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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.
What To Watch In NASCAR: Tuesday 4/23/13
posted by Thomas Bowles
Tuesday April 23, 2013
- As usual, it’s penalty day in NASCAR and the biggest bulls-eye lies on the No. 98 Truck driven by Johnny Sauter. The current series point leader, Sauter’s fuel cell was confiscated following pre-race inspection in Kansas, a move that’s led to fines, penalties, and crew chief suspensions in the past. Sauter is currently 12 points in front of teammate Matt Crafton in the championship chase. - Clint Bowyer of Michael Waltrip Racing will hold a national teleconference with reporters. Bowyer, ninth in the series standings has gotten his 2013 season back together after a rough start. Fifth at Kansas, his hometown track he’s now got three top-5 results in his last five Sprint Cup events. - Denny Hamlin is expected to meet with doctors, following X-Rays to determine if he has medical clearance to race at Richmond. Hamlin has been out for about a month, since a last-lap crash into a non-SAFER, inside wall at Fontana resulted in an L1 Compression Fracture of his lower back March 24th. - Charlotte Motor Speedway will have a series of announcements concerning the Coca-Cola 600 race the Sunday of Memorial Day Weekend. Among the items on the docket: a special set of pre-race ceremonies, plans for a unique “Welcome Home” presentation for U.S. Military returning from overseas and additional news regarding partner Coca-Cola. Joey Logano and Charlotte Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith will be among those on hand for reporters. |
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Key Moment – Brad Keselowski ran out of gas, down the backstretch with 58 laps left, allowing Clint Bowyer to breeze by. That left the No. 15 team virtually unencumbered as they turned on the fuel mileage jets, put a Rip Van Winkle spell over the stands, and advanced to a shocking intermediate oval victory at Charlotte.
In a Nutshell – Welcome to “cookie-cutter” NASCAR 2012! Your template for the race is as follows: x car leads a majority of laps while cars behind run in a single-file parade behind him. X driver starts saving fuel early, leaving the rest of the field copy-catting and a bunch of drivers slowing down like there’s a hidden cop about to ticket them for speeding. X debris caution helps encourage said finish, where engineers spend more energy using their calculators than drivers pushing their cars to the ragged edge. Eventually, x driver tries to actually race and runs out of gas, or doesn’t, leading to two minutes of semi-drama that determines the winner.
Did you stay awake through all that? I hope so; you should be well rested after that Saturday three-hour nap, disguised as what’s supposed to be a “postseason level” Sprint Cup performance.
Dramatic Moment – The first four laps of the race, Greg Biffle and Mark Martin drove side-by-side up front, bunching up the field while acting like two drivers who actually cared about winning over points. That, combined with a lot of through-the-pack action and three cautions in the first 41 laps had you thinking the night ahead was unpredictable… instead, it was all downhill from there.
Greg Biffle and Mark Martin drove side-by-side up front for the first four laps of the race. Who knew that would be the high point of Saturday night’s action?
When Keselowski ran out of fuel, his engine sitting silent on pit road there were a few anxious moments as to whether he’d lose too much time – and the point lead, as a result – to Jimmie Johnson and the No. 48.
Maybe, just maybe, you could include Denny Hamlin’s late-race surge here, where he closed to within a half-second of Bowyer. But you never got the feeling that either driver was going to run hard enough to compete side-by-side, risking emptying their gas tank in the process.
What They’ll Be Talking About Around The Water Cooler This Week
Conspiracy theory that no one is talking about: a mystery debris caution that sets up a fuel mileage finish. It’s bad enough the championship system leaves drivers running in place, afraid to get too aggressive out of fear that one mistake will knock them into the wall and out of contention. But how convenient was it in a race where long green-flag runs – and a spread-out field – was shaping up that NASCAR threw a Lap 224 yellow for debris we never even saw? Immediately, that put gas into play and opened the door for someone other than Keselowski, Johnson or Hamlin to win the race – adding drama to what otherwise was the top-3 drivers in the points trying to protect their position up front. Side note: when we’re at a point in which teams are thinking, with one-third of the race remaining, that the outcome is going to be decided on fuel mileage, that’s a problem— a serious problem. It’s one thing if drivers are riding around for a half an hour, through one pit stop cycle, hoping not to run out of gas. But 80% throttle? For 100+ laps and an hour’s worth of racing? Who wants to sit through people driving really slowly, in circles, not trying to touch each other and hoping their miles per gallon matches new EPA-level standards? Imagine you have a friend who’s never watched racing. You ask them what you’ve been doing for the past hour and you go, “Trying to see if any cars are going to run out of gas.” What would you need to get them to stop laughing? Mace?
