Tag: Kevin Harvick

Surprising and Not Surprising: Infineon Toyota Save Mart 350

In a weekend filled with Merlot, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir in the California wine country, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 23^rd annual Toyota/Save Mart 350 Sprint Cup Series race at Infineon Raceway.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”249″][/media-credit]Surprising: Not known for his road racing prowess, the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge finally notched a road course victory. Kurt Busch did so in dominating fashion, taking the checkered flag and quickly resorting to his backwards victory lap around Infineon Raceway.

This was Busch’s 23^rd Cup win, tying Ricky Rudd for 23^rd on the all-time victory list. This was also Busch’s first win since his Coca Cola 600 victory in 2010, breaking a 38 race winless streak.

“It was an unbelievable set up,” Busch said. “Once we got into the groove with this car, it seemed to get better and better. My cars have never done that before.”

“That was an awesome handling Dodge,” Busch continued. “After what we’ve been through, we’ve been on a high these last few weeks.”

Not Surprising: Road courses often lead to road rages and Sonoma did not fail to deliver. Most drivers were mad at somebody, from Denny Hamlin being ticked at AJ Allmendinger , Joey Logano plowing through Robby Gordon, and Juan Pablo Montoya punting Kasey Kahne, as well as getting into it with Brad Keselowski.

But the ‘most mad in wine country’ award goes to Brian Vickers, driving the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota, and Tony Stewart, behind the wheel of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet. The trouble between the two started early in the race when Smoke leaned on Vickers so hard that he got turned, setting off a major melee.

Vickers, however, bided his time until late in the race and paid back Stewart in a major way. In fact, Vickers paid Stewart back so dramatically that the latter came to rest with his rear end elevated on one of the tire barriers, causing Stewart’s first ever DNF on a road course.

“I probably had it coming because I dumped him earlier,” Stewart said of his altercation with Vickers. “It was payback but I dumped him first because he was blocking.”

“I like Brian but I was complaining about how he’s been racing all year,” Smoke continued. “I don’t care if he was Ryan Newman, I would have dumped him too.”

“I’m not going to tolerate it,” Stewart said. “They block, they get dumped.”

“I don’t know why he did it,” Vickers said, explaining his side of the altercation. “I was trying to avoid the 18 (Kyle Busch) and Tony was the least of my concern.”

“He sowed his oats and he reaped them,” Vickers continued. “Stuff happens.”

Surprising: Instead of flitting hither and yon, Carl Edwards surprisingly proved his total focus on the championship by not only forgoing running in the Nationwide race this weekend but by also slugging his way to a third place finish.

“We were lucky,” Edwards said. “Everything went our way today.”

“I stayed here for practice,” Edwards continued. “And it all came together for a third place finish, which is great for our points.”

Edwards, this week piloting the No. 99 Scotts Ortho Ford, posted his third top-10 finish in seven races at Infineon. He also maintained his lead in the Chase standings, now 25 points over second place Kevin Harvick.

Not Surprising: In a weekend marked by coming home, celebrating his daughter’s birthday and premiering his appearance as ‘Jeff Gorvette’ in the Cars 2 movie, it was not surprising to see four-time champion Jeff Gordon finish in the runner up position at one of his most loved race tracks.

The driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet notched his 15^th top-10 finish in 19 races at Infineon. It is also Gordon’s sixth top-10 finish in 2011, putting him solidly in Chase contention in the ninth spot in points.

“It was a struggle,” Gordon admitted. “We really missed the set up at the beginning of this race.”

“Our car was fast at the end and that felt awesome,” Gordon continued. “To work our way up to second, man, that was amazing.”

Surprising: For one driver who absolutely abhors road course races, deeming Sonoma “one of my worst tracks,” the race actually did not turn out so badly. Matt Kenseth, behind the wheel of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, finished in the top-15.

Kenseth and his crew chief Jimmy Fennig brought a brand new car to Sonoma, having shaken it down last month at Road America. Kenseth definitely bettered his average finishing position of 22.2 at Sonoma in the past.

Not Surprising: Unfortunately for Junior nation, their favorite but self-admitted road course hater, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., had reason to continue his bad attitude. The driver of the No. 88 scored his second DNF since October 2009, officially finishing 41^st.

“We was just out there running around and we got part of it,” Junior said, referencing the altercation between Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers on Lap 38. “It banged up the nose and knocked a hole in the radiator.”

Junior’s engine did indeed expire from the hole in the radiator, which drained the water and caused the engine to blow. Junior also fell from third to seventh in points as a result of his Sonoma woes.

“I’m not a big fan of the place,” Junior said. “Maybe one of these days.”

Surprising: One of the Cup drivers not often mentioned in the front of the pack was surprisingly a factor in the latter stages of the Toyota/Save Mart 350. David Gilliland, driver of the No. 34 Taco Bell Ford finished 12^th.

“I am really proud of our team today,” Gilliland said. “We had an issue with second gear toward the end of the race there, so we lost a few spots, but I had a lot of fun running up front all day.”

“I asked the guys on the radio during the race if there was an award for passing the most cars ‘cause, man, it sure seemed like I was passing cars all day,” Gilliland continued. “It was a great day for our team.”

Not Surprising: After the gaffe heard round the racing world last year at Infineon when Marcos Ambrose shut off his engine and lost the lead, the driver of the No. 9 Stanley Ford Fusion redeemed himself, finishing fifth.

“I am so proud of my Stanley car and my Stanley team to get a top five out of what could have been a very tough day for me,” Ambrose said. “I want to thank Stanley for putting me in the car and believing in me.”

June 27, 2011
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 30 laps at Michigan and finished fifth, earning his series-best eighth top-5 result of the year. Edwards boosted his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads second-place Kevin Harvick by 20.

“How does it feel to lead with nine laps to go and not win the race?” Edwards asked. “It’s the pits. My No. 99 Roush Fenway Ford was adorned with the Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ paint scheme, which hopefully served as a not-too-subtle hint to my crew members of the fleetingness of employment.”

Now, as a driver for Roush Fenway, baseball and racing go together like Joe Gibbs Racing and cheating. From personal experience, I know an illegal oil can part when I see one. ‘Oil Can’ Boyd once roamed Fenway Park. ‘Oil Can Ployed’ makes its home at JGR.”

