Nascar Chase – Nascar Fan's View

November 10, 2013November 10, 2013

It’s Down To Two For The Chase at Phoenix

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Well, it’s down to two to go starting at Phoenix International Raceway this weekend and everything will end next week at Homestead. It still remains to be seen exactly how many will still be in the hunt when it comes to Homestead but, unless things change drastically, the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship is down to two.

Even though this is NASCAR and anything can happen, it is highly unlikely that any of the other competitors will catch and pass Jimmie Johnson or Matt Kenseth in the coming two weeks. Even though I’ve been trying to avoid saying that for the last several weeks, it has been pretty obvious that the two leading the Chase for the Championship right now are the two that should be leading the Chase. It is an undeniable fact that Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth have both flexed their muscles throughout the year and in the Chase.

From this fan’s view, it looks like the real race is going to be for third fourth and fifth. I suppose we could throw in sixth and seventh but that might be a stretch. However, if Dale Junior continues on the same path he’s been on lately, he may be in front of everyone except the two leaders. Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer are both 69 points behind leaders and then there’s Greg Biffle.

Personally, it is possible that this could be a third competition for the finale at Homestead. The first and most obvious is between Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. The second is between Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Dale Junior. The third one is the hardest to call and this fan thinks it is between Jeff Gordon, Clint Boyer and possibly Greg Biffle.

Of course we all know that anything can happen but I think that Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer will flex a little muscle this afternoon and possibly move up in the standings. For that to happen in one race would mean that the other three ahead of them would have to have really bad days here at PIR. I’ll let you make the decision as to how possible that is.

There are at least a couple of others that have to be considered for the win this afternoon at Phoenix. Just in case you missed it, Kurt Busch looked very good in practice and it seems that no conversation comes up lately that doesn’t mention a possible win by Denny Hamlin or Brad Keselowski. Of the three, this fan thinks is more likely that Kurt Busch could surprise everyone and walk away with the win this afternoon as opposed to the other two. I have to admit, if one of the other two wins (or anyone else) it wouldn’t be the first time that I was surprised, especially this year.

When it comes down to these final races in the Chase, that’s when it gets hard to pick a winner. We all know there are 43 cars in the field and there are possibly at least 20 of those they could win this afternoon at Phoenix. Once again, it is my personal opinion, that it will be one of the two leaders that wins unless something happens or they play it too safe. Either way, the race at PIR should be an interesting one all afternoon.

From this fan’s view, there is no doubt that both the Johnson and Kenseth teams are very serious and continue to show up well prepared to win. What I wonder about for this race is whether or not they will choose the play it safe between them just in case, or if they’ll go all out to win. As I say that, I don’t expect either one of them to take any unnecessary risks or chances but I do wonder whether or not winning is a necessity to either one of them should some problems show up during this one.

I have heard it said this week that this race could be a throwaway race for the two front runners. I also heard how the statistics don’t line up for either Matt Kenseth or Jimmie Johnson coming into this weekend. I’m not so sure that I agree with all that because Matt Kenseth has shown, statistically speaking, he is writing a new book on himself. When it comes to Jimmie Johnson, he has shown that he can be a dominate force in the Chase whether or not he’s in first place.

So, after this weekend is over, we will know several things. Barring the absolute unforeseen the Chase for the Sprint cup championship will be between Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. What happens amongst the other five drivers in the top spots remains to be seen and could be greatly affected by what happens to them in the race today at PIR. If the same thing happens to some of them that happened to Jeff Gordon last weekend, well, next weekend at Homestead could prove to be very interesting…!!

See ya next time…

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com

All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

November 3, 2013

Texas Is Big For The Chasers

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Say what you will about the Chase so far but, Texas is big for the Chasers and will tell all of us whether it becomes a five man race or if it will be down to the top two. Sure, I know a lot can happen in the course of three races, but Texas will be the turning point for this fan and after this weekend, the end result will be much clearer.

With Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson basically in a dead heat and Jeff Gordon and Kevin Harvick separated by only one point, what happens this weekend could change the whole outlook of the top spots… or not.

From this fan’s view, it is not a given that one of the top five in points will win Sunday afternoon. In fact, just looking at the qualifying could mean a non-contender could win and it could be someone in a Ford. The Fords usually do run well at the Texas track and it may be no different this weekend. That’s not to say it is a given and I do expect the top Chasers to make a statement of their own but it does have to be considered.

