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Hot 20 – Charlotte has a tough act to follow this week, while Las Vegas is not as safe as I thought

I get it. Racing cars can be dangerous. We have lost people in NASCAR, and one sad day, despite all the advances that have been made regarding safety, we just may lose somebody else. I hope not, but that is the reality we must face. All we can do is greatly reduce the odds.

Great leaps have been made in regards to producing a safer vehicle. Asphalt has replaced grass in many infields, though not all. Berms and gate openings are no longer an infield feature. SAFER barriers in front of concrete walls have made even the worst crashes survivable. However, if there is any chance a vehicle can be deflected in a direction that could put it on a path to hit concrete, it will.

The crash that left Austin Theriault with a compression fracture in his lower back last weekend in the Las Vegas truck race likely could have been less than it was if there had been a SAFER barrier where he hit. Teammate Josh Reddick had crashed in front of him, and when he spilled back onto the track he clipped Theriault, sending him sharply to his right and straight into the concrete wall. Should there have been a SAFER barrier in that location? Damn right. Will there be in the future? Only if driver safety is a real concern and if someone in charge has the brains to see the danger, in Las Vegas and elsewhere, and deals with it.

To be honest, I thought most tracks now had the barriers in such locations. I was wrong. Hopefully, NASCAR will finally make it right. All they need to do is remember that if it can happen to a billiard ball, it can happen to a race car.

Unless one has locked a place, either through a win or an insurmountable points lead, you can get caught by surprise. Jimmie Johnson was reminded of that in Dover when a $50 rear axle seal failed and sent him to the garage for more than 35 laps. That plunged him to beyond 40th on the track on a day when 28th or better would have saved him.

Kevin Harvick saved himself in winning last Sunday, and he heads to a track he won on last October. Johnson has seven career wins at Charlotte. That just does not matter as much as it did last week.

The Hot 20 heading into Charlotte include…

1. MATT KENSETH – 5 WINS
If one win was all it took to win a title, he did it. If it takes five or more, no problem.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Challenged at Dover, finished third, but made it to the next round by a single point.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
If you like this year’s racing, Logano figures we will love 2016’s lower downforce package.

3. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS
Won last October and is seeking to make it two in a row.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS
History shows that Hamlin won’t win Saturday night, but it will not be a disaster, either.

5. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
Can spring success equate into a fall classic?

5. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Difference between Kurt and Jamie…two points…and he was tied for sixth in the standings!

5. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Exciting enough for you?

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Tech issues caused him to start last, 11th place kept him in the Chase by six positions.

10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Re-starting with the same number of points as everyone else in the Chase…and no black flag.

11. JEFF GORDON – 3000 POINTS
Handing over to Junior a sponsor. Maybe he could also loan him a championship.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 3000 POINTS
A winless championship season is still possible.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2098 POINTS
Rowdy by a point, Junior by a position, as Jamie is left waiting at the altar.

14. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2086 POINTS
All for the want of a damn $50 car part.

15. PAUL MENARD – 2075 POINTS
If Johnson had finished 25th like Menard at Dover, Jimmie would still be in the Chase.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2048 POINTS
So concludes the title hopes of Toyota supported Michael Waltrip Racing (2007-2015).

17. KASEY KAHNE – 770 POINTS
All that is left is to win the battle against Almirola. That is all.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 767 POINTS
Driving a Ford…will keep on driving a Ford next season.

19. KYLE LARSON – 718 POINTS
For a time, it appeared he might prove to be Harvick’s spoiler last week.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 706 POINTS
At least Roush-Fenway should finish the season with a single Top 20 entry. Exciting stuff.

October 7, 2015
Hot 20 – A Senior Driver Leads the Pack into Dover as Others Prepare to Ride into the Sunset

Time can bring us many wonderful memories, but it comes with change. Most of us are not all that fond of change. Once we watched the likes of Richard Petty, David Pearson, Dale Earnhardt and the Alabama Gang take to the track, to thrill us with their exploits. That was then. Time changed that.

Jeff Gordon prepares to enter his 790th consecutive Cup race, but time is ticking down on his great Hall of Fame career. Tony Stewart has one more season left in him, then he goes to the sidelines. NASCAR gives us a little more time for most of our favorites than other sports, where our heroes are usually finished by the time they hit 40. Still, even in NASCAR, it is an age when the countdown seems to begin, whether we like it or not.