2. Kyle Busch: An eventful week for Busch ended on Sunday with a solid third-place finish in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan. Busch’s probation ended last Tuesday, then the Joe Gibbs Racing fleet was ordered by NASCAR to change oil pans on Friday. On Sunday, Busch fought an indigestion problem before crew chief Dave Rogers rectified it with Tums and water. Busch improved one spot in the point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

“Take it from me,” Busch said. “It’s not always a bad thing to run out of gas.”

“My No. 18 hauler was parked beside Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 hauler. That was risky, because even our haulers are feuding. I’m guessing NASCAR thinks a parking lot is the only place these two teams can get ‘along.’ But seriously, it looks as though NASCAR is sending us mixed signals. It appears probation was NASCAR’s way of saying ‘no more.’ This must be their method of asking for ‘more.’ I rate NASCAR’s disciplinary methods an ‘A’ for ‘ambiguity.’ Let me say, though, there was a lot of glaring going on between the two teams. I believe that’s the first time Harvick and I have seen eye to eye.”

3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 14^th at Michigan, struggling with handling issues and surviving in the Heluva Good! 400. However, due to subpar days from Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Harvick vaulted two places in the point standings to second, and now trails Carl Edwards by 20 points.

“See,” Harvick said, “I can revel in the misery of someone besides Kyle Busch. And I will continue to pester Busch without end. You would never hear me complain of heartburn. I’ve got a foolproof immunity to heartburn. It’s called being heartless.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 21^st at Michigan, seeing a possible top-10 result fall to the wayside when his No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet was pinched into the wall on lap 191 when Mark Martin got loose and slid up the track. The contact caused a tire rub that ended Earnhardt’s charge to the front. He remained third in the point standings, 27 out of first.

“It’s hard to stay mad at Mark,” Earnhardt said. “That’s why my crew and I held a ‘re-tire-ment’ party in the pits shortly after he sent me into the wall. At Mark’s last retirement party, I asked him to ‘stay in touch.’ Apparently, he took that a bit too literally. Now, unfortunately, he has to deal with the wrath of Junior Nation. The first rule of Junior Nation is: ‘If you ‘turn against’ the No. 88, regardless of circumstances, Junior Nation will ‘turn against’ you.”

Despite it all, I still expect Mark and I to remain professional and work together. We’ve got lots of information to share. Mark’s finished second in the Sprint Cup rankings four times, so he’s got a wealth of advice to share about ‘not winning.’”

5. Jimmie Johnson: An early spin on lap 8 foreshadowed a tough day for the No. 48 Lowe’s team at Michigan. A broken sway bar was found to be the culprit, and Johnson fell down two laps quickly after racing without the necessary equipment. A scarcity of yellow flags left the team with little opportunity for repairs, and Johnson finished 27^th, one lap down. He tumbled three spots in the point standings to fifth, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

“As the five-time Sprint Cup champion,” Johnson said, “I normally advocate the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ philosophy. Not in this case. A broken sway bar sent me for a loop. And even the sport’s most notorious ‘spin’ doctor, Chad Knaus, couldn’t put it back together. Chad’s and the No. 48 strategists often have cram sessions to find ways to skirt NASCAR’s nebulous rules. We call those meetings ‘unapproved part-ies.”

6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth chased Denny Hamlin down the stretch at Michigan, but came up short after a last-gasp effort in the final turn. Kenseth spun his tires on the final restart, but got a boost from Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards, but pushed him to clean air. He got close to Hamlin, but lost by .281 seconds. Kenseth improved one spot to sixth in the point standings, and trails Edwards by 41.

“Kudos to NASCAR officials,” Kenseth said. “They did something that I couldn’t—‘catch’ Hamlin. I now know why the Joe Gibbs cars had to go back to their old oil pans—because the new ones were ‘busted.’ In any case, Hamlin applauded me for my efforts with the same words NASCAR uttered to the Gibbs team—‘nice try.’”

7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the race out of the pits during the final caution at Michigan, and repelled the advances of Matt Kenseth over the final laps. Hamlin’s narrow victory was his first of the season, and quite fulfilling in the wake of recent strong runs in which victory eluded him. He jumped three places in the point standings to ninth, and is 77 out of first.

“Due to my slow start this season,” Hamlin said, “many people had written me off as a championship contender. To them, I say the same thing I told NASCAR inspectors last Friday: ‘It was an honest mistake.’ NASCAR’s fined the three JGR crew chiefs $50,000. That’s chump change, and not nearly enough to cause the ‘Great Oil Pan-ic of 2011.’”

8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 11^th at Michigan after earning his third consecutive pole, just missing his fourth-straight top-10 result. He improved one spot in the point standings to seventh, and is now 41 out of first.

“Even with an 11^th-place finish,” Busch said, “I’m still not happy. I’m a habitual complainer. My crew chief Steve Addington will vouch for that. Tums may shut my brother Kyle up, but there’s not a product made that will stop my whining.”

Despite my qualifying efforts, I’m still winless on the year. That, as well as my reputation as the most-punched driver in NASCAR, indicates that I’m unable to finish what I ‘started.’”

9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished sixth in the Heleva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400, posting his seventh top-10 finish of the year. Newman is now eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 76.

“Amid all the fighting, probations, and unapproved car parts,” Newman said, “I’ve quietly ascended to No. 8 in the point standings. Just like my fine for punching a fellow driver, you could say I’m flying under the radar.”

10. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was running seventh when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hit the wall, bringing out the race’s final caution at Michigan. Gordon opted for four tires, which set him back to 15^th for the restart. He lost two positions in the remaining five laps and finished 17^th.

“Obviously, two tires was the right call,” Gordon said. “We just made the ‘right’ call twice. And, as the saying goes, two ‘rights’ make a wrong.”

June 22, 2011
Surprising and Not Surprising: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

From oil pan issues for the cars of Joe Gibbs Racing to the end of probation for driver rivals Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, the Irish hills of Michigan once again saw plenty of action for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

[media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”265″][/media-credit]Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 43^rd annual Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Surprising: It was surprising that Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota, did not win last weekend at Pocono Raceway, a place that he had ‘owned’ for so many races in the past. But it was also surprising the Hamlin, who has been battling engine failures and other bad luck so mightily this season, finally put that behind him and took the checkered flag.

