2017 NASCAR Pit Road Week 10: Talladega

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Geico 500

By Richard Tix

Guess who's back, back again? NBTW's back, tell a friend. Guess who's back, guess who's back.... Ok, it didn't really ring but I bet you had the song going in your head for a second....

A week long Saturday to Saturday vacation is a blessing, but man it really puts a lag on your duties to keep up with a simple fan run blog. It's crazy how easy it is to get behind with a simple relaxing vacation stuck in the beginning of the NASCAR season.

The vaca was great. Sitting beach and pool side all day with a drink in my hand was perfect, but it's time to leave the fresh salt water behind and mix in the smell of some rubber laying down laps.

After missing the Week 9 Power Rankings lets get back on track in week 10.

Pit Road Power Rankings: Week 10 (Week 8)

1. Brad Keselowski (LW-6)- After missing a power rankings and coming back after Talladega the rankings really are a mash up of crap. However, BK ran strong at RIR leading 110 laps and bounced back late and scrapped to a top ten at Talladega.
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW-2)- Back to back wins and then I missed two races.... I CURSED JJ! Just kidding, since then he has a quality 11th and 8th place finish.
3. Joey Logano (LW-4)- A win that's a win, but doesn't count for a win, except it does... Confusing? Bad luck at Dega ruined his streak of five straight top fives.
4. Ricky Stenhouse Jr (LW-10)- Four top fives in the last five races including a huge win at Talladega may just lock him into the Playoffs. One more top five an he matches his career mark set last year in top fives and top tens.
5. Kyle Larson (LW-1)- Larson's last top ten was the last race I got to watch from start to finish (Bristol). I caught about 20 laps of stage two on Sunday, but then was busy from post vacation breakdown. A coincidence he struggled while I was out of the country? I think not.. Still a 14th and 12th weren't that bad.
6. Kevin Harvick (LW-8)- Harvick still doesn't have a win in 2017 yet. I feel one coming.
7. Chase Elliott (LW-3)- Just like Larson, Chase struggled a bit the two races I missed while in Mexico. The 24 will bounce back eventually.
8. Martin Truex Jr (LW-5)- Truex really shouldn't be this low, but here we are... 8th, 8th, 10th, and 35th make up his last four and Dega is a wild card, so I'm sorry Martin fans.
9. Jamie McMurray (LW-9)- Three top 10's in his last four and four in his last six, JMac is continuing a nice season thus far. Take out the bad call at Martinsville and his only finish outside the top 15 was a crash at the Daytona 500.
10. Denny Hamlin (LW-NR)- He's not running bad, but he really isn't running very well either. That is all.
11. Kurt Busch (LW-NR)- I leave for Mexico and Kurt finally shows some life. Good to see it out of a team that has fallen down since the 500 win.
12. Clint Bowyer (LW-7)- Two top 15's in the last two races isn't bad, but after pushing for a win at Bristol it's also a step backwards.

Dropped Out: Trevor Bayne (LW-11) and Matt Kenseth (LW-12)

Just Missed: Kyle Busch and Aric Almirola

2016 NASCAR Pit Road Week 2: Atlanta

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500

Photo Credit: Getty Images/ Kevin C. Cox

By Richard Tix

After kicking off the season with a bang at the Daytona 500 and a 0.01 sec difference between race winner Denny Hamlin and runner up Martin Truex Jr, NASCAR moved onto Atlanta Motor Speedway and the new Low Downforce package this week. Atlanta had some big shoes to fill after such a great finish and beginning to the season.

The low downforce package (learn more about it here) also had big shoes to fill after two great showings in it's test phase last season at Kentucky and Darlington. Atlanta would be the first test for a packaged that drivers and fans alike were very excited for in 2016.

The race opened with one Busch Brother (Kurt) taking the pole position from another Busch Brother (Kyle) after Kyle failed post qualifying tech inspection. From there we had around 210 laps of green flag action. Yes, action. If you were just following my twitter feed I was seeing some fans would lead you to believe we had 210 laps of boring racing. However, there was tons of on track action dispite any cautions.

Passing was happening from first all the way back and drivers were working hard to keep there spots. Early on it was all Kurt Busch's race, but then it was taken over by Matt Kenseth. That was until a green flag stop where NASCAR caught the No. 20 team's gas man with a penalty that was to be served in a pass through penalty. 

Even though everyone knew (except Matt Kesneth himself) that the team needed to come in, he was black flagged and eventually ran two laps that never counted, which effectively ruined his day. I complete oversight by CC and team, Kenseth was obviously not happy and never made up the ground.

John Amis/Associated Press

Kevin Harvick seemed to take over from there on out (with brief laps led by Jimmie Johnson) and it looked like his to loose even after our first caution for debris. Coming down to the last stops Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus made the bold call to pit a bit early and gamble that the race went green for awhile so his grab for track position worked, well it did. A caution didn't come until we were in the overtime portion of the race, which opened the race back up for Harvick (who was trying to run down JJ), Kyle Busch, and Carl Edwards.

JJ got a nice restart and got out front again and once they hit turn three and four the field fell apart behind them, causing a caution and the race to end. Either way it looked like JJ was going onto his 76 career win which ties him with the late Dale Earnhardt on the NASCAR Cup All Time List.

Overall the race was great. It was an awesome showing of the new low downforce package. As Dale Earnhardt Jr stated, "if we had a bunch of cautions and restarts it wouldn't have effectively shown everyone how great of a package we have."

The race truly had everything most fans have been asking for whether they realize it or not. It had great green flag runs. It had tons of passing up front and in the pack. Aero push up front seemed to be less of a factor. Drivers definitely had to work at controlling their car which was my favorite part. These guys are the best in the world at Stock Car Racing, make them work! The cars were loose and fast and all over the place. Crew Chiefs had a time to shine (Chad Knaus) and falter (Jason Ratcliff). Different strategies could be played out (pitting early or not), and lastly the tire wear was almost perfect. The tires fell off and drivers had to either push it to gain track position quickly with a risk of falling off, or take care of their equipment for the long run speed. 

Whether you realize it or not, the race had everything that the majority of fans I interact with have been asking for the past few years. It was a huge step in making 1.5 mile tracks more entertaining. I have to say, if your one complaint was the long green flag run, you have to realize that this is racing and these things happen. Tune back in the next few weeks and check out how much fun this package is going to be!

*2016 Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 Results

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 2 (Week 1)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- 131 laps led, which was the most on the day, and still no trip to victory lane. He has had two in a row stolen from him late by JJ, but he has been strong early on in 2016. Finish: 6th
2. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- Two strong showing's and a points lead (which doesn't mean much anymore). He started in the back and found his way to the front with a chance to win it late. Finish: 3rd
3. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- Two year in a row he found himself up front late. He and Chad worked that race to perfection and this time the gamble paid off. That is what Champions do. Finish: 1st
4. Martin Truex Jr (LW-5)- Truex hasn't missed a beat since moving from Chevy to Toyota. He lead 34 laps but was more of a top 5 guy in my opinion. He should win another race at the very least this season if he keeps this up. Finish: 7th
5. Carl Edwards (LW-6)- Winning car? Probably not, but he put himself in a spot to where a late restart at least gave him a slim shot. He was good most of the day and it showed. Finish: 5th 
6. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- He looked like the guy to beat early on, but Atlanta is a long day. After leading 62 laps he still was up front at the end of the day. Finish: 4th
7. Brad Keselowski (LW-11)- After Team Penske had a rough go round in qualifying that is weird since the Gen 6 has been run, BK made his way to the top 10 pretty quick. He had a top ten car but not much more on Sunday. Finish: 9th
8. Joey Logano (LW-4)- It was not Joey's day, yet he spent a lot of time near the top 10 all day after starting towards the back. Even after having to pit early with a loose tire, he still fought back to an ok finish. Finish: 12th
9. Denny Hamlin (LW-1)- What happened to Denny? Most of JGR was fantastic on the day, and the Daytona 500 winner was no where to be seen all day. Finish: 16th
10. Matt Kenseth (LW-9)- I almost feel bad ranking Kenseth lower then Hamlin. Kenseth had a fast car worth a top 5, but some team and CC mistakes left him in a spot where he couldn't overcome. Finish: 19th
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW- NR)- What a fun day for Jr. He expressed his pleasure with this new package and it showed on the track. The 88, 18, and 2 run that FOX caught on TV was a fantastic fight for position. Finish: 2nd
12. Chase Elliott (LW-NR)- What a run by young Chase. After a quick Daytona 500 Chase spent most of his day in the top 10 without anyone barely knowing. He finished there too. Finish: 8th

