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Tag: Kasey Kahne

  • Hot 20 – Michigan will be great, because Stone Cold Keselowski said so

    Hot 20 – Michigan will be great, because Stone Cold Keselowski said so

    A new aero package combined with reduced down and side force should mean more passing at Michigan this weekend, as well as at Kentucky later in the year. Wonderful, just wonderful. Now all that needs to happen is that it actually happens.

    Four drivers did the testing, four drivers are apparently all giddy about it. Brad Keselowski is all excited about it. Then again, ole Brad was all tingly about that All-Star format he is said to have come up with, and we know how that turned out. We shall see, we shall see.

    Greg Biffle is nowhere to be found amongst our Hot 20, but he does have four wins at Michigan. This week, he said he believes fans are just as passionate as they always were, but there are just so many ways to follow the sport than just showing up at the track or watching the action on television. I think the Biff is wrong. Where are all those celebrities who once asked us, “How bad have you got it?” The few who show up today do so only to promote a movie that often sucks, to be honest with you. There is no buzz anymore.

    The only near guarantee of great action can be found at venues such as Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol. We tune in such milestone events as the Southern 500, the World 600, and the Brickyard 400, along with the novelty presented by the road courses. That constitutes just 11 of the 36 races on the calendar. The rest are generic goofy sponsor named events with little drawing power against baseball, football, hockey, basketball or just a damn nice day outside with the family. If Biffle figures the passion remains even though the fans do not, he is sadly mistaken.

    So, why bother? Well, I am a NASCAR fan. I want to see if the brainiacs have actually stumbled upon something to make Michigan a race to watch. I want to see how the big dogs perform, even that damned irritating Keselowski and the equally delightful Joey Logano. I want to see Tony Stewart do something positive before he makes his career exit. I want to see if Dale Earnhardt Jr. might win. Who doesn’t? In fact, I want to see how each of the below listed 20 drivers perform and to see if someone outside can shake things up with a win. I would be thrilled if Danica Patrick could be that person. I would be shocked if it came to pass.

    That is why I will be watching the Hot 20 and the rest this Sunday at Michigan.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (416 PTS)
    Well, that is one way to keep Rowdy out of Victory Lane.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (442 PTS)
    I think if Brad were a political candidate, I might have to vote for the other guy…just because.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (437 PTS)
    Visited Loudon this week. He wants to win. He wants to eat the lobster. Let the protests begin.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (415 PTS)
    This NASCAR Johnson likes his drinks from a can. The other Johnson liked his from a jar.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (490 PTS)
    Happy might not win on Sunday, but his odds of finishing second are pretty good.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (465 PTS)
    If he missed his crew chief last week, he did a poor job of showing it.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (403 PTS)
    Girlfriend Sherry is from Michigan and a fan of the Wings. Hence, this is now Truex country.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (382 PTS)\
    A restart on your computer should end your problems. On the track, they just began for Matt.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (372 PTS)
    Won the Daytona 500. What more do you want?

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 413 PTS
    Few would be surprised if his first win comes very, very soon.

    11. JOEY LOGANO – 410 PTS
    The new “old” Kurt Busch? I wonder what Jimmy Spencer is up to these days?

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 381 PTS
    What is worse than being a bridesmaid again? That damn unusable ugly dress.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 348 PTS
    Very proud of his grandfather and boss, one of NASCAR’s latest Hall of Famers.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 342 PTS
    An average finish of 16.6 might not sound great, but a 14.0 or better gets you in the Top Ten.

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 340 PTS
    You know, the “other” rookie is not doing too bad himself.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 338 PTS
    I wonder if Newman got Logano’s attention at Pocono?

    17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 334 PTS
    Ernie Cope was on the box at Pocono, cousin Derrike was on David Letterman in 1990.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 325 PTS
    Dover penalty is the difference between 18th and a place in the Chase.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 325 PTS
    Escorted Danica Patrick to Nashville last night for the CMT’s.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 319 PTS
    Got to see Danica present an award with Kelly Pickler, watching television like the rest of us.

  • The Final Word – Not all would agree that Monday was a great day for motor car racing

    The Final Word – Not all would agree that Monday was a great day for motor car racing

    Weather forced a day delay at Pocono, and was it worth the wait? For me, it was, though I could not help but notice that it was a day too late for some who might have been in the grandstands. Soon, NASCAR will institute a dress code where fans must wear the same color as the seats in their section so everything will just blend in on television.

