.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon charged late at Dover and grabbed a 10th-place finish, posting his seventh top 10 of the year.

    “The No. 24 car looked a lot like Greg Biffle’s No. 16 used to,” Gordon said. “3M told Biffle last year, ‘It’s no go with our logo.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Dover, but things didn’t finish as well as they started. A late crash left Hamlin with a 21st, while no other Joe Gibbs Racing driver finished better than 19th.

    “Carl Edwards’ 19th was the best finish among JGR drivers,” Hamlin said, “but he didn’t even finish on the lead lap. One week after winning at Charlotte, Carl went from back flipping to back marking.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch was involved in a late incident with Brian Scott that knocked him out of the top 10. After numerous pits stops and several flat tires, Busch limped home with a 31st at Dover.

    “There’s only one thing I’ve blown more than tires,” Busch said, “and that’s gaskets.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Charlotte, recording his 11th top-10 finish of the year. He leads the points standings, ahead of Martin Truex Jr. by 41.

    “The Coke 600 marked the return of Kyle Busch,” Harvick said, “and he finished a solid 11th. He was in the No. 18 Skittles car. As you may know, the Skittles motto is ‘Taste the Rainbow.’ A typical rainbow is usually comprised of seven colors, which is six more than a typical crowd at a NASCAR race.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson lost control on lap 273 at Charlotte and slammed the inside wall, ruining his night in the Coca-Cola 600. He eventually finished 40th, 30 laps behind.

    “Thank goodness that SAFER barrier was there,” Johnson said. “The crash may have looked violent, but it was not. In fact, it was a ‘Lowe’s impact’ collision.

    “One year ago, that SAFER barrier wasn’t even in place. Back then, with the letters rearranged, it was called the FEARS barrier.”

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished third in the Coca-Cola 600, posting his seventh top-five of the season. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “You know who else finished third?” Earnhardt said. “Lewis Hamilton at the Formula 1 Grand Prix Of Monaco. Somebody asked Lewis after the race what it felt like to give away the win like that. He said, ‘It’s the pits.’”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano led 17 laps and finished 13th at Charlotte while Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski took seventh. Logano is third in the points standings, 66 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “What a race by Juan Pablo Montoya at Indianapolis,” Logano said. “He celebrated with the traditional bottle of milk. Now, if you would have told me before the race about a Colombian and a ‘white substance,’ milk certainly wouldn’t have entered my mind.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led a race-high 131 laps in the Coca-Cola 600 and finished fifth, earning his 11th top 10 of the year.

    “I hate to be a whiner,” Truex said, “but I lost a fuel mileage race, outdone by drivers who saved gas. And I’m not happy. They’re celebrating in the ‘conservatory,’ which is the same place I play the world’s smallest violin.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished tenth at Charlotte, posting his fifth top 10 of the year.

    “I was proud of my brother Kyle,” Busch said. “He had a great finish at Charlotte. He wanted to return sooner, but I talked him out of it. I quoted an Iredell County sheriff when I said, ‘What’s your rush?’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh in the Coca-Cola 600 and is now sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “I welcomed a baby girl into the world on Saturday,” Keselowski said. “I don’t think she looks a bit like me, but people tell me she’s got my gums. I even had to look over my shoulder for Kevin Harvick when the doctor told my girlfriend Paige White to ‘push.’”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on pole at Charlotte and finished fourth after leading 26 laps. He is seventh in the points standings, 101 out of first.

    “Carl Edwards was finally able to perform his signature back flip,” Kenseth said. “That’s the first time since joining JGR that he’s landed on his feet.”

    9. Carl Edwards: Edwards took the lead on lap 382 at Charlotte and ran away from the field, taking the Coca-Cola 600 win, his first in 31 races and first as a Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

    “It was great to take the No. 19 car with Subway sponsorship to victory lane,” Edwards said. “Up until Charlotte, I don’t think I’ve done my sponsors justice. You could say my performance was ‘Sub par.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished eighth at Charlotte on a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing, as all four JGR drivers finished in the top 11, with Carl Edwards taking the win.

    “Sunday was a great day for motor racing,” Hamlin said, “and a great day for Toyota at Charlotte. Nico won at Monaco, Juan Pablo won at Indianapolis, and Tokyo won at Charlotte.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second to Stewart-Haas teammate Kurt Busch at Richmond, as Harvick scored the runner-up spot for the fifth time this season.

