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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex dominated at Las Vegas, capturing the first two stages and passing Brad Keselowski’s slowing Ford with two laps to go. Truex scored the maximum 60 points, and is fourth in the points standings, five out of first.

“What does a car engine that sweeps all three stages of a Cup race sound like?” Truex said. “‘Broom! Broom!’”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Las Vegas and appeared to be headed to victory before he slowed dramatically due to mechanical issues. He faded to fifth but leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“I’m not sure what happened,” Keselowski said. “All I know is my engine was like a Kyle Busch-Joey Logano fight—it lacked ‘punch.’”

3. Kyle Larson: Larson took the runner-up spot in the Kobalt Tools 400, posting his second top five of the year. He is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, one behind Brad Keselowski.

“I came close to winning again,” Larson said. “I’m really envious of Martin Truex Jr. and that giant wrench he was awarded as the winner. And that giant wrench is jealous of Kyle Busch and Joey Logano because they are bigger tools.”

4. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth after contact with Kyle Busch sent Busch’s No. 18 Toyota spinning into the infield. A furious Busch confronted Logano on pit road, but crew members separated them, although Busch was bloodied in the skirmish.

“Hopefully,” Logano said, “Kyle didn’t get any blood on his driving suit. I’m not sure laundry detergent will get that out, because what happens in Vegas stains in Vegas.”

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick blew his right front tire and slammed the wall on lap 68, ending his day at Las Vegas. He finished 38th.

“My day ended way too early,” Harvick said. “I’m surprised NASCAR officials didn’t penalize me for exiting the race too quickly.

“I was upset because it took medical personnel way too long to arrive on the scene of my accident. That’s unacceptable. So, one week after they ‘took my time,’ it appears they’re ‘taking their time.’”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 30th after a rough day at his home track at Las Vegas.

“I had to make an extended pit stop to replace my battery on lap 66,” Busch said. “And I was powerless to do anything about it.

“And speaking of dead batteries, how about my brother Kyle’s ‘charge’ at Joey Logano? Kyle just lost his mind there. But take it from me, when anger gets the best of a Busch brother, everyone else gets the worst of a Busch brother.”

7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 12th at Las Vegas, and has finished 12th or better in all three races this season. He is ninth in the points standings.

“Jimmie Johnson hasn’t posted a top-10 finish this season,” Kahne said. “Jimmie’s not one to whine about misfortune, but if he chooses to, he should do it in his trophy room.

“In any case, Jimmie’s quest for another championship is on, and he’s calling it ‘48 For Eight.’”

8. Chase Elliott: Elliott took third at Las Vegas, scoring his second top five of the year.

“Kyle Busch went after Joey Logano and came away with bleeding,” Elliott said. ‘Sliced Bread,’ meet ‘Sliced Head.’

“As NASCAR fights go, that was one of the worst in history. Of course, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison’s brawl at Daytona in 1979 is at the top of the list. In fact, it occupies the top two spots, because that fight featured a good number of ‘one-two’s.’”

9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth in the Kobalt Tools 400, registering his second top-10 finish of the season.

“After the race,” Kenseth said, “someone said ‘I didn’t hit anything.’ That could have been either Joey Logano or Kyle Busch.

“I have to support my Joe Gibbs Racing teammate in this Logano-Busch situation. I’ve wanted to punch Logano for a long time. His face is punchable, and when your nickname is ‘Sliced Bread,’ a knuckle sandwich is often on the menu.”

10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished seventh at Las Vegas and is seventh in the points standings, 26 out of first.

“As you know,” Blaney said, “my father is Dave Blaney. I really have to thank my father for encouraging me to follow in his footsteps. Every Father’s Day, I’m grateful that Dave Blaney is my father, and even more grateful that Tom Logano is not.”

