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Tag: Talladega

  • Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

    Hot 20 – Would reducing the dangers of Daytona also reduce its thrills?

    We want drivers and fans to be safe. We want action that is anything but safe. It might sound hypocritical, but deep in our hearts, we know it to be true.

    Talladega concerned some drivers. Kyle Busch says it was “pretty dangerous for all us drivers.” That may have been true. He also said it “wasn’t very exciting.” That is false. For fans, watching drivers inches apart at up to 200 mph, where disaster is only a sneeze away, is pretty damned exciting.

    Personally, it is the threat of a wreck that is more exciting than the actual carnage. The boys and girl are doing something I do not have the ability to perform nor, to be honest, the courage to attempt. It appears to be dangerous and, according to Kyle, that is because it is.

    We want the danger. Yet, we also want to see Kyle climb out of his Xfinity car unscathed at Daytona. We wanted to see Dale Earnhardt, Adam Petty, and Kenny Irwin Jr. step out of their wrecks. We want to see the crushing hits in the NFL, but it appears their helmets cannot prevent the devastation of long-term brain injuries. We want the fights and the hard hits of the NHL, yet the mounting evidence of long-term head trauma has brought rule changes to make the sport safer.

    Does reducing the danger also reduce the excitement for the fans? It has to. Hall of Famers Sprague Cleghorn, Eddie Shore, Rocket Richard, and Gordie Howe would have had to play differently to avoid lifetime suspensions in today’s NHL. Some used their sticks, some their elbows, and some just beat the crap out of their opponents. Seeing a receiver take the hit just as he receives the ball, slamming straight to the ground or doing mid-air flips upon impact, is a great visual, but it has to take a toll on the human being involved. Does anyone remember Lawrence Taylor’s sack of Washington Redskins quarterback Joe Theismann that broke the pivot’s leg in two places? Pretty amazing. Pretty devastating. For safety sake, change is required, change is happening, and more change is coming.

    Deaths have happened in most sports, but very few at the highest level. Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians died in 1920 after being struck in the head by a pitched ball. Bill Masterton of the Minnesota North Stars struck his head on the ice and died in 1968. In football, AFL players Howard Glenn and Stone Johnson died in the 1960’s due to neck injuries. Chuck Hughes of the Detroit Lions suffered a fatal heart attack in a game in 1971. Then there is professional boxing. Then there is motorsports.

    Joe Weatherly, Fireball Roberts, Tiny Lund, J.D. McDuffie, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, and Carlos Pardo remind us that we cannot build more durable humans, nor dismiss the heartbreak of their loss. Pit road is safer, yet only after the Southern 500 in 1960 cost the lives of mechanics Paul McDuffie, Charles Sweatlund, and official Joe Taylor. We lost crewman Randy Owens at Talladega in 1975. Yet, we liked the excitement of those old cars, the open faced helmets, and the speeding down pit road. We still do, but not at that price.

    If NASCAR gets too safe, might it cause fans to wander off seeking new distractions, new outlets for their thrills and emotions? It could. It may have already taken place to some degree. I love watching the action at Daytona and Talladega, watching those who can do what I cannot, or will not, even attempt. I watch what I enjoy, and often we can not say exactly what it is that caused us to lose interest. I loved hockey, the hard-nosed 1960’s, the violent 1970’s, and the grace and majesty of the 1980’s, but it is rare to find me sitting through an NHL game today. Many once loved NASCAR; they had it bad and could not get enough of it. Today, the tracks no longer even release attendance figures and grandstands are being torn down. Sports of all kinds are trying to increase the “fan experience,” all but admitting the action on the field is no longer enough.

    Saturday night should be enough. It is Daytona, the Firecracker 400 as it was known until 1989. A race that has meaning, a race that has tradition, a race that has high speeds and, yes, a race that has a measure of danger.

    May our Hot 20 and the rest provide us with excitement and, despite our barbaric nature, a safe event.

    1. KYLE BUSCH – 3 WINS (452 Pts)
    No new rules to slow down the cars at Daytona, and Kyle isn’t happy about that.

    2. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS (510 Pts)
    Has run good at Daytona, has run bad, but has never won there.

    3. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (506 Pts)
    Tried out an IndyCar at Road America, and plans to run Indianapolis…some day.

    4. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS (469 Pts)
    Daughters cannot listen to team radio…because sometimes daddy says bad words.

    5. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (562 Pts)
    Sixteen races, 13 Top Tens. Some have more wins, no one has more points.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (527 Pts)
    Formula 3000 is just one step below F-1…and could be in Kurt’s future come December.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 1 WIN (493 Pts)
    If Tony and Denny had crashed on last Sunday’s final lap, guess who would have won.

