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Carl Edwards Wins First ‘Back to Tradition’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway

Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Darlington Raceway was not your typical Southern 500. For starters, it was held on its traditional Labor Day weekend date, something diehard NASCAR fans have been clamoring for since this date was taken away from them after 2003.

It featured a new low-downforce package with aerodynamic changes as well, adding an unknown quality to the atmosphere of the 66th annual Bojangles Southern 500. Surprisingly, it was also the longest race of the year, coming in at four hours and 28 minutes, due to the high number of cautions, a record 18.

For Carl Edwards, it was a unique event, as he captured his first victory at Darlington Raceway and 25th career win. It all came down to a seamless pit stop during the 18th caution and a flawless restart that gave him the lead with eight laps remaining in the race. Edwards held off Brad Keselowski and claimed the checkered flag in the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota, celebrating with his own tradition, his trademark backflip.

It was a fitting victory for Edwards who has been a vocal advocate for the low-downforce setup.

“I don’t think I can get in trouble for how much I liked it, but I loved it; this is as good as it gets,” Edwards said. “This is what it’s about. We’re sliding cars, tires are falling off, this is the style of racing, if there’s any chance we can run this in the Chase, I hope we can do it. It was an awesome day.”

Although Edwards gave his pit crew credit for the win, it was a combined driver and team effort. On Lap 62, under caution, Edwards did not pit with the rest of the lead-lap cars. When he went to pit road on Lap 89, a caution for a crash involving Michael Annett trapped Edwards two laps down. It took him about 200 laps to drive his way back to the front of the field.

Edwards described the victory as “really special” and went on to say, “This is what we needed. We just needed a shot in the arm and needed to have a good night like this. All over, it’s cool.

Denny Hamlin led 57 laps, finishing third, followed by Joey Logano who led 29 laps, in fourth. Kevin Harvick led 44 laps and finished fifth.

“I hope I never forget those last 25 laps,” Edwards continued. “That was really fun, and the restart was fun, but truly racing with Brad and Kevin was a blast. I really had a good time.”

Pole-sitter Keselowski dominated much of the race, leading six times for 196 laps and finishing in second place. He spoke about the new aero package after winning the Coors Light Pole award Saturday, saying he thought that NASCAR was moving in the right direction. His failure to win the Southern 500 didn’t alter his opinion.

“It separates the race car drivers from the pretends, and that’s the way it should be,” he reiterated.

Another highlight of the Southern 500 was driver Tony Stewart who finished in 15th place but for a brief moment, had the crowd on their feet, as he took the lead on Lap 212 for 10 laps.

Kyle Busch accomplished what some doubted was possible. After missing 11 races when he was injured at the beginning of the season, he secured his spot in the Chase with a seventh place result that locked him into the top 30 in the Cup Series points standings.

“Making the Chase was something we weren’t all sure was possible after my injuries,” Busch said. “It’s a great opportunity to be with these guys on this M&M’S Crispy team. They’re working really hard at Joe Gibbs Racing, we’ve got a lot of speed, and I think all four cars have a really good shot at this championship.

“I had my hands full tonight. I think I just got a little behind on what our adjustments needed to be for the race, but our whole team just really turned this thing around, and it turned out to be a solid finish for us.”

With the return to Labor Day weekend, Darlington and NASCAR presented the first “return to tradition” spectacular at Darlington complete with new signage, ‘70s music, throwback paint schemes, a bevy of NASCAR legends including Hall of Famers and more, to a near capacity crowd. It was an event to be remembered and one that will continue through a five-year plan that promises to offer more of the same in the coming years.

Next week, the action intensifies as NASCAR travels to Richmond International Raceway on Sept. 12 for the last regular-season race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship playoffs begins. Television coverage will be provided by NBC Sports Network.

September 7, 2015
Hot 20 – The Southern 500…a tradition truly reborn this Labor Day weekend!

It is the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington on Sunday night. Interestingly, I do not view it as one of the circuit’s marquee tracks, where you do not dare touch the fast-forward button. However, like Indianapolis, it is one of the Cup Series marquee events where a win gets you remembered.

After a few years of tinkering around with tradition, something NASCAR seems more than eager to do until the manure hits the ventilation system, the Southern 500 is back for the Labor Day weekend. It worked from 1950 until someone had a bright idea in time for the 2004 event. They pushed the legendary race back to November so that fans would no longer have to face the heat of day in September. That, and they thought it also a brilliant move to give the 500’s date to California after it had taken Rockingham’s spot on the calendar. I wonder how that worked out for them?

Somebody sued so that Texas could have a second race, and they got it when the Lady in Black’s spring date was spirited away. Then to prove their astute understanding of its fan base, they moved the race to Mother’s Day before dropping the iconic “Southern 500″ moniker entirely for four seasons, starting in 2005. Then they did not have a title sponsor in 2009, at least before Go Daddy came on board, so the Southern 500, now presented by Go Daddy.com, was back.

The tinkering did not end there, of course. Sponsors come and go, but traditions remain…except in NASCAR. In 2014, the race date was shipped to April before someone came up with a bright idea. No, really. They moved the Southern 500 back to the Labor Day weekend, but as had been the case since its rebirth, they scheduled it for Sunday night to avoid the heat that started all the nonsense a decade before.

