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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano used a controversial bump-and-run maneuver on Martin Truex, Jr. on the final lap to win the First Data 500 at Martinsville.

    “I know this makes me an unpopular driver,” Logano said. “Correction: I know this makes me a more unpopular driver.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Martinsville and led 100 laps on his way to a fourth-place finish.

    “Despite his methods,” Busch said, “Joey Logano has one of the four spots at Homestead. So I wouldn’t mind being Logano. Now, I wouldn’t want to be his rear bumper, because it’s gonna take a massive hit from Martin Truex Jr. In other words, the ‘ram-ifications’ of what happened at Martinsville will be huge.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 10th at Martinsville.

    “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing Logano did,” Harvick said. “Now, if I were Truex, I would have done something differently. It wouldn’t have been ‘two thumbs down;” it would have been ‘two middle fingers up.’”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was poised for the win at Martinsville after passing Joey Logano with a lap remaining. That was until Logano bumped him out of the way on the final lap, spinning Truex, who finished third.

    “Payback is a larger-sized version of Logano,” Truex said, “because he’s a ‘little bitch.’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished seventh at Martinsville.

    “Everybody wants to win that grandfather clock trophy,” Elliott said. “Joey Logano got it this time. But it will be Martin Truex Jr. who will soon tell him ‘what time it is.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the First Data 500.

    “After that boring debacle at Kansas,” Busch said, “this is exactly what NASCAR needed to pique interest. Joey Logano clearly wrecked Martin Truex Jr. It’s too bad that lush Brian France wasn’t here to see some reckless driving that is actually good for the sport.”

    7. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 11th at Martinsville.

    “They call Martinsville Speedway the ‘paper clip,’” Almirola said. “It’s a ‘staple’ of the NASCAR circuit. And Martin Truex Jr. says Joey Logano could be a ‘paper’ champion.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Martinsville as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano captured the win.

    “That was a bold move by Joey,” Keselowski said. “I hear Martin Truex Jr. has named Matt Kenseth his ‘Special Joey Logano Revenge Consultant.’ Joey has a history with Kenseth and so do I. Matt attacked me between the haulers at Charlotte in 2014. Joey got the ‘jump’ on Truex at Martinsville; Truex is likely to get the ‘jump’ at Texas.”

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 21st, one lap down, at Martinsville and will likely need a win in the next two races to advance to Homestead.

    “I can’t worry about what transpired at Martinsville,” Bowyer said. “I’m going to Texas with full intentions of winning the race. So, I’m keeping an eye on the prize, and another on Logano and Truex.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin posted the runner-up finish at Martinsville, getting a front-row look at the Joey Logano-Martin Truex Jr. battle for the lead.

    “In regards to Logano,” Hamlin said, “Truex told me, ‘He’ll pay.’ Those were the words that came through Martin’s ‘nice guy filter.’ What he really said was, ‘There’ll be hell to pay.’”

  • Logano’s Move at Martinsville Was Par For The Course

    Logano’s Move at Martinsville Was Par For The Course

    A day after Joey Logano’s controversial bump-and-run on Martin Truex Jr. coming to the checkered for the win at the First Data 500 at Martinsville, social media still seems to be fired up. Granted, the race’s final 30 laps were some of the best racing we’ve seen all year and the run to the checkered was one of the best this season. But most of the energy from the drivers and peers seems to be centered on Logano and whether what he did was right or wrong.

    Arguments on whether it was wrong are rooted in the fact that Truex managed to race Logano cleanly up to that point. Meanwhile, the argument that it was right centers around the fact that since a championship is on the line, nothing is sacred coming to the checkered on a short track. Ultimately, that latter train of thought is the more logical approach to the race’s finish.

    Many argue that Logano raced dirty and that he owed Truex a clean run to the finish. The fact of the matter is that Logano owes nobody anything.  Given the circumstance – a win would place him in the championship round at Homestead – giving another driver a nudge in the final two corners of a playoff short track race was what was required to win.

    Playing nice is out the door at this point of the season. There are no teammates or friends among the playoff drivers, there are only peers. So why are people upset or angry that Logano acted in this manner? Why are people acting like this is unexpected of Logano? He’s bumped Mark Martin out of the way for a win. He’s dumped Matt Kenseth for a win. He’s not afraid to use his bumper. If anything, people are angry because of who made the move – Logano.

    To most, Logano dons the black hat. He’s not here to make friends; he’s here to win and be the best. That’s literally a requirement in what makes a good racer. He’s drawn the ire of many in the process, and on that note, he ranks up there with some elite company such as Darrell Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt. He’s been popped in the mouth because of this, but he doesn’t back down. Instead, he swings back in some cases, which draws even more ire from his detractors.

