Hometown hero: Kyle Larson returns to Elk Grove for a champion’s welcome

Posted on December 28, 2021December 28, 2021 by Zack Albert

Editor’s note: This story initially ran on Nov. 23, 2021.

ELK GROVE, Calif. — A hometown welcome greeted NASCAR champion Kyle Larson on Monday at Elk Grove, and townsfolk showed up by the hundreds hoping to catch a moment with the local driving ace. Even the passing trains that rolled past the Old Town Plaza in the center of the historic district marked the occasion, sounding their horns as they rumbled by.

The cheers continued Monday, just more than two weeks after Larson claimed his first Cup Series crown with a clinching victory in the Phoenix Raceway season finale. The triumph resonated with the community in the Sacramento suburb as fans and residents lined Elk Grove Boulevard to toast his accomplishments.

“All the stuff that I’ve gotten to do has just really allowed it to sink in,” Larson said. “I think every day that comes by, you kind of enjoy it even more, so this is really neat. You get to see other people when their hometowns get to celebrate, and you never really know if you’ll get the opportunity someday. Thankful that I won the Cup championship and everybody was able to come together to put this event on.”

MORE: Larson, Elliott tackle Placerville dirt

The event was complete with remarks from plenty of city dignitaries, who read from a list of proclamations with no shortage of the terms “whereas” and “hereby.” Among those was the declaration of Nov. 22 as Kyle Larson Day in Elk Grove, an unexpected perk for the 29-year-old driver, who was also the town’s first recipient of the key to the city in 2014.

But Larson was also recognized not just for his driving expertise, but for his continuing contributions to the place he calls home.

“To have him come home and give back to our community, to the Elk Grove food bank, just shows his commitment to our city,” Elk Grove mayor Bobbie Singh-Allen said. “But seeing the tremendous amount of support that’s here today and seeing young fans and older fans all alike supporting one of their own, it gives them hope that any dream is possible. Dream big, and if Kyle Larson can do it, so can they.”

Jeff Long and his wife, Teresa, were among those visiting. The couple made a 2 1/2-hour trip north from home in Fresno up to Elk Grove, where Jeff had lived for 20 years. Even more remarkable, he was still recovering from the back surgery he’d undergone just 11 days earlier, an ailment that left his presence at the Old Town ceremony in doubt.

Zack Albert | NASCAR Digital Media

Long said his first NASCAR race was the inaugural Cup Series event at Texas Motor Speedway in 1997. Jeff Burton won the race, but Jeff Gordon won their hearts after Long had read in the newspaper that Gordon claimed Vallejo, California, as his hometown. After Gordon retired from full-time driving, Long said his fanhood transferred to another Golden State native in Larson.

His most recent race was the Phoenix finale, where Long fought through his back pain to enjoy a clear vantage point for the season-ending drama and the No. 5 team’s race-winning pit stop.

“It’s just mind-boggling that we get to experience this,” said Long, who carried a sign reading ‘We were there / PHX 2021.’ “We watched the celebration last year in Dawsonville for Chase Elliott, and we thought that was the coolest idea ever. So that we get to do this now? I had to be here.”

Officials from Sonoma Raceway — the nearest Cup Series track — also turned out, bringing a show car as part of the Old Town Plaza display. Jill Gregory, the road course’s executive vice president and general manager, originally hails from Modesto — about an hour south of Elk Grove — and was there to soak in the atmosphere.

“We’re just thrilled with the turnout — it’s Monday, 2 o’clock on the week of Thanksgiving, but to see all the race fans out here, I think it just shows you how many race fans there are in Northern California,” Gregory said. “Everyone had a Kyle Larson shirt on, it seemed like, whether it’s for dirt racing or Cup. It was just great to hear and see all the race fans here.”

RELATED: Scenes from the celebration

Larson had just completed a three-night stint of midget-car racing at Placerville Speedway, and his grassroots racing schedule will continue in his home state with next weekend’s Turkey Night Grand Prix down south at Ventura Raceway.

But Monday meant taking a brief break from racing to reconnect with family and old friends in a familiar place.

“Elk Grove will always be home,” Larson said. “I haven’t lived here for 10 years, but when they announce my name at every race I’ve ever run, Elk Grove, California, is how they introduce me. So yeah, Elk Grove is home. I love coming back here, visiting my parents, eating at a lot of my favorite restaurants and stuff. So yeah, just glad to be here today.”

Posted on December 27, 2021December 27, 2021 by Zach Sturniolo

Editor’s Note: This continues the series of season reviews for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers.

Driver: Martin Truex Jr.
Car: No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry
Crew chief: James Small
Final 2021 ranking: 2nd
Key stats: 4 wins, 13 top fives, 20 top 10s, 865 laps led

How 2021 ended:
After advancing to the Championship 4 for the fourth time in the past five seasons, Martin Truex Jr. found himself leading the NASCAR Cup Series championship race with 30 laps left in the 2021 season. But a late caution brought with it another round of pit stops, and the No. 19 team was beaten out of the pits by Kyle Larson. Truex restarted alongside Larson on the front row and challenged him throughout the race’s final stretch, but Truex was forced to settle for second, 0.398 seconds short of a second Cup title.

