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Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint All-Star race.....again
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 19, 2013
Five-time is now four-time when it comes to the Sprint All-Star race. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Johnson was tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for most wins in the annual event with three wins. Johnson bided his time, restarted the last segment in the second spot, dueled Kasey Kahne for two laps to secure the lead and pulled away to a convincing win. Joey Logano started the last segment in the seventh position, took advantage of a slip up by Kyle Busch on the start of the final segment, and ultimately came home in the runner-up spot. Kyle Busch rebounded from his slip up to muscle his way back to third. Kahne started the final segment on the pole but couldn’t hold off Johnson on the first few laps of the restart and ended up fourth. Kurt Busch won two segments, was the first on pit road for the money pit stop, but finished the event in fifth place. Jimmie Johnson summed up his results in two words, “we’re lucky”. It was tongue in cheek but Johnson was poking fun at the people who continue to accuse the No. 48 of preferential treatment, fixed races, and a blind eye to cheating. Johnson has one of the highest winning percentages in NASCAR history and it comes from natural talent and chemistry with his crew. This race also now ties Johnson with Davey Allison as the only two drivers to win the race in back-to-back years. Logano and Busch visited with the media after the race to speak about their runs. Logano was understandably upbeat about his second while Busch was quite dejected, having another All-Star race slip out of his grasp. Kahne spoke about the elephant in the room that is the length of the segments in the race during his post race availability on pit road. He noted that the inherent problem with the format is that the car is designed with downforce, on a track that is cool and has a bunch of grip. The only way to make the races exciting after the first couple of laps of racing would be to extend the segments to the The first 20 lap segment was won by Kurt Busch. Segment two went to his brother Kyle. That segment win allowed Bruton Smith to breathe more easily since he put up a $1,000,000 bonus to anyone who won all four of the segments. Segment three also went to the younger Busch, while the fourth segment win was tallied in brother Kurt’ s account.
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
posted by Mike Neff
Friday May 17, 2013
‘Rowdy’ Busch was back in his familiar No. 51 truck at his favorite track on the Truck schedule. Busch led 80 laps and thought he should have led more but had a fuel issue on pit road that resulted in him having to battle back through the field. The race was slowed by eight cautions that helped him work his way back through the field. Busch beat Brendan Gaughan to the finish by .488 seconds, while Max Gresham chased them both to the line for his first top three finish of his Truck career. Matt Crafton came home in fourth place after having to battle through a couple of tire mishaps during the event. Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5 for his first finish that high this season. Busch led the race three times for his 80 laps. Miguel Paludo was second on the laps led board with 33. Gaughan, Gresham and Dillon also scored bonus points for leading laps. There were two cautions in the first 72 laps of the race while 29 of the last 62 laps were completed under the yellow flag. Jeb Burton started the race on the pole but did not lead a lap. He did however end the race as the Rookie of the Race for his 13th place finish. Matt Crafton leads Burton by 22 points in the season standings after five races this season.
Matt Kenseth Snatches Victory from the Jaws of Defeat at Darlington
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 12, 2013
Kyle Busch appeared to be headed for another weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race at Darlington on Friday night. However, a funny thing happened as they were bringing out the dustpan. Matt Kenseth chased down the dominant car of the night, passed him with relative ease and then strolled away to a 3.165 second victory. Kenseth led the final 13 laps after Busch had held the point for 265 of the 354 laps leading up to Kenseth’s race winning pass. After Kenseth worked around Busch, the No. 18 slid rapidly backwards over the final eight laps to fall from second to sixth place. Joe Gibbs Racing did manage a 1-2 finish after sweeping the podium in Friday night’s Nationwide tilt. Denny Hamlin, in his first full race back in the car since his vertebrae fracture at California, soldiered through the pain of his arms, neck and shoulders more than his recovered back to wrestle a second place finish away from the Lady in Black. Coming home in third was Jeff Gordon, who turned his 700th career start into a top 3 finish. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 in the Bojangles Southern 500. Kurt Busch started the race on the pole and led the first 51 laps before coming to the pits for a green flag stop. After the stops cycled through Busch was back at the point for 18 more laps before his brother began his domination. The race went green for the first 302 laps save a seven lap caution stint from lap 125 to lap 131. The final 65 laps saw four more cautions that flew for accidents involving Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Josh Wise, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne. The race saw four leaders including Jeff Gordon in addition to the Busch brothers and Kenseth. The win is Kenseth’s 27th of his career and breaks a tie between himself and his teammate Kyle Busch. The win is Kenseth’s third this season which is the most among all of the competitors in the Cup series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Rookie of the Race. Jeff Gordon’s top 5 finish was his 300th of his career. He joins Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison as the only four drivers in the history of the sport to accomplish such a feat.
