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  • Hot 20 – Charlotte, where this weekend they go the extra miles

    Hot 20 – Charlotte, where this weekend they go the extra miles

    We begin with Monaco, tune into Indianapolis for the matinee, then spend the evening in Charlotte in our 600-mile feature. While we go in concerned about cars running into a house or into a harbor overseas, or find the wall and flipping down the track in Indiana, our biggest concern for the folks with fenders is that they might not be able to pass the leader in North Carolina.

    As we discovered last week in the All-Star contest, if you run up front your only concern is that your car turns sour or adjustments just made the competition better. If neither happens, the leader leads until somebody has to hit pit road. Not terribly exciting in a visual sort of way, yet we shall watch to see if Clint Bowyer can hold on to that final Chase berth, if a past winner can win again, or if someone buried in points might be able to make the leap with a checkered flag performance.

    Of course, Kyle Busch returns from his Daytona injury with zero points, 179 behind the 30th placed Tony Stewart. Well, that is nothing five or six straight wins wouldn’t cure. Hey, I did not say it would be easy.

    Our hot 20 heading to Charlotte…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 3 WINS (389 Points)
    Modifying the side skirt…okay on Fashion TV, not so good in NASCAR. Yet, forgivable.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (437 Points)
    Back in a crushing slump after a runner-up finish in the All-Star event. Yes, that is sarcasm.

    3. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (375 Points)
    Some dream of the double while Joey is content to focus on winning at night.

    4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 1 WIN (360 Points)
    How to avoid post-race altercations? Have a NFL linebacker riding shotgun every race.

    5. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (343 Points)
    Noticed Hamlin’s sad eyes, so donated the All-Star race to him. What a nice guy!

    6. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (331 Points)
    A very funny man, but just in a dry sort of way.

    7. Kurt Busch – 1 WIN (292 Points)
    A personal life for Kurt equal to his success behind the wheel would bring me a measure of joy.

    8. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (284 Points)
    Feeling like a million bucks.

    9. Martin Truex, Jr. – 391 POINTS
    All-Star race? We don’t need no stinkin’ All-Star race!

    10. Jamie McMurray – 328 POINTS
    Boasts the prettiest mechanic in NASCAR…12 year veteran Ashley Parlett.

    11. Jeff Gordon – 317 POINTS
    Driving the Indianapolis 500….pace car.

    12. Kasey Kahne – 313 POINTS
    Beat young Erik Jones in an illegal truck last week…but not a terribly illegal truck.

    13. Aric Almirola – 312 POINTS
    Only driver in a Chase position with not a single Top Ten to his credit.

    14. Paul Menard – 306 POINTS
    Comparing Clinton Foundation cash to his dad’s support of Scott Walker? Not even close.

    15. Ryan Newman – 305 POINTS
    I heard Ryan Newman was very pretty. That is how I discovered the actress of the same name.

    16. Clint Bowyer – 272 POINTS
    Inside the top 16…but not very comfortably.

    17. Danica Patrick – 270 POINTS
    Bowyer takes over the final Chase place. Obviously, the man is no gentleman.

    18. Carl Edwards – 265 POINTS
    Amongst JGR drivers, he at least has more points than Kyle. Really.

    19. A.J. Allmendinger – 259 POINTS
    Would love a double, but it won’t happen this year.

    20. Casey Mears – 242 POINTS
    Is this enough to keep Germain Racing interested for 2016?

    20. Greg Biffle – 242 POINTS
    Can a front row start last week transfer into good tidings when it counts this week?

  • Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup Preview – Milestones, Firsts and Driver Quotes

    Kansas Speedway Sprint Cup Preview – Milestones, Firsts and Driver Quotes

    As the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Kansas Speedway, eight drivers are locked into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races. Several prominent drivers are still searching for that elusive victory or the consistency needed to grab one of the eight remaining spots as the Chase approaches.

    Milestones:

    1) Jimmie Johnson is approaching two career milestones as he heads to Kansas Speedway.

    A top-five at Kansas Speedway would give him 200 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series top-five finishes. He is currently tied with Benny Parsons for 12th on the all-time NSCS top fives list and only two top-fives behind Buddy Baker in 11th (201).

    Johnson is also one away from 300 NSCS top-10 finishes. He is 16th on the all-time NSCS top 10s list and only two top-10s behind James Hylton in 15th (301).

    In the 18 NSCS events held at Kansas Speedway, Johnson has finished among the top 10 a total of 14 times. Combine that with two wins, three poles and the Series-best driver rating (112.1) and it’s a safe bet that Johnson will quickly mark these two items off his to-do list.

    2) Reigning champion and current points leader Kevin Harvick is 47 laps away from becoming the 10th driver in NSCS history to lead 1,000 laps or more in the first 11 races of a season.

    He has three consecutive poles at Kansas (October 2013, May 2014, and October 2014), holds the track qualifying record of 197.773 mph and has the sixth best driver rating (100.4). Leading 47 laps is certainly within Harvick’s capabilities and Kansas Speedway may be the perfect track to accomplish yet another milestone in his career.

    3) Matt Kenseth is only one checkered flag away from 33 NSCS wins. Another victory would move him up to 21st on the all-time wins list, tied with Fireball Roberts.

    He has two wins, two poles, six top-fives, 10 top-10s and the second best driver rating at Kansas. After a frustrating finish of 25th at Talladega, Kenseth will be looking for redemption this weekend.

