Testing SpeedwayMedia.com

Tag: William Byron

  • 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 Final Word – Sometimes the dawn of a new season is an exciting time, sometimes it is 2018

    The Final Word – Sometimes the dawn of a new season is an exciting time, sometimes it is 2018

    A new season has dawned, the engines roared back to life, and the Clash delivered a…well…a modicum of excitement. If you are a Brad Keselowski fan, it was one hell of a race. If you like Jamie McMurray, it kind of sucked. If you were looking for diving and dashing for the opening, Chase Elliott gave us one or two moments. If you wanted to sit on the edge of your seat, share the chair. This was not one for the ages, I am afraid.

    If you were seeking to calm those who are heading for the exits or entice those who never were with you in the first place, I do not see how either mission was accomplished. Drop me a line and tell me where I am going wrong. Tell me how Sunday’s action kept you riveted. I am at a loss, to be honest.

    As for Thursday’s duels, they are now two 20-car races with nothing on the line. 40 entries for 40 spots for the most iconic race of them all. That does not bode well for Las Vegas, Phoenix, or California when they swing west after the visit to Atlanta. How many have grown up yearning to be the next Pennzoil 400 presented by Jiffy Lube champion, or the master of the TicketGuardian 500, and let us not forget about the Auto Club 400? No one, that is who.

    Usually, my pessimism is in check at least through to May. Usually. On the bright side, when the points start counting next Sunday, I will be glued to the tube once again. I wonder how Martin Truex Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and even Clint Bowyer will do. I am looking forward to seeing how Elliott, Ryan Blaney, Kyle Larson, Bubba Wallace, and William Byron will perform. Let us not forget about Erik Jones. Veterans and young pups on the biggest opening act stage in all of sports. The Daytona 500 means something, and I am looking forward to watching the action unfold.

    Atlanta’s Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 might be fine. Since Kentucky ran off with its original spring date, this is a one and done deal for the good folks in Georgia. I guess there is something traditional about this event, and the corporate splash does have some patriotism mixed in.

    Then they head west. Maybe by then, the storylines will be interesting. Somebody might shine brightly to start the season, some might be hurting early, a kid might do things a kid is not expected to do. Something, anything, to entice us to watch the multi-colored autos with the big numbers on their roofs roar around and around and around.

    That is in the future. The Clash is behind us, the Duels provide something for Thursday afternoon, while Sunday is the one we have been waiting for. Even me. A new season has dawned, and a new Daytona 500 champion awaits his crowning…unless you believe Danica Patrick has a Cinderella story of her own in the offing. Now I’m just being silly.

  • Byron Fastest in Second Practice at Daytona

    Byron Fastest in Second Practice at Daytona

    William Byron topped the chart in second Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. The driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet with a time of 44.625 and a speed of 201.681 mph.

    With less than 13 minutes in the second of five practice sessions for the 60th running of the Daytona 500, the lead went back and forth between Byron and Kevin Harvick. Both drivers were part of a 12-car pack.

    Byron took the lead from Denny Hamlin, who took it from Danica Patrick.

    Taking to the track as part of a six-car pack, along with Denny Hamlin, Daniel Suarez, Brendan Gaughan, DJ Kennington and Ty Dillon, she hopped to the top of the leaderboard with roughly 30 minutes to go in the second of five practice sessions for the 60th running of the Daytona 500.

    It ended 20 minutes of single-car runs.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr. finished the session second, with a time of 44.632 and a speed of 201.649 mph. Joey Logano was third with a time of 44.641 and a speed of 201.608 mph. Hamlin was fourth with a time of 44.673 and a speed of 201.464 mph. David Ragan rounded out the top-five with a time of 44.764 and a speed of 201.054 mph.

    Paul Menard, Trevor Bayne, Daniel Suarez, Ryan Blaney and Michael McDowell rounded out the top-10.

    First Practice Results

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/01dis2018prac2.pdf”]

  • The Final Word – Why I will be watching NASCAR again in 2018

    The Final Word – Why I will be watching NASCAR again in 2018

    NASCAR can really tick me off, and the use of “tick” was not my first choice. Yet, every year I seem to get that itch, one that I had already scratched raw the year before, and every year I return. Why? Well, there seem to be a few things about NASCAR that I really, really like as well.