We have Greg Biffle, 45, and Matt Kenseth, 43, getting up there. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jimmie Johnson both are now 40. Next season, so will Kevin Harvick. Sure, there is always a Chase Elliott working his way up, or an Erik Jones, but we treasure those who we cheered for in our youth, then for those our own age who claimed our support, then we watch those even younger than ourselves hanging them up. Damned time.

Nothing makes a person feel older than when one of the kids decides to retire. We might find some solace in that one of those seniors is leading the pack heading into Dover this weekend. A senior. I was already driving when that old fossil was born. At least I can still do the same number of backflips that I could do forty years ago.

I wonder what it is like to do a backflip?

Here are our Hot 20 heading to their date with the Monster Mile.

1. MATT KENSETH – CHASE WIN
You do not have to be the most dominant as long as you finish first.

2. DENNY HAMLIN – CHASE WIN
First at Chicago, second at Loudon. Is Hamlin trying to tell us something?

3. CARL EDWARDS – 2089 POINTS
A Top 30 finish is all he needs to move on.

4. JOEY LOGANO – 2089
As long as it isn’t in a first lap wreck, staying up with Edwards should do the trick.

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2083
A visit to Dover and an 11th win on the Monster Mile would be lovely at this time of year.

6. RYAN NEWMAN – 2074
How did he end up way up here?

7. KURT BUSCH – 2073
Minimal success, with minimal problems, just might work in the Challenger round.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2072
Jumped a re-start, was running second at the first turn, then 24th after the penalty.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2071
I’m thinking a move to Toyota sure beats a move to Volkswagen about now. Just sayin’.

10. JEFF GORDON – 2068
The length of Gordon’s Cup career is about to turn 790 races long, with no interruptions.

11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2058
It is time for McMurray to McDrive his arse off.

12. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 2057
Driving with an empty bladder is a joy for us, not so much late in the race in NASCAR.

13. PAUL MENARD – 2056
Can a driver with a single career Cup win really be a serious candidate for the championship?

14. KYLE BUSCH – 2056
Damn tire. Damn wall.

15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2034
Dear Kyle: It could be worse.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2018
Tony promises to never goad me into spinning out on purpose, so I will never have to fib again.

17. KASEY KAHNE – 732
2016 came a lot earlier than Kasey had hoped.

18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 728
Came close to making the Chase, but even closer to the wall at New Hampshire.

19. KYLE LARSON – 683
Stewart wanted the 23-year-old Larson, settled for the 36-year old Bowyer in 2017.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 675
Finishing fourth at Loudon means we might not see Austin Dillon make this list again in 2015.

September 30, 2015
The Final Word – Kenseth joins Hamlin at Loudon, leaving the rest to scramble at Dover

Dammit. Other than for Matt Kenseth, that was probably the most used term from Sunday’s action at New Hampshire. Kenseth led three times at Loudon, but it was those final three laps that really mattered as the former champ locked his way into the next round of the Chase. Along with runner-up Denny Hamlin, the winner at Chicago, Dover is a walk in the clover. However, it has meaning for a few others.

Dammit. That, or something like that, might have escaped from the lips of Kevin Harvick. His was the dominant car, but he did not have enough fuel in his tank at the end. That forced him to surrender the lead to Kenseth and hit the pits, finishing 21st. On a night when a finish at or near the front was the goal, he now finds himself 23 points out of the final transfer spot for the next round of the Chase. He has just one more opportunity to turn that around.

Dammit. Clint Bowyer had a disaster at Chicago, losing all the points gained there for a tech violation. Last Sunday, he was better than nothing but still bad as 26th leaves him 39 points out of the hunt. It is either win or bust for MWR’s final title hopeful next week.

Dammit. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a Top Five coming his way. All he needed was fuel. That stop left him in 25th on the day, and just a point to the good going into next Sunday. He is tied with Jamie McMurray, with Paul Menard a point back.

Dammit. Kyle Busch is also one behind, tied for 13th in the standings. He lost a tire, found a wall, and that left him 37th. With so much on the line, and some so close or so desperate, Dover might be a place where angels fear to tread.

Next Sunday, Kenseth and Hamlin are locked in to continue on. Carl Edwards and Joey Logano hold a 33 point advantage over the nearest have nots and just need to avoid very bad tidings. Jimmie Johnson sits 27 points to the good, with Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Ryan Newman holding a cushion between a dozen and 18 points.

