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  • Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    Hot 20 – And now, the end is near, and so we face the final Homestead curtain

    So it ends. Another NASCAR season. A Hall of Fame career for Tony Stewart. The reign of a title sponsor. The wait for another seven-time champion, or a repeat champion, or maybe the crowning of the newest member of NASCAR royalty.

    Tony Stewart made his mark as an open wheel champion, and three times he proved to be the season best among those with fenders. One more race, one more chance to grab his 50th career win before he moves on to eventually join the Hall of Fame.

    Winston Cup held the rights for more than thirty years. Nextel had it for four, then when they got rolled into Sprint, the Sprint Cup it became for the past nine seasons. That ends at Homestead. Could it be the Monster Energy Cup next season? That remains to be seen.

    Will Jimmie Johnson join with two of the sport’s icons and become a seven-time champion? Can Kyle Busch repeat his championship run of last season and claim his second? Can Carl Edwards or Joey Logano finish the climb to the top of the mountain?

    The answer comes our way on Sunday at Homestead.

    The Hot 20, featuring wins, season-long points, and the official points tallies heading to Homestead.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS – 1095 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The best of the rest remaining in the hunt for the title.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS – 1027 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    This seems like a good time to order up a double.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 3 WINS – 997 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    Always a bridesmaid, but will he get the ring this time?

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 5000 PTS
    The King and the Intimidator await him as part of a very exclusive club.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS – 963 S/PTS – 2296 PTS
    One mistake from above and his coach turned into scrambled pumpkin pie.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 3 WINS – 1052 S/PTS – 2288 PTS
    Was close when they started at Phoenix, just not close enough when they finished.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 1027 S/PTS – 2268 PTS
    A win to be in, but there was no room at the inn this time.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS – 986 S/PTS – 2266 PTS
    Rarely do leaders get penalized for passing the pace car to enter the pits. Last week was different.

    9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS – 1083 S/PTS – 2261 PTS
    Thought Joey would be a good fit for Penske after leaving Gibbs. It appears he was right.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 0 WINS – 936 S/PTS – 2255 PTS
    Took over from Jeff Gordon, and still got to race against Jeff Gordon. Sweet.

    11. KEVIN HARVICK – 4 WINS – 1120 S/PTS – 2250 PTS
    The best over the course of the season, but they do not have a trophy for that.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 890 S/PTS – 2247 PTS
    Eneos. If you know who they are, it might be due to this guy.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 0 WINS – S/871 PTS – 2195 PTS
    Official points give him 13th. The season-long tally has him behind Kahne and Newman.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 0 WINS – 873 S/PTS – 2194 PTS
    Paint scheme needs to include a pair of Texas longhorns on the hood. Just a suggestion.

    15. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN – 623 S/PTS – 2192 PTS
    Future Hall of Famer would love to bow out with a 50th victory.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN – 524 S/PTS – 2152 PTS
    One win. The difference between a notable season and finishing 28th in points.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 0 WINS – 894 S/PTS – 894 PTS
    On the bright side, his season was better than that of team-mate Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 0 WINS – 879 S/PTS – 879 PTS
    Stewart will soon be going, just not to where Newman once suggested he go to.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    It comes down to this….Ryan or A.J. for 19th.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 0 WINS – 797 S/PTS – 797 PTS
    Might have a teammate, at least for a few races, next season.

  • The Final Word – All that mattered at Phoenix were six cars seeking two spots

    The Final Word – All that mattered at Phoenix were six cars seeking two spots

    It sucks not to matter. Forty cars took to the track at Phoenix, and only six of them mattered. Not Jimmie Johnson or Carl Edwards. Both had already locked in a final four berth at Homestead, so they mattered not. Not Kyle Larson or Trevor Bayne, who spun early.

    All that mattered at that moment was that they did not collect Joey Logano. He mattered. In fact, only Logano, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and, the two needing a win at Phoenix, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch mattered a lick. The rest of the field was hamburger helper to add some bulk to the real meat.

    A third of the way through, Logano had taken over the lead. Kenseth and Hamlin were top ten cars, while Kyle Busch hoped he had cured a vibration issue while sitting 15th. As for Kurt Busch, he was in the top ten but, like Harvick, he was still too far back to challenge for the lead, or to matter.

