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Hot 20 – Truex is king, Junior is done, and the kids are moving to the big boy table

The cream rose to the top, as the top four accumulated half of the wins between them this season. Four drivers, 18 wins, and now four shared championships.

Next season NASCAR decides its 70th Cup champion, an honor claimed by just 32 men in that time. Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski will be joined by Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch as each will seek to add to their trophy cases. A bunch of talent will be bursting out of the gate at Daytona come February to make their own arguments. Rick Hendrick does not make up his roster based on age alone, boasting the elder statesman and the baby in 2018. The 41-year-old seven-time king Johnson will be joined by a new teammate, William Byron, who does not turn 20 until next week.

Nothing says our final four will not be back. Truex had a dominant season, while Busch once again laid claim as being one of the very best in the business. Harvick and Keselowski have not grown any moss, and then there is Chase Elliott, who turns 22 at the end of the month. Another Hendrick driver who will be sporting his father Bill Elliott’s old number, seeking that first career win. Only a fool would bet against that happening.

NASCAR has its issues, to be sure. They cannot figure how to get fans back to the tracks or even how to insist on television crews with the talent to keep us watching, no matter what. However, there is no shortage of storylines for next season. Along with those mentioned, a new generation has emerged. Kyle Larson and Ryan Blaney have arrived. Twenty-one-year-old Erik Jones is on the cusp. Next season, 24-year-old Bubba Wallace will drive the iconic Petty blue No. 43, featuring a familiar look for a native son of Alabama, but something rare in NASCAR.

But all that is nearly three months away. In the meantime, we give thanks for the likes of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, and Danica Patrick, and wait to see what the future holds in store for them. We await to see what Kurt Busch will be doing next year. Above all else, we salute a very worthy 2017 champion who tops our Hot 20.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 5040 POINTS – 8 Wins
For the driver, his fiancé, his team owner, and his entire team…this was truly well deserved.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 5035 POINTS – 5 Wins
One position, and possibly one caution, away from holding his own celebration.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 5033 POINTS – 2 Wins
Handling issues and a debris-induced hole did not help his cause.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 5030 POINTS – 3 Wins
Fears a lack of manufacture parity might mean his Fords will be fried next year.

5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2377 POINTS
In 2018, the torch passes to the next generation and this is the standard bearer.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 2353 POINTS – 2 Wins
Learning that the Elliott Bible states, “Do unto others AS they have done unto you.” Let us pray.

7. MATT KENSETH – 2344 POINTS – 1 Win
If this is how Matt goes out, he did it as we would have expected…in style.

8. KYLE LARSON – 2320 POINTS – 4 Wins
The next generation has arrived. After Elliott, Larson is definitely Exhibit “B.”

9. RYAN BLANEY – 2305 POINTS – 1 Win
Exhibit “C” is moving on to join Roger Penske next season.

10. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2260 POINTS – 3 Wins
Already among NASCAR royalty, he will once again try to rate eight in 2018.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2224 POINTS – 1 Win
Just four top 10s and he sits 11th. Nine top 20’s in his last 10 races mean more than I thought.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2224 POINTS
Seventeen top 10s, and he sits tied with Dillon in the standings. Maybe it is the cowboy hat.

13. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2222 POINTS – 2 Wins
Two wins do not a season make. Well, that statement has been proven to be wrong.

14. KURT BUSCH – 2217 POINTS – 1 Win
What is next?

15. KASEY KAHNE – 2198 POINTS – 1 Win
As Kurt rose Furniture Row to the next rung, can Kasey do the same for Leavine Family Racing?

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2196 POINTS – 1 Win
Double figures in top 10s in all but two of his seasons, including 13 more this year. Really.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 930 POINTS – 1 Win
Even with a win that meant something, he probably would have been done by Kansas.

18. CLINT BOWYER – 871 POINTS
Things started well enough, then Michigan, Bristol, Darlington, and Richmond happened.

19. ERIK JONES – 863 POINTS
At 21, I guess that would make Jones Exhibit “D”.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 777 POINTS
Loved Michigan and Darlington even less than Bowyer did.

21. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 668 POINTS
Thanks for the memories. It was one hell of a ride.

