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Tag: Matt Kenseth

  • Larson Fastest In Opening Sprint Cup Practice At Dover

    Larson Fastest In Opening Sprint Cup Practice At Dover

    In the opening Sprint Cup Series practice session on Friday morning, Kyle Larson ended up being the fastest at the Dover International Speedway.

    Larson’s lap at 165.578 mph was his final lap in the practice session as the No. 42 team was preparing for qualifying. Larson enters Dover as the last driver in a Chase advance spot, only five points ahead of teammate Jamie McMurray. Dover just happens to be one of Larson’s best racetracks; the young California driver has four top 10s in his five starts at Dover, including a close second to Matt Kenseth in the spring race earlier this season.

    The Joe Gibbs Racing Toyotas of Carl Edwards and Kenseth were second and third respectively. Ryan Newman was the best non-Chaser in fourth while 10-time Dover winner Jimmie Johnson was fifth.

    The Chase drivers who stand to be eliminated from Round 1 of NASCAR’s playoffs didn’t fare very well. Austin Dillon was the highlight in ninth followed by McMurray in 16th. Tony Stewart was 24th and Chris Buescher, who sits 30 points out and needs a win to advance to the next round, struggled in 31st.

    Four drivers ran 10 consecutive laps in this session. Defending Sprint Cup champion Kyle Busch was the fastest, with an average speed of 159.336 mph. Kevin Harvick, the defending race winner, was second and Dillon was third. Trevor Bayne, 27th on the overall chart, was the slowest of the four in fourth place. Busch was 28th on the speed chart, as the No. 18 team focused on race trim instead of qualifying trim.

    The practice started with a 15-minute delay due to rain. Rain is a major part of the forecast this weekend, with the Weather Channel reporting an 80 percent chance of rain on Saturday and a 60 percent chance of rain on Sunday.

     

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  • Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    I hate change. Even good change can take a while to be appreciated. I did not like the Chase when it came out. I do now. I am still perturbed brand names like Firecracker 400 and World 600 were kicked to the curb to make a sponsor happy who obviously had no appreciation for the traditions of the sport. Then again, neither does NASCAR.

    I am not happy that the cars of today no longer look stock, but they are safer and today’s version beats the hell out of the Car of Tomorrow monstrosities. I am bothered by torn down grandstands and hidden attendance figures. I like “Win and You are In,” so even a guy like Chris Buescher has a shot at the brass ring, but now it seems they want to change the size of the pit crew. I find that I do not like the idea all that much.

    NASCAR wants to help folks save money, which sounds good to you and me. However, if MLB or the NFL tried reducing their payroll by one to save a buck it probably would come across looking either cheap or desperate to aficionados. Instead of a pit crew of six, it could drop by one for next season. That is a position that maybe pays out between $1000 to $3000 per race, depending on the team and its performance expectations.

    If that guy is a tire changer, then who will put the tire on the hub for the guy with the wrench? Maybe the jackman has to reach over. Maybe he waits for the rest of the rubber to make its way over. Maybe we have 30-second stops. Maybe the tire guy carries two at a time. Maybe we finally have an opening for gorillas in NASCAR. Oh, safety is another concern, to reduce the number of folks out there on the asphalt. That excuse sounds so much better than “some racing teams are so tight for cash that one paycheck could make a difference.”

    Winning it all comes with a pretty good paycheck. However, to be eligible at Homestead, one has to still be in contention after Dover. Four more of our Hot 20 become also-rans as they reduce the number to 12 on Sunday.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2086 Pts)
    Sit on a guitar, then try to fit it through the templates. Harvick sat on his guitar in Chicago.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2071 Pts)
    Keelan is happy with another trophy, Dad is happy with his free pass to the next round.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2087 PTS
    If you drive hard, damage car, fail post-race inspection, you get penalized…or so he thought.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2085 PTS
    Not locked in, but a 33 point advantage sure beats hanging on by one.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2078 PTS
    Funny, when Logano once tried to pass Kenseth it did not work as well as it did for Harvick.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 2073 PTS
    To describe how bad his 11th place car was at Loudon, they had it put down right after the race.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2071 PTS
    Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep that damn tire from rolling…Hamlin got the raw end of that.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2070 PTS
    With 10 victories, the most by any driver ever at Dover

    9. CARL EDWARDS – 2068 PTS
    NASCAR claims Edwards has commitment issues…at least late at Loudon.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2068 PTS
    If this is what he can do at 20, imagine him with a bit more experience.

    11. KURT BUSCH – 2067 PTS
    First Top Five in 10 weeks sure came at the right time last Sunday.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2057 PTS
    In 10 Dover starts in Cup and XFINITY, his worst finish is 11th (June 1, 2014, Cup race).

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2052 PTS
    Beat Larson by six at Dover and mission accomplished…unless Jamie or Tony wins.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2052 PTS
    Take four fresh ones and then charge up the field…well, it sounded good in theory.

