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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished sixth at Sonoma, passed by eventual winner Kyle Busch with six laps remaining. Johnson is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 70 out of first.

    “Maybe we should have pitted during that final caution,” Johnson said. “But we had a strategy and we wanted to stick to it. I’m not one to question any decision Chad Knaus makes. If he says ‘Jump,’ usually I say ‘How high?’ Chad then says, ‘1/32 of an inch beyond NASCAR specifications.’

    “Busch was driving like a man possessed. He really took this Sonoma ‘making wine from grapes’ thing to heart and ‘stepped on it.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Sonoma, posting his eleventh top-five result of the year. He’s on top of the points standings with a 53-point lead on Martin Truex Jr.

    “Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his win,” Harvick said. “He’s one step closer to making the Chase. That means that Kyle, along with his brother Kurt, will both likely make the Chase. And just when I thought I was done with the ‘terrible two’s.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s day at Sonoma ended early when he was wrecked by David Ragan on lap 31. Truex finished 42nd, his worst finish of the year.

    “Ragan just plain ran me off the road,” Truex said. “He was driving that Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 sponsored by Aaron Rents. I promise there will be revenge. Much like a sucker who rents furniture at outrageous interest rates from a place like that, there will be ‘hell to pay.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished seventh in the Save Mart 350 as Hendrick Motorsports drivers took positions 6, 7 and 8. Jimmie Johnson finished sixth, Kasey Kahne took eighth and Jeff Gordon came home 16th.

    “We’ve got Microsoft 10 sponsorship on the No. 88 car,” Earnhardt said. “That just shows you how times have changed in NASCAR. My father used to call some of his rivals tiny and weak, or ‘Microsoft.’

    “As you know, I became engaged a couple of weeks ago. I’m sure I disappointed a lot of female Junior Nation members. But let’s face it, I’m just a bit out of their league. I wouldn’t touch them with a 10-Foot Coors Light Pole,’ much less ask them to marry me.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth at Sonoma, posting his eighth top-five result of the year.

    “What a run by Kyle Busch,” Logano said. “With Sonoma being wine country and me being ‘Sliced Bread,’ I’d like to propose a ‘toast.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch started second on the grid at Sonoma and finished second to younger brother Kyle Busch in the Toyota Save Mart 350.

    “Kyle celebrated with a glass of wine in Victory Circle,” Busch said. “And I’m so happy for him. People like it better when the Busch brothers are happy. When we’re not, it’s a case of fortified ‘whine.’”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski struggled to a 19th-place finish in the Toyota Save Mart 350.

    “Brian France wants to remove the Confederate flag from NASCAR,” Keselowski said. “And he’s not just whistling Dixie. But let’s be real. The one flag NASCAR needs to get rid of most is the yellow.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started third at Sonoma and finished 21st as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch charged to the win.

    “Now all four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have a win this season,” Kenseth said. “This time, Kyle Busch drove his tail off, as opposed to his leg. Then he did donuts in Victory Lane and donuts are the closest he wants to get to the police these days.”

    9. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished eighth in the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, recording his sixth top 10 of the year.

    “Now that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is engaged,” Kahne said, “I’m now NASCAR’s most eligible bachelor. But I’m in no hurry to get hitched. Let’s just say I like to play the field, which means I’m currently involved with 43 women.”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch won for the first time this year and a mere five weeks after returning from a broken leg suffered at Daytona in February, taking the Toyota Save Mart 350.

    “For those who doubted my ability after such an injury,” Busch said, “this win in Northern California wine country should put a cork in it.

    “The road course at Sonoma has more twists and turns than the Kurt Busch-Patricia Driscoll saga. I think Kurt now knows better than to get involved with an assassin. We’ll see whether women will know better than to get involved with an ass.”

  • Hot 20 – If you are seeking some racing excitement, Sonoma will be worth tuning in

    Hot 20 – If you are seeking some racing excitement, Sonoma will be worth tuning in

    Make the racing better. That seems to be what NASCAR is locked into and bless ‘em for trying. Outside of running all the races at Daytona, Talladega and Bristol, it is a challenge. The good old days had winners taking the flag by laps, not seconds, so no solution can be found there.

    A new rules package is being looked at, one that might allow a car to catch an opponent, get up beside him, or her, and actually make a pass. That should not be a problem this Sunday at Sonoma. Unlike their Formula One counterparts, these boys, and girl, will use a fender to gain an advantage and cause things to happen. If you want nice clean racing where speed is king, watch the ponies. If you want excitement, you might want to catch the action on the asphalt from California.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Sonoma include…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (506 Points)
    What makes Jimmie so appealing? All those NASCAR penalties they keep fighting.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (576 Points)
    15 races, 1200 laps led. I think Harv likes being champion.

    3. Kurt Busch – 2 WINS (426 Points)
    Once upon a time missing three races killed a season. Times have changed.

    4. Martin Truex Jr. – 1 WIN (561 Points)
    Got the win, all he needs now is a new contract. A sponsor not named Visser would sure help.

    5. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (520 Points)
    Joey Sharkgano?

    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 WIN (508 Points)
    First me, now Junior. Yes, all the good ones are now taken.

