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Tag: Kurt Busch

  • Busch’s Daytona 500 Win Ideal Comeback Story for NASCAR

    Busch’s Daytona 500 Win Ideal Comeback Story for NASCAR

    Undoubtedly, this year’s edition of Speedweeks had everything a race fan could ask for. There were Cinderella stories, with Kaz Grala the titular belle of the ball Friday night when he won a wild Camping World Truck Series season opener. There were underdog stories, as Ryan Reed showed a level of maturity behind the wheel he only recently came into by running a near perfect race and winning Saturday’s XFINITY Series season-opener. Sunday’s Daytona 500 was all about new beginnings, with a new series title sponsor in Monster Energy, new formats in both points and racing, and the return of Dale Earnhardt Jr. following a lengthy hiatus from behind the wheel.

    At the end of it all, Kurt Busch pulled his battered and beaten Stewart-Haas Ford into Victory Lane, turning over another leaf in his already storied career. Competitors and fans alike were quick to congratulate Busch on his win in his 16th attempt in the Great American Race.

    Couldn’t it have been left at that?

    An article published by USA Today columnist Brant James stresses that while the win was hard-earned by Busch, his win in the 500 wasn’t what NASCAR needed, especially considering declining attendance, sponsorship issues, and a scathing article recently published by the Wall Street Journal. James goes on to reiterate that it would have been better if Kyle Larson had won after leading late, or if polesitter Chase Elliott had been able to hang on to the lead. But definitely not Busch.

    What’s wrong with that assessment? Everything.

    First, to address the idea of Larson, Elliott, or even runner-up Ryan Blaney taking the checkered instead of Busch. Had they done so, great. Excellent. It would have been hard-fought and earned. It would have been a huge boost to their individual careers and NASCAR would have undoubtedly had a field day. Those drivers are extremely talented and the future of our sport, with plenty of trophies, are waiting to be claimed by them.

    But they didn’t win. They weren’t the fortunate ones to cross under that checkered flag first and claim the trophy. It was the No. 41 Ford of Busch that did that. Furthermore, James’s assessment essentially claims that those drivers have already achieved larger-than-life status in the sport. James puts their status as larger than the 500, with the race itself nothing more than a milestone to be achieved in the sport. But, if James truly knew the sport, he would understand that no driver, male or female, is larger than the Daytona 500. Not event Dale Earnhardt Sr., who struggled mightily to win the event.

    Moving on to his assessment of Busch’s win in the 500, it’s easy to assume Busch has already reached the pinnacle of the sport because he has. Thirteen years ago, as a matter of fact, when he won the 2004 Cup Series championship. Going into Sunday’s race he had already won 28 races on various types of speedways, not to mention the 2011 edition of Daytona’s Clash event, a qualifying race later that week, as well as the 2010 All-Star event at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He has wins in both trucks and XFINITY. He’s raced in the Indianapolis 500. He’s driven a rally car. He’s even driven an NHRA Pro Stock Dodge at Gainesville in 2011. Busch is a wheelman who is no stranger to success. So of course, what’s a win in the 500 supposed to mean to a guy with his record?

    Everything. It wasn’t that long ago that Busch was at the bottom of the sport.

    Here’s a guy who started out with a bright star at Roush Racing (now Roush-Fenway), winning 14 races in his No. 97 Ford as well as the ’04 championship. However, with his temper came repercussions; a well-publicized feud with one of NASCAR’s veterans in Jimmy Spencer that ended with a broken nose on Busch’s part and a suspension following a run-in with the law in Arizona.

    A transfer to Penske Racing didn’t improve his temper much. Sure, there was success. But there were also repeated profanity-filled tirades over the radio as Busch berated his crew, competitors and NASCAR itself. At Richmond in September 2011, Busch traded spins with his then-nemesis Jimmie Johnson, had to be restrained after exchanging words with a journalist, then ripped up another journalist’s notes in the media center. Two weeks later at Loudon, he berated an ESPN journalist after his car didn’t pass pre-race inspection. At the season finale in Homestead, Busch launched into another tirade towards ESPN reporter Dr. Jerry Punch. This tirade was put on YouTube, and not long after he and Penske split, with Busch going to a second-rate team in Phoenix Racing, where his struggles began in earnest.

    Radio tirades. A spat with Ryan Newman’s crew at Darlington. Another suspension after berating journalist Bob Pockrass at Dover. Weekly struggles in sub-par equipment, offset with only a ninth-place at Fontana and a third-place at Sonoma to show for his efforts. The No. 51 team had reached the bottom with a championship-caliber driver. This was in stark contrast to the beginning of the 2012 season when many claimed Busch was going to put Phoenix Racing on the map.

