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Truex Fastest at Kansas in First Cup Practice

Martin Truex Jr. topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Kansas Speedway.

The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 29.179 and a speed of 185.065 mph.

Ryan Blaney was second in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford with a time of 29.200 and a speed of 184.932 mph. Erik Jones was third in his No. 77 Furniture Row Toyota with a time of 29.253 and a speed of 184.596 mph.

Matt Kenseth was fourth in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 29.263 and a speed of 184.533 mph. Kevin Harvick rounded out the top-five in his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Racing Ford with a time of 29.275 and a speed of 184.458 mph.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who clocked in the sixth fastest single-lap, posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 182.216 mph.

Right after posting his fastest lap, Jones’s car got loose, spun out exiting Turn 4 and traveled through the infield grass. The only damage the team reported on Twitter were flat right-side tires.

Related: Kyle Busch Fastest in Final Cup Practice at Kansas

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May 12, 2017
Hot 20 – If even fewer viewers tuned in for Talladega, what hope does Kansas have?

The world, as we know it, must be ending. Forget about all the politics and the violence and the hypocrisy and the attempts to mix cultures that just don’t mix. I am talking about something serious here. The television ratings from the race at Talladega are the worst in more than 20 years. Talladega. The worst. What in hell is going on?

I appreciate we do not have the same car culture we once had. I get it that our society now has the attention span of a gnat. Have you ever taped that race and tried to fast forward your way through it? It cannot be done. Unlike some 1.5-mile tracks, say the one coming up Saturday night in Kansas, Talladegea features 2.66-miles of potential mayhem. You do not even need to be able to tell one Junior from any other to be glued to the excitement that lies before you from the seat of your comfy couch. Still, for seven straight springs, the ratings have slid; 5.9-million viewers watched the action on FOX, 11 percent fewer than who watched a year ago. That is not even half of those who tuned in back in 2005.

No surprise that this is not just a Talladega thing. Just about all the broadcasts this season have seen multi-year lows in ratings and viewership. I do not see Daytona or Bristol on that list. That does not surprise me, either, for the same reason Talladega’s numbers do. They all present action that is thrilling at tracks that cause fans to circle the dates on their calendars to ensure they do not miss a thing. Last Sunday, it appears that a lot of folks decided they could not care less.

Hell, if they can get more viewers to watch a 3.5-hour broadcast featuring a 3-minute horse race on a muddy track between critters few ever heard of, then our world is truly changing.

That brings us to Kansas. Aric Almirola did well at Talladega, but his car failed post-race inspection. He loses 35 points and his crew chief for the next three races. Amy and Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be hosting a short home renovation tv series. Instead of building toward a Chase, they will be concentrating on rebuilding a porch.

As for me, maybe I can plant some vegetables and pick some weeds. Sadly, a UN resolution bans me from partaking in World Naked Gardening Day. Apparently, no one wants to see my rutabagas.

Maybe Kansas and our Hot 20 might attract more interest this Saturday night.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 367 PTS
The best way to minimize a penalty is to win a couple of races.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 305 PTS
Imagine his popularity if Seven-Time was known as Demetrious or The Rock. Works for others.

3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 428 PTS
Leads in points, leads in stage points, but trails in wins. That is called motivation.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 374 PTS
Led 172 laps in this race last year. Now, he needs to deliver the finish he wants.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 318 PTS
His last car looked like he loaned it to Thelma and Louise.

6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 1 WIN – 250 PTS
Junior wins at Talladega. What, were you expecting someone else?

7. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 237 PTS
For a while, it looked like Kyle, but Newman spun and Stenhouse won.

8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 227 PTS
Considers Kansas “one of our strong tracks” as of late, but has just a pair of Top Fives in 22 tries.

9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 353 PTS
A.J.’s team wanted him to get into the Chase, so he did.

10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 318 PTS
See the hole, be the hole, and some no doubt thought he was some sort of hole to do so.