    7. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (480 Points)
    Does Penske lose both of its drivers in Sharknado 3?

    8. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (456 Points)
    Ross gives Pops a Top Ten on a Father’s Day outing in Chicago.

    9. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (412 Points)
    Denny is part of the council. Does that mean he knows Gandalf and Gimli?

    10. Carl Edwards- 1 WIN (401 Points)
    Last year he gave everybody the gears as he went left and right to victory at Sonoma.

    11. Jamie McMurray – 454 POINTS
    With the Truex victory, Mac is now the best without a win…something he has not done since 2010.

    12. Kasey Kahne – 447 POINTS
    Outside of Bristol and Talladega, worst finish is 17th, best is fourth. At least he is consistent.

    13. Jeff Gordon – 434 POINTS
    Top Ten at Sonoma…darn near a guaranteed result.

    14. Paul Menard – 421 POINTS
    The Chase is the goal, and as it appears Crew Chief Justin Alexander is a problem solver…

    15. Aric Almirola – 401 POINTS
    Feels Bowyer’s breath behind him as they take on a track where success has remained elusive.

    16. Ryan Newman – 400 POINTS
    His odds on Sunday are as bad as Junior, Kenseth, and Hamlin…but they already have their wins.

    17. Clint Bowyer – 388 POINTS
    If there is a track the gent can make up some ground, it is this one.

    18. Kyle Larson – 361 POINTS
    He may appear to be 13, but he turns 23 in a month.

    19. Danica Patrick – 357 POINTS
    Just when I start thinking of her as just a driver…I catch her Instagram photos.

    20. Greg Biffle – 351 POINTS
    Instagram or not, I view the Biff as just a driver. Trust me.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet was damaged when he went three-wide early in the Quicken Loans 400. The consequences cost Johnson track position and he eventually finished 19th after battling his way back for the remainder of the race.

    “You heard right,” Johnson said. “I went three-wide. That’s something the average NASCAR fan can’t relate to. But they can come close because the average NASCAR fan can certainly relate to going ‘double-wide.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 63 laps at Michigan, but his day was derailed by tire troubles that left him with a 29th-place finish, his worst result of the year. He leads the Sprint Cup points standings by 15 over Martin Truex Jr.

    “Hey,” Harvick said, “finishing 29th isn’t all that bad. ‘29’ was my car number at Richard Childress Racing. And finishing 29th reminded me why I left RCR in the first place.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex took third in the Quicken Loans 400, posting his series-best 14th top-10 of the year. He trails Kevin Harvick by 15 in the points standings.

    “Rain interrupted Sunday’s race four times,” Truex said. “In fact, there were so many water ‘breaks,’ it reminded me of pregnant NASCAR wives.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished second at Michigan, tops among Hendrick Motorsports drivers. He is fourth in the points standings, 68 out of first.

    “The No. 88 Chevy was sponsored by Amp Energy’s new ‘Passion Fruit’ flavor,” Earnhardt said. “I’m not sure that flavor appeals to the good people of Junior Nation. If there’s a fruit they’re passionate about, it better be in the form of schnapps.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano placed fifth in the Quicken Loan 400, posting his eighth top-five finish of the year.

    “How did Kurt Busch pull out the win?” Logano said. “The rain came at precisely the right moment. And all this time I thought he was trying to get the dark cloud away from him.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Michigan, joining Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano, who finished fifth, in the top 10.

    “Logano won at Daytona,” Keselowski said, “and I won at California. And Penske hasn’t won since. You could say we’re just ‘coasting.’”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took fourth at Michigan, scoring his sixth top-five result of the season.

    “My son, Ross, got his first win in the ARCA racing series on Friday night,” Kenseth said. “Obviously, talent runs in the family. There are a lot of drivers who’ll argue that I’m the only thing that ‘runs’ in the family.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch won the rain-shortened Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan, taking the lead when Kyle Larson was forced to pit for fuel. A downpour ensued, and Busch had his second win of the year.

    “I won today,” Busch said. “That means I have a checkered present to go along with my checkered past.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 11th at Michigan after starting 13th on the grid.

    “Congratulations to Kurt Busch,” Hamlin said. “After two wins this season, he must feel vindicated. Especially now that the feds are investigating his former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. Apparently, her most covert operation may have been her accounting.”

    10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh in the Quicken Loans 400, scoring his third consecutive seventh-place finish.

    “I feel for Kyle Larson,” McMurray said. “He deserved the win, but the rain, or lack thereof, cost him. If the weather were as predictable as racing itself, Larson would have had the win.”

  • The Final Word – A Michigan Nickname is “Water Wonderland”…No Kidding

    The Final Word – A Michigan Nickname is “Water Wonderland”…No Kidding

    Rain. Just bloody lovely. Who, outside of California, really needed the wet stuff all that bad? When Alfred, Lord Tennyson said, “Bright and fierce and fickle is the South, And dark and true and tender is the North,” he obviously was not talking about the rains of Michigan. Those black clouds still managed to tease one driver into dreams of winning delights, just before breaking his heart.

