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Tag: pennzoil 400

  • Reddick bested by Larson’s blocks in Las Vegas

    Reddick bested by Larson’s blocks in Las Vegas

    Kyle Larson dominated, Sunday, at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. He led 181 of the 267 laps and swept the stages. The Pennzoil 400 was his race to lose. Even with Corey LaJoie’s spin with 34 laps to go, Larson fended off Ross Chastain to pull away from the field.

    With 12 laps to go, however, Tyler Reddick ran faster laps and turned the race to the finish into a game of cat and mouse.

    “I knew I was going to have to kind of catch him off guard with a late kind of block,” Larson said.

    And he blocked multiple times.

    Reddick, who ran the bottom line to reel Larson in, ran higher and higher to close the gap. Larson responded by hogging the middle line and blocking in a way that would get him black-flagged in the NTT IndyCar Series.

    “Every time I sort of got close, I mean, we’re running just wide open enough in Turn 1 and 2, you can kind of defend pretty well,” Reddick said.

    The closing laps showcased two generational talents trying to make the other flinch. With two to go, Reddick closed the gap into Turn 1. He expected Larson to hold the middle, while he slipped by underneath.

    Larson didn’t fall for it, and Reddick’s car tightened up.

    Even with a lap and a half left, he ran out of time. Just as he did in both stages, Reddick finished runner-up to Larson.

    Both were evenly matched in the closing laps. So what more could he have done?

    “I don’t know if there was anything that I really could’ve done to get around him,” he said. “He would have had to make a big mistake or had some traffic kind of knock his wind around.”

    Nevertheless, compared to lackluster runs at both Daytona and Atlanta, his run at Las Vegas was a change of fortune that pole-vaulted him from 24th to 12th in points. Furthermore, if this was any indication, he’s a threat to win at any of the 1.5 mile tracks, this season.

    “We had a really good Nasty Beast Toyota Camry,” he said. “Just stupid mistakes on pit road. Same shit, different year, right? Kind of frustrating. We’ll continue to work on it, but a good rebound for our team today.”

  • Opinion: Las Vegas race weekend is the reason why media members do not need to be a part of the story

    Opinion: Las Vegas race weekend is the reason why media members do not need to be a part of the story

    I shouldn’t even have to address this as “opinion.” This should be common sense. I don’t drive to Texas Motor Speedway to steal the show, gain YouTube likes, or ask questions in the post-race press conference that make others question my sobriety. I go down there to gather content and report weekend news.

    Yet here we are, with one “outlet” being exposed for outright plagiarism, one “member” asking nonsensical questions in the post-race press conference, and a Twitter beef between a seasoned, yet abrasive, member of the racing media and the owner of a satirical sports site that appeals mostly (not all) to people who look up and down before crossing the street and/or wash paper plates. There’s more talk on this than Matt DiBenedetto’s runner-up finish to Joey Logano or Bubba Wallace’s stout sixth-place run. I feel not only for the drivers but for the fans as well, having to deal with this crap.

    To start, there was the issue on Twitter with the so-called racing site Motor Racing Insider, LLC. They were outed unceremoniously on Twitter for blatant plagiarism in both print and photo, and to be fair that story gained more traction on Twitter than the race itself, at least in my perspective. They even had a sacrificial lamb in YouTube personality Joseph Lombard, leaving him to take the brunt of the damage while they deleted their social media and several posts on their site.

    This was followed by someone called a Mark DiBello (from a DiBello Production Company; nobody had heard of them and they left after the post-race conference) asking something resembling a question despite there not being a clear structure or point to the question. Many on social media questioned the guy’s sanity, many questioned his sobriety, but many also wondered if it wasn’t just some stunt done to garner a reaction because why not.

    Then of course, there’s the Utter/Barstool beef. Now, Utter, as hard-working a guy as he is when it comes to news, does himself no favors on social media, and sometimes that comes back around and bites him. Then there’s the unprofessional conduct, such as when he tried having Michael McDowell’s car towed in 2017. No points, no favors.

    But Barstool is no saint in the matter either. Sure, they bring exposure to NASCAR, and that’s something the sport needs. However, look at their overly misogynistic content. Look at their podcast selection (Call Her Daddy looks like the epitome of cringe from my standpoint, but hey. You do you). Look at the way Barstool creator Dave Portnoy relies on Twitter tough-talk (I can’t respect anyone who threatens others on social media, especially when it comes to “making memes of someone until they cry” or “not blocking him in person.” Really? Are we 12?). There’s a seven-letter word for people like that, and Denis Leary made a song with that title in 1993.

