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NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Las Vegas

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished sixth at Las Vegas and maintained his lead in the Sprint Cup point standings. Johnson leads Brad Keselowski by five points.

“It’s always good to leave Las Vegas on top,” Johnson said. “The season is shaping up to be a two-man battle for the Sprint Cup championship. Who’s going to win it, me or Keselowski? I don’t have a clue, but if I was a detective, I’d have a ‘lead.’”

2. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski started on the pole in the Kobalt Tools 400 and finished third, his third top-5 result of the year. Keselowski now trails Jimmie Johnson by five in the point standings.

“It was quite an awkward moment when the Miller Lite Ford was awarded the Coors Light Pole Award,” Keselowski said. “Luckily, my ‘wide mouth’ didn’t ‘vent,’ thereby avoiding a ‘vortex’ of controversy.”

3. Matt Kenseth: On his 41st birthday, Kenseth held off Kasey Kahne to win the Kobalt Tools 400, his 25th career Sprint Cup win.

“How about that race trophy I was awarded?” Kenseth said. “Toyota engine issues aside, Joe Gibbs, for once, is happy to have a wrench thrown into his operation.

“I became just the third driver to win on his birthday. Carl Edwards threatened to give me a ‘spanking,’ but I politely declined.”

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt posted his third top-10 finish of the year with a seventh at Las Vegas. He now trails Jimmie Johnson by 10 in the point standings.

“I’m off to the best three-race start of my career,” Earnhardt said. “And I’m still in third.

“I hear they’ve chosen a grand marshal for the April race in Texas. His name is ‘N.R. Ray,’ and I understand he’ll be packing a starter’s pistol.”

5. Denny Hamlin: An eventful week for Hamlin culminated with a 15th at Las Vegas, as Joe Gibbs teammate Matt Kenseth won the Kobalt Tools 400. Earlier in the week, Hamlin was fined $25,000 for making critical comments about the new Gen-6 car.

“There’s five digits in $25,000,” Hamlin said. “Unfortunately for NASCAR, they’ll only see one of them.”

6. Carl Edwards: Edwards backed up his win at Phoenix with a solid fifth at Las Vegas, earning his second top 5 of the year. He moved up six spots to fifth in the point standings, 31 out of first.

“I hear Danica Patrick was hit in the head by a rock,” Edwards said. “If it’s anything like her driving, I’m sure it left a dent.”

7. Kasey Kahne: Kahne No. 5 Chevy was clearly the class of the Kobalt Tools 400, but lost the race off pit road to Matt Kenseth on the final caution. Kahne tracked down Matt Kenseth but was unable to make the winning pass and settled for second.

“I’m amazed that Kenseth could hold me off on old tires,” Kahne said. “And speaking of ‘old’ and ‘tired,’ how about the racing at Las Vegas. Maybe Denny Hamlin was on to something. His children may not be, but his points sure are legitimate.”

8. Mark Martin: Martin finished 14th in the Kobalt Tools, as Michael Waltrip Racing teammate Martin Truex, Jr. finished eighth. Martin is sixth in the point standings, 34 out of first.

“Much like my homeboy 50 Cent to find black people at Daytona,” Martin said, “I’m on a fruitless quest of my own—-to win a Sprint Cup championship.

9. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished 17th in the Kobalt Tools 400 as former Roush Fenway teammate Matt Kenseth took the win. Biffle is tied for seventh in the point standings, 36 out of first.

“Congratulations to Matt,” Biffle said. “I knew he’d do well in the Dollar General Toyota. When you combine Matt’s boring personality in a car with ‘Dollar’ on the side, you get a character named ‘So-So Money.’

10. Kyle Busch: Busch overcame an early pit road speeding penalty to claim fourth in the Kobalt Tools 400.

“Pit road speeding is exactly what you’d expect from Joe Gibbs Racing,” Busch said. “Usually, it happens when we’re in a hurry to make an engine change.”

March 12, 2013
Travis Pastrana Still Embracing Learning Curve

With a solid team in Roush Fenway Racing and a full season ahead in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series, Travis Pastrana is still embracing the learning curve when it comes to stock car racing.

Unfortunately, Pastrana, behind the wheel of his most colorful No. 60 Roush Fenway Ford Mustang, did not even get a chance to go to school in the Dollar General 200 Advance at Phoenix International Raceway. He was involved in an early crash, relegating him to a 28^th place finish.

“They started crashing in front of me,” Pastrana said. “I thought I could get to the inside and I just wanted to try to get down, so once I got in the marbles the first lap and was loose, the second lap came in and I saw them crashing in front of me.”

“I kind of let off, but I just got in the marbles again, so unfortunately, it was a pretty useless day for learning.”

Pastrana qualified in the 12th position for the Nationwide race, with a speed of 131.200 mph and a time of 27.439 seconds. But that was not good enough to sustain him in race conditions, having to utilize his teammate’s set up instead.

“We knew that we had a good qualifying run compared to where we practiced,” Pastrana said. “We thought we were pretty good at the end of practice, but we were so far off from where Trevor (Bayne) was, so we went with Trevor’s stuff just to see if it would work.”