    Three laps. That proved the difference between Kyle Larson having a great finish at Michigan and having the rain hold off, his car run low of fuel, and him having to hand it over to Kurt Busch. For Busch, he led for the final three under green, the final three under caution, and was the man of the hour when the red and checkered flags followed. Larson wound up 17th and left hoping to yet win his way into the Chase, Busch was left in a rain-soaked celebration for his second triumph of the season. Of course, if there was one who knew just how fickle life could be, that would be Mr. Busch.

    It could have been different. When brother Kyle lost control of his car early in the race, he just missed his sibling as his auto hit the fence to end his day dead last. To make a playoff run, he now needs to run an average of 17 points per race better than Justin Allgaier over the next eleven, as well as win one of them. It still can be done, but finishing two of his four runs thus far this season outside the Top 35 just won’t cut it.

    All in all, it was a miserable day, with rain coming early, coming often, and ending it more than 120 miles early. Kevin Harvick had the best car, but when he pulled out minus about three lug nuts on a front tire, his return to the pits dashed all hopes for this day, leaving him 29th. That was ten spots behind Jimmie Johnson, as our season leader needed to pit for a fender needing repair and that took him out of the hunt for the day. As for Greg Biffle, somebody told him to drive it like he stole it. Why in hell would he steal that piece of crap? He finished 36th.

    Not all was gloom and doom. A pair of Juniors did well, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. coming home second and third, just ahead of Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. At least the Penske Fords could run.  It was a good day for Trevor Bayne, as he more than helped his bid to stick in the Top Thirty by finishing ninth. His was a Ford that also got there in the end. A pair of XFINITY drivers had decent days, with Ty Dillon (14th) and Ryan Blaney (20th) doing better than most.

    Rain last Sunday, no race this weekend, no rain in California. The latest figures I read show 54-million people, most of whom are in California, are suffering drought conditions. Mind you, it is not so bad in the San Francisco area, where NASCAR visits Sonoma June 28th, with reservoirs sitting at over 90 percent capacity and they are still receiving three-quarters of their normal rainfall.

    So, if it rains through the next race yet misses much of the rest of the state, that would not just be fickle. It would be downright cruel.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Michigan Quicken Loans 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Michigan Quicken Loans 400

    In a day of fits and starts, drops and stops, here is what else was surprising and not surprising in the 47th annual Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

    Surprising:  In spite of the race being rain-shortened, there were some interesting stats and history achieved for at least two of the drivers.

    First, Kurt Busch notched his second win of the season and now has achieved his first multi-win season since 2011. And even more impressive was that Busch scored that win in a backup car to boot.

    “It was a fantastic group effort,” Busch said  “to be able to pull the backup car out and to have it as prepared as it was and then to have the extra work that went into it. All the crew members that Tony Gibson leads rolled up their sleeves, jumped right on in it, and we made it a race-winning backup car.”

    “Excellent pit stops, excellent team chemistry. This is what it’s all about and anytime you win a second race, it really gives you that stamp on you’re in the Chase, now let’s work through these summer months to continue to make the team better.”

    Second, Martin Truex Jr. made history with his third place run in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet. He became the first racer to score 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races since Richard Petty accomplished the feat 46 years ago in 1969.

    “Really proud to have my name mentioned next to Richard Petty,” Truex said. “The King is pretty special and I am so thankful for my team and what they’ve done this year. Hopefully, we’ll keep this thing rolling.”

    Not Surprising:  Dale Earnhardt Jr. was up on the box and working the bar to take his fan- designed paint schemed No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet to the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Junior stayed on the pit box during the rain delays talking strategy with his crew chief Greg Ives, while also working the track bar throughout the race to gain positions.

    “We had a real good car that was really fast on the long runs,” Junior said. “The No. 41 (Kurt Busch) and a couple of guys were faster than us the first 10 or 15 laps of a run.  But then I could get my car really fast and I could work my trackbar and pass a lot of cars.”

    “I was able to work that trackbar and pass a lot of cars and go forward instead of being just kind of stuck where I was.”

    This was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 13th top-10 finish in 32 races at Michigan and his ninth top-10 finish for the season.

    Surprising:  Kyle Busch took a surprisingly hard hit right into the wall and safer barrier, one that was so hard that his brother Kurt asked his spotter to find out if Kyle was okay. And after the high of winning the Xfinity Series race the day before, Kyle Busch finished dead last in his No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota.

    With that finish, Busch remained 39th in points, nine away from being able to qualify for the Chase if he secured a win as well.

    Not Surprising:  Both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon were bit by problems in the pits involving tires. Harvick had a reoccurrence of a tire valve stem breaking and Gordon had to return to pit road to attend to missing lug nuts.

    Gordon finished 21st in his No. 24 Panasonic Chevrolet while Harvick took the checkered flag in his No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet in the 29th spot. Harvick, however, managed to stay in the point leads, currently 15 points ahead of Truex, while Gordon held onto his 10th place position.

    “We had an awesome Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet today,” Harvick said. “But we had some unfortunate luck.”

    Gordon summed it up by saying “We have not had the best of days.”

    Surprising:  Trevor Bayne had the time of his life at Michigan, scoring his best finish of the season in ninth place and leading the pack of Roush Fenway racers.

