A Las Vegas Motor Speedway Memory: Earnhardt Jr.’s Empty Fuel Tank Hands Keselowski the Victory in the 2014 Kobalt 400

Strategy has always been an important aspect of NASCAR racing, most recently with pit road calls. Extended lengths of races, improved tire wear, fuel saving techniques, and the emphasis on winning at all levels of the sport have forced teams to stretch their resources in hopes of earning the best possible finish. Drivers have learned to push fuel windows to their extreme and ask for two tires rather than four to improve their track position. Sometimes, these bold strategy moves work and put drivers in victory lane. However, most of the time, these calls lead to disappointment as a win slips away.

On March 9, 2014, two drivers familiar with each other experienced the highs and lows of strategy racing while battling for the win in the Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his team decided to stay on track during the fourth and final caution on lap 221, hoping to run 56 laps on a tank of Sunoco gasoline after his lap 211 green flag pit stop. The #88 already had a win from the season opening Daytona 500, which meant the team could try some unique strategy to grab another victory since they were already locked in NASCAR’s brand-new “win and you’re in” Chase format.

Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski, who drove for Earnhardt Jr. in the NASCAR Nationwide Series from 2008 to 2009, and his team opted to pit during the final caution. Keselowski’s crew put two fresh tires on the #2 Ford Fusion and returned their driver to the race in seventh spot. He had three drivers with little fuel in their racecars in front of him, including the #88, and three drivers with a full tank of gas. His fresher rubber was a distinct advantage for the 42-lap green flag run to conclude the event.

In the end, the battle for the win came down to Earnhardt Jr.’s fuel mileage gamble and Keselowski’s two fresh tires. The two drivers participated in a thrilling battle for the win underneath the Las Vegas sun. However, the victory came down to a last lap slip up for Earnhardt Jr. and Keselowski’s ability to capitalize. One driver was left with a bad LVMS memory and the other experienced a happy moment at the 1.5-mile track.

Brad Keselowski started the 400-mile race in the second position while Dale Earnhardt Jr. started on the outside of Row 7 in the 14th spot. During the first half of the event, the two drivers maintained their spots in the Top 10 as they battled through a 106-lap green flag and three cautions in the first 160 laps of the event. On lap 196, though, Keselowski and Junior’s path towards victory in the race crossed for the first time.

Just four laps prior to lap 200, Keselowski started a round of green flag pit stops as the leader. His team gave him four fresh tires and returned him to the race track as other pit crews prepared for their own stops. As the next few laps passed, drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, and Paul Menard pitted for four tires to continue the cycle of stops. On lap 206, Earnhardt Jr. grabbed the lead for the second time in the race as his team pondered a potential strategy call much different from the rest of the field.

Due to the green flag character of the race, Steve Letarte, Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief, decided to keep his driver on track longer than the rest of the field during the round of stops. The team’s hope was that Junior could pit around lap 210 and have the race stay green to its conclusion. If that occurred, the reigning Daytona 500 champion would have a possibility of making it on fuel to the finish while his fellow competitors would definitely have to pit again.

The #88 led five laps before he came down pit road for his stop on lap 211. The stop was flawless from his crew and he returned to the track with only two drivers left to pit during the cycle: Denny Hamlin and Carl Edwards. They pitted on lap 213, hoping to use the same strategy as Earnhardt Jr. in the late stages. After the cycle of stops, Keselowski returned to the lead knowing he would need to stop again and Junior cycled into the fifth position. However, after making all the strategy plans for green flag racing, the fourth and final caution waved on lap 221. Now, teams would have to work on another strategy decision to end the event.

Three drivers decided to stay on track during the caution while the rest of the field pitted. Earnhardt Jr., Edwards, and Hamlin, the three drivers who had pitted late during the green flag cycle, stayed out with enough fuel in their racecars according to the teams’ calculations to finish the 267-lap event. Behind them, three drivers prepared to restart in the fourth through sixth spots after adding just fuel to their racecars on pit road. In seventh for the restart was Keselowski. His crew chief, Paul Wolfe, had opted to give his driver two fresh tires, which cost the team some track position. Yet, they had fresher tires than everyone else in the race. For the next 42 laps, those pit road decisions would help determine the winner of the race.

On lap 226, the green flag waved for the final time and the mix of strategy calls caused a chaotic restart. As Earnhardt Jr. moved out to a five car length lead, drivers behind him battled two and three wide around LVMS. Keselowski ended up in second position on his two fresh tires at the completion of lap 226, but he was three-fourths of a second behind the leader. On lap 228, the #2 Ford dropped to third while Junior held the lead. The battle between the two drivers was far from over, though.

Despite losing the second spot, Keselowski maintained his momentum and returned to the runner-up position around lap 244 with just 23 laps left in the event. The next 10 laps proved to be crucial in deciding the race winner. While Earnhardt Jr. tried to save fuel at the front of the pack, the #2 Ford started chasing him down for the lead. On lap 253, the advantage moved underneath a second between the two drivers. Five laps later, the gap was only three tenths of a second and it appeared the two tire strategy call of Keselowski would prevail.

However, Earnhardt Jr. and his spotter, T.J. Majors, noticed Keselowski’s charge towards the lead and the #88 changed its racing line on track. For the next few laps, the North Carolina driver extended his lead by a few tenths as the end of the race neared. Finally, after saving fuel throughout the final run and monitoring his gap, Earnhardt Jr. took the white flag with Keselowski half a second behind him. The final lap ended up being very interesting for the two competitors.

Both drivers powered through turns 1 and 2 smoothly with the advantage between them remaining at half a second. On the backstretch, though, Earnhardt Jr. experienced a problem. The low amount of fuel in his racecar caused his engine to miss slightly exiting turn 2. The hiccup caused him to lose power and he moved towards the inside of the track, trying to slosh some fuel in the pickup. Meanwhile, Keselowski destroyed the half second between himself and the lead heading down the backstretch and cleared Junior entering turn 3. The power returned to Earnhardt Jr.’s car in the final turn, but it was too late. 

Keselowski powered away from the #88 and crossed the finish line first while Earnhardt Jr. managed to finish in second spot over a second back. Wolfe’s two-tire decision paid off with a much-needed victory after a tough 2013 season. On the other hand, Letarte’s gamble to keep his driver on track during the final caution resulted in a disappointing second place finish after Junior led at the white flag. Earnhardt Jr. wasn’t discouraged after the race, though, due to his chance to win the race and his win in the Daytona 500 just two weeks prior. 

“We took a gamble and we didn’t win the race, but it still worked in our favor to run second and gave us a chance to win," Earnhardt Jr. said after the race. Still, watching Keselowski celebrate on the frontstretch wasn’t what the #88 team had hoped for when making the late gamble. For the #2 team, the victory lane moment proved to be an early memory to carry throughout the rest of 2014.  

Keselowski ended the 2014 season with six total victories. He captured wins at Kentucky, New Hampshire, Richmond, Chicagoland, and Talladega in addition to his Las Vegas triumph to lead the series in the category. However, a 31st place finish at Martinsville in October derailed his championship hopes and he missed the first Championship 4 battle at Homestead-Miami Speedway by just a couple of points. Over the next three seasons, he won eight total races and finished fourth in the points last year after making the Championship 4 for the first time.