November 22, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led the final 51 laps at Homestead and held off Kyle Busch to capture the win at Homestead and his first Monster Energy Cup championship.

“No offense to Joey Gase,” Truex said, “but nice guys don’t finish last, they finish first. I am a nice guy, and as champion, I reserve the right to be called ‘Mister Nice Guy.’”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Homestead to Martin Truex Jr., who got the jump on a lap 34 restart and kept Busch at bay for the remainder of the race.

“That race was for all the marbles,” Busch said. “First of all, I wanted to win this race for myself, but I also wanted to win it for my brother Kurt, so I could give him some marbles because he lacks ‘all his marbles.’”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Homestead as Martin Truex, Jr. won the race to capture the Monster Energy Cup championship.

“Lost in the shuffle of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s retirement was Danica Patrick’s retirement,” Harvick said. “The only way Danica will be ‘Miss-ed’ is if Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. doesn’t marry her.”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh at Homestead, falling short in his bid to win his second Cup championship.

“I guess I predicted a Toyota championship,” Keselowski said. “I guess at the time I was trying to give ‘constructive criticism,’ but it turned into ‘constructors criticism.’”

5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished fifth at Homestead, posting his 21st top 10 of the season.

“I’m looking forward to a long offseason,” Elliott said. “I didn’t take long to erase Denny Hamlin from championship contention; it will take much longer to erase him from my memory.”

6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Homestead and finished ninth.

“Martin Truex Jr. has a rare quality among NASCAR champions,” Hamlin said. “He has absolutely no enemies. So, I can say for sure he’s friends with Chase Elliott.”

7. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished a disappointing 29th at Homestead and ended the year ninth in the Monster Energy points standings.

“Homestead was my final race with Wood Brothers Racing,” Blaney said. “I’m moving on to Penske Racing in 2018. This bodes well for my bank account, but not for my love life, because my days with Wood are over.”

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished eighth in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

“I’m not sure what I’ll be doing in retirement,” Kenseth said. “I am sure it won’t be anything with Carl Edwards.”

9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 27th at Homestead and completes the season 10th in the points standings.

“With no chance to win the Cup,” Johnson said, “my mind was elsewhere for the duration of the entire race. I guess I was thinking of my seven Cup championships. When you’re Jimmie Johnson, reminiscing is an all day job.”

10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 13th in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrated his final race by sharing beers with his pit crew,” McMurray said. “As if NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver needed another reason for people to ‘say cheers.’”

November 20, 2017
Hot 20 – Will the drama continue in Texas and Phoenix on the road to Homestead-Miami?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is right when he says NASCAR needs more Martinsville-like dramas to play out every week. What they need is “drama and exciting finishes — the fans sitting there in the grandstands cheering like crazy, and booing, and cheering and booing after every interview, for 15 minutes after the race — we need that every weekend.” Damn right.

They need more races on tracks that excite us and fewer on those that do not. They need better announcers who can pull off a telecast all on their own, regardless as to the non-action. People we are compelled to tune in to watch just because they are as entertaining, at least, as the product they describe. They, the good folks running NASCAR, need to listen and to act. One thing I am pretty sure of is…they don’t and will not.

Texas is one of those races where the sport is popular in a large metro area. That might be enough to get folks to actually go to the facility. Tuning in at home might be another question. As for the storyline coming in, we have one driver locked into the final four, one almost there, a wide-open battle for the final transfer spot, and one young gun who has to win or hope somebody, or some bodies, will fall on their face. Eight drivers matter. Thirty-two others are hoping to play spoiler.

Only a dozen drivers will be worthy of mention come next week. I, for one, will not mention a single one. My focus will be on other things for the next couple of weeks, but we will chat about the outcome after Homestead when the smoke clears.

The only thing we know for sure is that Kyle Busch and, more than likely, Martin Truex Jr. will be two of the four seeking to win the title. Who the other two shall be is why Texas and Phoenix should keep us tuned in for the answer.

1. KYLE BUSCH – SEGMENT WIN – 4100 POINTS – 5 Wins
Saw the post-race celebration with his family. So, who vacuums Brexton’s room afterward?

2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4117 POINTS – 7 Wins
If he took Sunday off, he still would be at least 27 points to the good come Phoenix.