    15. TONY STEWART – 2046 PTS
    If Tony wins, he is in…or if he has a good day and the trio ahead of him do not.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2027 PTS
    Hey, it was fun while it lasted. Still, he got more coverage lately than Clint or Danica…

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 699 PTS
    …or Kasey, for that matter.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 676 PTS
    I hear there will be an opening with HScott Motorsports next season.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 642 PTS
    Decent year that saw Blaney drive his first full season for a team back to full-time after a decade.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 627 PTS
    JTG Daugherty Racing is not among the big boys in resources, so just being on this list is a win.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick passed Matt Kenseth with five laps left and took a pivotal win at New Hampshire, advancing to the next round of the Chase For The Cup.

    “Our goal was to win the race,” Harvick said. “After a bad performance at Chicagoland, I knew we needed the victory to secure our spot in the next round. And I know exactly how to get in the right mindset to maximize performance. In addition to Brad Keselowski, I know how to ‘push’ myself, as well.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth in the Bad Boy Off Road 300 at Loudon. He is the leader in the Sprint Cup points standings by one over Martin Truex Jr.

    “The ‘Bad Boy Off Road 300,’” Keselowski said. “That’s ‘BBOR’ for short. So, for any fan who experienced that race, they just watched the ‘B-BOR-ed 300.’”

    3. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished seventh at New Hampshire, posting his 14th top 10 of the year.

    “Kevin Harvick came on strong at the end,” Truex said. “I guess that’s why they call him the ‘Closer.’ Kevin may be a favorite to win the Sprint Cup, but he’s no one’s favorite. What he lacks in popularity, he makes up in talent. So that makes him the most talented driver in the world.”

    4. Joey Logano: Logano came home 11th at New Hampshire and is now fifth in the points standings, 14 out of first.

    “Barring disaster,” Logano said, “I should advance to the Chase’s next round. So, barring a ‘Matt Kenseth meltdown,’ I should advance to Round 2.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished third at New Hampshire, posting his third consecutive top-10 result, and is now third in the points standings.

    “After the next Chase race at Dover,” Busch said, “the Chase field will be trimmed to 12. ‘4’ is the number of drivers that will be eliminated. I’d like my chances more if the No. 4 car was eliminated.”

    6. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 15th at New Hampshire, the lowest finisher among all Joe Gibbs Racing drivers.

    “JGR has four cars in the Chase,” Hamlin said, “but we’ve yet to win a Chase race. I’m going to change that. I’ve made it my mission to win at Dover. So, you can say I’m in the ‘mission-ary’ position.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth dominated the second half of the Bad Boy Off Raod 300, but faltered on a restart with five laps to go, allowing Kevin Harvick to slip by and take the win.

    “That certainly was not my best restart,” Kenseth said. “Harvick laid back and got the jump. And, as Carl Edwards will tell you when somebody jumps, I flinch.”

    8. Kurt Busch: Busch finished fifth in the Bad Boy Off Road 300, posting his seventh top five of the year. He is 11th in the Sprint Cup points standings, 20 out of first.

    “My ex-girlfriend Patricia Driscoll was accused of stealing from her charity,” Busch said. “It must take a lot of nerve, to be a government assassin and steal from your own charity.”

    9. Carl Edwards: Edwards started on the pole at Loudon and led 31 laps on his way to a sixth in the Bad Boy Off Road 300. He is ninth in the points standings, 19 out of first.

    “That was my sixth pole of the season,” Edwards said. “So, much like former Cup champion Alan Kulwicki, I’ve taken a handful of ‘pole-ish’ victory laps.”

    10. (tie): Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished eighth at New Hampshire and now sits eighth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 17 out of first.

    “I failed the post-race laser inspection at Chicagoland,” Johnson said. “I miss the good old days of NASCAR when I was winning championships and inspections were simply done with a fine-toothed comb.”

    10. (tie): Chase Elliott: Elliott finished 13th at New Hampshire and is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 19 out of first.

    “I’m in position to advance to the next round,” Elliott said. “I’m happy with my performance so far. I think I speak for myself, as well as any fan who meets me, when I say I’m happy with my ‘Chase experience.’”

  • The Final Word – As we await the next great announcer, 16 will soon become 12 after Dover

    The Final Word – As we await the next great announcer, 16 will soon become 12 after Dover

    Mistakes. They happen. You just have to learn to overcome them, hopefully not to be repeated. On Sunday I made a mistake, and I know that it will never happen again.

    I listened to some of Vin Scully’s final broadcast for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Then I turned the channel to listen to those describing the action for the race at New Hampshire. Big mistake. I went from an 88-year old icon describing the action, informing me with tidbits of information about the 18 players penciled in to the lineups, hitting me with trivia of all descriptions to keep me engaged even during the down times, and kept me glued to his every word and at the same time keeping up with the progress of the game. Scully was a true artist. You would think with 43 drivers, 43 crew chiefs, and 258 crew men, NASCAR announcers would have a vast canvas on which to paint their pictures.

    Be it baseball, football, or describing the action on the track, Scully is the template all should attempt to emulate. The action is often slow in developing, what is newsworthy might take a while to unfold, but you are never bored. You want to stay tuned so you did not miss anything, be it something on the field of play or just as likely some entertaining commentary that amused or educated.

