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  • The Final Word – It was the AAA Happy Harvick Texas 500

    The Final Word – It was the AAA Happy Harvick Texas 500

    After Texas, then there were two locked into Homestead. One stole the show at Martinsville and then attempted to deny the second his ticket. Joey Logano failed to pull it off as he wound up third. Ryan Blaney had something to showcase and he had his moments. Not enough of them, as he had to settle for second.

    No, Texas was all about Kevin Harvick and nothing but Kevin Harvick. He dominated to sweep the stages, to win by four-tenths of a second to claim his eighth victory of the season. Taking the maximum amount of points was nice, but the goal was to advance to Homestead and join Logano among the final championship contenders. Mission accomplished.

    It could have been different. The vibrations being felt by the boys on Sunday were not good. Was it a loose wheel or just how the tires were reacting? Harvick almost pulled in but was talked out of it. They could not talk Kyle Busch from doing so, and he was buried in 17th. Martin Truex Jr. did the same, even picked up a penalty on pit road, but at least managed a Top Ten finish. Two of our Big Three are not yet in, but they remain 28 and 30 points, respectively, ahead of the seventh-place finisher, Kurt Busch, as they head to Phoenix.

    We saw little of Chase Elliott, who was sixth, but now needs to win next weekend, barring a catastrophe or two to hit his rivals. Aric Almirola is now seventh in the standings, 18th at Texas, and not even the world’s best mathematician can come up with any scenario that does not involve a win to allow him to advance.

    Then there was Clint Bowyer. He wiggled and came together with Denny Hamlin on the opening lap. Ten circuits later, both cars were in for deflating rubber. They were gone from the lead lap, going beyond a lap down, and things just got worse all day long. Neither would be seen among the Top 25 on the day. For Bowyer, winning has also become everything.

    What can we expect at Phoenix? Harvick has nine wins there. Nine. Jimmie Johnson has four, but no one expects a vintage version of Jimmie to emerge this season. As for the remaining six contenders seeking a win, only the two Busch boys have won at Phoenix, and both of those wins came in the Busch Brother sweep of 2005.

    Hope is not all lost. Elliott has finished second and third in the past two events at the venue. Kyle was runner-up earlier this year, and his average over the past six is better than a fourth-place result. Truex was fifth in the spring, and third last autumn. Kurt had a Top Ten in their last visit. Almirola has had a pair of Top Tens in the past two. Bowyer was sixth in March.

    Who am I kidding? Harvick will march into Phoenix and do what Harvick often does. Barring very bad tidings for one or two of them at Phoenix, Homestead will feature the Big Three and the Big Logano. Anything else would be considered a major surprise.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started third in the AAA Texas 500 and passed Ryan Blaney on an overtime restart to take the win and qualify for the finale at Homestead.

    “I’m in along with Joey Logano,” Harvick said. “We may be two of the most disliked drivers on the circuit. But you can’t doubt our talent. We’re so talented, we can make fans pull for Kyle Busch.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Texas.

    “I realize I have a target on my back,” Logano said, “and I’m in the crosshairs of Martin Truex Jr. And he’s gunning for me. None of that is surprising. What is surprising? The fact that the NRA is not sponsoring this race.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 17th at Texas.

    “Barring a total disaster at Phoenix,” Busch said. “I’m in a good position to advance to Homestead on points. So, in honor of Carl Edwards’ induction into the Texas Motor Sports Hall Of Fame, as long as I don’t ‘choke,’ I’ll make it to Homestead.”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex qualified 13th at Texas but had to start at the back of the field after making an engine change. With the pressure on, Truex charged and scored a ninth-place finish.

    “If I can finish ninth after an engine change,” Truex said, “just think what I can do with a car that’s gone through a regular setup. I’ll be unstoppable. So, at Phoenix, to all the other drivers, I say, ‘Look out!’ At Homestead, to just Joey Logano, I say, Look out!’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished sixth at Texas and will almost certainly need a win at Phoenix to advance to Homestead.