    A move to the No. 78 Furniture Row team in 2013 showed promise of a comeback, but no wins. 2014 brought a win and a playoff appearance, but Busch struggled getting acclimated with his new Stewart-Haas Racing team and was eliminated in the first round of eliminations that Fall.

    Then 2015 came around and saw allegations of assault from Busch’s ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. These allegations led to an indefinite suspension of Busch, with many under the impression that this was it; Busch was done for in NASCAR.

    During the 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 26, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Photo Credit: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images

    While this was going on, NASCAR was moving on without him, kicking its schedule into high gear. But when it came out that Busch wasn’t going to be charged for assault, NASCAR was quick to reinstate him, complete with a playoff waiver so he could contend for a championship. Busch wrapped up the ’15 season with two wins and an eighth-place in points, topped in ’16 with a seventh-place points finish and a win at Pocono in June.

    To top it all off, Busch finally came through Sunday by winning the Daytona 500, the biggest race in all of stock car racing. The crown jewel of NASCAR and Busch completed his road from the bottom to the top by winning the Great American Race.

    The Busch America saw in Victory Lane Sunday was the best of both worlds. He was the exuberant kid from Las Vegas we all saw at Roush, but he was also the grizzled vet who bore the weight of a thousand losses and setbacks over the course of the years on his shoulders. Only this time, that weight was completely lifted.

    Mr. James says Busch’s win does nothing for NASCAR, that Busch’s win lacks magnitude. On the contrary; for someone like Busch, who has experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, this was the culmination of a long and painful road back to the top. That’s what Busch’s win means for NASCAR; the ultimate comeback story.

     

  • NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell ‘Pleased’ with First Test of New Format at Daytona

    NASCAR’s Steve O’Donnell ‘Pleased’ with First Test of New Format at Daytona

    The 59th running of the Daytona 500, with first-time winner, Kurt Busch, included eight cautions for 40 laps and saw only 15 drivers complete all 200 laps. Was this typical restrictor-plate racing or a result of the new race format that NASCAR implemented this season?

    Steve O’Donnell, executive vice president and chief racing development officer for NASCAR, shared his thoughts on the new format which features stages and addressed the multiple accidents and the five-minute clock which limits the amount of time a team has to make repairs.

    His first impression of the race was, “I’d say, overall really pleased.” He added, “We saw a lot of great, hard racing. Everybody knows that every driver wants to win the Daytona 500. We saw drivers up on the wheel all day long racing hard and that’s exactly what we expected from the format.”

    When asked about the reason for the number of wrecks that plagued all three series this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, his answer was simple.

    “I think people wanted to win,” he said.

    O’Donnell continued, “People want to win (when they) hit Daytona. We wanted drivers racing up front, racing hard for wins. That’s what we expected. In terms of good, hard racing, that’s what you saw all three days.”

    He also thought that the five-minute clock worked well.

    “Obviously that’s going to be a work in progress as we go”, he explained. “It was NASCAR working with the race teams. When you look at the positives of that, no one exceeded that clock on pit road. The winner of the race was part of that policy. So, if you look at a car going beyond five minutes, usually their day’s done anyway. If we had a line of teams here saying we’ve got to do something we would, but we didn’t have one of them. They all knew that their day was done. It’s unfortunate. But that’s Daytona; it’s a tough place to race.”

    O’Donnell went on to discuss the complexities of restrictor-plate racing at Daytona and said that Atlanta Motor Speedway would essentially be their “first experience with the new rules package.”

    “I think Daytona brings out, you never know what’s going to happen. If you make a mistake here, it’s usually a pretty tough one and it’s a pretty tough day. But,” he maintained, “the stages did produce strong racing.”

    He pointed to another favorable aspect of the race at Daytona, stating, “It also gave some drivers who competed in those first stages who normally would have gone home with one or two points; they were rewarded for running up front early.”

    Several drivers also weighed in on their experience with the revised race format, characterizing the race as “wild,” “the extreme of the Daytona 500,” “aggressive” and “fun.”

    Ryan Blaney, who finished second in the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford,  said, “It was one of the more wild 500s I’ve been in, a lot of wrecks that took out a bunch of good cars, which you hate to see. There were only a handful of cars out there that looked OK at the end.”

    AJ Allmendinger, driver of the No. 47 Kroger Clicklist Chevrolet for JTG Daugherty Racing, who finished in third place, shared his perspective.

    “I mean, I think Daytona and Talladega are going to be extreme,” he said, “because, you know, it comes down to trying to get your track position. You see people lay back. Now with the stages, there’s points on the line. I think Daytona is the most amped up. It kind of changes how people race.

    “To me, I don’t think any of the other 32 races that we’re going to go to, we’re all driving as hard as we can every lap anyway. Yeah, you get a caution with eight to go before the stage ends, there’s going to be strategy. Maybe guys on old tires and that might make some difference when it comes to the stages. I think it’s the extreme of the Daytona 500 and these plate races, the way we have to race. Now with stages, with points being on the line, things are going to happen like that.”

