Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Keselowski

  • In the Midst of the Boredom, a Race Broke Out

    In the Midst of the Boredom, a Race Broke Out

    You just never know. After what seemed like the worst race of all time, a race broke out in Charlotte (actually Concord) over the last 23 laps. On the rather pleasant night, the race had been dominated by Hendrick Motorsports. At one point, Hendrick Chevrolet’s held the top four positions and seemed to dominate. So complete was the domination that the quartet made up of Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had led 313 of the first 325. When the caution flag flew with only 25 laps remaining, many fans headed for the exits to get a head start on traffic. Some left even earlier.

    What happened next was a script straight out of Hollywood, specifically “Days of Thunder.” Leader Johnson was no longer the leader, but Kahne led them to the green flag and then it happened. Out of nowhere came Brad Keselowski, the reigning Sprint Cup champion—the same one who had not won this year and who had missed the coveted Chase. They restarted at Lap 311, and after quickly getting into second place, he started to work on Kahne. Johnson hadn’t come up to speed even with four new tires. What resulted was a tight side-by-side battle between Keselowski and Kahne, who had only taken two tires. Keselowski drove like it was his last race and finally passed Kahne for his first win of 2013. Like on wag said, “He came out of nowhere.” Not exactly.

    Keselowski has had his share of bad luck this year. After a decent start, his Penske Racing Ford team was heavily penalized early on. Then there was the racing luck. Though always competitive, it appeared that he couldn’t get a break to go his way. He didn’t make the cut for the championship run and it looked bleak for any success on Saturday night. A pit miscue caused him to carry his jack around the track underneath his car and put him far behind. Never giving up, Keselowski worked hard, first moving into the top 15, the top 10, and starting just outside the top 5 on the restart at Lap 309, he made his move. All of a sudden, what was a runaway became a race. Sorry so many missed that last 25 laps.

    ***

    Earlier, it was Speedway Motorsports and Charlotte Motor Speedway mogul Bruton Smith made another threat to move a race from CMS to Las Vegas Motor Speedway, specifically the October date. Losing an appeal in court over an $80 million agreement on infrastructure improvements between the county where the speedway sits and Speedway Motorsports prompted the threat. It has happened before. When there was protest about building the Z-Max Dragway that sits adjacent to Charlotte Motor Speedway, the county backed down, making some promises but never signing a contract. Local businesses were outraged, but Smith contends he can make “a lot more money” in Las Vegas. We will see how this all plays out.

    ***
    Much buzz was created in Friday night’s Nationwide Series race over the performance of youngster Kyle Larson. Larson has been tabbed as the drier to replace Juan Pablo Montoya in Chip Ganassi’s No. 42 Chevy in the Sprint Cup Series next year. Just barely old enough to vote, Larson thrilled the crowd by moving through the field and leading 17 laps. He wasn’t so lucky in the Sprint Cup race, finishing 37th and retiring with a blown engine. He will be interesting to watch in 2014.

    ***

    Hendrick Motorsports had a good night at CMS, finishing second (Kahne), fourth (Johnson), seventh (Gordon), and 15th (Earnhardt). Dale Earnhardt, Jr. gave his fans a thrill by leading 19 laps and staying up front until he developed handling problems late in the race. Joe Gibbs Racing had a successful night with all three drivers finish in the top 10. Roush-Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing didn’t do so well. RFR placed only Carl Edwards in the top 10 and RCR’s Kevin Harvick finished sixth. Otherwise, only Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (RFR) finished in the top 20.

  • Thoughts on the All Star Race — Hendrick Rules

    Thoughts on the All Star Race — Hendrick Rules

    My friend Monte Dutton, who is one of the best or probably was one of the best writers on the NASCAR beat, tweeted Saturday night that unlike normal races, the format actually seems to encourage all hell breaking loose UNTIL the end. That was the case on Saturday. There was a lot of good racing and lots of rubbing, but in retrospect, we should have known what was going to happen. The first four 20-lap segments proved one thing—if you got up front, you were going to be there at the end. No matter what NASCAR has tried to do with this Gen 6 car, the dreaded aero-push still exists. So, whenever Kyle or Kurt or Jimmie got in front, they were off to the races. One by one, they got the lead and couldn’t be headed in each segment.

