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  • Matty’s Picks Vol. 9 – Kentucky – Quaker State 400 – July 9, 2011

    Matty’s Picks Vol. 9 – Kentucky – Quaker State 400 – July 9, 2011

    [media-credit name=”KentuckySpeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]This week, the NASCAR Sprint Cup series heads to the state known not for stock car racing, but for its horse racing. Yes, each year the Thunder Over Louisville is the opening ceremony for the most prestigious horse race in the world, the Kentucky Derby. Not only does the Kentucky Derby Festival hold the world’s largest fireworks display in the world, but Kentucky holds more gold in storage inside the vaults of Fort Knox, than any other place in the world. Over $6 billion dollars worth of gold calls Kentucky home in the underground storage vaults.

    Enough with the quirky facts about the state and onto the RACING!

    Just 11 years ago, Jerry Carroll’s dream came became a reality when he opened the front gates to Kentucky Speedway on June 16, 2000. It was two years and $153 million dollars that finally got the track opened for its first event, a Slim Jim All Pro Series race. The day following, Greg Biffle won the first NASCAR sanctioned race at Kentucky in the Camping World Truck Series. Since then, Kentucky Speedway has been a stop for the Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, IZOD IndyCar Series, and the Firestone Indy Light Series.

    In 2008, the track was purchased from owner Jerry Carroll by Speedway Motorsports Inc with the intent to host a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event during the 2009 racing season. Bruton Smith put an additional $50 million into the track, expanding the seating of the track from 66,000 to 107,000, reconfiguring pit road, and adding an additional 200 acres of camping around the complex. This proved to be enough to land an event at the speedway for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The race Saturday night has officially sold out and should prove to be one of the most memorable nights in the track’s brief history.

    Kentucky Speedway’s layout mocks the layouts of Kansas Speedway and Chicagoland Speedway. With 14 degrees of banking in the corners, 8-10 degrees in the Tri-Oval and 4 degrees on the backstretch, Kentucky will prove to be a bit of a challenge to newcomers.

    Daytona Recap

    Because my Kentucky intro being as long-winded as it is, although tough with the excitement of the last 20 laps at Daytona, I will keep my recap of last week fairly brief.

    My winner pick, Jeff Gordon, played the Hendrick game last Saturday night in an effort to steer clear of trouble. Gordon immediately hooked up with drafting partner, Mark Martin in the first few laps of the race, pushing Martin to the point. The tandem of Gordon and Martin would slip out of the top 20 just before lap number 20, and would ride in the middle of the pack until the 300-mile mark. Following their final green flag stops with 25 laps remaining, the duo would make their charge towards the front, moving to 7th and 8th with just 5 laps remaining. Gordon would make one of the best saves of his career, keeping the Pepsi Max Chevy clear of any barriers but would bring out the caution with just 4 to go. The first attempt at a GWC restart would go foul in Turn 2, putting Gordon in 17th on what would become the final restart. Gordon then hooked up with Toyota driver, Kyle Busch, and the tandem sliced through traffic and Busch pulled Gordon to a 6th place finish, netting me a top 10 for my winner pick.

    A.J. Allmendinger would also net me a top 10 for my Dark Horse pick this past weekend in his No. 43 U.S. Air Force Ford Fusion. Also taking the mid-pack route on Saturday night, Allmendinger hooked up with teammate Marcos Ambrose early, but the tandem would eventually split late in the race after the No. 43 ran out of gas on lap 134. Allmendinger coasted onto pit road and would eventually go one lap down to the leaders. It wasn’t until the caution brought out by my winner pick that Allmendinger would gain the Lucky-Dog and jump back onto the lead lap. Starting at the rear of the field following the final two cautions would prove to be beneficial in the end for the Richard Petty Motorsports Driver. Allmendinger would avoid both cautions in overtime to drive to a 10th place finish, netting me another top ten for my Dark Horse pick.

    Kentucky Picks

    Onto my picks for this week.

    I’m not going to bore you all to death with statistics this week only because THERE AREN’T ANY! I’m also not going to base my predictions on past finishes at Kansas or Chicagoland because the two tracks are rather similar to Kentucky Speedway, but that fact means nothing when it comes to an inaugural race. Each of the 43 drivers starting the race Saturday Night will be foaming at the drop of the green flag in an effort to become the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner at Kentucky Speedway.

    I’m not sure how legal this is in the eyes of the Matty’s Pick’s rules committee, but I’m picking a guy this week that fans may not always have as a contender to win week in and week out. He has won the past three NASCAR Nationwide Series races at Kentucky, and will use his experiences in the Nationwide cars to give him a bit of an edge on Saturday night. Joey Logano scored his first NASCAR win at Kentucky in 2008, but has not seen victory lane in the Sprint Cup series since his win at Loudon in June 2009. This is my basis for qualifying him as a Dark Horse this weekend, and my guess is he will prove me wrong as a Dark Horse by running in the top 10 on Saturday.

    For my winner pick, I am also picking a driver with some experience at Kentucky Speedway. He won a race in the Nationwide Series at Kentucky in June of 2004. Rowdy Busch is my Winner pick for this week and I am basing this prediction off of desire. I think Kyle Busch has a spot on his mantle open for a trophy with the words “Inaugural Race Winner” inscribed on it, and Joe Gibbs Racing will give him the car he needs to go get it. Look for the No. 18 in Gatorade Victory Lane not only Saturday Night, but Friday in the Nationwide Series, and Thursday in the Camping World Truck Series as well.

    This ends a very long-winded Matty’s picks this week, (including the two hidden Bonus Picks!) I am extremely excited to be joining the other 125,000 folks at Kentucky Speedway this weekend to watch history be made. I will make the journey from Buffalo, NY to be on hand for this epic event, and look forward to sharing some good food, good times, and great RACIN’ in the Bluegrass State!!!

    Until next time…..you stay classy NASCAR NATION!!

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”283″][/media-credit]

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 16 laps and finished seventh in the Coke Zero 400, posting his tenth top-10 result of the year. He overtook Carl Edwards, who struggled in finishing 37th, atop the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads Edwards by five.

    “The car says ‘King Of Beers,’” Harvick said. “But the point standings say ‘King Of Peers.’ If this is what a handshake with Kyle Busch gets me, I can only begin to imagine the possibilities, but I’ll try not to for the sake of my manhood. But, the points lead in July is much like an insincere handshake—meaningless.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards No. 99 Ford, paired up with teammate Greg Biffle, got loose in the draft on lap 23, and Edwards spun into the inside retaining wall. The damage to the car’s rear required lengthy repairs, and Edwards finished 37th, 26 laps down. He dropped from first to second in the point standings, and is now five behind Kevin Harvick.

