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  • Hot 20 – No lug nuts, no crew, as Kyle discovered heading to Pocono

    Hot 20 – No lug nuts, no crew, as Kyle discovered heading to Pocono

    They went and done it. Kyle Busch comes in leading early in the race at Dover. For whatever reason, when they went to tighten up the rear left lug nuts, the air gun was removing them instead. When the jack dropped, the car left, and shortly after the tire left the car. Bad news for Kyle. Today, bad news for the crew.

    A major penalty can be handed out for sacrificing safety in order to have a fast pit stop. That clearly was not the case here, but it did not matter. Gone for four races are crew chief Adam Stevens, tire changer Jacob Seminara and tire carrier Kenneth Barber. To be fair, the rule does state “loss of wheel(s) due to improper installation will result in a mandatory minimum four race suspension of the crew chief and the tire changer and tire carrier of the lost wheel(s).” As I read it, and it appears this is NASCAR’s interpretation, intent matters not. Something tells me that a certain jackman might owe his buddies a few beers, at the very least.

    Sometimes the crew does things a bit more on purpose. As we head to Pocono, we remember last year at this time, at this track, when Brad Keselowski’s rear tire carrier threw a hip check to the side of his driver’s car in the pits. NASCAR saw it, and did not like the unapproved modifications to its aerodynamics. Mind you, all he got was a call to return to the pits to repair the indentation. No one got vacation time.

    Keselowski knows all about vacation time. He has not made it past the first segment in the past two races. As for Busch, he is left hoping race engineer Ben Beshore will have the magic atop the box to get him his first victory of the season as the Hot 20 make their first visit of the campaign to Pocono.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS – 414 PTS
    Seven is heaven, but to win eight would be great.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 545 PTS
    Good on segments, good on wins, good on points, good to go for the Chase.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 410 PTS
    Dear Race Friends: Please do not wreck me until at least the second segment. Thanks, Brad.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 536 PTS
    Had the best car out there last week, at least until the final re-start.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 299 PTS
    Afraid last week that he had to hit the wall a third time to finally kill the car. It only took two.

    6. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 299 PTS
    Late caution during green flag stops shuffled the order, allowing the Rocket a Top Ten at Dover.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 291 PTS
    Wiggled early and took out Keselowski last week. One flat later, and he was gone himself.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 263 PTS
    Until nine more drivers win this season, he is sitting pretty for the Chase.

    9. KEVIN HARVICK – 429 PTS
    Six Top Tens in his last seven races leaves him winless yet sitting pretty.

    10. KYLE BUSCH – 416 PTS
    “The wheels on the car go round and round…” He hates that song.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 415 PTS
    Has run no worse than 12th over the past seven events.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 398 PTS
    After Richmond, Talladega, Kansas, and Charlotte, Dover was like a breath of fresh air.

    13. DENNY HAMLIN – 361 PTS
    Four Pocono wins, but the last one came seven years ago.

    14. CLINT BOWYER – 349 PTS
    Thought Tony Stewart was back, but it was just an idiot fan climbing the Dover catchfence.

    15. JOEY LOGANO – 348 PTS (1 Win*)
    Some seem to think Donald Trump’s win in November was also encumbered. They are wrong.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 327 PTS
    Screw it. Just win on Sunday and all this point counting will no longer matter.

    17. RYAN BLANEY – 320 PTS
    Ryan’s plan is to get eight more points than Kenseth and hope someone winless does not win.

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 287 PTS
    40 points is not hard to make up…with a win. You might notice a bit of a theme here.

    19. ERIK JONES – 283 PTS
    Joins Saturday broadcast team of Erik, Ryan, Ricky, Kevin, Joey, Clint, Danica, and Denny.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 278 PTS
    I read “Suarez drives in three”, but it was Eugenio’s performance for the Reds over the Cards.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson started at the rear of the field due to a gear change and charged to the front to win the AAA 400, his 11th career win at Dover and 83rd career Cup victory, tying Cale Yarborough.

    “It’s great to be mentioned in the same sentence with Cale,” Johnson said. “Especially since I was wearing a helmet honoring him. Cale hasn’t gone upside someone’s head like that since he battled the Allison brothers at Daytona back in 1979.”

    2. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex won Stages 1 and 2 at Dover and finished third as the race ended under caution after a crash shortly after the final restart. Truex leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings by nine points over Kyle Larson.

    “I won two stages,” Truex said, “and Kyle Karson led 241 laps. Yet Jimmie Johnson won the race. As the saying goes, ‘Legend has it.’”

    3. Kyle Larson: Larson led a race-high 241 laps, and saw a late caution wreck his hopes for the win at Dover. Larson was enjoying over a two-second lead over Jimmie Johnson when David Ragan hit the wall, bringing out a caution.

