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  • The Final Word – Indianapolis proved to be more a brick than a crown jewel for much of Monday

    The Final Word – Indianapolis proved to be more a brick than a crown jewel for much of Monday

    Storylines, we had a few going into the Indianapolis Brickyard 400. We wondered if the crown jewel race on the historical track would be worth watching. Sometimes it has not been. However, now that NBC has brought back meaningful commentary to the experience, we had high hopes. Hell, despite it being obvious no one was going to be racing for a while, I was glued to the television just to hear what everyone had to say. The network that once brought us Rusty Wallace now presents Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, and Steve Letarte. Now, that is the true meaning of being progressive, as Lord knows progress has finally been made.

    Yet, the big story was the start of the race. When would that be? The wet cold rainy weather punted both practice and qualifying, thus nobody would have any laps in their car when the green waved. None. Zip. That had never happened before in NASCAR’s modern era. I mean, with defending race champ Kasey Kahne out of the car due to the after-effects from heat exhaustion in the Southern 500, Regan Smith was in a Cup car for the first time in 17 months. No practice, no laps, nothing before he takes the green flag on a green track known for grinding tires down to the nub.

    Obviously, we also wondered if someone below NASCAR’s dividing line between contenders and pretenders might shock us all with a win. Someone who might actually put Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman in jeopardy of losing their spot in the season-ending party. Winning this particular race is a big deal. Winning it to steal a spot in the Chase would have been huge.

    Sunday came and went, but when they waved the green on Monday we discovered tire wear and lack of practice was no big deal. The cars stuck and when Denny Hamlin ignored the competition caution after 10 laps, he went to the front and stayed there. So much for those storylines.

    So much for the Sunday fans as many, if not most, were nowhere to be seen in the stands come Monday. Maybe they knew that being there was not as good as watching it all from home. As for the racing, the boys were stretched all around the track. If you love pack racing, you would have hated Indianapolis. Meanwhile, the NBC boys and girls kept it more than watchable due to the insight of their commentary. See, it all was not bad.

    It was not a good week for Martin Truex Jr. First, we heard that his team is heading for the exits after this season. Then we saw in the middle of the opening stage that same car heading for the exits after shattering a left front brake rotor. When it rains it pours, at least it did at Indianapolis.

    Lost brakes ended all hopes for Bubba Wallace when a failure caused his wreck. Johnson got some relief in the middle frame when A.J. Allmendinger crippled Bowman’s ride. That guaranteed Johnson was in the Chase, but it still meant someone on the outside had to win to beat Bowman out. The odds were not great, especially considering the fact the best of the rest with 60 laps to go was Stage Two winner Matt Kenseth, and he was not even eligible for a playoff run.

    As the laps clicked off, it was down to a pair of drivers. Hamlin was up front, with Clint Bowyer trying to track him down. With seven to go, Jeffrey Earnhardt and Landon Cassill came together to bring out the caution. That set the stage for those two boys left hoping to hold off Brad Keselowski, with his fresher tires, sitting a row behind them. He was sitting beside Jamie McMurray, who is in final campaign in his current ride, needed a win to be in. Same for Ryan Newman, who started right behind him. Finally, this thing was going to get interesting.

    On the restart, Bowyer spun his tires and sank from view. Keselowski came up to challenge Hamlin, and the pair did some beating and banging before Mad Brad took off to collect a second straight crown jewel, coming off of his win last week in the Southern 500. Erik Jones finished third, ahead of Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Bowyer. Three outsiders finished in the top 10, but McMurray, Newman, and Paul Menard came up short of the prize they were after.

    Now it is off to the playoffs. Three drivers go in with a big cushion in playoff points. For the rest, a win would automatically launch them into the next round. The excitement begins next Sunday at Las Vegas, where there is always a story to tell.

  • Hot 20 – The impending demise of Furniture Row Racing overshadows Sunday’s Brickyard 400

    Hot 20 – The impending demise of Furniture Row Racing overshadows Sunday’s Brickyard 400

    I had such high hopes for NASCAR, at least since July. That is when NBC came on board and presented the long sought after broadcast crew that could keep fans glued to the track simply by the strength of their commentary. We have waited years for that to happen, and it is crucial for a sport that has yet to solve some on-track competitive issues and more than a few off it. If the racing is not spellbinding, then the commentary damn well better be if you hope to have anyone watching.

