It’s hard to
believe we only have 10 more races till the Chase! With that, comes the talk of
the wildcard battle. This is the beginning of a showdown between a group of
drivers fighting for those two elusive spots that will get them in the Chase
for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Who will be the ones to just barely get in the top
10 and who will be the two to clinch the WC (Wildcard) spots, either by points
or by wins? Here are my thoughts about 6 possible contenders in current
position order.
10th – Martin Truex Jr.
I have to say, I thought that Martin
would just miss a WC spot because he wouldn’t get a win... not anymore! Currently,
he is 8 points inside the top 10, but I don’t think he will stay there. Luckily
for him, with the win at Sonoma, he just became one of the top contenders for
the WC. I think Martin will run strong enough to stay somewhere between 11th
– 14th, and will be one to watch.
11th – Kasey Kahne
Kasey stands 8 points outside of the
top 10, but I don’t think that will be for long. Kasey had a 3 race streak of
finishing outside of the top 20, but rallied back at Sonoma with a 6th.
If Kasey gets back to the way he usually runs, I don’t think he will have to
use his win to get in the Chase. I can see Kasey climbing back into the top 10,
and getting out of the WC talk completely.
13th – Jeff Gordon
Jeff, so far, has had another crazy
year, which makes it hard to predict how he might do. Jeff is 12 points outside
of the top 10, and because of his finishes, I think he will stay in that
vicinity. He did have a 2nd place finish, though, and if he finishes
decent this week at Kentucky, it might mark the start of an upswing. If that
proves true, I think he may be a contender for the wildcard. As we saw in 2012,
you can never count Jeff out. Because he won the fall Pocono race, he was able
to clinch a WC spot and finished 10th last season.
14th – Joey Logano
Joey is one of the four drivers I
highlighted in a previous article “The Silent Four”. Since then he has
continued to do well. He has gained 4 positions in the standings and is now in
14th, just 14 points outside the top 10! In the last 5 races he has
4 top 10’s and an 11th place finish. I think Joey could continue rising
all the way to 12th, but will probably need a WC spot to get in the
Chase. With how he has been running lately, I wouldn’t be surprised if a win is
just around the corner.
15th – Tony Stewart
Tony has been up and down in his
finishes all year, which makes him even more unpredictable. He sits 15th,
20 points out. The first part of the season, Tony did not do well at all.
Lately, he had a streak of 5 races in the top 15, but that was just stopped by
a 28th place finish at Sonoma. I can see Tony going down in the
standings as easily as I can see him going up! What will be in Tony’s favor,
though, is the very likely possibility of getting a 2nd win. Of these
six drivers, he is one of the few who I think can. If he does, he will almost
certainly clinch a WC spot.
17th – Kurt Busch
Kurt is definitely a contender for
the WC spot, despite being in 17th, 28 points out. That will be a
problem for Kurt, but as we have all seen, he has been running good. He has 3
top 10s in the last 5 races, and I think could win a race any week now. If he
does, he’s going to improve his rank in the standings. There are, however, too
many guys ahead of him that are primed for a win…so much so, that the two
wildcard takers will probably both be somewhere between 11th – 15th.
If he can make it into the top 15, he will probably be bigger threat.
The Wildcard spots were a great
addition that NASCAR added to the Chase. Because of it, we get to enjoy an
intense battle as the chase approaches. You could say it’s like an appetizer
right before the main course. I’m looking forward to it this year and with
that… Let the battle begin!
6/29/13
6/22/13
Kurt and Dale
Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr…
I think they have something in common. What possibly could that be? Well, public image changes recently.
Let me explain. I have been noticing changes in “public” Dale in the last 2 years and changes in Kurt just in the last few months. When you see them in an interview now, they are different then how they once were. They seem calm, relaxed, articulate, and smooth. How did they get there, though? I believe it is something they might have in common as well: People in their life. Before, Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not seem to like interviews with the media. He seemed rather uncomfortable and ready to get it over with. When asked a question, he would give short answers and often look at the ground. Then came the 10th anniversary of his father’s passing and his pairing up with Steve Letarte as his crew chief. That’s when I started to notice a change. I think the 10 year mark of the day his father passed was somewhat of a closure for Junior. That day will always hurt, but I think he has finally come to terms with it. Also, Steve seems to have pulled Earnhardt slowly out of his shell. Earnhardt admitted in an interview a few years ago that while he was at the track, he stayed mostly in his RV. He didn’t go restaurants around the track or other public outings like that. When Letarte became his crew chief, though, he helped Dale get out more and enjoy the uniqueness of each track’s town. The two seem not only to get along well, but work together well, too. Dale seems happier, healthier, and more motivated than he has been in a long time. Because of that, I’ve seen a completely new side of Dale.