    “If David Ragan doesn’t wreck,” Larson said, “Johnson doesn’t win. Jimmie got lucky, very lucky. I said Johnson had a golden horseshoe somewhere. I won’t say where it actually is, but I will say Johnson can afford the best proctologist money can buy.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished ninth at Dover, positing his eighth top 10 of the season. He is third in the points standings, 116 out of first.

    “My Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Danica Patrick posted her first top-10 finish since April 2015,” Harvick said. “That’s certainly good news for her future with SHR. As you know, Danica is under contract through next season, but she just lost Nature’s Bakery sponsorship. SHR has a decision to make, and the question is, ‘Is Danica worth the bread?’”

    5. Brad Keselowski: For the second week in a row, Keselowski’s was collected in a wreck that ended his day. At Dover, Kurt Busch got loose on lap 66 and hit the wall, leaving Keselowski nowhere to go. Keselowski slammed into Busch and finished 38th.

    “If it’s not one Busch brother dropping the mic,” Keselowski said, “it’s another dropping the ball.

    “I’ve been critical of Kyle Busch after his abbreviated press conference at Charlotte. Maybe I should be more sympathetic, because if anyone knows how to play the victim, it’s me.”

    6. Chase Elliott: Elliott overcame an early pit road speeding penalty to bring home a fifth-place finish in the AAA 400 at Dover. He is eighth in the points standings, 147 out of first.

    “I heard Kyle Busch’s crewman was unscrewing lugnuts when he thought he was tightening them,” Elliott said. “In NASCAR terms, you can say he got a little loose.”

    7. Joey Logano: Logano blew his right front tire with 46 laps to go in Stage 2, and limped home to a 25th-place finish at Dover.

    “They don’t call Dover the ‘Monster Mile’ for nothing,” Logano said. “It is truly a monster. And trust me, I know a monster when I see one. And that reminds me, Father’s Day is June 18th.”

    8. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh in the AAA 400 and is now fifth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 130 out of first.

    “Some idiot fan climbed the catchfence during the race,” McMurray said. “And some idiot NASCAR official didn’t even throw a caution flag. And that, in itself, should raise a red flag.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished eighth at Dover, scoring his sixth top 10 of the year.

    “Joe Gibbs Racing has yet to win a race this year,” Hamlin said. “And the pressure is on us to win, especially Kyle Busch. So don’t put a mic in his hands until you put a trophy in his hands.”

    10. Kyle Busch: Busch started on the pole at Dover, but disaster struck early, when after his first pit stop, his left rear wheel fell off. Miraculously, Busch recovered from that incident, but fell two laps down late before scrambling to finish 16th.

    “Our pit crewman was actually unscrewing the lug nuts,” Busch said. “That’s shocking. But the biggest surprise was even with the unscrewing, I didn’t come ‘unhinged.’

    “Obviously, I need to work on my attitude. Still others think my sponsors and bosses should not be so easy to brush off my behavior. So, I guess they need to work on their latitude.”

  • The Final Word – Dover, where yellow became my favorite color

    The Final Word – Dover, where yellow became my favorite color

    When it comes to extraordinary television, sit on the edge of your seat excitement, Dover under green will not exactly get your heart racing. In fact, Sunday’s race was more of a cautionary tale. When the yellow waved, the interest spiked.

    They waved the flag to start the race. I dozed. There was a caution, but it was for one of the exhaust eaters. No big deal. Then they dropped the jack on leader Kyle Busch in the pits, nearly spun the fingers off tire man Kenny Barber, and then the tire rolled off as Busch pulled out. That got my attention. I bet it got the attention of the entire crew. It sure got the attention of NASCAR. It seems Barber, tire changer Jake Seminara, and crew chief Adam Stevens could all face a major penalty. That could cost them each up to four races. We shall see. However, instead of trying to jump the gun by putting on fewer lugs nuts, the air gun was actually pulling them off instead of spinning them on. Be it a malfunction or a miscue, it was rather memorable.

    Then, back to my nap. For a couple of laps. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. did not take tires under the caution, but caused the next. The lights went on, I woke up, and Stenhouse had some mangled rubber. That contact with the wall did not help either.

    I was about to head off to dream land when Stenhouse hit the wall again. He was finally done. Still, no nap for me, as on the re-start, Kurt Busch broke loose and drove Brad Keselowski into the fence. Bad Brad was toast. Busch lingered, but the damage he sustained finally got to his tire, which got him into the wall, and finally in to the garage to stay. There were still three-quarters of the race left to run and three bound for the Chase were already gone for the day.

