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Tag: Martin Truex Jr.

  • 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.

  • NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    NASCAR Top 10 Power Rankings: Martinsville

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson recovered from left front damage to the No. 48 and stormed back to win the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville. Johnson qualified for the Chase For The Cup finale at Homestead on November 20.

    “That’s my ninth Martinsville win,” Johnson said. “Now, I’ve got nine grandfather clock trophies. That makes me the father of grandfather clocks.

    2. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 48 laps and finished third at Martinsville.

    “I race hard at Martinsville,” Hamlin said. “And I think some drivers don’t like that about me. Jimmie Johnson was upset at how hard I raced him, and my Joe Gibbs teammates Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch were also pissed at me. I can understand Johnson’s frustration, but not my whiny teammates. Trust me, for my teammates and I, there was a race lost, but there is no love lost.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led 176 laps at Martinsville and finished fourth, posting his eighth top five of the year.

    “I famously wrecked Joey Logano last fall at Martinsville,” Kenseth said. “That gave the fans something to cheer for. I don’t know if they were necessarily my fans because I don’t think I have any fans.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500, recording his 15th top 10 of the year.

    “I’m still the defending Sprint Cup champion,” Busch said, “and I will remain that until someone pries it from my cold, dead hands. And here’s a Halloween reminder: M&M’s won’t melt in your mouth, and they definitely won’t melt in your cold, dead hands.”

    5. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 20th in the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville.

    “I just wasn’t myself at Martinsville,” Harvick said. “You could say I was ‘Un-Happy.’”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished ninth at Martinsville, posting his 13th top five of the season.

    “NASCAR needed 29 caution laps to sort out the field order after Carl Edwards hit the wall on lap 358,” Logano said. “I don’t know who NASCAR has in charge of this, but they must be out of the ‘loop.’”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 22nd, three laps down, at Martinsville, and likely will need a win at Texas or Phoenix to advance to the final Chase round.

    “Now that Halloween is over,” Busch said, “I think it’s safe to remove my costume because I’ve been masquerading as a Cup contender since the start of the Chase.”

    8. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski took the runner-up spot at Martinsville in a bittersweet finish for the 2014 Sprint Cup champion.

    “After failing to qualify for the next round,” Keselowski said, “I’ve kind of been a little dejected and walking around in a daze. In other words, I’ve been ‘out of it.’

    9. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole at Martinsville and finished seventh.

    “I’m out of the running for the Sprint Cup championship,” Truex said, “so I’ve been rendered a mere spectator. But I’m still right in the middle of the action. That makes now a perfect time to introduce Furniture Row’s ‘Best Seat In The House’ promotion, in which nothing is on sale because I want you to feel my disappointment.”

    10. Carl Edwards: Edwards blew a tire late at Martinsville and finished 36th, putting a serious damper on his championship hopes.

    “Obviously,” Edwards said, “tire wear was an issue. I think that right-front tire was worn completely. And I hate bald tires just as much as Sport Clips hates bald heads.”

  • Truex Nabs the Pole at Martinsville

    Truex Nabs the Pole at Martinsville

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. – Martin Truex Jr. will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday afternoon after posting the fastest time in the final round of qualifying.

    The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota scored the pole for the Goody’s Fast Relief 500 after posting a time of 19.282 and a speed of 98.206 mph.

    “I’m feeling good, it’s definitely a good day,” Truex said on getting the pole. “It’s fun to be back at the race track with some positive things happening. First pole here at Martinsville so it feels good, it’s a cool accomplishment and this track is so difficult and so tough. The history here and it’s just a place that everybody wants to be good at. Really proud of my guys after the week we had last week. Obviously to come here, perform and get it done – I’m excited to see what we can do the rest of the weekend.”

    It’s his 12th pole in 402 career Sprint Cup Series starts, his fifth of the season and first in 22 starts at Martinsville Speedway.

