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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski dominated the late restarts at Chicagoland and cruised to the win in the MyAfibStory.Com 400. He built on his lead in the points standings, and now leads Jeff Gordon by seven.

    “I automatically advanced to the next round of the Chase,” Keselowski said. “So you can pencil my name on the bracket to the ‘Contender’ round. And speaking of things written in pencil, the Chase format has seen more alterations than Bruton Smith’s pants.”

    2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished second at Chicagoland, a solid start in his quest for a fifth Sprint Cup championship.

    “The ‘Drive For Five’ is still alive,” Gordon said. “But I have to be careful not to get ahead of myself. First, I have to make sure the ‘Drive For 12,’ is alive, then the ‘Drive For 8,’ then the ‘Drive For 4.’”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth in the MyAfibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland as Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski took the victory.

    “My goal is to be one of the four drivers to make it to that final round,” Logano said. “Obviously, we can’t call it the ‘Final Four’ because the NCAA will sue. I say we broker a tie-in with that apocalyptic HBO series and call that final race ‘The Leftovers.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 11th at Chicagoland as Penske Racing’s Brad Keselowski won. Earnhardt is fifth in the points standings, 17 behind Keselowski.

    “It was a decent start start to the Chase,” Earnhardt said. “It could have been better, but at least there were no fans climbing the fence. I bet if we scheduled a race in southern Texas, that certainly wouldn’t be the case.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at Chicagoland. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 18 behind Brad Keselowski.

    “Luckily,” Johnson said, “there was no hot air blowing into my helmet on Sunday. But if I don’t make a statement at Dover, it could be time for a ‘cold sweat.’ It’s no time to panic, though. Now, more than ever, I need to ‘be cool.’”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race high 79 laps and finished fifth at Chicagoland.

    “I switched pit crews with Tony Stewart,” Harvick said. “I’m happy about that, but my former pit crew is not. They worked 26 races to get me in the Chase. Now, they’re out. You could say they were ‘Un-Happy-ed.’”

    7. Matt Kenseth: On a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing , Kenseth finished tenth at Chicagoland as teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch finished sixth and seventh, respectively.

    “The Chase format is new and improved,” Kenseth said. “First, you have the ‘Challenger’ round, then somewhere along the way there’s the ‘Eliminator’ round. I’m not sure what the other rounds are called, but I assume they’re named after ZZ Top albums as well.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch posted his eighth top 10 of the year with an eighth in the MyAfibStory.Com 400.

    “I made contact with my brother Kyle midway through the race,” Busch said. “That’s one instance where neither Kurt nor I can argue that a Busch was at fault.”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole with the highest practice speed after qualifying was rained out. He led 46 laps and finished seventh.

    “Not only did Kurt and I make contact,” Busch said, “Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. got together to bring out the final caution. Neither was happy. But is anyone really surprised that there’s friction between them?”

    10. Kyle Larson: Larson led 20 laps at Chicagoland and engaged Kevin Harvick in a lively battle for the lead late in the race. While Larson and Harvick fought, Brad Keselowski slipped through the middle and led the rest of the way. Larson finished third.

    “Had I made the Chase,” Larson said, “I could have been an unlikely contender. Chip Ganassi Racing has often partnered with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and Teresa Earnhardt, so if I can borrow Dale, Jr.’s evil stepmother, then this Cinderella story would have been in business.”

  • The Final Word – If You Only Caught the Final Forty at Chicago, it was one Heck of a Race

    The Final Word – If You Only Caught the Final Forty at Chicago, it was one Heck of a Race

    Forty laps. The action was exciting, the announcers sounded excited, it was NASCAR at its best in Chicago. For 40 laps.

    Within those 40 laps, we saw Brad Keselowski shoot through the middle between the dueling Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick to take the lead with sixteen to go. It was a great piece of racing, and once he was through he was gone. Two in a row, fifth of the season, and Keselowski earned himself a berth in the next round of the Chase.

    Within those 40 laps, we saw a kid truly emerge as a star. Larson just missed the Chase, but the 22 year old did not miss an opportunity to show the big boys that he is and will be a force to be reckoned with. He led, he fought to keep the lead, and he challenged anyone who attempted to get by him, which helped allow Keselowski to disappear in front. If not for Larson, Harvick or Jeff Gordon might have had a chance to go after Keselowski, but the young man did not give them that chance. His first career Cup win still lies ahead of him, but it does not seem to be that far away.

