Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: rick hendrick

  • ByrnesStrong Poll Votes Rick Hendrick and Alan Kulwicki In For Next HOF Spot

    ByrnesStrong Poll Votes Rick Hendrick and Alan Kulwicki In For Next HOF Spot

    The ByrnesStrong Poll, formerly known as The Century Poll but renamed in honor of Steve Byrnes who just lost his battle to cancer, focused this month on who of the twenty NASCAR Hall of Fame nominees would be voted in for induction in the next class.

    The ByrnesStrong Poll members included as usual fifty voters from the NASCAR garage and fifty from the NASCAR media corps. Those members from the garage included drivers, crew chiefs, crew members, team owners, sponsors, manufacturer representatives and track officials.

    The actual voting breakdown for the ByrnesStrong Poll was as follows:

    Voting Breakdown

    Nominee G M T
    Rick Hendrick 10 5 15
    Alan Kulwicki 12 3 15
    Benny Parsons 4 9 13
    Buddy Baker 6 4 10
    Curtis Turner 3 6 9
    Mark Martin 1 6 7
    Bruton Smith 2 5 7
    Red Byron 2 4 6
    Terry Labonte 1 2 3
    Richard Childress 1 1 2
    Jerry Cook 2 0 2
    Harry Hyde 1 1 2
    Larry Phillips 2 0 2
    Robert Yates 1 1 2
    Ray Evernham 0 1 1
    Ray Fox 1 0 1
    Hershel McGriff 1 0 1
    Raymond Parks 0 1 1
    Mike Stefanik 0 1 1
    Bobby Isaac 0 0 0

                                       

    Key:     G = Garage vote, M = Media vote, T = Total

    Both NASCAR team owner Rick Hendrick and 1992 Cup champion Alan Kulwicki tied for the top spot with 15 apiece. It was also evident that those two were the front-runners for all of those voting from the garage area.

    Those that voted for Hendrick cited his eleven Cup championships, his dedication to the sport, and his participation as a multi-car team owner and those that voted for Alan Kulwicki noted his tenure as a driver who could always ‘do more with less’ and as the last owner/driver to win a Cup championship.

    It was not surprising that the next vote-getter garnered the most votes from the media, with a total of nine votes going to Benny Parsons. BP, as Benny Parsons was affectionately known, was a driver, a Cup champion, a car owner, and a broadcaster. His professorial and relaxed approach to broadcasting was legendary and sorely missed when he passed away on January 16, 2007.

    The media also seemed to favor Curtis Turner and Mark Martin in the voting poll. Turner was one of NASCAR’s early drivers, who had quite the reputation for not only driving hard but playing hard as well. During his career, Turner won 360 races in several different racing series, including 22 in the NASCAR Convertible Division in 1956, and 17 wins in the NASCAR Grand National series (now Sprint Cup).

    Turner did, however, have an interesting relationship with NASCAR, having been banned for trying to organize a labor union before being allowed to race again four years later. Turner died in an airplane crash near Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on October 4, 1970.

    Unlike Turner, Mark Martin’s tenure on the track is more recent, although he is currently not behind the wheel of a race car. Martin has often been described as ‘the best driver never to win a championship’, as he has finished second in the Cup Series standings five times.

    All of the other nominees in this month’s ByrnesStrong Poll at least garnered one vote, with the exception of Bobby Isaac, a 1970 Cup Champion, whose crew chief was the legendary Harry Hyde. Isaac won 37 Cup races, including eleven races during his championship season. He also holds the record for most poles in a single season, with 20 poles in 1969.

    Outside of NASCAR, Isaac set 28 world speed records at the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah. He, unfortunately, passed away at the age of 45 from a heart attack after a race at Hickory Motor Speedway.

    As always, many thanks should go to Mike Siberini, who independently conducts The Century Poll and who renamed it this month in honor of NASCAR’s own Steve Byrnes.

     

  • The Final Word – Newman’s early success deflated heading into Texas

    The Final Word – Newman’s early success deflated heading into Texas

    As the boys and girl venture on to Fort Worth, it seems apropos for some to seek a resurrection of their hopes on the season. For others, the off weekend did little to help matters from where we left off after Martinsville.

    Somebody was doing something to their tires, and somebody was going to pay. We knew NASCAR had some suspects, that they had some tires that they were testing, and we discovered soon enough that this was one conspiracy theory that held up.

    The rules state that “any device, modification, or procedure to the tire or wheel, including the valve stem hardware, that is used to release pressure, beyond normal pressure adjustments, from the tire and/or inner shield, will not be permitted.”

