Pre-Chase Rankings

Field Filler

16. Paul Menard

            For proof that The Chase field is too large, look no further than Menard and his measly four top-10s this season.

15. Jamie McMurray

            Incredibly, this is the first time McMurray has ever made The Chase. He won’t stay in title contention very long.

14. Clint Bowyer

            Bowyer propelling his soon to be non-existent race team into the playoffs is a feat on it’s own.

13. Ryan Newman

            We love Newman, but the odds of him making another run like he did last year are remote.

I Don’t Think He Cares Anymore

12. Jeff Gordon

            Despite being in the midst of his worst season since his rookie year, Gordon has been smiling all over the place during his retirement tour. One of these days we’ll figure out at one point in the 2000s he stopped trying to be great.

They Have Speed, but Need to Get Hot

11. Carl Edwards

            Edwards has two wins this year, but one was by virtue of fuel mileage, and the other was on a track layout not like anything we’ll see in the final ten races. Furthermore, of all the winners this season, Edwards has the fewest top-5s and fewest top-10s.

10. Martin Truex Jr.

            Truex has cooled off considerably over the summer months, but with Dover and Loudon in the first round of The Chase, that could be a spring board for him returning to his early season form.

9. Denny Hamlin

            Hamlin has a decent track record of success at most of the tracks in the playoffs, and a win at Martinsville earlier in the year. If he makes it to the field of eight, Martinsville will give Hamlin his best chance of racing for the title at Homestead for the second year in a row.

You Can’t Count Them Out

8. Kurt Busch

            For a short time after his return from suspension, Busch was the only driver that could match Kevin Harvick’s consistency. That ability has waned over the summer, but Busch knows how to get it done in the playoffs and still has plenty of speed.

7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

            Quietly, Junior has had the most consistent season of any of the Hendrick drivers in 2015. His dominance at the plate tracks this season bode well for him when the Sprint Cup returns to Talladega in October. His lack of Chase success is the only reason we don’t have him ranked in the top-5.

6. Brad Keselowski

            He’s third in top-10s, but Keselowski has just felt a little bit off all season. He’s let a couple of victories slip away, and hasn’t been able to match the level of performance on a week-to-week basis by his own teammate. Keselowski has won though at least one of the tracks in every round of The Chase, and is certainly capable of going on a hot streak.

5. Jimmie Johnson

            Johnson is tied for the most wins on the circuit, but he really hasn’t done much of anything since the spring. Summer swoons aren’t uncommon for Johnson, but Hendrick has fallen behind a few organizations in terms of overall speed for the first time in years. It’ll be a tall order for Johnson to earn his record tying seventh Cup title.

Our Final Four

4. Matt Kenseth

            Kenseth put an exclamation point on the regular season with a dominating run at Richmond. He has more momentum than anyone else in the garage.

3. Kyle Busch

            Kyle ripping off three straight wins in July to solidify his place in the playoffs was the most memorable run of the entire season. It will be interesting to see if he can overcome the demons of past postseason runs.

2. Joey Logano

            The Daytona 500 is second in both top-5s and top-10s to Kevin Harvick, and quietly is the most likely driver to knock Harvick off the throne.

1. Kevin Harvick

            Sure Harvick hasn’t won in a while, but his consistency has been remarkable. In 26 races, he’s posted 18 top-5s and 22 top-10s. We know he has Phoenix in the bag, so he is the most likely driver to be in the Final Four at Homestead.

2015 NASCAR Preview

At Daytona And Talladega We Have A Chance!

34. Ryan Blaney

            Blaney takes over for Trevor Bayne in the famous #21 Wood Brothers Ford. He’ll be running a partial schedule in Sprint Cup while running the full Xfinity Series slate for Roger Penske. The new alliance with Penske gives the #21 a better chance at respectability.

33. Casey Mears

            Keep cashing them checks Casey.

32. Justin Allgaier

            No Credentials really liked Allgaier when he was in Nationwide (now Xfinity). We’re bummed he never found a quality Cup ride.

31. David Reutimann

30. Cole Whitt

29. David Ragan

            It’s very strange that Front Row Motorsports was able to expand to three cars, while Roger Penske and Chip Ganassi only field two.

28. Danica Patrick

            In the last year of her contract with Stewart-Haas, Patrick is likely nearing the end of her NASCAR career.

27. Martin Truex Jr.

            He’ll be fast at the restrictor plate tracks, and field filler everywhere else.

26. Brian Vickers

            We’re pulling for Vickers after he underwent another heart operation during the off-season, but the troubles at Michael Waltrip Racing are likely to keep him mired in mediocrity.

25. Paul Menard

            Right along with Lake Speed’s win at Darlington in 1988, Menard’s 2011 Brickyard 400 victory ranks as one of the flukiest NASCAR results of all time.

Road Course Ringers (sadly, sans Ambrose and Montoya)

24. Sam Hornish

            For some reason Hornish is mentioned as a dark horse to win at a road course even though all of his Indy Car and Nationwide wins were on ovals.

