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Hot 20 – Kenseth to miss Texas and Phoenix after facing NASCAR justice (pending appeals)

Bad boy and bad girl. It would seem NASCAR is an equal opportunity disciplinarian, as both Matt Kenseth and Danica Patrick got slapped for aggressive driving at Martinsville. In short, they purposely ran into people with bad intentions.

Gone for two, including the races in Texas and Phoenix, is Kenseth for taking out Joey Logano in mobster style last week. Nine laps down he plucked the front running Logano out of the mix and bulldozed him into the wall. As I write this, Kenseth is appealing his penalty, though I would be surprised if any change in his sentence is forthcoming.

There are those hand ringers who figure this was an awful thing. I do not agree. In fact, I think I just became a Kenseth fan for life. The way I see it, all he did was tune in a mouthy little twerp who danced all over his accomplishment of knocking the former champ out of the way back in Kansas, robbing Kenseth of his best shot at continuing in the Chase. You do not celebrate causing another’s misfortune unless you want karma to come back and bite you in the ass.

Now, you might suspect that I am no fan of Logano. That would be correct, but my feelings toward the man are based only on perception. If I knew him and ran into him on a weekly basis and could not stand him, that is one thing. The truth is, we have never met, and if I had the chance to sit down with Logano for a couple of hours over some adult pops, I might end up a fan of his for life, too. Instead, my feelings toward him, along with those of most of you, are based only on a perception, and that perception just leaves me ice cold.

As for Patrick, her temper was anything but cold. It warranted her picking up a behavioral penalty for using her car to rearrange parts of that driven by David Gilliland at Martinsville. That cost her $50,000 and 25 points.

Both penalties, by the way, are justified, though I do not condemn their actions. They felt they needed to do something, they did what they did, and now have to pay the piper. End of story.

This column takes a break next week but returns to set the table as the boys and girl venture into Homestead to wrap things up for the season. Just in time to see the return of a certain bad boy to the track. My hero, at least for the moment.

Our Hot 20 during the Chase, and only the Chase, to date include…

1. JOEY LOGANO – 3 Wins, 265 Points
Joey might be the best in the Chase, but Kenseth seemed more than able to chase him down.

2. JEFF GORDON – 1 Win, 260
Do you believe in fairy tales with happy endings?

3. CARL EDWARDS – 257
It has been seven years since he won his third at Texas.

4. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 Win, 248
Could have still been in the hunt himself except for Harvick’s actions at Talladega.

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 247
If NASCAR is going all “wild west,” shouldn’t that well suit a team from Denver?

6. RYAN NEWMAN – 231
Being outside the Chase, he shouldn’t feel the need to repeat last year’s move at Phoenix.

7. KYLE BUSCH – 224
Four Top Fives, including a win, in last five attempts at Texas, bodes well for Sunday.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 221
How things change. Just a year ago the Feud of the Week involved Brad and Jeff.

9. KURT BUSCH – 217
Can pick either Kenseth or Keselowski to blame for his tribulations last week.

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 215
Jeff cheered for winning, Matt cheered for creaming Logano, Junior cheered for being Junior.

11. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 Win, 214
After Matt’s little adventure, we did not hear much from Harvick. Trevor Bayne wonders why?

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 201
Not a contender but he has become relevant.

13. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 196
Not among the Top Twenty heading into the Chase, but some groundwork is being laid for 2016.

14. KASEY KAHNE – 195
Four Top Tens during the Chase, but 19th at Talladega, 24th in Chicago, dead last at Charlotte.

15. MATT KENSETH – 1 Win, 185
I once thought Matt was as boring as white bread…but not anymore!

16. GREG BIFFLE – 185
The worst season of his career still the best Roush-Fenway has this year.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 184
Ranked 17th on the season, 17th during the Chase events. Not great, but he is consistent.

18. KYLE LARSON – 184
Newman’s berth to Homestead last year went through Larson…literally.

19. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 181
Are we there yet?

20. PAUL MENARD – 177
He always wanted to have the same success as Jimmie, but this is not quite what he envisioned.

November 4, 2015
Hot 20 – Gordon is a favorite to win at Martinsville, Truex and Kurt not so much

The truth, sometimes it is a tough thing to nail down. Sometimes not. Truth is, Jeff Gordon should do well at Martinsville. In the past five events there, the retiring four-time NASCAR champ has a win and four Top Tens. Over the past dozen years, a span of 25 races, Gordon has failed to claim a Top Ten only three times. He finished 20th in the fall of 2010, 14th in the spring of 2012, and finished 12th in the fall of 2014. That leaves 22 Top Tens, 18 Top Fives, and five victories. You just cannot do better than that. The stats do not lie, and after taking ninth this spring, Gordon still has it. That is the truth.

