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Tag: Paul Menard

  • Greg Erwin to make 350th Cup start as crew chief at Richmond

    Greg Erwin to make 350th Cup start as crew chief at Richmond

    A significant milestone is the making for Greg Erwin, a veteran crew chief who is atop the pit box of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford Mustang team driven by 2020 NASCAR Cup Series Playoff contender Matt DiBenedetto. When the green flag waves this upcoming race weekend at Richmond Raceway, Erwin will reach 350 Cup races as a crew chief.

    A native of Hatboro, Pennsylvania, Erwin graduated from Clemson University in 1992 with an engineering degree and he attained a motorsports engineering scholarship the following year in graduate school while volunteering to work with teams that included TriStar Motorsports. In 1995, his career in NASCAR started with Diamond Ridge Motorsports as an engineer while he worked with names like Jeff Green, Steve Grissom and Elliott Sadler. Following the 1995 season, Erwin transitioned to Team SABCO Racing as an engineer, where the team was eventually purchased and expanded by Chip Ganassi in 2001. In 2003, Erwin joined forces with Richard Childress Racing and worked as the team’s seven-post research and development program.

    Entering the 2005 NASCAR Cup Series season, Erwin was promoted to crew chief for Robby Gordon and the No. 7 Robby Gordon Motorsports Chevrolet team. Erwin and Gordon failed to qualify for the 2005 Daytona 500, but they made their first start of the season the following race at Fontana’s California Speedway in February, where Gordon finished 35th due to an engine failure. Erwin and Gordon competed in 23 races throughout the 2005 season, where Gordon achieved one top-five result and two top-10 results before he concluded the season in 37th place in the final standings. The following season, Erwin completed his first full-time season in the Cup Series with Gordon, where he achieved one top-five result and three top-10 results before he finished in 30th place in the final standings.

    For the first 12 races of the 2007 Cup season, Erwin remained with Robby Gordon and Gordon’s No. 7 team. Through the one-third segment of the season, Gordon finished no higher than 15th place. Afterwards, Erwin was named crew chief for the No. 16 Ford team owned by car owner Jack Roush and driven by Greg Biffle for the following race at Dover International Speedway in June. From Dover in June through Dover in September, Erwin and Biffle achieved two top-five results and six top-10 results, though Biffle failed to make the 2007 Playoffs. The following race at Kansas Speedway, Biffle was able to survive on fuel and coast across the finish line to achieve his first victory of the season as Erwin achieved his first Cup win as a crew chief. They went on to achieve two additional top-10 results and conclude the season in 14th place in the final standings.

    In 2008, Erwin served as Biffle’s crew chief in all but one of the entire 36-race schedule (Auto Club Speedway in February). Following a consistent 26-race regular-season stretch, they achieved their first victory of the season at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, the first Playoff race of the season. They backed it up the following week by winning at Dover. Overall, Erwin achieved two victories, two poles, 12 top-five results and 17 top-10 results with Biffle, who concluded the season in third place in the final standings. Prior to the conclusion of the 2008 Cup season, Erwin surpassed 100 Cup races as a crew chief.

    In 2009, Biffle and Erwin went winless, but they achieved 10 top-five results and 16 top-10 results as Biffle made the Playoffs and concluded the season in seventh place in the final standings. They rebounded the following season by recording two wins, nine top-five results and 19 top-10 results, with Biffle finishing the season in sixth place in the final standings. Following the 2010 season, Erwin surpassed 200 Cup races as a crew chief.

    For the first half of the 2011 Cup season, Erwin remained as Biffle’s crew chief in the Cup circuit, but they only achieved one top-five result and five top-10 results. Following Kentucky Speedway in July, Erwin was replaced by Matt Puccia as Biffle’s crew chief for the remainder of the season. Fortunately, Erwin was then named crew chief for the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford team driven by A.J. Allmendinger for the remainder of the season. In Erwin’s first race with the team at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Allmendinger finished 22nd. Erwin and Allmendinger went on to record six top-10 results for the remainder of the season as Allmendinger finished in 15th place in the final standings.

    Erwin remained as crew chief for the No. 43 Richard Petty Motorsports Ford team piloted by Aric Almirola. Following the first nine Cup races with Almirola, where he only achieved one top-10 result, Erwin, however, was replaced by veteran Mike Ford.

    For the 2013 season, Erwin was named a full-time crew chief for Penske’s No. 12 Ford Mustang team driven by Sam Hornish Jr. in the NASCAR Xfinity Series as Hornish competed for the series title. Erwin and Hornish made a one-race appearance in the Cup Series at Kansas in April, where Hornish finished 37th due to being involved in a late multi-car accident. Erwin and Hornish went on to finish in second place in the final Xfinity Series standings as they missed the title by three points to Austin Dillon, crew chief Danny Stockton and Richard Childress Racing.

    In 2014, Erwin was named competition director for Team Penske’s Xfinity Series program. Throughout the season, he served as a Cup interim crew chief for Brad Keselowski at Phoenix in March and he worked with Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 12 Ford team in two Cup races. He spent the 2015 season as an Xfinity crew chief for Penske’s No. 22 Ford Mustang team, where he notched seven victories and recorded Penske’s third consecutive owner’s title with Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano and Alex Tagliani piloting the No. 22 car throughout the season. The following season, he was named Penske’s Xfinity Series team manager while Brian Wilson served as the No. 22 team’s crew chief. He returned as crew chief for Penske’s No. 22 Ford team in the 2017 Xfinity season.

