Indianapolis delivers Gordon another missed opportunity as Chase nears
[media-credit name=”Dan Sanger” align=”alignright” width=”237″]
[/media-credit]Throw away the good luck charms. Forget the prayers. Stop the hoping and pleading. Everything Jeff Gordon and his fans have been doing the season’s first 20 races – and he admits to trying the good lucks charms which were sent to him – isn’t working.
It’s time to start looking for a miracle if he’s going to make this year’s Chase. The driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet is having a season he’s never experienced before. Statistically one of the worst in his career, realistically a nightmare as bad luck has been the only thing Gordon’s got going for him.
Sunday even a track that had crowned him a winner four times wasn’t too kind. Gordon finished fifth in the Crown Royal presents the Curtis Shaver 400 at the Brickyard in Indianapolis. Yet, just as could have been the case in Daytona, Martinsville, or Dover, Gordon didn’t have enough on his side.
“I’m pretty disappointed really,” he revealed afterwards. “It’s always nice to finish in the top five but at this point in the season, the way our season has gone with so many missed opportunities that we’ve had, I feel like it was a little bit of a missed opportunity today.
“We needed track position there at the end and we didn’t get it when it counted most and it cost us.”
It was a hard fought finish as it’s been all season for Gordon and his Alan Gustafson led team. They qualified ninth but hung around the top five all day. Mostly running in the tire tracks of dominant teammate Jimmie Johnson. Midway through the race it appeared Gordon was going to overtake Johnson and flex his muscle, but was never able to.
He did earn the lead during a round of green flag pit stops, yet found himself unable to run down the leaders and make a pass for the lead during the 160-lap event. He stayed with Johnson though, and did everything he could to make the best of the situation. Hoping something would give him the break he needed.
Gordon’s final pit stop took away any chance of that happening. A car he felt at one point was the one to beat, or at least was second to Johnson, wasn’t going to finish there. The team had a 15 second stop on pit road and lost their track position and a shot at clean air.
“I have no idea. I have to review it,” said Gordon of the stop. “The one thing about this pit road is that if you get a little behind, once you get up here, you’re way behind because they pull out in front of you and the next one pulls out in front of you and that’s what happened.
“We lost more than we should have but that wasn’t so bad. The worst thing was when you start on the outside lane; my car would just not go on that outside lane. And then they got all jumbled up and we lost even more spots. And then we had another caution on the outside lane again, so it just wasn’t out day.”
Just six races before the Chase starts Gordon can’t afford to have anymore days not go his way. It’s too late to fight for top 10s or claw out a top five, he needs wins and he’s yet to find Victory Lane in 2012.
And one win wouldn’t cut it either. In order to make the Chase from a wildcard position he needs to win a few races. Teammate Kasey Kahne currently sits in the first WC spot with two wins, Kyle Busch holds the second WC spot with one.
Gordon sits 15th in the standings but Sunday was just his third top five finish. The good news is that he’s won at each of the next six tracks leading to the Chase. That would be 23 times: five wins at Pocono, four at Watkins Glen, two at Michigan, five at Bristol, five at Atlanta and two at Richmond.
Gordon will need days like those to save his season. And he’ll need more cars like the one he drove on Sunday to make it happen.
“I was happy with the car. Other than the first run, I was happy with the car all day,” he said of his race. “We were a little bit too tight. We freed it up and from that point on, I thought we had the car to beat. We just never could quite get that track position and get close enough to that No. 48 [Johnson] to try to make a pass on him.
“But it was a good solid day for us. You know I love this place.”
Johnson dominates the Brickyard, sights locked on 6th Sprint Cup title
Jimmie Johnson had an extremely confident look on his face during pre-race before Sunday afternoon’s running of the Brickyard 400. He went even as far to tweet on Saturday ” I can’t wait for tomorrow, Our car is awesome”. Jimmie Johnson proved beyond all doubt on Sunday afternoon how awesome that car was.
