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Hot 20 – Kentucky is no Daytona…and for some of us that is not a good thing

The thrills and the moments of dread of Daytona are behind us. Kentucky is next on the agenda, yet something tells me it arrives with not quite the same sense of anticipation. It still is racing, there is still a measure of danger attached to it, but it is not the same thing. Some think that is a good thing.

Things can be made safer, less risky. In 2012, Nik Wallenda walked the high-wire above Niagra Falls. The danger was minimized when Canadian authorities insisted he make the trek wearing a safety harness. In 2013, he walked across the Grand Canyon without the harness. Both involved great skill, both were successful, but which impressed you the most?

There is an iconic photograph of 11 iron workers sitting on a suspended beam 89 stories up during the construction of Rockefeller Center in 1932. Not one of the workers was wearing a safety device as they were shown reading, eating, and smoking with nothing but the void beneath them. I wonder how iconic that photo would have been with a large safety net stretched out beneath them?

Last Monday morning, we saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. up front, eyes on his mirrors as he jumped from lane to lane to stall the pursuit of his challengers at 200 mph, en roue to claiming the checkered flag. We also saw the No. 3 of Austin Dillon punched high into the catchfence, hitting wheels first, to be torn up and spit back onto the racing surface as its engine bounced away on its own. We saw fans sprayed with debris and we saw the wreckage containing the driver hit late by a sliding Brad Keselowski. We watched, we worried, and we felt relief when we got the sign Dillon was okay.

Some do not care for such scenarios and want it changed in some way to make it even safer for all concerned. Some of those proponents of change are drivers. You would think that any civilized person would embrace such change. Of course, while we are at it and in the interest of safety, we could welcome the NFFL and the NSL, that is the National Flag Football League and the National Shinny League. All it would take us to be more civilized and less risky would be to just remove contact from football and hockey.

In fact, let us remove the engines and let the entries coast down the banking in a newly constituted NASBAR, or the National Association of Soap Box Auto Racing. Little risk, little danger, and obviously very few fans watching. That is the trade off.

Do not get me wrong, I understand there is danger and risk in NASCAR, especially at the super speedways. I know that one day a crewman will be in the wrong place at the wrong time, a fan will be sitting too close to the action when parts fly, or all the driver safety features will prove to not be enough on some fateful day we pray is a long way off. We would be naive to think otherwise.

NASCAR has tried, especially so for more than a decade, to make the sport safer. The fact that this accident involving the No. 3 at Daytona did not result in a fatality is proof of that. For fans, crews, and drivers, they should continue to fight for improvements to safety, but at some point they must either accept some degree of real risk or move on to something they believe to be safer.

We watch, not to see disaster, but to witness those who can do what for us would be the impossible, and leave us in wonder at their skill and success.

Our Hot 20 heading into Kentucky on Saturday night include…

1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (589 Points)
Even Jimmie thought we had lost Austin last week.

2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (656 Points)
It is official…Keelan can drive. What were you doing as a three year old?

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2 WINS (593 Points)
Outwitted, outplayed, outlasted…but Dillon was the survivor.

4. Kurt Busch – 2 WINS (508 Points)
I agree with Kurt that we can make NASCAR safer…but at one point do we drive fans off?

5. Joey Logano – 1 WINS (581 Points)
Knew within three laps that last weekend would be a bit of a test.

6. Martin Truex Jr. – 1 WIN (569 Points)
The best thing about his race weekend was leaving.

7. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (520 Points)
The last hit was the scariest.

8. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (501 Points)
The oldest driver to win at Kentucky…and that was two years ago. Time to set a new record.

9. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (480 Points)
One little spin, one hell of a mess.

10. Carl Edwards – 1 WIN (408 Points)
Bad weekend at Daytona, bad week for Subway.

11. Jamie McMurray – 528 POINTS
A win would be nice but, as of yet, still unneccesary.

12. Jeff Gordon – 500 POINTS
They have not raced long at Kentucky, but a first win here would prove sweet.

13. Kasey Kahne – 496 POINTS
Sharks recently reported a Kahne sighting.

14. Paul Menard – 480 POINTS
One of four driving XFINITY at Kentucky, along with Brad, Junior, and…Kyle???

15. Ryan Newman – 472 POINTS
Being a race car driver can be dangerous. That is one reason I am not, but why is he?

16. Clint Bowyer – 465 POINTS
Patience is a virtue and Virtuous Clint is finally in the Top Sixteen.

17. Aric Almirola – 441 POINTS
One bad finish and bad things happen in the standings. Case in point…

18. Kyle Larson – 395 POINTS
Some like him as a dark horse candidate for this Sunday. If it proves true, a win and he’s in.

19. Greg Biffle – 392 POINTS
The Biff is interested with how the new rules package pans out…and he could use some good panning.

20. Danica Patrick – 386 POINTS
Dillon destroys his car, still finishes seventh, and is now just seven points back of Ms. Patrick.

July 9, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Daytona

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished third at Daytona as a massive crash developed back in the field as the leaders crossed the finish line. Hendrick teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race while HMS cohort Jeff Gordon took sixth.

