The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Final Classic Standings

     So there we have it. The 2017 season is in the books, and Martin Truex Jr. is our champion. If you've been following this alternate format, you know he basically had it locked up a month ago. But Truex had to go a step further, and prove it at Homestead. This year, I've kept track of the full driver standings, using the old, "classic" format. Here were the guidelines:
--2016 points structure for finishes, where the winner gets 40 points, 40th place gets 1 point.
--Winning the race gives you 3 bonus points
--Leading a lap is 1 bonus point, leading the most is a 2nd bonus point
--Most points a driver can earn in one race = 45
--No Chase/Playoff points reset. If a driver is as good as Dale Earnhardt in 1987, they're that good.
--No stage points
--Point penalties treated the same.
--All drivers receive points, regardless of their primary series

With that, here's your full 2017 standings. Actual points finish is on the right (Click for a closer look):

     Some thoughts on the final 'classic' standings...
----Interesting enough, after all my speculation that this would look radically different than the actual format, the top four drivers finished exactly the same. The fact all four of this season's most consistent drivers even made the final-four is surprising enough. While I expected some sort of fluke race would eliminate one of the top drivers and give someone else the championship, that was not the case, much to my delight!
----After this season, you're very wrong if you think Chase Elliott is 'overrated.' Elliott's 21 top-ten season is gold for a driver that turns 22 next week. Aside from failing to win his first Cup race, how much better can you ask him to be? Chase finished 2nd a total of five times this season. His first win is coming...

By Kyle Larson's June win at Michigan, it looked like he would cruise to his first title. Everything slowly unraveled from there

----It's hard to believe Kyle Larson had such a collapse as the season came to a close. There was a time the #42 led in classic points, before a 35-point penalty at Kentucky, several poor finishes in the summer, then four straight DNF's this fall. For the first half of 2017, Larson stole the show.
----Jamie McMurray didn't run near the front for most of the year, but still ended up with a 9th in this format. That's because his B+ consistency gave him 17 top-tens, but only 3 top-fives. McMurray is winless in his last 148 races, and doesn't seem any closer to breaking that streak.

----For how disappointing his season was, Joey Logano still managed to finish 10th overall. That's a nice surprise, after Logano ran around 15th in the standings for much of the year. He never fully recovered after his encumbered win at Richmond... Logano had previously finished 2nd in classic points for three straight seasons, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Ryan Blaney's first Cup win at Pocono was one of the feel-good moments of 2017.

----While it was a breakout year for Ryan Blaney with his win at Pocono, Blaney didn't do as well as you'd think. Blaney only had 4 top-fives, and finished 17th overall. Not having the playoffs hurts his cause.

----32 drivers competed in all 36 races in 2017. Of those, only three failed to garner a single top-10: Ty Dillon, Landon Cassill, and Cole Whitt. While Cassill has received much fan support for a ride, not having a single top-ten this season doesn't really help his cause.

----It's pretty apparent who the lower-tier teams are in the Cup series,,, JTG Daugherty's cars finish 25th and 26th, followed by Leavine Family Racing in 27th... Front Row Motorsports follows in 30th and 31st place, with drivers David Ragan and Landon Cassill, then Go FAS Racing with Matt Dibenedetto in 32nd.

----With how Paul Menard has done recently in NASCAR, I was very surprised when the Wood Brothers announced he would replace Ryan Blaney in the #21. Menard only has 11 top-tens in the last 3 seasons. What is he bringing to the Wood Brothers? I'm stunned they didn't go for Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, or another veteran driver. In the past, this team has had several old-timers drive the #21: Ricky Rudd, Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader to name a few.

Jeffrey Earnhardt had a rough first full season in the #33 car. Here is one of his many wrecks of 2017, when he plowed into a spinning Jamie McMurray at Talladega.

