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Tag: Jimmie Johnson

  • The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The Final Word – It was a war of words at Atlanta, black flags be damned

    The drivers liked it. I think most pure race enthusiasts liked it. I kind of liked it. It was not the visual experience Daytona provides, granted, but you could not to sure of anything until it ended. One pit problem, a lack of cautions, and just the second of the day popping up right at the end sure rid us of some of our preconceptions.

    For example, Matt Kenseth was going to have a wonderful day at Atlanta. Sure, what could go wrong? Well, it seems that the most a gasman can do when actually fueling the car, when the can is actually engaged, is to pass gas or maybe sing a little song, but that is about it. He cannot place a wrench on the deck of the car, for example. That would call for a pit penalty. Not so, claimed crew chief Jason Ratcliff, who was too busy arguing the case that he did not seem to notice when NASCAR black flagged the driver, then quit counting his laps. Kenseth sure the hell did, and did not seem terribly happy about it. By the time he came in, he was going to go back out two laps down, and he stayed down to finish 19th despite once leading for 47 laps.

    Kurt Busch led from the pole and looked sweet for the early going. Sixty-two laps worth of sweetness. Then others got even sweeter, but a fourth place finish was not bad. If we thought he who led early would also lead late, we were bound to wind up mistaken.

    Kevin Harvick then would be the guy. He led late. He led the most, with 131 laps on the point. He looked good. Then Chad Knaus ruined everything. He called Jimmie Johnson in early for some fresh rubber in a bid to make up ground. That happened. When Harvick came in under green, a hung front tire cost him four seconds in the pits against Johnson’s time. Harvick was down by more than a dozen seconds, made up half of it, then stalled. It was over, right? Wrong.

    Two-thirds of the way through at Atlanta, we had our first caution for debris. By that time, we had two-thirds of the field lapped. With just three to go, Ryan Newman blew a right rear and caution waved for just the second time on the day. Harvick and Johnson would restart side by side.

    If only Happy had not spun his tires, it might have been close. If only he did not get tagged by Martin Truex Jr. from behind, then rubbed by Carl Edwards from the side, he might have been able to salvage the situation. If only. Sixth was to be his fate, one spot behind Edwards and just ahead of Truex.

    In the end, Johnson won his 76th career race, tying the mark of the late Dale Earnhardt, as his son and Johnson’s teammate, Dale Earnhardt Jr., came home second, just ahead of Kyle Busch. This is not what we thought would happen with 20 to go. Once again, we were wrong. If we can be so wrong in a race that had just three cautions, including one that came out on the final lap, there must have been some decent racing action going on. With Las Vegas coming up next week, betting on the outcome might truly be the dominion of true gamblers. Hell, we can’t even be sure as to how big the field is going to be anymore.

    The worst Charter car was the 38th place finish of Jeffrey Earnhardt, in a 39 car field. The best non-Charter was Ryan Blaney in 25th. Danica Patrick was 20th, sandwiched between Kenseth and Jamie McMurray. With the win, Johnson joins Denny Hamlin, 16th at Atlanta, as the pair with a ticket all but already punched for the Chase. If nothing else, picking those two to be among the Chasers would have been a very astute pick.

    Thank God there appears to be at least one thing we can be confident about.

  • Johnson Ties ‘The Intimidator’ with 76 Career Wins

    Johnson Ties ‘The Intimidator’ with 76 Career Wins

    HAMPTON, Ga.– Jimmie Johnson put himself amongst the hallowed legends of NASCAR after scoring the victory at Atlanta. The driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet led 52 of the 330 laps on his way to scoring his 76th career win in the Sprint Cup Series. This victory moved him up to seventh in the all-time NASCAR wins list in a tie with the late Dale Earnhardt.

    “It’s such an honor,” Johnson said. “With the chaos at the end and the crash, wondering about overtime and how it worked these days, I kind of lost sight of that. I remembered on my victory lap coming down and I had to come by and throw a 3 out the window to pay respects to the man. There’s a huge void in my career that I never had a chance to race with him, but at least, I was able to tie his record there.”

    Meanwhile, teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished runner-up in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet.

    “I loved it. We were sliding around and driving the hell out of the car. I had a blast. I had some good races there on the track with the No. 2 (Brad Keselowski) and the No. 18 (Kyle Busch) and a bunch of guys. Man, it was so much fun,” Earnhardt said.

    After starting 39th, Kyle Busch led two laps and finished third in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Brother Kurt led 62 laps on his way to a fourth-place finish in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Carl Edwards led one lap and rounded out the top-five in his No. 19 JGR Toyota.

