My Thoughts: New Hampshire #2

         The site of Chase race #2 is the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The bad fast, flat one mile race track in Loudon, New Hampshire is a totally different monster compared to last week's race at the one and a half mile high banked Chicagoland Speedway. That makes today's race a totally different contest. Unlike last week, where passing was rather easy for the drivers, it will be a difficult task to pass anybody today. That means track position will be key and strategy will ultimately affect how the race is run. This is always the case when we head to New Hampshire. Earlier this year at the track, Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon were hoping to go a long way on the last run of the race on fuel when the caution waved. The field slowed down and both Gordon and Harvick ran out of fuel during the caution laps. This gave Brad Keselowski the lead and he was able to head to the win. In the first race of 2013 at New Hampshire, it has been well documented how Brian Vickers was able to play the strategy game in his Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota to win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event since 2009. Unlike other tracks on the circuit, though, New Hampshire leaves the door open for many different drivers to win. In the last thirteen races at New Hampshire, thirteen different drivers have went to victory lane. That means any driver can step up and win the race just like Matt Kenseth did in the second Chase race last year. He went into New Hampshire having never won there before, but he was the victor on that day as he looked to win the championship. To conclude, we are in for a show today as all the Chase drivers will be looking to win and guarantee themselves a ticket to the next round of the Chase. With that introduction, I have a few topics to discuss before today's second Chase race. Topics include a discussion of Brad Keselowski, a discussion of Chip Ganassi Racing, a discussion of Aric Almirola, a discussion of the recent streak of different winners at New Hampshire, and, finally, my pick to win today's three hundred mile event. I am excited for today's race and these topics so let's jump right into them.

1. Brad Keselowski: Is He the Championship Favorite?
         If you read my qualifying post discussing the qualifying session for this weekend's race at New Hampshire, you know Brad Keselowski is rolling as of late. Two weeks ago at Richmond in the regular season finale, he lead all but seventeen laps in the event as he won his fourth race of the season and became the number one overall seed heading into the Chase. In the first Chase race at Chicagoland last week, Keselowski battled the rookie, Kyle Larson, and Kevin Harvick on a late race restart to take his fifth win of the season and grab himself a spot in the next round of the 2014 Chase. To top it all off, he came into New Hampshire this weekend and blistered the field as he grabbed his fifth pole of the season. To add even more weight to that pole, he has won the last two races where he started on the pole. With all that in mind about the Team Penske driver, I have just one question. Is he the championship favorite in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series? He most certainly is the favorite. The main reason is just his abilities at the next few tracks. New Hampshire, Dover, Charlotte, Talladega, and others have been really good tracks for Keselowski. He has the opportunity every single time we visit there to win and win with authority. Plus, he has a great team behind him. This entire year, Team Penske has provided the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion with some of the fastest cars I have ever seen. He has dominated events this year and has looked great doing it. His wave of momentum will continue as we roll through the Chase and he is the favorite in my mind to stand on the podium as champion in 2014.

2. Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson: Are They the Two Best Non-Chase Drivers?
        Chip Ganassi Racing has two drivers, Jamie McMurray and Kyle Larson, in its fold, but neither one are in the Chase for the championship this season. Well, somebody should tell them that. McMurray and Larson have ran great races all year long including Larson's second place finish at Auto Club earlier this year and his third place finish a week ago at Chicagoland. McMurray has also had great runs this entire year including a fourth place run at Richmond to end the regular season. Both were highly competitive last week at Chicagoland and they are extremely competitive this weekend at New Hampshire. In fact, both McMurray and Larson were two of the three non-Chase drivers to make the final round of qualifying this weekend. McMurray will roll off second while Larson rolls off from tenth place after a mistake in qualifying. With all that in mind, here is my question for this topic. Are they the two best Non-Chase drivers this season? They definitely are the two best drivers not in the Chase. The main reason is just how great they have been recently. In every race this year, the major contenders have been the drivers who are currently in the Chase along with McMurray and Larson. They have been on top of their game in all aspects of the word. In fact, Larson was in the Chase late in the regular season, but a couple bad events took him out of Chase contention. That is especially noteworthy for Larson considering he is a rookie this year in NASCAR's highest series. All in all, Chip Ganassi Racing has been a great team this entire year and expect them to contend for wins in the Chase even though Larson and McMurray aren't in the Chase.

3. Aric Almirola: Can He Recover After a Bad Finish at Chicagoland?
        Aric Almirola came into Chicagoland a week ago as one of the underdogs in the Chase. His upset victory at Daytona in July propelled him into the Chase for the first time in his young career. He came into Chicagoland last week with something to prove. And prove something he did. He was running in sixth place late in the event when his engine expired. He finished deep in the field and the loss of points put him last in the Chase running order with twenty three points to make up before Dover. It was an unfortunate problem for Almirola. He was on the verge of a Chase defining moment, but his engine quit on him. Still, he has two races to make up the points before the first round of Chase eliminations. That brings me to my question for this topic. Can Almirola recover after a bad finish at Chicagoland? He definitely can. When Almirola won at Daytona, I didn't see him going anywhere in the Chase. I now have changed my position. The main reason is his runs recently. At Richmond in the regular season finale, he took a tenth place finish as he looked to build up momentum. At Chicagoland last week, he was running sixth when his motor expired on him. With a little more work and some hard driving, Almirola can easily grab a top five today at New Hampshire along with having a good finish next week at Dover. Don't count out Aric Almirola from making the second round of the Chase as he looks to prove himself this year.

4. Thirteen Different Winners in Thirteen Races at New Hampshire: Who Has the Best Chance to Make It Fourteen?
        It isn't often where a track doesn't have dominant winners from year to year, but New Hampshire is one of those tracks. New Hampshire does not have a repeat winner since 2008 and that is thirteen full races. Plus, consider the drivers who haven't won during that streak. Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, and others in the Chase have not won at New Hampshire during the thirteen race streak. That means the streak could continue today. It could especially continue today considering the amount of strategy at New Hampshire and the fact that difficult weather conditions could allow different drivers to win. With that, here is my question for this topic. Which driver who hasn't won during the streak at New Hampshire has the best chance to make it fourteen? Jeff Gordon has the best chance to make it fourteen today. Gordon rolls off thirteenth on the grid and he isn't exactly the best driver at New Hampshire, but look at how well he has done this year. He has won three races and he has looked strong at all tracks we have been to. He has a ton of momentum like Brad Keselowski after a second place finish last week behind the Team Penske driver. Gordon will certainly be a threat today and he could continue the streak to fourteen different winners today.

5. My Pick to Win
         I have mentioned it a lot today, but New Hampshire is one of the most unpredictable tracks in NASCAR. Weather conditions, restarts, strategy, car conditions, and so many other things greatly affect every single race here. Strategy has been factor in at least three of the last four events at New Hampshire. Today, we could be racing to halfway due to the rain in the area and strategy will be even more affected by this. All that information culminates into saying this: today's race at New Hampshire will be very unpredictable and we will be left on the edge of our seats during every single lap. I have a good many picks for today's race. My picks include Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Busch, and Kevin Harvick. Kyle Larson, Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Brian Vickers are underdog picks to win today's race as well. I am looking forward to today's race at New Hampshire and I'm sure it will greatly affect the rest of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship. I won't be writing about it today, but I will be watching intently as the storylines unfold. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2014/0714/rpm_g_shepherd_logano1x_600x400.jpg

Brad Keselowski Continues His Wave of Momentum at the Start of the Chase By Taking the Pole at New Hampshire

        With a time of 27.090 seconds (140.598 mph), Brad Keselowski was able to set the track record at New Hampshire and take the pole for the second Chase race of 2014. Keselowski, who has been riding a wave of momentum in recent weeks, has been very impressive recently. He won the regular season finale at Richmond two weeks while leading all but seventeen laps in the event while also starting on the pole. Last week, he went to Chicagoland for the first race of the 2014 Chase and took the win to guarantee himself a spot in the next round of the Chase. He comes to New Hampshire this weekend and takes the pole while sitting at the top of the leaderboard in two of the practice sessions. It is safe to say Keselowski will be a factor again this weekend as he looks to sweep at New Hampshire on the season, but he will have a lot of competition from his fellow Chase drivers and the rest of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field. Jamie McMurray, who is not in the Chase this year, will look to win and prove that he deserves to be in the Chase himself with a second place starting spot. Kevin Harvick continues to run fast every single week with a third place starting spot as he looks to win his first Cup championship. Denny Hamlin made his way into the Chase thanks to a win at Talladega and he looks to win again with a fourth place starting spot. Kyle Busch has finished second in the last three races at New Hampshire and he will look for a win with a fifth place starting spot. The rest of the Sprint Cup regulars and Chase contenders follow behind this stacked top five. The second knockout qualifying session for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at New Hampshire was rather calm, but the qualifying session could change a lot of things as we head down the stretch towards the battle for the championship.

