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Tag: Matt Kenseth

  • Matt Kenseth Serene Following Third at Charlotte

    Matt Kenseth Serene Following Third at Charlotte

    Matt Kenseth remained tough while running or blocking, machines to the apron, while attempting to maintain the race lead in the closing laps. However, Jimmie Johnson coasted around him in the remaining moments handing the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion another thrashing.

    Kenseth, who’s been unable to win this year after having seven triumphs last season, posted his season-best finish, third, in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday. Though despite being in an era that focuses on winning, he remains serene.

    “That’s (was) a little bit disappointing. I feel like we’re gaining on it,” Kenseth explained about his team’s competitiveness tonight. “Certainly we’re not where we were at this time last year, all of us there leading a bunch of laps and being in contention to win. I feel like we had a top-five car tonight and finished third with it.”

    Johnson, who went on to score the win and Harvick, who ended up second, both, according to Kenseth, had more speed then the remainder of the field.

    “They were just really, really fast tonight,” Kenseth expressed. “(Harvick) was really fast tonight, it seemed like. There were a group of them that seemed to have a little bit more speed.”

    However, regardless of the current circumstances at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kenseth isn’t alarmed. He’s even more determined to figure out the issue, whether it is adjusting to the new packages or rule changes.

    “Panicking has never helped anything. Like I said, I feel like we’re gaining on it,” Kenseth added. “We’ve just been off a little bit all year. I don’t know if it’s the aero, rules changes. We just have been off a couple 10ths at all these tracks. We’re digging hard trying to figure it out. We’re just not quite there yet.”

    Kenseth, who sits second in the points standings following NASCAR’s longest-race, isn’t insistent on getting victories; he’s accepting defeat, claiming he can’t change the outcome.

    “You hate it when you can’t hold on and win it. There’s no more I can do about it,” Kenseth said. “We were in position. I did everything I possibly could do and got beat. It’s just the way it goes sometimes.”

    Kenseth, now, is more focused on a building a solid arrangement and expecting his team to keep persevering and concluding the, rather short, but long from his view, winless streak.

    “I think you just got to keep working on it the same, as hard as you can each and every week.” Kenseth concluded with. “It’s not like you can try harder and work harder and make it happen. You just got to keep digging at it, keep trying to get better.”

    “It’s not like we’re way off. It’s not like we’re terrible. Like I said, it was a good, solid night. Just disappointed that we were in the front and couldn’t win.”

     

     

     

  • Matt Kenseth Just Shy of First Win of the Season

    Matt Kenseth Just Shy of First Win of the Season

    The 2013 season was arguably the best season of Matt Kenseth’s career. Seven wins, 12 top-fives and 20 top-10s, very impressive stats by anyone’s standards. He also came up just short of a championship, finishing second to six-time series champion, Jimmie Johnson. Victory lane eluded him again Sunday in the Coca-Cola 600, finishing third, behind Johnson, and Kevin Harvick.

    Kenseth once again looked strong, leading 33 laps, many of those coming near the end of the race. He could not, however, hold off a hard charging, determined Jimmie Johnson. Harvick also made his way around the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota in the closing laps.

    With such a fantastic season last year, Kenseth was expected to come out of the box in 2014 just as strong. So far, he hasn’t quite made it. At this point last season, Kenseth had already visited victory lane three times. This season he has nine top-10s, but no wins.

    Given Kenseth’s strong performance last year, the media are constantly asking what the problem is this season. After the Coca-Cola 600 on Sunday, Kenseth again addressed those questions saying, “I feel like we’re gaining on it. I thought today all things being equal and nobody having trouble that we had at least a fifth-place car so we’re gaining on it. We’re not where we were last year yet, but I feel like certainly we’re gaining on it. Typically, this has been one of our best places and I was hoping we were going to be able to sneak up on a win there. We are just a little bit off and just need to get it a little better somehow.”

    Even without a win, Kenseth is still a very impressive second place in the series points standings, so don’t count him out yet. Though the new points system awards winning instead of consistency, Kenseth’s consistency will eventually land him in victory lane. He will be in the Chase; he is running too strong to not be.

     

     

  • The All-Star Hot 20 is led by its hottest driver; Mr. Johnson, I presume

    The All-Star Hot 20 is led by its hottest driver; Mr. Johnson, I presume

    When it comes to driving for a championship, nobody has done it better this past decade than Jimmie Johnson. Collecting six of the past eight season titles gives a fellow a certain reputation. Add to that four All-Star race victories, and eight Top Fives in just a dozen events, and I think we have discovered our favorite for Saturday night.

