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.




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