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Tag: Jimmie Johnson

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Ryan Blaney: Blaney won Stage 2 and suffered a cut tire late in the final stage, which forced a pit stop and left him with a 19th-place finish.

    “Alex Bowman whipped the field by almost nine seconds,” Blaney said. “So mine wasn’t even the biggest ‘blowout’ of the race.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished 12th in the Auto Club 400 at Fontana.

    “It was cool to see Jimmie Johnson honored with the ‘5-Wide Salute,’” Logano said. “Maybe one day, I can receive that same appreciation. I kind of do now. However, my ‘5-Wide Salute’ is five people standing side-by-side giving me the ‘One-Finger Salute.’”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home ninth in a mostly uneventful Auto Club 400. He is fourth in the points standings, 12 out of first.

    “My ‘Kyle Busch Bounty’ really has people talking about the Gander Truck Series,” Harvick said. “And it has people talking more about Kyle Busch, which is actually what I was trying to avoid.”

    4. Alex Bowman: Bowman led 110 laps at Fontana and held off Kyle and Kurt Busch late to ease to victory in the Auto Club 400.

    “I promised a friend I’d get an ’88’ tattoo if I won,” Bowman said. “I’m sure people will have a lot of questions when they see my tattoo, like, ‘Cool, are you’re a Dale, Jr. fan”‘”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started second and finished seventh at Fontana.

    “I was honored with a ‘Five-Wide Salute’ during the warmup laps,” Johnson said. I’m really digging this farewell tour. I mean really digging it. It’s quite a turn-on actually. You could say I now have a ‘fete fetish.’”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Fontana, scoring his first top-five result of the season.

    “Good news,” Keselowski said. “NASCAR is transitioning to single lug nut wheels in 2021. In hockey, that would be a ‘one-timer.’ In baseball, it’s a ‘single.’ In basketball, it’s a ‘one-and-done.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started at the back of the field and forged his way forward to finish sixth at Fontana, posting his second top-10 of the season.

    “We started at the back because we pitted to change a shock absorber on the warmup laps,” Hamlin said. “Little did we know that the real shock ‘absorber’ would be Kyle Larson’s rear bumper.”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished fourth at California, recording his first top-five of the season. He is sixth in the points standings, 17 out of first.

    “I was just named brand ambassador for Hooters Spirits,” Elliott said. “In case you’re wondering, Hooters Spirits is not a haunted Hooter’s restaurant, where the waitresses might say ‘Boo(b)!’ It’s a line of Hooter’s alcoholic beverages. Look for them on shelves. Or better yet, look for them on racks.”

    9. Matt DiBenedetto: DiBenedetto continued his strong start to the season, posting a 13th at Fontana, and is eighth in the points standings.

    “You could say I’m ‘running with the big dogs,’” DiBenedetto said. “And as they say, ‘If you can’t run with the big dogs, stay off the porch.’ Well, I’m a big dog, and I’m gonna stay on that porch, and probably ‘leave my mark.’”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second in the Auto Club 400, scoring his first top-five result after two lackluster efforts to begin the season.

    “Alex Bowman beat me by almost nine seconds,” Busch said. “In racing, that’s an eternity. So, if you ask how badly I was beaten, I’ll tell you ‘from there to eternity.’

    “As for bounties on me, I say ‘Bring ’em on.’ I don’t mind being the hunted, just as I don’t mind being the bad guy. I’m not here to be liked. You’ve heard of Formula 1, right? Well, for me, it’s not ‘F1,’ it’s ‘F everyone.’”

  • Johnson’s playoff hopes end in crash

    Johnson’s playoff hopes end in crash

    Jimmie Johnson was a long shot coming into the Brickyard hoping to make the NASCAR Playoffs. And the No. 48 crew was below the cut line most of the race.

    At one point, the team caught a lucky break when a caution came out and Johnson was out front as the leader. However, the Hendrick Motorsports driver had to come down to pit road for his scheduled pit stop. Even with the pit stop, Johnson was able to finish eighth in Stage 2.

    Troubles arose when Stage 3 began as Johnson went to make a move in Turn 2 but eventually was turned and hit the wall. With the incident, Johnson was out of the race and his playoff hopes were over for 2019.

    “Yeah, it’s really disappointing. Unfortunately, we had a bad 25 races that led to the position we’re in here today and we needed a stellar day. I think we were having a strong day. I’m really proud of my team with what’s been going on.”

    When asked about the incident, Johnson said it was close racing.

    “The No. 1 car (Kurt Busch) had a little trouble on the restart. I’m on the inside going into the corner and it was just super tight. It’s unfortunate that happened. Certainly, it’s not what we needed on that restart. I couldn’t go below the white line and kind of got snipped there and turned around, and around and round we go.”