    “We’ll give it our all at Phoenix,” Elliott said. “We’re gonna let it all hang out, and unfortunately, so will all the wrong people in the Phoenix infield.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch took seventh in the AAA Texas 500.

    “I’m headed to Phoenix with intentions of winning,” Bowyer said. “It’s do or die. Or do or ‘doo-doo.’”

    7. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished eighth in the AAA Texas 500 and afterward voiced his displeasure with Joey Logano, who Almirola claimed nearly wrecked him on a late restart.

    “Many people don’t think Logano did anything wrong,” Almirola said. “That includes my former car owner, who says I’m being ‘Petty.’”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 12th at Texas.

    “The race in Texas wasn’t nearly as exciting as Martinsville’s,” Keselowski said. “Yet, television viewers continue to tune out. Like Martin Truex Jr., viewers are saying ‘two thumbs down.’”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney started on the pole and took the runner-up spot to Kevin Harvick at Texas.

    “Carl Edwards was inducted into the Texas Motorsports Hall Of Fame,” Blaney said. “I heard when Carl found out he was going to be honored, he flipped.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer qualified second at Texas but struggled from the get-go after early contact with Denny Hamlin. He finished 26th.

    “And it got worse from there,” Bowyer said. “I even got a pit road penalty when I pitted for gas because one of my crew members was sitting on the wall with his feet in the pit stall. He has since been ‘unseated.’”

  • Hot 20 – For some it comes down to a Texas sized win or hoping for a Big Three free fall

    Hot 20 – For some it comes down to a Texas sized win or hoping for a Big Three free fall

    We have our Big Four. Finally. Joey Logano will join Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. racing for the championship at Homestead. That is, unless someone takes one of those spots away either this weekend or next. To be frank (and who wouldn’t want to be Frank?), unless one of the latter trio decides to give it away, one of those four boys below them in the standings is in adios country without a victory.

    Texas will be the first of just two opportunities to do just that. Based on past history, Chase Elliott might have a shot. No wins, but four Top Tens in five attempts must mean something. Busch has won three, Harvick one, while Truex might be winless but like Elliott, he shows up to be one of the best on race day. The sibling, Kurt Busch, can be a threat and even has a win on the track. Maybe it is his time to rise and shine in Texas. Maybe. Clint Bowyer is decent there, but he will need to be more than just a pretty face on Sunday coming in with just three Top Fives in 25 outings. As for Aric Almirola, forget about it. That is not happening.

    Maybe none of the principles will win on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson has seven wins on that track. Does the team of Jimmie and Chad have one more magic moment left between them? Denny Hamlin is another driver hoping to keep a yearly win string going, and the two-time Texas troubadour has been strong lately.

    Not that any among our Big Four would mind too terribly if Texas was taken by one of those boys. Just as long as they are close and the pretenders are far behind coming to the checkered flag. That would give them all a Yosemite Sam-like moment for celebration.

    Now, who wants a set of six-guns?

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 1 ROUND WIN (4074 Pts, 2 Wins)
    Will he find a championship at Homestead or a Truex inspired heartbreak?

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4104 POINTS (7 Wins)
    Just needs a really good day at Texas, not even a great one, to get his ticket punched.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4083 POINTS (4 Wins)
    Do not allow the guy you are racing to do the hitting…do the hitting yourself.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4083 POINTS (7 Wins)
    When Newman started driving his car as wide as his neck, Harvick could not find room past him.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 4058 POINTS (1 Win)
    Needs to drive Sunday like it is 2009.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4052 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Prior to Watkins Glen, he had not won anywhere. Why not add Texas to his newly growing list?

    7. CLINT BOWYER – 4041 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Might not have dressed like Rowdy for Halloween, but driving like him at Texas isn’t a bad idea.