    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 1 WIN (469 Pts)
    Tony, Tony, Tony…but did anyone notice Martin finished fifth? Did not think so.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 1 WIN (430 Pts)
    He did not have Chris Osborne as his eyes in the sky in February. He will on Saturday night.

    10. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (421 Pts)
    With Tony Stewart behind him at Sonoma, Denny thought for a second he was Ron Thornton.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 473 PTS
    Good talent, good car, equals good results.

    12. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 413 PTS
    Newman, McMurray, and Junior battled on the track, only to face de-feet in the sky.

    13. RYAN NEWMAN – 402 PTS
    The winner.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 400 PTS
    I am trying to remember how his Daytona race finished last year. So is he.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 398 PTS
    If a pissed off Stewart is a motivated Stewart, does that make Jamie his personal Tony Robbins?

    16. KASEY KAHNE – 385 PTS
    If you think Kasey’s season sucks, please consider Clint’s situation.

    17. RYAN BLANEY – 382 PTS
    New rule change locks even unchartered teams into Chase races…but they have to be Chasers.

    18. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 365 PTS
    Damn rolling tire.

    19. TREVOR BAYNE – 361 PTS
    You might remember that he has won at Daytona before.

    20. KYLE LARSON – 355 PTS
    Do you remember when everyone was gushing over Kyle and Trevor?

    30. BRIAN SCOTT – 205 PTS
    Sometimes holding down 30th gets you recognition…at least for this week.

    32. TONY STEWART – 196 PTS (1 win)
    As Kyle did before him. Now cue the Jaws theme.

  • The Final Word – Talladega; what could possibly go wrong?

    The Final Word – Talladega; what could possibly go wrong?

    Bad things happen at Talladega. If you are not barrel rolling or wall smacking, you just had yourself a nice, pleasant day in Alabama. That kind of thing, in fact, can get you a win, as was the case with Brad Keselowski on Sunday. The White Deux actually looked pretty good at the end, as the 2012 champ won his 19th career race, and second of the season. When all the smoke had cleared, the driver leading the most laps was leading the last one.

    For some, things did not quite work out. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is always seen as a favorite, but after the 50th lap, not so much. He lost control, collected teammate Kasey Kahne, and they went back to check out the snacks available in the garage.

    Tony Stewart, under doctor’s orders to protect his back, used the caution to crawl out and let Ty Dillon take that ride home. A seventh place finish proved that they had a plan that worked. Most planned to stay on all four tires, but that idea went tumbling down the track for Chris Buescher who did a few barrel rolls after being caught up in some four-wide racing.

    Good news for Junior and Kahne fans, as both returned. Maybe that was bad news. Earnhardt actually had his steering wheel come off under caution and did some shaft driving before he reattached it. This is after he helped Carl Edwards avoid the wall when Edwards shot up the track and sandwiched Junior to a merciful conclusion. A few laps later, Kahne could no longer handle his car, which also shot up into the outside wall and he was finally done, too. At least both Hendrick boys got, not just one but, two post-wreck interviews. You got to keep them sponsors happy.

    With less than thirty to go, we managed to rid ourselves of yet another Hendrick car. Kurt Busch influenced Jimmie Johnson to move up to take out fellow Top Ten driver Paul Menard in a mishap that involved 17 drivers. Yet, a less numerous yet more spectacular meeting of the metal took place about 20 laps later when Danica Patrick got turned to the inside and invited Matt Kenseth to space camp, who exposed the bottom of his car to the television viewers as it launched. Patrick, meanwhile, made some solid contact with the wall to feel the agony of de fence. Both were done as another half dozen cars got bent out of shape to some degree in that one.

    If you thought we were done, you were just ignoring your inner Ricky Bobby. As Keselowski thundered to the line, with Kyle Busch, Austin Dillon, Chase Elliott, and Jamie McMurray behind him, more boys were beating the stuffings out of their boogity boogities. Kevin Harvick, who almost went wheels up, A.J. Allmendinger, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Martin Truex Jr. were among those making mangled metallic memories.

    Seven of the Top Ten at Talladega currently hold down a Chase place. Ryan Blaney is just nine points out while Stewart returns to the driver’s seat this Saturday night in Kansas. Thanks to his relief driver, he only has to make up 61 points and pick up a win, to claim a Chase place. Clint Bowyer had a Top Ten and a win still gets him in, or he has 68 points to make up on 16th place. When you think on it, the odds still might favor Stewart. Bowyer has gone winless in 15 attempts in Kansas, and considering the quality of cars he has been blessed with this season, his odds are definitely not terribly high on Saturday.