Sometimes, the truth is a little tougher to ascertain. A couple of years ago, a mysterious spin combined with a baffling call to the pits that briefly allowed a teammate to make the Chase caused controversy. Did Clint Bowyer intentionally spin his car? Bowyer denied it and Sprint Cup Series director John Darby is quoted as saying after the race that “I don’t think anybody realistically believes that was the case with the 15 car.” That tune changed quickly, as the truth appeared to be much more conspiratorial than NASCAR first thought. It cost Martin Truex Jr. a Chase position and his job, and he did nothing wrong. It cost Bowyer some credibility, it cost the team a major sponsor, $300,000 in fines and it possibly caused the eventual demise of Michael Waltrip Racing.

Last weekend, did Kevin Harvick, with a car that was barely running, that was barely in the Chase, deliberately spin out Trevor Bayne to save his season at the cost of Denny Hamlin and Dale Earnhardt Jr.? No, says NASCAR. So, we have to accept that Harvick was telling the truth. I mean, not everyone lies to us in order to get out of a sticky situation.

“I got out of the way, and I never even saw (Bayne) until he was by me.”
Kevin Harvick 2015

“I did not use performance enhancing substances as alleged in the notice of discipline…”
Alex Rodriguez 2014

“I had so much wheel, by the time I got to the gas, he was underneath me. I spun out.”
Clint Bowyer 2013

“I take these charges very seriously, and look forward to clearing my good name,”
Michael Vick 2007

“I’m not going to be the Alabama coach.”
Nick Saban 2006

“I have never had a single positive doping test, and I do not take performance-enhancing drugs.”
Lance Armstrong 2004 (among others)

“I did not have sexual relations with that woman”
Bill Clinton 1998

Sure, some may have misled us in the past, but would Kevin Harvick? Nah.

Here are our Hot 20 over the past five events at Martinsville.

1. JEFF GORDON – 5.4 AvFin – (1 WIN, 3 T5, 4 T10)
Has averaged a Top Seven finish going back 45 races and 23 seasons. Expect good things.

2. MATT KENSETH – 6.4 – (0-2-4)
No pot of gold at the end of this rainbow, but should he come across Logano along the way…

3. CLINT BOWYER – 6.8 – (0-2-4)
Author of “The Secrets of My Success.” Harvick has a copy.

4. DENNY HAMLIN – 8.8 – (1-1-3)
You can take that damn roof hatch and…

5. JOEY LOGANO – 9.8 – (0-3-3)
Mr. Three-in-a-Row has never won at Martinsville, but his last three have been Top Fives.

6. KYLE BUSCH – 11.2 – (0-1-1)
Does not believe Gordon can win it all. Next we will hear how he does not like kittens.

7. KEVIN HARVICK – 13.4 – (0-0-3)
If Karma is on duty this weekend…

8. GREG BIFFLE – 13.6 – (0-0-2)
MWR refugee Brian Pattie to be his crew chief next season.

9. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 14.4 – (1-2-3)
Best 21 finishes at Martinsville boasts a 6.3 average; his worst 10 finishes…27.7

10. TONY STEWART – 14.5 – (0-1-1)
What is probably no longer equates into what was.

11. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 15.0 – (1-3-3)
Used to own this place, but outside the Top 30 his last two attempts.

12. CARL EDWARDS – 15.4
Expected Harvick to get penalized after Talladega. He probably even expects a Top Ten Sunday.

13. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 16.2 – (0-2-3)
While his 2014 visits were a write-off, he was the runner-up last spring.

14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 16.2 – (0-0-1)
Raised in Daytona. I wonder where he got the racing bug?

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 17.0 – (0-0-3)
Looked decent last week, at least until he turned all smoky.

16. PAUL MENARD – 17.6 – (0-0-1)
Best non-Chaser last week, but Martinsville is really not his kind of place.

17. DANICA PATRICK – 20.4 – (0-0-1)
Never thought you would see her name on this list again this season, did you?

18. KASEY KAHNE – 20.8 – (0-1-1)
Best thing about Martinsville will be the trip home.

19. KURT BUSCH – 21.2 – (1-1-1)
Won in the spring last year, but has been outside the top dozen 16 of his past 17 starts here.

20. CASEY MEARS – 22.6
Had a pair of Top Tens at Martinsville in 2008. None since.

22. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 24.2 – (0-0-1)
Was sixth in the spring. That ought to count for something.

October 28, 2015
Hot 20 – Logano’s Talladega experience might be better suited by being sponsored by Target

How is it that rather intelligent people can make the dumbest statements? Brian France, the Grand Poobah of NASCAR, has come out with “I thought that Joey Logano made a very smart decision in what he did,” which was to intentionally spin out Matt Kenseth at Kansas with five laps to go. Instead of Kenseth winning and getting the free pass, he is in the weeds needing a win at Talladega while Logano claimed his second straight win. That was a very smart decision?

