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Tag: Richard Petty

Hot 20 – Hall of Famers and military heroes are honored at Charlotte this week

Jeff Gordon. Four-time NASCAR champion. Three-time Daytona 500 champion. Four-time Brickyard 400 winner. Six-time Southern 500 victor. Three-time World 600 champion. Three-time All-Star race winner. Winner of 93 Cup races. He probably was the most automatic inductee into the Hall of Fame since Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. His was the opening name announced Wednesday for the Class of 2019.

Next, they turned to ownership, with Jack Roush and Roger Penske both given the keys. Roush has 137 victories as the man who owns the garage, putting Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch in their championship rides. Notable drivers Mark Martin and Carl Edwards also had great success in his cars. Penske has 105 wins to his credit, with Brad Keselowski bringing him his Cup title in 2012. Penske has claimed a few other motorsports accolades over the years, including ownership of 16 Indianapolis 500 winning entries. Among his drivers, you can include the names of Mark Donohue, Mario Andretti, Rick Mears, Bobby Unser, Al Unser, Al Unser Jr., Emerson Fittipaldi, Hélio Castroneves, and Rusty Wallace. I think you get the idea.

Two fallen drivers, Davey Allison and Alan Kulwicki, are popular selections. Both were lost in aviation accidents in 1993. Allison won 19 times in just 191 career starts, winning 10 of them in 1991 and 1992 when he was third best in the standings both times. Kulwicki only won five times in his time, but he was the driver and team owner and took the Hooters No. 7 Ford to the championship the year prior to his death.

This week in Charlotte, they honored the NASCAR Hall of Fame Class of 2019. This Memorial Day weekend, they will honor the troops. It is racing’s most celebrated 24 hours, with action starting at Monte Carlo, moving on to Indianapolis, then to Charlotte as NASCAR salutes some of the heroes, both those on active service and those who have made the supreme sacrifice, who make such days as this possible.

1. KEVIN HARVICK – 5 WINS – 484 Pts
Expects the future of NASCAR to look like the All-Star race did. I bet he does.

2. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 503 Pts
If you are a tender flower who screws up on his pit crew, you might want to reconsider things.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 491 Pts
As long as Larson does not squeeze him into the wall again, then all will be well.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 386 Pts
Let us remember 2Lt. Dale E. Bowyer (1921-1974), Distinguished Service Cross recipient.

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 376 Pts
Defending champion recently visited with his Commander-in-Chief.

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 241 Pts
Won at Daytona. All is good. See you in the Chase.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 396 POINTS
Has a Hall of Famer owner. How cool is that?

8. KURT BUSCH – 393 POINTS
Has driven for two Hall of Fame owners. Top that!

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 380 POINTS
Drive fast on the track, drive much slower on Pit Road. That is a recipe for success.

10. RYAN BLANEY – 365 POINTS
Watch the Spider-Man animated series. Ryan would appreciate it.

11. ARIC ALMIROLA – 342 POINTS
Four Stewart-Haas drivers among the Top Dozen. How sweet it is.

12. KYLE LARSON – 336 POINTS
Don’t squeeze Joey. Don’t squeeze Joey. Don’t squeeze Joey…

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 286 POINTS
Got his start thanks to a Hall of Famer. Between them, they have 11 titles.

14. ERIK JONES – 285 POINTS
Until his boss makes the Hall of Fame, he is left with just 3 Super Bowl rings and 4 Cup titles.

15. ALEX BOWMAN – 271 POINTS
Traded in his car for a Coast Guard Response Boat this week. No points were awarded.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 266 POINTS
Just what we need, another Cup guy driving in the Xfinity series. Let the beat downs begin.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 265 POINTS
It would be mean to suggest that he could get more attention if he dated a Monster Energy gal.

18. PAUL MENARD – 240 POINTS
Patrick County has its heroes, like the Wood Brothers and 1Lt. Leevi Barnard (1980-2009 in Iraq).

19. WILLIAM BYRON – 229 POINTS
He has the right car number to be a Hall of Famer.

20. RYAN NEWMAN – 225 POINTS
Come to think of it, Newman has also driven for a pair of Hall of Fame owners.

May 23, 2018
Hot 20 – Selling NASCAR could be about as tough as trying to sell fans on watching Kansas

For Sale. National sanctioning body. A real fixer-upper. Updated safety features. Decades of tradition. All offers to be considered. Contact Goldman Sachs for further details.

Ever since Bill France gathered together other influential racers and promoters at the Streamline Hotel at Daytona Beach on December 14, 1947, and its founding two months later, it has been a family operation. NASCAR moved from the beach to the big track at Daytona in 1959. A decade later, he brought us Talladega. It was a time when the cars on the track were the cars on the street, with some modifications. By 1966, they introduced changes to the frames and chassis. It was the heyday of short track racing in the south, many of which departed the scene at the same time as the founder handed over the reins.

