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  • Hot 20 – Best from last Sunday dream of being the best this Sunday at Daytona

    Hot 20 – Best from last Sunday dream of being the best this Sunday at Daytona

    Forty drivers, 40 spots. Still, despite the lack of interest and resources for additional teams to attempt to enter the iconic competition, we have some high-quality contenders to watch out for. Alex Bowman and Denny Hamlin are locked into the front row, as long as their cars last. The rest of the top 20 qualifiers went into Thursday trying to protect their positions from all challengers in the two 20 car heats.

    Some of those trying to turn up the heat were quality drivers who were trying to improve on what took place last Sunday. Heading into this Sunday, does anyone want to count out the likes of Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, Jamie McMurray, Bubba Wallace, or defending Cup champion Martin Truex, Jr.?

    I didn’t think so.

    The Hot 20 prior to the Duels…

    1. ALEX BOWMAN
    Junior who?

    2. DENNY HAMLIN
    Denny who? Okay, I’m just messing with you.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON
    His date with 8 could begin on Sunday.

    4. KYLE BUSCH
    Some days he wins, some days he crashes, but damn near every day we know that he raced.

    5. WILLIAM BYRON
    Jeff who?

    6. ERIK JONES
    I often wear a 2005 Little League coach’s shirt, and Jones would have been too young to play for us.

    7. DANIEL SUAREZ
    Open the border if that means more like him.

    8. KEVIN HARVICK
    Open the border, but what would Harvick do in Canada?

    9. RICKY STENHOUSE JR.
    If bad things happen, he won’t hear about it when he gets home…if you know what I mean.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT
    Has Dad’s old number now needs some of Dad’s old results.

    11. JOEY LOGANO
    To win without penalty is his goal.

    12. PAUL MENARD
    New standard bearer for the Wood Brothers and the sponsor is not who you might think.

    13. ARIC ALMIROLA
    Aric does not look like Danica, but will his results by any different?

    14. AUSTIN DILLON
    If he can grow a mustache better than he wears a Stetson, I might have a suggestion for him.

    15. RYAN BLANEY
    This just in. Ryan is full of it. More at 11 on KB News.

    16. CLINT BOWYER
    Look at that. Sitting in a playoff position at the moment. How long will that last?

    17. KURT BUSCH
    Not the KB is was referring to earlier.

    18. KASEY KAHNE
    In 416 races, the No. 95 has not once won a race but Kahne was hired to change that.

    19. BRAD KESELOWSKI
    A bit slow early last Sunday, a bit fast later in the day seems to be pointing in the right direction.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE
    If he has a career like Mark Martin, the No. 6 is in good hands.

  • The Players – The Best Teams’ 2018 Lineup in NASCAR Cup

    The Players – The Best Teams’ 2018 Lineup in NASCAR Cup

    It’s only a short time until the annual Media Tour at the Hall of Fame in Charlotte. We will learn a lot there, but a couple things are obvious. There will be 24 major teams running next year (10 Fords, nine Chevrolets, and five Toyotas). Each camp has stars in their lineup, but Toyota’s dominance of the 2017 season (with only six competitive cars) is favored. Let’s look at each team’s lineup.

    Chevrolet has the four Hendrick Motorsports cars. HMS fell on hard times last year despite their dominance for several years. Jimmie Johnson will be back in the Lowe’s Camaro. You read that right. The older SS they have fun the last few years is no longer being manufactured, so a change had to be made. Besides, finding a dealer with a Chevy SS was about as hard as finding a needle in a haystack anyway. After Johnson, the rest of the team will be made up of a group of youngsters. Chase Elliott is back, this time taking his father’s No. 9, William Byron, in the 24, and Alex Bowman in the 88. Of this team, only Johnson has ever won a Cup race. You might call this a rebuilding year for HMS.

    Richard Childress Racing will field the 31 for Ryan Newman, the 3 for Austin Dillon, and the 27, with the driver rumored to be Brennan Poole, but nothing has been announced. Both Newman and Dillon won races last year.

    Chip Ganassi Racing will feature Kyle Larson in the 42, coming off an excellent season. Jamie McMurray will be back in the No. 1 Chevrolet.

    Ford will field one more competitive car in 2018. Team Penske has expanded to three cars with Brad Keselowski in the No. 2 and Joey Logano in the No.22 Fords. Ryan Blaney, who earned his first victory in 2017 with the Wood Brothers will pilot the No. 12 Ford. The team’s alliance with the Wood Brothers continues with Paul Menard taking over the driving chores. Penske bought a charter for the No. 12 from Roush Fenway Racing, meaning the No. 16 is not coming back. The Charter was leased to the No. 37 JTG Daugherty team last year.

    Roush Fenway will see their improved team have the same driver lineup. Trevor Bayne in the No. 6 and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the No. 17. Stenhouse won two restrictor plate races in 2017 and Bayne won the Daytona 500 in 2011.

