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  • Texas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Texas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Truck Series heads to Texas Motor Speedway for the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500. With his victory at Martinsville, Team Penske’s Brad Keselowski became the first driver to grab multiple wins this season. But did you know that Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing, the two most successful active teams in NASCAR, are winless after six races?

    Texas may be the perfect track for these teams to rebound. HMS driver Jimmie Johnson has the best overall driver rating (107.1) at the 1.5-mile track but so far this year his best finish was ninth place at Phoenix. However, with a track-record six wins, history may be on his side.

    Or maybe Chase Elliott will break through and capture his first win at Texas. He had two top-fives in his 2016 rookie season and is currently in second place in the standings, only four points behind leader, Kyle Larson.

    JGR’s Kyle Busch is also hungry for a win especially after last week’s race at Martinsville where he led a race-high 274 laps only to see victory elude him. He has scored two checkered flags at Texas and is the defending race winner with 11 top fives, 12 top 10s and one pole at Texas.

    But the bigger story may be the newly repaved track surface that was completed during the offseason. Did you know that the entire track was repaved and an extensive drainage system was added on the frontstretch and backstretch? Turns 1 and 2 were also reconfigured with the banking reduced from 24 to 20 degrees and the racing surface widened from 60 to 80 feet through Turns 1 and 2.

    Some of the drivers have expressed concerns about the unpredictability of heading to Texas to compete on the new surface, especially since there will be no opportunity for pre-race testing.

    “To head into Texas with no formal tire test, no official track mapping, let ’er rip, this is new territory for our sport,” Stewart-Hass Racing’s Kurt Busch said. “I think it shows how much we’re having to adapt on the fly. Is it a good thing? A bad thing? It doesn’t matter. It’s what it is, and it’s unique the way we’re headed in there to go 215 mph with no track time.”

    JGR driver Matt Kenseth, who has the second-best driver rating of 104.7 at Texas, calls it “unprecedented,” adding, “I don’t think that we’ve ever gone to a newly paved race track without some sort of a test day, a tire test, or something along those lines.”

    There’s no doubt that this weekend will likely test the skills of even the best driver but let’s look at some statistics to set the stage.

    Did you know that four active drivers have multiple wins at Texas Motor Speedway? Johnson leads the way with six followed by JGR’s Denny Hamlin, Kenseth and Kyle Busch with two each. Roush Fenway Racing leads the Cup Series in victories with nine while Hendrick Motorsports has eight and Joe Gibbs Racing has six.

    There have been 32 MENCS races at Texas, one each year from 1997-2004 and two per season since 2005, resulting in wins by 18 different drivers. But did you know that 78.1 percent (25 of 32) have been won from a top-10 starting position? And, to narrow it down more, starting in third place has produced more wins (six) than any other starting position.

    Don’t miss the O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 Sunday, April 8 at 1:30 p.m. on FOX as the 2017 season continues at Texas Motor Speedway. While you’re waiting, check out the gallery below for a preview of the paint schemes we’ll see this weekend.

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

    Texas paint schemes

     

  • Hot 20 – If you like Texas Bobbleheads, just nod yes…over…and…over…again.

    Hot 20 – If you like Texas Bobbleheads, just nod yes…over…and…over…again.

    Texas is next on the dance card this weekend, an apropos venue to hear about Bellator and Monster Energy getting together to present some pre-race smackdowns, some good ole fashioned ass whippin’s, some unscripted mayhem. In their desire to make NASCAR cool and hip again, or whatever is considered trendy in today’s vernacular, Monster Energy plans on presenting some MMA matches prior to some selected events. Sounds like they are just going to try and recreate a Berkley peace march.

    Maybe you could have Kyle Busch get together with Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for a little pre-race activity. After Stenhouse bumped Kyle to get back on the lead lap at the end of Stage 2 at Martinsville, accomplishing the task while allowing Chase Elliott to slip ahead for the Stage win, once again we seem to have a burning Busch on our hands.

    Ricky’s pal, Danica Patrick, along with Tony Stewart have had their likenesses enshrined in Milwaukee’s Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum. Just nod your head repeatedly in agreement.

    In 2014, Hall of Famer (baseball version) Tony La Russa saw bobbleheads produced showing him in both the colors of the Athletics and the White Sox. At Phoenix, he was decked out in those of Shell/Pennzoil when the 72-year old dropped by the Team Penske garage to visit with Joey Logano. Come to think of it, didn’t Kyle Busch want to turn Logano into a bobblehead a couple of weeks ago?