3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4079 POINTS – 3 Wins
Just a Logano cut tire away from victory last week. Teammates can be such fun.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4053 POINTS – 1 Win
“It all started when Blaney hit me back.”

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4050 POINTS – 3 Wins
Nine-time Martinsville winner had just a slightly better chance than you had to win last Sunday.

6. RYAN BLANEY – 4047 POINTS – 1 Win
The new generation is getting a lot more comfortable expressing themselves these days.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 4045 POINTS – 2 Wins
The last Virginian to get in this much crap in his home state was Gen. George Thomas.

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4027 POINTS
In the immortal words of Popeye the Sailor, “That’s all I can stands, cuz I can’t stands n’more!”

9. KYLE LARSON – 2237 POINTS – 4 Wins
His elimination from the Playoffs is not a flaw in the system…it is what happens in playoffs.

10. MATT KENSETH – 2215 POINTS
If the 10th best driver this season cannot get hired, damn few drivers have much job security.

11. KASEY KAHNE – 2150 POINTS – 1 Win
Some refer to Kahne as a Hendrick refugee. To my knowledge, he did not even cross a border.

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 2148 POINTS – 1 Win
So…Austin and Rowdy get foiled by Happy again. It must be true. I saw it on Youtube.

13. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2146 – 2 Wins
Could a new teammate be his present housemate?

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2146 POINTS
Believes the next All-Star race might be a good time to unveil Charlotte’s road course.

15. KURT BUSCH – 2139 POINTS – 1 Win
Won the NASCAR title, the Daytona 500, and seen every MLB park. Check, check, and check!

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2130 POINTS – 1 Win
During these times, anytime you sign a new sponsor is a very good time.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 839 POINTS – 1 Win
“I missed the call” – Crew chief Todd Gordon. The problem no doubt lost in the billowing smoke.

18. CLINT BOWYER – 829 POINTS
Third at Martinsville, a track that produced the kind of racing that “put this sport on the map…”

19. ERIK JONES – 768 POINTS
That Jones Boy is down to his final three before taking over the ride Smoke made famous.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 731 POINTS
An average of 22 points per race gets you on this list. That is an easy top 16. I guess not so easy.

November 1, 2017
The Final Word – That Martinsville grandfather clock was too large for the shelf, so…

Martinsville, where eight boys were trying to lock themselves into the final field of four contenders for the championship in Homestead. At the same time, 31 boys and a girl were doing their utmost to spoil the party for someone by winning the thing themselves. I mean, who would not want a grandfather clock to mark the time since they won at that Virginia track?

It was a cold one, with the temp sitting at 48F (9 C). You might as well have been racing this one in Canada. Some were cold, but Brad Keselowski was hot to start with. He took the opening stage, ahead of Kyle Busch. Seven of the eight contenders, with the 13th place Kevin Harvick the lone exception, picked up points. Denny Hamlin was 10th, but a speeding penalty would set him outside the top 30. While only eight really mattered on that day, I should mention that even Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Austin Dillon were up there racing with the big boys. Some gents took this spoiling thing to heart.

Not much changed in the second segment. Keselowski stole the lead back from Busch late in the run, as all but Hamlin picked up points among our contenders. Denny managed to stay on the lead lap, though barely, sitting 12th. Among the also-rans making cameos we still had Logano, once again in third place, with Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer joining in on the fun.

To that point, none of the contenders had hurt their chances, Logano was the best bet to be a spoiler, with half the race left to run. I do try to be a “glass half full” kind of guy, so while Kyle Larson went for a solo glide into the inside wall to buckle up his ride, the good news was that he had already been eliminated from the Chase. Rather than “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive”, something tells me Larson probably looked at it as a broken glass kind of deal.

Few incidents involved those in the top half of the standings. Erik Jones went for a single spin. That might have meant something a month ago, but not much on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson sideswiped Trevor Bayne, and that meant something but just not as much as it could have. While it seemed like some of the boys were losing contact with the top dogs, a late caution bunched the bottom five together again. That fourth and final spot was still up for grabs.

While Logano appeared to be a potential spoiler, Busch spoiled that effort. Down to 13 laps remaining, Rowdy dived into the corner and punched some metal where rubber is supposed to reign supreme in Joey’s left rear. Four laps later, Logano spun, and the caution came out. The final run for all the marbles was going to be a short one.

