Race For a Win: Part Two

In part one I looked at the win less drivers in 2013 who have a good chance to make the Chase with or without a win. In part two I will look at a few more drivers who have not found a win in 2013. These drivers however will most likely need at least one win this season to make the Chase. So lets get on with it and dive right in.

**If you missed it, check out Race For a Win: Part One here**

Denny Hamlin

Well Denny Hamlin finds himself in this situation by chance, bad luck, or whatever you want to call it. His back injury left him sitting on the sidelines being a cheerleader for part of the early season and it left him falling farther and farther back. DH needs to get into the top 20, stay there, and get a few wins to try and nab an WC spot.

A Look Ahead: Lucky for Denny he has won a bunch of races over the past few seasons. He has been racing pretty well since coming back from his injury but that will mean nothing if he doesn't finish first a few times. Nascar has two trips to Loudon (NH) that will be on DH's radar (2 wins, 7 top 5's, 10 top 10's in 14 career races). In fact, Hamlin only has one bad finish, 29th in 2011, at Loudon. The other 3 finishes not in the top 10 were 14th, 15th, and 15th. Unfortunately only the first trip can help his bid at the Chase. Keep an eye on Kentucky as well, as I think it will be a wild card for every driver since it will only be the third time Nascar has raced there.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• As strong as JGR has been, and the fact that DH has been very good when he is in the drivers seat leaves me saying yes. He will be a favorite at Loudon which is within the next 5 races and has a chance in 3 races at Kentucky. If he gets one in the next 5 he has a great chance at the Chase with ATL, Bristol, and Richmond all races he could get another late season win (before the Chase).

Kurt Busch

Kurt is in a place where he can drive all out every week, and that is exactly the style he likes. He has to get wins and he knows it. Kurt has been consistent enough to stay in the top 20 as of late but he will be a guy going for one of two WC spots.

A Look Ahead: Well Kurt has won at Sonoma and even had a 3rd place finish with Phoenix Racing last year. Sonoma is the huge wild card race because guys like Ambrose and JPM come into play there. But also guys like Gordon and past winners have a chance to steal one. Kurt doesn't have to rely on a road course though when he has places like Bristol and ATL in the future.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• I would love to say yes, and there is a chance, but so many guys will be pushing for one it will be very tough. If he has a shot look at either Atlanta or a late season win at Bristol where he use to be a top contender.

Aric Almirola

Here is a tough guy to call for the 2013 season. Its only Almirola's second full season but he has shown in stretches he can be consistent this season. I am not sure it will be enough to crack the top 10 though with so many guys in the middle of the pact fighting to get in. Almirola still doesn't have his first career win either, so its a tough road ahead.

A Look Ahead: This season has looked like the year he could get his first win though. Richmond and Daytona were good finishes for him this year and are both tracks Nascar will get back to before the Chase starts. He has had a short career so it is tough to point out spots, but I think he could make a good run at one of the Michigan races, if not both. He seems to run well at 1.5's as well so he will have some chances down the stretch.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• I predicted he would get one when he was on his top 10 run this season and I will stick by that. I am not sure when his first career win will come but other then Richmond and Daytona I would say watch out for him at the fast Michigan. He is still a long shot to get one though and an even farther long shot to get the WC spot.

Joey Logano

More top 5's (4) and half as many top 10's (6) as in 2012 (in less then half the races). JoLo has looked more comfortable with his new team and new teammate in 2013.  Joey has had some stretches this season where he has looked just as fast as guys like Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson, but he also had some stretched where he has struggled. Up and downs like that are not how you make or even win the Chase but JoLo still has a chance to get a WC.

A Look Ahead: Like I mentioned, he has been up front and looked tough in a few early season races this year, so in the back half he may have a chance to steal a few. The tough part is figuring out where? He has also been up and down at most the tracks in his career while trying to figure each one out. The next time Nascar visits Pocono or Charlotte JoLo will need to strike.

Will he get a win in 2013?

• Well he has been so good in a few races to think he wont get a win. Pocono, Charlotte, or possibly Daytona could be the remedy. I think he could find a win somewhere but I don't think he can steal a WC spot.

Ryan Newman

This has been quite the season for Newman. Last week at Dover he made no friends when getting impatient with Gilliland and they weren't even fighting for a top 15 spot. He also could be looking for a ride next year and has been dealing with the drama of Danica and a slumping Smoke.

A Look Ahead: Well it looks like Stewart-Hass may have turned a corner. Smoke seems to be out of his slump which takes all the talk about whether he can handle a 3 car team with Danica on it out of the question. This past week 2 SHR cars made the top 5. The past three seasons Newman has stolen a win, but just one win each year. Loudon is the track that you have to watch for him to get one, he has 3 career wins there.

Will he get one in 2013?

• He could be the driver that needs it the most. On a struggling team and the possibility of not having a major ride next year puts him the front runner to show what he has left. He has only finished in the top 10 in the standing twice since 2006 so he should be hungry. Unfortunately I don't think he will get one, but may come close.

Martin Truex Jr

Martin Truex Jr has not won a race since 6/4/07 at Dover so why is he on this list? Well because he is due and also because just a few short weeks ago he was 9th in points. Then he had an engine blow and followed that up with a weekend struggle at Pocono. He now finds himself a ways out looking in. That means breaking his win less streak is all the more important.

A Look Ahead: I will start with a look back first: He has 22 top 5's (6 of those 2nd place finishes) since his last win and 64 top 10's.  A place like Bristol could be what he needs. He can beat and bang to find a way to win his 2nd career race (His last 4: 12th, 11th, 3rd, and 2nd). Unfortunately for Truex the place he got his only career Nascar win will fall during the Chase so if he gets one it would have been too late for the #56 team.

Will he get one in 2013?

• I was pulling for him every week he was close early this year, but I just am not sure he has enough strong tracks left before the Chase. He could steal one during the Chase which would be bittersweet if he makes a run back in the point.