March 14, 2017
The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

I wonder what the highlight was from Las Vegas? Just maybe it was the passing opportunity to see Joey Logano get his ass kicked on pit road. However, before that could happen, a lot of dudes on Logano’s race team quickly took Kyle Busch out of the mix as their driver literally got carried off to safety. Rowdy wound up leaving the fray with a small cut on his forehead.

I learned I will never get a job as a NASCAR official at track level. Did you see the size of those lads who helped lead Busch away from the melee? I don’t know what their names are, but Mister, Sir, or whatever they want to be called works for me. They were not little fellows.

As for the spark that led to the tussle, that would have been when Busch dived down to get by a slowing Brad Keselowski on the final lap and made contact with Logano. As they went by, Logano wiggled a bit and the ensuing contact sent Busch for a spin through pit road. Was it all Joey’s fault? Not really, but it sure was fun to watch the aftermath.

Keselowski had the race won. Then with two to go, he found himself with some kind of mechanical issue that took away his brakes and affected his steering. He fell back, and Martin Truex Jr. completed the sweep with two to go, claiming both Stages and coming back to accept the gift that fate bestowed upon him. For Truex, it marked his eighth career victory, gave him at least a win in each of the past three seasons, and he all but placed himself in the Chase.

Las Vegas is going to get a fall race next season, but for most of Sunday, it was just a bunch of guys all spread out going fast and turning left. Not terribly exciting visually, at least until near the end. Then things got real interesting.

Keselowski, along with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney provided the main opposition in this one. In the end, Larson and Elliott were second and third, while Keselowski got the third highest number of points in finishing fifth. Blaney had the fourth best tally despite coming home seventh. To illustrate the impact of the points system now in place, Matt Kenseth was ninth at the line but claimed 30 fewer points, half that of the winner. Being up front all day long and finishing somewhere in the vicinity at the end is what it is all about.

Not a good day for Kevin Harvick. He had the best total coming in but left with just a single marker after blowing a right front and plowing into the fence in the opening stage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not much of a factor on the day, finishing 16th and still sits outside the Top 25. Jimmie Johnson was 11th and is slowly making his way up the ladder. As for the other hometown boy, Kurt Busch got his win at Daytona but Sunday saw him 30th after having issues much of the day. Unlike his brother, however, he did manage to leave the track without a mark on his head.

Now it is off to Phoenix, where Harvick has claimed six of the past nine events staged there, including last spring. Logano won there in the fall, and may again as long as he does not have to pass a certain M&M painted vehicle on the last lap. Johnson has four victories, Junior has a trio to his credit. No time like the present to revisit some old glory. Maybe this time we might have something to talk about other than a mechanical failure or a failure to communicate. We can always hope.

March 13, 2017
Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been in the news this week after the announcement that the track will host two triple-header NASCAR events in 2018. But did you know that this year marks the 20th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event held at the venue?

Mark Martin won the first race, the Las Vegas 400, in his No.6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, on March 1, 1998. Eleven different drivers have won at the track including multiple race winners Jimmie Johnson who leads all drivers with four victories and Matt Kenseth with three. Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards each have two checkered flags at the 1.5-mile speedway.

It will probably come as no surprise that four-time winner Johnson has the series-best driver rating at Las Vegas at 113.4. But did you know that Las Vegas native Kyle Busch also has some impressive stats at the track?

In 2008, Busch grabbed the pole to become the youngest pole winner at 22 years and 10 months. He followed that up in 2009 with another Coors Light Pole Award, the only driver to claim consecutive poles at Vegas. But Busch didn’t stop there. He drove to victory lane and became the first and only driver to win from the pole position. One win, five top fives, six top 10s and two poles give Busch the second-best driver rating, 103.4.

You might think that starting on the front row gives drivers the best opportunity for victory but that isn’t necessarily true. Did you know that nine of the 19 races (47.4%) at LVMS were won from a top-10 starting position? But starting position isn’t everything. Kenseth won in 2004 after starting 25th, the deepest in the field of any Vegas winner.

Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner and will enter this weekend’s competition with momentum after his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. In eight starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he has two victories (2014, 2016) with three top fives and 10 top 10s. He also has something else going for him. Did you know that Ford leads the car manufacturers with nine visits to Victory Lane at LVMS? They are followed by Chevrolet with seven wins, Toyota (two) and Dodge (one).

Three drivers who have won at Las Vegas have gone on to win the Cup Series championship in the same year, Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010). Will another driver add their name to this list? Tune into FOX Sunday, March 12 at 3:30 p.m. for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 as the action continues.

Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

March 10, 2017
Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

One thing that pops out at you are some of the unfamiliar names among our Hot 20 after a couple of races. Even more so, all the familiar names not there.

No Jimmie Johnson. No Kyle Busch. No Dale Earnhardt Jr. It is early, and a couple of stage wins at Las Vegas could move them up. A win certainly would, but for now, their usual places are being held by someone else.

One is a definite Hall of Famer. Hell, they all are, especially when you consider that every eligible driver with 25 wins or more is already there, with the exception of Jim Paschal. I would expect that 25 race winner to make it soon enough. Just not this year. This week, the nominees for the class of 2018 were announced.

I thought I knew who I would vote for. Then I saw all the names, and it got a bit complicated. For one, just where in hell is Smokey Yunick’s name? A legendary mechanic, builder, and crew chief who came up with innovations that prompted NASCAR’s rule book to come up with restrictions to counter them. You know all those templates the cars need to fit today? You can blame Smokey for that. To say that he was not a fan of the France family is a bit of an understatement. The fact Yunick remains off the ballot would seem to indicate the feeling was mutual…and still is. That is a damned shame.

Who would I put in? Broadcaster Ken Squier, without hesitation. NASCAR still awaits his successor, the voice that you can just lean back and ride along with on a summer afternoon as you tinker with your own wheels out on the driveway under a blue sky. As for the other nominees, as I said, it gets complicated. Is 25 wins a benchmark for drivers, or do other factors come into play, such as a championship or a tragic loss? How do we determine which owner, which crew chief, what engine builder is deserving? How much weight do you give to those in Cup, compared to other NASCAR series? A lot of deserving names, popular choices, but which five to be included in the Class of 2018? You could say that to try and forecast the outcome is going to be a bit of a crap shoot.

They are used to that, I guess, in Las Vegas, as the gambler’s paradise is going to get a second race next season. Okay, but where was it going to come from? It makes sense economically to put another event in a town that is just one great big attraction itself. Just as long as it did not take away from a track that features action most love to watch. Not Daytona, Not Talladega, Not Bristol. Instead, the Magic Mile of Loudon, New Hampshire loses its September date after a 21-year run. It was a transfer between two properties owned by Speedway Motorsports’ Bruton Smith, who himself is a Hall of Famer.

One good bet is that Smith will be joined in the Hall, some day, by the first three names you see among our Hot 20 heading into Las Vegas.

1. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 86 PTS
Forget yoga, as nothing relaxes a driver more than a Daytona 500 win and a pass to the Chase.

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 84 PTS
Dear Kevin: Many thanks. Love, Brad.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 90 PTS
Dear Brad: Kiss my butt. Love, Kevin.

4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 82 PTS
Not a question of if, but when. He is the “next one.”

5. JOEY LOGANO – 80 PTS
When it comes to Las Vegas, Joey is great…but has yet to seal the deal.

6. KYLE LARSON – 79 PTS
Low, low, high, goodbye. Atlanta could have been different if only…

7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 67 PTS
For him, Las Vegas is more like a Kansas song. You know, “Dust in the Wind.”

8. KASEY KAHNE – 63 PTS
According to this chart, the second best damn driver for Hendrick.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 63 PTS
Team was born in 1950. The Legend was born in 1953. The driver was born in 1993.