Busch Dominates at Darlington as JGR Sets Nationwide Series Record
posted by Amy Henderson
Friday May 10, 2013
Kyle Busch dominated the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday night en route to his 56th career Nationwide Series victory and fifth series win of 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing in general was the class of the field all night at Darlington Raceway, claiming four of the top 5 finishing spots, with only fourth-place Joey Logano keeping them from sweeping the top four spots. It was a historic night for JGR, as no team has ever before placed four cars in the top 5. Elliott Sadler finished second to Busch and Brian Vickers third, with Logano and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top 5. Busch led 107 of 147 laps on the way to the win. Sadler was the best among the Nationwide Regulars, finishing second despite an early spin in Turn 2, and gained points on leader Regan Smith, who finished seventh. Kyle Larson continued to impress at the Lady in Black, posting a sixth-place finish in his first Darlington start as he runs for rookie honors. Sam Hornish, Jr., who remained second in points, finished eighth while Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier filled the top 10. Smith now leads Nationwide Series points by 28 over Hornish. Sadler jumps two spots to third on his second-place run as Justin Allgaier fell one place to fourth. Vickers gained three sports and is now fifth, 49 behind Smith. Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson round out the top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
posted by Summer Bedgood
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday. Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12 points. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s suspension has also been dropped from seven races to one, though he will still be forced to pay the $200,000 fine. Not all of the penalties were reduced, however. Toyota Racing’s manufacturer points penalty was increased from five points to seven. All other penalties were dropped, including the suspension of Joe Gibbs’ owners license, the loss of bonus points for the Chase earned at Kansas Speedway, and the loss of eligibility into the Sprint Unlimited garnered from the pole at Kansas Speedway. JGR has accepted the penalties and will not appeal further. Following a dominant win at Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Kenseth’s car failed post-race inspection when it was found that a connecting rod was 2.7 grams below the minimum weight. Toyota Racing Development accepted the blame for the incident. The reduction moves Kenseth up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. JGR has not announced who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington. The appeal was heard by Mark Arute, Dennis McGlynn, and Jack Housby. NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Roger Penske’s team got some relief Tuesday from NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, as he chose to reduce penalties assessed to that organization at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Middlebrook, after hearing the evidence from both sides Tuesday chose to reduce all suspensions in the case from six to two weeks, plus NASCAR’s All-Star Race on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following: No. 2 car No. 22 car Other Middlebrook’s official statement was short, simply stating, “After looking at all the facts, data, and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties. However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the All-Star race to two points races and the All-Star Race.” However, it seemed both sides, after presenting their cases were far more pleased with how the case was handled during this portion of the appeal. “We were able to talk about areas we worked in,” said Roger Penske, referring to the “gray area” of the NASCAR rulebook officials ultimately felt stepped over the line. “I’m very happy with the outcome. This sport has been built on innovation. All of us have tried to innovate in areas not defined in the rulebook. We were in that area.” In conversations with the parties involved, it was clear the controversy surrounded parts designed to increase the rear-end angle at the back of both cars. In past years, with innovation limited through the Car of Tomorrow templates teams have played around with suspension systems designed to make the rear end of the car easier to “move.” The more the car skews in the corner, the easier it can be to handle and gain extra speed. However, NASCAR had made rules designed to curb those types of innovations this year and made the determination Penske parts to build the rear suspension were unapproved. Why they had gone undetected in previous inspections was never addressed, along with claims someone else in the garage had alerted officials to possible inappropriate car construction. One thing Penske did admit, though is had this decision been issued by the initial appeals panel, he would not have pressed his luck with Middlebrook. “All of us,” he said. “Have lost points for certain infractions over the years. The key thing is to have people back at the racetrack operating in full control.” The end results leave Logano 18th in points, 146 behind championship leader Jimmie Johnson and 43 outside a Chase position. Keselowski is far more stable; fifth in points, he’s 69 behind and 45 ahead of 11th-place Matt Kenseth. Neither of the Penske cars have won a race this season. “Moved on from last few weeks,” Keselowski tweeted Wednesday morning. “And ready to focus on @TooToughToTame (Darlington Raceway).” The next round of NASCAR penalty appeals, focusing on Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth will be heard on Wednesday morning. Connect with Tom!
