The First Reid: Hamlin’s surprising win at Talladega unsurprising
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
Denny Hamlin’s victory in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway was a surprise.
Then again, it wasn’t.
If you’re trying to pick a winner for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points race at a restrictor-plate race track, Hamlin probably wouldn’t head your list.
After all, there are plenty of more likely candidates, based on past performance. Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Clint Bowyer and Jamie McMurray come to mind immediately, and that’s just for starters.
That doesn’t mean Hamlin hasn’t run well in plate races. On occasion, he has. He just hadn’t managed to win one—until Sunday.
On that basis, you could call Hamlin a surprise winner at Talladega.
But in no way, shape or form, is it surprising that Hamlin has picked up a victory in the first 10 races of the season. In handicapping probable race winners—and hence, probable participants in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup—Hamlin would have been on everyone’s short list before the season started.
In fact, it would have been better than even odds that all three Joe Gibbs Racing drivers—Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth—all would have qualified for NASCAR’s playoff.
So don’t look at Hamlin’s victory at Talladega as a shocker. It wasn’t. Just congratulate the driver of the No. 11 Toyota for expanding his resume.
@nascarcasm
- Post-race tech complete. No issues. The three cars heading to the R&D center are the three cars that are still intact.
- Denny Hamlin was victorious in the Aaron’s 499. Always great when that glimmer in a driver’s eye is from the elation of a big race win and NOT from the sun reflecting off a small piece of metal.
- Denny Hamlin takes home $303,315 for winning the race. Or 649,493,145.65 in Dogecoin. His choice.
- Brad Keselowski feels bad, and wants to take everyone out again, but this time for a beer or something.
(Follow @nascarcasm on Twitter. His unique views on NASCAR are his own – but chances are you already knew that.)
NASCAR Numbers
By Reid Spencer
4: The number of finishes outside the top 20 for Jimmie Johnson in the first 10 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races. That’s the most since 2009, when Johnson also had four results outside the top 20 in the first 10 races. But, oh, by the way, Johnson went on to win the series championship that year.
5: The number of former NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champions involved in “The Big One” in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega. On Lap 137, 2012 champion Brad Keselowski triggered a wreck that also collected Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth, who have 14 titles between them.
11: The finishing position at Talladega of Landon Cassill, who kept the No. 40 Hillman Racing Chevrolet in the top 10 for much of Sunday afternoon. That result was a career best for Cassill in 201 Sprint Cup starts, bettering a pair of 12th-place finishes at Michigan and Daytona.
23.3: Kyle Busch’s average finish in 13 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Kansas Speedway, statistically Busch’s worst track. The driver of the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota has but two top 10s at Kansas, and no top fives. He has led 85 laps there, his lowest total by far at a 1.5-mile intermediate speedway.
5: The number of drivers who have won two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway, suggesting that success breeds success at the 1.5-mile track. In 16 total races at Kansas, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have won twice each. Kesneth is the only one of the five to win in two different car makes (Ford and Toyota).
NASCAR ETC.
Next up on the schedule is Kansas, home to Michael Waltrip Racing’s Clint Bowyer, who will be making his 300th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career start this weekend. In even bigger news for MWR, 5-Hour ENERGY, Bowyer and crew chief Brian Pattie all signed multi-year contract extensions this week that will take effect in 2015 … Reed Sorenson will also be making a milestone career start this weekend, his 200th in the series. … Ryan Blaney, son of NASCAR Sprint Cup veteran Dave Blaney, will be making his series debut in the No. 12 SKF Ford for Team Penske this weekend at Kansas Speedway. Ryan Blaney has made one start in the NCWTS at Kansas resulting in a third–place finish and one start in the NNS producing an 11th-place finish. … Dave Blaney is also entered this weekend. … The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series set a new record for Green Flag Passes for the Lead (GFPFL) during the spring race at Talladega last weekend. Last weekend’s race produced 188 Green Flag Passes for the Lead, the most for a Talladega spring race, and third-most since NASCAR introduced the stat in 2005.
Tweets Of The Week
Clint Bowyer
@ClintBowyer
So the Mrs @LorraBowyer and I went in to get one of those picture thingies…WHEW, good news! It’s got a dingy!!!
Todd Bodine
@Team_Onion
Great to see @CampingWorld back to support @NASCAR_Trucks Thank You!!
Clint Bowyer
@ClintBowyer
Proud of my guys, we finally got us a good finish yesterday! Busy week in KS, looking forward to seeing everyone back home.
David Ragan
@DavidRagan
The chicken stayed in the car!
@Matt_Toasty: @DavidRagan @kfc did the Go Cup stay upright We must know!
Josh Wise
@Josh_Wise
Big thanks to all of our @reddit @dogecoin supporters for making this a special weekend.
Josh Wise
@Josh_Wise
I just finished reading ALL of your comments today. So cool to hear so many people watched their first ever @NASCAR race today
AJ Allmendinger
@AJDinger
And thank you to all the fans that came out to @TalladegaSuperS this weekend. Really cool to see the grandstands and camping grounds packed
Denny Hamlin
@dennyhamlin
Thanks for the tweets! Feels good..
