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Hot 20 – As they head to Loudon, a half-billion dollar lawsuit leaves me very confused

Nothing like a good old-fashioned hand out to make people feel good. Terrence Cox III and his Diversity Motorsports wants in. They are suing NASCAR, the tracks, even the other teams, in a racial discrimination lawsuit for half a billion dollars.

Oh, what I could do with that kind of cash. Hell, I could run for president if I were only born in the right country. I am not sure what Diversity wants, but it seems they would like to be handed something even the Wood Brothers can not get if a locked in spot is their goal. They are even suing JTG Daugherty, a team former non-Irish NBA player Brad Daugherty has a 10 percent ownership share in.

What is interesting is that the organization appears to be more a sponsorship vehicle than an actual racing team. Since it first appeared earlier in this decade, Diversity has never to my knowledge attempted to enter a single car in any national NASCAR event with anyone…ever. If they have been wronged, I am not sure as to how. So they feel entitled to a spot due to what, exactly?

They claim that comedian Steve Harvey wanted to start a race team, associate it with Diversity Motorsports, but NASCAR said they would never work with a team that included Diversity. Harvey, for one, disagrees with that assertion. In fact, he seems downright upset at the moment, saying he never wanted to start a team, that he just wanted to expose underprivileged youth to NASCAR. When Diversity head Terrence Cox, III talked to Harvey about having young folks protest Coca-Cola, Harvey says he refused to participate. Does any of this make sense to you? I know I am having trouble with it.

Being dragged into this has raised the ire of the comedian. “Now here I come, my ass all over the cover of TMZ and everywhere, talking about how I want a damn race team”, Harvey said on his radio show. “I don’t want no damn race team. I don’t even like fast-ass cars.”

Confused? Me, too. I think I will leave it to the lawyers to figure it all out.

We have enough to deal with just seeing how things might progress in New Hampshire with our Hot 20.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2050 Pts)
Is there something wrong with the laser inspection system? Who cares, they got the win!

2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2049 Pts
Wants a transformer car; passes tech before the race, turn into a fire-breathing dinosaur after it.

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2046 Pts
Even his winning truck failed inspection at Chicago. Maybe the problem is too much inspecting.

4. DENNY HAMLIN – 2045 Pts
Boasts best average finish in New Hampshire. Seeks best finish period on Sunday.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2043 Pts
The car was not good enough at Chicago, but the driver was in the end.

6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2039 Pts
Late caution, lost lead, and chase Truex was all he could do at the end.

7. MATT KENSETH – 2038 Pts
If this visit to Loudon is anything like the last two, hand Matt his pass when it is all over.

8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2037 Pts
Got a break Harvick did not get, then needed more brakes and less gas in late pit row stop.

9. CARL EDWARDS – 2032 Pts
Swerving on the cool down lap helps rear toe return to legal limits. Watch Carl. Watch ‘em all.

10. KURT BUSCH – 2031 Pts
When he read that familiar name in the headlines, I wonder if he whispered, “I told you so.”

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2030 Pts
Toured a GM assembly plant last week. Unfortunately, they were not handing out free samples.

12. TONY STEWART – 2028 Pts
Back on Newman’s gift list. The Beatles were right, all you need is love.

13. KEVIN HARVICK – 2027 Pts
Two feet short of the line, Sweet Jesus, two feet short of the line.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2027 Pts
Says NASCAR won’t stand drivers who refuse to stand for the national anthem.

15. KYLE LARSON – 2026 Pts
If his owner held his breath, would that make Larson a blue Chip driver? I am truly sorry.

16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2016 Pts
Penske Fords seem to run good, so why not borrow one from them…or a Studebaker.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 667 Pts
Sitting at the head of the kid’s table.

18. RYAN NEWMAN – 655 Pts
However, sometimes when things get rough and tough, you got to hide your love away.

19. RYAN BLANEY – 613 Pts
Old tires were almost good enough to steal one at Chicago.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 607 Pts
I still can not get over Mr. Tickles. Maybe his full name is Sam Elliott Tickles. Much better.

September 21, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex stormed back from a flat tire that left him a lap down to win the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland. The win automatically qualified him for Round 2 of The Chase For The Cup.

“For the second consecutive race,” Truex said, “something became unraveled. This time, it wasn’t Tony Stewart.

“On a sad note, my car failed the post-race laser inspection. And I have to question to accuracy of NASCAR’s lasers. And when I say ‘lasers,’ I’m sarcastically using air quotes à la Austin Powers Dr. Evil.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fifth at Chicagoland and is now second in the points standings, one behind Martin Truex, Jr.

“Does a race sponsored by a television show called ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ really target the demographic NASCAR fans offer?” Keselowski said. “Maybe it does. NASCAR fans are not teenagers, or ninjas, or turtles, but they can often be classified as mutants.”

3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin took sixth in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400 at Chicagoland, recording his 16th top-10 finish of the year.

“You read right,” Hamlin said. “This race was named after a turtle movie. But who’s surprised? This sport is all about sponsorship, so, in short, NASCAR was a shill for ‘shell.’”

4. Joey Logano: Logano finished second at Chicagoland, joining his Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski, who finished fifth, in the top five.