----Jeffrey Earnhardt is your 2017 "Lastcar" champion. Earnhardt competed in all but the road course races, with an average finish of 33rd in 34 starts. His best finish was 26th, three times. Let's hope Circle Sport-TMG can gain some ground in the offseason. He's certainly got a large fanbase heading into 2018...

     That's a wrap on 2017. Stay tuned for my preview of the 2018 season in February...

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Martin Truex Jr. wins the Championship!

Martin Truex Jr. takes the championship banner after winning the Ford Ecoboost 400, and the 2017 title.

     He's done it! Martin Truex Jr. is your 2017 NASCAR Cup Champion. Truex held off Kyle Busch in he final laps at Homestead, to win the Ford Ecoboost 400 and lock up his first title. Truex was in tears as drove his victory lap, before heading straight to his crew on the frontstretch, and girlfriend Sherry Pollex. Truex Jr. led 78 laps at Homestead, and used strategy by pitting early to gain time on leader Kyle Busch before a late caution. The move worked and got the #78 out front, where he led the final 51 laps. Of the "Championship 4," Kyle Busch finished 2nd, Kevin Harvick finished 4th, and Brad Keselowski finished 7th.

Martin Truex Jr. and crew chief Cole Pearn lift the Monster Energy Series trophy after the Ford Ecoboost 400.

     Truex Jr. carried the hopes of a large chunk of NASCAR fans this season. In an era of elimination-style playoffs, and system-designed parity, Truex had a strong car every single weekend. Not only did he win the most 'stages' throughout the season, but won a staggering eight races - which hasn't been done since 2010. For everyone that was against NASCAR's new system this year, and the Chase/playoffs from the start, Truex Jr. was your driver. With just good old fashioned points, Truex would have won the title by 80 points over Kyle Busch, and 95 over Harvick. That's one of the biggest gaps in recent years, proving the 78's dominance. Why would anyone want to take that away? Truex is the first driver to win the 'classic' format, and the actual one since Jimmie Johnson in 2013. In addition to his 8 wins, Truex had 19 top-fives, 26 top-tens, and an average finish of 9.4...

Dale Earnhardt Jr. shares a moment with car owner Rick Hendrick after his final Cup race.

     It was also a fitting farewell to Dale Earnhardt Jr., who came home in 25th, three laps down. Dale Jr. was never a factor in the race, but stole much of the spotlight... He gave high-fives to the entire pit road before the race, and received coverage from NBC throughout the event. In a lengthy final interview, Dale Jr. congratulated his former teammate Truex Jr., and thanked his crew. With his retirement, Earnhardt Jr. leaves behind a gaping hole in NASCAR that will be impossible to fill. He will almost assuredly win Most Popular Driver for 2017, which would be his 15th. In his final full season, Earnhardt recorded one top five at Texas, and 8 top-tens. He started on the pole twice, at Daytona for the Coke Zero 400, and his final race at Talladega...
     While they didn't receive the same attention, several other drivers ran one last race in their current ride. Matt Kenseth, who most likely has also retired, finished with a solid 8th place run. Danica Patrick, who is out after five full seasons with Stewart Haas, crashed on lap 143 and finished 37th. And Landon Cassill and Michael McDowell, who both are currently out of a ride for 2018, finished Homestead 23rd and 24th, two laps down.

     That's a wrap for the 2017 Cup season... Stay tuned for a final look at the classic standings in the coming days, as well as a preview of NASCAR's 2018 season. Thanks for reading and enjoying my blog all year long...

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Kenseth's finest hour

Matt Kenseth celebrates after winning the Can-Am 500 at Phoenix, his first win since July 2016.

     If Matt Kenseth doesn't somehow return to NASCAR in 2018, he went out with a symbolic win in the desert Sunday. Kenseth led late in the Can-Am 500, and after losing the lead to Chase Elliott, took it back and cruised to his first win in 51 starts. It's a storybook way to end his season; Kenseth had gone all year searching for that victory. He got plenty of congratulations from his fellow drivers, including his longtime friend Dale Earnhardt Jr. 2nd was Chase Elliot, followed by Martin Truex Jr., Eric Jones, and Kevin Harvick.

