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  • The Final Word – Newman rises in Phoenix, while a pair run down under in New Zealand

    The Final Word – Newman rises in Phoenix, while a pair run down under in New Zealand

    Let us be honest. Of the 39 entries at Phoenix, the race itself featured just 28 marquee teams. Those are outfits that through a combination of great equipment, driver talent, and, to be honest, marketability, have most of us watching for every week.

    Most are relatively easy to spot. Check out the standings. They would include the Top 25 as of today, and I will let you figure out who the other three might be. That would include the Top 26 finishers at Phoenix. If you were hoping for a dark horse to win, you might consider Talladega in May.

    You had better luck finding Nemo than Ryan Newman in Victory Lane in recent years. He was there for the first time since July 28, 2013, in Indianapolis. That was surprising enough. Newman was in the vicinity early, but a call for no tires is what put him on the front row for the overtime restart and that was all she wrote. Career win number 18 was a long time coming.

    Kyle Larson did not win. He actually had to avoid being collected up, which broke his momentum, and that allowed the Rocket to take off before him. Larson had to settle for second place. Again. Like he did at Las Vegas. Like he did at Atlanta. Hell, he was second at Homestead to finish last season. We might have four drivers with wins to their credit bound for the Chase, but right now no one has accumulated more points this season than Larson. In fact, on Sunday, Larson accumulated 11 more points than Newman did. So, to the winner goes the spoils…but sometimes not most of the spoils.

    A winner gets a minimum of 40 points, with two stage wins pushing that to a maximum of 60. Five drivers came in with 40 or more. Newman had 42, Larson 53, and Kyle Busch 47. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fourth, but it was fifth place Brad Keselowski finishing 13 points ahead of him, with 46. As for Chase Elliott, he was fourth in the opening stage, won the second, and finished 12th to accumulate 42 of his own. You can make up your own mind if first and 12th can be worth the same. To be honest, I can live with it. I guess I do like surprises after all.

    So, if 40 points constitutes a good day, what is a dud? Twenty? More than half the field in Phoenix failed to even reach that plateau. Single digits? That would at least place a driver outside the Top 28, and if a driver is worth following you would think they should finish above that unless fate intervenes.

    Fate intervened with Matt Kenseth when his right front blew and he blasted the wall pretty hard. He got just a single point for his day’s efforts. That would be a dud. Same thing happened to Joey Logano with six to go while he was running in 11th place. Thanks to winning Stage One, was 31st on the track, but 16 markers had him 23rd in points earned. Not a dud, but also not a very good day.

    It is interesting how life works. In Las Vegas, Logano “accidentally” took out Rowdy in the final lap, prompting their post-race aerobic activity. In Phoenix, Logano pounds the wall in the late going, bringing out the caution that probably cost Busch the win. I think Karma just decided to punish them both. Who knew that she was such a peacenik?

    Next up is the swing out to California. There are times when I think that track produces the most mind numbing boring contests. Then a gem appears that forces me to reconsider that. Forrest Gump is right. The Auto Club Speedway is like a box of chocolates. Jimmie Johnson has six wins there, with Kenseth and the younger Busch each with three. Then again, Kevin Harvick came in the king of the hill at Phoenix, and he wound up sixth. Not bad, not good, but still not a dud.

    In other racing news, I am a very proud papa. While my sons carry far too much muscle to be considered greyhounds, they are a determined pair. Both took on the challenge of Northburn Station near Cromwell, New Zealand on the weekend. A leg injury interfered with Ronald’s training, but he still did his 50 kilometer (31 mile) event in 8.5 hours. John took on the 161 kilometer (100 mile) race and completed it in 37 hours and 54 minutes. Check out the Northburn Station 100 and see the kind of terrain they ran.

    Let me be honest. I love my sons, who give us every reason to be very proud parents, but they are truly nuts.

  • Mixed-Bag Day for Dominant Drivers in Phoenix

    Mixed-Bag Day for Dominant Drivers in Phoenix

    The three drivers who combined to lead the most laps in the Valley of the Sun finished across the board on Sunday.

    Joey Logano’s weekend started strong with a pole run on Friday, leading 82 laps and winning the first stage of the Camping World 500. But he lost the lead on the restart following the stage break and was busted for speeding under the fifth caution on lap 120.