    Hey, did you know Ricky Stenhouse Jr. got a third-place finish after leading several laps? What about Jimmie Johnson actually scoring a top-five? How about the top Toyota was Kyle Busch in 15th? No? Maybe it’s because the big story was select identities in the media making complete fools out of themselves.

    I’m a part-time “civilian” journalist. I don’t have Utter’s clout, or Jeff Gluck’s talent. I’m not as driven as Matt Weaver, and I’m doubtful I’ll ever have the presence that Claire B. Lang has. I’m there with Frank Velat from Frontstretch, the Schuolers at Kick In The Tires, I consider Toby Christie (TobyChristie.com) and Rob Tiongson (The Podium Finish) to be good friends, and those are just some of the names that do what they can when they can on a weekly basis. They’re a small portion of the people who need to cure that journalistic itch just as I do, and I admire and respect all they do.

    It’s something more to them like it is to me. They know, like I do, that it’s a privilege to be there in the Media Center or Press Box. They know, like I do, that it isn’t about us but the drivers and personalities. They know that it isn’t about our stupid little egos but about you. The reader. The subscriber. The listener. You give us the opportunities to be your eyes and ears, and although I can’t speak for them, I can speak for myself when I say I love you guys for that.

    When something like this circus happens, I can’t help but worry. As I said, it’s a privilege to be accepted for credentials to a professional racing event, but stupid stunts tend to put that at risk. Twitter beefs discredit what we do in the media. They’re inevitable, unfortunately, since social media brings out the best and worst in our personality, but they’re pretty non-conducive to what our ultimate task is.

    Here’s the thing: I have my opinions (that’s why I addressed this post as “Opinion”) regarding the matter. I’m madder than hell about the plagiarism and whatever it was DiBello was trying to pull. I cringe whenever Utter utters something that isn’t racing news, and I think the NASCAR/Barstool marriage will do more to harm NASCAR’s image in the long run. But that’s my opinion.

    To be frank, most of the time you guys don’t ask for my opinion, so it’s my duty to be fair and unbiased. That’s what you ask of me, ultimately. That’s a part of my duty. Not only is it my duty, though, it’s the duty of everyone who dons press credentials. We have to adhere to a certain set of ethics when it comes to being media members, and that includes removing ourselves from the story and making sure we put in the work and earn our respect.

    It isn’t about us. It’s never been about us. It’s about the drivers and personalities that make up the sport we love. That’s the way it’s been and the way it will be. I can promise you that you can expect nothing less than the best and most professional from us on the Speedway Media staff, and that’s something you can take to the bank.

    So thank you for reading, thank you for listening, and thank you for subscribing/following us. But most of all, thank you for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this scene that we love so much.

  • Episode 6: Viva Las Vegas, Is Newman made of old Nokia phones, an unusual top-10

    Episode 6: Viva Las Vegas, Is Newman made of old Nokia phones, an unusual top-10

    Guest host Justin Schuoler from KickInTheTires.net joins the show to talk about the Las Vegas race weekend, gambling on track, and if Ryan Newman is made of old Nokia phones.

  • Joey Logano Cashes Out the Jackpot, Wins at Vegas

    Joey Logano Cashes Out the Jackpot, Wins at Vegas

    Joey Logano wins the first west coast race in the Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.

    “I said we’re going to do donuts on that giant infield logo after the race, and we were able to do it,” Logano shared after winning for the first time in his career at Las Vegas.

    With over 3,300 green flag passes and 47 green flag passes for the lead, NASCAR’s new aero package saw much more competitive racing. The leaders could not get further than a couple seconds out front before being reeled back in, and a lot of draft was being manipulated. Logano shared that it really was more of a mental game.

    “What a great race. Brad and I were so evenly matched, and you just can’t drive away (with the lead). In the last five or six laps, Brad was catching me so quick, and I got stuck behind a lapped car. Man, it was so close. Lots of fun – my heart’s still running hard.”

    Teammate Brad Keselowski put on a couple late run charges, even coming to the checkered flag. Out of Turn 4, he came up one spot short of going back to back to win two of the first three races of the season. Team Penske finished 1-2.