    At two-thirds of the way along, pole sitter Alex Bowman was back in front. Winning a race matters, especially for a guy sitting in for one of the sport’s biggest stars and still seeking a ride of his own for next season. Kenseth was behind him, while Logano had faded to fifth. Still, the pair remained a handful of points to the good, ahead of Hamlin and Rowdy. Brother Kurt and Harvick still were not challenging, and still did not matter with just over a hundred laps remaining. The big question was is if there was any drama to be had over that time, or if we would ho-hum it to an expected conclusion?

    Usually, drama would include a pit penalty to Martin Truex Jr. or  Johnson. It usually would be noteworthy to mention an Austin Dillon spin, or Johnson picking up damage as his line accordioned in the aftermath. Usually. On Sunday, it did not matter, but at least it broke up the monotony. Barely.

    With 40 to go, things got interesting after a couple of cautions brought pit strategy into play. Kenseth led, Logano was behind him, and Kurt Busch was third, within striking distance. Hamlin and Kyle Busch completed the top five, with Harvick and an over-heating engine in sixth. Six cars in the top six spots seeking to fill two positions, and each one of them mattered.

    The raced, they sliced, they diced, and they did just about everything to put Vince the Slap Chop guy out of business, then a caution came out with two to go. It would come down to a green-white-checker. Kenseth would start in front beside Bowman. Kyle Busch and Logano would be in row two. Harvick and Larson in row three. Hamlin, in 10th, and Kurt Busch, in 11th, appeared to be out of the running. Was it down to four?

    On the re-start, Kyle tried to get around Bowman on the inside. Bowman wobbled, and Kenseth tried to dive down in front of him. Bowman had nowhere to go, and so they collided. Kenseth goes for a slide as the pack continued on without him. Kenseth’s car was a mess after contact with the wall. With another re-start, was it now down to three?

    As they came to the line, Logano had the lead. Kyle Busch hit the line seven points up on Hamlin, but Harvick was starting on the outside of the second row. Could he ruin someone’s day while making his own with a win?

    He could not. Logano won and, along with Kyle Busch, joins Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards in the final four next Sunday at Homestead. In Phoenix, that is all that mattered.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Phoenix

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 38th at Phoenix, 28 laps down, his day ruined by a penalty for passing the pit car during a pit stop.

    “That’s a penalty I really don’t understand,” Johnson said. “I think I’ll ask for some clarification from NASCAR. Then again, maybe I won’t. Getting a straight answer from NASCAR is ‘exhausting,’ because all they do is blow smoke up your behind.”

    2. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Phoenix to qualify for the Chase finale based on points. Busch was involved in a late restart crash that knocked Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth out of the lead and cost him a spot in the final four at Homestead.

    “I’m happy to make the final,” Busch said, “but I feel terrible that I may have played a part in knocking Matt out. I hate to talk sponsors at a time like this, but it would be a great time for Mars to introduce a new ‘M&M’s Bittersweet’ product.”

    3. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 19th in the Can-Am 500. Edwards will join Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, and Kyle Busch at Homestead, where the Sprint Cup champion will be determined.

    “I’m happy for Kyle,” Edwards said, “But I really feel bad for Matt Kenseth. I’d like to comfort him by putting my arm around his neck. But it would be wise for me to be careful. There’s a fine line between a shoulder to cry on and a headlock.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano won the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix to secure his spot in the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “Ironically,” Logano said, “Matt Kenseth’s spin allowed me to win the race and advance to the finale. I guess the saying is true, ‘What goes around, comes around,’ especially when it’s the back end of Kenseth’s car.”

    5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished seventh at Phoenix and failed to advance to the final round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “I look at the Sprint Cup standings,” Hamlin said, “and I no longer see that ‘C’ by my name, indicating I’m ‘in the Chase.’ That means I’m on the outside looking in, and I don’t like what I ‘C.’”

    6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth had victory in sight, and a spot in the Chase finale, before a caution led to a restart, where disaster struck. Kenseth was spun by Alex Bowman after Bowman and Kyle Busch made contact in Turn 1. Kenseth finished 21st.

    “And Joey Logano won instead of me,” Kenseth said. “I guess I deserved that. You could say I got my ‘just desserts in the desert.’”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Phoenix but was eliminated from contention for the Cup title at Homestead.