All of the main Chase contenders were fast in practice and qualifying and it is a long race on a tough track made even tougher by the exit from turn four. If anything unexpected happens during the race, this fan expects it will happen in, or at least coming out of, turn four. It is just the way the transition is from the turn to the straight (well, that is if you want to call it a straight) and more than a few have struggled exiting the turn.

Of the top five in the Chase points, Kyle Bush is probably the biggest question mark. He is very much in the same position as Jeff Gordon was last week. It is my opinion, if he wants to be considered as a serious threat for the Championship, he needs a win this weekend. He just hasn’t had the best of luck in the Chase, which has been the norm for him every time he has been in it. Now that doesn’t mean he has absolutely no chance of winning but he does have a major challenge ahead of him. Yes, he is only 36 points behind the leaders but the way things have been going for all of the top five, he has a long way to go.

As I said earlier, Texas is a big race for all the Chasers and it could figure big when the Cup teams arrive in Homestead. That’s why this fan thinks it is so important what happens in the race this afternoon. I mean, let’s look at the possibilities. Jeff Gordon definitely needs to finish in the top five and Kevin Harvick needs to do the same. Kyle Bush on the other hand needs to win today and he still needs help from the others to make any real gains in points. Gordon and Harvick also need the same amount of help from the top two. Even if Bush, Gordon and Harvick finish 1-2-3 and Johnson and Kenseth finish right behind them, any points swing would basically be a wash and not much would change.

From this fan’s view, for anything major to take place in the points, Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth both need to have really bad days and the others need to finish up front in one form or another. In a perfect world, that might be possible but in reality, I just don’t think it is going to happen. Would it be great for the Chase? You bet it would and it would really make the next three weekends very interesting but, once again, this fan just doesn’t believe it will happen.

As much as we as fans might like to see the above happen, none of us really expect it. In fact, I know I would be surprised if it did happen and the points battle really did tightened up.

All week long, we’ve heard all the talk and hype about the battle between Johnson and Kenseth and how Jeff Gordon has battled back into third position in the points and comes into Texas with momentum and what the Chase would be like if he wins at Texas.

As a fan, all of it sounds really interesting and exciting but it doesn’t take into account how it might be if someone other than the top five in points wins today. From where I sit, Brad Keselowski looks to have plenty of speed as well as starting outside on the front row. Carl Edwards won the pole and both of them looked very strong in the last practice session. It is possible either one of them could win this afternoon and, though it might not shake up the points that much, it will make things a little more interesting going forward.

See ya next time…

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com

All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 12, 2013

Chasing The Night Away Under the Lights at Charlotte

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Kansas wasn’t kind to some of the Chasers and the race at Charlotte only begs the question will it be more of the same. Unless there is a complete reversal in the way teams have finished over the last couple of weeks, this fan does think this might be coming down to a five man race for the Championship. Just don’t know which five exactly yet.

With the practice and qualifying sessions happening at different times over two days, it is difficult to say which driver has the advantage since there were different drivers with different agendas and a lot of speed to go around for everyone. Even several of the non-Chasers were showing some real speed and it looks like it will be a typical 500 mile race for the Charlotte Motor Speedway. Without getting ahead of myself, I think it is safe to say having consistent lap times for an extended run will rule the night in tonight’s race.

First of all, let’s talk about the obvious. Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon need to continue what they’ve been doing over the last couple of weeks and Gordon in particular needs to win a race. The two have been steadily moving up in the standings, although they have had some help from some in the Chase not doing so well. Even with that being said, this fan thinks they need to keep on doing what they’ve been doing and it wouldn’t hurt if both of them finish in the top five from here on out over the next weeks.

Kyle Bush had his usual problems with the Kansas Speedway and dropped from third to fifth in the Chase. I think last week was his mulligan and if he has another week like that, it is this fan’s opinion he will have a hard time winning his first championship this year. He only sits three points behind Jeff Gordon and ten behind Harvick but it could be hard to make up the points he lost last weekend and he is thirty five points behind Matt Kenseth. After his Nationwide win last night, he could be poised to make a sweep of the weekend but I don’t count on it happening. Fortunes can change in just one moment in a 500 mile race. Still, he should be entering tonight’s race with at least a bit of momentum and confidence.

At the moment, the real competition is between Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson and, as everyone knows, they are only separated by three points. That makes for interesting conversation but they still have to think about the same thing happening to one or both of them that happened to Kyle Bush last weekend. In fact, we all know it can happen to any of the Chasers even though not likely.