    Firsts – Now and Then:

    Erik Jones will make his first official start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut at Kansas in the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. Although he replaced the ailing Denny Hamlin after the rain delay at Bristol, his drive to a 26th place finish is credited to Hamlin. Jones has one XFINITY Series win and four victories in the Camping World Truck Series.

    David Ragan will begin a new chapter in his career at Kansas in his first race driving for Michael Waltrip Racing in the No. 55 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota. His primary focus will be centered on securing a spot on the Chase Grid.

    “Our expectations are very high,” Ragan emphasized. “At the end of the day, Michael Waltrip Racing has all the tools and resources that Joe Gibbs Racing has or that Hendrick Motorsports or Stewart-Haas Racing has and there’s no reason for us not to be able to win a race and have a shot at making the Chase. Certainly, that is our goal going forward.”

    Jeff Gordon won the first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway on September 30, 2001. It was his sixth win of his fourth championship season. He made it two-for-two at Kansas with another victory at the track on Sept. 29, 2002.

     Jason Leffler won the inaugural pole at Kansas Speedway in 2001 with a speed of 176.499 mph. He holds the track record as the youngest pole winner, at 26 years, 0 months and 14 days.

    Jim Roper, a Kansas native, won the very first NASCAR Strictly Stock (now Sprint Cup) race in June, 1949, at Charlotte Speedway. The event was 1,200 miles away from his hometown in Halstead, Kansas, but neither the distance nor lack of a car would deter him.

    He purchased a Lincoln Cosmopolitan and drove it from the showroom all the way to Charlotte to compete for the $2,000 purse. He raced with the best including Curtis Turner, the Flock brothers and Red Byron, the reigning modified champion. Roper finished the race, second to only Glenn Dunaway.

    But Dunaway was quickly disqualified when the post-race inspection revealed modifications to the rear springs, a bootlegger’s trick to improve the car’s handling. Roper was declared the winner even though he only finished 197 of the 200 laps. He only competed in one more NASCAR race, retiring in 1955 after he broke a vertebra in a sprint car accident.

    Noteworthy:

    Jeff Gordon is winless in his last full-time Sprint Cup season, but that could change this weekend at Kansas Speedway where he will defend his 2014 win at the track. The victory secured his place in the Chase and was the first of four wins during the 2014 season. Gordon also holds the track record with three victories and leads the series with10 top-five finishes in 18 starts.

    Martin Truex Jr. continues to impress, coming off a fifth place at Talladega to capture his ninth top-10 finish of the season. He is second in the points standings, 40 points behind leader Kevin Harvick, but needs a win to guarantee a position on the Chase Grid.

    Outside Looking In:

    Some of the biggest names in NASCAR are outside the top 16 and desperately need to make something happen, including Clint Bowyer (17), Carl Edwards (18) and Greg Biffle (22).

    Bowyer and Edwards are winless at Kansas Speedway while Biffle has two victories.  However, Biffle has only one top-5 in his last six outings at Kansas.

    Kyle Larson is 24th in the points standings, partly due to missing the race at Martinsville this season after he fainted following an autograph session. Larson will make his third Cup start at Kansas this weekend. He finished 12th in his first attempt and claimed the runner-up position last year in October. The race will also mark Larson’s 50th career NSCS start.

    Tony Stewart heads to Kansas Speedway in 30th place in the points standings. After a frustrating start to the season, the results of the last few weeks suggest that the team may have turned the corner. Stewart finished in sixth place, his best result of the year, three weeks ago at Bristol and looked to be headed for a top-10 at Richmond until an incident on lap 361 took him out of contention. He has two previous wins at Kansas in 2006 and 2009.

    Driver Quotes:

    Paul Menard is 12th in the point standings and is looking for a win to claim his entry into the Chase. “Kansas is a pretty newly repaved track so it’s extremely fast,” Menard said.  “Since it’s a night race it will be even faster than during the day. I enjoy night racing, I think it adds another level of excitement. You can see flames from the exhaust and sparks from under the car which makes it cool for the fans. The only downside is we have to wait all day for the race and there really isn’t much to do. I enjoy it, but I’ll be there ready to go whether it’s Sunday afternoon or Saturday night.”

    Ty Dillon is looking forward to making his fourth Sprint Cup Series start and his debut at Kansas Speedway. “From all the practices, testing and races I’m starting to get very comfortable in the Chevrolet SS, “he said. “I’m fortunate to be put in the position to race as often as I do and I’m focused on going out and doing the best that I possibly can. Kansas will be a fun race this weekend, not only off the track, but on the track with the high speeds, different racing lines and competition. Our team will be ready.”

    Ryan Newman is 15th on the Chase Grid and looking for a win to solidify his position. He finished in sixth place in his last outing at Kansas Speedway. “Kansas is super fast, I am kind of excited to get back there after it has aged a little bit,” Newman explained. “With the new pavement we’ve had a few years back, it has still maintained its speed. It seems like we keep coming back here with softer tires. In general, the track has maintained the speed and I hope it’s gained some more character.”

    Martin Truex Jr. counts Kansas Speedway as one of his favorite tracks. With four top-five finishes in the last six races at Kansas, Truex is hoping to grab the checkered flag this time around. “I love Kansas Speedway,” Truex says. “I don’t know what it is about the track, it’s not much different than any other mile-and-a-half track, but something about the way the corners are laid out there seems to fit my style. I’ve run well at Kansas, led a lot of laps (251) and feel I should have won a few times there. “We’re enjoying the top-10s this season, but we want to get up there and be fighting for a win,” he continued. “Cole (Pearn, crew chief), the engineering staff and all the guys at the track and at the shop have done an outstanding job. We’re having plenty of fun, but we want that victory really bad.”

