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The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #377 – Guest: John Hunter Nemechek – We recap Chicagoland, Kerry defends Jimmie over and over again, Bowyer Busted again, Hamlin bets Michael Jordan, Jeff Gordon is the new ironman, Jeff’s final paint scheme is revealed, plus a full New Hampshire preview…hint…it’s flat. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie

( Roughly 48:00 mins)

Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly NASCAR Podcast #377 – John Hunter Nemechek / New Hampshire Chase Race #2 Preview”

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during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series myAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 20, 2015 in Joliet, Illinois.

For the second straight season, Kevin Harvick has his back up against the wall in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

He wrecked at Chicagoland after continuing to race following a bump from Jimmie Johnson, finishing 42nd. He is now 22 points behind Jeff Gordon on the cutoff line with two races left to get to the Challenger Round.

He likely needs a win to advance.

Last season, Harvick found himself in a similar situation after placing 33rd at Martinsville to open the Eliminator 8. He won one race later at Phoenix in a do-or-die situation to salvage his championship run.

The difference between now and then is that Harvick owns Phoenix (he’s won the last four races there). At New Hampshire and Dover – the sites of the next two Chase events – Harvick has only visited Victory Lane once (fall 2006 at New Hampshire).

Harvick has placed third in the last two races at New Hampshire. Although he only has one win at The Magic Mile, his loop statistics there indicate a strong finish is likely. Harvick’s New Hampshire peripherals include the sixth-best average running position (11.931) and the eight-best driver rating (94.6).

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Denny Hamlin, competing with a torn ACL, became the first driver to advance to the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup by winning Sunday’s MyAFibRisk.com 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. The victory was the 26th of Hamlin’s career, tying NASCAR Hall of Famer Fred Lorenzen for 27th on the all-time list.

No matter where Hamlin finishes in the next two Challenger Round races, he automatically transfers to the Contender Round, which contains races at Charlotte, Kansas and Talladega.

Maybe more impressive than Hamlin’s win is the bet he won with arguably the fiercest competitor in sports – his pal Michael Jordan.

After the race, Hamlin explained:

“Well, I know one thing for sure. The first thing I’m going to do is text Michael Jordan. He texted me on Wednesday. He said he was in Monte-Carlo. I popped in his head like I always do, which I thought was a little odd. He says, I know you’re about to head into the playoffs. I just want you to know I’ve never admitted to anybody that anyone is better than me at anything my whole life. But if you win this race this weekend, I will admit that you’re a better driver than I am.

“I thought, Wow! That would be awesome. I just thought of that just now. So the first thing I’m going to do is text him and say, ‘Admit it, I’m better than you, and I want everyone to know.’”

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CPiq11zUcAASs1lCHARLOTTE, N.C. – Jeff Gordon has the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup to focus on, but the final race of his legendary Cup career looms.

With 2015 marking Gordon’s final full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, Homestead-Miami Speedway will truly be his grand finale.

And Tuesday evening on FOX Sports 1, Gordon revealed the special Axalta paint scheme that will adorn his No. 24 Chevrolet SS for the occasion.

“It’ll be a big event for me – pretty emotional as well,” Gordon said. “But our sponsors wanted to do something a little special as well. So we’re going to look a little different in Homestead.”

Gordon said he was impressed with the scheme that will close out his final full-time campaign.

“You know I can’t be out there on the racetrack in the Axalta car without some flames, so we’ve got to keep the flames,” he smiled. “But I love the silver. That is a sharp-looking race car.”

And it wouldn’t bother Gordon to go out on top driving the new scheme.

“There are still nine more races left to go to try and win this championship and I’m certainly extremely encouraged based on how Chicago went – even though we didn’t finish well, we ran extremely good,” he said.

But no matter what, Homestead will be a celebration for the driver of the No. 24 Chevrolet SS.

“During that race and after that race it is only going to be a celebration,” he said. “It has been an amazing career. I just never dreamed in a million years that it would have gone the way that it has and while I’m just stepping out of it there will definitely be tears – they will all be tears of joy looking ahead at the future.”