Even in qualifying most of the Chasers qualified in the top ten. I don’t know if they’re making a statement for tonight or not but it is definitely an impressive statistic. Nine Chasers starting in the top ten says competition will be tight and, as has been the case with the Gen 6 cars, the one out front usually has the advantage.

As usual, most all of the attention is focused on the front-runners in the Chase but there are some strong drivers and teams that could mix it up tonight at Charlotte. Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne are realistically out of the Chase but either of them could end up in Victory Lane tonight. Although miracles do happen, even if either one of them wins tonight, a miracle is what it would take for them to get back into contention at all. Don’t get me wrong, they can win and it would be big for them but it will take a lot of help from their fellow competitors for them to move all the way to the front.

Charlotte Motor Speedway can be a little treacherous for the drivers, especially if they try to get more out of their cars and than their cars a willing to give. If that is the case, Charlotte is fairly unforgiving. It’s just not a place a driver can make up time on the track if the car isn’t able to give it. It is much more likely the one that overdrives will either end up in the wall or behind the wall watching the winner take the checkered flag.

Tonight’s winner is going to have to outlast the rest of the field and track position will once again be key. Since Jeff Gordon sits on the pole and has the best pit stall, it would only be normal to think he has one of his greatest chances at taking a win and I’m sure his fans would be ecstatic. I mean, I hate to keep bringing this up, but him winning the Sprint Cup Championship this year would be an a amazing story.

Think about it; this year he was about to be an “also-ran” and then became the thirteenth Chaser by a NASCAR ruling and has moved from thirteenth to fourth in points for the Chase in the year 2013. If after all of that he does manage to take his fifth Cup Championship this year… well… I’ll leave all that numerology stuff up to you…

See ya next time…

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com

All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

November 17, 2011

Chase Race at Phoenix After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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After the Phoenix race it is down to the two top contenders, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, as the NASCAR Cup teams make their way this coming weekend to the finale in Homestead. They came into the weekend at Phoenix separated by three points and they left separated by three points and that should make the race this coming weekend very interesting. Tony has to finish at least three points ahead of Carl to tie and then I think it becomes all about the wins, (and we all know how many Carl Edwards has.)

I have to admit, the track came in much quicker than I thought it would and all of us were treated to a great race Sunday afternoon. It appears to this fan, Goodyear definitely brought the right tire, the teams either had a grip on the track or they didn’t and the racing, well, it was very good. Once again, fuel mileage had something to do with the finish, even though it wasn’t the total determining factor for winning. Kasey Kahne ran good all day and had the others covered at the end of the day taking his first victory in a long time.

For the #4 Red Bull Racing team, it was a welcome relief to take the victory especially with the uncertainties Red Bull Racing faces for the coming year. For Kasey Kahne and his crew chief, Kenny Francis, it could be the shape of things to come as they head off after the season’s end to Hendrick Racing. I reckon we’ll find how that transition goes, but for now, Kasey’s Red Bull team has been one of the strongest in the Chase, (other than Tony Stewart, that is) and they haven’t even been in the Chase. Even though they will be switching to their new home at Hendrick, in my opinion, they will making the move with confidence.

As I mentioned earlier, some of the teams just never got a hold of the new track surface at Phoenix and struggled all day. Of particular interest to this fan was the plight of the Hendrick teams. All of them seemed to struggle most, if not all of the weekend. In fact, I would go so far as to say, they just haven’t performed with their usual consistency for the whole Chase. From my view, the year was not a good one for them and it appears they have a little regrouping to do for the coming 2012 season.

Both Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have performed with complete inconsistency during this Chase and had to be a let down for them. Jeff Gordon looked very strong coming into the Chase, but when he got there, it was as if the wheels came off and he was dropping like a rock most of the Chase. From this fan’s view, he could very well be fighting Kyle Bush for the twelfth spot this weekend.

If Homestead is anything like his weekend in Phoenix, it could be a very long winter for Jeff. I’m not expecting much, but I’m sure he would be very pleased to have at least a top five this coming weekend and it would be very interesting to see the Hendrick teams in general do more than their usual struggling at Homestead.

Now speaking of Kyle Bush, it seems to this fan, when the wheels came off at Texas, they really came off for him and the end of his season. Two engine failures in one weekend don’t give a driver much to go forward with after being set on the sidelines for a weekend. From this fans view it appears to this fan he is having one of those character building moments many seem to face in life and, even though he has come a long way with his attitude this year, it is pretty obvious tho this fan, he still has a ways to go. I’m thinking this has been good for him and I expect he will bounce back from all of it next year.