    “I’ve dominated at Phoenix over the years,” Harvick said, “but just didn’t have enough this time. We put ourselves in a hole early in the Chase and couldn’t recover, and we’re very sad about it. If you add ‘too little’ and ‘too late,’ you get ‘forlorn.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Needing a win to advance, Busch finished a disappointing fifth at Phoenix. Like Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Kevin Harvick, Busch fell short in making the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “It’s very difficult,” Busch said, “starting a race while knowing you have no chance whatsoever of winning the Sprint Cup championship. I admire Danica Patrick because she manages that feeling 36 times a year.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 14th at Phoenix as Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano took the win.

    “I’ll do everything in my power to help Joey win the Sprint Cup championship,” Keselowski said. “I would go as far as saying I will accept ‘team orders’ to benefit Joey. In other words, if the team orders pizza, I’ll be happy to go pick it up.”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished 40th at Phoenix, 40 laps down, for his worst finish of the season.

    “Tony Stewart will race in Sprint Cup one last time at Homestead,” Truex said. “Tony’s passion for the sport will be missed, and so will his ornery behavior. Tony puts the ‘ass’ in ‘ambassador.’”

  • Kyle Busch Wins at Phoenix, as Championship 4 XFINITY Field is Set

    Kyle Busch Wins at Phoenix, as Championship 4 XFINITY Field is Set

    By Reid Spencer
    NASCAR Wire Service

    AVONDALE, Ariz. – It was just another routine Saturday at Phoenix International Raceway for Kyle Busch.

    But nothing else in the Ticket Galaxy 200 was at all ordinary.

    All the drama unfolded behind Busch, as eight drivers scrambled for four positions in the NASCAR XFINITY Series Chase’s Championship 4 Round at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Busch led 190 of 200 laps on the way to his 10th NASCAR XFINITY Series victory of the season, his 10th at the one-mile track and the 86th of his career, extending his own series record.

    Busch beat runner-up Austin Dillon to the finish line by 6.115 seconds. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ran third in his first XFINITY Series start since 2013.

    “It means a lot,” said Busch, who won his 170th race across NASCAR’s top three touring series. “That’s what we set out to do tonight, and we’ve been really fast here at Phoenix.

    “We’ve had some great race cars and Chris Gayle (crew chief) and all these guys do such a great job each and every week preparing these things – and it’s fun to win here.”

    Justin Allgaier and Daniel Suarez secured spots in the Championship 4 with respective fourth and fifth-place finishes, as did Erik Jones, who recovered from a pit road mistake on Lap 93 to finish 10th.

    But the real tension waited until after the race, when Elliott Sadler sat anxiously on pit road as NASCAR officials decided whether loose lug nuts would cost Sadler, the 13th-place finisher, the services of his crew chief, Kevin Meendering, in the season finale.

    NASCAR found two loose lug nuts, and that means Meendering will serve a suspension next week. Sadler did not know who his crew chief will be at Homestead – though he was lobbying, somewhat facetiously, for team owner Dale Earnhardt Jr. to take over the pit box.

    “The emotions of the last 30 minutes have been tough,” Sadler said. “We knew one was loose, and one was in question. Kevin’s pretty much become my best friend, and Kevin’s made me a race car driver again this year.

    “We’ve saved our Darlington car – our best car – for Homestead. We’ve put all our eggs in that car. We’ve done everything right as a race team to go to Homestead with a legitimate shot of walking away a champion. Now that we know he’s going to be suspended, it’s going to be tough.”

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Managing Director Wayne Auton said there was never a possibility of Sadler losing his spot in the Championship 4.

    “At the end of the race, we bring all the cars down to the entrance of pit road for inspection of the wheels and the lug nuts,” Auton said. “We observed that the No. 1 car had two lug nuts not secured to the wheel. With that being said, all the teams were very much aware at the start of the Chase of the violations that could come about.

    “We’ve advised the team that they’re going to be looking for a crew chief for next week and a monetary fine of about $10,000. It’s clearly in the 2016 NASCAR Xfinity Series rule book.”

    Blake Koch finished eighth and lost the final Championship 4 position to Sadler by four points. Joining Koch on the Chase sidelines were Ryan Reed, who finished sixth, and Brendan Gaughan and Darrell Wallace Jr., who were wrecked and eliminated before the race was 150 laps old.