“I don’t think you can necessarily blame anyone for the carnage on the last lap,” Johnson said, “so I don’t think anyone should be punished for it. But Austin Dillon should certainly be ‘grounded.’

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick took fourth at Daytona, but not before making contact with Denny Hamlin, who hit Austin Dillon’s No. 3 and sent it airborne into the fence. Dillon was not hurt, and Harvick remained atop the Sprint Cup points standings.

“Dillon’s No. 3 car went flying in the air,” Harvick said. “I know exactly what it’s like to be a Richard Childress Racing driver and feel like things are ‘up in the air.’ But I knew he’d be okay because I’m an optimist, not a pessimist, and certainly not a nepotist.”

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: After qualifying was rained out, Earnhardt started on the pole at Daytona and won the rain-delayed Coke Zero 400, which ended at well past midnight.

“That race ended at 2:41 on Monday morning,” Earnhardt said, “and it ended with a scary crash that really freaked me out. So, the night ended with an ‘A.M.’ on the clock and a ‘B.M.’ in my pants.

“I’m up to second in the points standings. And my two wins puts me in great position in the Chase For The Cup. But if I don’t win the championship, I’ll be all right. I’m in love with the idea of winning the Sprint Cup title, but I’m not married to it.”

4. Martin Truex Jr.: One week after a miserable day at Sonoma, Truex was collected in a crash triggered by Kasey Kahne that left Truex with a 38th-place finish.

“My accident was nothing compared to the last-lap incident,” Truex said. “That was frightening. You’ve heard of ‘three-wide’ racing. Austin Dillon went ‘three-high.’”

5. Joey Logano: Logano, who won the Daytona 500 in February to open the season, finished 22nd despite falling four laps down early in the race.

“It was a grueling day at Daytona,” Logano said. “The race didn’t go green until 11:42 Sunday night and ended at 2:41 Monday morning. So, like most NASCAR races, fans were asleep by the end.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch, seeking his third win of the season, brought home a fifth-place finish in the Coke Zero 400, the culmination of a crash-filled weekend at Daytona International Speedway.

“Brad Keselowski wrecked my brother Kyle in Friday’s practice,” Busch said. “And NBC, back covering NASCAR, was there to broadcast it. They’re proud as a peacock while Keselowski is still a chicken.”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski’s No. 2 Alliance Truck parts Ford was damaged in a mid-race pileup that eventually left him with a 29th-place finish in the Coke Zero 400. He is now seventh in the Sprint Cup points standings, 136 out of first.

“It was a tough day for Penske Racing,” Keselowski said. “Both Joey Logano and I found our fair share of trouble on the track, plus we didn’t have the speed anyway to match the Hendrick cars. On the plus side, it’s a good time not to be considered ‘race-ist.’”

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 23rd at Daytona while Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Denny Hamlin spun across the finish line in third after contact sent Austin Dillon’s car rocketing over three lanes of traffic in a spectacular final lap crash.

“Dillon went airborne and slammed into the catchfence,” Kenseth said. “Carl Edwards knows exactly what it feels like to be Dillon, because Carl’s never won a championship either.

“Daytona offered a ‘flag exchange in which you could turn in your Confederate flag for an American flag. It’s just too bad Alan Kulwicki can’t be there to provide a ‘Pole.’”

9. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished 15th at Daytona and moved up one spot in the points standings to sixth, 130 out of first.

“Thank goodness everyone’s okay following that huge last-lap crash,” McMurray said. “As it was, the race itself was the only thing that was ‘in morning.’”

10. Jeff Gordon: Gordon finished sixth in the Coke Zero 400 on a strong day for Hendrick Motorsports, as teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson finished 1-2, respectively.

“What a great race by Dale and Jimmie,” Gordon said. “I’m proud to call those guys my teammates. I can also call them business partners, associates and friends. Heck, I could even call them my confederates. Now, all that remains to be seen is what will fly longer, the Confederate flag, or our race cars themselves.”

July 7, 2015
Hot 20 – Daytona’s banner should wave over the land of the free, not the home of the enslaved

As the action returns to Daytona, Florida this weekend, I must admit something. I love the look of the Confederate battle flag. I love the stories of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and James Longstreet. I loved the Dukes of Hazzard, good ole boys, and good ole girls even better. Junior was the name of Mr. Johnson or Hank’s boy. I think Copperhead Road is one hell of a song, and even Lincoln liked the tune of Dixie. Then there is Nathan Bedford Forrest, Jim Crow, and an additional century of institutionalized racism to consider, all equally associated with the rebel banner.

Many years ago, while visiting Florida, I bought a belt buckle bearing that symbol. I cannot wear it for the same reason it should no longer fly at NASCAR tracks. Variations of it flew from 1861-1865 leading the way for Confederate armies into battle in their fight to defend the southern way of life, of which slavery was a main component. Maybe it could have survived that connection, as it has up to this point. Still, you cannot ignore its association since with segregation and the racist policies and actions of the following hundred years since the Civil War, all of which has made it a contemporary political and social lightening rod.

