Joey Logano Battles to the Front of the Pack on the Final Restart to Take the Win at Richmond

        In one of the most frantic finishes of the season, Joey Logano was able to pass Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth, and Jeff Gordon in a single lap to take the win at Richmond and second of the season, which practically ensures his berth in the 2014 Chase. Logano restarted in about fourth on the final restart. On the final restart, Matt Kenseth held the lead, but Brad Keselowski was itching to pass him. With about five to go, Keselowski moved to his outside, but Kenseth was fiercely blocking. Jeff Gordon also looked to pass Kenseth, but he couldn't. This caused all three to lose momentum and Logano was able to power from fourth all the way to the front ahead of Kenseth. Logano cruised away and proved he is a definite contender this year. Jeff Gordon came home second, Kyle Busch took tires late and went from just on the edge of the top ten to take third, Brad Keselowski came home fourth, and Matt Kenseth had to settle with fifth after leading late. The race itself was actually pretty good for the entire night. Drivers were battling hard every single lap and it seemed like no one was completely dominating, but the finish and the discussions on pit road were unforgettable along with a few fires throughout the night. In fact, a punch was thrown by an Australian driver. It was just any punch either, but an absolute knockout blow. Plus, the altercation occurred due to a battle for eighteenth. Yes, eighteenth and not even a spot in the top ten. I guess a short track race on a Saturday night will cause that. All in all, the annual spring race at Richmond was one we won't soon forget and one that will most likely affect the Chase in a few months down the road. 

        Kyle Larson started on the pole. Qualifying was rained out on Friday afternoon and Larson was fastest in first practice, which handed him his first start out front in his young NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career. The race went green and Larson wouldn't have a long stay out in front of the field as he was involved in the first caution of the race on lap 1 in the first turn. Clint Bowyer bumped Larson entering turn 1 as Larson went to move to the bottom in the corner. Larson went around and up the track in front of the field. The field avoided Larson as he barely bumped the outside wall with his front fender. Larson drove away without damage, but he would restart deep in the field. None of the drivers received the lucky dog. All the drivers stayed on the race track and Brad Keselowski remained the leader after he was the first to make it through the first lap melee and the first to lead a lap in the event. The race went back green and Keselowski was able to hold onto the lead as the field battled behind him. Keselowski drove away slightly, but Kevin Harvick was coming quickly. Harvick made it up to Keselowski soon into the event and on lap 32, Harvick took the top spot away. Kasey Kahne followed Harvick through and he started to battle for the lead as the competition caution quickly approached. Harvick remained the leader as the second caution waved on lap 40. NASCAR waved a competition caution due to rain the previous night. Danica Patrick received the lucky dog. All the drivers came down pit road for the first stops of the night. Kevin Harvick held onto the lead as the scene was the same as the night before. Tires had started to cord and it looked like it would be a tough night battling tires. The story line would be fun to follow and it would be interesting to see who came out on top. 

         The race went back green and Kevin Harvick was able to hold onto the lead. Harvick looked to drive away, but Brad Keselowski was coming. Keselowski blasted up to Harvick and Keselowski took the lead away on lap 55. Keselowski began to drive away shortly after passing Harvick. The field began to battle behind them as Keselowski began to lap the back of the field. After a run close to fifty laps, the third caution of the race waved on lap 99. Debris was spotted in turn 4 of the track. David Reutimann received the lucky dog. The caution brought more pit stops without strategy. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Jeff Gordon coming out as the leader to lead his first laps of the night. Brad Keselowski, who came in as the leader, had a problem on his stop and he lost five spots en route to coming out sixth. Keselowski would have to battle back, but he had a pretty good car that could contend. The race went back green and Gordon, who is notable for struggling on restarts, managed to hold onto the lead easily. Gordon began to drive away as some different players moved to the front of the pack. Gordon paced the field and was lapping cars when tire problems became a factor in the night with the fourth caution on lap 160. 

        Cole White began to slow on track with a tire that was down. He made the move towards pit road as rubber popped off his tires. At around the same time, Clint Bowyer had tire problems. He also made the move to pit road. Whitt and Bowyer pulled into their boxes with flat tires and small fires around the axles. Both teams replaced the tires as the caution waved. Whitt and Bowyer returned to the track, but they would soon need to come back down. Both fires underneath the cars began to pick up. Bowyer's car turned into a fireball as he sped back around towards pit road. Whitt was facing the same exact problem. Both pulled into their boxes and the fires were put out, but each had heavy fire damage. Bowyer's damage was enough to put him out of the race while Whitt would soon return. Kurt Busch received the lucky dog. Because of the tire problems, no strategy calls would be made. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Jeff Gordon returning to the lead. The debris around the track was cleaned up and field was lined back up. The race went back green and Jeff Gordon managed to hold the lead for the moment. Unfortunately for Gordon, his car was geared to the short run and only a few laps into the run, Brad Keselowski blew past him for the lead on lap 173. Keselowski began to drive away as the field battled behind him. Keselowski wouldn't move too far away before Gordon's car began to improve on the long run. Gordon made his way back up to Keselowski and passed him for the lead on lap 209. As Gordon took the lead, the run began to get dangerously long and soon, tire problems would occur again with the fifth caution on lap 225. 

         Reed Sorenson began to slow down in turn 3. Sorenson had a tire going down and he was forced to come back around and head to pit road. As he approached turn 2 looking to make it to the pit entrance, a fire began to slightly burn. As he came close to the pit entrance, a huge fire engulfed the right side of his car and part of the hood. Sorenson came to a halt on pit road and he was pulled from his burning car by one of Kasey Kahne's crewmen. Sorenson was okay, but his car was burnt and damaged beyond repair. Paul Menard received the lucky dog. Once again, tire problems led to no strategy on the part of the Sprint Cup guys. All the lead lap drivers took four tires with Jeff Gordon returning to the lead. The race went back green and Gordon was able to hold onto the lead once again. Gordon's car continued to struggle on the short run and Joey Logano began to battle with him, but Gordon maintained the lead for the moment. He wouldn't hold onto it long as Logano surpassed him for the lead on lap 243. Logano looked to run away, but Gordon wasn't willing to lay down. Gordon kept close to him and was able to pass him for the lead on lap 252. Gordon began to run away as the race moved into another rhythm. Gordon looked to be a dominate force as the laps clicked through the night. The run began to close in on sixty laps and a tire problem was most likely coming. It did as the sixth caution waved on lap 295.

        Ricky Stenhouse Jr.'s tire went down in turn 3 and he slammed the outside wall. Stenhouse made it back around and pulled down pit road to replace all four tires. A fire was burning underneath the car and his crew was asking for it to be put out. It was put out and the stop was performed without another problem. Stenhouse returned to the track with a little fire damage, but his night was basically toast. Kyle Larson received the lucky dog. The stops once again went down without a single strategy move and Dale Earnhardt Jr. came out ahead of Jeff Gordon. The race went back green and Earnhardt was able to hold onto the lead. He wouldn't hold it long as Joey Logano battled to the lead on lap 306. Logano looked to run away as the laps started to click down on the race. After a short little while, Jeff Gordon began to pick up speed. Gordon battled up to Logano and he took the lead on lap 337. Just as Gordon took the lead, a few drivers began their ascent to the front. Brian Vickers, Ryan Newman, and Matt Kenseth began to crawl up the leaderboard after all three were not factors early on. Kenseth was the fastest of the trio as he moved to second as the end of the race approached. Kenseth closed in on Jeff Gordon and he took the lead easily on lap 361. Just as Kenseth moved into the lead, the longest green flag run of the race ended with the seventh caution on lap 365 and another tire problem. 

