NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, October 31, 2018

SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE

A few questions we had to Compelling questions ... and maybe a few ask ourselves TEXAS actual answers More or less respect for Joey Who’s right? Logano after Martinsville? THREE THINGS TO WATCH GODSPEAK: Anything goes Not so sure you have to choose sides at the end of a NASCAR Cup is in Sunday’s Truex-Logano dust-up in Series race. Logano better finished racing Martinsville. It looks like one of those make sure his mirrors are for points for situations where both guys are right. nice and clean the next three the next two Martin Truex Jr., who was bulldozed away races. NASCAR Cup from victory a few weeks ago on Char- KEN’S CALL: Are you kid- Series races lotte’s Roval, was given the bum’s rush ding? Definitely more. He after winning by Joey Logano, whose car happens to be might have a baby face, but at Martinsville fitted with bumpers. Truex is in the final he looked like an old pirate and locking weeks with his No. 78 team and rightfully stealing that one. Good for in a starting emotional about it all. him. position for the And Joey? Should Truex be mad? Championship GODSPEAK: He has every Round. [AP/ Everyone seems to enjoy the beating right to be mad, but if he STEVE HELBER] and banging until a guy they don’t like is doesn’t make the Champion- doing the beating or a guy they do like is ship Four, watch out, Logano. 1. Logano’s leisure 2. Harvick/Truex 3. Silly Season taking the bangs. If you’re a team owner KEN’S CALL: This ain’t a Cub bubble positive or financier, and your driver isn’t willing Scout bake sale. Yes, he was the to do what Logano did at Martinsville, should be mad, briefly, but first driver to qualify for With the first race of the You could hear the collec- you’re asking some questions. This ain’t knowing Martin Truex Jr., the NASCAR Cup Series Round of 8 done, Kevin tive sigh of relief from the open-wheel racing. And by the way, you’ll he’ll get over it by later in the playoffs by winning the Harvick and Martin Truex hilltops around Martins- see that final sprint to the checkers on a week. season-opening Daytona Jr. moved from second ville Speedway on Sunday lot of future promo commercials. 500. Joey Logano is the and third in the standings when car owner Rick Hen- first driver who won’t have into a tie for third place, drick announced Jimmie — Ken Willis, ken.willis FEUD OF THE WEEK to race for points — well, putting both on the playoff Johnson will have a full @news-jrnl.com for the next two weeks. points bubble. They are 25 sponsorship package, MARTIN TRUEX JR. VS. JOEY Since Logano scored a points ahead of fifth-place covering two years, from LOGANO: Truex passed hard-fought (the fighting , and 31 points Ally Financial. Johnson is CUP STANDINGS Logano clean for the lead at may not be over) victory in front of sixth-place losing Lowe’s at the end Martinsville, then Logano over Martin Truex Jr. at . At least one of this season. “It’s mas- 1. 4104 pushed Truex out of the way Martinsville, he does not of the drivers in the Cham- sive,” Johnson said. “To 2. Martin Truex Jr. 4083 on the last lap for the win have to race for points at pionship Round will get have a primary sponsor 2. 4083 and a ticket to the playoff Texas or Phoenix. in on points. The points for all the races for two 4. Joey Logano 4074 final. leader is Kyle Busch, 21 up years, hasn’t happened for 5. Kurt Busch 4058 GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: This on the bubble boys. a long time.” 6. Chase Elliott 4052 is not over. “They won the 7. 4041 battle, but he didn’t win the — Godwin Kelly, [email protected] 8. 4033 damn war,” Truex said. “He 9. 2232 just knocked me out of the 10. 2227 way … what goes around 11. 2213 comes around.” 12. 2179 13. 2173 14. 2164 G O D W I N ’ S P I C K S MARTINSVILLE 15. 2159 FOR TEXAS 16. Austin Dillon 2157 17. Ryan Newman 702 WINNER: Kevin Harvick THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 18. Daniel Suarez 655 REST OF TOP 5: Martin Truex 19. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 650 Jr., Denny Hamlin, Kyle 1. Penske disagrees 20. 645 Busch, Alex Bowman FIRST ONE OUT: William Car owner Byron bristled when he was told WHAT’S ON TAP DARK HORSE: Kyle Larson Martin Truex Jr. called DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: Har- Joey Logano’s race- CUP SERIES: AAA Texas 500 vick wins at Texas because winning bump and run a SITE: (1.5-mile he called this shot after a dis- cheap shot. “He’s a racer quad-oval) appointing Martinsville run. and should know better SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (NBC Sports than to say that,” he said. Network, 2 p.m.), qualifying (NBC Sports “That’s as clean a shot as Network, 7 p.m.). Saturday, practice M O T O R M O U T H S you can have — in a race (CNBC, 12:30 p.m. and NBC Sports Net- PODCAST like this.” work, 3:30 p.m.). Sunday, race (NBC Sports Network, coverage begins at 1 p.m.; green Joey Logano is the man! 2. All is fair Joey Logano (22) and Martin Truex Jr. (78) make contact flag, 3 p.m.) Maybe. We’ll hug it out in the as they race to the checkered flag at Martinsville. [AP/ pod. As the saying goes, “all is STEVE HELBER] XFINITY: O’Reilly Auto Parts 300 fair in love and war.” And SITE: Texas Motor Speedway Tune in online at that applies to the closing 3. Losing streaks Hamlin’s streak started in SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (NBCSports. www.news-journalonline. laps of a Cup Series race ’06. “We’ve got three good com, 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.). Saturday, com/daytonamotormouths where you can knock the Jimmie Johnson and tracks ahead of us; we’ll qualifying (CNBC, 1:30 p.m.), race (NBC guy ahead of you out of Denny Hamlin have three see if we can get it done,” Sports Network, 4:30 p.m.) the way for the win. “It chances to keep their Hamlin said. was a lot of bumper bang- year-to-year winning CAMPING WORLD TRUCKS: JAG Metals 350 ing towards the end and streaks intact. Johnson — Godwin Kelly, SITE: Texas Motor Speedway a hard race,” Martinsville has won at least one race godwin.kelly@news- TV SCHEDULE: Friday, race (, winner Logano said. every year since 2002. jrnl.com 8:30 p.m.)