The fact they installed lights in 2004, just before they moved the date to avoid the heat, doesn’t make much sense, either, come to think of it. However, let us just be glad the Southern 500 is truly back with cars with paint schemes from Darlington’s glory years.

The Hot 20 as they challenge “The Track Too Tough to Tame” include…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
Christopher Walken’s favorite driver. More cowbell!

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Looking to finish two spots up on Cole Whitt to claim his Chase place. Let the battle begin.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
The Shell logo on his car is one I remember…from way back…when I had hair…and youth.

4. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
After running less than 60 miles at Bristol, he should be well rested for Darlington

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
I keep underwear longer than he keeps a house.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Is Junior interested in driving IndyCar? Apparently, the answer is “no, no, no, no.”

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Kurt is engaged. It would be easy to come up with a punchline, but I truly wish him happiness.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Frank Kimmel, 10 time ARCA champ and Brad’s matchmaker.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Furniture Row might not be big, but you cannot say they have not been successful.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
Only problem with a throwback weekend is do you go with a Ned, Cale, or Jaws scheme?

11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN
Worst driver at Gibbs Racing? Honestly, I do not believe there is such a thing.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 696 POINTS
After claiming a Brickyard 400 and a Daytona 500, he needs a little trinket from Darlington.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 683 POINTS
Riding along the walls at Darlington, it might be best to be driving a Caterpillar.

14. PAUL MENARD – 674 POINTS
Paul won the XFINITY race last week. I used to outrun my baby sister.

15. JEFF GORDON – 672 POINTS
Only driver whose throwback paint scheme could be one of his own.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 655 POINTS
Sitting pretty, unless the wrong guy wins on Sunday. Then it could get ugly.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 620 POINTS
The King won 200 times. Aric needs just one.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 618 POINTS
Will be channeling his inner Geoff Bodine this weekend.

19. GREG BIFFLE – 572 POINTS
Roll them dice. Daddy needs a win.

20. AUSTIN DILLON – 564 POINTS
Race car driver, former Little League World Series player, now basketball star?

September 2, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch suffered from a loose wheel early in the race before picking his way back into the top 5 at Bristol. But a late pit road speeding penalty cost him a chance at the win, finishing eighth.

“It was still a strong day for Joe Gibbs Racing,” Busch said. “JGR went 1-2-3-4 in qualifying and place three cars in the top 10. That’s quite a stable Joe’s got right now. Take my brother Kyle and myself at our worse, and you’ve got yourself an ‘unstable.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick chased Joey Logano over the final laps at Bristol, but Logano’s No. 22 Penske machine was just too strong. Harvick settled for second, his second-consecutive runner-up finish and 11th of the season.

“We certainly weren’t helped by two pit road speeding penalties,” Harvick said. “At 30 miles per hour, a drive-through penalty is brutal. At that speed, Bristol’s pit road is much like Kyle Petty’s ponytail—long and grey.”

3. Joey Logano: Logano won his second straight Bristol night race, holding off Kevin Harvick over the final laps to win the Irwin Tools Night Race.

“I knew I couldn’t make a mistake with Harvick behind me,” Logano said. “Obviously, this Penske driver reacts a little better from a push from Harvick.”

4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth blew an engine early at Bristol, spoiling an otherwise solid day for Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Did this Toyota engine come from Michael Waltrip Racing?” Kenseth said, “because it just quit on me.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was solid at Bristol, finishing fourth for his first top-five result since a second at Daytona in July.

“With six Sprint Cup championships,” Johnson said, “I obviously have the look of a champion. Now, with the new fragrance ‘Burnt Rubber,’ anyone can smell like a champion. And if you have the nerve to go to the fragrance counter and ask for Burnt Rubber, then you certainly won’t be phased by extreme speeds. Just make sure you ask for ‘Burnt Rubber’ by name, lest you may end up with the Jeremy Mayfield knockoff brand, ‘Speed In A Bottle.’”

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt took advantage of two “Lucky Dog” free passes and recorded a ninth-place finish at Bristol. He is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, 89 out of first.

“Danica Patrick has a new sponsor in Nature’s Bakery,’” Earnhardt said. “Now people can finally say she’s got ‘natural’ talent and actually believe it.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led four laps and finished sixth in the Irwin Tools Night Race as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano captured the win.

“Logano showed a load of maturity holding off Harvick,” Keselowski said. “That gives Joey three wins this season. I have only one. I guess we know who wears the firesuit on this team.”

8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex suffered from a collection of misfortune at Bristol and finished 28th at Bristol, five laps down.

“They call Bristol Motor Speedway ‘The Last Great Colosseum,’” Truex said. “I guess that means the drivers are gladiators. Instead of fighting to the death, fans in the stands are bored to death.”

9. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 74 laps at Bristol and was out front on lap 355 when he suffered a flat tire. He still managed a seventh-place finish, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch in the top 10.

“A flat tire while leading is the very definition of ‘untimely,’” Edwards said. “What is the very definition of ‘timely?’ Leaving Roush Fenway Racing when I did. Jack Roush may be the ‘Cat In The Hat,’ and chances are he owns the ‘Car In The Rear.’”

10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 14th, one lap down, at Bristol, after damaging his car in an incident with David Ragan.

“What do you expect from a Michael Waltrip Racing driver?” Busch said. “Ragan was driving like there was no tomorrow.

