Showing posts with label Nascar Updates. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nascar Updates. Show all posts

Monday, August 4, 2014

This Week in NASCAR: 8/4

News and Notes from the World of NASCAR


By Richard Tix

This Week in NASCAR is a weekly article sharing quick links and other random notes from around the web and Twitter


Articles:

Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Monday, April 21, 2014

This Week in NASCAR: 4/21

News and Notes from the World of NASCAR


By Richard Tix

This Week in NASCAR will be a weekly article sharing quick links and other random notes from around the web and Twitter

The NASCAR bye week is over, but we still have 5 days until Richmond (depending on when you read this). So, to keep you content until then, check out some articles from around the web and some photos and tweets from Twitter world, all involving NASCAR.


Articles:

Random:



Harvick made it to Saturday Nights UFC Fights

Aric Almirola and Family

The Mears Gang, this time he and his family.


Looks like Michael Waltrip spent time with family and on the course


And then this happened. Kahne + Moped= Classic Picture

Aric drives downtown Nashville in the #43

Jimmie Johnson Spends some times on his backyard trails.


Willie, Danica, and Clint all together for a new Peak Commercial





More from NASCAR Behind the Wall:
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Monday, April 14, 2014

This Week in NASCAR: 4/14

News and Notes from the World of NASCAR


By Richard Tix

This Week in NASCAR will be a weekly article sharing quick links and other random notes from around the web and Twitter

This week is a bye week in the world of NASCAR so it will be interesting to see what kind of NASCAR stories are shared around the web. It will also be interesting to see what drivers do in there free time and what they decide to share via Twitter or Instagram.

Articles:
Random:

Perfect picture to capture the weekend at Darlington

You may not like golf, but how can you not love a moment like this?

So this started making its way around the web after Harvicks Southern 500 win

Cole Whitt out fishing, but also took the time to shout out to his sun glass sponsor


Bubba Wallace Jr was winning more then just races I guess...

No rest for the weary

Looks like Vickers won't have much time off either

Clint Bowyers Sunday off


BK's opinion of Harvick after the Southern 500

Ryan and his wife enjoying time off at there hobby farm.

More on Newman

Looks like Cole Whitt wasn't the only one out fishing, so was the Newman Family



Truck Race News.



From MRN

Also from MRN


Sad news from Swan this week


Out Golfing



**Check back as this will be updated throughout the off week**


More from NASCAR Behind the Wall
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

NASCAR World Top Stories: February

By Richard Tix

NASCAR World is a section dedicated to keeping you up to date with NASCAR Articles from around the web. So just in case you missed it, check out these articles from other sites.

Check back as this article will get updated throughout the month with the newest links.

Also, Check out NASCAR Behind the Wall on Twitter to get even more updates on social media to keep up with the changing world of NASCAR.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , ,

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Nascar World Top Stories: December

Nascar World is a section dedicated to keeping you up to date with Nascar Articles from around the web. So just incase you missed it, check out these articles from other sites.


Check back, this article will get updated throughout the month.

Also, check out Nascar Behind the Wall on Twitter to get even more updates from the Social Media World.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Week 26 Preview

Richmond International Raceway: Federated Auto Parts 400
So Kyle Busch just won at Atlanta and Nascar heads to one of his best tracks, is this a sign that he may finally have a good run during the Chase? I'm not sure if he will turn this into a stretch run but it can't hurt his chance.

One thing is for sure at Richmond, a lot of drivers are going to be over aggressive and try and squeeze into a Chase spot. Guys like JoLo, Newman, Busch, Keselowski, Kahne, etc are all looking to get into the Chase and for most of them another win (or first win) would go a long way. We should have an exciting last regular season race this season to jump start the 10th ever Sprint Cup Chase. Take a look at this years results from he first trip to Richmond.


