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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano won the CampingWorld.com 500 at Talladega, taking the checkered flag under caution for his third straight win.

    “Having already clinched my spot in the next round,” Logano said, “I knew it didn’t really matter what happened behind me. Of course, no one was saying ‘What happened?’ because everybody knew what happened.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Running with an engine on the verge of blowing, Harvick’s slow No. 4 initiated a crash that forced the race to end under caution, and secured his advance to the next round.

    “I think it would be appropriate to quote Steve Urkel,” Harvick said, “and say, ‘Did I do that?

    “Don’t ask me if I meant to do it. For all intents and purposes, I’m still alive to win the Cup.”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 10th in the Campingworld.com 500, posting his 18th top-10 of the year. He advances to the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “That had to be the most unsatisfactory ending to a Talladega race ever,” Busch said. “And take it from me and any of my girlfriends—we know unsatisfactory endings.

    “I think, eventually, Kevin Harvick will admit he was wrong and do what’s right. As it is now, the only thing ‘right’ was his turn into Trevor Bayne.”

    4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon started on the pole at Talladega and finished third, easily advancing to the next round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick’s actions were fishy,” Gordon said. “So fishy, in fact, they’re complaining about the smell in Denmark.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished fifth at Talladega and joins Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch in the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “Things could get very interesting at Martinsville,” Edwards said. “The race is called the ‘Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500.’ There are some drivers that want revenge, which will bring them relief, and will cause headaches for their victims. Will there be punches thrown? As they say in the South, ‘I reckon.’ And Sunday will be a day of reckoning, and wreck-oning.”

    6. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex finished seventh at Talladega and secured his place in the Eliminator Round of the Chase.

    “For all the talk of speed at Talladega,” Truex said, “it took forever to run the final two laps.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth to safely advance to the next round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick will have a blinking eye on the front of his car next week at Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “He should have had it last week because he ‘hoodwinked’ everybody.”

    8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 11th and slipped into the Chase, taking the eighth and final spot in the Eliminator Round.

    “I did what I had to do,” Busch said. “That’s a statement, not an excuse.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: A malfunction with the roof flap on the No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota forced Hamlin to pit four times. He was caught up in the final restart crash, the result of which set his car ablaze. He finished 37th, four laps down, and tumbled out of the top eight in points.

    “That roof flap is there for me to exit the car quickly in case of emergency,” Hamlin said. “Ironically, I couldn’t get out of the car fast enough after the race.

    “Harvick wrecked his own car at Dover to stay in the Chase,” Hamlin said. “He wrecked the field at Talladega to stay in the Chase. He’ll have to answer to all the accusations saying he did it intentionally. I guess that’s why he’s ‘defending’ champion.”

    10. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Earnhardt finished second at Talladega after the final restart carnage caused when Kevin Harvick clipped Trevor Bayne. The caution came out just seconds before Earnhardt overtook Joey Logano for the lead. Earnhardt needed a win to advance to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “Joey Logano took the checkered flag from race command and did some victory burnouts,” Earnhardt said. “I’m surprised Kevin Harvick didn’t do the same, with the yellow flag.”

  • Hot 20 – Logano’s Talladega experience might be better suited by being sponsored by Target

    Hot 20 – Logano’s Talladega experience might be better suited by being sponsored by Target

    How is it that rather intelligent people can make the dumbest statements? Brian France, the Grand Poobah of NASCAR, has come out with “I thought that Joey Logano made a very smart decision in what he did,” which was to intentionally spin out Matt Kenseth at Kansas with five laps to go. Instead of Kenseth winning and getting the free pass, he is in the weeds needing a win at Talladega while Logano claimed his second straight win. That was a very smart decision?

    A lot of what one thinks of the move has to do with whether you like Logano, or cannot stand him, along with one’s thoughts regarding Kenseth. There are a number of ways to describe what took place, such as “Joey was forced to move him to get by” or “Matt was trying to block and Logano held his line” or “It was just a racing deal.” Anything but it “was a very smart decision.”

    What France just did was ensure that Logano becomes a high-speed pinata come Talladega. He already has two wins, more than enough to guarantee himself a spot in the next round no matter what takes place on Sunday. So, for instance, a driver sees that he has no hope of making it, why not “smart decision” Logano’s ass into the wall along the way to make him pay? I am not saying that Kenseth is the type of guy who would seek out revenge, but if he were….

