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Hot 20 – If Dover is such a boring track to watch a race, why is Jimmie Johnson so excited?

Some things are just not like the others. May featured the World 600 and the All-Star race at Charlotte, the spring derby at Talladega, events a fellow can get excited about. This week. Dover.

Maybe Jimmie Johnson will stall on the re-start like he did last spring. That caused one hell of a mess. No, it was not racing, but it sure was not boring. It was not boring when Carl Edwards bounced off the infield wall. At the end, Kyle Larson kept Matt Kenseth honest right to the stripe, as the veteran claimed the victory. That was not a boring finish.

Miles the Monster is not boring. He is big, and the trophy is cool as it holds a model of the winning car in its big mitt. The Monster Mile was once known as White Lightning, but I am thinking that Miles is a bit of a Teetotaler. Come to think of it, so are Donald Trump and Kathy Griffin. Why that fun fact amuses me as much as it does, I do not know.

They have raced 94 times at Dover since the first Cup event in 1969. Richard Petty won the first two, three of the first four, and is tied with Bobby Allison with seven victories. That is good enough for second best.

Among active drivers, Kenseth and Ryan Newman have won three apiece but they are a long ways away from the top gun. Remember that guy who jammed things up last year? Johnson has won 10 in 30 attempts. That is a pretty good average. I wonder who the favorite might be?

It would seem our seven-time Cup champion just likes collecting the more unusual trophies. Ten Monsters to go with his nine Martinsville grandfather clocks. Say what you might about the one-mile track in Delaware or the driver who dominates it, but I think we can agree that there is a trophy room out there that is anything but boring.

Like Austin Dillon, Johnson is among our Hot 20 with a Chase in his future.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR – 2 WINS – 491 PTS
First in points, tied for first in wins. What do you think of Furniture Row now?

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
Dreams of lasting a tad longer this Sunday than he did in the race last week.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 359 PTS
The gatekeeper of the room with Monsters and Grandfather Clocks.

4. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 486 PTS
Monaco is too far away to attempt a Triple but has dreams of a Memorial Day Weekend Double.

5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 298 PTS
Like Happy and Rowdy, he has an attractive better half, but he also has something they do not.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 290 PTS
With his Daytona 500 win and three of the past four a Top Ten, it is good to be Kurt.

7. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 266 PTS
When a veteran looks you in the eye and says you are who they fight for, that has an impact.

8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 238 PTS
Points? Who needs stinkin’ points when you get a win at Charlotte?

9. KEVIN HARVICK – 388 PTS
The buck stops with the crew chief, as Childers loses $10,000 for Charlotte’s loose lug nut.

10. KYLE BUSCH – 386 PTS
Hates to lose, be it 38th at Daytona or 2nd at Charlotte. He won’t be a happy camper.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 385 PTS
All of his wins have come on just four marquee tracks, and this is not one of them.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 362 PTS
Keselowski saved mechanics a ton of time last week, removing any thought of making repairs.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 343 PTS
Solution to a front end that just would not turn last weekend. Clydesdales. Just a thought.

14. JOEY LOGANO – 336 PTS (1 WIN*)
Win at Kansas was encumbered, meaning it means nothing when it comes to Chase eligibility.

15. DENNY HAMLIN – 332 PTS
One very bad day away from being in danger of losing his contender status.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 308 PTS
One very good day away from potentially putting Hamlin in that position.

17. MATT KENSETH – 288 PTS
A repeat of last year’s spring edition would be just fine with him.

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 271 PTS
Doing enough to stay on this list, but not enough to challenge for a title.

19. ERIK JONES – 256 PTS
Just turned 21 this week. I turned 21 in 1977. I win!

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 246 PTS
Five straight in the Top 20, three of the last four in the top dozen. There is still time.

May 31, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 233 laps and won Stage 2 on his way to a third-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600.

“That’s the third consecutive year I’ve led the most laps in the Coke 600,” Truex said, “and all I have to show for it is one win and a lousy t-shirt.”

2. Kyle Larson: Larson started at the rear of the Coca-Cola 600 after he failed to pass inspection in time for a qualifying lap. He raced as high as third before scraping the wall on lap 153, then smacked the wall harder 45 laps later, which ended his day. He finished 33th and dropped out of the top spot in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“By the time I passed inspection,” Larson said, “I didn’t have time to turn a qualifying lap. In a sport based on speed, I guess we first need to be faster at passing inspection.”

3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson ran out of gas two laps from the finish, which allowed Austin Dillon to win his first Cup race. Johnson finished 17th.

