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Can Tony Stewart Unseat Jimmie Johnson?

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

September 20, 2011 10:57 am CDT No Comments

Tony Stewart won his first Sprint Cup Series race of 2011 at the perfect time. If you’re going to beat someone, beat them when they’re down. It just has a more lasting effect.

Stewart shoved his Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy to the front of the Chase while three - at least - of the favorites may have cashed in their chips.

Historically, to win the NASCAR playoffs, you have to win races and avoid big mistakes. Stewart is the only contender, so-far, to do both. Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch cannot say that. All three ran out of gas at the end and are anywhere from 18-25 points behind points leader Kevin Harvick.

Denny Hamlin, who last year was on fire coming into the Chase, had problems all day and is now 41 points back. the good news for Hamlin is there is no pressure, and nothing to lose. Hope it helps.

And Jimmie Johnson? He ran out of fuel too. Bad thing. But instead of finishing twenty-somethingish, Johnson came in tenth. I guess this qualifies as a mistake, but the penalty was minimal. The #48 was fast all day.

So, to answer the title question; yeah I think Smoke could win another Chase Cup. With nine races to go, his competition is fading fast.

This is the First Turn question for today’s Fast Lap segment On Pit Row. We have a $50 Shell Gasolines gift card for the commenter with the best answer. Leave your comments here, or tweet them to @onpitrow or go to our On Pit Row Facebook page, like us, and leaving your comments.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, Chicagoland Speedway, Denny Hamlin, Fast Lap Posts, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Stewart Haas Racing, Tony Stewart, jimmie johnson

Tagged with: GEICO 400, Shell Gunk free call of the day;, The Fast Lap

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Rainy Day NASCAR Racing Pictures from Chicagoland Speedway

by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

September 20, 2011 9:25 am CDT No Comments

Exclusive NASCAR driver photos from Sunday at the GEICO 400

We were there, and we got wet, but it was still fun and I did get some really interesting shots of the non-race NASCAR action at Chicagoland Speedway Sunday. Tell me what you think in the comment section and please share these with your friends on Facebook too.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnpitRow.com

Filed under: Andy Lally, Brad Kesolowski, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards, Chase for the Cup, Chicagoland Speedway, Clint Boyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dave Blaney, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Haas CNC Racing, J J Yeley, Jeff Burton, Jeff Gordon, Juan Pablo Montoya, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Marcos Ambrose, Matt Kenseth, NASCAR, NASCAR photos, Red Bull Racing, Regan Smith, Robby Gordon, Ryan Newman, Stewart Haas Racing, The Busch Bros, Tony Stewart, jimmie johnson

Tagged with: driver pictures, GEICO 400, NASCAR driver photos, NASCAR pictures, The Caveman

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Chicagoland Media Center Writer’s Block Blues

by Charlie Turner

September 18, 2011 1:30 pm CDT No Comments

I am stumped for a story. Is it a sign that NASCAR’s Chase to the Sprint Cup format is flawed somehow? I have read about everything written - all the possible scenarios, involving any of the Golden Twelve and Brian France’s playoffs. A lot of it is really good. Some, not so.

I don’t feel like adding to that, either way. As I sit here waiting, but doubting, the start of the GEICO 400 and The Chase, at soaking wet Chicagoland Speedway I wish somebody would punch someone.

It probably won’t happen here in the media center. These folks are way too civilized. Or maybe I’ve only seen them on their best behavior. I wish The Diecast Dude was here. Jeff Gluck vs The Dude - The Rematch. Damn.

Richard Childress was in here awhile ago. He mixes it up on occasion. Too bad Kyle Busch wasn’t here. Probably hiding in his hauler.

Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Busch is over. Five-Time and Four-Time haven’t had so much as a spat in months. Carl Edwards vs Matt Kenseth? Way old news.

My only hope is probably Juan Pablo. Or maybe a food fight in the media center.