10. TREVOR BAYNE – 58 PTS
Performance Plus is the sponsor. Performance plus is what they are looking for on Sunday.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 49 PTS
Once trailed Allmendinger until A.J.’s 35 point penalty for his lack of lug nuts at Atlanta.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 47 PTS
Some say not a good fantasy pick at the moment. To be honest, I’ve never fantasized about him.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 46 PTS
After the last couple of years, this is just freaking awesome!

14. PAUL MENARD – 44 PTS
Name his sponsor. Wrong. It is Valvoline…and Menards.

15. MATT KENSETH – 41 PTS
Along with Jimmie, Junior, Kasey, and Trevor, he likes to ride bicycles. Manly bicycles.

16. COLE WHITT – 38 PTS
Good start for TriStar Motorsports and its 25-year old wheel man. Can he keep the No. 72 up there?

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 37 PTS
17th trip to Las Vegas, but third is the best he has done (2015).

18. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 37 PTS
Ninth at Daytona. 28th at Atlanta. A betting man might not like his odds for Sunday.

19. DENNY HAMLIN – 37 PTS
A messed up rear end (on the car, not the driver) ruined his march down to Georgia.

20. LANDON CASSILL – 36 PTS
Thanks A.J.

March 8, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Atlanta

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started from the pole at Atlanta and won the first two segments, but a late pit road speeding penalty cost him the victory.

“I guess I should have backed off a little going down pit road,” Harvick said. “But I ‘pushed,’ and once again, Brad Keselowski was the recipient.

“My wife DeLana was not happy with Austin Dillon for staying out and causing the caution, and she took to Twitter to voice her displeasure with the No. 3 team. Unfortunately, no amount of sad-face emojis will give me the victory.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski capitalized on Kevin Harvick’s speeding penalty and zoomed past Kyle Larson to win the Folds Of Honor Quik Trips 500.

“Even while Harvick was dominating,” Keselowski said, “I kept my composure, then I proved I can come through under pressure when I passed Larson. Not to boast, but I’ve got a huge set of testicles. And do you know what holds a pair that large? A ‘Monster Cup.’”

3. Kurt Busch: Coming off his career-defining win at Daytona, Busch finished seventh at Atlanta, and is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“Monster Energy is the new Cup sponsor,” Busch said, “and I’m proud to display the Monster logo all over my car. Heck, I don’t see the word ‘Monster’ used this much except in court filings against me.”

4. Kyle Larson: Larson led late at Atlanta, but was passed by Brad Keselowski with six laps to go and settled for the runner-up spot. Larson is sixth in the points standings.

“I’ve had the lead late in the last three Cup races,” Larson said, “and didn’t win any of them. I keep asking myself ‘What happened?’ I don’t have an answer. Now, if you ask me ‘What happened?’ during the Atlanta race, I do have an answer. It’s ‘nothing.’That was one of the most uneventful races in NASCAR history. The only exciting action appeared on a NASCAR official’s timing device. Ask Harvick and he’ll tell you it was a ‘stop watch.’”

5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne posted his second top 10 of the year with a fourth at Atlanta.

“Kevin Harvick obviously had the best car in the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500,” Kahne said. “But the key words here are ‘QuikTrip,’ because Harvick was a little too fast heading down pit road. Honestly, I’m skeptical that Harvick was, in fact, speeding. I think NASCAR wanted a competitive end to a race that Harvick was easily dominating. In a sport in where you’re always looking for that extra mile per hour, NASCAR officials seem to be the best at finding it.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano finished sixth in the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta.

“Congratulations to my Penske teammate Brad Keselowski,” Logano said. “That was a huge win, and Brad was very excited. You could hear it in his voice right after he took the checkered flag. If you were listening in on his radio feed, you probably didn’t need an FBI warrant to do so.”

7. Chase Elliott: Elliott placed fifth at Atlanta for his second top-10 finish of the season, once again leading the Hendrick Motorsports charge along with teammate Kasey Kahne.

