Not so long ago, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was all the rage for all the wrong reasons.
He was caught in the middle of internet gossip chatter after a highly publicized breakup with Danica Patrick. It's usually never a good thing when your private business is splattered on tmz.com.
Danica has moved away from both NASCAR and Stenhouse. She also has found a new love, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
The TMZ gang has moved on as well, capturing Danica and Aaron in a romantic smooth in February. "AARON RODGERS RACES TO MEXICO W/DANICA ... Besame Mucho!" screamed the headline.
Stenhouse has carried on solo, both professionally and personally, as the only one still racing in NASCAR's Monster Energy Cup circuit.
It had been of a bumpy ride until Monday at Bristol, where he finished fourth, moving up the charts in the points standings. He is now ranked 18th overall.
Previously, Stenhouse had finishes of 29, 16, 14, 23, 18, 37 and 25.
"We were fighting track position, gaining it and losing it back-and-forth over the last two days but, all in all, it was a really strong run for our Sunny D Ford," Stenhouse said. "We had a good Friday, a good Saturday and a good race on Sunday and Monday. I'm glad we were able to get it all in, and we appreciate the fans for sticking around."
The strong finish at Bristol is encouraging for other reasons. Stenhouse, 30, had two victories last season _ but they were both on restrictor-plate tracks in Daytona and Talladega.
Restrictor-plate tracks offer a quirky variable, giving everybody a lottery ticket because of the heavy carnage that takes out so many drivers. It can easily set up a one-and-done scenario (see Trevor Bayne, 2011 Daytona 500).
Those are the only two victories for Stenhouse in a Cup Series career that spans eight years.
Like Bayne, Stenhouse is a good guy with an engaging personality. But you still need something more to get you to the finish line.
"All in all, a great weekend for us," Stenhouse said. "Hopefully this will kind of get us going and kick-start us into next week and the rest of the season."
Perhaps best of all, the TMZ gang was nowhere to be found.
