Tag: Kevin Harvick

Sprint Cup Series: Who’s Hot, Who’s Not?

It seems like after the fifth race, you start to get a solid perspective of who has the hot hand and who is currently falling flat. Although we haven’t had a driver win twice yet, there are a few drivers whose consistency has rewarded them. On the contrary, some of the sport’s top drivers have been falling flat due to their lackluster performances of 2014.

With that said, here are three drivers to keep an eye on, and three that need to pick it up a little.

Hot: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

After winning the Daytona 500 for the second time, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been on a hot streak like no other. He nearly won two of the first three races, and has not finished outside the top 24. His three top-fives and three top-10s, coupled with an average finish of 8.2, all but cement Earnhardt as a very consistent driver in 2014.

Not: Kevin Harvick

Despite dominating the race at Phoenix, Kevin Harvick’s average finish has been plummeting faster than a comet. Harvick placed 41st at Las Vegas, struggled to a 39th place finish at Bristol, and last week at Auto Club Speedway, he came home 36th after continuously suffering tire problems. Even though Harvick’s not so hot streak isn’t good for his average finish (which currently stands at 26.0), he has already virtually made the chase thanks to NASCAR’s new rules. If he performs like this during the chase, though, you can be sure he’ll be eliminated in the first round.

Hot: Carl Edwards

Carl Edwards has ridden the consistency train all the way in 2014, gathering a win at Bristol, two top-fives, and four top-10s. Edwards seemed to fly under the radar, silently gathering top-10 after top-10, until his win at Bristol bought him to the forefront of the discussion. After finishing 17th in the Great American Race, Edwards hasn’t had a finish outside of the top ten. His under the radar consistency will make him Roush Fenway Racing’s best chance to win the title.

Not: Kurt Busch

The elder Busch brother seemed to finally get back on track in 2014, after pit strategy allowed him to take a third place finish at Auto Club for his first top-five of the year. Before that however, Busch’s performance has been mediocre at best. A 21st at Daytona, 39th at Phoenix, 26th at Las Vegas, and 35th place finish at Bristol mirror that of Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick. At this point in time, it seems as if all four Stewart-Haas cars have been struggling this season. The good news for Kurt Busch is that he could finish poorly in the next 15 races, then finally break out and win and be in the chase.

Hot: Brad Keselowski

If you’re still wondering if Brad Keselowski is a one hit wonder, you haven’t watched a single lap of the 2014 season. Keselowski started off the season with a bang, finishing third in the Daytona 500. Afterwards, he’s finished in the top-five three times, which leads all drivers. He also ranks fifth in laps led with 147, and he seems to be the first driver to perfect the new knockout qualifying system. As a matter of fact, Keselowski is one of just three drivers to make the final round every week, and he hasn’t qualified outside of the first row since the format started in Phoenix. Keselowski’s solid consistency, coupled with his willingness to win, make him an early threat for the championship.

Not: Greg Biffle

While Carl Edwards looks to be a championship hopeful for Roush Fenway Racing, you can’t say the same for his teammate Greg Biffle. Biffle has finished outside the top 15 in three of the last four races, including a 40th place showing at Auto Club. Fortunately for Biffle, he could always win at Michigan to cement his spot in the 16-driver chase.

As with any sport, you’re always going to have guys on hot streaks and guys on cold streaks. And although it is interesting to dissect a driver’s recent performance, the new chase rules mean that any one of the “not hot” drivers on this list could make the chase. As a matter of fact, one already has. This is just one of the reasons why fans aren’t very happy with the new chase, even though they’ve said time and time again that they want winning to mean more. Early on this season looking at the new format, they’ve definitely got what they asked for.

March 26, 2014
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Carl Edwards: Edwards took tenth in the Auto Club 400 on a wild day in Fontana. Edwards now leads the Sprint Cup points standings by one over Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

“It was an eventful day in Fontana,” Edwards said. “You had lead changes, exploding tires, malfunctioning lights, and Muppets. Of course, the only thing unusual about that in NASCAR is the Muppets.

“Tires played a huge role in Sunday’s race. I think a lot of cars were running on underinflated tires, and that caused the excessive tire wear. Unfortunately for them, they didn’t ‘air’ on the side of caution.”

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 12th in the Auto Club 400, his second straight race outside of the top 10 after three top-2 finishes to start the season. He trails Carl Edwards by one in the points standings.

“Despite my fans’ high opinion of me,” Earnhardt said, “I’m no god. So, it was only a matter of time before I ‘came back down to Earth.’In fact, the only thing ‘hole-y’ at Auto Club Speedway last weekend were the tires.”

3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 38 laps early at California and was poised for a likely top-5 finish before a flat left rear tire sent him down in the order. He finished 26th, and is now third in the points standings, four behind Carl Edwards.

“It was a frustrating day,” Keselowski said. “Not only did tires hurt us, NASCAR had another problem with lights. It’s a situation similar to that of NASCAR’s ‘Driver For Diversity’ program—they just can’t seem to get the ‘color’ right.”