    To add insult to injury, he suffered a right-front tire blowout and slammed the wall in Turn 1 with six laps to go. The blowout was due to a melted bead caused by excessive brake heat, not uncommon at tracks such as Phoenix.

    “The brakes are fine, we just blew a right front,” Logano said. “Probably just overheated the bead,” he said after the race. “I am sure that is what it was. There is not much you can do when the right front blows out. We had a good car in the beginning of the race and then just fell off and got a pit road speeding penalty and it was hard to get back up there. We were getting closer but out long run speed was off. We have to figure out how to get faster here on the long run.”

    He finished 31st.

    Chase Elliott took over the lead from Logano on the restart after the stage break, dominated the second stage and won it.

    He said the move that got him the lead early in the race was “momentum. Just had momentum and basically knew that if you fall back in line second you are probably not going to pass them. You have to be night and day better than somebody to get by them under green or they have to have a problem or something. That was the biggest thing was just realizing that hey you’ve got a lap, so you either get the lead then or you don’t. Fortunately, we got it then, but didn’t keep it when it counted.”

    He held the lead until Matt Kenseth brought out the caution with 120 to go, for slamming the wall after suffering a tire blowout, Busch beat him off pit road.

    “Even the really good cars had a really hard time getting to somebody, so track position was big as it always is every week, everywhere we go and that will continue to be the case throughout the year,” Elliott said. “So, if you don’t have it at the end of the race it is going to be an uphill battle I feel like throughout this season. That is going to be a big trend.”

    While not suffering the same fate as Logano, he faded from the conversation and came home 12th, having led 106 laps.

    Finally, Busch took command of the race with 120 to go and led a race-high of 114 laps. The race was his to lose until Logano’s wreck with six to go brought out the final caution and brought all but Ryan Newman to pit road. Kyle Larson exited ahead of him.

    He came home third.

  • Busch and Logano Speak Following Meeting with NASCAR

    Busch and Logano Speak Following Meeting with NASCAR

    After their altercation both on track on the final lap and on pit road after the race in Las Vegas, NASCAR summoned Kyle Busch and Joey Logano to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series hauler for a meeting with series officials the following week in Phoenix.

    Following the 15-minute session, each driver emerged from the hauler separately.

    First was Busch. His response was straight out of the Marshawn Lynch playbook from Super Bowl XLIX.

    “Everything is great,” Busch said to every question he was asked. “Really looking forward to getting in my car and being here in Phoenix.”

    But after qualifying, he spoke to Jeff Gluck of JeffGluck.com and told him why he punched Logano.

    He veered down in front of Logano to avoid slamming into Brad Keselowski and made contact with Logano in the process. He believes Logano took him out as revenge.

    “It was instantaneous,” Busch said. “I made a move down the backstretch that cut Joey off — and I had to; I wasn’t just going to roll out of the gas and fall in behind Brad and probably lose spots to more guys behind me. So I made a bold move — I was two-thirds of my way past Logano, and I figured I can wedge my way through there a little bit.

    “And I did, and it was instantaneous retaliation. That’s what I thought and that’s kind of what I still think.”

    Logano spoke to the media, saying he tried explaining to Busch that he “made a mistake underneath him.”

    “He asked for some data. I was able to show him that it was pretty clear, in my opinion, what happened,” Logano said. “So that’s that, and we’ll move.”

    Busch said he wasn’t convinced by the data.

    Asked if he and Busch are “good moving forward,” Logano said “time will tell.”

    “The only thing I can do at this point was to plead my case and say, ‘Hey, it was an honest mistake, it was hard racing at the end,’” he said. “We’re going to try to move on and all I can do now is focus on our Shell Pennzoil Ford and try to win Phoenix.”

  • Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Hot 20 – Las Vegas featured Martin, Joey, and Kyle…but Phoenix could be all Harvick

    Wins mean everything, but doing well in the stages and coming home close to the front seems pretty important also this season. Last week, Matt Kenseth finished ninth, yet lost ground by 30 points to race winner Martin Truex Jr. in Las Vegas alone.

    The maximum number of points one can get, what Truex received last week, is 60, and that includes a win and pass to the Chase. By claiming both stages and finishing second a driver would up their count by 55, and that would be enough to move any driver from nothing to something in a hurry. This is especially true when you remember that sometimes a good driver could end up with just one single point on the day, but enough about Kevin Harvick.