Two things last year caught my eye. First, Dale wrote a heart-felt letter to his 16 year old self. It was very reflective and read like something that he put a lot of time and thought into. It showed a much deeper side of him. After that, because he said he felt compelled, Dale wrote a good-sized article about his love for the Washington Redskins. Dale became literary Dale, and was good at it too! Who knew that the guy who usually answered questions in no more than 10 words, could express himself in that way! Then the change became noticeable in his interviews. He elaborated in way he had never done before and actually seemed relaxed. To take it a step further, Dale actually commentated part of the Michigan Nationwide race! I thought he did very well. Along with these changes off track, has come changes on track. Dale has become a better driver and the whole team is performing great. I think Dale is on the rise, and will soon start getting those wins.
Now let’s talk about Kurt. I honestly thought Kurt was done. After all the rants, threats to the media, fines, suspensions, and getting demoted to a “B” team, the only thing that seemed to keep Kurt from disappearing completely was his large amount of talent. In the recent months though, I have seen a change I never thought I would see, and I think it came from his girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll. She has stood by her man and has maybe even helped him get through one of the big obstacles in his path: his perspective toward and relationship with the media. As everyone knows, Kurt hated the media with a passion. He seemed uncomfortable, annoyed, short-tempered, and impatient. It got him in trouble a few times too. It makes you wonder if Patricia has worked with Kurt to help him feel less tense around the media, control his temper, and give good, articulate answers. As president of the Armed Forces Foundation, she would be very skilled in addressing the media and developing a good relationship with them. As I watched Kurt in an interview Sunday, before the Michigan race, the change was very apparent. He seemed relaxed and happy, like he was enjoying the interview! His answers were great, and for the first time in a long time, he looked marketable. Patricia may be Kurt’s miracle worker, and she very well might have saved his career. Even if you are not a Kurt fan, you could see a side of him last Sunday that was a lot more likeable.
I’m glad to have seen changes for the better in both of them, and I think it will serve them well in the future.
I think they have something in common. What possibly could that be? Well, public image changes recently.
Let me explain. I have been noticing changes in “public” Dale in the last 2 years and changes in Kurt just in the last few months. When you see them in an interview now, they are different then how they once were. They seem calm, relaxed, articulate, and smooth. How did they get there, though? I believe it is something they might have in common as well: People in their life. Before, Dale Earnhardt Jr. did not seem to like interviews with the media. He seemed rather uncomfortable and ready to get it over with. When asked a question, he would give short answers and often look at the ground. Then came the 10th anniversary of his father’s passing and his pairing up with Steve Letarte as his crew chief. That’s when I started to notice a change. I think the 10 year mark of the day his father passed was somewhat of a closure for Junior. That day will always hurt, but I think he has finally come to terms with it. Also, Steve seems to have pulled Earnhardt slowly out of his shell. Earnhardt admitted in an interview a few years ago that while he was at the track, he stayed mostly in his RV. He didn’t go restaurants around the track or other public outings like that. When Letarte became his crew chief, though, he helped Dale get out more and enjoy the uniqueness of each track’s town. The two seem not only to get along well, but work together well, too. Dale seems happier, healthier, and more motivated than he has been in a long time. Because of that, I’ve seen a completely new side of Dale.
Two things last year caught my eye. First, Dale wrote a heart-felt letter to his 16 year old self. It was very reflective and read like something that he put a lot of time and thought into. It showed a much deeper side of him. After that, because he said he felt compelled, Dale wrote a good-sized article about his love for the Washington Redskins. Dale became literary Dale, and was good at it too! Who knew that the guy who usually answered questions in no more than 10 words, could express himself in that way! Then the change became noticeable in his interviews. He elaborated in way he had never done before and actually seemed relaxed. To take it a step further, Dale actually commentated part of the Michigan Nationwide race! I thought he did very well. Along with these changes off track, has come changes on track. Dale has become a better driver and the whole team is performing great. I think Dale is on the rise, and will soon start getting those wins.
Now let’s talk about Kurt. I honestly thought Kurt was done. After all the rants, threats to the media, fines, suspensions, and getting demoted to a “B” team, the only thing that seemed to keep Kurt from disappearing completely was his large amount of talent. In the recent months though, I have seen a change I never thought I would see, and I think it came from his girlfriend, Patricia Driscoll. She has stood by her man and has maybe even helped him get through one of the big obstacles in his path: his perspective toward and relationship with the media. As everyone knows, Kurt hated the media with a passion. He seemed uncomfortable, annoyed, short-tempered, and impatient. It got him in trouble a few times too. It makes you wonder if Patricia has worked with Kurt to help him feel less tense around the media, control his temper, and give good, articulate answers. As president of the Armed Forces Foundation, she would be very skilled in addressing the media and developing a good relationship with them. As I watched Kurt in an interview Sunday, before the Michigan race, the change was very apparent. He seemed relaxed and happy, like he was enjoying the interview! His answers were great, and for the first time in a long time, he looked marketable. Patricia may be Kurt’s miracle worker, and she very well might have saved his career. Even if you are not a Kurt fan, you could see a side of him last Sunday that was a lot more likeable.
I’m glad to have seen changes for the better in both of them, and I think it will serve them well in the future.