**Update 6/25/13: Well I have to say I was wrong about him pulling one out before the Chase, but in any case I will happily be wrong when I was pulling for the guy to snap out of it. It took 218 races but he finally got to taste sweet victory (In the form of wine this time). Now the question since he makes it off this list, will he get another one and will he make the Chase? The win makes it more and more likely but the last 10 races before the Chase will be heated.**

Well that gets a majority of the guys who will have a shot at a win in 2013. As statistic's go there are not enough races for all these guys to get wins. The guys like BK, Gordon, and Hamlin may steal more then one leaving guys like Almirola and Newman, and Truex left waiting for next year. Plus, wild cards like JPM (Sonoma, Watkins Glenn, Indianapolis), Marcus Ambrose (Road Courses), and Paul Menard (Indianapolis) all have a shot at a win in 2013. So who will get one in 2013 and better yet who will get a few and steal a WC spot and have a shot to get hot in the Chase?

Race For a Win: Part One

Well another week and another Jimmie Johnson win. Past that last statement, this article will not talk about Jimmie Johnson again. This article instead will take a look at all the drivers looking to find a win still in 2013 and with that a possible birth into the Chase.

Dover brought Tony Stewart back into the talks of the Chase after a dismal start to the season, the win didn't just give him a shot at the WC, but he is already in 13th place in the standings which means he has a great shot regardless.

So with Smoke leading the way, which other drivers haven't notched there first win of the 2013 season but need to? I will take a look at those drivers and when or if they will find a win in 2013.

**First part of a two part series. The first I take a look at the guys who have a good shot at getting into the Chase without a win. The second will be guys who almost HAVE to get a win or two to get a WC spot.**

Brad Keselowski

Well lets start out with the win less drivers with the guy who finished 2012 as Nascar's newest Champ. BK has been through it all this season but has yet to find his way back to Victory Lane, but he still sits 9th in the points just hanging on. If there is a list of who needs a win the most he would be on it.

A Look Ahead: Well this next week Nascar heads to BK's home track, Michigan International Speedway, where his last three starts have been promising (2nd, 13th, 3rd). He may have a chance to get going at Michigan but he has had better luck ever season in the August race. The newer Kentucky track is where BK needs to take advantage of the other drivers. He and Kyle Busch are the only two drivers to have a win at Kentucky (BK's other finish is 7th).

Will he get one in 2013?

• I think it is hard to bet against the former Champ. Tracks like Kentucky, Bristol, or even the second stop at Dover should all be places he runs strong.

Dale Earnhardt Jr

Second guy on the list is Jr, we get to him early in this list because his last win was in the June Michigan race in 2012. Last year he broke his long win less streak at this track and in the past has run well at MIS. He has been hot this season (not as hot as last year to this point) and is almost a lock for the Chase.

A Look Ahead: Well he does run well at MIS so this week should be a good week to watch and see if JR Nation gets to rejoice again like one year ago, but he also has a chance with the second trip to Daytona coming up. He has two runner up finished in the last 3 trips to Daytona including this years 500.

Will he get one in 2013?

• I hate to say in Jr Nation but I just am not sure he will. Last year he had a great season, even better then this one, and he managed one win. He does have the benefit of running for Hendrick so I wont count him out. Look out at the afore mentioned and also maybe the second trip to Martinsville.

Greg Biffle

Let's move on to Biff, the guy who came second to JJ at Pocono. He has not been on many peoples radar in 2013, as has been the case with a lot of Ford drivers. Luckily for Biffle he is heading to a track this next week that he has won at. Actually Biffle, along with Jr, won at Michigan last year (and has 3 career wins).

A Look Ahead: As mentioned, Michigan is a track Biffle could have a shot at if he is truly figuring out this new Ford. Last year he also finished 4th in the June race at MIS. Biffle also has 2 career wins at Kansas which is in the near future. Biffle most likely will have some strong runs at 1.5 mil tracks so he could bust out then.

Will he get one in 2013?

• If you look at the past 6 season Biffle has gone every other year notching 2 wins or no wins. This would be one of those years falling on a zero win year. Will he follow that pattern? I am not sure he will get one, but mostly because Ford's have just been a step behind the Chevys and Toyotas.
• **Update 6/16/13: Well the week the articles come out one driver checks his name off the board. Biffle and Ford get out of there 2013 slump at a Michigan track where Fords (namely Jack Roush Fords) have found good success. Now the question is, well Biffle find another win to makes sure he gets into the Chase?**

Clint Bowyer

A guy running as consistent as Bowyer doesn't need to worry about wins, but try telling a driver he doesn't need to win to get into the Chase. Bowyer is upset every week he doesn't get a win so 2013 hasn't been his year. In 2012 he finished the year having a very strong Chase and it has followed this season.

A Look Ahead: Well Sonoma is coming up soon and last year he snuck out a win there. In his 7 career starts at Sonoma he has 5 top 10's, 4 top 5's and a that win in 2012. I would say he will be a front runner or needs to be. In 2012 he also notched a win at Richmond and has a history of running well there.

Will he get one in 2013?

• Considering only once in the last 6 season Bowyer hasn't notched a win, 2009 being the year he didn't, I think its safe to say he will get one in 2013. I think he has a chance to get real hot and find a few wins this year like he did last year (3).

Jeff Gordon

Gordon is on the boarder of needing wins to get in the Chase or being able to without one (or more).  He made the first list because I have about 5 or 6 more drivers who almost certainly need the wins to get into the Chase. For Gordon, long gone are the days where he could strike for double diget wins in a single season.  Last season he had 2, Pocono which Nascar was just at and the last race of the 2012 season, Homestead.

A Look Ahead: Gordon was runner up 4 other times in 2012 and most of those came down the stretch. Places like the second trip to Dover, Pocono, and Richmond are all tracks I can see Gordon getting a win at. Also to add to that list a place like Atlanta where Nascar visits once and Gordon has finishes of 2nd (2012) and 1st (2011) in the last two could mean a visit to Victory Lane.

Will he get one in 2013?

• 87 career wins, 301 top 5's, 418 top 10's, and a Hendrick Motorsports car....It's tough to bet against Gordon. In the last four races Gordon does have two 3rd place finishes and has looked poised to be a front runner again. I think he gets at least one this season and will slip into the Chase, but it wont be easy.

