5 Questions Before ... Ford 400

Five questions probably won’t be enough for all the questions so many have heading into the weekend (and the offseason), but I’ll give it my best shot. After all, this will be the next to last “5 Questions Before/After” column until Daytona. My goodness, where did the season go?




Here are some questions on my mind heading into the (sniff) season finale…





Who will win the championship? … This one is the biggie. When was the last time we went into a weekend and didn’t have a pretty good idea of who would win the title? Most would probably answer Homestead-Miami Speedway in 2004. It’s been a long time coming, and now we have a fight on our hands. With Denny Hamlin leading Jimmie Johnson by only 15 points and Kevin Harvick by only 46, it will be a season NASCAR fans will remember for a long time.





Will the title be decided by a fuel mileage race? … It wouldn’t be the first time fuel mileage played a role in a race at Homestead, which can be the most exciting (yet nerve-wracking) type of racing as long as it’s not your favorite driver involved. While a battle between Johnson and Hamlin for the victory on the final lap of the race would probably be a more ideal situation, involving the crew chiefs and pit crews at the very end of the championship race would be very interesting as well. Judging by last weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway, a fuel mileage race could very well cause a huge points shakeup that would turn the heads of race fans everywhere. Can you tell I’m excited?





Can the Fords continue their upswing? … With Carl Edwards winning his first race in two years last weekend in Phoenix, Elliott Sadler’s pole run at Texas Motor Speedway a couple of weeks ago, and Greg Biffle continuing to rack up top-10 finishes it seems the Ford Racing camp is building up some momentum for the 2011 season. History shows that this track traditionally favors the Fords, with six of the 11 races run here won by a Ford driver. Add to that the name of the race is the Ford 400 and I’m thinking we may see a Ford in Victory Lane this weekend!





How much trash-talking will we hear this weekend? … Already, press conferences involving crew chiefs, owners, and drivers have included a heavy dosage of trash talking and mind games, not to mention all the post-race ego-trips that have occurred at least once a week since the Chase for the Sprint Cup began at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. From the Friday press conferences, sponsor-related driver appearances, and countless pit road and garage interviews that will occur between now and the drop of the green flag, there will plenty of time for the championship contenders to drop a few hints to their competition.





What happens after Homestead? … Aside from Champion’s Week in Las Vegas, and a testing session at Daytona International Speedway to try out the new racing surface, there isn’t much to keep race fans entertained over the offseason. While some use other favorite sports such as hockey or football to keep them entertained, others employ the business of the holidays to pass the time until Daytona rolls around. However, if this race lives up to expectations, there will be plenty to talk about between now and then.





Bonus Questions: Where did the season go?! … How many times will ESPN show the points dropdown during the race? … Who will need to be practicing their speeches before the banquet?



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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Kobalt Tools 500k

As Brian Vickers so eloquently put it on Twitter, “Going to be an awesome weekend in Miami for NASCAR. If you're a fan and not excited you might want to check your pulse!” For a while, it seemed as though Denny Hamlin might run away with the race and that he may secure himself his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship before we head to the season finale. Not so fast! Fuel mileage ultimately locked up the points, shrinking the margin to just 15 points between Hamlin and four-time and defending champion Jimmie Johnson. Plus, Kevin Harvick still has something to stay about this title, just 46 points behind Hamlin head into Homestead. Still not excited? Yeah. That’s what I thought.




Here are some questions on my mind after this weekend’s races…



So who IS the favorite? … Do we go with Hamlin, the new kid on the block who seems to be getting the hang of this NASCAR thing? Should we go with the seasoned champion who hasn’t lost a championship since 2005? What about the veteran who dominated the regular season standings? Regardless of who comes away with the trophy this weekend, there’s no doubt that all three are extremely deserving of the title “2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.” But between now and Sunday, hundreds if not thousands of predictions will be made from within NASCAR Nation on which of the trio of competitors will leave Homestead with a big check, a big trophy, and an even bigger smile. Of all the predictions, though, it doesn’t seem like any one person agrees on whom exactly is the clear cut favorite to win it all.





Why was Denny Hamlin so mad after the race? … I know that Hamlin was obviously frustrated about losing a race that was his to win and leaving Phoenix with a slimmer points margin than he had originally hoped for. However, if I hadn’t known any better, Hamlin’s reaction after the race would have had me thinking he lost the points lead as a whole and now had to try and gain it back next week. Instead, he still has a 15 point lead over Johnson and 46 over Harvick. It’s not necessarily the most settling points margin a driver has ever had, but it’s better than not having the lead at all right?





Are Johnson and Knaus showing some cockiness? … I wouldn’t normally describe Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus as the “cocky” type, but after Phoenix they seemed to have quite a bit to say. Here is what Johnson said after the race: “I know what my mindset is and I hope the pressure of us being on his (Denny Hamlin) heels really works on his mind throughout the course of the week – he and his crew. Those guys better be on their toes. Not only do they have the 48 to worry about, but they have the 29 (Kevin Harvick) and one race winner take all – it’s going to be one hell of a show.” Hmm … you would think the pressure would be on Johnson to beat the No. 11 team, rather than hoping that they can “worry” that team out of a championship. I’m sure it’s all an attempt at mind games—similar to what Hamlin and his crew chief Mike Ford were saying in their press conference after Texas—it’s interesting to hear trash talk from the team that is currently behind points.





Did anyone even care that Carl Edwards won? … The fact that this is the fourth question out of five speaks volumes. The focus right now is on the championship, a fight that Edwards has no dog (or duck) in. The last few seasons, Homestead has been a virtual lock, so focusing in on the individual race winners wasn’t much of an effort. Now, top-10 runs by non-Chase drivers are overlooked, storylines are limited to the three drivers in the title hunt, and even winless streaks being broken isn’t enough to turn our attention away from the points standings. If Edward’s traditional victory backflip—and trek into the grandstands—isn’t enough to grab our attention for even a little bit, I think it’s safe to say this might be one of the most memorable NASCAR seasons in recent years.





Is Kevin Harvick “lurking”? … Sorting through all of the pre-weekend madness, it seems most are focusing mainly on Hamlin and Johnson and almost completely discounting Harvick as a threat to the title. Harvick has a “Where did he come from?” racing style, constantly tricking people into thinking he’s a non-factor only to show up in a final sprint to the finish, usually coming out on top. Heading to a racetrack where Harvick has finished in the top five in three of the last four races, “Happy” has them right where he wants them.





Bonus questions: Where did Kasey Kahne think he was going with that fuel can? … How nice was it of Jamie McMurray to offer Jimmie Johnson his water bottle? … How many times will Carl Edwards go up in the grandstands before he is kidnapped?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... AAA Texas 500

Who predicted that Texas Motor Speedway would provide the best race of the season? Come on, show of hands! Ok, those of you that put your hand up, put it down because you are lying! When you ask people what track will have the best race of the season, most will answer Daytona, Bristol, Talladega or Martinsville. The answer will most likely not be one of the 1.5-mile racetracks that most race fans wish would disappear right off the face of the earth. However, the racing was fantastic, there were enough storylines to satisfy any TMZ journalists taking a peek at NASCAR, and even old school race fans got treated to some of their favorite past times. Now we have a new points leader and … wait a minute, you mean Jimmie Johnson may not win the title this year? Whoa!




Here are some questions on my mind following the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway…





Why were Jeff Burton and Jeff Gordon fighting? … I never thought I would be putting Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, and fighting in the same sentence. Gordon and Burton, two of the most respected individuals in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series garage area, tangled after lap 191 incident in which Burton shoved Gordon up the racetrack in what he claims was an attempt at an apology. Gordon walked down the racetrack to the apron and before even saying a word to Burton shoved him and even threw a punch before the two drivers were separated by NASCAR officials. When I saw Gordon walking towards Burton, I seriously didn’t expect him to get physical. Apparently the officials weren’t either since they seemed just as shocked as everyone else. However, the fans were quick to scream their approval and it’s the talk of the town heading into Phoenix. P.S. A lot of fans were upset the officials got in the way of the drivers. People, we didn’t want them to kill each other! I think it went as far as it should. Who knows when they would have stopped had the officials not been in the way?