    Joey Logano will start second in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford after posting a time of 19.290 and a speed of 98.165 mph. Jimmie Johnson will start third in his No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after posting a time of 19.354 and a speed of 97.840 mph. AJ Allmendinger will start fourth in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet after posting a time of 19.376 and a speed of 97.729 mph. Chase Elliott will round out the top-five in his No. 24 HMS Chevrolet after posting a time of 19.382 and a speed of 97.699 mph.

    Tony Stewart will start sixth in his No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet. Carl Edwards will start seventh in his No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Denny Hamlin will start eighth in his No. 11 JGR Toyota. Kyle Busch will start ninth in his No. 18 JGR Toyota. Jeff Gordon will round out the top-10 in his No. 88 HMS Chevrolet.

    His 10th place qualifying effort snaps a 23-year streak with at least one pole in a season.

    Kyle Larson will start 11th and David Ragan will round out the 12 drivers that made the final round of qualifying.

    Matt Kenseth will start 17th, Kevin Harvick will start 20th and Kurt Busch is the lowest starting Chase driver in 23rd.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. wheel-hopped going into turn 1, spun around and hit the wall with his left-rear corner. The damage prompted the team to roll out their backup car. As a result, he’ll start from the rear of the field on Sunday.

    “I had a lot of wheel-hop,” Stenhouse said on what happened. “It was definitely not ideal in qualifying, but you’re always pressing the issue to try to qualify better and trying to get everything out of the car that you can and it just started wheel-hopping. As a lot of us drivers know, once it starts wheel-hopping it’s hard to save. I down-shifted to try and keep it out of the wall as best I could, but we weren’t able to do that. We’ll get this Fastenal back-up out and get to work on it tonight and make sure that we have it ready to go for practice tomorrow.”

    With 40 cars entered, none were sent home.

    In total, 21 Chevrolet’s, 11 Ford’s and eight Toyota’s will comprise the 40-car field in Sunday’s Goody’s Fast Relief 500.

  • Hot 20 – NASCAR’s Cup Drivers Runneth over to Swamp the XFINITY and Camping World Series

    Hot 20 – NASCAR’s Cup Drivers Runneth over to Swamp the XFINITY and Camping World Series

    Bless NASCAR’s pea-pickin’ hearts. You have to admit that they keep on trying. With both the junior and truck circuits pretty much irrelevant these days due to the inclusion and the total domination of Cup drivers, NASCAR once again is trying to do the right thing.

    Cup drivers are already banned from the season finales in both minor leagues. Now those with five years Cup experience, not registered to drive for points, can not race in any of those other versions of the Chase, their regular season finales, or the XFINITY “Dash 4 Cash” events. Still, that leaves Cup drivers eligible to race in 10 of the remaining 21 junior races, along with seven of the remaining 15 truck races.

    That means that instead of racing 16 junior contests and winning nine, defending Cup champion Kyle Busch gets to start only 10 times next year. Then he could turn the seat over to, say, Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin to fill in for the other 11 rides available. Cup drivers could still dominate for much of the season, though next year they would have to share those opportunities. It is a step forward, but we will have to see if it will be enough to return the spotlight on those who should be showcased in those divisions.

    In 29 events, regular XFINITY drivers claimed 11 of them. Erik Jones took four, Elliott Sadler three, Daniel Suarez a couple, with the others going to Justin Marks and Sam Hornish Jr. Eighteen went to Cup drivers, with half of that total taken by Busch, including their Chase race at Kansas. Chase Elliott and Kyle Larson have also won and, with less than five years Cup experience, the restrictions would not apply to either of them. Still, it beats doing nothing but will it be enough to stop the major leaguers from moonlighting to kick some minor league butt most weeks?

    This Sunday, the contenders and pretenders of the Cup circuit head to Martinsville, Virginia. A win earns a free pass to race for the title in Homestead next month. A wreck, and then Texas and Phoenix get a lot more stressful. Eight contenders, but only four will be in the running when it counts.

    Among our Hot 20, Kevin Harvick has been best over the course of the season. That means nothing come Sunday.