Week 10 Preview

Talladega Superspeedway

Nascar is officially through a Quarter of the 2013 season! 9 races into the season and Nascar heads to Talladega for the first of two times (the next during the Chase). As Nascar left Richmond International Raceway Kevin Harvick finally got hot and into the top 5 for the first time this year with a late race Win.

Some bad luck and bad nights hit some drivers hard in Richmond which could end up being a huge misstep in a Chase spot run with Dega next on the list (known for getting into trouble). Last year's Talladega winners come into this week on different terms. In the Spring race Brad Keselowski got his second career win at Talladega (the other his first ever career win in 2009) and needs to bounce back after he lost a cylinder late in the race at Richmond. On the other hand, Matt Kenseth who was the winner at Dega during the Chase has been on a hot streak again.

Yet both drivers need a good finish this week because both have faced the wrath of Nascar and run into penalties that make every misstep even larger. Here is a look at the Spring race results at Talladega.


The Good:

• Brad Keselowski- BK needs a good week that is mistake free to get past all the bad luck he has been through. Every since Nascar came down on Penske he has seemed to have some bad luck but for the most part fight through it. In his 8 starts he has a 12.2 average finish (best of current drivers), 2 wins, 3 top 5's, and 6 top 10's. Best Chance Forecast: BK has to run into some good luck some where right? Top 5 with a good shot at getting his first win of the season.
• Clint Bowyer- In the last 10 races at Talladega Bowyer has not only the most top 10s (7) but the best average finish (10.5). Add in two wins in his last 5 and you have the ingredients for a good track. Best Chance Forecast: Another top 10 should be a no brainer, a chance at a win is possible.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Even though his last 10 races have been just average at Talladega (4 top 10's and no wins) Jr has a long history of great driving here. If you add up the fact he knows the track well and he has a hot start to the 2013 season I think it is safe to say he should have a good weekend. Best Chance Forecast: I'm thinking he will find his way to the top 10, and may find a top 5.

The Middle:

• Matt Kenseth: The guy I will go with this week out of the many drivers to choose from, Kenseth. In the last 10 he has led the second most laps, has a win and 2 top 5's (both last year) but his average finish over those 10 is 21st. 2 of the races he didn't finish because of a crash but something has to give. Best Chance Forecast: the fact that last year he had two top 5's including a win here, plus he has been hot this season, makes me think he can turn around his mediocrity at Talladega.

The Bad:

• Marcus Ambrose- All the way down there at 25.1 average finish position in the last 10 races it Ambrose. In 8 races he has 1 top 5 and that is it (first career start at Dega). He had a rough week last week and Dega will do him no favors, he will have to earn it.
• Jamie McMurray- One driver who has a career win at Dega (in the last 10) who hasn't done well most of the time here is McMurray. He has an average finish of 22.5 in the last 10 with only two top 5's (win and runner up). If you exclude those 2 good races, he has only finished inside the top 16 once in the 8 other races.
• Tony Stewart-Smoke is another driver who has a win in his last 10 races at Dega but overall hasn't had much luck. Only 2 top 10's in that span and an average finish position of 21.4. It doesn't look good for him heading into Dega cold in 2013, but maybe this is the kind of spot where he will surprise?

Laying Low:

• David Ragan- In the last 10 races at Talladega David Ragan had 5 top 10's, yes I said 5. His average finish of 14.1 is 6th best of current drivers in the last 10 (4th best if you take out 1 race drivers Mike Bliss (10) and Kenny Wallace (12). Last year his finishes were 7th in Spring and 4th in the Fall. Not too bad for a guy running on a small team.
• Jeff Burton- Right behind Ragan in average finish in the last 10 is Burton (14.2). He has 6 top 10's and 3 top 5's in those 10 races. He also has posted 3 straight top 10's (3rd, 10th, and 10th).
• Travis Kvapil- Big time sleeper alert. Last year with BK racing Kvapil finished 16th in the Spring and 8th in the Fall. In his 7 career starts at Dega he has 2 top 10's and a pole so anything is possible.

You can be good or bad, hot or cold and it could all change in one lap when Nascar heads to Talladega. When will the big one happen? Who will be a part of it? Dega brings hope to drivers who need to get on a roll because if they stay in one piece and away from the big crash they could have a chance.

Need more? Check out these links and articles:

• Track Details: Talladega
• Talladega Paint Schemes
• Denny is going to start at Dega
• Aaron's 499 Entry List

Driver Spotlight: Kyle Busch

Nascar Behind the Wall Driver spotlight: Kyle Busch. This segment will be a short article about where each driver is right now during the 2013 season. At the end of the season I will review some of the more interesting stories from Driver Spotlight.

Well as Kyle Busch himself said after Fontana about his win, "if that is even a story," I will make him proud by spotlighting him this week. Coming off his second win in the early 2013 season, we take a look back at how he has been on a long come back. He had a rough 2011 season but it looked like he would turn it around in 2012. On the stretch run toward the chase Kyle got caught up in some bad times and missed the Chase. Even though he missed the Chase he was one of the hottest drivers during the Chase and finished as the highest driver not in the Chase.

So onto this season, the real story on Kyle Busch. No one has been hotter on the 2013 season then Kyle. Kyle just hit my top spot in my Power Rankings located in Pit Row: Week 7 and for good reason. He has been on a a run that includes two wins, five top 5's, and 5 top 10's. He has an average start position 5.4 and an average finish of 10th in 7 Sprint Cup races. He also has swept two weekends (Fontana and Texas) on his way to 3rd in the Sprint Cup standings.

Sure Kyle has found his fair share of problems along the way in his career but this year he seems to be more in control of anything that comes his way. He may be fully maturing as a Nascar driver or it could be that so many other story lines are keeping the spotlight off of him (Rivals, Joey Logano, or fines). It maybe a bit of both, but one thing is for sure, Kyle Busch is back to his winning ways.

