8 – THE DERRICK. / The News-Herald Wednesday, December 11, 2013 QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE Compelling questions ... and maybe a few actual answers SPEED FREAKS CUP REWIND: TOP 5 RACES OF 2013 A couple questions we had to ask — ourselves Kyle’s Fontana fun and Denny’s damage Getty Images/CHRIS GRAYTHEN Too bad, but this trophy doesn’t come with Getty Images/NICK LAHAM confetti and points. When he starts getting the slings and arrows that all broadcasters Earnhardt Jr.’s “Most get, he’ll need this uniform Popular Driver” streak again. is now at 11 years. How long will it last? OK, when do we start hating GODSPEAK: It depends on Jeff Burton? Danica Patrick. If she can Best guess: Sometime around get more competitive, win Labor Day in 2015. By then NBC a race and continue the will be well into its large portion charm offensive, Junior’s of NASCAR coverage in its first streak would be in jeop- season back as a network broadcast ardy. partner. One of NBC’s first on-air KEN’S CALL: Maybe until personnel moves was the hiring of there’s a Dale Earnhardt III. Burton as a color commentator. The Somewhere, Frank Sinatra longtime racer plans to run a limited Jr. is wondering why he schedule next year, then slip into his never sold more records. fire-retardant sportcoat and grab a How do you think Jeff microphone full time in 2015. Burton will do in the broadcast booth? Why is it inevitable that he’ll get GODSPEAK: Burton will on our nerves? bring fresh perspective to Because they ALL do eventu- the broadcast booth, and ally. Well, OK, not all of us will find NBC has a year to coach something to hate about Burton, but him up, so all that is in his enough viewers will start complain- Getty Images/TODD WARSHAW favor. ing, you’ll think the guy went public KEN’S CALL: Frankly, This was the scene much of the day at Fontana, where Kyle Busch put everyone in his rearview with his dislike of grits and Richard when I saw the headline, mirror. At the end, though, that No. 22 car got in front … briefly. Petty. Chances are, Burton hasn’t “NBC hires Burton,” I was really thought this through, but it’s Editor’s note: We’re count- true: The quickest way to irritate praying it was Ward. Aside ing down the top five races of from possibly needing a sizable chunk of sports-viewing the 2013 Sprint Cup season. closed-captioning, that Americans is to take a microphone Today is No. 3, the March 24 would’ve been much more and start talking about what every- Auto Club 400 at Auto Club entertaining. one is watching. Speedway. What’s your favorite Auto Club Speedway in “other” award from the Fontana, Calif., does not have Tough gig, huh? annual Banquet Week? a reputation for producing We’re guessing the network-size GODSPEAK: It’s always dramatic Sprint Cup races. treasury will supply just enough been the “MAHLE Clevite Historically, one stock car is salve on payday to make it worth Engine Builder of the Year superior and runs away from his while. Of course, the majority of Award.” Who has Clevite the field. viewers will probably be perfectly this year? Scott Fox from But the 2-mile oval broke fine with Burton, but those folks the No. 48 Hendrick Motor- out of its yawn mode thanks don’t make much noise. sports Chevy. in part to an early season feud KEN’S CALL: The “MOOG between drivers Joey Logano How did Kasey Kahne make the Steering & Suspension and Denny Hamlin. popularity quinella? Hamlin earned pole honors, Problem Solver of the Year Very good question. Junior but was quickly overtaken on Award.” It went to Matt Earnhardt winning the annual “Most Borland, by the way. the first lap by Matt Kenseth, Popular Driver” award is hardly his teammate surprising, since he’s now done it 11 at Joe Gibbs AP/REED SAXON straight years. But according to vote Racing. KEY DATES Busch’s No. 18 went back to the front while Denny Hamlin’s counters, Kahne finished second. Jan. 9-10: Daytona Preseason 3 However, season met a very big roadblock. Also wrecked was whatever We realize he carried the 18-to-25 Thunder testing (Sprint Cup) FONTANA it was soon female demographic by landslide Jan. 11-12: Daytona Preseason remained of the Hamlin-Logano relationship. apparent that margins, but it’s hard to imagine Thunder testing (Nationwide) MARCH 24 the stock car Jan. 13-14: Daytona Preseason them voting in such numbers to to beat was Emotions were high since ing, I’m not sure,” Busch said. put Kahne second only to Junior. Thunder testing (truck series) those two drivers had been “Man, feels so good to finally Jan. 29: NASCAR Hall of the third Gibbs