    Sunday is Texas…with not 38 or 39 on the entry list, but a full 40! Well, they do like things bigger there, including the race field it seems.  As for these boys listed below, they will indeed be our Hot 20. Temps for Dallas are forecast for the mid-80s F come race day.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 234 PTS
    The King of his Kesel (owski)?

    2. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 268 PTS
    Visited the rocket center in Huntsville, but even Smoky could not have put a Saturn V in his car.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 236 PTS
    Best damn driver at Martinsville…for the opening stage.

    4. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 152 PTS
    This just in. Newman plans to play in Texas, yet has not a single fiddler in the band.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 119 PTS
    That Daytona win is looming larger and larger with each subpar performance since.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 264 PTS
    Over his past ten, an average finish of 8.3 with six Top Tens. That will do for now.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 207 PTS
    With MMA fights coming to some NASCAR events, are you ready to rumble, Joey?

    8. KYLE BUSCH – 188 PTS
    Pre-race? Hell, shouldn’t they be having the fights after the race?

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 179 PTS
    His dad was a North Carolina Cup driver. The boy is the same…just better..as dad had hoped.

    10. CLINT BOWYER – 174 PTS
    Top Tens in three of his past four…nothing worse than 13th in last five.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 163 PTS
    Must have thought he had Flintstone tires at Martinsville…but it eroded away just the same.

    12. KEVIN HARVICK – 154 PTS
    This Sunday, they will feature Danica. In November, Texas will hand out Harvick bobbleheads.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 146 PTS
    Junior was fine, but his Chevy McChevy face got all steamed up with Kahne.

    14. ERIK JONES – 144 PTS
    While everyone is talking about Larson, another young gun is quietly working his way up.

    15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 141 PTS
    Oh, my God, what’s wrong with Jimmie? Well, if this is running bad, imagine him running good.

    16. TREVOR BAYNE – 140 PTS
    His 14th Texas start? Damn, time does fly by.

    17. DENNY HAMLIN – 139 PTS
    Made contact with Danica at Martinsville, and wound up in a wall of hurt…and a garage of tears.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 127 PTS
    Best showing since Daytona? 14th.

    19. AUSTIN DILLON – 126 PTS
    Coming off his best win of the season, he is taking the big hat to Texas. Seems about right.

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 113 PTS
    The most relevant 27 remain in the Top 27…or at least that is what he keeps trying to tell her.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski passed Kyle Busch with 43 laps and cruised to the win at Martinsville, earning his first win at the Virginia short track.

    “This was my first win at Martinsville,” Keselowski said. “I’m pleased to get my first grandfather clock trophy because it’s about ‘time.’

    “And speaking of ‘time,’ Paul Wolfe is not yet serving time for his suspension for a failed inspection incurred at Phoenix. And we all know what appealing a suspension for which you are clearly guilty is: ‘buying time.’”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished 17th at Martinsville, snapping his streak of four consecutive races in the top 2. He remains the leader in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, four points ahead of Chase Elliott in second.

    “Two of the youngest drivers lead the points standings,” Larson said. “Some of the veterans like to joke that Chase and I are still in diapers. That’s funny and all, but everyone in NASCAR knows that the thing most akin to diapers in this sport is the points format, because, apparently, it ‘needs changing’ all the time.”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won Stage 1 at Martinsville and eventually finished 16th at Martinsville.

    “I like the added intensity that stage racing brings to NASCAR,” Truex said. “It’s answered some questions that have long been asked in racing circles, like ‘Can the 80th lap of a race be just as exciting as the final lap?’ Or, ‘Could Kyle Busch’s fuse be shorter?’”

    4. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third in the STP 500 at Martinsville, posting his third top five of the season.

    “Martinsville is the shortest track on the NASCAR circuit,” Elliott said. “It’s only ½-mile around. Some NASCAR fans call it a ‘paperclip;’ others call it a ‘waistline.’”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano took fourth at Martinsville, posting his third top-five result of the year. He is fifth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 61 points out of first.

    “Matt Kenseth finished ninth,” Logano said. “So, as was the case back in November of 2015, my day ended with Kenseth behind me.”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Martinsville after leading a race-high 274 laps. He is sixth in the points standings, 80 out of first.

    “I lost a lengthy battle for the lead with Brad Keselowski,” Busch said. “I blame a faulty set of tires for my failure. I’m very irritated. Not just at those tires, but also at Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., Joey Logano, M&M’s that melt in my hand, and life in general. In other words, ‘Everything is grating.’”