    Daytona. Talladega. Bristol. Sonoma. Darlington. Charlotte (oval and roval). If I were to reduce my interest in NASCAR to just those tracks that pretty much guarantee me something worth watching, these would be it. Ten events. I do love those races just for the entertainment value alone. Daytona is first, which suckers me in every year.

    Chase Elliott. Erik Jones. William Byron. Kyle Larson. Bubba Wallace. Ryan Blaney. The kids. The next generation of stars. Elliott and Larson have already arrived, while it should be fun watching the others rise in the ranks. Some already have shown star power that might make fans give a damn, while here is hoping the others combine talent and personality to do the same.

    Jimmie Johnson. Martin Truex Jr. Kevin Harvick. Kyle Busch. Jamie McMurray. The old farts. If one figures 42 to be old, which I do not. Johnson is a legend, the others are champions. Okay, maybe not McMurray, but despite just seven wins in 546 races, the guy comes across as a decent fellow, and we can always use more decent fellows in this world.

    NBC. I am shocked, too. I thought I would go with FOX, which is usually the case, but I have long since filled my quota of “boogity-boogity-boogity.” Jeff Gordon is one of NASCAR’s greatest drivers but, while thankfully he is no Rusty Wallace, he becomes just white noise after a while. No, I find myself looking forward to NBC for one reason. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s inclusion would have been far-fetched not so long ago, but have you listened to him? He might not be the most polished speaker ever to grace a microphone, but when he opens his mouth something interesting always seems to come out of it. I want to hear what he has to say in his new role. If he and his former crew chief Steve Letarte can deliver on the chemistry front, all the better.

    How will the reduced pit crews perform this season, and might they affect the outcome of a race? Maybe NASCAR has finally fixed the problem where one can not just catch the leader, but pass him.  Maybe, but probably not. But you can always check out sports betting canada and see the odds.  Maybe some extra fans might start trickling in. That is on NASCAR to produce entertaining events on track and in the announce booth. How have they done recently?

    A new season, new optimism, renewed hope. That is why I continue to watch NASCAR. Now, let the bitching begin.

  • Jimmie Johnson Looks Forward to 2018, Loves His Young Team, and Won’t buy the Panthers

    Jimmie Johnson Looks Forward to 2018, Loves His Young Team, and Won’t buy the Panthers

    CHARLOTTE, NC – Seven-Time NASCAR Cup champion Jimmie Johnson faces having a new race car (the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1) and a changing Hendrick Motorsports organization. As the seasoned and senior driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, a leadership role emerges, even if last year’s performance was not up to the team’s usual standards. He talked with the press at the annual Charlotte Media Tour being held this week in Charlotte.

    “I went from the young gun. Every time I’d see my name written, it was Rookie Jimmie Johnson,” he said. “Now I’m grandpa. It’s gone fast.”

    Many have looked for reasons why the so-called Super Team didn’t do as well or win as many races as many thought they would. Jimmie’s theory comes down to execution.

    “For us, last year I think we had the right approach entering the season. We just, unfortunately, couldn’t execute like we needed to. This year with all the changes going on internally at Hendrick Motorsports, the debut of the new Camaro for us, I think we’re going to have a better product. I know we’re going to have a better product on the racetrack,” Johnson said.

    “In order to capitalize on all those points, you’ve got to start towards the front. I’ve made a great career out of winning from deep in the field or the back. But the way these points work, that’s just not the case. We need to qualify better.

    We definitely tried last year. Just, unfortunately, couldn’t get there. I feel that this year we’ll have a better product. I should be able to start closer to the front and make that a lot easier.”

    Johnson’s teammates, William Byron, Alex Bowman, and Chase Elliott are close to half his age, but with youth comes enthusiasm, and that’s a trait the “grandpas” have a rough time generating. It’s in good supply at HMS and Johnson thinks that is a valuable thing. He hasn’t given up hope on that eighth championship, either.