6/14/13
A Team's Success
It seems like
whenever a driver is dominating and having success in a race, season, or series,
people think 3 things: it’s boring, it’s the car, and they’re cheating. At
least that seems to be the chatter when Jimmie Johnson is having success. I
understand that it can be boring when one driver dominates, but the other two
comments, I have a problem with. To me, it’s sad when a driver has had the
success that Jimmie has had at the top of the most competitive racing series in
America, and all that most people want to say is that it’s just because of the
car and they’re cheating.
So could it really be just the car? Well, think about this. Hendrick fields four cars and is known to have the best engines and chassis around. If they produce the best cars then, wouldn’t you think all 4 would be at the top of the standings? Jeff Gordon is 11th right now and hasn’t been running all that great. That is probably because of bad luck though, so you can’t accurately depict how he is running. Let’s look at Kasey Kahne. He has 1 DNF to Jeff’s 3 this year. Kasey sits 4th in the standings but has only had 4 top 10’s, which is only 28.6% of the races so far. He’s has placed 3rd three times this year, but has only been able to close the deal once. Dale Earnhardt Jr., like Kasey, has also had 1 DNF. Dale actually has the same number of top 10’s as Jimmie at 9, but 3 less top 5’s. He also doesn’t have any wins yet, and Jimmie has 3. Of full time drivers, Jimmie also has the highest average finish so far with 8.1. The next best is Carl with 11.1. Jimmie hasn’t had any DNF’s yet and is leading the standings by 51 points.
So actually the Hendrick guys have been all across the spectrum, and if you look at years past as, that statement still holds true. So why would this be? I think it’s one word: Team. From driver ability, to crew chief strategy, to pit crew agility, a team’s ability and togetherness is what can really make or break them. There’s been multiple times, where we’ve seen drivers who have not had the best car or who have faced adversity, end up winning the race over a strategy call or get a top 10 finish. I’m not saying that the car doesn’t factor in. If your car is not performing well, then you’re probably not going to be able to place well. With that being said, having the fastest car doesn’t guarantee a win, either. It’s not just the car that makes the team successful.
So what about cheating? I’m honestly tired of people saying a team is cheating or an organization is cheating just because they are running great… and it’s not just directed at team #48 and Hendrick. We’ve also been hearing it about JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing). The JGR bunch has really been running well… at least if they don’t blow their engine. I remember early on in Dover last week, about 5 of the Toyota cars were in the top 10, including all three JGR cars in the top 5! That’s not the only race we’ve seen Toyota’s strength either. That’s why some people say they’re cheating, but are they? Just because someone is running well, doesn’t mean that is the reason. It’s called innovation. There is a big difference between the two, but they are often misconstrued. Here is Merriam-Webster’s definition of each:
Cheat: To violate rules dishonestly.
Innovate: To make changes or do something in a new way.
The difference between the two in a sport is that one violates the rules and one works within them. Joe Gibbs or Toyota may have found something that the other teams haven’t yet. Maybe that’s why they have such strong cars… but quite frankly they have to find out what is causing their engines to blow up and fix it or it’s not exactly going to work for them that well. Maybe the reason why they are so strong is the same reason they are blowing up. Either way, that’s experimentation. It’s what has gotten the sport to where it is today. If a team isn’t innovating or at least trying their best to innovate, then they are not doing their job! Because of innovation we have one of the most hardest and competitive racing series in the world!
So to close my points, I think that it’s not just the car that makes a team successful, it’s the team’s ability, togetherness, and attitude towards adversity. When it does come to having a good car, though, I don’t think the only explanation is due to cheating. They might have just found an innovation, and it’s the other teams’ responsibility to figure it out, apply it, and find something else to improve on so they will maybe have an edge. It’s part of the job, and is what makes this sport great.
So could it really be just the car? Well, think about this. Hendrick fields four cars and is known to have the best engines and chassis around. If they produce the best cars then, wouldn’t you think all 4 would be at the top of the standings? Jeff Gordon is 11th right now and hasn’t been running all that great. That is probably because of bad luck though, so you can’t accurately depict how he is running. Let’s look at Kasey Kahne. He has 1 DNF to Jeff’s 3 this year. Kasey sits 4th in the standings but has only had 4 top 10’s, which is only 28.6% of the races so far. He’s has placed 3rd three times this year, but has only been able to close the deal once. Dale Earnhardt Jr., like Kasey, has also had 1 DNF. Dale actually has the same number of top 10’s as Jimmie at 9, but 3 less top 5’s. He also doesn’t have any wins yet, and Jimmie has 3. Of full time drivers, Jimmie also has the highest average finish so far with 8.1. The next best is Carl with 11.1. Jimmie hasn’t had any DNF’s yet and is leading the standings by 51 points.
So actually the Hendrick guys have been all across the spectrum, and if you look at years past as, that statement still holds true. So why would this be? I think it’s one word: Team. From driver ability, to crew chief strategy, to pit crew agility, a team’s ability and togetherness is what can really make or break them. There’s been multiple times, where we’ve seen drivers who have not had the best car or who have faced adversity, end up winning the race over a strategy call or get a top 10 finish. I’m not saying that the car doesn’t factor in. If your car is not performing well, then you’re probably not going to be able to place well. With that being said, having the fastest car doesn’t guarantee a win, either. It’s not just the car that makes the team successful.