    Going into this weekend’s race, Kenseth needs a win. So does Dale Earnhardt Jr., unless a big wreck in the opening laps takes out at least four of the top eight in the Chase. The rest, with the exception of Logano, need to survive. The threat of a pileup at any time at Talladega is very real, as 10 or 20 cars could be taken out at any moment until the checkered flag waves.

    Our Hot 20 over the opening five Chase races, heading to Talladega on Sunday, include…

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 209 Points (2 Wins)
    Sorry, officer, but I was just making a smart decision when I caused that wreck.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 198 (1 Win)
    About as safe as anyone other than Logano, but at Talladega that might not mean much.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 188
    Needs to survive this weekend and find a way to thrive at Martinsville.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 171
    Could have had a more comfortable margin if not for one damn bouncing tire in the pits.

    5. JEFF GORDON – 171
    Junior is not the only active driver with six wins at Talladega. Just thought I’d mention it.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 171
    Ten straight inside the Top Twenty, half of them Top Tens.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 168
    Five races, five finishes between eighth and 16th. Not much flash, but very consistent.

    8. RYAN NEWMAN – 161
    Top Tens might not be enough when everyone else who matters is doing the same.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 160 (1 Win)
    Charlotte disaster and Kansas disappointment have forced him to go for it all on Sunday.

    10. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 155
    Surprise! His worst finish since Richmond is 13th, which he has done three times.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 154
    Not championship caliber, but at least fans again know who he is.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 151
    November 13, 2005. The only time Kyle has won over the final 10 events of any season.

    13. KEVIN HARVICK – 147 (1 Win)
    A gas and go with the gas can cost him last week, but the format allows him to forget Chicago.

    14. GREG BIFFLE – 142
    Considering how this season has gone, I think he will accept this as a moral victory.

    15. KYLE LARSON – 139
    Not bad, but with three times out of the Top Fifteen, it sure is not great.

    16. KASEY KAHNE – 134
    At least no one can say he is the worst Hendrick driver during the Chase.

    17. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 131
    Just in case you were wondering why he also has to win at Talladega.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 128
    Amongst the Top 11 in five of the past seven, yet still ranked way down here.

    19. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 122
    Is the season over yet?

    20. CASEY MEARS – 118
    Where is Bowyer? Where is Menard?

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano won his second straight race, bumping Matt Kenseth out of the lead with five laps to go to win the Hollywood Casino 400.

    “Let’s face it,” Logano said, “Kenseth’s tailspin started well before Kansas.

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick left the pits with his gas can still attached with about 50 laps to go, incurring a drive-through penalty. Harvick finished 15th and has 3,071 points, just seven ahead of Kyle Busch in ninth.

    “I just need to keep my nose clean at Talladega,” Harvick said, “and keep the No. 4 Chevrolet off the wall. It will be different than it was at Dover—-to keep my nose clean there, I intentionally had to hit the wall.”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch took sixth at Kansas, scoring his 17th top-10 of the year. He is third in the points standings, 13 ahead of ninth place.

    “I’m in perfect position to advance to the Eliminator Round,” Busch said. “It doesn’t apply to my mental state, but I’m ‘in a good place.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second at Kansas and is now second in the points standings.

    “Matt Kenseth will get Joey Logano back,” Hamlin said. “It’s gonna be hard for Matt to properly avenge himself at Talladega because Logano’s already advanced to the next round. So, Matt may be able to get some sort of revenge, but he won’t be able to exact revenge.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished eighth in the Hollywood Casino 400, posting his 13th top-10 of the year.

    “Matt Kenseth is old enough to be Joey Logano’s father,” Edwards said. “In my eyes, Joey needs a beating; in Matt’s eyes, he needs a spanking.”

    6. Martin Truex Jr.: A late pit mishap coast Truex a likely top-10 finish and he settled for 16th in the Hollywood Casino 400.

    “We had a tire get away from us in the pits,” Truex said. “Up until that point, we were ‘rolling.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole and finished ninth at Kansas, recording his 21st top-10 of the year. He has 3,071 points in the standings, tied with Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon.

    “Joey Logano’s won the last two races,” Keselowski said, “and five total this season. He’s looking like the favorite to win the Sprint Cup championship. He just has to avoid being overconfident. Can Joey avoid getting a ‘big head?’ I don’t think so; on that neck, any head looks big.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took 10th at Kansas and has 3,071 points in the standings, which places him seven points ahead of Kyle Busch in ninth.