“This was the first race of the season without Rob Gronkowski’s presence,” Elliott said. “But even if he’s not at the track, Rob will be there in spirit, because there’s a lap 69 in every race this year.”

8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished eighth at Atlanta in the No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota.

“I think all drivers are pleased with the new points system,” Truex said. “Now, I’m not sure the fans feel the same way because it can be a bit complicated. But once you understand it, it’s simple. So, to NASCAR fans, I say ‘Do the math.’ And, to fans from Jeremy Mayfield’s hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky, I say ‘There’s an ‘A’ in ‘math,’ not an ‘E.’”

9. Matt Kenseth: After a disappointing result at Daytona, Kenseth bounced back with a third at Atlanta.

“I’m still getting used to not having Carl Edwards as a teammate,” Kenseth said. “Carl suddenly announced his retirement back in January and said he may have plans to win for political office. If Carl is ever elected, it will be the first time he’s won a race that mattered.”

10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished 18th at Atlanta and is now eighth in the points standings.

“They say speed runs in my family,” Blaney said. “If that’s true, let hope it skipped a generation because my father Dave didn’t win a single Cup race.”

March 7, 2017
The Final Word – Atlanta goes to Keselowski, with major assists from Larson and Harvick

Atlanta. Let me just say that the damned narrative I had for this race just went to crap over the final 15 laps.

Brad Keselowski won. 22 victories. This time, if he has any self respect, he needs to send out a few lines of thanks to a pair of drivers. Kyle Larson would be one of them. Larson ran low, did well, but for some reason he thought Keselowski would pass him on high, so he stayed high. Brad passed him down low, and drove away. Larson has one win, and seven runner-up finishes. I am starting to see why.

As for that other card, that should go to Kevin Harvick. I had thought I was going to write how Harvick led from start to finish. I thought I might mention how he easily claimed the first two stages, led over 200 laps to totally dominate this event. That is what I thought. Then, with about 15 to go, and under caution, Harvick sped on pit road. He went from first to 14th on the re-start, and wound up 9th.

Even though Harvick leads the standings by four over Kurt Busch, the Daytona 500 winner, and six ahead of Keselowski, that free pass to the Chase will have to wait. On the day, he was credited with 48 points, just five less than the race winner, one fewer than Chase Elliott in fifth, and more than Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, the elder Busch, and Martin Truex, Jr., all of whom finished ahead of Harvick at the end. A good points day, but 17 fewer than what he should have had. Brad, you are welcome.

It was a day for speeders. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did it early, and sunk like a stone, never to be seen again. Jimmie Johnson did it twice. Expanding the timing lines on pit road seemed to have had the same effect as a new speed trap out on the highway. Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane would have been proud. Some recovered somewhat, while others did not.

Let’s face it, Atlanta was not Daytona. Pack racing is exciting due to the “what if” factor of someone wobbling or bumping or losing traction at the wrong time. Spread them out, let the visual be of a bunch of folks just turning left a lot, and it is something only a true racing afficionado can appreciate.

That does not mean it did not come with a few twists. Denny Hamlin had an issue with the rear end of his beast, was able to go to the garage for mechanical repairs, but ran out of time to make a return viable. Ryan Newman had a crew man jump over the wall early, and when a battery issue rose up a bit later, he was toast. No spark also meant Austin Dillon was left in the cold, outside the Top 30.

Only 39 cars hit the starting grid in this one. None of the three non-Charter entries finished better than 34th. On the bright side, they did not finish dead last either. That honor belonged to the #51 of Cody Ware in the 21 year old North Carolina driver’s Cup debut. Steering issues parked him early.

Next on the schedule is Las Vegas, where word has it a second race is being sought for the venue. Keselowski has won two of the past three, on either side of a win by Harvick. Johnson has four there. Kenseth has won three. Something tells me the winner next Sunday could well have a familiar face.

