'The Profit' returns on NASCAR investment

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Holly Cain

Chairman and CEO of Camping World talks sponsorship, CNBC show

Marcus Lemonis has managed to create the ultimate fusion between that which is nearest and dearest to his heart — big business, small business, NASCAR and his reality television show, "The Profit."

As Chairman and CEO of one of NASCAR’s national series title sponsors, Camping World and Good Sam Enterprises, a diehard race fan and a burgeoning television star of the CNBC hit show (Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT), Lemonis has enviably and smartly positioned himself and his companies to share in one another’s success. And there’s been plenty of that.

The 40-year-old entrepreneur signed a seven-year extension in May for Camping World to remain title sponsor of NASCAR’s Camping World Truck Series — he says a sign of commitment and a signal of his satisfaction with the series that has truly featured some of the most competitive product on track among a group of NASCAR’s most highly motivated young and diverse drivers.

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"In most cases, it’s an expensive sport — expensive to find sponsors, expensive to operate, expensive to make the trips — and NASCAR has done a nice job of recognizing that these truck team owners are a lot like small businesses. And as you go up the ranks, the Nationwide Series turns into medium business and Cup Series Fortune 500 businesses," Lemonis explained.

"I like that they’ve made it easier, more competitive and for me, (provide) far more opportunity for these younger and more diverse drivers and that’s what’s exciting. You could literally start a race on any given night and not have even four or five predictable winners. A 16-year-old kid could win, and it doesn’t get any better than that for me."

That connection between the Camping World Truck Series and small business is viable and strong for Lemonis, whose starring role on "The Profit" includes finding struggling small businesses around the country and helping them gain their footing — sometimes with a complete makeover. And in turn, he invests his own money to make it happen.

From day one on his popular show — whose third season begins tonight at 10 ET/PT — Lemonis has promoted a tangible link between some of the small businesses he salvages and the world of NASCAR.

One of the first businesses featured on the show, CarCash, became the race title sponsor for one of the Camping World Truck Series’ most successful and perennially anticipated events, the 1-800-CARCASH Mudsummer Classic at the famed Tony Stewart-owned Eldora Speedway.

"I’ve used NASCAR from the first episode of season one," Lemonis said. "It is still heavily integrated and actually sponsors the dirt track event at Eldora — and that was first business ever featured on the show.

"Sometimes the episodes fit (naturally with NASCAR) and sometimes they don’t, but it’s been great for CarCash and every time that race airs or is mentioned, we get an influx of business.

"I love the sport of racing, but if I didn’t feel like it helped my business, Camping World or other businesses that have invested, I don’t think I would do it. At the end of the day, you have to do things that make sense. NASCAR, for me, has had a phenomenal return on my investment.

"I think the thing I’m most grateful for and I can’t stress this enough is that these fans do not have to support the companies that sponsor their favorite driver, but they do and they do it religiously. And I think there’s something to be said for that.

"I can’t think of any other sport in this country where the fans are as committed to the teams and committed to the sponsors that make it all happen and I think that’s why these big and small companies keep coming back.

"It’s what I call the NASCAR effect, and it really makes a difference."

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by

SHR driver avoids trouble to bring one of his many rockets to Victory Lane; Do you agree? Vote now!

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by

Both drivers fined, placed on four-race probation

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (Oct. 14, 2014) — NASCAR has assessed behavioral penalties to drivers Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart for their involvement in post-race incidents on Oct. 11 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

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Keselowski has been fined $50,000 and placed on NASCAR probation for the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events through Nov. 12 for violating:

• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing

• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty — involved in post-race incidents

Stewart has been fined $25,000 and placed on NASCAR probation for the next four NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship events through Nov. 12 for violating:

• Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing

• Section 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty — involved in a post-race incident

"These penalties are about maintaining a safe environment following the race," said Robin Pemberton, NASCAR senior vice president, competition and racing development. "We knew that the new Chase format was likely going to raise the intensity level and we want our drivers to continue to be themselves. However, the safety of our drivers, crew members, officials, and workers is paramount and we will react when that safety could be compromised."

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by RJ Kraft

Chase contender chalks up post-race fracas at Charlotte to ‘display of passion’

The post-race drama involving Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth and Brad Keselowski at Charlotte Motor Speedway has sure gotten a lot of attention and fellow Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup driver Carl Edwards believes you can chalk up what happened to the intensity of the sport’s new playoff format.  