    This will be the first time in Johnson’s career that he has missed the Playoffs.

  • Bubble Drivers Running for a 2019 Playoff Spot – Who Will Make It?

    Bubble Drivers Running for a 2019 Playoff Spot – Who Will Make It?

    With just six more races left in the regular season for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, six drivers in 13th through 18th place are within 31 points of each other. It’s a tight race for those last few spots, and a win could spoil the party even further.

    But who has the best shot with six tracks nowhere near related to each other?

    I’m talking about Pocono Raceway first, then the high speed Watkins Glen International Raceway. After that, we go to our last 2-mile oval of the year at Michigan International Speedway, with Bristol Motor Speedway as the last race in August. The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series holds their Labor Day tradition at the track “Too Tough To Tame”, Darlington Raceway, and then the legendary Brickyard 400 to close out the regular season.

    Maybe Pocono has some relation to a couple of these tracks with its three differing corners, but as a whole, these six circuits are incomparable to each other.

    So let’s first look at the drivers in that tight battle for those last four points positions and who I feel will make the Playoffs.

    Kyle Larson (+14, 13th in points)

    Surprisingly, Larson is at the top of the bubble gap, sitting 13th in points. Even though the current package does not showcase his talent, he has finished in the top-10 in half of the races this season and currently sits higher than most would have anticipated. However, 14 points aren’t much of an advantage for Larson considering a few missed top-10 stage finishes could eliminate that cushion.

    “I feel okay about it (his Playoff position) but thankful the rest of the bubble guys had issues this last race (at New Hampshire) because I DNFed and only lost nine points to the cutoff,” Larson said. “I was surprised by that.

    “I do feel like our cars are definitely fast enough and capable and should be in the playoffs. As far as speed goes, I feel good about it. But obviously, I’ve got to just not make mistakes to give up a lot of points, like I could have this last weekend.”

    He is 31 points ahead of both Jimmie Johnson and Daniel Suarez, who are tied in points but below the cutoff. However, Larson doesn’t take that for granted, knowing how quickly he can lose points, can’t rely on other drivers having bad days and understanding that a win from a driver below him can quickly shake things up.

    Larson has a lot of strong tracks coming up, including Pocono where he won two stages and led 35 laps in the race this June, and Michigan where he has won before. If the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing team can hold their own and put together a couple good runs, they could either win their way in or squeeze in on points. My prediction is that he’ll make the Playoffs.

    Erik Jones (+11, 14th in points)

    “That Jones Boy” holds 14th in the points standings, despite having some strong runs and holds the most top fives and top 10’s in the year compared to these other drivers. Out of the entire Joe Gibbs Racing camp, Jones is the only one lacking a win and risking a Playoff spot.

    Jones believes that if his team can clean up a few mishaps and have a little luck on their side, he could get his second career victory to lock himself into the Playoffs.

    “Some of it has been our own fault. Phoenix, we had a loose wheel to start the race, blow a tire, get in the wall, ruins our day,” Jones shared earlier this summer at Daytona International Speedway. “Charlotte, we blow a right front; whether that is our fault or not, I don’t know.

    “There is Bristol, loose wheel, go three laps down. There have been so many races where you take yourself out of it. That’s what you can’t do in this sport and try to make the playoffs. We have had fast cars; Sonoma, we had another good car, but we had to start in the back. Chicago, we had an okay car, but we made a good day out of it. We’ve got good cars; we just need to have things go our way. We need to execute better on our end on all fronts. Make sure we are doing all we can to get the best finish that we can.”

    While he does have four top 10 finishes in the last five races, he also does have three finishes of 30th or worse, including a last-place finish after crashing out of the Coca-Cola 600 after 22 laps. That inconsistency and this tight points race could hurt him, so my vote is that Jones will miss the Playoffs after a few bad runs at places he could have gained ground.

    Ryan Newman (+4, 15th in points)

    The veteran knows how to close the deal in tight situations. While he may not have winning equipment at this time, Newman does know how to put together good enough runs to be exactly that: “good enough”.

    I don’t mean that in a negative sense at all. In fact, of all the drivers in this list, I’d say he’s the best at this exact type of war, know when and where to pick his battles.

    Take a look back in 2014. When driving for Richard Childress Racing, he was just one position shy of making the Championship 4 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He overcame this by punting Larson through Turns 3 and 4 to gain the extra position he needed to change his outcome. Putting Larson into the wall coming to the checkered flag gave Newman the position and point he needed to get into the final spot for the championship run in the season finale, knocking out Jeff Gordon from contention for his potential fifth championship.

