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  • Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Hot 20 – Thank God for the Chase, as a dozen contenders and the also-rans return to Charlotte

    Heading back to Charlotte, when you look at the Chase and compare it to the situation if they used the season-long standings to determine a champion, it is easy to see why we have a playoff format. It has all to do with generating interest. We want to know who is the best, but today we want the journey to at least be entertaining. Originally, the World Series was established to bring the two top teams from each league together, teams that had never played an inning against one another, to determine which was best. It was the only way to properly determine bragging rights.

    At least it provided some uncertainty as to which team ruled supreme, something to provide a little excitement for the fans at the end of the season. Imagine, a year before the modern World Series came into being. Imagine watching the National League pennant race of 1902 as Pittsburgh claimed the crown by 27.5 games over Brooklyn. They held a 4.5-game lead on May 9th, and never looked back. It was no doubt one hell of an exciting season if one happened to be a fan of the Pirates. It must have been a lot like watching Richard Petty in 1967 when he won 27 races and the rest were content with smelling his exhaust. Instead of drama, it was more a comedy for those who had to share the same tracks as the King that season.

    As for the Pirates, they won again in 1903, albeit by just 6.5 games over the New York Giants. This time the American League champion Boston Americans, the future Red Sox, challenged them and won. That upset some sensibilities, enough so that the Giants, who won the NL in 1904, refused to play the repeating AL champion Americans. That was then. Now we have 10 out of 30 teams playing extra games to challenge for the title in the fall. If there was more weight placed on determining which team was best, and less on the drama, no more than four would be playing at this time of year. Such is not the case.

    Sixteen started the Chase with some hope. That is now down to 12 as they pull into Charlotte. If we relied strictly on the season tally to award the trophy, it would already be down to Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick. Just two points would be separating them. Both could have sat out Saturday night’s race and still have been one-two in the standings come Monday. Hence, the Chase.

    Just ask Martin Truex Jr. if he likes this format. Ask six-time champ Jimmie Johnson. If it is of any consolation, the 12 best on the season remain in the Chase.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 3000 PTS (947 Season Pts)
    Official standings are set by the best first round finish, and Brad’s best was fourth…twice.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 3000 PTS (945)
    What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, so I’m guessing that tire did not get any stronger.

    3. JOEY LOGANO – 3000 PTS (888)
    If you upset someone, phone and talk about it. Maybe 2015 would have turned out differently.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 3000 PTS (872)
    Recently was seen in the White House. Hell, I didn’t even realize he was running.

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 3000 PTS (867)
    Kicking ass in the final year of a contract is always a great idea.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 3000 PTS (852)
    Big Cubs fan hoping his dreams and those of his favorite club both come together this year.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3000 PTS (851)
    If not for the Chase, his hot streak would be meaningless in terms of the championship.

    8. CARL EDWARDS – 3000 PTS (844)
    Carl Edwards Jr. is a Cub reliever. No relation.

    9. CHASE ELLIOTT – 3000 PTS (787)
    New driver in that ole car and yet the same kind of results. That is how you follow a legend.

    10. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3000 PT (785)
    This time, it was a pit crew member who got caught speeding.

    11. MATT KENSETH – 3000 PTS (781)
    Three Top Tens, along with a pair of Top Fives, worked well in the opening round.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 3000 PTS (764)
    Ganassi misfortune worked to the advantage of the Childress grandson.

    13. TONY STEWART – 2074 PTS
    Cars too technical, sponsors so demanding, emotions too P.C…time to be just an owner.

    14. KYLE LARSON – 2073 PTS
    Chip Ganassi had two cars in the Chase.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2053 PTS
    Today, Ganassi has the same number in the Chase as Jack Roush.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2045 PTS
    It was fun while it lasted.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 728 PTS
    If Best of the Rest was a thing, it would belong to Kasey. Not much consolation, I know.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 700 PTS
    Took batting practice with the Kansas City Royals, and looked like he belonged…in a race car.

    19. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 649 PTS
    Best damn name in sports.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 645 PTS
    Learning, gaining experience, but really did not need that blow-out to teach him anything new.

  • Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    Hot 20 – Dover seats nearly 30,000 fewer fans and now NASCAR wants to reduce the pit crews

    I hate change. Even good change can take a while to be appreciated. I did not like the Chase when it came out. I do now. I am still perturbed brand names like Firecracker 400 and World 600 were kicked to the curb to make a sponsor happy who obviously had no appreciation for the traditions of the sport. Then again, neither does NASCAR.

    I am not happy that the cars of today no longer look stock, but they are safer and today’s version beats the hell out of the Car of Tomorrow monstrosities. I am bothered by torn down grandstands and hidden attendance figures. I like “Win and You are In,” so even a guy like Chris Buescher has a shot at the brass ring, but now it seems they want to change the size of the pit crew. I find that I do not like the idea all that much.

    NASCAR wants to help folks save money, which sounds good to you and me. However, if MLB or the NFL tried reducing their payroll by one to save a buck it probably would come across looking either cheap or desperate to aficionados. Instead of a pit crew of six, it could drop by one for next season. That is a position that maybe pays out between $1000 to $3000 per race, depending on the team and its performance expectations.