    In August 2017, Erwin was named crew chief for the No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford team and Paul Menard for the 2018 Cup season. In Erwin’s first race with Menard, the combo finished in sixth place in the 2018 Daytona 500 in February. Ultimately, they achieved one pole, one top-five result and seven top-10 results throughout the 36-race schedule as Menard finished in 19th place in the final standings.

    The following season, Erwin and Menard achieved only four top-10 results as Menard concluded his second season with the Wood Brothers Racing in 19th place in the final standings. Earlier in the season, Menard dominated and was in race-winning position in the Clash at Daytona International Speedway in February until contact from eventual winner Jimmie Johnson knocked Menard out of contention as he was involved in a multi-car accident. Following the 2019 season, Erwin surpassed 300 starts as a Cup crew chief.

    This season, Erwin remained as a crew chief for the Wood Brothers Racing team and driver Matt DiBenedetto, who joined the team following Menard’s departure from full-time racing. In Erwin’s first race with DiBenedetto, the combo finished 19th in the 2020 Daytona 500. The following race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, DiBenedetto made a late rally to finish in second place behind Joey Logano. Throughout the 26-race regular-season stretch, DiBenedetto achieved two top-five results and seven top-10 results. After finishing in 12th place at Daytona International Speedway in August, DiBenedetto claimed the 16th and final transfer spot to the 2020 Cup Playoffs. DiBenedetto’s accomplishment marked his first Cup postseason appearance as a title contender, Erwin’s third as a title contender and the Wood Brothers Racing’s second as a Playoff team.

    Erwin and DiBenedetto are coming off a 21st-place result in the first Playoff race of this season at Darlington Raceway. They are ranked in 15th place in the Playoff standings and are 17 points below the top-12 cutline to advance to the second round of the 2020 Cup Playoffs.

    Catch crew chief Greg Erwin’s milestone start at Richmond Raceway on Saturday, September 12, at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBCSN.

  • Menard’s retirement to become Matt DiBenedetto’s new opportunity in 2020

    Menard’s retirement to become Matt DiBenedetto’s new opportunity in 2020

    An unexpected turn of events finds one driver’s retirement becoming another racers dream come true. Earlier today the Wood Brothers Racing organization announced that Paul Menard would be retiring from full-time racing in 2020, opening the door for the undaunted Matt DiBenedetto to take over the No. 21 Ford in the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series.

    “I’ve enjoyed every moment of my career racing in the NASCAR Cup Series,” Menard said, “And I’m so thankful for all the great memories and friendships I’ve made through this sport. But I’m looking forward to spending more time at home with my wife, Jennifer, and our two young children while moving forward with the next chapter of my life. I’m excited for what the future holds and I’m looking forward to sharing the plans for 2020 and beyond in the coming weeks.”

    Menard joined the legendary organization in 2018 after Ryan Blaney moved to Team Penske, earning one pole and 11 top-10 finishes since his move from Richard Childress Racing. The 39-year-old has just one victory under his belt but considering his family history, it was quite the crown jewel celebration – the 2011 Brickyard 400.

    “We want to thank Paul Menard for his dedication to the team over the last two seasons. We’re looking forward to a strong finish to 2019 and we wish him nothing but the best for the future,” said team President and Co-Owner Eddie Wood. “All of us at Wood Brothers Racing are excited to welcome Matt DiBenedetto to the team beginning next season. Matt has shown a lot of promise on track and everyone has seen it in his results this season, especially over the past several months. We want to continue to build on that success together as we gear up for 2020 and the future of Wood Brothers Racing.”

    While some wait to see what Menard’s potential racing plans are for the coming years, the focus quickly turned to DiBenedetto as it was announced in the same press release that he would be taking over the reins next season. If you’ve followed his journey from his start with BK Racing, you’ll know DiBenedetto’s ladder has been much different to climb compared to others throughout the sport.

    “I am so excited about this opportunity to race for one of the most successful teams in NASCAR history beginning in 2020,” said DiBenedetto. “The No. 21 Ford is one of the most accomplished and iconic cars in our sport and it will be an honor to join Wood Brothers Racing and help carry on the team’s tradition of success in NASCAR. I want to thank Eddie and Len Wood, Kim Wood Hall, Menards, Edsel Ford and Ford Motor Company for this opportunity.”

    Currently, DiBenedetto drives for the No. 95 Toyota with Leavine Family Racing. Earlier this season, it was announced that he would not return to the team at the end of this year. However, his on-track grit yet humble approach has not only earned him many fans, but it’s also earned him respect throughout the garage. DiBenedetto has shared multiple times that he is here to win, he doesn’t want to quit or back down, and that he’s “here to stay.” 