Some will argue that such a ban also treads on the southern way of life, forgetting that southern blacks especially are not newcomers to the party. Their ancestors have also been part of the fabric of the region since the very beginning. As much as its reminds some of bravery on the field or a romanticized lost cause, it is also an insulting, insensitive reminder of a people held in bondage, a denial of civil rights and white supremacy. I cannot see how the two views can be reconciled today. Can you?

The Hot 20 returning to Daytona Sunday night include…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (546 Points)
One darn caution too many spoiled his road tour.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (616 Points)
Jack car up, take tire off, put tire on…before dropping the damn jack.

3. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (469 Points)
He wins one week, his brother wins the next week. See, sharing with siblings can be fun.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (563 Points)
This week, Martin remembers his family, his friends, his country and, no doubt, David Ragan.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (559 Points)
Seemed to do alright the last time he was at Daytona.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (545 Points)
Sonoma was fun, but Daytona is a family tradition.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (505 Points)
If you call him Joey, that is how he’ll sign the autograph.

8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (479 Points)
Going from one of his worst venues to one of his favorites.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (438 Points)
Has yet to win at Daytona, but he has come close enough to bear watching.

10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (405 Points)
Had he done to Ragan what Ragan had done to Martin, all would have been well.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 497 POINTS
Won on only four tracks; once at Indy, twice each at Charlotte, Talladega, and Sunday’s venue.

12. KASEY KAHNE – 483 POINTS
Last two summer races at Daytona resulted in fireworks of the unappreciated kind.

13. JEFF GORDON – 462 POINTS
Memo to crew: Take out spring rubber, walk with spring rubber, gently place it over the wall.

14. PAUL MENARD – 452 POINTS
Being consistently 14th or 15th is okay, but being consistently ninth or 10th would be even better.

15. RYAN NEWMAN – 435 POINTS
If this becomes a horse race to be won by just a neck…

16. ARIC ALMIROLA – 431 POINTS
When he shaves, he sees Clint standing behind him in the mirror.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 430 POINTS
Sixteenth in actual accumulated points…but Carl has the win and he does not.

18. KYLE LARSON – 390 POINTS
To my knowledge, has never posted a yoga video.

19. DANICA PATRICK – 377 POINTS
Okay, her yoga video is hard to ignore, just like her appearances on this list week after week.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 368 POINTS
The Biff needs a win, but few think he has a car that can. That must bug him.

July 1, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Sonoma

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished sixth at Sonoma, passed by eventual winner Kyle Busch with six laps remaining. Johnson is fourth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 70 out of first.

“Maybe we should have pitted during that final caution,” Johnson said. “But we had a strategy and we wanted to stick to it. I’m not one to question any decision Chad Knaus makes. If he says ‘Jump,’ usually I say ‘How high?’ Chad then says, ‘1/32 of an inch beyond NASCAR specifications.’

“Busch was driving like a man possessed. He really took this Sonoma ‘making wine from grapes’ thing to heart and ‘stepped on it.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fourth at Sonoma, posting his eleventh top-five result of the year. He’s on top of the points standings with a 53-point lead on Martin Truex Jr.

“Congratulations to Kyle Busch on his win,” Harvick said. “He’s one step closer to making the Chase. That means that Kyle, along with his brother Kurt, will both likely make the Chase. And just when I thought I was done with the ‘terrible two’s.’”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s day at Sonoma ended early when he was wrecked by David Ragan on lap 31. Truex finished 42nd, his worst finish of the year.

“Ragan just plain ran me off the road,” Truex said. “He was driving that Michael Waltrip Racing No. 55 sponsored by Aaron Rents. I promise there will be revenge. Much like a sucker who rents furniture at outrageous interest rates from a place like that, there will be ‘hell to pay.’”

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished seventh in the Save Mart 350 as Hendrick Motorsports drivers took positions 6, 7 and 8. Jimmie Johnson finished sixth, Kasey Kahne took eighth and Jeff Gordon came home 16th.

“We’ve got Microsoft 10 sponsorship on the No. 88 car,” Earnhardt said. “That just shows you how times have changed in NASCAR. My father used to call some of his rivals tiny and weak, or ‘Microsoft.’

“As you know, I became engaged a couple of weeks ago. I’m sure I disappointed a lot of female Junior Nation members. But let’s face it, I’m just a bit out of their league. I wouldn’t touch them with a 10-Foot Coors Light Pole,’ much less ask them to marry me.”

5. Joey Logano: Logano finished fifth at Sonoma, posting his eighth top-five result of the year.

“What a run by Kyle Busch,” Logano said. “With Sonoma being wine country and me being ‘Sliced Bread,’ I’d like to propose a ‘toast.’”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch started second on the grid at Sonoma and finished second to younger brother Kyle Busch in the Toyota Save Mart 350.

“Kyle celebrated with a glass of wine in Victory Circle,” Busch said. “And I’m so happy for him. People like it better when the Busch brothers are happy. When we’re not, it’s a case of fortified ‘whine.’”

7. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski struggled to a 19th-place finish in the Toyota Save Mart 350.

“Brian France wants to remove the Confederate flag from NASCAR,” Keselowski said. “And he’s not just whistling Dixie. But let’s be real. The one flag NASCAR needs to get rid of most is the yellow.”

8. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth started third at Sonoma and finished 21st as Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Kyle Busch charged to the win.

“Now all four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers have a win this season,” Kenseth said. “This time, Kyle Busch drove his tail off, as opposed to his leg. Then he did donuts in Victory Lane and donuts are the closest he wants to get to the police these days.”

9. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished eighth in the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma, recording his sixth top 10 of the year.

“Now that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is engaged,” Kahne said, “I’m now NASCAR’s most eligible bachelor. But I’m in no hurry to get hitched. Let’s just say I like to play the field, which means I’m currently involved with 43 women.”

10. Kyle Busch: Busch won for the first time this year and a mere five weeks after returning from a broken leg suffered at Daytona in February, taking the Toyota Save Mart 350.

“For those who doubted my ability after such an injury,” Busch said, “this win in Northern California wine country should put a cork in it.

“The road course at Sonoma has more twists and turns than the Kurt Busch-Patricia Driscoll saga. I think Kurt now knows better than to get involved with an assassin. We’ll see whether women will know better than to get involved with an ass.”

June 30, 2015
The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

Win and you are in, or so the saying goes. Well, not if it is only your fifth race, 16 events into the season. However, running together a string of 10 straight Top Fifteens or better is easier than taking one of these contests, and Kyle Busch checked that off his “to do” list at Sonoma Sunday.

A late caution allowed him to swing in for fresh tires that he used to maximum effect as he got by Jimmie Johnson then held off Clint Bowyer and his brother for the victory. It marked his 30th Cup decision, but he now needs to get himself in the Top 30 in the season standings. He currently sits 136 points distant behind Cole Whitt for that final eligible spot where wins matter. Whitt, who has an average finish of just beyond 27th, was 22nd on Sunday, so Busch gained 25 points on the day.

Brother Kurt was second, and one does wonder just how hard he was trying to break his sibling’s heart. I am sure I know what Kurt would say, but he did not seem terribly broken up by the outcome. Bowyer jumped 25 points ahead of Carl Edwards, in points, but without a win that does not matter. Where it does matter, Clint is just a point behind the equally winless Aric Almirola, and five in arrears of Ryan Newman for the final two Chase places.

Albert Hammond was prophetic when he sang “It doesn’t rain in California,” so we saw none. What we did see was Casey Mears coming to a halt after a rear tire and attached axle housing broke free and outpaced him down the track. We saw Martin Truex Jr. force David Ragan wide into the dirt, but a small nudge later and it was Truex heading into the tires along the fence. Later, Edwards tried to avoid going off the track, nudged Ragan, and both of them found the fence. Carl was literally left sitting in 40th place.

Jeff Gordon came in to have a spring rubber removed. That takes time, and it is quicker for a crewman to toss it over the car and over the wall. Too bad NASCAR has a thing about that, so instead of re-starting 26th, he was 28th, but 36th on the track at the end of the longest line. Sixteenth was his fate. Matt Kenseth had a flat that turned into a departing carcass, but no caution, as he hit the pits and his day did the same, landing him in 21st. A.J. Allmendinger was strong early, but a fuel pressure problem crippled his day to leave him 37th.

Some seem to do well no matter what. Kevin Harvick was fourth, which is not a surprise, except for the disastrous pit stop that saw the jack come down before his left rear was even placed on the car. The end of hope for some, a beginning of a challenge for others, it would seem.

Ten races are left before the Chase positions are decided, with six of the 16 current position holders still winless, facing various degrees of vulnerability. With Kyle’s win, 32 drivers are still in the hunt, including Justin Allgaier, himself just a point behind Whitt in the rankings. A win at Daytona next Sunday would sure be sweet.

Last weekend marked the end of the NASCAR season on FOX, with Larry McReynolds leaving the announce booth in favor of Jeff Gordon when they return next February. That ends a 15-year partnership with Mike and Darrell. Personally, I think the wrong guy is leaving to join Michael Waltrip and Chris Myers down in the studio, but I do not make these Boogity-Boogity-Boogity decisions. Next week, NBC arrives back on the scene with Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton doing the honors.

At Daytona, we wait to see if we have a repeat winner or a new kid in the mix. We will see how the battle settles between Newman, Almirola and Bowyer for the final spots on points. We will watch how Kyle does in relation to Whitt and Allgaier. We will listen and watch, and no doubt evaluate, the new television crew. Finally, it is Daytona in the summer. What else do you need to tune in?

June 29, 2015
Hot 20 – If you are seeking some racing excitement, Sonoma will be worth tuning in

Make the racing better. That seems to be what NASCAR is locked into and bless ‘em for trying. Outside of running all the races at Daytona, Talladega and Bristol, it is a challenge. The good old days had winners taking the flag by laps, not seconds, so no solution can be found there.

