Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Jimmie Johnson

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 309 PTS
    Ditto.

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

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

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

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

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

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick scored his third runner-up finish of the season with a second in the Coca-Cola 600.

    “I signed a contract extension with Stewart-Haas Racing,” Harvick said. “We met at the bargaining table; they made me an offer, I signed it, and, you know me, I pushed it back across the table.” Pushed.

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson took third in the Coca-Cola 600 as Martin Truex Jr. captured a dominating win. Johnson is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, 48 out of first.

    “Truex certainly had the best car,” Johnson said. “I got close to him a few times, but he just pulled away easily. I really think he was just toying with the other 39 cars. Really, I don’t think anyone has ‘played the field’ like that since Tim Richmond.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won the pole and led 392 of 400 laps on his way to a dominating win in the Coca Cola 600, leading all but 12 miles of the race.

    “We had the field covered,” Truex said, “or, in Furniture Row-speak, we had the field ‘upholstered.’ Everything went right for us, which was surprising. The way things had been going, I was expecting the wheels to fall off, both literally and figuratively.

    “Lewis Hamilton celebrated his Monaco Grand Prix with Justin Bieber. I hear he handed Bieber a bottle of champagne in Victory Lane. I’ve heard of DRS-enabled; Bieber at Monaco is a case of TMZ-enabled.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 33rd at Charlotte, eight laps down, suffering his second-worst result of the year, and second finish in a row of 30th or worse.

    “I slammed the wall hard with 10 laps to go,” Busch said, “and NASCAR didn’t even throw a caution. I guess NASCAR officials ‘86’ed’ the caution. Or maybe they ‘78’ed’ it.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish of the year with a sixth at Charlotte. He is second in the points standings, trailing Kevin Harvick by 36.

    “I think everyone was happy to see Truex win,” Busch said. “I guess the old adage “Nice guys finish last” doesn’t apply, at least not now. I was skeptical, because with Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch winning the last two Sprint Cup championships, the old adage ‘A-holes finish first’ has been the norm.”

    6. Carl Edwards: Edwards was penalized twice for speeding on pit row and suffered a finish of 18th, one lap down. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 53 out of first.

    “Busted for speeding twice,” Edwards said. “I think we’ve seen this before because this certainly isn’t the first time a NASCAR driver has been brought down by ‘two-timing.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski came home fifth in the Coca-Cola 600, posting his fourth top-five result of the season.

    “The Sunday before Memorial Day is the greatest day of the year in auto racing,” Keselowski said. “Race fans can start the day in Monaco, head to Indianapolis, and finish the day in Charlotte. In other words, race mileage is inversely proportionate to culture.”

    8. Joey Logano: Logano finished ninth in the Coca Cola 600, joining Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski in the top 10.

    “I didn’t win on Sunday,” Logano said, “but I did win the All-Star Race last week. It’s nice to have my name engraved on the winner’s trophy. That’s a far cry from the rules for the All-Star Race, which are written in pencil.”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished eighth at Charlotte, recording his fourth consecutive top-10 result. He is eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings.

    “Martin Truex Jr. won one of NASCAR’s crown jewel races,” Elliott said. “The Coca-Cola 600. The Indianapolis 500 may have ‘Carburation Day;’ now, Truex can celebrate with ’Carbonation Day.’”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished seventh at Charlotte, posting his third top 10 in the last three races.

    “Congratulations to Martin Truex Jr.,” Kenseth said. “You know, Joe Gibbs Racing shares an alliance with Furniture Row Racing. That means we share technical data, strategies, and a dislike for Carl Edwards.”

  • The Final Word – Celebrating the Memorial Day weekend with cola, milk, wine and Bieber

    The Final Word – Celebrating the Memorial Day weekend with cola, milk, wine and Bieber

    It was the year’s greatest race day, with three major events taking place. The Monaco Grand Prix, the Indianapolis 500, and the World 600 could have meant a lot of couch time, never mind the latest episode of Game of Thrones, but I try to exercise while gazing at the tube. I mean, those sandwiches were not going to make themselves.