    The broadcast team could not solve the biggest off-track issue. Economics. Long gone are the days when Bob bought or borrowed a car and went racing. It costs big money to build the big cars with the big engines supported by big technology and hauled around by big trucks. Long, long gone. If you are in Denver, Colorado, it might cost a few more ducats to do so. To be competitive, to be the reigning Cup champion, you better believe the dollars are big. Without sponsorship, even a successful company with a successful sibling enterprise to help shore things up, cannot long last. This week, we discovered exactly how long.

    Furniture Row Racing, established in 2005, Cup champions in 2017, will not be around come next season’s Daytona 500. With 5-hour Energy heading to the exits, and with no sugar daddies waiting to take their place, the cash had simply run out. A defending champion who cannot get proper sponsorship. If that is not a wake-up call for the sport, you might as well let them sleep in.

    If nothing else, it should make for a very active silly season. Martin Truex Jr. and pit boss Cole Pearn, according to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and other published reports are bound in tandem for the mothership. Like Erik Jones before him, a move from Furniture Row to Joe Gibbs Racing is being claimed. If those reports are accurate, Daniel Suarez will take his dance to another ballroom, and it probably will result in a step down in his equipment. The really bad news is that one premier ride is disappearing and what, if anything, replaces it will feature a team destined to sit outside the top twenty-five next season. That will not bode well for the sport.

    However, NBC does. Indianapolis might, depending on if the Brickyard 400 has solid rubber to avoid the debacle of 2008. At least the cars are different from the time of that disaster, and I am sure Goodyear has better rubber. I am not sure even this broadcast team could save a race where drivers are pitting every 10 laps to keep their tires from exploding.

    This marks the final chance for those outside the Chase to win themselves in. All Jimmie Johnson has to do is come home 19 positions better than Alex Bowman, though Bowman could eat that up in a hurry by winning both stages. All Bowman needs is do, other than that, is to keep those behind him away from Victory Lane. Not likely one will slip by, but it could happen. There are some other possibilities when you see that past winners include such outsiders as defending race champ Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray. They could yet upset the apple cart. However, I do not have much hope of that happening.

    Did I mention the outstanding broadcast team to take us through all the action on Sunday?

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (1038 Pts)
    With a “regular season” pennant, he should enter the playoffs in the top spot.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 999 Pts)
    He is retiring…from Xfinity racing.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (883 Pts)
    Defending champion now in a lame duck situation.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (777 Pts)
    Hoping some of A.J. Foyt’s No. 14 magic at Indianapolis might rub off on him this week.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (835 Pts)
    Nothing definite yet as to where he will run in 2019.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (818 Pts)
    Penske finishes last week’s classic 1-2, and that has to have Roger feeling pretty good.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (785 Pts)
    As demonstrated at Darlington, this truly is a team sport.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (737 Pts)
    At 22, the young gent is not retiring from anything, including his Saturday ride at Indy.

    9. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (679 Pts)
    Can Erik now be called the original Furniture Row refugee, or is that Kurt?

    10. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (496 Pts)
    Daytona (twice), Fontana, and Michigan. Outside the Top Ten everywhere else.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 783 POINTS
    0.6 seconds. Everything went right last week, except for 0.6 seconds.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 755 POINTS
    Still seeking his first Indy Top Ten.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 738 POINTS
    In a dozen starts, has finished on the lead lap at the Brickyard in all but one.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 681 POINTS
    Do not expect much, as his best finish in six starts at Indianapolis is 13th.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 605 POINTS
    If Bowman wins the opening two stages he might start getting nervous.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 586 POINTS
    He does not care who wins on Sunday, as long as it is not one of 14 particular drivers of interest.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 518 POINTS
    Not exactly hot with Top Ten finishes limited to Bristol, Talladega, and Charlotte in May.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 503 POINTS
    Coming back home again to Indiana, he needs to race like it is 2013 and Jim Nabors is singing.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 493 POINTS
    Needs to race like it is 2011.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 487 POINTS
    Reports claim he is about to play off-season musical chairs.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Darlington, posting his 18th top five of the season.