    It doesn’t matter the job, the obstacles, or the track. Newman knows how to get it done. He will make the 2019 Playoffs when you put that challenge in front of him. Mark my word that he’ll be in the first round of the Playoffs as a contender.

    Clint Bowyer (+0, 16th in points)

    When looking back to last year, Clint Bowyer was in a much different position than he is now. At this point in 2018, Bowyer had two wins at Martinsville Speedway and Michigan (June, rain-shortened), so the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing team was already locked into the Playoffs. He had 10 top-10 finishes and was on pace for a good run in the postseason.

    This season has been a different story though. He is already one DNF shy of matching last year’s totals, and has no wins to lock himself in.

    However, with the tracks coming up, Bowyer has potential.

    • Pocono (June): Fifth
    • Sonoma (road course): 11th
    • Bristol: 7th, with top-10 finishes at Richmond and Martinsville

    Bowyer doesn’t want to go another six years without a victory, so look for him to challenge for a win and a few other strong finishes to solidify himself into the regular season. I’m going to lean more toward Bowyer making the Playoffs this year.

    Jimmie Johnson (-17, 17th in points)

    Jimmie Johnson is now over two years since his last Cup series victory, Dover in June 2017. And while Hendrick Motorsports and Chevrolet have started to find their groove, 7-Time has struggled to find consistency.

    For the past four races, he’s had two top-five finishes, and two 30th place finishes. While his average start and finishing positions have improved compared to the last two years, his inconsistent results could put him into jeopardy for a Playoff position. This has put him in the first spot below the cutoff line.

    With the tracks coming up and who he would have to beat on track for those spots, this could be Johnson’s first year where he will not be a part of the 16 drivers running for a championship in 2019. My vote says that this will stand.

    Daniel Suarez (-17, 18th in points)

    Daniel Suarez has had a roller coaster of a season. A couple of top five runs, two crashes at both Daytona races and everywhere else in between has ended him up here, 17 points below the last Playoff spot.

    He had a fantastic run at Kentucky. He won the pole, led 52 laps and finished eighth. However, he only collected 29 points in total.

    These last few races have been the worst in collecting stage points when compared to the other five drivers. Suarez started out strong by collecting a lot of stage points, salvaging a few where he crashed out, was caught a lap down or struggled to find speed later in the race.

    • Daytona (February): finished 33rd, but collected 14 points, almost double his finishing position’s worth to salvage his season-opener DNF.
    • Texas: finished third and collected 11 more points than the second-place finisher (Bowyer).
    • Richmond: finished 18th but collected seven more points than 19th.

    But since the June Pocono race when Suarez was 13th in points, he has only collected six stage points over six races, five at Daytona’s first stage and just one point from a 10th place running in the first stage at Loudon. He will need to pick up the pace on the stage points like he was at the beginning of the year if he’s going to secure his spot.

    Suarez is hungry for his first win though. He’s not running for stage points. He’s working to put himself into a position to win. While that’s an extremely valuable experience, it will cost him those critical stage points. It depends on what he values more, but if he’s willing to sacrifice a win for six more races, my guess is that he’ll fight his way back into the Playoffs.

    Drivers for the Win

    With those six drivers, it’s truly anybody’s spot, just a matter of who wants it more, and maybe who might get a little luckier than others.

    It doesn’t stop there. I feel there are two other drivers that could spoil the party with either a late-season surge or sneak in a potential win.

    Austin Dillon (-124, 22nd in points)

    Although his best finish this season is sixth, Austin Dillon has been well-known to get surprise wins at big races. His two career victories were a last lap ‘crash’ of Aric Almirola in last year’s Daytona 500, and a fuel gamble win at the 2017 Coca-Cola 600. He also earned three poles, and has led the most laps of his career in a single season already here in 2019 (69 laps).

    But despite these numbers, Richard Childress Racing hasn’t really competed much up front for a win. When Dillon has led, it’s mostly due to his pole run and getting some front running time before getting caught up in traffic after green flag pit stops or losing the lead after catching lap traffic.

    Don’t put it behind the No. 3 team to sneak in another big win, though. They’ve done it two years in a row, so the Brickyard 400 or the Southern 500 could be his third iconic victory at NASCAR’s top level.

    Matt DiBenedetto (-176, 24th in points)

    It looks like bad luck is finally behind the Hickory, NC driver. After leading the most laps of his career in a single race to kick of the season at the Daytona 500, the No. 95 team had speed, but little to no luck on their side. From mechanical failures to pit stop mishaps, ‘Guido’ has the potential to gather more strong runs than what the numbers show at this time. However, with his top five run at Sonoma Raceway, a top 10 at Daytona, then another top five at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the Leavine Family Racing team has found their stride and the chemistry to run more consistent.

