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Hot 20 – Earnhardt out, Gordon in as an old dog tries to perform some old tricks for a sixth time

Heading into Indianapolis, there was just one story of note. Sure, Matt Kenseth’s winning car at Loudon was tagged at inspection, but nothing meaningful took place. He lost 15 points and drops behind Jimmie Johnson in the standings. In short, nothing of consequence. Kevin Harvick remains upset with his pit crew, but they still have seven races before the Chase to figure that out. The only story of note involves the No. 88 and who will be behind the wheel.

That would be Jeff Gordon, who comes out of retirement to run Indianapolis and Watkins Glen while Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovers from the effects of his latest concussion. Shaky balance and some nausea are what he needs to overcome, but while that is happening Gordon will run his 798th and 799th career races. The former four-time champ has five wins at the Brickyard, with the last coming just two years ago, while the last of his four Glen victories came back in 2001.

I guess if you have to plop a bottom into the seat, this is not a bad selection. Gordon, obviously, is not among our Hot 20…but he should be the focal point of most of the fans on Sunday.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (622 Pts)
One of only a handful of drivers averaging 30 points or more per race. That works.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (556 Pts)
Rowdy is to XFINITY what I am to a three-legged race involving 3-year-olds. The favorite!

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (587 Pts)
He has had the best of times, but last week was not one of them.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (514 Pts)
Figures his new teammate could very well make it six Brickyard wins on Sunday.

5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (506 Pts)
Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do…? Not a hell of a lot that matters, it seems.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (636 Pts)
It sounds as if his crew are to pit stops what I am to ballet, sprinting, basketball, hair styling…

7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (602 Pts)
Wheels on the car do not go round and round when they are no longer round.

8. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (571 Pts)
Going from mediocre to third turned New Hampshire into a pretty nice day…in the end.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (540 Pts)
You cannot stick it to the man without a stick shift to do it with.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (505 Pts)
Half of his ten Indianapolis attempts resulted in Top Tens, but third has been his best finish.

11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (287 Pts)
All of a sudden, ole Smoke looks pretty comfortable in the standings.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 499 PTS
If William Clyde’s nickname was “Champ”, we could engrave the trophy and be done with it.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 497 PTS
Newman figures Gordon still knows how to put on his underwear…or he said something like that.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 488 PTS
That 2015 Daytona 400 crash now the cause of a lawsuit against NASCAR and the track.

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 474 PTS
Sixth place finish last weekend gives Dimples some breathing room going into Sunday.

16. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 461 PTS
Staying out of the car this week and at the Glen, allowing some pretty boy his seat time.

17. TREVOR BAYNE – 447 PTS
A Top 20 finish would be very, very helpful this weekend.

18. RYAN BLANEY – 445 PTS
Ditto.

19. KASEY KAHNE – 439 PTS
Ditto again.

20. KYLE LARSON – 436 PTS
Read above.

July 20, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th at New Hampshire, as handling issues derailed his chances for a third consecutive win.

“The No. 2 Miller Lite car wasn’t at its best,” Keselowski said. “That’s opposed to the previous two weeks when it was Lite years ahead of the field.”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth in the New Hampshire 301 as Matt Kenseth won. Harvick leads the Sprint Cup points standings with a 14-point cushion over Brad Keselowski.

“We had one of the fastest cars,” Harvick said, “but we blew it during pit stops. Unfortunately, that’s become too often an occurrence. It seems like every time I make a pit stop, it’s a drive-through penalty. But I don’t want to name names, mostly because I don’t even know any of their names.

“As far as speed goes, the No. 4 Jimmy Johns car is ‘freaky fast.’ As far as speed in the pits goes, the No. 4 Jimmy Johns pit crew is ‘freaky last.’”

3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 22nd at New Hampshire, with a likely top-10 run soured by late contact that resulted in a rear tire rub.

“It’s never a good thing when you radio your crew chief to say you’ve got tire rub,” Busch said. “That’s a story no one likes to tell. If I had to make it in book form, it would be a work of friction.’”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 20th after an accident with Ryan Newman caused a spin and cost Edwards hard-earned track position.

“Congratulations to Matt Kenseth,” Edwards said. “I think he’ll enjoy that giant lobster given to the winner. They certainly have one thing in common—they’ll both soon be in hot water.”

5. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at New Hampshire, posting his eighth top five of the season. He is fifth in the points standings, 65 out of first.

“Matt Kenseth ran the perfect race,” Logano said. “I think everyone would give him two thumbs up, except for NASCAR inspectors.”

6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took the lead with 29 laps to go and maintained it through three subsequent restarts to win the New Hampshire 301, his second win of the year.