    Despite leading the most laps at 131, Kevin Harvick stumbled on the final restart and finished sixth in his No. 4 SHR Chevrolet.

    “We had issues about the last three runs. I had to start driving the car different. It just required a little bit different handling. And then we had a slow pit stop there. We got way behind and the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson) was way out front and I had to drive the car really hard and got the right rear burned up,” Harvick said.

    Martin Truex Jr. led 34 laps on his way to finishing seventh in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota.

    Chase Elliott was the highest finishing rookie in eighth in his No. 24 HMS Chevrolet.

    “I am really proud of the effort today. Really really solid NAPA Chevrolet. Just happy to be a part of this team. Everybody fought awfully hard. We are excited about today. I think it is something to build off of. It’s not perfect, it’s a start,” Elliott said.

    Brad Keselowski finished ninth in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the top-10 in his No. 17 Roush Fenway Racing Ford.

    Matt Kenseth had a strong car early in the race leading 47 laps, but he was black-flagged for improper fueling. While the fuel person had the can engaged with the fuel intake, he put a tool on the back of the car. According to the NASCAR rule book, if the can is engaged with the car, the fuel person cannot do anything else but fuel the car. While crew chief Jason Ratcliff was arguing the call, the black flag message was not relayed to the driver of the No. 20 JGR Toyota. Three laps after being black flagged, he was given the black flag with a white cross meaning he wouldn’t be scored until he served the penalty. After staying out a lap, he eventually served the penalty and went from fourth to 32nd two laps down.

    After two races, Kyle Busch leads the point standings by three points over Truex while Harvick is third, four points behind the leader.

    The race lasted three hours, 15 minutes and 38 seconds at an average speed of 155.863 mph. There were 28 lead changes among eight different drivers. The race went the first 209 laps caution-free before a piece of debris on the backstretch brought out the first caution. There were three cautions for a total of 13 laps.

    Complete Finishing Order:

    1. (19) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 330.
    2. (16) Dale Earnhardt Jr, Chevrolet, 330.
    3. (39) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 330.
    4. (1) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 330.
    5. (7) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 330.
    6. (6) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 330.
    7. (9) Martin Truex Jr, Toyota, 330.
    8. (24) Chase Elliott #, Chevrolet, 330.
    9. (17) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 330.
    10. (5) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Ford, 330.
    11. (8) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 330.
    12. (26) Joey Logano, Ford, 330.
    13. (14) Greg Biffle, Ford, 329.
    14. (15) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 329.
    15. (27) Aric Almirola, Ford, 328.
    16. (12) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 328.
    17. (18) Ty Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 328.
    18. (21) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 328.
    19. (13) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, 328.
    20. (25) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 328.
    21. (2) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 328.
    22. (3) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 328.
    23. (11) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 328.
    24. (4) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 328.
    25. (23) * Ryan Blaney #, Ford, 328.
    26. (20) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 327.
    27. (22) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 326.
    28. (31) Chris Buescher #, Ford, 326.
    29. (35) Matt DiBenedetto, Toyota, 326.
    30. (34) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, 325.
    31. (10) Brian Scott #, Ford, 324.
    32. (33) David Ragan, Toyota, 323.
    33. (32) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 323.
    34. (30) Regan Smith, Chevrolet, 323.
    35. (28) Clint Bowyer, Chevrolet, 322.
    36. (29) Landon Cassill, Ford, 321.
    37. (36) * Cole Whitt, Chevrolet, 318.
    38. (38) Jeffrey Earnhardt #, Ford, 313.
    39. (37) * Josh Wise, Chevrolet, 312.

  • Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Hot 20 – Some familiar names missing, but their replacements do not seem all that out of place

    Interesting things can happen after the first race of the season. Some names usually near the front find themselves as also-rans as the schedule continues on to Atlanta. No Junior. No Biffle, No Bowyer. No Patrick. Okay, I’ve gone too far, I know.

    Still, a lot of the boys who did, do not appear out of place. Regan Smith might have something to prove this year and the same with his owner Tommy Baldwin. Michael McDowell did well in a non-Charter ride and returns to his regular seat this Sunday. Ryan Blaney has no safety line, but the Wood Brothers just need to continue showing up and making races. Odds are the three past contenders should move ahead of this trio before long, but could one or two of them win somewhere along the way and steal a Chase spot from somebody? Why not.

    Last Sunday, it was all about restrictor plate pack racing. Atlanta should be more about the car, the one they worked on, the one NASCAR claims again to be just what we need for more competitive, more exciting action.

    I await the excitement promised for Sunday. Here are our hottest 20 performers coming to Atlanta.

