Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Kevin Harvick

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second in the AAA 500 and clinched a spot in the Chase final four at Homestead.

    “The pressure is on for five drivers looking for that final spot,” Truex said. “I’m just glad I can sit back and relax, and watch frustration boil over for other drivers. So, while they’re going ‘postal,’ I’ll be going ‘coast-al.’”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 19th in the AAA 500 and is already good to go for Homestead by virtue of his win at Martinsville.

    “There are three drivers with clinched spots,” Busch said, “and five others with clinched sphincters.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick passed Martin Truex Jr. late to win at Texas and qualify for the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “The No. 4 Jimmy John’s car was not only ‘freaky fast,’” Harvick said, “it was ‘freakin‘ fast.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth at Texas and is fourth in the points standings, 19 ahead of Denny Hamlin in fifth.

    “I’m going to Phoenix like a NASCAR fan in the infield going to the port-a-potty,” Keselowski said. “I’m headed there strictly to ‘take care of business.’

    “And speaking of business, I’ll have Discount Tire sponsorship for the No. 2 car for several races next year. I think Discount Tire sponsorship will be very noticeable to the NASCAR fan base, because what NASCAR fan is not intrigued by cheap rubbers?”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started second at Texas and finished third at Texas, and will vie for the last of the four available playoff spots at Phoenix.

    “I spent much of the day looking to see if Chase Elliott was behind me,” Hamlin said. “He was, but fortunately for me, there were 15-20 cars between us.”

    6. Chase Elliott: Elliott failed pre-qualifying technical inspection and started 34th at Texas on his way to an eighth-place finish.

    “I’ll likely need a win at Phoenix to make a run for the Cup at Phoenix,” Elliott said. “Here’s a prediction: if you don’t see me in Victory Lane, you can probably find me in the NASCAR hauler with Denny Hamlin.”

    7. Ryan Blaney: Blaney took sixth in the AAA 500 and is sixth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 22 behind Brad Keselowski in fourth.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted a pic of Tony Stewart in spandex,” Blaney said. “Unfortunately, it was so tight, you could see the outline of Tony’s ‘mo jo.’”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished fourth at Texas and will likely need a win at Phoenix to advance as a Cup contender at Homestead.

    “I won’t be a full-time Cup driver in 2018,” Kenseth said. “So, the next two races for me will be ‘win and I’m in’ and ‘over and out.’”

    9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson, who won at Texas in April, finished 27th at Texas, his day marred by an unscheduled pit stop due to a vibration.

    “I’ll tell you what else is vibrating,” Johnson said. “My head, because I’m shaking it because I really have no explanation for our struggles.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch started on the pole at Texas after turning a record lap in qualifying. He finished ninth on Sunday.

    “That’s the Busch brother way,” Kurt said. “Whether we’re going super fast, or being super whiny, it sounds like a broken record.”

  • Harvick Runs Down Truex to Win at Texas

    Harvick Runs Down Truex to Win at Texas

    Kevin Harvick punched his Championship 4 ticket to Homestead-Miami Speedway after chasing down and passing Martin Truex Jr. in the waning laps to win the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.

    Restarting with 46 laps to go, Truex took the lead from Denny Hamlin and set sail. But Harvick took second from Hamlin and, thanks to lap traffic, cut the gap down to under half a second with under 20 to go.

    While clean air stalled Harvick’s advance for a few laps, another group of lapped cars allowed him to close up to Truex going into Turn 1, pull up alongside him exiting Turn 2 and pass him for the lead going into Turn 3.

    He pulled away to score his 37th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory in his 608th career start.

    “First thing I want to do is thank all these fans in Texas. I’m happy to finally get to victory lane here (Texas Motor Speedway). It’s been a long time coming. I’m really proud of everybody at Stewart-Haas Racing and our Mobil 1 Ford, but damn it’s good to be in victory lane here at Texas! Just really want to thank all my guys. I knew I had a really good car and I knew I had to do something different. I started driving it into Turn 1 just a whole lot deeper. I saw the 42 (Kyle Larson) doing that early in the race. I was just afraid I didn’t have the brakes to continue to do that all day. I waited till the end and it was able to get on the outside of Martin. I got him loose as I brushed across the back, I think. Was able to get on the outside and my car was pretty good on the outside down there.”

    Truex finished second and Hamlin rounded out the podium.

    “I knew he (Harvick) was quicker – once he got around the 11 (Hamlin) I guess it was, he started coming really fast and that’s all I had,” Truex said. “Just struggled a little on the long run today, which was normally where we’re our best. He seemed to be better when he got out front – we were good when we got out front toward the middle of the race and we just got too loose in those long runs. I did all I could do on the inside, but we had the 6 (Trevor Bayne) and some other dummy racing side-by-side in front of us and I was way loose in traffic and I got loose going into one and Harvick jumped to my outside. One of those deals, I think we could have held them off on a clean race track, but the 6 car is in the damn way every week – that’s pretty normal.”