    In NASCAR, Ken Squier did exactly that. A more contemporary team, in my opinion, was Kyle Petty and Wally Dallenbach. They made me laugh, learn, and stay tuned to the broadcast. I did not want to miss a thing. Some wonder why I keep returning to this theme. Have you noticed anything changing for the better yet? You have your answer. I am tired of seeing fans leave, grandstands coming down, and attendance figures hidden away. Aren’t you?

    I think there are announcers out there who do a fine job but not near enough. If a radio or television station or network does not have one, they need to find such a wordsmith. Broadcast schools should produce such skilled practitioners of the art who through time and experience will become the verbal Rembrandts of their time, those who will keep us listening, watching, and caring. To fail to do so is a mistake.

    Kevin Harvick made no mistakes in Chicago, but he suffered misfortune to finish 20th. At Loudon, he suffered neither, got past the 20 of Matt Kenseth to punch his ticket to the Round of Twelve in the Chase. It was his 100th race for Stewart-Haas and his 11th victory for them.

    Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Martin Truex Jr., and Jimmie Johnson all had good finishes. They were good enough to join Harvick among the Top Eight on the day. Kyle Larson was just out of the Top Ten, but that was good enough to move him back into contention for the next round. Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, and Chase Elliott had to settle for Top Fifteen finishes, but even they managed to increase their wiggle room in points.

    Things did not go so good for Austin Dillon, Jamie McMurray, Tony Stewart, or Chris Buescher, as that quartet heads to Dover needing to make up some ground before the cut-off. There were no expectations for Buescher, who at 30 points in the weeds needs to win Sunday to advance. Stewart, on the other hand, is hoping to head off to retirement with a stronger challenge, but after finishing 23rd last weekend he is 11 points out. With Dillon and McMurray only five out, he would need to leapfrog ahead of them both and still catch Larson to do it without taking the checkered flag.

    Stewart won at Dover just over three years ago, so it might be a mistake to count him out just yet. However, since that victory, Johnson had taken three there, with Harvick, Kenseth, and the semi-retired Jeff Gordon with the others. In fact, 10 of Johnson’s 77 career decisions have come at Dover. Betting against him this Sunday might prove to be the bigger mistake.

  • Hot 20 – As they head to Loudon, a half-billion dollar lawsuit leaves me very confused

    Hot 20 – As they head to Loudon, a half-billion dollar lawsuit leaves me very confused

    Nothing like a good old-fashioned hand out to make people feel good. Terrence Cox III and his Diversity Motorsports wants in. They are suing NASCAR, the tracks, even the other teams, in a racial discrimination lawsuit for half a billion dollars.

    Oh, what I could do with that kind of cash. Hell, I could run for president if I were only born in the right country. I am not sure what Diversity wants, but it seems they would like to be handed something even the Wood Brothers can not get if a locked in spot is their goal. They are even suing JTG Daugherty, a team former non-Irish NBA player Brad Daugherty has a 10 percent ownership share in.

    What is interesting is that the organization appears to be more a sponsorship vehicle than an actual racing team. Since it first appeared earlier in this decade, Diversity has never to my knowledge attempted to enter a single car in any national NASCAR event with anyone…ever. If they have been wronged, I am not sure as to how. So they feel entitled to a spot due to what, exactly?

    They claim that comedian Steve Harvey wanted to start a race team, associate it with Diversity Motorsports, but NASCAR said they would never work with a team that included Diversity. Harvey, for one, disagrees with that assertion. In fact, he seems downright upset at the moment, saying he never wanted to start a team, that he just wanted to expose underprivileged youth to NASCAR. When Diversity head Terrence Cox, III talked to Harvey about having young folks protest Coca-Cola, Harvey says he refused to participate. Does any of this make sense to you? I know I am having trouble with it.

    Being dragged into this has raised the ire of the comedian. “Now here I come, my ass all over the cover of TMZ and everywhere, talking about how I want a damn race team”, Harvey said on his radio show. “I don’t want no damn race team. I don’t even like fast-ass cars.”

    Confused? Me, too. I think I will leave it to the lawyers to figure it all out.

    We have enough to deal with just seeing how things might progress in New Hampshire with our Hot 20.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2050 Pts)
    Is there something wrong with the laser inspection system? Who cares, they got the win!

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2049 Pts
    Wants a transformer car; passes tech before the race, turn into a fire-breathing dinosaur after it.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2046 Pts
    Even his winning truck failed inspection at Chicago. Maybe the problem is too much inspecting.

    4. DENNY HAMLIN – 2045 Pts
    Boasts best average finish in New Hampshire. Seeks best finish period on Sunday.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2043 Pts
    The car was not good enough at Chicago, but the driver was in the end.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2039 Pts
    Late caution, lost lead, and chase Truex was all he could do at the end.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2038 Pts
    If this visit to Loudon is anything like the last two, hand Matt his pass when it is all over.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2037 Pts
    Got a break Harvick did not get, then needed more brakes and less gas in late pit row stop.

    9. CARL EDWARDS – 2032 Pts
    Swerving on the cool down lap helps rear toe return to legal limits. Watch Carl. Watch ‘em all.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 2031 Pts
    When he read that familiar name in the headlines, I wonder if he whispered, “I told you so.”

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2030 Pts
    Toured a GM assembly plant last week. Unfortunately, they were not handing out free samples.