Best race:
By the time NASCAR rolled in Darlington Raceway in May, Truex had already banked wins at Phoenix Raceway and Martinsville Speedway. That May afternoon at the track Too Tough to Tame, though, was the race that made everyone aware the No. 19 team was for real.

Truex led 248 of 293 laps at Darlington en route to his third victory of 2021, sweeping the stages and absolutely dominating the competition. The only visible moment of concern for the No. 19 team came at the end of Stage 1. While lapping the No. 00 Chevrolet of Quin Houff, Truex got loose and slid across Houff’s nose. That allowed Truex’s JGR teammate Denny Hamlin to close to his rear bumper for the stage win, but Truex managed to gather control of the car and barely hold off Hamlin.

Other season highlights:
Martin Truex Jr. is not known for his abilities on dirt, but the inaugural Bristol Motor Speedway dirt race resulted in a fantastic performance for the veteran driver. Hours after winning the Camping World Truck Series debut on Bristol’s dirt and his first Truck win, Truex went on to lead 126 of 253 laps in the Cup race. Truex’s demise that day, however, was a flat right-front tire that reared its head on an overtime restart, plummeting Truex from third all the way back to 19th place, the final spot on the lead lap.

Richmond Raceway also proved to be a strong track for the No. 19 yet again. During the spring race, Truex started on the pole and led 107 laps before notching a fifth-place finish, then followed that up in the Playoffs by leading 80 circuits en route to his fourth and final victory of 2021. That Richmond win propelled Truex into the Round of 12 and helped fuel an eventual Championship 4 run.

Stat to know:
The No. 19 team shined brightest at 750-horsepower paved ovals this season. With 12 races on such tracks in 2021, Truex earned each of his four wins at 750-HP ovals to go along with eight top fives and nine top 10s and an average finish of 6.6. Comparatively, the No. 19 team notched just three top fives on 550-HP ovals this season in 12 such events with an average finish of 10.9.

Truex also finished runner-up in the Cup Series standings for the third time in the past four seasons, with 2020’s seventh-place result as the lone anomaly.

Quotable:
“I have no idea how we finished fourth. I’m gonna buy a lottery ticket on the way home.” – Martin Truex Jr. after heavy contact with the wall late at Martinsville on Oct. 31 didn’t keep from advancing through to the Championship 4

Looking ahead:
Truex has an average finish of a staggering 2.8 in the final Cup Series standings over the past five years. Yet for all his success, the 2017 season marks his only triumph as a Cup Series champion. As the series shifts to the Next Gen car, Truex eyes what should be another strong pursuit toward becoming a two-time title winner.

Posted on December 27, 2021December 27, 2021 by Terrin Waack

Martin Truex Jr. has finished first or second in four of the past five NASCAR Cup Series seasons.

The pilot of the No. 19 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota placed second in the 2021 finale two weeks ago at Phoenix Raceway and ultimately went down in the standings as the runner-up. Fellow Championship 4 contender Kyle Larson won the race and therefore the title. Truex was 0.398 seconds short when the checkered flag waved at the 1-mile track in the Arizona desert.

“That’s three times we’ve been second, and that sucks,” Truex said on pit road afterward. “Second hurts, I’m not going to lie, especially with the car we had and the job the guys did.

“That’s racing, as they say, and sometimes you’re just not on the right end of things.”

Truex’s second-or-better trend started in 2017 when he won his first-ever title. Then, in 2018-19, Truex came in second. He was seventh in 2020 after being eliminated with the Round of 8’s conclusion. This year’s result marked the fourth occurrence in the five most recent playoff attempts.

Below is a closer look at how those seasons played out for Truex.

SEASON	STANDING FINISH	FINALE FINISH	CHAMPION	WINS
2017	1st	1st	Martin Truex Jr.	8
2018	2nd	2nd	Joey Logano	4
2019	2nd	2nd	Kyle Busch	7
2020	7th	10th	Chase Elliott	1
2021	2nd	2nd	Kyle Larson	4

While second is not as satisfying as first — “Gosh, second sucks. I hate it.” — Truex’s current five-season run is still impressive and places the 41-year-old in the company of former NASCAR greats.

Other drivers who had streaks of seasons within the top two:

— Herb Thomas … Five of six years from 1951-56. Champion in 1951 and 1953. Outside top two (fifth) in 1955.

— Buck Baker … Four straight years from 1955-58. Champion in 1956-57.

— Richard Petty … Four of five years from 1960-64. Champion in 1964. Outside top two (eighth) in 1961. … Six of seven years from 1971-77. Champion in 1971-72 and 1974-75. Outside top two (fifth) in 1973. … Five of six years from 1974-79. Champion in 1974-75 and 1979. Outside the top two (sixth) in 1978.