         Jimmie Johnson, who was laps down after getting off cycle early on in the event, slowed on the frontstretch due to a tire down. Johnson was able to make it back around and pull onto pit road without a fire or any damage to his car, but he lost more time and his chances for a win were all completely gone. David Gilliland received the lucky dog. The caution brought what turned out to be the most important and final pit stops for the leaders of the event. All the lead lap drivers came down pit road for four tires with Matt Kenseth coming out as the leader. On the restart, Kenseth was able to hold onto the lead. Kenseth looked to run away after grabbing the lead, but the fierce racing throughout the field quickly brought out the eighth caution on lap 377. Kyle Busch bumped Denny Hamlin entering turn 3 after the field stacked up in front of them. Hamlin went around and spun in the middle of the pack. The field dodged Hamlin and, somehow, he didn't receive damage. He drove away, but he lost time late in the event. Carl Edwards received the lucky dog. The caution brought a few drivers at the back of the lead lap to pit road while the leaders stayed on track with Kenseth remaining in first. The race went back green and Kenseth drove away from Joey Logano, who restarted behind him. Logano believed Kenseth had brake checked him, but it did not affect Kenseth as he drove away and looked to take his first win of the season. Kenseth would have to outlast another restart as the ninth and final caution waved on lap 384. J.J. Yeley's car began to heavily smoke in turn 1 due to a blown engine. Yeley came down pit road and his night was over. Kurt Busch received the lucky dog. A few other drivers came down pit road while the leaders stayed on track. A final restart would occur and it would definitely be a fun battle to watch.

        Matt Kenseth lined up on the inside with Joey Logano behind him and Jeff Gordon to his outside. Brad Keselowski followed behind Gordon as the final green flag of the night waved with only nine laps remaining. Kenseth jumped out to the lead quickly as Gordon fell into second and Keselowski moved in front of Logano for third. Kenseth looked to run away, but Keselowski was coming with a head of steam looking for the lead. He moved past Gordon quickly and looked to pass Kenseth on the outside. Kenseth passed the line with five laps to go as Keselowski continued to look to his outside. As the two moved around the track, Jeff Gordon closed in, but they forgot about one guy: Joey Logano. Logano passed Gordon heading into turn 4 with five to go and as they crossed the line for four to go, Logano was below Keselowski as Brad almost went around. Keselowski saved it as Logano moved underneath Kenseth and to the lead. Logano drove away as Gordon fell into line behind him and Kyle Busch came out of nowhere to take third. Logano looked in control, but he still had to last a few more laps. Logano hit his marks well and took the white flag with no one close enough to pass him. He made it through all four corners and came across the finish line first for the second time this season. Logano was celebrating, but others were pretty angry. Keselowski walked up to Matt Kenseth's car after the race and voiced his displeasure with a finger wag after Brad felt Matt cost him the win. No fight occurred, but the same couldn't be said for Marcos Ambrose and Casey Mears. The two battled hard late and they happened to meet each other in the garage. The two were sharing a conversation when Mears pushed Ambrose to the side a little bit. Ambrose wasn't pleased and after a moment, he landed a huge right hook to Mears's face. Mears didn't back down as crews began to push and shove amidst the fray. The situation was handled quickly and both drivers walked away, but punches were thrown and neither driver was happy with the other. Nonetheless, Joey Logano took advantage of an opportunity late and he was able to practically punch his ticket for the Chase.

         Joey Logano has also experienced a transformation since he moved to Team Penske last year. During his tenure at Joe Gibbs Racing, Logano looked like he would be unsuccessful in NASCAR. After experiencing four years with little to no success, Logano also seemed dejected by the job he did for a premier organization. Fortunately for Logano, he still has some talent left. Since moving to Team Penske last year, he has three wins and he made the Chase for the first time a season ago and ran well. With two wins early on in the season, Logano is now a Chase driver again and he looks to be in the best spot he has ever seen in his young career. Jeff Gordon ran well the entire race and second place was all he could muster after a hard fought battle. Still, he remained the points leader after a consistent first nine races. Kyle Busch took fresh tires late and he was able to make his way up to a surprising third place finish. Brad Keselowski battled for the win late, but he was forced to settle with a fourth place finish. Matt Kenseth looked to be in control on the final restart, but he was nothing for the other four drivers as he finished fifth. Others followed behind the top five with good finishes, but some drivers were very disappointed with their finishes. Some of those disappointed include Denny Hamlin, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Jimmie Johnson, and Clint Bowyer. They will have to recover next week and it definitely won't be easy as the series heads to the unpredictable Talladega Superspeedway. Punches were thrown in Richmond, but huge crashes will occur in Talladega on Sunday. Will David Ragan somehow pull off two upset wins in a row at Talladega, will proficient drivers rebound after bad runs at Richmond, will another underdog manage to take the win, or will another driver win on the largest track on the series schedule? We will have to wait until Sunday to find these answers out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 1- Clint Bowyer bumped Kyle Larson in turn 1 and Larson went for a slight spin in the corner.

2nd Caution: Lap 40- Competition caution due to rain the previous day.

3rd Caution: Lap 99- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 4. 

4th Caution: Lap 160- Cole Whitt and Clint Bowyer lost tires on track, which left debris scattered around the facility.

5th Caution: Lap 225- Reed Sorenson lost a tire in turn 3 and slowed on track while leaving behind some debris.

6th Caution: Lap 295- Ricky Stenhouse Jr. lost a tire entering turn 3 and slammed the outside wall hard.

7th Caution: Lap 365- Jimmie Johnson slowed on the frontstretch due to a blown tire.

8th Caution: Lap 377- Kyle Busch bumped Denny Hamlin entering turn 3 and Hamlin went for a spin in front of the field.

9th Caution: Lap 384- J.J. Yeley's car began to heavily smoke in turn 1 due to a blown engine.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: None
2nd Caution: Danica Patrick
3rd Caution: David Reutimann
4th Caution: Kurt Busch
5th Caution: Paul Menard
6th Caution: Kyle Larson
7th Caution: David Gilliland 
8th Caution: Carl Edwards
9th Caution: Kurt Busch

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Joey Logano
2nd: Jeff Gordon
3rd: Kyle Busch
4th: Brad Keselowski
5th: Matt Kenseth

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
9th: Carl Edwards
11th: Kevin Harvick
14th: Kasey Kahne
22nd: Denny Hamlin
23rd: Kurt Busch
25th: Tony Stewart
32nd: Jimmie Johnson
43rd: Clint Bowyer





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/live-standings.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2014_Toyota_Owners_400/W
-Image:
http://cdn3.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/32207455/486950667.0_standard_730.0.jpg

Kevin Harvick Dominates to Take His Record Seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series Win at Richmond

        Kevin Harvick was able to hold off the Nationwide Series regulars and Sprint Cup Series regulars to take his record seventh NASCAR Nationwide Series win at Richmond International Raceway. For Harvick and the rest of the drivers, it was a long night. The start of the race was delayed just over three hours after rain poured on the facility for most of the afternoon. Once the green flag dropped at around ten o'clock local time for Richmond, Kevin Harvick was on his game. He led two hundred and two laps of the two hundred and fifty lap event while drivers like Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Brian Scott, Regan Smith, and others tried to figure out how to make it past the JR Motorsports driver. The field wouldn't surpass Harvick and as the Friday night race moved into Saturday morning, Harvick crossed the finish line first for the first time on the year in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Chase Elliott, the most talked about driver in recent weeks, came home second, Kyle Busch battled to a third place finish, Kyle Larson fought his way to a fourth place finish, and Brian Scott picked up where he left off at Richmond with a fifth place finish. Behind them, a few drivers barely walked away with good finishes. Elliott Sadler came home sixth with Regan Smith coming home eighth, but both had to battle back after spins late in the race put them deep on the lead lap. Others struggled the entire night and barely came home with top tens or finishes just outside the top ten. After all was said and done on Saturday morning, Kevin Harvick was on top, but the race was filled with moments that made watching the race worthwhile.

        Before NASCAR could get the Nationwide Series race at Richmond underway, Mother Nature had other ideas. Rain began to pour shortly after qualifying and as the scheduled start time approached, the rain remained, but it had slowed. The rain shortly stopped and the Air Titans went on track to dry the raceway. Shortly before ten o'clock in the east, the Air Titans had dried the track and the field was getting ready for some Friday night short track racing. Brian Scott started on the pole. It was his first pole of the year in the series and first since Richmond in the fall a year ago. The race went green after a very long wait and Scott took advantage of his first place starting spot to hold the lead. Scott wouldn't get comfortable out front as the first caution of the race waved on lap 4. Tanner Berryhill slowed on track due to a broken drive shaft. A stack up began and Kevin Lepage was bumped in the melee. He slid down the track and slammed into the inside wall hard. His car rolled up the embankment in turn 3 with heavy damage and Lepage's night was done in only a few laps. Jimmy Weller received the lucky dog. After an early crash, the field could begin to move into a rhythm.