"This is fierce competition," Edwards said on a teleconference with NASCAR media members. "There’s a lot on the line. There’s a lot of risk, not just financially, there’s real risk. When you see people get that wound up, I think it shows how much passion there is inside the sport.

  "But overall it’s obvious that this format has raised the level of intensity which all of us have to compete. People definitely care. That’s what I take away from it. I’m glad nobody was hurt. At the end of the day it was just a display of passion, I think."

The new format was presented by NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France in January.  

"If you would have said Charlotte ended the way Charlotte ended, I never could have guessed that," Edwards said. "As I left the race track the other night, I thought ‘I guarantee you Brian France is kicked back with his feet up with a smile on his face’ because right now this is working."

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After the checkered flag dropped on Saturday at Charlotte is when the fireworks really began.  Keselowski clipped Hamlin’s rear bumper on the cool-down lap after the race, later hitting Kenseth’s car after Kenseth had removed his seat belt and HANS safety device.

Tony Stewart was also caught up in the round of bumper cars, causing the No. 14 driver to retaliate by backing his car into the No. 2, crumpling its front. Keselowski then drove through a garage stall in the Sprint Cup Series garage before parking his car near his hauler. After getting out of his car, members of Hamlin and Kenseth’s teams were yelling at Keselowski and his team. As Keselowski walked between his and teammate Joey Logano‘s haulers, Kenseth ran after Keselowski and things got physical between the two. Eventually the two were separated by Keselowski’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe.  

"Everybody’s responsible for their own actions," Edwards said. "At the end of the day you just have to decide what you’re willing to put up with or what you’re going to do something if somebody does something to you."  

  On Tuesday, NASCAR fined Keselowski $50,000 and Stewart $25,000 for their involvement in Saturday night’s incidents. Both drivers were placed on NASCAR probation for the next four Sprint Cup Series events.  

Kenseth and Hamlin are set to be teammates with Edwards next season as he makes the move to Joe Gibbs Racing following the end of Edwards’ 11-year Sprint Cup tenure at Roush Fenway Racing. Kenseth and Edwards have previously been teammates at Roush.

That said,   Edwards didn’t want to get into specific thoughts about the drivers involved in the post-race drama at the Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"I’m really careful not to get involved in other people’s fights because a good sound bite can sound good, but you never know the whole story," Edwards said. "I know I’ve been involved in stuff with people and I have seen things personally that have been framed in ways that I did not think were accurate. So I try to stay out of all that."

Edwards does not expect to see any retaliation at Talladega this weekend, but he does think you could see it later in the year.  

"I think, and I’m not certain, but I think that everyone will go to Talladega and they’ll be very professional," Edwards said. "I don’t believe that you would see any on‑track retaliation at Talladega. It’s such a fast place. There’s so much potential for collateral damage with other cars, other teams. I have a feeling, my gut feeling, is that Talladega will go pretty smoothly. I think once we get to Martinsville, some other places, if there are any hard feelings over stuff that happened over the year or even last week, I think that’s where you’ll see most of that dealt with."

  Edwards comes into Talladega in good shape to advance to the Eliminator Round. He is in fifth place in the points standings and just 12 points back of Joey Logano for the lead. Edwards also said that this format has essentially taken a full season "down to a 10‑race season, and now it’s a series of three races. There’s no place to hide if you have a bad race with this format."

  So far Edwards hasn’t had to hide with an average finish of 12.2 in the first five races of the Chase, including back-to-back top-10s in the first two races of the Contender Round. Edwards is 20 points ahead of Kenseth, who sits in ninth place. Edwards can clinch a spot in the Eliminator Round several ways: He could win at Talladega or he can finish 18th or better at Talladega; finish 19th and at least one lap led or he can finish 20th with the most laps led.

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by RJ Kraft

Future teammates Busch and Edwards flying under the radar in postseason

CONCORD, N.C. — While much of the attention in the Contender Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup has been paid to the drivers in danger of not advancing, three veterans yet to claim a championship in the sport’s premier series have flown under the radar and are on the cusp of advancing to the Eliminator Round.

Coming into the Chase, some wondered if Kyle Busch‘s team could recover from a late slump in the second half of the regular season, while others wondered if Carl Edwards would have enough speed in his Chase swan song with Roush Fenway Racing. Ryan Newman has cranked out top-20 finishes with ease, but there was concern that wouldn’t be enough for the Richard Childress Racing driver as the Chase wore on.

