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Tag: Kevin Harvick

  • The Final Word – Newman rises in Phoenix, while a pair run down under in New Zealand

    The Final Word – Newman rises in Phoenix, while a pair run down under in New Zealand

    Let us be honest. Of the 39 entries at Phoenix, the race itself featured just 28 marquee teams. Those are outfits that through a combination of great equipment, driver talent, and, to be honest, marketability, have most of us watching for every week.

    Most are relatively easy to spot. Check out the standings. They would include the Top 25 as of today, and I will let you figure out who the other three might be. That would include the Top 26 finishers at Phoenix. If you were hoping for a dark horse to win, you might consider Talladega in May.

    You had better luck finding Nemo than Ryan Newman in Victory Lane in recent years. He was there for the first time since July 28, 2013, in Indianapolis. That was surprising enough. Newman was in the vicinity early, but a call for no tires is what put him on the front row for the overtime restart and that was all she wrote. Career win number 18 was a long time coming.

    Kyle Larson did not win. He actually had to avoid being collected up, which broke his momentum, and that allowed the Rocket to take off before him. Larson had to settle for second place. Again. Like he did at Las Vegas. Like he did at Atlanta. Hell, he was second at Homestead to finish last season. We might have four drivers with wins to their credit bound for the Chase, but right now no one has accumulated more points this season than Larson. In fact, on Sunday, Larson accumulated 11 more points than Newman did. So, to the winner goes the spoils…but sometimes not most of the spoils.

    A winner gets a minimum of 40 points, with two stage wins pushing that to a maximum of 60. Five drivers came in with 40 or more. Newman had 42, Larson 53, and Kyle Busch 47. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, but it was fifth place Brad Keselowski finishing 13 points ahead of him, with 46. As for Chase Elliott, he was fourth in the opening stage, won the second, and finished 12th to accumulate 42 of his own. You can make up your own mind if first and 12th can be worth the same. To be honest, I can live with it. I guess I do like surprises after all.

    So, if 40 points constitutes a good day, what is a dud? Twenty? More than half the field in Phoenix failed to even reach that plateau. Single digits? That would at least place a driver outside the Top 28, and if a driver is worth following you would think they should finish above that unless fate intervenes.

    Fate intervened with Matt Kenseth when his right front blew and he blasted the wall pretty hard. He got just a single point for his day’s efforts. That would be a dud. Same thing happened to Joey Logano with six to go while he was running in 11th place. Thanks to winning Stage One, was 31st on the track, but 16 markers had him 23rd in points earned. Not a dud, but also not a very good day.

    It is interesting how life works. In Las Vegas, Logano “accidentally” took out Rowdy in the final lap, prompting their post-race aerobic activity. In Phoenix, Logano pounds the wall in the late going, bringing out the caution that probably cost Busch the win. I think Karma just decided to punish them both. Who knew that she was such a peacenik?

    Next up is the swing out to California. There are times when I think that track produces the most mind numbing boring contests. Then a gem appears that forces me to reconsider that. Forrest Gump is right. The Auto Club Speedway is like a box of chocolates. Jimmie Johnson has six wins there, with Kenseth and the younger Busch each with three. Then again, Kevin Harvick came in the king of the hill at Phoenix, and he wound up sixth. Not bad, not good, but still not a dud.

    In other racing news, I am a very proud papa. While my sons carry far too much muscle to be considered greyhounds, they are a determined pair. Both took on the challenge of Northburn Station near Cromwell, New Zealand on the weekend. A leg injury interfered with Ronald’s training, but he still did his 50 kilometer (31 mile) event in 8.5 hours. John took on the 161 kilometer (100 mile) race and completed it in 37 hours and 54 minutes. Check out the Northburn Station 100 and see the kind of terrain they ran.

    Let me be honest. I love my sons, who give us every reason to be very proud parents, but they are truly nuts.

  • Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Wins mean everything, but doing well in the stages and coming home close to the front seems pretty important also this season. Last week, Matt Kenseth finished ninth, yet lost ground by 30 points to race winner Martin Truex Jr. in Las Vegas alone.

    The maximum number of points one can get, what Truex received last week, is 60, and that includes a win and pass to the Chase. By claiming both stages and finishing second a driver would up their count by 55, and that would be enough to move any driver from nothing to something in a hurry. This is especially true when you remember that sometimes a good driver could end up with just one single point on the day, but enough about Kevin Harvick.