    To put this into perspective, he currently has three top-five finishes this year in the No. 95 at arguably some of the toughest circuits on the schedule, including a runner-up finish at Bristol Motor Speedway in which he led 93 laps until Denny Hamlin passed him in the closing laps for the win. DiBenedetto followed that performance with an eighth-place result at Darlington Raceway. Back in June, he fought his way to his first career top-five finish at Sonoma Raceway, then finished sixth at the second road course of Watkins Glen International.

    All of this was done with a team that didn’t have the resources the top teams do.

    “I’ve fought and clawed my way to get where I am,” shared an emotional DiBenedetto with FOX Sports after his first career top-five earlier this season at Sonoma Raceway.

    And with DiBenedetto’s close victory at Bristol, he made a statement in that race that drew the attention of an entire motorsports industry.

    “I’m so sad we didn’t win, but proud, proud of the effort,” said DiBenedetto after the night race at Bristol, just after it was announced he would not return to the No. 95 car after the end of the 2019 season. “I am so thankful everyone on this team gave me this opportunity – all of our sponsors, ProCore, Dumont Jet, Anest Iwata spray equipment, Toyota for backing me this year, everybody at Leavine Family Racing.

    “I want to try not to get emotional, but it’s been a tough week and I want to stick around and I want to win. That’s all I want to do is win in the Cup Series and we were close. It’s so hard to be that close, but it’s neat to race door-to-door with Denny Hamlin, someone who I’ve been a fan of since I was a kid. It’s amazing. Great day, but this one is going to hurt for sure.

    “I just want to stick around. I’m not done yet. Something will come open. It’s going to happen.”

    Tuesday unveiled that he will be sticking around.

  • Christopher Bell wins at New Hampshire

    Christopher Bell wins at New Hampshire

    In dominant fashion, Christopher Bell did what he has done for most of the season, ending the race in victory lane.

    “I just had a really good race car,” Bell told NBCSN. “This track’s been really good to us and our team.”

    Bell led 186 of the 200 laps at New Hampshire Motor Speedway en route to his fifth victory of the season and the second at New Hampshire.

    Cole Custer finished second, followed by Justin Allgaier, Tyler Reddick and Paul Menard rounding out the top five.

    Stage 1:

    Custer started on the pole but was quickly taken by Bell on Lap 2 into Turn 1. Bell led all the way until 10 to go in the stage when the No. 23 of John Hunter Nemechek lost his brakes and got into the wall. His day was quickly over, not the result that he was looking for at New Hampshire.

    With under 10 to go in the stage during this caution, teams chose to select some different strategies. The leaders came in but Ryan Sieg and Brandon Jones, among others, stayed out in the hope that either a caution would come out close to the stage ending or they could hold on for some stage points.

    That hopefulness worked as Jones ended up winning the stage with Bell, Reddick, Sieg and Allgaier rounding out the top five.

    Stage 2:

    Stage two continued with Reddick and Bell side by side with the Oklahoma native getting the advantage. Allgaier was able to get up to second but was unable to get past Bell for the stage win.

    Custer ended up in third with Reddick and Menard rounding out the top five. With the stage going green the entire way, only 20 cars remained on the lead lap.

    Final Stage:

    Bell and Allgaier came in one and two and came out of pit lane, one and two, as they restarted the third and final stage.

    Bell started out with the lead and pulled away from the field fairly easily. Allgaier wasn’t so lucky as he battled Custer for second and eventually lost the spot to Custer. It stayed like that until Lap 141 when the yellow waved for what was a debris caution. The lap before, the No. 9 of Noah Gragson, tagged the wall and was quickly losing positions after battling for a top 10 spot.

    They went back under green but for the first time this afternoon, the beating and banging was evident. It started when Gragson got into with Austin Cindric. Cindric continued battling, this time with the No. 8 of Ryan Truex.

    While that was going the No. 18 of Harrison Burton was battling with Menard until Menard had enough and turned Burton heading into Turn 1 on Lap 153. Menard said on the radio that, “He needs to race me clean. He hit me twice.” Burton went on to finish 29th.

    The race went back green once again with 42 laps to go and like most of the day, Bell started from the front and pulled away once the green was in the air. However, unlike the previous caution, it was Custer who was chasing down Bell and not Allgaier. Custer was making ground for a little bit but in the end, Bell was too much for him and ended up in victory lane.

    Next up for the Xfinity Series? Their second trip to Iowa where Christopher Bell won earlier this year.

  • Menard overcomes early setback to finish 16th at Talladega

    Menard overcomes early setback to finish 16th at Talladega

    Paul Menard and his No. 21 Quick Lane team spent most of Sunday’s GEICO 500 at the Talladega Superspeedway battling back from damage to the nose of the No. 21 Mustang from a chain-reaction fender bender during a Lap 10 crash. The Quick Lane crew used numerous pit stops to repair the damage, and when the laps wound down, Menard found himself back up to speed and squarely in the middle of the race for the win.

    With 30 of 188 laps remaining Menard made his strongest charge of the day, drafting his way to as high as second place on Lap 170.

    He was sixth in line for a restart with four laps to go but wound up getting stuck behind Kyle Busch, who was slow getting up to speed on the restart.

    With no room to get around Busch, Menard fell to the back of the lead pack but had worked his way back to 16th place when the caution flag flew for a multi-car crash on the backstretch, freezing the field at that point.