    It seems to only happen on the 1.5-mile tracks, or maybe it’s my imagination, but at different times it seemed that Kurt or Kyle, or even Carl or Kasey had the best, almost unbeatable car. In the end, it was the guy who led last, and that was Jimmie Johnson who drove into the sunset, as usual. Johnson and his crew chief, Chad Knaus, have all this figured out. No matter where you start, get to the front late and drive away. They constantly outsmart most teams, which is better than having a great driver which is not to discredit Jimmie Johnson. He is a great driver.

    That is one of the reasons why I have contended for a long time that the domination of Jimmie Johnson and Hendrick Motorsports is one small factor in the demise or at least one of the factors why NASCAR is not what it was fifteen or even twenty years ago. Yes, Richard Petty, the King, dominated in the 60’s, and others dominated at different times, but never at the length that the Hendrick Motorsports teams have, especially at Charlotte Motor Speedway and the 1.5 mile tracks. Given that the final ten races are dominated by such tracks, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that we’ve already seen who is going to win the NASCAR championship and his name is Johnson. Last year, bad luck played into that scenario, but without that happening, there are no drivers like Brad Keselowski on the horizon to challenge him. Of course, the great part is you never know. Hendrick Chevrolets and Gibbs Toyota dominate the series, but as the season goes along and the expertise of the Hendrick teams continue to shine, we know the outcome, if Jimmie is out front at the end.

    Who could be the challenger? Naming them is difficult. Competition from the Chevrolet side would include Johnson’s teammates, but others pale by comparison, and that’s a problem. You might make an argument for Kevin Harvick, but we’ve seen less than stellar performance from any of the Richard Childress Racing team. With so many Chevrolets in the lineup—they dominate—it seems Johnson’s main competition is in house.

    Toyota has several challengers. Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch from Gibbs (and maybe Denny Hamlin if he can perform a miracle), and Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex, Jr. from Michael Waltrip Racing seem to be the best bets. The smart money would be on Kenseth, Busch, or Bowyer, but consistency is a problem so far.

    Ford only has Carl Edwards. Brad Keselowski, the defending champion who seems to have been forgotten in all of this, should be at the top of the list and would be if not for that nasty penalty he and Joey Logano received earlier. I look for Keselowski to come on at the end after they are totally comfortable with the new car. Joey Logano is a year away, although his talent is coming through. His second place finish in the Showdown was impressive. Edwards, though not a factor in most races to win, is showing the consistency that crew chief Jimmy Fenning brought Kenseth for so long. Greg Biffle is out to lunch so far and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., though a rookie, is showing signs of improvement and could be a spoiler later on.

    In the end, Johnson, who is more than a race ahead of any challenger, will go into the last ten races with a huge advantage, one that will be difficult to overcome. If that happens, it won’t be the drivers’ loss as much as NASCAR. Knowing who is going to win before they play the game (or race) is not going to get more fans in the seats or drive ratings. It’s a problem, but not to the Hendrick guys. They are paid to dominate and it’s up to the opposition to catch up. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened lately. Let’s hope that changes soon.

  • Sprint Media Day Day Three – Penske Racing

    Sprint Media Day Day Three – Penske Racing

    Photo Credit: Brad Keppel/SpeedwayMedia.com
    Photo Credit: Brad Keppel/SpeedwayMedia.com

    The last stop on Day Three of the Sprint Media Tour found the media heading to Mooresville, North Carolina, to visit Penske racing. Fresh off a Sprint Cup Championship with Brad Keselowski winning the prize, things were still being improved and changed in the organization.

    It was announced that Pennzoil had extended its sponsorship on the No. 22 car and other Penske vehicles for the “long term.” No duration was mentioned, but Roger Penske’s body language seemed to indicate that it was longer than the normal two or three years.

    The driver lineup was introduced to all in attendance, which included Jamie Allison, Ford’s racing czar and Edsel Ford. Penske drivers for 2013 include 2012 Sprint Cup Champion Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Sam Hornish, Jr., and Ryan Blaney. Keselowski will pilot the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford while Joey Logano will drive the No. 22 Pennzoil Ford in Sprint Cup. In addition, Logano and Blaney will run the full season in the Nationwide Series in Ford Mustangs. Penske also announced a new sponsor, Hertz. Hertz will be a co-primary sponsor on the #22 in fall Charlotte Cup race, and possibly others. Greg Erwin will be Sam Hornish’s crew chief in the Nationwide Series.

