The Sprint Cup Series will head to Darlington this weekend for the return of the Southern 500 (presented by GoDaddy.com). This will mark the first time a race at Darlington has been called the Southern 500 since the track lost its Labor Day date to California before the 2005 season, and though the date is still different, it's nice to see the name of NASCAR's most historic race returning.
Kyle Busch, who won his third race of the season at Richmond last week, is the defending champion, while points leader Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers with seven wins at the track many call "The Lady in Black." Darlington's unique egg shape -- where turns 3 and 4 are narrower than turns 1 and 2 -- combined with the tight quarters and that famed "Darlington stripe," make this a favorite of fans and veteran drivers alike.
Rookies? Not so much; Darlington favors those with the experience and patience to race the race track. Younger drivers don't have the experience to be that patient, and they start racing the other cars -- whether they're tires hold up or not. Once that happens, a Darlington stripe might be the least of their worries.
Busch is the exception, as he's proven to be over his short stint with Joe Gibbs Racing. With 30 bonus points in his pocket for once the Chase for the Cup starts, Busch has a chance to win both the Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series championships. An impressive feat, no doubt -- and also one most fans would rather not see.
Other multiple winners at Darlington include Jimmie Johnson (two), Jeff Burton (two) and Greg Biffle (two). Bill Elliott, who runs a part-time schedule for the Wood Brothers and will not compete this weekend, has five career wins at the South Carolina oval.
Carl Edwards finished second in last year's race, with Gordon coming in third. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished fourth and David Ragan bucked the trend befalling young drivers by finishing fifth.
Busch has to be the favorite, both because he won last year's race and because he has the momentum coming off his weekend sweep at Richmond. Busch has an uncanny ability to do things with a car most drivers don't dare, and he won last year's race despite smacking the wall no fewer than five times. A lot of that has to do with the durability of the new car, but it's rare for any driver to knock down the fence that many times and still win.
Tony Stewart would qualify as my darkhorse pick this week, having recorded four Top-5s in his last five races -- including second-place efforts at Phoenix and last week at Richmond. Stewart's No. 14 team has momentum, and it's only a matter of time before Stewart finds Victory Lane again. Even though he's never won at Darlington in a Cup car, he could do so this week.
But something tells me he'll have to pass Busch to do it.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Martin to be full-time in 2010
Hendrick Motorsports announced on Wednesday that Mark Martin would be back to run the No. 5 car full-time in the Sprint Cup Series next season, ending weeks of speculation as to whether Martin would run the second year of his contract in whole or on a part-time basis.
Prior to this year's race at Bristol, many believed Martin would split the No. 5 in 2010 with Brad Keselowski, who drives for Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Nationwide Series. It's unclear what Martin's decision does to Keselowski's future, but Hendrick said last week he was currently in talks with Keselowski regarding a long-term, exclusive contract.
Earnhardt, the owner of JR Motorsports, said he wants Keselowski in the No. 88 Nationwide Series ride next season, but that anything on the Cup side was "up to Rick." Rumors circulate that should Keselowski find a full-time Cup ride next season, it could be in a third car for Stewart-Haas Racing, which receives engines, chassis and technical support from Hendrick -- making SHR more or less Hendrick Lite.
Another rumor, though more a far-fetched one, has Keselowski moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2010, taking over the No. 20 while Joey Logano moved to a fourth JGR ride. This one is particularly unlikely, especially with Hendrick working on a long-term exclusive deal with Keselowski.
But here's another rumor that seems to be gaining a little traction. Jeff Gordon's contract with sponsor DuPont runs out after the 2010 season. With Gordon's back problems -- along with his marriage and daughter -- there's speculation he could retire after the 2010 or 2011 season and take on a management position within Hendrick Motorsports (he's already listed as a co-owner on the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson). That would open up the No. 24, possibly for Keselowski.
This is, of course, assuming Keselowski doesn't take over the No. 5 after 2010. Then again, Martin could pull a Brett Favre and come back yet again. While the No. 24 rumor is intriguing, can you imagine the pressure that would be on whoever takes over that ride? Taking over a car that's won four Cup championships and 82 races to this point?
Yikes.