    Within those 40 laps, we saw Gordon come up from fourth to be in the mix at the end. He caught Harvick and then he battled the boy for that runner up spot. When Larson touched the wall with a couple to go, the veteran went by for good. Good racing, with the former champ even offering congratulations and a few words of advice to the newcomer when it was all over.

    Within those 40 laps, we discovered that there are times couples should not touch, especially when using their fenders. Danica Patrick got by Tony Stewart, but when she slipped in front of boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. he touched her behind in an unappreciated fashion. Both needed repairs to run the final ten and neither finished inside the Top 15.

    Within those 40 laps, we discovered who amongst the Chasers would be snake bit. Aric Almirola looked great, was up there running well within the Top Ten when his engine blew up. He finished 41st and already needs a win if he hopes to advance to the next round as a contender.

    Within those 40 laps, Joey Logano benefited from some trash on the grill that really perked up his ride. Perked it to a fourth place finish, but it did not benefit his engine. That blew at the finish line, but those 40 points more than made up for it.

    Within those 40 laps, Carl Edwards lost a left rear tire. That left him 20th when the day was done. No good, but not as bad as some, and still leaves him among the top dozen in the standings.

    Not as bad as Almirola. Not as bad as Greg Biffle in 23rd. Not as bad as A.J. Allmendinger in 22. Not as bad as the first 227 laps of what had been yet another snore-fest on ESPN until the end. In fact, Edwards sits a point to the good amongst our Chasers, a point up on Ryan Newman.

    Sunday, it is New Hampshire holding their fate. That should be welcome news for those who run well there. Among those who have average finishes of 12th or better we have Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Gordon, and Keselowski. Maybe we might see the kid once again up front. Larson finished third there in July in his only Cup start on the track.

    Not all will be happy. Those who average outside the Top 15 at Loudon include Kasey Kahne and Logano, who after Chicago just need to avoid disaster this weekend. As for Biffle, Almirola, and A.J. Allmendinger, they will have to do more than that if they hope to advance on points. Then again, wins erase sins, so maybe, just maybe.
    1 – Brad Keselowski – 1 Win – 2059 Points
    2 – Jeff Gordon – 0 – 2051
    3 – Joey Logano – 0 – 2049
    4 – Kevin Harvick – 0 – 2047
    5 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 0 – 2042
    6 – Jimmie Johnson – 0 – 2041
    7 – Denny Hamlin – 0 – 2041
    8 – Kyle Busch – 0 – 2041
    9 – Kurt Busch – 0 – 2039
    10 – Kasey Kahne – 0 – 2034
    11 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 2034
    12 – Carl Edwards – 0 – 2030
    13 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 2029
    14 – A.J. Allmendinger – 0 – 2025
    15 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 2021
    16 – Aric Almirola – 0 – 2007

  • Keselowski Wins At Chicagoland, Takes Early-Chase Lead

    Keselowski Wins At Chicagoland, Takes Early-Chase Lead

    A late-race battle between a rookie and three previous Chicagoland winners ended in Brad Keselowski capturing the checkered flag in his series-leading fifth win of the 2014 Sprint Cup season.

    Keselowski’s victory, which guarantees the 2012 Cup champion a spot in the Chase’s Contender Round, was also Ford’s first win in 14 Chicagoland Speedway races.

    Late in the race, however, the rookie Kyle Larson seemed a serious threat for his first Sprint Cup win. Long bouts of side-by-side racing between Larson and Kevin Harvick for the lead accompanied the final 20 laps . While inaugural Chicagoland winner Harvick seemed the man to beat, when Larson caught the veteran he proved that even a rookie can engage in a tight but clean race for a win.

    But the 2012 Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski saw the battle for the lead as an invitation to make his own move. Cutting between the two California drivers, Keselowski took the lead with 15 laps to go and held on to it.

    Keselowski seemed to appear out of nowhere. With 80 laps to go, Keselowski restarted in 16th place due to an extra pit stop under caution. Bogged down by slower competitors, he decisively made moves through traffic until catching and passing the battling leaders.

    A caution caused by an accident between Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse led to a restart with six laps to go. Keselowski re-established a comfortable lead, which he held until passing under the checkered flag in first place.