I’m not so sure how he and his team will do this weekend though. He may do well or there could be more of those character building moments ahead for him this weekend, but I am sure he is glad to have the Texas and Phoenix tracks behind him. If nothing else, owner, Joe Gibbs, needs to have a less eventful weekend at least as far as the negatives go. No matter how you look at it, it has been a tough year so far for Joe Gibbs Racing,

With one race to go to name the 2011 Cup Champion and Phoenix in the rear view mirror, this fan has to admit facing the coming weekend with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am looking forward to some time off and spending the holidays with family and friends but I will miss the weekends of racing we have been witness to this year. Contrary to what many believed when we started this year with the new points system and a few other tweaks to the sport we love, it has been a very good year for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.

There has never been a lack of drama for the whole year whether it was the fuel mileage races or the tandem drafting at both Daytona and Talladega. I really can’t say I expected the competition to be this close or this exciting. So far, emotions and competitiveness have been quite evident all year and there has been no letting up on anyone’s part.

It looks as if the naysayers were wrong when they said there was going to be a lack of competition and a lot of laying back until the end of the races. Often, at least from my view, it was all out from the drop of the green flag to the waving of the checkers in most every race. From this fan’s view, with only three points separating the two that can actually win the Championship this coming weekend, I look for more of the same and I expect to see Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart trying to get every point they can in the weekend ahead. As for the rest of the racers and Chasers, well, it may sound funny, but I expect them to be doing the same thing, too…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 17, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 30, 2011

Chase Race Seven at Martinsville from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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NASCAR at Martinsville in the fall is always subject to the weather and this year’s fall race is no different. Cooler weather and a different tire compound may compound the weather issues for some and earlier tire testing my give some an advantage. Now that’s just speculation from this fan’s view, but with only one practice session and and no real qualifying, it remains to be seen what effect the non-cooperative weather situation will have on Chase Race seven.

Because there was no practice or qualifying until NASCAR decided to turn the qualifying session into the final practice, the teams will lineup for today’s race according to points. That will benefit the top twelve in the Chase and all of them will start in the top twelve spots. When the green flag drops it will be 500 laps to see who drops like a rock through the field and who advances (or stays) in front.

The Martinsville track is the smallest on the NASCAR circuit and it follows the largest, which was Talladega last weekend. It is interesting to note how the Chasers consider both the largest and the smallest tracks as tracks they just hope they can survive without too much damage in points. Most of the dread at the Talladega track comes because it is a restrictor plate track and so little of what can happen there is in the drivers hands. At Martinsville it is because it is a short track with two drag strips and two very sharp corners and forty-three cars running and pitting in very tight quarters.

In addition at Martinsville, with the closeness of the competition these days, there is very little separation in speed from the fastest to the slowest and that makes track position one of the most important factors for getting, or staying out front and also adds to the tension and stress levels for the drivers and the crews. If the short final practice is any example of what may happen this Sunday afternoon, this fan thinks the patience level is going to be very short.

Now why do you suppose I would suspect a thing like that? Well, first of all, just look at how the points battle is shaping up. Just twenty six points separate the top five and only another twenty-six points separate the next three spots from them. Although some appear to be eliminated from the Chase, a complete reversal of the way it has gone so far over the next four races would really make it interesting by the time the teams reach Homestead for the finale.

Of course, this fan realizes the chances of that happening are basically slim and none, but since we are talking about NASCAR Cup, it is not completely outside the realm of possibilities. The reality is, this Chase is probably between the top five in the standings from here until Homestead, but we can’t rule out those next three just yet.

Taking a serious look at spots sixth through eighth show two former Cup Champions and one of them has won five consecutive championships. The other has never won a Cup championship but still has to be considered a contender simply because he can go on a winning streak himself and that could put him back into the mix relatively quickly. Of course you know, that last one I’m talking about is Kyle Bush and the other two are Kurt Bush and Jimmie Johnson. Since this is the first year for this points system to be in place, there really is no way of knowing what the possibilities are (even though those guys that like to compare statistics for everything would tell you those last three don’t have a chance, mathematically.)

I really hate to state the obvious, but Martinsville is what everyone expects from short track racing. There will be bumping and banging along with the usual pushing and shoving short tempers and high emotions. Some are going to leave Martinsville disappointed while others will leave higher in the points and looking forward to how much more they can gain next week. From my view, I expect the patience level to be very short, considering the closeness of the points battle and just general short track mentality.