    “The damage to the No. 99 Subway caused exhaust fumes to enter the car,” Edwards said. “That was simply more than I could handle. No, not the temperature, but the jokes about whether or not I wanted it ‘toasted.’

    “But my trouble with the ‘back end’ allowed Kevin Harvick to ‘back in’ to the points lead. That’s fine with me. Now, without the pressure of the points lead, I can concentrate on contract talks. I may have been ‘un-seated;’ now, I can proceed in earnest with getting ‘re-seated.’”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch fell back from the front after contact from Jeff Gordon damaged the No. 18 JGR Toyota with three laps to go at Daytona. Busch restarted 18th after pitting for repairs, and he picked his way through late-race carnage to deliver a fifth-place finish. Busch improved two spots in the point standings to third, and trails Kevin Harvick by 10.

    “Surprisingly,” Busch said, “I drafted well with Joey Logano. Our cars ran extremely well nose to tail. What do you get when you pair the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota and the No. 18 Interstate Battery car together? ‘Domestic Battery.’

    “And speaking of other ‘unlikely pairs,’ how about the right hands of Kevin Harvick and I? Other unlikely pairs? My brother Kurt and a happy wife. Red Bull crew members and political correctness. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and victory. Richard Childress and a 2011 without probation.”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: As he had in April’s win at Talladega, Johnson hooked up with Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the draft at Daytona, and the duo look poised to challenge up front as the laps wound down in the Coke Zero 400. But after Johnson pitted during a caution with two laps to go, and Earnhardt didn’t, the tandem was separated. Instead, Johnson hooked up with Jeff Gordon’s No. 24, but the No. 48 was collected in a last lap crash that dropped him to a finish of 20th.

    “I hear that Earnhardt fans are livid at me for leaving Dale hanging,” Johnson said. “It seems that Junior Nation was unhappy with the state of the ‘union,’ and they let me hear about it. But I fired back on my Twitter account, where I essentially gave Junior Nation the finger. Call it the ‘Tweet-y bird.’

    “But let’s be serious. How is Jimmie Johnson pushing Junior advantageous to me? I’m pushing Junior. That means I’m behind him. That in itself means I have no chance of winning.”

    5. Kurt Busch: Busch’s No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge suffered damage on a lap 163 restart, and after repairs, he was 26th in the second green-white-checkered restart on lap 168. On the final turn, a wild crash ensued as the field roared to the checkered. Busch, with the help of his spotter, avoided damage this time, and came home 14th. He remained fourth in the point standings, and is 16 out of first.

    “At Daytona,” Busch said, “as in relationships, it’s all about finding the right partner. And, in both cases, it’s easy to get out of line, which is what happens when you lose a draft partner, for example, or kiss another woman in Victory Lane. Often, it all boils down to timing. Squeezing through a multi-car crash: good timing. Announcing your marriage is ending after publicly kissing another woman: bad timing.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth pushed Roush Fenway Racing teammate David Ragan to the win at Daytona, and Kenseth claimed the runner-up spot, his ninth top-5 finish of the year. Ragan and Kenseth were a formidable tandem all night, combining to lead 29 laps. Kenseth moved up one spot to fifth in the point standings, and is 22 out of first.

    “With apologies to NASCAR’s drug policy,” Kenseth said, “and even more apologies to the great Curtis Mayfield, I’m proud to say to David Ragan, ‘I’m your pusher, man.’ Ragan was driving the UPS car, but I delivered the package.

    “There was a lot of talk at Daytona about drivers leaving their draft partners, but with Crown Royal’s sponsorship leaving the No. 17 car, it appears I’m the one that really was hung out to ‘dry.’”

    7. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt lost drafting partner Jimmie Johnson when Johnson pitted during a caution with three laps to go in regulation at Daytona. On the restart, Earnhardt resumed without Johnson’s push, and, after getting collected in a final-turn crash, Earnhardt finished 19th. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now trails Kevin Harvick by 52.

    “I was enjoying the push from the No. 48,” Earnhardt said. “Then, with little warning, he was gone, causing a great deal of confusion and leaving my race in disarray. It was a case of ‘helper skelter.’

    “As you know, I’m not a big fan of the type of racing prevalent at Daytona now. It’s a lot like a restrictor plate—it sucks.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon survived a spin with three laps to go at Daytona, miraculously keeping his car off the wall, then hooked up in the draft with Kyle Busch for a charge that netted Gordon a sixth. It was Gordon’s seventh top-10 finish of the year, and he advanced one place to eighth in the point standings.

    “The two Red Bull cars checked up,” Gordon said, “leaving me, much like Red Bull drivers themselves, nowhere to go.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin spent most of Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 paired up with Ryan Newman’s No. 39, and the duo was in the mix near the end. But Newman got loose on the final lap, upsetting their two-car draft, and Hamlin fell back before being collected in a multi-car wreck. He finished 13th, and is now 11th in the point standings, 91 out of first.

    “Congratulations to David Ragan for a job well done,” Hamlin said. “That was an unexpected win for the No. 6 car. As the driver of the Fed Ex car, I’m contractually obligated not to mention Ragan’s primary sponsor. So I’ll just say his victory was a huge ‘UPS-et.’”

    10. Tony Stewart: Stewart rebounded from a late-race accident to finish 11th at Daytona, leading one lap for a valuable bonus point. He remained 12th in the Sprint Cup point standings, and is now 92 out of first.

    “I’ve vowed to police NASCAR tracks and take care of anyone who gets out of line,” Stewart said. “In other words, I plan to be judge, jury, and executioner, but not necessarily in that order.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards, who skipped Saturday’s Nationwide race in Wisconsin, finished third in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, posting his best ever finish at Sonoma. Edwards increased his lead in the point standings, and now leads Kevin Harvick by 25.

    “I knew it would be wise to stay and concentrate on Sonoma,” Edwards said. “And Jack Roush was in agreement. In fact, he’s been begging me to ‘stay’ for weeks now. I’m in my final year of my contract with Roush Fenway Racing. If I don’t get the money I deserve, then Roush Fenway will hear me say what you’d expect the guy who’s led the points standings nearly all year say: ‘Watch me go.’”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started 26th at Sonoma and recovered from a mid-race accident before fighting his way to a finish of ninth, taking his ninth top-10 finish of the year. He remained second in the point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 25.

    “First of all,” Harvick said, “I’d like to thank our sponsor, Rheem Tankless Water Heaters. We surely don’t want them called ‘Rheem Thankless Water Heaters.

