Home Blog Page 6639

NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Michigan

By
Jeffrey Boswell
-

Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

1. Kevin Harvick: Harvick won for the third time this year, conquering the Carfax 400 in Michigan while becoming the first driver to clinch a spot in the Chase For The Cup. Harvick stayed on the track during the final caution while most cars pitted for tires, and passed Denny Hamlin with 10 to go. Harvick’s closest pursuer in the points in Jeff Gordon, who is 293 out of first.

“That points lead is impressive,” Harvick said, “if I must say so myself. Now everyone wants to call me the Cup favorite. After all these points, I’ve finally made a point.”

“I can think of no better way to announce Budweiser as my 2011 sponsor than with a win. Regardless of what happens from now until Homestead in November, I’ll be wearing a ‘crown’ next year.”

2. Denny Hamlin: Despite qualifying 33rd, Hamlin finished second at Michigan, site of his June 13th win, the last of his five victories this year. Hamlin battled Kevin Harvick after both opted not to pit during a late caution, but Harvick pulled away for this win after clearing Hamlin with ten laps to go.

“I really wanted this win,” Hamlin said. “Not only for the ten bonus points, but also for the chance to see the cheesy headline ‘Mich-Again.’”

“Harvick was just too much for us. It was a mismatch on par with the Ryan Newman-Joey Logano argument after Sunday’s race. That was a Gillette Young Gun versus a Gillette Youngin.’ Newman looked downright peeved, while Logano was calm and collected, albeit with a tinge of fear that Newman was going to punch him. I imagine that’s exactly how Newman-Rusty Wallace conversations went years ago.”

3. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson qualified second at Michigan, and, after a quick start on Sunday, was plagued afterwards by a loose No. 48 Lowe’s Chevy, as well as uncharacteristic mishaps in the pits, on his way to a 12th-place finish. He is fifth in the Sprint Cup point standings, 386 behind Kevin Harvick.

“It seems I’ve been relegated to an ‘also-ran’ in the Chase For The Cup,” Johnson said. “Believe that if you like, but I think the more appropriate term would be an ‘also-run,’ because I won the Sprint Cup in 2006, also in 2007, also in 2008, and also in 2009.”

“Right now, Kevin Harvick’s got everything going his way. He just won a race, his wife satiates his kinky role-playing desires by wearing his clothes, and he’s got a huge new sponsor for next year. Budweiser sponsorship is quite a coup. You know, Bud is brewed from the finest hops and barley in the world, and its alcohol content by volume is 5%, which is exactly the chance I give Harvick of winning the Cup.”

4. Jeff Gordon: After a poor qualifying effort, Gordon started 36th at Michigan, but quickly marched to the front and had a top-10 in sight before a cut tire ruined his day. The flat tire caused right-side damage, and after repairs, Gordon restarted well back. He finished 27th, and although second in the points, he has yet to win this year.

“Winning isn’t everything,” Gordon said. “In fact, for me, winning isn’t anything. We’re just suffering through a spell where nothing is going right. It’s like the old saying: ‘If it wasn’t for bad luck, I’d never have been married to a woman named Brooke.”

“Despite my slump, I have no intentions of hanging up the driving gloves anytime soon. It may remedy a flat, but ‘re-tiring’ has no appeal to me.”

5. Tony Stewart: Stewart was leading with just over 30 laps to go in the Carfax 400 when a debris caution left him with a critical decision: pit for tires or stay out and maintain track position. Stewart chose the latter, as did Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin, and Harvick made the most of it, taking the win after outdueling Stewart and Hamlin.

“I think heeding debris cautions should be optional for drivers,” Stewart said. “I’m fairly certain not all debris cautions are necessary, particular those in which the clean-up crew uses a broom and a dust pan.”

“I was impressed with Ryan Newman’s handling of the Joey Logano situation. He handled it in exactly the opposite manner that I would have—he listened intently, then shoved Logano. With me, it’s shove first, listen later, in the NASCAR hauler. But seriously, how can you keep your hands off Logano? He’s adorable.”

6. Kurt Busch: Busch blew an engine 30 laps into Sunday’s Carfax 400 at Michigan, with a cloud of smoke and spray of oil heralding an early exit from the race. He finished 40th, only his second DNF of the year, and tumbled six places in the Sprint Cup point standings, from fourth to tenth.

“Yes, that was quite a free fall in the standings,” Busch said. “So much so that I was tempted to yell ‘Geronimo!’ Take it from someone who’s been unceremoniously ‘dropped’ on a number of occasions, it was quite a fall.

You could say I went down faster than beer out of a Miller Lite Vortex bottle.”