“I guess you’ve heard that MWR released Clint Bowyer from his contract. And I think I’m qualified to announce that Bowyer is not a secret agent, but a free agent.”

August 25, 2015
The Final Word – Bristol Delivers Great Action but Few Surprises

Saturday night at Bristol is behind us, so what have we learned? First, I was reminded how much I love the action broadcast from that track. Second, I like pack racing. I do not need 20 or 30 cars all bunched together, but seeing four or five on the screen battling for position is pretty cool. Hell, it is downright exciting.

We learned that, in the end, it came down to Joey Logano holding off Kevin Harvick. Harvick got close, but Logano was the closer on Saturday. A third win on the season, the 25-year-old has 11 over his career in chalking up his 100th Top Ten. For the runner-up, he has recorded 17 Top Fives, 21 Top Tens, in 24 events. If Harvick wants more than his two victories, no better time than in the fall.

We learned that a pit penalty or a flat tire or a spin does not necessarily mean the day is done, even on a half mile track. Kyle Busch gets a late pit penalty. Finished eighth. Clint Bowyer spun out. Finished fifth. Carl Edwards lost the lead with a flat and went two laps down. Finished seventh. Not a win, but not a disaster, either.

We learned that Kyle Larson’s much-needed win would not come on that day. Lost a tire, found the wall, became a pinata, finished 41st. It no longer mattered, as a win and only a win will get him into the Chase. Matt Kenseth has a couple of wins, so when his engine blew up early it did not matter that he finished 42nd.

We learned that everybody in a Chase place coming in stayed in one when they left. We also learned that nobody without a win is guaranteed the same when they leave Darlington. It might be a tad of a stretch, but even Jamie McMurray is vulnerable. Okay, it would take an Aric Almirola win, a Bowyer runner-up finish, and McMurray finishing dead last…but it could happen.

We learned, or were reminded, that like Daytona, Talladega, and the road courses, Bristol could be a stand alone event. No need to be bothered by who is where in the standings or give a second thought as to the Chase or anything else other than the race itself.

That is a good thing, as we hope the Southern 500 in Darlington brings us more of the same. Greg Biffle hopes for more of the same he enjoyed in 2005 and 2006. He is the lone active driver not currently in the Chase who has won there, and he will need to do it again to ensure his own invite to the party.

On a personal note, this past week has been a time for celebration and contemplation in my family. Last Thursday, my mother Mae passed away after a lengthy illness. Since then, the 22 people who make up our immediate family; my father, my wife and sons, my brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews; have gathered together remembering Mom. For such a somber occasion, there has been a whole lot of laughter, which has always been our way. That was always Mom’s gift to us, and she would have loved it.

August 24, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Bristol Irwin Tools Night Race

With lots of discussion and questions about restarts in the drivers’ meeting prior to the race, here is what was surprising and not surprising after the checkered flag flew on the 55Th Annual Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Surprising: Joey Logano took a page from ‘Through the Looking Glass’ as he battled against Kevin Harvick and the rest of the field to take the checkered flag at Bristol Motor Speedway. This was the third win of the season for the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford for Team Penske.

“It was kind of interesting to watch it in the mirror,” Logano said. “I was watching him (Harvick) drive in and I was like, ‘He’s going to get me eventually,’ so I just wanted to make sure I stayed at least three or four car lengths up on him so he didn’t get to me.

“There’s not much time to look in the rearview mirror, but I realized how different his line was than mine. He’d drive in so hard and almost get to my back bumper and then I’d drive off really good. It’s kind of interesting to watch a race like that when two cars are a similar speed but in two complete different ways. That’s what’s so fun about Bristol is you can drive the car about five or six different ways and make it fast, so it’s fun to race here.

“That’s what we did and that’s what we do every week. We just try to keep our heads calm and cool and just run our race.

“I feel like we’re right where we need to be, just like we were last year at this point. I can’t wait for the Chase to start.”

Not Surprising: It was a twofer for the No. 4 car, who turned two pit road penalties into another second place finish.

“Yeah, we had an interesting night,” Kevin Harvick said after finishing second for the 10th time this season. “We went to the back twice and passed a bunch of cars.

“I think, all in all, it’s just a huge credit to the team. They just keep bringing fast cars to the race track and we’re able to overcome a lot of things.

“So, it’s just great to be a part of a team like this and just really excited to be able to run like this at Bristol.”

Surprising: It was a blowout of the unwanted kind for Kyle Larson, who had such high hopes coming into the Bristol night race. The driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet had a tire blow out when he stayed out after taking just two tires, finishing 41st.

“The first time we blew our left front we stayed out on two tires and we had a lot of laps on our lefts,” Larson said. “And we blew that one out. Later on we had a lot of damage and got really tight and blew the right front.

“I guess on our left front the side wall got cut out. I don’t know if that was a wear issue or not. Then we got into the wall and we were pretty tight after that with lots of damage on the right side. So, probably just used up our right front tire because I couldn’t turn. I just hate it we hit the wall with a blown right front and ended our night.”

Not Surprising: By no means out but……could best describe Paul Menard, who finished 24th at Bristol and is hanging on to 12th in the point standings and 14th in the Chase grid at present.

“This was not the finish we wanted when the weekend started at Bristol,” the driver of the No. 27 Knauf/Menards Chevrolet said. “We got behind early in the race and then were never able to make the improvements work to our advantage during the night. Then we ended up getting some damage there near the end and that didn’t help us any.