4. Jeff Gordon: Gordon had the lead with two laps to go, but Clint Bowyer’s spin ruined his plan to finish on old tires. After frantic pit stops, Gordon lost track position and finished 13th. He is third in the points standings, two out of first.

“Bowyer cost me the race,” Gordon said. “I’d go so far as to say his spin was intentional. And movie gurus in Hollywood even noticed. Which leads to the tie-in for next Bruce Willis blockbuster: ‘Old Habits Die Hard.’”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch jumped to the lead on a green-white-checkered finish at Auto Club Speedway and took the win, his second straight win at California. Busch is now 7th in the points standings, 28 behind Carl Edwards.

“Kyle Larson almost stole the win,” Busch said. “That would have been a case of ‘Larson’y.’

“Tire problems were the story of the day. But we didn’t have any. Maybe that’s because we ran Goodyear’s recommended pounds per square inch inflation level. I’m glad we did, because I’m ‘pumped.’”

6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson had the race in hand before blowing a tire seven laps from the finish, leading to a wild finish that Kyle Busch capped off for the win. Johnson finished 24th and is now eighth in the points standings, 21 out of first.

“We weren’t the only ones that suffered tire problems,” Johnson said. “Chad Knaus can certainly relate to our tire issues—they’re both ‘balding.’

“It was a crazy day in Fontana. ‘Gonzo’ the Muppet gave the order to start the engines. But what good is he to me? Sure, he can tell me how to get to Sesame Street, but I need to know how to get to Victory Lane.”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started on pole at California and finished fourth, while teammate Kyle Busch took the win. Kenseth is now fourth in the points standings, seven out of first.

“Is it me,” Kenseth said, “or is Michael Waltrip’s pre-race crowd surfing growing old? It was like the Sixth Sense out there—he sees dead people. Guess what, Michael? That wasn’t Donna Summer. You know why? Because she wouldn’t be caught dead at a NASCAR race.”

8. Tony Stewart: Stewart posted his second consecutive top-5 result, finishing fifth in the Auto Club 400.

“I was battling Kurt Busch for the lead on the final lap,” Stewart said. “The next thing I know, Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson went right by us. Eventually, Kurt finished third and I finished fifth. It was just like old times in the NASCAR hauler for the two of us—there was someone ‘separating’ us.”

9. Ryan Newman: Newman led three laps and finished 20th at California. He is seventh in the point standings, 36 out of first.

“Kyle Busch may be ‘Hell On Wheels,’” Newman said, “but that track is ‘Hell On Tires.’ Fontana’s surface is more abrasive than my relationship with Rusty Wallace.

“Michael Waltrip tried to chat me up on his pre-race walk through pit row. He wasn’t looking for the bathroom, but I told him where it was anyway. Michael just the opposite of a Goodyear tire—he’s ‘full of it.’”

10. Kyle Larson: Rookie sensation Kyle Larson finished second at California, nearly completing the weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race on Saturday.

“I may have just clinched NASCAR’s Rookie Of The Year award,” Larson said. “I may be a rookie, but I certainly belong here with the big boys. I earned my seat in the car on merit. You hear me, Austin Dillon? The only thing my grandfather gave me was DNA.”

March 25, 2014
Stewart-Haas Racing Gets Back On Track At Fontana

Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR) reassured their dominance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series on Sunday at Fontana after team owner, Tony Stewart finished fifth and first-year SHR driver Kurt Busch placed third. While the team didn’t cross the finish line first, the top five runs for Busch and Stewart may be all the momentum the entire team needs heading to Martinsville Speedway and beyond.

Busch and Stewart gained track position late in the going at Fontana, to try and win the race – as with the new system a win almost guarantees you a ticket into the Chase. However, on the ensuing green white-checkered shootout their two tire strategy couldn’t hold off the four tires of Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson, they were eventually passed and barley hung onto their top five positions.

“It was sketchy not knowing what was going to happen with two versus four (tires) but I was glad Chad (Johnston) made the right cal again two weeks in a row.” Stewart explained after climbing from his No. 14 Chevrolet SS.

Despite not scoring the win, as they anticipated by gambling, the entire organization has some positive to look back on heading forward.

“I was glad that we had two SHR (Stewart-Haas Racing) cars there in contention at the end.” Stewart furthered commented. “We hadn’t been a top-five car all day so really proud of these guys.”

The top five is the second straight for Stewart, while this is the first one on the season for the ‘Outlaw’ Busch – and a much needed one.

“It was an awesome finish racing your boss Tony Stewart for a win.” Busch told reporters after climbing from his No. 41 Chevrolet SS. “A little like happy, but sad, one of us should have brought it (the win) home for Stewart-Hass Racing and it just didn’t pan out with the four tires versus two.

While most attention followed Stewart and Busch’s runs, Danica Patrick had a quiet, but impressive, 14^th place finish, her season-best placing. And while it’s not an astonishing run, it’s still a confidence booster heading to a track she did fairly well at last season.