    “But the No. 29 Richard Childress Chevrolet wasn’t the only thing ‘reamed’ at Sonoma. There was lot of ‘bad blood’ out there, and I’m not talking about the bonds of kinship that link those blasted Busch brothers. Tony Stewart and Brian Vickers smacked each other around, leaving the rear of Stewart’s No. 14 elevated on a tire barrier. Vickers may hear from NASCAR about that. If so, it will be the first time a driver will be fined for another car’s rear end being too high.”

    3. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a solid 11th in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 as big brother Kurt drove to a decisive victory. Kyle fell one spot to fifth in the point standings, 37 behind Carl Edwards.

    “For once this year,” Busch said, “Kurt drove like a maniac instead of acting like one. The No. 22 Penske Dodge was unstoppable out front. I’m sure Kurt appreciated the clean air on the track as much as his team appreciated the ‘clean air’ on their radio frequency. Understandably, the ‘curse’ of Kurt Busch can only be lifted by a win.

    “As for my finish, I’m satisfied. Or, to put it in terms that are rarely spoken by either of the Busch brothers, ‘I can’t complain.’”

    4. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson joined Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon in the top 10 at Sonoma, finishing seventh to Gordon’s runner-up result. Johnson, who won last year at Sonoma, jumped two places in the Sprint Cup point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 33.

    “I enjoy racing in ‘Wine Country,’” Johnson said. “Someday, like Jeff Gordon, I hope to offer my own brand of fine wines, produced at my winery that will be called ‘Wynasty.’

    5. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt was one of seven cars collected in a lap 37 pile-up started when Tony Stewart spun Brian Vickers in Turn 11. The damage left a hole in the radiator of the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet was serious, and Earnhardt limped home with his first DNF of the year, finishing 41st.

    “What caused our downfall?” Earnhardt asked. “Was it a hole, or a-holes? Hopefully, that’s the end of my involvement in the Tony Stewart-Brian Vickers feud. I though Red Bull was leaving NASCAR. Apparently, not without a fight.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch led 76 of 110 laps in the Toyota/Save Mart 350, scoring his first career road course victory with a dominating performance at Sonoma. Busch beat Jeff Gordon by four seconds, and improved three spots in the Sprint Cup point standings to fourth, and now trails Carl Edwards by 34.

    “That was a major butt-whupping,” Busch said, “and I agree with everyone who’s been saying that’s exactly what I’ve needed this year. Hopefully, this will be a harbinger of more good things to come. We’ve been wildly inconsistent this year. It’s been either tirade or parade.

    “I’d like to thank my team for their hard work and perseverance. I believe they wanted this even more than I did. Not a win, mind you, but something that would finally shut me up.”

    7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon stayed on the track during a caution with 20 laps to go, going from 20th to 8th before a dash to the checkers that gave him the runner-up finish at Sonoma. It was Gordon’s third top-5 finish in the last five races, and boosted him three spots in the point standings to ninth.

    “I’m pleased with our finish here,” Gordon said. “But I have to admit, I had a lot more fun racing Kurt Busch last year as opposed to Sunday. I got a big kick, as well as a big punt, from being behind Kurt last year.”

    8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth was running 13th, up from his qualifying position of 26th, on lap 65 when he was tagged from behind by Joey Logano in the No. 20 Home Depot car. The spin dropped Kenseth back to 35th, and he gamely battled back to finish 14th. He remained sixth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 52 out of first.

    “Not only was Logano’s move childish,” Kenseth said, “it was also child-ish. As such, and given my non-confrontational style, I shall handle the situation with ‘kid gloves.’”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was rear-ended by A.J. Allmendinger’s No. 43 Ford on lap 43, the contact from which was later determined to have damaged the track bar on Hamlin’s No. 11 Fed Ex Freight Toyota. Hamlin resigned to the garage for repairs and finished 37th, completing only 99 of 110 laps.

    “We had the car to challenge Kurt Busch,” Hamlin said. “That is, until the bottom fell out, so to speak. Allmendinger may drive for Richard Petty, but his actions on Sunday surely weren’t fit for a king. In fact, A.J. is ‘STuPid.’ There was a lot of talk about road course ringers, but no one warned me about road course ‘Dingers.’ So Allmendinger gets the road course finger.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished fourth at Sonoma, posting his third top-5 finish this year. It was Bowyer’s best result this year, and he improved two places in the Sprint Cup point standings to eight.

    “As you know,” Bowyer said, “my RCR teammate Jeff Burton will be taking NFL star Chad Ochocinco for some laps around Atlanta Motor Speedway on Thursday. Hopefully, this ride will last more than the 1.5 second bull ride Ochocinco took earlier this year. I think Jeff is really looking forward to this, and I expect he’ll get a lot from the experience, but not a word in edgewise.”

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards led 30 laps at Michigan and finished fifth, earning his series-best eighth top-5 result of the year. Edwards boosted his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings, and now leads second-place Kevin Harvick by 20.

    “How does it feel to lead with nine laps to go and not win the race?” Edwards asked. “It’s the pits. My No. 99 Roush Fenway Ford was adorned with the Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ paint scheme, which hopefully served as a not-too-subtle hint to my crew members of the fleetingness of employment.”

    Now, as a driver for Roush Fenway, baseball and racing go together like Joe Gibbs Racing and cheating. From personal experience, I know an illegal oil can part when I see one. ‘Oil Can’ Boyd once roamed Fenway Park. ‘Oil Can Ployed’ makes its home at JGR.”

    2. Kyle Busch: An eventful week for Busch ended on Sunday with a solid third-place finish in the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan. Busch’s probation ended last Tuesday, then the Joe Gibbs Racing fleet was ordered by NASCAR to change oil pans on Friday. On Sunday, Busch fought an indigestion problem before crew chief Dave Rogers rectified it with Tums and water. Busch improved one spot in the point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

    “Take it from me,” Busch said. “It’s not always a bad thing to run out of gas.”

    “My No. 18 hauler was parked beside Kevin Harvick’s No. 29 hauler. That was risky, because even our haulers are feuding. I’m guessing NASCAR thinks a parking lot is the only place these two teams can get ‘along.’ But seriously, it looks as though NASCAR is sending us mixed signals. It appears probation was NASCAR’s way of saying ‘no more.’ This must be their method of asking for ‘more.’ I rate NASCAR’s disciplinary methods an ‘A’ for ‘ambiguity.’ Let me say, though, there was a lot of glaring going on between the two teams. I believe that’s the first time Harvick and I have seen eye to eye.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick came home 14th at Michigan, struggling with handling issues and surviving  in the Heluva Good! 400. However, due to subpar days from Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Harvick vaulted two places in the point standings to second, and now trails Carl Edwards by 20 points.