    Gaughan, who needed a victory to advance to Homestead, was playing fuel strategy when his right front tire went flat on the frontstretch on Lap 138. Gaughan pounded the Turn 1 wall and retired in 35th place.

    “It was about to play out the way we wanted,” Gaughan said after exiting the infield care center. “Did not want to be the caution. Did not want to hit that hard – but we took a shot.”

    Wallace’s grandmother had passed away during the week before the race, and the No. 6 Ford carried her name, “Granny Jan,” above the driver’s door. On Lap 148, Koch ducked to the inside off Turn 4 and knocked Wallace’s Mustang into the inside frontstretch wall.

    “My grandmother was giving me the ride of my life,” Wallace said, his voice breaking with emotion. “That was the most fun I have had all year. Just circumstances took us out. It’s just hard. Thanks, Granny, I love you. We will go on to Homestead and let her ride again.”

    NASCAR XFINITY Series Race – Ticket Galaxy 200
    Phoenix International Raceway
    Avondale, Arizona
    Saturday, November 12, 2016

     

    1. (1) Kyle Busch(i), Toyota, 200.
    2. (8) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 200.
    3. (13) Ricky Stenhouse Jr(i), Ford, 200.
    4. (9) Justin Allgaier (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    5. (6) Daniel Suarez (C), Toyota, 200.
    6. (3) Ryan Reed (C), Ford, 200.
    7. (22) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 200.
    8. (4) Blake Koch (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    9. (11) Brad Keselowski(i), Ford, 200.
    10. (2) Erik Jones (C) #, Toyota, 200.
    11. (14) Brennan Poole #, Chevrolet, 200.
    12. (17) Aric Almirola(i), Ford, 200.
    13. (10) Elliott Sadler (C), Chevrolet, 200.
    14. (15) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.
    15. (19) Justin Marks, Chevrolet, 200.
    16. (20) Cole Whitt(i), Toyota, 200.
    17. (24) JJ Yeley, Toyota, 199.
    18. (16) Brandon Jones #, Chevrolet, 199.
    19. (12) Dakoda Armstrong, Toyota, 199.
    20. (21) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 199.
    21. (30) Brandon Gdovic, Chevrolet, 199.
    22. (26) Ryan Preece #, Chevrolet, 199.
    23. (33) Alex Labbe, Chevrolet, 197.
    24. (32) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 197.
    25. (36) BJ McLeod #, Ford, 197.
    26. (37) Brandon Hightower, Dodge, 196.
    27. (35) Austin Theriault(i), Chevrolet, 196.
    28. (40) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 191.
    29. (39) Mike Harmon, Dodge, 190.
    30. (38) DJ Kennington, Ford, Engine, 165.
    31. (23) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, Accident, 150.
    32. (5) Darrell Wallace Jr (C), Ford, Accident, 148.
    33. (18) Corey LaJoie, Toyota, Accident, 148.
    34. (34) Garrett Smithley #, Chevrolet, Accident, 145.
    35. (25) Brendan Gaughan (C), Chevrolet, Accident, 136.
    36. (27) Ray Black Jr #, Chevrolet, Accident, 103.
    37. (28) Jeff Green, Ford, Accident, 90.
    38. (7) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, Accident, 54.
    39. (31) Timmy Hill(i), Toyota, Brakes, 14.
    40. (29) Matt DiBenedetto(i), Toyota, Vibration, 3.

     

    Average Speed of Race Winner:  97.31 mph.
    Time of Race:  2 Hrs, 03 Mins, 19 Secs. Margin of Victory:  6.115 Seconds.
    Caution Flags:  6 for 39 laps.
    Lead Changes:  6 among 4 drivers.

    Lap Leaders:   K. Busch(i) 0; E. Jones (C) # 1-3; K. Busch(i) 4-95; T. Dillon 96-100; K. Busch(i) 101-152; J. Allgaier (C) 153-154; K. Busch(i) 155-200.

    Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Lead, Laps Led):  K. Busch(i) 3 times for 190 laps; T. Dillon 1 time for 5 laps; E. Jones (C) # 1 time for 3 laps; J. Allgaier (C) 1 time for 2 laps.

    Top 10 in Points: D. Suarez (C) – 3,111; E. Sadler (C) – 3,102; E. Jones (C) # – 3,097; J. Allgaier (C) – 3,096; B. Koch (C) – 3,092; R. Reed (C) – 3,089; D. Wallace Jr (C) – 3,048; B. Gaughan (C) – 3,032; B. Poole # – 2,178; T. Dillon – 2,174.