        Marcos Ambrose was the first driver on track to start the thirty minute first round. Ambrose ran a decent lap as he looked to make the second and final round. Early on, Jimmie Johnson, who had struggled so far in practice on Friday, jumped to the top of the board with a track record speed. About six minutes into the round, Denny Hamlin jumped ahead of Johnson with a track record speed of his own. These two laps would not matter as Brad Keselowski, who had been fastest in practice on Friday, jumped to the top of the board two minutes later. Keselowski looked to hold station at the top while the rest of the drivers ran laps. The minutes were clicking away in the round as Chase drivers moved in and out of the top twelve that would head to the final round of qualifying. With about five minutes left in the final round, the session started to head up after a calm twenty five minutes. Drivers like Joey Logano, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, and others were looking to take the twelfth and final transfer spot. The spots around twelfth began to shuffle quickly as the final minutes clicked away in the round. As the red and black flag waved to end the first round, the shuffle was complete with Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking the final transfer spot and Brad Keselowski remaining the fastest driver. Carl Edwards, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Brian Vickers, Kevin Harvick, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman moved on while Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, and others missed the final round. After the long thirty minute first round, the drivers would only have a quick ten minutes to take the pole at New Hampshire.

        Denny Hamlin was the first driver on track to start the ten minute final round. Hamlin ran a good lap on his second time around to jump to the provisional pole early on. He looked to hold onto the pole, but he had a good many more drivers to contend with. Four minutes in, Jamie McMurray dashed Hamlin's hope of a pole as he jumped to the provisional pole. Just a minute later, though, McMurray would be knocked from the top as Brad Keselowski laid down a blazing fast track record speed. Keselowski had only a few more drivers to dodge as the session reached halfway. Kyle Larson looked to lay down a quick lap and beat Keselowski, but he would have a little trouble during his run. His brakes locked up heading into turn 3 and he sailed up the track. He managed to slow his car down and barely bump the outside wall. He pulled down pit road with little damage, but he would be able to lay down a lap a little later. Still, it was all Brad Keselowski with a minute left in the round. All the drivers completed their runs late and, as the red and black flag waved, Brad Keselowski was still at the top of the leaderboard. He grabbed his fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup Series pole of the year as he looks to grab his sixth win of the season. Keselowski is fast once again and he is becoming the biggest threat for the Cup championship.

        Brad Keselowski is rolling in recent weeks. Two straight wins mean that Keselowski has the momentum for sure. Also, consider this. In the last two races where Keselowski has sat on the pole, he has taken his Team Penske Ford Fusion to victory lane. Plus, the last time NASCAR visited New Hampshire, Keselowski went to victory lane in both the NASCAR Nationwide Series and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. It is safe to say Keselowski is a heavy favorite, but here is another statistic to consider. In the last thirteen races at New Hampshire, thirteen different drivers have visited victory lane. Keselowski, who won just this summer, will have to end that streak to take his third straight win as we run the second race of the 2014 Chase. Behind him, Keselowski has a lot of drivers who are hoping to end Keselowski's recent streak of wins. Jamie McMurray would love to spoil the Chase party as he starts second tomorrow. Kevin Harvick, who hasn't won at New Hampshire since 2006, will look to become the fourteenth different winner in fourteen races from his third place starting spot. Denny Hamlin would like to guarantee himself a spot in the next round of the Chase with a win at New Hampshire from his fourth place starting spot. Kyle Busch, Hamlin's teammate, will look to do the same exact thing from his fifth place starting spot. The same can be said for the other Chase drivers behind these guys as Dover next week marks the first round of eliminations. The field will have to battle hard on the flat one mile track in New Hampshire and it will be a great battle for sure. Will Brad Keselowski win his third straight race, will Jamie McMurray win a Chase race as a non-Chase driver, will another non-Chase driver spoil the Chase party, or will another Chase driver seal his ticket to the next round? We only have to wait a day before we find out this information and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Brad Keselowski     27.090 (140.598 mph)
2nd: Jamie McMurray     27.121 (140.437 mph)
3rd: Kevin Harvick     27.193 (140.065 mph)
4th: Denny Hamlin     27.253 (139.757 mph)
5th: Kyle Busch     27.260 (139.721 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Jimmie Johnson     27.319 (139.419 mph)
7th: Joey Logano     27.354 (139.241 mph)
8th: Carl Edwards     27.398 (139.017 mph)
11th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.     27.428 (138.865 mph)
13th: Jeff Gordon     27.412 (138.946 mph)*
15th: Kurt Busch     27.413 (138.941 mph)*
16th: Matt Kenseth     27.430 (138.855 mph)
17th: Kasey Kahne     27.436 (138.825 mph)
(*: Gordon and Kurt Busch were fast enough to be in the top twelve, but they missed the final round.)

DNQs: None




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.Round_2.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-28/W
-Image:
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/244e7aa319ff908444a43ab6f505eeac6fa99b4f/c=669-0-4102-2581&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2014/09/19/1411162981000-9-19-14-early-brad-keselowski.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Richmond #2

         Here we are. In February at Daytona, talk was cheap. People were picking their championship winners when they really had no idea how that driver would race throughout the season. After twenty five Cup races, all that has changed completely. Thirteen different drivers have went to victory lane and guaranteed a Chase spot while Matt Kenseth has guaranteed he will have a spot on points. That leaves two spots remaining with Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, and Kyle Larson all within striking distance of making the Chase on points. All the rest of the drivers in the top thirty need a win tonight to make the Chase. Most likely, the four drivers close on points will have the best opportunity to take the Chase spots. It is always interesting when we head to Richmond for the final regular season race of the year. In 2004 when the Chase was first used, Jeremy Mayfield came into the race fifty five points out of the Chase, but he changed that. He was able to dominate the race and take the win to make the Chase for the first time in the first year of it. Last year's race was one that has been talked about a ton since it happened. Late in the event, Clint Bowyer spun on track as his teammate, Martin Truex Jr., was on the outside looking in for the Chase. This brought a frantic finish to the race as the field battled hard. Ryan Newman, who had taken the lead with ten laps to go, looked to battle into the Chase while Carl Edwards held him off to win the race. This finish put Truex in the Chase while Joey Logano used help from David Gilliland to make the Chase. NASCAR decided this was cheating and moved Truex from the Chase while adding Newman and Jeff Gordon to the Chase with an unprecedented thirteenth place spot. Richmond has been home to these moments for years and tonight's race will be even crazier as two Chase spots remain. With that introduction, I have a few topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a discussion of last year's race, a discussion of a sponsor extending with a team, a discussion of drivers with three wins, a discussion of the drivers who will take the final transfer spots into the Chase, and my pick to win tonight's race. Well, let us jump into these topics as we end the regular season and look forward to the Chase. 

1. 2013 Richmond Chase Controversy: Will It Ever Be Forgotten?
        I discussed briefly what happened in last year's race at Richmond, but I want to discuss it in-depth here. With about ten laps to go, Ryan Newman took the lead from Carl Edwards. If Newman held onto the lead, he would take the win and head into the Chase. As the laps began to wind down, some controversial audio came from Clint Bowyer's team and Bowyer spun on track almost immediately. Everyone thought the spin was questionable, but the caution still waved and pit stops occurred. Newman's pit stop did not go well and he slid back in the running order. The final restart came and Brian Vickers, who was also Truex's teammate, was called to pit road by his team to give Truex another spot. Newman tried to charge to the front again, but Edwards held onto the lead and win while Newman settled for third spot. This meant that Truex and Joey Logano took the final transfer spots into the Chase while Newman and Jeff Gordon were out of the Chase. After the controversy, the entire Michael Waltrip Racing team was fined and Truex was taken out of the Chase. Newman and Gordon were added as thirteen drivers looked to go to battle. The controversy rocked the NASCAR world for the next few weeks and it still resonates today. I have just one question for the sport and the controversy. Will it ever be forgotten? It will never be forgotten. The main reason is the outcomes of that controversy that are still around today. Martin Truex Jr. and Clint Bowyer's careers completely changed when that happened. Truex was forced to leave MWR because his sponsor, NAPA, left. He went to Furniture Row Racing where he hasn't done as good as he should be doing. Clint Bowyer made the Chase and ran okay during the Chase, but this year he has struggled and he will have to fight tonight to make the Chase. Plus, the format of the Chase has completely changed because of this dark controversy for NASCAR along with some other rules. It was a very dark spot in the history of our sport and it will be a moment that will never be forgotten.

