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The Final Word – Bristol, we have a problem

Bristol is not Las Vegas, Phoenix, Fort Worth or Charlotte. There are reasons to go to the Virginia-Tennessee border. The country is beautiful. On Sunday, it appears a lot of people were taking in the scenery. They sure in hell were not at the race track.

NASCAR is in serious trouble. Sure, we have commented on the dropping ratings and crowds for years. The pretty people who once made it the thing to be part of have all disappeared and even the sponsors rarely do anything special in their commercials as they did a decade or more ago. We knew things were not great. Then we saw the grandstands at Bristol on Sunday.

They were “optimizing the stadium configuration for the spring race only” the track folks announced, taking “a more frontstretch and backstretch approach.” That was their way of explaining why not a single soul was sitting in the large stretches at either end of the facility. Not a soul. No doubt the buses arrived to take the sight seers out on their tour and off they went. Not a candy wrapper to be found.

“To create a more energetic atmosphere” was what was to be enjoyed by the token few left behind. I can smell the bovine excrement from here. In a stadium that is built for 146,000 fans, only an estimated 38,000 bothered to show up for the prizes and to be revved up during the cautions and stage breaks. When one of your most iconic tracks, one that can be counted on to serve up some great action, looks as abandoned as North Wilkesboro, you have a problem. An Apollo 13 kind of problem.

Sometimes a race can be highly entertaining. Daytona was. Bristol was. Everything in between was not. They actually sucked. I wager that the “action” presented in Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, California, Martinsville, and Texas earned the sport not one single new fan. Not one. Instead, they probably sent a few more former fans packing. When they quit turning out at a track like Bristol, disaster looms on the horizon.

Want a quick easy fix? How about announcers who entertain you in a fashion the race is not. NBC finally got it, with the style of broadcasting delivered by Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Burton, Steve Letarte, Rick Allen and company keeping us tuned in just to hear what those boys and girls might say. On FOX, their style depends on the race being worth to watch, as their commentary does not provide a diversion for when it is not. Thus far, six of the eight have not.

Now, take that NBC-style commentary with his broadcasters who might tell you what is happening, who might make you think, who certainly will make you laugh, and pipe it through as a channel on the scanners worn by those in the crowd. I am sure it would add to the experience a whole lot more than massive sections of empty seats and a few prizes. If they can not fix the racing, at least fix the experience.

After 15 years of watching the sport closely, of commenting on it weekly, it simply became a chore for me. I am not the only one. Next year, NASCAR once again attacks its own tradition. For 11 seasons (2004-2014) they moved the Southern 500 out of its usual Labor Day spot. They even dropped the Southern 500 moniker for a time. When they finally returned to tradition, we thought they might have learned something. They did not. Next season, the former Firecracker 400 July race at Daytona moves to the fall, to be replaced by the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis. The track at Indy is iconic, the NASCAR racing there is always horrid. Almost unwatchable,

They keep saying the current schedule is stagnant. Who in hell are “they?” Are “they” people who actually go to the races, who are continuing family traditions with an annual trek to Daytona in the summer on their own dime? I sincerely doubt it. The tracks are not stagnant. The dates are not stagnant. The damn racing experience and the television commentary are what is stagnant. If you want to do something, fix that.

Next week it is Richmond. Not bad. Two weeks after that, it is Talladega. Always great. After the shock we got at Bristol, I just hope they have enough fans left to fill at least half of the seats. I am taking nothing for granted.

April 9, 2019
The Final Word – Is it a big swing and a miss as NASCAR makes big changes for 2020?

In answer to Sheryl Crow’s question of more than a decade ago, “I don’t.” Other than for Daytona, which usually is a visually thrilling spectacle on its own, this has not been a banner season for the televised version of NASCAR. Sadly, that has been the case for at least 10 years now. Unless you are a stats freak, know who is where in the standings, are a gear head who just loves cars, there is nothing much to see or hear to keep you glued to the tube each week. So, now they plan to shake things up for next season. A lot.

