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  • Hot 20 – We realize NASCAR is a commercial enterprise…but enough is enough

    Hot 20 – We realize NASCAR is a commercial enterprise…but enough is enough

    Sponsors pay for stuff. They pay enough cash that NASCAR and its track owners have sold their collective souls and it explains why they no longer promote a Firecracker 400, or a World 600, and why they actually dumped, for a time, the Southern 500. Money talks, tradition walks. It is an old story and as long as there is a can of soda to be sold, some tools to be used, a grocery chain with vittles on offer, a casino seeking guests, insurance to be flogged, tents up for grabs, or a car model to be promoted, it appears that will remain the case. Do the folks doing the advertising get their money’s worth? Who cares; that is their worry, not mine.

    What an event is called matters little in the grand scheme of things, I guess. A race is a race, and if prestige is swapped for big bucks, I guess that is the price one is willing to pay. To watch the races on television, the price viewers pay is a slew of interruptions in order to make room for a word from a sponsor who is paying too much for a message most of us ignore.

    That was not always the case. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip were one hell of a team selling everything from pizza to car parts to beer. The boys from a day not so long ago sold razors, hardware, gum, insurance, cars, and who can forget about that Big Brown Truck? Hell, we watched those commercials and they were classic enough to be watched over and over without complaint. Today, it is a different story. They seem to think they can get away with little creativity, provide little entertainment value, yet apparently not bright enough to realize that a lot of us do not even watch the damn things long enough to even know what they are about.

    Last Saturday night, 124 commercials got in the way. That is 28 more than what ran a year before. As it is, nearly 20 percent of the airtime over the course of this season has been devoted to commercials but they upped that for Daytona. It reached up to nearly a quarter of what you watched had nothing to do with the race. Then the idiots actually scratch their heads and wonder why the television numbers are down. Duh!

    The current model is not working. While we realize everything comes with a cost, that somebody has to pay in order for us to watch the action, they should realize that either we pre-record the action to avoid the commercials, or we hit the head or the galley during such interruptions, or we wander off to do other things instead. Last week, we might have hung around just because of the action promised at Daytona. The sixth running of the Quaker State 400 from Sparta, Kentucky does not have the same pedigree. It is just another race.

    You and I know why we watch. Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch have combined to win four of the first five run there at Kentucky. Will one of them take his fourth victory of the season on Saturday? We watch to see if Ryan Blaney can hold down that final Chase place, despite challenges from Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, and Kasey Kahne. We watch to see if Tony Stewart can stay ahead of the two boys close behind in the battle for 30th in points. We watch because we like the sport, the action, and its athletes. We do not watch for the commercials.

    The Hot 20 heading into Kentucky include…

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3 WINS (551 Pts)
    Winner last week, and he is two for five at Kentucky. Maybe more bubbly is in his future.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (492 Pts)
    Won the first race at Kentucky, and won the last race there.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (527 Pts)
    If being at the wrong place at the wrong time was a goal, Edwards attained it at Daytona.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (475 Pts)
    Thirty wins since 2010, but none at Kentucky though five for five in Top Tens is pretty good.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
    If points still told the tale, he would be at the top, and still might when they finish in November.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (545 Pts)
    It seemed that Kurt was very understanding of Logano after Daytona. We shall see, we shall see.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (531 Pts)
    Too bad this jerk is on this list. Too bad this jerk is also one hell of a driver.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (482 Pts)
    He probably did not appreciate the 30 lap rest in the middle of last week’s race.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (446 Pts)
    We heard Denny was hungry for a Daytona sweep. I guess the boy must be starving today.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (443 Pts)
    Only three drivers have won the five races held thus far at Kentucky. Matt is one of them.

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (212 Pts)
    He is ba-ack…but can he stay here?

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 482 PTS
    The only winless Chaser who heads to Kentucky fairly relaxed. The rest hear footsteps.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 434 PTS
    A 29 point pad is good unless an engine goes south or he gets caught up in someone else’s mess.

    14. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 433 PTS
    Biggest free agents in sports history include the names of Bobby, Reggie, Payton, LeBron, and Junior.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 425 PTS
    His Kentucky goal is to keep the likes of Blaney, McMurray, Bayne, and Kahne in the rear view.

    16. RYAN BLANEY – 409 PTS
    A Chase place would be a wonderful story, but not everyone likes wonderful stories.

    17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 405 PTS
    Got a little loose, got a lot wrecked. Now his goal has to be to break a kid’s heart.

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 399 PTS
    See a Blaney, catch a Blaney.

    19. KASEY KAHNE – 396 PTS
    Things were getting better, then Daytona happened.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 393 PTS
    The Glen is coming up August 7th.