    “I had an incident in the Xfinity Series with a driver named Ross Chastain,” Harvick said. “He flat out wrecked me. Here’s the thing–he’s a nobody. Ironically, though, I was the one asking, ‘Doesn’t he know who I am?’”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch started fifth at Darlington and finished sixth, one spot behind older brother Kurt.

    “Luckily,” Busch said, “I wasn’t confronted by a fan like I was after the race at Bristol a few weeks ago. This guy actually put his hands on me. NASCAR needs to make some serious adjustments because this is the ultimate in ‘hand-ling’ issues.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started third and finished 11th in the Bojangles Southern 500.

    “I’ve yet to find a sponsor for the 2019 season,” Truex said. “And that’s really sad because I’m the defending Monster Energy Cup champion; I should have sponsors knocking down doors to support me. Unfortunately, stock cars don’t have doors. And, the window of opportunity is closing fast.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Bojangles Southern 500.

    “Bojangles has had their name associated with this race for years,” Busch said. “And Bojangles is known for its chicken. That makes this place near and dear to me because I am known as a chicken.”

    5. Kyle Larson: Larson easily won the first two stages at Darlington and finished third, after Brad Keselowski beat him out of the pits on their final pit stop.

    “I led 284 of 367 laps,” Larson said, “but we faltered in the pits when it counted. We should have taken first place; instead, it was the ‘won’ that got away.”

    6. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 36th after slamming into Ryan Newman, who had slowed dramatically to enter the pits. Bowyer finished 36th.

    “The start of the race was delayed by lightning,” Bowyer said. “Race officials even had to clear the grandstands. Usually, it’s the racing itself that clears the grandstands.”

    7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished beat Kyle Larson out of the pits on a late pit stop and pulled away to take the Southern 500, his first win of the season.

    “It was awesome to run the No. 2 Miller Genuine Draft paint scheme made famous by the great Rusty Wallace,” Keselowski said. “That was back in the day when Rusty’s teammate was Ryan Newman, who really hated No. 2, both the driver of No. 2 and being No. 2.”

    8. Joey Logano: Logano finished second at Darlington to teammate Brad Keselowski to give Penske Racing a 1-2 finish.

    “My car had the Pennzoil paint scheme made famous by Steve Park,” Logano said. “Matt Kenseth called that ‘getting Parked,’ but I think he was referring to what he did to me at Martinsville in 2015.”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott started 11th and finished fifth at Darlington, recording his eighth top-five result of the season.

    “It was ‘throwback’ weekend at Darlington,” Elliott said. “It’s a great opportunity to revisit NASCAR’s history. And all but 16 drivers will experience their own personal ‘throwback’ at Indianapolis because after the Playoff field is set, those non-qualifiers will be told ‘you’re history.’”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole and finished 10th at Darlington.

    “NASCAR and Formula 1 will go head-to-head in November of 2019 with races at Austin and Fort Worth on the same weekend,” Hamlin said. “I think we’ll be just fine. The idea that racing fans in America would choose F1 over NASCAR is simply ‘Prix-mature.’ Texas is NASCAR country, and I expect we’ll drive circles around F1.”

  • Brad Keselowski sweeps weekend at Darlington, wins Bojangles’ Southern 500

    Brad Keselowski sweeps weekend at Darlington, wins Bojangles’ Southern 500

    DARLINGTON, SC — Brad Keselowski took advantage of the final caution in Sunday night’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway, winning the race off pit road to ultimately claim the trophy.

    It was the break he needed, leading the remaining 22 laps and driving the No. 2 Ford to victory lane for his first win of the season, his 25th Monster Energy Cup Series victory and Team Penske’s 498th win, the first at the 1.366-mile track since 1975 when Bobby Allison swept both races.

    Keselowski was excited to win one of the series crown jewels, particularly in the Rusty Wallace scheme he ran in honor of the Throwback weekend.

    “I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my pit crew,” he said. “We were running second and that last stop they nailed it and got us out in the lead. I thought Kyle (Larson) was really good, and he was flat-out flying. I know how it goes. In 2015 we led a bunch of laps and lost it on the last pit stop and today my team won it on the last pit stop. Then it was just about me hitting all my marks and not screwing it up.