We've seen how infrequently the No. 43 has been to Victory Lane since Richard Petty retired. Much of that has to do with organizational flaws within Petty Enterprises -- and now Richard Petty Motorsports -- but there's always that pressure to perform well in the King's ride. Bobby Hamilton managed just fine, and even John Andretti put the No. 43 back in Victory Lane, but no one since -- not even 2000 series champion Bobby Labonte -- has been able to succeed in that ride.
It would be similar for whoever slides into the No. 24 once Gordon walks away, even though Hendrick's resources and personnel would make for an easier transition. We've already seen what happens when an unproven young driver slides into a prime Cup seat; Logano has struggled in the No. 20 so far this season -- a team and crew that has hoisted two Sprint Cup trophies.
Not saying the same will happen to Keselowski -- he's not being rushed into the Cup Series -- but the possibility is there. The best thing Richard Childress did when he named Kevin Harvick as the late Dale Earnhardt's successor was change the car's number and paint scheme. That allowed Harvick to create his own identity, and even though the team has struggled of late, Harvick doesn't face the pressure of "being in Dale's ride."
In the immediate future, though, this is excellent news for Martin. Were it not for two blown motors and a blown tire in three of the season's first four races, the No. 5 might be near the top of the standings, rather than fighting to get into the Chase. Martin already won a race this season, at Phoenix, and there's no reason to believe he won't win at least one more before the season ends.
I won't say Martin will win the title this year, but he's in the mix -- and he might be in the mix next year, too.
Prior to this year's race at Bristol, many believed Martin would split the No. 5 in 2010 with Brad Keselowski, who drives for Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Nationwide Series. It's unclear what Martin's decision does to Keselowski's future, but Hendrick said last week he was currently in talks with Keselowski regarding a long-term, exclusive contract.
Earnhardt, the owner of JR Motorsports, said he wants Keselowski in the No. 88 Nationwide Series ride next season, but that anything on the Cup side was "up to Rick." Rumors circulate that should Keselowski find a full-time Cup ride next season, it could be in a third car for Stewart-Haas Racing, which receives engines, chassis and technical support from Hendrick -- making SHR more or less Hendrick Lite.
Another rumor, though more a far-fetched one, has Keselowski moving to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2010, taking over the No. 20 while Joey Logano moved to a fourth JGR ride. This one is particularly unlikely, especially with Hendrick working on a long-term exclusive deal with Keselowski.
But here's another rumor that seems to be gaining a little traction. Jeff Gordon's contract with sponsor DuPont runs out after the 2010 season. With Gordon's back problems -- along with his marriage and daughter -- there's speculation he could retire after the 2010 or 2011 season and take on a management position within Hendrick Motorsports (he's already listed as a co-owner on the No. 48 of Jimmie Johnson). That would open up the No. 24, possibly for Keselowski.
This is, of course, assuming Keselowski doesn't take over the No. 5 after 2010. Then again, Martin could pull a Brett Favre and come back yet again. While the No. 24 rumor is intriguing, can you imagine the pressure that would be on whoever takes over that ride? Taking over a car that's won four Cup championships and 82 races to this point?
Yikes.
We've seen how infrequently the No. 43 has been to Victory Lane since Richard Petty retired. Much of that has to do with organizational flaws within Petty Enterprises -- and now Richard Petty Motorsports -- but there's always that pressure to perform well in the King's ride. Bobby Hamilton managed just fine, and even John Andretti put the No. 43 back in Victory Lane, but no one since -- not even 2000 series champion Bobby Labonte -- has been able to succeed in that ride.
It would be similar for whoever slides into the No. 24 once Gordon walks away, even though Hendrick's resources and personnel would make for an easier transition. We've already seen what happens when an unproven young driver slides into a prime Cup seat; Logano has struggled in the No. 20 so far this season -- a team and crew that has hoisted two Sprint Cup trophies.
Not saying the same will happen to Keselowski -- he's not being rushed into the Cup Series -- but the possibility is there. The best thing Richard Childress did when he named Kevin Harvick as the late Dale Earnhardt's successor was change the car's number and paint scheme. That allowed Harvick to create his own identity, and even though the team has struggled of late, Harvick doesn't face the pressure of "being in Dale's ride."