    8. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4033 POINTS (1 Win)
    A win. Anything less is just losing at this point.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2232 POINTS (1 Win)
    Popular driver with a popular NASCAR sanctioned podcast.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2227 POINTS (3 Wins)
    One unsecured lug nut and Paul Wolfe is $10,000 lighter. As for the tire changer…

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2213 POINTS
    Was wishing Logano and Truex would have hit a lot harder last week.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2179 POINTS
    Has Larson replaced Danica and Jeff Gordon as NASCAR’s prettiest Cup driver?

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2173 POINTS
    Lowe’s is about to leave, but Ally’s Financial is preparing to arrive in a big way.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 2164 POINTS
    Might be soon able to drive the Jimmy himself all the way to Cow Town.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2159 POINTS (1 Win)
    At Atlanta, while brother was testing, sister Lindsey was taping for a school project.

    16. AUSTIN DILLON – 2157 POINTS (1 Win)
    The highlight of the season was eight months ago.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 702 POINTS
    A wide neck? I guess he has one. Here I thought he had to wear his ties dangling from his chin.

    18. DANIEL SUAREZ – 655 POINTS
    Hoy es un gran día para agradecer a los fans !!

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 650 POINTS
    Like the rest of us, he discovered that a World Series game could turn out to be an all-nighter.

    20. PAUL MENARD – 645 POINTS
    Had as many Top Fives in 2014 as he has enjoyed since. He does have a reliable sponsor, though.

  • The Final Word – Logano steals a musical chair from Truex at Martinsville

    The Final Word – Logano steals a musical chair from Truex at Martinsville

    We are down to a game of musical chairs. Four spots, with eight drivers who very much want one of them. Let me just say that musical chairs sucks. When you are a reserved fat kid, the more athletic aggressive lads are going to go after those seats hard. Also, you will never be a hero dropping a young lady on her ass. Fortunately for the gents at Martinsville on Sunday, not a young lady to be found. No fat kids, either, come to think of it.

    A fat aggressive butt might be useful, but not as much as a fast aggressive Busch with a good cushion in points coming in. Kyle Busch came in with a 40 point advantage over the outsiders and was third in the opening stage to bump his margin up by one. Hey, every point counts, as seven of eight contenders added to their totals in that initial run, with Chase Elliott being the lone exception. As for Bill’s boy, he fell from fourth to seventh in points locked and secured in the bank at that point, but they had a lot more racing left on the day.

    As long as the car stays together, that is. During the fueling intermission, Clint Bowyer had moved to within a couple of points of Elliott’s replacement in fourth, Joey Logano, when he made hard contact with William Byron in the pits. Surprisingly, his car showed little damage. Instead of a Ford, he must have been driving something made from Tonka. Martin Truex Jr. tested it further during the run, as the pair made some contact in the tight corners.

    Bowyer and five others among our contenders managed stage points in the middle frame. Logano dominated to gain the max amount of points, with Kyle Busch again third. Denny Hamlin, who won that first round, was second this time out. Some guys do not need to be part of no stinkin’ playoffs to make themselves relevant. Neither Kevin Harvick or Aric Almirola collected any bonuses, but the former was still more than 30 to the good. Almirola, on the other hand, seemed about to make like the Titanic and sink out of view. You could almost hear the band playing.

    Truex had some issues going through spec and started this one at the back of the field. He had never won at a short track. He took the lead from Logano with 140 of the scheduled 500 laps to go as weather threatened to move in. That was exciting. It was for about 15 laps when Logano charged back in front.

    We had not seen much of Brad Keselowski. Neither had Logano until his teammate passed him with just over 40 miles to go. Only eight drivers mattered coming in, but nobody told the 2012 Cup champion.

    Bowyer was one who mattered coming in. However, a spin with about 20 miles to go when track position mattered a lot did him no favors. The caution, on the other hand, was welcomed by a few others. Logano and Kyle Busch hit the green up front, while Keselowski and Hamlin were right behind them. It was the contenders against the pretenders for a big ole grandfather clock awaiting the winner in Victory Lane.