“It seems like some of our most trying weekends end up with our better results.” Patrick expressed following her career-best result at Fontana. “We will take it and we will know that there is so much more potential for those weekends where we feel like we are running a lot better.”

While most of the SHR camp had success at the tricky California track, Kevin Harvick had his struggles. He finished 36^th after having what seemed like a multitude of tire issues – which was common for many drivers throughout the event. However, the two dismal finishes at Bristol and Fontana don’t affect Harvick greatly, as he’s already (pretty much) locked himself into the Chase after winning in Phoenix.

“It’s kind of the same story as the last few weeks.” Harvick explained following the disappointing finish. “We’ll have a really strong run going, and something happens and we don’t get the finish that we deserve. It’s really frustrating.”

The SHR team prepares now for the catastrophic Martinsville Speedway where they are hoping to build off the impressive run at Fontana, and hopefully turn it into a victory.

March 24, 2014

The Final Word – An all-Kyle finish at Fontana, as Bowyer spins his way to a Top 20

Tires, man. That was the story of the race at Fontana. If one was conservative in their set up, like those owned by Joe Gibbs, all was well. If not…well, they blew it.

California was not like Indianapolis a few years ago, when they could not keep the rubber inflated no matter what they tried. This time, if they messed around with air pressure and camber, they risked ill fortunate. The team of Kyle Busch did not, and that is a big reason why Rowdy claimed his 29^th career victory in extending his streak of claiming at least one win in a season to ten. Busch held off rookie Kyle Larson as both broke from the field during the green-white-check finish to get by Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart with one to go.

It was great racing, with the tire situation just adding to the excitement. As long as a driver did not fall multiple laps off the pace, chances were good they could come back from any miscue. However, one needed time, and when Jimmie Johnson blew a tire with seven to go, his time was up as one of the day’s most dominant cars finished 24^th.

Johnson lost a tire, kept the beast under control, and kept the race green. That allowed Jeff Gordon, who seemed to be nursing some ailing Goodyears of his own, to take his long-run auto onwards toward that checkered flag. Then, Ryan Newman blew a tire, but made it back without caution. Same for Bard Keselowski. Ditto for Marcos Ambrose. Even Clint Bowyer managed to save his car as Gordon charged toward the white flag. Then it slightly accelerated and it appeared Bowyer’s front wheels turned hard left, and the resulting slide caused caution to come out, forcing a green-white-checker.

There are those who might have seen it and thought maybe Bowyer had deliberately spun the car. That he had it saved but then touched the gas and cranked the wheel to make sure that he did not. That he purposely went for the yellow when others did not. According to Bowyer’s Twitter comment, that is not true.

“Love how “some” idiots on here think I really wanted to give up a much needed good run to screw you over.”

Of course, the idiots knew that his good run as over once the tire went flat. What the idiots are accusing Bowyer of is deliberately bringing out the caution so that he might be better able to recover from his flat. Johnson did not, and finished 24^th. Keselowski settled for 26^th. Ambrose was 30^th. As for Honest Clint…due to the caution he was able to salvage a 16^th place finish. That spin might have cost Gordon a victory, but it saved Bowyer at least 15 positions on the track. Then again, maybe the fans are wrong, maybe the car just got away from him, though the video sure looked suspicious. It is not as if Bowyer has done anything like this before. Or lied about it afterwards. Of course not.

While Gordon was strong on the long runs, everyone knew he would not be over a two lap dash. He wound up 13^th. Dale Earnhardt Jr was 12^th, and with Keselowski faltering at the end, Junior remains in second over-all in the standings a single point behind the tenth place Carl Edwards.

It is a good thing that a single win almost buys one a ticket to the Chase. Almost. One needs to finish in the top thirty to keep it valid, and right now Kevin Harvick sits 25^th after finishing outside the Top 35 for a third straight event. Danica was running around 20^th or beyond for most of the Fontana race, but in the end she brought it home for a season best 14^th.

As for Denny Hamlin, the guy could use a break. He had to miss five events last year due to a crash at this track, and this year he did not even get to run. A sinus infection that affected his vision took him out of the seat, and replaced by Sam Hornish Jr, who ran 17^th. Yet, despite being AWOL, Hamlin remains 12^th in the driver standings.

Great entertainment Sunday, great action on Saturday, where Kyle Larson beat out Kevin Harvick in a fight that also involved Kyle Busch, with Joey Logano fourth. Four Cup guys. The best Nationwide drivers were Elliott Sadler and Chase Elliott, finishing fifth and sixth. Both are within a dozen points of top spot in the standings, behind fellow Top Ten finishers Trevor Bayne, Regan Smith, and Ty Dillon.

Next Sunday, we turn to the short track at Martinsville, where the Cup boys have been stopping by since 1949. Jeff Gordon has been running there since 1993, 42 races, and more than half of those have been won by either Gordon himself (with 8, including last fall), Johnson (8), Hamlin (4), or Stewart (3). If they keep trying, they might eventually match the King’s tally of 15.