Racing entry, Nothing personal against Kasey; he’s Fame, 2014 induction, wheeled by Kyle Busch, who bickering and complaining win. We weren’t going to win if one of the most inoffensive top-flight Charlotte, N.C. was in and out of the lead from about each other for weeks. it wasn’t for those two battling. racers to come along in many years. Feb. 15: The Sprint Unlimited the opening to closing laps. Their dispute came to a head If they would have been single But the popularity must stem from Feb. 16: Daytona 500 As the laps wound down, on the final lap. The two driv- file and just racing, it would qualifying his boyish looks, because he’s no Busch was in control. He led 48 ers made contact while battling have went down in order.” ball o’ fire. Frankly, he makes Matt Feb. 18: UNOH Battle At The for the lead, sending Hamlin’s Beach (K&N Pro East, Whelen consecutive laps before Clint The hit was so violent that Kenseth look like Shecky Greene. Modifieds) Bowyer spun his No. 15 Toyota car hard into an inside retain- Hamlin fractured his L1 verte- ing wall. The crash opened the bra and spent the night in the Feb. 20: Budweiser Duel on Lap 186 of the 200-lap race. Shecky who? Feb. 21: NextEra Energy With the field tightened up door to a Busch victory. hospital. He missed four races Resources 250 after the Lap 190 restart, Busch “I put my foot to it and drove and had a miserable season, Oops, forgot. Shecky probably Feb. 22: DRIVE4COPD 300 around the outside of them including eight DNFs, until didn’t work the Warner Robins night- Feb. 23: Daytona 500 was overtaken by Logano, driv- ing the No. 22 Penske Racing before they started crashing winning the season finale at club scene much. Should’ve gone or maybe as they were crash- Homestead in November. with Jerry Clower instead. Do you have questions or Ford, and Hamlin. comments about NASCAR This Week? Contact Godwin Kelly at godwin. Godwin Kelly is the Daytona Beach News- @nascardaytona Ken Willis has been covering NAS- [email protected] or Journal’s motorsports editor and has ONLINE Ken Willis at ken.willis@ CAR for The Daytona Beach News- covered NASCAR for 30 years. Reach him facebook.com/ Journal for 27 years. Reach him at news-jrnl.com EXTRAS news-journalonline. at [email protected] nascardaytona com/nascar [email protected] Not everything stays in Vegas The star of NASCAR’s banquet week Tony Stewart. American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award: MAHLE Clevite Engine Builder of the Year Award: is always the Sprint Cup champ. But NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award: Kyle Busch Scott Fox, Hendrick Motorsports No. 48 team that ring and trophy aren’t the only Dale Earnhardt Jr. Coors Light Pole Award: Denny Hamlin Mechanix Wear Most Valuable Pit Crew Award: awards presented. Here’s a list of the Buddy Shuman Award: Chevrolet Division of Gen- Duralast Brakes “Brake in the Race” Award: Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 team “other” honors doled out in Las Vegas eral Motors, Ford Motor Company and Toyota Jimmie Johnson Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award: Matt Kenseth last week: NASCAR Marketing Achievement Award: Coca- Freescale “Wide Open” Award: Matt Kenseth MOOG Steering & Suspension Problem Solver of National Motorsports Press Association Myers Cola Goodyear Tires Award (Champion): Jimmie the Year Award: Matt Borland, crew chief No. 39 Brothers Award (for contributions to the sport): 3M Lap Leader Award: Matt Kenseth Johnson Stewart-Haas Racing team 2014 SPRINT CUP SCHEDULE 2013 SPRINT CUP RESULTS Feb. 15 Sprint Unlimited, Daytona FOX Sports 1 June 28 Kentucky Speedway TNT Feb. 16 The Sprint Unlimited, Daytona (Kevin Harvick) June 30 Quaker State 400, Kentucky (Matt Kenseth) Feb. 16 Daytona 500 qualifying FOX July 5 Daytona International Speedway TNT Feb. 21 Budweiser Duel 1, Daytona (Kevin Harvick) July 6 Coke Zero 400, Daytona (Jimmie Johnson) Feb. 20 Duels, Daytona FOX Sports 1 July 13 New Hampshire Motor Speedway TNT Feb. 21 Budweiser Duel 2, Daytona (Kyle Busch) July 14 Camping World RV Sales 301, Loudon (Brian Vickers) Feb. 23 Daytona 500 FOX July 27 Indianapolis Motor Speedway ESPN Feb. 24 Daytona 500, Daytona (Jimmie Johnson) July 28 Your Hero’s Name Here 400, Indy (Ryan Newman) March 2 Phoenix International Raceway FOX Aug. 3 Pocono Raceway ESPN March 3 Subway Fresh Fit 500, Phoenix (Carl Edwards) Aug. 4 GoBowling.com 400, Pocono (Kasey Kahne) March 9 Las Vegas Motor Speedway FOX Aug. 10 Watkins Glen International ESPN March 10 Kobalt Tools 400, Las Vegas (Matt Kenseth) Aug.