Week 20 Preview

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2013

Nascar breaks from another bye week and heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 20th Sprint Cup running.  Last time here Jimmie Johnson crossed the fame bricks in first and also has 4 times in the last ten races at IMS. The two previous years at IMS has brought surprise winners in Paul Menard and Jamie McMurray. So the question is who will win in 2013, a favorite or a surprise winner?

With the race to get into the Chase heating up a surprise win could throw a huge curveball towards drivers on the edge of getting it, unless that is, the winner happens to be one of those guys already on the edge. Lets get right into the Good, Middle, and Bad drivers at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the last 10 races. If you need to take a peak at last years results look no further, IMS 2012.


The Good:

• Tony Stewart- Well this is a track Smoke considers his home track and it always means a bit more to him when he wins here. For Smoke, he has had those special moments two times in the last ten races here. He also has 8 top 10's and 5 top 5's while finishing in 10th in 2012. Best Chance Forecast: A track favorite and a potential summer run, look for Smoke to finish top 5 if not compete for a win if he is fast in qualifying.
• Jeff Gordon- This list could not leave off Gordon, who has one win in the last 10 (but 4 career wins here). He is tied with JJ for most wins at IMS. Best Chance Forecast: Looking for some consistancy I think Gordon can find a way into the top 10 and hang near the top 10 in points.
• Greg Biffle- Biffle's last five finishes at IMS? 3rd, 7th, 3rd, 4th, and 8th. Not too Shabby for the Biff. Add in he has a 12.1 average finish position in the last 10 starts here and you have a quality start. Best Chance Forecast: I doubt he will win, but look for him to be up front and finish top 10.

The Middle:

• Jimmie Johnson- Ok, ok, I know many people have them on there hot list, as is the smart choice and idea. But, I also want to point out his last three and bad luck that seems to follow him here. He does have a win in his last 3 but he also has finishes of 19th and 22nd, both races he finished on the lead lap. Also, in his last ten he has finishes of 39, 38, 36th all bad luck. With how good he has been you can bet he will be up front, and probably finish top 10, (and may deserve a spot in the Good category) but I also feel I have to inform the public JJ isn't transparent to bad luck.

The Bad:

• Kurt Busch- Well Kurt's last 5 starts here go a little like this: 36, 21, 10, 27, and 40th. Not so hot for a driver trying to get the one car team into the Chase. If any year was the year to bounce out of that funk this would be the one.
• Joey Logano- Well JoLo only has 4 starts here at IMS and they have brought mixed results. Normally you would think the first races would be learning curves and the next couple better. Well here are his finishes starting with his first in 2009: 12th, 9th, 25th, and 33rd last year. Last year he didn't finish on the lead lap but it still isn't the greatest stat line to have right now.
• Martin Truex Jr- 8 starts and one top ten. The upside to Truex's stats? That top 10 came just last year with an 8th place finish. Maybe he is figuring it out here? If not he has a 21.5 average finish position in his last 10 races that says he may struggle.

Who I like for the win this weekend?

• Tony Stewart. Its summer, he has to catch fire eventually right?

Dark Horse?

• Greg Biffle. Yeah he is part of my Good section, but who is really picking the Biff to kiss the bricks?

Hope everyone enjoy/enjoyed Eldora (depending on when you read this). Lets get ready to cross the bricks.

Grading the Field: Part One

Nascar has 7 races left until the Chase field is officially locked in for a 10 race sprint to become 2013 Nascar Sprint Cup Champion. Every driver has different expectations on the season and those same drives may have changed there expectations for these next 7 races depending on where they stand.

This article will take a look at how the drivers "grade" out on how their season has gone compared to what they were looking at for the beginning of the 2013 season. This is also a "Part One" because we will most likely take a look back and regrade the same drivers towards the end of the season (if not once right before/during the Chase).

**Starting with current standings and going down in order until around 20th, or most the guys with at least a slim chance at the Chase.**


Jimmie Johnson- Grade: A

• JJ has a Sprint Cup best 13 top 10's and also is tied for the lead with 4 wins. Those 4 wins mean he has one less then he had all last year (5 wins). While he is on pace for more wins and top 10's JJ is behind on his top 5 marks which shows that other drivers have a shot at the Cup (8 top 5's or pace of 15 to 16. 18 total in 2012).

Clint Bowyer- Grade: A-

• Bowyer finished 2012 with a chance at the Cup until he and Gordon had a spat. It was his first year at MWR and he exceeded expectations when he finished the season 2nd. This season the expectation's in the #15 camp was to contend again for a Title. So far so good for Bowyer who is 2nd in the standings, has 7 top 5's, and virtually a lock for the Chase. Only thing holding him back is the fact he doesn't have a win in 2013.

Carl Edwards- Grade: B

• Last year Carl struggled and missed the Chase just a season after finishing 2nd in the standings. Im sure the 99 team was looking to bounce back and regain form in 2013. The season started out well with an early season win at Phoenix but he hasn't found his 2011 form when he finished with 19 top 5's (6 so far in 2013). Overall it hasn't been a bad start to 2013 but Carl would love to be a contender for more wins week to week or at least a front runner (top 5's).