    Eddie Wood said he was proud of the way that Menard, crew chief Greg Erwin and the over-the-wall crew responded to the early set-back.

    “They made adjustments on the chassis to compensate for the damage to the nose of the car, but that wasn’t a long-term fix because it adversely affected the handling of the car,” Wood said. “Greg and the crew used nearly every pit stop after that to get the car fixed. Between the repairs and adjustments to the chassis, by the end of the race, the car was good to go.”

    Wood also expressed praise for Menard, who had to start from the rear each time the crew used extra time on pit road to work on the car but still drove his way back to the top 10, and did so under stressful conditions.

    “Driving 200 miles per hour for 500 miles is commendable for Paul and for all the drivers out there,” Wood said. “We didn’t quite get the finish that Paul and the team deserved but I’m very happy with all their efforts.”

    Menard and the No. 21 team will return to the track next week at Dover International Speedway.

    About Motorcraft

    Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

    About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers

    Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

    About Ford Motor Company
    Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

    Wood Brothers Racing

    Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.

  • Martinsville Weekend A Memorable One For The Wood Brothers

    Martinsville Weekend A Memorable One For The Wood Brothers

    A most memorable weekend of racing at Martinsville Speedway for the Wood Brothers and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team ended Sunday afternoon with a 15th-place finish by Paul Menard in the team’s No. 21 Ford Mustang.

    With the return of NASCAR to Martinsville for the first time since the passing of team founder Glenn Wood, the racing community paid its respects to Wood, who died Jan. 18 at the age of 93.

    On Friday, more than 1,000 friends, family members, fans and NASCAR personalities gathered at the Wood Brothers Museum in Stuart, Va., for a Tribute to Glenn Wood.

    On Sunday, prior to the start of the STP 500, Clay Campbell announced that they were renaming the Turn One Tower the Glenn Wood Tower.

    When the cars lined up for the start of Sunday’s 500-lap race, Glenn Wood’s “Backseater” Modified racer paced the field with his brother Leonard Wood at the wheel.

    When the green flag dropped, it was back to business for Menard and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team. Menard started the race from 14th place, moving up one spot in the line-up after William Byron’s car failed a post-qualifying inspection on Sunday morning.

    Menard held his own throughout the first 130-lap Stage, ending that segment in 18th position. Stage Two played out in much the same fashion as Menard finished that run in 17th place.

    The final run to the checkered flag saw him gain two spots to 15th place.

    Eddie Wood said his driver, team and crew turned in a commendable performance in a highly competitive race.

    “It was a solid day for everyone,” he said, adding that Menard, crew chief Greg Erwin and the pit crew all had mistake-free days. “We stayed on the lead lap all day, and there were no flukes. It was one of those races where you put on four tires every stop and run as hard as you can until the next stop.”

    Wood also offered his congratulations to race winner Brad Keselowski and his No. 2 crew from Team Penske.

    “I’ve been coming to Martinsville for years, and I can’t remember, at least in recent times, anyone dominating a race like they did. They put a whipping on everyone.”

    Wood said that as he and his family reflect back on the weekend tributes to their father, they realize just how much their NASCAR family means to them.

    “I’d like to begin by thanking Mike Helton and the people from NASCAR and the NASCAR Hall of Fame for organizing the tribute to our dad on Friday,” he said. “And we’d especially like to thank our friends and fans who came to be with us, share their memories, and make that day one we will never forget.”

    He said the naming of the grandstand at Martinsville came as a surprise and was probably more fitting than even Martinsville officials knew at the time the decision was made.

    “When Len and I used to come to the Modified and Sportsman races years ago, that’s exactly where we sat,” he said. “And it means so much to know that the only other people to have grandstands at Martinsville named for them are Bill France, Clay Earles and Richard Petty.

    “In the future, whenever I buy a grandstand ticket for Martinsville Speedway that’s where it’s going to be.”

    Menard and the Motorcraft/Quick Lane team will return to the track next weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

    About Motorcraft

    Motorcraft® offers a complete line of replacement parts that are recommended and approved by Ford Motor Company. From routine maintenance to under-hood repairs, Motorcraft parts offer exceptional value with the highest quality and right fit at competitive prices. Motorcraft parts are available nationwide at Ford and Lincoln dealers, independent distributors and automotive parts retailers are backed by Ford Motor Company’s two-year, unlimited-miles Service Parts Limited Warranty. Ask for Motorcraft by name when you visit your local auto parts store or your favorite service facility. For more information, visit www.motorcraft.com.

    About Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers

    Ford’s Quick Lane Tire & Auto Center offers routine vehicle maintenance such as oil and filter changes, light repair services including brake repair, and tire replacements on all vehicle makes and models. With more than 800 locations and growing, customers can visit www.quicklane.com to find a center that is closest to them, print savings coupons and review maintenance tips to keep their vehicles running at peak efficiency. This site includes information on how to spot tire wear, how to jump-start a battery and even a series of tips to improve a vehicle’s fuel economy.