    “Enthusiasm? Without a doubt. That fresh blood brings great excitement and it also brings just a different vantage point,” Johnson explained. “When you look at William, for the longest time, like using our simulator, I watch something happen with another driver, that’s just a gaming way to go about it, you can’t do that in the real world. Well, it’s starting to happen in the real world. That new vantage point is really helpful.”

    A new body style car throws a curve at any organization, but Johnson sees the work paying off in the new season. He explains.

    “The effort has been massive to get this right and be as good as we can be,” Johnson said. “But with testing being so minimal, for myself, there’s going to be an adaptation period. I need to understand the side force, how hard I can lean on it. You climb out of the gas, with less downforce, how much it slows down. Trying to find the sweet spot with the car, some minor handling characteristics that go with it.

    “Atlanta, it’s such an abrasive track, and the drivers’ style, so many other things play into the performance there, I think we’ll get a flavor of where we sit. Once we get to the West Coast swing, I think that will really tell us where we sit.”

    Will he buy the Carolina Panthers, the NFL team that is for sale in Charlotte?

    “No, my pockets aren’t that deep. I don’t think they can look at me.”

  • 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.

  • Byron Out-Races Sadler in Waning Laps to Win XFINITY Title at Homestead

    Byron Out-Races Sadler in Waning Laps to Win XFINITY Title at Homestead

    Exactly one year ago, William Byron stood in victory lane at Homestead-Miami Speedway, having won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season-finale the week after his title hopes went up in smoke with his engine. Today, a week after he punched his ticket with a victory in the Arizona desert, he dueled it out with JR Motorsports teammate Elliott Sadler in the final laps of the 2017 NASCAR XFINITY Series season to claim the championship in his name.

    Both drivers hit pit road to make their final stop of the Ford EcoBoost 300 on Lap 145, and Sadler exited in front of Byron. Byron caught and passed him going into Turn 1 on Lap 149 to take over the championship lead.

    With 38 laps to go, when Sadler got loose in Turn 3 and sent Byron towards the wall. Whether he made contact with it can’t be determined. Eventually, Sadler passed him going into Turn 1 to take the lead in the championship fight.

    Byron caught back up to Sadler with 24 to go, thanks to lap traffic, but couldn’t make the pass, thanks to making contact with the wall in Turn 4 with 22 to go.

    “He was really good on the long run,” Byron said of his battle with Sadler. “We weren’t as good on the long run, but we had massive short-run speed.”

    He finally caught and passed Sadler in Turn 3 with nine to go, after Sadler failed to complete a pass on Ryan Preece.

    In an act of desperation, Sadler turned Preece in Turn 4 with five to go. But the race remained green and Byron drove on to a third-place finish, clinching the 2017 XFINITY Series championship.

    “Just thankful for God giving me this opportunity and everyone around me to get me to this point. This is incredible and very thankful for everyone that’s supported me along the way.

    “I went to Martinsville (Speedway) when I was seven years old, watching the 48 car (Jimmie Johnson) win the race, and dreamed about running for Mr. (Rick) Hendrick and I got that opportunity with Dale (Earnhardt) Jr. when I was 16 years old, and it just took off from there. Can’t not believe all the people around me that’ve helped made this happen, and thankful for this team. That’s what made it happen.”

    After the race, Sadler quickly got out of his car to confront Preece and two XFINITY Series officials had to restrain him from doing anything other than yell.

    “Well he cost us a championship, but he’s not even racing anybody,” Sadler said. If he wasn’t slowing us down, the 9 (Byron) never would have gotten to us. If you’re going to race people like that in this sport, you’re not going to make it very far. You gotta have respect. It’s definitely a shame to be that close and not pull it off. I just appreciate my race team. I let them down tonight. I should’ve took care of business when I got to Ryan.

    “It was definitely a letdown to lose one like this.”

    Preece responded to Elliott’s “he’s not racing anybody” claim with the fact that he was “hired to race this race for the owner championship.”