    “Kurt deserved the win,” Harvick said. “He was by far the best car in the field, and everyone knew it. Kurt proved that his girlfriend isn’t the only thing he can ‘throttle.’

    “I was honored at the White House on Tuesday. Basically, President Obama and I discussed aerodynamics. We both think spoilers are important; I just prefer the ‘right wing’ to the ‘left wing.’”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started 36th and worked his way inside the top 10 quickly on his way to a third in the Toyota Owners 400. It was Johnson’s fifth top-5 result of the year, and he is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 58 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “I hear Harvick visited the White House,” Johnson said. “I’ve been there and done that, several times. Trust me, I know what it’s like to be surrounded by security. Usually, it’s when Chad Knaus is running ‘secret service’ on the No. 48 in the garage.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano dominated early at Richmond, starting from the pole and leading the first 94 laps on his way to a fifth-place finish.

    “They call me ‘Sliced Bread,’” Logano said. “Just a few short weeks ago, they called Kurt Busch ‘Toast.’”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch was the class of the field for much of Sunday’s race at Richmond, leading 291 laps on his way to the win, his first in 35 races. The victory likely qualifies Busch for the Chase for the Cup field.

    “The No. 41 Stewart-Haas Chevy handled great,” Busch said. “Finally, we can talk about my car’s suspension, and not mine.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished a disappointing 17th at Richmond after dropping a cylinder on lap 254.

    “When you mention ‘No. 2’ and ‘dropped a cylinder’ in the same sentence,” Keselowski said, “you can assume your day has ‘gone to pot.’

    “Kurt Busch just made the Chase field. Now, let’s see if Kyle Busch can. Brian France said he may grant Kyle a waiver when he returns to racing, meaning Kyle could make the Chase with a win despite not being in the top 30 in points. Let’s not automatically assume Kyle will win and make the field. If we assume, Kyle could make an ass out of you and me.”

    6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex posted his eighth top-10 finish of the year with a 10th in the Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond.

    “Chevrolets took the top four spots at Richmond,” Truex said, “while the best Toyota finish was Matt Kenseth in seventh. I think we know who the Toyota ‘owners’ really are —–it’s the Chevy’s.

    “Did you see that pit road fire in the Xfinity Series? Luckily, NASCAR safety officials put that fire out using their ‘Xtinguish Series.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 14th at Richmond, the only Hendrick Motorsports driver outside the top 10. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 86 out of first.

    “I had a dust up with Tony Stewart with 40 laps to go,” Earnhardt said. “I blame Tony and Tony blames me. Tony couldn’t get his car restarted after the wreck, and he was not happy. Apparently, the old adage ‘Where there’s Smoke, there’s ‘fire’’ is not true.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: One week after winning at Bristol, Kenseth finished seventh in the Toyota Owners 400, his fifth top 10 of the year.

    “Kurt Busch drove an impressive race,” Kenseth said. “Even with Kevin Harvick stalking him, he didn’t fold. I guess Kurt is right—-he didn’t choke.”

    9. Kasey Kahne: Kahne joined Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jimmie Johnson (third) and Jeff Gordon (eight) in the top 10 with a sixth at Richmond.

    “It was overall a solid day for HMS,” Kahne said. “If not for Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have joined us in the top 10. But I think Junior’s willing to let it slide. The last thing Tony needs is a guilt trip.”

    10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray led four laps and finished fourth at Richmond, scoring his second top five of the year. He is ninth in the points standings, 93 out of first.

    “Kurt Busch was just too fast for anyone to catch,” McMurray said. “Much like his former girlfriend, you could say Kurt was ‘on a mission.’”

  • Chase Elliott Meets Expectations in Second Sprint Cup Start but is Looking for More

    Chase Elliott Meets Expectations in Second Sprint Cup Start but is Looking for More

    If never being satisfied is the key to success, Chase Elliott is well on his way to becoming a competitive driver in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series when he replaces Jeff Gordon at Hendrick Motorsports next year.

