NASCAR Podcast
Denny Hamlin’s first Bristol victory demonstrates how quickly the championship picture can change. Just two weeks ago, Hamlin was in danger of falling out of the top 10.
Now he’s one of four drivers battling for the top seed when the Chase begins. Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart each have three regular-season victories – each worth three bonus points under the Chase standings reset.
Continue reading “Hamlin Goes From Skating On The Edge To Top Seed Contender”
SHOW #217 – Guest: #16 Crew Chief Matt Puccia (@mpuccia16) – We recap Bristol, discuss the Tony Stewart helmet toss, add a moat to Bristol, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrecks at Kansas, preview Atlanta, news of the week, drivers saying what, fantasy racing and more (just listen already) Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie (why are you still reading?).
(47:47 mins)
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Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly #217 – Matt Puccia / Atlanta NASCAR Preview”
As the races wind down on the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule, so is the drivers’ patience.
Elliott Sadler holds a 19-point lead over Ricky Stenhouse Jr. in the championship standings but the duo left Bristol less than happy with each other. Sadler – who finished second to Stenhouse in the 2011 championship showdown – vowed in his post-race comments to race the Roush Fenway Racing driver differently in the final 10 races of the season.
Continue reading “Sadler, Stenhouse Ready To Rumble For The Championship”
Kasey Kahne continues to hold the aces in the Chase Wild Card game. His two victories, along with an 11th-place ranking, lead six eligible winners standing 11th through 20th in current points.
There’s a very large asterisk, however, as Kahne has closed to within 11 points of the top 10 and the possibility the first-year Hendrick Motorsports driver can advance to the post season as a seeded Chase qualifier.
Continue reading “Kahne Leads Wild Cards But Could Advance To Top 10”
Three competitors have clinched seeded spots in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ and another – 2003 champion Matt Kenseth – moves to the post season with at least a “wild card” entry. Current points leader Greg Biffle, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. locked up Chase berths at Bristol Motor Speedway over the weekend.
For Biffle, it’s redemption after failing to qualify a year ago. Johnson continues to be the only driver to qualify in each of the nine seasons since the Chase format was adopted in 2004. Earnhardt is in for the second straight year and fifth time overall. Kenseth, a Chase qualifier for the eighth time, and other members of the current top 10 can lock up top-10 positions by holding leads of at least 49 points over 11th place following Sunday’s AdvoCare 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway (depending on which driver is in 11th and who wins Sunday’s race, some drivers can leave with a 48-point lead and still clinch a top-10 spot).
Continue reading “Driver Chase Clinch Scenarios: Eight Spots Remain”
The Final Lap Weekly 