    Stewart-Haas Racing will see it’s lineup jumbled somewhat. The Ford team will have Aric Almirola move over from the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 and drive the No. 10, formerly driven by Danica Patrick. Otherwise, things stay the same with 2017 Final Four driver Kevin Harvick in the No.4, Clint Bowyer in the 14, and Kurt Busch in the 41.

    Toyota saw its field go down a car this year. The Joe Gibbs Racing stable will have the 11 with Denny Hamlin, the 19 with Daniel Suarez, the 18 with Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones, who raced for Furniture Row Racing in 2017 in the No. 20. Much like Team Penske does with the Wood Brothers, Furniture Row and 2017 champ Martin Truex, Jr. will field the 78 Toyota. Furniture Row did not have sponsorship for the No. 77 car, so Toyota’s stable goes from six to five for 2018

    These are the teams that I predict will land in victory lane in 2018. Oh, we may get a surprise winner, but these 24 teams will battle race in and race out for the checkers. We will know more in a couple of weeks when the teams meet with the media in Charlotte, but this how I see it now. A big hole was left in the sport with the retirements of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Danica Patrick and Matt Kenseth at the end of the year. How many will stay away from the sport because these drivers are not in the lineup? Time will tell.

  • The Final Word – That Martinsville grandfather clock was too large for the shelf, so…

    The Final Word – That Martinsville grandfather clock was too large for the shelf, so…

    Martinsville, where eight boys were trying to lock themselves into the final field of four contenders for the championship in Homestead. At the same time, 31 boys and a girl were doing their utmost to spoil the party for someone by winning the thing themselves. I mean, who would not want a grandfather clock to mark the time since they won at that Virginia track?

    It was a cold one, with the temp sitting at 48F (9 C). You might as well have been racing this one in Canada. Some were cold, but Brad Keselowski was hot to start with. He took the opening stage, ahead of Kyle Busch. Seven of the eight contenders, with the 13th place Kevin Harvick the lone exception, picked up points. Denny Hamlin was 10th, but a speeding penalty would set him outside the top 30. While only eight really mattered on that day, I should mention that even Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Austin Dillon were up there racing with the big boys. Some gents took this spoiling thing to heart.

    Not much changed in the second segment. Keselowski stole the lead back from Busch late in the run, as all but Hamlin picked up points among our contenders. Denny managed to stay on the lead lap, though barely, sitting 12th. Among the also-rans making cameos we still had Logano, once again in third place, with Matt Kenseth and Clint Bowyer joining in on the fun.

    To that point, none of the contenders had hurt their chances, Logano was the best bet to be a spoiler, with half the race left to run. I do try to be a “glass half full” kind of guy, so while Kyle Larson went for a solo glide into the inside wall to buckle up his ride, the good news was that he had already been eliminated from the Chase. Rather than “Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate the Positive”, something tells me Larson probably looked at it as a broken glass kind of deal.

    Few incidents involved those in the top half of the standings. Erik Jones went for a single spin. That might have meant something a month ago, but not much on Sunday. Jimmie Johnson sideswiped Trevor Bayne, and that meant something but just not as much as it could have. While it seemed like some of the boys were losing contact with the top dogs, a late caution bunched the bottom five together again. That fourth and final spot was still up for grabs.

    While Logano appeared to be a potential spoiler, Busch spoiled that effort. Down to 13 laps remaining, Rowdy dived into the corner and punched some metal where rubber is supposed to reign supreme in Joey’s left rear. Four laps later, Logano spun, and the caution came out. The final run for all the marbles was going to be a short one.

    It turned out especially short for Elliott. He managed to send Keselowski high to fend him off, but Hamlin’s bumper horn was working fine. Elliott spun into the wall, and his hopes for his first career victory was put off for another day. Caution came out again, and a green-white-checker finish was in the offing.

    For those not cheering for Hamlin, Karma was your friend. Busch managed to do a little tag and go of his own, but to a lesser degree, then held off Martin Truex Jr. to claim the victory as they wrecked behind him coming to the line. How did they wreck? Well, Blaney got into Hamlin, and the rest just found those two in the way.

    Busch has found his way into Homestead with his win. Truex is 67 points to the good and looking very healthy. Keselowski is 29 up, while Harvick has a three-point lead over Johnson as eight points separate fourth from seventh. None of our contenders finished outside the top dozen. Well, except for one.

    Elliott was recorded in 27th and falls to 26 points off the pace required for him to stay in contention. A win at Texas or Phoenix is no doubt on his wish list. If nothing else, we know who the fans love and who they do not. As Elliott and Hamlin had a little post-race discussion, the nice son of the nice Hall of Famer from Dawsonville appeared to give clear notice that he might be nice, but enough is enough. The fans loved it. There are reports of Hamlin damn near losing half of his fan club, which should leave two or three holding down the fort.