2018 SCHEDULE AND WINNERS May 6: AAA 400 at Dover (Kevin Harvick) Aug. 18: Night Race at Bristol (Kurt Busch) Feb. 11: Clash at Daytona (Brad Keselowski) May 12: Go Bowling 400 at Kansas (Kevin Harvick) Sept. 2: at Darlington (Brad Keselowski) Feb. 15: Can-Am Duel at Daytona (Ryan Blaney and Chase May 19: All-Star Race at Charlotte (Kevin Harvick) Sept. 10: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (Brad Keselowski) Elliott) May 27: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (Kyle Busch) Sept. 16: Las Vegas 400 (Brad Keselowski) Feb. 18: (Austin Dillon) June 3: Pocono 400 (Martin Truex Jr.) Sept. 22: at Richmond (Kyle Feb. 25: Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta (Kevin Harvick) June 10: FireKeepers Casino 400 at (Clint Bowyer) Busch) March 4: Kobalt 400 at Las Vegas (Kevin Harvick) June 24: /Save Mart 350 at Sonoma (Martin Truex Sept. 30: Bank of America 500(k) at Charlotte road course March 11: Camping World 500(k) at Phoenix (Kevin Jr.) (Ryan Blaney) Harvick) July 1: Chicago 400 at Chicagoland (Kyle Busch) Oct. 7: Delaware 400 at Dover (Chase Elliott) March 18: at Fontana (Martin Truex Jr.) July 7: Coke Zero 400 at Daytona (Erik Jones) Oct. 14: Alabama 500 at Talladega (Aric Almirola) March 26: STP 500 at Martinsville (Clint Bowyer) July 14: Quaker State 400 at Kentucky (Martin Truex Jr.) Oct. 21: at Kansas (Chase Elliott) April 8: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas (Kyle Busch) July 22: New Hampshire 301 (Kevin Harvick) Oct. 28: First Data 500 at Martinsville (Joey Logano) April 15: Food City 500 at Bristol (Kyle Busch) July 29: Pennsylvania 400 at Pocono (Kyle Busch) Nov. 4: Texas 500 April 21: at Richmond (Kyle Busch) Aug. 5: 355 at the Glen, at Watkins Glen (Chase Elliott) Nov. 11: Can-Am 500(k) at Phoenix April 29: Geico 500 at Talladega (Joey Logano) Aug. 12: Pure Michigan 400 (Kevin Harvick) Nov. 18: Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead

KEN WILLIS’ TOP 10 NASCAR DRIVER RANKINGS

CHASE JOEY KYLE BUSCH MARTIN ARIC KEVIN KURT BUSCH BRAD DENNY CLINT ELLIOTT LOGANO Still stuck on TRUEX JR. ALMIROLA HARVICK One win in 31 KESELOWSKI HAMLIN BOWYER Hangs on to Didn’t quite seven wins Has a target Quietly Hasn’t won Texas starts Running well, See Bad time for No. 1 spot bump Chase on his car hanging since August To fi nd a butstore too nearest late you andKeselowski subscribe for emaila mini-slump offers, here, barely in this one lately around visit www.countryfairstores.com

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