Bill France Jr. brought the sport into the modern era in 1972. It was the time of Winston Cup. Darrell Waltrip’s Monte Carlo and Richard Petty’s Dodge Charger looked a whole lot like what you could hit the streets in come Monday. Television arrived, at least sporadically, and a nation was let in on what had been primarily a southern secret. Another change in the car appeared when 1981 arrived. Not radical changes, mind you, as Dale Earnhardt’s Goodwrench No. 3 Chevy looked like the beast we all well remember. Fans still turned out in even greater numbers, even when they altered the car once more in 1992. A highly modified body, hours in the wind tunnel, fiberglass bumpers, noses, and tails, and higher costs. If we didn’t know it by then, that old Hudson Hornet was not coming back.

The new millennium brought new leadership as Brian France became the third generation to run the family operation. As Charles Dickens opened the Tale of Two Cities, it truly was the best of times, it was the worst of times. 2001 opened with a nationwide television audience and a long-term contract. It also opened with the death of its greatest active star. In order to provide greater safety, they went to work, and that produced the Car of Tomorrow in 2006, and the sport has never been the same since. No more slingshot passes. Clean air now meant everything. With the splitter and boxy exterior, the cars looked like nothing you would find in a showroom, not that you would want to buy one of them. By the end of the decade, the catchphrase “How bad have you got it” was more like how bad has it gotten. A downturn in the economy and fans quit coming. Seats were torn out of race venues. Attendance figures became a secret. Chicago, Kansas, and Kentucky came on board, but for what reason? Five years ago, a more streamlined sixth generation auto came out. It looked better, but the racing did not get much better.

Now, we are where we are today. Declining attendance, declining viewership, at a time when the most loyal fans are among the oldest, and the drivers they followed are either retired or near the end of the road. Announcers who simply lack the chemistry of good ole boys joking around, telling stories, keeping us entertained, as well as following what action there is on the track. We were reminded of what we are missing when the Cup guys announced the Xfinity race at Talladega. If only every race provided that kind of viewing experience.

Despite their recent purchase of the ARCA series, and the recent memo stating how the France family “remains dedicated to the long-term growth of our sport”, the door is open for the tire kicking to begin. Whoever makes an offer needs to bring back the fans and the sponsors, who are also departing. Whoever comes in will pay billions for the privilege, and they better have a plan. The current one is not working.

What is wrong with NASCAR? Watch Kansas on Saturday night for a hint. Meanwhile, post-race inspections at Dover meant 20 point penalties to Clint Bowyer and Daniel Suarez (rear window violations) while Austin Dillon avoided a point hit for his splitter issue. I wonder what Smoky Yunick would think?

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 466 Pts
Looked damn good even with a vibration, until they had to shut it off.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS (1 E.W.) – 426 Pts
Three clean wins, one encumbered win, and that still equals “four” in my book.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 444 Pts
A fan of Junior, the “Most Popular Driver for the past 100 years.” Joey seems to like old people.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 360 Pts
All he wanted was to become relevant again. Mission accomplished.

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 340 Pts
After a 2017 sweep of Kansas, what is one more?

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 221 Pts
If he had been second at Daytona, he would now sit 19th in the standings.

7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 365 POINTS
It was nice of Harvick to share the stage for a time at Dover.

8. KURT BUSCH – 358 POINTS
“…seeing this schedule for next year, I’m not excited.” I know how he feels.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 346 POINTS
Just the second best Penske Ford at Dover…and he finished eighth.

10. DENNY HAMLIN – 344 POINTS
Obviously got his driver’s license for his skills on the street, not those coming into the driveway.

11. KYLE LARSON – 307 POINTS
Named his new daughter Coke. Okay, I am kidding. I think I am kidding.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 304 POINTS
Leaving the track without assistance this year would be nice.

13. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 268 POINTS
No chance of moving up on this ladder this week, except for a win.

14. ERIK JONES – 253 POINTS
He swears he has seen the ghost of Matt Kenseth at Kansas.

15. ALEX BOWMAN – 252 POINTS
Cup, Xfinity, Trucks, ARCA, K&N…one driver who has touched all of NASCAR’s bases.

16. CHASE ELLIOTT – 241 POINTS
Without a win in the bag, those penalty points hurt. Chase is one who knows that pain.

17. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 239 POINTS
He has a new teammate this week. Some old guy I hear.

18. WILLIAM BYRON – 225 POINTS
Learned to race in a simulator, then in a car at 15. It is a new era.

19. RYAN NEWMAN – 218 POINTS
The Rocketman is fizzing out.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 214 POINTS
Earn a podium finish, and good things happen. Fail post-race inspection, bad things take place.

May 9, 2018
Hot 20 – Dover is not Talladega, but it simply oozes the very best of tradition

Sometimes the news is good like it was at Talladega last week. Entertaining races and I loved the Cup guys manning the microphones for the Xfinity race. They were laid back, funny, and in the case of Darrell Wallace, Jr., pretty darn articulate. Michael Waltrip was a pizza delivery boy, and it brought me back to the best NASCAR show ever. I miss Inside Winston Cup, where Waltrip was held in line by Ken Schrader. Allen Bestwick and Johnny Benson tried to keep things moving forward in a loosely sane manner, even as a garbage truck rolled noisily down the alley behind their studio.

Last Saturday, Spencer Gallagher made that announce crew quite giddy as he claimed his first career junior circuit triumph. The 28-year old won it for his team owner, his dad Maury, as the family operation climbed to the top of the mountain. What a wonderful story. So heartwarming. So family orientated. So traditional.