Photo credit: Round girl Cindi by BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR & the Media, NASCAR Feuds, Richard Childress Racing

Tagged with: GEICO 400, NASCAR on Twtter, Richard Childress, The Chase

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Chase History: Chicagoland Speedway

by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I do weekly Fantasy Pick'Em columns here at OPR, as well as the occasional opinion and analysis piece. I also provide the IZOD IndyCar Series coverage. For more on that, head to my site, OpenWheelAmerica.com. My Twitter handle is @christopherlion.

September 14, 2011 2:04 pm CDT No Comments

How’s it going, OPR readers? Long time no talk. Turns out life continued to get in my way of writing anything decent for the majority of this Sprint Cup season, but for the final 10 races of the year I’m back with something fresh and different - a little column on the history of the Chase for the Sprint Cup at each of this year’s 10 tracks.

But, of course, NASCAR can’t make anything easy for me, as the opening track on the schedule, the Chicagoland Speedway, has never actually hosted a Chase race. No matter. This week, we’ll start instead with how drivers have propelled themselves into the Chase with good runs at Chicagoland.

2007: After a busted fuel pump at Bristol and a late race caution at Phoenix robbed him of two sure-fire wins, Tony Stewart entered the second half of the Cup season solidly in the Chase, but without any wins to boost his fortunes. But a dominant performance at Chicago spurred on a run of three wins in four races, including his first career Brickyard 400 win. These three victories propelled Stewart to second in points and the third seed of the Chase that season.

2008: In his first year with Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch established himself as a tour de force on the Sprint Cup circuit, taking eight victories. Perhaps the most dominant came at Chicago, as he started from the pole, led 165 laps, and even beat leader and two-time defending champion Jimmie Johnson at his own game, passing him on the final restart to take his seventh win of the year.

2009: Mark Martin had struggled with consistency all season, often going from inside the Chase to out of it and back again over the span of just two races. He had won in two of his previous eight starts entering the Chicago race weekend, but only had one other top-10 in that span, and was coming off two finishes of 35th or worse in his previous three races. After winning the LifeLock.com 400, however, he began a run of five finishes of seventh or better in the final seven races before the Chase, cementing his eligibility. His four wins also gave him the points lead.

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, Chicagoland Speedway

Tagged with: Chase for the Cup, Chicagoland Speedway, jimmie johnson, Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Tony Stewart

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NASCAR Driver Pictures: STP 300 from Saturday at Chicagoland

by BethAnne, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2011 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I am the field producer/photographer of the syndicated radio show/website ON PIT ROW. When Steve and Charlie ask me to 'jump', I say "Yeah right."

June 6, 2011 9:00 pm CDT No Comments

Pre-qualifying for NASCAR Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway

I was in Chicago for OnPitRow.com last weekend and got a ton of nice photos of NASCAR drivers for you. Help yourself if you need to use any. Please give us some credit though OK?.

Photo credit - BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com.

Filed under: Chicagoland Speedway, NASCAR, NASCAR photos, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: NASCAR pictures, STP 300

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Allgaier Out-coasts Edwards by a Spoonful of Fuel

by Charlie Turner

June 5, 2011 8:46 am CDT No Comments

Feel-good race result alert.

A long day in Chicagoland was just a bit too short for a dominant Carl Edwards but just the right length for good guy Justin Allgaier. Allgaier’s Turner Motorsports Chevy had about one gulp of fuel more than Carl’s Roush Mustang so Justin started his gasless coast a little closer to the finish line, and beat Edwards there in the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ STP 300.

Afterwards, there couldn’t have been a much better vibe in the garage and in victory lane than there was for good guy Justin. Even Edwards said, “if I had to get beat….”.

Early in the day, I got a chance to take a a few pace car laps around Chicagoland Speedway and Allgaier was the driver. It was a blast, and Justin very patiently explained the different lines through the corners and some of the idiosyncrasies of this particular mile-and-a-half track.

He had been quoted Friday that he considered Chicagoland his home track. He told me that it was probably his favorite too. After the race, it definitely was, for sure.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler - OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Chicagoland Speedway, Justin Allgaier, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: STP 300, Turner Motorsports

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