“But, the good news is we fought through all that and finished the race. We are by no means out of the Chase for the Championship and look forward to being there after Richmond.”

Surprising: Ryan Newman apparently was doing his best imitation of David Copperfield, working some magic on his. No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet.

“We took a 20th place car from Friday and turned it into a top 10 on Saturday,” Newman said. “Not the end result that we wanted, but a good points day for us. That is part of what we are racing for right now.”

This was Newman’s second straight top-10 finish at Bristol and his 10th place finish advance him up to the 11th place in the championship point standings and 13th in the Chase Grid.

Not Surprising: After the devastating news of the demise of Michael Waltrip Racing for the 2016 season, Clint Bowyer fought the hard fight for his team, finishing fifth in his No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota.

“MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) really needed that run,” Bowyer said. “With that being said we desperately needed a solid run right there. I mean obviously you’re hungry for a win with this organization given everything it had and I drove my ass off, we just come up short.

“I’m really proud of all of these guys on the 5-hour ENERGY Toyota. They’re digging man. It’s fun to be a part of this. It’s fun to be a part of a group that can answer the call when you gotta dig down and reach down a little bit more to get in that Chase and be a part of that elite group.

“These guys are up for the challenge.”

Surprising: One young driver surprisingly logged an incredible number of laps at Bristol Motor Speedway, in fact, one thousand to be exact.

“I could do it again,” Ryan Blaney, driver of the No. 21 SKF Ford in the Cup race and driver in the Truck and Xfinity races as well. “It’s just nice to get all those laps under your belt and know the race track, what it does and learn for next time.”

In the Cup race and after completing his one thousand Thunder Valley laps, Blaney finished 22^nd.

“It’s not the night we wanted, but we gained some good experience and hopefully we come back better.”

Not Surprising: As they have done for much of the season, Hendrick Motorsports shop mates Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fared fairly well at Bristol where shop mates Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne continued to struggle.

Johnson finished best in fourth in his No. 48 Lowe’s Pro Services Chevrolet, and Earnhardt Jr. popped off another top-10 finish in his No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet. Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon, however, finished 16th and 20th respectively.

Jeff Gordon, in his final year of Cup competition, currently sits 15th in the Chase grid after the Bristol race.

Surprising: Martin Truex Jr., who has been so consistently running for much of the season to date, took the biggest tumble in the point standings, falling two spots to the sixth spot. Truex had to go to a backup car, then had a lug nut issues, which put him back in the field, and finally was collected in an accident.

“I felt we had a top-three car tonight, but the loose wheel really hurt our chances,” Cole Pearn, crew chief, said after the race.

Not Surprising: As usual, given his dry wit, Matt Kenseth had the quote of the race after finishing 42nd due to engine failure, wishing for at least a text before going up in smoke.

“It broke in the middle of the straightaway – it had that hop and that noise that it makes when you know you dropped a valve,” the driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry said. “Something in the valve train, we dropped a valve or something it felt like and sounded like. Things like that happen.

“They never warn you, it would be cool if they would send you a text or something. Just the middle of the straightaway it made that pop where you knew that was it.”

As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series prepares to head into the Chase, the racers get a needed weekend off next weekend. On Sunday, September 6, racing will resume at historic Darlington Raceway.

August 23, 2015
Logano Holds Off Harvick to Defend Bristol Night Race Title

By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service

BRISTOL, Tenn. – With Kevin Harvick hounding him mercilessly for 63 laps, Joey Logano kept his No. 22 Team Penske Ford out front after taking the lead on a Lap 438 restart and held on to win Saturday’s Irwin Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway.Successfully defending last year’s victory at Thunder Valley, Logano won his third race of the season, his second at the .533-mile short track and the 11th of his career.Harvick recovered from two pit road speeding penalties to finish second, a mere .220 seconds behind Logano. Polesitter Denny Hamlin ran third, and Clint Bowyer got a much-needed fourth place result in his No. 15 Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota.

It was a fascinating Chase over the final 63 laps, as Harvick would bury his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet into the corner at the top of the track, catch Logano in the turns and watch as Logano dived to the bottom on corner exit and pull away.

“There’s not much time to look in the rearview mirror, but I realized how different his line was than mine,” Logano said. “He’d drive in so hard and almost get to my back bumper, and then I’d drive off really good.

“It’s kind of interesting to watch a race like that when two cars are a similar speed, but in two completely different ways. That’s what’s so fun about Bristol is you can drive the car about five or six different ways and make it fast, so it’s fun to race here.”

Harvick said Logano’s ability to diamond the corner gave the Ford an advantage when it came to working traffic.

“He was just one step ahead of me in traffic,” Harvick said. “I couldn’t get my car to rotate across the center like I needed it to, and every time I tried to force it, it would snap the back out. He was able to go in really high and before the center of the corner drive down the corner and I was just having to wait just a split second to be able to put the throttle back down, and I couldn’t do that, that huge diamond all the way to the bottom like he could, and that was really beneficial for him through traffic…

“He was able to get those huge runs up off the exit of the corner and just stayed one step ahead of me through traffic, I felt like, and in clean air we probably were a little faster, but it didn’t really matter. I had to be in front of him to show that.”

Brad Keselowski came home fifth, followed by Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who led a race-high 192 laps but was hit with a pit road speeding penalty on his last stop under yellow on Lap 432.