    If that guy is a tire changer, then who will put the tire on the hub for the guy with the wrench? Maybe the jackman has to reach over. Maybe he waits for the rest of the rubber to make its way over. Maybe we have 30-second stops. Maybe the tire guy carries two at a time. Maybe we finally have an opening for gorillas in NASCAR. Oh, safety is another concern, to reduce the number of folks out there on the asphalt. That excuse sounds so much better than “some racing teams are so tight for cash that one paycheck could make a difference.”

    Winning it all comes with a pretty good paycheck. However, to be eligible at Homestead, one has to still be in contention after Dover. Four more of our Hot 20 become also-rans as they reduce the number to 12 on Sunday.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2086 Pts)
    Sit on a guitar, then try to fit it through the templates. Harvick sat on his guitar in Chicago.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2071 Pts)
    Keelan is happy with another trophy, Dad is happy with his free pass to the next round.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2087 PTS
    If you drive hard, damage car, fail post-race inspection, you get penalized…or so he thought.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2085 PTS
    Not locked in, but a 33 point advantage sure beats hanging on by one.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2078 PTS
    Funny, when Logano once tried to pass Kenseth it did not work as well as it did for Harvick.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 2073 PTS
    To describe how bad his 11th place car was at Loudon, they had it put down right after the race.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2071 PTS
    Rolling, rolling, rolling, keep that damn tire from rolling…Hamlin got the raw end of that.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2070 PTS
    With 10 victories, the most by any driver ever at Dover

    9. CARL EDWARDS – 2068 PTS
    NASCAR claims Edwards has commitment issues…at least late at Loudon.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2068 PTS
    If this is what he can do at 20, imagine him with a bit more experience.

    11. KURT BUSCH – 2067 PTS
    First Top Five in 10 weeks sure came at the right time last Sunday.

    12. KYLE LARSON – 2057 PTS
    In 10 Dover starts in Cup and XFINITY, his worst finish is 11th (June 1, 2014, Cup race).

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 2052 PTS
    Beat Larson by six at Dover and mission accomplished…unless Jamie or Tony wins.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2052 PTS
    Take four fresh ones and then charge up the field…well, it sounded good in theory.

    15. TONY STEWART – 2046 PTS
    If Tony wins, he is in…or if he has a good day and the trio ahead of him do not.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2027 PTS
    Hey, it was fun while it lasted. Still, he got more coverage lately than Clint or Danica…

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 699 PTS
    …or Kasey, for that matter.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 676 PTS
    I hear there will be an opening with HScott Motorsports next season.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 642 PTS
    Decent year that saw Blaney drive his first full season for a team back to full-time after a decade.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 627 PTS
    JTG Daugherty Racing is not among the big boys in resources, so just being on this list is a win.

  • Hot 20 – As they head to Loudon, a half-billion dollar lawsuit leaves me very confused

    Hot 20 – As they head to Loudon, a half-billion dollar lawsuit leaves me very confused

    Nothing like a good old-fashioned hand out to make people feel good. Terrence Cox III and his Diversity Motorsports wants in. They are suing NASCAR, the tracks, even the other teams, in a racial discrimination lawsuit for half a billion dollars.

    Oh, what I could do with that kind of cash. Hell, I could run for president if I were only born in the right country. I am not sure what Diversity wants, but it seems they would like to be handed something even the Wood Brothers can not get if a locked in spot is their goal. They are even suing JTG Daugherty, a team former non-Irish NBA player Brad Daugherty has a 10 percent ownership share in.

    What is interesting is that the organization appears to be more a sponsorship vehicle than an actual racing team. Since it first appeared earlier in this decade, Diversity has never to my knowledge attempted to enter a single car in any national NASCAR event with anyone…ever. If they have been wronged, I am not sure as to how. So they feel entitled to a spot due to what, exactly?

    They claim that comedian Steve Harvey wanted to start a race team, associate it with Diversity Motorsports, but NASCAR said they would never work with a team that included Diversity. Harvey, for one, disagrees with that assertion. In fact, he seems downright upset at the moment, saying he never wanted to start a team, that he just wanted to expose underprivileged youth to NASCAR. When Diversity head Terrence Cox, III talked to Harvey about having young folks protest Coca-Cola, Harvey says he refused to participate. Does any of this make sense to you? I know I am having trouble with it.

    Being dragged into this has raised the ire of the comedian. “Now here I come, my ass all over the cover of TMZ and everywhere, talking about how I want a damn race team”, Harvey said on his radio show. “I don’t want no damn race team. I don’t even like fast-ass cars.”

    Confused? Me, too. I think I will leave it to the lawyers to figure it all out.

    We have enough to deal with just seeing how things might progress in New Hampshire with our Hot 20.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 SEGMENT WIN (2050 Pts)
    Is there something wrong with the laser inspection system? Who cares, they got the win!

    2. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2049 Pts
    Wants a transformer car; passes tech before the race, turn into a fire-breathing dinosaur after it.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2046 Pts
    Even his winning truck failed inspection at Chicago. Maybe the problem is too much inspecting.