11. KEVIN HARVICK – 309 PTS
No wins, but a couple of poles to his credit. Apparently, that does count for something.

12. CLINT BOWYER – 289 PTS
After the ‘Dega big one, “I probably sharted a little bit.” You just gotta love Clint.

13. KYLE BUSCH – 277 PTS
If the Rocket Man had not been launched late last weekend, Kyle would be sitting sixth.

14. DENNY HAMLIN – 267 PTS
Won the Talladega 309…but finished 11th over 500 miles.

15. RYAN BLANEY – 240 PTS
Avoided the big one last week, but only because Stenhouse took him out eight laps earlier.

16. TREVOR BAYNE – 223 PTS
Eight laps after Blaney, Bayne was retired and still lost four points to his rival.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 214 PTS
A Top Five last week, and just nine points out of the Chase. Time to click them heels.

18. MATT KENSETH – 205 PTS
The world continues to change, as he closes his museum in Cambridge, Wisconsin next month.

19. ERIK JONES – 200 PTS
Why is this soon to be 21-year-old a race car driver? You can blame Mom.

20. ARIC ALMIROLA – 187 PTS
You can’t acquit if the car don’t fit.

21. DANIEL SUAREZ – 187 PTS
I thought you needed to average 20 points per race to get on to this list. Thanks, Aric!

May 10, 2017
Kansas Speedway – Did You Know?

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series and the Camping World Truck Series travel to Kansas Speedway this weekend for racing under the lights. The Truck Series Toyota Tundra 250 is set for Friday, May 12, at 8:30 p.m. ET while the Cup Series Go Bowling 400 will air Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET. Both races will be televised on FS1.

Joe Gibbs Racing’s Kyle Busch is the defending race winner and is still searching for his first victory this season. He has four top fives and six top 10s at the track with the 12th best driver rating. Busch is currently 10th in the point standings.

The first Cup Series race at the 1.5-mile track was on Sept. 30, 2001, but did you know that it was won by Jeff Gordon? There have been 22 Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, one each year from 2001 – 2010 and two races per year since 2011. Hendrick Motorsports leads the series in wins at Kansas with six; Gordon has three (2001, 2002, 2014) and Jimmie Johnson also has three (2008, 2011, 2015).

Fourteen different drivers have won poles at Kansas, led by Kevin Harvick, Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Kasey Kahne, with three poles each. But did you know that Jason Leffler won the pole for the inaugural Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway in 2001? He won it in the No. 01 Dodge for Chip Ganassi Racing with a speed of 176.499 mph and is the only driver to capture his first career Cup Series pole at Kansas.

Leffler, known as “LEFturn,” began his career as an open-wheel driver winning three consecutive USAC Midget championships from 1997-99 and the 1998 USAC Silver Crown championship. He also made three starts in the IndyCar Series and finished 17th in the 2000 Indianapolis 500.

Leffler’s NASCAR career began with four starts in the XFINITY Series in 1999 with Joe Gibbs Racing, running a full-time schedule in 2000. He advanced to the Cup Series in 2001 with Chip Ganassi Racing. During his career, he made 423 starts across the three national series and has two XFINITY wins and one victory in the Camping World Truck Series.

On June 12, 2013, Leffler lost his life in a crash during a 410 sprint car race at Bridgeport Speedway in New Jersey. He was 37 and left behind a son, Charlie, who was only five years old at the time

Leffler was a fierce competitor on the track but his most enduring quality was his generous spirit off the track. He will always be remembered for his irresistible smile, his selfless desire to help others and who could forget his trademark haircut?

Three-time Cup Series champion Tony Stewart remembers Leffler as “a great racer and an even better friend. We raced together a lot, and our career paths were very similar. He loved racing, especially open-wheel racing, and that’s a passion we both share. To not have him around to talk about whatever race one of us had just run, or were going to run, will be hard.”