— Cale Yarborough … Five of six years from 1973-78. Champion in 1976-78. Outside top two (ninth) in 1975.

— Darrell Waltrip … Five of six years from 1981-86. Champion in 1981-82 and 1985. Outside top two (fifth) in 1984. … Four of five years from 1979-83. Champion in 1981-82. Outside top two (fifth) in 1980.

— Dale Earnhardt … Five of six years from 1986-91. Champion in 1986-87 and 1990-91. Outside top two (third) in 1988. … Six of seven years from 1989-95. Champion in 1990-91 and 1993-94. Outside top two (12th) in 1992.

— Jeff Gordon … Four straight years from 1995-98. Champion in 1995 and 1997-98.

— Jimmie Johnson … Seven of eight years from 2003-10. Champion in 2006-10. Outside top two (fifth) in 2005.

Add in Truex and that’s 31 championships among nine champions.

Posted on December 26, 2021December 27, 2021 by Zack Albert

Martha Earnhardt, matriarch of the famed racing family, has died. She was 91.

Kelley Earnhardt Miller and Dale Earnhardt Jr., two of her grandchildren, confirmed her Christmas Day passing in a statement released Sunday morning.

pic.twitter.com/cNKBmZHbY8

— Kelley Earnhardt (@EarnhardtKelley) December 26, 2021

Martha Earnhardt was married to Ralph Earnhardt from 1947 until his death in 1973 at age 45. The couple had five children – daughters Kaye and Cathy and sons Dale, Randy and Danny. Dale Earnhardt followed his father’s legacy as a driver to become one of just three seven-time NASCAR Cup Series champions. Youngest son Danny Earnhardt died earlier this month, aged 66 on Dec. 10.

Martha Earnhardt — “Mamaw” to her grandchildren — was a calming influence who contrasted with Dale Earnhardt’s on-track Intimidator persona, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. noted during his grandmother’s 2019 appearance on the Dale Jr. Download podcast. “She mellowed him,” Earnhardt Jr. said as the two shared memories from Dale Earnhardt’s rise to iconic status in the world of stock-car racing.

“On behalf of the France Family and all of NASCAR, we extend our condolences to the family and friends of Martha Earnhardt,” said Jim France and Lesa France Kennedy in an official NASCAR statement. “Martha was not only the matriarch of a legendary NASCAR family, but a beloved and respected figure within our industry and throughout the fanbase. We will dearly miss her grace, compassion and welcoming demeanor. To her grandchildren, she was ‘Mamaw.’ To millions of NASCAR fans, she was a treasure.”

Martha Earnhardt remained a fixture at the family’s modest home in mill-town Kannapolis, North Carolina. She frequently and gently rebuffed her oldest son’s questions about moving her to a larger house, preferring to stay at the corner of V-8 and Sedan Avenue in the “Car Hill” community, where her memories lived with the old auto shop out back.

“He was always here during holidays, and you’d never know when he would drop in,” Martha Earnhardt told the Orlando Sentinel in 2011, mentioning Dale’s visits for a hug or a slice of “secret cake,” a family favorite. “He’d drop by and visit for a little bit. I never knew when he was coming. I just took whatever I could get in his spare time. He was a good son. He did a lot for me. I have four other children who did, too.”

Martha Earnhardt said she tried her hand at racing just once, in a “powder puff derby” race for women at Hickory Speedway. She crashed, lamenting the lack of practice before the event. “That was my one and only,” she said. “… It didn’t work. I just wasn’t meant to be a race-car driver.”

She worked as a waitress and a clerk at a children’s store. In an interview with The Charlotte Observer for Mother’s Day in 2000, she recounted a special Christmas at the family home in 1998, the same year that Dale had won the Daytona 500. “We were real fortunate that year,” Martha Earnhardt said. “We had everybody in the family there, so it was a real houseful.”

By her count, the holiday crowd totaled 34 — all five children, 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and various plus-ones.

When asked her advice on raising a family, Earnhardt told The Observer: “The main thing is to have a good Christian home. Teach them morals and always be there for them.”

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the next generation of the family to reach NASCAR’s national stage, Martha Earnhardt admitted that she had initial doubts. “I didn’t think he was ready,” she told the Associated Press in 1998, not long after his full-time promotion from Late Models to what is now called the Xfinity Series. “But boy, he’s proved me wrong. He’s really something special.” She became one of her grandson’s biggest advocates, comparing his breakthrough that season to his father’s long-awaited Daytona triumph.

When that day came on Feb. 15, 1998, Dale Earnhardt called his mother from Victory Lane.