March 6, 2017
Seven-Time’s Success at Atlanta

HAMPTON, Ga. — Atlanta Motor Speedway has been dominated by a number of drivers over the years. There was Dale Earnhardt with nine wins, Bobby Labonte with six and Jeff Gordon with five. Now Jimmie Johnson owns the deed to the Hampton, Georgia facility.

Although Kevin Harvick dominated the stat sheet in the last three visits, it’s Johnson who has stood in victory lane when all was said and done in two of those three years (the third belongs to Kasey Kahne in 2014). In 2015, Johnson pulled away on the restart with 13 to go to win, despite Harvick leading 116 of the 325 laps to Johnson’s 92. The following year, Harvick again led more laps than anybody (131), but a slow pit stop, compared to Johnson, saw Harvick lose the race to the driver of the No. 48 car.

“I can say the last two races we have won here we didn’t really get our stuff situated until late in the going and been able to come out on top,” Johnson said. “Just because you might have a slow Friday or a slow start to the race I don’t think you can count anybody out. We have a lot of chances to work on the car and can make stuff happen here, which is really neat.”

Atlanta was the location of the win that came when Hendrick Motorsports was at their lowest in 2004. A week after a plane crash in Stuart, Virginia that killed eight members of the Hendrick Motorsports organization/members of Rick Hendrick’s family, Johnson took the lead on the final restart and beat Mark Martin, who led 227 of 325 laps, by nearly three-tenths of a second (.293). It was also his third-consecutive win, with wins at Charlotte and Martinsville the preceding two weeks. This made him the first to do so since Gordon in 1998-99 (Rockingham, Atlanta (1998) and the Daytona 500 (1999)).

In 2007, Johnson swept both Atlanta races, the last time this was accomplished prior to Atlanta scaling back to one race in 2011. The fall race was the second of four-straight wins, winning the previous week at Martinsville and winning the following weeks at Texas and Phoenix on the way to his second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series title.

He was involved in a memorable battle for the win, despite coming up on the losing end, in 2011, with then teammate Gordon. For the final 10 laps, the two drivers battled side-by-side or in close proximity on worn out tires. Johnson made one final drive for the win, only to back off the gas exiting Turn 4 to avoid wrecking out and settled for runner-up.

He admitted that he had trouble remembering what happened that day in 2011. But said he more vividly recalled his duel with Gordon at Martinsville in 2007 because “I came out on top.”

Needless to say, Atlanta has been a great track for Johnson over his career, as well as Hendrick Motorsports.

“When I look back over my career and when I think of Hendrick related race cars and success from (Jerry) Nadeau running well here, Jeff has obviously always been amazing here. (Kasey) Kahne, it has been a good track for (Dale Earnhardt) Junior over the years. It is a good track for all of us.”

March 4, 2017
Atlanta Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

This weekend all three NASCAR series travel to Atlanta Motor Speedway culminating with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. But did you know that this race will mark a milestone in the series as the 2,500th Cup race?

The first Cup Series race was run at Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 19, 1949, and was won by Jim Roper in his No. 34 Lincoln in what was then called the “Strictly Stock” series. Glenn Dunaway was originally declared the winner but was disqualified for illegal modifications to the rear springs on his car, giving the victory to Roper.

This race will be special for another reason as well. Following this weekend’s events, Atlanta Motor Speedway will be repaved for the first time in 20 years. The asphalt track is the second- oldest racing surface on the NASCAR circuit.

There are currently 23 racetracks on NASCAR’s Cup Series schedule but did you know that the series has competed on 156 different tracks? There have been 234 Coors Light Pole winners and 186 different drivers who have taken the checkered flag among 2,536 competitors who have made starts in the series.

The first Cup Series race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, and was won by Fireball Roberts from the pole position. There have been 43 different winners. Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with nine wins while Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with five. Did you know that Kyle Busch is the youngest Atlanta winner with a victory on March 9, 2008, at 22 years, 10 months and seven days? The oldest driver to win at Atlanta was Morgan Shepherd on March 20, 1993, at 51 years, five months and eight days.