As a traditionalist, I do not like it at first glance. However, what is, well, no longer seems to be working. In fact, just 13 dates from this season will be the same for next. The Daytona 500 still opens the season in mid-February. Then the changes begin.

Las Vegas replaces Atlanta the next week as they, along with California, play musical chairs. The biggest change has Homestead moving from 36th to sixth on the schedule as fans of Martinsville will have a big change coming to their lives.

Martinsville does not appear until nearly two months later, with dates in May and a playoff run in early November. They will have not one but three short track courses to help determine a champion. Richmond and Bristol still have their April dates and, while Richmond retains its September run, they will move Bristol’s second date from August to early November.

Three iconic events are also on the move. The Southern 500 in Darlington is on the move…again. It drops back a week to take over the Indianapolis playoff spot. The Brickyard 400 will now welcome the fireworks in early July. The former Firecracker 400 will become the final regular season event, as Daytona takes the Darlington date in late August.

While some dates for other tracks will be moved slightly out of order compared to this season’s schedule, it at least is somewhat recognizable. Even the season conclusion in Phoenix will be on the same date, concluding the year a week earlier and at a different venue.

There is one more exception. It will no longer be your daddy’s Pocono experience. Instead of visits in early June and then in late July, now it will be two visits in late June on two successive days. A Saturday-Sunday doubleheader. Tell me, how bad have you got it?

Some of the changes are interesting. Moving the season ending event matters not, as Homestead has never become an iconic event in most minds anyway. Adding a third short track is good. Keeping the roval in Charlotte as part of the mix is fine. Adding some tradition with the Southern 500 becoming even more meaningful actually comes across as a fine idea.

Moving the summer Daytona date is an eye opener. Maybe it will work out. A doubleheader at Pocono? What would cause fans, who care less and less about the sport, to love the thought of spending a lovely full weekend in Pennsylvania for a double hit of what they do not watch now?

Pack racing is visually stimulating. Events where the competitors are strung out all over the track are not. It is a simple fact. How to change that perception is something they have yet to find an answer for. For those contests, if the announcers are not entertaining in their own right, only the die-hard fans remain. The rest are gone. Maybe with NBC’s return later in the season with their new approach to covering the action, entertaining us along with describing the action, they can help save the day.

Since Daytona, the races at Atlanta, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Fontana, and Martinsville have been just painful to watch. I only hope the live experience, at the track, is a much more enjoyable experience. God, I sure hope so.

How bad have I got it? You know the answer. I miss those days when I did.

March 27, 2019
By the numbers: Spring Phoenix preview

The Pennzoil 400 had the most green flag passes across the field and most green flag passes for the lead over the past five races. While we’ve had a couple of races with the new package, the reception has been mixed. There’s a good variety of tracks coming up that will help get a better overall understanding of where that is compared to last year.

Joey Logano stopped the weekend sweep of Kyle Busch by winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race on Sunday. Busch, who won both the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series and the NASCAR Xfinity race, sped on pit road and recovered to finish third on Sunday. Keselowski put on a late race charge to win back to back Cup races.

Here are this week’s By The Numbers.

0 – This was technically a caution-free race when excluding stage cautions. Logano mentioned in the media center after the race that he wasn’t that surprised. This was the first caution-free race since the fall race at Talladega in 2002.

2 – There were two very interesting and possibly controversial penalties on front runners Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. It was also (probably) the number of fingers that actually touched the pavement by Larson’s crew member.

4 – Four drivers shuffled four positions in points. Joey Logano and Martin Truex Jr. moved up four spots with Logano taking over the points lead. Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman dropped four spots, with Newman outside of the cutoff line for the Playoffs.

52 – Kevin Harvick was the fastest car on track for 52 out of the 267 laps. That’s just shy of 20 percent for the Stage One winner. He’s also going to a track where he’s won five of the last 10 times.