           

23. A.J. Allmendinger

            Allmendinger delivered the moment of the year last year with his thrilling duel with Marcos Ambrose at Watkins Glen. He’s a good bet to notch another win at Sonoma or the Glen to make a second straight Chase.

Might Win a Race, Might Not

22. Tony Stewart

            We’re sticking a fork in the competitive NASCAR career of Tony Stewart.

21. Trevor Bayne

            It’s hard to believe Bayne won the Daytona 500, and even harder to believe that it took him four years to land a full-time Sprint Cup ride.

20. Kurt Busch

            If there were such an award for “Most Bizarre Legal Case”, crazy Kurt Busch against his physco ex-girlfriend would easily take top honors in 2015. 

19. Clint Bowyer

            No Credentials isn’t buying stock in MWR yet.

18. Kyle Busch

            We had Busch ranked second (mostly due to the changes in the Sprint Cup cars that make them more similar to Nationwide/Xfinity) before his brutal crash Saturday afternoon. There isn’t a great track record of success for guys that missed significant time due to injury, so this could be a lost year for him.

17. Austin Dillon

            Dillon was pretty vanilla in his rookie year, but we expect a slight rise to relevance at the super speedways in Dillon’s sophomore campaign.

16. Aric Almirola

            At times, Almirola was the most consistent Ford driver not employed by Roger Penske in 2014. We expect him to notch his first non-rain shortened victory this year.

15. Greg Biffle

            Biffle is the de facto leader of Roush Fenway Racing, which would be cool if Roush wasn’t a sinking ship.

14. Ryan Newman

            Newman nearly broke The Chase forever with his near championship winning run at Homestead last year. We don’t anticipate another remarkable run of consistency again, but we do predict Newman to return to victory lane.

13. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

            Stenhouse was abysmal last year, but he stands to gain from the Cup cars driving like the cars he piloted to two straight Nationwide titles in 2011 and 2012.

Inconsistent Wildcards

12. Jamie McMurray

            With all the big races McMurray was won over the years, it’s crazy that he has never made The Chase. That changes in 2015.

11. Kasey Kahne

            Hendrick Motorsports least inspiring driver should thank his lucky stars Jeff Gordon is retiring after this season, otherwise Chase Elliott would’ve been driving the five car next year instead.

10. Kyle Larson

            The most logical bet for a break through season, we’d be shocked if Larson didn’t win at least two races this year.

9. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

            Dale Jr.’s early returns look good after a strong showing in his Duel race Thursday night, but the real test will come when he needs to communicate adjustments to his new crew chief at Atlanta next week.

8. Denny Hamlin

            No one has Danica’s back more than Denny Hamlin.

Championship Contenders

7. Matt Kenseth

            Kenseth should at least return to victory lane, but we’re not forecasting a dominant season.

6. Jeff Gordon

            The Gordon retirement tour will be fun, but swan songs rarely if ever end with titles in any sport.

5. Kevin Harvick

            Harvick has a great chance of at least making the Final Four at Homestead with how good he is at Phoenix. That gives him a punchers chance at earning back-to-back titles.

4. Carl Edwards

            After doubting the high profile moves by Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick the last two years, we’re all in on Edwards in his debut season with Joe Gibbs Racing.

3. Jimmie Johnson

            2015 might be the last time we see Johnson paired with Crew Chief Chad Knaus if they don’t recapture some of their past magic.

The Favorites

2. Brad Keselowski

1. Joey Logano

            Penske Motorsports was the only team in the same league as Hendrick Motorsports last year, and both drivers should adjust to the rule changes based on their success in the Nationwide series. We’re forecasting that both will be in the Final Four, and one will end up hoisting the Sprint Cup.

NASCAR Pre-Chase Driver Ranks

            Every year before The Chase we rank who we feel has the most likely shot at hoisting the Sprint Cup. Keep in mind that this list doesn’t represent how we feel the final points will shake out, or who will be included in the Final 4 at Homestead. The new format makes it even harder to predict, as the winner take all finale will be one of the most ridiculous races in NASCAR history, but we’ve reviewed each round of the Chase, and the tracks that represent each driver’s best chances of advancing. Without further ado, our countdown to our pick to win the championship.

Complete and Utter Afterthoughts

16. A.J. Allmendinger

15. Aric Almirola

            Both earned well-deserved first career victories this year (with Allmendinger’s drive at Watkins Glen being the most dramatic finish of the season so far), but they have virtually no chance at winning the title. Almirola did run well at both Loudon and Dover earlier in the season (which are both in the first playoff segment), so there is the minute possibility he could sneak into the round of 12.

Happy to Be Here

14. Greg Biffle

13. Carl Edwards

            The demise of Roush-Fenway Racing has been well documented, and there’s no reason to expect a sudden revival during The Chase. Edwards is a lame duck driver, and Biffle has less Top-5s this season than Paul Menard. 