In the two races this season, the 2012 Cup champion has shown speed and been a contender for the race win. A crash in the Daytona 500 left him with a disappointing 32nd place finish, but he returned to the track last week and captured a runner-up finish at Atlanta Motor Speedway. With a win to his credit at Las Vegas, the #2 Ford will be a car to watch for the 400-mile event tomorrow and it could be another excellent season for the Michigan native.

Despite missing out on the Las Vegas win, Earnhardt Jr.’s 2014 season ended as one of the best of his career. He added a season sweep of victories at Pocono and a Martinsville win to his Daytona 500 victory, giving him four total for the season. He ended up finishing eighth in the points after an excellent year compared to his previous seasons. A year later, he added three more victories to his career total including another Talladega win, a Daytona triumph, and a rainy victory at Phoenix. He finished 12th in the overall standings at the end of the year. Unfortunately, his win at Phoenix turned out to be the last of his career.

2016 started off inconsistent for the North Carolina driver and ended early for him. Crashes at Talladega and Michigan caused him to experience concussion-like symptoms, much like he experienced late in the 2012 season. After the Kentucky race in July of 2016, Earnhardt Jr. was forced out the car due to the severity of his medical issues. He missed the remainder of the season trying to heal from his head injuries. The two-time Daytona 500 champion returned for the 2017 Cup season, but he wasn’t in his usual form. He announced in April of last year that 2017 would be his final full-time season in the sport. He ended the disappointing year with only one Top 5 finish. He concluded his Cup career with a 25th at Homestead-Miami Speedway in the season finale.

For 2018, the 15-time Most Popular Driver award winner has stayed busy as he prepares for the future. He spent the week following the 60th Daytona 500 in Pyeongchang, South Korea, working the Winter Olympics for NBC Sports. When NBC begins broadcasting NASCAR races in a few months, he will be a prominent figure on TV talking about the sport. Also, he has plans for a DIY Network home renovation show and he will become a dad for the first time in May. Finally, he will be in the racecar for at least one more time this season. He will be piloting his own #88 at the fall Richmond race in the NASCAR Xfinity Series for all his fans to see him back in a racecar.

Strategy gambles sometimes pay off for teams and sometimes they don’t. In 2008, Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his first race at Michigan driving for Hendrick Motorsports with just a few drops of fuel left in the tank. His team’s strategy decision had paid off. In 2014, though, their late race fuel mileage gamble didn’t end in a victory at Las Vegas. For Brad Keselowski and his team, the decision to take on two fresh tires allowed them to move up the leaderboard in the last run and steal the victory from Earnhardt Jr. Their late race battle and exciting final lap duel created a memorable Las Vegas Motor Speedway memory, one that will be remembered for years to come.
(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions: 4 for 18 laps

Lead Changes: 21

Margin of Victory: 1.530 seconds

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Brad Keselowski
2nd: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3rd: Paul Menard
4th: Joey Logano
5th: Carl Edwards

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Jimmie Johnson
7th: Ryan Newman
8th: Kasey Kahne
9th: Jeff Gordon
10th: Matt Kenseth
11th: Kyle Busch
12th: Denny Hamlin
14th: Martin Truex Jr.
16th: Austin Dillon
17th: Jeff Burton
19th: Kyle Larson
21st: Danica Patrick
26th: Kurt Busch
33rd: Tony Stewart
37th: Alex Bowman
41st: Kevin Harvick




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
racing-reference.info/race/2014_Kobalt_400/W
-Image:
www.cbssports.com/general/story/24475310/keselowski-edges-junior-on-last-lap-in-las-vegas
-Quote:
www.sportingnews.com/nascar/news/las-vegas-results-finish-brad-keselowski-wins-dale-earnhardt-jr-second-out-of-fuel/cb7zkq48ajv61r22e30mi4i87
-Video of Finish:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bxYOEXv5fg&t=67s
-Full Race:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6_l6x26bJs&t=12s

A Daytona 500 Memory: Elliott Sadler Nearly Wins the 2009 Running of the Great American Race

(Author’s Note: As the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series (yes, it still pains me to say that, but I will start saying it) kicks off the 2018 season this weekend, I’ve decided to try something fresh and interesting on my website for the new year. My Flashback Friday articles were fun to do, but they were time-consuming and exceptionally long. Because of that, I sought a compromise to keep writing about NASCAR while also limiting my time spent on the articles. After a couple of weeks of consideration, I finally came up with a new idea I’m calling “A Race Weekend Memory.” The basic premise of this weekly feature published on Saturday is to analyze a forgotten moment in the history of the MENCS at a track where the series is racing for the weekend. During MENCS off weekends, expect to hear about the NASCAR Xfinity Series or the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. Over the course of the article, I plan to introduce the memory, summarize the events of the specific memory with post-race quotes and analysis, and conclude with a paragraph that describes what that specific driver(s) is/are doing now. For example, this weekend’s article ahead of the Daytona 500 is about the 2009 edition of the Great American Race where Elliott Sadler nearly won the race as rain was in the area, but a late pass cost him a victory in the historic event. We will analyze Sadler’s race leading up to the finish and discuss the late drama as he missed out on the victory. In the conclusion, we will talk about his career path from that day until now as he currently competes in the NXS. I’m hoping to keep this going weekly, so make sure to come back and enjoy a weekly memory from a race track NASCAR is competing that particular weekend!)

In the 59 previous Daytona 500’s, a variety of drivers have visited victory lane at the historic Daytona International Speedway. NASCAR legends like Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, Jimmie Johnson, and David Pearson have captured victories in the sport’s most prestigious race. 

Superstars of their time like Davey Allison, Dale Jarrett, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bill Elliott, Ernie Irvan, Junior Johnson, and Fireball Roberts all added their names to the history books by winning the Daytona 500. Racing legends across the world like A.J. Foyt and Mario Andretti even claim the title of Daytona 500 champion on their expansive career resumés.  

There is another important group of drivers who have grabbed wins in the Great American Race as well: the underdogs. Underdog stories of defying the odds exist throughout many professional sports. NASCAR is no different. From the sport’s inaugural racing season in 1948 until today, unknown and unprecedented drivers have competed against the superstars and succeeded, especially at Daytona. The list of underdog winners in the 500 include Derrike Cope in 1990, Sterling Marlin in 1994, Ward Burton in 2002, and Trevor Bayne in 2011. 

Cope, Marlin, and Bayne earned their first career wins in the season’s most important and special races. Bayne’s improbable win came in his second series start driving the famous #21 for the Wood Brothers while Cope and Marlin added their 500 wins after long winless droughts to begin their careers. Burton’s 500 victory was his fourth series win for himself and his Bill Davis Racing team, but his surprising win came during a time where Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Chevrolet were dominant on superspeedway tracks. All four of those underdog 500 victories have become legendary when talking about the history surrounding the Great American Race.

In 2009, though, a fifth victory nearly emerged for the little guys of the sport. Elliott Sadler, a Virginia driver with ten full-time years of experience in the Cup Series heading into the season, entered Daytona Beach with some confidence and newness in his third year driving the #19 Dodge. During the offseason, Gillett Evernham Motorsports had merged with Richard Petty Motorsports and now Sadler was competing for an owner with seven Daytona 500 victories and seven Cup championships. Also, he now had three teammates to lean on for data and set-ups. 