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 4000 PTS
    Would have a 37 point lead if season-long points were still the determining factor…over Keselowski.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 4000 PTS
    If you see him in a photo with good friend Michael Jordan, Denny is the short one.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 4000 PTS
    Last year, he was the guy to beat coming out of Talladega…and so they did.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 4000 PTS
    Four Cup wins, nine XFINITY triumphs, and a pair of truck flags…he will beat up on anybody.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 4000 PTS
    Harvick was just trying to help me with my contact lenses in pit road. What a pal!

    6. CARL EDWARDS – 4000 PTS
    Some days you race, and some days you ride. Guess what kind of day he had at Talladega.

    7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4000 PTS
    Eight-time Martinsville winner will duel one more time with 9-time…Jeff Gordon.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 4000 PTS
    Spent a lovely Sunday with Kyle and Carl, but he probably will need to race at Martinsville.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2191
    Driving a magic dragon last week. Its name was Puff.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2168 PTS
    Next year, Kansas replaces Talladega as the elimination race. Good for him, but boring for us.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 2163 PTS
    His last win was back in August in Bristol’s Xfinity race.

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2156 PTS
    His last win was back in February in Daytona’s Xfinity race.

    13. KYLE LARSON – 2155 PTS
    Sure, he won back in June in Pocono’s Xfinity race, but don’t forget that Cup win at Michigan.

    14. TONY STEWART – 2141 PTS
    Down to his final four.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2110 PTS
    23rd in the spring, but second last fall. Time to turn that frown upside down?

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2109 PTS
    A single win leaves Blaney, Bayne, Patrick, Menard, Biffle, Almirola, and Bowyer far behind him.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 803 PTS
    Hendrick drivers have won the past four Martinsville Chase races. Why not another?

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 794 PTS
    #noneckguysmatter

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 717 PTS
    Back among the cool kids after a good run at Talladega.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 717 PTS
    Second at Martinsville this spring gives hope for this fall run.

  • The Final Word – Talladega. Need I say more?

    The Final Word – Talladega. Need I say more?

    Talladega had everything on Sunday a race fan or adrenalin junky could desire. It provided incredible action, with leaders driving looking at their mirrors rather than out the windshield, running at close to 200 miles per hour just inches apart. We watched in awe as they managed to avoid disaster lap after lap, at least until disaster struck. Even at the end, Kevin Harvick channelled his inner Negan when confronting teammate Kurt Busch on pit road after the event. It had everything.

    It was a countdown to heartbreak, but whose? Just over a hundred miles in, we thought we had the answer. Joey Logano left the pits under green dragging his jack underneath the car for a full circuit before coming back to pay the penalty and remove the piece of equipment. At the same time, Denny Hamlin got tagged for speeding. It could have meant the end of their title hopes, but it was not.

    Three laps later, Martin Truex Jr.’s auto went up in a beautiful white plume of smoke to bring out the caution. No engine, no chance, with his only hope being for Logano to somehow wind up no better than 27th on the day. That did not work out so well for him.

    Anyone else visiting the Heartbreak Hotel? Why, yes, there was one more. Brad Keselowski was the guy to beat, but he spent so much time in front he collected a bit of trash that would not go away. Finally, he let Ryan Blaney slip by him so he could tuck up behind to have the air turbulence clean off his grill. It worked like a charm, but it proved too late. The engine was cooked, and Keselowski’s day and his championship dreams went up in a Truex-like puff of smoke.

    That left Logano to take the win, as Brian Scott came home right behind him for a season-best finish. Hamlin, Busch the elder, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. rounded out the Top Five. Along with Keselowski and Truex, the Chase ended for Austin Dillon and Chase Elliott as they all regroup for this weekend in Martinsville.

    Before that, maybe there needs to be a peace summit at Stewart-Haas after Busch ran into the side of Harvick’s car on the cool down lap. If Busch could let out his inner Rick Grimes, I guess Harvick could release his inner Negan, a reference you might understand if you watch a certain AMC program. Harvick leaned into his teammate’s car on pit road and seemed to initiate some kind of physical interaction.

