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 The Daytona Beach2. KeNewvins-Journal’sHarvick Godwin 131 there’s nothing anyone could do Kelly & Ken Willis3.haDennve coyveHamlinred NASCAR for 127 about it,” Hamlin said. HealthHealth nearly 60 years combined.4. Kyle Buschgodwin.kLocalelly@Local News 121News LocalLocal NewsNews Local News 5. Brad Keselowski Education115 Local News Page 2 news-jrnl.com [email protected] Local News NASCAR THIS WEEKPagePagePage 85 8 6. KyHappyle Larson PagePage 4thPage102 102 2 of July PagePagePage 42 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 SPEED FREAKS S QUEST CIONS & AT CTITUDE N FREE REST OF TOP 5: Chase Elliott, 11. Aric Almirola 92 Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Kurt 12. Alex Bowman 85 A few questions we THREE THINGS WE LEARNED Compelling questions ... and Buschhad to ask ourselves maybe a few13.actualClint Boanswyweerrs 83 FIRST ONE OUT: Ty Dillon 1.DATwo for Kyle YTONA 14. Chase Elliott 81 DARKFoHORSE:llowing AlexRickyBoStenhousewman’s Did things15.justRygetan Blaneyinteresting? 69 Jr. win, who’s the next first- THREEKyle Busch continuedTHINGS TO WATCH 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 time Cup winner? TheVOLUME 10, ISSUE 27 SampsonYes, they certainly did. The dramatic Weekly competitionGODSPEAK:tightensAllowupmeintothe 1. Raminorce re-leaguecordsseries uptick from18.ChevrDanieloletsSuarinezgeneral 63 frontcrawlpackoutbecauseon a skinnyof thelimbsize of with two more wins, and Hendrick19. RyMotorsportsan Newmanspecifi- 62 this oval.in a hard wind and say ErikbutJonesfinishedwill bethirfightingd in the www.thesampsonweekly.comwww.thesampsonweekly.comwww.thesampsonweekly.com cally hints20.atPasomeul Menarseriousd slicing 61 WeekWeekWeek ofofWeek December Decemberof of March July 7-13,4-11,8-14,7-13, 201920182018 Daniel Hemric. recentCuphistoryrace. at“I Dathinkytona.we and dicing during the season’s KEN’S CALL: Considering Thepalastsseddrivtheer whomostsuc-cars so second half. Joe Gibbs and Roger I think we were the most INSIDEINSIDEINSIDE MOtheTOstrongR MOHendrickUTHSshow- cessfully defended a July INSIDE Penske should’vWHAeT’changedS ONtheTAlocksP RoseboroRoseboro ChristmasChristmas PODCing atASTChicagoland, I’ll win imprat Daessivytonae,”wahes Tosaid,ny Mayoron Victory Lane Voiceswhile they held all Citizen’s SalemburgAnd The Winners Veteran Honored Are... Mayor Voices Citizen’s go with Alex’s teammate Stew“butart inthat2005-06.doesn’tStewmatter- Service2019 ALIVEthe keys . FromCUPJimmieSERIES:Johnson AFTERTicketGuardianled lapsThefor 500 Heart FIVE 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- Under William Byron. art led a race-record 151 just the fourth time this year. All four Parade-at Board MeetingUnder west. Horace Greeley didn’t lapstrinoph2005.y. WhatevJones tieder.” the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas. He wonFrustrationSEASONtheFrustrationTruck Hendrick SCHEDULE:cars in ANNOUNCEDthe topFriday,with 11,withincludingqualifying DOT/24 DOT/24 exactlyEriksaJonesy that,wobutn Daheytona’swasn’t a the record for fewest laps Series race Friday, but finished third in Sunday’s Cup the winner?(FoxNiceSportsturnar1,ound,6 p.m.).butSaturday,any thethe LightsLights NASCJulyAR rafan.ce last year, so led by2.aTowinner.p-5 foHerledKurt race. [AP/BENJAMIN HAGER] momentumpracticehas to wa(Foxit anotherSports 1,we11:30ek. a.m. who’s this year’s surprise? only the last lap, which and 2 p.m.). Sunday, race (Fox, FaithFaith TuneGODSPEAK:in online atWell, I’m out tiedKurtJimmBuschy Spencer’shas taken a we know we’ve gotEducationNascarsome “If it’s entertaining for What, nocoveragemomentum?beings at 3 p.m., racing PagePagePage 7 10 7 wwwhere.newwiths-journalonline.com/the squirrels, 1994likingwinningto theeffort.new pack- more work to do.”Page 16 people to watch, it really at 3:30 p.m.) daytonamotormouthsso I’m going to stay with age. At least that’s what does not matter to me a While the restrictor-plate era is gone Daniel Hemric. 2. Halfwhis performanceay point sheet 3. Package reaction bit. Whatever it is, it is, (but hardlyXFINITY:forgotten)Xfinityat Da200ytona, KEN’S CALL: In a nod to shows — two top-five fin- the rules are the same the TalladegaSITE:raISMce inRacewayApril showed July-in-Daytona longshots AlexishesBowmanin aledrowa. “I’m really NASCAR’s new Cup pack- for everybody.” us that taperSCHEDULE:ed spacersFriday,can alsopractice (Fox FAMILY FEATURES talian cuisine has influenced food culture around the world, and is often viewed as an art form that includes like Sam McQuagg and Chevrproletouduprisingof everybodyat to Erik Jonesage madecelebritsatesdebutin Victoryat Lane after winningthe freshest, most authentic ingredients,the prepared with invite theSports“Big One.”1, 3Atp.m.Talladega,and 5 p.m.).it passion and served with love to family and friends. IMealtime is a celebration, captured by the classic Italian proverb, “You never grow old at the table.” Americans have celebrated Italian food for decades. Classic Italian dishes have been joined by refreshing, Greg Sacks, I’ll go with Ty Chicagoland Speedway. 400 at Daytona in 2018. He tied a race recormodernd twistswith on tradition that help keephis the love affair was actually a few “Little Big Ones,” get a top-five,” he said. Las Vegas. “Yeah, I mean — Godwinalive and well with this simple, colorful,Kelly, flavorful, Saturday, qualifying (Fox Sports healthy cuisine. Born in Lucca, Italy, in 1867, Filippo Berio Olive Oil celebrates 150 years of culinary passion and artistry by combining traditional ingredients in contemporary, unexpected recipes that can help you savor the moment.