“Much like my fuel intake system,” Johnson said, “this sucks. But congratulations go to Dillon. He really proved he belongs with the big boys. You know, a lot of people thought he got a NASCAR ride only because of Richard Childress. I think that’s called being ‘grandfathered in.’”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski’s Charlotte experience ended abruptly when he rear-ended Chase Elliott, whose No. 24 slowed dramatically after running over a piece of debris from Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car. Keselowski finished 39th.

“I’m not sure what piece came off of Earnhardt’s car,” Keselowski said. “But knowing it came from Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car, I’m guessing it was a piece of junk.”

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Charlotte and finished eighth despite dealing with a loose wheel early in the race, then a spin caused by some fluid on the track.

“Congratulations to Austin Dillon and Richard Childress,” Harvick said. “I know the importance of winning as an RCR driver. Whenever I won in an RCR car, both Richard and I celebrated. So the partying may have been mutual, but the parting was not.”

6. Chase Elliott: Elliott crashed out early at Charlotte when he ran over a piece of Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car and was subsequently smashed from behind by Brad Keselowski. Elliott finished 38th.

“It’s not the first time an Earnhardt has disappointed a fan base this season,” Elliott said.

7. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 12th at Charlotte and is sixth in the points standings, 106 out of first.

“Austin Dillon and his team made all the right calls,” McMurray said. “And it’s good to see the No. 3 in Victory Lane. But I don’t think anyone is going to start calling Dillon ‘The Intimidator’ anytime soon. Based on his fuel mileage victory, I think a more fitting nickname would be the ‘Fume-igator.’”

8. Joey Logano: Logano finished 21st at Charlotte, one lap down, and is now 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“It wasn’t the best of days for Penske Racing,” Keselowski said. “First, neither Will Power nor Helio Castroneves won at Indianapolis. Brad Keselowski and I? We didn’t have any luck ‘In-dy Car’ either.”

9. Kyle Busch: Busch likely had the fastest car on the track but finished a disappointing second to Austin Dillon, who successfully gambled on fuel strategy to capture the win.

“Leave it to a Busch brother to be ornery after a second-place finish,” Busch said. “As it was, I came up short, in the race and in the post-race press conference.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 14th at Charlotte and is now ninth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 343 out of first.

“Channing Tatum gave the command to start the engines,” Bowyer said. “Tatum was in Charlotte to promote his movie, ‘Logan Lucky,’ which takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway and involves some type of robbery during the Coca- Cola 600. I think Austin Dillon will serve as a special consultant because he stole the race on Sunday.”

May 29, 2017
Blaney Surges in Final Laps to XFINITY Win at Charlotte

CONCORD, N.C. — With two laps to go, Ryan Blaney executed the move of the race, powering by Kevin Harvick in his No. 12 Team Penske Ford to reclaim the lead and capture the XFINITY Series Hisense 4K TV 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Justin Allgaier led the field to green in the XFINITY Series race Saturday afternoon but his lead in the No. 7 JR Motorsports Chevy was short-lived, as the race came down to a battle between Blaney and Kevin Harvick with some surprise runs thrown in by Austin Dillon and Darrell Wallace Jr. just to keep things interesting.

Harvick won Stage 1 and led three times during the race for 58 total laps while Stages 1 and 2 went to Blaney who led four times for 107 laps. Though Harvick led fewer laps overall, he put himself in position to win as the race neared its conclusion, leading from Lap 181-197 after Blaney got blocked in his stall on his last pit stop and lost the lead. A final caution on Lap 195 and the subsequent restart on Lap 198, gave Blaney the opportunity he needed to pass Harvick and capture the checkered flag.

It’s his fifth XFINITY Series career win and the second victory for Team Penske this year. It also has special meaning for Blaney and his father, Dave Blaney as they became the first father-son duo to win a XFINITY Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Blaney spoke about the significance of the win for Team Penske.

“It means a ton,” he said. “Anytime you can win for Mr. Penske is huge. That’s super-special to me. He’s given me my opportunity. It was a combination of Brad’s truck team and Mr. Penske giving me a shot in 2012 and I’ve been really lucky to drive great race cars for him, so you want to do the best job you can for him, especially on this weekend, where he has the Indy 500. That’s such a huge race for them and he’s been so dominant in that race. To deliver for him early, hopefully, that will put him in a good mood for tomorrow and get those guys going.”

When asked about his Dad’s influence, Blaney began by saying, “He’s the best race car driver ever,” adding, “That’s how I’ve always looked at him and that’s how I’ve always thought of him, not only as my father but the way he drives car – and not only his driving ability, but his mindset towards things. I think he’s one of the smartest people I know, personally, in the race car, outside the race car, building parts, coming up with inventions and ideas.