    So on Sunday at Martinsville, when Truex made his move too early and cleared Logano off of Turn Two, it should have been obvious Logano was going to bump Truex. It was an innocuous bump, the same Jeff Gordon used on Rusty Wallace at Bristol in 2002. It was a simple bump short track racers across the country use to win. There was nothing wrong with it. So, for the most part, this ire was unwarranted.

    Two drivers raced hard for the win on a short track which carried some serious championship ramifications. Given the current playoff system – “Win and you’re in” – the bump for the win was cultivated almost perfectly by the system. It’s a moment that has happened before and will happen again as long as this system sticks around. So with that said, it was typical, awesome short track racing.

     

  • Logano punches his ticket to Miami after late race drama

    Logano punches his ticket to Miami after late race drama

    Joey Logano won the First Data 500 at Martinsville on Sunday afternoon after a chaotic battle for the win against Martin Truex Jr. He scored his second win of the season and punched his ticket to the Championship 4 at Homestead.

    “That was just a hard great race. NASCAR racing at its finest. It was a lot of bumper banging towards the end and a hard race. You know, we didn’t wreck each other. We bumped into each other a lot and that is what this sport was built on. I know a lot of fans out there aren’t too happy about it but it is racing and that is what NASCAR is about and what stock car racing is. I am just glad we finally won here,” Lagano said in victory lane.

    Logano led 309 laps. Denny Hamlin came in second, with Truex, Kyle Busch, and Brad Keselowski rounding out the top five.

    Kyle Busch led the field to the green after winning the pole on Saturday. It was a struggle for him early as it took teammate Denny Hamlin 32 laps to take the lead from him. Busch fell to third when Clint Bowyer was able to take another position from him.

    The first caution came out on Lap 43 when Jeb Burton crashed into the wall. Kyle Busch selected the first pit stall coming out of the pits which gave him the advantage and was able to retake the lead after the pit stops. Alex Bowman was penalized for speeding in the pits.

    The race started slow for some of the playoff drivers but they were all making a run at getting a top 10 finish to end Stage 1. Chase Elliott and Truex were two drivers that started further back and drove toward the top 10.

    The race lead was flipping around between Kyle Busch and Hamlin. They had a nice battle throughout the entire stage. Jimmie Johnson spun out on Lap 71 bringing out the second caution.  Most of the leaders stayed out as we saw Jamie McMurray and teammate Kyle Larson pit. No major damage was reported for Johnson following his spin.

    Hamlin won Stage 1. Truex was the fastest car on the track closing Stage 1. He finished the stage in the seventh position. The only playoff driver out of the top 10 was Chase Elliott finishing 11th and missing out on any playoff points. Hamlin led 29 laps of the stage.

    The race off pit road during the stage break had Logano surpassing the Joe Gibbs teammates and taking the lead. Bowyer made contact with Erik Jones giving him some damage in the right front. Ryan Blaney had an uncontrolled tire and was forced to start in the back for Stage 2.

    Logano got a great jump in the restart and he never looked back from then. The Busch brothers had some good door to door battles for third at the beginning of the run. Hamlin went back to fourth because of it.

    On Lap 173 we saw a good battle between Truex and Bowyer as they made contact for the fifth position. Logano had a dominant stage as he started lapping many of the cars. By Lap 207 he had lapped half of the field. Drivers Larson and Blaney were put down a lap by Logano.

    Kevin Harvick had a pretty tough stage. He dropped out of the top 10 on Lap 212. Truex continued his surge to the front as he took fourth from Kurt Busch.

    AJ Allmendinger and Ty Dillon had good Stage 2 runs as both cars made their ways into the top 15 and were able to stay on the lead lap. We saw Harvick go down a lap at the end of Stage 2 when he was in the 15th position.

    Hamlin closed in on Logano in the final laps of the stage for a side by side finish favoring Logano. Logano dominated Stage 2 but found some trouble holding off Hamlin. Logano was able to hold the lead during the stage break edging in front of Hamlin off pit road. Ryan Newman was caught speeding, he was supposed to restart sixth.

    Going into the final stage, teams started to adjust their strategies as the radar showed some rain heading towards the race track. The final stage started pretty clean with Logano holding the lead on the restart. Logano was taking care of the lead while there was a lot of mixing up behind him.

    Truex didn’t have a good restart dropping him a few spots to sixth. It was eventful for Johnson who entered the top 10 on Lap 285 after overcoming the spin earlier in the race.

    Truex started to settle down laps into the run when he started to get some positions back that he lost on the restart. He eventually moved up to second as the run continued. Harvick was the playoff driver that struggled the most during the last run. He was maintaining in the top 15.  Almirola’s car was the fastest around Lap 330 when he moved up to sixth.