Well, that went for crap in a hurry. Today, young Gallagher is suspended for violating NASCAR’s drug policy. He is now on their quaintly named Road to Recovery Program. Gone is his team’s shot at the Dash 4 Cash money. Gone is his playoff eligibility for this season. It is a good thing dad has rather deep pockets.

On the positive side of things, Amy and Dale Jr. welcomed Isla Rose Earnhardt into the family on Monday. It is way too early to play matchmaker, but His Royal Highness Prince Louis Arthur Charles of Cambridge is a fine looking young man. Then again, she is already royalty in our books.

Let us hope Dover brings us another feel-good story, one that might last the week. Dover is no Talladega, but they do have Miles the Monster, in sculpture and trophy form. This is the 50th year the track has hosted a Cup event, starting with Richard Petty’s 1969 win in the inaugural Mason-Dixon 300. The venue marked NASCAR’s return to action after 9-11, a race won by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Track records for practice and race times over all three national series are held by the likes of Brad Keselowski, Mark Martin, Bill Elliott, Erik Jones, Joey Logano and Ryan Blaney. Jimmie Johnson has won 11 times on that surface.

You might not remember Jody Ridley, who won there in 1981. He might be the only former winner you might not know. Thirty-five drivers have claimed at least one of the 96 contests at Dover. A pair of Allisons won there. Each Busch brother. A couple of Earnhardts. Two guys named Petty. Forty were won by Hall of Famers, 68 by drivers who have laid claim to the Cup championship.

Dover brings us both Miles the Monster and tradition. You can never have enough of either.

Among our Hot 20 we have…

1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS – 447 Pts
When he’s not happy, he’s not smiling.

2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3 WINS – 366 Pts
Smiles when he is happy, smiles when he is not. Beware of the unhappy smile. It is evil.

3. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN – 417 Pts
Spotter T.J. Majors helped Junior to victory at Talladega in 2015, and now Logano in 2018.

4. CLINT BOWYER – 1 WIN – 335 Pts
The Fords are flying, the Mustang is on its way, but the rest of the sedan fleet is DOA?

5. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN – 303 Pts
Was winless at Dover last year, but claimed the most points (3rd and 4th).

6. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN – 210 Pts
Did he pee himself last week? You would have to ask team interior mechanic Adam Brown.

7. KURT BUSCH – 320 POINTS
Runner-up at Talladega. “I feel like I left that one out on the table.”

8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 317 POINTS
He really could have used an ice-cream after Sunday’s wreck.

9. DENNY HAMLIN – 314 POINTS
He meant to get back-to-back speeding penalties. He needed the challenge.

10. RYAN BLANEY – 313 POINTS
Last Saturday he was very good for television but absolutely perfect for radio.

11. KYLE LARSON – 280 POINTS
With NASCAR buying ARCA this week, he can now add to his Cup, Xfinity, and Truck tallies.

12. ARIC ALMIROLA – 278 POINTS
Driving a SHR Ford has been sweet for the entire gang.

13. ALEX BOWMAN – 238 POINTS
When a cashier asked him what he thought about Junior retiring, he said his replacement is lame.

14. ERIK JONES – 234 POINTS
Has some points room, but not that much room to repeat what took place last time out.

15. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 230 POINTS
The kid did not take the air out of his sails, but it sure disappeared around that rear fender.

16. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 217 POINTS
Some think all one needs is more cowbell. Kurt Busch needed a bit more Stenhouse.

17. RYAN NEWMAN – 214 POINTS
Close to a playoff spot, a 594 race career, and Spencer Gallagher gets all the headlines?

18. CHASE ELLIOTT – 209 POINTS
Third place finish the best among three Chevrolets in the Top Ten last Sunday.

19. PAUL MENARD – 206 POINTS
Won the second stage last week, yet finished 30th with some fender bending assistance.

20. WILLIAM BYRON – 202 POINTS
Twenty percent fewer tuned in to watch Byron at Talladega than who watched Gordon and Junior last year. That is shocking, even in these times.

May 2, 2018
The Final Word – Talladega, bringing you the thrill of victory…and the agony of defeat

Talladega was sweet. That was the kind of action that captured my attention as a kid, watching Wide World of Sports. As Jim McKay so iconically put it all those years ago, “Spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport… the thrill of victory… and the agony of defeat… the human drama of athletic competition.” That was Sunday at Talladega.

Joey Logano got the thrill. It was his third on the big track and the 19th Cup victory of his career. It was exciting, but not exactly a nail-biter, as Logano led the final 42 laps. Kurt Busch was right there in case he faltered, while Chase Elliott did manage to slip ahead of Kevin Harvick at the line for third.

Thrills for the fans meant the agony of defeat for so many others, as it often does when the circuit visits Alabama. Jamie McMurray had one hell of a spill during practice, tumbling through the air to roll over a half dozen times to totally destroy his primary ride. His back-up fared a little better. Erik Jones caught the apron, went up to get turned by McMurray, then onward to pile into Trevor Bayne along the wall. It also ruined the day for Kyle Larson and Martin Truex Jr. Innovation, thy name is Talladega. To get Truex back out there, the crew busted out a concrete saw in order to make repairs. That was a first.