     

  • Kyle Busch Fastest in Final Cup Practice at Phoenix

    Kyle Busch Fastest in Final Cup Practice at Phoenix

    Kyle Busch topped the chart in final Sprint Cup Series practice at Phoenix International Raceway.

    The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was the fastest in the final practice session with a time of 26.401 and a speed of 136.358 mph. Brad Keselowski was second in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford with a time of 26.415 and a speed of 136.286 mph. Joey Logano was third in his No. 22 Penske Ford with a time of 26.431 and a speed of 136.204 mph. Alex Bowman was fourth in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 26.462 and a speed of 136.044 mph. Austin Dillon rounded out the top-five in his No. 3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with a time of 26.475 and a speed of 135.977 mph.

    Chase Elliott was sixth in his No. 24 HMS Chevrolet. Kyle Larson was seventh in his No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet followed by Ryan Blaney who was eighth in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford. Martin Truex Jr. was ninth in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota and Matt Kenseth rounded out the top-10 in his No. 20 JGR Toyota.

    Jimmie Johnson was 11th, Kevin Harvick was 14th, Carl Edwards was 15th, Kurt Busch was 20th and Denny Hamlin rounded out the Chase drivers in 22nd.

    Bowman posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 135.417 mph.

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  • Hot 20 – There are a lot of nice things to do in Phoenix, but winning Sunday would be the nicest

    Hot 20 – There are a lot of nice things to do in Phoenix, but winning Sunday would be the nicest

    I like being nice. Sure, I can bitch with the best of them, but it is nice when one can say nice things about someone. For instance, I think NASCAR did the right thing by calling the race at Texas last week. Let me see, the race was already delayed by five hours and the skies really opened up with 40 to go. Damn right they should have wrapped things up when they did. The fans at the track no doubt had enough. Those watching on television had enough. We all knew it was going to get wet again, and Carl Edwards was leading when it came down. I see no controversy over the call. In fact, it was downright merciful.

    I think it is nice when someone decides that family comes first, even if it is not what fans want to hear. Twenty-eight-year-old Brian Scott is stepping out of his ride with Richard Petty next season to spend more time with his family. He admits the Cup schedule “has taken its toll” and caused him “to re-evaluate what I want in life for myself and for my family.” You cannot blame a man for that. Some things are just more important.

    Like honoring the life of a five-year-old boy. Jake Leatherman’s journey came to an end after a valiant battle against juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia. He had become a huge NASCAR fan, and when his mom asked if anyone in the NASCAR community could attend his services this past week in uniform, they did not let him and his family down. They represented such organizations as Penske, Stewart-Haas, Childress, Hendrick and Petty. Sometimes the youngest among us can inspire us to be our best.

    It is sure nice to see that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has returned to racing. Well, not actually racing. Just driving fast. Faster than the law will allow. No pit road penalty, just a cop and a ticket book. Welcome back, Junior!

    The boys and girl are welcomed back to Phoenix on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson and Edwards are locked into the Final Four. Joey Logano and Kyle Busch are in, but by just a point over Matt Kenseth and two ahead of Denny Hamlin. Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch either have to win or hope it is a bad day at Black Rock sort of situation for those other dudes.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (4074 Pts)
    Just another nice Sunday drive chatting with Chad on his radio.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – SEGMENT WIN (4049 Pts)
    Was like Gene Kelly last week. You know, just singing in the rain.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 4074 PTS
    After he and Brittany attended young Jake’s funeral this week, I have a whole new level of respect for this couple.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4074 PTS
    Good luck, Kyle. Go out there and break a leg. What? Too soon?