So what about cheating? I’m honestly tired of people saying a team is cheating or an organization is cheating just because they are running great… and it’s not just directed at team #48 and Hendrick. We’ve also been hearing it about JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing). The JGR bunch has really been running well… at least if they don’t blow their engine. I remember early on in Dover last week, about 5 of the Toyota cars were in the top 10, including all three JGR cars in the top 5! That’s not the only race we’ve seen Toyota’s strength either. That’s why some people say they’re cheating, but are they? Just because someone is running well, doesn’t mean that is the reason. It’s called innovation. There is a big difference between the two, but they are often misconstrued. Here is Merriam-Webster’s definition of each:
Cheat: To violate rules dishonestly.
Innovate: To make changes or do something in a new way.
The difference between the two in a sport is that one violates the rules and one works within them. Joe Gibbs or Toyota may have found something that the other teams haven’t yet. Maybe that’s why they have such strong cars… but quite frankly they have to find out what is causing their engines to blow up and fix it or it’s not exactly going to work for them that well. Maybe the reason why they are so strong is the same reason they are blowing up. Either way, that’s experimentation. It’s what has gotten the sport to where it is today. If a team isn’t innovating or at least trying their best to innovate, then they are not doing their job! Because of innovation we have one of the most hardest and competitive racing series in the world!
So to close my points, I think that it’s not just the car that makes a team successful, it’s the team’s ability, togetherness, and attitude towards adversity. When it does come to having a good car, though, I don’t think the only explanation is due to cheating. They might have just found an innovation, and it’s the other teams’ responsibility to figure it out, apply it, and find something else to improve on so they will maybe have an edge. It’s part of the job, and is what makes this sport great.
6/13/13
In the Blink of an Eye
If you haven’t heard it yet, you’re going to hear it in
racing all weekend. The unthinkable happened. Wednesday night, Nationwide driver
Jason Leffler was killed in a heat race for the Sprint Car 410. I’m still in
shock. It all hasn’t quite sunk in yet, but does a little more so every hour.
This is the first time ever, since I have been watching NASCAR, that I have
experienced losing a driver. It hurts. I’m sure if I had seen it unfold, it
would have hurt more, but it still hurts. When this all happened, I was in the
middle of writing a review for Michael Waltrip’s book In the Blink of an Eye.
After I heard the news about Jason, I thought of it and realized, “Wow, things can change in the blink of an eye”.
I remember when Dan Wheldon passed in 2011. The only time I had watched him race was when he won the Indy 500 that year. When I started hearing the news on Twitter, I knew the name sounded familiar. I looked him up, and saw it was indeed the driver I had seen win that day. I felt sad, even though I hardly knew about him. Knowing more about Jason Leffler and watching him race several times, it hits at home more.
We watch our drivers race almost every week. We understand it is a dangerous sport, but I think we forget how dangerous it is sometimes. Safety innovations had given us that privilege. The safety measurements that we have today are probably the best innovation racing has ever had, but that still isn’t a guarantee. Sadly, sometimes things just happen.
One death that really stunned me was one that didn’t involve racing. Most people wouldn’t know about it, unless you watch XGames. Back in January, I was watching something I had never seen before: Snowmobile Best Trick. One by one, riders would go through the course, jump off each ramp, and perform the best tricks they could. Caleb Moore jumped off the ramp and performed a trick they said he had done many times before. He under rotated a flip though, sending both he and his snowmobile tumbling in the snow. At first, his injuries sounded minor, but they proved to be much more severe. He passed away later that week.
It really affected me for a few days, but in the end I realized something: These people are wired this way. They absolutely love doing what they do. They accept the risk that is in front them and would rather spend 25 years doing what they love, than a regular lifetime doing something else. The same goes for race car drivers. They accept that risk, and love doing what they do.
That’s what I am reminding myself of now. At the same time, I am remembering what Michael talks about in his book, relying on your faith. When Dale Sr. passed, he had to rely on his faith more than ever. In any hard time, that’s what you have to do. It is what will carry you through.
So Jason, we will miss you…Say "Hi" to Dale for us.
I remember when Dan Wheldon passed in 2011. The only time I had watched him race was when he won the Indy 500 that year. When I started hearing the news on Twitter, I knew the name sounded familiar. I looked him up, and saw it was indeed the driver I had seen win that day. I felt sad, even though I hardly knew about him. Knowing more about Jason Leffler and watching him race several times, it hits at home more.
We watch our drivers race almost every week. We understand it is a dangerous sport, but I think we forget how dangerous it is sometimes. Safety innovations had given us that privilege. The safety measurements that we have today are probably the best innovation racing has ever had, but that still isn’t a guarantee. Sadly, sometimes things just happen.
