NASCAR THIS WEEK 6 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, May 15, 2019 SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we ALL�STAR RACE had to ask ourselves Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers Should Clint Bowyer have THREE THINGS TO WATCH plowed through Erik Jones? Whose side do we take? GODSPEAK: The guys who 1. A million bucks put Clint’s car together are It’s easy to flip-flop from one glad he lifted. Clint definitely Drivers eligible for Saturday’s minute to the next. On one had second thoughts about Monster Energy NASCAR hand, you understand why Erik his decision, which tells me All-Star Race will be gunning Jones threw the big block on yes, he should have done it. for the $1 million top prize. Clint Bowyer to protect his posi- KEN’S CALL: Others probably Going into the race, there are tion. He has big-money interests would have, but I think Clint 15 drivers eligible to compete. to look in the eyes after the made it clear that he might The field will grow because race is over, and if he isn’t doing not be so rational next time. those not qualified may race all he can to finish as high as their way in through the he can, he could get asked How about Tyler Reddick All-Star Open, and one lucky some tough questions back in finishing ninth at Kansas? driver will gain access based the hauler. He’s still trying to GODSPEAK: Reddick is the on fan voting. The link to cast cement his long-term future, real deal. Keep an eye on a vote is on nascar.com. Kevin after all. that kid. Harvick pocketed that mad KEN’S CALL: In just his money last season. And on the other hand? second-ever Cup race! Christopher Bell gets all the 2. Package tweaks A lot of folks aren’t fans of Xfinity Series attention, but blocking, especially when the Reddick is another future NASCAR used the 2018 All-Star blocker isn’t protecting first star. Race to test what amounted place. However, it’s become part to this season’s aero/motor of the game, it seems. Bowyer package. The non-points is one of a handful of current FEUD OF THE race will provide a guinea pig racers who could get away with WEEK venue to test two pieces of delivering some vigilante jus- the 2021 Gen-7 stock car. The tice, and maybe he should have. CLINT BOWYER VS. ERIK cars will be outfitted with a He’ll almost certainly get other JONES: Jones used his No. 20 single-piece carbon fiber split- chances. Toyota to throw a last-lap ter/pan, designed to stabilize Kevin Harvick and his wife, DeLana, had a million reasons to block on Bowyer’s No. 14 the front end in traffic. The smile after winning the 2018 All-Star Race. [AP/CHUCK BURTON] — Ken Willis, ken.willis Ford. Bowyer had to brake other tweak is a radiator @news-jrnl.com hard to avoid a wreck and duct that exits through the non-winning Cup Series driver performance boost is no fluke. lost three finishing posi- hood, which should help keep to string three consecu- He can race his way into the tions. Not happy. engines cooler. tive second-place finishes. All-Star Race, where he can go NASCAR CUP GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: Bowman, who replaced Dale head-to- head with NASCAR’s STANDINGS Bowyer indicated this won’t 3. Wait a second Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 best. happen again. “I would have Hendrick Motorsports Chevy, 1. Joey Logano 478 just turned him in front As weird as it sounds, Alex can use All-Star weekend to — Godwin Kelly, godwin. 2. Kyle Busch 469 of the whole field, and he Bowman became the first show everybody this recent [email protected]. 