The Good:

  • Kyle Busch- One of his best tracks on the Nascar Schedule, Rowdy will be a front runner again this time around.
  • Jeff Gordon- In Gordon's career he has enjoyed a lot of success at Richmond International Raceway and this time around he could use a bit of the old magic he has had in the past. Gordon is winless in 2013 and is one of the drivers on the cusp of getting into the Chase. A win this weekend and he may just squeak in.
  • Kevin Harvick- Nascar's winner at RIR the first time around in 2013, Harvick has had 7 top 10's, 3 top 5's, and 2 Win's in his last 10 starts here.
The Middle:
  • Clint Bowyer- Well he has a track record as of late to be considered in the "Good" category, but this season it seems like Clint has been in the middle a lot. Top 5 finishes here, top 10's there, but always just short when it comes to wins.
The Bad:
  • Martin Truex Jr- One top 10 in the last 10 starts here at Richmond, the other Jr hasn't fared too well at RIS. Last time around he finished 17th which was his best finish in 6 races at RIR.
  • Greg Biffle- In his last 10 starts here he also only has 1 top 10. Earlier this year he finished the race 36th and 15 laps down. Biffle is on the edge but should still get into the Chase even with a poor finish here.
Need More?
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,

Monday, August 12, 2013

Pit Road Week 22

Watkins Glen 2013
Nascar takes its last Right turn of the year and Kyle Busch was the one left standing as the winner at Watkins Glen.  This past Sunday it really was all about clean air, or so it seemed. Marcus Ambrose took the Pole and stayed out front all day until an ill timed caution while he was about to pit had him starting back in traffic and he wasn't the same. Eventually Marcus mentioned he may have something broke on his car and not too much longer he was found spinning out.

Watkins Glen gave everyone the excitement that road courses tend to bring to the Sprint Cup and left some people asking again for more, including one in the Chase. The excitement came with 2 regulation laps to go with Kyle Busch leading and Brad Keselowski trailing and working as hard as he could to get around him. In the end BK didn't find a way without wrecking Kyle and took home second while Rowdy finished off his day with on of the better burnouts in a long time.

Take a look at the results here. Also take a look back at this weeks Watkins Glen Preview.


Rising:
  • Brad Keselowski- BK Wanted the win, which would have made him a much safer bet at the very least a WC but he also didn't want to wreck himself trying and take away a good points day. Good move by BK to take home second and not push it too much, but at the same time giving fans an exciting finish.
  • Martin Truex Jr- No one wanted Smoke to get hurt, but no one may have gained more out of it then Truex. After a 3rd places finish at the Glen he now holds the 10th spot in points.
  • Carl Edwards- Carl leaves Watkins Glen with a 4th place finish and now goes to a track where he has run well at and won, Michigan.

Coasting:
  • Jimmie Johnson- Yawn. He never contended but he also hung out near the top 10 most the second half the day. A 8th place finish at the Glen and onto the next race. Also to note, he clinched a Chase spot after this week. 

Falling:
  • Jeff Gordon- Historically a great driver at the road courses, Gordon went down early when he got himself loose and spun into an inside wall. He did get back out to finish some laps but it really ruined his day and took a huge hit on his points standings and chances at the Chase.
  • Tony Stewart- He didn't race, which is why he is here. I love that Smoke does what he loves and races all over, he is throwback like that, but that doesn't mean I wont put him on this list. He will not be able to make the Chase now though and will have to be a great team owner the rest of the way.
  • Marcus Ambrose- He had one chance really at making a push at the Chase and it faded away late in the race when bad luck got the best of his team. With no win at the road courses this season, it doesn't look like he has any shot at the Chase.