  • Hot 20 – NASCAR gives Tony grief last week, and now some relief at Talladega

    Hot 20 – NASCAR gives Tony grief last week, and now some relief at Talladega

    Just a week after Tony Stewart criticized NASCAR for its rather lax rules regarding tightened lug nuts, and having to cough up a $35,000 fine for doing so, guess who is once again mandating that all lug nuts be tightened? Apparently there are no “whistler blower” provisions in effect when it comes to spotlighting stupidity. Look at the shock on this ole face. At least a few of  Stewart’s peers were outraged enough to go in together to pay the fine for him. Sure, NASCAR could just say “thanks” to Tony and move on. Actually, based on what we have seen over the year, no, they could not. They just do not have it in them.

    Coming to Talladega, I doubt many fans have forgotten the fine handed out to Dale Earnhardt Jr. after he won there in 2004. When asked about taking his fifth career victory at the big track, Junior responded on television with “It don’t mean shit right now. Daddy’s won here 10 times.” That cost him $10,000 and a few points. Hell, it is a good thing I am not a driver. I would be broke by June.

    Try as they might, they just cannot seem to do what is right. While Stewart looks at his fine as an investment into the safety of the sport, NASCAR spouts off about how its drivers cannot question the integrity of the sport, even if its integrity is sometimes suspect. Their response to a host of issues has been found wanting, both on the track and off it. You would have thought that by now they would know if something could pose a danger, one day it will for someone. A lack of lug nuts, exposed concrete walls, seating too close to the action are among them.

    NASCAR has done some good things. The safety of the car is the biggest one, in my opinion. Despite my initial misgivings, I do like the Chase, I do like the new points system, and I do like having wins have more meaning. That said, do you really think Stewart should make the Chase if he cannot complete a race? Ty Dillon will relieve him at some point this Sunday, with Tony getting credit for the points picked up, and even a victory should that happen. Really? Those have long been the rules, but I think time and recent rule changes have made that archaic. If you have to get out of the car, you park the car. No exceptions. Poor NASCAR, even when they try to be understanding, they either fail to understand or they are misunderstood.

    You would think NASCAR would even have a team in place to quickly address social issue controversies, especially in these times. When we are actually having unisex changing rooms at swimming pools, washrooms of the same design were not far off. They do not have to buy into what everyone is selling, but NASCAR should at least be prepared to respond one way or the other in terms they are willing to stand by.

    Hiding attendance figures is not exactly the response of an open, transparent, people friendly outfit, either. NASCAR even has its own way of eliminating the question of whether a glass is half empty or half full by just tearing down grandstands and calling the smaller configuration a better glass. Some like to think they and their sport or favorite team are in it together. NASCAR does not allow that. That is not helpful when one is going through tough times.

    Shooting the messenger, then immediately acting on the message, does not help much either. Having Talladega on tap for our Hot 20 does.

    1. CARL EDWARDS – 2 WINS – 331 PTS
    Loves, loves, loves to love tap his teammate.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2 WINS – 310 PTS
    Stewart got fined, but Jimmie, Junior, Kyle, Brad, Denny and Kevin paid it…and happy to do so.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS – 302 PTS
    If Kyle does not pay Carl back, Samantha just might.

    4. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN – 324 PTS
    His sponsor promotes drinking beer and going fishing. What possibly could go wrong?

    5. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN – 258 PTS
    From the Drivers’ Council: NASCAR, you did Tony wrong. Love, Denny and friends.

    6. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 1 WIN – 255 PTS
    Tony will pay his own fine, but thanks to Brad and company a donation goes to fight autism.

    7. JOEY LOGANO – 299 PTS
    Would love to see what happened last fall repeat itself this spring.

    8. KURT BUSCH – 279 PTS
    Maybe he could start a Formula One race, and have Lewis Hamilton sub for him.

    9. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 278 PTS
    Junior loves Talladega, and the fans there love him right back.

    10. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 246 PTS
    Top 10 in the standings, more than likely a top 10 on Sunday.

    11. CHASE ELLIOTT – 234 PTS
    When does this racing thing get hard?

    12. AUSTIN DILLON – 234 PTS
    Having a good year, yet everyone is talking about brother Ty coming into the weekend.

    13. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 224 PTS
    Five mph above the speed limit is his street limit. Considering radar is now a cash cow, good thing.

