Week 29 Preview (Chase Race #3)

Dover International Speedway (Chase Race #3)

Well race 3 is a make or break race for guys like Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, and Kevin Harvick. For these guys things can go south very quick. Same goes for Kenseth, Johnson, and Kyle Busch. Each of these drivers have to make the pace and not fall off of it or the hill maybe too hard to climb. Lets take a look at the Chase drivers and who fares well at Dover.

The Good:

• Jimmie Johnson- 4 times JJ has tamed the Monster Mile in his last 10 races here for a win. On top of that he has 8 top 10's in that same span. Yeah, he has been good at Dover International Speedway.
• Carl Edwards- Well Dover is just what Carl wants to see. He is kind of teatering on the edge right now and could use a great finish. He has 7 top 10's in his last 10 here but no wins in that same time.

The Middle:

• Kevin Harvick- Harvick has an average finish of 10th in his last 10 starts at Dover yet only one of those has been a top 5. Earlier this year he finished 8th here so maybe he will build on that.

The Bad:

• Ryan Newman- Well in his last 5 races at Dover has one finish within the top 20 (15th) and the rest have been higher. Not good news for a guy needing a win to stay relevant in the Chase,
• Kasey Kahne- Kahne has an average finish of 17.5 and only 4 top 10's in his last 10 races at Dover. So what I am saying is, the bad could get worse for Kasey this week. Either way, he is packing up and getting ready for 2014.

Pit Road Week 28 (Post Chase Race #2)

New Hampshire (Loudon) Chase Race #2

Well I have been on vacation and out of town the past two weekends so Nascar Behind the Wall has gotten, well, behind. Hopefully I can get back on track for the rest of the Chase season starting with the Power Rankings after New Hampshire. So lets get right into it, also take a look at the race results here.

Pit Road Week 28

1. Matt Kenseth- Coming into the Chase Kenseth was having a boom or bust season. After two Chase races he is having a boom start. Kenseth is hoping the bust doesn't come next, but so far he is the clear cut leader after starting with back-to-back wins.
2. Kyle Busch- Well, Kyle just can't find the win, but if you aren't going to win coming in second will help. Kyle should also be happy he has started this Chase out well, because he has a history of running well during it.
3. Jimmie Johnson- Back to back top 5 finishes has JJ still in the hunt. He is only 18 points behind Kenseth in the points but will need to keep running this well and hope for a slip up to add to his title resume.
4. Greg Biffle- I gave the Biff the nod over Carl and Harvick because of the strong run at NH. He finished 3rd after a disappointing 16th in the Chases opening race. Biffle hasn't been that impressive this season but maybe he has saved the best for last.
5. Carl Edwards- Carl got a top ten finish (9th) one week after finishing one spot outside the top 10 in the first Chase race. 
6. Kevin Harvick- Harvick is right on the edge of drivers who still have a small shot at the title. He will need to go on a good run but we have seen that this year so anything is possible.
7. Jeff Gordon- Gordon had a real shot at winning at NH and making a huge jump in the standings, instead he finished 15th and is on the border of being out of contention.
8. Kurt Busch- Kurt is the last guy in the standings that I think has any shot of making a run at the title (though a very small shot). After Kurt (and Gordon 2 points behind) I don't believe anyone has a chance. Kurt has been fast but can it all come together in the last 8 races?
9. Dale Earnhardt Jr- Well this spot doesn't matter, because I don't think anyone down here will make an 8 race push, but Jr just made a run up front and finished 6th just one week after having a very rough day. These guys down here are just looking to get it going and carry into 2014 on a good note.
10. Ryan Newman- Newman followed a top 10 with an uninspiring 16th place finish. Newman is just looking to next year by now as he is on his way out.
11. Clint Bowyer- See Newman (minus the on his way out). After the last race before the Chase fiasco Clint just doesn't have it going.
12. Joey Logano- One of the hottest drivers before the Chase, JoLo had a bad luck start and only a top 15 this week (14th). Back to the drawing board at Penske.
13. Kasey Kahne- Kasey took a second half of the race spin and ended up 37st, ending any thought of a title run in 2013.