    12. TONY STEWART – 2028 Pts
    Back on Newman’s gift list. The Beatles were right, all you need is love.

    13. KEVIN HARVICK – 2027 Pts
    Two feet short of the line, Sweet Jesus, two feet short of the line.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2027 Pts
    Says NASCAR won’t stand drivers who refuse to stand for the national anthem.

    15. KYLE LARSON – 2026 Pts
    If his owner held his breath, would that make Larson a blue Chip driver? I am truly sorry.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2016 Pts
    Penske Fords seem to run good, so why not borrow one from them…or a Studebaker.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 667 Pts
    Sitting at the head of the kid’s table.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 655 Pts
    However, sometimes when things get rough and tough, you got to hide your love away.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 613 Pts
    Old tires were almost good enough to steal one at Chicago.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 607 Pts
    I still can not get over Mr. Tickles. Maybe his full name is Sam Elliott Tickles. Much better.

  • The Final Word – Among Chicago lucky dog hopefuls, Harvick was the day’s Old Yeller

    The Final Word – Among Chicago lucky dog hopefuls, Harvick was the day’s Old Yeller

    You got to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. That is how the old saying goes. I wonder what the saying is when you are good, but everything just gets flushed down the toilet? Kevin Harvick had a bad case of the swirls, as in down the drain, for his Chicago experience.

    So you do not get the wrong impression, I should say that Harvick came damn close to getting the Lucky Dog. It was one he was waiting to occur since the 50th of 267 scheduled laps. When caution waved over Brian Scott’s spin on lap 124, Martin Truex Jr. had passed Harvick to be in the coveted position. They found debris on the backstretch on lap 193, but it was Tony Stewart who got the nod. When it waved again to force overtime on lap 264, it was Stewart again, the man with the good fortune. That left Harvick all dressed up for the ball, but the damn coach remained a pumpkin.

    You would think it was another pit crew screw up that bit him. Instead, it was just bad luck. As he and Jimmie Johnson sat in the pits under green, they found some debris and waved the yellow. Johnson managed to roll to the line before Truex, the leader, crossed over. Harvick came two feet short. While Johnson led for the next 50 laps, Harvick was dropped a lap down. Two feet was all he needed. Two feet is not what he got. Twentieth and a lap down was the end result. As was the fate of the title character in Old Yeller, Harvick’s hopes for a warm and fuzzy finish were shot.

    Johnson led the most laps. Too bad about that speeding penalty in the pits with 33 to go. That left him 12th. At least, for the moment. More on that later.

    That left Truex. A skinned tire had him requiring roadside assistance 70 laps in, but then he got by Harvick to get the aforementioned pass to the lead lap. With 20 to go, all he saw was the tail pipe of Chase Elliott who looked about to pounce on his first career win. Too bad about Michael McDowell’s little mishap that forced overtime. Truex came to the re-start in fourth, and powered his way to the front and the victory, his third of the season. Joey Logano and Elliott were next.

    Interesting post script to this one. When they put the cars through inspection after the event, both Johnson and Truex failed. We hear it was not a big miss, but a miss none the less. No doubt, the victor will keep his win and get his free pass to the next round of the Chase. Johnson, on the other hand, still has a thing for points at this stage of the game, and any penalty there could hurt.

    As we await NASCAR justice, some are more comfortable than others heading to Loudon but no one took a big hit at Chicago. Okay, other than Chris Buescher, who was an expected 28th and now sits a dozen points behind the 12th placed Stewart. Buescher might be sitting on a pumpkin tethered to some mice, but at least he is at the ball and rumor has it he should also retain those glass slippers as a souvenir.

    Matt Kenseth has a pair of souvenirs as a reminder of his past two races in New Hampshire, both victories. Harvick has not won there since 2006, but something tells me that you will not need to ask who let the dogs out on Sunday. I think ole Happy will be unleashing the hounds to try and make up for some lost time and points. For their sake, I hope his pit boys are good and lucky on that day.

  • The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 8-5

    The 2016 Chase For The Sprint Cup, Seeds 8-5

    Today, I’ll be taking a look at Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., and Carl Edwards, seeds 8-5 on the Sprint Cup Chase Grid.

    Seeds 16-13

    Seeds 12-9

    1. Matt Kenseth

    With the retirements of Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon, and the unknown status of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth finds himself as the most experienced driver in the field.

    When Kenseth left his home at Roush Fenway Racing to go over to Joe Gibbs Racing, it could be argued it was a short sighted move. Yes, Joey Logano hadn’t done a whole lot in the four seasons before that in the No. 20 Toyota. But Kenseth was almost double Logano’s age and had never driven full time for anybody but Roush in the Cup series. It was a bit of a gamble for Gibbs, who traditionally doesn’t sign big name Cup free agents; Coach Gibbs has always typically developed young talent like he did in football. With the exception of Bobby Labonte and Dale Jarrett, the organization’s first two drivers, Gibbs had never hired a driver with any Cup experience who hadn’t run for the team in a lower series.

    Kenseth promptly went out in 2013, won seven races, and finished second in points. Neither Kenseth or Gibbs have ever looked back.

    Although Logano, Kyle Busch, and Kevin Harvick have gotten the headlines the last few years, Kenseth has quietly put together a very successful run. Since 2013, Kenseth ranks third in most laps led, tied for second in most victories, and fifth in total top 10s.