7. Carl Edwards: Edwards led a parade of Roush Fenway Racing cars in the top 5 at Michigan, finishing third, followed by teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth in fourth and fifth, respectively. Edwards vaulted three places in the point standings to seventh, and is a comfortable 266 ahead of Mark Martin in 13th.

“Jack’s back,” Edwards said. “And so is Roush Fenway. Just a few weeks ago, this team was all but written off. But things have changed. Usually, when I speak of ‘amazing turnarounds,’ it involves me sending Brad Keselowski spinning, or sailing, backwards down the track.”

“And you’ve probably heard that I’ve said this team could still win the Cup championship. I refuse to acknowledge Kevin Harvick as the favorite to win the Sprint Cup, not because I don’t like him, but because I don’t think that team can sustain their consistency through the Chase. Take it from someone who knows—there will be another ‘choke’ in Harvick’s garage.”

8. Greg Biffle: Biffle led 66 of the first 83 laps at Michigan, dominating early in the Carfax 400 before intermittent handling issues kept him from the front thereafter. After taking four tires during the race’s final caution, the 3M Ford picked off ten cars on the way to a fourth-place finish. He maintained the 11th spot in the standings, and leads Mark Martin in 13th by 193.

“I think I speak for everyone,” Biffle said, “when I say that Saving Abel’s rendition of the national anthem was downright awful. It was so bad, it made ears bleed, which I’m sure brought back painful memories for boxing legend and race grand marshal Evander Holyfield.”

9. Kyle Busch: Busch saw a promising day at Michigan quickly disintegrate when he nailed the wall on lap 159, damaging the right side of the No. 18 Interstate Batteries Camry. Busch settled for a disappointing 18th and dropped one place in the Sprint Cup point standings to eighth, 425 out of first. With only two top-10 finishes in his last nine races, Busch knows he must find some momentum before the Chase starts.

“I think that accident would be called a ‘Battery’ ram,” Busch said. “It’s a mishap that is certainly symbolic—it seems that each year, as we near the Chase, we ‘hit a wall.’

10. Jeff Burton: Burton plowed into Jeff Gordon when the No. 24 cut a tire on lap 154, damaging the front of Burton’s No. 31 Caterpillar Chevrolet. Burton restarted well back in the field and finished 24th, which set him back four places in the point standings to sixth, where he trails Kevin Harvick by 414.

“I think Budweiser and Kevin Harvick will form a great partnership,” Burton said. “That was evident in Tuesday’s press conference when Kevin made the first of what will surely be many ‘Bud pole’ jokes.”

“The Budweiser brand and colors will now be associated with Kevin’s smartly aggressive driving and take-no-prisoners attitude. Next year, if Kevin pisses someone off on the track, they’ll have no choice but to see ‘red.’”

Surprising and Not Surprising: Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway

By
SM Staff
-

The Cup Series return to the Irish hills of Michigan also marked the return of Jack Roush, injured in a plane crash, to the track as well as the resurgence of Richard Childress Racing.  Here is what is surprising and not surprising from the race at MIS this past weekend.

Surprising: Not since 1990 when the late Dale Earnhardt won had Richard Childress Racing been to victory lane at Michigan.   But all that changed when RCR driver and points leader Kevin Harvick powered his No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet to the checkered flag. This was Harvick’s first win at a two mile plus race track without a restrictor plate since Indy in 2003.

Not Surprising: With that victory and the points lead solidly in hand, Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing positioned themselves perfectly to welcome the Budweiser sponsorship to their car in 2011. All of the stars seem to be aligning for Harvick with his new sponsor, a new contract, and a position in the championship Chase now officially locked in.

Surprising:  Kurt Busch in the blue deuce for Penske Racing had been riding high recently. He was unpleasantly surprised, however, when his engine failed early in the race due to a valve breakage. This was Busch’s second DNF and he was also NASCAR’s biggest loser, dropping six positions in the point standings, from fourth to tenth.

Not Surprising: Brother Kyle Busch had an eventful race as he so often does, at one point brushing the wall hard and suffering damage to his No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota. Yet he battled back for a finish matching the number of his car, taking the checkered flag in the 18th position. Unlike his brother, Kyle Busch just lost one position in the Chase standings, dropping him to eighth.

Surprising:   With an uncertain future at Richard Petty Motorsports but with the memory of his Pocono Truck win still fresh in the back of his mind, Elliott Sadler had a great run in his No. 19 Henry Ford Museum: Racing in America Ford. Sadler came in 9th after starting back in the field in 23rd.