    Most of our leaders should enjoy their time in Phoenix if their histories can give us a clue. Do not expect much from Truex, Kasey Kahne, or Jamie McMurray. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, should move up and just maybe come next week Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be back on this list.

    A win would do it, and Junior did win at Phoenix in 2015. Joey Logano won there last fall. As for Harvick, he is the man. Eight victories, six of the past nine on this track, on one he has at least one victory in each of the past four seasons. I think we just found our favorite for Sunday.

    The points would be nice, but after giving it away in Atlanta, for Harvick, a win would mean everything.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 132 PTS
    Stay relevant, stay close, pass Truex…damn, damn, damn.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 127 PTS
    If you were wondering about that voodoo doll in the form of the No. 2…now you know.

    3. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 93 PTS
    No attempt to hit Joey, but managed to beat on the wall, and was left wanting to beat on his car.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 131 PTS
    Who does a guy have to fight in order to get some recognition by the mainstream?

    5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 129 PTS
    Fifth at Atlanta. Third at Las Vegas. The arithmetic sequence points to good things for Phoenix.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 119 PTS
    “Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time.”

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 106 PTS
    It is early, but this car is again reminding us that this was the ride of Pearson and Bonnett.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK – 92 PTS
    There is video showing Harvick was indeed at Las Vegas…mostly playing the slots in the garage.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 88 PTS
    Being surprisingly consistent, with three top dozens, is a real good thing for Kahne.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 86 PTS
    After the Daytona wreck, a pair of Top Tens gives Ganassi organization two high fliers.

    11. TREVOR BAYNE – 82 PTS
    After Edwards left, Roush needed a star in one of his seats. He just might have one.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 73 PTS
    You will find Kurt, Kevin, and Clint on this chart. As for Danica, Ty Dillon is a better bet.

    13. MATT KENSETH – 71 PTS
    Finishes ninth and drops 30 points to Truex in Las Vegas. You just got to love the points system.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 70 PTS
    Back to a single car operation after nearly 20 seasons with a duo. So far, so good…sort of.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 68 PTS
    A Top Ten at Las Vegas was a hell of a lot better result than his run at Atlanta.

    16. PAUL MENARD – 62 PTS
    Childress drivers have won five times at Phoenix. Neither of those boys drive for him today.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 59 PTS
    Swinging at Joey doesn’t work, berating him has limited effect, but as for a kiss…stay tuned.

    18. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 55 PTS
    Oh, there you are, Jimmie. 31 of those 55 points came to him last Sunday.

    19. KYLE BUSCH – 50 PTS
    “Oops, I did it again,”

    20. ERIK JONES – 49 PTS
    39th, 14th, 15th…it is a learning thing for the 20-year-old.

    20. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 49 PTS
    Not exactly burning up the track, but he wasn’t even on this list last week.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex dominated at Las Vegas, capturing the first two stages and passing Brad Keselowski’s slowing Ford with two laps to go. Truex scored the maximum 60 points, and is fourth in the points standings, five out of first.

    “What does a car engine that sweeps all three stages of a Cup race sound like?” Truex said. “‘Broom! Broom!’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Las Vegas and appeared to be headed to victory before he slowed dramatically due to mechanical issues. He faded to fifth but leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “I’m not sure what happened,” Keselowski said. “All I know is my engine was like a Kyle Busch-Joey Logano fight—it lacked ‘punch.’”

    3. Kyle Larson: Larson took the runner-up spot in the Kobalt Tools 400, posting his second top five of the year. He is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, one behind Brad Keselowski.

    “I came close to winning again,” Larson said. “I’m really envious of Martin Truex Jr. and that giant wrench he was awarded as the winner. And that giant wrench is jealous of Kyle Busch and Joey Logano because they are bigger tools.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth after contact with Kyle Busch sent Busch’s No. 18 Toyota spinning into the infield. A furious Busch confronted Logano on pit road, but crew members separated them, although Busch was bloodied in the skirmish.

    “Hopefully,” Logano said, “Kyle didn’t get any blood on his driving suit. I’m not sure laundry detergent will get that out, because what happens in Vegas stains in Vegas.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick blew his right front tire and slammed the wall on lap 68, ending his day at Las Vegas. He finished 38th.