    They pitted, when Clint Bowyer’s crew noticed a mechanical issue. Fluids were flowing out where they should not be flowing. To the garage for repairs. By the time he returned, 18 laps had gone by.

    I was able to get in some serious “zzzz” time for the next hundred laps. That was interrupted by another caution. It would seem Joey Logano met the outside barrier, and the repair time cost him four circuits.

    More than a hundred laps of round and round later, the alarm went off again. Regan Smith, sitting in for the mending Aric Almirola, had his right front surrender. Another caution, another tire, another fence, another retirement.

    As the final laps clicked off, it was Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, and Martin Truex Jr., the contenders. One more caution, and we were off to overtime. Six additional laps under green, we thought. It actually ended under caution.

    Johnson moved to the lead with a better re-start and had gone by the overtime line when all hell broke loose behind them on the front stretch. Ty Dillon wiggled and got punted into the safer wafers, while Trevor Bayne and Kasey Kahne not only rhymed but also were among those who failed to make the line. Under caution, Johnson, Larson, and Truex did, in that order.

    It marked the 83rd career win for Johnson, tying him for sixth all-time with Cale Yarborough. It gave him his 11th career Dover win in 31 attempts, and third victory of the season. As far as the standings go, the only real change of note was Matt Kenseth out performing Ryan Blaney, 13th compared to 32nd, and moving seven points up in the battle for the final Chase place.

    With Pocono coming up next week, here is a final cautionary tale. If you are not in the Top 17 heading to Pennsylvania on Sunday, you are not going to make the Chase on points. With the rest 40 or more points out, their best hopes lie in winning one of the next 13 events. The way things have played out so far, with nine winners to date, even a single victory might not be enough.

    This might be a good time for recent past Pocono winners Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kenseth, and Chris Buescher to catch lightning in a bottle one more time. Either Sunday, or the return date in August will do. Maybe.

  • Dover International Speedway – Did You Know?

    Dover International Speedway – Did You Know?

    This week, NASCAR travels to Dover International Speedway for events in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, the XFINITY Series, and the Camping World Truck Series. The Cup Series AAA 400 Drive for Autism will close out the weekend’s competition Sunday at 1 p.m. on Fox Sports 1.

    There have been 94 Cup races with 35 different winners at Dover. The first Cup Series race was held on July 6, 1969, and was won by Richard Petty. David Pearson captured the inaugural pole and leads all drivers with six poles. But did you know that he also holds the record for most consecutive poles at Dover? From 1973 to the spring of 1974, he scored three straight poles.

    Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner and heads to Dover hoping for a repeat performance. Last year the Joe Gibbs Racing driver held off a relentless Kyle Larson, leading the final 47 laps in his No. 20 Toyota to capture the checkered flag. He has three wins, 17 top fives and 14 top 10s at the 1-mile track with a 108.6 driver rating, second only to Jimmie Johnson. But did you know that Kenseth posted his first career Coors Light Pole at Dover in 2002?

    Johnson is the undisputed master at the Monster Mile with a track-record 10 wins, the series-best driver rating (118.3) as well as the best average running position (7.8). In addition, the Hendrick Motorsports driver has 15 tops fives, 21 top 10s, and three poles. But did you know that if Johnson can pull off another win this weekend, he will become only the third Cup Series driver to win 11 or more races at a single track?

    Richard Petty has done it at four different tracks, Martinsville (15), North Wilkesboro (15), Richmond (13) and Rockingham (11). Darrell Waltrip has accomplished this feat twice with 12 victories at Bristol and 11 at Martinsville.

    Kyle Busch, winless this season, enters Dover with an opportunity to turn things around. He has the third-best driver (105.4), 11 top fives and 15 top 10s. With two victories, in 2008 and 2010, and a runner-up finish in the 2016 fall race after leading 102 laps, look for Busch to be a top contender. But did you know that if he leads 59 laps on Sunday, he will become the 11th Cup Series driver to lead 13,000 or more laps?

    The best chance to claim the trophy at Dover is to qualify on the front row. Thirteen of the 94 races have been won from the pole (13.8 percent) while 16 have been won from second place (17 percent).

    The AAA 400 Drive for Autism broadcast begins at 1 p.m. ET, Sunday, on FS1. Be sure to tune in early as this year’s pre-race activities will include special events to honor Richard Petty’s upcoming 80th birthday including a custom made cake to replicate the 1969 Ford that he drove to victory lane in the 1969 inaugural race plus a question and answer session. Petty will also drive a street-ready No. 43 Plymouth Road Runner Superbird tribute car around the track before the green flag drops.

    In the meantime, check out the video below as Kenseth and Larson battle for the lead in the final laps.