    4. DENNY HAMLIN – 2045 Pts
    Boasts best average finish in New Hampshire. Seeks best finish period on Sunday.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 2043 Pts
    The car was not good enough at Chicago, but the driver was in the end.

    6. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2039 Pts
    Late caution, lost lead, and chase Truex was all he could do at the end.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2038 Pts
    If this visit to Loudon is anything like the last two, hand Matt his pass when it is all over.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2037 Pts
    Got a break Harvick did not get, then needed more brakes and less gas in late pit row stop.

    9. CARL EDWARDS – 2032 Pts
    Swerving on the cool down lap helps rear toe return to legal limits. Watch Carl. Watch ‘em all.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 2031 Pts
    When he read that familiar name in the headlines, I wonder if he whispered, “I told you so.”

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2030 Pts
    Toured a GM assembly plant last week. Unfortunately, they were not handing out free samples.

    12. TONY STEWART – 2028 Pts
    Back on Newman’s gift list. The Beatles were right, all you need is love.

    13. KEVIN HARVICK – 2027 Pts
    Two feet short of the line, Sweet Jesus, two feet short of the line.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2027 Pts
    Says NASCAR won’t stand drivers who refuse to stand for the national anthem.

    15. KYLE LARSON – 2026 Pts
    If his owner held his breath, would that make Larson a blue Chip driver? I am truly sorry.

    16. CHRIS BUESCHER – 2016 Pts
    Penske Fords seem to run good, so why not borrow one from them…or a Studebaker.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 667 Pts
    Sitting at the head of the kid’s table.

    18. RYAN NEWMAN – 655 Pts
    However, sometimes when things get rough and tough, you got to hide your love away.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 613 Pts
    Old tires were almost good enough to steal one at Chicago.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 607 Pts
    I still can not get over Mr. Tickles. Maybe his full name is Sam Elliott Tickles. Much better.

  • Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

    Hot 20 – As Newman’s job just got tougher, could we give Ken Squier his old job back?

    A funny thing happened on the way to Richmond. Ryan Newman finished eighth at Darlington, got to within seven points of Jamie McMurray in the battle for the final Chase place, and then it hit the fan. Actually, it was not very amusing at all as his car failed post-race inspection, and that came with a 15 point penalty. Newman has to make up a 22 point deficit on McMurray, hope nobody below him in the standings wins this weekend, or just win the thing himself to make it. With a contract coming due and the owner’s other grandson ready to move up, this is the time for the Rocket to light the fuse.

    Kyle Larson‘s third place finish at Darlington was nice, but he also got tagged 15 points for failing the post-race checkup. However, he loses not a step in the standings and his win leaves him somewhat immune. As for the cash donations, Newman’s crew chief Luke Lambert was fined $25,000, while Chad Johnston, Larson’s bench boss, was fined $22,500. Would it not be lovely if you could fine your mechanic’s ass if he failed to fix your car the first time? Your doctor? How about politicians? We may be on to something here.

    There is one other scenario we have not mentioned. If Chris Buescher has a bad day and falls out of the Top 30, it is “hello Newman,” welcome to the Chase.

    Eleven races to go, and with Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the shelf until the Daytona 500, 23-year-old Alex Bowman will have a dream ride for eight of the remaining contests this season. It will be a good test for the driver who spent the past two seasons behind the wheel for BK Racing and Tommy Baldwin. Neither outfit has yet to win a race, boast just two Top Fives and six Top Tens in a combined 781 attempts. Bowman will end the season driving the good stuff. Jeff Gordon, meanwhile, finally retires again, after he completes Richmond, Dover, and Martinsville. Sixteen of his 93 career victories came at those venues, including nine coming at the paper-clip.

    What driver has the most identifiable car in NASCAR, even to the non-fan? Paul Menard. His name is all over it.

    Danny Gallivan, Vin Scully, Ken Squier. If you want to become a legendary hockey, baseball, or racing announcer, they are the prototypes to build upon After just a couple of minutes to get into the swing of things at Darlington, the 81-year-old Squier allowed us to once again hear how it should be done. These gentlemen were poets who were able to describe, inform, entertain, and allow us to witness the action simply through the sound of their voice. To actually see it on television was a bonus, almost an unnecessary one. Squier ended his term providing the lap-by-lap commentary in 1997, though we have been blessed by special appearances, as we were last Sunday. Gallivan retired in 1984 after 32 years calling the action for the Montreal Canadiens, passing away in 1993. The 88-year old Scully is presently bringing his 67-year career behind the Dodger microphone to a close. They remain incomparable and irreplaceable.

    Richmond has been part of the NASCAR scene since 1950, and Saturday the race will feature eight present and former Cup champions. Twenty-six of those 40 drivers have combined for 530 Cup victories, and while 12 have locked in their invite to the Chase, another 20 entered have a mathematical shot at one of the four remaining positions.

    That includes all of our Hot 20 heading into Richmond.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (797 Pts)
    Loose wheel, loose wheel, he thought he had Harvick’s crew pitting him for real.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
    Six drivers under the age of 25 have driven for him in the truck series this season.

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (840 Pts)
    Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses, and let them try to pit my car.

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (746 Pts)
    First last lap pass for the win at Richmond in the spring, why not the fall?