“He always just supports me and it was cool to have him here today. That’s really special to me to have him at the race track through the good and bad times of getting a stern talking to or helpful support and it’s usually support. I’ve been lucky to have somebody like that to help me through these weekends to try to get myself better, whether it’s restarts or long runs or just communication. He’s been the best person, so in my mind, I’ll never be half the race car driver he is, personally. I think he’s the greatest one ever and that’s how I’ll always think of him.”

Harvick finished second, posting his 18th top-10 finish in 28 races at Charlotte and his third top-10 finish this season. He talked about the last restart and the decision to start on the outside.

“It was a tough decision for our Hunt Brothers Ford team. I knew that we had the 22 behind us if we were on the top and he pushed me a little bit and then kind of laid off there, getting into one. The 12 had the best car on the restart getting going. He’s the one who helped us get the lead and I knew I was gonna have my hands full, but he just beat me there at the end and we wound up getting second.”

Austin Dillon, who led 20 laps during the race, placed third in his No. 2 Rheem Chevrolet.

Although he didn’t get the finish he wanted, Dillon said, “We did a really good job adjusting the car over the course of the race. The Rheem Chevrolet really came to us at the end when the clouds came in. I hate that we weren’t able to visit Victory Lane today for our pit crew, especially. They did such a good job today.

“So did my new crew chief, Randall Burnett. We had a few good restarts there but we were in a Penske sandwich and couldn’t do much about it. I got hit on the restart and it just wasn’t enough to carry me into Turn 1. I had a lot of fun today. I’m proud of this RCR XFINITY Series program.”

Christopher Bell drove his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota to fourth place in his debut start in the XFINITY Series. Denny

“I’m glad it was 200 laps, because we used every single bit of it,” Bell said after the hard-fought fourth place finish. “We didn’t have a lot of luck on the restarts at the beginning of the race, starting on the bottom, but we got the luck (starting on the top) when we needed it at the end.”

Denny Hamlin rounded out the top five in the No. 20 JGR Toyota but thought the team should have finished stronger.

“I thought our car handled pretty decent all day and it definitely hurt with that one pit stop where we had a lugnut hang up on us. I felt we were as good as the 41 (Harvick) and the 2 (Dillon),” Hamlin said, “for sure and it all comes down to those last restarts. It just took too long for us to battle back there.”

Elliott Sadler remains the series points leader despite a 35th place result, after getting caught up in an accident late in the race.

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

Unofficial Results:

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/NXS-Charlotte-results.pdf” title=”NXS Charlotte results”]

May 27, 2017
Kevin Harvick Wins First Charlotte Coca-Cola 600 Pole

CONCORD, N.C. — Kevin Harvick scored the fastest lap time in Round 3 of qualifying in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford at Charlotte Motor Speedway Thursday with a speed of 193.424 mph, winning his first pole for the Coca-Cola 600.

It’s his third Coors Light Pole this season and the 20th of his career. Harvick also has two previous victories in the event in 2011 and 2013 and is one of three active Cup Series drivers who have multiple Coca-Cola 600 wins (Jimmie Johnson has three, Kasey Kahne has four).

Harvick credited his team with giving him the car to beat, saying, “The cars in qualifying were a lot looser than they were in practice and just based on past experience here it was a handful through one and two. I just about lost it the first run, but the car was so good in three and four I didn’t want to over-adjust on it and make it too tight down there because you get tighter as the lap runs, so the guys did a good job of making adjustments, but not making it so tight that I couldn’t carry the throttle like I needed to in three and four. So they just did a great job on our Mobil 1 Ford.”

Kyle Busch, winner of last week’s All-Star race, will join him on the front row, posting the second-fastest lap at 192.513 mph in his No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. If he can capture the checkered flag this Sunday, he would become the eighth driver who has won the All-Star race and followed it up with a win the following week in the Coca-Cola 600.

Chase Elliott will start third in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after a qualifying lap of 192.260, with Joe Gibbs Racing’s Matt Kenseth in fourth (192.130). Erik Jones rounds out the top five in his Furniture Row Racing Toyota (191.782).

Kyle Larson, the series points leader, and Corey LaJoie missed the first round of qualifying when they were unable to pass inspection before the round ended. Larson will start 39th in his Chip Ganassi Chevrolet and LaJoie will start 40th in his No. 83 Toyota.

Larson, while disappointed, isn’t overly concerned.

“It happened to us at Texas and we rebounded from that and finished second,” he said. “I’m not too worried about it. I know the teams are frustrated with the tech process. I know nothing about how it all works. I don’t really have much to say about it other than I know my crew chief hates it.”

The Coca-Cola 600 will be broadcast Sunday, May 28, at 6 p.m. on FOX.