    “Really had a solid car all day long,” Hamlin said. “We lost some track position there when a couple guys took two tires, we took four. Then we had a bad restart, and that kind of took us back in the pack 10th, 12th or so. 18 pitted long, tracked us a lap down, then that kind of hurt us a little bit. We just fought back to fourth, I think it was, drove back up to fourth, then it was an easy decision to take two tires there. It was the only way we were going to get out front and hopefully win the race. The 78 passed us on that one restart, then the two tires faded, couldn’t hold off the 4 there.”

    Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski rounded out the top-five.

    “First run of the day was fun,” Kenseth said. “Everybody was on three-cycle scuffs and we were on stickers. We got to the end, we had a good car when we got to get up through there pretty quick, but just got tight on that last set of tires for some reason and then I would just – I’d always draw the outside lane on a restart and lose a couple spots. It’s just hard to overcome that. That was our worst run of the day and it was still pretty competitive, so it was nice to be competitive.”

    “We had a pretty good car. Something happened on lap one and basically we started the race last and a lap-and-a-half down. That cost us a bunch of stage points, but we rallied with a solid effort to get back to fifth. I’m happy for that,” Keselowski said.

    Ryan Blaney, Joey Logano, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Erik Jones rounded out the top-10.

    RACE SUMMARY

    Kurt Busch led the field to the green flag at 2:19 p.m., but didn’t lead the first lap — or a lap all day — because Hamlin powered by him on the outside exiting Turn 2 to lead the first lap. He led the first 46, before pulling to the high-side and allowing Larson to drive by in Turn 3 to take the lead.

    Larson surrendered the lead for 10 laps during a cycle of green flag stops, before it cycled back to him. A few laps later, however, he got loose exiting Turn 2, which allowed Harvick to pull up and pass him to take the lead on Lap 69.

    Harvick then went on to win the first stage on Lap 85.

    Hamlin, who exited the pits under the first stage break with the race lead, led the field back to green on Lap 92. Harvick, who initially got a poor restart, powered off Turn 2 and drove past Hamlin down the backstretch to retake the lead. After caution flew for a two-car spin in Turn 2 on Lap 93, Harvick led the field back to green on Lap 99, only to lose the lead to Larson going into Turn 3.

    Like the first cycle of green flag stops, Larson briefly lost the lead whilst pitting and regained it when it concluded. This time, however, it didn’t end with another driver passing him a few laps later. He kept the lead and drove on to win the second stage on Lap 170.

    Kenseth, who was off-sequence from the leaders, led the field back to green on Lap 179. He lost it to Truex on the Lap 187 restart, that followed Landon Cassill’s spin in Turn 2 on Lap 180.

    The ensuing cycle of green flag stops that started on Lap 225 was interrupted by a caution for Michael McDowell spinning in Turn 2. Kyle Busch, who was in the lead at the time, pitted and the lead cycled back to Truex.

    Kenseth took back the lead on the Lap 239 restart, Truex took it back on the Lap 246 restart and Hamlin exited pit road under the Lap 270 caution with the race lead.

    Larson’s wreck in Turn 1 brought out the eighth caution of the race and set up the run to the finish.

    CAUTION SUMMATION

    The first caution flew on Lap 85 for the end of the first stage. Caution flew for the second time for a two-car wreck in Turn 2 on Lap 93, involving Daniel Suarez and Kasey Kahne. Caution flew for the third time on Lap 170 for the conclusion of the second stage. The fourth caution flew when Cassill spun out in Turn 1 on Lap 180. McDowell’s spin in Turn 2 on Lap 234 brought out the fifth caution. Ray Black Jr. brought out the sixth and seventh caution’s for spins in Turn 2 (the latter collected Jeffrey Earnhardt). The final flew when Larson spun out and slammed the outside wall in Turn 1 with 51 to go.

    NUTS & BOLTS

    The race lasted three hours, 29 minutes and 52 seconds, at an average speed of 143.234 mph. There were 27 lead changes among 13 different drivers, and eight cautions for 40 laps.

    Truex leaves with a 50-point lead over Kyle Busch. Hamlin, Blaney Elliott and Jimmie Johnson leave in the Round of 8 drop zone.

  • Hot 20 – Will the drama continue in Texas and Phoenix on the road to Homestead-Miami?

    Hot 20 – Will the drama continue in Texas and Phoenix on the road to Homestead-Miami?

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. is right when he says NASCAR needs more Martinsville-like dramas to play out every week. What they need is “drama and exciting finishes — the fans sitting there in the grandstands cheering like crazy, and booing, and cheering and booing after every interview, for 15 minutes after the race — we need that every weekend.” Damn right.