    The Formula One action in Monte Carlo, visually, was the best of the lot. Sure, as far as action goes, it featured the world’s worst pit stop when Daniel Ricciardo was ordered to pit for tires. Sadly, despite all the high-tech gadgetry, the engineering brainiacs upstairs failed to inform those poor wretches at track level, so no rubber was ready. The time wasted allowed Lewis Hamilton to take over the lead and that was about it. While it might have been another case of fast cars playing follow the leader, it was done at a track no one should be following anyone at such speeds, never mind attempting to pass. The narrow streets, the overlooking apartments, the tunnel under the Fairmont Monte Carlo hotel, and those Leonardo DiCaprio seducing yachts in the harbor, all combined to make this quite the spectacle.

    Then it happened. Down at track level were just a few special people. There were the teams, the top finishing drivers, Prince Albert II of Monaco…and Justin Bieber. Biebs. The man to whom Hamilton approached in celebration for high fives and back slaps. The man with whom Hamilton shared a drink from his huge bottle of champagne. Bloody Justin Bieber. My friends, the end of times are upon us.

    Next up was Indianapolis for the 100th edition of their annual classic. They had enough accidents to make one wonder if NASCAR did not institute an open wheel division. When contender Juan Pablo Montoya wrecked early, to be followed by Helio Castroneves, Townsend Bell and Ryan Hunter-Reay making contact on pit road to punt themselves out of the running, we were left wondering who might be there in the end. That proved to be the fuel saving 24-year old Alexander Rossi of California in his maiden voyage for Michael Andretti and partners. Last year he ran a handful of events in F-1, but probably bolted due to the threat of a Bieber appearance.

    Then it was time for the longest of the trio in Charlotte, North Carolina. 400 laps, 392 of them led by Martin Truex Jr. It was a lot like Monaco, with a widened track, fewer buildings and turns and no tunnel, along with some added fenders. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Brad Keselowski aided the bride in walking down the aisle. It might not have had the bang of the other two events, but it also did not have Justin Bieber. Anywhere.

    That was a good thing.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports’ Struggles Continue

    Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports’ Struggles Continue

    It’s no secret that Kasey Kahne has struggled to contend for wins in the past three seasons. In his last 84 starts, Kahne has just one win, eight top five finishes and an average finish of 17.3. Those certainly doesn’t sound like the numbers of a Hendrick Motorsports driver.

    Beyond Kahne’s struggles, it seems as though HMS, in general, is down this season,thanks mainly to Joe Gibbs Racing. The only driver that is a true threat this season at the organization, is, of course, Jimmie Johnson; he’s the only Hendrick driver to win in 2016.

    There’s no question that Chase Elliott has turned some heads, he’s been consistent each week, but he hasn’t truly battled for a win yet this season though he’s been knocking on the door.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains winless this season, averaging a 15th place finish. He’s had three runner-up finishes, those coming at Atlanta, Texas and Bristol. His runner-up finishes though have been overshadowed by the seven races he’s finished outside of the top 10.

    Don’t get me wrong, Hendrick Motorsports is still a threat to win each weekend, but the new dynasty in NASCAR in recent years is Joe Gibbs Racing. Including the races that have taken place this season and last, Joe Gibbs Racing has combined for an impressive 21 wins in 48 races; that’s almost half of the races. HMS has just 11 wins in those same 48 races, still not bad, but not even close to the new powerhouse in NASCAR.

    That aside, back to Kahne.

    Since Stewart-Hass  Racing announced their move to Ford in 2017, there has been a lot of speculation that Kevin Harvick might jump ship to HMS next season to stick with Chevy, presumably taking over for Kahne. Harvick quickly put those rumors to bed on Twitter denying any truth to them.