    Keselowski could not care less about playing nice with the playoff posse. He roughed up Busch to take over second. He roughed up his teammate but Logano held him off. That is when Truex, who was in the third row for the re-start, re-emerged to tango with Logano, to make a bid for that elusive short-track victory as the pair went fender to fender over the final three miles.

    They were rubbing. They were banging. They were sliding. It was Logano coming across the line to punch his ticket to Homestead. It marked his second of the season and the 20th victory of his Cup career.

    With Truex out of shape, he had to settle for third as Hamlin got by him on the inside. The result means Logano has one of the four seats reserved for Homestead. Kyle Busch is 46 points to the good, with Harvick and Truex sitting 25 on the sunny side. Kurt Busch finds himself 25 away, while Elliott, Bowyer, and Almirola needing to win at Texas or Phoenix to steal a chair or two from the Big Three.

    Musical chairs suck…unless you are watching the pratfalls from the sidelines. One thing to watch for in Homestead is Logano finding the wall instead of the championship. Truex is already installing the sights in his car as we speak.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Joey Logano: Logano used a controversial bump-and-run maneuver on Martin Truex, Jr. on the final lap to win the First Data 500 at Martinsville.

    “I know this makes me an unpopular driver,” Logano said. “Correction: I know this makes me a more unpopular driver.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Martinsville and led 100 laps on his way to a fourth-place finish.

    “Despite his methods,” Busch said, “Joey Logano has one of the four spots at Homestead. So I wouldn’t mind being Logano. Now, I wouldn’t want to be his rear bumper, because it’s gonna take a massive hit from Martin Truex Jr. In other words, the ‘ram-ifications’ of what happened at Martinsville will be huge.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 10th at Martinsville.

    “I can’t say I wouldn’t have done the same thing Logano did,” Harvick said. “Now, if I were Truex, I would have done something differently. It wouldn’t have been ‘two thumbs down;” it would have been ‘two middle fingers up.’”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was poised for the win at Martinsville after passing Joey Logano with a lap remaining. That was until Logano bumped him out of the way on the final lap, spinning Truex, who finished third.

    “Payback is a larger-sized version of Logano,” Truex said, “because he’s a ‘little bitch.’”

    5. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished seventh at Martinsville.

    “Everybody wants to win that grandfather clock trophy,” Elliott said. “Joey Logano got it this time. But it will be Martin Truex Jr. who will soon tell him ‘what time it is.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the First Data 500.

    “After that boring debacle at Kansas,” Busch said, “this is exactly what NASCAR needed to pique interest. Joey Logano clearly wrecked Martin Truex Jr. It’s too bad that lush Brian France wasn’t here to see some reckless driving that is actually good for the sport.”

    7. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 11th at Martinsville.

    “They call Martinsville Speedway the ‘paper clip,’” Almirola said. “It’s a ‘staple’ of the NASCAR circuit. And Martin Truex Jr. says Joey Logano could be a ‘paper’ champion.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Martinsville as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano captured the win.

    “That was a bold move by Joey,” Keselowski said. “I hear Martin Truex Jr. has named Matt Kenseth his ‘Special Joey Logano Revenge Consultant.’ Joey has a history with Kenseth and so do I. Matt attacked me between the haulers at Charlotte in 2014. Joey got the ‘jump’ on Truex at Martinsville; Truex is likely to get the ‘jump’ at Texas.”

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 21st, one lap down, at Martinsville and will likely need a win in the next two races to advance to Homestead.

    “I can’t worry about what transpired at Martinsville,” Bowyer said. “I’m going to Texas with full intentions of winning the race. So, I’m keeping an eye on the prize, and another on Logano and Truex.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin posted the runner-up finish at Martinsville, getting a front-row look at the Joey Logano-Martin Truex Jr. battle for the lead.

    “In regards to Logano,” Hamlin said, “Truex told me, ‘He’ll pay.’ Those were the words that came through Martin’s ‘nice guy filter.’ What he really said was, ‘There’ll be hell to pay.’”