It turned out especially short for Elliott. He managed to send Keselowski high to fend him off, but Hamlin’s bumper horn was working fine. Elliott spun into the wall, and his hopes for his first career victory was put off for another day. Caution came out again, and a green-white-checker finish was in the offing.

For those not cheering for Hamlin, Karma was your friend. Busch managed to do a little tag and go of his own, but to a lesser degree, then held off Martin Truex Jr. to claim the victory as they wrecked behind him coming to the line. How did they wreck? Well, Blaney got into Hamlin, and the rest just found those two in the way.

Busch has found his way into Homestead with his win. Truex is 67 points to the good and looking very healthy. Keselowski is 29 up, while Harvick has a three-point lead over Johnson as eight points separate fourth from seventh. None of our contenders finished outside the top dozen. Well, except for one.

Elliott was recorded in 27th and falls to 26 points off the pace required for him to stay in contention. A win at Texas or Phoenix is no doubt on his wish list. If nothing else, we know who the fans love and who they do not. As Elliott and Hamlin had a little post-race discussion, the nice son of the nice Hall of Famer from Dawsonville appeared to give clear notice that he might be nice, but enough is enough. The fans loved it. There are reports of Hamlin damn near losing half of his fan club, which should leave two or three holding down the fort.

Meanwhile, I’m sure the winner’s second grandfather clock will prove too large for the shelf, so it will stand many years on Kyle Busch’s floor. I am not sure how tall it is or how much it weighs. In the meantime, I am off to do other things but we will get together to chat about how this all turned out after Miami.

October 30, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second at Martinsville as Kyle Busch took the win.

“We didn’t win,” Truex said, “but it was a good points day for us. And points get me very excited. You know what I get when I see my points pile up? A huge bonus.”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch bumped his way past Denny Hamlin in overtime to claim the win at Martinsville and punch his ticket to the Chase finale at Homestead.

“I could head to Homestead now,” Busch said, “skip the next two races, and still leave Florida with the Monster Energy Cup championship, and possibly a tan.”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won the first two stages at Martinsville and was in position to win with about 10 laps to go when Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano blew a tire to cause a caution. Keselowski was passed on the restart by Chase Elliott and finished fourth.

“Logano knew he had a tire problem,” Keselowski said, “yet he decided not to pit anyway. He basically cost me the win. I’m frustrated and angry with Joey. But I had a talk with Rusty Wallace. He told me it’s perfectly acceptable for the driver of the No. 2 car to hate his teammate.”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was passed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch during an overtime finish, and faded to come home seventh in the First Data 500. Hamlin had previously bumped Chase Elliott out of the way, leading to a confrontation after the race.

“I was confronted by an angry Chase Elliott fan after the race,” Hamlin said. “He looked like he was three sheets to the wind, or maybe six hot dogs to the toilet. In any case, I didn’t want any part of this guy. And if you saw the size of him, you know he had many parts.”

5. Chase Elliott: Denny Hamlin bumped Chase Elliott out of the lead, causing Elliott to spin and wreck late at Martinsville. Elliott finished 27th and chased Hamlin down on the cool down lap to voice his displeasure.

“I told Hamlin to ‘Kiss my behind,’” Elliott said. “He smugly replied, ‘I already did, with my car, when I wrecked you.’

“All I have to say to Denny is ‘Halloween is over, but costume time isn’t. I’m going to be Matt Kenseth, and you’re going to be Joey Logano.’”

6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Martinsville and is now fourth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“It’s good to finally see some heated confrontations between drivers after the race,” Harvick said. “Unfortunately, no punches were thrown. NASCAR doesn’t need stages; it needs rounds.”

7. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished eighth at Martinsville and is now sixth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“I may not be the best driver in NASCAR,” Blaney said, “but I’ve got the best hair in NASCAR. And I’ve got a lot of it. I once took my car to the wind tunnel, and my hair failed.”

8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at Martinsville and is fifth in the points standings, 67 behind Martin Truex Jr.