129 – It was on this lap that Kyle Busch knew he… well, you can finish the rest. The speeding penalty on Lap 129 while coming on pit road was one of Busch’s rare mistakes that potentially cost him the triple sweep.

3,345 – Total number of green flag passes in Sunday’s Pennzoil 400 according to NASCAR’s official loop data. This was more than the five previous races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

5.0 – Ricky Stenhouse Jr. holds the best average start at 5.0 in the first three races of the Cup season.

23.4 – Aric Almirola’s average start at ISM Raceway over the last five races is 23.4. His average finish improves to 11.8, one of the best start to finish improvements across all active drivers.

100% – Kevin Harvick is the only active driver that has finished 100 percent of the laps in the last 10 races at ISM Raceway.

375 – In the NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series, Matt Crafton is the only competitor to complete all 375 total possible laps for the 2019 season. They have a big break before returning to racing action at Martinsville Speedway at the end of the month.

149 – Christopher Bell has led 149 total laps this season in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, one shy of doubling that of second place full-time Xfinity driver Tyler Reddick (Kyle Busch has led 98 laps but is competing for the Cup Series championship).

6 – If Kevin Harvick wins this weekend’s Cup race at ISM Raceway, he will become the sixth driver in NASCAR Cup history to win 10 or more times at a single track.

March 7, 2019
The Final Word – The championship hopes of four were unable to rise from the ashes at Phoenix

LEADERSHIP…sucks. Usually, when you lead a race, when you are the guy kicking ass and taking names, it is a good thing. Not at Phoenix. It turned out to be steering the leading car was very similar to being the moral compass on the Walking Dead. You just wind up being some zombie’s souffle. Just when a boy became the golden child, the man out front, the driver all alone leading the parade, fate kicked him in the teeth.

Kevin Harvick was the man to start. He had the pole, he took the lead, he beat back all challenges from Chase Elliott. Then, with a couple of laps to go in the opening stage, a tire went down, his lead went out the window, and he was forced to pit. Elliott grabbed the points. Harvick wound up with a bucket of something less tasteful than honey.

Off to the second stage. Elliott lost the front to Kurt Busch. He dominated. He was the man. Joey Logano already had his pass to Homestead, so when his left rear let go and wrecked out, no big deal. However, with about 20 laps left, Clint Bowyer’s own left rear departed to end his day as well as his championship hopes.

It was time to pit, to get some fresh rubber. Harvick stayed out after the caution had put him back on the lead lap. A win by Busch would have made that fact meaningless, but he decided to gas it coming to the pits and that pushed him past the pace car. A lap penalty was his reward. Once again, Harvick was back in the top four in the battle to advance, along with Logano, Martin Truex Jr. as well as Kyle Busch, who went on to win the stage.

So, when it came down to the final push, Harvick was just three points ahead of Kurt in points banked, but sitting a lap and more than 20 positions ahead of him on the track. Of course, if Elliott could win it, it would not matter what either of those two boys did. As for Kyle and Truex, they just had to avoid disaster to run against Logano for the championship next week.

It was all Kyle Busch. For a while. Then he gave up the lead to Elliott. Just in time, as it turned out. When Elliott pitted under green, he was a little too speedy. So much for the lead, but on an interesting track, both the action and the intrigue just went up a notch. Who was going to be in and who was going to be left on the outside? All the contenders were back on the lead lap, all had a shot coming down to the final 50 laps.

Some of the mystery went away late in the run. Kurt Busch was not leading, but he was close. When Denny Hamlin got loose and went up the track, he got very close to Busch. Too close. They made contact, Busch caught the fence, then turned down to take out Elliott. Three on the outside were now done, with only one challenger remaining.

Aric Almirola needed to win. He needed to catch Kyle Busch. He looked good for a short time. Too short. There were just not enough ponies under his hood. When they hit the line, Kyle won his 51st career Cup race, with Brad Keselowski and Kyle Larson between him and Almirola. Harvick finished fifth, Truex was 14th.