2. Nationwide Expands Sponsorship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports: How Will This Help the Team?
         Nationwide Insurance has been a big part of NASCAR since 2008, but it will become an even bigger part heading into next year. The sponsor will no longer sponsor NASCAR's secondary series as Comcast XFINITY will take over, but Nationwide will be the primary sponsor on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car in twenty one races. This will be the case in 2015 along with 2016 and 2017. Along with that, Nationwide will be a big partner for the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization. We will see Nationwide on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car tonight at Richmond for the first time. If you recall, though, it has been the primary sponsor on Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s car a good many times in the past two years in the Sprint Cup Series. I have just one question for Earnhardt and his team. How will this help them in the next few years? It will certainly help them tremendously. If you remember, there were a few races this year where Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not have a scheduled sponsor. Now, there are only fifteen races in the next three years where Hendrick needs another sponsor other than Nationwide on his car. That will make it a whole lot easier for Hendrick and Earnhardt because they won't have to stress about getting sponsor money. Plus, this means Nationwide will still be a key part of NASCAR for a good many years to come. It also means Earnhardt will have a good year next year with this new sponsor on his car and a new backing for his team. Earnhardt will be a contender next year and Nationwide will be a huge part in it.

3. Which Driver With Three Wins Has the Best Chance to Grab Number 4?
       There have been thirteen winners this year in NASCAR's highest series, but the most wins for any driver in the field is three wins. Five drivers have taken three wins this year and they are the best of the best in our sport. Those drivers are Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, and Jimmie Johnson. With that in mind, I have just one question for these five drivers. Which one of them has the best chance to take their fourth win of the year and take the number one seed heading into the Chase? Joey Logano has the best chance out of these five drivers to take his fourth win of the season. The main reason is how fast he has been this weekend. Logano has been very fast the entire weekend at Richmond, like usual, and he took a fifth place starting spot yesterday during qualifying. Another reason is his win this past April at Richmond. Logano battled hard late in the race and he was able to hold off Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and others to take the win in style. It was Logano's first win at Richmond, but he looked great in taking the win. Logano will be fast tonight and he will look to take the win. If he does grab the win, he will be the number one seed heading into the 2014 Chase and he will be the favorite heading into the Chase. It could mean the difference between Logano winning his first title and not being about to take the title.

4. Which Two Drivers Will Take the Final Two Chase Spots at Richmond?
        Well, we have reached the most important topic of this edition of my thoughts for Richmond. Fourteen drivers are locked into the Chase already with Matt Kenseth the only driver locked in with points. Before the race starts, Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle are in while Clint Bowyer and Kyle Larson are just a few points out and hoping to jump into the Chase. The rest of the drivers who are in the top thirty will hope to win tonight's race and move into the Chase because of their win. Well, I have a little input on this subject with one question. Which two drivers will take the final two Chase spots at Richmond? Ryan Newman is going to take a Chase spot for sure. He doesn't have to run too hard unless somebody new wins the race tonight at Richmond, but he looks like a heavy favorite to me. Greg Biffle looks like another obvious choice, but I am not picking him. I am going with Kyle Larson. Wait, Kyle Larson? The rookie who struggled at Richmond in his first race there after a first lap spin? Yes, the rookie, Kyle Larson, is my pick. Here is why. Larson has been fast this entire year and he is really good when he returns to a track for the second time. Some people forget that Larson started first here in April before he spun on the first lap. He is starting eighth tonight and he will be a contender for the win along with being one of the guys who will be near the front as he looks to make it in on points. Newman and Larson will be the two drivers making the Chase after tonight's race and they will be contenders throughout the entire Chase.

5. My Pick to Win
        Richmond is a very hard race to predict, especially the second one of the year right before the Chase starts. Some drivers are completely focused on winning the race while others are focused solely on having the most points when the race is over. That means a lot of drivers will get into trouble and the Chase could be greatly affected by some moves in the race. Plus, strategy, restarts, and cautions can greatly changed the outlook of the event. Ryan Newman was leading last year in this race when the caution waved and pit stops occurred. He ended up third while Carl Edwards walked away with the win. The same thing could happen tonight and a driver could miss out on a much desired Chase spot. I have a good many picks for tonight's race. My picks include Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, and Jimmie Johnson. Some underdog picks for me include Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray, Ryan Newman, and Clint Bowyer. I am very excited for tonight's event. Richmond is always a track with great races, but add in the fact that it is the final race before the Chase and things will really start to heat up. Drivers will battle the entire night for just one position and I am ready to watch those battles. I won't be able to write about it tonight, but I will be watching with great interest. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.




Credits:
-Image:
http://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmPGCevCIAAjYj-.jpg:medium

My Thoughts: 2014 Atlanta

         We only have two races remaining before the start of the 2014 Chase as sixteen drivers will look to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Championship. Right now, twelve drivers are already qualified for the Chase with a good many other drivers fighting for the final four spots. Those drivers include Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Clint Bowyer, Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Larson, and a host of others. One key between these drivers: no wins this year. If any of these drivers find a way to victory lane in the next two races, they would automatically be in the Chase. That also means at least two drivers are going to make the Chase on points and that could lead to a lot of action in these races as well. We have discussed the prospective Chase field, but we have to talk about the penultimate race of the regular season tonight. The series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the next to last regular season race. The track is a bumpy and bad fast mile and a half in Georgia with a long history of fantastic finishes and crashes. It is the more typical race track on the Cup schedule compared to the three fourths of a mile Richmond International Raceway, which is the final regular season race of the season next week. It will be a test for all the drivers in the field especially considering the close finishes here in the past. Dale Earnhardt Sr. barely beat Bobby Labonte to the line in 2000 for his penultimate win in NASCAR, Kevin Harvick held off Jeff Gordon by just a little bit to win in just his third start in the wake of Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001, Carl Edwards managed to hold off a fast charging Jimmie Johnson late to win his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in 2005, and Jimmie Johnson had a hard fought battle with Jeff Gordon in 2011, but Johnson took home the trophy at Atlanta. With so much on the line tonight, we can expect a great finish and, possibly, a driver win and make the Chase with just one race remaining. With that introduction, I have a few topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a driver returning to the series after a three race absence, a discussion of the 2015 NASCAR schedule, a discussion of a driver making his first start in the Cup Series, a discussion of Kevin Harvick, and a my pick to win today's event. Well, let us jump into these topics as we wait for a Sunday night race in Georgia.

1. Tony Stewart Returns at Atlanta: How Will He Perform After Three Weeks Off?
        The events of August 9, 2014 still roll through my mind. Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. had an accident in Canandaigua, New York. Ward jumped from his sprint car after the accident and ran at Stewart's car due to being his anger at the accident. Stewart couldn't avoid him and Ward went flying after Stewart made contact with him. He was dead instantly and the world lost a twenty year old race car driver. Stewart was reeling from that terrible tragedy and he missed the races at Watkins Glen, Michigan, and Bristol due to the pain he was feeling. Well, tonight at Atlanta, things are going to be different: Smoke will rise. Stewart is returning to the track at Atlanta with the opportunity to still make the Chase after missing three races. I'm sure this tragedy will forever affect Stewart's life, but tonight is his opportunity to begin the healing process. I have just one question for the three time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion as he returns. How will he perform after being out of the car for three straight weeks? He will perform pretty well at Atlanta. The main reason I feel this way is how fast he has been this entire weekend. He qualified twelfth in qualifying on Friday night and he has been extremely consistent in every single practice session. Granted, he has missed three weeks of competition and it will certainly be an adjustment considering the bumpiness and difficulty of AMS, but Stewart is going to come back strong and I am going to support him fully as he jumps behind the wheel of a car again.