    About Ford Motor Company
    Ford Motor Company is a global company based in Dearborn, Michigan. The company designs, manufactures, markets and services a full line of Ford cars, trucks, SUVs, electrified vehicles and Lincoln luxury vehicles, provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company and is pursuing leadership positions in electrification, autonomous vehicles and mobility solutions. Ford employs approximately 200,000 people worldwide. For more information regarding Ford, its products and Ford Motor Credit Company, please visit www.corporate.ford.com.

    Wood Brothers Racing

    Wood Brothers Racing was formed in 1950 in Stuart, Va., by Hall of Famer Glen Wood. Wood Brothers Racing is the oldest active team and one of the winningest teams in NASCAR history. Since its founding, the team won 99 races (including at least one race in every decade for the last seven decades) and 120 poles in NASCAR’s top-tier series. Fielding only Ford products for its entire history, the Wood Brothers own the longest association of any motorsports team with a single manufacturer. Glen’s brother, Leonard, is known for inventing the modern pit stop. The team currently runs the Ford Mustang driven by Paul Menard in the famous No. 21 racer.

  • Johnson’s Clash Performance Doesn’t Warrant Criticism

    Johnson’s Clash Performance Doesn’t Warrant Criticism

    Following his elimination in a big crash at the end of Sunday’s Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona, Paul Menard’s comments seemed to sum up the most common criticism of Jimmie Johnson’s NASCAR career:

    “Jimmie does that a lot.”

    It’s safe to say Menard’s frustration is warranted, as contact with Johnson is what sent his dominant No. 21 Mustang around in a cloud of smoke and twisted metal. It is also a valid point that Johnson’s aggressiveness has caused more than a few crashes at Daytona and Talladega. It is also a given that following these comments, the NASCAR community took to social media to voice their criticism of Johnson’s actions (as was expected).

    But despite all of that, Johnson’s aggressiveness on Sunday doesn’t warrant the criticism he’s been receiving. If anything, it warrants understanding, especially when it’s considered that he spent all of 2018 out of the Winner’s Circle. It also warrants understanding that he drove the way he did in order to validate his new pairing with crew chief Kevin Meendering, especially when his long-time crew chief, the one he earned the majority of his successes with, was shifted over to the under-performing No. 24 team.

    Menard has every right to be mad. He was not only leading but dominating at Daytona, and even though it was a non-points event Menard is not someone who has visited Victory Lane very often (Three XFINITY Series wins and one MENCS win). It would have been a great morale booster for a team that along with recovering from a personal tragedy, has not set the circuit on fire. Also worth noting is that a win during Daytona Speedweeks is a great confidence booster leading into the Daytona 500.

    Instead, all it took was the No. 48 and the No. 21 getting sucked together during an aggressive move for all hell to break loose. But that’s okay. It’s a racing accident. Johnson isn’t a nefarious Dick Dastardly character, stroking his gray-streaked facial hair and uttering his evil cackle while plotting his next carnage-inducing move on the NASCAR garage. He’s a race car driver who tries to win races, and Sunday’s Clash was a chance to prove that he’s still got what it takes. Lo and behold, he does.

    What would have been the point of the single-file racing we had been seeing up to the critical moment? Time after time at Talladega and Daytona, the fans as well as the garage are robbed because nobody ever makes a move at those tracks. The cars go lap after lap in a constant freight train, afraid to make a move or pass one another, content with riding around and earning a spot that doesn’t land them a win. This is an attitude that for some dumb reason has made it’s way into the non-points paying Clash, a race that’s supposed to be for fun and for the fans.

    Johnson’s move, while aggressive, was a necessary evil. From a racer’s standpoint, it is what needed to be done. He didn’t set out to wreck Menard. He set out to do what he was paid to do – win races. Could it have been done without contact? Yes. But at this point in time, the contact is secondary. The wreck could have easily been caused by a number of other drivers, so to blame Johnson for his aggressiveness is moot.

    Instead, call it for what it really was: Racing.

  • Hot 20 of the NASCAR season that was

    Hot 20 of the NASCAR season that was

    Another season has come and gone, along with a few more drivers and fans, to be honest. However, there are some things I have noticed that are on the positive side, though not all would agree.

    I like stage racing. I was not sure to start with, but I like it now. It helps chronicle who mattered early and it informs us as to who mattered throughout. It even tells us who won, and it rewards that winner is a meaningful way.

    As a traditionalist, I was dead set against the playoffs. I have changed my mind. Logically, it makes no sense to have the pretenders still on the same competitive field as the contenders. Yet, it has not much affected the action, other than for one understandably upset Matt Kenseth. In this snowflake influenced world of ours, sometimes vengeance can still be had.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not missed on the track due to his excellence in the NBC broadcast booth alongside Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and a very stout track-side team. They were entertaining, informative, and sounded like they were excited being there. That is all it takes, but it took a long, long time for some to figure that out. I am not sure FOX has yet.

    NASCAR boss man Brian France left the scene in August after being tagged with charges of aggravated driving while intoxicated and criminal possession of a controlled substance. Replaced by his uncle, I think most think that was a positive step. At least Jim France bothers to show up at the track every week.

    The France family is looking to fold its 13 track International Speedway Corp., which includes Darlington, Daytona, Martinsville and Talladega, into a merger with NASCAR itself. One can speculate as to the reasons, be it to lay out “a more unified strategic approach”, as Jim France says, or to package it all up for sale. Time will tell.