“I think we were on the right track, but there’s not a lot we could pick up because I didn’t get one single lap,” Pastrana continued. “The front wheel was busted out and the splitter was off the right-front tire.”

“We just drove around all day,” Pastrana said. “If you see the front tire, it’s folded over completely, so I don’t know how the car survived.”

“The team earned their money today.”

Although frustrated with the early crash and poor finish, Pastrana did learn at least one tidbit. After following teammate Bayne’s line on the track, he at least picked up some knowledge for the future about where to run for maximum speed.

“I knew where his line was and I knew where my line was,” Pastrana said. “So, just learning where you can run the car was good.”

“But with this car, we never knew because we never had a chance.”

Pastrana’s Phoenix run was especially tough since he had had a great outing at Daytona, finishing in the tenth position. The former extreme sport star turned NASCAR racer felt that he really learned a great deal about restrictor plate racing, again with a little help from teammate and former Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne.

“Daytona was awesome,” Pastrana said “A top-10 finish was exactly what we had hoped for.”

“I knew we had a great car coming into the race,” Pastrana continued. “Trevor pushed me around a few laps.”

“I kind of gained confidence and really just started pushing a little bit and started to be pushed more and those guys gained confidence with me.”

Unfortunately, Pastrana’s confidence was short-lived in the waning laps of the race, with the horrific crash that sent debris raining into the stands as well as all over the track.

“We were running three-wide and I didn’t know what to do,” Pastrana said. “All hell broke loose like it always does.”

“But I still learned a lot.”

Pastrana also broke the news in Phoenix that he will have some learning to do off the track as well, which may involve entirely new skills sets such as diaper changing. He and his wife announced that they are expecting their first child.

“It’s just really exciting,” Pastrana said. “I got married about a year-and-a-half ago and having a kid is going to be awesome.”

Will Pastrana teach his youngster about all of his daredevil ways, including racing in its many forms?

“I definitely feel for my parents now with everything I’ve put them through,” Pastrana said. “But we’ll encourage whatever we have – a boy or girl – to follow their passion.”

“But I’m hoping their passion is golf, maybe.”

As Pastrana leaves Phoenix, now 15^th in the point standings, he is no doubt looking forward to more learning at the next venue, Las Vegas Motor Speedway. But he is also anticipating going to another track as well, the Monster Mile, later in the season.

“For me, my hometown track was always Dover,” Pastrana said. “I’ve never gotten to drive anything around Dover and they say it’s like dropping into a roller coaster every corner and jumping coming out.”

“It doesn’t look like a jump when you’re watching,” Pastrana continued. “But all the drivers say it is.”

“I’m looking forward to that.”

March 3, 2013
Brian Vickers and Trevor Bayne Look for Healing in Nationwide Series

Photo Credit: brianvickers.com

Two NASCAR stars, Brian Vickers and Trevor Bayne, were sidelined due to serious illness just a few years ago. Now both drivers are looking to heal their careers in the Nationwide Series this season.

In May of 2010, Cup driver Brian Vickers was visiting Washington, DC when he began to experience chest pains and trouble breathing. Initially, Vickers downplayed his symptoms, especially since he was young and in great shape.

But when the pain persisted and even intensified, the driver of the then No. 83 Red Bull Racing Toyota sought emergency medical treatment. It was then determined that Vickers was suffering from blood clots in both lungs and also in his leg.

Vickers knew almost immediately that this would impact his racing career. In fact, he almost delayed seeking treatment because he was fearful of losing his Cup ride.

“I didn’t want to go to the doctor because they were going to take me out of the car,” Vickers said at the time. “Going through the CT scans, they found the blood clots in both lungs and my left leg.”

Because Vickers was put on Coumadin, a blood thinner, to treat the clots, it was determined by his medical team that he indeed did have to step out of the race car and focus on his physical healing. Vickers ended up being out for the remainder of the season, watching only as a supporter of his beloved race team.

But Vickers health challenges continued after a clot was discovered in a finger in his left hand. At that time, the driver underwent further testing to be diagnosed with May-Thurner Syndrome, a rare condition causing clots, as well as having a hole between the right and left atrium in his heart.

Vickers then decided to undergo heart surgery to fix the hole, as well as have a stent placed in his left leg to assist with his circulation. Vickers made the difficult decisions about the surgeries after learning that he was at high risk for stroke without it.

“I would rather die than have a stroke,” Vickers said at the time. “I don’t want to run the risk of living like a vegetable.”

This additional surgery ensured that Vickers would not be ready to get back on the race track until the 2011 season. Unfortunately, Vickers dreams of returning in triumph were not to be, starting with involvement in the ‘big one’ at Daytona and then having issues and run-ins with several drivers, most notably Matt Kenseth.

Vickers finished the 2011 season in the 25^th position in points, with just seven top-10 finishes. The year ended even more dismally when his team, Red Bull Racing, folded up their NASCAR tent and left the sport.

For the 2012 season, although Vickers started without a ride, Michael Waltrip snatched him up and put him in the No. 55 MWR Toyota for several races. Vickers showed his talent in the shared ride with Mark Martin, with three top-5 and five top-10 finishes in eight races.

