The Final Word – If You Only Caught the Final Forty at Chicago, it was one Heck of a Race
Forty laps. The action was exciting, the announcers sounded excited, it was NASCAR at its best in Chicago. For 40 laps.
Within those 40 laps, we saw Brad Keselowski shoot through the middle between the dueling Kyle Larson and Kevin Harvick to take the lead with sixteen to go. It was a great piece of racing, and once he was through he was gone. Two in a row, fifth of the season, and Keselowski earned himself a berth in the next round of the Chase.
Within those 40 laps, we saw a kid truly emerge as a star. Larson just missed the Chase, but the 22 year old did not miss an opportunity to show the big boys that he is and will be a force to be reckoned with. He led, he fought to keep the lead, and he challenged anyone who attempted to get by him, which helped allow Keselowski to disappear in front. If not for Larson, Harvick or Jeff Gordon might have had a chance to go after Keselowski, but the young man did not give them that chance. His first career Cup win still lies ahead of him, but it does not seem to be that far away.
Within those 40 laps, we saw Gordon come up from fourth to be in the mix at the end. He caught Harvick and then he battled the boy for that runner up spot. When Larson touched the wall with a couple to go, the veteran went by for good. Good racing, with the former champ even offering congratulations and a few words of advice to the newcomer when it was all over.
Within those 40 laps, we discovered that there are times couples should not touch, especially when using their fenders. Danica Patrick got by Tony Stewart, but when she slipped in front of boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. he touched her behind in an unappreciated fashion. Both needed repairs to run the final ten and neither finished inside the Top 15.
Within those 40 laps, we discovered who amongst the Chasers would be snake bit. Aric Almirola looked great, was up there running well within the Top Ten when his engine blew up. He finished 41st and already needs a win if he hopes to advance to the next round as a contender.
Within those 40 laps, Joey Logano benefited from some trash on the grill that really perked up his ride. Perked it to a fourth place finish, but it did not benefit his engine. That blew at the finish line, but those 40 points more than made up for it.
Within those 40 laps, Carl Edwards lost a left rear tire. That left him 20th when the day was done. No good, but not as bad as some, and still leaves him among the top dozen in the standings.
Not as bad as Almirola. Not as bad as Greg Biffle in 23rd. Not as bad as A.J. Allmendinger in 22. Not as bad as the first 227 laps of what had been yet another snore-fest on ESPN until the end. In fact, Edwards sits a point to the good amongst our Chasers, a point up on Ryan Newman.
Sunday, it is New Hampshire holding their fate. That should be welcome news for those who run well there. Among those who have average finishes of 12th or better we have Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Gordon, and Keselowski. Maybe we might see the kid once again up front. Larson finished third there in July in his only Cup start on the track.
Not all will be happy. Those who average outside the Top 15 at Loudon include Kasey Kahne and Logano, who after Chicago just need to avoid disaster this weekend. As for Biffle, Almirola, and A.J. Allmendinger, they will have to do more than that if they hope to advance on points. Then again, wins erase sins, so maybe, just maybe.
1 – Brad Keselowski – 1 Win – 2059 Points
2 – Jeff Gordon – 0 – 2051
3 – Joey Logano – 0 – 2049
4 – Kevin Harvick – 0 – 2047
5 – Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – 0 – 2042
6 – Jimmie Johnson – 0 – 2041
7 – Denny Hamlin – 0 – 2041
8 – Kyle Busch – 0 – 2041
9 – Kurt Busch – 0 – 2039
10 – Kasey Kahne – 0 – 2034
11 – Matt Kenseth – 0 – 2034
12 – Carl Edwards – 0 – 2030
13 – Ryan Newman – 0 – 2029
14 – A.J. Allmendinger – 0 – 2025
15 – Greg Biffle – 0 – 2021
16 – Aric Almirola – 0 – 2007
Rookie Kyle Larson Proves He Belongs in the Sprint Cup Series
When it was announced last year that Kyle Larson would replace Juan Pablo Montoya in the No. 42 Chip Ganassi Racing Chevrolet in the Sprint Cup Series in 2014, my first reaction was shock. It had nothing to do with Larson’s skill.
I saw him race at Rockingham Speedway in November 2012 when he won the K&N Pro Series East championship in his rookie year. He also won the Rookie of the Year title that same year. Only two other drivers in the series, Joey Logano and Ryan Truex, have won the championship in their rookie season. It was enough to make me sit up and take notice, and I wasn’t the only one.
