Photo via: Wiki Commons.
This week the NASCAR Cup Series heads for Richmond Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400. This will be the second race of the round of 16 as the chase continues on. This is a 0.75 mile short track with high enough banking for plenty of side-by-side racing. There are multiple grooves here, so we will be able to see a lot of high speeds but as they always are, restarts will be pivotal. More often than not, the race will be decided on a restart. I look for the driver who is starting on the inside to have the optimal lane to try and make a pass for the lead. This should be a fun race considering where we are in the playoffs, so don't be surprised if someone uses the bumper for the win.
Last week at Darlington, Kevin Harvick was in the right place at the right time as he was able to capture his eighth win of 2020 after Chase Elliott and Martin Truex Jr. both crashed into the turn 1 wall in the closing stages. Coming into turn one, Truex thought he had Chase clear, but he didn't and ran into the wall ending any chance of victory. This was the center of much debate as each fan of each driver was highly critical of both Truex and Elliott. When the race was over, Truex took the blame but overall, it seemed like it was just one of those racing deals. Either way, it cost them both a win and now Chase heads to undoubtedly his worst track at Richmond behind the eight ball. This will be an interesting storyline come Saturday. Regardless, Kevin Harvick continued to prove why he is the best out here this season as he was able to capitalize and hold off a hard charging Austin Dillon to win his second race at Darlington in 2020.
While Harvick may have taken home the victory, Austin Dillon was the story of the race. This was a driver that many had counted out. A lot of people didn't believe that he could make it to the round of 12, but he went out there and proved everyone wrong as he nearly went on to win. If there is one driver who can establish himself as a sleeper, it's him as he has been having one of the best years of his career that included a win at Texas Motor Speedway. It hasn't been all sunshine for him this year though as back in August he became the second driver to come down with COVID. But overall, he bounced back and now sits eighth in points and is in a good position to move on. I hope to see Dillon and the #3 Camaro continue to improve this week at Richmond.
The Silly season dominoes continue to fall this week and there were two MAJOR stories that dominated the headlines. On Wednesday, it was announced that 7-time champion Jimmie Johnson would be signing a two-year deal with Chip Ganassi to race on the road courses in IndyCar in 2021. This doesn't come as much of a surprise to me at as this has been speculated on since January when he showed up to the Austin IndyCar test in February. He will be paired up with Scott Dixon who is probably the best driver in the series and Felix Rosenqvist a 2nd year driver who has shown a lot of speed. This will definitely be interesting to watch as the NASCAR legend learns a brand-new series.
The other major headline is where Bubba Wallace will be racing in 2021 as it was announced Thursday that he will not be returning to the #43 team for Richard Petty Motorsports. This doesn't necessarily come as a surprise as he seemed to be fielding offers from other teams such as Chip Ganassi Racing. They become the favorite to land him as the spot was vacated by Kyle Larson earlier this year after he was suspended for using a racial slur. Personally, I think this would give Bubba a good chance to show his talents as he will be taking over a ride that can run around the Top 10 for the most part. Over the last few weeks, he has been gaining a lot of sponsors including Kingsford Charcoal and Urban Outfitters, so the market is there. I look for him to be a big get for any team.
The driver that I have winning this week is Martin Truex Jr. After last week's disappointment, I look for Truex to bounce back and get his second victory of the season. There have been a lot of highs and lows this year for the 2017 Champion, but over the last few weeks until Darlington, he has been on an insane run of top five finishes rattling off eight in a row including five consecutive third place finishes before starting the chase, so he is due for a win. It was hard to believe that last year's win here was his first at a short track but since he finally got over that, he has almost been unstoppable on tracks like these. I look for Truex to dominate this week and clinch his spot into the next round.
It’s May 1, and the Astros are turning heads—but not for the reasons anyone expected. Their resurgence, driven not by stars like Yordan Alvarez or Christian Walker, but by a cast of less-heralded names, is writing a strange and telling early-season story.
Christian Walker, brought in to add middle-of-the-order thump, has yet to resemble the feared hitter he was in Arizona. Forget the narrative of a slow starter—he’s never looked like this in April. Through March and April of 2025, he’s slashing a worrying .196/.277/.355 with a .632 OPS. Compare that to the same stretch in 2024, when he posted a .283 average, .496 slug, and a robust .890 OPS, and it becomes clear: this is something more than rust. Even in 2023, his April numbers (.248/.714 OPS) looked steadier.
What’s more troubling than the overall dip is when it’s happening. Walker is faltering in the biggest moments. With runners in scoring position, he’s hitting just .143 over 33 plate appearances, including 15 strikeouts. The struggles get even more glaring with two outs—.125 average, .188 slugging, and a .451 OPS in 19 such plate appearances. In “late and close” situations, when the pressure’s highest, he’s practically disappeared: 1-for-18 with a .056 average and a .167 OPS.
His patience has waned (only 9 walks so far, compared to 20 by this time last year), and for now, his presence in the lineup feels more like a placeholder than a pillar.
The contrast couldn’t be clearer when you look at José Altuve—long the engine of this franchise—who, in 2024, delivered in the moments Walker is now missing. With two outs and runners in scoring position, Altuve hit .275 with an .888 OPS. In late and close situations, he thrived with a .314 average and .854 OPS. That kind of situational excellence is missing from this 2025 squad—but someone else may yet step into that role.
And yet—the Astros are winning. Not because of Walker, but in spite of him.
Houston’s offense, in general, hasn’t lit up the leaderboard. Their team OPS ranks 23rd (.667), their slugging 25th (.357), and they sit just 22nd in runs scored (117). They’re 26th in doubles, a rare place for a team built on gap-to-gap damage.
But where there’s been light, it hasn’t come from the usual spots. Jeremy Peña, often overshadowed in a lineup full of stars, now boasts the team’s highest OPS at .791 (Isaac Paredes is second in OPS) and is flourishing in his new role as the leadoff hitter. Peña’s balance of speed, contact, aggression, and timely power has given Houston a surprising tone-setter at the top.
Even more surprising: four Astros currently have more home runs than Yordan Alvarez.
And then there’s the pitching—Houston’s anchor. The rotation and bullpen have been elite, ranking 5th in ERA (3.23), 1st in WHIP (1.08), and 4th in batting average against (.212). In a season where offense is lagging and clutch hits are rare, the arms have made all the difference.
For now, it’s the unexpected contributors keeping Houston afloat. Peña’s emergence. A rock-solid pitching staff. Role players stepping up in quiet but crucial ways. They’re not dominating, but they’re grinding—and in a sluggish AL West, that may be enough.
Walker still has time to find his swing. He showed some signs of life against Toronto and Detroit. If he does, the Astros could become dangerous. If he doesn’t, the turnaround we’re witnessing will be credited to a new cast of unlikely faces. And maybe, that’s the story that needed to be written.
We have so much more to discuss. Don't miss the video below as we examine the topics above and much, much more!
The MLB season is finally upon us! Join Brandon Strange, Josh Jordan, and Charlie Pallilo for the Stone Cold ‘Stros podcast which drops each Monday afternoon, with an additional episode now on Thursday!
*ChatGPT assisted.
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