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Hot 20 – 50 years of NASCAR at Michigan

Another weekend. Another race. Another track that does not excite me. Welcome to NASCAR.

Michigan International Speedway, located in the lush, rolling Irish Hills, is about 40 miles southwest of Ann Arbor. The fact it is considered a sister track of Texas, and the basis of the facility in Fontana does not exactly thrill anyone, but they do go fast there. Speeds of over 215 mph can be expected. Will it cause a newbie to tune in for all of the excitement? Nope. However, there are questions those of us who follow the sport will watch in order to uncover some answers.

Will the race change who is in a Chase place and who is not? Erik Jones and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. are less than 20 points to the good, leaving them vulnerable to be caught by Alex Bowman. That could happen. A win by Paul Menard, Daniel Suarez, Jamie McMurray, William Byron, Ryan Newman, or Bubba Wallace would tumble at least one of them out. Are the odds good that this will happen? Nope.

As they are working on their 14th name sponsor since 1969, this track does not have a brand name that much resonates. That is unless you happen to have been a big fan of the FireKeepers Casino Hotel over the past couple of years. Newman has won there twice, in 2003 and 2004, so that should still your beating heart. Kurt Busch, Kyle Larson, and Matt Kenseth each have three to their credit over the years.

If you want tradition, there was nine-time track winner David Pearson. Cale Yarborough had eight. Bill Elliott shook the suds seven times. Mark Martin and Rusty Wallace both won at Michigan five times. Four-time victors there include Dale Jarrett, Bobby Allison, Richard Petty, and Greg Biffle.

This is not to say there have not been exciting finishes. Jarrett won his first in Cup with a razor-thin margin over Davey Allison in 1991. Ernie Irvan took one in 1997, three years after nearly losing his life at the same track. Jeff Gordon claimed a tight contest with Ricky Rudd in 2001. 2009 was the year Martin won when both Jimmie Johnson and then Biffle ran out of fuel on the final lap. Of course, there was 2012 when Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally snapped a 143-race winless streak. Great finishes. Great races? Don’t ask and I won’t tell.

The last four who won this particular event include Johnson, the elder Busch, Logano, and Larson. If it is not Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, or Martin Truex Jr., the smart money is on either Logano or Larson. Anything else would be something of a shock.

Here is a look at our Hot 20 going in.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 624 Pts
Has won here, but that was August 21, 2011.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS (1 E.W.) – 537 Pts
One pit stop at Pocono made all the difference.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 487 Pts
After last weekend, he is back among the Big Three where he belongs.

4. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 524 Pts
One more win, and we will be talking about a Big Four, and all would belong on that pedestal.

5. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 453 Pts
I just saw a photo of Carly Bowyer. She looks nothing like Clint. Hey, just sayin’.

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 269 Pts
It is a very good thing a win is a golden ticket, as he has done nothing since Daytona.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 474 POINTS
Just a 90 mile drive from his Michigan hometown to the track.

8. KURT BUSCH – 447 POINTS
Has won there with Roush Fenway, Penske, and Stewart-Haas. Maybe it was the driver.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 437 POINTS
With less than 15 laps to go last week, turned a shot at a Top Ten into 35th.

10. KYLE LARSON- 425 POINTS
Has won three of the last four Michigan races, including a spring-summer sweep last year.

11. RYAN BLANEY – 413 POINTS
Took the pole last week, but only dogs truly appreciate a pole.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 406 POINTS
He is about as safe as one can be without a win.

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 360 POINTS
Five Top Tens in his last seven events. I do believe Mr. Johnson has returned.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 334 POINTS
Finished in the top dozen the last half dozen races. The boy is movin’ on up.

15. ERIK JONES – 322 POINTS
The pride and joy of Byron, Michigan has finishes of 13th and third in his two starts near home.

16. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 319 POINTS
Have You Driven a Ford Lately? This would be a good time to drive the hell out of this one.

