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  • The Final Word – Watkins Glen was a Seinfeld event…a race all about nothing

    The Final Word – Watkins Glen was a Seinfeld event…a race all about nothing

    It was, for the most part, a race about nothing. This is not to say that Watkins Glen was boring, for it was actually one of those pleasant occurrences where we had an event that actually was entertaining enough to keep us watching. The damndest things can happen on a road course, and they did.

    Nothing but wins mean much of anything to Tony Stewart. He ran well for a time, but in the end something in the driveline broke and he wound up with nothing. A.J. Allmendinger had the pole, sought to repeat his win of a year ago, but as strong as he once was, things slowly turned sour and his hopes for a win turned the same way.

    Gas, or more specifically the lack of it, bit most of them. We knew for some time that without a late caution, none of the leaders would make it. Kevin Harvick came close, but he hit fumes with two corners to go. That allowed Joey Logano and Kyle Busch to sail by to complete the course one-two. For Logano, it marked his second win of the campaign and 10th of his career. For Busch, he moved into 30th place in points and, with his four wins now counting, he sits second in the standings. I guess that was not nothing, just expected.

    No matter what happened to those who already had a win coming in, the race meant nothing. No matter what hardships they might have endured, the race meant nothing even for the winless Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard, and Jeff Gordon. Nothing to sweat about for Ryan Newman or Clint Bowyer, for that matter. The gap between being a Chaser and being on the outside is a good 50 points or more. At least it is, for the moment.

    Nothing was what some got, but it meant something. Aric Almirola got his car roughed up early as he dived to 17th on the season, more than a race full of points out of it. Kasey Kahne is a point behind him after he got crunched during a re-start. Like everyone else outside the Top Sixteen, no win, no Chase.

    However, things could start to mean something as they move on to Michigan, Bristol, Darlington, and Richmond. Should an outsider win, that 50 point cushion disappears and the gap that currently separates those currently between 12th and 16th is only 23 points.

    In short, the next four races could prove meaningless as far as the Chase goes, other than to pick up bonus points through victories. That could change if Kyle Busch falters out of the Top 30, or somebody outside the Top Sixteen claims a checkered flag. If either happens, things would get meaningful in a hurry.

  • Hot 20 – Rain, rain that went away, the Glen invites you back Sunday

    Hot 20 – Rain, rain that went away, the Glen invites you back Sunday

    Rain. Usually, that would mean a long delay before we see some action if we wind up seeing any at all, but not before we interview every driver at the track. Then, there are those who like to record the race on television, but fail to allow for an eight-hour delay.

    Still, rain at Watkins Glen means racing. Take off the slicks, replace them with rain tread, and off they go. There is a possibility of rain, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. is among those who would not mind using the wipers. Of course, you just got to know that come Sunday the sun shall be shining.

    You also know that, barring a fuel mileage, heartbreaking finish, Kyle Busch will hit the Top 30, and the Top Two on this list on Sunday. Until then, here are our Hot 20 coming into Watkins Glen…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (713 Points)
    To all the Johnson haters out there…Jimmie invites you to kiss his…

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (780 Points)
    Engine department thought the 400 mile Pocono event was a 20 lap feature. They bad.

    3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (717 Points)
    I wonder how much space the new NASCAR “at track” superstore has devoted to one guy?

    4. MATT KENSETH – 2 WINS (662 Points)
    It is amazing what one can accomplish when one has fuel…and others do not.

    5. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (620 Points)
    Another free agent at the end of the season, but don’t expect him to go anywhere.

    6. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (734 Points)
    I am not a fan of Joey Logano. He is not a fan of Ron Thornton, whoever he is.

    7. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (694 Points)
    Could not save enough fuel to sweep Pocono, but should do well at the Glen.

    8. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (681 Points)
    So THAT is the reason the crew chief stays up on the box.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (614 Points)
    Erik Jones will arrive full-time in Cup in 2017. Who departs Gibbs’ operation to make room?

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (553 Points)
    A dirty low down bottle tossing varmint? Say is isn’t so.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 631 POINTS
    Winning is so over-rated, as he will prove again this Sunday.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 617 POINTS
    40+ points up on Bowyer, so why in hell are some saying this has been a disappointing season?

    13. PAUL MENARD – 591 POINTS
    His dad is the richest person in Wisconsin. I’m not even the richest person in my household.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 584 POINTS
    The last of his four Top Fives was back in April. That has to change.