Jeff Gordon spoke about Larson’s K&N championship, saying, “It’s extremely impressive to me. I think he came into it pretty late. To be able to win the K&N East Series against the talent that’s out there with the limited amount of experience that he has in a full-bodied stock car is extremely impressive and says a lot about his talent and skills.”
A few months later in April of the following year, again at Rockingham, Larson won his first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, in only five starts. As Gordon noted, what is most noteworthy about these accomplishments is that Larson comes from an open-wheel racing background.
And that is where the doubt crept in. Was Larson ready to tackle the Sprint Cup Series after only one full season in the Nationwide Series? We’ve seen other drivers who were arguably thrust into the Cup Series before they were ready with lackluster results.
Chip Ganassi had no such trepidation when he announced Larson as the new driver of the No. 42.
“We believe Kyle is the future of the sport,” Ganassi said. “He is a unique talent.”
He went on to say, “I’m sure there will be growing pains, but I think he’s ready. Some of those growing pains will come whenever his first year in the series is. But I think this is a good opportunity. My expectations and advice to him are keep the car on the track and run laps.”
As the season has progressed, I’m thrilled to say that at least in this particular situation, I was wrong.There have indeed been “growing pains” and it hasn’t always been pretty. Larson’s passion and determination to win sometimes causes him to push too hard and he has developed a love/hate relationship with the wall. Even with the miscues, he has managed to achieve six top-fives, 12 top-10s and one pole so far this season.
Luckily for Larson, Jeff Gordon has remained one of his most ardent supporters and seems willing to offer support and advice. Following today’s race, Gordon took a few moments to talk to Larson.
When asked what he said to the rookie, Gordon replied, “I’m a big fan. I like seeing young guys out there driving like that. That’s so much fun. That’s what this sport is all about. I just want to let him know what a great job I thought he did.”
Larson added that Gordon had also given him some advice on restarts but Gordon laughed and interrupted him to say, “Don’t tell them that part.”
After watching Larson race at Chicagoland Speedway, leading laps and battling for the win with the best drivers in the sport, one thing is clear. Chip Ganassi made the correct decision. And, thanks to his foresight, the fans get to go along for the ride as one of NASCAR’s future stars takes his first steps on that exhilarating journey.
Aric Almirola: “I have never been so heartbroken, ever.”
Coming into the Chase for the Sprint Cup, there were a pair of Cinderella stories. A pair of drivers who had made the Chase by getting a win when least expected to surprise the fans and critics alike. Those two drivers – A.J. Allmendinger and Aric Almirola.
With the Chase starting at Chicagoland Speedway, a lot of people believed that these two wouldn’t make any splashes and fail to make the cut off for the next round . Though partway through the race, some thoughts began to shift. Each bracket and playoffs – whether baseball, hockey or baseketball – features an upset, surprise and perhaps Almirola was set to become that driver.
Almirola has ran solidly in the teens all season with a couple top 10s, highlighted by the win at Daytona International Speedway in July to get him in the Chase. Based on those results, it was looking as though he’d run in the teens once again.
However, the improvement of Richard Petty Motorsports as an organization continues to be shown as Almirola broke into the top 10 at about the lap 170 mark and began to work his way up through the field, looking to possibly challenge for a top-five in the second half of the race. Whether it’s the research and development that RPM has done, the alliance with Roush-Fenway Racing or a bit of both, Almirola has steadily improved with each week this season and it showed on Sunday afternoon.
For one point this afternoon, there was belief that perhaps Almirola could keep the Cinderella story going and upset the bracket by making it to the second round, starting with a top 10 at Chicagoland. However, all those hopes were dashed with 36 laps to go when the No. 43 Ford went up in smoke.
“I have never been so heartbroken, ever,” Almirola said. “To be running that good in the first round of the Chase. The only thing we can’t do is have a big mistake – and we have. Doug Yates builds awesome motors and this is probably the first motor failure that we’ve had in the three years that I’ve been with this team.”
Rather than posting a top-10 finish, Almirola posted a finish of 41st and now sits as the 16th driver of the 16 heading into the second race of round one at New Hampshire. There is still a chance – mathematically – that Almirola could make it if he has a pair of good runs at New Hampshire and Dover and some others run into similar struggles. There’s also the “win and you’re in” theory that could play if Almirola could win either of those events. However, the odds don’t look in the Florida driver’s favor based on how he has ran to date this season.
Almirola admitted that his team will have a tough road ahead if they want to make it to the second round of the Chase. However, he says that they’re going to “buckle down and go after it.” If Almirola could pull it off, it’d certainly be the true Cinderella story and upset.