    “How cool is this winning in Rusty Wallace’s Throwback car, the Southern 500, Throwback Weekend?”

    Rusty Wallace was almost as thrilled as Keselowski, joining in the celebration.

    “It means a lot to me, it really does,” Wallace said.” The last time we won with this paint scheme, we won the Coke 600 and the Sears Point race out in California with this paint scheme. This was Miller Brewing Company’s return to NASCAR. So, when I saw that he was gonna run this scheme I got really excited, obviously, and I felt like I was watching my own kid tonight.

    Penske teammate, Joey Logano, finished second after leading 18 laps late in the race.

    “We had a good car,” said Logano. “We were like a third-place car and whether it was a short run or a long run it didn’t really matter. We made some adjustments there at the end to take off a little bit better, but I didn’t get by the 42 in time to try to run down the 2. We were just matching lap times, so I couldn’t catch him enough. I was just hoping lap traffic would screw it up enough to try to catch him, but one-two for Team Penske, that’s pretty cool. Brad sweeping the weekend, that’s awesome for him to do at Darlington. That’s no easy feat, so congratulations to them.

    Kyle Larson finished third after leading 284 laps and was clearly disappointed. He is winless this season after a career-high four wins in 2017.

    “It stings for sure to not get a win in a prestigious race like this,” he said. “I want to win every race but I want to win the Southern 500 really bad so it would have been cool to win that but at the same time, to bring a car to the race track like we did this weekend is something to be proud of and a big confidence booster going into the next 11 weeks.”

    Kevin Harvick and Chase Elliott rounded out the top five finishers at Darlington Raceway. Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Erik Jones, Jamie McMurray and Denny Hamlin finished sixth -10th, respectively.

    Fourteen drivers are now locked into the Playoffs with only one more regular season race next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Those drivers are Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Keselowski, Logano, Elliott, Kurt Busch, Jones, Austin Dillon, Ryan Blaney, Larson, Hamlin and Aric Almirola. Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman will lock themselves into the final two Playoff positions if there isn’t a new winner at Indianapolis who is currently below the 16-driver cutoff line.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • Brad Keselowski finally tames ‘The Lady in Black’

    Brad Keselowski finally tames ‘The Lady in Black’

    The Xfinity Series took the Darlington Speedway by storm today for the VFW Sport Clips Help A Hero 200. It was a sunny warm day for the drivers and for some the heat was on. It looked as if Ross Chastain was going to take the win easily however one driver had his car in the right place at the right time.

    Brad Keselowski in his No. 22 Penske Racing Ford took the lead after an exciting incident between race leader Chastain and Kevin Harvick took them both out of contention. Keselowski captured his first win at Darlington Speedway and the 39th of his career.

    “Yeah, we had a really great Snap-On Ford Mustang and I could keep up with Ross (Chastain), but I couldn’t pass him. I tried to make the move to get by him and I just brushed the wall and him and Kevin got back by me and then they had their issue off of two and were just so strong that we pounced on it and took advantage of the opportunity. That’s a testament to this team. I drove five races this year and we’ve won three of them. That’s pretty darn good and I’m really proud of that,” Keselowski said.

    Stage 1 had one incident on Lap 2 when Austin Cindric wrecked after contact with Ryan Truex. Cindric sustained heavy damage to his race car and was unable to continue in the race. Chastin, who started from the pole position, led every lap of the first stage.

    During Stage 2 Harvick took the lead on the restart and led several laps of the stage. Fan favorite, Christopher Bell brought out the caution when he hit the wall with a cut tire and got a piece of Daniel Hemric’s car. The only other incident of the stage was for Brandon Jones who spun his car around. Chastain came out of the pits in the lead for the restart and won Stage 2 of the race.

    The final stage of the race brought out excitement, tempers, and a few tears. With 33 laps to go in the race, Harvick saw his opening for the lead when he and Chastain came up on a lapped car. Harvick and Chastain went for the same space and Chastain ended up into the wall, then came down and spun Harvick. Harvick showed his displeasure with the incident by stopping in Chastain’s pit stall. Harvick in his post-incident interview referred to Chastain as an “inexperienced driver” putting the blame on Chastain for the incident. However, Chastain in his post-race interview saw the incident a little differently.