In short, two are locked in, 10 inside remain vulnerable, and four others still have a shot. Nine of those 14 have won on the Monster Mile before. Johnson has 10 wins there, 15 Top Fives, and 20 Top 10s in 27 attempts, taking three of the past four at the track. Anyone have an idea who the favorite might be?

However, even Miles the Monster was on hand to feast on the six-time champion. In 2004, Johnson was in one of 19 cars taken out in what became known as the Little Big One. So, in the end, we can be sure of nothing, other than Kenseth and Hamlin will transfer, 10 others will join them, and four will not. Let the fun begin.

September 29, 2015
Hot 20 – Harvick feels bad heading to New Hampshire, but I bet Bowyer feels even worse

There is hot, and there is hot. Hot could be winning the opening race of the Chase, securing a berth in the next round, and allowing two races to tinker and prepare for Charlotte. However, after a spin on just the second lap in Chicago, the result was as much a credit to the performance of crew chief Dave Rogers as it was to the driver, Denny Hamlin.

Hot could be showcasing a dominant performance. Kyle Busch led much of the race, only to melt like an M&M Crispy sitting in the back window over the summer, to come home in ninth. Not good enough to win, but surely good enough to garner some notice that the best for him might be yet to come.

Hot could be sitting behind the wheel of a good car, one that was near the front. At least, it was until Jimmie Johnson tried to force his way up off the apron after Joey Logano had put him there, only to find an unyielding Kevin Harvick. What did yield was Harvick’s rear tire after the two entries came in contact, sending the defending champ into the wall. Hot was what Harvick was when Johnson tried to explain what happened after the race. A win this week or next might now be Harvick’s best bet to advance.

Hot could be being part of a team that had controversy leading up to its first ever race, having your own reputation smeared along the way, and then we had last Sunday. Clint Bowyer’s hopes of bringing a title to MWR in its final go round dipped deeper than Harvick’s mood when he got stripped of all 25 points he gained last week. This latest drama began when it was discovered prior to the race that some parts were not properly installed on his car. Crew chief Billy Scott’s wallet is $75,000 lighter and he is gone for the next three races. Time to find some new friends, Mr. Bowyer.

For those still allowed to show up at the track, Loudon, New Hampshire is next on the dance card. Harvick won there once, back in 2006. Half the time he finishes in the Top Ten. That might not be good enough to get out of the hole he finds himself in. As far as Bowyer goes, I think it is time to break out the shovels.

The last four to win there have all been Chasers; Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Logano, and Rowdy. It is a good bet one of them could do it again this Sunday. The Hot 20 heading to New Hampshire includes…

1. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 CHASE WIN
An early spin, a lap down, but Mr. Roger’s got this trolley back on the rails.

2. MATT KENSETH – 2052 POINTS
Needs a win. If he wins the title on points alone again, oh what would people say?

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2049 POINTS (4 Season Wins)
Chicago was M&M’s biggest heart break since E.T. made Reece’s Pieces his favorite.

4. CARL EDWARDS – 2049 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
Track position trumped fresh rubber last week…but not by much.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 2048 POINTS (3 Season Wins)
Bump drafting on the re-start sure worked well…for him.

6. KURT BUSCH – 2048 POINTS (2 Season Wins)
Pit boss Tony Gibson plans to be in Loudon but is leaving his appendix behind him.

7. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2045 POINTS
Got an unwanted push from Logano during the race, got another from Harvick after it.

8. RYAN NEWMAN – 2040 POINTS
July 28, 2013. His win column definitely needs a re-boot.

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2039 POINTS
Oh, just win the damn race on Sunday and get it over with.

10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2038 POINTS
To be part of next season’s XFINITY tour in the only place a Cup guy should be…in the booth.

11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2035 POINTS
Lost his sponsor and his job through no fault of his own in 2013. There is life after MWR.

12. JEFF GORDON – 2031 POINTS
Last Loudon win came in the previous century.

13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2028 POINTS
With a heat seeking sponsor, he will be seeking out some heat of his own.

14. PAUL MENARD – 2027 POINTS
At a track that does him no favors, Sunday could be more about surviving than thriving.

15. KEVIN HARVICK – 2009 POINTS
At least all his car parts were attached properly until Jimmie tried to remove them.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2000 POINTS
Un-freakin’-believable.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 727 POINTS
There is speculation that he could be getting a new teammate next year. Might it be Clint?