    For violating the rules, Ryan Newman’s crew chief Luke Lambert has been fined $125,000 and is gone until the points race in Charlotte in late May. Team tire tech James Bender and team engineer Philip Surgen are similarly on vacation. Seventy-five of the points that Ryan Newman had garnered in the opening six events, along with the same amount of owner points for Richard Childress, are gone, as they say at Shawshank, like a “fart in the wind.”

    Newman falls from sixth to 26th in the standings, yet could bounce back with a win this Saturday night. At least he will be in the race. Thankfully, Kyle Larson is also back after fainting at a Martinsville autograph session prior to that event. The culprit turned out to be dehydration.

    Will the Roush-Fenway trio of Greg Biffle, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Trevor Bayne be back? Sure, they are participating, but a combined total of a single Top Ten and two laps led does not make one a competitor.

    Voting is now open for the next class for the Hall of Fame. I think Rick Hendrick’s 232 Cup wins to go with his 11 Cup championships should make him an automatic selection. If I had a vote, other picks would likely be crew chief Harry Hyde, track owner Bruton Smith, and driver Mark Martin.

    Maybe even Richard Childress. Hey, the guy could use some positive feedback about now.

    Jimmie Johnson heads to Texas having won three of the past five there, though none of them was in the spring. Those went to Kyle Busch, who continues to mend, and Joey Logano.

    However, Matt Kenseth is also strong at this track, and is seeking to resurrect his success on the Texas circuit. He was 25th last fall, his worst performance there in 25 starts, where ninth or better is an expected outcome. If it all comes back together, maybe a third set of six-guns could be in the offing.

  • The Final Word – What I want from the 2015 NASCAR season

    The Final Word – What I want from the 2015 NASCAR season

    A new season, new hopes, new drivers, old drivers with new teams, and a whole lot of things I want to see come out of 2015.

    I want Danica Patrick to do well. In the words of the classic song by Melanie, she has done alright for a girl, but it is time to expect more.

    I want Dale Earnhardt Jr. to build on last season’s exploits, to win, to gel with his new crew chief.

    I want Jeff Gordon to go out with a bang.

    I want Jimmie Johnson to challenge for seven.

    I want Brian Vickers to get well and to get back to where he belongs.

    I want a season without outside drama for Tony Stewart and a return to success on the track.

    I want to see Jeb Burton challenging the Danica Line, to be in a ride good enough to earn a minimum of 700 points over the season.

    I want Kurt Busch to be known for his awesome talent and his outstanding character, on and off the track. Okay, he can be feisty…just not a weasel.

    I want Kyle Busch to convert his early race dominance into late race victories in Cup, and to realize that by running an average of 25 Xfinity races per season he robs an up-and-comer of valuable seat time.

    I want to thank Matt Kenseth. A five race schedule on the junior circuit is more than enough for an established Cup star and former champion.

    I want Jamie McMurray to do well. He has all the tools to be a star, but not the results.

    I want Martin Truex Jr. to bring Furniture Row racing back to the heights they enjoyed when Kurt was behind the wheel.

    I want good seasons for Richard Petty, Michael Waltrip and Richard Childress and all who sail with them.

    I want people to remember that Kasey Kahne also drives for Rick Hendrick.

    I want Kevin Harvick to stand tall in defending his championship, with Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle in the mix. I want the best to be among the best.

    I want more entries that matter. There are 28 who manage to average a 25th place result over the course of the season or better, but there is room for at least one more to break through, to contend rather than just participate.

    I want a season where cars can pass, that the only thing keeping them from doing so is the quality of the ride and his (or her) ability.

    I want to hear broadcasters who can take me on a three or four hour escape, who through their talents make even a dull race good, and a good one great.

    I want no races lost due to Fox Sports not being picked up by cable companies in Canada. We already have to do without the ARCA race from Daytona. So, please, no rain outs.

    I want Steve Byrnes back.

  • The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

    The Final Word – The Countdown to the New Season is Down to Single Digits

    The countdown has begun to the start of a new season, with less than ten days to go before the Sprint Unlimited exhibition race at Daytona. A new campaign, some new teams and some new expectations.

    Stewart-Haas had a year of mixed results in 2014. Kevin Harvick has his crown, but I think if you claim one championship you might like to claim another. Hey, it works for Jimmie Johnson. His boss, Tony Stewart, has three, but just having a year without the drama would be a Godsend. Kurt Busch won a race, which placed him in the Chase, but he actually was not even as good as Austin Dillon, Paul Menard, or Brian Vickers over the course of the season. He needs to show this year as to why Gene Haas spent the big money to bring him into the stable.

    Danica Patrick must do well. I hear that, I believe that should be so, but I am not so convinced the bloom is off the rose just yet. With the big money funding, a solid organization behind her, and the media attention she gets, I do not believe she needs to be anything more than the novelty she already is. Being the best female driver in NASCAR history might still be enough, but results better than those of, say, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. should be expected as the soon-to-be 33-year-old embarks on her third full season.