No big one yet, but the clock was ticking. With 22 laps to run, William Byron took the air off the rear of Jimmie Johnson’s equally unstable auto, and the fun began. While Johnson survived to eventually finish 12th, Byron, Paul Menard, Clint Bowyer, Michael McDowell, Brad Keselowski, A.J. Allmendinger and Austin Dillon were toast on the spot.

We learned a few things at Talladega. First, pit road infractions might set you back, but they did not end your hopes on the 2.66-mile loop. Elliott, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman, and Daniel Suarez were among those tagged who managed to finish in the Top Ten. However, if you get hit with speeding late in the race and then get hit for speeding again while taking the pass-through penalty, your hopes evaporate. They did for Denny Hamlin, though even he recovered enough over the next hour for a lead lap 14th place conclusion.

We learned that pitting early helps. On the opening segment Ford and Toyota all came in early on, the Chevys did not. They also did not lead the parade at the end of the stage. Lesson learned, so when the Fords came back to the pits early in the second segment, the Toyota boys arrived on the next lap, with Chevrolet just one more behind them. Not that it worked for them all. Six of the Top Seven at Talladega were Fords. Chevy had the third, eighth, and ninth best, with Kyle Busch driving the best Toyota in 10th.

With 58-points, Logano took the lion’s share of points, with only Harvick and Stenhouse among the others breaking 40. David Ragan is 25th on the season, but sixth on the day. Single point days were “enjoyed” by Top 20 drivers Larson and Jones.

From Talladega, we technically stay in the south as the circuit moves to Dover, Delaware. It might not be Talladega, but it sports one of the best trophies in the sport at a track owned by legends. In the first 18 races run there from 1969 through 1978, the winners were limited to Richard Petty (5), David Pearson (5), Bobby Allison (3), Cale Yarborough (3), and Benny Parsons (2). That is some kind of blue-blood pedigree, Hall of Famers all.

By the way, the first time we saw Dover on our television screens it was 1974. The man who got the thrill of victory that day was Yarborough. The agony of defeat was experienced by Petty, as the race leader lost an engine with three laps to go. The action was described by Bill Flemming and Chris Economaki. The program, ABC’s Wide World of Sports.

April 30, 2018
Wallace Overcome With Emotion after Runner-up Finish at Daytona

While most of the Daytona 500 headlines will focus on Austin Dillon’s win in the iconic No. 3, runner-up Darrell Wallace Jr. quietly captured the hearts of NASCAR fans everywhere as his emotions overwhelmed him after the race.

He’s been under a spotlight since it was announced on October 25 that he had signed to drive in the Monster Energy Cup Series for NASCAR’s undisputed King, Richard Petty. Add in the pressure of representing the African American community in the sport and you get a hint of what the 24-year-old has been dealing with as he prepared for his first Daytona 500.

But don’t think for a minute that he has any regrets. It’s what Wallace has been working toward since he began racing and he’s determined to make the most of the opportunity. His drive to succeed is evident to anyone who has followed his career. His comments are often unfiltered, a welcome respite from the more polished veterans of the sport who have become masters of the public relations game.

What you see is what you get, pure unfiltered emotion that reaches out and grabs your attention.

Wallace sat down to speak to the media after Sunday’s race when he was interrupted by his mother, Desiree Wallace, who came in to congratulate him. He stood up and as they hugged, she said, “We’ve waited so long baby.” As they continued their embrace, Wallace laughed and said, “You act like we just won the race,” to which she replied, “We did, we did!”

As he said down to answer questions, he fought through tears to gain his composure.

“It’s a sensitive subject, but I’m just so emotional over where my family has been the last two years, and I don’t talk about it, but it’s just so hard,” Wallace said, “and so having them here to support me is … pull it together, bud, pull it together. You just finished second. It’s awesome.

“I just try so hard to be successful at everything I do, and my family pushes me each and every day, and they might not even know it, but I just want to make them proud.”

It today was any indication; Wallace is on the right track.

He started the Daytona 500 in seventh place and was able to remain in the top 10 as the race came to a close. Wallace avoided the Turn 1 chaos that brought out the caution on the next to last scheduled lap of completion and passed Denny Hamlin in the closing moments to finish second.

Wallace made no apologies for his emotions, saying, “No matter what the circumstances are when you have family here and you run good and it’s been a while since you’ve been somewhat competitive, it pulls on the heartstrings. I’m competitive. I love to win. I hate to finish second. Obviously, that shows for everybody. But I’m human. No matter if I race cars for a living and enjoy doing it, at the end of the day we all get emotional about something, so I’m just the same as you guys.”

Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

February 19, 2018
The Final Word – The Daytona 500 finish reminded us of when giants ruled the asphalt

Unstable. Set to go off with the least provocation. No, I’m not talking about CNN or late night talk show hosts, most celebrities, or more than a few politicians. What I am referring to is the Daytona 500.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr. weebled, wobbled, and stacked ‘em up. He drove off, for the moment at least, but it was goodbye Erik Jones, Daniel Suarez, and Jimmie Johnson before they got 60 laps in. Segment two found Chase Elliott the meat in a Ryan Blaney – Brad Keselowski sandwich and the aerodynamics took care of the rest. Adios Elliott, Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Danica Patrick. Then, down to the final couple of scheduled laps on the day, Kurt Busch was near the front but traded paint with Blaney and found himself facing the wrong way. Sayonara Kurt, Alex Bowman, and Matt DiBenedetto, who had looked so good before things went so bad.

