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Home , Bill Elliott, Jeff Gordon

NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, November 27, 2019

SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we had to ask ourselves THREE THINGS Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers Where would you rank , all-time? Jimmie Johnson says he GODSPEAK: Going by the won’t mail it in next year. numbers, he would be right TO WATCH You buying that? behind , David Pearson, and Yes and no. I believe he’d , or simply fifth. dearly love to win another KEN’S CALL: It’s obviously race (or more) and give him- impossible to compare self a puncher’s chance at eras, but using my officially that eighth championship. licensed decoder ring, I’d But human nature is stub- put him around seventh, born, and it’s hard to be up between Jeff Gordon and to full when you have . one foot pointed toward the exit. However, under the Who’s next out the door? modern championship pro- GODSPEAK: If he doesn’t cedure, there’s precedent win in 2020, look for Ryan for Jimmie’s desires. Newman to make the grand exit from the sport. Jeff Gordon in 2015? KEN’S CALL: Of the big stars, it’s gotta be Harvick, Yes, but Jeff was coming off right? Unless a four-win season in 2014 beats him to the exit within when he entered his final a couple of years. year with optimism. He ended up having a sub-par year by his historic stan- FEUD OF THE dards, yet ran well in the YEAR , left, and his father share a moment at the race track. Elliott led back into playoffs, got his one win in NASCAR in 2001. NASCAR hopes to see the car manufacturer return one day. [AP/JULIE JACOBSON] the third round, and went VS. JOEY to Homestead as one of the LOGANO: Former team- 1. Manufacturer moves 2. New NASCAR 3. Even Stevens final four with a chance. So, mates, remember? In the if Jimmie’s timing is right, heat of the playoffs, Logano NASCAR hopes to woo a fourth The new NASCAR, which now won the Cup Series yes, he can make a run at approached Hamlin on pit or fifth car manufacturer into owns International Speedway championship for the second No. 8. road about their contact at the sport in the next few years. Corp., is working furiously to time with Adam Stevens as Martinsville. Logano shoved NASCAR dropped the horse- piece together the 2021 Cup his crew chief. Stevens will be Ken Willis, ken.willis Hamlin, causing a pit road power of its engines from 900 to Series schedule, which will be working most of the offseason @news-jrnl.com scuffle. 550 with the idea of getting some released in April. As the process on making the No. 18 GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: interest from several foreign car unfolds, look for clues in the off- even better for 2020. The mission Logano said Hamlin pushed makers. And, of course, Dodge season. Are they putting a new never ends. “As a team, our goal NASCAR CUP his car into the wall on has an open invitation to come coat of paint on the Nashville is to win the championship,” he STANDINGS purpose. “We were having back whenever the mood strikes. short track? Are they adding/ said. “Our goal next year is to a discussion, everything Dodge came back in 2001. subtracting seats at Dover? win the championship, and we 1. Kyle Busch 5040 was civil, and then like Bill Elliott sat on the Daytona Is there a new hire at COTA in damn sure want to be the guy 2. Martin Truex Jr. 5035 Joey does, he does a little 500 pole. It left in 2012 with a Austin who says “y’all” a lot? that has the most stage points.” 3. 5033 push and then runs away,” championship. Eyes open during the offseason. 4. Denny Hamlin 5027 Hamlin said. 5. 2380 Godwin Kelly, [email protected] 6. 2339 6. 2339 GODWIN’S PICKS 8. 2318 FOR 9. 2290 10. Chase Elliott 2275 WINNER: Chase Elliott 11. William Byron 2274 REST OF TOP 5: Matt THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 12. 2257 DiBenedetto, Martin Truex 13. Kurt Busch 2237 Jr., Joey Logano, Tyler 1. Goodbye Jimmie 14. 2234 Reddick 15. Ryan Newman 2219 FIRST ONE OUT: Ricky Sten- Seven-time NASCAR Cup Series 16. 2194 house Jr. champion Jimmie Johnson 17. Daniel Suarez 846 DARK HORSE: Jimmie announced the 2020 season 18. Jimmie Johnson 835 Johnson will be his last. The 44-year-old 19. 777 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: driver made the announcement 20. 729 Elliott’s Daytona 500 victory over his social media accounts. takes him to the next level “Next year is not a ‘mail-it-in’ of popularity in the sport. year,” Johnson said. “We’re W H A T ’ S O N T A P going to win races; contend for a championship.” Dec. 3-5: Champions Week M O T O R M O U T H S and banquet in Nashville PODCAST 2. Rookie field Jan. 25-26: Rolex 24 at Daytona It’s getting oddly quiet in Next year’s rookie field has the at Daytona the Pod. Can it last? talent to win races. The top- Feb. 8: ARCA 200 three drivers in the 2019 Xfinity Feb. 9: Daytona 500 pole Tune in online at Series standings are graduating qualifying; Clash at Daytona www.news-journalonline. to Cup in 2020. Christopher Bell Christopher Bell will be among the Cup Series rookies to watch in Feb. 13: Duel at Daytona com/daytonamotormouths (Toyota), (Chev- 2020. [AP FILE] qualifying races for Daytona rolet) and (Ford) 500 will be racing with elite teams is expected to outline the multiple sponsors. Monster is Feb. 14: Truck Series Nex- capable of victory. company’s new business model expected to stay in the sport. tEra Energy Resources 250 for the marquee Cup Series. Feb. 15: Xfinity Series 3. Big announcement Monster Energy, which was the Godwin Kelly, godwin.kelly@ NASCAR Racing Experience Cup’s entitlement sponsor for news-jrnl.com 300 NASCAR president Steve Phelps three years, will be replaced by Feb. 16: Daytona 500

2020 CUP SERIES SCHEDULE April 5: Bristol June 21: Chicagoland Sept. 6: Darlington April 19: Richmond June 27: Pocono Sept. 12: Richmond Feb. 9: Clash at Daytona April 26: Talladega June 28: Pocono Sept. 19: Bristol Feb. 16: Daytona 500 May 3: Dover July 5: Indianapolis Sept. 27: Las Vegas Feb. 23: Las Vegas May 9: Martinsville July 11: Kentucky Oct. 4: Talladega March 1: Fontana May 16: All-Star Race at Charlotte July 19: New Hampshire Oct. 11: Charlotte March 8: Phoenix May 24: Charlotte Aug. 9: Michigan Oct. 18: Kansas March 15: Atlanta May 31: Kansas Aug. 16: Watkins Glen Oct. 25: Texas March 22: Homestead-Miami June 7: Michigan Aug. 23: Dover Nov. 1: Martinsville March 29: Texas June 14: Sonoma Aug. 29: Daytona Nov. 8: Phoenix

2020 VISION: PREDICTING NEXT YEAR’S TOP 10

KYLE BUSCH KEVIN JOEY LOGANO ERIK JONES MARTIN CHASE KURT BUSCH DENNY WILLIAM COLE CUSTER Until further HARVICK Had an Mr. Hunch TRUEX JR. ELLIOTT Gets the HAMLIN BYRON Takes over notice … When is he uneven 2019, thinks he Probably Brings zero most out of Was 2019 his Banking on the #41, and NOT a major won’t repeat might pop in ranked too momentum every ride last great Hendrick he’s capable factor that 2020 low here into next chance? engineers year 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10