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  • New Hampshire Motor Speedway–Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    New Hampshire Motor Speedway–Did You Know? Playoff Edition

    This weekend the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway for the second playoff race in the Round of 16. Martin Truex Jr. secured his spot in the next round with his win at Chicagoland while Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman are below the cutoff for transfer into the Round of 12.

    But, did you know that Busch and Newman are tied with Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson with the series-most wins among active drivers with three victories each? Kahne has one win at Loudon, three top fives and 10 top 10s. Of the bottom four playoff contenders, Stenhouse Jr. may face the biggest challenge. He has never won at the track and has only two top 10 finishes.

    The top competitors for this weekend’s race also include defending race winner, Kevin Harvick, with the fifth-best driver rating plus 10 top fives, 18 top 10s and one pole. Hamlin, who enters the event with the best driver rating of 104.0, nine top fives and 14 top 10s to go along with his three checkered flags, will be on the hunt for his third victory of the season.

    Three-time Loudon winner, Johnson, hasn’t scored a top-five finish since his win at Dover in June but expect him to shift into high gear as the playoffs continue. He has the second-best driver rating (100.8) at New Hampshire, 10 top fives, 21 top 10s and one pole. Kyle Busch has two wins, nine top fives, 13 top 10s and two poles and the third-best driver rating of 98.8. Brad Keselowski rounds out the top five drivers at the 1.058-mile track. He has the fourth-best driver rating, one win, three poles, six top fives and 10 top 10s.

    But, did you know that the New Hampshire playoff race has never been won by a non-playoff driver? However, five Cup Series drivers have captured their first victory at New Hampshire – Newman (2002), Clint Bowyer (2007), Joey Logano (2009), Robby Gordon (2001) and Joe Nemechek in 1999. This could be good news for driver Chase Elliott who is seeking his first series win.

    While this is only the second race of the playoffs, did you know that two drivers who have won the Loudon playoff race have gone on to win the championship the same year? From 2004-2010, New Hampshire hosted the first playoff race. Kurt Busch drove to victory lane in the opening event and continued on to win the 2004 series title. The track has hosted the second race of the playoffs beginning with the 2011 season. Tony Stewart won a series-record five playoff races in 2011 that included the first two, at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, culminating in his third championship.

    Tune in this weekend as the action heats up and drivers scramble to secure their spot in the next round of the playoffs. The ISM Connect 300 airs on September 24 at 2 p.m. ET on NBCSN with radio coverage on PRN and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as NASCAR icon Tony Stewart wins at New Hampshire on the way to his third championship title in 2011.

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

  • Hot 20 – They are getting suspended, hired, fired, and fired up heading to New Hampshire

    Hot 20 – They are getting suspended, hired, fired, and fired up heading to New Hampshire

    Everyone is super excited about going to Loudon, New Hampshire for the big event on Sunday. Okay, Alan Gustafson is not. Is not going, that is. Chase Elliott was second in Chicago, leaving him sixth in points. That was then. Now, he is eighth in points. If your car fails post-race inspection, sometimes they take away 15 points, along with your crew chief for a week. Sometimes NASCAR catches you. Sometimes a fan sees on TV tape being removed where tape should not be. Busted. Elliott remains 18 points above the cut-off for the next round, so he is good as long as he remains good in New Hampshire. However, we do thank Alan for his efforts and wish him well…well, until he returns in time for Dover.

    Kasey Kahne is good to go for 2018. No doubt Rick Hendrick thanks him for his efforts and wished him well in his future endeavors. Those efforts will take place with the Leavine Family Racing team. That means that after about a hundred events, Michael McDowell departs the No. 95 to be thanked for his efforts and wished well in his future endeavors.

    Sometimes when a person gets fired, they say nice things. Sometimes they might even give you a two-year Day-Timer as a parting gift. In my case, I was amused at their choice, being unemployed and all, but as my old one was going to be defunct within three months, I could always use that new one come January. Sadly, come January, my new two-year Day-Timer also required replacement. Something tells me they got my gift from a bargain bin, for things that are almost expired. I never did use the damn thing. Sometimes, they say things like how a person is so versatile and talented, and still, they fire her ass, while thanking her for all she has done and wishing her the best in her future endeavors.

    While Tony Stewart and Danica Patrick prepare for their respective futures, XFINITY is looking at their own. We are all excited that they unveiled the branding for 2018 of the NASCAR XFINITY Series this week. Considering what the crowds look like and how few races the actual championship contenders win against the Cup guys dropping down to grab the trophies, I thank them for all they have done and wish the series well in all their future endeavors.