    By the Numbers:

    Chase Grid

    The following drivers are locked into the 2015 Chase provided they attempt to qualify for the remaining regular season races.

    1) Kevin Harvick – 2 wins
    2) Jimmie Johnson – 2 wins
    3) Joey Logano – 1 win
    4) Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 win
    5) Brad Keselowski – 1 win
    6) Matt Kenseth – 1 win
    7) Denny Hamlin – 1 win
    8) Kurt Busch – 1 win

    The following drivers are currently in the Chase Top 16, but without any wins, are not locked in.

    9) Martin Truex Jr.
    10) Jamie McMurray
    11) Kasey Kahne
    12) Paul Menard
    13) Aric Almirola
    14) Jeff Gordon
    15) Ryan Newman
    16) Danica Patrick

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Kansas

    112.1 Jimmie Johnson
    105.6 Matt Kenseth
    103.9 Kyle Larson
    102.8 Greg Biffle
    100.5 Jeff Gordon
    100.4 Kevin Harvick
    96.8 Carl Edwards
    95.3 Tony Stewart
    92.7 Kasey Kahne
    91.3 Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    Tune in to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series SpongeBob SquarePants 400 Saturday at 7:30 p.m. on FOX Sports 1.

  • Hot 20 – Kansas race is the SpongeBob SquarePants 400…You just can’t make stuff like that up

    Hot 20 – Kansas race is the SpongeBob SquarePants 400…You just can’t make stuff like that up

    There are a dozen races run on eight tracks that are truly iconic NASCAR events. Last Sunday was one of those races. The SpongeBob SquarePants 400 in Kansas is not. That is not to say we will not see one of the all-time great races this Saturday night…though the odds might be stacked against us. While they have been racing here since 2001, this marks just the fifth spring race since it picked up its second date in 2011.

    Now, I may be a bit unfair in regards to the cartoon derby this weekend. Last year, they had highlights galore. First, we started late due to lightning in the area. Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, and Marcos Ambrose all went for wild rides at one time or another to bring out a caution, but it was Jamie McMurray who actually went up in smoke. We had a pair of four-car wrecks, one that just destroyed the auto of David Gilliland. Danica Patrick even ran near the front, and came home with a Top Ten. Hey, we even had the lights go out on the backstretch to cause yet another delay before Jeff Gordon won the thing. Maybe it won’t be a bad one to tune in after all.

    The Hot 20 heading to Kansas are…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (394 Points)
    Fast repairs by the crew helped save an eighth place finish at Talladega.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (342 Points)
    Last week it was Junior’s turn, with Jimmie taking second.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (335 Points)
    Logano won Saturday, but the big boys were racing on Sunday.

    4. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (319 Points)
    When will Payton Ives be named car chief?

    5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (305 Points)
    New sponsor, thanks to a Silicon Valley implant.

    6. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (292 Points)
    Wanted a caution on the last lap last week…but Junior fans did not.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (281 Points)
    What he needed last Sunday was a Hendrick engine. Didn’t everybody?

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (255 Points)
    Crew chief got rid of a major pain, and no it was not the driver.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 354 POINTS
    Second in points, ninth on the depth charts, best damn car out of Colorado.

    10. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 297 POINTS
    If he does not lose his steering, find the wall, and catch fire, he could top last year’s performance.

    11. KASEY KAHNE – 286 POINTS
    If you squint your eyes, a lot, Kasey kind of looks like Sponge Bob.

    12. PAUL MENARD – 280 POINTS
    Daddy’s money, Paul’s talent, and one hell of a crew chief in Dale Alexander.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 279 POINTS
    Showed the kids what they ought not to do in Talladega’s XFINITY demolition.

    14. JEFF GORDON – 277 POINTS
    Won the pole in Alabama but things went to the pits after a late speeding penalty.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 271 POINTS
    Returning to the truck series this Friday night in Kansas.

    16. DANICA PATRICK – 253 POINTS
    Yes, she is not a good driver…but what does that say about the Boyfriend, the Biff, and the Boss?

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 249 POINTS
    Kansas boy claims this as his home track…but he is 0 for 13 there.

    18. CARL EDWARDS – 240 POINTS
    Missouri boy also claims this as his home track…and is 0 for 15…but has 11 Top Tens.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 229 POINTS
    A bad vibration and no speed, but other than that Talladega was one hell of a great time.

    20. DAVID RAGAN – 224 POINTS
    Moves to MWR this week to make room for the Boy Wonder whose age matches his car number.

  • Hot 20 – 500 miles at Talladega, as it always has been and always should be

    Hot 20 – 500 miles at Talladega, as it always has been and always should be

    “It’s no secret that attention spans, especially with the millennial fans, are changing,” or so says NASCAR boss Brian France. Hard to argue with that, but it basically states that today’s fans are idiots who need the keys jangled before their faces much like one does with a bored infant. Be it as it may, if NASCAR desires to shorten a few events to keep the droolers engaged, go right ahead. However, there are some events it would be ill-advised to mess with.

    You do not touch the legacy races. The Daytona 500, the Southern 500, the World 600, the Firecracker 400 and the Brickyard 400 are etched in stone. All races at Bristol’s half-mile run 500 laps. If you race at Talladega, you race for 500 miles. These are the events even non-fans take in, the races new fans discover before they even know NASCAR has something called a series championship. The road courses seem about right to me, along with the 500 mile night race at Charlotte. Do what you will with all the rest, as truth be known some of the remaining 24 events are boring as hell to watch unless you know the storylines going in, and even then it might be something of a chore. It is not a case of keeping our attention, but rather ending the monotony sooner than later.