Logano took over from there and racked up 176 laps out front in a race that saw 14 lead changes among five drivers. The runner-up finish was Harvick’s 10th of the season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished ninth, followed by Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray, who solidified their positions in the fight for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup berths on points. McMurray and Newman are 10th and 11th in the standings, respectively, the highest-scored drivers without a victory this season.

Given that there have been only 11 different winners in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year, at least three drivers are certain to qualify for the Chase on points.

Kyle Busch, a four-time winner, and 29th in the standings, also moved closer to locking up a Chase berth, padding his advantage to 46 points over 31st-place Cole Whitt. Busch, who missed the first 11 events of the season because of injury, must remain in the top 30 for the next two races to qualify for the Chase.

Busch wasn’t pleased when NASCAR flagged him for the speeding penalty, but he made a masterful drive from the rear of the field to eighth place.

“I was proud of Kyle, keeping his cool and getting back up, because I think that gave us some more points, some more cushion there,” team owner Joe Gibbs said. “I think he’s doing a really good job of focusing and not losing his poise.”

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race – IRWIN Tools Night Race
Bristol Motor Speedway
Bristol, Tennessee
Saturday, August 22, 2015

1. (5) Joey Logano, Ford, 500, $365198.
2. (7) Kevin Harvick, Chevrolet, 500, $262605.
3. (1) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 500, $195330.
4. (10) Jimmie Johnson, Chevrolet, 500, $190166.
5. (9) Clint Bowyer, Toyota, 500, $166213.
6. (6) Brad Keselowski, Ford, 500, $167786.
7. (3) Carl Edwards, Toyota, 500, $121995.
8. (2) Kyle Busch, Toyota, 500, $175286.
9. (20) Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chevrolet, 500, $135970.
10. (18) Ryan Newman, Chevrolet, 500, $145670.
11. (21) Jamie McMurray, Chevrolet, 500, $142826.
12. (14) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 500, $138468.
13. (16) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 500, $147896.
14. (11) Kurt Busch, Chevrolet, 499, $124060.
15. (22) Trevor Bayne, Ford, 498, $150985.
16. (19) Kasey Kahne, Chevrolet, 498, $122685.
17. (31) Aric Almirola, Ford, 497, $150171.
18. (26) Sam Hornish Jr., Ford, 497, $133905.
19. (40) Tony Stewart, Chevrolet, 497, $134049.
20. (24) Jeff Gordon, Chevrolet, 496, $151521.
21. (8) Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ford, 496, $113535.
22. (15) Ryan Blaney(i), Ford, 496, $101285.
23. (28) Casey Mears, Chevrolet, 496, $128468.
24. (29) Paul Menard, Chevrolet, 496, $111635.
25. (17) Greg Biffle, Ford, 496, $134018.
26. (25) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 495, $130818.
27. (32) Danica Patrick, Chevrolet, 495, $109440.
28. (23) Martin Truex Jr, Chevrolet, 495, $127175.
29. (33) Cole Whitt, Ford, 495, $112278.
30. (27) Brett Moffitt #, Ford, 495, $103385.
31. (30) Michael McDowell, Ford, 495, $97275.
32. (36) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 494, $109712.
33. (42) Matt DiBenedetto #, Toyota, 493, $99555.
34. (38) JJ Yeley(i), Toyota, 492, $96895.
35. (34) Josh Wise, Ford, 491, $96760.
36. (37) David Gilliland, Ford, 488, $104675.
37. (43) Mike Bliss(i), Chevrolet, 486, $96505.
38. (39) Landon Cassill(i), Chevrolet, 480, $91228.
39. (41) Timmy Hill(i), Ford, 476, $87165.
40. (4) David Ragan, Toyota, Accident, 443, $110479.
41. (12) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, Accident, 356, $107073.
42. (13) Matt Kenseth, Toyota, Engine, 110, $112101.
43. (35) Michael Annett, Chevrolet, Engine, 0, $71665.

Average Speed of Race Winner: 96.89 mph.
Time of Race: 2 Hrs, 45 Mins, 02 Secs. Margin of Victory: 0.220 Seconds.
Caution Flags: 8 for 52 laps.
Lead Changes: 14 among 5 drivers.

Lap Leaders: D. Hamlin 1-26; Kyle Busch 27-52; D. Hamlin 53; Kyle Busch 54-127; D. Hamlin 128-154; Kyle Busch 155-224; J. Logano 225-252; C. Edwards 253-280; Kyle Busch 281-302; C. Edwards 303-345; J. Logano 346-350; C. Edwards 351-353; J. Logano 354-432; B. Keselowski 433-436; J. Logano 437-500.

Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led): Kyle Busch 4 times for 192 laps; J. Logano 4 times for 176 laps; C. Edwards 3 times for 74 laps; D. Hamlin 3 times for 54 laps; B. Keselowski 1 time for 4 laps.

Top 16 in Points: K. Harvick – 908; J. Logano – 865; D. Earnhardt Jr. – 819; B. Keselowski – 793; J. Johnson – 792; M. Truex Jr – 771; M. Kenseth – 753; Kurt Busch – 713; D. Hamlin – 712; J. McMurray – 696; R. Newman – 683; P. Menard – 674; J. Gordon – 672; C. Edwards – 666; C. Bowyer – 655; A. Almirola – 620.