18. KASEY KAHNE – 697 POINTS
Two Top Tens is not exactly what he was signed up for.

19. KYLE LARSON – 656 POINTS
Twenty-three years old and stuck at the kiddie’s table. It could be worse. Just ask Austin, Danica, Tony…

20. GREG BIFFLE – 634 POINTS
Dear Jack Roush: WTF????

September 23, 2015
The Final Word – Hamlin Happy with Chicago Result, while Happy Was Not

Chicago. The opening race of the Chase. Sixteen drivers would continue the quest, one very likely locking his way into the next round, some setting themselves up with fine starts while others…not so much. So much to watch for, so much at stake, but would all this a good race make?

Damn right it would. Brilliant pit strategy, some luck, a flat tire, and a lot of air time for a sponsor highlighted the affair. It all started with a spin by Denny Hamlin on just the second lap. He was down low, so low A.J. Allmendinger did not see him and cut down in front, making both burn off some rubber. For Hamlin, it meant a drop from 23rd to dead last.

That is where his adventure began. One hundred sixteen laps of green followed and by the time a caution did fall, Hamlin, Carl Edwards, Paul Menard, and Jamie McMurray were all a lap down; Clint Bowyer two in the depths. Time to roll the dice, as both Hamlin and Edwards took the wave around and hoped. They got what they wished for shortly after when Austin Dillon’s promising night went away with the bang of a tire and a wall that was not very gentle. With that, the two gamblers were back on the lead lap.

By the time they were down to the final 70 laps, both were in the Top Ten, and with under 10 to go a debris caution gave the crew chiefs one more chance to strategize. Dave Rogers left Hamlin out to start among the Top Five while Edwards came in for fresh Goodyears. Not much difference between them, though Hamlin did beat his Joe Gibbs Racing teammate to the line, to claim a place in the next round of the Chase that begins at Charlotte in October.

Kevin Harvick did not live up to his nickname, as Happy was not with Jimmie Johnson. Six-Time got an unwanted push on a re-start from Joey Logano that powered him down to the apron and beside the defending champ. Johnson tried to move back up, Harvick denied him, and the cars touched. Smoke came bellowing from the left rear of Harvick’s auto, then let go three laps later, to leave him 42nd on the night. Later in the garage, he showed his displeasure with Johnson, who finished 11th. As for Logano, he finished an angelic sixth.

Jeff Gordon was in the 788th race of his Cup career, an unbroken string going back to the final race of 1992. You might remember that his debut also marked the final race of Richard Petty’s career. It also tied Gordon with Ricky Rudd for most consecutive races, a record that should be topped this Sunday in New Hampshire.

Some thought Gordon jumped a restart just past the mid-point of the race to leave Kyle Busch behind. With the idea of drivers policing themselves finally abandoned, it was judged that Gordon did not so much accelerate away, but that Busch had slowed down coming to the line. The review went in Gordon’s favor.

Gordon led for 41 laps, Martin Truex Jr. for 39, and Kurt Busch, who finished third, was the point man for 37 circuits. However, the dominant car for most of it was the M&M Crispy Toyota of Kyle Busch. He led four times for 121 laps, but he melted over the final 50 to come home in ninth.

All but one came home in decent shape, with six points the biggest deficit to be overcome among them. Harvick, on the other hand, is 43 away. Eleven current Chasers have won in New Hampshire in the past, Hamlin among them. So is Harvick. Once. In 2006. I would expect him to go for broke when they break loose in Loudon this weekend.

September 21, 2015
Hot 20 – The Chase for the Championship Commences in Chicago

So it begins. Sixteen drivers, each trying to avoid being one of the four eliminated from contention for the championship after each round of three races.

The first round, Chicago, New Hampshire, and Dover, will see each running for the best finish amongst those qualified. A win in any of the three would guarantee them a spot in the next round of three events no matter how they might fair in the other two contests. History tells us that Jamie McMurray and Paul Menard will not do well this weekend.

For them, this would be a good time to rewrite history. For those outside the Top Sixteen, no time like the present to break a few hearts. A win now robs a contender of a free pass and could go a long way in getting sponsors thinking more of what is to come than what could have been.

That would be the goal of the bottom four amongst our hot 20 heading into Chicago this Sunday.