Starting position is always important but it may surprise you to know that only 14 of the 109 (12.8 percent) Cup races have been won from the pole at Atlanta. The most recent driver to do so was Kasey Kahne in 2006. The fifth starting position, however, has produced more winners with 15, than any other position at Atlanta. Jeff Gordon was the most recent to win from fifth place, in 2011. But starting position isn’t everything. Bobby Labonte won in the fall of 2001 after starting 39th.

Jimmie Johnson leads the pack heading to Atlanta and is looking for a three-peat. He won this race in 2015 and 2016 and has the best driver rating, 107.1. But Kurt Busch, fresh off his Daytona 500 triumph and the 2016 pole winner, should also be a contender. Did you know that Busch leads all active drivers in laps led at the track with 749? He also has three Atlanta wins and the fifth-best driver rating (95.4).

With a new format this season that encourages aggressive racing, anything is possible. Did you know that on March 11, 2001, we saw the closest margin of victory since the advent of electronic scoring at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Kevin Harvick won over Jeff Gordon by a MOV of 0.006 seconds? Could we see a repeat of this competitiveness? Tune into FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday to watch the action in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 as the 2017 season continues.

Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

March 3, 2017
The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

So, you want a car just like the one that won the Daytona 500, eh? Well, you get yourself a sparkling new Ford Fusion. Splash it up with some red on the hood, and basic black the rest of the way around. Polish it up so it is real shiny and pretty. Then take a Louisville Slugger and beat on that beauty from stem to stern. Just to make it more authentic, squeeze it up tight against the right door frame of the garage as you put it to bed. Now…splash beer and some Monster Energy drink all over the sucker, and you will be living the Kurt Busch Daytona experience.

One lap is all he led in a car that was among 35 that had suffered some damage in some wreck over the course of the day. In the end, Ryan Blaney wanted a piece of him, but the gap only got wider as they came to the line. Chase Elliott wanted it bad, but a car does not run so good when it is out of fuel on the final lap. Kyle Larson’s entry coughed and sputtered, and that allowed the Busch ship to set sail for Victory Lane. For the newly married former Cup champ, this marked his first win on the sport’s biggest stage.

Things did not go so well for his younger brother. Kyle Busch was among a crew that pitted early, then tucked back in at the tail of the lead lap, just in front of leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. When a rear tire blew, Busch went for a spin and while Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth then piled up into him, Earnhardt clipped the wreckage to remove his front right fender to end the day for the quartet.

Next week, you might notice some pulled threads that once held the logo on a certain driver’s fire suit, the logo just above the big M&M endorsement. They might be a sponsor for now, but post-wreck Kyle had an observation he wished to share with the world.

“Obviously Goodyear tires are not very good holding air,” he remarked. “So, it’s very frustrating when we have that down here every single year we’ve been here.” A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

Fifteen cars were left on the lead lap. Ten others were still running. Fifteen more were parked in the garage. Under the new rules, if you could not return to pit road and make repairs using original parts and racing tape in five minutes, your race is over. Along with Busch, Jones, Kenseth, and Earnhardt, there was Junior’s nephew Jeffrey Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, the couple of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher, and D.J. Kennington. Make that thirteen Americans, a Mexican, and a Canadian.

Might I suggest that NASCAR introduce a new experience for their fans? They pay to watch the race from a suite, and all drivers out of the race then join them. That would have been one hell of a room at Daytona, but I wonder if they had a venue large enough.

One complaint. No, it is not about the stages, which were won by Rowdy Busch and Kevin Harvick. I did not really mind the format, to be honest. However, as I am intelligent enough to remember what series I am watching, maybe return the names of the drivers to the windshield instead of “Monster Energy.” I thought doing so a few years back was a nice gesture to help fans identify who was who even if the car number was not visible. I wonder whose idea it was to rescind that nice gesture in favor of extra splash for the sponsor?