Pit Road Week 22 Power Rankings
  1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well he has had this top spot on lock now for awhile and now he locks himself in the Chase. All he has to do now is dial back in and get hot for the only 10 races that matter.
  2. Kyle Busch (LW-3)- Well he finally closed a race out for the first time in what seems like forever (13 races) and got a win. He was already safe for the Chase but what he really needs it to close out the season like he did this Sunday.
  3. Carl Edwards (LW-10)- Well, 3rd on down is just a mix of guys and now one has got it going enough to take out JJ in the Chase. So the real story isn't the rankings but who can get hot and push him in the last 10. A 6th place finish defiantly doesn't hurt Carl.
  4. Kevin Harvick (LW-7) He goes from 7th to 4th in a week he finished 13, can you tell the rankings are starting to get messed up?
  5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-2)- Knocked out after getting caught in a wreck, Jr had a nice run going in the races previous, plus we head back to the track he got his last Cup win at ine 2012.
  6. Martin Truex Jr (LW-12)- He has looked good on the road courses this year, too bad there wont be one in the Chase, which after Sunday, he can seriously think about being a part of.
  7. Clint Bowyer (LW-11)- Early season Mr. Consistent, Bowyer finished 6th but he really needs to challenge for some wins if he has any shot at JJ and the title.
  8. Matt Kenseth (LW-5)- Another tough race for Kenseth who got banged and scrapped up but still finished out the race. He has been great at times but in other times he finds trouble.
  9. Brad Keselowski (LW-NR)- Suddenly there is life in the defending champs camp and it could be just the spark he needs to challenge JJ again. He is this weeks big mover and up to 8th in the points.
  10. Kasey Kahne (LW-6)- Just one week after winning Kahne finds himself in a wreck that slows down his day. He wound up 34th.
  11. Ryan Newman (LW-8)- He had an alright Sunday and ended up finishing 14th, ironically he is also 14th in the points standings. He still has a shot at the Chase but its getting crowded with all these one time winners.
  12. Joey Logano (LW-NR)- Man it was tough between he and Kurt, but JoLo has 3 straight finishes in the top 8 and has quietly looked pretty good. He is 16th in points so he really needs to find a way to win and soon.
Dropper Out: Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon
Just Missed: Kurt Busch

Next week Nascar (and myself) head to Michigan International Speedway for the second time this season.  Last time around Greg Biffle got his lone win this season and gave Roush Racing its 100 career win. The preview will be out early this week but the review maybe late next week. Do, however, follow me on Twitter for updates from MIS including a look into the garages, pit road, qualifying, and of course the race on Sunday!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Week 21 Preview

Pocono Raceway: Go Bowling.com 400

Hey haven't we been here before? Nascar heads back to Pocono again for the second time. Last time we left the "Party in the Pocono's" with Jimmie Johnson showing us again just how dominant he can be when everything is clicking.

Now coming back to the Raceway it comes with JJ still sitting solidly atop the standings and Ryan Newman getting his first win of the season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Well lets take a look at the Good, Middle, and Bad drivers here at Pocono in the last starts. Also take a look back at the Preview before the race in June. You can also take a look at the Review after the last race and how the Power Rankings looked back then as well. Now lets get on with it!


The Good:

  • Tony Stewart- Well Smoke was on this list last time and he paid off. In June he finished 4th and his last ten finishing position average is now 6.2 (Best of any driver).
  • Jimmie Johnson- He really should be left off all my lists, because he almost always could be on the "Good" list. Second only to Smoke in average finish (6.5), he was also the June winner and he couldn't be touched.
  • Ryan Newman- He goes from getting his first win of the season to the track he had one of his better performances of the season at (June). He finished 5th last time around and is making a legitimate push for a Chase spot. In his last 10 races at Pocono he has finished inside the top 14 every time. 
The Middle:
  • Brad Keselowski- Well Bowyer is still the middle man, like he was last time around, but in the spirit of trying to switch it up BK's the man. He has never finished outside the top 23 but has 3 finishes in the 20's. At the same time he has also won at Pocono (2011) and another top 5 (4th, 2012).
The Bad:
  • Paul Menard- Coming into the June race he had a string of 10th, 9th, and then 11th place finishes but he ran into trouble last time out. His average finish position is down to 20 with only 2 top 10's in the last 10 races here.
  • Kasey Kahne- Lets say this, I don't think he will end up finishing too "Bad" this time around, but fact is he did in June and he only has 3 top 10's in the last 10 starts at Pocono (though 2 of those 3 were top 5's). He has a chance to break back out with a good finish which makes his spot in the "Bad" category intriguing. 
Need More?
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Friday, August 2, 2013

Pit Road Week 20

Indianapolis Motor Speedway 2013

Just a good ole Hoosier, that's who got to kiss the bricks this past weekend. After plenty of talk during Nascar's break about how it became official that Newman would not be with Stewart-Hass next year he notched his first win. Newman may be from Indiana and he may have won at the famed Indianapolis Motor Speedway but one guy may have still had a better week.