     The even bigger news - on this blog at least - is that Martin Truex Jr. has clinched his first "classic" championship. Under the format I've used all season, Truex Jr. now leads by 76 points over Kyle Busch, and 88 over Kevin Harvick. It's over! Truex Jr. has had a terrific season, and deserves a celebration at Homestead. Whether or not that actually happens remains to be seen, but Truex certainly has the best results at 1.5 mile tracks this year.

     It was a rough day for several drivers in points. Denny Hamlin had a dust-up with Elliott, leading to a cut tire and finishing 35th. Jimmie Johnson dropped out early after a crash, finishing 39th, and Kyle Larson blew an engine, coming home 40th with a 4th straight DNF. It's a disastrous finish for Larson's otherwise-stellar season; where he at one point looked like a clear favorite to win the championship. Now he's back in 7th in classic points. Meanwhile, Kenseth jumped to 8th overall, and Chase Elliott closed in on Keselowski and Hamlin for a top-5 position. Rookie Daniel Suarez continues his consistent season, jumping up to 10th. And somehow, Jamie McMurray's mid-grade season with three top-5's still earns him a 9th place in the standings...

Kenseth burns it down, celebrating his 39th career win at Phoenix.

     The sun is about to set on the 2017 season. With one race to go, four drivers have a shot at Homestead to take the championship: Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Brad Keselowski. But it's Truex Jr. that has proven all season long he deserves it. Anything less than a title for the 78 would be an utter disappointment.

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Kevin Harvick is back!

Kevin Harvick celebrates after winning the AAA Texas 500.

     Kevin Harvick turned heads with a victory at Texas Sunday afternoon. 'Happy Harvick' passed Martin Truex Jr. for the lead in the final stages of the AAA Texas 500, for his second win of 2017. It's well deserved for the driver 3rd in classic points, and who in real life, just locked himself in to the "Championship 4" at Homestead. Not only that, but Harvick put Ford in victory lane, in a season dominated by Toyota, especially at the 1.5 mile tracks. He finished ahead of three Toyotas, those of Truex Jr., Denny Hamlin, and Matt Kenseth. Texas is Harvick's first win since he smoked the field at Sonoma, also run in his Mobil 1 sponsored Ford. He's driven so much better than a one-win season this year, and finally has that 2nd victory.

     With two races to go in the 2017 Cup season, Truex Jr. has all but locked-up his first classic points title. Truex finished 2nd at Texas, while Kyle Busch finished 18th. With the classic system I've used, the maximum points a driver can get in one race is 45. With that, Truex Jr. just needs a solid run at Phoenix to capture that championship. This just goes to show that the 78 has been THAT good.

Matt Kenseth in his familiar #17 Dewalt Ford from the 2000's

     The big news this week is Matt Kenseth's decision to step away from NASCAR in 2018. While Kenseth won't call it "retirement," he won't be back in a familiar full-time ride next season. Even though Kenseth could extend his career like the Labonte brothers, and other veterans who took up part-time rides, he'll certainly be past his prime.
     Kenseth was my favorite driver growing up. I remember his series-leading five wins in 2002, and his 2003 championship, the last before the switch to the "Chase" era. He was the last driver to officially win a title on full-season consistency, and should be proud of it. It's going to be a real turning point to see both Kenseth AND Dale Earnhardt Jr. walk away from the sport at the same time. They were two staple 'young guns' of the early 2000's. This will likely leave only five full-time drivers from the Winston Cup era: Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, and Jamie McMurray.
     This made Harvick's win at Texas even more significant. Harvick, now 41, is reaching the later stages of his career. He put a stamp on Texas, proving the older guys can still get it done.

Kevin Harvick takes the lead from Martin Truex Jr. in the closing laps at Texas. Harvick led only 38 laps on the day, Truex led 107.