Dropped Out: Ryan Newman (LW-10) and Kyle Larson (LW-12)

Just Missed: Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Austin Dillon, and Greg Biffle

2015 Pit Road Week 34: Texas

Weekly NASCAR Review and Power Rankings

AAA Texas 500

By Richard Tix

Just one Chase race remains before the final Chase race, championship race, at Miami. Only one driver has locked himself in for Miami (Jeff Gordon) as Jimmie Johnson spoiled Brad Keselowski's dominate day at Texas.

In general, most of the race was calm and lacking a bit of action. Restarts were a ton of fun all day, though. Late in the race it came down to a late restart (without it BK would have won). BK fought off Truex but then had a hard charging JJ coming for him. 

JJ and his car were dialed in and he could run any and every line he wanted. He sized BK up and let BK decide which like he would pass him with. For a drawn out race, the finish was fantastic. Hard racing at it's best and a non Chase driver spoiling the fun. 

1. Jeff Gordon (LW-1)- He is locked in to Miami and he posted another top 10. Team 24 just need to keep momentum going and focus on one complete race at Homestead. 
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-5)- Riding around the track driving with one hand like a boss. It was fun to see him doing just that, but he should be a bit disappointed because a hard earned 3rd might have been a locked in win if he didn't have troubles. 
3. Kyle Busch (LW-4)- Kyle is just doing enough and the right stuff to advance and get to the finale. Enough driver have had trouble that laying down top 10's will get him into the last race unless someone new in the top 8 wins.
4. Martin Truex Jr (LW-3)- Overlooked, and underrated, Truex is in a spot to make the finale. Tell me, who thought that to start 2015? Not me.
5. Brad Keselowski (LW-6)- BK was dominate, no doubt about that, but the last lap is what matters. JJ sized him up and had the #48 in a spot to run every line making it tough for BK to stop him from eventually passing him. BK is still pretty much in a must win spot at PHX.
6. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- Carl still has a shot at a spot in Miami on points, He is chasing Truex on points and needs a mistake in front of him or a win. 
7. Joey Logano (LW-2)- Well, Joey was in a must win spot anyways, but no he only has one race to do it. Chances are not looking good for one of the best drivers of 2015.
8. Kurt Busch (LW-8)- Things are not looking good for Kurt. He is in a must win spot, but so are three other drivers not in the top 4.
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-10)- It really is too bad Jr didn't get the win at Dega. He now has three straight top 10's including two top 5's.
10. Jimmie Johnson (LW-NR)- Jimmie only needed 6 laps led to win the race in Sunday. The 48 was dialed in after the last stop and BK couldn't hold him off even while trying to run JJ's line's. 
11. Jamie McMurray (LW-NR)- Back to back top 10's for McMurray breaks a streak of back to back rough finishes before that. 
12. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menards Chase has been just average, and he gets the last spot on the rankings by being average. Not much more to say but he does have three straight top 15's which includes a top 10.

2015 Pit Road Week 32: Talladega

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

CampingWorld.com 500

By Richard Tix

Well, Sunday night NASCAR sure had some story lines after the final flag was thrown. NASCAR put themselves into a situation where it once again had to rule in a pretty grey area and police itself. I have always said one of NASCAR's biggest problem is within it's rule changes it is not ready to continually "police" itself.

It happened again on Sunday when NASCAR put themselves in a box by changing the Green White Checker rule for Talladega. They had good intentions because they were trying to institute the rule to eliminate as many dangerous wrecks at the end of a superspeedway race that they could. However, with the new, only one GWC, rule and the fact that it was the last race in a round, meaning drivers would be eliminated, it put them in a very hard spot.

Then, after a first restart that was (in my opinion) correctly ruled not an attempt, Kevin Harvick put NASCAR in an even harder spot. On the first try, Harvick most likely saw the wreck happening and got up out of the way because he knew his car couldn't get going on restarts. He might have thought that the race would be called and he would be onto the next round. NASCAR ruled it wasn't a restart as they didn'e even get past the start finish. Fair enough, I agreed with the call not only because it made sense, but what a crappy way to end just 10 seconds into a restart.

On the second one, Harvick stayed in line much longer, yet still not getting up to speed. Bayne made a move so he wouldn't bunch everyone up to go to the outside. It wasn't until Bayne was at Harvicks front bumper that Harvick went up high to "clear." Harvick states he was trying to clear and as of this writing no one can actually bring proof to say otherwise.

However, I and many other people believe different. A driver of his caliber didn't not see Bayne who was already in front of him, it just didn't happen. What seems more likely is that the 4 knew no crash was coming this time and the other drivers were past the line, so a yellow would come and he would advance.

Now, this is all opinion and I agree, with the evidence we have as of now, we have no idea his intent or if he is telling the truth. But, this intro is for my opinion on the race and what happened. 

If anything is found moving towards a point that he did in fact cause it purposefully, then he needs to be pulled from the Chase. It was no different then MWR and Clint taking that spin at Richmond, he was intentionally changing the outcome.

But, until the day evidence or the truth come out, NASCAR has to move on. Between the Chase rules and rule changes they were putting themselves in this spot of having to make tough calls in grey area's. It has been, and seems to be, always will be NASCAR's biggest problem.

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 32 (Week 31)

Remember, only Chase drivers are eligible for the top 8 spots. The next 4 spots are up for anyone else in NASCAR (whether they were once in the Chase or not). It is a different variation on the Power Rankings, but it is only far to top the remaining 8 first. 

1. Joey Logano (LW-1)- JoLo just swept the round, yes that did just happen. He now has 6 wins in 2015 and leads NASCAR. He was a legitimate title contender last year and now he is a favorite. Finish: 1st
2. Carl Edwards (LW-4)- Carl had three top 10's that round and didn't finish worse than 8th. In the Chase he quietly has 3 top 5's, and 5 top 10's while finishing top 15 in all 6 races. Finish: 5th
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-6)- BK also had three top 10's that round, but two of them were 9th place finishes. Each round he has gotten better and he still has room to improve (see JoLo). Finish: 4th
4. Kurt Busch (LW-5)- This season has been hot and cold for Kurt, but in this last round it was all hot. Three straight top 10's helped him move on. Finish: 10th
5. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- Harvick only has two top 10's (a win and runner up) in 6 Chase races. Is he starting to feel the heat while coming up inconsistent? Finish: 15th
6. Jeff Gordon (LW-8)- Gordon is slowly turning his rough up and down regular season around. He has three straight top 10's and has yet to finish outside 14th in the Chase. Finish: 3rd
7. Kyle Busch (LW-7)- Kyle just got by on Sunday, but last year he was running better at this moment and missed out because of someone behind him not checking up on yellow. If he keeps advancing he will be a threat to win it. Finish: 11th
8. Martin Truex Jr (LW-9)- Truex had two top 10's this round compared to one last round, but he just got by. He advances, but he will need more to keep the dream season alive this round. Finish: 7th
9. Denny Hamlin (LW-2)- I am giving him this spot because that was some crap luck Hamlin had on Sunday. He has every right to be mad and upset. He did what he needed to the past two races (4th and 2nd), his team fought through adversity at Dega (roof hatch), and still are left out of this round because of what Harvick may have done intentionally. Finish: 37th
10. Ryan Newman (LW-10)- Newman was good, but not great this round. He had three top 15's, but zero top 10's which just isn't enough. Finish: 12th
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-11)- Back to the wall, a weird finish where someone may or may not have intentionally cause Jr to lose a must win race, and Jr still came out with a classy post race interview. #Respect Finish: 2nd
12. Ricky Stenhouse Jr (LW-NR)- Yes, lost in the Chase races is the fact that Stenhouse Jr has actually been running well. he has two top 10's, 5 top 15's, and 6 top 20's in 6 Chase races. That is as many top 15's as he had all regular season and more top 10's. Finish: 9th

2015 Pit Road Week 30: Charlotte

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Bank of America 500

By Richard Tix

No race review or extra topics this week, just the Power Rankings. With it getting rained out Saturday I missed the whole race on Sunday. I caught up on Twitter and on Race View during the day, but I did not catch any of it on TV/Radio. Lets jump right into the rankings after Charlotte.