Kevin Harvick- Grade: A+

• Hold ground, run well, and keep sponsors happy. I'm sure that was what was on Harvicks mind, and possibly the entire #29 teams mind for the 2013 season. RCR already knew Harvick had a foot out the door yet he is looking as good as ever. Kevin has more Wins (2), as many top 5's (5), and only 3 less top 10's (11) as his entire 2012 season. Not only that, Harvick's worst finish is 14th if you take out restrictor plate races where he got caught up in wrecks. He is a guy to watch when it comes to the Chase.

Dale Earnhardt Jr- Grade: B-

• Last season Jr was making a huge push in the Chase but he ended up on the wrong end of a wreck that left him sitting out with a concussion and ruining any hope he had. Expectations have always been high for JR but I think this season he was hoping to find that late season form and turn it into s full season form. Well so far he has been on about par for that course with an outlook of about as many top 5's and top 10's as last years totals. Unfortunately their is still more to be desired and Jr is once again looking for a win in 2013 (Maybe Michigan in Aug).

Kyle Busch- Grade: B+

• These grades are where they're right now. As of now Kyle hasn't hit a late season, or Chase, slide yet (which is one of his downfalls so far in his career). This grade can and will go up if he actually makes a Chase run this season instead of falling apart down the stretch. He is in position though to have his best standings finish of his short career.

Matt Kenseth- Grade: B+

• Kenseth entered 2013 with a new team and new gels that needed to bond (if it wasn't for this fact he would grade a B). He and JGR showed that chemistry and click right away and not hold down Kenseth. Matt has 4 early season wins but consistency is still desired from the #20 team if they want to contend for a title. He is behind pace for top 5's and right on for top 10's compared to last season.

Greg Biffle- Grade: C+

• Entering 2013 Biffle was looking for some consitency after a rocky 2011 and a bounce back 2012, but at the same time to make a leap forward and become a contender after not finishing above 5th in the standings since 2008. Biffle as of late has found a little consistency but he lacked it early in 2013 and he also needs to heat up if he wants to contend for the Cup come Chase time.

Brad Keselowski- Grade: D+

• BK came into 2013 as the defending Champ and he showed just that to start the year. His 2013 aspirations were to contend again in 2013. As of right now he hasn't shown (in long, consistent runs) that he is capable of doing that. He does get a pass from receiving a lower grade 1) because much has been bad luck just piling up and 2) he just had a good run at NH for a 4th place finish and a Pole showing life. He is still somehow in 9th in the standings even though he has been terrible as of late.

Kasey Kahne- Grade: C

• Last year Kahne finally had an impact during the Chase. After finishing 4th in points in 2012 Kahne had to be looking at continuing that streak into 2013. 2013 started off well for Kahne and he jumped to a hot start where he was fast at almost every track Nascar visited but he has been up and down as of late making him teeter tottering on the edge of the Chase standings.

Martin Truex Jr- Grade: B+

• Truex and his teammate at MWR Bowyer made the Chase last year but Bowyer fared better as Truex finished 11th (Only ahead of Dale Jr who missed two races). This season the goal was to get back into the Chase again. That is left to be determined but right now he has the 11th spot and the WC spot because of a win. Yes, Truex had his first win since 2007 this year which helps his grade.

Jeff Gordon- Grade: C-

• He is 12th in points but does not have the WC spot because he doesn't have a win yet in 2013. Gordon entered 2013 as he does every year, with his sights set on a return to glory. This season has been anything but that. He has yet to notch a win and is just on the outside looking in when it comes to the Chase. Luckily for the #24 team their is time to get it going and sneak in.

Tony Stewart- Grade: C+

• Smoke is tough to grade right now because he seems to always go on a "Summer Run" when it starts to get hot out. He could start that at anytime but as of now he is in the last WC spot that could be stolen from him at any moment. He is a year in year out contender so he has to be disappointed as of right now.

Kurt Busch- Grade: A-

• To no ones surprise he has a high grade. He has taken this small one car team and shown them it is possible to be in Chase contention. Unfortunately he is sometimes guilty of over driving the car or the team has made a questionable call during the race that holds him back from the highest ranking. You still can not put him down for the work he has done as they're sitting 14th in points.

Jamie McMurray- Grade: A-

• Well McMurray entered 2013 just looking to find some good runs. In his career he has a 19.2 average finish position so he obviously didn't enter 2013 thinking of winning a title (I know everyone wants to, but they can be realistic as well). But as of right now McMurray is make a great run to at least get to the Chase which was a realistic goal for the #1 team. Having his best year since 2010 McMurray sits 15th in points and is currently on a hot streak. 

Aric Almirola- Grade: B+

• The #43 team came into 2013 with high expectations for improvement out of there young driver after he finished just outside of the top 20 in his first full season (21st). 2013 has been just the step the team was looking for as he has more top 10's and as many top 5's as all of last season. Not only that, but Aric is in 16th right now and has an outside shot at the Chase which has to be above expectations for the #43 team.