    Jimmie Johnson’s race ended on lap 128 in a 17-car accident. He summed it up, saying, “Just a lot of aggression way too early, in my opinion.” His No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevy finished in 34th place.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. who led eight laps in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet before he was caught up in a wreck and only completed 106 laps and finished 37th, had a different viewpoint.

    “I really enjoyed the whole week; we had a lot of fun. Everybody’s support, to get back to the racetrack, meant a lot to me. Sorry, we weren’t able to deliver a better result today for all our fans.” He concluded by saying, “At least we went out leading the race.”

    While opinions vary, restrictor-plate racing is known for its volatile nature. The true test of the new format may be the upcoming Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway next week.

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

  • Stewart-Haas Racing Wins Their First Daytona 500

    Stewart-Haas Racing Wins Their First Daytona 500

    Sunday evening Kurt Busch was able to give Stewart-Haas Racing its first Daytona 500 victory. Kurt Busch took the lead on the final lap of Nascar’s most prestigious race and was able to hold off Ryan Blaney to win the 2017 Daytona 500 for his new manufacturer Ford and SHR.

    Tony Stewart who co-owns Stewart-Haas Racing had this to say about his first 500 victory as an owner, ”Couldn’t be more proud to be up here with these three guys. To go back to when we joined with Gene and his group, made it Stewart-Haas Racing and bringing Tony Gibson and his crew and then hiring Kurt, it’s neat to say how this has all gelled, come about.”

    Stewart-Haas Racing was probably the most talked about team over the offseason after switching to Ford for 2017. Thus far Ford and SHR seem to be a fitting combination.

    Gene Haas, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing is thankful he got to experience what few people have experienced before with a Daytona 500 victory.

    ”It’s a real feeling of satisfaction I think for both of us to say we accomplished something that so few people can accomplish in the racing world,” Haas said.

    Tony Gibson, crew chief of the No. 41, says his win with Stewart-Haas at the Daytona 500 is his most memorable one.

    ”It doesn’t get any better than this,” Gibson stated. “I’ve been fortunate enough to win it before. To win it with this guy beside me right here, Gene and Tony Stewart, Smoke, those guys support us. It’s just a different feel.”

    2004 Monster Energy Cup champion Kurt Busch, after 17 years of trying, finally won his first Harley J. Earl trophy with the manufacturer he started with back in 2000.

    Busch is thankful that he got to win his first 500 with the manufacture that he started with 17 years ago.

    “Seventeen years of heartache can be erased,” Busch said. ”It’s erased tonight. Having the chance to win as a team, with all of these sponsors, this new Ford partnership, it flashes through your mind of all the people that have helped you get to this point in life.”

    After 17 years of hard work and heartbreak Kurt Busch is now able to call himself a Daytona 500 champion. With a career that expands those 17 years, Busch’s accomplishments now include both a Daytona 500 victory and a 2004 Monster Energy Cup championship.

    Stewart-Haas Racing results from the 2017 Daytona 500: Kurt Busch took the 2017 Daytona 500 victory, Kevin Harvick who won segment 2 finished in the 22nd position, Clint Bowyer finished 32nd, and Danica Patrick finished in the 33rd position.

     

  • Kurt Busch Wins the Daytona 500

    Kurt Busch Wins the Daytona 500

    Kurt Busch now adds a Harley J. Earl Trophy to his collection and résumé, alongside his 2004 championship, after winning the 59th running of the Daytona 500.

    Cole Whitt, who opted not to pit during the final caution of the race, led the field to the final restart with 47 laps to go and promptly lost the lead to Aric Almirola, who then lost it to Kyle Larson the following lap. He had a dicey battle for the lead with Joey Logano with 38 to go. Chase Elliott, who started on the pole, powered by Logano on the outside line on the backstretch with 26 to go to retake the lead.

    With 20 to go, the bottom line started dissipating and the front 12 cars formed up in a single-file train on the top line. They remained in line until Ryan Blaney broke rank and attempted to form a working bottom line with 10 to go, but there was little help from the others and he jumped back in line.

    “I tried to make a move with about 10 to go and I didn’t go anywhere,” Blaney said. “We were kind of stuck. Luckily we had the 22 with us and I kind of helped him and he kind of helped me.”

    On the backstretch with four to go, Elliott’s car ran out of fuel. He fell back, went on to finish 14th, and gave way to Martin Truex Jr. He also ran out the following lap and Larson took back the lead, only to run out of gas in Turn 1. Busch was in position to capitalize and scored the victory.