    Even more so, Matt DiBenedetto feels confident at the “driver’s” tracks. Sonoma, a very technical and slow road course, was a perfect example of that as he drove through the field in the closing laps to finish fourth.

    “I’ve had this one circled,” DiBenedetto shared after his finish at Sonoma. “Places like Bristol, Phoenix, here. I’ll be honest, this year has been tough because the rules are so different where it makes it a little tougher for the driver to make a difference at some of these bigger race tracks. It’s a lot of car speed and track position, so it’s been tough and mentally challenging.

    “So these places where you can just get on the wheel and show the strength of your team and how we can execute, those are the ones we circled off. I was so glad, I knew we could get a good run here.”

    There are a couple of these types of tracks coming up. Watkins Glen is another road course on the schedule for DiBenedetto to showcase his right-hand turns. Bristol is where he finished sixth in 2016 back with BK Racing. Then Darlington is a race where some drivers can show their strength of being able to wheel a car at high speeds on a very unforgiving race track. Don’t put it past the No. 95 team to sneak in a potential victory and spoil the party for those higher in the standings.

    Six completely different tracks mean we’re going to see two different races each weekend. My hope is that NBC, MRN and PRN can highlight this race within the race to let fans see exactly what I’m talking about. We may even see some desperate moves made by some drivers to get that extra point securing their spot and knocking out another. The Tricky Triangle is up first.

  • Kevin Harvick wins at New Hampshire

    Kevin Harvick wins at New Hampshire

    With a 22 race winless streak, Kevin Harvick was not going to be denied a second lobster at New Hampshire.

    Harvick had to hold off Denny Hamlin to win his first race of the season, and the first win for his team, Stewart-Haas Racing.

    “(Hamlin) got to me, he tried to move me out of the way down there, and I knew that was coming as close as he was,” Harvick told NBCSN at the start/finish line. “So I just stood on the brakes and I’m like half throttle down the back straightaway. I’m like, ‘You’re not getting under me again.’ And he drove to the outside of me and I just waited till he got near me and I just put a wheel on him.”

    Hamlin finished second after leading 113 laps, all of them in the final stage. He took the lead after his teammate, Kyle Busch, had trouble and cut a tire and slammed into the wall in Turn 1. He went on to finish ninth but for Hamlin, it was more dejection that anything.

    “I kind of shoved (Harvick) up a little higher and tried to get him out of the groove,” Hamlin told NBCSN after the race. “I wanted to just tap him there, but I didn’t want to completely screw him. I at least wanted to give him a fair shot there. Down the backstretch, I kind of let off, and I’m like, all right, well, I’ll just pass him on the outside and kind of do this thing the right way, and once I had that big run, he just turned right. But I would do the same thing. It was a fun race, and congratulations to him and his team. They made a great call there at the end.”

    Erik Jones finished third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Matt Dibenedetto rounding out the top five.

    Kyle Busch dominated the first stage and half of the second stage and finished ninth.

    We had a good car all day,” Busch said after the race. “Just got into it on a restart I guess with Larson and that got us damage and that got us behind the eight ball. We would have been on strategy with where (Denny Hamlin) was the whole rest of the day, but we had to fix damage.”

    Jimmie Johnson was having a decent run when his power steering began having issues and the seven-time champ had to come in and fell multiple laps down and out of contention.

    Well, it was certainly a letdown, to say the least,” Johnson said after the race on NBCSN. “We had some issue with the power steering and the water pump pulleys. I thought it might have been from some contact on a restart. I got in the back of the car in front of me. They told me that wasn’t the case. So, I assume some debris got in the pulley system and took out my power steering and the water pump as well. So, it’s just unlucky on that front. Certainly, the wrong time of the year to have some bad luck. It looked like the guys I’m worried about in the points didn’t have the best day either, so maybe I got a pass on this one. I’m just disappointed, to say the least.”

    The Cup Series heads to Pocono for the second race of the season at the Tricky Triangle where Kyle Busch will try and sweep the series in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.


  • The Final Word – If only all races were like Talladega

    The Final Word – If only all races were like Talladega

    For the third time this season, NASCAR presented a race worth watching. I am not talking about those good ole boys and girls who have the sport in their blood, who love it, cannot live without it no matter what it looks like. I am talking about those who demand an entertaining three-hour experience if they are going to spend the time to take it all in. Talladega delivered.

    This is what drew people to NASCAR in the first place. They did not know a Fonty Flock from a Smokey Yunick, but they knew what they liked. Tons of action, lots of speed, disaster possibly just around the corner, watching guys doing things we could never pull off on our best day, or even contemplate on our drunkest. On Sunday, Talladega delivered.