    “He’ll understand it and I’m sure he’ll clear it up in his interview,” Busch said in his, though Harvick did not clear up much of anything. “We’re great teammates, we’re going good together,” Busch continued, and he was right. They had got together, in a bit of a bad way, which was the root of their problems. Now they have to talk. Just hope nobody brings Lucille.

    His forced exile from the cockpit did not prevent Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is ranked third in restrictor plate victories all-time, behind Jeff Gordon and his father, from showing up as a guest commentator. In the booth wearing his glasses, I could not help but wonder exactly when Junior developed an inner accountant. There was no question about his knowledge of the track and that kind of racing. No question either as to where he would prefer to be sitting and it was not high in the sky.

    That was Talladega, but can anyone tell me the official name of the race? Who cares, it was at Talladega. That track creates its own traditions, no matter what they call the event. On Sunday, the first of three semi-final races takes place at Martinsville. Once again, I am reminded how NASCAR has tossed aside traditional branding to make a buck. I mean, which sounds better to you, the Goody’s Fast Pain Relief 500 or the Old Dominion 500?

    Let me conclude by presenting, if I had my way, what the NASCAR schedule would look like. Sadly, 10 events have always had changing sponsored names, with no opportunity to establish some kind of identity. One day…one day. Tell me what you think.

    Daytona 500 – Daytona, FL
    Dixie 500 – Atlanta, GA
    Las Vegas 400 – Las Vegas, NV
    Phoenix, AZ
    California 400 – Fontana, CA
    Virginia 500 – Martinsville, VA
    Texas 500 – Fort Worth, TX
    Southeastern 500 – Bristol, TN
    Richmond 400 – Richmond, VA
    Alabama 500 – Talladega, AL
    Kansas City, Kansas
    Mason-Dixon 400 – Dover, DE
    World 600 – Charlotte, NC
    Pocono 400 – Pocono, PA
    Motor State 400 – Brooklyn, MI
    Sonoma, CA
    Firecracker 400 – Daytona, FL
    Sparta, KY
    New Hampshire 301 – Loudon, NH
    Brickyard 400 – Indianapolis, IN
    Pennsylvania 400 – Pocono, PA
    355 at the Glen – Watkins Glen, NY
    Volunteer 500 – Bristol, TN
    Yankee 400 – Brooklyn, MI
    Southern 500 – Darlington, SC
    Capitol City 400 – Richmond, Tn
    Chicago, IL
    Loudon, NH
    Delaware 400 – Dover, DE
    National 500 – Charlotte, NC
    Kansas City, KS
    Talladega 500 – Talladega, AL
    Old Dominion 500 – Martinsville, VA
    Fort Worth, TX
    Phoenix, AZ
    Homestead, FL

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Talladega

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 23rd in the Hellman’s 500 and will head to Martinsville as the favorite to win the first race of the next round of the Chase.

    “Martinsville is one of my favorite tracks,” Johnson said. “I’ve got eight wins there, which means I’ve got eight grandfather clock trophies. Winning there to start the third round of the Chase would certainly be a ‘timely’ victory.”

    2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished seventh in the Hellman’s 500 at Talladega and is one of seven drivers moving on to the next round of the Chase.

    “You may have seen me take a swing inside Kurt Busch’s car after the race,” Harvick said. “That’s three years in a row in which I’ve been involved in some sort of controversy midway through the Chase. I guess it’s just that time of the month.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished third in the Hellman’s 500 at Talladega and just edged out Austin Dillon for the eighth and final spot in the third round of the Chase.

    “I beat Kurt Busch for third by a matter of feet,” Hamlin said. “To put it into words that I know Busch can understand, I ‘beat’ him by the length of Kevin Harvick’s arm.”

    4. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home 28th at Talladega and will join his three Joe Gibbs Racing teammates in Round 3 of the Chase.

    “I’ve got to hand it to Joey Logano,” Kenseth said. “He really came through with the pressure on. I guess everything in his car was working to perfection, especially the ‘clutch.’”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished 30th at Talladega and safely advanced to the next round of the Chase.