    31. BRIAN SCOTT – 209 PTS
    Stewart sits 30th in points, just three ahead of Scott. Talk about incentive.

    32. REGAN SMITH – 203 PTS
    If Scott falters, there is still another shark in the water close behind.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 115 of 161 laps and won the Coke 400, his first ever Sprint Cup win at Daytona. He is now second in the Sprint Cup points standings, only 14 behind Kevin Harvick.

    “That was my first win at Daytona,” Keselowski said, “and was made all the more satisfying because I held off both Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. Therefore, after the race, it was a case of ‘sibling revelry.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was caught in an accident with 70 laps left, and limped home to a 39th-place finish, his worst of the year. He still holds the lead in the points standings, with a 14-point lead over Brad Keselowski.

    “That was a scary accident,” Harvick said. “I rammed into the back of Brian Scott’s No. 44 car and his car was briefly riding on top of mine. I’ve been known to carry a team, but never an opponent.”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch was running third into the final corner before spinning through the infield grass after Joey Logano made contact with Busch’s No. 41 Chevrolet. He finished a disappointing 23rd,

    “I’m not sure what Logano was thinking,” Busch said. “I don’t think he was thinking. In other words, there was nothing going through his mind, so the best course of action is for me to knock some sense into him. Suffice it to say Logano is in my crosshairs, which, some to think of it, makes me a perfect match for a female assassin.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano helped push Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski to the win at Daytona and finished fourth in the Coke Zero 400.

    “I would have liked to win,” Logano said, “but I’m satisfied with my finish. Any ‘Fourth Of July’ is worth celebrating.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch chased Brad Keselowski late at Daytona, searching for any chance to pass for the win. Keselowski was able to defend his position well, and Busch settled for the runner-up spot.

    “Keselowski’s No. 2 got a serious push from Joey Logano,” Busch said. “I haven’t heard of a ‘boost’ like that since they found jet fuel in the Michael Waltrip Racing cars.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards started second at Daytona and led eight laps before a series of accidents left him with a 25th-place finish. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 58 out of first.

    “The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered a lot of damage,” Edwards said. “You could say it ‘hit more walls’ than a minority driver in NASCAR.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was one of 22 cars involved in a big wreck just past the halfway point at Daytona. Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson made contact, and Johnson slammed into McMurray.

    “I would say McMurray is at fault for the accident,” Johnson said. “Just look at his car number; it says he’s ‘The Big 1.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott was one of several cars collected in a huge pileup just past the halfway point at Daytona. He eventually finished 32nd, 48 laps off the pace.

    “There were 22 cars involved in that accident, to be exact,” Elliott said. “And that resulted in a lot of damage. July 4th may be Independence Day, but July 2nd was ‘Indepen-dents Day.’

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 17th in the Coke Zero 400, one week after his runner-up finish to Tony Stewart at Sonoma.

    “I’ve experienced the highs and lows of racing this year,” Hamlin said. “I won February’s Daytona 500 by one the slimmest of margins in NASCAR racing history, and lost two weeks ago t Sonoma to one of the fattest of drivers.”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 29th at Daytona after suffering damage in a big accident just past the halfway point. He is seventh in the points standings, 83 out of first.

    “That wreck affected 22 cars,” Truex said. “It seems that Jamie McMurray ordered ‘takeout.’ I guess, ironically, it was his lucky day, because everyone else had to pay for it.”

  • The Final Word – Wouldn’t you hate having a Daytona night like Kurt, Carl, Jamie, Jimmie…

    The Final Word – Wouldn’t you hate having a Daytona night like Kurt, Carl, Jamie, Jimmie…

    “I hate that I…” I love that phrase. It is the prelude to expressing some measure of regret for some on track transgression in the hopes that these mere words will make everything alright. For instance, “I hate that I got into Kurt [Busch] there at the end racing to the line.” So says Joey Logano after Busch got dumped on the final lap, crossing the line spinning backward in 23rd place Saturday night at Daytona. Well, doesn’t that just make everything just wonderful?

    I mean, “I hate that my dog ate my homework, so I got nothing for you.” Maybe “I hate that my excess speed forced you to have to chase me down, officer.” One could try “I hate you found me in the arms of another.” Lovely sentiments, but without any reference to restitution, to make good on what had gone bad, rather meaningless.

    To be honest, while Kurt was not pleased, he did sound mature in describing how any hope he had to charge to the front went sideways thanks to Logano. Not a curse word, no profanity, no vivid descriptions of where Joey could shove his weak apology, not a single declaration of revenge. It was damn near genteel.

    Brad Keselowski, a man not known for his genteel nature, finally won at Daytona, and like most results on this particular track he had a lot of company coming to the line. Of course, being Daytona, he had less company than when they started. Ninety laps in, Jamie McMurray drifted up, drifted down, touched the side of Kyle Larson, and went back up in front of Jimmie Johnson. McMurray had scraped off a bit of speed. Johnson had not, and bad things happened. Seventeen other drivers got involved as folks got twisted in front of others, or simply run over from those charging from behind.

