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The Outsider: Kenseth’s Struggles Continue

If you would have told me that Matt Kenseth would have been winless headed into the ninth race of the season and on the outside looking into the playoffs, I would have called you crazy. But, that is the case, he currently sits 18th in points with just one top 10 finish this season.

Last year at this time, Kenseth was sitting pretty with four top 10 finishes, one of those being a win at Bristol, which solidified his spot in NASCAR’s playoffs.

So, what happened? It’s certainly not a team performance issue as Job Gibbs Racing has proven that it is one of the top teams in NASCAR, if not the top. Kyle Busch has won two races, Edwards captured a checkered flag at Bristol and Hamlin won the biggest race of the season, the Daytona 500. But, Kenseth can’t seem to put solid runs together. From an outside perspective, it looks as though he has a great relationship with his crew chief Jason Ratcliff, they’ve seen victory lane numerous times together, so what’s the issue?

Here’s my take:

Last season, Kenseth was the first driver in NASCAR history to receive a two-race suspension. The suspension followed his actions at Martinsville Speedway when he had a “tire go down” entering into turn one, where he then took out race leader Joey Logano.

Photo Credit: Todd Warshaw/Getty Images

But, let’s flashback to a couple of weeks prior. Kenseth was leading at Kansas, Kenseth throws the block two times on Logano. Following that, Logano heads into turn one and races Kenseth hard into the corner, Kenseth gets spun out. That incident severely hurt Kenseth’s chance of advancing to the next round of the Chase.

Next stop, Talladega. One of Kenseth’s last shots at advancing into the next round of the chase. Harvick causes mayhem on a final restart resulting in the field piling up, Kenseth is involved, therefore eliminating him from the next round of the chase.

Following Talladega, the incident between Kenseth and Logano happened at Martinsville and Kenseth then gets suspended. He said he had a tire go down, but we all knew that it was retaliation stemming from Kansas. He felt Logano took something from him at Kansas, therefore, Kenseth took something from Logano at Martinsville, an eye for an eye, or as it’s called in NASCAR, “driver code.”

This begs the question, could Kenseth’s slow start in 2016 all stem from his issues with Logano last season? Listen, Kenseth is a professional on and off the track, he’s a champion at NASCAR’s highest level and he’s one of the most respected drivers in the garage. However, he’s also human and whether he’d want to admit it or not, he might currently be having a hangover from last season’s incidents.

Kenseth will find victory lane this season. This weekend at Richmond might be the perfect place for him to bounce back since he won there last season. But, for now, he’s on the outside looking into the playoffs.

April 21, 2016
Hot 20 – Excitement at Bristol, more expected for Richmond, but does anyone give a damn?

One hundred forty thousand backsides can be parked around the coliseum that is the Bristol Speedway. Nobody releases any official figures these days, as NASCAR would rather try to keep its head, or yours, buried deep in the sand. However, when less than 100,000 show up, and some think this was a stadium only half full at a track guaranteed to showcase action, something is terribly wrong.

You can blame the economy only for so long. Maybe people are just sick and tired of high ticket costs, concession prices, and what one has to lay out for accommodations. Money is tight, and you better not come across as a robber baron if you want any of it. I mean, $300 a night hotels with a three-night minimum. Really?

Writing this column ensures I watch nearly every event. No one else in my family does any longer. When was the last time a celebrity asked, “How bad have you got it?” No more do the All-State girls stalk Kasey Kahne, no one drives a Big Brown Truck, NAPA is long gone, and we have long since said goodbye to Goodwrench. Maybe it was just a fad, some phase we went through. I guess some just last longer than others. The NFL seems to be doing alright, and there is no better way to spend an afternoon than catching a ball game at Fenway.

I am not going to take the opportunity to slam NASCAR. Not this time. Sure, I still enjoy doing so, but I still enjoy the product. Maybe not with the passion I once had, but I want to see Jimmie Johnson make it seven championships, Dale Earnhardt Jr. to chalk up just one, to watch Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney succeed. There are so many to cheer for, a few I would rather not and probably for no good reason other than it is fun to jeer them. I mention this because I am concerned. Bristol once was sold out for over 25 straight years, both races each year. Sunday’s attendance came as almost a shock. Not so much that there were fewer fans, just the fact there were fewer fans at Bristol. That just should not happen.