    “We weren’t anywhere near the 22 (Sam Hornish Jr.), but we were racing the 9 (Byron),” Preece said. “It’s pretty much what I said. If it was the 7 (Justin Allgaier) and the 1 (Elliott Sadler) or anyone else that wasn’t in for that owner championship, probably, I definitely would have just laid right over. I’ve been an Elliott Sadler fan growing up, so if I wanted somebody to win that owner championship, or driver championship, it would have been him. Just, I can’t not listen to my owner. I can’t not listen to my, the guy who’s paying you in the end, so it’s just a tough deal. It’s crappy in the end – but I hate controversy.”

    As for the “move” he made on Sadler…

    “With what move? I was ahead of him,” he said. “If anything – if there was no contact, I was going to let him go that corner. I pulled down in the middle, not running the top because I was letting him go. I mean, I don’t know. The only thing I could’ve done different was realistically gave up second in the owner championship and finished third. You know, hindsight 20/20, we ended up there because of what happened, but I also – as soon as the 9 got me, I was going to let him go. I don’t know much more that I could really do, other than, than lay over on Joe (Gibbs) and Steve (deSouza, EVP of XFINITY and Development for Joe Gibbs Racing). If they came over the radio and said ‘hey, give up second in the owner championship and let these guys race,’ I would’ve done it. I’m just – team orders. I’m not afraid to lay over if it means – but just doing what I’m told.”

    And as for what Preece could’ve done different…

    “To be honest with you, if there’s a person you don’t want to cost a championship to it’s Elliott Sadler,” he added. “You know, I’m just trying to do team orders here. I was racing for an owner championship. Yeah, we weren’t racing for the win right there, but we were still racing the 9. I got to thank Joe Gibbs for giving me this opportunity, Safelite Auto Glass, Toyota, everybody involved there. It felt – just, you know it’s not where I want to be right there, but obviously I hate it, but can’t take it back.”

  • Byron Punches Title Ticket with Win at Phoenix

    Byron Punches Title Ticket with Win at Phoenix

    Despite a last-minute rag-tag pit crew, due to extraneous circumstances, William Byron took advantage of a late caution to exit pit road ahead of the dominant driver of the race and drove on to win the NASCAR XFINITY Series Ticket Galaxy 200 at Phoenix Raceway.

    The day for JR Motorsports hit a potential speed bump when news broke that the charter plane carrying Hendrick Motorsports’ Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series pit crews, who also pit the JRM cars, made an emergency landing in Little Rock, Arkansas due to electric problems. HMS dispatched a plane from Phoenix to pickup the crew in Arkansas, but the six-hour round trip meant the crew wouldn’t make it in time.

    While the makeshift crews the three JRM Playoff teams used lost some spots on pit road throughout the day, they got Byron, who took just right-side tires and fuel, out first.

    “We grinded all day. Great job by this team to make that pit call by Dave (Elenz). It’s awesome man. We’re ready to go to Homestead.”

    On the final restart with 13 to go, he set sail going into Turn 1 and drove on to his fourth career victory in 32 XFINITY Series starts.

    Ryan Blaney finished second and Erik Jones rounded out the podium.

    Christopher Bell and Daniel Hemric rounded out the top-five.

    Blake Koch, Cole Custer, Alex Bowman, Austin Dillon and Justin Allgaier rounded out the top-10.

    RACE SUMMARY

    Jones led the field to green at 3:47 p.m. and led the first 34 laps, before Blaney drove under him in Turn 4 and edged him out at the line to take the lead on Lap 35. Jones responded the following lap by powering right outside him exiting Turn 4 to retake the lead.

    Blaney took it for good on Lap 39 entering Turn 3 and drove on to win the first and second stages.

    Brendan Gaughan’s wreck with 20 laps to go setup the run to the finish.

    CAUTION SUMMATION

    Caution flew for the first time on the first lap when Gaughan got loose and spun out in Turn 4, as did Corey LaJoie (unrelated). Caution flew for the second time on Lap 24 when Caesar Bacarella made contact Brennan Poole and Poole veered up into the outside wall in Turn 1. The end of the first stage on Lap 60 brought out the third caution. The conclusion of the second stage brought out the fourth caution on Lap 120. The fifth and final caution flew when Guaghan got loose and slammed the outside wall on the exit of Turn 4.