“I was home watching, and I was cheering and crying at home just like I would if I had been there,” she told the Observer’s David Poole later that year. “Dale called me from winner’s circle and that made me feel real good. He said, “Mom! I finally won the Daytona 500! I said, ‘Yeah, son, I saw you did!’ For the last 10 laps, I walked the floor. I would sit down, I’d get up, I’d sit down. … I couldn’t stay sitting down until I knew he had won it. It was just a really great feeling because I knew how hard and how long he has tried to win and how close he has come.”

In her later years, Martha Earnhardt was a welcoming presence in Kannapolis, frequently meeting visitors at the statue in her eldest son’s likeness in the cozy downtown. She waved a ceremonial green flag at the tribute plaza’s groundbreaking in 2002. She also welcomed guests into her home for travelers on the “Dale Trail” of racing landmarks around Cabarrus County.

“She lets people into her home constantly,” Kelley Earnhardt Miller told USA Today Sports in 2014, calling the lasting connection with race fans “therapeutic” for her. “If you tell her you are the biggest Dale Earnhardt fan ever, she will let you in and sit on the couch, and she will share stories with you for as long as you’ll listen. And she’s always been that way. I can think of fans she now considers friends that come down from Canada and different places in the United States that always stop by to visit her and have for years.”

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Team Release

STATESVILLE, N.C. — CR7 Motorsports, owned by Codie Rohrbaugh, announced Thursday that the team will field the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series (NCWTS) with driver Blaine Perkins.

Perkins has signed a single-year driver agreement with the single-entry NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team. The 21-year-old will pilot the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado full-time for CR7 Motorsports in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series in 2022.

“This is pretty special,” Perkins said. “This is my first full-time season in any of NASCAR’s top-tier series. I am looking forward to getting into the Chevrolet Silverado this year at CR7 Motorsports. We are going to have a good year.”

He enters his second season of NASCAR’s three top-tier series. Perkins made his NASCAR debut on March 13, 2021 at the Phoenix Raceway. In 2021, the Bakersfield, California, native competed in eight NASCAR Xfinity Series (NXS) events with Our Motorsports.

“I am always looking forward to the short tracks,” Perkins said. “That is where I grew up racing — at the half-mile and quarter-mile tracks. Martinsville Speedway and Bristol Motor Speedway will be fun. And road racing, I love road racing as well.

“The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series has a very diverse group of tracks. Even the dirt tracks — I have never driven a stock car on dirt, so I will definitely be working on that a lot. But I know we are going to be fast when it comes to racing there. It is really going to be fun to run all these different types of tracks.”

In addition, the accomplished driver has five starts in the ARCA Menards Series and 40 starts in the ARCA Menards Series West. He is a three-time NASCAR Advance Auto Parts Weekly Series champion in Late Models, winning the 2019 California state title, plus Irwindale Speedway and Kern County Speedway track championships.

“I have high expectations for the upcoming season,” Rohrbaugh said. “Grant (Enfinger) provided CR7 Motorsports a very solid foundation that we can continue to build from. Blaine will have to learn how the Chevrolet Silverados drive compared to the NASCAR Xfinity Series cars. He will have all the tools around him to be successful — a good crew chief, GMS Racing support, and good Chevrolet Silverados. I really look forward to next season, and, hopefully, making a playoff run.”

Rohrbaugh spent four years as a driver in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series. The Petersburg, West Virginia, native has 36 starts in the series, including two top-five finishes and five top-10 finishes. In addition, he is a veteran of the ARCA Menards Series, ARCA Menards Series East and CARS Tour.

In 2016, Rohrbaugh founded CR7 Motorsports, based in Statesville, North Carolina. CR7 Motorsports boasts six years of ARCA Menards Series competition with drivers Jason Kitzmiller, and Rohrbaugh, collecting 10 top-10 finishes. The team also has three top-five finishes, and eight top-10 finishes in 48 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series starts. In the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, CR7 Motorsports has had three drivers; Grant Enfinger, Colby Howard, and Rohrbaugh. The 2022 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season will mark the team’s first full-time series competition with a single driver behind the wheel.

“I think it is a big opportunity for CR7 Motorsports,” Rohrbaugh said. “It gives the crew, and Blaine the opportunity to learn and work together, and get that much better every weekend.”

Doug George, who joined the organization in 2019, is the crew chief of the No. 9 Chevrolet Silverado for Perkins. As a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series 18-year veteran crew chief, George is credited with two victories (2009, Kyle Busch), 35 top-five finishes, 79 top-10 finishes and five pole awards.

George has previously manned the helm for drivers Aric Almirola, John Andretti, Kyle Busch, Ricky Carmichael, Denny Hamlin, Ron Hornaday Jr., Mark Martin and Mike Skinner. As a crew chief he has also earned experience in the NASCAR Cup Series (NCS) and the NASCAR Xfinity Series.

Perkins also has a special connection to the Hornaday family. Candice Hornaday and Ron Hornaday, Jr. have both provided valuable guidance and support to him during his racing career.