    It was worth it for Kurt Busch. With his crew chief Tony Gibson on the shelf due to a lug nut related suspension, team engineer John Klausmeier sat on the box and apparently liked the view. If you remember, he took over last year when Gibson was suddenly advised to jettison his appendix. For a car that arrived on fumes, Kurt sure had more than enough to get those burnouts in as he claimed his 28th career victory.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Brad Keselowski were the runners-up, with young Chase Elliott just behind them. Not sure if ole Brad will collect all his points, as post-race the car had an honor guard of NASCAR officials surrounding it. Something tells me “they who must be obeyed” are not happy. Earlier in the day, the shoulder of jackman Braxton Brannon reshaped the side of Keselowski’s car and it was required to return to pit road to have that alteration corrected. Come to think of it, wasn’t Brannon the same guy Keselowski clipped in a pit road incident last August at the same track? It would seem that being a jackman is truly a full contact position.

    It was not worth it for Martin Truex Jr. to wait a day. He got slammed on pit road early by Matt DiBenedetto to leave him 19th on the day. As for DiBenedetto, it was a day better spent at a barbecue, as the Truex incident was the first of at least three times he was featured in a negative light, but none of them was his fault. He finished dead last after a crash. Another wreck took place with Tony Stewart’s car getting loose at the wrong place at the wrong time, as his employee Danica Patrick was left with no choice but to pile into the boss. Too bad, as Stewart appeared to have a Top Ten car. That leaves him with a dozen races to pick up a win and make up the 71 point difference between his current position and 30th place in order to make the Chase.

    Sunday’s storm clouds left the sky but were all over the track. When Kasey Kahne cut below Ryan Newman, it shot Newman up into Kyle Busch who found the fence. Rowdy would not be the only top contender to be outside the Top 30 when things came to a conclusion. Jimmie Johnson was near the front on a restart, but found himself too low for his car to handle, and it stepped out and stepped into the inside barrier. Five laps earlier, Austin Dillon had wrecked on Turn One. That leaves him just 14 points to the good among the current Chase placers, down from 36 coming into Pocono.

    June is a great time to be a racing fan in Michigan. On Sunday, Will Power won the IndyCar event while the boys and girl from NASCAR make an appearance this Sunday…weather permitting, of course.

  • Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

    Hot 20 – Keeping most NASCAR fans interested most of the time will take some work

    I have an admission to make. I am not all that excited about Pocono this weekend. I thought maybe it had something to do with just getting out of the wrong side of the bed, or that my transformation into a cantankerous old fart had finally reached its conclusion. Sadly, maybe it had something to do with the World 600, a marquee event that was so dominated by one car that it became the Monaco Grand Prix but without all the cool scenery.

    Martin Truex, Jr. won that race by leading 392 of 400 laps, with nary an on-track pass for the lead from start to finish. Great for Truex, horrid for NASCAR. To be honest, the action behind him was not exactly nail biting, either. Even NASCAR sees it, and they are not terribly thrilled, either.

    The wave of a magic wand to fix it would be nice, but there are a number of factors they have to consider to keep us from wandering off to find excitement elsewhere. Configuring the rear chassis set-up takes away downforce and side force, which seemed to work for All-Star weekend. Then there is tire wear, how different it is between afternoon and evening races. In order to keep you and me interested, it seems there is more to ponder than just who has the best driver, the best car, and the best team on any given day.

    Truex’s team hit on the setup and ran away with things last week. That happens. However, not much was happening behind him to generate much heat either, and that should not happen. At least, that is not what a majority of today’s fans want, not what they will long put up with. There is a problem when NASCAR tracks are pulling down grandstands, refusing to release attendance figures, and seeing television ratings plummet. Since 2007, the combined capacity of Charlotte, Daytona, and Talladega has been reduced by 43 percent, by an astounding 205,000 seats.

    So, you would think the problem might lie with the fact that NASCAR just is not presenting an exciting product any longer. Maybe the problem is that, in this day and age, what worked yesterday just does not cut it in today’s instant gratification world. I mean, the Indianapolis 500 drew a live crowd of 350,000, had huge local ratings after it was broadcast in Indianapolis for the first time in 66 years, and still the national ratings slipped even further south. This is despite seeing in 2015, for the first time in a decade, the Indianapolis event drawing a bigger television audience than the one in Charlotte.

    Is it the racing, or is it us? I mean, not every contest in ever sport is a work of art, so maybe our demands are too high. Sure, 94 percent of NASCAR’s fans are considered white compared to less than 2 percent black, and while half of the fans are 55 years of age and over, less than 9 percent are under the age of 34. Those are demographics that should have them concerned. That said, what is it that draws some to the sport and not others? What keeps them interested and what drives them off? Having an attention span greater than that of a gnat would help.