“I’ve got eight wins at Martinsville,” Johnson said, “so I know what it’s like to leave Martinsville with a grandfather clock trophy. I’ve got a trophy room at home solely dedicated to Martinsville trophies. I call it the ‘8 Time Room.’ Hopefully, come mid-November, I’ll have another trophy room in my house with the same name.

9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth at Martinsville and is 10th in the points standings.

“Martinsville Speedway debuted its $5 million LED lighting system,” Kenseth said. “Those are some bright lights. You could tell by just looking in the stands that everybody was well-lit.”

10. Kyle Larson: Larson finished a disappointing 37th at Martinsville after spinning and slamming the inside wall on lap 300.

“I may be out of the running for the 2017 Monster Energy Cup,” Larson said, “but I’m already looking ahead to 2018. I think I’ve proved my talent over the past that I should be the odds-on favorite to win the 2018 Cup. So, looking back, I’m looking forward.”

October 30, 2017
Logano Fastest in Final Martinsville Practice

MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Joey Logano topped the chart in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Martinsville Speedway.

The driver of the No. 22 Team Penske Ford was the fastest with a time of 20.056 and a speed of 94.416 mph. Chase Elliott was second in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 20.075 and a speed of 94.326 mph. Martin Truex Jr. was third in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota with a time of 20.083 and a speed of 94.289 mph. Clint Bowyer was fourth in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with 20.166 and a speed of 93.901 mph. Kasey Kahne rounded out the top-five in his No. 5 Hendrick Chevrolet with a time of 20.167 and a speed of 93.896 mph.

Jamie McMurray, Brad Keselowski, Kyle Busch, Aric Almirola and Austin Dillon rounded out the top-10.

Jimmie Johnson was 13th, Denny Hamlin was 16th, Ryan Blaney was 22nd and Kevin Harvick rounded out the Playoff drivers in 25th.

Busch posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 93.186 mph.

First practice results

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October 29, 2017
Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

Thirty-six races. A few are great venues that produce very entertaining television events. A lot more are not. Some tracks have two events, and you wonder why. Some have two and you wonder…why not three? As our Hot 20 venture to Martinsville on Sunday to open the Round of Eight, would NASCAR be more appealing if we kept 36 races, but ran more of them at tracks people want to see races run? How about nine of them at NASCAR’s three most fan-favored venues?

If they put me in charge of NASCAR for an hour, this is what next season’s Cup schedule would look like. What do you think?

Feb. 18 – Daytona
Feb. 25 – Atlanta
Mar. 4 – Las Vegas
Mar. 11 – Phoenix
Mar. 18 – Fontana
Mar. 25 – Martinsville
Apr. 8 – Texas
Apr. 15 – Bristol
Apr. 21 – Richmond
Apr. 29 – Talladega
May 6 – Watkins Glen (from Dover)
May 12 – Kansas
May 27 – Charlotte
June 3 – Pocono
June 10 – Bristol (from Michigan)
June 24 – Sonoma
July 1 – Chicago
July 7 – Daytona
July 14 – Kentucky
July 22 – New Hampshire
July 29 – Talladega (from Pocono)
Aug. 5 – Watkins Glen
Aug. 12 – Michigan
Aug. 18 – Bristol
Sep. 2 – Darlington
Sep. 9 – Indianapolis
Sep. 16 – Las Vegas
Sep. 22 – Daytona (from Richmond)
Sep. 30 – Charlotte (road course)
Oct. 7 – Dover
Oct. 14 – Talladega
Oct. 21 – Darlington (from Kansas)
Oct. 28 – Martinsville
Nov. 4 – Texas
Nov. 11 – Sonoma (from Phoenix)
Nov. 18 – Homestead-Miami

That’s 36 races featuring six on a superspeedway, retaining six on short tracks while expanding to five road courses. Minimal changes, maximum impact. How does it look to you?

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4069 POINTS – 7 Wins
Not only does he have enough in the bank to have a bad race, but could even take a day off.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4042 POINTS – 4 Wins
Winning would have been nice, but not being eliminated is even nicer.

3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4026 POINTS – 3 Wins
Junior wants teammates and young guns to advance…friends with the wrong team, not so much.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4017 POINTS – 1 Win
In 606 career starts, he has 303 top 10 finishes. You want to bet against good ole 50-50?