    Sometime over the past decade, the “How bad have you got it” mantra went out the window, along with the fans they were asking. Most of the races this season had a dip in ratings, with at least 26 being seen as having their worst of the past decade, if not of all time. Most of the celebrities are gone, we produce fewer gear heads these days, and the good ole boys and girls like Bo, Luke, and Daisy have been replaced in society by those who know more about tissues than issues.

    It appears Jamie McMurray is leaving the driver’s seat, at least on a full-time basis. Kurt Busch could be his replacement with Chip Ganassi. Kenseth is set to step back from even doing that after spelling off Trevor Bayne. Ryan Newman will take their place at Roush-Fenway, with newcomer Daniel Hemric taking his former ride with Richard Childress. Furniture Row is now gone, as Martin Truex Jr. heads over to Joe Gibbs, bumping Daniel Suarez possibly over to replace the elder Busch at Stewart-Haas. A.J. Allmendinger will be without a ride, giving up his seat to rookie Ryan Preece. Kasey Kahne has called it a career, and the 17-year combination of Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus comes to an end.

    Changes. Some we like, some we will not, at least to start with. Will fans come back in droves? Nope. Why should they? Give them a reason, give them entertainment, give them a reason to care.

    All they have to do is figure out what that is. Over the course of the past decade, they have not.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 5040 POINTS (3 Wins)
    This is not “fake news.” Logano is a deserving, even if not an overly popular, champion.

    2. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 5035 POINTS (4 Wins)
    If we could ignore the facts for our own biases…but we can not. Now he is off to join the Coach.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 5034 POINTS (8 Wins)
    If he could win all those he dominated for a period of time, he would have gone double figures.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 5033 POINTS (8 Wins)
    Great seasons can be spoiled by the uncertainty of a playoff. Case in point…

    5. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2354 POINTS (1 Win)
    Not everyone is moving on. Then again, he was one of those movers not so long ago.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2350 POINTS (3 Wins)
    The future of Hendrick has already arrived.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 2350 POINTS (1 Win)
    If he wants to race Indy, his rumored new boss might have a few options open to him.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2343 POINTS (3 Wins)
    “I’m going to say it again. I did not intentionally spin out that driver, Mr. Suarez.”

    9. KYLE LARSON – 2299 POINTS
    If your business is named “Hi-Line”, I have a marketing opportunity for you.

    10. RYAN BLANEY – 2298 POINTS (1 Win)
    Like Chase, he is one of the positives NASCAR can showcase for the future.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2285 POINTS
    As with Johnson, a years-long streak of wins in a season comes to an end.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 2272 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Light-hearted and funny. Plus, if you ever find yourself in a ditch, he has connections.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2245 POINTS (1 Win)
    That win was nice, but the iconic number was not so iconic after Daytona.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2242 POINTS
    The marriage with Chad lasted longer than a vast majority of Hollywood relationships.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2220 POINTS (1 Win)
    At 22, That Jones Boy is making Joe Gibbs feel pretty good about the future.

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2204 POINTS
    Driving a car once driven by an Earnhardt is not an easy act to follow.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 769 POINTS
    Off to become one of the guys over at the House that Jack built. Maybe even his bodyguard.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 701 POINTS
    After five years, the storyline changed in 2018, along with a downturn in performance

    19. PAUL MENARD – 692 POINTS
    Will be around as long as a certain home improvement company markets its wares on a stock car.

    20. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 683 POINTS
    If this marks the end of the line, he finishes it up among those who mattered.

  • Hot 20 – At win at Homestead could move one of the boys closer to legendary status

    Hot 20 – At win at Homestead could move one of the boys closer to legendary status

    Legends are rare. Many get an honorary title, no doubt stars in their own right at one time long ago or a pioneer of some description. However, to be a true legend, an icon, it takes a lot to make the grade. In NASCAR, David Pearson was an undisputed legendary driver, one of the best all-time, a true giant of the sport.

    The Silver Fox passed away this week at the age of 83. His 105 career Cup victories have him placed only behind the 200 accumulated by the King, Richard Petty. Sixty-three times the pair finished one-two on the track, an amazing statistic showcasing what is unarguably the greatest rivalry in the sport. It stretched from the 1963 Sandlapper 200 in Columbia, South Carolina through to the 1977 World 600.

    Pearson’s career covered the years of 1960 through to his final start in 1986, yet he managed to race in more than half the schedule just a dozen times. Running 90 percent of the schedule? Just thrice. That does not even include his 1966 championship year, one of his three titles, when he won 15, competed in 42, skipped out on seven others. In 1973, he won 11 of the 18 he competed in. While Petty drove in everything, Pearson drove when he wanted. It appears that when he wanted, he wanted to win. Pearson’s first victory was the 1961 World 600. His last was Darlington’s Rebel 500 in 1980, one of the nine he competed in that season. In total, 574 starts, 105 wins.

    David Pearson is truly among NASCAR’s racing gods residing atop its Mount Olympus. Truth be told, he has had a reservation up there for a very long time.