Penske Racing LOSES Penalty Case, Will Appeal To NSCRC John Middlebrook
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 1, 2013
A three-member panel Wednesday unanimously upheld penalties assessed to Penske Racing after pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. Comprised of Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, Bowman-Gray President Dale Pinilis and former NASCAR VP Paul Brooks, the trio determined the sanctioning body’s evidence was enough to “convict” Penske to the tune of points lost, suspensions given and $200,000 in fines. Roger Penske, in response has pledged to send a final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner John Middlebrook. That hearing will occur Tuesday, May 7th at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Here’s a quick list of what penalties are pending (everything but the points deductions will be deferred, pending Middlebrook’s approval until after the final appeal): No. 2 team No. 22 team Both teams NASCAR’s representation included Sprint Cup Director John Darby but not Vice President Robin Pemberton, who was whisked away to Florida on jury duty. Owner Roger Penske was in attendance to defend the allegations along with Team Manager Travis Geisler, Tim Cindric, Walt Czarnecki, Joey Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon along with several other key principles. UPDATE: The National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a brief statement, reviewing the penalties and then explaining the following. “Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.” “The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.” Connect with Tom!
Kyle Busch Wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday April 26, 2013
Who says Joe Gibbs Racing teammates don’t get along? Kyle Busch is certainly receiving gifts, from Denny Hamlin in the form of shiny trophies from winning the latter’s annual charity event. Rowdy was romping through the field again at Richmond Thursday night, taking control at the race’s midpoint and cruising during the latter stages to win the Showdown for the third time in the past six years. In a race that benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation, created to help those with cystic fibrosis Busch had his late model hitting on all cyilnders down the stretch. Pulling away from fellow Cup driver David Ragan, in the final segment of the 75-lap race the outcome was simply never in doubt following a 5-minute break for pit stops prior to Lap 47. Ben Rhodes, Ronnie Bassett, Jr., and Garrett Campbell rounded out the top-5 finishers. Other Cup drivers, including defending race champion Tony Stewart were in the field but never a factor up front. Smoke, actually extending his slumping start to 2013 into this race got wrecked before the halfway point and wound up 28th. Matt Kenseth, still distraught after a midweek penalty virtually negated his win at Kansas was never truly competitive, either; he finished 22nd. Also on Thursday night, African-American driver Ryan Gifford won the first K&N Pro Series East race of his young career. Surviving a five-lap shootout, following a red flag he cruised home over Brandon Gdovic. Connect with Tom!