Good was remembering 20 years ago when the No. 3 crossed the finish line first, and car owner Richard Childress looking so happy for his driver, Dale Earnhardt. Sunday we saw Childress looking happy once more as the No. 3 of grandson Austin Dillon took the Great American Race. For a brief moment, we remembered a time when things were not so unstable, when the news was really the news, and you could believe what you had heard and seen. Believe me, what we saw at the end of the Daytona 500 felt so real and good, if only because it reminded us of a time past.

Of course, Dillon won it because Aric Almirola threw a block in front of Dillon’s freight train, and wound up as one would expect in such a situation. While Dillon went on to win, Bubba Wallace, driving for Richard Petty, was the guy pushing him to victory, edging out Denny Hamlin at the line. Joey Logano was fourth, which was not as surprising as finding Chris Buescher taking fifth. Blaney, who was seventh in the end, was third in the opening stage and took the second to lead the points standings. He sits six ahead of Dillon and Paul Menard, who was sixth.

It was an entertaining race, assisted by the volatility of the cars that made things a tad unpredictable for us, and for the drivers. The race kept us engaged while the television crew did not drive us off. In fact, the FOX coverage was pretty darn good. I do like the left side of the screen ticker better than the scroll they used to run atop it. Informative and entertaining. What a concept.

Some were not as enthralled with the action. It was not worth a crap if you were named Kyle. Kyle Larson got some damage in that opening wreck and finished 19th. Kyle Busch had tires going down and fenders smacking the fence and wound up 25th. Stenhouse was blowing more steam than Old Faithful late in the second stage, and the Busch wreck really left him steaming in 29th when the day was over.

Heading to Atlanta, Suarez, Jones, and Johnson sit with a single point each for their Daytona efforts. Johnson has won two of the last three raced down in Georgia, with Keselowski the defending race champ. With just five points, ole Brad also could use some stability himself come next week. Last Sunday, as oft times happens at Daytona, we were provided with a good show.

The Daytona 500 finished with some of NASCAR’s most iconic numbers, the No. 3, the No.43, the No. 11 and the No. 22, coming home one-two-three-four. Just for the briefest of moments, the hands on the wheel could have been those of Earnhardt. Petty. Cale Yarborough (or was it Ned Jarrett or Darrell Waltrip?). Fireball Roberts. Those were the days when giants ruled the asphalt. May such memories of the past merge with the reality that was last Sunday. May they just be the harbinger of more good things for Sundays come.

February 19, 2018
Why the Right to Peaceful Protest Should be Honored, Respected
The following is something I’ve been reflecting on for a little over a week. I usually make it a point to keep both my articles and my Twitter feed relatively free of political matters, but with the atmosphere of the American athletic world being in its current state, this is something I feel needs to be said.

When I was little, my father was in the United States Army. He, like his brother, his father, and even his grandfather, felt that it was imperative that he served his country. It wasn’t a matter of life choices; rather, he felt that it was his duty as an American. Serve your country. Defend our nation. So when I was little, he taught me to love words like “honor,” “duty,” and “freedom.” To this day those words never fail to give me a certain sense of awe because of what they entail. So in terms of the National Anthem, I will stand at attention.

But.

As an American, I’m aware that we’ve been bestowed rights that cannot be found anywhere else, such as the right to peaceful protest. It is an unalienable right, a right that many of our servicemen fought for and many of them died for. They died for the right for us to disagree, to demonstrate peacefully, and to essentially have different viewpoints without fear of reprimand. Nothing can or will change that, including whoever holds the seat in the Oval Office.

That said, comments from President Trump as well as longtime NASCAR owners, Richard Childress and Richard Petty, in regards to reprimanding those who do not stand for the anthem served to throw the sport into turmoil. Many in the NASCAR community agree with the comments made by Trump, Childress, and Petty, that whoever refuses to stand for the anthem should be fired. It has made a volatile situation, first started in the NFL, worse. Many in the NASCAR community also believe that these comments did more harm than good for the sport’s image, an image it has tried to shed and has only marginally succeeded.

We are a house divided, and that includes the sports world, and that includes NASCAR. We are willfully divided, and it also seems we are also willingly overlooking our responsibilities as Americans. Let me ask this: What’s the percentage of being this divided? What’s to be gained? It isn’t about “political correctness,” as this is too defined an issue for such a vague and small term. This isn’t about Liberalism/Conservatism, as (like it or not) we all sleep under the same American flag and sit or park next to each other at the track.

This isn’t about disrespecting the American flag, either. Believe it or not, we disrespect the flag in our everyday life quite frequently. Don’t believe me? Take a look at the below regarding the U.S. Flag Code (4 U.S. Code § 8 – Respect for flag) and see if you don’t recognize a thing or two.
- The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed, or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
- The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, firefighters, police officers, and members of patriotic organizations.
- The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it or attached to it.
- The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
- The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
Look, I’m a white, working-class American. I’m probably the least-qualified individual when it comes to talking about issues of race or racial inequality, but I’m not so ignorant as to call a minority’s issues baseless or nonexistent. I’m not so ignorant as to disbelieve there are some seriously wrong things going on in this country regarding minorities. I’m not one to assume the mind of someone of a different ethnicity and have the temerity to dismiss their claims.