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (729 Pts)
    If he ran NASCAR, would shorten the season and the World 600. Good thing he doesn’t.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2 WINS (696 Pts)
    Interested in just winning the Memorial and Labor Day weekend classics this season.

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (669 Pts)
    Without Matt, Jim might have never worked at Dunder Mifflin or met Pam or Michael Scott.

    8. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (656 Pts)
    Jimmie won twice, had Top 10s in five of the seven events to open the season. It’s been a while.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (752 Pts)
    With Junior out, does this give Joey a shot at being NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver?

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (728 Pts)
    Felt kind of flat at Darlington. Menard’s flat, to be specific.

    11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (606 Pts)
    Finally, he has two Top Fives in a row.

    12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (426 Pts)
    What happened to Brian Scott at Darlington? Why, he wrecked, of course.

    13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (358 Pts)
    Staying within 10 of Ragan next week would be good, keeping him in the rearview, even better.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 659 POINTS
    Finish 17th or better and he is off to the ball.

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 651 POINTS
    Menard has a sponsor, Dillon has a grandfather, and Newman needs the Chase.

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 642 POINTS
    Could have been 30 points up if not for that late Darlington penalty.

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 620 POINTS
    Penalty cripples his Chase bid, while the other Dillon has designs on his ride.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 598 POINTS
    At least Junior has an excuse for not making the Chase.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 573 POINTS
    No gloves, no problem, but less money in your pocket.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 562 POINTS
    Mr. Tickles? Maybe it was girlfriend Tara who named the cat.

  • The Final Word – I would absolutely suck as a pit crew member, so why won’t Harvick hire me?

    The Final Word – I would absolutely suck as a pit crew member, so why won’t Harvick hire me?

    A classic. That is what the Southern 500 is. Born in 1950, it predates NASCAR’s jewel events in Indianapolis, Bristol, Talladega, Charlotte, and Daytona. It is the Southern 500, the Labor Day classic at Darlington. It is not a November race, not a race to be branded by Dodge, not run on Mother’s Day or in April. After a dozen years of stupidity, it returned in 2015 to be what it has always been meant to be, the great southern Labor Day NASCAR tradition.

    Kevin Harvick lost Sunday’s race in classic style. If a pit crew can screw things up, it can find work on this car. Two pit stops, two disasters. One dropped him from first to fourth. The next, from first to 12th. It has reached the point where even the most understandable reason is rejected as yet another damned excuse. “Someone slashed our spare tires” or “It is hard to change a tire with no arms” or “The dog ate the air wrench” no longer cuts it. Harvick finished second. He should have been first.

    That was left for Martin Truex Jr. to accomplish. Sometimes, it is just more fun to win a classic event over the holidays. After previous career victories at Dover, Sonoma, and Pocono, this season it has been Labor Day at Darlington and the Memorial Day World 600 in Charlotte. Those are the kind of wins that get a driver remembered.

    Winning a title also does that. With Richmond the last stop before the Chase, a dozen drivers are locked in having won a race or more. Chris Buescher claims a spot if he manages to be within ten positions of David Ragan next weekend, thus staying within the season’s Top 30. Chase Elliott and Austin Dillon are a lock should they come home within 23 and 15 spots, respectfully, of Ryan Newman this Sunday. Jamie McMurray lays claim to the final spot should he be no more than six places behind Newman at Richmond, and a first-time winner does not emerge to steal that final Chase place from him. The question is, do Newman, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Blaney, A.J. Allmendinger, Trevor Bayne, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Greg Biffle, or Paul Menard have the horses to do what needs to be done? The odds are long, but remember that they were for Buescher once, too.

    It was a true classic at Darlington, but it was something of a classic finish in the truck race at MoSport Park in Ontario on Sunday. Well, the finish between John Hunter Nemechek and Cole Custer would have gone down as a classic if it had taken place at almost any other track. Two racers rubbing and racing and scraping against the wall to the finish. Instead, on the outside, they had enough prairie to give me a home where the buffalo roam, along with a couple of elk, before they came across any barrier. Rather than taking Custer to the outside wall, Nemechek wound up taking him into the car pool lane. What could have been a classic finish had all the appearances of a demo derby. Does that make Nemechek a wild man or a guy who did what he had to do on a surface that extended much farther out than what we would have normally seen? He won, so does it matter? I bet to Custer, it does. He seemed downright excited as he tackled Nemechek after the race, sending the pair tumbling to the grass. Vengeance is a bitch, and she just might have some bite before their version of the Chase concludes in the truck series. Just ask Joey Logano.

    Classic. They have been racing at Richmond since 1953, and the list of the winners there is a smorgasbord of NASCAR history, with all the fixings. It is where three generations of Petty boys have a victory, including 13 by the King himself. Both Earnhardts have won there, with Senior having a 5-3 advantage over Junior. Kyle has a 4-2 lead over Kurt in the battle of the Busch boys. Richmond is where Bobby Allison won seven times, with six wins apiece awarded to David Pearson, Darrell Waltrip, and Rusty Wallace.

