Rusty Reckons: Power Rankings Part 2

Well, another six races have come and gone and we are now officially 1/3 of the way through the season. As I sat down to pen this installment of Rusty's power rankings, I began to think about the good ole days of the sport, when brawn seemed to reign over brains, and TV deals didn't matter as much. Lucky for me and some of the more traditional fans, though, there are a few peeks at some of those old traditions in NASCAR lately, and this power rankings reflects just that.

Photo: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images

1. Happy Harvick - Last time out, I highlighted the resurgence of the entire RCR team. Well, ole Happy must be reading HHR, cause he's gotten even better since then. At Talladega last month, he broke his two year winless streak, not having found victory lane since Daytona in 2007. In fact, since a 13th place at Phoenix, Harvick hasn't finished outside the top 10 and has led at every race except Texas and Dover. Harvick's contract at RCR is up at the end of the year, and after Shell/Penzoil announced it was moving to Penske just a few weeks ago it looked like he might be saying goodbye to the only team he's ever known at the Cup level. However, with his recent success on the track, a deal with RCR should be inked in the coming weeks.

Getty Images

2. Hamlin's knee surgery - The joke's always been that NASCAR is a backwards redneck sport, and maybe there's some truth to at least the first part of that. In most other sports, a torn ACL will sideline a player for months if not end a career. Not for Denny Hamlin. After winning at Martinsville, Hamlin had surgery to repair the ACL he tore playing pick-up basketball in January. He was right back in the car two shorts weeks later in Phoenix. That first race back was a struggle, and Hamlin wheeled the car home in 30th. Since then, though, he's been on a tear. The FedEx #11 found victory lane one week later in Texas, and has since rattled off a fourth and 11th place finish before finding completing the sweep at Darlington two weekends ago. It was the first sweep at Darlington in 17 years. Apparently, even with a recovering knee, the 'Lady in Black' is not 'too tough to tame' for the boy from Rusty's neck of the woods (Chesterfield, yee haw!).

3. The #3 back on the track - Well, we've been waiting for almost 10 years. Ever since the horrific tragedy at the Daytona 500 in 2001 where we lost Earnhardt, every fan has speculated about if/when we might see the #3 back on the track. The next week after the tragedy, Earnhardt's team and car were back on track, but with a new number and driver (the #29 piloted by Happy Harvick). Not having the 3 on the track is like college basketball without Dick Vitale. Yeah, it's a little more peaceful and quiet, but it just ain't right. But now, the 3's going to be back, even if for just one short race. Junior's going to get behind the wheel of a car with his daddy's number on the side, and even his old paint scheme on the hood. The Nationwide race at Daytona this summer will feature the legend's son driving the Wrangler #3 in a partnership with JR Motorsports, RCR, and Earnhardt Gnassi racing. And as far as this old purist is concerned, that's pretty dadgum awesome!

4. Talladega spring race - Dubbed "the most competitive race in NASCAR history", the boys in Alabama put on quite a show last month. After the asphalt debacle at Daytona, plate track fans like yours truly were hoping for a better race at Dega, and boy did the Aaron's 499 deliver. By the time the race was over, a series and track record 88 lead changes had been recorded, and those were just measured at the line. All across the track, the total probably approaches 200 over the course of the 499 mile race. To top it off, the race was won with the #29 using one of the most recognized moves in NASCAR, the sling-shot. Harvick kept tucked in behind race leader Jamie McMurray until just at the right moment, before pulling out and passing him for the win. A little shake . . . and bake! How's your mind? Blown!?! Ricky would be proud.

5. Sibling rivalry - The story of Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon is made for a Hallmark Channel special. A few years back, a little unknown guy named Jimmie went to one of the most winningest drivers in NASCAR to ask some advice. Instead of advice, he got an offer to come drive the 48 with Hendrick Motorsports. Since then, the 48 team has emerged as one of the most dominant in the history of the sport. During all this time, Gordon and Johnson have maintained one of the best friendships in the garage. However, with the 48 struggling since the re-introduction of the spoiler back to the car, things have gotten heated between these Hendrick brothers. A minor fracas at Texas turned into a downright hullabaloo at Talladega, when the 48 and 24 seemed to be playing bumper cars on the track. With Happy, Smoke, and Kurt Busch on their best behavior, NASCAR is in need of some 'drama' and feuding. Jimmie and Jeff are providing just that, and maybe even more.