So with that said, if they believe something is seriously wrong, why shouldn’t they peacefully protest? This isn’t like the Ferguson, Missouri riots. No structures are being demolished in Colin Kaepernick’s name or Steph Curry’s refusal to visit the White House. Instead, NFL teams are linking arms and taking knees during the anthem, showing both respect and unity, or some of them are even just sitting in the locker room during the anthem, which also happened to be a common practice as early as 2008.

The rights of your fellow Americans transcend anything some media outlet could ever say or anything the Oval Office could ever assert. Why not acknowledge that? You may disagree, you may disregard, or you may not even understand. But shouldn’t everyone here in America know their rights and all fellow Americans’ rights be paramount? Remember, many men and women both fought and died for us to have these rights…what is more American than exercising these rights, with the help of an experienced lawyer here if necessary? What would make more sense, for that matter, to widen this divide, or to honor those rights bestowed upon us the day we were born as Americans?

We’re a different world now than we were in the post-9/11 days when every American everywhere stood side-by-side with their neighbors and embraced their differences. We were united and we were strong. Now we’re angry, quick to judge and condemn, and horrifically divided. That’s not of our ilk. That’s not our fabric. We’re better than this.

Sponsors can talk of pulling out because of the protests in the NFL. Childress, Petty, and others can condemn protesting employees and fire them until they’re blue in the face. President Trump will continue to call protesting athletes SOBs’. But ask this: As an American, will you let their words affect how you conduct yourself against your neighbor’s difference of opinion? The answer is yours and yours alone. But as for me, as an American, I will continue to stand during the National Anthem and salute the troops. As an American, I will also defend to the death my neighbor’s right to freely and peacefully protest.
September 30, 2017
Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

Change can be a good thing. Sometimes it is, but other times it is a simple reminder that we are getting older and, like disco, what was popular yesterday might not be tomorrow.

This week, official confirmation arrived that Danica Patrick was leaving the Stewart-Haas No. 10. Coming in with the 2008 Indy Japan 300 to her credit, her model looks, that firecracker personality, she did have her detractors. Was she good enough, was she strong enough? Still, she had great support from fans and sponsors alike.

Patrick already had set some standards for her gender. She was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and win an IndyCar race. She was that circuit’s Most Popular Driver for six year’s running. Then she moved over to the stock cars, moving full-time to Cup in 2013 where she immediately won a Daytona 500 pole, led the race, and finished 8th. It was her 11th career Cup start. Sadly, in the 169 races since there have been no more poles and just six more Top Tens. The results and then the sponsorship were no longer there to extend her contract with Stewart-Haas past this season.

I will still wear my No. 88 cap, don my battered No. 8 T-shirt, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be in contention for a title as he retires after this campaign. Be it this year, or next, someone else will be their Most Popular Diver other than the guy who has claimed the honor since 2003. From the time of his first Top Ten at Richmond 18 years ago, the loss of his father, his wins at Daytona and Talladega since, whether he wanted to be or not, Junior became the face of NASCAR. He was absolute magic through 2004, then gave us a resurgence in 2014 and 2015 when he chalked up his final seven victories. With a career total of 26 and his army of fans, he should eventually find his way to the Hall of Fame.

Unlike Junior, Matt Kenseth won a championship, earned a spot in the Chase, but did not get the choice of whether to stay or not. With William Byron waiting in the wings, that decision was made for him. Kasey Kahne did not win a title, yet he is another man in the Chase with no ride set for 2018. Erik Jones comes into Rick Hendrick’s stable next year to move into the No. 4 as Chase Elliott gets the No. 9 and Kahne’s No. 5 gets moth balled.

Kurt Busch has a title, a place in the Chase, but does he have a ride for next season? At the end of his contract with Stewart-Haas, he is still officially negotiating a new deal. If Monster Energy does not return as his sponsor, my guess is that he won’t return to that car. Having a sponsor trumps talent. Just ask Paul Menard.

Then there is Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43. Smithfield Foods has moved its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas and the odds seem to be in favor of them taking Aric Almirola with them to sit behind the wheel. That leaves Petty Motorsports without a sponsor, a driver, and questions are arising as to whether it might be the end of an era.

Carl Edwards might be back. He might not. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart closed the book on their careers last year. That is a lot of top tier names gone or in limbo, representing a very sizeable number of fans who tuned in every week to cheer them on.

In the immortal words of disco, their supporters are left pleading “Don’t Leave Me This Way” while NASCAR proclaims “I Will Survive” and the rest of us are left wondering “Where Do We Go From Here.”

The answer to the last is…Chicago.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2053 PTS (4 Wins)
Should Cope, Larson, and Hamlin decide you don’t get another win, you don’t.

2. KYLE LARSON – 2033 PTS (4 Wins)
Derrike Cope was a two-time winner in 1990 and helped make Larson a four-time winner this year.