    Sadly, the one-time Capital City 400 sold its soul to Wrangler more than 35 years ago. Since then, the trail has winded through a brewery, a battery outfit, a car manufacturer, to even include a brand of pistachios for a season. A classic event it is not. A classic venue it most certainly is.

    Here is hoping for a classic finish. This spring Carl Edwards bumped Kyle Busch out of the way to record the first last-lap pass for the win in Richmond history. Why not another?

  • Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

    Hot 20 – Who will be left singing the blues at Darlington, where some memories just won’t die?

    Who is the greatest country singer ever associated with NASCAR? There has been Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brooks and Dunn, Hank Williams Jr., Toby Keith, Cledus T. Judd, and lately Blake Shelton. That is a pretty impressive list of talent and it is far from complete. However, there is no question that the King of NASCAR Country was Marty Robbins.

    While he is best known for singing White Sport Coat, El Paso, and My Woman, My Woman, My Wife, among his 17 Number One hits and 82 Top 40 entries, Robbins raced. Between 1966 and 1982, he managed to get into 35 Cup events, claiming six Top Tens along the way. He drove them, Hall of Famer Cotton Owens prepared them.

    As the boys and girl head to Darlington for the Southern 500, we should remember that the singer once finished seventh in the iconic race back in 1971. A year later, he was ninth again behind the wheel of the No. 42 at the Lady in Black. When you race, you wreck, and he did. A pileup in Talladega in 1974 left him with some 37 stitches in his face. The same year at Charlotte, he deliberately wrecked to avoid a t-bone collision with Richard Childress, some saying the action may well have saved the future Hall of Famer’s life.

    He was a legitimate driver. His results were legitimate. Well, all but one. His Talladega result in the spring of 1972 was not. Robbins was disqualified. When they tried to give him rookie honors, he declined, then had the officials check out his carburetor. It was as illegal as it gets. He just wanted to know what it felt like to drive up front with the big boys. I do not believe NASCAR was terribly impressed as they dropped him to 50th. Finishing up front that day was David Pearson, and it marked the debut of one Darrell Waltrip.

    This weekend, Darlington features throwback paint schemes for both the XFINITY event as well as the Southern 500. Michigan winner Kyle Larson will be one of a half dozen Cup guys in that Saturday contest. His paint scheme in that race will honor Marty Robbins.

    As Chris Buescher attempts to stay in the Chase by keeping ahead of David Ragan in the standings, and while Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray try to protect their own championship hopes, here is a look at whom or what our Hot 20 honor with their paint schemes heading into Sunday’s Southern 500.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (774 Pts)
    Original Miller Lite can design of 1972

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (696 Pts)
    Dale Jarrett’s No. 18 Interstate Batteries Chevrolet

    3. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (799 Pts)
    Cale Yarborough and the 1979 Daytona 500

    4. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (724 Pts)
    Tony Stewart, who made his debut in 1999

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (691 Pts)
    Darrell Waltrip, behind the wheel of the No. 11 from 1981-86

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSTON – 2 WINS (648 Pts)
    David Pearson and Dale Earnhardt of the late 1970s and early 1980s

    7. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (633 Pts)
    Ricky Rudd’s 1995 Tide ride

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (721 Pts)
    The Haas VF-1 vertical machining center, introduced in 1988.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (716 Pts)
    Bobby Labonte’s Busch series, Shell-sponsored car of 1996-98

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
    Sponsor Auto-Owners Insurance’s 100th anniversary

    11. KYLE LARSON – 1 WIN (582 Pts)
    Chip Ganassi Racing’s IndyCar history, going back to 1990, with seven championships, 90 wins

    12. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (420 Pts)
    Bobby Allison and his five Southern 500 victories

    13. CHRIS BUESCHER – 1 WIN (334 Pts)
    Tribute to sponsor Love’s Travel Stops, in its original 1981 colors

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 628 POINTS
    NAPA’s delivery trucks of the 1960s

    15. AUSTIN DILLON – 622 POINTS
    Saluting first Childress win, with Ricky Rudd, in 1983

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 616 POINTS
    Bill Elliott in his 1997 colors

    17. RYAN NEWMAN – 601 POINTS
    Ricky Rudd’s first Childress win of 1983 at Riverside, California

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 564 POINTS
    Tribute to Terry Labonte and his 1982 J.D. Stacy-sponsored Buick

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 558 POINTS
    Mark Martin, 619 Starts, 35 wins in the No. 6 from 1988 to 2006

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 545 POINTS
    David Pearson’s 43 wins during the 1970s piloting the No. 21 for the Wood Brothers

  • The Final Word – Bristol, where good news mixed with bad, and it rained on everyone’s parade

    The Final Word – Bristol, where good news mixed with bad, and it rained on everyone’s parade

    Good tidings we bring to you and your kin.

    Sounds like a song. Sounds like a song we can wait four months to hear. However, Bristol did bring good tidings to some. It was great for Kevin Harvick, as he won his second of the season in a dominant performance to once again vault ahead of them all in points. While wins determine who is ahead of whom, as it should, accumulated points is an indicator as to who has been in contention all season long. Harvick has been one of those guys.