Qualifying well at Kansas Speedway should give drivers an edge. Five of the 22 (22.7 percent) Cup Series events have been won from the front row, four from the pole position and one from second-place. But did you know that 54.5 percent of the races have been won from a top-10 starting position? Brad Keselowski won from the deepest in the field ( 25th) in the spring race of 2011.

As we head to Kansas Speedway, Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with the series-best driver rating of 110.6, with three wins, nine top fives, 17 top 10s and three poles. Kenseth (108.1), Harvick (105.3), Martin Truex Jr. (95.7) and Kahne (91.4) round out the top five best driver ratings.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has struggled this season but did you know that he has the sixth-best driver rating (90.0) at Kansas Speedway? He has three top fives, nine top 10s and one pole at the track and is looking forward to the race.

“Kansas is a great racetrack for me,” Earnhardt said. “That place has widened out pretty good and you can run against the fence there, which is a line that I like to run. It’s a very fast racetrack and very smooth, a lot of fun, so we should have a good time.”

The on-track action begins Thursday, May 11, with Truck Series practice, culminating with the Go Bowling 400 Saturday evening at 7:30 p.m. In the meantime, check out the video below as we take a moment to remember Jason Leffler.

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

May 10, 2017
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kyle Larson: Larson found trouble early at Talladega when he made contact with Jamie McMurray, which cut a tire on the No. 42 Target Chevrolet. Larson recovered and worked his way up to a 12th-place finish as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. took the win.

“Great race by Ricky,” Larson said. “His father, Ricky Stenhouse Sr. was briefly taken into police custody when he tried to reach Victory Circle via a route that allowed no pedestrians. Police eventually realized he was related, and he was released, only to arrive in Victory Circle to find someone else, Danica Patrick to be exact, ‘having relations’ with his son. Okay, so maybe they were just kissing.”

2. Martin Truex Jr.: Like many top drivers, Truex was caught in the “Big One,” a lap 171 melee triggered by contact from A.J. Allmendinger on Chase Elliott.

“I was asked to describe Talladega in three words,” Truex said. “I responded ‘Good, bad, and ugly.’ That was a Clint Eastwood movie. I think a more fitting title would have been ‘Sudden Impact.’ Or better yet, ‘Any Which Way You Can,’ or ‘Every Which Way But Loose.’”

3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished eighth in the Geico 500, posting his fourth top 10 of the year.

“Everybody knew the ‘Big One’ was coming,” Johnson said. “NASCAR chairman Brian France likes to refer to himself as the ‘Big One.’ NASCAR drivers, on the other hand, like to say the ‘Big One’ when referring to France’s second chin.”

4. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski won Stage 1 at Talladega and survived the “Big One” with 20 laps to go on his way to a seventh in the Geico 500.

“Ricky Stenhouse Jr. gave Roush Fenway Racing its first win since June of 2014,” Keselowski said. “It appears Jack Roush is relevant again. He even congratulated Stenhouse. In other words, Jack finally took his hat off.”

5. Chase Elliott: Elliott was running second on lap 171 when he was bumped by A.J. Allmendinger, sending Elliott’s No. 24 Hooter’s car into oncoming traffic.

“I nearly went airborne,” Elliott said. “And speaking of instances where gravity seems to briefly be suspended, how about the Hooter’s sponsorship on my car? Come to Hooter’s and you’ll see not one, but several ‘Big Ones.’”

6. Joey Logano: Logano’s day ended in a huge crash with 20 laps to go at Talladega, leaving him with a disappointing 32nd-place finish.

“We had a car that was capable of winning,” Logano said, “but circumstances beyond my control prevented that. Honestly, I felt like I was cheated.”

7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick was a victim of Talladega’s lap 171 crash that involved 18 cars. Harvick eventually finished 23rd.

“It was pure car-nage,” Harvick said. “There’s only one thing worse than being involved in the ‘Big One,’ and that’s knowing it’s coming and not being able to do anything about it. So, in addition to cars, nerves are wrecked as well.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch led a race-high 48 laps, and seemed headed to the win until Ricky Stenhouse Jr. passed him for the win on the final lap. Busch finished third and is 10th in the Monster Energy Cup points standings.