     Next week, the Cup drivers head to Phoenix, as the sun begins to set on the 2017 season. This is Harvick's best track, with a record eight wins out in the desert... Other drivers to watch here include Jimmy Johnson, and Joey Logano who won the November race at Phoenix last year. Let's see if Truex Jr. can lock up that classic title...

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Martinsville Madness

Chase Elliott gets turned into the wall by Denny Hamlin in the closing laps of the First Data 500.

     A wild finish at Martinsville gave Kyle Busch his 5th win of 2017, and secured his spot in Homestead's final four. After leading early, Busch was hardly part of the conversation until the very end. Brad Keselowski led the closing laps until a late caution for Joey Logano. Keselowski was then run up the racetrack by Chase Elliott on the next restart, who in turn was dumped in turn 3 by Denny Hamlin. In 'overtime', Hamlin couldn't hold off Kyle Busch, who grabbed the win before a massive pile-up on the frontstretch... Elliott went after Hamlin, slamming his #11 into the backstretch wall. Two of the race's best cars, Elliott and Joey Logano, wound up 27th and 24th. Kyle Busch did lead the most laps, 184, finishing ahead of Martin Truex Jr., Clint Bowyer, Brad Keselowski, and Kevin Harvick.

Several cars were involved in a crash at the checkered flag, including Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, and Ryan Blaney. Chase Elliott idles in the foreground, before going after Hamlin.

Elliott and Hamlin discuss the on-track incident...

     I found the last few laps at Martinsville to be pretty unnecessary, and a byproduct of the new format. With three to go, there's no way Denny Hamlin wrecks Elliott if they're not racing for a spot at Homestead. Also, with no double-file restarts, a lot of cars could have been saved at that checkered-flag crash. It was disappointing to see the strongest cars in the closing laps, Elliott, Keselowski, and Logano not competing for the win. Seeing Kyle Busch and Truex Jr. emerge on the last few circuits just didn't feel right. It's not at all reflective of the race's first 490 laps, which did have great racing, just not dump-and-run.
     I'm not a fan of the new NASCAR system. I hated the chase, hate the playoffs, and can't stand the desperation it causes. The last few laps at Martinsville were a perfect example. We thankfully haven't seen these kind of incidents too often in 2017. NASCAR may see excitement; I see a driver who got dumped, and 10 needlessly wrecked race cars. It's also a bummer for Chase Elliott; he still doesn't have that first win, and found another unfortunate way to lose.

     With that, here's an updated look at the standings. With Busch's win, he gained six points on Truex Jr., and is now 54 back... Kyle Larson was the big loser, finishing 38th after a wreck and dropping three spots to 6th. Brad Keselowski moves into 5th place. With only three races to go, 'Rowdy' is running out of time to catch the 78. If anything, Busch would have to hope for a Truex catastrophe in the homestretch. If Busch has anything going for him, it's that Truex Jr. has never won at the final three tracks, Texas, Phoenix, and Homestead.

     Next up on the Cup schedule, the less-exciting-than-Martinsville race at Texas, the AAA Texas 500. If there's any track that 'belongs' to Jimmie Johnson, this is it. Johnson has 7 wins at Texas, including 4 of the last 6. Look for him to potentially punch his ticket to Homestead. Another driver to watch is Matt Kenseth, who has an average finish at 9th there, and two wins. And of course, don't count out Truex. It is, after all, a 1.5 mile track...

Kyle Busch celebrates after winning the First Data 500

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Truex forges ahead at Kansas

Erik Jones (77) goes airborne in a crash with Jamie McMurray (1), Daniel Suarez (19) and others on Lap 197. Martin Truex Jr. (lower right) sneaks by on his way to eventual victory.

