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NASCAR Writer Power Rankings: Top 15 After Richmond I

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Frontstretch Power Rankings
Kevin Harvick proved once again why he’s called “Mr. Where Did He Come From!?” and “The Closer.” Harvick took four tires during the final caution, charging from seventh place on the green-white-checkered restart to take the lead. That divebomb move gave him his first race of the 2013 season and 20th victory of his Cup Series career.
Behind them, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart took part in some post-race extracurricular activities after a bump-and-run during the two-lap shootout shook up the finishing order. But perhaps the biggest side story was Juan Pablo Montoya, who led 67 laps and finished fourth, his first top 5 in a points-paying race since a fourth-place result at Martinsville in April 2011. Jeff Burton also ran well, finishing fifth, his first top-5 result of the season.

NASCAR Fantasy Insider: Struggling Stars Look To Get Back On Track At Richmond

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If you look just strictly at the numbers and past history of how some of NASCAR’s top drivers have performed at Richmond, you would have a hard time knowing who to pick at Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race at the one-mile oval because so many of them have done so well there in the past.

However, if you look at the current points standings and the recent struggles of some of those same drivers, you may well be left scratching your head again when trying to decide who or who not to pick. Some of the familiar names such as Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman and even Dale Earnhardt, Jr. have had their share of success at Richmond. That group has combined for 11 wins there. But when looking at the points standings, the picture is not so optimistic.

Beyond the Cockpit: David Ragan on Kansas, Small Teams and Big Sponsors

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_When you think of David Ragan, your mind may immediately turn to the infamous “dart without feathers” moniker Tony Stewart bestowed upon Ragan in his rookie year. However, there is much more to the Georgia driver than an incident that took place back in 2007. His tenure with Roush Fenway Racing lasted from 2007 through 2011, but was rarely successful, resulting in only one win, and Ragan never finished any higher than 13th in points. After losing a full-time sponsor in UPS, Ragan left RFR and found a new home at Front Row Motorsports. Last year was his first full season with the team, and they earned a total of one top 5, two top 10s, and finished 28th in the standings, a baseline they have hoped to build on in 2013. After eight races, it’s been a tough road thus far – the No. 34 car is still searching for its first top-10 result – but Ragan still feels that his team can and will improve._

_Ragan sat down with Summer Bedgood over the weekend in Kansas to discuss the ups and downs of racing in the Sprint Cup Series._

Nuts for Nationwide: Texas Brings End Of Break, But Not Cup Dominance

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The Nationwide Series returns to activity this weekend in Texas after a two-week break, with the full-time teams itching to get back racing. But when it comes to coming out on top Friday night? Don’t be expecting much other than yet another victory by a Cup regular.

That’s been the story of the 2013 Nationwide season so far: five races, four victories by full-time Cup competitors. Kyle Busch, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing in his No. 54, has already scored three wins after going 0-for in the series in 2012. Tony Stewart added yet another Daytona victory at the beginning of the season. Behind him, Sam Hornish, Jr. remains the only Nationwide points contender with a win, taking a popular first-place finish at Las Vegas.

Tech Talk: Darian Grubb Sizes Up Substitutes And Texas-Sized Concerns

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_Darian Grubb is a Sprint Cup championship crew chief, winning the 2011 title with Tony Stewart. He was starting his second season as the head wrench for Denny Hamlin when Hamlin was injured at California a couple of weeks ago; now, he finds himself calling the shots for multiple drivers filling the seat in his car until they return. With the rules as they are, Grubb’s team will still have a chance to make the Chase if they can stay on top of the car and then win a couple of races with Hamlin in the seat._

_When Frontstretch caught up with Grubb this week, he told us about running Martinsville with Mark Martin and what the FedEx team faces as they head to Texas this week. Grubb covers things from tires to cool temperatures and the difference between having his primary driver in the seat behind him at the track and a sub._

Racing To The Point: NASCAR Penalizing Itself For Inconsistent Rulings

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Five expletives in one sentence. I wasn’t sure if the NASCAR race was still on or if FOX was showing an early presentation of “Hell’s Kitchen,” one where Chef Gordon Ramsey — Tony Stewart in this case — found out Joey Logano’s beef ravioli wasn’t fully cooked.

Stewart sure put on a post-race show at Fontana. It had all the same ingredients of the boxing match I watched on HBO on Friday night. Punches were thrown — or at least a water bottle — trash was talked and, in the end, the sore loser went on a profanity-laced tirade vowing for revenge.

Five Points to Ponder: Learning Curves, Hamlin’s Back and Missed Walls

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*ONE: Logano Needs to Focus on Driving not Dueling*

Another week and yet another driver infuriated with Joey Logano. This is becoming something of a theme, isn’t it folks? No one would argue that Logano should stick up for himself — and it’s certainly better than his Dad doing it for him — but the fact is he’s going about this all the wrong way. If you need any evidence of that, just look at his graceless post-race rant on Hamlin including the comment, “…that’s what he gets.” And then his throwing a water bottle at three-time champion Tony Stewart from behind the safety of his pit crew – hardly the move of a big boy now is it?

NASCAR Writer Power Rankings Poll: Top 15 Heading To Phoenix

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Daytona weekend stole national headlines for a multitude of reasons; both good and bad. Johnny Sauter redeemed himself from last year’s wreck while leading and won the Camping World Truck Series season opener Friday under the lights. Tony Stewart continued his dominance of the Nationwide Series at Daytona with his seventh February victory. However, his victory lane celebration was diminished after a last-lap multi-car wreck sent Kyle Larson’s car into the frontstretch catchfence, ripping a hole in the crossover gate and sending 28 spectators to either the infield care center or medical centers off-property.

Nationwide Breakdown: COPD 300

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_Editor’s Note: Anyone looking for information on the last-lap crash, which injured 33 fans will find it elsewhere on our website. The following is just a race racap only… check out the links below for the latest information we have — as well as reaction to the incident._

“Horror Story Ending To NASCAR’s Nationwide Race: Latest News & Updates”:https://frontstretch.com/tbowles/42405/
“NASCAR Nation: Outreach, Not Outcry, Should Be Our Approach”:https://frontstretch.com/sbedgood/42403/

*Inside The Nationwide Series: COPD 300*

As smoke cleared from a last-lap horror, “Smoke” the driver was wheeling his way into Victory Lane once again at Daytona. Tony Stewart, who had spent most of the day riding comfortably in the back of the pack timed his move perfectly to surge forward during the race’s final stretch. His winning percentage here, as a result in the Nationwide cars has jumped to an absurd 50%, with seven victories in 14 career starts – including five of the last seven.

Thinkin’ Out Loud: 2013 Sprint Unlimited at Daytona

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On lap 16, Tony Stewart attempted to change lanes and make a move on race leader Matt Kenseth. While he wasn’t cleared by his spotter, Stewart chose to shift down low which resulted in his left rear corner making contact with the right front of Marcos Ambrose. Stewart’s car got out of shape, made contact with the apron and sent a shower of sparks over several cars that were pursuing him. Jimmie Johnson checked up in the high line, which caused Denny Hamlin to make contact with the five-time champ, turning him down in front of the oncoming pack and ultimately taking out one-third of the field. The accident eliminated defending champion Kyle Busch, two-time Unlimited champion Jeff Gordon, 2006 winner Denny Hamlin and 1999 winner Mark Martin. Just like that, the field was reduced by one-third, many contenders sat idle in the garage and the drafting – along with the racing – became a shell of its former self.