On lap 145 of the 2009 running of the Great American Race, it appeared the Virginia driver would add his name to the list of 500 winners and add to the Petty legacy as he led with the threat of rain imminent. Since the race was past halfway, substantial rain would end the event and hand the win to the #19 team. However, a lap later, a missed block on Matt Kenseth in turn 1, a spin on the backstretch, and a torrential downpour just a few minutes later ended Sadler’s chance for a Daytona 500 victory and delivered today’s memory of the Great American Race.

Sadler started 30th in the 51st running of the Great American Race. Originally, he qualified in 29th, but a 17th place finish in the second 150-mile qualifying race on Thursday dropped him back one spot for the initial start of the 500-mile main event on Sunday. For the first 100 laps, the Virginia driver battled in the pack and used the draft to move inside the Top 20. When the race crossed the 100-lap mark, drivers started to race more aggressively as rain threatened to end the event before its conclusion. 

At lap 110, Sadler had moved into 12th spot with green flag pit stops near after tire problems plagued several drivers early in the event. Jeff Gordon kicked off green flag pit stops on lap 114 as he reported to his team that one of his tires was tearing apart. Over the next four laps, Brian Vickers, Juan Pablo Montoya, Sam Hornish Jr., Scott Speed, and Jimmie Johnson pitted for fresh tires as their teams feared a potential tire issue. All six drivers went a lap down as the field remained on track, waiting for their own pit stops.

On lap 119, Sadler and his teammate, Reed Sorenson, hit pit road for their stops as a fortunate break benefitted them. Exiting turn 4 as the two RPM drivers pitted, David Stremme blew a right rear tire and littered debris all over the speedway. He maintained control of his Dodge as the #19 team and #43 team thrashed to change four tires. Stremme maneuvered onto pit road as the fifth caution of the race waved and the two drivers on pit road concluded their stops. Because they were on pit lane prior to the caution flag waving, Sadler and Sorenson could complete their stops and they returned to the track on the lead lap.

As the rest of the field pitted, the Virginia driver inherited the lead and lined up on the restart with a few lapped cars on his inside. Plus, Vickers and Montoya restarted in front of him since they had pitted prior to the caution and were on the tail end of the lead lap. The lap 124 restart was intense for Sadler as he raced with lapped cars, drivers fighting to stay on the lead lap, and fast cars fighting to return to the front. 

The mix of competitors led to a crash on the backstretch as Dale Earnhardt Jr. turned Brian Vickers up the track right in front of the field. As Vickers spun up the track towards the outside wall, Sadler sat right in his path. Fortunately, the #19 snuck by as the #83 of Vickers clipped Robby Gordon and caused more drivers to pile in. When the dust from the backstretch grass settled, a total of 10 cars were involved with varying levels of damage. 

Thanks to his near miss, Sadler emerged the leader with Sorenson in second and Matt Kenseth in third. When the race restarted on lap 133 after the big crash, the #19 maintained the lead as the pack of drivers powered around the 2.5-mile speedway, looking for a hole to make a move. After four laps out front with no challengers, Sadler faced some pressure from Kenseth in turn 3 on lap 137 and the two began to race side by side. Their door to door battle ended on the backstretch a lap later when the seventh caution waved for a stack-up incident between Paul Menard and Jeff Burton. 

For what would be the final time, the field lined up for the restart and Sadler took his spot at the front of the line. During the yellow flag laps, Sadler and his crew chief, Kevin Buskirk, discussed the weather and how radars reported rain right above the speedway. The Virginia driver was frustrated it wasn’t raining yet, but Buskirk reassured him that he could handle the restart. 

When the green flag waved, Sadler jumped out to the lead with Kenseth riding in the draft behind him. For three laps, he blocked all of the #17’s advances as the potential for rain continued to increase. On lap 146, though, he made an incorrect blocking move. Sadler assumed the field would follow him in the outside line and he moved towards the wall as he powered towards turn 1. 

Kenseth, with help from Kevin Harvick, shot down into the inside line and passed the #19 in turn 1 for the lead. The loss of momentum for Sadler caused him to drop on the backstretch as the field passed him. The shuffle of positions and momentum caused Aric Almirola to shoot across Kasey Kahne’s nose and into the infield grass. The eighth caution waved with the #17 leading and Sadler still in fifth after his miscue.

Fortunately, with the rain still holding out, the #19 still had 50 laps to try and take the win. Yet, the precipitation finally came during the yellow flag. As the field circulated around the 2.5-mile track, rain began to pelt Daytona Beach and delay the restart. Finally, after completing 152 laps, NASCAR brought the field down pit road to see if the rain would subside and the event could continue. After about 20 minutes of rain, NASCAR officials decided to end the race prematurely instead of waiting out the weather. The call after 380 miles of racing handed the victory to Matt Kenseth while Sadler finished in fifth spot. 

As the #17 team celebrated in victory lane, the driver he passed on the final green flag lap was devastated in the media center talking to reporters. “We had a chance to win it—just made one mistake off of Turn 4,” Sadler said. “If I would have made a better and smarter move, I’d be in Victory Lane right now—I really wanted it.” 

The Virginia native’s disappointment was obvious in his post-race quotes. Losing the Daytona 500 like that was devastating, but he had 35 races left in the season to compete for victories and try to win in hopes of avenging his failure in the Great American Race.

Following the Daytona 500, Sadler spent the rest of the 2009 season competing with his #19 RPM team where he finished 26th in the points after earning five Top 10’s. In 2010, he returned to the same organization and a dismal year, which included a massive crash at Pocono, resulted in a 27th place points finish. He was released from the #19 team following the conclusion of the season and he needed a new ride. Cup Series offers didn’t arise for the Virginia driver, but a new opportunity emerged for the three-time series winner for the 2011 season. 

Kevin Harvick Incorporated, a team owned by Harvick and his wife, signed him to compete full-time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series, which is now the NASCAR Xfinity Series. Over the past seven seasons since his return to the NXS, Sadler has competed for organizations like KHI in 2011, Richard Childress Racing in 2012, Joe Gibbs Racing in 2013 and 2014, Roush Fenway Racing in 2015, and JR Motorsports since the 2016 season. 

In those seven years of competition, the Virginia native captured eight wins, 73 Top 5’s, 164 Top 10’s, 11 poles, and four second place finishes in the series points standings. 2018 marks his eighth consecutive season in the NXS and his third with JR Motorsports driving the #1 Chevrolet Camaro with OneMain Financial as the primary sponsor.

The entire #1 team hopes to deliver Sadler’s first NXS championship this season after a frustrating conclusion to his 2017 title chase at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Their 2018 championship pursuit begins today in the season opening event for the series at Daytona and Sadler will need to outlast the chaos to secure a promising beginning to the campaign. 

In addition to his recent tenure in the NXS, Sadler has made two starts in the Daytona 500 since he left full-time Cup competition. In 2012, he competed in the #33 for Richard Childress Racing and finished 27th. Last year, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, he led five laps and came home in 20th. Still, neither one of those performances matched the history he nearly achieved in the 2009 running of the Great American Race. And his failure on February 15, 2009, still remains a regretful moment in his career. 