3. KYLE BUSCH – 2029 PTS (2 Wins)
Visited Furniture Row in Denver. No doubt, Kyle is working for the Russians.

4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2019 PTS (2 Wins)
XFINITY series is not dead yet, as I hear Brad beat Kyle at Richmond. How bad have you got it?

5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2017 PTS (3 Wins)
Time to carry the freight in his bid for number eight.

6. KEVIN HARVICK – 2015 PTS (1 Win)
“Whether it’s Dale Jr., Danica, myself…people come and go.” I am afraid Harvick is right.

7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2013 PTS (2 Wins)
Now, that is how you perform a P.I.T. maneuver.

8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2010 PTS (2 Wins)
Picked the right time to have a breakout season.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 2008 PTS (1 Win)
Ten more races with the Wood Brothers before moving on over to the Penske people.

10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2006 PTS
Maybe now is the time to consider getting that first career victory.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
Not exactly a stellar season but points wise he deserves to be in the running.

12. KURT BUSCH – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
After the Daytona 500 he has been on cruise control, then they told him he could lose his lease.

13. KASEY KAHNE – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
Like Kurt and Matt, it is more than just the Chase…but more like an audition for next season.

14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
His team owner has told him that he was loved and has a job for next year.

15. MATT KENSETH – 2005 PTS
Where is an ambulance when you do not need one?

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2003 PTS
No wins, but he has run a hell of a lot better than his place in these standings would indicate.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 664 PTS
Two pit penalties and some repair work in a race he had to win to be in.

18. ERIK JONES – 654 PTS
With six straight Top Tens, Jones has just given us notice for 2018.

19. JOEY LOGANO – 652 PTS (1 Win)
Earned more points than four who made the Chase, but all he got from his win was a trophy.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 568 PTS
Behind him, you will find such names as Bayne, Earnhardt, Menard, Allmendinger, and Patrick.

September 13, 2017
Hot 20 – Capital City 400 in Richmond should be as iconic as the Southern 500

For a race that has been around since 1958, it is a damn shame that it does not carry the proper branding to link it over the decades to the time it was claimed by the likes of Speedy Thompson, Cotton Owens, and Joe Weatherly. Let us properly honor it and refer to this Saturday night’s contest in Richmond, Virginia as the Federated Auto Parts Capital City 400.

It is a race that was won by Hall of Famer Richard Petty seven times. Five times it went to Hall of Famer Bobby Allison. Four-time winners included Hall of Famers Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace. The winner of three Capital City events, looking to join the legends on Saturday, is Denny Hamlin. This race has history. It has pedigree. It should mean something.

Unlike Hamlin’s win last weekend, which means about as much as Joey Logano’s spring win at Richmond. Failure to pass post-race inspection means that Darlington win has been encumbered. Unlike Logano, Hamlin already has a win in the bank, so it matters little. Nice trophy, though.

For the final time, this race is the last chance for those not yet in the Chase to make their mark. That distinction goes to the Brickyard 400 in Indianapolis next season. The instructions to each and every driver is a simple one. Win it. It is the last shot for young guns Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez to make it this season. Veterans Clint Bowyer and Logano are in the same boat. At least Logano’s encumbered win came at Richmond in the spring, so maybe there lies some hope. It is the last opportunity in his career for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Winning Saturday night will be everything. With those loose lug nuts biting him at Darlington, Travis Mack sits in for the suspended Greg Ives as Junior’s crew chief this weekend.

For some, it is also another chance to do something memorable, to interest sponsors to keep them in a decent seat for next season. Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne both have wins, but they need to convince somebody to lay out the big bucks to see their hands on the wheel of a fast car in 2018. Matt Kenseth might make the Chase, but he needs a place to land when it is over. Danica Patrick is said to need some help. Maybe a lot of help. A win would be great for them all, but time is also winding down to turn heads.

Geico signed on for more years with Ty Dillon, but I got to tell you, those sponsors can be pretty touchy. Just ask Suarez. He hands out some donuts on a tv segment and his Subway sponsorship disappears. Donuts compete with Subway as a breakfast menu item? Hell, I didn’t even know I could eat donuts for breakfast. I do now. Mom lied to me. Maybe I will have me a donut on my way to Quiznos.

As long as no one currently winless upsets the apple cart, the top sixteen among our Hot 20 head to the Chase. However, just three points separate Chase Elliott, Kenseth, and Jamie McMurray. If a first-time winner comes along this weekend, one of those three would wind up losing their game of musical chairs.

With NBC’s analyst Rutledge Wood driving the honorary pace car, expect the first crash of the night to take place prior to the opening lap.

1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (1000 Pts)
When they reset the points after Richmond, he will remain firmly atop the leader board.

2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (884 Pts)
Was running with an Outlaw gang last weekend…and so were his parents.

3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (653 Pts)
When will Jimmie return from vacation?

4. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS (893 Pts)
Running a distant second in playoff points.

5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (785 Pts)
It might be a NASCAR secret, but a win at Richmond and Hamlin drives with the legends.

6. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (761 Pts)
Tried to look like Rusty last weekend, wound up looking more like Harpo.

7. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (536 Pts)
When you get a bank for a sponsor and scream their slogan in victory, they come back for more.

8. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (867 Pts)
Had the pole and a Top Ten at Darlington, but things have been pretty relaxing since Sonoma.