August 22, 2015
Hot 20 – Bowyer soon to become a free agent as MWR goes part-time in 2016

Hot news this week is headlined by the near-demise of Michael Waltrip Racing. The team has announced that it will not run full-time entries in 2016 and that Clint Bowyer will indeed be a free agent after this season. It has been a bit of a bumpy ride for the team that Mikey built, and Rob Kauffman paid for, and with the money man headed elsewhere, the writing was all over the wall. Kauffman is looking to buy into the Ganassi operation, but that deal is not done. Bowyer could wind up there, or wherever an opening appears between now and next season.

Danica Patrick has a new sponsor. With Go Daddy about to be Gone Daddy, Nature’s Bakery has decided that sponsoring the only woman in Sprint Cup is a great $20 million sponsorship opportunity. With just a single IndyCar win back in 2008 to go with her Budweiser Duel victory in 2013, she is not a great driver, but still a competent one with tons of drawing power. Plus, did you see her latest yoga video? I mean, I am a straight male and I fear the day I find something similar posted by Tony Stewart.

Stewart has had some tough times, with results no better than Patrick’s since he broke his leg driving on dirt in 2013. Then came the tragedy in upstate New York a year ago. The family of Kevin Ward Jr. filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Stewart on Friday. It alleges Stewart drove his car up the track, gunned his engine, causing the vehicle to slide and strike Ward with the rear-right tire. As a father of a couple of lads about Kevin’s age, I understand the family’s course of action. It was either Stewart’s fault or, as what came out of the criminal investigation, their son had enough marijuana in his system to impair his judgement and that in an act of bravado he approached Stewart’s car on foot and simply got too close and was struck. As a parent, what would you want to believe?

The action will be hot on Saturday night at Bristol, one of NASCAR’s fan favorite venues. There should be enough action to satisfy a television viewer who simply finds their way to the telecast, along with those who know what it all means for Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne, and those behind them in the standings.

Our Hot 20 heading into Bristol include…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
You know your focus is off when you can’t even remember where your pit stall is.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Second in the standings, yet battling Cole Whitt for his playoff position.

3. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
Owned Michigan, has a down payment on Bristol.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
Only three times he has missed finishing in the Top Ten…including Bristol in the springtime.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2 WINS
Winner at the Brickyard and the Glen…you know, races one might actually remember.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Man, he feels like a woman. Really. I heard him say so. You can’t make something like this up.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Sure, his brother has more wins, but when it comes to points, baby, Kurt rules!

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Finished third and is still frustrated. I wonder if he has ever met Timmy Hill?

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
He and Joey no doubt would like their splitters back, splitters back.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
Kyle and Matt and…what are the names of their two teammates again?

11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN
Figures he has the car to beat at Bristol. Forty-two other drivers will attempt to prove him right.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 663 POINTS
70 points up on Almirola, 47 ahead of Bowyer. McMurray remains good to go this Saturday.

13. PAUL MENARD – 654 POINTS
Along with Junior, loses 15 minutes of practice time this weekend due to inspection issues.

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 649 POINTS
Having an actress of the same name is confusing. I do not believe he is dating Jack Griffo.

15. JEFF GORDON – 648 POINTS
When they say “pull those belts tight, boys”, his boys tend to argue for a bit of slack.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 616 POINTS
NASCAR’s own bubble boy.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 593 POINTS
It would be a real shame if Clint has another bad day. Yes, it sure would be. Just ask Aric.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 590 POINTS
Now, if both Clint and Aric had bad days this Saturday night…

19. GREG BIFFLE – 553 POINTS
Three races in just over two weeks and he has to win one of them.

20. KYLE LARSON – 548 POINTS
Has done well in the few he has raced at Bristol. Now he needs to be great.

August 19, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Busch: Busch qualified sixth at Michigan, but a wreck in Saturday’s practice relegated him to the back of the field for the start of Sunday’s race. Despite starting in a backup car, he finished with a strong 11th-place finish that helped solidify his Chase chances.

“I got the job done with a backup car,” Busch said. “That’s unusual. In years past, I don’t start backing up until the Chase starts.”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started seventh and finished second in the Pure Michigan 400, recording his 10th runner-up finish of the year.

“I, like many drivers, wasn’t happy with the high-drag aero package NASCAR mandated,” Harvick said. “That drag made it impossible for me to get close enough to even attempt a pass on Matt Kenseth. But I tried my darndest. No one has ‘chased the dragin’ like that in NASCAR since Tim Richmond.”

3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on the pole at Michigan and was the strongest car throughout, leading 146 of 200 laps on his way to his third win of the season.

“When Matt Kenseth controls a race from start to finish,” Kenseth said, “it’s called ‘boredom-ination.’”

4. Joey Logano: Logano finished seventh in the Pure Michigan 400, posting his 17th top 10 of the year.

“Here are a few words to describe Sunday’s race,” Logano said. “Brutal. Grueling. Uncomfortable. But enough about the fan’s perspective.

“Seriously though, NASCAR thinks rule changes are the guidepost to racing in which the aerodynamics lead to passing while still maintaining the high speeds that attract fans. Sadly, though, the real ‘fantasy draft’ only happens for football season.”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson spun on lap 183 at Michigan and limped home to a 39th-place finish, his second-worst of the year.