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4017 POINTS – 3 Wins
The drive is alive for his date with eight.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4014 POINTS – 2 Wins
Virginia is for Lovers…and Virginians. That is the view of this native son of Chesterfield, Va.

7. RYAN BLANEY – 4009 POINTS – 1 Win
In 68 years, Wood Brothers have not a single driver’s championship. Maybe this is the year.

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4006 POINTS
Might want to think about getting that first win sooner than later.

9. KYLE LARSON – 2236 POINTS – 4 Wins
Damn engines.

10. MATT KENSETH – 2184 POINTS
Damn guys who cannot count.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2138 POINTS
It was doubtful he was going to win, but after he got all torn up last week all doubt was removed.

12. KASEY KAHNE – 2126 POINTS – 1 Win
Leaving Hendrick pens and stationary behind him, but will be taking Travis Mack.

13. KURT BUSCH – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
After flogging Monster Energy for years, I wonder if he is feeling a bit like Tammy Wynette.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2122 POINTS – 1 Win
His N.C. team lost 4-2 to the eventual 2002 Little League World Series champions of Louisville.

15. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2119 POINTS – 2 Wins
Things got so bad he went from 12th and in the final playoff spot one week, to 15th the next.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2107 POINTS – 1 Win
His second-place finish at Talladega is sandwiched between two results outside the top 30.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 810 POINTS – 1 Win
A win a win, but is it really if it is an encumbered one that fails to give you a pass to the Chase?

18. CLINT BOWYER – 793 POINTS
His last win came on October 13, 2012, in Charlotte. Even an encumbered one might be nice.

19. ERIK JONES – 757 POINTS
One moment his car was facing this a’way, the next it was facing that a’way.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 709 POINTS
String of six straight among the top 15 came to a crashing conclusion last week.

October 25, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole and won at Kansas, posting his series-best seventh victory of the season.

“The phrase heard most often in NASCAR this year is ‘Truex wins,’” Truex said. “I’m just hoping to add ‘it all’ to the end of it.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 18 laps and finished 13th at Kansas, and is on to the third round of the Chase For The Cup.

“There’s three Toyota’s in the field of eight as we head to Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “I’ll be the first to say I’m at a disadvantage, but I’ve got a ‘Deuce’ up my sleeve because I won there in April.”

3. Kyle Busch: Busch led a race-high 112 laps, won Stage 1, and finished 10th in the Hollywood Casino 400, easily qualifying for the third round of the Chase.

“I wore a special glow in the dark ‘Frankenstein’ helmet at Kansas,” Busch said. “Frankenstein and I share a couple of traits—1) our complexion, and 2) we both have a lead foot.”

4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won Stage 2 at Kansas and finished fifth, posting his 14th top five of the season.

“Martin Truex Jr. has dominated on 1-½-mile tracks,” Hamlin said, “and Kansas Speedway was one of those. But Martinsville is a ½-mile track, and it’s my home track, as well as my favorite track. So, I just want to remind Martin, ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore.’”

5. Chase Elliott: Elliott is on to the next round of the Chase after a fourth at Kansas, posting the top Chevrolet finish.

“Martinsville is where they separate the men from the boys,” Elliott said. “Men can digest a Martinsville hot dog; boys can not.”

6. Kevin Harvick: Needing a solid finish to advance to the third round, Harvick started second at Kansas and finished eighth.

“Martinsville is NASCAR’s shortest track,” Harvick said, “so cars will be packed tightly. That means a lot of contact, which means tempers could flare, and the next thing you know, punches are flying. How do I now? Because I’m knowledgeable on pushing other drivers, either over the edge or into an awaiting melee.”

7. Kyle Larson: Larson suffered a blown engine on Lap 73 and finished 39th at Kansas, ending his chances of advancing to the third round of the Chase.

“First I lose my Target,” Larson said, “now I’ve lost my goal.”

8. Ryan Blaney: Blaney failed post-qualifying inspection and started last, but scrambled to finish a strong third at Kansas, which advanced him to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

“Failing inspection at the Hollywood Casino 400 is like getting busted by the ‘pit’ boss,” Blaney said. “As the number of failed inspections in NASCAR shows, ‘rolling the dice’ is very common.