    Kasey Kahne turns 35 this spring and probably is considered the little guy at the big boys table at Hendrick by some. Seventeen wins over his career, including six in the past four years, argues otherwise. The only reason Kahne is not more front and center is due to having teammates who have either won the title multiple times or who happens to be the sports most popular performer. Even Harvick and Stewart would be considered fourth on the depth chart on this outfit.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a new crew chief. After matching his win totals of the previous nine seasons in 2014, Junior has Greg Ives on the box after Steve Letarte left for the broadcast booth. The 40-year-old needs to repeat what he did in 2014, as 23 Cup wins, 23 more on the junior circuit, two Daytona 500 wins, five Talladega celebrations, and a dozen straight Most Popular Driver of the Year nods might not be enough to make the Hall…in 2030.

    2015 marks the final full-time season for Jeff Gordon. You better enjoy it, as he will not be eligible for the Hall of Fame until at least 2023. That would mark 30 years since he began his career, which is one qualification. If he has to wait until he is 55, that would be in 2027. Gone is the former three years in retirement qualification, as of this year. This alone causes me to expect more tinkering to the qualification rules between now and then.

    Trevor Bayne has a Daytona 500 to his credit, and not much else over the past four seasons. He leaves his part-time job driving for the Wood Brothers to a full-time gig with Roush Fenway. Bayne turns 24 the day they run the Duels at Daytona, with hopes of taking Mark Martin’s old No. 6 ride back to the front. The question is, does he and teammates Greg Biffle and Stenhouse represent an organization on the rise?

    Bayne takes the place of Carl Edwards, who hopes to realize that first championship with his move. Twice he has been the season’s runner-up, as the 35-year-old seeks some greener grass on Joe Gibbs’ side of the fence. Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth are a pretty good trio of teammates to roll with. Without question, one of NASCAR’s Big Three organizations, along with Hendrick and Stewart-Haas.

    Or should that be Big Four? Penske is just a two car outfit, but with Brad Keselowski and Joey Logano on the reins their wagons can make something happen. Both finished amongst the season’s Top Five, combining for 11 victories last year. Yes, Big Four is more like it.

    Is there anyone to make it a Big Five? Childress has youth in Austin Dillon, with brother Ty waiting in the wings. They have experience in Ryan Newman, who was just one point behind Harvick when the smoke cleared at Homestead last November. Then there is Paul Menard, who has yet to crack the season’s Top Fifteen in his career, the past four with Childress. On the positive side, he does come complete with a sponsor. Is that enough?

    Michael Waltrip’s crew once was considered a top flight team, until the wings came off. Martin Truex Jr. found himself with Furniture Row, where their gains with Kurt Busch disappeared with his replacement. Brian Vickers is on the mend with a heart issue, so he will require a temporary replacement. As for Clint Bowyer, Captain Skid dropped to 19th in the season rankings after being the runner-up in 2012 and seventh the season after. Bowyer is locked in for another three years, but will they be the best of times, or the worst of times?

    Ganassi has 22-year old Kyle Larson, who just missed the Chase in his rookie season, along with veteran Jamie McMurray. Am I the only one who thinks this team should have been, and should be, more successful? McMurray has only seven wins over 13 seasons, but where he won is impressive. Two came at Daytona, including the 500 in 2010, two at Talladega, two at Charlotte, as well as the Brickyard 400. Not enough to make one a contender, but certainly one who gets remembered.

    You cannot forget Petty, if only for the guy the outfit is named after. Aric Almirola is back, after a single win got him into the Chase…for three races. That victory was just one of five the team has had over six seasons. Coming in is Sam Hornish Jr. who, in 239 NASCAR races in all three top series, has just three wins on the junior circuit. Two of them came over his last 39 races run there over the past two campaigns. Let us not forget his 19 IndyCar wins between 2001 and 2007, including the 2006 Indianapolis 500. Does that get one excited? Sadly, not much.

    Maybe the biggest move comes off the track. Gone is ESPN. Thank God Almighty. FOX returns, with NBC taking over the second half of the season. Mike Joy is a good lap-by-lap announcer, while Rick Allen is even better. While he may have a few detractors, I enjoy Darrell Waltrip, along with Larry McReynolds, providing color analysis. I think Steve Letarte will be even better though, surprisingly, Jeff Burton may be the weak link until he smooths out his delivery. Still, he has a few months to work on it. All are infinitely better than the ESPN crew, and that works for me.

    It all begins on Saturday, February 14th with the Sprint Unlimited from Daytona on FOX. Dare I say it, “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity.” Sorry, I just could not resist.