    We want to be entertained and are less likely to sit through what does not. We no longer have to watch anything live so we do not have the patience we once had. We can always seek out more entertainment via a 30 second jump ahead by using the PVR button, the click of the channel to watch something else, the taking of a phone call, a check of text messages, a visit to Twitter, a video game, and you can always discover how things are going in the contest just about any time you want if you are interested enough. That is what NASCAR, auto sports, and just about anything else seeking an audience must face. Keep us interested, or we have something at our fingertips that might.

    This cantankerous old fart is about as guilty as the next guy. We have become very much like a seven-year-old playing any sport, all set on chasing that ball until a butterfly comes around and grabs our attention. NASCAR’s task is to present a four-hour escape that we look forward to experiencing each and every week. To date, they appear to be falling short. They simply cannot afford to just mail it in and expect that we will be there. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Pocono Sunday afternoon…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 405 PTS
    If all drivers were like Rowdy, things would be more interesting.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
    We are living in the era of a 6-time champion. If that does not excite you, have you tried soccer?

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
    Had a need for speed last week, but doing so twice on pit road ruined his day.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 404 PTS
    Next Thursday, Jackson, Michigan is the place to share a cool one with Brad at the Chase.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 457 PTS
    Others may have more wins, but averaging more than 35 points per race gets the job done.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 381 PTS
    If only it was always as easy as it was last week.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 347 PTS
    Won the last time he visited Pennsylvania.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 345 PTS
    There is a reason Lewis Hamilton no longer runs Formula 3 races.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 421 PTS
    No wins but sits second only to Harvick in points.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 374 PTS
    Elected to the All-Star event, and continues to show why he was a worthy selection.

    11. JOEY LOGANO – 373 PTS
    All-Star package was good for Joey…the World 600 version was good only for Truex.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 344 PTS
    Special number, special driver.

    13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 341 PTS
    Even he would agree.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
    Without a win, every race is meaningful.

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 309 PTS
    Ditto.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 309 PTS
    Could his paint scheme be termed as Kalahari Resorts blue?

    17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 308 PTS
    Just to point out, his Pocono adventure might be worth watching out for.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 299 PTS
    Sponsor Fastenal likes what they see, extending their deal.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 291 PTS
    Meanwhile, AdvoCare is not just a sponsor as Bayne was already a client.

    20. KASEY KAHNE – 290 PTS
    Harvick was not after his job, after all, but he will need to dig deeper to retain it.

  • The View from my Recliner

    The View from my Recliner

    It’s Pocono week and I can tell you from experience, the infield at Pocono rivals Talladega for the things you can see and learn.

    One Pocono race, you saw porn on a big screen and a Chevy Vega and Ford Pinto chained axle to axle with a fire pit in the middle in the ultimate game of tug of war. I have witnessed a deer cross the track and a streaker on the track. Boy, there are some memories at Pocono.

    Since they dropped the racing from 500 miles to 400 miles at Pocono, it has drastically improved. I can’t explain why, but eliminating those extra 100 miles changed the way the drivers attack the track.

    It has been a little while since I wrote my column due to technical issues, but everything is ironed out and we’re all ready to set the world on fire with some predictions for the second half of the regular season.

    Prediction 1: This is from my heart probably not my head, but Tony Stewart will win a race and make the Chase. The best chance for Smoke to earn his win is at Daytona or the two road courses.

    Prediction 2: Keith Rodden will not finish the season as Kasey Kahne’s crew chief. Kasey Kahne has not run consistently well for the past three years. Rookie Chase Elliott is regularly running around the top-10 and Kahne is ranging from 15th to 20th. Hendrick Motorsports has a Cup-winning crew chief in the organization in Darian Grubb who could get right on the box and change the culture of the team.

    Prediction 3: NASCAR will make the right call with the rules package for Michigan and Kentucky and will change the rules and use that package for the rest of the season. The racing was fantastic for the All-Star race and NASCAR will try to re-create that racing.

    Prediction 4: Ty Dillon will be announced as the new driver of the No. 31 car. Kevin Harvick said before leaving RCR that those kids will get everything. It is a shame because Ryan Newman is a talented racer but you can see that he isn’t getting the best RCR equipment.

    Prediction 5: Joe Gibbs Racing will announce that Aarons will sponsor Matt Kenseth in 2017. Kenseth’s dry humor will be great for the Aarons commercials and hopefully, get Michael Waltrip off of my television.