With redemption and career healing in mind, Vickers will be back behind the wheel of a race car full-time for the 2013 Nationwide season for Joe Gibbs Racing. He will also return to MWR for nine Cup races in the car shared again with Mark Martin.

“I’m looking forward to being back in the Nationwide Series and in NASCAR,” Vickers said. “I learned a lot over the last three or four years, from being taken out of the car being sick to not being full-time this past year with everything that happened leading up to the season.”

“My perspective on life changed through all these events,” Vickers continued. “There are no guarantees in life.”

“I’ve learned that the hard way,” Vickers said. “My focus is on 2013 and I think the success this year will lead to great opportunities next year.”

Photo Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images North America

Like Vickers, Trevor Bayne is also looking to heal and rejuvenate his racing career by competing in the Nationwide Series full-time in 2013. But Bayne, like Vickers, went from being on the top of the world in 2011 as the Daytona 500’s youngest race winner to being hospitalized with double vision a few short months later.

Bayne’s medical drama began just as suddenly as Vickers’ issues when he complained of numbness in his arms while competing in the Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway. Bayne initially thought his problems were due to an insect bite but he continued to experience nausea, fatigue and vision issues and was hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic for further testing.

Although his doctors never officially confirmed it, the young Roush Fenway driver said that Lyme disease had been causing all of his problems.

“They wouldn’t confirm it because it’s such a hard thing to define,” Bayne said. “Lyme is something that hides in your bloodstream.”

“It is hard to diagnose,” Bayne continued. “But if they treat it and it goes away, to me that seems like a pretty good answer.”

Sadly for Bayne, however, his illness caused him to be sidelined just enough so that others were behind the wheel of his race car. And he had to stand by and helplessly watch while his rival and teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. catapulted to fame after clinching the Nationwide title.

Bayne’s 2012 season was not much better as the youngster had just six Nationwide starts, all because of lack of sponsorship. With no funding, Bayne had just one more start before the season ended, again with his teammate Stenhouse Jr. holding the 2012 championship trophy.

“If you would have told me it would look like this, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Bayne said. “It’s been a little bit of a roller coaster.”

Bayne is especially ready to start the 2013 season, knowing that he can not only compete full-time with sponsorship but that he now has a chance at the Series championship himself.

“I still want to make it in this sport,” Bayne said. “And I want to be a top name that is contending for championships.”

“This is my opportunity to do that.”

Bayne will be working with Stenhouse’s former crew chief Mike Kelley, as well as one of his sponsors, Cargill. The youngster will also be running a part-time Cup schedule for the Wood Brothers, with whom he won that unforgettable Daytona 500.

After both drivers’ medical battles, there is no doubt that both Bayne and Vickers are beside themselves with hope for their 2013 healing season prospects.

“I think as a person, you grow and evolve through life experiences,” Vickers said. “Every day is an audition.”

“I think we’ve got a lot to show here,” Bayne said. “I’m competitive and I want to be a part of the championship at the end of the year.”

“It’s what keeps us going.”

February 9, 2013
2013 Sprint Cup Team Preview: Roush Fenway Racing

Photo Credit: Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

We’re down to our last four Sprint Cup teams to preview for 2013 and today we’ll focus on the Ford team of Roush Fenway Racing, which will field cars for Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and rookie Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

Greg Biffle

In 2012, Biffle led the Roush-Fenway camp with two wins and a fifth place finish in the final standings and was the only driver to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup out of the three Roush Fenway drivers that will be running the 2013 campaign. After an impressive 2012 run with first year crew chief Matt Puccia in which the team led the standings for a large part of the year, the duo will return to the #16 3M team and look to make a strong run at the 2013 title.

Carl Edwards

After a 2012 campaign in which Edwards failed to win a race and qualify for the Chase and what many would consider his worst season to date, the #99 team went through some shakeups over the offseason. Neither of Edwards two crew chiefs from the 2012 season, Bob Osbourne and Chad Norris, will return in 2013. Veteran crew chief Jimmy Fennig will team up with Edwards in 2013 and the hope is the veteran crew chief can resurrect this team from the ashes of the 2012 season. Under the tutelage of Fennig, look for Edwards to rebound in 2013 and make it back into the Chase for the Sprint Cup this year.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr

After Matt Kenseth left the #17 team to move over to Joe Gibbs Racing, the vacancy was filled by two-time Nationwide champion, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse will team up with first time crew chief and longtime team engineer, Scott Graves for his rookie campaign. After performing well in the few Sprint Cup races he has run so far, look for Stenhouse to turn some heads this season, especially in the Rookie of the Year battle that he will have with Danica Patrick this year.

January 22, 2013
NASCAR Stars Put Fa La La in the Season

Photo Credit: Action Sports Photography

What’s a NASCAR driver to do in the off season? For many, there are sponsor commitments, testing, and just plain relaxing with family and friends.

But for some of NASCAR’s brightest stars, this time of year is all about putting the ‘fa la la’ in the holiday season, especially for those in need.

Greg Biffle, who usually spends his time behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, decided instead to spread some holiday cheer by serving as chauffeur for one of his fellow RFR employees for the company’s holiday bash.