17. ALEX BOWMAN – 310 POINTS
Last week’s meeting with Hamlin tumbled Alex out of his Chase place.

18. PAUL MENARD – 289 POINTS
Unless he has a win up his sleeve, he can not afford to let the points gap grow any wider.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 258 POINTS
The best Monterrey, Mexico born driver in NASCAR.

20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 253 POINTS
The best Joplin, Missouri born driver in NASCAR. Carl Edwards was born in Columbia.

June 6, 2018
Hot 20 – If only the action at Pocono could be as cool as its name

Some things matter. Some do not. Every weekend, no more than 30 entries matter to some degree. The rest do not.

Most weekends NASCAR features a race and while some matter to race fans, most do not. Bristol, Charlotte, Darlington, Daytona, Sonoma, and Talladega races matter due to what they deliver and a long history of tradition.

Some are loyal to the short tracks at Martinsville and Richmond. Indianapolis is an over-hyped crown jewel, great history but not much gripping action delivered. Homestead gets the nod as long as it hosts the final race of the season. Those tracks present 16 of the 36 points events each season.

Pocono gives us two. It is a track ranked by some down amongst such venues as Chicago, Fontana, Kansas, and Kentucky. Cool name. Interesting layout. Lovely trees in the background. Like Indianapolis, it might be more entertaining for open-wheel racing than for the fender folk. Still, twice a year they return there, and twice a year I forget about the last one and actually look forward to the tri-oval. Each year I hope that it will all come together for a terrific contest.

Maybe this year. Maybe this will be the one. It is a track that boasts of the performances put in by the likes of Jeff Gordon, Emerson Fittipaldi, Danny Sullivan, Juan Pablo Montoya, and A. J. Foyt. Kyle Busch won there last July. Ryan Blaney is the defending June race champion. Chris Buescher won there for Bob Jenkins in 2016. Denny Hamlin has four Pocono wins. Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch each have claimed three.

Yes, the highlight packages of the past from Pocono look truly awesome. The highlights. The actual action come race day….well, maybe this will be the year. I sure hope so. Such things matter.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 573 Pts
If he runs at Pocono like he did at Charlotte, he might be the only one who matters.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1 E.W. – 485 Pts
Today, that encumbered win comes in to play.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 506 Pts
Picks up an average of 39 points per race. You do not have to be loved to be awesome.

4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 1 WIN – 430 Pts
If he only had some Kryptonite to toss as Superman on Sunday, he could have won it.

5. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 421 Pts
Crew chief Mike (Buga) Bugarewicz would love a happy homecoming.

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 244 Pts
If he had finished second at Daytona, he would be less successful than Suarez.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 437 POINTS
Won Saturday’s Xfinity race. Please raise your hand if you give a damn.

8. KURT BUSCH – 429 POINTS
The only driver in NASCAR to have seen Kyle Busch wearing a diaper. I hope that is true.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 429 POINTS
“We’re either really good or we’re average at best.” Finishing third is average?

10. KYLE LARSON – 382 POINTS
Raced Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Raced Wednesday as an outlaw in Fairbury, Illinois.

11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 376 POINTS
The decision to move over from the King to join Smoke has proven to be a good one.

12. RYAN BLANEY – 375 POINTS
A cylinder let go around lap 150 and they tried to limp it home. Instead, they started a barbecue.

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 327 POINTS
Imagine. Almost an entire year with a single win. I bet Michael McDowell can.

14. ERIK JONES – 314 POINTS
Three bad luck pit road moments buried any hope of shining last Sunday.

15. ALEX BOWMAN – 299 POINTS
One of the greatest coaches in NHL history. What? Sorry, wrong Bowman.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 296 POINTS
According to TMZ, he believes “Judging Hooters Competition Harder Than Racing Cars”

17. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 296 POINTS
His Charlotte experience was better than someone else’s Indianapolis adventure.

18. PAUL MENARD – 263 POINTS
Another Cup guy racing Xfinity on Saturday. One more young driver fails to get a ride.

19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 245 POINTS
More than 50 points out of the Chase…unless he wins. Winning is always good.

20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 231 POINTS
One ahead of Newman and Byron, two up on Wallace.