    7. Ryan Newman: Newman finished eighth at Martinsville and is 11th in the points standings.

    “Just for the record,” Newman said, “Danica Patrick and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not get engaged. Ricky must be the one holding up things because anyone who’s pissed off Danica knows she’s not afraid to ‘engage’ with anyone.”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick struggled to a 20th-place finish at Martinsville and has yet to post a top-five finish this season.

    “We struggled all day,” Harvick said. “The No. 4 Jimmy Johns Chevrolet was just slow. How slow, you may ask? Well, we were so slow, in honor of our performance, you can walk into any Jimmy Johns, order a sub, and pick it up for free the following day.”

    9. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer scored his second straight top-10 finish with a seventh in the STP 500. He is eighth in the points standings, 94 out of first.

    “I think Tony Stewart is proud of my efforts as of late,” Bowyer said. “And I’m proud to be the guy that was given the opportunity to take over the No. 14 car. But let’s face it, I’ll never be able to truly fill Tony’s seat without 30-40 more pounds in my rear end. In the words of Tony’s long-time lead mechanic, also known as ‘Sir Fixalot,’ ‘Tony’s got back.’”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished 25th at Martinsville, posting his worst finish of the season. However, he is seventh in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 89 behind Kyle Larson.

    “I’m still pleased with my performance so far,” Blaney said. “If you would have told anyone before the season that Ryan Blaney would be seventh in the standings after Martinsville, they would have said ‘Who’s Ryan Blaney?’ And I would have told them, ‘I’m Dave Blaney’s son.’ And they would have said, ‘Who’s Dave Blaney?’ And that makes the Blaney’s a veritable ‘Who’s who?’ of stock car racing.”

  • The Final Word – Who in their right mind would enter a brand new machine at Martinsville?

    The Final Word – Who in their right mind would enter a brand new machine at Martinsville?

    Back in 1949, Martinsville was a dirt track. Fifteen cars started the 100 lap event in the opening year of what was to become the Cup series. Red Byron won it in a 1949 Oldsmobile. A brand new car. In those days, there was little modifications done in the strictly stock division. Now tell me, after seeing what became of the car of Daniel Suarez, who in their right mind would put a brand new strictly stock car in a race at Martinsville?

    Kind of makes you wonder why you would put a brand new strictly “stock” car in a 500-lap contest on what is now a paved track in 2017? At least the boys back at the shop are guaranteed work. This time out it was a Ford driven by Brad Keselowski who came up with a victory and a grandfather clock. It was his second win of the season and a 55-point bonanza for the driver who was in the Top Five in each of the first two stages before pulling away for all the marbles.

    Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott also picked up at least 50 points on the day, finishing second and third. Both contenders were strong throughout but just did not have enough to challenge over the final few laps. While remaining winless, the pair is solidly among the best of the rest, along with Joey Logano.

    Logano had an interesting day. He got tagged for his crew leaping over the pit wall too early in the first stage. In the second stage, he had to pit under green when he cut a tire. On a short track usually not that forgiving, he still brought his car home in fourth.

    Jamie McMurray had a nice running car. A top-10 car at least. He tried to extend the life of a tire that had already shuffled off this mortal coil just prior to the end of the first stage. The track said no, and after pounding the wall, his day was done after 105 laps, finishing last and earning one lousy point.

    Same fate for Kurt Busch. At least he was still out there, extending a less than promising day until he got caught up in a little mishap. Just a handful of laps later, cutting a tire and finding the wall himself on lap 295 allowed him to go visit McMurray in the garage.

    Do not speed in the pits. Just a little advice to keep one ahead of the mess, but it comes too late for Dale Earnhardt Jr. After being sent to the rear of the field, a seven car jam up on turn three pushed in his Chevy McChevy face and punctured his radiator. There was no fixing that on pit road, so he joined Jamie and Kurt at the hot dog stand. At least he earned eight big points, but still no Top Tens and remains buried in 25th place in the standings, 40 points out of a playoff spot.

    Suarez saw his jalopy reduced to modified hot rod proportions, and Denny Hamlin hit Danica Patrick in the mess that collected Junior while putting his car face first where it should not go. After that, it did not go anywhere. Both drivers finished 30th and beyond.