“I finished right between J.J. Yeley and Travis Kvapil,” Johnson said. “They’re not exactly household names. They’re barely ‘racetrack’ names. However, Sunday was one time when Yeley and Kvapil can say they were among the hottest drivers in NASCAR.”

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished 10th at Michigan, posting his 14th top-10 result of the year. He is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, behind Kevin Harvick.

“The aerodynamic package for Michigan made for some extreme temperatures in the cockpit,” Earnhardt said. “It reached 150 degrees in some cars. They say you can fry an egg at that temperature. Matt Kenseth chose to ‘make toast.’”

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex took third at Michigan, earning his seventh top-five result of the season. He sits fourth in the points standings, 111 out of first.

“This aerodynamic package made for some boring laps,” Truex said, “and the fans were clearly bored. If NASCAR fans want to see real ‘drag racing,’ I suggest they attend NHRA events. There, the women are actually a ‘Force.’”

8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished ninth at Michigan, recording his 15th top 10 of the year. He is fifth in the points standings, 112 out of first.

“Penske cars had to replace their splitters prior to the race,” Keselowski said. “That was at the behest of NASCAR, who thought the splitters were noncompliant. I guess it’s true that it was, in fact, brutally hot inside the cars, because we got caught red-handed.”

9. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 20th at Michigan, only his third finish outside the top 15 this season.

“It was hot in Michigan on Sunday,” Busch said. “Honestly, I could barely take it. But I’m not complaining. You know what they say: ‘If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the bitchin.’’”

10. Carl Edwards: Edwards came home sixth in the Pure Michigan 400 as Joe Gibbs Racing put three cars in the top 6.

“Joe Gibbs Racing cars went 1-2-3 in qualifying,” Edwards said. “Now that’s what I call putting the ‘success’ in ‘succession.’”

August 18, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Pure Michigan 400

With the new high drag package creating some high anxiety, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the Pure Michigan 400 from the speedway nestled in the Irish Hills.

Surprising: With Matt Kenseth’s win in the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, his manufacturer reigned supreme in Michigan. And with the trip to Victory Circle, Toyota received the Michigan Heritage trophy, initiated in 2013 to celebrate the winning vehicle manufacturer.

Toyota gets to hang onto that coveted trophy until the next race at Michigan International Speedway in June 2016. This was Toyota’s fifth Cup win at Michigan and the manufacturer’s ninth win of the season.

Winning Coach Joe Gibbs summed it up best as far as the partnership he has enjoyed with the manufacturer, with his Toyota team winning five out of the last six races.

“Well, the first thing is it’s a team sport all the way,” Gibbs said after the race. “We’ve got great partners, thanks to Toyota, all the hard work they’ve done over the last year and a half.”

“You really need to enjoy it because about 10 races back, we were struggling trying to get there, and you just hope now that we’ll be able to hold some momentum here and head into the Chase.”

Not Surprising: To tinker or not to tinker, that has been NASCAR’s question and the sanctioning body provided some answers after the Michigan race.

As for the high drag rules package used at MIS for race day, Steve O’Donnell, Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer, acknowledged that it did not achieve the passing at the front goal as evidenced by the dominance of the No. 20 car.

NASCAR, however, decided not to do any further tinkering, especially with any rules package changes during the Chase for the Championship.

“We’re going to stay with the 2015 package,” O’Donnell said. “We’ve seen some good things with that package. A lot of work has been done by the race teams already leading up to the final 10 races and feel like that’s the best decision for the sport.”

“Excited about the Chase, excited about the package and what’s to come in the Chase, especially when you look back to last year.”

Surprising: Kyle Busch not only overcame having to start in the rear due to a practice crash in his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota but also demonstrated his best ‘Carnac the Magnificent’ skills with his prediction that there would be a crash in the first lap of the race.

Busch was so convinced of his prediction that he hung back almost half a lap from the field during the start of the race, only to have David Ragan spin, fulfilling Busch’s prediction.

Busch went on to finish 11th, moving himself up to 29th in the point standings.

Not Surprising: For the driver who came in runner up, yet again, the Pure Michigan 400 was a one-off in his opinion.

“I would say we didn’t really learn anything today,” Kevin Harvick, the driver of the No. 4 Jimmy John’s/Budweiser Chevrolet, said. “Not only is this racetrack nothing like what we race on in the Chase, it’s just kind of a unique animal, and then you have the rules package.”

“Today was really just about trying to win a race, and it’s really not going to lend itself towards anything that we do in the last 10 weeks.”

Surprising: Martin Truex Jr. is not only locked into the Chase but he continues to break records in his quest for the Championship. The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet finished third, scoring his 16th top-10 finish in the first 23 races of the 2015 season.

This tied a team season record, set in 2013 when Kurt Busch piloted the No. 78 for the Colorado-based race team.

“It was a good day for everybody on the Furniture Row team,” Truex said. “We had a good car from the get go. We made some adjustments throughout the race, but overall the No. 78 was a fast hot rod.”

Not Surprising: Team Penske drivers may have had a rocky start with their splitters being confiscated by NASCAR prior to the race, but both Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski recovered to both finish in the top-10.

“My team did a good job and we executed fairly well,” Logano said after finishing seventh. “We had a couple bad restarts but a good one there at the end to make up for it. I would say we finished about where we deserved.”

“We made the most of our day in every way we could,” Keselowski said after his ninth place finish. “We just needed to be faster, for sure, especially down the straightaways.”

