NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, November 20, 2019 SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we Compelling questions ... and had to ask ourselves OFF�SEASON maybe a few actual answers You OK with the Kyle Busch Were you underwhelmed? championship? THREE THINGS TO WATCH GODSPEAK: Hey, to the victor Yes and no. Kyle Busch, cruising to goes the spoils. He advanced 1. Record-breaking victory without another car within through the playoffs on points a city block, wasn’t what we were and nabbed the checkered flag at It’s obvious that Toyota is at hoping for (and not just because it’s the right time. the top of its racing game in Kyle Busch, of course). NASCAR’s KEN’S CALL: Let’s say I’ve felt NASCAR. Joe Gibbs Racing playoffs were born 15 years ago better. Kyle won it under the rules scored a modern-era record in an effort to nearly guarantee a played by everyone, but it has 19 victories over the 36-race close championship, then had to be an odd feel, given how he mostly season. Hendrick Motors- tweaked a few times to further that lurked in the shadows from early ports got 18 wins in 2007, effort. Still, with 20 or so laps remain- June through November. while Roush Fenway Racing ing at Homestead, barring a caution, had 15 wins in 2005. Fourth drama had gone behind the wall. Early favorites for 2020? on this list is again Gibbs GODSPEAK: Give me Denny Racing, which had a series- So you’re calling it a downer? Hamlin to go all the way in 2020. high 14 wins in 2015. Gibbs As for a surprise, how about Matt had three drivers in this title Not necessarily. For the casual DiBenedetto in the Wood Broth- fight. “It’s a thrill for us,” he onlooker, or the football fan who ers Racing Ford? said. “The Lord blessed us.” mistakenly had his TV on Homestead KEN’S CALL: Aside from the usual and couldn’t find the remote, it was suspects, I look for Erik Jones to 2. About Busch a dull finish to it all. But for fans of have a big year, and also one of Team owner Joe Gibbs celebrates in Victory Lane after his auto racing, what happened to Martin the hotshot rookies ... hopefully Kyle Busch became the driver Kyle Busch won the NASCAR Cup Series championship Truex Jr. and Denny Hamlin offered Christopher Bell in the No. 95. 16th driver to win mul- at Homestead. [AP/LUIS M. ALVAREZ] reminders that there’s a lot more to tiple NASCAR Cup Series racing than just the guy behind the championships. He became wins going back to his 2005 engines to all Ford teams, steering wheel. With so much that can FEUD OF THE WEEK the first driver to win two rookie year. has not won a race since go wrong over 400 miles, it’s amazing titles in the current knock- 2017. Chevrolet scored anyone ever wins a race. MARTIN TRUEX JR. VS. WRONG out format, which was 3. Catching up three more wins (seven) TIRES: It’s something you never introduced in 2014. His first than it did in 2018 but got Ken Willis, ken.willis see, but Truex’s pit crew put his crown was won in 2015. There are several big no help from seven-time @news-jrnl.com left-side tires on the right side The 34-year-old driver can NASCAR race teams that NASCAR champion Jimmie during a pit stop, and he had to make a strong argument will be playing catch-up this Johnson, who hasn’t won come back for new tires after a for Driver of the Decade offseason. Richard Childress the past two years. NASCAR CUP STANDINGS few laps. honors. From 2010 to ’19, Racing and Roush Fenway GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: Chalk he scored a series-high Racing didn’t get a win in Godwin Kelly, godwin. 1. Kyle Busch 5040 that one up to the weight of 40 wins. He has 56 career 2019. Roush, who supplies [email protected] 2. Martin Truex Jr. 5035 championship pressure. “Yeah, 3. Kevin Harvick 5033 I’ve never had that happen,” 4. Denny Hamlin 5027 Truex said. “It doesn’t drive good 5. Joey Logano 2380 with the left front on the right 6. Ryan Blaney 2339 front.” 