12. Ryan Newman

            Newman’s season has been just as uninspiring as Biffle’s, but at least he has been more competitive during the summer months. He does have three career wins at Loudon and Dover, which gives him a reasonable chance of making it to the round of 12. 

11. Kasey Kahne

            The greatest enigma of the entire NASCAR season has been Kahne’s inability to be consistently competitive this season. He needed a miraculous run at Atlanta just to be included in The Chase. If he can survive the first segment, Charlotte represents his best chance at cracking the Elite 8.

10. Denny Hamlin

            Hamlin has been more competent than you would think this season, as even with missing a race he would’ve made the playoffs without his win at Talladega. One can’t help but think he’s third on the Gibbs totem pole though.

Unpopular Dark Horses

9. Kyle Busch

8. Kurt Busch

            The Busch boys have only one win, both have occasionally had speed, and both have had an abundance of mechanical issues and crashes. We rank Kurt ahead of Kyle simply because the Hendrick powered Chevrolets have been stronger than the Gibbs Toyotas. 

Fatally Flawed

7. Matt Kenseth

            Kenseth is an honoree for hardest working driver of the year, as he’s tied for second in top-10s and tied for third in top-5s while piloting an underpowered Toyota Camry all year. Martinsville is the only track in the playoffs he has never won at, so it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him go on a run. Ultimately though, the lack of top end horsepower will do him in.

6. Kevin Harvick

            Happy Harvick has had fast cars all season long, but is saddled with the worst pit crew of any driver in the playoffs. His first year of the win was at Phoenix, so if he can repeat that feat he’ll be ticketed for the Final 4 at Homestead.

5. Jimmie Johnson

            With the exception of a stretch where he won three out of four just before the official start of summer, Six-Time has been riddled with tire issues all season. That could be the result of some experimenting by evil warlord crew chief Chad Knaus, but it just doesn’t feel like a championship season for Jimmie Johnson.

Stout Contenders

4. Joey Logano

            We’ve said it at least twice earlier this year, but it’s worth repeating…there really isn’t enough praise for a kid that’s only 24 years old being a legitimate championship contender. Logano has led laps in 18 of the 26 events this season, and has had speed everywhere. Other than his teammate, no one has more momentum than him going into the playoffs with Top-10 finishes in six of his last seven races.

3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

            Junior’s performance this year has been a huge shot in the arm for the sport, and it’s safe to assume that he should be a force throughout the playoffs. He’s tied for the most Top-5s with Brad Keselowski, and there isn’t a track on the schedule that he shouldn’t have speed at. The only reason we don’t have him in the top tier is the fact that we haven’t seen him post a competitive Chase showing since the first one in 2004.

The Favorites

2. Brad Keselowski

            Keselowski has been a little boom or bust this season, but some of that can be attributed to risk taking after securing a Chase spot early in the season. Penske Racing has had the most consistent qualifying program on a weekly basis, giving Keselowski premium track position right from the get go. The only reason we have some reservations about Keselowski winning is the third slate of elimination races. He’ll be fast at Texas, but Phoenix and Martinsville aren’t his strongest tracks on the circuit. 

1. Jeff Gordon

            Gordon has driven like a man possessed this year, posting more Top-10s than any other driver, and for the first time in many years looking like a guy hungry to win a title. He’s had success at every track in The Chase, and most importantly, has a win at Homestead under his belt. There’s a chance that he’ll be the only driver in the Final 4 that can say that. We’re signing off on Gordon as our predicted winner of the 2014 Sprint Cup.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (4/11-4/13)

10. Phil Mickelson Misses Masters Cut
            The TV ratings were already in the toilet with Tiger Woods involved. With golf’s second biggest draw done for the weekend, this could go down as the lowest watched Masters tournament in decades.

9. Grady Sizemore Rocks C.C. Sabathia, Leads Red Sox Victory

            Granted it’s a small sample size, but Sizemore’s improbable comeback this season has been one of the underreported stories in MLB. He took full advantage of C.C. Sabathia’s diminishing fastball velocity Friday night.

8. New York Knicks Eliminated From Playoff Contention

            The best part of New York’s comically disappointing 2013-14 campaign is that their first round pick is being shipped to Denver. Even with Phil Jackson in charge, there should be legitimate concerns that Carmelo Anthony is going to bolt for another team.

7. Milwaukee Brewers Win Ninth Straight
            Hacking at the first pitch at a rate higher than any other club in baseball, the Brewers should be the official MLB team of the A.D.D. generation.

6. Chase Elliott Wins Second Straight Nationwide Race

            Instead of attending his Senior Prom, Elliott instead decided to win at the hardest track on the NASCAR circuit in his first trip there. There isn’t a more talented prodigy in any sport than the son of Bill Elliott.

5. Bruins Clinch Presidents Cup
            That’s not necessarily a good thing, as the recent Stanley Cup Playoff success of the league’s overall top regular season team isn’t that great. Boston begins their Stanley Cup march on Friday against Detroit.