Prior to the 2012 Daytona 500 on the NASCAR Media Tour, Sadler told reporters that he “relive[s] the 2009 Daytona 500 almost every day.” The Daytona 500 is more than just a race. A 500 victory is a historic achievement that turns average and unknown drivers into historic and legendary figures in the sport. But losing the Great American Race, just as Elliott Sadler did in 2009 when he lost the lead and it began to rain a few minutes later, haunts a driver’s memory and becomes a historic moment for all the wrong reasons. 

(More Stats Down Below!)

Cautions: 8 for 35 Laps

Lead Changes: 9

Margin of Victory: Under Caution

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Matt Kenseth
2nd: Kevin Harvick
3rd: A.J. Allmendinger
4th: Clint Bowyer
5th: Elliott Sadler

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Michael Waltrip
8th: Tony Stewart
10th: Kurt Busch
11th: Martin Truex Jr.
13th: Jeff Gordon
16th: Mark Martin
18th: Carl Edwards
20th: Greg Biffle
21st: Regan Smith
23rd: Bill Elliott
24th: Terry Labonte
26th: Denny Hamlin
27th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
28th: Jeff Burton
29th: Kasey Kahne
31st: Jimmie Johnson
36th: Ryan Newman
41st: Kyle Busch
43rd: Joey Logano




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
racing-reference.info/race/2009_Daytona_500/W
-First Quote:
www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/Articles/2009/02/Kenseth-Wins-Daytona-500.aspx
-Second Quote:
www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2012/01/28/esadler-daytona-500-rcr-no-33.html?eref=/drivers/dps/esadler&utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
-Image:
www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/photo/main-gallery/matt-kenseth-roush-fenway-racing-ford-and-elliott-sadler-richard-petty-motorsports-dodge/
-Video of Finish:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ba6wsL5HCg
-Full Race:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVWnlPUKvmM&t=11699s

Flashback Friday 5 Stages of Analysis: Montoya Destroys the Competition to Win a Thrilling Race at Watkins Glen

        In his most dominating performance in NASCAR to date, Juan Pablo Montoya led 74 of 90 laps at the 2.45-mile Watkins Glen road course to take his second career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory. While Montoya has been heralded throughout the world as a road course expert in open wheel vehicles, he emphatically proved today that he can wheel stock cars around right and left turns. However, the win was not a given for the driver from Colombia. The race had two sets of green flag pit stops with several teams utilizing various strategy moves to move towards the front. Also, five cautions slowed the event and each of those restarts created a massive shuffle to grab positions. Carl Edwards started the race on the pole, but the race quickly became a showcase for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with its two drivers, Montoya and Jamie McMurray. McMurray took the lead from Edwards on lap 1 in turn 7 and looked to grab another impressive win in the 2010 season. However, he couldn’t hold the lead for long until Montoya took it on lap 6 entering the bus stop. From there, the 2007 NSCS Rookie of the Year controlled the pace of the race and ran away from all contenders in the first run of the event. Yet, a formidable challenger was beginning to move to the front: Marcos Ambrose. Ambrose started 11th, but he was sitting in second when the first caution waved on lap 28. On the subsequent restart, he stayed on Montoya’s rear bumper and the two drivers fought hard for the lead. Ultimately, Ambrose took the lead on lap 41 in turn 1 and he looked to cruise to his first win in NASCAR’s highest division. However, the second caution waved a lap later and the impending restart proved to be an important moment in the race. Ambrose and Montoya drove into turn 1 when the race went green with A.J Allmendinger making the battle for the lead a three-way fight. Ambrose wheel hopped and Montoya carried enough power out of the turn to take the lead from the middle of the three-wide situation. From there, he led through a cycle of green flag pit stops around lap 59 and he was in first when the third caution waved on lap 62. The caution lead to a restart and two quick cautions as several drivers were involved in accidents. Following the second of those quick cautions on lap 71, the field was ready for what would be the final restart and dash to the finish. Montoya maintained the lead on the restart and he proceeded to put a huge gap between himself and the entire field. The laps clicked away and the Colombian driver took the white flag with Ambrose and Kurt Busch battling for second. As the checkered flag waved, Montoya took the win with Busch and Ambrose over four seconds behind him. It was a dominating performance for Montoya and his team to complete a career sweep on the road courses in the NSCS. While the race did feature a dominating driver, these five stages of analysis will show that the battle for the lead was a fierce contest on restarts and every driver raced hard to contend with the tricky layout of Watkins Glen International.

Stage 1:
Driver of the Day: Montoya Leads All But 16 Laps in Dominating Performance at Watkins Glen

        Juan Pablo Montoya is in his fourth full-time season in the NSCS, but the story of his racing career is filled with more than stock cars. He won seven races during his tenure in Formula One from 2001-2006. He grabbed the 1999 championship in the former open wheel division known as CART along with ten victories in the series. Montoya also won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 running for Chip Ganassi. After endless success in open wheel vehicles, Chip Ganassi decided to give the Colombian driver a shot at running stock cars. While Montoya is considered a road course ringer due to his previous experience, he has been running better and better at ovals for his race team. Coming into today’s race, though, Montoya was ready to use his road course racing knowledge to take a second win in his NSCS career at a track with right turns. From the start, he was poised to visit victory lane once again. He rolled off the grid in third place, but he quickly passed his teammate, Jamie McMurray, for the top spot on lap 6. In the next few laps, Montoya began to drive away from the field as they battled for positions behind him. When his green flag pit stop rolled around on lap 26, his lead was an advantage of over four seconds. As the pit stops cycled through, he returned to the lead just as the first caution of the day waved on lap 28. When the race restarted, Montoya held onto the lead, but he began to be challenged by Marcos Ambrose. For several laps, the two drivers battled hard for the top spot before Ambrose was able to overtake his fellow competitor on lap 41 as they drove into turn 1. However, the second caution waved on lap 42 and set-up another battle between Montoya and Ambrose. On the restart, the Top 3 drivers of Ambrose, Montoya, and A.J. Allmendinger entered turn 1 three-wide. Ambrose wheel hopped on the inside of the track and lost his momentum, which allowed Montoya to power from the middle of the three-wide situation into the lead. The Colombian driver looked to run away again, but Ambrose rebounded from his miscue and he began to close on the leader. When green flag pit stops came on lap 59, they were running bumper to bumper as they entered pit road. They came off pit road in the same positions just as the third caution waved on lap 62. The restart was shaping up to be a thriller between the two drivers, but the race only stayed green for a short time before the fourth caution waved on lap 66. Again, the race restarted, but the yellow flag waved again for an incident between Jimmie Johnson and Denny Hamlin on lap 71. The next restart would turn out to be the final one for Montoya and the field. On the restart, Montoya managed to pull away from Ambrose and the rest of the pack. As the laps clicked away, the former Indy 500 winner was adding tenths of a second to his lead with no challengers catching. Finally, the white flag waved and Montoya was able to cruise back to the checkered flag for a second victory in the NSCS. After leading 74 of 90 laps, Juan Pablo Montoya and his team proved that they could not only visit victory lane again, but do it without making a mistake.