After finishing outside the Chase last year and finishing as the lowest driver in the Chase in 2011 (12th) will this be the year Kyle busts back out like he did in 2008 with 8 wins and 17 top 5's? Kyle Busch has yet to finish a season higher then 5th in the points standings (5th in 2007) so the real question is can he put it together when it counts, the Chase?

No question Busch is a driver to watch every week, but it will also be fun to watch as the season goes on to see if he can put it together in the Chase and become a true Champion. Hopefully for Kyle Busch fans, at the end of the 2013 year I am updating this article writing about how he became a Champion this season.

**4/28/13 Update: After getting his second Win of the 2013 season, and writing this article, Kyle has had back to back disappointing finishes. The weekend at Kansas was a disaster and he finished the day 38th. At Richmond he had a good car and ran up front for awhile but found trouble late in the race and finished 24th. Looks like Kyle in in need of a good finish going to Dega.**

**6/2/13 Update: Kyle has still had some bad luck following him this season but he has had cars to beat in many of the races. His problem still seems to be having the car to beat down the stretch. At Dover he had a great car to start the race but finished the race clinging to a 4th place finish. Including the ASR he has had 3 top 10's in his last 4 races (2 top 5's). The question from the original article still remains, will he be able to put it together when it all counts, down the stretch?**

Nascar Pit Road: Week 6

Martinsville Speedway

 

 

When you have eight, large, tall, grandfather clocks what do you do with them?  Jimmie Johnson will now have the answer to that after this weekend. Jimmie Johnson becomes the first driver this season to win multiple times after his Martinsville win. JJ dominated most of the weekend including the pole, leading 346 of 500 laps, and eventually winning the race. Matt Kenseth also lead 96 laps and Kyle Busch added in 56 laps up front on the day. Really no one could touch Johnson's 48 this Sunday and it showed in a less than exciting Martinsville finish.

 

That is not to say that the race was a snooze. Compared to the last two weeks, yes Martinsville was a bit slow, but this season has started out as good as any so far. I think cooler heads prevailed this week after having a weeks rest on the Nascar schedule. Tony Stewart and Joey Logano were near each other briefly with around 170 laps left, but nothing happened. Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Clint Bowyer had a few late race restarts next to each other, but with Ryan Newman down a few laps none of them felt like getting into it this year (See last years Spring Martinsville finish).

 

However, Martinsville may not have had too many hot heads this week but we still had some drama. Jr Nation was very loud on Sunday when he was fighting in the front, and then falling to the back, and then spinning out of the race. Dale Earnhardt Jr was on the wrong end of turn3 and 4 when Brian Vickers came in too hot and hit Danica Patrick into Jr and spun Jr around. Then when Jr was trying to get turned around Jimmie Johnson could have let him, but instead he drove in front and put Jr a lap down (Everyone else in the field held up and let Jr get straightened out).

 

It is too bad at times like this that Jr is such a good garage man and teammate, otherwise the post race may have got interesting. Not much complaining was heard from Jr and he also made a classy move and made sure he mentioned the spin out wasn't Danica's fault and he had nothing against her.

 

We also had a bunch of cautions but no huge wrecks that also happened to stir up drama occurred. Kurt Busch did have his car start on fire towards the end of a dismal day for his team and every Nascar fan got to see the Car Self Extinguisher work (Which was pretty cool to see and see work). Overall Nascar fans got another quality race out of the Gen 6 car minus all the drama we have come to expect this season. On to Texas for our first Saturday night race of the season. Lets leave Martinsville in the past until the Chase. Check out full race results here.

 

 

Rising, Coasting, Falling Drivers after Martinsville Speedway

 

Rising:

• Jeff Gordon- He was a top driver in need of this finish. Gordon would have loved if he was the one getting his 8th win at Martinsville this time around, but he stayed at 7 career wins this week. Gordon did however notch his first top 5 (3rd) on the season.  Two quality finishes in a row for Gordon that now puts him in the Chase running standing 12th.
• Clint Bowyer- Clint may keep finding himself on this list if he keeps up the season trend of good finish bad finish. After starting the season off with a 11th and 6th place finish, Clint hasn't put together two good finished in a row. At Martinsville Bowyer had a car to win it, but JJ was just too strong. Bowyer eventually ended up finishing 2nd.
• Jamie McMurray- Do you remember much of McMurray's Sunday? He was quiet all day and was not in his Bass Pro Chevy, so it was easy to miss him, but it resulted in a top 10 (7th) on the day. McMurray hasn't been overall impressive, but he still sits 13th in points going to Texas.
• Honorable Mention- Marcus Ambrose (Qualified up front, finished 8th), Mark Martin (Slow rise from 35th to 10th filling in for Denny Hamlin), and Danica Patrick! (Stayed out of trouble and made her way to a 12th place finish. More impressive then her top 10 at Daytona)

Coasting:

• Greg Biffle- The Biffe finished in the top 10 (9th) but didn't make too much noise this Sunday. Kind of like this season, he sits 6th in points but hasn't really had a winning car too often.
• Honorable Mention: Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, and Matt Kenseth.

Falling:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr: Jr Nation close your eyes! Jr fell after one week in first, but much of it was bad luck. The other half of it was that the Diet Mountain Dew team just couldn't find it for long runs and Jr fell off at the end of the race. Overall it was a good weekend for Jr but just a poor finish, so Jr find himself in the falling category for the first time (much like BK after last race). Will he bounce right back? Only time will tell.
• Tony Stewart- Smoke finished 17th, which wasn't terrible, but it was behind Danica, and it also would have been behind Newman if it wasn't for some cut tires and bad decisions with those tires. This also comes two races of 33rd and 22nd. Stewart just hasn't got it going so far in 2013 and has taken it out on Logano once, will he return to that by the end of the season? Also, only two top 15's on the year.
• Ryan Newman- Another Stewart Haas team member, Newman had a rough day with tires in the second half. He had a strong car to start the day (not a winning car, but possible top 10) he ran into tire troubles. Stopping on the track after his first down tired lead to a Nascar ruling of a 3 lap penalty that effectively ended his day. Newman has also been struggling to gain consistency this 2013 season.
• Dishonorable mention: Ricky Stenhouse Jr (Lost on the Danica battle), Joey Logano, and Kurt Busch.