    Pros

    Toyota, Toyota, Toyota. TRD has won 25 of the last 36 races, and Kenseth counts for six of those. The manufacturer is so good, they are actually leading the Manufacturer’s Championship point standings right now. Said championship has been won by Chevrolet every year since 2002. Jason Ratcliff has also made a name for himself as one of the best crew chiefs in the game, with the team having won three races in the last two seasons due partially to key strategy calls by Ratcliff.

    Cons

    Kenseth is actually having his worst season since 2009 as far as average finishes go. His four top fives this season are tied for third worst among Chase drivers. He has struggled in the past month, with only two top 10s since finishing second at Indianapolis. His ongoing feud with Team Penske has shown no signs of stopping. Finally, his two wins this season haven’t been that impressive. Kenseth won Dover after an 18 car accident took out a lot of good cars in the last 50 laps, and he held on by beating two drivers who, at the time, hadn’t won Cup races before. Loudon was won after passing Martin Truex Jr., who has a history of throwing away races, and only led a total of 76 of 700 total laps in the two victories.

    Overall

    Kenseth could very well make a comeback in the Chase- a great crew chief and great equipment could allow that. But will he make a comeback in the Chase? He just hasn’t shown signs of doing that just yet.

    1. Jimmie Johnson

    This season Jimmie Johnson did something most figured he’d do, but that makes the accomplishment no less impressive.

    Johnson started off early and won Atlanta, his 76th Sprint Cup win, tying with Dale Earnhardt Sr. on the all-time wins list. Just three weeks later, Johnson won at Auto Club to break the tie.

    Not counting a technically retired Jeff Gordon or a soon-to-be retired Tony Stewart, Johnson’s 77 career wins are more than double any other active driver. No other driver in history has won six or more championships in 14 full-time seasons. Not counting either Gordon or Stewart, no other active driver even has multiple championships. In 12 of those 14 seasons, Johnson finished top five in points, something no other driver has done in history.

    Suffice it to say, Jimmie Johnson is going to be first-ballot Hall of Famer. And just remember that Johnson runs marathons in his off time and is turning only 41 next week. There are probably 10-15 more years of Johnson in this sport if he can keep up the pace. Unlike with Gordon, where generally only hardcore fans thought he’d get to win 100 (He has 93), it’s very possible Johnson could break the triple digit mark before his 50th birthday. And remember, this is against some of the toughest competition, year-to-year, there has ever been in racing. He’s always going to be a threat for the championship.

    Pros

    It’s Jimmie Johnson. Do I really need to write anything here that hasn’t already been written a hundred times before by more talented writers? Best crew chief in the game,  Johnson has won everywhere, has handled more pressure over his career than once thought humanly possible, blah blah blah.

    Cons

    If there is ever a season to bet against Johnson going into the Chase, it’s this one. Usually, the No. 48 team obviously spends late summer testing things out and can suffer from performance problems because of it right before the Chase. But unlike most seasons, this year all of Hendrick has struggled in the summer, losing ground to Team Penske and even more ground to the Toyota teams. Johnson himself has one top five and three top 10s since Charlotte in May, worse than pedestrian numbers for “Superman.”

    Overall

    If Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint Cup championship this season, he will probably go down as the greatest driver of all time. Maybe this long summer lull has all been Chad Knaus’ plan for this season. But I doubt the plan involved all of Hendrick running poorly. It’s just not looking like 2016 will be the year “Six-time” turns into “Seven-time.”

    1. Martin Truex Jr.

    I wrote an article last year after Furniture Row Racing announced they were switching to Toyota. While it was pretty obvious the switch from RCR customer to funded Toyota team would work, I thought year one would have the team take a step back before taking two steps forward in 2017.

    Well, suffice it to say, that was wrong.

    Martin Truex Jr.’s return to Toyota has been even more successful than when he left. He dominated and won the Coca-Cola 600, the most dominant win in the history of NASCAR, and beat Kevin Harvick in a late race duel in the Southern 500. Truex came a hair away from winning the Daytona 500 in February as well, which would have marked only the third time in the history of racing that a driver won all three in one year.

    Now, “Big Time Truex” enters the Chase as a favorite to win the championship, just one year after making it to the final four and finishing the night fourth in points.

    Pros

    In 2014, Truex joined Furniture Row and struggled, leading only one lap. In 2015, Truex improved to 567 laps led. In 2016, Truex has been even better, leading 1,234 laps. That’s only 10 off of Kyle Busch’s series-best of 1,244. The No. 78 is at its best on 1.5 mile tracks, a track type common in the Chase; this season they have a worst finish of just 11th and a win at Charlotte. As outlined above, Truex is at his best when the lights are the brightest.

    Cons

    Using career stats, Truex had led 957 laps per win before Charlotte, far and away the lowest of any multiple win driver in history. Even now, his mark at 738.2 laps led per victory is still the worst of any other multiple win driver in history, by 100 laps. Truex has a reputation of having terrible luck, leading 100 or more laps at five races this season and he only won one of them. The team’s close alliance with Joe Gibbs Racing hasn’t been an issue at all yet, but they haven’t competed for a championship yet. The question of if JGR will be able to help provide Furniture Row the tools to win a championship that they are also competing for, should be asked.