Surprising: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the best of the Hendrick Motorsports drivers, finishing in the 10th position. Teammates Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson finished 15th, 17th and 39th respectively.

In fact, the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet had a miserable day, cutting a tire down early in the race, overshooting his pit stall, and spinning through the grass which destroyed the front end of his race car.

Johnson finished an uncharacteristic 10 laps down.

Not Surprising: There was no doubt that Aric Almirola felt like a winner with his top-15 finish. The driver of the No. 43 Armour Ford overcame a stomach virus as well as a 30th place qualifying position to take the checkered flag in the 14th spot.

Almirola also won in the point standings and now sits just 23 points behind competitor Clint Bowyer in the battle for the final playoff spot.

“We may have finished 14th today, but it felt like a win after the weekend we had,” Almirola said. “Everyone worked really hard to get the car where we needed it.”

“We made the best out of our situation and made up some good ground in points. We started the year with a goal to be consistent and just scored our 12th Top-15.”

Surprising: One young gun showed the field that having fun and performing can indeed go hand in hand. Austin Dillon, in his No. 3 Dow Chevrolet, had a career best finish in fourth place and yes, also had a little fun along the way moving from the back to the front.

“We had some circumstances where we had to start at the back and had to figure out a way to get our track position back,” Dillon said. “Slugger (Labbe, crew chief) and the engineers did a good job coming up with a plan.”

“The first 20 laps was no fun for us because we had to ride around and try and stay in front of the leader, but we saved gas and decided to not come down pit road on that first competition caution for fuel, and it worked out,” Dillon continued. “It showed that our car was fast enough to stay up there.”

“We pitted, drove back up to where we needed to be, and it was a fun day for us, the Dow Chevrolet was fast, and I felt like I passed a lot of cars, also, getting into fourth.”

Not Surprising: With his mentor Buddy Baker being laid to rest after losing his battle to cancer, Ryan Newman did him proud, scoring his eleventh top-10 finish, in spite of some damage incurred after a collision with the race car of Clint Bowyer. The finish was essential to the driver’s championship hopes and he moved up to the 12th spot in the standings.

“I am so pleased with this top-10 finish,” Newman said. “It was an awesome team effort. It was a good day for us and a good points day for us.”

“I’m looking forward to Bristol and I just found out that it will be my 500th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start. I had no idea, so I’m hoping it will be another good weekend for us.”

August 17, 2015
Hot 20 – Unless Kyle sputters or someone new wins, not much drama to be expected at Michigan

There are only two things to watch for in Michigan on Sunday. One is the ride of Kyle Busch and the other is the car that crosses the line first.

If Kyle does well and at least stays in the Top Thirty in points, nothing changes. Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne would not mind if we have such a change, as it would put them back in the mix on points. However, the way Mr. Busch has been running, I would not hold my breath, if I were them. If no one currently outside the Chase wins, then nothing changes. It will be up to those pretenders to become contenders at Michigan, Bristol, Darlington, or Richmond.

Meanwhile, this week we said goodbye to Buddy Baker. The 74-year old legend, a winner of the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the World 600 twice, passed away on Monday.

This week also marked the 60th anniversary of my parents, Ron and Mae Thornton. Wednesday was a day of love, laughter, and family memories…just as it should be.

Cancer is what took Buddy Baker from us. That same disease will take my mother, sooner than later. As a fan of NASCAR history and as a son, love, laughter, and memories are becoming more cherished than ever before.

Here is a look at the Hot 20 as they run this Sunday at Michigan.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (747 Points)
Denny said he was sorry. Jimmie replied with something possibly describing an unnatural act.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (361 Points)
Back where he belongs.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (823 Points)
Turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, turn, damn…damn.

4. JOEY LOGANO – 2 WINS (781 Points)
Fresh tires and some fuel made all the difference last week.

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (750 Points)
Like most others at the Glen, they were left wondering, “Where in hell was that last caution?”

6. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (703 Points)
Five straight Top Tens makes Kenseth more than just a pretty face.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (659 Points)
You can never have too much help…except in the pits…or so says NASCAR.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (719 Points)
Figures if you liked the Brickyard, you might love Michigan. Sadly, few did and few will.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (714 Points)
On a Rocky Mountain high after locking in his berth into the Chase.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (631 Points)
Last week, he drove with the hood up. This week he will try to drive blindfolded.

11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (589 Points)
Under former rules, he would be just a pretender…but not under these rules.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 635 POINTS
No wins…and in the end last week…no fluids.

13. PAUL MENARD – 622 POINTS
Ten up on Bowyer, 60 ahead of Almirola, vulnerable as hell if the wrong driver wins Sunday.

14. JEFF GORDON – 620 POINTS
Ditto.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 613 POINTS
Did you read the comments for Menard and Gordon?

16. CLINT BOWYER – 612 POINTS
Sitting pretty, as long as no one beyond this point comes up with a win.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 562 POINTS
Watkins Glen hurt, but it meant only the difference between 50 or “just” 40 points out.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 561 POINTS
One of two active drivers not currently in the Chase who has won at Michigan. That was in 2006.

19. GREG BIFFLE – 532 POINTS
The other driver is this guy, a Michigan winner in 2004-05 and in 2012-13 (summer/spring).

20. KYLE LARSON – 517 POINTS
To do list: Win one of the next four races.

August 13, 2015