Jeff Burton- Grade: B

• Well Burton's career has been slowly running a downhill course as of late (finishing 19th and 20th the past two years). He isn't too much farther off the pace this season (17th in standings) but his averag finish is better and he has as many top 5's and 1 less top 10 as all of last season.

Burton, the last driver grade, is 21 points from 12th place Jeff Gordon, but both need to be chasing win's to have a chance at the 11th or 12th WC spots. I ended with Burton because I don't see much hope for the Chase beyond them unless it comes off of multiple wins from Logano, Newman, or even Menard. 

Pit Road Week 19

New Hampshire Motor Speedway Camping World 301

Well I don't think anyone could have predicted that Brian Vickers would be in Victory Lane following the race on Sunday, at least not celebrating his own win. On that note not many are upset he found his way there either. Vickers was strong all weekend and it finally paid off with his first Sprint Cup win since 2009 when he still had a chance to be that rising star everyone touted him as. Well NH may have solidified him as now a possible bounce back star and assure himself a ride in the #55 in 2014.

Beyond Vickers take a look at the full race results here. Also worth noting that Bobby Labonte saw a lot of time running up front (until falling apart late), Aric Almirola found a top 5 (5th), Jeff Burton with a top 5 (3rd), and Front Row Motorsports finished 18th and 19th respectively.

**New Hampshire Preview**

Rising:

• Brad Keselowski- He got the Pole for Sunday but didn't find a way to win. At the end of the day BK was happy with his 4th place finish and the fact that he is once again in the top 10 in points. This finish is his 4th straight top 10 at NH. Maybe this will turn his season around (but we have thought that before)?
• Aric Almirola- He once had a nice top 10 streak going, but since has struggled with consistency. Aric finished 5th and is still in contention (with small hope) while sitting 16th in the standings.
• Jeff Burton- If Burton was out front at the end of the race not many could have beat him. Jeff ended up finishing 3rd on the day which is his best finish in a while and still has him fighting for a Chase spot.

Coasting:

• Kevin Harvick- Since the ASR all he has done is finish in the top 10. No really, he has 8 straight top 10's. If he continues this consistency into the Chase and finds a few wins here and there he could contend for the Title.

Falling:

• Tony Stewart- Am I the only one who thought it was great luck for Smoke on that last caution? Am I also the only one who thought that because he had a chance to pit and salvage running out of gas? In my opinion he made a dumb move by not pitting and finishing in the 12th-15th range rather then running out (not even close) to the finish after the Green-White. He needed the big picture in mind (Yes a second win is key, but so are points when you are running that well).
• Kurt Busch- Bad luck and spinning out with Newman led to Kurts demise. He fell right out of the top 10 that he finally got into last week after having (once again) one of the fastest cars on Sunday.
• Joey Logano- Miscues all over the place, JoLo had a rough outing at NH. Not only was it rough, but it kills his Chase chances (and my pick he could squeak in or for that matter get a win in 2013 before the Chase).

Brian Vickers Celebrates after he finishes with the win at Loudon

Pit Road: Week 19 Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well he started 43rd and finished 6th. Not much to see here, move along folks.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Another Nascar Weekend another top 10 for Harvick. Not much to see here, move along folks.
3. Kyle Busch (LW-4)- Rowdy just couldn't keep the win from Vickers on Sunday but did win on Sat. That doesn't effect his move but Kyle had a fast day overall which he needed (without too much harm (Newman)).
4. Clint Bowyer (LW-3)- Clint had a rough day at NH yet still finished 13th on the day. That is a very dissapointing 13th though because he is normally solid at NH and he let one get away on a season which he has no wins.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW-6)- He led a few laps, looked good, and then finished 9th. Kenseth didn't move too far up but he also didn't have a bad day.
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- Jr switches spots with Kenseth after a 14th place finish. On Sunday at NH Jr really wasn't a factor and I actually forgot where he finished (that's a quiet day). Still an ok day and at least he didn't fall way off the pace.
7. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- Did anyone know Carl finished 8th? Not really a factor all day, Carl notched a top 10 and stayed steady on the season.
8. Greg Biffle (LW-8)- A 15th place finish and the Biff stays put, mostly because everyone around him has gone crazy. Biffle stays consistent and keeps his Chase hopes alive (and stronger each week).
9. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- Well Kurt is out of the top 10 in the standings but was once again bad fast, that is until he and Newman had a little "thing." Kurt's 102 led laps go to waste with a 31st but he is still 14th in points and looks more and more like he is prime for a win.
10. Jamie McMurray (LW-NR)- McMurray gets the nod here with a 12th place finish. It wasn't great but he had a 7th and 2nd the previous weeks so with all the turnover he gets the benefit.
11. Tony Stewart (LW-12)- I debated moving him up a spot after a bad call late in the race (and that's my opinion, even the broadcasters knew he was going to run out of fuel) but no one seems to want to hang around the bottom of the Rankings. He was good all day in retrospect. 
12. Brad Keselowski (LW-NR)- Well Kahne may have deserved this spot as well, but BK (after a terrible run, 9th) is still higher in the points then Kahne (after his terrible run, 10th). That was my determining factor this week, plus a Pole and strong 4th place finish.