    “There is nothing predictable about this race anymore and the more years that have gone by that I didn’t win I kept trying to go back to patterns that I had seen in the past,” Busch said in victory lane. “My mirror fell off with 30 laps to go and I couldn’t even see out the back. And I thought that was an omen. Throw caution to the wind. The more unpredictability that keeps unfolding at the Daytona 500, I predicted it. It just got crazy and wild and I am so proud of all the drivers at the end. We put on a show for a full fuel run and nobody took each other out and it was one of the smartest chess games I have seen out there. All the hard work that Ford and SHR put into this — this Ford Fusion is in Daytona’s victory lane.”

    The first half of the race was light on cautions with just two in the first 105 laps and only one for a wreck. That wreck being Corey LaJoie on lap 31 when he mistimed his entry onto pit road and aborted before slamming into the back of Clint Bowyer’s car, only to slam the tri-oval wall.

    The cautions, and wrecks, started adding up with a six-car wreck on lap 105 that began when Kyle Busch’s car suffered either a left or right-rear tire blowout, piled into Erik Jones and Matt Kenseth, and slammed the wall, collecting also Ty Dillon and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who was leading the race when he was clipped by Busch.

    This brought out the red flag for 17 minutes.

    The next wreck was the Big One that started when Jamie McMurray shoved Jimmie Johnson down the backstretch. It loosened the 48 car and turned him down across the No. 6 of Trevor Bayne. This spun both of them out and sent them both pin-balling through a gaggle of cars. Fourteen cars were collected or received damage from the lap 127 wreck in Turn 3.

    With 65 laps to go, Blaney signaled on the backstretch that he was coming to pit road. As he slowed down exiting Turn 4 to dive into the pits, Elliott Sadler turned up the track to avoid hitting him, only to clip Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. This sent the two Roush Fenway Racing drivers down the track and into the inside wall.

    On the backstretch with 59 to go, McMurray, on the outside, tried to pass to the inside of Elliott. Elliott blocks the advance, so McMurray checks up. This gets him hooked into the wall by Brendan Gaughan. Daniel Suarez swerves to the left to avoid McMurray, takes out Ryan Newman and starts a chain reaction Big One that involved 11 cars.

    The final wreck was a two-car wreck with 51 to go that started when Joey Gase was turned into the wall by Elliott. This set up the final 47 lap run to the finish.

    The race lasted three hours 29 minutes and 31 seconds at an average speed of 143.187 mph. There were 37 lead changes among 18 different drivers and eight cautions for 40 laps.

    Kurt Busch leaves with a 12-point lead over Blaney in the points standings.

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  • Hot 20 – The preliminaries are over and it is now time to get racing for real at Daytona

    Hot 20 – The preliminaries are over and it is now time to get racing for real at Daytona

    Sorry, but this column is arriving a day later than my usual Thursday date. Of course, it has something to do with the race that gives me the data to mess around with did not take place until Thursday. It is not my fault.

    So, why do I feel so impelled to share my witticisms when I could have just taken the day off? Well, for the first time since 1982, I can discuss who the hottest drivers are leading into the Daytona 500. Prior to this, there were no points, no benchmarks as to who was hot and who was not, other than to discuss the Daytona weather. I can tell you, sometimes that is not hot at all. I froze my arse off watching Kevin Harvick win the damn thing 10 years ago.

    No, this year we have drivers who have earned points that reflect in the standings, thanks to the awarding, for the first time ever, points for the Duels. Winning one of them has meant that a pair of drivers will enter the Daytona 500 as the co-points leader with the chap who won the other Duel. Only was 10th? You have a big point already in the bank account, along with that 10th place driver over in the other Duel.

    Without any further adieu, here are our Hot 20 as determined yesterday on the track as they prepare for Sunday’s Daytona 500.

    1. Chase Elliott – 10 pts
    What was the name of that guy he replaced?

    1. Denny Hamlin – 10 pts 
    Obviously, does not mind hurting the feelings of Junior’s fans.

    3. Clint Bowyer – 9 pts
    Good things happen when you have a good car to do them in.

    3. Jamie McMurray – 9 pts
    Is this the year for Dimples to shine?

    5. Kurt Busch – 8 pts
    Newly married and being sued. Being Kurt is not boring.

    5. Kevin Harvick – 8 pts
    His backup driver won’t be five until July.

    7. AJ Allmendinger – 7 pts
    Like a magician, he appeared out of nowhere.

    7. Brad Keselowski – 7 pts
    First career Cup win was at Talladega, so of course, he did well here.

    9. Austin Dillon – 6 pts
    Driving under the right number to do great things.

    9. Matt Kenseth – 6 pts
    Only member of that old Roush gang still competing.

    11. Trevor Bayne – 5 pts
    It has been six years since his lone Cup win at…where was that again?

    11. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 5 pts
    It has been awhile, but this guy seems rather familiar.