“We clearly had the best car in the field,” Busch said. “Unfortunately, the No. 18 Skittles Toyota doesn’t have a win to show for it. If there’s a slogan for our performance, it would be ‘Skittles: Waste the rainbow.’”

9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished second at Talladega as Ricky Stenhouse Jr. won his first Monster Energy Cup race. McMurray is fifth in the points standings, 110 behind Kyle Larson,

“Ricky Stenhouse Jr.’s win will be a life-changer,” McMurray said. “This could be the first of many wins to come for him. On the other hand, it could the only win of his career. In that case, he will always remember the ‘Big One’ at Talladega.”

10.(tie) Ricky Stenhouse Jr.: Stenhouse passed Kyle Busch with a lap remaining in an overtime finish at Talladega. It was Stenhouse’s first Monster Energy Cup series victory.

“I was met in Victory Lane with a kiss from Danica Patrick,” Stenhouse said. “I guess you could say I made out like a winner. And, as an added benefit to everyone, our lips were locked, so Danica couldn’t talk.”

10.(tie) Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 14th in the Geico 500 and is ninth in the points standings, 85 out of first.

“I’m just glad I made it through the race with my car in one piece,” Bowyer said. “There are a lot of drivers who can’t say that. The one thing that broke loose on their cars was ‘all hell.’”

May 9, 2017
The Final Word – Talladega, the track most drivers seem to hate but most fans love

So, let us talk about Talladega. We had Ricky Stenhouse Jr. start on the pole. Then we had a race full of excitement with a host of “oh, my God, did you see that?” moments. That pretty much covers the highlights from the opening 168 laps. It was as thrilling as I had hoped, but this one came down to the final 30 circuits on that big track.

No one dominated this one. No one went to the front and stayed there all race long. They came and they went. On lap 162, Ryan Blaney took a bow. A kiss from Stenhouse did the trick to end his day. Eight laps later, Chase Elliott went. Straight into the fence. A.J. Allmendinger just touched the back of the car, and Chase was gone. So was A.J., who was left sitting with his world turned upside down until the wreckers arrived. We said adios to Erik Jones. Kevin Harvick went bye, bye. The race was ruined for Joey Logano, who became the meat in the middle of a heavy metal sandwich. Ta-ta to both Martin Truex Jr and Trevor Bayne. By the way, Danica Patrick seemed to be doing well on this day. At least, until that moment. A very hard hit on the inside wall was not the way she wanted to end her day. At least, she left the track happy.

Before all the fun began, Kyle Busch had taken over as the leader. With just three to go, two cars bounced against one another, taking out the third car belonging to Ryan Newman. That left an overtime period to decide it all, and it was time well spent.

Busch had the lead, at least he did until Jimmie Johnson launched Stenhouse for the pass on the final lap. To add to the excitement, Jamie McMurray threaded the needle between Busch and Johnson with no room to spare. In fact, there was no room. I think he was driving one of those cartoon cars that could stretch out to fit the space. Johnson faded, but Rowdy charged back into the mix, but it was not enough as Stenhouse, McMurray, and Busch hit the line in that order.

I told you Danica left the track happy. She got to award the winner with a kiss. Team owner Jack Roush ended a 101 race drought and probably thought about following Patrick’s lead. It was the first career Cup win for his driver, who has all but punched his ticket into the Chase. Stenhouse only led the one lap, but it gave him a 49 point day. Kyle Busch had 42, while Brad Keselowski won the opening stage and finished seventh to record 40 of his own.

Aric Almirola and Kasey Kahne both were in the Top Five, with Paul Menard and David Ragan in the Top Ten. The failure of his crew to keep his right rear tight much of the race left Dale Earnhardt Jr. very ordinary in 22nd. It could have been worse. Each of the aforementioned drivers who had a different opinion of the day than I had all finished behind him. Unfortunately, this result leaves Junior 67 points, or a victory, out of a playoff spot.