The colleagues at Roush Fenway Racing took a chance on a ride with the Biff by purchasing raffle tickets, with proceeds benefitting the Salvation Army Angel Tree Program to needy children. The raffle winner got chauffeured to and from the party in Biffle’s 1983 ‘Boss Hogg’ style limo, complete with horns on the front of the car and a horn playing the theme from the ‘Dukes of Hazard.’

“We decided to raffle off a ride for a Roush Fenway employee to the company party this year and use the money to buy gifts for the Salvation Army Angel Tree program,” Biffle said. “Roush Fenway agreed to match the proceeds.”

“I had wanted to do something for a local family this holiday season and I thought it would be fun to raffle off a ride in this old limo,” Biffle continued. “I saw it at an auto auction and thought it would be fun to drive around.”

The winner of the Biffle ride was Brian Steager, who has worked for RFR for nine years in the paint and body department.

“It was a very good ride,” Steager said. “We got there safe and sound and it was an excellent experience all the way around.”

Photo Credit: USO Photo by Michael Clifton

The holiday ride with the Biff raised over $2,000 for the Salvation Army, which will grant the holiday wishes of several children this year.

“It was a lot of fun,” Biffle said. “It went to a very worthy cause and hopefully we’ll do it again soon.”

Two of NASCAR’s young guns decked the halls with their own version of holiday cheer. Nationwide champ and Cup up and comer Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and new Penske Cup driver Joey Logano put the ‘fa la la’ in the season for troops serving overseas.

Logano and Stenhouse Jr. traveled with the USO to the Middle East and Germany to meet and thank those in uniform. The two drivers visited six bases in all, meeting hundreds of men and women in the military to thank them for their service.

“We had the chance to meet some amazing men and women on our USO tour,” Logano said. “I have so much respect for our troops; they do their jobs day in and day out without complaint and are always giving it their all.”

“We are lucky to have these men and women serving and protecting our country and I can’t thank them enough for all that they do.”

This was Stenhouse’s first holiday tour of USO duty and the young driver thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

“It was an honor to meet our troops and see them in action,” Stenhouse said. “The service and sacrifice of these men and women and their families are inspiring.”

“I have nothing but admiration and gratitude for what they do for our country.”

Michael Waltrip, former driver, Daytona 500 winner and now principal in Michael Waltrip Racing, also granted a few holidays wishes of his own. He and his colleagues participated in ABC’s ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ to help a family in Lincolnton, North Carolina, who had a big heart for foster children but needed an even bigger home.

The Friday family, foster parents to over 30 children took in a teenage boy and his five siblings. Their ranch home, however, needed that bit of a NASCAR makeover in order to have room for the family to celebrate Christmas.

And thanks to Michael Waltrip and his MWR team, the Christmas miracle of a home big enough for all of its children was granted.

Ryan Newman put the final ‘fa la la’ into the holiday season with his annual Ryan Newman Foundation dinner and auction, raising over $340,000 for animal welfare, education and conservation activities. The event also featured a charity fishing tournament, with 148 teams competing.

“Krissie and I appreciate everyone who participated in the fishing tournament,” Newman said. “The weather was perfect.”

While the experts were fishing, Neman actually was schmoozing with sponsors and other fans on a luxury yacht, all in the name of charity.

“I didn’t know what to think of the yacht event,” Newman said. “But it turned out to be a good thing.”

“It was a good way to have some one on one time with me and check out Lake Norman.”

Even the NASCAR race tracks have gotten into the holiday spirit. Charlotte Motor Speedway, in the heart of racing country, has not only been decked out in holiday lights but will also be showing holiday movies throughout the season, all to benefit Speedway Children’s Charities.

The track’s light show, featuring over 800 displays and more than 3 million lights, has been on display, with movies such as ‘A Christmas Story’, ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas’ and ‘Christmas Vacation’ shown through the end of December.

NASCAR driver Ryan Newman, however, best summed up the sentiments of all of the NASCAR community hoping to spread some good cheer and ‘fa la la’ spirit for the holidays.

“It’s something I think we’ll do again next year.”

December 14, 2012
Greg Biffle ‘Very Proud of the Year’

Greg Biffle, driver of the No. 16 3M Ford for Roush Fenway Racing, was not just relieved when his NASCAR year-end banquet speech as the fifth place finishing driver was over. He was also “very proud of what we did this year.”

Biffle and his team scored two wins in the season, with 12 top-five finishes and 21 top-ten finishes. He led the point standings, made the Chase, and had an average finish for the year of 10.2.

“I was nervous at the beginning of this year because this was really a brand new team,” Biffle said. “It takes a while to get your legs under you.”

“Out of seventeen guys, only three of them were same from the year previous,” Biffle continued. “And they were all hand-picked by Matt Puccia (crew chief).”

“I figured we were going to have our challenges ahead of us,” Biffle said. “So to come out of the gate like we did and lead the points all the way through when the Chase started was amazing for me.”

“I was really excited about that.”

After a bit of a victory drought, Biffle scored his first win of the 2012 season at Texas Motor Speedway in the spring race, the Samsung Mobile 500. He went on to visit Victory Lane a second time in the Michigan 400 in late summer.

“It was such a relief,” Biffle said of his Texas win. “And I was so excited.”