“Unfortunately,” Kenseth said, “my car failed a post-race laser inspection. On the flip side, 39 other cars passed the post-race loser inspection.

“But I’m not worried about failing inspection. When all is said and done, I’ll still have the win. So everything will be ‘fine.’”

7. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex suffered a broken shifter midway through the race on Sunday and finished 16th, and is now seventh in the points standings, 96 out of first.

“My shifter handle fell off,” Truex said, “and the car got stuck in fourth gear. And then I had to make an unscheduled pit stop, which pretty much ruined my chances of winning. Broken shifters suck. Anyone who says otherwise is wrong. So, if you think my shift don’t stink, you are incorrect.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished eighth in the New Hampshire 301, recording his 12th top-10 result of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 80 out of first.

“Joe Gibbs racing drivers have won eight races this season,” Busch said, “and passed post-race inspections in all but one of those instances. That’s the definition of success, not failure. I’m not sure what part of Matt Kenseth’s car failed inspection, but it was detected via the use of a laser. I think lasers are great for NASCAR. That’s just one more thing, in addition to fans, that can get ‘lit’ at a NASCAR race.”

9. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 12th at New Hampshire, the top finisher among Hendrick Motorsports cars.

“Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed the race due to concussion-like symptoms,” Johnson said. “So Sunday was a day of mourning for the people of Junior Nation. Of course, Junior fans needed some clarification on exactly what a ‘day of mourning’ is. To most of them, ‘day of mourning describes’ a restaurant that serves all-day breakfast.”

10. Tony Stewart: Stewart chased Matt Kenseth to the finish at New Hampshire and score the runner-up finish, his second consecutive top five.

“There was no catching Kenseth,” Stewart said. “He drove a near flawless race. I say ‘nearly’ flawless because there’s one thing he could have done to make it a totally flawless race, and that’s wreck Joey Logano.”

July 19, 2016
Hot 20 – New Hampshire won’t be raced under the stars, but one will definitely win it

The rich get richer. That will be the story this weekend, as only those with a pedigree seem to have a chance at success in this weekend’s New Hampshire 301.

If Clint Bowyer wants a third win at Loudon, he might need to find a different car. In his wait in the wilderness before he takes over Tony Stewart’s ride next year, he has been driving autos that look pretty…they just do not perform that way. Kasey Kahne has a win there, too. He could do it. All he needs to do is perform better than he has been to date.

As for the other 11 active drivers coming in with a win at Loudon since 2002, every single one of them currently sits in a Chase place. Something tells me that we might not be terribly shocked as to the outcome of events come Sunday. In just the past two seasons, the winners have been Brad Keselowski, already with back-to-back wins this month, along with Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth. I really would not be expecting someone not listed below to be shaking up the suds this weekend.

Yet, the question remains, which one from our Hot 20 will be the man of the hour?

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (595 Pts)
If I had to pick just one…

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (521 Pts)
Winning driver and truck owner is an outstanding mentor to the next generation of stars.

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (566 Pts)
Thought he had a chance for a win at Kentucky, but Keselowski made that no chance at all.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (484 Pts)
Might not have the best 36-race record, but he is the undisputed king of the playoff era.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (599 Pts)
If he was King of NASCAR, he would keep all the races but tighten the schedule up by 6 weeks.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (583 Pts)
No more tracks left to claim a Top Five. Kentucky was the last one to be checked off the list.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (533 Pts)
Hosting the Driving Hope Home Golf Tournament today (Thursday) in Plantsville, Connecticut.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (514 Pts)
Pass to the right in the pits…avoid cars pulling in…pass to the right in the pits…

9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (477 Pts)
Last July it was Kyle, last September it was Matt at Kentucky. Take that, Keselowski.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (472 Pts)
50-50 Sunday will result in a Top Ten…and for Loudon those are decent odds.

11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (248 Pts)
Donating his Kentucky tires to the NHL for use as massive hockey pucks.

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 492 PTS
Once upon a time we had kids like Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon…and wasn’t there an Elliott?

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 463 PTS
Finally a Top Three finish…and yet he still sits in a Chase place.

14. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 461 PTS
It appears that just a little bit of success might be enough.

15. AUSTIN DILLON – 460 PTS
Average 25 points per race and you got yourself a spot to the party.

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 439 PTS
Less than that and things start to get a bit heated…as Jamie has discovered.

17. TREVOR BAYNE – 429 PTS
Average 23.8 points per race and you are looking up McMurray’s tailpipe. That can’t be pretty.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 423 PTS
Danica says she could take Kahne in a fight. Imagine. A bout between our two prettiest drivers.