“This year is about learning from one of the best truck drivers of all time, Ron Hornaday Jr.,” Perkins said. “Having Ron in my corner coaching me through my first year in the Truck Series is invaluable. I mean, who gets to say they have a Hall of Fame driver advise them? I’m so humbled by these opportunities.”

CR7 Motorsports will enter its fifth NASCAR Camping World Truck Series season with an integrated competition and engineering partnership with the championship-winning team GMS Racing. The agreement with GMS Racing will allow CR7 Motorsports to purchase chassis components and other services developed over their years of championship-caliber competition. As is the case with many other alliances within NASCAR, technical collaboration and communication amongst the teams will be encouraged to help improve performance. Perkins will have access to the latest Chevrolet technology with simulation support.

Daytona International Speedway will mark Perkins’ debut with the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

“I have never driven in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series before, so that will be my biggest challenge. Fortunately, we will have practice and qualifying next year, so that will be beneficial,” the first-generation driver said. “We also have huge experience behind the scenes with CR7 Motorsports in Doug and his team. Between my team, the Hornadays, my spotter, Tim Fedewa, and the CR7 Motorsports’ team, our goal is to be a contender this year for a championship. We have huge goals to meet this season, but we have the right team to get it done.”

The NextEra Energy 250 will be broadcast live on FS1 at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Feb. 18 from Daytona International Speedway. It will also broadcast live on the Motor Racing Network (MRN) and SiriusXM NASCAR Radio.

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Pat DeCola

As Mark Twain was so fond of saying, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.”

Stats can be a powerful tool to bolster a point of view or tell a story in a certain light. But sometimes, you still have to dig a little deeper than what’s on the surface.

Thus, we present some of our favorite numbers from the 2021 season. Some of which tell the story of the thrilling, competitive campaign that it was while others are just straight-up anomalous.

You be the judge.

Statistics courtesy of Racing Insights and Steve Luvender.

• Kevin Harvick did not win a single stage or a race in 2021, but matched his points finish from 2020 (fifth).
The No. 4 driver won just about everything in 2020, including nine races and seven stages.

He was also the only playoff driver to not score any playoff points all season.

• Five drivers won a race, but did not win a stage: AJ Allmendinger, Aric Almirola, Christopher Bell, Alex Bowman and Michael McDowell.
For what it’s worth, none of these drivers advanced past the Round of 12, while Allmendinger was ineligible for the playoffs as a full-time Xfinity Series driver.

• Chase Briscoe (23rd in points, no wins) completed more miles than Kyle Larson (won the championship).
If you include their dirt-track miles, Larson probably takes the cake here. But just barely.

• Anthony Alfredo led more laps in 2021 than Ryan Newman.
The “Rocketman,” who owns 51 career poles, has certainly gotten used to being at the front of the field over the years. Alfredo has never started better than fifth in any NASCAR national series race.

• Josh Bilicki completed more laps in 2021 than Ryan Blaney.
Blaney, of course, won three races and nearly made the Championship 4.

• Alex Bowman won four races in 2021 but led only 161 laps.
There’s a reason they call him “The Showman” — Bowman was able to close when it counted, making his money late in races to capitalize on days he didn’t dominate.

Bowman had as many wins as Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch — all former champions — combined.

• Eleven different drivers led more laps than Alex Bowman in 2021, but only one won more races (Kyle Larson).
Even Kevin Harvick, who was winless, led more laps than the No. 48 driver.

• Kyle Larson (9.1) and Denny Hamlin (8.4) both had a single-digit average finish in 2021 — the third straight season Hamlin has done so.
What’s it going to take for No. 11 to finally win the championship? An average finish inside the top five?

• Thirty-seven different drivers scored a top-10 finish in 2021, the most since there were 41 in 2007.
Shout-out to Anthony Alfredo, Josh Bilicki, Corey LaJoie, Jamie McMurray, Austin Cindric, B.J. McLeod and Kaz Grala, who all had one each. We see you.

• Austin Dillon had a better average finish than Kurt Busch by one full position but scored 22 fewer points in 2021 (when you remove the point bump for Busch making the playoffs).
Dillon has gotten consistently better year by year at keeping his car clean and maximizing his output, even if he’s not a frequent visitor to Victory Lane. Now entering his prime, keep an eye on him for 2022.

• Five of Michael McDowell’s 11 best career finishes came in 2021, including the top two (Daytona 500 win; third at Talladega-1).
McDowell was also showered in more pieces of confetti (approx. 2,375,890) this season than the rest of his career combined.

Michael McDowell wins Daytona 500 2021 — Jared C. Tilton | Getty Images

• Denny Hamlin finished on the lead lap in 34 races in 2021, his most ever in a season.
There wasn’t much else Hamlin left on the table in ’21. Despite just the two wins, he was exceptional from start to finish.

He was also the only driver to start all 36 races without a DNF. Always delivers, this guy.

• Twice in 2021 the race winner led only the final lap: Michael McDowell at Daytona and Brad Keselowski at Talladega.
Unsurprisingly, these were two of the most exciting laps of the year.