    Despite losing too much distance to make up before the race’s finish, Larson was given another opportunity to show off his skills, as Jeff Gordon invited him to another tight duel for second place. The two drivers engaged in another clean battle in the closing laps of the race, at one point swapping low and high race lines as they crossed the start/finish line, putting on a spectacle for the fans. Gordon eventually secured the spot and finished second, while Larson notched third. The rookie managed to capture his Top-3 finish despite a hard hit in practice that sent him to a backup car for race day.

    Keselowski’s Team Penske counterpart Joey Logano finished fourth, and Kevin Harvick dropped back to eventually finish fifth.

    Keselowski holds a seven point lead over Jeff Gordon in the standings heading into the second race of the Challenger Round in the Chase, next Sunday at New Hampshire.

    Chase drivers Aric Almirola, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle and A.J. Allmendinger did not fare well, and as a result are the final four drivers in the Chase group, in danger of the cut-off after the next two races.

    Newman, Allmendinger and Biffle finished 15th, 22nd and 23rd, respectively. Almirola finished 41st after engine failure while running in sixth place.

    Race Results:

    1. Brad Keselowski
    2. Jeff Gordon
    3. Kyle Larson
    4. Joey Logano
    5. Kevin Harvick
    6. Denny Hamlin
    7. Kyle Busch
    8. Kurt Busch
    9. Jamie McMurray
    10. Matt Kenseth
    11. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
    12. Jimmie Johnson
    13. Kasey Kahne
    14. Martin Truex Jr.
    15. Ryan Newman
    16. Austin Dillon
    17. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
    18. Tony Stewart
    19. Danica Patrick
    20. Carl Edwards
    21. Paul Menard
    22. AJ Allmendger
    23. Greg Biffle
    24. Brian Vickers
    25. Marcos Ambrose
    26. Casey Mears
    27. Justi Allgaier
    28. Landon Cassill
    29. Reed Sorenson
    30. Cole Whitt
    31. David Ragan
    32. Michael McDowell
    33. Josh Wise
    34. David Gilliland
    35. Alex Bowman
    36. Joey Nemechek
    37. Joey Gase
    38. Travis Kvapil
    39. Clint Bowyer
    40. Michael Annett
    41. Aric Almirola
    42. Ryan Truex
    43. Mike Bliss
  • Surprising and Not Surprising: MyAFibStory.com 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: MyAFibStory.com 400

    From Kevin Harvick swapping his pit crew to Marcos Ambrose announcing he will leave NASCAR at the season’s end, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the 14th annual MyAFibStory.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

    Surprising: Brad Keselowski demonstrated his own version of the ‘Drive for Five’, winning his fifth race of the season and scoring the first win for Ford at Chicagoland Speedway.

    And with that victory, the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford also punched his ticket to the Challenger round, one step closer to his championship goal.

    “We had a great Miller Lite Ford Fusion that I knew from the start would be good but man it was really awesome the last few runs,” Keselowski said. “We really dialed it in and the 2 crew did an excellent job. What a day. Man, I am still pumped.”

    “I am so thankful to be here,” Keselowski continued. “God that was sweet.”

    Not Surprising: They don’t call him ‘Big Daddy’ for nothing as second-place finisher Jeff Gordon had a fatherly consultation with third-place finisher rookie Kyle Larson after some hard racing between the two in the last few laps.

    “He was just giving me some advice there,” Larson said of his post-race chat with Gordon. “He was pretty proud of me. I’m sure there are some things I could have done differently on that restart, like he was telling me; and I’ll definitely know for next time.”

    “Oh my gosh, I was having a pretty good time watching Kyle (Larson)and Kevin (Harvick) go at it in front of me,” Jeff Gordon said. “I didn’t know what was going to happen. I thought for sure there was going to be a wreck. But that’s just two guys that are wheeling it.”

    “I’m really proud of Kyle Larson,” Gordon continued. “Man, what a great effort; such a young talent. I really wanted to see him win that race because I like him, but I didn’t want to see those other guys win it either.”

    “This Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet was really solid. The whole team effort was extremely solid.”

    After his third place finish, Gordon sits just seven points behind Keselowski in the Chase race.