Six of our Hot 20 are champions, one a former six-time title holder. Richmond has been on the schedule since the 1950s. Does it matter? It still does to me.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 271 PTS
Winless streak hits three. I doubt anyone is panicking just yet, other than maybe the opposition.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 262 PTS
Damn tire. Damn wall. Damn penalty. Damn tire. Damn wall. Damn, I am sorry, lady.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 287 PTS
I watched Harvick win from the Daytona backstretch. It no longer exists, same with Richmond’s.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN – 286 PTS
Where in hell did all my teammates go last week?

5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 224 PTS
Three Top Tens, including a win, in his last four Richmond starts.

6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 222 PTS
Dear Carl: Love your car. Hey, I have an idea…

7. JOEY LOGANO – 266 PTS
If the past two years mean anything, Joey is going to love being back in Virginia.

8. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 250 PTS
Let me understand this. They wave the green flag and we go? Does the car know?

9. KURT BUSCH – 247 PTS
Showed last Sunday he is not just another pretty Busch. He was the one with inflated tires.

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 214 PTS
A single Top Five in twenty starts does not exactly make him a sure thing at Richmond.

11. AUSTIN DILLON – 213 PTS
Camping World and XFINITY champ continues to show he is more than someone’s grandson.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 205 PTS
The way things are going, soon Bill Elliott will be best known for being a dad, not a racer.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 199 PTS
Might not win, but a Top Five is certainly not out of the question this weekend.

14. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 188 PTS
He can turn right, he can turn left, and now he seems able to just go round and round.

15. KASEY KAHNE – 185 PTS
Won at Richmond more than a decade ago, but no sure bet for a Top Ten this weekend.

16. RYAN NEWMAN – 182 PTS
Odds indicate a Top Ten on Sunday for the Rocketman.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 178 PTS
Had a long day last week after being spun right round, baby, right round like a record, baby.

18. MATT KENSETH – 177 PTS
After watching the movie Major League, he has an idea. Does anyone have a chicken?

19. RYAN BLANEY – 174 PTS
A quick learner with XFINITY success, but Sunday marks his first Cup appearance at Richmond.

20. TREVOR BAYNE – 172 PTS
Roush Fenway cars still in the mix, with Stenhouse just ahead and Biffle not far behind.

April 20, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished seventh at Bristol, posting his seventh top-10 result of the year. He leads the Sprint Cup points standings by a single point over second-place Carl Edwards.

“The No. 4 Hunt Brothers Pizza Chevrolet was pretty strong at Bristol,” Harvick said. “Jimmy Johns slogan is ‘Freaky Fast.’ Hunt Brothers Pizza’s logo is ‘You’ll Need A Bathroom—Freaky Fast.’”

2. Kyle Busch: Busch, seeking his third consecutive win, experienced a tough day at Bristol. His day ended on lap 256 when he blew a right-front tire and slammed the wall. He finished 38th.

“I had an early spin,” Busch said, “then suffered a speeding penalty. And I blew two tires. Right-front tires on Joe Gibbs Racing cars were like seats at Bristol Motor Speedway—they were most likely empty.

“While driving to the garage, my car made contact with a fan. I seem to be making a habit of running into fans off the track. That 38th-place finish was only my second out of the top 5 this season. So, relatively speaking, my day was ‘pedestrian.’”

3. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole at Bristol and led 276 of 500 laps, capturing the Food City 500 in dominating fashion.

“Of course,” Edwards said, “I performed my celebratory backflip after the race. Unlike Kyle Busch, the only thing I nailed was the landing.”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a late loose wheel issue and finished a disappointing 23rd in the Food City 500.

“That loose wheel ruined a potential top 5,” Johnson said. “That’s called getting ‘screwed unscrewed.’”

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: After a slow start, Earnhardt recovered to score the runner-up spot in the Food City 500. He is sixth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 37 out of first.