A new rules package is being looked at, one that might allow a car to catch an opponent, get up beside him, or her, and actually make a pass. That should not be a problem this Sunday at Sonoma. Unlike their Formula One counterparts, these boys, and girl, will use a fender to gain an advantage and cause things to happen. If you want nice clean racing where speed is king, watch the ponies. If you want excitement, you might want to catch the action on the asphalt from California.

Our Hot 20 heading to Sonoma include…

1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (506 Points)
What makes Jimmie so appealing? All those NASCAR penalties they keep fighting.

2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (576 Points)
15 races, 1200 laps led. I think Harv likes being champion.

3. Kurt Busch – 2 WINS (426 Points)
Once upon a time missing three races killed a season. Times have changed.

4. Martin Truex Jr. – 1 WIN (561 Points)
Got the win, all he needs now is a new contract. A sponsor not named Visser would sure help.

5. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (520 Points)
Joey Sharkgano?

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 WIN (508 Points)
First me, now Junior. Yes, all the good ones are now taken.

7. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (480 Points)
Does Penske lose both of its drivers in Sharknado 3?

8. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (456 Points)
Ross gives Pops a Top Ten on a Father’s Day outing in Chicago.

9. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (412 Points)
Denny is part of the council. Does that mean he knows Gandalf and Gimli?

10. Carl Edwards- 1 WIN (401 Points)
Last year he gave everybody the gears as he went left and right to victory at Sonoma.

11. Jamie McMurray – 454 POINTS
With the Truex victory, Mac is now the best without a win…something he has not done since 2010.

12. Kasey Kahne – 447 POINTS
Outside of Bristol and Talladega, worst finish is 17th, best is fourth. At least he is consistent.

13. Jeff Gordon – 434 POINTS
Top Ten at Sonoma…darn near a guaranteed result.

14. Paul Menard – 421 POINTS
The Chase is the goal, and as it appears Crew Chief Justin Alexander is a problem solver…

15. Aric Almirola – 401 POINTS
Feels Bowyer’s breath behind him as they take on a track where success has remained elusive.

16. Ryan Newman – 400 POINTS
His odds on Sunday are as bad as Junior, Kenseth, and Hamlin…but they already have their wins.

17. Clint Bowyer – 388 POINTS
If there is a track the gent can make up some ground, it is this one.

18. Kyle Larson – 361 POINTS
He may appear to be 13, but he turns 23 in a month.

19. Danica Patrick – 357 POINTS
Just when I start thinking of her as just a driver…I catch her Instagram photos.

20. Greg Biffle – 351 POINTS
Instagram or not, I view the Biff as just a driver. Trust me.

June 24, 2015
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet was damaged when he went three-wide early in the Quicken Loans 400. The consequences cost Johnson track position and he eventually finished 19th after battling his way back for the remainder of the race.

“You heard right,” Johnson said. “I went three-wide. That’s something the average NASCAR fan can’t relate to. But they can come close because the average NASCAR fan can certainly relate to going ‘double-wide.’”

2. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led 63 laps at Michigan, but his day was derailed by tire troubles that left him with a 29th-place finish, his worst result of the year. He leads the Sprint Cup points standings by 15 over Martin Truex Jr.

“Hey,” Harvick said, “finishing 29th isn’t all that bad. ‘29’ was my car number at Richard Childress Racing. And finishing 29th reminded me why I left RCR in the first place.”

3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex took third in the Quicken Loans 400, posting his series-best 14th top-10 of the year. He trails Kevin Harvick by 15 in the points standings.

“Rain interrupted Sunday’s race four times,” Truex said. “In fact, there were so many water ‘breaks,’ it reminded me of pregnant NASCAR wives.”

4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt finished second at Michigan, tops among Hendrick Motorsports drivers. He is fourth in the points standings, 68 out of first.

“The No. 88 Chevy was sponsored by Amp Energy’s new ‘Passion Fruit’ flavor,” Earnhardt said. “I’m not sure that flavor appeals to the good people of Junior Nation. If there’s a fruit they’re passionate about, it better be in the form of schnapps.”

5. Joey Logano: Logano placed fifth in the Quicken Loan 400, posting his eighth top-five finish of the year.

“How did Kurt Busch pull out the win?” Logano said. “The rain came at precisely the right moment. And all this time I thought he was trying to get the dark cloud away from him.”

6. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished sixth at Michigan, joining Penske Racing teammate Joey Logano, who finished fifth, in the top 10.

“Logano won at Daytona,” Keselowski said, “and I won at California. And Penske hasn’t won since. You could say we’re just ‘coasting.’”

7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth took fourth at Michigan, scoring his sixth top-five result of the season.

“My son, Ross, got his first win in the ARCA racing series on Friday night,” Kenseth said. “Obviously, talent runs in the family. There are a lot of drivers who’ll argue that I’m the only thing that ‘runs’ in the family.”

