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 The Daytona Beach Newevs-eryJournal’sone inGodwinspread formation. be a Penske year? if there’s a time to do it, Kelly & Ken Willis have covered NASCAR for GODSPEAK: You know how the now is the time because nearly 60 years combined.Nowgodwin.kwhat?elly@ winds of fortune work, but right we had to redo every- news-jrnl.com [email protected] now TeamNAPenske enjoysSCa bel- ARthing we had THISanyway,” WEEK 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 doneSPEEDno betterFREAKthan 22ndS so us now.” Penske has seen early success with the new aero/QUmotorESTIONS &tossingATTITUDEa rabid badger in every far. If they get him going, watch package. [AP/JOHN LOCHER] cockpit to liven things up. Given A few questions we Compelling questions ... and out. 2. NASCAR’s NASCAR’s reluctance to see the had to ask ourselves TEXAS maybe a few actual answers observation “But still work to do. It’s been happy with his car brilliance in that, I will instead For what it’s worth, Kez is now THREE THINGSearly. ThreeTOdifferentWATCHyet this season. “TheIs itlasta two-team pennantopt forracepa?tience and the insti- FEUDatOF69 totalTHENASCWEEKAR wins over The Cup Series made its winners, three races; so two weeks we’ve been tutional knowledge that no the three national series. Does full aero/engine package we’ll take this one and in right field at theSostartfar, yes, Roger Penskeventuale and JoelandingGibbs spot, rules- DENNY heHAMLINreach 100?VS. KURT debut at Las Vegas, with head to Phoenix.” of practice, and theyare holdingjust all the carwise,ds andwilltherbeeforunive ersally loved BUSCH:GODSPEAK:Hamlin wasHenotwillhappyend up mixRyedanreBlaneyviews.isNASCAR keep scrambling andall the trophies. The Stewby all.art-Haas guys about havingwith aboutto play60 Cupfollow-the-Series wins, is pokingno strangerand toprodding 3. Harvick watch taking big swings arateitclose enough to win, and the Ganassi leader behindwhich willBusch,get himwhooverwasthe 100 at theVictorydataLane.gathered to to get us close,” heguysaid.s are OK, but Rick—Hendrick’sKen Willis,teamken.willis— a tick slowerhump. on older tires, but date.He “Iappearsthink it was good When the Cup Series “Hopefully, we canasideget from a couple [email protected] Chase Elliott impassableKEN’SbecauseCALL: Sixty-nineof the newis a big to seereadydirtoectionally that circus hits Phoenix and that figured out.” Countefforts —is off the rails again after aero/motornumbercombo.of wins historically. guybecomes (came)Teamup through ISM Raceway, you have on it Sunday. asubpar 2018. Such things can become Kyle Busch makes it look small, Penske’s third entrenched, so a soon-as-possible turn- GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: This the pack and make to keep one eye on Kevin though. Yes, Kez makes it to winning driver around is becoming veNAry necessarySCAR.CUP is something new in the Cup a pass for the lead,” Harvick. Harvick has — Godwin Kelly, 100 because it’ll eventually this season. STANDINGS Series — faster cars that NASCAR Vice President piled up nine wins at the godwin.kelly@ become a goal. [AP/CHUCK Did someone mention Kyle Petty? can’t pass. “(When) he ran StevBURe TOO’DonnellN] said. 1-mile oval. He hasn’t news-jrnl.com 1. Joey Logano 133 the bottomDoes(racingdominatinglane)Martinsthenville in Yep, Brad Keselowski’s2. Ke446vinlapsHarvickled at 131 there’s suchnothinga manneranyonemeancouldanythingdo Martinsville was the3.mostDennsincey HamlinKyle led 127 about it,”forHamlinKez? said. HealthHealth 484 at Rockingham in4.1992.KyleItBuschseems KyLocalleLocal News 121News LocalLocal NewsNews GODSPEAK: Normally, I would 1. Gaining momentum need to get our stuff togetherLocalon News has been a NASCAR television5. Brad KepersonalityselowsWeki EducationShould115 Know Local News say no, but in this case, yes. His being on the same pagePagewithPagePagethat 835 8 forever, so some young6. Kyfolksle Larsonmight not PagePagePagePage102 1052 2 PagePagePage 2 66 GODWpitIN’crewSwasPICKflawless.S They all Ryan Blaney has scored three