“I accidentally hit the kill engine switch when the green flag dropped,” Earnhardt said. “Those kill switches are necessary in this sport. Now, they’d be of more use if they could be applied to pre-race prayers.

“I was lucky enough to meet Peyton Manning. He gave me a Broncos jersey; I gave him a HANS device.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch led 41 laps and finished third in an entertaining Food City 500 at Bristol.

“My brother Kyle made contact with a fan as he drove his damaged car to the garage midway through the race,” Busch said. “I guess the fan didn’t see Kyle coming. Some say our cars should be outfitted with horns. Others say they shouldn’t because there’s already too many ‘honk-ies’ in this sport already.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano posted a 10th-place finish at Bristol, recording his fifth top 10 of the year.

“How lucky is Dale Earnhardt Jr.?” Logano said. “He got to meet Peyton Manning. But how lucky is Manning? He received the grand tour of Bristol Motor Speedway by Earnhardt himself. Talk about a ‘Thunder Valet.’”

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 20th at Bristol as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards took the win.

“JGR took four of the top five qualifying positions,” Hamlin said. “Only Carl Edwards was able to close the deal, however. By ‘closing the deal,’ I mean driving back to the garage without running over someone.”

9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski had a top-10 car until a late tire issue set him back. He finished 18th and is now eighth in the points standings, 63 out of first.

“Luckily,” Keselowski said, “the fan that Kyle Busch hit was not injured. I guess God was looking out for her. I like to believe that had I been in that fan’s shoes, a higher power would have pushed me out of the path of the car, hopefully before Kevin Harvick pushed me into it.”

10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started eighth and finished 14th in the Food City 500.

“It’s interesting the way Kyle Busch keeps meeting NASCAR fans,” Truex said. “It’s either (get out of) my way’ or ‘the highway.’”

April 19, 2016
The Final Word – Sunday was a strange, strange day at Bristol

There are ways to describe Sunday’s action in Bristol, but to do it justice one would need a blow-by-blow analysis of most of the competitors to figure out what happened, and how it happened. Let us begin with what we know.

We know that Carl Edwards had one of the most dominant cars on the day. So did Matt Kenseth, while Kurt Busch (third) and Kevin Harvick (seventh) gave Edwards some company up front. Still, it was Cousin Carl who persevered, at the beginning, in the middle, and right to the end when he was putting some distance between himself and the field. Wheels that went straight, tires that kept inflated, walls that did not bite him, and the speed to see him lead a majority of the 500 laps allowed him to gather up his 26th career victory, his fourth at Bristol. That we know.

What happened to his Joe Gibbs teammates is a little tougher to analyze. All four entries started in the first five positions, but 20th by Denny Hamlin was the best the rest could do after he sustained some damage in a pit road collision. Kenseth led for 142 laps, but the snake came back to bite him yet again this season. While running first, he lost his right front but found the fence. When he found it again later on, for the same reason, he was done in 36th. It could have been worse.

Kyle Busch had been making a habit of winning lately, after consecutive triumphs at Martinsville and Texas. He took the drama out of it early, losing his right front and slamming the wall just 50 laps in. Sixty laps later, he got tagged from behind by Chris Buescher and went for a spin. Seventy laps further on, he got a pit road penalty. Seventy laps later, he lost another right front, found another fence, and finally put the car out of its misery, finishing 38th. Maybe too much camber angle proved to be the culprit.

Some had bad tidings, but good results. Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not even get up to speed on the green flag lap to start, and was down two laps in no time. At least he did it with 500 laps to go, and due to some good fortune popped up in the end to run second. Even Junior thought he had, at best, a Top 15 ride. Chase Elliott had a tire issue, fell back to 31st by the 200th lap, but was fourth when they waved the checkered. Then there was Joey Logano. He finished 10th, despite an early green flag stop for a vibration that got costlier when their tire rolled away in the pits to sit even one behind Elliott at the time.