No doubt the excitement level is reaching a fever pitch as we all anticipate Kansas coming up this Saturday night. Well, that might be the case for Johnson, who has three wins at that track. Harvick, Logano, and Matt Kenseth each have a pair. Last spring, Kyle Busch won his first there. As for all the exciting highlights, we did have Denny Hamlin try to dart through a hole between Keselowski and Kyle Larson late in the game. Instead, he lost air, lost control, but found Logano to take them both out of it. In the words of Mike Joy, “That was a 7-10 split in the GoBowling 400.”

Okay, that was the lone highlight. I hope you enjoyed it. We can always hope that this year’s race proves at least as good as last year’s line.

May 8, 2017
Hot 20 – Talladega could not have come at a better time

NASCAR is losing steam. Surprise! It is not exactly news, but this week comments made by the top brass yet again reminded us of what has been going on for about a decade now. NASCAR got its big TV contract in 2001 to bring the action nationwide. It lost one of its legends in that opening race, then his son became part of a very compelling and riveting story line, and a fad was born. Everybody who was anybody jumped aboard the bandwagon. That lasted until the economic downturn following the 2007 season. The good times came to a grinding halt, and have not yet returned. As Merle Haggard used to ask, “Are the good times really over for good?”

Once upon a time, but a time not so far away, 112,000 seats surrounded the track at Richmond. Today, they number 60,000. Last Sunday, only half of them had butt cheeks draped upon them. This week, NASCAR boss Brian France says his sport is not the only one having trouble enticing fans to leave their electronic devices behind, especially those tuned into his races, to make the trek to see the action live. They are having a summit next month in Charlotte, joined by experts, to seek out some answers. Charlotte track owner Humpy Wheeler has his own answers. Get rid of the aero push, the thing that gives the leader in clean air a distinct advantage, once and for all. Do that and then see the return of on-track excitement, the return of duels for the lead, the return of rivalries, and the return of the fans. Simple solution, but one they have been unable to solve for nearly twenty years.

NASCAR was here long before Dale Earnhardt Jr. and it will be there long after he leaves. Sure sounds strong, defiant, and even true to some degree. However, compare how much merchandise Junior moves and compare it to anyone else…hell…everyone else, and you might just notice a few beads of sweat on the foreheads of NASCAR’s big shots. In the past, big stars left but it was all small potatoes back then compared to today. Dale Earnhardt died, but his son was there pick up some of the slack. Today, Junior is planning on going. Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, and Carl Edwards are already gone. Can Kyle Larson, Chase Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, and the Dillon brothers keep those rabid fans in tow, the ones who will hang around no matter what? That is the question.

Few tracks pretty much guarantee excitement. Talladega happily is one of them. Multiple lead changes, the potential of mayhem each and every lap, and the thrills that it brings. You do not need an Earnhardt to present that. You sure do when you go to Kansas for the next contest, and we return to a 1.5-mile oval and the same old, same old. Without the likes of Junior to cheer for, the lukewarm supporters will once again dissipate like a mist in the wind. They might return for the all-star event, they might catch the World 600 at Charlotte later this month, or next month’s road course challenge at Sonoma, then the Firecracker 400 at Daytona in July. Kansas, Dover, Pocono, and Michigan each have two events scheduled this season, with the first coming our way in May and June. Think about that, then tell me “how bad have you got it?” Exactly.

Talladega could not come at a better time. Here is to the hot action for our Hot 20 in Alabama on Sunday afternoon.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 327 PTS
Junior might be the current King of Talladega, but with four wins Brad is the Crown Prince.

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 270 PTS
When did they start painting the walls to look like Junior’s car?

3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 398 PTS
“I would race a lot more if I was allowed to. That’s why I feel like I’m the last true racer.”

