Whew!
We’d have to take roll to verify everyone seems to be accounted for.
Per week after the unthinkable — a peaceful and orderly Talladega — they ditch for some precise elbow room … and look what occurred. Talladega really had extra automobiles end on the lead lap (28) than Texas (23). We had 11 cautions on account of accidents, often single-car spins from drivers pushing it an oz too far.
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A type of end-arounds got here from Denny Hamlin, but it surely was preceded by a blown engine (a contemporary rarity) and adopted by one other rarity: fireplace. The karma cops may’ve been concerned, since Denny, a not too long ago transformed Ohio State fan, gave the Texas trustworthy a horns-down gesture throughout driver intros.
Anyway, Denny popped out of his charred “Camry” unhurt because the black smoke not solely offered a quick scare, however instructed us we don’t but have a brand new pope.
EARNHARDT!
Talking of which, right here’s hoping the cardinals come to a extra thorough consensus than the NASCAR world reached concerning Joey Logano’s newest win.
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Joey has a knack for profitable when the warmth is on. And he was feeling some after Talladega, the place the group radio feed aired his less-than-neighborly evaluations of teammate Austin Cindric. And the place his automotive was ultimately DQ’d for a problem with its spoiler. And the place he triggered powerful social-media evaluations from Chipper Jones, of all folks.
With Kyle Busch’s ongoing eviction from Victory Lane, NASCAR’s MPD race (Most Polarizing Driver) has develop into a two-way race between Denny and Joey.
Let’s evaluation all of it — in addition to examine in on the previous Earnhardt farm — as we tighten these belts, undergo the gear field and hopefully keep away from that Flip 4 Texas bump.
First Gear: Joey Logano wins, Brad Keselowski doomed
Joey Logano is the ninth totally different winner prior to now 9 Cup races at Texas Motor Speedway.
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It’s additionally his thirty seventh profession win and strikes him right into a tie for twenty third all time with Bobby Isaac. Subsequent up, at 39, are Matt Kenseth and Tim Flock, with Mark Martin subsequent at 40.
Joey Logano first throughout the Texas flag, and below the checkers.
And keep in mind, whereas it seems like Joey has been round longer than Goodyear, he’s solely 35.
There’s no wanting again, they are saying, but when Joey selected to, he’d see previous good friend and former teammate Brad Keselowski, who’d been sharing a 36-career-win complete with Joey. You’d prefer to suppose Kez will certainly start including to his victory complete once more, however first issues first, he must get out of this ditch.
He completed twenty eighth at Texas, which might’ve been worse besides so many others had wrecked earlier than his solo spin ignited a four-car wreck on Lap 247.
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“I used to be simply making an attempt too exhausting, busted my butt, regarded fairly dumb,” he instructed Fox Sports activities’ Bob Pockrass afterward.
It’s been a depraved brew of setup misses, rotten luck and wrecks by 11 races. And why even hassle to substantiate with some analysis? This positively needs to be the more severe begin to a season for Kez.
The unhappy sack of stats: 11 begins, zero top-10s, simply three top-20s, zero laps led. Of the 36 drivers who’ve began all 11 races, he’s thirty second in factors. Actually, how might 4 drivers have worse numbers than that?
Second Gear: The opposite Kyle dominating down beneath
Kyle Larson led probably the most laps at Texas (90) earlier than settling for fourth, however nonetheless jetted away with a trophy within the overhead. He’s changing into the brand new Kyle-to-beat when moonlighting within the Xfinity Sequence.
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His newest win — Saturday in Fort Value — got here as a fill-in for Connor Zilisch, who’s nursing a again subject following his violent head-on crash into Talladega’s inside SAFER Barrier every week earlier.
After a three-year hiatus from Xfinity visits, Larson started operating a couple of every season beginning in 2022. In 11 begins since, he’s gained 5 and completed exterior the highest 5 simply as soon as. These are comparable numbers as soon as delivered repeatedly by the opposite Kyle — Busch.
Properly, apart from 2021, when Busch gained all 5 of his Xfinity begins. He’s 0-for-5 since then, by the best way. About the best factor Rowdy did this previous weekend was flip 40.
Third Gear: What’s this, a two-week break for the Xfinity Sequence?
Connor Z will get further time to heal, and doesn’t have to surrender one other begin.
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Whereas the Cup Sequence started racing twice a 12 months at Kansas in 2011, the Xfinity Sequence has remained a once-a-year customer, racing there on its fall weekend. So after 12 straight weeks with no relaxation to start out the 12 months (a collection first), the Xfinity haulers are idling this week.
And for the reason that following week brings All-Star weekend in North Wilkesboro, it’s gonna be a two-week break for NASCAR’s second-tier circuit. By means of three months, Saturdays have generally introduced one of the best motion, so another person has to step up in Kansas Metropolis.
Fourth Gear: Dale Earnhardt again within the headlines
Dale Earnhardt owned roughly 1,200 acres of property in Mooresville, N.C. — a little bit over 600 related acres contains the home and property the place he spent a lot of his off-time.
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Someplace within the midst of all that land is 400 acres Dale’s widow, Teresa, needs to promote to a gaggle with plans to construct an industrial park. Simply one other property transaction, proper? Not fairly.
For years, Teresa’s picture took a beating on account of her enterprise cut up with Dale Jr. — and later, her refusal to let Junior have rights to the No. 8 his automobiles wore for the early a part of his profession. Junior regained rights to the quantity final 12 months, and out of the blue there was no motive for Earnhardt Nation to recoil on the point out of Teresa.
Till now. Granted, the 400 acres is only a third of the whole property owned, however there’s a model new rebellion by the protectors of all issues Dale Earnhardt. It’s a loyal lot. A planning board voted, 4-3, to advocate an OK of the sale, however Mooresville’s metropolis fee will get the ultimate say.
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Little doubt, Dale Earnhardt liked his property and liked knocking round it on vehicles and tractors. However the deeper he acquired into his profession, the extra he additionally liked enterprise deal. Sort of exhausting to say the place he may come down on this.