6. Kyle Larson 2339 8. Brad Keselowski 2318 HOMESTEAD 9. Clint Bowyer 2290 GODWIN’S PICKS 10. Chase Elliott 2275 FOR 2020 11. William Byron 2274 THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 12. Alex Bowman 2257 WINNER: Denny Hamlin 13. Kurt Busch 2237 REST OF TOP 5: Chase Elliott, 1. Points matter 14. Aric Almirola 2234 Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr., 15. Ryan Newman 2219 Joey Logano Kyle Busch was the only 16. Erik Jones 2194 FIRST ONE OUT: Jimmie Johnson driver among the Cham- 17. Daniel Suarez 846 DARK HORSE: Kyle Larson pionship Four to get in on 18. Jimmie Johnson 835 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: Hamlin, points. The other three 19. Paul Menard 777 who has been in the champion- won races in Round 3. The 20. Chris Buescher 729 ship mix three times, breaks regular-season champion through next season. used points all the way through the playoffs to WHAT’S ON TAP make the finale, and he M O T O R M O U T H S won (40th win this decade) Nov. 22: Xfinity and Truck Series ban- PODCAST when it really counted. quets in Charlotte. Dec. 3-5: Champions Week and ban- It’s not a wrap until we wrap it 2. Little mistakes quet in Nashville. up! Kyle Busch holds up his trophy in Victory Lane after winning Jan. 25-26: Rolex 24 at Daytona Denny Hamlin and Martin the NASCAR Cup Series championship. [AP/TERRY RENNA] Speedweeks at Daytona Tune in online at Truex Jr. were hindered Feb. 8: ARCA 200 www.news-journalonline.com/ by their own pit crews at 3. Chevy’s title Cup Series Rookie of the Feb. 9: Daytona 500 pole qualifying; daytonamotormouths Homestead. They slapped a Year Award. “It’s pretty Clash at Daytona big wad of tape on Hamlin’s Chevrolet had another special to say the least,” Feb. 13: Duel at Daytona qualifying grille, and it caused his rough year, but it can point said Hemric, who neverthe- races for Daytona 500 engine to overheat. “We to at least one season- less loses that ride next Feb. 14: Truck Series NextEra Energy weren’t going to make it,” ending high point. Daniel year. Resources 250 Hamlin said. Truex’ s pit Hemric, who drove the No. Feb. 15: Xfinity Series NASCAR Racing crew put the wrong front 8 Richard Childress Racing Godwin Kelly, godwin. Experience 300 tires on his No. 19 Toyota. Chevy, scored the NASCAR [email protected] Feb. 16: Daytona 500 2 0 1 9 C U P S E R I E S Busch) July 7: Coke Zero 400 at Daytona (Justin Sept. 15: South Point 400 at Las Vegas SCHEDULE AND WINNERS April 13: Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond Haley) (Martin Truex Jr.) (Martin Truex Jr.) July 13: Quaker State 400 at Kentucky (Kurt Sept. 21: Federated Auto Parts 400 at Rich- Feb. 10: Clash at Daytona (Jimmie Johnson) April 28: Geico 500 at Talladega (Chase Busch) mond (Martin Truex Jr.) Feb. 17: Daytona 500 (Denny Hamlin) Elliott) July 21: Foxwoods 301 at New Hampshire Sept. 29: Bank of America 400 at Charlotte Feb. 24: Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta (Brad May 5: Dover 400 (Martin Truex Jr.) (Kevin Harvick) (Chase Elliott) Keselowski) May 11: Kansas 400 (Brad Keselowski) July 28: Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Oct. 6: Delaware 400 at Dover (Kyle Larson) March 3: Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas (Joey May 18: All-Star Race at Charlotte (Kyle (Denny Hamlin) Oct. 13: 1000Bulbs.com 500 Talladega Logano) Larson) Aug. 4: Go Bowling at Watkins Glen (Chase (Ryan Blaney) March 10: TicketGuardian 500 at Phoenix May 26: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte (Martin Elliott) Oct. 20: Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas (Kyle Busch) Truex Jr.) Aug. 11: Consumers Energy 400 at Michi- (Denny Hamlin) March 17: Auto Club 400 at Fontana (Kyle June 2: Pocono 400 (Kyle Busch) gan (Kevin Harvick) Oct. 27: First Data 500 at Martinsville Busch) June 9: FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan Aug. 17: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at (Martin Truex Jr.) March 24: STP 500 at Martinsville (Brad (Joey Logano) Bristol (Denny Hamlin) Nov. 3: AAA Texas 500 (Kevin Harvick) Keselowski) June 23: Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Sept. 1: Southern 500 at Darlington (Erik Nov. 10: Can-Am 500k at Phoenix (Denny March 31: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas (Martin Truex Jr.) Jones) Hamlin) (Denny Hamlin) June 30: Camping World 400 at Chicago- Sept. 8: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Nov. 17: Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead- April 7: Food City 500 at Bristol (Kyle land (Alex Bowman) (Kevin Harvick) Miami (Kyle Busch) HUMES PENNSYLVANIA’S CHRYSLER CORPORATION’S LARGEST TRI-STATE SUPERSTORE FACTORY EMPLOYEE DISCOUNTS TO $14,000 2019 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB 2019 RAM 1500 BIG HORN 2019 JEEP CHEROKEE LATITUDE 4X4 2019 JEEP COMPASS 4X4 2019 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIIMITED 4-DOOR KEN WILLIS’ TOP 10 NASCAR• Heated Seats DRIVER & Steering RANKINGS • Remote Start EMPLOYEE THE 2020’S THE 2020’S PRICING THE 2020’S A MISP SAVINGS ARE HERE! ARE HERE!MARTIN DENNY AREKYLE HERE! BUSCH KEVIN JOEY NORYANT RINT ERIK JONES KYLE LARSON KURT BUSCH CLINT TRUEX JR.