  • Kasey Kahne Looks for Success in 2015 with New Crew Chief

    Kasey Kahne Looks for Success in 2015 with New Crew Chief

    After finishing 15th in the season ending Sprint Cup Series standings to go with a 12th place finish the year before, there were quite a few rumors spreading that Kasey Kahne would not be re-signing with Hendrick Motorsports in an effort to make room for Chase Elliott. However, HMS dropped a surprise, announcing a three year contract extension for Kahne.

    “It’s extremely gratifying to work with a driver like Kasey,” Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said at the time of the announcement. “I think the world of him both as a driver with championship-level talent and an overall terrific young man. Our whole organization has a great deal of respect for how hard he works, the professionalism he displays with our partners and the way he carries himself every day. We’re committed to winning races and competing for titles with him for many years to come.”

    It seems obvious why they would be able to sign Kahne. While the results haven’t been stellar, they’re still Chase for the Championship material and there was a win (Atlanta) on the season. Beyond that, Kahne is very marketable towards the lady fan-base, being “cute” as they call him and only 33 years old. Still, with the reasons stated, Kahne will need to have a top-10 season if he wants to showcase why Rick Hendrick was right in re-signing him.

    Though there’s a bright side to Kahne’s return – he is getting a new crew chief for the upcoming season. With Kenny Francis named to the new position of vehicle technical director, Kahne will be working with Keith Rodden in 2015. Rodden spent last season at Chip Ganassi Racing working with Jamie McMurray.

    “The people at Hendrick Motorsports are like my family, especially in the 5/24 shop,” Rodden commented at the time. “I expect we’ll have great chemistry right off the bat, which should make for a smooth transition. I’m looking forward to hitting the ground running with the No. 5 team and everyone who supports us. There’s no better resource than Kenny, so I hope he’s ready for some late-night phone calls.”

    Before working with McMurray, though, Rodden was at HMS as part of Kahne and the No. 5 team in 2012 and 2013 as the lead engineer. If you look at Kahne’s results over the past couple of seasons, it seems as though Rodden was a key part to that success. In 2012, Kahne won two races while scoring 12 top-fives and 19 top-10s en route to finishing fourth in points. In 2013, he scored two wins while scoring 11 top-fives and 14 top-10s en route to 12th in the final standings. In contrast, he only scored one victory last year with three top-fives and 11 top-10s en route to finishing 15th. Is Rodden the key to success?

    Perhaps the move is the right move for HMS as Kahne has worked with Francis for the majority of his Sprint Cup Series career, Maybe the influence of new blood with a fresh perspective will bring forth the set-up ideas that Kahne needs to get the right car underneath him to perform. If given a good car, Kahne can go out and dominate on any of the mile and a half tracks on the NASCAR circuit. Is Rodden the right choice? Quite possibly, although he only scored seven top-fives and 13 top-10s with no wins en route to finishing 18th in points last year with Jamie McMurray.

    The pair being reunited certainly brings a reunited hope to the No. 5 Farmers Insurance team heading into the 2015 season. However,where there’s hope, there’s expectations. Kahne better match those expectations early in the year, or else he may see his contract shrunk from three years to two as we’ve seen Hendrick let drivers go early before.

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Victory at Martinsville – A Story of Celebration and Loss

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Victory at Martinsville – A Story of Celebration and Loss

    His smile is infectious and his exuberance contagious. Nowhere was that more evident than in victory lane after Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally won at Martinsville Speedway. He’s an unexpected combination of vulnerability and a hidden strength born of tragedy that endears him to not only his fans but his fellow competitors as well. When Earnhardt wins it’s difficult not to get caught up in his joy.

    He grew up at racetracks all over the country but Martinsville and the iconic grandfather clock given to its winners has always held a special place in his heart as it conjures memories of his Dad.

    “Been coming here so many years,” Earnhardt begins, painting a picture as he remembers. “I’ve been coming here since the early ’80s, watching races here. Dad won several races here, brought home several clocks. As I remember one in particular that set at the front door, in the hall by the stairs. Had this little round rug right in that hallway that I’d run my Matchbox cars on, listening to the race on the Racing Motor Network. That clock would ring on the hour.”

    “I still really can’t believe it,” he continued. “The clock seems so hard to get. This is so special. I try not to get too caught up in the emotion of it because it’s a team deal, but this is very personal and very special to me to be able to win here.”

    The victory comes one week after Earnhardt was eliminated from NASCAR Sprint Cup championship contention after failing to advance to the Eliminator Round. In a year that began with a second Daytona 500 trophy, it was a surprising twist in a season that held such promise. Although he’s disappointed, the win at Martinsville, his fourth this year, serves as affirmation that the future is bright for this team.