Dropped Out: Joey Logano (LW-10) and Ryan Newman (LW-11)

Just Missed: Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon

**Pit Road: Week 18 Power Rankings**

Well this weekend we have no Sprint Cup action as it is a bye week. With it being a bye week either this week or next (or the weekend) I may try and get a few other articles out since I have a few idea's bouncing around. When Nascar returns to racing they will head to Indianapolis and also to ESPN Coverage for the remainder of the season (with a few ABC appearances).

If you haven't yet check out the Half Season Review on Nascar Behind the Wall and take a look at the Article Archive for any stories you may have missed. As always, check back to see if new articles are posted!

Nascar 2013 Half Season Review

Let's get to a review of the top half of the drivers standings

**Following the same guidelines as the Nascar 2013 Quarter Season Review I will take a look at where I think the drivers are at this point in the season. I will include which section I had them in at the Quarter Season Review as well as many drivers have been moving and shaking.**

On Vacation (Drivers In)

• Jimmie Johnson (Quarter Season- On Vacation)- Well no where else for JJ to be, he is in the Chase already and he is just trying to smooth everything out.
• Carl Edwards (On Vacation)- I still think Carl is in the Chase no matter what. He is 3rd in the points with a win on the season so he is no lock but he has been pretty consistent.
• Matt Kenseth (On Vacation)- He has four wins on the season which ties him with JJ. On the Quarter Season Review he has two wins. He is in on wins alone but he should get a top 10 spot.
• Kyle Busch (On Vacation)- Well he still has the two wins he had in the Quarter Season Review and they still look good for the Chase. He has had some hard luck but still sits 7th and I think he will get a top 10 spot, if not he will for sure get a WC spot with the two wins (most likely will find at least one more before the Chase).
• Kevin Harvick (Work to be done)- Well he is a big mover in the Half Season Review but I did have him as the safest driver in the Work to be done section. He now has two wins in 2013 and is 4th in the standings.
• Clint Bowyer (Sitting Pretty)- Well Bowyer is the lone driver in this section without a win after moving up from the Sitting Pretty Section in the Quarter Season Review. He is second in points and is bound to find a win in 2013, maybe he will even find that win in the Chase and make another run at a title.

Sitting Pretty (Looking good but could use some work in the next quarter)

• Dale Earnhardt Jr (Sitting Pretty)- He is practically in, but he still doesn't have that win and at times he has been just too quiet. He is 5th in points and should lock down a top 10 Chase spot.
• Greg Biffle (Work to be done)- Well Biffle has been much better in this quarter and found a way to get a W. He is sitting 8th in points right now but is trending the wrong way and it could mean he may slide out of the top 10.
• Tony Stewart (Starting to worry)- Well he was almost cast off last time I reviewed the season but he made a strong run and found a win in 2013. He is 10th in points right now and just finished 2nd at Daytona.

Work To Be Done (In the top 12 right now, but need to get moving)

• Kasey Kahne (On Vacation)- He literally took a vacation when I wrote the last article and he has slipped to a WC spot. Well unfortunately for Kahne he has one win and that WC spot may need multiple wins. Also, fortunately for him he still has time and has been fast time to time. (12th in standings).
• Kurt Busch (Starting to worry)- Well back then I thought the little team that could may not be able to find a way to get in, and he has been on the uphill since then. I still am not sure if he can get in but the fact is he has been fast and is sitting 9th in points.
• Martin Truex Jr (Sweating it)- Well he was sitting outside the top 10 during the last review, and didn't have a win in over 200 races. Now Truex has a win and holds a WC spot. I think he could be a guy who has to worry about dropping out, but he has shown resilience and made the Chase last year so he can get it done.

Sweating it (Guys outside the top 12 who have a decent shot but need to get going)

• Jeff Gordon- Well Gordon isn't out of it yet, but he would love it if he could stay away from trouble. He has seemed to be getting it going as of late and that bad luck is the only thing in his way from making a run.
• Joey Logano- Still on the verge of breaking out, JoLo is having his best year of his young career and is just outside the top 12.
• Brad Keselowski- He has totally fallen off the grid but he still has a shot at the Chase which is amazing in itself. BK needs to find a way to finish strong and pick up a win or two.
• Ryan Newman- Well he has been the more consistant driver between him and Smoke but he hasn't goten hot like Stewart did. He has a bit of a good track record at Loudon so if he could pull off a win it owuld make it interesting in the Stewart-Haas camp.

Starting To Worry

• Jamie McMurray- Well he is starting to get hot, so he could end up being the big mover out of this group. On that note, we head into Loudon for a race where he only has one top 10 in the last 10 races.
• Ricky Stenhouse Jr- Ricky isn't going to make the Chase, so he may as well be in the "Pack It Up" section. I gave him the pass for now because he is a rookie and he still does have a chance if you look at the points. Having a nice rookie year, he seems to always finish from 14-19th every week.
• Aric Almirola- He has a nice run where he posted top 10's but it seems like that has faded and he and his RPM teammate -Marcus Ambrose- are on the outside looking in when it comes to the Chase.