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Penalized As Engine Fails Kansas Post-Race Inspection
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Until the end of time, Matt Kenseth can say he crossed the finish line first at Kansas Sunday. NASCAR Record Books will say the same. But after a harsh series of penalties announced on Wednesday, should they stand that’s about the only thing Kenseth can hang his hat on after a successful weekend turned sour. According to multiple reports, officials at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina discovered a connecting rod on Kenseth’s engine, brought in for Kansas post-race inspection weighed three grams less than the minimum weight of 525g. The consequences, announced today are crippling for both driver and team. Kenseth, along with car owner Joe Gibbs have been docked 50 driver and owner points, actually reducing their overall totals heading into Kansas even though the No. 20 car won the race. That lost chunk of points drops Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. More importantly, the win “won’t count” for either bonus points in the Chase or determine postseason eligibility; that means the driver, now in “Wild Card” position is considered to have one win so far this season instead of two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on these consequences. Crew chief Jason Radcliffe, fined $200,000 based on the infraction has also been suspended for the next six Sprint Cup points events, along with the All-Star Race. Toyota, whose TRD engine department ultimately supplies the JGR powerplants has had five points deducted from its total in the manufacturer’s championship. And finally, Joe Gibbs himself, already docked 50 owner points has had his license suspended by NASCAR, which means he’s ineligible to accrue owner points for the No. 20 until the next six Sprint Cup Series points races are completed. Gibbs, NASCAR has clarified will still be able to travel to the racetrack despite a suspended license. In a tersely worded statement, the owner says he’ll appeal the ruling, which violated three parts of the series rulebook. The one most pertinent is Section 20-5.5.3(E) which states only magnetic steel connecting rods, with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted. Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4J, which gives officials the right to penalize for parts they claim do not conform to NASCAR rules were also cited in the sport’s official release. Toyota Racing Development’s Lee White, in a statement released early this afternoon took responsibility for the violation. During NASCAR’s routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth’s race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway,” he stated, “One of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams. None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team this past Sunday in Kansas — JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines. It was a simple oversight on TRD’s part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company. The goal of TRD has always been — and will continue to be — to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR.” Kenseth, who has led 482 laps this season, two higher than his total last year has been one of the strongest competitiors on the Sprint Cup track in 2013. His engines have also passed several previous inspections.
Johnny Sauter Penalized For Fuel Cell Infraction At Kansas
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Thorsport Racing, along with former Truck Series point leader Johnny Sauter are reeling this Wednesday after a major penalty involving their No. 98 Toyota. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced the team was fined $10,000, crew chief Joel Shear has been suspended for four races and 25 owner points were taken away as a result of a faulty fuel cell, confiscated during pre-race inspection at Kansas. Driver Sauter was also hit was a loss of 25 points, completely reshaping the championship Chase heading into the next race of the season at Charlotte May 17th. According to NASCAR officials, the team violated multiple sections of the rulebook. The key ones involve Section 20B-16 and 20B-16.1B, regarding the proper size and functioning of fuel cells. “Once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified,” the rules say, “Modifications of any kind will not be permitted.” The 16.1B portion refers to black safety foam, with a minimum height of eight inches that must be used as a safety mechanism when putting together the fuel cell itself. By violating that rule, NASCAR is insinuating the team modified or enhanced the cell in some way by cutting back / replacing that foam. Section 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing was also listed as a rules violation along with 12-4K, which gives NASCAR Officials the leeway to penalize teams when they feel previously legal equipment was modified, in any manner after being initially inspected. Thorsport, as of yet has not said whether they plan to appeal. The penalties mean Matt Crafton becomes the new Truck Series point leader, by 13 over Jeb Burton while Sauter gets pushed back into a tie for second place. |
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Thomas Bowles · Wednesday September 22, 2010
Did You Notice? … The disastrous drop in TV ratings at Loudon? I literally gasped out loud when I read the somber verdict from Nielsen and Co.: a 28 percent drop from 3.2 to 2.3, paired with a loss in viewership of 1.36 million people. In a world where we’ve endured a rainstorm of precipitous decline, those numbers were a vicious tornado of destruction, one that shattered any remaining fake glass windows of invincibility down in Daytona Beach. Over the past decade, that’s the largest drop in year-to-year viewership of any race that wasn’t affected by weather and postponed.