Stage 2:
Underdog of the Race: Allmendinger Takes Road Course Expertise to Impressive Top 5 Finish

        Much like Montoya, A.J. Allmendinger has a lot of experience running in open wheel racecars on road courses. Allmendinger competed for three seasons in the Champ Car World Series, formerly known as CART, and won five races in addition to the Rookie of the Year honors in 2004. After his success in open wheel, the California driver was given a shot in the NSCS with Red Bull Racing. However, the results with the team were rather dismal for Allmendinger. He did not qualify for 19 races in 2007 and he was released from the team late in the 2008 season after an abysmal year. After running a race with Michael Waltrip Racing at Charlotte, Allmendinger was hired by Gillett Evernham Motorsports to run five events to end 2008. After performing well, he was retained by Richard Petty Motorsports, which had merged with GEM. His success in 2009 led to his return in 2010 with the organization and he moved to the famous #43. So far, 2010 has been his best career season behind the wheel of the number Richard Petty made famous with a pole and three Top 10’s coming into today’s event. While he has been more competitive this year, the team is still far from competing for wins and excellent finishes. With Allmendinger’s previous experience at road courses, though, today’s race offered the young driver the opportunity to display his skills around the high-speed turns at Watkins Glen. He started the race in fourth and by lap 8, he was in second place with a fast car and a desire to take the lead from Montoya. Allmendinger stayed in second until green flag pit stops began on lap 24 when Ambrose passed him. He came down pit road just a couple of laps later and when the stops cycled through, he slotted into the fourth position as the first caution waved on lap 28. When the race went back green, Allmendinger held station in fourth and he remained there until the second caution waved on lap 42. On the subsequent restart, he made a bold move to try and take the lead. He shot to the outside of Ambrose and Montoya as the field accelerated and the three drivers went into turn 1 three-wide with none of them willing to lift. Ambrose wheel hopped and lost his momentum, which allowed Montoya to take the lead and Allmendinger to slide into second place. However, he was unable to hold onto the spot and he slid back into fourth as the run progressed. He came down pit road around lap 57 and he stayed in the same position when the stops cycled through. When the third caution waved on lap 62, Allmendinger was prepared to restart in fourth place with a legitimate shot at grabbing the lead. Through two restarts and two quick cautions, he maintained his spot in the Top 5. After the fifth caution on lap 71, he was lined up and again ready to make a charge for the lead. The race restarted and the RPM driver looked strong in his run for an impressive finish. As the remainder of the race clicked by, Allmendinger remained in the fourth spot and he was impressively holding off the drivers behind him. When the checkered flag waved, the #43 crossed the finish line in fourth, giving the team its first Top 5 of the season. In addition to being his first Top 5 of the year, it was also Allmendinger’s second best finish of his career after he finished third in last year’s Daytona 500. At the end of the day, the excellent run for the team was much needed after a year of being an underdog.

Stage 3:
Comeback of the Race: Busch Goes from Starting Last to Finishing Eighth 

        Since his rookie season five years ago in the NSCS, Kyle Busch has been one of the most successful drivers in the series. In 2005, he won Rookie of the Year honors with Hendrick Motorsports after winning two races. In 2007, Busch won the first NSCS race in the brand-new COT car the series was testing at Bristol. In 2008, after moving to Joe Gibbs Racing, he grabbed Toyota’s first win in the Cup Series at Atlanta Motor Speedway. In addition to those historic achievements, Busch had a grand total of 18 wins coming into today’s race, including a win at Watkins Glen in 2008. However, all his previous experience at the Glen and in the Cup Series wouldn’t help him today. Busch was scheduled to roll off in the tenth position, but he shockingly came to pit road during the pace laps before the green flag waved. He reported to his team that a lead weight, which is legally allowed to be attached to the frame of the racecar, wasn’t welded properly against the chassis in the right rear. The team took off the right rear tire and added an aluminum spacer to keep the weight attached and prevent further problems. The repairs were completed before the race began and Busch returned to the track. However, per NASCAR rules, he would have to start at the back for pitting before the green flag. Instead of starting tenth, the Nevada driver would be starting 43rd on a difficult road course for passing with only a limited time to move to the front. As soon as the green flag waved, though, Busch was on the move. By lap 10, he was sitting in 24th position with a fast Toyota. Through green flag pit stops and a restart, Busch gained several more spots. However, he was dealing with another issue at the same time. His throttle spring, which is connected to the engine and regulates the speed the racecar travels based on the driver’s throttle pressure, had broken and Busch had no idea if his throttle would stick driving around the track. However, he managed the issue throughout the race and seemed to be steadily improving. When the second caution waved on lap 42, his crew chief, Dave Rogers, decided to employ a strategy move to help the team comeback from the adversity at the start of the event. Busch came down pit road with some other drivers for four tires and fuel while most of the leaders stayed on track. Despite restarting a little deeper in the field, Busch used the fresh tires to gain several positions and slide into the Top 15 on the leaderboard. Instead of staying out as long as he could, though, Busch came down pit road during the green flag pit stops around lap 57. Fortunately for him, the third caution waved on lap 62 and he cycled back out in around the twelfth spot for the restart. Busch gained two spots on the restart before a quick caution waved. When the race restarted again, Busch made a move underneath Jeff Burton in turn 7 to take the ninth spot when Burton clipped Jimmie Johnson. While Johnson spun up the track, Busch was able to avoid and take the ninth position without receiving any damage. When the race restarted for the final time after the fifth caution, Busch maintained his spot in ninth and looked to grab an incredible Top 10 after his struggles before the race. As the end of the race neared, he was still sitting in ninth with hopes of another restart. The white flag waved and Busch was still fighting in ninth. Thanks to a flat tire for Kevin Harvick on the last lap, Busch managed to move into eighth place as the checkered flag waved. While he is a NSCS winner and an eighth-place finish isn’t incredible, Kyle Busch fought back from a rare problem before the race to grab a Top 10 finish.

Stage 4:
Memorable Moment: Bowyer and Martin Swap Final Chase Spot as the Fight for the Championship Nears