    “Advancing to the next round could come down to a single point,” Gordon said, “so every point matters. At Talladega, I’m just as worried about the ‘Little One’ as I am about the ‘Big One.’”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch posted his eighth top-5 finish of the season with a fifth in the Hollywood Casino 400. He is currently in ninth place in the points standings, six points behind eighth place.

    “One week after the Hollywood Casino 400,” Busch said, “we’re heading to Talladega, where, fittingly, all bets are off.

    “The level of tension will be such that you’ll be able to cut it with a knife. In the infield at Talladega, the level of alcohol will be such that you might get stabbed with a knife.”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was leading with five laps remaining at Kansas when Joey Logano bumped him, sending Kenseth’s No. 20 sliding up the track and out of the lead. Kenseth finished 14th and will likely need to win at Talladega to advance.

    “With Halloween approaching,” Kenseth said, “Logano should be mindful of things that go bump in the night, as well as things that go bump in the face.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas Hollywood Casino 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas Hollywood Casino 400

    Fresh off the announcement of the rules package for next year, here is what was surprising and not surprising from this year’s second race of the Contender round from the 15th annual Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Surprising:  While there were some familiar on-track challenges, from complaints about restarts to concerns about oil in the upper groove, problems on pit road played a pivotal role, particularly for several Chase drivers.

    Team 24 of Jeff Gordon had a loose lug nut and had to pit, one of Carl Edwards’ pit crew members fell down costing him spots, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., as well as others, had loose wheels.

    But the biggest pit road issues were faced by Chase contenders Kevin Harvick, who was penalized for taking equipment out of the box, and Martin Truex, Jr. who was penalized for an uncontrolled tire.

    “We’re lucky to come out of it as good as we did,” Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet, said. “We didn’t have a great weekend. A lot of things falling on and off.  All and all, it could have been a lot worse.”

    “It was tough day,” Truex said, echoing Harvick. “We were in good shape before the penalty (pass-through penalty for a tire going outside the line following green flag pit stop on Lap 213). We fought hard on the car all day got much better right when we got the penalty. We were fast at the end, but not enough time to get back up there.”

    Harvick finished 16th in the race, which put him in the fifth position in the point standings. Truex finished 15th in the race and is now eighth in the points.

    Not Surprising:  From the land of the yellow brick road, the golden rule was being practiced mightily in Victory Lane.

    “It was good, hard racing,” Joey Logano after tangling with Matt Kenseth to win the race. “We were racing each other really hard and I got in the fence twice on the straightaways.  He raced me hard and I raced him hard back.  That’s hard racing.  That’s the way I race.”

    “If I get raced like that, I’ll race the same way.  That’s how I’ve always been and it will always be that way.”

    Surprising:  There was a surprising runner-up and no, it was not Kevin Harvick. It was actually Denny Hamlin, behind the wheel of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, who captured the second spot in Kansas, putting himself in the runner-up spot in the point standings as well.

    “It was an interesting day for sure,” Hamlin said. “We definitely fought our car early in the day. We made it better, we had some good restarts and the pit crew got us some spots. The next thing we knew we were trying to battle for a race win.”

    “One short.”

    Not Surprising:  In a season of strange happenings at the track, from squirrels to foxes to ducks on track, Kansas featured a weird occurrence as well.  Smoke was reported wafting over the racing surface, causing some concern. But it all turned out to be a bus on fire just outside the track.

    Surprising:  Ryan Blaney had a surprisingly good run, finishing seventh in his No. 21 Woods Brothers Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford.  Yet the young driver admitted to being still in the learning mode as he faces the final few races of the season.

    “I feel pretty good about the rest of the year,” Blaney said. “We’ve learned some things. We still have to get a lot better, but we’re getting there. Being on the race track more is part of it. Things come with time for both me and Jeremy (Bullins, crew chief) and we’re finally getting some time under our belt.”

    Not Surprising:  There were at least three drivers who no doubt want to put Kansas City in their rear view mirrors. Tony Stewart was one, spinning early to bring out the second caution of the day.

    And the other two were Austin Dillon and Clint Bowyer, both of whom hit the wall, and hit it hard.

    “I was catching everyone in front of us and then blew a right front,” Dillon said. “We were carrying a lot of speed and just blew a tire.”

    “I thought I could save it, but guess what, I didn’t save it,” Bowyer said. “It was a hard hit. “Very, I hit a wall. Pretty damn hard.”