Pit Road (Week 6 Power Rankings)

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-5)- The top drivers have been so close that a win is an easy way to jump right back on top of the Rankings. It also helps he took back over the points standings.
2. Kyle Busch (LW-2)- Another top 5 for Busch after the Fontana win leave him staying still at number 2. Kyle still has not won at Martinsville but he did have a good car on Sunday.
3. Kasey Kahne (LW-4)- Kyle and Kasey have been on a four race hot streak. This week Kasey had a car that could have made a run at first but he never got in position at the end of the race, ending in 4th.
4. Brad Keselowski (LW-3)- BK finishes 6th and moves down in the power rankings!? How? Well the top 5 drivers as of late have been, well, all so good. Brad maybe 5th after this week but he is still 2nd in points and he has yet to win. I would guess a win is coming sometime soon if I am a betting man.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-1) Jr has one bad race and he drops to 5th!? How? Like I said this top 5 has been competitive. Jr is still sitting well off 3rd in points, but he finished Sunday off struggling, finishing 24th. Last week BK hit his first speed bump and fell down the rankings, this time around its Jrs turn, what will he do about it next week?
6. Greg Biffle (LW- 7)- Biffle has a good run on Sunday for a quiet 9th. This is Biffle's second top 10 in a row and might be the start of a run.
7. Clint Bowyer (LW-NR)- Bowyer dropped out of the rankings last week, just to come back even stronger this week. He had a great car and finished 2nd at Martinsville. It has been up and down this year for Bowyer but he still sits 9th in points.
8. Matt Kenseth (LW-8)- Drivers passed him and fell this week in the rankings around Kenseth, but he remained in 8th. The rankings are too tough right now to move him up for a 14th place finish, but for a guy who isn't a fan of Martinsville to lead 96 laps on the day and be a front runner he has to get some credit.
9. Carl Edwards (LW-6)- He has been quiet, quietly falling. Carl is still putting together a better season then last, but the 15th place finish wasn't enough to keep him up near the top 5. Next week could be a bounce back week he needs.
10. Jeff Gordon (LW-NR)- The 10 spot was tough. Logano has had a great start to the season, but a rough day at Martinsville where it seemed everyone was running into him placed him 23rd on the day, effectively dropping him out. Gordon gets the nod here because he has had a hot career at Martinsville, and the power rankings are about who is hot at this time. My point, when isn't Gordon hot at this time? 7 time winner, Gordon had a car to win on Sunday. That is after a full day of figuring out the car. Gordon and his team may have worked more finding the right mix then anyone on the day, and he finished 3rd so something worked.

Dropping out- Joey Logano (LW-9) and Paul Menard (LW-10)

Just Missed- Kevin Harvick (Just cant get enough to get over the hump, too average so far) and Jamie McMurray

Want to look back at the preview for Martinsville? Check it out here.
Tweets of the Week leading up to Martinsville here.
Also last weeks Driver Spotlight: Tony Stewart.

Off to Nascar's first night race of the season, Texas Motor Speedway. Preview to come later this week. Also coming later this week Tweets of the Week leading up to Texas and the March Madness Nascar Style Finals!

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March Madness Nascar Style: Final Four

On a crazy Sunday in NCAA Basketball where a #15 seed will advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time ever, Nascar had a dramatic finish to the Auto Club 400. Great racing, check. Rivalry battle for the lead, check. Thrown punches, check. New rivalries started, check. Last lap pass for the win, check. As well as a Nascar fan I am also a fan of college basketball. My hometown team the Minnesota Gophers were on, and another team I grew up on the North Carolina Tar Heels were also on, yet I was glued to the race at Fontana.

 

This Nascar addition bracket is just for fun and has no real chance to add any extra drama to this Hollywood movie at Fontana and its a good thing, as Nascar fans we don't rely on it like College basketball does. That's because this past Sunday most of these match ups were blow outs. Lets take a look at the four match ups and the results. Here is a look back at the Elite Eight Article from last week.

5) Kyle Busch v 3) Clint Bowyer

• Kyle seemed to be in full control of this victory all day long. He lead 125 laps and Bowyer really never had a chance. Bowyer did however have a really solid day, that is until 15 to go when his car gave up on him and he ended up not finishing the race. Kyle Busch is definitely one driver that doesn't want a week off from the Sprint Cup after finishing 4th, 2nd, and 1st.

4) Kasey Kahne v 2) Mark Martin

• I guess it is only fair that Mark Martin went down this week to Kasey Kahne. That's because Martin got to step out at Bristol and let Brian Vickers get him into the Elite Eight. It was a tough day for Martin anyways, when Gilliland got into him and Martin remarked "something just broke in the car." Kahne meanwhile finished 9th and continued his hot run into the Final Four.

1) Brad Keselowski v 6) Juan Pablo Montoya

• This is that match up where neither guy deserves to win, but because they got this far someone must go on. BK got the free pass in this race when Montoya went behind the wall to the garage early in the race. BK did have a good run from the back to the front, but at the end of the day he fell all the way back to 23rd.

8) Kurt Busch v 3) Paul Menard

• The only close match up of the day in Fontana, Kurt Busch came out on top in the closing laps. Both drivers at one point in the Auto Club 400 were a lap down (Kurt a speeding penalty, Menard a cut tire). Both drivers also climbed their way back out of that hole to a top 10 finish. The difference was Kurt Busch's late race restarts that consistently shot him past other drivers for good track position. Kurt is the Cinderella of this Tournament heading into the Final Four and has a chance to fave his brother in the Finals.

So now Nascar takes a one week break during Easter weekend and gets back at it at Martinsville Speedway April 7th. Martinsville will be the track where the Final Four will be held and decide which two drivers move onto Texas Motor Speedway for the Finals. Here is who we have left and there match ups.