    “It was a good battle,” Keselowski said. “We were both running really hard on the top. It seemed to come down to what the lapped cars were going to do. The lapped cars screwed the leader, and the second-place guy got a really good run. It happened over and over again. First, Joey got hosed by a lapped car, and I got by him. Then I got hosed by a lapped car, and he got by me. But it was definitely a good event.”

    Kyle Busch was able to recover from a pit road speeding penalty and a six second deficit to the leaders to pass Kevin Harvick for third. Time ran out and Busch was three spots short of the weekend sweep across all three NASCAR touring series.

    “I certainly screwed up our day coming to pit road,” Busch said disappointed after a green flag pit road speeding penalty during Stage 2. “Trying to make up time and just ruined it for us.”

    Stage 1 winner Harvick finished fourth with Kurt Busch utilizing some late race pit road strategy rounded out the top five. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Martin Truex Jr., Chase Elliott and Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin completed the top 10.

    Harvick Begins His West Coast Swing in Stage One

    Harvick and Hamlin started side by side on the front row at the initial start of the race. Landon Cassill and Ty Dillon moved to the rear of the field after both a gear change and an engine change. Hamlin, inside, pulled out to a brief lead on the back stretch, but Harvick marched his way through Turns 3 and 4 to lead the first lap as the crossed the start finish line. Harvick ended up leading virtually all the laps, aside from the green flag pit stops cycle. Daniel Hemric started in the fifth position, but quickly dropped through the field and lost a lap deeper into the stage.

    Unique penalties were handed out during green flag pit stops. Austin Dillon, who was running inside the top five most of the first stage was caught with too many crew members over the wall. The call came from NASCAR after two crew members retrieving tires from the tire changers fell over the wall after reaching too far for a tire. Kyle Larson, who also was running in the top 10, had a penalty with too many crew members over the wall. For his pit stop, the crew member also responsible for retrieving a tire swept their hand over the pit stall and made contact with pit surface. After some social media controversy, FOX Sports Bob Pockrass posted on Twitter the rule that states the following.

    Ryan Blaney had an extra unscheduled pit stop for a tire that lost a valve stem on his original pit stop.

    During the green flag pit stops, Joey Logano led for six laps before his pit stop. Daniel Suarez led his first career laps on a 1.5 mile oval before taking two tires to gain some track position. Harvick reclaimed the lead and led the final 19 laps to the green-checkered flag that signifies the end of the stage.

    Team Penske Working Together During Stage Two

    Keselowski led the field to the green on the restart, but because he elected to take two tires, he was quickly overtaken by Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, and the two battled for the lead for most of the stage.

    Blaney visited pit road early, and quickly caught the leaders. At this time, he was three laps down and passed the leaders to get one of his laps back the old school way. Logano saw his speed, and the No. 22 team elected to pit for fresh tires. That brought all the lead lap cars to the pits.

    As Busch came to pit road, he locked up the brakes and sped during the first segment. He immediately served his penalty per instructions from his crew chief before his car got up to full speed.

    “There’s no f****** way…” Kyle dejectedly stated over the radio, knowing he had gone too fast during the first section.

    William Byron played a similar strategy as Suarez in the first stage and led for 21 laps before his pit stop. Logano reclaimed the lead for the final 11 laps to win Stage 2.

    Team Penske Puts on a Show in the Final Stage

    A variety of strategies shuffled the running order as the green flag flew for the start of the final stage, including Kurt Busch staying out during the stage caution. Eventually, the two drivers that showed strength in the early parts of the final stage were Logano and Harvick. The two were at the front during the stage before the last set of pit stops.

    The biggest trouble Harvick had was on pit road. Throughout the day, his team constantly gave him fast pit stops, but Harvick’s car had no traction as he left his pit stall. Comparing to the others, Harvick kept spinning his tires before being able to leave pit road.

    After final pit stops, it became a four-way battle for the lead between Logano, Keselowski, Harvick and Kyle Busch. Keselowski was able to briefly get by Logano to lead a couple laps before Logano reclaimed the lead and won the second stage. Harvick closed the gap to start becoming involved, and Kyle Busch fought from over a six second deficit. However, time ran out for everyone as Logano crossed the line first after a close battle with teammate Keselowski.

    The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series continues their west coast swing next weekend in Phoenix, Arizona at ISM Raceway, Sunday, March 10 at 3:30 p.m. ET.