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Tag: Kurt Busch

  • Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Hot 20 – Bristol is not over-hyped, but a lot is

    Sometimes the news can be a little over-hyped. For example, no matter what you might hear, Kyle Busch is going to claim the bonus for the most points garnered by the time they leave Indianapolis. Kevin Harvick would need to close the gap by 21 points in each of the remaining three events to change that, and that is not going to happen. It is a done deal.

    The purveyors of all things NASCAR who tell you there is going to be a change in the lineup for the Playoffs are dreaming. No one outside the current Top 16 is going to make the Chase for the Championship, unless someone outside that group wins at Bristol, Darlington, or Indianapolis. Those who have won on those tracks in the recent past are already among that Top 16.

    With one exception. There is a driver not among the already blessed who has won at two of those venues who will be trying to win his way in. However, do not bet on Kasey Kahne succeeding. He won at Bristol five years ago. He won at Darlington last year. However, there is a mighty big difference driving equipment supplied by Rick Hendrick and what Leavine Family Racing has in stock this season. Kahne finished fourth at Daytona last month, but outside the Top 15 everywhere else. Do not expect a Bristol or Indianapolis miracle.

    Sometimes a story gets clearer once you get the details. Actually, it always does. Take former driver Greg Biffle. When you heard he was secretly videotaping his wife in the bedroom and bathroom, you could have been forgiven for wondering what in hell was up with the Biff. However, he suspected his wife was cheating on him. It appears she was. Biffle was convicted for invading his wife’s privacy, but the jury awarded his now ex-wife $1. That is ONE dollar. Even the jury saw things much clearer once they got all the details.

    As for Saturday night, Bristol is going to be freaking awesome. A venue that usually delivers great racing, and this year we have the NBC broadcast crew that actually keeps you tuned in even when the track is in Chicago or Michigan. Hey, do not take my word for it. I could be over-hyping the event, but I am not. Watch for yourself. I think you will be glad you did.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (986 Pts)
    Has a Top Five in 10 of the past 11 events. There is a reason he is up here.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (1 E.W. – 924 Pts)
    Keelan is a great kid, but we hear he still can not drive a golf cart worth a damn.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (842 Pts)
    Other than for Bowman, that pit penalty, and the gas issue, it was one hell of a day last Sunday.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (732 Pts)
    Clint’s last Top Ten was at Chicago on July 1st.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (723 Pts)
    Roger Penske has Logano, Keselowski, and Blaney in his stable. That could work.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (647 Pts)
    A straight quartet of Top Tens, including his win at Watkins Glen. Peaking at the right time.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (596 Pts)
    Well, Michigan sure sucked.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Damn. There was a Dillon sighting at Michigan, I kid you not.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 750 POINTS
    Could he be replacing McMurray over at Ganassi?

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 709 POINTS
    His promise to drive through blockers might come true this Saturday night.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 687 POINTS
    Chase has a win. Erik has a win. The young gent is starting to feel left out.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 684 POINTS
    Works for his favorite NFL coach, and now he has a replacement for his long-lost cap.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 681 POINTS
    The lad likes to get down and dirty.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 639 POINTS
    Before we set off at Bristol, Abby and Alex will be setting off back to school.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 572 POINTS
    Isn’t it time for the firm of Johnson and Knaus to show up?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 542 POINTS
    Spin Truex. Check. What else did you want me to do?

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 480 POINTS
    Win? Hell, he has not even managed a Top Ten since May.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 472 POINTS
    Do not expect great things at Bristol. It just does not happen.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 460 POINTS
    Daniel claims he is capable of winning races this season. Okay. Prove it.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 456 POINTS
    Just glad Kurt is not rumored to be replacing him again.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won Stages 1 and 2 and led 108 laps on his way to a dominant win in the Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan.

    “The No. 4 Ford was super-fast,” Harvick said. “And, with Busch Light beer sponsoring the car, it was a case of ‘drinking and driving’ that turned out well.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Michigan and finished third, his second consecutive third-place finish and 17th top five of the season.

    “I still have the lead in the Monster Energy Cup points standings,” Busch said. “So, if the question is who’s on top in the points, much as in the case of Brian France, you can charge me with ‘possession.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex came home 14th in the Consumers Energy 400.