  • Hot 20 – Martinsville and it is getting late, as those who matter are now down to eight

    Hot 20 – Martinsville and it is getting late, as those who matter are now down to eight

    Then there were eight, as the surviving championship contenders take to the track this weekend at Martinsville. It is damn near over, but that overweight soprano has yet to warble, so we have a few notes to wait for between now and Homestead.

    First, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are bound to be among the final four. Probably. Maybe. If they manage to record Top Ten finishes this Sunday, as well as at Texas and Phoenix, add a few stage points, then all will be fine. If. A blown engine. A failed part. A wreck. Now, that could change everything. Not much wiggle room, but those two boys have more than anyone.

    Martin Truex Jr. is our defending champion on a team about to become a ghost after this season. He is 23 points to the good. That is almost enough for a free pass…for one race…almost.

    We have been waiting to see which of the new generation would firmly put his foot down and emerge as a true star of the future. Chase Elliott has provided us with the answer. In claiming two of the past three, he is the gent in that final transfer spot. It is not by much. Three points. Three points can come and go in a lap.

    Three hounds are chasing the fox. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch are tied for fifth. For them, everything will be a big thing. Qualifying. Stage points. Finishes. Everything.

    Finally, there is Aric Almirola. There are no more Talladega experiences coming up. No teammates to take him down the yellow brick road. This week, especially, he is on his own. As he comes in nine points out, he has to prove he belongs in this company. This week. Next week. The following week. If he can do that, he will truly deserve to be in the hunt in mid-November at Homestead.

    The third round of the playoffs begins this Sunday at Martinsville with eight men out to lay a claim on a championship.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 4055 POINTS (7 Wins)
    The Big Three…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4054 POINTS (7 Wins)
    …remain the Top Three…

    3. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 4038 POINTS (4 Wins)
    …but will there be room for all three when they arrive at Homestead?

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4018 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Three wins in his last 11 starts mean the lad has finally arrived and is a contender.

    5. CLINT BOWYER – 4015 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Just four spots remain to be in that final run for the championship…

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
    …but should a couple of the boys down here claim a win…

    7. KURT BUSCH – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
    …then all bets are off.

    8. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4006 POINTS (1 Win)
    Almirola will not be among them. I love Talladega, but it is not a true indicator of what is to come.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2212 POINTS (1 Win)
    Had a good day last week, but as things turned out he needed to sweep the stages or win.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2194 POINTS (3 Wins)
    To be a Top Ten ranked driver these days one has to win, though sometimes three is not enough.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 2178 POINTS
    Even a Top Three finish proved too little too late for some.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 2159 POINTS
    A Fistful of Dollars and a Handful of Martinsville wins. It is never too late to be a winner.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2150 POINTS (1 Win)
    Do you remember Daytona in February? Me neither.

    14. ERIK JONES – 2148 POINTS (1 Win)
    Jones is in a Toyota, one of the few who are. How does that bode for 2019?

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2148 POINTS
    Here is hoping for a 10th and final Jimmie-Chad Martinsville celebration.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2144 POINTS
    Bowman drives a bowtie. Am I the only one seeing the advertising potential of this?

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 663 POINTS
    Newman drives a bowtie. Next season, it will be a blue oval. At least it is not a Toyota.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 632 POINTS
    No sweat working with Stenhouse, but driving is an entirely different matter for Kasey Kahne.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 630 POINTS
    There was a Menard sighting at Kansas, but that ended in the middle of the second stage.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 627 POINTS
    Former crew chief Scott Graves will join Newman with Roush next season.

  • The Final Word – Some had to be great at Kansas, while others had to be just good enough

    The Final Word – Some had to be great at Kansas, while others had to be just good enough

    It might have been Kansas, but the action was a whole lot like a Las Vegas slot machine. Gold bar. Gold bar. Grapes. Dammit!

    Take Kevin Harvick, for example. He was second best on the opening stage. He was the best in the second stage. He was dominating the third stage, at least until he went speeding on pit road. Dammit!

    Alex Bowman was needing a win. Then Daniel Suarez clipped him on the second lap. Then he hit the wall on his own. He soldiered on and finished ninth. Nice job, but he needed to win. Dammit!