2. 2015 NASCAR Schedule Released: Which Changes Seem Most Important?
        On Tuesday, NASCAR released the 2015 schedule for all three of its major series. The Nationwide and Truck schedules seemed to be pretty much the same, but the Cup Series schedule had a few major shake ups. The first major change was with the race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Next year, the race will be the second race of the year instead of being on Labor Day weekend like it has been recently. Darlington will leave its April date from this year and slide into its traditional Labor Day weekend date. Bristol will transition from a March race into a mid-April race due to the weather and Phoenix will slot into Bristol's previous date. The final big change was with the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July. Instead of being run on a Saturday night, it will now be run on a Sunday. These are all the major changes for the schedule next year and I have just one question. Which change is the most important one for the future? Darlington moving to Labor Day weekend is by far the biggest change and the most important one. For years, Darlington had the annual Southern 500 on Labor Day weekend and it was a huge part of NASCAR history. In 2004, all that changed when Darlington moved to a single date heading into 2005. Now, they have the traditional date back and it will be an even better race with that in mind. Another reason this is the biggest change is due to the proximity of the Darlington race to the Chase. The race will be the penultimate round of the regular season before the final one at Richmond. That means an always chaotic race at Darlington will be even more chaotic with the thought of a Chase berth on the line for all the drivers. Next year, I will be building up this Darlington race for months and I'm sure it won't disappoint along with the other schedule changes.

3. Ty Dillon Making His NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Debut: How Will He Perform?
        In 2011, Ty Dillon burst onto the racing scene with a fantastic year in the ARCA Racing Series. He won a good many races and took the title over some great ARCA regulars. In 2012, he transitioned to the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series where he raced for two years. He won a couple races, but he was unable to take a Truck title. After two solid Truck years, he made the move to the NASCAR Nationwide Series for this year. He has already taken a win at Indianapolis and he has looked consistent the entire year, but the biggest race of his racing career will be tonight's event. The youngest Dillon boy will make his Cup debut driving for his grandfather with his brother, Austin, as his teammate. It will be a great moment for the young driver and I have just one question for him. How will he perform in his first Cup start? He will perform pretty good for his first start. The main reason is his past success at Atlanta. His first NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win came at Atlanta in 2012 and he started on the pole while dominating the event. Plus, Dillon is very good on the mile and a half tracks. This year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, he has scored the most points on mile and a half tracks compared to the other drivers. This makes Atlanta look like a great place to make his first start and Dillon will do a great job. He starts twenty ninth and he will have to battle to move up in the race, but he will do a good job and make Richard Childress and his team proud.

4. Kevin Harvick: Does He Have the Momentum Heading Into the Chase?
        For a good many weeks, it seemed Jeff Gordon had the momentum heading into the Chase, but that has seemed to change. Kevin Harvick seems to have taken the momentum heading into the Chase and he looks very fast. It seemed like at the beginning of this year, Harvick would be the driver to beat. He left the only team he had known, Richard Childress Racing, after 2013 and he headed to the super team at Stewart-Haas Racing. He immediately proved he was going to run well with a win in the second race of the year at Phoenix. He continued the momentum, but he seemed to cool off slightly as we hit the summer months. He hasn’t won since Darlington, but that doesn't mean anything for Harvick. Since the Michigan race in June, he has finished second three different times and he has won four poles including the last two poles at Bristol and Atlanta. I have just one question for Harvick. Does he have the momentum heading into the Chase? He certainly has the momentum. If you look at last year's results early in the Chase, Harvick won at Kansas and ran very consistently throughout the Chase. He has been on a mean streak this year heading into the Chase and I feel like he will have another stellar Chase in 2014. Plus, he hasn't had too many bad finishes this year and he will be a championship contender. I would not be surprised if we are calling Kevin Harvick the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion after this year.

5. My Pick to Win
        I have said this a lot this year, but Atlanta is certainly a driver's race track. During the early part of the race, drivers will be running fast on the bottom, but the groove will transition to the high side as the race nears a close. That will benefit drivers like Kyle Larson, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, and others who love to run the high line. The key for the race early on will be making sure each team makes the right adjustment as the track transitions to pure night. The driver who makes the best adjustments will eventually win the race and the driver who plays the best strategy could also take the victory. In the end, this race will decide a lot of things and we could see a winless driver take a win to guarantee a Chase spot. I have several picks for tonight's race at Atlanta. My picks include Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Larson, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Newman, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth. Some underdog picks for tonight’s race are Martin Truex Jr., Tony Stewart, and Austin Dillon. I am very excited for tonight's race. After the fantastic finish for today's NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park, I feel like tonight's race will have an even better finish to it. I won't be writing about it, but I will be watching as it all unfolds in Atlanta tonight. It will be a fantastic race and one that will change the picture of the Chase. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://www.stangbangers.com/NASCAR-Moments_Pic18.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Michigan #2

        For years, Daytona and Talladega have been viewed as the fastest and most fear inducing tracks in NASCAR, but a new track has taken hold of both of those titles: Michigan International Speedway. On Friday in qualifying, Jeff Gordon turned an unrestricted lap at over 206 miles per hour, which is within six miles per hour of Bill Elliott's 1987 lap turned at Talladega. The cars are blazing fast for sure and maybe a little on the edge of speed. In early Saturday morning practice, Ryan Truex broke loose in turn 2 and sailed up the track towards the wall. He slammed it hard and came to a stop with heavy damage. He walked to the ambulance, but he reported pain in his collarbone and he complained of a headache. The hit left him with a concussion and he will have to sit out Sunday's race due to the possible problems related to his injury. Many accidents like this have occurred at Michigan, but the cars still continue to gain speed with the passing years. Still, Michigan is a track where the races are definitely worth watching. We have seen some instant classics here in the past few years. To the cheers of millions of fans around the world, Dale Earnhardt Jr. crossed the finish line in 2012 for his first win in the series since 2008, which also came at Michigan. Earlier this year, a lot of teams played the strategy card, but Jimmie Johnson turned out to have the best strategy and he was able to hold on to win his first race at Michigan in his storied career. One key for all Michigan races: fuel strategy. Fuel strategy is key at Michigan due to the many long green flag runs, but consider this. The last race had eight cautions with a long green flag run late. That run will eventually decide the winner of the event and give another driver a Michigan victory. With that introduction, let us jump into these topics for today's Michigan race. Topics include a discussion of Kurt Busch, a discussion of a driver filling in for Tony Stewart, a discussion of last week's underdog winner, a discussion of the upcoming Chase, and, of course, my pick to win the annual fall race at MIS. Well, let us get started today as we prepare for the twenty third race of the year in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

1. Kurt Busch: Has His Team Finally Turned Their Fortunes Around?
        When Kurt Busch won at Martinsville in March, it should have guaranteed him a spot in the Chase, but his new team was struggling in the early half of the year. He fell all the way to twenty eighth in the points at Charlotte, but since then, his team has turned it around. In those ten races, Busch has a worst finish of twenty eighth at Indianapolis, where he had a great car except for getting caught a lap down by strategy. He has also climbed to twenty first in the points and he looks like a Chase contender finally. I have just one question for Busch and his team. Have they finally turned their freshman season around and headed towards a great Chase? I certainly believe they have. The main reason is the fact that Busch has been running better and qualifying even better throughout the year. This has proved to be very important for the team because good starting spots mean good finishes. Plus, good runs allow Busch to finish up higher and higher every single week. Another significant reason is continued confidence for Busch and his team. Around the halfway mark of the season, each race track the series went to was a repeat of a race earlier in the season like today's race at Michigan. That means Busch's new crew chief for this year, Daniel Knost, has a notebook for most of the tracks they are returning to. That will ensure Busch has a nice set-up and his car is  tuned to run well throughout the conclusion of the regular season and the Chase. Kurt Busch has been under the radar for most of the season this year, but he looks to be improving heading to the Chase and this could be his year to run well in the Chase.

2. Jeff Burton Filling in For Tony Stewart: How Will He Do For the Team?
        Last Saturday night, Tony Stewart struck Kevin Ward Jr. with his sprint car after Ward jumped out of his car to show his displeasure with Stewart. The accident left the racing world reeling and Stewart still hasn't completely recovered from the trauma of the tragedy. He is going to sit out his second straight race after missing last week's event at Watkins Glen. Jeff Burton was tapped to drive the car for this weekend and he will most likely be the driver on standby for the rest of the year in case Stewart doesn't want to race. I have just one question for Jeff Burton. How will he help the team in possibly a one off race for Stewart-Haas Racing? Let's be honest here. Burton was only decided as the driver of the car on Wednesday and he had to get used to the car throughout practice on Friday and Saturday, but I am expecting some good things out of him. He qualified in twenty seventh and will have to fight his way to the front, but he has a fast race car for sure. Give him about thirty to fifty laps to feel out the car at Michigan and he will be able to move his way through the field to contend. I discussed at New Hampshire that it could be his last race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but it looks like Michigan will be his final race in the series. If he does well today, though, I expect he will get another opportunity and could do well in this fast Chevrolet.