3. Kevin Harvick 440 would be back there wishing 4. Chase Elliott 423 he wouldn’t have done that,” 5. Brad Keselowski 421 Bowyer said. 6. Denny Hamlin 404 7. Martin Truex Jr. 396 8. Kurt Busch 387 GODWIN’S PICKS 9. Clint Bowyer 357 FOR ALL-STAR KANSAS 10. Ryan Blaney 340 RACE 11. Aric Almirola 334 12. Alex Bowman 329 WINNER: Chase Elliott THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 13. Daniel Suarez 315 REST OF TOP 5: Kevin 14. Erik Jones 308 Harvick, Clint Bowyer, Kyle 1. Hendrick’s return 15. Kyle Larson 304 Busch, Martin Truex Jr. 16. Jimmie Johnson 292 FIRST ONE OUT: Ryan Blaney This may be the gas fumes 17. Ryan Newman 284 DARK HORSE: Jimmie talking, but Hendrick Motor- 18. Austin Dillon 281 Johnson sports looks like it has its 19. William Byron 277 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: act together. Rick Hendrick 20. Paul Menard 267 Elliott hard-charges his way drivers Alex Bowman and to victory at Charlotte. Chase Elliott were side by side for the lead late in the race. W H AT ’ S O N TA P Ford’s Brad Keselowski won, (All times Eastern) MOTOR MOUTHS but Hendrick had three drivers PODCAST finish in the top six. CUP SERIES: Monster All-Star Race We’re not in Kansas any- 2. Tied forever SITE: Charlotte Motor Speedway more ... and other overused (1.5-mile quad-oval) pop-culture references, on Kyle Busch had a chance SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (Fox the next podcast. to break a little-known Cup Sports 1, 3 p.m.), qualifying (Fox Series record for most con- Rick Hendrick, left, shares a pit-road moment with his drivers Sports 1, 6 p.m.). Saturday, race Tune in online at secutive (11) top-10 finishes Alex Bowman, Jimmie Johnson and Chase Elliott. [NEWS-JOURNAL/ (Fox Sports 1, coverage begins www.news-journalonline. starting a season. Instead, he DAVID TUCKER] at 5 p.m., All-Star Open at 6 com/daytonamotormouths finished 30th, thanks in large p.m., All-Star Race at 8 p.m.) part to a pit-road penalty It appears the Cup Series six gunning for the checkered of his own making. Morgan aero/motor package is bring- flag, which indicates more GANDER OUTDOORS TRUCKS: Shepherd and Busch now ing more names into the lead parity. That’s a good thing. N.C. Education Lottery 200 share that 11-race streak pack. With 24 laps left in SITE: Charlotte Motor Speedway honor. regulation, there were three — Godwin Kelly, godwin. TV SCHEDULE: Friday, qualifying drivers who have yet to score [email protected] (Fox Sports 1, 4:30 p.m.), race 3. More competition a Cup win among the top (Fox Sports 1, 8:30 p.m.) 2019 CUP SERIES SCHEDULE March 24: STP 500 at Martinsville (Brad June 2: Pocono 400 Sept. 8: Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis AND WINNERS Keselowski) June 9: FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan Sept. 15: South Point 400 at Las Vegas March 31: O’Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Texas June 23: Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma Sept. 21: Federated Auto Parts 400 at Feb. 10: Clash at Daytona (Jimmie Johnson) (Denny Hamlin) June 30: Overton’s 400 at Chicagoland Richmond Feb. 17: Daytona 500 (Denny Hamlin) April 7: Food City 500 at Bristol (Kyle Busch) July 6: Coke Zero 400 at Daytona Sept. 29: Bank of America 500k at Charlotte Feb. 24: Folds of Honor 500 at Atlanta (Brad April 13: Toyota Owners 400 at Richmond July 13: Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Oct. 6: Delaware 400 at Dover Keselowski) (Martin Truex Jr.) July 21: Foxwoods 301 at New Hampshire Oct. 13: 1000Bulbs.com 500 Talladega March 3: Pennzoil 400 at Las Vegas (Joey April 28: Geico 500 at Talladega (Chase July 28: Gander Outdoors 400 at Pocono Oct. 20: Hollywood Casino 400 at Kansas Logano) Elliott) Aug. 4: Go Bowling at Watkins Glen Oct. 27: First Data 500 at Martinsville March 10: TicketGuardian 500 at Phoenix May 5: Dover 400 (Martin Truex Jr.) Aug. 11: Consumers Energy 400 at Michigan Nov. 3: AAA Texas 500 (Kyle Busch) May 11: Kansas 400 (Brad Keselowski) Aug. 17: Bass Pro Shops NRA Night Race at Nov. 10: Can-Am 500k at Phoenix March 17: Auto Club 400 at Fontana (Kyle May 18: All-Star Race at Charlotte Bristol Nov. 17: Ford EcoBoost 400 at Busch) May 26: Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Sept. 1: Southern 500 at Darlington Homestead-Miami Oil Valley Internal Medicine is accepting new patients with same day Tionesta Health Center appointments often available. 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