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Tag: Matt Kenseth

  • Hamlin says his teammates were smart to run in the back at Talladega

    Hamlin says his teammates were smart to run in the back at Talladega

    MARTINSVILLE, Va. — Denny Hamlin responded to those who took issue with his teammate running in the back at Talladega the week by saying he “thought it was smart.”

    Speaking to the media prior to the first practice session at Martinsville Speedway yesterday, the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was asked what he thought of his teammates running in the back of the field during last week’s Hellmann’s 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.

    “I thought it was smart,” Hamlin said. “From my standpoint I knew we had an uphill battle because we weren’t going to have any teammates all day, I knew that we weren’t going to have any teammates all day because we all knew what they were going to do before the race started. Just everyone else saw it when it actually happened. There’s no way, they would be the dumbest group in history if they had run in the middle of the pack and got wrecked at some point when they didn’t have to be. It’s about winning championships, it’s not about winning Talladega by any means.”

    Teammates Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, who all entered Talladega well ahead of the danger of elimination, went the conservative route and ran at the tail end of the field the whole race to avoid getting collected in any major wrecks (The Big One) and advance on. Hamlin on the other hand, entering with a blown engine run at Charlotte and a mediocre run at Kansas, had to have a good run to advance into the Round of 8.

    The split strategy worked out for the best for the Huntersville, North Carolina based organization as all four drivers moved on into the Round of 8.

    Despite it working out and other drivers having done it to their advantage in the past, a number of fans took to Twitter and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio to express outrage, saying JGR “manipulated” the outcome of the race by not abiding by the 100 percent rule.

    Steve O’Donnell, NASCAR executive vice-president and chief racing development officer, said in his weekly appearance on “The Morning Drive” on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio that the strategy used by JGR didn’t violate the 100 percent rule.

    “I would say that they do not fall into that,” O’Donnell said. “The spirit of that (100 percent) rule is really to prevent somebody from intentionally allowing another teammate to do something that would not be really within the spirit of the rules of the race.

    “In this case, we look at the strategy decision that the team made, and they executed it. … In this case, that wouldn’t be something that we look at that violated that rule.”

    Hamlin also emphasized that the Gibbs organization had every right to do what they did by how they performed in the first two races in the Round of 12.

    “All those guys earned the right to do that by having a good first two races and I think next year with the races being switched around, you’ll see less of that because people won’t know where they stand,” he added. “I think it kind of fixes itself next year most likely, but there’s more chances of a big wreck there than any other race track so you have to play the odds there. There’s no way that those guys should have been up there helping me and then risk putting themselves in danger of making the Chase and instead of Gibbs having three cars in the Chase, they could have had two or maybe one if there had been helping me and we got in a wreck. Luckily it all worked out where we have all four and they played the strategy they had to play to get in and I did the strategy I had to do to get in. Nobody from any other team would have done anything different, that’s for sure and if they tell you different, that’s a lie.”

  • 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.

  • 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.’”

  • 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.

  • Kenseth grabs the pole in Kansas

    Kenseth grabs the pole in Kansas

    Matt Kenseth will lead the field to the green flag on Sunday afternoon in America’s heartland.

    The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota scored the pole for the Hollywood Casino 400 after posting a time of 28.112 and a speed of 192.089 mph. It’s his 18th pole in 609 career Sprint Cup Series starts, first of 2016 and third at Kansas Speedway.

    “It’s nice to get a pole,” Kenseth said of getting his first pole of the season. “I feel like our qualifying hasn’t been nearly as good this year as it has been in the rest of the years I’ve been at JGR. We barely got it – it was by a thousandth, or something like that. Obviously our Camrys have been fast. Our DEWALT FLEXVOLT Camry has been driving good and all the right adjustments. Round one we were pretty decent, it was off a little bit and then round three it was just right. We almost got beat, but it was as good of a lap as we were going to run. They did a good job today.”