    Back in the day, we talked about boys who went by the names of Petty, Roberts, Yarborough, Allison, Earnhardt, Gordon, and Stewart, to name a select few. Today, we once again talk about an Elliott, as the son of Bill from Dawsonville took the prize in the end. Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman, and Ryan Preece led three Chevrolets across the line as, for once, the manufacturers made it known they wanted to win. They wanted their representatives to work together to make that happen. Limit what you do for the Ford and Toyota guys. Win one for the Camaro. In the end, thanks to some fine wheelmen and good fortune, Talladega delivered.

    It was a day when sometimes they got too close to the line, and what you would expect would happen at 200 mph at close quarters did happen. Kevin Harvick lasted just 10 laps. Denny Hamlin survived 80. Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer were running at the end, but their odds of winning were about the same as your own. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was front and center most of the day but wrecked by the end. If you were looking for fireworks, Talladega delivered.

    Were the FOX announcers great, keeping you informed and entertained? They did not have to be. The race, the actual event, kept us watching all on its own. Sure, we could talk once more about what changes FOX should make, and what NBC did last season, but we’ve flogged that horse past the point of what the SPCA or even Rodrigo Duterte could tolerate. You wanted a race, you got a race. Talladega delivered.

    Daytona. Bristol. Talladega. Ten races, but only three that kept the viewing public glued to their seats, even if they were nowhere to be seen at that track in Tennessee a few weeks back. To be honest, I was so focused on the race, I could not tell you how many empty seats there might have been in the wilds of Alabama. If they could not or would not make the effort to take this one in, that would have been a shame. Talladega delivered.

    Next week, they are in Dover. The Monster Mile they call it. It has been around for 50 years. Miles the Monster, holding a full sized Cup car up in the air, has been there since 2008. The last time the Cup boys visited there was last October. The winner, the youngest ever to do so at the venue, was one Chase Elliott. Will Dover bring us the same kind of experience as we enjoyed this past weekend? Hell no. Few tracks deliver like Talladega can.

  • Harvick Gets to Keep His Pole Position at Richmond

    Harvick Gets to Keep His Pole Position at Richmond

    Kevin Harvick earned the pole for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Toyota Owners 400 in Friday night’s Busch Pole Qualifying at Richmond Raceway, and he gets to keep it.

    Why’s that?

    Four of the top 10 qualifiers will have to start from the rear of the field after failing pre-race inspection Saturday afternoon — Erik Jones (qualified second), Chase Elliott (seventh), Daniel Suarez (ninth) and Jimmie Johnson (10th). They all will have to start from the rear of the field for Saturday’s race.

    “Eyes forward and let’s get to work,” said Johnson on Twitter after being asked his thoughts on starting from the rear.

    But the drama of failed inspections didn’t stop there. Aric Almirola (qualified 15th), Denny Hamlin (18th), Matt Tifft (20th), and Joey Gase (36th) all failed inspection and will have their cars moved to the back of the pack when the green flag waves later tonight.

    Additionally, Elliott, Hamlin and Tifft all failed a second time, resulting in a crew member ejected from each team. All eight drivers that failed inspection will start between 30th and 37th positions.

    Since Richmond is a night race, NASCAR impounds all the Monster Energy Cup Series cars until the garage is opened again on Saturday for inspection. Single failures result in disallowed qualifying times, and the team is set to start at the end of the field for the race. Multiple failures result in increased penalties against the team.

    So the updated results from qualifying are as follows. Harvick is still on pole with a time of 21.722 seconds. Kurt Busch is now the new face on the front row and will start second, 0.075 seconds off the pace. Joey Logano, last weekend’s short track winner, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. with his best start of the season, round out the top five. Austin Dillon, Chris Buescher, Brad Keselowski, Paul Menard and Kyle Larson complete the updated top 10 qualifying results.

    The green flag is set to wave shortly after 7:30 p.m ET tonight.

  • The White Zone: Thoughts on Texas

    The White Zone: Thoughts on Texas

    Race No. 7 of the 2019 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season is in the books, and I have some thoughts to share with the class.

    The race

    Kyle Busch leads a line of cars down the front stretch at Texas Motor Speedway, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. Photo: Don Dunn/SpeedwayMedia.com

    If you follow me on Twitter, you know my thoughts on races at Texas Motor Speedway already. For those who don’t, I’m not a fan of the racing at Texas. For years, it’s been unwatchable, single-file snore-fests. And the fact that both races at Texas are 500 miles in length made boring races there more agonizing to watch.

    Maybe it was my low expectations for races at Texas, but Sunday’s O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 was good.

    The field didn’t get exponentially stretched out as the race progressed, and the leader didn’t simply pull away from the car in second.