3. A.J. Allmendinger: Will He Perform Well in the Chase?
         In 2012, A.J. Allmendinger's career took an unexpected turn at Daytona in July. He was suspended from NASCAR due to a failed drug test and forced to attend the road to recovery program. He had a great ride with Penske Racing, but he was immediately fired and searching for a ride. Quickly, he moved through the program and returned to NASCAR in the Nationwide Series with Roger Penske again. He ran two of the road course races in 2013 and won both of them in style. He returned part time to the Cup Series at the end of 2013 with JTG-Daugherty Racing and moved full time to the team in 2014. It looked like the perfect opportunity for Allmendinger and he took advantage of it. He lead the most laps at Sonoma in June and came to the second road course at Watkins Glen with a ton of confidence. He took that confidence to a win and is now in the Chase for the first time in his young NASCAR career. After that recent turn of events for Allmendinger, I have just one question for him and his team. How will they perform in the Chase after winning the Watkins Glen race? Honestly, I had them wrote off if they happened to win a race this year, but I have changed my mind. This team isn't a team that runs at the back most weeks during the year. They have an alliance with Richard Childress Racing and they have a driver in Allmendinger who is no slouch when it comes to racing. They have proven they can race at any track on the schedule along with being there late when it counts. Don't expect them to run the table and take the title, but don't expect them to lay down after the first three events of the Chase and get eliminated.

4. Four Races to Go: Which Winless Drivers Have the Best Chance to Win and Make the Chase?
        It seems like just yesterday we were discussing the brand new Chase for this year and the beginning of the season with the Daytona 500, but we are now only four races until all the talk stops and the Chase really begins. Twelve drivers have won races up until now, which means four spots remain for winners or drivers who make it in on points in the last four races. There are still several drivers like Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Kyle Larson, and others are without a win and looking to make the Chase on points. Still, though, they would love to win and guarantee a Chase spot. I have just one question for some of these winless drivers. Which winless drivers have the best chance to win and make the Chase? I think Greg Biffle and Kasey Kahne are the two drivers who have the best chance to win in these final four races. Biffle is on this list because we are at Michigan today, where Biffle is quite possibly the best to ever race at the track. He can easily take the win today and he will certainly be a factor in the event. Kasey Kahne is on this list because these next four tracks are all good tracks for him. He has won at all four tracks at least once including his first career win at Richmond in 2005. He is always a factor when we head to these tracks and I think he could take a win to a Chase berth. The other winless drivers this year have a chance to win as well, but I feel like Biffle and Kahne have the best chance to take the victory. 

5. My Pick to Win
        Michigan is a track where drivers are either really good there or really bad there. Jimmie Johnson is a good example of this fact. Johnson is one of the best to ever race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, but he didn't win a race at Michigan until earlier this year in June. Some others have won a ton of races at Michigan like Greg Biffle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. These drivers look to me like they will be contenders today, but there are several others who have a chance to win today at Michigan. My picks for today's race are Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Jimmie Johnson. Some underdog picks to consider are Ryan Newman, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Jamie McMurray, and Paul Menard. Michigan is a very fast track where restarts and strategy are going to help decide the winner in the end. I am excited to see how the race unfolds. I won't be writing about it, but I will be watching to see who the next NASCAR Sprint Cup Series winner is. Still, I hope today's race is another fantastic one for 2014. Well, that is all for me today and until we meet again. 





Credits:
-Image:
http://www.nationalspeedsportnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/1415AM3882.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Watkins Glen

        With five races left before the start of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase, wins are the most important thing for all drivers. This race today, though, won't be the best opportunity for some drivers to win a race and make the Chase. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is running the final road course race of the year at the 2.45 mile Watkins Glen road course that will test all drivers. It is the most diverse track remaining before the Chase and it will certainly provide a lot of excitement. Just think of the races, finishes, and wrecks we have had here in the past. Probably one of the best finishes in the past few years was at Watkins Glen in 2012. Kyle Busch was leading at the white flag, but he went spinning at the exit of the second turn thanks to Brad Keselowski. Keselowski took the lead, but he received some heat from Marcos Ambrose. The two went sliding through the grass and flying all around the track as they looked to take the win on an oil soaked track. In the end, Ambrose passed Keselowski and barely beat him to the line to take a fascinating victory. Plus, there have been some very big wrecks at Watkins Glen. Whenever we come to the track, everyone talks about Jimmie Johnson's huge crash in 2000 where he went sailing into an outside barrier in turn 1 due to brake issues. Everyone remembers the huge wreck in 2011 heading out of turn 1 for David Reutimann. Contact with Boris Said and a few other drivers led to David Reutimann piling into one of the barriers hard. His car went flying and it was heavily damaged, but he was okay after the incident. All this means one thing for today's race: it is going to be very wild. With that introduction, let us jump into these interesting topics for today's event. Today's topics include a discussion of two NASCAR road course ringers, a discussion of Carl Edwards, a discussion of Tony Stewart, a discussion of wild card events, and, of course, my pick to win. Well, let us jump into today's edition of my thoughts as we complete one year of this interesting series here on the website.

1. Which NASCAR Road Course Ringer Has the Best Chance to Win at Watkins Glen: Marcos Ambrose or A.J. Allmendinger?
       When we head to Watkins Glen, most of the drivers who contend from week to week remain contenders at the track, but there are always a few drivers who become contenders for this one week. Two major ones in today's race are Marcos Ambrose and A.J. Allmendinger. Ambrose has been in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for a good many years and he has taken two wins at the track. Allmendinger has been a pretty good Cup driver on all styles of tracks, but he has excelled at the road course tracks including two wins in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at road courses last year. All those statistics are good and mean a little heading into the race, but here is the major question concerning these two drivers. Which one of them has the best chance to take the victory today and make the Chase? I, honestly, believe Marcos Ambrose has the best chance in this afternoon's race. The main reason is just how good Ambrose has been at Watkins Glen in his career. In his six starts there, five of them have resulted in a top three finish with the exception of his thirty first place finish last year. Those are fantastic numbers and it seems like Ambrose will build on those today with his second place starting spot. A final reason is what is on the line for Ambrose today. If he wins this race, he will be another driver added to the list as a contender in the the new Chase this season. That would mean a lot for Ambrose, but it would also mean a lot for Richard Petty Motorsports to have both of their drivers in the Chase. I wouldn't be surprised if we see Ambrose standing tall in victory lane again after a fierce ninety lap race to complete the weekend sweep and jump into the Chase.

2. Carl Edwards: Can He Complete the Road Course Sweep?
         Some of you guys may be surprised to hear that the best NASCAR Sprint Cup Series regular at road courses in the past few races has been Carl Edwards. Edwards was very consistent at the road course races last season and he went to Sonoma this season and took the win over Jeff Gordon, who is probably the best ever at road courses. Edwards, who already has two wins this year, looks like a contender for a title, but he needs to gain some more consistency heading into the Chase. With all that in mind, I have just one question for Edwards. Will he be able to complete the road course sweep for this year? I think Edwards has a legitimate shot at today's win. Edwards didn't qualify well for the event with a sixteenth place starting spot, but starting spots really don't matter at the road course tracks. It is all about strategy and being there when the end of the race nears. Edwards was there late at Sonoma and he seemingly has the chance today to take his third win of the season. But we can't ever assume anything at Watkins Glen when the race nears the end. Edwards is going to have a fast car, but he has to keep his nose clean the entire race and be there at the end. I feel like he will be there and he could very well take the sweep at the end of the event to take his third win of the season.