    1. Denny Hamlin – 1 Win – 45 Points
    Toyota claims its first Daytona 500 in a game of inches.

    2. Martin Truex, Jr. – 40 Points
    If Charlton Heston was at the wheel, this car might have hit ramming speed.

    3. Kyle Busch – 39 Points
    39 points better than he was at this time last year. Walks better, too.

    4. Kevin Harvick – 37 Points
    Harvick had a plan last Sunday. Hamlin took that plan to Victory Lane.

    5. Carl Edwards – 36 Points
    A Top Five with a front fender made of peanut brittle.

    6. Joey Logano – 35 Points
    In the best darn Ford on the day. If you are seeking a Roush Ford…there is always next week.

    7. Kyle Larson – 34 Points
    This season, his Daytona 500 proved to be a much better experience than his Rolex 24.

    8. Regan Smith – 33 Points
    Some get a Charter handed to them, but maybe Tommy Baldwin wishes to show his was earned.

    9. Austin Dillon – 33 Points
    Only one man has ever taken the No. 3 to victory in the Daytona 500…and he did it once.

    10. Kurt Busch – 31 Points
    Has he driven a Ford lately?

    11. Ryan Newman – 31 Points
    If you can’t make tracks driving a Caterpillar, you can’t make tracks at all.

    12. Aric Almirola – 29 Points
    Petty people worked hard on their intermediate-track package. Sunday shall be a test of that.

    13. Kasey Kahne – 28 Points
    Who is the best damn driver at Hendrick? Kan’t guess?

    14. Matt Kenseth – 28 Points
    Only the inside lane was moving, until the outside lane did.

    15. Michael McDowell – 26 Points
    Loaned out his Charter ride and beat it as an outsider.

    16. Jimmie Johnson – 26 Points
    Not often Six Time is not visible. That probably won’t be the case in Atlanta.

    17. Jamie McMurray – 24 Points
    Bend ‘em like Beckham? Danica has to work to motor like McMurray.

    18. Paul Menard – 23 Points
    Childress entries were more successful last Sunday than Hendrick Chevys. Interesting.

    19. Ryan Blaney – 22 Points
    Charter? Who needs a stinkin’ Charter?

    20. Brad Keselowski – 22 Points
    According to Hamlin, the least athletic driver, “…with a sprint cup championship,” added Brad.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin powered his way past Matt Kenseth on the final lap, then edged Martin Truex Jr. at the line by .010 seconds, the closest finish in Daytona 500 history, to win his first 500.

    “It was a bold move to leave the draft and go high,” Hamlin said. “Joe Gibbs’ drivers are known for getting ‘out of line,’ notably Matt Kenseth anytime Joey Logano’s in front of him, or Kyle Busch anytime he’s behind the wheel of a street car.

    “I’m just glad I was able to end Joe Gibbs’ 23-year Daytona drought. Joe said this felt like winning the Super Bowl. Speaking of football, maybe NASCAR should follow the NFL’s lead and make it much easier to pass.”

    2. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex took the runner-up spot at Daytona, falling .010 seconds short to Denny Hamlin in the closest finish in Daytona 500 history.

    “I’m disappointed,” Truex said, “but it was a great result for Furniture Row Racing. To celebrate, Furniture Row is throwing in a free ‘photo finish’ on all products purchased this week.

    “I can’t be too unhappy about finishing second. I think I made a name for myself at Daytona. Unfortunately, that name is ‘Martin Truex II.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch started defense of his 2015 Sprint Cup championship with a strong third in the Daytona 500, as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three cars in the top 5.

    “These Gibbs Toyotas were strong all day long,” Busch said. “We knew if we remained grouped together in the low line, we’d be there at the end. It may not have worked out so well for Tim Richmond, but running a train sure did for JGR.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Leading on the final lap, Kenseth was passed after a daring move to the high line by Denny Hamlin, who sailed past Kenseth’s failed attempt to block. Hamlin went on to edge Martin Truex Jr. as Kenseth slid back to 14th.

    “Maybe I should have held my line,” Kenseth said. “But it’s hard to remain disciplined when you think you may get passed. Trust me, last year taught me how hard it was to ‘be disciplined.’

    “But congratulations to Hamlin. He predicted his Daytona 500 win as a second-grader. Speaking of school, maybe I should have paid more attention in drafting class.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth, and generated the momentum that propelled Denny Hamlin past Matt Kenseth on the final turn to result in Hamlin’s win.

    “That’s the second¬-most famous push in the back I’m known for,” Harvick said. “The first was in Texas in 2014 when I shoved Brad Keselowski. Hamlin’s post-race fist pump was the only punch thrown in either situation.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano, last year’s Daytona 500 winner, took sixth in this year’s race after starting fifth on the grid.