Not enough great days for some others this season, but a few had one on Sunday. Trevor Bayne and Matt DiBenedetto were fifth and sixth at Bristol while Clint Bowyer had a Top Ten. Not so for Kyle Larson, as he dropped from third to a good 60 laps in arrears when his track bar broke. Cars seemed to get into trouble, rise out of the ashes, only to have their hopes dashed later on. Danica Patrick was 29th on Lap 200, fourth on Lap 275, and by Lap 435 she was barely in the Top Thirty. The Danica Line at Bristol was 27th, just one back of Austin Dillon and one up on Cole Whitt.

On Sunday, there was no Big One, just a bunch of nasty Little Ones. However, as Talladega promises to do on May 1, that short track in Tennessee messed with people, including the minds of fans trying to keep track of the comers and goers, the heartbreakers and the heartbroken. It was not a boring 3.5-hours.

Before they get to Alabama, they have a Sunday date in Richmond. Despite all his woes this year, Kenseth remains just five points out of a Chase place. Another win, like the one he celebrated last autumn at Richmond, would for all intents and purposes lock him into the championship hunt. Up to now, Kenseth has run well but always waiting for that black cloud to roll in to ruin his day. A single win and he is back to rainbows and blue skies. Funny, blue skies is exactly the weather they are calling for this Sunday.

April 18, 2016
Hot 20 at Bristol, where everyone will wind up hot at one time or another

I get it. Some folks watch NASCAR for the wrecks. They probably do not watch often, maybe taking in the action from Daytona or Talladega, where one bad move causes a whole lot of bad tidings. I love those tracks, too, but I love watching people doing exciting things that I simply cannot. Even if I got sponsored by Depends, it probably would be a good idea if I just let the opportunity pass me by. Now, if I there is any race I watch due to the prospect of mayhem, that would be Bristol.

You have all these nice shiny race cars, all 40 of them, placed on an oval just over a half-mile in distance, and let them have at it for 500 laps. Sometimes, you just have to use the fender horn to make your way, and most times that will leave a mark. It also is likely to tick off the driver just moved out of the way, and then the fun really begins.

Hot 20? Hell, more like a hot forty by the time Sunday’s action is completed.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 259 PTS
One driver who could have stopped Kyle’s winning streak is currently 78-years old.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 253 PTS
A true magician. Now you see Austin, now you don’t.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 252 PTS
Raced at Texas and saw a pair of holes-in-one at Augusta…and that is just what he did last weekend.

4. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 201 PTS
Points? Who needs stinkin’ points after Daytona’s victory?

5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 201 PTS
Some folks he’ll always remember never had money or fame. They were simply great people.

6. CARL EDWARDS – 241 PTS
Screw lugnuts. He is switching to velcro.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 234 PTS
Just imagine how he would be doing with just a bit of consistency.

8. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 211 PTS
After driver introductions joins some guy named Peyton in the back of a truck circling the track.

9. KURT BUSCH – 208 PTS
Ex-girlfriend was not a trained assassin. She says so. Taking no chances, Kurt should just agree.

10. AUSTIN DILLON – 198 PTS
Texas is the Lone Star State, but Austin was anything but alone when things went sideways.

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 187 PTS
Best little race car in Texas…on fresh rubber.

12. MATT KENSETH – 171 PTS
For all his hard luck, still treading water and comes to Sunday’s race as the defending champion.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 171 PTS
Not exactly thrilling the crowds, but if one can quietly hold down a Chase place, that works.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 168 PTS
The kid is hungry, as even fifth is not good enough.

15. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 166 PTS
You can not go wrong with BUSH Beans. Actually, I think I have.

16. KASEY KAHNE – 161 PTS
Sponsor is a big supporter of garage bands. These days I prefer a nice quiet book. I’m getting old.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 153 PTS
After six attempts, has the best average finish (11.2) among active Bristol drivers. Hey, look it up.

18. KYLE LARSON – 152 PTS
Failing inspection last week costs Kyle and Brad practice time at Bristol. Bad boys, bad boys…

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 150 PTS
Since 2002, has just a pair of Top Fives at Bristol, but the last time was just one year ago.

20. RYAN BLANEY – 144 PTS
Last weekend he kept picking up bad vibrations. That gave him bad excitations.

April 13, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch won his second consecutive race, passing Martin Truex Jr. on a restart with 33 laps to go and cruising to the win in the Duck Commander 500.