“I had a strong finish,” Logano said, “but more importantly, I didn’t run afoul of Matt Kenseth. But even more importantly, I didn’t run afowl of Ryan Newman. ‘Running a fowl’ of Newman means he calls you a ‘chicken.’”

5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished a disappointing 20th at Chicagoland after falling a lap down early when an untimely caution came as he was preparing to pit under green.

“I’m not sure there even needed to be a caution,” Harvick said. “There was a loose tire that came to rest in the infield. That tire was harmless, and a threat to no one, but it cost me. Just call it ‘burned rubber.’”

6. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Chicagoland after rain washed out qualifying and finished ninth.

“That’s a solid start to the Chase,” Busch said. “I have a title to defend, and that title is ‘2015 Sprint Cup Champion.’ My older brother Kurt has a title he reluctantly defends, and that title is ‘douchebag.’”

7. Kurt Busch: Busch finished eighth in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, posting his 17th top 10 of the year.

“The Tony Stewart-Ryan Newman feud is not over,” Busch said. “Newman still appears to be pissed. You know, Newman has a B.S. degree in engineering from Purdue University. And if Stewart, likewise, had a B.S. degree, Newman would be fine with it, because Ryan doesn’t take no ‘B.S.’ from anyone.”

8. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 15th at Chicagoland, the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver who failed to finish inside the top 10.

“We just didn’t have it,” Edwards said. “I was on the outside looking in. What was I looking for? Answers, of course.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott finished third in his first career Chase For The Cup race.

“I was on my way to the likely win until Michael McDowell blew a tire,” Elliott said. “That brought out the final caution, and that cost me the win. That just goes to show the fine line between winning and losing, and that is the moral of the story. In the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400, I lost by a ‘hare.’”

10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at Chicagoland, his chances at a win ruined by a late pit road speeding penalty.

“I’m pretty sure I wasn’t speeding,” Johnson said. “I know because I haven’t gone ‘too fast’ since I won my last Sprint Cup championship in 2012.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not in the Chase For The Cup. But that doesn’t mean he’s not relevant. Also relevant is his crew chief, because ‘Greg Ives Matters.’”

September 20, 2016
Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

As NASCAR swings into Chicago and begins the Chase, I can not help but notice that Denny Hamlin, and now Danica Patrick, have made mention that the season is too long. Reduce some races in length, reduce some altogether, run some mid-week are among their suggestions. I am cool with that, but in my mind there are a dozen races on eight tracks that cannot be touched. Ever.

Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, and Charlotte continue with their two each with no changes to race length. If 600 miles to too long at Charlotte, stay home. You can not tinker with the two road courses at Sonoma or Watkins Glen. The Southern 500 should never again be violated at Darlington. Same goes for the Brickyard at Indianapolis. The racing there might be questionable at Indy, but it has become a crown jewel event. Touch any of them, and more than a few of us fans will be gone. NASCAR simply can not afford to see too many more of us on our way out.

As for the other 24 contests on the other 15 tracks, go for it. However, you risk some upset folks at Martinsville, Richmond, and Atlanta where tradition means something to some people. Remove those tracks, and you remove fans. Texas, Michigan, Las Vegas, Fontana, and Chicago are not going anywhere. The trio of northeast venues, Pocono, Dover, and Loudon, would be tough for NASCAR to abandon. I could not care any less for Kansas or Kentucky, but I am sure there are others who do not share my sentiment.

As long as NASCAR refuses to brand each of its events so they might each become something special, traditional, and untouchable instead of nothing more than a spot to park a sponsor’s name for yet another generic race, a lot of them can disappear, be moved, or reduced in length without much fanfare. I mean, this weekend in Chicago we have the legendary and prestigious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Good bloody grief! What these two drivers are proposing works in theory. However, the devil is in the details, and we should leave it to Mr. Hamlin and Ms. Patrick to toss out a few specifics until we go ballistic. You know we would, no matter what they come up with.

As for the Chase, eight organizations are represented by the 16. Joe Gibbs has all four of his outfits in the running. Stewart-Haas goes with three, missing only Patrick. Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi both came through fully loaded with their two car teams. Barney Visser was also perfect, going one for one with Martin Truex, Jr. We have a pair from Rick Hendrick’s stable, Richard Childress has his grandson, and Bob Jenkins has his surprise entry. Some did not make it, even those with past success. Jack Roush came up empty, despite three entries. Neither of Richard Petty’s cars made the grade.

A dozen veteran Chasers joined by a quartet of first-timers. Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson are joined by rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher. How might they do? As 2014 champion Kevin Harvick lays it down, “Are you happy to be there or do you want to win?” If they want to win, they could do fine. Like the seven former champions back for another drink from the well.

Heading into the Chase, NASCAR has decided to be kinder, gentler to those crew chiefs who break the rules. One loose lug nut does not a suspension make. Now it will take three, and then he is gone along with 35 points. So much for kinder and gentler, and this is a new rule change that goes beyond the Chase and into next season.

Failure to get the winning car successfully through the Laser Inspection Station by a significant amount, and you keep the win, but it won’t mean much. Up to 35 points gone and during the Chase that win might not count toward a free pass into the next round. With the points penalty, that just could kill the season. It is the kind of penalty that cost Ryan Newman 15 markers heading into Richmond.