    Thus ended the day for the two principles of the mayhem, along with Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Brian Scott. Scott was the man sitting in 30th place, just nine points ahead of Tony Stewart when the green flag waved. That meant Smoke just needed to finish 28th or better to move into the position, making his win at Sonoma count, and launching him forward in the standings. Stewart finished 26th. Things were going well for him, at least until his back end did a little flutter with a dozen laps remaining, and he got punted into the fence to conclude his activities. Still, he had a goal and he met it, albeit barely.

    Mishaps bent them and shaped them, as the American Breed might have sung back in the 60’s, to leave some running but laps in the dust. Danica Patrick, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott were among those finishing just behind Stewart, between 27th and 32nd. A wreck halted Carl Edwards at 25th.

    Keselowski, with his third of the season, was joined by Logano and Austin Dillon with expected Top Tens. Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer were not expected, but hopeful. It moves Bayne to within six points of 16th sitting McMurray on the ladder, as Stenhouse and Biffle are both less than 20 points out. Michael McDowell was 10th and probably more than happy with that result, as he has run eight more races than Stewart, collecting 18 fewer points. Saturday was a good day.

    This weekend brings more Saturday action, as the boys and girl head to Kentucky for just the sixth time. Keselowski has two, Kyle Busch the first and the last, with Kenseth taking the race in 2013. Mind you, Johnson has also done well there, with a quintet of Top Tens. As to who needs to do what, Stewart will be okay as long as Scott and Smith remain behind him.

    As for Ryan Blaney and McMurray, wouldn’t you just hate for any of the five drivers within 21 points of replacing them among our Chasers do just that this Saturday night? I bet they would.

  • The View from My Recliner – Thoughts from Daytona

    The View from My Recliner – Thoughts from Daytona

    Let it be known that I hate restrictor plate racing.

    Between the XFINITY and Cup races, it was pile up after pile up. If you’re a fan, you might as well save the money, go to the County Fair and go see the demolition derby.

    If I am a car owner, I would really think hard about even entering my car into a race at Daytona and Talladega. You might as well consider that car a known loss and be surprised if the car survives. The investment for four restrictor plate races isn’t worth it.

    It was great to see Roger Penske in victory lane celebrating the 100th victory for Team Penske. The Captain has been the center of Indy Car racing for years and in the past 20 plus years, has been a force in NASCAR. He has his team poised to be in contention for years to come with younger drivers like Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano driving the Penske cars and Ryan Blaney driving for the Wood Brothers. The three drivers are lined up with three crew chiefs in Paul Wolfe, Todd Gordon and Jeremy Bullins which will add to team chemistry and continuity.

    Tony Stewart made it into the top-30 in points even though he wrecked out of Daytona. Look for Stewart to go hard for another win to solidify his spot in the Chase. I have the feeling Smoke will be a big factor at Indy. He was part of the tire test and would love to get his 50th Cup win at home.

    Kudos to Ryan Newman who called out NASCAR in the drivers meeting. I can see a fine coming, but his comments were on target. With the way the XFINITY race ended on Friday night, Newman calling into question how NASCAR officiated the race was on the money.

    Right now, there have been 11 winners in the Cup series. The five who are in on points right now are Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Ryan Newman and Ryan Blaney. After Richmond, unless someone like A.J. Allmendinger grabs a win at The Glen, the only driver in this group I don’t see in the Chase is Austin Dillon. The Slugger Labbe-led team hasn’t been consistent lately and I could see them dropping out of the Chase race and their spot taken by Jamie McMurray on points or Kyle Larson with a win.

    Kentucky will be interesting to see if it is a follow the leader like most re-paves turn out to be.

    Enjoy the racing this week and that is the View from My Recliner.

  • Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

    Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

    We want drivers and fans to be safe. We want action that is anything but safe. It might sound hypocritical, but deep in our hearts, we know it to be true.

    Talladega concerned some drivers. Kyle Busch says it was “pretty dangerous for all us drivers.” That may have been true. He also said it “wasn’t very exciting.” That is false. For fans, watching drivers inches apart at up to 200 mph, where disaster is only a sneeze away, is pretty damned exciting.

    Personally, it is the threat of a wreck that is more exciting than the actual carnage. The boys and girl are doing something I do not have the ability to perform nor, to be honest, the courage to attempt. It appears to be dangerous and, according to Kyle, that is because it is.

    We want the danger. Yet, we also want to see Kyle climb out of his Xfinity car unscathed at Daytona. We wanted to see Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin Jr. step out of their wrecks. We want to see the crushing hits in the NFL, but it appears their helmets cannot prevent the devastation of long-term brain injuries. We want the fights and the hard hits of the NHL, yet the mounting evidence of long-term head trauma has brought rule changes to make the sport safer.