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

Coca-Cola 600 Starting Lineup:

[pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Coca-Cola-600-Starting-Lineup-C1712_STARTROW.pdf” title=”Coca Cola 600 Starting Lineup C1712_STARTROW”]

May 25, 2017
Hot 20 – Motor Car Racing’s biggest day after one of NASCAR’s most newsworthy weeks

Change. Sometimes change is good, like when you win a few million dollars. That is good. You get married to your sweetheart. Good. Your children start arriving. If you are a mature adult, and not some self-serving narcissist, that is very good. New talented drivers emerge on the scene. That is also a good thing.

Some change sucks. Your favorite driver retiring, for example, if only for very selfish reasons. Trying to dump the Southern 500 was a bad thing. Abandoning such traditional names as the Firecracker 400 and the World 600 is not only bad but makes you appear dumb as a stick. About as dumb as adding a third stage for points in a 600-mile race, allowing the possibility of the driver finishing 26th to wind up with more points than the race winner. That is bad, also.

As for changes in the 2018 schedule, good or bad? That is the question. Moving the Brickyard 400 to September? Iconic track, bad venue for NASCAR in my opinion. It does not much matter. Move Richmond from the final race of the regular campaign to the second of the Chase? It might work. Small market, short track, tons of tradition. Maybe.

Changing the fall race in Charlotte to include its road course section? The World 600 is iconic. The fall race is not. Anything that includes another road course is good, but we will not know for sure until we see it. Will we be entertained? The fact that it is a Chase race ticks a box, and if it continues to be a 500-mile contest it would be by far the longest road course endurance test on the circuit.

They thought about changing to the road course at Indianapolis. Those in charge of the iconic venue said no. Indy was all about the oval, in their opinion, period. I guess they decided not to cry over spilled milk and moved on.

The Hall of Fame might need to change. Each year, they elect five more to be enshrined. Once, you needed a championship or 40 plus wins to get in. Now, no title and under 20 victories might still be enough. Mind you, Wendell Scott won just one race but his NASCAR journey was a lot like Andy Dufresne’s trek out of Shawshank. He deserves to be there. Dale Earnhardt Jr., on the other hand, once was a long-shot but today he is an automatic thanks to Curtis Turner’s induction in 2016. Is a change required? You be the judge.

This week, the new inductees were announced. For a change, I can not argue with any of them. Engine builder and team owner Robert Yates. Inaugural NASCAR champ Red Byron. Championship crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham. Broadcast icon Ken Squier. Truck king Ron Hornaday. Next year, maybe mechanic, builder and crew chief Smokey Yunick might be included. He may not have kissed many rings and certainly no one’s ass, but he more than earned his spot. A softening of their attitude regarding him would be a most welcome change.

Of course, for a change, this Sunday it is about more than just NASCAR. The Formula One offering starts the day with the Grand Prix of Monaco. Back on this side of the pond, the open wheelers are featured in the Indianapolis 500. Down south, the World 600 comes our way from Charlotte, North Carolina.

Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton lead the way in F-1’s sixth race of the season. IndyCar finds Simon Pagenaud and Scott Dixon the top dogs. As for NASCAR, here is a look at our Hot 20 heading to Charlotte. In the words of Jackie Stewart, let the motor car racing begin.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 431 PTS
When it comes to who should win this race this year, Truex is a “no change” kind of guy.

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 408 PTS
A rule is not “made up” if you failed to read the fine print. Sticker tires are 100% unused.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 323 PTS
NASCAR makes up new rules, Johnson keeps winning championships. Expect more rules.

4. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 475 PTS
Thinks All-Star race and season finale should move to different venues. He is wrong, of course.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 320 PTS
Joey and Danica will be in the lineup. Aric Almirola is gone for two or three months.

6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 276 PTS
You would think a boy from Olive Branch, Mississippi would be the most peaceful guy out there.

7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 246 PTS
Well, all day long at the track all I hear is how great Kyle is at this or that! Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!

8. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 238 PTS
Rocket Man? Amongst our race winners, it is more like he is the Invisible Man.

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 361 PTS
After the fan vote last week, Chase is the new Danica. Okay, a more manly version.

10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 354 PTS
Has won twice at Charlotte, but never this classic event.

11. KEVIN HARVICK – 347 PTS
Believes Truck Series should be run at non-Cup tracks, to bring out the fans. Harvick is right.

12. KYLE BUSCH – 325 PTS
Last week it was for money, this week it is for points.

13. CLINT BOWYER – 317 PTS
If it is not a rule, then Crew Chief Mike Bugarewicz gets in touch with his inner Smokey Yunick.

14. RYAN BLANEY – 291 PTS
His dad did not get his shot until he was in his late 30’s. Ryan knows that he is a fortunate son.