    In the meantime, Martin Truex Jr. was the best throughout the season and the best in Chicago. Did you notice that the Top 15 last week were equally represented by the manufacturers? Five Toyotas, five Fords, and five Chevy’s. Now, that is parity. I wish them all well this weekend in their endeavors.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN – 2102 Pts – 5 Wins
    The favorite to win the title. After Chicago, does anyone have any questions?

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2075 POINTS – 4 Wins
    Best damn Chevy at Chicago that was not penalized after the race.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2067 POINTS – 1 Win
    Harvick keeps his sponsors by investing in them and believing in them. They return the favor.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2061 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Thinks Toyota has an unfair advantage. He is right. They call him Mr. Truex.

    5. KYLE BUSCH – 2061 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Just wants Brad to know that he also drives a Toyota.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 2058 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Him, too.

    7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2056 POINTS – 3 Wins
    When morale takes a hit when a hurricane hits your town, Jimmie is on call.

    8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2044 POINTS
    An “aerodynamic modification” found in post-race inspection costs 15 points and his crew chief.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 2039 POINTS
    Audition for 2018 had a good start, placing ninth last week.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 2034 POINTS – 1 Win
    When I originally read he was visiting the Magic Mile Club, I thought it too much information.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2031 POINTS
    Took his car out for a spin in Chicago last week, and still finished in the Top Ten.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 2026 POINTS – 1 Win
    Sure, the track is like driving on the highway, but pit lane is more like a school zone.

    13. KURT BUSCH – 2026 POINTS – 1 Win
    Not all vibrations are good, and speeding on pit road always ends badly.

    14. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2022 POINTS – 2 Wins
    Touch fence. Check. Violate commitment line. Check. Speed down pit lane. Check.

    15. KASEY KAHNE – 2021 POINTS – 1 Win
    Kurt said no, but Kasey thought it divine to be with Leavine Family Racing in 2018.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 2019 POINTS – 1 Win
    23rd and pretty much unseen throughout the day. Made the Chase, but isn’t making the grade.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 692 POINTS – 1 Win
    16 guys still have a shot at the championship. Joey is not among them.

    18. CLINT BOWYER – 688 POINTS
    16 guys still have a shot…well…you know the rest.

    19. ERIK JONES – 658 POINTS
    String of six straight Top Tens hits the ditch big time in Chicago.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 595 POINTS
    96 points ahead of Trevor Bayne. 116 points up on Junior.

  • The Final Word – After Chicago, not a whole lot has changed moving forward

    The Final Word – After Chicago, not a whole lot has changed moving forward

    So it begins. Chicago, where the Chase began. Chicago, where winning was a big thing, but not the only thing. Win and you advance. Drop out or too near the rear of the pack and all you have is New Hampshire and Charlotte to get it right, to fix the problem, to save your season. Three races, 16 drivers, and just a dozen spots available in order to continue the quest.

    Kyle Busch had won two of the previous six events, and his opening segment could not have gone sweeter. He was long gone after the opening lap. Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin were at least in the next time zone to be among the top four.

    Others had their work cut out for them. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rubbed the wall, skinned up his right side rubber, but he also ran over the commitment line when he hit the pits. Next thing he knew he was running dead last and was still outside the Top 30 when the segment ended. Too fast under green backed up Martin Truex Jr., who added to his hurt when they needed to return to tighten up some lugnuts between segments. At least he was still 13th when they again waved the green, while Austin Dillon was 22nd. Again, too fast in the pits midway through the opening run earned him a penalty and a hole to dig out of.

    Busch opened the middle frame up front. That did not last long. First, Harvick went by him within a few laps, then Rowdy was in the pits with a loose wheel. He had swapped crews with teammate Daniel Suarez in the hopes it would be a help, not a hindrance. Not sure what they thought after being penalized for a man going over the wall too soon, but it could not have been good. That left the driver two laps down in 30th, and probably a tiny bit heated.

    Up front, Harvick surrendered the lead to Elliott after the green flag fuel stoppages. By this time, it was all green, leaving just 13 entries on the lead lap, including 10 title contenders. When they crossed the line at the end of the segment, Elliott led Harvick, with Truex fighting his way back up to third. Only Joey Logano was a non-Chaser among the Top Ten when they handed out the bonus points.