    “My day ended way too early,” Harvick said. “I’m surprised NASCAR officials didn’t penalize me for exiting the race too quickly.

    “I was upset because it took medical personnel way too long to arrive on the scene of my accident. That’s unacceptable. So, one week after they ‘took my time,’ it appears they’re ‘taking their time.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 30th after a rough day at his home track at Las Vegas.

    “I had to make an extended pit stop to replace my battery on lap 66,” Busch said. “And I was powerless to do anything about it.

    “And speaking of dead batteries, how about my brother Kyle’s ‘charge’ at Joey Logano? Kyle just lost his mind there. But take it from me, when anger gets the best of a Busch brother, everyone else gets the worst of a Busch brother.”

    7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 12th at Las Vegas, and has finished 12th or better in all three races this season. He is ninth in the points standings.

    “Jimmie Johnson hasn’t posted a top-10 finish this season,” Kahne said. “Jimmie’s not one to whine about misfortune, but if he chooses to, he should do it in his trophy room.

    “In any case, Jimmie’s quest for another championship is on, and he’s calling it ‘48 For Eight.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott took third at Las Vegas, scoring his second top five of the year.

    “Kyle Busch went after Joey Logano and came away with bleeding,” Elliott said. ‘Sliced Bread,’ meet ‘Sliced Head.’

    “As NASCAR fights go, that was one of the worst in history. Of course, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison’s brawl at Daytona in 1979 is at the top of the list. In fact, it occupies the top two spots, because that fight featured a good number of ‘one-two’s.’”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth in the Kobalt Tools 400, registering his second top-10 finish of the season.

    “After the race,” Kenseth said, “someone said ‘I didn’t hit anything.’ That could have been either Joey Logano or Kyle Busch.

    “I have to support my Joe Gibbs Racing teammate in this Logano-Busch situation. I’ve wanted to punch Logano for a long time. His face is punchable, and when your nickname is ‘Sliced Bread,’ a knuckle sandwich is often on the menu.”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished seventh at Las Vegas and is seventh in the points standings, 26 out of first.

    “As you know,” Blaney said, “my father is Dave Blaney. I really have to thank my father for encouraging me to follow in his footsteps. Every Father’s Day, I’m grateful that Dave Blaney is my father, and even more grateful that Tom Logano is not.”

  • The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    I wonder what the highlight was from Las Vegas? Just maybe it was the passing opportunity to see Joey Logano get his ass kicked on pit road. However, before that could happen, a lot of dudes on Logano’s race team quickly took Kyle Busch out of the mix as their driver literally got carried off to safety. Rowdy wound up leaving the fray with a small cut on his forehead.

    I learned I will never get a job as a NASCAR official at track level. Did you see the size of those lads who helped lead Busch away from the melee? I don’t know what their names are, but Mister, Sir, or whatever they want to be called works for me. They were not little fellows.

    As for the spark that led to the tussle, that would have been when Busch dived down to get by a slowing Brad Keselowski on the final lap and made contact with Logano. As they went by, Logano wiggled a bit and the ensuing contact sent Busch for a spin through pit road. Was it all Joey’s fault? Not really, but it sure was fun to watch the aftermath.

    Keselowski had the race won. Then with two to go, he found himself with some kind of mechanical issue that took away his brakes and affected his steering. He fell back, and Martin Truex Jr. completed the sweep with two to go, claiming both Stages and coming back to accept the gift that fate bestowed upon him. For Truex, it marked his eighth career victory, gave him at least a win in each of the past three seasons, and he all but placed himself in the Chase.

    Las Vegas is going to get a fall race next season, but for most of Sunday, it was just a bunch of guys all spread out going fast and turning left. Not terribly exciting visually, at least until near the end. Then things got real interesting.

    Keselowski, along with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney provided the main opposition in this one. In the end, Larson and Elliott were second and third, while Keselowski got the third highest number of points in finishing fifth. Blaney had the fourth best tally despite coming home seventh. To illustrate the impact of the points system now in place, Matt Kenseth was ninth at the line but claimed 30 fewer points, half that of the winner. Being up front all day long and finishing somewhere in the vicinity at the end is what it is all about.