A lot of what one thinks of the move has to do with whether you like Logano, or cannot stand him, along with one’s thoughts regarding Kenseth. There are a number of ways to describe what took place, such as “Joey was forced to move him to get by” or “Matt was trying to block and Logano held his line” or “It was just a racing deal.” Anything but it “was a very smart decision.”

What France just did was ensure that Logano becomes a high-speed pinata come Talladega. He already has two wins, more than enough to guarantee himself a spot in the next round no matter what takes place on Sunday. So, for instance, a driver sees that he has no hope of making it, why not “smart decision” Logano’s ass into the wall along the way to make him pay? I am not saying that Kenseth is the type of guy who would seek out revenge, but if he were….

Going into this weekend’s race, Kenseth needs a win. So does Dale Earnhardt Jr., unless a big wreck in the opening laps takes out at least four of the top eight in the Chase. The rest, with the exception of Logano, need to survive. The threat of a pileup at any time at Talladega is very real, as 10 or 20 cars could be taken out at any moment until the checkered flag waves.

Our Hot 20 over the opening five Chase races, heading to Talladega on Sunday, include…

1. JOEY LOGANO – 209 Points (2 Wins)
Sorry, officer, but I was just making a smart decision when I caused that wreck.

2. DENNY HAMLIN – 198 (1 Win)
About as safe as anyone other than Logano, but at Talladega that might not mean much.

3. CARL EDWARDS – 188
Needs to survive this weekend and find a way to thrive at Martinsville.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 171
Could have had a more comfortable margin if not for one damn bouncing tire in the pits.

5. JEFF GORDON – 171
Junior is not the only active driver with six wins at Talladega. Just thought I’d mention it.

6. KURT BUSCH – 171
Ten straight inside the Top Twenty, half of them Top Tens.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 168
Five races, five finishes between eighth and 16th. Not much flash, but very consistent.

8. RYAN NEWMAN – 161
Top Tens might not be enough when everyone else who matters is doing the same.

9. MATT KENSETH – 160 (1 Win)
Charlotte disaster and Kansas disappointment have forced him to go for it all on Sunday.

10. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 155
Surprise! His worst finish since Richmond is 13th, which he has done three times.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 154
Not championship caliber, but at least fans again know who he is.

12. KYLE BUSCH – 151
November 13, 2005. The only time Kyle has won over the final 10 events of any season.

13. KEVIN HARVICK – 147 (1 Win)
A gas and go with the gas can cost him last week, but the format allows him to forget Chicago.

14. GREG BIFFLE – 142
Considering how this season has gone, I think he will accept this as a moral victory.

15. KYLE LARSON – 139
Not bad, but with three times out of the Top Fifteen, it sure is not great.

16. KASEY KAHNE – 134
At least no one can say he is the worst Hendrick driver during the Chase.

17. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 131
Just in case you were wondering why he also has to win at Talladega.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 128
Amongst the Top 11 in five of the past seven, yet still ranked way down here.

19. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 122
Is the season over yet?

20. CASEY MEARS – 118
Where is Bowyer? Where is Menard?

October 21, 2015
Hot 20 – Kansas, where there is no oil on the track…not that there is ever oil on any track

Lower downforce in next season’s rule package is supposed to reduce grip and make the cars more maneuverable. In short, passing should be more commonplace in 2016. If that is how it works out, we shall be happy. However, forgive me for waiting until at least February before I start celebrating.

Considering the follow the leader kind of racing we saw at Charlotte, at least we have hope. Not sure how much we have for this season, but we can always…well….hope. By opening up the zone for the lead car to control the re-start. it seems to work just dandy up front, but it can cause accordion type mishaps further back. If that happens, oil and other fluids can spill out onto the track, and if it is not totally cleared up like some claim was not done last week, it causes even more problems. Of course, that was not true and we know this because…NASCAR denies that it was true.

Did I mention that we had single lane racing? That can be a real problem, not only for fans trying to keep awake and drivers hoping to pass but enough oil and fluid that is left in that lane kind of messes things up a bit more. That is if such a thing happened. Which, of course, was not the case, because NASCAR said so.

This Sunday, we are off to Kansas, where Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, and Ryan Newman have some clean up of their own to do after their respective Charlotte adventures. Considering he has a couple of wins there over the past three years, it could be redemption time for Kenseth.

1. JOEY LOGANO – ROUND WIN
Now Talladega is just another race.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3042 POINTS
Ill handling car was healthy enough to place second last week.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3041
Truex…the other Junior.