    Most of our leaders should enjoy their time in Phoenix if their histories can give us a clue. Do not expect much from Truex, Kasey Kahne, or Jamie McMurray. Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, on the other hand, should move up and just maybe come next week Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be back on this list.

    A win would do it, and Junior did win at Phoenix in 2015. Joey Logano won there last fall. As for Harvick, he is the man. Eight victories, six of the past nine on this track, on one he has at least one victory in each of the past four seasons. I think we just found our favorite for Sunday.

    The points would be nice, but after giving it away in Atlanta, for Harvick, a win would mean everything.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 132 PTS
    Stay relevant, stay close, pass Truex…damn, damn, damn.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 127 PTS
    If you were wondering about that voodoo doll in the form of the No. 2…now you know.

    3. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 93 PTS
    No attempt to hit Joey, but managed to beat on the wall, and was left wanting to beat on his car.

    4. KYLE LARSON – 131 PTS
    Who does a guy have to fight in order to get some recognition by the mainstream?

    5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 129 PTS
    Fifth at Atlanta. Third at Las Vegas. The arithmetic sequence points to good things for Phoenix.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 119 PTS
    “Give me a sign, hit me baby one more time.”

    7. RYAN BLANEY – 106 PTS
    It is early, but this car is again reminding us that this was the ride of Pearson and Bonnett.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK – 92 PTS
    There is video showing Harvick was indeed at Las Vegas…mostly playing the slots in the garage.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 88 PTS
    Being surprisingly consistent, with three top dozens, is a real good thing for Kahne.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 86 PTS
    After the Daytona wreck, a pair of Top Tens gives Ganassi organization two high fliers.

    11. TREVOR BAYNE – 82 PTS
    After Edwards left, Roush needed a star in one of his seats. He just might have one.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 73 PTS
    You will find Kurt, Kevin, and Clint on this chart. As for Danica, Ty Dillon is a better bet.

    13. MATT KENSETH – 71 PTS
    Finishes ninth and drops 30 points to Truex in Las Vegas. You just got to love the points system.

    14. ARIC ALMIROLA – 70 PTS
    Back to a single car operation after nearly 20 seasons with a duo. So far, so good…sort of.

    15. DENNY HAMLIN – 68 PTS
    A Top Ten at Las Vegas was a hell of a lot better result than his run at Atlanta.

    16. PAUL MENARD – 62 PTS
    Childress drivers have won five times at Phoenix. Neither of those boys drive for him today.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 59 PTS
    Swinging at Joey doesn’t work, berating him has limited effect, but as for a kiss…stay tuned.

    18. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 55 PTS
    Oh, there you are, Jimmie. 31 of those 55 points came to him last Sunday.

    19. KYLE BUSCH – 50 PTS
    “Oops, I did it again,”

    20. ERIK JONES – 49 PTS
    39th, 14th, 15th…it is a learning thing for the 20-year-old.

    20. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 49 PTS
    Not exactly burning up the track, but he wasn’t even on this list last week.

  • NASCAR: No Penalties for Busch, Logano Post-Vegas

    NASCAR: No Penalties for Busch, Logano Post-Vegas

    By Staff report | NASCAR.com

    Kyle Busch, Joey Logano and their respective crews will not face punishment for their post-race actions following Sunday’s Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    Following contact on the final lap while both were running in the top five, Busch’s No. 18 Toyota spun across the start/finish line to a 22nd-place finish. Busch and Logano were involved in a heated confrontation post-race on pit road. Crew members from the No. 18 (Busch’s Joe Gibbs Racing team) and the No. 22 (Logano’s Team Penske team) quickly got involved before being separated by NASCAR officials.

    “After a full review of multiple videos and discussions with both competitors and their respective race teams, we felt Sunday’s post-race incident does not warrant any further action,” said Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice president and chief racing development officer. “NASCAR was built on the racing that took place on the final lap by two drivers battling for position. The emotions of our athletes run high, and Kyle Busch and Joey Logano are two of the most passionate and competitive drivers in the sport. Both competitors are very clear on our expectations going forward and we will be meeting with them in person prior to practice on Friday in Phoenix.”