How much are Kyle Busch’s fingers worth? … Apparently 25 grand! NASCAR announced earlier today that Busch would be fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation until December 31st for a double-finger salute Busch threw to a NASCAR official while serving a one lap penalty for trying to beat the pace car off of pit road. He was docked two more laps for the gesture. Busch threw out a profanity-laced tirade with every swear word in the book while crew chief Dave Rogers begged Busch to keep his mouth shut and his fingers to himself. It was thoroughly entertaining and I wouldn’t bet on Busch never doing it again.





What was Chad Knaus thinking? … if you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, or have read any of my other columns this week you know I’ve already beat this dead hose until its black and blue. I’m thoroughly annoyed that the “win as a team, lose as a team” mentality that both Knaus and driver Jimmie Johnson both preach as gospel was thrown out the window on Sunday because the pit crew was too slow. Knaus decided to switch the No. 48 pit crew with the No. 24 pit crew once Gordon was officially out of the race. After the race, Knaus actually had the gall to say he wanted his guys back when they went to Phoenix next weekend. Yes, Knaus, your crew will gladly come back and help you out after you benched them for bad stops while you yourself failed to give Johnson a racecar that could race for the win. Instead, he barely finished in the top 10. Thankfully, the switch was announced to be permanent by Hendrick Motorsports. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Gordon’s new pit crew won him a race before the season is out, possibly beating his own teammate to do it?





Does Denny Hamlin have it in the bag? … Past history shows that no driver in the Chase era has ever lost the points lead with two races to go. However, a 33 point lead is inconclusive at best, especially heading to Phoenix International Raceway which is one of Johnson’s best tracks (what track isn’t one of Johnson’s best tracks?!). While it seems most are ready to see a new champion, actually having a good fight for it on the final lap at Homestead wouldn’t be too much to ask for, would it?





Has Ford decided to show up? … Biffle, the only Ford Racing driver who has really done anything this year, led nearly 230 laps in Sunday’s race but a gear problem prevented him from challenging for the lead at the end. However, teammate Matt Kenseth came from a lap down to challenge Hamlin for the win, making a last ditch dive-bomb effort to steal the victory. Hamlin would eventually take it, but Kenseth gave it his best shot. Also, Paul Menard continues to shut doubters up and came home with his sixth top-10 finish of the season. However, Menard is jumping ship to Richard Childress Racing and Chevrolet next season. Still, not bad for a “daddy’s boy.”



Bonus questions: Is there one Joe Gibbs Racing driver flying under the radar? … Did Martin Truex Jr. forget how to drive on Sunday? … Would revolvers have made that race anymore exciting?

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5 Questions After ... Bank of America 500

Now that we’re halfway through the Chase for the Sprint Cup, the true contenders for the championship have emerged and we look to be set up for a three-man sprint to the finish between Jimmie Johnson (shocker!), Denny Hamlin, and Kevin Harvick. Now, heading to some of their best racetracks, we can only hope the points battle remains close and exciting until the final lap at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Who is the favorite for the championship? … The obvious answer would be your four-time and defending champion Jimmie Johnson. However, with the exception of Martinsville this weekend, Johnson’s best tracks are behind him. Though Johnson has enjoyed an enormous amount of success at Martinsville Speedway, winning six times and only ever finishing outside the top 10 once, Denny Hamlin is no slouch at the Virginia racetrack either. In fact, Johnson and Hamlin have combined to win the last eight races there. Meanwhile, Kevin Harvick has some good racetracks coming up, including Talladega Superspeedway in which he is the most recent winner. If these three can keep each other in close proximity the rest of the season, it will be a fantastic battle for the 2010 Sprint Cup Series title.


Did Kasey Kahne quit on his team? … Or did his team quit on him? Kasey Kahne made an early exit from the Bank of America 500 on Saturday night following a wreck with Sam Hornish Jr. on lap 124. While his No. 9 Budweiser Ford returned to the racetrack, Kahne was not in the car. Replaced by J.J. Yeley, initial reports said that Kahne wasn’t feeling well and decided it was best not to continue on. However, speculation seems to say that not only was Kahne not feeling well health-wise, he was very much aggravated with the performance of his racecar. He admitted later to a meltdown of sorts in the car following the wreck after what he felt like were weeks of less-than-stellar performances. Thankfully for Kahne, there are only five races left in the season before him and crew chief Kenny Francis head to Red Bull Racing in 2011, then to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012. Homestead probably can’t come soon enough for Kahne.

Is Jimmie Johnson invincible? … Not only did Johnson come back from a lap 34 spin to finish third, he also avoided carnage that happened right in his area of the racetrack. In the first caution of the day, Ryan Newman spun just as he was attempting to pass Johnson on the high side. In the next caution, Kurt Busch spun his racecar after racing with Johnson just a lap or so earlier. Johnson would then take his own credit for the third caution, losing control of his car coming off of turn two. He didn’t hit anything and was able to continue on from there. Later, teammate Jeff Gordon would have an alternator issue that slowed him down dramatically and almost got run over in the process. He switched to a new battery just as Johnson was coming back around to lap him. It seems not only is Johnson incapable of hitting anything, he’s also bad luck for his other competitors!

How many Chase drivers will Jamie McMurray out-perform before the season is out? … McMurray’s win on Saturday now has McMurray with more wins this season than eight of the 12 drivers in the Chase. He has also earned more points than every Chase driver except for Johnson, Hamlin, and Harvick since the Chase began at Loudon. It’s a shame that the only thing that kept McMurray out of the Chase was inconsistency and bad luck.

Did that last caution cost Kyle Busch the victory? … To be honest, no. McMurray had already caught Busch before the caution for “debris” flew and bunched the field up for one last sprint to the finish. While it was definitely exciting to watch, no one really seems to think that piece of debris actually existed. Busch definitely didn’t think so, shouting basically every profanity known to man-kind on the scanner after McMurray passed him on the final restart. After the race he sarcastically assumed that the caution was because a mouse ran across the track. However, it doesn’t matter. Busch just got beat. McMurray was clearly faster than Busch before the caution came out, and he flat out beat him on the restart. Maybe the caution didn’t seem all the relevant, but McMurray was most likely going to win either way.

Bonus questions: What kind of beer was in that beer can that caused the fourth caution? … Will the new ethanol-based fuel make the competition “green” with envy? … Does Jeff Burton now know what it’s like to drive through a blizzard?

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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Price Chopper 400 presented by Kraft Foods

Three down, seven to go. Kansas Speedway played host to the third race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup and we left with a new (but familiar) name atop the Sprint Cup standings. Four time and defending champion Jimmie Johnson came into the race 35 points behind Denny Hamlin and left with an eight point advantage over the driver of the No. 11 Toyota. The Chase features some of Johnson’s best racetracks, so it’s no surprise to see him leading the points and it would be no surprise if he kept it.




Here are some questions on my mind following the Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway…





What happened between David Reutimann and Kyle Busch? … Most of you probably remember the war of words between Reutimann and Busch following the fall race at Bristol Motor Speedway earlier this season. Busch criticized Reutimann’s driving skills and Reutimann fired back calling it the “stupidest comment I’ve ever heard anybody say.” On Sunday at Kansas Speedway, Busch got into Reutimann on lap 52 and admitted after the race the incident was entirely his fault. On lap 155, Reutimann slid up into Busch’s left rear quarter panel, wrecking himself and ruining the rear end of the No. 18 Toyota. Busch finished 21st one lap off the pace and Reutimann finished 35th 11 laps down. Busch criticized Reutimann for retaliating in a Chase race, thereby affecting Busch’s chances of winning the championship. Amanda Vincent posted a great article here on Skirts and Scuffs asking if Chase drivers should be treated differently. Be sure to give us your thoughts in the comments section!





Is the championship over? … Since the Chase’s implementation in 2004, only twice has the points leader after Kansas NOT gone on to win the championship. In 2009, Mark Martin led Jimmie Johnson by 18 points following the Price Chopper 400 at Kansas Speedway. Johnson went on to win the championship. In 2006, Johnson was in eighth and 165 points back from points leader Jeff Burton. However, following a 24th place finish at Talladega Superspeedway the following week, Johnson never finished outside the top two until the final race of the season at Homestead-Miami Speedway where he finished 9th. Johnson has the best track record in the remaining seven races in the Chase among any of the other Chase drivers and would need somewhat of a meltdown to lose this championship. Johnson’s closest competitors (Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Carl Edwards) have never won a Sprint Cup Series championship but at this point have the best shot at unseating Johnson and company from their four year reign. Can any of them do it?