    “I couldn’t believe how fast it snapped. You usually can ride it along, but that thing came out from underneath of me so fast. As soon as that headlight got some air in it, boy that baby bit and turned me around pretty quick.”

    “I hate that happened especially at home.”

    Surprising:  Jimmie Johnson may not be in the championship hunt, but he may have played a role in how the race at Kansas played out. He stayed out late in the race, preventing many drivers who had had trouble from taking the wave around.

    The driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet finished third, posting his 16th top-10 finish in nineteen races at Kansas Speedway.

    “The silver lining of not being in the Chase is having fast cars,” Johnson said.  “It was fun racing. We did have speed in our cars and we are running really well.  We did it again this weekend.”

    Not Surprising:  There was some ‘dad’ flavor at the race, with new dad Kasey Kahne having a good run in fourth and dad Kyle Busch finishing fifth.

    “We just kept fighting and persevering through everything that was thrown at us,” Busch said after the race. “And in case everyone wasn’t sure, Halloween is coming up so grab all those M&Ms for all the kiddies. I know I’m looking forward to my first Halloween with my son Brexton.”

    Surprising:  Kurt Busch went from celebrating his sixth place win, as well as his third place in the point standings, to being decidedly bummed about how close the Chase continued to be.

    “We’re going to Talladega third in Chase Only plus 13?” Busch asked a reporter after the race. “I would have hoped we would have been 25. Plus 13 is not very exciting.”

    “Wow, you kind of deflated my bubble there. I thought a fifth or a sixth was pretty good in this battle but it’s not.”

    Not Surprising:  No one is looking more forward to racing next weekend than Dale Earnhardt Jr., particularly since the upcoming battle will be on his favorite restrictor plate track.

    The driver of the No. 88 Halo 5: Master Chief Chevrolet, who finished the last of the Chasers in 21st at Kansas tweeted this after the race, “Tough day at the track. Gonna have those. Bring on @TalladegaSuperS! Taking that same hot rod that won there earlier this season. #ShesFast.”

     

  • Hot 20 – Kansas, where there is no oil on the track…not that there is ever oil on any track

    Hot 20 – Kansas, where there is no oil on the track…not that there is ever oil on any track

    Lower downforce in next season’s rule package is supposed to reduce grip and make the cars more maneuverable. In short, passing should be more commonplace in 2016. If that is how it works out, we shall be happy. However, forgive me for waiting until at least February before I start celebrating.

    Considering the follow the leader kind of racing we saw at Charlotte, at least we have hope. Not sure how much we have for this season, but we can always…well….hope. By opening up the zone for the lead car to control the re-start. it seems to work just dandy up front, but it can cause accordion type mishaps further back. If that happens, oil and other fluids can spill out onto the track, and if it is not totally cleared up like some claim was not done last week, it causes even more problems. Of course, that was not true and we know this because…NASCAR denies that it was true.

    Did I mention that we had single lane racing? That can be a real problem, not only for fans trying to keep awake and drivers hoping to pass but enough oil and fluid that is left in that lane kind of messes things up a bit more. That is if such a thing happened. Which, of course, was not the case, because NASCAR said so.

    This Sunday, we are off to Kansas, where Matt Kenseth, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, and Ryan Newman have some clean up of their own to do after their respective Charlotte adventures. Considering he has a couple of wins there over the past three years, it could be redemption time for Kenseth.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – ROUND WIN
    Now Talladega is just another race.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3042 POINTS
    Ill handling car was healthy enough to place second last week.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3041
    Truex…the other Junior.

    4. DENNY HAMLIN – 3040
    Now that Kyle was recovered, Denny’s the best one-legged driver in the sport.

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 3039
    Super sorry about your car, Matt.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3039
    Sounds like the Panic Switch clothing people are…well…panicking.

    7. JEFF GORDON – 3037
    2015’s best damn winless driver in NASCAR.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3035
    If Brad and Kyle got along as well as Scarlett and Brexton, what a wonderful world it would be.

    9. RYAN NEWMAN – 3029
    Rained on Kenseth’s parade, but got a bit damp himself.

    10. KYLE BUSCH – 3025
    If only Kyle and Brad got along as well as Samantha and Paige…

    11. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 3016
    It is just a flesh wound…and Talladega is coming.