On a sun splashed afternoon in Indianapolis, Johnson and the No.48 team showed why without doubt they are the favorite to win their 6th NSCS championship. Denny Hamlin set the pace early on leading the first 27 laps in which time Johnson went from 6th to 2nd and then took the lead after a pit stop. He only relinquished it during pit stops. Johnson led 99 of the 160 laps and beat 2nd place Kyle Busch by 4.7 seconds to secure his record tying 4th Brickyard win in a dominating fashion .
Johnson and the No.48 team are quietly putting together one of their best seasons in NASCAR since his rookie season in the series in 2002, posting 3 wins,10 top 5’s, and 15 top 10’s all which are series best. He also leads the series in laps led, with 912.
A look deeper inside the numbers tells why Johnson is the favorite heading into the chase. On non restrictor plate tracks in 2012, Jimmie’s numbers have been absolutely mind boggling. In 17 starts on the non plate tracks, he has 3 wins,10 top 5’s, and 15 top 10’s to go along with an average finish of 5.2 in those races which is the best in NSCS.
There are 6 races to go before the 12 driver cutoff for the Chase for the Sprint Cup and by all appearances the No.48 team is really starting to hit their stride. It wouldn’t surprise this guy if they put a couple of more wins on the board before the chase starts . It seems like they unload fast off the truck every weekend and they have the ultimate X factor in crew chief Chad Knaus calling the shots from the pit box. Today’s win should put the garage on notice that this is indeed the team to beat come chase time starting in Chicago in September.
The only thing standing in Jimmie’s way of a 6th cup series title is an October visit to Talladega. Where the plate tracks have been unkind to the No.48 team this season, but if they can navigate the treacherous close quarter racing at Talladega and come out of there with a top 10 and judging by the numbers this season on the rest of the chase tracks. NASCAR could have a very familiar face holding the trophy at the end of 400 miles at Homestead in November and that face is Jimmie Johnson. Right now I wouldn’t bet against him.
Joey Gase is Full-Throttle for Success
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[/media-credit]Age is only a number, Joey Gase started racing when he was eight and he set racing records by the time he was sixteen. Now at 19, Gase is competing against some of the best drivers in the sport in the Nationwide Series. Gase competes in a variety of racing leagues each season. He currently competes in the NASCAR K&N Series, part-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series driving the No.39 car and races at his hometown track of Hawkeye Downs Speedway. Gase is not yet a household name but if he continues the path he’s on, soon we’ll hear about Gase running up front and competing for wins in races.
Recently I was able to interview Joey Gase about where he started in racing, where he is now and where he’s going in the future.
What is your racing background?
“I’ve been around racing all my life, my dad raced long before I ever did. I started racing go karts when I was eight years old. When I turned fourteen I raced open wheel modified for a year; the next year I started racing late models. In 2009 I raced Crate Late Models at New Smyrna Speedway during World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing (Speed Weeks) and finished 5th in points. Later that same year I was the youngest (16) ever to win a track championship at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Late Models.”
“The following year I signed with SS Greenlight Racing as a development driver and raced in eight different series, PASS, Sunoco National Tour, NASCAR K&N, ARCA, USAR, ASA Midwest, ASA North, and Hawkeye Downs; Earning numerous wins, podiums, poles, and a track record. In 2011 raced in five different series, NASCAR Nationwide, USAR, NASCAR K&N, ASA Midwest, and Hawkeye Downs. I drove for Benny Gordon Racing in the USAR series earning two poles, setting two track records at New Smyrna Speedway and Rockingham Speedway, also earned a second place finish at the USAR race at New Smyrna. In the Nationwide Series I drove for Go Green Racing, had five different starts, one top twenty finish, and finished all five races. At Hawkeye Downs Speedway I had four wins with numerous top five’s. So far this year I have ten Nationwide Series starts thanks to Go Green Racing and Jimmy Means Racing with my best finish being 23rd. My next Nationwide Series start will be August 4th at Iowa Speedway with Go Green Racing. Also far this year at Hawkeye Downs Speedway I have two wins and five top five with five starts.”