    The reigning XFINITY Series champion made his second cup start at Richmond International Raceway in the rain-delayed Toyota Owners 400 Sunday, earning an encouraging 16th place finish in his No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet. It was especially satisfying after a 38th place result at Martinsville Speedway in his first Cup start a month ago.

    Elliott raced his way up to 11th twice during the race, but his car struggled on short runs. He acknowledged that he could have done a better job of relaying information to his team.

    “Guys made good adjustments for qualifying to get us in the show,” he said “and our car today had great long-run speed. Unfortunately, these races never ran to the long run. It’s always going to be a short run to the finish, and I didn’t tell them to do the right things for that last stop to run a short run. Lesson learned, and we’ll try to get better for the next one.”

    While Elliott said he was uncertain why the end results of the two races were so dramatically different, he assumed some of the blame for the disappointing finish at Martinsville, saying, “I wish I had an answer for you. I don’t really know. You know, like I said, I felt like at Martinsville, too, we had a good car. I didn’t do my job like I needed to there, and got us in a wreck 60 laps into the race, and that’s not the thing to do.”

    He was able to stay out of harm’s way at Richmond and felt like the team “put together a solid race,” explaining, “Fortunately we were able to run laps today, able to stay on the lead lap and battle really hard, especially towards the end of those long runs, and to race with some good cars.  I think that’s something our team should be proud of.”

    But like all racers, Elliott is searching for more.

    “You always get greedy and want more,” he admitted, “and we certainly had a great car really today, and I thought we were battling right there on the edge of that top 10 there at points, and we had great speed, as I said, on the longer runs.”

    Elliott’s third Sprint Cup Race is scheduled for Charlotte Motor Speedway next month where he hopes to turn lessons learned into even better finishes.

     

     

  • Matty’s Picks 2015: Bristol – Part 1

    Matty’s Picks 2015: Bristol – Part 1

    It has been a couple weeks since you’ve heard from me, and I couldn’t pick a better track to make my return on. Not only is it one of the best venues on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series circuit, but its one of the best venues in all of sports. From the 160,000 seats, to the extreme banking, to the tiny pit stalls, to the extreme speeds for a short track, Bristol is a bucket list race for any NASCAR fan, despite the claims that the racing was ruined in 2007 when the track was re-paved and progressive banking added. If you’re a fan of racing, Bristol Motor Speedway is on your list.

    I watched my first race at Bristol Motor Speedway in August of 2002, amongst a sold out crowd of over 150,000 when I watched Jeff Gordon execute the bump and run on Rusty Wallace with three laps remaining in the Sharpie 500. I happened to be sitting with a Rusty Wallace fan at the time, who was not happy with the move, but later on admitted if the roles were reversed, Wallace would have done the same thing. It’s just the way things went back then, if you were not on the bottom, you were losing positions. With the progressive banking, drivers are using all parts of the track to improve their position. The top side can be as good as the bottom, and the middle groove offers a safe haven for drivers with ill-handling cars that will not make it to the bottom or for those without the courage to run up next to the wall.

    I will save you all the grief of reading through my last few weeks of finishes, and let you know that I am sitting fourth in the CNY Sports Fans group and 12,044th on the FoxSports Fantasy Auto Leaderboards. I will let you know that I’ve finished second and third the last two weeks on my trek out of the basement.

    (more…)

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second at Texas, earning his ninth runner-up finish in his last 10 races. He leads the Sprint Cup points standings by 26 over Joey Logano.

    “Jimmie Johnson and I have won four of seven races this season,” Harvick said. “Johnson’s win at Texas supports the notion that the Sprint Cup championship is a two-man battle, and I ‘seconded’ that.

    “I visited The Masters on Thursday in support of my friend Scott Harvey, who’s an amateur. I took my Stewart-Haas Chevy with me. Every time Scott hit a shot, I said ‘4!’”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson took the lead for good with 14 laps to go, passing Kevin Harvick and Jamie McMurray, to win the Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

    “Nothing’s more satisfying that putting on a cowboy hat and firing off a few rounds from a six-shooter,” Johnson said. “It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe unless you’re Kurt Busch, who would no doubt say he felt like an ‘assassin.’ And he knows.

    “But I’m not a big fan of ten-gallon hats. I prefer my volume measured in ‘Cups,’ and seven is the quantity I’m looking for.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano led 19 laps and finished fourth in the Duck Commander 500, posting his third top-five result of the season.