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 574 POINTS
    Calls everyone Boss these days, as you never know who his Boss might be next season.

    16. KASEY KAHNE – 559 POINTS
    The only sponsor who should have a real problem with Donald Trump is Great Clips.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 534 POINTS
    Almirola? Isn’t that a great ice cream flavor?

    18. GREG BIFFLE – 502 POINTS
    First four races at the Glen, he averaged a 35th place finish. Since then, 15th. He got better.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 485 POINTS
    Just turned 23, so not quite a grey beard yet. Come to think of it, not quite ready for a beard yet.

    20. AUSTIN DILLON – 484 POINTS
    He did not win, but having a Tennessee Titan cheerleader in your corner is not exactly a loss.

  • Hot 20 – Pocono, where Kyle’s winning streak comes to an end…maybe

    Hot 20 – Pocono, where Kyle’s winning streak comes to an end…maybe

    Back we go to Pocono, where Martin Truex Jr. won in the spring, where all of the Hendrick drivers shared in winning the previous five. A Busch has won there, twice. His name is Kurt.

    Kyle Busch has not…yet. He swept Indianapolis last weekend, meaning he ran and won the XFINITY race there on Saturday. It was his second junior circuit win in five tries this season. That now means series regulars have won just three of 18 events, with Chris Buescher taking two while Ryan Reed won at Daytona in February. Truck series wonder-kid Erik Jones has a pair while six Cup drivers have shared the other 13. Of course, most see what the problem is. I guess stupid is as stupid does, as Forrest Gump reminded us.

    NASCAR spent tons of time and money figuring out a package to run at Indy. Then they got teams to spend their own time and money to ready their cars with that new package. In the end, they appear to have wasted a bunch of time and money. The racing was not much different than it has ever been, which is not all that good while making them a bit more sensitive to losing control after losing air on the spoiler, spoiling their day. Next month, they will use the same package in Michigan. You can never have too much of a bad thing, I guess.

    Word is that Danica Patrick is expected to stay with Stewart-Haas after this season, a new contract and new sponsors. Why? It has everything to do with being a competent attractive female in a sport dominated by men. She might never contend for a title or even a Chase berth, but as long as she continues to enjoy the following she has, she does not have to.

    Cameron Hayley is a 19-year-old Canadian sitting sixth in the truck series standings. He is a Calgary boy, making him as likely to be a cowboy as a hockey player. Instead, he turned to racing. Too bad the truck series is not broadcast in Canada this season. However, if you want to watch soccer instead, I got great news for you.

    Heading to Pocono, our Hot 20 does not include our hottest driver. Heading out of Pocono probably will be a different story. If you are wondering if it is all about Kyle…it seems it is.

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (675 Points)
    Will remain first overall, unless Kyle wins Pocono.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (777 Points)
    All the talk is about Kyle, but Harv’s finishes over the past five have been fourth, fourth, eighth, third, and third.

    3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (677 Points)
    The last driver not named Kyle Busch to win a Cup race.

    4. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (612 Points)
    Kyle’s first bridesmaid was his own brother.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (708 Points)
    Bridesmaid No. 2…and No. 4.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (668 Points)
    Could have helped Kyle and Kevin in late restarts…but I guess they were on their own.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (638 Points)
    Kyle’s other bridesmaid, as Penske finished second in each of the past three.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (615 Points)
    As a teammate, he personally knows Kyle.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (591 Points)
    So does Denny.

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (519 Points)
    So does Carl.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 602 POINTS
    Has enough points that Kyle’s expected jump up the ladder affects him the least.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 575 POINTS
    Forget Kyle. Until further notice, the goal is to finish ahead of Bowyer every week.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 563 POINTS
    After Pocono and Kyle’s expected rise in the standings, things get a little more tense.

    14. KASEY KAHNE – 558 POINTS
    Same as above.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 558 POINTS
    Ditto.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 538 POINTS
    If Kyle moves up, 16th becomes the new 17th.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 508 POINTS
    Forget Kyle and forget making the Chase on points. A win is the only way in.

    18. GREG BIFFLE – 462 POINTS
    Kyle is the least of his worries.

    19. AUSTIN DILLON – 453 POINTS
    Like Kyle, Austin was a speed racer at Indy. Unlike Kyle, he did his speeding on pit road…twice.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 452 POINTS
    The other Kyle.