Bank of America 500 Race Results

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 30 (Week 29)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-1)- No, Harvick was not the driver to lock himself into the next round with a win, but he still finished second and has been the best driver most of the season. Finish: 2nd
2. Joey Logano (LW-3)- JoLo locked himself into the next round with a win at Charlotte, now maybe we can have a rerun of last season where he helps teammate BK into the next round. Finish: 1st
3. Denny Hamlin (LW-6)- JGR and Denny's late season surge just may help him get to the final 4 again, this in a season long quest instead of just a good Chase like in 2014. Finish: 4th
4. Carl Edwards (LW-8)- Speaking of JGR, Carl had a nice top 10 to start this round and put his 15th place Dover finish behind him. Finish: 6th
5. Martin Truex Jr (LW-9)- Truex survived the first round and started off the second round hot. His top 5 at Charlotte will help his chances moving forward. Finish: 3rd
6. Brad Keselowski (LW-7)- BK's finish saved what was a pretty rough day. Many Chase drivers finished in front of him, but a worse finish would be a tougher hole to get out of. Finish: 9th
7. Kurt Busch (LW-12)- Kurt started last round just like this with a top 5, then it fell apart. Next race will be a big one for the #41 team. They need to find some consistency. Finish: 5th
8. Jeff Gordon (LW-11)- Gordon's consistency so far in the Chase will help him advance to the next round, but he will need more to get to Miami. Right now though, its about surviving and advancing. Finish: 8th
9. Kyle Busch (LW-4)- Not a good time for a bad finish, but if anyone outside of the top 8 can get back in it, it is a JGR driver. Finish: 20th
10. Ryan Newman (LW-10)- Newman might not be able to do it again.. He will need to find some top 10's in the next races to even have a shot at the next round, let alone the Finale. Finish: 15th
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- It has not been a good Chase for Jr. He looked strong at and after Dover, but it did not carry into Charlotte. Finish: 28th
12. Matt Kenseth (LW-2)- That is some bad luck for Kenseth. He was looking like a guy to contend with Harvick. As stated above for Kyle, if anyone can come back right now it is a JGR driver. But, he might just need a win to do it. Finish: 42nd

2015 Pit Road Week 28: Loudon

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Sylvania 300

By Richard Tix

Another Chase race and another Joe Gibbs Racing win. This team has been on fire lately and it is clear that everyone else needs to catch up if they want a shot at the Championship. So, we will head into next weekend with everyone else trailing and needing some big finishes. 

Many drivers are safe baring big issues at Dover, but others need huge finishes in order to advance including last years Champ, Kevin Harvick. So, can guys like Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Clint Bowyer get it going this weekend? Or will they be left outside the top 12 and finish 2015 on a sour note? 

Until we get to see the outcome this weekend, lets take a look at the latest Power Rankings after NHMS.

Remember, the Power Rankings during the Chase are expanded to 16 spots and only Chase driver eligible drivers can be on it. That means when it is cut to 12 drivers we will cut down to the top 12 in the rankings. Each round after that (so say 8 drivers) the final four spots can go to anyone, but the top 8 spots will continue to go to current Chase drivers.

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 28

1. Matt Kenseth- Sundays race winner was going to the next round regardless, but the W makes any overthinking this weekend go away. Kenseth now has two wins in his last three and four in his last eight, that is 50% for you math majors.
2. Denny Hamlin- JGR is something else right now and Denny is happy to be a part of it. After struggling though injuries (still is) and JGR having a down year, every JGR car can be considered a contender (yes, see below for Kyle).
3. Joey Logano- JoLo is one of the only guys almost at the JGR level. Team Penske has strong cars, but just can't put together a winning car vs JGR consistently. But, it is more than anyone else can say. Joey has seven straight top 10's including two wins.
4. Carl Edwards- Two top 5's to start the Chase and Carl is still behind three drivers and two teammates, tough crowd.. If JGR continues to run this way its possible to see at least three in the final.
5. Brad Keselowski- Sundays 12th place finish was BK's non top 10 in 11 races (had 10 straight going). That is 20 combined top 10's for Team Penske in the last 11 races (22 top 10's total for the math majors). 
6. Ryan Newman- He is doing it again....Newman has now started this 2015 Chase out with two top 10's. This is the kind of consistency that got him to the final last year.
7. Jimmie Johnson- A quality start to the Chase for JJ (11th and 6th), but it's hard to get excited when you see how great JGR is running. Still, finishes like this will buy them time to catch up in the next round and figure it all out.
8. Jeff Gordon- Gordon doesn't have a ton of breathing room, but another run like Sunday and he will advance and have another go at it. HMS really needs to catch up a bit to give the 48, 24, and 88 a better shot.
9. Martin Truex Jr- After a 13th and an 8th to start the Chase Martin is still hanging around. It has been a good go, but they may need more to advance to the final 8.
10. Kurt Busch- Tough finish on Sunday but his strong 3rd place finish at Chicagoland gave him some breathing room. They just need to post a solid finish and focus on next round.
11. Kyle Busch- Not what Kyle needed on Sunday, but we have seen what he can do in 2015 with his back against the wall. He has some of the fastest cars (JGR), so you can not count him out of this yet.
12. Jamie McMurray- Consistency has been McMurray's thing all year and it might just be enough to move along in round one. Another top 15 and he should squeak by.
13. Kevin Harvick- This is where this Chase becomes tough on some fans, but I will tell you he would be in a hole even if it was the old Chase. Oh, and don't bring up a just points system because NASCAR isn't going back that way. He still is very good, so he may give NASCAR the dramatics they want with a win this weekend.
14. Paul Menard- He isn't running poorly, but it hasn't been good either. Paul really needs a top 10 to give himself a chance at just getting in.
15. Dale Earnhardt Jr- Sunday was not good for Jr and he is now in a pressure spot. Currently he is in for next round, but he will have to avoid any mistakes to advance, which is a tough spot to be in.
16. Clint Bowyer- It was a good run to get into the Chase, but all that momentum is gone and it looks like he is a long shot to advance. Bowyer practically needs a win to move on (though it is mathematically possible to not win and advance).

2015 Pit Road Week 25: Darlington

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Bogangles' Southern 500

By Richard Tix

I missed this weekends race which was more than disappointing, but sometimes life gets in the way (actually weather). Every Memorial and Labor Day I go camping with a bunch of family members. Normally on race day we bike into town and find a small local bar to watch the race at. Well, this weekend the rain hit hard and hit often. We would have drove there, but lets just say at that time of the day we ran out of sober drivers. So, I was banished to watching on my phone via twitter and other apps.

Therefore, the review will be short and almost non existent. What I did hear from social media was that most of the fans enjoyed the new low down force package and tires to match. I have been saying for awhile now NASCAR needs to continue going the way of the low down force package but they need to be track specific. One package does not fit all. I am also in favor of more short tracks (cut a few two stop 1.5's out) and any track with unique characteristics (like Darlington). 

