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Kevin Harvick saw it all during his two-decade plus career in NASCAR. But in this past Sunday’s Cup Series championship race at Phoenix, Harvick saw something for the first time.
The season finale came to a halt just before the start of Stage 2 after the pace car crashed into the sand barrels entering pit road. NASCAR put the red flag out to clean up something they never could have envisioned happening, let alone in a championship race.
Harvick, the FOX Sports announcer, called it an “epic failure” by the pace car driver, whom Harvick is wondering still has a job today.
“I’ve seen the pace car catch on fire, I’ve seen F1 pace cars spin out in the rain, but never just spin out on a 75-degree day in Phoenix turning onto pit road,” Harvick said on Tuesday’s “Happy Hour” podcast. “That was an epic failure. … There’s no way to hide it. Does he get fired? Is he evicted from the pace car duties? That was bad.”
OH MY GOODNESS.
— NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) November 10, 2024
The pace car crashed entering pit road. #NASCAR pic.twitter.com/NWkPeLXsVe
Joey Logano reacts to push for NASCAR to change playoff format
The pace car wreck fortunately did not become the major story coming out of the race. That belonged to Joey Logano and his capturing of a third Cup Series title. Logano led 107-of-312 laps, outlasting his fellow Championship 4 competitors Ryan Blaney, William Byron, Tyler Reddick and shutting up many fans who called him an undeserving champion.
Logano finished the season with an average finish of 17.1, the worst for a driver in a championship-winning season.
“Outside of what was brought up to me in the media center and a couple times today during media stuff, I haven’t heard much of it,” Logano said Tuesday of complaints about the playoff format, via Bob Pockrass of FOX Sports. “The part I don’t understand, and I said it the other day, we’ve been doing this for 11 years. And everyone thought it was awesome and now we don’t. What happened? Nothing changed. I don’t get it because as a race fan, if I take myself out of the car or I’ll just watch the Xfinity and the Truck stuff. The same format. I think it’s awesome. I love it.
“The regular season guys, do those guys get an advantage? Absolutely, it’s a pretty big one too. Does that mean that you can just go in cruise control throughout the playoffs? No, obviously. Can you go in cruise control in any other sport through the playoffs? No, you won’t make it to the end. Why do we need to change that? It makes no sense to me when I hear all of this. But whatever, I got the trophy, and I don’t really care.”
More must-reads:
- Ryan Blaney wins at New Hampshire, advances to Round of 8
- NASCAR power rankings: New Hampshire results in a new No. 1
- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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Ross Chastain: 'Cool to be disappointed with ninth' in NASCAR playoff race at New Hampshire
It may be tough for a NASCAR driver to be disappointed with a top-10 finish, but that's exactly where NASCAR Cup Series playoff driver Ross Chastain finds himself after the Round of 12 opener at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on Sunday. Chastain started Sunday's race in eighth — a major step up from his average starting position of 20th for the season. But the No. 1 Trackhouse Racing Chevrolet went backwards early in Sunday's race. Chastain finished 12th in Stage 1 and 13th in Stage 2, failing to snag any crucial stage points. By the time crew chief Phil Surgen was able to help Chastain move through the pack, it was too late, and Chastain was forced to settle for ninth on a day that could've had much more in store. "We started the race just way too tight," Chastain told USA Network. "Long day of adjustments for the 1 boys, the Kubota Chevy. Phil Surgen (took) some wedge out of it to get it turning, and then I had to keep dealing with the (corner) exit because we never had good forward drive like we thought we would. When we were too tight, we went backwards, and when it started turning better, I magically went forward. Cool to be disappointed with ninth." Chastain is currently the first driver below the cut line (-12) with two races remaining in the Round of 12. He'll go into the second race of the Round of 12 at Kansas Speedway (Sept. 28) as the defending winner of the Kansas fall race — and another win at the 1.5-mile track this fall would vault him into the Round of 8 for the first time since 2022.