    Does reducing the danger also reduce the excitement for the fans? It has to. Hall of Famers Sprague Cleghorn, Eddie Shore, Rocket Richard, and Gordie Howe would have had to play differently to avoid lifetime suspensions in today’s NHL. Some used their sticks, some their elbows, and some just beat the crap out of their opponents. Seeing a receiver take the hit just as he receives the ball, slamming straight to the ground or doing mid-air flips upon impact, is a great visual, but it has to take a toll on the human being involved. Does anyone remember Lawrence Taylor’s sack of Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann that broke the pivot’s leg in two places? Pretty amazing. Pretty devastating. For safety sake, change is required, change is happening, and more change is coming.

    Deaths have happened in most sports, but very few at the highest level. Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians died in 1920 after being struck in the head by a pitched ball. Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars struck his head on the ice and died in 1968. In football, AFL players Howard Glenn and Stone Johnson died in the 1960’s due to neck injuries. Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions suffered a fatal heart attack in a game in 1971. Then there is professional boxing. Then there is motorsports.

    Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, J.D. McDuffie, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, and Carlos Pardo remind us that we cannot build more durable humans, nor dismiss the heartbreak of their loss. Pit road is safer, yet only after the Southern 500 in 1960 cost the lives of mechanics Paul McDuffie, Charles Sweatlund, and official Joe Taylor. We lost crewman Randy Owens at Talladega in 1975. Yet, we liked the excitement of those old cars, the open faced helmets, and the speeding down pit road. We still do, but not at that price.

    If NASCAR gets too safe, might it cause fans to wander off seeking new distractions, new outlets for their thrills and emotions? It could. It may have already taken place to some degree. I love watching the action at Daytona and Talladega, watching those who can do what I cannot, or will not, even attempt. I watch what I enjoy, and often we can not say exactly what it is that caused us to lose interest. I loved hockey, the hard-nosed 1960’s, the violent 1970’s, and the grace and majesty of the 1980’s, but it is rare to find me sitting through an NHL game today. Many once loved NASCAR; they had it bad and could not get enough of it. Today, the tracks no longer even release attendance figures and grandstands are being torn down. Sports of all kinds are trying to increase the “fan experience,” all but admitting the action on the field is no longer enough.

    Saturday night should be enough. It is Daytona, the Firecracker 400 as it was known until 1989. A race that has meaning, a race that has tradition, a race that has high speeds and, yes, a race that has a measure of danger.

    May our Hot 20 and the rest provide us with excitement and, despite our barbaric nature, a safe event.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (452 Pts)
    No new rules to slow down the cars at Daytona, and Kyle isn’t happy about that.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (510 Pts)
    Has run good at Daytona, has run bad, but has never won there.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (506 Pts)
    Tried out an IndyCar at Road America, and plans to run Indianapolis…some day.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (469 Pts)
    Daughters cannot listen to team radio…because sometimes daddy says bad words.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (562 Pts)
    Sixteen races, 13 Top Tens. Some have more wins, no one has more points.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (527 Pts)
    Formula 3000 is just one step below F-1…and could be in Kurt’s future come December.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (493 Pts)
    If Tony and Denny had crashed on last Sunday’s final lap, guess who would have won.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (469 Pts)
    Tony, Tony, Tony…but did anyone notice Martin finished fifth? Did not think so.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (430 Pts)
    He did not have Chris Osborne as his eyes in the sky in February. He will on Saturday night.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (421 Pts)
    With Tony Stewart behind him at Sonoma, Denny thought for a second he was Ron Thornton.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 473 PTS
    Good talent, good car, equals good results.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 413 PTS
    Newman, McMurray, and Junior battled on the track, only to face de-feet in the sky.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 402 PTS
    The winner.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 400 PTS
    I am trying to remember how his Daytona race finished last year. So is he.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 398 PTS
    If a pissed off Stewart is a motivated Stewart, does that make Jamie his personal Tony Robbins?

    16. KASEY KAHNE – 385 PTS
    If you think Kasey’s season sucks, please consider Clint’s situation.

    17. RYAN BLANEY – 382 PTS
    New rule change locks even unchartered teams into Chase races…but they have to be Chasers.

    18. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 365 PTS
    Damn rolling tire.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 361 PTS
    You might remember that he has won at Daytona before.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 355 PTS
    Do you remember when everyone was gushing over Kyle and Trevor?

    30. BRIAN SCOTT – 205 PTS
    Sometimes holding down 30th gets you recognition…at least for this week.

    32. TONY STEWART – 196 PTS (1 win)
    As Kyle did before him. Now cue the Jaws theme.

  • The View From My Recliner – Smoke is on Fire!

    The View From My Recliner – Smoke is on Fire!

    In the middle of what should have been an amazing weekend for Tony Stewart, Smoke has shown that he is had enough and Homestead can’t get here soon enough for him.