19. RYAN BLANEY – 415 PTS
Ryan and Chase and 18-year old William Byron in the trucks. It is the dawn of a new era.

20. KYLE LARSON – 412 PTS
At 23, young Mr. Larson is not exactly ready to join any old boys club just yet, either.

July 13, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kentucky

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won for the fourth time this year, and second time consecutively, with the victory in the Quaker State 400.

“That’s ‘2’ in a row,” Keselowski said. “I saved just enough fuel to make it to the finish line for my fourth win this year. That’s more than any other driver. But I’m not done yet. Trust me, I’ve got more left in the tank.”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Kentucky and finished ninth, posting his 14th top 10 of the year.

“I led the most laps,” Harvick said, “and I had one of the strongest cars. I should have won, but I didn’t. Now I know what Richard Childress felt like in 2013 because I ‘let one slip away.’”

3. Kurt Busch: Busch finished fourth in the Quaker State 400, recording his sixth top-five finish of the year. He is third in the points standings, 16 behind Kevin Harvick.

“There was a truck in the parking lot that caught fire during the race,” Busch said. “It was quite a spectacle. But there was ‘Smoke’ rising on the track as well; Tony Stewart finished fifth. And speaking of ‘finished fifths,’ there were a lot of empty bottles of bourbon littering the Kentucky Speedway infield. So, consider the sorrows of Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans drowned.”

4. Carl Edwards: Edwards closed the gap on Brad Keselowski in the closing stages at Kentucky, but Keselowski had just enough fuel to hold him off. Edwards settled for the runner-up spot and is now fourth in the points standings, 33 out of first.

“I got all up on Keselowski’s bumper,” Edwards said. “Brad should consider himself lucky, because most drivers, like Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick, are used to me getting all up in their grill.”

5. Joey Logano: Logano blew a right-front tire early in the race at Kentucky and slammed the wall hard, severely crippling his No. 22 Penske Ford. Logano limped home with a finish of 39th.

“That was the hardest hit I’ve experienced in a long time,” Logano said. “Ryan Newman once threatened to hit me that hard.

“My teammate Brad Keselowski took the win with a perfect fuel mileage strategy. He saved fuel to the point where he didn’t even have enough to do a victory burnout. Now that’s what I call taking fuel mileage strategy to the extreme.”

6. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s sights on a win at Kentucky came crashing down when he was penalized for an illegal pass on pit road during a late caution. He eventually finished 10th.

“NASCAR officials tell me it’s illegal to pass on the inside on pit road,” Truex said. “That pretty much ended my run to the front. You could say I had a ‘transmission” problem because I got ‘drive shafted.’”

7. Kyle Busch: Busch, who won at Kentucky last year, finished 12th in the Quaker State 400.

“The finish to the race was very exciting,” Busch said, “with Carl Edwards chasing Brad Keselowski. But the real action was in the parking lot, where a truck caught on fire. Apparently, emergency responders pulled a person out of the truck. So, it seems the truck wasn’t the only thing ‘smoking.’”

8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered an early spin at Kentucky and smashed the wall exiting Turn 4, leading to a long night in the Quaker State 400. He eventually finished 32nd, 59 laps down.

“I just got loose,” Johnson said. “The lower downforce package the cars are running make them hard to handle. But it’s no surprise grip is an issue with me. I won my last Sprint Cup championship in 2010, and things have been ‘slipping’ since then.”

9. Chase Elliott: Elliott was clipped by Ryan Blaney’s spin early in the race and limped home with a 31st at Kentucky.

“I don’t fault Ryan for the accident,” Elliott said. “He comes from a reputable family, so I’m reluctant to throw blame around. Much like his father Dave, Ryan’s ‘done nothing’ in this sport.”

10. Tony Stewart: Stewart finished fifth in the Quaker State 400, earning his second top-five of the year.

“I’ve already got a win this season,” Stewart said. “The Chase format tells me I need to keep an eye on the top 30. My waist size tells me I need to keep an eye on the ‘bottom 50.’”

July 12, 2016
The Final Word – Kentucky is wide open for 2017, but the even years belong to Brad Keselowski

Brad Keselowski is one of the most generous drivers in NASCAR. When they opened the track in Kentucky, did Brad win it in 2011? He did not. No, he was gracious enough to let Kyle Busch take the inaugural event. In fact, he was thoughtful enough to let Kyle take it last year as well. Keselowski is no race hog. Matt Kenseth benefitted from his generosity in 2013. Brad Keselowski is a swell guy. However, note that the even years belong to him and only to him.

