NASCAR on NBC analyst Steve Letarte on Kevin Harvick’s surge into championship contender; the struggles of Denny Hamlin’s pit crew and what it means for Joe Gibbs Racing; how the NASCAR Cup Series pit stop has changed; the strategy gamble that nearly won Richmond for Christopher Bell … and why didn’t more teams try it?; Richmond being a tough track to stay on top of for teams that start well; Richmond’s brand of short-track racing; Harvick embracing the role of being the successful old guy; Kimi Raikkonen’s Cup debut at Watkins Glen.
On Kevin Harvick’s surge into championship contender … and how deep the No. 4 might go in the playoffs (1:30); why Michigan was a surprise but Richmond wasn’t (3:00); how Harvick has seemed different (in a good way) this season (5:15); and what that says about his faith and trust in Stewart-Haas Racing (7:30); the lack of execution for Denny Hamlin’s pit crew (9:00); and Stevie’s aggressive solution for fixing it (11:00); how the NASCAR pit stop is now like a slant route (13:15); remembering a time in 2010 when switching pit crews won a Cup championship (14:30); how such a decision might be broached (16:30): the strategy gamble that nearly won Richmond for Christopher Bell (18:30); Stevie’s befuddlement and disappointment with crew chiefs lacking creativity with pit strategy (20:30); the case for making race strategy an art form (23:30): why was it hard for many teams to stay on top of Richmond and keep up after running well earlier (27:00); some thoughts on Richmond’s style of short-track racing (29:00); and short-track racing in general (31:30); the eBay Motors MotorMouths of the Race: A quote from Kevin Harvick taking pride in “Old Guys Rule” (36:00); Watkins Glen preview: A race with a lot of foreign-born flavor (41:00).