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

  • Hot 20 – If Dover is such a boring track to watch a race, why is Jimmie Johnson so excited?

    Hot 20 – If Dover is such a boring track to watch a race, why is Jimmie Johnson so excited?

    Some things are just not like the others. May featured the World 600 and the All-Star race at Charlotte, the spring derby at Talladega, events a fellow can get excited about. This week. Dover.

    Maybe Jimmie Johnson will stall on the re-start like he did last spring. That caused one hell of a mess. No, it was not racing, but it sure was not boring. It was not boring when Carl Edwards bounced off the infield wall. At the end, Kyle Larson kept Matt Kenseth honest right to the stripe, as the veteran claimed the victory. That was not a boring finish.

    Miles the Monster is not boring. He is big, and the trophy is cool as it holds a model of the winning car in its big mitt. The Monster Mile was once known as White Lightning, but I am thinking that Miles is a bit of a Teetotaler. Come to think of it, so are Donald Trump and Kathy Griffin. Why that fun fact amuses me as much as it does, I do not know.

    They have raced 94 times at Dover since the first Cup event in 1969. Richard Petty won the first two, three of the first four, and is tied with Bobby Allison with seven victories. That is good enough for second best.

    Among active drivers, Kenseth and Ryan Newman have won three apiece but they are a long ways away from the top gun. Remember that guy who jammed things up last year? Johnson has won 10 in 30 attempts. That is a pretty good average. I wonder who the favorite might be?

    It would seem our seven-time Cup champion just likes collecting the more unusual trophies. Ten Monsters to go with his nine Martinsville grandfather clocks. Say what you might about the one-mile track in Delaware or the driver who dominates it, but I think we can agree that there is a trophy room out there that is anything but boring.

    Like Austin Dillon, Johnson is among our Hot 20 with a Chase in his future.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR – 2 WINS – 491 PTS
    First in points, tied for first in wins. What do you think of Furniture Row now?

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 409 PTS
    Dreams of lasting a tad longer this Sunday than he did in the race last week.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 359 PTS
    The gatekeeper of the room with Monsters and Grandfather Clocks.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 486 PTS
    Monaco is too far away to attempt a Triple but has dreams of a Memorial Day Weekend Double.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 298 PTS
    Like Happy and Rowdy, he has an attractive better half, but he also has something they do not.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 290 PTS
    With his Daytona 500 win and three of the past four a Top Ten, it is good to be Kurt.

    7. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 266 PTS
    When a veteran looks you in the eye and says you are who they fight for, that has an impact.

    8. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 238 PTS
    Points? Who needs stinkin’ points when you get a win at Charlotte?

    9. KEVIN HARVICK – 388 PTS
    The buck stops with the crew chief, as Childers loses $10,000 for Charlotte’s loose lug nut.

    10. KYLE BUSCH – 386 PTS
    Hates to lose, be it 38th at Daytona or 2nd at Charlotte. He won’t be a happy camper.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 385 PTS
    All of his wins have come on just four marquee tracks, and this is not one of them.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 362 PTS
    Keselowski saved mechanics a ton of time last week, removing any thought of making repairs.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 343 PTS
    Solution to a front end that just would not turn last weekend. Clydesdales. Just a thought.

    14. JOEY LOGANO – 336 PTS (1 WIN*)
    Win at Kansas was encumbered, meaning it means nothing when it comes to Chase eligibility.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 332 PTS
    One very bad day away from being in danger of losing his contender status.

    16. RYAN BLANEY – 308 PTS
    One very good day away from potentially putting Hamlin in that position.

    17. MATT KENSETH – 288 PTS
    A repeat of last year’s spring edition would be just fine with him.

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 271 PTS
    Doing enough to stay on this list, but not enough to challenge for a title.

    19. ERIK JONES – 256 PTS
    Just turned 21 this week. I turned 21 in 1977. I win!

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 246 PTS
    Five straight in the Top 20, three of the last four in the top dozen. There is still time.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex led 233 laps and won Stage 2 on his way to a third-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600.

    “That’s the third consecutive year I’ve led the most laps in the Coke 600,” Truex said, “and all I have to show for it is one win and a lousy t-shirt.”

    2. Kyle Larson: Larson started at the rear of the Coca-Cola 600 after he failed to pass inspection in time for a qualifying lap. He raced as high as third before scraping the wall on lap 153, then smacked the wall harder 45 laps later, which ended his day. He finished 33th and dropped out of the top spot in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “By the time I passed inspection,” Larson said, “I didn’t have time to turn a qualifying lap. In a sport based on speed, I guess we first need to be faster at passing inspection.”