4. Kevin Harvick Dominates Darlington

            Harvick is the poster child of NASCAR’s new win or go home scoring system. He’s not even in the top-20 in most points scored, but his two wins would have him seeded first if The Chase started today.
         
3. Paul Pierce Joins 25,000 Point Club
            The future Hall of Famer joins seventeen others in NBA history to reach this milestone. Big props to the former captain of the Celtics.
         
2. Pacers Regain Control of Eastern Conference
            I had a whole paragraph written mourning the inevitability of Miami making it to a fourth straight NBA Finals after stomping all over Indiana Friday night, but then an improbable series unfolded the next two days. A physically spent Heat club (even Lebron looked sort of human Saturday) lost to the Hawks, and then Indiana pulled off their biggest win of the year so far against Oklahoma City.

1. Bubba Watson Claims Second Masters Title

            Bubba’s ridiculous 366-yard drive on 13 felt like the moment where any chance another golfer had was gone. On a weekend with no Tiger and no Phil, this is the best result the PGA could’ve hoped for.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (2/28-3/2)

10. Another Patriot Ends Up in Jail
            At least they knew about Alfonzo Dennard’s legal trouble before they drafted him. Wait, that’s not a good thing.

9. Daryl Doesn’t Hook Up With the Singing Blond on “The Walking Dead”

            He did cry though, which was something I previously thought was impossible.

8. Jimmer Fredette Joins the Bulls

            Freeing himself from the circus that is the Sacramento Kings, we might finally be able to yell “JIMMER!” again.

7. Kevin Harvick Dominates in Phoenix
            Nearly as notable as Harvick smoking the field in his second start for Stewart-Haas was Dale Earnhardt Jr. backing up his Daytona 500 victory with a runner-up finish.

6. Jaromir Jagr Nets His 700^th Career Goal

            For a guy who was one of the ten best players in the legendary “NHL 94” game to still somehow be relevant today is truly astonishing. We’d love to see Jagr shipped to a contender for the Stanley Cup playoffs, but it doesn’t look like it’s going to happen.

5. Wichita State Finishes 31-0

            Instincts tell you to dismiss Wichita State, but one needs to remember that the school’s last loss occurred in last year’s NCAA Final Four.

4. Philadelphia Honors Allen Iverson

            It’s sad how many people have already forgotten how spectacular The Answer was on a nightly basis, so it was great to see his number raised to the rafters.
        
3. Marcus Smart Carries Oklahoma State Over Kansas
            There isn’t another player in the country who’s draft stock has fluctuated more than Smarts. His 20-point second half against the Jayhawks should put him back in the top-8 picks discussion.
         
2. Blackhawks and Penguins Play a Ridiculous Outdoor Game
            Sure it was a 5-1 Blackhawks blowout, but there’s something about NHL hockey played in the snow that is captivating.

1. St. Louis Makes Blockbuster Trade For Ryan Miller

            We love it when teams push all their chips into the table to acquire a superstar to put them over the hump. Miller is the stud goaltender St. Louis needed to make them legitimate Stanley Cup contenders.

2014 NASCAR Preview

            Normally we write about 10,000 words in our NASCAR preview, but you can thank a ridiculous week of winter weather for shrinking this piece down to 1,100. We rank the drivers in order of the best odds we give each of winning the Sprint Cup.

30. Trevor Bayne, #21 Motorcraft Ford, Wood Brothers

            It’s hard to believe that Trevor Bayne won the Daytona 500 three years ago, and still hasn’t managed to secure a full-time Cup ride.

29. Parker Kligerman, #30 Lending Tree Toyota, Swan Racing

            Kligerman is the rare combination of talented rookie and upstart team. Swan Racing has investors dumping money into it left and right, so it would be fun to see the 23-year old have some success this season.

28. David Ragan, #34 MHP Ford, Front Row Motorsports

            If this year’s “WIN OR GO HOME BITCH” playoff format were in place in 2013, Ragan would’ve been racing for the title when The Chase started. That’s a reason why this format won’t work.

27. Danica Patrick, #10 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

            After a listless first full season in Sprint Cup, it’s hard to forecast Patrick having success anywhere other than Daytona or Talladega.

26. A.J. Allmendinger, #47 Kroger Toyota, JTG Daugherty Racing

            It hasn’t taken nearly as long as most experts expected for Allmendinger to secure a full-time Sprint Cup ride. The 47 doesn’t usually have a lot of speed, but he’ll be pesky at Sonoma and Watkins Glen.

25. Paul Menard, #27 Menard’s Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            Menard shockingly has competition for the title of “most notable trust fund child in Sprint Cup” from new teammate Austin Dillon.

24. Martin Truex Jr., #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet, Furniture Row Racing

            When everyone watches Truex struggle in the #78, we’ll get a true appreciation for how awesome Kurt Busch’s 2013 campaign really was.

23. Aric Almirola, #43 Smithfield Foods Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports

            I can’t name one notable thing Almirola has ever done since getting the keys to the #43.