    So, change away in your bid to snare those who have the attention span of a gnat, but beware screwing over your true fans. Those folks have memories that last forever, and forgiveness is not something you can expect to get readily.

    What you can expect is one hell of a race to watch this Sunday, with its Saturday appetizer.

    Hot 20 heading to Talladega…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (357 Points)
    Eighth at Martinsville, 38th at Bristol, first or second everywhere else.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (299 Points)
    That woman always telling people what to do on television has turned him into Jimmie Goldberg.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN ( 324 Points)
    Bristol was a hiccup.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (283 Points)
    Was firing on all cylinders…but one.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (273 Points)
    Richmond was disappointing for Joe Gibbs Racing, though Matt had few complaints.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (245 Points)
    There was no Petty Man, there is no Junior Man, but there is a Hamlin Man…cape and all.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (222 Points)
    Got that monkey off his back.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 315 POINTS
    The most pleasant surprise of 2015.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 275 POINTS
    All-State. Nextel. Sunoco. Gillette. Remember when NASCAR sponsors tried?

    10. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 271 POINTS
    How we wish Dale Sr., John, and George could have felt the love when they turned 64.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 264 POINTS
    Ranked 11th best in 2004, 12th best in 2005, ranked here as of today.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 263 POINTS
    Just as he once raced against Petty, teenagers Elliott and Jones will remember racing this guy.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA – 250 POINTS
    I would like to buy a vowel. Could I have an “A”, Pat?

    14. PAUL MENARD – 239 POINTS
    Hanging out with Gordon testing at Indianapolis. How cool is that?

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 235 POINTS
    No, this is not a single car operation. Why do you ask?

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 234 POINTS
    Next week comes his final appeal…then he loses his crew chief?

    17. DANICA PATRICK – 230 POINTS
    Go Daddy soon to be Gone Daddy.

    18. CARL EDWARDS – 228 POINTS
    It is not all bad. He could still be driving for Roush-Fenway.

    19. DAVID RAGAN – 218 POINTS
    Driving for Mikey after this, filling in for Vickers after sitting in for Kyle.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 205 POINTS
    Always competitive at Talladega…both times.

  • Hot 20 – As we remember Steve Byrnes, it is on to Richmond

    Hot 20 – As we remember Steve Byrnes, it is on to Richmond

    I am a blessed man. I have a multitude of wants, but I already have all those things I truly need. I just wish that when we pray for a miracle, the odds of realizing it were not as astronomically against its success. When we lose someone as young, vibrant and talented as Steve Byrnes, despite all of our prayers, it does test one’s faith.

    Byrnes loved his family and he loved NASCAR. In his memory, we once again take stock of those who are in Chase contention. As we move forward, we find the likes of Austin Dillon, Kurt Busch, and Kyle Larson just outside looking in, while even wins by Trevor Bayne and Tony Stewart would rocket them up among our leaders.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Richmond include…

    1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (314 points)
    First a NASCAR champion and now he is in the White House. Well, for a brief visit.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (258 points)
    After last week, we might know why Jimmie was not picked as Harv’s running mate.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (284 points)
    If he was ahead of Brad at Bristol, how things might have been different.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (255 points)
    If he was behind Joey at Bristol…

    5. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (236 points)
    43 years old, but in Gordon years he is just 36.

    6. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (223 points)
    Bristol was a pain in the neck, but he is coming home Saturday night.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 281 POINTS
    Bristol wasn’t great, but only Harvick and Logano have more points this season.

    8. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 241 POINTS
    If he can keep the wheels tight and the tires round he should be all right.

    9. KASEY KAHNE – 237 POINTS
    Those All-State girls never got him, but he was available this week at Ollie’s Bargain Outlet.

    10. JEFF GORDON – 227 POINTS
    Five straight in the Top 10 has Pops back in the hunt.

    11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 226 POINTS
    One of five Cup guys driving the XFINITY race. Go Erik Jones!

    12. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 223 POINTS
    Hopes to add Chase place to his Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, and All-Star race career resume.

    13. DANICA PATRICK – 211 POINTS
    Bristol was a gift, but enough gifts can add up to something very good.

    14. PAUL MENARD – 210 POINTS
    Odds are his decent finish at Bristol will not transfer to this short track.

    15. CARL EDWARDS – 203 POINTS
    Despite a very ordinary start, still a contender.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 201 POINTS
    After his big penalty, has pegged his way back into contention.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 200 POINTS
    Richmond is a track he loves and that loves him in return.

    18. DAVID RAGAN – 197 POINTS
    Still living the dream as Kyle dreams of his return.

    19. CASEY MEARS – 186 POINTS
    With odds at 500-1, anything in the Top 20 would be welcome.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 180 POINTS
    Roush-Fenway presence could soon disappear with Austin, Kurt, and Larson just behind.

  • Richmond Sprint Cup Preview – Strategy, Milestones and More

    Richmond Sprint Cup Preview – Strategy, Milestones and More

    It sounds simple. If you want to win a race, the best place to begin is in front. But in reality, starting from the pole doesn’t necessarily translate into winning the race…unless you’re racing at Richmond International Raceway. The statistics below tell the story.