5) Kyle Busch v 4) Kasey Kahne

• This is going to be an exciting match up in the Final Four. Kyle is definitely the hottest driver in Nascar right now. That leaves Kahne a close second. In the past three races you would have to be blind not to notice these guys having an impact.  Martinsville will be a tough place to advance out of because anything can happen. It will be exciting to see who gets out alive.

1) Brad Keselowski v 8) Kurt Busch

• The only #1 seed left in the bracket faces the only #8 seed left in the bracket. In college basketball this would look like a mismatch at this point in the tournament but heading to Martinsville and anyone has a chance. Kurt and his small team that could is on a heater heading into the break. BK just hit his very first speed bump since becoming the defending Champion. How will either driver react at Martinsville? Whoever stays out of trouble the most may just be the one heading to Texas in the Finals.

Well here we go. A long week off after a race that left Nascar fans wanting more. With it being a long two weeks I will be back to update this throughout the week when we get closer to Martinsville.

Check out the Auto Club 400 Review
Also you can check out the Opening Round brackets,
and the Elite Eight brackets.
Can't get enough of last Sundays week? Check out Tweets of the Race.

Follow me on Twitter for more Nascar Updates.
"Like" the Facebook page Nascar Behind the Wall for even more updates everyday.

Nascar Pit Road: Week 5

Auto Club Speedway

  

Wow! That doesn't even begin to sum up week 5 in Fontana, CA. Drama so crazy it seemed to be written and sent straight over from nearby Hollywood.  Kyle Busch came away with the win, but is that really what anyone remembers from this race? It is crazy to think the race winner and guy who led the most laps on the day is the background story, but it happened Sunday at Auto Club Speedway. Caution after caution waved and Kyle Busch always seemed to be up front, and when the green waved he would pull away time after time. Then came the final restart, Clint Bowyer spun out with 15 to go, and Nascar Fans saw about 6 different lines to take. Three wide all the way back and Logano got past Kyle, and so did Denny Hamlin. A week after the JoLo and Denny confrontation and their we were with the two "friends" one and two. On the last lap everything broke lose and it looked like Logano just pushed it too hard through the corner and pushed up into Hamlin. Logano bumped him, as a result Hamlin got loose and lost control wrecking both. Logano continued to finish 3rd but Hamlin spun down into the inside of the turn and hit the wall straight on where their was no Safer Barrier. (Still don't understand why Nascar doesn't mandate them every where possible?). The news on Hamlin is still out, last updates it was a back injury but he was stable. (Check back or check my Twitter for updates on his condition).

To start the Nascar season this has to be the race of the season. Even without the Denny v Logano shove fest, the last 15 laps had some of the best racing of the season. It could have been perfectly timed cautions, or that teams are figuring out the Gen 6 cars, but either way it was entertaining.

Joey Logano once again found himself in the middle of everything, and not just with Denny Hamlin, This week Tony Stewart wasn't happy with him. After the race a mini brawl started with the two teams and Tony trying to throw punches but failing to conect. After Tony was asked what got him so hot.

Tony Stewart called Joey Logano an SOB and many other colorful expletives, as well. Smoke was mad about being blocked on the final restart.
— Marty Smith (@MartySmithESPN) March 24, 2013

Smoke got blocked by Logano on the final restart in a race Tony had a chance at winning. Smoke was totally in the wrong here, their is no way you just let a guy go with 15 left when you want to win, but non the less it added even more drama in this trip to Fontana.

A few other things came up during the race such as Greg Biffle getting into Jeff Gordon and Matt Kenseth early in the race. Both didn't seem too happy about it.

"It was absolutely ridiculous 16 did that," says Kenseth of contact. "I was going to pull down and let him go like i have the last 15 years"
— Richard Allen (@RacingWithRich) March 24, 2013

Past all the drama a few other great story lines happened after Kyle Busch got the win. Dale Earnhardt Jr had another strong race this week. Jr started slow but his team figured it out and he jumped back for another top 5 while taking over first in the points standings. Greg Biffle started in the back of the field and made his way up to 6th. Brad Keselowski also started in the back (Engine) and ran up front most of the day but on the last restart fell way behind and slid to a 23rd place finish which resulted in him giving up first in the standings. Also one last storyline to mention out of many, Kurt Busch and the little team that could mark another top 5 on the season. For race results, check Auto Club 400 2013. Also check back this week for more storyline articles on the blog.

 

 

Rising, Coasting, and Falling drivers after Auto Club Speedway.

 

Risers:

Kurt Busch finished 5th

• Kurt Busch- Kurt took on a mid race speeding penalty and eventually found himself a lap down. That didn't stop Kurt from getting it back and making moves down the stretch. At one point it looked like he may challenge his Brother for first. That's back to back top 5's for Kurt and his small team and the first time in Furniture Row History that has happened.
• Joey Logano- JoLo looked good all day. He was constantly up front and around Hamlin (Mostly in front of him). The race really came down to their feud when they found themselves 1 and 2. Joey may have raced a bit too hard and pushed too far up the turn, and it resulted in them both crashing, but what else was he going to do? That is racing and hopefully Hamlin is ok. I was not a fan when JoLo said "He got what he deserved" but I'm hoping it was just emotions and he didn't realize that Denny was taken off via stretcher. **Update Logano didn't know how serious it was and is also hoping Denny is ok.** JoLo said he had to race it hard to hold him off and he just couldn't hold it, said that Denny raced him clean and gave him plenty of room. Past that he had his best finish at Fontana and on the season with a 3rd place.
• Kyle Busch- Lets just say Fontana has been Kyle's track. Heading into this years race he had lead 231 of 329 of the laps in the past two races. No different this year as he lead 125 of 200 laps and got the win. No one is hotter than Kyle right now with the last 3 races resulting in a 4th, 2nd, and 1st. The Sprint Cup win finished off a weekend sweep after his Nationwide win on Saturday.
• Honorable mention: Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon

Coasting:

• Paul Menard- Menard hit the wall and caused a caution when his tire went down, dropped to 30th, and went a lap down. Menard finished the day 8th. It was that kind of day at Auto Club Speedway. 10th, 9th, 7th in the past 3 weeks, Menard is racing like he wants to finish the season in the top 15.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Hey Kyle won the race! Denny and JoLo got into it again! Tony Stewart is calling for JoLo's head! Oh, and Jr took over first place in the standings. It has to be a drama filled race when the sports most popular driver is the back story. If you are counting that is 5 top 10's and 3 top 5's this season.  One would have to think that Jr should notch a win at some point in the season, one would also think it is coming soon.
• Kasey Kahne- After his 2nd place finish and then his win at Bristol, Kahne cooled off a bit this week. He still finished a respectable 9th but never really seemed in contention to win. Good job by this team to get points and keep the car on the track.