2013 Current Chase Standings

Nascar now heads to Dover International Speedway where Tony Stewart stole a win earlier this year. Race three is going to be a huge race for the top 3 drivers (Kenseth, Busch, and Johnson) as if one falters it will open up the door the rest of the way. 

Week 27 Preview (Chase Race One)

Chase Race One: Chicagoland Speedway

Well this week has been a world wind of allegations and information that has left the Nascar community with spinning heads. With the dust settling and fans finding out that Martin Truex Jr was out and Ryan Newman is in we head to Chicagoland for the Chases first race.

Lucky for the Chase drivers Tony Stewart is not running, he has 10 top tens in 12 career starts at Chicagoland.  Also, the most recent winner here is not in the chase this year, that would be last years Champion Brad Keselowski.

So the question is, who has the upper hand in the first Chase race?  Lets take a look at that question in Good, Middle, and Bad this week (Only guys in the Chase). You can also check out last years Chase race at Chicagoland here.

The Good:

• Jimmie Johnson- He has 9 career top 10's in 11 career starts here and 6 top 5's, but JJ has yet to win at this track. Will this be the year he gets a win here, or will his Championship quest start out like all the rest have?
• Kevin Harvick- Well you could say Harvick is good here, he does have 2 wins, 6 top 5's, and 7 top 10's in his 12 race career here. I would say he has a great shot at getting a hot start to the Chase.
• Ryan Newman- Newman has won a Pole here, Won a race here, finished in the top 10, and top 10. He has done it all and has a career average finish of 14.9 in 11 starts.

The Middle:

• Clint Bowyer-Bowyer (Mr. Intentional Spin) has 6 top 10's in his 7 starts here, yet only one time has he finished inside the top 5. He is consistent, but he will need to push for the front if he wants to push for a title again.

The Bad:

• Greg Biffle- The Biff has 1 top 10 in his 10 starts at Chicagoland. That isn't good news to the one guy most fans are writing off as a non contender. To his defense, he does have 3 11th place finishes and a 13th place finish, so it isn't out of sight to get a top 10.

The Unlucky: (Best driver's at Chicagoland that did not make the Chase)

• Jeff Gordon- As of this article Gordon is not in the Chase (right now you never know). Jeff has 12 starts here, 7 of them being top 10's, 6 top 5's, and 1 win (plus a Pole). I can see Gordon making a big run this year during the Chase and showing Nascar fans what theyre missing out on with the #24 team missing the Chase.

Who I like here for the top 5

• Ryan Newman
• Jeff Gordon
• Kasey Kahne
• Clint Bowyer
• Jimmie Johnson

Dark Horse I like for a run at the top 10?

• Brain Vickers- Maybe even a top 5

Well after this week we will get our first taste of how the Chase will break down. This is not a make or break race but it will help mold the field. Nascar Behind the Wall's review most likely will not be up until late next week as I will be out of town on a fishing trip in Northern Minnesota. 

Pit Road Week 26

Richmond International Raceway September 7th 2013

Let me take a deep breath, that has to be just about everyone's reaction after the race at Richmond and the news in the following days.  Saturday night it was Ryan Truex getting in the Chase after a late caution in which his teammate Clint Bowyer spun out with now one around. A few days passed and then on Monday Nascar fans learned of a conspiracy, that Bowyer was told to spin out to help bring a caution that would eventually lead to Truex making the Chase.

Nascar looked into this further and Monday Evening came down on MWR. This action left Truex out of the Chase and gave Ryan Newman his spot in the Chase, that most believed he deserved after taking the lead late at RIR (right before the "spin out" caution.