Aric Almirola
@aric_almirola
Survived, got a decent finish, onto Kansas City where we typically run Really good. So looking forward to the KC under the lights
Cole Whitt
@ColeWhitt
21st wasn’t bad for crashing 3 times without crashing out. Thankful for my guys pulling hard all day with me. Thanks @scorpydcrossbow also
Justin Allgaier
@J_Allgaier
Appreciate all the cool tweets about us taking the lead at one point. Really liked the outside line and was hoping I could use it at the end
Joey Logano
@joeylogano
Had a great car that could lead laps.
Just lost tack position and got in a wreck. That’s Talladega for you
Looking forward to Kansas.
Brad Keselowski
@keselowski
Hate causing the big one @TalladegaSuperS today.
Been on the other side of the shoe and it stinks.
#MyBad
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
@DaleJr
Stuck in the back with no where to go. Disappointed in myself for not figuring out what to do the last 30 laps.
Tune-In: NASCAR On Television, Week of May 5-11
Monday, May 5
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Tue.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Tuesday, May 6
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Wed.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
3 a.m. (Wed.), TUDOR United SportsCar Championship at Laguna Seca (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Wednesday, May 7
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub (re-air), FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Talladega Superspeedway (re-air), FOX Sports 2
2:30 a.m. (Thu.), NASCAR Now, ESPN2
Thursday, May 8
Noon, NASCAR K&N Pro Series East at Richmond
(re-air), FOX Sports 2
4 p.m., NASCAR Race Hub, FOX Sports 1
5 p.m., NASCAR America, NBC Sports Network
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Talladega Superspeedway (re-air), FOX Sports 1
1 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR’s The List: Legendary Drivers, NBC Sports Network
1:30 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR’s The List: Memorable Moments, NBC Sports Network
2:30 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR’s The List: Fights & Feuds, NBC Sports Network
3 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Talladega Superspeedway (re-air), FOX Sports 1
Friday, May 9
Noon, NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Practice, FOX Sports 1
1:30 p.m., NASCAR K&N Pro Series Race at Stockton,
FOX Sports 1
2:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Final Practice, FOX Sports 1
3:30 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
4:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Qualifying,
FOX Sports 1
6 p.m., NASCAR Live, FOX Sports 1
6:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Qualifying, FOX Sports 1
8 p.m., NCWTS SetUp, FOX Sports 1
8:30 p.m., NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Race at Kansas, FOX Sports 1
2 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR’s The List: Greatest Finishes,
NBC Sports Network
2:30 a.m. (Fri.), NASCAR’s The List: Legendary Drivers, NBC Sports Network
Saturday, May 10
6 p.m., NASCAR RaceDay, FOX Sports 2
7 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Pre-Race Show, FOX
7:30 p.m., NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kansas, FOX
2 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Sprint Cup Race at Kansas, FOX Deportes
3 a.m. (Sun.), NASCAR Victory Lane, FOX Sports 1
Sunday, May 11
10 a.m., Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge, FOX Sports 1
Noon, NASCAR K&N Pro Series (re-air), FOX Sports 1
THIS WEEK
NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
The Next Race:
5-hour ENERGY 400
The Place:
Kansas Speedway
The Date/Time:
Saturday, May 9, 7:30 p.m. ET
TV: FOX
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
_______________________
NASCAR CAMPING WORLD TRUCK SERIES
The Next Race:
SFP 250
The Place:
Kansas Speedway
The Date/Time:
Friday, May 3, 3 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Radio: MRN,
Sirius XM Channel 90
National Series Standings
This year, wins matter more than in any season in the 65-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Essentially, a win locks a driver into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
This year, wins matter more than in any season in the 65-year history of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Essentially, a win locks a driver into the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
2014 Winners
Pos Driver Wins
1. Kevin Harvick 2
2. Joey Logano 2
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 1
4. Brad Keselowski 1
5. Carl Edwards 1
6. Kyle Busch 1
7. Kurt Busch 1
8. Denny Hamlin 1
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Jeff Gordon 347
2 Matt Kenseth 344
3 Kyle Busch 343
4 Dale Earnhardt Jr 328
5 Carl Edwards 328
6 Joey Logano 305
7 Jimmie Johnson 304
8 Greg Biffle 300
9 Ryan Newman 299
10 Brian Vickers 297
11 Brad Keselowski 294
12 Denny Hamlin 292
13 Kyle Larson # 286
14 Austin Dillon # 281
15 AJ Allmendinger 279
16 Marcos Ambrose 268
NASCAR Nationwide Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Chase Elliott # 339
2 Elliott Sadler 338
3 Regan Smith 336
4 Trevor Bayne 308
5 Ty Dillon # 308
6 Brian Scott 277
7 Brendan Gaughan 250
8 James Buescher 244
9 Chris Buescher # 229
10 Ryan Reed # 225
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series
Pos Driver Points
1 Timothy Peters 82
2 Johnny Sauter 82
3 Matt Crafton 78
4 Ryan Blaney 78
5 Ron Hornaday Jr. 76
6 Ben Kennedy # 72
7 German Quiroga 71
8 Darrell Wallace Jr. 61
9 Jeb Burton 60
10 Tyler Reddick 60
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
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