    “See,” Harvick said, “I can revel in the misery of someone besides Kyle Busch. And I will continue to pester Busch without end. You would never hear me complain of heartburn. I’ve got a foolproof immunity to heartburn. It’s called being heartless.”

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished 21st at Michigan, seeing a possible top-10 result fall to the wayside when his No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet was pinched into the wall on lap 191 when Mark Martin got loose and slid up the track. The contact caused a tire rub that ended Earnhardt’s charge to the front. He remained third in the point standings, 27 out of first.

    “It’s hard to stay mad at Mark,” Earnhardt said. “That’s why my crew and I held a ‘re-tire-ment’ party in the pits shortly after he sent me into the wall. At Mark’s last retirement party, I asked him to ‘stay in touch.’ Apparently, he took that a bit too literally. Now, unfortunately, he has to deal with the wrath of Junior Nation. The first rule of Junior Nation is: ‘If you ‘turn against’ the No. 88, regardless of circumstances, Junior Nation will ‘turn against’ you.”

    Despite it all, I still expect Mark and I to remain professional and work together. We’ve got lots of information to share. Mark’s finished second in the Sprint Cup rankings four times, so he’s got a wealth of advice to share about ‘not winning.’”

    5. Jimmie Johnson: An early spin on lap 8 foreshadowed a tough day for the No. 48 Lowe’s team at Michigan. A broken sway bar was found to be the culprit, and Johnson fell down two laps quickly after racing without the necessary equipment. A scarcity of yellow flags left the team with little opportunity for repairs, and Johnson finished 27th, one lap down. He tumbled three spots in the point standings to fifth, and trails Carl Edwards by 29.

    “As the five-time Sprint Cup champion,” Johnson said, “I normally advocate the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ philosophy. Not in this case. A broken sway bar sent me for a loop. And even the sport’s most notorious ‘spin’ doctor, Chad Knaus, couldn’t put it back together. Chad’s and the No. 48 strategists often have cram sessions to find ways to skirt NASCAR’s nebulous rules. We call those meetings ‘unapproved part-ies.”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth chased Denny Hamlin down the stretch at Michigan, but came up short after a last-gasp effort in the final turn. Kenseth spun his tires on the final restart, but got a boost from Roush Fenway teammate Carl Edwards, but pushed him to clean air. He got close to Hamlin, but lost by .281 seconds. Kenseth improved one spot to sixth in the point standings, and trails Edwards by 41.

    “Kudos to NASCAR officials,” Kenseth said. “They did something that I couldn’t—‘catch’ Hamlin. I now know why the Joe Gibbs cars had to go back to their old oil pans—because the new ones were ‘busted.’ In any case, Hamlin applauded me for my efforts with the same words NASCAR uttered to the Gibbs team—‘nice try.’”

    7. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin won the race out of the pits during the final caution at Michigan, and repelled the advances of Matt Kenseth over the final laps. Hamlin’s narrow victory was his first of the season, and quite fulfilling in the wake of recent strong runs in which victory eluded him. He jumped three places in the point standings to ninth, and is 77 out of first.

    “Due to my slow start this season,” Hamlin said, “many people had written me off as a championship contender. To them, I say the same thing I told NASCAR inspectors last Friday: ‘It was an honest mistake.’ NASCAR’s fined the three JGR crew chiefs $50,000. That’s chump change, and not nearly enough to cause the ‘Great Oil Pan-ic of 2011.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 11th at Michigan after earning his third consecutive pole, just missing his fourth-straight top-10 result. He improved one spot in the point standings to seventh, and is now 41 out of first.

    “Even with an 11th-place finish,” Busch said, “I’m still not happy. I’m a habitual complainer. My crew chief Steve Addington will vouch for that. Tums may shut my brother Kyle up, but there’s not a product made that will stop my whining.”

    Despite my qualifying efforts, I’m still winless on the year. That, as well as my reputation as the most-punched driver in NASCAR, indicates that I’m unable to finish what I ‘started.’”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished sixth in the Heleva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400, posting his seventh top-10 finish of the year. Newman is now eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 76.

    “Amid all the fighting, probations, and unapproved car parts,” Newman said, “I’ve quietly ascended to No. 8 in the point standings. Just like my fine for punching a fellow driver, you could say I’m flying under the radar.”

    10. Jeff Gordon: Gordon was running seventh when Dale Earnhardt, Jr. hit the wall, bringing out the race’s final caution at Michigan. Gordon opted for four tires, which set him back to 15th for the restart. He lost two positions in the remaining five laps and finished 17th.

    “Obviously, two tires was the right call,” Gordon said. “We just made the ‘right’ call twice. And, as the saying goes, two ‘rights’ make a wrong.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400

    From oil pan issues for the cars of Joe Gibbs Racing to the end of probation for driver rivals Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick, the Irish hills of Michigan once again saw plenty of action for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”265″][/media-credit]Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 43rd annual Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

    Surprising: It was surprising that Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota, did not win last weekend at Pocono Raceway, a place that he had ‘owned’ for so many races in the past. But it was also surprising the Hamlin, who has been battling engine failures and other bad luck so mightily this season, finally put that behind him and took the checkered flag.

    This was Hamlin’s first win of the 2011 season, although he has had six top-10 finishes to date. His previous win was sixteen races ago when Hamlin was the victor at Texas Motor Speedway in November 2010.

    “We finished,” Hamlin said. “We got it done. It’s a big Father’s Day.”

    Not Surprising:  Since it was Michigan, Jack Roush’s backyard and Ford’s playground, it was not at all surprising that two drivers from that racing stable did well, scoring top five finishes.

    Matt Kenseth, behind the wheel of the No. 17 Crown Royal Ford, driving as hard as his car would go while not wrecking on the final lap, finished in the runner up spot. His RFR teammate Carl Edwards, piloting the No. 99 Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ Ford and winner of the Nationwide race the day before, finished fifth.

    This was Kenseth’s 15th top-10 finish in 24 races at Michigan International Speedway.  This was also Kenseth’s eighth top-10 finish in 2011.

    “We had a really fast car and thought we were going to have a chance to win,” Kenseth said. “I got back to Denny (Hamlin), but I could not get back around him. I tried everything I could, but I just could not figure out how to do it.”

    For Edwards’ part, he just really wanted to win the Cup race, vowing to head all the way to the top of the grandstands just as he had in the Nationwide race, if he did. While he scored fifth instead of first, Edwards did extend his Chase points lead to 20 points over second place.

    Surprising:  Continuing with the Carl Edwards theme, it was most surprising to see the driver, who is usually most professional and an excellent spokesperson for the sport, call NASCAR out after the race.