Saturday night, Keselowski claimed his third Kentucky contest in six attempts. With the tank running dry and the competition diving down pit road for a top off on fuel, Keselowski just kept going on and on and on to the finish. He managed to turn around to capture the flag, but after that, he was powered by the front bumper of a tow truck. For him, Sonoco was good to the very last drop.

Four wins on the season, at the top of the charts in the standings, three wins and eight Top Tens in his last 10, with a worst finish of 15th in that span. It would appear all is well in Brad’s world. For others, it appears they were traveling behind a honey wagon last weekend.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. is trying to at least stay within hailing distance of a Chase place. That cause was not helped a wit in Kentucky. A blown tire just nine laps in and he was toast and dead last. Joey Logano has a win and is high in the points, so when he pounded the wall with just 52 gone and more than 200 to go, it was not as devastating but he was just as parked.

A.J. Allmendinger picked up five big needed points, but maybe just taking the day off would have been better. He got caught up in a multi-car wreck, then got pasted into the fence even worse later on, injuring his thumb while he was at it. Ryan Blaney is dropping further and further from contention, this time, he and fellow rookie Chase Elliott found themselves emulating synchro swimmers in a lovely choreographed dual spin. Neither were to finish in the Top 30. As for Jimmie Johnson, he did not go unnoticed, but that spin 33 laps in did the damage, and the time to make repairs left him behind Elliott on the day, and that was not good.

Carl Edwards was second best on the day while others with a Chase place also finishing in the Top Ten include Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Jamie McMurray, Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. Tony Stewart was fifth and is 31 points to the good in making his win count toward a championship run. Greg Biffle was sixth, but a win might be what it takes to be in at this point.

Only McMurray appears to have much heat behind him as they move on to New Hampshire on Sunday. He goes in with a 10 point lead over Bayne, with Kasey Kahne 16 off the pace, and Blaney 23 back in the weeds.

Kahne has won there before, while McMurray has not. Going back to September of 2002, only five of the 27 races there were not claimed by someone not currently holding a place in the Chase. Only Kahne (once), Clint Bowyer (twice), along with Brian Vickers and Mark Martin are the anomalies. As for Brad Keselowski, he did not win it last year, but he did in 2014. Do I need to remind you that this is one of those even years?

July 11, 2016
Hot 20 – We realize NASCAR is a commercial enterprise…but enough is enough

Sponsors pay for stuff. They pay enough cash that NASCAR and its track owners have sold their collective souls and it explains why they no longer promote a Firecracker 400, or a World 600, and why they actually dumped, for a time, the Southern 500. Money talks, tradition walks. It is an old story and as long as there is a can of soda to be sold, some tools to be used, a grocery chain with vittles on offer, a casino seeking guests, insurance to be flogged, tents up for grabs, or a car model to be promoted, it appears that will remain the case. Do the folks doing the advertising get their money’s worth? Who cares; that is their worry, not mine.

What an event is called matters little in the grand scheme of things, I guess. A race is a race, and if prestige is swapped for big bucks, I guess that is the price one is willing to pay. To watch the races on television, the price viewers pay is a slew of interruptions in order to make room for a word from a sponsor who is paying too much for a message most of us ignore.

That was not always the case. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip were one hell of a team selling everything from pizza to car parts to beer. The boys from a day not so long ago sold razors, hardware, gum, insurance, cars, and who can forget about that Big Brown Truck? Hell, we watched those commercials and they were classic enough to be watched over and over without complaint. Today, it is a different story. They seem to think they can get away with little creativity, provide little entertainment value, yet apparently not bright enough to realize that a lot of us do not even watch the damn things long enough to even know what they are about.

Last Saturday night, 124 commercials got in the way. That is 28 more than what ran a year before. As it is, nearly 20 percent of the airtime over the course of this season has been devoted to commercials but they upped that for Daytona. It reached up to nearly a quarter of what you watched had nothing to do with the race. Then the idiots actually scratch their heads and wonder why the television numbers are down. Duh!

The current model is not working. While we realize everything comes with a cost, that somebody has to pay in order for us to watch the action, they should realize that either we pre-record the action to avoid the commercials, or we hit the head or the galley during such interruptions, or we wander off to do other things instead. Last week, we might have hung around just because of the action promised at Daytona. The sixth running of the Quaker State 400 from Sparta, Kentucky does not have the same pedigree. It is just another race.

You and I know why we watch. Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch have combined to win four of the first five run there at Kentucky. Will one of them take his fourth victory of the season on Saturday? We watch to see if Ryan Blaney can hold down that final Chase place, despite challenges from Jamie McMurray, Trevor Bayne, and Kasey Kahne. We watch to see if Tony Stewart can stay ahead of the two boys close behind in the battle for 30th in points. We watch because we like the sport, the action, and its athletes. We do not watch for the commercials.