Is Greg Biffle the most underrated driver in the garage area? … Most people would give that title to drivers like Matt Kenseth and Jeff Burton. However, Biffle continually flies under the radar even though since 2004 he hasn’t been any lower than 14th and points and could become the first driver to win a championship in all three of NASCAR’s major series (Camping World Truck Series, Nationwide Series, and Sprint Cup Series). Biffle won his second race of the season last Sunday and his second victory at Kansas Speedway. He is currently eighth in the points, 85 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. He probably won’t win the championship, but then again he has snuck up on us before. Biffle may not be the greatest driver in the 43-car field on any given Sunday, but we should definitely give him more than just a passing glance.





Where did Paul Menard come from? … After a restart on lap 196, Paul Menard took the lead from Jamie McMurray after some pit strategy calls. He proceeded to lead for 11 laps and had a strong lead over second place until race winner Greg Biffle drove up and took it from him. It was surprising seeing Menard up there, as the driver of the No. 98 tends to take some criticism from race fans that say Menard is only racing because of funding from his father John Menard. Though that may be true to a point, Menard has had his moments in the spotlight. Menard was in the top 10 points for the first six races of the season and has five top 10s thus far in 2010, more than all of his top 10s in any previous seasons combined. Menard might deserve some of the criticism he gets, but he’s shown marked improvement this season.





Are the Fords “back”? … Paul Menard wasn’t the only Ford enjoying a strong run in the Price Chopper 400. Roush Fenway Racing cars Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and even Matt Kenseth led some laps on Sunday and all three of them finished in the top seven. A.J. Allmendinger also finished in the top 10 after leading several laps the previous weekend at Dover. For most of the first half of the season, one of the biggest stories was the downfall of RFR and Fords in general. Now it seems they are picking up the pace and a few of their drivers could be dark horses for this championship.





Bonus questions: Is it just a coincidence that the drivers in the cutesy Toyota Sponsafy-Your-Ride commercials got together on Sunday? … Couldn’t Harvick have been a little happier? … Did Biffle maintain enough speed to cross the start/finish line this time around?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Sylvania 300

The Chase for the Sprint Cup started off with a bang as fuel mileage had fans holding their breaths in the final few laps of the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. Running low on fuel, Tony Stewart and Clint Bowyer ran first and second, respectively, with just a few laps remaining. Coming to the white flag, Stewart ran out of gas and Bowyer had just enough to cross the start finish line first with points leader Denny Hamlin right on his back bumper. As expected, there was a major shake-up in points and we can only wonder if we’re getting a glimpse of what the championship will look like at the end of the season.




Here are some questions on my mind following the Sylvania 300…





How much do we really know about the championship? … You’ve probably already heard (or maybe said yourself) that once race doesn’t mean anything for the championship. However, the statistics don’t lie. Since the implementation of the Chase in 2004, only once has any driver lower than second after the Chase-opening race at Loudon gone on to win the championship. Back in 2006, Jimmie Johnson was 9th in points and 139 points out of the lead after Loudon. However, an astounding run with five finishes in the top two in the remaining nine races gave Johnson the championship that year. Aside from that season, if history repeats itself we may very well be seeing Denny Hamlin holding the trophy come Homestead.






What does this mean for Clint Bowyer? … Every time Clint Bowyer has been in the Chase he has finished in the top five in points. Neither time was he considered a huge threat for the victory and was hardly considered a dark horse. Yet again, though, Bowyer has taken us all by surprise and not only won, but dominated, the first race in the Chase. Sure he won by the skin of his teeth on a fuel mileage gamble, but he put himself in position to do so. It’s not as if Bowyer has been a schmuck the entire season. In 27 starts this season, Bowyer has only finished outside the top 10 in 12 races. That’s almost 56% of the races! That consistency earned Bowyer a Chase berth, and he believes it can earn him a championship. Hard to say at this point, but he made it a lot easier on himself and his team with the victory.





Who is in and out of the Chase? … Again, one race doesn’t make the Chase but the statistics show starting it off strong is very important. Several of the pre-Chase favorites to win the championship had problems at NHMS and it shows in the standings. While Kyle Busch was able to rebound from issues he had at Loudon, Jimmie Johnson, Kurt Busch, and Tony Stewart weren’t so lucky. Stewart was well on his way to a win when he ran out of fuel coming to the white flag. Johnson finished a lap down and in 25th after being involved in multiple incidents and eventually having to pit off sequence due to a vibration. Kurt Busch was also involved in multiple incidents and finished 13th. Stewart fell from sixth to 11th in points and is 124 points out of the lead. Kurt Busch fell one position to sixth and is 86 points out. Johnson fell from second to seventh in points and is 92 points out of the lead. While none of these guys are out of the championship hunt by any means, it will certainly be a lot harder to work their way back to the top.





Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. “back”? … Earnhardt finished fourth on Sunday, putting smiles back on the faces of Junior Nation. Earnhardt and Lance McGrew have said they are experimenting with the cars to try and pick up the performance of the No. 88 team. It paid off on Sunday, but who is to say it will continue for the rest of 2010 and into 2011? While Earnhardt, who hasn’t won a race since 2008, believes that the team is moving in the right direction, can he convince his loyal legion of fans (and his harshest critics) of his resurgence?





Will Jamie McMurray outscore the Chasers? … Obviously McMurray can’t earn more points overall than the drivers in the Chase, but he can definitely earn more points in the 10 races than a few others. He’ll probably outscore drivers like Matt Kenseth who hasn’t done much this season and Jeff Burton who has been just consistent enough to stay in the top 12 in points. McMurray was the highest finishing non-Chaser on Sunday in the third position and has some good racetracks coming up. Had McMurray avoided some of the bad luck he suffered earlier this season, he’d be in the Chase where he belongs.





Bonus questions: Is Clint Bowyer a good “hero” for NASCAR? … Did we actually get through a NASCAR weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway without a single rain delay? … Does the Chase still suck?

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5 Questions After ... Air Guard 400

Chase field: Set. Points: Reset. Bonus points: Distributed accordingly. The Chase field has been set, with Richmond being one final race for teams to get those oh-so-important bonus points and for bubble drivers to lock up their Chase berths. Richmond was tamer than most expected, but there were still several drivers in contention for the win and some good racing throughout.




Here are some questions on my mind following the race…



Why was the race so tame? … I felt like the racing was good but there wasn’t near as much drama and fender bending as many expected. So many drivers had nothing to lose and everything to gain by going for the victory on Saturday night, and several drivers did make a run at the win. However, the race was only slowed by three caution flags, including a lengthy yellow for rain, and no one really left the racetrack angry with each other. Denny Hamlin won, the Chase field was set, and everyone smiled, took their pictures, and went home. Definitely not what most were expecting. Speaking of Hamlin…





Are the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Jimmie Johnson’s biggest threat for the championship? … I know one race won’t determine what happens in the Chase, but JGR drivers Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin have been strong through the whole season and have recently picked up the pace. With the exception of one or two others, I can’t think of anyone more prepared to make a run at the title than the JGR duo.





What did we learn about Kyle Busch on Saturday night? … Nothing we didn’t already know, but Busch coming on the scanner with a few laps remaining saying he used up his tires made me think. While it’s not unusual for a driver going for the win at the end of the race to use up his stuff, I’ve always wondered if that was Busch’s biggest problem. I remember Hamlin said after a win earlier this season that sometime last year he “learned how to win.” Basically, he learned how to race at what point in the race, how aggressive to be and when, and how to pace himself. Busch wants to lead every lap of every race. While I would love to say we need more drivers like that, that’s not always the best way to win the race or a championship. I personally love that about Busch, but I feel like he could have won that race on Saturday night had he done it right. I’m not a driver and I won’t pretend to be, but I’ve heard several drivers say the same thing. I just wonder if there’s some way for there to be a happy medium. While on the subject of JGR…





What did Saturday night mean for Joey Logano? … There’s no denying the 20-year-old phenom has talent, experiencing instant success in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. However, I’d recently developed some second thoughts on how successful he’d ever be in Cup, expecting him to have performed much better than he has at this time in the season. Then, on Saturday night in the final stretch of the race Logano was running times similar to and sometimes faster than the leaders. He ended up finishing fourth, putting all three JGR cars in the top five. So, is Logano for real or not?