    “Kurt Busch won his second pole of the season,” Logano said. “In Kurt’s world, winning the pole again is known as getting ‘reinstated’ to the first starting spot.”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski joined Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano, who finished fourth, in the top five with a fifth in the Duck Commander 500.

    “It was a very uneventful race,” Keselowski said. “Unlike November’s race in Texas, nothing happened. Call it a ‘ho humdinger.’ Even the boredom was Texas-sized. Had the race last November been called the Duck Commander 500, maybe it would have done me some good. With all the shoves and punches flying at me then, a ‘duck’ call surely would have helped.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished ninth in the Duck Commander 500, giving him six top 10’s in the season’s first seven races. He stands third in the points standings, 50 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “There’s another ‘Junior’ making news,” Truex said. “Apparently, Danica Patrick would say ‘yes’ if Ricky Stenhouse Jr. would propose. That puts Ricky in a truly awkward predicament. Now, it seems both Patrick and Stenhouse are in ‘no-win’ situations.”

    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt came home third on a strong day for Hendrick Motorsports, which placed four drivers in the top seven. Earnhardt is seventh is the points standings, 93 out of first.

    “Rick Hendrick couldn’t be happier,” Earnhardt said. “Unlike a Richard Childress Racing tire, Rick’s ego is fully inflated.

    7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished eighth in the Duck Commander 500 after starting fourth and leading six laps.

    “Did you see Michael Waltrip standing atop Texas Motor Speedway’s giant video monitor?” Kahne said. “Michael looked a little wobbly up there, but then again, when has Michael ever been that sure of his ‘orientation.’”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished seventh at Texas as all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top seven.

    “I really wanted to win in Texas,” Gordon said. “That would have been the perfect going away present. As it was, Jimmie Johnson won ‘going away.’”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 11th at Texas, one spot behind Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards in 10th. Hamlin is seventh in the points standings.

    “This race was called the ‘NRA 500’ in 2013,” Hamlin said. “That was a scary day, especially for the No. 42 Target car.

    “Michael Waltrip dropped a taco on my car before the race. It wasn’t a big deal to me. It’s one thing to have hot sauce on your Toyota; it’s another to have hot sauce in your Toyota. Michael did; it was called ‘jet fuel.’”

    10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished sixth in the Duck Commander 500, scoring his third top-10 finish of the year.

    “Wow!” McMurray said. “There were stars of the ‘Duck Dynasty’ show in Victory Lane. I really would have loved to win this race so I could have met the one and only Willie Robertson. That way, the ‘McDaddy’ could have met the ‘Quack Daddy.’”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Martinsville, ending his streak of eight consecutive results of second or better. He remains atop the Sprint Cup points standings, 24 ahead of Joey Logano.

    “It was a disappointing finish,” Harvick said. “Not that eighth is bad, but I finished behind Danica Patrick. I guess my son Keelan’s cries of ‘Go Daddy!’ were heard by Danica and not me.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Martinsville and came home third, leading 108 laps in the STP 500. He is second in the points standings, 24 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “That race had it all,” Logano said. “Action, intrigue, fake cautions, you name it. Plus, there was controversy, because track management dumped Jesse Jones hot dogs for Valleydale. How could they? I’ve been called one, but this takes the term ‘undeserving weiner’ to a new level.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski stalked Denny Hamlin over the final laps at Martinsville but couldn’t make the pass. Hamlin took the checkers while Keselowski settled for second.

    “The No. 2 Miller Lite was fast,” Keselowski said, “and I almost pulled it out. And that would have been nice. Had I won, you could have said the race itself, much like Kyle Larson, was ‘Lite-headed.’”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 23 laps and finished sixth at Martinsville, posting his sixth top 10 of the year. He is third in the points standings, 32 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “Kyle Larson missed the race after fainting Saturday at an autograph session,” Truex said. “Apparently, he signed ‘out.’ Don’t ask me what his condition is, because I don’t have the faintest. Somebody told me Fall Out Boy was signing autographs on Saturday. Turns out it was just Kyle Larson.”

    5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt suffered a broken shifter early at Martinsville and was involved in a multi-car wreck on lap 228 that smashed the front end of the No. 88 Chevrolet. He eventually finished 36th, 47 laps behind.