15. DENNY HAMLIN – 289 PTS
29 career wins, but not one yet at Charlotte. There is always Sunday.

16. TREVOR BAYNE – 250 PTS
Failed to join his fellow stars in Saturday’s big race. He has incentive to do well this weekend.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 242 PTS
Last week he won $1000 in a World of Outlaws race. So, they release prize money figures?

18. MATT KENSETH – 233 PTS
At least seven in the line-up for Sunday will wind up in the Hall of Fame. Matt is one of them.

19. ERIK JONES – 217 PTS
Stay off the grass.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 217 PTS
Was last week his coming out party?

May 24, 2017
The Final Word – NASCAR scores big with an all-star winning formula

The stars would come out at Charlotte on Saturday night. Well, some of them. Twenty drivers would make up the field, but we knew that the Top 20 on the season would be missing at least a couple of performers.

Sixteen drivers were in but two of them, 2000 All-Star winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Pocono’s 2016 Pennsylvania 400 victor Chris Buescher, are not among our best for this season. That meant that at least two who are would miss the big race. The question was, who would they be?

It would not be Clint Bowyer. He dominated the opening stage of the qualifying Showdown to earn his spot. It would not be Ryan Blaney, who was second best in that opening stage and the best of the rest in the second. Maybe the third best, Erik Jones, would be the guy.

With three laps to go in the Showdown, Jones tried to track down Chase Elliott and Daniel Suárez. The pair allowed no room at the inn, Jones caught the grass and killed his car. On the re-start, the Mexican driver walked off with ease to punch his ticket. When it came to the fan favorite to advance, Elliott got the nod. That meant 18 of the Top 20 were among the All-Star 20, with Jones and Trevor Bayne missing the cut. Then it was time for the big boys to strut their stuff.

Kyle Larson appeared interested in the million dollar prize, claiming the opening stage. So, they went another 20 laps to determine the next stage winner. Guess who? Once again, it was all Larson all of the time. Two stages, two wins. Would he share? Maybe the third time would be a charm for somebody not named Kyle Larson.

At least, it was after the pit stops. Two tire strategy put Bowyer and Blaney in front, with Larson just behind them. That lasted a lap for Bowyer, as he got gobbled up by the pack. As they hit the line to begin the third lap, Jimmie Johnson went past Blaney and stayed there. Kevin Harvick was second, with Larson right behind him.

Larson and Johnson advanced to the 10 lap shootout, joining eight others who had the best average finish over those three stages. That number included the Busch brothers, Harvick, Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and last year’s winner Joey Logano.

When they hit the line on the green, Kyle Busch cut to the inside. It was Rowdy, Johnson, and Larson, while the rest did not matter as they counted down. Just about the only drama to be had was if Larson could pass Johnson. He did, but it was Rowdy sporting a million dollar smile when it was all over. Samantha Busch looked kind of happy as well, come to think of it.

I can criticize NASCAR all day long, as Lord knows they seem willing to provide us with all sorts of ammunition to do so. However, as far as an all-star event goes, their presentation was more enjoyable than any I have seen lately put forth by any other sport.

At much as I vehemently oppose the adding of an additional stage to next weekend’s World 600, I wholeheartedly applaud NASCAR for this modified novelty format for its all-star event. It, along with Kyle Busch, were the winners Saturday night in Charlotte.

May 22, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson finished sixth in the GoBowling.com 400, posting his seventh top 10 of the season. He leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by 44 over Martin Truex Jr.

“That was quite a fiery crash involving Joey Logano, Danica Patrick, and Aric Almirola,” Larson said. “My prayers are with Aric, but mostly with Danica, because according to her interview, she’s the real victim.”

2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 104 laps and pulled away on the final restart to win the GoBowling.com 400 at Kansas.

“My car was super on restarts,” Truex said. “In a race that took place in the heart of the Great Plains, you would expect a lot of people to get ‘dusted.’

“We were untouchable. No one behind us had a chance. Anytime there was a restart, the No. 78 Toyota told everyone else to say ‘hello’ to ‘goodbye.’”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski recovered from falling two laps down to take the runner-up spot at Kansas.

“I probably did more passing on the track than anyone else,” Keselowski said. “In fact, it was easy. As a driver for Penske Racing, it’s ‘passing’ off the track that isn’t so easy. Just look at our inspection record.”

4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was headed for a likely top-10 finish before a spin with four laps remaining relegated him to a 24th at Kansas.

“I had a number of problems,” Johnson said. “One was a penalty for driving through too many pit stalls. Another was making contact with Kurt Busch. That’s never a good thing. I should have remembered the advice once given to me about Kurt long ago: ‘It’s best to steer clear of Kurt Busch, on the track and in life.’ That’s sage advice, and I’m not sure who it came from, a fellow driver, or one of Kurt’s former girlfriends.”