Falling:

• Brad Keselowski- BK started the day moving to the back of the pack by replacing an engine. He responded by pushing up to the front pack. He looked to be a lock on the top 10 and a top 5 contender but on the final restart he fell way, way back and finished 23rd. Fontana was a speed bump that he wasn't expecting after good qualifying and a good run from the back of the pack. We will see in two weeks how he takes this bump as a defending champ.
• Tony Stewart- Well Smoke has been down all season so this may be beating on a man who is down, but when you are a past champion and the start of your season has gone this way there is no way I will look past it. I will give it to him, he almost started the long climb out from the bottom. Stewart was up front all day, but on the last restart got blocked by Logano, and then said he may be on the verge of a cut tire and finished 22nd. Disappointing day, that ended with him taking it out on Logano. This could get real interesting at Martinsville, but if its the Tony we all know it could just be "Smoke."
• Juan Pablo Montoya- Down early, Montoya finished 38th. That is 10 spots behind Danica. Montoya actually qualified well at Fontana, 12th, but that was as close to the front as he got. Montoya is just hanging onto the 30th spot in the standings.
• Dishonorable mention: Clint Bowyer (Late problems lead to this spot, look for a quick bounce back)
   

Hamlin v Logano on the last lap

Pit Road (Week 5 Power Rankings)

1. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-2)- JR may not be as HOT as Kyle Busch, but he has been in the top 3 all year, and taking over #1 in the points has got to count for something. Plus he took a bad car and worked all day to get it to 2nd.
2. Kyle Busch (LW-8)- He has been the hottest driver in the last three races hands down. The win jumps him past last years champ. Can you argue against 4th, 2nd, and 1st? This team is clicking.
3. Brad Keselowski (LW-1)- Rough ending to a good week. Qualify 3rd, change engines and start in the back. Make a run to the front, get a speeding penalty. Make another run to the front, last restart drop back to 23rd after being strong. It was not what BK wanted, but his first finish outside the top 5 brings him down a notch. Lets see what happens with his first drop of the season.
4. Kasey Kahne (LW-4)- If Kyle has been the hottest driver in the last 3, Kahne is 1B. Kahne finished 2nd, 1st, and now 9th this week. Kahne was trying to find the right setup all day but never really did, he managed to salvage a top 10 though.
5. Jimmie Johnson (LW-3)- A slow day at a track Jimmie normally runs well at. JJ is still sitting in 2nd in the points standings, but hasn't been too hot the past few.
6. Carl Edwards (LW-5)- Quiet. In one word that's what comes to mind about Carl's day. He managed to finish with good track position and get his car into the top 5 with a 4th place finish.
7. Greg Biffle (LW-6)- Along with BK, Biffle started the day moving back to the back of the pack. He along with BK steadly moved up. Though Biffle didn't loose track position at the end of the day and finished 6th. Biffle hasn't had a chance at winning too many races this season, but he still finds himself in the 5th spot in the standings.
8. Matt Kenseth (LW-7)- Another week and another good race for Kenseth. Once again though he ran into problems, his name was Greg Biffle. Biffle got into him and it may have caused the tire that went down, not long after that lost Kenseth some track position. Kenseth still fought through and finished 7th. He doesn't normally retaliate but Martinsville would be a good place to get a little "nudge" back at Biffle if he wanted to.
9. Joey Logano (LW-NR)- Carl may have been the quiet one in the race, but Logano has been the quiet one in the standings (definitely not quiet off the track). He is sitting 9th on the season and just notched his first top 5 this year. Denny and JoLo got into it again late in the race but he still finished 3rd in a day where he was up front challenging all day. Logano only needs one more top 5 to tie last season, two.
10. Paul Menard (LW-NR)- Menard was in no position to win the race, but hey that is three top 10's in a row. Menard has got to love the start he has gotten off to and the possibility of getting a win. Not only that, but he is in a spot to make the chase as of today, 8th. Granted it is early, but Menard has been contestant the past three and I had to give him the slight edge over the deserving Kurt Busch who drove the wheels off his Furniture Row Chevy on Sunday.

Dropping Out- Denny Hamlin (LW-10) and Clint Bowyer (LW-9)

Just Missed- Kurt Busch, Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick

• Preview for Auto Club Speedway if you want to take a look back.
• Updated Sprint Cup Standings
• Nascar Schedule

This week I will also be adding in Tweets of the Race (Tweets from Fontana), an Updated March Madness Nascar Style: Final Four, and a few articles to get you through the week off until Martinsville. I also may do a Tweets of the Week: Week Off Addition.

Then next week we will have a Martinsville Preview and Tweets of the Week leading up to Martinsville. So get ready!

As always chek out and follow me on Twitter for the most recent updates!

**Denny Hamlin Update**
 

#NASCAR @dennyhamlin suffered a L1 Compression Fracture. Will return home and be evaluated by Dr. Petty in Charlotte.
— David Newton(@DNewtonespn) March 25, 2013

All good twitter.com/dennyhamlin/st…
— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) March 25, 2013

Heading to see Dr Petty and staff. He's worked with me before and knows my back as good as anyone. #keepfighting

— Denny Hamlin (@dennyhamlin) March 26, 2013

Nascar Pit Road Week 3

Las Vegas Motor Speedway
 

Birthday Boy Matt Kenseth Celebrates in Victory Lane.