    Meanwhile, I’m sure the winner’s second grandfather clock will prove too large for the shelf, so it will stand many years on Kyle Busch’s floor. I am not sure how tall it is or how much it weighs. In the meantime, I am off to do other things but we will get together to chat about how this all turned out after Miami.

     

  • The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    The Final Word – If they weren’t racing, they were wrecking at Talladega

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the pole at Talladega. Most years, that is just par for the course. In this, his final season, it was a return down memory lane. Talladega is where anything can happen, where any lead lap car has a shot to win it, and a where one’s dreams can go up in flames, smoke, and mangled metal without notice.

    Just ask Jamie McMurray. He went in clinging to the final berth into the next round of the Chase. Sometimes you make a mistake. Sometimes you decide to turn toward pit road way too high on the track, a place where those with no intention of turning in are still running at high speed. That is what McMurray did just 25 laps in, and got punted to the outside by Erik Jones, then t-boned by Jeffery Earnhardt. By the time Mark Thompson tore off the rear section of his car, the damage had already been done. Done, thy name is McMurray. Somebody needs a win next week.

    Unfortunately for Junior, our leader was hitting the pits as that caution came out for the wreck behind him. Pit lane closed in front of his eyes. The penalty sent him, Kyle Larson, and Chase Elliott to the back. Totally unfair, totally unrealistic to expect a driver to react in time, I know, but them is the rules. Still, they had over 160 laps to make up the lost ground.

    Earlier in the race, just 14 laps in, the Fords ducked onto pit road and packed themselves together. That paid off in the end of the opening segment, as Brad Keselowski was followed by Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. All but Logano were current Chasers who came in outside the eight berths for the next round of the playoffs. Sometimes a plan works to perfection.

    After two stages, that Ford plan was still paying dividends. Blaney won the stage, with Keselowski right behind him. Jimmie Johnson had his rear folded by Ty Dillon at one point, but he was still running in the top 10. Same for Denny Hamlin, as an early pit for a loose wheel, came at the same time there was a debris caution. No harm, no foul. As for Junior, he was barely in our top 20 as a planned stop just before the end of the stage was waved off for some reason.

    Sixty laps remaining, and like magic, Junior was back among the top three. How? He was born to a wizard who did magical things at Talladega, just as his son has done throughout his career. Along with the Legacy were young guns, Blaney and Elliott. Of course, with that many laps to go on this track, it meant nothing as to what might happen by the time they reached the end. It was down to sticking on the lead lap and seeing what fate was willing to deliver.

    I said, “WHAT FATE WAS WILLING TO DELIVER.” Keselowski was not hearing much of anything due to a very intermittent radio that only worked on the front stretch. Under a caution caused by a bunch of also-rans at the back of the pack, they reached in to fix it. That left him starting just inside the top 30 with about 30 to go when they returned to green. Junior was sitting inside the top 15 in his final Talladega race.

    Fifteen. Interesting number. By the time this thing ended, that was all that was left running. With 17 to go, Martin Truex Jr. touched David Ragan, who collected Kurt Busch, and all hell broke loose. Johnson was toast, along with Kyle Busch and Stenhouse, while Kevin Harvick and Matt Kenseth both got roughed up. They were just getting started.

    With 11 laps remaining, Logano and Blaney touched, taking out Blaney, and roughing up Harvick even more, and more was yet to come. Down to six laps, our leaders were Daniel Suarez, Elliott, and Larson. Not for long. Suarez was leading up high when he came down in the corner but Elliott already had his nose there. Suarez got turned into Larson, then came back up to collect Elliott, and that ended the day for two of them while Larson was still able to continue, albeit with a ton of front-end damage.

    Finally, we were down to just four laps, 15 cars, with about eight having any shot of winning. On the start, it was Ryan Newman among the survivors up front, but with a pair remaining Keselowski took over and there he was to stay. Trevor Bayne was third, Logano fourth, with Aric Almirola in fifth. Hamlin and Earnhardt were next, followed by Kasey Kahne, Gray Gaulding, and Ragan to round out our top 10. It might not have thrilled so-called “race” fans, but if extreme sports lights your fire, the Alabama 500 got you all warm and toasty Sunday afternoon.

    Keselowski had a great day, and advances to the next round of the Chase, to join with Truex. Larson, Harvick, Hamlin, and Elliott are all fine, as long as they stay out of trouble in Kansas. Blaney and Johnson need to have good days, Kyle Busch and Kenseth will have to be even better, while Stenhouse and McMurray need to win to be in.

    On Sunday, the television ratings went against the grain and actually went up. Do not expect that to occur again next week. After the thrills and spills of what we just witnessed, it would be an understatement to say that Kansas will not exactly present anything like what was seen at Talladega. Then again, history tells us that might suit the likes of someone like Jimmie Johnson just fine.