Newman might not be in the Chase, but after what happened last week, he could wind up being a factor. We will have to wait to see how hot he might be at one member of our Hot 20 heading to Chicago.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2012 PTS
Tied for wins with Kyle, second only to Harvick in points. Brad might be thirsty again.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 PTS
Imagine having to race all 36 races to win the title. Last season seemed so much shorter.

3. DENNY HAMLIN – 2009 PTS
You can shorten the World 600 in Charlotte…or you could to go-cart racing as an alternative.

4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 PTS
His Chase attitude is to “worry about the consequences when all the dust settles.” Game on.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 PTS
Is this the year he can finally put that brides-maid dress away?

4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 2006 PTS
Has led the pack this season for 1,664 miles. If you are going on a trip, here is your driver.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2006 PTS
Seeking a new nickname. Maybe something that rhymes with “Seven Time.”

4. MATT KENSETH – 2006 PTS
There is nice Matt and there is Chase Matt. You don’t want to make Chase Matt angry.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 2003 PTS
Last year, guess who upset Chase Matt.

9. KURT BUSCH – 2003 PTS
He has a title. Younger brother has a title. All older siblings know that just does not cut it.

9. KYLE LARSON – 2003 PTS
Over his last three races, has finished first, third, and second. That is called momentum.

9. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2003 PTS
Not everyone gets to live in the penthouse. even for what most predict will be a short stay.

9. TONY STEWART – 2003 PTS
Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Newman knows!

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2000 PTS
A truck title. A XFINITY crown. There is room on the shelf for one more.

14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000 PTS
Could former winner of Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 win the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400?

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2000 PTS
Again, the nickname says it all. Would like to change that to “Champ” if he can.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 633 PTS
Who is considered Public Enemy No. 1 in Chicago? Ask Newman; he might have an answer.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 633 PTS
If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again next season.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 586 PTS
Unlike some, Bayne is determined to leave any at-track tantrums to his toddler.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 583 PTS
Racing in Chicago, but might have more interest in how the Bears do Monday against the Eagles.

September 14, 2016
The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 12-9
Today, I’ll be taking a look at Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Kurt Busch and Joey Logano, seeds 12-9 on the Sprint Cup Chase Grid.
1. Tony Stewart
No driver in the Sprint Cup Series has had a harder time the last few years than Tony Stewart.

Stewart broke his leg in 2013 and had to miss half the year, then in 2014 probably had the most horrible moment in his entire life during the Kevin Ward Jr. incident. The following year, 2015, was far and away the worst full-time season of his entire career, and in January of this year he broke his back and had to sit out the first eight races of his final Sprint Cup Series season.

Many doubted Stewart would ever win a race again. The thrilling victory at Dover in 2013 against Juan Pablo Montoya seemed like it was going to be the last hurrah of his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

Then Stewart got around Denny Hamlin on the last lap of Sonoma and recorded at least one more triumph.

“Smoke” enters the Chase with a clear mind and nothing to lose, his final season ultimately being a success as long as he finishes it. The last time Stewart made the Chase with nothing to lose was 2011 when he said outright “We don’t deserve to be in the Chase.” Exactly three months after saying that, it was the Monday after winning his third Sprint Cup championship.

Pros

Mike Bugarewicz (AKA “Buga”) has done very well in his first season as a crew chief. Most notably, a good pit call at Sonoma led Stewart to be in position to win the race that got this team into the Chase. Stewart was also good over the summer, with all five of his top fives of the season coming in June, July, and August. And as always, Stewart knows success; he has won at every track in the Chase at least once, and it’s always possible for Tony to get hot and go on a win streak as he did in 2011 and in the summer of 2005 that both led him to championships.

Cons

Stewart is coming into the Chase with two straight DNFs, and although he is having a much better year than last year, he still enters the Chase with just a 17.2 average finish. That’s worse than everybody but Chris Buescher, and that’s especially bad for a driver who missed the first eight races of the season. Stewart also still has a noted temper, as anybody who watched Richmond can see. As much as there is a chance for Stewart to get hot and win a bunch of races, there’s just as much a chance Stewart could blow up on another driver and knock himself out of the Chase.

Overall

Honestly, my head says Tony Stewart is going to be eliminated in round one. My heart says Stewart may get a surprise win or two on his way to competing for a final championship at Homestead as Jeff Gordon did last year. Whatever he does, it’s probably going to be worth watching.
1. Kyle Larson
Before Dover this season, it was fair to call Kyle Larson a bit of a let-down.

After entering the Sprint Cup Series to much fanfare in 2014, he had shown flashes of greatness but similar to a younger Kyle Busch hadn’t learned to funnel his raw talent into consistent success. Some felt he should have stayed in the XFINITY Series for another year and was broken like Casey Atwood was. Others felt he needed to get away from Chip Ganassi Racing and join a better team if he were ever to make something of himself.

Most of these concerns faded away after an amazing summer for the California driver, capped off with his very first Sprint Cup Series win at Michigan last month.

In the fifteen races since the start of Dover, where he finished second in an amazing race between himself, Chase Elliott, and winner Matt Kenseth, Larson has amassed a great record. Eight top 10s, six top fives, and five top threes. The narrative for the No. 42 team over the summer has gone from if Larson can compete to just how much can he accomplish?