    “I can’t be too sad for Matt Kenseth,” Logano said. “You could say he got what was coming to him.

    “As for the race itself, it was a pretty boring affair save for the last lap. Maybe NASCAR needs to institute a ‘repetition’ caution before fans revolt in a ‘Mutiny On Monotony.’”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished seventh in the Daytona 500, his best result ever in the season’s inaugural race.

    “How about Scottish actor Gerard Butler’s role as Grand Marshal?” Larson said. “Nothing says ‘The Great American Race’ like a Scottish accent.”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 18 laps and was poised for a strong finish until a pit road penalty with 45 laps to go. Johnson was issued a drive-through penalty after NASCAR deemed his pit crew were over the wall too soon.

    “Too many men over the wall?” Johnson said. “Who called this penalty, Donald Trump?

    “Pole-sitter and Hendrick teammate Chase Elliott took a spin through the Daytona infield, as did Danica Patrick. For some drivers, like Chase, it’s a ‘spin in the grass;’ for others, like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., it’s a ‘roll in the hay.’”

    9. Regan Smith: Smith, in the No. 7 Tommy Baldwin Racing Chevrolet, finished eighth in the Daytona 500.

    “Hamlin wrote a letter in the second grade saying his dream was to win the Daytona 500,” Smith said. “Most NASCAR fans would respond to that by saying, ‘Dreams do come true.’ The remaining NASCAR fans would say, ‘Hamlin could write in the second grade?’”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch started eighth and finished tenth at Daytona.

    “Brian France promised lots of changes for the 2016 NASCAR season,” Busch said. “I guess lead changes wasn’t one of them. There were only four lead changes that didn’t happen as a result of pit stops.

    “But what would you expect from NASCAR’s CEO and Chairman? Maybe ‘CFO’ would be a better title because he’s a ‘Chubby-Faced Oaf.’ France wants to be omnipresent. He should start by just being present. Just to clarify, I took those words right out of Tony Stewart’s mouth. As long as it’s not food, Tony doesn’t mind.”

  • Hot 20 – The cream of the crop for the Daytona 500

    Hot 20 – The cream of the crop for the Daytona 500

    There will be no Daytona 500 victory listed on Tony Stewart’s resume. His recent off-season back injury ensured that. Well, maybe. I cannot help but notice that Michael Waltrip already has a lock on his 29th place in the Great American Race. There is always the chance that, given an opportunity and still with the ability to squeeze into a firesuit, Smoke could be back, at some time.

    The hottest 20 drivers heading into Sunday are all locked in. Thanks to some large wallets, even Carl Edwards and Kurt Busch are good to go for the rest of the season, buying up those Charters from Waltrip’s defunct operation.

    As far as the debate over the Wood Brothers not getting a Charter, I agree that as they have been running part-time, they should not have received one. I do disagree that B.K. Racing got two, or that Go Fas Racing or Premium Motorsports received any. Instead of the only criteria to receive one being reduced to only those who attempted to quality for the past 108 straight races, maybe they should have taken performance into consideration. I mean, between them, those four operations failed to qualify for 29 events last season. Maybe those Charters should have been held for those who attempted the past 36, AND who were among the Top 36 in owner’s points. Good enough to earn a one-year Charter, something they could regain through a Top 36 finish in 2016.

    Thirty-six entries, just like the 36 provisional spots once awarded in past years; awarded based on performance. Qualifying spots should have remained at 43, giving teams seven openings to make it and still be able to challenge for one of those 36 Charter positions. A Charter gives peace of mind, but seven open spots still allow those without a parachute an opportunity to challenge, to compete, to succeed. Just what in hell NASCAR and the members of the Race Team Alliance were thinking when they guaranteed places for at least the next three years while all but closing the door on challengers is beyond me.

    At least, we still have the race, albeit minus three entries and the entire backstretch grandstands. I am sure nobody will notice, or ponder the reasons why. Here are our hot 20, based on their 2015 season long performance.

    1. Joey Logano – 6 Wins – 1299 Points
    Logano arrived in 2014, confirmed that in 2015, and as for 2016….

    2. Jimmie Johnson – 5 Wins – 1155 Points
    The official standings have him finishing 10th; a rather misleading statistic.

    3. Matt Kenseth – 5 Wins – 1046 Points
    When Matt says he is going to run a driver down, he just might mean it.

    4. Kyle Busch – 5 Wins – 867 Points
    His greatest year featured a championship, a busted leg, and a late May start to the season.

    5. Kevin Harvick – 3 Wins – 1321 Points
    Recorded an average of nearly 36.7 points per race in 2015.

    6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 3 Wins – 1198 Points
    After just two wins in seven seasons, he has seven wins in his last two.