The Hot 20 heading into Kentucky include…

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3 WINS (551 Pts)
Winner last week, and he is two for five at Kentucky. Maybe more bubbly is in his future.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (492 Pts)
Won the first race at Kentucky, and won the last race there.

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (527 Pts)
If being at the wrong place at the wrong time was a goal, Edwards attained it at Daytona.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (475 Pts)
Thirty wins since 2010, but none at Kentucky though five for five in Top Tens is pretty good.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
If points still told the tale, he would be at the top, and still might when they finish in November.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (545 Pts)
It seemed that Kurt was very understanding of Logano after Daytona. We shall see, we shall see.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (531 Pts)
Too bad this jerk is on this list. Too bad this jerk is also one hell of a driver.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (482 Pts)
He probably did not appreciate the 30 lap rest in the middle of last week’s race.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (446 Pts)
We heard Denny was hungry for a Daytona sweep. I guess the boy must be starving today.

10. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (443 Pts)
Only three drivers have won the five races held thus far at Kentucky. Matt is one of them.

11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (212 Pts)
He is ba-ack…but can he stay here?

12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 482 PTS
The only winless Chaser who heads to Kentucky fairly relaxed. The rest hear footsteps.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 434 PTS
A 29 point pad is good unless an engine goes south or he gets caught up in someone else’s mess.

14. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 433 PTS
Biggest free agents in sports history include the names of Bobby, Reggie, Payton, LeBron, and Junior.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 425 PTS
His Kentucky goal is to keep the likes of Blaney, McMurray, Bayne, and Kahne in the rear view.

16. RYAN BLANEY – 409 PTS
A Chase place would be a wonderful story, but not everyone likes wonderful stories.

17. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 405 PTS
Got a little loose, got a lot wrecked. Now his goal has to be to break a kid’s heart.

18. TREVOR BAYNE – 399 PTS
See a Blaney, catch a Blaney.

19. KASEY KAHNE – 396 PTS
Things were getting better, then Daytona happened.

20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 393 PTS
The Glen is coming up August 7th.

31. BRIAN SCOTT – 209 PTS
Stewart sits 30th in points, just three ahead of Scott. Talk about incentive.

32. REGAN SMITH – 203 PTS
If Scott falters, there is still another shark in the water close behind.

July 6, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski led 115 of 161 laps and won the Coke 400, his first ever Sprint Cup win at Daytona. He is now second in the Sprint Cup points standings, only 14 behind Kevin Harvick.

“That was my first win at Daytona,” Keselowski said, “and was made all the more satisfying because I held off both Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch. Therefore, after the race, it was a case of ‘sibling revelry.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was caught in an accident with 70 laps left, and limped home to a 39th-place finish, his worst of the year. He still holds the lead in the points standings, with a 14-point lead over Brad Keselowski.

“That was a scary accident,” Harvick said. “I rammed into the back of Brian Scott’s No. 44 car and his car was briefly riding on top of mine. I’ve been known to carry a team, but never an opponent.”

3. Kurt Busch: Busch was running third into the final corner before spinning through the infield grass after Joey Logano made contact with Busch’s No. 41 Chevrolet. He finished a disappointing 23rd,

“I’m not sure what Logano was thinking,” Busch said. “I don’t think he was thinking. In other words, there was nothing going through his mind, so the best course of action is for me to knock some sense into him. Suffice it to say Logano is in my crosshairs, which, some to think of it, makes me a perfect match for a female assassin.”

4. Joey Logano: Logano helped push Penske Racing teammate Brad Keselowski to the win at Daytona and finished fourth in the Coke Zero 400.

“I would have liked to win,” Logano said, “but I’m satisfied with my finish. Any ‘Fourth Of July’ is worth celebrating.”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch chased Brad Keselowski late at Daytona, searching for any chance to pass for the win. Keselowski was able to defend his position well, and Busch settled for the runner-up spot.

“Keselowski’s No. 2 got a serious push from Joey Logano,” Busch said. “I haven’t heard of a ‘boost’ like that since they found jet fuel in the Michael Waltrip Racing cars.”

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards started second at Daytona and led eight laps before a series of accidents left him with a 25th-place finish. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 58 out of first.

“The No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota suffered a lot of damage,” Edwards said. “You could say it ‘hit more walls’ than a minority driver in NASCAR.”

7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson was one of 22 cars involved in a big wreck just past the halfway point at Daytona. Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson made contact, and Johnson slammed into McMurray.