May 30, 2018
Hot 20 – NASCAR’s greatest stars of today gather in Charlotte Saturday night

Stars. Many are called, but few are worthy. Each week, NASCAR provides somewhere between 34 and 40 entries out on the track, but fewer than 25 have any legitimate shot at making a difference. We know the names of those who have succeeded, those who have made and earned, a place in the spotlight. Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., Kurt and Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski and, yes, for a time this year, we welcome back Matt Kenseth. Champions all.

However, no Dale Earnhardt Jr. No Tony Stewart. No Jeff Gordon. No Carl Edwards. Instead of addressing the issues we have addressed week after week, NASCAR is trying to get us all excited about a new crop of drivers. Bless their pea picking hearts, they are promoting the hell out of the new generation. Talented, youngish, but few have earned their stripes over their young careers. Not yet.

Among the 11, four have actually begun to shine. The other seven have, between them, managed no victories, just four Top Fives, 29 Top Tens, over a combined 365 events. Each and every one of them could be stars eventually, just not today. Three are stuck in rides that will not be winning soon, or even being part of the race day conversation. Only two are locked into the All-Star race, with the other nine hoping to beat out a dozen other drivers in advancing from the Open that will begin Saturday’s action.

One has, without doubt, the personality of a star. However, Darrell Wallace Jr. is just 16 races into his Cup career. A single Top Five, a pair of Top Tens, and 11 laps led does not make a star out of him on the track. Not yet, but the lad has personality to burn. He also drives for Richard Petty. That is some serious star power right there. Maybe this weekend, or next, he will break through. Wallace is the exception. He, I will be watching.

However, if you want to watch the stars of NASCAR, those who have already made their mark on the sport, here are the names you should know for Saturday night.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2015 CHAMPION – 46 Career Wins – 474 Starts
One of the top three gents the past four seasons, with 17 wins over that time period.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2014 CHAMPION – 42 Career Wins – 622 Starts
5 wins in a dozen starts in 2018. Rowdy has been his only rival as of late.

3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2017 CHAMPION – 16 Career Wins – 453 Starts
Took his owner to the Promised Land last season.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2006-10, 2013, 2016 CHAMPION – 83 Career Wins – 591 Starts
Tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for most titles, and still in the hunt for an eighth.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 31 Career Wins – 446 Starts
Best driver on the circuit yet to claim a championship. The Mark Martin of his day?

6. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2012 CHAMPION – 24 Career Wins – 317 Starts
Among the Top 14 for eight straight seasons, including fourth best thus far in 2018.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 19 Career Wins – 339 Starts
The former wunderkind’s career got off to a slow start, but has blazed hot with Roger Penske.

8. KYLE LARSON – 5 Career Wins – 159 Starts
The 25-year-old has been the very best among the kids coming up.

9. MATT KENSETH – 2003 CHAMPION – 39 Career Wins – 651 Starts
Got a phone call. Got a part-time ride. Got another chance to shine amongst the other stars.

10. KURT BUSCH – 2004 CHAMPION – 29 Career Wins – 624 Starts
Not great in recent seasons, but when you are this good, good often can be good enough.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2 Wins – 169 Starts
The Daytona 500 can do wonders for a fellow’s career.

12. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 Wins – 196 Starts
Two wins last season turned his life and career pages with a flourish.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 9 Career Wins – 445 Starts
After four seasons in the wilderness, it appears the boy from Emporia has made his way back.

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 18 Career Wins – 596 Starts
Struggling to regain the magic that led to his runner-up year of 2014.

15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 89 Starts
No wins, but 25 Top Fives for the 22-year-old have to count for something.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 1 Wins – 102 Starts
The 24-year-old announced his arrival last season and is not missing a beat now with Penske.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 18 Career Wins – 516 Starts
Either nearing the end or just starting on his new beginning.

18. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 7 Career Wins – 558 Starts
If you are only going to win seven, win them at Charlotte, Daytona, Talladega, or Indianapolis.