    Surprising: There may be some very interesting conversations between brothers and significant others after the race, especially given the contact between the Busch brothers and between Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    “I got in the corner in bad air and just got in the corner real tight and finally it bit and went down and Kurt (Busch) was on my inside already plugging the hole but I didn’t even know there was room for a car down there,” Kyle Busch said after finishing seventh to Kurt’s eighth place run. “We just got together and luckily we all saved it and salvaged on.”

    “I heard my spotter say that the 14 (Tony Stewart) was below me on track, and I didn’t know the 17 (Stenhouse) was there on the high side of the track,” Danica Patrick said. “My spotter took the blame on that one.”

    “I just didn’t know Ricky was up there, and I obviously don’t want to hit his car or anyone else with 10 laps to go. I talked with Ricky afterward, and we’re fine. It’s just a tough deal. We finished 19th even with the damage, so it was a decent run.”

    Not Surprising: With one team member in Victory Lane, the other member of Team Penske showed his strength by scoring a fourth place finish in spite of an overheating engine that gave up the ghost coming to the checkered flag.

    “We hit a piece of debris with about five to go,” Joey Logano said. “I say piece but it was huge. I think it was a tear-off and we got really hot but the car started handling really good when it was on there and we got another spot because of it.”

    “We blew up going into three and just had a big smoke screen behind me but I was able to get it across.”

    Surprising: The races gods were for once on the side of Martin Truex Jr., who got two laps back late in the race to finish 14th.

    “It felt good to get a little lucky,” the driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Denver Mattress Chevrolet said. “We were a 15th to 20th place car all day. We could never get track position. The first run of the race was really bad — it got us a lap down early. It took us forever to get back on the lead lap.”

    “The key for us today was picking up two laps late in the race,” Truex Jr. continued. “We stayed out as long as we could when other cars pitted under green. And when the caution came out shortly after we were the Lucky Dog. I can’t recall ever picking up two laps that quickly.”

    “It’s been a tough year for us with bad breaks so today we got a break that went our way that got us to a decent finish.”

    Not Surprising: Heartbroken cannot even begin to describe Aric Almirola’s day at Chicagoland. The driver of the No. 43 Eckrich Ford for Richard Petty Motorsports had his Chase chances all but dashed as he finished 41st after an engine failure.

    “Heartbroken I think is the easiest way to describe it,” Almirola said. ““I think the motor just let go. We rarely have any engine issues at all. It happened but we had a lot of horsepower while it lasted.”

    “We will regroup and go to Loudon and Dover and try to be spectacular,” Almirola continued. “We have to win. That is it. There is no other option. We have to go and figure out how we can win one of the next two races.”

    Surprising: ‘Mr. Consistent’ Matt Kenseth made a surprisingly uncharacteristic mistake, spinning on pit road coming in for a pit stop.

    “We just weren’t very good today,” the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota said. “Just a struggle, we showed a lot of speed most of the weekend but just could never get it today where I wanted it to be.”

    Kenseth finished tenth in the race and also sits tenth in the point standings, 25 points behind Keselowski.

    Not Surprising: After blowing up in the Nationwide race, it was no wonder that Denny Hamlin was having thoughts of déjà vu all over again in the Cup race.

    “The engine changed tones quite a bit and I was very, very gun shy from yesterday,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota Camry, said. “Probably a little more spooked than what I normally would be.”

    “It held together. Overall, pretty happy with our performance. Just got to get a little bit better.”

    Hamlin finished sixth and is 18 points behind leader Keselowski in the Chase race.

    Surprising: Jimmie Johnson, who usually lights up during the Chase, was surprisingly and conspicuously quiet. The six-time champ discretely finished the Chicagoland race in the twelfth spot and now sits eighth in the standings, 18 points behind the leader.

    Not Surprising: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not alone in hoping that the next two tracks will be better for his championship chances after an eleventh place finish.

    “This has been a tough weekend,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet said. “We weren’t very good in practice. I was really, really concerned.”

    “We didn’t have a good car at all,” Junior continued. “But I feel like this team can run for 11th on its worst day. That will do it.”

    “That will get us through the next round until we get to some tracks that maybe we run a little bit better at, or tracks that suit us a little bit better.”

     

  • Keselowski Opens Chase With a Shot Across the Bow

    Keselowski Opens Chase With a Shot Across the Bow

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski dominated at Richmond, leading 383 of 400 laps to win the Federated Auto Parts 400. With four wins, Keselowski starts as the top seed in the Chase For The Cup.