In the immediate future, though, this is excellent news for Martin. Were it not for two blown motors and a blown tire in three of the season's first four races, the No. 5 might be near the top of the standings, rather than fighting to get into the Chase. Martin already won a race this season, at Phoenix, and there's no reason to believe he won't win at least one more before the season ends.
I won't say Martin will win the title this year, but he's in the mix -- and he might be in the mix next year, too.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Kyle Busch sweeps at Richmond
Winning the Nationwide Series race Friday night at Richmond International Raceway wasn't enough for Kyle Busch; he had to take the Sprint Cup Series race, the Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400, on Saturday night as well. In winning that race, Busch becomes the second Sprint Cup driver ever to win on his birthday.
Cale Yarborough was the only other driver to do it. He performed the feat twice.
Busch wasn't his usual dominant self; at the start of the race, he had a top-10 car at best. The dominant car was that of hometown boy Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 148 laps before a lug nut miscue in the pits put him back in the field and relegated Hamlin to a 14th-place finish.
Even after Hamlin's problem, it appeared Jeff Gordon would be the one to beat. But his strategy of staying out proved costly, as his car fell off in the closing laps -- Gordon would finish eighth, his first top-10 since winning at Texas three races ago.
Busch jumped to the high side on a restart with 49 laps to go to overtake Gordon. He then weaved through lapped traffic, keeping a steady advantage even as Tony Stewart moved up to second and appeared to be closing the gap. Stewart, looking for his first win as an owner-driver, just ran out of laps.
It wasn't all doom and gloom for Stewart, though; on top of his second-place finish -- his fourth top-5 in the last five races -- his teammate Ryan Newman came in fourth. That made back-to-back top-5s for Newman, who now sits 10th in the standings. With Stewart sitting in third as well, it's clear Stewart Haas Racing is a lot farther along than anyone could've anticipated.
Look for Stewart and Newman to make multiple trips to Victory Lane this season. This is also by far Stewart's best start to a season ever; he normally struggles until late June, early July. That Stewart is this strong, this soon, should give everyone else in the garage reason to worry.
Then again, it's hard for Busch to worry about much of anything as often as he's been pulling in checkered flags since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. At just 24, Busch has 50 wins in NASCAR's top three national touring series. He has 11 Cup wins in just 46 races with JGR.
Chemistry was certainly a factor in his release from Hendrick Motorsports -- and part of the reason he only won four races in three full seasons before leaving after the 2007 campaign. There are no such issues at JGR, though, where owner Joe Gibbs has always found a way to make all the different personalities -- even the petulent ones -- come together and find success. I'm not sure how the combination of Busch and crew chief Steve Addington works, but it does.
It's still too soon to tell whether Busch will win the championship this year -- he's still too much of an all-or-nothing driver (a lot of torn-up race cars, a lot of low finishes), and his attitude might very well cost him. But the talent and the resources are certainly there, and there is no track on the circuit that Busch can't win at. One might think Darlington would give him fits, like it does most younger drivers, but Busch won there last year.
There's also the matter of guys like Gordon and Stewart, not to mention Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. Johnson's the master of the Chase format, while Kurt Busch has shown a career renaissance few thought possible. The first three years at Penske Racing were a struggle for Kurt, but he's already got one win this year, and he's shown he can compete at all types of tracks this year.
Kyle may yet hoist the trophy at Homestead, but he'll have to fight off a few guys to do it -- maybe even his older brother.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400
1. Kyle Busch*
2. Tony Stewart
3. Jeff Burton
4. Ryan Newman*
5. Mark Martin
6. Sam Hornish Jr.
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Jeff Gordon*
9. Casey Mears
10. Juan Pablo Montoya
11. Marcos Ambrose
12. Kurt Busch*
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Denny Hamlin**
15. Brian Vickers*
16. Robby Gordon
17. Greg Biffle
18. Clint Bowyer*
19. Joey Logano
20. Reed Sorenson
21. A.J. Allmendinger
22. Martin Truex Jr.*
23. David Ragan
24. Michael Waltrip
25. Elliott Sadler
26. Carl Edwards
27. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
28. David Reutimann
29. Kasey Kahne
30. Paul Menard
31. Bobby Labonte
32. John Andretti
33. Scott Speed
34. Kevin Harvick
35. Jeremy Mayfield
36. Jimmie Johnson
37. Mike Bliss
38. David Stremme
39. David Gilliland
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Tony Raines
42. Scott Riggs
43. Dave Blaney
*led a lap (5 bonus points)
**led most laps (5 more bonus points)
Cale Yarborough was the only other driver to do it. He performed the feat twice.