    NUTS & BOLTS

    The race lasted one hour, 54 minutes and 33 seconds, at an average speed of 104.758 mph. There were four lead changes among three drivers and five cautions for 26 laps.

    Byron, Justin Allgaier, Elliott Sadler and Daniel Hemric advance to the Championship 4 round to race for the XFINITY Series championship next week at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/N1732_UNOFFRES.pdf”]

  • Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Hot 20 – As our attention shifts to the Windy City, the winds of change keep on a blowin’

    Change can be a good thing. Sometimes it is, but other times it is a simple reminder that we are getting older and, like disco, what was popular yesterday might not be tomorrow.

    This week, official confirmation arrived that Danica Patrick was leaving the Stewart-Haas No. 10. Coming in with the 2008 Indy Japan 300 to her credit, her model looks, that firecracker personality, she did have her detractors. Was she good enough, was she strong enough? Still, she had great support from fans and sponsors alike.

    Patrick already had set some standards for her gender. She was the first woman to lead the Indianapolis 500 and win an IndyCar race. She was that circuit’s Most Popular Driver for six year’s running. Then she moved over to the stock cars, moving full-time to Cup in 2013 where she immediately won a Daytona 500 pole, led the race, and finished 8th. It was her 11th career Cup start. Sadly, in the 169 races since there have been no more poles and just six more Top Tens. The results and then the sponsorship were no longer there to extend her contract with Stewart-Haas past this season.

    I will still wear my No. 88 cap, don my battered No. 8 T-shirt, even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be in contention for a title as he retires after this campaign. Be it this year, or next, someone else will be their Most Popular Diver other than the guy who has claimed the honor since 2003. From the time of his first Top Ten at Richmond 18 years ago, the loss of his father, his wins at Daytona and Talladega since, whether he wanted to be or not, Junior became the face of NASCAR. He was absolute magic through 2004, then gave us a resurgence in 2014 and 2015 when he chalked up his final seven victories. With a career total of 26 and his army of fans, he should eventually find his way to the Hall of Fame.

    Unlike Junior, Matt Kenseth won a championship, earned a spot in the Chase, but did not get the choice of whether to stay or not. With William Byron waiting in the wings, that decision was made for him. Kasey Kahne did not win a title, yet he is another man in the Chase with no ride set for 2018. Erik Jones comes into Rick Hendrick’s stable next year to move into the No. 4 as Chase Elliott gets the No. 9 and Kahne’s No. 5 gets moth balled.

    Kurt Busch has a title, a place in the Chase, but does he have a ride for next season? At the end of his contract with Stewart-Haas, he is still officially negotiating a new deal. If Monster Energy does not return as his sponsor, my guess is that he won’t return to that car. Having a sponsor trumps talent. Just ask Paul Menard.

    Then there is Richard Petty’s iconic No. 43. Smithfield Foods has moved its sponsorship to Stewart-Haas and the odds seem to be in favor of them taking Aric Almirola with them to sit behind the wheel. That leaves Petty Motorsports without a sponsor, a driver, and questions are arising as to whether it might be the end of an era.

    Carl Edwards might be back. He might not. Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart closed the book on their careers last year. That is a lot of top tier names gone or in limbo, representing a very sizeable number of fans who tuned in every week to cheer them on.

    In the immortal words of disco, their supporters are left pleading “Don’t Leave Me This Way” while NASCAR proclaims “I Will Survive” and the rest of us are left wondering “Where Do We Go From Here.”

    The answer to the last is…Chicago.

    1. MARTIN TRUEX JR. – 2053 PTS (4 Wins)
    Should Cope, Larson, and Hamlin decide you don’t get another win, you don’t.

    2. KYLE LARSON – 2033 PTS (4 Wins)
    Derrike Cope was a two-time winner in 1990 and helped make Larson a four-time winner this year.

    3. KYLE BUSCH – 2029 PTS (2 Wins)
    Visited Furniture Row in Denver. No doubt, Kyle is working for the Russians.

    4. BRAD KESELOWSKI – 2019 PTS (2 Wins)
    XFINITY series is not dead yet, as I hear Brad beat Kyle at Richmond. How bad have you got it?