19. ERIK JONES – 51 Starts
With 19 Top Tens, the 22-year-old is touted as being among the new constellation of stars.

20. ARIC ALMIROLA – 1 Wins – 256 Starts
Only his far superior ride gives him the nod over Chris Buescher.

May 16, 2018
The Final Word – Talladega, bringing you the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat

Talladega was sweet. That was the kind of action that captured my attention as a kid, watching Wide World of Sports. As Jim McKay so iconically put it all those years ago, “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition.” That was Sunday at Talladega.

Joey Logano got the thrill. It was his third on the big track and the 19th Cup victory of his career. It was exciting, but not exactly a nail-biter, as Logano led the final 42 laps. Kurt Busch was right there in case he faltered, while Chase Elliott did manage to slip ahead of Kevin Harvick at the line for third.

Thrills for the fans meant the agony of defeat for so many others, as it often does when the circuit visits Alabama. Jamie McMurray had one hell of a spill during practice, tumbling through the air to roll over a half dozen times to totally destroy his primary ride. His back-up fared a little better. Erik Jones caught the apron, went up to get turned by McMurray, then onward to pile into Trevor Bayne along the wall. It also ruined the day for Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. Innovation, thy name is Talladega. To get Truex back out there, the crew busted out a concrete saw in order to make repairs. That was a first.

No big one yet, but the clock was ticking. With 22 laps to run, William Byron took the air off the rear of Jimmie Johnson’s equally unstable auto, and the fun began. While Johnson survived to eventually finish 12th, Byron, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Michael McDowell, Brad Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger and Austin Dillon were toast on the spot.

We learned a few things at Talladega. First, pit road infractions might set you back, but they did not end your hopes on the 2.66-mile loop. Elliott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman, and Daniel Suarez were among those tagged who managed to finish in the Top Ten. However, if you get hit with speeding late in the race and then get hit for speeding again while taking the pass-through penalty, your hopes evaporate. They did for Denny Hamlin, though even he recovered enough over the next hour for a lead lap 14th place conclusion.

We learned that pitting early helps. On the opening segment Ford and Toyota all came in early on, the Chevys did not. They also did not lead the parade at the end of the stage. Lesson learned, so when the Fords came back to the pits early in the second segment, the Toyota boys arrived on the next lap, with Chevrolet just one more behind them. Not that it worked for them all. Six of the Top Seven at Talladega were Fords. Chevy had the third, eighth, and ninth best, with Kyle Busch driving the best Toyota in 10th.

With 58-points, Logano took the lion’s share of points, with only Harvick and Stenhouse among the others breaking 40. David Ragan is 25th on the season, but sixth on the day. Single point days were “enjoyed” by Top 20 drivers Larson and Jones.

From Talladega, we technically stay in the south as the circuit moves to Dover, Delaware. It might not be Talladega, but it sports one of the best trophies in the sport at a track owned by legends. In the first 18 races run there from 1969 through 1978, the winners were limited to Richard Petty (5), David Pearson (5), Bobby Allison (3), Cale Yarborough (3), and Benny Parsons (2). That is some kind of blue-blood pedigree, Hall of Famers all.

By the way, the first time we saw Dover on our television screens it was 1974. The man who got the thrill of victory that day was Yarborough. The agony of defeat was experienced by Petty, as the race leader lost an engine with three laps to go. The action was described by Bill Flemming and Chris Economaki. The program, ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

April 30, 2018
McMurray Barrel Rolls and Tops Chart in Final Practice

*THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED TO NOTE THAT NASCAR HAS CHANGED THE SIZE OF THE RESTRICTOR PLATES IN THE CUP CARS THIS WEEKEND, FOLLOWING JAMIE MCMURRAY’S WRECK.

TALLADEGA, Ala. — Outside the infield care center at Talladega Superspeedway, Jamie McMurray stood by the guard rails and watched a replay of the backstretch barrel roll that sent him to the care center.