    5. MATT KENSETH – 4073 PTS
    Was having just a so-so season until Dover…then things just sort of perked right up.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 4072 PTS
    Two spots open, two points separating the top four contenders.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 4056 PTS
    Of course, if Harvick wins yet again at Phoenix, one of those spots would be spoken for.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 4040 PTS
    Eight remaining Chasers, five of ‘em former champions.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2265 PTS
    Driver most likely to be leading a race won’t win a title this year due to bad luck.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2234 PTS
    Four-time winner this season, he might not be done yet.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2223 PTS
    We know his dad is happy the way Tuesday turned out. You know, so am I.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2209 PTS
    Inexperienced enough to continue driving XFINITY…good enough to win Texas event.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2192 PTS
    After Texas, the “Silver Spoon Kid” might be gunning for the outlaw known as Happy.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2166 PTS
    1 IRL title, 3 Cup crowns, 2 Brickyard 400’s, 4 Firecracker 400’s, 8 road course wins.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2165 PTS
    Wonders how you might be set in regards to ratcheting wrenches and hand tools.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2143 PTS
    I am sure he agrees with me that sometimes you just have to call a race early.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 866 PTS
    Spending his summer driving in Australia. Summer there begins in December.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 850 PTS
    Was caught on a hot mic saying bad things at Texas. The President-Elect knows how that feels.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 773 PTS
    17th in Texas snapped a three-race streak of Top Tens.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 764 PTS
    Considering who is not on this list, this has been a pretty decent season for the 22-year old.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Texas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: With his place in the Chase finale set, Johnson cruised to an 11th place finish at Texas.

    “All I heard during race week was ‘Don’t mess with Texas,’” Johnson said. “Well, I was happy not to.”

    2. Carl Edwards: Edwards beat martin Truex, Jr. out of the pits on the race’s final stop and was declared the winner when rain end the AAA Texas 500. Edwards joins Jimmie Johnson as qualifiers for the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “I decided to forgo my celebratory backflip,” Edwards said, “with the hopes I’ll be able to do it at Homestead. That’s a ‘flip-flop’ worthy of election season.”

    3. Joey Logano: Logano led 178 of 293 laps at Texas and finished second.

    “We had to sit out a rain delay before the race,” Logano said. “A six-hour rain delay, to be exact. When there’s rain in the sky, and NASCAR fans have nothing to do but wait, you can be certain it was ‘pouring.’”

    4. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished ninth at Texas as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Carl Edwards took the rain-shortened win.

    “Phoenix will be pressure-filled,” Hamlin said. “And pressure-packed. Nerves will be a factor. But I can tell you, every part of my body possesses the competitive spirit. Even my heart will be racing.”

    5. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took seventh in the AAA Texas 500, and now sits one point behind Joey Logano among drivers who haven’t clinched a spot in the Chase For The Cup final round.

    “Congratulations to Carl Edwards,” Kenseth said. “One of the spoils of victory at Texas is a black cowboy hat. Take it from me, just because he’s wearing a black hat doesn’t make Carl a bad guy. Carl was a bad guy before he put on the hat.”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch posted his 16th top-five finish with a fifth at Texas. Busch is tied with Joey Logano, one up on Matt Kenseth, and two ahead of Denny Hamlin.

    “Two spots for Homestead have been filled,” Busch said, “and two remain. Two plus two equals four. Let’s just hope that ‘4’ isn’t Kevin Harvick. Somehow, mysteriously, Harvick always seems to find a way to win at Phoenix. No one can ever catch him. In other words, he doesn’t ‘get caught.’”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished sixth at Texas and will likely need a win at Phoenix to advance.

    “I’m extremely worried that I won’t advance to have a chance to win the Sprint Cup championship,” Harvick said. “You could say I’m a ‘wreck.’ Some drivers, noting my history of avoiding elimination, would say I’m a ‘wreck waiting to happen.’”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 20th, one lap down, in the AAA Texas 500, and now needs a win at Phoenix to be eligible for the championship at the Chase finale at Homestead.

    “My back is against the wall,” Busch said. “But it’s a familiar situation. Usually, that happens when a rival driver I’ve pissed off jacks me up.”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 14th in the rain-delayed and rain-shortened AAA Texas 500.

    “There’s been a lot of talk about concussions,” Keselowski said. “Actually, I think I’d like to have a concussion because there are a lot of recent memories I’d like to forget.”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Texas, posting his eighth top five of the year.

    “Dale Earnhardt Jr. was pulled over for speeding while on his way to Texas Motor Speedway,” Truex said. “Let’s hope that this instance of Junior getting ‘clocked’ doesn’t cause a concussion.”

  • The Final Word – Two in the money, two more for the show at Phoenix

    The Final Word – Two in the money, two more for the show at Phoenix

    It was the Chase race in Texas, and the big winner…was the weather. From an afternoon event on a rubbered up track, we went to an evening contest under the lights. A rain washed surface greeted the boys and girl after a more than five-hour delay.