Is Jimmie Johnson really in a slump? … Johnson finished third at Richmond, and that means what? It means nothing. He’s Jimmie Johnson, four time and defending NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion. Of course he finished third. He finished third the week before at Atlanta. He probably would have finished in the top three at Bristol had Juan Pablo Montoya not gotten a little overzealous. Yes, he certainly did go through a slump a few weeks prior but there are plenty of drivers who would love to have a Jimmie Johnson slump. But that slump is now clearly over.





Bonus questions: Who cut Jimmie Johnson’s “cape”? … Is Marcos Ambrose kicking himself after that slip-up on Saturday night? … Who all is in favor of having Busch wear the “kittens, bunnies, and little baby seals” firesuit every single weekend?



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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Emory Healthcare 500

A Labor Day extravaganza was exactly what race fans needed to get excited on a holiday weekend. With several drivers in clear contention for the victory as the race wound ever close to the checkered flag, no one knew who to expect to pull into victory lane until the final stretch of the race. Now Stewart has broken a winless streak that spanned 31 races and 10 of the 12 drivers in the Chase field has been set with one race to go.




Here are some questions on my mind after the Emory Healthcare 500…



Why did it take Stewart so long to win? … While Stewart has gone longer without a race win, many people were expecting to see a much stronger win column than he has at this point in the season. Last year’s successful trek as a team owner and driver, scoring four victories and an average finish of 10th, set up those high expectations. Stewart hasn’t performed poorly. Rather, it’s been a lack of victories or showing the competitiveness to contend for them. Like always, though, Stewart has started to heat up as we roll into the summertime. Expect more victories to come from that No. 14 Chevy as the season winds down.






How many winless streaks could have been broken? … Several winless drivers this season were in contention for the victory on Sunday night while the regular contenders looked as if they’d just have to take a back seat to those hungry drivers. Drivers like Stewart and Edwards already had a sizeable points cushion in the Chase, therefore with nothing to lose while drivers like Kasey Kahne had no shot at making the Chase and decided to risk it all. Even drivers like Ryan Newman, who is still eligible for that 12th and final spot, showed some “Army strength” as the race wore on. It’s always fun to see a fresh face in victory lane, even if just as little as a year ago they weren’t so “fresh.”





Did Kyle Busch actually go a weekend without winning? … After his three-peat at Bristol Motor Speedway just a couple weeks prior, followed by another truck win last week, Busch was once again entered in all three races this weekend. Only this time, he came up short. Busch suffered in some fuel-mileage strategy in the Truck Series race, still finishing a strong seventh. He was dominant in the Nationwide Series race, as expected, but just got beat by Jamie McMurray. In the Cup Series race, he was a clear contender but he wasn’t dominant. He finished fifth. For the fans that love to hate Busch and are tired of hearing about him all the time, you just got a break. Don’t count on it happening again.





Can we expect Roush Fenway Racing to be legitimate contenders? … Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth are locked into the Chase and, with a clean race at Richmond, teammate Greg Biffle should be in too. While Kenseth hasn’t shown a lot of strength as of late, Biffle and Edwards have both picked it up significantly in the past few weeks and Atlanta was no exception. Even with Biffle’s wreck on lap 152, he was still running strong and would have likely made a run at the victory. Edwards finished a very promising second and could have possibly won that race had it been just a little bit longer. Both drivers say they are certain they can contend for the championship, and up to this point I had doubted that. But now they’re starting to change my mind. If they keep it up at Richmond, we may have to throw in a couple more drivers as a threat to Jimmie Johnson’s reign.





Did anyone else find the Kasey Kahne/Ryan Newman incident somewhat amusing? … Kahne was upset with Newman for turning him down into Kurt Busch, in turn suffering a tire rub. Kahne was one of the dominant cars of the evening and should have been up there with Stewart at the end of the night. Instead, he finished several laps down and understandably was not happy about it. Kahne came back out onto the racetrack and gave Newman a tap of his own, bumping the No. 39 car back two positions. Newman is still mathematically eligible to make the Chase and could have used the extra points. While that was entertaining, it wasn’t the part that had me chuckling. Post-race, Newman walked over to Kahne’s car and stuck his head in the window. The two continued the discussion as Kahne got out, Newman seeming to get more amusement out of the conversation than Kahne was. It was hard to tell if he was laughing or just trying to keep Kahne calm, but it didn’t matter. Had Kahne decided to break out the fisticuffs, Kahne looked like a 12-year-old kid standing next to Newman in what clearly would have been an unfair fight. Maybe I just have kind of a sick sense of humor. But don’t pretend you weren’t thinking it too.





Bonus questions: Is Newman on a quest to aggravate every driver in the garage area? … Was all the drama sucked out of the Chase this weekend? … What did you do for Labor Day?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions Before ... Emory Healthcare 500

Two to go before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins and several drivers could potentially lock themselves into Chase contention. Others, such as Clint Bowyer, are trying to maintain their Chase berth. Bowyer, who is in the cutoff position in 12th, has a 100-point cushion over Jamie McMurray. While that’s a sizeable enough lead, one wrong move, botched restart, or bad call could drastically reduce that margin. It’s an important race for everyone.




Here are some questions heading into the weekend…





How do drivers approach the weekend? … Several drivers are coming into the weekend with different agendas. Drivers such as Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon, who have already clinched a Chase position, and Kyle Busch, who basically has to just start the race to clinch a spot, have nothing to lose. Drivers such as Tony Stewart and Jeff Burton need to finish in the top 20 to clinch a spot, which isn’t totally out of the question. Do they play it conservative or go for the win? Obviously drivers like Clint Bowyer and Greg Biffle need to be careful to ensure they remain in the Chase and Jamie McMurray has already said he’s not worrying about the points. We could see several different strategies on Sunday night.




Who will add to their bonus points? … After Richmond, the top 12 drivers in the standings have their points reset to 5000 and are given 10 bonus points for every win they earned during the regular season. Currently six drivers in the top 12—Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Jeff Burton, Matt Kenseth, and Clint Bowyer—are without victories this season. Of those drivers, Gordon and Edwards probably have the best shot at gathering some bonus points before the Chase, with seven wins between the two of them at AMS. Then again, drivers like Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson will be doing everything they can to add to their bonus points before Loudon. Who is your pick?





How will the stands look? … While AMS is keeping its Labor Day date for next season, it lost its spring date. Atlanta has had spotty attendance for a while now, and hopefully two dates will boost the number of tickets sold for a single race date. Understandably, fans of the racetrack aren’t very happy about losing a race date. However, with more demand for tickets now that there is only one chance to go, hopefully the move will do more good than bad.





Will McMurray’s mindset change? … As noted, McMurray has said time and time again that he’s not worrying about the points. Sitting 100 points outside of the Chase, it’s not likely that he’ll be able to outrace Bowyer by enough in just two races to clinch a spot. But, what if McMurray gets a lucky break? What if Bowyer wrecks on the first lap because of a bad restart or has some kind of mechanical failure? Certainly McMurray’s crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion will be screaming on the radio that it’s time to go. If McMurray knew that suddenly he had the perfect opportunity to capitalize on someone else’s misfortune, would he spring into action? Or continue with his mindset that points aren’t for him to worry about?





Will Kyle Busch continue his dominance? … Busch has won the past four NASCAR races he has raced in, and while Atlanta isn’t his strongest racetrack, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him carry that through over this weekend. Busch will be in all three races this weekend and is peeking at the perfect time heading into the Chase for the Sprint Cup (as opposed to 2008 when he floundered at the worst time possible).





Bonus questions: Did everyone forget about Mark Martin? … Will Jimmie Johnson continue this recent string of, um, well, nothing? … Jeff Gordon too?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions Before ... Carfax 400

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, which means the teams will be racing in the backyard of some of the series' leading manufacturers (Ford, Chevy, etc.). Meanwhile, Toyota is attempting to steal the show for the third race in a row. With the schedule sliding ever closer to the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, intensity is picking up with every lap.

Here are some questions on my mind heading into the weekend …





Will Roush Fenway Racing continue to improve? … With Biffle’s win at Pocono a couple of weeks ago and Carl Edwards finishing in the top five the last two races, Michigan would be the perfect time for RFR to show continued improvement. Three of their drivers have multiple victories at MIS and only one DNF across all four drivers. Even David Ragan, who is not typically a front-runner, has a couple of top 10s and has led a few laps. The last time RFR won at MIS was back in 2008 in the 3M Performance 400 presented by Bondo. Will we see an RFR driver in victory lane come Sunday?