    “I’m just trying to race and I’ll have to see the film, you know, and if I made a mistake it’s on me. Being the leader there I felt like I’m just trying to race, man, and we’ve been giving each other room all day.” With tears of frustration in his eyes, he added, “It’s unfortunate.”

    Cole Custer stayed in the top of the field all day and came home second in his No.00 Stewart Haas Racing Ford.

    “We just had a great Haas Automation Mustang. I can’t thank everybody in the shop enough,” he said, “Everybody at Ford Performance, they’ve given us great tools all year so I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”

    Tyler Reddick had a great run today in his No.9 JR Motorsports Chevrolet and crossed the finish line third. Denny Hamlin and Elliott Sadler rounded out the top five. Justin Allgaier, Matt Tifft, Ty Dillon, and Michael Annett finished sixth through 10th, respectively.

    Allgaier leads the Xfinity Series point standings with 888 points, Sadler is in second with 872 points, Custer is in third with 871 points, Bell is in fourth with 852 points and Hemric rounds out the top five with 844 points.

    The Xfinity Series heads next to Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday, September 8.

  • Monster Energy Cup Series Playoff Preview/Clinch Scenarios–Darlington

    Monster Energy Cup Series Playoff Preview/Clinch Scenarios–Darlington

    With only two regular-season races remaining in the season, drivers who have not clinched a spot in the Playoffs, have everything to gain and nothing to lose this Sunday in the Bojangles’ Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway.

    Sixteen drivers will compete for the championship after the season finale at Indianapolis on Sept. 9. Twelve drivers have already secured a spot, leaving only four positions up for grabs.

    Kyle Bush, the current points leader with six wins, will be joined by Kevin Harvick, a seven-time winner. Martin Truex Jr. is in with four wins and Clint Bowyer raced his way in by capturing two checkered flags. Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott and Erik Jones have all visited victory lane once this season and will move on to contend for the championship.

    Three drivers have clinched their spot based on points – Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson. That leaves only four open positions.

    Currently, Denny Hamlin, Aric Almirola, Jimmie Johnson and Alex Bowman make up the rest of the championship 16-driver field. Will they be able to hold on to those spots? Let’s take a look at what each competitor must do at Darlington.

    Denny Hamlin only has to score eight points and he will clinch a spot in the Playoffs. If there is a repeat winner, he will automatically advance to the Playoffs, regardless of points. Hamlin has an impressive history at the track with 10 top-10 finishes in 12 career starts and the best driver rating (110.3). He’s the defending race winner and he also won in 2010.

    Aric Almirola can clinch if there is a repeat winner and he accumulates 25 points during the race. If there is a new winner, he could still secure a spot but would need help.

    Jimmie Johnson could clinch if he wins the Southern 500. He could also claim a position in the Playoffs if there is a repeat winner but he would also need help. Johnson has three previous wins at Darlington.

    For 14 drivers there is only one way to move up into the top 16 and that’s with a win on Sunday. This includes Bowman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Ryan Newman, Daniel Suarez, Paul Menard, William Byron, Jamie McMurray, Chris Buescher, AJ Allmendinger, David Ragan, Darrell Wallace Jr., Kasey Kahne, Michael McDowell and Ty Dillon. Matt DiBenedetto could clinch with a win but he would have to maintain a position in the top 30.

    Tune into the Bojangles’ Southern 500 Sunday at 6 p.m. on NBCSN to catch all the racing action as the countdown to the Playoffs continues.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • Hot 20 – Back to Darlington, back to a September tradition and the Southern 500

    Hot 20 – Back to Darlington, back to a September tradition and the Southern 500

    Tradition. On Sunday, NASCAR returns to its traditional roots, to the track that was Daytona before Bill France replaced the beach-road course with his 2.5-mile architectural marvel. Before the Daytona 500, the marquee event was held in Darlington.

    The Southern 500 has been on the calendar since 1950, except for a brief period when NASCAR went insane and dug up its roots in the name of a few dollars. On Sunday, the boys will be back to the 1.3-mile circuit of Herb Thomas, Buck Baker, and Fireball Roberts. They made the place famous long before the likes of Jeff Gordon, Cale Yarborough, Bobby Allison, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt, or Bill Elliott made their marks. Maybe I should say, before the Lady in Black left her marks on them.