    “I was so close to winning at Watkins Glen,” Truex said. “Then I come crashing back down to earth with a disappointing 14th at Michigan. Talk about a sobering experience.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Consumers Energy 400, posting his 14th top-10 result of the year.

    “Did you see Ty Dillon run over a chunk of debris on Lap 134?” Busch said. “And this was no small piece of debris. I’m surprised NASCAR officials missed it. Of course, they’ve been known to see debris that actually isn’t there. So, the fact that the didn’t see something that was clearly visible is no surprise. Apparently, much like Brian France, they were ‘blinded.’”

    5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 12th at Michigan as Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick claimed a dominant victory.

    “Kevin is driving like a champ,” Bowyer said. “It’s like he’s from another planet. Let me clarify: if the subject is a 2018 Monster Energy Cup championship celebration party for Kevin, you can go ahead and ‘planet.’”

    6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took the runner-up spot at Michigan as Kevin Harvick drove away for an easy victory.

    “Harvick’s son Keelan picked up the checkered flag,” Keselowski said. “Then he hitched a ride with his dad to Victory Lane. Of course, it’s not like Keelan could drive there himself. It just goes to show that even a six-year-old knows when to call a designated driver.”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Michigan.

    “I pitted on the pace lap to replace a shock absorber,” Logano said. “And anytime you pit on the pace lap for a shock, you know it’s going to be a bumpy ride.”

    8. Kyle Larson: Larson, always strong at Michigan, finished 17th in the Consumers Energy 400.

    “Kevin Harvick totally dominated this race,” Larson said. “He won every stage of the race handily. For fans of the sport, it was incredibly boring. It was so boring, it could drive a man to drink. And in some case, the drinking comes before the driving.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Michigan and finished eighth.

    “The Playoff field of 16 will be set in a few weeks,” Hamlin said. “And just seconds after that, we’ll be able to identify the 13 drivers that have zero chance of winning the Cup. There’s the ‘Big 3,’ and then there’s the ‘Little 13.’”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott started 21st and finished ninth at Michigan.

    “I’m still on a high from the events of last week at Watkins Glen,” Elliott said. “Just to be clear, that’s not a quote from Brian France.”

  • Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Hot 20 – Michigan is the focus of this weekend but, apparently, so is France

    Bill France. Bill France, Jr. These men were NASCAR.

    Smokey Yunick. Maurice Petty. Glen Wood, Leonard Wood. Ray Evernham. These men were NASCAR.

    Lee Petty. Richard Petty. Fireball Roberts. Joe Weatherly, Junior Johnson. Bobby Allison. Dale Earnhardt. Cale Yarborough. Darrell Waltrip. Bill Elliott. These men were NASCAR.

    Ned Jarrett. Ken Squier. These men were NASCAR.

    Tony Stewart. Jeff Gordon. Mark Martin. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Carl Edwards. These men were NASCAR.

    Rick Hendrick. Joe Gibbs. Roger Penske. Jack Roush. Richard Childress. These men are NASCAR.

    Jimmie Johnson. Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch. Kevin Harvick. Martin Truex, Jr. Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski. Kyle Larson. Chase Elliott. These men are NASCAR.

    These men, a few women, and so many others made the sport. Were the sport. Are the sport.

    Brian France is not NASCAR. There is a reason 97 percent of all family businesses do not survive as such into the fourth generation.

    At Michigan on Sunday, NBC’s stellar broadcast crew will once again deliver to our living rooms the people who are NASCAR. Those who matter. The reasons we watch.

    Especially our Hot 20. Only 16 spots are open to qualify for a championship run, but a win gets one in and there are only four opportunities left to do just that. Right now, that is the only driving news that matters when it comes to NASCAR.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (934 Pts)
    Smokey Yunick would not have let a fueling malfunction stop one of his cars from winning.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (864 Pts)
    Such a terrible day it was at Watkins Glen. He only finished 10th. Only.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (813 Pts)
    Everyone was just thrilled Chase won last week…except for this one.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (703 Pts)
    June was a good month to visit Michigan. Hoping August will be just as rewarding.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (691 Pts)
    Nice day at the beach at Watkins Glen, though the only water was pouring from his radiator.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 1 WIN (619 Pts)
    Five Michigan career starts, finishing 2nd, 2nd, 2nd, 8th, and 9th. The boy wants another, it seems.