Pack It Up

• Denny Hamlin- Well he is done. He just keeps finding the wall and when you find the wall your chances of wins and top finishes goes down the drain. I do however think he can notch a win this season (I actually have him this week as a front runner at Loudon).
• Paul Menard- Bad luck did Menard in at Daytona this last week and he was out almost before it started. He had a good run early this year sitting in the top 10 but he has faded and he now is all but out of contention -picking up 1 point will do that to you-.

Who I like to get in at this point in the season (Also added in who I liked at the Quarter Season Review and Current Standings)

	Quarter Review		Half Review		Current Standings
1	Jimmie Johnson	1	Jimmie Johnson	1	Jimmie Johnson
2	Kyle Busch	2	Matt Kenseth	2	Clint Bowyer
3	Matt Kenseth	3	Kevin Harvick	3	Carl Edwards
4	Dale Earnhardt Jr	4	Clint Bowyer	4	Kevin Harvick
5	Carl Edwards	5	Kyle Busch	5	Dale Earnhardt Jr
6	Brad Keselowski	6	Dale Earnhardt Jr	6	Matt Kenseth
7	Clint Bowyer	7	Carl Edwards	7	Kyle Busch
8	Kasey Kahne	8	Kasey Kahne	8	Greg Biffle
9	Kevin Harvick	9	Greg Biffle	9	Kurt Busch
10	Jeff Gordon	10	Joey Logano	10	Tony Stewart
11	Greg Biffle	11	Martin Truex Jr	11	Martin Truex Jr
12	Ryan Newman	12	Tony Stewart	12	Kasey Kahne

*No real order, but it is kind of by who I think is the safest as of today 7/11/13.*

Some notes on the Chase Standings:

• I had Gordon being the big mover between he and Smoke and was wrong. Gordon still has a shot and if I ranked them I would have him 13th.
• With his win I think Truex will get in, but he is a risk because the WC spot may go to a guy with 2 wins.
• Kahne is struggling right now but his win and the fact he has been fast (plus he is a Hendrick car) leaves me thinking he will make a run. 
• I have Kurt Busch dropping out of the standings as my only mover. Joey Logano meanwhile is the guy who moves into his spot.

Well that's it for now. The next 8 races are crunch time for drivers and we will know more each week as we get closer to the Chase, the key will be wins. Will Kenseth and Johnson keep stealing wins? The more they steal the more it looks like one win will get a WC spot with a lot of guys fitting that category and making a crazy last couple races.

Week 19 Preview

New Hampshire Motor Speedway: Summer Race

Ten straight races at New Hampshire Motor Speedway without having a repeat winner. That is a pretty good streak and I would guess that it will end this weekend. Drivers like Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, and Tony Stewart (to name 6 of them) have been winners in the last 10 in Loudon.

So who will win this week at NHMS? Two other guys who have won here in the last 10 races -Kurt Busch and Joey Logano- could really use there first wins of 2013 this week to help there Chase chances. Another guy, Mark Martin, would love to get one last win a his career dwindles down. This week in Loudon Nascar should have plenty of excitement. Take a look at last years Summer race which had Kasey Kahne finishing in Victory Lane.


The Good:

• Jeff Gordon- Gordon has been good at NH, actually what I mean to say is very good. His worst finish in the last 10 races here is 15th. Yet he doesn't have a victory here in those 10 races. He does however have 6 top 10's and 4 top 5's. (Finishes outside the top 10: 11th, 15th, 14th, and 11th). Best Chance Forecast: I would say he is almost a lock for the top 10 if he stays out of trouble.
• Denny Hamlin- The latest winner at NH (Fall Race), Denny has also come 2nd or 3rd 4 times in the last 10 races. That means he notched a post race interview (for a top 3 finish) 50% of the time. Best Chance Forecast: Well he is out of Chase contention, but I think he is a front runner this weekend to make sure no one forgets about him.
• Clint Bowyer- Bowyer hasn't been amazing here -5 top 10's in the last 10 races- but in his first year with MWR he finished 3rd and 4th. If you add that with the fact that he is running well again this year with MWR and you have the makings of a good finish. Best Chance Forecast: I think Clint can notch a top 10 this weekend and stay put in the standings.

The Middle

• Brad Keselowski- Well BK hasn't been amazing here so he ends up stuck in the middle. He is the guy I targeted this week though because his last 3 starts here have come to the tune of 6th, 5th, and 7th. Everything before that wasn't too hot.

The Bad

• Matt Kenseth- Well one of the best drivers and story's of 2013, Kenseth hasn't had much luck here in Loudon. In his last 10 starts at NH he has one, yes one, top 10.
• Jamie McMurray- Well McMurray has been getting on a mini roll as of late, but that could come to an end at NH. McMurray has the same story as Kenseth, one top 10 in his last 10 starts here. 
• Kyle Busch- Well Kyle lands here not because he only has 3 top 10's in his last 10 races here. The real reason behind it is that none of those 3 top 10's were in his last 4 starts in Loudon. He has been fast this year so he has a chance to break that slump.