    3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson ran out of gas two laps from the finish, which allowed Austin Dillon to win his first Cup race. Johnson finished 17th.

    “Much like my fuel intake system,” Johnson said, “this sucks. But congratulations go to Dillon. He really proved he belongs with the big boys. You know, a lot of people thought he got a NASCAR ride only because of Richard Childress. I think that’s called being ‘grandfathered in.’”

    4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski’s Charlotte experience ended abruptly when he rear-ended Chase Elliott, whose No. 24 slowed dramatically after running over a piece of debris from Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car. Keselowski finished 39th.

    “I’m not sure what piece came off of Earnhardt’s car,” Keselowski said. “But knowing it came from Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car, I’m guessing it was a piece of junk.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Charlotte and finished eighth despite dealing with a loose wheel early in the race, then a spin caused by some fluid on the track.

    “Congratulations to Austin Dillon and Richard Childress,” Harvick said. “I know the importance of winning as an RCR driver. Whenever I won in an RCR car, both Richard and I celebrated. So the partying may have been mutual, but the parting was not.”

    6. Chase Elliott: Elliott crashed out early at Charlotte when he ran over a piece of Jeffrey Earnhardt’s car and was subsequently smashed from behind by Brad Keselowski. Elliott finished 38th.

    “It’s not the first time an Earnhardt has disappointed a fan base this season,” Elliott said.

    7. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 12th at Charlotte and is sixth in the points standings, 106 out of first.

    “Austin Dillon and his team made all the right calls,” McMurray said. “And it’s good to see the No. 3 in Victory Lane. But I don’t think anyone is going to start calling Dillon ‘The Intimidator’ anytime soon. Based on his fuel mileage victory, I think a more fitting nickname would be the ‘Fume-igator.’”

    8. Joey Logano: Logano finished 21st at Charlotte, one lap down, and is now 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “It wasn’t the best of days for Penske Racing,” Keselowski said. “First, neither Will Power nor Helio Castroneves won at Indianapolis. Brad Keselowski and I? We didn’t have any luck ‘In-dy Car’ either.”

    9. Kyle Busch: Busch likely had the fastest car on the track but finished a disappointing second to Austin Dillon, who successfully gambled on fuel strategy to capture the win.

    “Leave it to a Busch brother to be ornery after a second-place finish,” Busch said. “As it was, I came up short, in the race and in the post-race press conference.”

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 14th at Charlotte and is now ninth in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, 343 out of first.

    “Channing Tatum gave the command to start the engines,” Bowyer said. “Tatum was in Charlotte to promote his movie, ‘Logan Lucky,’ which takes place at Charlotte Motor Speedway and involves some type of robbery during the Coca- Cola 600. I think Austin Dillon will serve as a special consultant because he stole the race on Sunday.”

  • The Final Word – A day of three iconic races, and the return of an iconic 3 to Victory Lane

    The Final Word – A day of three iconic races, and the return of an iconic 3 to Victory Lane

    One day, three iconic events for racing fans. All you needed was a fine alarm clock or, better still, a fine recording device.

    It all began early Sunday morning along the coast of Monte Carlo and the Monaco Grand Prix. I am not a big fan of driving fast and little passing, but Monaco is a different breed. Fabulous architecture and big expensive craft that fill the marina are the background for a street race that has the competitors driving just a bit above the recommended speed limit for you and me. Simply put, they go fast on a road not built to go fast, be it alone or among 20 other speed demons.

    You get the idea that concentration might be a real attribute. Gazing at a beautiful building or Leo DiCaprio trying to save the planet on one of those monstrous sized yachts might not be helpful in winning. Sebastian Vettel won it for Ferrari this weekend, and was happy about it. Teammate Kimi Räikkönen was second and he did not appear happy at all. When you start on the pole, you expect to win, but his day went to the pits in the pits. As for Lewis Hamilton, he started 12th and finished seventh. Did I not mention that passing was at a premium?

    From the land of champagne the day took us next to the land of milk and the Indianapolis 500. Indy was built for speed, though I am not sure they had these kind of speeds in mind back in 1909 when they opened the facility. Fernando Alonzo has a win at Monaco, along with 31 other Formula One victories and a pair of championships. On Sunday, he was an Indianapolis rookie. While Alonzo and Andretti teammate, last year’s winner Alexander Rossi, swapped the lead between them, pole winner Scott Dixon made it just past the quarter mark when he went to pieces. Jay Howard bounced off the wall right into Dixon’s path, and the ride he went on would make most of us truly appreciate the soft safe confines of our sofa. Then, he stepped out of the wreckage and walked away. Amazing.