That man? Tony Stewart. Smoke is owner of Eldora Speedway and the previous Wednesday Nascar held its first race on dirt since the King last won a dirt race in 1970. Not only did the Truck series race there, but it went over ecstatically to the delight of fans. Then Sunday rolls around and his teammate, driver, and good buddy Ryan Newman finished in Victory Lane. That's a good week. Take a look back at the final results from IMS here.


Rising:

  • Kasey Kahne- He has had a rough go as of the second half of this stretch to the Chase, but a 3rd place finish and another fast car will make him forget about that. Kahne is sitting 9th now in the standings and with a win that spots keeps looking better.
  • Ryan Newman- He was the race winner, but he had a huge jump because he went down early the race before and finished 39th. The win still gives the #39 team hope at one last push for the Chase.
  • Jeff Gordon- Back to back top 10's puts Gordon 10th in points. A win would be nice, but if he stays quiet but steady with top 10 wins it wont matter and he will squeak into the Chase.
Coasting:
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr- He could even be a riser this week. Early race trouble sent him to 43rd but he and the 88 team fought back and finished 6th. He is 5th in points and should be in easy even without winning.
Falling:
  • Jeff Burton- Well he just found a top 10 last race, he did have one of the best cars last week, yet this week he only got in 110 laps. The 43rd place finish really hurt and now he is 20th in points.
  • Greg Biffle- Remember when it looked like Biffle and Ford had it figured out. Well Ford hasn't been too bad since then, but Biffle has been anything but good. His last 4 finishes go like this (24th, 15th, 17th, and 34th). Still inside the top 10 (8th) Biffle just may start to worry with more finishes like this.

Pit Road Week 20 Power Rankings
  1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well no change here. Solidifies his spot going into the Chase with 6, 6! races left.
  2. Matt Kenseth (LW-5)- It really is JJ and then everybody else. Kenseth slowly climbs back up with a 5th place finish after the break.
  3. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- His long run at #2 in the NBTW Power Rankings was done in by a mediocre 19th place finish at IMS.
  4. Kyle Busch (LW-3)- Just one race removed from almost winning, Rowdy finished 10th at IMS and is safe with 2 wins and a current 7th place in the standings.
  5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-6)- Jr moves up a spot after having a strong comeback during IMS. He fell to 43rd after he has a loose tire yet found a way to finish 6th.
  6. Clint Bowyer (LW-4)- Sundays 20th place finish was Clints worst since Auto Club Speedway, yup, that's 14 races inbetween. In fact he only has 3 finishes 20th or worse and only 2 not in the top 20.
  7. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- A 13th place finish by Carl just wont cut it when the Chase rolls around. On a high note (or not so high if you're a Ford fan) he was the second highest Ford finisher (I take that back, thats a very low note).
  8. Tony Stewart (LW-11)- Smoke should probably jump some of these guys, but fact is his finishes don't show it other then 2 top 5s in 5 races (other finishes were 26, 28, and 20).
  9. Kasey Kahne (LW-NR)- The bottom gets messy. Kahnes last 5 include two 11th place finishes, a 6th, a 32nd, and this weeks 3rd. He would be higher if that 32nd was a top 15.
  10. Martin Truex Jr (LW-NR)- Truex has a nice little season going. Take out his 41st and he has run well since his win (7th, 41st, 16th, and 11th). He will need to up that production during the Chase, but they maybe finishes to help him get in.
  11. Ryan Newman (LW-NR)- An all over the place season with a completely new team and Newman wins at IMS. He maybe happy, but he also wants to make the Chase and find a new ride for next year.
  12. Jeff Gordon (LW-NR)- He has been on a roller coaster ride this year but he finished well at IMS like normal so maybe he will get going?

Really late this week sorry folks, but on the bright side it is Friday and we are almost to race day!
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

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. 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)