This was Hamlin’s first win of the 2011 season, although he has had six top-10 finishes to date. His previous win was sixteen races ago when Hamlin was the victor at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2010.

“We finished,” Hamlin said. “We got it done. It’s a big Father’s Day.”

Not Surprising: Since it was Michigan, Jack Roush’s backyard and Ford’s playground, it was not at all surprising that two drivers from that racing stable did well, scoring top five finishes.

Matt Kenseth, behind the wheel of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, driving as hard as his car would go while not wrecking on the final lap, finished in the runner up spot. His RFR teammate Carl Edwards, piloting the No. 99 Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ Ford and winner of the Nationwide race the day before, finished fifth.

This was Kenseth’s 15^th top-10 finish in 24 races at Michigan International Speedway. This was also Kenseth’s eighth top-10 finish in 2011.

“We had a really fast car and thought we were going to have a chance to win,” Kenseth said. “I got back to Denny (Hamlin), but I could not get back around him. I tried everything I could, but I just could not figure out how to do it.”

For Edwards’ part, he just really wanted to win the Cup race, vowing to head all the way to the top of the grandstands just as he had in the Nationwide race, if he did. While he scored fifth instead of first, Edwards did extend his Chase points lead to 20 points over second place.

Surprising: Continuing with the Carl Edwards theme, it was most surprising to see the driver, who is usually most professional and an excellent spokesperson for the sport, call NASCAR out after the race.

“Track position is so important,” Edwards said. “Sadly, down force is such a big factor in these cars and I am really hoping that NASCAR will take the opportunity in 2013 to take down force away so the fans can see the guys race race cars and not race down force. That would be cool.”

Not Surprising: Neither oil pan troubles nor physical ailments could stop Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Snickers Toyota, from his appointed rounds. After complaining of nausea and pain in the center of his chest, Busch drove forward from his 24^th place starting spot to finish third.

“He just had a little stomach ache,” Dave Rogers, crew chief, said. “We gave him some Tums in a bottle of water and it took care of it.”

Busch’s crew did have Scott Riggs standing by if needed, but when Busch was leading at the half-way mark of the race, there was no way he was ever going to get out of his car, not matter how poorly he felt.

“Kyle is pretty dedicated to this race team,” Rogers said. “He’s a pretty tough kid so I didn’t think he would get out.”

“I didn’t feel that bad,” Busch said. “It felt like I was running a 400 mile marathon running on my feet instead of in a race car.”

Although Busch has never won at Michigan International Speedway, this was his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races in the Irish hills. Busch’s third place finish mirrored his third place finish the previous week in the Pocono race.

“It wasn’t going to be a great day but we turned it into a good one,” Busch said. “Overall I’m happy with today; happy with the finish. If you finish third in the last 10 races every single race, you might win this thing, so we’ll take it.”

Surprising: The primarily poor performance of the Hendrick Motorsports team was fairly surprising. Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson spun on lap 8, bringing out the first caution of the race.

Johnson, driving the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, finished 27^th and lost the second spot in the Chase standings, falling to the fifth position.

Johnson’s teammate, four-time champion and winner of last weekend’s race, Jeff Gordon, also did not fare very well in the Irish hills. Gordon, this week driving the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, started 31^st and finished 17^th, falling one spot in the points to the 12^th and final potential Chase spot.

What was most surprising, however, were the harsh words HMS driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had for his teammate Mark Martin. The driver of the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet made perfectly clear that he was not happy with being squeezed into the wall by the driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

“He just come on up and drove us into the fence,” Junior said of his teammate Martin. “He ran us flat in the wall.”

“I think we will get it sorted out,” Martin said in rebuttal. “I made a mistake.”

Dale Jr. finished 21^st, his first finish out of the top-10 this season. Junior was, however, able to hold on to his third place in the points standings.

Mark Martin actually finished top-10, the best of all of the Hendrick Motorsports cars. He climbed one position in the points to 14^th, just 20 points behind his teammate Jeff Gordon in the last Chase position.

Not Surprising: The majority of the Richard Childress Racing entries had a very good day at Michigan. Paul Menard, who has been struggling of late, had a terrific run, bringing his No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet home in the fourth position.

Clint Bowyer also had a good day in the Irish hills. The No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet finished in the eighth spot.

Finally, ‘the Closer’ Kevin Harvick overcame adversity and a brush with the wall to finish 14^th in his No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet. Harvick leapfrogged over Dale Junior to lay claim to the second spot in the point standings.

Surprising: One of the best surprises of the day was the terrific run by young Landon Cassill, piloting the No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. Cassill finished 12^th, the best finish ever in his Cup career, tying the best finish for Phoenix Racing this season.

“That was a great day all around,” Cassill said. “We lost some track position early but fought back all day. We had a good break at the end.”

Not Surprising: With Hall of Fame inductee Bud Moore on his race car in celebration of the US Army’s 236^th Birthday, Ryan Newman had an ‘Army Strong’ day, finishing sixth.

“It was a good finish for us,” Newman said. “We fought back hard.”

Newman’s teammate and owner Tony Stewart also had a favorable race result. The driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 in seventh.

June 20, 2011
Kyle Busch: Not New, Not Old, Just Distracted

At the beginning of the season, all the talk was about the new Kyle Busch, the driver who was more mature, calculated on the track, and more accessible off the track even after a bad run.

[media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]This was in stark contrast to the driver who previously would take any chance on the track to win, no matter who got in the way, and sometimes sulked, making a quick exit if things did not go his way.

Currently, however, Kyle Busch is neither old nor new. The driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing is just plain distracted.

The major distractions for Busch started on May 7^th when he and Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, got into it at the Darlington Showtime Southern 500.

After issues on the track, Harvick and Busch headed for trouble on pit road, with Harvick reaching into Busch’s car for some action and Busch driving away, pushing Harvick’s car into the pit road retaining wall.

“I knew that wasn’t going to be a good situation when I saw him getting out of his car,” Busch said. “My choices were limited.”

“I was either going to get punched in the face or just drive through his car,” Busch continued. “I made a judgment call there and it wasn’t one of the best choices that I had.”