“When you win there is so much emotion,” Biffle continued. “So much goes through you.”

“I was more excited for the team and Matt Puccia for his first Cup win,” Biffle said. “And it was the first Cup win for more than half the guys on my team.”

“I’ve won 17 or 18 times or however many,” Biffle continued. “It’s special to me each time you get there, but it’s neat every time to take people to Victory lane.”

“And it was kind of a dry spell for me,” Biffle said. “So, it was nice to get back in there to Victory Lane.”

Biffle, like most of the top-ten drivers, was honored to have finished fifth in the final point standings. But he was dreading his banquet speech, stating he just had to rely on the teleprompter to get through it.

“I’ve got too much ADD so I had to use a teleprompter,” Biffle said. “I’ll talk about one thing and forget about what’s next.”

“I’ve thought about trying to do bullet points on the teleprompter like ‘team’, ‘Jack Roush’, ‘thank the sponsors’, and ‘NASCAR’,” Biffle continued. “It just doesn’t work for me because I get rambling on and can’t transition to the next thing very well.”

“I’m better off just to write a short and simple speech,” Biffle said. “I have to write the speech because I have to put it in my words, the way I say it, instead of trying to read something that’s unnatural.”

“Then I do better with it.”

In addition to the NASCAR festivities, Biffle also enjoyed his time in Vegas by bonding with some of his team over drinks and a little gambling.

“I’ve had a lot of fun gambling and playing craps with some of the guys,” Biffle said. “Just enjoying the city, going out and enjoying a few drinks has been fun.”

“Normally, when I’m racing, Monday I might have a beer or two sometimes,” Biffle continued. “But it’s nice to come here and enjoy the city and not have to get into the race car the next day.”

While many of the drivers who have been trying their hands at the Vegas tables have lost some significant dollars, Biffle stated that he has been holding his own in the casino.

“I’m about even, which means I won because I’m having a lot of fun and I’m doing it for free right now,” Biffle said. “I don’t have a lot of money to lose and I work very hard but I’m going to have a little fun.”

“It’s like going to the amusement park and you’ve got to pay for it, but with this, you have the opportunity to win a little.”

Of the new champion, Biffle admitted that he really did not know Brad Keselowski all that well. But he also admitted to feeling a certain kinship with the new young champion.

“Brad’s been pretty busy,” Biffle said. “I’m looking forward to getting to know him a little bit better.”

“We’ve done a few things or talked about doing a few things away from the track.”

“I see a lot of myself in Brad,” Biffle said. “Brad wasn’t given anything.”

“He didn’t have anyone paying the bills all the way for him,” Biffle continued. “He worked hard.”

“I remember him at the race track when he was 14 or 15 years old helping his dad when his dad was running the Truck Series,” Biffle said. “So then Brad raced the Truck Series and Nationwide and got an opportunity to step into the 2 car.”

“They weren’t fast right away but with time and hard work, they’ve gotten up on the stage,” Biffle continued. “That’s a credit to how hard he’s worked.’

Just like the new champion, Biffle also intends to work hard in the 2013 season. And next year, he hopes to have an even more consistent season, especially with the new race car.

“I want to be in the new Fusion every day,” Biffle said. “But there again, testing is limited.”

“NASCAR is going to do a few tests at Charlotte,” Biffle continued. “But I don’t think we’ll get a lot of tests before we get going.”

“Last year, we just weren’t as prepared and weren’t as ready,” Biffle said. “We went from a good group of tracks for us to something a little different and that’s what really caught us off guard.”

“What I think we learned is that we won’t make that mistake in 2013, especially if we’re lucky enough to make the Chase next year.”

December 3, 2012
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Homestead

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

[media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”323″][/media-credit]1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski finished 15th at Homestead, well ahead of a faltering Jimmie Johnson, and earned his first Sprint Cup championship. Keselowski finished 39 points ahead of Clint Bowyer and 40 ahead of Johnson.

“We saw a blow out,” Keselowski said, “and a bow out, all in the same race. This is likely the first of more titles to come. I’ve already coined a slogan for our quest for the 2013 Cup: ‘2 For 2.’

“Johnson tried to get into my head, and he did, easily. As a five-time Cup winner, he knew exactly what it took to get into the mind of a champion.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson suffered a loose lug nut penalty, followed by mechanical issues at Homestead and finished 36^th, unable to challenge Brad Keselowski for the championship. Johnson finished third in the final point standings, 40 points behind first-time champ Keselowski.

“When I said we needed the ‘raise our game,’” Johnson said, “I wasn’t referring to being ‘jacked up’ in the garage. But I’ll take my misfortune and deal with it. That’s life. Or, as a driver with five Cup titles would say, ‘C’est la V.’

“Keselowski earned the title fair and square. But if not pit errors and mechanical issues that resulted in a 32^nd and 36^th to end the season, things would have been different. As it is, I’ve got to ‘hand it’ to Keselowski, which I did.”

3. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished second to Jeff Gordon in the Ford EcoBoost 400, posting his ninth top-5 finish of the year. Bowyer finished second in the final Sprint Cup point standings, 39 out of first.