    Not a good day for Kevin Harvick. He had the best total coming in but left with just a single marker after blowing a right front and plowing into the fence in the opening stage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not much of a factor on the day, finishing 16th and still sits outside the Top 25. Jimmie Johnson was 11th and is slowly making his way up the ladder. As for the other hometown boy, Kurt Busch got his win at Daytona but Sunday saw him 30th after having issues much of the day. Unlike his brother, however, he did manage to leave the track without a mark on his head.

    Now it is off to Phoenix, where Harvick has claimed six of the past nine events staged there, including last spring. Logano won there in the fall, and may again as long as he does not have to pass a certain M&M painted vehicle on the last lap. Johnson has four victories, Junior has a trio to his credit. No time like the present to revisit some old glory. Maybe this time we might have something to talk about other than a mechanical failure or a failure to communicate. We can always hope.

  • Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

    Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

    Stewart-Haas Racing cars were the class of the field the first two races of the season, with a win in the Daytona 500 by Kurt Busch and most laps led in both the 500 and the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway by Kevin Harvick. Unfortunately, a 10th-place finish by Clint Bowyer was the highlight of a lousy day at Las Vegas Motor Speedway from the four-car organization.

    But even Bowyer admitted that was a struggle.

    “To be truthful, we weren’t the best all weekend, but we just kept digging,” he said after the race. “(Mike) Bugga didn’t give up on the box and kept adjusting on it and got me pretty good, the best we’d been right there at the end. It’s a top-10 and gives us some momentum. It’s our third race together and we got a top-10, so we’ve got to keep digging.”

    Kurt Busch dealt with electrical issues that forced him to pit and change batteries with 66 laps to go. He finished in 30th place, four laps down.

    “Obviously it wasn’t the day we were hoping to have with our Monster Energy/Haas Automation Ford Fusion,” Busch said. “We didn’t have the long-run speed or the balance, and we had an electrical issue that forced us to change batteries on pit road. We kept battling, we didn’t give up. I hoped to have a better run here in front of the hometown fans.”

    The other two SHR cars didn’t make it to the finish.

    Exiting the tri-oval on lap 68, Kevin Harvick suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the wall. He said the tire started vibrating four or five laps prior and was he trying to nurse it to the end of the stage.

    He was critical of the response time by American Medical Response.

    “The worst part was the medical response. It took them forever to get to the car,” Harvick said. “I thought we made that better, but obviously we haven’t.”

    He finished 38th and lost the points lead.

    With 16 to go, Danica Patrick’s engine expired on the frontstretch, relegating her to a 36th-place finish.

    “We just got the car to a place where I think we could have got a little more racy with it,” Patrick said, “especially if we would have caught some breaks, but then it just flattened out. I just rode around the top in case I blew up, but having a teammate behind me was not ideal for the timing of it, but unfortunately it happened. We’ll just move on.”

  • Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    One thing that pops out at you are some of the unfamiliar names among our Hot 20 after a couple of races. Even more so, all the familiar names not there.

    No Jimmie Johnson. No Kyle Busch. No Dale Earnhardt Jr. It is early, and a couple of stage wins at Las Vegas could move them up. A win certainly would, but for now, their usual places are being held by someone else.

    One is a definite Hall of Famer. Hell, they all are, especially when you consider that every eligible driver with 25 wins or more is already there, with the exception of Jim Paschal. I would expect that 25 race winner to make it soon enough. Just not this year. This week, the nominees for the class of 2018 were announced.

    I thought I knew who I would vote for. Then I saw all the names, and it got a bit complicated. For one, just where in hell is Smokey Yunick’s name? A legendary mechanic, builder, and crew chief who came up with innovations that prompted NASCAR’s rule book to come up with restrictions to counter them. You know all those templates the cars need to fit today? You can blame Smokey for that. To say that he was not a fan of the France family is a bit of an understatement. The fact Yunick remains off the ballot would seem to indicate the feeling was mutual…and still is. That is a damned shame.