    Good tidings for Chris Buescher. It is amazing how good a guy can get with a little incentive, like a win at Pocono and a shot at the Chase. The 23-year-old might just be 30th in points, but by moving 13 points ahead of David Ragan in the standings his win is activated and he now finds himself ranked 12th among those with post-season aspirations. A bad day at Michigan could change all that, but as for now, all is good after his fifth place result at Bristol.

    Good tidings for Austin Dillon, trying to keep within the Chase despite having no victories. Fourth at Bristol really helped the cause. Same with Jamie McMurray’s Top Ten, while 15th did not hurt Chase Elliott’s cause much, either. Ryan Newman was 28th, which was not good, but he remains 35 points up on Trevor Bayne, which certainly is.

    Not so good for Bayne, of course. Twelfth on Sunday was fine, it helped him close up on Newman by 15 points. Unfortunately, he has only Michigan, Darlington, and Richmond remaining to move up via points at a time when a win might be the way to go. I guess he can always hope Buescher has some bad tidings, drops below 30th, which would pop Bayne back into a Chase place. Such bad thoughts, and so close to Christmas.

    Imagine getting your way paid to the Bristol Saturday night event as a gift, only to have the rain wash all those good tidings away. Rain Saturday night. Rain Sunday morning. With so much rain, it is ironic that the stands looked like a seat desert, with an oasis of real live fans visible here and there. It would appear that a lot of fans had their weekend plans totally screwed.

    Both Kurt and Kyle Busch crashed out, as did Matt Kenseth. Newman, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, Brad Keselowski, and Ryan Blaney might have been moving at the end, but all were sitting 24th and worse running five or more laps off the pace by that time. Bad tidings indeed.

    Next up is Michigan, where Jeff Gordon returns to retirement for at least one event. Still, we have to wait until later in the week to see if Dale Earnhardt Jr. is ready to return from his medical leave. Do you know Junior still has more points than Greg Biffle, Danica Patrick, and Clint Bowyer? Yet, any one of them would be Chase bound with a win on Sunday.

    Christmas could still arrive early for somebody.

  • Hot 20 – If you think racing at Bristol will be tough, you should have been on Moose Mountain

    Hot 20 – If you think racing at Bristol will be tough, you should have been on Moose Mountain

    It was an off-week for NASCAR, but racing continued where I sit. At least, sitting would have been nice. Last weekend, my son John ran a 54-mile mountain terrain ultra-marathon. In following the action, I found myself walking up a half-mile dusty road with an uninterrupted 20-plus degree angle climb with a chest cold and a hacking cough. I do not believe a single bear remains on that mountain after the commotion I was making. By the way, the boy came through in far better shape than his father did. This weekend, my other son Ronald is running a marathon. I plan to sit.

    Sitting before the big screen watching the action from Bristol Saturday night is definitely in the cards. Dale Earnhardt Jr. continues to sit as he waits for his concussion symptoms to run their course. Jeff Gordon gets to continue his second farewell tour, while we await Chris Buescher passing David Ragan in the standings to make his Pocono win count in the standings. Should that happen, and there is no guarantee that it will, Kyle Larson would fall from a place in the Chase to 30 points out. Then it would come down to everyone outside pretty much requiring a win to make the post-season derby.

    Bristol is one of those tracks where you do not need much background info in order to simply enjoy the action. However, there are three storylines to follow. We will watch the duel between Buescher and Ragan. We will see if Ryan Newman, Chase Elliott, Austin Dillon, and Jamie McMurray can avoid disaster. Finally, we will be watching for who wins.

    Usually, the fans are the big winners at Bristol. While on Sunday, I plan to stand on flat ground to watch my son race in the morning, the night before, my goal is to sit on my fat ass to watch the boys and girl perform in Tennessee. Now, that is a plan of inaction to stick to.

    Here are our Hot 20 heading to Bristol.

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (727 Pts)
    In NASCAR, “Sorry” is just another way of saying “Don’t kick my ass.”

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (670 Pts)
    This is a race that is destined to be won by a Busch brother, a Gibbs driver, or both.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (653 Pts)
    Edwards could be that Gibbs driver. Would need to change name to Karl to be a Busch.

    4. DENNY HAMLIN – 2 WINS (620 Pts)
    Burnouts are fine. Tear ups are not. Just a reminder.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (600 Pts)
    Four of the top five belong to the Coach. Two years before room has to be made for Erik Jones.

    6. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (578 Pts)
    Crew Chief Chad Knaus says things will be just fine, and Knaus knows stuff.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (718 Pts)
    Jimmy Buffett was not wasting away at Margaritaville, he was hanging with Harv.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (689 Pts)
    Set rookie truck record with four wins in 2000. William Byron has beat that driving for Kyle.

    9. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (652 Pts)
    Winner of last two Saturday night Bristol races looked a whole lot like this guy.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
    Will be driving for the Mile High outfit for an additional two years.

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (389 Pts)
    One final helmet toss at Kenseth for old time’s sake?

    12. RYAN NEWMAN – 562 POINTS
    With a contract running out and the owner’s grandson ready to go, this Rocket needs to liftoff.

    13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 561 POINTS
    The only excuse you’ll get from Chase is if you ask him “why don’t you make excuses?”