    They need more races on tracks that excite us and fewer on those that do not. They need better announcers who can pull off a telecast all on their own, regardless as to the non-action. People we are compelled to tune in to watch just because they are as entertaining, at least, as the product they describe. They, the good folks running NASCAR, need to listen and to act. One thing I am pretty sure of is…they don’t and will not.

    Texas is one of those races where the sport is popular in a large metro area. That might be enough to get folks to actually go to the facility. Tuning in at home might be another question. As for the storyline coming in, we have one driver locked into the final four, one almost there, a wide-open battle for the final transfer spot, and one young gun who has to win or hope somebody, or some bodies, will fall on their face. Eight drivers matter. Thirty-two others are hoping to play spoiler.

    Only a dozen drivers will be worthy of mention come next week. I, for one, will not mention a single one. My focus will be on other things for the next couple of weeks, but we will chat about the outcome after Homestead when the smoke clears.

    The only thing we know for sure is that Kyle Busch and, more than likely, Martin Truex Jr. will be two of the four seeking to win the title. Who the other two shall be is why Texas and Phoenix should keep us tuned in for the answer.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – SEGMENT WIN – 4100 POINTS – 5 Wins
    Saw the post-race celebration with his family. So, who vacuums Brexton’s room afterward?

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4117 POINTS – 7 Wins
    If he took Sunday off, he still would be at least 27 points to the good come Phoenix.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4079 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Just a Logano cut tire away from victory last week. Teammates can be such fun.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4053 POINTS – 1 Win
    “It all started when Blaney hit me back.”

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4050 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Nine-time Martinsville winner had just a slightly better chance than you had to win last Sunday.

    6. RYAN BLANEY – 4047 POINTS – 1 Win
    The new generation is getting a lot more comfortable expressing themselves these days.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 4045 POINTS – 2 Wins
    The last Virginian to get in this much crap in his home state was Gen. George Thomas.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4027 POINTS
    In the immortal words of Popeye the Sailor, “That’s all I can stands, cuz I can’t stands n’more!”

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2237 POINTS – 4 Wins
    His elimination from the Playoffs is not a flaw in the system…it is what happens in playoffs.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 2215 POINTS
    If the 10th best driver this season cannot get hired, damn few drivers have much job security.

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 2150 POINTS – 1 Win
    Some refer to Kahne as a Hendrick refugee. To my knowledge, he did not even cross a border.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 2148 POINTS – 1 Win
    So…Austin and Rowdy get foiled by Happy again. It must be true. I saw it on Youtube.

    13. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2146 – 2 Wins
    Could a new teammate be his present housemate?

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2146 POINTS
    Believes the next All-Star race might be a good time to unveil Charlotte’s road course.

    15. KURT BUSCH – 2139 POINTS – 1 Win
    Won the NASCAR title, the Daytona 500, and seen every MLB park. Check, check, and check!

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2130 POINTS – 1 Win
    During these times, anytime you sign a new sponsor is a very good time.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 839 POINTS – 1 Win
    “I missed the call” – Crew chief Todd Gordon. The problem no doubt lost in the billowing smoke.

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 829 POINTS
    Third at Martinsville, a track that produced the kind of racing that “put this sport on the map…”

    19. ERIK JONES – 768 POINTS
    That Jones Boy is down to his final three before taking over the ride Smoke made famous.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 731 POINTS
    An average of 22 points per race gets you on this list. That is an easy top 16. I guess not so easy.

  • The Final Word – That Martinsville grandfather clock was too large for the shelf, so…

    The Final Word – That Martinsville grandfather clock was too large for the shelf, so…

    Martinsville, where eight boys were trying to lock themselves into the final field of four contenders for the championship in Homestead. At the same time, 31 boys and a girl were doing their utmost to spoil the party for someone by winning the thing themselves. I mean, who would not want a grandfather clock to mark the time since they won at that Virginia track?

    It was a cold one, with the temp sitting at 48F (9 C). You might as well have been racing this one in Canada. Some were cold, but Brad Keselowski was hot to start with. He took the opening stage, ahead of Kyle Busch. Seven of the eight contenders, with the 13th place Kevin Harvick the lone exception, picked up points. Denny Hamlin was 10th, but a speeding penalty would set him outside the top 30. While only eight really mattered on that day, I should mention that even Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Austin Dillon were up there racing with the big boys. Some gents took this spoiling thing to heart.

    Not much changed in the second segment. Keselowski stole the lead back from Busch late in the run, as all but Hamlin picked up points among our contenders. Denny managed to stay on the lead lap, though barely, sitting 12th. Among the also-rans making cameos we still had Logano, once again in third place, with Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer joining in on the fun.

    To that point, none of the contenders had hurt their chances, Logano was the best bet to be a spoiler, with half the race left to run. I do try to be a “glass half full” kind of guy, so while Kyle Larson went for a solo glide into the inside wall to buckle up his ride, the good news was that he had already been eliminated from the Chase. Rather than “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive”, something tells me Larson probably looked at it as a broken glass kind of deal.