• Christopher Bell is the first Oklahoma-born driver to win a Cup series race.
Kind of a shocking stat when you think about it. Figured it would’ve happened sooner.

• Bristol Dirt winner Joey Logano went winless on asphalt for the first time since 2011.
It’s tough to say what’s more surprising — that, or the fact Kyle Larson and Christopher Bell, arguably the sport’s two best dirt drivers, finished 29th and 34th, respectively, in the Bristol Dirt Race that Logano won.

• Daniel Suarez (25th in points) led more laps in 2021 than four race winners.
AJ Allmendinger (five starts) is one, but three of them are full-timers (Aric Almirola, Michael McDowell and Bubba Wallace). Suarez should be viewed as a dark horse contender for next year’s playoffs.

James Gilbert | Getty Images

POWER RANKINGS: 2022 NASCAR Cup Series lookahead

• Kyle Larson led 2,581 laps in 2021. Kevin Harvick and Denny Hamlin led a combined 2,614 laps in 2020.
Needless to say, NASCAR had an extremely worthy champion in the year 2021.

• Four race winners ended the season with three or fewer top-five finishes.
That, my friends, is the definition of striking while the iron is hot.

• For the first time in the current championship format (2014-present), the Championship 4 was comprised of all odd-numbered cars.
They say “don’t get mad, get even;” but for the other three drivers who didn’t win this year, the numbers might suggest otherwise.

Posted on December 23, 2021 by Zach Sturniolo

Editor’s Note: This continues the series of season reviews for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers.

Driver: Denny Hamlin
Car: No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota Camry
Crew chief: Chris Gabehart
Final 2021 ranking: 3rd
Key stats: 2 wins, 19 top fives, 25 top 10s, 1,502 laps led

How 2021 ended:

Hamlin had perhaps the quickest long-run car in the season finale at Phoenix Raceway. That advantage was negated when a yellow flag flew for debris with 30 laps to go, setting up a 24-lap dash to the checkered flag. Despite advancing to the Championship 4 for the third straight season, Hamlin couldn’t find a way past Kyle Larson or teammate Martin Truex Jr. and finished third in the race and in the final standings.

Best race:

The Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway to start the playoffs showcased Hamlin’s Darlington dominance yet again. After starting on the front row, Hamlin was a top-five contender all race long and took the green-and-white checkered flag to win Stage 1 before finishing fourth in Stage 2.

A flurry of late cautions did little to impact Hamlin’s race as the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota excelled on each restart to maintain a top-two position. Hamlin led 146 laps around “The Lady in Black” and seemed destined to cruise to victory on the final lap. A sudden charge from Larson in Turns 3 and 4, however, put those checkered hopes in doubt.

Larson burst to Hamlin’s back bumper to eliminate a four-car-length gap and rode the outside wall all the way to Hamlin’s right-rear quarter panel. Nonetheless, Hamlin was able to defend the run and claim his first win of 2021 that September night at the track “Too Tough to Tame.”

The No. 11 team also deserves praise for its triumph at Las Vegas Motor Speedway to open the Round of 12 later that month. After early cautions led to critical pit-strategy calls from the pit box, crew chief Chris Gabehart put Hamlin in perfect position to dominate the day in the desert. Hamlin led 137 of 267 laps en route to his second and final win of the season.

Other season highlights:

Hamlin found success nearly every week in 2021, even if that wasn’t reflected in the win column. Hamlin led 276 of 500 laps in the spring race at Martinsville Speedway before finishing third, then followed that up a week later by leading 207 of 400 at Richmond Raceway before a runner-up finish.

In the inaugural race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, Hamlin led 26 circuits and found himself in a battle for the win with rookie Chase Briscoe entering the race’s final restart in overtime.

However, Briscoe, who missed Turn 1 and cut through the grass, was issued a stop-and-go penalty while racing just behind Hamlin. Contact from Briscoe then sent Hamlin spinning out of the lead and the top 20, relegating Hamlin to a 23rd-place finish.

At Martinsville in the fall, Hamlin had led 103 laps and was door-to-door racing with Alex Bowman for the top spot. But entering Turn 3 with seven laps to go, Bowman turned Hamlin, dealing the No. 11 a similar fate to Indianapolis. Hamlin finished 24th but had enough points banked to advance to the Championship 4 regardless of the poor result.

Stats to know:

Hamlin was remarkably consistent all season long. Out of the 36-race season, Hamlin only finished outside the top 15 four times: Talladega Superspeedway-1 (32nd), Nashville Superspeedway (21st), Indy (23rd) and Martinsville-2 (24th).

His win total dwindled from seven in 2020 to just two, but Hamlin actually managed to lead more laps in 2021 than he did in either of the past two seasons. He was out front for 1,502 circuits this year, eclipsing his mark of 1,083 laps in 2020 and 922 laps in 2019, a year in which he won six events.