    “Track position is so important,” Edwards said. “Sadly, down force is such a big factor in these cars and I am really hoping that NASCAR will take the opportunity in 2013 to take down force away so the fans can see the guys race race cars and not race down force. That would be cool.”

    Not Surprising: Neither oil pan troubles nor physical ailments could stop Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 Snickers Toyota, from his appointed rounds. After complaining of nausea and pain in the center of his chest, Busch drove forward from his 24th place starting spot to finish third.

    “He just had a little stomach ache,” Dave Rogers, crew chief, said. “We gave him some Tums in a bottle of water and it took care of it.”

    Busch’s crew did have Scott Riggs standing by if needed, but when Busch was leading at the half-way mark of the race, there was no way he was ever going to get out of his car, not matter how poorly he felt.

    “Kyle is pretty dedicated to this race team,” Rogers said. “He’s a pretty tough kid so I didn’t think he would get out.”

    “I didn’t feel that bad,” Busch said. “It felt like I was running a 400 mile marathon running on my feet instead of in a race car.”

    Although Busch has never won at Michigan International Speedway, this was his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races in the Irish hills. Busch’s third place finish mirrored his third place finish the previous week in the Pocono race.

    “It wasn’t going to be a great day but we turned it into a good one,” Busch said. “Overall I’m happy with today; happy with the finish. If you finish third in the last 10 races every single race, you might win this thing, so we’ll take it.”

    Surprising: The primarily poor performance of the Hendrick Motorsports team was fairly surprising. Five-time champion Jimmie Johnson spun on lap 8, bringing out the first caution of the race.

    Johnson, driving the No. 48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, finished 27th and lost the second spot in the Chase standings, falling to the fifth position.

    Johnson’s teammate, four-time champion and winner of last weekend’s race, Jeff Gordon, also did not fare very well in the Irish hills. Gordon, this week driving the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, started 31st and finished 17th, falling one spot in the points to the 12th and final potential Chase spot.

    What was most surprising, however, were the harsh words HMS driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had for his teammate Mark Martin. The driver of the No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet made perfectly clear that he was not happy with being squeezed into the wall by the driver of the No. 5 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet.

    “He just come on up and drove us into the fence,” Junior said of his teammate Martin. “He ran us flat in the wall.”

    “I think we will get it sorted out,” Martin said in rebuttal. “I made a mistake.”

    Dale Jr. finished 21st, his first finish out of the top-10 this season. Junior was, however, able to hold on to his third place in the points standings.

    Mark Martin actually finished top-10, the best of all of the Hendrick Motorsports cars. He climbed one position in the points to 14th, just 20 points behind his teammate Jeff Gordon in the last Chase position.

    Not Surprising:  The majority of the Richard Childress Racing entries had a very good day at Michigan. Paul Menard, who has been struggling of late, had a terrific run, bringing his No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet home in the fourth position.

    Clint Bowyer also had a good day in the Irish hills. The No. 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet finished in the eighth spot.

    Finally, ‘the Closer’ Kevin Harvick overcame adversity and a brush with the wall to finish 14th in his No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet. Harvick leapfrogged over Dale Junior to lay claim to the second spot in the point standings.

    Surprising:  One of the best surprises of the day was the terrific run by young Landon Cassill, piloting the No. 51 Security Benefit/Thank a Teacher Today Chevrolet for Phoenix Racing. Cassill finished 12th, the best finish ever in his Cup career, tying the best finish for Phoenix Racing this season.

    “That was a great day all around,” Cassill said. “We lost some track position early but fought back all day. We had a good break at the end.”

    Not Surprising:  With Hall of Fame inductee Bud Moore on his race car in celebration of the US Army’s 236th Birthday, Ryan Newman had an ‘Army Strong’ day, finishing sixth.

    “It was a good finish for us,” Newman said. “We fought back hard.”

    Newman’s teammate and owner Tony Stewart also had a favorable race result. The driver of the No. 14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 in seventh.

     

  • Kyle Busch: Not New, Not Old, Just Distracted

    At the beginning of the season, all the talk was about the new Kyle Busch, the driver who was more mature, calculated on the track, and more accessible off the track even after a bad run.

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”229″][/media-credit]This was in stark contrast to the driver who previously would take any chance on the track to win, no matter who got in the way, and sometimes sulked, making a quick exit if things did not go his way.

    Currently, however, Kyle Busch is neither old nor new. The driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing is just plain distracted.

    The major distractions for Busch started on May 7th when he and Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing, got into it at the Darlington Showtime Southern 500.

    After issues on the track, Harvick and Busch headed for trouble on pit road, with Harvick reaching into Busch’s car for some action and Busch driving away, pushing Harvick’s car into the pit road retaining wall.

    “I knew that wasn’t going to be a good situation when I saw him getting out of his car,” Busch said. “My choices were limited.”

    “I was either going to get punched in the face or just drive through his car,” Busch continued. “I made a judgment call there and it wasn’t one of the best choices that I had.”

    As a result of their altercation, NASCAR penalized both drivers for actions detrimental to stock car racing.  They were both fined $25,000 each and put on probation for four races.

    But the distractions for Kyle Busch continued shortly thereafter, with the 26 year old driver being pulled over for speeding, going 128 mph in a 4 mph zone in Iredell County, North Carolina. Busch was ticketed for reckless driving and speeding on May 24th.

    “I’m certainly sorry that it happened,” Busch said. “It was a lack of judgment and all I can do is apologize to the public, my friends, my fans, my sponsors and everybody and look at this experience as a learning experience and move forward.”

    “It’s certainly challenging sometimes, with things you have to think about, and, of course, actions that you may cause yourself,” Busch continued. “Thankfully, I’ve got some good people around me that can help me through these experiences.”

    Busch’s next distraction, however, was right around the corner when he learned that not all the people surrounding him, particularly in the NASCAR garage, were in his corner.

    After the Camping World Truck Series race in Kansas on June 4th, Kyle Busch tapped into another driver Joey Coulter, who just happened to be fielded out of the Richard Childress Racing stables.

    Apparently that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel’s back and the fight was on, with Childress reportedly placing Busch in a headlock in the garage area and striking him several times.

    “I don’t know that I did anything out of the ordinary that would provoke something of Mr. Childress,” Busch said after the incident. “I’m going to leave it up to NASCAR and let them decide what they feel is best.”

    In this case, NASCAR acted quickly, attempting to limit the distraction for Busch and finding him in no violation of his probation. Childress, however,  was fined $150,000 and placed on probation for the rest of the season.

    Most recently, Busch’s distractions have continued, now with two major issues related to his car. The No. 18 M&Ms Toyota failed post-race inspection at Pocono on June 12th, with his third-place finishing car deemed too low.