It’s a bittersweet moment, the realization off the heels of a sparkling Chase debut that the racing doesn’t matter if fans decide to tune out the playoffs altogether. Sadly, I had planned to initially start out this column by making a pact over the next nine weeks to you that I’d stop criticizing the Chase, not because I like it (I don’t) but because there’s no use whining about something that can’t be changed until the offseason. Based on Sunday’s product, I do believe that this year’s playoffs, while unwanted, will probably wind up being one of the most entertaining we’ve had during its seven-year run.
And if the on-track action’s going to be awesome, even if you don’t believe in the title format, the race is worth watching if only to be rewarded after a boring, uninspiring end to the regular season. It’s my job to cover the action from week to week, not become a two-month, continuous public advocate for change when there’s some quality competition that just went on three days earlier. I’ve made my feeling known about the Chase, as has the majority of the fan base. They can’t cancel the thing in the middle of September, I reckon, so let’s cross our fingers, hope for the best and see what happens.
Of course, in my life I’m forever bound to the sport, not only by passion but also a career choice – a major difference that came to light this week. Turns out too many are already deeming this marriage over, sending a subpoena with their remotes that after six years of a playoff format they don’t believe in, the divorce is moving forward and they’ll see NASCAR in the Court of I Don’t Care. Sunday was a watershed moment where 1.3 million dedicated fans – just think about that number for a second – bonded together to prove that point.
Though nearly 100,000 were reportedly in the stands for an exciting race at Loudon, thirteen times that many fans were absent from their TV sets this past Sunday.
The sport has claimed in recent years to be open-minded in listening to teams and fans, between the NASCAR Fan Council and private town hall meetings to gauge how best to fix the sport. Well, there’s no more important time for the leaders to come together and fully understand the message the fan base just sent. For those blaming this mass exodus to be based on a transition from network to cable, consider this nugget: New Hampshire’s fall 2003 race, the last one before the Chase where Matt Kenseth was pulling away in the title race averaged a 3.0. Aired on TNT – a cable channel just like ESPN – that’s 23 percent higher than the rating NASCAR registered seven years into their “genius idea” Sunday afternoon.
Others may blame the economy. Well, I’ll tell you what a lot of unemployed people like to do when they’re sitting at home: watch television. Even if I believe every single word you say about how it’s affecting ticket sales, those numbers shouldn’t translate to a 28 percent drop on TV. And while the declines for other races were fairly significant, not one came close to the type of shift we saw between the end of the regular season and the start of the Chase. Never mind that every other sport in America, once they enter the postseason sees a significant spike in their viewership instead of fans running for the hills.
To me, the answer is alarmingly, frighteningly clear: fans hate the Chase to the point they’re just not going to bother being a part of it. Finally, they’re voting with their wallets, their voices, and their remotes – to the point where if that doesn’t cause the Chase to go bye-bye, doggone it, for the first time ever I fear the whole NASCAR ship might sink.
Here’s the best-case scenario going forward for NASCAR PR: 1) The Chase continues to provide us with high-quality racing at every track, creating buzz from now all the way until the final race at Homestead where someone other than Jimmie Johnson wins the title. 2) In December, the sport announces that despite a successful ending this season, the Chase system was futile and they’re either reverting to the old format or creating a new system that will develop a higher sense of urgency for all 36 races. 3) They announce an accelerated program to get the new Nationwide car into the Cup Series in order to produce brand differentiation between the manufacturers. So it’ll cost the top teams money – what do you have to lose at this point? There’s nothing but rich owners left.
Even with those three key developments, I still don’t know if that’s going to be enough without some radical change at the top. Could famous racing sons Tony George and Brian France be ousted less than two years apart? I still don’t think it’s likely, but considering this country is already revved up to be in an anti-incumbent mood, the chances are significantly rising.