    Before they just hand over the million bucks, there will be challengers. The 42-year old Jeff Gordon has been in this thing for half of his life. He will be in his 21st event, a competition he has won three times to tie him with Dale Earnhardt for the second most decisions. Eight others taking the auto out for a spin know what it is like to win this Charlotte exhibition once. Carl Edwards has a win in eight attempts, while Matt Kenseth has a single win but has been in the Top Ten in ten of his 13 attempts. Dale Earnhardt Jr won it his first time out in 2000, with his dad by his side in Victory Lane. Since then, he has rang up an additional ten Top Tens himself, to go with the 2012 Showdown to get into the Saturday night feature.

    As for the Friday night Showdown this year, Clint Bowyer could well get in to Saturday’s fun by finishing amongst the top two. The fan vote selection could go to Danica Patrick, though rookies Austin Dillon and Kyle Larson should get some well deserved consideration. I would expect one of them to make it by finishing alongside Bowyer at the finish line, if both do not actually find themselves ahead of the veteran at the end.

    If you like what you see each and every week, you are in luck. Those very same faces will be under the helmets this weekend, but points matter not and winning means a million reasons to celebrate. History tells us the winner will be a name we might already know, and destined to be one we shall always remember. Let the fun begin.

     

    1. Jimmie Johnson 12 races, 4 wins, 8 top fives, 8 top tens
    2. Jeff Gordon 20 races, 3 wins, 6 top fives, 9 top tens
    3. Tony Stewart 15 races, 1 win, 8 top fives, 9 top tens
    4. Kurt Busch 12 races, 1 win, 5 top fives, 7 top tens
    5. Matt Kenseth 13 races, 1 win, 5 top fives, 10 top tens
    6. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 14 races, 1 win, 4 top fives, 11 top tens
    7. Carl Edwards 8 races, 1 win, 3 top fives, 5 top tens
    8. Ryan Newman 12 races, 1 win, 3 top fives, 7 top tens
    9. Kasey Kahne 10 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 4 top tens
    10. Kevin Harvick 13 races, 1 win, 2 top fives, 7 top tens
    11. Kyle Busch 8 races, 3 top fives, 4 top tens
    12. Joey Logano 3 races, 2 top fives, 3 top tens
    13. Denny Hamlin 7 races, 2 top fives, 4 top tens
    14. Greg Biffle 10 races, 2 top fives, 3 top tens
    15. Brian Vickers 3 races, 1 top five, 1 top ten
    16. Martin Truex, Jr. 4 races, 1 top five, 2 top tens
    17. Brad Keselowski 5 races, 1 top five, 2 top tens
    18. David Ragan 3 races 1 top ten
    19. Jamie McMurray 7 races, 2 top tens
    20. Danica Patrick 1 race

     

  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Kansas

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took the lead with eight laps to go and held off the hard-changing Kevin Harvick to take the checkered flag at Kansas. It was Gordon’s first win this season and third career win at Kansas Speedway.

    “My pit crew really came through with a great stop,” Gordon said. “In this sport, it’s all about the ‘seconds.’ Just ask Mark Martin.

    “Winning a race is a weight off my shoulders. Now, I’ve got to take that wait off my shoulders, because it’s been 13 years since my last Cup title.”

    2. Joey Logano: Logano took third in the 5-Hour Energy 400, posting his sixth top-five of the year. He is sixth in the points standings, 48 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “The lights went out on the backstretch during the race,” Logano said. “I guess NASCAR’s “Drive For Diversity” program is working, because it just got darker.”

    3. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 10th at Kansas, the best finish among Toyota drivers. Kenseth is second in the Sprint Cup points standings, 15 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “I didn’t see the light,” Kenseth said. “And, I also didn’t see the ‘Lite.’ That’s because Brad Keselowski was driving the No. 2 car with the Würth paint scheme. If you’ll notice, in the word ‘Würth,’ there are two dots over the ‘u.’ On a related note, I’d like to give Keselowski two dots in his ‘i.’”

    4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Earnhardt posted his sixth top-five finish with a fifth at Kansas as Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon took the win. Earnhardt is fourth in the points standings, 26 out of first.

    “Another problem with the lights for NASCAR,” Earnhardt said. “I guess this gives new meaning to the term ‘night racing.’ But let’s not be too alarmed. There are hundreds of blackouts in every NASCAR race, most in the infield, and nearly all involving fans of Junior Nation.”