    Kudos to Mike Joy who made sure during the Fox broadcast to seamlessly work in the names of the fallen on the windshields and the stories behind them throughout the race. It wasn’t forced and the way he told their stories was heartfelt.

    Enjoy the racing at Pocono and I’ll be back next week with the View from my Recliner.

  • Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

    Hot 20 – Looking ahead to the World 600 while remembering those who have fallen

    Let me be clear. Any race format that artificially moves entries from behind to plop them up front is a dumb one. I do not care if it is NASCAR’s All-Star Race or one that allows me to charge ahead of the Kentucky Derby field while wearing sneakers and a propeller hat. Dumb is as dumb does.

    Thankfully, we move from a waste of a perfectly good Saturday night to one of NASCAR’s marquee events, the Coca-Cola World 600. In fact, it marks the biggest day in motorsports, as our digital recording devices pick up the Formula-1 action from the French Riviera and the streets of Monaco at 8 a.m. EDT. Then our focus shifts to Indiana and the 100th edition of the Indianapolis 500 at 10:20 a.m. EDT, where former NASCAR driver Juan Pablo Montoya hopes to repeat. After they drink the milk there, it is off to Charlotte, North Carolina for our 4 p.m. EDT NASCAR date that sees Carl Edwards looking to defend.

    Four-time winner Jimmie Johnson goes in seeking to claim the victory that would tie him with Darrell Waltrip for the most World 600 victories. Kasey Kahne is currently in a six-way tie for third best, with three checkered flags to his credit. He is in good company, with the other five being Buddy Baker, David Pearson, Bobby Allison, Dale Earnhardt, and Jeff Gordon. That is damn fine company to be in. An all-time All-Star lineup to be sure.

    Every sport has struggled to find the proper All-Star format. Even when you find one, tastes change over time sending organizers back to the drawing board. Baseball is close, and hockey took a major step forward last season. Football is still searching while I appreciate basketball about as much as I do soccer, so I cannot comment.

    As for NASCAR, they should begin by not having Brad Keselowski come up with the format, as he did this year. If you need gimmicks in an attempt to make it interesting, it is not interesting. A suggestion to tinker with would be to let racing decide who should be there. The only drivers locked in should be those who won races over the previous 15 months. What you did in years past should not matter but rather what you have done lately. That would have tossed Tony Stewart, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, and Kahne back into the mix. Only 11 would have been locked in, with the other nine to be determined on that day.

    If they ran three heats, as they did this year, then we could have the top three in each heat advancing to fill out the field for the feature. In order to reduce wear and tear so that those advancing might actually be able to challenge when they get there, I suggest heats of 30, 20, and 10 laps. The opening heat should be calm enough, the second a little hotter, and the dash for the final three positions would be chaotic enough without having them run too many laps. It would be nice to have 20 cars in the feature that might actually be in condition to compete. However, there are no guarantees in this life.

    As for the feature itself, 100 laps, 150 miles, for a million dollars, with the rules just like any other contest. That is my proposal, but what are your thoughts?

    As for this Sunday, here are NASCAR’s Hot 20 and some of our honored heroes heading into the Memorial Day weekend 600 Miles of Remembrance.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 397 PTS
    Pfc. Robert Stephan Underwood, U.S. Army (1949-1968) Missouri

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 381 PTS
    Capt. Edmond Jablonsky Jr., U.S. Army (1942-1968) Texas

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 370 PTS
    Sgt. 1st Class Kyle B. Wehrly, U.S. Army (1977-2005) Illinois

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 368 PTS
    Spc. Joseph T. Prentler, U.S. Army (1990-2010) Michigan

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 418 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Nathan Ross Elrod, U.S. Marine Corps (1986-2006) North Carolina

    6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN – 313 PTS
    Pfc. Christopher Neal White, U.S. Marine Corps (1983-2006) Kentucky

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 308 PTS
    Sgt. John Davis Harvey, U.S. Marine Corps (1958-1980) Virginia

    8. KURT BUSCH – 386 PTS
    Sgt. Nicholas Ray Gibbs, U.S. Army (1981-2006) North Carolina

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 341 PTS
    Gunnery Sgt. Justin Martone, U.S. Marine Corps (1974-2006) Virginia

    10. JOEY LOGANO – 340 PTS
    Spc. Cindy Beaudoin, U.S. Army (1971-1991) Connecticut

    11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 336 PTS
    Gunnery Sgt. Jeffery E. Bohr Jr., U.S. Marine Corps (1964-2003) Iowa

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 315 PTS
    SO Chief Petty Officer Mark “Badger” Carter (SEAL), U.S. Navy (1980-2007) California