    Few incidents involved those in the top half of the standings. Erik Jones went for a single spin. That might have meant something a month ago, but not much on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson sideswiped Trevor Bayne, and that meant something but just not as much as it could have. While it seemed like some of the boys were losing contact with the top dogs, a late caution bunched the bottom five together again. That fourth and final spot was still up for grabs.

    While Logano appeared to be a potential spoiler, Busch spoiled that effort. Down to 13 laps remaining, Rowdy dived into the corner and punched some metal where rubber is supposed to reign supreme in Joey’s left rear. Four laps later, Logano spun, and the caution came out. The final run for all the marbles was going to be a short one.

    It turned out especially short for Elliott. He managed to send Keselowski high to fend him off, but Hamlin’s bumper horn was working fine. Elliott spun into the wall, and his hopes for his first career victory was put off for another day. Caution came out again, and a green-white-checker finish was in the offing.

    For those not cheering for Hamlin, Karma was your friend. Busch managed to do a little tag and go of his own, but to a lesser degree, then held off Martin Truex Jr. to claim the victory as they wrecked behind him coming to the line. How did they wreck? Well, Blaney got into Hamlin, and the rest just found those two in the way.

    Busch has found his way into Homestead with his win. Truex is 67 points to the good and looking very healthy. Keselowski is 29 up, while Harvick has a three-point lead over Johnson as eight points separate fourth from seventh. None of our contenders finished outside the top dozen. Well, except for one.

    Elliott was recorded in 27th and falls to 26 points off the pace required for him to stay in contention. A win at Texas or Phoenix is no doubt on his wish list. If nothing else, we know who the fans love and who they do not. As Elliott and Hamlin had a little post-race discussion, the nice son of the nice Hall of Famer from Dawsonville appeared to give clear notice that he might be nice, but enough is enough. The fans loved it. There are reports of Hamlin damn near losing half of his fan club, which should leave two or three holding down the fort.

    Meanwhile, I’m sure the winner’s second grandfather clock will prove too large for the shelf, so it will stand many years on Kyle Busch’s floor. I am not sure how tall it is or how much it weighs. In the meantime, I am off to do other things but we will get together to chat about how this all turned out after Miami.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished second at Martinsville as Kyle Busch took the win.

    “We didn’t win,” Truex said, “but it was a good points day for us. And points get me very excited. You know what I get when I see my points pile up? A huge bonus.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch bumped his way past Denny Hamlin in overtime to claim the win at Martinsville and punch his ticket to the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “I could head to Homestead now,” Busch said, “skip the next two races, and still leave Florida with the Monster Energy Cup championship, and possibly a tan.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won the first two stages at Martinsville and was in position to win with about 10 laps to go when Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano blew a tire to cause a caution. Keselowski was passed on the restart by Chase Elliott and finished fourth.

    “Logano knew he had a tire problem,” Keselowski said, “yet he decided not to pit anyway. He basically cost me the win. I’m frustrated and angry with Joey. But I had a talk with Rusty Wallace. He told me it’s perfectly acceptable for the driver of the No. 2 car to hate his teammate.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was passed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch during an overtime finish, and faded to come home seventh in the First Data 500. Hamlin had previously bumped Chase Elliott out of the way, leading to a confrontation after the race.

    “I was confronted by an angry Chase Elliott fan after the race,” Hamlin said. “He looked like he was three sheets to the wind, or maybe six hot dogs to the toilet. In any case, I didn’t want any part of this guy. And if you saw the size of him, you know he had many parts.”

    5. Chase Elliott: Denny Hamlin bumped Chase Elliott out of the lead, causing Elliott to spin and wreck late at Martinsville. Elliott finished 27th and chased Hamlin down on the cool down lap to voice his displeasure.

    “I told Hamlin to ‘Kiss my behind,’” Elliott said. “He smugly replied, ‘I already did, with my car, when I wrecked you.’

    “All I have to say to Denny is ‘Halloween is over, but costume time isn’t. I’m going to be Matt Kenseth, and you’re going to be Joey Logano.’”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Martinsville and is now fourth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “It’s good to finally see some heated confrontations between drivers after the race,” Harvick said. “Unfortunately, no punches were thrown. NASCAR doesn’t need stages; it needs rounds.”

    7. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished eighth at Martinsville and is now sixth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “I may not be the best driver in NASCAR,” Blaney said, “but I’ve got the best hair in NASCAR. And I’ve got a lot of it. I once took my car to the wind tunnel, and my hair failed.”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at Martinsville and is fifth in the points standings, 67 behind Martin Truex Jr.