    Boys needing to pick up points did. Kyle Larson even contended for a time for the win, finishing third. Brad Keselowski came across the line in Kansas in sixth, one spot ahead of Ryan Blaney. Good results. Not enough. Blaney came the closest, but even with top three runs in both opening stages he still wound up six points shy of both Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer. Dammit!

    As for Chase Elliott, Harvick’s miscue was to his benefit. He inherited the lead and held it. For the second time in this round, and the third time this season, Bill’s boy was a winner. Like Aric Almirola, he entered Kansas locked into the next round. After the opening stage, so was Harvick. Kyle Busch and Joey Logano followed after the second. That left it to Martin Truex Jr., Bowyer and the elder Busch, who was a lap down in 18th, to survive. They did.

    Rowdy and Happy enter Martinsville and the third round of playoffs up by 40 and 39 points respectively in their quest to be among the final four at Homestead. Stay out of trouble, and they should be good as gold. Easier said than done. Almirola, in eighth, enters 12 points shy of Elliott in fourth place.

    Some contenders have done well at the upcoming venue. Kyle Busch has a pair of wins. Bowyer has one. Logano, Blaney, and Harvick usually find themselves at least in the Top 15. Nothing but top ten finishes, however, should be the minimum goal. As for the top three among active drivers at Martinsville, that most definitely would include Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, and Keselowski. Unfortunately, all have already been eliminated from championship contention.

    Dammit!

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 2nd at Kansas and cruised into Round 3 of the NASCAR playoffs.

    “I basically just had to avoid disaster at Kansas,” Busch said. “And that means I just had to keep my mouth shut.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 12th at Kansas and advanced to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “There was very little excitement in Sunday’s race,” Harvick said. “Heck, I was driving, and I was bored. For the fans, it must have been like watching paint dry. For drivers, it was like watching paint schemes dry.”

    3. Chase Elliott: Elliott held off the charging Kyle Busch to win the Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas.

    “I was still riding high off my win at Dover,” Elliott said. “But winning again is awesome. I’m still riding high, and looking for more. If you didn’t think a NASCAR driver could get any higher, you don’t know Chase Elliott or Jeremy Mayfield.”

    4. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished 10th at Kansas, posting the best finish among Stewart-Haas Racing drivers.

    “My spot in Round 3 was already clinched,” Almirola said, “so I was looking ahead to Martinsville. In an elimination race, it’s cool to be able to look through your windshield, and not through your rear-view mirror.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch finished a safe 18th in the Hollywood Casino 400. He is one of four Stewart-Haas Racing driver in the Round Of 8.

    “The wind was a factor in Sunday’s race,” Busch said. “That’s why you heard a lot of drivers, especially those in danger of not advancing, saying, ‘Don’t blow this.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Kansas and finished eighth, and will be one of eight drivers advancing to Round 3.

    “No one came out of nowhere to advance to the next round,” Logano said. “So there were no Cinderella stories. And no fairy tales. The only person telling ‘tales’ in NASCAR is Brian France pleading innocent.”

    7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started 12th and finished 5th at Kansas, easily advancing to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “I didn’t want to take anything for granted,” Truex said. “You never know when the unexpected could happen, leaving you out of the playoffs, or a job.”

    8. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 13th and is on to Round 3 of the playoffs.

    “We had a stray tire get away that nearly cost us a penalty,” Bowyer said. “That could have been disastrous had it prevented me from advancing. Luckily, NASCAR deemed it not a penalty. I guess NASCAR had a reason, but they actually decided to show some reason.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Kansas but it wasn’t enough and he failed to advance to the next round of the playoffs.

    “I was close,” Keselowski said, “but close only counts in horseshoes, hand grenades, and that time Matt Kenseth won the championship.”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished seventh at Kansas and missed advancing by one spot.

    “I battled for the lead early in the race,” Blaney said, “so things were good. If someone would have asked me how things were going, I would have said, ‘They were going, going, gone.’”