    Logano’s lead began to diminish as he was seeing Truex close in on him after Lap 154. Truex’s car was handling much better in the corners when they started battling for the lead. He was able to take the lead from Logano on Lap 360. This was Truex’s first time on the lead in the afternoon after starting the race in 33rd.

    A caution came out shortly after Truex took the lead when Byron got into the wall on Lap 366. The radar was showing the rain getting closer to the track by this time. Truex held on to the lead with Logano behind him on pit road.

    On Lap 374 the green flag came out for the restart with Truex continuing to lead the field. Logano maintained the second spot as he was inching toward Truex. Almirola started to lose spots after restarting forth because he was not able to get his car to the bottom line. Logano retook the lead from Truex on Lap 377.

    A caution came out on Lap 382 after Timmy Hill’s car caught fire on pit road. Bowyer led cars behind him into pit road. Elliott came out in front of the pits with the group starting from ninth.

    Logano held off Truex on the restart and Brad Keselowski started to come into the picture after he was able to take third following the restart. A caution came out a few laps later for Larson. It appeared that he had some mechanical issue after a lot of smoke caused him to exit his vehicle.

    The green flag was back out on Lap 415 with Logano leading into the first turn. Keselowski took second from Truex. He was able to get to Logano’s side and take the lead from him shortly after. Keselowski started the race at the rear for unapproved adjustments.

    Truex dropped all the way to sixth. Logano and Hamlin’s battle for second started to heat up. This gave Keselowski an advantage and extended his lead. A caution came out on Lap 457 after playoff contending Bowyer made contact with Johnson and spun. He was running outside the top 10 at the time.

    The leaders came down pit road during the caution with Logano coming out in front of everyone else. Most of the drivers took four tires.

    The restart was led by Logano with 37 laps left. He was able to lead going into Turn 1 but there were some hectic battles behind him. Kyle Busch, Keselowski, and Truex had some bumpy battles for the few positions behind Logano.

    “We had a good run there. We were really good on the short runs but we struggled a little bit on the long runs and it just didn’t end up playing out there for us at the end. It is good to see Joey (Logano) get to victory lane. Happy for Team Penske,” Keselowski said.

    The final 10 laps had some intense racing between Logano and Truex for the lead. Side by side racing in the final few laps as Logano was able to put a bumper on Truex in the final corner to take the win.

    Next week we head to Fort Worth for the AAA Texas 500.

    Post Martinsville Playoff Standings

    1. Joey Logano: 1 win
    2. Kyle Busch: +46
    3. Martin Truex Jr: +25
    4. Kevin Harvick: +25
    5. Kurt Busch: -25
    6. Chase Elliott: -31
    7. Clint Bowyer: -42
    8. Aric Almirola: – 50

    Monster Energy Cup Series Race
    Unofficial Race Results for the 70th Annual First Data 500 – Sunday, October 28, 2018
    Martinsville Speedway – Martinsville, VA – 0.526 – Mile Paved
    Total Race Length – 500 Laps – 263. Miles

    Pos St Car Driver Team Make
    1 10 22 Joey Logano (P) Shell Pennzoil Ford
    2 3 11 Denny Hamlin FedEx Freight Toyota
    3 33 78 Martin Truex Jr. (P) 5-hour ENERGY/Bass Pro Shops Toyota
    4 1 18 Kyle Busch (P) M&M’s Halloween Toyota
    5 7 2 Brad Keselowski Thomas Built Buses Ford
    6 6 41 Kurt Busch (P) Haas Automation/Monster Energy Ford
    7 19 9 Chase Elliott (P) SunEnergy1 Chevrolet
    8 16 31 Ryan Newman E-Z-GO Chevrolet
    9 8 19 Daniel Suarez ARRIS Toyota
    10 12 4 Kevin Harvick (P) Busch Beer Ford
    11 5 10 Aric Almirola (P) Smithfield Ford
    12 34 48 Jimmie Johnson Lowe’s for Pros Chevrolet
    13 13 37 Chris Buescher Bush’s Chili Beans Chevrolet
    14 15 47 AJ Allmendinger Kroger ClickList Chevrolet
    15 23 13 Ty Dillon GEICO Chevrolet
    16 17 1 Jamie McMurray McDonald’s Chevrolet
    17 14 88 Alex Bowman Nationwide Chevrolet
    18 36 38 David Ragan MDS Transport Ford
    19 18 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Fifth Third Bank Ford
    20 4 12 Ryan Blaney Menards/Moen Ford
    21 2 14 Clint Bowyer (P) Rush Truck Centers Ford
    22 35 21 Paul Menard Motorcraft/Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center Ford
    23 24 6 Matt Kenseth Wyndham Rewards Ford
    24 28 72 Cole Whitt MOEN Chevrolet
    25 20 34 Michael McDowell Dockside Logistics Ford
    26 21 20 Erik Jones DeWalt Toyota
    27 29 96 * DJ Kennington(i) Xtreme Concepts/iK9 Toyota
    28 27 95 Regan Smith WRL General Contractors Chevrolet
    29 22 15 Ross Chastain(i) Ternio Chevrolet
    30 25 3 Austin Dillon Dow Chevrolet
    31 38 23 JJ Yeley(i) Adirondack Tree Surgeons Toyota
    32 32 99 * Landon Cassill(i) StarCom Fiber Chevrolet
    33 39 51 Jeb Burton(i) Jacob Companies Chevrolet
    34 37 43 Bubba Wallace # Pioneer Records Management Chevrolet
    35 30 00 Joey Gase(i) Donate Life Chevrolet
    36 26 32 Matt DiBenedetto Keen Parts/CorvetteParts.net Ford
    37 9 42 Kyle Larson First Data/Clover Chevrolet
    38 40 66 * Timmy Hill(i) Rewards.com Toyota
    39 11 24 William Byron # Liberty University Chevrolet
    40 31 7 * Hermie Sadler II I Virginia Lottery Chevrolet
  • Hot 20 – Martinsville and it is getting late, as those who matter are now down to eight

