Harvick starting a new dynasty?

By @GucciardoJoey

Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Well, you had one in 2011 and 2014, a break from the Jimmie Johnson championship reign.

But, Johnson had that sixth championship in 2013.

But, 2014 was the year that Team 48 was proven beatable, thanks to the new Chase format, if you think of it that way.

 But, Kevin Harvick won that first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in 2014, but could this be the new dominator of the new chase format?

Remember, the old chase format basically was owned by Johnson. He won the championship in 2006-10, and again in 2013. Now, they didn't even make the third round of the chase this year.

Harvick, dominant all season long, won the championship with only four wins. He hit a walk at Phoenix to put himself in the final round of the chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup final four at Homestead-Miami Speedway. He was the highest finisher of the four drivers (1st), and Ryan Newman was second. Newman had a great run in the final laps but just couldn't get past Harvick.

But, we always wonder, when someone other than Johnson wins the championship, that the driver who wins that year will start a new dynasty.

I thought the same when Brad Keselowski beat Johnson in 2012 for the championship. But Johnson bounced back the next year. Tony Stewart's championship in 2011 didn't really strike my mind in the same way, not because Stewart already had two championships, but I thought at that time his career was winding down. 2014 proved me wrong.

Stewart was always in contention in 2014, and he didn't make the chase, and he may not have won, but he proved that he can stay in contention.

But Harvick is at the point where he can take the pressure.

He came in to what was then the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 2001 to replace the legendary Dale Earnhardt Sr., who died in the 2001 DAYTONA 500. Harvick ran the No. 29 Goodwrench Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.

But Harvick started out at Stewart-HAAS Racing this season, along with Kurt Busch, Danica Patrick, and Tony Stewart.

The main question here is, can Kevin Harvick start a new dynasty?

Is Crafton the Jimmie Johnson of the Truck Series?

By @GucciardoJoey | November 24th, 2014

PHOTO: Motorsport.com

Read the title again. Jimmie Johnson did not have that many impressive statistics the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

In fact, he has only one statistic, for running only one race in the series in 2008. He led 29 laps in the race, but finished 34th. He started 9th in the race.

But, look at his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series statistics. Six championships, two DAYTONA 500's, and as of the 2014 season, has 70 wins in the series.

MORE: Johnson's stats on Racing Reference

Any NASCAR fan knows that Johnson's first five championships came in a row (2006-10), but no one has ever had consecutive championships in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Except, Matt Crafton.

Crafton won his second consecutive championship in the series in November of 2014.

Since the Tulare, CA driver started racing in the series in 2000, it took him thirteen seasons to win his first championship, the first of the two consecutive being in 2013.

In 2014, he had two wins, something he had never done before in the series. He always went with at least one win in a season, or even went winless. That's a fifteen year career in the famed NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

MORE: Crafton's stats on Racing Reference

Everyone seems to look up to famous drivers these days. Cole Whitt was involved in a wreck at Watkins Glen in the Sprint Cup race the track held in 2014. It was similar to Jimmie Johnson's 2000 crash in the same spot at the track.

"The last person to do that won six championships" Whitt  said, referencing the El Cajon, CA driver (Johnson).

Crafton is a driver who seems to have the guts to move on to the NASCAR XFINITY Series with a permanent ride for at least one season, right?

Look at these stats.

Crafton has only ran four NXS races, one in 2014, and 3 in 2013. Only two of the races resulted in top 5's, and both those races were in 2013.

But, the main question is can the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series have a new face of the series in their hands, and can Crafton move on through the ranks of the NASCAR circuit?

Kyle Busch wins O'Reilly Auto Parts Showdown, one win away from Weekend SWEEP!

By Joey Gucciardo @GucciardoJoey

(Photo: http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/
articles/2014/11/1/nationwide-series-o-reilly-auto-parts-
challenge-race-recap-results-texas-motor-speedway.html)

Fort Worth, TX--- Bring out the broom Texas!

Kyle Busch is on the hunt for another Trucks-Nationwide-Sprint Cup weekend sweep.