    Chris Buescher, who is not among our “27 relevant drivers” was on Sunday. An 11th place run was just fine for the No. 37 Bush’s Beans boys. Though he remains a couple of spots behind Junior in the rankings, he is tied with Patrick for 27th place overall. That almost makes the lad relevant. If you remember, the 24-year-old was not exactly high on our list last season, yet he made the Chase by winning at Pocono in August. We might have to keep an eye on this gent in Texas and beyond.

    Thirty-eight cars were entered at Martinsville. Forty-three once was the maximum, but that was reduced to 40 for last season. They had a full field at Daytona, just 39 in each of the four races after that, and now 38 last Sunday. The last time they had such a short field was 1996, with entry lists of 37 at one race at Bristol as well as both races at North Wilkesboro. Just 36 ran each of two runs that season at Martinsville.

    It would seem fewer folks are willing to put their brand new strictly “stock” machines on that track, or any track, these days.

  • Martinsville Speedway – Did You Know?

    Martinsville Speedway – Did You Know?

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Martinsville Speedway for the sixth race of the season. It’s the shortest track on the circuit and a favorite of both fans and drivers. But did you know it’s the only track that has hosted Cup races every year since the beginning of the Cup series in 1949?

    Red Byron, driving for owner Raymond Parks with crew chief Red Vogt, won the first Strictly Stock race at Martinsville Speedway on September 25, 1949, in his No. 22 Oldsmobile. He took the lead on lap 104 of the 200 lap event, finishing three laps ahead of second-place driver, Lee Petty. Byron went on to become the premier series’ first Cup champion.

    But did you know that Martinsville Speedway had a dirt racing surface for the first 12 races held at the track? It was paved with asphalt in 1955 and the first 500-lap event was held the following year. There have been 136 Cup Series races hosted by the track, one in 1949 and two each subsequent year.

    The King, Richard Petty, ruled Martinsville during his career, capturing 15 checkered flags to lead the series in victories. On April 10, 1960, he also became the youngest (22 years, 9 months, 8 days) winner at the 0.526-mile track.

    Forty-nine different drivers have won at Martinsville but did you know that only seven active drivers have scored wins at the shortest track in the series? Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with nine first-place finishes, Denny Hamlin has five of the coveted grandfather clock trophies and Kurt Busch has two. Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick and Ryan Newman have visited victory lane at Martinsville once.

    Johnson’s ninth win came last October when he won the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 and he’s eager to return to the track where he has experienced tremendous success.

    “The last race at Martinsville was an amazing finish,” he said, “a very emotional one for me, so meaningful, and it obviously paved the way to our seventh championship. It’s a special place for us. It suits my driving style and I wish we raced at Martinsville more than twice a year.”

    Johnson is not exaggerating when he says that the track fits his style. Did you know that he has the series-best driver rating (117.7) at Martinsville? It’s no surprise when you consider his career to date results; nine wins, 19 top fives, 24 top 10s and three poles. Hamlin is next with the second-best driver rating (108.2) at his home track with five wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s and three poles. Defending race winner Kyle Busch (99.9), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (98.7) and Kevin Harvick (94.6) round out the series’ top five drivers at ‘The Paperclip.’

    While overall driver ratings are a good indicator of a driver’s performance at a particular track, the advantages of qualifying well should not be underestimated. Did you know that 36 of the 136 (26.4 percent) Cup Series races at Martinsville have been won from a front row starting position? With that in mind, you may want to pay close attention to Hamlin, Johnson, Joey Logano and Ryan Newman. These drivers lead all active drivers for the most poles at Martinsville with three each.

    You can tune into FOX Sports 1 (FS1) for the STP 500 Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.

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

  • Hot 20 – Martinsville will boast superb on track talent, but can FOX attract the viewers at home?

    Hot 20 – Martinsville will boast superb on track talent, but can FOX attract the viewers at home?

    The ratings are in. They continue to sink, with anything not being raced at Daytona all down. Daytona was great, the rest were okay. There used to be a time when okay was good enough. That was when, to answer Sheryl Crow’s question, we had it bad. Today, not so much. The passion is gone, at least from a ton of fans. Even the sponsors no longer have the passion, the desire to make those NASCAR-themed spots that were, well, spot on.

    What to do, what to do? The stars have been, and remain, pretty accessible to the fans. Hell, even 79-year old Richard Petty remains a fan favorite and an easy target for an autograph. On the other end of the spectrum, we have Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Trevor Bayne, and Daniel Suarez leading the way for the 20-somethings. That might bode well for the future, but what about today? If you are a gear-head, the strategy, the setups is something of a draw, but for most folks, when their car is not running well it is simply broken.