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 559 POINTS
    Took the free time to fulfill an engagement.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 550 POINTS
    Fishing for a Chase place, fishing in British Columbia with Dierks, Martin, and Clint.

    16. KYLE LARSON – 520 POINTS
    Was it the incident or was it A.J. that Kyle was calling “flat out stupid?”

    17. TREVOR BAYNE – 512 POINTS
    Bayne was in Ireland for a 70.3-mile Ironman race. Running I don’t get. Potato salad, I get.

    18. KASEY KAHNE – 509 POINTS
    It is good to have a couple of years left on a contract.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 502 POINTS
    Iconic Wood Brothers ride will sport Virginia Tech colors on Saturday night.

    20. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 486 POINTS
    Thought he was Ben Hur at Watkins Glen, and the drummer called for ramming speed.

    30. DAVID RAGAN – 295 POINTS
    Not surprising a NASCAR driver supports Trump. Hey, both believe walls are important.

    31. CHRIS BUESCHER – 292 POINTS (1 W)
    Sometimes the story of a race does not unfold near the front.

  • Four Gears: Chris Buescher, crew chief swaps, road courses and ‘ringers’

    Four Gears: Chris Buescher, crew chief swaps, road courses and ‘ringers’

    Time to cycle through the transmission for this week’s edition of Four Gears.

    This week, our staff takes a look at some of the hot topics in the world of NASCAR. We discuss Chris Buescher getting into the Chase, ponder if Hendrick Motorsports should make some crew chief swaps, move a road course into the Chase and wonder if the bygone days of the “road course ringers” are a good thing or a bad thing for NASCAR.

    FIRST GEAR: Chris Buescher enters this weekend six points behind 30th in points. After his shocking win at Pocono, can the driver of the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford get into the top 30 and steal a spot in the 2016 Chase?

    On the one hand, I want to lean towards no because their performance has been no better than a 27.8 average finish. On the other hand, given Chris Buescher’s relationship with Jack Roush, perhaps Roush Fenway Racing and the folks at Ford Performance might step in to ensure that he makes the Chase. I think, for this week, the jury is out. — Tucker White

    Absolutely. Chris Buescher is the most underrated rookie in the Sprint Cup Series right now, and although he hasn’t had the results that Ryan Blaney or Chase Elliott has he’s made the most of his Front Row Motorsports equipment. He’s good on his equipment as well as with his equipment, and keep in mind he’s no slouch on road courses, having won at Mid-Ohio in 2014. — Joseph Shelton

    If Roush is going to be providing more support to the team after that win, they should be in the top 30 by a comfortable margin. — Michael Finley

    SECOND GEAR: Paul Menard has had a down year in general, but Richard Childress Racing changed his crew chief last week and Menard responded by being fast all weekend. Save for a third at Indianapolis due to a late charge by Jimmie Johnson, Hendrick Motorsports has struggled ever since Sonoma. With Darian Grubb waiting in the wings at HMS, should Hendrick hit the panic button and make some crew chief changes or should any possible changes wait until the end of the year?

    I think it worked at Richard Childress Racing because they’ve been up on performance this year. Hendrick Motorsports is just down right now. Regardless of whatever is plaguing HMS all of a sudden this season, I have my doubts that swapping crew chiefs mid-season will make that much of a difference. —  Tucker White

    Maybe making the changes at year’s end would be the best, and it’ll have to be something more than Crew Chiefs. Maybe some key faculty changes as well. HMS also had a down year in 2000, winning only four races, but after making appropriate changes they took home the 2001 championship. Following what they did all those years ago could help. — Joseph Shelton

    Yes, they should reunite Greg Ives with Chase Elliott and Alan Gustafson with Jeff Gordon, then replace Keith Rodden with Grubb for Kahne. It’s obvious the 5 team needs a shake-up, and Ives worked so well with Elliott in the XFINITY Series they would be better together. — Michael Finley

    THIRD GEAR: Entering Watkins Glen weekend, the track president has projected a record crowd for a race that has arguably put on some of the best races of the past few years. Should NASCAR move this race into the Chase or is it better not to mess with perfection?

    I’ve been pushing for a road course in the Chase for years. I know we only run it two times a year, but if Talladega can be in the Chase, which isn’t my way of saying it shouldn’t be in the Chase, there’s no reason we can’t have a road course in the Chase. — Tucker White

    A thousand times yes. Road course racing defines the true spirit of NASCAR, and Watkins Glen never fails to put on an excellent show. It should be in the Chase as well. We try to determine the season champion by using the Chase; NASCAR should recognize that an over-saturation of cookie cutter racetracks isn’t an accurate way to determine a champion. Add a road course! — Joseph Shelton

    It should be moved to between Bristol and Darlington so that the regular season ends on a strong note with four really good racetracks. — Michael Finley

    FOURTH GEAR: With only one road course “ringer” in the field this week (Boris Said in the No. 32 Ford), it seems the days of road course specialists are at best numbered. Is this good or bad for the sport?