    Who would I put in? Broadcaster Ken Squier, without hesitation. NASCAR still awaits his successor, the voice that you can just lean back and ride along with on a summer afternoon as you tinker with your own wheels out on the driveway under a blue sky. As for the other nominees, as I said, it gets complicated. Is 25 wins a benchmark for drivers, or do other factors come into play, such as a championship or a tragic loss? How do we determine which owner, which crew chief, what engine builder is deserving? How much weight do you give to those in Cup, compared to other NASCAR series? A lot of deserving names, popular choices, but which five to be included in the Class of 2018? You could say that to try and forecast the outcome is going to be a bit of a crap shoot.

    They are used to that, I guess, in Las Vegas, as the gambler’s paradise is going to get a second race next season. Okay, but where was it going to come from? It makes sense economically to put another event in a town that is just one great big attraction itself. Just as long as it did not take away from a track that features action most love to watch. Not Daytona, Not Talladega, Not Bristol. Instead, the Magic Mile of Loudon, New Hampshire loses its September date after a 21-year run. It was a transfer between two properties owned by Speedway Motorsports’ Bruton Smith, who himself is a Hall of Famer.

    One good bet is that Smith will be joined in the Hall, some day, by the first three names you see among our Hot 20 heading into Las Vegas.

    1. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 86 PTS
    Forget yoga, as nothing relaxes a driver more than a Daytona 500 win and a pass to the Chase.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 84 PTS
    Dear Kevin: Many thanks. Love, Brad.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 90 PTS
    Dear Brad: Kiss my butt. Love, Kevin.

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 82 PTS
    Not a question of if, but when. He is the “next one.”

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 80 PTS
    When it comes to Las Vegas, Joey is great…but has yet to seal the deal.

    6. KYLE LARSON – 79 PTS
    Low, low, high, goodbye. Atlanta could have been different if only…

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 67 PTS
    For him, Las Vegas is more like a Kansas song. You know, “Dust in the Wind.”

    8. KASEY KAHNE – 63 PTS
    According to this chart, the second best damn driver for Hendrick.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 63 PTS
    Team was born in 1950. The Legend was born in 1953. The driver was born in 1993.

    10. TREVOR BAYNE – 58 PTS
    Performance Plus is the sponsor. Performance plus is what they are looking for on Sunday.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 49 PTS
    Once trailed Allmendinger until A.J.’s 35 point penalty for his lack of lug nuts at Atlanta.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 47 PTS
    Some say not a good fantasy pick at the moment. To be honest, I’ve never fantasized about him.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 46 PTS
    After the last couple of years, this is just freaking awesome!

    14. PAUL MENARD – 44 PTS
    Name his sponsor. Wrong. It is Valvoline…and Menards.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 41 PTS
    Along with Jimmie, Junior, Kasey, and Trevor, he likes to ride bicycles. Manly bicycles.

    16. COLE WHITT – 38 PTS
    Good start for TriStar Motorsports and its 25-year old wheel man. Can he keep the No. 72 up there?

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 37 PTS
    17th trip to Las Vegas, but third is the best he has done (2015).

    18. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 37 PTS
    Ninth at Daytona. 28th at Atlanta. A betting man might not like his odds for Sunday.

    19. DENNY HAMLIN – 37 PTS
    A messed up rear end (on the car, not the driver) ruined his march down to Georgia.

    20. LANDON CASSILL – 36 PTS
    Thanks A.J.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Atlanta

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Atlanta

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started from the pole at Atlanta and won the first two segments, but a late pit road speeding penalty cost him the victory.

    “I guess I should have backed off a little going down pit road,” Harvick said. “But I ‘pushed,’ and once again, Brad Keselowski was the recipient.

    “My wife DeLana was not happy with Austin Dillon for staying out and causing the caution, and she took to Twitter to voice her displeasure with the No. 3 team. Unfortunately, no amount of sad-face emojis will give me the victory.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski capitalized on Kevin Harvick’s speeding penalty and zoomed past Kyle Larson to win the Folds Of Honor Quik Trips 500.

    “Even while Harvick was dominating,” Keselowski said, “I kept my composure, then I proved I can come through under pressure when I passed Larson. Not to boast, but I’ve got a huge set of testicles. And do you know what holds a pair that large? A ‘Monster Cup.’”

    3. Kurt Busch: Coming off his career-defining win at Daytona, Busch finished seventh at Atlanta, and is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “Monster Energy is the new Cup sponsor,” Busch said, “and I’m proud to display the Monster logo all over my car. Heck, I don’t see the word ‘Monster’ used this much except in court filings against me.”