        Today’s race was the 22nd event of the season for the NSCS, but it was also the fifth race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship begins. With such a limited amount of time before the 12-driver championship field is decided, each race means more to the championship contenders. For Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin, Watkins Glen proved to be an interesting race for their title hopes. Bowyer entered today’s event in the 12th and final transfer spot to the Chase with a 34-point advantage over the 13th spot. Martin began the race today in the 13th position in the points standings looking to overcome that 34-point deficit. Watkins Glen, which is prone to strategy shake-ups and mechanical issues for top contenders, offered the perfect opportunity for the two drivers to swap positions. Ultimately, the high-speed road course proved to be a day of changes in the standings for Bowyer and Martin. Bowyer qualified poorly and started the race in 34th while Martin started several spots higher in 24th. However, neither driver stayed in those positions. In the first 50 laps of the race, Bowyer moved from outside the Top 30 all the way to 14th with a very fast Chevrolet. Martin, on the other hand, dropped back in the first 30 laps of the race and by lap 50, he had fought back to 25th. Around lap 60, though, their races and the championship picture began to change drastically. Just after his pit stop, Bowyer reported to his team that something had broken on his racecar. Shortly, pieces began to come out the back of his car in turn 7 and he reported to the garage for repairs. His team quickly went to work on the chassis components of the car as one of the pieces on the track was a cover for the driveshaft. Meanwhile, Martin was employing some strategy and he was the leader as most of the field pitted. On lap 62, the third caution waved because of Bowyer’s debris and Martin was stuck on the track as the leader, but he hadn’t pitted yet. During the caution, he came down pit road for service and he returned to the race deep in the field. Bowyer’s team worked hard to fix his mechanical issue during the caution and he returned to the track before the restart, but he had lost three laps and was sitting in 36th with a desperate need to make it back onto the lead lap. Two quick cautions waved after the restart and Bowyer was able to gain two of his laps back while Martin gained a few positions. When the race restarted for the final time after the fifth caution on lap 71, Bowyer would be stuck a lap down, but he raced hard hoping there would be a caution. Martin began to gain a few spots and points as he looked to move into the 12th position in the championship fight. When the checkered flag waved, Martin come home in 19th while Bowyer gabbed a dismal 32nd place finish after an excellent run. Martin managed to move into the 12th spot in the points standings with a ten-point advantage over Bowyer. When the 12 drivers fighting for the championship are decided at Richmond in four races, Bowyer’s mechanical issue could become a memorable moment if he misses the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Stage 5:
Terrible Luck: Road Course Ringers Suffer Mechanical Problems and Crash Hard at Watkins Glen

        Of the 43 drivers that competed in today’s Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, 12 of them can be considered road course ringers, which are drivers who excel on road courses and have plenty of experience around right turns. Whenever NASCAR runs at road courses, the field is typically invaded by several drivers who run the road course events instead of the full schedule. While Montoya, Allmendinger, Ambrose, Robby Gordon, Sam Hornish Jr., Max Papis, and Scott Speed are full-time drivers in NASCAR’s highest series, the rest of the road course ringers only run at Sonoma and Watkins Glen. At the end of today’s race, Montoya, Allmendinger, and Ambrose were left with excellent finishes at their niche race tracks while the rest of the contingent of ringers struggled and were left with disappointing finishes. Scott Speed was one of the ringers left with a terrible finish. He started in eighth in his Red Bull Racing Toyota and in the first ten laps, he was staying strong in that position with former champions and race winners struggling behind him. However, around lap 12, he reported to the garage with a transmission issue. Speed returned to the track several laps later after repairs, but he stalled at the exit of pit road with another problem and this one ended his day. He ended up finishing 43rd after the possibility of a Top 10 vanished. P.J. Jones also had issues during the race. Jones entered the race in a second car for Robby Gordon Motorsports and he started the event in 39th. In the first run of the race, he began to move towards the Top 30 when his day ended abruptly. He slowed heading towards the bus stop of the track and stopped in the runoff area in the turn, which resulted in the first caution of the day on lap 28 for NASCAR to move his racecar. Jones was having a fuel pump issue and his day ended there, which saddled him with a 41st place finish in his third start of the year. Ron Fellows had a good day turn bad in a rare appearance in a Cup car. He started 21st for Tommy Baldwin Racing and he was running around the Top 20 in his unsponsored car when a stroke of bad luck impacted him on lap 41. He was racing hard with Regan Smith when the two drivers made contact in turn 1. Fellows slid up the track while Smith straightened out his car. Fellows looked to have his car saved, but Smith slammed into his right front tire, which destroyed a suspension component. The team was unable to fix the broken part and Fellows ended up finishing in 40th after a promising day. Boris Said was the next ringer to have a problem on track. Said started in 13th and from the start, he moved into the Top 10 and ran with the best NASCAR has to offer. When the race restarted after the third caution on lap 62, Said and Tony Stewart began to battle hard on track for eighth. As they exited turn 1 on lap 66, the two drivers fought hard for the preferred line entering turn 2, neither one letting up. Stewart turned Said as they approached turn 2 and Said went spinning up the track. He backed hard into the outside barrier and his Toyota was heavily damaged. Somehow, the entire field slipped by his damaged racecar and no one else was involved in the incident. However, for Said, his race was over due to the hard crash and he was left in 38th position after a Top 10 run. Finally, Robby Gordon was the last ringer to suffer major trouble. The three-time winner in the NSCS started 15th and he was staying around the Top 15 when he reported to his team around lap 15 that he didn’t have third gear in his Toyota. The issues plagued him throughout the race and he continued to fall back in the pack until he brought his car to pit road late in the event with engine and transmission issues. The DNF left Gordon with a 37th place finish and a terrible day overall for his team. When the checkered flag waved after 90 laps at the Glen, only five of the 12 ringers were in the Top 20 with five more sitting outside the Top 35. It turned out to be a bad luck day for most of the ringers in today’s NSCS race as mechanical issues and on-track contact plagued the right turn experts.

        After 90 laps of intense racing around the left and right turns of Watkins Glen, the NSCS heads to the 2-mile Michigan International Speedway for a more familiar oval race. MIS has some of the fastest speeds in NASCAR today with drivers entering the turns at over 200 mph. As they do that, other drivers will surround them and make handling in the corner a struggle for 200 laps. Plus, with only four races left before the Chase field is decided, several drivers will be fighting hard for positions while others will be looking to avoid damage, which could shake-up the entire point standings. Finally, Michigan races typically involve strategy and the team with the best pit calls will find itself in victory lane, which could allow a surprise winner to take the win. As the series rolls into the Irish Hills next Sunday, many things could change for the 43 drivers in the race. In addition to the storylines concerning the championship fight and the track, several drivers have stories heading into Michigan, Kevin Harvick went from sixth to eleventh on the final lap at Watkins Glen today thanks to a flat tire, but he maintained the points lead and he heads to Michigan with motivation to keep his championship run going. Denny Hamlin finished in a dismal 37th today after crashing with Jimmie Johnson, but he heads back to Michigan where he won last time the NSCS was there. Finally, Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton grabbed Top 10’s in today’s race at Watkins Glen and maintained their Top 3 positions in the points with a desire to gain some points on Harvick before the Chase begins. Today’s race at Watkins Glen was filled with strategy decisions, close racing for positions throughout the field, spins and crashes, a frustrated Denny Hamlin, and a triumphant victory for Juan Pablo Montoya.

(More Stats Down Below!)




Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 28- P.J. Jones stopped on track in the bus stop.

2nd Caution: Lap 42- Joe Nemechek and Bobby Labonte made contact in the bus stop, which caused Nemechek to go sliding through the grass and Labonte to spin around on the racing surface. Nemechek managed to drive away. Labonte stalled his car as the field raced by and NASCAR was forced to throw the caution. 

3rd Caution: Lap 62- Debris from Clint Bowyer’s car was spotted on the track in turn 7.

4th Caution: Lap 66- Tony Stewart bumped Boris Said entering turn 2 as the two drivers raced hard for position. Said spun up the track and backed hard into the outside retaining wall, which ended his race.

5th Caution: Lap 71- Jeff Burton bumped Jimmie Johnson slightly in turn 7, which sent Johnson up the track and into the outside wall. Denny Hamlin didn’t know where to go in the smoke and he slammed into the side of Johnson’s car, which ended his race. Johnson continued in the race.