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After an August stretch that saw "Rowdy" have four consecutive finishes of 36th or worse, the Joe Gibbs Racing driver has rebounded in a big way with five top-10 finishes to open the Chase, including a career-best finish at what had been his kryptonite in Kansas and a fifth-place result in Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Points leader Joey Logano is the only other driver who can lay claim to opening the 2014 Chase with five-top 10s, though his record also includes two wins and five top-fives.

Busch won the Coors Light Pole Award at Charlotte and led 41 circuits en route to his top-five finish. However, he seemed a bit disappointed with the result.

"Little adjustments just didn’t help us tonight," Busch said. "We made that one big change and the car really took off for us. It wasn’t a win — which is what we really want — but it’s another solid finish for us."

Despite that frustration, Busch will head to Talladega Superspeedway for the GEICO 500 (Oct. 19, 2 p.m. ET, ESPN) in second place in the points standings, six points behind Logano for the lead and 26 points ahead of JGR teammate Matt Kenseth, who sits in ninth place, the first elimination position.

Busch’s 21.4 average finish in 19 starts at the Talladega is tied for his worst among all Sprint Cup Series tracks. His strategy for the Alabama track is simple.

"We just need to go to Talladega next week and try to avoid the ‘Big One,’ " he said.

Busch’s future teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, Carl Edwards, has posted two straight top-10 finishes to kick off the Contender Round, following up a fifth-place result at Kansas (his home track) with an eighth-place result at Charlotte. The end result was all the more impressive considering that he spent the second-fewest number of laps in the top 15 (170) out of all the drivers that finished in the top 10.

"We definitely made the most of it," Edwards said of his run at Charlotte. "It was a good night for us and a great points night."

The 35-year-old also picked up a bonus point for leading a lap, Lap 315.

The top-10 at Charlotte puts Edwards in fifth place in the points standings and 20 points ahead of the first driver (Kenseth) on the outside looking in. But now Talladega looms — and it is statistically his worst track. In 20 starts at ‘Dega, Edwards has just two top-fives and an average finish of 21.0.

"We’ll go on to Talladega, but I’m just glad we got out of here clean," Edwards said. "I don’t think we made any enemies, so we’ll go have some fun at Talladega and hopefully make the next round."

Ryan Newman has been consistent all season long with 27 top-20 finishes in his first season with RCR. In the past three weeks, Newman has raised his game with three top-10 finishes, including a seventh-place finish at Charlotte.

The 36-year-old spent much of the night running in the top 10 but nearly getting caught up with former Stewart-Haas Racing teammate Danica Patrick on Lap 246 looked like it might hurt his result. However, Newman made a great save to keep his car from suffering significant damage after spinning out. The team’s jack also broke on Lap 223.

"It was a good rebound with all the problems after missing the wreck and broken jack," Newman said. "We didn’t have the best car on the short run there at the end when we needed it. To go from 18th (where he restarted after the caution involving his car and Danica’s) to seventh isn’t too darn bad."

With his third top-10 finish in his past four Charlotte races, Newman is fourth in the point standings, with a 21-point advantage on Kenseth. Just like Busch and Edwards, Talladega is Newman’s worst track based on average finish (21.5) in 25 starts.

Busch has yet to win a Chase race as a driver in the sport’s playoff and his best finish in the final standings of the 10-race format was a fourth-place result last season. Edwards has twice been the runner-up for the title, most recently in 2011 when he was tied with Tony Stewart after the finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but Stewart won the title based on his five wins to Edwards’ one that season. Newman’s best Chase finish came in 2005 when he finished sixth.

To officially lock themselves into the Eliminator Round, Busch, Newman or Edwards could win at Talladega; or Busch would need to finish 24th, while Newman would need to finish 19th and Edwards would need to finish 18th.

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by Staff Report

Keep tabs on all the action this weekend at Talladega

This weekend brings the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and NASCAR Camping World Truck Series to Talladega Superspeedway.

The Sprint Cup Series GEICO 500 is on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 2 p.m. ET with coverage on ESPN.

The Camping World Truck Series fred’s 250 powered by Coca-Cola is on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 1 p.m. ET with coverage on FOX.

For more information on track times, press conferences and GarageCam, you can check out this weekend’s schedule. For TV times, see this week’s TV schedule.

We know you may not have the time to watch the race action without any interruptions, so if you’re on the go, here’s how to keep up at Talladega.