    5. JIMMIE JOHNSON – 2017 PTS (3 Wins)
    Time to carry the freight in his bid for number eight.

    6. KEVIN HARVICK – 2015 PTS (1 Win)
    “Whether it’s Dale Jr., Danica, myself…people come and go.” I am afraid Harvick is right.

    7. DENNY HAMLIN – 2013 PTS (2 Wins)
    Now, that is how you perform a P.I.T. maneuver.

    8. RICKY STENHOUSE JR. – 2010 PTS (2 Wins)
    Picked the right time to have a breakout season.

    9. RYAN BLANEY – 2008 PTS (1 Win)
    Ten more races with the Wood Brothers before moving on over to the Penske people.

    10. CHASE ELLIOTT – 2006 PTS
    Maybe now is the time to consider getting that first career victory.

    11. RYAN NEWMAN – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Not exactly a stellar season but points wise he deserves to be in the running.

    12. KURT BUSCH – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    After the Daytona 500 he has been on cruise control, then they told him he could lose his lease.

    13. KASEY KAHNE – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    Like Kurt and Matt, it is more than just the Chase…but more like an audition for next season.

    14. AUSTIN DILLON – 2005 PTS (1 Win)
    His team owner has told him that he was loved and has a job for next year.

    15. MATT KENSETH – 2005 PTS
    Where is an ambulance when you do not need one?

    16. JAMIE MCMURRAY – 2003 PTS
    No wins, but he has run a hell of a lot better than his place in these standings would indicate.

    17. CLINT BOWYER – 664 PTS
    Two pit penalties and some repair work in a race he had to win to be in.

    18. ERIK JONES – 654 PTS
    With six straight Top Tens, Jones has just given us notice for 2018.

    19. JOEY LOGANO – 652 PTS (1 Win)
    Earned more points than four who made the Chase, but all he got from his win was a trophy.

    20. DANIEL SUAREZ – 568 PTS
    Behind him, you will find such names as Bayne, Earnhardt, Menard, Allmendinger, and Patrick.

     

  • Denny Hamlin Takes Lead on Final Restart to Win XFINITY Race at Darlington

    Denny Hamlin Takes Lead on Final Restart to Win XFINITY Race at Darlington

    DARLINGTON, S.C. —Denny Hamlin took the lead on the final restart, passing Joey Logano with a last lap inside crossover move to win the Sport Clips Haircuts VFW 200 Saturday at Darlington Raceway. It was his fifth XFINITY win at Darlington.

    “Just a really good restart, got through (Turns) 1 and 2 really good, just held it wide open through l and 2,” Hamlin said after the race, “great run by the 22 (Logano) getting back to me there on the last lap. I think that was a throwback to Dale Earnhardt there in Turns 3 and 4.”

    Logano led a race-high 58 laps in his No. 22 Ford and was disappointed with his second-place finish.

    “Obviously, second hurts, Logano said. We want to win every one of them and we just got out-motored. He went through the gear box and got position on me and off he went.  He had me at his right-rear quarter, which allowed him to stay wide open and clear me. I thought I had a run down the backstretch. He knew what I was thinking and I knew what he was thinking. I was just hoping that I got up to the wall and was able to rotate when I got there, but I just got tight when I got there.”

    Harvick was also a strong contender in the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 41 Ford, leading 54 laps during the race, but had to settle for third.

    ‘We had a great Hunt Brothers Ford,” he said, but “it just didn’t wind up working out there at the end. I wound up on the bottom and I kept my foot in it over there, got loose underneath the 20. We weren’t the strongest for five or 10 laps and that didn’t really work out with that short run there at the end and we got stuck on the bottom. We got loose and then we got freight-trained, but just a great car. It wound up being a great race and that’s all you can ask for.”

    Erik Jones scored fourth place with William Byron rounding out the top five finishers. Elliott Sadler remains the points leader with a 91 point advantage over second-place Byron.

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

     [pdf-embedder url=”http://www.speedwaymedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Darlington-NXS-results-N1724_UNOFFRES-1.pdf” title=”Darlington NXS results N1724_UNOFFRES”]