Here are our Sweet Sixteen as we head over to Virginia…

	Driver	Races	Win	Points
1	Carl Edwards	5	1	186
2	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	5	1	185
3	Brad Keselowski	5	1	182
4	Kyle Busch	5	1	158
5	Kevin Harvick	5	1	97
6	Jeff Gordon	5	0	184
7	Matt Kenseth	5	0	179
8	Jimmie Johnson	5	0	165
9	Ryan Newman	5	0	150
10	Austin Dillon	5	0	150
11	Joey Logano	5	0	146
12	Denny Hamlin	4	0	140
13	Jamie McMurray	5	0	138
14	Brian Vickers	5	0	137
15	Paul Menard	5	0	134
16	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	5	0	132

March 24, 2014

Hot 20 – Harvick hoping for some California heat

Four winners, three of whom sit atop our leader board. As important as victories are this season in determining the Chase contenders, it would be hard to include Kevin Harvick among the best under normal circumstances.

Harvick may have won at Phoenix, and his 13^th at Daytona may have been acceptable. Even his runs at Las Vegas and Bristol were impressive for as long as they lasted, but when you are listed as 41^st and 39^th in the final results it does take the bloom off the rose. Turns it into stinkweed, to be honest.

Still, in determining our top performer over the course of a 36-race season, that win does keep Harvick six slots better than the official standings, with the 22 bonus points we hand out to winners. As we are not interested in a Chase or even the television ratings for Homestead, we can dwell on just who has been the best performer. Even with a string of three Top Threes broken up by a 14^th at Bristol, that would still be Brad Keselowski to this point.

If you were wondering, as the action heads west to California this weekend, Regan Smith and Trevor Bayne remain our hot duo in the Nationwide series. I wonder if ESPN will have time to interview them after they are done gushing over Kyle Busch once again at Fontana? The big boy visiting the little sandbox has won six of the past eight junior circuit events at this track.

Kyle won the Cup race at Fontana a year ago. Other recent winners include Tony Stewart, Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, and Carl Edwards. No one who isn’t already a someone will visit Victory Lane on Sunday.

	Driver	Win	Points
1	Brad Keselowski	1	185
2	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	1	175
3	Carl Edwards	1	174
4	Jeff Gordon	0	152
5	Jimmie Johnson	0	143
6	Joey Logano	0	141
7	Denny Hamlin	0	140
8	Matt Kenseth	0	138
9	Ryan Newman	0	125
10	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	0	122
11	Kasey Kahne	0	120
12	Greg Biffle	0	118
13	Austin Dillon	0	117
14	Kevin Harvick	1	111
15	Kyle Busch	0	111
16	Marcos Ambrose	0	108
17	Jamie McMurray	0	100
18	Paul Menard	0	99
19	Brian Vickers	0	99
20	Casey Mears	0	97

March 20, 2014

Cup Stars in Nationwide – The Drivers Aren’t the Problem

At Phoenix a few weeks back, Cup drivers took every spot inside the top five in the Nationwide (NNS) race and also led every single lap. At Las Vegas, they held the top four finishing positions and led 193 of 200 total laps. At Bristol, they led all 300 laps on their way to finishing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. This pattern needs to end. Don’t be fooled into believing that I am against Cup drivers in Nationwide though, because I’m actually not. I’m against dull and action-deprived shows that are so predictable.

In the 100 races run between 2011 and 2013, Cup drives have won 74 of them. I’ve heard a plethora of ideas floating around about what, if anything, NASCAR should do. The most popular ones involve limiting the number of races Cup drivers can par-take in; or actually going as far as to ban them completely. The opposing side argues that the Cup stars bring in sponsors, attract more fan interest, and are great for the up-and-comers to learn off of.

However, the problem isn’t Cup drivers in Nationwide as many erroneously believe….it’s the Cup teams in Nationwide. You disagree? Well, chew on these stats and then tell me what you think – Kevin Harvick won 15 Nationwide races between 2006 and 2007 for Richard Childress Racing. In 2009 and 2010, he drove for his own organization and won just five times over that two year period. It’s a head-turning stat, but not near as blatant and incontrovertible as this one…

In 2011, Kyle Busch won eight of the 20 NNS races he entered in. In 2013, he took the victory in twelve of his 26 attempts. In 2012 though, he participated in 22 races, failing to win a single one. What was the big difference that year? Well, in 2011 and 2013, Kyle drove for Joe Gibbs Racing. In 2012 however, he ran his own cars under the Kyle Busch Motorsports banner. Joey Logano was Kyle’s replacement in the JGR ride and won nine times.

The Camping World Truck Series has a smaller field, is cheaper to run, and consequently, easier to dominate (see Kyle Busch’s career); yet 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski has found it difficult to succeed there. In 17 starts driving his own trucks, Brad has never won. How do you argue with these facts? Kyle had to shut down his Nationwide program due to lack of sponsorship at the end of last year, but these drivers don’t have to all own their own race teams; that’s not what I’m trying to sell here. It’s just one of the options.