    4. Kyle Larson: Larson led late at Atlanta, but was passed by Brad Keselowski with six laps to go and settled for the runner-up spot. Larson is sixth in the points standings.

    “I’ve had the lead late in the last three Cup races,” Larson said, “and didn’t win any of them. I keep asking myself ‘What happened?’ I don’t have an answer. Now, if you ask me ‘What happened?’ during the Atlanta race, I do have an answer. It’s ‘nothing.’That was one of the most uneventful races in NASCAR history. The only exciting action appeared on a NASCAR official’s timing device. Ask Harvick and he’ll tell you it was a ‘stop watch.’”

    5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne posted his second top 10 of the year with a fourth at Atlanta.

    “Kevin Harvick obviously had the best car in the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500,” Kahne said. “But the key words here are ‘QuikTrip,’ because Harvick was a little too fast heading down pit road. Honestly, I’m skeptical that Harvick was, in fact, speeding. I think NASCAR wanted a competitive end to a race that Harvick was easily dominating. In a sport in where you’re always looking for that extra mile per hour, NASCAR officials seem to be the best at finding it.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished sixth in the Folds Of Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta.

    “Congratulations to my Penske teammate Brad Keselowski,” Logano said. “That was a huge win, and Brad was very excited. You could hear it in his voice right after he took the checkered flag. If you were listening in on his radio feed, you probably didn’t need an FBI warrant to do so.”

    7. Chase Elliott: Elliott placed fifth at Atlanta for his second top-10 finish of the season, once again leading the Hendrick Motorsports charge along with teammate Kasey Kahne.

    “This was the first race of the season without Rob Gronkowski’s presence,” Elliott said. “But even if he’s not at the track, Rob will be there in spirit, because there’s a lap 69 in every race this year.”

    8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished eighth at Atlanta in the No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota.

    “I think all drivers are pleased with the new points system,” Truex said. “Now, I’m not sure the fans feel the same way because it can be a bit complicated. But once you understand it, it’s simple. So, to NASCAR fans, I say ‘Do the math.’ And, to fans from Jeremy Mayfield’s hometown of Owensboro, Kentucky, I say ‘There’s an ‘A’ in ‘math,’ not an ‘E.’”

    9. Matt Kenseth: After a disappointing result at Daytona, Kenseth bounced back with a third at Atlanta.

    “I’m still getting used to not having Carl Edwards as a teammate,” Kenseth said. “Carl suddenly announced his retirement back in January and said he may have plans to win for political office. If Carl is ever elected, it will be the first time he’s won a race that mattered.”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished 18th at Atlanta and is now eighth in the points standings.

    “They say speed runs in my family,” Blaney said. “If that’s true, let hope it skipped a generation because my father Dave didn’t win a single Cup race.”

  • The Final Word – Atlanta goes to Keselowski, with major assists from Larson and Harvick

    The Final Word – Atlanta goes to Keselowski, with major assists from Larson and Harvick

    Atlanta. Let me just say that the damned narrative I had for this race just went to crap over the final 15 laps.

    Brad Keselowski won. 22 victories. This time, if he has any self respect, he needs to send out a few lines of thanks to a pair of drivers. Kyle Larson would be one of them. Larson ran low, did well, but for some reason he thought Keselowski would pass him on high, so he stayed high. Brad passed him down low, and drove away. Larson has one win, and seven runner-up finishes. I am starting to see why.

    As for that other card, that should go to Kevin Harvick. I had thought I was going to write how Harvick led from start to finish. I thought I might mention how he easily claimed the first two stages, led over 200 laps to totally dominate this event. That is what I thought. Then, with about 15 to go, and under caution, Harvick sped on pit road. He went from first to 14th on the re-start, and wound up 9th.

    Even though Harvick leads the standings by four over Kurt Busch, the Daytona 500 winner, and six ahead of Keselowski, that free pass to the Chase will have to wait. On the day, he was credited with 48 points, just five less than the race winner, one fewer than Chase Elliott in fifth, and more than Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Joey Logano, the elder Busch, and Martin Truex, Jr., all of whom finished ahead of Harvick at the end. A good points day, but 17 fewer than what he should have had. Brad, you are welcome.