    Winning Strategy:

    1) If you want to win at RIR the best strategy is to win the Coors Light Pole Award. There have been 117 Sprint Cup races at RIR and 23 of those were won by drivers from the pole starting position.

    There are four active drivers who have done just that; Kasey Kahne did it in 2005, Jimmie Johnson in 2007, Kyle Busch in 2010 and Brad Keselowski in the fall race last year.

    2) The second best way to win is to begin on the front row where 13 races have been won by drivers starting in second place. Combine those two numbers and 36 (30.7 percent) of the Sprint Cup races at RIR have been won by front row starters.

    3) The third best way to win is to qualify in the top-ten. Ninety-one of those 117 (77.7 percent) races were won by drivers in the top-ten starting positions.

    Clint Bowyer has the distinction of winning at RIR after starting deepest in the field, 31st, in 2008.

    Milestones:

    As Jeff Gordon heads to Richmond he is on the verge of reaching another significant milestone in an already storied career. Gordon has led 24,778 laps during his Sprint Cup career. If he can add 222 laps to that total, he will become the sixth driver in NSCS history to lead 25,000 laps.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. will make his 550th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at the Toyota Owners 400 Saturday night. He is 30th on the all-time NSCS starts list. Earnhardt, along with Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart, leads all active drivers in wins at RIR; with three victories (Kyle Busch has four wins but is currently inactive). Although his last win at Richmond was in 2006, it remains one of his favorite tracks and could prove to be the impetus Earnhardt needs to capture his first win of the season.

    Paul Menard is 14th in the standings and needs a win to secure his position in the Chase. He’ll make his 300th NSCS start this weekend at Richmond. All Richard Childress Racing entries will feature decals to honor the memory of Richard “Bob” “Poncho” Myers, who passed away April 16. He was the brother of longtime RCR employee, Danny “Chocolate” Myers.

    Defending Cup champion, Kevin Harvick, shows no intention of slowing down this year. With two wins and seven top 10s, he leads the Chase standings. He has also led 950 laps in 2015 and is 50 away from becoming the eighth driver in series history to lead 1000 laps or more in the first nine races of a season. Harvick has led laps in every race this season, with the exception of Daytona, averaging 118.75 laps led per race.

    Firsts – Now Chand Then:

    Chase Elliott has a full weekend coming up at Richmond as he competes for the first time in both the XFINITY and Sprint Cup Series races. As an added incentive, Elliott gets a second chance to impress in his second Cup start. His NSCS debut at Martinsville in March resulted in a disappointing 38th place finish, 73 laps down, after contact with another car and the loss of his power steering sent Elliott behind the wall for extensive repairs.

    The first NSCS race at RIR was April 19, 1953 and was won by Lee Petty.

    Buck Baker won the inaugural pole award at RIR in 1953 with a speed of 48.465 mph.

    The first race under permanent lights was held on September 7, 1991.

    The first season when both races at RIR were night races was in 1999.

    Tony Stewart (1999) and Kasey Kahne (2005) each captured their first NSCS career win at Richmond. A victory for Stewart could kick start a dismal season and provide the momentum to propel him into Chase contention.

    By the Numbers:   

    Top 10 Driver Ratings at Richmond –

    110.7 – Denny Hamlin – Leads all active drivers with an average finishing position of 10.412

    110.3 – Kevin Harvick – Series-best Average Running Position of 7.5

    109.8 – Kyle Busch – Four wins at RIR

    99.6 – Clint Bowyer – Two wins, four top fives, 10 top 10s

    99.3 – Jeff Gordon – Leads all active drivers with 18 top five-finishes

    94.0 – Tony Stewart – Won at RIR in his second appearance

    92.5 – Ryan Newman – One win, six top fives, 16 top 10s; one pole

    91.6 – Brad Keselowski – One win, two top fives, four top 10s; one pole

    91.5 – Kurt Busch – One win, five top fives, 10 top 10s

    89.1 – Carl Edwards – One win, four top fives, 11 top 10s; one pole

    The Toyota Owners 400 Sprint Cup race will be televised on FOX Saturday at 7 p.m. ET.

     

  • Hot 20 heading to Bristol – Even being among the Lukewarm 30 would be beneficial for Tony

    Hot 20 heading to Bristol – Even being among the Lukewarm 30 would be beneficial for Tony

    Our Hot 20 is a look at those in contention to slip into one of the sixteen Chase spots. A win while in the Top 30 in points could prove to be just as good. Neither matters at the moment for Tony Stewart. Sadly, 2015 has been a year Smoke has been a participant, not a competitor.

    Even Kurt Busch, suspended for the first three events, should make this list in another week or two. Ryan Newman is outside, but we all know why that is. Roush-Fenway cars have been duds most of the season, which explains Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Trevor Bayne. Kyle Larson missed one race to mend, but even if he had run there is no certainty it would have been enough. As for Sam Hornish Jr., he was 12th at Daytona, outside the Top 20 ever since.

    To be taken seriously, a driver really should at least average a 25th place finish week in and week out. That is just 684 points over the course of a season, just 19 each week. Twenty-eight drivers managed the feat in 2014, ranging from Kevin Harvick on top, down to what’s her name. They competed, the rest participated.

    Twenty-six have done it thus far in 2014. Stenhouse, Hornish and Stewart are not amongst them. While a win is not crucial just yet, it would solve a lot of ills. Just ask Kurt how that worked out for him last year.

    Hot 20 heading to Bristol…

    1. Kevin Harvick – 2 Wins (306 Points)
    A slump is finishing eighth at Martinsville. His boss would love that kind of hard luck.