“Once again,” Bowyer said, “I couldn’t catch Gordon. That’s okay. The off-season will give me ample time to plan my vengeance down to every detail. After all, I want to ‘exact’ revenge.”

4. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished 21^st at Homestead on an up-and-down day for Hendrick Motorsports, as Jeff Gordon took the checkered flag and Jimmie Johnson finished 36^th. Kahne ended the year fourth in the point standings, 55 behind Brad Keselowski.

“NASCAR wives and girlfriend were having babies right and left this year,” Kahne said. “Even Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson got in on the act, because a rivalry was ‘born.’”

5. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 24^th at Homestead, ending a disappointing Chase For The up in fifth, 62 out of first.

“Congratulations to Brad Keselowski,” Hamlin said. “And congratulations to car owner Roger Penske. I’m not sure if Penske is on Twitter, but if he were, his message to Keselowski would have to be ‘@ a boy!.”

6. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth finished 18^th at Homestead, piloting the No. 17 Best Buy Ford in his final race for Roush Fenway Racing. He finished sixth in the point standings, 74 out of first.

“My car said ‘Best Buy,’” Kenseth said, “but it should have said ‘Good Bye.’”

7. Greg Biffle: Biffle finished fifth in the Ford EcoBoost 400, his 12^th top-5 finish of the year. He ended the year fifth in the point standings, 68 out of first.

“It was an eventful year at Roush Fenway Racing,” Biffle said. “There was a lot of movement within the company. There’s a perfectly good explanation for Matt Kenseth’s departure; Carl Edward’s ‘disappearance’ is another story.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fourth in the Ford EccoBoost 400, posting his 12^th top 5 of the year and eighth of the Chase.

“One day,” Busch said, “I’m going to put it all together. Actually, I often put it together for one day; it’s one season I have trouble with.”

9. Jeff Gordon: Gordon won for the second time this season, beating Clint Bowyer to the stripe to win the Ford EcoBoost 400. Gordon finished 10^th in the point standings, 97 out of first.

“That’s like adding insult to insult for Bowyer,” Gordon said. “I didn’t ‘make his day,’ but I did ‘make his day worse.’”

10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished eighth at Homestead, following his win at Phoenix with his 14^th top-10 result of the year. He finished eighth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 79 out of first.

“Brad Keselowski is a worthy champion,” Harvick said, “and one that is popular among fellow drivers. I think I speak for everyone, especially my former teammate Clint Bowyer, when I say that Keselowski, unlike Jeff Gordon, got what was coming to him.”

November 21, 2012
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Charlotte

[media-credit name=”Credit: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”241″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Brad Keselowski: Keselowski ran out of fuel while leading on lap 59 at Charlotte, and that miscalculation may have cost him the win. After a late stop for gas, Keseklowski emerged 16^th and finished 11^th. He now leads Jimmie Johnson in the point standings by seven.

“The Miller Lite Dodge was the hottest car in the Chase until Saturday,” Keselowski said. “And we all know what happens with a cold Miller Lite—you get a ‘coaster.’

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished third in the Bank Of America 500 after fuel mileage concerns forced him to race conservatively. Still, Johnson cut into Brad Keselowski’s points lead, and now trails by only seven.

“Keselowski led for 139 of 334 laps,” Johnson said. “It was his race to lose, and he did. But I don’t mind trailing in the point standings right now. I’m a five-time champion; Keselowski’s got no titles to his name. That puts me ‘second to none.”

3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 36 laps at Charlotte and finished third behind Clint Bowyer and Jimmie Johnson, while Brad Keselowski finished 11^th. Hamlin is now 15 behind points-leader Keselowski, and eight behind Johnson in second.

“The No. 11 Fed Ex Toyota was not made to conserve gas,” Hamlin said, “so we have to savor every drop. It seems that my pregnant girlfriend isn’t the only one carrying ‘precious cargo.’”

4. Clint Bowyer: After a beneficial fuel gamble, Bowyer held off a charging Denny Hamlin to take the Bank Of America 500, his third victory of the year. Bowyer is now fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 28 behind Brad Keselowski, and well within striking distance for the Cup.

“I proved I’m still a force in the Chase,” Bowyer said. “But I realize I’m gonna need some luck as well. So I’ve got to ask myself, “Do you feel lucky, punk?’”

5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished eighth at Charlotte, one lap down to the leaders. He is now fifth in the point standings, 35 out of first.

“It was weird not seeing Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the No. 88 car,” Kahne said. “I’m sure Junior was disappointed. But look on the bright side: he found another way to break a winless streak.”

6. Greg Biffle: Biffle started on the pole at Charlotte and led 71 laps before finishing fourth, his best finish of the Chase. He leaped three spots in the point standings to sixth, and is 43 out of first.

“Carl Edwards couldn’t win with the points lead in last year’s Chase,” Biffle said. “Matt Kenseth is leaving Roush Fenway. And I couldn’t win from the pole at Charlotte. It doesn’t seem that anyone at Roush Fenway Racing can finish what they started.”

7. Martin Truex, Jr.: Truex posted his 17^th top-10 finish of the year with a 10^th at Charlotte. He is seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, 49 out of first.

“I’ve got five races to make up 49 points,” Truex said. “I’m guessing the five races beats the 49 points to the finish line. And that’s one more win than I have this year.”