22. Austin Dillon, #3 Dow Chemicals/Cheerios Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            Dillon has talent, but just like Ricky Stenhouse Jr. last year, he will have growing pains. Remember that he didn’t even win a race last year in Nationwide despite winning the championship.

21. Jamie McMurray, #1 Bass Pro Shops/McDonalds Chevrolet, Ganassi Racing

            There isn’t anything my wife enjoys more during a NASCAR event than the sight of Jamie McMurray bawling in victory lane.

20. Brian Vickers, #55 Aaron’s Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing

            Sort of like when an effective NBA reserve gets bumped up to starters minutes, we think Vickers will suffer a drop in “per-race” production.

19. Marcos Ambrose, #9 Stanley Ford, Richard Petty Motorsports

            The new playoff format gives Marcos Ambrose, who’s the most dominant road course racer of the last decade, a 50% chance of making The Chase.

18. Kyle Larson, #42 Target Chevrolet, Ganassi Racing

            Not since Kyle Busch has Sprint Cup had a rookie with as much raw talent as Kyle Larson. We wouldn’t be surprised at all if he stole a win at one of the short tracks.

17. Ryan Newman, #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, Richard Childress Racing

            We’re happy Newman landed a full-time ride after getting the boot from Stewart-Haas Racing, but the #31 group has been struggling for years now.

16. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., #17 Best Buy/Zest Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            Mr. Patrick’s second half of 2013 gives plenty of reasons to be optimistic about his sophomore campaign.

15. Joey Logano, #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford, Penske Racing

            His early season feud with Denny Hamlin last year (which ended up with Logano pulling a Bane and breaking Hamlin’s back in California) was one of the top five events of the 2013 season. It would do Logano some good to cut the drama, but we don’t think he’s at that point in his career yet.

14. Greg Biffle, #16 3M Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            The end of relevance for The Biff is coming.

13. Tony Stewart, #14 Mobil 1 Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing
            If anyone is going to come back from a busted leg and compete for wins it’s Tony Stewart, but we’re expecting some bumps in the road as he shakes the rust off.

12. Dale Earnhardt Jr., #88 National Guard Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            Evidently, if the new points format were in place last year, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would’ve won the 2013 title. Which is ironic, because he didn’t win a race.

11. Denny Hamlin, #11 Fed-Ex Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            I can honestly say I have no idea where to rank Hamlin. I had him at 15 before he won the race formerly known as the Bud Shootout and his qualifying race.

10. Kasey Kahne, #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            Kahne jumps to the top of my list for a guy that benefits from a championship format mostly based on wins, as he’s never had the race to race consistency for point racing.

9. Kurt Busch, #41 Haas Automation Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

            It took two years in NASCAR purgatory, but Kurt Busch is finally back with an elite team.

8. Kevin Harvick, #4 Budweiser Chevrolet, Stewart-Haas Racing

            The number and team are different, but we don’t expect a dramatic change in production from Harvick in his first year with Stewart-Haas.

7. Jeff Gordon, #24 Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            We think Gordon has one more serious championship run in him. A win based championship structure works in his favor.

6. Clint Bowyer, #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota, Michael Waltrip Racing

            The face of MWR’s manipulation of the regular season finale last year at Richmond, we actually expect Bowyer to contend for more wins now that his team has consolidated to two cars.

5. Brad Keselowski, #2 Miller Lite Ford, Penske Racing

            Sprint Cup’s 2012 champ had a miserable, snake bit regular season during his title defense, but a strong showing during the final ten races gives many reasons to believe he can return to a championship caliber level.

4. Matt Kenseth, #20 Home Depot Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            There’s typically a “runner-up hangover” for the driver that finishes second in the points the previous season, but the #20 car looks like it won’t skip a beat after winning a Duel race Thursday night.

3. Kyle Busch, #18 M&Ms Toyota, Joe Gibbs Racing

            After Kasey Kahne, here’s our second driver the new format favors the most. He’s plenty capable of qualifying for each round of the playoffs with a win.

2. Carl Edwards, #99 Fastenal Ford, Roush-Fenway Racing

            No driver is better at Homestead than Carl Edwards, which gives him a decided advantage if he is in title contention going into the season finale.

1. Jimmie Johnson, #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, Hendrick Motorsports

            It would be a severe case of tomfoolery to rank any other driver first as Johnson begins his quest for a record tying seventh championship.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (10/4-10/6)

10. President Obama Chimes in on Redskins Controversy
            I’d normally have no issue with Commander in Chief gave his two sense on a sports issue, but the last time I checked we are still in the middle of a government shutdown.

9. Dario Franchitti is Alive, No Fans Seriously Harmed in Scary Indy Car Crash

            Oddly enough, the reason Dario Franchitti moved to NASCAR many years ago was for the safety of the cars, but he returned to Indycar after experiencing very little Cup success. He escaped this wreck with a concussion, a fractured spine, and a broken ankle.



8. Georgia Saves Season, Knocks Off Tennessee in Overtime

            Aaron Murray delivered a fantastic performance, cobbling together a season-saving touchdown drive to send Saturday’s game into overtime. 