    7. Denny Hamlin – 2 Wins – 1117 Points
    Finishing in the season’s Top Ten eight times in 10 tries, is this the year he takes all the marbles?

    8. Carl Edwards – 2 Wins – 1108 Points
    Wins two and still has to pay for a Charter spot, while BK Racing gets two, after four DNQ’s.

    9. Kurt Busch – 2 Wins – 1108 Points
    Kurt wins twice and gets nothing while the No. 62 DNQ’s 19 times last season and “earns” one.

    10. Brad Keselowski – 1 Win – 1217 Points
    Just a single win but a personal high of 25 Top Tens kept him close.

    11. Martin Truex, Jr. – 1 Win – 1165 Points
    A team that made it all the way to top tier status without the benefit of a Charter.

    12. Ryan Newman – 1052 Points
    I still think Tony let go the wrong driver.

    13. Jamie McMurray – 1052 Points
    He might not be great, but you might have to be in order to out-point him.

    14. Paul Menard – 972 Points
    You hear more about his driving ability and less about his daddy’s cash these days.

    15. Aric Almirola – 940 Points
    Last year, Petty trumped Roush.

    16. Kasey Kahne – 939 Points
    In fact, Hendrick’s weak sister would have led the way for Jack’s crew.

    17. Clint Bowyer – 891 Points
    Teammates once were Waltrip and Truex. Today, he is Michael Annett.

    18. Kyle Larson – 872 Points
    Maybe the best of the kiddie corps…but Chase probably will contest that thought.

    19. Greg Biffle – 869 Points
    Damn good driver with what has become a damn poor team.

    20. Austin Dillon – 832 Points
    Grandpa expects more this time out.

  • Rough Night for 6-Time

    Rough Night for 6-Time

    Speedweeks didn’t get off to a great start for one Jimmie Kenneth Johnson.

    After drawing the pole position for the Sprint Unlimited, the driver of the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet hoped to start his quest for a third Daytona 500 victory with a strong performance in the 75-lap exhibition race. Those hopes were quickly dashed on lap 44.

    Hurdling down the backstretch, he made contact with Casey Mears and was sent spinning through the grass. As he got his car pointed in the right direction, the front nose dug into the ground and tore away from the car. All that was left was the radiator.

    He would finish the race in 22nd, 36 laps down.

    ‘I could see the hole closing up,” Johnson said. “I was trying to get out of it and I avoided from crashing the two guys that closed the door on me, but I got hit from behind and that’s what sent me down through the infield. I was just trying hard on one of those nights. I was certainly trying to see what I could get with and what I couldn’t by being aggressive, and we’re down. I was trying to back out of it. I don’t think the two guys I was trying to be in the middle of, knew that I was there and I could see the door closing. I was trying to back out of it. I did a decent job getting out of there and not spinning the No. 1 (McMurray) and the No. 13 (Mears) and I got hit from behind and that sent me down to the infield. It’s unfortunate because the hole was there and I had a good run coming up through the center but they just started closing the door on me.”

    “Gotta give you props right there Jimmie,” Chad Knaus said. “You’re a hell of a driver. Good dress rehearsal tonight, we learned a lot.”

    Johnson was not the only member of the Hendrick brigade to have trouble. Pre-race favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. was caught up in the lap 23 wreck in Turn 1. After cutting a tire, Brian Vicker’s No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet t-boned the right side of Earnhardt’s car and ripped it off. He was held on pit road for a number of laps until his crew used tape to create a makeshift car number on the right side. Going into Turn 3, Jamie McMurray was shoving Kasey Kahne down the backstretch. Kahne got loose and turned into the side of AJ Allmendinger. His night finally came to an end with 10 laps to go after his engine expired in Turn 2.

    Despite wrecking out, Johnson took to Twitter to say he was “good with tonight” and glad that he could “get the bad luck outta the way. Sorry about your cars .”

    He qualified sixth for the Daytona 500 and will start third in the second Duel race on Thursday.

  • The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    The Final Word – 2016’s NASCAR Contenders, Pretenders, and Participants

    Starting in ten days, just about every week the engines will roar to life and 43 cars will take the green flag. However, we all know that not all race drivers and teams are created equal. A half dozen will come from the part-time ranks, and only a couple of dozen will have any kind of hope of even challenging for a win. To put it in culinary terms, you have your steak, your hamburger and, to fill out the field, your hamburger helper. Here is a look at who is who on the menu, with the Daytona 500 less than two weeks away.

    TIER I – THE CONTENDERS

    Few can question that the 2016 champion could well come out of the top tier of drivers. In fact, half of them already know what it is like to claim the crown.