    At Homestead, one of four hope to add to their own legacy, to maybe establish themselves as one of the sport’s future legends.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 5000 POINTS (8 Wins – 1388 Season Points)
    Will the best on the season be the championship winner?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 5000 POINTS (8 Wins – 1333 Season Points)
    Back in the old days, this championship would have already been decided.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 5000 POINTS (4 Wins – 1212 Season Points)
    One final race for the boys and girls from Colorado.

    4. JOEY LOGANO – 5000 POINTS (2 Wins – 1192 Season Points)
    Believes he is the favorite going in. All he has to do now is prove it.

    5. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2320 POINTS (3 Wins)
    With one shot, Denny managed to burst the bubble of not one, but two rivals.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 2318 POINTS (1 Win)
    Too much gas cost him the lead, too much Hamlin kept him from taking it back.

    7. ARIC ALMIROLA – 2316 POINTS (1 Win)
    For a moment he must have believed, but the hamster under the hood was not big enough.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2309 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Penske teams are out…but they won’t let themselves be forgotten.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2278 POINTS (1 Win)
    In fact, no one would be terribly surprised if either Brad or Ryan wins this weekend.

    10. KYLE LARSON – 2256 POINTS
    Too late for this year, but he keeps reminding us that there is more than one Kyle out there.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2252 POINTS
    His final shot to keep his yearly win streak alive, and he can not be counted out.

    12. CLINT BOWYER – 2242 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Went from rating among the top eight to hanging on as a member of the dirty dozen.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2219 POINTS (1 Win)
    Might not win this one, but he has done well in the next one.

    14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2217 POINTS
    The beginning of the end or just a blip on the radar?

    15. ERIK JONES – 2207 POINTS (1 Win)
    NASCAR has two guys with the same name, kind of. Is there room for an Eric one day?

    16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2196 POINTS
    Though he has done well, he still hasn’t made us forgot the name of the guy he replaced.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 747 POINTS
    No playoff run this year, but he still is the Hot Dog Eating Champion in four states.

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 680 POINTS
    If you thought he was fired up at Phoenix, you should have seen his car.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 680 POINTS
    Last week at Phoenix he reminded me of the Arizona Cardinals. 29th place.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 667 POINTS
    McMurray is just three points back. Neither has a ride for next season.

  • Hot 20 – Smokey just tagged the Bandit to make Phoenix a lot more interesting

    Hot 20 – Smokey just tagged the Bandit to make Phoenix a lot more interesting

    If NASCAR was a certain 1977 hit movie, you could say that Sheriff Buford T. Justice finally got his hands on the Bandit. It might not have derailed the adventure, but there is a danger the Snowman might not be able to deliver that truckload of suds to their destination on time.

    That quest could be spoiled by spoilers. Specifically, NASCAR tagged the team of Kevin Harvick with a top drawer penalty violating the rules that explicitly points out that spoilers must be used exactly as supplied from the manufacturer and not altered. Instead of getting that free pass to contend at Homestead, the boys are just three points in.

    Gone are all the benefits of the win at Texas. No free pass, though Harvick does keep the guns and the hat. Gone are 40 of the sixty points he picked up in that race. Gone is crew chief Rodney Childers for the rest of the season. Gone is $75,000 from Childers’ pocket. Gone is car chief Robert Smith until the campaign is over. Stewart-Haas Racing will not appeal the penalties, as production manager Tony Gibson returns to the box he last sat atop a year ago, when he directed Kurt Busch to the 2017 Daytona 500 victory. With the decision, Busch now finds himself just three points out of the Homestead final four.

    Post-race tear downs at the NASCAR Research and Development Center can be a real bitch. Ryan Blaney lost 20 points from Texas, along with crew chief Jeremy Bullins, who was fined $50,000, and car chief Kirk Almquist for the rest of the season. Same goes for Erik Jones, as crew chief Chris Gayle coughs up the same amount of cash and he joins car chief Jason Overstreet on the sidelines until the smoke clears in Florida.

    Of course, neither of those rulings have anywhere close to the same impact as the hit taken by the No. 4 crew. It could all still end the same way most expect, with Logano joined by the Big Three at the big dance. Now, however, it will take a little more action before this movie runs the final credits.

    In the words of Sheriff Justice, “What we’re dealing with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.” Well, message delivered.

    Now it is time for the Bandit to keep his foot hard on the peddle, son, never mind them brakes. Let it all hang out ’cause you’ve got a run to make. Phoenix just got a lot more interesting.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – ROUND VICTORY – 4119 Pts (7 Wins)
    Shell Pennzoil is his Phoenix sponsor. At Homestead, maybe it should be Target.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4128 POINTS (7 Wins)
    Nothing has changed for him, other than there are now three opens spots instead of just two.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4125 POINTS (4 Wins)
    Do not expect him to go down this week without having vengeance in his heart for the next.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4103 Pts (8 Wins)
    A nine-time Phoenix winner suddenly could sure use a 10th about now.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 4100 POINTS (1 Win)
    Would hate to break his brother’s heart but as for those other two…

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4086 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Phoenix has been kind to him in the past. She needs to be downright romantic on Sunday.

    7. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4068 POINTS (1 Win)
    His schedule reads, “Win this week or destroy Logano next week.” Not sure about the word “or.”