7. Athletics Win Pitchers Duel Against Justin Verlander
            We often mock no-hitters in this space, but a thrilling pitching duel is one of our more enjoyable baseball scenarios. The way Saturday night played out would certainly eat up a few minutes in a “Moneyball” sequel. After another win Monday, Oakland is one game away from earning the right to get slaughtered by the Red Sox in the ALCS.

6. Saints Move to 5-0

            The most under reported story of the 2013 season so far is how Rob Ryan has miraculously turned the Saints into a competent defensive team. 

5. Kevin Harvick Wins Another Crash Fest at Kansas
            Even more important than Harvick earning another victory in his final races with Richard Childress was Kyle Busch likely dropping out of championship contention. It’s going to take Talladega shakeup to get the 2013 title to anyone other than Matt Kenseth or Jimmie Johnson.

4. Pirates Take 2-1 NLDS Lead

            No Credentials nominates Pittsburgh as the current wearer of the “America’s Team” title. Unless you’re a die-hard Cardinals fan, there’s no way you can cheer against the Pirates.

3. Red Sox Demolish Rays, Take 2-0 ALDS Lead

            I’ll concede that two games isn’t much of a sample size in baseball, but there hasn’t been a more impressive team in the postseason than the Boston Red Sox.

2. Andrew Luck Leads Wild Colts Win Over Seattle

            In a game statistically dominated by the Seahawks, Andrew Luck went out and found another way to win. It’s time to recalibrate our AFC South rankings and put the Colts at the top of the list.

1. Denver Outguns Dallas 51-48   

            Fortunately for me, I was at work during this one, because if I watched it live my head would’ve exploded. We’ll find out next week if this was an encouraging or discouraging loss for the Cowboys, who are still tied for first in the pathetic NFC East.

2013 Chase for the Sprint Cup Predictions

            It’s bee one of the weirdest seasons in NASCAR history (punctuated by Michael Waltrip Racing’s dishonorable manipulation of the regular season finale. Good luck with no sponsors next year asshole), which has led to one of the more eclectic Chase fields in recent memory. We break down the 12-car field, plus discuss three bonus drivers who woulda-shoulda-coulda been in The Chase. 
 

He’d Be In The Chase, But He Broke His Leg

15. Tony Stewart - #14 Mobil/Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet – Stewart Haas Racing

            The 3-time champion (and the only man to win under the old and new points system) wasn’t a shoe-in for The Chase, but likely would’ve ended up with the second wildcard spot if it wasn’t for breaking his leg in a sprint car accident. He wouldn’t have been a favorite to win the title, but everyone (including Tony Stewart) was saying the same thing before his improbable 2011 run.
 

The Real Victim

14. Jeff Gordon - #24 – Hendrick Motorsports

            Lost in all the discussion about Ryan Newman replacing Martin Truex Jr. in The Chase is Jeff Gordon, who at the time of caution Saturday night was tenth in points, which would’ve secured a spot in The Chase. Don’t be surprised if we get a repeat of last November’s race at Phoenix multiple times during The Chase.

 

It Wasn’t His Fault

13. Martin Truex Jr. - #56 Napa Toyota – Michael Waltrip Racing

            Maybe Truex knew there was a plan before the race to help get him in. Maybe he didn’t. Regardless, he drove his ass off to keep Jeff Gordon behind him in the closing laps, and didn’t appear to have any knowledge of why the caution came out. His team deserved the penalty, but it sucks for the driver who had nothing to do with bringing out the caution.
   

Karma is a Bitch

12. Clint Bowyer - #15 5-Hour Energy Toyota – Michael Waltrip Racing

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            The only person happy with Clint Bowyer is Kyle Busch, and that’s because there’s finally someone that NASCAR fans will boo louder than him during pre-race introductions.

Happy to Be Here

11. Greg Biffle - #16 3M Ford – Roush Fenway Racing

Tied for 6^th in Chase Seeding With 1 Win
            Roush is going to put all of its eggs in the Carl Edwards basket.

10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - #88 AMP Energy Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            Not since the inaugural Chase has Dale Earnhardt Jr. been relevant in it. We don’t forecast anything different this year.

9. Kurt Busch - #78 Furniture Row Chevrolet – Furniture Row Racing

Tied for 8^th in Chase Seeding With 0 Wins
            Kurt making it in with Furniture Row Racing will be the second most impressive thing accomplished in NASCAR this season, only topped by whoever wins the title.
 

Punchers Chance at Making Noise

8. Kasey Kahne - #5 Farmers Insurance Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied For 8^th in Chase Seeding With Wildcard Entry
            Flopping from one of the fastest cars onto the track to hovering around mid-pack from week to week is not a formula for success. It’s not impossible for Kahne to string together ten solid races in a weakened Chase field, but we won’t bet on it.