    NASCAR again took swift action, docked the driver six points and Busch’s crew chief Dave Rogers being fined for $25,000.

    “Yea, we’ve talked a little bit this week and they found out what the problems were,” Busch said. “It was in the front springs so we’ll see if we can’t get with the manufacturer and figure out how we can make heat not be an issue.”

    “It doesn’t matter whether you feel like the punishment fit the crime,” Busch continued. “It was something that we had wrong and we did not fit the rules after the race.”

    “Joe Gibbs Racing issued a statement earlier this week that we accept the penalty and we’ll move forward.”

    Yet the distractions for Kyle Busch, particularly with his race car, have continued right into this weekend’s racing at Michigan.

    Prior to the first practice at Michigan International Speedway,  NASCAR announced that they had confiscated the oil pan on Busch’s car, along with the oil pans on the cars of his JGR teammates, Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin.

    NASCAR spokesperson Kerry Tharp advised that the oil pans were not approved by NASCAR and they would have to be changed prior to practice or their times would not be considered when determining the qualifying order.

    Busch and his teammates have complied, however, the distraction of having yet another penalty handed down next week after the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 race and weekend are completed, hangs over his head yet again.

    There is at least one piece of good news in the distraction department for Kyle Busch. His probation period from the Kevin Harvick incident has expired and he is out from under that obligation at present in Michigan.

    For Busch, however, he seemed to deem it no distraction at all.

    “It didn’t matter being on it or being off it,” Busch said. “I try to race the best I can each and every week as hard as I can and as clean as I can.”

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards dropped a valve 58 laps in to the 5-Hour Energy 500, ending the day early for the No. 99 Kellogg’s/Cheez-It Ford. He finished 37th, by far his worst finish of the year, but remained in front of the  point standings lead, six ahead of Jimmie Johnson.

    “I started with eight cylinders,” Edwards said. “Then there were seven. And that led to six, points, that is, in my lead in the Sprint Cup standings. And look who’s behind me. Jimmie Johnson, winner of five Cup championships. He finished fourth on Sunday. I was running third when my valve broke. Johnson is at number two in the standings. I guess that makes him the one to beat.

    “You may have seen me in the TNT booth after my engine blew, and it’s clear I’m a natural at broadcasting. Whether behind the wheel or in front of a monitor, I’ve got no problem with ‘exposure,’ which is obviously the case when I’m ‘showing my parts’ on national television.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished a strong fourth at Pocono, posting his fourth top-5 result of the year and taking a chunk out of Carl Edwards points lead. Johnson entered the race 40 behind Edwards; he now trails by only six as the series heads to Michigan.

    “As NASCAR’s five time defending champion,” Johnson said, “and arguably the sport’s best driver, I often wonder if I can get any bigger. Well, the answer is ‘yes,’ in Edwards’ rear-view mirror.

    “I like my position. I’ve got a rival blowing an engine, and rival’s car owner blowing a gasket. Heck, when the Sprint Cup points leader is in the broadcast booth yucking it up with the TNT crew during the race, I can only consider that a good thing for me and every other driver trailing him. Edwards is a ‘show off.’ He put on a ‘show’ off the track. While it may be good for his broadcast aspirations, as a contender for the Cup, he’s all ‘talk.’”

    3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt scored his fourth-straight top-10 finish of the year, posting a sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono, rounding out a trifecta of Hendrick Motorsports cars in the top 10. Jeff Gordon took first, while Jimmie Johnson finished fourth. Earnhardt improved one spot in the point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 10.

    “Had the No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet won the 5-Hour Energy 500,” Earnhardt said, “there would have been a huge conflict of interest in victory lane. Amp Energy Drink is the industry leader among energy drinks. They play second to no one. I wish I could say the same.

    “If we keep running this consistently, the wins will come. 107 races is a long spell to go without a victory, and if I fail to win at Michigan, I’ll then be fighting a three-year victory drought. That’s when Junior Nation becomes ‘Junior Stag-Nation.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick toyed early with RCR nemesis Kyle Busch, drawing a warning from NASCAR, but otherwise took care of business at Pocono, finishing fifth. Harvick held on the fourth in the point standings, and now trails Carl Edwards, who finished 37th, by 11.

    “I did indeed try to force Busch down the track on the long straightaway,” Harvick admitted. “I figured Kyle needed a good ‘straight left’ after Richard Childress delivered a ‘straight right’ last week. Of course, Kyle did nothing about it. We’ve all heard of Morgan Freeman ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ around Atlanta. Now you’ve heard of Kevin Harvick ‘Driving Mr. Pansy’ down the track.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished third at Pocono, following big brother Kurt, who finished second, across the finish line. But that was where the good news ended. Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M Toyota failed a post-race inspection, which found his front end too low. NASCAR penalized Busch six championship driver points, while Joe Gibbs lost six owner points, and crew chief Dave Rogers was fined $25,000.

    “That’s just great,” Busch said. “One week, I’m decked by Richard Childress. The next, I’m docked by NASCAR. It appears I got ‘served’ by both. According to NASCAR, the left front of the vehicle was 1/16 inch too low, which is outside the tolerance. I’m not surprised, because I’m rarely inside anyone’s tolerance.

    “Harvick certainly puts the ‘ass’ in ‘harass.’ He just doesn’t know when to stop. He certainly doesn’t need to fight Richard Childress’ fights for him. Childress can take care of himself just as well as he took care of me. But I have to thank Harvick for teaching me a valuable lesson—that I’m the bigger man.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch won his second straight pole, topping the charts in Saturday qualifying for the 5-Hour Energy 500. Busch led 37 laps on Sunday, but couldn’t get near Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 down the stretch, and settled for the runner-up spot, his best finish of the year.

    “It would have been more fitting,” Busch said, “had Kyle finished second and I finished third. That way, I could have said, for once, that I had Kyle’s back.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home eighth at Pocono, earning his seventh top-10 of the year and fourth in the last five races. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 44.

    “Don’t let Carl Edwards’ broadcast persona fool you,” Kenseth said. “Television-friendly is where the friendly stops.

    “As you may know, my car was sponsored in part this week by Affliction Clothing, apparel favored by several mixed martial arts fighters and those who emulate them. It’s quite on odd pairing, since I probably rank somewhere between Kyle Busch and a sleeping kitten on the toughness scale. Affliction and I have a unique relationship unlike any other between a sponsor and driver: I’m forbidden to wear the product.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took charge over the final 50 laps at Pocono, pulling away for his second win this year and 84th career triumph, which tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on the all-time list. Gordon jumped two spots in the point standings to 11th, 81 out of first.

