Nascar Fan's View

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Well… There’s one thing that can still be said about the Atlanta Motor Speedway and that’s that it is fast. Of course, it is a little treacherous for the drivers with it being run like Daytona and Talladega. With just 550 horsepower and the teams facing the new configuration for the second year, that means it will be like the Super Speedway races with all that goes along with them. That means another time of flat-out door to door, bumper to bumper drafting and close racing. It also means it will likely be hard to pass and track position will be one of the most important things if one of them wants to win.

From this fan’s view, qualifying made it look like the Fords have shown up ready and raring to go to change the dominance the Chevys have shown so far this season. Admittedly, the Fords looked strong at Daytona but they didn’t finish the deal and the Chevys did. Except for last weekend at Phoenix when it looked like Kevin Harvick was going to take the win, the Chevys have pretty much dominated the show.

Now, you and I both know that qualifying often doesn’t mean all that much when it comes to race day other than getting a good choice for a pit stall. So, it remains to be seen if the Fords can show the same strength this afternoon when it comes to the actual race or if the Chevys, and maybe the Toyotas, will fare better than their qualifying did. If the Fords continue in the race as they did in qualifying, well, this just might be a dominate day for them.

Everyone is talking about the penalties handed down to the Hendrick Chevys this week and, on the surface, it could be a game changer for their recent dominance. I mean, after all, they have been the ones to beat every weekend so far. Even though some say this weekend will be a reality check, I’m not so sure. Just look at their performance last weekend when their louvers were confiscated by NASCAR and they had to use some from another Chevy team. From my view – and a lot of others – they were still the dominate cars with Kyle Larson and William Byron leading most of the laps and Byron winning two in a row even after the louver deal.

Yeah, I know Kevin Harvick in his Ford would likely have won last weekend had it not been for the late-race caution but Kyle Larson would probably have won the week before if there hadn’t also been a late-race caution.

So, what will be the story this weekend with all of the penalties handed down to the Hendrick teams and the loss of crew chiefs and loss of points and money to fines? Will they bounce back and dominate as they have in the first races or will they suffer defeat and drop like rocks in the race today?

Well, I’m not sure but one thing I know. Even though the Fords absolutely dominated qualifying and eight of them are starting in the first four rows, Kyle Larson is starting ninth and William Byron is starting eleventh. It doesn’t sound so impossible that those two could end up in front when the final checkered flag drop on today’s race. No, I’m not saying they will and I’m not saying they won’t but I am saying they very well could. I guess it could come down to whether or not the loss of their crew chiefs affects them in a big way or at all.

When it comes down to it, I admit the Fords do look like they might be hard to beat this weekend. After all, they did run strong at Daytona and this could possibly be the weekend they take it to the bank when the race is done which is what they didn’t do at Daytona.

There are at least eight fast Fords and it remains to be seen just how deep the talent is a Hendrick Motorsports and whether or not they can prove the louvers had very little to do with their performance over the last several weeks.

In this fan’s opinion, I expect this to be a showdown between the Fords and Chevys with maybe a chance for Christopher Bell in his Toyota to finish up front since he has been the front runner in the Toyota camps. I’ m still not convinced Danny Hamlin will make it to the end of the day and end up in Victory Lane even though it is a remote possibility. Of course, there is always the possibility Bubba Wallace could show up at the front also but, in all honesty, the Toyotas just haven’t shown the speed of the Fords and the Chevys so far.

The best I can say for today’s race is I guess we’ll just have to watch it to the end and see who dominates the day. Will it be a Ford, a Chevy or a Toyota? Yeah, I reckon it will…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 19, 2023 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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The big question for the race this weekend at Phoenix Raceway is how the new rules package will affect not only the drivers but, the racing in general. After the practice session, it appears the drivers have pretty much gotten a grip on the difference in handling but there are still questions that will only be answered when the race starts.

From this fan’s view and my observations, this race could be quite a bit different than the last time NASCAR visited Phoenix. Let’s see… less downforce, slipping and sliding and just general lack of grip at times means what many describe as better racing. I can’t disagree with that and I definitely agree that putting the results back into the hands of the drivers can make a world of difference to the interest of the racing. There’s nothing like watching a good, competitive battle between drivers.