As a result of their altercation, NASCAR penalized both drivers for actions detrimental to stock car racing. They were both fined $25,000 each and put on probation for four races.

But the distractions for Kyle Busch continued shortly thereafter, with the 26 year old driver being pulled over for speeding, going 128 mph in a 4 mph zone in Iredell County, North Carolina. Busch was ticketed for reckless driving and speeding on May 24^th.

“I’m certainly sorry that it happened,” Busch said. “It was a lack of judgment and all I can do is apologize to the public, my friends, my fans, my sponsors and everybody and look at this experience as a learning experience and move forward.”

“It’s certainly challenging sometimes, with things you have to think about, and, of course, actions that you may cause yourself,” Busch continued. “Thankfully, I’ve got some good people around me that can help me through these experiences.”

Busch’s next distraction, however, was right around the corner when he learned that not all the people surrounding him, particularly in the NASCAR garage, were in his corner.

After the Camping World Truck Series race in Kansas on June 4^th, Kyle Busch tapped into another driver Joey Coulter, who just happened to be fielded out of the Richard Childress Racing stables.

Apparently that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back and the fight was on, with Childress reportedly placing Busch in a headlock in the garage area and striking him several times.

“I don’t know that I did anything out of the ordinary that would provoke something of Mr. Childress,” Busch said after the incident. “I’m going to leave it up to NASCAR and let them decide what they feel is best.”

In this case, NASCAR acted quickly, attempting to limit the distraction for Busch and finding him in no violation of his probation. Childress, however, was fined $150,000 and placed on probation for the rest of the season.

Most recently, Busch’s distractions have continued, now with two major issues related to his car. The No. 18 M&Ms Toyota failed post-race inspection at Pocono on June 12th, with his third-place finishing car deemed too low.

NASCAR again took swift action, docked the driver six points and Busch’s crew chief Dave Rogers being fined for $25,000.

“Yea, we’ve talked a little bit this week and they found out what the problems were,” Busch said. “It was in the front springs so we’ll see if we can’t get with the manufacturer and figure out how we can make heat not be an issue.”

“It doesn’t matter whether you feel like the punishment fit the crime,” Busch continued. “It was something that we had wrong and we did not fit the rules after the race.”

“Joe Gibbs Racing issued a statement earlier this week that we accept the penalty and we’ll move forward.”

Yet the distractions for Kyle Busch, particularly with his race car, have continued right into this weekend’s racing at Michigan.

Prior to the first practice at Michigan International Speedway, NASCAR announced that they had confiscated the oil pan on Busch’s car, along with the oil pans on the cars of his JGR teammates, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin.

NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp advised that the oil pans were not approved by NASCAR and they would have to be changed prior to practice or their times would not be considered when determining the qualifying order.

Busch and his teammates have complied, however, the distraction of having yet another penalty handed down next week after the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 race and weekend are completed, hangs over his head yet again.

There is at least one piece of good news in the distraction department for Kyle Busch. His probation period from the Kevin Harvick incident has expired and he is out from under that obligation at present in Michigan.

For Busch, however, he seemed to deem it no distraction at all.

“It didn’t matter being on it or being off it,” Busch said. “I try to race the best I can each and every week as hard as I can and as clean as I can.”

June 18, 2011
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards: Edwards dropped a valve 58 laps in to the 5-Hour Energy 500, ending the day early for the No. 99 Kellogg’s/Cheez-It Ford. He finished 37^th, by far his worst finish of the year, but remained in front of the point standings lead, six ahead of Jimmie Johnson.

“I started with eight cylinders,” Edwards said. “Then there were seven. And that led to six, points, that is, in my lead in the Sprint Cup standings. And look who’s behind me. Jimmie Johnson, winner of five Cup championships. He finished fourth on Sunday. I was running third when my valve broke. Johnson is at number two in the standings. I guess that makes him the one to beat.

“You may have seen me in the TNT booth after my engine blew, and it’s clear I’m a natural at broadcasting. Whether behind the wheel or in front of a monitor, I’ve got no problem with ‘exposure,’ which is obviously the case when I’m ‘showing my parts’ on national television.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished a strong fourth at Pocono, posting his fourth top-5 result of the year and taking a chunk out of Carl Edwards points lead. Johnson entered the race 40 behind Edwards; he now trails by only six as the series heads to Michigan.

“As NASCAR’s five time defending champion,” Johnson said, “and arguably the sport’s best driver, I often wonder if I can get any bigger. Well, the answer is ‘yes,’ in Edwards’ rear-view mirror.

“I like my position. I’ve got a rival blowing an engine, and rival’s car owner blowing a gasket. Heck, when the Sprint Cup points leader is in the broadcast booth yucking it up with the TNT crew during the race, I can only consider that a good thing for me and every other driver trailing him. Edwards is a ‘show off.’ He put on a ‘show’ off the track. While it may be good for his broadcast aspirations, as a contender for the Cup, he’s all ‘talk.’”

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt scored his fourth-straight top-10 finish of the year, posting a sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono, rounding out a trifecta of Hendrick Motorsports cars in the top 10. Jeff Gordon took first, while Jimmie Johnson finished fourth. Earnhardt improved one spot in the point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 10.

“Had the No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet won the 5-Hour Energy 500,” Earnhardt said, “there would have been a huge conflict of interest in victory lane. Amp Energy Drink is the industry leader among energy drinks. They play second to no one. I wish I could say the same.

“If we keep running this consistently, the wins will come. 107 races is a long spell to go without a victory, and if I fail to win at Michigan, I’ll then be fighting a three-year victory drought. That’s when Junior Nation becomes ‘Junior Stag-Nation.”

4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick toyed early with RCR nemesis Kyle Busch, drawing a warning from NASCAR, but otherwise took care of business at Pocono, finishing fifth. Harvick held on the fourth in the point standings, and now trails Carl Edwards, who finished 37^th, by 11.

