2016 NASCAR Pit Road Week 18: Kentucky

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Quaker State 400

AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley

By Richard Tix

Fuel mileage. It's such a common phrase when it comes to everyday life. Maybe you don't talk about it everyday but it is always around you. Truck commercials talking about Mile Per Gallon. Car's trying to be the most efficient at saving fuel. Heck, many people buy their car's just for the MPG it gets.

Yet, when it comes up in our favorite sport it becomes an outrage. NASCAR Sprint Cup cars run on Sunoco Race Fuel, yet if a finish comes down to fuel mileage the racing community comes to a frenzy.

Did you know that in any given moment during a NASCAR Sprint Cup race a member of the team might be calculating fuel? From lap 1- 300 (or however many are in a specific race), guys on the crew are asked to check out the fuel situation. Whether it be for a specific run, or just to change a pit window for the end of the race, fuel is a key aspect of racing.

I mean, why wouldn't it always be a fuel mileage race? Don't they run on fuel the whole race? 

I have been saying this forever but fuel mileage, tire management, pit stop times, caution timing, etc are all part of racing. So are 8 sec leads, wins on green flag runs, photo finishes, last lap passes, green white checkers, all racing.

You see, not every week can be a perfect photo finish with three lead changes in the last two laps. We can't always have door banging down the front stretch across the finish line. You know why? Because racing is just that, racing. No one can tell you how a given race will play out because racing has so many factors and strategies going on at once. 40 teams all with a different idea of how the race will play out down the stretch, yet no one really knows until those checkers fly if they made the right call.

That's what makes racing so great. Every strategy is what makes racing and is exciting in it's own way. The fact that people were upset about a "fuel mileage" race in one of the more exciting fuel mileage ending's is shocking to me. Then again, NASCAR can never please all it's diverse fans even if it is just common place to have cars with fuel in them have a fuel strategy.

Oh and hey by the way, Brad Keselwoski won on Saturday night. That is back to back for the 2012 Cup Champion. 

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 18 (Week 17)

1. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- Brad, Paul, and team are one of the best in NASCAR when it comes to fuel strategy late in a race. I mean, really, why not chance it with three wins and the lead? They gambled and just by an ounce it paid off. That's win number four on the season which gives BK the top Chase spot at the moment. Finish: 1st
2. Kurt Busch (LW-2)- He may have been jumped in the standings, but make no mistake Kurt is still one of the most consistent drivers of 2016. He has the most top 10's (15) through 18 races on the season. Finish: 4th
3. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- Harvick was one of the best cars of the night, but fuel strategy ruined his chance at a win. A late yellow would have changed everything and Happy might have been the one in victory lane. Finish: 9th
4. Carl Edwards (LW-5)- The slightest difference in Saturdays race for BK would have resulted in a win for Carl. Edwards was next in line if Keselowski actually ran out and it stayed green. Finish: 2nd
5. Joey Logano (LW-1)- One of many victims of early wrecks, JoLo didn't have the longest night (52 laps). Finish: 39th
6. Kyle Busch (LW-7)- An ok night resulted in an ok finish. However, all of these finishes are putting that bad four race stretch behind the 2015 Sprint Cup Champion. Finish: 12th
7. Martin Truex Jr (LW-9)- What a weird and frustrating night for Truex. I will not go into the situation in full as I missed the call, but he still came storming back in impressive fashion. Finish: 10th
8. Matt Kenseth (LW-11)- It's been a few weeks since we talked about Kenseth in a good light. Saturday night at Kentucky was a better overall run as of late and was one of his best in awhile. He ran on average in the top 5 and had a nice finish. Finish: 8th
9. Chase Elliott (LW-8)- Kentucky is a spot I thought Chase could bounce back at and then he got into an inccident with the 3 and 21. He still has plenty of cushion on the first non win Chase spot. Finish: 31st
10. Tony Stewart (LW-12)- Not sure if you have been paying attention (joke), but Smoke now has three top 10's, two top 5's, and a win in his last four races. His finish was better then his overall race Saturday, but it's the finish that counts. Finish: 5th
11. Greg Biffle (LW-NR)- It's a miracle! Biffle's name in the NBTW Power Rankings again. It's been awhile for the Biff so its nice to see him have a few good runs. He now has back to back top 10's (which are his only two of 2016). Finish: 6th
12. Kyle Larson (LW-6)- Larson ran better then he finished, but in racing that is going to happen. I gave him a break from dropping out because he has earned it with better runs and because not a ton of guys deserve a top 12 right now. Finish: 19th

Dropper Out: Austin Dillon (LW-10)

Just Missed: Ryan Newman and Trevor Bayne