  • The Final Word – Darlington, crowning NASCAR royalty long before Daytona’s son of a beach

    The Final Word – Darlington, crowning NASCAR royalty long before Daytona’s son of a beach

    There is no question that the popularity of NASCAR has dropped off significantly over the past decade. There is no question that it also became something of a fad the decade prior to that. It went from a regional sport with limited coverage to one with a national presence and everyone and his dog could answer “how bad have you got it.” Then the fad ended, and while a number of fans and the hoopla drifted away, you have to admit that it remains higher in the sport’s conscientiousness than it was before that.

    History and tradition. Often NASCAR sells it out for a corporate buck, but the Southern 500 was a race to win long before they went round and round at Daytona, Talladega, or all those generic races on cookie cutter 1.5-mile tracks across the country. It was the race a driver wanted to win. That legacy continued in Darlington, South Carolina on Sunday night at the track too tough to tame, the famed Lady in Black.

    Of course, we had the Chase situation to keep a look out for. Thirteen had won themselves in, with 20 more mathematically still having a shot at those final three berths. Once again, for everyone, it was a story of victory or nothing. Ryan Blaney has his win, and he had a part of the fence in the opening segment. Trevor Bayne and A.J. Allmendinger needed a win but wound up with each other to see their hopes go flying away in the wind. Clint Bowyer needed a win, but he needed his car to re-start as he stalled and went to the garage for the night. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. already had two wins to go with his new nose full of fence and his chances got terminated. As for Martin Truex Jr., he beat Kyle Larson by a hair at the line to take the opening stage. Of the leading eight coming into Darlington, only Stenhouse and Jimmie Johnson were outside the Top Ten after the opening round.

    Daniel Suarez needed a win, but when he got more than just a Darlington stripe, he reached the end of his hope rope in the second segment. Allmendinger was still running, and when he collected Matt DiBenedetto no amount of math was going to work for either of them on this night. The segment ended under caution, with Truex again taking it. His amount of bonus points pretty much gives him a free pass into the second round of the Chase. Once again, with the exception of Johnson and Stenhouse, six of our Top Eight in the standings were among our Top Ten to this point in Darlington. A Cinderella finish was not likely, but somebody was still to make history by winning the Southern 500. Who would it be?

    David Ragan needed a win but got a spin instead early in the final run. He was 25th, so not a threat to win. I would like to tell you how far back time wise or lap wise he was from the leader, but NBC did not bother to inform us of such trivial things as of yet. Not once. I am guessing they took the 1980’s theme for the night to heart and said to hell with the modern technology.

    Bitch and ye shall receive. At least for the final 40 percent of the race, they presented the intervals. That made me happy, but it told us that Danica Patrick was two laps down and out of it. I know, that came as a big surprise. Shortly after, the names of Michael McDowell, Chris Buescher, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be added to that list. If only Junior’s crew could add those lug nuts that appeared to be missing in post-race inspection.

    The winless seemed pretty likely to remain that way on Sunday night. It appeared it would be Denny Hamlin soaking in the suds, then he decided to spruce things up with a bit of drama. Under green, he missed the pits and had to go around, dropping him from first to 11th. Truex took advantage and returned to the front, but on much older tires than the guy he replaced. Time was not Marty’s friend. When one of his old worn moccasins went down, he slapped the wall, and with three laps to go Hamlin rode the fresher rubber to victory.

    For Denny, it was his second Southern 500 triumph and the 31st victory of his career. Truex, meanwhile, claimed the regular season title and the additional bonus points that earned him. As before, we were left with 13 drivers in on wins and three are in as long as one of 20 other boys and girl do not win this Saturday night at Richmond. Three past two-time winners remain winless this season, including Earnhardt and Bowyer, while Matt Kenseth would love to do it again if only to seal the deal.

    For the sixth season sponsored by Federated Auto Parts, the former Capital City 400 has been run since 1958. Richard Petty won the fall event seven times, Bobby Allison had a handful, with Darrell Waltrip and Rusty Wallace each with four apiece. Hamlin is the defending event champion and is just a win away from joining their number. Something tells me the name of the winner for the 60th running of this event might not come as a big surprise.

     

  • Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

    Darlington Southern 500 – Did You Know?

    DARLINGTON, S.C. — The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series heads to Darlington Raceway this Labor Day weekend for the Bojangles’ Southern 500. This is the third straight year of Darlington’s throwback campaign and this edition will focus on the 1985-89 era. There are 40 drivers on the entry list and, as of today, 32 will run retro paint schemes to honor the rich history of the sport.