    Kyle Busch will start second in his No. 18 JGR Toyota after posting a time of 28.113 and a speed of 192.082 mph. Carl Edwards will start third in his No. 19 JGR Toyota after posting a time of 28.270 and a speed of 191.015 mph. Martin Truex Jr. will start fourth in his No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Toyota after posting a time of 28.304 and a speed of 190.786 mph. Alex Bowman will round out the top-five starters in his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet after posting a time of 28.374 and a speed of 190.315 mph.

    Joey Logano will start sixth in his No. 22 Team Penske Ford. Denny Hamlin will start seventh in his No. 11 JGR Toyota. Brad Keselowski will start eighth in his No. 2 Penske Ford. Ryan Newman will start ninth in his No. 31 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet. AJ Allmendinger will round out the top-10 starters in his No. 47 JTG Daugherty Racing Chevrolet.

    Kevin Harvick will start 11th and Austin Dillon will round out the 12 drivers that made the final round of qualifying.

    Twenty-one Chevrolet’s, 11 Ford’s and eight Toyota’s will comprise the 40-car field for Sunday’s race.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/C1631_STARTROW.pdf” title=”c1631_startrow”]

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson outdueled Matt Kenseth for the lead on a restart with 18 laps to go and went on to win the Bank Of America 500. Johnson’s No. 48 Chevrolet was the class of the field at Charlotte, leading 155 laps.

    “I want so bad to win my seventh Cup championship,” Johnson said. “I can assure everyone, fan and drivers alike, that I’m going to put all of my ability and energy into trying to make that happen. That makes me the greatest ‘try-athlete’ in the world.”

    2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth delivered a strong start to Round 2 of the Chase with a runner-up finish at Charlotte.

    “Hurricane Matthew wreaked havoc with the NASCAR schedule at Charlotte,” Kenseth said. “And it was certainly gusty during the race. I haven’t felt that much residual wind since I hung out in A.J. Allmendinger’s No. 47 Bush’s Beans hauler. In any case, ‘Hurricane Jimmie’ ‘blew’ right past me on the final restart.”

    3. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished seventh at Charlotte, posting his 21st top 10 of the season.

    “There was no controversy at Charlotte this time,” Keselowski said. “The only person that got ‘jumped’ at Charlotte was Martin Truex Jr. when he stalled his engine.”

    4. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex started seventh and finished 13th at Charlotte.

    “Our day could have been better,” Truex said, “but I stalled my engine during a late pit stop and lost track position. Well, so much for the proposed ‘Sitting Pretty’ line of recliners at Furniture Row.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished sixth in the Bank Of America 500, joining Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who finished second, in the top 10.

    “Denny Hamlin’s blown engine on lap 309 was a nightmare for him,” Busch said, “but a dream come true for some drivers, like Kevin Harvick, who finished 38th. Could Harvick have had something to do with Hamlin’s engine failure? Who knows? All I know is this: if Harvick needs a wreck to advance and he’s on the track, you should look out for Harvick. Heck, and even if Harvick’s not on the track and he needs a miracle, someone’s ‘looking out’ for Harvick.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch finished eighth in the Bank Of America 500, posting his 19th top 10 of the year.

    “We’re off to Kansas Motor Speedway for the next race in the Chase,” Busch said. “The pressure is on everyone to advance, and that pressure can play with your emotions. So, while we’ll be in the physical ‘state’ of Kansas, I have no idea what my mental ‘state’ will be.”

    7. Kevin Harvick: Harvick started on the pole at Charlotte but experienced electrical issues that ended his day early. He finished 38th.

    “Frankly,” Harvick said, “I’m shocked that we had electrical issues. But I think it’s way too early to pull the plug on our championship hopes.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 12th at Charlotte on a day when several Chasers struggled.

    “A lot of drivers dug themselves holes,” Edwards said. “Such as Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, and Denny Hamlin. There are by no means out of the running to advance to the next round, so I can only advise them to give it their all and continue to grind away. In other words, I hope those guys ‘keep digging.’”

    9. Joey Logano: Tire issues ruined Logano’s day at Charlotte after blown tires sent him into the wall on two occasions. He limped to a 36th-place finish.