    12. MATT KENSETH – 3003
    Did not see Newman, but he sure saw the wall…a lot.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2130
    Out of the Chase, but trying to stay in the weekly on-track conversation.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2092
    It just does not matter anymore.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 2083
    Fixes got him back on the track but wrecked any hope of a decent finish at Charlotte.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 2082
    One race closer to greener pastures.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 801
    A Top Ten in Charlotte aids in dreams of greater things for 2016.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 771
    Early crash left him dead last at Charlotte, but Tanner Lee’s arrival trumps everything.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 742
    One Kyle is good, two Kyles is a crash.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 726
    Best Roush-Fenway driver of this season, but third best at Charlotte.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano led 227 of 334 laps and held off Kevin Harvick down the stretch to claim the Bank Of America 500. With the win, Logano advanced to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “I knew Harvick was creeping up behind me,” Logano said. “I knew I had to hit my marks to maintain my cushion. I kind of utilized Harvick’s strategy from Dover, because I knew if he got close enough to see my rear end, it would be bad news.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished second in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 12th runner-up finish of the year.

    “I ‘backed up’ my win in Dover with a second,” Harvick said.

    “I am the defending Sprint Cup champion, but that doesn’t mean I’m not extremely motivated to win it again this year. Last year means nothing. In my mind, all evidence of that victory has been destroyed.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished fourth at Charlotte, the top finisher among Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

    “I dealt with some battery issues,” Hamlin said. “As you know, that comes with the positives and the negatives.

    “Matt Kenseth has been JGR’s best driver all year, but he struggled at Charlotte. And, if you remember, he had his issues last year at CMS. So for Matt, nothing is a cinch at Charlotte, except Brad Keselowski’s noggin in a headlock.”

    4. Carl Edwards: Edwards took sixth at Charlotte, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, who finished fourth, in the top 10.

    “I bumped Dale Earnhardt Jr. and sent him into the wall,” Edwards said. “Now, my status with Earnhardt fans has been upgraded, from ‘unlikeable’ to ‘hated.’”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Charlotte, scoring his eighth top-five result of the year. He is third in the points standings, seven behind Joey Logano.

    “NASCAR did a sorry job of cleaning the track of oil and fluid,” Truex said. “But let’s face it, if anyone’s guilty of pulling a slick one, it’s not the track at Charlotte, but Kevin Harvick at Dover.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished ninth in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 20th top 10 of the year.

    “There were a lot of cars making contact with the wall,” Keselowski said. “The wall played as big a factor in the Charlotte race as it did in the Dover race. For further explanation, see Kevin Harvick.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Charlotte and struggled thereafter, battling tight-handling conditions and hitting the wall three times, the last of which ended his day. He eventually finished 42nd.

    “We thought we had the No. 20 Dollar General car set up perfectly for Saturday’s night race,” Kenseth said. “Then rain postponed it until Sunday. So, after a tough day on Sunday, we were a day late and a Dollar General short.

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished eighth at Charlotte and has not finished below 14th in the Chase.

    “I may be Hendrick Motorsports only hope for the title,” Gordon said. “What’s shocking is that’s a long shot.

    9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt found trouble early at Charlotte, hitting the wall on lap 70 after making contact with Carl Edwards, then hitting it again after running through a patch of fluid on the track.

    “Carl Edwards flat out wrecked me,” Earnhardt said. “I promise revenge is coming. It will be swift and just, and will be called ‘E-taliation.’”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 20th, his day spoiled by an incident with Kyle Larson that damaged his car.

    “I damaged the right front of the M&M’s No. 18 Toyota after colliding with Kyle Larson entering the pits,” Busch said. “You can’t blame me for that—I hit the Target.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Bank of America 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Bank of America 500

    Starting off the Chase Contender round, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

    Surprising:  While the race was at most drivers’ home tracks, there was another track, one big superspeedway that seemed to be on many driver’s minds, including the race winner Joey Logano.

    “We had a great car, the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford said in Victory Lane. “Charlotte is everybody’s home turf and you want to make it happen here.”

    “This makes Talladega way easier.  I know that’s on everyone’s mind when this round starts and last year we won Kansas when it was the first race of this round and now we were able to get it this time at Charlotte.  We’ll get lots of sleep here the next couple of weeks.”

    This was Logano’s first win at Charlotte, his fourth victory of the season, and his ticket into the Eliminator Round for the Sprint Cup championship.