    It was the race that I thought we’d get at Las Vegas Motor Speedway a few weeks ago.

    With that said, however, there was still the ever present fact that passing the leader was a Herculean task. Yes, the number of lead changes were up from 2018 (26 among 13 different drivers in 2019 vs. 16 among eight different drivers in 2018), but by my count, only five of them happened on track under green. The rest were a result of pit stops, which tends to inflate the number of lead changes.

    It was more of the varying pit stop mistakes and cycles that made the race compelling to watch. Last season, races at Chicagoland Speedway, Las Vegas in September and Homestead were great races, because of the racing product, not pit road mistakes.

    Which is why I don’t believe this high downforce package is the right direction for the sport.

    Yes, it was entertaining, but it was in spite of the racing on track, not because of it.

    Compare it to the Bahrain Grand Prix earlier in the day. It had a great mix of pit stop strategy and on track competition that made it legitimately good racing.

    I know that “we’re in the entertainment business,” but I believe that NASCAR should treat its events as a sports competition first.

    Jimmie Johnson’s afternoon

    Jimmie Johnson races, during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Photo: Kathryn Gaskill/SpeedwayMedia.com

    In 2018, Jimmie Johnson led a grand total of 40 laps, and didn’t lead more than 13 in one race. On Sunday, he led 60 laps, 150 percent more than he did in 2018.

    And while he didn’t lead a second time in the race, he maintained the second-highest running average all race at 7.78.

    Johnson had a race that was a step in the right direction. His car was great in clean air and had speed.

    “It was a little evil in traffic, and I had a heck of a time on green flag restarts, but really worked hard to get it up underneath me and tightening the car up a little bit for us to race,” he said. “Ended up having great pace and decent drivability, so are working in the right direction.”

    For the first time in quite a long time, Johnson was a legitimate threat to win, and at a mile and a half track.

    If he continues this at Kansas Speedway in a few weeks, we can truly say he’s back.

    Qualifying

    Let’s just get something out of the way. NASCAR brought this on itself.

    If you missed qualifying Friday, there were multiple instances of drivers blatantly violating NASCAR’s new impeding rule. Most egregious was Ryan Newman and Clint Bowyer.

    And what did NASCAR do? They did nothing. All they had to do was enforce the rule they put in place, and we’re not talking about this.

    And now, we’re seriously discussing the possibility of returning to single-car qualifying for mile and a half tracks, because NASCAR didn’t enforce its own rules.

    This same thing happened with the restart zone four years ago and the overtime line two years ago.

    NASCAR, if you want these games to stop, enforce the rules you put in place, unless you want the inmates to continue running the asylum. If not, don’t have these rules in place.

    That’s my view, for what it’s worth.

  • By The Numbers: Auto Club Preview

    By The Numbers: Auto Club Preview

    Kyle Busch is now one win away from 200 victories across all of NASCAR’s top touring series. After his near full weekend sweep at Vegas and successfully sweeping both races at Phoenix, he claims the points lead with a worst finish of sixth for 2019. Both the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and NASCAR Xfinity Series head to the last west coast race of the West Coast Swing at Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California.

    Here are this week’s By The Numbers.

    2 – The past two winners at Auto Club Speedway have won from the pole position. Will the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series make it three in a row?

    20 – In the last 20 NASCAR Xfinity Series races at the 2-mile oval dating back to 2004, the winner started in the top 10. Only five times has the winner started outside the top 10 with Todd Bodine making up the most ground in the inaugural race in 1997.

    0 – Across all three touring series, there has never been a caution-free race at Auto Club Speedway. The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series is off this weekend, as they haven’t raced here since 2009.

    188.482 – Jimmie Johnson holds the record for the fastest qualifying speed at 188.482 mph set in 2016, but this track has been fast all along. The 187 mph barrier has been broken eight times since the speedway debuted in 1997.

    3 – The IROC series raced here three times. Mark Martin won the ‘97 and ‘98 races, and Kevin Harvick took the checkered flag in 2002 when the series returned. Pontiac went undefeated in the three events.

    3 – Back to back threes, but Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson are the only three drivers to complete all 1,111 laps this year so far.

    4 – Oh, and Kyle Busch is the only driver to finish in the top 10 in all four races this year.

    4 – Kurt Busch holds the record for most poles at Auto Club Speedway with four. Denny Hamlin is a close second with three poles. Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray, and Jeff Gordon, who are no longer racing in the MENCS, each have two.

    21.2 – Over the last five races, Jimmie Johnson has the worst average starting position of 21.2 among drivers who have gone to victory lane.

    24 – Ryan Newman leads all active drivers with most career starts at the speedway with no trips to victory lane with 24 starts.