    It was riveting action from the Midwest. It was a great day for Andretti’s boys, at least for a time. A pit problem cost Rossi and sent him back in the pack to stay. A blown engine removed Ryan Hunter-Reay from the equation. Near the end, it was Alonzo’s turn to clear away the mosquitoes. That left only Takuma Sato from the Andretti stable in contention, but that was all they needed. Sato beat out three-time champ Hélio Castroneves to give Andretti Autosport its second straight, third in four years, and fifth overall Indianapolis 500 victory. Sato becomes the first Japanese driver to win the classic in a race that was must-see television from start to finish.

    Then it was time to move on to NASCAR’s endurance test, Charlotte’s World 600. Not that everyone was busy all night, as an Earnhardt changed the course of this one. The Intimidator’s grandson, Jeffrey, blew up, tossing a large metal part onto the track. That collected Chase Elliott, who caught fire and slowed down to nothing. That was enough to cause Brad Keselowski to skid in at high speed to pile drive Elliott, and with that, we had three less cars to worry about. We did not have to worry about the weather, we were told. A storm was going to pass to the north of the track. They must have moved the track, because it poured during that second stage and put a red flag to proceedings for 100 minutes. It rained hard. It rained long. For a moment, I thought the action had returned to Europe for the Venetian gondola races. Honestly, if you had been thinking about mowing the lawn, you were in luck. You had the time to do so.

    Happily, the clouds parted and the track dried. Not so happily, Trevor Bayne broke an axle leaving the pits, that cost him five laps. Meanwhile, Kasey Kahne had a rear end failure, tagging the wall to end his day. As for Kyle Larson, he tagged the wall which moved things in his right front. It later gave up the ghost, went into the pearly outside fence, and his car was bound for automotive heaven. All this, and still 150 miles to go.

    As they counted down the final laps, it was fuel strategy versus performance. Jimmie Johnson and Austin Dillon looked to win it on stretching their petrol. Martin Truex Jr., who had been the best car on the night, along with Kyle Busch, were hoping their better entries would equate into victory. With 20 miles left, we still did not know how this would play out.

    With three miles to go, Johnson ran dry. Dillon had the lead. Busch got by Truex but on this day time ran out before the fuel did. Dillon took his grandfather’s team to Victory Lane. For Richard Childress, it marked the first win for his grandson. It also marked the first for the No. 3 since his friend, Dale Earnhardt, won for him at Talladega back on October 15, 2000.

    A great day for auto racing. A great way to end it.

  • Hot 20 – Motor Car Racing’s biggest day after one of NASCAR’s most newsworthy weeks

    Hot 20 – Motor Car Racing’s biggest day after one of NASCAR’s most newsworthy weeks

    Change. Sometimes change is good, like when you win a few million dollars. That is good. You get married to your sweetheart. Good. Your children start arriving. If you are a mature adult, and not some self-serving narcissist, that is very good. New talented drivers emerge on the scene. That is also a good thing.

    Some change sucks. Your favorite driver retiring, for example, if only for very selfish reasons. Trying to dump the Southern 500 was a bad thing. Abandoning such traditional names as the Firecracker 400 and the World 600 is not only bad but makes you appear dumb as a stick. About as dumb as adding a third stage for points in a 600-mile race, allowing the possibility of the driver finishing 26th to wind up with more points than the race winner. That is bad, also.

    As for changes in the 2018 schedule, good or bad? That is the question. Moving the Brickyard 400 to September? Iconic track, bad venue for NASCAR in my opinion. It does not much matter. Move Richmond from the final race of the regular campaign to the second of the Chase? It might work. Small market, short track, tons of tradition. Maybe.

    Changing the fall race in Charlotte to include its road course section? The World 600 is iconic. The fall race is not. Anything that includes another road course is good, but we will not know for sure until we see it. Will we be entertained? The fact that it is a Chase race ticks a box, and if it continues to be a 500-mile contest it would be by far the longest road course endurance test on the circuit.

    They thought about changing to the road course at Indianapolis. Those in charge of the iconic venue said no. Indy was all about the oval, in their opinion, period. I guess they decided not to cry over spilled milk and moved on.

    The Hall of Fame might need to change. Each year, they elect five more to be enshrined. Once, you needed a championship or 40 plus wins to get in. Now, no title and under 20 victories might still be enough. Mind you, Wendell Scott won just one race but his NASCAR journey was a lot like Andy Dufresne’s trek out of Shawshank. He deserves to be there. Dale Earnhardt Jr., on the other hand, once was a long-shot but today he is an automatic thanks to Curtis Turner’s induction in 2016. Is a change required? You be the judge.