Who was your racing role-model growing up?
“I had three big racing role models growing up, them being my dad, Rusty Wallace, and Kenny Schrader. My dad was a big role model for me because I was his biggest fan and got to watch him race every Friday. I was always a big Rusty Wallace fan; every weekend he expected to win and at the very least be up towards the front, I loved the will to win that he had. Kenny is a big role model to me because he just loves to race; it doesn’t matter if it’s a Sprint Cup or some race at a local dirt track. He has also raced at my local home track (Hawkeye Downs Speedway) many different times when I was younger so that automatically turned me into a Kenny Schrader fan.”
What is your best memory at the track?
“I don’t really know what my biggest memory would be right now, but the top ones would have to be getting fifth in points at New Smyrna Speedway during the World Series of Asphalt Stock Car Racing (Speed Weeks) in the Crate Late Models (2009), being the youngest (16) ever to win the track championship at Hawkeye Downs Speedway in Late Models (2009), (2011) My first Nationwide Series start at Iowa Speedway and finishing 20th.”
What was your first job in NASCAR?
“My first job in NASCAR was in 2010 at Iowa Speedway for the NASCAR K&N Series race. I drove for SS Greenlight Racing and finished 23rd. It was also the first ever race for me in a steal body stock car and live pit stops.”
What’s the hardest part about racing you’ve had to deal with?
“One of the hardest things I have had to deal with sometimes is, not being able to find a sponsor. Unfortunately it cost money to be able to go fast and most teams don’t have enough money to do races without help from sponsors. So a lot of times when you can’t find a sponsor you won’t be able to race. Not being able to race because you can’t find a sponsor is not a very good feeling. It’s something that most racers have to go through at least a few times in their career so I always try to keep my head up and keep on pushing.”
Would you like to compete in NASCAR full-time one day?
“I would love to race full time and compete for a championship in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and even one day the Cup Series. My goal is for next year to race full time in the Nationwide Series and finish in the top fifteen in points.”
Where do you see yourself in five years?
“In five years I hope I find myself competing for a NASCAR Nationwide Championship or racing full time in the Cup Series. If we can get a big enough sponsor I would even like starting up our own Nationwide team.”
What are your favorite things to do off the track?
“Off track I like to work on our own Late Models and Modified, go biking, swimming, and hanging out with friends. Also from time to time I and some of my buds go fish at some secret fishing spots we have.”
Do you like to hang out with other drivers off the track, if so who?
“I and Matt Frahm hang out when we can. I still live in Cedar Rapids, IA so most of the people I race against live back in North Carolina.”
Follow Joey on twitter at @JoeyGaseRacing and check out his website, joeygase.com.
The Last Word – Ten are in, 16 still with a shot as they head to Pocono
[media-credit name=”Adam Lovelace” align=”alignright” width=”237″]
[/media-credit]Jeff Gordon has four Cup championships, but Jimmie Johnson now has five. Jeff won the Brickyard 400 four times, and now so has Jimmie. You could think of this as Jimmie having taken over from Jeff as Rick Hendrick’s premier driver. Instead, I see this as two guys who have brought the team nine Cup titles and now eight wins at Indianapolis.
Johnson dominated much of the event, Gordon was fifth, with Dale Earnhardt Jr slipping between them in fourth to take over the lead in points on the season. Another great day for the team, though not as great for Gordon as he would have liked. While Jimmie and Junior are pretty much locked into the Chase, and two wins by Kasey Kahne having him holding down yet another Chase place for the moment, Gordon remains outside looking in. With not enough points to slide in via the top ten, he needs wins, with just six races left to get them before the cut off.
Carl Edwards remains so close, yet so far from contention. 12th in the standings, his lack of wins may very well leave him behind. Problems early left him just a participant on Sunday, coming home 29th. Kyle Busch sits six points and one win ahead of him on the ladder. The points he can get, but that win remains elusive.