    “Obviously,” Earnhardt said, “you can’t do shift without a shifter. And if you can’t change gears, a sorry finish becomes, well, ‘automatic.’

    “After a lengthy stint in the garage, the No. 88 returned to the track without a hood. That is, of course, bad news, but it comes with a silver lining. Trust me, when anything Earnhardt-related goes topless, I thank the lucky starts it’s the car and not one of my fans.”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson, an eight-time winner at Martinsville, suffered numerous issues at Martinsville on his way to a 35th-place finish.

    “My day at Martinsville had a lot in common with Chad Knaus’ history with the NASCAR rule book,” Johnson said. “There were ‘multiple issues.’

    “I’ve won eight times at Martinsville. Normally, when I race there, I say “Hot dog.’ Not on Sunday. I spent so much time with the hood up, there was no ‘hot dog,’ just ‘all the fixings.’”

    7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 11th in the STP 500 as Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon took ninth, while Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggled mightily. Kahne is now fifth in the points standings, 70 out of first.

    “Rick Hendrick had two cars in the top 11,” Kahne said, “and two cars finish 35th or worse. So you can understand why Martinsville’s half-mile left him with a ‘half-smile.’”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon let a potential win slip away at Martinsville after a pit road speeding penalty cost him the lead with about 40 laps to go. Forced to the end of the lead lap, Gordon passed enough cars to salvage a ninth.

    “It’s never pleasant when you hear the words, ‘You’ve made a terrible mistake,’” Gordon said. “But I’d rather hear it from my crew chief than my divorce lawyer.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin overcame an early penalty in the pits and held off Brad Keselowski to win the STP 500. Hamlin led the final 28 laps and is now eighth in the points standings, 91 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “We had a tire get away from us on pit road,” Hamlin said. “The same thing happened at California. We have a fast car, but instead of burning rubber, we keep getting burned by rubber.

    “But, I bounced back and kept Keselowski at bay, winning my fifth grandfather clock. He gave me a little nudge in the final turn. Had I wrecked, you can best believe, with a clock in mind, you would have seen ‘one hand on the 2.’”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 11 laps and finished fourth on a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing. Denny Hamlin won the STP 500, while David Ragan took fifth.

    “Denny ended a 31-race winless streak for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Kenseth said. “What better place than Martinsville to end that streak. I think Denny said it best after being awarded the grandfather clock when he said, ‘It’s about time.’ To all of those who thought JGR was slipping, that’s just ‘Gibb-erish.’”

  • Matty’s Picks 2015 – Martinsville Speedway – STP 500

    Matty’s Picks 2015 – Martinsville Speedway – STP 500

    We’re back from the West Coast swing and the shortest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule is the site of the welcome home party this weekend. It will be the 133rd time the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits the .526 mile paper clip in southern Virginia, and the winner of the STP 500 will go home with one of the most unique and coveted pieces of hardware in the sport – a grandfather clock from the Ridgeway Clock Company.

    Martinsville Speedway is one of my favorite tracks because of the combination of the long straightaways, lack of banking, and tight corners all contributing to the intense racing produced each and every race at the paper clip. The progressive banking at Bristol Motor Speedway has produce multiple racing grooves, making Martinsville the lone one-groove short track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule. Drivers will be fighting for real estate in the bottom of the concrete corners before they hit the asphalt straightaways requiring the correct combination of braking and acceleration a thousand plus times to go home with the grandfather clock on Sunday afternoon.

    Not a bad result last week for me on the third weekend of the West Coast tour, with my worst driver finishing 14th. I thought I had the race-winner locked up in Kurt Busch, but the restarts at the end last week bit me as much as they did Busch. My roster last week included Joey Logano, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. 196 points under the FoxSports Fantasy Auto rules last week put me second in the CNY Race Fans group and 18,201 overall.

    Martinsville Picks

    The drivers making up my fantasy roster this week boast 25 combined wins and are the only five active drivers on the list of 24 who have multiple wins at Martinsville Speedway. A couple of important statistics to keep in mind this week when making your picks – 95 of the 132 (71.9 percent) NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Martinsville Speedway have been won from a top-10 starting position. However, only seven of the 132 races at Martinsville have been won from a starting position outside the top 10 but both races last season added to that tally. If this year’s races at Martinsville are anywhere close to last year’s events, starting position should not weigh in as heavily as past races at the paper clip.