    “Our goal was simply to avoid disaster,” Busch said. “Going forward, ‘avoiding disaster’ may entail steering clear of any Stewart-Haas Racing driver. Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Kurt Busch all have anger issues. Their teammate Danica Patrick stays mentally grounded by doing yoga. That might help her teammates. But can you see Stewart, Harvick, and Busch doing yoga? That would be a stretch.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano survived a couple of late restarts to win the Hellman’s 500 at Talladega and clinch his spot in the Round of 8 in the Chase.

    “With the race being the Hellman’s 500,” Logano said, “there was no champagne in victory circle, just mayonnaise. So, to celebrate, ‘Sliced Bread’ was covered by mayonnaise.”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch finished fourth in the Hellman’s 500, then had a controversial run-in with Stewart-Haas teammate Kevin Harvick, who took a swing at Busch while he sat in his No. 41 car after the race.

    “Much like a female government assassin,” Busch said, “Harvick ‘hits’ like a girl.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 29th at Talladega and qualified for the next round of the Chase on the virtue of points.

    “While we were racing at Talladega,” Edwards said, “the United States Grand Prix was taking place in Austin, Texas. There’s was a joke making the rounds in the Talladega infield. It goes like this: What do you call a thousand snooty Formula 1 fans? A ‘grand pricks.’”

    9. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski blew an engine on lap 144 at Talladega and failed to advance to the next round of the Chase. He finished 38th, 48 laps off the pace.

    “The grill of the No. 2 Miller Lite Ford was covered in trash,” Keselowski said. “I’m not sure if it was a hot dog wrapper, a paper towel, a napkin, or a tissue. But with this being Talladega, I can only tell you for sure that it was ‘white trash.’”

    10. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started on the pole at Talladega but blew his engine on lap 41, ruining his chance of advancing in the Chase For The Cup. He finished dead last in 40th.

    “We had a storybook season,” Truex said. “We just need to work on the ‘ending.’”

  • Chase hopes for Keselowski and Truex Go up in Smoke

    Chase hopes for Keselowski and Truex Go up in Smoke

    TALLADEGA, Ala. — Two of the heavy favorites to win the championship going into the Chase won’t continue on in the pursuit of a championship in 2016 following mechanical failure in Alabama.

    Martin Truex Jr. – who entered the race in seventh, 13 points above the cutoff – started the race on pole position and had a strong car in the first quarter of the Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, leading two laps while staying near the front.

    Rounding turn 2, however, his Chase hopes went up in smoke when his engine blew up, his first since the 2014 Daytona 500.

    “Just developed a vibration and started to lose a little bit of power,” Truex said of what happened to take him out. “Originally I thought it could have been a tire because it was shaking worse and worse and worse until it was time to pit. I slowed down to hit pit road and felt the vibration still there and knew it was the engine. Definitely not the way we wanted today to go – it’s a tough way to go out, but proud of the effort and proud of all the guys.”

    This relegated him to a 40th place finish, his fifth in 401 Sprint Cup Series starts and first since the 2014 Daytona 500.

    He’s also the first pole sitter to finish last in a race at Talladega since Stacey Compton in April of 2001 and the first driver to finish last after having led a lap since Michael McDowell at Texas in November of 2013 (LASTCAR.info).

    He leaves Talladega ninth in points.

    Brad Keselowski takes his car to the garage following his engine expiring late in the Hellmann's 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Photo: Sarah Crabill/Getty Images
    Brad Keselowski takes his car to the garage following his engine expiring late in the Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. Photo: Sarah Crabill/Getty Images

    Truex wasn’t alone in the engine failure department.

    Brad Keselowski, entering Talladega 11th in a seven-point hole, worked his way to the lead on the first lap and led 90 laps on nine different occasions.

    In the final quarter of the race, Keselowski allowed Ryan Blaney to take the lead so he could get behind him and clear off trash that was stuck on the grille of his car. The debris flew off, but a lap later, his engine blew up, eliminating him from Chase contention.