7. Kevin Harvick - #29 Budweiser Chevrolet – Richard Childress Racing
Tied For 4^th in Chase Seeding With 2 Wins
            We’ll stand behind our theory we applied last season to Matt Kenseth about a lame duck driver not having a chance in The Chase.

6. Ryan Newman - #39 Quicken Loans/Outback Steakhouse Chevrolet – Stewart Haas Racing

Tied For 8^th in Chase Seeding With Wildcard Entry
            He’s riding a solid wave of one part momentum and one part good will, but he won’t be able to avoid the lame duck stink in the end.

5. Joey Logano - #22 Shell-Pennzoil Ford – Penske Racing
Tied For 6^th in Chase Seeding With 1 Win
            Throw out his middling performance at Richmond (which thankfully, is a type of track he won’t see in The Chase) and Logano was the hottest driver during the month of August. He’ll have speed at the 1.5 milers, but you should expect some inexperience to bite him in the end.
 

The Favorites

4. Matt Kenseth - #20 Home Depot Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing

1^st in Chase Seeding With 5 Wins
            Throw out his Bristol win, and it’s been a fairly ordinary summer for Kenseth. He’ll be in the mix, but needs to recapture his early season form to win the championship.

3. Jimmie Johnson - #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet – Hendrick Motorsports

Tied For 2^nd in Chase Seeding With 4 Wins
            Jimmie Johnson’s last four finishes of 28th or worse are not fooling me. Johnson will be in the mix until Homestead.

2. Carl Edwards - #99 Subway/Fastenal/UPS/Kellogg’s Ford – Roush Fenway Racing

Tied For 4^th in Chase Seeding With 2 Wins
            Quietly, Edwards was the point’s leader at the end of the NASCAR regular season. In a diminished Chase field, a consistent ten races might be enough for Cousin Carl to win his first championship.

 

The Favorite  

1. Kyle Busch - #18 M&Ms Toyota – Joe Gibbs Racing

Tied For 2^nd in Chase Seeding With 4 Wins
            I get it. Busch has never done anything in The Chase. In fact, it’s been mostly embarrassing. However, he has too much talent, and among the favorites, the most momentum after a solid summer. There’s no Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, or Brad Keselowski to deal with. If he out performs the three drivers we just mentioned, it’s his championship. He normally flames out early in The Chase, so it won’t take long to see if our prediction is correct.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (5/24-5/26)

10. FOX Camera Wire Snaps, Injuring Fans, Damaging Cars, and Delaying Race
            No word yet on who is to blame for the malfunction, but I have a feeling FOX will claim it has something to do with liberals.

9. Cain Velasquez Destroys Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva

            Using my betting strategy from the Kentucky Derby, there is no way I would pick a dude nicknamed “Bigfoot” to win a championship fight.

8. Nico Rosberg Wins Monaco GP

            I caught the last 18 laps of this one (kudos to NBC for broadcasting it live, a first for network television in the United States), and came way thinking that it would be really cool to hang out in Monaco.

7. Anibal Sanchez Comes Up 2 Outs Short of Second Career No-Hitter
            The Twins trotted out four players with batting averages that were .212 or worse Friday night. Reason number 93,481 why we need to get MLB hitters back on the juice.

6. Bayern Munich Wins the Champions League Final

            I have nothing in the form of substantial analysis to offer on this event, but here are my takeaways.

a.       This is the second week in a row a soccer championship has been won, and made the weekly top 10.

b.      Bayern Munich will play for another championship next week.

c.       It was pretty cool that two German clubs were playing for the title in an English stadium. Sehr gut!

 

      d.  Someone needs to message me and explain why there are 5,254,192 soccer trophies.

           

 

5. Penguins Beat the Piss Out of Ottawa, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals
4. Bruins Finish Off Rangers
            Finally, Boston gets to exact revenge for what Ulf Samuelsson did to Cam Neely in the 1991 Conference Finals.

            Crosby and Malkin better have their heads on a swivel.

3. Pacers Hang on For Game 2 Win in Miami
            Indiana’s triumph in Miami would’ve been #1 if Miami didn’t beat the living shit out of them Sunday night. It was fun for 48 hours when people thought there was actually a chance the Heat wouldn’t make the finals.

2. Kevin Harvick Steals Another Crown Jewel Event, Wins Coca-Cola 600

            I think I ranked Harvick in the low teens in my pre-season NASCAR column. With his second win of the year (virtually assuring him a spot in the playoffs), he’s quickly added that to the long list of poor No Credentials predictions.

1. Tony Kanaan Finally Wins the Indianapolis 500

            While not as noteworthy as the failures of the Andretti family over the years at Indy (they are 1 for 69 as a family, which is remarkable when you consider that Mario and Michael were two of the greatest Indy Car drivers of all time), Tony Kanaan has been snake-bit at the Brickyard for the last decade, routinely having a fast car, but being unable to reach victory lane. A perfectly timed pass before a caution assured him of finally breaking through.