    “I don’t believe in fairytales, Earnhardt said. “It’s only destiny in hindsight, you know. This wasn’t our year.  It’s only magical after the fact when you see it happen. But it just wasn’t our year, man. It feels good not to sit there and watch everybody else just finish the year off. I’m glad we were able to get a win, remind ourselves that if we keep working hard, keep trying, maybe we will win the championship like we want to.”

    The victory was even more poignant as it was ten years ago that a Hendrick Motorsports plane crashed, killing all ten passengers aboard while en route to Martinsville Speedway, including team owner Rick Hendrick’s son, brother and two nieces.

    As the two men hugged in victory lane, it was impossible to miss the heartfelt bond that they share.

    “I could feel how important it was to him and his embrace, when he would hug me. You just know there’s a genuine hug and there’s a hug. His was the real deal,” Earnhardt observed. He went on to say, “There’s a part of you that loves to celebrate those people’s lives. But there’s the other half of you that can’t forget the loss.”

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s life has been shaped by both triumph and tragedy. But on this day, he chooses to savor the good times with a passion that is irresistible. He may have fallen short of his goal to become a NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion this season but there’s always next year. And, if that dream becomes a reality, it’s going to be one hell of a party.

     

     

     

  • The Final Word – Loved Talladega, Just Not All That Thrilled With the Outcome

    The Final Word – Loved Talladega, Just Not All That Thrilled With the Outcome

    What a wonderful race we saw at Talladega on Sunday. It had visual excitement that can only be rivaled by Daytona. We had suspense, as we did not know who would continue in the Chase and who got their hearts broken right through to the final lap. It was everything we could have hoped it would be. Then Brad Keselowski won the damn race and ruined everything.

    Keselowski. A former champion. A great diver with five wins this season. After Kansas, a whiney little weasel who has a “who me?” attitude in presenting his fabricated version of events. A twit. Of course, that is just my opinion, I could be wrong. Other than that, though, I love the guy. Don’t you?

    Down to the final lap, with his little buddy Joey Logano trying to run interference, Keselowski beat off the challenge of Ryan Newman in his illegal low rider, and held off Matt Kenseth to take it. In doing so, Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne saw their hopes for a title this year come to an end. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the most laps that day, but both needed to lead the final one in order to advance. That leaves boss Rick Hendrick down to cheering for Jeff Gordon, his final dog in this hunt.

    For a successful drama, you need your heros and you need your villains. Any guess what side of the ledger that I put Keselowski? You can put Logano there, as well. Toss in Denny Hamlin, while you are at it. No doubt wonderful individuals all, but when they win I do not have much stomach to view or listen in to the post-race celebrations. At least that gives me five guys I can be, to various degrees, content with.

    The eight remaining contenders start afresh, with Martinsville, Texas, and Phoenix before them to determine the final four. Gordon (8 wins) and Hamlin (with 4) appear to be the favorites entering round one next Sunday. They also claim the best average finish there amongst the final eight. Third and fourth best? Logano and Keselowski.

    I wonder who I might be cheering for on Sunday afternoon?

    Eight who continue to rate…
    1 – Joey Logano – 1 WIN – 3121 POINTS – In by Win
    2 – Kevin Harvick – 1 – 3117 – In by Win
    3 – Brad Keselowski – 1 – 3085 – In by Win
    4 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 3117 – 27 Points In*
    5 – Denny Hamlin – 0 – 3100 – 10 Points In
    6 – Carl Edwards – 0 – 3099 – 9 Points In
    7 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 3099 – 9 Points In
    8 – Jeff Gordon – 0 – 3093 – 3 Points In

    Four who’ve been shown the door…
    9 – Kasey Kahne – 0 – 3090 – 3 Points Out
    10 – Kyle Busch – 0 – 3086 – 7 Points Out
    11 – Jimmie Johnson – 0 – 3053 – 40 Points Out
    12 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 0 – 3045 – 48 Points Out

    *Up to a 15 Point Penalty expected for low riding car

  • The Final Word – Kansas May Have Been a Hendrick Waterloo

    The Final Word – Kansas May Have Been a Hendrick Waterloo

    Well, boys, you are not in Kansas anymore. Thank God, at least for the gents from Hendrick. If not for a blown tire by Brad Keselowski to allow a Penske driver in on some of the fun, the bottom four would consist entirely of drivers working for Rick Hendrick. However, unlike Napoleon at Waterloo, Hendrick’s boys will have a shot at redemption.