8. Kurt Busch: Kurt Busch won the rain-shortened Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan, taking the lead when Kyle Larson was forced to pit for fuel. A downpour ensued, and Busch had his second win of the year.

“I won today,” Busch said. “That means I have a checkered present to go along with my checkered past.”

9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 11th at Michigan after starting 13th on the grid.

“Congratulations to Kurt Busch,” Hamlin said. “After two wins this season, he must feel vindicated. Especially now that the feds are investigating his former girlfriend Patricia Driscoll. Apparently, her most covert operation may have been her accounting.”

10. Jamie McMurray: McMurray finished seventh in the Quicken Loans 400, scoring his third consecutive seventh-place finish.

“I feel for Kyle Larson,” McMurray said. “He deserved the win, but the rain, or lack thereof, cost him. If the weather were as predictable as racing itself, Larson would have had the win.”

June 16, 2015
The Final Word – A Michigan Nickname is “Water Wonderland”…No Kidding

Rain. Just bloody lovely. Who, outside of California, really needed the wet stuff all that bad? When Alfred, Lord Tennyson said, “Bright and fierce and fickle is the South, And dark and true and tender is the North,” he obviously was not talking about the rains of Michigan. Those black clouds still managed to tease one driver into dreams of winning delights, just before breaking his heart.

Three laps. That proved the difference between Kyle Larson having a great finish at Michigan and having the rain hold off, his car run low of fuel, and him having to hand it over to Kurt Busch. For Busch, he led for the final three under green, the final three under caution, and was the man of the hour when the red and checkered flags followed. Larson wound up 17th and left hoping to yet win his way into the Chase, Busch was left in a rain-soaked celebration for his second triumph of the season. Of course, if there was one who knew just how fickle life could be, that would be Mr. Busch.

It could have been different. When brother Kyle lost control of his car early in the race, he just missed his sibling as his auto hit the fence to end his day dead last. To make a playoff run, he now needs to run an average of 17 points per race better than Justin Allgaier over the next eleven, as well as win one of them. It still can be done, but finishing two of his four runs thus far this season outside the Top 35 just won’t cut it.

All in all, it was a miserable day, with rain coming early, coming often, and ending it more than 120 miles early. Kevin Harvick had the best car, but when he pulled out minus about three lug nuts on a front tire, his return to the pits dashed all hopes for this day, leaving him 29th. That was ten spots behind Jimmie Johnson, as our season leader needed to pit for a fender needing repair and that took him out of the hunt for the day. As for Greg Biffle, somebody told him to drive it like he stole it. Why in hell would he steal that piece of crap? He finished 36th.

Not all was gloom and doom. A pair of Juniors did well, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. coming home second and third, just ahead of Matt Kenseth, Joey Logano and Brad Keselowski. At least the Penske Fords could run. It was a good day for Trevor Bayne, as he more than helped his bid to stick in the Top Thirty by finishing ninth. His was a Ford that also got there in the end. A pair of XFINITY drivers had decent days, with Ty Dillon (14th) and Ryan Blaney (20th) doing better than most.

Rain last Sunday, no race this weekend, no rain in California. The latest figures I read show 54-million people, most of whom are in California, are suffering drought conditions. Mind you, it is not so bad in the San Francisco area, where NASCAR visits Sonoma June 28th, with reservoirs sitting at over 90 percent capacity and they are still receiving three-quarters of their normal rainfall.

So, if it rains through the next race yet misses much of the rest of the state, that would not just be fickle. It would be downright cruel.

June 15, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Michigan Quicken Loans 400

In a day of fits and starts, drops and stops, here is what else was surprising and not surprising in the 47th annual Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Surprising: In spite of the race being rain-shortened, there were some interesting stats and history achieved for at least two of the drivers.

First, Kurt Busch notched his second win of the season and now has achieved his first multi-win season since 2011. And even more impressive was that Busch scored that win in a backup car to boot.

“It was a fantastic group effort,” Busch said “to be able to pull the backup car out and to have it as prepared as it was and then to have the extra work that went into it. All the crew members that Tony Gibson leads rolled up their sleeves, jumped right on in it, and we made it a race-winning backup car.”

“Excellent pit stops, excellent team chemistry. This is what it’s all about and anytime you win a second race, it really gives you that stamp on you’re in the Chase, now let’s work through these summer months to continue to make the team better.”

Second, Martin Truex Jr. made history with his third place run in his No. 78 Furniture Row/Visser Precision Chevrolet. He became the first racer to score 14 top-10 finishes in the first 15 races since Richard Petty accomplished the feat 46 years ago in 1969.

“Really proud to have my name mentioned next to Richard Petty,” Truex said. “The King is pretty special and I am so thankful for my team and what they’ve done this year. Hopefully, we’ll keep this thing rolling.”

Not Surprising: Dale Earnhardt Jr. was up on the box and working the bar to take his fan- designed paint schemed No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet to the checkered flag in the runner-up position. Junior stayed on the pit box during the rain delays talking strategy with his crew chief Greg Ives, while also working the track bar throughout the race to gain positions.