    It was a day for speeders. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. did it early, and sunk like a stone, never to be seen again. Jimmie Johnson did it twice. Expanding the timing lines on pit road seemed to have had the same effect as a new speed trap out on the highway. Sheriff Rosco P. Coltrane would have been proud. Some recovered somewhat, while others did not.

    Let’s face it, Atlanta was not Daytona. Pack racing is exciting due to the “what if” factor of someone wobbling or bumping or losing traction at the wrong time. Spread them out, let the visual be of a bunch of folks just turning left a lot, and it is something only a true racing afficionado can appreciate.

    That does not mean it did not come with a few twists. Denny Hamlin had an issue with the rear end of his beast, was able to go to the garage for mechanical repairs, but ran out of time to make a return viable. Ryan Newman had a crew man jump over the wall early, and when a battery issue rose up a bit later, he was toast. No spark also meant Austin Dillon was left in the cold, outside the Top 30.

    Only 39 cars hit the starting grid in this one. None of the three non-Charter entries finished better than 34th. On the bright side, they did not finish dead last either. That honor belonged to the #51 of Cody Ware in the 21 year old North Carolina driver’s Cup debut. Steering issues parked him early.

    Next on the schedule is Las Vegas, where word has it a second race is being sought for the venue. Keselowski has won two of the past three, on either side of a win by Harvick. Johnson has four there. Kenseth has won three. Something tells me the winner next Sunday could well have a familiar face.

  • Harvick blows another dominant performance in Atlanta

    Harvick blows another dominant performance in Atlanta

    HAMPTON, Ga. — Leading over 100 laps for the fourth straight year at Atlanta Motor Speedway didn’t translate into a win for Kevin Harvick thanks to a late race pit road penalty.

    Starting on the pole, Harvick dominated the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 from start to the closing laps, leading 292 of 325 laps. His No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford was so dialed in, nobody passed him on track for the lead under green. He only lost the lead during pit stop cycles under green.

    The only driver who’s car could match Harvick was Brad Keselowski, but he could only match Harvick for a few laps before Harvick pulled away.

    It appeared Keselowski finally had Harvick’s number when he beat him off pit road under the event’s fourth caution, but Keselowski came back down pit road a second time because his crew didn’t tighten all the lug nuts.

    With 17 laps to go, Austin Dillon was running top-10 when his car suffered battery issues, the same issue that befell his teammate Ryan Newman. Dillon was told not to pit, his car came to a halt in Turn 2 and the sixth caution flew with 16 to go.

    After pitting, the call came in from the NASCAR Pro Trailer that Harvick sped on pit road.

    “Ya, this place, for whatever reason, I just feel like I’m snake bitten,” Harvick said after the race. “It’s my own doing today. I really didn’t think I was even close on pit lane. It gets to bouncing around, I thought I was being conservative, apparently I wasn’t.”

    Per NASCAR regulations, he was required to restart at the tail end of the field behind all the wave around cars.

    Restarting 18th* with 11 to go, Harvick worked his way past the wave around cars and brought his car home to a ninth-place finish.

    “I just made a mistake that I preach all the time that you don’t need to make and beat yourself and then you go out and make it yourself instead of following all the things you preach. That part is hard for me to swallow,” he said. “The good part about it is our Ford has been really fast. We didn’t know what we were going to have when we got here and we had a great weekend the whole time. Man, I just, one way or another I have figured out how to lose races here at Atlanta after being so dominant. We will pick ‘em up and start again next week.”

    The Hampton, Georgia facility that was the site of Harvick’s first career win in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series victory in 2001 has “snake bitten” him each of his last four visits.

    In 2014, Harvick started on the pole and led 195 of the 335 laps. But he was caught up in a late race restart wreck and came home 19th. In 2015, he led 116 of 325 laps, only to lose on the final restart and finish runner-up to Jimmie Johnson. Last season, he led 131 of 330 laps, but lost the lead under a green pit cycle to Johnson with around 40 laps to go. He cut a 14-second deficit down to five, but Ryan Newman cutting a tire and spinning out on the frontstretch brought out the caution and setup an overtime finish. He spun the tires on the final restart and came home sixth.

    *This story has been corrected to show that Harvick restarted 18th on the final restart, rather than 14th as originally reported.