The Rusty Old Jalopy award: And finally the award for what's been smelling up NASCAR like my daughter's stinky diapers, Stewart Hass Racing. Last year was the first year for Tony Stewart's newly formed team, and it was quite a success. Both cars made the Chase, and Smoke was able to find victory lane 4 times. While the #39 piloted by Ryan Newman was never the first to take the checkers, it wasn't due to the team's failure but rather a streak of some really rotten luck. Take note Earnhardt Jr. fans, he might not be the only one who needs a rabbit's foot from time to time. In 2010, though, both the #14 and #39 are struggling and currently sit outside the crucial top 12. Stewart has only had 4 top 10 finishes in the 14 car, and has finished 23rd or worse 5 out of the last 7 races. Newman's finishes have fared slightly better, and he's even won a race, but a very slow start has hampered the 39 team, and they are still 13th in points, out of the top 12.

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Rusty Reckons: Goin Nuts

NASCAR is going nuts, and Rusty just might go with them. Not only is this weekend when the infield at the race getting crazier than Mardi Gras, but in case you missed it, there's been a lot of talk about nuts lately in the garage.

[Brace yourself for a lot of bad puns, this week]

Glue, Lug Nuts Create Stick Situation in the Pits

This year, NASCAR's required longer studs on the wheels, and this has thrown a little wrinkle into the competition. The only way to change four tires in under 15 seconds, is by doing it in rhythm. The tire changers on NASCAR teams have the precision and timing with an air gun as Earl Scruggs does with a banjo. The longer wheel studs had thrown this timing off. Imagine, Scruggs trying to pick his banjo with a pitch fork. So, the pit crews are going nuts...


Now, come later today, ole Rusty just might be going nuts. One of the most exciting races of the year is this weekend. The Aaron's 499 in Talladega. Shew boy! Talladega is the biggest rack on the circuit at over 2.6 miles long, and you know what that means . . . restrictor plates and running in the pack. At Daytona (the other plate track) it's about handling, moving through the air, blah blah blah. At 'Dega it ain't nuttin but pure unadulterated speed. They repaved down there in Alabama a few years back, and it's smooth as a baby's bottom, now. The cars literally scream through the corner.

The trick to running and finishing well at 'Dega comes down to 3 things, aero-package, horsepower, and luck. To win in Alabama, you've gotta get your car close down to the ground to force as much air up and over the car to increase the speed. This is harder with the new COT. Second, you've gotta have a lot of horses under the hood. The cars will run wide open; no braking, no down shifting, no nuttin. HAMMER DOWN!!! Lastly, you've gotta have luck. The cars will run in huge packs, and they wiggle around like Rusty in church. If someone messes up, the carnage can be huge. A lot of times it just comes down to being in the right place at the right time, pure and simple.

So, what's all this mean? Who is going to run well? Rusty's got no idea. Some of the regulars will be at the front; the shrub, Jimmie, Jeff, Tony. Other guys who seem to excel at the plate tracks will be up there too, guys like Mikey and June-bug. But in the end, it's really anybody's race. Whoever wins, though, I can guarantee it'll be exciting and a nail biter till the end.

JR Prediction

Well, I'm sure once again you've been anxious to read what ole Rusty the Jr apologist has to say about the latest Junior controversy. Again, if you missed it; at Phoenix, Casey Mears got into Junior, and Junior wrecked. After the finish of the race, Junior turned Mears around as a little payback. Mears then came into the pits and bumped Junior a few times. That was the end of it . . . well, until NASCAR put them on probation. Lucky for both of them probation doesn't really mean anything in NASCAR. It just means they are being watched a little closer. So, what do I think about all that? It's racing, and it's awesome. Junior's not one to get real angry and "act out". He's got a passion for racing, but doesn't always show it in a negative way. I think he's due a slip up from time to time. And you know what? A little passion could be good. They need to get going. Talladega's one of his best tracks. So, maybe with a good track and a little fire in his belly, he'll begin to turn it around. I'm not going to make a prediction, but . . .