    Jamie McMurray was one of the dogs in the hunt, until a couple of laps into the final tour. He went for a spin after contact with Ryan Newman. That brought out a caution, but when they returned to full speed McMurray remained on the lead lap within our Top 20. That is more than we could say for Newman, Stenhouse, and Kasey Kahne. That trio sat a couple of laps down.

    Down to the final 65 laps, Truex continued the resurrection of his day, getting by Harvick, followed by Elliott to take over as runner-up. As for Kurt Busch, a vibration sent him to the pits early to drop him off the lead lap to join his brother and Dillon. At least until he picked up a speeding penalty. Then he dropped to 20th, a pair of laps down like three other fellows we know and love.

    As for Stenhouse, he picked up another speeding penalty. He had 10 bonus points going into the Chase. He used up all the good they gave him in this one event.

    On the other end of the scale was Truex. Coming back from his earlier penalty, he walked off with this one as the best driver thus far on the season and won his fifth of the campaign to lock himself into the next round. Elliott and Harvick were the best of the rest, with Kyle Larson, Brad Keselowski, and Hamlin all recording stout efforts in Chicago.

    Kahne, Newman, and Stenhouse finished outside the Top 20, and when we check the standings heading to Loudon, we have seven drivers within 10 points of the 12th place cut off, some ahead, some behind. Ryan Blaney and McMurray are to the good. Dillon and Kurt Busch are tied for that final entry. Stenhouse, Kahne, and Newman are between four and seven points out.

    A week ago, we had Truex dominating things while 11 drivers were within 10 points, one way or the other, from the cutoff. Heading to Loudon, not much has changed.

     

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Chicagoland

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started third at Chicagoland as Toyotas took the top three qualifying spots. Despite an early pit road speeding penalty, Truex recovered and took the win, securing his spot in the second round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “As per usual in a race sponsored by Nickelodeon,” Truex said, “the winner gets ‘slimed’ with the network’s signature green goo. So I got slimed. If you’ve ever taken a dip in the infield pond at Daytona after the Daytona 500, you get the same result.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson finished fifth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “It’s too bad Sunoco is the official fuel of NASCAR,” Larson said, “because Shell’s missing a heck of an opportunity for a tie-in with the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movies.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started second and came home fourth, posting the top finish among Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

    “Brad Keselowski had a lot of words to say about Toyotas,” Hamlin said. “Brad’s Ford may lack speed, but he certainly doesn’t, because he’s always quick to complain.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 59 laps and finished third at Chicagoland.

    “Let me just dispel a rumor right now,” Harvick said. “Jimmy John’s deliveries are ‘freaky fast,’ but despite what Brad Keselowski says, our delivery fleet is not comprised exclusively of Toyotas.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Chicagoland and finished a disappointing 15th, due to a number of issues in the pits. He is still fifth in the points standings, 41 out of first.

    “We made some costly mistakes,” Busch said. “First a loose wheel, then a penalty in the pits for over the wall too soon. Maybe it was because I had a new pit crew. I think it was a case of nerves. Others think it may have been the Skittles paint scheme because we were ‘Skitt-ish.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took ninth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400, posting his 13th top 10 of the year.

    “You saw NASCAR officials taking tires into the ‘blue tent’ for testing,” Kenseth said. “As I understand it, they submerge the tires in water to check for leaks. It’s the NASCAR equivalent of waterboarding.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson, seeking his eighth Cup championship, posted an eighth in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “If I win number eight,” Johnson said, “I’ll be alone at the top of the list of NASCAR champions. So I really want one more, because that will give me one more than anyone else.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Chicagoland, recording his 15th top 10 of the year.

    “Maybe my comments about Toyota domination were premature,” Keselowski said. “Although a Toyota won the race, they didn’t dominate altogether. So, maybe in hindsight, I shouldn’t have made those statements. But, I drive a Ford, probably the slowest of the cars, so any observations I make will be in ‘hindsight,’ because I’m behind.

    9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 10th in the Tales Of The Turtles 400.

    “I think it’s great to have the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles associated with a NASCAR race,” McMurray said. “NASCAR’s fan base is dwindling, so it’s brilliant market to target not only teenagers, but mutants, ninjas, and turtles as well.”

    10. Chase Elliott: Elliott led 42 laps and took the runner-up spot at Chicagoland.

    “Martin Truex Jr. won handily,” Elliott said. “There wasn’t a close finish at all, and there wasn’t a whole lot of action during the race. Nowadays, everybody knows the best battles in NASCAR happen on Twitter.”