  • Hot 20 – Indianapolis, It is no Wetaskiwin, but it will do

    Hot 20 – Indianapolis, It is no Wetaskiwin, but it will do

    I am just another foreigner. Sure, I’ve been to Daytona. I spent Christmas a couple of years ago on a beach near Malibu. I have been in the Empire State Building, walked the boardwalk in Atlantic City, toured Gettysburg, been to Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and drove the strip in Las Vegas. I have walked the Little Bighorn Battlefield more than once, seen Devil’s Tower and visited Mount Rushmore. I have watched the Red Sox play in Seattle, and I believe the scenery in Wyoming is second to none. I’ve been there, but I do not live there.

    I am reminded of that fact as I write this. You see, the big dirt race at Eldora Speedway was slated for this week. Sadly, as a Canadian, that American-based program was not be broadcast on this side of the border, or any truck race for that matter. All was not lost. TSN, our version of ESPN, was slated to run a NASCAR event the same night. It was the Canadian Tire series, from Wetaskiwin, Alberta. A race run nearly two weeks ago and won by 43-year old Scott Steckly from Milverton, Ontario. It was his second win in the six races run to date and he leads the season standings. You might not care. You might not even be Canadian. You might have been stuck having to watch that dirt race broadcast on live television from Iowa. Oh, well, such are the trials and tribulations of being American, I guess.

    This Sunday, NASCAR is back on my television, but not from Wetaskiwin, a place where I understand cars cost less than in, say, Edmonton. No, this Sunday the event is something called the Brickyard 400, from a place called Indianapolis. You might have heard of it.

    In the meantime, as a Canadian, please allow me to politely submit this week’s Hot 20…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (646 Points)
    He and Chad are free agents at the end of the season. Could anyone tempt them?

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (734 Points)
    Disaster struck in the pits…so the best he could do was third. Third. Oh, the humanity!

    3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (655 Points)
    Junior was hot last week. Okay, more like p.o.’d, to use the vernacular.

    4. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (576 Points)
    The forgotten Busch? Little brothers can be so attention getting.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (665 Points)
    It is so good to be a Penske guy right now.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (628 Points)
    Some guys got the breaks in New Hampshire, other guys were named Truex.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (603 Points)
    Best damn driver in recent weeks not named Kyle Busch.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (578 Points)
    It is a good thing they do not hand out demerits for speeding…on pit road.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (552 Points)
    Hamlin wins Saturday, upsets Austin, but why in hell were either racing in the minor league?

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (487 Points)
    The big difference between Clint and Carl is a single checkered flag.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 574 POINTS
    Jamie had a lousy day. Still, Bowyer’s was even worse.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 573 POINTS
    Five Indianapolis wins, including just one year ago. Why not six?

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 538 POINTS
    Presently a Chase contender, but best title comes in October…a new dad.

    14. RYAN NEWMAN – 530 POINTS
    Eleventh at New Hampshire means some breathing room heading to Indianapolis.

    15. PAUL MENARD – 528 POINTS
    Fail inspection once, you get a letter. If it happens again this week, they get penalized.

    16. ARIC ALMIROLA – 502 POINTS
    Thanks, Clint!

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 500 POINTS
    Failed inspection, runs into Gordon outside the garage, then car fades to irrelevance in the race.

    18. GREG BIFFLE – 437 POINTS
    If NASCAR had the same rules as MLB, Biffle should demand to be traded by the deadline.

    19. AUSTIN DILLON – 434 POINTS
    Has an idea as to where he would love to shove the XFINITY checkered flag after last Saturday.

    20. CASEY MEARS – 427 POINTS
    #13 proves to be a good number as Casey signs up for another season with Germain Racing.

  • The Final Word – After New Hampshire, the Busch Chronicles Continue

    The Final Word – After New Hampshire, the Busch Chronicles Continue

    Welcome to the Busch Chronicles. Brother Kurt missed the opening three races of the season, won a couple and quickly qualified for a Chase place by being well within the Top 30 in points on the season. Brother Kyle missed the opening 11 events of the season after suffering a broken leg in the XFINITY race at Daytona. He seems to be doing well after his first eight back. Three wins in his last four, including his run last Sunday at New Hampshire, has him close. I thought he might pick up twenty points on the 30th place Cole Whitt, but I was wrong.