Quotable:

“He’s just a hack. He’s an absolute hack. He gets his [expletive] kicked by his teammates every week. [Expletive] terrible. He sees one opportunity and he takes it. He’s got the fastest car every week and he runs 10th. He didn’t wanna race us there.” – Hamlin on contact from Bowman racing for the lead at Martinsville on Oct. 31

Looking ahead:

Hamlin has made the Championship 4 for three consecutive years, and while he has come close, the veteran driver has yet to break through to win his first Cup Series championship. The Next Gen car brings with it new opportunities – perhaps the opportunity Hamlin needs to add the missing piece to his resume.

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Sean Montgomery

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Carl Edwards, who spent the bulk of his career driving for Jack Roush, told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio on Wednesday that he was eager to see Brad Keselowski leave his imprint on the new RFK Racing operation.

The 42-year-old retired fan favorite spent 12 full-time seasons in the premier series, collecting 28 wins and six top-five finishes in the final season standings. Twenty-three of the victories came with owner Roush and Roush Fenway Racing. With the organization rebranded to Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing, Edwards’ 2014 win at Sonoma Raceway goes down as the final non-superspeedway win under the previous banner.

As Keselowski takes over with a minority ownership stake and driver of the No. 6 Ford, Edwards is excited to witness the new chapter.

“I think (Brad) is one of the toughest competitors in this sport,” Edwards emphasized. “I think he’s got a focus and he’s got a competitive drive and a persistence. I’ve never seen anybody with more.

“I have a lot of respect for Brad. And when I heard that he was going to be a part of Roush Racing, to me, that’s exciting. I believe that he, combined with the Fenway group and Jack, that’s a match right there.”

Edwards, who retired following the 2016 season, also discussed his recent trip to Kentucky to help extend relief to victims after the recent deadly surge of tornadoes.

On Dec. 10, tornadoes touched down throughout the state, leaving thousands of victims with destruction of property, power outages and more, prompting nationwide-relief efforts. Edwards was one of the many who answered the call.

PHOTOS: Carl Edwards through the years

“There’s nothing too small that you can go do for people,” Edwards said. “We saw people in their worst moments. I had never seen anything like that, and it was the smallest things. The human spirit is amazing.”

Edwards linked up with Gideon Rescue Company, an organization he was introduced to on a prior relief effort in the Bahamas.

“When I met them, they told me what they do is deliver hope,” Edwards said. “And they showed it to me down there this week. All of us can do that. That experience made this holiday season different for me.”

Posted on December 22, 2021December 22, 2021 by Zack Albert

Bob Keselowski, an ARCA Menards Series champion who later became a pioneering driver in the early days of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, has died. He was 70 years old.

My dad will always be my hero. He was quiet and understated, but that didn’t change the impact he had on me or that I watched him have on everyone who knew him. I am forever grateful for what I learned from this man, and I will remember him every day. https://t.co/NiG822YfpD pic.twitter.com/eUZWkPtUEG

— Brad Keselowski (@keselowski) December 22, 2021

Keselowski leaves a rich family legacy in racing. His father, John, raced motorcycles in the 1950s before forming a stock-car team. Bob and older brother Ron Keselowski drove for their father and worked on his cars at a young age before taking the reins of the family-owned operation.

His sons, Brad and Brian, remain active participants in the sport. Brad Keselowski is a former Cup Series champion who now drives for and partially owns RFK Racing; Brian Keselowski, a three-time ARCA winner, has been involved as a crew chief and a spotter for NASCAR teams in recent years.

Bob Keselowski won 24 times in what is now called the ARCA Menards Series, and he bypassed Bob Brevak in the standings during the 1989 season finale to claim his lone championship. He finished among the top three in the series standings for an admirable seven consecutive years (1987-93).

“Bob Keselowski was a true racer whose determination and love of the sport embodied the NASCAR and ARCA spirit,” a NASCAR statement read. “He worked tirelessly to build his family-owned team, doing whatever it took to compete. Our thoughts are with the Keselowski family during this difficult time.”

Courtesy of Keselowski family

Keselowski moved to the Camping World Truck Series in its inaugural season of 1995 and became a regular in the circuit’s formative years. He scored his lone Truck Series win at Richmond Raceway in 1997, prevailing in the No. 29 Dodge for the K Automotive team that he co-owned with his brother in their home state of Michigan.

“Boy, I needed this one bad,” he told reporters post-race. “We are just starting to get all the big haulers and the shop and everything. I don’t want to lose it now. It took me 40-something years to get to this point.”

Keselowski gradually stepped out of the driver’s seat during the 1998 and ’99 seasons, battling persistent back pain and a pinched nerve in his hip. “I don’t plan on quitting completely,” he told the Detroit Free Press, “and I don’t plan on sitting around the house.” He remained active as a team owner, fielding winning trucks for Dennis Setzer and Terry Cook and later providing a platform for his son Brad to make his NASCAR national series debut in 2004.