If they don’t want to or can’t field their own cars, then there’s always the Nationwide only teams such as RAB Racing, JD Motorsports, and TriStar, who would benefit immensely from having that kind of star power wheeling their machines. Obviously, teams like Jr Motorsports and Turner-Scott would be more more appealing to Cup drivers. The Cup teams could only continue to field cars in the series, if they put a Nationwide driver in the seat. Not only would this idea continue to allow the young guns to race against and learn from Cup drivers, but they’d be able to do so in the best rides out there. It would level the playing field (or even put the Cup drivers at a disadvantage), and gives the NNS guys and girls a legitimate shot at victory lane each week. Oh, and the change would probably draw many of the disgruntled fans back too.

With the JGR & Penske seats vacated, talents like Ross Chastain and Jeb Burton, who are currently fighting to keep their foot in the door could get their big break…pending sponsorship of course. A contingent of people out there want to argue that if it were Mark Martin or Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning all these races, then this debate would be non-existent. Well, they are right to a point, but you’d still hear my voice opposing it…and I doubt I’d be alone. I could care less who wins; I just want to see a good show. A single driver, no matter who it is, dominating from start to finish on a weekly basis, is far from entertaining. When you have such a disparity within the field, a change needs to be made.

Dale Jarrett brought up at Vegas that it’s only the fans and some media who complain about this. Well, the media writes about it because the fans complain about it so that’s a moot point. Let’s focus on the fans for a second though. They buy the tickets, they watch on TV, and they are the reason why sponsors even care that the series exists. Sponsors won’t stick around if they aren’t getting the biggest bang for their buck. Case and point…Nationwide is pulling the plug as the series’ title sponsor at the end of 2014. They plan to solely focus on their role as the official insurance company of NASCAR in 2015.

This way, everyone is getting what they want. The big names stay, the sponsors stay, and fans on both sides of the argument will be satisfied for the most part. The Nationwide regulars would now have a fighting chance at winning more than a handful of times each year while also getting the experience of racing Sprint Cup stars before they become NSCS competitors themselves. There is no need to ban or limit the Cup drivers and/or Cup teams; simply forbid one to partner with the other in Nationwide races.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it would be much more enjoyable to watch Kyle Busch pass a Nationwide regular for the win in inferior equipment, rather than lapping said Nationwide regular for the third time on his way to victory lane.

March 20, 2014
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Bristol

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski was in shape for a top-5 finish before Kevin Harvick’s blown engine littered the track with oil. Keselowski’s No. 2 Miller Lite Ford rammed Jamie McMurray’s No. 1 car, which had checked up. Keselowski still managed a 14th and took over the Sprint Cup points lead from Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

“That was quite a lot fluid on the track,” Keselowski said. “At the ‘Bull Ring,’ that would be called ‘Oil Of Olé.’

“Harvick was ‘on fire’ at Phoenix, as well. The result was much different, however. He nearly burned the garage down after blowing his engine at Bristol, though. To sum it up, he went from ‘distinguished’ to ‘extinguished.’”

2. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt suffered two blown tires and finished 24th, four laps down, at Bristol. He fell out of the lead in the points standings, and trails Brad Keselowski by 10.

“Tires notwithstanding” Earnhardt said, “it’s been a ‘Goodyear’ for us so far.

“I find it hard to believe that someone accidentally hit a switch to make the caution lights come on. There have been rumors that there’s a ‘switch hitter’ in NASCAR; maybe this is confirmation.”

3. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished seventh in the Food City 500, joining Hendrick Motorsports teammate Kasey Kahne in the top 10. This is the first time in his Sprint Cup career that Gordon has started the season with four top 10’s.

“There’s a first time for everything,” Gordon said, “but apparently not a fifth time.

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards stayed out during a caution with 76 laps to go and assumed the lead, which he held to easily win the Food City 500, his first win of the year. Edwards held off Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Aric Almirola, and survived a mysterious caution with two laps to go, for the win.

“It was a long day,” Edwards said, “but I was still able to perform my signature back flip. And speaking of ‘flips,’ someone accidentally ‘flipped’ a switch and turned on the caution lights with two laps to go. That sounds like ‘B.S.’ to me. Here in Bristol, that explanation had a ‘bull ring’ to it.”

“I hear my former teammate Matt Kenseth is going to be a father again. I hear he’s a great one. I bet he’s amazing with a pacifier. That’s probably why he’s such a ‘pacifist.’”

5. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson struggled at Bristol after blowing a right-front tire early in the race. He finished two laps down in 19th, his first finish outside the top 10 this season, and is now sixth in the points standings, 20 behind Brad Keselowski.

“After falling behind like that,” Johnson said, “I just wanted to get the race over. But then there were weather delays. I felt like saying what everyone said after my fifth straight Cup title: ‘Somebody stop this reign.’ That’s why they call Brad Keselowski, the driver that ended my five-year championship run, ‘Reign delay.’”

