One driver who was on the gas was Kevin Harvick. (Photo Credit: Josh Jones/TPF)
Welcome back, old friend. The “bump and run” made a return to NASCAR racing on Sunday. This wasn’t the outcast cousin that we’ve come to know in recent years with “wreck and win.”
Some drivers had good days. Others may have felt like the lobster had their heads in his claws in Loudon. Who was “On The Gas” and “On The Brakes” in the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301?
On The Gas…
3: Kyle Busch – After leading 36 laps, Kyle Busch was on the receiving end of a bump and run. He didn’t seem overly upset about it, maybe that’s because he realized how well it worked at Chicagoland for him.
2: Aric Almirola – Without question, the best car on Sunday, and that is not something Aric Almirola is accustomed to, nor was the No. 10 Stewart-Haas Racing team. They left a few important moments in the pits, but could leave knowing they are now a team that can contend for the win. Almirola is ready to win again.
1: Kevin Harvick – “I couldn’t wait around, when I got there. I needed to go.”
Those were the words from Harvick about the bump he put on Kyle Busch on Sunday. Personally, I don’t think he needed to explain himself. But for a racer, that seems pretty obvious. The checkered flag is sight, its’s time to go. And, go he went, right to win number six.
Now, Loudon left some driver in total disgust and thinking, maybe, we can take this down to zero races a year.
On The Brakes…
Stenhouse needed any workable brakes during a tough race at Loudon. (Photo Credit: Josh Jones/TPF)
3: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. – With finishes of 26th and 30th in the last two races, Stenhouse now sits in the final points position for the playoffs, and only safe by one point. With gradual improvements by teams around him, the No. 16 could be left out come Las Vegas.
2: Brad Keselowski – Consistency has been not a friend of Keselowski in 2018 as Penske tries to join their fellow Fords at the front of the field. The No. 2 Miller Light Ford has seen good days, bad days, good days, and bad days…and so on. It’s been up and down, and with a 32nd place finish, Keselowski has to be looking forward to Pocono where he ran top 5 the last time we were there.
1: Clint Bowyer – It was a true weekend of emotional roller coasters for Bowyer. Up and down with the car all weekend, then a crash in the final handful of laps where he was just trying to nurse his Ford home to the finish, but a parts failure put the No. 14 in the wall, and would eventually be the downfall of his teammate Aric Almirola.
Next up for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series is a return trip to “The Tricky Triangle,” otherwise known as Pocono Raceway. The good news for Ricky, Brad and Clint is that they were all in the top-20 last time we were at Pocono.