“I think that we blew a left-rear tire. I don’t know. That’s what it sounded like. I heard the tire start to come apart, and you’re kind of along for the ride. The car, I think it turned to the right and then kind of back to the left. Obviously, I was in the front of that draft. Once it starts rolling, you don’t have any control. You can’t tell what’s up and what’s down. You’re spinning so fast. I was just thankful. Honestly, the whole time it’s flipping, I was like ‘Just please land the right way up so I can get out.’ You just never know if there’s going to be a fire. We literally had only run like four or five laps. You know you have a full tank of fuel. To get out upside-down, I’ve never done that. But it’s a challenge when you watch guys try to do that. So I was thankful that the car landed on all four.”

McMurray had only completed five laps in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice, when he suffered a left-rear tire failure, spun-out and got airborne. Compounding the matter, Ryan Newman t-boned him just as he was getting airborne, sending him rolling right over the front of Newman’s car and landing on the hood of his car.

McMurray rolled over two and a half times before the catch fence stopped him, accelerating his roll down the apron until he came to a halt.

Along with Newman, Ty Dillon and Daniel Suarez collected damage.

McMurray’s barrel roll wreck prompted NASCAR to reduce the size of the restrictor plates in the Cup cars this weekend from 7/8th’s of an inch to 55/64th’s of an inch.

Ironically, McMurray ended the session at the top of the chart, with a time of 46.947 and a speed of 203.975 mph.

Dillon, Suarez, Erik Jones and Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the Top-five.

First practice results

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/C1810_PRACFINAL.pdf”]

April 27, 2018
The Final Word – Texas, where some raced, some participated, some tuned out

If you are going to watch ‘em race in Texas, you better have a PVR in your hand. My God, that was boring. I mean, with more than half the field lapped in the opening segment and more than 12 seconds between first and second, we were sure not talking about racing wheel to wheel.

Wrecks. If all you watched the race for was for wrecks, I guess it was salvageable. Not so for Alex Bowman, as he got turned on just the third lap and his day was all but done. It was like when your brother puts his finger up to your face and starts chanting “I’m not touching you, I’m not touching you” until you touch him in an unfriendly way and the fight begins. Bowman was not touched, but the car went around anyway. Paul Menard was caught up in the aftermath. Like Bowman, his day was ruined and his winless streak extended to 239.

Martin Truex Jr. was riding second, with Kevin Harvick somewhere over the horizon, when he lost a front tire but found the fence. He was toast, with five laps remaining in the opening frame. Again, if not for the wrecks, Texas was all about endurance. Yours.

Yours, and anyone associated with Goodyear. Midway through the second segment, Kyle Larson was sitting in fourth until the right front rubber shredded and the wall did a little shredding of its own. If a big reason they are in the sport is to advertise the durability of their product, Texas did them no favors. None.

So, what happens to all those lug nuts that come flying off the tires, to bounce unattended on pit road? Well, they can bounce their way into the jacks to gum up the works. That is what happened to Harvick when he pitted after Larson’s misfortune and went from first to ninth. Then, after all that, he did not go 10 laps when he had to come back for a loose wheel. Unbelievable. That dropped him a lap down and out of the Top 20. Such things might cause a man to cuss. Hell, it could cause a nun to cuss. You have to believe somebody is slated to have his backside gnawed off in the very near future.

So that left us with Kyle Busch taking the middle segment, Kurt Busch was next, with only 13 cars on the lead circuit. As for Harvick, he was the second among those a lap down in 15th. Things just might get interesting before this one was done yet. That is, if you had the endurance to wait it out.

Maybe a wreck would keep us engaged. A handful of laps into the run to the flag, we got it. Adios Denny Hamlin. Sayonara Brad Keselowski. Goodbye Aric Almirola. Take a bow, Jimmie Johnson. Sometimes good things come to those who wait, even if your good things are someone else’s bad things.

Harvick came back and was in the mix but still needed some help to close the gap. With under 50 go to, a tire rolled loose in his pits. NASCAR reviewed, and Harvick escaped without a penalty even NASCAR later admitted he should have been tagged with. Ryan Newman had a Top Ten car, then had a tire blow and he hit the wall. Bad news for Newman, more good news for Harvick. Good news for those poor sons of a gun watching this thing.