  • Hot 20 – If viewership tanked for Talladega, imagine what the ratings for Kansas will be

    Hot 20 – If viewership tanked for Talladega, imagine what the ratings for Kansas will be

    Talladega was a ratings bust. Talladega. For fans who follow the sport, those four Stewart-Haas cars up front, doing what they had to do all day long, was something to behold. For those who simply tune in to watch incredible action, they had to wait for the final 20 laps for the payoff. However, they had to have tuned in to witness either. They did not even bother. That is troublesome.

    Now, we have Kansas coming up on Sunday. Kansas. Winning the Hollywood Casino 400 will not exactly mean anything more than finishing first at some generically named Cup event that no one will remember in a few weeks. It has the marquee value of actress Lecy Goranson headlining a major Hollywood production. None. In fact, Charlotte’s roval and Talladega were the last events of the season able to stand on their own. Do not expect anyone new to watch these final four races. Zip.

    NBC did its part. Bringing Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the mix along with Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and the rest of the talented crew finally gave us a broadcast that is interesting to tune to watch on its own. If you want to learn stuff, they can educate. Maybe it is the audience that has changed, that has become dimwitted, unable to focus, unable or unwilling to learn, complaining about the stupidest things for the stupidest of reasons. Maybe.

    Then again, old-time fans have been thinking that for years. Maybe decades. Stock cars are no longer stock. The champion is no longer determined by being the best over the season. The playoff concept was introduced. Stage points. Selling out tradition (the brief termination of the Southern 500, the Firecracker 400, the World 600) in favor of commercialization. Maybe both NASCAR and what today constitutes many of its potential fans, the society as a whole, has changed to the point the sport is unable to keep them in the seats or sitting in front of their televisions. Maybe too many would rather let someone else do their driving, or some artificial intelligence, than sitting behind the wheel of a car themselves to enjoy the experience of hitting the open road. Maybe.

    If you are not a fan, a follower of the action, someone who would love to have the talent to be able to hit the track themselves, maybe you just do not get it. I feel the same way about soccer and basketball. At least I have some ideas as to changes that might interest me in the former. Get rid of the off-side rule, push penalty shots much further back than just 12 yards out, and banning the effeminate diving by grown men hitting the ground over nothing more than a fart might give me some reason to watch the action. Unfortunately, I am fresh out of ideas as to what NASCAR needs to do to attract former and future fans back to their venues and telecasts. If the potential of mayhem on every lap does not do it, I do not know what will.

    I know Kansas, on its own, is not part of the answer. What is?

    1. ARIC ALMIROLA – ROUND WIN – 3087 Pts – 1 Win
    I wish to thank my teammates for all of their support.

    2. CHASE ELLIOTT – ROUND WIN – 3066 Pts – 2 Wins
    Kansas is next, but he is already preparing for Martinsville, Texas, and Phoenix.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3128 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Put the pedal to the metal but he needed a chance to coast for a few laps.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3111 POINTS – 7 Wins
    Was in self-preservation mode until the end, when they finally got him.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 3104 POINTS – 1 Win
    If he should pick up some stage points and a decent finish, he should be fine.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3095 POINTS – 1 Win
    I loved the Talladega finish but as for Kurt, not so much.

    7. CLINT BOWYER – 3086 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Roar that engine and click those ruby red slippers as the lad is back in Kansas.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3083 POINTS – 4 Wins
    How he wound up above the cut off line had a lot to do with fuel…or lack of it for others.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3065 POINTS – 3 Wins
    Those three wins mean nothing coming to Sunday. A fourth would be very, very nice.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 3061 POINTS – 1 Win
    A very bad day for Bowyer or Truex would be helpful…not wishing bad on anyone, but…

    11. KYLE LARSON – 3047 POINTS
    Being creative with repairs cost Larson 10 points. Now he is in Bowman country.

    12. ALEX BOWMAN – 3015 POINTS
    A win by Bowman this Sunday would top even what Almirola managed to do last weekend.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 2136 POINTS
    Being the best of the rest is his remaining goal.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2128 POINTS
    Jimmie and Chad are down to four races to extend that string of seasons with at least one win.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 2124 POINTS – 1 Win
    Some ran out of gas on Sunday. Dillon’s quest ran out of gas a few weeks ago.