    7. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (572 Pts)
    No longer the best 22-year-old driver this season.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (412 Pts)
    A win and you are in. I like that rule, but…

    9. KURT BUSCH – 705 POINTS
    No charges were issued, yet Brian France once suspended him. Just thought I would mention it.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 670 POINTS
    Winning his first of the season in his home state would be sweet.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 660 POINTS
    Has won three of the last four at Michigan, a string only interrupted by Bowyer two months ago.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 650 POINTS
    New Redskins’ Super Bowl XXVI cap comes 26 years after the original flew out the bus window.

    13. RYAN BLANEY – 639 POINTS
    As long as he does not drive like Brian France, he will be in the mix after Indianapolis.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 602 POINTS
    Unlike Canada and Saudi Arabia, Almirola and DiBenedetto have renewed diplomatic relations.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 563 POINTS
    I bet you thought Bowyer was the NASCAR guy with the road service ties.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 523 POINTS
    Unless he gives up 18 points per race between now and after Indianapolis, he is in, unless…

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 461 POINTS
    …Ricky or anyone from him down to Matt DiBenedetto can win one of the next four.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 451 POINTS
    The Wood Brothers auto should be strong at Michigan, but it needs to be the strongest.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 434 POINTS
    Some actually believe Suarez has a shot this weekend to win. Maybe a small wager is in order.

    20. RYAN NEWMAN – 431 POINTS
    Won at Michigan once in 2003 and once in 2004. He sure could use another one now.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Watkins Glen

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch started second at Watkins Glen and led 31 laps before a fuel probe malfunction in the pits, necessitating an extra pit stop. Despite the issue, Busch recovered to post a third-place finish.

    “We just didn’t get enough fuel in the tank,” Busch said. “In other words, I had a ‘halfsie.’”

    2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex stalked race leader Chase Elliott over the final laps at Watkins Glen, but was unable to make the pass. He eventually ran out of fuel and coasted home to a second-place finish.

    “Elliott drove his butt off,” Truex said. “He hit all his marks, didn’t make a mistake, and was technically perfect. When I got behind him, I said ‘The chase is on,’ and boy was I right.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 10th in the GoBowling 400 at Watkins Glen, scoring his 18th top 10 of the year.

    “I was not a factor in the race,” Harvick said. “In fact, I was barely seen, which means I played the role of ‘Tiny Kevin Harvick’ and it wasn’t a commercial.

    “NBC had a camera on my feet. If nothing else, it made former NFL coach Rex Ryan a viewer.”

    4. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Watkins Glen, scoring his 13th top 10 of the year.

    “NASCAR CEO Brian France was arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance,” Busch said. “I’m pretty sure this will result in a revoked license. In other words, he’ll face a ‘drive-through‘ penalty.”

    5. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 11th in the GoBowling 400 at Watkins Glen.

    “Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. put on quite a show over those last few laps,” Bowyer said. “You could feel the suspense, and with the race being sponsored by GoBowling.com, fans were on ‘pins and needles.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished last after an oil cooler malfunction sent him through the sand on lap 2.

    “NASCAR put my car on what is known as the ‘damaged vehicle policy,” Logano said. “The last time someone pulled the ol’ ‘damaged vehicle policy’ on me, it was Matt Kenseth.”

    7. Kyle Larson: Larson finished sixth at Watkins Glen, recording his 12th top-10 result of the year.

    “What a drive by Chase Elliott,” Larson said. “He’s the son of Bill Elliott, also known as ‘Awesome Bill From Dawsonville.’ Chase’s win gave Hendrick Motorsports its 250th win, but more importantly, it puts him in the Chase For The Cup. Plus, he may have secured the title of ‘Most Popular Driver.’ An appropriate nickname is ‘Awesome Chase In An Awesome Place.’”

    8. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Watkins Glen and finished 13th.

    “All that work for the pole,” Hamlin said, “and I only led two laps. In the words of former JGR great Tony Stewart on his way out of the bathroom, ‘So much for clean air.’”

    9. Chase Elliott: Elliott held off Martin Truex Jr. in the closing laps at Watkins Glen and won his first career Monster Energy Cup race, giving Hendrick Motorsports its 250th win in the process.