    Logano told FS1’s “NASCAR Race Hub” on Tuesday that he and Busch have spoken since the incident.

    “We’ve spoken,” Logano said. “Obviously, we didn’t speak much there, so I got a chance to call him up earlier today to be able to talk to him a little bit and at least tell my side of the story. We’re going to have two sides to the story like there is all the time, but really the bottom line is we’re two passionate race car drivers. We’re two of the best in the sport that are going to go for wins that are aggressive and we collided.”

    TWO LUG NUT PENALTIES ASSESSED

    NASCAR assessed lug nut penalties to two Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams on Wednesday. Both the race-winning No. 78 Furniture Row Racing team (for driver Martin Truex Jr.) and the No. 13 Germain Racing team (for driver Ty Dillon) were penalized for lug nuts not properly installed following Sunday’s Kobalt 400. In accordance with the NASCAR Rule Book, the crew chiefs (No. 78: Cole Pearn, No. 13: Robert “Bootie” Barker) for the teams were each fined $10,000.

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex dominated at Las Vegas, capturing the first two stages and passing Brad Keselowski’s slowing Ford with two laps to go. Truex scored the maximum 60 points, and is fourth in the points standings, five out of first.

    “What does a car engine that sweeps all three stages of a Cup race sound like?” Truex said. “‘Broom! Broom!’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole at Las Vegas and appeared to be headed to victory before he slowed dramatically due to mechanical issues. He faded to fifth but leads the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

    “I’m not sure what happened,” Keselowski said. “All I know is my engine was like a Kyle Busch-Joey Logano fight—it lacked ‘punch.’”

    3. Kyle Larson: Larson took the runner-up spot in the Kobalt Tools 400, posting his second top five of the year. He is second in the Monster Energy Cup points standings, one behind Brad Keselowski.

    “I came close to winning again,” Larson said. “I’m really envious of Martin Truex Jr. and that giant wrench he was awarded as the winner. And that giant wrench is jealous of Kyle Busch and Joey Logano because they are bigger tools.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished fourth after contact with Kyle Busch sent Busch’s No. 18 Toyota spinning into the infield. A furious Busch confronted Logano on pit road, but crew members separated them, although Busch was bloodied in the skirmish.

    “Hopefully,” Logano said, “Kyle didn’t get any blood on his driving suit. I’m not sure laundry detergent will get that out, because what happens in Vegas stains in Vegas.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick blew his right front tire and slammed the wall on lap 68, ending his day at Las Vegas. He finished 38th.

    “My day ended way too early,” Harvick said. “I’m surprised NASCAR officials didn’t penalize me for exiting the race too quickly.

    “I was upset because it took medical personnel way too long to arrive on the scene of my accident. That’s unacceptable. So, one week after they ‘took my time,’ it appears they’re ‘taking their time.’”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 30th after a rough day at his home track at Las Vegas.

    “I had to make an extended pit stop to replace my battery on lap 66,” Busch said. “And I was powerless to do anything about it.

    “And speaking of dead batteries, how about my brother Kyle’s ‘charge’ at Joey Logano? Kyle just lost his mind there. But take it from me, when anger gets the best of a Busch brother, everyone else gets the worst of a Busch brother.”

    7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 12th at Las Vegas, and has finished 12th or better in all three races this season. He is ninth in the points standings.

    “Jimmie Johnson hasn’t posted a top-10 finish this season,” Kahne said. “Jimmie’s not one to whine about misfortune, but if he chooses to, he should do it in his trophy room.

    “In any case, Jimmie’s quest for another championship is on, and he’s calling it ‘48 For Eight.’”

    8. Chase Elliott: Elliott took third at Las Vegas, scoring his second top five of the year.

    “Kyle Busch went after Joey Logano and came away with bleeding,” Elliott said. ‘Sliced Bread,’ meet ‘Sliced Head.’

    “As NASCAR fights go, that was one of the worst in history. Of course, Cale Yarborough and Donnie Allison’s brawl at Daytona in 1979 is at the top of the list. In fact, it occupies the top two spots, because that fight featured a good number of ‘one-two’s.’”

    9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished ninth in the Kobalt Tools 400, registering his second top-10 finish of the season.

    “After the race,” Kenseth said, “someone said ‘I didn’t hit anything.’ That could have been either Joey Logano or Kyle Busch.