    Penske executive Walt Czarnecki says the transition to Ford has been seamless. “It’s like we never left,” he said. Team owner Roger Penske said the goal was a manufacturer’s championship for Ford and the organization was endorsing the “One Ford” concept. “We’re excited about working with Doug Yates and his marvelous engines and Jack Roush for his knowledge of what makes a Ford go,” Penske said

    Penske said that he had talked to Ryan Newman about running a third car in 2013 before he reached agreement with Stewart-Haas Racing, but sponsorship money was not there for the third car. “Right now, Sam (Hornish) is in line for the third car when it happens.”

    The enthusiasm for Ford’s newest team was shown as Allison, Ford, and other executives were in attendance and in good spirits at the dinner. All the new cars were on site, including the bright yellow Hertz car to be on the track in October.

  • Business as usual for Keselowski at Martinsville

    Business as usual for Keselowski at Martinsville

    [media-credit id=100 align=”alignright” width=”224″][/media-credit]Since the end of Tums 500 qualifying session at Martinsville Speedway, media reports, social media and television have been buzzing about series points leader Brad Keselowski’s 32nd place starting spot. Making matters worse, Keselowski’s closest competitor, Jimmie Johnson, put his No.48 Lowes Chevy on the pole. Instantly there was a buzz through the garage area. Given Johnson’s amazing record at the flat half mile track, the question being asked is not whether he will takeover the points lead, but rather by how much.

    While Johnson’s record is phenomenal, six wins in 21 starts, Keselowski has five starts and just two top ten finishes. Keselowski, however, has ran extremely well this season and did finish a respectable ninth in the spring Martinsville event.

    Another interesting fact is that due to the poor qualifying effort, the team’s choice of pit spot is less than optimal. They did choose a spot immediately behind a team that was likely to be a start and park team. This morning however, the No.32 Ford of Ken Schrader had purchased a supply of tires from the Mike Bliss No.19 car that did not make the field, so it would now seem they are going to attempt to run the entire race. That makes one wonder who may have paid the bill on those tires.

    In garage area however, the team seemed relaxed and not bothered by the enormous amount of media hype. I spoke with a team representative and asked if there was a different strategy planned given the circumstances. He responded, “Just try to get some track position early, and once we get there stay out front as long as we can.” he also pointed out that they aren’t using anything different in chassis setup and, “It sorta simplifies things for us, we know we just have to go to the front.”

    Given the relaxed, business as usual attitude of the Penske team, they may leave Martinsville in the same position they arrived with, in the drivers seat of the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship!

  • Hendrick Bending the Rules? Keselowski Thinks So

    Hendrick Bending the Rules? Keselowski Thinks So

    [media-credit name=”Dan Sanger” align=”alignright” width=”249″][/media-credit]Is Hendrick Motorsports bending the rules? Brad Keselowski thinks so. It’s not beyond the realm of possibility. Of course you remember all those times Crew Chief Chad Knaus was suspended and fined? Certainly, like when you were in school, once guilty and always suspected was the rule. That may be part of it but Jimmie Johnson coming from the back of the pack to leading the race  until his engine expired has lots of folks wondering.

    Keselowski commented during the race on how Hendrick cars used what he called “tricks” with their cars. Jack Roush and winner Greg Biffle mentioned at Michigan how they “fell behind” on some things, especially on Carl Edwards’ cars and had to get up to speed on certain things. It has opened up a new can of worms, but is it sour grapes or is it a legitimate gripe? Maybe the Hendrick Motorsports cars have people who just are smarter than other team’s engineers and technicians. No, do not shoot the messenger.

    “There’s parts and pieces that move on the car after inspection that make the (Hendrick) cars more competitive,” Keselowski said. “Some guys have it and some don’t. There’s a question as to the interpretation of the rule.”

    One thing is certain, Keselowski is outspoken and doesn’t pull any punches. He has been watching the HMS cars all season long, and his inability to compete with them over the last few races has him frustrated. Remember this is the same man I wrote about last week after a battle with Marcos Ambrose at Watkins Glen. He doesn’t mind getting beat, but he wants to be on an even playing field. He pointed a finger at his own organization, Penske Racing for racing fairly without pushing the envelope between getting by with something and getting caught.