    5. Carl Edwards: Edwards led six laps and finished sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Kansas. He moved up one spot to fifth in the points standings, and trails Jeff Gordon by 27.

    “After the lights went out,” Edwards said, “NASCAR officials asked the drivers if they could see well enough to continue. You could say, for once, that NASCAR started on the ‘poll.’”

    6. Kyle Busch: Busch finished a disappointing 15th at Kansas, as Matt Kenseth was the top Joe Gibbs Racing finisher, in 10th. Busch is still third in the points standings, 21 out of first.

    “Despite driving the No. 18 Snickers car,” Busch said, “I’m not satisfied.”

    7. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson led 24 laps at Kansas, but was no match for the faster cars of Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick. He faded to ninth at the finish, and remains winless on the season.

    “I heard Danica Patrick got a big thrill passing me,” Johnson said. “Give her a pat on the back. Usually, when Danica passes a Sprint Cup champion, the only thing back is her lap.”

    8. Kevin Harvick: Harvick led a race-high 119 laps, but was beaten out of the pits on the final caution by Jeff Gordon. Harvick couldn’t catch Gordon down the stretch and settled for second.

    “We just didn’t get it done on the pit stop,” Harvick said. “It’s one thing to get caught speeding on pit lane; it’s another to get caught ‘sleeping.’”

    9. Ryan Newman: Newman finished 11th in the 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas, just missing out on his fourth top-10 result of the year. He is, however, in the top 10 in the points, in eighth, 62 behind Jeff Gordon.

    “Clint Bowyer’s mother gave the command to start the engines,” Newman said. “She really gave it a nice personal touch. You could say she put her own ‘spin’ on it.”

    10. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 16th at Kansas in the No. 16 Roush Fenway Racing Toyota. He is ninth in the Sprint Cup points standings, 66 out of first.

    “It was an eventful race,” Biffle said. “Between the threat of storms, cars on fire, and malfunctioning lights, NASCAR is probably saying ‘Glad we’re not in Kansas anymore.”

  • The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    The Final Word – A NASCAR Supernova stars in Kansas

    There are three major stars in NASCAR’s constellation of drivers. They are simply called Jimmie, Junior, and Jeff, and few could argue that this trio has shone the brightest. Jimmie Johnson has six championships, including five in a row. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the legacy of the legend, with 15 wins in his first five full seasons and four straight at Talladega. His track success might have cooled, but Junior Nation’s fervor has not. Jeff Gordon, the four time champion, won his third at Kansas, but his first since 2002, to all but lock his place in the Chase.

    Gordon led in points, even without a win, but Saturday night he put a lock on a race he dominated. Well, for all but one other entry, he was the undisputed leader of the pack. Kevin Harvick had designs to add to his win total, only to fall just short. While both drivers have been stellar thus far in the season, only the wreck at Talladega mars Gordon’s record in 2014. Harvick has been a factor in every race, winning two, but he has been up front only until misfortune bit him hard at Las Vegas, Bristol, California, and Texas.

    Winning is important, but it sure comes in handy to also be relevant week in and week out. Danica Patrick was just that the entire race, finishing seventh, while Tony Stewart was for a time before coming home 20th. One has a great track record, one does not, but both have driven SHR autos that have been providing sub-par results much of the year. Other than Harvick, one wonders how much are their woes car based. Just ask the fourth member of that stable, as Kurt Busch finished outside the Top Twenty for the ninth time in eleven attempts. If not for his win at Martinsville, which this season makes him relevant, being 28th in points would have otherwise left him an also ran a couple of points beyond the total of even Ms. Patrick.

    However, a win is the golden ticket this season to challenge for the championship. Joey Logano and Harvick have a couple, with Gordon, Junior, and the Brothers Busch among the seven with one to their credit. Seven more are within the Top 16 in points, but a single win and a spot in the Top 30 vaults one up the ladder. Who will be next?

    Before the World 600, the boys and girl have the All-Star race on their schedule this Saturday night at Charlotte. Nineteen are in, having won since the 2013 Daytona 500, by winning this race in the past, or by having been a Cup series champion. Three more will be added, with two coming from the top finishers from among the 23 car field that will run in the Showdown on Friday night. The other will come via a fan vote. If that goes the way I think it will, I would expect the All-Star race to include every driver mentioned above. Yes, even her.

