Grip Strip Podcast Episode 134 - How Do You Like Me Now?!

Phil and Josh return for E134 of the GSP to discuss the busy motorsports weekend along with NFL Week 1 - two words: phe nom in al...Darrell "Bubba" Wallace won his second career Cup Series race at Kansas locking the No.45 team into the second round of the Cup Owner Points playoffs.  Issues for the likes of Kevin Harvick and pole sitter Tyler Reddick leave them on the outside looking in with Bristol Night Race cutoff looming.  For Reddick, further news surrounds his situation since Kyle Busch's announcement joining RCR took place after recording.

Noah Gragson won for the fifth time in 2022 in a rain-shortened XFinity race at Kansas.  During recording, the cutoff stood at 13 points between Sheldon Creed and Ryan Seig on the bump.   However, Jeremy Clements appeal was heard and his win was reinstated.  For the Trucks, John Hunter Nemechek won for the 2nd time in 2022 at a crucial point in his career, making a last-lap pass on Carson Hocevar who was trying to back into the Round of 8.  Hocevar and three-time champion Matt Crafton were eliminated with Bristol on the horizon.

IndyCar crowned Will Power as a two-time champion after he broke the pole record long held by Mario Andretti the day before.  Josef Newgarden was left to wonder about his season after winning five times and coming from tail back as Rusty would say to finish second on Sunday.  Alex Palou took a dominant victory in his final race as champion, with further news coming during the week regarding where he and Felix Rosenqvist will drive in 2023.  The guys covered other key news items that were in play prior to recent announcements. 

Formula 1 saw controversy regarding the end of the race yet again at Monza but Max Verstappen continues to win.  Charles Leclerc and George Russell started on the front row after grid penalties were assessed, but the Red Bull driver is on a different level this season.  Nyck De Vries made his F1 debut in relief of Alex Albon and scored points for the Williams team, which probably signals where they will be going for their second seat in 2023. 

The Roundup covered F2/F3 at Monza, WEC at Fuji Speedway, WSBK in Magny Cours, Supercars at Pukekohe, NHRA at Maple Grove for their playoff opener and MotoGP/Moto2 at Aragon before Phil and Josh gave their thoughts on NFL Week 1 for their respective actual and fantasy teams.  The guys previewed and made picks for the Bristol Tripleheader weekend before Josh's Sim Segment and Show Close.