Anyways, it was good to hear fans enjoy the product on the track. What I didn't enjoy was once again some fans going after drivers because of there physical looks. With school starting today almost everywhere, it was something you might here at a middle school. Comments about teeth or looking like a specific animal. It was downright embarrassing. 

I will not tell you how to run your twitter or life, but just take a minute to remember someone on the other side of that social media screen is also a human. I think it gets lost on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or Google + (among others) that we are all humans. The personal touch gets lost in cyber space and people think it is ok to go back to being a lost 13 year old who doesn't know any better.

Anyway's, lets move onto this weeks NASCAR Power Rankings.

2015 Bojangles' Souther 500 Full Results

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 25 (Week 24)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-1)- Another race another top 5. Its pretty much the story of Harvick's 2015 season. Top 5's in the first 9 Chase races will lock him into a finale spot, so no worries there. Finish: 5th
2. Joey Logano (LW-2)- JoLo had a top 5 car all night and was in line to contend for the win. He came up short, but he has been on a great streak lately and just in time for the Chase. Finish: 4th
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- BK had the car to beat Sunday night. He won the pole and then led 196 laps on the night, but a late caution and pits took his lead and he couldn't get it back. Finish: 2nd
4. Kyle Busch (LW-3)- Kyle is locked into the Chase and he has only run 14 races. He has 4 wins, 5 top 5's, and 8 top 10's in those 14 races. Finish: 7th
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- Jr was the highest finisher to have not lead a lap (the top 7 all led at least 3 laps). He has been the consistency king lately, but just hasn't pushed for many wins. It is coming if HMS gets back on track and he continues to run like this. Finish: 8th
6. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- I won't lie, I am a bit disappointing a non retro paint scheme won on Sunday, but that's not to take anything away from getting to see a back flip. Carl now has 7 top 10's in his last 8 races. He and JGR are onto something. Finish: 1st
7. Denny Hamlin (LW-10)- Hamlin's 3rd place finish was his third top 5 in a row. Hamlin led the second most laps on the night (57) and had one of the better cars behind BK on the night. Finish: 3rd
8. Matt Kenseth (LW-6)- Two rough races in a row for Kenseth (42nd and 21st). It isn't a big deal as he locked himself into a top spot with 3 wins, but it finishes like this will hurt if they happen in the Chase. Finish: 21st
9. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- Once again, no one is talking about JJ and are talking about what is wrong with the #48? Well, he still has 4 wins and is fifth in points.... Yes, he is held to a high, high standard. He has hit some bumps, but HMS in general is in a rut, not just JJ. Finish: 19th
10. Kurt Busch (LW-12)- Kurt was very consistent upon his return, but lately it has been a roller coaster. Well, on Sunday he was towards one of the peaks with a top 10 finish and starting 2nd. Finish: 6th
11. Clint Bowyer (LW-9)- Bowyer could have used a better finish Sunday to feel even safer going into RIR. If no new winner behind him in the points wins, he should be in the Chase. Also worth mentioning, RIR is one of his better tracks so he could seal the deal with his own trip to Victory Lane. Finish: 17th
12. Kyle Larson (LW-NR)- This spot won't mean much if he doesn't win at RIR. He has been one of the biggest disappointments of 2015. Since Indy he has been much better, but its too little too late without a win. Finish: 10th

Dropped Out: Ryan Newman

Just Missed: Jamie McMurray and Aric Almirola

Another week and another no show on the predictions segment. No one picked Carl Edwards, though some (myself included with Hamlin), predicted other JGR teammates. Check back for the NASCAR TV Schedule and Entry List today, plus tomorrow the RIR preview will be ready! Thanks for Checking out Behind the Wall!

2015 Pit Road Week 24: Bristol

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Irwin Tools Night Race

By Richard Tix

NASCAR headed to Bristol Motor Speedway for the second time this season for the Irwin Tools Night Race. Personally, this race is always towards the top of my season "must see races." Well, unfortunately this year I missed almost the entire race. So, we will not get too deep into a race review because I want to witness them first hand to actually give a review. 

The race did continue a few themes as of late. Joe Gibbs Racing and Team Penske once again showed why they're a step ahead of everyone (not to forget about Harvick who is right with them). Joey Logano won his second race in the past three races to make sure NASCAR fans haven't forgotten Ford still has two dominate cars.

Bristol also reminded us that even when HMS are struggling they're not completely out of it (at least the 48 and 88). Neither were real threats to win, but both fought through and posted quality finishes that will be needed when the Chase rolls around the corner.

Lets get to the power rankings and who rose and who fell after BMS.

2015 Irwin Tools Night Race Results

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 24 (Week 23)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-1)- Only two wins all season, but it sure doesn't feel like it. That's because "Happy" has finished 2nd a whopping 10 times, plus he has finished 3rd three times. Even if he doesn't win, that could be enough to get him back to back Championships. Finish: 2nd
2. Joey Logano (LW-4)- Saturdays win marked JoLo's 3rd win of 2015 and his second in three races. Right now its JGR 1A, Penske 1B, and Harvick 1C with everyone else just trying to catch back up. Finish: 1st
3. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- After Bristol's top 10, "Rowdy" is closing in on RFR's Stenhouse Jr and Bayne in just 13 races. That's how far RFR has fallen and also how good Kyle has been. Finish: 8th
4. Brad Keselowski (LW-5)- For how far off all the other Ford's are it is really amazing where Penske still sits. I would argue that JoLo and BK are step's above all the other Ford drivers, but they also have some quality cars. BK now has 7 straight top 10's. Finish: 6th
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-6)- It's a weird time right now at HMS. For the first time in awhile they're not the top dogs in the sport and it is showing. However, Jr has been pushing through it all and been a standout in the shop. If they get it straightened out he could be in place to compete. Finish: 9th
6. Matt Kenseth (LW-3)- Rough luck at a track where he has been very good at lately. After his recent run he is in the thick of things when it comes to title talks. Finish: 42nd
7. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- If it wasn't obvious even when Carl was struggling to start the year, it is now, he is glad to be gone from RFR. Six top 10's in his last seven and the other was a 13th place finish at Indy. He and JGR are coming on strong at the right time. Finish: 7th
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW-8)- It's been a roller coaster lately for JJ, but on Saturday he had a bright spot. He still didn't lead a lap (now 7 straight races), but the top 5 put MIS in the mirror. Finish: 4th
9. Clint Bowyer (LW-NR)- After a rough finish at MIS the top 5 at BMS was clutch for Bowyer. He now has a 35 point lead on 17th in the standings and should get in barring no new winners below him in the points. Finish: 5th
10. Denny Hamlin (LW-NR)- Hamlin won the pole for Saturdays race, led a few laps, and finished in the top 5, not much more he could do but get the win. He is part of the JGR clan that has been hot for the past month and a half and it could lead to another shot at Miami. Finish: 3rd
11. Ryan Newman (LW-12)- He is doing it again. Finishes like this will get Newman through the first 6 Chase races and then all he has to do is be one of the four best for the last four. He is showing it is possible to get to the Chase in more than one way. Finish: 10th
12. Kurt Busch (LW-10)- It was a fun run for Kurt when he returned, but lately the #41 has fallen off a bit. In his last four he only has one top 10 (a top 5) and only two top 15's, which is not good for a guy of his caliber. Finish: 14th

Dropped Out: Kyle Larson and Paul Menard

Just Missed: Jamie McMurray and Austin Dillon

Honorable Mention: Justin Allgaier (12th) and Trevor Bayne (15th)

No new winners this week in the Season Long Leaderboard. NASCAR takes an off week before heading to Darlington for Labor Day weekend. NBTW will still have articles this week including an early addition of the Darlington Preview and also the 2015 Darlington Paint Schemes Page!