This time, it is after he was eliminated from Chase contention just two weeks ago in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega.

He won the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race yesterday.

MORE: Mini Recap of Yesterday's Truck Series race

Joey Logano came in second, followed by Ryan Blaney, Chase Elliott, and Matt Kenseth.

Brian Scott, Austin Dillon, Kevin Harvick, Elliott Sadler, and Dakoda Armstrong rounded out the Top-10.

Full Series Standings from Google.com

NASCAR Standings

Sprint Cup Series -  Nationwide Series -  Camping World Truck Series

As of: O'Reilly Auto Parts Challenge		+/-	Points	Behind	Wins
1	Chase Elliott #9 - Chevrolet	–	1,146	‒	3
2	Regan Smith #7 - Chevrolet	–	1,098	48	1
3	Brian Scott #2 - Chevrolet	–	1,083	63	0
4	Elliott Sadler #11 - Toyota	–	1,078	68	1
5	Ty Dillon #3 - Chevrolet	–	1,071	75	1
6	Trevor Bayne #6 - Ford	–	1,017	129	0
7	Chris Buescher #60 - Ford	–	943	203	1
8	Brendan Gaughan #62 - Chevrolet	–	903	243	2
9	Ryan Reed #16 - Ford	–	847	299	0
10	Dylan Kwasniewski #31 - Chevrolet	+1	813	333	0
11	James Buescher #99 - Toyota	-1	812	334	0
12	Landon Cassill #01 - Chevrolet	–	779	367	0
13	Dakoda Armstrong #43 - Ford	–	741	405	0
14	Mike Bliss #19 - Toyota	–	730	416	0
15	Jeremy Clements #51 - Chevrolet	–	691	455	0
16	Ryan Sieg #39 - Chevrolet	–	650	496	0
17	J.J. Yeley #28 - Dodge	–	609	537	0
18	Jeffrey Earnhardt #4 - Chevrolet	–	559	587	0
19	Eric McClure #14 - Toyota	–	485	661	0
20	Joey Gase #52 - Chevrolet	–	461	685	0

Kyle Busch wins trucks at Texas

By Joey Gucciardo

(Chris Graythen, Getty Images)

FORT WORTH, TX--- Not only did he walk away with the win, but the 2014 Manufacturer's Championship for Toyota.

He won it on a Green-White-Checkered finish, and won his 7th win in the 9 starts he has in the series this season. On that final restart, he passed German Quiroga for the win.

According to USA Today Sports (http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2014/10/31/kyle-busch-wins-truck-race-at-texas/18296105/), Burton was second, followed by Peters, Tyler Reddick, points leader Matt Crafton, Joey Coulter, Max Gresham, Joe Nemechek, Ryan Blaney and Cameron Hayley.

Eliminated Drivers Showing Dominance?

By Joey Gucciardo @GucciardoJoey

(Photo: David Scearce/OnPitRoad.com)

Is your driver eliminated from Chase contention? Maybe they'll start winning now.

The Chase was dominated by Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Jeff Gordon, and Kevin Harvick, basically, so far.

Now, you have Dale Earnhardt JR. earning his first ever Martinsville win.

But, the dominance from others doesn't stop there.

MORE: OnPitRoad.com's Race Recap

In fact, some eliminated drivers even STRUGGLED.

Look at this: Jimmie Johnson finishing 32nd.

MORE: Johnson Can See Writing On Wall (Nate Ryan, USA Today Sports)

But, Johnson was racing his white car "White Lightning" since the beginning of the 2014 season, with breif appearances with the car in 2012 and 2013. The No. 48 team decided that the car was bad luck, so they switched back to the car that they ran in 2012 and 2013, the blue car. Now, there is a red car.

If a new paint scheme is what Johnson needs, and this is his permanent 2015 car, then expect him to be in the 2015 chase (as long as this car is good luck).

He will be racing the car for the first time this weekend at Texas Motor Speedway.

I guess the moral point of the story here is that even though Hendrick Motorsports only has one driver still standing in the chase (Jeff Gordon), the drivers on the team that are eliminated are STILL surprising us with wins, good finishes, changes, announcements, quotes, and so on.