    The tributes are as varied as the drivers. Did you know that three different Cup Series drivers will feature a salute to Dale Earnhardt? Earnhardt has nine Darlington victories, second only to David Pearson. Jeffrey Earnhardt’s No. 33 car will feature a green and white scheme that resembles the one his grandfather drove in the XFINITY Series in the 1980s. Austin Dillon’s No. 3 Chevy and Ryan Newman’s No. 31 will honor Earnhardt’s yellow and blue Wrangler scheme. This particular paint scheme is similar to the one Earnhardt drove in 1987 when he won his first Southern 500.

    Jamie McMurray will pay tribute to David Pearson, who leads all drivers with 10 Darlington wins, Brad Keselowski will honor Rusty Wallace’s 1994 “Midnight” paint scheme and Trevor Bayne’s car will represent the scheme that Mark Martin drove when he claimed the first Cup victory for Roush Fenway Racing at North Carolina Motor Speedway in 1989.

    Other drivers being honored includes Davey Allison (Corey LaJoie), Bobby Allison (Matt DiBenedetto) and Alan Kulwicki (Michael McDowell). Check out this preview of all the Darlington throwback paint schemes.

    Darlington Raceway’s throwback weekend pays homage to a tradition that began on Sept. 4, 1950, when they hosted NASCAR’s first 500-mile race. There were 75 drivers entered into the event but did you know that the race was won by Johnny Mantz? It was his first and only win in the Cup Series. There have been 113 Cup races at the 1.366-mile track and 49 different drivers have won.

    Martin Truex Jr. is the defending race winner and is one of only six active drivers who has visited Victory Lane at Darlington. Jimmie Johnson leads all drivers with three victories while Kevin Harvick (2014), Matt Kenseth (2013), Denny Hamlin (2010) and Kyle Busch (2008) have one win each. But did you know that the last 11 races have been won by 11 different drivers?

    With only two races remaining in the regular season, the Southern 500 should deliver a night to remember. Capture the Coors Light Pole Award and you’re one step closer to victory. The pole is the most proficient starting position at Darlington. It has produced 20 winners while 17 drivers have won from the second place starting position. But did you know that the deepest in the field that a race winner has started is 43rd? That driver was Johnny Mantz in the Darlington inaugural Cup Series race in 1950. Qualifying for this year’s Southern 500 will be held Saturday at 1:45 p.m. ET.

    Tune in this weekend for all the on-track action beginning with the first Cup Series practice Friday at 1 p.m. ET followed by the final practice at 3:30 p.m. The Southern 500 closes out the weekend Sunday at 6 p.m. on NBCSN.

    Follow @angiecampbell_ for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.

     

  • Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

    Hot 20 – A Southern night with the lady in black at Darlington

    With the Southern 500 coming our way from Darlington this weekend, it seems like a good time to talk about tradition. The first one in the books was back in 1950, making it the oldest of the sport’s iconic events. Most of the time, it goes to someone who is in or will be in, the Hall of Fame. That number will only grow once Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson get in, along with a few other contenders I can think of.

    Bill Elliott won it three times. Gordon has six. Next year, the current driver of the No. 24 moves over to take over the No. 9 once driven by his daddy. Chase Elliott has the name and soon will have the number. William Byron takes over the former Gordonmobile.

    Ray Evernham never drove the race, but he was the man on the stand for four of Gordon’s victories. The soon to be Hall of Famer joins fellow inductees Ron Hornaday Jr., Ken Squier and Robert Yates as the event’s Grand Marshals.

    We hear that the No. 5 is about to go into mothballs, considering the No. 24, No. 48, and the No. 88 will soon be joined by the No. 9 in the stable of cars owned by Rick Hendrick. While Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s daddy won the race three times, this is the son’s last shot at claiming his first. An Earnhardt has appeared in Cup action every season since 1975. We might even see a cameo by the legacy of the legend next season, wife permitting. However, even if that was not the case, we could still have nephew Jeffery Earnhardt in the running.

    By the way, the Earnhardt NASCAR legacy at its highest division actually started on November 11, 1956 when Ralph Earnhardt finished second to Speedy Thompson in his Grand National debut at Hickory Speedway. Dale’s dad ran 51 races at the sport’s highest level. In fact, he finished ninth in the 1961 Southern 500.

    Tradition. Thanks to NASCAR’s capitulation to selling out its naming rights to corporate sponsors, we have few iconic stand alone events left. Talladega and Bristol are iconic tracks, but neither has a traditional branded event. If you are selective as to what races you win, there is the winter race in Daytona, the May contest in Charlotte, the summer run at Indianapolis, and Labor Day at Darlington.

    Win this Sunday’s Southern 500, and you will be remembered. Win your first of the season, and you will be rewarded with a place in the Chase.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 4 WINS (951 Pts)
    Tamed the track to tough to tame a year ago, but will she be a lady this year?

    2. KYLE LARSON – 3 WINS (845 Pts)
    Coming off a win and another Top Ten in his last two, I think the lad is doing alright.