    13. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 314 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Aaron Howard Reed, U.S. Marine Corps (1963-2008) Ohio

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 296 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Scott Albert Lynch, U.S. Marine Corps (1988-2010) New York

    15. RYAN BLANEY – 288 PTS
    Signalman Seaman Cherone L. Gunn, U.S. Navy (1978-2000) Virginia

    16. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 283 PTS
    Yeoman 3rd Class Wendell Williams, U.S. Navy (1965-1991) Ohio

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 278 PTS
    Staff Sgt. Jason C. Ramseyer, U.S. Marine Corps (1977-2006) Florida

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 275 PTS
    Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jason William McCormack, U.S. Army (1972-2015) Alabama

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 273 PTS
    SP 4 James H. Woolard, U.S. Army (1949-1969) Ohio

    20. KASEY KAHNE – 271 PTS
    Lance Cpl. Eric Levi Ward, U.S. Marine Corps (1990-2010) Washington

  • Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports’ Struggles Continue

    Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports’ Struggles Continue

    It’s no secret that Kasey Kahne has struggled to contend for wins in the past three seasons. In his last 84 starts, Kahne has just one win, eight top five finishes and an average finish of 17.3. Those certainly doesn’t sound like the numbers of a Hendrick Motorsports driver.

    Beyond Kahne’s struggles, it seems as though HMS, in general, is down this season,thanks mainly to Joe Gibbs Racing. The only driver that is a true threat this season at the organization, is, of course, Jimmie Johnson; he’s the only Hendrick driver to win in 2016.

    There’s no question that Chase Elliott has turned some heads, he’s been consistent each week, but he hasn’t truly battled for a win yet this season though he’s been knocking on the door.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains winless this season, averaging a 15th place finish. He’s had three runner-up finishes, those coming at Atlanta, Texas and Bristol. His runner-up finishes though have been overshadowed by the seven races he’s finished outside of the top 10.

    Don’t get me wrong, Hendrick Motorsports is still a threat to win each weekend, but the new dynasty in NASCAR in recent years is Joe Gibbs Racing. Including the races that have taken place this season and last, Joe Gibbs Racing has combined for an impressive 21 wins in 48 races; that’s almost half of the races. HMS has just 11 wins in those same 48 races, still not bad, but not even close to the new powerhouse in NASCAR.

    That aside, back to Kahne.

    Since Stewart-Hass  Racing announced their move to Ford in 2017, there has been a lot of speculation that Kevin Harvick might jump ship to HMS next season to stick with Chevy, presumably taking over for Kahne. Harvick quickly put those rumors to bed on Twitter denying any truth to them.

    Since those rumors have been squashed for the time being, another question remains. Is Kahne safe at Hendrick? Even with their struggles to find speed this season, Kahne is still the odd man out at HMS. In my opinion, Kahne hasn’t proven much while being at Hendrick Motorsports since joining in 2012. The only thing he’s proven is that he is not a real threat during the season or in the Chase.

    Although Harvick has denied a move to Hendrick, sometimes there is truth to rumors. I’m not saying Harvick is moving to HMS, however, you have to wonder if Kahne’s years at Hendrick are numbered and if a possible buyout is on the horizon. If Kahne doesn’t turn it around, I wouldn’t be surprised to see a new face behind the wheel of the No. 5 car in the near future.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch was one of many cars damaged on a lap 352 restart when Jimmie Johnson’s car got locked in second gear, causing a major incident that took out a number of contenders.

    “There was a time,” Busch said, “that when you mentioned ’18-car crash,’ people thought you were talking about just me.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 117 laps at Dover but was a victim of a huge pileup with 47 laps to go triggered by Jimmie Johnson’s slow car. Harvick finished 15th, one lap down.

    “Once again,” Harvick said, “I had the strongest car in the field but didn’t win the race. Carl Edwards would call that ‘choking.’”

    3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished fifth at Dover, one of only fourteen cars on the lead lap at race’s end. He is third in the points standings, 32 out of first.

    “There are rumors that my Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick has an offer to join Hendrick Motorsports,” Busch said. “He would presumably replace Kasey Kahne, who’s under contract through the 2018 season. That means Kahne’s contract would have to be bought out in order for Harvick to join HMS. So, once again, I’m reporting that an acquaintance of mine is a ‘contract killer.’”

    4. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 27 laps at Dover before late contact with Kyle Larson’s No. 42 car sent Edwards’ No. 19 Toyota into the wall. Edwards finished 28th, 41 laps off the pace.

