A year into his role as Jimmie Johnsons team chief and dealing with another difficulty to make the playoffs, Cliff Daniels has a basic request.
# While running 13th at Kansas, Johnson was gathered in a multi-car crash and completed 32nd, once again losing points.
# Johnson started 20th at Texas and finished the opening stage seventh. He struck the wall in the second stage and that destroyed his race, ending up 26th.
Considering that May, there have actually been few highlights for Johnson and the No. 48 group.
When contact with Brad Keselowski spun Johnson, # He returned the following week at Kentucky and was third on a late restart. Rather of a possibility to win, Johnson ended up 18th.
Cliff Daniels has actually completed his very first year as Jimmie Johnsons team chief. His first race because role was Aug. 4, 2019. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) # Johnson missed out on the July 5 race at Indianapolis after evaluating positive for COVID-19.
” Im not even requesting things to remarkably go our way,” he told NBC Sports. “Im just asking for them to remarkably stop going versus us. When that occurs, well be OK.”
# In NASCARs return May 17 at Darlington, Johnson was on his way to winning the first stage when he made contact with Chris Buescher and crashed on the last lap of the stage.
The challenge is that with Johnson only eligible for starting areas 13-24, it is not easy to score points in the very first stage of any race. The very first stage in both races is at Lap 40– a quarter of the way through the 156-lap race. NASCAR will change how the starting lineup is identified starting next weekend and that might assist Johnson.
This has actually been an excessive season of dissatisfaction for Johnson and his group since the season resumed in May. The outcome is that the seven-time Cup champion is outside a playoff area heading into this weekends doubleheader at Michigan International Speedway and in threat of missing out on the playoffs for a second year in a row.
All this has actually put Johnson 25 points behind Hendrick Motorsports colleague William Byron for what would be the last playoff spot with 6 races left in the routine season.
” We really have to slide our scale more towards the traffic balance capacity, and youve got to be aggressive on the restarts, get all we can for positions there, and then ensure weve got a car that has the ability to pass,” Daniels stated. “If you take a look at Kentucky, if you look at Texas, if you take a look at Kansas, that type of settled for us in making sure that we could pass and we did. We were able to pass and get up into the leading 10 or much better at all three of those tracks pretty rapidly. … I do anticipate us to get our shot out front eventually throughout the day (at Michigan), a minimum of thats the plan.
# Clint Bowyer acquired five spots in the last 11 laps at Atlanta to remain 12th in the owner standings and ahead of Johnson. Since cars 1-12 in owner points are eligible to start in those spots by means of the random draw, that was crucial. Vehicles 13-24 in owner points, drew for those spots. Johnsons luck in the random draw would show to be awful in the summer season, costing him points in the first stage. Johnson has scored Stage 1 points in 3 of the 10 races since Atlanta.
# Johnson finished second in the Coca-Cola 600 but his vehicle stopped working inspection for what Daniels said was a part failure and was disqualified. The penalty expense Johnson 45 points.
# Last weekend at New Hampshire, contact with Clint Bowyers cars and truck spun Johnson as they raced for fifth location late in the opening phase. Johnson went on to finish 12th– his best finish in his last 8 starts.
” Were going to keep marching forward in what we have actually constructed into the cars and truck in terms of having the ability to pass, have excellent pit stops and excellent restarts and a great strategy. The tough part is when we get up to the front we might not have rather the raw possible built into the cars and truck, so well need to duke it out with them which puts even more focus on performing those restarts and pit stops to keep our track position.”
Johnson will start 17th on Saturday. That also affects how Daniels will set the vehicle.
2. Now what does Toyota do?
With Jones departure, it leaves Toyota with Christopher Bell and Daniel Suarez, who showed up through its advancement program. Through the years, Toyota has lost Kyle Larson, William Byron, Noah Gragson and Hailie Deegan to other producers.
With the sale of Leavine Family Racing and expectation that the new group will not be lined up with Toyota, it leaves the concern of what does Toyota Racing Development do?
” Arguably, he did already, but thats fine due to the fact that the 2nd part of it is more altruistic I d say and thats that I believe as a stakeholder in this sport, we have a duty to give back and we acknowledge– and the troubling part about it is Toyota does not own racing groups. Thats not our role. The difficult part about it is well lose as much of these young kids as well be able to keep even if you understand the higher you climb up the ladder, the less seats are available. Thats what keeps me up at night, honestly.”.
Toyotas pipeline remains equipped with Harrison Burton, Riley Herbst and Brandon Jones in the JGR Xfinity program. Kyle Busch Motorsports Truck group runs Chandler Smith, Christian Eckes and Raphael Lessard. Other Toyota chauffeurs in the Truck Series include Derek Kraus with McAnally Hilgermann Racing and Austin Hill with Hattori Racing Enterprises.
David Wilson, president of Toyota Racing Development, explained in 2018 the producers interest in developing talent:.
PODCAST: How Toyota develops its young motorists.
That would leave Joe Gibbs Racings four-car operation and Gaunt Brothers Racings new one-car effort in TRDs fold if TRD cant find another organization to line up with.
With what Toyota buys chauffeur development, it will require more seats to avoid losing drivers as it will make with Erik Jones not going back to Joe Gibbs Racing after this season.
” Unfortunately, the time has actually come that we have to part methods from a competitive viewpoint,” Laukes stated in his declaration.