    3. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (628 Pts)
    This week saw Genevieve’s first day of Grade One. That is a big deal.

    4. KYLE BUSCH – 2 WINS (850 Pts)
    We need some love ‘em or hate ‘em guys out there. He sure in hell is not colorless.

    5. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (728 Pts)
    Then, there are some you just hate. I am hoping Momma Kay might disagree.

    6. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (528 Pts)
    Life is not always a day at the beach…but sometimes it is.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (824 Pts)
    His idea of a wild card race to determine the last Chase spot is a good one. We call it Richmond.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (753 Pts)
    Intentionally slow leaving pit road and you risk being sent to the back. Problem solved.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (623 Pts)
    One of next season’s sponsors will be Menards. Take that, Paul!

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (586 Pts)
    After a Daytona 500 and a Brickyard 400, another jewel would appear to be in order.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (574 Pts)
    Newman and Dillon will sport autos that will remind us of a certain Wrangler of the 1980s.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (451 Pts)
    Sometimes when Hendrick makes an announcement, it is good news. Sometimes, it is not.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
    When it comes to throwbacks, I still love the black Goodwrench…no offense Wrangler.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 711 POINTS
    Nothing can be finer than driving the number niner.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 703 POINTS
    Two ex-champs, one quality ride left. Does either get the chair when the music stops?

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 700 POINTS
    Seven wins at Charlotte, Daytona, Indianapolis, and Talladega. Why not one at Darlington?

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 642 POINTS
    Would he wreck a rival to make the Chase? Maybe, if he was running second.

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 583 POINTS (1 Win)
    Thought he had a plan to get into the Chase, but the President pardoned Sheriff Joe instead.

    19. ERIK JONES – 574 POINTS
    Pocono (eighth), Watkins Glen (10th), Michigan (third), Bristol (second). His stock is rising.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 537 POINTS
    Whatever happens to the guy who fails to tighten a lug nut that costs his crew chief $10,000?

    The rest of the contenders

    21. TREVOR BAYNE – 470 POINTS
    22. DALE EARNHARDT JR. – 416 POINTS
    23. PAUL MENARD – 408 POINTS
    24. TY DILLON – 395 POINTS
    25. CHRIS BUESCHER – 387 POINTS
    26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 381 POINTS
    27. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 378 POINTS
    28. DANICA PATRICK – 352 POINTS
    29. DAVID RAGAN – 303 POINTS
    30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 268 POINTS
    31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 264 POINTS
    32. COLE WHITT – 241 POINTS
    33. LANDON CASSILL – 241 POINTS

     

     

  • Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Hot 20 – Barring the unexpected, the Pure Michigan 400 could be just another race

    Now we know why they call it Silly Season. 16 drivers will make the Chase, and we already know that three who have done well enough thus far this season may not have done well enough to save their rides for next.

    Kurt Busch won the Daytona 500, but Stewart-Haas has not yet picked up his option for next season. Even he does not know if they will or won’t. Kasey Kahne claimed Indianapolis, but Rick Hendrick will be replacing him with young William Byron next year. Matt Kenseth holds down the final place for the moment, but Joe Gibbs is bringing Erik Jones back to the mother ship to take that ride.

    Usually we are interested in the winners. This week, other than for Joey Logano, past winners mean nothing. A new winner, or Logano, could really have an impact on who makes it and who might not. Wins have all but locked up 13 positions. Chase Elliott, Jamie McMurray, and Kenseth hold down the next three, separated by just 11 points. Three positions, three drivers. Good for them, unless someone behind them in the standings wins and turns this into a game of musical chairs, with one of those chairs removed.

    Anyone within the top 33 in the rankings still has a mathematical shot. Even Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury but remains within the Top 30 and thus eligible for the free pass a non-encumbered win would give him. Matt DiBenedetto, Cole Whitt, and Landon Cassill are close enough that an unlikely win could spring them into eligibility.

    Michigan might not be the most exciting venue to watch a race, but the result could be very interesting.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX, JR – 4 WINS (881 Pts)
    Truex and girlfriend Sherry Pollex have given us the season’s most compelling story.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (574 Pts)
    The King, the Intimidator, and Jimmie…all seven time champions.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (759 Pts)
    After back-to-back runner up finishes, has been outside the Top 20 in his last three attempts.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (681 Pts)
    Left a nice note to Truex for the win. Not sure if he left a nice note to Rowdy after the bus stop.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE, JR. – 2 WINS (486 Pts)
    Nobody is talking about his sponsorship disappearing and, this season, that is saying something.

    6. KYLE BUSCH – 1 WIN (765 Pts)
    M&M’s are good. Any sponsor sticking around is very, very good.

    7. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (746 Pts)
    Figures some of NASCAR’s problems stem from its most popular not being its most successful.