    Wasn’t the racing once a lot closer? I know in the old days it was not, not when the winner was a lap or more ahead of the next guy. So, what made NASCAR the “in thing” 20 years ago? They went from southern to national, where a guy like California’s Jeff Gordon would rival the likes of Dale Earnhardt from North Carolina. That created some sparks. They had open-wheel types like Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Juan Pablo Montoya take a turn at the wheel. That caused interest. Danica Patrick arrived and that was interesting, at least for a while. Pack racing might drive the drivers nuts, but it keeps us watching. Again, Daytona was watched, the rest…not so much.

    I love the documentary-styled vignettes on the broadcasts. They always cause me to stop and watch. Is there anything else exciting, such as the broadcasters, the camera angles, the whole television experience to draw us in? Not really. Even the commercials are the same as when you watch NCIS. Seen it already with Gibbs and Ducky, so I’m good. What remains exciting is the talent. It just needs to be showcased a hell of a lot better.

    Now, don’t get me started on XFINITY. Thankfully, Ryan Reed and Justin Allgaier at least won two of the five races. Seventeen of the 25 Top Five positions to date have gone to Cup drivers. Nineteen-year-old William Byron has four Top Tens, but I suspect few know that, or him. That is a problem. I do not know what their ratings are. To be honest, I do not really care.

    Whatever you do, you cannot blame the guys among our Hot 20. Will Larson continue to dominate? Will Elliott get his first win and move to the front of the pack? What can Keselowski do with a car not beat to crap? Can Truex continue to perform well? Will Johnson and Earnhardt continue their climb back into contention? Those are some pretty good questions. I think most are still interested in the answers.

    The trouble is getting them to commit to spending a Sunday afternoon watching it all unfold, rather than to spend just a few minutes in the evening to check the post-race reports. That is like reading the last page of the book to see how the story ends, rather than submerging one’s self into the experience. The Martinsville saga this weekend will be a good one, but the book needs to be spruced up a bit to keep us engaged.

    1. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 243 PTS
    A win, most points, but Martinsville is a challenge he would love to overcome.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 214 PTS
    Have the living daylights beat out of your car by the fourth lap, and still finish second? Wow.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 205 PTS
    Tires. He don’t need no fresh stinking tires. On second thought…

    4. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 123 PTS
    After ending a 127 race winless streak, the new one is now up to…well…one.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 118 PTS
    That Daytona win allows him to forget about the results of the past three events.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 214 PTS
    The only thing separating him and the other top guys is the empty win column, and that’s it.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 174 PTS
    Beat out Larson, Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones to win XFINITY. Again, what is that series for?

    8. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 162 PTS
    Three Top Tens in his last four races. Hey, he doesn’t want teammate Larson to feel alone.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 157 PTS
    He can say whatever he wants about Junior. Mind you, guess who owns the land he lives on?

    10. KEVIN HARVICK – 147 PTS
    Harvick better win soon. Heck, Keelan is already wearing Larson gear.

    11. CLINT BOWYER – 143 PTS
    October 13, 2012. While he is happy for the moment, it has been awhile since that last win.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 136 PTS
    Once upon a time, when you mentioned Kyle it meant a guy named Busch.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 123 PTS
    Virginia is for Virginians. That is the slogan going into this weekend for Hamlin.

    14. KASEY KAHNE – 122 PTS
    Remembering David Steele.

    15. ERIK JONES – 116 PTS
    Just a win away from a milkshake celebration. Hey, he still is only 20.

    16. TREVOR BAYNE – 114 PTS
    Anywhere in the Top 15 on Sunday would be moral victory.

    17. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 109 PTS
    No, Jimmie is not a god. Superman, yes. A god, no.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 108 PTS
    Andrew Murstein has a drive to win. Richard Petty has 200 as a driver. No pressure, Aric.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 102 PTS
    We now know why Carl Edwards retired. He just wanted to be a coach.

    20. AUSTIN DILLON – 92 PTS
    Where is Junior? He is the guy looming large in Dillon’s mirror.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: California

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Larson: Larson survived four late restarts and pulled away for the win at Fontana, finally snatching a win after three consecutive runner-up finishes.

    “It’s frustrating building a huge lead,” Larson said, “only to have it wiped out by a caution flag. Restarts are dangerous for a race leader, especially when there are four restarts. It’s times like those when it’s imperative to proceed with caution.”

    2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished fourth in the Auto Club 400, posting his second top-five finish of the year.