Will we see a big shakeup in the top 12? … Three drivers are within 100 points of 12th-place Mark Martin this weekend, which means one wrong move and Martin could easily fall out of the Chase. None would be more ready to capitalize on Martin’s misfortune than Clint Bowyer, who fell out of the top 12 in points after a mechanical malfunction at Watkins Glen. Bowyer is only 10 points away from Mark Martin, which is really only the difference between not leading a lap and leading the most laps. However, Martin’s statistics at MIS are much more impressive than Bowyer’s. Martin has 5 wins and has led nearly 1,000 laps to Bowyer’s zero wins and only 7 laps led. Granted, Martin has 40 more starts at MIS than Bowyer, but MIS has not typically been a good racetrack for Bowyer. He’ll have to step it up to compete with the likes of Martin.





Will we see another fuel mileage race? … Let’s be honest. MIS isn’t necessarily a race that fans circle on their calendar. Racing has a tendency to get strung out, with clean air usually proving to be more important than track position. The most memorable races (finishes) at MIS are usually the races where drivers, fans and especially crew chiefs are holding their collective breaths, waiting to see if their driver will be able to coast to the finish. Last season, Brian Vickers capitalized on Jimmie Johnson’s empty tank when the No. 48 ran out of fuel with just a couple of laps remaining. Mark Martin won in similar fashion in the spring race at MIS, coincidentally also passing Johnson after he ran out of fuel. Maybe Johnson and Chad Knaus need to try a different strategy this time around.





Can Dale Earnhardt Jr. pick it up this weekend? … I’d kind of be beating a dead horse by saying Dale Earnhardt Jr. is struggling this season, so I’ll refrain from making such an obvious statement. However, MIS has typically been a kind weekend to Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt has only finished outside the top 15 once since 2005 and even has a victory here in 2008 (and don’t start the griping about it being a fuel mileage race. A win is a win). Another promising statistic for Jr. Nation is that Earnhardt Jr. has finished 99% of the laps he has run at the racetrack. So even in the midst of a gloomy season for the No. 88, MIS is definitely a race that Earnhardt Jr. and his fans can look forward to every season.





Will we see another streak broken this weekend? … Several big name and very talented drivers have been shut out of victory lane for a very long time. And many of them have good records at this racetrack. The last few races have showcased some underdog stories, with drivers who were facing long losing streaks breaking into victory lane. It’s been fun to see some fresh faces in the winner’s circle, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see it continue this weekend.





Bonus questions: Can Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson cool their feud by this weekend? … Anyone glad that we aren’t talking about Denny Hamlin’s knee as much as we were the last time we raced here? … Anyone think Brian Pattie will make a call for two tires if it comes time to make the decision?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen

No more road courses for the remainder of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, but the last one put on quite a show! Juan Pablo Montoya dominated the entire race, though Marcos Ambrose put up quite a fight. Meanwhile, several drivers left the racetrack very angry with each other, but what else is new? Would it be too corny to say it was a “Heluva Good!” race?

Here are some questions on my mind following the race…



Is all well between Juan Pablo Montoya and Brian Pattie now? … Race fans have more access to their favorite teams than any other sports fans, which means heated exchanges between a driver and his crew chief become public feuds. For the last few weeks, Montoya and Pattie haven’t exactly seen eye to eye on things, making highlight reels on any NASCAR television show. While I doubt they’ll be hanging out away from the racetrack anytime soon, hopefully the win on Sunday helped patch things up between the two.





Can Marcos Ambrose catch a break? … The same could have been said for Montoya if he had lost the race, but Ambrose’s string of bad luck has been more well documented and generated more sympathy from race fans. As the race wound down on Sunday, it became clear that Ambrose was most likely not going to catch Montoya without a caution. For a while, Ambrose was able to maintain second place but was passed by Kurt Busch with just a few laps remaining and radioed to his crew he thought he had a soft tire. While it wouldn’t have been surprising for some sort of bad luck to bite Ambrose at the end of the race, many race fans were holding their breaths hoping the beloved Aussie could hold on for just a few more laps. He did, and finished the race in the third position. However, there are more than a few race fans who would have rather seen Ambrose in victory lane than Montoya.





Will Kurt Busch ever let it go? … NASCAR drivers are known to hold grudges, usually waiting until the worst possible moment for the other driver to retaliate from a previous incident. Insults are hurled from behind a microphone and a camera (but strangely rarely face to face), racecars are used as weapons, and fans are left begging for more. Usually, though, cooler heads prevail, the rivalry simmers down, and everything returns to normal. One week before Watkins Glen at Pocono, though, Kurt Busch and Jimmie Johnson crossed paths and it didn’t go very well. Busch left upset with Johnson, and Johnson claimed, “he’s never been very fond of me.” While Busch used to be known as somewhat of a hot head, he had recently taken on a much cooler persona and acted more like a well-respected champion than a quick-tempered hotshot. However, the Friday before the Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at the Glen, Busch addressed the media and referenced, not just Johnson, but all of Hendrick Motorsports as “pretty boys.” Alright, so he was still upset about what happened at Pocono. He would move on once the green flag flew at Watkins Glen, right? Nope! In the post-race press conference, Busch again took a shot at HMS by saying it was a good race because, “without having anything go wrong, not running out of fuel, not having a flat tire, not getting run over by a Hendrick car feels pretty good.” Hmm… Busch and Johnson weren’t around each other very often in Sunday’s race. Should we watch for retaliation the next time they are?





Is Clint Bowyer sweating bullets? … The race for the 12th and final spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup gets tighter every weekend. However, Bowyer had been able to maintain the 12th position for a while and keep Mark Martin on the outside looking in. The tables turned last Sunday, though, when Bowyer faced mechanical problems and had to head to the garage for a few laps. He returned to the racetrack three laps down and gained back two of them before the race was over. He is sitting 13th, ten points behind Martin. Ryan Newman and Jamie McMurray are both within 100 points of the Chase now too. That’s four drivers for one position. Someone is going to be unhappy.



Are road course races becoming more popular? … Most NASCAR fans prefer ovals to road courses and feel two on the schedule is more than enough, while well-rounded race fans who like all forms of motorsports seem to prefer road courses to ovals. The last few road courses, though, have put on a great show and many NASCAR fans have seemed to enjoy every single lap. Even in the inaugural race at Road America in the Nationwide Series received high reviews from race fans. Respond in the comments section….. do you prefer road courses to ovals?







Bonus questions: Did Boris Said’s hair get in the way when Tony Stewart turned him? … When are people going to start blaming Johnson’s “struggles” on the new baby? … Why did it seem like so many cars lost pieces of the car over the weekend?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions After ... Brickyard 400

The Brickyard 400 turned out to be a very surprising race. Several dark horse runners were up front for most of the race, while the expected contenders never challenged for the victory. Add to that mix the string of overheating racecars that had to hit pit road less than 20 laps into the race, and “bizarre” might accurately describe all the goings-on at “The Brickyard” on Sunday afternoon.

Here are some questions on my mind following the race on Sunday…

Did Jamie McMurray’s win upset anyone? … Almost every driver has haters to go along with their loyal following of fans. There seems to be a group of people for every driver that cheers for their demise and shouts with triumph whenever that driver suffers any misfortune. But this Sunday, was anyone unhappy with Jamie McMurray? Was anyone walking away from the race angry because of who was in Victory Lane? Any driver that was asked about McMurray’s win (or even if they weren’t) seemed genuinely happy for the Missouri native who at this time last year wasn’t even sure if he had a ride in 2010. Now he has two Sprint Cup Series victories, both of which came in the biggest races of the season. Most (if not all) fans were celebrating right along with McMurray, happy to see the feel-good, underdog story of the season continue.

Where were the Hendrick Motorsports drivers? … Everyone and their mother were picking either Jimmie Johnson or Jeff Gordon to win the Brickyard 400. Yet when Sunday rolled around, they were nowhere to be seen. Though Johnson was able to lead a lap, he spent most of the race outside the top 15 and a lap down. Gordon never ran any higher than 7th, which is only one position better than he started. Johnson and Gordon ended up 22nd and 23rd, respectively. Mark Martin, who has been practically non-existent this season, was the highest finishing HMS car this season in 11th. And, for the sake of not leaving out the most popular driver in NASCAR, teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 27th. This was the first time since Dover back in May that we did not have an HMS driver in the top 10 at the end of a race. Don’t expect it to happen again anytime soon.