    “My car ran out of gas on the cool-down lap,” Elliott said. “Luckily, a man I’ve always looked up to, Jimmie Johnson, gave me a push. So, much like Brian France, who took a ride in a police cruiser, it was left to an ‘authority figure’ to get me where I was going.

    “My 62-year-old father will run the Xfinity race at Road America later this month. He’ll be driving for GMS Racing, and they’ve pledged to outfit his ride with a brand new exhaust system. Because if there’s ever a time for new exhaust, it’s for an ‘old fart.’”

    10. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 17th at Watkins Glen.

    “Brian France disgraced himself by getting arrested for DUI and possession of a controlled substance,” Keselowski said. “France was taken to the slammer is shackles. That’s embarrassing. But let’s make it even more embarrassing and call those shackles the ‘HANDS Device.’”

  • Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    Hot 20 – Someone’s Chase hopes could get Allmendingered at the Glen

    If we determine who is an actual contender, versus being just a pretender race in and race out, based on an average 20th place result, our field would be reduced to 22. Add William Byron and Jamie McMurray to the bottom of our list, and that is all you need to be concerned about. 357 points in 21 races is the line between the haves and the have-nots, from the front to the back of the pack. Except for this race.

    Watkins Glen forces you to expand that to the one guy who is averaging 21st each week, 16 points per race. He is the guy who is known for being a left and right expert. He is A.J. Allmendinger. The Dinger has one career win. It was at the Glen four years ago. He has a couple of Top Fives there, as well. Six Top Tens in nine attempts. This is where a nobody can become a somebody, and A.J. has made himself known before. While Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr. could just as likely win it, an Allmendinger win would truly mess up the plans of some others.

    He wins on Sunday, and he jumps from 23rd on our charts to eighth, and a lock to be in the Chase. He wins, and Alex Bowman goes from nearly 60 points in, to more than 50 out, just by doing what he has been doing each week. Jimmie Johnson becomes the bubble boy and needing to step it on up just in case another of those outside the Top Sixteen in the standings gets some ideas about shaking up some bubbly of their own later this month.

    It all depends on Allmendinger on Sunday. If he can shift from second to third, instead of down to second, he could be a contender. Let us just pretend that Sonoma did not happen.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 6 WINS (891 Pts)
    He wins every five years at the Glen (2008, 2013), so will he continue the trend?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 6 WINS (833 Pts)
    Forget the penalty points hit after Pocono. He was never going to catch Rowdy in that department.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (762 Pts)
    Won it last year, so if you were wondering if the Big 3 might contend, you have your answer.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (677 Pts)
    Fourth is the best the man from Emporia, Kansas has done in New York.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (690 Pts)
    Top Tens in four of the last five runs there, including a win in 2015.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (533 Pts)
    If Stanley comes aboard next season, will that give him the tools needed to win more?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (402 Pts)
    Got his win back in February, so he is fine…at least, until the Chase begins.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 677 POINTS
    His teammate is Kevin Harvick. Last week, his wife’s teammate was the Duke of Sussex.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 644 POINTS
    Running Xfinity again this weekend. The bad news for him is, so is Christopher Bell.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 626 POINTS
    On Monday and Tuesday, joins Tony Stewart and Kasey Kahne for the Osky Challenges in Iowa.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 618 POINTS
    Like all but seven others, he has no wins, but Sunday is one he has won before.

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 612 POINTS
    His uncle Dale is a six-time champion of the All Star Circuit of Champions.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 587 POINTS
    Last week, he collided with Harvick in the pits, then upset Matt DiBenedetto battling for 25th.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 569 POINTS
    The new face of Chevrolet. As of late, he might be the only face.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 547 POINTS
    Chevy does have a presence in the Chase, but most of that presence can be found down here.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 496 POINTS
    10th, 14th, 15th, and 16th are not going to sell a lot of cars Monday after the race Sunday.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 440 POINTS
    Bowman can take the weekend off and still be in the Chase…unless a certain someone wins.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 440 POINTS
    Make that, two certain someones.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 408 POINTS
    Okay, okay. Unless someone down here wins, Bowman is fine.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 400 POINTS
    His gloves, and those of 35 others, might appear a bit familiar to fans of Dale, Jr.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Busch: Busch pulled away on a restart with three laps to go and cruised to the win in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I tied Tony Stewart with my 49th Cup win,” Busch said. “One more win and I can finally say, ‘Well, passing him in the buffet line is out of the question, but at least I passed Tony in the standings.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “I won the pole,” Harvick said, “but it was nullified when my car failed post-race inspection. If this were the National Basketball Association, I would have been issued a ‘technical’ foul. In other words, I got ‘T’d’ up. And that makes me ‘T’d’ off.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 15th at Pocono.