    Since those rumors have been squashed for the time being, another question remains. Is Kahne safe at Hendrick? Even with their struggles to find speed this season, Kahne is still the odd man out at HMS. In my opinion, Kahne hasn’t proven much while being at Hendrick Motorsports since joining in 2012. The only thing he’s proven is that he is not a real threat during the season or in the Chase.

    Although Harvick has denied a move to Hendrick, sometimes there is truth to rumors. I’m not saying Harvick is moving to HMS, however, you have to wonder if Kahne’s years at Hendrick are numbered and if a possible buyout is on the horizon. If Kahne doesn’t turn it around, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new face behind the wheel of the No. 5 car in the near future.

     

  • NASCAR BTS: Landon Cassill’s Big Ride

    NASCAR BTS: Landon Cassill’s Big Ride

    Finishing top-20 in a grueling race at the Monster Mile on Sunday apparently was not enough for Landon Cassill. The driver of the No. 38 MDS Transport Ford for Front Row Motorsports, along with fellow competitors Jimmie Johnson and Josh Wise, took to another track on Monday, participating in a 102.7-mile bike race.

    This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes focuses on both of Cassill’s big rides, the first at Dover and the second featuring 10,357 feet of climbing to the summit of Mt. Mitchell State Park in North Carolina.

    “On Sunday at Dover, we kind of battled with our car all day and had to scratch and claw to keep ourselves in the mix,” Cassill said. “We adjusted on the car almost every pit stop.  It wasn’t our best performance of the year but we were fortunate to miss the big wreck and kept going after that. I guess at the end of the day we got the points and the finish and that’s all that matters.”

    “Then on Monday, we got up at 4:00 am and flew from Dover to Spartanburg, South Carolina with Jimmie Johnson on his plane,” Cassill continued. “That got us to the starting point of the bike race at the Spartanburg Auditorium in downtown Spartanburg and continued along the Blue Ridge Parkway. And then the race was up the summit of Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina.”

    “Jimmie actually was the lead guy for us in terms of logistics and putting things together.”

    Cassill was one of about 800 plus cyclists participating in the 41st Assault on Mt. Mitchell, along with several other NASCAR colleagues competing to the top.

    “There were a couple of other NASCAR industry guys, one from the 11 car and one of the engineers from Stewart-Haas Racing, in the competition, Cassill said. “But as far as drivers it was Jimmie, Josh and myself.”

    “Josh beat us. He’s a pretty strong cyclist.  Jimmie got second and I was the third of the drivers. So, I’ve got some work to do and I need to get back into bicycling shape to hang with them again.”

    In fact, Josh Wise finished 55th with a time of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 22 seconds. Jimmie Johnson was not far behind in 57th place with a time of 6 hours, 19 minutes and 34 seconds. And Cassill finished 117th, with a time of 6 hours, 52 minutes and 42 seconds.

    “It took almost seven hours to complete,” Cassill said. “You have to carry your fluids, your food, your gels and everything you need to stay fueled up with you on the bike. I think I ingested maybe 2,000 calories during the entire ride.”

    “And I probably had 150 ounces of fluid, so there were a few potty breaks and a couple stops to refuel. But I probably stopped no longer than 90 seconds at one time. It was a quick stop, refuel, get back on the bike and get back to biking.”

    So, why on earth does Cassill feel compelled to put his body to such demanding tests by racing on Sunday and extreme biking on Monday?

    “Well for one, it makes me a better driver,” Cassill said simply. “You know, it’s a good hobby but it’s valuable to my driving career.”
    “At the end of the day, what we do in NASCAR is an endurance sport. So any type of endurance training I can do to complement that is important.”

    “There is also a lot of training and a lot of work to keep the focus for that long,” Cassill said. “There are a lot of people that took twelve hours to complete the bike ride so that is pretty mentally taxing if you ask me.”

    “That is also what makes what we do so special in a race car as well.”