However, leading is where it was at. You lead, you win, and Kyle Busch did…and did, by 3/10 of a second over Harvick. Finally, a victory after three runner-up finishes to give Rowdy his 44th career Cup decision. Jamie McMurray finished third, while 40-plus point days were recorded by Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, and Erik Jones, who brought it home in fourth.

Bad days were realized by Goodyear, whoever supplies those air guns some say were responsible for all the vibration issues, and you, the fan. Ten cars concluded the day on the lead lap, just two more a lap down. You know, I’ve been waiting and waiting for my call to join NASCAR’s promotional department. I might have to wait a bit longer.

Next Sunday, it is Bristol. We give thanks for what we are about to receive. Amen.

April 9, 2018
The Final Word – On Monday, Martinsville transformed to become Clintsville

Martinsville, Virginia, was a place where a fan could go and learn a few things. First of all, NASCAR is not for snowflakes. Too many of them, and they have to move the race to Monday, as they did last week. Sunday was a happy time for those who refuse to accept the bounty a loving Mother Earth provides in the form of oil. Monday was happier for the rest of us mortals more than willing to accept her gifts.

Two segments on Monday and 10 drivers who mattered, at least as far as running in the Top Ten was concerned. Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, and Denny Hamlin were hot, with Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer providing their own heat. Others in the conversation for the opening half included Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson…and A.J. Allmendinger. Damned fine for a guy who came into the event sitting 25th in the standings.

The Martinsville pole sitter was, ironically enough, Martin Truex Jr. Last week’s winner in California was still in the mix after 260 laps, but Daytona winner Austin Dillon had a pit penalty after the opening segment and sunk from view. A cut tire and additional trips to the car doctor sent Darrell Wallace Jr. to the bottom of the sea. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. had to start in a car in which he had no practice time in. Sadly, he quickly discovered that he needed a lot of it, as Stenhouse was under the waves before others even got wet. All finished outside the Top 30, while only 16 cars were still on the lead lap when they opened the final leg.

Oh, one piece of advice. Do not get your air gun from a toy store. NASCAR now hands out identical pneumatic tools, but so far this season the brand they have adopted has the durability of cheap plastic. One actually had its handle snap off in the hands of a tire changer in the midst of tightening lug nuts. If some mechanic named Bob owned such a thing, Bob would need to do a little drywall work on his garage after using this fine quality product.

Practice. Practice. Practice. Do it enough, and you might not make a misstep in the choreography of a pit stop. Bowyer’s gas man needs to practice a bit more. He backed out too early and waited too long in allowing the tire changer to slip by, and that cost our boy from Kansas a full can of fuel. That was about 12 gallons left behind. Sure, he was leading, but time was ticking before the error would cost him. That is unless Jamie McMurray spins to bring out a caution. After that, you would have to think Bowyer would consider McMurray to be just one hell of a nice fellow. Come to think of it, the replay showed that maybe Dillon deserved some of the credit.

One final pit stop, with both cans of fuel going in, and Bowyer took care of the rest to end his 190-race drought. It was the ninth of his career and his first Ridgeway Martinsville Grandfather Clock. Rowdy Busch remains winless as he collected runner-up points yet again. That gives in three of the past four, with the other being a third-place finish. That is where Blaney wound up, with Truex climbing back up there to be fourth, as Harvick completed the Top Five.

A good 40+ points day for Keselowski and Hamlin, who learned that if you tap-tap-tap on Harvick too many times, he will brake check you. That is not good for the nose of a car. As for Allmendinger, he finished a solid eighth.

Johnson had to settle for 15th, but after a week of rest, they start April in Texas, where he has won seven times before. As for snow, none is expected in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

March 27, 2018
The Final Word – They came, they saw, and they lost to Harvick…this time at Las Vegas

If you missed the action from Las Vegas, allow me to bring you up to date. If you read my column from last week regarding Atlanta, consider yourself fully informed. Enjoy your day.