    “I regret not getting fresh tires on the final pit stop,” Truex said. “It’s not like we didn’t have the tires—we start with 11 sets. And I needed fresh tires to have any chance of catching Kyle Larson. So, I urged my crew chief to ‘burn rubber’ so I could ‘burn rubber.’”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski overcame damage in an early spin to finish second at Fontana.

    “Kyle Larson was dominant,” Keselowski said. “He could pass cars at will and made it all look so easy. It was like it was ‘Target practice.’”

    4. Chase Elliott: Elliott led the Hendrick Motorsports charge at Fontana, finishing 10th. He is second in the points standings, 29 behind Kyle Larson.

    “I hear Danica Patrick was critical of NASCAR’s reasoning for fining drivers,” Elliott said. “I tend to agree with her. I would say to NASCAR officials sitting smugly in their rules trailer, ‘You can’t have it both ways.’ But NASCAR’s rulings are so subjective, they need to be told, ‘You can’t have it three ways, or four ways.’ And let’s be honest, the only people having ‘three ways’ and ‘four ways’ in trailers are Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans.”

    5. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth in the Auto Club 400 at Fontana, recording his second top five of the season.

    “Kyle Busch and I raced each other cleanly all weekend at Fontana,” Logano said. “Thank goodness, because I don’t want any more of Kyle’s punches coming my way. As these three boring races out West can attest, one ‘West Coast swing’ is enough.”

    6. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 13th at Fontana and is now ninth in the points standings, 106 out of first.

    “Frankly,” Harvick said, “I’ve had enough of the West Coast and its smog. I’m ready to head back East, where we race at classic NASCAR tracks like Martinsville. As you know, aerodynamics don’t play much of a role on a half-mile track. So, those West Coast locations can keep their ‘dirty air.’”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch finished eighth at Fontana, posting his second top-10 finish of the year.

    “I didn’t have one single run-in with Joey Logano,” Busch said. “And that’s exactly how I’d like it, because I prefer to have ‘no contact’ with him.”

    8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished sixth at Fontana.

    “That was a big win for Kyle Larson,” McMurray said. “But not as big as the oversized novelty pair of sunglasses he was wearing after the race. Kyle’s already a diminutive little fellow; with those giant shades on, I’d say he’s the second coming of ‘Slim Shady.’”

    9. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished ninth in the Auto Club 400 and is now seventh in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 86 out of first.

    “Kyle Larson was in a minor car accident after leaving Auto Club Speedway after the race,” Blaney said. “Luckily, Kyle walked away without a scratch, which isn’t that big of a surprise, because he was untouchable all day.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished third at Fontana, posting his first top-five result since the Bristol Night Race in 2015.

    “I’m driving the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing car made famous by Tony Stewart,” Bowyer said. “Tony was known as much for his temper as he was for his driving skill, which led to the coining of the phrase, ‘Where there’s Smoke, there’s ire.’”

  • The Final Word – Larson finally finds gold in California

    The Final Word – Larson finally finds gold in California

    Kyle Larson went back to his home state of California and won at Fontana. A win. Now, I’ll be the first to admit that the 24-year old from Elk Grove is not perfect. Sure, he might be leading the standings, but perfection?

    His average finish over his past four races is only 1.75. Only. The best he could do was second at Homestead to wrap up last season. Larson started this year 12th at Daytona. Then he was second at Atlanta. Second at Las Vegas. Second at Phoenix. It is about time he was perfect, don’t you think? With the second win of his career, he leads the standings by 29 points over Brad Keselowski.

    Keselowski had an interesting day. On the start, he got into the hiccuping Denny Hamlin while Ryan Newman rearranged his left rear quarter-panel. That could not have been good on that tire, but we never really discovered if it would be a problem. You see, on the fourth lap, Jimmie Johnson tagged him when Keselowski had to lift, sending Brad spinning through the infield grass. He managed to get back into the Top Ten after the second stage, then second only to Larson at the end. Considering how the car looked, that was an incredible result.

    Picking up 40 or more points in a race meant you mattered most of the day. Keselowski did not. Clint Bowyer (third) and Martin Truex, Jr. (fourth) did. In fact, after finishing second to Larson in the opening stage before leading him after the second frame, the Truex brain trust decided to stay out before the overtime finale. Their rival picked up the new Goodyears and that was that.  Jamie McMurray was sixth on Sunday, and with points in both stages, he also had a real good afternoon to move to seventh in the season standings. Even Chase Elliott had a good day, with bonus points added to his 10th place completion placing him tied in seasonal points with Keselowski, just without a win.