” If you had asked me 10 years ago, I would have said that makers do not have any company establishing chauffeurs. You understand you take a look at Kasey Kahne being brought up as a Ford motorist and getting poached by Chevy or Jeff Gordon, kind of all of these examples– what we came to recognize is one, why shouldnt producers have a function in motorist development? From the competitive perspective you have 2 alternatives, develop your own or take them and you understand Rick Hendrick and I have had a friendly you understand jab about that since hell say Ill just steal them from you..
Erik Jones started the year winning the Busch Clash. Hell end it headed for another team in 2021. (Photo by Brian Lawdermilk/Getty Images) The statement from Ed Laukes of Toyota Motor North America appeared clear that Toyota would not have a place for Jones in 2021.
3. A catwalk unlike any other.
Fundraising continues for the foundation, which has been selling a range of T-shirts this summer. Truex stated the secret is to keep the “word out on what were doing. Basic things like offering T-shirts. Our fans and fans have actually been excited about little things like that and that keeps the fire burning.”.
Sherry Pollex, partner of Martin Truex Jr., told NBC Sports that COVID-19 and the economy are requiring structures to take a look at how they raise funds.
Martin Truex Jr. and Sherry Pollex. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) Last years event raised cash for the Martin Truex Jr. Structure Childrens Emergency Department at Novant Health Huntersville Medical Center and the Sherry Strong Integrative Medicine Oncology Clinic at Novant Health Presbyterian Main.
” I believe were going to need to come up with some concepts that are outside of the box, that weve most likely never ever seen prior to since we require to honor these commitments to these hospitals and these kids that we were going to defend,” Pollex said.
An example is what the foundation looks to finish with Catwalk for a Cause..
Among the numerous events held off by the pandemic was the Martin Truex Jr. Foundation Catwalk for a Cause. The charity drive kept in May has raised more than $600,000 each of the past 2 years and highlighted pediatric cancer patients and survivors– heroes as they are called– in the style show.
Truexs sponsor Auto-Owners Insurance integrated with his foundation to offer 500 restricted edition mini helmets signed by Truex and Pollex. Auto-Owners also matched employee contributions to the Martin Truex Jr. To commemorate, the hood of Truexs vehicle this weekend at Michigan will have the names of 1,900-plus Auto-Owners associates who made contributions to the MTJ Foundation.
” Were hoping that we can still do something unique,” Pollex stated. “Were attempting to put all the pieces together today. Were not really sure what its going to appear like. We wish to undoubtedly secure the kids and their health and their households and everyone that is going to come in, however were hoping its going to be sort of like a drive-in movie theater type environment where you drive your vehicle in and are tailgating from the back of it. Weve got some excellent concepts for that and were hoping that goes off in September so we can get financing from that.”.
4. Knows the feeling.
” Racing is difficult,” Keselowski said in a media conference Thursday. “Itll make you bitter. There aint no chance around it. Its competition in all kinds. Its competitors from the motorist level, the owner level, the crew chief level and its tough.Theres no chance around it..
” I dont delight in seeing people like Bob Leavine or anyone else for that matter leave the sport in ownership. I take no enjoyment in their pain, however then on the other side I do acknowledge that in competition there needs to always be winners and losers, and perhaps some individuals lose that dont should have to lose. That most likely happens from time to time, but its part of the story of our sport is that there are winners and losers..
” We dont have to like who the winner is, and we certainly dont need to want someone to lose. We may not like who it is that loses. I think in this case, Bob appeared like a really terrific gentleman who has actually brought a lot to this sport in an extremely short time period, however its a difficult sport. It actually is, and this belongs to that unfortunate cycle of life for our sport too.”.
Bob Leavine, center, at the 2018 Southern 500 at Darlington Raceway. (Photo: Dustin Long)” Ive heard a lot of talk recently about the ownership model being broken. Im not so sure I believe that. Sometimes I believe it is. Sometimes I believe it isnt. Theres a lot to be said for the real and really pure competitive and capitalist model that NASCAR group ownership has, so its got its positives and its negatives..
Brad Keselowski, who got an one-year agreement extension today, can connect to the anguish Bob Leavine felt in selling his Cup team. Keselowski shut down his Truck series team after the 2017 season. Keselowski said formerly how his company lost $1 million a season.
5. Kyle Larsons future.
Larson has an interest in returning to NASCAR. Chip Ganassi Racing fired him in April after he said a racial slug throughout an online race. Hes given that returned to dirt track racing with incredible success.
Mark Rushbrook, worldwide director, Ford Performance Motorsports, consulted with the media this week. One of the questions he was asked was if there had been any discussions about whether Kyle Larson could be in a Ford next year.
Could Larson drive for Ford in NASCAR next year?
” Were here to win races in the proper way. We want to be competitive on track. We wish to have our development and tech transfer, and we want the marketing out of it, so seeking to see what we can do with any open seats for next year to fill them with the very best chauffeur.”.
(Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) # Johnson missed out on the July 5 race at Indianapolis after evaluating favorable for COVID-19.
” Were in the middle of ridiculous season and what I can state is were taking a look at all of our choices,” Rushbrook said. “A lot of our seats have long-lasting contracts and are solid. You saw the extension revealed (Monday) for Brad (Keselowski). We definitely have some seats in play, so wanting to see what the best alternatives are..
The difficulty is that with Johnson just eligible for starting spots 13-24, it is not easy to score points in the first stage of any race. The first stage in both races is at Lap 40– a quarter of the way through the 156-lap race. Other Toyota chauffeurs in the Truck Series include Derek Kraus with McAnally Hilgermann Racing and Austin Hill with Hattori Racing Enterprises.
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Johnson has actually scored Stage 1 points in three of the 10 races because Atlanta.