        The race went back green for the first time and Brian Scott managed to hold onto the lead. Scott began to drive away from the field as drivers behind him looked to advance their positions. Kevin Harvick began to close in on Scott as an impending competition caution approached. Scott held the lead until the second caution waved on lap 41. NASCAR waved a competition caution due to the rain before the start of the event. Derrike Cope received the lucky dog. All the lead lap drivers came to pit road for four tires with Brian Scott coming out as the leader, but the main concern for the teams was tire wear through the early part of the event. For some, it didn't look good. Some tires were cording, which means the rubber comes off in strands almost like a zipper being unzipped systematically over time. With this problem, teams wouldn't be able to go as long on tires and if they did, they could tear up a good bit of equipment and their night would be over. This would be a fantastic story line to follow as the night continued on and a winner was looking to be crowned.

        The race went back green after the opening stops and Kevin Harvick was able to make his way around Brian Scott to lead his first laps of the race. Harvick began to drive away as Scott started to contend with the rest of the field behind him. Laps clicked through the night and the race quickly made it to lap 100 with Kevin Harvick still pacing the field. The drivers quickly approached stops for a second time and the field began to trickle down pit road for the first round of green flag pit stops of the race on lap 115. The stops took a few extra laps as each driver had different strategies, but the story was the same. Tires were still cording on track and a few drivers had trouble when they made their stops. The stops eventually cycled through and Kevin Harvick returned to the lead over the field. Harvick continued to pace the field and the laps clicked through the night as the third caution waved on lap 151. Debris was spotted on the race track in turn 2. Brendan Gaughan received the lucky dog. Due to the close proximity to the previous round of green flag pit stops, the drivers stayed on track. The race quickly went back green and Kevin Harvick was able to hold onto the lead, but Harvick wasn't as dominate. His teammate, Chase Elliott, remained close to the lead and the field stayed pretty close to the top two. More laps clicked through the night and Harvick still remained leading with his eighteen year old teammate following close behind. After a rather short run, the fourth caution waved on lap 189.

        Ryan Reed bumped Dylan Kwasniewski entering turn 4. Kwasniewski's rear quarter panel wrinkled and cut his left rear tire. Kwasniewski went into an immediate spin and he backed into the outside wall hard. Kwasniewski slid to a stop with a heavily damaged car and his night was over with only about seventy laps to go. Dakoda Armstrong received the lucky dog. The caution brought what turned out to be the final pit stops of the race for the field. All the drivers came to pit road for the money stop of the night. All the stops went well and Kevin Harvick once again came out as the leader. Harvick assumed his spot at the front of the field on the restart and the race went green with Harvick holding onto the lead. Just as Harvick looked to get comfortable, the fifth and final caution waved on lap 197. Regan Smith made contact with Elliott Sadler in turn 1 after a slow restart. Both drivers spun around and up the track. Sadler was able to slow down and stop before hitting the wall while Smith made very slight contact with the outside wall. Both drove away with only slight damage and were forced to come back down pit road for four tires. Mike Bliss received the lucky dog. Now, the race would have a final run to the finish and it would be a hard fought battle.

       The leaders stayed on track after the final caution as Kevin Harvick remained the race leader. The race went back green and Harvick was able to hold onto the lead as Chase Elliott fell into line behind his teammate in second. As the time approached midnight in the east, Harvick looked great. He was running well and the laps were clicking down throughout the night. Behind the leaders, Regan Smith and Elliott Sadler were charging through the field, but Harvick still maintained the lead. Soon, only twenty five laps remained. The distance between Harvick and Elliott was the same as it was after the restart. Kyle Busch and Kyle Larson were running behind them and hoping for a mistake, but no mistakes were coming. Soon, only fifteen laps remained. No cautions were in sight as Harvick maintained the advantage. Five laps remaining clicked on the board as the time had just crossed midnight. Harvick cruised around to the white flag with no trouble in sight. He made it through all four turns cleanly and walked away with the win after a long night. Harvick was standing on top for the first time this year in the Nationwide Series and JR Motorsports continued to dominate.

        Kevin Harvick has undergone a complete transformation this season. He moved to Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and he already has two wins to guarantee a Chase spot. Also, he has been running well for JR Motorsports in the NASCAR Nationwide Series to help build the team up and he has now given the team their third straight win. Chase Elliott continued his streak of good finishes with a second place finish to give JR Motorsports a one-two finish for the first time in the team's history. Kyle Busch battled the entire night and he managed to take a third place finish. Kyle Larson struggled early, but he walked away fourth to continue his streak of good finishes. Brian Scott continued his recent success at Richmond with a fifth place finish to go along with a second from last fall. Elliott Sadler and Regan Smith battled back from their spins to take sixth and eighth, respectively. Trevor Bayne tried hard for a top ten, but he could only muster an eleventh place finish. Because of Regan Smith's struggles, Chase Elliott was able to extend his points lead over the field. The problem for Elliott is that the series is headed to an unpredictable beast: Talladega Superspeedway. Elliott has never been there in Nationwide competition and he will have his hands full. Will Regan Smith manage to win back-to-back races at Talladega, will Chase Elliott overcome his rookie status and take a win at Talladega, will an underdog driver manage to take the win, or will another driver take the win away? We will have to wait until next Saturday to find this out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 4- Kevin Lepage slammed the inside wall hard on the backstretch after the field stacked up in front of him.

2nd Caution: Lap 41- Competition caution due to rain before at the track before the race.

3rd Caution: Lap 151- Debris was spotted on the track in turn 2.

4th Caution: Lap 189- Ryan Reed bumped Dylan Kwasniewski in turn 4 and Kwasniewski backed into the outside wall after he blew a tire. 

5th Caution: Lap 197- Regan Smith bumped Elliott Sadler in turn 1 and both went for spins that did not cause damage.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Jimmy Weller
2nd Caution: Derrike Cope
3rd Caution: Brendan Gaughan
4th Caution: Dakoda Armstrong
5th Caution: Mike Bliss

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Kevin Harvick
2nd: Chase Elliott
3rd: Kyle Busch
4th: Kyle Larson
5th: Brian Scott

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Elliott Sadler
8th: Regan Smith
9th: Ryan Blaney
11th: Trevor Bayne
14th: Ty Dillon
20th: Brendan Gaughan
32nd: Dylan Kwasniewski




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/live-standings.html
http://racing-reference.info/race/2014_ToyotaCare_250/B
-Image:
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/128553856100c2b0c63cc38439f9db1e1c4db2d2/c=59-0-967-682&r=x404&c=534x401/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2014/04/26//1398518367000-harvick.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Richmond

        After a fantastic eight races, NASCAR decided to take a break for a week for Easter. Now, the break is over and the series is in Richmond, Virginia. Before the break began, the series went to Darlington Raceway. Tempers flared throughout the night and a few drivers were not happy with each other. An example is Kurt Busch and Clint Bowyer, who wrecked late in the race after contact. Now, the series is at Richmond International Raceway, a small short track in Virginia. Because of the small track and slow speeds, today will be a perfect day for some revenge for any driver who wants some. That means we will definitely see some words said throughout the event and, possibly, see some fights to go along with it. All that makes tonight's race one to watch for some Saturday night short track action. Finally, consider that last year when we came to Richmond a scandal erupted. Tonight, we probably won't see a scandal of that magnitude, but definitely watch out to see if the last scandal leads to some problems. All in all, be prepared for a thriller of a race to add to the already great season we have had thus far this year. Before the race begins, I have some topics I want to discuss with you guys after a long off week. Today's topics include a discussion of Paul Menard, a discussion of Brian Vickers, a team who has financial problems, a driver's overhaul changes to the schedule, and my pick to win tonight's race. Well, let us get started with my thoughts for tonight's race.