    Coming off his solid run in Michigan, Stewart was running in the top-five in practice at Sonoma when he came up on slower cars heading into turn 11 and it set off the fireworks. Later in practice, Jamie McMurray cut him off and received the one-finger salute from the three-time champion.

    After practice, Stewart said to the gathered media, “I’m ready to go run stuff that makes me happy and driving a Sprint Cup car does not make me happy right now. A lot of things have changed. The atmosphere has changed. There is so much stuff in the garage area that has changed that it was time for me to make a change with it.

    “I’ve dedicated 18 years of my life to this series and it’s done great by me,” Stewart said. “I’ve made a great living doing it, but at the same time, there are other things in life I want to do other than be at a NASCAR track three days a week for 38 weekends out of 52 weeks a year. There are just other things I want to do now.”

    Reading Stewart’s quotes to the media makes me wonder about the shape NASCAR is in as a sport. One thing that Stewart has said was when he was coming up, drivers learned from Mark Martin, didn’t cross Dale Earnhardt and would get a lecture from Rusty Wallace if they didn’t obey the unofficial rules of practice or the race.

    Folks, please take notice. NASCAR is a better place with Tony Stewart in the race car and in the garage. Tony Stewart basically said yesterday he can’t wait to be done with NASCAR. That is sad.

    The state of NASCAR is up in the air.

    The majority of competitive NASCAR team owners are in their 60s and 70s,  Who is the next group of racers who want to own teams? How many drivers are in cars because they bring sponsorship with them? Paul Menard, Brian Scott and Danica Patrick are drivers who are either funded by family companies or just a marketing machine and probably not in their rides without the sponsorship they bring to the table.

    The XFINITY Series can’t develop the next group of drivers because they will run with the funding Cup drivers bring with them to theXFINITY Series rather than take a chance on a good young driver like Ryan Truex, Corey LaJoie and Brandon McReynolds.

    Attendance is down everywhere and television ratings are down, where is the opportunity to grow the sport?

    The television contract with Fox Sports 1 and NBC Sports Network put more races on cable networks that are building an audience from scratch and people are too fickle or lazy to go searching  for what channel it is on.

    A couple comments from a post-practice interview yesterday, really made me question where does NASCAR go from here? Think about it, if Tony Stewart doesn’t want to be in Sprint Cup racing, why would anyone else want to watch it?

     

  • Hot 20 – Like life, Sonoma is a series of challenging twists and turns

    Hot 20 – Like life, Sonoma is a series of challenging twists and turns

    It is not always just about NASCAR, as most of us got a chance to check out other things since the boys and girl last ran at Michigan. There was a basketball game in Cleveland I understand of some note. The NHL has an amateur draft this week and it seems you will have yet another reason to go to Las Vegas in the winter soon enough. One of the sport’s greatest icons, Gordie Howe, passed away. Wayne Gretzky’s future son-in-law won a golf tournament, France continues to host a big soccer event, Ichiro Suzuki gets closer to 3000 MLB hits, and the Chicago Cubs are #1. Hell, I am even reading a book.

    Sadly, damned idiots are everywhere, as Mike Wallace and his family discovered. Leaving a concert, the former driver was attacked and knocked unconscious and even his daughter was injured as she tried to protect her dad. They will be alright, though Mike requires some dental work. Three thugs have been arrested, and here is hoping real justice prevails. I do not give a damn what their problems are or how pathetic their lives have been. They did wrong and should pay for it.

    Meanwhile, some think Jeff Gordon could be the new Regis or Michael Strahan on set with Kelly Ripa. His first season as a FOX announcer is about to come to an end after this month, and we will have to wait until the fall to find out where his future lies. Life sure has a lot of twists and turns. So does Sonoma, the next stop on the NASCAR Cup tour on Sunday.

    Here are our Hot 20 heading to California.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (417 Pts)
    Just can’t wait to get on the road again, maybe win that Sonoma race again.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (480 Pts)
    Failed to win in Iowa last week. Bet he feels like a total schmuck.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (472 Pts)
    On his off days, this is one pilot who purposely takes his vehicle off the ground.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
    Along with Junior, listed by Forbes as among the world’s highest-paid athletes.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (526 Pts)
    Fifth in the standings but first in points. By far. Maybe it is time to end his Sonoma jinx.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (496 Pts)
    Visited the Middle East to test a Formula One car. That is one way to keep busy on a week off.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
    Might be a ways away from taking the Most Popular Driver award, but a Chase place is his.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (433 Pts)
    He has a lot of teammates…though he is the only one who gets to drive the car.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (409 Pts)
    Stats show that Sonoma is his worse track. Imagine how much fun Monaco would be for him.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (380 Pts)
    2 wins, 20 Top Tens. That is the standard for rookies Hamlin set a decade ago.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 453 PTS
    Still looking for his first victory, but his points collection is rather impressive.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 383 PTS
    I was hoping for a 2004 Intimidator SS Monte Carlo for Father’s Day. Maybe for Christmas.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 381 PTS
    Maybe Junior or this guy could help me out in my quest. They know people.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 374 PTS
    Not known as a guy who does well on the pretzel tracks, but maybe he should be.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 369 PTS
    Looked great in the Spring 2016 issue of LVLten magazine. Doh! Wrong Ryan Newman.