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Have You Gotten Your BlogsWithBalls Tickets Yet?

Rusty Reckons: 2008 in Review

Well, the long marathon of the 2008 NASCAR season has come to a close. As good ole Rusty predicted at the start of the chase, Jimmie's done the unthinkable and won a record tying third consecutive Nextel Cup. He now joins Cale Yarborough as the only driver to ever win three consecutive titles. Now, the sport has changed so much since the mid-70's, that it's hard to draw any real comparisons, but we can take note that none of the greats, not Earnhardt, not Gordon, not Pearson, not even Petty won 3 consecutive titles. Jimmie has. That, my friends, is a dynasty.

So, while Jimmie's down in Miami showering himself in champagne and lug-nuts, let's look back on some highlights and low lights from 2008.

Biggest Surprise: Kyle Busch. Ole shrub shocked the world with the uber-dominance of his race cars during the first 26 races. Once the heat was on, he seemed to pull a Tony Romo and choke up big time, though. I think I even saw his rear tire changer crying in the corner last week; "that's my driver, man, that's my driver." But for the regular season he did seem to be the car to beat every week, and I don't think anyone could have predicted that.

Sad to see ya go: Dale Jarrett. In 2008, DJ climbed out of the racecar and up into the zoo of the broadcast booth. Now, I've seen some cheesy commercials, some of which worked, some didn't. DJ's UPS farewell commercial was pretty sweet, though. What's even sweeter is I really doubt he's gonna Favre-it-up in 2008 and drive for some rink-dink team (sorry Jets fans). Classy guy, Rusty's gonna miss'em.

Biggest Disappointment: Jeff Gordon. Rusty thought Jeff was going to get his fifth title this year. He was hot at the end of 2007. He NEVER, before this year, went win-less in a season. Well, screwed that one. Don't reckon you'll be coming to Rusty for stock tips, either. BUY BUY BUY, boys!

Awesome-ist Race: It's a tie! Budweiser Shoot-Out & Smoke's win at 'Dega. Well, you had to know that Rusty was going to be a homer and pick a Junior moment, right? JR's win at the first race of the year, the non points paying Budweiser Shootout, was not so much a win as a statement. JR's move to Hendrick put a tremendous amount of pressure on the driver of the 88 car. He answered all those questions by coming out and winning the first time in an HMS seat, at Daytona, in prime-time! Smoke's win at 'Dega this fall equals it in awesomeness. Stewart seemed destined to always be a bridesmaid at Talladega, finishing second more times than I can count. In the last race in Alabama as the driver of the 20 car, he finally got that monkey off his back. Yeah, JR got caught up in the big one, but Tony won, and it was awesome!

Biggest Change for 2009: Tony Stewart. Smoke's leaving Joe Gibbs racing in 2009 to form his own team with Rocket Ryan Newman. Tony's been with his crew chief, Tony Zippersomethingorother, from the beginning. They've won 2 titles, and been in the hunt nearly every year. It'll be weird next year not having the two of them together. Kinda like Smokey with no Bandit, Luke with no Bo, or ham with no burger. Smoke, no Zippy. That's a tough ham bone to gnaw on.

And lastly,

Rusty's "throw your remote at the TV" moment: Richmond in May. JR's win-less streak stood at exactly 2 years, and with the same number of laps remaining, the shrub punted JR from the lead. Clint Bowyer won. Just a few days later, Rusty flew to Las Vegas and tried to jump in that big water fountain. Lucky for his fans on the inter-web and his momma, he was talked down by a Michigan fan. If only the Michigan fan would have known what awaited the trombones come fall . . . but I digress.

2008's been quite a season. In just a few short months, we'll be starting to get geared up for Daytona and the beginning of the 2009 season. Till then, y'all have fun with the football, and Rusty will see ya on the other side of Santa.