6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was leading with about 100 laps remaining at Bristol, but nearly crashed when a rear tire went down. Kenseth kept the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota off the wall, and remained on the lead lap to eventually finished 13th. He is ninth in the point standings, 25 out of first.

“I nearly lost it,” Kenseth said. “Hopefully, Toyota can ‘find it’ soon.

“As you might know, my wife and I are expecting a baby any minute now. I hope to be in the delivery room, but only under one condition: that Jeff Gordon is not in there with me. I absolutely don’t want to be in the same room as Gordon at a time when everyone is yelling ‘Push!’”

7. Joey Logano: Logano salvaged a 20th-place finish after early power steering problems sent him to the garage. He is now sixth in the point standings, 22 behind Brad Keselowski.

“Usually,” Logano said, “I don’t have steering ‘problems’ unless Denny Hamlin’s in my way. There once was a ‘wall’ between us. But we’ve crashed through that wall. Luckily, no one suffered a back injury this time.”

8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the pole at Bristol and finished sixth, the top finisher among Joe Gibbs Racing cars. Hamlin is seventh in the points standings, 23 out of first.

“Caution lights ‘accidentally’ turned on,” Hamlin said. “The NASCAR conspiracy theorists should have a field day with this. Ironically, NASCAR conspiracy theorists don’t have a lot of light switches turning on in their heads.”

9. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was leading on lap 450 when his engine blew, spewing oil along his path. Harvick guided his burning No. 4 Jimmy John’s Chevy behind the pit wall, where it was doused.

“I really wanted to get out of that car,” Harvick said. “I’m not even talking about the No. 4 car, but the No. 29 car.

“Everyone was talking after the race about ‘Smoke.’ That’s because Tony Stewart finally posted a top-5 finish. And where there’s ‘Smoke,’ there’s an ornery car owner with a bum leg who’s still wondering how Kurt Busch ended up on his team.”

10. Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.: Stenhouse trailed leader Carl Edwards when a phantom caution slowed the race with two laps remaining. The race ended that way, with Stenhouse taking second, his best finish of the year.

“I was hoping for another restart,” Stenhouse said. “I was prepared to use my bumper, if need be, to get by Edwards. Of course, maybe it would not have been wise to do that. If Edwards gets his tail punted, I might get my tail kicked.

“My girlfriend Danica Patrick finished 18th, her best finish of the season. I asked her to verify where she finished. She said 18th. I just wanted to make sure she ‘knew her place.’”

March 18, 2014

The Final Word – Bristol was one heck of a race…if you were able to see it

Rain. That was the theme of the cool, overcast, and often wet event at Bristol last Sunday. Rain delayed things, then stopped it all together for two hours as we sat on lap 125 of 500 for a spell. Often in the past, we have seen the guys who are leading near the start of the race just happen to be the same dudes there at the end. This was not one of those races.

Carl Edwards was nowhere to be seen early, but he emerged in the second half to lead 78 laps en route to his 22^nd career Cup victory. It was like a Talladega night as some unexpected names finished near the front. Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Aric Almirola rounded up the podium finishers, while Tony Stewart had his best result since his return from surgery, followed by Marcos Ambrose. It was not how we thought this might end.

For example, Matt Kenseth led the most laps, but it was an up and down day for him. He led early, but when Timmy Hill ran him over he found himself back in 30^th. He eventually worked his way back to the front again, only to fade over the final hundred laps to wind up 13^th.

That was one better than Brad Keselowski, he appeared done with about fifty left after he thundered into Jamie McMurray. It is tough to stop in oil, and after Kevin Harvick’s engine let go, there was lots to be found. Harvick once again had a good car, a horrid result (39^th), and a lot of flames.

Jimmie Johnson’s hopes unraveled. Literally. When you take a baseball apart, you go through a ton of string before you get to the rubber center. For Jimmie Johnson’s front right tire, you had a ribbon of rubber before getting to the cords. That flat took Six Time off the lead lap before the red flag and he never quite got back into a position to matter, winding up 19^th a couple of laps down.

Them Busch boys usually do well at Bristol, and for the first part of the race they were up there. The next thing you know they are battling Junior and Danica for the lucky dog. I would say that was a sign of the Apocalypse, then I remembered who the Grand Marshal is slated to be in California. No, THAT was the true sign. Junior had tire issues, not once but twice, and then he was…Gonzo. Kurt kept flirting with getting that lucky dog, but instead got the fence with his right rear with about a hundred to go. That dropped him into Unhappyland (35^th) with the likes of his brother (29^th), Junior (24^th), and the power steering challenged Joey Logano (20^th). Patrick finished 18^th.

So, TSN booted the race to FOX, who sent it to FOX 1, and for a lot of us, that was the end of the visual component of the race. Why does NASCAR allow race coverage to wind up in spots where a lot of folks get shut out? My guess is it is due to NASCAR really not giving a damn about you. If they did, you would be looked after. Pretty simple, really. I moved my Sirius out from the house to the car as it proved a real pain trying to secure a signal. I loaned my car to my sons to drive to college Sunday afternoon. Adios the audio component. Thank God for the Internet and my ability to read.