    “We were doing so well in the Chase with three top-10 finishes,” Logano said. “Things were going right, but sometimes, things can go too right, like your steering wheel.”

    10. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin lost his engine on lap 309 while running second. Hamlin finished 30th, 26 laps down.

    “Something broke,” Hamlin said. “It was most likely my spirit.”

  • Kenseth quietly works his way from rear to runner-up finish

    Kenseth quietly works his way from rear to runner-up finish

    CONCORD, N.C. — Being sent to the rear of the field prior to the start of the race and an early pit road penalty didn’t stop Matt Kenseth from flying under the radar to a runner-up finish in the Queen City.

    The driver of the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota was forced to start at the tail end of the field of the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway due to unapproved adjustments. He quickly worked his way through half the field prior to the first caution on lap 25.

    However, he was among four drivers penalized for their crews being over the wall too soon, was sent right back to the tail end of the field and had to climb his way up all over again.

    He remained under the radar the rest of the day until the final caution flew with 26 laps to go when teammate Denny Hamlin lost an engine on the fronstretch. He beat Jimmie Johnson off pit road to assume the race lead.

    On the restart with 18 to go, however, he couldn’t hold back the No. 48 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet, lost the lead and settled for a runner-up finish.

    “Yeah, it was a great second,” Kenseth said of his day. “I think this is one of the toughest tracks there is on the circuit to pass at. It was better during the day than it is at night and that’s a good thing, because we had to go to the back twice, so we were able to make up some ground and finish okay.”

    On what fighting from the back to the front twice said about his team, Kenseth said after the race that his team “did a great job. Honestly, last two years in a row pretty much Charlotte has kind of taken us out of the Chase – mostly my doing, different things happening the last couple years here – so had a lot of problems last year, this year we had a lot of problems again, but we were able to kind of rebound from them and just kind of take our time. We knew it was a long day and they had good pit stops, good strategy and got us back where we needed to be there at the end.”

    Kenseth leaves Charlotte second in the points standings five back of Johnson.

  • Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Heading back to Charlotte, when you look at the Chase and compare it to the situation if they used the season-long standings to determine a champion, it is easy to see why we have a playoff format. It has all to do with generating interest. We want to know who is the best, but today we want the journey to at least be entertaining. Originally, the World Series was established to bring the two top teams from each league together, teams that had never played an inning against one another, to determine which was best. It was the only way to properly determine bragging rights.

    At least it provided some uncertainty as to which team ruled supreme, something to provide a little excitement for the fans at the end of the season. Imagine, a year before the modern World Series came into being. Imagine watching the National League pennant race of 1902 as Pittsburgh claimed the crown by 27.5 games over Brooklyn. They held a 4.5-game lead on May 9th, and never looked back. It was no doubt one hell of an exciting season if one happened to be a fan of the Pirates. It must have been a lot like watching Richard Petty in 1967 when he won 27 races and the rest were content with smelling his exhaust. Instead of drama, it was more a comedy for those who had to share the same tracks as the King that season.

    As for the Pirates, they won again in 1903, albeit by just 6.5 games over the New York Giants. This time the American League champion Boston Americans, the future Red Sox, challenged them and won. That upset some sensibilities, enough so that the Giants, who won the NL in 1904, refused to play the repeating AL champion Americans. That was then. Now we have 10 out of 30 teams playing extra games to challenge for the title in the fall. If there was more weight placed on determining which team was best, and less on the drama, no more than four would be playing at this time of year. Such is not the case.

    Sixteen started the Chase with some hope. That is now down to 12 as they pull into Charlotte. If we relied strictly on the season tally to award the trophy, it would already be down to Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick. Just two points would be separating them. Both could have sat out Saturday night’s race and still have been one-two in the standings come Monday. Hence, the Chase.