3. Tony Stewart: Will He Finally Win a Race This Year?
        I decided on this topic yesterday afternoon around three o'clock, but things have changed significantly since then. What occurred last night at the Canandaigua Speedway in New York will forever change the lives of Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr.'s family. Last night at around ten thirty, Tony Stewart and Kevin Ward Jr. made contact in a sprint car race at the track. The contact sent Ward spinning up the track and caused him to slam the wall hard. He came to a stop on track with damage, but he was unhurt. The caution waved and Ward was livid about the contact. He jumped out of his car as the leaders began to circle the track. He began pointing his finger at Stewart as they came around at caution pace. The driver in front of Stewart barely avoided Ward as he walked up to Stewart's moving car. Stewart didn't see Ward and he struck him at around fifty miles per hour. The contact sent Ward flying across the turn and onto the ground after being drug for a good many feet. The medical personnel came quickly to the scene. Ward was taken to the hospital, but he was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. It was a tragedy and the twenty year old Ward was gone from the world in just a flash of a second. Since then, a lot of stories have been written and a lot of news networks have covered the situation, but I think they have failed to mention the point of the tragedy: a twenty year old is dead and his family's life is forever changed. It isn't good to look at him as a victim, but as a race car driver who had his life accidentally taken away way too early. The emotional toil of the incident forced Tony Stewart out of the car for the Watkins Glen race with Regan Smith taking his place in the event. This is going to be a rough time for Stewart these next few weeks and the last thing on his mind should be about winning a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. He needs to be focused on recovering from this event and moving along with the family of Ward. Today's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event will go on, but everyone will be thinking about Kevin Ward Jr. and his family and Tony Stewart as they move through this difficult time. Rest In Peace Kevin Ward Jr. and may his family be able to recover from this tragedy.

4. Will This Race Be the Biggest Wild Card Race of the Year?
         We always discuss Daytona and Talladega as being wild card races throughout the year, but we have to look at Watkins Glen as a wild card race now. Just think about the 2012 running of this race. Kyle Busch was leading on the final lap of the event, but he did not even come close to winning as he spun heading through the second turn. Brad Keselowski moved into the lead, but he was passed by Marcos Ambrose several times during the final lap. Ambrose walked away with the victory after one of the craziest last laps in Watkins Glen history. It was definitely a wild card event, but today's race has more on the line with the winner automatically getting a Chase bid if they didn't have a win previously. With all that in mind, I have one question for this event. Will it be the biggest wild card event of the year? Without a single doubt, it is definitely going to be the biggest wild card we see all year. The main reason is the amount of drivers who have a chance to win today, but they normally wouldn't be able to win a race in the series. Think about Marcos Ambrose, A.J. Allmendinger, and others like these drivers who can win today and make their way into the Chase. They will all be fighting for the win and the event could become wild with all the strategy calls and all the battles throughout the pack. We could be talking about the best race of the year when it is all said and done and it is sure to be a good fight.

5. My Pick to Win
        There has been one key word throughout this edition of my thoughts: winning. Throw all numbers and statistics out the window for these final five races because it is all about winning a race. Yes, some drivers are going to get in on points, but they are still concerned about winning before the Chase starts. I feel like a few drivers will win and take their own Chase spot, but some will be left out of the battle because they didn't get a much needed win. It will be interesting to follow all day long to see if somebody can take their first win and jump into the Chase for the championship. I have a good many picks for today's races at Watkins Glen. Picks for today's race include Marcos Ambrose, Jeff Gordon, A.J. Allmendinger, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Kurt Busch, and Brad Keselowski. Some underdog drivers to look at today are Dale Earnhardt Jr., Matt Kenseth, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman to take the win. Well, we have been through a lot already before this race, but it is now time to race and see who will win a road course race. It will definitely be a battle all day long and it will be a fun race to watch. I am not writing about it today, but I will be watching to see what happens at the Glen. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.




Credits:
-Image:
http://fantasynascarracin.yolasite.com/resources/DavidReutimanWatkinsGlen2.JPG?timestamp=1390451318153

My Thoughts: 2014 Pocono #2

        Six races remain before the start of the 2014 Chase and only one word describes them: diverse. The road course named Watkins Glen, the two mile Michigan Speedway, the half mile oval known as Bristol, the mile and a half Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the three fourths of a mile Richmond International Raceway are five of the six, but the most diverse of these tracks is this weekend: the two and a half mile Pocono Raceway. The track only has three distinct corners and it is one of the trickiest tracks on the circuit. It isn't called “The Tricky Triangle” for no reason. The track has been home to some great finishes in the past and one of them was in this race last August. Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne lined up side by side on the final restart of the day. Gordon got the jump on Kahne heading to turn 1, but Kahne didn't let out of the gas and powered around Gordon's outside. Kahne ran away and was able to take the win with ease over his teammate. The win guaranteed Kahne a Chase spot and it propelled him through the ten race stretch. Another good finish was at this track just a couple of months ago. Brad Keselowski was leading late, but his grille became covered with trash. He attempted to clean his grille by catching up to Danica Patrick, but his momentum slowed enough to allow Dale Earnhardt Jr. to pass him for the lead. Earnhardt held on and took the win ahead of Keselowski, who was bummed about giving up the win. One key to follow in all Pocono races wasn't mentioned in these finishes, but it is definitely fuel strategy. Fuel is key to winning a race at Pocono and whoever has the best fuel strategy will end up winning the race. With that introduction, I have some topics to discuss with you guys today. Topics include a driver leaving his organization next year, a new crew chief jumping on the box for a historic driver, a team receiving harsh fines after Indy, an up and coming driver heading to a historic organization, and, finally, my pick to win the second Pocono race. Well, let us jump into these exciting topics before the race begins today. 

1. Carl Edwards Not Returning to Roush-Fenway Racing in 2015: Where Will He Go?
        News broke at around 10:30 last week before Sunday's John Wayne Walding 400 about who would drive for Roush-Fenway Racing in 2015. It turned out to be a press conference about who wouldn't drive for Roush next year. The one driver who wouldn't: Carl Edwards, who had been with the team since his debut in Cup in 2004 and along with a couple years in the Truck Series. Edwards had been rumored to be leaving the team, but now it is official. The man who finished second in the points in 2008 and 2011 will be behind the wheel of another car next season. The key question is this one. What team will he be racing for next year? It seems without a doubt that Edwards will be taking his talents to Joe Gibbs Racing next year and I feel like this is a good fit. The main reason I see this as a good fit is the drivers Edwards would have around him. Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, and Carl Edwards on the same team sounds like a very formidable team in NASCAR. Between those drivers is one hundred and seven NASCAR Sprint Cup Series wins along with Kenseth's 2003 Cup title. Edwards would fit in well as a fourth driver on the team and he could grab some more wins. Another reason is that all of these drivers are from about the same era of NASCAR. Kenseth started a few years before the other three, but Hamlin, Edwards, and Busch started their Cup careers around the same time. That means they would have similar experiences in Cup and they would be able to relate to each other behind the wheel. Honestly, I think this move for Edwards will hand him some more Cup wins and hand him a championship along the way behind the wheel of a fast Toyota.

2. Greg Ives Will Be Crew Chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2015: How Well Will the Duo Work Together?
        It was announced earlier this year that Steve Letarte would be leaving as crew chief for Dale Earnhardt Jr. and head to the NBC Sports booth to cover NASCAR races for the network next season. Amidst all that, it was not known who would be on top of the box for NASCAR's most popular driver. Now, we know without a doubt who will be there. Greg Ives, the chief engineer for five of Jimmie Johnson's championships and current crew chief for Chase Elliott in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, will be the man on Junior's pit next season. Elliott's car, which is owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., has been fast the entire year including three wins with Ives at the reins. That means Earnhardt has knowledge of Ives ability as a leader and Rick Hendrick knows he will be a good leader of a Cup team. Here is the question for the duo, though. How will they work together next year after Earnhardt's success this season? I think Earnhardt will run really well with Ives guiding him every race. The main reason is the connection the two have with Ives working for Junior's Nationwide team. It is a testament to Greg Ives that one of the most notable drivers in the sport would want him to guide one of the young faces in NASCAR and they haven't disappointed this year. Three wins in twenty races is not something that comes easily especially the win Chase Elliott had at Darlington earlier this year. To me, that means that Greg Ives knows how to lead a team. Another reason is the two are pretty similar. Earnhardt is a rather quiet guy who doesn't talk too much during interviews, but he is pretty outspoken on the radio with what adjustments he wants. Ives is very good and making sure his driver receives the right adjustment and he will be able to calm Earnhardt down in certain situations. I feel like this is a formidable duo next year and we will be talking a lot about their success.