    “Who was that ‘on the fence’ at Richmond?” Keselowski asked. “Was it Clint Bowyer? No. It was just a fan who obviously wasn’t ‘high’ enough.”

    2. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took second at Richmond, unable to catch Brad Keselowski, who clearly had the best car in the field. Gordon’s three wins on the season earned him the second seed in the Chase, where he’ll start three points behind Keselowski.

    “We were determined,” Gordon said. “Not even Clint Bowyer could keep us out of the Chase. But Bowyer doesn’t have to worry about ‘intentional spins’ now; Michael Waltrip will handle those on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano finished sixth at Richmond as Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski captured the victory, giving Roger Penske his 400th racing win.

    “Keselowski was just unbelievable,” Logano said. “He led an amazing 383 of 400 laps. I’m surprised he wasn’t wearing leather and chains, because it was a display of ‘dominant fashion.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 12th in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Speedway. He will start third in the Chase, three points behind Brad Keselowski.

    “Some crazy fan climbed the catchfence late in the race,” Earnhardt said. “I guess alcohol and boredom make a deadly combination.”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson posted his 16th top-10 finish of the year with an eighth at Richmond. He will start the Chase in second, along with Hendrick teammates Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Jeff Gordon, all with three wins on the season.

    “I collapsed after the race due to severe dehydration,” Johnson said. “But after some intravenous fluids, I feel great. I think this bodes well for my chances of winning my seventh Cup title. As they say, you can’t get ‘VII’ without first getting ‘IV.’”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Richmond, recording his eighth top-5 result of the year. With two wins this season, he will start the Chase For The Cup six points behind Brad Keselowski.

    “There we no squirrels on the track at Richmond,” Harvick said. “If there were, they would have been after that nut on the fence.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth’s night at Richmond ended early after he hit the wall on lap 120. He finished 41st, 70 laps down, and starts the Chase For The Cup 12 points out of first.

    “It was a tough night for me,” Kenseth said. “But my disappointment was tempered by the knowledge that Michael Waltrip was selected to appear on ‘Dancing With The Stars.’ I’m not surprised my Michael’s selected—-he’s often been accused of being light on his feet.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 22nd at Richmond, four laps down. He’ll start the Chase For The Cup with 2,006 points, six behind Brad Keselowski.

    “Congratulations to Greg Biffle,” Edwards said. “He clinched the 16th and final spot in the Chase field. Of course, he did it by finishing 19th, two laps down. He probably didn’t see that coming; that’s what happens when you ‘back’ your way in.”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman easily drove his way into the Chase, finishing a solid ninth. He will start the Chase in 16th, 12 points behind Brad Keselowski.

    “There’s a lot of distance between me and the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite car,” Newman said. “Interestingly enough, that’s the same thing I said when Rusty Wallace was my teammate.”

    10. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 17th at Richmond, one lap down. He start the Chase For The Cup with 2,003 points, nine behind top seed Brad Keselowski.

    “Hopefully,” Kahne said, “I can carry some of the momentum from my win at Atlanta into the Chase. Thank goodness I got that win. I knew I need to carry my weight before I could carry momentum.”

  • The Final Word – Here is hoping Chicago can top Richmond’s WatchingPaintDry 400

    The Final Word – Here is hoping Chicago can top Richmond’s WatchingPaintDry 400

    You know you have a problem when the most exciting action at the track was the shirtless guy parked upon the top of the fence on turn four. Richmond was to excitement what Rusty Wallace is to broadcasting. In fact, I think I broke my fast forward button.

    That is not to say that Richmond did not have a story to tell, but this was more deserving of Cliff Notes rather than having us sit through the entire novel. We had two guys running in the Top Five all day who mattered, but only if they won. They did not, nor did either even lead. Okay, one of them would have mattered had Greg Biffle dropped out of the Top 25 in the running order. He did not.

    It was Brad Keselowski leading, all but 17 laps as it turned out, with Jeff Gordon in second. That was pretty much the soundtrack of this movie. With his fourth victory of the season, Keselowski goes into the Chase leading with 2012 points, the winless trio at the bottom have 2000, the rest are somewhere in between. You can do the math.