Pros

Sorry Denny Hamlin, but Larson enters the Chase with the most momentum. He’s riding a streak of three straight top-three finishes, including the win at Michigan, and has shown no signs of stopping. The Chase also contains some of his best tracks, especially Dover where he has never finished worse than 11th. Most crucially, possibly his best track on the entire schedule outside of Michigan is Homestead, where a late race debris caution last year dashed his hopes of winning in what would have been in his first Sprint Cup race.

Cons

Like Chase Elliott, he doesn’t have any Chase experience yet. Nobody knows if he is going to crack from the pressure that naturally comes from competing in it. Chip Ganassi Racing, while they are entering the Chase arguably a better team than Hendrick, also just isn’t an established playoff contender just yet and may have some growing pains.

Overall

I had picked Larson to be the champion before the season started and I’m sticking with my pick. He’s got a lot of momentum heading in, some of his best tracks are in the Chase, and he has the ability. I just feel either he wins the championship or he flames out and get eliminated in round one or two. There’s no middle ground for Larson.
1. Kurt Busch
The last couple of years, Kurt Busch has been uncharacteristically quiet. Between Tony Stewart’s problems, Kevin Harvick’s dominance, and Danica Patrick being Danica Patrick, Busch has lost the spotlight to his teammates. And he’s flourishing because of it.

Last year was arguably Busch’s best all-around season, tying his mark for most top 10s in a season with 21 and he had an average finish of 11.1, a career best. This season, Busch has dropped to an average finish of 12.1, but that’s still better than any of his seasons before 2015. He’s also on pace to get even more top 10s this year than last year.

Many thought the addition of Busch on a team that already consisted of three drivers with attitudes would be akin to throwing water on a grease fire, but so far it has been a success. Outside of the nonsense with his former girlfriend earlier last year, Busch has been on his best behavior and other than a wonky first season it has all been worth it.

Pros

Busch has consistency upon consistency. In the first 16 races of the season, he had 14 top 10s, spent the majority of the season in the top three in points and completed every lap of every race before Bristol, a new record. As a former champion, Busch has shown before that he can handle the pressure that naturally comes with the Chase and has shown a decent amount of speed just about everywhere this year. Finally, there is the brother connection. I’m sure Kurt was happy about Kyle Busch winning the championship last year, but there has to be a little extra motivation to win another championship and excel over his younger brother.

Cons

Crew chief Tony Gibson has always built his teams to be very consistent, but not big winners. In the 395 races Gibson has been on the pit box, he has only visited victory lane five times. While a lot of that has been due to driver quality, 69 of those starts were with Danica Patrick in the car, and consistency is a good problem to have, it’s always a disadvantage to have a team built for the grind and not to win in the Chase. Between hustling to make sure the No. 4 is running at 100 percent and Stewart trying to go out with a championship, Busch may get lost in the shuffle of his own team.

Overall

If I were a betting man, I’d put Busch down to go out in round three like last year. This is a great team, and it’s quite possible they could rise up and win a championship regardless. But right now, they are just flat out outclassed by the Toyotas, Harvick, and Team Penske.
1. Joey Logano
After being let go from Joe Gibbs Racing in 2012, many thought Joey Logano just wasn’t going to work out.

Gibbs wanted him to go back down to the then-Nationwide Series, feeling the 22-year-old needed more seasoning. Logano turned them down flat and was coasting for a while before Brad Keselowski, fresh off a Cup championship, lobbied for Logano to take over the somewhat troubled No. 22 Ford and become his teammate at Team Penske.

The rest is history.

Logano has broken out and won 13 races in the past four seasons, the fifth-most in that time period. He scored more points than anybody in 2014 and if it wasn’t for a terrible pit stop at Homestead, would have competed for a championship. Last season he had the best all-around season of anybody not named Kevin Harvick, with 28 top 10s, 22 top fives, series highs in wins and poles (six of each), and won the Daytona 500.

Logano has gone from a wash-out to a legitimate championship contender, a dangerous racer who has a chance to win every week.

Pros

One of the most remarkable statistics in Logano’s four-year run has been his versatility. Short tracks, intermediate tracks, 1.5-mile tracks, restrictor plate tracks, even road course tracks, have had races won by Logano the past few years. As one of only three Fords in the Chase grid, Logano will be getting a lot more manufacturer support than the Chevrolets or even the Toyotas.

Cons

Logano hasn’t been awful, he finished the regular season third in points, but he has lost a little speed this year. Unless he gets nothing but top 10s here on out, he is going to have fewer top 10s than last season. He has also led only 386 laps this season, down from 2015 and 2014, and he heads into the Chase with just one win.

Overall

Honestly, from here on out just about every driver has a legitimate shot at the championship. Logano has seemed a bit off this season, though, and he is going to need to improve a little bit if he’s going to be in competition for the championship at Homestead. There’s usually one or two surprising drivers eliminated in round two, notably Jimmie Johnson the last two years, but this year it wouldn’t be shocking if Logano turns out to be one of those drivers.
September 14, 2016
The View From My Recliner — 2016 Chase Preview

I will start by saying that I have always been a Tony Stewart fan and always will be. But, Tony Stewart was wrong the last two weeks taking out Brian Scott at Darlington and Ryan Newman plus six others at Richmond.