    This week, the new inductees were announced. For a change, I can not argue with any of them. Engine builder and team owner Robert Yates. Inaugural NASCAR champ Red Byron. Championship crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham. Broadcast icon Ken Squier. Truck king Ron Hornaday. Next year, maybe mechanic, builder and crew chief Smokey Yunick might be included. He may not have kissed many rings and certainly no one’s ass, but he more than earned his spot. A softening of their attitude regarding him would be a most welcome change.

    Of course, for a change, this Sunday it is about more than just NASCAR. The Formula One offering starts the day with the Grand Prix of Monaco. Back on this side of the pond, the open wheelers are featured in the Indianapolis 500. Down south, the World 600 comes our way from Charlotte, North Carolina.

    Sebastian Vettel and Lewis Hamilton lead the way in F-1’s sixth race of the season. IndyCar finds Simon Pagenaud and Scott Dixon the top dogs. As for NASCAR, here is a look at our Hot 20 heading to Charlotte. In the words of Jackie Stewart, let the motor car racing begin.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS – 431 PTS
    When it comes to who should win this race this year, Truex is a “no change” kind of guy.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 408 PTS
    A rule is not “made up” if you failed to read the fine print. Sticker tires are 100% unused.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 323 PTS
    NASCAR makes up new rules, Johnson keeps winning championships. Expect more rules.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 475 PTS
    Thinks All-Star race and season finale should move to different venues. He is wrong, of course.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 320 PTS
    Joey and Danica will be in the lineup. Aric Almirola is gone for two or three months.

    6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 276 PTS
    You would think a boy from Olive Branch, Mississippi would be the most peaceful guy out there.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 246 PTS
    Well, all day long at the track all I hear is how great Kyle is at this or that! Kyle, Kyle, Kyle!

    8. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 238 PTS
    Rocket Man? Amongst our race winners, it is more like he is the Invisible Man.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 361 PTS
    After the fan vote last week, Chase is the new Danica. Okay, a more manly version.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 354 PTS
    Has won twice at Charlotte, but never this classic event.

    11. KEVIN HARVICK – 347 PTS
    Believes Truck Series should be run at non-Cup tracks, to bring out the fans. Harvick is right.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 325 PTS
    Last week it was for money, this week it is for points.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 317 PTS
    If it is not a rule, then Crew Chief Mike Bugarewicz gets in touch with his inner Smokey Yunick.

    14. RYAN BLANEY – 291 PTS
    His dad did not get his shot until he was in his late 30’s. Ryan knows that he is a fortunate son.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 289 PTS
    29 career wins, but not one yet at Charlotte. There is always Sunday.

    16. TREVOR BAYNE – 250 PTS
    Failed to join his fellow stars in Saturday’s big race. He has incentive to do well this weekend.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 242 PTS
    Last week he won $1000 in a World of Outlaws race. So, they release prize money figures?

    18. MATT KENSETH – 233 PTS
    At least seven in the line-up for Sunday will wind up in the Hall of Fame. Matt is one of them.

    19. ERIK JONES – 217 PTS
    Stay off the grass.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 217 PTS
    Was last week his coming out party?

  • The Final Word – NASCAR scores big with an all-star winning formula

    The Final Word – NASCAR scores big with an all-star winning formula

    The stars would come out at Charlotte on Saturday night. Well, some of them. Twenty drivers would make up the field, but we knew that the Top 20 on the season would be missing at least a couple of performers.

    Sixteen drivers were in but two of them, 2000 All-Star winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Pocono’s 2016 Pennsylvania 400 victor Chris Buescher, are not among our best for this season. That meant that at least two who are would miss the big race. The question was, who would they be?

    It would not be Clint Bowyer. He dominated the opening stage of the qualifying Showdown to earn his spot. It would not be Ryan Blaney, who was second best in that opening stage and the best of the rest in the second. Maybe the third best, Erik Jones, would be the guy.

    With three laps to go in the Showdown, Jones tried to track down Chase Elliott and Daniel Suárez. The pair allowed no room at the inn, Jones caught the grass and killed his car. On the re-start, the Mexican driver walked off with ease to punch his ticket. When it came to the fan favorite to advance, Elliott got the nod. That meant 18 of the Top 20 were among the All-Star 20, with Jones and Trevor Bayne missing the cut. Then it was time for the big boys to strut their stuff.

    Kyle Larson appeared interested in the million dollar prize, claiming the opening stage. So, they went another 20 laps to determine the next stage winner. Guess who? Once again, it was all Larson all of the time. Two stages, two wins. Would he share? Maybe the third time would be a charm for somebody not named Kyle Larson.