“That’s two wins in two weeks,” Busch said, “in two different states, both pretty convincingly. What I’ve done to the rest of the field is known as ‘Interstate Battery.’

“It’s funny, given the misguided political opinions of the likes of Brian France and Phil Robertson, that NASCAR has become a haven for people endorsing candidates. Much like American presidential elections, NASCAR crowns a winner in November. That will be me. I’m here today to announce my 2016 slogan for repeating as Sprint Cup champion: ‘Make America One-Eight Again.’”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished fourth at Texas, posting his fourth top five of the season.

“We got off to a shaky start,” Johnson said. “On our first pit stop, I banged the back of Kyle Busch’s car. That left the No. 48 Chevrolet with some damage to the nose. That, of course, made the car difficult to drive. Trust me. I’m a triathlete—I know an ‘out-of-shape’ car when I see one.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 10th at Texas, earning his sixth top 10 of the season. He is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, seven behind Kyle Busch.

“We had a top-10 car,” Harvick said, “and nothing else. It was clear early on that we weren’t going to win. In other words, we ‘didn’t have a prayer,’ which would also happen to be a good position for NASCAR to take in regards to pre-race ceremonies.”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards, along with Martin Truex Jr., had one of the fields best cars at Texas, but failed to secure the win due to a loose wheel with 113 laps to go.

“Speaking of a ‘screw loose,’” Edwards said, “did you hear Phil Robertson’s pre-race prayer? It was more quotable than the Bible itself.

“Now, I’m frankly sick and tired of congratulating Kyle Busch on his victories. If he wants a pat on the back, he’ll have to get it from someone else, because when I joined JGR, I promised Matt Kenseth I wouldn’t raise a hand to anyone.”

5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished second in the Duck Commander 500 at Texas as Kyle Busch took the win.

“Once Kyle got into clean air,” Earnhardt said, “there was no stopping him. I think Phil Robertson said it best when he quipped, ‘Jesus man, that car is fast.’

“Texas Motor Speedway had on display the taxidermied ‘Lil’ Dale’ goat. That goat rose to fame when it was born in 2002 with a marking on its side that looked like the No. 3. Despite the fact that ‘Lil’ Dale’ is a male, he’s been milked for all he’s worth.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch took ninth in the Duck Commander 500 as younger brother Kyle gained his second consecutive win.

“Kyle is on a roll,” Busch said. “He won four races across three NASCAR series in eight days. You can say he’s done just about everything, except accuse his wife of being an assassin.”

“In his pre-race prayer, Phil Robertson asked the Lord to put a ‘Jesus man’ in the White House. I’m not sure Robertson is qualified to speak intelligently about religion or politics, or to speak intelligently period. But you know the old saying: ‘Robertson 3:16 says I’m just talking out my ass.’”

7. Joey Logano: Logano finished third in the Duck Commander 500, recording his third top-five finish of the year.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. created a stir on Twitter,” Logano said, “when he tweeted about eating a banana and mayonnaise sandwich. I received a lot of unwanted responses because Junior happened to add ‘#SlicedBread’ to his tweet.”

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started sixth and finished 12th as Joe Gibbs Racing placed all four cars in the top 12, led by Kyle Busch’s win. Hamlin is eighth in the points standings, 58 out of first.

“JGR is building a dynasty,” Hamlin said, “and unlike some other ‘dynasties,’ this one isn’t full of quacks. And speaking of ‘duck calls,’ did you hear the national anthem performed by Will Robertson? He hit all the notes. And by ‘all’ the notes, I mean one. But Will has one thing going for him—he’s adopted.”

9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 19th at Texas and is now eighth in the points standings, 58 out of first.

“Once again,” Keselowski said, “politics made its way into NASCAR when Phil Robertson prayed for a ‘Jesus man’ in the White House. This happened just weeks after Brian France endorsed Donald Trump for President. What’s next? Robertson and France start a NASCAR team and call it ‘Presidential Racing?’”

10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led a race-high 147 laps but couldn’t hold off Kyle Busch on a late restart, and eventually finished fifth.