Does Juan Pablo Montoya have any luck? … For the second year in a row, Juan Pablo Montoya was the dominant car, led the most laps, and still came up short. Last year, it was a speeding penalty that Montoya swore on his wife and kids was a sham. Last Sunday, a late race call for four tires put JPM back in the seventh position. Montoya fell back a few spots and on lap 146 smacked the wall coming off of turn four, collecting Dale Earnhardt Jr. Montoya drove behind the wall with heavy right side damage, and left the racetrack without comment. Crew chief Brian Pattie took responsibility for the incident, saying the call for two tires would have been the right one. Um … yeah?

Who knew grass could be so destructive? … A first lap incident involving Kyle Busch and Sam Hornish Jr. caused mass chaos when the race resumed after a few laps under caution. Busch had spun coming off of turn two, collecting Hornish and a few other cars. The spinning racecars kicked up some grass onto the racing surface, and started a frenzy of unscheduled pit stops when the grass found its way into the engines of the racecars. Mass chaos ensued as mini-geysers started spewing from the overheated engines, making it seem like the drivers were racing at Yellowstone National Park instead of Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Eventually, a blown engine from Max Papis on lap 15 gave everyone a chance to catch their breath and fix the problem. Hey, at least it wasn’t tires, right?

Where did the RFR cars come from? …. Almost every week, someone brings up the struggles of Roush Fenway Racing this season. None of the four have won a race this season, and the last time any RFR car won was with Jamie McMurray back at Talladega in October (Hmm…). On Sunday, though, Greg Biffle was running up front for most of the race, leading 38 laps and never running any lower than 12th. Excuse me, but where has this been all season? It’s not as if IMS is a fluke racetrack where anyone and everyone have an equal shot at winning. Not only did Biffle do well, but his teammates finished strong too with all four of them finishing in the top 20. Biffle was racing an R&D car, and I would imagine it was given a passing grade. Could this be the turnaround RFR is looking for, or will everything go back to the status quo once the green flag flies at Pocono?

Bonus questions: Can Chip Ganassi please pick my lottery numbers for me? … Does Jamie McMurray like the taste of burnt rubber to go with his bricks? … Is Kyle Busch’s title “King of the Restarts” only relevant in the Nationwide Series?

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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions Before ... LifeLock.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway

Hey Skirts and Scuffs readers! Miss me? It’s been a while since I’ve done this column. Hopefully I’ll be able to keep up with it more consistently in the near future. Thanks for reading!




It’s to the “Windy City” for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this weekend, as all 43+ teams head to Chicagoland Speedway for the LifeLock.com 400 for the second Saturday night race in a row! Kevin Harvick will be gunning for two in a row at the 1.5-mile racetrack while Jimmie Johnson is looking for his third win in the past four races. This will be Chicagoland’s third race under the lights, so it’s a guarantee that sparks will be flying throughout the entire 400 mile race.



Here are some questions I have heading into the weekend…





How much talk will we hear about Jimmie Johnson’s new baby? … If you didn’t see the story already here on Skirts and Scuffs, Jimmie and wife Chandra welcomed a little baby girl into the world on Wednesday. If you remember how Jeff Gordon faired after the birth of his daughter, Ella Sofia Gordon, the media blamed any and all struggles he had on little Ella. If Johnson struggles at all in Chicagoland or at any other track afterwards, you can bet that a lot of people will be wondering if it’s due to the newest addition to the Johnson family.



Jeff Gordon has how many starts? … This weekend, Jeff Gordon will make his 600th consecutive start in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Gordon made his very first start at Atlanta Motor Speedway in 1992 in the Hooters 500. He finished 31st that day after a crash. 371 top 10s, 68 poles, and 82 wins later, Gordon has enjoyed a career that many others will only ever dream of. And he’s not finished yet! Though Gordon’s last win came in the Texas spring race in 2009, he has come close on many occasions thus far in 2010. How neat would it be for Gordon to win his 83rd career race in his 600th consecutive start?



Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. continue his recent surge? … Earnhardt has been on a hot streak in the Cup Series as of late, finishing in the top 11 in the last four races. Before Michigan, Earnhardt had an average finish of 17th. Since then, he has averaged an 8th place finish. Add a Nationwide Series win at Daytona last weekend and NASCAR’s most popular driver has quite a bit of momentum on his side! Earnhardt’s Chicago statistics have been all over the board for Earnhardt, with a win back in 2005. His average finish is 15th, with an average finish of 16th in the last three races. Flip a coin and decide whether or not you’ll put Earnhardt in your fantasy lineup for this weekend because your guess is as good as mine!



How much has changed in a year? … We’re (already!) halfway through the season and many changes have already been noted: the resurgence of Richard Childress Racing, the downfall of Roush Fenway Racing, and, oh yeah, “new” Kyle Busch. One surprising disappearance from competition, though, has been Mark Martin. Martin, the defending champion here at Chicagoland Speedway, had three wins at this point last season. This year, Martin has yet to break into Victory Lane and hasn’t finished higher than 4th. While Martin’s statistics this season might be respectable to a lesser driver, they pale in comparison to last year’s triumphs and in Martin’s career statistics as a whole.



How does the top 12 in points fare at Chicagoland? … Among the current top 12 drivers, they have a combined seven wins: Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart have two apiece while Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each have one. There have only been nine races total at this racetrack. Harvick, Gordon, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Jeff Burton, Stewart, and Earnhardt Jr. have been in all of them. The top 12 drivers have a combined average finish of 14.1. Jimmie Johnson has the best (shocker!) at 8.1.



Bonus questions: Can Kasey Kahne get the monkey off his back? … Can someone teach Kyle Busch how to take a deep breath and count to 10? … Who will fall out of (or move into) the top 12 in points after Chicago?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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Jimmie, Chandra Johnson Welcome Baby Girl into the World

UPDATE: Jimmie and Chandra announced on Sunday that their daughter will be named Genevieve Marie

It appears congratulations are in order for NASCAR’s four time and defending champion Jimmie Johnson and wife Chandra. Earlier today (July 7, 2010,) Chandra gave birth to a healthy baby girl. Both mother and daughter are doing well.

No other details have been announced yet, so check back right here at Skirts and Scuffs for the latest on the newest addition to the Johnson family!

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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media

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Weddings, Mullets, and Bigfoot? What have the Gillette Young Guns done NOW?

We’ve all seen the hilarious Gillette Young Guns commercials aired during the races. It’s likely that you’ll remember the “Newman!” commercials or the ads with John Cena getting pummeled by your favorite Yong Guns. It doesn’t matter, they’re all funny. Even if they aren’t aired on television anymore, they’re forever available for our viewing pleasure on YouTube.




Now, Gillette has a new line of Young Guns commercials out to promote their Gillette Fusion ProGlide razor. Gillette has released six new videos to promote the new razor, and each of them will have you busting a gut and begging for mercy.





Here are a couple of them for you to enjoy:



This is called “NASCAR Wedding Crashers.” We can’t help but wonder why Clint Bowyer is standing with the bridesmaids?









Ever wondered what Kyle Busch or Ryan Newman would look like with a mullet? You can find out at Mullet Nation!









Want more?



Watch all six videos by clicking here and then vote on your favorite!



That is, if you can pick one.....


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. This is the second time I have worked with Gillette to promote their campaign.

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5 Questions After ... Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target

Did we just leave Pocono or did we just leave Martinsville? It seemed like every driver left the racetrack angry on Sunday afternoon except for race winner Denny Hamlin as many different feuds surfaced and entertaining sound bites were played after 500 miles at Pocono Raceway. Yes, at Pocono. I know. Shocking.