Weird race. We had a battery fall out of a car, tossing toilet paper everywhere, then a mystery caution at the end when the lights just started flashing after someone accidently leaned against the button. It would seem your butt can do more than just make phone calls.

So Kyle Busch wins Saturday’s Nationwide race, his 65^th career win in the juniors, his 2^nd of the season, and his 7^th at this particular track. As he won, he is the only Cup guy who mattered. Regan Smith finished 10^th as he leads the series by a point over eighth place finisher Trevor Bayne. Ty Dillon was the best finisher amongst series regulars, as his sixth place finish Saturday leaves him eight points out of top spot. Dear ESPN, these are the drivers you should have been interviewing, not fawning all over the Cup dudes like doe eyed gals at a high school dance. Pretty damn pathetic, to be honest with you.

In the end, Bristol lived up to its billing. Too bad about the rain, the long delay, and the lack of television coverage for many. Other than that, it was darn near perfect. This upcoming weekend, they are off to Fontana, California. Kyle Busch won there last year. Hell, he won the Nationwide race in 2013 as well, his sixth time kicking the stuffings out of the underfunded and under-experienced on the west coast. While Harvick (2011), Edwards (2008), Kasey Kahne (fall 2006), and Greg Biffle (spring 2005) have won there in recent memory, it is just as likely the man on top next week will have a name like Tony, Jimmie, Matt…or Kyle. Of the other 11 Cup events run there over the past nine years, all were claimed by one from that quartet.

All eight of the above named are currently sitting in a Sweet 16 spot to make the Chase, with the exception of Tony Stewart. He is 20 points out though, as Harvick demonstrates, points do not matter as long as one has a victory to their credit.

	Driver	Win	Points	Diff
1	Brad Keselowski	1	163
2	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	1	153	-10
3	Carl Edwards	1	152	-11
4	Kevin Harvick	1	89	-74
5	Jeff Gordon	0	152	-11
6	Jimmie Johnson	0	143	-20
7	Joey Logano	0	141	-22
8	Denny Hamlin	0	140	-23
9	Matt Kenseth	0	138	-25
10	Ryan Newman	0	125	-38
11	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	0	122	-41
12	Kasey Kahne	0	120	-43
13	Greg Biffle	0	118	-45
14	Austin Dillon	0	117	-46
15	Kyle Busch	0	111	-52
16	Marcos Ambrose	0	108	-55

March 17, 2014

Hot 20 – Earnhardt and Keselowski near perfect heading to Bristol

When you can tout an average finish of 1.67, as in the case of Dale Earnhardt Jr, or Brad Keselowski’s 2.33 you know you are doing something right. Each has a win, with Junior having a pair of runner up finishes compared to the two third place runs put in by the 2012 champion. While Kevin Harvick won at Phoenix, his 41^st place result at Las Vegas drops him in our search for the most noteworthy driver of the year.

Bristol is a place Earnhardt has won only once in 28 starts, and that was back in 2004. While he has recorded a top ten only half the time there, his average finish of 11.5 is second best amongst active drivers, only behind the 9.9 of five time winner Kyle Busch. While the chances are you will not see him crossing the line first on Sunday, odds are he will not be far behind. In his last ten starts there, Junior has come home between six and 16^th. Maybe still on top come next week, but so much for a near perfect pace.

Keselowski, on the other hand, once won a pair back-to-back at Bristol and was third in the spring race last season. However, he has also finished 30^th two of his last five, so it is anybody’s guess if he will experience feast or famine. As for Kyle Busch, he won half of the ten raced at Bristol between 2007 and 2011 and while he has had the odd off day, his last three show results of sixth, second, and 11^th.

Kurt Busch has not added to his five wins there since 2006, but maybe this is where he can get back on track this season. Jeff Gordon also has won five Bristol events, though none since 2002. Matt Kenseth can be hot and cold in the bowl as well, but he could up his tally to four Bristol wins by matching his result from last fall. Unless the doctor calls and he winds up heading back to North Carolina before race time to welcome the arrival of the latest addition to his family.

As we hunt down our season’s top driver, we give 22 additional points to the winner of each race and punt the Chase. I would expect either Kyle or Matt to move up into third place after this weekend, with both our leaders still atop the ladder when the smoke clears Sunday at Bristol.

Fin	Driver	Points	Wins
1	Dale Earnhardt, Jr.	155	1
2	Brad Keselowski	154	1
3	Jimmie Johnson	117	0
4	Joey Logano	116	0
5	Jeff Gordon	115	0
6	Carl Edwards	105	0
7	Kevin Harvick	105	1
8	Kyle Busch	105	0
9	Matt Kenseth	105	0
10	Denny Hamlin	101	0
11	Ryan Newman	97	0
12	Jamie McMurray	93	0
13	Greg Biffle	86	0
14	Austin Dillon	84	0
15	Kasey Kahne	83	0
16	Casey Mears	80	0
17	Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.	80	0
18	Paul Menard	76	0
19	Marcos Ambrose	69	0
20	Brian Vickers	64	0

March 13, 2014

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt’s engine sputtered on the final lap at Las Vegas, allowing Brad Keselowski to pass for the win as fuel mileage, costing the No. 88 its second win of the year. Still, Earnhardt has a win and two runner-ups, and leads Keselowski in the points standings by one point.