    “I think most drivers were impressed by the way Larson raced Matt Kenseth in the closing laps,” Edwards said. “But there’s no way anyone was more impressed by Larson’s patience than Kenseth.”

    5. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 49 laps and survived contact with Austin Dillon’s No. 3 car to post a sixth in the AAA 400, his seventh top-10 result of the year.

    “I advocated making some slight adjustments to the Chase format,” Keselowski said. “NASCAR officials didn’t want to hear it, though. I guess they had enough talk of ‘tweaking’ when Jeremy Mayfield was driving.”

    6. Jimmie Johnson: On a restart with 47 laps to go, Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet locked gears, leading to a chain reaction crash behind him that affected 18 cars. Johnson limped home with a 25th at Dover.

    “I’m not sure what went wrong,” Johnson said. “All I know is instead of ‘Six-time,’ guys in the garage were calling me ‘Fix-time.’”

    7. Joey Logano: Like many, Logano’s No. 22 Penske Ford was caught in the restart accident with 47 laps to go, resulting in a 22nd-place finish.

    “As was the case last fall at Martinsville,” Logano said, “I got wrecked and Matt Kenseth came out the winner.”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third at Dover, scoring his third consecutive top 10 and again leading the charge for Hendrick Motorsports. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 77 out of first.

    “I’m not surprised at all I’m doing so well,” Elliott said. “I would say, ‘It’s no accident,’ but that may be considered a poor choice of words considering what happened to the rest of the HMS crew.”

    9. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s misfortune continued at Dover, as his No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota was damaged in the big wreck with 47 laps to go. Despite the damage, Truex scrambled to salvage a ninth-place finish and is now ninth in the points standings, 82 out of first.

    “This team is cursed,” Truex said. “This team is also cursing, because we are sick and tired of our bad luck. It’s too bad NASCAR outlawed cigarette manufacturers from sponsorships because we would definitely want Lucky Strike on our car.”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth won the AAA 400 at Dover, avoiding a huge crash that wiped out much of the field and holding off Kyle Larson for the win.

    “I knew Larson was coming for me,” Kenseth said. “You could say ‘I had a Target on my back.’

    “But I admire Kyle’s integrity in racing me clean for the win. Just ask Kyle Busch—there’s a fine line between racing a JGR driver like a gentlemen and racing a JGR driver like a teammate.”

  • Hot 20 – Hot topics heading to Dover include team penalties and places to pee, I kid you not

    Hot 20 – Hot topics heading to Dover include team penalties and places to pee, I kid you not

    As the boys and girl drive in Delaware this weekend, not everyone gets to go. Kyle Busch, for example, will not have the benefit of his crew chief until the All-Star race. Adam Stevens got sent to exile island along with front tire changer Josh Leslie, and docked $20,000, for a post-race lug nut infraction. NASCAR wants five on, and they must stay on until the race is over and the car no longer is being eye-balled by those who must be obeyed. It appears they really mean it.

    Romain Grosjean is a Swiss-born Formula One driver with 88 starts heading into the Spanish Grand Prix this weekend. He has two runner-up finishes in his career and ten podiums, including a run of five straight near the end of 2013. Grosjean also drives for Gene Haas, the guy who is Tony Stewart’s partner in NASCAR. He would like to race a big heavy beast of a car with fenders, and some think that could happen in time for Watkins Glen. I said could, not would.

    If he does, it will be on a nice smooth freshly paved track. Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and Trevor Bayne did tire tests there this week, and they all seem to like the results. We will see how much they like it in August.

    Finally, there is the continuing saga about North Carolina washrooms, where the Governor signed into law a bill saying that the equipment one’s birth certificate attributes to them determines which washroom they can use. This applies to facilities in government offices, universities and road-side rest stops. Some believe NASCAR, which is a huge presence in the state, should take a stand against this law as it discriminates against transgenders. Actually, there are a host of solutions available.

    All single-stall facilities should be unisex, just insist all pee where they should pee. Set aside some single stall rooms for those who require a bit more privacy for whatever reason. Set aside facilities marked men, women, and could not care less. Ask any woman in a long lineup if she would jump at the chance to go into the men’s room, any damn room, to seek relief, and many would have no problem with a unisex solution if it might speed things up. In public facilities, the public area can be monitored to ensure security, while it would not matter what equipment is being used to perform the task in the privacy of the stalls. Any arguments?

    Of course, when I started this column, I never thought there would be a day when I would be writing about penalties, paving, pee, and poop. Welcome to the new NASCAR.