One death that really stunned me was one that didn’t involve racing. Most people wouldn’t know about it, unless you watch XGames. Back in January, I was watching something I had never seen before: Snowmobile Best Trick. One by one, riders would go through the course, jump off each ramp, and perform the best tricks they could. Caleb Moore jumped off the ramp and performed a trick they said he had done many times before. He under rotated a flip though, sending both he and his snowmobile tumbling in the snow. At first, his injuries sounded minor, but they proved to be much more severe. He passed away later that week.
It really affected me for a few days, but in the end I realized something: These people are wired this way. They absolutely love doing what they do. They accept the risk that is in front them and would rather spend 25 years doing what they love, than a regular lifetime doing something else. The same goes for race car drivers. They accept that risk, and love doing what they do.
That’s what I am reminding myself of now. At the same time, I am remembering what Michael talks about in his book, relying on your faith. When Dale Sr. passed, he had to rely on his faith more than ever. In any hard time, that’s what you have to do. It is what will carry you through.
So Jason, we will miss you…Say "Hi" to Dale for us.
6/12/13
JeLana
As I have watched
NASCAR, I have become familiar with many people besides the drivers. Pit
members, crew chiefs, PR people, and yes, wives. One of the most known wives
has to be DeLana Harvick. None of the other wives have been as involved with
the sport or their husband’s team. That’s what sets her apart from the others.
She became more known to me after the “Fire suit in the family” comment was
made, and that’s when I noticed that DeLana is a lot like my sister, Jen.
Both are very strong,
smart, independent woman. It was genius for DeLana to think of putting Joey’s
comment on a T-Shirt and sell them to raise money for the Harvick’s foundation!
I know if my sister was put in that situation, she would have done the same.
Both certainly are not going to let the man make all the decisions. They’re
also not very “frou-frou”. Seeing how similar they are, I decided to peg a
nickname on my sister: JeLana. It’s a morph of the two names with my sisters
first initial “J” replacing the “D” in DeLana’s name. I told my sister about it
and at first she didn’t understand, since she doesn’t watch NASCAR. I then
explained it to her and she thought it was cool.
Now, Jen and DeLana are both new moms. My sister’s daughter, Isla and DeLana’s son, Keelan are only two weeks apart, and it’s not only been interesting to see the two babies change, but also the moms. Here are two women who were all business, but now they have a “softer” side.
Here’s what I mean. DeLana tweeted this comment close to Easter: “Honest to God, I have no idea who I am... I'm perusing the aisles for Easter basket contents!!! And I don't want to slit my wrists.” Apparently, before motherhood, DeLana wasn’t into the sentimental. My sister was same the way, but now they have a new perspective. They both enjoy shopping for children’s’ holiday items all because of their little bundles of joy.
Here’s another tweet from DeLana: “When my day starts off with a kiss and a hug from Keelan there's a 100% chance nothing better could happen...” DeLana doesn’t strike me as a person who would have said that before about a baby. My sister certainly wasn’t! But now, when it comes to their babies, they feel the same way.
Over the last 10 months, I’ve seen a new look on their face. A look I haven’t seen before. It’s the joy motherhood has brought them and it’s pretty cool to see.
So as I close, I have to say, I’ve found it interesting how NASCAR affects my life. My sister and I are 13 years apart, so it is hard for us to relate, but because of these similarities, I’ve gotten to understand my sister better. So thank you NASCAR and thank you DeLana.
Now, Jen and DeLana are both new moms. My sister’s daughter, Isla and DeLana’s son, Keelan are only two weeks apart, and it’s not only been interesting to see the two babies change, but also the moms. Here are two women who were all business, but now they have a “softer” side.
Here’s what I mean. DeLana tweeted this comment close to Easter: “Honest to God, I have no idea who I am... I'm perusing the aisles for Easter basket contents!!! And I don't want to slit my wrists.” Apparently, before motherhood, DeLana wasn’t into the sentimental. My sister was same the way, but now they have a new perspective. They both enjoy shopping for children’s’ holiday items all because of their little bundles of joy.
Here’s another tweet from DeLana: “When my day starts off with a kiss and a hug from Keelan there's a 100% chance nothing better could happen...” DeLana doesn’t strike me as a person who would have said that before about a baby. My sister certainly wasn’t! But now, when it comes to their babies, they feel the same way.
Over the last 10 months, I’ve seen a new look on their face. A look I haven’t seen before. It’s the joy motherhood has brought them and it’s pretty cool to see.
So as I close, I have to say, I’ve found it interesting how NASCAR affects my life. My sister and I are 13 years apart, so it is hard for us to relate, but because of these similarities, I’ve gotten to understand my sister better. So thank you NASCAR and thank you DeLana.
6/8/13
The Silent Four
It seems that we have 4 “B” drivers who are silently gathering good
finishes. They’re names are Joey Logano, Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr.,
and Paul Menard. Could one or more make their first Chase? I think so. Here are
my thoughts on the matter.