Despite the storylines, the quartet for Homestead remained as expected. Logano and the Big Three go in, with the best of the four in Florida in that one race taking home the championship. Next week, leadership will mean everything.

November 12, 2018
Weekend schedule for Phoenix

Staff Report | NASCAR.com

The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series, NASCAR Xfinity Series and Camping World Truck Series will be in action at ISM Raceway in Phoenix. All three series enter their final elimination races that will set up the Championship 4. Check out the full schedule below, which is subject to change.

Note: All times are ET

Friday, November 9
10:30-11:20 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series first practice, FS2 (Results)
12:05-12:55 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice, FS2 (Results)
1:35-2:25 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
2:35-3:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series first practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
4:35-5:25 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Results)
5:35 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series qualifying, FS1 (Results)
7 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Busch Pole Qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
8:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Lucas Oil 150 (150 laps, 150 miles), FS1 (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
12:15 p.m.: Chip Ganassi Racing
12:45 p.m.: Kurt Busch
1 p.m.: Justin Allgaier, Christopher Bell and Matt Tifft
3 p.m.: Chase Elliott
3:15 p.m.: Martin Truex Jr.
3:30 p.m.: Kyle Busch
4 p.m.: Jimmie Johnson and Fernando Alonso (via Skype)
4:30 p.m.: USAA Hats Off to Heroes Program
7:45 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series qualifying
10:15 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race

SATURDAY, November 10
11:30-12:20 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series second practice, CNBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
12:35 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series qualifying, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
2-2:50 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series final practice, NBCSN/NBC Sports App (Follow live)
3:30 p.m.: NASCAR Xfinity Series Whelen Trusted To Perform 200 (200 laps, 200 miles), NBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5:30 p.m.: Post-NASCAR Xfinity Series race

SUNDAY, November 11
2:30 p.m.: Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Can-Am 500 (312 laps, 312 miles), NBC/NBC Sports App (Follow live)

PRESS PASS (Watch live)
5:30 p.m.: Post-Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race

November 8, 2018
Hot 20 – Smokey just tagged the Bandit to make Phoenix a lot more interesting

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

November 7, 2018
The Final Word – It was the AAA Happy Harvick Texas 500

After Texas, then there were two locked into Homestead. One stole the show at Martinsville and then attempted to deny the second his ticket. Joey Logano failed to pull it off as he wound up third. Ryan Blaney had something to showcase and he had his moments. Not enough of them, as he had to settle for second.

No, Texas was all about Kevin Harvick and nothing but Kevin Harvick. He dominated to sweep the stages, to win by four-tenths of a second to claim his eighth victory of the season. Taking the maximum amount of points was nice, but the goal was to advance to Homestead and join Logano among the final championship contenders. Mission accomplished.

It could have been different. The vibrations being felt by the boys on Sunday were not good. Was it a loose wheel or just how the tires were reacting? Harvick almost pulled in but was talked out of it. They could not talk Kyle Busch from doing so, and he was buried in 17th. Martin Truex Jr. did the same, even picked up a penalty on pit road, but at least managed a Top Ten finish. Two of our Big Three are not yet in, but they remain 28 and 30 points, respectively, ahead of the seventh-place finisher, Kurt Busch, as they head to Phoenix.

We saw little of Chase Elliott, who was sixth, but now needs to win next weekend, barring a catastrophe or two to hit his rivals. Aric Almirola is now seventh in the standings, 18th at Texas, and not even the world’s best mathematician can come up with any scenario that does not involve a win to allow him to advance.

Then there was Clint Bowyer. He wiggled and came together with Denny Hamlin on the opening lap. Ten circuits later, both cars were in for deflating rubber. They were gone from the lead lap, going beyond a lap down, and things just got worse all day long. Neither would be seen among the Top 25 on the day. For Bowyer, winning has also become everything.