    Jimmie Johnson had a Top Ten, but was pretty washed out when he emerged from the car after the race. He started cramping and felt dizzy, and they carted him away for some attention. A moment of excitement but happily, after getting some fluids put back in him, the lad was as good as new.

    I was all set to gush about Danica Patrick, I really was, if only she had followed up her Top Ten the previous week with a Top 15 at Richmond. She finished 16th. If Keselowski and Gordon had a problem, it would have made things more interesting. They did not. Clint Bowyer finished third, but with Biffle coming home 19th the Biff claimed the final Chase berth by seven points. All in all, it was just enough to cause some interest, but it all came woefully short of creating much excitement.

    Now, just because I thought the race to be a terrible, horrible bore does not mean everyone else did. I mean, have you watched America’s Got Talent lately? What is good is bad and what is crap is not. I quit watching, yet the show survives without me. At least my wife and I agree, and for a long married couple that is not bad. If you and yours loved Richmond, good on you both.

    Now it is off to Chicago and the iconic MyAFibStory.com 400. Good grief. Great cause, stupid name. It is right up there with the AnnieMayElizabethWhiteThornton.com 400. I loved my grandmother, yet as a race name that would truly suck.

    We have 16 drivers seeking to survive the next three events by either winning or staying in the top dozen through to Dover. Who has reason to worry this Sunday? History tells us that would be Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Biffle. Chicago has not been very kind to any of them in the past.

    It should be pretty exciting this Sunday. Hey, a boy can dream, can’t he?
    The Chasers
    1 – Brad Keselowski – 4 Wins – 2012 Points
    2 – Jeff Gordon – 3 – 2009
    3 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 – 2009
    4 – Jimmie Johnson – 3 – 2009
    5 – Joey Logano – 3 – 2009
    6 – Kevin Harvick – 2 – 2006
    7 – Carl Edwards – 2 – 2006
    8 – Kyle Busch – 1 – 2003
    9 – Denny Hamlin – 1 – 2003
    10 – Kurt Busch – 1 – 2003
    11 – Kasey Kahne – 1 – 2003
    12 – Aric Almirola – 1 – 2003
    13 – A.J. Allmendinger – 1 – 2003
    14 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 2000
    15 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 2000
    16 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 2000

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400

    In a far less dramatic and controversial race than last year, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 57th Annual Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond International Raceway.

    Surprising: While the top seed is often coveted in other sports, from basketball to tennis, one NASCAR driver was dead set on achieving that distinction going into the Chase for the championship.

    Brad Keselowski not only achieved his top seed goal by scoring his fourth win of the season, but also dominated the Richmond race, leading 383 of 400 laps and scoring the 400th victory for Team Penske.

    “It was just a phenomenal night for our team here and everyone at Team Penske,” the driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford said. “Car was fast. Pit crew was flawless. We put all the pieces together tonight.”

    “I’m very proud of the result that comes from a win and what it means to the bigger picture of having the first seed entering the Chase. That’s really something. We want to keep that going as we get through this next 10 weeks.”

    Not Surprising: Leave it to teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. to try to make his teammate feel better. Junior was parked behind his HMS teammate Jimmie Johnson when he saw that Johnson was not feeling well after the race.

    “It was super-hot tonight,” Earnhardt Jr. said after the race. “I thought I might have some trouble with it because I had a sinus cold all week. …Jimmie is the most fit guy in this series and he must have something going on — something that didn’t agree with him today that he ate or drank.”

    After helping Team 48 assist Johnson out of the car and to the infield care center where he was pumped full of IV fluids, Earnhardt Jr. stopped by to proffer some chocolate milk, hoping that would assist in the six-time champ’s recovery.

    The milk offer must have helped as Johnson did attend his Foundation’s Wellness Challenge the day after the race, although he did not participate in the event as scheduled.

    Surprising: They may both be in the Chase, but Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin have at least one thing in common. They are both looking for speed, for Harvick on pit road and for Hamlin under the hood and on the track.

    “I can’t fix them, but it’s probably the biggest thing that we have to fix in order to contend for the championship,” Harvick said of his pit crew hiccups. “I think our cars are as fast as they need to be. The guys do a great job of bringing fast cars every week.”

    “It’s just one mistake after another every week on pit road,” the driver of the No. 4 Budweiser Chevrolet said. “Hopefully they have a plan as to what they think they need to do in the shop with the two teams in the Chase, but that’s not my department.”