    On lap 245, Busch sensed a tire going down and came to the pits under green. He slipped a lap down but had car enough to try to get it back on his own. On lap 252 he made a wild pass with no room to spare to slip by both Brad Keselowski and Kevin Harvick just before the caution came out due to fluid on the track. Not only was he back on the lead lap, all the other drivers pitted when he did not need to, making Busch the leader. He remained on point through to the 301st and final circuit to claim the victory, and accumulated 47 points.

    That was better than Cole Whitt, who had been 30th in the standings coming in. He was 28th on the day, allowing David Gilliland to move past him on the charts as he claimed 21st. Even with the swap of targets, Busch reduced his deficit from 87 to 58 points, a gain of 29 on the position he is aiming for.

    It is more than realistic to see Kyle moving into at least 30th in points, thus making his wins count toward the standings, to move him from 33rd today to at least second by the time they leave Watkins Glen. If he continues making 29-point gains, he could be there before they arrive at the road course. It is not always all about Kyle, but right now it sure is.

    Goodyear supplies the rubber, but one would have sworn Alex Bowman had one of Barney Rubble’s firestones onboard. He provided a whole new definition to burning rubber as he went up in flames on his way out of the pits, as it appears the residual old hot rubber set the new rubber ablaze. The 22-year-old finished the race though about 70 laps down. Sure, Kyle is hot right now, but for a few moments it could be argued that Alex was even hotter.

    Clint Bowyer is not though he could be upset by tumbling out of the Sweet Sixteen. Finishing 34th did him no favors, 19 spots behind Aric Almirola. Almirola is now in 16th, two points up while Ryan Newman launched from seven to now 30 points ahead of Clint as he moves to 14th on the charts.

    So, we await a first-time winner to secure a spot, especially someone from outside the top 16. Carl Edwards is thirteen points behind Bowyer, but his win at Charlotte was huge. This weekend the storyline could be about one of the rich getting richer, or maybe someone jumping the line to steal a place with a surprise victory, the latest tango involving Bowyer and Almirola, and the continuing adventures of Kurt’s little brother.

    Next up is the Brickyard this Sunday. Jeff Gordon won his fifth at Indianapolis last year while Jimmie Johnson could add to his four win total of this year by taking his fifth ever at the Brickyard. Kyle has never won at this venue, but this is another week and that is just another challenge to be overcome.

  • Hot 20 – Sunday is the time to make a little magic on the mile in New Hampshire

    Hot 20 – Sunday is the time to make a little magic on the mile in New Hampshire

    You’ve got your Monster Mile in Dover and you’ve got your Hot Mile in Phoenix, but they are seeking to work a little magic on the mile in Loudon, New Hampshire. Kyle the Magnificent hopes he can continue pulling out of his hat the kind of results that have seen him win two of the last three events. Busch remains the hot story, but he will need to make up the 87 points between him and the 30th ranked Cole Whitt for his victories to launch him from 35th upwards into a spot on this list.

    Eleven drivers have wins, 10 of whom sit in Chase places, and none of them needs more bubbly just yet though none would turn down the chance for a post-race soaking. No matter what, those 10, along with both Jamie McMurray and Jeff Gordon, will keep their Chase positions in hand when they leave Loudon. A win would be nice, but not critical for any of them.

    The odds favor Busch making up his point deficit, maybe even as much as 20 of that coming this weekend alone. If he can accomplish that over the next eight events, that would leave only five Chase spots available for non-winners. You have to figure at least one or two others will claim their first checkered flag of the campaign between now and Richmond. Kyle Larson has yet to win a Cup race, but in two career Loudon starts he has claimed a second and a third place result. That first victory could come Sunday. If he or another of the winless amongst them can do the trick, the number of Chase spots available based on points alone could be reduced to four.

    Sunday will be an important one for Kyle and all those sitting beyond 12th in the standings. It would be a very good time for one of them to make a little magic.

    The Hot 20 heading to New Hampshire include…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (624 Points)
    New rules package should give Chad something to play with.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (692 Points)
    His son gets a go-cart. His wife gets jewelry. Sounds like a win-win-lose situation to me.

    3. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 2 WINS (616 Points)
    Four car operations can be fun…as long as they are owned by Rick Hendrick.

    4. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (542 Points)
    If Stewart-Haas was just a two-car outfit like Penske, this would be a hell of a great season.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (624 Points)
    Sees nothing wrong in having just one team-mate.

    6. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (596 Points)
    What is a team-mate?