1. Paul Menard: Contender or Faker This Year?
         Today, I am going to discuss two drivers who have really caught my eye through eight races this year. The first is Paul Menard. If you recall, Menard already has a top five finish this year and four top ten finishes in only eight races. Menard has been running close to his two teammates at Richard Childress Racing, Austin Dillon and Ryan Newman, for pretty much the entire year thus far. Here is my question for Paul Menard and his team. Are they contenders this year or fakers? I, honestly, need to see more from Menard to know for sure. Here is the thing. If you take a look at Menard's results in the early part of the year recently, he runs really well to start the season. As the season reaches the summer stretch, Menard really falls off and it seems like it happens every single year that goes by. This year, though, seems a little bit different. Menard hasn't been just finishing good, but he has been running really well. When he finished third at Las Vegas about a month ago, he was really good for the entire race. He seemed fast and he seemed like he had control over his car. Along with that, Menard is really in a good place now. Last year, he was the third guy behind Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton. Now, he is one of the mentors for Austin Dillon along with Ryan Newman. That, to me, gives him a different role and it looks like it has been helping him also. Hopefully, Menard's team stays on track and he is able to make his way into the Chase for the first time in his career. 

2. Brian Vickers: Has He Finally Found His Way to Cup Success?
        The second driver that has caught my eye thus far this year is Brian Vickers. If you recall, Vickers has a top five finish and three top tens through eight races in his first season racing full time for Michael Waltrip Racing. I have discussed a lot recently the problems Brian Vickers has experienced in the past few seasons. I won't repeat those, but they have built him up to where he is today. I have a single question for Brian Vickers. Has he finally found his way to Cup success? Now, don't take this question the wrong way. Vickers has done well in the Cup Series in the past, but he hasn't been the driver we thought he would be when he started running for Hendrick Motorsports in 2004. Now, though, he looks to be on his way to Cup success. The main reason is the fact that he is finally in the right situation. With Hendrick Motorsports, he was really the guy tagging along behind Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon. Now, he is a part of a good duo with teammate, Clint Bowyer, It is no longer about living up to expectations of two of the better drivers in out sport, but finishing good in the championship and winning races. I, personally, think that is key for Vickers to be a good driver. All in all, don't be surprised if Vickers manages to make the Chase this season and contend well.

3. Swan Racing Financial Troubles: What Brought This Terrible Problem On?
        The biggest story of the NASCAR off week was the financial troubles that Swan Racing announced. If you recall, Swan Racing decided to field two cars this season with rookie drivers, Cole Whitt and Parker Kligerman. Well, it has turned out that that move did not work for the team. After struggling a good bit the entire season, both drivers were without good sponsorship and, thus, no money. Since the problem was announced, it has partially been fixed. Cole Whitt will continue to drive the number twenty six, but now under the banner of BK Racing with rookie teammates, Ryan Truex and Alex Bowman. XXXtreme Motorsports will take over the owner points for the number thirty and J.J. Yeley will drive the car, which will switch to the number forty four after this weekend. That leaves Parker Kligerman without a car for the rest of the season. Here is my question for Swan Racing. What brought this terrible problem on? The main reason is the introduction of two cars. Swan Racing was barely competing with one car, but much less two cars. Then, add into the mix that they filled the two new cars with rookies. It is hard for a team to attract sponsors with drivers who are rookies. Sponsors want drivers who are veterans to represent their brand. That, to me, is the only explanation to why Swan Racing is now gone from the sport. Hopefully, Whitt remains driving in the sport and Kligerman finds his next opportunity soon.

4. Brad Keselowski's Ideas for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Schedule: Smart or Not Smart?
        Another big story from the off week was Brad Keselowski's ideas for the Sprint Cup Series schedule. On his blog, Keselowski posted his idea of the perfect schedule including a very nice graphic. If you recall, Keselowski was the 2012 Cup champion and the 2010 Nationwide champion, which means he really should have a say in the schedule. Just kidding, guys, calm down. Anyway, Keselowski posted his idea of the schedule during the off week and it was pretty innovative, for lack of a better word. Keselowski added some new tracks including Road Atlanta and Iowa, doubleheader weeks throughout the summer and during the Chase, and a finale in Las Vegas just after the All-Star race one week before. The question is simple. Is the schedule smart or not smart and should NASCAR consider it? I really do like his ideas, honestly. I mean, the doubleheader weeks are great and he considered some of us who have to go to school by making the doubleheaders mostly during the summer. Also, he considered the logistics of the races, which makes that really easy for the teams. Honestly, I would love to see the schedule. I mean, it wouldn't hurt to try it one year and if it didn't work, it didn't. Just that easy and we revert back to the old schedule. Maybe NASCAR will look at the odd proposal and consider it for just a little while.

5. My Pick to Win
         Recently, we have visited a good many tracks where the winner is just hard to come by. Some tracks, like Richmond tonight, require a certain breed of driver to win the race. Still, there are a good many guys who always look good here. Last year, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards both walked away with wins at the track and they look to be very good this year in practice for the race. Also, both of them have been pretty good on the short tracks this season. Among those two drivers, there are a good many others who will be battling for the win tonight. A few other drivers to consider as possible winners tonight are Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Joey Logano, and Tony Stewart are drivers to look at tonight. Also, some underdog picks are Kyle Larson, Brian Vickers, and Jamie McMurray for tonight's race. Tonight should be a good race and I will be writing about it for you guys. Well, that is all for me and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/a48db5e670cc540146058a58b97a20f18898afe6/c=1026-68-3881-2229&r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/USATODAY/USATODAY/2013/09/09/1378775088000-Bowyer-intro.jpg

2014 Toyota Owners 400 Qualifying Canceled; Kyle Larson Will Start Out Front

         After a week off, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series was looking to come back strong with a tense and exciting group qualifying session at Richmond. Well, Mother Nature had other ideas. Just as the NASCAR Nationwide Series finished their session of qualifying, the rain began to pour on track. The downpour was enough to cancel Sprint Cup qualifying before the time had even come for it to begin. Like always, the canceled qualifying session led to the starting line-up being set based on first practice speeds. Because of this, Kyle Larson will start out front for the first time in his young Sprint Cup Series career. Brad Keselowski will start second, Clint Bowyer will start third, Kasey Kahne will start fourth, and Kevin Harvick rounds out the top five in the fifth starting spot. Behind them, the diversity of the field begins. Ryan Truex, who is a rookie this year and had a previous best start of thirty fourth this season, will roll off eighth. Yes, he will roll off eighth after missing two races this season and not starting inside the top 30. Behind him, a good many veteran drivers will be forced to start deep in the field. Carl Edwards will start sixteenth, Joey Logano will start seventeenth, Ryan Newman will start eighteenth, Kyle Busch will start nineteenth, Tony Stewart will roll off twentieth, Kurt Busch will follow his teammate from the twenty first spot, Jeff Gordon will start twenty fifth, and Denny Hamlin, who is one of the best at Richmond recently, will start twenty eighth. Like I always say, it is going to be very interesting to see if these veteran drivers came maneuver their way to the front of the field. Plus, when you add in the fact that Richmond is a tough short track, the action will surely pick up very soon into the event. Tomorrow night's annual Saturday night race at Richmond will definitely be a good one after a week off. Will Kevin Harvick win a second straight spring race at Richmond and repeat after winning at Darlington, will Carl Edwards repeat at Richmond, or will another driver take the win and secure their shot at the Chase in just a few months? We will have to wait only one day to find these answers out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Starters:
1st: Kyle Larson
2nd: Brad Keselowski
3rd: Clint Bowyer
4th: Kasey Kahne
5th: Kevin Harvick

Notables Not in Top 5:
10th: Jimmie Johnson
12th: Matt Kenseth
13th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
16th: Carl Edwards
17th: Joey Logano
18th: Ryan Newman
19th: Kyle Busch
20th: Tony Stewart
21st: Kurt Busch
25th: Jeff Gordon
28th: Denny Hamlin

DNQs: Michael McDowell and Dave Blaney




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-09/W
http://www.jayski.com/stats/2014/pdfs/09rir2014qualresults.pdf
-Image:
http://www.autoweek.com/storyimage/CW/20140324/NASCAR01/140329930/AR/0/Larson-Nationwide-Sprint-Cup.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Darlington

           “Too Tough To Tame.” Only one track on the NASCAR circuit deserves that nickname: Darlington Raceway. For sixty five years, the track has taken some of the best drivers in the business and made them seem like inexperienced rookies. Always, the turns 3 and 4 wall will be black by the end of the event thanks to every single driver leaving their own “Darlington Stripe” behind. Always, the excitement will pick up and tempers will flare. In fact, the past few years have shown these two things. In 2011, Regan Smith held off Carl Edwards on old tires to win his first career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. On pit road after the event, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch shared some words as Busch spun Harvick's car around on pit road. In 2012, Jimmie Johnson held off Tony Stewart after a thrilling green-white-checkered finish. Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch had words and a shoving match between crews after a late race incident. Last year, Matt Kenseth passed Kyle Busch in the final laps to take the win. Plus, think of the finishes at the track. All you have to say now is Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch at Darlington in 2003 and everyone knows exactly what you mean. Craven and Busch battled the final few laps of the 2003 event as the two banged to the finish line in one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history. Oh, you aren't excited yet? Check your pulse. This year's event will prove to be filled with these same exact elements. To build up to the event on Saturday night, I have a few interesting topics to discuss. Topics include a discussion of Joey Logano, a discussion of Ryan Newman, a discussion of Kyle Larson, a discussion of the finish to the Duck Commander 500 on Monday, and, as always, my pick to win. Let us go ahead and jump into this edition of my thoughts about my favorite track: Darlington.