Ok, that being said, which of the drivers and teams appear to have an upper hand with this rules package so far. Well… that’s a good question and one that’s not easily or quickly answered. Usually, the Fords have had a slight advantage going into Phoenix but this year might not be that way. Now don’t get me wrong. The Chevys – and the Toyotas to a little lesser extent – often show up as the cars to beat. Although it is hard to tell much from one practice session, it does appear to this fan that the teams are fairly well matched. I’m not saying some aren’t running better than others but it has been pretty obvious from fall-off of lap times, the tires will be the most important commodity and will likely have an affect on the overall racing.

Again this week, the Hendrick Chevys have shown up with speed and, in particular, the teams of Willian Byron and Kyle Larson. By the time qualifying came around, it did appear the Toyotas and Fords had also found some speed or, at least comfort for their drivers and things were looking a bit less one-sided.

Look, you and I both know you can’t tell a lot from qualifying if, for no other reason, it’s only the speed of one lap. Qualifying can be deceptive. It has been in the past and will continue to be so in the future. Even though that is true and often the top qualifiers quickly fall back in the pack at first, this weekend could be a bit different. This weekend to top qualifiers could be the ones to watch for the win.

After the practice session, some of the drivers were surprised with where they qualified. It appears the crews were able to make adjustments and the cars responded positively to the adjustments. Of course, it was also obvious that tires were also a key factor in the times and a couple of laps on them made a difference.

So, from this fan’s view, I have to give my opinion of what I think stands out to me. It is pretty obvious that Kyle Larson has shown up with a noticeably fast Hendrick Chevy Camaro. He was fast in practice and fast enough in qualifying to take the pole. It is possible he could dominate the race this afternoon but it just as possible he could fall like a rock backwards through the field during the race and not be factor at the end. Somehow I doubt that will happen because he was fast off the truck, fast in practice and fastest in qualifying but, he only beat Denny Hamlin for the pole by the smallest of margins.

But wait a minute. I have another theory of how the race may go. With the rules change, I expect the dirt-track racers will have an advantage, at least in the beginning. That means there are more possibilities for front runners than just Kyle Larson. In fact, I will go so far as to say so far this season, those that came from dirt track backgrounds have been performing noticeably a little better and that holds somewhat true for the Next Gen car since it was introduced. I know that’s a statement that might be disagreed with but, it is the way I see it.

It is possible that Kyle Larson could dominate this one and gain a little bit back from finishing second instead of first last weekend. Up until Aric Almirola spun with about three laps to go, Kyle was basically walking away with the victory over William Byron even though Byron dominated the day overall. Perhaps this afternoon, Kyle may be the one that dominates and William finishes second…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 12, 2023 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Things might be a little different at Las Vegas Motor Speedway for the spring race this year. NASCAR made some rule changes to the cars and it remains to be seen how those changes will affect the competition. Of course, there are several things at Vegas that can affect it so it is hard to be sure if the changes will be the difference maker or if it will be the wind speed and direction or some other factor.

So far from this fan’s view, it looks like the changes could make the competition a bit tighter than it may have been last year. But then again, the teams have a full year of working with the Next Gen car under their belts and have a lot more understanding of the car itself. That could be what seems to make the competition closer but, there is really no way of knowing until the race gets into full gear. As an observer, it is hard to tell much from a practice session and qualifying. Personally, I think it will depend on how the cars react when there are more cars on the track and how that affects the handling and performance in the heat of battle.

Looking at the qualifying times, all three manufacturers appear to be very close in speed. Of course, that depends on whether or not the speed holds up when they get into racing trim. Even the pole sitter, Joey Logano, brought that up in a post qualifying interview. So, it remains to be seen what differences there might be once they get into race trim.

Chase Elliott’s broken left leg from a snowboarding accident has thrown a wrench in his season, at least for the time being. Even though there is no set date for his return, the general consensus is it will be approximately four weeks but that is up to his doctors and the way his leg heals up. Until he is cleared to race, he will sit on the sidelines.

The Fords and the Chevys look to be the ones to watch for running up front this weekend considering how they did in qualifying, Once again, qualifying can be a deceptive beast and have nothing at all to do with how the race actually pans out.