    14. KASEY KAHNE – 222 PTS
    A career revival constitutes making the Chase and doing well once he gets there.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 212 PTS
    Having the worse kind of season 25 other drivers can only dream of having.

    16. RYAN NEWMAN – 205 PTS
    Second-best average finisher at Talladega the past two years. That has to count for something.

    17. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 204 PTS
    Some drivers do well with one-car teams. Others are named Clint Bowyer.

    18. TREVOR BAYNE – 196 PTS
    With an average Talladega finish outside the Top 25, he could see a lot of Danica on Sunday.

    19. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 193 PTS
    Richmond penalty costs the team Crew Chief Nick Sandler this weekend.

    20. RYAN BLANEY – 187 PTS
    Here partially in thanks to Paul Menard, Kyle Larson, Greg Biffle, and Bowyer

  • The Final Word – A funny thing happened on the way to Kyle’s Richmond celebration

    The Final Word – A funny thing happened on the way to Kyle’s Richmond celebration

    Hey, what is a little bump and run between teammates, eh? Down to the final laps at Richmond, Kyle Busch had it won. Even Carl Edwards thought he had it. However, Rowdy became a bit conservative, or maybe his tires wore down. Just maybe, he thought he had a teammate behind him and could just cruise to the finish line. Obviously, Kyle forgot that this particular teammate has been known wander off his meds on rare occasions. Sometimes Cousin Carl can turn into a doll named Chucky. Just ask Matt Kenseth.

    On the final lap, Edwards cut low and stuck. Coming off the final turn, he cut low again and when Busch did the same, out came the fender horn. Kyle got loose, Carl went by for the win. No doubt Carl just hated for that to happen. You could tell how sad he was in celebrating the victory. Sad, my ass. His second of the season was the 27th of his career, marking the first time in 120 races that a last-lap pass for the win took place at Richmond. Mind you, with two wins already to his credit, I think Kyle will be just fine, though I am not so sure his wife will be as forgiving.

    Just being back was some kind of victory for Tony Stewart. After missing the first eight of the season mending, now we have to see if he can replicate the kind of campaign that led Busch to a championship a year ago. Stewart was 19th on Sunday, and to make the Chase he now has to win a race and make up the 101 points between himself and 30th place. He has 17 attempts to make it happen.

    Edwards and Busch were not alone up front, at least they were not early on. Jimmie Johnson, who finished third, led early while the fourth place finishing Kevin Harvick was a factor for the most part. Denny Hamlin was the victim of a runaway tire in the pits that took him out of it, but he recovered to finish nicely in fifth. Kurt Busch was another we saw lots of, though he faded back to 10th by the time his brother got bumped.

    Kasey Kahne did not have a great day, but he got into the mix late to finish third, which keeps him with a Chase place. Top Tens also went to the likes of Kenseth, Joey Logano, and Martin Truex Jr. As for Clint Bowyer, Stewart cannot get out of his ride fast enough to make room for him. Once again, his current ride remains not ready for prime time as he came home 33rd to sit 29th in points. He desperately needs a win, and I would not mind having my hair back. Some things are just too much to ask for.

    However, asking for excitement next Sunday at Talladega is not one of them. It is almost a guarantee that fans will be riding by the seat of their pants in the grandstands and in their easy chairs at home, a lot like the drivers they will be cheering on. Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. add to his total of six career wins there, or might Brad Keselowski add another to his three previous wins? Who will make the race, Michael Waltrip or David Gilliland? Who will be involved in the Big One? The answers will come our way this Sunday from Talladega.

  • The Final Word – Sunday was a strange, strange day at Bristol

    The Final Word – Sunday was a strange, strange day at Bristol

    There are ways to describe Sunday’s action in Bristol, but to do it justice one would need a blow-by-blow analysis of most of the competitors to figure out what happened, and how it happened. Let us begin with what we know.

    We know that Carl Edwards had one of the most dominant cars on the day. So did Matt Kenseth, while Kurt Busch (third) and Kevin Harvick (seventh) gave Edwards some company up front. Still, it was Cousin Carl who persevered, at the beginning, in the middle, and right to the end when he was putting some distance between himself and the field. Wheels that went straight, tires that kept inflated, walls that did not bite him, and the speed to see him lead a majority of the 500 laps allowed him to gather up his 26th career victory, his fourth at Bristol. That we know.