    Jimmie Johnson started near the back of the pack after a qualifying miscue, and he would end there. After Greg Biffle sent Johnson for a long slide into the infield wall, the Lowe’s Chevrolet was looking pretty low for a 40th place result.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. was looking mighty fine setting the pace. Then his right front failed, causing the car to take a very unhealthy bounce off the fence to leave him 39th.

    While teammate Joey Logano had the strongest car at the end of the day to take the win, Keselowski appeared to be a contender. At least, for a while he did. Running fifth, his failed rubber introduced him to the fence to leave him 36th.

    That trio had horrid days that only a win at Charlotte or Talladega might be able to fix, unless those races bring big problems for some of their rivals. For Kasey Kahne, an earlier tire issue got him behind, causing him to try to do too much. That resulted in a little wall time, a 22nd place finish, and left him eight points in the weeds behind Jeff Gordon. Gordon stayed in the top dozen coming home 14th after some penalty time for a tire that rolled away in the pits. Still, if not for Keselowski’s misfortune, the entire Hendrick organization would be at the bottom. That was the big story at Kansas, but not quite the entire story.

    At the end, it became obvious no one was going to catch Logano. That win, his fifth of the season, means he will remain a Chase contender for the next five events. There were others who we thought had something, such as Earnhardt and Keselowski. Kevin Harvick once again was a major factor, at least until he thought he had a tire going down and came to the pits. It was not. His handling issues cost him a shot at the win, and left him sixth.

    That left Kyle Larson, who missed the Chase, but he has been one of the best since Richmond. At least he gave Logano somebody to look at in the rear view. With finishes of third, second, sixth, and now second at Kansas, the 22-year old has become part of the conversation, if only as a preview as to what we might expect in 2015.

    If someone new among the Chasers falters at Charlotte, Kahne could get back in it. As far as Keselowski, Earnhardt, and Johnson are concerned, their performances over the next couple of weeks can not be anything short of awesome. Maybe even winning awesome. That, or they must hope a few other drivers have a day in North Carolina just like the one they had out on the plains.

    Great to rate amongst the eight…

    1 – Joey Logano – 1 Win – 3048 Points
    2 – Kyle Busch – 0 – 3042
    3 – Carl Edwards – 0 – 3039
    4 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 3039
    5 – Denny Hamlin – 0 – 3037
    6 – Kevin Harvick – 0 – 3033
    7 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 3031
    8 – Jeff Gordon – 0 – 3031

    Four at the door…

    9 – Kasey Kahne – 0 Wins – 3023 Points
    10 – Brad Keselowski – 0 – 3009
    11 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 0 – 3006
    12 – Jimmie Johnson – 0 – 3004

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono GoBowling.com 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono GoBowling.com 400

    From the impact of crew chief suspensions inspired by the No. 11 Denny Hamlin penalty to the forecasted rain that never reared its ugly head, here is what else was surprising and not surprising in the 41st Annual GoBowling.com 400 at Pocono Raceway.

    Surprising: They may have swept Pocono for the first time since Denny Hamlin did it in 2006 and also scored their third victory of the season, but what Dale Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Steve Letarte were most eloquent about after the race was their praise for the positive impact of team owner Rick Hendrick on their lives.

    “I just told him thanks for believing in me and making my life better,” Dale Jr. said of the call he made to Mr. H. in Victory Lane. “He has that effect on all the people that work for him. He makes everybody’s life better.”

    “He put me with Steve and I think that Steve was in a place where he was looking for something new and I was definitely needing something new, and it worked out,” Earnhardt Jr. continued. “I was, it was a touch and go there for a while, but we have worked, we have done some good things together and we have continued to get better and we finally are realizing that potential and doing the things on the racetrack that we dreamed about doing when we first started working together.”

    “Mr. Hendrick has helped me become a better person, put me around people that influence me to be a better person, so just want him to know that I appreciate it.”

    “He’s the kind of guy that through the low times in your life you can lean on and you don’t worry about talking to him about it,” crew chief Steve Letarte said of Mr. H, in support of his driver’s opinion. “He’s given me a tremendous amount of advice without probably ever even knowing it. He’s just that kind of guy.”

    “People don’t work at Hendrick Motorsports because we win races, people work at Hendrick Motorsports because they want to work for Rick Hendrick and that’s a big difference.”

    Not Surprising: Jeff Gordon may not have won the race in spite of leading 63 laps, but he did achieve two career milestones as a result of his sixth place run in the GoBowling.com 400. The driver of the No. 24 Axalta Chevrolet broke the 24,000 career laps led mark and also achieved the milestone of leading 1,000 laps at Pocono Raceway.

    “I’m really happy with the way our car performed,” Gordon said. “It’s just so awesome and encouraging and has got my confidence sky high. And I just can’t wait to get to the next race.”