“I did indeed try to force Busch down the track on the long straightaway,” Harvick admitted. “I figured Kyle needed a good ‘straight left’ after Richard Childress delivered a ‘straight right’ last week. Of course, Kyle did nothing about it. We’ve all heard of Morgan Freeman ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ around Atlanta. Now you’ve heard of Kevin Harvick ‘Driving Mr. Pansy’ down the track.”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished third at Pocono, following big brother Kurt, who finished second, across the finish line. But that was where the good news ended. Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M Toyota failed a post-race inspection, which found his front end too low. NASCAR penalized Busch six championship driver points, while Joe Gibbs lost six owner points, and crew chief Dave Rogers was fined $25,000.

“That’s just great,” Busch said. “One week, I’m decked by Richard Childress. The next, I’m docked by NASCAR. It appears I got ‘served’ by both. According to NASCAR, the left front of the vehicle was 1/16 inch too low, which is outside the tolerance. I’m not surprised, because I’m rarely inside anyone’s tolerance.

“Harvick certainly puts the ‘ass’ in ‘harass.’ He just doesn’t know when to stop. He certainly doesn’t need to fight Richard Childress’ fights for him. Childress can take care of himself just as well as he took care of me. But I have to thank Harvick for teaching me a valuable lesson—that I’m the bigger man.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch won his second straight pole, topping the charts in Saturday qualifying for the 5-Hour Energy 500. Busch led 37 laps on Sunday, but couldn’t get near Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 down the stretch, and settled for the runner-up spot, his best finish of the year.

“It would have been more fitting,” Busch said, “had Kyle finished second and I finished third. That way, I could have said, for once, that I had Kyle’s back.”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home eighth at Pocono, earning his seventh top-10 of the year and fourth in the last five races. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 44.

“Don’t let Carl Edwards’ broadcast persona fool you,” Kenseth said. “Television-friendly is where the friendly stops.

“As you may know, my car was sponsored in part this week by Affliction Clothing, apparel favored by several mixed martial arts fighters and those who emulate them. It’s quite on odd pairing, since I probably rank somewhere between Kyle Busch and a sleeping kitten on the toughness scale. Affliction and I have a unique relationship unlike any other between a sponsor and driver: I’m forbidden to wear the product.”

8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took charge over the final 50 laps at Pocono, pulling away for his second win this year and 84^th career triumph, which tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on the all-time list. Gordon jumped two spots in the point standings to 11^th, 81 out of first.

“With the new wildcard berths,” Gordon said, “two wins all but guarantees a spot in the Chase For The Cup. Let this be a warning to everyone: I think this win is a clear indication that a fifth Sprint Cup is not out of the question. That may not have been the case in 2010. Last year, when I vowed to ‘go for 5,’ many assumed I was declaring my allegiance to Jimmie Johnson’s quest for his fifth Cup title.”

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 76 of the first 101 laps in the 5-Hour Energy 500, but a flat tire on lap 161 ended his dominance and left him scrambling to make up ground over the final 39 laps. He remained on the lead lap and finished 19^th, ending a run of three straight top 10’s. Hamlin dropped one spot in the point standings to 12^th, 84 out of first.

“The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota had the field covered,” Hamlin said, “until the flat tire ruined my day. But that didn’t stop me from quoting emerging color commentary personality Carl Edwards when I said to my crew, ‘It’s air time!’

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer, who won The Prelude To The Dream last Wednesday, finished 16^th at Pocono, struggling with handling on the two-mile tri-oval. Bowyer did, however, improve one spot to eighth in the point standings, and now is 73 out of first.

“My name may be ‘Clint,’” Bowyer said, “but I am by no means ‘The Enforcer.’ That would be Kevin Harvick, who, like our boss Richard Childress, takes matters into his own hands. Harvick has an uncanny ability to get into any driver’s head. According to Kevin, it’s particularly easy to get into Kyle Busch’s head, because there’s so much room.”

June 15, 2011
Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

Under threatening skies in Long Pond, PA and after the ARCA race was called for fog the previous day, the Cup Series took the green flag for one of the longer races of the season.

Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Surprising: One of the most surprised at Pocono Raceway was the driver in Victory Lane celebrating his 84^th career win, tying the record for third on the all-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series win list, along with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

Race winner Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, also tied NASCAR Champ Bill Elliott for the most series wins at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

“It’s so amazing because I was so excited about the win and the hard work that Alan (Gustafson) and his guys have been putting into our speedway program or whatever we call these kinds of race tracks, because we struggled on them and I was just so excited to get that win and see what we’ve been working on,” Gordon said.

“So, today to see it all come together, I was so caught up in that,” Gordon continued. “Plus my family was here to celebrate it.”

“I didn’t even think about 84 until they reminded me when I went to do the Speed Channel show Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “And I was like, oh yeah, that’s unbelievable.”

“I really can’t even express in words what it means because I never thought it would happen for me or for anybody.”

Not Surprising: As expected, he new ability to shift, fuel issues, and problems in the pits all played significant roles in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probably most affected was Carl Edwards, the Series point’s leader, who experienced a valve problem that almost caused him to have an engine failure, however, other drivers struggled as well.

While Edwards was able to turn a lap towards the end of the race, the driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford, finished 37^th, narrowly maintaining his points lead over Jimmie Johnson by six points.

Another driver Tony Stewart complained bitterly throughout the race about the new-found ability to shift. The driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet finished 21^st.

“I just want to thank NASCAR for having us shift about 100 times today,” Stewart said bitterly after losing third gear. “We could have had a good day.”

Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had fuel issues early in the race, which relegated him to an earlier pit stop strategy than the rest of the field. Harvick was able to redeem himself, however, and finished top-five.

“It was a total team effort to get our Okuma Chevy up there,” Harvick said. “It was a good solid day for us.”

The driver most bit by problems in the pits was Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers received a speeding penalty and then to make matters worse, sped again as he was serving his penalty. Vickers finished 22^nd.

Surprising: Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, technically finished third, he along with his crew chief Dave Rogers, were surprised during the post-race inspection when their car officially failed.

“It’s a huge surprise,” Rogers said. “I didn’t present anything to tech that hasn’t been through tech before, several times.”

“The car was 1/16^th low at the end,” Rogers continued. “NASCAR gives you a range to be in and they give us a yellow range and we exceeded the yellow. We were 1/16^th in the red so we were wrong.”

“We have to go back to the shop and figure out why.”