    13. Danica Patrick – 4 pts
    Between her and Ricky, 301 Cup starts, zero wins. The time is now.

    13. Martin Truex Jr. – 4 pts
    New season, new teammate, but 2016 results were not bad, either.

    15. Ryan Newman – 3 pts
    Good thing one wins by a fender, not by a neck.

    15. Aric Almirola – 3 pts
    Teammates…he don’t need no stinkin’ teammates.

    17, Joey Logano – 2 pts
    What is not to love about Joey…oh, let me count the ways.

    17. Kyle Larson – 2 pts
    If he keeps over the wall crew within acceptable numbers, he’ll be okay.

    19. Cole Whitt – 1 pt
    The lad is a ginger, and I’m not lion.

    20. Ty Dillon – 1pt
    First time ever on this chart. Take a bow, young man.

  • The Final Word – A new season, new rules, new hopes, and new busty gals at Daytona

    The Final Word – A new season, new rules, new hopes, and new busty gals at Daytona

    The sun was shining, at least on Sunday, the birds were singing, and joy was back in our hearts. A new NASCAR season is now upon us, and we could not be happier. We learned over the offseason that if a car gets too torn up that it cannot be fixed in five minutes on pit road using original pieces, other than tons of tape, its gets parked. We discovered that the runner-up in a race could wind up with less points than a car finishing 21st. The lesson there is, if you want to pick up extra points, do so while your car is in pristine condition. If it is wrecked, unlike Arnold Schwarzenegger, you won’t be back.

    We still were learning things during the Clash at Daytona. Jimmie Johnson broke loose all on his lonesome and clipped Kurt Busch. It straightened out Johnson, but the Busch auto wound up crumpled like a mishandled can of baked beans. Later, Johnson broke loose again, and all he found this time was an inside wall to conclude his race. From what we heard from Johnson and commentator Dale Earnhardt Jr., the boys and girl might have a downforce problem to start the season. Good for fans who want the unexpected, but very bad for drivers.

    We learned that for all the talk about how wonderful the new look Toyotas are, the competition still seems able to do the job. Joey Logano in a Ford won the Clash, though that was due to Denny Hamlin using his Toyota to block Brad Keselowski, sending both for an unexpected ride. When it came to qualifying, no Toyota up front. The Rick Hendrick duo of Chase Elliott and Earnhardt locked their Chevys into the front row come next Sunday.

    We learned that teams should not send too many men over the wall. Kyle Larson’s team did, and Larson got parked late in the Clash. It appears undocumented folks going over the wall will not be tolerated in NASCAR either this season. In, fact, they did a little rewriting of their lawbooks. For example, where once we had multiple levels of infractions, now we shall have only two.

    Level 1 misdeeds include failing weight, heights, or missing three lug nuts at the end, and that could cost up to 40 points, a three-race holiday for a crew chief, and a $75,000 donation. Level 2, which is more a capital offense, includes targeting traction control, tire manipulation, and illegal testing. Seventy-five points, a six-race vacation for the crew chief and others involved, and up to a $200,000 financial slap. It appears NASCAR is going all Carrie Underwood on them. You know, “Maybe next time he’ll think before he cheats.”

    We learned that if there is a chance a driver got his bell rung, he or she will spend some time with the medics. That goes for all cars having to head to the garage, on a hook or not. After Junior missed half of last season due to a concussion, maybe you could call it the “Earnhardt Rule.” It is a step forward to better ensure even our favorites have to sit if their health is in jeopardy.

    We learned that some NASCAR fans do not like to see busty women wearing leather outfits in Victory Lane. I noticed one in the background behind Logano on Sunday, but I guess I did not get a real good look at her. After reading the complaints, I went searching. I mean, what kind of journalist would I be without doing some due diligence? Okay, the Monster Energy girls are not dressed to impress the Amish, but as long as they do not go around carrying whips and promoting any shades of a certain movie franchise, I’m cool.

    I’m cool with sitting back and taking in the action for this Thursday’s Duels. Hopefully, they will attract a hell of a lot more than the estimated “crowd” of 15,000 that turned out last Sunday. With all but two of the cars locked into the Daytona 500, it might not produce the most intense action ever, but there are points to be awarded to the Top Ten in each of the heats this year. Just think about it. My fellow Canadian D.J. Kennington could not only race his way into the Daytona 500, but he could wind up being the co-leader in points come next Sunday.

    I am sure enjoying my new meds.

  • Hot 20 – If dreams do come true, why not a Dale Earnhardt 500 at Talladega?

    Hot 20 – If dreams do come true, why not a Dale Earnhardt 500 at Talladega?

    With more than a month left in the old year, talk about the new is already starting to dominate. Tony Stewart is now retired, with Clint Bowyer no doubt thrilled at the chance to get back into quality equipment as his replacement. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is getting ready to return to racing, though that message from fiance Amy Reimann seems to indicate he never really left. Greg Biffle has left Jack Roush after all these years, with his old ride apparently being put on blocks for next season.