    Surprising: Tony Stewart and Paul Menard had a close encounter of the on-top-of-each-other-yet-again kind after a multi-car pileup on Lap 118.

    “I told Tony the last time we did that was about two years ago at Talladega,” Menard, driver of the No. 27 Certainteed/Menards Chevrolet, said. “So, we have got to stop doing that.”

    “Yeah, I tend to end up on Paul (Menard) a lot,” Stewart said, followed by a quick clarifying statement. “Car wise, our cars tend to end up on top of each other for some reason.”

    “I think that is the second time I’ve landed on top of him,” Smoke continued. “This time at least we weren’t’ looking windshield in at each other.”

    Not Surprising: For at least one driver, who officially locked himself into the Chase with his second place Pocono finish, there were lessons to be learned at the Tricky Triangle.

    Kevin Harvick described his team’s biggest lesson learned as the ability to scramble after suffering damage in the multi-car wreck that sent their car into a drain and then the wall.

    “Well, I think today was very important,” the driver of the No. 4 Mobil 1 Chevrolet said. “We didn’t have the car that we wanted, I felt like we had a top three car today, we were going to need track position and things were not really going well.”

    “They were able to fix the car after we wrecked it,” Harvick continued. “So that’s what we talked about as we came back from the break was just scrambling, being able to scramble and get a finish of some sort to get something out of a day.”

    “That’s what you’re going to have to do the last 10 weeks and today we were able to accomplish that and hopefully this is a good sign of things to come.”

    Surprising: Danica Patrick and Jimmie Johnson had one surprising thing in common at Pocono. Both of their races were pretty much ruined by tire issues, which coincided with hitting the wall issues as well.

    Six-time champ Johnson had his tires go down twice, once early in the race and the second time on lap 113, sending him into the wall.

    Patrick actually hit the outside wall first on lap 14, which resulted in a severe tire rub. Just one lap later, her right-rear tire failed as she was trying to make her way to pit road.

    Johnson finished 39th and Patrick ended her day in the 30th spot.

    “Unfortunately, we had some trouble early and were able to really rally back and get ourselves in the top-five,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet said. “So disappointed for sure, but really unclear as to what happened going into Turn 2. The car went straight down into the Tunnel Turn.”

    “I feel so badly that I started the problems when I hit the fence there in Turn 2,” the driver of the No. 10 GoDaddy Chevrolet said. “I just wish I would have been smart enough to bring our GoDaddy Chevy to pit lane as soon as it happened, but sometimes tire rubs seem worse than what they are, so I stayed out there and we lost the tire.”

    “I’m really disappointed, and I know all the guys are, too.”

    Not Surprising: After scoring the pole with a new Pocono track record of 183.438 mph and 49.063 seconds, it was not surprising for rookie Kyle Larson to yet again score Rookie of the Race honors with his 12th place race run.

    NASCAR Camping World Truck race winner and Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender Austin Dillon finished in the 15th position as the next highest rookie runner.

    Surprising: While Kyle Busch is quite often the dominant Toyota, the driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota Camry for Joe Gibbs Racing, exited early with some sort of engine issue and Clint Bowyer instead led the charge in his No. 15 RK Motors Charlotte Toyota Camry, finishing 4th.

    “We had a good car all weekend and we unloaded good,” Bowyer said. “I’m proud of (Brian) Pattie (crew chief) and all these guys that work so hard.”

    “It’s the work during the week, day in and day out, that makes the difference when you come to these weekends and it’s good to be getting a good finish.”

    Not Surprising: Denny Hamlin, sans his regular crew chief Darian Grubb, deemed his substitute crew chief Mike Wheeler good after a top-10 finish at the Tricky Triangle.

    “You know, he (Mike Wheeler) did a really good job,” the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Office Toyota said. “He called the race nice. Good communication and we were on the same strategy as far as what I was thinking and what he was thinking so that was good.”

    “So really pretty seamless for the most part.”

    Surprising: Matt Kenseth’s predictions of Pocono not being the best track for him came true when he finished a disappointing 38th after having his car destroyed in the Pocono version of the ‘Big One.’

    “It’s never been a wonderful track for me,” Kenseth said prophetically prior to the race. And after the race, he simply said. “We just got all collected.”

    Not Surprising: There was at least one driver that was ready to accept his 15th place finish and head on to the road course at Watkins Glen for next weekend’s race.

    “If you had asked me at the start of the day would I take a top-15 finish, I would have said yes but it was just a little frustrating there at the end,” Marcos Ambrose, driver of the No. 9 DeWalt Ford Said. “We had some issues and I probably let a few spots go, but we’ll keep digging and keep working on it.”

    “It’s frustrating for all of us to not be as competitive at these downforce tracks as we want, but we’ve got a good one next week coming up and hopefully we can get rolling there.”