Many have said that Tony Stewart hasn’t been the same racer since the Sprint Car accident in Iowa where he broke his leg and has been even less competitive since the Sprint Car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. Prior to those accidents, there was always Stewart justice when he ran at the Cup level. Ask Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Brian Vickers and several others what happens when you rough up Stewart or block Stewart? Do that and you face Stewart Justice. Stewart was wrong, but this is something that NASCAR drivers have known for more than a decade. Even though Stewart was honest in his post-race comments, I hope that NASCAR fines Stewart for his actions. Wow, that is something I never thought I would say.

Ryan Newman who has the history of being the toughest person in NASCAR to pass is also very calculated with his words to the media pre and post race. The first parts of his comments saying that Stewart was old and should retire are fine. Newman is passionate and was frustrated by missing the Chase. Those comments I can live with. The comments that followed were beyond personal. I understand Newman being ticked that Stewart took him out. I can see him holding his anger inside for four years because his contract wasn’t extended at Stewart-Haas Racing. Then, after being told there wasn’t the budget for a fourth car and that he was out at SHR, suddenly, Kurt Busch has a ride funded by Gene Haas. Even so, there is no place for comments like that. I always respected Ryan Newman, but I lost a little of that respect on Saturday night.

The sad part is that this back and forth took away from the great racing that took place at Richmond International Raceway, Denny Hamlin’s win and the Chase grid being set. Everything took a back seat to Newman putting Stewart on blast and that is a shame.

As we head to Chicagoland, you have to wonder if there are paybacks in the future. Will Newman wreck Stewart? Will Cole Custer get revenge on John Hunter Nemechek for the injustice he was victim to at Canadian Motorsports Park? Will the races be the top story next week or will it be about payback being delivered? My thoughts are that Newman doesn’t want to face a suspension and Cole Custer will wait until the Chase to get his payback on Nemechek.

Here are my predictions for the each round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup:

Round 1: Kyle Busch will win this weekend at Chicago. Tony Stewart surprises everyone by winning at New Hampshire and Jimmie Johnson wins at Dover. The first four eliminated are Carl Edwards, Chris Buescher, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray. I think one Joe Gibbs Racing car will have an issue at New Hampshire, Buescher and Dillon don’t have the equipment to get the job done and Jamie McMurray has been running well, but not at the front.

Round 2: Truex wins at Charlotte, Harvick wins at Kansas and Logano wins at Talladega. Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson are eliminated.

Round 3: Hamlin wins at Martinsville, Truex wins at Texas, Harvick wins at Phoenix and Stewart points his way in. (Remember, when I started I said I am a fan of Smoke and this is a, from the heart, pick. My head says Johnson points his way in, but I’m a columnist, so I am going with my heart. Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Johnson and Logano are eliminated.

Final Four: So that leaves Hamlin, Harvick, Truex and Stewart as the final four. I would love to read the story of Stewart winning his final race and his fourth Championship, but I just don’t see it happening. Truex and Harvick have had pit road issues which could easily derail them at the Ford 400.

My pick for the 2016 Sprint Cup Championship is Denny Hamlin. The communication between driver and crew chief is spot on, the pit crew has been flawless and Denny Hamlin promised Joe Gibbs when he was signed to the organization that he would bring home a championship to JGR and this year, I think he will.

Enjoy the races at Chicago and we’ll talk again when I share the View from My Recliner.

September 14, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Richmond and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six behind first place.

“We were much better in the pits,” Harvick said. “Fortunately, our lug nuts were the only thing that was ‘screwed’ in the pits at Richmond.

“Now, it would be negligent of me if I didn’t address the Ryan Newman-Tony Stewart issue. I’m employed by Tony, so you can guess where I stand. I guess what I’m saying is that lawyers aren’t the only people who defend Tony.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth in the Federated Auto Parts 400, posting his 12th top 10 of the year.

“The action didn’t really start until Tony Stewart wrecked Ryan Newman, Keselowski said. “Newman then had some choice words for Stewart. If implied accusations of a 2014 incident are the measuring stick for Newman’s vitriol, then he absolutely murdered it, or at least manslaughtered it.”

3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Richmond and dominated the closing laps to win the Federated Auto Parts400. It was his third win of the season.

“I had to survive one final restart after a caution with three laps to go,” Hamlin said. “That was the last of 16 cautions on the night. After the race, I approached the flag stand and asked for the yellow flag and not the checkered flag.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started ninth and finished ninth at Richmond. With four wins this year, Busch will start the Chase atop the standings alongside Brad Keselowski.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Brad or myself fall out of first after one race,” Busch said, “because neither of us can stand to be in the same place for very long.”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six out of the lead.

“The No. 78 Toyota failed the post-race laser inspection,” Truex said. “You never want to fail an inspection right before the Chase For The Cup begins, because you’re likely to get ‘pointed’ in the wrong direction.”

6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Richmond, logging his 18th top 10 of the year.

“The Chase field is wide open,” Logano said. “You have household names, and you have some drivers who are not very well known. Let’s face it, when the Chase ends, you could hear the words ‘Chris Buescher’ and ‘2016 Sprint Cup champion,’ but probably not in the same sentence.”

7. Kurt Busch: Busch led two laps and took eighth in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond.

“There were a whopping 16 caution flags during Saturday’s race,” Busch said. “That’s just about how many red flags go up when I’m on a date.”