    In spite of the incredible stress that he put on himself with his two big rides in just two days, Cassill advised that he was doing well afterwards in spite of it all.

    “I don’t feel that bad,” Cassill said. “I think I’ve recovered well.”

    “I haven’t been training heavily the last two months and I signed up for this ride just four weeks ago. I hadn’t really trained for it, so I feel like from a fitness standpoint, mostly from my base fitness that I built up for the past few years, I’m really kind of happy that I got it done.”

    Not only are these challenges good for his racing, but Cassill also feels that he is living out one of his sponsor’s values, that of Snap Fitness.

    “Snap Fitness loves supporting what I do,” Cassill said. “They believe in me and our sport and our fans. Anything I do along these lines, I feel like Snap is all over it. It’s pretty cool to have their support.”

    Cassill did indeed reach the mountaintop in his big ride after the Dover race. Yet in spite of that, he has set a new goal and fitness challenge for himself.

    “I’m going to do a half iron man in Dublin, Ireland,” Cassill said. “So, that will be a swim, bike and a run, so I’ll add that to the cycle training.”

    “This is just a good kick in the pants for me to kick start my new season of training and to set new goals.”

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch was one of many cars damaged on a lap 352 restart when Jimmie Johnson’s car got locked in second gear, causing a major incident that took out a number of contenders.

    “There was a time,” Busch said, “that when you mentioned ’18-car crash,’ people thought you were talking about just me.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 117 laps at Dover but was a victim of a huge pileup with 47 laps to go triggered by Jimmie Johnson’s slow car. Harvick finished 15th, one lap down.

    “Once again,” Harvick said, “I had the strongest car in the field but didn’t win the race. Carl Edwards would call that ‘choking.’”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished fifth at Dover, one of only fourteen cars on the lead lap at race’s end. He is third in the points standings, 32 out of first.

    “There are rumors that my Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick has an offer to join Hendrick Motorsports,” Busch said. “He would presumably replace Kasey Kahne, who’s under contract through the 2018 season. That means Kahne’s contract would have to be bought out in order for Harvick to join HMS. So, once again, I’m reporting that an acquaintance of mine is a ‘contract killer.’”

    4. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 27 laps at Dover before late contact with Kyle Larson’s No. 42 car sent Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota into the wall. Edwards finished 28th, 41 laps off the pace.

    “I think most drivers were impressed by the way Larson raced Matt Kenseth in the closing laps,” Edwards said. “But there’s no way anyone was more impressed by Larson’s patience than Kenseth.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 49 laps and survived contact with Austin Dillon’s No. 3 car to post a sixth in the AAA 400, his seventh top-10 result of the year.

    “I advocated making some slight adjustments to the Chase format,” Keselowski said. “NASCAR officials didn’t want to hear it, though. I guess they had enough talk of ‘tweaking’ when Jeremy Mayfield was driving.”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: On a restart with 47 laps to go, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet locked gears, leading to a chain reaction crash behind him that affected 18 cars. Johnson limped home with a 25th at Dover.

    “I’m not sure what went wrong,” Johnson said. “All I know is instead of ‘Six-time,’ guys in the garage were calling me ‘Fix-time.’”

    7. Joey Logano: Like many, Logano’s No. 22 Penske Ford was caught in the restart accident with 47 laps to go, resulting in a 22nd-place finish.

    “As was the case last fall at Martinsville,” Logano said, “I got wrecked and Matt Kenseth came out the winner.”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third at Dover, scoring his third consecutive top 10 and again leading the charge for Hendrick Motorsports. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 77 out of first.

    “I’m not surprised at all I’m doing so well,” Elliott said. “I would say, ‘It’s no accident,’ but that may be considered a poor choice of words considering what happened to the rest of the HMS crew.”

    9. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s misfortune continued at Dover, as his No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota was damaged in the big wreck with 47 laps to go. Despite the damage, Truex scrambled to salvage a ninth-place finish and is now ninth in the points standings, 82 out of first.