    Hot 20 – Martinsville and it is getting late, as those who matter are now down to eight

    Then there were eight, as the surviving championship contenders take to the track this weekend at Martinsville. It is damn near over, but that overweight soprano has yet to warble, so we have a few notes to wait for between now and Homestead.

    First, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are bound to be among the final four. Probably. Maybe. If they manage to record Top Ten finishes this Sunday, as well as at Texas and Phoenix, add a few stage points, then all will be fine. If. A blown engine. A failed part. A wreck. Now, that could change everything. Not much wiggle room, but those two boys have more than anyone.

    Martin Truex Jr. is our defending champion on a team about to become a ghost after this season. He is 23 points to the good. That is almost enough for a free pass…for one race…almost.

    We have been waiting to see which of the new generation would firmly put his foot down and emerge as a true star of the future. Chase Elliott has provided us with the answer. In claiming two of the past three, he is the gent in that final transfer spot. It is not by much. Three points. Three points can come and go in a lap.

    Three hounds are chasing the fox. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch are tied for fifth. For them, everything will be a big thing. Qualifying. Stage points. Finishes. Everything.

    Finally, there is Aric Almirola. There are no more Talladega experiences coming up. No teammates to take him down the yellow brick road. This week, especially, he is on his own. As he comes in nine points out, he has to prove he belongs in this company. This week. Next week. The following week. If he can do that, he will truly deserve to be in the hunt in mid-November at Homestead.

    The third round of the playoffs begins this Sunday at Martinsville with eight men out to lay a claim on a championship.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4055 POINTS (7 Wins)
    The Big Three…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4054 POINTS (7 Wins)
    …remain the Top Three…

    3. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 4038 POINTS (4 Wins)
    …but will there be room for all three when they arrive at Homestead?

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4018 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Three wins in his last 11 starts mean the lad has finally arrived and is a contender.

    5. CLINT BOWYER – 4015 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Just four spots remain to be in that final run for the championship…

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
    …but should a couple of the boys down here claim a win…

    7. KURT BUSCH – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
    …then all bets are off.

    8. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4006 POINTS (1 Win)
    Almirola will not be among them. I love Talladega, but it is not a true indicator of what is to come.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2212 POINTS (1 Win)
    Had a good day last week, but as things turned out he needed to sweep the stages or win.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2194 POINTS (3 Wins)
    To be a Top Ten ranked driver these days one has to win, though sometimes three is not enough.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 2178 POINTS
    Even a Top Three finish proved too little too late for some.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 2159 POINTS
    A Fistful of Dollars and a Handful of Martinsville wins. It is never too late to be a winner.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2150 POINTS (1 Win)
    Do you remember Daytona in February? Me neither.

    14. ERIK JONES – 2148 POINTS (1 Win)
    Jones is in a Toyota, one of the few who are. How does that bode for 2019?

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2148 POINTS
    Here is hoping for a 10th and final Jimmie-Chad Martinsville celebration.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2144 POINTS
    Bowman drives a bowtie. Am I the only one seeing the advertising potential of this?

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 663 POINTS
    Newman drives a bowtie. Next season, it will be a blue oval. At least it is not a Toyota.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 632 POINTS
    No sweat working with Stenhouse, but driving is an entirely different matter for Kasey Kahne.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 630 POINTS
    There was a Menard sighting at Kansas, but that ended in the middle of the second stage.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 627 POINTS
    Former crew chief Scott Graves will join Newman with Roush next season.

  • The Final Word – Some had to be great at Kansas, while others had to be just good enough

    The Final Word – Some had to be great at Kansas, while others had to be just good enough

    It might have been Kansas, but the action was a whole lot like a Las Vegas slot machine. Gold bar. Gold bar. Grapes. Dammit!