    Just ask Martin Truex Jr. if he likes this format. Ask six-time champ Jimmie Johnson. If it is of any consolation, the 12 best on the season remain in the Chase.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3000 PTS (947 Season Pts)
    Official standings are set by the best first round finish, and Brad’s best was fourth…twice.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3000 PTS (945)
    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I’m guessing that tire did not get any stronger.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 3000 PTS (888)
    If you upset someone, phone and talk about it. Maybe 2015 would have turned out differently.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3000 PTS (872)
    Recently was seen in the White House. Hell, I didn’t even realize he was running.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3000 PTS (867)
    Kicking ass in the final year of a contract is always a great idea.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3000 PTS (852)
    Big Cubs fan hoping his dreams and those of his favorite club both come together this year.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3000 PTS (851)
    If not for the Chase, his hot streak would be meaningless in terms of the championship.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 3000 PTS (844)
    Carl Edwards Jr. is a Cub reliever. No relation.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3000 PTS (787)
    New driver in that ole car and yet the same kind of results. That is how you follow a legend.

    10. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3000 PT (785)
    This time, it was a pit crew member who got caught speeding.

    11. MATT KENSETH – 3000 PTS (781)
    Three Top Tens, along with a pair of Top Fives, worked well in the opening round.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 3000 PTS (764)
    Ganassi misfortune worked to the advantage of the Childress grandson.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2074 PTS
    Cars too technical, sponsors so demanding, emotions too P.C…time to be just an owner.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2073 PTS
    Chip Ganassi had two cars in the Chase.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2053 PTS
    Today, Ganassi has the same number in the Chase as Jack Roush.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2045 PTS
    It was fun while it lasted.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 728 PTS
    If Best of the Rest was a thing, it would belong to Kasey. Not much consolation, I know.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 700 PTS
    Took batting practice with the Kansas City Royals, and looked like he belonged…in a race car.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 649 PTS
    Best damn name in sports.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 645 PTS
    Learning, gaining experience, but really did not need that blow-out to teach him anything new.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Dover

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex dominated at Dover, leading 187 laps on his way to the win in the Citizen Soldiers 400. Truex has two wins in three Chase races and has emerged as a clear Cup favorite.

    “I talked with New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi earlier in the week,” Truex said. “We could have talked forever, but due to both our busy schedules, we had to cut it short. You could say we made it to ‘third base.’”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole and finished fourth, leading seven laps.

    “Sadly,” Keselowski said, “Tony Stewart has been eliminated from the Chase. Tony finished 13th, but he needed some other drivers to have bad results. Unfortunately, and Ryan Newman can vouch for this, Tony didn’t get the help he needed.”

    3. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 37th at Dover, his worst finish of the season after a broken track bar suffered early in the race sent him to the garage for repairs.

    “Luckily,” Harvick said, “I won at New Hampshire, so my spot in the next round of the Chase was secure. So, I didn’t have to cause a wreck to make it to the next round. A lot of drivers said I did that on purpose. Maybe I did. But I’m here to say I’m a changed man. My only ‘intent’ now is to win the Sprint Cup championship.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano finished sixth at Dover, posting his 20th top 10 of the year.

    “Next up is Charlotte Motor Speedway,” Logano said. “Traditionally, we’ve seen a lot of mechanical failures at CMS. Not with the cars, mind you, but when we race there, all hell ‘breaks’ loose.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished second at Dover and advanced to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “I visited the White House on Wednesday,” Busch said. “I was honored as the 2015 Sprint Cup champion. You know, I have a lot in common with President Obama. We’re both brothers, and we both take care of business in our own respective ‘Oval Office.’”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started seventh and finished ninth in the Citizen Soldier 400.

    “Martin Truex’s second win of the Chase solidified the notion that Toyota engines are the class of the field,” Hamlin said. “Can Toyota pull off another win when the Chase hits Charlotte? Without a doubt. If that happens, it would an instance of ‘easy, three-sy, Japanese-y.’”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home fifth at Dover as all four Joe Gibbs Racing drivers advanced to the next round of the Chase.

    “Now we’re on to Charlotte,” Kenseth said. “Two years ago there, I attacked Brad Keselowski after we tangled during the race. That’s what happens when the tension of the Chase builds: drivers butt heads. In most cases, drivers are butt heads.”