    “I’ve got eight wins at Martinsville,” Johnson said, “so I know what it’s like to leave Martinsville with a grandfather clock trophy. I’ve got a trophy room at home solely dedicated to Martinsville trophies. I call it the ‘8 Time Room.’ Hopefully, come mid-November, I’ll have another trophy room in my house with the same name.

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth at Martinsville and is 10th in the points standings.

    “Martinsville Speedway debuted its $5 million LED lighting system,” Kenseth said. “Those are some bright lights. You could tell by just looking in the stands that everybody was well-lit.”

    10. Kyle Larson: Larson finished a disappointing 37th at Martinsville after spinning and slamming the inside wall on lap 300.

    “I may be out of the running for the 2017 Monster Energy Cup,” Larson said, “but I’m already looking ahead to 2018. I think I’ve proved my talent over the past that I should be the odds-on favorite to win the 2018 Cup. So, looking back, I’m looking forward.”

  • Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Hot 20 – Martinsville has to stay, but there is room for improvement in the NASCAR schedule

    Thirty-six races. A few are great venues that produce very entertaining television events. A lot more are not. Some tracks have two events, and you wonder why. Some have two and you wonder…why not three? As our Hot 20 venture to Martinsville on Sunday to open the Round of Eight, would NASCAR be more appealing if we kept 36 races, but ran more of them at tracks people want to see races run? How about nine of them at NASCAR’s three most fan-favored venues?

    If they put me in charge of NASCAR for an hour, this is what next season’s Cup schedule would look like. What do you think?

    Feb. 18 – Daytona
    Feb. 25 – Atlanta
    Mar. 4 – Las Vegas
    Mar. 11 – Phoenix
    Mar. 18 – Fontana
    Mar. 25 – Martinsville
    Apr. 8 – Texas
    Apr. 15 – Bristol
    Apr. 21 – Richmond
    Apr. 29 – Talladega
    May 6 – Watkins Glen (from Dover)
    May 12 – Kansas
    May 27 – Charlotte
    June 3 – Pocono
    June 10 – Bristol (from Michigan)
    June 24 – Sonoma
    July 1 – Chicago
    July 7 – Daytona
    July 14 – Kentucky
    July 22 – New Hampshire
    July 29 – Talladega (from Pocono)
    Aug. 5 – Watkins Glen
    Aug. 12 – Michigan
    Aug. 18 – Bristol
    Sep. 2 – Darlington
    Sep. 9 – Indianapolis
    Sep. 16 – Las Vegas
    Sep. 22 – Daytona (from Richmond)
    Sep. 30 – Charlotte (road course)
    Oct. 7 – Dover
    Oct. 14 – Talladega
    Oct. 21 – Darlington (from Kansas)
    Oct. 28 – Martinsville
    Nov. 4 – Texas
    Nov. 11 – Sonoma (from Phoenix)
    Nov. 18 – Homestead-Miami

    That’s 36 races featuring six on a superspeedway, retaining six on short tracks while expanding to five road courses. Minimal changes, maximum impact. How does it look to you?

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4069 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Not only does he have enough in the bank to have a bad race, but could even take a day off.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4042 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Winning would have been nice, but not being eliminated is even nicer.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4026 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Junior wants teammates and young guns to advance…friends with the wrong team, not so much.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4017 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 606 career starts, he has 303 top 10 finishes. You want to bet against good ole 50-50?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4017 POINTS – 3 Wins
    The drive is alive for his date with eight.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4014 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Virginia is for Lovers…and Virginians. That is the view of this native son of Chesterfield, Va.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 4009 POINTS – 1 Win
    In 68 years, Wood Brothers have not a single driver’s championship. Maybe this is the year.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4006 POINTS
    Might want to think about getting that first win sooner than later.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2236 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Damn engines.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 2184 POINTS
    Damn guys who cannot count.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2138 POINTS
    It was doubtful he was going to win, but after he got all torn up last week all doubt was removed.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 2126 POINTS – 1 Win
    Leaving Hendrick pens and stationary behind him, but will be taking Travis Mack.

    13. KURT BUSCH – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
    After flogging Monster Energy for years, I wonder if he is feeling a bit like Tammy Wynette.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2122 POINTS – 1 Win
    His N.C. team lost 4-2 to the eventual 2002 Little League World Series champions of Louisville.

    15. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2119 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Things got so bad he went from 12th and in the final playoff spot one week, to 15th the next.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2107 POINTS – 1 Win
    His second-place finish at Talladega is sandwiched between two results outside the top 30.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 810 POINTS – 1 Win
    A win a win, but is it really if it is an encumbered one that fails to give you a pass to the Chase?

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 793 POINTS
    His last win came on October 13, 2012, in Charlotte. Even an encumbered one might be nice.

    19. ERIK JONES – 757 POINTS
    One moment his car was facing this a’way, the next it was facing that a’way.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 709 POINTS
    String of six straight among the top 15 came to a crashing conclusion last week.