    “It looks like we lost an engine,” Keselowski said when asked what happened. “I’m pretty confident I lost a rod or something in the lower end. That’s just the way it goes.”

    He said he didn’t know if the engine got too hot from the debris on his grille.

    “I’m not an engine guy, but the car was really strong and we definitely kept finding debris,” he added. “I thought I got it cooled off and only got it slightly over, but I don’t know.”

    Keselowski finished 38th and leaves Talladega 10th in the standings.

  • Truex Earns Pole at Talladega

    Truex Earns Pole at Talladega

    TALLADEGA, Ala. — Martin Truex Jr. will lead the field to the green flag tomorrow at Talladega Superspeedway.

    The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota posted the fastest time in the final round of qualifying and scored the pole position for the Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway with a time of 49.509 and a speed of 193.423 mph.

    “It’s definitely the place to be to start the race – it’s just about trying to stay there as long as you can,” Truex said. “We’ll see what happens. This is obviously a big race with a lot on the line. I look forward to it. I’m just so proud of the guys in Denver and everybody here at the race track for what they did here. This is all about the team, all about what they do and all about the guys at TRD (Toyota Racing Development) in California building these engines, so my hat’s off to all of them. I’m lucky to be sitting behind the wheel and holding it to the floor. It was a good day today and hopefully, we will have another good day tomorrow.”

    It’s his 11th career pole in 401 Sprint Cup Series starts, fourth of the season and first at Talladega Superspeedway.

    His car was at the center of a parts confiscation stir earlier today when NASCAR confiscated a front jack bolt that started a discussion over Truex getting a Chase-ending penalty. But Scott Miller, NASCAR senior vice president of competition, said it wasn’t “a real competitive advantage” and “unlikely” to result in a penalty.

    Three of the JGR cars – 11, 18 and 20 – were sent back to the garage before they were allowed to make their qualifying run. Miller said the issue was “body manipulation.”

    “The quarter panels (on the right side) appeared to have been messed with around the deck lid,” he added. “(We) brought them back in to rectify it.”

    Brad Keselowski will join him on the front row in his No. 2 Team Penske Ford after posting a time of 49.523 and a speed of 193.365 mph.

    “It’s good to qualify up front,” Keselowski said. “I think it’s a good confidence boost. I feel like when we have cars that qualify well here, we race well. The Miller Lite Ford was really fast here in qualifying and hopefully, it will stay the same for Sunday.”

    Matt Kenseth will start third in his No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota after posting a time of 49.568 and a speed of 193.189 mph.

    “Good for America. It was good,” Kenseth said of his qualifying run. “I think we ended up third, so that’s really good. It’s obviously a team qualifying session – not anything to do with the driver really. I just steered around and hold it to the floor, so obviously, they did a good job and it’s a good spot to start.”

    Chase Elliott will start fourth in his No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after posting a time of 49.574 and a speed of 193.166 mph. Greg Biffle will round out the top-five starters in his No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Ford after posting a time of 49.585 and a speed of 193.123 mph.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, Austin Dillon and Paul Menard will round out the top-10.

    Trevor Bayne and Reed Sorenson, who posted the fastest time in the first round in his No. 55 Premium Motorsports Toyota, will round out the 12 drivers that made the final round of qualifying.

    Carl Edwards will start 13th, Kyle Busch will start 14th, Joey Logano will start 16th, Jimmie Johnson will start 17th and Kevin Harvick will be the lowest starting Chase driver in 22nd.

    David Gilliland was the lone driver that failed to make the race.

    In total, 19 Chevrolet’s, 12 Ford’s and nine Toyota’s will comprise the 40-car field for Sunday’s Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega.

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  • Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    Hot 20 – Sunday at Talladega, one of NASCAR’s few must see events

    On Sunday, we will have one of those races, on one of those tracks, that provides must-see action. While we have no announcers covering NASCAR today who you might tune in just to hear their description of the action, to hear them enhance the excitement, even those we got can not detract from the spectacle we shall witness on Sunday.