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2012 POINTS (4 Wins)
The firm of Petty and Earnhardt still has room for another name partner.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 2012 (4)
Having a leg up on the opposition was not a good thing in his case, but it matters not now.

3. MATT KENSETH – 2012 (4)
If his 2003 title started this Chase business, now he can start eliminating his critics four at a time.

4. JOEY LOGANO – 2009 (3)
Had the pole at Richmond, but Kenseth only allowed him to lead 25 of the 400 laps.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2006 (2)
His points standing just went from a 30 point lead to a six-point deficit.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2006 (2)
He and his buddy Greg Ives come in with four straight Top Tens. Three more would be nice.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2006 (2)
First Chase champion would like to be the next one, too.

8. CARL EDWARDS – 2006 (2)
I am not sure if he misses Jack Roush at all, considering how his season with Joe Gibbs has gone.

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2003 (1)
One of six in the Chase who already knows how it feels to be crowned a champion.

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2003 (1)
Team-mates? We ain’t got no teammates. We don’t need no team-mates.

11. DENNY HAMLIN – 2003 (1)
Adversity is racing with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his throttle leg’s knee.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2000
So…this is the Chase, eh?

13. JEFF GORDON – 2000
What better way to ride off into the sunset than with a fifth title?

14. RYAN NEWMAN – 2000
Winless in 2015. Runner-up to Harvick in 2014.

15. PAUL MENARD – 2000
Chicago has not been his kind of town.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 2000
Like his team owner, he is out of a job after this season. Both could use a little good news.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 693
Fourth at Richmond was like being a groomsman at your sweetheart’s wedding.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 677
Only Hendrick driver to miss the party this year, needs some positive results heading into 2016.

19. KYLE LARSON – 618
Sophomore jinx bit him hard this season.

20. GREG BIFFLE – 611
Limping along in his worst season ever, as Jack Roush has his worst as an owner.

September 16, 2015
The Final Word – It was the Matt Kenseth 400 at Richmond

Richmond, where the final battle royal would take place to decide the final line-up for the Chase. Richmond, where we discovered that only six cars mattered at all the entire night, and all of them already had their tickets punched to the party. So, if you decided to watch something that actually promised some real drama, here is what you missed, in a nutshell, at Richmond.

On the opening lap, we had Joey Logano leading the way, followed by Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch. That was good for nearly 50 laps when Brad Keselowski replaced Busch. Another 50-some laps went by when we had Denny Hamlin replace Keselowski amongst the top trio, to join Logano and Kenseth. You missed all that drama, and we had nearly 300 laps to go.

Twenty-five laps went by, and Carl Edwards replaced Logano in a podium position, at least for six laps when Busch moved Edwards out, who was never to be seen again, finishing 11th. All you need to remember is that Kenseth and Busch also remained in the top three, and they would remain there the rest of the way. Hamlin replaced Keselowski for 35 laps before Logano got the position back with more than 100 to go. On lap 400, it was Kenseth, Busch, and Logano crossing the line and Richmond was in the books. Kenseth, Rowdy, Logano, Keselowski, Hamlin and, for six laps, Edwards, were the only cars that mattered at all on Saturday night in Richmond.

Sure, some got excited that Aric Almirola was fourth, but he had to win, and did not. He also needed Clint Bowyer to finish outside the Top 25, and he came home 10th. No, Almirola did not matter a lick on this night. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson all had Top Ten days. All did not matter in the end, or at the start, or anywhere near the middle, but I admit they did have nice finishes.

What did matter was the fact Kenseth won his fourth of the season and the 35th of his Cup career. He led 352 of the 400 laps. So, I am not really sure if any of the other five mattered at all now that I think about it. The victory means Kenseth enters the Chase tied with Busch and Johnson with each having an additional dozen bonus points added to their tally.

There were some newsworthy tidbits. We did have another Earnhardt running, as nephew Jeremy Earnhardt finished 13 laps off the pace in 40th, making his Cup debut at the age of 26. Martin Truex Jr. had the worst run amongst the Chasers, as a wall rub messed up the car to leave him six off the pace, 32nd. Just about the only other thing from the weekend of note was that Chase Elliott won the XFINITY race. Yes, someone actually registered in that series. I am as shocked as you are.