    -63 – Austin Dillon has the lowest pass differential score of all full-time drivers at -63. He also has yet to finish on the lead lap this year, even though younger brother Ty has finished on the lead lap twice. The pass differential score is a calculation of positions gained subtracted by positions lost, so being in the negative isn’t desired.

    148 – Ryan Blaney is second on the season list of laps led with a total of 148 laps out front. However, the No. 12 team only has one top 20 finish as a result.

    3/23 – The NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series will return to racing action on March 23rd at Martinsville Speedway.

    1 – Kyle Busch is just one win away from breaking 200 across NASCAR’s national touring series.

  • Monster Energy Cup Series: Drivers to watch at Atlanta

    Monster Energy Cup Series: Drivers to watch at Atlanta

    The Monster Energy Cup Series started the 2019 season with the 61st annual Daytona 500 and while the Great American race has come and gone, the series doesn’t sleep, and the true test begins in Atlanta this weekend.

    Atlanta Motor Speedway is the home to all 3 major series for the weekend and there are tons of variables that could confuse teams. How will the new aero package affect teams? How will the new left side tire compounds work for the racing? Will we see pack racing like we saw last week in Daytona?

    All of these questions are unknowns till we see cars on the track but who are some of the guys you should keep your eye on this week? Let’s dive into some of the drivers that could be up at the front on Sunday in Atlanta.

    Jimmie Johnson: For the seven time champion, it was a prayer from the heavens that Johnson escaped Daytona with an 8th place finish. He was involved in a wreck heading onto to pit road when the 31 of Tyler Reddick collided with the back of the Ally Chevy after Reddick’s car got hit by the two Rick Ware Racing cars. He kept digging and avoiding the two big wrecks at the end of the race to come out of Daytona, with a Top 10. This was also the first race with new crew chief Kevin Meendering.

    What should we expect from Johnson in Atlanta? Well, the track record is fairly good for the El Cajon, California native. He leads all active drivers with 5 wins, 14 Top 5’s and 16 Top 10’s. Even though the Hendrick Motorsports elder hasn’t won in 60 races, don’t be surprised we see the bright purple Ally Chevy into Victory Lane, come Sunday afternoon. Should Johnson end up breaking the winless streak, dating back to Spring Dover race in 2017, it would mark Johnson’s 84th career win; tying him with the NASCAR Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for fourth on the all-time wins list.

    Denny Hamlin: Unlike Johnson, Hamlin broke his winless streak at the Greatest Spectacle in racing, the Daytona 500, last week in Daytona. The true test begins this week, for the Chesterfield, Virginia alum. Hamlin has won before in Atlanta, but it was in 2012 when the race was in September. He battled Kevin Harvick last year in Atlanta, exchanging the lead with the Stewart Haas driver six time over the last 110 laps. Harvick went on to win the race while Hamlin fell to a fourth place run. Hamlin also has 7 Top 10’s and a pole at one of the oldest tracks in the Cup Series so don’t be shocked if you see the 11 in the Top 5 on Sunday.

    Kevin Harvick: It was a rough day for the defending Atlanta race winner in Daytona as he finished 26th at Daytona after being collected in a crash on lap 194 of the 207-lap race. It is a new week and for Harvick, it should be no surprise he is the man to beat come this weekend. The Bakersfield, CA native won his first career race in 2001 at this race track in an emotional victory lane as he took over the wheel of the #3 (which switched numbers to #29) of Dale Earnhardt. Harvick has had 7 top 5’s, 13 top 10’s along with two poles at the rough and ragged track that is known to be called Atlanta Motor Speedway. With a win on Sunday, Harvick would tie Buck Backer for 16th on the all time win’s list with 46 MENCS victories. Look for Harvick to be around the lead pack and in contention for the trophy at the end of the day of Sunday.

    Kyle Busch: It was once again, frustration for the JGR driver, as Busch finished second (his career finish at the Daytona 500) and one spot short of receiving that Harley J Earl trophy for the Las Vegas native but Busch does come to Atlanta with a milestone. With starting the Cup race on Sunday, the 2015 Cup champion will achieve his 500th career start in the series. Busch has two wins at Atlanta (2008 and 2013) and his car owner Joe Gibbs, has 11 Cup wins total at the track.

    Busch will also be competing in the Gander Outdoor Truck Series on Saturday afternoon and with a win in that series, it would make him the truck series’ all time winningest driver in Truck Series history. It should not be a surprise to see Busch in Victory Lane…more than once this weekend in Atlanta.