2015 Pit Road Week 23: Michigan

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Pure Michigan 400

By Richard Tix

Another successful trip to Michigan International Speedway is in the books for NASCAR Behind the Wall. Once again the experience was top notch. The MIS staff was friendly and helpful and Roger Curtis brought it when he packed the house (it was a nice sized crowd on Sunday).

However, that is where most of the enjoyment ended on race day. NASCAR was trying out its second High Downforce Package at MIS and it was, well, a drag. It didn't help facilitate passing and most of the day was single file racing with Matt Kenseth leading the way time after time.

Matt Kenseth was the top of the class all day, so nothing you can do to take the win from him, but it seemed to be too easy for the leader to pull away every restart. So, high downforce isn't the answer (most of us thought that, but now we know for sure).

I am glad NASCAR gave it a shot because they're doing it for the fans, drivers, and product. So, before going off on how terribe it is just understand they had to give it a shot. That being said, I hope this is the last time NASCAR tries this high downforce package. Not many people I came accross enjoyed the product it produced.

The most telling sign had to be was when drivers were asked about it post race and most either talked about something else (Harvick) or said something like it is NASCAR's decision, we just have to drive it (Keselowski). Some didn't even comment at all which say it all.

Lastly, I would like to thank everyone at MIS and track president Roger Curtis for housing such a great event. It really is more than a race when you go to Michigan and they invite you like family. If you have yet to go, get your schedule opened up for next June, August, or both!

Pit Road Power Rankings (Week 22)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Harvick has three more top 5's and top 10's than the next closest driver (Logano). He has lead a lap in the last five races and 20 of 23 laps. That is how often he is up front. Those kinds of stats could make it a cake walk for him to get to the final four. Finish: 2nd
2. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- He put himself in a whole after he spun in practice and had to go to the back up car. Before that, he qualified 6th and had a great car all weekend. Unfortunatly, track position was key so he never could get close enough. His run all the way up the field was impressive and about the only passing we saw all day. Finish: 11th
3. Matt Kenseth (LW-4)- I jumped him up this list a few weeks ago and got a lot of flack for it, well how about now? He has six straight top 10's including two wins, and four top 5's. He dominated on Sunday after leading 146 of 200 laps. I have said it for a few weeks now, but JGR is on fire right now. Finish: 1st
4. Joey Logano (LW-3)- Tough crowd, second in points and 4th in the Power Rankings. But, these are not based solely on where a driver is in points (I also want to mention many of the top 4 are interchangeable right now and you can make a case for any of them). Finish: 7th
5. Brad Keselowski (LW-5)- Fan or not, that MGD throwback scheme was sharp and would have looked nice in VL. BK really only had a top 10 car all day and that's where he finished. Finish: 9th
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-9)- Hendrick and Co didn't have the best day on Sunday, the lone bright spot was Jr. It wasn't a great day, but it was another quality day to get him onto Bristol. Finish: 10th
7. Carl Edwards (LW-8)- If you need any evidence past Kenseth and Busch winning for a JGR resurgence, just look at Carl's fight back. He started the year off very slow and he now has five top 10's in six races (the other being a 13th place finish). Finish: 6th
8. Jimmie Johnson (LW-6)- It was a long day for JJ at MIS this past Sunday. He overshot his pit stall once and then spun in turn four. He will bounce back, but he has looked human in 2014 and 2015. Finish: 39th
9. Kyle Larson (LW-11)- His top 15 finish is not going to move him up these rankings fast, nor do they help him in his Chase hopes, but it also is a sign of a bit more consistency. Finish: 13th
10. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- Kurt just hasn't seemed to be contending for wins as often as he was when he first came back and was on fire. However, he is still getting top 10 finishes. That wasn't the case on Sunday where he had a rough run. Finish: 20th
11. Paul Menard (LW-12)- Menard is doing enough, but he also isn't doing too little. Right now he would make the Chase, but in no way will he move on if he continues to just get top 15 finishes. He needs to find a bit more to find some extra top 10's along the way. Finish: 12th
12. Ryan Newman (LW-NR)- He is doing it again.... Only four top 5's, but if he runs this consistent he could still get to the last eight, with a shot at a final four again. His 16 top 15's and 19 top 10's are keeping him from dropping out of the Chase picture. Finish: 8th

Dropped Out: Clint Bowyer

Just Missed: Denny Hamlin

Honorable Mention: Austin Dillon (2nd)

2015 Pit Road Week 22: Watkins Glen

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Cheez-It 355 at the Glen" Week 22

By Richard Tix

This last week their was plenty of build up and anticipation for NASCAR heading back to a road course. Like every year, the "we need more road course" comments came back out, as did the "we need a road course in the Chase." Well, I can not say I disagree with either (I have been saying for awhile now add another road course and some more short track action).

WGI lived up to its hype again with another dramatic finish. This time it was partly due to fuel mileage, but non the less we had a last lap pass and plenty of entertainment. Except this year an underdog didn't win and no one stole a Chase spot.

The tracks are dwindling down for guys who have yet to have a 2015 win. With the last road course out of the way is there any chance of a 2015 win less driver to lock himself into the Chase via a visit to Victory Lane? 

NASCAR heads to Michigan International Speedway this week and will test out a new high drag package (different but similar to Indy). MIS and this package might give a driver like Jeff Gordon, Paul Menard, or Kyle Larson a chance to steal one from the top teams. It will be interesting to watch it play out, also interesting? This weeks Power Rankings:

2015 Cheez-It 355 at the Glen Race Results- Racing Reference

Week 22 Power Rankings (Week 21)

1. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- Rowdy has finally cracked the top 30 and is now in the Chase (as of this writing). Don't forget he still has to stay in the top 30 (currently in the good by 6 points). But, I expect him to stay there easily. Sunday he had a fast car and finished runner-up, so he has stayed hot. Finish: 2nd
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- It's hard not putting Harvick #1, but he hasn't won in 19 races (Phoenix). He is still notching top 5's left and right so he has no need to worry and is still a top title contender. Finish: 3rd
3. Joey Logano (LW-5)- After running out of fuel in a very well run Pocono race and finishing 20th, JoLo bounced back in a big way Sunday winning the Cheez-It 355. It was his first win since the Daytona 500 and is now completely locked into the Chase: Finish: 1st
4. Matt Kenseth (LW-2)- Five straight top 10 finishes, three of those were top 5's with a win at Pocono. Yes, the Pocono win was all based off of guys running short on fuel, but a win is a win and so is five straight top 10's. Finish: 4th
5. Brad Keselowski (LW-4)- Brad also has five straight top 10's right now, and a few of those races he had a car capable of winning. Yet, he has come up short. BK looks to be a contender down the stretch. Side note: if you missed it check out his touching and emotional blog post from this week. Finish: 7th
6. Jimmie Johnson (LW-6)- Jimmie and the #48 team fought for that top 10. It was a long day, but those kinds of finishes show up down the stretch in a Championship run. Finish: 10th
7. Kurt Busch (LW-7)- Pocono's finish broke up his top 10 streak of seven straight, but on Sunday he started a new one. That is 10 top 10's in his last 12 races. Finish: 5th
8. Carl Edwards (LW-8)- Carl has had a rough year overall, but things have been getting better. He has four top 10's in his last five races and lead at least one lap in three of those. The speed and finishes are starting to turn a corner. Finish: 8th
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-9)- Deja vu? Jr started 7th and finished 11th at WGI. WGI is not one of Jr's favorites, but he once again just missed the top 10 and salvaged a day turning right. Finish: 11th
10. Clint Bowyer (LW-12)- Another top 10 for Bowyer means he can continue to stress a bit less. An even bigger outcome on Sunday? AJ Allmendinger (or any win less driver) didn't win. Finish: 6th
11. Kyle Larson (LW-NR)- Someone's parody account on Twitter may finally rejoice (although I am sure he will ask to be higher...). It wasn't what Larson needed, but he is on a stretch of good finishes so maybe the win is around the corner? Finish: 12th
12. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menard is now second only to Jamie McMurray in non win Chase points. Meaning, he is the second guy to get in on points if the Chase started today. Finish: 13th

Dropped Out: Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin

Just Missed: Ryan Newman

Honorable Mention: Sam Hornish Jr (9th)

2015 Pit Road Week 21: Pocono

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Windows 10 400: Week 21

By Richard Tix

This week NASCAR headed to the Tricky Triangle for the second time this season. Pocono traditionally hasn't always given fans the most exciting finish and normally we end up getting a good ole strategy/fuel strategy race. 