In other news, Nascar now enters its 10 race Chase, if you haven't forgotten about that. Well this addition of Pit Road will reset the Power Rankings to who is hot coming in and looks to have title contention. From here on most of the focus in previews and reviews will be about drivers in the Chase (with a few side notes from other story lines).  Take a look here at the full race results. *On a side note, Ryan Newman Signed on to RCR for 2014 and will drive the #31, but this is old news by now as well*

Pit Road Week 26 Power Rankings

1. Jimmie Johnson- I'm sorry, but I just don't think the #48 team can stay in this bad luck slump during the Chase. I will believe it when I see it, until then I have him starting in the top spot. He has been there, done that, and after only winning 1 title in the past 3 years he wants it.
2. Kyle Busch- Having said that about JJ, I do think others have the chance to pounce. Kyle has been notorious for falling off during the late season, but last year he fell off and missed the Chase and then turned it around and was one of the best drivers during the Chase. He has been fast all year so if he stays hot JJ will be looking over his shoulder, and then coughing up dust.
3. Joey Logano- Yeah, JoLo is everyone's dark horse, but he happens to be the driver I was high on all year. After he finally got a win that I was eagerly predicting, he has stayed hot while entering the Chase. This is his first Chase rodeo, but his teammate and last years Champ, BK, will be there to help along the way.
4. Matt Kenseth- I am not so sure about this spot for Kenseth. At times he has looked like the best bet to take down JJ, and other times he cant stay out of trouble or bad luck. He has been on a roller coaster and that doesn't cut it in the Chase.
5. Kevin Harvick- Well for the first half of the season he was Mr Consistency, he has been a little more rock as of late but he has still been solid. He already has a ride at Stuart-Haas next year but I think he will give it his all for RCR on his way out the door.
6. Kurt Busch- This man has been fast all year, I mean fast. Kurt though, has yet to win a race while being that fast. Something has got to give, and I think he will get a win in the Chase, but I do not think he will stay consistent enough in all the other categories to contend.
7. Clint Bowyer- This might be low for Bowyer, but not too many people will complain after the news that came out. Bowyer has been up front in just about every race, but when push comes to shove he hasn't finished one out for a win. Last year he was a threat to JJ and BK but fell just short (2nd). This year he will look to build on that, but he needs to find a way to win a few.
8. Kasey Kahne- Another guy who could be too low, Kahne has been fast on many occasions this season but he has also had the same story as Kenseth, roller coaster.  If he can stay consistent he does have a chance to be a darkhorse contender.
9. Carl Edwards- It has been a nice season for Carl, but I just don't know if he has enough to win it. He does have one thing on his side, he is Nascar's most recent winner (RIR). Unfortunately for him his story of winning has got lost in the Newman/MWR fiasco.
10. Ryan Newman- The lucky dog when it comes to the Chase (not really because he deserved the win and to get in, and worked his butt off to get up front) Newman is on his swan song with SHR. Newman did have one of the best Mondays in the history of Mondays, he got into the Chase without driving and also signed on to RCR for 2014 to drive the #31 Cat car.
11. Dale Earnhardt Jr- Sorry Jr Nation, I just don't like his chances. It isn't that Jr has been bad this year, its just that he hasn't been a front running contender much, so it is tough to see him being a contender now. He did have a nice run last year before his concussion so he cant be ruled out, he just isn't an odds on favorite.
12. Greg Biffle- Well Biff, I think you are getting the low spot in a lot of individuals rankings for the Chase. I have no problem with you but I think a guy like Jeff Gordon or Brad Keselowski in your spot would not only have a better shot at the tittle but be more entertaining. If you say you realized Biffle was racing this year (other then his win) you are either a Biffle fan or lying. But in all seriousness Biffle has just been background noise this year, he has been good but not great. He could hang around the middle of the standings but I don't see him as a contender.

Well Nascar fans, its time to start the Chase. With all the resent news and drama the Chase should shape up to be a good one this year. The big question is, will there be a 4th Champion in as many years, or will JJ get another (as BK and Smoke have no chance)? Check back in for my first Chase Preview later this week.