Joey Logano took the pole and won the last race in the fall last year so he looks to be a favorite choice to win this afternoon. He does have speed and he does have confidence in his racecar and team to get the job done. Starting on the pole could help along with his choice of pit stall. It could very be an advantage for adding another win to his list at Vegas.

William Byron starts outside pole and the qualifying times between him and Joey were extremely close. In my opinion, William is about due to win again. This could be his weekend but even starting on the front row is no guarantee of finishing up front. There are a few reasons why I think he could win this weekend but starting so close to a person he has had some friction with in the past could affect both of their outcomes. We already know Joey is a hard charging, aggressive driver. If there is a latent grudge between the two, it could surface this afternoon. Not saying it will but there is always that possibility.

I don’t want to draw this out for an extended period but there are a lot of strong drivers and teams in the top fifteen starting lineup for Vegas. I won’t say anyone of them could win today but there are more than one or two. To name a few, there’s Ryan Blaney, Kyle Bush, Kyle Larson and, yes, even Ty Gibbs. Some of the possible winners could be further back in the lineup.

You see, I believe this is going to be one of the most competitive races of this early part of the season. I have no idea which of the drivers may win but I think it is going to be a battle right down the final flag…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 05, 2023 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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To be upfront, I’m not sure this title will actually line up with what is planned for the Auto Club Speedway at Fontana. That’s because there are mixed signals about what is in store for the speedway after this race. As it stands, I suppose I’ll have to agree with others talking about this being the last race – well, kinda, sort-a – and say the last race at this track in this configuration. Now… are you confused? Well, welcome to my world…
As it stands right now, the important thing is that there is suppose to be a race this weekend at Fontana. That may be a question in itself since the weather may have something to do with the running of the race. I mean, California has been having some strange weather over the last week or so and I’m not so sure this weekend will be different. Although the outlook for Sunday looks much better than what I saw when I checked on the weather situation at the time of this writing. Just in case they do get the race in, I guess it would be better to talk about the race rather than the weather. (After all, I’m not a weather forecaster at all. (Well, that is unless you want to count what my old football injured knee tells me about changes in the weather…)

When it does come time to run this race, it could prove to be one of the high points of the regular season. I say that because, not only is it is a track that pretty much always shows us a good race but also simply because it is the last race (maybe) at this track. Take a quick look back to previous races in previous years and I’m sure you’ll agree, this is a track where the racing can be intense and the finishes… well, they are often remembered for years. The reasons for the memories is because anything can happen, even in the final lap and the final straight. In fact, there have been times things memories are made of happen after the race, too.

So, what kind of a race will it be this weekend with no qualifying and no practice? I don’t know about you but, from this fan’s view it could prove to be very interesting. We all know there are favorites going into the weekend and they will be favorites even without the qualifying. I would go so far as to say, there will strong performances from ones that have shown they have a grip on the track and have shown they can win in past races. You know their names; Kyle Bush, Kyle Larson, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Martin Truex Jr., Alex Bowman, Chase Elliott and Kevin Harvick.

Okay, those are the popular favorited names because of their past performances but what about the ones that just haven’t had a chance to really prove themselves yet? There are several names that come to my mind really quickly. Some of them are William Byron, Tyler Reddick, Chase Briscoe, Christopher Bell, Aric Almirola, Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain. That’s just to name a few. There are several others that can also be included in the list. Names like Daniel Suarez, Brad Keselowski, Ryan Preece, Austin Cindric and AJ Allmendinger. In reality and at this stage of the season, I could just about name any of the ones scheduled to run in the Pala Casino 400.

There are at least a couple of others that I just have to mention. How about Austin Dillon, Bubba Wallace, Ty Gibbs and Noah Gragson. Wow!! Did I almost not mention Ryan Blaney?

It is difficult to not name at least two thirds of the field. With the Next Gen car and how the crews have adjusted to it. It makes it difficult to pick any one set of favorites, whether veterans or newer drivers to have a good chance at winning on Sunday afternoon.