  • The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    The Final Word – Kansas, where a sour engine and an enthusiastic crew ended the hopes for two

    Imagine a race that featured the excitement of Daytona or Bristol. Imagine a race with a broadcast crew that featured the talent of a Chris Economaki, Vin Scully, Danny Gallivan, or a Keith Jackson. Imagine that Yoko Ono co-wrote that song with her husband. That should snap us all back to reality, though that last one is apparently true.

    Kansas was not a venue that promised an event for the ages, but it is where the goal of Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was to win. It is where Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch needed to do well while hoping Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Blaney did not. It is where Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott needed to stay out of trouble, while it was to be just a nice day at the office for Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. We watched to see how this chapter of the story would end. For four, the dream of a championship this season would do just that…come to an end.

    Blowing up does not constitute staying out of trouble. Larson did just that in the opening stage, and despite having a decent points advantage over the “have-nots” coming in, we got introduced to the first guy unofficially eliminated in this race from Chase eligibility. No one had joined him in the garage by the time the opening segment concluded, especially Blaney and Johnson. If they faltered, Larson still had a hope. Unfortunately for himself and Stenhouse, all the others in the top dozen were in the top 10 when they took their break.

    Busch claimed the opening segment, the next was claimed by Hamlin. Still no good news for Larson. As they entered that final stage, Larson was not much of a thought, to be honest. It looked more like Rowdy was in, barring a mishap, while that final spot was going to be determined between Johnson and Kenseth. In the early going, Matt led Jimmie by five points as they ran on the track.

    With more than 90 laps to go, we became pretty sure Stenhouse was toast. A cut tire, a brush against the wall, and a trip to the pits pretty much ensured that his hopes for victory were dashed. Kenseth was riding second, Johnson 10th. It appeared that was the race to watch until we watched Johnson go sliding through the grass. They re-started, and shortly after Johnson went for yet another skid. Now down to 70 to go, that final spot was open to one of three guys. Kenseth had drifted back to 14th, Johnson to 27th, with Larson locked in at 39th. Still too much to ask for, you might think, but if Larson was praying, someone was listening.

    They failed to even get another lap in after the latest re-start when Erik Jones pounded the wall and carnage ensued. McMurray got torn up, so his hopes for victory were over, along with his Chase dreams. However, Kenseth also picked up some hurt. All of a sudden, Larson was back in play. If Johnson finished 23rd or worst, he would be eliminated. Kenseth needed to finish no further back than 17th and within seven points of Johnson, or he was eliminated. Larson had to just sit back and enjoy the show. Maybe further discussion with the good Lord might prove helpful.

    Ask and Larson shall receive, it seemed, as it appears He remained tuned in. On the clock to get repairs done, too many boys climbed over the wall in Kenseth’s pit. That gets you punted to the garage. Any goals regarding the day and the Chase for that driver were not going to be realized.

    With both McMurray and Kenseth done, with Stenhouse having no hope for victory, we had to change our focus, adding Busch to the mix. Two of those three would advance. If Johnson finished 22nd or better and Busch was no worse than 25th, Larson was gone. If they failed to do so, then Johnson needed to sit at least three spots ahead of Busch at the line. When they got things running again, Busch was our leader, Johnson was sitting ninth and 60 laps were left.

    For Larson, the direct line upwards went dead as the rest of this one concluded with minimal drama. Busch was 10th, Johnson 11th, and Larson was eliminated. Oh, Martin Truex Jr. claimed his seventh win of the season. He, along with Harvick, Hamlin, Blaney, and Busch all recorded rather stout performances, with Martinsville beckoning them next Sunday.

    Four races are left, along with eight drivers, to decide the title. If history means anything, both Johnson and Hamlin will do very well this Sunday afternoon in Virginia. Imagine how excited those two boys are.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole and won at Kansas, posting his series-best seventh victory of the season.

    “The phrase heard most often in NASCAR this year is ‘Truex wins,’” Truex said. “I’m just hoping to add ‘it all’ to the end of it.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 18 laps and finished 13th at Kansas, and is on to the third round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “There’s three Toyota’s in the field of eight as we head to Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “I’ll be the first to say I’m at a disadvantage, but I’ve got a ‘Deuce’ up my sleeve because I won there in April.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch led a race-high 112 laps, won Stage 1, and finished 10th in the Hollywood Casino 400, easily qualifying for the third round of the Chase.

    “I wore a special glow in the dark ‘Frankenstein’ helmet at Kansas,” Busch said. “Frankenstein and I share a couple of traits—1) our complexion, and 2) we both have a lead foot.”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won Stage 2 at Kansas and finished fifth, posting his 14th top five of the season.

