2016 March Madness NASCAR Style: Championship

Behind the Wall Championship Game

By Richard Tix

Racing under the lights with the bright light shinning off of 40 Cup cars can not be topped. Nothing beats watching a night race at the highest level or on a Saturday night at your local track. The visual aesthetics were great all night long, but part of the race lacked the "it" factor. 

However, the finish of the race was fantastic and if you have been following along with the Final Four on Behind the Wall you had some extra drama. All four drivers were decent contenders Saturday night which made it fun to watch.

Rules and Bracket Breakdown

• Brackets were decided by current standings after the race at Las Vegas. Four Divisions, top 4 in the standings got the #1 seeds, 5-8 in the standings got the #2 seeds, 9-12 #3 seeds and so on.
• From the standings the rankings were given out serpentine style. Meaning: The driver ranked 5th (first #2 seed) started in the lowest #1 seed's bracket. That continues until the three seeds where it then goes from top back down.
• Here is how the rounds break down by race (first race we have two eliminations to speed it up).
• Phoenix: Round 32 
• Auto Club: Sweet 16
• Martinsville: Elite 8
• Texas: Final Four
• Bristol: Championship
• The driver that finishes Highest in the race moves on, no bonus points included (Think the last Chase Race)

Round by Round Articles:

• Opening Round: Round of 32
• Sweet 16
• Elite Eight
• Final Four

2016: 4th Annual NBTW NASCAR March Madness
1	Kyle Busch		1	Kyle Busch		1	Denny Hamlin
2	Kevin Harvick		2	Joey Logano		2	Joey Logano

This past week at Texas all four drivers finished in the top twelve (three of the four in the top 10) giving Behind the Wall an exciting Final Four for anyone following along. Denny Hamlin was the lone driver outside the top 10 but most of the night Joey was having a better day anyways. In the end Kevin Harvick was stuck in a race where they were trying something new and Kyle Busch ran away with the win late in the race.

Championship Match-Up

1. Kyle Busch v. 2. Joey Logano

• This is actually a dream match-up at Bristol. Both drivers are not only starting to really hit their stride in their careers but they also have a nice track record at Bristol Motor Speedway. Kyle Busch has five total BMS wins in his career which ties for the most of any current driver (tied with Kurt Busch). Lately he hasn't run as well here, but he is on fire right now so I would assume he will snap out of that. Menawhile, Joey Logano has two career wins in 14 starts, but they have both come in the last three races. JoLo has proven to be a legit threat to win anytime NASCAR stops at Bristol, so this week should be a great Championship match-up. 

For more, don't forget to check out this weeks Bristol Motor Speedway race preview and also the current driver BMS stats and averages all on Behind the Wall.

2016 March Madness NASCAR Style: Final Four

Behind the Wall Final Four

By Richard Tix

It's the last weekend until Championship week at Bristol Motor Speedway. This week Texas Motor Speedway where everything is bigger will decide who advances to the finals. Last week we took a shot at some short track racing to shake up the bracket and see who would come out in the Fourth Final Four in the Behind the Wall bracket.

Below you can check out who advanced and who will match up this week. Take a quick look at how it works below and then take a good look at who will face off during the Duck Commander 500 at TMS.

Rules and Bracket Breakdown

• Brackets were decided by current standings after the race at Las Vegas. Four Divisions, top 4 in the standings got the #1 seeds, 5-8 in the standings got the #2 seeds, 9-12 #3 seeds and so on.
• From the standings the rankings were given out serpentine style. Meaning: The driver ranked 5th (first #2 seed) started in the lowest #1 seed's bracket. That continues until the three seeds where it then goes from top back down.
• Here is how the rounds break down by race (first race we have two eliminations to speed it up).
• Phoenix: Round 32 
• Auto Club: Sweet 16
• Martinsville: Elite 8
• Texas: Final Four
• Bristol: Championship
• The driver that finishes Highest in the race moves on, no bonus points included (Think the last Chase Race)

Round by Round Articles:

• Opening Round: Round of 32
• Sweet 16
• Elite Eight

2016: 4th Annual NBTW NASCAR March Madness
1	Jimmie Johnson								4	Aric Almirola
2	Carl Edwards								2	Kurt Busch
			2	Carl Edwards		2	Kurt Busch
			1	Kyle Busch		2	Joey Logano
1	Kyle Busch								1	Denny Hamlin
2	Kevin Harvick								2	Joey Logano

Well, the NCAA Men's basketball tournament is all over. An exciting final game between UNC and Villanova capped off another fun year (except for the fact that I am a UNC fan so the last game was tough). In the NASCAR world we will head to Texas Motor Speedway to decide who will run Bristol for the fourth annual championship. Kyle Busch was the only #1 seed to advance past the Elight Eight after winning at Martinsville last week. This will be all four drivers second trip to the Final Four on Behind the Wall. JoLo last season and Carl Edwards in 2014 have both made the Championship once (both losing). So, we could have two drivers make their second Championship appearance or have two new guys take a shot at it.