What can we expect at Phoenix? Harvick has nine wins there. Nine. Jimmie Johnson has four, but no one expects a vintage version of Jimmie to emerge this season. As for the remaining six contenders seeking a win, only the two Busch boys have won at Phoenix, and both of those wins came in the Busch Brother sweep of 2005.

Hope is not all lost. Elliott has finished second and third in the past two events at the venue. Kyle was runner-up earlier this year, and his average over the past six is better than a fourth-place result. Truex was fifth in the spring, and third last autumn. Kurt had a Top Ten in their last visit. Almirola has had a pair of Top Tens in the past two. Bowyer was sixth in March.

Who am I kidding? Harvick will march into Phoenix and do what Harvick often does. Barring very bad tidings for one or two of them at Phoenix, Homestead will feature the Big Three and the Big Logano. Anything else would be considered a major surprise.

November 5, 2018
The Final Word – Logano steals a musical chair from Truex at Martinsville

We are down to a game of musical chairs. Four spots, with eight drivers who very much want one of them. Let me just say that musical chairs sucks. When you are a reserved fat kid, the more athletic aggressive lads are going to go after those seats hard. Also, you will never be a hero dropping a young lady on her ass. Fortunately for the gents at Martinsville on Sunday, not a young lady to be found. No fat kids, either, come to think of it.

A fat aggressive butt might be useful, but not as much as a fast aggressive Busch with a good cushion in points coming in. Kyle Busch came in with a 40 point advantage over the outsiders and was third in the opening stage to bump his margin up by one. Hey, every point counts, as seven of eight contenders added to their totals in that initial run, with Chase Elliott being the lone exception. As for Bill’s boy, he fell from fourth to seventh in points locked and secured in the bank at that point, but they had a lot more racing left on the day.

As long as the car stays together, that is. During the fueling intermission, Clint Bowyer had moved to within a couple of points of Elliott’s replacement in fourth, Joey Logano, when he made hard contact with William Byron in the pits. Surprisingly, his car showed little damage. Instead of a Ford, he must have been driving something made from Tonka. Martin Truex Jr. tested it further during the run, as the pair made some contact in the tight corners.

Bowyer and five others among our contenders managed stage points in the middle frame. Logano dominated to gain the max amount of points, with Kyle Busch again third. Denny Hamlin, who won that first round, was second this time out. Some guys do not need to be part of no stinkin’ playoffs to make themselves relevant. Neither Kevin Harvick or Aric Almirola collected any bonuses, but the former was still more than 30 to the good. Almirola, on the other hand, seemed about to make like the Titanic and sink out of view. You could almost hear the band playing.

Truex had some issues going through spec and started this one at the back of the field. He had never won at a short track. He took the lead from Logano with 140 of the scheduled 500 laps to go as weather threatened to move in. That was exciting. It was for about 15 laps when Logano charged back in front.

We had not seen much of Brad Keselowski. Neither had Logano until his teammate passed him with just over 40 miles to go. Only eight drivers mattered coming in, but nobody told the 2012 Cup champion.

Bowyer was one who mattered coming in. However, a spin with about 20 miles to go when track position mattered a lot did him no favors. The caution, on the other hand, was welcomed by a few others. Logano and Kyle Busch hit the green up front, while Keselowski and Hamlin were right behind them. It was the contenders against the pretenders for a big ole grandfather clock awaiting the winner in Victory Lane.

Keselowski could not care less about playing nice with the playoff posse. He roughed up Busch to take over second. He roughed up his teammate but Logano held him off. That is when Truex, who was in the third row for the re-start, re-emerged to tango with Logano, to make a bid for that elusive short-track victory as the pair went fender to fender over the final three miles.

They were rubbing. They were banging. They were sliding. It was Logano coming across the line to punch his ticket to Homestead. It marked his second of the season and the 20th victory of his Cup career.