    What happened to his Joe Gibbs teammates is a little tougher to analyze. All four entries started in the first five positions, but 20th by Denny Hamlin was the best the rest could do after he sustained some damage in a pit road collision. Kenseth led for 142 laps, but the snake came back to bite him yet again this season. While running first, he lost his right front but found the fence. When he found it again later on, for the same reason, he was done in 36th. It could have been worse.

    Kyle Busch had been making a habit of winning lately, after consecutive triumphs at Martinsville and Texas. He took the drama out of it early, losing his right front and slamming the wall just 50 laps in. Sixty laps later, he got tagged from behind by Chris Buescher and went for a spin. Seventy laps further on, he got a pit road penalty. Seventy laps later, he lost another right front, found another fence, and finally put the car out of its misery, finishing 38th. Maybe too much camber angle proved to be the culprit.

    Some had bad tidings, but good results. Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not even get up to speed on the green flag lap to start, and was down two laps in no time. At least he did it with 500 laps to go, and due to some good fortune popped up in the end to run second. Even Junior thought he had, at best, a Top 15 ride. Chase Elliott had a tire issue, fell back to 31st by the 200th lap, but was fourth when they waved the checkered. Then there was Joey Logano. He finished 10th, despite an early green flag stop for a vibration that got costlier when their tire rolled away in the pits to sit even one behind Elliott at the time.

    Not enough great days for some others this season, but a few had one on Sunday. Trevor Bayne and Matt DiBenedetto were fifth and sixth at Bristol while Clint Bowyer had a Top Ten. Not so for Kyle Larson, as he dropped from third to a good 60 laps in arrears when his track bar broke. Cars seemed to get into trouble, rise out of the ashes, only to have their hopes dashed later on. Danica Patrick was 29th on Lap 200, fourth on Lap 275, and by Lap 435 she was barely in the Top Thirty. The Danica Line at Bristol was 27th, just one back of Austin Dillon and one up on Cole Whitt.

    On Sunday, there was no Big One, just a bunch of nasty Little Ones. However, as Talladega promises to do on May 1, that short track in Tennessee messed with people, including the minds of fans trying to keep track of the comers and goers, the heartbreakers and the heartbroken. It was not a boring 3.5-hours.

    Before they get to Alabama, they have a Sunday date in Richmond. Despite all his woes this year, Kenseth remains just five points out of a Chase place. Another win, like the one he celebrated last autumn at Richmond, would for all intents and purposes lock him into the championship hunt. Up to now, Kenseth has run well but always waiting for that black cloud to roll in to ruin his day. A single win and he is back to rainbows and blue skies. Funny, blue skies is exactly the weather they are calling for this Sunday.

  • The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    The Final Word – Change is inevitable whether we like it or not

    I hate change. I do not care for it. I like things just as they are or, probably more truthfully, as they were.

    I remember coaching two little boys who are not so little anymore. Those were the days when I was Superman, not just the Old Man. I miss my mother and all the grandparents I was blessed with when I was born. I miss cousins who left us far too soon. I miss my youth. Damn it, I miss my hair.

    I loved watching Cale Yarborough in the No. 11 and Richard Petty piloting the No. 43. How I miss seeing Dale Earnhardt in that black No. 3. I wish I could see Rusty Wallace again in that blue deuce though my reasoning is that him driving means there was no way in hell he would be announcing.

    No Jeff Gordon this year, other than up in the booth. Tony Stewart is gone no matter what after this season. One day, sooner than later, Dale Earnhardt Jr. will hang up those skeleton gloves.

    Sure, I guess there is room for some change. Did you notice the NHL All-Star game? It was its best presentation in 30 years, with a minor league enforcer named as its MVP to prove that Cinderella does indeed wear glass skates. Same day, the NFL had its Pro-Bowl, and it was about as riveting as watching soccer. Trust me, that is not a good thing. Change it or kill it would be my thought.

    Cars are safer now. The tracks are moving that way. Daytona, Talladega, and Bristol pretty much guarantee something worth watching. Too bad we cannot be so sure about a few of the other venues. It would be nice if that could somehow change. They say the racing will be better after their latest tinkering with the cars, but we have heard that before. If those changes prove to be the real deal, that would be a change we could all live with.

    This year, Bill’s son Chase Elliott goes full-time in Cup, joining other recent arrivals Kyle Larson and Austin Dillon. Still, they have fans to earn and accolades to accumulate. Once again, we will be cheering on our favorites. Kyle Busch returns as a champion to join brother Kurt as NASCAR royalty. Kevin Harvick looks to retake his trophy while Jimmie Johnson might be tired of loaning out what once was his and his alone. Carl Edwards, Denny Hamlin, and the insufferable Joey Logano remain among the top tier of stars in NASCAR’s constellation. You cannot go wrong rooting for the likes of a Matt Kenseth or a Greg Biffle, or admire the efforts put into the team led by Martin Truex Jr.