“I would say McMurray is at fault for the accident,” Johnson said. “Just look at his car number; it says he’s ‘The Big 1.’”

8. Chase Elliott: Elliott was one of several cars collected in a huge pileup just past the halfway point at Daytona. He eventually finished 32nd, 48 laps off the pace.

“There were 22 cars involved in that accident, to be exact,” Elliott said. “And that resulted in a lot of damage. July 4th may be Independence Day, but July 2nd was ‘Indepen-dents Day.’

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 17th in the Coke Zero 400, one week after his runner-up finish to Tony Stewart at Sonoma.

“I’ve experienced the highs and lows of racing this year,” Hamlin said. “I won February’s Daytona 500 by one the slimmest of margins in NASCAR racing history, and lost two weeks ago t Sonoma to one of the fattest of drivers.”

10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 29th at Daytona after suffering damage in a big accident just past the halfway point. He is seventh in the points standings, 83 out of first.

“That wreck affected 22 cars,” Truex said. “It seems that Jamie McMurray ordered ‘takeout.’ I guess, ironically, it was his lucky day, because everyone else had to pay for it.”

July 5, 2016
The Final Word – Wouldn’t you hate having a Daytona night like Kurt, Carl, Jamie, Jimmie…

“I hate that I…” I love that phrase. It is the prelude to expressing some measure of regret for some on track transgression in the hopes that these mere words will make everything alright. For instance, “I hate that I got into Kurt [Busch] there at the end racing to the line.” So says Joey Logano after Busch got dumped on the final lap, crossing the line spinning backward in 23rd place Saturday night at Daytona. Well, doesn’t that just make everything just wonderful?

I mean, “I hate that my dog ate my homework, so I got nothing for you.” Maybe “I hate that my excess speed forced you to have to chase me down, officer.” One could try “I hate you found me in the arms of another.” Lovely sentiments, but without any reference to restitution, to make good on what had gone bad, rather meaningless.

To be honest, while Kurt was not pleased, he did sound mature in describing how any hope he had to charge to the front went sideways thanks to Logano. Not a curse word, no profanity, no vivid descriptions of where Joey could shove his weak apology, not a single declaration of revenge. It was damn near genteel.

Brad Keselowski, a man not known for his genteel nature, finally won at Daytona, and like most results on this particular track he had a lot of company coming to the line. Of course, being Daytona, he had less company than when they started. Ninety laps in, Jamie McMurray drifted up, drifted down, touched the side of Kyle Larson, and went back up in front of Jimmie Johnson. McMurray had scraped off a bit of speed. Johnson had not, and bad things happened. Seventeen other drivers got involved as folks got twisted in front of others, or simply run over from those charging from behind.

Thus ended the day for the two principles of the mayhem, along with Kevin Harvick, Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Brian Scott. Scott was the man sitting in 30th place, just nine points ahead of Tony Stewart when the green flag waved. That meant Smoke just needed to finish 28th or better to move into the position, making his win at Sonoma count, and launching him forward in the standings. Stewart finished 26th. Things were going well for him, at least until his back end did a little flutter with a dozen laps remaining, and he got punted into the fence to conclude his activities. Still, he had a goal and he met it, albeit barely.

Mishaps bent them and shaped them, as the American Breed might have sung back in the 60’s, to leave some running but laps in the dust. Danica Patrick, Matt Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Kasey Kahne and Chase Elliott were among those finishing just behind Stewart, between 27th and 32nd. A wreck halted Carl Edwards at 25th.

Keselowski, with his third of the season, was joined by Logano and Austin Dillon with expected Top Tens. Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer were not expected, but hopeful. It moves Bayne to within six points of 16th sitting McMurray on the ladder, as Stenhouse and Biffle are both less than 20 points out. Michael McDowell was 10th and probably more than happy with that result, as he has run eight more races than Stewart, collecting 18 fewer points. Saturday was a good day.

This weekend brings more Saturday action, as the boys and girl head to Kentucky for just the sixth time. Keselowski has two, Kyle Busch the first and the last, with Kenseth taking the race in 2013. Mind you, Johnson has also done well there, with a quintet of Top Tens. As to who needs to do what, Stewart will be okay as long as Scott and Smith remain behind him.

As for Ryan Blaney and McMurray, wouldn’t you just hate for any of the five drivers within 21 points of replacing them among our Chasers do just that this Saturday night? I bet they would.

July 4, 2016
Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

We want drivers and fans to be safe. We want action that is anything but safe. It might sound hypocritical, but deep in our hearts, we know it to be true.