    Take Kevin Harvick, for example. He was second best on the opening stage. He was the best in the second stage. He was dominating the third stage, at least until he went speeding on pit road. Dammit!

    Alex Bowman was needing a win. Then Daniel Suarez clipped him on the second lap. Then he hit the wall on his own. He soldiered on and finished ninth. Nice job, but he needed to win. Dammit!

    Boys needing to pick up points did. Kyle Larson even contended for a time for the win, finishing third. Brad Keselowski came across the line in Kansas in sixth, one spot ahead of Ryan Blaney. Good results. Not enough. Blaney came the closest, but even with top three runs in both opening stages he still wound up six points shy of both Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer. Dammit!

    As for Chase Elliott, Harvick’s miscue was to his benefit. He inherited the lead and held it. For the second time in this round, and the third time this season, Bill’s boy was a winner. Like Aric Almirola, he entered Kansas locked into the next round. After the opening stage, so was Harvick. Kyle Busch and Joey Logano followed after the second. That left it to Martin Truex Jr., Bowyer and the elder Busch, who was a lap down in 18th, to survive. They did.

    Rowdy and Happy enter Martinsville and the third round of playoffs up by 40 and 39 points respectively in their quest to be among the final four at Homestead. Stay out of trouble, and they should be good as gold. Easier said than done. Almirola, in eighth, enters 12 points shy of Elliott in fourth place.

    Some contenders have done well at the upcoming venue. Kyle Busch has a pair of wins. Bowyer has one. Logano, Blaney, and Harvick usually find themselves at least in the Top 15. Nothing but top ten finishes, however, should be the minimum goal. As for the top three among active drivers at Martinsville, that most definitely would include Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Keselowski. Unfortunately, all have already been eliminated from championship contention.

    Dammit!

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 2nd at Kansas and cruised into Round 3 of the NASCAR playoffs.

    “I basically just had to avoid disaster at Kansas,” Busch said. “And that means I just had to keep my mouth shut.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 12th at Kansas and advanced to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “There was very little excitement in Sunday’s race,” Harvick said. “Heck, I was driving, and I was bored. For the fans, it must have been like watching paint dry. For drivers, it was like watching paint schemes dry.”

    3. Chase Elliott: Elliott held off the charging Kyle Busch to win the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas.

    “I was still riding high off my win at Dover,” Elliott said. “But winning again is awesome. I’m still riding high, and looking for more. If you didn’t think a NASCAR driver could get any higher, you don’t know Chase Elliott or Jeremy Mayfield.”

    4. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 10th at Kansas, posting the best finish among Stewart-Haas Racing drivers.

    “My spot in Round 3 was already clinched,” Almirola said, “so I was looking ahead to Martinsville. In an elimination race, it’s cool to be able to look through your windshield, and not through your rear-view mirror.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch finished a safe 18th in the Hollywood Casino 400. He is one of four Stewart-Haas Racing driver in the Round Of 8.

    “The wind was a factor in Sunday’s race,” Busch said. “That’s why you heard a lot of drivers, especially those in danger of not advancing, saying, ‘Don’t blow this.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Kansas and finished eighth, and will be one of eight drivers advancing to Round 3.

    “No one came out of nowhere to advance to the next round,” Logano said. “So there were no Cinderella stories. And no fairy tales. The only person telling ‘tales’ in NASCAR is Brian France pleading innocent.”

    7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started 12th and finished 5th at Kansas, easily advancing to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “I didn’t want to take anything for granted,” Truex said. “You never know when the unexpected could happen, leaving you out of the playoffs, or a job.”

    8. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 13th and is on to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “We had a stray tire get away that nearly cost us a penalty,” Bowyer said. “That could have been disastrous had it prevented me from advancing. Luckily, NASCAR deemed it not a penalty. I guess NASCAR had a reason, but they actually decided to show some reason.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Kansas but it wasn’t enough and he failed to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

    “I was close,” Keselowski said, “but close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and that time Matt Kenseth won the championship.”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished seventh at Kansas and missed advancing by one spot.

    “I battled for the lead early in the race,” Blaney said, “so things were good. If someone would have asked me how things were going, I would have said, ‘They were going, going, gone.’”

  • Hot 20 – If viewership tanked for Talladega, imagine what the ratings for Kansas will be

    Hot 20 – If viewership tanked for Talladega, imagine what the ratings for Kansas will be

    Talladega was a ratings bust. Talladega. For fans who follow the sport, those four Stewart-Haas cars up front, doing what they had to do all day long, was something to behold. For those who simply tune in to watch incredible action, they had to wait for the final 20 laps for the payoff. However, they had to have tuned in to witness either. They did not even bother. That is troublesome.

