Pit Road Week 22

Watkins Glen 2013

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

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

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


Rising:

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

Coasting:

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

Falling:

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

Pit Road Week 22 Power Rankings

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

Dropper Out: Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon
Just Missed: Kurt Busch

Next week Nascar (and myself) head to Michigan International Speedway for the second time this season.  Last time around Greg Biffle got his lone win this season and gave Roush Racing its 100 career win. The preview will be out early this week but the review maybe late next week. Do, however, follow me on Twitter for updates from MIS including a look into the garages, pit road, qualifying, and of course the race on Sunday!

Week 22 Preview

Watkins Glen 2013

Well folks this upcoming weekend Nascar turns right -did you hear that Juan Pablo Montoya?- you have a chance. (Sorry JPM fans, but the fact is he hasn't won on a left turn only track in Nascar).  Weeks at road courses always seem to bring some excitement to the series. The excitement comes from the fact that Nascar fans only get to see these Gen 6 cars go right twice a year and also because road courses can bring unlikely winners.

Watkins Glen could end up effecting the Chase by giving a guy in the top 20 a chance to steal a victory and have a chance at a WC spot (especially with the unknown outcome of what Tony Stewart's season holds after he broke his leg on Monday). So take a look at last years Glen results here and notice that Marcus Ambrose is your back to back race winner.


The Good:

• Marcus Ambrose- Well we have to start with the Australian on this list because 1) he doesn't find himself on it very often and 2) he has won the last 2 races here.  Also in 5 career starts at the Glen he has an average finish of 2, SECOND! On top of that he hasn't finished outside the top 3 yet. 
• Brad Keselowski- This can be taken with a grain of salt because BK only has 3 starts here, but he has finished 2nd the last two times out. The first time he started 32nd and ended up finish 20th so he did improve and maybe showed he started his learning curve the first time out.
• Kyle Busch- 8 Starts at the Glen and 7 top 10's. Similar to BK his only poor finish was his first career race here in which he finished 33rd. He also has a win here in 2008 when he started from the Pole.

The Middle

• Carl Edwards- He has a career of quality finished at Watkins Glen and finished inside the top 14 7 of his 8 starts (the other was a 19th place finish in his first career start here). Problem is his last two here were the other two not top 10 finishes he has had (14th and 12th).

The Bad:

• Kurt Busch- When you think of Kurt you think of a wheel man, a guy who gets after it and lays it all out there. That is Kurts problem at the Glen, he has been boom or bust. While he does seem to find his way to the front, at the end of many races he finds himself in the 30's with a beat up car half running. 
• Dale Earnhart Jr- Jr just doesn't like to go right, that's all that's to it. He can, but stats show that he typically struggles. If he comes home with a top 15 he should be happy and move on to the thought of winning at Michigan.

More coverage:

• Watkins Glen Paint Preview
• Stewart's Injury
• Pit Road Week 21 (With Power Rankings)

Well hope you are ready to take some right turns at the Glenn this weekend! Check back early next week after the race for a Watkins Glen Review with Power Rankings. Also next week Nascar heads to Michigan and as do I. I should get a preview out early on and if you follow me on Twitter you can follow along while i'm at the track.

Pit Road Week 21

Go Bowling.com 400: Pocono Raceway

The second showing at Pocono Raceway in 2013 seemed to be a bit more evenly matched then the first. The first time around Jimmie Johnson dominated all day. This past Sunday though, JJ only dominated half of the day, that is because he went down a tire and smacked the wall leaving him fighting for a decent finish (13th).

After JJ went down a whole host of possibilities came around. On the day we saw Kahne, Newman, Keselowski, Gordon, Kyle, and Kurt Busch all make there way towards the front (all of them but Kyle leading a lap) and make a bid at the win. At the end of the day though Kasey Kahne -much like many times this year- had the fastest car and this time he put it in Victory Lane. Check out the final results at the Go Bowling.com 400. Also, check out the Week 21 Preview if you need to catch what was said before the race.


Rising:

• Kasey Kahne- Not only did he get the Win on Sunday but his last outing was a 3rd place finish as well. With his two wins he should be in the Chase but still needs to fight.
• Ryan Newman- He won last week at Indi and this week he was strong again. That is back to back good showings at Pocono this season. Take out two clunkers and he has been racing pretty well since the ASR.
• Jeff Gordon- Well after a late caution he caught up to Kahne and took the lead, but eventually Kahne got it back and took off.  He is clinging to the top 10 and that has all been because of his good finishes as of late (3 straight top 10's).

Coasting:

• Dale Earnhardt Jr- Not a true contender Sunday, but Jr still hung out up front a bunch. He eventually finished 5th. He has 3 top 10's in his last 4 races.