This time around Matt Kenseth pulled off the victory for JGR in dramatic fashion, even if it was only because of the last few laps. At the moment, JGR has been the hottest team on the back of Kyle Busch's three straight wins. But, because of how hot Rowdy's run was many of the other guys were being overlooked. Carl Edwards has found some speed at a few tracks, Denny has been consistent, and now Kenseth notched his second victory of 2015. Joe Gibbs Racing just might be getting hot at the right time.

Moving onto the fuel mileage debate in racing. Many fans complain and hate fuel mileage races, which is fair and your opinion. But, to think every race will be a last second last lap pass, or continuous passing is thinking crazy. Racing will always have an element in it that may lead to a fuel race. In fact, fuel mileage racing is always going to be a part of NASCAR and always should be. It is part of the strategy just like taking two tires on a pit stop is.

Sometimes fuel mileage races are more exciting down the stretch than any old race where a guy is out front 6 seconds anyways. The math and engineering that goes into a race that ends up with a fuel mileage outcome is great entertainment too. It is all just how you look at the race that allows you to enjoy every kind of race outcome. So, you can complain all you want but I can guarantee fuel mileage strategy and racing will never go away.

So, who else is climbing the Power Rankings this week? Check it out below.

Week 21 Power Rankings (Week 20)

1. Kyle Busch (LW-1)- Yes, he finished 21st and had a lot of controversial talk surrounding him at the end of the race, but I will give the benefit of doubt this week for Rowdy. He still won the Pole and lead some early laps, plus Harvick also had some rough luck and I can't see putting anyone else up here yet. Finish: 21st
2. Matt Kenseth (LW-7)- Has he been dominate lately? Not really. But, JGR as a whole has been picking up steam and it isn't just Kyle Busch. Kenseth now has four straight top 10's including the win and two top 5's. He is still behind top title contenders like JJ, Harvick, and Kyle but he is closing in. Finish: 1st
3. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Were they testing something at Pocono? I would hope so, but at the same time why test something at a non Chase track that really isn't like any of the other Chase tracks? Let's just chalk this one up to bad luck and move on. Finish: 42nd
4. Brad Keselowski (LW-5)- BK had one heck of a day and for once might feel lucky and not disappointing finishing second.  He currently has four straight races with a driver rating of 102 or better. Finish: 2nd
5. Joey Logano (LW-3)- Tough way to go down on a day where he had one of the best cars. But speaking of driver ratings, JoLo has four straight races with a rating of 114 or better. His average running position on Sunday was 3rd, so he will bounce back. Finish: 20
6. Jimmie Johnson (LW-6)- Johnson finished right about where he should have on Sunday. He had a top ten car but just not enough to compete for the win. Then again, all you have to do is put yourself in a spot to win at the end of the race. Finish: 6th
7. Kurt Busch (LW-4)- Add Kurt's name to the list of top 2015 performers that struggled with luck at Pocono. The #41 and #4 will bounce back. Finish: 37th
8. Carl Edwards (LW-9)- Carl's first year with JGR hasn't been a walk in the park, but the #19 is starting to pick up some momentum at the right time. He now has three to 10's in the last four races that includes two poles. Finish: 10th
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-11)- I expect Jr to start climbing back up this rankings, but right now they have just struggled to find consistency amid some bad luck and poor races. I wouldn't count him out because when they're on they're up front. Finish: 4th
10. Jeff Gordon (LW-12)- It was nice to see Gordon bounce back with a good finish after a disappointing final Brickyard 400. The #24 still seems to be a bit away from contending, but they still have plenty of time and we have seen crazier things (Newman in 2014). Finish: 3rd
11. Denny Hamlin (LW-8)- Sunday didn't go Denny's way, but he still has been running better as of late which should give them confidence down the stretch. Remember last year he made a great Chase run so it's now all about preparing for the last ten races.
12. Clint Bowyer (LW-NR)- Not many people have noticed, but Bowyer has two straight top 10's. The second half has been much better for Clint. Since Dover (9 total races) he has 6 top 10's. All of this is important because Clint is one of the bubble drivers trying to make the Chase on points. Finish: 8th

Dropped Out: Martin Truex Jr

Just Missed: Kyle Larson and Paul Menard

Honorable Mention: Greg Biffle (5th), AJ Allmendinger (7th), Tony Stewart (9th), Landon Cassill (14th), and Danica Patrick (16th).

No correct predictions this week. I know I have a lot of Matt Kenseth fans that follow Twitter, but to make it far I have to get week by week predictions. I know that the Matt Kenseth win means more to you than making these standings anyways! But next week tweet me the winner and you can make it!

As always, thanks for checking out NASCAR Behind the Wall and check back in for all of next weekends race information!

2015 Pit Road Week 19: New Hampshire

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Week 19: 5-Hour Energy 301

By Richard Tix

Kyle Busch entered New Hampshire Motor Speedway 87 points back of the 30th spot in the Standings. After winning his 3rd race in 4 races Kyle is now only 58 points back of 30th and a chance at the Sprint Cup Chase. It is still a tall task, but every win makes it that much easier. So, will he get in? Check out the Buy or Sell article that was written before last weeks race. 

Other than that excitement that was Kyle Busch winning again, Sunday brought the heat, literally. It was another hot one at NHMS and it could be seen on many drivers after the race. The 5-Hour Energy 301 was nothing short of grueling. Yet, guys like Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Joey Logano had good days. With so many guys having strong races lately the top 5 is getting heated in the Power Rankings, so check them out below.

Week 19 Power Rankings (Week 18)

1. Kyle Busch (LW-6)- Can you say Kyle Busch is on fire like Alex Bowman's NHMS car? Yes, his current streak is just as ridiculous as the NHMS guy falling down and in turn shooting off his extinguisher. 3 wins in 4 races means you should be Buying in on his Chase Chances. Finish: 1st
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Harvick has 17 top 10's in 19 races in 2015, so its tough to put him lower than the top 2. He gets the nod on NBTW because he has four straight top 10's (3 top 5's) and 10 top 10's (7 top 5's) in his last 11. No wins in that time, but his consistency is keeping him up here. Finish: 3rd
3. Kurt Busch (LW-4)- Kurt Busch has six straight top 10 finish's and is now the after thought of the 2015 Busch Story line's. His last two have only been 10th place finishes, but he has been one of the better cars since being back. Finish: 10th
4. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- There is a cream of the crop right now and it seems to be getting crowded with the reemergence of Kyle Busch (plus Penske). So, one slip brings JJ back down to earth, but every time he moves down he proves the next week that you can not forget about him. Finish: 22nd
5. Joey Logano (LW-3)- In the last 6 races JoLo has 5 top 5's (just Daytona where he hit everything and finished 22nd was outside the top 5). It seems Joey has re-found his groove this season. Finish: 4th
6. Brad Keselowski (LW-8)- Another guy who is finding his groove is Penske teammate Brad Keselowski. In the last two races he has had one of the best cars and led a total of 163 laps. Both races he came up short, but the #2 team is starting to find the speed again. Finish: 2nd
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- The top 7 really are good right now, no two ways about it. I could see Jr as high as 3 without complaints. NBTW has him lower just because he hasn't been a true threat to win lately. Other than that, he is on a Championship type pace. Finish: 5th
8. Matt Kenseth (LW-9)- Back to back top 10 finishes is giving this #20 team some extra confidence heading into Indy. Maybe they can finally start stringing together qualify finishes. Finish: 6th
9. Jeff Gordon (LW-12)- Could Gordon and the #24 team be finding there groove? Just in time to kiss the bricks again? We will find out Sunday about that but right now he has three straight top 10's going. Finish: 9th
10. Carl Edwards (LW-NR)- Carl took his first Pole of the season on Friday and used it to have a good finish on Sunday. He stayed up front early, but he ended up only having a top 10 car most of the day. It is nice to see him start hitting stride finally with JGR. He now has two straight top 10's after he had to 40+ finishes. Finish: 7th
11. Denny Hamlin (LW-7)- Denny wan't really much of a factor on Sunday after qualifying 5th. In fact, he was slow on a few restarts that held up the lines a time or two. In the end he came up short of the top 10, but all of the JGR car's looked better on Sunday. Finish: 14th
12. Martin Truex Jr (LW-10)- It just doesn't seem like this team can get back going again. It is like they're stuck in the mud and about to get out, but it just hasn't happened. The plus side is the #78 was pretty fast on Sunday, but they didn't get the finish they were looking for. Finish: 12th