With Truex out of shape, he had to settle for third as Hamlin got by him on the inside. The result means Logano has one of the four seats reserved for Homestead. Kyle Busch is 46 points to the good, with Harvick and Truex sitting 25 on the sunny side. Kurt Busch finds himself 25 away, while Elliott, Bowyer, and Almirola needing to win at Texas or Phoenix to steal a chair or two from the Big Three.

Musical chairs suck…unless you are watching the pratfalls from the sidelines. One thing to watch for in Homestead is Logano finding the wall instead of the championship. Truex is already installing the sights in his car as we speak.

October 29, 2018
Hot 20 – Martinsville and it is getting late, as those who matter are now down to eight

Then there were eight, as the surviving championship contenders take to the track this weekend at Martinsville. It is damn near over, but that overweight soprano has yet to warble, so we have a few notes to wait for between now and Homestead.

First, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are bound to be among the final four. Probably. Maybe. If they manage to record Top Ten finishes this Sunday, as well as at Texas and Phoenix, add a few stage points, then all will be fine. If. A blown engine. A failed part. A wreck. Now, that could change everything. Not much wiggle room, but those two boys have more than anyone.

Martin Truex Jr. is our defending champion on a team about to become a ghost after this season. He is 23 points to the good. That is almost enough for a free pass…for one race…almost.

We have been waiting to see which of the new generation would firmly put his foot down and emerge as a true star of the future. Chase Elliott has provided us with the answer. In claiming two of the past three, he is the gent in that final transfer spot. It is not by much. Three points. Three points can come and go in a lap.

Three hounds are chasing the fox. Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch are tied for fifth. For them, everything will be a big thing. Qualifying. Stage points. Finishes. Everything.

Finally, there is Aric Almirola. There are no more Talladega experiences coming up. No teammates to take him down the yellow brick road. This week, especially, he is on his own. As he comes in nine points out, he has to prove he belongs in this company. This week. Next week. The following week. If he can do that, he will truly deserve to be in the hunt in mid-November at Homestead.

The third round of the playoffs begins this Sunday at Martinsville with eight men out to lay a claim on a championship.

1. KYLE BUSCH – 4055 POINTS (7 Wins)
The Big Three…

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 4054 POINTS (7 Wins)
…remain the Top Three…

3. MARTIN TRUEX, JR. – 4038 POINTS (4 Wins)
…but will there be room for all three when they arrive at Homestead?

4. CHASE ELLIOTT – 4018 POINTS (3 Wins)
Three wins in his last 11 starts mean the lad has finally arrived and is a contender.

5. CLINT BOWYER – 4015 POINTS (2 Wins)
Just four spots remain to be in that final run for the championship…

6. JOEY LOGANO – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
…but should a couple of the boys down here claim a win…

7. KURT BUSCH – 4015 POINTS (1 Win)
…then all bets are off.

8. ARIC ALMIROLA – 4006 POINTS (1 Win)
Almirola will not be among them. I love Talladega, but it is not a true indicator of what is to come.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 2212 POINTS (1 Win)
Had a good day last week, but as things turned out he needed to sweep the stages or win.

10. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2194 POINTS (3 Wins)
To be a Top Ten ranked driver these days one has to win, though sometimes three is not enough.

11. KYLE LARSON – 2178 POINTS
Even a Top Three finish proved too little too late for some.

12. DENNY HAMLIN – 2159 POINTS
A Fistful of Dollars and a Handful of Martinsville wins. It is never too late to be a winner.

13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2150 POINTS (1 Win)
Do you remember Daytona in February? Me neither.

14. ERIK JONES – 2148 POINTS (1 Win)
Jones is in a Toyota, one of the few who are. How does that bode for 2019?

15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2148 POINTS
Here is hoping for a 10th and final Jimmie-Chad Martinsville celebration.