    2. Jimmie Johnson – 2 Wins (216 Points)
    Sure, points are nice, but wins are better.

    3. Joey Logano – 1 Win (280 Points)
    Gets those Duke boys to help him launch new sponsor (Autotrader).

    4. Brad Keselowski – 1 Win (246 Points)
    The Captain has to be happier than the Skipper…two sweet ships and not a Gilligan in sight.

    5. Denny Hamlin – 1 Win (205 Points)
    Denny’s loves Denny. What’s next, Chick-fil-A for Danica? Taco Bell for Michael?

    6. Martin Truex Jr – 266 Points
    Like Harvick and Logano, going for eight straight in the Top Ten this season.

    7. Kasey Kahne – 230 Points
    Loves his tires, just not as wheely, wheely loose as they were at Texas.

    8. Dale Earnhardt Jr – 213 Points
    Going round and round is not pointless for Junior.

    9. Aric Almirola – 195 Points
    Smithfield Pork is the sponsor in the Food City 500. I’m sensing a theme here.

    10. David Ragan – 194 Points
    Would he be just as finger lickin’ good back in the No. 34?

    11. Jamie McMurray – 193 Points
    After showing off the new digital dashboard, hopes to dash to victory lane on Sunday.

    12. Matt Kenseth – 189 Points
    If you want a sure thing to make the Chase, Matt is as good as it gets.

    13. Jeff Gordon – 186 Points
    If Jeff is old I might as well go ahead and make my appointment with the undertaker.

    14. Carl Edwards – 182 Points
    A definite Bristol contender, a season changer if he can pull it off.

    15. Casey Mears – 178 Points
    Is getting by with a little help from his alliance friends.

    16. Paul Menard – 177 Points
    Runs better with an engine than in a soap box derby entry.

    17. Danica Patrick – 176 Points
    Not good enough to draw rave reviews just yet, but it sure beats 28th.

    18. Clint Bowyer – 168 Points
    Still in the hunt despite a Rodney Dangerfield kind of season.

    19. Greg Biffle – 165 Points
    If the Biff is suffering, imagine how teammates Stenhouse and Bayne are feeling.

    20. A.J. Allmendinger – 161 Points
    In 2007, at this track, in this race, A.J. made his Cup debut.

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Duck Commander 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Duck Commander 500

    For the first night race under the vast Texas lights, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 19th annual Duck Commander 500.

    Surprising: This race featured a surprising number of penalties for driving through more than three pit boxes, surpassing the previous most popular penalty in the season to date for uncontrolled tires. There were a total of four such driving through pit box penalties, including ones for Denny Hamlin, Trevor Bayne, Kyle Larson and Casey Mears.

    Hamlin was able to rebound to finish eleventh, Bayne took the checkered flag in the 18th position, Kyle Larson finished a disappointing 25th and Casey Mears ended the race in the 27th spot.

    “To be realistic, we need stuff to go our way,” Hamlin said after the race. “We need cautions and track position. We just can’t drive through the field like that – what those guys are capable of – and we’re a work in progress.”

    Not Surprising: After waking up with a cold and practically no voice, it was not surprising that Jimmie Johnson needed a little assist from Willie Robinson from Duck Dynasty, title sponsor of the race, to lift high the massive Texas trophy.

    “Just a great, great race car,” Johnson said. “We just kept plugging at it and I think the off-week was good for us to sit down and relax, reboot and come back to the track. They brought me a fast race car that was good all weekend.”

    The win signified Johnson’s fifth victory at Texas but his first ever win in the spring race and was also his 72nd victory in 478 Cup Series races.

    Surprising: Hendrick Motorsports teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne had something in common that they both most likely wished they did not share. Both had a whole lot of shaking going on, with vibrations and loose wheels abounding.

    Yet in spite of all that shaking and vibrating going on, both drivers managed good finishes, with Earnhardt in third and Kahne finishing eighth.

    “It’s good to get a good finish in the bank because these last few weeks have been pretty rough, but we know what we are capable of,” Junior said. “Greg (Ives, crew chief) and I are just getting started here and we are right there on their heels man. If we ever get this thing figured out – it’s going to be tough.”

    “There were times when I felt really competitive with the leaders and other times more like a fifth-place car,” Kahne said. “We just left too many wheels loose throughout the race. I think three; you can’t run well when you do that.”

    Not Surprising: While Brad Keselowski had a close encounter of the cone kind, he was able to rally back to score a top-five finish for Team Penske.

    “I was trying to make my mind up and chose poorly,” Keselowski said when asked about the commitment cone violation. “But it was still a great day for the Miller Lite Ford and we have a lot to be proud of.”

    Keselowski’s Penske teammate Joey Logano also had a strong run, finishing fourth in his No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford.

    Surprising: Oops, he did it again. Yes, Kevin Harvick again finished in the second spot in the No. 4 Budweiser/Jimmy John’s Chevrolet. In fact, this was the eleventh time that Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick have finished one/two in a race and it was also Harvick’s seventh top-10 finish in 2015.

    “I just got behind there and Jimmie was fast for those last couple laps and got around us,” Harvick said. “I got loose coming off four and I got in the wall and just was trying to hang on to where I needed to be. We just raced as hard as we could and it was a lot of fun.”

    Not Surprising: Carl Edwards finally got he wanted and expected after leaving Roush Fenway Racing for Joe Gibbs Racing this season. He got his first top-10 finish with his new No. 19 Stanley Racing For A Miracle Toyota.