“We had a real good car that was really fast on the long runs,” Junior said. “The No. 41 (Kurt Busch) and a couple of guys were faster than us the first 10 or 15 laps of a run. But then I could get my car really fast and I could work my trackbar and pass a lot of cars.”

“I was able to work that trackbar and pass a lot of cars and go forward instead of being just kind of stuck where I was.”

This was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s 13th top-10 finish in 32 races at Michigan and his ninth top-10 finish for the season.

Surprising: Kyle Busch took a surprisingly hard hit right into the wall and safer barrier, one that was so hard that his brother Kurt asked his spotter to find out if Kyle was okay. And after the high of winning the Xfinity Series race the day before, Kyle Busch finished dead last in his No. 18 M&M’s Crispy Toyota.

With that finish, Busch remained 39th in points, nine away from being able to qualify for the Chase if he secured a win as well.

Not Surprising: Both Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon were bit by problems in the pits involving tires. Harvick had a reoccurrence of a tire valve stem breaking and Gordon had to return to pit road to attend to missing lug nuts.

Gordon finished 21st in his No. 24 Panasonic Chevrolet while Harvick took the checkered flag in his No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet in the 29th spot. Harvick, however, managed to stay in the point leads, currently 15 points ahead of Truex, while Gordon held onto his 10th place position.

“We had an awesome Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet today,” Harvick said. “But we had some unfortunate luck.”

Gordon summed it up by saying “We have not had the best of days.”

Surprising: Trevor Bayne had the time of his life at Michigan, scoring his best finish of the season in ninth place and leading the pack of Roush Fenway racers.

“I feel like this was a really solid weekend for this No. 6 AdvoCare team,” said Bayne after the race. “We qualified inside the top-20 and made really good gains on the car throughout practice. We had a good car today that had good speed all race long.”

“It’s great to come home with a top-10 finish. (Crew chief) Bob (Osborne) made a great pit call and we were able to catch a break with that caution. This feels great.”

Not Surprising: Luck was not a lady to either David Ragan or Kyle Larson, both of whom were in full gambling mode. Ragan finished 35th after gambling to get a lap back with pit strategy and Larson finished 17th after gambling on fuel hoping the rains would come.

“Our Aaron’s Dream Machine was decent today but got down a lap there about halfway through the race,” Ragan, behind the wheel of the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine with a new crew chief on board, said. “We gambled to get that lap back and the caution flag flew about a lap after we pitted.”

“We were obviously better than where we finished. We just rolled the dice and luck wasn’t on our side today.”

“Yeah, we could see weather coming there off of (Turn) 4 and just praying that it would get here in time for me to stay out and be in the lead when the rain did hit,” Larson, driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet said. “Hey, I applaud my guys for trying.”

“We are pretty deep in points so we have to take risks like that to make the Chase. I’m happy with the call, just wish the rain would have come three laps sooner.”

Surprising: Ty Dillon, an interloper in the Cup Series, ran better than his brother Austin, a Cup regular, finishing 14th to his brother’s 20th place finish.

Not Surprising: Camry driver Matt Kenseth, who finished fourth, was the top-finishing Toyota driver He also led the race twice for a total of three laps (of 138).

“We had a really good Dollar General Camry, it was frustrating when you run all those laps under yellow,” Kenseth said. “Once we got rolling there we had a good car. We got real loose in the second to last run and we just weren’t able to adjust on it. Just didn’t have enough laps.”

“I thought we could have got to at least second with another seven or eight laps – the rain just came a little too early.”

Surprising: Jimmie Johnson was the biggest loser in the point standings, falling two spots to the fifth position. Johnson fought an ill-handling No. 48 Kobalt Tools Chevrolet all day and struggled in the pits as well.

Not Surprising: Team Penske was again the highest scoring Ford, with Joey Logano in fifth and Brad Keselowski in the sixth spot. And although both had to overcome challenges, they were still disappointed that they did not have a chance to better their results.

“It was a tough day but we got a good finish out of it,” the driver of the No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford said. “I felt like we were kind of stuck back in traffic a lot of the race and couldn’t get good restarts in the beginning of the day and kept losing spots.”

“That was frustrating. The car was loose. We made some good adjustments and got off the majority strategy which played right where we wanted to when the caution came out by staying out and getting a longer run on fuel. The last restart we lost a couple spots unfortunately.”

“I feel like overall it a good day considering how everything went and starting 11th which wasn’t very good.”

“I am disappointed because the Miller Lite Ford Fusion was getting better with each run,” the driver of the Miller Lite Ford said. “We were starting to get it where we needed to be when that last big rain came through and I would have loved to see what we had for the final stretch.”

Surprising: Danica Patrick used her time in between rain drops to plot strategy with her crew chief which allowed her to lead a few laps as well as bring her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet home in the 16th position.

“The car was completely sideways early in the race,” Patrick said. “Daniel (Knost, crew chief) and I were able to sit down during all of the rain delays and talk through the adjustments we needed to make to help the car handle better.”