    “Pocono is a tough track for drivers to figure out,” Truex said. “The ‘Tricky Triangle,’ as they call it, is quite a dilemma for most drivers. NASCAR itself has its own ‘Tricky Triangle’ dilemma—–finding any other driver besides me, Kevin Harvick, or Kyle Busch to win a race.”

    4. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer came home 11th in the Gander Outdoors 400.

    “Brian France recently reaffirmed his family’s commitment to NASCAR,” Bowyer said. “I’m not sure I buy it. France can say one thing and mean another. Of course, it’s no surprise that from someone with a double chin comes double speak.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished a disappointing 26th at Pocono.

    “This was Jimmie Johnson’s 600th Cup start,” Logano said. “That certainly deserves recognition. So let’s give it up for Jimmie. He’s got seven Cup championship trophies to his name. I think the only trophy he’s capable of garnering these days is a participation trophy.”

    6. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 23rd at Pocono and is now 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “This race was called the ‘Gander Outdoors 400,’” Larson said. “Judging by what I saw in the stands, attendance was sparse. But NASCAR’s bigger issue is television ratings. So, I guess the biggest problem is not the ‘Gander Outdoors,’ but instead fans neglecting to take a ‘Gander Indoors.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 10th at Pocono, posting his 11th top 10 of the season.

    “I was really pulling for my teammate Daniel Suarez to pull out the win and qualify for the postseason,” Hamlin said. “As you probably know, Daniel is a native of Mexico. Daniel’s a big part of NASCAR’s ‘Driver For Diversity’ program. And, along with Bubba Wallace, the program seems to be working. Before, however, I wasn’t so sure. Instead of ‘diversity,’ it seems to be more a case of ‘re-versity.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 14 laps and finished seventh at Pocono, recording his 10th top-10 result of the season.

    “I’m still looking for my first win,” Elliott said. “I’ve been close on several occasions, but there’s always something that gets in the way. So, before it happens, I have to overcome the issues that arise when s#it happens.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski spun and hit the wall on lap 121, ending his day at Pocono. He finished 38th.

    “I thought I hit the wall hard,” Keselowski said, “until I saw Bubba Wallace hit the wall with six laps to go. Thank goodness for the SAFER barrier. It’s always good to see a driver walk away from an accident. And, in some cases, like Carl Edwards at Talladega in 2009, it’s pretty cool to see a driver run away from an accident.”

    10. Kurt Busch: Busch finished ninth at Pocono as younger brother Kyle took the win.

    “Great run by Kyle,” Busch said, “but what about the effort of some of these youngsters, like Daniel Suarez and Chase Elliott? Those guys have skills. You might even say each of them is a ‘Baby Driver.’ When I was that young, most drivers questioned my talents. Some even called me a ‘Maybe Driver.’”

  • Hot 20 – Pocono is another non-restrictor plate race, so which one of just four drivers will win it?

    Hot 20 – Pocono is another non-restrictor plate race, so which one of just four drivers will win it?

    Another race, another win for one of the Big Three. Twenty races down and just seven individual drivers with a tick in the win column. That means, at most, 13 drivers could have a victory by the time they decide who makes the Chase. Something tells me we will not reach anywhere close to that number of winners.

    Denny Hamlin and Kyle Larson might win, looking at the upcoming half dozen events. Then again, it is just as likely Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, or Martin Truex Jr. will add at least another to their personal collections. Pocono is next, and that is where Truex won last month. Busch won it last July. Still, 2016 was split between Kurt Busch and Chris Buescher, so there is hope. Hope is a good thing.

    So are good dads. Now, this amused me. A new Xfinity team was formed, and in the announcement for Tullman-Walker Racing it mentioned that among the owners we have Steve Tullman, a successful entrepreneur (in the medicine making business). By some miracle, they were able to secure the services of a 20-year old ARCA driver named…Max Tullman.