    Overall

    Martin Truex Jr. enters the Chase as a favorite, and rightfully so. There’s no reason for the New Jersey driver not to be hoisting the championship at the end of the season. If they aren’t, it’s going to be either the usual case of bad luck at a bad time or it’s all going to be on this team. They might not even be able to recover from it for a year or two if there is a close championship loss, quite frankly.

    1. Carl Edwards

    From a marketing standpoint, is there a more perfect driver than Carl Edwards?

    The 37 year old Missourian driver has charisma that can appeal to the working man in the stands and, at the same time, to the board room full of Mercedes driving businessmen. He’s in prime athletic shape and can be pointed to by the sport as evidence that drivers are athletes. Most importantly, he can name drop sponsors in interviews without it sounding forced.

    But don’t think Carl Edwards doesn’t care about racing.

    If Edwards really wanted to, he could have stayed with Roush Fenway Racing for the next 10 years and never won a championship. He’d be the face of the Ford brand and live comfortably, if a little less successfully, for the rest of his life. Then he could have retired and become the next Jeff Burton, a great analyst who never got to hoist the Cup and may now be looking back and wondering “What If?” at points in his career.

    But Edwards isn’t planning and wondering that in retirement. He came to Joe Gibbs Racing to win championships, not to guest host daytime TV shows. Edwards has shown a lot of promise in that regard, having won four races in the last two years and almost made the final four last year at Homestead. He enters the Chase in a position somewhat similar to Cam Newton in the Super Bowl last season. Both were and are marketer’s dreams and their abilities have hinted for a long time that they could be the next face of their respective sports. Now Edwards needs to do what Newton didn’t do and become the face of the sport by winning a championship.

    Pros

    Edwards enters the Chase with an average finish of 12.7, his best since tying for the championship in 2011. He and crew chief Dave Rogers seem to have clicked this year after being paired in the off-season, with Edwards already having the same amount of wins, top fives, and top 10s as he did all of last year. Finally, “Cousin Carl” has been stout on Fridays this year- his average start of seventh is second only to Denny Hamlin. Pit box selection is still a huge factor in how great pit stops will be on Sunday, so a good qualifier always has a good advantage.

    Cons

    Edwards hasn’t shown a lot of speed on 1.5 mile tracks, a track type that makes up half of the Chase schedule. He finished second at Kentucky, but that was with a lower downforce aero package that won’t be used during the Chase. Edwards has never really been a big winner either; he won the Coca-Cola 600 last year on fuel strategy and won the Southern 500 that year only after a fast pit stop. Before Bristol this spring, where he led over half the race and won, Edwards hadn’t led more than 100 laps in a race since 2013.

    Overall

    Edwards will be a threat to win the championship and will probably make it to Homestead. The question will be, can he survive the pressure? He did in 2011, finishing second in a race isn’t a meltdown, but he still lost the championship. The Chase is much more pressure filled since the switch in format a couple of years ago.

  • Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

    Hot 20 – Mr. Hamlin, what races do you suggest we remove, reduce, or reschedule?

    As NASCAR swings into Chicago and begins the Chase, I can not help but notice that Denny Hamlin, and now Danica Patrick, have made mention that the season is too long. Reduce some races in length, reduce some altogether, run some mid-week are among their suggestions. I am cool with that, but in my mind there are a dozen races on eight tracks that cannot be touched. Ever.

    Daytona, Talladega, Bristol, and Charlotte continue with their two each with no changes to race length. If 600 miles to too long at Charlotte, stay home. You can not tinker with the two road courses at Sonoma or Watkins Glen. The Southern 500 should never again be violated at Darlington. Same goes for the Brickyard at Indianapolis. The racing there might be questionable at Indy, but it has become a crown jewel event. Touch any of them, and more than a few of us fans will be gone. NASCAR simply can not afford to see too many more of us on our way out.

    As for the other 24 contests on the other 15 tracks, go for it. However, you risk some upset folks at Martinsville, Richmond, and Atlanta where tradition means something to some people. Remove those tracks, and you remove fans. Texas, Michigan, Las Vegas, Fontana, and Chicago are not going anywhere. The trio of northeast venues, Pocono, Dover, and Loudon, would be tough for NASCAR to abandon. I could not care any less for Kansas or Kentucky, but I am sure there are others who do not share my sentiment.

    As long as NASCAR refuses to brand each of its events so they might each become something special, traditional, and untouchable instead of nothing more than a spot to park a sponsor’s name for yet another generic race, a lot of them can disappear, be moved, or reduced in length without much fanfare. I mean, this weekend in Chicago we have the legendary and prestigious Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400. Good bloody grief! What these two drivers are proposing works in theory. However, the devil is in the details, and we should leave it to Mr. Hamlin and Ms. Patrick to toss out a few specifics until we go ballistic. You know we would, no matter what they come up with.