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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second in the Auto Club 400, extending his amazing streak with his eighth consecutive top-two finish. He continues to lead the Sprint Cup points standings, and holds a 28-point cushion over Joey Logano.

    “Who’s going to stop me in my quest to defend my Cup championship?” Harvick said. “It appears no one is willing to step up. In the last eight races, I’ve won four times and finished second four times. I win and I ‘place;’ is anyone else going to ‘show?’”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished seventh at California as Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski took the win.

    “Brad stole that win from Kurt Busch,” Logano said. “Luckily for Brad, Kyle Larson’s bumper flew off, bringing out the caution that Brad needed. A bumper is real debris, debris you can actually see. Can something invisible, like a stiff wind, necessitate a yellow flag? NASCAR would likely say ‘Yes.’ I guess that would be called a ‘da breeze’ caution.”

    3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished ninth at Fontana, posting his third top 10 of the year. He is fourth in the points standings, 66 out of first.

    “It was a solid day for Hendrick Motorsports,” Johnson said, “but the return of Kurt Busch has made Stewart-Haas Racing a real powerhouse. Busch has really been on fire since his reinstatement. It appears the line between being outlawed and being the ‘Outlaw’ is a significant one. But is Busch really a threat to win the Sprint Cup championship. Until he’s holding the Cup, I’m not convinced. So, he’s innocent until proven guilty.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt posted his fourth top-10 finish of the year with a sixth at Fontana, rebounding strongly from his last place result in Phoenix.

    “I lost a lot of track position,” Earnhardt said, “when I got stuck behind Greg Biffle on a late restart. There’s nothing worse that getting stuck behind a slow car on a restart, except for getting stuck behind the wheel of a Roush Fenway Racing car.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s hot start to the season continued with an eighth in the Auto Club 500. He has five consecutive top 10’s and is fifth in the points standings, 33 out of first.

    “Kurt Busch won the pole for Sunday’s race, Truex said. “I asked Kurt’s ex-girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll, about the race, and, not surprisingly, she said, ‘He started it.’

    “It was a wild finish at Fontana. And to capitalize on that result, Furniture Row is offering their own ‘wild finish,’ a tiger-striped design on a coffee table.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski passed Busch on the final lap to seize the win in a dramatic Auto Club 500. Keselowski took four tires during the final caution, giving him the necessary advantage on the Fontana track’s abrasive surface.

    “I apologize if I made Kurt hit the wall,” Keselowski said. “He should consider himself lucky, that it’s only one wall and not four that he’s dealing with.”

    7. Ryan Newman: Newman finished fifth in the Auto Club 400, posting his third consecutive top-five result. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 63 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “There were a lot of mysterious cautions thrown on Sunday in California,” Newman said. “That surely didn’t make Kurt Busch happy. Kurt may complain about ‘yellow flags being raised,’ as opposed to his girlfriends, who are concerned about all the red flags raised.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch started on the pole at California and had a win in hand until a late caution presented Brad Keselowski the opportunity to take four tires. Keselowski then passed Busch on the final green-white-checkered finish while Busch brushed the wall trying to regain position.

    “You may say I hit the wall,” Busch said, “but I deny it.

    “As conspiracy theories go, my favorite is the one that says NASCAR threw the cautions to prevent me from winning. Sure, they granted me a waiver for the Chase, but all those yellows served as ‘wavers’ to keep me out of the Chase.”

    9. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished 10th at California as Hendrick Motorsports placed three cars in the top 10.

    “I counted at least three ‘phantom’ cautions in Sunday’s race,” Gordon said. “And you know that means: if there are ‘phantoms,’ then there are ‘ghosts.’ And that’s bad news for NASCAR, because this sport just got even whiter.”

    10. Paul Menard: Menard recorded his best finish of the year with a fourth in the Auto Club 400. He is ninth in the points standings, 73 out of first.

    “Richard Childress could be kicking himself for letting Kevin Harvick leave after the 2013 season,” Menard said. “But at some point, even if something or someone has been getting under your skin, you just have to ‘let it go.’ I think Richard exemplifies that very well.”