9. Jimmie Johnson: In danger of being eliminated from the Chase, Johnson advanced with an 11th at Kansas.

“What is a playoff field without Jimmie Johnson?” Johnson said. “For one thing, it’s good news for fans of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. And without me, the only ‘J.J.’ in the field would be the one on Kevin Harvick’s hood.”

10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 37th at Kansas, his hopes of advancing ended by a penalty for having too many crew members over the wall

“The key word there is ‘over,’” Kenseth said. “And I didn’t even know that was a penalty. So I’m confused. And I’m not the only one confused. NASCAR chairman Brian France heard about an ‘over the wall’ penalty and was stunned to learn my pit crewmen were not Mexican.”

October 23, 2017
Hot 20 – Dorothy returns to Kansas after spending last weekend in the Talladega tornado

This Sunday, NASCAR action takes us to Kansas. We just cannot get enough of Kansas, which is why we find ourselves watching the action from there for a second time this season. If not Kansas, I guess there is always Kentucky, Chicago, Dover, Fontana, or Pocono , but allow me to calm down my beating heart.

Coming out of Talladega to Kansas, and I am just taking a guess here, probably will not increase the ratings. Entertainment value and tradition go a long ways to attracting and keeping the fan base. Last week was the Alabama 500. We started with the Daytona 500. Darlington delivered the Southern 500. We know the early race in Charlotte is really the World 600. How high on your list of must-see traditional spectacles do you rank the Hollywood Casino 400 in Kansas?

If you are Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano, it would rank pretty high. The pair split the last four of these fall classics.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – SEGMENT WIN – 3120 Pts – 6 Wins
Earned his pass into the next round and has secured full sponsorship for 2018. Good times.

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – SEGMENT WIN – 3101 Pts – 3 Wins
No communication for much of the race, but a whole lot when it ended.

3. KYLE LARSON – 3096 POINTS – 4 Wins
Things were looking good for a while before Suarez and Elliott thought they were in a cartoon.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 3089 POINTS – 1 Win
A repeat of last year’s Hollywood Casino 400 finish would be just fine with Harvick.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3088 POINTS – 2 Wins
The Roush boys have fancy pit guns no one else has. All that goes out the window next season.

6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3087 POINTS
Found a hole, filled a hole, and then someone tossed dirt in the hole.

7. RYAN BLANEY – 3076 POINTS – 1 Win
Tough luck last week cost him some points, but he has emerged as a top-tier talent.

8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3074 POINTS – 3 Wins
22 Kansas races, 17 Top Tens, along with three wins. Jimmie likes Kansas just fine.

9. KYLE BUSCH – 3067 POINTS – 4 Wins
Rowdy Busch? He is more like a Battered Busch.

10. MATT KENSETH – 3066 POINTS
Maybe he will become the fastest damned school bus driver who ever lived next season.

11. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3052 POINTS – 2 Wins
Best Kansas finish is 11th. Twice. Well, the Chase was fun while it lasted.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3045 POINTS
21 Kansas races, 4 Top Tens. This does not look good.

13. KASEY KAHNE – 2104 POINTS – 1 Win
Chase is over, time at Hendrick is near done, but Kansas marks his 500th career start.

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2103 POINTS – 1 Win
Newman is a NASCAR ninja. Unseen, unnoticed, and then late Sunday afternoon he appeared.

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 2099 POINTS – 1 Win
This season has come down to trying to catch Newman and Kahne and staying ahead of Kurt.

16. KURT BUSCH – 2089 POINTS – 1 Win
Turning left is expected, but that sharp right-hand turn was not.

17. JOEY LOGANO – 794 POINTS – 1 Win
Best damn driver not to make the Chase.

18. CLINT BOWYER – 775 POINTS
Best damn driver not to make the Chase who was born in Emporia, Kansas.

19. ERIK JONES – 749 POINTS
Got a whole face full of McMurray the other day.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 708 POINTS
Looking good last Sunday, but when he forgot to look to his left things started to look real bad.

October 18, 2017
The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole at Talladega. Most years, that is just par for the course. In this, his final season, it was a return down memory lane. Talladega is where anything can happen, where any lead lap car has a shot to win it, and a where one’s dreams can go up in flames, smoke, and mangled metal without notice.