“I clearly had the best car,” Truex said, “but what I lacked was a little luck, or maybe a little bible, and a little gun. But I don’t need anyone to tell me that we let a win slip away. I also don’t need anyone to tell me who to vote for, or anyone to pray for me.”

April 12, 2016
The Final Word – The best little race car in Texas was not the one that won

Watching NASCAR is very much akin to viewing a bunch of toddlers race each other. Little Johnny might take off early, get within a few feet of the finish line, then that damn butterfly takes all his attention and he swerves right and off the course. Saturday night in Texas was a lot like that.

If you tuned in early, you saw rain for two hours. Not the beginning they had hoped for, but for others the rain on their parade would come later. In the beginning, it was pole sitter Carl Edwards dueling Martin Truex Jr. for the lead. If it was not one, it was the other. That is how it went for 200 laps, then came the butterfly. Actually, then came a loose lug nut on the right front after a pit miscue, and Edwards went from leading 124 laps to fighting just to get close enough to finish seventh.

That left Truex. He led 141 laps. He was leading with just over 30 laps to go. Truex did not wander anywhere, but he should have. When most came to the pits for tires under caution, the team threw caution to the wind, and Truex under the bus. Sometimes Little Johnny needs to come in for a change, but the call from Cole Pearn to dive into the pits came too late for the driver to do so, and they were left with a soiled diaper.

Some wore their big boy pants, again. If you tuned in when things turned green, you would have thought Kyle Busch had one hell of a day. He immediately charged past Truex, who finished sixth, and that was it. Rowdy was literally off to the races to claim his second straight Cup victory, the 36th of his career. While Busch was near the front for the latter half of the event, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a few cameos but only in the late stages did he emerge to claim the runner-up spot. Joey Logano, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five.

Matt Kenseth was a factor early, but you just knew something had to go wrong. It always does this season. Look, a butterfly. Eleventh proved to be a good result after a flying lug nut in the pits got caught behind a new tire and prevented the crew from tightening the replacement. Greg Biffle is having a sad season, and after hitting the wall he got even sadder. The Biff was boffed, to finish 39th, just one behind Clint Bowyer. Driving for Harry Scott this season as he awaits Tony Stewart’s retirement is not proving to be much fun.

In fact, you probably did not notice Bowyer much out on the playground, at least not until late. With 40 laps left, Austin Dillon tried to fit into a spot ahead of Johnson, but there was not enough room and soon enough not enough air on the rear spoiler. Dillon lost control, hit the wall, and came back across the track to clip the inside fence. Meanwhile, the checkers behind him became wreckers, with Bowyer and Brian Vickers ending their day as a host of other cars received a dent or five in the mishap. Hard to watch for butterflies when someone just kicked open a hornets nest.

The Danica Patrick Line was set this week at 21st in Texas, just ahead of Ty Dillon and one up on A.J. Allmendinger. The trio were all a lap off the pace and nowhere near the front the entire day. As much as I wish for her better things, this fourth season appears a be a lot like the previous three. Patrick sits, as per usual, 24th in the rankings. If we are asking too much of her, at what time should we?

Any butterflies at Bristol this Sunday probably will come in the form of a similar looking vehicle doing things to make a driver’s auto look less similar. Six drivers come in with at least a pair of victories there, but no one could use another more than four-time winner Matt Kenseth. He comes in as the Food City 500’s defending champion. Just as long as those Busch toddlers are not so spoiled as to add to the 10 they have already split between them.

I just do not think you can rely on their sharing natures at Bristol over the past five years to continue. The younger one has been exceptionally greedy as of late.

April 11, 2016
Hot 20 – If you’re going to play in Texas, you got to have a Biffle in the band

The voting begins, and there is nary a Trump, Cruz, Clinton, or Sanders to be found. Of course, I am referring to NASCAR’s all-star event coming up in May. While Danica Patrick and that neat gimmick of her’s attracts lots of interest, my pick based on performance would be A.J. Allmendinger. It is not easy for teams to gain relevance. Stewart-Haas picked up a star and that worked for them. Furniture Row had Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. to allow them to turn the corner. A.J. is doing it for JTG Daughterty. That is great to see.