Lucky Dogs:
1st Caution: Travis Kvapil
2nd Caution: Elliott Sadler
3rd Caution: Kevin Conway
4th Caution: Clint Bowyer
5th Caution: Clint Bowyer

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Juan Pablo Montoya
2nd: Kurt Busch
3rd: Marcos Ambrose
4th: A.J. Allmendinger
5th: Carl Edwards

Notables Not in Top 5:
7th: Tony Stewart
8th: Kyle Busch
10th: Jeff Gordon
11th: Kevin Harvick
13th: Matt Kenseth
15th: Martin Truex Jr.
17th: Kasey Kahne
19th: Mark Martin
20th: Brad Keselowski
26th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
28th: Jimmie Johnson
32nd: Clint Bowyer
33rd: Joey Logano
37th: Denny Hamlin




Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2010_Heluva_Good_Sour_Cream_Dips_at_The_Glen/W
-Image:
http://blog.syracuse.com/sports/2010/08/juan_pablo_montoya_wins_nascar.html
-Full Race:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qwM6cVvsk0A

My Thoughts: Matt Kenseth vs. Joey Logano at Martinsville

         It's been a while since I've wrote about NASCAR on my website. It has been hard to find the time to write about the sport of NASCAR that I love and I have missed the opportunity to write about a good many things this year. Today, though, I'm going to change that. I hope to take advantage of writing some more to end this year and throughout the 2016 season. The reason I'm writing today is because of what happened in Martinsville, Virginia Sunday afternoon. So far, we have been through two rounds of the Chase: the Challenger Round and the Contender Round. The Challenger Round was filled with action as Denny Hamlin went on to win and advance at Chicagoland after spinning early in the race. At New Hampshire, Matt Kenseth punched his ticket to the Contender Round with a victory. More on Kenseth here shortly. In the final race of the Challenger Round at Dover, Kevin Harvick, who blew a tire and crashed at Chicagoland after contact with Jimmie Johnson, won a must win race to make his way into the Contender Round and keep his drive for a second consecutive championship alive. The Contender Round had a single winner in three races: Joey Logano. Logano won at Charlotte, then at Kansas, and then he closed out the round sweep at the massive Talladega Superspeedway. It wasn't all easy for him, though. At Kansas, Logano was running second behind the driver who had led the most laps in the race, Kenseth, with five laps to go. Kenseth desperately tried to hold off the Charlotte winner with a few blocks, but Logano was having none of it. He bumped the leader with five laps to go and the driver of the Dollar General Toyota found himself spinning and without a win in order to move to the Eliminator Round with a deep hole heading to Talladega. Let's just say Kenseth was not a happy man. At Talladega the next week, Logano battled hard all day with the present day King of Talladega, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt absolutely dominated at Talladega, but on the only green-white-checker restart because of NASCAR's rule change before the race which stated the race would only have one of those restarts instead of the usual three, Kevin Harvick caused a questionable wreck and ended the race just as it restarted. At the time, Logano was barely ahead of Earnhardt and the 2015 Daytona 500 winner was in victory lane for the third straight time and the 2014 Daytona 500 winner did not move on to the next round of the Chase. That brought the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series to the Martinsville Speedway for the first round of the Eliminator Round where eight drivers were now left to battle for a spot in the Final 4 to battle for the championship at Homestead. What happened at Martinsville Sunday was something we have come to expect from the tight half mile track, but no one could have predicted how the wrecking and crashing and payback would affect the future of the sport.

        Joey Logano came into the Eliminator Round with three straight wins and he quickly proved he would be a formidable force by taking the pole for the Goody's Headache Relief Shot 500 at the famed Martinsville Speedway. He was the early and often leader of the race. Drivers like Martin Truex Jr., Brad Keselowski, Kurt Busch, and others all made their way to the lead before the halfway point of the race, but Logano still continued to pass these drivers and lead the race at different points. Around lap 400, Logano was still a big figure in the race as he continued to work with his teammate, Brad Keselowski, to keep the two Team Penske drivers at the top of the running order. On lap 436, all of that quickly took a turn. On the restart following the fourteenth caution, Logano chose the outside line while his teammate lined up to his inside. Matt Kenseth, who had stayed pretty quiet all day, lined up behind Logano for the restart. As soon as the green flag dropped, Logano crossed over in front of his teammate heading into turn 1. Keselowski allowed him in and the two looked to run away, but Kenseth had other plans. The Joe Gibbs Racing driver slid his car to the outside of Keselowski and the two began to battle. Coming off turn two, Keselowski slid up into Kenseth and the two beat and banged exiting the turn when Keselowski had enough and spun Kenseth around. The spinning Dollar General Toyota spun down the track and Kurt Busch slammed into his nose, ending both driver's chances for a win. Keselowski did not get away without damage either as he had a flat tire and some suspension damage to his Ford. With that, three Chase drivers were involved in an accident, but the worst was yet to come for one.

        In all of that, Joey Logano was able to drive away and not be a part of the big accident. He was pleased with that one the radio and he prepared for the restart once again. On this restart, he checked out on Jeff Gordon and looked to pull away for the win, depending on if a caution did not wave. About ten laps after the restart, Logano saw something in front of him that he did not want to see: Matt Kenseth. Kenseth's crew had managed to fix his damaged race car and he was back on track running a few laps to gain points, but still nine laps down. The tension was obvious for most of the field as the leader approached his recently made enemy. Going to complete lap 454, Logano passed Kenseth to the outside as the injured Toyota ran way slower compared to the blazing fast Ford. Kenseth, though, gained a lot of speed very quickly. Kenseth started bumping Logano heading into turn 1 and the Toyota driver did not even mash the brakes as he pushed the leader straight towards the wall. Both drivers plowed into the wall hard and both came to a stop on the race track, cars steaming and tempers steaming even more. To sum it up, Kenseth, the lapped driver, had just wrecked Logano, the leader of the race and competitor in the championship battle. The crowd roared at Martinsville as both drivers stayed in their cars in order to follow NASCAR rules about leaving crashed vehicles. Once the ambulances arrived, both drivers hopped out of their cars and entered the ambulances without a fight or any altercation. Still, Logano was mad and it was obvious based on his attitude outside of the car and on the radio. He had not only been cost a win, but he had been cost a chance at insuring he moved on to the final four at Hometead. This left both drivers certainly out of the race and Jeff Gordon inherited the lead. Gordon walked away with his first win of the season in his last season, but the story I want to talk about today is between Logano and Kenseth. Before I give my opinion, I want to discuss what I think both Logano and Kenseth were thinking during the race and previously to. First, we will start off with Logano.