    “I have to support my Joe Gibbs Racing teammate in this Logano-Busch situation. I’ve wanted to punch Logano for a long time. His face is punchable, and when your nickname is ‘Sliced Bread,’ a knuckle sandwich is often on the menu.”

    10. Ryan Blaney: Blaney finished seventh at Las Vegas and is seventh in the points standings, 26 out of first.

    “As you know,” Blaney said, “my father is Dave Blaney. I really have to thank my father for encouraging me to follow in his footsteps. Every Father’s Day, I’m grateful that Dave Blaney is my father, and even more grateful that Tom Logano is not.”

  • The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    The Final Word – Las Vegas almost had a great finish, but Logano’s team got in the way

    I wonder what the highlight was from Las Vegas? Just maybe it was the passing opportunity to see Joey Logano get his ass kicked on pit road. However, before that could happen, a lot of dudes on Logano’s race team quickly took Kyle Busch out of the mix as their driver literally got carried off to safety. Rowdy wound up leaving the fray with a small cut on his forehead.

    I learned I will never get a job as a NASCAR official at track level. Did you see the size of those lads who helped lead Busch away from the melee? I don’t know what their names are, but Mister, Sir, or whatever they want to be called works for me. They were not little fellows.

    As for the spark that led to the tussle, that would have been when Busch dived down to get by a slowing Brad Keselowski on the final lap and made contact with Logano. As they went by, Logano wiggled a bit and the ensuing contact sent Busch for a spin through pit road. Was it all Joey’s fault? Not really, but it sure was fun to watch the aftermath.

    Keselowski had the race won. Then with two to go, he found himself with some kind of mechanical issue that took away his brakes and affected his steering. He fell back, and Martin Truex Jr. completed the sweep with two to go, claiming both Stages and coming back to accept the gift that fate bestowed upon him. For Truex, it marked his eighth career victory, gave him at least a win in each of the past three seasons, and he all but placed himself in the Chase.

    Las Vegas is going to get a fall race next season, but for most of Sunday, it was just a bunch of guys all spread out going fast and turning left. Not terribly exciting visually, at least until near the end. Then things got real interesting.

    Keselowski, along with Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, and Ryan Blaney provided the main opposition in this one. In the end, Larson and Elliott were second and third, while Keselowski got the third highest number of points in finishing fifth. Blaney had the fourth best tally despite coming home seventh. To illustrate the impact of the points system now in place, Matt Kenseth was ninth at the line but claimed 30 fewer points, half that of the winner. Being up front all day long and finishing somewhere in the vicinity at the end is what it is all about.

    Not a good day for Kevin Harvick. He had the best total coming in but left with just a single marker after blowing a right front and plowing into the fence in the opening stage. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not much of a factor on the day, finishing 16th and still sits outside the Top 25. Jimmie Johnson was 11th and is slowly making his way up the ladder. As for the other hometown boy, Kurt Busch got his win at Daytona but Sunday saw him 30th after having issues much of the day. Unlike his brother, however, he did manage to leave the track without a mark on his head.

    Now it is off to Phoenix, where Harvick has claimed six of the past nine events staged there, including last spring. Logano won there in the fall, and may again as long as he does not have to pass a certain M&M painted vehicle on the last lap. Johnson has four victories, Junior has a trio to his credit. No time like the present to revisit some old glory. Maybe this time we might have something to talk about other than a mechanical failure or a failure to communicate. We can always hope.

  • Busch and Logano Collide and Fight in Vegas

    Busch and Logano Collide and Fight in Vegas

    Kyle Busch and Joey Logano made contact both on the track on the final lap and on pit road after the Kobalt 400 race concluded at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

    On the backstretch on the final lap, Busch veered to the bottom to avoid hitting Brad Keselowski, who was fading on the final two laps with a broken part on his car but made contact with the right-side of Logano’s car. In Turn 3, Logano got loose and bounced into Busch’s car, sending him spinning down onto pit road.

    After the race, Kyle Busch got out of his car and proceeded to Logano’s car parked down pit road with the other top-five cars and punched him.

    The fight lasted roughly 18 seconds before Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series officials broke it up and Busch was pulled out of the pile by NASCAR official Mike Lancaster (per Alex Hayden of MRN on Twitter). Logano was pulled out of the pile after just a few seconds by his PR rep Kyle Zimmerman.