    8. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (687 Pts)
    As of mid-Wednesday afternoon, we were still waiting.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (565 Pts)
    Moving from Wood Brothers to Penske, and the world is his oyster.

    10. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (528 Pts)
    Not everyone has such a smooth transition going from this year to next.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (503 Pts)
    Ryan should know what that is like.

    12. KASEY KAHNE – 1 WIN (437 Pts)
    Despite Indianapolis, his future in the Cup series could depend on what he does to November.

    13. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (406 Pts)
    Meanwhile, some others have job security.

    14. CHASE ELLIOTT – 648 POINTS
    With the exception of a seven-time champion, Hendrick turns it all over to the kids in 2018.

    15. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 643 POINTS
    Has finished in the Top Twenty is all but three. In this race, Jamie has become the turtle.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 637 POINTS
    If he gets the results, others do not get the wins, all he would need is a damn ride for next season.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 609 POINTS
    Clint is not wishing Chase, Jamie, or Matt any ill fortune…but if it happens…

    18. JOEY LOGANO – 542 POINTS (1 Win)
    You could say that encumbered win is something of an encumberment.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 508 POINTS
    Third last week means nothing, but could it be a harbinger of what is to come?

    20. ERIK JONES – 477 POINTS
    Crew Chief Chris Gale gets two race vacation, but $50,000 fine might keep him close to home.

    Then we have the Not So Hot, all who can be in with a win…

    21. TREVOR BAYNE – 408 POINTS
    22. PAUL MENARD – 383 POINTS
    23. DALE EARNHARDT, JR. – 379 POINTS
    24. TY DILLON – 378 POINTS
    25. MICHAEL MCDOWELL – 351 POINTS
    26. A.J. ALLMENDINGER – 349 POINTS
    27. CHRIS BUESCHER – 346 POINTS
    28. DANICA PATRICK – 325 POINTS
    29. DAVID RAGAN – 276 POINTS
    30. ARIC ALMIROLA – 242 POINTS
    31. MATT DIBENEDETTO – 242 POINTS
    32. COLE WHITT – 229 POINTS
    33. LANDON CASSILL – 227 POINTS

     

  • The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    The Final Word – Indianapolis had a wild conclusion, and thanks to YouTube I can talk about it

    It rained. TSN (Canada) pulled out, and the channel I was recording the race on abandoned the effort, presenting instead a few toss away programs. Well, to be fair, I did state before that I do not get all that excited about Indianapolis, and it would seem TSN took my comments to heart. On Sunday, they made like the NASCAR Nazi…and no race for me. I guess I could have watched some soccer but, as most folks know, soccer is not really a sport. Not like poker is, anyway.

    So, my Indianapolis experience was 12 laps. Then the rain. Pretty exciting stuff. Of course, for those blessed enough to watch the action, things got a tad more exciting later. Much, much later. So, I missed it when Chase Elliott blew up on the 43rd lap. I missed lap 76 when Dale Earnhardt Jr., son of the Intimidator, slammed into a hesitator in front of him, taking out his radiator.

    I also did not see, with 50 to go on a restart, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. fighting for the lead. When Truex broke loose, they were both fighting for their favorite tow-truck operator, as they slammed into the fence. Take a rest, lads.

    With 10 to go, Clint Bowyer broke loose, clipped Erik Jones, then destroyed Kurt Busch on his way twirling on down the track like an out of control kid’s toy. Goodbye boys.

    With six to go, Kyle Larson grazed the inside wall then went across to the outside to put his beast to bed. TSN…you are jerks.

    That required a restart with two to go. Jimmie Johnson was smoking. He got up to the lead, and then the engine expired. Johnson hit the wall, and we were off to overtime.

    So, with two to go, again, Trevor Bayne got turned as they went green, and everything turned red for him, Austin Dillon and Ryan Blaney. Something tells me that if I could only have been able to record the final 12 laps, not the opening dozen, I would have been a satisfied fellow.

    They tried to get it finished one more time, with Brad Keselowski in front, with Kasey Kahne beside him on the inside. Wrong lane decision for Brad. In the first turn, Kahne got by, cleared his rival, and he was gone. Okay, he was gone far enough and soon enough when Denny Hamlin’s smoker dived to the wall, and the caution came out just late enough for the leader to have hit the overtime line.

    Kahne wins. Kahne wins for the first time since Atlanta in 2014. Kahne heads to the Chase. Kahne might have just saved his ride for 2018. A great result for him, not so great for a few others.

    “Ron,” you might be saying, “you seem to know a hell of a lot for a guy who did not get to watch the race.” You would be right, but a series of much-appreciated highlights are made available to scribes like me to take another look at the action on a service available only to a privileged few. I like to call it, YouTube.