    Now, we have Kansas coming up on Sunday. Kansas. Winning the Hollywood Casino 400 will not exactly mean anything more than finishing first at some generically named Cup event that no one will remember in a few weeks. It has the marquee value of actress Lecy Goranson headlining a major Hollywood production. None. In fact, Charlotte’s roval and Talladega were the last events of the season able to stand on their own. Do not expect anyone new to watch these final four races. Zip.

    NBC did its part. Bringing Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the mix along with Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and the rest of the talented crew finally gave us a broadcast that is interesting to tune to watch on its own. If you want to learn stuff, they can educate. Maybe it is the audience that has changed, that has become dimwitted, unable to focus, unable or unwilling to learn, complaining about the stupidest things for the stupidest of reasons. Maybe.

    Then again, old-time fans have been thinking that for years. Maybe decades. Stock cars are no longer stock. The champion is no longer determined by being the best over the season. The playoff concept was introduced. Stage points. Selling out tradition (the brief termination of the Southern 500, the Firecracker 400, the World 600) in favor of commercialization. Maybe both NASCAR and what today constitutes many of its potential fans, the society as a whole, has changed to the point the sport is unable to keep them in the seats or sitting in front of their televisions. Maybe too many would rather let someone else do their driving, or some artificial intelligence, than sitting behind the wheel of a car themselves to enjoy the experience of hitting the open road. Maybe.

    If you are not a fan, a follower of the action, someone who would love to have the talent to be able to hit the track themselves, maybe you just do not get it. I feel the same way about soccer and basketball. At least I have some ideas as to changes that might interest me in the former. Get rid of the off-side rule, push penalty shots much further back than just 12 yards out, and banning the effeminate diving by grown men hitting the ground over nothing more than a fart might give me some reason to watch the action. Unfortunately, I am fresh out of ideas as to what NASCAR needs to do to attract former and future fans back to their venues and telecasts. If the potential of mayhem on every lap does not do it, I do not know what will.

    I know Kansas, on its own, is not part of the answer. What is?

    1. ARIC ALMIROLA – ROUND WIN – 3087 Pts – 1 Win
    I wish to thank my teammates for all of their support.

    2. CHASE ELLIOTT – ROUND WIN – 3066 Pts – 2 Wins
    Kansas is next, but he is already preparing for Martinsville, Texas, and Phoenix.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3128 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Put the pedal to the metal but he needed a chance to coast for a few laps.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3111 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Was in self-preservation mode until the end, when they finally got him.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 3104 POINTS – 1 Win
    If he should pick up some stage points and a decent finish, he should be fine.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3095 POINTS – 1 Win
    I loved the Talladega finish but as for Kurt, not so much.

    7. CLINT BOWYER – 3086 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Roar that engine and click those ruby red slippers as the lad is back in Kansas.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3083 POINTS – 4 Wins
    How he wound up above the cut off line had a lot to do with fuel…or lack of it for others.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3065 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Those three wins mean nothing coming to Sunday. A fourth would be very, very nice.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 3061 POINTS – 1 Win
    A very bad day for Bowyer or Truex would be helpful…not wishing bad on anyone, but…

    11. KYLE LARSON – 3047 POINTS
    Being creative with repairs cost Larson 10 points. Now he is in Bowman country.

    12. ALEX BOWMAN – 3015 POINTS
    A win by Bowman this Sunday would top even what Almirola managed to do last weekend.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 2136 POINTS
    Being the best of the rest is his remaining goal.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2128 POINTS
    Jimmie and Chad are down to four races to extend that string of seasons with at least one win.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
    Some ran out of gas on Sunday. Dillon’s quest ran out of gas a few weeks ago.

    16. ERIK JONES – 2108 POINTS – 1 Win
    We need the likes of Jones and 17-year old Hailie Deegan to become future marquee attractions.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 641 POINTS
    Had a better season than some, but hopes for better yet with Roush in 2019.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 619 POINTS
    Returned from two laps down to record a Top Ten at Talladega.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 615 POINTS
    Third best last week as some of the season’s also-rans finished their runs in lofty positions.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 614 POINTS
    Ranked 20th last season. Ranked 20th this season. If nothing else, the lad is consistent.

  • The Final Word – I know I’m late, but can I make my Talladega prediction now?

    The Final Word – I know I’m late, but can I make my Talladega prediction now?

    If only I could time travel. Going back a few days, I could have been able to pin-point exactly what one needed to do to win at Talladega on Sunday.

    1. Drive a Ford.

    2. Work for Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.

    3. Save fuel.

    4. Do not lead until after the final turn.

    It would not work next year, with the new rules packages coming in. However, last Sunday, it would have been spot on.