    Perhaps I’m not the best to speak on this because I came into this sport long after the days when the series regulars started to out-perform the road course “ringers,” but I don’t think it’s necessarily a bad thing for NASCAR because I believe it truly speaks to the talent of the drivers in NASCAR. It shows they’re capable of more than just turning left for three hours. They can also drive the cars left and right on road courses with muscle and technique. These are traits of a true road course racer and it speaks volumes on just how great the drivers in this sport are. — Tucker White

    I loved the days of road course ringers, especially Boris Said. But now that the days of road ringers are about gone, it is good for the sport. Those guys who make the field week in and week out, are the focus of the sport and the focus should be on them and their talent on the track, no matter if the track is a road course or a short track. — Joseph Shelton

    It’s a bad thing because the ringers ensured there would be some different guys near the front rather than the same old, same old. It created a variety that wasn’t available at other tracks and made both road course races more special — Michael Finley

    Please join us again next week and become a part of the conversation by sharing your thoughts in the comment section below.

  • Hot 20 – Watkins Glen runs on Sunday, so let the right hand turns begin

    Hot 20 – Watkins Glen runs on Sunday, so let the right hand turns begin

    Left, left, left, and (if not at Pocono) a final left. That is usually how it goes each week in NASCAR. This week is one of those unusual ones. Eleven turns at Watkins Glen and seven of them are right. I think these road courses provide more exciting NASCAR races than some ovals, including Indianapolis. Let the arguing begin.

    Some say that Chris Buescher’s win last week showed a weakness in the Chase format. I think it strengthens it. Winning is everything, and if that is so, then a regular should get his pass by simply winning. There are worse things, like not being a regular and winning races at lower divisions, but I digress.

    No more Dale Earnhardt Jr. for at least another couple of weeks, while replacement Jeff Gordon reaches the 800 race milestone at Watkins Glen.

    Kevin Harvick’s crew chief, Rodney Childers, returns after a week in the doghouse and $20,000 lighter for missing a lug nut at Indianapolis. It was a week where he needed dental work, a new windshield, and some twit did a little spin on his lawn. Oh, Harvick finished fourth at Pocono without him. Other than that, it was one hell of a week.

    Kids. They are coming up in NASCAR, though at least a couple have to wait. One apparently fudged his birth date by a couple of years, another was thought eligible through something akin to a grandfather clause and additional insurance. Carson Hocevar won a Super Late Model race earlier this year in Michigan. Andrew Molleur won a recent SK Light Modified in Connecticut. Both lads are 13. Both are now parked by NASCAR. No question that the pair are good enough, but you need to be 14 to be old enough.

    So, what to watch for this time out? Well, last week, a 24-year-old claimed the race and a four-year-old claimed some hearts. This week, one of them is racing to beat David Ragan and pick up points. If that happens, Kyle Larson’s Chase spot disappears like a fart in the wind, to use a most beloved phrase, and the boys outside will need to change focus and try to chase down Jamie McMurray. As for Kurt Busch, he will be out to run all 90 laps to keep his streak alive.

    We already have Buescher in the picture. What if 2014 winner A.J. Allmendinger wins on Sunday? That would have some boys scrambling. This could be fun.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Watkins Glen include…

    1. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 4 WINS (687 Pts)
    Buescher needed that win a lot more than Brad did.

    2. KYLE BUSCH – 4 WINS (634 Pts)
    Kids love him. He is Keelan Harvick’s favorite driver, William Byron’s favorite team owner.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (626 Pts)
    Does fine at the Glen, but a win would be different.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (577 Pts)
    Sits high on the standings, was third at Indianapolis, yet basically has been “Jimmie Who?” lately.

    5. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (569 Pts)
    In the future, when asked to go cycling he probably will ask more questions, like “how far?”

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (709 Pts)
    Once known as being a former NASCAR champion. Today, he is better known as Keelan’s dad.

    7. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (658 Pts)
    5811 laps have been completed this season, and Kurt is the only one to have completed them all.

    8. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (612 Pts)
    For whom does the Chase troll? He trolls for thee.

    9. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (577 Pts)
    Fresh rubber and still he ends up getting fresh with the fence.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (576 Pts)
    Second at Sonoma. Win at Watkins Glen?

    11. TONY STEWART – 1 WIN (353 Pts)
    Got word his insurer is not liable for covering costs of his defense in the Kevin Ward Jr. lawsuit.

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 549 POINTS
    Still keeping Grandpa happy.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 537 POINTS
    Future would be more secure if Richard Childress adopted him.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 533 POINTS
    Pocono does boast a wide track. Just not that wide.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 517 POINTS
    Could be the new bubble boy after Sunday.

    16. KYLE LARSON – 508 POINTS
    This Chase place disappears if Buescher gets the points.

    17. KASEY KAHNE – 488 POINTS
    Is within 20 points of making the Chase…or is it within 29?

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 480 POINTS
    Be it 28 points, or 37 points, the lad has some work to do.

    19. RYAN BLANEY – 480 POINTS
    Ditto

    20. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 472 POINTS
    Made our list; Junior, Allmendinger, Biffle, Menard, Patrick, Bowyer, and Almirola did not.

    30. DAVID RAGAN – 287 POINTS
    Sometimes 30th matters.

    31. CHRIS BUESCHER – 281 POINTS (1 Win)
    Talk about incentive.