Not Surprising: Kyle’s big brother Kurt, who scored the pole position in his back up No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger, finished in the runner up position to race winner Gordon.

“It was a great run,” Busch said. “The old boy Jeff Gordon had it in him today. We ran him strong, we ran him hard.”

“We were excited with the finish.”

Surprising: It was most surprising to see young gun Landon Cassill, behind the wheel of his No. 41 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Chevrolet, lead a few laps towards the end of the race.

“We were just trying a little pit strategy to see if we could catch a caution or something,” Cassill said. “It’s cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

Not Surprising: At least two of Jeff Gordon’s other teammates were pretty happy with their run at Pocono Raceway. Old ‘Five Time’ Jimmie Johnson, piloting the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, finished fourth and NASCAR’S most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, finished sixth.

“It was a great day,” Johnson said. “Our engine package held up today with the abuse we gave it.”

“I’m real happy with where I finished,” Dale Jr. said. “The car was pretty good. I was good with the shifting.”

Surprising: Yes indeed, most surprising was the fact that Denny Hamlin, who has mastered the ‘Tricky Triangle’ so often, did not win the race. In fact, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry finished an uncharacteristic 19^th.

“We were just coasting there at the beginning and just nothing went really right,” Hamlin said. “We struggled a little bit on pit road, we got a little bit tighter, I felt like the front bump rubbers just gave up, and then when we left pit road, we had a flat tire.”

“When we did that, it sheared the tire and wrapped it around the housing and broke the brake lines so I had no brakes,” Hamlin continued. “It was just a slew of problems there at the end.”

Not Surprising: To no one’s surprise, newly named crew chief Chad Johnston encouraged his driver, Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, to a top-10 finish.

“That was a hard fought 10^th,” Truex, Jr. said. “Chad did a good job of keeping me calm. We were just missing a little and I hope we can find it soon because we’ll have some fun if we do.”

June 13, 2011
What Went Down In The 5 Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway

[media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]On a day where one Jacques Debris reigned supreme, Jeff Gordon was able to win the 5 Hour Energy 500 at the Pocono Raceway. It was Gordon’s 84th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, which places him in a tie on the all time wins list with Hall Fame inductee, Bobby Allison, and 2012 class nominee, Darrell Waltrip. It was the second win of the 2011 season for Gordon which just about guarantees him a wild card spot in the chase.

Denny Hamlin once again looked as though he was going to make the Pocono Raceway his personal playground early on in the race. That all came to an end after the 11 team suffered a flat tire coming off of pit road. Denny was able to nurse the car back to the pits without doing too much damage to his race car. His day was a different story however. Denny was never able to recover from the flat as he then lost his brakes and finished the day in the 19th position. The day wasn’t a total lose though, Denny now moves into the 12th spot in the point standings, which currently qualifies him for the elusive wild card birth.

For the second straight week, both of the Penske entries were solid. Kurt Busch started on the pole for the second consecutive week and ran strong in his Pennzoil Dodge. Kurt finished in the second position after running up front and leading laps throughout the day. His teammate however, wasn’t as lucky. Brad Keselowski’s day started out well. For a moment, he had his blue deuce just outside of the top ten. The team then had to make an extra pit stop for a vibration thought to be caused by a loose wheel. That was not the case. The problems wound up being much more severe for last weeks winner as he was forced to limp the car around for the remainder of the race and finish in the 23rd position. It may not sound like a good day, but the team is making improvements every week. Look for both Penske machines to be weekly contenders in the coming weeks.

After how dominant Juan Pablo Montoya has been at Indianapolis, it was only a matter of time before he got his arms around the Pocono Raceway. Montoya ran most of the race in the top 5 and at one point had a lead that wasn’t even worth Denny Hamlin chasing down. The Target team made some interesting calls by taking two tires on numerous pit stops which left a lot of people scratching their heads. When the black flag with white squares flew, Montoya was in the seventh position. It’s only a matter of time before Juan picks up a win on an oval.

Two drivers that you rarely see run well at Pocono did just that on Sunday. Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is just the run these drivers needed as they further their case as championship contenders. By running good at a “weak track”, they and their team prove that they are “in it to win it”. Look for this to be the case from not only them, but all of our title contenders this season.

Speaking of Harvick, he and Kyle Busch come of their probation next weekend in Michigan. But in the beginning of the race, they sure didn’t race like it. Harvick was seen running Busch down to the water on the front stretch and beating on his bumper. Harvick said after the race, “He’s got one comin’”. “It says a lot about his character” said Busch when asked about Harvick. I know all you fans, including myself, can not wait to see what transpires between the two in the coming weeks.

With Pocono now in the books, the eyes of the NASCAR world look towards the Irish Hills of Michigan. Will we see the fuel mileage battle that is so common at MIS and lately in NASCAR? Will the Harvick and Busch fued resume? All these questions and more will be answered next Sunday.

Next Race- Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400
Sunday on TNT at 12pm EST. MRN Radio

June 13, 2011

Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

[media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, sporting the familiar No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet colors, scored his second win of the 2011 season, moving ever closer to Chase contention. This is Gordon’s fifth top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth victory in 37 races at Pocono Raceway.

Gordon also reached another significant milestone with his win in the 5-Hour Energy 500. The victory ties Gordon with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list.

“It certainly helps us,” Gordon said of his Chase chances. “Our focus has to be the same all the time, try to win races, to lock ourselves in.”

“I’m just more excited about the momentum coming toward us,” Gordon continued. “The things that we believe in are starting to come true.”

“You question that at times,” Gordon said. “Days like today show how serious we are. At this point in the season, to get our program turned around, the timing couldn’t be better and hopefully we can keep that going.”

“This is a tough place to win.”

Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not agree more with his driver.

“There are a lot of things at a track like this that are so difficult,” Gustafson said. “We were a little nervous. To win in this sport, you have to have everything on the edge.”

The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, gave Gordon a run for his money, scoring second and third respectively. Kurt Busch posted his 11^th top-10 finish in 21 races and Kyle Busch posted his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

“It was a great, hard fought battle for us on the No. 22 car today,” pole sitter and second place finisher Kurt Busch. “It was a nice, steady run and we were able to have smooth pit stops and we had a great handling car.”