With the pipes on Chase Elliott, I am wondering if the guy can sing. We have had Merle Haggard, Randy Travis, and Josh Turner, to name a few, but if Chase can sing, we got another potential star on our hands. If not, broadcasting is in his future, but we might have to wait a long, long time. That is a hell of a lot of Boogity-Boogity-Boogities we might have yet to endure in the meantime.

A three-part series on NASCAR is coming to CMT next month. It looks good. Now, will it show up north of the line? Sometimes I fear that somebody built a wall on the wrong damn border.

This Saturday night, the boys and girl head west. The way I hear it, if you are going to play in Texas, you got to have a Biffle in the band. That may be true, and it may be a fact this weekend, but sadly such edicts do not include our Hot 20. Greg sits 16 points shy. Maybe the following week.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 216 PTS
Three straight at Texas, five of the past seven. Jimmie does not share easily, except for tweets.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 220 PTS
Still stands tall, despite less than stellar finish last week.

3. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN – 215 PTS
After winning a Cup and truck grandfather clock last week, he should never be late ever again.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 178 PTS
Took some time off in Birmingham to see some humpy backed camels and some chimpanzees.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 172 PTS
Collected a win at Daytona and a wall at Martinsville. Still, he had a better day than Almirola.

6. CARL EDWARDS – 206 PTS
When one struggles and still places in the Top Ten, you know you are having a good season.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 196 PTS
11th is not bad, but it sucks when you had hopes of finishing first.

8. AUSTIN DILLON – 176 PTS
A small issue with teammate Menard, but I understand he has connections with the ownership.

9. KURT BUSCH – 176 PTS
Must have the odd Jan Brady moment hearing how wonderful Kyle was…Kyle, Kyle, Kyle.

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 172 PTS
Junior loves banana and mayo sandwiches. I prefer tuna and sandwich spread. Discuss.

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 150 PTS
Other than for that loose wheel and speeding penalty, Martinsville was great. Just great.

12. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 147 PTS
What Kurt and Truex did for Furniture Row, A.J. is doing for Daugherty.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 143 PTS
For Jamie, the STP 500 stood for Stupid Tire Problem.

14. MATT KENSETH – 140 PTS
Does not always take the high road, but when he does, he loses a lot of spots late in a race.

15. RYAN BLANEY – 132 PTS
Not David Pearson just yet, but at one time even Pearson was not that David Pearson.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 131 PTS
Jeff who?

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 128 PTS
Sunday he was undone when he got spun.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 128 PTS
I think he needs to get All-State back as a sponsor. He was in good hands back then.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 126 PTS
According to the Internet, Newman is a driver, an actress, and manager of the minor league Birmingham Barons. Busy guy.

20. KYLE LARSON – 125 PTS
Along with Dillon, Blaney, and Elliott, the kids are making their presence known, with more great talent on the horizon.

21. PAUL MENARD – 125 PTS
Should Dillon and Menard have issues, I am sure Paul would retain the support of his sponsor.

April 6, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch led 352 of 500 laps on his way to a commanding win in the STP 500, his first ever Sprint Cup win at Martinsville.

“Finally,” Busch said, “I get the Martinsville grandfather clock. After 21 tries, I can look at this trophy and confidently say, ‘It’s about time.’

“Leading 352 of 500 laps is just pure dominance. I’m shocked that the car was a good as it was. And my crew chief Dave Rogers was as well. After the race, he said to me, ‘Do you know how fast you were going?’”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished ninth in the STP 500, posting his fourth top 10 of the year. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, four behind Kevin Harvick.

“I advocate stronger concussion protocols in our sport,” Johnson said. “Chad Knaus disagrees. He’s against anything that calls for more thorough inspections.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 17th at Martinsville, his first result outside the top 10 this season.

“If you would have told me before the race,” Harvick said, “that I’d finish one spot behind Danica Patrick, I would have said, “I guess I didn’t finish second.”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards took sixth in the STP 500 as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch won. Edwards is 14th in the Sprint Cup points standings, 14 out of first.