1. Joey Logano: Title Contender or Title Faker?
        Monday's race in Texas brought happiness to Joey Logano. Logano lasted through a very tense green-white-checkered to win his first race of the season in thrilling fashion. I won't discuss the finish in depth here because you will here about it in a few topics. Nonetheless, Logano walked into victory lane and was able to grab a cowboy hat and a boot for a trophy. This win should put him in the Chase for the second straight season. I do have one question about Logano. Is he a title contender or title faker? I truly believe he is a title contender. The main reason I feel this way is his season thus far this year. I mean, Logano and teammate, Brad Keselowski, have been dialed in. They have qualified up front almost all races this year, they have ran great in the races, and both now have a win. Logano has actually been more impressive to me than Keselowski. Logano has the win from Monday, three top fives, and an eleventh place finish at Daytona. Logano also has a twentieth at Bristol and a thirty ninth at Auto Club. Consider this about those two finishes, though. In both those races, he had a chance to finish up front or even win the race, but mechanical failures cut his days short. Still, Logano is running great. Finally, Logano has a completely different attitude. Let's face it. Logano's career looked over at Joe Gibbs Racing early on. The main reason was the fact he was way too young to be in a Cup car. Now, he has matured greatly and he is with a good team in Team Penske, which won the championship in 2012. That, to me, says that Logano is in a perfect place for him and he could very well take advantage of it. All in all, expect Joey Logano to be a title contender come Chase time in a few months.

2. Ryan Newman: Is Consistency Key or Winning More Than One Race?
        Amidst all the talks of Austin Dillon and the number three for Richard Childress Racing, Ryan Newman has managed to fly under the radar with his new team at Richard Childress Racing. Newman has a pair of seventh place finishes, a pair of sixteenth place finishes, a pair of twentieth place finishes, and a worst finish of twenty second at Daytona. All those consistent finishes have Newman sitting tied for eleventh in points and in contention. The only thing Newman really doesn't have is a win. This brings me to my question for Newman's team. Is consistency key or is winning more than one race key? Honestly, winning more than one race should be key for the whole Richard Childress Racing team. Listen, you guys know I preach consistency, but this new Chase system seems to have caused a lot of winners to come up. I mean, we have seven different winners in seven races and contenders like Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth, Tony Stewart, and others still haven't won yet. To me, it looks like we have a chance to have sixteen different winners in 2014. That means more than one win is critical. I believe Newman should be shooting for not just that one win, but two. I mean, consistency helps in building a good notebook for different race tracks, but wins are extremely important. With two wins, Newman and anybody else who could win two races would be in extremely good shape. Hopefully, Ryan Newman can continue his consistency through the season along with winning some races.

3. Kyle Larson: How Good Has He Done This Season?
        Last week, we graded Austin Dillon's performance through six races of his rookie year. Now, we are going to grade Kyle Larson's rookie year thus far through seven races. If you recall, Larson ran full time on the NASCAR Nationwide Series circuit a season ago and made the jump to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series for 2014 with Chip Ganassi Racing. The main question I have for you guys about Kyle Larson is this. How good has he fared this season so far? He has fared extremely well to start the season, in my opinion. It was expected that Larson would be the major contender for rookie of the year with Austin Dillon, but most, including myself, were seeing Dillon as the favorite. Well, I believe that is not the case seven races into the season. Larson has had a single bad race this season and it was at Daytona. In the other six races, Larson has one finish worse than twentieth, three top 10s, and two top 5s. Take into perspective that Austin Dillon has a single top 10 finish through seven races on the season. I mean, I am shocked at the way Larson has been running this season. I felt like he would run just like Juan Pablo Montoya did in the number 42 because the equipment didn't seem to be the best at all for Montoya. Plus, Larson was a rookie and it just seemed like it would take time for him to adjust and become great. It turns out that Montoya was to blame for the lack of success in the 42 because Larson has been doing great. Shockingly, though, Larson is still behind Dillon in the points standings. As the next few races progress, expect that to change quickly. If Kyle Larson and his team continue doing what they are doing, Kyle Larson will be your 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year without question.

4. What Would Have Happened If Joey Logano Didn't Win at Texas on Monday?
       As promised, we are ready to discuss the finish for Monday's Duck Commander 500 at Texas. In case you missed it, let me set the stage. With only two laps to go, Joey Logano was gone, to put it bluntly. Brad Keselowski, who was running second at the time, was not anywhere in reach of Logano and a miracle would be needed for him to win. Well, the miracle happened. As Logano drove through turn 2 for the second to last time, Kurt Busch drove up the track in front of him. Logano was able to drive past without problem, but Busch was on the verge of problems. As he entered turn 3 on the apron, his tire blew up and debris flew onto the track and NASCAR waved a caution as Logano was a turn away from the white flag, which would have ended the race. Logano was almost screwed after pit stops put him third behind Jeff Gordon and Brian Vickers, who took two tires, but Logano was able to move back to the lead and win the race. No harm, no foul for Logano, but here is the thing. What would have occurred if Logano didn't win? Listen, it wouldn't have been good and NASCAR wouldn't have been blamed. It would have been all Kurt Busch's fault. I was listening to the race on the radio in the car and it seemed like a caution wouldn't occur. When I watched the caution on video, NASCAR was forced to wave a caution. I mean, there was too much debris on track, but it was really Busch's fault. He was barely on the apron and had he been lower on the apron, a caution would have been avoided. If Logano wouldn't have won, the situation would have exploded even more because Busch had issues with Brad Keselowski, Logano's teammate, a week before at Martinsville. Of course, it turned out okay for the sport, but I feel like media scrutiny would have occurred after the race. Honestly, I would have wanted the media to talk about it because I feel like Busch's intentions were to screw Logano out a win, plain and simple. Busch did not succeed and now both Team Penske drivers are most likely in the Chase along with Busch himself. Still, this finish will stick in my mind as the season progresses.