Not Surprising:   RPM teammate Kasey Kahne did not fare as well as Sadler. While he started from the pole, he brought his No. 9 Budweiser Ford to the finish line in 14th, deeming his run “disappointing.”

Surprising: Lanky Joey Logano and ripped Ryan Newman got into a tussle on and off the track. On lap 148, the two drivers were battling for position and wrecked one another. Newman, battling for one of the final positions in the Chase, finished a miserable 23rd, while Logano, who is out of Chase contention, salvaged a top ten finish.

Not Surprising: The two drivers continued their on track disagreement into the garage area, with Logano confronting Newman and accusing him of driving him “too hard”. Newman, showing no patience for the youngster, especially after being touched by the gesticulating young man, shared a few choice words, encouraging Logano to learn how to drive himself.

Surprising:   It was surprising how badly the Hendrick Motorsports drivers fared at Michigan. Jeff Gordon, celebrating his own birthday as well as the birth of his son Leo, started in the back but had a strong car, at one point running at the front of the field. But tire troubles plagued him throughout the latter part of the race and he finished 27th.

Not Surprising:   Unfortunately for the Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans, the Irish hills did not smile on the driver of the No. 88 National Guard AMP Energy Chevrolet. Junior finished 19th but can take solace that he was the second best finisher of his four HMS teammates.

Surprising: Hendrick Motorsports driver Mark Martin also struggled, getting into the wall early in the race. He finished behind Jeff Gordon in 28th and with that finish fell out of Chase contention to the 13th position in the point standings.

Not Surprising: With the ‘Cat in the Hat’ back on top of the pit box where he belongs, the Roushketeers had a great run in his honor and at his home track. Roush Fenway drivers Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth finished in the third, fourth and fifth positions respectively. Even young driver David Ragan ran well, finishing 11th and earning a congratulatory phone call from Roush himself.

Surprising: Denny Hamlin re-emerged and brought his No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota home in the runner up position. Hamlin was one of the biggest point gainers, moving up to the third position in the points right behind Harvick and Gordon.

Not Surprising: In the throes of the hot and sticky summer, it is no surprise that Smoke has started to reappear. Tony Stewart, as he so often does, has started to heat up his season, finishing sixth in his No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet. With that top ten finish, Stewart also moved up four positions in the Chase standings to fourth.

The Cup Series will go short track racing under the lights at Bristol this weekend. The IRWIN Tools Night Race will run on Saturday, August 21st at 7:30 PM on ABC. 

NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: The Nationwide Series at Bristol

By
SM Staff
-

NASCAR’s Nationwide Series will be playing a major role this Friday in the Festival Of Speed at the Bristol Motor Speedway. It’s expected to be full evening of racing is rubbing when the 43 Nationwide Series teams takes the green flag for the Food City 250. This race is also fully packed with some high profile NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who will without doubt make this race even more interesting.

THE STORY BREAKDOWN

The presence of NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers in teams participating in Nationwide Series events was a major focal point of a town hall style meeting held in Concord-North Carolina this past Monday. NASCAR President Mike Helton and Nationwide Series Director Joe Balash met with team owners, drivers and crew chiefs to explore new ideas for the series that could direct it towards an even brighter future.

Among the ideas discussed was the possibility for the Nationwide Series having its own version of a Chase For The Championship with a format that would exclude the full time Cup drivers. It’s likely that the Nationwide Chase format will feature fewer drivers and races than the Cup championship format. There was also some discussion at the meeting regarding a possible limitation, if not even elimination, of points for Cup drivers who are in the top 35 of the rankings. It was regarded as move that would further aid the possibility of a full time Nationwide Series team winning the title.

It was pointed out that the full time Cup drivers has won the Nationwide Series championship over the past four consecutive years. With Brad Keselowski holding a 347 point lead over Carl Edwards in the current standings, it’s certain that championship streak will be extended to five years. From that came an idea that suggested the Cup drivers could still compete in the series but not for the championship. There seemed to be a general feeling that the prospect of a full time Nationwide Series team winning the championship would appease sponsors already associated with the series and perhaps even entice potential new sponsors.

However, it appears that any possible future changes in the series championship points will not impact the awarding of owner’s points. The competition for that title would remain wide open to owners of Cup teams. Over a period of recent years the owner’s championship has become a much coveted title with the competition for it even tighter than the driver’s championship.

Going into Friday’s Food City 250, Joe Gibbs Racing leads the owner’s standings based on the performance of their #18 Toyota team and primary driver Kyle Busch. But they only hold a four point lead over Brad Keselowski and his Penske Racing Dodge team.