    Not Surprising:  For the third time in the season, the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick finished runner-up to race winner Logano. This was also Harvick’s eleventh time to finish in the second spot for the season.

    “We could hang with him (Joey Logano), but I would just lose him every once in a while in traffic,” Harvick said. “It was just extremely hard to pass. But all in all, we weren’t very good all weekend and the guys just did a great job on pit road and made our car better throughout the day.”

    “And if those are the off-days, we’ll be just fine.”

    Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt, Jr. no doubt expressed the sentiment of many drivers, including himself after taking the checkered flag.

    “It ain’t over,” the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet said after finishing 28th. “Don’t worry about that. I mean, we don’t have to go to Talladega and be nervous like those guys that are going to have to play it safe. We can just go hard. So, we’ve got a great car that can win that race.”

    “We can go to Kansas and run great. I like that track and don’t see why we can’t run great there and maybe win the race there.”

    “It ain’t over.”

    Not Surprising:  Jeff Gordon was in a sunny mood, thankful for a day race instead of a night race and for finishing eighth when his teammates Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished 28th, 39th and 43rd respectively.

    “The day race helped us starting 22nd,” the driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet said. “At night, it’s so grippy and fast and it’s hard to get multiple grooves; where during the day with the sun being out and heating up the track, losing a little bit of grip, I think it helped.”

    “I thought it was a really, really strong effort.”

    Surprising:  There were just ‘too many’ for Matt Kenseth at today’s Charlotte race.  The driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota finished 42nd after having too many men over the wall too many times, too many close encounters with the outside wall, and too many mistakes on pit road.

    “Yeah, I don’t know,” Kenseth said. “Everything kind of snowballed, you know? We were real fast out front, we were kind of tight in traffic and got behind pitting and then I missed the pit stall trying to come around the 21 (Ryan Blaney) and had to back up in the pit and that put us back there, so just kind of snowballed.”

    Not Surprising:  Aric Almirola may not be chasing a championship, but he and his team feel that they are definitely onto something after finishing top-10 in the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 Smithfield Ford.

    “I’m really happy with our consistency and we just have to keep working at it,” Almirola said. “We have a few more weeks to go to try and steal a win, but, otherwise, I think we’re on to something.”

    “I think we’re running a lot better and I’m really proud of everybody at Richard Petty Motorsports for bringing me these nice race cars these last six weeks.”

    Surprising:  After a close encounter with a pyrotechnics display in the Xfinity race, Austin Dillon remained on fire in the Cup race with a seventh place finish.  The driver of the No. 3 DOW – Great Stuff Chevrolet not only finished top-ten in the big show but also busted off a win in the Xfinity race earlier in the weekend.

    Not Surprising:  At a track the size of Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was not surprising that there was more action in the pits than on the track. Most notably was the collision between the two Kyles, with Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson making contact while coming to pit road.

    “I don’t know what happened,” Busch said. “Just can’t say enough about my guys – all the work that they put into these things. They don’t deserve to be put in these situations year in, year out, but we are for some reason.”

    “But it’s tough and we’re going to have to battle through with what we’ve got right now.”

    Surprising:  Battery challenge….no problem.  In spite of battery issues, Denny Hamline still managed to finish fourth, scoring highest finishing Toyota of the race.

    “I ran on the wrong battery all day so we have one battery I guess to run everything and then one to run the motor so I was draining both of them,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota said. “My mistake, I usually start on one and run on the other and I just got switched.”

    Not Surprising: Martin Truex Jr. could possibly have a second career operating a lemonade stand. He made the best out of a car that he thought was a bit of a lemon, finishing third in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet.

    “It was just hard work and a never-give-up attitude,” Truex said. “I honestly, this morning, I was really nervous going into the race thinking we’d be lucky to run 15th with what we had in practice. And Jeff Burton asked me before the race what I thought about my car. And I was like I don’t know; I don’t feel too good about it.”

    “So, I’m just really proud of the guys for working hard. The pit stops were great on pit road. This was a big hurdle and now we go to our best track at Kansas, and hopefully getting two more.”

     

  • Hot 20 – Charlotte has a tough act to follow this week, while Las Vegas is not as safe as I thought

    Hot 20 – Charlotte has a tough act to follow this week, while Las Vegas is not as safe as I thought

    I get it. Racing cars can be dangerous. We have lost people in NASCAR, and one sad day, despite all the advances that have been made regarding safety, we just may lose somebody else. I hope not, but that is the reality we must face. All we can do is greatly reduce the odds.