    “With the new wildcard berths,” Gordon said, “two wins all but guarantees a spot in the Chase For The Cup. Let this be a warning to everyone: I think this win is a clear indication that a fifth Sprint Cup is not out of the question. That may not have been the case in 2010. Last year, when I vowed to ‘go for 5,’ many assumed I was declaring my allegiance to Jimmie Johnson’s quest for his fifth Cup title.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 76 of the first 101 laps in the 5-Hour Energy 500, but a flat tire on lap 161 ended his dominance and left him scrambling to make up ground over the final 39 laps. He remained on the lead lap and finished 19th, ending a run of three straight top 10’s. Hamlin dropped one spot in the point standings to 12th, 84 out of first.

    “The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota had the field covered,” Hamlin said, “until the flat tire ruined my day. But that didn’t stop me from quoting emerging color commentary personality Carl Edwards when I said to my crew, ‘It’s air time!’

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer, who won The Prelude To The Dream last Wednesday, finished 16th at Pocono, struggling with handling on the two-mile tri-oval. Bowyer did, however, improve one spot to eighth in the point standings, and now is 73 out of first.

    “My name may be ‘Clint,’” Bowyer said, “but I am by no means ‘The Enforcer.’ That would be Kevin Harvick, who, like our boss Richard Childress, takes matters into his own hands. Harvick has an uncanny ability to get into any driver’s head. According to Kevin, it’s particularly easy to get into Kyle Busch’s head, because there’s so much room.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Under threatening skies in Long Pond, PA and after the ARCA race was called for fog the previous day, the Cup Series took the green flag for one of the longer races of the season.

    Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Surprising: One of the most surprised at Pocono Raceway was the driver in Victory Lane celebrating his 84th career win, tying the record for third on the all-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series win list, along with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

    Race winner Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, also tied NASCAR Champ Bill Elliott for the most series wins at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It’s so amazing because I was so excited about the win and the hard work that Alan (Gustafson) and his guys have been putting into our speedway program or whatever we call these kinds of race tracks, because we struggled on them and I was just so excited to get that win and see what we’ve been working on,” Gordon said.

    “So, today to see it all come together, I was so caught up in that,” Gordon continued. “Plus my family was here to celebrate it.”

    “I didn’t even think about 84 until they reminded me when I went to do the Speed Channel show Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “And I was like, oh yeah, that’s unbelievable.”

    “I really can’t even express in words what it means because I never thought it would happen for me or for anybody.”

    Not Surprising:  As expected, he new ability to shift, fuel issues, and problems in the pits all played significant roles in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probably most affected was Carl Edwards, the Series point’s leader, who experienced a valve problem that almost caused him to have an engine failure, however, other drivers struggled as well.

    While Edwards was able to turn a lap towards the end of the race, the driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford, finished 37th, narrowly maintaining his points lead over Jimmie Johnson by six points.

    Another driver Tony Stewart complained bitterly throughout the race about the new-found ability to shift. The driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet finished 21st.

    “I just want to thank NASCAR for having us shift about 100 times today,” Stewart said bitterly after losing third gear. “We could have had a good day.”

    Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had fuel issues early in the race, which relegated him to an earlier pit stop strategy than the rest of the field. Harvick was able to redeem himself, however, and finished top-five.

    “It was a total team effort to get our Okuma Chevy up there,” Harvick said. “It was a good solid day for us.”

    The driver most bit by problems in the pits was Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers received a speeding penalty and then to make matters worse, sped again as he was serving his penalty.  Vickers finished 22nd.

    Surprising:  Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, technically finished third, he along with his crew chief Dave Rogers, were surprised during the post-race inspection when their car officially failed.

    “It’s a huge surprise,” Rogers said. “I didn’t present anything to tech that hasn’t been through tech before, several times.”

    “The car was 1/16th low at the end,” Rogers continued. “NASCAR gives you a range to be in and they give us a yellow range and we exceeded the yellow. We were 1/16th in the red so we were wrong.”

    “We have to go back to the shop and figure out why.”

    Not Surprising: Kyle’s big brother Kurt, who scored the pole position in his back up No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger, finished in the runner up position to race winner Gordon.

    “It was a great run,” Busch said. “The old boy Jeff Gordon had it in him today. We ran him strong, we ran him hard.”

    “We were excited with the finish.”

    Surprising:  It was most surprising to see young gun Landon Cassill, behind the wheel of his No. 41 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Chevrolet, lead a few laps towards the end of the race.

    “We were just trying a little pit strategy to see if we could catch a caution or something,” Cassill said. “It’s cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

    Not Surprising:  At least two of Jeff Gordon’s other teammates were pretty happy with their run at Pocono Raceway. Old ‘Five Time’ Jimmie Johnson, piloting the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, finished fourth and NASCAR’S most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, finished sixth.

    “It was a great day,” Johnson said. “Our engine package held up today with the abuse we gave it.”

    “I’m real happy with where I finished,” Dale Jr. said. “The car was pretty good. I was good with the shifting.”

    Surprising:  Yes indeed, most surprising was the fact that Denny Hamlin, who has mastered the ‘Tricky Triangle’ so often, did not win the race. In fact, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry finished an uncharacteristic 19th.

    “We were just coasting there at the beginning and just nothing went really right,” Hamlin said. “We struggled a little bit on pit road, we got a little bit tighter, I felt like the front bump rubbers just gave up, and then when we left pit road, we had a flat tire.”

    “When we did that, it sheared the tire and wrapped it around the housing and broke the brake lines so I had no brakes,” Hamlin continued. “It was just a slew of problems there at the end.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s surprise, newly named crew chief Chad Johnston encouraged his driver, Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, to a top-10 finish.

    “That was a hard fought 10th,” Truex, Jr. said. “Chad did a good job of keeping me calm. We were just missing a little and I hope we can find it soon because we’ll have some fun if we do.”

  • What Went Down In The 5 Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]On a day where one Jacques Debris reigned supreme, Jeff Gordon was able to win the 5 Hour Energy 500 at the Pocono Raceway. It was Gordon’s 84th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, which places him in a tie on the all time wins list with Hall Fame inductee, Bobby Allison, and 2012 class nominee, Darrell Waltrip. It was the second win of the 2011 season for Gordon which just about guarantees him a wild card spot in the chase.

    Denny Hamlin once again looked as though he was going to make the Pocono Raceway his personal playground early on in the race. That all came to an end after the 11 team suffered a flat tire coming off of pit road. Denny was able to nurse the car back to the pits without doing too much damage to his race car. His day was a different story however. Denny was never able to recover from the flat as he then lost his brakes and finished the day in the 19th position. The day wasn’t a total lose though, Denny now moves into the 12th spot in the point standings, which currently qualifies him for the elusive wild card birth.