    Who will win on Saturday night? That is easy. Every driver who has ever won the All-Star race since Darrell Waltrip claimed the Winston back in 1985 has or will be either a Cup champion, the winner of the Daytona 500, the World 600 or the night race at Bristol. No exceptions.

    A star won last Saturday night, and another should claim the prize in Charlotte this Saturday evening.

    Darrell Waltrip – All-Star 1985 – Daytona 500 1989 – World 600 1978-79, 1985, 1988-89 – Bristol 1979, 1981-83, 1986, 1989, 1992 – Champion 1981-82, 1985

    Bill Elliott – All-Star 1986 – Daytona 500 1985, 1987 – Champion 1988

    Dale Earnhardt – All-Star 1987, 1990, 1993 – Daytona 500 1998 – World 600 1986, 1992-93 – Champion 1980, 1986-87, 1990-91, 1993-94

    Terry Labonte – All-Star 1988, 1999 – Bristol 1984, 1995 – Champion 1984, 1996

    Rusty Wallace – All-Star 1989 – World 600 1990 – Bristol 1994, 1996, 2000 – Champion 1989

    Davey Allison – All-Star 1991-92 – Daytona 500 1992 – World 600 1991

    Geoffrey Bodine – All-Star 1994 – Daytona 500 1986

    Jeff Gordon – All-Star 1995, 1997, 2001 – Daytona 500 1997, 1999, 2005 – World 600 1994, 1997-98 – Bristol 2002 – Champion 1995, 1997-98, 2001

    Michael Waltrip – All-Star 1996 – Daytona 500 2001, 2003

    Mark Martin – All-Star 1998, 2005 – World 600 2002 – Bristol 1993, 1998

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – All-Star 2000 – Daytona 500 2004, 2014 – Bristol 2004

    Ryan Newman – All-Star 2002- Daytona 500 2008

    Jimmie Johnson – All-Star 2003, 2006, 2012-13 – Daytona 500  2006, 2013 – World 600 2003-05 – Champion 2006-10, 2013

    Matt Kenseth – All-Star 2004 – Daytona 500 2009, 2012 – World 600 2000 – Bristol 2005-06, 2013 – Champion 2003

    Kevin Harvick – All-Star 2007 – Daytona 500 2007 – World 600 2011, 2013

    Kasey Kahne – All-Star 2008 – World 600 2006, 2008, 2012

    Tony Stewart  All-Star 2009 – Bristol 2001 – Champion 2002, 2005, 2011

    Kurt Busch – All-Star 2010 – World 600 2010 – Bristol 2003 – Champion 2004

    Carl Edwards – All-Star 2011 – Bristol 2007-08

    Casey Mears – World 600 2007

    David Reutimann – World 600 2009

    Kyle Busch – Bristol 2009-10

    Jamie McMurray – Daytona 500 2010

    Trevor Bayne – Daytona 500 2011

    Brad Keselowski – Bristol 2011 – Champion 2012

    Denny Hamlin – Bristol 2012

     

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas

    Surprising and Not Surprising: 5-Hour Energy 400 at Kansas

    Even with the surprising but thankfully slight delay of the race start for thunderstorms and lightning in the area, here is what else was surprising and not surprising from the first race at Kansas Speedway under the Saturday night lights.

    Surprising: Weird and freaky things continue to happen at NASCAR races and the Kansas race was no exception. The lights went dark on the back stretch, the speedy dry truck lost a gear, and the car that was ‘Freaky Fast’, starting from the pole with a new track record, just could not pull off the victory, coming in second instead.

    “What put us in second is I didn’t get down pit road very good there coming to the pit box,” Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 4 Jimmy Johns ‘Freaky Fast’ Chevrolet said. “I kind of ran out of gas, and I was paying attention to the fuel pressure gauge instead of the pit road speed light.”

    “I lost some time there,” Harvick continued. “It was a weird night.”

    In spite of all the freakiness, this was Harvick’s eighth top-10 finish in 17 races at Kansas Speedway and his fifth top-10 finish in 2014.

    Not Surprising: The race winner shed some pounds, had a blast, and felt like a kid again after scoring his first ‘w’ of the season. Jeff Gordon, behind the wheel of the No. 24 Axalta Coatings Chevrolet, became the ninth different driver to win for the year and scored his 89th career victory.

    “It just feels so good to get that first win of the season, especially this year with the point’s structure and how close we’ve been so many weekends,” Gordon said. “I think that that’s a huge weight off our shoulders.”