So I guess it comes as no surprise to any fan what can be expected in today’s race. Yeah, that’s right, it should be intense and exciting. From this fan’s view, I’m not so sure the starting order tells us much about how anyone will finish either. This is a track that both Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth struggle at. Hey, that’s not a judgement call on my part; they freely admit this is not one of their best tracks. In fact, history proves they don’t generally do well at Martinsville. Will the fact they are both starting out front make a difference? I don’t know, but by the end of the day, I reckon we’ll definitely know the answer to that and several other questions, won’t we…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 30, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 20, 2011

Chase Race Five After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Chase race number five was definitely a night some would like to forget. It was a night of surprises and disappointments for several Chasers and an overall good night for others. Had it not been for an accident later in the race, Jimmie Johnson would still be sitting comfortably in the top five just a few points back. Instead, he and his #48 team have their work cut out for them over the next few weeks, just to stay in contention.

Yes, it was an eventful night for the Chasers and there was quite a bit of points position swapping, but that’s what makes this year’s Chase as interesting as it is. From this fan’s view, it just goes to show, when NASCAR makes a change it’s usually good for the sport, no matter what people thought of it when they did it. (In case you’re wondering, yes, I am talking about the changes made to the points system this year. It has probably been the biggest contributor to the excitement level, not only for the Chase itself, but all year long as well.)
Just for a moment, let’s take a look at the bottom four spots in the top twelve…

Unfortunately for Denny Hamlin, I think it is all over but the shouting for him to be in contention for the Cup. He is basically three full races behind the front runners and for him to have any kind of shot at all would mean he has to finish first while the top four or five all finish as close to last as possible at the same time. (Does that sound as impossible to you as it does to me? Yeah… that’s what it thought you’d say.)

Even though it is true Denny Hamlin has been in the last spot for the Chase all along, Jeff Gordon has been doing his level best to take that twelfth spot away from him. I have to admit, I didn’t expect him to be mired this close to finishing last in the top twelve for the Chase, but their luck (or something else) changed when they hit the Chase races and the #24 team just hasn’t been competitive so far.

Ryan Newman hasn’t been that much better and he is another one that has been running consistently in the middle to the back of the pack and just can’t seem to catch a break. It isn’t that his cars haven’t been fast, they just haven’t been fast enough and he hasn’t been able to be there at the end of the races.

Dale Jr is actually moving up in the points, (or maybe I should say the other three I just mentioned are falling back faster than he is,) and, though it is good to see him in the Chase, it would be better to see him be more competitive. Over all, he has had a fairly big turn-around this year, but from my view, he just isn’t strong competitively yet. In fact, I’ll say this, none of the Hendrick cars are looking all that consistent when it comes to being competitive in the Chase and that is unusual. From my view, it looks like the competition has caught up to them along with the fact all of the NASCAR Cup teams are running within tenths of a second of each other from the fastest to the slowest and that makes it hard for anyone to dominate. It only takes being a little off for a weekend and it usually means finishing way back in the pack.

From this fan’s view, for Gordon, Newman and Earnhardt to have any kind of chance at all for winning the Cup, or even coming close, there just about has to be a total reversal of the way they’ve been finishing and the way the top runners have. With five races to go, it is an overwhelming task but not completely out of the realm of possibilities. With Talladega and Martinsville next on the schedule, anything is possible, but, unless something really extraordinary happens over the next two weeks, I’m not getting too excited for them.

Jimmie Johnson is the interesting story for this week. He has a car that could have possibly won and was running… well… okay, at the time of his duel with the wall, (and the wall won , by the way), but a pit road decision for four tires by Chad Knaus seemed to dig them a bit of a hole they never quite dug out of. It seemed to this fan track position was more important than tires and being in dirty air seemed to have more negative consequences than usual for more than just the #48 team. If they hadn’t been in the position they were in, he may have never had his confrontation with the wall. (I know, that sounds rather cliché, but it is true…)

Jimmie Johnson’s hard contact with the wall was a testament to the safety measures NASCAR has put into effect for driver safety over the last ten years, in particular, since Dale Sr’s fatal accident and it was another one that a NASCAR driver walked away from.

Our hearts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Dan Wheldon. The racing world lost a great one in the accident at Las Vegas. Although it is a tragedy, it is also a time for all race fans to pull together and support the Wheldon family as best we can. It is also a time for finding out how to make the Indy cars and all race cars safer than they already are. Racing is a dangerous sport and those that are close to it are very familiar with the risks involved. No one should take for granted the safety features built into race cars and we all need to remember and appreciate just how dangerous a sport auto racing is.