Here are some questions from the race this weekend…



Who won the race again? … Denny Hamlin may have won the race on Sunday but no one really seemed to care. Between Logano/Harvick, Allmendinger/Kahne, and Stewart/everybody else, the race winner was the least of everyone’s concern. Hamlin led more laps than any other driver at this track and had already won three times previous, so it was no shock to see the No. 11 Toyota pull into victory lane. Reporters had already written that headline long before the green flag flew. Short track tempers were flaring at a 2.5-mile oval that isn’t known for its particularly rough and tumble style. However, it was a pleasant surprise to many race fans and very few people were talking about the first 150 laps of total domination by Hamlin and Clint Bowyer. Speaking of which…





Where did Clint Bowyer go? … Bowyer dominated much of the early portion of the race, leading 59 of the 200 laps. However, after a pit stop left him in dirty air and behind the Joe Gibbs Racing teammates of Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, Bowyer slid back further and further until he was out of contention completely. He was never much of a threat again, though he was still able to finish a strong 9th. It was definitely strange, though, to see a car go from so dominant to a non-issue. Still, though, it really shows the comeback Richard Childress Racing has made after last season when their drivers rarely were in contention for victories. For a while, Bowyer seemed like the car to beat.





Since when does Joey Logano have a mean streak? … Let’s be honest. Logano is probably one of the nicest people in the garage area. He can usually be seen with a smile on his face in even the toughest of circumstances and usually has a better attitude than even the most seasoned veterans of the sport. However, drivers have a tendency to push him around because of it. While Logano is an aggressive racer, he’s not a dirty driver and isn’t really known as someone who will intentionally wreck another driver for position. However, on Sunday, something snapped. He had had enough. On the last lap, Kevin Harvick and Logano were racing for the 5th position and things went south in a hurry. Harvick ever so slightly bumped Logano’s left rear quarter panel and sent Logano spinning. He never hit anything and worked his way up through the pack to the 13th position for an impressive comeback. It’s amazing how much faster a driver can go when they’re livid. Post-race Logano parked his car right up against Harvick’s No. 29 car and got out, yelling who knows what to (or at) Harvick. The crews kept the two drivers separated and Logano eventually walked away. That wasn’t the surprising part, though. Everyone expected Logano to snap eventually. It was his post-race comments afterwards that had everyone’s jaws on the floor. He called Harvick “stupid” and said of him: “I guess it’s not his fault. His wife wears the fire suit in the family and she tells him what to do, so it’s probably not his fault.” Wow! That’s definitely not the Joey we all know and love, though he more than likely gained a few fans after changing his style. Is this the “new” Joey Logano?





Why did things completely fall apart pre-race? … We made it through driver introductions. We made it through the invocation. We made it through the national anthem. We even got the engines fired and the cars out on the track. And just as the green flag was about to wave … the skies opened. A monsoonal storm swept through the area leaving a river of sorts in the garage area. It didn’t last very long and the track dried relatively quickly. Maybe too quickly. One of the jet driers was down along the exit to pit road and blew off some seams on the racing surface. A chunk of track flew up exposing a large pothole. Everyone’s mind immediately flew to Daytona earlier this season where fans waited through two very lengthy red flag periods to fix a pothole in turns 1 and 2 during the Great American Race. Apparently the folks in Pocono can patch a hole much quicker than those in Daytona and it was sealed up in about 15 minutes. Cones were sitting around it the entire race, and somehow all managed to stay put. Looking back on it, it was actually quite humorous. At the time, though, fans all over were slapping their foreheads and saying, “Not again!”





How have double-file restarts worked out so far? … Sunday marked the one year anniversary of the implementation of double-file restarts in NASCAR. Last season, many actually felt like the Pocono race was competitive because of the new restarts and was hoping for more of the same on Sunday. Though most of the race itself was dominated by one driver or another, the restarts were phenomenal. At one point, there was a five-wide battle for the lead between Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer, and Jimmie Johnson. Though they didn’t play much of a factor in the final restart of the race—Hamlin’s car was too strong—it was still exciting to see some of the daring moves made on the wide racing surface of Pocono Raceway.





Bonus questions: Did anyone tell Tom Logano that Father’s Day wasn’t until June 20th? … What will Hamlin do with that giant razor he was rewarded with after the victory? … Who wears the firesuit in your family?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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5 Questions Before ... Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 presented by Target

From “The Beast of the Southeast” to “The Tricky Triangle”, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads from one tough racetrack to another. Pocono Raceway is a very difficult racetrack to maneuver, mostly because of its distinct shape and unusual characteristics. Instead of on an oval where there are four identical corners, Pocono has three unique turns. Turn 1 has 14 degrees of banking, Turn 2 has 8 degrees, and Turn 3 has 6 degrees. All three have different characteristics of different types of racetracks, though overall the track seems to resemble that of a flat racetrack like Indianapolis or Loudon.




Here are some questions heading into the weekend…



Will Jimmie Johnson make a rebound this weekend? … I refuse to be fooled into believing that Johnson is now down and out. Every single year the No. 48 team has a dry spell where everyone says they are basically out of it. They won’t win another championship. This is finally the end of their reign. I’m not buying it, and no one else seems to be either. Everyone is waiting for Johnson, Chad Knaus, and the entire 48 team to rebound sometime. When they do, everyone will roll their eyes, throw their hands up in the air, and say, “I knew it!” It’s a matter of when, not if. This weekend at Pocono wouldn’t be a bad start. In 16 starts at this track, Johnson has 2 wins, 5 top 5s, 10 top 10s, and 2 poles. His average finish is 10th. Johnson finished 7th at this race last season, and 13th in the fall race. Call me crazy, but it sounds like this would be a perfect track for Johnson to brush off all of the “slump” talk and show everyone that was all it was: a slump. A string of bad luck. Whatever you want to call it, though, it won’t last forever. They will be back. If not this week, then sometime soon. You can’t keep a good team down!



Can Kurt Busch keep the winning streak alive? … Busch has a fantastic record so far this season, and most recently has been putting up some stellar results. Busch has won the last two races, including the All-Star race, and hasn’t finished outside of the top 20 since Phoenix in April. Can Busch make it three in a row this weekend at Pocono Raceway? Past results say it is very possible. Busch has won twice at this racetrack and has completed 95% of the laps run here. If anyone has momentum right now, it’s the No.2 team and they’re going into Pocono with their eyes on the prize. Keep an eye on the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge in Sunday’s Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500.



Is Denny Hamlin the favorite heading into the race? … He certainly seems to be! Hamlin, like Busch, has been running very well as of late, putting up some strong numbers at the halfway point in the “Race to the Chase.” Hamlin isn’t too shabby at Pocono either. Hamlin will be returning to the site of his first career victory, and to the track where he is the most recent winner. Hamlin has won three times in only eight starts at this racetrack, and only twice has he ever finished outside of the top 6. He has completed all but two laps and has always qualified 16th or better. It’s a very good track for a very successful driver on a very strong team. They’re the obvious choice for any serious fantasy player and will almost certainly be very competitive the entire weekend.



How boring will the race be? … I’ve already named three drivers that are potential shoe-ins for the victory, but that doesn’t mean all three of them will be fighting for the lead once the laps are winding down. Pocono Raceway isn’t particularly known for its exciting racing. In fact, if you ask race fans which is the most boring track on the circuit, most of them will respond by saying Pocono with no hesitation. Any driver that has ever won a race at this track has more than likely dominated with little or no threat from the other drivers. Double-file restarts made their debut here a year ago and seemed to spice up the racing a little bit. Maybe they can save the day again this year if one driver tries to stink up the show.



Who will Kyle Busch aggravate this weekend? … There’s no point into going in Busch’s career statistics at Pocono. Lately the story hasn’t been about his finishes or his performance. They’ve been about his feud with another driver. For two weeks in a row, all we’ve heard about is Busch having some sort of issue with a fellow competitor. First it was his teammate Denny Hamlin; then it was one of the most laid back drivers in racing with Jeff Burton. Maybe it’s time for Busch to lay low for a while instead of frustrating the people he has to race with. However, that’s highly unlikely. Busch is going to race hard against his competition without even a thought towards what they’re going to think of him afterwards. To him, nothing matters but winning and if he’s in Victory Lane it really doesn’t matter how the other drivers fell. It may not be a popular attitude, but it’s Busch’s style. Just don’t expect any of the other drivers to spontaneously move out of his way if they see him coming.





Bonus questions: If Pocono is the “Tricky Triangle” than why isn’t Indianapolis the “Reckless Rectangle”? … Does Pocono Raceway hand out complimentary sleeping bags at the front gates? … What will it be like to not hear “Boogity, Boogity, Boogity” for the first time this season?