    “I just feel so competitive out there, and that makes me feel young again,” Gordon continued. “I’m going to be 43 this year, but, man, if 43 is like this, I can’t wait for 50. This is all right. I’m having a good time. That’s why I feel young, because I’m just having a great time.”

    Surprising: At least one Busch brother has felt that Kansas Speedway has been somewhat of a curse for him, however, this time it was not Kyle Busch but brother Kurt who felt that way after the race.

    Kyle Busch, in the No. 18 Snickers Toyota, actually finished the race in the 15th position, while Kurt, behind the wheel of the No. 41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, spun not just once but twice and finished 29th.

    “We definitely didn’t get the finish we wanted in our Haas Automation Chevrolet,” Busch said. “It was a disappointing day all around. We had the best qualifying session of the season this weekend, and we had high hopes for the race.”

    “It just didn’t work out the way we planned,” Busch continued. “The car was loose, and we couldn’t tighten it up no matter what we tried. It’s just frustrating. We need to do better, and hopefully we will do better moving forward.”

    Not Surprising: Danica Patrick was certainly thrilled with her career best finish of 7th in her No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet at Kansas. But what really got her going was what she managed to do while racing six-time champ Jimmie Johnson.

    “Honestly, the most rewarding part of my night was probably when I drove around the outside of the No. 48 (Jimmie Johnson) on a restart,” Patrick said. “That was probably my most rewarding thing of the night.”

    “I say that with all the respect in the world,” Patrick continued. “It’s a big deal because he is Jimmie Johnson.”

    “Aside from that I was really just overall proud that we stayed up front all day. That was the biggest thing.”

    Surprising: Sometimes Goodyear gets thrown under the bus for any type of tire troubles, but this time the third place driver Kasey Kahne gave them all the credit in the world.

    In fact, Kahne scored his first top 5 of the season in his No. 5 FarmersInsurance/Thankamillionteachers.com Chevrolet thanks to the tire manufacturer and their recent Kansas tire test.

    “I think the Goodyear test here, for whatever reason, we were able to try some things and just look at stuff a little differently than what we had been, and it helped the 5 team, my guys, myself and Kenny (Francis, crew chief) and our communication together,” Kahne said. “It’s helped us a lot since then.”

    “I feel like that’s been the key, and ever since we tested here, we’ve ran much better and been a lot more competitive.”

    Not Surprising: Given the high speeds at Kansas and the freakiness of the night, it was not surprising to see some really violent crashes, including Jamie McMurray up in flames and David Gilliland in a horrific wreck with Justin Allgaier and AJ Allmendinger.

    “I just lost all the steering and got into the fence and had a little fire,” the driver of the No. 1 McDonald’s Chevrolet said. “I don’t know if I ran over something but I ended up crashing.”

    “I don’t know what happened,” Gilliland, driver of the No. 38 Long John Silver’s Ford, said. “It looked like the 47 and 51 got together and the 51 came back up the track and I hit him and from there a lot of stuff happened.”

    “We are alright though,” Gilliland continued. “Just a little sore obviously.”

    “That is one of the hardest hits I have had in a while. Hopefully it will be the hardest one for a while to come too,” Gilliland said. “It was a hard lick. It was the hardest hit I’ve had in a long time.”

    McMurray finished 39th and Gilliland finished 37th.

    Surprising: Interestingly, there was only one Toyota in the top 10 when the checkered flag flew. Matt Kenseth, who had struggled for most of the race, managed to rebound and finish tenth in his No. 20 Dollar General Toyota.

    “We were just pretty slow all weekend — as a group, really,” Kenseth said. “Lost that lap on that first run — I was in the ‘lucky dog’ spot a lot of times, just couldn’t catch a caution at the right times.”

    “We were just off a little bit all week,” Kenseth continued. “Trying to figure out mile-and-a-half tracks — it was our strong suit last year. We’re really struggling this year as a group. We’re trying to figure it out.”

    “We got lucky to finish 10th really.”

    With his top-10 finish, Kenseth remains second in the point standings, now 15 points behind leader Jeff Gordon.

    Not Surprising:  Kyle Larson, to no one’s surprise, just keeps reeling off impressive finishes in spite of his rookie status. The driver of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet overcame obstacles to finish 12th and score the Sunoco Rookie of the Race honors.

    Surprising: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. surprisingly admitted it himself when he shared his frustration at finishing top five and leading nine laps, the same number as race winner and teammate Jeff Gordon.

    “What stands out in the back of my mind was how fast the car was during the first half of the race,” Junior said. “We were just flying.”