5. Chase Elliott: Elliott found trouble early at Kansas when he rammed into Michael McDowell’s No. 95 as Elliott was leaving pit road. Elliott’s No. 24 car suffered significant damage and he limped home to a 29th-place finish.

“It was totally my fault,” Elliott said. “Had I used my rear-view mirror, I’m sure I could have avoided the accident. Me not using my mirror? Well, that reflects badly on me.”

6. Joey Logano: A brake failure with 67 laps to go caused Logano to veer into the path of Danica Patrick and both slammed the wall, and both were then smacked by Aric Almirola’s sliding No. 43. Logano finished 37th.

“There was nothing I could do,” Logano said. “Thus, we were all unlucky. But I was the unluckiest because I had to ride in the back of an ambulance with Danica. That’s the last place I want to be. Can you blame me, though? Apparently, Danica can. If blame were wins, she’d be undefeated.”

7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started eighth and finished third at Kansas, posting his fourth top five of the season.

“I really had to work hard for that third place finish,” Harvick said. “You could say I gave it my all. That’s not quite how it is when I film commercials. You certainly don’t get all of Kevin Harvick; heck, you’re lucky if you get three inches of Kevin Harvick. Some people say that three inches of Kevin Harvick is still a good day.”

8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished eighth at Kansas, recording his seventh top 10 of the year. He is fifth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“That was a scary crash involving Joey Logano, Danica Patrick, and Aric Almirola,” McMurray said. “It sounded and looked like Patrick thought Logano was at fault. In fact, she threw a ‘guilty party’ in his honor.”

9. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.: One week after winning at Talladega, Stenhouse finished 11th at Kansas.

“My girlfriend Danica Patrick took a big hit in her wreck,” Stenhouse said. “She’s okay because she’s one tough cookie. Luckily, she doesn’t have a concussion. That’s due in part to NASCAR’s stringent safety procedures, but due mostly to the fact that she has the hardest head in this sport.”

10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer took ninth in the GoBowling.com 400 at Kansas.

“NASCAR told Carl Long he couldn’t have a marijuana vape shop sponsor on his car,” Bowyer said. “That sponsorship went up in smoke. I can’t believe NASCAR could be so uptight. I’ve always said, you can’t spell ‘NASCAR’ without ‘NARC.’”

May 15, 2017
The Final Word – Kansas proves that driving fast does not have to look exciting to be hazardous

Kansas was a scheduled 400-mile contest but, truth be told, the highlight of this one arrived with 50 to go. It came in the form of a busted brake rotor, three destroyed cars, and a driver being airlifted to a local hospital. The event itself was just another 1.5-mile track, cars spread out hither and yon, and a generic sponsor non-iconic name attached. However, as they reached the 200th lap, we witnessed what could happen on this track, any track, to jerk us back to reality.

Danica Patrick was having a decent day, just outside the Top Ten. Joey Logano spent much of his day just inside it. How does a brake rotor come apart with such force that it blasts through the hood of a car? That is what happened to Logano, which caused the car to cut left on the only side that then had brakes applied to clip the rear quarter panel of Patrick. Going about 200 mph, she immediately got turned hard right into the wall, Logano turned back up to join her. That is when Aric Almirola hit the brakes but found himself helplessly sliding toward mayhem. He tore into the exposed front fender of Logano, which lifted the rear of Almirola’s car high into the air. It was all smoke and fire and carnage.

Patrick’s car was a smoking heap. Logano’s not much better. At least we saw them walking together toward the ambulance, he trying to explain, she not wanting to listen just yet. About a quarter-mile down the track, the Petty blue 43 was resting up against the outside wall. The window net was down, the driver was moving, but he was not leaving. We watched as they ripped back the roof of his car. We saw them lift Almirola out on a stretcher. Later, we saw the helicopter taking him for medical aid. Thankfully, we had seen him moving in the car, speaking to his rescuers. Those were good signs. Later, we heard Almirola had a compression fracture in his back but was headed back home the next day.

Patrick, who just had the stuffing knocked out of her in a crash at Talladega the week before, was once again roughed up like a Trump supporter trying to speak on a college campus. She was frustrated, she was at a loss as to how a brake rotor would let go like that, why she had to get collected again in something not of her own doing. She was concerned that her luck, or someone else’s, might run out. “One of these times, one of these really big accidents, someone is not going to be okay, Aric is not okay and his car looked the best of everybody.” It is hard to blame her for thinking that way. Two huge hits in as many races has to bring the topic front and center in her mind. Anyone’s mind. A race might not be terribly exciting to watch at times, but 200 mph is still damned fast if you happen to be in the driver’s seat and not in your favorite chair at home.