    “Martin Truex Jr. has dominated on 1-½-mile tracks,” Hamlin said, “and Kansas Speedway was one of those. But Martinsville is a ½-mile track, and it’s my home track, as well as my favorite track. So, I just want to remind Martin, ‘We’re not in Kansas anymore.’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott is on to the next round of the Chase after a fourth at Kansas, posting the top Chevrolet finish.

    “Martinsville is where they separate the men from the boys,” Elliott said. “Men can digest a Martinsville hot dog; boys can not.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Needing a solid finish to advance to the third round, Harvick started second at Kansas and finished eighth.

    “Martinsville is NASCAR’s shortest track,” Harvick said, “so cars will be packed tightly. That means a lot of contact, which means tempers could flare, and the next thing you know, punches are flying. How do I now? Because I’m knowledgeable on pushing other drivers, either over the edge or into an awaiting melee.”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson suffered a blown engine on Lap 73 and finished 39th at Kansas, ending his chances of advancing to the third round of the Chase.

    “First I lose my Target,” Larson said, “now I’ve lost my goal.”

    8. Ryan Blaney: Blaney failed post-qualifying inspection and started last, but scrambled to finish a strong third at Kansas, which advanced him to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “Failing inspection at the Hollywood Casino 400 is like getting busted by the ‘pit’ boss,” Blaney said. “As the number of failed inspections in NASCAR shows, ‘rolling the dice’ is very common.

    9. Jimmie Johnson: In danger of being eliminated from the Chase, Johnson advanced with an 11th at Kansas.

    “What is a playoff field without Jimmie Johnson?” Johnson said. “For one thing, it’s good news for fans of Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Jr. And without me, the only ‘J.J.’ in the field would be the one on Kevin Harvick’s hood.”

    10. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 37th at Kansas, his hopes of advancing ended by a penalty for having too many crew members over the wall

    “The key word there is ‘over,’” Kenseth said. “And I didn’t even know that was a penalty. So I’m confused. And I’m not the only one confused. NASCAR chairman Brian France heard about an ‘over the wall’ penalty and was stunned to learn my pit crewmen were not Mexican.”

  • Hot 20 – Dorothy returns to Kansas after spending last weekend in the Talladega tornado

    Hot 20 – Dorothy returns to Kansas after spending last weekend in the Talladega tornado

    This Sunday, NASCAR action takes us to Kansas. We just cannot get enough of Kansas, which is why we find ourselves watching the action from there for a second time this season. If not Kansas, I guess there is always Kentucky, Chicago, Dover, Fontana, or Pocono , but allow me to calm down my beating heart.

    Coming out of Talladega to Kansas, and I am just taking a guess here, probably will not increase the ratings. Entertainment value and tradition go a long ways to attracting and keeping the fan base. Last week was the Alabama 500. We started with the Daytona 500. Darlington delivered the Southern 500. We know the early race in Charlotte is really the World 600. How high on your list of must-see traditional spectacles do you rank the Hollywood Casino 400 in Kansas?

    If you are Kevin Harvick and Joey Logano, it would rank pretty high. The pair split the last four of these fall classics.

     

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – SEGMENT WIN – 3120 Pts – 6 Wins
    Earned his pass into the next round and has secured full sponsorship for 2018. Good times.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – SEGMENT WIN – 3101 Pts – 3 Wins
    No communication for much of the race, but a whole lot when it ended.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 3096 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Things were looking good for a while before Suarez and Elliott thought they were in a cartoon.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 3089 POINTS – 1 Win
    A repeat of last year’s Hollywood Casino 400 finish would be just fine with Harvick.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3088 POINTS – 2 Wins
    The Roush boys have fancy pit guns no one else has. All that goes out the window next season.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3087 POINTS
    Found a hole, filled a hole, and then someone tossed dirt in the hole.

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 3076 POINTS – 1 Win
    Tough luck last week cost him some points, but he has emerged as a top-tier talent.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3074 POINTS – 3 Wins
    22 Kansas races, 17 Top Tens, along with three wins. Jimmie likes Kansas just fine.

    9. KYLE BUSCH – 3067 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Rowdy Busch? He is more like a Battered Busch.

    10. MATT KENSETH – 3066 POINTS
    Maybe he will become the fastest damned school bus driver who ever lived next season.

    11. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 3052 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Best Kansas finish is 11th. Twice. Well, the Chase was fun while it lasted.

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 3045 POINTS
    21 Kansas races, 4 Top Tens. This does not look good.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 2104 POINTS – 1 Win
    Chase is over, time at Hendrick is near done, but Kansas marks his 500th career start.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2103 POINTS – 1 Win
    Newman is a NASCAR ninja. Unseen, unnoticed, and then late Sunday afternoon he appeared.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 2099 POINTS – 1 Win
    This season has come down to trying to catch Newman and Kahne and staying ahead of Kurt.