    As it turned out, only 14 drivers mattered. If they were not behind the wheel of a blue oval, they did not stand a chance. Of the 193 laps they eventually ran, only nine were led by someone in another make of car, five of those by William Byron in a Chevy.

    If you were working for Stewart-Haas, you were among the Top Four all day long. Those four led the opening two segments, actually running far beyond anyone else especially over the opening 55 laps.

    A lot of cars ran out of fuel coming to the green flag as they embarked on over-time. Kevin Harvick was among them, as that SHR entry wound up in 28th. Kurt Busch ran out of petrol while leading coming out of Turn Four in sight of the finish line. He wound up 14th.

    Between them, Harvick and the elder Busch led 154 laps. Not a place to be if you wanted to save on fuel. Now, sitting third and fourth, especially on that final run to glory, paid dividends. Aric Almirola was fourth for most of the day, moved to third when it counted, and crossed the line ahead of team-mate Clint Bowyer for the victory. Almirola’s win locked him into the next round of the playoffs, along with Harvick and Dover winner Chase Elliott. Kyle Busch is a sneeze away from being there himself, while his brother and Joey Logano are not a lock, but both are still 30 to the good. As for the hopes for six others, it all hinges on what happens next Sunday at Kansas.

    It was one of the most impressive team races in NASCAR history. All four Stewart-Haas entries were disciplined. They opened up spots for their team-mates on re-starts, stayed tight together up front, and stayed that way right to the end. No one could touch them. They tried, but as veterans Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pointed out from the broadcast booth what the rest had to do to challenge as the laps counted down, the boys on the track seemed to toss away those opportunities on every turn.

    Next Sunday, Byron has to win to advance. Kyle Larson is 26 points out. Ryan Blaney is 22 away. Brad Keselowski finds himself 18 on the outside, behind Martin Truex, Jr. and 21 in Bowyer’s rear view. Not an impossible gap, but not an easy one to see disappear.

    Hope is not buoyed for the rest by the knowledge that the most recent winners at Kansas were named either Harvick or Truex the past four visits there, or the guy before that was Kyle Busch. Logano won it twice prior to that, sandwiching Jimmie Johnson’s third win at the venue. The seven time champion has just four more chances to win one final time with Chad Knaus on his pit box before the pair end their race day alliance at the end of the season. Together they have won at least once every season since 2002.

    If a contender does not do it this upcoming weekend, I think a Johnson and Knaus celebration would be a fan favorite. I would love to tell you how it ends but, alas, that time traveler thing has not worked out for me. If it had, I would have gotten extremely rich betting against the polls a couple of years ago.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 26th at Talladega and is now third in the playoff points standings.

    “Stewart-Haas Racing totally dominated the race,” Harvick said. “It was like they were leading the world’s fastest funeral procession, because they ‘buried’ the field.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick faded to 28th after being forced to pit for fuel with three laps remaining at Talladega.

    “That cost people a free Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse,” Harvick said. “But no apology from me is in ‘order,’ because a chance at the win at Talladega is way more ‘appetizing.’”

    3. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 31st in the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega.

    “Since I won at Dover,” Elliott said, “I was the only driver able to remain calm at Talladega. So, while I was thinking ‘relax,’ many others were thing ‘Exlax.’”

    4. Aric Almirola: Almirola passed Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch, who ran out of gas, and took a huge win at Talladega. Almirola advances to the third round of the NASCAR playoffs.

    “I’m the least well-known driver in the Stewart-Haas stable,” Almirola said. “So, while I was riding on their bumpers for most of the race, I’ve been riding on their coattails for much longer.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch won the pole at Talladega and led 108 laps, but his victory hopes were dashed when he ran out of fuel on the final lap, handing Stewart-Haas teammate Aric Almirola the win.

    “The race went to overtime,” Busch said, “otherwise I have enough fuel to hang on for the win. As it was, Aric Almirola was the one making the ‘splash.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth in the 1000Bulbs.com 500 at Talladega.

    “That’s right,” Logano said, “the ‘1000Bulbs.com’ was the name of the race. Be careful typing that website address. That ‘u’ and ‘l’ are a doozy.”

    7. Martin Truex, Jr.: A mechanical issue plagued Truex throughout the day at Talladega, resulting in a 23rd-place finish. It left Truex in the final transfer spot as an elimination race looms at Kansas.

    “That means I’ll be racing for the win,” Truex said. “And that means I’ll go out of my way to get the win. And that means that if Jimmie Johnson is in my way, I’ll move him out of the way.”

    8. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer started second at Talladega and finished second as Stewart-Haas Racing swept the top 2, as well as sweeping the top 4 in qualifying.

    “Ten drivers are vying for 6 spots at Kansas,” Bowyer said. “That means 4 drivers will go home disappointed, as well as all fans in attendance at Kansas Speedway’s boring track.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 27th at Talladega.