    Now, back to business…and not THAT kind of business. Here are our Hot 20 heading to Dover…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 386 PTS
    If he ends May with a win and starts June the same way, he will have run the table.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 367 PTS
    Carl is to athleticism and fitness what I am to lethargy and slothfulness. We each have our roll to play.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 353 PTS
    Already has 10 Miles the Monster trophies on the shelf.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 332 PTS
    Scarlett has her first birthday next week. Some things are more important than racing.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 390 PTS
    New South Carolina home will have a view of a swamp. Well, to each their own.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 273 PTS
    He saw the hole, attempted the split, then lo and behold, it all went for…

    7. KURT BUSCH – 350 PTS
    The Busch brothers have a combined three wins between them this season. Yes, I’m a jerk.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 320 PTS
    Buried the hatchet with Kenseth, but didn’t Lizzie Borden do the same with her parents?

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 307 PTS
    The first of what will soon enough become another talented brother act is doing just fine.

    10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 305 PTS
    Before there was Teresa, there was Kerry, Kelley, and Dale Jr. born to the Earnhardt name.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 303 PTS
    The kid has finished seven of 11 this season in the Top Ten.

    12. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 303 PTS
    Okay, this time for sure.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 276 PTS
    Coming off his worst finish (26th) of the season just after having his best (4th) at Talladega.

    14. MATT KENSETH – 269 PTS
    Fourth place at Kansas was sweet, but seeing Logano finish 38th had to have been even sweeter.

    15. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 265 PTS
    Finished eighth last week, yet dropped a spot.

    16. RYAN BLANEY – 255 PTS
    His weekend was much, much better than the one experienced by his dad.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 253 PTS
    Making the Chase could be imperative if he wishes to avoid falling victim to the Ty that binds.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 249 PTS
    Spends way too much time outside the Top 15 than inside, and that has got to change.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 246 PTS
    New commercial has the boys over for Sunny D, though hostess is not who you would expect.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 244 PTS
    When Mark Martin drove the car, Viagra seemed an appropriate sponsor. Bayne? Not so much.

  • Hot 20 – At least the Kansas race this year is not sponsored by SpongeBob or the Ninja Turtles

    Hot 20 – At least the Kansas race this year is not sponsored by SpongeBob or the Ninja Turtles

    Brand names, especially strong memorable ones, can truly make an event stand out. The Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400 have meaning or should, with proper marketing. The Firecracker 400, Old Dominion 500, Mason-Dixon 500 all had a ring to them, not the ka-ching ring they were tossed aside for.

    The GoBowling.com 400 this Saturday night in Kansas is a case in point. In fact, it is the very same name of a race held in Dover in 2013 and 2014, tradition be damned. To be fair, it could have been a lot worse. Remember, last year this race was known as the SpongeBob SquarePants 400, a time no doubt when more than a few veteran fans said to hell with it and started tuning in for rhythmic gymnastics for their sports fix.

    Even more iconic corporate monikers, such as the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, which has gone by variations of that theme for thirty years, fail to cut it. As was the case with the Coca-Cola 500 at Pocono, one day the corporation will move its money elsewhere. The smart play would be to forever let it be known as the World 600, as it was known for its first 26 years. Even the Coca-Cola World 600 of 1985 remained true to the heritage of the sport while retaining the brand name of the event and still recognizing the corporate support. Today, even the sponsor loses. You tell me what has more substance; the GoBowling.com 400 or the GoBowling.com Kansas 400?

    College football had wandered off the traditional path, and even today the Gator Bowl, around since 1945, has been the Taxpayer Bowl since 2014. However, the academic folks were smart enough to realize its season-ending playoffs would be best served by embracing tradition. This is why we have millions tuning into the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Cotton, Peach, and Fiesta Bowls, with a title sponsor attached. For eight years we had the Chick-fil-A Bowl, but the “Peach Bowl” name was restored as a condition of joining the College Football Playoff rotation. You know, sometimes those schools have some bright people among them. NASCAR could use some of them.

    What they do have are some pretty good drivers, with one of them about to win another (Place Sponsor Name Here) 400 event. Again, it could be worse. While SpongeBob and NASCAR team up for a new apparel line, just wait until September when we have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 in Chicago. I kid you not.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Kansas include…

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 342 PTS
    I must admit I am not a big Skittles fan, but if Kyle ever gets a Smartie’s cake, I am in.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 337 PTS
    Damn near hit the wall last weekend. Thankfully, Junior got in the way.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 329 PTS
    Won it for SpongeBob last spring and maybe now he can win it for the bowlers of the world.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 300 PTS
    Should be wearing an “I survived Talladega” fire suit.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 351 PTS
    On Sunday, he aborted take-off…and that was a good thing.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 269 PTS
    Did not have a banner day last week, but as he already has a win, no big deal.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 316 PTS
    My guess is if Logano caught fire, his peers would be lining up to help put it out.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 312 PTS
    When push comes to shove, Kurt has been pushing hard…and then the wrecks happen.