Matt Kenseth got taken out by Joey Logano at Indy, but in the overall scheme of things it was meaningless. Kenseth is in, Logano is out unless he discovers another victory. Ryan Newman needs another win, while Gordon probably needs two; two wins in the next six events. Possible, though maybe not probable.
ABC’s race crew is a good one as that network resumed its Cup coverage. I mean, Allan Bestwick, Dale Jarrett, and Andy Petree do a credible job. The pit reporters provide good coverage. The analysts? Well, I’m going to see how long I can go before I mention again what I really think about those boys and girl. It might be tough, but as long as my PVR can skip me past them I just might be alright. Wish me luck.
Next up is the Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono. Jeff Gordon won there in 1996, 1997, 1998, 2007, and 2011. Newman won in 2003. Edwards in 2005 and 2008. Logano back in June. Kyle never has. Winning is now everything. The real standings, the one that really matters, has Johnson, Tony Stewart, and Brad Keselowski with nine Chase bonus points, Denny Hamlin has six, with Earnhardt, Kenseth, Greg Biffle and Clint Bowyer each with three. Kevin Harvick and Martin Truex Jr both have none, and each victory until Richmond worth three points going into the Chase. That is what a win would mean to them.
While it might be fun to see which of those boys could add to their win totals, Kyle Busch could use a second victory to put a near lock on an invite, but both Newman and Logano needs number two to get back into the mix and force two-time winner Kasey Kahne to work to stay in. Carl Edwards needs a win, and to jump six positions ahead of Busch at Pocono to take over a wild card position, and Jeff Gordon needs to win there, his first, just to move from pretender to contender. Only one thing will matter at Pocono on August 5th…who won? By my calculations, ten drivers are pretty much locked in, another 16 still have a shot. I mean, how hard could it be to win six straight? Enjoy the week.
Rahal returns home, looks to continue family success at Mid-Ohio
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[/media-credit]Graham Rahal will be returning home this weekend to compete in the Honda Indy 200 at the Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course. On August 5th the IZOD IndyCar Series will take to the track in Mid-Ohio for the sixth time, with 2007 being the first year IndyCar sanctioned a race at the venue. The Columbus, Ohio born racer will be looking to have success on a track that has been a place of bad luck for him in the past. In his four visits to the track, Rahal has landed only one top-ten finish (8th in 2009).
Rahal however is coming off a 4th place finish at Edmonton, a result that is tied for his second best finish of the season to date. The #38 Service Central Honda driver is looking to use that momentum from two weekends ago to translate into a great performance at his home track.
“It feels good anytime you can build momentum at any point in the season. Particularly for us at this point, of course going to Mid-Ohio, which is my home race, a place that’s always kind of stumped me. I’ve never really had a great result there,” Rahal says when speaking to IndyCar.com.
The Rahal family knows what success feels like at Mid-Ohio with Graham’s father, Bobby, winning the event in 1985 and 1986. Graham looks to mimic part of his father’s career and win at the road course in Lexington.
“I love the racetrack. There’s a lot of history there in Indy car racing. Certainly with the Rahal family.”
Like any other sporting event, a driver always wants to win on his home turf. Take Aryton Senna’s glorious victory in his home country of Brazil in 1991. The tremendous roars from the crowd that day can only be derived from the hometown hero coming away the victor. Or Lewis Hamilton’s 2008 British Grand Prix victory in the wet where he finished a whopping 68 seconds ahead of second place. “It is definitely and by far the best victory I’ve ever had,” stated Hamilton in regards to winning his home race.
Looking to the weekend, there can be more comfort found for Rahal than just the enthusiasm and luxury of being at home. Of the five IZOD IndyCar races at Mid-Ohio, Rahal’s owner, Chip Ganassi, has won four of them. He has a three-time Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio winning teammate in Scott Dixon and he has recently tested at his home track on July 26th.
Graham Rahal has got momentum, experience, and a team capable of producing a successful result in Mid-Ohio. At a track he loves and a venue he would embrace winning at, maybe this weekend Graham will etch his own history at a place already rich with the Rahal name.
