Oh so close, but oh so far. Another week, and more fuel mileage strategy was what determined the winner.
The drivers one would expect to be out front were there. Guys by the name of Biffle, Gordon, Stewart and Edwards all found time at the front. Everyone was expecting one of these drivers to be in the hunt as the laps wound down, and they were right.
The problem was, the fuel in the tank was not enough to get them to the finish.
Each of those drivers pitted on lap 205 of the 267 lap event, meaning there was no way to go that distance on fuel (the average was 52-56 laps). The contenders fell as laps clicked away, but some of the drivers that pitted later soon found themselves in another interesting situation.
Three of the top-10 drivers at the time pitted on lap 211, meaning it would be right on the cusp of making it the distance. All three drivers found themselves either conserving, or being told they would make it.
A familiar face, in a familiar situation, was Dale Earnahrdt Jr. Two straight weeks, he was closing in on victory using fuel strategy to get the win. Once again, there was heartbreak as Junior wound up short, but a second-place finish gave his team a boost.
The one driver who played the smart card on fuel, and the team that took the biggest risk, was Brad Keselowski. He was in need of 57 laps of fuel to make it to the end. As the laps came off the board, he kept his lead big, but also showed exactly how saving fuel can be done. In the car, he was off the gas, but on the clutch, keeping the RPM's down on the engine. Not once did he cut the engine off, just let it coast.
It was enough to keep his momentum despite a closing Junior to capture his first win since 2009, and the first for Penske Racing in a points race since last May. It was also the first win for Dodge on the year, showing that Penske is still a force to deal with on the track.
No victory for our writers, but the unique picks and finishes have made the points extremely interesting. Here's a look at the standings after the STP 400 at Kansas:
Kelly Crandall (478) Greg Biffle finished 10th (2)
Sal Sigala Jr. (456) Jeff Gordon finished fourth (2)
Christopher Leone (434) Greg Biffle finished 10th (2)
Billy Fellin (433) Jimmie Johnson finished seventh (2)
Rob Tiongson (430) Jeff Gordon finished fourth (1)
James Broomhead (414) Greg Biffle finished 10th (1)
Misan Ayuka (409) Jamie McMurray finished 29th (2)
Kara Martin (405) Tony Stewart finished eighth (1)
Dustin Parks (390) A.J. Allmendinger finished 27th (0)
Ryan O'Hara (388) Jeff Gordon finished fourth (1)
Michael Hirshbein (387) Kyle Busch finished 12th (2)
Summer Dreyer (334) NO PICK SENT (0)
WRITER'S NOTE: Ryan sent his pick to me on Saturday night as he was with family in Massachusetts when the tornadoes hit. He was without service until then as he was in town for his grandfather's funeral and then the disaster struck. It was not posted in the picks article, but he messaged me personally to make me aware of what was happening.
NEXT RACE: From one track that came down to fuel mileage to a speedway that is known for coming down to fuel mileage. There's not four turns at this track; its time to triangulate the speedway as NASCAR heads to my home state of Pennsylvania.
Call it a "roa-val" or a tricky triangle, but it's a track that is always one to watch. Eyes head to the Pocono Mountains and the Pocono Raceway. Three different straightaways, three different corners, and 200 laps to determine the next winner in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
Writers, it will certainly be interesting who will be victorious at this interesting track. But, picks for the Pocono 500 are due by Thursday, June 9, at 10 p.m. ET. Yes, I have extended the deadline one hour to assist in picking, and also for personal reasons.
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