     It was another big day for Martin Truex Jr., as he captured his 7th win of the season at Kansas. Truex started on the pole, but he didn't sit out front for the whole race. On an early restart, the #78 was penalized for going onto the apron while leading the field to the green flag. Truex then ran into more trouble, with a vibration that put him a lap down. Somehow, Truex still recovered, coming back to lead the final 57 laps. He not only sweeps Kansas this year, but also becomes the first driver to win 7 races in a season since Matt Kenseth in 2013. Kurt Busch, Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Denny Hamlin rounded out the top-5 at Kansas. Also having impressive runs were Chris Buescher in 6th, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 7th, and Aric Almirola in 9th.

Kyle Larson blows an engine early in the Hollywood Casino 400, ending up 39th.

     Several "playoff" drivers ran into trouble during the Hollywood Casino 400. Jimmie Johnson spun on two separate occasions, but recovered to finish 11th. Matt Kenseth was collected in a large crash on Lap 197, and forced out of the race on a 'crash clock' technicality. But the biggest letdown of all was when Kyle Larson blew an engine early, and finished back in 39th. This cost Larson, who has been a championship contender all season long, a spot in the next round of the playoffs. I've never seen so many people on Twitter lash out at the current points system!

     Looking at the updated 'classic' top-5, Larson lost 42 points to Truex Jr. at Kansas. While he hasn't been 'eliminated,' Larson's chance of catching Truex Jr. took a major blow this weekend. But does 'officially' eliminating Larson make any sense? This is where the playoff format gets tested; does Ryan Blaney, who is 16th in the classic format, really deserve a shot at the championship? Or Jimmie Johnson, who only has 11 top-tens on the year? NASCAR would have to be embarrassed if Truex Jr. or Kyle Busch were not in the "final four" at Homestead.
     With four races to go in the season, Truex has all but secured his first 'classic' championship. For Kyle Busch to catch up, he has to hope something goes wrong for the 78. Truex's 60-point advantage is his largest lead all season. If you're Kyle Larson, your biggest regret has to be the 35-point penalty after Kentucky. Remember, it's a full season marathon, not a Game 7 finish. One blown motor shouldn't immediately drop the 42 from contention.

     Next up on the Cup schedule is Martinsville, the final short track race of 2017 (unfortunately). Watch for Hamlin, Keselowski, Johnson, and Kyle Busch to all race hard here; they all consistently run well at the track. One advantage for Kyle Busch: points leader Martin Truex Jr. has never won at Martinsville, and has an average finish of 20th there. It could be a chance for the 18 to gain back some points.

Martin Truex Jr. does a burnout after winning the Hollywood Casino 400.

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Dale Jr.'s final Talladega race

Dale Earnhardt leads the field to the green flag in the Alabama 500.

     Brad Keselowski snapped a 24-race winless streak Sunday, winning the Alabama 500 with a dramatic last lap pass on Ryan Newman. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the spotlight of Talladega this weekend, for his final race at the track where he's won six times. Earnhardt started on the pole, but raced mid-pack for much of the day. He survived several on-track incidents to wind up 7th, one of only 14 cars running at the finish. Several cars battling for the championship crashed out, including Martin Truex Jr., Kyle Busch, Chase Elliott, and Kevin Harvick. Ryan Newman finished 2nd, followed by Trevor Bayne, Joey Logano, and Aric Almirola. 19-year-old Grey Gaulding came home with a surprising 9th place finish.
     With Earnhardt Jr.'s retirement looming, Keselowski is set to become Talladega's new master. In 18 career Cup races there, Keselowski has five wins. No other active driver (aside from Dale Jr.) has more than two, meaning the #2 Miller Lite Ford will have the upper hand come 2018. 

Several cars, including Truex Jr., Kurt and Kyle Busch, and Jimmie Johnson crash out of the Alabama 500. Brad Keselowski scoots by in the #2 car, to eventually win the race.