3. Denny Hamlin and Team Fined After Indianapolis Infraction: Were the Penalties Too Harsh?
       One of the major stories leaving Indianapolis was the infraction Denny Hamlin's team had committed. The firewall in the back of the car, which protects the driver from fires, was found to have holes in it. That is illegal according to the rule book because it could harm the driver and it adds a lot of downforce to the back of the car, which was the intention of the team. The penalties following this were pretty hefty. Darian Grubb, Hamlin's crew chief, and the team's car chief, Wesley Sherrill, were both fined and suspended for six races, which means they will be back for the first Chase race of the year. Hamlin was docked seventy five driver points and seventy five owner points along with receiving some fines of his own. That doesn't affect making the Chase for Hamlin because he already has a win on the year and is locked into the ten race battle for a title. Here is the question I have concerning this issue. Were the penalties for the entire number eleven team too harsh? I don't think they were harsh at all. Keep in mind that we are discussing driver safety here. When teams start messing with areas that are designed to protect a driver, I believe they should receive max fines and penalties. I mean, that was a stupid call to make for twenty pounds of rear downforce if you could hurt your driver in the end. I think the whole team knew a penalty was coming and they decided to go for it, but NASCAR caught them and now they are paying the right consequences.

4. Ryan Blaney Driving for the Wood Brothers in 2015: Is That a Smart Move?
        Ryan Blaney isn't a household name yet in NASCAR competition, but his last name is a very notable one in our sport. Ryan's father, Dave Blaney, was and still is a great USAC sprint car racer and he has had some great runs in NASCAR for many years now. These next few years, though, are going to be the years of Ryan Blaney. Next year, Blaney will head to the Wood Brothers in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to run the limited schedule the team runs every year. Along with that, Blaney will run full time in either the Nationwide Series or the Truck Series, but most likely the Nationwide Series. None of that is official yet, but Blaney's part time move to Cup next year is official. I have one question about this new job for Blaney. Is it a smart move to run Cup part time during the next few years for Blaney? I believe it is an extremely smart move for him to run some Cup races next year. I have discussed before about how Chase Elliott, Kyle Larson, the Dillon brothers, Darrell Wallace Jr., and others are the future of our sport, but Ryan Blaney is definitely the future of our sport. The kid can drive for sure considering he has won in the Nationwide Series and the Truck Series during his little time in NASCAR. He is really fast and this gig Blaney now has to drive in Cup is a fantastic one. He will get some experience along with running with the best drivers in the sport. Blaney will definitely be full time in Cup in a few years, but these runs he will have these next few years will really help him out.

5. My Pick to Win
         In the last edition of my thoughts for Pocono, I discussed how the track was kind of a driver's race track. It takes a certain mold of a driver to succeed at Pocono and not every driver likes the track. Then, there are the drivers who absolutely love when the series pulls into “The Tricky Triangle”. Those drivers are the ones who will be the drivers to beat today. But don't forget about strategy. One strategy call could take the dominator of the event out of the battle for the win and hand the win to a driver who wasn't expecting to run up front. Plus, the finish could become crazy thanks to strategy and we see a fantastic race in the Pocono mountains. I have a good many picks to win today's race and they will all be contenders for the win. Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Tony Stewart, Kyle Larson, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Newman are good picks to win today's race. Brian Vickers, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., and Austin Dillon are possible underdog winners of today's race. Pocono is always an exciting track and I feel like today's event will be another exciting show. I am excited to write about it and watch as the action unfolds over four hundred long miles. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again. 





Credits:
-Image:
http://www.auto123.com/ArtImages/119737/nascar-pocono-wrek-inline.jpg

Trevor Bayne Beats Brad Keselowski Late to Grab the Pole For the NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Iowa

        With a time of 23.558 seconds (133.713 mph), Trevor Bayne barely beat Brad Keselowski as time expired in the final round to take his first NASCAR Nationwide Series pole of the year at Iowa. Bayne was the first driver out in the final round of the two round session and he was the provisional pole driver, but other drivers had to go out. All twelve had went out with only three minutes remaining and Bayne was still the driver at the top of the board. With a minute and a half remaining, Brad Keselowski went out a second time and he beat Bayne by only two one thousandths. The 2011 Daytona 500 winner was not satisfied with a second place starting spot and he went back out. Bayne crossed the line to record a time just as the time on the round expired and he took the pole without another driver behind him. This handed Bayne his first pole of the year at the track where he secured his last victory. He could become the twelfth different winner in twelve races and he could make a push for his first title as he heads to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series next year. Brad Keselowski will have to settle for a second place starting spot, but he definitely has the chance to win the race. Regan Smith is looking to win the Dash 4 Cash once again and a third place starting spot will help, but he will have to battle the other three competitors. Brian Scott is another one of those drivers and he will roll off right behind Smith in fourth. Michael McDowell is making another infrequent start with Joe Gibbs Racing and he will look to win the race from his fifth place starting spot. The rest of the field follows behind this stacked top five for tonight's race. Iowa Speedway is a track that requires a lot of track position to win the event and this qualifying session will definitely decide the winner after two hundred and fifty miles tonight in Iowa.

         Landon Cassill was the first driver on the track for the thirty minute first round. Most of the drivers were waiting for new rubber to be laid on the track before they went out, but Cassill put down a decent lap early. Cassill was the fastest driver for the early part of the round, but many of the heavy hitters were still waiting on pit road. Ten minutes in, Chase Pistone was the first of the heavy hitters to head on track and he jumped to the top of the board easily as the rest of the field still remained on pit road. With fifteen minutes left, Brad Keselowski decided to head on track and he sailed to the top of the board with a fast lap over the rest of his competitors. After Keselowski's run, the rest of the field began to head on track. A minute later, Brian Scott bested the Team Penske driver to jump to the top of the board. The rest of the pack quickly ran laps and with ten minutes remaining, every driver had recorded a lap. Just four minutes later, the battle for the twelfth and final transfer spot into the final round began to heat up. Brendan Gaughan, Josh Berry, Ty Dillon, Chris Buescher, Dylan Kwasniewski, and others were looking to move on to the ten minute final round. These drivers began to mix it up and switch positions as the final minutes clicked down. With a minute left, Chase Pistone was on the bubble spot. The red and black flag waved to end the round and the shake up had ended with Pistone still the last guy to move on. Brian Scott remained the fastest driver in the round. Trevor Bayne, Chase Elliott, Elliott Sadler, Regan Smith, Michael McDowell, Ryan Reed, Josh Berry, Brad Keselowski, Sam Hornish Jr., and Chris Buescher moved on while Brendan Gaughan, Ty Dillon, James Buescher, and others missed the final round. After a rather calm thirty minutes, ten minutes would decide the pole winner for the second race at Iowa on the year for the Nationwide Series.

        Trevor Bayne was the first driver on track for the ten minute second and final round. He ran a very good lap to start the round, but the other eleven drivers would be gunning for his time. They began to file onto the speedway and it looked like at least one would surpass Bayne, but they all fell short. Chase Pistone was the last to turn a time of the twelve drivers and he could not best Bayne with three minutes to go. If no one went back on track, Bayne would easily win the pole. With a minute and a half left, though, Brad Keselowski had something to say about that. He went on track to turn a lap and he laid down a time two one thousandths of a second better than Bayne's to take the provisional pole with only one minute remaining. Bayne wasn't going to settle for second as he went back on track. He took the green and came back around to complete his lap in the final seconds. He crossed the line ahead of the red and black flag and he beat Brad Keselowski to take the pole. No drivers could head on track to beat him and Bayne was given his first pole of the year in the Nationwide Series. Bayne is always fast at Iowa and it doesn't seem today will be different.