I know, I know… You thought I wasn’t going to mention last weeks Daytona 500 winner, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Well, any other year, the Daytona 500 winner would be at a disadvantage simply because of the media schedule for the week follow their victory. However, this time it might be considered to be fairly equal because of the weather equalizer. Everyone is talking about and asking the question, is Stenhouse Jr. going to ride the wave of momentum that winning the Daytona 500 could yield?

Personally, this fan thinks it is a very real possibility that he could win this weekend. I just don’t know that he will and there are a few others that will definitely be there to press the issue.

This is one race I think we won’t know much about until the race at least gets a few laps in and we see how the field really stacks up…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© February 25, 2022 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

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Ok… The qualifying has been done. The Duels have been run. It’s two practices later and now it’s time for the 2023 Daytona 500. But wait a minute… you already knew that, didn’t you? Yeah, I guess you did.

My next question is, what did you think of the Duels? Did they really whet your appetite for the 500 or were you kind of disappointed by the lack of exciting competition? Yeah, that’s what I figured. Me too. I was really hoping for a little more pushing of the envelope and more than so much following the leader until the last lap.

But wait a minute… consider this. Which one of the two Duels will end up being an example of how the actual 2023 Daytona 500 will look as it progresses? Will it be like the first Duel with its often, single-file, relatively boring, follow the leader type of race. Or will it be like the second Duel with its often double-file, a little more exciting racing? Sure, I know it will likely be like the second Duel but, IF it is like the first one, I think it might just be the most boring Daytona 500 I’ve will have ever seen in a while.

Hey, I know this may sound a little harsh but, as a fan, I sometimes have to ask the hard questions. Ok, I admit I’m just trying stir up a little bit of emotion and maybe a little intrigue.

You see, I have always been a fan of Super Speedway racing. Well, that is except when NASCAR drivers ventured into tandem racing. Those were some of the most boring races I viewed at the time. Of course, I have to admit I kinda did but kinda didn’t like the races before restrictor plates came along. I guess I’m somewhat partial to that door-handle-to-door handle, bumper to bumper racing. You see, I’ve been around racing and NASCAR racing for a long time. (At least longer than I am willing to say. But I will say I am almost as old as NASCAR.)

The Next Gen car has added a whole new dimension to this race and NASCAR racing in general. One of the most obvious items is the ability of the drivers to lean on one another without putting themselves out for the entire race. Just look at the Clash in LA a couple of weeks ago. It did get a little rough but hardly any of them were put out even with the “aggressive” racing on the part of the drivers. Yeah, I know the cars aren’t indestructible but they can take a lot more abuse than used to be the case. Yes, they still have some weaknesses that can put someone out of contention or out of the race but, for the most part, they have added to the ability for the racing to go on.

Well… let’s get down to the brass tacks of my of opinion for this 2023 Daytona 500.

It does look like the Fords did their homework over the off-season. Judging from what we’ve seen so far this week, they have shown a lot of speed and handling at first glance. They’ve been fast in the Duels – winning both of them – and they have been fast in the practice sessions. They only place they may have shown a little weakness was in qualifying.

Maybe that was their plan. I suppose it could be they’re more interested in the results they get on Sunday’s race. After all, that’s where the real money is. It’s one thing for a single car to run fast for one lap and quite another to run fast running in a pack for 150 miles. One thing is certain from my view; they certainly do run well drafting together will all the other Fords. Some say they think that’s because of the flatter front end they have. I say, that’s a possibility but, it just looks like they have a speed advantage over the others.

Once again this season, the Hendrick Chevys showed the way during qualifying. Three of the four Hendrick teams were the top qualifiers. The one that didn’t quite make it a foursome was Chase Elliott and, honestly, that wasn’t all that big of a surprise to this fan. Lately, and this is my own opinion, he has been struggling to show up to the track ready to run for the win. Now, don’t get me wrong. I know he won five races last season but he just never seemed to be hitting on all eight cylinders for all of last season. Yes, he had a great season but, like several others, he struggled for making a consistent showing.

The RCR camp was impressive with Kyle Bush making his impact since his arrival. He is hungry for a win not only for himself but to bring in that trophy for his new boss, Richard Childress. Just from what I’ve seen so far this week, I think him winning his first Daytona 500 is a real possibility.

