Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: Kurt Busch

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

    Rough Day for Stewart-Haas Racing in Vegas

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

    But even Bowyer admitted that was a struggle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    He finished 38th and lost the points lead.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • Atlanta Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Atlanta Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    This weekend all three NASCAR series travel to Atlanta Motor Speedway culminating with Sunday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500. But did you know that this race will mark a milestone in the series as the 2,500th Cup race?

    The first Cup Series race was run at Charlotte Motor Speedway on June 19, 1949, and was won by Jim Roper in his No. 34 Lincoln in what was then called the “Strictly Stock” series. Glenn Dunaway was originally declared the winner but was disqualified for illegal modifications to the rear springs on his car, giving the victory to Roper.

    This race will be special for another reason as well. Following this weekend’s events, Atlanta Motor Speedway will be repaved for the first time in 20 years. The asphalt track is the second- oldest racing surface on the NASCAR circuit.

    There are currently 23 racetracks on NASCAR’s Cup Series schedule but did you know that the series has competed on 156 different tracks? There have been 234 Coors Light Pole winners and 186 different drivers who have taken the checkered flag among 2,536 competitors who have made starts in the series.

    The first Cup Series race at Atlanta was on July 31, 1960, and was won by Fireball Roberts from the pole position. There have been 43 different winners. Dale Earnhardt leads all drivers with nine wins while Jimmie Johnson leads all active drivers with five. Did you know that Kyle Busch is the youngest Atlanta winner with a victory on March 9, 2008, at 22 years, 10 months and seven days? The oldest driver to win at Atlanta was Morgan Shepherd on March 20, 1993, at 51 years, five months and eight days.

    Starting position is always important but it may surprise you to know that only 14 of the 109 (12.8 percent) Cup races have been won from the pole at Atlanta. The most recent driver to do so was Kasey Kahne in 2006. The fifth starting position, however, has produced more winners with 15, than any other position at Atlanta. Jeff Gordon was the most recent to win from fifth place, in 2011. But starting position isn’t everything. Bobby Labonte won in the fall of 2001 after starting 39th.

    Jimmie Johnson leads the pack heading to Atlanta and is looking for a three-peat. He won this race in 2015 and 2016 and has the best driver rating, 107.1. But Kurt Busch, fresh off his Daytona 500 triumph and the 2016 pole winner, should also be a contender. Did you know that Busch leads all active drivers in laps led at the track with 749? He also has three Atlanta wins and the fifth-best driver rating (95.4).

    With a new format this season that encourages aggressive racing, anything is possible. Did you know that on March 11, 2001, we saw the closest margin of victory since the advent of electronic scoring at Atlanta Motor Speedway when Kevin Harvick won over Jeff Gordon by a MOV of 0.006 seconds? Could we see a repeat of this competitiveness? Tune into FOX at 2:30 p.m. ET Sunday to watch the action in the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 as the 2017 season continues.

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

     

  • Hot 20 – Kurt is King heading to Atlanta, but beware the Jungle Cat in the No. 1

    Hot 20 – Kurt is King heading to Atlanta, but beware the Jungle Cat in the No. 1

    It is expected. The standings look weird. With bonus points from the Duels and the demo derby that was the Daytona 500, some wound up with more points than anticipated, and some got far less. Even though the math was there to see, the winner of the season opener actually not on the top of the charts, things did not get that weird.

    Our Hot 20 after Daytona…

    1. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 56 PTS
    Two years ago, he had the wrong girl and got banned. Today, he has the right one and a trophy.

    2. RYAN BLANEY – 44 PTS
    Iconic car, second generation Cup driver, a satisfying result.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 43 PTS
    I am just one conversation over beers from being his greatest fan. Alas, it has not yet happened.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 42 PTS
    Move to Ford does not seem to have a negative effect on at least a couple SHR drivers.

    5. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 39 PTS
    Not fast, but third last Sunday. Docked points after the Duels, yet sits fifth in the standings.