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (559 Points)
    A great Kentucky weekend with an XFINITY victory and sixth place finish in Cup.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (540 Points)
    Only the fourth best Gibbs driver last week…and he finished fifth!

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (522 Points)
    Eighteen starts at Loudon, 11 Top Tens, two wins. It might be another good day for Joe Gibbs.

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (449 Points)
    Fourth at Kentucky sure beats 40th and 41st the previous two weeks.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 556 POINTS
    He won’t win in New Hampshire, but history tells us he could finish anywhere else.

    12. JEFF GORDON – 537 POINTS
    Sure, Jeff is leaving after the season, but why is no one lamenting the loss of Josh Wise?

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 513 POINTS
    If Jeff and Kasey are having disappointing seasons, at least 30 others would love to suck this badly.

    14. PAUL MENARD – 509 POINTS
    Best ever Loudon finish is 12th. A Top 20 would even represent a moral victory.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 497 POINTS
    That tire penalty back in March still looms…but how large depends on who wins the next eight.

    16. CLINT BOWYER – 490 POINTS
    I recently read that Bowyer is “stuck in the middle of a miserable season.” Ask Tony if he agrees.

    17. ARIC ALMIROLA – 473 POINTS
    Might be easier for Kyle to make up 87 points on Cole Whitt than for Aric to peg 17 on Bowyer.

    18. GREG BIFFLE – 420 POINTS
    Hopes a scripted NASCAR tv series might mean he gets to re-write his season.

    19. KYLE LARSON – 404 POINTS
    He is fast but, with an average finish of 20th, he sure is not making it last.

    20. CASEY MEARS – 399 POINTS
    As Johnny Cash prophetically sang, “Danica’s gone, one more round, Danica’s gone.”

  • Hot 20 – Kentucky is no Daytona…and for some of us that is not a good thing

    Hot 20 – Kentucky is no Daytona…and for some of us that is not a good thing

    The thrills and the moments of dread of Daytona are behind us. Kentucky is next on the agenda, yet something tells me it arrives with not quite the same sense of anticipation. It still is racing, there is still a measure of danger attached to it, but it is not the same thing. Some think that is a good thing.

    Things can be made safer, less risky. In 2012, Nik Wallenda walked the high-wire above Niagra Falls. The danger was minimized when Canadian authorities insisted he make the trek wearing a safety harness. In 2013, he walked across the Grand Canyon without the harness. Both involved great skill, both were successful, but which impressed you the most?

    There is an iconic photograph of 11 iron workers sitting on a suspended beam 89 stories up during the construction of Rockefeller Center in 1932. Not one of the workers was wearing a safety device as they were shown reading, eating, and smoking with nothing but the void beneath them. I wonder how iconic that photo would have been with a large safety net stretched out beneath them?

    Last Monday morning, we saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. up front, eyes on his mirrors as he jumped from lane to lane to stall the pursuit of his challengers at 200 mph, en roue to claiming the checkered flag. We also saw the No. 3 of Austin Dillon punched high into the catchfence, hitting wheels first, to be torn up and spit back onto the racing surface as its engine bounced away on its own. We saw fans sprayed with debris and we saw the wreckage containing the driver hit late by a sliding Brad Keselowski. We watched, we worried, and we felt relief when we got the sign Dillon was okay.

    Some do not care for such scenarios and want it changed in some way to make it even safer for all concerned. Some of those proponents of change are drivers. You would think that any civilized person would embrace such change. Of course, while we are at it and in the interest of safety, we could welcome the NFFL and the NSL, that is the National Flag Football League and the National Shinny League. All it would take us to be more civilized and less risky would be to just remove contact from football and hockey.

    In fact, let us remove the engines and let the entries coast down the banking in a newly constituted NASBAR, or the National Association of Soap Box Auto Racing. Little risk, little danger, and obviously very few fans watching. That is the trade off.

    Do not get me wrong, I understand there is danger and risk in NASCAR, especially at the super speedways. I know that one day a crewman will be in the wrong place at the wrong time, a fan will be sitting too close to the action when parts fly, or all the driver safety features will prove to not be enough on some fateful day we pray is a long way off. We would be naive to think otherwise.

    NASCAR has tried, especially so for more than a decade, to make the sport safer. The fact that this accident involving the No. 3 at Daytona did not result in a fatality is proof of that. For fans, crews, and drivers, they should continue to fight for improvements to safety, but at some point they must either accept some degree of real risk or move on to something they believe to be safer.