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 358 PTS
Having a decent season, but imagine how good it would be if not for all those damned penalties.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 333 PTS
Joey is sad. He heard Rowdy got a commitment line penalty at Richmond. The tears are flowing.

6. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 225 PTS
In 30 starts, just five Top Fives, with his best being third eight years ago. You can save on the suds.

7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 192 PTS
When it came to Dale Earnhardt and Mr. Busch, oh well-a bird, bird, bird; bird is a word.

8. CHASE ELLIOTT – 346 PTS
Driving for Hooters this weekend. Make up your own joke.

9. KEVIN HARVICK – 286 PTS
Bloomin’ good result resulted in Outback Steakhouse giving away Bloomin’ Onions. Really.

10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 282 PTS
Jamie only wins on the biggest stages. This would be one of them.

11. CLINT BOWYER – 266 PTS
Not as vile as Colbert, but he can sometimes string together some hot phrases on the radio.

12. KYLE BUSCH – 235 PTS
Five minutes. No crews, no officials, no cameras. Just five minutes is all he asks.

13. DENNY HAMLIN – 231 PTS
With Kyle, Denny, and Matt all here, the lack of Joe Gibbs wins is truly a non-story.

14. RYAN BLANEY – 229 PTS
Only five points earned over the past two events, with four of the past six outside the Top 20.

15. TREVOR BAYNE – 216 PTS
Still only one Cup win to his credit, but if you have to win just one…he picked well.

16. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 201 PTS
Joining Martin and Sherry, along with a host of others, in Catwalk for a Cause later this month.

17. ERIK JONES – 193 PTS
Lasted less than five laps last week, earned just one point. Talladega just has to be better.

18. MATT KENSETH – 192 PTS
Richmond was a race that proved to be 237 laps too long. Before that, he had a very nice day.

19. ARIC ALMIROLA – 189 PTS
The “other” drivers with more than one win in the No.43…Bobby Hamilton (2) and Jim Paschal (2).

20. KASEY KAHNE – 179 PTS
Krispy Kasey Kahne went cycling last week and, as Gollum might say, “It burns us.”

May 3, 2017
The Final Word – Richmond was like a nice white dress shirt…with ketchup on it

We all know what it is like. We get all excited about some event, then it does not go as planned. That Christmas morning you waited for so long, only to wake up with the flu. The day at the ballpark longed dreamed of, only to see the storm clouds roll in. That long anticipated first date, only to discover you just blew the rear of your pants out. For me, that was Richmond.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. returned to Richmond after announcing his impending retirement. Richmond, where he won his second, and final, Cup race during his father’s lifetime. Then Cinderella discovered her nice coach turned into a pumpkin after a speeding penalty took him forever out of the hunt for a Top Ten spot. A spin, then being splashed across the outside wall by his teammate left him in 30th.

Matt Kenseth was the man. He led from the pole for the initial 163 laps. All was wonderful beneath the Virginia sunshine. Then he drifted back a bit, then had a bad pit stop, then cut a tire against Martin Truex Jr. to wind up 23rd.

Just ask Kyle Busch about Richmond. He might not tell you, at least not with a recording device anywhere near. He got caught speeding early, but he was making progress as the race continued. He was within striking distance for the lead when Joey Logano cut in late to pit road, obstructing Busch’s view of where the commitment line was. He ran over it. He got penalized. He went from contender to 16th.

As for Logano? Well, he won, of course. It was his 18th win in his 300th career start to become one of seven who has all but punched their ticket to the Chase. Yet, despite the victory, he was just fourth in points earned on the day, with 42. That was eight shy of Brad Keselowski, the race runner-up, and second stage winner. That was five short of Denny Hamlin, in third, and fifth place Kevin Harvick.

Erik Jones got a point. Just one. Mind you, he did not manage to get in five laps last Sunday when he got help cutting a tire. That sent him into the grinder that was the outside wall and he was done. A.J. Allmendinger got a point. Midway through the second stage, his auto developed some issues that required a trip to the garage. A long trip. He was running at the end, just 67 laps down. Ryan Blaney got a point. Another cut tire, another meeting with the wall. At least he waited to near the end to come to an end. Ask those three guys what they thought about Richmond.