2016 March Madness NASCAR Style: Round of 32

Behind the Wall Opening Round of 32

By Richard Tix

It's March again in the NASCAR world. That means the sports world is starting to buzz about the NCAA March Madness Basketball tournament. It's time for you to start filling out your brackets just to find out its ruined after the first 5 games. So, for the fourth straight year Behind the Wall is going to bring you the March Madness NASCAR Style Bracket! No, you can not win millions of dollars here if you get the perfect bracket (sorry, NASCAR doesn't pay me), but you can play along and try and predict who you think will advance and win anyways!

So, lets jump into the rules and how the brackets were created.

Rules and Bracket Breakdown

• Brackets were decided by current standings after the race at Las Vegas. Four Divisions, top 4 in the standings got the #1 seeds, 5-8 in the standings got the #2 seeds, 9-12 #3 seeds and so on. We are going by Chase standings, so if you have a win you are in the standing's higher because that is how they play out.
• From the standings the rankings were given out serpentine style. Meaning: The driver ranked 5th (first #2 seed) started in the lowest #1 seed's bracket. That continues until the three seeds where it then goes from top back down.
• Here is how the rounds break down by race.
• Phoenix: Round 32 
• Auto Club: Sweet 16
• Martinsville: Elite 8
• Texas: Final Four
• Bristol: Championship
• The driver that finishes Highest in the race moves on (head to head), no bonus points included (Think the last Chase Race)

2016: 4th Annual NBTW NASCAR March Madness
Six-Time Division			Beer, Energy, + Bars Div.
1	Jimmie Johnson		1	Brad Keselowski
8	Clint Bowyer		8	Michael McDowell
4	Jamie McMurray		4	Aric Almirola
5	Ryan Newman		5	Paul Menard
3	Austin Dillon		3	Martin Truex Jr
6	Casey Mears		6	Greg Biffle
2	Carl Edwards		2	Kurt Busch
7	AJ Allmendinger		7	Danica Patrick
2015 Champ Division			Rookies Are Us Division
1	Kyle Busch		1	Denny Hamlin
8	Michael Annett		8	Landon Cassill
4	Kasey Kahne		4	Ryan Blaney
5	Trevor Bayne		5	Regan Smith
3	Dale Earnhardt Jr		3	Ricky Stenhouse Jr
6	Kyle Larson		6	Matt Kenseth
2	Kevin Harvick		2	Joey Logano
7	Chase Elliott		7	Brian Scott

Bracket Notes:

2015 Champ Division

• The 2015 Sprint Cup Champion gets no breaks here. He gets a bracket with Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Chase Elliott, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Lucky for him most of those guys will be eliminated before he even see's them. 
• Harvick, Earnhardt Jr, Larson, and Elliott will all go head to head at Phoenix this weekend for a spot in the Sweet 16 (remember, this opening round we do two eliminations so really they highest finishes of the four will move on. This group might be the toughest of the opening round.

Six-Time Division

• This division might be the second easiest behind the Rookies are us Division. However, the consistency of guys like Newman and Carl Edwards could pose a challenge and shake things up. That's not even mentioning how well Dillon has run so far this year. 

Beer, Energy, + Bars Division

• Named after some of the sponsor's of the group, this division seems like it has a solid 1, 2 and 3 seed. Any of the three could move all the way onto the final. But, some guys in the middle could make it tough for them, like Paul Menard or the consistent Aric Almirola.
• The match up of Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr will be a good one to make it onto next week. However, because of this week's double elimination it wont look like they're really racing each other.

Rookies Are Us Division

• This might be the easiest overall group right now. Daytona winner Denny Hamlin hasn't been running well but got a top seed because of being one of three drivers with a win this season. Matt Kenseth has had some bad luck but might be the best six seed in this bracket.
• Interestingly enough, Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth are also matched up this week to get to the Sweet 16 in there group of four (again, two eliminations this week at PIR so really each group of four will have the highest finisher advance).

Previous NASCAR Behind the Wall March Madness Champions

• 2015 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Joey Logano
• Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Aric Almirola
• 2014 Champion: Tony Stewart
• 2nd: Carl Edwards
• Final Four: Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Brian Vickers
• 2013 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Kasey Kahne
• Final Four: Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch

Last Year's March Madness Articles

• Opening Round
• Sweet 16
• Elite 8
• Final Four
• Championship
• Champion- Brad Keselowski