    Being in the Top 16 is what they all are aiming for. Johnson tumbled out after a 21st place result. 20-year old Erik Jones eases in, taking 12th place points bulked up by stage bonuses. Other notables who failed to finish among the Top 20 included Kurt Busch, Trevor Bayne, Paul Menard, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick. To be honest, it is no longer coming as a surprise to see some of this group this far from the front. Patrick is 29th in the standings, four points up on A.J. Allmendinger, but at least he needed to receive a 35 point penalty after Atlanta to be buried this deep.

    After races in Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Fontana, with a trek to Texas on the horizon, they return east to Virginia for one week and a date in Martinsville. Johnson has nine grandfather clocks while Hamlin has five of the iconic first place trophies. You would think both should do well. History tells us that Truex, Kurt Busch, and Aric Almirola might not. It also says Larson, Truex, and Elliott might also falter. Something tells me that history, at least this time out, might be full of it. Current events might suggest that relying totally on history might not be the right choice for Sunday.

  • Hot 20 – You know all the big names on this list heading to Fontana, and some not among them

    Hot 20 – You know all the big names on this list heading to Fontana, and some not among them

    Despite placing fourth on Sunday, no Ricky Stenhouse Jr. No Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither Austin Dillon or Ty Dillon. No Danica Patrick. A.J. Allmendinger was third at Daytona, outside the Top Twenty ever since. One can have the name, the equipment, the marketing, but results are what matters and for some those results just have not been there just yet.

    However, each and every one managing to crack our Hot 20 not only are known but they have done well enough. I mean, just by averaging 18 points per race, an average of 19th place per contest without stage bonuses, is all it takes to be in Cup racing’s top tier. Not a high fence to get over, you would think.

    Just six points separate Stenhouse, Earnhardt, and the Dillons from leaping up, but it gets a little more serious for Patrick and Allmendinger. Patrick is 20 back, while Allmendinger is a head scratching 33 off the pace. If this was the NFL or MLB instead of NASCAR, somebody would start getting a little anxious. Maybe some are.

    California would be the apropos place to have a eureka moment. For some, in the words of U-2, they still haven’t found what they are looking for.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 178 PTS
    After Daytona wreck, a win and a trio of Top Fives. He found it, and never had to look for it.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 153 PTS
    Six wins in three seasons. Barney Visser’s crew has come a long way since its 2005 debut.

    3. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 105 PTS
    Does Energizer have a car battery, one that keeps going and going and going?

    4. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 101 PTS
    Joins previous Childress drivers who have won at Phoenix; Dale Earnhardt and Kevin Harvick.

    5. KYLE LARSON – 184 PTS
    Runner-up in four of the past five races. Striving for Miss Congeniality next?

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 171 PTS
    21-year-old’s worst finish in his last nine races is 14th. Hard to miss him week in and week out.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 135 PTS
    No one can claim he wrecked on purpose to ruin Kyle’s day….not this time.

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 127 PTS
    With only three wins over the past 25 years, the Wood Brothers expect their fortunes to change.

    9. KEVIN HARVICK – 123 PTS
    Happy Hours begins next Tuesday from 7 to 9 pm ET, on SiriusXM, Channel 90.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 119 PTS
    Reserves his wins for Charlotte (2), Daytona (2), Talladega (2), and Indianapolis (1).

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 105 PTS
    Still holding the fort, along with Chase, as they wait for those other two guys to gain traction.

    12. TREVOR BAYNE – 100 PTS
    Last Wood Brothers winner (2011) wants to be the first for Roush since Carl Edwards (2014).

    13T. KYLE BUSCH – 97 PTS
    Dear Joey: I hate you. Most sincerely, Kyle.

    13T. DENNY HAMLIN – 97 PTS
    Screw the racing. Auctioneering is where his future lies – Sandy Wexler.

    13T. CLINT BOWYER – 97 PTS
    Other than for Daytona, the results have been fine. Not great, but certainly not bad.

    16. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 93 PTS
    California should be his to win…but wasn’t that what I said about Harvick at Phoenix?

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 90 PTS
    Another Daytona win for the boss’s 80th birthday would be a nice gift idea.

    18. ERIK JONES – 82 PTS
    What were you doing at 20 years of age?

    19. PAUL MENARD – 78 PTS
    There are 30 Menards locations near Fontana. Hey, if I can shill for Harvick, I can for Paul’s dad.