    8. CLINT BOWYER – 4052 POINTS (2 Wins)
    If anyone needed a tinkered spoiler last week, it was him.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2263 POINTS (1 Win)
    I am not sure if being in danger of dropping to 10th in the standings is that big a deal.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2259 POINTS (3 Wins)
    The Miller Lite Ford will look a lot like a giant pysanka this weekend.

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2220 POINTS
    Well, Texas sure sucked.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2211 POINTS
    Tires. If Fred Flintstone ran Goodyear things might have gone differently.

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2195 POINTS
    Sometimes Jimmie screws up. Sometimes it is Chad. In Texas, it was all NASCAR.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 2187 POINTS
    A Tucson boy returns to Arizona.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2184 POINTS (1 Win)
    He probably would prefer to lose those 20 points rather than $50,000.

    16. AUSTIN DILLON – 2184 POINTS (1 Win)
    The winless streak has now reached 34.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 721 POINTS
    Are we done yet?

    18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 676 POINTS
    You could say that Stenhouse was in the eighth fastest unpenalized car at Texas.

    19. PAUL MENARD – 672 POINTS
    Does not exactly have the biggest social media footprint.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 666 POINTS
    Still nothing set for 2019.

  • Hot 20 – For some it comes down to a Texas sized win or hoping for a Big Three free fall

    Hot 20 – For some it comes down to a Texas sized win or hoping for a Big Three free fall

    We have our Big Four. Finally. Joey Logano will join Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Martin Truex Jr. racing for the championship at Homestead. That is, unless someone takes one of those spots away either this weekend or next. To be frank (and who wouldn’t want to be Frank?), unless one of the latter trio decides to give it away, one of those four boys below them in the standings is in adios country without a victory.

    Texas will be the first of just two opportunities to do just that. Based on past history, Chase Elliott might have a shot. No wins, but four Top Tens in five attempts must mean something. Busch has won three, Harvick one, while Truex might be winless but like Elliott, he shows up to be one of the best on race day. The sibling, Kurt Busch, can be a threat and even has a win on the track. Maybe it is his time to rise and shine in Texas. Maybe. Clint Bowyer is decent there, but he will need to be more than just a pretty face on Sunday coming in with just three Top Fives in 25 outings. As for Aric Almirola, forget about it. That is not happening.

    Maybe none of the principles will win on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson has seven wins on that track. Does the team of Jimmie and Chad have one more magic moment left between them? Denny Hamlin is another driver hoping to keep a yearly win string going, and the two-time Texas troubadour has been strong lately.

    Not that any among our Big Four would mind too terribly if Texas was taken by one of those boys. Just as long as they are close and the pretenders are far behind coming to the checkered flag. That would give them all a Yosemite Sam-like moment for celebration.

    Now, who wants a set of six-guns?

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 1 ROUND WIN (4074 Pts, 2 Wins)
    Will he find a championship at Homestead or a Truex inspired heartbreak?

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4104 POINTS (7 Wins)
    Just needs a really good day at Texas, not even a great one, to get his ticket punched.

    3. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4083 POINTS (4 Wins)
    Do not allow the guy you are racing to do the hitting…do the hitting yourself.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 4083 POINTS (7 Wins)
    When Newman started driving his car as wide as his neck, Harvick could not find room past him.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 4058 POINTS (1 Win)
    Needs to drive Sunday like it is 2009.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4052 POINTS (3 Wins)
    Prior to Watkins Glen, he had not won anywhere. Why not add Texas to his newly growing list?

    7. CLINT BOWYER – 4041 POINTS (2 Wins)
    Might not have dressed like Rowdy for Halloween, but driving like him at Texas isn’t a bad idea.

    8. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4033 POINTS (1 Win)
    A win. Anything less is just losing at this point.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2232 POINTS (1 Win)
    Popular driver with a popular NASCAR sanctioned podcast.

    10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2227 POINTS (3 Wins)
    One unsecured lug nut and Paul Wolfe is $10,000 lighter. As for the tire changer…

    11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2213 POINTS
    Was wishing Logano and Truex would have hit a lot harder last week.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2179 POINTS
    Has Larson replaced Danica and Jeff Gordon as NASCAR’s prettiest Cup driver?

    13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2173 POINTS
    Lowe’s is about to leave, but Ally’s Financial is preparing to arrive in a big way.

    14. ALEX BOWMAN – 2164 POINTS
    Might be soon able to drive the Jimmy himself all the way to Cow Town.

    15. ERIK JONES – 2159 POINTS (1 Win)
    At Atlanta, while brother was testing, sister Lindsey was taping for a school project.

    16. AUSTIN DILLON – 2157 POINTS (1 Win)
    The highlight of the season was eight months ago.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 702 POINTS
    A wide neck? I guess he has one. Here I thought he had to wear his ties dangling from his chin.

    18. DANIEL SUAREZ – 655 POINTS
    Hoy es un gran día para agradecer a los fans !!

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 650 POINTS
    Like the rest of us, he discovered that a World Series game could turn out to be an all-nighter.

    20. PAUL MENARD – 645 POINTS
    Had as many Top Fives in 2014 as he has enjoyed since. He does have a reliable sponsor, though.