pit road speed,” Bowyer said. “It’s know he had a decent7.runRickyin theStenhouseearly-’90sJr. 99 FOR PHOENIXmust feel like Superman. Can a consecutive top-five finishes in such an important thing and such for owner Felix Sabates8. Erik— sixJonesof his eight 98 lug nut turn into kryptonite? his No. 12 Team Penske Ford. His a big part of this style of racing, career wins and two8.fifth-placeMartin Trfinishesuex Jr. 98 KEN’S CALL: Nope. That’s teammatesLASBrad Keselowski and VEGASwhere track position is everything.” inAMPSONStheAMPSONpoints standings. COUNTY’SOUNTY’SRockingham wa COMMUNITYsOMMUNITY NEWSPAPEREWSPAPER FREE WINNER: Kevin Harvick SSAMPSON C C10.OUNTY’SKurt Busch C COMMUNITY95 N NEWSPAPER FREE the short answer. The Joey Logano have scored wins this prSactically his playg Cround for a while. CIn N FREE REST OF TOP 5: Chase Elliott, 11. Aric Almirola 92 long answer? If they reopen season. “We’re right there,” Blaney 3. Lone Star stat six races there from 1990-92, he had five Kyle Busch, Joey Logano, Kurt THREE THINGS WE LEARNED 12. Alex Bowman 85 North Wilkesboro, he’s the said. “We just need a little bit more. poles and three wins. Busch current favorite. So, back to my It’s so hard to win these races. If you look at the past 10 years of 13. Clint Bowyer 83 FIRST ONEoriginalOUT:answer.Ty Dillon 1.YoTwu’voe gotfortoKydoleeverything perfect racing at Texas Motor Speedway, — Ken Willis, [email protected]. Chase Elliott 81 DARK HORSE: Ricky Stenhouse … you eventually try to put one of from 2009 through 2018, you will 15. Ryan Blaney 69 Jr. Kythesele Buschthingscontinuedhere together and try find five former winners, includ- 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 FEUD OF THE WEEK to figure out how to break through Theing thrTheVOLUMEee former champions, 10, ISSUEwho 10Sampson SampsonNASCAR CUP STANDINGS WeeklyWeekly TheVOLUME 10, ISSUE 13 Sampson Weekly competition tightens up in the minorand get-leagueit done.”series have retired from big-league racing. 18. Daniel Suarez 63 front packARICbecauseALMIROLAofVS.theKYLEsize of with two more wins, The list includes Jeff Gordon, Matt 1. Kyle Busch 19. Ryan Newman273 62 this oval.BUSCH: Almirola said he was but2. Bofinishedwyer’sthirsped inedtheometer Kewww.thesampsonweekly.comnseth,www.thesampsonweekly.comwww.thesampsonweekly.comTony Stewart, Greg Biffle 2. Denny Hamlin 20. Paul Menard 252 61 WeekWeekWeek ofWeek ofof March December Decemberof March 29-April 7-13,8-14,7-13, 4, 201920182018 checking up on a car ahead Cup race. “I think we and Carl Edwards, who abruptly left 3. Kevin Harvick 248 of him and was “banzai’d” by paClintssedBothewyermostwas carsan earlyso favorite NASCAR following the 2016 season. 4. Joey Logano 245 Busch in Turn 3 and “about to win at Martinsville. Instead, he All were replaced by 20-something 5. Brad Keselowski 236 MOTOR MOUTHS I think we were the most INSIDEINSIDEINSIDE WHAT’S ON TAP wiped me out.” took himself out of the running with drivers. INSIDE 6. Aric Almirola 215 PODCAST impressive,” he said, RoseboroRoseboroAnd The Winners ChristmasChristmas Are... GODWIN KELLY’S TAKE: Just two costly pit-road speeding penal- RegisterMayor7.MayorMartin Truex QuellsJr. Voices Voices Rumors207 Citizen’s Citizen’s of Union “but that doesn’t matter 2019 ALIVECUP SERIES: AFTERTicketGuardian 500 FIVE one of them racin’ deals. “I ties. He fought back twice to score — Godwin Kelly, godwin. 8. Ryan Blaney 203 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 lost 10 or 15 spots and then we a seventh-place finish. “I guess we [email protected] 9. ChaseIntermediateElliott 186 Closing west. Horfoughtace Grtrackeeleypositiondidn’tthe rest of trophy. Whatever.” the Xfinity Series race at Las Vegas. He wonFrustrationSEASONtheFrustrationTr10.uckKurt Busch SCHEDULE: ANNOUNCED Friday,with with185qualifying DOT/24 DOT/24 exactlythesayday,”that,Almirolabut he said.wasn’t“It awas Series race Friday, but finished third in Sunday’s 11.CupKyle Larson (Fox Sports 1, 6 p.m.).182 Saturday, thethe LightsLights NASCARjustfan.a long, long, tough day.” 2.