    20T. MATT KENSETH – 72 PTS
    It might have been only one point at Phoenix, but what a lovely point it was.

    20T. DANIEL SUAREZ – 72 PTS
    Might this rookie be finding his legs…or maybe just finding his wheels?

    Update:

    Penalties announced by NASCAR soon after this column was published have little effect on the standings. If not successfully appealed, the loss of 35 points by Keselowski only drops him to second, behind Truex, as wins trump points. Harvick’s loss of 10 points only finds him swapping places with McMurray.

    Meanwhile, Allmendinger’s 35 point penalty at Atlanta was upheld on appeal. Still, even if it had not been, he would still have been sitting 20th, a couple of points ahead of Kenseth and Suarez. It is still early in the season, which only means this team has time to catch up…if they can catch up.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kyle Larson: Larson took the runner-up spot at Phoenix, finishing second for the third consecutive time this season.

    “I’ve had more seconds than Jimmy Spencer at dinner,” Larson said. “But I don’t mind at all. Those finishes have put me atop the Monster Energy Cup points standings. So, if you say constantly finishing in the runner-up spot is a good thing, I’ll second that notion.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Phoenix, posting his third consecutive top-five result.

    “My car failed the post-race inspection,” Keselowski said. “As a result, punishment is forthcoming. Ultimately, my crew chief Paul Wolfe will have to take the brunt of the fault. That makes him a ‘Wolfe in goat’s clothing.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: One week after dominating at Las Vegas, Truex finished 11th at Phoenix as Ryan Newman took the win.

    “That was a great call by Newman not to pit,” Truex said. “That’s called ‘rolling the dice,’ and Newman rolled a ‘3’ and a ‘1.’ I’m not sure what game Kyle Busch was playing, but I could have sworn I heard him call ‘craps!’”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano blew a tire and slammed the wall with six laps to go, opening the door for Ryan Newman to steal the win at Phoenix.

    “I hate that my tire issue cost Kyle Busch the win,” Logano said. “But I can no more control a blown tire than Kyle can a blown gasket.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished sixth in the Camping World 500 at Phoenix, bouncing back from a 38th at Las Vegas the previous week.

    “Congratulations to Ryan Newman and Richard Childress Racing,” Harvick said. “Interestingly enough, I was the driver who replaced Newman at Stewart-Haas Racing when I left RCR. I guess the moral of the story is ‘Join RCR, win a race. Leave RCR, win a championship.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 25th at Phoenix.

    “My brother Kyle was cruising to an easy victory,” Busch said. “Then Joey Logano wrecked, causing the caution that cost Kyle the win. All that just a week after Logano wrecked Kyle at Las Vegas, leading Kyle to take a swing. It seems NASCAR’s West Swing hasn’t been good for the Kyle-Joey relationship. Now we’re off to Fontana, where those two could take this West Coast feud to another level. I say they settle on the stage, with a microphone. My money’s on Kyle because Logano’s got a ‘bad rap.’”

    7. Kyle Busch: Busch was cruising toward the win at Phoenix before Joey Logano blew a tire and smashed the wall, leading to a caution that allowed Ryan Newman to stay out and take the win. Busch eventually finished third,

    “That’s two weeks in a row Logano has cost me the victory,” Busch said. “Doing it once was bad enough; doing it twice is egregious. I would say he’s just ‘piling on,’ or maybe that’s just his pit crew.”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 106 laps at Phoenix before posting a 12th-place finish.

    “It was a brutally hot day at the track,” Elliott said. “And even hotter if you were looking at the Monster Energy girls. They really know how to shake it. If you ask me how they’re doing, I would say ‘Everything is gyrate.’”

    9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson posted his first top-10 finish of the year with a ninth at Phoenix.

    “We’ve struggled so far this season,” Johnson said. “We’ve haven’t been terrible, but we haven’t been good either. While Kyle Busch has made ‘Everything is great’ a popular saying, our catchphrase so far has been ‘Everything is okay.’”

    10. Ryan Newman: Newman remained on the track after Joey Logano’s late crash, outsmarting Kyle Busch and other leaders to take the win in the Camping World 500.

    “That was my first win in 127 races,” Newman said. “That’s a long time. They call me ‘Rocketman,’ because it takes about 3-4 years for me to ‘take off.’

    “Here’s an interesting fact: no driver has won more than one pole this season. And that makes racing much safer for everyone because there’s not a single ‘bi-pole-r’ driver on the track now.”