         Trevor Bayne has been a key driver in the NASCAR Nationwide Series for a good many years now, but next year he will be heading to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Tonight, Bayne has a chance to take a pole position to a win in the series as he looks to possibly take a championship. This track was the sight of his last win in the series in 2013 and he has been known to run well here. In fact, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who drove the number six before Bayne, won at this track three times before heading to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Bayne has picked up where he left off. Tonight could be the chance for a Ford to enter victory lane and Bayne could be the driver to do it. Brad Keselowski is another Ford driver who has a chance to win and he will look for that win from a second place starting spot. Regan Smith will look to take his second win of the season with a third place starting spot at Iowa. Brian Scott is still searching for his first Nationwide win, but a fourth place starting spot at a track that is similar to Richmond, which is one of his favorite ones, could be the chance for that victory. Michael McDowell will also look for his first Nationwide win as he takes the wheel of a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota. The rest of the Nationwide field follows behind this top five with a good many competitive drivers looking to win the race from the top ten. This race at Iowa Speedway is a stand alone event for the series, meaning that the Cup Series is not in town. That means only one Cup driver is in the race and the Nationwide field will have a chance to win a race. It will definitely be a good Saturday night fight. Will Trevor Bayne take another win at Iowa in the series, will Sam Hornish Jr. repeat after his May win, will Brad Keselowski fly in from Pocono to steal the win, or will another driver take the win at the short track? We only have to wait a little while to find out the answers to these questions and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Trevor Bayne     23.558 (133.713 mph)
2nd: Brad Keselowski     23.577 (133.605 mph)
3rd: Regan Smith      23.612 (133.407 mph)
4th: Brian Scott     23.620 (133.362 mph)
5th: Michael McDowell      23.686 (132.990 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Chase Elliott      23.695 (132.939 mph)
7th: Sam Hornish Jr.     23.776 (132.487 mph)
8th: Elliott Sadler     23.845 (132.103 mph)
13th: Brendan Gaughan      23.811 (132.292 mph)*
15th: Ty Dillon     23.926 (131.656 mph)*
18th: James Buescher     24.013 (131.179 mph)*
(*: These drivers were fast enough to be in the top twelve, but they did not make the final round.)

DNQs: None






Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-20/B
-Image:
https://twitter.com/NASCAR_NNS/status/495697212622376961/photo/1

My Thoughts: 2014 Indianapolis

         Since 1911, Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been the host of one of the most famous races in motorsports: the Indianapolis 500. The race is known worldwide and from 1911 until 1993, the only race on the track was the historic 500 mile event. All that changed when it was announced that NASCAR would head to the Brickyard in 1994. Some fans were appalled at the idea while some were excited for the race, but all that didn't matter as the green flag waved on the race in 1994. Jeff Gordon was the winner that day and since then, the Brickyard 400 has become a piece that adds to the history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway every year. Just look at some of the best races there in the past few years.  In 2011, Paul Menard found himself in the lead in the last five laps at a track where he had grown up. He managed to save enough fuel and hold off Jeff Gordon to win his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Last year's race is another that pops into mind. Ryan Newman, who had just found out he wouldn't return to Stewart-Haas Racing in 2014, stole the pole from Jimmie Johnson in qualifying and Newman was able to take the win after a strategy call late. One key thing between both of those races: pit strategy. Fuel and tires will be key late in the event and all the drivers will be looking to get fuel and fresh rubber late in the event. But don't expect every driver to take four tires. Newman took two tires last year while Johnson took four and this propelled Newman to the win. Strategy will be interesting to follow in the event and it will provide us with a winner today. With that, I have a few topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a discussion of the recent week off for the top series, a discussion of last year's winner, a discussion of Kurt Busch, a discussion of Brad Keselowski, and, of course, my pick to win at the Brickyard. I am excited to write about these topics so let us go ahead and jump into them.

1. NASCAR Takes Week Off: Who Do This Help the Most?
         Like usual for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, the week before the annual Brickyard 400 was one that the teams had off. Today will be two weeks since the drivers were racing at New Hampshire and this track poses a different battle. The track is two and a half miles long and it is one of the flattest on the schedule. Drivers and teams have been preparing for it for two weeks now and they have also received some nice down time. In fact, they won't have another week long break until the checkered flag waves in November at Homestead and they will have a whole offseason in front of them. This off weekend brings one single question to my mind. Who does this off weekend help the most? I think this off weekend helps the drivers the most. Listen, I have never driven a race car, but I know it is tough to race thirty eight weeks a year, let alone most of those weeks consecutively. They needed this week to refresh their minds and bodies and I think all will come back ready to race. Another thing about this week off is that we are now into Chase mode. There are only seven races remaining until we start the Chase. That means drivers can take that week off and use it as a push towards the Chase. It could very well mean one position gained on track and a chance to win a race before the final ten race stretch of the year. Now, the real race to the end of the season starts and all the drivers will be prepared thanks to this week off.

2. Ryan Newman: Can He Repeat at Indianapolis?
          The story of last year's Brickyard 400 turned out to be about Ryan Newman. Coming into the race, the stories were about him as well. Stewart-Haas Racing had recently announced that Newman would not be with the team in 2014 and a lot of media attention was brought to this story. Even in Indianapolis on pole day, the discussions were surrounding this move. Ryan Newman quickly silenced all the talk as he bested Jimmie Johnson to take the pole as the final driver out. Then, he used a little opposite strategy than Johnson to win his first Brickyard 400 in his home state. All this brings one question to my mind. Can Ryan Newman repeat at Indianapolis and jump into the Chase? I really think he has a chance to repeat today. The main reason is how fast he has been this weekend. He was top twenty in both practice sessions held at the track and he qualified in fourth position with great drivers behind him. That means Newman will be a contender and he will be in perfect position to jump into the lead early in the event. A final reason is just Newman's win last year. Usually, when a driver wins at a track, he easily becomes the favorite on the next trip to the speedway. To me, Newman looks like a favorite considering his run last year. Don't expect Newman to dominate the entire event, but if he gets a chance to run a different strategy, he could take that opportunity and grab a win for his Richard Childress Racing team.

3. Kurt Busch: Will His Indianapolis 500 Experience Help Him This Weekend?
         In May, the story of the Coca-Cola 600 was Kurt Busch attempting the Double for the afternoon. That means he would run the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 on the same day. It would be quite the feat if Busch could do it and it started off well with a sixth place finish in the 500 in his first attempt at running the race. It seemed like his chances in the Coca-Cola 600 would be much better considering he had been in the race before, but engine trouble brought his night and his Double to an end. Still, Busch was fast at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is headed to the track today. I have one question for Busch this afternoon. Will his Indianapolis 500 experience from two months ago help him today? I, honestly, don't think it will. One thing it will help is his confidence at the track. Knowing he has raced on this track already this year means he will have an upper hand on some of his competitors. That could give him some advantage over his fellow drivers in the field and he could take the win. Still, the differences between an IndyCar and a stock car are numerous. Weight, nimbleness, tires, fuel mileage, aerodynamics, and so many other things are different, which means that there is really no comparison between the two types of cars. Still, Busch's confidence will be high heading into this event and his fast stock car could just hand him the win at the Brickyard.

4. Brad Keselowski: Will His Momentum Continue at the Brickyard?
         Brad Keselowski has been, arguably, one of the best drivers in the Cup Series over the last three weeks. He has won two races at Kentucky and New Hampshire with an okay finish at Daytona. In fact, he has been one of the hottest drivers since Dover on the first week of June. He has finished inside in the top 3 in every single race except for Daytona and Sonoma, which are both unpredictable tracks. That means Keselowski has been in championship form and he is certainly a contender for the title. I have one question for Keselowski. Will his momentum continue today at Indianapolis Motor Speedway? I think his momentum will continue today. The main reason is the fact that he has a fast Team Penske Ford Fusion again. I believe Keselowski's fast Fords in recent weeks have been the reason why he has been a contender for the win at every single race. He was fast in qualifying yesterday with a third place starting spot and his car has seemingly been fast in all practice sessions. Another reason is just how well he has been performing recently. Keselowski doesn't have stellar numbers at the Brickyard, but that hasn't meant anything in the past few weeks with how dominant he has been. Keselowski is definitely going to be a contender today and his momentum this season should continue this afternoon at Indianapolis.

5. My Pick to Win
         The Brickyard 400 has been home to the typical winners like Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson, but it has also been home to some rather unexpected winners in the past few years. Look at Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman in the past few years. All of those drivers did not come into the Brickyard as the favorite or as possible winners of the event, but they walked out of Indianapolis with a trophy and they were able to kiss the bricks. I have discussed this already in this edition, but strategy will be a key part of this four hundred mile race this afternoon. The last pit stop for all the drivers will end up deciding who wins the race in the end. Plus, it will possibly steal a win from a dominant driver for the entire event. I have a good many picks for today's race. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and Tony Stewart are good picks for today's race at Indianapolis. Paul Menard, Brian Vickers, Jamie McMurray, and Juan Pablo Montoya, yes Montoya, are underdog picks that could win this afternoon's event. I am excited for this year's Brickyard 400 and I am ready to write about it. I hope some great moments occur and we see a good race. Well, that is all for me today and until we meet again.




Credits:
-Image:
http://static.nascar.com/content/dam/nascar/articles/2013/07/22/main/2002-Bill-Elliott-NASCAR-Brickyard-400-kissing-bricks-922x520.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/original