    Unless you are a big fan of Johnson, a change in champion is acceptable, even though I do love dynasties. I like the cars to look like something I might drive, so we give thanks for the demise of the splitter. I once liked Michael Waltrip, but sometimes things change, and I think Clint Bowyer should be the beneficiary of that.

    As much as I dislike change, it is inevitable. Drivers age, retire and are replaced by a new generation. Faces are now encased in helmets and races are won by a matter of seconds, not laps, these days. Since 2001, most weekends television delivers the races to homes in most places. Once we were asked, “How bad have you got it?” Wouldn’t it be nice if we were asked that once again?

    It all returns in less than a couple of weeks, with the Sprint Unlimited featured on February 13, Duel Qualifiers on February 18 and the Daytona 500 on Sunday, February 21. Boogity, boogity, boogity!

    Okay, some things do need to change.

  • The Final Word – Talladega was awesome, even if the finish was bloody awful

    The Final Word – Talladega was awesome, even if the finish was bloody awful

    There is a single word that I dearly would like to begin this article with. One word. However, due to my raising and the fact there are some rules that prohibit me from using that one word, I shall have to come up with a compromise.

    Fudge!

    Close enough. Sadly, for Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, close does not cut it, even an inch or two. Joey Logano was just out in front at Talladega by a hair when a caution came out on the green-white-checkered restart to claim the sweep of this round of the Chase. He is in. Junior needed to win to continue his hunt but did not.

    Fudge!

    Junior had the dominant car and was the story throughout. He led, he smoked the tires coming in. Instead of two, he needed four. Later, he comes in, smokes the tires, and again needed four. When he managed to do it right, a crewman went over the wall too early. Instead of first, he was 27th. Back to the front he comes, comes in for a little gas and go, smokes the damn tires one more time, to sit fourth. He got to second, got close, closer than those tiny hairs atop my shiny bald pate, in fact, but close would not cut it at Talladega.

    Fudge!

    Now there is speculation that Kevin Harvick is the new Clint Bowyer. With his car doubtful if it could survive another two laps as its engine went south, Harvick checked his mirror as they re-started that final time. He no doubt saw Trevor Bayne go to the outside, then turned right. It was not a full turn, one that would have seen him actually change lanes, but rather just enough to catch the rear corner of that passing car, turning him into the fence, causing the wreck that ended the race. With the caution out, all Harvick had to do was slowly make the laps and secure his continuation in the Chase.

    Fudge!

    If NASCAR had held off throwing the caution on the 2.66-mile track for another mile, even half a mile, the result could have been different. They did not, waving it as they got into the first turn. Two miles to go before they returned to the scene of the carnage. Time and space to let them race, at least a little longer, but they did not allow that.

    Fudge!

    So, Martin Truex Jr. advances for Furniture Row. Jeff Gordon is the lone standard bearer for Rick Hendrick with Junior’s elimination. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch has Joe Gibbs still with a pair, with Matt Kenseth and Denny Hamlin now both out. Logano and Brad Keselowski advance for Team Penske. I cannot begin to tell you how thrilled I am. I really can’t. As for Stewart-Haas, Kurt Busch and Right-Turn Harvick go forth to Martinsville with dreams of a championship still dancing in their heads.

    Fudge!

    But let us leave the final word to Denny Hamlin. You know, the guy who came to Talladega with the biggest cushion over his Chase rivals. The guy with the roof hatch latch that broke, that tried to give him some Red Bull wings, so that his crew brought him in more than once to tape it down. If only they had added a few extra pieces that first time to the repair that failed and that sent him right back to the pits for another round and another lap. Hamlin’s day was so far up in flames it was apropos the car burned briefly after that G-W-C wreck. I was not in the car, I did not hear his radio, but I am betting his summation of the race went something like this…

    “Fudge! Fudge! Fudge!”

  • Hot 20 – Logano’s Talladega experience might be better suited by being sponsored by Target

    Hot 20 – Logano’s Talladega experience might be better suited by being sponsored by Target

    How is it that rather intelligent people can make the dumbest statements? Brian France, the Grand Poobah of NASCAR, has come out with “I thought that Joey Logano made a very smart decision in what he did,” which was to intentionally spin out Matt Kenseth at Kansas with five laps to go. Instead of Kenseth winning and getting the free pass, he is in the weeds needing a win at Talladega while Logano claimed his second straight win. That was a very smart decision?