    “But I knew when the temps came down, the bottom was going to be faster and we were going to be in trouble because we were tight all weekend,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet continued. “We got real tight at the end of the race.”

    “Just kind of frustrating there because we never really improved the front grip and struggled with it all weekend,” Junior said. “So, frustrated about that but a good result for us.”

    Not Surprising: While it was not Darlington, a track where Mother’s Day has been traditionally celebrated by the sport, there was still a great outpouring of love and support for all mothers in the NASCAR garage.

    In fact, driver after driver paid tribute to their mothers, as well as their wives, many of whom were mothers to their children.

    So, as Mother’s Day comes to a close, the Cup Series will move next into its home track double header, with the All Star Race and then the Coca Cola 600, NASCAR’s longest endurance race, both at Charlotte Motor Speedway for the next two weekends.

     

  • Hot 20 – The [place sponsor name here] 400 in Kansas is where the stars will shine Saturday night

    Hot 20 – The [place sponsor name here] 400 in Kansas is where the stars will shine Saturday night

    Kansas is not as sexy as Talladega, I admit. It is not a Daytona, a Darlington, and it is no Indianapolis. I think having the race named after a series of sponsors instead of seeking a real identity might have something to do with that. Still, some big names have been among the 16 winners there since they first started up the engines back in 2001.

    Jeff Gordon won the first two there, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and Matt Kenseth all have a pair. Three years ago, Brad Keselowski made it nine victories for past or future kings of the clutch at the venue. Tony Kanaan won there in 2005, a year after claiming the IndyCar crown. Sam Hornish Jr, who was IndyCar royalty before trying his luck in NASCAR, won there in an open wheel contest. Both Dan Wheldon and Scott Dixon have done it twice. Of ten IndyCar races run at Kansas between 2001 and 2010, the last six were claimed by one who was a champion.

    In short, this track is a haven for racing’s blue bloods. Despite its lack of an identity, Saturday night’s NASCAR contest will be claimed by a driver who matters. In fact, of the last 21 Cup and IndyCar races run there, the only non-champions went by such names as Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Greg Biffle. That is a trio of pretty damned impressive names, if you ask me. Simply put, the winner this weekend is not going to be Danica Patrick. If she does, then I suggest we start watching her more closely and with an entirely different perspective.

    A win at Kansas would do wonders for Stewart, who is sitting winless at 21st in the official standings. Clint Bowyer, Kasey Kahne, and Martin Truex Jr could use the boost, as they are all mired well beyond the 16th and final Chase place.

    As for determining simply the best this season, we leave the points untouched other than to reward a race winner 22 additional points. Wins and consistency both have value as we eliminate the need for gimmicks, such as the Chase. Kyle Busch remains out hottest on the year, though Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Joey Logano, and even the winless duo of Gordon and Kenseth are within 21 points of our leader after ten events. With the gap between first and second each week between 25 and 28 points, either of those latter two would vault to the front by just returning to Victory Lane this Saturday night.

     

    1.  Kyle Busch (1 win) 365 points
    2. Carl Edwards (1 win) 350
    3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.  (1 win) 350
    4. Joey Logano  (2 wins) 349
    5. Jeff Gordon 347
    6. Matt Kenseth  344
    7. Brad Keselowski (1 win) 316
    8. Denny Hamlin (1 win) 314
    9. Jimmie Johnson  304
    10. Kevin Harvick  (2 wins) 300
    11. Greg Biffle  300
    12. Ryan Newman  299
    13. Brian Vickers  297
    14. Kyle Larson  286
    15. Austin Dillon  281
    16. A.J. Allmendinger  279
    17. Marcos Ambrose  268
    18. Paul Menard  265
    19. Clint Bowyer  261
    20. Kasey Kahne  252

     

  • The Final Word – Talladega, right on the corner of bitter and sweet street

    The Final Word – Talladega, right on the corner of bitter and sweet street

    There are things in life that just irritate a person. There are calls for me to worry about man-made global warming when I got snow falling outside in the month of May. There are three hours of television devoted to a two-minute horse race. There are entertaining races from Talladega, with big names leading, big names wrecking, only to have the thing won by Denny Hamlin. Then there are times when you write your column, forgot to save the stupid thing, only to dump out of the word processor to lose it all. Yes, I am an irritated man.