“Then he made the call to pit for fuel early in the race, and that put us in a position to stay out and take the wave-around there at the end and get a solid finish out of the day.”

Not Surprising: After the race being delayed by rain a total of four times with the final red flag on lap 138 resulting in the official end of the scheduled 200-lap event, it was no wonder that one driver had just about had it.

We really fought clean air versus dirty air with the car doing completely different things so it was a struggle as far as which one to adjust on,” Brett Moffitt, driver of the No. 34 Dockside Logistics Ford, said after finishing 33rd as the highest rookie. “That second run we ended up pretty good and got good track position. We tried to play the fuel strategy game to beat the weather but it didn’t work out for us.”

“It would have been good to get it going but it has been a long day for everybody here. I think everyone is glad this is the end of it.”

The Cup Series will take a break for Father’s Day and will reconvene on the road course of Sonoma on June 28th.

And to all the dads out there, salud and Happy Father’s Day!

June 14, 2015
Hot 20 – The Truex Triumph at Pocono Deserves an Encore at Michigan

You need a multi-car operation in order to be successful. At least, that seems to be the prevailing wisdom of the day, but just do not let Barney Visser and his Furniture Row team in on it. Other teams might not like what they would see.

Marching to the beat of their own drummer is just what they do. For example, while most teams call the Charlotte area home, the auto driven by Martin Truex Jr. is prepared in Denver, Colorado. Starting part-time in 2005, Furniture Row has been a Top 30 entry ever since they ran the full schedule with Regan Smith in 2010. They even won a race the next season, but hitting the Top Twenty by year’s end was a struggle.

Their dedication reached fruition in 2013 when Kurt Busch came over for a year, with 11 Top Fives launching them to a 10th best season. Still, no wins, and when Truex joined the outfit last year they dropped again to also-ran status in the standings. That proved to be just a blip on their radar as Cinderella got another shot to go to the ball and wear those glass galoshes.

Last Sunday, Truex gave Furniture Row just its second victory ever when he was the class of the field at Pocono. This was no surprise outcome for a usual also-ran, as they are easily the best team in points amongst the single win teams. In fact, they are second only to Kevin Harvick in points for the season, period. Single car teams are not supposed to do that. In fact, no single car team is supposed to do what Alan Kulwicki did between 1987 and his championship of 1992 these days. It seems to me that those mountain men and women are putting up another solid argument that the prevailing wisdom of the day is not their way, at least not yet.

While a teammate might not be to too far off in the future, Truex has had some success of his own at Michigan. He had three Top Tens racing for Michael Waltrip, and a pair of runner-up finishes for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2007. After last season’s annus horribilis, this appears to be a year of new beginnings and new successes, for both the team and its driver. Of course, he is among…

…our Hot 20 heading into Michigan.

1 – JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (481 pts)
If Chad and Jimmie were girls, they wouldn’t talk for months after a race.

2 – KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (559 pts)
Fourteen races. Two wins. Ten times finishing in second place. Don’t worry, be Happy.

3 – MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (520 pts)
Finally.

4 – JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (480 pts)
Starts dead last after rear-end gear change, then gets a pit penalty, yet finishes fourth at Pocono.

5 – DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (465 pts)
You would have thought he, not his buddy, won the race.

6 – BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (441 pts)
Brought the beer to the Truex party. while Junior sent some post-celebration head pain relief.

7 – MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (415 pts)
Family joined the Johnsons and Dillon boys for a Taylor Swift concert. Perks of the profession.

8 – KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (379 pts)
Took the pole, finished fifth. Just another day at the office.

9 – DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (379 pts)
The way he qualified at Pocono, one would have thought he was Bowyer.

10 – CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (368 pts)
Not as good as Newman this season…except for that little ole win he has.

11 – JAMIE MCMURRAY – 427 POINTS
Has completed 96.8 percent of his career laps at Michigan, but fourth in 2004 his best result.

12 – KASEY KAHNE – 417 POINTS
Impromptu body work from Junior helped neither car last weekend.

13 – JEFF GORDON – 411 POINTS
So, Alan and Jeff swore at each other. Am I the only one who notices they are both guys?

14 – PAUL MENARD – 385 POINTS
Caught speeding, got caught again on the drive through, then got a flat. Not a good day.

15 – ARIC ALMIROLA – 379 POINTS
Pocono was not a pointless exercise for Aric. He did pick up a single point for his efforts.

16 – RYAN NEWMAN – 374 POINTS
After just earning five himself, Newman not feeling the love after being Allmendingered.

17 – CLINT BOWYER – 354 POINTS
Billy Scott to replace Brian Pattie atop the box at Michigan. Let the magic begin.

18 – GREG BIFFLE – 343 POINTS
Twelfth was twelve better than teammate Trevor Bayne, which means they still have work to do.

19 – KYLE LARSON – 333 POINTS
Third at Dover, eighth at Pocono and eighth last spring at Michigan. The time is now.

20 – DANICA PATRICK – 328 POINTS
Deserved a better fate last Sunday.

June 11, 2015