The Daytona Beach News-Journal’s Godwin Kelly & Ken Willis have covered NASCAR for nearly 60 years combined. godwin.kelly@ NASCAR THIS WEEK news-jrnl.com [email protected] SPEED FREAKS QUESTIONS & ATTITUDE A few questions we had to ask ourselves Compelling questions ... and PHOENIX maybe a few actual answers Your knee-jerk review of Vegas and results of the “new THREE THINGS TO WATCH Is that a look of concern? package”? GODSPEAK: It’s a work in 1. Penske power Let’s call it a mix of mild concern, progress. Drivers have more car balanced by a hesitance to offer control, and there have been It sure looks like Team snap judgment. I tuned into Sun- fewer wrecks. Give it time. Penske has found the day’s race, saw a big pack of cars KEN’S CALL: If it seemed perfect secret key to the new slicing and dicing, and said, “See, at the start, the engineers NASCAR package — two that’s exactly what NASCAR was would eventually mess it up. But wins by two drivers on looking for with the new con- it seems imperfect at the start, consecutive weekends. figurations.” Then I looked in the so maybe the engineers will find Joey Logano credited corner of the screen and realized a way to tighten up the field. Ford’s engineers for solv- it was just the second lap of Reverse psychology, right there. ing the puzzle. “Everyone a green-flag run. By Lap 10, it is going through a learn- became the Urban Meyer 400 — Kez, then Joey. Is this going to ing curve right now, so everyone in spread formation. be a Penske year? if there’s a time to do it, GODSPEAK: You know how the now is the time because Now what? winds of fortune work, but right we had to redo every- now Team Penske enjoys a bel- thing we had anyway,” I always go back to the theory lowing jib. What? Logano said of the new proposed by former Nashville KEN’S CALL: Penske also has a Mustang. “That seems to Joey Logano won at Las Vegas a week after teammate Tennessean motorsports writer third wheel, Ryan Blaney, who be paying dividends for Brad Keselowski captured the flag at Atlanta. Team Larry Woody, who suggested has done no better than 22nd so us now.” Penske has seen early success with the new aero/motor tossing a rabid badger in every far. If they get him going, watch package. [AP/JOHN LOCHER] cockpit to liven things up. Given out. 2. NASCAR’s NASCAR’s reluctance to see the observation “But still work to do. It’s been happy with his car brilliance in that, I will instead early. Three different yet this season. “The last opt for patience and the insti- FEUD OF THE WEEK The Cup Series made its winners, three races; so two weeks we’ve been tutional knowledge that no full aero/engine package we’ll take this one and in right field at the start eventual landing spot, rules- DENNY HAMLIN VS. KURT debut at Las Vegas, with head to Phoenix.” of practice, and they just wise, will be universally loved BUSCH: Hamlin was not happy mixed reviews. NASCAR keep scrambling and by all. about having to play follow-the- is poking and prodding 3. Harvick watch taking big swings at it leader behind Busch, who was at the data gathered to to get us close,” he said. — Ken Willis, ken.willis a tick slower on older tires, but date. “I think it was good When the Cup Series “Hopefully, we can get @news-jrnl.com impassable because of the new to see directionally that circus hits Phoenix and that figured out.” Count aero/motor combo. guys (came) up through ISM Raceway, you have on it Sunday. GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: This the pack and make to keep one eye on Kevin NASCAR CUP is something new in the Cup a pass for the lead,” Harvick. Harvick has — Godwin Kelly, STANDINGS Series — faster cars that NASCAR Vice President piled up nine wins at the godwin.kelly@ can’t pass. “(When) he ran Steve O’Donnell said. 1-mile oval. He hasn’t news-jrnl.com 1. Joey Logano 133 the bottom (racing lane) then 2. Kevin Harvick 131 there’s nothing anyone could do 3. Denny Hamlin 127 about it,” Hamlin said. HealthHealth 4. Kyle Busch LocalLocal News 121News LocalLocal NewsNews Local News 5. Brad Keselowski EducationFAITH115 Local News PagePagePage 85 8 6. Kyle Larson PagePagePagePage102 10 62 2 PagePagePage 2 66 GODWIN’S PICKS 7. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 99 FOR PHOENIX 8. Erik Jones 98 8. Martin Truex Jr. 98 LAS VEGAS AMPSONSAMPSON COUNTY’SOUNTY’S COMMUNITYOMMUNITY NEWSPAPEREWSPAPER FREE WINNER: Kevin Harvick SSAMPSON C C10.OUNTY’SKurt Busch C COMMUNITY95 N NEWSPAPER FREE REST OF TOP 5: Chase Elliott, 11. Aric Almirola 92 Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Kurt THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 12. Alex Bowman 85 Busch 13. Clint Bowyer 83 FIRST ONE OUT: Ty Dillon 1. Two for Kyle 14. Chase Elliott 81 DARK HORSE: Ricky Stenhouse 15. Ryan Blaney 69 Jr. Kyle Busch continued 16. William Byron 66 DON’T BE SURPRISED IF: The his assault on NASCAR’s VOLUMETheVOLUME 9, ISSUE9, ISSUE 50 50 Sampson17. Jimmie Johnson 65 Weekly TheTheVOLUME 10, ISSUE 10Sampson Sampson WeeklyWeekly TheVOLUME 11, ISSUE 39 Sampson Weekly competition tightens up in the minor-league series 18. Daniel Suarez 63 front pack because of the size of with two more wins, 19. Ryan Newman 62 this oval. but finished third in the www.thesampsonweekly.comwww.thesampsonweekly.comwww.thesampsonweekly.com 20. Paul Menard 61 WeekWeekWeek of Week September ofof December Decemberof March 18-24, 7-13,8-14,7-13, 2020 201820192018 Cup race. “I think we passed the most cars so I think we were the most INSIDEINSIDEINSIDE MOTOR MOUTHS INSIDE WHAT’S ON TAP RoseboroRoseboro ChristmasChristmas PODCAST impressive,” he said, HelpingMayorMayor Hands Voices Voices Determined Citizen’s Citizen’s And The Winners Are... “but that doesn’t matter 2019 ALIVECUP SERIES: AFTERTicketGuardian 500 FIVE Two Additional Stay west, young man, stay because we don’t have a Kyle Busch carries the checkered flag after winning SITE: ISM Raceway (1-mile oval) Parade-Parade- UnderUnder west. Horace Greeley didn’t trophy. Whatever.” the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas. He wonFrustrationSEASONtheFrustrationTruck to “BackSCHEDULE: ANNOUNCED Friday,with thewithqualifying Blue” DOT/24 DOT/24 exactly say that, but he wasn’t a Series race Friday, but finished third in Sunday’s Cup (Fox Sports 1, 6 p.m.). Saturday, Deathsthethe LightsLightsthis Week NASCAR fan. 2. Top-5 for Kurt race. [AP/BENJAMIN HAGER] practice (Fox Sports 1, 11:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.). Sunday, race (Fox, Faith Tune in online at Kurt Busch has taken a we know we’ve gotFaithLocalEducationsome News “If it’s entertaining for coverage beings at 3 p.m., racing PagePagePage 7 10 7 www.news-journalonline.com/ liking to the new pack- more work to do.” Page 2 people to watch, it really at 3:30 p.m.) From COVID-19 daytonamotormouths age. At least that’s what does not matter to me a his performance sheet 3. Package reaction bit. Whatever it is, it is, XFINITY: Xfinity 200 shows — two top-five fin- the rules are the same SITE: ISM Raceway ishes in a row. “I’m really NASCAR’s new Cup pack- for everybody.” SCHEDULE: Friday, practice (Fox proud of everybody to age made its debut at Sports 1, 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.). get a top-five,” he said. Las Vegas. “Yeah, I mean — Godwin Kelly, Saturday, qualifying (Fox Sports “Now we’ve got two I really don’t care,” driver godwin.kelly@ 1, 12:30 p.m.), race (Fox Sports 1, top-fives this year, but Chase Elliott (ninth)Localsaid. News news-jrnl.com 4 p.m.) EntertainmentEntertainment PageSports 4 PagePage 9 9 DuringDuring Tuesday Tuesday night’s night’s City City Council Council meeting, meeting, Mayor Mayor Lew Lew Starling Starling voiced voiced many many of of the the concernsconcerns frustrating frustrating Clinton Clinton businesses businesses and and citizens citizens over over the the issue issue of of Hwy Hwy 24. 24. With With sever sever- - al membersal members of theof the Department Department of ofTransportation, Transportation, along along with with representatives representatives from from the the Fred Fred Samantha DiPinto, Matthew Register, Lynn Webster SmithSmith Company Company and and the the NC NC Board Board of ofTransportation Transportation on on hand hand to topresent present an an overview overview of of work work on AccordingonHwy Hwy 24, 24, Mayor toMayor Chris Starling Starling Sessoms, rebuked rebuked founderthe the DOT DOT ofand andthe it’s it’s non-profithandling handling of of Hwyorganization Hwy 24 24 with with a aHelpingsome some- - Sports SportsNASCARNascar times-bristlingHandstimes-bristling of Sampson reproach. reproach. County, “We just want to thank all the dedicated men and Chamber Awards Winners PagePagePagePage 11-12 11-12 16 KEN WILLIS’ TOP 10 NASCAR DRIVER RANKINGwomen Swho put their lives on the line daily.” At Atissue issue for forStarling Starling and and his his constitutes constitutes was was the the length length of ofthe the project, project, the the safety safety of of travelers, travelers, at 49th Annual Banquet ALIVE AFTER FIVE PRESENTS 9th SUMMER CONCERT SERIES BRAD JOEY KYLE KEVIN KURT DENNY MARTINandand the theoverall overall detrimentKYLE detriment to commerceto commerceERIK JONESalong along the the Hwy Hwy 24ARIC 24 corridor. corridor. “This “This 1 1mile mile stretch stretch that that WEATHERWEATHERWEATHER Americans across SPARE the country CHANGE have TO KICK-OFFbeen coming CONCERT together SERIES to show their support On Thursday evening, the Clinton Sampson Chamber KESELOWSKI LOGANO BUSCH HARVICK BUSCH HAMLIN TRUEXwe’rewe’reJR.