    “I wanted to make a statement,” Edwards said. “It’s not a win, but for us it is our first top-10 and we dug hard all day, and we had a lot of fun. It’s a good race track.”

    Surprising: Aric Almirola, who did double duty at Texas racing XFINITY and Cup, may have finished 19th but he has managed to stay firm in his top ten ranking in the point standings.

    In fact, the driver of the Richard Petty Motorsports famed No. 43 held steady in the ninth spot of the point positions and would be considered a Chase contender if that competition started after this most recent race.

    Not Surprising: A two tire gamble was the key for many of the drivers who rounded out the top-ten in the finishing order.

    Jamie McMurray, who finished sixth; Jeff Gordon, who finished seventh; and Martin Truex, Jr., who kept his top-10 streak alive with a ninth place run, all took just two tires at the final stop of the race.

    “We did two (tires) two other times in the race and it worked out really well for us,” McMurray said. “When I cleared the No. 24 (Jeff Gordon) I thought we had a legitimate shot at winning. But once the guys with four tires got clear their cars were a little better than ours and they had better tires. You just can’t hold them up here.”

    “Yeah that was a great gamble, great call by Alan (Gustafson, crew chief) and we saw early some guys take two tires and made it work for a short period of time,” Gordon said. “Alan made a great call there at the end to take two tires and that is what got us to seventh.”

    “At the end we had to start doing some strategy stuff to get our track position back and probably gave up a few spots doing it,” Truex Jr. said. “I think it was the right call. We’re taking some gambles and they’ve been paying off.”

    “It was still a top 10, so all in all, it was a good night for us.”

    Surprising: Both Paul Menard and Ryan Blaney checked into the engine heartbreak hotel, finishing respectively after having engine issues.

    “We broke a water hose, I guess,” Menard said after being sidelined with mechanical issues as lap 222. ”The main line that goes in the motor just broke. It pushed a bunch of water out. No warning. The temperature gauge never moved. I was coming down the backstretch to pit and was slowing down and it broke. We popped the hood but couldn’t see anything. So, we went back out but then had no power.”

    “The bright side is I feel like we had a really good car,” Jeremy Bullins, crew chief of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion driven by Ryan Blaney, said. “Obviously, something happened with the engine. I’m not sure exactly what because it’s hard to tell what happened first, so we just got to the point where we couldn’t keep going.”

    “It’s unfortunate. We’ve got a lot of power, so we won’t complain and we’ll go on and get ready for the next one.”

    Not Surprising: David Ragan continued his run as the happiest replacement driver on the race track, bringing his usually driven by Kyle Busch No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota to a 13th place finish after qualifying 30th.

    “Our overall race was really good considering where we started at,” Ragan said. “We didn’t have the best pit stall selection, we were having to drive around cars all night. Adam Stevens (crew chief) and our Interstate Batteries team did a really nice job adjusting on our Camry and I felt like we had a chance at a certainly a top-10 or maybe even a top-five if the cautions would have fell right.”

    “We just weren’t at our best the last 50 laps,” Ragan continued. “I think we learned a few things and certainly overcame a poor qualifying effort.”

    “Not too excited about our finish, very pleased with our race.”

     

  • Hot 20 – Texas awaits as our thoughts are with a broadcaster back in the hospital

    Hot 20 – Texas awaits as our thoughts are with a broadcaster back in the hospital

    A week of rest, a week of contemplation, a week for those of faith. I so desperately pray that miracles do happen. Pit reporter Steve Byrnes is back in the hospital in his fight against neck and head cancer. He is in the ICU with pneumonia and a blood clot in his lung. At least he was able to tweet that information himself. This, more than anything I have written here, is the most meaningful and important. I could use some faith restoration about now. How about you?

    Kyle Larson missed Martinsville as doctors sought out a cause for his fainting at an event prior to the race. Today, they have the luxury to err on the side of caution as an injury no longer automatically means a championship run is done. This reduced pressure to race also means an injured driver no longer needs to feel compelled to climb back into the seat much too soon to keep his hopes alive. Even a suspension does not spell the end, as Kurt Busch sits a win away from proving. While it might be a trial for Kyle Busch to make the Chase with a win and Top 20 spot when he returns, Larson should be fine as Denny Hamlin was last season. He missed Fontana, yet finished 2014 in third.

    The National Network to End Domestic Violence is not happy Kurt Busch is back racing. To be honest, I believe there are more serious matters for them to hang their shingle. In this case, we had a questionable incident based on the opinion of a single Delaware judge from the questionable comments of two people over an incident in which little, if any, physical harm was caused. I applaud their vigilance, but I do question their bid to use this case as their cause celebre. For me, the issue has turned out to be more pathetic than violent.

    It has been announced that Cup regulars Aric Almirola and Sam Hornish Jr. will run even more XFINITY series events than they originally planned. It makes it easier to explain why some of us could not be bothered covering major leaguers kicking minor league butt week after week, season after season. Twenty-one-year-old Ryan Reed won at Daytona. Cup guys have won the other five, with Kevin Harvick taking two. Enough said.