8. Carl Edwards: Edwards struggled at Richmond, finishing 32nd, 41 laps off the pace.

“How about the Virginia Tech-Tennessee football game at Bristol Motor Speedway,” Edwards said, “There were over 156,000 people in attendance. Tire wear must have been an issue at Bristol because it was a blowout.”

9. Kyle Larson: Larson recorded his third consecutive top-5 finish with a second at Richmond.

“Tony Stewart has intentionally wrecked two drivers in two consecutive weeks,” Larson said. “First, it was Brian Scott. Then, it was Ryan Newman. But, at least he just wrecked them.”

10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 11th at Richmond, rebounding from a 33rd the previous week at Darlington.

“I’m looking for No. 7,” Johnson said. “Based on my mediocre performance this season, most people say the only ‘No. 7’ I could find is Regan Smith.”

September 12, 2016
Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

A funny thing happened on the way to Richmond. Ryan Newman finished eighth at Darlington, got to within seven points of Jamie McMurray in the battle for the final Chase place, and then it hit the fan. Actually, it was not very amusing at all as his car failed post-race inspection, and that came with a 15 point penalty. Newman has to make up a 22 point deficit on McMurray, hope nobody below him in the standings wins this weekend, or just win the thing himself to make it. With a contract coming due and the owner’s other grandson ready to move up, this is the time for the Rocket to light the fuse.

Kyle Larson‘s third place finish at Darlington was nice, but he also got tagged 15 points for failing the post-race checkup. However, he loses not a step in the standings and his win leaves him somewhat immune. As for the cash donations, Newman’s crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $25,000, while Chad Johnston, Larson’s bench boss, was fined $22,500. Would it not be lovely if you could fine your mechanic’s ass if he failed to fix your car the first time? Your doctor? How about politicians? We may be on to something here.

There is one other scenario we have not mentioned. If Chris Buescher has a bad day and falls out of the Top 30, it is “hello Newman,” welcome to the Chase.

Eleven races to go, and with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the shelf until the Daytona 500, 23-year-old Alex Bowman will have a dream ride for eight of the remaining contests this season. It will be a good test for the driver who spent the past two seasons behind the wheel for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin. Neither outfit has yet to win a race, boast just two Top Fives and six Top Tens in a combined 781 attempts. Bowman will end the season driving the good stuff. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, finally retires again, after he completes Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville. Sixteen of his 93 career victories came at those venues, including nine coming at the paper-clip.

What driver has the most identifiable car in NASCAR, even to the non-fan? Paul Menard. His name is all over it.

Danny Gallivan, Vin Scully, Ken Squier. If you want to become a legendary hockey, baseball, or racing announcer, they are the prototypes to build upon After just a couple of minutes to get into the swing of things at Darlington, the 81-year-old Squier allowed us to once again hear how it should be done. These gentlemen were poets who were able to describe, inform, entertain, and allow us to witness the action simply through the sound of their voice. To actually see it on television was a bonus, almost an unnecessary one. Squier ended his term providing the lap-by-lap commentary in 1997, though we have been blessed by special appearances, as we were last Sunday. Gallivan retired in 1984 after 32 years calling the action for the Montreal Canadiens, passing away in 1993. The 88-year old Scully is presently bringing his 67-year career behind the Dodger microphone to a close. They remain incomparable and irreplaceable.

Richmond has been part of the NASCAR scene since 1950, and Saturday the race will feature eight present and former Cup champions. Twenty-six of those 40 drivers have combined for 530 Cup victories, and while 12 have locked in their invite to the Chase, another 20 entered have a mathematical shot at one of the four remaining positions.

That includes all of our Hot 20 heading into Richmond.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (797 Pts)
Loose wheel, loose wheel, he thought he had Harvick’s crew pitting him for real.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
Six drivers under the age of 25 have driven for him in the truck series this season.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (840 Pts)
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and let them try to pit my car.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (746 Pts)
First last lap pass for the win at Richmond in the spring, why not the fall?

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (729 Pts)
If he ran NASCAR, would shorten the season and the World 600. Good thing he doesn’t.

6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (696 Pts)
Interested in just winning the Memorial and Labor Day weekend classics this season.

7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (669 Pts)
Without Matt, Jim might have never worked at Dunder Mifflin or met Pam or Michael Scott.

8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (656 Pts)
Jimmie won twice, had Top 10s in five of the seven events to open the season. It’s been a while.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (752 Pts)
With Junior out, does this give Joey a shot at being NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver?

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (728 Pts)
Felt kind of flat at Darlington. Menard’s flat, to be specific.

11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (606 Pts)
Finally, he has two Top Fives in a row.

12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (426 Pts)
What happened to Brian Scott at Darlington? Why, he wrecked, of course.

13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (358 Pts)
Staying within 10 of Ragan next week would be good, keeping him in the rearview, even better.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 659 POINTS
Finish 17th or better and he is off to the ball.

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 651 POINTS
Menard has a sponsor, Dillon has a grandfather, and Newman needs the Chase.

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 642 POINTS
Could have been 30 points up if not for that late Darlington penalty.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 620 POINTS
Penalty cripples his Chase bid, while the other Dillon has designs on his ride.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 598 POINTS
At least Junior has an excuse for not making the Chase.

19. RYAN BLANEY – 573 POINTS
No gloves, no problem, but less money in your pocket.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 562 POINTS
Mr. Tickles? Maybe it was girlfriend Tara who named the cat.