    “Pit crew would be our strength right now,” Hamlin said. “You know, we’ve got a lot of pieces of the puzzle put together for a championship run.”

    “As important as track position is nowadays, you’ve got to have great pit stops, and we feel like we’ve got that part licked, it’s just you’ve got to have faster cars, you’ve got to qualify better,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota said. “There’s a lot of things that go into a championship run, and we’re missing a couple of them very important pieces, and that’s speed.”

    Not Surprising: No doubt that there was no one more disappointed than Clint Bowyer, who had a good run at Richmond, finishing third, but still failed to make the Chase.

    “The boys brought in the best they could possibly build, put a lot of effort into it, I raced as hard as I could,” Bowyer said. “Have some work to do.”

    “Hell, everybody does looks to me like.”

    Surprising: While Jeff Gordon, the runner up at Richmond, stated that he believes the cream will rise to the top in Chase even with the new format, he also thinks the championship competition will be, well, intense.

    “I believe, no matter what the structure is, I still believe the best team wins,” the four-time champion said. “ I’ve always believed that and I still believe that. If it’s meant to be because you’ve prepared and you have the strong cars, the best team, I think you’re going to make it to Homestead and you’re going to win the championship.”

    “But it’s going to be intense,” the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet continued. “Oh, yeah, it’s going to be really, really intense. I think you actually have to try to balance out that intensity to try to make it not too intense for yourself.”

    Not Surprising: Even with the exemption granted by NASCAR for Chase eligibility with a win, it was not surprising that Tony Stewart, with all on his mind and his heart, simply could not pull of that feat.

    Smoke had a problem on pit road with a missing lug nut, setting him back to the tail end of the field. The driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished 15th.

    Surprising: Although Roush Fenway Racing got two drivers into the Chase, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle, marking the 11th time in 11 seasons of the Chase that RFR has gotten multiple entries into the playoffs, it was a still a surprisingly disappointing race night for their three team drivers.

    Biffle was the highest finishing Roush Fenway Racing driver in 19th, Carl Edwards finished 22nd and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished 26th.

    “I’ll tell you what, it’s got to be the toughest race of my life,” Biffle said. “Man, I drove so hard, and we just missed the setup. It was clear that our whole company did, Carl and Ricky and myself.”

    “We were way off tonight, which is frustrating because five top 10s in a row put us in this position, but tonight was not pretty.”

    “I drove as hard as I could, and it was enough to get us in. I knew I needed to be in the top 20, and like I said, it was all I could do.”

    “We just missed the setup,” Edwards said, echoing Biffle’s sentiments. “A year ago we won this race with our Kellogg’s Ford and we went on to finish last in the Chase. Hopefully tonight’s poor performance will bode well for the final 10 races.”

    Not Surprising: Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick had the best repartee when it came time to discuss the drunken fan who climbed the Turn 4 catch fence, bringing out a caution with just 63 laps to go in the race.

    Here is their conversation when asked about the fan on the fence:

    DENNY HAMLIN: Yeah, I saw that.

    KEVIN HARVICK: Those Virginia folks.

    DENNY HAMLIN: That caution put me two laps down. Knucklehead.

    KEVIN HARVICK: It used to be okay. I remember the first race I won, the whole backstretch grandstand was hanging on the fence. They never threw a caution then.

    DENNY HAMLIN: If he wants to play in traffic, it’s his problem.

    KEVIN HARVICK: Wasn’t a NASCAR employee, was he (smiling)?

    Surprising: With so many other drivers just trying to ensure their chance at the Chase competition, Kurt Busch surprisingly advised that he was already running a Chase race at Richmond.

    “We wanted to run tonight like we were running in the Chase,” the driver of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet said after finishing seventh. “We ran our own race tonight, finished 7th. If you can finish 7th the first three weeks of the Chase you’re going to advance. I think you can do that again in the next round of the Chase.”

    “That’s what it takes to be a championship-contending team, and this Haas Automation team is ready, Busch said. “We’re ready. We have a nice 10 weeks ahead of us where we’ve prepared for it.”

    “Here we are, so let’s go for it.”

    Not Surprising: As with every playoff situation, there are those looking for that Cinderella glass slipper, including one from a small team and one from the King’s team.