    “I feel like this was a really solid weekend for this No. 6 AdvoCare team,” said Bayne after the race. “We qualified inside the top-20 and made really good gains on the car throughout practice. We had a good car today that had good speed all race long.”

    “It’s great to come home with a top-10 finish. (Crew chief) Bob (Osborne) made a great pit call and we were able to catch a break with that caution. This feels great.”

    Not Surprising:  Luck was not a lady to either David Ragan or Kyle Larson, both of whom were in full gambling mode. Ragan finished 35th after gambling to get a lap back with pit strategy and Larson finished 17th after gambling on fuel hoping the rains would come.

    “Our Aaron’s Dream Machine was decent today but got down a lap there about halfway through the race,” Ragan, behind the wheel of the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine with a new crew chief on board, said. “We gambled to get that lap back and the caution flag flew about a lap after we pitted.”

    “We were obviously better than where we finished. We just rolled the dice and luck wasn’t on our side today.”

    “Yeah, we could see weather coming there off of (Turn) 4 and just praying that it would get here in time for me to stay out and be in the lead when the rain did hit,” Larson, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet said. “Hey, I applaud my guys for trying.”

    “We are pretty deep in points so we have to take risks like that to make the Chase.  I’m happy with the call, just wish the rain would have come three laps sooner.”

    Surprising:  Ty Dillon, an interloper in the Cup Series, ran better than his brother Austin, a Cup regular, finishing 14th to his brother’s 20th place finish.

    Not Surprising:  Camry driver Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, was the top-finishing Toyota driver He also led the race twice for a total of three laps (of 138).

    “We had a really good Dollar General Camry, it was frustrating when you run all those laps under yellow,” Kenseth said. “Once we got rolling there we had a good car. We got real loose in the second to last run and we just weren’t able to adjust on it. Just didn’t have enough laps.”

    “I thought we could have got to at least second with another seven or eight laps – the rain just came a little too early.”

    Surprising:  Jimmie Johnson was the biggest loser in the point standings, falling two spots to the fifth position. Johnson fought an ill-handling No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet all day and struggled in the pits as well.

    Not Surprising:  Team Penske was again the highest scoring Ford, with Joey Logano in fifth and Brad Keselowski in the sixth spot. And although both had to overcome challenges, they were still disappointed that they did not have a chance to better their results.

    “It was a tough day but we got a good finish out of it,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said. “I felt like we were kind of stuck back in traffic a lot of the race and couldn’t get good restarts in the beginning of the day and kept losing spots.”

    “That was frustrating. The car was loose. We made some good adjustments and got off the majority strategy which played right where we wanted to when the caution came out by staying out and getting a longer run on fuel. The last restart we lost a couple spots unfortunately.”

    “I feel like overall it a good day considering how everything went and starting 11th which wasn’t very good.”

    “I am disappointed because the Miller Lite Ford Fusion was getting better with each run,” the driver of the Miller Lite Ford said. “We were starting to get it where we needed to be when that last big rain came through and I would have loved to see what we had for the final stretch.”

    Surprising: Danica Patrick used her time in between rain drops to plot strategy with her crew chief which allowed her to lead a few laps as well as bring her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet home in the 16th position.

    “The car was completely sideways early in the race,” Patrick said. “Daniel (Knost, crew chief) and I were able to sit down during all of the rain delays and talk through the adjustments we needed to make to help the car handle better.”

    “Then he made the call to pit for fuel early in the race, and that put us in a position to stay out and take the wave-around there at the end and get a solid finish out of the day.”

    Not Surprising: After the race being delayed by rain a total of four times with the final red flag on lap 138 resulting in the official end of the scheduled 200-lap event, it was no wonder that one driver had just about had it.

    We really fought clean air versus dirty air with the car doing completely different things so it was a struggle as far as which one to adjust on,” Brett Moffitt, driver of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford, said after finishing 33rd as the highest rookie. “That second run we ended up pretty good and got good track position. We tried to play the fuel strategy game to beat the weather but it didn’t work out for us.”

    “It would have been good to get it going but it has been a long day for everybody here. I think everyone is glad this is the end of it.”

    The Cup Series will take a break for Father’s Day and will reconvene on the road course of Sonoma on June 28th.

    And to all the dads out there, salud and Happy Father’s Day!

     

  • Hot 20 – The Truex Triumph at Pocono Deserves an Encore at Michigan

    Hot 20 – The Truex Triumph at Pocono Deserves an Encore at Michigan

    You need a multi-car operation in order to be successful. At least, that seems to be the prevailing wisdom of the day, but just do not let Barney Visser and his Furniture Row team in on it. Other teams might not like what they would see.

    Marching to the beat of their own drummer is just what they do. For example, while most teams call the Charlotte area home, the auto driven by Martin Truex Jr. is prepared in Denver, Colorado. Starting part-time in 2005, Furniture Row has been a Top 30 entry ever since they ran the full schedule with Regan Smith in 2010. They even won a race the next season, but hitting the Top Twenty by year’s end was a struggle.