I will take a few stabs at some questions this week again (Haven't got a Favorite or Dark Horse winner in two weeks, I'm due):

• Who I like to win this weekend?
• Denny Hamlin- DH has hit too many walls and pushed too far down not to make a triumphant return at some point.
• Dark horse I like for the win?
• Brad Keselowski or Ryan Newman- I have two and that's because I didn't want to pick Newman back to back weeks. Newman has a win at NH while with Stewart-Haas and 6 top 10's in 8 races. BK meanwhile has been good in his last 3 and at some point you would think he could put together a good run (then again, maybe not).
• Where do I have Danica finishing? (Because every article has to mention here right?)
• Had her 24th last week (finished 14th) but at least 7 guys like Gordon and Kenseth had troubles, I should have given her the benifit of it being Daytona. This week she has no luxury and has never driven Cup here, 27th place finish.

Well that's it for this weeks preview. Check back in later to Nascar Behind the Wall, their should be a Half Season Review posted with a look similar to the Quarter Season Review from earlier this season. Also if you missed it take a look at the latest Power Rankings after Daytona.

Pit Road Week 18

Daytona International Speedway: Fourth of July Weekend

Well Daytona is a place where drafting and staying out of trouble is key and Saturdays winner did just that. Well it seems like Jimmie Johnson didn't need to draft all night -he was that dominate- but he did stay up and out of trouble.

Most of Saturday night was dominated by Johnson and he didn't look back. One week after Matt Kenseth took the season lead in wins Johnson came storming back tying him and showing why I thought some sites were crazy for not having JJ #1 in there rankings. Onto the Rising, Coasting, and Falling drivers this week. Take a look at Saturdays results from Daytona here.


Rising:

• Casey Mears- Well this finish maybe short lived for Mears, but it is his first top 10 this season. That top 10 was almost wiped out on the last lap but he ran the wall to the finish line for a 9th place finish.
• Tony Stewart- Much needed after a few down races, Smoke got back on track with a runner up finish. He is now back up to the top 10 in the standings and maybe this is his hot streak that he is known for?
• Kurt Busch- Another week and another fast race for Kurt. He wound up finishing 6th which is his third top 10 in arrow and fourth in five races. He is now up to 9th in the standings.
• Jamie McMurray- Back to back top 10's for McMurray. He may not have much of a shot at the top 10 but if he can muster a win one of these weeks he could push for a Wild Card spot.

Coasting:

• Clint Bowyer- I may as well rename this section Clint Harvick group.  Seems like every week they just keep notching consistent finishes and it will be interesting to see if either gets hot during the Chase. This is Bowyers third straight top 5.

Falling:

• Jeff Gordon- It seems like bad luck is finding Gordon this year. He found it again at Daytona this week and ended up 34th. Luckily for him he still has a shot if he can get it going.
• Paul Menard- Two weeks and two bad finishes in arrow. Menard went out early at Daytona and now he is sitting right in 20th position in points which makes his road very tough the rest of the way.

Pit Road Week 18 Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well he dominated all night at Daytona and he will keep dominating the top spot in the Power Rankings until otherwise noted. He may keep the top spot until the rankings are reset for the Chase unless he hits a real rut.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- 7 straight races where Harvick has finished in the top 10. Yes I said 7. That's back to the ASR so yeah he will sit second fiddle to JJ.
3. Clint Bowyer (LW-3)- Well another top 5 in Bowyers consistent season. The top 5 at Daytona is Bowyers 6th top 10 since the ASR.
4. Kyle Busch (LW-5)- Kyle got caught up on the last lap wreck at the line but still finished 12th. Since the ASR he has 3 top 5's and 4 top 10's.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-6)- JR stayed out of trouble (or away from Danica) on the last lap and got himself a nice top 10 (8th). He now finds himself back in the top 5 of the Power Rankings but a win would be nice.
6. Matt Kenseth (LW-4)- Well he had a rough finish after getting caught up in a wreck but so did a good amount of other drivers. He still has a car week after week that can contend.
7. Kurt Busch (LW-10)- Kurt finished 6th at Daytona and he also moved into the top 10 in the Sprint Cup Standings
8. Greg Biffle (LW-9)- Moving up yet a bad finish? Daytona took a lot of drivers for a loop but don't take this the wrong way, Biffle is still trending the wrong way on the season as of late.
9. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- See Biffle, then add it to Edwards. Carl isn't falling on the season though as Biffle is, but he has a rough week.
10. Joey Logano (LW-8)- JoLo was another guy caught up this week and he gets a one week pass because he had been so hot.
11. Ryan Newman (LW-NR)- Well Newman hasn't been amazingly hot, but he has had a consistent stretch here that is worth a bottom spot (10, 14, 15, 18, and 5th).
12. Tony Stewart (LW-NR)- Well it is only one finish, but his runner up spot does look nice after he had struggles the past few weeks. Smoke can fall right out of these rankings as easy as he got in if he doesn't show some consistency.

Dropped Out: Kasey Kahne (LW-12) and Martin Truex Jr (LW-11)
Just Missed: Jamie McMurray and Ricky Stenhouse Jr

This week Nascar heads to New Hampshire (Loudon). Later this week Nascar Behind the Wall's Loudon Preview will be up and I will try and take a stab at the "Halfway Review" that will take a look at how drivers are stacking up for the run at the Chase.