4. DENNY HAMLIN – 3040
Now that Kyle was recovered, Denny’s the best one-legged driver in the sport.

5. CARL EDWARDS – 3039
Super sorry about your car, Matt.

6. KURT BUSCH – 3039
Sounds like the Panic Switch clothing people are…well…panicking.

7. JEFF GORDON – 3037
2015’s best damn winless driver in NASCAR.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3035
If Brad and Kyle got along as well as Scarlett and Brexton, what a wonderful world it would be.

9. RYAN NEWMAN – 3029
Rained on Kenseth’s parade, but got a bit damp himself.

10. KYLE BUSCH – 3025
If only Kyle and Brad got along as well as Samantha and Paige…

11. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 3016
It is just a flesh wound…and Talladega is coming.

12. MATT KENSETH – 3003
Did not see Newman, but he sure saw the wall…a lot.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2130
Out of the Chase, but trying to stay in the weekly on-track conversation.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2092
It just does not matter anymore.

15. PAUL MENARD – 2083
Fixes got him back on the track but wrecked any hope of a decent finish at Charlotte.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2082
One race closer to greener pastures.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 801
A Top Ten in Charlotte aids in dreams of greater things for 2016.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 771
Early crash left him dead last at Charlotte, but Tanner Lee’s arrival trumps everything.

19. KYLE LARSON – 742
One Kyle is good, two Kyles is a crash.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 726
Best Roush-Fenway driver of this season, but third best at Charlotte.

October 15, 2015
Hot 20 – Charlotte has a tough act to follow this week, while Las Vegas is not as safe as I thought

I get it. Racing cars can be dangerous. We have lost people in NASCAR, and one sad day, despite all the advances that have been made regarding safety, we just may lose somebody else. I hope not, but that is the reality we must face. All we can do is greatly reduce the odds.

Great leaps have been made in regards to producing a safer vehicle. Asphalt has replaced grass in many infields, though not all. Berms and gate openings are no longer an infield feature. SAFER barriers in front of concrete walls have made even the worst crashes survivable. However, if there is any chance a vehicle can be deflected in a direction that could put it on a path to hit concrete, it will.

The crash that left Austin Theriault with a compression fracture in his lower back last weekend in the Las Vegas truck race likely could have been less than it was if there had been a SAFER barrier where he hit. Teammate Josh Reddick had crashed in front of him, and when he spilled back onto the track he clipped Theriault, sending him sharply to his right and straight into the concrete wall. Should there have been a SAFER barrier in that location? Damn right. Will there be in the future? Only if driver safety is a real concern and if someone in charge has the brains to see the danger, in Las Vegas and elsewhere, and deals with it.

To be honest, I thought most tracks now had the barriers in such locations. I was wrong. Hopefully, NASCAR will finally make it right. All they need to do is remember that if it can happen to a billiard ball, it can happen to a race car.

Unless one has locked a place, either through a win or an insurmountable points lead, you can get caught by surprise. Jimmie Johnson was reminded of that in Dover when a $50 rear axle seal failed and sent him to the garage for more than 35 laps. That plunged him to beyond 40th on the track on a day when 28th or better would have saved him.

Kevin Harvick saved himself in winning last Sunday, and he heads to a track he won on last October. Johnson has seven career wins at Charlotte. That just does not matter as much as it did last week.

The Hot 20 heading into Charlotte include…

1. MATT KENSETH – 5 WINS
If one win was all it took to win a title, he did it. If it takes five or more, no problem.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Challenged at Dover, finished third, but made it to the next round by a single point.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
If you like this year’s racing, Logano figures we will love 2016’s lower downforce package.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS
Won last October and is seeking to make it two in a row.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS
History shows that Hamlin won’t win Saturday night, but it will not be a disaster, either.

5. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
Can spring success equate into a fall classic?

5. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Difference between Kurt and Jamie…two points…and he was tied for sixth in the standings!

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Exciting enough for you?

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Tech issues caused him to start last, 11th place kept him in the Chase by six positions.

10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Re-starting with the same number of points as everyone else in the Chase…and no black flag.

11. JEFF GORDON – 3000 POINTS
Handing over to Junior a sponsor. Maybe he could also loan him a championship.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 3000 POINTS
A winless championship season is still possible.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2098 POINTS
Rowdy by a point, Junior by a position, as Jamie is left waiting at the altar.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2086 POINTS
All for the want of a damn $50 car part.

15. PAUL MENARD – 2075 POINTS
If Johnson had finished 25th like Menard at Dover, Jimmie would still be in the Chase.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2048 POINTS
So concludes the title hopes of Toyota supported Michael Waltrip Racing (2007-2015).

17. KASEY KAHNE – 770 POINTS
All that is left is to win the battle against Almirola. That is all.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 767 POINTS
Driving a Ford…will keep on driving a Ford next season.