I’m hesitant to say what I’m going say next but I’m going to say it anyway and I’m sure there will be several that will disagree with me. The Toyotas are still a question mark in my book. Of course it makes no difference what my book says but I still say they still look to be struggling a little. Martin Truex Jr. is looking for a win at the 500 and the time for him to accomplish winning the prestigious race is ticking away. All eyes are on him to pull it off this year but, this is a tough race for anyone to win and his chances are as good as anyone else’s. Of course there are at least three other Toyota drivers and teams that have the same intention and they just might keep him from accomplishing his goal of a win this year.

Reflecting on what I’ve seen and what I expect to happen on Sunday afternoon, as usual this race could be won by any one of the drivers whether they rookies or veterans. I expect and hope the racing will be exciting and not just a follow the leader type race. Sure, I know there will some laps that they might all fall in line and just knock off some laps. And as usual, I expect the hardest charges will be made with very little laps left to go. My other big question is, Will there be a “Big One” that changes the whole complexion of the race, whether early or late. That, my friends, is the big question we won’t know the answer to until it happens…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© February 18, 2023 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

Well… It’s that time again. Time for the start of the NASCAR season and it begins for the second year at the Coliseum in L.A. Am I excited? Well, reasonably but, I’m not ecstatic. This is a race that could be run and will likely turn into a bumper car extravaganza. What I mean by that is, and I mean this with all respect to those that will participate, it will become a chrome bumper time. If you listen to the talk going around, you’ll find that rather than call it a bumper car fest, many will call it an aggressive race. I understand that but, I don’t necessarily agree with it.

I have heard all the talk and explanations and I can say why it will likely live up to its name, The Clash. I believe it will become that and more since many compare this race to a typical Saturday night under the lights at a local track. The difference being these are NASCAR Cup cars and, as they often quote, driven by the best of the best.

I won’t argue about whether they are the best of the best. I think NASCAR stock car racers are some of the best of the best and we would be hard pressed to find many better. I will watch this race with interest but, I do find it a lot less interesting than a regular NASCAR race weekend.

I guess you can tell this is not one of may favorite races of the NASCAR Cup season. I find it to be a race worth watching just to see how “aggressive” NASCAR drivers can get and see how they handle their emotions when someone becomes that way with them on a short track like this one is. Unlike last year, now they have a lot of the questions about this new car answered by having a full season under their belts, I expect there to be a lot more pushing and shoving, bumping and banging than there was at last year’s Clash.

Honestly, I don’t have a lot to say about this race. Well, that is, until it takes place. So, until this one is over, I’ll make the decision to comment on it or just move on to Daytona and the happenings that will be going on there in a couple of weeks. Now that’s a race weekend I am looking forward to…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© February 5, 2022 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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The Championship race is always a different kind of race compared to others in the NASCAR season. It is basically two races in one. Most of the time it turns out that the winner is usually the winner of the Championship and the final race of the season but, this is the year 2022 and it is the Next Gen car. From my view, that means just about anything can happen and probably will.

So, everyone is, or has been, talking about the move that Ross Chastain pulled off to put himself into the final four and I admit it was spectacular. I can’t even imagine how many things had to go right for that to happen the way it did and whether it was a once-in-a-thousand move that just happened to work or if it could even be duplicated on a regular basis. Honestly, there were a lot of things that could have gone wrong and Ross said it wasn’t something he would readily like to duplicate but he was happy it worked the way it did. He also recognized the results could have been much different if just one thing in the many that went right had gone differently. From my view, Denny Hamlin was the most surprised to see Chastain pass him for the coveted spot that put Ross in and Denny out of the final four.

I’m not so sure about the outcome for today’s race at Phoenix. The way this season has gone, there could be a totally unexpected winner for the actual race and a totally unbelievable finish for which of the four walk away with the Championship. Since there are actually two races in the one race, there could be some real drama play out before the final flag falls on this 2022 NASCAR season. We all know that the Championship is only between the four qualified for the final four. The one that finishes ahead of the other three will be declared the 2022 Champion. One of them doesn’t even have to win the race – although they likely will if things go as they usually do. There are a bunch of other drivers that can win the race but won’t be declared the Champ.