    We watch, not to see disaster, but to witness those who can do what for us would be the impossible, and leave us in wonder at their skill and success.

    Our Hot 20 heading into Kentucky on Saturday night include…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (589 Points)
    Even Jimmie thought we had lost Austin last week.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (656 Points)
    It is official…Keelan can drive. What were you doing as a three year old?

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 2 WINS (593 Points)
    Outwitted, outplayed, outlasted…but Dillon was the survivor.

    4. Kurt Busch – 2 WINS (508 Points)
    I agree with Kurt that we can make NASCAR safer…but at one point do we drive fans off?

    5. Joey Logano – 1 WINS (581 Points)
    Knew within three laps that last weekend would be a bit of a test.

    6. Martin Truex Jr. – 1 WIN (569 Points)
    The best thing about his race weekend was leaving.

    7. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (520 Points)
    The last hit was the scariest.

    8. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (501 Points)
    The oldest driver to win at Kentucky…and that was two years ago. Time to set a new record.

    9. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (480 Points)
    One little spin, one hell of a mess.

    10. Carl Edwards – 1 WIN (408 Points)
    Bad weekend at Daytona, bad week for Subway.

    11. Jamie McMurray – 528 POINTS
    A win would be nice but, as of yet, still unneccesary.

    12. Jeff Gordon – 500 POINTS
    They have not raced long at Kentucky, but a first win here would prove sweet.

    13. Kasey Kahne – 496 POINTS
    Sharks recently reported a Kahne sighting.

    14. Paul Menard – 480 POINTS
    One of four driving XFINITY at Kentucky, along with Brad, Junior, and…Kyle???

    15. Ryan Newman – 472 POINTS
    Being a race car driver can be dangerous. That is one reason I am not, but why is he?

    16. Clint Bowyer – 465 POINTS
    Patience is a virtue and Virtuous Clint is finally in the Top Sixteen.

    17. Aric Almirola – 441 POINTS
    One bad finish and bad things happen in the standings. Case in point…

    18. Kyle Larson – 395 POINTS
    Some like him as a dark horse candidate for this Sunday. If it proves true, a win and he’s in.

    19. Greg Biffle – 392 POINTS
    The Biff is interested with how the new rules package pans out…and he could use some good panning.

    20. Danica Patrick – 386 POINTS
    Dillon destroys his car, still finishes seventh, and is now just seven points back of Ms. Patrick.

  • Hot 20 – Daytona’s banner should wave over the land of the free, not the home of the enslaved

    Hot 20 – Daytona’s banner should wave over the land of the free, not the home of the enslaved

    As the action returns to Daytona, Florida this weekend, I must admit something. I love the look of the Confederate battle flag. I love the stories of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, and James Longstreet. I loved the Dukes of Hazzard, good ole boys, and good ole girls even better. Junior was the name of Mr. Johnson or Hank’s boy. I think Copperhead Road is one hell of a song, and even Lincoln liked the tune of Dixie. Then there is Nathan Bedford Forrest, Jim Crow, and an additional century of institutionalized racism to consider, all equally associated with the rebel banner.

    Many years ago, while visiting Florida, I bought a belt buckle bearing that symbol. I cannot wear it for the same reason it should no longer fly at NASCAR tracks. Variations of it flew from 1861-1865 leading the way for Confederate armies into battle in their fight to defend the southern way of life, of which slavery was a main component. Maybe it could have survived that connection, as it has up to this point. Still, you cannot ignore its association since with segregation and the racist policies and actions of the following hundred years since the Civil War, all of which has made it a contemporary political and social lightening rod.

    Some will argue that such a ban also treads on the southern way of life, forgetting that southern blacks especially are not newcomers to the party. Their ancestors have also been part of the fabric of the region since the very beginning. As much as its reminds some of bravery on the field or a romanticized lost cause, it is also an insulting, insensitive reminder of a people held in bondage, a denial of civil rights and white supremacy. I cannot see how the two views can be reconciled today. Can you?

    The Hot 20 returning to Daytona Sunday night include…

    1. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 4 WINS (546 Points)
    One darn caution too many spoiled his road tour.

    2. KEVIN HARVICK – 2 WINS (616 Points)
    Jack car up, take tire off, put tire on…before dropping the damn jack.

    3. KURT BUSCH – 2 WINS (469 Points)
    He wins one week, his brother wins the next week. See, sharing with siblings can be fun.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (563 Points)
    This week, Martin remembers his family, his friends, his country and, no doubt, David Ragan.