It’s very clear that NASCAR wants more national attention to be paid on their full time Nationwide Series teams. They should be applauded for hosting these town hall meetings. It’s always a good idea to gather together to consider good ideas. More importantly, it keeps the lines of communication open between NASCAR officials and the team owners.

***********

Future considerations aside, Friday’s Food City 250 is loaded with some high caliber Sprint Cup talent: 14 of them to be exact. Among those Cup luminaries is Ryan Newman who will be doing another guest stint in the #1 Phoenix Construction Chevrolet for owner James Finch.

Clint Bowyer will be also be doing a guest stint in the Nationwide Series on behalf of his team owner Richard Childress. Zaxby’s Restaurants will be the primary sponsor on the hood of his #21 Chevrolet.

Joe Gibbs Racing will be in full force for Friday night’s race and will be bringing their pair of Cup and Nationwide aces with them. Kyle Busch will be piloting the #18 Z Line Toyota while team mate Joey Logano will be in the #20 Game Stop Toyota.

Sprint Cup points leader Kevin Harvick clinched his place in the Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship following last Sunday’s win at Michigan. Apparently he wasn’t kidding when he said he was going to take a racing vacation. Kevin Harvick Inc had two trucks entered in Wednesday night’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol. Instead of driving one of them, as he often has in the past, he opted to place fellow Sprint Cup driver Elliot Sadler in the ride. They also has their #33 Rheem Heating and Air Conditioning Chevrolet entered in Friday’s Nationwide Series race. They also opted to place Sadler in that ride as well.

That has added some fuel to rumors regarding Sadler’s NASCAR future. He’s already said he doesn’t expect to return to his Sprint Cup ride with Richard Petty Motorsports and has been talking with other owners. He later said he would seriously consider a highly competitive ride in the Camping World Truck Series or Nationwide Series for next year preferring that to a non effective Cup team. It’s been one more item that’s made NASCAR observers say “HMMMMM.”

Kasey Kahne will also be in the Nationwide Series race driving the #38 Great Clips Toyota for Braun Racing. Yes, that is the same ride that full time series regular Jason Leffler usually drives. Leffler will move over to Braun Racing’s #10 Toyota with the Fraternal Order of the Eagles on the hood.

Here’s some good news for the Junior Nation. NASCAR’s most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., is also entered in the Food City 250. Earnhardt will be driving the #88 Real Tree Outfitters Chevrolet owned by his company J R Motorsports.

**********

THE RACE BREAKDOWN

The Food City 250 is 250 laps/133.25 miles around the Bristol Motor Speedway’s .533 mile oval.

The race has 52 entries. 21 of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed a starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of the top 30 in owner’s points. These teams will have to earn a berth in the race line up based on their qualifying speed.

The defending race winner is David Ragan from Roush Fenway Racing.

Chevrolet leads the Nationwide Series stats with 29 wins at Bristol.

The Food City 250 will be broadcast live by the ESPN Network beginning at 7 pm eastern time.

Nine Ways to Saturday: Changing up the Nationwide Series

By
SM Staff
-

NASCAR recently announced they plan to make major changes to the Nationwide Series, citing costs as well as giving the Nationwide Series its own identity again.  Here are 11 different ideas that would fulfill the above criteria without being a complete 180:

  1. Shorten the races.  There’s absolutely no reason the spring race at Bristol needs to be 300 laps, nor do 195 laps need to be run at Atlanta.  Races should run for no more than 250 laps or miles.  If purses are going to be reduced, so should the races.
  2. Eliminate multiple practice sessions for the series and limit, if not eliminate practice time for the Cup drivers.
  3. Reduce the amount of trips to the West.  Two trips to Phoenix are unnecessary, as was two trips to Auto Club Speedway.  Why not keep the races in the south and east; where the roots of the series are?  There are several fine facilities that could host events and reduce teams’ travel expenses.  Road Atlanta comes to immediate mind, as do several of the short tracks the series formerly raced at.
  4. Instead of locking in the top 30 in owners standings, lock in the top 30 drivers attempting the whole schedule. Rookies notwithstanding, Sprint Cup drivers would not be eligible for an exemption and no more than eight Sprint Cup drivers can participate in any individual race.
  5. Change the structure of the purse.  Teams should not be able to announce to the media they are going to start and park and send legitimate teams home.  A handful of teams exist that never attempt to run a full race.  Meanwhile, other drivers get sent home without even bread crumbs.  In last year’s fall Bristol race, MSRP motorsports completed a total of five laps, citing an ignition issue on one car and brake issue on the other.  They collected $40,669 for their “efforts” or $8,133.80 per lap.  Meanwhile, Benny Gordon raced until the checkers and only collected $21,565.  That’s $1,210 more than last place earned; not even enough for a set of tires.  The rule should be if you withdraw from the race and can’t prove a legitimate car problem, you get a minimal amount of the purse. 
  6. Break the series off into two different point systems.  Cup drivers would not be eligible for the Nationwide championship, but instead, compete against each other.  First place wins an award and a cash bonus.
  7. Boost the image of all Nationwide drivers in commercials and promotions, not just the young ones.  By now, everyone knows that Trevor Bayne stops writing if you rattle off too many facts about him.  Diversity includes the older drivers in the series, but nary a mention is made of them. 
  8. If a Cup driver intentionally pulls a reckless move in the race, as Carl Edwards did at Gateway, park them for the year.  It was reported that ML Motorsports lost one of their best race cars in the accident, as well as having to pay Earnhardt/Childress back for the damaged engine.  While I have few qualms about Cup drivers racing in the series, they shouldn’t be able to put smaller teams at a major disadvantage just because they’re racing “for fun”.  I have yet to hear Edwards apologize for his actions that led to that accident.
  9. Force Cup-affiliated Nationwide teams to use their own crew members.  No more allowing a full-time Cup driver to use their Sprint Cup crew.  There’s currently a huge disparity in pit stop times between the top tier teams and the underfunded teams.