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NASCAR.com’s live Sprint Cup Series leaderboard and Camping World Truck Series leaderboard update in real-time and offer constant text updates of lead changes, cautions, strategies, strong runs and everything in between. From the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series leaderboard fans can also access live standings. On the go? Download the NASCAR Mobile app to follow the leaderboards live from your device.

Lap-by-Lap will keep you caught up even if you can take a peek here and there. Check in now and then to read back through all the laps you’ve missed, or keep an eye on the feed for real-time race updates.

For all the information you need on the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format check out Chase 101 for an easy-to-follow guide as Talladega is the last race in this year’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Contender Round. Fans can also keep up with how their fantasy Chase Grid is doing here. You can also see what drivers need to do to lock up their spots in the Eliminator Round here.

We’ll also send race updates via Twitter through the official @NASCAR and @NASCARStats handles.

RaceBuddy is back this week for the Sprint Cup Series race and offers fans 10 HD live race views including in-car cameras for six drivers as well as a pit road camera, a backstretch camera and more.

Haven’t tried RaceView yet? If you sign up, you’ll get virtual video of cars on the track from various angles and hear what your favorite team is saying over the radio. Use it as a second screen or as your only screen. Just want to scan the radios? You can have that too with RaceView Audio. On a mobile device? Get RaceView Mobile here.

If you want to be more involved in the on-track action, you can manage your fantasy team on NASCAR.com and follow your team’s performance in NASCAR Fantasy Live. Mobile users can also download NASCAR Connect, a game from OneUp Sports that allows users to play other fans with race predictions, for some off-track competition while drivers battle it out on the track.

Live Press Pass video streams will keep the NASCAR action rolling even after the winner goes in and out of Victory Lane. Catch interviews with the top finishers immediately following the checkered flag for the Sprint Cup Series and Camping World Truck Series, and stay tuned to NASCAR.com throughout the week for the latest news.

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by Staff Report

Former champs docked for behavioral infractions in post-race fracas

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NASCAR issued fines and probations to drivers Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart on Tuesday for their post-race actions following last Saturday’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Keselowski was fined $50,000 and placed on probation through Nov. 12, a span of the next four races in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup postseason. Officials fined Stewart $25,000 and issued a probation of the same length.

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The penalties fell under the NASCAR Rule Book headings of Section 12-1: Actions detrimental to stock car racing and 12-4.9: Behavioral penalty — involved in post-race incidents.

Keselowski is the only one of the two drivers eligible for the title in the Chase. His probation is scheduled to expire before the season-ending championship race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Keselowski clipped Denny Hamlin‘s rear bumper on the cool-down lap after the race, later hitting Matt Kenseth‘s car after Kenseth had removed his seat belt and HANS safety device. Stewart was also caught up in the round of bumper cars, causing the No. 14 driver to retaliate by backing his car into Keselowski’s No. 2, crumpling its front. Keselowski then drove through a garage stall in the Sprint Cup Series garage before parking his car near his hauler.

After getting out of his car, members of Hamlin’s and Kenseth’s teams yelled at Keselowski and his crew. As Keselowski walked between his hauler and his teammate Joey Logano‘s hauler, Kenseth ran after Keselowski and things got physical between the two. Eventually, the two were separated by Keselowski’s crew chief, Paul Wolfe.

Neither Hamlin nor Kenseth were penalized.

Keselowski later said that what had him angered at Kenseth was what happened right before the Lap 333 restart.

"When he came by he swung at my car and tore the whole right-front off of it," Keselowski said. "When we restarted fifth with no right-front on it, we fell all the way back to 16th and it ruined our day. That gave us a big Chase hurt, which is unfortunate, and then for some reason after the race the 11 stopped in front of me and tried to pick a fight, so I don’t know what’s up with that. And he swung and hit my car and I figured if we are going to play car wars, I’ll join too. You know those guys can dish it out but they can’t take it. And I give it back to them and now they want to fight."

NASCAR asked for Keselowski to come to its hauler Saturday to speak to officials about what happened. A crew member for Kenseth’s No. 20 team, mechanic Jesse Sanders and Kenseth’s crew chief, Jason Ratcliff also came in.