One other thing to keep in mind before we leave this topic: ESPN’s continuous Chase self-promotion. They had drivers on Sportscenter this week, took the time to put out a Kyle Busch reality show and made a dedicated effort across the board to market the product – more than we’ve seen since 2007. The fact that hasn’t worked in their favor speaks volumes about the state of the sport going forward, and also brings greater focus to a faltering eight-year television deal for all three networks heading into the offseason.
Lots to keep an eye on here, folks. What NASCAR does in the next six months could affect their very ability to survive.
Did You Notice? … A sense of urgency coming from Kyle Busch in the Truck Series? Between his reality show and on-track incidents, he’s doing all the right things to keep himself on the radar screen and attract sponsorship for an organization that will shut down in 2011 without proper funding.
The 2010 Tony Stewart handled his shortcomings on Sunday far differently from Smoke when he first burst onto the Cup scene.
You can also argue that Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart are performing the same service in different ways. Notice how often Gordon’s said he’s not retiring, that he’d like to drive four or five years over the past few months? Well, with DuPont possibly scaling back, that allows the team to sell his brand to a company that’s not willing to make a three, four, or five-year commitment without some sort of verbal assurance from Jeff.
And check out Stewart, the perfect example of humbleness and maturity moments after running out of gas on Sunday night. Some of that is definitely due to the once-moody driver growing up; but don’t discount what an angry, frustrating tirade would do to marketers already desperate to replace the races Old Spice is leaving behind in 2011. Considering Stewart’s 39, sponsors aren’t going to bite on a photographer punch, but on a guy who’s going after wins and developing into a NASCAR role model for younger drivers. That’s the only way for cagey veterans to make a living in a world where the almighty dollar rules the day.
Getting back to Kyle’s sense of urgency for a bit, his Truck Series escapades – while debatable – are the type of stuff we used to see in the sport’s top three divisions every single week. While marketing gurus, officials, and fans all come together in ways to define the sport, that to me is the key to bringing people back, capturing that sense of urgency and getting drivers to feel that from the moment they step in their car to the second they take the checkered flag. Then, and only then, will the product automatically improve in a sport where mental strategy can play a major role in how the quality of racing unfolds.
Did You Notice? … Speaking of searching for more manufacturer brand identity up above, wasn’t this year the one where Toyota was to come out and dominate the Sprint Cup landscape? After all, it took just three for Todd Bodine to win the Truck Series title in a Tundra, the same time it took for Kyle Busch to make the Nationwide Series his own personal playground with a Joe Gibbs Racing Camry.
Compared to those series, Toyota’s entering its fourth year in Cup, running behind its championship model they’ve set as a benchmark in the minors. But while Busch and Denny Hamlin are viable title contenders, they remain the only highlights in a season that’s once again been dominated by Chevrolet.
For proof, let’s take a look at some Bowtie stats in Cup:
Wins: 14 of a possible 27 (52%)
Laps Led: 4,100 (51.4% of a possible 7,976)
Top-5 Finishes: 72 of 135 (53.3%)
Top-10 Finishes: 136 of 270 (50.4%)
Chase: 6 of 12 drivers (50%)
Not surprisingly, leading the series in all those categories the actual manufacturers’ title has turned into a bit of a joke. They have a 32-point lead on Toyota with nine races remaining, virtually assuring them of an eighth straight Sprint Cup crown.
So what’s made the difference? Why has Toyota been unable to break through? It turns out in the lower series, where their money and research could still influence the quality of competition, charging in with extra resources has made a difference. But what Toyota quickly discovered in their move up to Cup is that the well-oiled, multi-car machinery of Hendrick, Roush, Gibbs, and Penske was light years ahead in both engineering and personnel.
Brian Vickers has been one of a handful of bright spots in a long list of Toyota personnel that have failed to live up to expectations across the board.