So, the Chase begins in Chicago with the “Sweet Sixteen” hoping to survive the cut over the next three events. According to their career average finishes at the track, one could expect Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Keselowski, and Gordon to do well there. Kyle and Kenseth should also do fine. However, this is definitely not the place Hamlin, Jamie McMurray, and Paul Menard have traditionally enjoyed any measure of success. Unless that changes on Sunday, they might have some work to do by the time New Hampshire rolls around. Hey, if you want drama, that might work for you.

September 14, 2015
Surprising and Not Surprising: Richmond Federated Auto Parts 400

In the last race of the regular season and the one to set the Chase contenders here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 48th annual Federated Auto Parts 500 at Richmond International Raceway.

Surprising: One would think that a team owner standing in Victory Lane and one whose four drivers had qualified for the Chase would be a most happy camper.

Indeed, Coach Joe Gibbs was pretty happy, but he also alluded to the anxiety that he will feel in the three weeks ahead as the first elimination round plays out.

“Now the problem is, I think for the next three weeks I’ll be ready to throw up at any minute,” Gibbs said after the race. “That’s the bottom line.”

Not Surprising: While two teams, Richard Petty Motorsports and Roush Fenway Racing, were shut out of NASCAR’s playoffs, the way their eliminations took place was not surprising.

Having not shown much life all season, Roush Fenway drivers Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne not only finished well out of Chase contention but they also completed the regular season in disappointment.

Biffle had the worst of the team’s days finishing 31st. Stenhouse and Bayne finished 16th and 23rd respectively.

This was the first time in RFR’s history that one of their drivers failed to make the Chase since its inception.

In contrast, Aric Almirola, who made the Chase last year with Richard Petty Motorsports, delivered one of the gutsiest performances, finishing fourth. And even with that, the driver of the famed No. 43 Smithfield Foods/Waffle House Ford still came up 17 points short, edged out of Chase contention by Clint Bowyer.

“Disappointed for sure,” Almirola said. “I drove my heart out tonight. All year long, really.”

“I feel like we’ve certainly overachieved this year. Our cars just haven’t had the speed, and we’ve managed a way to get good results, and really proud of this race team.”

“Everybody has done so much to support us, and to come up short, it hurts. We were in it last year and we got a taste of what it was like to be in the Chase. This race team is a great race team and we wanted another shot at it, and we just came up short. Just wasn’t meant to be.”

Surprising: Forget about making the Chase, Jeff Gordon was just excited about finally having a top-10 car. The driver of the No. 24 3M Chevrolet was also excited about being able to work with his team to finally make good enough adjustments to end up with a seventh place finish.

“Excited we finally had a solid night on pit road, on the racetrack, in the race car, communication,” Gordon said. “Everything was just really solid. That certainly gives us something to be excited about these next ten races.”

“It’s nice to be in the Chase and take that relief and take that breath and now go reset and see what we can do over the next 10.”

Not Surprising: Kasey Kahne got himself turned around and ended up the odd man out in the Hendrick Motorsports Chase contingent. His HMS teammates, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, instead are all heading on to compete for the Cup without him.

“I think the main thing for me is just figuring out how to get a car to turn again,” Kahne said. “I’ve struggled all year to have front turn, and if I don’t have that, I can’t race. That’s how I’ve been my whole life.”

“We’ll just work on trying to get the cars the way I need them to, and if we can’t, we’ll keep running about 15th.”

Surprising: While two of his drivers, Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch, head to Chase competition, Tony Stewart achieved a milestone that he would no doubt like to forget. The driver of the No. 14 Bass Pro Shops/Mobil 1 Chevrolet finished 29th, four laps down.

Stewart’s 29th place finish was only his fifth outside of the top-25 in 33 career Cup starts at Richmond International Raceway.

Not Surprising: Although one’s injuries were much fresher than the other, two drivers with physical challenges managed to not only finish the Richmond race well but also find their spots in the Chase.

Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Crispy/American Heritage Chocolate Toyota, continued his miraculous comeback with a runner-up position at Richmond. Busch is also seeded in the second place in the Chase, even after missing 11 races due to injuries sustained in the Daytona XFINITY Series race at the beginning of the season.

Just after tearing another ACL, Denny Hamlin also struggled through his injury to get into the Chase, seeded in the 11th position. The driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota finished sixth in the Richmond race.

“Well, I think it’ll be a lot better next week,” Hamlin said. “Just three days out, really, four nights out, from when it happened, and anybody that’s had it happen before knows that the first week is pretty tough.”