    “This team is cursed,” Truex said. “This team is also cursing, because we are sick and tired of our bad luck. It’s too bad NASCAR outlawed cigarette manufacturers from sponsorships because we would definitely want Lucky Strike on our car.”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth won the AAA 400 at Dover, avoiding a huge crash that wiped out much of the field and holding off Kyle Larson for the win.

    “I knew Larson was coming for me,” Kenseth said. “You could say ‘I had a Target on my back.’

    “But I admire Kyle’s integrity in racing me clean for the win. Just ask Kyle Busch—there’s a fine line between racing a JGR driver like a gentlemen and racing a JGR driver like a teammate.”

  • The Final Word – It was Disco Day at Dover, with everyone just trying to survive

    The Final Word – It was Disco Day at Dover, with everyone just trying to survive

    Dover‘s event could have been called the Gloria Gaynor 400. Some survived, some did not. Good luck was what they wanted, what more than a few were hoping for, and what at least one got. Matt Kenseth might have been still sitting in a Chase place despite a season of hard knocks and snake bites, yet was proving that being good does not matter much if you are not there in the end. Sunday in Dover, the 2003 Cup Champion was there in claiming his 37th career victory to ease a whole lot of anxiety. However, not everyone had good luck. Not even close.

    First, though, the fans were in luck at the end of Sunday’s contest. Kenseth was in front, Kyle Larson behind him, and Chase Elliott the second runner-up. The trio battled to the end, and while they finished in that order, it was the kind of racing NASCAR had dreamed of when they presented the latest car package. In this one, it may have come down to experience winning out over raw talent as they dueled back and forth. Come to think of it, it was no doubt good fortune for Kenseth that he had the clean driving Larson behind him instead of, oh say, Joey Logano. Some had dream finishes, while some were left dealing with nightmares.

    Twenty-eight cars were running at the end of 400 laps, only half of those on the lead lap. Tony Stewart is having to play catch up this season after missing eight races, trying to move into the Top 30 as well as win one along the way. He lost ground at Dover, leaving it 67 points out after the track bar mount broke, punctured an oil tank, and he was done with 60 laps to run.

    Ten circuits later, Jimmie Johnson was on the outside of the front row for a restart. He got into second fine, but third gear was denied by the transmission. Martin Truex Jr. buried his nose up, well, you know where, with Kevin Harvick continuing the train as the road got plugged in a hurry, as 18 vehicles became involved. With that, everything came to an abrupt end for Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle and Aric Almirola, who probably busted his pinky in the wreck. It also resulted in Logano, Jamie McMurray, and A.J. Allmendinger finishing outside the Top Twenty.

    Out came the red flag to clean up the mess, but it did not take long after they restarted for more bad luck. Carl Edwards got a little loose in front of Larson, then got sent to the promised land where the infield fence’s safety barriers kept him from a more dire fate. Edwards was done in 28th. Bad luck, especially compared to Larson. I believe I mentioned where he finished.

    Earlier, running in second place at the time, Brad Keselowski failed to clear Austin Dillon on a pass, tore off his right front fender while renovating Dillon’s left rear. Dillon got repaired and finished 33rd. That was bad luck. Keselowski got repaired and finished sixth. Yes, that would be good luck. Among those currently in a Chase place, seven failed to finish among the Top 20 at Dover, five not even among the Top 30.

    At least they can take a bit of a break from points racing, as before the World 600 at the end of the month, Charlotte hosts the All-Star weekend, with the big race slated for Saturday night. After the fun times in Dover, good luck to ‘em all.