September 7, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Darlington

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole after qualifying was rained out and finished second at Darlington.

“We faltered in the pits once again,” Harvick said. “We are losing so much time during pit stops, I understand the problem, this time, was a faulty air gun. Maybe it had trouble with lug nuts, but that gun had no problem shooting me in the foot.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski suffered a late loose wheel at Darlington and finished ninth. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings.

“That was the second of two loose wheel incidents,” Keselowski said. “I haven’t seen this many problems with a wheel since the invention of the wheel.

“On another disappointing note, I was docked 10 points for failing a post-race inspection at Michigan. But I guess I should have seen it coming because NASCAR officials told me it was time for a ‘10-point inspection.’”

3. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth in the Bojangle’s Southern 500 at Darlington, posting his ninth top-five result of the season.

“Bojangles is famous for its chicken,” Logano said. “Ryan Newman says I am too.”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch started sixth at Darlington and finished 11th.

“How about that fight after the Camping World Truck Series race between Cole Custer and John Hunter Nemechek?” Busch said. “Nemechek’s actions were cold-blooded; Custer’s response was Cole-blooded. I wouldn’t be surprised if NASCAR takes the victory away from Nemechek. If that happens, then the son of the man known as ‘Front Row Joe’ will be known as ‘Front Row No.’”

5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 28 laps and held off the hard-charging Kevin Harvick down the stretch to win the Bojangle’s Southern 500 at Darlington. It was Truex’s second win of the season.

“Having Harvick chasing me only made me go faster,” Truex said. “Everyone knows, especially Brad Keselowski, that Harvick does his best ‘pushing’ when he’s behind you.”

6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 13 laps and came home fourth in the Southern 500, registering his eighth top five of the year.

“The Sprint Cup race lacked the exciting finish of the Camping World Truck Series race,” Hamlin said. “John Hunter Nemechek incited the ire of Cole Custer, and Custer responded with a flying takedown. I see a Bass Pro Shops promotion in the future for those two guys, because that’s textbook ‘bait and tackle.’”

7. Kurt Busch: Busch was wrecked with 40 laps to go at Darlington when Paul Menard’s lost control after his left-rear tire went flat. Menard slid up the track, sending Busch into the wall. Busch finished 34th.

“I don’t blame Menard,” Busch said. “He was totally innocent. For me to blame him for the crash would be like someone accusing a girlfriend of being a hired assassin.”

8. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished a disappointing 19th at Darlington, the only Joe Gibbs Racing driver to finish outside the top 11.

“Trust me,” Edwards said, “I know what it’s like to be an outsider. But that’s okay. When you’re an outsider at a NASCAR race, you have plenty of company, because porta-potties are known as ‘outsiders.’”

9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished sixth at Darlington, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in the top 10.

“I can certainly relate to Cole Custer,” Kenseth said. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to tackle a rival driver. But racing isn’t football. Sure, there are similarities, like ‘false starts’ and ‘interference’ and ‘helmets.’ But there is considerable diversity in the two sports, such as NASCAR’s lack of diversity.”

10. Kyle Larson: One week after winning at Michigan, Larson was again strong at Darlington, leading 45 laps on his way to a third-place finish.

“I’m brimming with confidence,” Larson said. “And, unlike Kevin Harvick, I have nothing but good things to say about my pit crew. While Harvick is critiquing at the wrong moment, I’m peaking at the right moment.”

September 6, 2016
Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

Who is the greatest country singer ever associated with NASCAR? There has been Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brooks and Dunn, Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, Cledus T. Judd, and lately Blake Shelton. That is a pretty impressive list of talent and it is far from complete. However, there is no question that the King of NASCAR Country was Marty Robbins.

While he is best known for singing White Sport Coat, El Paso, and My Woman, My Woman, My Wife, among his 17 Number One hits and 82 Top 40 entries, Robbins raced. Between 1966 and 1982, he managed to get into 35 Cup events, claiming six Top Tens along the way. He drove them, Hall of Famer Cotton Owens prepared them.

As the boys and girl head to Darlington for the Southern 500, we should remember that the singer once finished seventh in the iconic race back in 1971. A year later, he was ninth again behind the wheel of the No. 42 at the Lady in Black. When you race, you wreck, and he did. A pileup in Talladega in 1974 left him with some 37 stitches in his face. The same year at Charlotte, he deliberately wrecked to avoid a t-bone collision with Richard Childress, some saying the action may well have saved the future Hall of Famer’s life.

He was a legitimate driver. His results were legitimate. Well, all but one. His Talladega result in the spring of 1972 was not. Robbins was disqualified. When they tried to give him rookie honors, he declined, then had the officials check out his carburetor. It was as illegal as it gets. He just wanted to know what it felt like to drive up front with the big boys. I do not believe NASCAR was terribly impressed as they dropped him to 50th. Finishing up front that day was David Pearson, and it marked the debut of one Darrell Waltrip.

This weekend, Darlington features throwback paint schemes for both the XFINITY event as well as the Southern 500. Michigan winner Kyle Larson will be one of a half dozen Cup guys in that Saturday contest. His paint scheme in that race will honor Marty Robbins.