    9. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 279 PTS
    Replacing the steering wheel with handlebars Saturday night.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 274 PTS
    When times got tough, Truex simply got tougher…and wiser.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 272 PTS
    Seventeen pit stops, four wrecks, and yet a third place finish at Talladega on the Intimidator’s 65th birthday.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 271 PTS
    If you thought the world loved young Chase, you were not listening to the in-car audio.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 261 PTS
    I thought he was having a good season, but he trails Harvick by 90 points and is yet to lead a lap.

    14. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 232 PTS
    Talladega might have been a trying day, but he is back in a Chase place heading into Saturday.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 231 PTS
    Thinking of driving a bus at Kansas. The wheels on a bus go round and round, not up and over.

    16. TREVOR BAYNE – 228 PTS
    Last four starts have seen a rise in Bayne’s fortunes.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 224 PTS
    Wants to lead a lap…any lap…anywhere…at some time this season.

    18. RYAN BLANEY – 219 PTS
    Twenty-ninth in Texas, 11th at Bristol, 28th in Richmond, and ninth last week seems to show inconsistency.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 219 PTS
    Ten races, one ninth place finish and another in 10th, might be better than most, but not good enough.

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 218 PTS
    Within 10 of Bayne, and still has a 17 point bulge over Paul Menard in 21st.

  • The Final Word – Talladega; what could possibly go wrong?

    The Final Word – Talladega; what could possibly go wrong?

    Bad things happen at Talladega. If you are not barrel rolling or wall smacking, you just had yourself a nice, pleasant day in Alabama. That kind of thing, in fact, can get you a win, as was the case with Brad Keselowski on Sunday. The White Deux actually looked pretty good at the end, as the 2012 champ won his 19th career race, and second of the season. When all the smoke had cleared, the driver leading the most laps was leading the last one.

    For some, things did not quite work out. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is always seen as a favorite, but after the 50th lap, not so much. He lost control, collected teammate Kasey Kahne, and they went back to check out the snacks available in the garage.

    Tony Stewart, under doctor’s orders to protect his back, used the caution to crawl out and let Ty Dillon take that ride home. A seventh place finish proved that they had a plan that worked. Most planned to stay on all four tires, but that idea went tumbling down the track for Chris Buescher who did a few barrel rolls after being caught up in some four-wide racing.

    Good news for Junior and Kahne fans, as both returned. Maybe that was bad news. Earnhardt actually had his steering wheel come off under caution and did some shaft driving before he reattached it. This is after he helped Carl Edwards avoid the wall when Edwards shot up the track and sandwiched Junior to a merciful conclusion. A few laps later, Kahne could no longer handle his car, which also shot up into the outside wall and he was finally done, too. At least both Hendrick boys got, not just one but, two post-wreck interviews. You got to keep them sponsors happy.

    With less than thirty to go, we managed to rid ourselves of yet another Hendrick car. Kurt Busch influenced Jimmie Johnson to move up to take out fellow Top Ten driver Paul Menard in a mishap that involved 17 drivers. Yet, a less numerous yet more spectacular meeting of the metal took place about 20 laps later when Danica Patrick got turned to the inside and invited Matt Kenseth to space camp, who exposed the bottom of his car to the television viewers as it launched. Patrick, meanwhile, made some solid contact with the wall to feel the agony of de fence. Both were done as another half dozen cars got bent out of shape to some degree in that one.

    If you thought we were done, you were just ignoring your inner Ricky Bobby. As Keselowski thundered to the line, with Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, and Jamie McMurray behind him, more boys were beating the stuffings out of their boogity boogities. Kevin Harvick, who almost went wheels up, A.J. Allmendinger, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Martin Truex Jr. were among those making mangled metallic memories.

    Seven of the Top Ten at Talladega currently hold down a Chase place. Ryan Blaney is just nine points out while Stewart returns to the driver’s seat this Saturday night in Kansas. Thanks to his relief driver, he only has to make up 61 points and pick up a win, to claim a Chase place. Clint Bowyer had a Top Ten and a win still gets him in, or he has 68 points to make up on 16th place. When you think on it, the odds still might favor Stewart. Bowyer has gone winless in 15 attempts in Kansas, and considering the quality of cars he has been blessed with this season, his odds are definitely not terribly high on Saturday.