Week 18 Preview

Daytona International Speedway: Night Race 2013

Well we are fast approaching Fourth of July weekend and that means that Nascar is heading back to Daytona International Speedway for the second time. This time Nascar runs under the lights and its most resent winner of the July race was Tony Stewart. Smoke is once again back in a spot where he needs a win or good finish to get back on track as do many other drivers.

2012 July Daytona winner Tony Stewart

Restricter plate races can bring some big surprises and it could be a big week for someone to make a move that no one saw coming. Take a look at last years visit to Daytona in July here. Lets get on to our Good, Middle, and Bad drivers at DIS as of late.







The Good:

• Matt Kenseth- Surprise, surprise Kenseth -last weeks winner- is back on the Good list. In the last 10 starts at DIS he is one of two drivers (Smoke) to have multiple wins. He also has 7 top 10's and 5 top 5's. Best Chance Forecast: Look for him to improve on his bad luck finish at the 500. Another top 10 is likely for Kenseth.
•  Dale Earnhardt Jr- In Jr's last 3 races at Daytona he has an average finish of 6.3 with 2 top 5's (both of those were runner ups), Best Chance Forecast: Daytona is hard to call, but I will take a shot and say he is one of the top contenders to get a win.

The Middle:

• Tony Stewart- The other guy to have multiple wins in the last 10 races, Smoke only has one other top 10 in that same 10 race stretch.

The Bad:

• Kasey Kahne- This maybe a case of bad luck and I wont be picking him to finish poor, but the fact is he is in a weird every other slump (last finishes: 37, 7, 29, 4, 25, 2, and 30).  If you look at the bright side though, he is in for a good finish this time around.
• Martin Truex Jr- One of the hotter drivers right now, Truex only has one top 10 in the last 10 races. In fact that top 10 was in 2010 and in the next 6 races he only has one top 15. Maybe the hot streak is what he needs to get out of a Daytona slump.

2013 Daytona 500 winner Jimmie Johnson

Who I like for the win this weekend?

• Hasn't won in over a year, but I'll take those bad odds and put my money on Jr Nation.

Dark Horse I like for the win?

• Ryan Newman. Back to back top 5's, thinking he has to bust out eventually

My top 5 (realistically and in no order):

• Earnhardt Jr, Kenseth, Edwards, Hamlin, and Menard (yes a long shot)

Rounding out the top 10:

• Johnson, Newman, Stewart, Gordon, and Bowyer

Where do I have Danica finishing this time around?

• I will take 24th. I think an over/under 15 would be an interesting line (Considering it's Daytona)

Need more from Daytona International Speedway?

• DIS Entry List
• July 2nd was the Kings B-Day, check out Nascar's article on him.
• Nascar Behind the Wall's: Birthday Fit For a King.
• Check out NBTW's latest Power Rankings

Pit Road Week 17

Kentucky Speedway: Quaker State 400 2013

Nascar leaves Kentucky and also leaves with it's first four time winner in 2013, Matt Kenseth. Kenseth now leads Nascar with four wins and is one win away from tying his single season career high in wins (5). At times (when he doesn't run into bad luck or TRD engine troubles) he has look just as dominant as Jimmie Johnson. In my Driver Spotlight: Matt Kenseth article earlier this year I brought up the thought about Kenseth and if this is the year he gets another Championship?

After the third career Sprint Cup race at Kentucky we have some movers and shakers in the standings that will be touched on in the Rising, Coasting, and Falling section. If you missed it or just need a refresher of the race, check out the Full Race Results Here.


Rising:

• Jamie McMurray- How could he not be on the rising list? At Kentucky McMurray posted his first top 5 finish this season.
• Matt Kenseth- Kenseth tells that 19th place finish at Sonoma and turns it into a win at Kentucky. 4 wins for Kenseth in 2013 and if he gets his second Championship this would be one of his most dominate seasons of his career.
• Kurt Busch- Krut still couldn't find a win at Kentucky but he did manage a 6th place finish that moved him to 14th in the points.

Coating:

• Joey Logano- His stash line since the ASR: 4th, 11th, 9th, 10th, 7th, and 5th. I am still on the bandwagon that says he will get a win in 2013.
• Kevin Harvick- First week NBTW has had two guys in the coasting section. Harvicks stash line since the ASR: 10th, 10th, 2nd, 9th, 8th, and 1st. That is 6 top 10's for anyone who hasn't paid attention (6 quiet top 10's).

Falling:

• Brad Keselowski- Whoa, he has been on the edge for awhile now, but when Kurt got loose and came up and caused a multi car wreck BK's Chase hopes really hit the warning sign. Last year's  Kentucky win slingshot him towards a Title, this year it moved him out of the top 10.
• Denny Hamlin- He had troubles and finished 35th and is now all but out of Chase contention.
• Tony Stewart- Remember when he was the hottest driver in Nascar for 3 weeks and could go on one of those Summer runs? Well if he does that run will have to be restarted (28th at Sonoma and 20th at Kentucky).