    As for the Chase, eight organizations are represented by the 16. Joe Gibbs has all four of his outfits in the running. Stewart-Haas goes with three, missing only Patrick. Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi both came through fully loaded with their two car teams. Barney Visser was also perfect, going one for one with Martin Truex, Jr. We have a pair from Rick Hendrick’s stable, Richard Childress has his grandson, and Bob Jenkins has his surprise entry. Some did not make it, even those with past success. Jack Roush came up empty, despite three entries. Neither of Richard Petty’s cars made the grade.

    A dozen veteran Chasers joined by a quartet of first-timers. Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson are joined by rookies Chase Elliott and Chris Buescher. How might they do? As 2014 champion Kevin Harvick lays it down, “Are you happy to be there or do you want to win?” If they want to win, they could do fine. Like the seven former champions back for another drink from the well.

    Heading into the Chase, NASCAR has decided to be kinder, gentler to those crew chiefs who break the rules. One loose lug nut does not a suspension make. Now it will take three, and then he is gone along with 35 points. So much for kinder and gentler, and this is a new rule change that goes beyond the Chase and into next season.

    Failure to get the winning car successfully through the Laser Inspection Station by a significant amount, and you keep the win, but it won’t mean much. Up to 35 points gone and during the Chase that win might not count toward a free pass into the next round. With the points penalty, that just could kill the season. It is the kind of penalty that cost Ryan Newman 15 markers heading into Richmond.

    Newman might not be in the Chase, but after what happened last week, he could wind up being a factor. We will have to wait to see how hot he might be at one member of our Hot 20 heading to Chicago.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2012 PTS
    Tied for wins with Kyle, second only to Harvick in points. Brad might be thirsty again.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 PTS
    Imagine having to race all 36 races to win the title. Last season seemed so much shorter.

    3. DENNY HAMLIN – 2009 PTS
    You can shorten the World 600 in Charlotte…or you could to go-cart racing as an alternative.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 PTS
    His Chase attitude is to “worry about the consequences when all the dust settles.” Game on.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 PTS
    Is this the year he can finally put that brides-maid dress away?

    4. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 2006 PTS
    Has led the pack this season for 1,664 miles. If you are going on a trip, here is your driver.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2006 PTS
    Seeking a new nickname. Maybe something that rhymes with “Seven Time.”

    4. MATT KENSETH – 2006 PTS
    There is nice Matt and there is Chase Matt. You don’t want to make Chase Matt angry.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 2003 PTS
    Last year, guess who upset Chase Matt.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 2003 PTS
    He has a title. Younger brother has a title. All older siblings know that just does not cut it.

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2003 PTS
    Over his last three races, has finished first, third, and second. That is called momentum.

    9. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2003 PTS
    Not everyone gets to live in the penthouse. even for what most predict will be a short stay.

    9. TONY STEWART – 2003 PTS
    Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Newman knows!

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2000 PTS
    A truck title. A XFINITY crown. There is room on the shelf for one more.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000 PTS
    Could former winner of Daytona 500, Brickyard 400 win the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 400?

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2000 PTS
    Again, the nickname says it all. Would like to change that to “Champ” if he can.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 633 PTS
    Who is considered Public Enemy No. 1 in Chicago? Ask Newman; he might have an answer.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 633 PTS
    If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again next season.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 586 PTS
    Unlike some, Bayne is determined to leave any at-track tantrums to his toddler.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 583 PTS
    Racing in Chicago, but might have more interest in how the Bears do Monday against the Eagles.

  • The View From My Recliner — 2016 Chase Preview

    The View From My Recliner — 2016 Chase Preview

    I will start by saying that I have always been a Tony Stewart fan and always will be. But, Tony Stewart was wrong the last two weeks taking out Brian Scott at Darlington and Ryan Newman plus six others at Richmond.

    Many have said that Tony Stewart hasn’t been the same racer since the Sprint Car accident in Iowa where he broke his leg and has been even less competitive since the Sprint Car accident that took the life of Kevin Ward Jr. Prior to those accidents, there was always Stewart justice when he ran at the Cup level. Ask Carl Edwards, Robby Gordon, Brian Vickers and several others what happens when you rough up Stewart or block Stewart? Do that and you face Stewart Justice. Stewart was wrong, but this is something that NASCAR drivers have known for more than a decade. Even though Stewart was honest in his post-race comments, I hope that NASCAR fines Stewart for his actions. Wow, that is something I never thought I would say.

    Ryan Newman who has the history of being the toughest person in NASCAR to pass is also very calculated with his words to the media pre and post race. The first parts of his comments saying that Stewart was old and should retire are fine. Newman is passionate and was frustrated by missing the Chase. Those comments I can live with. The comments that followed were beyond personal. I understand Newman being ticked that Stewart took him out. I can see him holding his anger inside for four years because his contract wasn’t extended at Stewart-Haas Racing. Then, after being told there wasn’t the budget for a fourth car and that he was out at SHR, suddenly, Kurt Busch has a ride funded by Gene Haas. Even so, there is no place for comments like that. I always respected Ryan Newman, but I lost a little of that respect on Saturday night.

    The sad part is that this back and forth took away from the great racing that took place at Richmond International Raceway, Denny Hamlin’s win and the Chase grid being set. Everything took a back seat to Newman putting Stewart on blast and that is a shame.