    I am probably less irritated than, say, Tony Stewart. The only time we really saw his useless beast on Sunday was when it was on the hook being towed off the track after being mercifully taken out of action in 43rd place. Things are going better for me than they did for Brad Keselowski, who decided to squeeze into a place in front of Danica Patrick where there was no squeezing to be done to have his day ruined just 15 laps in. I wonder if Kurt Busch is happy, even though he had another less than stellar outing that ended like that of his boss. Finishing outside the Top 30 probably did not tickle the likes of Carl Edwards, Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, or Jeff Gordon, all of whom did make some noise before the sound of mashing metal entered their ears.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr is probably a touch peeved at being called in from the front to pit for fuel he did not need to wind up in the back in a position he could not return from. 26th was not what the script was supposed to read. Jimmie Johnson snapped loose early, and though he finished 23rd on the lead lap he was never a factor. He was one place behind Danica, who set a new gender standard at Talladega for her 22nd place result.

    Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer had to have been disappointed. The pair were set for a big run on the final lap to try and catch Hamlin, who was running on fumes, when Justin Allgaier got messed up just as the white flag came out. With a chunk of his bumper left on the track, the caution had to come out before the lads could attempt to make their run for glory.

    Yes, I am saving this version of my column as I go along. Why do you ask?

    So, I am happy, at least happier than I was before the words on my screen disappeared and the bad words came flying out of my mouth. Maybe not as happy as Landon Cassill, as his unsponsored white Hillman Racing Chevy finished the day in 11th. Kyle Larson probably sports a sweeter disposition after the 21 year old was ninth to make it five Top-Tens in 10 starts. Definitely not as happy as the fans at Talladega were when Danica led early, briefly, or when Junior did the same later, and longer. I am guessing that Denny Hamlin is probably happier than me, not that this does anything to perk up my own mood. With his 24th win in his 300th start, and a place in the Chase all but reserved despite missing a race earlier this season, I doubt Denny really gives a damn as to my current state of happiness.

    Kansas comes up this Saturday night, where Hamlin set the track record two years ago by wrapping up the day in just under three hours. Kenseth is happy there, having won two of the past three, while happy is something Harvick was after claiming the prize in the fall. Keselowski and Johnson split in 2011, and that should be cause for joy and even some hope. Meanwhile, this column is saved, and sent. Look at the big ole smile on this face.

    1   (1) Joey Logano 2 wins, 305 points
    2   (2) Kevin Harvick 2 wins, 258 points
    3   (4) Kyle Busch 1 win, 343 points
    4   (5) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 1 win, 328 points
    5   (3) Carl Edwards 1 win, 328 points
    6   (6) Brad Keselowski 1 win, 294 points
    7   (16) Denny Hamlin 1 win, 292 points
    8   (7) Kurt Busch 1 win, 196 points

    9   (8) Jeff Gordon 347 points
    10 (9) Matt Kenseth 344 points
    11 (10) Jimmie Johnson 304 points
    12 (13) Greg Biffle  300 points
    13 (11) Ryan Newman  299 points
    14 (12) Brian Vickers  297 points
    15 (15) Kyle Larson  286 points
    16 (14) Austin Dillon  281 points

    17 (19) A.J. Allmendinger  279
    18 (18) Marcos Ambrose  268
    19 (21) Paul Menard  265
    20 (22) Clint Bowyer  261
    21 (23) Kasey Kahne  252
    22 (17) Tony Stewart  244
    23 (24) Casey Mears  244
    24 (25) Aric Almirola  242
    25 (20) Jamie McMurray  241
    26 (26) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr.  218
    27 (27) Martin Truex, Jr.  209 27
    28 (28) Justin Allgaier  190
    29 (29) Danica Patrick  176
    30 (30) David Gilliland  152

     

     

  • The Hot 20 – Get hot in NASCAR and it costs you $25,000, in the NHL it is 2 minutes

    The Hot 20 – Get hot in NASCAR and it costs you $25,000, in the NHL it is 2 minutes

    A guy grabs you and pushes you around. The universally accepted response is a punch to the other guy’s head. My dad taught me that, and so I taught my sons. It is a simple case of cause and effect, you push to start a confrontation and a punch usually will end it. Personally, I might remember once where I was so involved.

    Casey Mears and Marcos Ambrose are not known for it. Neither are Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton, but it happens. Mears got $15,000 for shoving, Ambrose $25,000 for punching, and both got a month’s probation. In hockey, what they did was worthy of a two minute roughing penalty, but “have at it boys” seems to be much more genteel than we once thought. Genteel, as in free from rudeness or vulgarity. My favorite definition, though, is “marked by false delicacy, prudery, or affectation.” This is NASCAR. If what took place after the Richmond race is worthy of $40,000 in fines, Lord knows what a real donnybrook might be worth.