    2 – Brad Keselowski
    4 – Kevin Harvick
    11 – Denny Hamlin
    18 – Kyle Busch
    19 – Carl Edwards
    20 – Matt Kenseth
    22 – Joey Logano
    31 – Ryan Newman
    41 – Kurt Busch
    48 – Jimmie Johnson
    78 – Martin Truex, Jr.
    88 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    The odds might favor Kyle Busch repeating in what we hope, this time, will be a healthy full campaign though Harvick had the best season from start to finish. Well, almost to the finish. Johnson has already claimed the trophy six times, and seems to always be in contention even in those years he falls short. If one was going to pick a potential winner, race in and race out, chances are the favorites would come from this list.

    TIER II – THE PRETENDERS

    There are those you expect to have a good shot at being victorious every week, and then there are those who, if they did, probably would not come as all that much of a shock, either. In fact, I would expect at least four of these drivers to make it into the Chase, where a pretender could get hot and become a true contender themselves if things fall into place at the right time.

    1 – Jamie McMurray
    3 – Austin Dillon
    5 – Kasey Kahne
    6 – Trevor Bayne
    13 – Casey Mears
    15 – Clint Bowyer
    16 – Greg Biffle
    24 – Chase Elliott
    27 – Paul Menard
    42 – Kyle Larson
    43 – Aric Almirola
    47 – A.J. Allmendinger

    In this case, a pretender is one with tons of talent, one with a good chance of claiming a Top Ten, but just not a driver you expect taking the checkered flag on a regular basis. I have always liked McMurray, but he just doesn’t seem to be able to clear that final hurdle. Biffle should be rated higher and in previous years he no doubt would have been, but Roush Fenway has not been an outfit on the rise. Kahne has the ability, but not the results in recent seasons. Dillon and Larson are touted as future stars, and just maybe this is the year they meet expectations. Elliott has things to prove, and a lot of eyes with be watching Jeff Gordon’s former ride to see if the rookie can break out in his rookie campaign.

    TIER III – THE PARTICIPANTS

    43 cars hit the track each event, with some having pretty good odds of finishing high in the running order when things are said and done. Some others are not as fortunate.

    7 – Regan Smith
    10 – Danica Patrick
    14 – Tony Stewart
    17 – Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.
    21 – Ryan Blaney
    23 – David Ragan
    32 – Jeffery Earnhardt
    34 – Chris Buescher
    38 – Landon Cassill
    44 – Brian Scott
    46 – Michael Annett
    83 – Matt DiBenedetto
    95 – Michael McDowell

    Stewart is on the mend, again, and could be out for quite a spell at the beginning of his final season. Some tend to believe we won’t see him for months as he recovers from his recent back injury. If only Patrick could emerge as the next Jamie McMurray that would be something, but thus far cracking the Top Twenty has been a struggle every week. There is nothing I would like more than to see someone from this group emerge as a pleasant surprise, but they are going to have to prove it for me to believe it. Sure, Stewart could mend enough to rise by the end of the year and Patrick could finally cash in on all of those resources to take it to the next level, but my money would be on Blaney and the Wood Brothers as they return to running a full schedule.

  • The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    I hate change. I do not care for it. I like things just as they are or, probably more truthfully, as they were.

    I remember coaching two little boys who are not so little anymore. Those were the days when I was Superman, not just the Old Man. I miss my mother and all the grandparents I was blessed with when I was born. I miss cousins who left us far too soon. I miss my youth. Damn it, I miss my hair.

    I loved watching Cale Yarborough in the No. 11 and Richard Petty piloting the No. 43. How I miss seeing Dale Earnhardt in that black No. 3. I wish I could see Rusty Wallace again in that blue deuce though my reasoning is that him driving means there was no way in hell he would be announcing.

    No Jeff Gordon this year, other than up in the booth. Tony Stewart is gone no matter what after this season. One day, sooner than later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hang up those skeleton gloves.

    Sure, I guess there is room for some change. Did you notice the NHL All-Star game? It was its best presentation in 30 years, with a minor league enforcer named as its MVP to prove that Cinderella does indeed wear glass skates. Same day, the NFL had its Pro-Bowl, and it was about as riveting as watching soccer. Trust me, that is not a good thing. Change it or kill it would be my thought.

    Cars are safer now. The tracks are moving that way. Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol pretty much guarantee something worth watching. Too bad we cannot be so sure about a few of the other venues. It would be nice if that could somehow change. They say the racing will be better after their latest tinkering with the cars, but we have heard that before. If those changes prove to be the real deal, that would be a change we could all live with.