Joey Logano –
Joey has had an up-and-down 2013 season. He has had 4 top 5’s, but 3 finishes out of the top 25. In the standings he would be in 12th, 11 points from 10th, but because of the 25 point penalty he and his teammate suffered, he sits 18th, 36 points out. This is the lowest position of the 4 drivers, which means he’s going to have to make up a lot more points if he is going to get in the top 10. At the remaining tracks we are heading to before the Chase, Joey doesn’t have any outstanding stats, except for New Hampshire, his home track. He has had 3 top 15’s in the last 3 starts there. I know that’s not a stellar stat, but for a “B” driver, that’s pretty good, and with how much better Joey has been running with Penske, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a top 5 there this year. Chances are though, Joey is going to miss the top 10, but can he make a wild card (WC) spot? I think it’s very possible. Penske seems to be a way better fit for Joey, and when you look at this season, he’s been running noticeably better. He very well might get a win soon, which would make him eligible for a WC position. Who would be his completion though? I would say Tony Stewart, who hasn’t been running that well, although he just got a win in Dover; Kurt Busch, who is a possibility to win any week; and Jeff Gordon, who you can never count out. Another one to keep in mind is Kyle Busch. If he drops out of the top 10, you can almost guarantee he will take one of the WC spots with the two wins he has. I think Joey will be a contender during the battle, though, whoever clinches these two spots.
Aric Almirola –
Because I knew about Aric before he came to RPM (Richard Petty Motorsports), I picked him at the beginning of last season for one of my drivers in the NASCAR Fantasy Live game that I was playing. He only cost $4. By the end of the first segment I had racked up points because of how cheap I got him and how well he was doing on track! Everyone in my league was trying to figure out what I was doing different and saw I had Aric on my roster. For segment 2, about 5 other players had Aric Almirola, but they had to pay more because he was doing so well. It seems few people have paid attention to Aric even though he has been running well the last two years. Hopefully his silent status will go away eventually, because I think he’s going to continue to place better and better. Let’s focus on this year though. Aric has an average finish of 16.8, the 2nd best of the 4. In the standings, he places 12th, 17 points out of the top 10. Aric has few full time stats, so it’s hard to accurately predict his better tracks. From how he’s been running though, he’s got a great chance of making the top 10…especially when you consider the two drivers who are just ahead of him. Jeff Gordon, who isn’t having a consistent season, and Kyle who is going to drop like a rock if he keeps his bad luck streak. Getting past both would make Aric the 10th place driver, which I think is definitely do-able.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. –
Of the 4, Ricky has been Mr. Consistency this season. His has been placing in the middle with 11 finishes between 10th – 20th. He’s 15th in the standings, tied with Martin Truex Jr. They are 28 points behind 10th place. This is his 1st full time year in Sprint Cup, so he’s the unknown. He has good stats across most tracks on the Nationwide side, but Sprint, of course, has proved to be more of a challenge. He’ll have to really fight if he’s going to get in the top 10. His toughest competition will be going through Jeff Gordon and Aric Almirola. Despite his decent finishes, 28 points is hard to make up. His only other option would be battling for a WC spot. I don’t think that will happen, but you never know.
Paul Menard –
Paul has to be the most silent driver in the field. This is his 4th year at RCR (Richard Chilldress Racing) and, he's been silently getting better each year. He sit 9th in the standings, 2 points in. So far this season he has 4 top 10's and an average finish of 15.4, which is the best of the 4, and I don't think he will be slowing down. If you average his finishes at each track since he joined RCR 3 years ago, 9 tracks have a better average than 15th. At one of those tracks, Pocono, he has had 2 top 10's in the last 3 races there. His Bristol stats are also good. Three straight top 10's! Pretty impressive for a "B" driver and as I mentioned in Aric Almirola’s paragraph, if Kyle keeps having bad finishes, he going to drop in the standings quick, which would allow Paul to move up. Bottom line, though, if Paul keeps running like this, I don't think he needs to worry about missing his first Chase.
Joey has had an up-and-down 2013 season. He has had 4 top 5’s, but 3 finishes out of the top 25. In the standings he would be in 12th, 11 points from 10th, but because of the 25 point penalty he and his teammate suffered, he sits 18th, 36 points out. This is the lowest position of the 4 drivers, which means he’s going to have to make up a lot more points if he is going to get in the top 10. At the remaining tracks we are heading to before the Chase, Joey doesn’t have any outstanding stats, except for New Hampshire, his home track. He has had 3 top 15’s in the last 3 starts there. I know that’s not a stellar stat, but for a “B” driver, that’s pretty good, and with how much better Joey has been running with Penske, I wouldn’t be surprised if he gets a top 5 there this year. Chances are though, Joey is going to miss the top 10, but can he make a wild card (WC) spot? I think it’s very possible. Penske seems to be a way better fit for Joey, and when you look at this season, he’s been running noticeably better. He very well might get a win soon, which would make him eligible for a WC position. Who would be his completion though? I would say Tony Stewart, who hasn’t been running that well, although he just got a win in Dover; Kurt Busch, who is a possibility to win any week; and Jeff Gordon, who you can never count out. Another one to keep in mind is Kyle Busch. If he drops out of the top 10, you can almost guarantee he will take one of the WC spots with the two wins he has. I think Joey will be a contender during the battle, though, whoever clinches these two spots.