“It was a great genuine day for our team to run in the top five all day,” Busch continued. “It’s pleasing to see that result.”

“I was giving it all I had and I just couldn’t quite close the gap.”

Busch admitted that there were many things to balance in the race, especially as he engaged in the heated battle with race winner Gordon.

“It was an interesting day with shifting,” Busch said. “We shifted quite a bit today and had to keep track of the temperatures and the revs on the engine and fuel mileage as well. There was a lot to balance inside the car today.”

Baby brother Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, was also pleased with his third place finish.

“For us, we had a long way to come from since we started deep in the field,” Busch said. “We worked our way towards the front steadily and methodically for most of the race.”

“We had good pit stops all day and the guys did a good job giving me the right adjustments,” Busch continued. “The restarts played in our favor and we passed a few cars there. That last restart is where we got most of our track position.”

“Kurt was so much faster than I was that last run of the race that it wasn’t going to do me much to hold him up,” Busch said “So, I tried to let him go and see if he couldn’t catch the 24 and make a race out of it.”

“We just tried to bring home a solid third.”

Unfortunately, Kyle Busch’s car failed post-race inspection due to a height issue, too high on the left. “Being a parent, it means more to experience that with them,” Gordon said of having daughter Ella in Victory Lane. His car is being transported back to NASCAR’s R&D center for a more-in-depth look.

In contrast to Gordon and the Busch boys, the point’s leader coming into the race, Carl Edwards had a miserable day. The driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford finished 37^th after he broke a valve in the engine.

Even with that bad finish, Edwards did, however, maintain the points lead with the narrowest of margins. He is now just six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who finished the race in the fourth spot.

In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Edwards joined the broadcast booth to provide commentary while his team worked furiously on his car in the garage. He was able to turn one last lap to avoid the DNF.

“I was very careful not to overdrive,” Edwards said. “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost.”

Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had an eventful day but still managed to finish fifth in the 5-Hour Energy 500. Harvick survived problems early when his crew did not get all the fuel in and he then got off the sequence of pit stops.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, piloting the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Affliction Clothing Live Fast Ford, Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the of the Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex, Jr., in his No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, rounded out the top ten.

Unofficial Race Results
5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
=========================================
Pos.		No.	Driver	Make	Points
=========================================
1	3	24	Jeff Gordon	Chevrolet	47
2	1	22	Kurt Busch	Dodge	43
3	34	18	Kyle Busch	Toyota	42
4	14	48	Jimmie Johnson	Chevrolet	41
5	32	29	Kevin Harvick	Chevrolet	39
6	21	88	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	Chevrolet	38
7	16	42	Juan Montoya	Chevrolet	38
8	27	17	Matt Kenseth	Ford	36
9	8	39	Ryan Newman	Chevrolet	35
10	31	56	Martin Truex Jr.	Toyota	34
11	19	20	Joey Logano	Toyota	33
12	17	4	Kasey Kahne	Toyota	32
13	9	0	David Reutimann	Toyota	31
14	2	27	Paul Menard	Chevrolet	30
15	5	78	Regan Smith	Chevrolet	29
16	12	33	Clint Bowyer	Chevrolet	28
17	11	6	David Ragan	Ford	27
18	10	5	Mark Martin	Chevrolet	26
19	4	11	Denny Hamlin	Toyota	27
20	33	31	Jeff Burton	Chevrolet	24
21	15	14	Tony Stewart	Chevrolet	24
22	23	83	Brian Vickers	Toyota	22
23	20	2	Brad Keselowski	Dodge	21
24	25	51	Landon Cassill	Chevrolet	0
25	28	43	A.J. Allmendinger	Ford	19
26	40	36	Dave Blaney	Chevrolet	18
27	37	16	Greg Biffle	Ford	17
28	18	47	Bobby Labonte	Toyota	16
29	30	34	David Gilliland	Ford	15
30	35	13	Casey Mears	Toyota	14
31	41	32	Mike Bliss	Ford	0
32	24	71	Andy Lally *	Ford	12
33	13	1	Jamie McMurray	Chevrolet	11
34	7	9	Marcos Ambrose	Ford	10
35	26	38	Sam Hornish Jr.	Ford	0
36	38	37	Tony Raines	Ford	8
37	6	99	Carl Edwards	Ford	7
38	42	7	Scott Wimmer	Dodge	0
39	43	150	T.J. Bell *	Toyota	0
40	29	87	Joe Nemechek	Toyota	0
41	36	66	Michael McDowell	Toyota	4
42	22	46	J.J. Yeley	Chevrolet	2
43	39	181	Scott Riggs	Chevrolet	0

June 12, 2011

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards: Edwards posted his series-best tenth top-10 result of the year, placing fifth in the STP 400 at Kansas. He increased his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Jimmie Johnson by 40.

“As temperatures rose,” Edwards said, “the track conditions changed, and we weren’t able to stay on top of those. But, I’ll never complain about finishing fifth, unless it’s in a fight between me, the two Busch brothers, and two girls.

“I consider myself an expert on physical confrontations. But never in a thousand years could I have foreseen a car owner assaulting a driver. Normally, Richard Childress is very calm and level-headed. I’m not sure how that team will respond without the brains of the operation. It seems that RCR has lost its ‘mind.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 11^th at Kansas, Richard Childress Racing’s top finisher, just missing his eighth top-10 finish of the year. Harvick fell two spots in the point standings to fourth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 43.

“Like a lot of cars,” Harvick said, “we had handling issues. That’s quite different than the problem Kyle Busch experienced. That was a case of man-handling issues. Richard Childress kicked it old school. And by ‘it,’ I mean Busch’s tail.

“RCR, drivers and owners alike, have declared war on Kyle Busch. It’s a team effort. I got inside Busch’s head; Richard Childress went upside it.”

3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished second at Kansas, coming up short in a fuel-mileage race for the second straight week. This time, though, Earnhardt’s No. 88 Amp Chevy had the fuel to finish, but so did race winner Brad Keselowski, who held off Earnhardt over the final nine laps. Earnhardt moved up one spot in the point standings to third, trailing Carl Edwards by 41.