The Nationwide series is a fun and exciting series to watch, but it needs change to differentiate it from the Cup.  Giving other drivers a chance to shine in the spotlight carries many positives and will lead to better racing in the Cup series in the future.

Budweiser to sponsor Harvick in 2011

By
SM Staff
-

Richard Childress Racing made it official Tuesday morning: Budweiser will sponsor the No. 29 Chevrolet driven by Kevin Harvick next season.

Budweiser will be the primary sponsor of 20 points-paying events next season, as well the Gatorade Duels and Budweiser Shootout. The King of Beers will also be a co-primary sponsor for the 2011 Sprint All-Star Race in Charlotte. Budweiser will stay on the ride as an associate sponsor for the remaining 16 events on the schedule.

“Budweiser is one of the most respected sponsors in our sport,” Harvick said. “They do a lot to market their teams and the sport in television broadcasts and away from the track. I’m looking forward to driving the No. 29 Budweiser Chevrolet, taking it to Victory Lane and winning championships.”

Earlier this season, it was announced that Harvick’s team would lose the Shell-Pennzoil sponsorship after this season. It was later announced that Shell-Pennzoil would move over to Penske Racing’s Kurt Busch next season.

Kasey Kahne had held the Budweiser sponsorship since it left the hood of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car after the 2007 season when Earnhardt left Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports. Kahne announced last week that he would drive at Red Bull Racing next thus giving him full sponsorship next season from Red Bull.

Budweiser has sponsored a long-list of drivers since they entered the sport in 1983. The most popular of those drivers have been Terry Labonte, Darrell Waltrip, Geoff Bodine, Bill Elliott, Kenny Schrader, Ricky Craven, Wally Dallenbach, Earnhardt and Kahne.

Harvick will race in his tenth Sprint Cup Series season next year. Through 345 starts in the Cup Series, Harvick has recorded 14 victories to go along with 72 top-five and 145 top-ten finishes.

This season has been a career-year on several aspects. His three victories so far this year makes it the second-most winningest year, trailing just his five-win season in 2006.

As far as average finishes go, however, his 8.6 average earned so far this season trumps any previous season. Entering the season, a 12.3 average finish in 2006 was his best.

“Throughout his career, Kevin has shown he can win at any level in NASCAR,” team-owner Richard Childress said. “Combining his talent with Budweiser’s NASCAR lineage and proven track record of innovative sponsorship activations makes this an exciting pairing for fans everywhere. RCR prides itself on its heritage and authenticity, so working with a brand like Budweiser, which has built their reputation on those same values, is a very special opportunity.”

Harvick brings in a 293-point lead to Bristol Motor Speedway after becoming the first driver to clinch a Chase berth following his win last weekend at Michigan.

The Hot 20 over the past 10 – While Harvick and Stewart are on the rise, the sun is setting on Martin

By
Ron Thornton
-

Kevin Harvick won at Michigan, locked his place in the Chase, and has moved to within 20 bonus points of Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin when they reset things next month. All in all, the boy has got some pretty good reason to be…er…well, Happy.

Harvick is also our hottest driver over the past ten events, with a pair of wins, but Tony Stewart has almost matched him in points. In fact, over the span Smoke has managed a top ten in all but one, with the lone exception of that 25th place finish at Daytona in July.