    Dear NASCAR: Please start branding your races so they might one day become stand alone marquee events. Along with the Daytona 500, the Southern 500, and the Brickyard 400, change it back to the World 600 at Charlotte and summertime should mark the Firecracker 400 at Daytona. While we are at it, who would not want to win at Talladega, taking the Hellmann’s Dale Earnhardt 500, or STP’s Richard Petty 500 at Martinsville? A Ridgeway grandfather clock with the King’s face on the face. Hey, it is not our circus, but we have grown fond of some of the monkeys.

    Jimmie Johnson has another trinket to keep polished. NASCAR, in its stupidity, has few iconic events, we know, but Johnson has won them all. Daytona 500? Twice. Southern 500? Twice. World 600? Four times. Brickyard 400? Four more. Ten-time winner at Dover. Nine at Martinsville. Did anyone mention seven Cup championships? Is it too early to wonder about an eighth? Jimmie Johnson is a living, breathing active iconic legend of the sport. Enjoy him while we can.

    Most athletes are done by the time they hit 40. NASCAR is lucky in that way, but even at that age folks start asking the drivers “how much longer?” once they hit the milestone. Johnson, Junior, Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick have already reached the peak of that mountain. The good news is that young gents such as Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, and Austin Dillon have already arrived, with Ty Dillon coming soon, along with the likes of Erik Jones and Darrell Wallace Jr. Those are just the ones with decent rides, either at this level or the one just below. Like XFINITY champ Daniel Suarez, for instance.

    Elliott, Cup’s top rookie, turns 21 within the week. There are 50 drivers younger than him with some experience in the Cup, XFINITY, Camping World, or ARCA series. Harrison Burton finished 22nd in a truck race, third in an ARCA event. Jeff Burton’s boy turned 16 in October. Cole Custer does not turn 19 until January, yet was 10th best in the trucks this season, with a pair of XFINITY Top Tens to his credit in just five attempts. Tomorrow’s stars are coming.

    Let us not rush things, though. 2016 gave us a nice mix of seasoned veterans and fuzzy-cheeked talent, as our Hot 20 bears out.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON (5 WINS – 11 T5 – 16 T10) 5040 PTS
    Gunning for eight in 2017. What, too soon?

    2. JOEY LOGANO (3-16-26) 5037 PTS
    I will never forget what he and Brittany did to honor the family of Jake Leatherman.

    3. KYLE BUSCH (4-17-25) 5035 PTS
    If NASCAR was Canadian, would Kyle be sponsored by Smarties?

    4. CARL EDWARDS (3-9-18) 5007 PTS
    Not at the front of the field in the end, but left as the class of the field.

    5. MATT KENSETH (2-8-19) 2330 PTS
    With the Biff leaving, that ole Roush gang have now all departed for greener pastures.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN (3-12-22) 2320 PTS
    Average finish over the final 21 races was 8.5. Thirtieth at Charlotte ruined everything.

    7. KURT BUSCH (1-9-21) 2296 PTS
    Was better in the first half than the second. The good news is that 2017 begins with the first half.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK (4-17-27) 2289 PTS
    Best damn driver in NASCAR this season is a champion…just not for this year.

    9. KYLE LARSON (1-10-15) 2288 PTS
    Second-best 20-something driver this season, and seems to have designs on #1 in the next.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT (0-10-17) 2285 PTS
    Not all Rookies of the Year are stellar choices, but this one most definitely is.

    11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. (4-8-17) 2271 PTS
    Next year, Erik Jones becomes his new teammate. If the boy wins, soda pop for everyone.

    12. BRAD KESELOWSKI (4-16-22) 2267 PTS
    Brad does not think the format led to great racing last week. Brad did not have my television.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY (0-2-12) 2231 PTS
    Joined by Larson, McMurray gave boss Chip Ganassi a pair in the Top Five last Sunday.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON (0-4-13) 2223 PTS
    Some wags figure if Woody from Toy Story drove in NASCAR, he would look a lot like Austin.

    15. TONY STEWART (1-5-8) 2211 PTS
    As iconic as Johnson, Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon, L. Petty, Pearson, Yarborough and Waltrip

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER (1-2-2) 2169 PTS
    Proof that one race can make a season.

    17. KASEY KAHNE (0-3-13) 898 PTS
    2004’s top rookie teams with a seven-time champ, a 13-time most popular, and 2016’s top rookie.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN (0-2-10) 895 PTS
    If he had actually been driving a Caterpillar, the car would have looked better after last Sunday.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER (0-2-9) 830 PTS
    If getting the wave around works good enough to claim eighth at Homestead, why not?