           This post concludes another riveting season of weekend reviews. Check No Credentials all summer long for thoughts on the NBA Finals, the Stanley Cup Finals, MLB, and the NFL team previews. The weekend review will return to recap Week 1 of the NFL season in September.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (4/26-4/28)

10. Thunder Lose Russell Westbrook For Rest of Season
            God must’ve placed a preseason wager on Miami to repeat, because too many things have occurred that have enhanced their ability to win a second straight title. The Thunder will be lucky to make it to the conference finals.

9. Aaron Rodgers Becomes an Incredibly Wealthy Man

            This is a vast improvement over Rodgers’ financial situation last week, when he was merely a moderately wealthy man. He’ll get $40 million this year for his services on the gridiron.

8. Eagles Trade Up to Draft Matt Barkley in Fourth Round

7. New York Jets Use Second Round Pick on Geno Smith
            I’d mock the probable failure of both of these players more, but my Dallas Cowboys just delivered the worst draft class in the history of man.

6. Celtics Stave Off Elimination

            Great to see Boston win what will more than likely be Kevin Garnett’s final home game.

5. Jon Jones Dismantles Chael Sonnen
            Sonnen is a huge douche bag, so the more elbows inflicting serious harm on his face, the better.

4. Anibal Sanchez Whiffs 17 Braves

            For those not in the know, that’s a lot of fucking strikeouts.

3. Kevin Harvick Passes Six Cars in One Lap, Wins Richmond
            I duplicated this feat on NASCAR Thunder 2002 for PS2 back in the day, so this wasn’t really a big deal.

2. Thunder Pull Out Just Enough to Hold Off Rockets

            Kevin Durant better be prepared to take a beating for Oklahoma City’s remaining games this season.

1. Nate Robinson Loses His Mind, Bulls Win Triple-Overtime Thriller

            Nate Robinson directly resulted in my Charlie Sheen post a couple of years back becoming the most viewed page ever produced by this blog (on a day when he was laying in a hospital bed recovering from knee surgery no less), so whenever Nate goes ape shit and single-handedly wills a team into overtime, No Credentials approves.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (2/15-2/17)

10. Rick Grimes Keeps Seeing His Dead Wife
            I watch “The Walking Dead” to see zombies, not a dude going bonkers and making out with a ghost.

9. Rafael Nadal Wins First Tennis Tournament Since Returning From Injury

            Tennis is way more interest when Nadal is in the mix. That’s your Troy Aikman-esque comment of the day, sponsored by “You’re Absolutely Right Joe”.

8. Lionel Messi Scores 300^th Career Goal For Barcelona

            Here’s your obligatory mention of futbol in the weekly top 10 to soak up some cheap page hits from Europe.

7. Terrance Ross Wins the Worst Dunk Contest Ever

            Want to get some stars into the dunk contest? Let’s offer a $1 million (after taxes) to the winner. You’ll get some name guys to particpate for that prize.

6. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist Admits He Lost 1-on-1 Game Against Michael Jordan

            I’d make fun of Kidd-Gilchrist more, but I once got up-faked by a dude in his sixties a couple of years back.

5. #2 Duke Gets Upset By Maryland
            Here’s this week’s installment of the “Big Time College Basketball Upset That No Credentials Doesn’t Give A Shit About”, sponsored by Apple Cider Vinegar.

4. Kyrie Irving Takes Home 3-Point Shootout Championship

            An impressive showing by the Cavaliers budding superstar point guard, who scored 23 out of a possible 30 points in the final round against New Hampshire’s own Matt Bonner.

3. Kevin Harvick Starts Lame-Duck Season With Sprint Unlimited Win
            We won’t put too much stock in this win as the majority of the top teams were knocked out early in the race, so don’t look for Harvick to be ranked very high in this week’s NASCAR season preview.

2. Danica Patrick Wins Daytona 500 Pole

            NASCAR has a long list of “storybook” outcomes, so here’s where Danica’s pole winning run ranks.

1. Richard Petty claiming his 200^th and final career win with Ronald Reagan in attendance at the 1984 Firecracker 400 (Petty was, and still is, a diehard Republican, so this victory turned into a glorified campaign stop for Reagan while he was running for his second term in office).

2. Dale Earnhardt Jr. winning the Pepsi 400 just five months after his father died in a last-lap crash in the 500 (as someone who watched the whole race live, I don’t care about the conspiracy theory. That was the most memorable NASCAR victory by anyone of the entire decade).
3. Danica Patrick winning the pole for this year’s Daytona 500.

            You might think I’d come down negatively on this, but you’d be mistaken. Qualifying at Daytona is in the discussion of most boring things you could ever watch on television. Furthermore, qualifying means very little at a restrictor plate track where cars zoom from the back to the front in less than a handful of laps. If NASCAR did anything to “encourage” a pole-winning run by Patrick, I’d call that some damn good marketing.

1. Chris Paul Quarterbacks West Win in NBA All-Star Game

            Paul was the MVP, Kevin Durant was the best scorer, but it was Kobe Bryant’s two blocks of Lebron James that will go in the books as the most memorable moments of the game.