     Despite a race featuring several crashes and three red flags, the classic points race wasn't severely impacted. Martin Truex Jr. and Kyle Busch finished 23rd and 27th, while Kevin Harvick came home 20th. It was a better day for Kyle Larson, who finished 13th and gained 10 points on Truex, assuming 2nd in points. Truex Jr. now leads Larson by 40, Busch by 49, Harvick by 76, and Hamlin by 81. Keselowski moves back into 6th with his win, followed by Elliott, McMurray, Kenseth, and Newman.

Full top-20 standings (click for a closer look)

     While he didn't leave with a win, Earnhardt Jr. leaves Talladega as one of the track's greatest ever. He won six times, tied with Jeff Gordon, and behind only Dale Earnhardt Sr. who had 10. Some of those wins for Jr. were my favorite races... Who could forget the final lap of the 2001 EA Sports 500, where Jr. grabbed the lead as the "big one" ensued on the backstretch... Or three years later, when Earnhardt came from 11th to 1st in the final five laps? As a kid I'll always remember cheering for the #8 Budweiser Chevy, excited for the next restrictor plate race. Dale Jr. should be very proud of what he accomplished at Talladega.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. celebrates after winning the 2001 EA Sports 500, his first of six wins at Talladega.

     Only five races remain on the 2017 schedule... Next week, the Cup drivers visit Kansas Speedway, for the Hollywood Casino 400. Of the top-6 drivers in classic points, only Kyle Larson hasn't won at Kansas. Being a 1.5 mile "cookie cutter" track, my pick goes to Truex Jr. He'll look for his 7th win of the year, as he inches closer to that first championship.

Brad Keselowski wins the 2017 Alabama 500. Ryan Newman, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. follow in 2nd, and 7th.

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Truex Jr. wins, Busch struggles

Kyle Busch had a rough Bank of America 500, finishing 29th. Busch hit the wall several times throughout the race, and needed medical attention after exiting his car.

     Sunday's race couldn't have gone better for Martin Truex Jr., and couldn't have gone worse for Kyle Busch. While Truex Jr. led 91 of 337 laps en-route to his 6th win of 2017, Busch got into the wall several times during the race, and brought out three separate cautions. Busch wound up 29th, six laps down. Upon exiting his Toyota, Busch needed prompt medical attention after the race, due to excessive heat inside his race car, and higher carbon monoxide levels due to the car's damage. Adding insult to injury, Busch lost all the ground he recently gained on Truex Jr. in the 'classic' point standings... Coming home 2nd in the Bank of America 500 was Chase Elliott (yet again), followed by Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin, and Jamie McMurray.

Some random thoughts on this year's Bank of America 500:
--This was the first fall Charlotte race scheduled for Sunday afternoon since 2002. Not only that, but the 2pm start was pushed up to 1pm due to rain in the forecast (which thankfully never showed up). I forgot how nice those early afternoon starts are; getting a race done before 5 o'clock... Maybe NASCAR should keep that in mind!
--For how well he's raced all season, it's amazing that Kevin Harvick only has one win to show for it (Sonoma). Harvick leads 149 laps at Charlotte, but winds up in 3rd.
--After an abysmal summer, Jimmie Johnson has posted four top-10's in five races, including 7th at Charlotte. During that time, he's jumped to 11th in the classic standings.
--Jamie McMurray is having his most consistent season since 2004. "Jamie Mac" ran impressively well, getting his third top-5 of 2017, and his 16th top-10.
--Dale Jarrett's pace laps in tribute to Robert Yates were priceless, and a fitting move to remember the former car owner, who passed away last week...

     With six races to go in 2017, Truex Jr. leads Kyle Busch by a comfortable 46 points. If we compare that the old Winston Cup points structure, it's basically a 200-point lead. The rest of the top-5 remains unchanged, but Chase Elliott has jumped to 6th in points, past Brad Keselowski. Elliott has finished 2nd in three of the last four races... Both Johnson and Daniel Suarez jump ahead of Ryan Newman, who wrecked early at Charlotte and finished 40th.