Pit Road (Week 17 Power Rankings)

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Come on Fox and Yahoo!, how can you say JJ isn't #1 still? Kenseth won but in his last 6 races he has two top 10's. JJ has dominated even in his bad races, and when we call battling back to finish 9th a bad race we have a problem. JJ maybe slipping a bit, but he has plenty of time to get hot for the Chase.
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Kentucky wasn't impressive, yet he salvaged a 10th place finish. He has finished in the top 10 every week since the ASR (6 races).
3. Clint Bowyer (LW-3)- Bowyer had a good car again and had a 3rd place finish to prove it. A 15th place finish at Pocono is his only finish outside the top 10 since the ASR.
4. Matt Kenseth (LW-8)- The big mover this week is Kentucky's race winner. He would be higher but he has been real high or low a lot lately. In his last 6 races he only has two top 10's, but a win makes you forget about that. He has been real fast, if he gets hot he could get his second title.
5. Kyle Busch (LW-9)- The middle of the pack is crowded and a lot of drivers are moving (up and down). Kyle spun out early and recovered for a 5th place finish.
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-7)- Well Dale had a car that may have been able to get his first win of 2013 but bad luck with part of DH's tire left that all but a dream. Jr still notched a spot right outside the top 10 (12th).
7. Carl Edwards (LW-5)- Another race and another under performance by Carl. Luckily for him he still manages to rack up some points and doesn't look to be falling out of the top 10 before the Chase.
8. Joey Logano (LW-11)- He and Harvick have both been quietly hot since the ASR, but Harvick has a win and one extra top 10 (JoLo's 11th was his lone non top 10 in the 6 races after the ASR).
9. Greg Biffle (LW-4)- Not Biffle's fault, he slides down the rankings after getting swept up by the Kurt and BK crash. Biffle is now down to 10th in the points but does have an important win. He may need another though to get into the Chase unless he gets hot in the last 9 races.
10. Kurt Busch (LW-10)- Kurt had another good race but another race with a less than amazing finish. Kurt will take 6th place but he know's he will need more (including a win) if he wants to get "the little one car team that could" into the Chase.
11. Martin Truex Jr (LW-NR)- Truex has a case to be higher on this list and I wouldn't argue with anyone who does (I mean I did have a Driver Spotlight on him and a MWR Article on how he is part of the MWR turnaround). His 7th place finish gave him a top 10, top 5, and a win in his last three races and is now 8th in the standings.
12. Kasey Kahne (LW-12)- Well this spot is a toss up but I gave it to Kahne because he was 12th last week. Gordon also made a case to jump back in this week with an 8th place finish. Kahne on the other hand finished 11th at Kentucky. Both he and Gordon are hanging around the 10-14th point area but Kahne has a win to hang onto unlike Gordon, hence the last spot in the Power Rankings.

Dropped Out: Tony Stewart
Just Missed: Jeff Gordon (....Again)

Nascar heads to Daytona this week to get in some restricter plate racing in. Check back into Nascar Behind the wall for a Daytona Preview and new articles throughout the week.

A Birthday Fit For A King

It's July 2nd and for a Nascar fan it still seems like too many days until this weekend race. This Tuesday isn't just another Tuesday though, it is the King Richard Petty's birthday.  The King is one of the most iconic drivers in Nascar History, in fact other then Dale Earnhardt, no one seems close if you take a look back. Many drivers come through Nascar and drive for different teams with different numbers but sometimes a man and a number come together.

The number 43 will always be linked with Richard Petty as will STP. You know you have made it
when a color isn't known on the car to be light blue, sky blue, or baby blue but rather "Petty" blue.  Richard Petty made an impact on the track and helped Nascar become as popular as it got. So in honor of the King and all he has done for the sport, let's take a look back at some of his achievements on this special day for him.





**Career stats, his 27 win 1967 season, and his 1971 season stats.**

Career		1967	1971
Seasons	35	1	1
Races	1185	48	46
Wins	200	27	21
Poles	127	19	9
Top 5's	55	38	38
Top 10's	712	40	41
Top 15's	807	41	42
Average Finish	11.3	5	4.2

The Kings 200th and last Cup Win. 1984

• First Win: Southern States Fairgrounds 2/28/1984
• Last Win: Firecracker 400 Daytona International Speedway 7/04/1984
• 7 Cup Championships (1964, 1967, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975, and 1979)
• All time Wins leader (200)
• All time Pole leader (127)
• Most Consecutive Win's (10 straight 1967)
• Lead Cup Series in Wins 7 times
• Daytona 500 Winner a record 7 times
• 2010 Inaugurall Hall of Fame Inductee

Lets take a quick look at some of his most successful tracks:

1. North Wilkesboro- 15 Wins in 67 Races
2. Martinsville- 15 Wins in 66 Races
3. Richmond 12 Wins in 62 Races
4. Rockingham- 11 Wins in 54 Races
5. Daytona- 10 Wins in 74 Races
6. Nashville Fairgrounds- 9 Wins in 39 Races

So as the King turns 76 today I think it is ok to say he can look back and be happy with the career he once had. I think what might be on his mind now though is getting one of his drivers in position to win a Title like he once did (7 times!). Happy Birthday the "King" Richard Petty!