    5. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (559 Points)
    Seemed to do alright the last time he was at Daytona.

    6. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 1 WIN (545 Points)
    Sonoma was fun, but Daytona is a family tradition.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN (505 Points)
    If you call him Joey, that is how he’ll sign the autograph.

    8. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (479 Points)
    Going from one of his worst venues to one of his favorites.

    9. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (438 Points)
    Has yet to win at Daytona, but he has come close enough to bear watching.

    10. CARL EDWARDS – 1 WIN (405 Points)
    Had he done to Ragan what Ragan had done to Martin, all would have been well.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 497 POINTS
    Won on only four tracks; once at Indy, twice each at Charlotte, Talladega, and Sunday’s venue.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 483 POINTS
    Last two summer races at Daytona resulted in fireworks of the unappreciated kind.

    13. JEFF GORDON – 462 POINTS
    Memo to crew: Take out spring rubber, walk with spring rubber, gently place it over the wall.

    14. PAUL MENARD – 452 POINTS
    Being consistently 14th or 15th is okay, but being consistently ninth or 10th would be even better.

    15. RYAN NEWMAN – 435 POINTS
    If this becomes a horse race to be won by just a neck…

    16. ARIC ALMIROLA – 431 POINTS
    When he shaves, he sees Clint standing behind him in the mirror.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 430 POINTS
    Sixteenth in actual accumulated points…but Carl has the win and he does not.

    18. KYLE LARSON – 390 POINTS
    To my knowledge, has never posted a yoga video.

    19. DANICA PATRICK – 377 POINTS
    Okay, her yoga video is hard to ignore, just like her appearances on this list week after week.

    20. GREG BIFFLE – 368 POINTS
    The Biff needs a win, but few think he has a car that can. That must bug him.

  • The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    The Final Word – Kyle turns it up, turns it left, and turns it right at Sonoma like a FOX on the run

    Win and you are in, or so the saying goes. Well, not if it is only your fifth race, 16 events into the season. However, running together a string of 10 straight Top Fifteens or better is easier than taking one of these contests, and Kyle Busch checked that off his “to do” list at Sonoma Sunday.

    A late caution allowed him to swing in for fresh tires that he used to maximum effect as he got by Jimmie Johnson then held off Clint Bowyer and his brother for the victory. It marked his 30th Cup decision, but he now needs to get himself in the Top 30 in the season standings. He currently sits 136 points distant behind Cole Whitt for that final eligible spot where wins matter. Whitt, who has an average finish of just beyond 27th, was 22nd on Sunday, so Busch gained 25 points on the day.

    Brother Kurt was second, and one does wonder just how hard he was trying to break his sibling’s heart. I am sure I know what Kurt would say, but he did not seem terribly broken up by the outcome. Bowyer jumped 25 points ahead of Carl Edwards, in points, but without a win that does not matter. Where it does matter, Clint is just a point behind the equally winless Aric Almirola, and five in arrears of Ryan Newman for the final two Chase places.

    Albert Hammond was prophetic when he sang “It doesn’t rain in California,” so we saw none. What we did see was Casey Mears coming to a halt after a rear tire and attached axle housing broke free and outpaced him down the track. We saw Martin Truex Jr. force David Ragan wide into the dirt, but a small nudge later and it was Truex heading into the tires along the fence. Later, Edwards tried to avoid going off the track, nudged Ragan, and both of them found the fence. Carl was literally left sitting in 40th place.

    Jeff Gordon came in to have a spring rubber removed. That takes time, and it is quicker for a crewman to toss it over the car and over the wall. Too bad NASCAR has a thing about that, so instead of re-starting 26th, he was 28th, but 36th on the track at the end of the longest line. Sixteenth was his fate. Matt Kenseth had a flat that turned into a departing carcass, but no caution, as he hit the pits and his day did the same, landing him in 21st. A.J. Allmendinger was strong early, but a fuel pressure problem crippled his day to leave him 37th.

    Some seem to do well no matter what. Kevin Harvick was fourth, which is not a surprise, except for the disastrous pit stop that saw the jack come down before his left rear was even placed on the car. The end of hope for some, a beginning of a challenge for others, it would seem.