Martin Truex Jr. celebrates his 6th win of 2017, a career best

     Next up on the schedule is one of my personal favorites, the fall race at Talladega. It's going to be unpredictable, wild, and will likely throw a wrench into the points race (Both this one and the real one). It's also Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s final race at his best track. Dale Jr. has six wins at Talladega, tied with Jeff Gordon for 2nd most all-time, and only behind his father Dale Sr. who had 10... While it's a stretch to say Jr. will get his 7th Talladega win Sunday, he will certainly get a heartfelt goodbye from the fans. Talladega won't be the same come next season...

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Kyle Busch wins again

Kyle Busch makes his way by Chase Elliott on lap 399 of the Apache Warrior 400. Busch goes on to win, Elliott gets his fifth career 2nd place finish.

     He came ever so close, but it was once again heartbreak for Chase Elliott. The 21-year-old led 138 laps but failed to win his first career Cup series race, passed by Kyle Busch with only two laps to go. Busch had been working to reel in the #24 car for several laps, but finally caught Elliott thanks to lapped traffic. For Busch, it's his fourth win of the year, and second in a row. In the last nine races, Kyle Busch has 4 wins, 8 top-tens, and 4 poles. His hot streak has propelled him from 4th in "classic" points to 2nd, only 15 points behind Martin Truex Jr... Jimmie Johnson came home 3rd, Truex 4th, and Larson 5th. Dale Earnhardt Jr. had an impressive run, coming home 7th for his first top-ten since June... Dover only saw two cautions that weren't stage finishes, one of which was for Jeffrey Earnhardt's crash into the pit-road entrance, causing a brief delay while crews repaired the barrels.

Jeffrey Earnhardt crashes on lap 88 of the Apache Warrior 400. Earnhardt was able to get back on track and finish 37th, 32 laps down.

     For Chase Elliott, it's another close call. In 70 career Cup starts, Elliott has five 2nd place finishes, and 18 top-fives. The runner-up finishes include two blown opportunities at Michigan in 2016. They don't even account for this year's Daytona 500, where Chase led in the closing stages only to run out of gas with three laps to go and finish 14th. Regardless, a win couldn't be closer for Elliott, whose consistent good runs have secured him a place in the "classic" top 10.
     Looking at the updated standings, Busch's win helped gain him a few extra points on Truex Jr... The gap is now 15 with seven races to go. Larson is 3rd, 38 points back... Harvick lost ground with a 17th at Dover, and Denny Hamlin dropped to 35th because of an axle problem, costing him even more. Chase Elliott's 2nd at Dover helps him keep 7th in points...

     Now let's talk "real" standings... With the "Round of 12" set in place, four drivers have been kicked out of the NASCAR playoffs: Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Austin Dillon, and Ryan Newman. Newman's ouster is unfortunate, as you can see above. Under the old format, Newman's effort is much more apparent than that of Ricky Stenhouse Jr., who held on to advance into the next round... Plus, I really thought Newman would have a good playoff run, with four-straight top-tens after Richmond. But his playoff finishes were 23rd, 13th, and 13th... I feel no disappointment watching Kurt Busch, Dillon, and Kahne be eliminated from the playoffs, thanks to their lackluster consistency. You'll notice Kahne isn't even top-20 in classic points, are you surprised he's being replaced next year?

Kyle Busch celebrates his 3rd win at Dover, and first since 2010.

     Next week, the Cup drivers return to Charlotte, for the Bank of America 500... This is another track that favors Jimmie Johnson, he has a record 8 wins there. A fun fact, Charlotte remains the only track Kyle Busch has never won on in Cup competition. We'll see if 'Rowdy' can gain any ground on Truex Jr.'s point lead...

The 2017 Winston Cup Series: Busch wins New Hampshire

Kyle Busch wins the ISM Connect 300 at New Hampshire.