    We knew that Carl Edwards was going to have to win either this race or the next one at Phoenix to advance to the final four. We knew that Kurt Busch needed good things to happen to him, and a little bad for some others. We knew that Kevin Harvick needed his radio antenna on his car in order to communicate with his crew. It is unfortunate that when the tarps came off the cars following the rain that his boys forgot to replace his. Here he thought he had seen it all with crew miscues this season. He was wrong. Thank goodness for competition cautions and a good fixer to make things alright again.

    Watching non-Chasers at this time of year is like following Cup drivers on the junior circuit. If they win, fine, but if they do not they are usually not very newsworthy. Joey Logano was, leading much of the top third of this race, at about which time Edwards emerged to be up there in the vicinity. Winning was not the only thing for both, but it was pretty darn close. At the two-third mark, Edwards was leading Logano, but both trailed Martin Truex Jr.

    An Austin Dillon spin brought out a caution, and on the restart, Edwards was running point. It is important to lead the race, as Edwards did for the next 36 laps. Then it rained, and 40 laps short of the scheduled distance Carl Edwards was declared the race winner. It gave him his third checkered flag of the season and the 28th of his career. Logano was the runner-up, Kyle Busch claimed fifth, Harvick sixth, just ahead of Matt Kenseth, as Denny Hamlin came home ninth.

    Edwards and last week’s winner Jimmie Johnson have two spots in the final round, two more to the Final Four will be decided in Phoenix next Sunday. Logano and Rowdy have those positions thus far, while Kenseth is just a point away and Hamlin two out. Harvick still is 18 points in the distance, and likely needs a win. Kurt Busch is 34 away and definitely will need a victory next Sunday.

    As for the rest of the field, well, as I said before, they just do not matter at this time of the season. Okay, Truex and Chase Elliott managed Top Fives, just in case you were interested. As for Phoenix, eight times Harvick has won there. Logano never has. Let the games continue.

  • Hot 20 – Texas is next, where men are men and women are damned happy about it

    Hot 20 – Texas is next, where men are men and women are damned happy about it

    It would appear I got up on the wrong side of the bed again. Maybe I simply am becoming an old cantankerous SOB. Maybe I’m already there. If I were a muppet, I probably would have a seat in the balcony, if you know what I mean. Is it my fault things just seem to tick me off?

    Oh, what if Jimmie Johnson wins a seventh championship? Some wonder if fans can stand to see him win again, and I wonder what kind of snowflake, safe space, pronoun changing, easily offended, easily bored band of twits have we become? If he wins, great. We are watching a living legend. If he does not, great again, as the dreams of someone else would have been fulfilled. I worry more about what kind of action is presented, if what I see and hear can keep me entertained long enough to wish to continue to watch. If they can manage that, I could not care less if Johnson wins seven or 10 bloody titles.

    I learned something last week. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a future in the broadcast booth. It is not that he is super smooth or has those deep pipes, but rather it is the quality of what comes out of his mouth. I found myself listening to him. That is the trick, and not all have that mastered. From what I hear, few do.

    NASCAR is in the advanced stage of talks to replace Sprint, who replaced Nextel, who replaced Winston as the Cup Series title sponsor. Please, Lord, let it be a corporate entity that does not embarrass us by their inclusion. I mean, we already have a majority of races with no lasting identity other than this year’s corporate clown 500 monikers. I am just saying that, please, let it not be the Anusol Cup in 2017.

    Problem. Solution. Last week, the problem was that they ran off 30 laps under caution to figure out what the running order was. A solution would be to not allow more than 3 percent of the scheduled laps to be run off under any one caution before the red flag comes out. In Martinsville, that would have been 15. At Talladega, that would have been five. You are welcome.