When it comes to hot drivers, Carl Edwards does not come to mind, but there he is. Six straight top tens can do that for you. Appearing out of nowhere, or so it seemed, to finish third at Michigan is just one example of why he is a bonafide contender.

While some are going up, others are taking a plunge the other direction. Mark Martin has dived behind Clint Bowyer for that last playoff spot and there doesn’t seem to be any water left in his pool. If you are hoping the likes of David Reutimann, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jamie McMurray or Ryan Newman might make the Chase, I wouldn’t be holding my breath. A Top Ten in Bristol might help save the day or at least delay things. Better yet, maybe a top five. Kyle Busch should make the Chase, but right now he has all the momentum of a ball and chain.

Here is a look at our hottest 20 drivers over the past 10 races…

1 (2) Kevin Harvick – 1502 pts – 2 wins, 7 Top Fives, 7 Top Tens
Whose a Happy boy? Whose a Happy boy?

2 (1) Tony Stewart – 1500 pts – 5 Top Fives, 9 Top Tens
A top ten in nine of the past ten.

3 (5) Carl Edwards – 1384 pts – 4 Top Fives, 6 Top Tens
Showed up like Rosie Ruiz to claim third at Michigan.

4 (3) Jeff Gordon – 1347 pts – 5 Top Fives, 7 Top Tens
Race was all cute and cuddly until he checked the diaper.

5 (6) Jeff Burton – 1329 pts – 2 Top Fives, 6 Top Tens
Pit crew might be walking funny this week.

6 (9) Jimmie Johnson – 1320 pts – 3 Top Fives, 5 Top Tens
Slump will end when the Chase begins.

7 (8) Denny Hamlin – 1315 pts – 2 Wins, 4 Top Fives, 5 Top Tens
Eight races without a win. Oh, the humanity!

8 (7) Kasey Kahne – 1265 pts – 3 Top Fives, 4 Top Tens
Captain Hook isn’t the only one hearing the clock ticking.

8 (17) Greg Biffle – 1265 pts – 1 Win, 3 Top Fives, 5 Top Tens
Like Batman, Biff, bam, boom and he’s back.

10 (10) Clint Bowyer – 1212 pts – 2 Top Fives, 4 Top Tens
A Chase place is his, for now.

11 (21) Juan Pablo Montoya – 1211 pts – 1 Wins, 1 Top Five, 4 Top Tens
This team has come to love the Juan their with.

12 (4) Kurt Busch – 1209 pts – 3 Top Fives, 5 Top Tens
Having a wall banger before the race is bad, doing one during it is worse.

13 (16) Matt Kenseth – 1180 pts – 1 Top Five, 1 Top Ten
Jack returns and so does his boys.

14 (13) A.J. Allmendinger – 1176 pts – 1 Top Five, 3 Top Tens
Two single digit finishes doesn’t get the job done.

15 (11) David Reutimann – 1168 pts – 1 Win, 1 Top Five, 1 Top Ten
Chicago was a dream, the last four were reality.

16 (19) Dale Earnhardt Jr – 1133 pts – 1 Top Five, 3 Top Tens
While he might not be good, you can always find someone worse

17 (12) Jamie McMurray – 1129 pts – 1 Win, 2 Top Fives, 3 Top Tens
Won the 500 and the Brickyard, what more do you want?

18 (14) Kyle Busch – 1106 pts – 1 Top Five, 2 Top Tens
Bristol might be the medicine the doctor ordered.

19 (18) Ryan Newman – 1105 pts – 1 Top Ten
When  push comes to shove, Logano is there for you.

20 (15) Mark Martin – 1085 pts – 1 Top Ten
On your Mark, get set, Gone!

Harvick happy to have been at Michigan, the Hendrick boys just glad to have left

By
Ron Thornton
-

So, what did we learn at Michigan?

Well, we learned why Kevin Harvick is so darned happy. He is first in the standings, the hottest driver in recent weeks, and the first to lock his way into the Chase. So, why not add his third win of the season to the mix? Those ten Chase bonus points for the victory has him only 20 behind Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin when they re-set the points next month.

We learned it was not a good day to be a Hendrick driver. Johnson looked good early, but found himself slipping back in the second half of the event to finish a fortunate 12th. He was the best of the lot. Mark Martin creased the wall early, and his 28th place result was one behind Jeff Gordon, who had a tire go down at the three-quarter pole. As for Dale Earnhardt Jr, he was 19th on a day we noticed David Ragan a heck of a lot more.

We learned that those who led the first half of the event were not necessarily the guys we saw up there at the end. Harvick, Greg Biffle (4th) and Tony Stewart (6th) proved to be the exceptions. Denny Hamlin came from the outback at the start to be the runner-up, while emerging from somewhere in the twilight zone was Carl Edwards to earn third.

