I have a problem with Paul Menard. Not Paul Menard the man, Paul Menard the race car driver.
This week’s announcement that Menard would be taking over the legendary 21, Wood Brothers Ford, when Ryan Blaney moves to his home base at Team Penske in 2018, really rubbed me the wrong way. The reason? I believe this is a bad look for NASCAR as a sport. But before you get too upset with me, let me list the reasons why I feel this way.
Show notes:
Kasey Kahne leads Brad Keselowski late in the Brickyard 400 on the way his first win after a 102-race winless streak.
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SPEEDWAY, Ind. — Kasey Kahne won his first race since August 2014 Sunday when he took the checkered flag in the 2017 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
After lackluster racing over pretty much the entire course of the race’s history, Sunday’s race was not only certainly the most exciting Brickyard 400 ever, but also one of the best races so far this season. On the eve of NASCAR likely changing the rules package for Indy next season based on the success of the Xfinity Series package just a day prior, it appears as if maybe it doesn’t need it.
William Byron leads the Xfinity field into the first turn at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
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SPEEDWAY, Ind. — There has been a lot of experimenting the past several years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway when it comes to NASCAR.
It turns out the racing just isn’t that great for a stock car on a track that was built more than a hundred years ago for open-wheel cars. But NASCAR has raced at Indianapolis since 1994, and it’s too important of a place to leave the schedule any time soon. And you’re not changing the track — the only one where Indycar doesn’t just beat NASCAR attendance, but blows it away.
The SuperSpeedway Power Rankings are moving to a monthly format. Here’s July’s rankings for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series.
It’s going to take a lot to move Martin off the top spot. He’s bad fast week in and week out and now leads the regular season standings. He’s almost a lock to make the final in Miami.
I don’t even know what to say about Brad anymore. Check back next month to see if he’s still on the list. He’s hanging on by a thread.
Also considered
Kurt Busch, Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Alex Bowman
CONCORD, N.C. — One of the biggest dominoes in the 2017 NASCAR Silly Season fell Thursday morning as Alex Bowman was named the driver of the 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for 2018.
Bowman will take over for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is retiring at the end of the 2017 season.
ROSSBURG, Ohio — Matt Crafton isn’t a dirt racer, but he was able to hold off some tough challengers to take the win in the fifth-annual Eldora Dirt Derby Wednesday night.
Crafton passed Stewart Friesen late in the race to take the win.
Crafton started the race winning the first stage when the caution came out immediately after he passed Friesen to take the lead. Crafton said the truck was good at the beginning of the race, but he asked for some adjustments at the first stage break.
ROSSBURG, Ohio — The heats are in the books at Eldora Speedway. Now all that remains is the last chance race to set the rest of the field for the fifth-annual Eldora Dirt Derby.
Stewart Friesen kept his perfect night alive by earning the pole position in the main event with a win in the first heat.
Matt Crafton made a late pass after Chase Briscoe had problems to take the outside starting position with a win in heat race number two.
Kaz Grala earned the win in the third heat to take the third starting position. Christopher Bell will start fourth with a win in the fourth heat and Ty Dillon will start fifth with a win in the fifth heat.
ROSSBURG, Ohio — Stewart Friesen was the winner of the pole award at Eldora Speedway for the fifth-annual Eldora Dirt Derby.
Friesen turned a lap of 90.000 mph to take the pole position. However, because of the format of the Eldora race, it does not mean he will start on the pole. He will have to win his heat race to maintain that spot.
ROSSBURG, Ohio — The showcase race for the Camping World Truck Series, the Eldora Dirt Derby, brings with it some unusual rules once a season when the trucks take to the dirt in Ohio.
Here are a few notes from the drivers meeting tonight:
The SuperSpeedway NASCAR Podcast and News 