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5 Questions After ... Coca-Cola 600

Drivers can now cross out the date of the longest, most grueling race of the season: the Coca-Cola 600. If drivers can make it through this race, they can make it through any race. Winning this race can define a driver’s career and Kurt Busch is no doubt more than happy to add his name to a star-studded list of past 600 winners. Yet Busch can’t seem to take the spotlight without younger brother, Kyle, quickly stealing his thunder. Kyle may have the headlines, however, but Kurt has the trophy. That’s all that really matters, right?




Here are some questions regarding the races this weekend…



Is Kyle Busch bound and determined to anger every driver? … Or just most of them? Jeff Burton is one of the most mild-mannered drivers in the NASCAR garage area. He’s even been nicknamed “The Mayor” for his outspokenness on issues in NASCAR. Yet, on Sunday night, Burton was seen wagging his finger in Busch’s face and raising his voice at the No. 18 driver. Burton was frustrated by a move Busch had made on a restart, making it three wide between Burton, Busch, and Kenseth. Busch made contact with Burton, cutting down the No. 31 car’s left rear tire. Burton went from a top 10 finish to finishing off the lead lap. The heated exchange on pit road post-race, though, raised many eyebrows because of Burton’s normally laid-back demeanor. The week previous, Busch was feuding with teammate Hamlin. Though nothing ever happened outside of the media center between the two this week, Busch definitely isn’t making any friends this season.





Has the golden horseshoe been laid to rest? … Yes, the horseshoe jokes are getting old very quickly. You have to admit, though, that watching Johnson struggle so badly has been quite the shocker. Oh sure, at some point the past four seasons Johnson has struggled, luring us into a sense of security and leading us to believe that this will finally be the year he loses the championship. Normally, though, his “struggles” haven’t been struggles as much as they’ve been a lack of victories. In previous seasons, Johnson would quietly hang around the top 5 or top 10, not necessarily challenging for victories. Yes, he was a player in the Chase, but all the “experts” seemed to dismiss him as an actual title contender. Then, out of nowhere, the No. 48 team would start clicking off victories and they were once again back in the title hunt. This year, though, has been different. At first, “struggles” seemed to be just as they had been before: a lack of victories. Lately, though, the No. 48 team has truly struggled. In the last five races, Johnson has only finished on the lead lap once, and two of those finishes were DNFs. Not good. While the finishes don’t necessarily show the performance (they’ve led 270 laps in the past five races), the finishes are really hurting the No. 48 team. They are in no danger of missing the Chase, and there’s no reason to think they won’t rebound. Still, though, the recent failures of the team have made them seem almost (gasp!) human. Is it too early to say we may have a fight on our hands after all?





How is Kevin McDowell doing? … That’s a name that most of you probably aren’t familiar with so let me explain who it is first. Kevin McDowell is the rear tire changer for Greg Biffle’s No. 16 car. In Sunday night’s race, Tony Stewart sideswiped McDowell and sent him to the infield care center. He was later transferred to a local hospital. No word has been made yet of McDowell’s condition, though he was said to be in good spirits on his way to the infield care center on Sunday night. Our thoughts and prayers are definitely with him and we hope to see him back in action on pit road again soon!





Did anyone expect Kurt Busch to be this good? … Yes, Busch was strong last year. At the end of last season, Busch had accumulated 2 wins, 10 top 5s, and 21 top 10s. He ended up 4th in points. It was a pretty impressive season for the driver of the No. 2 Dodge for Penske Racing. This year, though, Busch is getting a much stronger start. Busch had two wins all of last season. He has already won two races this season in only 13 starts, and three races if you include the All-Star race. He has more top 5s and just as many top 10s at this point as he did last season. When people were making their preseason predictions for the championship, not many people said the name “Kurt Busch.” Maybe “Kyle Busch”, but if they said Kurt it was most likely a slip of the tongue. Busch has been this year’s “dark horse” runner for the championship. Right now, he’s out-running drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and even younger brother Kyle. If he continues this performance through to the Chase, we may see Busch challenging for a second NSCS title.





How much did Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi enjoy Sunday? … Sunday was without a doubt the greatest day of the year for motorsports. It always is. 1100 miles of racing between the Indianapolis 500 and the Coca-Cola 600 is always a day that race fans look forward to every year. Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi are two of the most revered figures in auto racing and both of them would have multiple cars competing in both races. Ganassi had drivers Dario Franchitti and Scott Dixon competing in the 500 and Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray in the 600. Penske had Will Power, Helio Castroneves, and Ryan Briscoe in the 500 and Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski, and Sam Hornish Jr. in the 600. Ganassi’s driver Franchitti won the 500 and Ganassi became the first owner to win the Daytona 500 and the Indianapolis 500 in the same season (McMurray won the Daytona 500 in February). He came oh so close to becoming the first owner to win the 500 and the 600 on the same day when McMurray finished 2nd to Busch, but Penske beat his friendly rival Ganassi in a hard fought battle between the two drivers. Neither owner ever seemed to stop smiling as both enjoyed a great deal of success in the most anticipated day in motorsports.





Bonus questions: Did David Reutimann prove last year’s rain-shortened Coca-Cola 600 victory wasn’t a fluke by finishing 5th on Sunday? … Was Clint Bowyer ok with a 7th-place finish for his 31st birthday? … Did anyone do a double-take when they saw Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading a few laps?

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5 Questions Before ... Coca-Cola 600

Now that the Sprint All-Star race is complete, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will head back to Charlotte Motor Speedway for a much more important and longer race. The Coca-Cola 600 begins in the day and ends at night. While the All-Star race was more of a sprint to the finish, the 600 will have more to do with endurance. Several drivers shined in the All-Star race, but can they carry that over to the 600 on Sunday night? It may not be a matter of who is fast or slow but a matter of who can last the longest during the most grueling race of the season.








Who will outlast all the other competitors to win the race? … The Coca-Cola 600 is an endurance race. Most races during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series are no longer than 400 or 500 miles long. With this race being over 100 miles longer than these drivers used to, keeping hydrated and rested up for the race will be vital to winning the race. The drivers will have to pace themselves during the race and not push the issue before the end.





Will we see the Kyle Busch/Denny Hamlin feud continue? … Busch and Hamlin are clearly not happy with each other. At the very least, they have a pretty heavy disagreement going on right now. Both drivers were strong during the All-Star race, and there’s no reason to think they won’t be again this weekend for the Coca-Cola 600. If both drivers last until the end of the race, it’s more than likely they will be racing each other for the win once again. Busch felt he was wronged. Hamlin felt like he was maintaining his position and had every right to do so. Drivers never forget. Keep an eye on the No. 11 and No. 18 on Sunday night.





Which drivers will carry over their success from the All-Star race to the 600? … Aside from the strength of the Joe Gibbs Racing drivers and race winner Kurt Busch, drivers like Jimmie Johnson, Martin Truex Jr., and Tony Stewart showed some strength. All-Star success does not always translate to a Coke 600 victory. However, Kasey Kahne would beg to differ (Kahne won both the All-Star race and the Coke 600 in 2008. The Saturday night All-Star race makes a great test session for the Sunday night 600-miler race. If drivers can keep themselves out of trouble, drivers such as Busch (both of them), Johnson, and Hamlin should all be strong at the end of the race on Sunday night.





Have race fans died and gone to Heaven? … Every race fan marks this weekend on their racing calendar. This Sunday, the Indianapolis 500, the crown jewel of auto racing, will run just hours before NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600. 1100 miles of racing? What race fan could ask for more? A full day of intense racing action across two different series gives race fans something to look forward to every Memorial Day weekend.





Will Jimmie Johnson make a comeback this weekend? … Johnson hasn’t particularly struggled, but he hasn’t been contending for the win the past few points races. However, in the All-Star race on Saturday night, Johnson was won 2 of the 4 segments. He spun while racing Hamlin for the second position, admittedly pushing the issue and trying to make a pass his car clearly wasn’t handling well enough for. Bottom line, he was competitive. Johnson has always been competitive at the track that used to be called “Lowe’s Motor Speedway.” Lowe’s is Johnson’s sponsor and the four-time champion has dominated and won many races here. It would be a great race to shake off the “slump” talk and work on getting back that points lead.





Bonus questions: What will you be doing to celebrate Memorial Day other than watching racing? … What is your favorite paint scheme of the weekend? … Anyone interested in taking Bruton Smith’s challenge to win both the Indy 500 and Coke 600?


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Photo courtesy of NASCAR Media. Opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

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