    The only noticeable injury sustained was a cut on Busch’s forehead, above his right eye.

    “I got dumped,” Busch told Vince Welch of FOX Sports. “(Logano) Flat out drove straight into the corner and wrecked me”

    Logano’s take was different from Busch’s.

    “We were just racing hard there at the end,” Logano said. “I was underneath him on the backstretch and he tried to crash me into the corner getting underneath Brad there and at that point, I was just trying to get through the corner. I was sideways all the way through and get into him. Nothing intentional. I understand his frustration, he crashed. The same thing could have happened into 3 what he did to me.”

    “There wasn’t much talking, there was a lot of swinging. I don’t know. I was racing hard there at the end with our Pennzoil Ford. Kyle and I usually race really well together,” Logano continued. “We usually never have any issues, and he tried to pin me down into the corner underneath Brad and we about crashed on entry. And then I was still trying to gather it up by the center and I was gonna spin out, so I’m trying to chase it up and he was there. It obviously wasn’t anything intentional, but obviously, he thinks that, so, I don’t know, we’ll get by.”

    Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR Executive Vice President and Chief Racing Development Officer spoke about the altercation Monday morning during an appearance on the “Morning Drive” program on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

    He stated that the competition department was reviewing video of the post-race incident and the on-track contact that led up to it.

    “It’s certainly under review,” O’Donnell said. “We have to take everything, make sure we look at all the video, but just from our in assessment last night, as far as on-track I don’t think we saw anything that was intentional by any means. We have to have discussions with both drivers. I think our intention would be not to react unless we see something we haven’t seen yet.”

    “It’s an emotional sport,” he went on to say, “and I think it shows exactly how much every position on the track means.”

     

  • Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Las Vegas Motor Speedway – Did You Know?

    Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been in the news this week after the announcement that the track will host two triple-header NASCAR events in 2018. But did you know that this year marks the 20th Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event held at the venue?

    Mark Martin won the first race, the Las Vegas 400, in his No.6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford, on March 1, 1998. Eleven different drivers have won at the track including multiple race winners Jimmie Johnson who leads all drivers with four victories and Matt Kenseth with three. Brad Keselowski, Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards each have two checkered flags at the 1.5-mile speedway.

    It will probably come as no surprise that four-time winner Johnson has the series-best driver rating at Las Vegas at 113.4. But did you know that Las Vegas native Kyle Busch also has some impressive stats at the track?

    In 2008, Busch grabbed the pole to become the youngest pole winner at 22 years and 10 months. He followed that up in 2009 with another Coors Light Pole Award, the only driver to claim consecutive poles at Vegas. But Busch didn’t stop there. He drove to victory lane and became the first and only driver to win from the pole position. One win, five top fives, six top 10s and two poles give Busch the second-best driver rating, 103.4.

    You might think that starting on the front row gives drivers the best opportunity for victory but that isn’t necessarily true. Did you know that nine of the 19 races (47.4%) at LVMS were won from a top-10 starting position? But starting position isn’t everything. Kenseth won in 2004 after starting 25th, the deepest in the field of any Vegas winner.

    Brad Keselowski is the defending race winner and will enter this weekend’s competition with momentum after his victory at Atlanta Motor Speedway in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford. In eight starts at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, he has two victories (2014, 2016) with three top fives and 10 top 10s. He also has something else going for him. Did you know that Ford leads the car manufacturers with nine visits to Victory Lane at LVMS? They are followed by Chevrolet with seven wins, Toyota (two) and Dodge (one).

    Three drivers who have won at Las Vegas have gone on to win the Cup Series championship in the same year, Jeff Gordon (2001), Matt Kenseth (2003) and Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2007 and 2010). Will another driver add their name to this list? Tune into FOX Sunday, March 12 at 3:30 p.m. for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Kobalt 400 as the action continues.

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

  • Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    Hot 20 – Some future Hall of Famers are far from hot as they head to Las Vegas

    One thing that pops out at you are some of the unfamiliar names among our Hot 20 after a couple of races. Even more so, all the familiar names not there.

    No Jimmie Johnson. No Kyle Busch. No Dale Earnhardt Jr. It is early, and a couple of stage wins at Las Vegas could move them up. A win certainly would, but for now, their usual places are being held by someone else.