    Genteel is something no one has ever accused Juan Pablo Montoya as being. I remember his on-track discussion with Kevin Harvick at Watkins Glen back in 2007. Montoya has a Top Five to show for his first three starts back in IndyCar this season, and NASCAR fans get to see him back in a stock car soon enough. In June, he will drive for Penske at Michigan, and again in July in the Brickyard 400. I sure hope he acts like a gentleman. We would not want any of our sensitivities upset by any form of rudeness.

    Do you remember Dale Earnhardt’s last race and his one finger salute to rookie Kurt Busch? I guess the Intimidator was just being welcoming and couldn’t get those other four fingers through the window net.

    This is the year where wins mean damn near everything. It seems no one told Jeff Gordon, who remains the steadiest driver thus far in 2014 and he was not picked up a single victory as of yet. Heck, Matt Kenseth does not seem to be hurting as we head to Talladega, even though he also has not shaken the bubbly post-race. Even taking into account our extra 22 point bonus for winning (up to a max of 70 points for a win) both Gordon and Kenseth are doing just fine to remain among our top drivers of the season.

    Position – Points -Driver

    1. 341 Jeff Gordon
    2. 336 Joey Logano – 2 WINS
    3. 336 Matt Kenseth
    4. 335 Carl Edwards – 1 WIN
    5. 332 Kyle Busch – 1 WIN
    6. 331 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN
    7. 309 Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN
    8. 282 Jimmie Johnson
    9. 272 Ryan Newman
    10. 264 Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS
    11. 256 Greg Biffle
    12. 256 Brian Vickers
    13. 252 Austin Dillon
    14. 251 Kyle Larson
    15. 245 Denny Hamlin
    16. 243 Tony Stewart
    17. 242 Marcos Ambrose
    18. 240 A.J. Allmendinger
    19. 226 Jamie McMurray
    20. 226 Paul Menard
  • Expect Trend of Nail-biting Finishes to Continue at ‘Dega

    Expect Trend of Nail-biting Finishes to Continue at ‘Dega

    We are only a quarter of the way through the 2014 season and there have already been more memorable finishes than all of last year.

    At Daytona, Dale Earnhardt Jr. held off a hard charging Denny Hamlin to win his second Daytona 500. Two weeks later at Las Vegas, Brad Keselowski passed Earnhardt Jr. on the last lap to score the victory. At Auto Club, a green-white-checkered finish allowed Kyle Busch to go from third to first on the last lap and beat rookie Kyle Larson by just 0.214 seconds.

    The trend continued at tracks such at Martinsville, Texas, and Darlington. Last week at Richmond may have been the most edge-of-your-seat finish in 2014. In the closing laps, Jeff Gordon, Matt Kenseth, and Brad Keselowski battled hard while Joey Logano inconspicuously snuck past them all with only a few laps to go.

    The reason for all of these nail-biting finishes is due to two factors, late cautions and the new points system. Four of the nine races so far have been decided by a green-white-checkered finish and the longest final green flag run was still only 42 laps at Las Vegas. These late cautions set up shoot-out style finishes that create the fantastic finishes you see week after week.

    And since the new points system makes winning extremely important, drivers can be a lot more aggressive. Who cares if you crash? You can just try to win next week. That attitude will be turned up to 11 this week at Talladega, a track already known for its chaotic finishes. If this year’s Daytona 500 is any indication, pack racing is back.

    Allow me to paint the picture in your mind for you. It’s a green-white-checkered scenario at the biggest and baddest track NASCAR has to offer. The big names, Kenseth, Gordon, Junior and Keselowski are all up front, behind them are restrictor plate aces such as McMurray and dark horse David Ragan. The green flag waves and all bets are off. The first lap is somewhat orderly, yet it’s still three by three all the way through the lead pack.

    The white flag waves and the chaos begins. Drivers become more aggressive and bounce off each other. Restrictor plate experts Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon battle for the race lead and coming off turn four, a large wreck takes out multiple drivers. It’s the big one.

    Who wins? Probably whoever survives. That’s the kind of finish I expect to see at Talladega this Sunday. The ingredients are already there for an amazing finish and when you add the fact that winning means more than ever, you have the perfect recipe for the greatest finish of 2014. If you listen closely, you can hear a faint rumble in the background. That’s the calm before the impending storm.