Martin Truex Jr. brought it home for his second win of the season. Ryan Blaney gave him some competition in the late going, but it was Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick moving ahead at the end in the battle of the bridesmaids. Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson both managed great points days themselves. Along with the likes of Logano, Almirola, and Patrick, Ryan Newman had a brutal Saturday night when he lost an engine late in the second stage. One big point for him. Having a win already in his quiver probably helps ease the pain somewhat.

Having two is even better, though it was an interesting day for Jimmie Johnson. He cruised through too many pit boxes at the end of the first stage to get penalized. He battled back, then cut a tire in the second while battling Kurt Busch. Back he came again, yet over the final laps, Denny Hamlin tagged the same Mr. Busch who clipped Johnson, who went for a spin to finish 24th. You rarely spin to win, but if you could Erik Jones would have taken the checkered flag. Three times he did the loop-de-loop over the course of the event to wind up 22nd. On the positive side, three times he spun, three times he missed hitting the wall. As they say, the lad is talented.

The brightest amongst the sports constellation will be out, as the all-star race is next on the schedule this Saturday in Charlotte. Almirola had not qualified, and I think it a safe bet to say he will not be available to seek one of the berths through the Showdown qualifier or the fan vote. Most of the top drivers for this season have already qualified, along with last year winner Chris Buescher and 2000 all-star race champ Dale Earnhardt Jr. Having to win one of the Showdown segments or the fan vote prior to the classic itself include Patrick, Jones, Blaney, Chase Elliott, Clint Bowyer and Trevor Bayne. That is some decent talent currently sitting on the outside.

Which brings us back to the man on the mend. Wishing you a speedy recovery, Aric.

May 15, 2017
Hot 20 – If even fewer viewers tuned in for Talladega, what hope does Kansas have?

The world, as we know it, must be ending. Forget about all the politics and the violence and the hypocrisy and the attempts to mix cultures that just don’t mix. I am talking about something serious here. The television ratings from the race at Talladega are the worst in more than 20 years. Talladega. The worst. What in hell is going on?

I appreciate we do not have the same car culture we once had. I get it that our society now has the attention span of a gnat. Have you ever taped that race and tried to fast forward your way through it? It cannot be done. Unlike some 1.5-mile tracks, say the one coming up Saturday night in Kansas, Talladegea features 2.66-miles of potential mayhem. You do not even need to be able to tell one Junior from any other to be glued to the excitement that lies before you from the seat of your comfy couch. Still, for seven straight springs, the ratings have slid; 5.9-million viewers watched the action on FOX, 11 percent fewer than who watched a year ago. That is not even half of those who tuned in back in 2005.

No surprise that this is not just a Talladega thing. Just about all the broadcasts this season have seen multi-year lows in ratings and viewership. I do not see Daytona or Bristol on that list. That does not surprise me, either, for the same reason Talladega’s numbers do. They all present action that is thrilling at tracks that cause fans to circle the dates on their calendars to ensure they do not miss a thing. Last Sunday, it appears that a lot of folks decided they could not care less.

Hell, if they can get more viewers to watch a 3.5-hour broadcast featuring a 3-minute horse race on a muddy track between critters few ever heard of, then our world is truly changing.

That brings us to Kansas. Aric Almirola did well at Talladega, but his car failed post-race inspection. He loses 35 points and his crew chief for the next three races. Amy and Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be hosting a short home renovation tv series. Instead of building toward a Chase, they will be concentrating on rebuilding a porch.

As for me, maybe I can plant some vegetables and pick some weeds. Sadly, a UN resolution bans me from partaking in World Naked Gardening Day. Apparently, no one wants to see my rutabagas.

Maybe Kansas and our Hot 20 might attract more interest this Saturday night.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 367 PTS
The best way to minimize a penalty is to win a couple of races.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 305 PTS
Imagine his popularity if Seven-Time was known as Demetrious or The Rock. Works for others.

3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 428 PTS
Leads in points, leads in stage points, but trails in wins. That is called motivation.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 374 PTS
Led 172 laps in this race last year. Now, he needs to deliver the finish he wants.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 318 PTS
His last car looked like he loaned it to Thelma and Louise.

6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 250 PTS
Junior wins at Talladega. What, were you expecting someone else?

7. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 237 PTS
For a while, it looked like Kyle, but Newman spun and Stenhouse won.

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 227 PTS
Considers Kansas “one of our strong tracks” as of late, but has just a pair of Top Fives in 22 tries.