    20. RYAN BLANEY (0-3-9) 812 PTS
    Turns 23 on New Year’s Eve. Talk about welcoming in a new year twice at the same party.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson held off Joey Logano on an overtime restart and won at Homestead, earning his seventh Sprint Cup championship.

    “First,” Johnson said, “I’d like to thank the most important woman in my life. That would be ‘Lady Luck.’

    “This race was called the ‘Ford EcoBoost 400.’ I get an ‘echo boost’ when I say ‘Sprint Cup champion,’ because I hear it repeated six times.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards was cruising to what appeared to be a championship run at Homestead before a caution flew with 15 laps to go. On the ensuing restart, Edwards dove low to block a charging Joey Logano and spun, first slamming the inside wall and then spinning back into traffic. Edwards’s day was done and his championship hopes were extinguished.

    “I was already visualizing my celebratory backflip,” Edwards said. “Instead of a landing stuck, however, it was disaster that struck.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth, and second to Jimmie Johnson in the championship race, in the Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead.

    “The wreck with 10 laps to go defined the outcome,” Logano said. “I had a good run on Carl Edwards and he blocked me, spinning himself and causing more wreckage. If I get by him clean, more than likely, I’m the Sprint Cup champion. That would have been my first, and at 23, I would be looking forward to many more Cups, particularly my third. After that, I would have been known as ‘Thrice’d Bread.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished ninth at Homestead, posting his 22nd top 10 of the year.

    “Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson,” Hamlin said. “He joins Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt Sr. as seven-time winners of the NASCAR championship. Jimmie is neither a ‘King’ nor an ‘Intimidator.’ Johnson’s much too humble to have such an audacious nickname. Me and the guys just call him ‘JJ,’ because he’s ‘Just Jimmie.’”

    5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started seventh and finished seventh in the Ford EcoBoost 400.

    “Jimmie Johnson’s seventh Sprint Cup championship is truly an amazing feat,” Kenseth said. “And it also takes amazing fingers to indicate that many championships.”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished sixth at Homestead, behind championship contenders Jimmie Johnson, who won, and Joey Logano, who took fourth.

    “I really thought Carl Edwards was going to do it,” Busch said. “And I was right, because if you ask anyone about Sunday’s race, especially those on Logano’s team, they’ll say ‘he did it.’”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Homestead and finished third, recording his 17th top five of the season.

    “I’m known as ‘Happy,” Harvick said. “But after failing to have a chance to win the championship, friends and colleagues have said I don’t seem like myself. They tell me I’m ‘not Happy enough.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 13th at Homestead as Jimmie Johnson took the win and his seventh Sprint Cup championship.

    “Tony Stewart raced for the last time in Sprint Cup,” Busch said. “So, we may never see Tony in a Sprint Cup car ever again. I guess Tony’s ‘going away for a long time.’ But let’s be clear, Tony’s not going to jail.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski was caught up in the Carl Edwards-Joey Logano mix up and finished 35th at Homestead, 11 laps down.

    “With no chance to win the championship,” Keselowski said, “I was really disinterested in putting forth my best effort. So, instead of being at Homestead, I would have rather best at home, instead.”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex was collected in a crash with 10 laps to go triggered when Carl Edwards tried to block Joey Logano on a restart. Truex’s No. 78 Toyota ended up in flames and he finished 36th.

    “I guess it’s fitting,” Truex said. “We started the Chase For The Cup ‘on fire,’ and ended it that way too.”

  • Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    So it ends. Another NASCAR season. A Hall of Fame career for Tony Stewart. The reign of a title sponsor. The wait for another seven-time champion, or a repeat champion, or maybe the crowning of the newest member of NASCAR royalty.

    Tony Stewart made his mark as an open wheel champion, and three times he proved to be the season best among those with fenders. One more race, one more chance to grab his 50th career win before he moves on to eventually join the Hall of Fame.

    Winston Cup held the rights for more than thirty years. Nextel had it for four, then when they got rolled into Sprint, the Sprint Cup it became for the past nine seasons. That ends at Homestead. Could it be the Monster Energy Cup next season? That remains to be seen.

    Will Jimmie Johnson join with two of the sport’s icons and become a seven-time champion? Can Kyle Busch repeat his championship run of last season and claim his second? Can Carl Edwards or Joey Logano finish the climb to the top of the mountain?

    The answer comes our way on Sunday at Homestead.

    The Hot 20, featuring wins, season-long points, and the official points tallies heading to Homestead.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS – 1095 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The best of the rest remaining in the hunt for the title.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 1027 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    This seems like a good time to order up a double.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 3 WINS – 997 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    Always a bridesmaid, but will he get the ring this time?