        To Joey Logano, everything that happened at Kansas was fair and in the past. When he bumped Kenseth with five laps to go at Kansas, it was strictly fair. Kenseth had blocked him on several occasions while leading, even putting him in the wall at one point. Logano got frustrated, bumped him with five laps to go, and took his second win of the Contender Round. It was something pretty much everybody had done before. Dale Earnhardt Sr. had done it plenty of times to “rattle his cage” and it was just racing. Because of that, Logano moved on and came into the Eliminator Round having won three straight races and it looked like Martinsville would be his fourth. He qualified on the pole and he led 207 laps when lap 455 came around. Now, at this position, he knew Kenseth had been wrecked. He knew his teammate had been taken out in it, but that still left his major road block and enemy out of the race. He felt safe. He felt like now he had no competition for this race and he would be moving on to race for the championship at Homestead. Then, he saw Kenseth out his front windshield. I believe the panic set in for Logano. He knew this was the place for a little payback. Martinsville is the slowest track on the circuit and Kenseth could bump him, wreck him, and pretty much do anything he wanted without a real problem. But Kenseth was nine laps down and there was just no way he would wreck the leader and mess up the championship. After he convinced himself of this fact, he went to Kenseth's outside and made the pass down the frontstretch. The pass was no big deal and he could see the driver of the Toyota enter his rear-view mirror. Then, he felt a little contact. Then, he felt a hard shove in the corner. Finally, he felt his race dominating car slam into the wall and he rolled it to the bottom of the track. Logano was livid. Not only had something that was past and gone completely hurt him, but he had missed out on winning a race and insuring he would be racing for the championship at Homestead. He handled it very well. He climbed out of his car, entered the ambulance, went to the infield care center, handled the media interviews about the incident, and returned to his car, hoping to run some more laps. But, I can promise you with certain fact, he put that incident in the memory bank and Matt Kenseth will certainly feel retribution for his actions sooner rather than later. Now, what was Kenseth's mindset after Kansas and then at Martinsville?

       Kenseth started his narrative livid. He was leading the race at Kansas with five laps to go. This was his chance. He had a terrible Charlotte and finished next to last with only a win saving his Chase at either Kansas or Talladega. If he won this race, he knew he would be moving onto the Eliminator Round and would surely be battling for the championship after surviving that round. He did everything he could to keep that lead in the last few laps. He blocked Joey Logano fairly and held onto his lead without wrecking him. Plus, there was no reason for Logano to risk a car because he had won the previous week at Charlotte and was guaranteed to move onto the Eliminator Round. Logano wouldn't push it, would he? Kenseth felt like he wouldn't, but then he felt a bump going into turn 1. Then, he felt his car spin around. Then, he felt his race slip away. He didn't hit anything, but he needed fresh rubber and he would have to start at the back of the lead lap following the incident with only a couple laps to catch back up and win. Kenseth was livid. Logano had just wrecked him while he was leading for no reason and now, he was in a huge hold heading to Talladega, where everything was unpredictable. He finished fourteenth, but he now needed a win at Talladega to move on to the Eliminator Round and it was quite hard. In the end, he didn't win at Talladega and his championship was finished. It was all Logano's fault. This made him even more upset, but here came his chance: Martinsville. He had been running better there in the past few years and he could race Logano for position and show his displeasure. Throughout the race, Kenseth had been doing that. He was right near the front racing around Logano and just waiting for his chance. The restart after the fourteenth caution looked perfect. He got to Brad Keselowski's outside with only one driver in front of him: Logano. He saw his chance coming for some nice payback. He would be right there to battle Logano and, possibly, wreck him if he was afforded the opportunity. Then, he felt a bump. And then another bump. Finally, for the second time in three weeks, he felt himself spinning and getting slammed by another driver. This wreck was caused by Brad Keselowski this time, Logano's teammate. Now, he went from battling for second to having a very damaged race car. He was again livid. Logano caused this. Logano and Keselowski had been rigging the restarts all day and they had finally wrecked the guy they wanted to. Finally, Kenseth had enough. His crew got the car fixed and he had only one goal by returning to the track: find Logano and deal with him. He was very slow riding around the track and then he looked up in his mirror and saw his enemy coming behind. He finally had his chance. Logano passed him on his outside heading down the frontstretch to complete lap 454 and he made the most of his opportunity. Kenseth bumped him heading into turn 1, didn't touch the brakes, and plowed Logano straight into the wall, destroying both of their cars. He didn't care. A destroyed car or not, he had accomplished his goal: wreck Logano. Kenseth climbed from his car guilty for wrecking the leader, but so happy for unleashing payback and gaining a legion of cheering fans. In his mind, Kenseth had done the right thing and proved not to mess with him once again, which was what he wanted to do no matter what. After looking at both sides, I want to quickly discuss my side and conclude today's entry.

         I believe Kenseth did the right thing in getting payback. What happened at Kansas on Logano's part was uncalled for. Matt Kenseth led that race fair and square and Logano never made a move to pass him. He just dumped the leader of the race and drove away like nothing happened. I truly think Logano was scared to see Kenseth win because he knew that the experienced veteran would be a challenge for the championship. So he just drove into turn 1 at Kansas, bumped Kenseth, and drove away for the win. To me, that is not how we should be racing. We should battle side by side and if the other guy is faster, try as hard as you can to work his inside or outside and make the pass. Drivers have to prove that they should win the race and they should do it fairly. Still, Kenseth picked the wrong time to get paybck. If the two were on the same lap and battling for position, he could easily bump him and it would be no big deal. Instead, he took the opportunity when Logano was leading and he was nine laps down with crash damage. No matter how angry you are, you can't wreck the leader if you are laps down. That isn't fair and isn't one of those racing deals. To conclude, I agree with Kenseth giving payback, but not the time he gave the payback. Today, though, NASCAR handed down a bogus penalty for Kenseth. I knew he would get one. I figured it would be the same thing as Jeff Gordon got for wrecking championship contender, Clint Bowyer, in 2012 at Phoenix, which was a $100,000 fine and a loss of 25 points. But, instead, NASCAR suspended Kenseth two races. That is complete and utter nonsense, really. Crazier and worse things have happened like Carl Edwards wrecking Bard Keselowski at Atlanta in 2010 where Keselowski almost flew into the fence and landed on the other side with the fans. Plus, Kyle Busch wrecked Ron Hornaday Jr. under a caution in the NCWTS race at Texas in 2011 and only received a one race suspension. Busch risked the lives of track workers going full speed under caution and he didn't get anything near what Kenseth got. NASCAR really needs to work on setting fair precedents, in my opinion. In reality, the only reason Gordon didn't get more of a punishment in 2012 is because of the name above his door and the amount of exposure he brings to the sport, but that is a discussion for another day. I hope you guys enjoyed this new idea I'm trying. I'm going to try and continue this for the race weekends to end 2015 and continue it in 2016. I'll pick a topic to discuss from the previos race weekend and you guys can expect to see it on either Monday or Tuesday, depending on time. I also have a couple other ideas floating around so watch out for those. Thanks for reading and you guys will hear from me again soon.




Credits:
-Videos of Brad Keselowski/Matt Kenseth Restart Crash and Matt Kenseth/Joey Logano Crash
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s6K_Wjexick
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qn5uBJXKtm0
-Race Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2015_Goodys_Headache_Relief_Shot_500/W
-Image:
http://www.gannett-cdn.com/-mm-/1ed8c84a15c8b805c0083e6e818fdb8e58e9ac68/c=170-0-3829-2751&r=x513&c=680x510/local/-/media/2015/11/01/USATODAY/USATODAY/635820022867169351-kenseth-logano.jpg

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