That was then. Talladega is what is coming up now. This Sunday, we go to the House of Earnhardt. Ten wins by the father. Six more by the son. No flu. No split britches. No rain. It would not dare.

May 1, 2017
Furniture Row drivers at opposite ends of finishing results in Richmond

RICHMOND, Va. — The Furniture Row Racing duo went into Sunday’s race topping two of the three practice sessions, but finished at different ends of the spectrum when the checkered flag flew at Richmond International Raceway.

Erik Jones was squeezed into the outside wall by Kasey Kahne, a byproduct of three-wide racing on the opening lap of the Toyota Owners 400. It led to a left-front tire cut and slamming the wall in Turn 3 on the fifth lap, bringing out the first caution of the race.

“We got three-wide right on the start and then the 5 ran us up into the fence,” Jones said. “I was trying not to wreck everybody and then a couple laps later the GameStop Prey Toyota Camry cut a left-front tire. It’s just really a heartbreaking day. It’s not what we wanted, but we’ll just have to come back next week with another fast race car and try to run up front again.”

He earned his first last-place finish in his 12th career Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series start.

He leaves Richmond 16th in points, down four spots and 205 points back of Kyle Larson.

It was an across the board day for teammate Martin Truex Jr. with a third-place finish in the first stage and disappearing from the top-10 at the end of the second.

His drive back to the top-10 almost took a fatal blow under the eighth caution with 39 laps to go when he was busted for a commitment line violation, one of six drivers busted for so during the race, and restarted 25th.

But he opted not to pit during the final caution and restarted fourth. On old tires, he salvaged a 10th-place finish.

“We just didn’t have it today, too many issues with rear grip,” explained Truex. “We were good in the beginning but couldn’t get the rear grip issue resolved with our Bass Pro Shops/TRACKER Boats Toyota. Just one of those days where you battle all day and hope to get a top-10 and we barely did that. We have some work to do for next time we come here.”

Truex’s third-place in the first stage and 10th overall finish moves him up to second in points, just 40 behind Larson.

May 1, 2017
Truex Fastest in First Practice at Richmond

Martin Truex Jr. topped the chart in first Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Richmond International Raceway.

The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota was the fastest with a time of 21.743 and a speed of 124.178 mph. Erik Jones was second in his No. 77 Furniture Row Toyota with a time of 21.945 and a speed of 123.035 mph. Ryan Blaney was third in his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford with a time of 21.992 and a speed of 122.772 mph. Trevor Bayne was fourth in his No. 6 Roush Fenway Racing Ford with a time of 22.116 and a speed of 122.084 mph. Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-five in his No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with a time of 22.181 and a speed of 121.726 mph.

Kasey Kahne, who clocked in the 22nd fastest single lap, posted the fastest 10 consecutive lap average at a speed of 119.324 mph.

The only incident of the session occurred 74 minutes into the session when Jones spun out and made slight contact with the wall.

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April 28, 2017
Hot 20 – As Richmond arrives, Earnhardt announces his departure

One day they are going to make that movie. It will feature a young Dale Earnhardt Jr. growing up in the shadow of his legendary father. We will see his daddy’s pride as his namesake begins his racing career. That first Tier II win at Texas in 1998. The two Tier II titles that came that year, and the next.

Two years later, Senior saw Junior take his first Cup victory on that same Texas track. Junior won, ole Dale was seventh in the GM Goodwrench Chevrolet. Four races later, at Richmond, Junior won his second. Dad was 10th. The Legend and his Legacy.

Then came the improbable story line. Dale Earnhardt would leave us on the final lap of the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001. It was a race won by Michael Waltrip, a winless veteran driver who the Terminator put in the seat of a Dale Earnhardt Inc. car. His son finished second. On a day that should have been devoted to celebration, the Man in Black was gone.

