2017 March Madness NASCAR Style: Final Four

Behind the Wall Final Four

By Richard Tix

The NCAA Basketball season maybe over (Heck yeah North Carolina!), but the March Madness NASCAR Style continues to roll on for two more races. After fighting for every spot at Martinsville last week, the Final Four will head to Texas this weekend. Check out who advanced below.

Rules and Bracket Breakdown

• Brackets were decided by current standings after the race at Las Vegas. Four Divisions, top 4 in the standings got the #1 seeds, 5-8 in the standings got the #2 seeds, 9-12 #3 seeds and so on. We are going by regular points standings (meaning a win doesn't put you ahead of someone without a win). Straight points.
• From the standings the rankings were given out serpentine style. Meaning: The driver ranked 5th (first #2 seed) started in the lowest #1 seed's bracket. That continues until the three seeds where it then goes from top back down.
• Here is how the rounds break down by race.
• Phoenix: Round 32 
• Auto Club: Sweet 16
• Martinsville: Elite 8
• Texas: Final Four
• Bristol: Championship
• This year the winner will be decided by which driver ends the race with the most points under the current NASCAR points system. So, stage points will count towards the finish of head to head matchups.

2017: 5th Annual NBTW NASCAR March Madness
1	Keselowski								1	Larson
6	Dillon								3	McMurray
			1	Keselowski		1	Larson
			3	Bowyer		1	Elliott
5	Jones								1	Elliott
3	Bowyer								2	Blaney

Bracket Notes:

Larson lucked out on a poor run when his teammate gambled early with a tire rub. Larson will get a chance to bounce back at Texas. Two other No. 1 seeds will join No. 1 seed Larson in the Final Four so hopefully you picked "chalk" in your bracket. On the flip side of Larson getting lucky, Dillon was unlucky in a great run spoiled by Keselowski winning Martinsville.

Previous NASCAR Behind the Wall March Madness Champions

• 2016 Champion: Joey Logano
• 2nd: Kyle Busch
• Final Four: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano
• 2015 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Joey Logano
• Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Aric Almirola
• 2014 Champion: Tony Stewart
• 2nd: Carl Edwards
• Final Four: Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, and Tony Stewart
• 2013 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Kasey Kahne
• Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch

2017 March Madness NASCAR Style: Sweet 16

Behind the Wall Sweet 16

By Richard Tix

Opening weekend of the NCAA Basketball tournament and the first round of the Behind the Wall NASCAR Style tourney, which is better? Just kidding, Obviously its the Behind the Wall bracket! Villanova and Duke went down in one and Joey Logano and Matt Kenseth went down in the other. Crazy!

To top it off Ryan Newman was the big surprise of the weekend just like South Carolina. Weekend two is on the way and the Sweet 16 will be decided at Auto Club. So, check out how the first round shook out at Phoenix last weekend below.


Rules and Bracket Breakdown

• Brackets were decided by current standings after the race at Las Vegas. Four Divisions, top 4 in the standings got the #1 seeds, 5-8 in the standings got the #2 seeds, 9-12 #3 seeds and so on. We are going by regular points standings (meaning a win doesn't put you ahead of someone without a win). Straight points.
• From the standings the rankings were given out serpentine style. Meaning: The driver ranked 5th (first #2 seed) started in the lowest #1 seed's bracket. That continues until the three seeds where it then goes from top back down.
• Here is how the rounds break down by race.
• Phoenix: Round 32 
• Auto Club: Sweet 16
• Martinsville: Elite 8
• Texas: Final Four
• Bristol: Championship
• This year the winner will be decided by which driver ends the race with the most points under the current NASCAR points system. So, stage points will count towards the finish of head to head matchups.

Round by Round Articles:

• Opening Round: Round of 32

2017: 5th Annual NBTW NASCAR March Madness
Full RCR Division									Loaded Division
1	Brad Keselowski								1	Kyle Larson
8	Chris Buescher		1	Keselowski		1	Larson		8	David Ragan
			5	Newman		5	Johnson
4	Paul Menard								4	Denny Hamlin
5	Ryan Newman								5	Jimmie Johnson
3	Kasey Kahne								3	Jamie McMurray
6	Austin Dillon		6	Dillon		3	McMurray		6	Ty Dillon
			2	Harvick		7	Earnhardt Jr
2	Kevin Harvick								2	Kurt Busch
7	Cole Whitt								7	Dale Earnhardt Jr
Double Jr. Division									Young Guns Division
1	Martin Truex Jr								1	Chase Elliott
8	Ricky Stenhouse Jr		8	Stenhouse Jr		1	Elliott		8	Danica Patrick
			5	Jones		5	Busch
4	Matt Kenseth								4	Aric Almirola
5	Erik Jones								5	Kyle Busch
3	Clint Bowyer								3	Trevor Bayne
6	Michael McDowell		3	Bowyer		3	Bayne		6	Matt DiBenedetto
			7	Suarez		2	Blaney
2	Joey Logano								2	Ryan Blaney
7	Daniel Suarez								7	Landon Cassill

Bracket Notes:

The first round had some pretty crazy up's and downs at Phoenix. Early on Joey Logano looked locked in but bye the end he was upset by a young gun, Daniel Suarez. In that very same region Martin Truex Jr was upset by a strong run by Ricky Stenhouse Jr and Matt Kenseth was taken over by another young gun in Erik Jones. That leaves Stenhouse, Jones, Suarez, or Bowyer left for a shot at the Final Four. Not a ton of other huge upset's really happened on Sunday in the other regions.


Previous NASCAR Behind the Wall March Madness Champions

• 2016 Champion: Joey Logano
• 2nd: Kyle Busch
• Final Four: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano
• 2015 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Joey Logano
• Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, and Aric Almirola
• 2014 Champion: Tony Stewart
• 2nd: Carl Edwards
• Final Four: Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, and Tony Stewart
• 2013 Champion: Brad Keselowski
• 2nd: Kasey Kahne
• Final Four: Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, and Kurt Busch

2016 March Madness NASCAR Style: Championship

Behind the Wall Championship Game

By Richard Tix

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

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

Rules and Bracket Breakdown

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

Round by Round Articles:

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

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

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

Championship Match-Up

1. Kyle Busch v. 2. Joey Logano

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

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