As Chris Buescher attempts to stay in the Chase by keeping ahead of David Ragan in the standings, and while Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray try to protect their own championship hopes, here is a look at whom or what our Hot 20 honor with their paint schemes heading into Sunday’s Southern 500.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (774 Pts)
Original Miller Lite can design of 1972

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (696 Pts)
Dale Jarrett’s No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (799 Pts)
Cale Yarborough and the 1979 Daytona 500

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (724 Pts)
Tony Stewart, who made his debut in 1999

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (691 Pts)
Darrell Waltrip, behind the wheel of the No. 11 from 1981-86

6. JIMMIE JOHNSTON – 2 WINS (648 Pts)
David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt of the late 1970s and early 1980s

7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (633 Pts)
Ricky Rudd’s 1995 Tide ride

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (721 Pts)
The Haas VF-1 vertical machining center, introduced in 1988.

9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (716 Pts)
Bobby Labonte’s Busch series, Shell-sponsored car of 1996-98

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
Sponsor Auto-Owners Insurance’s 100th anniversary

11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (582 Pts)
Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar history, going back to 1990, with seven championships, 90 wins

12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (420 Pts)
Bobby Allison and his five Southern 500 victories

13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (334 Pts)
Tribute to sponsor Love’s Travel Stops, in its original 1981 colors

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 628 POINTS
NAPA’s delivery trucks of the 1960s

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 622 POINTS
Saluting first Childress win, with Ricky Rudd, in 1983

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 616 POINTS
Bill Elliott in his 1997 colors

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 601 POINTS
Ricky Rudd’s first Childress win of 1983 at Riverside, California

18. KASEY KAHNE – 564 POINTS
Tribute to Terry Labonte and his 1982 J.D. Stacy-sponsored Buick

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 558 POINTS
Mark Martin, 619 Starts, 35 wins in the No. 6 from 1988 to 2006

20. RYAN BLANEY – 545 POINTS
David Pearson’s 43 wins during the 1970s piloting the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers

August 31, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Michigan and maintained the lead in the Sprint Cup points standings. He leads second-place Brad Keselowski by 25 points.

“Kyle Larson ran a great race,” Harvick said, “as did runner-up Chase Elliott. Those are two of the youngest drivers in NASCAR. Their combined age is 44. So, you could say ‘Youth was served’ on Sunday at Michigan, but not before ID’s were checked.”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished third at Michigan, posting his 11th top-five result of the season.

“Recent wind tunnel testing showed that Fords are at an aerodynamic disadvantage to the Chevys and Toyotas,” Keselowski said. “Who cares? You know what I say to the wind tunnel engineers when the No. 2 Miller Lite is set for testing? ‘Blow me.’”

3. Joey Logano: Logano started on the pole at Michigan and led 24 laps en route to a 10th-place finish.

“That’s my second pole at Michigan this season,” Logano said. “This is amazing! Usually, when I hear the word ‘pole,’ it’s preceded by the word ‘bean.’”

4. Kyle Busch: Busch suffered an early spin at Michigan and fell a lap down before eventually finishing 19th. He is sixth in the points standings, 103 out of first.

“The No. 18 car got away from me,” Busch said, “much like the No. 5 car ‘got away from me’ when I was a young, stubborn pain in the butt with Hendrick Motorsports. But I’ve matured. Now, I’m an older, stubborn pain in the butt with Joe Gibbs Racing.”

5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin qualified third and raced to a ninth-place finish at Michigan, posting his 13th top-10 result of the year.

“Congratulation to Kyle Larson,” Hamlin said. “He has a ton of talent and is going to be challenging for wins for years to come. Kyle epitomizes the future of NASCAR because he’s white.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch took 12th in the Pure Michigan 400, joining Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick in the top 12.

“Our other teammates, Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick, had mediocre days,” Busch said. “Danica hasn’t had a top-12 finish all year. She’s lucky she has a job, and she’s lucky that Tony is fond of her. There’s nothing that Tony likes more than a meal ticket, and that’s being a meal ticket.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards started ninth in the Pure Michigan 400 and finished seventh, two spots behind Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin in seventh.

“Michigan’s two-mile D-shaped layout is a really fast track,” Edwards said. “Top speeds approached 220 miles per hour. That’s pure speed, and that’s certainly fitting in the Pure Michigan 400. Brooklyn, Michigan is proud to host this race, and I’m sure the town of Flint, Michigan would be proud to host the ‘Pure Water 400.’”

8. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex struggled to a 20th-place finish in the Pure Michigan 400.

“The day belonged to Kyle Larson and Chase Elliott,” Truex said. “I never really was competitive. In the Furniture Row’s chair department parlance, I took a ‘back seat’ to those guys.”

9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started second and led 37 laps at Michigan on his way to a sixth-place finish.

“We had a slow pit stop just past the midway point,” Johnson said. “That’s because the gas man had a problem getting the fuel in the tank. For this race, my gas man earned an octane rating of zero.”

10. Kyle Larson: Larson passed Chase Elliott on a restart with nine laps remaining to capture the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The win secured a spot for Larson in the Chase For The Cup, which begins September 18 at Chicagoland.

“I made Elliott my ‘Target,” Larson said, “and the Chase was on. That was a sponsor plug, a rival driver plug, and a plug for the NASCAR postseason in one sentence. I have truly arrived in this sport.”

August 29, 2016