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was in an unfamiliar spot this weekend, sitting out a Cup race for the first time since 1999 as post-concussion syndrome left him unable to compete.
Conspiracy theory that bothers me the most: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. sitting out for other reasons than a potentially serious concussion. As we’ve seen in the NFL, head injuries left undiagnosed or untreated have potentially devastating consequences later in life. Keep in mind Earnhardt’s dad, Dale Sr., died in the 2001 Daytona 500 of a basalar skull fracture. Don’t you think those reasons alone would make his son, who also went through post-concussion syndrome in 2002, just a tad more sensitive when choosing whether to sit out? Considering he still raced after the Kansas tire test in August, one which included a 40-G crash that created the majority of problems Earnhardt is experiencing now, I think he already took it to the limit far enough. Sure, 90% of the driver’s diagnosis comes from self-reported symptoms, but isn’t that the case for the vast majority of health problems? Not everything is cut and dry, showing up easily on a CT scan or an MRI. Even in a worst-case scenario, where Earnhardt is trying to “send the sport a message” by sitting after the horror story disguised as Talladega competition, I’d rather have the “official” reason for his benching be this one. There’s still plenty of people who follow Earnhardt religiously, regardless of performance in recent years, and this decision sends a clear, role-model message that if you’re having serious headaches or take a blow that affects the skull you need to get it checked out – fast – and follow doctor’s orders.
You’ve got to hand it to Clint Bowyer. As I’ve explained more thoroughly in a second column, this performance is turning into the most underrated, underreported success story in NASCAR this season. People forget that Bowyer’s team didn’t even exist 12 months ago; now, with five races left he’s got an outside shot to be a Cinderella Cup champion. Bowyer’s three victories in 2012 equal the amount scored by Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. combined.
So was A.J. Allmendinger in this race? Let’s see: driver suspended for drugs, desperate to keep a stock car career going and jumping in a car who’s survival for 2013 is also in doubt. A source told me the only reason ‘Dinger got the ride for owner James Finch was through generosity; he offered to take it for free while other drivers wanted to get paid. Then, there’s Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. trying to jumpstart his Cup career in a fourth Roush car, a rookie who entered this event with three top-20 finishes in three Cup starts. Those sound like major stories worth telling, in-race, especially when side-by-side competition is few and far between. But the choice for ESPN was to keep showing us the same four championship contenders all the time, giving points updates and talking about how the Chase will be affected. Geez, for a network looking to extend its contract with a sport on a downhill slide they’re still struggling to find the meaning of the work “marketing.” I hear all the time from fans how radio makes even the most boring race exciting; TV needs to relearn how to accomplish the exact same thing.
The worst fears about the point race were realized when the top four title contenders ran 1-2-3-4 for a significant portion of the race Saturday night. Like jogging in place, each one of them smartly knew the best way to stay in the title hunt was to protect their position without getting too aggressive. A side-by-side move gone bad between any one of them could erase a point lead or a second-place standing in a heartbeat. So why try it? Between fuel mileage and a Chase that destroys dreams based on a DNF, people have developed a strategy of racing not to lose. Too bad fans come to the track to see their favorite drivers – and teams – try to win.
The Hindenburg Award for Foul Fortune
Brad Keselowski had a chance to extend his championship lead, putting serious pressure on Johnson but ran into a fatal snag when running his car out of gas. Coasting to the pits before his final stop, Keselowski (mostly) kept his cool both during and after the race. Still, like Denny Hamlin in 2010 you couldn’t help but think “opportunity squandered” in the face of a Five-Time champ who makes you pay for those types of mistakes.
Regan Smith could not help but be disappointed after an A+ opportunity to drive for Hendrick Motorsports ended with early engine failure Saturday night.
Regan Smith was giftwrapped the dream ride of Hendrick Motorsports’ No. 88. Early on, it looked like he’d make the most of it, pushing the car inside the top 10 with ease after starting a mediocre 26th. But a surprising engine failure, one that could have been caused by a self-induced mistake (overrevving the car on pit road) left him 38th. Not the way to impress when your job for 2013 still reads “TBD…”
Bobby Labonte had a borderline top-10 run going, one of his best of the season before a flat tire, suffered under green sent him spiraling downward. When all was said and done, Labonte was sitting ten laps down in 32nd.
