2020 NASCAR Preview: Week 17 – Kentucky

The boys ran at Indy last week, a race that looked to be well within Denny Hamlin’s grasp, coasting to a victory before a tire blew on his car and sent him careening into the wall. We went to Overtime, and Kevin Harvick — again — walked away with the checkers: second time in three races, and second straight time at The Brickyard.

Today they move onto Kentucky, where 400 miles await them after weeks removed from an intermediate track.

Here’s what to look for:

#RowdyNation It’s Race Day!
📺 FS1
🕰 2:30 pm ET. @mmschocolate | #TeamToyota pic.twitter.com/s4ekCDThcT

— Kyle Busch (@KyleBusch) July 12, 2020

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–Kyle Busch has the best average over the last nine races, a stunning 4.7. How in the planet? Today the Cup Series gets its tenth run at the track, where you can bet on a surefire Top 5 out of this guys; through that span he’s had two Wins, and seven Top 5s. Annnd he’s starting 1st today. Wow!

Haven’t finished outside the top-10 at @KySpeedway in Cup. Plan on keeping it that way. 😎#QS400, tomorrow at 2:30p ET on FS1.#TeamTOYOTA @ToyotaRacing pic.twitter.com/E3ryS5smGJ

— Erik Jones (@Erik_Jones) July 11, 2020

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-Teammate Erik Jones is our second best average here, 5.3 in the last three races. He ripped off a 6th and 7th in his first two, but drilled home a 3rd in 2019. He’s had glimpses of solid finishes this year, but hasn’t had that hallmark run yet. Today could be the day!

Never gets old watching this finish.@KurtBusch | @KyleBusch pic.twitter.com/SZhbf6Jjtc

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) July 12, 2020

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–Kurt Busch was the Better Busch topping Shrub (it’s a little bush/Busch..I didn’t give him that nickname!..) in 2019. Kurt is averaging 10.3 here, and eyeballing it, that looks about right. Six Top 10s in nine races, probably adding another today.

The @AutoOwnersIns #MoodyBlue #Camry is back and ready to tame @KySpeedway ! @MartinTruex_Jr won on the 1.5 mile track in 2017-‘18. He’ll start ninth on Sunday. #AORacing pic.twitter.com/UNHXj5d3kV

— Joe Gibbs Racing (@JoeGibbsRacing) July 10, 2020

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–Martin Truex Jr. is one of our repeat winners at Kentucky. Brad Keselowski had three here, but those weren’t back-to-back in 2017 and 2018. Martin is craving a solid finish here, too. Things haven’t been been going the way of the Mayetta, NJ native, but a return to familiarity could spark something within. (While he did win at Martinsville, he’s only had two Top 5s all year.)

All about those All Star gainz! Vote @Cbellracing into the #NASCAR All-Star race!

👉 https://t.co/oTByi3VgH2 pic.twitter.com/zWKhgH6pOe

— Toyota Racing (@ToyotaRacing) July 10, 2020

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–Christopher Bell has yet to run here in a Cup car, but I dug into some research on the Xfinity side of things. Most of the numbers I’ve found haven’t steered me wrong this year, so what did we come up with? In two races there, he’s got a 1.5 average with a Win and two Top 5s. Wow! I just realized I wrote about a Chevy and four Toyotas today. Since all of those Toyotas are affiliated (Kyle Busch, Jones, and Truex Jr. are all Joe Gibbs Racing guys, Bell’s team is a satellite team to them), could be a good week to back one or more of them.

Back to the griddle, been a busy coupl’a weeks. Today, we’ve got a Kentucky breakfast staple:

Hot Brown (Photo: Lisa Kuhmann)

Hot Brown! In addition to having one of the best names ever for a sandwich meal, this stuff is pretty filling and definitely tasty. Lots of butter and parmesan make up the cheese blanket, and buried under the sauce canopy and bacon is a whole bunch of turkey and toast. Wowsers! Kentucky sure knows how to get it done for breakfast: X marks the spot! Nice job, Leese!