    Great leaps have been made in regards to producing a safer vehicle. Asphalt has replaced grass in many infields, though not all. Berms and gate openings are no longer an infield feature. SAFER barriers in front of concrete walls have made even the worst crashes survivable. However, if there is any chance a vehicle can be deflected in a direction that could put it on a path to hit concrete, it will.

    The crash that left Austin Theriault with a compression fracture in his lower back last weekend in the Las Vegas truck race likely could have been less than it was if there had been a SAFER barrier where he hit. Teammate Josh Reddick had crashed in front of him, and when he spilled back onto the track he clipped Theriault, sending him sharply to his right and straight into the concrete wall. Should there have been a SAFER barrier in that location? Damn right. Will there be in the future? Only if driver safety is a real concern and if someone in charge has the brains to see the danger, in Las Vegas and elsewhere, and deals with it.

    To be honest, I thought most tracks now had the barriers in such locations. I was wrong. Hopefully, NASCAR will finally make it right. All they need to do is remember that if it can happen to a billiard ball, it can happen to a race car.

    Unless one has locked a place, either through a win or an insurmountable points lead, you can get caught by surprise. Jimmie Johnson was reminded of that in Dover when a $50 rear axle seal failed and sent him to the garage for more than 35 laps. That plunged him to beyond 40th on the track on a day when 28th or better would have saved him.

    Kevin Harvick saved himself in winning last Sunday, and he heads to a track he won on last October. Johnson has seven career wins at Charlotte. That just does not matter as much as it did last week.

    The Hot 20 heading into Charlotte include…

    1. MATT KENSETH – 5 WINS
    If one win was all it took to win a title, he did it. If it takes five or more, no problem.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
    Challenged at Dover, finished third, but made it to the next round by a single point.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
    If you like this year’s racing, Logano figures we will love 2016’s lower downforce package.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS
    Won last October and is seeking to make it two in a row.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS
    History shows that Hamlin won’t win Saturday night, but it will not be a disaster, either.

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
    Can spring success equate into a fall classic?

    5. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
    Difference between Kurt and Jamie…two points…and he was tied for sixth in the standings!

    5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
    Exciting enough for you?

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
    Tech issues caused him to start last, 11th place kept him in the Chase by six positions.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
    Re-starting with the same number of points as everyone else in the Chase…and no black flag.

    11. JEFF GORDON – 3000 POINTS
    Handing over to Junior a sponsor. Maybe he could also loan him a championship.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 3000 POINTS
    A winless championship season is still possible.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2098 POINTS
    Rowdy by a point, Junior by a position, as Jamie is left waiting at the altar.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2086 POINTS
    All for the want of a damn $50 car part.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 2075 POINTS
    If Johnson had finished 25th like Menard at Dover, Jimmie would still be in the Chase.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 2048 POINTS
    So concludes the title hopes of Toyota supported Michael Waltrip Racing (2007-2015).

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 770 POINTS
    All that is left is to win the battle against Almirola. That is all.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 767 POINTS
    Driving a Ford…will keep on driving a Ford next season.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 718 POINTS
    For a time, it appeared he might prove to be Harvick’s spoiler last week.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 706 POINTS
    At least Roush-Fenway should finish the season with a single Top 20 entry. Exciting stuff.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole after qualifying was canceled and finished seventh at Dover, easily advancing to the Contender Round.

    “And then there were 12,” Kenseth said. “Now, we’re headed to Charlotte, where speeds can reach upwards of 190 miles per hour. And, if history is any indication, the cars won’t be the only thing flying—-fists will be, as well.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick dominated at Dover leading 355 of 400 laps and winning when he had to.

    “I advanced,” Harvick said. “Jimmie Johnson retreated. And that’s certainly not the first time.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second in the AAA 400 and advanced to the next round of The Chase for the Sprint Cup.

    “It’s all about surviving and advancing,” Busch said. “And I did them both at the same time. Add those to the list of things I can do all at once, which includes ‘Whip And Nae Nae.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, already into the next round with his win at New Hampshire, finished 18th at Dover.

    “I took a nice, leisurely Sunday drive,” Hamlin said. “That wasn’t the case for everyone. I’m not saying Kevin Harvick drives like a man possessed, but he emerges from his hauler like a man possessed.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 15th at Dover and is one of four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers to qualify for the round of 12.