    Their dedication reached fruition in 2013 when Kurt Busch came over for a year, with 11 Top Fives launching them to a 10th best season. Still, no wins, and when Truex joined the outfit last year they dropped again to also-ran status in the standings. That proved to be just a blip on their radar as Cinderella got another shot to go to the ball and wear those glass galoshes.

    Last Sunday, Truex gave Furniture Row just its second victory ever when he was the class of the field at Pocono. This was no surprise outcome for a usual also-ran, as they are easily the best team in points amongst the single win teams. In fact, they are second only to Kevin Harvick in points for the season, period. Single car teams are not supposed to do that. In fact, no single car team is supposed to do what Alan Kulwicki did between 1987 and his championship of 1992 these days. It seems to me that those mountain men and women are putting up another solid argument that the prevailing wisdom of the day is not their way, at least not yet.

    While a teammate might not be to too far off in the future, Truex has had some success of his own at Michigan. He had three Top Tens racing for Michael Waltrip, and a pair of runner-up finishes for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2007. After last season’s annus horribilis, this appears to be a year of new beginnings and new successes, for both the team and its driver. Of course, he is among…

    …our Hot 20 heading into Michigan.

    1 – JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (481 pts)
    If Chad and Jimmie were girls, they wouldn’t talk for months after a race.

    2 – KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (559 pts)
    Fourteen races. Two wins. Ten times finishing in second place. Don’t worry, be Happy.

    3 – MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (520 pts)
    Finally.

    4 – JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (480 pts)
    Starts dead last after rear-end gear change, then gets a pit penalty, yet finishes fourth at Pocono.

    5 – DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (465 pts)
    You would have thought he, not his buddy, won the race.

    6 – BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (441 pts)
    Brought the beer to the Truex party. while Junior sent some post-celebration head pain relief.

    7 – MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (415 pts)
    Family joined the Johnsons and Dillon boys for a Taylor Swift concert. Perks of the profession.

    8 – KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (379 pts)
    Took the pole, finished fifth. Just another day at the office.

    9 – DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (379 pts)
    The way he qualified at Pocono, one would have thought he was Bowyer.

    10 – CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (368 pts)
    Not as good as Newman this season…except for that little ole win he has.

    11 – JAMIE MCMURRAY – 427 POINTS
    Has completed 96.8 percent of his career laps at Michigan, but fourth in 2004 his best result.

    12 – KASEY KAHNE – 417 POINTS
    Impromptu body work from Junior helped neither car last weekend.

    13 – JEFF GORDON – 411 POINTS
    So, Alan and Jeff swore at each other. Am I the only one who notices they are both guys?

    14 – PAUL MENARD – 385 POINTS
    Caught speeding, got caught again on the drive through, then got a flat. Not a good day.

    15 – ARIC ALMIROLA – 379 POINTS
    Pocono was not a pointless exercise for Aric. He did pick up a single point for his efforts.

    16 – RYAN NEWMAN – 374 POINTS
    After just earning five himself, Newman not feeling the love after being Allmendingered.

    17 – CLINT BOWYER – 354 POINTS
    Billy Scott to replace Brian Pattie atop the box at Michigan. Let the magic begin.

    18 – GREG BIFFLE – 343 POINTS
    Twelfth was twelve better than teammate Trevor Bayne, which means they still have work to do.

    19 – KYLE LARSON – 333 POINTS
    Third at Dover, eighth at Pocono and eighth last spring at Michigan. The time is now.

    20 – DANICA PATRICK – 328 POINTS
    Deserved a better fate last Sunday.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Fresh off a win at Dover, Johnson finished third in the Axalta 400 at Pocono, his ninth top-five of the year. He is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, 78 out of first.

    “I blew a tire on lap 87,” Johnson said, “but I was still able to pull out a third. I’ve got to hand it to my pit crew for getting me back out there quickly. It was a ‘change’ that even Bruce/Caitlyn Jenner’s doctors would be proud of.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick couldn’t catch Martin Truex Jr. down the stretch at Pocono and settled for second, his 10th runner-up finish of the season. He leads the Sprint Cup points standings by 39 over Truex.

    “Congratulations to Martin for his win in the ‘Axalta 400,” Harvick said. “Axalta’s slogan may be ‘We paint winners.’ For 10 races this season, my slogan has been ‘We ain’t winners.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 97 of 160 laps at Pocono and finally won for the first time this season, taking the Axalta 400.

    “I feel like the monkey is off my back,” Truex said. “That’s also how I felt after leaving Michael Waltrip Racing.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt started on row 10 at Pocono and brought home an 11th-place finish, as all four Hendrick Motorsports drivers finished in the top 14.

    “Martin Truex’s win was a popular one for everyone involved in NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “Even the good people of Junior Nation couldn’t help but applaud. As usual, the clap was rampant among my fans.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano fell a lap down early but strongly rebounded for a fourth-place finish, his seventh top-five finish of the year. He is fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 79 out of first.

    “I have a cameo in the ‘Sharknado 3’ movie,” Logano said. “’Cameo’ means you show up once. They call me ‘Sliced Bread,’ and that makes my part in the movie the ‘roll’ of a lifetime.”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski’s day at Pocono soured when he got into the back of the No. 34 car of Brett Moffitt with 32 laps to go. Keselowski eventually finished 17th and is sixth in the points standings, 118 out of first.