    6. ARIC ALMIROLA – 37 PTS
    Seeking to rebound after a miserable 2016. So far, so good.

    7. KYLE LARSON – 36 PTS
    If Smokey Yunick was his crew chief, he would have won…before he got disqualified.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 33 PTS
    With young Taylor a big sister in training, all is good. Very, very good.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 33 PTS
    Why we should all carry a jerry can of gas while on a long distance trip.

    10. PAUL MENARD – 32 PTS
    Easy to identify a driver when he has the family named splashed across the hood.

    11. TREVOR BAYNE – 32 PTS
    Anything in the Top 20 at Atlanta would mark an improvement.

    12. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 31 PTS
    Not a fan, but if he should crash my party, and brought beers, I think I would be. Brad?

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 30 PTS
    Winless in 84, fourth on the team popularity charts, yet had a better start than Junior and Jimmie.

    14. MICHAEL WALTRIP – 29 PTS
    One final bow after his curtain call.

    15. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 28 PTS
    Clint, Junior, Rowdy, and Jimmie were among those who stepped aside to make room.

    16. AUSTIN DILLON – 28 PTS
    Now he knows how Kurt feels. Darn younger brothers, anyway.

    17. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 24 PTS
    Did someone mention fuel?

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 22 PTS
    When I read that Ryan Newman is rumored to be dating Steven Perry, I got confused.

    19. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 22 PTS
    Have you noticed that in a fuel mileage race, it is always best to have enough fuel? Funny, eh?

    20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 22 PTS
    Jamie the Jungle Cat attacked anything that moved. Might he be on the prowl again in Atlanta?

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The notes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kurt Busch: Busch passed Kyle Larson on the final lap and won his first Daytona 500, finally snagging victory after three runner-up finishes.

    “Rob Gronkowski predicted I would win on Sunday,” Busch said. “And he was right. Gronk also correctly predicted that he would finish in the 69th position.

    “I thought after coming so close three times that I would never win. But I know more than anyone about putting your past behind you.”

    2. Ryan Blaney: Blaney captured second in a wild final lap at Daytona, as several front runners ran out of gas, while Kurt Busch took the win.

    “In case you didn’t know,” Blaney said, “my father is Dave Blaney. But I refuse to let that hold me back.”

    3. AJ Allmendinger: Allmendinger started 38th at Daytona and finished third for his best ever finish in the 500.

    “I think Monster Energy is a great new sponsor for the Cup series,” Allmendinger said. “I’ll say this for Monster Energy drink and the Monster Energy girls–they both have great cans.”

    4. Aric Almirola: Almirola finished fourth at Daytona in the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford.

    “I’m proud to represent the ‘King,” Almirola said. “But I’m not sure Richard would recognize the state of NASCAR today. Did you hear the language during Michael Waltrip’s ‘Grid Walk?’ I think the phrase ‘kick your ass’ was uttered at least three times. In the King’s day, when the term ‘kick your ass’ was uttered just three times, that meant Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison were on speaking terms.”

    5. Paul Menard: Menard finished fifth at Daytona despite running out of gas on the last lap.

    “You saw a lot of drivers short on fuel,” Menard said. “Kurt Busch wasn’t one of them. And he certainly wasn’t short on Energy. Monster Energy, that is. Monster Energy is bringing excitement and unpredictability back to the sport. You could say they’re taking the sport back to its roots. They’re even delving into the moonshining business with a product called ‘Monster Mash.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano led 16 laps on his way to a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500, and was one of four Fords in the top six.

    “I’m just happy I made it to the finish,” Logano said. “It was a crazy race, with lots of wrecks, and a new stage format that even has a green and white checkered flag. I believe it’s NASCAR’s way of adding some ‘color’ to the sport.”

    7. Michael Waltrip: Waltrip finished eighth in the Daytona 500, the top Toyota finisher in the field.

    “You probably saw the ‘Grid Walk’ I shared with Rob Gronkowski before the race,” Waltrip said. “I don’t think Gronk interviewed a single driver. He did, however, interview every single Monster Energy girl. I give Gronk kudos for his investigative journalism because he wanted to get to the bottom of each of them.”

    8. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished seventh in the Daytona 500, giving Hendrick Motorsports its top finish on the day.

    “I’m often the overlooked driver at Hendrick Motorsports,” Kahne said. “But keep in mind, there’s a difference between the forgotten driver and the forgetting driver.”