  • Keselowski steals win on late restart, while Harvick blows it on late penalty

    Keselowski steals win on late restart, while Harvick blows it on late penalty

    HAMPTON, Ga. — Brad Keselowski passed Kyle Larson six laps to go to win in Atlanta, but it’s nothing compared to Kevin Harvick blowing another dominant performance for the fourth straight year at Atlanta.

    Harvick was the dominant car from the start of the race to the final caution of the race, leading 292 of 325 laps. There was a potential obstacle in his way when Keselowski beat him off pit road under the fourth caution, but Keselowski’s crew didn’t get all the lug nuts tightened on his car and he surrendered the lead to come back down to get them tightened.

    The critical moment came with 17 to go when Austin Dillon’s car lost power and he missed the entrance to pit road. The No. 3 came to a rest on the apron in Turn 2 and brought out the sixth caution with 16 to go. After the leaders made their stops, the call came in from Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Race Director David Hoots.

    “4, too fast on pit road.”

    Larson assumed the race lead for the final restart with 11 to go. Keselowski reeled him in, passed him on the backstretch with six to go and took the checkered flag.

    When asked if he thought he had a chance to catch Harvick with all he had to overcome, Keselowski said you just “never know. That’s how these races are.”

    “We had a lot of adversity today there’s not doubt about that. These races aren’t easy,” he added. “They’re 500 miles and a lot can happen and when you think you’ve got it they slip away. I know how it goes. This one kind of fell in our lap at the end and my team put it all together when it counted. They gave me a great Autotrader Ford Fusion and we were able to get by Kyle there at the end. I knew that he wasn’t going to be easy to pass. His car was great and I was able to make the right moves to get by him.”

    It’s his 22nd career victory in 271 Cup Series starts.

    Larson led seven laps on his way to a runner-up finish.

    “I raced around Brad a lot throughout the day, Larson said. “Any time I was in front of him on short runs, he’s drive around me up top. And so, I knew I was going to have to take his line away on that start there for a couple of laps and try it. I just didn’t have enough grip or not as much as I’d hoped. He did a good job being a lane lower than me and getting to my inside. So, it was disappointing not to get the win, but I’m happy about our second place run at a 1.5-mile where I struggle at. I can’t thank everybody at the shop enough for building great race cars, and Hendrick engines for supplying us with some great engines, I had a blast today. The Target Chevy was good. I ran the bottom a lot, which is not typically something I do. So, it was a lot of fun to learn how to kind of use both feet to get around the bottom and to do a good job with that.”

    Matt Kenseth rallied past two speeding penalties to round out the podium.

    The Hendrick Motorsports teammates of Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott rounded out the top-five.

    Harvick came home to a ninth-place finish.

    “Ya, this place, for whatever reason, I just feel like I’m snake bitten,” Harvick said. “It’s my own doing today. I really didn’t think I was even close on pit lane. It gets to bouncing around, I thought I was being conservative, apparently I wasn’t. I want to thank everyone on our Jimmy Johns Ford for everything they did this weekend. I was just pushing it too hard.

    “I just made a mistake that I preach all the time that you don’t need to make and beat yourself and then you go out and make it yourself instead of following all the things you preach. That part is hard for me to swallow. The good part about it is our Ford has been really fast. We didn’t know what we were going to have when we got here and we had a great weekend the whole time. Man, I just, one way or another I have figured out how to lose races here at Atlanta after being so dominant. We will pick ‘em up and start again next week.”

    The only two times the caution flew in the first 170 laps of the race was at the conclusion of the stages.

    In the final stage, the cautions started occurring more frequently.

    The third of the race flew with 86 to go for debris in Turn 4, the fourth flew with 63 to go for Gray Gaulding blowing an engine in Turn 4, the fifth flew with 47 to go for Clint Bowyer blowing a left-front tire and slamming the wall in Turn 1 and the final caution flew with 16 to go for Dillon stalling in Turn 2.

    Thirteen speeding penalties were issued to 11 different drivers in today’s race, a result of increased timing lines.

    The race lasted three hours, 33 minutes and eight seconds at an average speed of 140.898 mph. There were nine lead changes among five different drivers and six cautions for 32 laps.

    Harvick leaves with a four-point lead over teammate Kurt Busch.

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