The team folded early in the 2006 campaign, beset by a lack of sponsorship, and Keselowski sold the family’s race shop and inventory.

Courtesy of Keselowski family

The elder Keselowski remained involved in his family’s racing efforts as both his sons reached NASCAR’s national series level. He staunchly supported Brad during his fierce rivalry with fellow Midwesterner Carl Edwards as he rose through the ranks. He also aided Brian’s underdog efforts to make the 2011 Daytona 500, serving as both car owner and crew chief to his No. 92 Dodge under the familiar K Automotive banner. Brian Keselowski made the 43-car field, claiming one of the final starting berths with help from his brother, who pushed his aging car to an emotional fifth-place result in the second 150-mile qualifying race.

Bob Keselowski remained active in motorsports in his later years, chasing land-speed records in a specially prepared Dodge Charger. He set a stock-car record at the Bonneville Salt Flats in 2018, reaching 271.8 mph during a five-mile run in a speed pursuit documented by his son, Brian.

His journey inspired both of his sons to pursue team ownership. Brad Keselowski paid tribute to his father and uncle by running Nos. 29 and 19 during his time as a Camping World Truck Series owner.

“For all my racing career, we’ve had a small, family-run team, and sometimes the responsibility of being an owner-driver seemed almost overwhelming, yes,” Bob Keselowski told the Gaston Gazette in 1997. “But then I look at the successes we’ve had over the years, and that made all the hard work worthwhile.”

One of Brad Keselowski’s prized possessions is a family photo of his father, uncle and grandfather from the first Cup Series race weekend at Talladega Superspeedway. Brad Keselowski shared the picture on his social media channels for Father’s Day weekend in 2021.

The photo shows brothers Bob and Ron Keselowski rebuilding an engine in the bed of a pick-up truck under the watchful eye of their father as the primitive Talladega grandstands loom in the background.

“That’s grassroots racing right there and I just love what this picture shows,” Brad Keselowski said. “It shows them working together as a family, working hard as a family. All three of them are dirty, all three of them are smiling and having fun. These guys were racers and I look up to them every day.”

Posted on December 22, 2021 by Holly Cain

Editor’s Note: This continues the series of season reviews for the 2021 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs drivers.

Driver: Chase Elliott
Car: No. 9 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
Crew chief: Alan Gustafson
Final 2021 ranking: 4th
Key stats: 2 wins, 15 top fives, 21 top 10s, 952 laps led

How 2021 ended:

The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion advanced to his second consecutive Championship 4, hoping to become the first back-to-back champion since his former Hendrick Motorsports teammate, Jimmie Johnson, won five consecutive titles from 2006-10. Elliott went into the season finale at Phoenix Raceway ranked first among the four title contenders but finished fifth in the race after leading 94 laps. All three of his championship rivals finished ahead, leaving the 2020 champion in fourth place in the final standings.

Best races:

Elliott added race wins 12 and 13 to his career total with victories at the two new road courses on the 2021 schedule – Circuit of The Americas and Road America. His triumph at Road America is perhaps the best feat of the two, claiming the checkered flag after starting in 34th position.

Other season highlights:

Elliott led laps in 22 of the 36 races. Ironically, the two places where he led the most laps on the season – 129 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway and 289 laps at Martinsville Speedway – did not produce trophies. He finished 25th at Bristol and 16th at Martinsville. His 952 laps led was the second highest single-season tally in his six-year NASCAR Cup Series career. And both his 8.1 average start and 11.4 average finish are career bests. His 15 top fives ties last year’s career high, and his 21 top-10 efforts is one off his career best in 2020.

Stats to know:

Not only did Elliott win multiple races for the fourth consecutive season, he also tallied a career single-season high seven runner-up finishes – starting with the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway, then the spring Martinsville race, followed by back-to-back races at Sonoma Raceway and Charlotte Motor Speedway, later adding Watkins Glen International, the Las Vegas Motor Speedway playoff opener and finally adding the Kansas Speedway playoff race to his season total.

Quotable:

“As far as Kevin [Harvick] goes, just wanna wish them a merry offseason and a happy Christmas.’’ – Elliott after Harvick was eliminated from the playoffs in the second round and Elliott advanced to the Championship 4

Looking ahead:

Elliott may only be 26 years old, but his immediate success in NASCAR’s highest ranks – hoisting a championship trophy at the age of 24 – raises the expectations going forward. This season he maintained his high level of top-five and top-10 finishes and again won multiple races. He made his second consecutive Championship 4 appearance and was widely considered Kyle Larson’s chief challenger for the trophy. Still approaching the prime of this career, it’s reasonable to expect Elliott will be a multi-time NASCAR Cup Series champion, it’s just a matter of being able to continually raise the bar he has already set so high. With the introduction of the Next Gen cars in 2022, Elliott’s current success could be the winning difference in a season of so much transition.