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was involved in a crash late in the race when he hit Kyle Busch. Dale is perfectly okay, though, and he’s still this sports most popular driver. And that means he’s selling more merchandise than any other driver. That’s not unusual, that’s just concession protocol.”

    9. Kyle Larson: Larson took the white flag in the lead at Daytona, but ran out of gas soon after, settling for a 12th-place finish.

    “I didn’t win,” Larson said, “but I’m happy I had a chance to win. So my disappointment is outweighed by my optimism. In other words, I’m a ‘glass half full’ guy even when I’m a ‘tank totally empty’ guy.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott started on the pole and led with three laps remaining before he ran out of gas. He finished 14th.

    “I’m awfully disappointed,” Elliott said. “I thought the No. 24 NAPA Chevrolet had the speed to hold off my competitors with ease. Honestly, I felt like I was ‘coasting.’ Unfortunately, I actually was coasting.”

  • The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    The Final Word – The Great American Demolition Derby sure was not boring to watch

    So, you want a car just like the one that won the Daytona 500, eh? Well, you get yourself a sparkling new Ford Fusion. Splash it up with some red on the hood, and basic black the rest of the way around. Polish it up so it is real shiny and pretty. Then take a Louisville Slugger and beat on that beauty from stem to stern. Just to make it more authentic, squeeze it up tight against the right door frame of the garage as you put it to bed. Now…splash beer and some Monster Energy drink all over the sucker, and you will be living the Kurt Busch Daytona experience.

    One lap is all he led in a car that was among 35 that had suffered some damage in some wreck over the course of the day. In the end, Ryan Blaney wanted a piece of him, but the gap only got wider as they came to the line. Chase Elliott wanted it bad, but a car does not run so good when it is out of fuel on the final lap. Kyle Larson’s entry coughed and sputtered, and that allowed the Busch ship to set sail for Victory Lane. For the newly married former Cup champ, this marked his first win on the sport’s biggest stage.

    Things did not go so well for his younger brother. Kyle Busch was among a crew that pitted early, then tucked back in at the tail of the lead lap, just in front of leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. When a rear tire blew, Busch went for a spin and while Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth then piled up into him, Earnhardt clipped the wreckage to remove his front right fender to end the day for the quartet.

    Next week, you might notice some pulled threads that once held the logo on a certain driver’s fire suit, the logo just above the big M&M endorsement. They might be a sponsor for now, but post-wreck Kyle had an observation he wished to share with the world.

    “Obviously Goodyear tires are not very good holding air,” he remarked. “So, it’s very frustrating when we have that down here every single year we’ve been here.” A ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.

    Fifteen cars were left on the lead lap. Ten others were still running. Fifteen more were parked in the garage. Under the new rules, if you could not return to pit road and make repairs using original parts and racing tape in five minutes, your race is over. Along with Busch, Jones, Kenseth, and Earnhardt, there was Junior’s nephew Jeffrey Earnhardt, Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, Daniel Suarez, Ty Dillon, the couple of Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Danica Patrick, Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Chris Buescher, and D.J. Kennington. Make that thirteen Americans, a Mexican, and a Canadian.

    Might I suggest that NASCAR introduce a new experience for their fans? They pay to watch the race from a suite, and all drivers out of the race then join them. That would have been one hell of a room at Daytona, but I wonder if they had a venue large enough.

    One complaint. No, it is not about the stages, which were won by Rowdy Busch and Kevin Harvick. I did not really mind the format, to be honest. However, as I am intelligent enough to remember what series I am watching, maybe return the names of the drivers to the windshield instead of “Monster Energy.” I thought doing so a few years back was a nice gesture to help fans identify who was who even if the car number was not visible. I wonder whose idea it was to rescind that nice gesture in favor of extra splash for the sponsor?

    For Monster Energy, it was a good beginning for them. Even the car they sponsor won the race. Now, there are some who do not think this was racing. Maybe they are right. However, it was damned entertaining television. Let us hope that Sunday in Atlanta is just as memorable, if not a little kinder on the folks who have to deal with the carnage back at the shop.