Blowing smoke? Kansas track different, but results could be same
As you all know, we have been to Kansas Speedway once this year in mid-May with Jeff Gordon putting his No. 24 car in Victory Lane.
Obviously, though, we should expect this track to be different than it was in May because it's been sitting in that hot summer heat. I think the competitors will tell you to a person that they hope that because of those 100-plus degree days that the track has lost some grip.
But while the track may have lost some grip, I really don't see anything that suggests this race won't be a continuation of what we have been seeing in this 2014 Chase for the Sprint Cup and so much of the season as a whole. I see it coming down to Team Penske versus Hendrick Motorsports once again.
Those two organizations have combined to win 20 of our 29 races run so far. Seriously, the last time a driver went to Victory Lane that wasn't a Hendrick or Penske driver was AJ Allmendinger at Watkins Glen back in mid-August.
Both organizations will be entering this weekend with a lot of confidence. Also don't forget that combined they represent six of the 12 drivers in the start of Round 2 of the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase. Joe Gibbs Racing also has all three of its drivers in this next round -- and I think the Gibbs' teams have come a long way since we were last at Kansas in May.
We also saw how well the Gibbs' teams ran at Chicago which is similar to Kansas, so that is something I am going to keep my eye on. I also am wondering about the No. 4 car of driver Kevin Harvick. Is this going to be yet another race where Harvick starts up front, leads a bunch of laps yet doesn't get the win? Kevin has said publicly that he isn't fretting about it. He said he would take top-five finishes all the time, but it's simply human nature that eventually it has to start weighing on you.
It's one of those races where I feel we'll have our fair amount of cautions. At the same time, though, I think we'll see long green-flag runs which also creates green-flag pit stops. Expect to see strategy all over the board from taking four tires, to taking only two tires or even just staying out there and not coming to pit road and gaining the track position. You just never know how it will all play out but it could very well come right down to fuel mileage strategy.
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