    “I’ll need a solid finish at Kansas to advance to Round 3,” Keselowski said. “I certainly don’t want to leave Kansas and have to tell my dog, ‘We’re not in the playoffs anymore.’”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished 29th and now heads to Kansas needing a strong finish to advance to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “I plan to let it all hang out at Kansas,” Blaney said. “‘That’s a phrase you don’t mind hearing a NASCAR driver say, but you definitely don’t want to hear a NASCAR fan say it.”

  • Hot 20 – Not everyone loves Talladega, but not everyone is normal

    Hot 20 – Not everyone loves Talladega, but not everyone is normal

    Talladega. Do you need any more incentive to watch the action this Sunday? It is Talladega, dammit!

    Flying around in aircraft formation inches apart at 200 mph. That would be good enough to force me into the Depends, especially if I were in the passenger seat. It is a track that causes skid marks to appear everywhere. One wobble, one mistake, and a whole bunch of folks find themselves in a world of hurt. It does not have to happen. Just the threat that it could, on each and every lap, is enough to watch, to wonder, and to marvel at the skills of the boys going round and round.

    Just the nature of the beast allows almost all to hold out hope that victory could be their own, legends and no frill competitors alike. Many of the greatest names in the sport have won at least three times there. Bobby Allison. Brad Keselowski. Buddy Baker. Cale Yarborough, Dale Earnhardt. Dale Earnhardt Jr. Darrell Waltrip. Davey Allison. David Pearson. Jeff Gordon. Joey Logano. How sweet it would be to be included among those names.

    More than a few have had that honor over the past 50 years. The big names boycotted the first race in 1969. Too dangerous, they said. It gave Richard Brickhouse his lone Cup victory. Peter Hamilton had four career wins, two with his sweep in 1970. James Hylton won twice during his career, including the summer of 1972. Dick Brooks claimed his one and only a year later. Same track, same solitary milestone for Lonnie Pond, Ron Bouchard and Phil Parsons.

    Talladega is a track that plays no favorites. A legend or a no name can claim victory, and both can expect one hell of a ride at any time on any corner for any reason. To you, an Elliott could just mean a boy who once played with a funny looking alien fellow and ate Reese’s Pieces. Or a Busch is just a cold beer. Or someone named Kyle must mean a chap who does rap (never heard of the guy, personally). None of that would detract from your Talladega experience.

    If you base your television viewing on how many times it causes you to exclaim “Holy Crap!”, might I suggest Talladega.

    1. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 ROUND WIN (3056 Pts – 2 Wins)
    It is time for Bill to remove the training wheels. The boy no longer needs them.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3101 POINTS (7 Wins)
    Harvick just hired my 85-year old mother-in-law to join his pit crew. She starts Sunday.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 3096 POINTS (7 Wins)
    The knob is gone next year and, no, I am not referring to the driver.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3069 POINTS (4 Wins)
    Along with Blaney, the Most Popular Driver contenders include him and the names listed above.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 3064 POINTS (1 Win)
    Lately, he has been a Top Five guy at Talladega, and that is something he would like to continue.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3054 POINTS (1 Win)
    Surviving the Roval and Talladega is not an easy thing to do, but here is hoping.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3054 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Almirola’s drive to Victory Lane took a detour into Keselowski…and stopped there.

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 3043 POINTS (1 Win)
    Blaney’s Roval win was no accident, but it sure was assisted by one.

    9. ARIC ALMIROLA – 3033 POINTS
    Can he bounce back after Dover wreck? Sure, he bounced off Keselowski, didn’t he?

    10. CLINT BOWYER – 3033 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Feels sick about ruining the day for Almirola. Feels even sicker about ruining his own.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 3031 POINTS
    Good luck and determination got him here, but he will need more than that to continue.

    12. ALEX BOWMAN – 3009 POINTS
    Sometimes you do not want anything to do with Aric and Brad. Not a damn thing.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2101 POINTS (1 Win)
    Avoid a wreck and he just might finish…but that has not happened at Talladega for a while.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2098 POINTS
    I am loaning Jimmie my 2008 Chrysler Pacifica so he can at least get his parade laps in.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 2094 POINTS
    The way he is driving he obviously does not know he has been eliminated from contention.

    16. ERIK JONES – 2079 POINTS (1 Win)
    “How cool would it be to own this cardboard cutout of me in your house?” Not for a grown man.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 629 POINTS
    Just killin’ time.

    18. DANIEL SUAREZ – 593 POINTS
    About losing his ride, “When you don’t have anything good to say, it’s better not to say anything.”

    19. PAUL MENARD – 591 POINTS
    Some drivers worry about such things as sponsorship. I wonder if Paul understands why?

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 581 POINTS
    At the moment, he is having a better season than McMurray. Hey, at least it is something.