Try this on for size. There have been 19 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races this season with Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. accounting for 14 victories. Throw in Clint Bowyer’s pair of wins and only restrictor-plate triumphs at Daytona (Austin Dillon, Erik Jones) and Talladega (Joey Logano) have been outside the norm.
And there doesn’t appear to be any end in sight to this trend of domination.
Exhibit A in that proclamation is Truex Jr.’s performance Saturday night at Kentucky Speedway. The defending series champion was on a mission sweeping all three stages and leading 174 laps on his way to win number four of the season.
Coming into the weekend, Truex Jr. had led only 20 laps all year on 1.5-mile tracks. That number was obliterated at Kentucky.
As was the field. Tire strategy was the only way anyone else had as an opportunity to keep up with the potent No. 78 Toyota. But even those who employed wo tire stops to gain track position plateaued out in a futile attempt to catch Truex Jr.
Busch and Harvick were in the top-five but even the other two members of “The Big Three” were outclassed by Truex Jr. But they were at least in the team photo near the front of the field.
I’d expect that trio to again be upfront next week at New Hampshire…and Pocono…and Watkins Glen…and, well you get the idea.
- Truex Jr.’s Kentucky win took another opportunity for winless playoff contenders to grab an automatic berth with a victory. There are still nine spots available through the point standings with only seven races left in the regular season. Drivers on the bubble like Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Chase Elliott, Alex Bowman and Paul Menard are going to have to balance the risk versus reward factor as the season winds down. Playing it safe and being conservative might be the best plan since winning becomes increasingly difficult as “The Big Three” keep flexing their muscles.
- The war of words between Kyle Busch and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. generated some attention over the weekend as the duo exchanged barbs in the aftermath of last week’s Daytona accident. Busch said he was disappointed Stenhouse Jr. didn’t reach out to apologize after triggering an incident that took out the Joe Gibbs Racing driver. Stenhouse Jr. replied he didn’t feel the need and confronted Busch Friday at Kentucky telling him “if you want to keep running his mouth, he can come over and do it around me, and I’ll stop it for him myself.” Whether the feud lasts or fizzles out remains to be seen. But the disagreement at the least provided a little spark in a season that so far hasn’t had much in the way of driver quarrels.
- The news of Chad Knaus signing a two-year contract extension with Hendrick Motorsports should cool talks of any imminent changes with the No. 48 team during Jimmie Johnson’s prolonged winless streak. Knaus will serve as crew chief through the 2020 season syncing up his deal with Johnson’s contract. The quest for a record breaking eighth Cup title is still very much in the sight of both Johnson and Knaus and the future Hall of Fame duo will be together for a minimum of two-and-a-half years to accomplish the feat.
- Weird and strange things tend to happen at Kentucky Speedway and that reputation continued Saturday night. The first Cup race held at the track in 2011 endured a huge traffic and parking issue when over 100,000 fans jammed the facility. A truck in the parking lot caught fire another season thanks to a careless barbecue. Saturday night the track’s infield sprinkler system inexplicably turned on creating a puddle on a portion of pit road before they shut off. Depending on your perspective that might have been one of the most entertaining elements of the race.
The opinions expressed here are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the positions of the Motor Racing Network.