Aric Almirola –
Because I knew about Aric before he came to RPM (Richard Petty Motorsports), I picked him at the beginning of last season for one of my drivers in the NASCAR Fantasy Live game that I was playing. He only cost $4. By the end of the first segment I had racked up points because of how cheap I got him and how well he was doing on track! Everyone in my league was trying to figure out what I was doing different and saw I had Aric on my roster. For segment 2, about 5 other players had Aric Almirola, but they had to pay more because he was doing so well. It seems few people have paid attention to Aric even though he has been running well the last two years. Hopefully his silent status will go away eventually, because I think he’s going to continue to place better and better. Let’s focus on this year though. Aric has an average finish of 16.8, the 2nd best of the 4. In the standings, he places 12th, 17 points out of the top 10. Aric has few full time stats, so it’s hard to accurately predict his better tracks. From how he’s been running though, he’s got a great chance of making the top 10…especially when you consider the two drivers who are just ahead of him. Jeff Gordon, who isn’t having a consistent season, and Kyle who is going to drop like a rock if he keeps his bad luck streak. Getting past both would make Aric the 10th place driver, which I think is definitely do-able.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr. –
Of the 4, Ricky has been Mr. Consistency this season. His has been placing in the middle with 11 finishes between 10th – 20th. He’s 15th in the standings, tied with Martin Truex Jr. They are 28 points behind 10th place. This is his 1st full time year in Sprint Cup, so he’s the unknown. He has good stats across most tracks on the Nationwide side, but Sprint, of course, has proved to be more of a challenge. He’ll have to really fight if he’s going to get in the top 10. His toughest competition will be going through Jeff Gordon and Aric Almirola. Despite his decent finishes, 28 points is hard to make up. His only other option would be battling for a WC spot. I don’t think that will happen, but you never know.
Paul Menard –
Paul has to be the most silent driver in the field. This is his 4th year at RCR (Richard Chilldress Racing) and, he's been silently getting better each year. He sit 9th in the standings, 2 points in. So far this season he has 4 top 10's and an average finish of 15.4, which is the best of the 4, and I don't think he will be slowing down. If you average his finishes at each track since he joined RCR 3 years ago, 9 tracks have a better average than 15th. At one of those tracks, Pocono, he has had 2 top 10's in the last 3 races there. His Bristol stats are also good. Three straight top 10's! Pretty impressive for a "B" driver and as I mentioned in Aric Almirola’s paragraph, if Kyle keeps having bad finishes, he going to drop in the standings quick, which would allow Paul to move up. Bottom line, though, if Paul keeps running like this, I don't think he needs to worry about missing his first Chase.
6/4/13
Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth
Darrell Waltrip
made an interesting statement right before the Dover Cup race. He stated that he
thought Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson would battle for the championship, and
in the end, Matt would win. I disagree though. Let’s look at this…
Honestly, if it came down to Kenseth and Johnson for the championship, I think it would be a really good battle. I don’t know who would win, but I think it would be close. How a driver runs can change in a matter of races, and we still have a lot of races to go, but I do agree with Darrell on one thing…that it might very well be those two competing at Homestead.
Of what we’ve seen so far of Johnson and Kenseth, though, who would have the upper hand? Both have won a championship and are well-seasoned drivers. Kenseth was doing well in his last year with RFR (Roush-Fenway Racing), and when he moved to JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), he never missed a beat. He actually started to do even better! Johnson just came off one of the best seasons in his career and seems to not be losing steam. They are both strong contenders right now.
So what are their weaknesses? For Kenseth, it’s TRD (Toyota Racing Development). That’s where JGR and MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) get their engines, and we all know their engines have had their issues! Just in the 2013 season so far, JGR and MWR have collectively had 6 engine failures, including 2 from Kenseth! When it comes to team #48, it’s hard to find a weakness. They have fixed their pit crew problem, which plagued them a few years back. Their cars have been reliable, and the driver and crew chief have been on top of their game. The only thing I can think of is them beating their selves by making mistakes. Mistakes, like getting speeding penalties, or jumping the restart like at Dover this past week.
Either of them could win the championship if they squared off, but when it comes to the upper hand, I would have to give it to Jimmie Johnson.
Honestly, if it came down to Kenseth and Johnson for the championship, I think it would be a really good battle. I don’t know who would win, but I think it would be close. How a driver runs can change in a matter of races, and we still have a lot of races to go, but I do agree with Darrell on one thing…that it might very well be those two competing at Homestead.
Of what we’ve seen so far of Johnson and Kenseth, though, who would have the upper hand? Both have won a championship and are well-seasoned drivers. Kenseth was doing well in his last year with RFR (Roush-Fenway Racing), and when he moved to JGR (Joe Gibbs Racing), he never missed a beat. He actually started to do even better! Johnson just came off one of the best seasons in his career and seems to not be losing steam. They are both strong contenders right now.