  • Tales of the Stage Winners

    Tales of the Stage Winners

    It was a tale of two drives with the stage winners, Kyle Busch and Chase Elliott, in the Tales of the Turtles 400 at Chicagoland Speedway.

    Leading the field to the green flag, Busch lead all but two laps during the first cycle of green flag stops on his way to winning the first stage. Leading the field back to green on Lap 88, Kevin Harvick powered by his outside to take the lead exiting Turn 2.

    Busch was running second when he made an unscheduled stop on Lap 97 for a loose wheel. Adding insult to injury, he was hit with a pass through penalty for his crew jumping over the wall too soon. He rejoined the race in 27th, two-laps down.

    He came close to getting back on the lead lap, being the first car a lap down, but race leader Martin Truex Jr. passed Landon Cassill just five laps before Erik Jones suffered a right-rear tire blowout and spun out in Turn 4 on Lap 210, bringing out the fourth caution of the race.

    Busch brought his car home to a 15th-place finish.

    “Oh well. We’ll move on…next week. That’s all we can do.”

    For Elliott, it was a more stable and stronger run.

    After a third-place finish in the first stage, he exited pit road just feet ahead of Harvick on Lap 124, cycled to the lead the following lap and drove onto victory in the second stage.

    As was the case with Busch, Elliott lost the lead on the ensuing restart to Harvick — this time, sliding up ion front up him from the bottom lane — exiting Turn 2 on Lap 168.

    He didn’t regain the lead, but he did retake and finish second when the checkered flag flew.

    “Yeah, just a much-improved day from where we’ve been, which is nice,” Elliott said in his post-race media availability. “Obviously would have been great to battle with Martin a little bit more. We didn’t have anything for him. From where we’ve been to where we ran today was a major, major step in the right direction, frankly where we need to be, where we deserve to be, to the potential we can run.

    “It was nice to see that we can do it if all things are clicking in the right way, car is driving good, pit stops are good, race execution was nice. It was a pretty uneventful race for the most part.

    “I felt like typically when that happens, the better cars always kind of end up towards the front. That proved to be with Martin winning. I didn’t have anything for him, without a restart or something. It also proved that we were second to him. I’m not sure about the 18, if he could have got back up there.

    “Aside from those two, I feel like we could run about everybody else. That’s a lot better than we’ve been.”

    Busch leaves fifth in points, trailing Truex by 41, while Elliott leaves sixth, 43 back of Truex.

  • Kyle Busch Fastest in Final Chicagoland Practice

    Kyle Busch Fastest in Final Chicagoland Practice

    Kyle Busch topped the chart in final Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Chicagoland Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 29.958 and a speed of 180.252 mph. Austin Dillon was second in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with a time of 30.094 and a speed of 179.438 mph. Brad Keselowski was third in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford with a time of 30.119 and a speed of 179.289 mph. Chase Elliott was fourth in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 30.145 and a speed of 179.134 mph. Clint Bowyer rounded out the top-five in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with a time of 30.245 and a speed of 178.542 mph.

    Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney rounded out the top-10.

    Kyle Larson was 11th, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was 12th, Jamie McMurray was 13th, Ryan Newman was 17th, Kurt Busch was 22nd, Matt Kenseth was 23rd, Jimmie Johnson was 24th and Kasey Kahne rounded out the Playoff drivers in 27th.

    Harvick posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 175.784 mph.

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  • Kyle Busch Speeds to Coors Light Pole in Chicago

    Kyle Busch Speeds to Coors Light Pole in Chicago

  • Kyle Busch Fastest in First Cup Practice at Chicagoland

    Kyle Busch Fastest in First Cup Practice at Chicagoland

    Kyle Busch topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Chicagoland Speedway.

    The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 29.325 and a speed of 184.143 mph. Daniel Suarez was second in his No. 19 Gibbs Toyota with a time of 29.441 and a speed of 183.418 mph. Denny Hamlin was third in his No. 11 Gibbs Toyota with a time of 29.521 and a speed of 182.921 mph. Martin Truex Jr. was fourth in his No. 78 Furniture Row Toyota with a time of 29.531 and a speed of 182.859 mph. Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with a time of 29.566 and a speed of 182.642 mph.

    Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Danica Patrick, Ryan Blaney and Brad Keselowski.