If you have a few more moments to spare with me, last Sunday was a lot like the previous Sunday. Only worse, if you do not happen to love watching Kevin Harvick go to the front and ruling the contest. Atlanta saw him have to overcome some slight adversity, more of an inconvenience than anything else. Las Vegas saw him manage to escape with barely a scratch even when his air guns were malfunctioning. He led, he won both stages, he claimed his second straight win, the 39th of his career, and put the maximum 60 points in the bank. Not that he really needs it.

Worse than Atlanta? Well, when you consider that half the field was lapped after the first segment and only nine were on the same circuit as Harvick at the end, yes. It was worse. Not only did Harvick lead 80 percent of the time, almost all those who were in the Top Ten during any segment finished in the Top Ten at the end. The only exceptions were Kurt Busch, who had his car break loose and then proceeded to break the car of Chase Elliott. That concluded their day far too early in the final frame.

Kyle Busch finished second, but Kyle Larson picked up more points by taking third. Martin Truex Jr. and Ryan Blaney also did better to end the day in the Top Five. Also among the best of the rest, we had Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, and Paul Menard, while the aforementioned wreck opened the door for Top Tens available to Erik Jones and Aric Almirola.

Jimmie Johnson at one time was a couple of laps down, but considering he entered the race sitting 35th overall, a 12th place result was damn near as good as a win. That rockets him up to 29th in the season rankings. Still not good, but better.

Joining the seven-time champ outside the Top 20 we have a pretty fine representation of talent. Elliott drops down to join Trevor Bayne, A.J. Allmendinger, William Byron, Jamie McMurray, Daniel Suarez, and Kasey Kahne among the have-nots. Every race provides a chance for redemption, a chance to recover and move back up the ladder. The funny thing is, as in odd not humorous, while at this time of year we think time is on their side, the actuality is that the longer it takes for redemption, the longer are the odds of climbing out of the hole. The door closes quickly.

Phoenix might provide some measure of salvation. The bad news is that of the past 11 contests held there since the fall of 2012, Harvick has won six of them. The good news is that he has not won it since the spring race two years ago. More bad news is that while Kahne has won there, he has not done so since the autumn of 2011. Johnson has four, including three straight. Unfortunately, none since November of 2009.

Maybe next week’s column will sound a whole lot like this one, and the one before that. I sure hope you love Kevin Harvick.

March 5, 2018
The Final Word – Atlanta was like a Happy little children’s song for Harvick

If you’re Happy and you know it,
Drive your car.
If you’re Happy and you know it,
Drive it far.
If you’re Happy and you know it,
End the day doing donuts,
If you’re Happy and you know it,
Be as you are.

That pretty much sums up the 500 mile race Sunday at Atlanta. Kevin “Happy” Harvick dominated the opening stage, and though an air gun mishap dropped him back, he was near the front after the second stage. The third, it was all Harvick, with a few cameos as some anticipated rain, others tried different strategies, but all to no avail. It marked his first win at the track on which he claimed his first back in 2001. This victory was his 38th and locked him into the playoff hunt.

While Harvick led more than half the time, Brad Keselowski was second after holding point for 38 laps. Denny Hamlin was fourth with 26 up front, while Kurt Busch settled for eighth, taking the second stage and leading 52 circuits.

Only 13 drivers managed to run the full 325 laps, including Top Five finishers Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr. Pole sitter Kyle Busch was seventh but did well enough throughout in accumulating extra notches to wind up third best in points on the day. Rounding out the Top Ten was Joey Logano, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott.

Good days for some, bad days for others who one would think would have done better. A blown tire that did some serious renovations to the front fender did in Jimmie Johnson. After the Daytona disaster, it would be an understatement to say that he is off to a slow start. He already sits way down in 35th in the standings. Others with 10 points or less on Sunday included A.J. Allmendinger, Matt DiBenedetto, Bubba Wallace, and a blown engine parked Trevor Bayne in 35th.