    “I was this close to avoiding that No. 34 car,” Keselowski said. “It reminds me of a story I’ve read my newborn girl—‘Little Miss Moffitt.’”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth topped all Joe Gibbs Racing drivers at Pocono, finishing sixth for his eighth top-10 of the year.

    “They call Pocono ‘The Tricky Triangle,’” Kenseth said. “And speaking of shapes, I’m known as the ‘Shifty Square.’

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin, a four-time winner at Pocono, finished 10th in the Axalta 400, recording his sixth top-10 result of the year.

    “As you may know,” Hamlin said, “Axalta is known for its coatings. And they are a primary sponsor of Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 Chevrolet. That means they pay him to put their product on his car. And that’s called a cover charge.”

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh at Pocono, posting his sixth top-10 finish of the year.

    “Ten different drivers have won races this year,” McMurray said. “One of those is Martin Truex Jr. He’s qualified for The Chase For The Cup, and no one can take that away from him. But we’ll see.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch started on the pole at Pocono, his third pole of the season, and finished fifth in the Axalta 400.

    “What a race by Martin Truex Jr.,” Busch said. “He totally dominated the second half of the race. He really went in for the kill, but I’ll stop short of calling him an assassin.”

  • The Final Word – The Top Four at Pocono Have Been the Season’s Best Four

    The Final Word – The Top Four at Pocono Have Been the Season’s Best Four

    Three drivers. When it came to the story of the Pocono race, only three mattered. You probably wanted to know who led the race for the opening few laps, and that would have been Carl Edwards. He finished 15th. For the rest of the way, it was down to two names, right down to the final lap; Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick. No one else much mattered on Sunday.

    When it comes down to points, these two lead the way this year. When it comes to wins, Harvick’s two trailed only Jimmie Johnson’s four in that department. Truex, on the other hand, still had to close the deal. That finally happened in a race where he was a factor from start to finish, leading four times for 97 of the 160 laps, to snap a 69 race winless string. Harvick led for 39 to claim his 10th Top Two in 14 starts. As for third place, that eventually went to Johnson, as Pocono became a showcase of the three best thus far in 2015. Okay, Top Four, with Joey Logano finishing fourth.

    With the Truex win, we still have no drivers outside the Top 16 in points with a victory this season. With a dozen events to go, that could change, which would put some pressure on those up there, yet still winless. However, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne and even Jeff Gordon look safe for the moment though Paul Menard, Aric Almirola and Ryan Newman are vulnerable. All three finished outside the Top Thirty on Sunday.

    Top Thirty on the season is valuable for those who want to win to be in. Only Kyle Busch has a realistic expectation to possibly win amongst the outsiders, and he sits 151 points behind Trevor Bayne for that 30th spot. Busch gained 15 points on Bayne over the weekend and needs to average a 12.6 point advantage over each of the next 12 races, as well as claim a win along the way, for it to matter.

    Danica Patrick looked good for much of the race, solidly a Top 15, if not better. She lost a tire, found a fence, and finished 37th. However, the girl looked good, and for those on her bandwagon, that certainly counts for something.

    After taking the last five at Pocono, shared by their four drivers, Team Hendrick had to settle for all four in the Top 15. Considering the trials Truex has faced both professionally and personally over the past couple of years, I think their genuine happiness over his success more than makes up for any disappointment that they might feel. Way more.

    While Truex celebrated, Almirola (43rd), Ricky Stenhouse Jr. (42nd), and Sam Hornish Jr. (41st) were top thirty drivers who did not have top thirty days. Meanwhile, Kyle Busch (9th), Ty Dillon (18th), and Landon Cassill (25th) were among those outsiders who gladly took their place.

    Michigan International Speedway is the next stop, where the last six contests run over the past three years have been split between Hendrick Chevrolets and Roush or Penske Fords. At least it is a venue Hendrick has not won the last five…just the last two.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono Axalta We Paint Winners 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono Axalta We Paint Winners 400

    In a peculiar race at Pocono, filled with shifting and unexpected bumps, here is what else was surprising and not surprising in the 34th annual Axalta We Paint Winners 400.

    Surprising:  Under picture-perfect skies, both blessings and curses abounded at the Tricky Triangle in the track’s first race of the season.

    “I just feel super blessed to be with this group of guys,” race winner Martin Truex Jr. said of his No. 78 Furniture Row race team. “They are super impressive and just proud to drive cars for them.”

    “We finally got it. That is all I can say we finally got it. Just can’t thank all my guys enough, Barney Visser, everybody at Furniture Row, everybody back in Denver for working so hard. This is a brand new racecar and they have been working really hard lately. Just proud of them and blessed to drive great racecars.”

    “It never gets any better than this.”

    This was Truex Jr.’s first victory of the season and one that ended a 69-race winless streak as well as qualifying him for the Chase.

    As much as Truex felt blessed to win, Jeff Gordon and Alan Gustafson on the flip side exchanged a tirade of uncharacteristic curses after disagreeing on pit strategy.  The curse-laden audio can be heard at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPeUz35cQRA&app=desktop.