    A lot of what one thinks of the move has to do with whether you like Logano, or cannot stand him, along with one’s thoughts regarding Kenseth. There are a number of ways to describe what took place, such as “Joey was forced to move him to get by” or “Matt was trying to block and Logano held his line” or “It was just a racing deal.” Anything but it “was a very smart decision.”

    What France just did was ensure that Logano becomes a high-speed pinata come Talladega. He already has two wins, more than enough to guarantee himself a spot in the next round no matter what takes place on Sunday. So, for instance, a driver sees that he has no hope of making it, why not “smart decision” Logano’s ass into the wall along the way to make him pay? I am not saying that Kenseth is the type of guy who would seek out revenge, but if he were….

    Going into this weekend’s race, Kenseth needs a win. So does Dale Earnhardt Jr., unless a big wreck in the opening laps takes out at least four of the top eight in the Chase. The rest, with the exception of Logano, need to survive. The threat of a pileup at any time at Talladega is very real, as 10 or 20 cars could be taken out at any moment until the checkered flag waves.

    Our Hot 20 over the opening five Chase races, heading to Talladega on Sunday, include…

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 209 Points (2 Wins)
    Sorry, officer, but I was just making a smart decision when I caused that wreck.

    2. DENNY HAMLIN – 198 (1 Win)
    About as safe as anyone other than Logano, but at Talladega that might not mean much.

    3. CARL EDWARDS – 188
    Needs to survive this weekend and find a way to thrive at Martinsville.

    4. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 171
    Could have had a more comfortable margin if not for one damn bouncing tire in the pits.

    5. JEFF GORDON – 171
    Junior is not the only active driver with six wins at Talladega. Just thought I’d mention it.

    6. KURT BUSCH – 171
    Ten straight inside the Top Twenty, half of them Top Tens.

    7. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 168
    Five races, five finishes between eighth and 16th. Not much flash, but very consistent.

    8. RYAN NEWMAN – 161
    Top Tens might not be enough when everyone else who matters is doing the same.

    9. MATT KENSETH – 160 (1 Win)
    Charlotte disaster and Kansas disappointment have forced him to go for it all on Sunday.

    10. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 155
    Surprise! His worst finish since Richmond is 13th, which he has done three times.

    11. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 154
    Not championship caliber, but at least fans again know who he is.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 151
    November 13, 2005. The only time Kyle has won over the final 10 events of any season.

    13. KEVIN HARVICK – 147 (1 Win)
    A gas and go with the gas can cost him last week, but the format allows him to forget Chicago.

    14. GREG BIFFLE – 142
    Considering how this season has gone, I think he will accept this as a moral victory.

    15. KYLE LARSON – 139
    Not bad, but with three times out of the Top Fifteen, it sure is not great.

    16. KASEY KAHNE – 134
    At least no one can say he is the worst Hendrick driver during the Chase.

    17. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 131
    Just in case you were wondering why he also has to win at Talladega.

    18. ARIC ALMIROLA – 128
    Amongst the Top 11 in five of the past seven, yet still ranked way down here.

    19. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 122
    Is the season over yet?

    20. CASEY MEARS – 118
    Where is Bowyer? Where is Menard?

  • The Final Word – Logano loses yet another fan at Kansas, but picks up a second win

    The Final Word – Logano loses yet another fan at Kansas, but picks up a second win

    At this stage of the game, only a dozen drivers really matter in Cup racing. Twelve still have a shot at the championship, 18 more either have the results or the resources to at least theoretically be of interest, while 13 others are just there and rarely, if ever, matter.

    It really did not matter if Joey Logano won again in this segment of the Chase, after winning Charlotte, but he could sure spoil the plans of somebody else. That is exactly what Mr. Popular did this time, as he and Matt Kenseth played a bit of football near the end. Kenseth blocked, and Logano punted him to take his second straight. Matt said post-race that he had respect for Logano coming in, maybe one of the few who had yet to have a run in with the lad, but not anymore. That comes as no surprise, for the loss of the free pass that would have come with victory, and by finishing 14th instead, means he must win next week at Talladega or his dream is over for another season.

    Same goes for Dale Earnhardt Jr. His car had nothing on the day, other than some questionable work by his crew, to wind up 21st and back in Kenseth country. Well, if anyone can win at Talladega, it might be the six-time winner at that facility. That is about all he has got.

