Photo via: Kylebusch.com
This week, the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series heads for Wine Country in Sonoma California for the Toyota Save Mart 350. This track is the first of three road courses on the schedule. Since 1989, this track has been one of NASCAR's most prolific tracks on the NASCAR racing circuit. This year the track will bring back the "carousel" around corners 4-7 to commemorate this track's rich fifty year history. This decision was met with great praise by fans and drivers alike as it adds a new dimension to the race. The section features an elevation change and plenty of passing zones. This should definitely be the place to watch come Sunday.
While the NASCAR Monster Energy Cup Series was on an off-week after Joey Logano went on to victory at Michigan, both the Gander Outdoor Truck and Xfinity Series drivers were in Iowa. While rising star Christopher Bell was easily able to race to victory in the Xfinity race, the controversy occurred during the truck race. Early on, Austin Hill and Johnny Sauter were involved in an altercation after Hill hit the right rear quarter panel of Sauter causing him to crash into the wall. During a caution period, Sauter retaliated by T-Boning Hill into the turn two wall. In response to this, NASCAR parked Sauter for the duration of the race.
To add insult to injury, on Tuesday it was announced that he would be suspended for this week's race at Gateway motor speedway. While many people didn't agree with NASCAR's sanctions, I think that it was the right call. What he did was inexcusable, he not only damaged his own truck more but he also nearly ruined Austin's day. While I can understand his frustration, wrecking someone under caution is not a move that will do you many favors with the powers that be. On the bright side, he will not lose his eligibility for the playoffs which would usually happen should a driver be suspension.
After all the dust settled, Ross Chastain went on to win his second race of the season until he failed post-race inspection after his truck was deemed too low. This gave the victory to second place finisher Brett Moffitt who led a grand total of zero laps. It was simply one of the most bizarre weekends in NASCAR history as a precedent has been set for drivers who fail inspection in all three levels of NASCAR. While I hate to see him lose a race in something that he didn't have a lot to do with, it is good to see NASCAR stick by the rules they set at the beginning of the season. It will definitely make drivers and teams think twice before they try and skate by the rules.
The driver that I have winning this week is Kurt Busch. Over the course of Kurt's Hall Of Fame worthy career, he has really evolved into one of the elite road course drivers on the grid. You have to go all the way back to 2014 to find the last time Kurt finished outside of the top ten here. He just seems to know this track inside and out and while there will be a new layout this week, I think he will have no issue figuring out this race track. I look for Busch to continue his stellar 2019 with his first win of the season.
(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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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!
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