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This Saturday, the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads for Richmond Raceway for the Federated Auto Parts 400. This is the second race of the round of 16 in NASCAR's playoffs. This track is a 0.75 mile oval with fourteen degrees of banking. It is one of the more spacious short-tracks on the schedule as there are many grooves where drivers can pass which usually calls for a lot of passing and battles for position. The last time the cup series was here, Martin Truex Jr was able to fend off both Clint Bowyer and Joey Logano in one of the best races of the year. If that race was any indication, this should be a good one.
Last week, as predicted Martin Truex Jr went on to claim his fifth win of 2019. During late race pit stops, Truex was able to pass Kevin Harvick for the win and punched his ticket to the round of 12. While Truex and his team celebrating, his teammate Kyle Busch stole all the headlines. The beginning of the day was a struggle for the 2015 Champion after he bounced off the wall in turn two. As a result, he went two laps down and appeared to be out of contention for the win.
Amazingly, Kyle blazed through the field not only making up both the laps but also entering the top five. It appeared as if he was going to finish in the top four but entering turn one, he got together with lap-car Garrett Smithley. To make Matters worse, he then made contact with another lap car in Joey Gase in turn four. This severely damaged his front bumper and relegated him to a 19th place finish. When the race was over, Busch was asked about the contact with the drivers he responded by saying "We are in the top echelon of motorsports and we have guys out there that haven't even won a late model race. It's pathetic, they don't know where to go."
He then channeled his inner Marshawn Lynch after responding with "I am just here so I don't get fined" when interviewed by other journalists. Overall, at first I could understand how he could be frustrated, but I think his anger was misdirected. He should have been upset with his spotter who told him the lapped car was going to go to the outside. At first I agreed with Kyle, I thought that Smithley could have been more courteous to cars much faster than him but after watching the replay, I think that Kyle's anger might have been misguided. Going into the corner, Garrett held his line as Kyle's spotter, Tony Hirschman said he was going to move the outside line. Overall when it comes down to it, I think this was just part of racing. Garrett Smithley had no intention to go out there and get in anyone's way and it just turned out to be a perfect storm when Kyle got around to him.
What I didn't like about this whole ordeal was the way Kyle treated the media after the race. While I get his frustration, swearing at these people who are just trying to do their job is counterproductive and only makes him look more unlikeable. His comments about Smithley and Gase were also unnecessary considering their paths to get to the Cup series. Sure, there are some drivers that got there for what they bring to underfunded teams but both of these drivers have done more than enough to earn their spot in the cup series. His comments were also extremely ignorant by Kyle considering Gase won a late model track championship back in 2007 in Wisconsin.
It was announced earlier this week that Daniel Hemric would be released from his contract at the end of 2019 and will not return to the #8 Caterpillar Camaro for Richard Childress Racing. This comes as a surprise considering Hemric has only been in the Cup series for one season and many would say he wasn't given a fair chance and to an extent they are right, he wasn't really given a lot of time to prove himself but getting a fresh start might not be the worst thing for him. It will be interesting to see where he will go next season. One would suggest that he will move down and go to the Xfinity series where he was so good in the past; that might be a good way for him to gain more experience. The driver who is more than likely to take his place is 2018 Xfinity series champion Tyler Reddick. He impressed many fans this year after finishing ninth at Kansas in a part-time Cup Series Effort with Richard Childress in the #31 car. His promotion seems to be well earned as he has been in contention for many wins this year in the Xfinity series and appears to be a contender to win his second championship. He is part of a youth movement that includes Christopher Bell and Cole Custer as they both look to secure a ride in the Cup series as well.
The driver that I have winning this Saturday is Denny Hamlin. As it has been mentioned before, this is his home track so it is extra important for him to run well anytime he is there. He has gone on record saying he would rather win here at Richmond than anywhere else on the schedule and since then he has done it three times. Statistically speaking, this has been Hamlin's best season since 2010. He is a legitimate championship contender and one many would put in the final four at Homestead but in order to get there, he has to get to the round of 12 first and that's what I think he will do by winning here at Richmond. Over the course of his 26 races here, this is hamlin's second best track statistically as he has an average finish of 9.38 the second best among all active drivers only behind his teammate Kyle Busch. Look for Hamlin to take the #11 Fedex Camry to victory lane.
(All stats and information used in this article is brought to you by the good folks at driveraverages.com and Racing-Reference.com the best website for all NASCAR stats).
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After dropping a frustrating series to the Chicago White Sox, the Houston Astros find themselves in a familiar position—searching for answers, but still within striking distance. Despite their inconsistency, Houston sits just three games behind the AL West-leading Mariners, who are currently 7 games over .500 and riding an 8-2 stretch. For as up-and-down as the Astros have been, the division remains tantalizingly close.
That inconsistency was on full display throughout the White Sox series. Jake Meyers and Zach Dezenzo each played the roles of both hero and heartbreaker. Dezenzo launched a massive home run in Game 3, a moment that energized the dugout and briefly shifted momentum. But his costly defensive error later in the game flipped the script. Meyers was a spark plug in Houston’s lone win, delivering a clutch performance at the plate, only to run the team out of a rally in the finale when he was picked off second—right before Jeremy Peña ripped what would have been an RBI single.
Jose Altuve’s struggles are quietly becoming more worrisome. He’s recorded just one multi-hit game since April 19 and has only one homer since April 8. On Sunday, he swung at the first pitch after Lance McCullers had grinded through a 33-pitch inning—a decision that raised questions about his awareness in a veteran moment. Should manager Joe Espada have reminded Altuve of the situation? Or is this on Altuve, who should have known what to do as one of the team leaders?
Signs of life
There are flickers of life from the bats. Last week, Houston's team OPS was an underwhelming .667 (23rd in MLB), with a slugging percentage of .357 (25th). They've nudged those numbers up to .684 (19th) and .370 (21st), respectively. It’s modest progress, but enough to suggest this offense might be trending in the right direction. Still, their 5-5 record over the last 10 games feels emblematic of who they are right now—a .500 team with both talent and flaws.
Looking ahead
The upcoming schedule could be a turning point. Three of the next five opponents have losing records, and none of them are elite. This stretch offers a prime opportunity for Houston to finally build momentum and close the gap in the division—assuming the Mariners cool off from their current tear, which seems inevitable given their unsustainable 8-2 pace.
McCullers is officially back!
Lance McCullers returned for the first time since 2022 and, despite being limited to 3.2 innings due to command issues (three walks and a hit batter), there were encouraging signs. His velocity was there, and the stuff looked sharp. It’s a start, and perhaps a step toward stabilizing a rotation that still needs length.
Steering the ship
Manager Joe Espada, however, continues to draw scrutiny. His decision-making in the finale raised eyebrows again. Giving Isaac Paredes a day off when Yordan Alvarez was already sitting left the lineup depleted. Rather than using promising young infielder/outfielder Cam Smith, he opted for Mauricio Dubón and Brendan Rodgers—a defensive combo that didn't inspire confidence. It feels at times like Espada isn’t prioritizing winning the final game of a series, a pattern that could haunt the team down the stretch.
The plot thickens
Meanwhile, Christian Walker’s slump is dragging on. He went 0-for-5 twice in the last two series and looks out of sync at the plate. The Astros need more from their power hitters if they hope to make a real run. And with Alvarez now heading to the IL with hand inflammation, runs will be even harder to come by.
All told, this team still feels like one hovering just above or below .500. But in a division that remains wide open, the path forward is clear: play better, hope the Mariners come back to earth, and capitalize on a soft schedule. The race is far from over—but it’s time for Houston to start acting like contenders.
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!
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