No one would dare write a script like this one. A week later, another of his drivers, Steve Park, would win at Rockingham. His friend and rival, Jeff Gordon, claimed Las Vegas. His race team, now led by a 25-year old Kevin Harvick, returned to Victory Lane for Richard Childress in the next race at Atlanta. What could top this emotional ride? When they returned to Daytona in July, it was Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning, with Waltrip in second, and we rejoiced as they celebrated atop their cars in the infield as the crowd roared in approval.

Junior would win at Dover later in the year, and in October he was victorious at Talladega, the scene of his father’s final victory just the year before. Senior won 10 times at that track, and the 2001 win for his son was the start of four consecutive conquests on the same superspeedway. The movie will take us to the twin Talladega triumphs of 2002, to Talladega and Phoenix the next season, and then to 2004. The Daytona 500, Atlanta, Richmond, Bristol, Talladega, and Phoenix.

Then came the lean years. The break from his late father’s team. The man who lost a legendary father joined a man who lost a cherished son. The main story went behind the scenes, as the successes on the track became few and far in between. Just four wins over nine seasons. However, there was one more act in the play, a resurgence before the final curtain would drop.

Four more wins in 2014, including his second Daytona 500. Three in 2015, including his sixth at Talladega, one more summertime victory to give him four at Daytona, and his third career decision at Phoenix. Before the credits roll, the movie will see the on-track heartbreak of 2016, the loss of half a season. Yet, while he wondered about his future out on the track, there was true joy as the year ended with his new bride Amy by his side. A new chapter was about to begin as the movie comes to a close.

Peter Jackson, if you are not too busy, this is a movie I would really love to see.

Here are our Hot 20 heading to Richmond this Sunday.

1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS – 277 PTS
Leads the pack, but his day at Bristol was one for the dumper. On to Richmond!

2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 244 PTS
With his 6.72 races per win ratio, his next victory should come by the time they leave Michigan.

3. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN – 360 PTS
Great acceleration out of the pits on Monday. Just too great, as it turned out.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 323 PTS
Had a rare good day at Bristol and now hopes for a rare good day at Richmond.

5. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN – 186 PTS
One win means the difference between fifth and 14th. I hope Junior is listening.

6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN – 163 PTS
Went three laps down and still had a better day than his brother.

7. CHASE ELLIOTT – 333 PTS
He was not a factor last week, so explain to me that Top Ten result.

8. JOEY LOGANO – 291 PTS
Not a fan of the driver, but Cameron Curtis reminds us we all should be a fan of the man.

9. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 244 PTS
Granted, we are just eight races in, but 2017 has been a very sweet year for the 40-year old.

10. KEVIN HARVICK – 239 PTS
Before you panic, he has 24 wins over the past seven seasons, and a winless streak of just 13.

11. CLINT BOWYER – 239 PTS
From second tier a year ago to second place this past week to a place he’s won at twice before.

12. RYAN BLANEY – 228 PTS
No power steering, no quick fix, no points to speak of, but just check out those biceps.

13. KYLE BUSCH – 214 PTS
When the wheels on the car don’t keep round and round, one’s day can go to crap in a hurry.

14. TREVOR BAYNE – 192 PTS
Best performer for Jack Roush since Carl Edwards left to join Joe Gibbs.

15. ERIK JONES – 192 PTS
The 20-year-old has one Top Ten as he enters his 12th career Cup race.

16. DENNY HAMLIN – 184 PTS
Tenth on Monday and now heads to a track where he has won three, including the one last fall.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 168 PTS
Three Top Tens over the past five contests but just one in eight tries at Richmond.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 164 PTS
Does Junior’s announcement ease the pressure on him or is the clock still ticking?

19. ARIC ALMIROLA – 161 PTS
You could say that Bristol (tire) rubbed him the wrong way.

20. MATT KENSETH – 159 PTS
It does not matter where you run all day, as long as you are in the picture at the end.

April 26, 2017