Packers HC Matt LaFleur explains what's making him upset
Green Bay Packers head coach Matt LaFleur isn't happy after his team dropped a NFL Week 3 contest to the previously winless Cleveland Browns. It was a game that the Packers should have won, by all accounts. They gave in as a favorite on the road because over the first two weeks of the season, they looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender. That's feedback the Packers were apparently taking to heart before the Cleveland game, in a bad way. This was a team that was clearly overconfident and a squad that perhaps got caught looking at the big picture rather than than the week-to-week grind of the NFL. Heck, offensive tackle Rasheed Walker was talking about an undefeated season before the Week 3 loss. "I think we can go undefeated, honestly," Walker had said. LaFleur calls out the Packers The end result of the Packers' overconfidence was a disappointing 13-10, last-second loss that was ugly, sloppy and uninspiring. The Packers suffered a terrible Jordan Love interception that swung the game, and they lost on a last-second field goal after having what could have been a game-winning attempt of their own blocked. On Monday, LaFleur was clearly fed up and frustrated. "I've said it a million times to you guys — I don't think I've obviously said it enough to our team — the goal is to go 1-0 every week," he said, according to Rob Demovsky of ESPN. "And it pisses me off when we start talking about things outside of the next game. Things that are way down the road. Like, focus on, keep the focus on the present, on the now, and worry about getting better each and every day." Everyone else can look at the big picture, and for what it's worth, in the grand scheme of things, this is still a Packers team that can win the Super Bowl this season. They've got an elite defense that held Cleveland to zero points through three quarters, and when they're clicking, Love leads an offense that can put up points. A Week 3 loss won't determine the Packers' ultimate Super Bowl aspirations, but it's absolutely a sign that this team needs to get focused and stop reading its own press clippings. The phrase "any given Sunday" is around for a reason. The other team gets paid to try to beat you each and every single week, and the Packers clearly forgot that was the case with the Browns. Can they learn from it? That's clearly the message that LaFleur is trying to get across to his team. "I think it's always a good reminder, like, 'Hey guys, pump the brakes on everything. We're just trying to win one game at a time,'" LaFleur said. "And if you're thinking [beyond that] or have your sights set on anything outside of that, I think you're focused on the wrong things. Like, we've got to be focused on trying to get better. Obviously today, the focus is on first of all being honest about the tape and what the tape says, and then learning from that, and then it's moving on."
Details emerge on injury to Cowboys star wide receiver
The Dallas Cowboys’ defense endured another poor outing in Week 3. The team’s efforts to rebound will likely include a shorthanded unit on offense. CeeDee Lamb exited the Week 3 loss against the Bears with an ankle injury and did not return. It became clear afterwards that further testing would be needed to determine the severity of his injury. The All-Pro wideout now looks to be in line to miss time. “Certainly, he’s got a high ankle sprain and every one of those are different,” Cowboys COO Stephen Jones said of Lamb during a Monday appearance on 105.3 The Fan, via ESPN’s Todd Archer. “We’d love to have him back for Green Bay but at the same time we also got to understand the injury is what it is and we’ll play it out.” The Cowboys will play the Packers in Week 4, so Jones’ comments leave the door open to Lamb managing to avoid any missed time. Based on the reports which have emerged Monday afternoon, however, it appears far more likely Dallas will be without him for a short stretch. A timeline of two to four weeks is being considered internally, as first reported by Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News. Since then, both Archer and WFAA’s Ed Werder have pointed to an absence between three and four weeks. Provided those are accurate, Lamb can be considered a lock to at least miss the Cowboys’ upcoming game against a Green Bay defense featuring Micah Parsons. Injured reserve is not being considered in this case, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports. As such, Lamb is eligible to return at any time without needing to miss a stretch of four games or longer. The four-time Pro Bowler being back at full strength will be critical for the Cowboys’ offense, of course. On the other hand, it would be sensible to proceed with caution while managing Lamb’s injury. That could especially be true with George Pickens in the fold. Pickens will be counted on to operate as Dallas’ top pass-catching option until Lamb is healthy. It will be interesting to see when that will prove to be the case as the Cowboys aim to improve on their 1-2 start.
Green Bay Packers, Micah Parsons see another Dallas Cowboys offensive starter ruled out for Week 4
The Green Bay Packers are coming off of a frustrating and humiliating loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Going into the game, many expected Green Bay to win easily, but they fell 13-10 in what was one of the worst games in Matt LaFleur‘s tenure as head coach. It was, by far, the offense’s worst game of the season, and the special teams was its usual disappointing self. The Packers defense, though, performed admirably once again, allowing 13 points on short fields. Rashan Gary had two sacks, giving him an NFL-leading 4.5 on the season. Micah Parsons, as has been his norm since arriving in Green Bay, was a wrecking ball, drawing double-teams and penalties while still generating pressure on the quarterback. And as the Packers look to get back to their winning ways, they look ahead to Week Four and a Sunday night showdown with Parsons’ former team, the Dallas Cowboys, who will be without multiple key offensive players. Micah Parsons the Green Bay Packers defense will face a depleted Dallas Cowboys offensive line It is yet to be seen what the Packers offensive line will look like when they play Dallas this upcoming Sunday night. Zach Tom only played one snap against Cleveland before leaving with his oblique injury and Aaron Banks left later in the game with a groin issue. Unfortunately, Green Bay’s depth on the offensive line was not good enough to overcome the formidable Browns defensive front, who made life miserable for Jordan Love all game long. But this Sunday, the Packers will not be the only team taking the field in Dallas with injuries on the offensive line. The Cowboys, too, will be without two of their own starters after rookie Tyler Booker was revealed to have suffered a high ankle sprain: Booker suffered a high ankle sprain to Dallas’ blowout loss to the Chicago Bears. While he finished the game, he is going to be out for the next 4-6 weeks. Additionally, the Packers will not have to worry about All-Pro Cowboys wide receiver CeeDee Lamb, who will also be out for multiple weeks with an ankle sprain. Much has been said lately of Parsons returning to Dallas for the first time since the trade. And, given how beleaguered the Cowboys offensive line is, he could be in for a big game.
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