So what are their weaknesses? For Kenseth, it’s TRD (Toyota Racing Development). That’s where JGR and MWR (Michael Waltrip Racing) get their engines, and we all know their engines have had their issues! Just in the 2013 season so far, JGR and MWR have collectively had 6 engine failures, including 2 from Kenseth! When it comes to team #48, it’s hard to find a weakness. They have fixed their pit crew problem, which plagued them a few years back. Their cars have been reliable, and the driver and crew chief have been on top of their game. The only thing I can think of is them beating their selves by making mistakes. Mistakes, like getting speeding penalties, or jumping the restart like at Dover this past week.
Either of them could win the championship if they squared off, but when it comes to the upper hand, I would have to give it to Jimmie Johnson.
6/3/13
The Lower Series Situation
And there he goes again… Kyle Busch wins the Truck Race.
Then Joey Logano, Kasey Kahne, and Kyle dominated the Nationwide race. Joey
ultimately won, which is surprising, because usually when Kyle is entered in
all three series, he sweeps (at least the lower two).It seems like every week
Cup drivers are beating the lesser-experienced drivers in one of the lower
divisions. It gets kind of annoying at times; it’s like a 12th
grader taking a 6th grader’s test. So people have raised the
question: Should full-time Sprint Cup drivers be allowed to race in the lower
series?
Viewpoints have been split into two sides. One side feels it gets quite boring, frustrating, and unfair to let drivers of a top Cup team race against drivers who are way less experienced. They also feel it takes away valuable points from the Nationwide drivers who are putting their points towards the Nationwide championship, as well as hurts viewership. The other side of this debate feels that letting the Sprint drivers race in the lower series gives the young drivers more experience and helps them in their climb toward the Sprint Cup. They also feel that Cup drivers running in the lowers series draws the attention of fans, which helps ticket sales.
So where do I stand on this subject? I understand and agree with both sides of the argument. To me, it is frustrating to see Kyle, Brad, or whoever the top-Cup driver is, race in the lower series and win 3 seconds ahead of everyone else. I also feel it does hurt viewership, but racing against these drivers does help a lower series driver gain experience and learn strategies, whether deep in the field, or on a front-row restart.
So how do we attempt to please both parties? Well a little while ago, Bob Pockrass tweeted about an idea that he had after someone asked him if he found the Nationwide race boring when the Sprint cup drivers dominate. This was his reply-tweet: “Limit Cup guys to 10 races, 15 if rest of NNS (schedule is ran) by (young) driver” I thought this was a great idea! I continued to think about it and tweak it, coming up with this. Instead of limiting the drivers, limit the teams. Limit a team to fielding 10 Cup guys throughout the season. So a team like JGR, can field Kyle Busch 7 races, and Denny Hamlin 3; or maybe Kyle for all 10 races. They could also field Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch in the same race for 3 races, and Denny for 4 other. The options continue on.
Of course, this would need further tweaking, but I think limiting Cup drivers racing in a lower series in some way, would be a good attempt to bring the best of both sides together. It would let the lower series drivers race against each other more often and get valuable points, but also gain experience from higher level drivers from time to time. It would also help keep ticket sales and viewership up. I think this is something NASCAR should consider for next year.
Viewpoints have been split into two sides. One side feels it gets quite boring, frustrating, and unfair to let drivers of a top Cup team race against drivers who are way less experienced. They also feel it takes away valuable points from the Nationwide drivers who are putting their points towards the Nationwide championship, as well as hurts viewership. The other side of this debate feels that letting the Sprint drivers race in the lower series gives the young drivers more experience and helps them in their climb toward the Sprint Cup. They also feel that Cup drivers running in the lowers series draws the attention of fans, which helps ticket sales.
So where do I stand on this subject? I understand and agree with both sides of the argument. To me, it is frustrating to see Kyle, Brad, or whoever the top-Cup driver is, race in the lower series and win 3 seconds ahead of everyone else. I also feel it does hurt viewership, but racing against these drivers does help a lower series driver gain experience and learn strategies, whether deep in the field, or on a front-row restart.
So how do we attempt to please both parties? Well a little while ago, Bob Pockrass tweeted about an idea that he had after someone asked him if he found the Nationwide race boring when the Sprint cup drivers dominate. This was his reply-tweet: “Limit Cup guys to 10 races, 15 if rest of NNS (schedule is ran) by (young) driver” I thought this was a great idea! I continued to think about it and tweak it, coming up with this. Instead of limiting the drivers, limit the teams. Limit a team to fielding 10 Cup guys throughout the season. So a team like JGR, can field Kyle Busch 7 races, and Denny Hamlin 3; or maybe Kyle for all 10 races. They could also field Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch in the same race for 3 races, and Denny for 4 other. The options continue on.
Of course, this would need further tweaking, but I think limiting Cup drivers racing in a lower series in some way, would be a good attempt to bring the best of both sides together. It would let the lower series drivers race against each other more often and get valuable points, but also gain experience from higher level drivers from time to time. It would also help keep ticket sales and viewership up. I think this is something NASCAR should consider for next year.
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