“We took a gamble,”Earnhardt said. “Some would call it ‘rolling the dice.’ That would be inaccurate. We only rolled one, because my engine ‘die’d.’ And Junior Nation is not a happy bunch. ‘MPG’ has moved to the top of the Nation’s list of most-hated three-letter acronyms, right above ‘DWI’ and ‘STD.’

“If only my gas tank was as big as expectations, we would have won the race handily.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski raced by Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s fuel-compromised Chevy on the final lap to win the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Keselowski also won Saturday’s Nationwide race, giving him his first weekend sweep.

“The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford was exceptional,” Keselowski said. “It’s hard to lose when you’re traveling at the speed of ‘Lite.’ This win has certainly sent our confidence sky-high. You could say we have a collective ‘brews’d ego.’

“It was a great week for Roger Penske. Not only did Penske Racing post two wins, Roger aced No. 4 at Augusta National golf course. Roger carries nothing but drivers in his bag. He’s not a member at Augusta, but he wears a green jacket nonetheless—-it’s made of money.”

3. immie Johnson: Johnson led 34 laps and finished sixth at Las Vegas, giving him three top 10’s in all three races this season. He is third in the Sprint Cup points standings, 16 out of first.

“Brad Keselowski was awarded a giant wrench for winning the Kobalt 400,” Johnson said. “It may not have been a symbolic win, but it was a symbolic trophy. And he can have it. I’m not into symblic trophies, but I am into symbolic ‘Cups.’

4. Joey Logano: Logano won the pole at Las Vegas, beating out teammate Brad Keselowski, as Penske Racing again swept the front row in qualifying. Logano finished fourth, while Keselowski notched the win.

“Brad and I love the new qualifying format,” Logano said. “Knockout qualifying has made us ‘qualifying knockouts.’ Roger put Penske on the map; we put Penske on the grid.”

5. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished ninth in the Kobalt 400 as Hendrick Motorsports placed four drivers in the top 10, led by Earnhardt, Jr.’s runner-up. Gordon is fifth in the points standings, 18 behind Earnhardt.

“I liked Junior’s decision to gamble,” Gordon said, “despite the fact that it didn’t work out. He went ‘all in,’ and ended up ‘all out.’

“Earnhardt, Jimmie Johnson, and I all have three top-10 finishes to start the season, so it’s safe to say we’re all threats to win the Sprint Cup championship. But don’t forget about Kasey Kahne. As I’ve been saying for the last 13 years, you should be on the lookout for ‘No. 5.’”

6. Carl Edwards: Like Earnhardt, Jr., Edwards and the No. 99 team gambled on fuel mileage and came up just short. Edwards still managed to finish fifth, and vaulted two spots in the Sprint Cup points standings to sixth.

“We had a car capable of winning,” Edwards said, “but Lady Luck was not on our side. And let’s face it, she’s the only female, save for Miss Sprint Cup, worth having around in NASCAR.”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was the lone Toyota driver in the top 10 at Las Vegas, finishing tenth in the Kobalt 400. He moved up one spot to sixth in the points, where he trails Earnhardt, Jr. by 28.

“The Toyota’s didn’t quite have the speed to keep up with the Fords and Chevys,” Kenseth said. “I’m not worried. Toyota’s won 13 times last season. It’s just a matter of time before the Toyota’s re-‘Orient’ themselves at the front of the pack.”

8. Ryan Newman: Newman posted his second top-10 result of the year with a seventh at Las Vegas. He jumped six spots to ninth in the points standings, 36 out of first.

“I really feel comfortable in the Richard Childress Racing No. 31 car,” Newman said. “It’s a car that fans most associate with Jeff Burton. Sometimes, it seems like Jeff’s in the car with me. When that happens, I just do my best Richard Childress impression and tell him to leave.”

9. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 11th at Las Vegas, as Joe Gibbs Racing cars took the 10, 11, and 12 finishing spots. Busch is now tenth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 36 out of first.

“Congratulations to Brad Keselowski’s fuel tank for getting him the win,” Busch said. “Much like , it was full of it.

“My brother Kurt is planning to race in both the Indianapolis 500 and Coca Cola 600 on Sunday, May 25th. This will be historic. The last time Kurt said ‘Make it a double,’ he was talking to his plastic surgeon about his ears.”

10.Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 23 laps at Las Vegas before a broken wheel hub sent him to the garage. He eventually finished 41st, 30 laps down.

“It was a shaky day for Stewart Haas Racing,” Harvick said. “Danica Patrick was our top finisher with a 21st. Danica said that’s the highest she’s been in months, which could possibly trigger a test under NASCAR’s drug policy.”

March 12, 2014