     Kyle Busch led 187 of 300 laps Sunday to take the ISM Connect 300. Busch started on the pole for the eighth time this year, and won his third race of 2017. All three of those wins have come in the last eight races, and during that time, Busch has 7 top-tens... Coming home 2nd was Kyle Larson, followed by Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, and Martin Truex Jr., who led 112 laps and rebounded from a pileup on lap 150.

Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and Jeffrey Earnhardt involved in a wreck on lap 150.

     The only major event of the race occurred at the end of Stage 2. Kevin Harvick spun on the backstretch, sending up a cloud of smoke. Piling in were Kurt Busch and Jeffrey Earnhardt. Meanwhile, both Truex and Dale Earnhardt Jr. spun, then made contact as they tried to straighten out. Truex Jr. never lost a lap, and finished with a well-deserved top-five.
     In regards to classic points after New Hampshire, Truex Jr. only lost 8 points to Kyle Busch, and 3 points to Larson. He now holds a 21-point lead with eight races to go. The real loser was Harvick, who finished 36th and lost a lot of ground in the standings. Chase Elliott is tied for 7th, after being docked 15 points following Chicagoland. Clint Bowyer is 9th after his first top-ten finish since Watkins Glen, and Ryan Newman holds on to 10th, one point ahead of Kenseth.

RIP fall New Hampshire race 1997-2017

     As you can probably tell, I'm disappointed in the decision to move NHMS's 2nd Cup series date over to Las Vegas, starting next season. In 2018, NASCAR is set to have *TEN* cookie-cutter races on its Cup schedule, including Vegas, Chicagoland, Kansas, Kentucky, Atlanta, Texas, and Charlotte (not counting Charlotte's roval race). And NASCAR wonders why fans are bored! New Hampshire is one of several unique NASCAR tracks that have been marginalized, or simply dropped from the schedule. With fairly flat turns on a mile racing surface, New Hampshire separates itself from other speedways on the schedule. The same can be said for Darlington, Rockingham, and North Wilkesboro, two of which are no longer on the circuit. Hopefully New Hampshire doesn't suffer the same fate...
     With that, let's look back at some of my favorite fall races at New Hampshire from growing up...

2001
     The final race of the '01 season, after the 9/11 attacks pushed the New Hampshire 300 to black Friday. Jeff Gordon led nearly the entire race, only to be pushed out of the way by Robby Gordon. When Jeff retaliated, he was penalized one lap and wound up 15th. Robby went on to his first Winston Cup win. It was controversial, but at 9 years old I couldn't have been more excited for Robby after his rough season (I guess I had gotten tired of watching Jeff win everything). Gordon lost his ride early in 2001, but then replaced an injured Mike Skinner in the #31...

Robby Gordon wins the 2001 New Hampshire 300

2002
     Rookie Ryan Newman finally breaks through and wins his first Winston Cup race. With rain in the forecast, Newman held off a charging Kurt Busch to keep the lead when the race was called after 207 laps. Newman went on to win Rookie of the Year honors over Busch in 2002...

2005
     Who could forget Michael Waltrip wrecking Robby Gordon, followed by Gordon throwing his helmet at Waltrip in retaliation, and cussing him out live on TNT? I'll never forget Wally Dallenbach saying "He ducked!" as Waltrip drove by the wreck... With two laps to go, Ryan Newman pulled the slide job on Tony Stewart and grabbed the lead. It was Newman's only win of 2005, and his last until the 2008 Daytona 500.

Robby Gordon takes out his anger at Michael Waltrip, tossing his helmet during the 2005 Sylvania 300

___

     Next week, the Cup series heads to Dover, with eight races remaining on the schedule. This is undoubtedly Jimmie Johnson's track; he holds a record with 11 wins there... Martin Truex Jr. could also be another driver to watch, he won at Dover last fall. And don't forget Kyle Larson, he had Dover won this June until a late race caution came out...

With eight races left, Martin Truex Jr. holds a 21-point lead over Kyle Busch.