    This year, Bill’s son Chase Elliott goes full-time in Cup, joining other recent arrivals Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. Still, they have fans to earn and accolades to accumulate. Once again, we will be cheering on our favorites. Kyle Busch returns as a champion to join brother Kurt as NASCAR royalty. Kevin Harvick looks to retake his trophy while Jimmie Johnson might be tired of loaning out what once was his and his alone. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and the insufferable Joey Logano remain among the top tier of stars in NASCAR’s constellation. You cannot go wrong rooting for the likes of a Matt Kenseth or a Greg Biffle, or admire the efforts put into the team led by Martin Truex Jr.

    Unless you are a big fan of Johnson, a change in champion is acceptable, even though I do love dynasties. I like the cars to look like something I might drive, so we give thanks for the demise of the splitter. I once liked Michael Waltrip, but sometimes things change, and I think Clint Bowyer should be the beneficiary of that.

    As much as I dislike change, it is inevitable. Drivers age, retire and are replaced by a new generation. Faces are now encased in helmets and races are won by a matter of seconds, not laps, these days. Since 2001, most weekends television delivers the races to homes in most places. Once we were asked, “How bad have you got it?” Wouldn’t it be nice if we were asked that once again?

    It all returns in less than a couple of weeks, with the Sprint Unlimited featured on February 13, Duel Qualifiers on February 18 and the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21. Boogity, boogity, boogity!

    Okay, some things do need to change.

  • NASCAR BTS: Penn Mutual Gets Well With Jimmie Johnson

    NASCAR BTS: Penn Mutual Gets Well With Jimmie Johnson

    Ever wonder what a life insurance company has in common with a six-time NASCAR champion?

    This week’s NASCAR Behind the Scenes is all about the unique relationship that has developed between The Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company and Jimmie Johnson, all because of a Wellness Challenge.

    The relationship began last year with a connection between one of Penn Mutual’s advisors in California who just happened to have a contact with the Jimmie Johnson Foundation.

    “I was out in California meeting with Mark Mitchell, who is an advisor with our Pacific region,” Dave O’Malley, President & Chief Operating Officer of Penn Mutual, said. “We both actually share a love of cars so we were talking about racing and sports.”

    “One of the things that Mark does really well is a lot of experiential marketing. We were talking to him about that and he mentioned the Jimmie Johnson Foundation. We learned more about the Foundation’s mission and some of the things that it was up to, like the Wellness Challenge.”

    “As a life insurance company, wellness is important to us, and we were looking to do more around it. In addition, health care costs for us as a company continue to go up so promoting a good healthy lifestyle fits our corporate beliefs.  So, this seemed like a great partnership.”

    “Plus, Jimmie is just a terrific person and athlete and an even better spokesman. We decided this was the way for Penn Mutual to get involved.”

    This year, Penn Mutual is presenting the Wellness Challenge, which is comprised of three events, including a 5K run on Sunday, May 22, 2016 in Huntersville, NC; a Triathlon on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 in Waxhaw, NC; and a Triathlon on Sunday, September 11, 2016 in Davidson, North Carolina.

    New to the Wellness Challenge is a ‘Virtual Triathlon’ that anyone can do at their own pace and location.  The only stipulation is that the participant completes a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2 mile run all during the month of October.

    2016 also marks the second year of sponsorship of the Wellness Challenge by Penn Mutual. Penn Mutual does not just provide the funding, however, as their leadership team, as well as their associates, participate in the Wellness Challenge themselves, living out that commitment to wellness and good health by example.

    “Our associates do participate and I even participated in all three of the Wellness Challenges last year,” O’Malley said. “My results, however, are not as impressive as the six-time NASCAR champion.”

    “We did a few events last year to qualify for a chance to go to Charlotte and either run or walk in the 5K. So, we created some nice engagement with our home office associates.  The fact that these events are held in Charlotte fits extremely well with our presence in North Carolina. It really came together as the right fit and the right time for us.”

    Penn Mutual has even bigger plans to involve their associates from across the country in this year’s JJF Wellness Challenge.

    “We want to definitely enhance the sponsorship and the company’s engagement this year,” O’Malley said. “Last year, Jimmie came out to speak to our sales leaders. This year Jimmie will be in the Horsham (PA) home office area and we will be running a wellness challenge up here in August, tying into his appearance at Pocono Raceway.”

    “I think it’s going to be a really well-attended event in this area. We’re working out the details right now with Hendrick Motorsports to have the No. 48 Lowes Chevrolet here in our parking lot on the way up to the Pocono race.”

    For O’Malley, the relationship with Jimmie Johnson and the JJF Foundation is not only a corporate commitment but also a personal one.