    What was so amusing was their determination to avoid stating the obvious, which is a dad with means has bought an opportunity for his talented and dedicated son to advance his dreams. Nothing wrong with that, but not a word about the relationship between the co-owner and the driver. The group is serious, though, even bringing former Dale Earnhardt crew chief Doug Richert along to continue to guide the young driver when they hit the track at Iowa (July 28), Las Vegas (September 15), and Kansas (October 20). Thus far in 2018, the young Tullman has three Top Tens in eight ARCA starts. We will be watching.

    We will also be watching this Sunday to see if any numbers other than No. 4, No. 14, No. 18, or No. 78 will mean a damn thing. Other than for the three restrictor-plate races, every one of the other 17 events has been won by a driver with one of those car numbers. Good news for those pulling for a new face in front. Clint Bowyer has never won at Pocono. Neither has Harvick, but he was finished second in four of the last eight there, including both in 2017. It does not look good for the rest of the field, now does it?

    Hold on. A car with either a “4” or an “8” might win? Maybe there is hope for Jimmie Johnson after all, if you go by the numbers.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (844 Pts)
    The only thing encumbered about his Loudon experience was Harvick riding behind him.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS – 1 E.W. (791 Pts)
    Yes, he has six wins, but one does not count when deciding this duel with Rowdy.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (740 Pts)
    Pocono in June. Why not Pocono in July?

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (638 Pts)
    On non-restrictor race tracks, the Big Three lead Bowyer 15-2. The rest have been shut-out.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (679 Pts)
    I wonder if he now knows how fortunate he was to win at Talladega?

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (501 Pts)
    On the restrictor plate tracks, Jones, Logano, and Dillon lead the Big Three 3-0.

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (378 Pts)
    Daytona is the only reason he is not sitting 19th today.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 646 POINTS
    No, you go forward, Mr. Blaney. No, no, I insist.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 635 POINTS
    In the words of Yosemite Sam, “Whoa camel, whoa, when I say whoa, I mean WHOA.”

    10. KYLE LARSON – 606 POINTS
    Did the broadcast at Eldora, but does not think Cup cars need to trade pavement for dirt.

    11. RYAN BLANEY – 584 POINTS
    No, after you, Mr. Busch. Please proceed. By the way, nice paint scheme.

    12. DENNY HAMLIN – 583 POINTS
    Loudon was his kind of track, but he did not have his kind of day.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 575 POINTS
    Taking the former Danicamobile to places it has never gone before.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 522 POINTS
    If you can’t win, collect points, and that will work at least for a few more weeks.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 520 POINTS
    No wins, yet during his career 27 percent of the time finds him finishing in the Top Five.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 453 POINTS
    Finishing 11th at New Hampshire helped him widen the gap.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 425 POINTS
    28 points is a big hill to climb unless Alex puts himself in a ditch.

    18. PAUL MENARD – 424 POINTS
    If he finishes seventh and Bowman is 37th or worse, then the math works out.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 379 POINTS
    A Top Six was good last week, but he needs a Top One.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 359 POINTS
    Byron is a point behind, with McMurray just four away.

  • The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    The Final Word – 37 drivers at New Hampshire, but only 11 mattered on Sunday

    Watching Loudon on Sunday was a whole lot like watching Shawshank Redemption. I have seen bits and pieces of that movie, maybe, a couple of dozen times or more. The first half of the New Hampshire race had me watching nothing but our favorites of this year over and over and over.

    It was a one lane track to start with. If you were on the outside, you moved. If not, you did not. The guys up front stayed up front. Martin Truex Jr. led the opening stage and was third after two. Chase Elliott was second in the first but claimed the second. Kurt Busch, the pole sitter, was fourth after one and second after two. You get the picture.

    Everyone in the Top Ten for the first half of the contest was among our potential Chasers. Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Joey Logano had reserved spots, it seemed. So did Ryan Blaney, Aric Almirola, and Jimmie Johnson. Ten drivers for 10 positions, all among the Top Fifteen in the standings.