    Kurt Busch was 11th, Ryan Newman was 12th, Austin Dillon was 14th, Matt Kenseth was 15th, Jamie McMurray was 16th, Jimmie Johnson was 19th and Kasey Kahne rounded out the Playoff drivers in 26th.

    Elliott posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 175.347 mph.

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  • Chicagoland Speedway – Did You Know?

    Chicagoland Speedway – Did You Know?

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend for the first race of the 2017 Playoffs. Sixteen drivers will compete for the title and it all begins in Chicago.

    Win and automatically advance to the next round. There are four rounds, each consisting of three races. Four drivers will be eliminated at the end of each round leaving four contenders to battle for the championship crown at Homestead-Miami Speedway in November.

    The first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Chicagoland Speedway was held on July 15, 2001, and was won by Kevin Harvick. There have been 16 Cup races at the 1.5-miles track with 12 different winners. Stewart leads the series with three victories at Chicago. Harvick and Keselowski lead all active drivers with two wins each. But did you know that Stewart, Harvick and Keselowski are the only drivers with multiple wins at Chicago?

    Chicagoland Speedway has hosted the opening race of the Playoffs since 2011. From 2004-2010 the first race of the Playoffs was held at New Hampshire. Five different drivers have won the Chicago Playoff race including Martin Truex Jr. (2016), Denny Hamlin (2015), Brad Keselowski 2014, 2012), Matt Kenseth (2013) and Tony Stewart (2011).

    But, did you know that three drivers who have won the opening playoff race have gone on to win the championship? In 2004 Kurt Busch won the opener at New Hampshire in the inaugural “Chase for the Championship” and also won the year-end title. Keselowski won the playoff race at Chicago in 2012 and continued on to win the championship crown.

    In 2011 Stewart won his first race of the season at the opening playoff race in Chicago and captured four more victories that year, setting the record for the most wins (five) in the postseason playoffs. Stewart capped off the season with his third championship title. But did you know that the opening race of the Cup Series Playoffs has never been won by a non-playoff driver?

    Truex, the regular season champion, is the defending race winner while Chase Elliott, who is searching for his first Cup Series victory, has the series-best driver rating of 129.1.

    When asked about the importance of winning during the playoffs, Elliott said, “I’d love to advance as far as we can, but I’d love a win. That’s what we’re here to do. We’ve had a year and a half to do it, and haven’t. I take a lot of pride in wanting to win. I also have these last 10 races still driving the 24 car, which it’s been a cool honor to have that. It would mean a lot to me to add to the win list that Jeff has created with that car over the years while I still have the chance. I think that’s an obligation of mine, to try to achieve that. That’s on my priority list. I’d love to win, but I’d love to advance through the Playoffs. I think if you do one, you’re going to have a shot to do the other.”

    Jimmie Johnson has the second-best rating (114.7) followed by Kyle Busch (106.0), Kenseth (102.3) and Keselowski (99.7), to round out the top-five.

    But did you know that out of the top-10 competitors at this track, Joey Logano is the only non-playoff driver? Logano’s win at Richmond Raceway on April 30 was deemed encumbered due to an issue with the rear suspension, costing him a spot in the playoffs. His last chance for another victory was, ironically, at Richmond Sept. 9, where he finished second.

    After the race, Logano said, “This is the test of our character, not only as a driver but as a team and the way we handle these next 10 races. We don’t want to roll over. We want to help our teammates try to win a championship, and ultimately we want to win 10 races. That’s what the goal is at this point. It may be the end of our championship run this year, but it’s not the end of our season.”

    As the Playoffs kick off this weekend, expect the intensity to build as the top 16 vie for a victory to propel them into the next round while non-playoff drivers like Logano, attempt to steal a victory.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series on-track action begins Friday with the first practice at 12:30 p.m. ET and qualifying at 6:45 p.m. ET. The Tales of the Turtles 400 closes out the weekend Sunday at 3 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

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

  • Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Change can be a good thing. Sometimes it is, but other times it is a simple reminder that we are getting older and, like disco, what was popular yesterday might not be tomorrow.

    This week, official confirmation arrived that Danica Patrick was leaving the Stewart-Haas No. 10. Coming in with the 2008 Indy Japan 300 to her credit, her model looks, that firecracker personality, she did have her detractors. Was she good enough, was she strong enough? Still, she had great support from fans and sponsors alike.