  • Hot 20 – Hot topics heading to Dover include team penalties and places to pee, I kid you not

    Hot 20 – Hot topics heading to Dover include team penalties and places to pee, I kid you not

    As the boys and girl drive in Delaware this weekend, not everyone gets to go. Kyle Busch, for example, will not have the benefit of his crew chief until the All-Star race. Adam Stevens got sent to exile island along with front tire changer Josh Leslie, and docked $20,000, for a post-race lug nut infraction. NASCAR wants five on, and they must stay on until the race is over and the car no longer is being eye-balled by those who must be obeyed. It appears they really mean it.

    Romain Grosjean is a Swiss-born Formula One driver with 88 starts heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. He has two runner-up finishes in his career and ten podiums, including a run of five straight near the end of 2013. Grosjean also drives for Gene Haas, the guy who is Tony Stewart’s partner in NASCAR. He would like to race a big heavy beast of a car with fenders, and some think that could happen in time for Watkins Glen. I said could, not would.

    If he does, it will be on a nice smooth freshly paved track. Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and Trevor Bayne did tire tests there this week, and they all seem to like the results. We will see how much they like it in August.

    Finally, there is the continuing saga about North Carolina washrooms, where the Governor signed into law a bill saying that the equipment one’s birth certificate attributes to them determines which washroom they can use. This applies to facilities in government offices, universities and road-side rest stops. Some believe NASCAR, which is a huge presence in the state, should take a stand against this law as it discriminates against transgenders. Actually, there are a host of solutions available.

    All single-stall facilities should be unisex, just insist all pee where they should pee. Set aside some single stall rooms for those who require a bit more privacy for whatever reason. Set aside facilities marked men, women, and could not care less. Ask any woman in a long lineup if she would jump at the chance to go into the men’s room, any damn room, to seek relief, and many would have no problem with a unisex solution if it might speed things up. In public facilities, the public area can be monitored to ensure security, while it would not matter what equipment is being used to perform the task in the privacy of the stalls. Any arguments?

    Of course, when I started this column, I never thought there would be a day when I would be writing about penalties, paving, pee, and poop. Welcome to the new NASCAR.

    Now, back to business…and not THAT kind of business. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Dover…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 386 PTS
    If he ends May with a win and starts June the same way, he will have run the table.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 367 PTS
    Carl is to athleticism and fitness what I am to lethargy and slothfulness. We each have our roll to play.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 353 PTS
    Already has 10 Miles the Monster trophies on the shelf.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 332 PTS
    Scarlett has her first birthday next week. Some things are more important than racing.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 390 PTS
    New South Carolina home will have a view of a swamp. Well, to each their own.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 273 PTS
    He saw the hole, attempted the split, then lo and behold, it all went for…

    7. KURT BUSCH – 350 PTS
    The Busch brothers have a combined three wins between them this season. Yes, I’m a jerk.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 320 PTS
    Buried the hatchet with Kenseth, but didn’t Lizzie Borden do the same with her parents?

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 307 PTS
    The first of what will soon enough become another talented brother act is doing just fine.

    10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 305 PTS
    Before there was Teresa, there was Kerry, Kelley, and Dale Jr. born to the Earnhardt name.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 303 PTS
    The kid has finished seven of 11 this season in the Top Ten.

    12. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 303 PTS
    Okay, this time for sure.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 276 PTS
    Coming off his worst finish (26th) of the season just after having his best (4th) at Talladega.

    14. MATT KENSETH – 269 PTS
    Fourth place at Kansas was sweet, but seeing Logano finish 38th had to have been even sweeter.

    15. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 265 PTS
    Finished eighth last week, yet dropped a spot.

    16. RYAN BLANEY – 255 PTS
    His weekend was much, much better than the one experienced by his dad.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 253 PTS
    Making the Chase could be imperative if he wishes to avoid falling victim to the Ty that binds.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 249 PTS
    Spends way too much time outside the Top 15 than inside, and that has got to change.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 246 PTS
    New commercial has the boys over for Sunny D, though hostess is not who you would expect.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 244 PTS
    When Mark Martin drove the car, Viagra seemed an appropriate sponsor. Bayne? Not so much.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch held off Kevin Harvick down the stretch to win the GoBowling,com 400 at Kansas. Busch is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, four behind Harvick.