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 353 PTS
A.J.’s team wanted him to get into the Chase, so he did.

10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
See the hole, be the hole, and some no doubt thought he was some sort of hole to do so.

11. KEVIN HARVICK – 309 PTS
No wins, but a couple of poles to his credit. Apparently, that does count for something.

12. CLINT BOWYER – 289 PTS
After the ‘Dega big one, “I probably sharted a little bit.” You just gotta love Clint.

13. KYLE BUSCH – 277 PTS
If the Rocket Man had not been launched late last weekend, Kyle would be sitting sixth.

14. DENNY HAMLIN – 267 PTS
Won the Talladega 309…but finished 11th over 500 miles.

15. RYAN BLANEY – 240 PTS
Avoided the big one last week, but only because Stenhouse took him out eight laps earlier.

16. TREVOR BAYNE – 223 PTS
Eight laps after Blaney, Bayne was retired and still lost four points to his rival.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 214 PTS
A Top Five last week, and just nine points out of the Chase. Time to click them heels.

18. MATT KENSETH – 205 PTS
The world continues to change, as he closes his museum in Cambridge, Wisconsin next month.

19. ERIK JONES – 200 PTS
Why is this soon to be 21-year-old a race car driver? You can blame Mom.

20. ARIC ALMIROLA – 187 PTS
You can’t acquit if the car don’t fit.

21. DANIEL SUAREZ – 187 PTS
I thought you needed to average 20 points per race to get on to this list. Thanks, Aric!

May 10, 2017
Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend for racing under the lights. The Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 is set for Friday, May 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET while the Cup Series Go Bowling 400 will air Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both races will be televised on FS1.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch is the defending race winner and is still searching for his first victory this season. He has four top fives and six top 10s at the track with the 12th best driver rating. Busch is currently 10th in the point standings.

The first Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track was on Sept. 30, 2001, but did you know that it was won by Jeff Gordon? There have been 22 Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one each year from 2001 – 2010 and two races per year since 2011. Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with six; Gordon has three (2001, 2002, 2014) and Jimmie Johnson also has three (2008, 2011, 2015).

Fourteen different drivers have won poles at Kansas, led by Kevin Harvick, Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne, with three poles each. But did you know that Jason Leffler won the pole for the inaugural Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2001? He won it in the No. 01 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with a speed of 176.499 mph and is the only driver to capture his first career Cup Series pole at Kansas.

Leffler, known as “LEFturn,” began his career as an open-wheel driver winning three consecutive USAC Midget championships from 1997-99 and the 1998 USAC Silver Crown championship. He also made three starts in the IndyCar Series and finished 17th in the 2000 Indianapolis 500.

Leffler’s NASCAR career began with four starts in the XFINITY Series in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing, running a full-time schedule in 2000. He advanced to the Cup Series in 2001 with Chip Ganassi Racing. During his career, he made 423 starts across the three national series and has two XFINITY wins and one victory in the Camping World Truck Series.

On June 12, 2013, Leffler lost his life in a crash during a 410 sprint car race at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. He was 37 and left behind a son, Charlie, who was only five years old at the time

Leffler was a fierce competitor on the track but his most enduring quality was his generous spirit off the track. He will always be remembered for his irresistible smile, his selfless desire to help others and who could forget his trademark haircut?

Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart remembers Leffler as “a great racer and an even better friend. We raced together a lot, and our career paths were very similar. He loved racing, especially open-wheel racing, and that’s a passion we both share. To not have him around to talk about whatever race one of us had just run, or were going to run, will be hard.”

Qualifying well at Kansas Speedway should give drivers an edge. Five of the 22 (22.7 percent) Cup Series events have been won from the front row, four from the pole position and one from second-place. But did you know that 54.5 percent of the races have been won from a top-10 starting position? Brad Keselowski won from the deepest in the field ( 25th) in the spring race of 2011.

As we head to Kansas Speedway, Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with the series-best driver rating of 110.6, with three wins, nine top fives, 17 top 10s and three poles. Kenseth (108.1), Harvick (105.3), Martin Truex Jr. (95.7) and Kahne (91.4) round out the top five best driver ratings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has struggled this season but did you know that he has the sixth-best driver rating (90.0) at Kansas Speedway? He has three top fives, nine top 10s and one pole at the track and is looking forward to the race.

“Kansas is a great racetrack for me,” Earnhardt said. “That place has widened out pretty good and you can run against the fence there, which is a line that I like to run. It’s a very fast racetrack and very smooth, a lot of fun, so we should have a good time.”

The on-track action begins Thursday, May 11, with Truck Series practice, culminating with the Go Bowling 400 Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. In the meantime, check out the video below as we take a moment to remember Jason Leffler.

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

May 10, 2017