Rusty Reckons: Talladega

'Dega in Rusty's house is almost as good as Christmas, just exchange ham and presents with beer and pizza. Restrictor plate racing in Alabama is like no other racing in the world. The high banks of Daytona require speed and handling. A car must be able to cut through the air and handle well in order to win. At 'Dega it's all about speed. Pure, raw, red-blooded speed.

'Dega also requires something else to get into victory lane . . . a Chevrolet. In the last few years, Ford's won twice and Toyota once, but otherwise it's been like a rock. And often times that rock has either an HMS or DEI logo on the side. Dale Jr. (when at DEI) and the Jeff & Jimmie combo (at HMS) have a combined total of 12 wins at Dega. These guys know how to drive a fast car, but they also have a knack to avoid the big one.

If there's one sure bet in racing it's that there will be a big one at 'Dega. Some nut, in probably some rag tag rink dink team or the shrub will do something dumb. With cars running inches apart in huge packs, the smallest mistake can have big consequences. The enusing carnage can take as many of 15 cars out in a matter of seconds. It's what the non-NASCAR fans watch for and the real fans dread. Rusty's spent plenty of 'Dega Sundays standing on the coffee table yelling at the TV . . . "DID JUNE BUG GET THROUGH? DID JUNE BUG GET THROUGH?".

So, what does this mean for your fantasy picks? This is actually a big gamble, but I think it's an easy one. On the B side, you've gotta take Junior. As a fan, I've gotta do it, but I really think that it's a good choice. The stands will be full of Junior fans able to scream above the roar of the engines when he takes the point. These fans will fuel him. He's won here 5 times. It might be a gamble, but it's a smart one.

Now, I've already mentioned the dominance of HMS's duo of Jeff & Jimmie, so for the A list, it's gotta be one of those two, right? Nope! I'm going to go with another Jeff . . . Jeff Burton. The safety advocate from VA hasn't won at 'Dega, but he's been able to collect 10 top 10's and 2 top 5's in 29 starts. He also drives for Richard Childress, the winningest owner at Talladega, thanks to the Intimidator. Needing to save Jimmie and possibly Jeff for other tracks, Rusty's going to gamble again and go with Burton.

Lastly, the C list. Michael Waltrip came so close in May. He was leading on the final laps before blowing an engine. He's won at 'Dega before, though he's not visited victory lane since his now infamous exit through the roof of his car. Still, with a need to start a C list driver, and Waltrip with the best performance among that group, it's not a bad choice.


A List
- J Burton (31)
B List
- D Earnhardt Jr. (88)
C List
- M Waltrip (55)

No more Shake 'N Bake. You're the Magic Man. I'm El Diablo.

[A]nd McClellan has harsh words for many of his past colleagues. He accuses former White House adviser Karl Rove of misleading him about his role in the CIA case. He describes Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as being deft at deflecting blame, and he calls Vice President Cheney "the magic man" who steered policy behind the scenes while leaving no fingerprints. – The Washington Post (5.28.08)

Rusty Reflects on 'Dega

Well, it's taken ole Rusty a few days to digest the greatness that was Talladega. What a race!! I really hope y'all tuned in. Usually, the boys will ride around for hours waiting for the opportunity to get positions. Not this year. It seemed like from the moment the green flag dropped until the end everybody, and I mean everybody, was beating and banging, just jockeying for position.

As expected, "The Big One" occurred towards the end of the race and it took out a few great drivers, including my own beloved Dale Jr. Fortunately for me, and his legion of fans, he was still able to manage a top 10 finish, after starting 31st with just a handful of laps to go. HMS Power meets Earnhardt blood!!

But enough about my boy, I'm sure anyone who watched wants to know what ole Rusty thought of the Shrub's questionable pass for the lead. You see, NASCAR rules stipulate that at Daytona and Talladega, a driver cannot advance their position when their car (left side tires) are below the yellow line. It's NASCAR's out of bounds. At 'Dega on Sunday, the Shrub passed for the lead by going below the yellow line. NASCAR did not rule it a penalty because there is an exception when a driver is forced to go below the yellow line (to avoid wrecking).

