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USA TODAY 'HUI Mike Hembree, of Sports, discusses the best stories halfway through the NASCAR season.
USA TODAY HUI Sports
The driver of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup series Martin Truex Jr. (78) celebrates after winning the NASCAR Monster Series Quaker State race 400 Saturday, July 14, 2018, at the Kentucky Speedway in Sparta, Kentucky (Albert Cesare / The Cincinnati Enquirer) (Photo: Albert Cesare)
With seven races to go before the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup playoffs, one thing is clear: Toyota has planted its flag in Kentucky. Meanwhile, Ford is the only other manufacturer able to compete in this year's championship race.
Here is the analysis of what the Quaker 400 state means:
Toyota owns Kentucky, but not for the reasons you believe
Of course, North American operations Toyota were once based in Bluegrass State. It's nothing to do with the dominance that the builder has shown on the challenging 1,5 mile track.
Among his teams, Toyota has two of the top three drivers (Kyle Busch with five and Martin Truex Jr with four) and dominates the manufacturers standings.
Toyota owns the Kentucky Speedway because its top teams have drivers who have a ton of siege time (Busch) and who better understand how to adjust the car during the race week (Truex). These two elements are key factors on a track like Kentucky, which requires both the team and the driver.
For more information: Martin Truex Jr. rotates another dominant NASCAR in Kentucky
For more information: Ricky Stenhouse Jr .: Kyle Busch must stop "running his mouth"
Chevrolet has serious difficulties if front support continues to be problem
The Chevrolet Camaro is a pleasure for the eyes on the road and the day of the race. However, Chevy racing teams always seem to have a problem with aerodynamic grip.
NBC Sports analyst, Dale Earnhardt Jr., said the Camaro was still struggling with backstays, which contributed to its difficulties on most tracks. While the Camaro has improved this year, Chevy is still far from competing with Toyota and Ford.
With 1.5 mile circuits being crucial in the playoffs of the Cup, Chevrolet must understand it before it's too late.
We No Longer Look at the Old School Races
In the old days, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was perhaps on the wrong side of a big slippage job at Kentucky Speedway after his aggression against other Coke Zero 400 pilots in Daytona a week ago.
Instead, the Roush-Fenway pilot fought a tire problem early and was never a factor. The owner of the team, Jack Roush, had said earlier this week that he hoped the other drivers would not show any grudge.
Stenhouse and Busch had some kind of war of words, but nothing happened on the track, so the question of retribution shifts to New Hampshire 301 next week.
Kentucky is a good host for a week of racing
The track is unique (Tour 3, in case you did not know it, it's a big deal) to more than one title.
The landscape reminds of Martinsville with the hills as a backdrop and the echoing engines roaring down the valley.
The action on the track, because of the difficult turn 3, usually sees the best driver and the team go to victory.
For example, the only drivers to win at Kentucky Speedway in the Cup Series were champions of the series. Truex broke this sequence for a brief period last season before claiming the title of the Cup.
Who will be the fourth driver competing at Homestead?
Earnhardt Jr. said Friday that the story he's looking at is to see what driver will make the jump and challenge the trio of Busch, Truex and Kevin Harvick for the title contention.
For Earnhardt, there are three drivers of the high-crust, those mentioned above, and a bunch of other guys clawing to enter this conversation.
The most interesting thing that the most popular driver of the old Cup had to say was that he did not think that the lack of parity of the winners hurt the sport.
Instead, Earnhardt argued that fans should like to watch the big drivers / teams win and then be excited to see who among the others would challenge them.
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