Busch wasn't his usual dominant self; at the start of the race, he had a top-10 car at best. The dominant car was that of hometown boy Denny Hamlin, who led a race-high 148 laps before a lug nut miscue in the pits put him back in the field and relegated Hamlin to a 14th-place finish.
Even after Hamlin's problem, it appeared Jeff Gordon would be the one to beat. But his strategy of staying out proved costly, as his car fell off in the closing laps -- Gordon would finish eighth, his first top-10 since winning at Texas three races ago.
Busch jumped to the high side on a restart with 49 laps to go to overtake Gordon. He then weaved through lapped traffic, keeping a steady advantage even as Tony Stewart moved up to second and appeared to be closing the gap. Stewart, looking for his first win as an owner-driver, just ran out of laps.
It wasn't all doom and gloom for Stewart, though; on top of his second-place finish -- his fourth top-5 in the last five races -- his teammate Ryan Newman came in fourth. That made back-to-back top-5s for Newman, who now sits 10th in the standings. With Stewart sitting in third as well, it's clear Stewart Haas Racing is a lot farther along than anyone could've anticipated.
Look for Stewart and Newman to make multiple trips to Victory Lane this season. This is also by far Stewart's best start to a season ever; he normally struggles until late June, early July. That Stewart is this strong, this soon, should give everyone else in the garage reason to worry.
Then again, it's hard for Busch to worry about much of anything as often as he's been pulling in checkered flags since joining Joe Gibbs Racing. At just 24, Busch has 50 wins in NASCAR's top three national touring series. He has 11 Cup wins in just 46 races with JGR.
Chemistry was certainly a factor in his release from Hendrick Motorsports -- and part of the reason he only won four races in three full seasons before leaving after the 2007 campaign. There are no such issues at JGR, though, where owner Joe Gibbs has always found a way to make all the different personalities -- even the petulent ones -- come together and find success. I'm not sure how the combination of Busch and crew chief Steve Addington works, but it does.
It's still too soon to tell whether Busch will win the championship this year -- he's still too much of an all-or-nothing driver (a lot of torn-up race cars, a lot of low finishes), and his attitude might very well cost him. But the talent and the resources are certainly there, and there is no track on the circuit that Busch can't win at. One might think Darlington would give him fits, like it does most younger drivers, but Busch won there last year.
There's also the matter of guys like Gordon and Stewart, not to mention Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch. Johnson's the master of the Chase format, while Kurt Busch has shown a career renaissance few thought possible. The first three years at Penske Racing were a struggle for Kurt, but he's already got one win this year, and he's shown he can compete at all types of tracks this year.
Kyle may yet hoist the trophy at Homestead, but he'll have to fight off a few guys to do it -- maybe even his older brother.
NASCAR Sprint Cup Crown Royal presents the Russ Friedman 400
1. Kyle Busch*
2. Tony Stewart
3. Jeff Burton
4. Ryan Newman*
5. Mark Martin
6. Sam Hornish Jr.
7. Jamie McMurray
8. Jeff Gordon*
9. Casey Mears
10. Juan Pablo Montoya
11. Marcos Ambrose
12. Kurt Busch*
13. Matt Kenseth
14. Denny Hamlin**
15. Brian Vickers*
16. Robby Gordon
17. Greg Biffle
18. Clint Bowyer*
19. Joey Logano
20. Reed Sorenson
21. A.J. Allmendinger
22. Martin Truex Jr.*
23. David Ragan
24. Michael Waltrip
25. Elliott Sadler
26. Carl Edwards
27. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
28. David Reutimann
29. Kasey Kahne
30. Paul Menard
31. Bobby Labonte
32. John Andretti
33. Scott Speed
34. Kevin Harvick
35. Jeremy Mayfield
36. Jimmie Johnson
37. Mike Bliss
38. David Stremme
39. David Gilliland
40. Joe Nemechek
41. Tony Raines
42. Scott Riggs
43. Dave Blaney
*led a lap (5 bonus points)
**led most laps (5 more bonus points)
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