Although there are several reasons to think the Final Four drivers will be running up front for most, if not all, of the race, there are also a lot of other reasons to think they may not be up front when the days is done. Just to name a few drivers that might rank as spoilers, I would go so far as to bring up Tyler Reddick, Kyle Larson and Chase Briscoe. All three of them are capable of winning and all three are capable of winning at Phoenix along with several others. (Did I mention Kevin Harvick, William Byron or Cole Custer? Well maybe I should…)

Considering how the three I mentioned first have been running and the fact that they were in the playoffs, it isn’t beyond the possibility of seeing one of them take the win. In particular, Kyle Larson is one of two that stand out to me as being likely to win if one of the four doesn’t take the win. The other one would be Tyler Reddick even though it is a hard choice between him and Chase Briscoe. All three of these guys are hard chargers and all three would like nothing better than to be spoilers in this event and close out the year with a win.

So… if you’ve been paying attention to all the talk and hype – and I’m sure you have – you’ve heard all the reasons why any one of the four finalists should win the Championship. You’ve also heard all the hype as to why one of the final four will win not only the race but the Championship. When it comes down to this fan’s opinion, well, I’m just not sure exactly what will happen by the time the final flag drops on this 2022 NASCAR Cup season. But, if things go as usual, the race and the Championship will be won by the same driver. If not, then things will likely be very intense until the last lap is run. Of course, for a few minutes the race winner will get his accolades and then all eyes will turn to the driver that has just won the Championship and the winner will fade into the background and be mentioned in passing for a short while. And then, it will be on to the 2023 NASCAR Cup season…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 6, 2022 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Everyone knows Martinsville is special track and a challenge for everyone that takes it on. This weekend will be no different and it may be even more intense than usual if for no other reason than just one of the remaining eight drivers is a definite for the final four. Of course, that would be Joey Logano and he hasn’t had to work very hard since winning his way into the final four but, I personally don’t think his finishes or qualifying have been by choice but have been either experimental times or just poor performance. Whatever the case, he has no pressure to qualify for anything this weekend. He is ready to move on to the final four.

For the other seven, the story is quite a bit different. None of them are actually guaranteed a place in the final four and all seven of them are going to try and win. From this fan’s view, that means a very intense and emotional race lay ahead of all of them and two of them are in a must win situation.

Just in case you haven’t been paying attention, the two in a must-win situation from my view are Chase Briscoe and Christopher Bell. I don’t think you’ll find many that disagree with my assessment of their situations but I do agree that Christopher Bell could actually get in IF something really strange happens other than a win. Will that happen? I guess it could seeing as this the year 2022 and a lot of very strange things have happened. Rest assured, Christopher will do everything he possibly can to get everything he can out of his car to try and win. Since he pulled off something similar a couple of weeks ago, I guess I won’t totally say he won’t but I don’t think it is very likely.

Since Kyle Larson dominated last weekend and is sitting on the pole this weekend – with that coveted number one pit stall – it is possible he could win and take away the chances of both Bell and Briscoe. Of course, nothing is written in stone and there is still some very strange things that could happen but, I think the final four will come from five of those seven drivers.

A quick look at the starting lineup shows several of the round of eight starting in the front rows for Sunday afternoon. Chase Elliott, Chase Briscoe and Ryan Blaney start in the top four. After that, well, then it gets really interesting.

Ross Chastain starts ninth and he is eight points ahead of Chase Elliott. By the end of the race he could be challenging for the win. He has been making a very strong showing in the playoffs and has finished near the front for the last couple of weeks. He is also in a Chevy and the Chevys have run strong at Martinsville, especially the Hendrick Chevys.

William Byron is one of those Hendrick Chevys but he is only five points ahead of Denny Hamlin in the starting lineup except Hamlin starts eleventh and Byron starts twenty-fifth. Man, talk about starting off in a hole. Byron sure put himself in one and I expect his day is going to be very intense. I’m sure he will have to control not only his own intensity but also his emotions and temper. I believe he really has his work cut out for himself. Hamlin, well, I think I’ll have to reserve my opinion for him and where he might finish. He has struggled in the playoffs often and the Toyotas just haven’t looked all that capable of beating the Chevys this season. That’s not to say the Toyotas won’t run good, I’m just saying they also have their work cut out for themselves.