For Monster Energy, it was a good beginning for them. Even the car they sponsor won the race. Now, there are some who do not think this was racing. Maybe they are right. However, it was damned entertaining television. Let us hope that Sunday in Atlanta is just as memorable, if not a little kinder on the folks who have to deal with the carnage back at the shop.

February 27, 2017
The Final Word – A new season, new rules, new hopes, and new busty gals at Daytona

The sun was shining, at least on Sunday, the birds were singing, and joy was back in our hearts. A new NASCAR season is now upon us, and we could not be happier. We learned over the offseason that if a car gets too torn up that it cannot be fixed in five minutes on pit road using original pieces, other than tons of tape, its gets parked. We discovered that the runner-up in a race could wind up with less points than a car finishing 21st. The lesson there is, if you want to pick up extra points, do so while your car is in pristine condition. If it is wrecked, unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, you won’t be back.

We still were learning things during the Clash at Daytona. Jimmie Johnson broke loose all on his lonesome and clipped Kurt Busch. It straightened out Johnson, but the Busch auto wound up crumpled like a mishandled can of baked beans. Later, Johnson broke loose again, and all he found this time was an inside wall to conclude his race. From what we heard from Johnson and commentator Dale Earnhardt Jr., the boys and girl might have a downforce problem to start the season. Good for fans who want the unexpected, but very bad for drivers.

We learned that for all the talk about how wonderful the new look Toyotas are, the competition still seems able to do the job. Joey Logano in a Ford won the Clash, though that was due to Denny Hamlin using his Toyota to block Brad Keselowski, sending both for an unexpected ride. When it came to qualifying, no Toyota up front. The Rick Hendrick duo of Chase Elliott and Earnhardt locked their Chevys into the front row come next Sunday.

We learned that teams should not send too many men over the wall. Kyle Larson’s team did, and Larson got parked late in the Clash. It appears undocumented folks going over the wall will not be tolerated in NASCAR either this season. In, fact, they did a little rewriting of their lawbooks. For example, where once we had multiple levels of infractions, now we shall have only two.

Level 1 misdeeds include failing weight, heights, or missing three lug nuts at the end, and that could cost up to 40 points, a three-race holiday for a crew chief, and a $75,000 donation. Level 2, which is more a capital offense, includes targeting traction control, tire manipulation, and illegal testing. Seventy-five points, a six-race vacation for the crew chief and others involved, and up to a $200,000 financial slap. It appears NASCAR is going all Carrie Underwood on them. You know, “Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.”

We learned that if there is a chance a driver got his bell rung, he or she will spend some time with the medics. That goes for all cars having to head to the garage, on a hook or not. After Junior missed half of last season due to a concussion, maybe you could call it the “Earnhardt Rule.” It is a step forward to better ensure even our favorites have to sit if their health is in jeopardy.

We learned that some NASCAR fans do not like to see busty women wearing leather outfits in Victory Lane. I noticed one in the background behind Logano on Sunday, but I guess I did not get a real good look at her. After reading the complaints, I went searching. I mean, what kind of journalist would I be without doing some due diligence? Okay, the Monster Energy girls are not dressed to impress the Amish, but as long as they do not go around carrying whips and promoting any shades of a certain movie franchise, I’m cool.

I’m cool with sitting back and taking in the action for this Thursday’s Duels. Hopefully, they will attract a hell of a lot more than the estimated “crowd” of 15,000 that turned out last Sunday. With all but two of the cars locked into the Daytona 500, it might not produce the most intense action ever, but there are points to be awarded to the Top Ten in each of the heats this year. Just think about it. My fellow Canadian D.J. Kennington could not only race his way into the Daytona 500, but he could wind up being the co-leader in points come next Sunday.

I am sure enjoying my new meds.

February 20, 2017