Dropped Out: Jamie McMurray (LW-11)

Just Missed: Ryan Newman and Aric Almirola

Honorable Mention: Austin Dillon (8th)

Jeff Goes back to back. Which means we have a new #1!

Garry would have gone back to back, but didn't go with his gut last week

Missed the mark on the Pole, but was right on with the winner!

It has been awhile since we have had three winners in one week. Check out the season long leaderboard for an idea of where everyone is. If you want to make the leaderboard lookout of my tweets throughout the week on the handle @NASCARBTW or just send me one at anytime before the race! Thanks for checking out Behind the Wall!

2015 Pit Road Week 16: Sonoma

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Week 16: Toyota Save Mart 350

By Richard Tix

NASCAR headed into Sonoma with a ton of questions. Would an underdog win? Would someone steal a Chase spot? Can AJ Allmendinger get another road course win?

Well, AJ won the Pole and it looked possible all of those questions would be answered. Until Sunday came around and Kyle Busch won the Toyota Save Mart 350. Now, we have even more questions to be answered. Will Kyle sweep in and steal a Chase spot after sitting out with an injury for 11 races? Kyle got the win, but he now needs to make up ground and get into the top 30 in points to make the Chase. Can Kyle make up the points difference? Will someone else steal a win later at Watkins Glen?

As it stands right now Kyle Busch has 125 points and is 136 points behind Cole Whitt who has 261 and is 30th in points. Kyle now has 10 races left to make up those 136 points before the Chase, keep in mind Justin Allgaier is sitting at 260 points, so Kyle has to catch an pass both.

It wont be an easy thing to do, but it will be a fun story line to watch down the stretch. 

Onto the Power Rankings. Let's check out the movers and shakers this week:

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 16 (Week 15)

1. Kevin Harvick (LW-2)- Harvick notched another top 5 on the season which is a Cup leading 11. He now has 11 top 5's and 14 top 10's in 16 races. Its another great start for Harvick, but he hasn't been seeing Victory Lane lately. Finish: 4th
2. Jimmie Johnson (LW-3)- Not a lot of movement with these top guys. JJ once again had a strong weekend where he lead 45 laps (most by any driver on Sunday) and finished in the top 10. Finish: 6th
3. Kurt Busch (LW-6)- Who is second behind Harvick in laps lead in 2015? Thats right, its Kurt in 3 less races than most other drivers. Again on Sunday he lead 43 laps, which was good for second most on the day. Finish: 2nd
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- Jr is having another good run in 2015, but gets overlooked because guys like JJ, Harvick, Truex, and Kurt are doing even better. Don't count him out of the title hunt just yet. Finish: 7th
5. Joey Logano (LW-4)- Three straight top 5's for Logano, maybe I am being too tough on him? It's a really strong stretch for him, but he still has only lead 7 laps in those three races, many of the guys above him can say more than that. Finish: 5th 
6. Martin Truex Jr (LW-1)- Rough day for Truex. Seems like the only way to hold him back right now is for him to be involved in a wreck. Well, he doesn't have to worry about that for now after getting his win at Pocono. Finish: 42nd
7. Jamie McMurray (LW-7)- Now that Truex Jr got his win in 2015, McMurray is the next driver up to be underrated on the season and win-less. He currently is 7th in points and has been sitting in the top 9 for 8 races. Maybe his time to come is this weekend at Daytona? Finish: 11th
8. Kasey Kahne (LW-10)- Kahne hasn't been terrible this year, be he also hasn't been amazing. Instead, he has been pretty consistent and on Sunday he added a top 10 to that list of consistency. Finish: 8th
9. Brad Keselowski (LW-8)- BK has sat 6th in the points standings for 7 straight weeks. In that time it has been tough to know what you will get from him. He has 3 top 10's in that time, but also 3 finishes of 17+ (the other finish was 12th, right in the middle). Finish: 19th
10. Clint Bowyer (LW-NR)-Bowyer makes a stop on the NBTW Power Rankings and it has been awhile. Clint's 3rd place finish was his first top 5 of the season and his third top 10 in the past four races. He seems to be picking up a bit of steam lately. Finish: 3rd
11. Matt Kenseth (LW-9)- Kenseth is behind win-less drivers like Kahne and McMurray and almost behind Kurt Busch (who sat out three races). It hasn't been a strong season for the #20 team, but at least they have that one win to get them to the Chase. Finish: 21st
12. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menard has been in and out of these bottom spots for mush of the season. He just keeps hanging around. He has been in the top 16 in points ever since the third race of the year and lately he has been hanging around the top 12. He may not get a win, but he might put himself in position for a spot on points. Finish: 13th

Dropped Out: Jeff Gordon (LW-11) and Denny Hamlin (LW-12)

Just Missed: Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson

Honorable Mention: Sam Hornish Jr (10th place) and Tony Stewart (12th place)

No one correctly picked Kyle Busch to win this weekend at Sonoma. It has been a rough few weeks for me getting the word out to vote on winners, but this week we had an ok showing, just no lucky guesses. This weekend we head for Daytona on Fourth of July Weekend for the Firecracker 400 (Coke Zero 400). Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Holiday weekend! Check back in for the entry list a preview! As always, thanks for checking out NASCAR Behind the Wall!

2015 Chase Power Rankings: First Edition

By Richard Tix

Unlike NASCAR Behind the Wall's Pit Road Power Rankings, this years 2015 Chase Power Rankings will include ONLY drivers with a win. These rankings will not only take into account how they have done so far, but what NBTW things there Power Ranking is for winning the 2015 Sprint Cup Championship.