    Then the second half of the race began. It started with Kurt chasing down, well, Chase. Brad Keselowski moved up to take Johnson’s place among our decuplers. Well, for a time he did, before his brakes started to fail and he went from 9th to 20th within a couple of laps. The inside groove opened up, but not by much.

    Then a new face went to the front, as Almirola took over the lead to give the NBC rat pack of Dale, Jeff, and Steve something additional to chat about. Again, usually watching the action from Loudon allows me to fast-forward through the broadcast. Unfortunately, those boys were once again damned amusing and entertaining, so I could not.

    Everybody else seemed destined to be denied entry into the Top Ten. With about 75 laps to go, a window opened. Kurt Busch was heading to the pits but braked when he thought Blaney was about to leave his, leaving both just sitting there for a few seconds. That cost some time and track position. However, the guy who burned his membership card was Bowyer. He got tagged for a pit violation, and simply sunk beneath the waves.

    Later, Bowyer hit the fence with Almirola back in front. After the visitation for service, Kyle Busch was the leader, followed by Harvick, Almirola, and Truex. Something had to give in the end, and with seven laps left it proved to be the back end of Busch, with some assistance from Harvick. Someone was Happy as he went on to claim his sixth win of the season, the 44th of his career. Someone was not happy to finish second. Almirola thought he was the best, but he lost the lead in the pits and then lost traction on the re-start to end his hopes.

    You already know the names of most of those who would claim a Top Ten. Bowyer wound up 35th out of 37 entries, with Ryan Newman replacing him among our race stars to take sixth. Nothing much changed in the standings, with the Top 16 remaining our Top 16. Three drivers; Harvick, Truex, and Elliott; had 51 point days. Each Busch brother had 45, with Almirola putting 41 into the bank. Among those with single digit outings were Bowyer, Keselowski and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., allowing Alex Bowman to extend his margin for that final Chase berth to 28 points.

    Next Sunday marks the return to Pocono. Last month, it was Truex taking the June version. Last year, it was Kyle Busch in July. Harvick has not won there in 35 attempts. In comparison, Chris Buescher was the summertime winner just a couple of years ago. Now, another such performance would do wonders for a guy currently sitting 23rd in the standings.

    That is one movie sequel I bet he would just love to produce.

  • Kurt Busch lands Busch pole award at New Hampshire

    Kurt Busch lands Busch pole award at New Hampshire

    Staff Report | NASCAR.com

    LOUDON, N.H. — Early bird Kurt Busch ran his best lap of the day in the final round of Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series knockout qualifying at New Hampshire Motor Speedway to earn the top starting spot for Sunday’s Foxwoods 301 (2 p.m. ET on NBCSN, PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

    The first driver on the track for decisive Round 3, Busch covered the one-mile distance in 28.511 seconds (133.591 mph) to edge reigning series champion Martin Turex Jr. by .019 seconds. Truex will start from the front row for the seventh time this season.

    “I don’t want to second-guess anything, so when the crew chief (Billy Scott) says ‘Go,’ you just go,” said Busch, who won his first Busch Pole Award in 35 races at the Magic Mile, his third of the season and the 25th of his career. “I like the way we made the right changes through each of the rounds, and we stuck to a game plan.

    “That’s exactly what you hope to have each time you go to qualifying, where you don’t have to deviate away from the plan you set in place.”

    In fact, the three rounds of qualifying for Busch followed a script that had been written before the first round began.

    “We discussed it, and the call was made back at the hauler before the qualifying session started,” Busch said. “It was almost like a non-discussion. It was, ‘This is what’s going to happen in Round 1, this is what’s going to happen in Round 2, and here’s what’s going to happen in Round 3’—and we stuck to our plan.”

    Truex felt he lost what could have been a pole-winning run in the first corner.

    “I just missed Turn 1 just slightly there in that last run on the first lap, but overall it was a solid day,” Truex said. “We had a decent practice – a short practice, you know, because we waited a little bit for the VHT (traction compound) to kind of get run in, and we went out there and ran and were probably a little bit off further on balance more than we needed to be at the end of practice.

    “So made some changes for qualifying, and the guys did a good job of getting it right and we were close. So couple thousandths, a few inches here or there in a different spot on the race track and might have been able to make it up, but a solid effort for us, and we can go get them on Sunday from second.”