19. KYLE LARSON – 718 POINTS
For a time, it appeared he might prove to be Harvick’s spoiler last week.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 706 POINTS
At least Roush-Fenway should finish the season with a single Top 20 entry. Exciting stuff.

October 7, 2015
The Final Word – With so much on the line for so many, Dover was one hell of a race

Dover, where the Chase hopes of four would be over by the time the haulers moved on down the road. Two came in safe, some were comfortable while others were scrambling to survive. For a pair, it pretty much was win to be in.

Most races come down to a series of snapshots, of moments that determine their fate and those of those challenging them. For Kevin Harvick, it came early, on just the 24th lap of the 400 circuit affair. He took the lead and showed himself to be in the dominant car. For the defending champion, a win would pretty much be necessary to keep his dreams of a repeat alive.

For Jimmie Johnson, it was lap 104. Problems in the rear end forced him to come to the garage for 37 laps, to forever sit beyond 40th, and to hope for someone to experience disaster. He did not need to move up, but he needed somebody to move back toward him. More than one would have been nicer.

That left Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. battling for the bubble spot. Well, as long as Harvick led and no one other than Johnson suffered a major failure, it was going to be either one or the other who would make it in. Just one to four points separated the pair most of the afternoon in the battle for 12th in the standings.

With 20 to go, that two car duel had widened to a five-car fight. Suddenly, the jack problems that dropped Kurt Busch to 17th had him ahead of the pair by just two points. Kyle Busch was running second, but he was up only by a single point as Junior and McMurray were running third and fourth in the race. Ryan Newman was back to 19th, and his lead was now just a single point. Seven laps later, Brad Keselowski, 15th on the track, was himself just two points to the good in the standings. A dozen laps left, and we still did not know how it would all end. Meanwhile, as all this was going on, Harvick still was running first, Johnson was sitting near last on the track. This movie was promising to have one hell of a finale.

“We believe we can win,” was the chant his crew serenaded their driver in Victory Lane, and they were right as Harvick advanced them to the Contender Round of the Chase. No disaster came to save the day for Johnson, so his dream of seven championships is put off for another season. As for the battle for the final berths, in the end it did come down to Earnhardt and McMurray. They finished tied in points, with the tie breaker going to the man recording the best finish amongst the three Chase races to date. On the day, Junior was third, McMurray was fourth, and that was the difference.

Harvick joins Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin winning their way forward, as Earnhardt, Newman, the Busch brothers, and Keselowski join Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, and Joey Logano as, for them, the hunt continues.

It was one hell of a race, now on to Charlotte this Saturday night to begin the next round.

October 5, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Monster Mile AAA 400

The first elimination race, otherwise known as ‘It’s Over in Dover’, produced some very surprising and not surprising moments in the 46th running of the AAA 400 at the Monster Mile.

Surprising: Typically there are a few monstrous wrecks at Dover that collect several drivers at a time. But with the surprising lack of any major crashes and thanks to an unusual parts failure, six-time champion Jimmie Johnson was eliminated from further Chase contention.

The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet finished 41st, with just Jeb Burton, who solo crashed twice, and Brett Moffitt, who solo crashed once, finished behind him.

“I don’t know exactly what happened,” Johnson said. “That’s racing. I’ve lost championships this way and I’ve won championships this way. It’s not the way we wanted to end the season, but it’s racing and there’s not much we can do.”

“It wasn’t meant to be.”

Not Surprising: Promises were made and promises were kept on this race day. Kevin Harvick promised that he would stay the course, keep confident, and believe in his team. And that promise not only led him to Victory Lane but also to fulfill his other promise, to allow son Keelan to keep the Miles the Monster trophy in his room for the night after the race.

“He’s been asking for the Monster trophy for a couple years,” Harvick said. “Before the race started, we got him a little figurine just in case things didn’t work out today so he wasn’t disappointed.”

“I’m just so proud of everyone from Stewart-Haas Racing to do what we’ve done the last three weeks,” the driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Jimmy Johns Chevrolet continued. “We weren’t in a great position coming into today. But that’s what this team is made of and that’s what teamwork is all about.”

“This is what it’s all about, those big-time moments.”

This was Harvick’s first-ever win at Dover International Speedway, which made his promise keeping all the sweeter.

Surprising: Although advancing to the next round of the Chase for his final time ever, Jeff Gordon admitted to a major freak-out moment.

“I wouldn’t call it ‘drama-free’, the driver of the No. 24 AARP Member Advantages Chevrolet said. “I was freaking out there at the end.”

“We’ve gone through a lot and it hasn’t been pretty,” Gordon continued. “That’s kind of the way today was. We knew we needed to be in the top 10 or top 11, or maybe 12th, if we were lucky. We did that.”