5. My Pick to Win
        Darlington Raceway is like a short track and a superspeedway mixed together. Tempers are sure to occur after the race and huge, high speed wrecks are going to occur throughout the night. Along with that, Darlington races are highly unpredictable and a winner is tough to find. Notice the word tough in that sentence. If you don't believe it is unpredictable, just look at the winner of 2011's race. Regan Smith won the race thanks to a pit strategy move and he never even smelled the lead throughout the race. That win right there just speaks volumes that a winner is tough to come by in Darlington, South Carolina. Still, just based on the trends from the past few years, I have some drivers to look at for Saturday's race. Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, and Carl Edwards are drivers to look at as possible winners for Saturday’s race. Also, look at drivers like Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson, Tony Stewart, and Ryan Newman because they could steal a win on Saturday. Well, I am headed out to Darlington tomorrow. Because of that, I am going to post my thoughts on an odd night to ensure you guys get my thoughts before the race. I am beyond excited and pumped for this weekend because it will be my first two race weekend ever. Expect some pictures to be posted throughout the next week of my trip. Well, that is all I have for today and until we meet again.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Credits:
-Image:
https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgk8_N1zG05MkfFVYJPzZhqLTTIqszcWawl9mZUf0eYJoYz7nJckMwee-WvdeUcETqE-weV4Yd9q46P_b6ncnicunbDadT_XFC26s6AVF2rqXxC3jLgAFQp_Ze3e24MnnBJAShGUBzkXdse/s1600/Harvick+vs.+Kyle+2011.jpg

My Thoughts: 2014 Texas

        Texas Motor Speedway. Ever since NASCAR started heading to the track in 1997, the action has always been fierce and fun to watch. The track has held some great finishes in the past. Most fans remember the battle for the win between Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne in 2004. The two came door-to-door at the line and Sadler barely walked away with the win. Last year's events were action packed as well and very crucial to the championship in the end. Kyle Busch won the spring race a season ago in dominating fashion after he started from the pole. Jimmie Johnson came back in the fall at Texas and dominated the race to take the win. The win at Texas, ultimately, handed the championship to Johnson and it has been a good track for him recently. Along with all the contenders you have to consider at Texas, strategy and tires have to be considered as well. Typically at Texas, green flag runs can be expected. Because of this, each team needs the perfect strategy and the one with the best one usually wins. Also, tires are a key part of the event. Texas has a very abrasive surface and fresh tires are key for a win each and every year. When the race goes green today, each team will be battling these factors in a fast five hundred mile battle in the Lone Star State. I have a good many topics to talk about today as we head into the Texas battle. Topics include a discussion of Austin Dillon, a discussion of a struggling manufacturer this weekend, a discussion of Kurt Busch, a discussion of Tony Stewart and his pole, and, of course, my pick to win today's race. Let us go ahead and dive in to these crucial topics for today's race.

1. Austin Dillon: Has He Exceeded Expectations?
         After six very diverse races in the Cup Series, it is pretty much time for evaluations of driver performance. I am going to start off today by giving my evaluation of Austin Dillon this year. If you recall, Dillon took a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series title and a NASCAR Nationwide Series title before heading to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series as a rookie in 2014. Of course, the expectations were set pretty high considering he is running the number three for Richard Childress Racing, which was most famously used by Dale Earnhardt Sr. Here is my question for Austin Dillon and his team heading into the seventh race of the season. Have they been able to exceed expectations? I say they legitimately have. I mean, Dillon is usually horrendous at the start of the race. In fact, in almost every single race this season, my dad and I have joked about the future of our sport out there running outside the top 20. Basically, we think Childress has messed up. Then, by the end, this boy has it figured out. I mean, he has finished in the top 20 in basically all the races this season. Plus, he took the pole in the Daytona 500, which is usually one of the most talked about qualifying sessions of the entire season. Dillon followed that pole up with a top 10 in his first race in his rookie campaign. Pretty much the only thing he hasn't done yet is win a race. Opportunities for him to do so are coming up and he could very well take one of those opportunities to a win. To finish off my argument, Dillon is ninth in the points standings and ahead of drivers like Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, and others that have experience in the sport. All in all, Dillon has done well for himself in a very pressure filled ride in NASCAR's highest series.

2. What Is Wrong With the Toyotas This Weekend?
        This question floated across my mind the entire weekend through qualifying and practice. What is wrong with the Toyota drivers this weekend? Now, listen to me before I start this discussion. I don't think Toyota will struggle the entire race, but this weekend has been a complete struggle for them. Denny Hamlin and Brian Vickers were the only two Toyota drivers to make it into the second round of qualifying on Saturday. Hamlin was the only one to make it to the final round and he qualified sixth, which isn't too terrible, but everybody else was horrendous, to say the least. Clint Bowyer qualified twenty fifth, Matt Kenseth qualified twenty sixth, and Kyle Busch qualified a very measly twenty ninth. The bad thing about Busch is that one season ago he started on the pole at Texas and won the race in dominating fashion. The only thing I see wrong with the Toyota this weekend is that they just aren't fast. It seems like they are practically a mile per hour slower than the rest of the field at any part of the track. Now, speed is extremely important at Texas. I feel like Toyota will have this issue figured out when the race goes green this weekend and they will have some contenders at the front.

3. Kurt Busch: Is He Finally Back?
        Last week's race at Martinsville for Kurt Busch was like his recent career. The early part of the day for Busch was like the down part of his career. Busch made contact with Brad Keselowski on pit road and he thought his day was over. Busch began to charge back through the field and by the end of the race, he was battling Jimmie Johnson for the win. Busch was able to beat Johnson in a fantastic battle and he took his first win since October of 2011. Because of that win, Busch has made it to the top of the mountain and he is now in the Chase. The question I have for Kurt Busch is a very simple one. Is he finally back to perfect form in NASCAR? I truly think he is. I mentioned this in my write-up about last week's race, but Kurt Busch seems to have experienced a complete attitude change recently. I mean, normally, Busch would be pretty angry after the incident with Keselowski in the pits. The key thing is he didn't get angry, really. He stayed pretty calm and he was able to keep himself up near the front of the pack. His ability to stay calm ultimately led to the win and now a Chase spot. Plus, he is with a pretty good team. Stewart-Haas Racing has several drivers who are the top tier of NASCAR currently and the past few years. Busch is now in the right hands for the future and he looks to be ready to make his way back to the championship.

4. Tony Stewart on Pole: Is Today His Day?
         Another part of the Stewart-Haas Racing quartet of drivers is the boss and leader of the group, Tony Stewart. If you haven't heard about Stewart's problems recently, I will save everybody the trouble and not repeat them. If you want to read about his struggles, you guys can check my post the day after his incident last August and see all about it. Nonetheless, he has experienced some hard times recently. His return at the beginning of this year was also a little bit of a struggle, but he has turned it on recently as we approach his favorite part of the season: the summer. Yesterday, he took his first pole of the season and he looks fast. I have one question for Tony Stewart and the rest of his guys. Is today their day to have a good run? I really believe it is. First, take a look at these statistics before we get into the real part of the answer. Last year in the two Texas races, Kyle Busch started first and took the win and Jimmie Johnson took the win after starting third. That means somebody from either the top 5 or the late part of the top 10 will win the race. Well, Stewart starts in the first half of the field. Another part to this is Stewart's attitude recently. I mean, after winning the pole yesterday he looked ready and confident. I mean, he was pumped about the pole and it looks like he will be a legitimate contender for the rest of the year. Hopefully, Stewart makes his way back to the top in NASCAR and he returns to the great form we saw just a few years ago.

5. My Pick to Win
        Last week's race at Martinsville went how everyone expected. Jimmie Johnson dominated the day, but a surprise winner took the checkered flag: Kurt Busch. Busch battled back from problems early in the race to take the win late. Really, today's race can't be compared to that. Texas Motor Speedway races are completely about strategy. Tires are very key and since it has rained there all day, tires and strategy will be a huge factor, considering the race might be run partially under night time conditions. To add to that, guys who were good throughout the weekend might not be good at night and the opposite might be true for guys near the back. Only time will tell how the race goes. I think some good picks for today's race are Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Jeff Gordon. Marcos Ambrose, Trevor Bayne, and Ryan Newman are also underdog picks to look at when the race nears the end. Well, rain has struck NASCAR again today. It looks like the race will finish by tonight, but I won't be able to write about it. Next week, the series heads to Darlington Raceway and I will be there for both races on the weekend. I am beyond excited and ready to go to Darlington for what is sure to be a good set of races. Expect some articles with pictures on my trip throughout the next week after the races. Well, that is all I have for today and until we meet again.




Credits:
-Image:
http://cdn-4.motorsport.com/static/img/mgl/100000/140000/146000/146600/146634/s1_1.jpg

Tony Stewart Barely Beats Brad Keselowski's Time to Take the Pole at Texas

         With a time of 27.628 seconds (195.454 mph), Tony Stewart barely bested Brad Keselowski's quick time in the third round to take the pole for Sunday's race at Texas. Stewart, literally and figuratively, barely bested Keselowski's time. Stewart's lap turned out to five one thousandths ahead of his counterpart's time. Plus, Stewart ran the fast lap just as the time expired on the session. Stewart struggled a bit during the early part of the year, but he seems to have made his way back to the top as the last few weeks have been pretty good. Keselowski almost became the first driver to win two poles in 2014, but he will have to settle with second place for the start of Sunday's race. Kevin Harvick set the track record in the first round of qualifying and he will start third tomorrow. Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards finished out the top 5 for Roush-Fenway Racing. A good many drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and others missed the third round of qualifying and they will start outside of the top 12. Each of them will be in a battle tomorrow on a very rough track surface where tires are going to be key for each of the drivers. Today's qualifying session was filled with a good bit of action as drivers flew around the fast Texas Motor Speedway.

        Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver on track for the start of the twenty five minute first round. He ran an early track record speed and held the top spot in the first minute. Junior wouldn't remain at the top long as Ryan Newman jumped to the top of the board three minutes into the first round. Newman wouldn’t get comfortable as Kevin Harvick jumped to the top five minutes into the round with a track record speed. Things at the top calmed down as the rest of the drivers ran their laps. The minutes clicked through the session as the battle began to heat up around the transfer spot with only ten minutes remaining. Denny Hamlin held the twenty fourth spot as Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, A.J. Allmendinger, and others looked to move on to the second round of qualifying. The minutes continued to click down as the battles continued. Cars returned to the track looking to move on and drivers moved up and down spots just as the red and black flag waved. Denny Hamlin held onto the twenty fourth and final transfer spot to move on. Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Joey Logano, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon, Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, and others moved on to the second round while Kyle Busch, Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, and others missed the second round. Now, twenty four drivers would face off in a ten minute round to make the third and final round.

        Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the first driver on track for the start of the ten minute second round. He ran a decent lap that seemed to be okay for the third round. One minute into the round, Marcos Ambrose jumped to the top of the board. Just a minute later, Brad Keselowski jumped to the top. Greg Biffle went out seconds later and passed him. Biffle remained at the top as the round reached halfway. The battle with five minutes remaining was for the transfer spot. Kyle Larson held it as Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Austin Dillon, Martin Truex Jr., and others were looking to move on. The minutes began to click down as cars returned to the track for a second run. With a minute remaining, Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin managed to push their way into the third round as Kyle Larson fell out of the top twelve. Cars continued to turn laps as the red and black flag waved. Marcos Ambrose stayed in the final transfer spot in the final minute and he moved on. Greg Biffle, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Trevor Bayne, Ryan Newman, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Denny Hamlin moved on while Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Larson, Martin Truex Jr., and others missed the third round. Now, twelve of the best drivers in NASCAR would fight for the pole in a five minute final round.

        Joey Logano was the first driver on track to start the five minute final round. He ran a decent lap, but others would be battling for the pole. As soon as the session started, the drivers began to switch the provisional pole at the top. First, it was Ryan Newman on top. Then, it was Greg Biffle on pole just a few seconds later. A minute later, Brad Keselowski jumped to the top of the pylon. Keselowski looked to be in control as all the rest of the final round drivers headed on track. All the drivers had been out with about thirty seconds remaining except for Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon. Both crossed the line before the red and black flag waved and they were on hot laps as time expired. They could finish their laps to see where they would qualify. Gordon was ahead of Stewart and he ran a slower lap than the rest of the eleven drivers. Stewart was behind Gordon and he came out of turn 4 flying. Stewart nipped the line and everyone was holding their breath. Stewart had beaten Keselowski's lap and he was on the pole for the first time in 2014. Stewart needs a momentum shift and this pole should help with that.

       Most people know the struggles Tony Stewart has experienced recently. He broke his leg last August in a sprint car crash and he missed the final races of the season. Stewart made the comeback at Daytona and the early part of the season for him looked bleak. In recent weeks, he has performed well and now he will start first on Sunday. All he needs is a lone win to make the Chase and his season could take off. Brad Keselowski couldn't believe he lost the pole in the final seconds, but he can't complain about another front row start on the young season. Kevin Harvick continued his mostly good year thus far at Stewart-Haas Racing with a third place starting spot for tomorrow. Greg Biffle will start fourth at a track where Fords usually perform really well. Carl Edwards will start fifth in a Roush-Fenway Racing Ford just behind his teammate. Denny Hamlin was the fastest Toyota in the session and he will roll off sixth. Kyle Busch, who won the spring race at Texas a season ago, had a terrible session and he will roll off twenty ninth. Jimmie Johnson, who won the fall race at Texas last year, will roll off a decent sixteenth, but he said after qualifying that he has a great race running car. Dale Earnhardt Jr., the current points leader, will roll off nineteenth. The rest of the field is sprinkled with good drivers from front to back. Texas racing has always been a very good show and this year seems like it will be no different. The field will have to battle strategy and worn out tires throughout the day along with their fellow competitors. Tomorrow's race is certainly going to be interesting. Will Kyle Busch win two straight Texas spring races, will Jimmie Johnson go back-to-back at Texas, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. hold his points lead at the track he won his first race, or will another driver head to the Texas victory lane? We only have to wait until tomorrow to find these answers out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Top 5 Qualifiers (With Times):
1st: Tony Stewart     27.628 (195.454 mph)
2nd: Brad Keselowski      27.633 (195.419 mph)
3rd: Kevin Harvick      27.650 (195.298 mph)
4th: Greg Biffle      27.735 (194.700 mph)
5th: Carl Edwards      27.744 (194.637 mph)

Notables Not in Top 5 (With Times):
6th: Denny Hamlin      27.746 (194.623 mph)
10th: Joey Logano     27.872 (193.743 mph)
11th: Kurt Busch     27.961 (193.126 mph)
12th: Jeff Gordon     28.112 (192.089 mph)
16th: Jimmie Johnson      27.834 (194.007 mph)*
19th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.      27.928 (193.354 mph)*
24th: Danica Patrick     28.014 (192.761 mph)*
26th: Matt Kenseth     27.744 (194.637 mph)#
29th: Kyle Busch     27.758 (194.539 mph)#
32nd: Kasey Kahne     27.831 (194.028 mph)#
(*: These few drivers were faster than some in the top twelve, but they did not advance to the final round.)
(#: These drivers were faster than some in the top twenty four, but they did not advance to the second round.)

DNQs:
44th: David Stremme     28.308 (190.759 mph)
45th: Ryan Truex      28.511 (189.401 mph)
46th: Joe Nemechek     28.634 (188.587 mph)
47th: J.J. Yeley     29.120 (185.440 mph)




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/sprint-cup-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-qualification.html
http://racing-reference.info/getqualify/2014-07/W
-Image:
http://www.crash.net/nascar/news/201815/1/stewart-rises-to-clinch-pole-in-texas.html

Chase Elliott Wins His First NASCAR Nationwide Series Race at Texas in Only His Sixth Start

        Chase Elliott, the son of former Cup champion, Bill Elliott, has been on the rise in NASCAR in recent years. He took a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series win a year ago at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park and he made the jump to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2014. He has been extremely good thus far this year and he was even better at Texas. Elliott held off the field for the final fifteen laps of the race to take his first career win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Not only that, but it was in only his sixth career start in NASCAR's second highest division. To build up Elliott's win even more, look at the drivers who finished behind him. Kyle Busch finished second, Kyle Larson finished third, Kevin Harvick finished fourth, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fifth, Matt Kenseth finished sixth, and Regan Smith followed behind them in seventh. Between those six drivers, there are 105 Sprint Cup wins, 161 Nationwide wins, and 51 Camping World Truck wins. Not only did Elliott race hard to win, but he beat some of the best in the sport to do it as well. The Friday night race at Texas was definitely a tough battle. Teams had to fight strategy the entire race because each team only had four sets of fresh tires. Throw into the mix that Texas has one of the oldest track surfaces in the sport and tires are something that wear out quickly in Texas. The race was definitely a battle for all of the Nationwide Series drivers and it turned out to be very historic.

        Kevin Harvick started on the pole. It was his first NASCAR Nationwide Series pole of 2014. An early story line to follow in the race was one that shared similarities with a story line at Auto Club. Kyle Larson, Kyle Busch, Ty Dillon, and Chris Buescher all did not have a chance to run qualifying times because their cars did not pass qualifying inspection in time. This resulted in each of these drivers starting in the back of the pack. Because these few drivers are some of the best every week, everyone was watching to see how long it took them to get to the front. The race went green and Kevin Harvick was to take the early lead. Harvick began to drive away slightly from the field just as the drivers who started in the back made their charge. Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch weaved their way through the back part of the field and each of them were in the top 10 by only lap 15. It looked like they would definitely be contenders before the night was over, but Kevin Harvick continued to set a torrid pace at the start.