    16. ERIK JONES – 2108 POINTS – 1 Win
    We need the likes of Jones and 17-year old Hailie Deegan to become future marquee attractions.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 641 POINTS
    Had a better season than some, but hopes for better yet with Roush in 2019.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 619 POINTS
    Returned from two laps down to record a Top Ten at Talladega.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 615 POINTS
    Third best last week as some of the season’s also-rans finished their runs in lofty positions.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 614 POINTS
    Ranked 20th last season. Ranked 20th this season. If nothing else, the lad is consistent.

  • The Final Word – I know I’m late, but can I make my Talladega prediction now?

    The Final Word – I know I’m late, but can I make my Talladega prediction now?

    If only I could time travel. Going back a few days, I could have been able to pin-point exactly what one needed to do to win at Talladega on Sunday.

    1. Drive a Ford.

    2. Work for Tony Stewart and Gene Haas.

    3. Save fuel.

    4. Do not lead until after the final turn.

    It would not work next year, with the new rules packages coming in. However, last Sunday, it would have been spot on.

    As it turned out, only 14 drivers mattered. If they were not behind the wheel of a blue oval, they did not stand a chance. Of the 193 laps they eventually ran, only nine were led by someone in another make of car, five of those by William Byron in a Chevy.

    If you were working for Stewart-Haas, you were among the Top Four all day long. Those four led the opening two segments, actually running far beyond anyone else especially over the opening 55 laps.

    A lot of cars ran out of fuel coming to the green flag as they embarked on over-time. Kevin Harvick was among them, as that SHR entry wound up in 28th. Kurt Busch ran out of petrol while leading coming out of Turn Four in sight of the finish line. He wound up 14th.

    Between them, Harvick and the elder Busch led 154 laps. Not a place to be if you wanted to save on fuel. Now, sitting third and fourth, especially on that final run to glory, paid dividends. Aric Almirola was fourth for most of the day, moved to third when it counted, and crossed the line ahead of team-mate Clint Bowyer for the victory. Almirola’s win locked him into the next round of the playoffs, along with Harvick and Dover winner Chase Elliott. Kyle Busch is a sneeze away from being there himself, while his brother and Joey Logano are not a lock, but both are still 30 to the good. As for the hopes for six others, it all hinges on what happens next Sunday at Kansas.

    It was one of the most impressive team races in NASCAR history. All four Stewart-Haas entries were disciplined. They opened up spots for their team-mates on re-starts, stayed tight together up front, and stayed that way right to the end. No one could touch them. They tried, but as veterans Jeff Burton and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pointed out from the broadcast booth what the rest had to do to challenge as the laps counted down, the boys on the track seemed to toss away those opportunities on every turn.

    Next Sunday, Byron has to win to advance. Kyle Larson is 26 points out. Ryan Blaney is 22 away. Brad Keselowski finds himself 18 on the outside, behind Martin Truex, Jr. and 21 in Bowyer’s rear view. Not an impossible gap, but not an easy one to see disappear.

    Hope is not buoyed for the rest by the knowledge that the most recent winners at Kansas were named either Harvick or Truex the past four visits there, or the guy before that was Kyle Busch. Logano won it twice prior to that, sandwiching Jimmie Johnson’s third win at the venue. The seven time champion has just four more chances to win one final time with Chad Knaus on his pit box before the pair end their race day alliance at the end of the season. Together they have won at least once every season since 2002.

    If a contender does not do it this upcoming weekend, I think a Johnson and Knaus celebration would be a fan favorite. I would love to tell you how it ends but, alas, that time traveler thing has not worked out for me. If it had, I would have gotten extremely rich betting against the polls a couple of years ago.