“Until the end, when that caution came out and people swapped-up their strategy; we just got ate up on that restart and were falling back and I didn’t know what was going to happen. So, it wasn’t easy.”

“We’ll reset and go see what we can do in the next three (races).”

Not Surprising: It was the best of times and the worst of times for the driver of the No. 15 5-hour Energy Toyota. Clint Bowyer started the race in Dover in the worst of positions due to a significant penalty and then finished 14th, which was not good enough to advance to the next round of the Chase.

“Our 5-hour ENERGY Toyota was good today – I’d say a top-five car,” Bowyer said after the race. “We just had some bad luck with that loose wheel early on. We got two laps down but were able to make those up.”

“Real proud of everyone at Michael Waltrip Racing for all their hard work to get us in the Chase. Just sorry we aren’t able to go to the next round.”

The MWR driver did experience the best of times prior to the race, however, as he secured his future racing prospects. Bowyer announced that he will race for HScott Motorsports in 2016 and then will fill the seat of the retiring Tony Stewart in 2017.

Surprising: Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates had a great Dover race, with Jamie McMurray finishing fourth and Kyle Larson finishing ninth. And even though he missed the Chase due to a tiebreaker with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., McMurray was surprisingly able to celebrate that good finish.

“We were driving so hard those last few laps,” McMurray said. “We haven’t run this well so I’m thrilled with our performance today. We weren’t able to make it to the next round, but it was a good day for this team. We just needed one more point.”

Not Surprising: It was the good, the bad, and the ugly for the driver of the No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion.

“We survived kind of ugly today, but I’d rather survive ugly than not survive pretty,” Keselowski said after finishing 16^th while still moving on to the next round of the Chase. “We’ll take it and move on and realize that everything we’ve done from this point in the season doesn’t really mean anything.”

“Everything is back to scratch and that’s probably a good thing for us this year.”

Surprising: Aric Almirola, behind the wheel of the No. 43 Nathan’s Famous Ford, was the highest finishing Ford, snatching a fifth place finish from the Monster.

“That was a good run for us,” Almirola said. “I’m really proud of the guys. That’s two top-5s in a row here at Dover. It was a really good job. We just struggled with getting the car in the racetrack most of the day and right there at the end four tires paid off for us. That was some really good adjustments by Trent and the guys and the pit crew did a good job getting me off pit road and just a really solid day for us.”

Not Surprising: There was another weird animal sighting during this race, following squirrels, foxes and other various critters at some of the other tracks. This time, it was a duck that caused a bit of chaos, landing on the track and then flying off to rest on pit road.

Surprising: While every other driver was worrying about the points and where they were running, there was one driver who was taking a devil may care attitude towards it all. Kyle Busch, behind the wheel of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota, finished in the runner-up position, which was good enough to move forward with his championship hopes.

“I wasn’t doing any thinking about the points,” Kyle Busch said. “I think when you’re in the position that we were in when we were running second there the whole race, you don’t have to watch it.”

“You just do the best you can and that was the best that we were going to do today. Fortunately, we came out with that finish and second-place was what we needed to do.”

“The points reset so we’re back even with those guys and hopefully we can have a good, solid next three races.”

Not Surprising: In spite of not having a single driver in the Chase, Roush Fenway Racing continues to improve as they look to the 2016 season. Their best finishing driver at Dover was Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who finished top ten, in fact in the eighth position.

“I’m really proud of my team,” Stenhouse said. “We didn’t get much practice this weekend due to the weather but felt like we had a strong Fastenal Ford during the limited practice we had on Saturday. We’ve been focusing on being consistent and we have finished inside the top-20 the past four races. We will keep building and take the momentum into the off-season as we prepare for the 2016 season.”

Surprising: There was one driver that was still upset in spite of working his way from the rear of the field to finish ninth. Martin Truex Jr. was sent to the back from pit road due to the right rear being bowed out and had to work his way forward in order to move to the next round in the Chase.

“We don’t do anything that any of the other teams don’t do,” Truex Jr. said. “They tried to make an example out of us for some reason today. We just stayed focused. We didn’t have a great car, but we fought it and fought it.”

“We did what we needed to do.”

Not Surprising: Forget the Monster, at least one driver moving forward in the Chase had his eye on the next biggest challenge, Talladega. Joey Logano pulled off a tenth place finish at Dover but was definitely looking ahead to the next round.

“It’s nice to race that way, but we’re back to zero now,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford said. “I think this next round is the most important. It’s really hard to get through it when you look at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega in particular.”

October 4, 2015
Hot 20 – A Senior Driver Leads the Pack into Dover as Others Prepare to Ride into the Sunset

Time can bring us many wonderful memories, but it comes with change. Most of us are not all that fond of change. Once we watched the likes of Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt and the Alabama Gang take to the track, to thrill us with their exploits. That was then. Time changed that.