    As we head to Chicagoland, you have to wonder if there are paybacks in the future. Will Newman wreck Stewart? Will Cole Custer get revenge on John Hunter Nemechek for the injustice he was victim to at Canadian Motorsports Park? Will the races be the top story next week or will it be about payback being delivered? My thoughts are that Newman doesn’t want to face a suspension and Cole Custer will wait until the Chase to get his payback on Nemechek.

    Here are my predictions for the each round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup:

    Round 1: Kyle Busch will win this weekend at Chicago. Tony Stewart surprises everyone by winning at New Hampshire and Jimmie Johnson wins at Dover. The first four eliminated are Carl Edwards, Chris Buescher, Austin Dillon and Jamie McMurray. I think one Joe Gibbs Racing car will have an issue at New Hampshire, Buescher and Dillon don’t have the equipment to get the job done and Jamie McMurray has been running well, but not at the front.

    Round 2: Truex wins at Charlotte, Harvick wins at Kansas and Logano wins at Talladega. Brad Keselowski, Chase Elliott, Kurt Busch and Kyle Larson are eliminated.

    Round 3: Hamlin wins at Martinsville, Truex wins at Texas, Harvick wins at Phoenix and Stewart points his way in. (Remember, when I started I said I am a fan of Smoke and this is a, from the heart, pick. My head says Johnson points his way in, but I’m a columnist, so I am going with my heart. Kyle Busch, Kenseth, Johnson and Logano are eliminated.

    Final Four: So that leaves Hamlin, Harvick, Truex and Stewart as the final four. I would love to read the story of Stewart winning his final race and his fourth Championship, but I just don’t see it happening. Truex and Harvick have had pit road issues which could easily derail them at the Ford 400.

    My pick for the 2016 Sprint Cup Championship is Denny Hamlin. The communication between driver and crew chief is spot on, the pit crew has been flawless and Denny Hamlin promised Joe Gibbs when he was signed to the organization that he would bring home a championship to JGR and this year, I think he will.

    Enjoy the races at Chicago and we’ll talk again when I share the View from My Recliner.

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Richmond

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished fifth at Richmond and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six behind first place.

    “We were much better in the pits,” Harvick said. “Fortunately, our lug nuts were the only thing that was ‘screwed’ in the pits at Richmond.

    “Now, it would be negligent of me if I didn’t address the Ryan Newman-Tony Stewart issue. I’m employed by Tony, so you can guess where I stand. I guess what I’m saying is that lawyers aren’t the only people who defend Tony.”

    2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished fourth in the Federated Auto Parts 400, posting his 12th top 10 of the year.

    “The action didn’t really start until Tony Stewart wrecked Ryan Newman, Keselowski said. “Newman then had some choice words for Stewart. If implied accusations of a 2014 incident are the measuring stick for Newman’s vitriol, then he absolutely murdered it, or at least manslaughtered it.”

    3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin started on the pole at Richmond and dominated the closing laps to win the Federated Auto Parts400. It was his third win of the season.

    “I had to survive one final restart after a caution with three laps to go,” Hamlin said. “That was the last of 16 cautions on the night. After the race, I approached the flag stand and asked for the yellow flag and not the checkered flag.”

    4. Kyle Busch: Busch started ninth and finished ninth at Richmond. With four wins this year, Busch will start the Chase atop the standings alongside Brad Keselowski.

    “I wouldn’t be surprised if Brad or myself fall out of first after one race,” Busch said, “because neither of us can stand to be in the same place for very long.”

    5. Martin Truex Jr.: Truex finished third at Richmond, and will start the Chase For The Cup with 2006 points, six out of the lead.

    “The No. 78 Toyota failed the post-race laser inspection,” Truex said. “You never want to fail an inspection right before the Chase For The Cup begins, because you’re likely to get ‘pointed’ in the wrong direction.”

    6. Joey Logano: Logano finished 10th at Richmond, logging his 18th top 10 of the year.

    “The Chase field is wide open,” Logano said. “You have household names, and you have some drivers who are not very well known. Let’s face it, when the Chase ends, you could hear the words ‘Chris Buescher’ and ‘2016 Sprint Cup champion,’ but probably not in the same sentence.”

    7. Kurt Busch: Busch led two laps and took eighth in the Federated Auto Parts 400 at Richmond.

    “There were a whopping 16 caution flags during Saturday’s race,” Busch said. “That’s just about how many red flags go up when I’m on a date.”

    8. Carl Edwards: Edwards struggled at Richmond, finishing 32nd, 41 laps off the pace.

    “How about the Virginia Tech-Tennessee football game at Bristol Motor Speedway,” Edwards said, “There were over 156,000 people in attendance. Tire wear must have been an issue at Bristol because it was a blowout.”

    9. Kyle Larson: Larson recorded his third consecutive top-5 finish with a second at Richmond.

    “Tony Stewart has intentionally wrecked two drivers in two consecutive weeks,” Larson said. “First, it was Brian Scott. Then, it was Ryan Newman. But, at least he just wrecked them.”

    10. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished 11th at Richmond, rebounding from a 33rd the previous week at Darlington.

    “I’m looking for No. 7,” Johnson said. “Based on my mediocre performance this season, most people say the only ‘No. 7’ I could find is Regan Smith.”