Keselowski finished in 16th place at Charlotte. He enters Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (2 p.m. ET, ESPN) in 10th place in the Sprint Cup Series points standings. The race is the last chance to advance to the Eliminator Round of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by Nascar

Team Penske driver admits he had no idea what was happening post-race

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MARTINSVILLE, Va. – NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Joey Logano said he had no idea what was going on when he saw teammate Brad Keselowski and fellow driver Matt Kenseth involved in a physical altercation Saturday night at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

"I didn’t know what to think," Logano, driver of the Team Penske No. 22 Ford said Tuesday after testing at Martinsville Speedway. "I didn’t know what it was about, I guess, at first. Not until later on when I got back to the hauler and watched it on TV and figured out what everyone was mad about.

"You’re focused on your own thing; you don’t know what’s going on.

"But I did stop and watch it (on the track’s giant video screen) because I was interested in what the deal was."

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Kenseth, Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart were all involved in separate incidents following the race either while heading to pit road or once they had entered the garage area.

Earlier Tuesday, NASCAR announced fines of $50,000 for Keselowski and $25,000 for Stewart for their actions. Both drivers were also placed on probation through Nov. 12.

Kenseth and Hamlin, teammates at Joe Gibbs Racing, were not fined.

Keselowski clipped the rear of Hamlin’s car on the cool-down lap, then struck Kenseth’s car on the driver’s side after Kenseth had dropped his window net and begun unhooking his safety equipment.

When Keselowski unintentionally hit the back of Stewart’s car after making contact with Kenseth, Stewart backed up and hit the No. 2 Ford, damaging its front end.

Hamlin appeared to follow Keselowski into the garage as the two cut through the covered bay areas, then attempted to confront the driver once they climbed out of their cars. Team members quickly ushered Hamlin into his hauler.

Moments later, Keselowski was walking between haulers when Kenseth chased him down and grabbed him from behind. Crews from both teams eventually became involved in the altercation before order was restored.

Keselowski, who was also participating in the Martinsville test, chose not to discuss the incident or NASCAR’s reaction Tuesday, saying he wanted to focus on the test.

Logano, a winner in each segment of NASCAR’s Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup so far, took a light-hearted approach when asked what kind of message NASCAR’s penalties delivered.

"You look at what happened and say, ‘OK, I can’t do that. Who got fined the most and who got fined a little bit? OK you can’’t do that (either),’ " he said.

"I’m not here to (pass) judgment on what happened. But as a driver you kind of know where the lines are, but heat of the moment you kind of forget where those lines are. That’s why a lot of time it’s better to talk about stuff a couple of days later instead of in the heat of the moment like that.

But, he added, "It makes it entertaining for everyone."

Logano and Kevin Harvick, winners of the first two races in the Contender Round, are guaranteed to be two of the eight drivers that will advance into the Eliminator Round with their victories.

The remaining six positions will be determined following Sunday’s GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway (ESPN, 2 p.m. ET).

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by Nascar

Suspensions have been rare in previous cases like these

NASCAR officials are expected to rule Tuesday on separate incidents involving Joe Gibbs Racing drivers Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth, Team Penske‘s Brad Keselowski, and Stewart-Haas Racing co-owner/driver Tony Stewart following Saturday night’s Bank of America 500 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

What occurred as the field was coming to pit road after the conclusion of the race, as well as what took place in the garage afterward, could result in either monetary fines, points deductions, probation or any combination of the three.

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Keselowski made contact with Kenseth as the two came off the track; Stewart backed his car into Keselowski’s after being hit from behind; and Hamlin and Keselowski had a brief run-in in the garage – with Keselowski eventually speeding away, leaving tire marks across the garage floor — before Hamlin attempted to confront him after climbing from his car.

Kenseth physically attacked Keselowski moments later when the Team Penske driver was walking between haulers, setting off a melee that included crewmen from both teams.

The most recent occasion that resulted in NASCAR officials reacting to a physical confrontation between two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers took place earlier this season at Richmond International Raceway when Marcos Ambrose punched Casey Mears after Mears shoved the Richard Petty Motorsports driver into a car in the garage area.

Ambrose was fined $25,000 and placed on probation for the punch while Mears was fined $15,000 and also placed on probation.

While technical infractions, such as failing pre- or post-race inspection, carry pre-determined penalties, incidents involving competitors, referred to in the rulebook as "behavioral infractions" are judged individually, with the circumstances and severity surrounding the altercation taken into consideration.

In 2011, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick were each fined $25,000 and placed on probation for a post-race altercation on pit road at Darlington Raceway.