As far as I can tell most of the pundits, fans, and reporters agree with NASCAR, but ole Rusty's just not sure. If that's what they ruled, that's what they ruled. Human error in rule enforcement is part of sports, but I don't know, just don't seem right to me.

I reckon what comes around, goes around, and Shrub's "checkers or wreckers" driving style will come back to bite him. I just hope he don't mess my boy up doing so.

But now, it's time for a little spit-n-shine for horseys followed by Rusty's favorite track to visit . . . Richmond.

So, y'all come back now, hear?

Rusty Reckons: Talladega

Y'all excited yet? Rusty sure is! Talladega's my favorite track on the circuit for several reasons. First, it's the home of JR nation. The fans in attendance for Sunday's race are overwhelmingly JR fans. When (not if) he takes the lead, you will be able to hear them roar over the thousands of horsepower on the track. Second, it's plate racing!

Like Dale-tona, 'Dega is a plate track where the cars are equipped with horsepower zapping restrictor plates. These plates cut the air flowing into the engine and make the cars run together in tightly bunched packs. Where Daytona's 2.5 mile configuration requires a good handling race car, Talladega's 2.66 mile asphalt is all about speed. The cars at 'Dega will bounce and move around like no other track, and winning the race comes down to pure speed and horsepower. This also leads to "The Big One". At some point, somebody will make a mistake and a huge wreck will ensue. Tempers will flare, and the post incident interviews will be priceless. This is what many 'Dega fans wait for every time NASCAR comes to Alabama.

All of these factors make picking a fantasy lineup difficult, but there are a few teams that seem to have a handle on the biggest track on the circuit. Hendrick and DEI have battled back and forth over the last few years as dominant forces at Talladega, and while Hendrick has gotten the better of the deal the last few years, don't count DEI out. For obvious reasons, I'm taking Hendrick cars for my A and B team list, but I've got DEI slipping into the C List. Other potential good picks would be the RCR team or that orange #20. I would like to think the entire JGR team could do well here, but I think Shrub's checkers or wreckers mindset does not translate to an ill-handling plate track like Talladega. Whatever the pick, it's all a gamble, because "The Big One" can take out anyone.

A List
- J Gordon (24)
B List
- D Earnhardt Jr. (88)
C List
- P Menard (15)

Talladega . . . Rusty's Nirvana!

TALLADEGA!!!!

I tell ya what, Rusty's more excited than a wide eyed kid on Christmas morn. And why's that? Cause 'Dega's coming!!!! 3 and 4 wide at nearly 190 mph . . . GREAT DAY ALMIGHTY!!!!!

For those of you not "in the know", this is the same Dega that was immortalized in the Will Ferrell classic, Talladega Nights, a movie yours truly had a non-speaking cameo in, but that's a story for a different time. The April race at 'Dega is a scene reminiscent of Mardi Gras. The infield gets packed with over worked blue collar boys just itching to trade in some cheap beads and a few cold Budweiser's for a few seconds of mammary delight! It's a party like no other. Fortunately for everyone involved, Rusty's not going to be present, but only in body . . . he'll be there in spirit.

Amid all the infield debauchery, there's actually a race, and if you ask me, one of the best of the year. Talladega's horsepower zapping restrictor plates (which were enlarged this time around) create a scrum of tightly packed cars clawing and scraping for every inch of real estate. Inevitably, a large crash called "The Big One" ensues, giving every casual fan three seconds of pure joy as the 3000 lb race cars become nothing more than piles of twisted metal.

The die hard fans in true Payne-like fashion, jump up on their coffee tables screaming at their television sets, "DID MARK GET THROUGH? DID MARK GET THROUGH?".

If you've never watched a race, Rusty begs, pleads, implores and hopes to cajole you to watch this coming Sunday. At least watch the last 100 or so laps. It'll sure to be NASCAR at its best. The trick is picking the fantasy team, so be sure to watch for that later this week.

Y'all come back now, hear?