Just ask Jamie McMurray. He went in clinging to the final berth into the next round of the Chase. Sometimes you make a mistake. Sometimes you decide to turn toward pit road way too high on the track, a place where those with no intention of turning in are still running at high speed. That is what McMurray did just 25 laps in, and got punted to the outside by Erik Jones, then t-boned by Jeffery Earnhardt. By the time Mark Thompson tore off the rear section of his car, the damage had already been done. Done, thy name is McMurray. Somebody needs a win next week.

Unfortunately for Junior, our leader was hitting the pits as that caution came out for the wreck behind him. Pit lane closed in front of his eyes. The penalty sent him, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott to the back. Totally unfair, totally unrealistic to expect a driver to react in time, I know, but them is the rules. Still, they had over 160 laps to make up the lost ground.

Earlier in the race, just 14 laps in, the Fords ducked onto pit road and packed themselves together. That paid off in the end of the opening segment, as Brad Keselowski was followed by Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. All but Logano were current Chasers who came in outside the eight berths for the next round of the playoffs. Sometimes a plan works to perfection.

After two stages, that Ford plan was still paying dividends. Blaney won the stage, with Keselowski right behind him. Jimmie Johnson had his rear folded by Ty Dillon at one point, but he was still running in the top 10. Same for Denny Hamlin, as an early pit for a loose wheel, came at the same time there was a debris caution. No harm, no foul. As for Junior, he was barely in our top 20 as a planned stop just before the end of the stage was waved off for some reason.

Sixty laps remaining, and like magic, Junior was back among the top three. How? He was born to a wizard who did magical things at Talladega, just as his son has done throughout his career. Along with the Legacy were young guns, Blaney and Elliott. Of course, with that many laps to go on this track, it meant nothing as to what might happen by the time they reached the end. It was down to sticking on the lead lap and seeing what fate was willing to deliver.

I said, “WHAT FATE WAS WILLING TO DELIVER.” Keselowski was not hearing much of anything due to a very intermittent radio that only worked on the front stretch. Under a caution caused by a bunch of also-rans at the back of the pack, they reached in to fix it. That left him starting just inside the top 30 with about 30 to go when they returned to green. Junior was sitting inside the top 15 in his final Talladega race.

Fifteen. Interesting number. By the time this thing ended, that was all that was left running. With 17 to go, Martin Truex Jr. touched David Ragan, who collected Kurt Busch, and all hell broke loose. Johnson was toast, along with Kyle Busch and Stenhouse, while Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth both got roughed up. They were just getting started.

With 11 laps remaining, Logano and Blaney touched, taking out Blaney, and roughing up Harvick even more, and more was yet to come. Down to six laps, our leaders were Daniel Suarez, Elliott, and Larson. Not for long. Suarez was leading up high when he came down in the corner but Elliott already had his nose there. Suarez got turned into Larson, then came back up to collect Elliott, and that ended the day for two of them while Larson was still able to continue, albeit with a ton of front-end damage.

Finally, we were down to just four laps, 15 cars, with about eight having any shot of winning. On the start, it was Ryan Newman among the survivors up front, but with a pair remaining Keselowski took over and there he was to stay. Trevor Bayne was third, Logano fourth, with Aric Almirola in fifth. Hamlin and Earnhardt were next, followed by Kasey Kahne, Gray Gaulding, and Ragan to round out our top 10. It might not have thrilled so-called “race” fans, but if extreme sports lights your fire, the Alabama 500 got you all warm and toasty Sunday afternoon.

Keselowski had a great day, and advances to the next round of the Chase, to join with Truex. Larson, Harvick, Hamlin, and Elliott are all fine, as long as they stay out of trouble in Kansas. Blaney and Johnson need to have good days, Kyle Busch and Kenseth will have to be even better, while Stenhouse and McMurray need to win to be in.

On Sunday, the television ratings went against the grain and actually went up. Do not expect that to occur again next week. After the thrills and spills of what we just witnessed, it would be an understatement to say that Kansas will not exactly present anything like what was seen at Talladega. Then again, history tells us that might suit the likes of someone like Jimmie Johnson just fine.

October 16, 2017