    At least, it was after the pit stops. Two tire strategy put Bowyer and Blaney in front, with Larson just behind them. That lasted a lap for Bowyer, as he got gobbled up by the pack. As they hit the line to begin the third lap, Jimmie Johnson went past Blaney and stayed there. Kevin Harvick was second, with Larson right behind him.

    Larson and Johnson advanced to the 10 lap shootout, joining eight others who had the best average finish over those three stages. That number included the Busch brothers, Harvick, Elliott, Jamie McMurray, Denny Hamlin, Brad Keselowski and last year’s winner Joey Logano.

    When they hit the line on the green, Kyle Busch cut to the inside. It was Rowdy, Johnson, and Larson, while the rest did not matter as they counted down. Just about the only drama to be had was if Larson could pass Johnson. He did, but it was Rowdy sporting a million dollar smile when it was all over. Samantha Busch looked kind of happy as well, come to think of it.

    I can criticize NASCAR all day long, as Lord knows they seem willing to provide us with all sorts of ammunition to do so. However, as far as an all-star event goes, their presentation was more enjoyable than any I have seen lately put forth by any other sport.

    At much as I vehemently oppose the adding of an additional stage to next weekend’s World 600, I wholeheartedly applaud NASCAR for this modified novelty format for its all-star event. It, along with Kyle Busch, were the winners Saturday night in Charlotte.

  • Kyle Busch Wins All-Star $1 Million Prize at Charlotte

    Kyle Busch Wins All-Star $1 Million Prize at Charlotte

    Kyle Busch captured his first ever NASCAR Cup Series win at Charlotte Motor Speedway Saturday night, winning the Monster Energy All-Star race and the $1 million prize.

    Busch was lined up in second beside Brad Keselowski to begin the final 10-lap shootout but quickly grabbed the lead and never looked back. He led all 10 laps on his drive to victory lane, becoming the 23rd different driver to win the event in its 33-race history.

    “We’ve never won at Charlotte in a Cup car and we finally achieved that goal tonight,” an ecstatic Busch said after the race. “I won the All-Star Race. I won a million bucks. There’s reason to celebrate and reason to celebrate big.

    “I can’t say enough about this team. I can’t say enough about (crew chief) Adam Stevens and these guys on the pit box. You can rely on them all day long. I had to do that tonight. We weren’t quite the fastest car, but we made the right changes when it mattered most. We made the right moves when it mattered most. We got the most out of our night tonight and got here to Victory Lane; just so relieved, elated, proud and excited, all at the same time.”

    Kyle Larson won the first two stages of the All-Star race and led all of the 40-combined laps, but finished in second place after losing three positions during the final pit stop.

    “My pit crew has been awesome all year, and I don’t want to take anything away from them,” Larson said after the race. “We came down pit road the leader, and three people passed us. That was pretty much the difference there. But in 10 laps, track position is huge. We just didn’t have it there at the end. We had the best car out there, for sure. In traffic, I thought it was really good. I thought we had it most of the race but that’s how racing goes. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it doesn’t. But I think we had a really fast car today. We’ll go onto the 600, that’s a long race, and try it again.”

    Jimmie Johnson, the third stage winner, had to settle for third place.

    “I was really hopeful of old tires and being on the bottom,” Johnson said. “They’d be able to hold that lane back, especially Kyle (Busch) and how good he is on restarts. And it just didn’t happen. He got in there. I had a decent start. The 11 (Denny Hamlin) spun his tires behind me, and he wasn’t able to push me and get me going.

    “I had a couple of shots at him (Busch). He wasn’t handling too well at the start of the run, but I just drove too hard. I could see a million dollars out the windshield, and I just drove this Lowe’s Chevy way too hard in the corner a couple of times and gave up some ground. We learned a little bit tonight and we’ll come back next week (for the Coca-Cola 600) and have some more fun.”

    Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray rounded out the top five finishers. Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, Joey Logano, Keselowski and Denny Hamlin finished in sixth through 10th, respectively.

    All of the participating teams had the option of using one set of softer tires at some point during the race but it proved to be a non-factor, outweighed by the advantage of clean air which made passing the leader next to impossible.

    Matt Kenseth’s race ended early with an oil leak after Stage 1 and finished in last place (20th). Ryan Newman made contact with Hamlin in Stage 3 and was unable to continue, finishing 19th.  Dale Earnhardt Jr. struggled with the handling of his car all night, resulting in an 18th place finish.

    The All-Star Open that preceded the All-Star race gave three drivers the opportunity to transfer into the main event. Clint Bowyer won the first stage, Ryan Blaney took the second stage and Daniel Suarez won The Open. Chase Elliott was voted into the All-Star race by winning the fan vote and was the only one of the four to finish in the top 10, placing seventh.

    Complete Race Results

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