    Ten races are left before the Chase positions are decided, with six of the 16 current position holders still winless, facing various degrees of vulnerability. With Kyle’s win, 32 drivers are still in the hunt, including Justin Allgaier, himself just a point behind Whitt in the rankings. A win at Daytona next Sunday would sure be sweet.

    Last weekend marked the end of the NASCAR season on FOX, with Larry McReynolds leaving the announce booth in favor of Jeff Gordon when they return next February. That ends a 15-year partnership with Mike and Darrell. Personally, I think the wrong guy is leaving to join Michael Waltrip and Chris Myers down in the studio, but I do not make these Boogity-Boogity-Boogity decisions. Next week, NBC arrives back on the scene with Rick Allen, Steve Letarte and Jeff Burton doing the honors.

    At Daytona, we wait to see if we have a repeat winner or a new kid in the mix. We will see how the battle settles between Newman, Almirola and Bowyer for the final spots on points. We will watch how Kyle does in relation to Whitt and Allgaier. We will listen and watch, and no doubt evaluate, the new television crew. Finally, it is Daytona in the summer. What else do you need to tune in?

  • Hot 20 – If you are seeking some racing excitement, Sonoma will be worth tuning in

    Hot 20 – If you are seeking some racing excitement, Sonoma will be worth tuning in

    Make the racing better. That seems to be what NASCAR is locked into and bless ‘em for trying. Outside of running all the races at Daytona, Talladega and Bristol, it is a challenge. The good old days had winners taking the flag by laps, not seconds, so no solution can be found there.

    A new rules package is being looked at, one that might allow a car to catch an opponent, get up beside him, or her, and actually make a pass. That should not be a problem this Sunday at Sonoma. Unlike their Formula One counterparts, these boys, and girl, will use a fender to gain an advantage and cause things to happen. If you want nice clean racing where speed is king, watch the ponies. If you want excitement, you might want to catch the action on the asphalt from California.

    Our Hot 20 heading to Sonoma include…

    1. Jimmie Johnson – 4 WINS (506 Points)
    What makes Jimmie so appealing? All those NASCAR penalties they keep fighting.

    2. Kevin Harvick – 2 WINS (576 Points)
    15 races, 1200 laps led. I think Harv likes being champion.

    3. Kurt Busch – 2 WINS (426 Points)
    Once upon a time missing three races killed a season. Times have changed.

    4. Martin Truex Jr. – 1 WIN (561 Points)
    Got the win, all he needs now is a new contract. A sponsor not named Visser would sure help.

    5. Joey Logano – 1 WIN (520 Points)
    Joey Sharkgano?

    6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. – 1 WIN (508 Points)
    First me, now Junior. Yes, all the good ones are now taken.

    7. Brad Keselowski – 1 WIN (480 Points)
    Does Penske lose both of its drivers in Sharknado 3?

    8. Matt Kenseth – 1 WIN (456 Points)
    Ross gives Pops a Top Ten on a Father’s Day outing in Chicago.

    9. Denny Hamlin – 1 WIN (412 Points)
    Denny is part of the council. Does that mean he knows Gandalf and Gimli?

    10. Carl Edwards- 1 WIN (401 Points)
    Last year he gave everybody the gears as he went left and right to victory at Sonoma.

    11. Jamie McMurray – 454 POINTS
    With the Truex victory, Mac is now the best without a win…something he has not done since 2010.

    12. Kasey Kahne – 447 POINTS
    Outside of Bristol and Talladega, worst finish is 17th, best is fourth. At least he is consistent.

    13. Jeff Gordon – 434 POINTS
    Top Ten at Sonoma…darn near a guaranteed result.

    14. Paul Menard – 421 POINTS
    The Chase is the goal, and as it appears Crew Chief Justin Alexander is a problem solver…

    15. Aric Almirola – 401 POINTS
    Feels Bowyer’s breath behind him as they take on a track where success has remained elusive.

    16. Ryan Newman – 400 POINTS
    His odds on Sunday are as bad as Junior, Kenseth, and Hamlin…but they already have their wins.

    17. Clint Bowyer – 388 POINTS
    If there is a track the gent can make up some ground, it is this one.

    18. Kyle Larson – 361 POINTS
    He may appear to be 13, but he turns 23 in a month.

    19. Danica Patrick – 357 POINTS
    Just when I start thinking of her as just a driver…I catch her Instagram photos.

    20. Greg Biffle – 351 POINTS
    Instagram or not, I view the Biff as just a driver. Trust me.