    It was a good points day for some, such as Kahne, Joey Logano (fourth), Matt Kenseth (fifth), and Kevin Harvick (sixth), but it was not so hot for Elliott in 39th. Finishing in the second half of the field of 40 we had Dillon, Jones, Johnson, Bowyer, and Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    When it comes to the Chase, Kahne moves in, leaving just four positions still up for grabs on points alone. Rowdy, Elliott, and Jamie McMurray are still solid. That leaves Bowyer just two points up on Kenseth, with the rest all needing a win to get in. A good points day for even Logano is no longer good enough. However, Aric Almirola, who missed seven races due to injury, is within two points of 30th place. That more than likely would make him eligible for the Chase if he can win one of the next six. He finished 13th on Sunday.

    Pocono is up next, and among the former winners there we have Junior, Kenseth, Logano, and Chris Buescher. One of those boys wins, and all of a sudden Bowyer experiences bad tidings, and McMurray becomes a lot more uncomfortable.

    I hope I get to watch it on television. If not…well, there is always YouTube.

  • Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    Hot 20 – Indianapolis is fine, but all things considered, I’d rather have been watching Eldora

    The most anticipated race of the week is not the one slated for Sunday in Indianapolis. Sure, the Brickyard has been around since 1909. Sure, it has been home to the Indianapolis 500 since 1911. Yes, it has hosted NASCAR’s Brickyard 400 since 1994, when Jeff Gordon won his first of five at the iconic track. It retains its brick finishing line, where every winner kneels down with his entire crew, along with some family members, to pucker up and lay a nice wet and dirty one in celebration.

    Now, if you want to get dirty, the truck race at Eldora Raceway in Rossburg, Ohio was the place to be. Dirt. No bricks, no pavement, nothing but slip sliding away dirt. You would think such a showcase would have been broadcast universally. It was not. Unless you had the Fox Business Network as part of your cable package, you were screwed.

    I wonder what Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine of Casablanca fame would have thought?

    Of all the tracks, in all the towns, in all the world, on all the television sets, that race could have been broadcast onto mine. We had our hopes. Canadians will always have Eldora, we thought. No. We lost it. We have to wait until Sunday when Cup action comes to us from Indianapolis. Damn. Well, here’s looking at you, kid, and our Hot 20 as they prepare to pound the bricks.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 3 WINS (758 Pts)
    Finishes sixth or better in seven of his last ten races…but those three he missed he missed big.

    2. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 3 WINS (552 Pts)
    Is Alex Bowman the guy to replace Junior next season? As far as Jimmie is concerned, he is.

    3. KYLE LARSON – 2 WINS (720 Pts)
    Starting from the rear allows him to give a friendly wave each and every one of his competitors.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2 WINS (564 Pts)
    NASCAR is shaking up leadership team, prompting a driver to change his name to Brad France.

    5. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2 WINS (441 Pts)
    Fewest points among those with 2 wins or more. I bet he feels just awful about that.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 1 WIN (639 Pts)
    It is hard to do play-by-play when Keelan’s hands are covering the toy cars.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 1 WIN (589 Pts)
    Nobody runs away from a grandfather clock but put a live 22-pound lobster in Denny’s hands…

    8. RYAN BLANEY – 1 WIN (486 Pts)
    Loudon was not good, but not really bad. It was just…Loudon.

    9. KURT BUSCH – 1 WIN (455 Pts)
    Another race, another few lugnuts loose, another $10,000 fine for another crew chief.

    10. RYAN NEWMAN – 1 WIN (428 Pts)
    When it comes to cycling with the boys, Ryan would rather be riding a moped.

    11. AUSTIN DILLON – 1 WIN (363 Pts)
    The fact he is actually 20th in points probably does not cause him any sleepless nights.

    12. KYLE BUSCH – 650 POINTS
    Damn stupid penalties, but Sunday it is Indy. Kyle always wins at Indy, doesn’t he?

    13. CHASE ELLIOTT – 587 POINTS
    It is untrue that Elliott has more points than there will be fans in the stands on Sunday. I hope.

    14. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 572 POINTS
    Jamie will appear in Friday’s hauler parade. Hoping fans will return the favor on the weekend.

    15. CLINT BOWYER – 526 POINTS
    As long as Logano does not win anytime soon, things are looking good.

    16. MATT KENSETH – 524 POINTS
    Sure, a win at Loudon would have been nice, but Logano’s disaster proved almost as helpful.

    17. JOEY LOGANO – 472 POINTS (1 Win)
    He needs another win to get in…and a hell of a lot better scriptwriter for the rest of this season.

    18. ERIK JONES – 427 POINTS
    Gibbs pays his salary, so he is leaving to join that crew next season. It might be a step down.

    19. DANIEL SUAREZ – 404 POINTS
    Has a pair of 6th place finishes to go with a trio of 7th place results. Now, it is time for a Top Five.

    20. TREVOR BAYNE – 369 POINTS
    The good news is that he leads Dillon by six points. The bad news is…