“I think I’ll start to rehab and everything this week and try to get it stronger and make sure we’re ready to make a Chase run.”

Surprising: Paul Menard summed up the sentiments of several of the drivers who made the Chase but had a bad race at Richmond. The driver of the No. 27 Libman/Menards Chevrolet finished 26th in the race and is seeded 15th in the Chase.

“We don’t know whether to be happy or sad, it was such a bad race for us,” Menard said. “Obviously very excited to be in the Chase. It was a goal that we set at the beginning of the year. Everybody at RCR and the 27 guys and ECR, they work hard. We’ve had a lot of good runs this year. Tonight just wasn’t one of them, but we did what we had to do.”

Kevin Harvick, another driver who made the Chase but struggled at Richmond, finished an uncharacteristic 14th. And Martin Truex Jr. finished 32nd after hitting oil from another driver’s car on Lap 39.

Harvick is seeded fifth in the Chase, with Truex Jr. following in the 10th spot.

Not Surprising: With his usual enthusiasm, Clint Bowyer bounded into this year’s Chase, saving the day at least for now, for Michael Waltrip Racing, which will fold at the end of 2015.

“Well, I mean, just to go through the year we’ve had, I mean, a lot of ups and downs here, a lot of downs,” Bowyer said. “We did this, now we’re in the Chase! Pressure is off, go cat go! Let’s go out and have some fun.”

Surprising: Michael McDowell went from sharing the invocation before the start of the race to being called to the NASCAR hauler after hitting the safety vehicle during a caution on Lap 288.

McDowell made heavy contact with the right rear of his No. 95 Leavine Family Racing Ford. McDowell was unhurt, as were the safety workers in the truck.

“I’m not really sure what happened,” McDowell said. “I’m embarrassed for my team. My mistake. Luckily no one was hurt.”

Not Surprising: Kim Lopez, the first woman and Latina to flag races at the highest level, got a tip of the cap as she threw her final checkered flag. Lopez is headed for a new role and challenge in the NASCAR R&D Center.

September 13, 2015
Hot 20 – The final hurdle for Bowyer and the rest comes this Saturday night in Richmond

If history repeats itself, there will be no surprise winner at Richmond on Saturday night. Going back over the past 10 years, every single driver who has won there is currently locked into the Chase for this year. Except for one.

Clint Bowyer has a pair of victories on the 3/4-mile track, but none anywhere to his credit this season. To make it worse, even if a first-time driver does not emerge this weekend to steal his thunder, he still sits just 29 points up on Aric Almirola for the final Chase position, with Kasey Kahne just a couple of points further back. A sour engine, a meeting with a wall or a competitor, a bad tire or messed up pit stop at the wrong time, and Bowyer’s season turns south faster than one’s job security at Michael Waltrip Racing. To make sure he is in, Bowyer needs to finish in the Top 25 on Saturday night. That and hope history does indeed repeat itself.

The odds are almost prohibitive that the winner this weekend at Richmond will be from amongst our Hot 20…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
Expect the team of Jimmie, Chad, and Lowe’s to be around for some time yet.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
The story of the year to this point.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
Liked Johnson’s car so much he almost took it out with a spin last week.

4. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
Progress last week was thwarted by an early Darlington stripe…okay, more like a sledge hammer.

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
A late trip to the pits in Darlington was the pits for Harvick.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Getting some real cool throwback gifts from fans lately, including on his last trip to Walmart.

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Went digital with his Darlington dashboard.

8. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS
After three Bristol wins, he has added a World 600 and a Southern 500 to the collection in 2015.

9. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Led the most laps, but Edwards got to walk down the aisle, leaving him a bridesmaid.

10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
A Darlington Top Ten, and he wasn’t happy. Has three Top Tens in last four at Richmond.

11. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
On Saturday night, he denied Daniel Suarez his first career XFINITY victory. My hero.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 726 POINTS
To make the Chase, he just needs to start on Saturday night. If he gets the flu, it could get messy.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 714 POINTS
If his finishing position matches his car number, or better, he rockets in as well.

14. JEFF GORDON – 700 POINTS
17th will do no matter what anyone else does…and he needs that only if there is not a repeat winner.

15. PAUL MENARD – 692 POINTS
Ninth if there is a first time winner…38th if there is not.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 682 POINTS
25th gets him in if history repeats itself, or a move ahead of Ryan, Jeff, or Paul if it does not.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 653 POINTS
Has the King’s car and last week stole his old mustache.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 651 POINTS
Can’t grow a mustache. Okay, I am just guessing here.