    “Harvick got right on my bumper,” Busch said, “and I thought for sure he’d bump me to get by. But he didn’t. Of course, everybody, Landon Cassill included, knows that Harvick is a man of great integrity. He would never wreck someone just so he could win a race. He would, however, wreck someone just so he could advance to the next round of the Chase.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was strong late at Kansas and nearly overtook Kyle Busch for the lead, but ultimately settled for second.

    “I hit a piece of debris and damaged the splitter,” Harvick said. “Otherwise, I would have passed Busch easily. So, you could say that ‘piece of trash’ won.”

    3. Carl Edwards: Edwards tagged the wall early in the GoBowling.com 400, causing a flat tire that ultimately cost him two laps. But the No. 19 Stanley Tools team recovered to finish 11th. Edwards is third in the points standings, 23 out of first.

    “I indeed hit the wall,” Edwards said, “but the damage was not severe. That’s a testament to the great engineering that goes into making these walls safe. So, while I can’t expect Kyle Busch to be, I can certainly expect walls to be ‘forgiving.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took 10th at Kansas, surviving a spin with 26 laps to go to post his sixth top 10 finish of the year.

    “I got loose racing with Denny Hamlin,” Keselowski said. “Interestingly enough, there was no contact between us. That’s certainly not the first time Hamlin and I have looked at each other ‘sideways.’”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 17th at Kansas, his day sidetracked by a late pit road speeding penalty that cost him crucial track position.

    “Track position was everything at Kansas,” Johnson said. “If you didn’t already know, ‘track position’ is NASCAR code for ‘it’s impossible to pass.’ That’s why you saw so many pit road speeding penalties. That’s where the action is. And that’s why, when you ask a driver about racing at Kansas, they always say, ‘It’s the pits.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished third in the GoBowling.com 400, recording his third top-five result of the year.

    “Kansas Motor Speedway had a special booth set up where fans could buy a bowling ball and have finger holes drilled to their exact specifications,” Busch said. “They also had televisions broadcasting the race so fans wouldn’t miss a single minute. So, if you asked anyone what was going on in that booth or the race track, they’d tell you the same thing: ‘It’s boring.’”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano slammed into Denny Hamlin’s No. 11 Toyota after Hamlin and Brad Keselowski got loose in a lap 221 incident. The wreck sent the No. 22 Penske Ford to the garage and Logano finished 38th.

    “Matt Kenseth and I spoke before the Kansas race,” Logano said, “and came to some sort of mutual understanding about our past issues. But it’s a tenuous peace treaty. We weren’t quite ready to shake hands, so instead, we just shook fists.”

    8. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 15th at Kansas on a tough day for Hendrick Motorsports, which placed only one car in the top 10.

    “My stepmother Teresa and my brother Kerry are locked in a court dispute over the use of the ‘Earnhardt’ name,” Earnhardt said. “I’m surprised Teresa didn’t have a problem with a race sponsored by bowling because she thinks the use of ‘3’ fingers is an infringement upon the name.”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott recorded the best finish among Hendrick Motorsports drivers with a ninth in the GoBowling,com 400.

    “I may not have the Cup titles of Jimmie Johnson,” Elliott said, “or the popularity of Dale Earnhardt Jr., or the wasted potential of Kasey Kahne. What I do have is a legendary pedigree and an iconic car number. So, unlike some other young drivers looking to make an impact in this sport, I don’t have to worry about making a name or a number for myself.”

    10. Austin Dillon: Dillon finished sixth at Kansas, posting his sixth top 10 of the year.

    “My No. 3 RCR Chevy was fast,” Dillon said. “My teammate Ryan Newman finished seventh. That means RCR put two cars in the top 10. Could we ever put three cars in the ‘top 10?’ Only if Paul Menard drops 20 digits from his car number.”