        Harvick stayed in front of the field until the first caution of the race waved on lap 42. Trevor Bayne began to have a tire problem in turn 2. Rubber popped off his tire and he continued into turn 3. The tire caused Bayne to slide in turn 3 and down the track surface. Bayne managed to avoid hitting anything, but he had heavy damage due to the blown tire. J.J. Yeley received the lucky dog. The caution brought the first pit stops of the race. All the lead lap drivers came down pit road for four fresh tires with Kevin Harvick returning to the lead. The field was lined back up and the race went back green. Kevin Harvick was able to hold onto the lead as the field battled behind him. The race only went a few short laps before the second caution waved on lap 54. Robert Richardson Jr. drove into turn 1 and his engine expired. Richardson began to slide in his oil and he went up the track. He slammed the outside wall hard in turn 2, but he continued to drive away. The engine problem led to Richardson exiting the event. David Starr received the lucky dog. The field was lined up once again as a fourth of the race was already completed. 

        The race went back green and Kevin Harvick once again held the lead as the majority of the field became single file behind him. The race only went a couple of laps before the third caution waved on lap 63. Tanner Berryhill began to slow entering turn 3 due to a tire problem. He coasted to the apron and made the move to pit road. As he approached it, his tire tread fell off and onto the track. Berryhill made it to pit road without damage and the debris was picked up. Ryan Sieg received the lucky dog. The caution brought a little bit of strategy. Elliott Sadler and a few of the drivers near the back of the lead lap came down pit road while the leaders stayed on track. The field was quickly lined up and the race went back green. Kevin Harvick once again jumped out to the lead and he looked to run away once again. Laps began to click through the night and Kyle Busch finally made his way up to Harvick. On lap 88, Kyle Busch took the lead from Harvick on the first lead change of the night. Busch began to run away from Harvick as he fell back slightly. Busch only led a few laps before the first green flag pit stops of the race began on lap 100. 

         The lead lap drivers began to cycle down pit road along with Busch and the rest of the guys battling around him. A few drivers, like Elliott Sadler, ran a few extra laps because of fresher tires, but Busch quickly returned to the lead. Busch continued to hold the lead for a few more laps before the fourth caution waved on lap 121. Chad Boat smacked the wall exiting turn 4. He continued down the frontstretch, but broke loose. He spun entering the trioval and he bumped the wall nose first pretty hard. Boat went for another spin before getting back going with slight damage. Brendan Gaughan received the lucky dog. The lead lap drivers looked to be on the edge of a key strategy call, but it turned out to be similar strategy for all. The lead lap drivers came down pit road for four tires with Kyle Busch once again coming out as the leader. The race went back green and Busch held onto the lead, but a few drivers were coming. One of those drivers was Chase Elliott. Elliott blistered through the top half of the leaderboard and he made it up to Busch in only a few laps. Elliott made a nice move around Busch on lap 135 and he took the lead easily. Now, Elliott would just have to hold on for the rest of the event.

        Elliott looked to run away, but drivers behind him were slightly better. Elliott's boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr., began to close in on the rookie as the laps clicked down. Eventually, Earnhardt caught up to his rookie driver and he passed him for the lead on lap 155. As Earnhardt passed Elliott, the talks of late race strategy began to sound over each driver's radio. A few laps later, the strategy for the end of the race was set up as the fifth and final caution waved on lap 169. James Buescher bumped Jamie Dick exiting turn 2. Jamie went around and spun down the backstretch. Chris Buescher couldn't avoid and he made contact with Jamie. Jamie slid down the track further and slammed the inside wall while Buescher drove away with heavy damage. Jamie Dick's night ended there as he was pulled back to the garage. David Starr received the lucky dog. The caution brought all the lead lap drivers down pit road for the final stops of the race and the most important of the night. All the lead lap drivers came down pit road for four tires with Kevin Harvick coming out as the leader ahead of Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, and others. Now, the final restart of the race was set up and it was definitely going to be a battle.

        The field was lined up and the race went back green. Kevin Harvick was able to hold onto the lead as the field lined up behind him. Chase Elliott, Kyle Busch, Kyle Larson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. followed behind Harvick in that order. Elliott was remaining patient as his Junior Motorsports teammate was looking to take his first win of the season in the Nationwide Series. Chase Elliott began to gain on Harvick as only twenty laps remained. Suddenly, Harvick's speeds began to slow down compared to Elliott and the others. On lap 185, Harvick really slowed down. Elliott was able to power to his inside in turn 3 and take the lead handily as Busch and Larson battled with Harvick. In only a few laps, Elliott was ahead by two seconds. He began to cruise around Texas Motor Speedway as he looked for his first win in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. The laps began to click down and Elliott was leading like an experienced veteran. Soon, only two laps remained. The drivers behind him had long missed their chance as Elliott drove around to the white flag. Elliott took it and stayed calm around the speedway as he looked for the win. He came out of turn 4 and powered to the finish line for a very historic victory. The win garnered Elliott a lot of attention and, as talks of Elliott's future became rampant, his future NASCAR Hall of Fame father stood alongside smiling.

        When Chase Elliott won last season at Canadian Tire Motorsports Park in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, people said his win meant nothing. They said he had wrecked Ty Dillon coming out of the final turn and that win did not show the true mark of a winner in NASCAR because he had “cheated” to win. Well, the haters can't say anything now. Elliott drove the wheels off his racecar and he earned his first victory in NASCAR's second highest series. The key word in that important sentence: earned. Kyle Busch followed the rookie home second after he made his way from a start in the back of the field. Busch has only won two of the six races this season in the series, but he has still been a driver to watch in every event. Kyle Larson continued to impress in the Nationwide Series as he came home third, following his win at Auto Club. Kevin Harvick was able to hold onto fourth after losing speed late in the event. Dale Earnhardt Jr. battled back after a terrible final restart to finish in fifth place. Matt Kenseth remained consistent the entire night and came home in sixth. The rest of the Nationwide regulars in the spots behind Kenseth. The points battle suffered a complete shake-up due to the event. Trevor Bayne, who came into the race tied at the top of the points with Regan Smith, lost a tire early on and finished outside of the top 20, which caused him to fall back in the battle. Regan Smith finished seventh after a consistent race, but he still lost the points lead to Chase Elliott after Elliott walked away a winner. It is still early in the season with a lot of key events coming up. One of those key events is at Darlington next weekend. The Nationwide regulars will have their hands full as they head to one of the toughest tracks on the circuit. Will Kyle Busch go back-to-back at the tricky speedway, will Chase Elliott somehow win back-to-back races, will Regan Smith or Trevor Bayne take back the points lead, or will another Nationwide regular propel himself up in the points battle? We will have to wait until next Friday to find this out and a whole lot more.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 42- Trevor Bayne had tire problems in turn 3 and went for a slide.

2nd Caution: Lap 54- Robert Richardson Jr. slammed the wall in turn 2 after his engine let go.

3rd Caution: Lap 63- Tanner Berryhill lost a tire tread while heading to pit road.

4th Caution: Lap 121- Chad Boat went for a spin down the frontstretch after slamming the wall in turn 4.

5th Caution: Lap 169- James Buescher bumped Jamie Dick exiting turn 2 and Jamie made contact with the inside wall after Chris Buescher piled into him.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: J.J. Yeley
2nd Caution: David Starr
3rd Caution: Ryan Sieg
4th Caution: Brendan Gaughan
5th Caution: David Starr

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Chase Elliott
2nd: Kyle Busch
3rd: Kyle Larson
4th: Kevin Harvick
5th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Matt Kenseth
7th: Regan Smith
9th: Ty Dillon
10th: Elliott Sadler
12th: Brian Scott
13th: James Buescher
20th: Ryan Reed
23rd: Trevor Bayne




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/leaderboard/leaderboard-live.html
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/lapbylap/view-all-laps.html?intid=lapbylap_lapbylapleaderboard_08292013
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/nationwide-series/live-standings.html
-Image:
http://cdn1.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/31172169/482822509.0_standard_730.0.jpg