16. ALEX BOWMAN – 2144 POINTS
Bowman drives a bowtie. Am I the only one seeing the advertising potential of this?

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 663 POINTS
Newman drives a bowtie. Next season, it will be a blue oval. At least it is not a Toyota.

18. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 632 POINTS
No sweat working with Stenhouse, but driving is an entirely different matter for Kasey Kahne.

19. PAUL MENARD – 630 POINTS
There was a Menard sighting at Kansas, but that ended in the middle of the second stage.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 627 POINTS
Former crew chief Scott Graves will join Newman with Roush next season.

October 24, 2018
Hot 20 – Few are California Dreamin’

Excitement, thy name is sure not Fontana. Not usually. There is a reason the idea to bring the Cup folks out to the Auto Club Speedway was abandoned after just seven seasons. It is bad enough to be a yawner on television, but when that is the perception live and in person, you have got a problem.

NASCAR has some pretty exciting tracks, with Bristol, Daytona, and Talladega leading the way. The entertainment value alone makes those stand-alone events, whether you know the difference between Kyle Busch and Cole Whitt or not. Others are steeped in history, while this season will provide us with familiar tracks becoming quite unfamiliar.

Last week was Phoenix, where new grandstands going up will cause a move of the start-finish line in time for November. New grandstands going up, new fans parked in those seats, a finish line right in front of all those newly accommodated peepers. What is now Turn Two becomes the focal point. Just imagine a finish where the track opens up, where even a daredevil can take their shot cutting low below the line in a bid for victory. Even the drivers like the idea.

Then there is Charlotte. They run the 600 miler on the traditional oval in May, but in September they will add to that oval a detour to include the interior road course. Something different to watch for. Something exciting is what they hope for.

As for California, it is not always a bore. Usually, but not always. Here is hoping we fans discover the exception on Sunday.

As for our Hot 20…

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS – 1 E.W. – 168 Pts
If the plan is to have his wins match his age, expect two more sooner than later.

2. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 114 Pts
Winning the Daytona 500 was awesome, but did he retire after that?

3. KYLE BUSCH – 156 POINTS
If the plan was to watch Harvick’s backside every race, things are working out perfectly.

4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 156 POINTS
18th at Daytona, Top Fives ever since.

5. JOEY LOGANO – 152 POINTS
Not always at the front at the end of the day, but he seems to there at some time during the day.

6. RYAN BLANEY – 152 POINTS
Proved that country singer Cole Swindell is a bit of a screamer.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 137 POINTS
Believes he needs just a little bit of speed to catch Harvick. 30 other guys might say the same.

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 134 POINTS
Won the Xfinity race last weekend. I outran a three-year-old. We are both winners.

9. KYLE LARSON – 131 POINTS
Will Chip Ganassi allow his driver to do the Memorial Day double? Most doubt it.

10. CLINT BOWYER – 125 POINTS
Clint is second best in the SHR garage…

11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 123 POINTS
…but not by much.

12. KURT BUSCH – 117 POINTS
Tony’s boys were all in the Top Ten on Sunday.

13. RYAN NEWMAN – 101 POINTS
580 consecutive starts. That ties him for ninth with Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie who?

14. PAUL MENARD – 97 POINTS
Some days are not good. Some days can get worse. That was Menard’s Phoenix experience.

15. ERIK JONES – 93 POINTS
Cup and MLB are similar in that damn few performers of Jones’ age make it to the Show.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 91 POINTS
Daytona bad. Atlanta good. Las Vegas bad. Phoenix good. He might want to change the trend.

17. ALEX BOWMAN – 91 POINTS
The Arizona native son was 13th last week for his best finish of the season.

18. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 88 POINTS
Still seeking out his first Top Ten of the year.

19. DARRELL WALLACE JR. – 77 POINTS
Claimed more points at Daytona than in his next three events combined.

20. CHRIS BUESCHER – 75 POINTS
Phoenix was his worst finish of the year. His time on this chart could soon come to an end.

March 13, 2018