    16. RYAN BLANEY – 364 PTS
    Plays something called food roulette with his buddy Darrell Wallace Jr. Training for Survivor?

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 353 PTS
    For someone supposedly having such a bad season, even a win might not be necessary to turn it all around.

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 345 PTS
    A storied yet still single car team making a resurgence this season, and still better than most.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 337 PTS
    Win at the Glen put him in the 2014 Chase. Why not another road win in wine country?

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 337 PTS
    Not the best place to be, but Kyle, Paul, Greg, Clint, Danica, and Aric would swap in a second.

  • Hot 20 – Michigan will be great, because Stone Cold Keselowski said so

    Hot 20 – Michigan will be great, because Stone Cold Keselowski said so

    A new aero package combined with reduced down and side force should mean more passing at Michigan this weekend, as well as at Kentucky later in the year. Wonderful, just wonderful. Now all that needs to happen is that it actually happens.

    Four drivers did the testing, four drivers are apparently all giddy about it. Brad Keselowski is all excited about it. Then again, ole Brad was all tingly about that All-Star format he is said to have come up with, and we know how that turned out. We shall see, we shall see.

    Greg Biffle is nowhere to be found amongst our Hot 20, but he does have four wins at Michigan. This week, he said he believes fans are just as passionate as they always were, but there are just so many ways to follow the sport than just showing up at the track or watching the action on television. I think the Biff is wrong. Where are all those celebrities who once asked us, “How bad have you got it?” The few who show up today do so only to promote a movie that often sucks, to be honest with you. There is no buzz anymore.

    The only near guarantee of great action can be found at venues such as Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol. We tune in such milestone events as the Southern 500, the World 600, and the Brickyard 400, along with the novelty presented by the road courses. That constitutes just 11 of the 36 races on the calendar. The rest are generic goofy sponsor named events with little drawing power against baseball, football, hockey, basketball or just a damn nice day outside with the family. If Biffle figures the passion remains even though the fans do not, he is sadly mistaken.

    So, why bother? Well, I am a NASCAR fan. I want to see if the brainiacs have actually stumbled upon something to make Michigan a race to watch. I want to see how the big dogs perform, even that damned irritating Keselowski and the equally delightful Joey Logano. I want to see Tony Stewart do something positive before he makes his career exit. I want to see if Dale Earnhardt Jr. might win. Who doesn’t? In fact, I want to see how each of the below listed 20 drivers perform and to see if someone outside can shake things up with a win. I would be thrilled if Danica Patrick could be that person. I would be shocked if it came to pass.

    That is why I will be watching the Hot 20 and the rest this Sunday at Michigan.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (416 PTS)
    Well, that is one way to keep Rowdy out of Victory Lane.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (442 PTS)
    I think if Brad were a political candidate, I might have to vote for the other guy…just because.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (437 PTS)
    Visited Loudon this week. He wants to win. He wants to eat the lobster. Let the protests begin.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (415 PTS)
    This NASCAR Johnson likes his drinks from a can. The other Johnson liked his from a jar.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (490 PTS)
    Happy might not win on Sunday, but his odds of finishing second are pretty good.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (465 PTS)
    If he missed his crew chief last week, he did a poor job of showing it.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (403 PTS)
    Girlfriend Sherry is from Michigan and a fan of the Wings. Hence, this is now Truex country.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (382 PTS)\
    A restart on your computer should end your problems. On the track, they just began for Matt.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (372 PTS)
    Won the Daytona 500. What more do you want?

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 413 PTS
    Few would be surprised if his first win comes very, very soon.

    11. JOEY LOGANO – 410 PTS
    The new “old” Kurt Busch? I wonder what Jimmy Spencer is up to these days?

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 381 PTS
    What is worse than being a bridesmaid again? That damn unusable ugly dress.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 348 PTS
    Very proud of his grandfather and boss, one of NASCAR’s latest Hall of Famers.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 342 PTS
    An average finish of 16.6 might not sound great, but a 14.0 or better gets you in the Top Ten.

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 340 PTS
    You know, the “other” rookie is not doing too bad himself.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 338 PTS
    I wonder if Newman got Logano’s attention at Pocono?

    17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 334 PTS
    Ernie Cope was on the box at Pocono, cousin Derrike was on David Letterman in 1990.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 325 PTS
    Dover penalty is the difference between 18th and a place in the Chase.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 325 PTS
    Escorted Danica Patrick to Nashville last night for the CMT’s.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 319 PTS
    Got to see Danica present an award with Kelly Pickler, watching television like the rest of us.

  • Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

    Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

    I have an admission to make. I am not all that excited about Pocono this weekend. I thought maybe it had something to do with just getting out of the wrong side of the bed, or that my transformation into a cantankerous old fart had finally reached its conclusion. Sadly, maybe it had something to do with the World 600, a marquee event that was so dominated by one car that it became the Monaco Grand Prix but without all the cool scenery.

    Martin Truex, Jr. won that race by leading 392 of 400 laps, with nary an on-track pass for the lead from start to finish. Great for Truex, horrid for NASCAR. To be honest, the action behind him was not exactly nail biting, either. Even NASCAR sees it, and they are not terribly thrilled, either.

    The wave of a magic wand to fix it would be nice, but there are a number of factors they have to consider to keep us from wandering off to find excitement elsewhere. Configuring the rear chassis set-up takes away downforce and side force, which seemed to work for All-Star weekend. Then there is tire wear, how different it is between afternoon and evening races. In order to keep you and me interested, it seems there is more to ponder than just who has the best driver, the best car, and the best team on any given day.

    Truex’s team hit on the setup and ran away with things last week. That happens. However, not much was happening behind him to generate much heat either, and that should not happen. At least, that is not what a majority of today’s fans want, not what they will long put up with. There is a problem when NASCAR tracks are pulling down grandstands, refusing to release attendance figures, and seeing television ratings plummet. Since 2007, the combined capacity of Charlotte, Daytona, and Talladega has been reduced by 43 percent, by an astounding 205,000 seats.

    So, you would think the problem might lie with the fact that NASCAR just is not presenting an exciting product any longer. Maybe the problem is that, in this day and age, what worked yesterday just does not cut it in today’s instant gratification world. I mean, the Indianapolis 500 drew a live crowd of 350,000, had huge local ratings after it was broadcast in Indianapolis for the first time in 66 years, and still the national ratings slipped even further south. This is despite seeing in 2015, for the first time in a decade, the Indianapolis event drawing a bigger television audience than the one in Charlotte.

    Is it the racing, or is it us? I mean, not every contest in ever sport is a work of art, so maybe our demands are too high. Sure, 94 percent of NASCAR’s fans are considered white compared to less than 2 percent black, and while half of the fans are 55 years of age and over, less than 9 percent are under the age of 34. Those are demographics that should have them concerned. That said, what is it that draws some to the sport and not others? What keeps them interested and what drives them off? Having an attention span greater than that of a gnat would help.

    We want to be entertained and are less likely to sit through what does not. We no longer have to watch anything live so we do not have the patience we once had. We can always seek out more entertainment via a 30 second jump ahead by using the PVR button, the click of the channel to watch something else, the taking of a phone call, a check of text messages, a visit to Twitter, a video game, and you can always discover how things are going in the contest just about any time you want if you are interested enough. That is what NASCAR, auto sports, and just about anything else seeking an audience must face. Keep us interested, or we have something at our fingertips that might.

    This cantankerous old fart is about as guilty as the next guy. We have become very much like a seven-year-old playing any sport, all set on chasing that ball until a butterfly comes around and grabs our attention. NASCAR’s task is to present a four-hour escape that we look forward to experiencing each and every week. To date, they appear to be falling short. They simply cannot afford to just mail it in and expect that we will be there. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Pocono Sunday afternoon…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 405 PTS
    If all drivers were like Rowdy, things would be more interesting.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
    We are living in the era of a 6-time champion. If that does not excite you, have you tried soccer?

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
    Had a need for speed last week, but doing so twice on pit road ruined his day.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
    Next Thursday, Jackson, Michigan is the place to share a cool one with Brad at the Chase.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 457 PTS
    Others may have more wins, but averaging more than 35 points per race gets the job done.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 381 PTS
    If only it was always as easy as it was last week.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 347 PTS
    Won the last time he visited Pennsylvania.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 345 PTS
    There is a reason Lewis Hamilton no longer runs Formula 3 races.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 421 PTS
    No wins but sits second only to Harvick in points.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 374 PTS
    Elected to the All-Star event, and continues to show why he was a worthy selection.

    11. JOEY LOGANO – 373 PTS
    All-Star package was good for Joey…the World 600 version was good only for Truex.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 344 PTS
    Special number, special driver.

    13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 341 PTS
    Even he would agree.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
    Without a win, every race is meaningful.

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 309 PTS
    Ditto.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 309 PTS
    Could his paint scheme be termed as Kalahari Resorts blue?

    17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 308 PTS
    Just to point out, his Pocono adventure might be worth watching out for.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 299 PTS
    Sponsor Fastenal likes what they see, extending their deal.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 291 PTS
    Meanwhile, AdvoCare is not just a sponsor as Bayne was already a client.