 

Week three of the Sprint Cup season is in the books after the only trip to Las Vegas Motor Speedway on the year.  This week showed it was good to be the birthday boy. With the win on his birthday Matt Kenseth showed in Las Vegas that he wont have a hangover after changing rides and every part of his team. Kenseth has gotten off to a hot start to start 2013 and if the team really starts to gel could be a contender as always down the stretch. The race itself wasn't very action packed, which we may hear a lot about this week. (Well until Nascar mussels another driver). Lucky for Nascar Bristol is next in line and as always wont be short on drama. Matt Kenseth finished this week with fast restarts and held off Kasey Kahne to get a great Birthday present. For full results of the Kobalt 400 go here: Results from Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Rising, Coasting, and Falling Drivers after Las Vegas Motor Speedway 2013

 

Risers:

• Kyle Busch- Did anyone need this kind of race more than Kyle? Already having one DNF on the season and struggling to get going after his hot end to last season, Kyle made a huge jump on Sunday with a 4th place finish. Kyle had a good car all day, and lead some laps to boot, but just didn't have enough to stay with Kahne and Kenseth.
• Kasey Kahne- Speaking of needing a good finish, Kahne was in the same boat before the Kobalt 400. Kahne had a great car all day and it showed by leading the most laps at Vegas. Kahne was trying to put a run together at the end of the race, but couldn't find a groove to get around Kenseth. Finishing 2nd after the tough start for the #5 team is a great start to get going before it's too late.
• Paul Menard- Paul Menard, the guy who has become Mr. Consistent in the Top 20, broke out of it for a top 10. I will give him a risers spot just for the fact that he had an alright race and managed to get the car in the top 10. At the end of the season Menard will likely finish around the early 20's, but finishes like this one at Vegas could help him more to the top 15 and maybe he can pull a win out to try and squeak into the chase. Chances are he finishes in the 20's.
• Martin Truex Jr- Quietly putting together a top 10 run on Sunday, Truex Jr finished 8th and got out of the slump he has started the season on.
• Honorable mention: Brad Keselowski (Turns career bad finishes at Vegas into a 3rd place finish), and Carl Edwards (Stayed strong with a top 5 finish after his win at Phoenix with a 5th)

Coasting:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Jr fell off from his back to back top 5's to a dismal 7th place finish.  This is a great start for this Hendrick team and I'm sure it has everything to do with Dales new diet. All kidding aside Dale couldn't be happier with where he stands early in the season.
• Kevin Harvick- Harvick took his 13th place finish last week and turned it into a 9th place finish this week. After getting into trouble at Daytona Harvick has looked consistent but not great yet. Can he turn it into payday at Bristol? Stats say he will stay coasting again considering he has been a solid top 15 driver at Bristol over the past 6 races including a few top 10s.
• Honorable mention: Jimmie Johnson (6th) and Tony Stewart (11th after being down a lap and struggling most of the day)

Falling:

• Clint Bowyer- After being Mr. Consistent at Las Vegas the past three races their, Clint struggled all day and finished a lap down in 27th. The 5 Hour Energy Team just never seemed to get it going this week and fell off a bit after his 6th place finish at Phoenix.
• Jeff Gordon- Falling out of the top 10 in the Sprint Cup standings, Gordon never seemed to be a factor in Vegas. Gordon finished the day a lap down in 25th place and will try and forget about it at Bristol.
• Danica Patrick- Is it possible for her to fall more? After a crash at Phoenix that gave her a bit of an excuse when her right front went out, Vegas just showed she needs a lot of time on these tracks. She is driving a Hendrick car and yet made zero impact in the race. She hovered around 30th place all race and finished 33rd. Her boyfriend didn't have the greatest day either, but has shown if a decent driver is put in a good ride they can still finish in the top 20.
• Dishonorable mention: Greg Biffle and Marcus Ambrose.

Pit Road (Week 3 Power Rankings)

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Finishing 6th at Vegas after a hot start to the season and JJ gets to keep his top spot.
2. Brad Keselowski (LW 2)- Same thing here with BK. BK got past his past struggles at Vegas and finished 3rd in the Miller Lite Ford.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW 3)- Jr grab another top 10 finish and has one of his best starts to the season in recent memory.
4. Carl Edwards (LW- 10)- Carl finished 5th after breaking his winning race drought in Phoenix. Edwards has a hot start and looks to be a contender once again. We should see another back flip by the end of the season if he keeps this up.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW- NR)- Kenseth makes the huge jump after posting 7th and then a birthday win at Vegas after bad luck got him in Daytona.
6. Denny Hamlin (LW-4)- Hamlin had a strong day but some late race miscues left Hamlin with bad track position and he finished 15th.
7. Mark Martin (LW 7)- Staying put in the rankings, Martin finished 14th at Vegas but fared better than Bowyer, Biffle and Gordon.
8. Kasey Kahne (LW- NR)- Is this the start of  a run for Kahne? Since joining Hendrick he has been relevant but also seems to get into trouble often, only time will tell.
9. Tony Stewart (LW-NR)- Finishing 8th and 11th this week Smoke is keeping his car on the track and it is paying off. Stewart was part of the just missed crew last week.
10. Greg Biffle (LW-6)- Dropping off from the 6th spot in the power rankings last week Biffle turned out a mediocre 16th this week.

Dropped out- Clint Bowyer (LW-5), Jeff Gordon (LW-8), Ricky Stenhouse Jr (LW-9).
Just Missed- Eric Almirola (Again, on the cusp), Kevin Harvick, and Paul Menard.

Disclosure from Las Vegas Preview: (Quick link to my LV Preview)

• Laying low 1/3. Ryan Newman blew his engine on a late restart after missing a shift, either way he was in line for a finish around the 20's not a surprise top 10. Ambrose also had a less than stellar day finishing 22nd and not in the top 15. Menard however did come through for me and got his top 10 finish.
• The Good. Johnson, Edwards, and Stewart did pull through (even though Smoke didn't get a top 5). Clint Bowyer did not.

Check out the full results from Las Vegas Motor Speedway Here.
Also get updated on the Sprint Cup Standings Here.

Miss the race this week? Check out yahoo! and this 9 min recap of the race, Race Rewind.