Falling:

• Kevin Harvick- Well he is in the Chase, but he now has finishes of 17th and 19th in his last two since Nascars bye week. Other then two resrtictor plate races, those are his worst finishes of the year.
• Jamie McMurray- Well after making a strong push late this season for a bid at the Chase J Mac has fallen off the path. He finishes 16th but this really was a race of missed opportunity. He seemed to have an ok car but couldn't get out of traffic our out of the way of Montoya's grill tape early.

Pit Road Week 21 Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson (LW-1)- Well it was a day that could have been much, much better, but after his tire went down JJ made the best of it. He surprised all the haters that were happy when he hit the wall with a 13th place finish.
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr (LW-5)- Well Jr has been doing well lately and everyone at the top has had there struggles, so welcome to the #1 spot other then JJ in the rankings.
3. Kyle Busch (LW-4)- Another fast car that fell off in the end, sound familiar? This is about Kyle's career story and the reason behind my Nascar Spotlight on him. Still an 8th place finish isn't something to be too mad about.
4. Tony Stewart (LW-8)- Smoke finished 9th on Sunday which is his 3rd top 10 in the last 4 races.
5. Matt Kenseth (LW-2)- He got caught up early and often in trouble on Sunday and he fought all day, including make runs towards the front for a bit. Finish of 22nd doesn't hurt him for the race to the Chase but if he has finishes like this it will be tough for him to take down JJ.
6. Kasey Kahne (LW-9)- Well Kahne now has finishes of 3rd and a Win this week to add onto a season that he has been fast but inconsistent. Maybe he can get it going into the Chase.
7. Kevin Harvick (LW-3)- His two worst finishes of the season (other then the two restrictor plate races) and they come back to back. He has been consistent but as of late he isn't contending like he did a month ago.
8. Ryan Newman (LW-11)- He finished 3rd on Sunday, just one week after he won at his home track in Indiana. Newman is trying to make a serious bid at a Chase spot in his last year with Stewart-Haas.
9. Jeff Gordon (LW-12)- He could be in a spot anywhere from here up to 4th, but he didn't close out the win on Sunday. He has been finishing much better and has a bunch of tracks coming up that he can win at to make the race for the Chase even more interesting.
10. Carl Edwards (LW-7)- Almost a lock for the Chase, Pocono was just another day for Carl and so was his 11th place finish.
11. Clint Bowyer (LW-6)- These are Power Rankings and right now he isn't too hot. His last 3 are finishes of 14th, 20th, and 13th. He is still 2nd in points though and will make the Chase so no worries.
12. Martin Truex Jr (LW-10)- Week by week he is fighting for a spot as a WC (or points if he makes a big jump from 14th in points). This week he finished 15th but he did get an extra point after leading 7 laps.

Dropped Out: No one

Just Missed: Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and Joey Logano

Last Weeks Power Rankings

The middle of the pack in the rankings is really starting to get messy as everyone is trying to make a push at the Chase. After Jimmie Johnson it really is tough to rank anyone so I would say these rankings will be changing a lot in the next few races.

Get ready, next week we turn right again as we head to Watkins Glenn (Someone forgot to tell Juan Pablo Motoya that on lap one this week, its 3 turns and they're all LEFT). We could add even more excitement to the Chase race with another first time winner in 2013 as road courses can bring some big surprises.

Week 21 Preview

Pocono Raceway: Go Bowling.com 400

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

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

The Good:

• Tony Stewart- Well Smoke was on this list last time and he paid off. In June he finished 4th and his last ten finishing position average is now 6.2 (Best of any driver).
• Jimmie Johnson- He really should be left off all my lists, because he almost always could be on the "Good" list. Second only to Smoke in average finish (6.5), he was also the June winner and he couldn't be touched.
• Ryan Newman- He goes from getting his first win of the season to the track he had one of his better performances of the season at (June). He finished 5th last time around and is making a legitimate push for a Chase spot. In his last 10 races at Pocono he has finished inside the top 14 every time. 

The Middle:

• Brad Keselowski- Well Bowyer is still the middle man, like he was last time around, but in the spirit of trying to switch it up BK's the man. He has never finished outside the top 23 but has 3 finishes in the 20's. At the same time he has also won at Pocono (2011) and another top 5 (4th, 2012).

The Bad:

• Paul Menard- Coming into the June race he had a string of 10th, 9th, and then 11th place finishes but he ran into trouble last time out. His average finish position is down to 20 with only 2 top 10's in the last 10 races here.
• Kasey Kahne- Lets say this, I don't think he will end up finishing too "Bad" this time around, but fact is he did in June and he only has 3 top 10's in the last 10 starts at Pocono (though 2 of those 3 were top 5's). He has a chance to break back out with a good finish which makes his spot in the "Bad" category intriguing. 

Need More?

• Party in the Pocono's 2013 Race Results
• June's Race Preview: Week 14 Preview
• June's Race Review: Pit Road Week 14 (With Power Rankings)
• Pocono Paint Scheme's (Spoiler: JJ is sporting the movie Planes this week)
• Pocono Entry List
• Nascar.com Pocono By The Numbers