8. Kyle Busch: Busch finished fifth at Charlotte, one of only six cars on the lead lap. It was his ninth top-5 result of the year.

“I didn’t qualify for the Chase For The Cup,” Busch said, “so I, like about 8 of 12 Chasers to far behind to matter, am not eligible to win the title. It may be lonely at the top, but not at the bottom.”

9. Tony Stewart: Stewart sustained front-end damage after an early re-start went awry. He recovered to finish 13^th, one lap down, and now finds himself in a 50 point hole to points leader Brad Keselowski.

“If it’s not someone going too fast behind me,” Stewart said, “it’s someone going too slow in front of me. Normally, I’m more prepared in crunch time.”

10. Jeff Gordon: Gordon’s day was ruined by a pit road speeding penalty that put him one lap down. He finished two laps down in 18^th for his worst finish of the Chase. He trails Brad Keselowski by 50 points in the Sprint Cup point standings.

“That’s a deficit from which I can’t escape,” Gordon said. “I was once married to a ‘gold digger;’ she, in turn, was married to a ‘hole digger.’”

October 16, 2012
Michael Annett Wishing To Start Season All Over Again

[media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]With his fifth consecutive top-10 finish under his belt as of Kentucky Speedway last weekend, Michael Annett has been very pleased with the consistency of his No. 43 Pilot Flying J Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series.

But the young up-and-coming racer also wishes that he could start the season all over again and really compete for that coveted championship with all the momentum he has gained since the start of the season.

“I’ve never run this consistently well so the biggest lesson I’ve learned is how much it takes to win the championship,” Annett said. “It really can be won or lost at Daytona, the first race of the year because if you do have an issue, it takes awhile to bounce back.”

“Now, it’s like I wish I could start the season all over again because I’d be right there with them.”

Although he may wish that he could go back in time, Annett acknowledged that he is most pleased with the progress the team has made and with all the top-10 runs. But he also longs for even more performance and would especially like to get to Victory Lane.

“I think we’re definitely excited with the consistency we’ve had, especially with it being top-10 runs,” Annett said. “But we’re actually to the point now where we’re not satisfied with top-10s and are looking for those top-fives and knocking on the door for that first win.”

“I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to do here, especially the second half of the season and now we’re disappointed with a seventh place finish like last weekend.”

Annett acknowledged that his good runs have bred a bit of confidence, so much so that he feels that he can get one more spot in the point standings.

“I think the confidence is there now,” Annett said. “It started with the first time we went to Kentucky early in the season and we just had a really good run there.”

“I knew each time we unloaded, I knew we’d have cars capable of being up front,” Annett continued. “And the more I’ve run in the top-10, I’ve learned a lot more.”

“I’ve learned how difficult it is to take a seventh place car and make it a third place car.”

“Consistency is great, especially since we’re trying to chase down the No. 51 for fifth in points,” Annett said. “The past few weeks, we’ve gained on him, but if we could move those top-10s to top-fives, we could speed up that process of running them down.”

“We keep chipping away at the fifth place in points and that would definitely feel like a championship for us,” Annett continued. “You just have to have a perfect day to win one of these races.”

“I think we’re really close right now and it will just be one of those days where we have a top-three car and hopefully make it a winning race car.”

For Annett, winning will require a perfect mix of mental fortitude, as well as a great handling car.

“Racing really is mental, probably 40% mental and 60% car,” Annett said. “There are times you can get so frustrated and lose time on the race track and the next lap, you make up time.”

“The car didn’t change but the mentality of the driver did,” Annett continued. “It’s how you bring it back so if you can maintain consistency, that’s your job.”

Annett admits that he, like many other drivers including Cup driver Denny Hamlin, has consulted with a sports psychologist. And he also admits to being just a tad bit superstitious as well.

“I’ve done some things like sports psychologists and the biggest thing you learn is that if you do lose focus, there are things you can do to get you back on track and back where you need to be,” Annett said. “Confidence comes with success obviously. Once you get it, it’s hard for other guys to take it away from you.”

“I’m very superstitious actually,” Annett continued. “Not a whole lot to do with racing, but more just stuff in general.”

“I don’t think superstition changes anything because I have the same routine every race and sometimes we finish 28^th and sometime we finish third. And I didn’t do anything different.”

“I think that’s more just stuff in your head that in the long run doesn’t change anything.”

Whether confidence or superstition, Annett also credits his good runs to the alliance that his single car team at Richard Petty Motorsports has with the Roush Fenway organization.

“We have a really good alliance with Roush Fenway, just like our Cup program,” Annett said. “The engineers meet and we share all of our information.”

“There is a lot of communication there,” Annett continued. “I know for a fact we wouldn’t be where we are without this support.”

“That has been a key attribute. You can have an alliance but if you don’t use it, it does not lead to success,” Annett said. “I think we do a pretty good job of it.”

Annett is definitely wishing for a good run this weekend at Dover, a place that he has deemed “just fun to come to.”

“There’s nowhere else like it,” Annett said of the Monster Mile.”You try to say it’s like Bristol but the sensation in the car and what you go through in the corner here is completely different.”