Next stop is Las Vegas, as the teams answer the call to go west with their young men. Just 36 entries last week marked a 22 year low, but Premium Motorsports will add the uncharted entry of Joey Gase for the trip to the Strip to push the entry tally to 37. It will be the 23rd career Cup start for the 25-year-old from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Truex is the defending race champion, though a second visit to the venue comes up in September, a date that once belonged to New Hampshire. Keselowski has won two of the past four in Las Vegas, sandwiching the 2015 victory of Harvick. It could be a case of the rich getting even richer next weekend. It might be early, but Johnson is not the only one who could use a little luck to come their way on their visit to The Entertainment Capital of the World. Alex Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jamie McMurray, Erik Jones, William Byron, and Daniel Suarez are just some of those who have seen craps come up enough times already. Something better than snake eyes is what they will be looking for the next time they roll ‘dem bones on Sunday.

As for Harvick and Daytona winner Austin Dillon, they might prefer the wheels on the bus to continue going round and round. However, if the damn things fall off, there is always next week. The pressure is off.

February 26, 2018
Hot 20 – 36 Charter teams and just 36 cars running at Atlanta on Sunday

36. Damn, and I was so looking forward to saying nothing but positive things this season. 36. That is the number of entries slated to run at Atlanta on Sunday. 36. The last time we had that small a field, it was 1996 in Martinsville. Rusty Wallace and Jeff Gordon were the race winners at that venue. 36. The last time we had that many run in Atlanta was in 1976, 42 years ago. David Pearson and Dave Marcis were the eventual victors. That year, 20 of the 30 races had fields of 36 and less.

More than 40 years later, and maybe things have not changed that much after all. I guess NASCAR knew what they were doing when they handed out just 36 charters. That is all we got in Atlanta. I think we can safely say that, at most, only 36 entries matter. Truth be told, that number might be closer to 25, but did I not say I was trying to be positive this season?

The Hot 20 heading to Atlanta...

1. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 47 Points
After 20 years, the No. 3 returns to Daytona’s Victory Circle…and life is as it should be.

2. RYAN BLANEY – 58 POINTS
Led for most of last Sunday and while he missed the win, he sure cashed in on bonus points.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 50 POINTS
Boasts having the car number first made famous by Fireball Roberts. Talk about good lineage.

4. DARRELL WALLACE JR. – 47 POINTS
Runner-up at the Daytona 500, driving for Richard Petty. How sweet is that!

5. PAUL MENARD – 46 POINTS
Atlanta has a slick, sliding worn out racing surface and, as Menard would put it, it is fun.

6. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 39 POINTS
First race for his new team a success, but how long will the good times roll?

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 37 POINTS
It is okay to take personal jabs at your fellow drivers…just as long as it isn’t Denny, it seems.

8. RYAN NEWMAN – 34 POINTS
Dillon got his win. Now, it is Newman’s turn to bring home the bacon for Childress.

9. CHRIS BUESCHER – 33 POINTS
Is JTG Daugherty the next team to move from also-ran to someone to watch?

10. ARIC ALMIROLA – 33 POINTS
When you try to block a freight train on the final lap of the Daytona 500, you get freight trained.

11. TREVOR BAYNE – 31 POINTS
Daytona is one thing, but Atlanta is where you truly discover what you have.

12. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 30 POINTS
11 bonus points help pad an 18th place result.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 29 POINTS
I could talk about Clint or the fried chicken breast served on a potato roll and topped with bacon.

14. ALEX BOWMAN – 29 POINTS
It appears Bowman the Showman wants a new name. Bowman the Slowman would sure suck.

15. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 28 POINTS
He probably thinks JTG Daugherty has already arrived.

16. KURT BUSCH – 27 POINTS
Most folks use a mirror to see behind them. Kurt turned his whole car, but it was not his idea.

17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 23 POINTS
Hoping his 25th Atlanta start finds him finally able to shake the suds at the end.

18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 22 POINTS
He fumed, he steamed, he got wrecked. That is some kind of hat trick.

19. KEVIN HARVICK – 19 POINTS
Harvick’s advice to Hamlin: “Sometimes you’ve got to keep your mouth shut.’’

20. KYLE LARSON – 18 POINTS
Somebody has to make room for Elliott, Byron, Jones, Keselowski,…

21. KYLE BUSCH – 18 POINTS
…Suarez and Johnson, but it won’t be either of these two.

February 22, 2018