    Patrick already had set some standards for her gender. She was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and win an IndyCar race. She was that circuit’s Most Popular Driver for six year’s running. Then she moved over to the stock cars, moving full-time to Cup in 2013 where she immediately won a Daytona 500 pole, led the race, and finished 8th. It was her 11th career Cup start. Sadly, in the 169 races since there have been no more poles and just six more Top Tens. The results and then the sponsorship were no longer there to extend her contract with Stewart-Haas past this season.

    I will still wear my No. 88 cap, don my battered No. 8 T-shirt, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be in contention for a title as he retires after this campaign. Be it this year, or next, someone else will be their Most Popular Diver other than the guy who has claimed the honor since 2003. From the time of his first Top Ten at Richmond 18 years ago, the loss of his father, his wins at Daytona and Talladega since, whether he wanted to be or not, Junior became the face of NASCAR. He was absolute magic through 2004, then gave us a resurgence in 2014 and 2015 when he chalked up his final seven victories. With a career total of 26 and his army of fans, he should eventually find his way to the Hall of Fame.

    Unlike Junior, Matt Kenseth won a championship, earned a spot in the Chase, but did not get the choice of whether to stay or not. With William Byron waiting in the wings, that decision was made for him. Kasey Kahne did not win a title, yet he is another man in the Chase with no ride set for 2018. Erik Jones comes into Rick Hendrick’s stable next year to move into the No. 4 as Chase Elliott gets the No. 9 and Kahne’s No. 5 gets moth balled.

    Kurt Busch has a title, a place in the Chase, but does he have a ride for next season? At the end of his contract with Stewart-Haas, he is still officially negotiating a new deal. If Monster Energy does not return as his sponsor, my guess is that he won’t return to that car. Having a sponsor trumps talent. Just ask Paul Menard.

    Then there is Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43. Smithfield Foods has moved its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas and the odds seem to be in favor of them taking Aric Almirola with them to sit behind the wheel. That leaves Petty Motorsports without a sponsor, a driver, and questions are arising as to whether it might be the end of an era.

    Carl Edwards might be back. He might not. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart closed the book on their careers last year. That is a lot of top tier names gone or in limbo, representing a very sizeable number of fans who tuned in every week to cheer them on.

    In the immortal words of disco, their supporters are left pleading “Don’t Leave Me This Way” while NASCAR proclaims “I Will Survive” and the rest of us are left wondering “Where Do We Go From Here.”

    The answer to the last is…Chicago.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2053 PTS (4 Wins)
    Should Cope, Larson, and Hamlin decide you don’t get another win, you don’t.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2033 PTS (4 Wins)
    Derrike Cope was a two-time winner in 1990 and helped make Larson a four-time winner this year.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2029 PTS (2 Wins)
    Visited Furniture Row in Denver. No doubt, Kyle is working for the Russians.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2019 PTS (2 Wins)
    XFINITY series is not dead yet, as I hear Brad beat Kyle at Richmond. How bad have you got it?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2017 PTS (3 Wins)
    Time to carry the freight in his bid for number eight.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 2015 PTS (1 Win)
    “Whether it’s Dale Jr., Danica, myself…people come and go.” I am afraid Harvick is right.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2013 PTS (2 Wins)
    Now, that is how you perform a P.I.T. maneuver.

    8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2010 PTS (2 Wins)
    Picked the right time to have a breakout season.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2008 PTS (1 Win)
    Ten more races with the Wood Brothers before moving on over to the Penske people.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2006 PTS
    Maybe now is the time to consider getting that first career victory.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Not exactly a stellar season but points wise he deserves to be in the running.

    12. KURT BUSCH – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    After the Daytona 500 he has been on cruise control, then they told him he could lose his lease.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Like Kurt and Matt, it is more than just the Chase…but more like an audition for next season.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    His team owner has told him that he was loved and has a job for next year.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 2005 PTS
    Where is an ambulance when you do not need one?

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2003 PTS
    No wins, but he has run a hell of a lot better than his place in these standings would indicate.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 664 PTS
    Two pit penalties and some repair work in a race he had to win to be in.

    18. ERIK JONES – 654 PTS
    With six straight Top Tens, Jones has just given us notice for 2018.

    19. JOEY LOGANO – 652 PTS (1 Win)
    Earned more points than four who made the Chase, but all he got from his win was a trophy.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 568 PTS
    Behind him, you will find such names as Bayne, Earnhardt, Menard, Allmendinger, and Patrick.