Talladega concerned some drivers. Kyle Busch says it was “pretty dangerous for all us drivers.” That may have been true. He also said it “wasn’t very exciting.” That is false. For fans, watching drivers inches apart at up to 200 mph, where disaster is only a sneeze away, is pretty damned exciting.

Personally, it is the threat of a wreck that is more exciting than the actual carnage. The boys and girl are doing something I do not have the ability to perform nor, to be honest, the courage to attempt. It appears to be dangerous and, according to Kyle, that is because it is.

We want the danger. Yet, we also want to see Kyle climb out of his Xfinity car unscathed at Daytona. We wanted to see Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin Jr. step out of their wrecks. We want to see the crushing hits in the NFL, but it appears their helmets cannot prevent the devastation of long-term brain injuries. We want the fights and the hard hits of the NHL, yet the mounting evidence of long-term head trauma has brought rule changes to make the sport safer.

Does reducing the danger also reduce the excitement for the fans? It has to. Hall of Famers Sprague Cleghorn, Eddie Shore, Rocket Richard, and Gordie Howe would have had to play differently to avoid lifetime suspensions in today’s NHL. Some used their sticks, some their elbows, and some just beat the crap out of their opponents. Seeing a receiver take the hit just as he receives the ball, slamming straight to the ground or doing mid-air flips upon impact, is a great visual, but it has to take a toll on the human being involved. Does anyone remember Lawrence Taylor’s sack of Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann that broke the pivot’s leg in two places? Pretty amazing. Pretty devastating. For safety sake, change is required, change is happening, and more change is coming.

Deaths have happened in most sports, but very few at the highest level. Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians died in 1920 after being struck in the head by a pitched ball. Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars struck his head on the ice and died in 1968. In football, AFL players Howard Glenn and Stone Johnson died in the 1960’s due to neck injuries. Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions suffered a fatal heart attack in a game in 1971. Then there is professional boxing. Then there is motorsports.

Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, J.D. McDuffie, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, and Carlos Pardo remind us that we cannot build more durable humans, nor dismiss the heartbreak of their loss. Pit road is safer, yet only after the Southern 500 in 1960 cost the lives of mechanics Paul McDuffie, Charles Sweatlund, and official Joe Taylor. We lost crewman Randy Owens at Talladega in 1975. Yet, we liked the excitement of those old cars, the open faced helmets, and the speeding down pit road. We still do, but not at that price.

If NASCAR gets too safe, might it cause fans to wander off seeking new distractions, new outlets for their thrills and emotions? It could. It may have already taken place to some degree. I love watching the action at Daytona and Talladega, watching those who can do what I cannot, or will not, even attempt. I watch what I enjoy, and often we can not say exactly what it is that caused us to lose interest. I loved hockey, the hard-nosed 1960’s, the violent 1970’s, and the grace and majesty of the 1980’s, but it is rare to find me sitting through an NHL game today. Many once loved NASCAR; they had it bad and could not get enough of it. Today, the tracks no longer even release attendance figures and grandstands are being torn down. Sports of all kinds are trying to increase the “fan experience,” all but admitting the action on the field is no longer enough.

Saturday night should be enough. It is Daytona, the Firecracker 400 as it was known until 1989. A race that has meaning, a race that has tradition, a race that has high speeds and, yes, a race that has a measure of danger.

May our Hot 20 and the rest provide us with excitement and, despite our barbaric nature, a safe event.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (452 Pts)
No new rules to slow down the cars at Daytona, and Kyle isn’t happy about that.

2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (510 Pts)
Has run good at Daytona, has run bad, but has never won there.

3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (506 Pts)
Tried out an IndyCar at Road America, and plans to run Indianapolis…some day.

4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (469 Pts)
Daughters cannot listen to team radio…because sometimes daddy says bad words.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (562 Pts)
Sixteen races, 13 Top Tens. Some have more wins, no one has more points.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (527 Pts)
Formula 3000 is just one step below F-1…and could be in Kurt’s future come December.

7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (493 Pts)
If Tony and Denny had crashed on last Sunday’s final lap, guess who would have won.

8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (469 Pts)
Tony, Tony, Tony…but did anyone notice Martin finished fifth? Did not think so.

9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (430 Pts)
He did not have Chris Osborne as his eyes in the sky in February. He will on Saturday night.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (421 Pts)
With Tony Stewart behind him at Sonoma, Denny thought for a second he was Ron Thornton.

11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 473 PTS
Good talent, good car, equals good results.

12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 413 PTS
Newman, McMurray, and Junior battled on the track, only to face de-feet in the sky.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 402 PTS
The winner.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 400 PTS
I am trying to remember how his Daytona race finished last year. So is he.