“Keselowski made the most of his last stop for fuel,” Earnhardt said. “I knew we had the gas to finish, so all I could do while trailing the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge was hope for ‘less filling.’ Unfortunately, it didn’t work out. I’m tempted to say ‘You win some, you lose some,’ but only half of that statement would be true.

“To my fans, I can only say ‘Hang it there.’ Junior Nation is experiencing pain at the pump. I strongly advise them to have a taste of a hot new product, Amp Energy Shot, fortified with a blast of penicillin. Hey, you know what they say: ‘What happens in the infield stays, period.’ In the meantime, we’ll keep working hard to unlock the secret to winning, as well as the secret to determining the No. 88 car’s exact mileage.”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started 31^st at Kansas and battled a loose race car for much of the race on Kansas Speedway’s slick surface. Timely adjustments enabled Johnson to battle near the front late in the race, but a late pit stop for fuel set him back before he charged to a finish of seventh. He moved up one spot in the point standings to second and trails Carl Edwards by 40.

“We had the car to win,” Johnson said, “but gas mileage bit us in the end. This week, we lost time because we had to top off the fuel tank. Last week in Charlotte, we lost time because we ‘topped off’ the car with an adjustment wrench.

“I’m appalled by the Richard Childress-Kyle Busch fiasco. And I think any other driver would feel the same if Chad Knaus attacked a rival driver. Was it a case of ‘butt heads’ or ‘buttheads?’ This kind of thing is certainly not what NASCAR needs, unless they want people to watch. Incidentally, Jerry Springer would make a great Grand Marshall.”

5. Kyle Busch: A day after a heated altercation with Richard Childress, Busch finished 12^th in the STP 400 on Sunday. Busch remained fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Carl Edwards by 60.

“What did NASCAR almost say to Childress after he slugged me on Saturday?” Busch said. “’You’re not in Kansas anymore.’ Alas, Childress was allowed to hang around at the track, where he faced a slightly more enjoyable form of assault: being ‘slapped’ on the back in congratulations.

“Realistically, I should be first in the point standings, because everybody is after me. Childress’ aggression put me in a no-win situation, which happens to always be the situation when a Busch brother fights. If I fight back, I’ll be accused of beating up a senior citizen. If I don’t fight back, I’m a wimp. I either save face or lose face. That’s why, when faced with a physical confrontations, I always do an about face, and turn the other cheek.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch started from the pole and led 152 of 267 laps, but had to settle for a ninth-place finish after surrendering the lead to pit for fuel with ten laps to go. It was Busch’s second-straight top-10 finish, and he maintained sixth in the point standings, 71 out of first.

“With better fuel mileage,” Busch said, “we could have won the race. I think it’s easy for people to listen to my radio communication and tell how the race is going. In Kansas, the further my fuel gauge strayed from ‘F,’ the closer my language veered to ‘F.’

“I think Richard Childress should have shown a little more restraint. I know that’s hard when dealing with a Busch brother, but Childress should look to Roger Penske for inspiration. Roger’s wanted to punch me for years now, but hasn’t.”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth at Kansas, earning his sixth top-10 result of the season. He held on to the seventh spot in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Carl Edwards by 73.

“If you asked fans to recall their favorite articles involving drivers being bullied,” Kenseth said, “you can be sure my name would appear in a number of the ‘submissions.’”

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin posted his fourth-straight top-10 finish, and fifth in the last six races, with a third in the STP 400 at Kansas. He improved one place in the point standings to 11^th, 104 out of first, as he continues his gradual climb in the points after a dismal start to the season.

“I dug myself a hole with my early-season performance,” Hamlin said. “But I can’t beat myself up over that. And I sure won’t let Richard Childress do it either. Look at that. I just took a ‘jab’ at Kyle Busch. But who hasn’t?

“Anyway, despite my slow start to the season, I would be a coward if I didn’t choose to fight back. Another jab at Kyle Busch. Kyle’s usually got an answer for everything, except punches.”

9. Tony Stewart: Stewart led twice for 20 laps at Kansas, and was in contention for the win before a late stop for fuel relegated him to an eighth-place finish. The No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 team had trouble filling the tank during a pit stop on lap 212, which necessitated an additional stop. Stewart improved one spot in the point standings to eighth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 92.

“By golly,” Stewart said, “I’m a NASCAR driver. I expect ‘full’ service when I bring my car to the pits.

“As for the Richard Childress-Kyle Busch incident, I warned years ago that NASCAR was descending into a WWE-like atmosphere. It looks like it’s come full circle. We’ve got back flips, championship belts, and owners involved in fights. Vince McMahon would be proud. What’s next? Overpriced pay-per-view offerings for events few people care about?”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 18^th in the STP 400, one lap down to the leaders after a race filled with handling issues. More notably, Bowyer won Saturday’s Camping World Truck series O’Reilly Auto Parts 250, a win that was soon overshadowed by the confrontation between Richard Childress and Kyle Busch.

“NASCAR came down hard on Richard Childress,” Bowyer said. “He’s on probation until the end of the year, and he was fined $150,000. You can either call him ‘$150,000 Richard’ or ‘$150,000 Poorer.’”

June 7, 2011
NASCAR Issues Probation and Financial Punch to Richard Childress

[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]
Permanent Press
NASCAR announced season long probation and a fine of $150,000 against Sprint Cup team owner Richard Childress for an altercation involving Kyle Busch Saturday night at Kansas Speedway.

It was reported that Childress grabbed Kyle Busch, administered a headlock and punched him several times about the face. The attack took place in the garage after Saturday’s Camping World Series Truck race.

Shortly after publishing its findings, NASCAR released a statement.

“The penalty we have announced today for Richard Childress reflects NASCAR’s response to the incident at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. We feel this action is appropriate and are confident all parties involved understand our position on this matter and will move forward appropriately.”

Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

Busch, already on probation for incidents at Darlington Raceway, was cleared of any wrong doing in the most recent altercation.

Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, also released a statement about the altercation.

“First of all, I’m responsible for my actions, plain and simple. As you know, I am a very principled person and have a passion for what we do at Richard Childress Racing. I believe passionately in defending my race teams and my sponsor partners.”

“In this instance, I let that passion and my emotions get the best of me. I accept the penalty NASCAR announced today and, as a company, we will now focus on this week’s races at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.”

Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

June 6, 2011