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. had three Sprint Cup starts for his career and three top-20 finishes entering Charlotte. Keeping the No. 6 Ford out of trouble, he seemed destined to add a fourth until the engine soured and finally expired just over halfway through the event. The reigning Nationwide Series champ and about-to-be 2013 Sprint Cup rookie wound up 35th.
”The Seven Come For Eleven” Award For Fine Fortune
With the way these new EFI systems are, Brad Keselowski got lucky the engine restarted as quickly as it did. Remember Tony Stewart at Phoenix? Even ten more seconds on pit road could have meant the difference between 11th and 25th.
Hamlin and Johnson have both had well-documented issues with fuel in recent years. It’s rare to see a race where the end strategy works to perfection for both.
Tony Stewart was involved in an early, chain-reaction style wreck that left his No. 14 Chevy looking like a reconstruction project. In the end, after multiple fixes there was more black tape holding together the front of the car than actual sheet metal. An ugly, 17-second pit stop late also cost him precious track position, but somehow he pulled the Mobil 1 Chevy from 32nd starting spot all the way to 13th.
Matt Kenseth caused the race’s first caution when a flat rear tire left him spinning. Falling a lap off the pace, the No. 17 Ford appeared down for the count but Talladega’s winner, plus his crew kept fighting forward. The help of a Lucky Dog, combined with decent fuel mileage left him an admirable 14th by the finish.
Worth Noting
- Clint Bowyer (first) has four top-10 results in the first five Chase races. The lone exception? A 23rd-place disaster after that Talladega last-lap wreck.
- Jimmie Johnson (third) has four top-10 performances in this year’s first five Chase races. His “mulligan” was also Talladega (17th).
- Greg Biffle (fourth) earned his first top-5 finish since winning Michigan in August.
- Kyle Busch (fifth) has back-to-back top-5 efforts for the first time since Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte.
- Mark Martin (sixth) has four top-10 finishes in his last five starts.
- No lame duck here… Joey Logano (ninth) has four top-10 performances since the start of the Chase.
- Aric Almirola (12th) had his best result since a sixth at Dover in June.
- Jeff Burton (28th) is without a top-10 finish on an intermediate track this season. Four of his six top 10s came on restrictor plate tracks while the others were registered at Richmond and Bristol, respectively.
- Your top-10 finishers drove six Toyotas, two Chevys, and two Fords. Brad Keselowski was the highest-running Dodge in 11th place.
What’s the Points?
Keselowski’s edge over Jimmie Johnson is seven points with five races left. But that’s still close enough that if Johnson wins Kansas next week, leading the most laps Keselowski could lose the top spot with a finish of fourth or worse.
Hamlin, after a runner-up effort Saturday sits 15 points out of the lead in third place. Bowyer, with his victory moves up to fourth, 28 behind and close enough to sniff an outside shot should something happen to the top 3 contenders. Kasey Kahne, now fifth is 35 behind and the only other driver who could realistically dream of holding the trophy after Homestead.
Greg Biffle, after an ugly start to the Chase worked his way to sixth; however, the regular season points champ is 43 markers out and would need a minor miracle to get back in the hunt. Martin Truex, Jr. sits seventh, with Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart (with seven combined titles between them) tied for eighth. Kevin Harvick sits tenth followed by Matt Kenseth and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. – that back half of Chasers is over a full race’s worth of points outside the lead.
In the “best of the rest” category, Kyle Busch now has a virtually insurmountable 62-point advantage on Ryan Newman for 13th place. Call off the dogs, this meaningless party’s already over.
Overall Rating (from one to six beers, with one being a total snoozer and a six-pack an A+ effort): When I was in college, to save cash we used to pregame with (gulp) 40s of Old English, hoping we could simply stomach them enough to keep going. I’m not even sure this race is worth a 99 cent bottle of that; we’ll say a beer-and-a-half, just because there was a slight degree of uncertainty over the ending but I think that’s overdoing it.
Next Up: From one “cookie-cutter” track to another: NASCAR heads to the Midwest and Kansas for their third 1.5-mile oval in six races. A reminder that 50% of the Chase will be contested at these fuel-mileage centric, parade-lap facilities so be sure to plan your naps accordingly.
Connect with Tom!
Contact Tom Bowles
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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