    Late miscues on pit road left both Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr. out of the Top Ten. Kyle Busch thought he was blowing up, yet finished with a Top Ten. That still leaves him six points out of contention. Ryan Newman is eight away. However, as it is Talladega coming up, a place where a dozen or more competitors can be removed from action all at once, only Logano is safe as they venture to Alabama. Denny Hamlin finished second on Sunday, but being 18 points to the good does not mean a whole lot considering what looms on the horizon.

    I do not know if next year’s rules package will bring better racing, but I sure am looking forward to seeing if that might be the case. I mean, if you were looking for great television from Kansas, you did not find it. Round and round in a single line they went. Watching it live would have been a test. Again, I thank God for the PVR, which ranks just behind fire and the wheel for outstanding discoveries.

    Talladega will be different. I guarantee it.

    1. JOEY LOGANO – 2 WINS
    2. DENNY HAMLIN +18
    3. KURT BUSCH +13
    4. CARL EDWARDS +12
    5. BRAD KESELOWSKI +7
    6. KEVIN HARVICK +7
    7. JEFF GORDON +7
    8. MARTIN TRUEX JR. +6

    9. KYLE BUSCH – 6
    10. RYAN NEWMAN -8
    11. DALE EARNHARDT JR. -31
    12. MATT KENSETH -35

  • The Final Word – Dover and the FedEx 400 Benefiting Jimmie Johnson

    The Final Word – Dover and the FedEx 400 Benefiting Jimmie Johnson

    Jimmie Johnson. Four wins in 2015. Ten wins at Dover. Seventy-four wins over the course of his career, just two shy of Dale Earnhardt’s total. Six championships. Gee, I wonder if he might ever make the Hall of Fame?

    He becomes only the fifth driver in NASCAR history to claim such dominance at a single track. Mind you, we’ve long been placing his name alongside such drivers as…

    -Richard Petty (Daytona – 10, Martinsville – 15, North Wilkesboro – 15, Richmond – 13, Rockingham – 11)

    -David Pearson (Darlington – 10)

    -Darrell Waltrip (Bristol – 12, Martinsville – 11, North Wilkesboro – 10)

    -Dale Earnhardt (Talladega – 10)…not counting the nine each he won at Atlanta, Bristol, and Darlington.

    Kevin Harvick was the runner-up and with two wins he holds the same position amongst the season leaders. Kyle Larson was third, but like the fourth place Aric Almirola, a win is what they need to be in the Chase. Martin Truex Jr. was sixth, but with a 140-point advantage over Clint Bowyer in the standings, he is still very good to go. Bowyer is 17th on the season and ninth on Sunday. The rest of the day’s Top Ten, Jamie McMurray, Paul Menard and Jeff Gordon, remain solidly in the Top Sixteen, at least for now.

    For some, this day was in the pits, or at least that is where great days went to die. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Danica Patrick were in the Top-Fifteen, but were left wondering if not for pit penalties just what kind of day they might have had. Same for the 19th place Carl Edwards.

    Truex was amongst two that dominated early while Denny Hamlin led 118 laps including the opening 41 circuits. After a wreck caused by Bowyer that also caught Kurt Busch, Hamlin finished 21st, Busch 31st.

    As for brother Kyle, he looked strong the entire race, or at least the 90 percent he ran. With 25 to go, he and Brian Scott wrecked, leaving the younger Busch 36th. After missing so much of the season due to his Daytona injuries, he will need to win at least once and make up the 168 gap between himself and the 30th ranked Justin Allgaier over the next 13 events to make the playoff hunt. That is a gain of 13 per race. On Sunday, he gained just seven points on the 42nd placed Allgaier. It still can be done.

    Landon Cassill was 23rd on the day. The 26-year-old has been making the news, though off the track. After the World 600, he ran the 14-miles from the track to the Hall of Fame…on foot. Last Wednesday, he became Beckham Bear Alan Cassill’s dad. Pretty sweet.

    What is better, Cup action or IndyCar? Whatever you believe, it is not worth choking your fiancé over. It was a lovely domestic scene in Indiana as both were hitting the suds all day, then with he making dinner and her listening to the action from Indianapolis, the topic reared its ugly head. It appears that both are fine, but he does need a lawyer. No word as to whether the engagement is off or not.

    Dover had its moments and a few surprises. Actually, not a bad way to spend your Sunday afternoon. As for Pocono next weekend, Earnhardt comes in after sweeping 2014 while each of his Hendrick teammates has claimed the previous three. Gordon has six in total, Johnson three, but Hamlin could spoil the party having four of his own. Now, if only Bowyer will let him get to the finish.