Jeff Gordon prepares to enter his 790th consecutive Cup race, but time is ticking down on his great Hall of Fame career. Tony Stewart has one more season left in him, then he goes to the sidelines. NASCAR gives us a little more time for most of our favorites than other sports, where our heroes are usually finished by the time they hit 40. Still, even in NASCAR, it is an age when the countdown seems to begin, whether we like it or not.

We have Greg Biffle, 45, and Matt Kenseth, 43, getting up there. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson both are now 40. Next season, so will Kevin Harvick. Sure, there is always a Chase Elliott working his way up, or an Erik Jones, but we treasure those who we cheered for in our youth, then for those our own age who claimed our support, then we watch those even younger than ourselves hanging them up. Damned time.

Nothing makes a person feel older than when one of the kids decides to retire. We might find some solace in that one of those seniors is leading the pack heading into Dover this weekend. A senior. I was already driving when that old fossil was born. At least I can still do the same number of backflips that I could do forty years ago.

I wonder what it is like to do a backflip?

Here are our Hot 20 heading to their date with the Monster Mile.

1. MATT KENSETH – CHASE WIN
You do not have to be the most dominant as long as you finish first.

2. DENNY HAMLIN – CHASE WIN
First at Chicago, second at Loudon. Is Hamlin trying to tell us something?

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2089 POINTS
A Top 30 finish is all he needs to move on.

4. JOEY LOGANO – 2089
As long as it isn’t in a first lap wreck, staying up with Edwards should do the trick.

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2083
A visit to Dover and an 11th win on the Monster Mile would be lovely at this time of year.

6. RYAN NEWMAN – 2074
How did he end up way up here?

7. KURT BUSCH – 2073
Minimal success, with minimal problems, just might work in the Challenger round.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2072
Jumped a re-start, was running second at the first turn, then 24th after the penalty.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2071
I’m thinking a move to Toyota sure beats a move to Volkswagen about now. Just sayin’.

10. JEFF GORDON – 2068
The length of Gordon’s Cup career is about to turn 790 races long, with no interruptions.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2058
It is time for McMurray to McDrive his arse off.

12. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 2057
Driving with an empty bladder is a joy for us, not so much late in the race in NASCAR.

13. PAUL MENARD – 2056
Can a driver with a single career Cup win really be a serious candidate for the championship?

14. KYLE BUSCH – 2056
Damn tire. Damn wall.

15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2034
Dear Kyle: It could be worse.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2018
Tony promises to never goad me into spinning out on purpose, so I will never have to fib again.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 732
2016 came a lot earlier than Kasey had hoped.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 728
Came close to making the Chase, but even closer to the wall at New Hampshire.

19. KYLE LARSON – 683
Stewart wanted the 23-year-old Larson, settled for the 36-year old Bowyer in 2017.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 675
Finishing fourth at Loudon means we might not see Austin Dillon make this list again in 2015.

September 30, 2015
The Final Word – Kenseth joins Hamlin at Loudon, leaving the rest to scramble at Dover

Dammit. Other than for Matt Kenseth, that was probably the most used term from Sunday’s action at New Hampshire. Kenseth led three times at Loudon, but it was those final three laps that really mattered as the former champ locked his way into the next round of the Chase. Along with runner-up Denny Hamlin, the winner at Chicago, Dover is a walk in the clover. However, it has meaning for a few others.

Dammit. That, or something like that, might have escaped from the lips of Kevin Harvick. His was the dominant car, but he did not have enough fuel in his tank at the end. That forced him to surrender the lead to Kenseth and hit the pits, finishing 21st. On a night when a finish at or near the front was the goal, he now finds himself 23 points out of the final transfer spot for the next round of the Chase. He has just one more opportunity to turn that around.

Dammit. Clint Bowyer had a disaster at Chicago, losing all the points gained there for a tech violation. Last Sunday, he was better than nothing but still bad as 26th leaves him 39 points out of the hunt. It is either win or bust for MWR’s final title hopeful next week.

Dammit. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a Top Five coming his way. All he needed was fuel. That stop left him in 25th on the day, and just a point to the good going into next Sunday. He is tied with Jamie McMurray, with Paul Menard a point back.

Dammit. Kyle Busch is also one behind, tied for 13th in the standings. He lost a tire, found a wall, and that left him 37th. With so much on the line, and some so close or so desperate, Dover might be a place where angels fear to tread.

Next Sunday, Kenseth and Hamlin are locked in to continue on. Carl Edwards and Joey Logano hold a 33 point advantage over the nearest have nots and just need to avoid very bad tidings. Jimmie Johnson sits 27 points to the good, with Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Ryan Newman holding a cushion between a dozen and 18 points.