    “As a group at Penske racing, we have not felt comfortable enough to risk that name and reputation that roger has over those parts and pieces. Others have, which is their prerogative,” Keselowski said. “Living in the gray area …We’re going to have to make a re-evaluation of that internally to decide if that’s the right way to go.”

    I found it interesting that after the race, NASCAR took six or seven cars back to their R&D center to inspect them. “Sometimes, it’s easier to take the whole car than just the engine,” Robin Pemberton said in an interview with Sirius-XM radio. What cars they took was a mystery at the time of this column.

  • Excuses Aside, It’s Not the Economy

    Excuses Aside, It’s Not the Economy

    It started on I-64 shortly after leaving Beckley, West Virginia. The trip to Bristol Motor speedway is only 180 miles, the second closest track (to Martinsville) from my home in rural West Virginia. Stopping at a restaurant in Princeton was all talk about the race coming up in two days. It was Friday and many were traveling to the race. Cars with plates as far away at New York were there, and on a quick trip to the restroom, I got my first feedback.

    “This is my last trip to Bristol. I’ve given up my season tickets,” said John from Pennsylvania. “They ruined the track. Used to be the survival of the fittest and now it’s more like the half-miles we see all the time. I may go back to the night race after this year, but they can have the spring race.”

    From Scott from Ohio, I heard, “this whole coliseum thing and all the hype is just so sad. When they changed the track, it took away Bristol. Sure there were wrecks and cautions, but it was exciting and it’s not exciting today.” Scott is also giving up his tickets. He plans to go to Charlotte instead. “At least it’s easier to get in and out of that track.”

    Finally, I talked to my campground neighbors. One of them, Barry from Georgia, was distraught about how boring both races were. “I love racing,” he said. “The problem with this race is that it’s only 250 miles and used to be lots of action. In the Busch race, it was follow the leader and in the big race, it was the same. The drivers love it, but I don’t. I’m going back to Atlanta. I heard so much about this place and started coming in 2006. I can only afford a couple of these a year and this is not a good value.”

    And so it goes. The most discussed topic on NASCAR radio today was “Old Bristol” vs. “New Bristol.” The reason was the lack of fannies in the seats at both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races. Last year, it was appalling, but this year was worse. No matter what the projections of attendance was, the place looked empty. I know there are 160,000 seats there, but it looked like only a few were there on Saturday and only a few more on Sunday. In fact, friends told me that they had their pick of seats both days. The concourses, once full of people, were sparse and traffic resembled a minor league baseball game. Why has Bristol fallen so far?

    Apparently, the track knew what was going to happen. Articles in local papers proclaimed that the economy was the culprit, according to those stories. Yes, the local economy, though bad, is no worse than anyplace else. According to those that know, many suites that corporate sponsors had taken for years were cancelled. Add to that the total dissatisfaction with product among the core fans and you get this reaction. The night race will always be fascinating, but the other races? Not so much. Locals stayed away, but many others did too.

    One of the basic principles of entertainment is you have to give the people what they want. You can’t run hundreds of commercials talking about how this is the toughest place to run and then watch two and three wide racing. You cannot let the NASCAR media people, many who depend on the sport for a living, to keep telling fans that this is racing as it was meant to me, and not a demolition derby like we had. Folks, the people paying the bills, liked it the way it was and no matter how much the people at Speedway Motorsports and the talking heads want to spin how wonderful Bristol was since 2009, the fans disagree and they are the ones who pay the bills. If they aren’t happy, nobody’s happy. Brad Keselowski’s proclamation that things change is a typical response from someone who hasn’t studied history. You might say if it isn’t broke don’t fix it. They fixed it and thousands of fans decided it wasn’t worth it. The track won’t change and the crowds will probably be the same as we saw this weekend. What could have been…

    So Bristol is over and we head to another track that no one cares about, seemingly even the people of Southern California. We’ll see three-wide racing and a lot of racing like we saw this weekend at Bristol. My heart aches. Once upon a time it was different. We had the bullrings and the speedways and for one moment, someone thought we had to make Bristol like the speedways. And it was a mistake. At least in these old eyes. But there is a silver lining to all of this. I wrote a column last year that said that Martinsville is the new Bristol. I stand by that. It’s a shame that we couldn’t have had two of those, but then again, it’s been the way things have been going for some time.