    One is a definite Hall of Famer. Hell, they all are, especially when you consider that every eligible driver with 25 wins or more is already there, with the exception of Jim Paschal. I would expect that 25 race winner to make it soon enough. Just not this year. This week, the nominees for the class of 2018 were announced.

    I thought I knew who I would vote for. Then I saw all the names, and it got a bit complicated. For one, just where in hell is Smokey Yunick’s name? A legendary mechanic, builder, and crew chief who came up with innovations that prompted NASCAR’s rule book to come up with restrictions to counter them. You know all those templates the cars need to fit today? You can blame Smokey for that. To say that he was not a fan of the France family is a bit of an understatement. The fact Yunick remains off the ballot would seem to indicate the feeling was mutual…and still is. That is a damned shame.

    Who would I put in? Broadcaster Ken Squier, without hesitation. NASCAR still awaits his successor, the voice that you can just lean back and ride along with on a summer afternoon as you tinker with your own wheels out on the driveway under a blue sky. As for the other nominees, as I said, it gets complicated. Is 25 wins a benchmark for drivers, or do other factors come into play, such as a championship or a tragic loss? How do we determine which owner, which crew chief, what engine builder is deserving? How much weight do you give to those in Cup, compared to other NASCAR series? A lot of deserving names, popular choices, but which five to be included in the Class of 2018? You could say that to try and forecast the outcome is going to be a bit of a crap shoot.

    They are used to that, I guess, in Las Vegas, as the gambler’s paradise is going to get a second race next season. Okay, but where was it going to come from? It makes sense economically to put another event in a town that is just one great big attraction itself. Just as long as it did not take away from a track that features action most love to watch. Not Daytona, Not Talladega, Not Bristol. Instead, the Magic Mile of Loudon, New Hampshire loses its September date after a 21-year run. It was a transfer between two properties owned by Speedway Motorsports’ Bruton Smith, who himself is a Hall of Famer.

    One good bet is that Smith will be joined in the Hall, some day, by the first three names you see among our Hot 20 heading into Las Vegas.

    1. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 86 PTS
    Forget yoga, as nothing relaxes a driver more than a Daytona 500 win and a pass to the Chase.

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 84 PTS
    Dear Kevin: Many thanks. Love, Brad.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 90 PTS
    Dear Brad: Kiss my butt. Love, Kevin.

    4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 82 PTS
    Not a question of if, but when. He is the “next one.”

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 80 PTS
    When it comes to Las Vegas, Joey is great…but has yet to seal the deal.

    6. KYLE LARSON – 79 PTS
    Low, low, high, goodbye. Atlanta could have been different if only…

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 67 PTS
    For him, Las Vegas is more like a Kansas song. You know, “Dust in the Wind.”

    8. KASEY KAHNE – 63 PTS
    According to this chart, the second best damn driver for Hendrick.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 63 PTS
    Team was born in 1950. The Legend was born in 1953. The driver was born in 1993.

    10. TREVOR BAYNE – 58 PTS
    Performance Plus is the sponsor. Performance plus is what they are looking for on Sunday.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 49 PTS
    Once trailed Allmendinger until A.J.’s 35 point penalty for his lack of lug nuts at Atlanta.

    12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 47 PTS
    Some say not a good fantasy pick at the moment. To be honest, I’ve never fantasized about him.

    13. CLINT BOWYER – 46 PTS
    After the last couple of years, this is just freaking awesome!

    14. PAUL MENARD – 44 PTS
    Name his sponsor. Wrong. It is Valvoline…and Menards.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 41 PTS
    Along with Jimmie, Junior, Kasey, and Trevor, he likes to ride bicycles. Manly bicycles.

    16. COLE WHITT – 38 PTS
    Good start for TriStar Motorsports and its 25-year old wheel man. Can he keep the No. 72 up there?

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 37 PTS
    17th trip to Las Vegas, but third is the best he has done (2015).

    18. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 37 PTS
    Ninth at Daytona. 28th at Atlanta. A betting man might not like his odds for Sunday.

    19. DENNY HAMLIN – 37 PTS
    A messed up rear end (on the car, not the driver) ruined his march down to Georgia.

    20. LANDON CASSILL – 36 PTS
    Thanks A.J.