I expect the intensity and emotions to run high and I think their might even be a few tempers displayed. There is too much on the line for there not to be and it could rear it’s head at any time during this one. Martinsville is a challenging short track and it will challenge every driver on the track. I expect it to be hard to pass and, of course, I expect there to be a lot of bumping and banging and pushing and shoving. There may even be some payback opportunities show up at the most inopportune times. Whether it will affect the outcome of the race remains to be seen but, chances are, it very well could…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 29, 2022 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated

From a NASCAR Fan’s View

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So… round one of the playoffs is in the books and, as unbelievable as it sounds, not one playoff driver won any of the three races in it. Yeah, I know you’ve heard that a lot in the last week or so but, it is worth repeating. I mentioned last week that I didn’t blame everything on the Next Gen car but I do believe it has had a negative influence in a positive way. I know that sounds strange as well but, it has been a hard car for many of the teams to get a grip on and, for whatever reason, it has been difficult for many of the drivers, too. Personally, when it comes to the drivers that have been around for a longer period of time in the Cup series, there has been things they have had to forget or unlearn simply because this car is unforgiving.

What do I mean by that? Well, shifting is different and they had to get used to not having the old H pattern. Before the Next Gen, many of them had several years in the old car and it had different handling characteristics. With the Next Gen they just can’t always save it from the rear getting away from them, even slightly. Tires are the last thing I will bring into this conversation. There have been numerous tire problems and there have been a number of tires just not secured properly. With all of that going on, it has been a race changer at times, depending on where the tires either blow, go flat or simply come off the car.

That’s why I believe the Next Gen car has had a lot to do with how some of the races have gone. I’m not saying it is a bad thing but it has had its impact throughout the year. With this race at Texas, one has to wonder if the Next Gen will have a very visible effect on the outcome or if it just turns out to be a really interesting 500-mile race.

So now we enter into the round of twelve and it could be one of the more dramatic rounds in the whole playoff. These next three races are at some of the more difficult tracks to have a good finish at. Maybe not Texas so much but Talladega and the Roval do have a tendency to be somewhat of a crapshoot. At Talladega, you can be doing everything right and end up in someone else’s mistake or problem and end up in the garage and down in points and suddenly on the outside looking in. At the Roval, well, it’s the Roval and just about anything can happen and probably has in recent times.

Is it any wonder most, if not all of the drivers in the playoffs, want to finish with a lot of points or the win at Texas? They just don’t want to go into Talladega or The Roval needing to win to continue on into the next round of the playoffs. Aside from that fact, there are still several drivers not in the playoffs still very capable of winning any of the three races in this round. The last thing some of the playoff drivers want to see is two or three more drivers that haven’t won yet this season.

Of course, they can’t all win and be less stressed until the round of eight. Only one of them in the entire field can win on any given weekend and it could be a playoff driver or it could be someone outside the playoffs. The hope for the playoff drivers is to end the day with the win and not have to worry about the next two races. It is possible that one of them will and they will get the stress-free ride into the next round. For the rest of them, they will have to press on or, at the very least, hope for stage wins and a big points day.

This is one of the most difficult races to try and pick a winner for because so much is riding on the outcome. Sure, I know I don’t have to pick a winner or even give a prediction of which of them I think will win. I admit the RFK car of Brad Keselowski looks pretty tough and he could be the one that ends up in Victory Lane. Joey Logano has shown speed but he hasn’t been able to deliver recently, even when having a good qualifying run. Chase Elliott has struggled almost every race in the playoffs so far but somehow ends up pressing for the win. The Chevys once again look strong this weekend from both the Hendrick teams and RCR teams. But will they be able to pull off the win? I think it is going to be much too difficult to tell until a bunch of laps are in the book.

Although I’m not sure what will happen Sunday afternoon, I do believe there is going to be a lot of emotion and drama and maybe even some hot tempers. I’m not saying all of that won’t be a good thing but, it sure could mix things up…

Hey, this is Russ and that’s my view… See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 24, 2022 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and Pod Cast Norm Productions
All music TwoBuckThemes from Mike Stewart unless otherwise stated