    Each of our Big Three have won there as has our only active seven-time season champion. A classic race and a top-notch broadcast crew on NBC to keep you glued to the television. It does not get any better than this.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (1003 Pts)
    His throwback weekend would include a repeat of 2008, except this time in September.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 960 Pts)
    He won his Southern 500 in 2014…in April.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (849 Pts)
    Won it in 2016 after sanity returned and it once again was the Labor Day Classic.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (776 Pts)
    His car will have a Ned Jarrett look, who won the 1965 race by a record 14 laps. Fourteen laps!

    5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (796 Pts)
    21 attempts, 21 times he has not been invited to the Lady in Black’s post-race boudoir.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (768 Pts)
    He will be honoring Pennzoil and Steve Park when they hit the line on Sunday.

    7. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (697 Pts)
    Dad won the Southern 500 three times. If the son could win, that would be awesome, eh Bill?

    8. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (635 Pts)
    He seemed to tame the track in his first outing. Might she be out for revenge this year?

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (475 Pts)
    After Daytona, Dillon disappeared but he has been making some noise as of late.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 733 POINTS
    His car will have the same look at his father’s did…when Ryan was nine.

    11. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 730 POINTS
    Driving a hot rod with a paint scheme Rusty Wallace would love…and does.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 729 POINTS
    Remember Davey Allison’s rookie colors of 1988? Larson will remind you what that looked like.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 707 POINTS
    Eight years, two Southern 500 wins, a pair of runner-up finishes, and all but once in the Top Six.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 658 POINTS
    Racing the colors that made Danica Patrick a winner. Okay, I’m just being facetious.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 604 POINTS
    Driving throwback colors of…himself. Did not win a title in 2012…but did win a Southern 500.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 572 POINTS
    Not sporting throwback colors. Probably was worried it would distract one of the announcers.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 493 POINTS
    Nothing runs like a Deere. That is what Ricky is hoping for.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 481 POINTS
    Will be looking a lot like the first RCR driver to race the No. 31…Neil Bonnett.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 479 POINTS
    A good throwback scheme would be Jack Roush cars that could compete.

    20. PAUL MENARD – 473 POINTS
    Has to win either at Darlington or Indianapolis, or all he gets is a Participation Trophy.

  • The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    The Final Word – B is for Bristol where the Busch Boys run wild

    Officially, Saturday night’s race was not billed as the Bristol Busch Brothers 500. Those two boys are almost always front and center at the venue. Even when they do not want to be.

    It took three laps for Kyle Busch to be front and center. He spun, sat in the middle of the track, and watched his car become a pinata. We knew it was the end of the line for the likes of Bubba Wallace and A.J. Allmendinger. It sure did not look good for Rowdy, either. The car looked bad, the rear panel was torn off, but at least he was still running, but two laps down.

    Paul Menard was another of those needing a win to be in the Playoffs. That did not happen on Saturday. After his right front went down he went out. That took just 30 laps. Shortly after, a mechanic issue doused all hope for Jamie McMurray.

    While there might have been a weather system out there on the horizon bringing darker skies, they did not affect Ryan Blaney, Kevin Harvick, or Clint Bowyer in the opening stage, as they came across the line in that order. Not so for Ricky Stenhouse Jr. He came in on the outside and stayed there after tagging the wall. Oh, we were not going to see Keelan take another ride with dad. A storm cloud opened up over Harvick due to a tire issue. That put him a lap down, never to be seen again.

    They came and they went, and by the time the second stage wrapped up, it was Joey Logano and Chase Elliott finishing 1-2. It also marked the return of Kyle Busch to the lead lap.

    Aric Almirola had a good day going for himself until he was black-flagged for dumping fluid all over the track. Ole Kyle, meanwhile, kept on coming. That is what Martin Truex Jr. discovered when a familiar face touched his left rear quarter-panel to spin him into the inside wall. When Brad Keselowski spun late in the going, we had 24 laps to go and 10 drivers who looked to be in contention.

    When they bunched up to take the green flag, Bowyer, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, and Chris Buescher were up front on old tires. Austin Dillon and Denny Hamlin had two fresh ones. Elliott, Kyle, Logano, and Kyle Larson had new treads. This was going to get wild.