    Only former champions Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick come to Talladega feeling rather relaxed. Both have already advanced to the next round of the Chase, while Chase Elliott needs a win himself on Sunday to move forward. As for the nine others still in the mix, they need to either do well or avoid a disaster, and Talladega tends to foster concern for the latter. Good for the fans, but real worrisome for the competitors.

    NASCAR should be worried. My SpeedwayMedia.com colleague John Harlow made some interesting points in his recent column. He reminded us that NASCAR is still without a title sponsor for the Cup series next season, with Sprint hanging up the phone. They were hoping someone would bite for 10-years and a cool billion dollars. I once hoped Santa was real. Life can be so disappointing. John mentioned how the old guard of team owners is, well, getting old. It happens, but usually, new blood is seen rising up through the mist. Does anyone see the next Rick Hendrick, Roger Penske, Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush, or Richard Petty on the horizon? Me neither.

    When NASCAR decided to go Hollywood, to add some glitz and glamour, they did it at the expense of their blue collar, regular folk supporters. It would appear selling one’s soul for a big dollar while parking common sense is not a blueprint to long-term success. Maybe there is a glimmer of hope we might see some of the latter. There could be an announcement soon regarding the restriction of how many junior and truck circuit races Cup guys might be allowed to run. It is about damn time. It has been bad enough in the past, where elite drivers have been taking wins and attention away from the regulars racing off-Broadway. It is worse now that those wins and attention are coming in the midst of the Chase, which has been instituted for the first time in those divisions. A little common sense in dealing with the issue would be like a breath of fresh air. For some reason, I am not yet holding my breath waiting for it to actually happen.

    I am looking forward to Sunday. There are few races I really get excited about. There are the two at Talladega, the pair at Daytona, the two at Bristol, the Southern 500, the Brickyard 400, the World 600, the season conclusion at Homestead, and the two road courses. Those are races that promise to provide either magnificent action or at least they continue building on the sport’s rich heritage. Talladega, for me at least, provides both.

    Talladega can be a minefield. We watch to see who among our Hot 20 can navigate through its perils and emerge relatively unscathed on the other side.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – SEGMENT WIN (3082 Pts)
    Have a fun day at Talladega…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – SEGMENT WIN (3048 Pts)
    …then back to work in Martinsville.

    3. MATT KENSETH – 3074 PTS
    A 29 point pad would usually relax a guy…but not here.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3072 PTS
    Rarely a bride on the restrictor plate speedways, but usually in the wedding party.

    5. CARL EDWARDS – 3069 PTS
    23rd or better, and he is locked in. Now, if he can avoid an early “Big One” all could be good.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3062 PTS
    Race plans come down to one thing, and that is to not “run into anything too hard.”

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3058 PTS
    A gent with a small bladder has to go pee, the same problem with his car could leave him dry.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Austin, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    9. AUSTIN DILLON – 3045 PTS
    All he needs to do is keep Joey, Denny, Brad, and Chase behind him.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 3039 PTS
    Poor ole Brad wiggled in front of him, and then he wasn’t there anymore.

    11. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3038 PTS
    Just what in hell do they make the grass out of in Kansas City?

    12. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3020 PTS
    Time to get his Ricky Bobby on.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2131 PTS
    It will be his 35th and final Talladega appearance.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2120 PTS
    Finished fifth in Kansas XFINITY race…with Logano fourth…and Kyle Busch the winner. I am so proud.

    15. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2090 PTS
    Just last year he was rollin’, rollin’, rollin’, at Talladega he got goin’.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2088 PTS
    Trails Larson in the battle for Ganassi bragging rights…which is all they have left.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 797 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Elliott this week. Watching Talladega Nights for ideas.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 767 PTS
    Figuring out how he will help Dillon this week. Watching Death Race for ideas.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 686 PTS
    Staying the hell out of the way of both Kahne and Newman.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 682 PTS
    Ricky and Trevor are both within seven points, just in case you were interested.