The manufacturer tried their best to poach as many people as they could, with money and philosophy attracting a handful of gems the past few years: Brian Vickers, crew chief Pat Tryson, and GM Jay Frye among them. But in an example to show how much the Big Four are entrenched at the top (the fourth has rotated between Penske and Childress in recent years), the manufacturer could not gain any traction until they turned to Gibbs in a partnership that’s done wonders to save face. Keep in mind the team builds their own motors, apart from TRD in a mode all its own, a power that in a sense is greater than the manufacturer itself. If not for JGR, they would own just one win (David Reutimann) and have zero cars competing in the Chase.
I wonder if that’s why people don’t pay a lot of attention to manufacturers anymore. In a sense, the owners have become so powerful in their own right, the cars so non-definitive that getting a Hendrick chassis or Roush engine is more powerful than a Toyota motor. Boy, what the drivers from the first Daytona race in 1959 would say if they could see the sport now…
Did You Notice? … Instead of quick hits this week, we’re going to note some weird coincidences at the May race in Dover, as pivotal a race in the regular season as it was for the Chase. Consider on that day…
- Matt Kenseth finished third, finishing off a sizzling start where he had seven top-10 finishes, nearly won the race at Martinsville and landed third (yes, third) in the points. He’s had exactly one top-10 finish since.
- Denny Hamlin finished fourth, an important confidence builder that served as his first top-20 finish at the place since Spring, 2007. Hamlin has never finished in the top 5 in the Fall event.
- Tony Stewart ran ninth, his first top-10 finish in seven races after a slump that knocked him outside the top 12 in points. He would not finish outside the top 15 again in a non-restrictor plate race until Bristol in late August.
- Martin Truex, Jr. slipped after winning the pole, running 12th to sit on the Chase bubble heading to Charlotte on Memorial Day weekend. By the time he finished better than that again, it was 11th in Chicagoland and his chance to make the playoffs had long ago slipped away.
- Mark Martin ran 15th, just the third time in the last six years he’d finished outside the top-10 at the Monster Mile. It was the first real “Houston, we have a problem” moment for the No. 5 team, one that would continue even with a fourth-place finish in the Coca-Cola 600. Other than that performance, he’s had just one other top-10 finish since.
- Jimmie Johnson, in 16th, led 225 laps but displayed the type of uncharacteristic, mistake-prone race that we saw from him at times during the regular season. A pit road penalty derailed an otherwise winning car; will it happen again?
- Casey Mears ran 22nd, the first race Brian Vickers would miss after tests revealed a pulmonary embolism. Vickers would later have heart surgery, and his team would self-destruct into mediocrity as no substitute driver could bring his qualities of leadership.
- Robby Gordon ran 31st, the final race he’d be sponsored by the BAM Racing’s Warner Music Group in a faulty deal that wound up in litigation. He’s basically been operating with house money since, piling up debt we may never see paid off as the team slithers towards closing up shop.
- And finally, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ran 30th, complaining of a vibration when the team didn’t have any and jarring with Lance McGrew in a controversy most believed might get him fired. Some thought that with the team heading to Charlotte that May, Rick Hendrick would make a crew chief change that could serve to help propel this team into the Chase. He didn’t.
And look where we are now.
Wednesday on the Frontstretch:
FREE FRONTSTRETCH NEWSLETTER! SENT RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL INBOX! CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP
Beyond the Cockpit: One-on-One With Denny Hamlin, Primed for Title Push
Too Much Too Soon? First Chase Devolves Into Free-For-All
Mirror Driving: Jumping To Conclusions A Risky Move For Chase, Dale Jr.
Sprint Cup Power Rankings: Top 15 After New Hampshire
Top 10 Start-And-Park Explanations
Frontstretch Foto Funnies! Loudon, September 2010
Carey And Coffey: Do NASCAR’s Weekend Drug Tests Make Sense?
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Friday on the Frontstretch:
Four Burning Questions: All-Star Analysis and The New Kyle Busch
Has NASCAR’s All-Star Night Lost Its Shine?
Frontstretch Foto Funnies: Get Me A Bunny
Voices From the Cheap Seats: It’s Not Nice To Fool Mother NASCAR!
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