NASCAR THIS WEEK 8 - THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, September 19, 2018

SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE

A few questions we had to ask Compelling questions ... and maybe a few ourselves RICHMOND actual answers Do we even have to ask if it’s Did finally earn a now a “Big 4”? THREE THINGS TO WATCH big-time ride? GODSPEAK: has so much momentum right In earlier, more predictable financial now, you could surf on it. Yes, times for NASCAR, the answer would the “Deuce” streak makes it a be yes. In his second of three starts “Big 4.” in a Ganassi Racing Xfinity Series car, KEN’S CALL: Frankly, I was ready Chastain won at Las Vegas. He jumped to bring Kez aboard, drop Martin at the Ganassi opportunity and even Truex Jr., and keep it a “Big 3.” agreed to forgo a paycheck for the But then Truex returned to form chance. It’s not the first Vegas gamble at Vegas, so yep, it now looks to pay off. His third start for Ganassi like a “Big 4.” comes this week at Richmond. Chastain is from a long line of watermelon farm- Harvick is angry. Does that ers in southwest Florida, and that alone mean he wins Saturday night at makes it worth pulling for the 25-year- Richmond? old racer. GODSPEAK: gave new meaning to “rolling craps” fell to last place in the NASCAR playoff standings after this incident A new Mr. September? in Las Vegas. Warning! Warning! ended his day at Las Vegas. [AP/ISAAC BREKKEN] Don’t poke the bear at Richmond. Harry Gant earned that label in 1991 KEN’S CALL: There are too many 1. Separation process aura or something right now, and we when he won four straight races in things that can go wrong to need to switch that around or change September. Brad Keselowski can do the prevent a win, so that’s hard to The NASCAR playoff-parting process has that around — fix that up, clean that up, same if he wins at Richmond this week. assume. But I know this: No one started. It’s like separating a yolk from an whatever. It’s not the time of year to be Kez could even go one better, since should get in his way. egg white: It can be messy. Martin Truex having that stuff.” Charlotte’s inaugural road-course race Jr., and Brad Keselowski top also falls within the month, on Sept. the charts, while and Denny 3. Truex returns 30. Back in ’91, “Handsome Harry” also FEUD OF THE WEEK Hamlin will almost need a win to get to got a fifth September race and nearly the Round of 12. “Not the situation we Martin Truex Jr. and his No. 78 Toyota swept the entire month — he led 350 KEVIN HARVICK VS. GOODYEAR: needed to be in, we didn’t have any bonus team are back after a four-race perfor- of 400 laps at North Wilkesboro but Harvick had a big beef with the points, and we’ve got some work to do mance hiatus that included a last-place finished second to Dale Earnhardt. tiremaker after his right-front now,” said Jones, who started from the finish at Indianapolis. Truex finished third blew out, sending his No. 4 Vegas pole. at Vegas and planted his flag for a title — Ken Willis, ken.willis Ford into the wall at Las Vegas. run. “We can talk all we want about who @news-jrnl.com “There was something wrong 2. Spun, but not done did great in the regular season, but at the from the time we put the tires end of the day, we’re here to win a cham- on,” he said. Kyle Busch rallied from a self-inflicted pionship, and at the end of the season, CUP STANDINGS GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: Drivers spin (Lap 233 of 272) to finish seventh at the four best guys will be at Homestead, generally don’t speak badly of Vegas. Busch said he has encountered and hopefully we’re there,” he said. 1. Martin Truex Jr. 2087 Goodyear. Harvick did. “It was handling woes with his No. 18 Joe Gibbs 2. Kyle Busch 2085 like Russian roulette every time Racing Toyota in the past several weeks. — Godwin Kelly, godwin. 3. Brad Keselowski 2069 you put these piece-of-crap tires “I don’t know what it is,” he said. “Bad [email protected] 4. Kevin Harvick 2060 on and try to drive around the 5. 2056 racetrack,” he said. 6. 2046 7. 2042 8. 2041 G O D W I N ’ S P I C K S 9. 2034 FOR RICHMOND 10. 2031 LAS VEGAS 11. 2029 WINNER: Brad Keselowski 12. 2028 REST OF TOP 5: Kyle Larson, 13. 2022 Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Denny THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 14. 2019 Hamlin 15. Erik Jones 2009 FIRST ONE OUT: 1. Penske 500 16. Denny Hamlin 2008 DARK HORSE: Ryan Newman 17. Ryan Newman 561 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: Kes- No, it’s not the name of a race. It’s a 18. 551 elowski extends his winning reference to Roger Penske, whose race 19. Daniel Suarez 530 streak to four Cup Series wins team scored its 500th victory when Brad 20. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 528 and takes his place among the Keselowski took the checkered flag at “Big 3.” Las Vegas. “Great job by Brad and the No. 2 team to start the playoffs with a win,” WHAT’S ON TAP said Penske, who was with his IndyCar M O T O R M O U T H S team in California. Roger Penske, who started his racing CUP SERIES: Federated Auto Parts 400 PODCAST program in 1966, now boasts 500 wins as SITE: Richmond Raceway (.75-mile oval) 2. Fell into hole a car owner across several series. Brad SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (NBC Are we jumping off the Harvick Keselowski got the magic 500th win for Sports Network, 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 bandwagon? Maybe, maybe not. Denny Hamlin hasn’t won this year and “The Captain” at Las Vegas on Sunday. p.m.), qualifying (NBC Sports Network, finished Race 1 of the NASCAR playoffs in [AP/R. BRENT SMITH] 6 p.m.). Saturday, race (NBC Sports Tune in online at 32nd place. He hit the wall 20 laps from Network, coverage begins at 6 p.m.; www.news-journalonline.com/ the finish. “Trying to get more than the Jr. finished third ahead of Kyle Busch green flag, 7:30 p.m.) daytonamotormouths car was capable of,” he said. “We should (seventh) and will take a two-point lead have just finished 15th or 10th or wher- into Richmond. This is the first time in XFINITY: Go Bowling 250 ever we were at.” NASCAR history three different drivers SITE: Richmond Raceway have scored three consecutive wins in SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (NBC- 3. Extra stats one season. Sports.com, 8:30 a.m. and 10 a.m.), qualifying (NBC Sports Network, 4:30 The top seven finishers at Las Vegas — Godwin Kelly, godwin. p.m.), race (NBC Sports Network, 7:30 are drivers in the playoffs. Martin Truex [email protected] p.m.)

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

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