    In spite of all that cursing, the Team 24 driver and crew chief duo managed to pull off a top-15 finish for the No. 24 Axalta/Penn State Chevrolet.

    Not Surprising:  Although many in the garage felt that he was the one to beat, Kevin Harvick finished second yet again, having had to deal with gear issues on the restarts and splitter issues as well.

    “Our Budweiser Chevy was really fast, but we were just terrible on the restarts getting going,” Harvick said. “We would lug really bad in third gear and just had to go into defense mode.”

    “We struggled in Turn 1 with the splitter on the ground. Things aren’t lining-up to win races right now.”

    Surprising:  Aric Almirola went from having one of the best finishes of the season in Dover to having one of his worst days at Pocono, finishing 43rd in his No. 43 Nathan’s Famous Ford with something malfunctioning in the motor of his race car.

    “It wouldn’t run anymore,” Almirola said. “It’s a shame.  It was not a good weekend for us. We struggled all weekend finding speed in our car and right there we came in and made a pretty aggressive adjustment on that pit stop. Trent (Owens, crew chief) changed a lot of stuff and just on that one lap of the restart it drove a lot better and I had my hopes up for a minute and then my hopes got crushed.”

    “We had some sort of motor issue. Every once in a while something like that happens.”

    This was Almirola’s first DNF of the season as well.

    Not Surprising:  Tony Stewart shared the best quote of the day. After received a penalty on pit road for an uncontrolled tire, Smoke came on the radio and said “They should start calling penalties on me for being an uncontrolled driver.”

    “I put us in a hole to start the weekend,” Stewart said, referring to his crash on Friday in practice that forced him to a backup racecar. “This whole Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops team dug in, worked hard all weekend and never gave up.”

    “I’m really proud of everybody and hate the finish doesn’t reflect that effort.”

    Stewart finished 21st at Pocono Raceway in his No. 14 Mobil 1/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet.

    Surprising:  While Carl Edwards looked to be the strongest Toyota, starting on the outside pole, three other Toyotas managed to finish better than he did with his 15th place run. Matt Kenseth was the highest finisher of the manufacturer’s brand in the sixth place, with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin finishing ninth and tenth respectively.

    “We had a really fast car – it was the fastest sixth-place car that I’ve ever had,” Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, said. “We ran much better than we finished.”

    “This is a bad track for me and we had a great car today.”

    “We didn’t start the race with what we needed with our M&M’s Crispy Camry,” Kyle Busch said. “But Adam (Stevens, crew chief) made some good adjustments to get us better. Track position was big, so Adam also made a good call to take two tires and get us some track position and we were able to hold onto it for a while.”

    “Those last two cautions didn’t help us, we just couldn’t get going on those last couple of restarts. We’ll take it and move on to Michigan.”

    “I thought we were a decent car – fifth to 10th place most of the day, but with our track position, we always took four tires,” Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota , said. “Some of those guys made it on fuel because of all the cautions so we continued to lose track position throughout the day, but we kind of battled back.”

    “We barely got inside the top-10 and at best I thought we could have improved four or five more spots, but overall a solid day. We didn’t tear up anything this week and now we can go and improve our program for next week.”

    Not Surprising:  While Ford has traditionally struggled at Pocono, Joey Logano still managed to be the best finishing Ford, bringing his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford to the checkered flag in the fourth position. His finish was especially noteworthy as he had to start from the back of the pack due to a rear gear change.

    “I’m happy with the way it ended,” Logano said. “We didn’t have a very fast Shell/Pennzoil Ford from the get-go when we unloaded here, but we kept fighting hard.”

    “This was one of those blue-collar days, just working hard all day on the car and on pit road the guys did a good job making my car faster and got to where we were a top-five car at the end.”

    Surprising:  Ryan Newman’s temper got the best of him after contact between himself and AJ Allmendinger on Lap 142. And he even vowed some revenge as a result of that contact.

    “It’s pretty obvious what happened,” Newman, driver of the No. 31 Grainger Chevrolet, said after finishing 39th. “The No. 47 (AJ Allmendinger) just ran out of talent.”

    “He has got one coming now.”

    Not Surprising:  While Trevor Bayne got some Pocono practice time in running and winning the ARCA Series race, the driver of the No. 6 AdvoCare Ford acknowledged that he was still in the learning mode for the Tricky Triangle.

    “We got through it and that was the main part for our first run here at Pocono,” Bayne said. “Overall, we kept a clean car and for the first time here I learned a ton.”

    “From where I started this week and getting to where we finished I think we made big gains.  We got back on the lead lap there at the end and we just needed to be a little bit better off turn three and we would have had something for a top-15 run.”

    Bayne finished the race in the 24th position.

    Surprising:  Forget girls just wanting to have fun, sometimes six time champions like Jimmie Johnson just want to do that as well even with a beat up race car, with some missing parts to boot. And while he had fun, Johnson also went on to finish third in his No. 48 Lowe’s/Jimmie Johnson Foundation Chevrolet.