    It took about four laps. Rowdy had a tire going down and spun into oblivion. I bet Truex was sure sad to see that from the garage. Buescher also lost a tire. Chad Knaus saw enough and brought Johnson in for four.

    Not so for Billy Scott. He left Kurt Busch out there. He left him there on old tires to outrun Larson, Elliott, Logano, Erik Jones, Bowyer, and Blaney to take his first of the season, the sixth on this track (though the first in a dozen years), and the 30th of his career. It marked the first win for Scott up on the box and a crew that last year worked with Danica Patrick. It also marked the first time in NASCAR history to see a pair of brothers each boasting 30 career wins.

    Yes, just another Busch Brother day at Bristol.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 10th at Bristol as Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kurt Busch took the win.

    “It was Kurt Busch’s night,” Harvick said. “And he deserves it. I know I’ve been dominating the headlines all season, but it’s good to see Kurt making headlines of his own, especially those that don’t involve assassins, or ear surgery, or getting punched.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch survived an early spin, which resulted in considerable damage, to race back into contention before a flat tire with 18 laps to go derailed his chances. He finished 20th.

    “I accidentally wrecked Martin Truex Jr. I feel terrible. There’s only one thing tougher for a Busch brother than knowing he accidentally knocked a driver out of the race, and that’s apologizing for it. But I am remorseful. Just ask Martin. He’ll tell you I’m the ‘sorriest’ SOB in NASCAR.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was knocked out of the race on lap 465 when contact with Kyle Busch set him into the wall and spinning across the track, where he was clipped by J.J. Yeley. Truex finished 30th.

    “After the crash,” Truex said, “my wife Sherry Pollex tweeted and called Kyle a ‘moron.’ I’m not one to criticize, but she’s right. I find it difficult to badmouth anyone. I do my talking in the car. So, while I’m talking track, she’s talking smack.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch took the lead on a restart with 23 laps to go and held off Kyle Larson to capture his first win of the season and sixth career win at Bristol.

    “I got two awesome restarts,” Busch said, “both at the expense of Clint Bowyer. My co-car owner Tony Stewart would be proud because I ‘Smoke’d’ Clint.”

    5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer led 120 laps and finished sixth at Bristol.

    “It was my race to lose,” Bowyer said, “and I blew it on the restart with 23 laps to go. Getting a good restart is crucial. Kurt got it right; I got ‘left.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano led 95 laps and finished fourth in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race, posting his sixth top five of the year.

    “An NRA-sponsored race at night?” Logano said. “That’s what you call a ‘shot in the dark.’”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson started on the pole and tried unsuccessfully to chase down Kurt Busch for the win late at Bristol. Larson’s runner-up finish was his seventh top-five of the season.

    “I had fresher tires than Busch,” Larson said. “I thought that would give us a big advantage, but when the rubber hit the road, it wasn’t to be. Sure Busch’s tires were worn, but they sure did the trick for him. If his tires could speak, they would have said, ‘Don’t tread on me.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott posted his fifth consecutive top-five finish with a third at Bristol.

    “This was the 40th anniversary of the Bristol night race,” Elliott said. “That means NASCAR fans at Bristol have been getting ‘lit’ for close to half a century.”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney dominated early at Bristol, leading 121 laps, and finished seventh.

    “More importantly,” Blaney said, “I clinched a spot in the Playoffs. That means I’m one of 16 drivers with a chance to win the Monster Energy Cup championship. I like those odds. Vegas oddsmakers aren’t quite so optimistic. They’ve placed my odds at winning the Cup at 666/1 because I don’t have a chance in hell.”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 16th in the Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race.

    “Despite my below-average finish,” Keselowski said, “I still clinched a spot in the Playoffs. That’s called a ‘berth.’ Now, there are four spots still to be decided in the next two races. And there are several drivers still in the running for those four spots. It will be nerve-racking. Doctors have said that where these ‘berths’ are concerned, the dilations are practically at zero. Of course, they’re talking about those drivers’ sphincters.”

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

    The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

    With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

    Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

    As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
    Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
    Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
    Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
    A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
    Well, Michigan sure sucked.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
    Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
    His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
    Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
    Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
    The lad likes to get down and dirty.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
    Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
    Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
    Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
    Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
    Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
    Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
    Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.