In short, two are locked in, 10 inside remain vulnerable, and four others still have a shot. Nine of those 14 have won on the Monster Mile before. Johnson has 10 wins there, 15 Top Fives, and 20 Top 10s in 27 attempts, taking three of the past four at the track. Anyone have an idea who the favorite might be?

However, even Miles the Monster was on hand to feast on the six-time champion. In 2004, Johnson was in one of 19 cars taken out in what became known as the Little Big One. So, in the end, we can be sure of nothing, other than Kenseth and Hamlin will transfer, 10 others will join them, and four will not. Let the fun begin.

September 29, 2015
Hot 20 – Harvick feels bad heading to New Hampshire, but I bet Bowyer feels even worse

There is hot, and there is hot. Hot could be winning the opening race of the Chase, securing a berth in the next round, and allowing two races to tinker and prepare for Charlotte. However, after a spin on just the second lap in Chicago, the result was as much a credit to the performance of crew chief Dave Rogers as it was to the driver, Denny Hamlin.

Hot could be showcasing a dominant performance. Kyle Busch led much of the race, only to melt like an M&M Crispy sitting in the back window over the summer, to come home in ninth. Not good enough to win, but surely good enough to garner some notice that the best for him might be yet to come.

Hot could be sitting behind the wheel of a good car, one that was near the front. At least, it was until Jimmie Johnson tried to force his way up off the apron after Joey Logano had put him there, only to find an unyielding Kevin Harvick. What did yield was Harvick’s rear tire after the two entries came in contact, sending the defending champ into the wall. Hot was what Harvick was when Johnson tried to explain what happened after the race. A win this week or next might now be Harvick’s best bet to advance.

Hot could be being part of a team that had controversy leading up to its first ever race, having your own reputation smeared along the way, and then we had last Sunday. Clint Bowyer’s hopes of bringing a title to MWR in its final go round dipped deeper than Harvick’s mood when he got stripped of all 25 points he gained last week. This latest drama began when it was discovered prior to the race that some parts were not properly installed on his car. Crew chief Billy Scott’s wallet is $75,000 lighter and he is gone for the next three races. Time to find some new friends, Mr. Bowyer.

For those still allowed to show up at the track, Loudon, New Hampshire is next on the dance card. Harvick won there once, back in 2006. Half the time he finishes in the Top Ten. That might not be good enough to get out of the hole he finds himself in. As far as Bowyer goes, I think it is time to break out the shovels.

The last four to win there have all been Chasers; Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Logano, and Rowdy. It is a good bet one of them could do it again this Sunday. The Hot 20 heading to New Hampshire includes…

1. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 CHASE WIN
An early spin, a lap down, but Mr. Roger’s got this trolley back on the rails.

2. MATT KENSETH – 2052 POINTS
Needs a win. If he wins the title on points alone again, oh what would people say?

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2049 POINTS (4 Season Wins)
Chicago was M&M’s biggest heart break since E.T. made Reece’s Pieces his favorite.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2049 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
Track position trumped fresh rubber last week…but not by much.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2048 POINTS (3 Season Wins)
Bump drafting on the re-start sure worked well…for him.

6. KURT BUSCH – 2048 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
Pit boss Tony Gibson plans to be in Loudon but is leaving his appendix behind him.

7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2045 POINTS
Got an unwanted push from Logano during the race, got another from Harvick after it.

8. RYAN NEWMAN – 2040 POINTS
July 28, 2013. His win column definitely needs a re-boot.

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2039 POINTS
Oh, just win the damn race on Sunday and get it over with.

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2038 POINTS
To be part of next season’s XFINITY tour in the only place a Cup guy should be…in the booth.

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2035 POINTS
Lost his sponsor and his job through no fault of his own in 2013. There is life after MWR.

12. JEFF GORDON – 2031 POINTS
Last Loudon win came in the previous century.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2028 POINTS
With a heat seeking sponsor, he will be seeking out some heat of his own.

14. PAUL MENARD – 2027 POINTS
At a track that does him no favors, Sunday could be more about surviving than thriving.

15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2009 POINTS
At least all his car parts were attached properly until Jimmie tried to remove them.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2000 POINTS
Un-freakin’-believable.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 727 POINTS
There is speculation that he could be getting a new teammate next year. Might it be Clint?

18. KASEY KAHNE – 697 POINTS
Two Top Tens is not exactly what he was signed up for.

19. KYLE LARSON – 656 POINTS
Twenty-three years old and stuck at the kiddie’s table. It could be worse. Just ask Austin, Danica, Tony…

20. GREG BIFFLE – 634 POINTS
Dear Jack Roush: WTF????

September 23, 2015