    Led by his brother, Kyle Busch, Toyota drivers occupied the top five positions in Round 2, but Kurt Busch broke the monopoly in the round that counted in his No. 41 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford. Kyle Busch ended up third, followed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin, as Camry drivers claimed positions two through four on the grid.

    Hendrick Motorsports driver Alex Bowman earned the eighth starting position in the fastest Chevrolet.

    “To come here and qualify a solid top 10 means the car is probably a whole lot better than that, which is a good thing for me come Sunday,” said Bowman, who entered this race weekend with an average starting position at Loudon of 30.8 and previous best qualifying effort of 18th.

    With Erik Jones earning the seventh position and Daniel Suarez qualifying ninth, JGR drivers placed all four cars in the top 10. Surprisingly, Busch was the only Stewart Haas driver to make the cut for the 12-driver final round.

    The Team Penske Fords of Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski will start fifth and sixth, respectively, on Sunday.

    RELATED: Qualifying results 

  • Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    Hot 20 – Getting down and dirty, be it at New Hampshire or Eldora

    On Wednesday, the pick-up trucks race on dirt at Eldora. Some figure we need some dirt track racing in NASCAR. The fact is that in these times such a race would be a novelty, just as Eldora is, but does it need to be a feature in Cup?

    Why not? The fact that NBC has finally returned television coverage that actually keeps one glued to the action, entertained and informed with real insight, allows me to watch Loudon without any complaint or the use of the fast-forward feature on my PVR. Finally, I am content with what I watch on the pavement. Being different, though, is not a bad thing.

    Bristol is different. Daytona and Talladega are different. Sonoma and Watkins Glen are different. So will be the road-course feature coming up at Charlotte. Why not a little dirt? Just no gimmicks. We do not need any more gophers. I have had it up to here with “boogity, boogity, boogity.” No more draft tracks. You can even toss out the wild sound laps, where we get to hear the roar of the engines as the announcers take a time-out. It comes nowhere close to being at the live event.

    No more gimmicks. Just tracks that are different. Dirt is good. I have high hopes the New Hampshire experience on Sunday will be as well.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5 WINS (799 Pts)
    To be the man, you have to beat the man…more times than he has beaten you.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS (740 Pts)
    This fall, the Magic Mile will magically look a lot like Las Vegas. Hey, it’s magic.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (689 Pts)
    Has never won at Loudon…yet.

    4. CLINT BOWYER – 2 WINS (629 Pts)
    Like Harvick, the pit road experience at Kentucky fell short of the standard set on the track.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (648 Pts)
    A single win locks one into the Chase this season.

    6. ERIK JONES – 1 WIN (480 Pts)
    Earned his golden ticket, so when does he get to visit the Chocolate Factory?

    7. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (362 Pts)
    After Daytona, he went into Witness Protection and has not been seen since.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 630 POINTS
    “We’ve been good, not great this year, and this is a sport of great.”

    9. KURT BUSCH – 601 POINTS
    Three career wins at Loudon ties him with his brother, Jimmie, Ryan, Denny, and Matt.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 581 POINTS
    On Tuesday was at the Lernerville Speedway winning a World of Outlaws event.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 559 POINTS
    The defending race champion returns, but will the checkered flag?

    12. RYAN BLANEY – 546 POINTS
    Might find Loudon too easy after testing this week at Charlotte.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 534 POINTS
    Did the former driver of this car ever threaten to make the Chase? Ever?

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 484 POINTS
    Only a true disaster will keep even a winless Johnson out of the Chase.

    15. CHASE ELLIOTT – 469 POINTS
    William Clyde’s nickname features his season goal. Next year, he wants to be known as Champ.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 427 POINTS
    Spent his Tuesday spinning in Turns 3 and 4 of the Charlotte infield road course. It is sketchy.

    17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 418 POINTS
    He has a standing offer to Kyle Busch to help him stop running his mouth. Jimmy Spencer, Jr.?

    18. PAUL MENARD – 404 POINTS
    23 points between him and a playoff spot, but he averages a 23rd place finish at Loudon.

    19. RYAN NEWMAN – 348 POINTS
    Pick-up racing is cute. Now, European Truck Racing is for the big boys with the big toys.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 344 POINTS
    Two Loudon starts, two Top Tens. Unfortunately, only a win gets him to where he wants to be.