    “I’ve been a NASCAR fan since I was a teenager,” O’Malley said. “My first favorite NASCAR driver was Bill Elliott. When he retired, I became a big Jeff Gordon fan and now with him retiring, I’m keeping the 24 and now I’m going back to an Elliott.”

    So, what are Penn Mutual’s hopes and dreams for this year’s sponsorship as they get well with Jimmie Johnson and the Foundation?

    “We are hoping to get even more engagement with our corporate teams and even connecting in a stronger way with each other through the wellness initiatives,” O’Malley said. “It’s been fun for us because when you think of Penn Mutual, we have our associates here in our home office in Pennsylvania, but we have about another 400 associates scattered throughout the country.”

    “So, being able to come up with ways for them to connect to our key corporate initiatives is a great way for us to expand our reach. We’re able to have participation from as far away as California to Pennsylvania and North Carolina.

    “If we can take that to the next level this year would be a great accomplishment.”

    And for Penn Mutual, there is an added benefit beyond connection and wellness. The company also has the opportunity to help raise funds for children in need.

    “Jimmie and his team really do a tremendous job with the Foundation and connecting back with the community. Being able to be a part of the Wellness Challenge and what the Foundation does to help children and education is most rewarding.

    “We couldn’t be happier with this relationship.”

    For more information on the Jimmie Johnson Foundation Wellness Challenge, visit www.jimmiejohnsonfoundation.org and for more information on Penn Mutual visit www.pennmutual.com.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch won the Ford EcoBoost 400, holding off Kevin Harvick to win his first Sprint Cup championship. Busch missed the first 11 races of the season after breaking his leg at a crash at Daytona in February.

    “A pasty white guy from Las Vegas is the Sprint Cup champion,” Busch said. “Ironically, all other driver ‘pale’ in comparison to me.

    “I’ve always dreamed of beating Jeff Gordon for the Sprint Cup championship. I guess dreams do come true. Apparently, when I was a kid, I had very vivid and colorful dreams. But those dreams were nothing like the ones I had on painkillers after surgery to repair my broken leg.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 13th on the grid and finished second to Kyle Busch.

    “’Second’ has been the story of my year,” Harvick said. “I can’t tell you how many times I finished second this year, but I can tell that I will be counting the seconds until the start of the 2016 season.”

    3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon started fifth at Homestead and finished sixth, as Kyle Busch won the race to capture the Sprint Cup championship.

    “I couldn’t believe the support I received,” Gordon said, “even in a losing effort. It reminded me of the applause that erupted when Matt Kenseth wrecked Joey Logano at Martinsville. Without that, I wouldn’t even be here.

    4. Joey Logano: Logano started second at Homestead and finished fourth, posting his 22nd top-five result of the year.

    “I dominated the circuit this season,” Logano said, “so you tell me who the rightful Sprint Cup champion should be. I had six wins and 22 top-10 finishes. You do the math. And speaking of math, if you subtracted Matt Kenseth from the equation, I would be Cup champion.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch finished eighth at Homestead, posting his 21st top 10 of the year.

    “Now there are two Sprint Cup championships in the family,” Busch said. “I guess I’ll have to call my brother ‘champ.’ He’s, of course, been called worse.”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Homestead, his fourth Coors Light pole of the season.

    “I tore my knee up playing basketball earlier this year,” Hamlin said. “So, I’m going to have it surgically repaired. Hopefully, the doctors will use pins and screws because there’s a gas pedal that says my leg definitely needs to be heavier.”

    7. Carl Edwards: Edwards led eight laps and finished 11th at Homestead.

    “Congratulations to Kyle Busch,” Edwards said. “He’ll be a great champion. However, I’m not sure if his reign will do any favors for NASCAR’s Drive For Diversity program because Kyle will be the whitest champion ever.”

    8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex qualified 11th at Homestead and finished 12th, the lowest among championship-eligible drivers.

    “This Chase For The Cup had it all,” Truex said. “Intentional wrecks, intentional wrecks made to look unintentional, intentional wrecks gone unpunished by NASCAR, and intentional wrecks punished by NASCAR. It was ‘quint-intentional.’”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took third in the Ford EcoBoost 400, recording his ninth top five of the year.

    “Jeff Gordon was the sentimental favorite,” Keselowski said. “There were a lot of people pulling for him to win, almost as many as were pulling for Kevin Harvick not to win.”

    10.Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 10th at Homestead, posting his 22nd top 10 of the year.

    “I received an odd drive-through penalty,” Johnson said. “Apparently, a crew member put his hip into a big dent in the side of the No. 48 Chevy. That’s a no-no. NASCAR’s rule book states that it’s illegal for cars to be powered by ‘pelvic thrust.’”