    At least Chase Elliott won the spring XFINITY race in Texas a year ago. He is not a Cup regular just yet. As for the big boys…and girl…here are the…

    Hot 20 going down to Texas…

    1. Kevin Harvick – 2 Wins (263 Points)
    It wasn’t his tires up there on the Grassy Knoll.

    2. Joey Logano – 1 Win (239 Points)
    Won two weeks ago Saturday, third on that Sunday.

    3. Brad Keselowski – 1 Win (206 Points)
    Bloody Keselipski, according to the billboards in Texas.

    4. Denny Hamlin – 1 Win (172 Points)
    Only tire issues he had at Martinsville were during his burnout.

    5. Jimmie Johnson – 1 Win (168 Points)
    Won last three fall races in Fort Worth, but was 25th last spring.

    6. Martin Truex Jr – 231 Points
    It is nice when all one’s ducks and furniture is all in a row.

    7. Kasey Kahne – 193 Points
    Best Hendrick driver, by points, is ole what’s his name.

    8. Paul Menard – 173 Points
    Once one of two Childress drivers in the Hot 20…then Newman got tired, so to speak.

    9. Dale Earnhardt Jr – 172 Points
    According to Gordon, Junior doesn’t know squat…jumps.

    10. Aric Almirola – 170 Points
    More XFINITY for him, less seat time for others.

    11. Matt Kenseth – 168 Points
    Fort Worth is Matt’s kind of town.

    12. David Ragan – 163 Points
    Kyle Busch? I don’t know. The names does sound rather familiar, though.

    13. Casey Mears – 161 Points
    500-1 to win at Texas? Really? Is he driving it or running it?

    14. Jamie McMurray – 154 Points
    Claims he and Larson are ego free. I am hair free, but you don’t hear me bragging.

    15T Jeff Gordon – 148 Points
    Soft start followed by a trio of Top Tens.

    15T Danica Patrick – 148 Points
    From what we saw in the last race, Virginia really is for lovers…of Danica.

    15T Carl Edwards – 148 Points
    Has a million very good reasons to race for the win Saturday night.

    18. Clint Bowyer – 146 Points
    Truex left, Bowyer stayed. I wonder who got the best of that deal?

    19T A.J. Allmendinger – 138 Points
    Bush’s Beans is the sponsor. You wouldn’t want to be running behind him.

    19T Greg Biffle – 138 Points
    Has led at least a lap in 12 of the 20 Texas races he has run.

  • Hot 20 – If it was something we could not see, was Fontana truly debris free?

    Hot 20 – If it was something we could not see, was Fontana truly debris free?

    Nothing gets NASCAR fans hotter than the possibility their conspiracy theories might actually be true.

    Is NASCAR using phantom debris to manipulate the outcome of races through the use of late cautions?

    “That’s a preposterous allegation,” says NASCAR Executive Vice President Steve O’Donnell. Actually, it is those cautions that many fans are finding preposterous. With debris shown in only one of three late instances, fans are left to wonder. With bad boy Kurt Busch apparently heading to victory, how fortuitous that a caution was called to open up an opportunity to alter the outcome of the race at Fontana. That should be easily enough addressed, one would think. Show us the debris, and it better be something more substantial than a hot dog wrapper. Either that, or give Michael Waltrip his money back.

    Of course, it is preposterous that some fans fail to understand just how transparent NASCAR now is. Anyone know what the attendance was at Fontana? Oops, sorry, I forgot. Some information is as tough to get made public as a Hillary Clinton e-mail or a Richard Nixon taped conversation.

    As for our Hot 20 heading to Martinsville…

    1. Kevin Harvick – 2 Wins (225 Points)
    33rd at Martinsville last fall, first or second after each race since.

    2. Joey Logano – 1 Win (197 Points)
    If the damn tire stays in the box, maybe NASCAR should stay out of it.

    3. Brad Keselowski – 1 Win (163 Points)
    NASCAR loves me. They really love me.

    4. Jimmie Johnson – 1 Win (159 Points)
    After all the restarts left him finishing ninth, I need to ask Jimmie, “What does NFG stand for?”

    5. Martin Truex Jr – 192 Points
    Five events, five Top Tens. That works.

    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr – 164 Points
    Zero for 23 at Fontana, but 1 (last October) for 30 at Martinsville.

    7. Ryan Newman – 162 Points
    If he had sat out the Daytona 500, would only slip to 8th in points.

    8. Kasey Kahne – 159 Points
    If 17th is the worst he can do (Phoenix, Fontana), you will find him here each week.

    9. Paul Menard – 152 Points
    Crew chief Justin Alexander’s magic helped massage a Top Ten on Sunday.

    10. Aric Almirola – 138 Points
    His boss won 15 times at Martinsville. Guess who wants a clock of his own.

    11. A.J. Allmendinger – 137 Points
    Thinking of Martinsville, dreaming of an Indianapolis-Charlotte double.

    12. Casey Mears – 132 Points
    His uncle won the Indianapolis 500 four times.

    13. Matt Kenseth – 127 Points
    Great pit stops, just one too many at Fontana.

    14. Denny Hamlin – 125 Points
    Gibbs cars lead 100 laps, none finish among the Top Dozen.

    15. David Ragan – 124 Points
    Upset Gordon at Fontana, but still sits a dozen points ahead of him in the standings.

    16. Carl Edwards – 120 Points
    Turned his foot long into a six-inch sub in practice and still searching for first Top Ten

    17. Jamie McMurray – 120 Points
    Yet to finish in NASCAR’s Top Ten. Is this the year?

    18. Austin Dillon – 116 Points
    With four Xfinity starts, tied with Larson for most visits to the kiddies table this year.

    19. Kyle Larson – 116 Points
    Now, NASCAR, THAT is what I would call debris.

    20. Clint Bowyer – 115 Points
    Martinsville changed its hog dogs, but this hot dog has endorsed ‘em as being just as good.