We learned that Ryan Newman was not happy with Joey Logano. We don’t know if their post-race argument, including a shove from the veteran, was about the racing deal that saw Newman go for a spin or if it resulted from Logano trying to criticize the Rocketman’s driving style. If he thought Newman drove aggressively, he now knows the man also argues the same way.

We learned it was a good day for Jack Roush to make his return after his latest plane crash. Biffle and Matt Kenseth finished right behind Edwards, while Ragan was 11th. With Roush now surviving two such accidents in just over eight years, I suggest he might wish to avoid future such landings and take up parachuting. Going up is fine, but he needs a new plan coming down.

We learned that Kurt Busch could have used a different engine. Maybe one that might last more than 60 miles before blowing up. Two DNF’s in his last three is not good, but even though he fell to tenth in the standings, he is in a Chase place by a good 200 points.

We learned that Clint Bowyer would regain the final invitation to the fall ball, though by just 35 points over Martin with three races to go before the deadline. Newman, Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne, and Junior are also close enough to grab it if all goes very well for them at Bristol. I suggest, however, that no one hold their breath on that happening.

One of the circuits marquee tracks is next on the schedule, a place Johnson claimed the prize in the spring and where Kyle Busch swept the pair in 2009. It is where legends visit Victory Lane, including three Hall of Famers and seventeen Cup champions since 1961. Bristol is indeed hallowed ground.

RPM to announce 2011 drivers, sponsors Tuesday

By
SM Staff
-

Richard Petty Motorsports has called a Tuesday teleconference to announce the specifics of the organization’s 2010 Sprint Cup Series drivers and sponsor lineups.

The organization announced Aug. 6 that they had re-signed AJ Allmendinger to a multi-year deal to stay with the team. However, two drivers have confirmed that they will be leaving next year and another driver is on the fence.

Kasey Kahne announced earlier in the year that he would part-ways with RPM after this season. He announced last weekend that he would join Red Bull Racing in 2011 before he moved into his multi-year ride with Hendrick Motorsports in 2012.

Kahne’s sponsor Budweiser is also on the move next season, according to sources. Multiple internet reports say Budweiser will head to Kevin Harvick next season, with an announcement of the new sponsorship deal expected to come Tuesday.

Paul Menard also announced last weekend that he would join Richard Childress Racing next year as RCR gives a second attempt at a four car team. Menard will also take his primary sponsorship from his father’s company, Menard’s, with him.

Elliott Sadler was quoted earlier in the year as saying the team did not have him in their plans for the future. However, a team spokesperson has since denied those comments saying Sadler is one of about three drivers the team was looking at for next season.

Sadler said last weekend that he has had little talks with the organization and that he is even considering moving down to the Nationwide Series or Camping World Truck Series next season.

“If I have to go back to Nationwide or go back to the Truck (series) and get my chance and opportunity to win races, you’ll see Elliott Sadler do that instead of go somewhere where there’s a start-and-park (car) or ride around,” Sadler said. “That’s not me. I’m way too competitive for that. I don’t have a big enough ego to where I have to be labeled a Cup driver. I want to be a driver that’s competitive.”

Marcos Ambrose, who recently announced he would be leaving his Sprint Cup Series ride with JTG Daugherty Racing after this season, is rumored to be headed to RPM. This would give the RPM two drivers next season if Sadler does indeed leave.

Drivers are not the only issue for the team, however. Sponsorship is also a problem with the departure of Budweiser and Menard’s. Although, when the team announced a new deal with Allmendinger a few weeks ago, they also said they had some another announcements in their pocket.

“We have some announcements in our pocket,” team co-owner Richard Petty said. “We like to have press conferences, so we wanted to spread it out a little bit.”

Kahne is currently the highest RPM driver in the Sprint Cup Series driver points standings thru last weekend at Michigan International Speedway. He is 16th and trails the 12th place Chase for the Sprint Cup cutoff by 126 points.

Allmendinger is 22nd, Menard is 23rd and Sadler is 29th.

Saturday Night’s Truck Race Proves Point

By
SM Staff
-

Watching the Too Tough To Tame 200 at Darlington Raceway a smile came on my face.

First off, one of the most competitive series in the world was at the greatest racetrack ever made.

Secondly, despite a tough economy and the race being a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, the crowd was surprisingly good!

Wow, I thought, that’s a nice crowd for a truck race.

After watching some truck races this season it’s a pleasant surprise.

No disrespect to the people of Nashville but their crowds for their two truck series races were awful.