  • Earnhardt Jr. Holds off Harvick to Complete Sprint Cup Season Sweep at Pocono

    Earnhardt Jr. Holds off Harvick to Complete Sprint Cup Season Sweep at Pocono

    News – NSCS Recap
    August 3, 2014

    LONG POND, Pa. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. realized that it took a bit of luck for him to win at Pocono Raceway in June. But he knew his team was firing on all cylinders Sunday when he completed the season sweep.

    Benefitting from impeccable pit strategy, Earnhardt led the final 14 laps and a car with the performance to hold off Kevin Harvick on a restart with three laps to go to ring up his third victory of the 2014 season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GoBowling.com 400.

    “It wasn’t about luck this time,” said Earnhardt, who roared past Brad Keselowski in the June race after Keselowski caught a piece of trash in his grill and began to overheat.

    Earnhardt credited crew chief Steve Letarte and his team for not resting on their laurels at Pocono.

    “We were determined to go home from the last win and improve the car,” Earnhardt said. “Steve and the guys studied and improved the setup. We had a little luck on the win the last time with Keselowski having the debris and we wanted to be in the driver’s seat this go-round with a faster car.”

    Letarte said the homework paid off in a faster Chevrolet.

    “I feel we unloaded a better car for the second Pocono than we did the first Pocono,” he said. “You cannot ever assume a winning car is going to be good enough the next week. While we were excited to win (in June) and we’ll take it, there was room for improvement, so we worked very hard between that race and this race.”

    The result was Earnhardt’s second season sweep of his career (Talladega 2002). He also became the first driver to sweep at Pocono since Denny Hamlin in 2006.

    Almost from the outset, Sunday’s 400-miler was a battle of pit strategies regarding fuel strategy and tires. Throw in a 13-car wreck that took much of the field out of contention for the final 34 laps and crew chiefs had their hands full.

    Letarte made the ultimate decision to take four fresh tires with 39 laps to go, then bring Earnhardt back for a splash of gas 10 laps later.

    “All we needed to get there was a gallon or two while the rest of the guys in front of us needed four tires and a full tank,” Earnhardt said “We were on pit road for two seconds in the box and they were in their pit stalls for 12-14 seconds. We were able to leapfrog those guys. We weren’t technically leading the race when the (next) caution came out, but we were ahead of those guys on where we needed to be.

    “It takes a really, really smart guy to understand what to do and take those gambles. Sometimes they pay off and sometimes they don’t. I’ve got a lot of faith in Steve and the strategy he used today gave us the opportunity to get by some guys that we probably weren’t going to pass on the race track.”

    It was the fifth consecutive Sprint Cup victory at Pocono for Hendrick Motorsports, which also had Jeff Gordon in contention for much of the race.

    Gordon, a six-time winner at Pocono, led a race-high 63 laps. He also became the first driver to lead 1,000 laps at Pocono and passed the 24,000 mark in career laps led in Sprint Cup competition.

    Joey Logano, who led the first 30 laps, finished third ahead of Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle.

    Saving fuel, Biffle found himself with the lead after AJ Allmendinger’s crash brought out a caution with 21 laps left. But Biffle couldn’t hold off Earnhardt, who took command with 14 laps to go.

    “I was heartbroken when that caution came out,” said Biffle, who thought strategy had given him a fighting chance. “That just killed our day. We had a 20th-place car but got track position and drove our butt off. (If the race stayed green) it was going to be ‘Mickey Mouse’ –- who would run out of fuel — unless those guys could catch us.”

    Earnhardt had opened a 2.7-second lead on Harvick when Kurt Busch hit the wall, bringing out another caution that created the final restart.

    “With Kevin, I’m racing one of the best,” Earnhardt said. “That guy is going to get everything he can out of his car. I was anticipating him being right there on the inside going into (Turn) 1. I knew I was just going to have to really get brave, drive it down in there and pray for it to stick.”

    Harvick, who overcame a pit road speed penalty on Lap 96 and found himself 14th after driving over a storm drain in avoiding major damage during the 13-car melee, gave it all he could.

    “I timed that last (restart) pretty good,” Harvick said.. “But I couldn’t turn into the corner like I needed to to stay beside him. I thought if I could get beside him going into (Turn) 1 I’d have a chance, but he was a little better than I was in Turn 3.”

    On his way to his Victory Lane celebration, Earnhardt took a phone call from team owner Rick Hendrick.

    “I just thanked him for how much he changed my life and how he has supported me,” Earnhardt said. “I wanted to thank him and make sure he understood how much I appreciated him. I wanted him to know how much it meant to me that I got the chance to drive this car and get a win today.”