    20. KASEY KAHNE – 290 PTS
    Harvick was not after his job, after all, but he will need to dig deeper to retain it.

  • Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

    Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

    Let me be clear. Any race format that artificially moves entries from behind to plop them up front is a dumb one. I do not care if it is NASCAR’s All-Star Race or one that allows me to charge ahead of the Kentucky Derby field while wearing sneakers and a propeller hat. Dumb is as dumb does.

    Thankfully, we move from a waste of a perfectly good Saturday night to one of NASCAR’s marquee events, the Coca-Cola World 600. In fact, it marks the biggest day in motorsports, as our digital recording devices pick up the Formula-1 action from the French Riviera and the streets of Monaco at 8 a.m. EDT. Then our focus shifts to Indiana and the 100th edition of the Indianapolis 500 at 10:20 a.m. EDT, where former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya hopes to repeat. After they drink the milk there, it is off to Charlotte, North Carolina for our 4 p.m. EDT NASCAR date that sees Carl Edwards looking to defend.

    Four-time winner Jimmie Johnson goes in seeking to claim the victory that would tie him with Darrell Waltrip for the most World 600 victories. Kasey Kahne is currently in a six-way tie for third best, with three checkered flags to his credit. He is in good company, with the other five being Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. That is damn fine company to be in. An all-time All-Star lineup to be sure.

    Every sport has struggled to find the proper All-Star format. Even when you find one, tastes change over time sending organizers back to the drawing board. Baseball is close, and hockey took a major step forward last season. Football is still searching while I appreciate basketball about as much as I do soccer, so I cannot comment.

    As for NASCAR, they should begin by not having Brad Keselowski come up with the format, as he did this year. If you need gimmicks in an attempt to make it interesting, it is not interesting. A suggestion to tinker with would be to let racing decide who should be there. The only drivers locked in should be those who won races over the previous 15 months. What you did in years past should not matter but rather what you have done lately. That would have tossed Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, and Kahne back into the mix. Only 11 would have been locked in, with the other nine to be determined on that day.

    If they ran three heats, as they did this year, then we could have the top three in each heat advancing to fill out the field for the feature. In order to reduce wear and tear so that those advancing might actually be able to challenge when they get there, I suggest heats of 30, 20, and 10 laps. The opening heat should be calm enough, the second a little hotter, and the dash for the final three positions would be chaotic enough without having them run too many laps. It would be nice to have 20 cars in the feature that might actually be in condition to compete. However, there are no guarantees in this life.

    As for the feature itself, 100 laps, 150 miles, for a million dollars, with the rules just like any other contest. That is my proposal, but what are your thoughts?

    As for this Sunday, here are NASCAR’s Hot 20 and some of our honored heroes heading into the Memorial Day weekend 600 Miles of Remembrance.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 397 PTS
    Pfc. Robert Stephan Underwood, U.S. Army (1949-1968) Missouri

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 381 PTS
    Capt. Edmond Jablonsky Jr., U.S. Army (1942-1968) Texas

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 370 PTS
    Sgt. 1st Class Kyle B. Wehrly, U.S. Army (1977-2005) Illinois

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 368 PTS
    Spc. Joseph T. Prentler, U.S. Army (1990-2010) Michigan

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 418 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Nathan Ross Elrod, U.S. Marine Corps (1986-2006) North Carolina

    6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 313 PTS
    Pfc. Christopher Neal White, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2006) Kentucky

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 308 PTS
    Sgt. John Davis Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps (1958-1980) Virginia

    8. KURT BUSCH – 386 PTS
    Sgt. Nicholas Ray Gibbs, U.S. Army (1981-2006) North Carolina

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 341 PTS
    Gunnery Sgt. Justin Martone, U.S. Marine Corps (1974-2006) Virginia

    10. JOEY LOGANO – 340 PTS
    Spc. Cindy Beaudoin, U.S. Army (1971-1991) Connecticut

    11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 336 PTS
    Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery E. Bohr Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (1964-2003) Iowa

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 315 PTS
    SO Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter (SEAL), U.S. Navy (1980-2007) California

    13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 314 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Aaron Howard Reed, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-2008) Ohio

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 296 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Scott Albert Lynch, U.S. Marine Corps (1988-2010) New York

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 288 PTS
    Signalman Seaman Cherone L. Gunn, U.S. Navy (1978-2000) Virginia

    16. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 283 PTS
    Yeoman 3rd Class Wendell Williams, U.S. Navy (1965-1991) Ohio

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 278 PTS
    Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-2006) Florida

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 275 PTS
    Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jason William McCormack, U.S. Army (1972-2015) Alabama

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 273 PTS
    SP 4 James H. Woolard, U.S. Army (1949-1969) Ohio

    20. KASEY KAHNE – 271 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Eric Levi Ward, U.S. Marine Corps (1990-2010) Washington