These Hendrick boys are the guys to watch right now, for sure.

Dale JR. wins Martinsville. P.S., more blog issues. No time to write. Tons of personal issues too.

Bubba Wallace wins Kroger 250 at Martinsville Speedway.

By Joey Gucciardo @GucciardoJoey

(Photo: NASCAR.COM)

MARTINSVILLE, Va--- He won this same race last year, and he did it again this year.

Darrell "Bubba" Wallace JR. has own today's Kroger 200 at Martinsville Speedway.

He drove a tribute No. 34 Toyota Tundra to Wendell Scott, the first NASCAR African American driver, and is a member of the 2014 NASCAR Hall Of Fame class.

Wallace led 97 laps today to snatch the win.

Last week's winner at Talladega, Timothy Peters, finished 2nd. Matt Crafton, your current points leader, finished 3rd.

This is Wallace's third win if the season. He started this race on the pole (1st place).

Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney rounded out the Top-5.

There was a huge turn of events when John Wes Townley and Brandon Jones got into each other on a restart with 50 laps to go.

German Quiroga took the lead with 13 laps to go, but wound up spinning in a corner. He finished 10th.

Keselowski moves on to Eliminator Round, yet still a terrible day for those who don't.

By Joey Gucciardo @GucciardoJoey

Let's start off with the craziest part of yesterday's race...

With about 30 laps to go, Jimmie Johnson is trying to hold off the entire field. All of a sudden, in Turn 3, who else but DANICA PATRICK to slingshot past Johnson at incredible speed, and lead six laps!

But, Brian Vickers started on the pole, but Johnson took it from him early on the first lap.

MORE: Crazy Day For Dega Qualifying

Then, the lead was on and off between Johnson and Keselowski for the early part of the race.

Kyle Busch is now out of contention after being involved in the day's first big one.

Dale Earnhardt JR. was also out because of a wreck he was involved in, which brought out our first of two attempts at a Green-White-Checkered.

Jeff Gordon is the ONLY Hendrick Motorsport driver still in the Chase, as Jimmie Johnson and Kasey Kahne finished near the rear of the pack. Johnson was 24th, Kahne finished 12th.

It wasn't much of a season for Kahne, as he only had that one win at Atlanta before the season, but just never really held steady for the rest of the season to now.

But Brad Keselowski now has six wins this season, putting him into the Eliminator Round (Eight Drivers).

On the second Gren-White-Checkered attempt, Jimmie Johnson took out Trevor Bayne (By accident, I'm guessing). No caution was called.

But, now. some sadder news. This was Terry Labonte's last race. He is now retired from NASCAR. He raced a tribute paint scheme that looked just like the car that he raced at the peak of his career (The Corn Flakes car). But instead of using the traditional No. 5 )Now used by Kasey Kahne), he went with his current number (or was his current number), No. 32.

Crazy Day For Dega Qualifying

By Joey Gucciardo @GucciardoJoey

(Photo: Talladega Superspeedway FACEBOOK PAGE)

Geez, that was the craziest qualifying session ever.

The BIGGEST surprise was Ricky Stenhouse JR. not even making the RACE! He, Justin Allgaier, and Reed Sorenson missed out on tomorrow's race.

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But, what about this...

Take a look at what I'm about to write.

Jimmie Johnson BARELY made the cut for the 2nd Qualifying round. He was 22/24 in the speed charts.

MORE ON JOHNSON: 48 Team Struggling?

He wound up on the outside pole (2nd Place, where he will be starting in tomorrow's race).

Brian Vickers is the pole sitter by almost a whole Mile Per Hour (MPH).

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This is a do-or-die race for four drivers, Johnson, Dale Earnhardt JR., Brad Keselowski, and Matt Kenseth.

Remember the altercation between Keselowski and Kenneth last night?

Kenseth and Keselowski: CatchCan Vol. III (Fight Night)

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Just before qualifying, a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race was held.

MORE: Timothy Peters wins Fred's 250