19. GREG BIFFLE – 598 POINTS
I could get Biffle into the Chase…but it has to be in EA Sports’ indestructible mode.

20. AUSTIN DILLON – 586 POINTS
One of three Cup guys in the XFINITY race. Go Austin! Go Rowdy! Go Joey! Just be gone!

20. KYLE LARSON – 586 POINTS
Last week, they called him Mello Yello, but is he truly just mad about Saffron?

September 9, 2015
Hot 20 – The Southern 500…a tradition truly reborn this Labor Day weekend!

It is the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington on Sunday night. Interestingly, I do not view it as one of the circuit’s marquee tracks, where you do not dare touch the fast-forward button. However, like Indianapolis, it is one of the Cup Series marquee events where a win gets you remembered.

After a few years of tinkering around with tradition, something NASCAR seems more than eager to do until the manure hits the ventilation system, the Southern 500 is back for the Labor Day weekend. It worked from 1950 until someone had a bright idea in time for the 2004 event. They pushed the legendary race back to November so that fans would no longer have to face the heat of day in September. That, and they thought it also a brilliant move to give the 500’s date to California after it had taken Rockingham’s spot on the calendar. I wonder how that worked out for them?

Somebody sued so that Texas could have a second race, and they got it when the Lady in Black’s spring date was spirited away. Then to prove their astute understanding of its fan base, they moved the race to Mother’s Day before dropping the iconic “Southern 500″ moniker entirely for four seasons, starting in 2005. Then they did not have a title sponsor in 2009, at least before Go Daddy came on board, so the Southern 500, now presented by Go Daddy.com, was back.

The tinkering did not end there, of course. Sponsors come and go, but traditions remain…except in NASCAR. In 2014, the race date was shipped to April before someone came up with a bright idea. No, really. They moved the Southern 500 back to the Labor Day weekend, but as had been the case since its rebirth, they scheduled it for Sunday night to avoid the heat that started all the nonsense a decade before.

The fact they installed lights in 2004, just before they moved the date to avoid the heat, doesn’t make much sense, either, come to think of it. However, let us just be glad the Southern 500 is truly back with cars with paint schemes from Darlington’s glory years.

The Hot 20 as they challenge “The Track Too Tough to Tame” include…

1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS
Christopher Walken’s favorite driver. More cowbell!

2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS
Looking to finish two spots up on Cole Whitt to claim his Chase place. Let the battle begin.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 3 WINS
The Shell logo on his car is one I remember…from way back…when I had hair…and youth.

4. MATT KENSETH – 3 WINS
After running less than 60 miles at Bristol, he should be well rested for Darlington

5. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS
I keep underwear longer than he keeps a house.

6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS
Is Junior interested in driving IndyCar? Apparently, the answer is “no, no, no, no.”

7. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS
Kurt is engaged. It would be easy to come up with a punchline, but I truly wish him happiness.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN
Frank Kimmel, 10 time ARCA champ and Brad’s matchmaker.

9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN
Furniture Row might not be big, but you cannot say they have not been successful.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN
Only problem with a throwback weekend is do you go with a Ned, Cale, or Jaws scheme?

11. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN
Worst driver at Gibbs Racing? Honestly, I do not believe there is such a thing.

12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 696 POINTS
After claiming a Brickyard 400 and a Daytona 500, he needs a little trinket from Darlington.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 683 POINTS
Riding along the walls at Darlington, it might be best to be driving a Caterpillar.

14. PAUL MENARD – 674 POINTS
Paul won the XFINITY race last week. I used to outrun my baby sister.

15. JEFF GORDON – 672 POINTS
Only driver whose throwback paint scheme could be one of his own.

16. CLINT BOWYER – 655 POINTS
Sitting pretty, unless the wrong guy wins on Sunday. Then it could get ugly.

17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 620 POINTS
The King won 200 times. Aric needs just one.

18. KASEY KAHNE – 618 POINTS
Will be channeling his inner Geoff Bodine this weekend.

19. GREG BIFFLE – 572 POINTS
Roll them dice. Daddy needs a win.

20. AUSTIN DILLON – 564 POINTS
Race car driver, former Little League World Series player, now basketball star?

September 2, 2015