In the past five seasons, when the Sprint Cup Series got down to four Chase races to go, much of the focus was on Jimmie Johnson and his No. 48 Chevrolet team at Hendrick Motorsports, as they went on to win five consecutive championships.
But this year, as the series heads to Johnson’s best track, Martinsville Speedway, a couple of drivers who haven’t fared well at Martinsville in the past who are emerging as favorites to win the Cup championship.
Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, both of whom drive Fords for Roush Fenway Racing, are 1-2 in the standings, with Kenseth 14 points behind Edwards in second. Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart are 18 and 19 points, respectively, out of the lead. And Johnson is seventh in the standings, 50 points out of the lead under a points formula where a driver can earn only a maximum of 48 points in a single race.
Roush told reporters from Ford Motor Company this week that he’s optimistic heading to Martinsville, where he hasn’t won a race since 2002.
“To have Matt and Carl where they are, and one of them in the lead, is certainly a better result than I had feared,” he said. “We haven’t had a big wreck yet with either car, a broken part with either car, and those things are always hanging over your head as you count points toward a championship.”
Drafting controversy
The debate over whether Ford driver Trevor Bayne was ordered not to draft with the Chevrolet of Jeff Gordon in the closing laps at Talladega continued through the first of this week, but most of the parties involved now say that Bayne was not under any specific orders when he dropped Gordon and picked up fellow Ford driver Matt Kenseth.
Jack Roush, who owns Kenseth’s car and employs Bayne in the Nationwide Series, said in a statement released this week that he expects his drivers to help fellow Ford drivers when possible, but not if it means hurting their own effort.
“At Roush Fenway Racing we expect our individual drivers to make decisions that put themselves in the best position to win each and every race,” he said. “That is a philosophy that we have lived by for over two decades, and one that we will continue to abide by going forward.
“Of course, as in any team, we would prefer for our drivers to work together when possible. However, to be clear, we did not micromanage or dictate to any of our drivers, nor any other Ford drivers, how to race with other drivers at Talladega last Sunday.”
He said he had spoken with Bayne, who indicated in Twitter posts after the race that he felt pressure to abandon Gordon for Kenseth.
“Trevor is extremely talented, but it is still very early in his career,” Roush said. “Over time he will grow to understand that in such a high-paced, competitive and hostile environment it is unlikely that all of his decisions will make everyone happy.”
Out for the season
Three Sprint Cup crew chiefs and three car chiefs have been suspended from NASCAR for the rest of the season after their cars were found to have improper windshields in pre-race inspection at Talladega Superspeedway.
Rodney Childers, crew chief of the No. 00 Toyota driven by David Reutimann, Frank Kerr, crew chief of the No. 47 Toyota driven by Bobby Labonte and Chad Johnston, crew chief of the No. 56 Toyota driven by Martin Truex Jr. also were fined $50,000 apiece, and their car owners and drivers were docked 25 points apiece.
Car chiefs Steve Channing of the No. 00, Raymond Fox of the No. 47, and Anthony Lunders of the No. 56 also were suspended for the rest of the season, and Bobby Kennedy, director of competition at Michael Waltrip Racing, which fields the No. 00 and the No. 56 and helps prepare the No. 47 for JTG Daugherty Racing, was placed on NASCAR probation until Dec. 31.
Michael Waltrip Racing issued a statement that indicated there would be no appeal of the penalties. JTG Daugherty co-owner Brad Daugherty also issued a statement saying he and his team are “very disappointed in this entire situation, and we will not appeal NASCAR’s ruling.”
Pat Tryson will be interim crew chief for the No. 56, Kennedy will serve that role for the No. 00, while Brian Burns will be interim crew chief on the No. 47.
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