    “Kevin Harvick didn’t waste any time taking over the lead,” Edwards said. “He took off like a bat out of hell, or just like the way he left Richard Childress Racing.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Dover, posting his 23rd top-10 of the year. He advances to the Contender Round of the Chase.

    “Kevin Harvick showed why he’s the reigning champion,” Logano said. “Jimmie Johnson showed why the Chase format is his biggest obstacle to winning his seventh Cup. Sadly, it was a simple seal that ruined Jimmie’s hopes. On this day, it appeared a mechanical issue was Jimmie’s ‘Achilles Seal.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 16th in the AAA 400, making his way to the next round of the Chase.

    “It wasn’t pretty,” Keselowski said, “but the No. 2 Wurth Ford Fusion, after a rough start, came through when it counted. You could say it was ‘Wurth’ the wait.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 17th at Dover and claimed his spot in the next round of the Chase.

    “I think NASCAR was a bit disappointed,” Busch said. “This was a high-pressure elimination race, and the only thing that got punched was a ticket.”

    9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt, needing a strong finish to make the Chase, took third at Dover to advance to the next round, but just barely. Earnhardt took the 12th and final spot, tied with Jamie McMurray in points but advancing by virtue of a tiebreaker.

    “I heard a strange sound,” Earnhardt said. “It turned out I was almost done in by a loose wheel. Ironically, I ‘squeaked’ by.”

    10. (tie): Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a rear axle seal failure at Dover, forcing him to the garage and ending his hopes of advancing to the round of 12. Johnson finished 41st, and won’t be winning his seventh Sprint Cup title.

    “That was a $5 part,” Johnson said. “The sad part is, I had to pay for it.”

    10. (tie): Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished 12th at Dover and made his way to the round of 12.

    “The ‘Drive For Five’ is still alive,” Gordon said. “If I could win my fifth Sprint Cup title in my final season, it would be the most emotional experience of my life. That’s why I’m calling my quest ‘Once More With Feeling.’”

  • The Final Word – With so much on the line for so many, Dover was one hell of a race

    The Final Word – With so much on the line for so many, Dover was one hell of a race

    Dover, where the Chase hopes of four would be over by the time the haulers moved on down the road. Two came in safe, some were comfortable while others were scrambling to survive. For a pair, it pretty much was win to be in.

    Most races come down to a series of snapshots, of moments that determine their fate and those of those challenging them. For Kevin Harvick, it came early, on just the 24th lap of the 400 circuit affair. He took the lead and showed himself to be in the dominant car. For the defending champion, a win would pretty much be necessary to keep his dreams of a repeat alive.

    For Jimmie Johnson, it was lap 104. Problems in the rear end forced him to come to the garage for 37 laps, to forever sit beyond 40th, and to hope for someone to experience disaster. He did not need to move up, but he needed somebody to move back toward him. More than one would have been nicer.

    That left Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. battling for the bubble spot. Well, as long as Harvick led and no one other than Johnson suffered a major failure, it was going to be either one or the other who would make it in. Just one to four points separated the pair most of the afternoon in the battle for 12th in the standings.

    With 20 to go, that two car duel had widened to a five-car fight. Suddenly, the jack problems that dropped Kurt Busch to 17th had him ahead of the pair by just two points. Kyle Busch was running second, but he was up only by a single point as Junior and McMurray were running third and fourth in the race. Ryan Newman was back to 19th, and his lead was now just a single point. Seven laps later, Brad Keselowski, 15th on the track, was himself just two points to the good in the standings. A dozen laps left, and we still did not know how it would all end. Meanwhile, as all this was going on, Harvick still was running first, Johnson was sitting near last on the track. This movie was promising to have one hell of a finale.

    “We believe we can win,” was the chant his crew serenaded their driver in Victory Lane, and they were right as Harvick advanced them to the Contender Round of the Chase. No disaster came to save the day for Johnson, so his dream of seven championships is put off for another season. As for the battle for the final berths, in the end it did come down to Earnhardt and McMurray. They finished tied in points, with the tie breaker going to the man recording the best finish amongst the three Chase races to date. On the day, Junior was third, McMurray was fourth, and that was the difference.

    Harvick joins Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin winning their way forward, as Earnhardt, Newman, the Busch brothers, and Keselowski join Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, and Joey Logano as, for them, the hunt continues.

    It was one hell of a race, now on to Charlotte this Saturday night to begin the next round.