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The King and the Intimidator await him as part of a very exclusive club.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 2296 PTS
    One mistake from above and his coach turned into scrambled pumpkin pie.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 3 WINS – 1052 S/PTS – 2288 PTS
    Was close when they started at Phoenix, just not close enough when they finished.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 1027 S/PTS – 2268 PTS
    A win to be in, but there was no room at the inn this time.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS – 986 S/PTS – 2266 PTS
    Rarely do leaders get penalized for passing the pace car to enter the pits. Last week was different.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS – 1083 S/PTS – 2261 PTS
    Thought Joey would be a good fit for Penske after leaving Gibbs. It appears he was right.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 0 WINS – 936 S/PTS – 2255 PTS
    Took over from Jeff Gordon, and still got to race against Jeff Gordon. Sweet.

    11. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1120 S/PTS – 2250 PTS
    The best over the course of the season, but they do not have a trophy for that.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 890 S/PTS – 2247 PTS
    Eneos. If you know who they are, it might be due to this guy.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 0 WINS – S/871 PTS – 2195 PTS
    Official points give him 13th. The season-long tally has him behind Kahne and Newman.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 0 WINS – 873 S/PTS – 2194 PTS
    Paint scheme needs to include a pair of Texas longhorns on the hood. Just a suggestion.

    15. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN – 623 S/PTS – 2192 PTS
    Future Hall of Famer would love to bow out with a 50th victory.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN – 524 S/PTS – 2152 PTS
    One win. The difference between a notable season and finishing 28th in points.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 0 WINS – 894 S/PTS – 894 PTS
    On the bright side, his season was better than that of team-mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 0 WINS – 879 S/PTS – 879 PTS
    Stewart will soon be going, just not to where Newman once suggested he go to.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    It comes down to this….Ryan or A.J. for 19th.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    Might have a teammate, at least for a few races, next season.

  • The Final Word – All that mattered at Phoenix were six cars seeking two spots

    The Final Word – All that mattered at Phoenix were six cars seeking two spots

    It sucks not to matter. Forty cars took to the track at Phoenix, and only six of them mattered. Not Jimmie Johnson or Carl Edwards. Both had already locked in a final four berth at Homestead, so they mattered not. Not Kyle Larson or Trevor Bayne, who spun early.

    All that mattered at that moment was that they did not collect Joey Logano. He mattered. In fact, only Logano, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and, the two needing a win at Phoenix, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch mattered a lick. The rest of the field was hamburger helper to add some bulk to the real meat.

    A third of the way through, Logano had taken over the lead. Kenseth and Hamlin were top ten cars, while Kyle Busch hoped he had cured a vibration issue while sitting 15th. As for Kurt Busch, he was in the top ten but, like Harvick, he was still too far back to challenge for the lead, or to matter.

    At two-thirds of the way along, pole sitter Alex Bowman was back in front. Winning a race matters, especially for a guy sitting in for one of the sport’s biggest stars and still seeking a ride of his own for next season. Kenseth was behind him, while Logano had faded to fifth. Still, the pair remained a handful of points to the good, ahead of Hamlin and Rowdy. Brother Kurt and Harvick still were not challenging, and still did not matter with just over a hundred laps remaining. The big question was is if there was any drama to be had over that time, or if we would ho-hum it to an expected conclusion?

    Usually, drama would include a pit penalty to Martin Truex Jr. or  Johnson. It usually would be noteworthy to mention an Austin Dillon spin, or Johnson picking up damage as his line accordioned in the aftermath. Usually. On Sunday, it did not matter, but at least it broke up the monotony. Barely.

    With 40 to go, things got interesting after a couple of cautions brought pit strategy into play. Kenseth led, Logano was behind him, and Kurt Busch was third, within striking distance. Hamlin and Kyle Busch completed the top five, with Harvick and an over-heating engine in sixth. Six cars in the top six spots seeking to fill two positions, and each one of them mattered.

    The raced, they sliced, they diced, and they did just about everything to put Vince the Slap Chop guy out of business, then a caution came out with two to go. It would come down to a green-white-checker. Kenseth would start in front beside Bowman. Kyle Busch and Logano would be in row two. Harvick and Larson in row three. Hamlin, in 10th, and Kurt Busch, in 11th, appeared to be out of the running. Was it down to four?

    On the re-start, Kyle tried to get around Bowman on the inside. Bowman wobbled, and Kenseth tried to dive down in front of him. Bowman had nowhere to go, and so they collided. Kenseth goes for a slide as the pack continued on without him. Kenseth’s car was a mess after contact with the wall. With another re-start, was it now down to three?

    As they came to the line, Logano had the lead. Kyle Busch hit the line seven points up on Hamlin, but Harvick was starting on the outside of the second row. Could he ruin someone’s day while making his own with a win?

    He could not. Logano won and, along with Kyle Busch, joins Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards in the final four next Sunday at Homestead. In Phoenix, that is all that mattered.