The NASCAR Sprint Cup and Camping World Truck Series finished a doubleheader weekend of racing at the 1.5-mile Kansas Speedway for the GoBowling.com 400 and the Toyota Tundra 250. Here are five takeaways from the weekend in Kansas:
- Toyota Domination: It was apparent on Saturday evening that Toyota would be the manufacturer to beat throughout the season. Toyota teams continued their dominance in the Sprint Cup Series in the GoBowling.com 400. Toyota was able to sweep the weekend at Kansas with wins in both national series. Chevy may have a strong competitor in the manufacturer’s standings by Homestead.
- Truck Race: The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race was probably the most exciting race of the weekend at Kansas. Every lap had drama building and unfolding until the finish where William Byron won the race. The excitement and drama in the Toyota Tundra 250 shed a strong light onto a comparison to a “lackluster” race in the GoBowling.com 400.
- Kyle Busch: Kyle Busch is in his prime. He currently has three wins in 2016. He was able to win for the first time at Kansas, leaving only Pocono and Charlotte as the only two tracks in which he has not won at. Busch is always in contention for the race win no matter what track the Sprint Cup series go to. It will be interesting to watch and see how many races he will win in 2016.
- “It’s on us.”: In the driver’s meeting for the GoBowling.com 400, NASCAR admitted that it made a mistake on a late race restart in the Toyota Tundra 250. Many drivers asked NASCAR Executives in the meeting about the call that was made. It is amazing to see that a sanctioning body would admit to a mistake. We usually do not see that in other major sports.
- Tough night for Hendrick: The highest finishing driver for Hendrick Motorsports was Chase Elliott, who finished in the ninth position at Kansas Speedway. Although they finished in the top-20, it is apparent that Hendrick is losing its momentum as top team in NASCAR. Have we seen the Hendrick dominance slowly begin to fade away? Jimmie Johnson usually has more than one win at this point in the season. It will be interesting to see how Hendrick Motorsports will phase during the “meat and potatoes” of the season.
What are your takeaways from the events at Kansas Speedway?
I am 19 years old from Atlanta, GA. I have been following motorsports since I was born. Motorsports has been "passed down" in my family. I am named after NASCAR Hall of Famer, William Caleb Yarborough, also known as Cale. Growing up in the southeast, racing was something that was a Sunday tradition after church. What an honor it is to share that passion with others.
Latest posts by Caleb Whisler (see all)
- Busch Sweeps at Bristol - August 20, 2017
- Busch Wins UNOH 200 From Pole - August 17, 2017
- Busch Scores NCWTS Bristol Pole - August 16, 2017