2015 Chase Power Rankings First

1. Kevin Harvick- Harvick has to be the Championship favorite right now. I know Jimmie Johnson has more wins, and wins help you move on during the Chase, but Harvicks 7.3 average finish will make sure he moves on round by round as well. Not only that, he leads NASCAR with 1,225 laps lead (560 more then the next closest. Kurt Busch-665). Other than Kurt, he has more than double laps lead than anyone else. That means he will be running up front when the pressure is on and that is where you have to be. 
2. Jimmie Johnson- Johnson knows how this Championship thing works, he has a few. He also leads NASCAR this year in wins so far (4) which is about 26.66% of the races so far. His average finish is down from last years 15.3 and closer to his career average. He has as many wins as he did in 2104 and is one top 5 away from as many as 2014 and we are only 15 races in. This is the JJ everyone has come to know in the past few years, yet something is different...Harvick and that fact that JJ hasn't won a title in this points system yet.
3. Kurt Busch- It is crazy, but even after missing three races Kurt has the second most laps lead behind Harvick (665 total). He actually has lead a higher percentage of laps while he was on the track than Harvick. Kurt has been in 1st 5.74% of the time compared to the 3.73% of the time Harvick has. It has been night and day looking at 2014 and his first year with SHR and this season. Not sure what happened, but the #41 running many of the same set ups as the #4 might be the answer. Those two teams have something figured out, plus Hendrick engines don't hurt..
4. Martin Truex Jr- Truex finally got another win and his first of 2015 after being so close so many times. Pocono locked him in the Chase even though he would have been in on points reguardless. Before his Pocono win, Martin had lead 357 laps in the three previous races. Just those 357 laps led would have put him 6th in laps lead on the season (he is actually 3rd with 486). It has been great to see him and Furniture Row succeed this season and the good luck been a long time coming for Truex. Even if he doesn't win again, he has been an even better version of the 2014 Ryan Newman and he made the Finale at Miami.
5. Joey Logano- Penske hasn't been the talk of NASCAR in 2015 like they were last season, but both Team Penske drivers are having great seasons. Maybe the under the radar approach is just what Joey needs to finish off the next step of his career. It isn't like his stats are lacking either, 1 win, 8 top 5's, 11 top 10's in 15 races (plus 4 poles). It is scary to think how quiet the hype has got on him even during such a good regular season. 
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr- Jr has the Hendrick backing, which helps anyone, plus he is putting it to good use. He and JJ have been fast all season and seem to have found a bit more than teammates Kahne and Gordon have. Seems like Jr has been top 5 or bust this season (8 top 5's and 9 top 10's), which isn't a bad thing. He has also been limiting his number of really bad finishes which is something that you have to do during the Chase. Is this the season he finally win's a Championship? No one has been talking about the loss of Steve LeTarte recently, so that must be a good thing..
7. Brad Keselowski- I debated having BK ahead of both JoLo and Jr because he has won a title and knows how to get it done when everything is on the line (see last years Chase and how he advanced). At the same time JoLo and Jr have been finishing out more runs in the top 5 and might not be hated by as many other drivers. Does that matter? Not much, but one time around retaliation could cost him a lot. Even after saying that, BK still has a good shot at #2. He has shown speed all season and we know Paul Wolfe is one of the best in NASCAR when it comes to strategy.
8. Denny Hamlin- Once we get past BK it is JGR and family. I really have those 7 above as the best contenders, with about 4 of them the top dogs. The rest if Joe Gibbs Racing.... JGR just hasn't found the speed the past two years and its drivers are scrapping to stay alive in the Chase. Give these guys credit, they have been sticking around as long as they could with Penske and Hendrick engines. Denny gets the top nod just because he did the same thing in 2014 but made his way to the final four in Miami.
9. Matt Kenseth- Kenseth has been the most consistent of all the JGR drivers with a win. Anyone who says he should be above Hamlin has a legitimate opinion. Kenseth has been very good on the shorter tracks, but JGR speed has hurt him a bit at 1.5's. They might be closing the gap and the nice thing for the #20 is they're locked in so they have time to make some ground up.
10. Carl Edwards- Edwards transition to JGR hasn't been as smooth as he would have liked. However, looking back at RFR he can still see a sinking ship so he has to be happy about leaving. If JGR can find the speed than Carl can climb up this list, until then he has been one of the least consistent drivers with a win in 2015.

Well, that's it. After 15 races in 2015 I really think this fight will be up to Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. You can add in the mix Truex, JoLo, BK, and Jr if they make a run into the final four and one of the top 3 have set backs. It will be interesting to watch how the next 11 races unfold and how the new package works at Kentucky. That car package could be a game changer down the stretch and might bring some new drivers to the front of contention.

NASCAR Behind the Wall wont be looking at these Power Rankings week by week, but rather every few weeks just to catch up on how the drivers already locked in are doing. Thanks for checking it out!

Week 15 Pit Road: Michigan

Weekly Review and Power Rankings

Week 15: Quicken Loans 400

By Richard Tix

Yes, NASCAR was still running its weekend races, but NASCAR Behind the Wall was not around. I appologize again as I was out of the country in Mexico on my honeymoon. I did actually try to find the Pocono race last Sunday, but had no such luck.

I was back for the rain filled Sunday race at Michigan, though. So, we skip a week of rankings but I will still put in a two week judgement when jumping from Week 13 rankings to these Week 15 rankings.

As always, the first Michigan race gets my blood flowing and ready for the race in August. I have yet to miss the August race since 2006 and am already in full race mode to get back! But, enough of that, lets get to the latest Power Rankings. **Keep in mind the "LW" is actually from week 13**

Pit Road Power Rankings Week 15

1. Martin Truex Jr (LW-3)- After his Pocono win I would have had him second Week 14, but with all the bad luck Harvick and JJ had during the rain filled MIS race, its his time to shine. His previous finishes in order give him this spot (3rd, 1st, 6th, 5th, 9th, 5th, and 10th). Other than Bristol (29th) he has top 10's in 14 of 15 races...Amazing. Finish: 3rd
2. Kevin Harvick (LW-1)- It was bad luck holding Harvick up. The #4 team hasn't seen a lot of that in 2015, after a regular season full of it in 2014. Maybe the good luck will run out? If not a second title is very favorable. Finish: 29th
3. Jimmie Johnson (LW-2)- JJ also found a rough spot at MIS, but ran well at Pocono and finished 3rd. The #48 team has plenty of room to gamble the rest of the way and Chad is always looking for new ways to gain an edge. They may have had a rough finish but don't look for them to be down too long. Finish 19th
4. Joey Logano (LW-8)- JoLo seems to have found another good stretch which was needed for the #22 team. He hasn't been running bad, but he started 2015 as the strongest competition to Harvick before drifting. Finish: 5th
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-4)- Jr didn't find his 2014 groove at Pocono (11th), but did have a strong MIS showing. It was a good finish with the rain day, but he only led one lap on the day so more can be found. Finish: 2nd
6. Kurt Busch (LW-9)- In the time NBTW was gone Kurt found a two top 10's which included a win at MIS on Sunday. He only led 6 laps, but he led the one that mattered. Either way, he is now locked (for sure) in the Chase. Finish: 1st
7. Jamie McMurray (LW-NR)- Since Dover, JMac has been the lucky #7. Meaning, he has 3 straight finishes of 7th which is very consistent. Don't get me wrong, JMac has a shot at a win still (possibly Daytona), but he may not need it because he is sitting pretty in points (7th ins points. Lucky 7). Finish: 7th
8. Brad Keselowski (LW-6)- A bit of a slip for BK, but Pocono didn't go his way. The #2 still has been pretty fast, but he hasn't been able to finish for some reason or another. Meanwhile, the #22 has. Both are safely in the Chase, but are looking for more W's. Finish: 6th
9. Matt Kenseth (LW-10)- Kenseth was coming off a 39th place Dover finish last time these rankings came around. Unfortunately for him there isn't much room to move after good finishes at Pocono and MIS. Finish: 4th
10. Kasey Kahne (LW-11)- Kahne is running well, but still not great. Its great to see him much more consistent this year compaired to 2014, which has kept him in the rankings most of the season. Yet, he hasn't put enough together to climb up them yet. Finish: 15th
11. Jeff Gordon (LW-5)- Will Gordon get a win in 2015? After last year it was crazy to think he wouldn't, but will it happen before the Chase? He may not need it because he still is 10th in points, but he is 13th in the Chase Standings. So, he doesn't have a lot or room to budge. Finish: 21st
12. Denny Hamlin (LW-NR)- Hamlin is having another weird season in 2015. He has a win, which is great and gets him to the Chase, but he also has a very high about of 20+ finishes (7 in 15 races). Right now he has a string of finishes with the same results as all season (8th, 21st, 10th, and 11th). Finish: 11th

Dropped Out: Ryan Newman (LW-7) and Paul Menard (LW-12)

Just Missed: Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson

That's it for this week's Power Rankings. Check back in for this weekends TV/Race Schedule, Entry List, and Weekend Preview for Sonoma! Thanks for checking NBTW out as always.