    Dark Horse: Matt DiBenedetto:

    The Grass Valley, CA shocked many, many people on Sunday when he took the lead in the Daytona 500 and led the most laps (49) before getting caught up in the big one on Lap 190. DiBenedetto, driving for Levine Family Racing, has teamed up with Joe Gibbs racing to form an alliance to help the 95 throughout the season. DiBenedetto is in the best equipment he has had in the Cup Series and could be contending for wins later on in the season. Look for Dibenedetto to have a solid run this weekend.

    Who is your pick to win the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta on Sunday? Tell us in your comments, below!

    Catch the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at 2:00 PM ET on FOX

    Follow Bryan on Twitter @TheBryanNolen for all the latest on NASCAR news, rumors, and more.

  • NASCAR’s Hot 20 of All-Time

    NASCAR’s Hot 20 of All-Time

    The best of the best, a legacy that has given us 70 championships since 1949. 33 individuals have been able to lay claim to the crown. Three men have won it seven times.

    To be a champion immortalizes you, but so does excellent performance. A driver can win, but fail to grab a title. He can also rack up Top Fives and Top Tens, even if he fell a tad short in claiming the checkered flags earned by his competitors.

    A few names might surprise you, at first. Yet, when ranked for most championships, wins, Top Fives, and Top Tens, these are the 20 best NASCAR has had to offer in the driver’s seat over 70 seasons of motor mayhem.

    I bet there is no argument that the King leads the parade.

    1. RICHARD PETTY – Born July 2, 1937
      7 Championships, 200 Wins, 555 Top Fives, 712 Top Tens
    2. JEFF GORDON – Born August 4, 1971
      4 Championships, 93 Wins, 325 Top Tens, 477 Top Tens
    3. DALE EARNHARDT – (April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001)
      7 Championships, 76 Wins, 281 Top Fives, 428 Top Tens
    4. DAVID PEARSON – (December 22, 1934 – November 12, 2018)
      3 Championships, 105 Wins, 301 Top Fives, 366 Top Tens
    5. DARRELL WALTRIP – Born February 5, 1947
      3 Championships, 84 Wins, 276 Top Fives, 390 Top Tens
    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – Born September 17, 1975
      7 Championships, 83 Wins, 224 Top Fives, 352 Top Tens
    7. BOBBY ALLISON – Born December 3, 1937
      1 Championship, 84 Wins, 336 Top Fives, 446 Top Tens
    8. CALE YARBOROUGH – Born March 27, 1939
      3 Championships, 83 Wins, 255 Top Fives, 319 Top Tens
    9. LEE PETTY – (March 14, 1914 – April 5, 2000)
      3 Championships, 54 Wins, 231 Top Fives, 332 Top Tens
    10. BUCK BAKER – (March 4, 1919 – April 14, 2002)
      2 Championships, 46 Wins, 246 Top Fives, 372 Tens
    11. MARK MARTIN (Born January 9, 1959)
      40 Wins, 271 Top Fives, 453 Top Tens
    12. RUSTY WALLACE – (Born August 14, 1956)
      1 Championship, 55 Wins, 202 Top Fives, 349 Top Tens
    13. TONY STEWART – (Born May 20, 1971)
      3 Championships, 49 Wins, 187 Top Fives, 308 Top Tens
    14. TERRY LABONTE – (Born November 16, 1956)
      2 Championships, 22 Wins, 182 Top Fives, 361 Top Tens
    15. NED JARRETT – (Born October 12, 1932)
      2 Championships, 50 Wins, 185 Top Fives, 239 Top Tens
    16. RICKY RUDD – (Born September 12, 1956)
      23 Wins, 194 Top Fives, 374 Top Tens
    17. KEVIN HARVICK – (Born December 8, 1975)
      1 Championship, 45 Wins, 191 Top Fives, 336 Top Tens
    18. HERB THOMAS – (April 6, 1923 – August 9, 2000)
      2 Championships, 48 Wins, 122 Top Fives, 156 Top Tens
    19. KYLE BUSCH – (Born May 2, 1985)
      1 Championship, 51 Wins, 183 Top Fives, 269 Top Tens
    20. BUDDY BAKER – (January 25, 1941 – August 10, 2015)
      19 Wins, 202 Top Fives, 311 Top Tens

    Three of those boys will be out to add to their accomplishments this weekend. The Daytona 500 is coming up this Sunday, a time for new beginnings and a time for bringing things to an end. After 15 years and over a thousand columns of various incarnations, this edition represents my final regular contribution to this site.

    I want to thank Barry Albert for providing a writing home for me back in 2004. My thanks to Angie Campbell for her editing prowess and her encouragement. I would like to give a shout out to Racing Reference, a website that helps a fellow make sense of it all, a great aid to such scribes as myself. Finally, thanks to you for joining me on this journey.