2017 NASCAR Pit Road Week 33: Martinsville

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

First Data 500

By Richard Tix

Well, that was fun! Sunday gave fan's and NASCAR just about everything they could ask for. Passing and hard racing all race long. Different leaders. Moves for the lead, including some beating and banging, door to door. Moving people for the lead which ultimately lead us to controversy that actually had to do with RACING. 

Most Monday mornings are filled with NASCAR talk about who broke the rules or penalties that many didn't know existed, but this Monday we actually were talking about racing. Some didn't like the move that Denny Hamlin put on Chase Elliott on the final laps, but no matter your view on that move it was refreshing we were talking about the cars/drivers on the track and not something that happened in the pits or after the race in tech.

We have all been saying it for a long time now, so NASCAR say it with me: "We need more short track racing!"

I know it isn't as easy as typing it out on this keyboard, but eventually NASCAR is going to realize that a schedule shake up that includes more short tracks, more road course, and more unique layout tracks with good old surfaces (think Darlington and Atlanta) is the best way to re-spark this fan base. Obviously track surface is a whole different argument that also has to do with tires (because the right set of tires that are softer and wear down are part of this riddle), and it is not something that NASCAR can easily control because each track is on its own schedule (and so is how the surface wears down), but letting them wear out is something that needs to be looked into before repaves.

It won't be an easy pill to swallow for NASCAR, and it will be tough to condense the one million 1.5 mile tracks and talk them into giving up a date, but it is something that could help the sport thrive like it once did even in the era of "right sizing." 

In reality, it's a pipe dream that I like chatting about, but if the schedule flip flopped 1.5's for short tracks and some racing under the lights, it couldn't be a bad thing. Dale Earnhardt Jr said it best, "it would be hard to get a ticket" if NASCAR had more short tracks under the lights.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Week 33 (Week 32)

1. Martin Truex Jr (LW-1)- He didn't lead a lap. He didn't win. However, Truex finished second at the end of the day and still has a 38 point lead on BK (next driver in points not locked into Homestead). 
2. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- Rowdy is locked into the Championship at Homestead. Will they keep on winning? The team has been fast enough all year to sweep the next two, but so has the No. 78.
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-6)- BK pretty much had Sunday locked up unless a late caution came. Guess what? It came and it was at the hands of his own teammate. Still, the No. 2 team is sitting ok if they can run well in the next two.
4. Chase Elliott (LW-3)- Rough blow for Chase's playoff chances. It may have ruined his shot, but he gave us one heck of a memorable moment when he was pumping up the crowd post race. 
5. Kevin Harvick (LW-4)- Even though the Ford's haven't shown the same speed as the Toyota's, the No. 2 and No. 4 have steadily stayed in the playoff picture.
6. Denny Hamlin (LW-5)- No comment. That's about how Hamlin's Sunday ended. 
7. Ryan Blaney (LW-7)- Blaney ran well Sunday, but in this round that's not going to be enough. The No. 21 team needs to find that winning speed.
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- I'm not counting JJ out, but Martinsville was a big spot for this team and they finished 12th after leading just 24 laps.
9. Matt Kenseth (LW-10)- After a wreck at Kansas that left him out of the playoffs, Kenseth bounced back with a top ten on Sunday.
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-12)- I think we would all like one more win, but at least Juniors season has started to turn around late in the year.
11. Kasey Kahne (LW-10)- 16th at Martinsville is his worst finish in his last five races (including two top tens).
12. Trevor Bayne (LW-NR)- It may have gone unnoticed, but Bayne has two top 10's (one a top 5) in the last three races.

Dropped Out: Kyle Larson (LW-9)