15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 398 PTS
If a pissed off Stewart is a motivated Stewart, does that make Jamie his personal Tony Robbins?

16. KASEY KAHNE – 385 PTS
If you think Kasey’s season sucks, please consider Clint’s situation.

17. RYAN BLANEY – 382 PTS
New rule change locks even unchartered teams into Chase races…but they have to be Chasers.

18. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 365 PTS
Damn rolling tire.

19. TREVOR BAYNE – 361 PTS
You might remember that he has won at Daytona before.

20. KYLE LARSON – 355 PTS
Do you remember when everyone was gushing over Kyle and Trevor?

30. BRIAN SCOTT – 205 PTS
Sometimes holding down 30th gets you recognition…at least for this week.

32. TONY STEWART – 196 PTS (1 win)
As Kyle did before him. Now cue the Jaws theme.

June 29, 2016
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 25th and finished sixth at Sonoma as Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Tony Stewart grabbed the win.

“Tony is a legend in the garage,” Harvick said, “as well as the kitchen. I’m proud to say I work for Tony. In other words, I’m on his payroll. And that roll is just one of many belonging to Tony.

“How about that fight after the Camping World Truck series race on Saturday? It was a lot like a fight involving Sprint Cup drivers, just with punches.”

2. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 10th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, posting his series-best 13th top 10 of the year. He is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 30 behind Kevin Harvick.

“You probably saw a lot of people run over to Tony’s car in Victory Lane,” Busch said. “That wasn’t to congratulate him; it just takes that many people to pull Tony out of his car.”

3. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 and finished fourth as Joe Gibbs Racing placed three drivers in the top 10.

“There was an all-out brawl after Saturday night’s Camping World Truck Series race,” Edwards said. “John Wes Townley and Spencer Gallagher wrestled and slugged it out after crashing. I think it’s great for the sport. To those drivers, I say ‘Keep on Truckin’!’”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th at Sonoma and is now fourth in the points standings, 56 out of first.

“Cheers to Tony Stewart,” Keselowski said. “What a great win for him. He’s a legend in this sport. In fact, you could say Tony puts the ‘ass’ in ‘ambassador.’

“As you probably heard, Jeff Gordon and I sat down to talk about our recent disagreement. I guess we came to some sort of agreement. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still going to speak my mind. As everyone knows, I’m just as mouthy as I am ‘gummy.’”

5. Kyle Busch: Busch joined Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards in the top 10 with a seventh-place finish in the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“I hit a jackrabbit during Friday’s practice,” Busch said. “That was the worst case of wheel hop I’ve ever seen. Luckily, the collision didn’t cause much damage, at least to my car. Sure, the handling was off a little, but just by a ‘hare.’”

6. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 13th at Sonoma as 45-year-old Tony Stewart took the win, his first since 2013.

“I think everybody is happy that Tony won,” Johnson said. “Ironically, the only way that everybody can be happy is if Tony wins, because Tony’s never happy otherwise.”

7. Joey Logano: Logano finished third at Sonoma, posting his fifth top-five result of the year. He is fifth in the points standings, 71 out of first.

“I had a great view of the Tony Stewart-Denny Hamlin battle for the win,” Logano said. “I think everyone was pulling for Tony to win, especially Hamlin.

“But Tony’s win is great for NASCAR. The fans loved it. If there’s one thing Tony does well, it’s fill the stands. If there’s one thing Tony does better, it’s fill a seat.”

8. Chase Elliott: Elliott struggled in his first Sprint Cup race at Sonoma, finishing 21st.

“Jeff Gordon says he’s interested in joining ‘Live’ with Kelly Ripa,” Elliott said. “I think it’s a great idea. If he gets the job, I think his first order of business should be doing a sit-down interview with Brad Keselowski. Jeff probably has other ideas; specifically, a ‘sit-down, shut-up’ interview with Keselowski.

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished second at Sonoma after battling former teammate Tony Stewart down the stretch. It was Hamlin’s fifth top-five finish of the year.

“There are those that say I ‘let’ Tony win,” Hamlin said. “That my mistake in the final corner was intentional. People ask me, ‘Did you do that on purpose?’ The only thing I can say to that is, ‘For Christ’s sake, don’t ask Tony that question!’”

10. Tony Stewart: Stewart passed Denny Hamlin on the final corner, just seconds after Hamlin passed him, to win the Toyota/Save Mart 350.

“I snapped an 84-race winless drought,” Stewart said. “That a long time to go without a win. It’s the same feeling I get when I step on my bathroom scale because the ‘weight’ is over.”

June 28, 2016