NASCAR heads to Texas
Talk turns toward retribution
Five takeaways from the First Data 500 at Martinsville Speedway, where there was enough drama and craziness to make one think a World Series game had broken out.
Texas temptations: The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoffs move on to Texas Motor Speedway near Fort Worth this weekend, and track President Eddie Gossage was already stirring the publicity pot Sunday night after tempers flared because of the Martinsville finish.
At Texas, Chase Elliott could be looking for Denny Hamlin. Brad Keselowski could be looking for Kyle Busch and Elliott. Busch and Hamlin, despite laterace contact with the win at stake, likely won’t be looking for each other. After all, they work in the same shop at Joe Gibbs Racing.
The concept of payback is a treasured one in NASCAR circles. “He wrecked me, so I wrecked him” is the simple explanation.
Scenes change, however. Speeds at TMS are virtually double those at Martinsville, and NASCAR isn’t likely to condone drivers turning their vehicles into weapons of retribution on the high, fast banks. Revenge can be accomplished with a level of subtlety, though. Stay tuned. It’s Texas. Hamlin needs a hug: Virginia native Denny Hamlin, a successful driver over the years at Martinsville Speedway and generally a favorite at the track, left town Sunday night with a wounded ego.
When Hamlin sent leader Chase Elliott sailing into the outside wall as they raced for first place in the concluding laps, many in the stands weren’t happy. Cascades of boos rained down from the grandstand after Hamlin climbed from his car.
Elliott, son of Hall of Fame driver Bill Elliott and already a fan favorite, emerged from his tangle with Hamlin as a battered hero. Hamlin denied that he meant to wreck Elliott.
“I regret the outcome, because it was not intentional the way it turned out,” Hamlin tweeted. “But I’m responsible for my own car and take blame. … I’ll move on and hope Chase, his team and fans will accept my apology.”
Truex still ticking: Somewhat lost in the messiness of Sunday’s finish was the fact that playoff leader Martin Truex Jr. masterfully drove through the melee to finish second. He rolls on, moving closer to a shot at the championship in Homestead, Fla.
He probably could have shoved eventual winner Busch aside in the final mile and won, but he chose the safer route. “We’ll let everybody else fight, and we’ll try to do our own thing,” Truex said.
Penske issues: Team Penske, normally solid in decision-making, looked somewhat off-balance over the final laps.
With 13 laps to go, Penske driver Joey Logano and Busch made contact while racing near the front. Logano’s left-rear fender was pushed into his tire, causing a tire rub. Four laps later, the tire blew and sent Logano into a spin, causing a caution and wiping out a relatively comfortable lead held by Keselowski, his Penske teammate.
Logano did not qualify for the playoffs. If he had pitted for fresh tires after the incident with Busch, the race might have had a different outcome.
With four laps to go, Keselowski, still in the lead, chose the outside lane for a restart, a curious decision considering the fact that the inside lane is typically the best at Martinsville. Elliott, starting second, pushed past Keselowski as the Ford driver faded up the track. After the race, Keselowski tweeted that the outside lane was the better pick late in the race. He finished fourth in a race his team considered a “must-win.”
Points parade: With Busch sitting comfortably for the Final Four at Homestead-Miami Speedway, three spots remain available.
Truex, in first place in points and 38 ahead of Keselowski in the next point spot, seems virtually certain to make the Final Four on points if he doesn’t win at Texas or Phoenix Raceway.
Realistically, that leaves two available spots. Following Keselowski in the standings are Kevin Harvick and defending champion Jimmie Johnson.