Hot 20

We have been watching our sports on television for decades. Baseball, football, basketball, and (for Canadians, at least) hockey coverage began in the 1950's. NASCAR did not arrive as part of the national television consciousness until much later.

Thanks. When I heard the news that you will be taking over the second half of the NASCAR season, beginning in 2015, I was thankful for what could be. We can only hope it is not a continuation of what I suspect will be coming our way this Sunday.

He is fourth in the standings, second on these charts, but Kevin Harvick is the epitome of hot right now as the boys and girl head to New Hampshire for Sunday. In the last ten events, the only race Happy failed to record a top ten finish was Talladega, where he crashed out early. In fact, had he finished 38th instead of 40th that day, he still would have managed to be our hot man.

In recent weeks I have run across articles by some scribes offering up alternative vocations for Kyle Petty, other than his present announcing gig. I ask those folks one simple question, "Are you nuts?" Where are those same brains when it comes to Rusty Wallace and Dale Jarrett, who will soon be blessing us with their verbal skills later this month?

It has been since forever since Bobby Labonte had made this list. In fact, to include him, we would have to talk about the Hot 30, which would truly be a misnomer if I ever heard one. After blowing up on the opening lap at Sonoma, he even slipped a spot to sit one position and 21 points behind Danica Patrick over the past ten events. Labonte has been able to pick up just 15.2 points per race over the term. In short, his season sucks.

I like Kurt Busch. There, I said it. Do not get me wrong. The Kurt Busch who mouthed off and got punched in the head by Jimmy Spencer, he I did not much care for. The Robo-Kurt, who acted as phoney as a $3 bill, only to show his true colors by mouthing off a respected reporter like Dr. Jerry Punch a couple of years ago, I did not much care for that jackass either.

Last Sunday at Pocono, Jason Leffler finished last in his only Cup start of the season and the 73rd of his career. It proved to be his last, as he died during a dirt track race Wednesday in New Jersey. The native of Long Beach, California competed in both the Indianapolis 500 and the Daytona 500 over the course of his career, with wins coming in the Nationwide and Craftsman series of NASCAR.

Pocono is where those with the big boy (and girl) pants run this Sunday, though Joey Logano got his hands on a plane. He will be flying off seeking his second straight Nationwide win Saturday, this time in Iowa.

My sons enjoy a television program called "The Big Bang Theory." They tell me it is pretty funny. NASCAR has its own version of the Big Bang Theory, but it is not near as amusing for those involved. At Charlotte last week, Kyle Busch drove into a dangling rope, and BANG, he needed repairs. Later, both he and Dale Earnhardt Jr had engines that went BANG on the same lap, and those parts were not going to get put back together.

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. Between them these active former champions have already claimed a dozen Cup crowns and 187 race victories. One day, hopefully a good number of years from now, this trio will gain entry into the Hall of Fame on their first attempt. Just as Maurice Petty and Dale Jarrett experienced this week.