    For the second straight week, both of the Penske entries were solid. Kurt Busch started on the pole for the second consecutive week and ran strong in his Pennzoil Dodge. Kurt finished in the second position after running up front and leading laps throughout the day. His teammate however, wasn’t as lucky. Brad Keselowski’s day started out well. For a moment, he had his blue deuce just outside of the top ten. The team then had to make an extra pit stop for a vibration thought to be caused by a loose wheel. That was not the case. The problems wound up being much more severe for last weeks winner as he was forced to limp the car around for the remainder of the race and finish in the 23rd position. It may not sound like a good day, but the team is making improvements every week. Look for both Penske machines to be weekly contenders in the coming weeks.

    After how dominant Juan Pablo Montoya has been at Indianapolis, it was only a matter of time before he got his arms around the Pocono Raceway. Montoya ran most of the race in the top 5 and at one point had a lead that wasn’t even worth Denny Hamlin chasing down. The Target team made some interesting calls by taking two tires on numerous pit stops which left a lot of people scratching their heads. When the black flag with white squares flew, Montoya was in the seventh position. It’s only a matter of time before Juan picks up a win on an oval.

    Two drivers that you rarely see run well at Pocono did just that on Sunday. Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is just the run these drivers needed as they further their case as championship contenders. By running good at a “weak track”, they and their team prove that they are “in it to win it”. Look for this to be the case from not only them, but all of our title contenders this season.

    Speaking of Harvick, he and Kyle Busch come of their probation next weekend in Michigan. But in the beginning of the race, they sure didn’t race like it. Harvick was seen running Busch down to the water on the front stretch and beating on his bumper. Harvick said after the race, “He’s got one comin’”. “It says a lot about his character” said Busch when asked about Harvick. I know all you fans, including myself, can not wait to see what transpires between the two in the coming weeks.

    With Pocono now in the books, the eyes of the NASCAR world look towards the Irish Hills of Michigan. Will we see the fuel mileage battle that is so common at MIS and lately in NASCAR? Will the Harvick and Busch fued resume? All these questions and more will be answered next Sunday.

    Next Race- Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400
    Sunday on TNT at 12pm EST. MRN Radio

  • Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, sporting the familiar No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet colors, scored his second win of the 2011 season, moving ever closer to Chase contention. This is Gordon’s fifth top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth victory in 37 races at Pocono Raceway.

    Gordon also reached another significant milestone with his win in the 5-Hour Energy 500. The victory ties Gordon with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list.

    “It certainly helps us,” Gordon said of his Chase chances. “Our focus has to be the same all the time, try to win races, to lock ourselves in.”

    “I’m just more excited about the momentum coming toward us,” Gordon continued. “The things that we believe in are starting to come true.”

    “You question that at times,” Gordon said. “Days like today show how serious we are. At this point in the season, to get our program turned around, the timing couldn’t be better and hopefully we can keep that going.”

    “This is a tough place to win.”

    Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not agree more with his driver.

    “There are a lot of things at a track like this that are so difficult,” Gustafson said. “We were a little nervous. To win in this sport, you have to have everything on the edge.”

    The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, gave Gordon a run for his money, scoring second and third respectively. Kurt Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish in 21 races and Kyle Busch posted his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It was a great, hard fought battle for us on the No. 22 car today,” pole sitter and second place finisher Kurt Busch. “It was a nice, steady run and we were able to have smooth pit stops and we had a great handling car.”

    “It was a great genuine day for our team to run in the top five all day,” Busch continued. “It’s pleasing to see that result.”

    “I was giving it all I had and I just couldn’t quite close the gap.”

    Busch admitted that there were many things to balance in the race, especially as he engaged in the heated battle with race winner Gordon.

    “It was an interesting day with shifting,” Busch said. “We shifted quite a bit today and had to keep track of the temperatures and the revs on the engine and fuel mileage as well. There was a lot to balance inside the car today.”

    Baby brother Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, was also pleased with his third place finish.

    “For us, we had a long way to come from since we started deep in the field,” Busch said. “We worked our way towards the front steadily and methodically for most of the race.”

    “We had good pit stops all day and the guys did a good job giving me the right adjustments,” Busch continued. “The restarts played in our favor and we passed a few cars there. That last restart is where we got most of our track position.”

    “Kurt was so much faster than I was that last run of the race that it wasn’t going to do me much to hold him up,” Busch said “So, I tried to let him go and see if he couldn’t catch the 24 and make a race out of it.”

    “We just tried to bring home a solid third.”

    Unfortunately, Kyle Busch’s car failed post-race inspection due to a height issue, too high on the left. “Being a parent, it means more to experience that with them,” Gordon said of having daughter Ella in Victory Lane. His car is being transported back to NASCAR’s R&D center for a more-in-depth look.

    In contrast to Gordon and the Busch boys, the point’s leader coming into the race, Carl Edwards had a miserable day. The driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford finished 37th after he broke a valve in the engine.

    Even with that bad finish, Edwards did, however, maintain the points lead with the narrowest of margins. He is now just six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who finished the race in the fourth spot.

    In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Edwards joined the broadcast booth to provide commentary while his team worked furiously on his car in the garage. He was able to turn one last lap to avoid the DNF.

    “I was very careful not to overdrive,” Edwards said. “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost.”

    Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had an eventful day but still managed to finish fifth in the 5-Hour Energy 500. Harvick survived problems early when his crew did not get all the fuel in and he then got off the sequence of pit stops.

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, piloting the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Affliction Clothing Live Fast Ford, Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the of the Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex, Jr., in his No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, rounded out the top ten.

    Unofficial Race Results
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47
    2 1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 43
    3 34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 42
    4 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 41
    5 32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 39
    6 21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 38
    7 16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 38
    8 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 36
    9 8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 35
    10 31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 34
    11 19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 33
    12 17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 32
    13 9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 31
    14 2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 30
    15 5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 29
    16 12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 28
    17 11 6 David Ragan Ford 27
    18 10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 26
    19 4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 27
    20 33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 24
    21 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 24
    22 23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 22
    23 20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 21
    24 25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 0
    25 28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 19
    26 40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 18
    27 37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 17
    28 18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 16
    29 30 34 David Gilliland Ford 15
    30 35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 14
    31 41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 0
    32 24 71 Andy Lally * Ford 12
    33 13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 11
    34 7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 10
    35 26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 0
    36 38 37 Tony Raines Ford 8
    37 6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 7
    38 42 7 Scott Wimmer Dodge 0
    39 43 150 T.J. Bell * Toyota 0
    40 29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    41 36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 4
    42 22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 2
    43 39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 0