    8. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished seventh at Dover on a day when he had a car good enough to win. But a drive-through penalty accessed when his jackman jumped the wall too early cost him.

    “I think we were well on our way to a victory,” Johnson said, “but then my jackman ‘jumped to a conclusion.’”

    9. Kurt Busch: Busch finished 15th at Dover, two laps down, and punched his ticket to the next round of the Chase.

    “The XFINITY Series race was called the ‘Drive Sober 200,’” Busch said. “I think it’s great that NASCAR is encouraging people to drive sober. But this is NASCAR. I don’t think you’ll ever see the ‘Bring Your Cooler To The Race But Drive Sober 200.’”

    10. (tie) Carl Edwards: Edwards finished 14th, one lap down, in the Citizens Soldier 400 at Dover.

    “That was not my best performance,” Edwards said. “Dover’s ‘Monster Mile’ rendered me a ‘Monster Mild,’ which is also how most drivers, who dislike me but don’t hate me, would describe me.”

    10. (tie) Chase Elliott: Elliott posted his ninth top-five finish of the year with a third at Dover and advanced to Round 2 of the Chase For The Cup.

    “I’m the only rookie left in the Chase,” Elliott said. “And I’m devoted to becoming the first rookie to win the Cup. My slogan from here on is ‘Chase For The Cup,’ assuming it’s not already copyrighted.”

  • The Final Word – The drama at Dover was over by my half-time beer break

    The Final Word – The drama at Dover was over by my half-time beer break

    Perspective. It means everything.

    Take Trevor Bayne, for instance. Last Sunday at Dover, he picked up a speeding penalty while on pit road during an early caution. No big deal. Sure, he finished 20th on the day, but with not a single Roush driver making the Chase, expectations were not exactly soaring.

    Then there was Kevin Harvick. It was he who blew a tire and brought out the caution in the first place. He had to head to the garage for repairs. Did it ruin his day? Forty laps down in 37th does not cause much celebration, but nobody’s dog was going to be in danger of being booted by a disgruntled driver. That win in New Hampshire had given Harvick a new perspective, and a pass into the Round of Twelve in the Chase.

    That brings us to Kyle Larson. He needed to make up five positions to continue the hunt. On the Harvick-manufactured yellow, he came to the pits complaining of a lack of power. During the diagnosis, an extra man went over the wall and that got Larson slapped with a penalty. No problem, you can get a lap back. Maybe. Not if you lose your right front and slap the wall to go six laps down. In the loaf of life, that turns your hopes into toast.

    Still, there was yet another Chip Ganassi auto still in the hunt. Jamie McMurray had eight cylinders to power him there. Make that seven cylinders. How about six? We had not even made the half-way point in the race when the gerbil finally died and McMurray’s engine up and died with it.

    That left only Tony Stewart to challenge Austin Dillon for the final transfer spot. Only Tony remained to offer up some drama, but he had a hill to climb and a car more adept at running in the valley. Stewart, with a Top Fifteen car that needed to win, finished 13th and out of the running.

    Martin Truex Jr., on the other hand, continues to prove that Furniture Row can no longer be considered anyone’s weak sister. Winning three of the past five, and his fourth of the campaign, the single car outfit from Colorado is making one heck of an argument that just maybe they might be considered a favorite to win it all.

    Six was all that finished on the lead lap in this one. Joining Truex were Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and Joey Logano. Chasers one and all. Jimmie Johnson would have, but a man over the wall way too early dropped him from first to 16th, and down a lap he never would get back.

    Those seven drivers are now deadlocked in points as the next round of the Chase begins. Along with Harvick, Dillon, Kurt Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Carl Edwards, the dozen contenders all head to Charlotte with 3000 points in the bank, with no advantage held by anybody. Maybe Johnson had an edge, with seven career wins at everybody’s local track. Okay, local for everyone but Truex. Truex only has one there. The way he is running, nobody is betting against him making it two this Saturday night.