“Obviously, they look a bit alike and you can take some things that you learned at Bristol and apply them at Dover,” Annett continued. “But I think the biggest thing we fight here is how hard the car lands in the corners.”

“That dropping sensation; this is the only place you feel that,” Annett said. “That’s the first thing we fight and start off working on that landing.”

“You’re never going to get a whole lap here comfortable for the driver,” Annett continued. “It’s just getting it comfortable enough so the driver can drive it consistently.”

In addition to the Roush Fenway alliance, Annett also counts himself among the fortunate who have a ride lined up for next year.

“I’m going to definitely be back in this car running for a championship,” Annett said. “When this season ends, I’m going to be really disappointed because we’ve had some of the best momentum in the garage right now.”

“It’s going to be a long off-season and I’ll be itching to get back to Daytona in February,” Annett continued. “And, if things work out, maybe I’ll get a handful of Cup races, but we’ll definitely be focused on that Nationwide championship for the upcoming year.”

September 28, 2012
NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: New Hampshire

[media-credit name=”Credit: Rainier Ehrhardt/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”242″][/media-credit]Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Denny Hamlin: After qualifying 32^nd, Hamlin charged to the front at Loudon and took the lead on lap 94. He led 193 of 300 laps and won for the fifth time this year.

“Last week,” Hamlin said, “I told everyone I would win. And I did. As such, I’m ‘back up’ the point standings.

“Everything went smoothly at Loudon, except for some concerns with our water temperature late in the race. I think all parties involved, including my baby’s momma, agreed that it was an inopportune time to have our water break.”

2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson took the runner-up position for the second straight week and ascended to the top of the point standings. He now leads Brad Keselowski by one point, and Denny Hamlin by seven.

“Ask anybody who knows me,” Johnson said. “They’ll tell you I’m not used to finishing second. And speaking of ‘2’s,’ I want my fellow Chasers to have no choice but to use two hands when asked how many Cup titles I have.”

3. Brad Keselowski: After winning the Chase opener at Chicagoland last week, Keselowski finished sixth in the Sylvania300, posting his 17^th top-10 of the year. He now trails Jimmie Johnson by one point in the Sprint Cup standings.

“Hamlin did what one would expect of me,” Keselowski said. “He went on Twitter last week and guaranteed a win. I wasn’t much of a factor in this race, so you didn’t hear a peep, much less a tweet, out of me.”

4. Tony Stewart: Stewart took seventh in theSylvania300 after leading 38 laps, scoring his third straight top-7 result. He is now fourth in the Sprint Cup point standings, ten out of first.

“Denny Hamlin ran a great race,” Stewart said. “Congratulations to Joe Gibbs Racing for their 100^th win. I had a hand in many of those victories. I’ve had a hand in a lot of things; I’ve had a hand on a lot more. Just ask any driver who’s crossed me.”

5. Kasey Kahne: Kahne posted his ninth top-5 finish of the year and second of the Chase with a fifth at Loudon. He remained fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings and trails Jimmie Johnson by 15.

“The No. 5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet was fast,” Kahne said. “I’m certainly pleased with my sponsor, and they are pleased with me. I’m popular with Farmers Insurance, and even more popular with farmers’ daughters.”

6. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer was the second-best Toyota at Loudon, coming home fourth in theSylvania300, which was dominated by Denny Hamlin. Bowyer is 15 points behind Hamlin in the point standings and still very much in the hunt for the Sprint Cup.

“Eastwood might,” Bowyer said, “but this ‘Clint’ doesn’t talk to empty chairs. Or do I? Hopefully, at the NASCAR banquet at year’s end, I will be talking to one empty chair, my own, when I, as champion, take the podium and address the other 11 drivers on the stage. Boy, would that ‘make my dais.’”

7. Jeff Gordon: Gordon won the pole for the Sylvania300 and finished third behind race-winner Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson. He is 12^th in the point standings, 45 out of first.

“It must be a slow week in NASCAR,” Gordon said. “The biggest news is Kurt Busch signing with Furniture Row Racing for 2013. It’s a perfect fit, because Kurt’s had enough ‘seats’ to fill a furniture store.”

8. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt finished a disappointing 13^th at Loudon, finishing in the same position he qualified. He is seventh in the point standings, 26 out of first.

“Obviously,” Earnhardt said, “I’ve got a lot on my mind. There’s the Chase, and then there’s my split with the Eury’s. I hate to lose those guys, but with my record, what’s another loss?”

9. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth led one lap and finished 14^th in the Sylvania 300, following an 18^th last week at Chicagoland. He is 11^th in the Sprint Cup point standings, 35 behind Jimmie Johnson.

“I’m driving myself right out of the Chase,” Kenseth said. “Luckily, that’s on the way to Joe Gibbs Racing.

“Obviously, the No. 17 Roush Fenway Ford is not fast enough. So, you could say I’m just going through the slow motions.”

10. Kevin Harvick: Harvick finished 11^th in the Sylvania 300, and moved up two spots in the point standings to eighth. He trails Jimmie Johnson by 31.

“Finishing 11^th accurately sums up my season,” Harvick said, “because it’s been a struggle to stay in the top 10 all year.”

September 25, 2012