    16. KURT BUSCH – 2089 POINTS – 1 Win
    Turning left is expected, but that sharp right-hand turn was not.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 794 POINTS – 1 Win
    Best damn driver not to make the Chase.

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 775 POINTS
    Best damn driver not to make the Chase who was born in Emporia, Kansas.

    19. ERIK JONES – 749 POINTS
    Got a whole face full of McMurray the other day.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 708 POINTS
    Looking good last Sunday, but when he forgot to look to his left things started to look real bad.

     

  • The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole at Talladega. Most years, that is just par for the course. In this, his final season, it was a return down memory lane. Talladega is where anything can happen, where any lead lap car has a shot to win it, and a where one’s dreams can go up in flames, smoke, and mangled metal without notice.

    Just ask Jamie McMurray. He went in clinging to the final berth into the next round of the Chase. Sometimes you make a mistake. Sometimes you decide to turn toward pit road way too high on the track, a place where those with no intention of turning in are still running at high speed. That is what McMurray did just 25 laps in, and got punted to the outside by Erik Jones, then t-boned by Jeffery Earnhardt. By the time Mark Thompson tore off the rear section of his car, the damage had already been done. Done, thy name is McMurray. Somebody needs a win next week.

    Unfortunately for Junior, our leader was hitting the pits as that caution came out for the wreck behind him. Pit lane closed in front of his eyes. The penalty sent him, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott to the back. Totally unfair, totally unrealistic to expect a driver to react in time, I know, but them is the rules. Still, they had over 160 laps to make up the lost ground.

    Earlier in the race, just 14 laps in, the Fords ducked onto pit road and packed themselves together. That paid off in the end of the opening segment, as Brad Keselowski was followed by Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. All but Logano were current Chasers who came in outside the eight berths for the next round of the playoffs. Sometimes a plan works to perfection.

    After two stages, that Ford plan was still paying dividends. Blaney won the stage, with Keselowski right behind him. Jimmie Johnson had his rear folded by Ty Dillon at one point, but he was still running in the top 10. Same for Denny Hamlin, as an early pit for a loose wheel, came at the same time there was a debris caution. No harm, no foul. As for Junior, he was barely in our top 20 as a planned stop just before the end of the stage was waved off for some reason.

    Sixty laps remaining, and like magic, Junior was back among the top three. How? He was born to a wizard who did magical things at Talladega, just as his son has done throughout his career. Along with the Legacy were young guns, Blaney and Elliott. Of course, with that many laps to go on this track, it meant nothing as to what might happen by the time they reached the end. It was down to sticking on the lead lap and seeing what fate was willing to deliver.

    I said, “WHAT FATE WAS WILLING TO DELIVER.” Keselowski was not hearing much of anything due to a very intermittent radio that only worked on the front stretch. Under a caution caused by a bunch of also-rans at the back of the pack, they reached in to fix it. That left him starting just inside the top 30 with about 30 to go when they returned to green. Junior was sitting inside the top 15 in his final Talladega race.

    Fifteen. Interesting number. By the time this thing ended, that was all that was left running. With 17 to go, Martin Truex Jr. touched David Ragan, who collected Kurt Busch, and all hell broke loose. Johnson was toast, along with Kyle Busch and Stenhouse, while Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth both got roughed up. They were just getting started.

    With 11 laps remaining, Logano and Blaney touched, taking out Blaney, and roughing up Harvick even more, and more was yet to come. Down to six laps, our leaders were Daniel Suarez, Elliott, and Larson. Not for long. Suarez was leading up high when he came down in the corner but Elliott already had his nose there. Suarez got turned into Larson, then came back up to collect Elliott, and that ended the day for two of them while Larson was still able to continue, albeit with a ton of front-end damage.

    Finally, we were down to just four laps, 15 cars, with about eight having any shot of winning. On the start, it was Ryan Newman among the survivors up front, but with a pair remaining Keselowski took over and there he was to stay. Trevor Bayne was third, Logano fourth, with Aric Almirola in fifth. Hamlin and Earnhardt were next, followed by Kasey Kahne, Gray Gaulding, and Ragan to round out our top 10. It might not have thrilled so-called “race” fans, but if extreme sports lights your fire, the Alabama 500 got you all warm and toasty Sunday afternoon.

    Keselowski had a great day, and advances to the next round of the Chase, to join with Truex. Larson, Harvick, Hamlin, and Elliott are all fine, as long as they stay out of trouble in Kansas. Blaney and Johnson need to have good days, Kyle Busch and Kenseth will have to be even better, while Stenhouse and McMurray need to win to be in.

    On Sunday, the television ratings went against the grain and actually went up. Do not expect that to occur again next week. After the thrills and spills of what we just witnessed, it would be an understatement to say that Kansas will not exactly present anything like what was seen at Talladega. Then again, history tells us that might suit the likes of someone like Jimmie Johnson just fine.