    “A fun day,” Johnson said. “She is beat up and missing a left-front splitter too from the contact we had with the outside wall off of Turn 3 there.”

    “We overcame a lot and still got a third place finish out of it.  Wish we had a little bit more, but not a bad finish.”

    Not Surprising:  Both Chip Ganassi Racing drivers managed top-10 finishes at the Tricky Triangle, with Jamie McMurray coming in seventh and Kyle Larson finishing eighth.

    “It was a good race and a nice top 10,” Larson, the driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, said after the race. “I thought that was probably about the speed we had maybe eighth to 11th or so.  So to get an eighth place is alright.”

    Surprising: Alex Bowman, driver of the No. 7 Accell Construction Chevrolet, managed a 26th place finish only to go home and have an accident there.

    “No joke got home and roscoe ran to the door and head butted me so hard because he couldn’t stop that I now have an actual black eye,” @AlexBRacing tweeted after the race.

    Not Surprising: At the end of the day and in spite of the competition, friendships develop in the garage area. And the best example of that was Dale Earnhardt Jr. who could not wait to get into Victory Lane to shake the hand of his friend and race winner Martin Truex Jr.

    “I’m just happy for him,” the driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet said after finishing 11th. “I know he’s been through a lot of stuff both inside the car and outside the car the last several years. He’s been able to get into a good opportunity with good people.”

    “He’s got a team that believes in him. And I was in the stall next to those guys during qualifying and how they are as a team and how they interact with each other really impressed me.”

    “So, Martin’s in a good situation. So, it’s real refreshing. I look forward to going over there (Victory Lane) and saying hey to him.”

    The Cup Series will race next weekend in the Irish Hills of Michigan for the Quicken Loans 400.

     

  • Hot 20 – Preparing For Pocono, May They Remember to Just Stay in The Damn Car

    Hot 20 – Preparing For Pocono, May They Remember to Just Stay in The Damn Car

    Stay in your damn car. Jennifer Jo Cobb did not during Friday’s truck race, leaving the confines of the cab to direct a little displeasure after being wrecked. On Sunday, Trevor Bayne got wrecked and headed onto to the apron to voice his displeasure. According to NASCAR rules brought in last August, unless there is smoke or fire in the cockpit, stay in the damn car until the emergency crew arrives.

    I love watching drivers venting steam, challenging those who they believe have done them wrong. Sometimes it is downright amusing, especially if the driver is much smaller than the focus of their displeasure. However, life is not a cartoon. Sometimes what might be funny can become terribly tragic in the blink of an eye.

    August 9, 2014. After that date, on a dirt track in New York, with the death of 20-year old Kevin Ward Jr., we learned a very valuable yet costly lesson. Please just stay in the damn car.

    Here are our Hot 20 as they take to the track at Pocono on Sunday…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (440 Pts)
    Whenever Johnson fails to win at Dover, Miles the Monster gets a Jimmie Johnson trophy.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (516 Pts)
    Tony just called. He wants his damn car back…and pit crew…and crew chief..and lucky penny.

    3. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (440 Pts)
    A big believer in Loudon. Unless it is a songwriter named Wainwright, I’m not with him.

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 WIN (432 Pts)
    Never won at Pocono until last year. Now looking for his third straight.

    5. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (414 Pts)
    Giving a rival crewman a ride is fine after the race, just not during the race.

    6. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (377 Pts)
    As he prepares for Pocono, his boy Ross makes his XFINITY debut later this month.

    7. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (345 Pts)
    Bowyer’s Toyota was going places, causing Hamlin’s Toyota to go to a bad place.

    8. Kurt Busch – 1 WIN (340 Pts)
    On the track, he makes Gene’s gambit look pretty good.

    9. Carl Edwards – 1 WIN (338 Pts)
    A drag race is not what one does to a crew member in leaving the pits.

    10. Martin Truex, Jr. – 472 POINTS
    A 140-point bulge means winning is not everything…but it sure would be nice.

    11. Jamie McMurray – 390 POINTS
    Miles needs a desperate facelift. After what happened to him last year, Jamie would agree.

    12. Kasey Kahne – 385 POINTS
    The second best Hendrick driver at Dover? It sure in hell was not Earnhardt or Gordon.

    13. Jeff Gordon – 380 POINTS
    Then again, a Top Ten is not bad for an old guy…with four titles…and 92 career wins.

    14. Aric Almirola – 378 POINTS
    Solidly in the hunt, solidly a Top Five guy last weekend at Dover.

    15. Paul Menard – 372 POINTS
    If no one outside the Top 16 in points wins, he is fine. If not, he will need one of his own.

    16. Ryan Newman – 369 POINTS
    What goes for Menard also goes for Newman.

    17. Clint Bowyer – 332 POINTS
    Chasing is fine, but a win is his best bet to make the playoffs.

    18. Danica Patrick – 321 POINTS
    The Danica-Line used to be 25th. While not yet Chase worthy, it marks a definite improvement.

    19. Greg Biffle – 311 POINTS
    What’s Buggin’ Biffle? Nothing that a win would not cure.

    20. Kyle Larson – 297 POINTS
    At 22, elected to sit at the big boy table as a driver rep in chat with NASCAR.