    “I feel like if we’re at our best, we have a shot at getting through the first three races and having a shot to move on,” AJ Allmendinger said. “We did a test at Charlotte, RCR has helped us get a new car ready for next week, so we’ve got to be ready to go. We’re at least in it, so we’ve got a shot at it.”

    “We don’t want to be just happy to be in the Chase,” Aric Almirola said. “We want to go and execute for the next 10 weeks, and we’re going to have to be flawless. “We’re up to the challenge. We’ve got two good weeks under our belt with top-10 finishes, and going into the Chase with a lot of momentum I feel like.”

    “I feel like we’re major underdogs, so we’re going to let it all hang out for the next 10 weeks and see

     

  • Then There Were 16 – The Chase Grid is Set for the 2014 Sprint Cup Championship

    Then There Were 16 – The Chase Grid is Set for the 2014 Sprint Cup Championship

    With only two more positions to be filled, and one race remaining, Saturday’s race at Richmond International Raceway held the promise of a no holds barred, fight to the finish. Instead it delivered an uneventful event but a dominant fourth win by Brad Keselowski who led 383 out of 400 laps. His fourth win also puts him atop the Chase Grid.

    Keselowski was thrilled saying, “What a night! Part of me, I pulled into victory lane and I pinched myself once to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. These are nights you don’t forget as a driver, and you live for. The Miller Lite Ford Fusion was just flying, and this is, I couldn’t ask for a better way to enter the Chase than to win and take the first seed.”

    Greg Biffle held on with a 19th place finish to make the Chase by seven points and is seeded 15th on the Chase Grid. Ryan Newman finished ninth to secure the 16th spot.

    The points have been reset and all of the 16 drivers in the Chase Grid begin with 2000 points. Three additional bonus points are given for each win during the 26 race regular season.

    Keselowski is first with 2012 points. Positions second through fifth are held by the drivers who earned three victories each during the regular season accumulating 2009 points each. Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Joey Logano are in positions second through fifth, respectively.

    Jeff Gordon finished second at Richmond but is excited to begin the Chase.

    “This team is on fire, and we just can’t wait to get it all started,” he said. “It’s been a heck of a year. Our fans and the way that they’ve embraced this season has been extremely motivating, and I know how proud they are. And we’re proud of the effort and the results that we’re getting this year. Ten more weeks that we’ve got to get it done, and this team is ready to do that.”

    Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick, with two wins and 2006 points each, are sixth and seventh.

    The drivers with one win during the regular season begin the Chase with 2003 points. Positions eighth through 13th, in order, are held by Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Aric Almirola, and AJ Allmendinger.

    Matt Kenseth, with zero wins and 2000 points is in the 14th spot and is joined by Greg Biffle (15th) and Ryan Newman (16th), also with 2000 points each to complete the Chase Grid.

    Next week on September 14, the series travels to Chicagoland, the first of three races in the Challenger Round. Then it’s on to New Hampshire on September 21 and the final race in this round which is at Dover on September 28.

    The Challenger Round – 3 Races/16 Drivers: At the end of the Challenger Round, the top 12 drivers will advance to the Contender Round.  Win a race in the Challenger Round and you automatically advance to the Contender Round. The remaining top 12 drivers will be set by points. All drivers who advance will then have their points total reset to 3000 for the Contender Round.

    The Contender Round – 3 Races/12 Drivers (Kansas, Charlotte, Talladega): At the end of the Contender Round, the top eight drivers will advance to the Eliminator Round. Win a race in the Contender Round and you automatically advance to the Eliminator Round. The remaining top eight drivers will be set by points. All drivers who advance will then have their points total reset to 4000.

    The Eliminator Round – 3 Races/8 Drivers (Martinsville, Texas, Phoenix): At the end of the Eliminator Round, the top four drivers will advance to the final Championship Round. Win a race in the Eliminator Round and you automatically advance to the Championship Round. The remaining top four drivers will be set by points. All drivers who advance will then have their points total reset to 5000.

    The Sprint Cup Championship – 1 Race/4 Drivers: The final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway will determine the new champion. The first to cross the finish line of the remaining four eligible drivers will be the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion.

    Chase Grid Set.2014

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Keselowski Wins Sprint Cup Coors Light Pole Award at Richmond

    Keselowski Wins Sprint Cup Coors Light Pole Award at Richmond