“Congratulations to Kyle,” Edwards said. “In his victory burnout, he smoked the tires. And speaking of ‘smoking’ the tires, NASCAR driver Derek White was arrested by Canadian police in a tobacco smuggling ring. Authorities seized 52,800 kilograms of tobacco. I guess where tobacco in concerned, the US-Canada border is unfiltered.”

5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski recorded his second top-five finish of the year with a fifth at Martinsville.

“It was a typical day at Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “There was beating and banging, grumbling, and a few caution flags. These are all examples of your stomach warning you after eating a Martinsville hot dog.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 13th at Martinsville as younger brother Kyle won. Busch is seventh in the points standings, 44 out of first.

“I’m proud of Kyle for winning his first Martinsville grandfather clock,” Busch said. “As you know, clocks have little hands and big hands, and Brian France earlier made his political endorsement based on that criteria.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole but went a lap down early at Martinsville, as tire grip issues sent him backward. However, he recovered to post a solid 11th, and now occupies the fifth spot in the points standings.

“We hit a rough patch to start the race,” Logano said, “but we worked things out. That’s a testament to the preparation and attention to detail of this team. There’s a lot to be said for crossing your T’s and dotting your ‘squinty and douchey’ ‘I’s.’

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin crashed early and finished a disappointing 39th in the STP 500 at Martinsville.

“The wreck was the result of a wheel hop,” Hamlin said. “Frankly, I’m embarrassed that it happened. I’m also angry. You could say I’m ‘hopping mad.’ Ironically, if you’ve ever seen me play basketball, you know I’ve never been accused of having ‘mad hops.’”

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: After falling a lap down early at Martinsville, Earnhardt battled his way back to score a respectable 14th-place finish. He is ninth in the points standings, 48 out of first.

“As you probably heard,” Earnhardt said, “I decided to donate my brain to concussion research. My dad made a lot of enemies on the track, so you can add ‘science’ to the list of entities that wanted an Earnhardt’s head on a platter.”

10. Austin Dillon: Dillon posted his second top-five finish of the year with a fourth at Martinsville. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 44 out of first.

“Joey Logano finished 11th,” Dillon said, “and Matt Kenseth finished 15th. So, much like the last race here, there were four drivers ‘separating’ the two.”

April 5, 2016
Joey Logano Overdue for Martinsville Win

Going into Sunday’s STP 500 at Martinsville, Joey Logano is without a doubt the most overdue driver for a Martinsville win. Starting on the pole for Sunday’s event, Logano has four top-fives and five top-10s, three of those coming in his last four starts there.

Last fall at Martinsville, Logano led a race-high 207 laps before an accident sidelined his race as well as his championship hopes. The culprit of the accident was none other than Matt Kenseth, in retribution for Logano dumping him just two weeks before at Kansas. If it weren’t for the accident, Logano would have already had a Grandfather clock in his trophy case (and maybe a Sprint Cup championship trophy as well) heading into the STP 500.

A lot of hype has centered around that incident going into Sunday’s race, but it’s safe to say that nothing of that caliber should happen. Logano has led 414 laps in his last four starts at Martinsville and aside from winning three straight poles at the track, he also has started in the top-10 in the last six races there, with a sixth-place starting effort in October 2013 being his lowest Martinsville start since joining Team Penske.

If that’s not enough, Logano also recorded his first Camping World Truck Series win at Martinsville in the Spring 2015 event, beating Matt Crafton by .431 seconds after leading 150 of 258 laps. He’s become a Martinsville expert at Penske, and he continues to improve and gain closer to that first win at the Virginia paperclip. It’s not a matter of if he’ll win there; it’s a matter of when, and Sunday looks like his likeliest chance at victory.

See video: https://youtu.be/IVKWClMhZGs

With an average finish of 10.5 in 14 starts, plus zero DNFs, Martinsville has become one of Logano’s best tracks on the circuit, and he has become something of a short track master. A win on Sunday would only serve to solidify that, as he has already won at Bristol and Richmond, and it is time for the No. 22 to cross the finish line first and get one of Martinsville’s famous clock trophies.

April 2, 2016