That same season, team owner Richard Childress was fined $150,000 and placed on probation after a physical confrontation with Busch at Kansas Speedway.

In 2006, Jeff Gordon was fined $10,000 and placed on probation for shoving Kenseth on pit road following a race at Bristol Motor Speedway.

Suspensions have been levied in the past, but aren’t the norm. In 2003, Jimmy Spencer was suspended for one week and fined $25,000 after he punched Kurt Busch following a race at Michigan International Speedway. Busch was placed on probation for his part in the altercation.

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Posted on October 14, 2014 by Nascar

Playoff intensity ratcheted up with new format

Charlotte Motor Speedway officials budgeted money for post-race fireworks following Saturday night’s Bank of America 500.

They shouldn’t have bothered. The additional gunpowder wasn’t necessary. A few sticks of dynamite had already been lit before the checkered flag waved.

When Kevin Harvick‘s red and white No. 4 Chevrolet crossed across the finish line, fireworks lit up the night sky. Confetti cannons littered Victory Lane with debris.

Meanwhile, explosions of another sort were going off elsewhere.

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CHASE BUBBLE

Pos.	Driver	+/-
1	Joey Logano	—
2	Kyle Busch	+26
3	Kevin Harvick	—
4	Ryan Newman	+21
5	Carl Edwards	+20
6	Jeff Gordon	+18
7	Denny Hamlin	+17
8	Kasey Kahne	+1
9	Matt Kenseth	-1
10	Brad Keselowski	-19
11	Jimmie Johnson	-26
12	Dale Earnhardt Jr.	-26

Incidents that began on the track spilled over onto pit road and eventually made their way into the garage. Saturday night, side skirts weren’t the only things flared. Tempers were, too.

But were the post-race altercations that involved Brad Keselowski, Denny Hamlin and Matt Kenseth a result of the pressures created by the new Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup format? Or were they just a couple of after-the-fact confrontations that have long been a part of NASCAR?

It could be an indication of just how important every position on the track has come to be viewed under NASCAR’s re-tooled championship-determining system.

After all, this isn’t the middle of the racing season when teams have months remaining to overcome a single setback. Wreck me in June and I might not retaliate, but I won’t forget.

But wreck me in October?

It’s the middle of the Chase, and the opportunities to remain relevant are more limited than they’ve ever been under previous formats. One bad race, regardless of the reason behind it, will put a team on the brink of elimination if not completely out of the picture.

All three drivers are currently still in the class photo. But a new one’s scheduled to be taken after this week’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. And with four teams whittled from the field after each three-race segment, not everyone will be included.

Any playoff situation, regardless of the sport, increases tension and anxiety. Mistakes are amplified. So are transgressions.

"When you see Matt Kenseth mad enough to fight, you know that this is intense because that’s way out of character for him," race winner Kevin Harvick said of the Joe Gibbs Racing driver.

Harvick said he saw the contact between Kenseth and Keselowski on a late-race restart that resulted in Kenseth winding up the wall.

"I think that every moment matters in this Chase, and Matt Kenseth knew that that one particular moment could have been the end of his Chase," he said. "That’s the bottom line. That’s how intense this whole Chase is."

Kenseth fell from seventh to ninth in the points standings, leaving him among four drivers that will have to race their way back into title contention this weekend.

That probably wasn’t on his mind when he went searching for Keselowski, the 2012 Sprint Cup champion.

The bigger issue, Kenseth said, was contact from the Team Penske driver after he had already begun unhooking his safety equipment and as personnel were coming onto pit road.

"There’s no excuse for that," he said. "He’s a champion. He’s supposed to know better than that."

Keselowski raced his way into contention only to finish 16th, in part he said because of contact from Kenseth just before the final restart. Contact with Hamlin came after the race. Like Kenseth, Keselowski is outside the top eight and forced to play catch-up.

The new Chase format was built to put more emphasis on winning races. Win before the Chase and increase the likelihood you’ll be invited to the party. Win during the Chase and you’re guaranteed to stick around for the next round.

But the format also leaves practically no time to rebound from setbacks, with just two races (if a team is lucky) to recover from a cut tire, blown engine or crash once the Chase begins.

It has competitors on edge and emotions in overdrive. The road to the championship is paved with antacids.

As runner-up Jeff Gordon noted, the new format "has created some serious drama."

And with just five races remaining, it’s not likely to subside anytime soon.

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