    Now on to Texas, where only one of our Hot 20 is safe, four others are close, and three have to make things happen if they want to be in contention later in the month.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (4044 Pts)
    Was kind enough to leave three free passes at the door. Now we watch to see who claims them.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 4039 PTS
    Carl Edwards was about the only teammate not bitching about him come Monday.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 4039 PTS
    Thinks he could have done better if Hamlin had got the hell out of his way.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4037 PTS
    Thinks he could have done better if Kenseth had got the hell out of his way.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 4033 PTS
    All Logano has to do is stay ahead of those Gibbs’ boys and he should be fine.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 4021 PTS
    A Yellow Rose is nice, but Harvick would prefer his first checkered flag of Texas on Sunday.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 4019 PTS
    At least his teammate did not stick his head into his car to say “howdy” last week.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 4005 PTS
    Damn tires. Damn walls. Damn Martinsville.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2226 PTS
    At some time on Sunday, his will be the car in front.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2207 PTS
    Using a season-long format would be second by 19 points to Harvick in the championship fight.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2187 PTS
    Cup driver on Sundays, a truck driver this Friday.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2185 PTS
    No sports analyst has ever suggested a bounty on Chase Elliott. I can’t say the same for Ezekiel.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 2183 PTS
    NASCAR’s Kyle rule in XFINITY and the Trucks does not affect this Kyle just yet.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2156 PTS
    Just one win away from 50, as the clock continues to click down.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2143 PTS
    GearWrench might not be Goodwrench, but it sounds close enough to me.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2123 PTS
    Could he be switching with Biffle for next season?

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 883 PTS
    Unless the news is good next season, Kahne could wind up leaving the same time as his sponsor.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 819 PTS
    Believes a new man should be in the White House come January. I wonder who he means?

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 749 PTS
    Third straight Top Ten came last week, with designs to extend that to four on Sunday.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 735 PTS
    With a Top 20 last week, and with Stenhouse last, look who rejoins out little band of brothers.

  • The Final Word – If happiness is a warm puppy, someone let the dog out at Martinsville

    The Final Word – If happiness is a warm puppy, someone let the dog out at Martinsville

    Not everyone is a metrosexual male. There are some rude, uncaring, disrespectful individuals in this world who hide behind the civility of society in a bid to get away with saying or doing whatever they damn well please. There are some who reserve the right to tune in such individuals with a well delivered slap to the head.

    It happens in NASCAR. Slapping an ill-mannered opponent upside their helmet comes with a downside, and I am not just talking about possible sanctions from a genteel organizing body. First, though it might upset the individual, they do not receive the full impact due to them wearing a helmet. Second, helmets are hard, even harder than the toughest hands. That said, it still can be a rather satisfying action for the slapper regardless as to the consequences.

    This applies to car fenders. When Jimmie Johnson wanted to get by A.J. Allmendinger at Martinsville, he bumped him with his front fender. When Denny Hamlin wanted to get by Johnson, he did the same. When Johnson wanted to show his displeasure, he slapped Hamlin with his front fender as his rival went by. No doubt, all very satisfying.

    Still, it came with consequences. A tire rub forced Johnson to require some repairs in the pits, and on the next restart, he was buried in 25th. However, this is Jimmie of the Chase we are talking about. By the final lap, he was alone in front cruising to his 79th career victory and his ninth Martinsville grandfather clock. Only Jeff Gordon, who finished sixth in his most recent career swan song, has been as good over the years.

    So, Hamlin was not happy with Johnson, but his teammates were a little frustrated with Denny. As the laps counted down, three Gibbs cars ran nose to tail. According to Kyle Busch, Hamlin was the slowest of the trio, keeping them back and allowing Johnson to get away. Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, and Busch finished third through fifth.

    Brad Keselowski, now a non-Chaser, was second. He thought he could have been first had NASCAR not gotten confused when the caution came out with 150 laps to go. They had cars on the track, some in the pits, and then the leader ran out of gas and confused everyone. It took them 39 laps to figure it all out, with the rest of the way under green. Yes, if they had known it would take so long they would have red flagged things, but they did not.

    Joey Logano was ninth, so he remains within four points of the Final Four. Battling teammates Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch had less than stellar days. Harvick was 20th, two laps down, while a lap further back in 22nd was Busch. They have work to do in Texas. Not as much as Carl Edwards has before him. Tire does down, car slams into the wall, and 36th place was his fate. A win to be in is the only path for him to follow.

    A half hour after the race, a car plowed into a crowd of fans leaving the venue.The driver has been charged with reckless driving. As of this writing, no word yet as to the cause of this. Twenty-two were injured, nine of whom were transported to local hospitals. Let us hope for good news for each of them.

    Edwards has won three times at Texas during his career. He could use another on Sunday. In fact, all but one of our Chasers has recorded a victory at the venue. It might be a good time for Harvick to join them.