9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (629 Pts)
Less pressure being the son of Dave, than it was for being the son of Richard, Bobby, and Dale.

10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (624 Pts)
No trips to Victory Lane since the Daytona 500 and he has some hearts to win and cash to entice.

11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (604 Pts)
Childress has two drivers in the Chase…but for how long?

12. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (473 Pts)
Sometimes a win means a lot…

13. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (464 Pts)
Sometimes a win does not mean enough.

14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 737 POINTS
Seventh best in points, but seven who have done less have a victory or two or three to their names.

15. MATT KENSETH – 735 POINTS
What is the case for Chase, the same goes for Matt…and Jamie.

16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 734 POINTS
Does not have to win, but he should be encouraged to at least beat Chase and Matt to the line.

17. CLINT BOWYER – 643 POINTS
If the minimum Chase eligibility was tagged at 500 points, life would have been so much easier.

18. ERIK JONES – 611 POINTS
Five straight Top Tens, but needs a Top One this weekend.

19. JOEY LOGANO – 605 POINTS (1 Win)
Won at Richmond in the spring. Maybe a win in the fall might actually mean something.

20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 538 POINTS
A win and he is in. Same goes for the ten drivers behind him.

September 6, 2017
The Final Word – Darlington, crowning NASCAR royalty long before Daytona’s son of a beach

There is no question that the popularity of NASCAR has dropped off significantly over the past decade. There is no question that it also became something of a fad the decade prior to that. It went from a regional sport with limited coverage to one with a national presence and everyone and his dog could answer “how bad have you got it.” Then the fad ended, and while a number of fans and the hoopla drifted away, you have to admit that it remains higher in the sport’s conscientiousness than it was before that.

History and tradition. Often NASCAR sells it out for a corporate buck, but the Southern 500 was a race to win long before they went round and round at Daytona, Talladega, or all those generic races on cookie cutter 1.5-mile tracks across the country. It was the race a driver wanted to win. That legacy continued in Darlington, South Carolina on Sunday night at the track too tough to tame, the famed Lady in Black.

Of course, we had the Chase situation to keep a look out for. Thirteen had won themselves in, with 20 more mathematically still having a shot at those final three berths. Once again, for everyone, it was a story of victory or nothing. Ryan Blaney has his win, and he had a part of the fence in the opening segment. Trevor Bayne and A.J. Allmendinger needed a win but wound up with each other to see their hopes go flying away in the wind. Clint Bowyer needed a win, but he needed his car to re-start as he stalled and went to the garage for the night. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. already had two wins to go with his new nose full of fence and his chances got terminated. As for Martin Truex Jr., he beat Kyle Larson by a hair at the line to take the opening stage. Of the leading eight coming into Darlington, only Stenhouse and Jimmie Johnson were outside the Top Ten after the opening round.

Daniel Suarez needed a win, but when he got more than just a Darlington stripe, he reached the end of his hope rope in the second segment. Allmendinger was still running, and when he collected Matt DiBenedetto no amount of math was going to work for either of them on this night. The segment ended under caution, with Truex again taking it. His amount of bonus points pretty much gives him a free pass into the second round of the Chase. Once again, with the exception of Johnson and Stenhouse, six of our Top Eight in the standings were among our Top Ten to this point in Darlington. A Cinderella finish was not likely, but somebody was still to make history by winning the Southern 500. Who would it be?

David Ragan needed a win but got a spin instead early in the final run. He was 25th, so not a threat to win. I would like to tell you how far back time wise or lap wise he was from the leader, but NBC did not bother to inform us of such trivial things as of yet. Not once. I am guessing they took the 1980’s theme for the night to heart and said to hell with the modern technology.

Bitch and ye shall receive. At least for the final 40 percent of the race, they presented the intervals. That made me happy, but it told us that Danica Patrick was two laps down and out of it. I know, that came as a big surprise. Shortly after, the names of Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be added to that list. If only Junior’s crew could add those lug nuts that appeared to be missing in post-race inspection.

The winless seemed pretty likely to remain that way on Sunday night. It appeared it would be Denny Hamlin soaking in the suds, then he decided to spruce things up with a bit of drama. Under green, he missed the pits and had to go around, dropping him from first to 11th. Truex took advantage and returned to the front, but on much older tires than the guy he replaced. Time was not Marty’s friend. When one of his old worn moccasins went down, he slapped the wall, and with three laps to go Hamlin rode the fresher rubber to victory.

For Denny, it was his second Southern 500 triumph and the 31st victory of his career. Truex, meanwhile, claimed the regular season title and the additional bonus points that earned him. As before, we were left with 13 drivers in on wins and three are in as long as one of 20 other boys and girl do not win this Saturday night at Richmond. Three past two-time winners remain winless this season, including Earnhardt and Bowyer, while Matt Kenseth would love to do it again if only to seal the deal.

For the sixth season sponsored by Federated Auto Parts, the former Capital City 400 has been run since 1958. Richard Petty won the fall event seven times, Bobby Allison had a handful, with Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace each with four apiece. Hamlin is the defending event champion and is just a win away from joining their number. Something tells me the name of the winner for the 60th running of this event might not come as a big surprise.

September 4, 2017