I wondered why?

There are plenty of reasons.

First it’s the people of the south east. No matter what NASCAR will try and do and what they try and tell people, the hot bed for the sport has been and always will be the south east.

Second, there is no such thing as a “boring race” at Darlington raceway. People pass each other all the time, they beat and bang and hit the wall and it’s a track where men are men. It’s the way racing ought to be.

It reminds fans of their old Saturday Night short track race, where guys get hot tempered and are not fined for it.

It reminds fans of the exact reason why they fell in love with the sport in the first place. It’s fun. Darlington is one of the most fun races on the schedule, yet because they don’t have 100,000 stands it only has one date.

As the schedule for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was announced I just shook my head when certain tracks got dates and others didn’t. In five years NASCAR will have the same problem.

The stands at some of those tracks will be full, at first. Then the stands will slowly get emptier and emptier as the boring style of cookie cutter racing puts to sleep another group of fans.

Brian France will then sit there and wonder what is wrong?

There are way too many cookie cutters and not enough Darlingtons. It’s obvious if you looked up from your bank account records and paid attention to the attendance at Darlington on Saturday.

The day NASCAR realizes it’s not about how many people watch your sport, it’s how about how many people get hooked to your sport, is the day Darlington will have two dates again.

Until that day however, ratings and attendance will continue falter and NASCAR as a sport will hurt because of it.

On Pit Road: Time for Danica to exit NASCAR

By
SM Staff
-

Danica Patrick completed her sixth NASCAR Nationwide Series race Saturday in the Carfax 250 at Michigan international Speedway. Not surprising, she qualified at the rear of the field, starting 33rd. Her finish was another result that fans have come to expect, 27th place, 4 laps down.

Patrick came to NASCAR amidst lots of fanfare and media attention. Even at Michigan, her sixth race where she was still running barely ahead of the start and park cars in the garage, the TV commentators were all over themselves talking about her.  The outrageous excuses for her poor performance has gone way beyond stupid.

It seems that no money was spared this season to assure that Patrick would be locked into the races, first by buying the 2009 11 team to have a guaranteed top 30 points for the first 5 races.  Patrick quickly showed why that was a necessary expense to get her in the field. In 6 races, she’s had a best qualifying effort of 25th and an average qualifying result of 31.8. 

After the first 3 races, it appeared that JR Motorsports realized that they could not count  on Danica actually making the rest of her scheduled races without the guaranteed start of a top 30 team.  After, months of talk about the #7 team not running the full schedule and rolling out just for Patrick, there was a rush to line up drivers to keep it in the points.  Since Patrick’s race at LasVegas, the team has started with 5 different drivers, in an all out effort to lock the car into the field each week. Each one of those five drivers accumulated far better results than Patrick.

In six races Danica has an average qualifying effort of 31.8, while Steve Arpin, a dirt track driver with very limited paved racing experience averaged 16.8 in qualifying, and rookie Josh Wise averaged 19th in his efforts. The finishing order is even more disturbing as Patrick has an averaged finish of 30.5.  This would not be a real concern for a real rookie, but Danica mania was selling her as a champion coming into NASCAR from the open wheel ranks.  It seems that if she is considered a star of the IndyCar Series, that program is in serious trouble. 

Landon Cassill was the first casualty of the keep Danica locked in program.  After three races in which he had a qualifying effort of 22.6 and an average finish of 24.3, he was tossed aside as not the power needed to benefit Patrick.  Next came Steve Arpin, the Canadian open wheel racer that began his rookie season in the ARCA series this year.  After 5 races with an average start of 16.8 and an average finish of 24.8, he was quietly sent back to ARCA to be replaced by Josh Wise.

The latest story from JR Motorsports is that Josh Wise will remain in the car and will share the #7 car in 2011 with Patrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr.  In five races so far in 2010 in the #7 car, Wise has an average start of 19th and an average finish of  12.8.  It is a shame that he won’t have a serious chance to make a run at the Championship for 2011.

Looking at the history of NASCAR and the level of competition, it is hard to believe that any team would keep a driver in the car who has an average start of 31.8, and average finish of 30.5 and in 6 races has finished on average 30.5 laps behind the leader.  A driver whose best finish was 2 laps behind the leader!

Is anyone besides me, tired of the constant interviews with Danica where she continues to display just how out of touch  she is with NASCAR?  Six months after her first start, she still has no idea how to tell her crew chief what the car needs for her to drive it.  Is anyone else getting tired of the ‘it’s a learning program’, when there are capable and genuinely promising drivers sidelined looking for a ride.

1...6,6386,6396,640...6,646Page 6,639 of 6,646