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 19, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

September 22, 2011

Sprint Cup at Chicago After Thoughts from A NASCAR Fans View

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The first Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway did two things… it gave Tony Stewart his first victory for the 2011 season and, as is usually the case, shook up the standings for the top twelve contenders in the Chase. Not unexpectedly, it turned into a fuel mileage race and several of the top names ran out of gas in the final laps which mixed up the standings even more and caused a little confusion as the checkered flag dropped. Matt Kenseth benefited from an illegal push on the last lap which cost him his eighth place finishing position and he was penalized by being placed as the first car a lap down. When all was said and done, the teams packed it up and immediately had to get ready to head for Loudon.

Disappointment was fairly obvious throughout the top teams and, in particular for those that ran out of fuel before the end of the race. Matt Kenseth’s situation was probably the most obvious since he sat on the pole and led almost fifty laps on the day. As it was, with the penalty and the empty fuel tank, he finished twenty-first instead of eighth because of being pushed (whether or not they wanted to be pushed or not, by the way) and ended up tenth in the standings after this first race.

Jeff Gordon and Kyle Bush both struggled all day with different problems, but Gordon probably was one of the most disappointed of all. After having a fairly stellar six plus weeks leading up to the first Chase race, this day was a complete struggle and only at the end did he and his crew get the car moving toward the front. As we all know, he ran out of fuel while running twelfth, ending any hope he had of finishing any where near the top ten, or, being able to take advantage of any of the others misfortunes of running out of fuel.

From this fan’s view, there was no doubt the intensity of the race was high and often it was the crew chiefs that bore the brunt of the abuse. I have to say, I don’t know how much crew chiefs get paid, but these days, they earn every penny. Not only do they have to have the proper strategy for all aspects of a race, but they have to handle the attitude of the crews and particularly the driver. From my view, it appears they often deserve more pay than anyone, including the driver. I’m fairly sure that is not the case, but many of the drivers would never make it to where they do without them.

Look, I know the drivers are the “glory boys” and get most, if not all, of the accolades simply because they are the ones the fans come to see and follow. But, think about it for a moment… Could you take some of the garbage the crew chiefs have to put up with and still be the leader of the crews and still keep the driver in the hunt and focused all the while maintaining and attitude of calm. Yeah… I hear ya and that’s kinda how I feel about it, too.

Although I know I mentioned this earlier, the races this season have seemed quite intense even from the drop of every green flag. As a fan, I find it interesting and haven’t quite figured out which rule change NASCAR made for this year that had the most effect on the drivers and their teams. In my opinion, whether it was the way they hand out the points for every race or the way teams were able to qualify for the Chase with those two wildcard slots, I just don’t know. From this fan’s view, something changed and it has been one highly competitive race after another all season. Now, I do admit, had it not been for the fuel situation, the Chicagoland race may not have had quite the intensity it did, but it was a nail-biter for many right down the the finish line.

In reality, I think it has been a combination of several things over the last couple of years that has caused the elevated intensity level. In my opinion, some of it was the additions of the wildcard spots and the way they now count points this year, but, I do think last year’s “boys have at it” attitude and the closeness of the competition also have to be considered. Were it not for all of these changes, this fan wonders if the competition would have been like it’s been or if it would have been a little less intense.

A couple of other things that probably should be considered would be performance issues of some teams and the economic impact on the sponsors. It is a well known fact this has been a tight year for everyone as far as finances go and the impact on every team is obvious. Sponsors are having to re-evaluate their overall financial involvement. The desire of those that are being backed by those sponsors to perform and show they are a valuable asset to those sponsors just adds more to the competition. When it comes to sponsorship of a team, it is expensive and not many can justify spending the amount it costs if the team is not competitive. To this fan, that translates to some of the increase in the intensity on every track the Cup Teams visit and the rest… well… that’s just racing…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 22, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

November 20, 2010November 20, 2010

NASCAR at Homestead: No Matter What Happens, One Will Leave The Champion

One thing is certain for the last Chase race for 2010, no matter what happens in the race this weekend, one of the top three will walk away as the Sprint Cup Champion for the 2010 NASCAR season. It doesn’t really matter if any of the three wins the race, because they’re racing each other and not the rest of the field. All any of the three have to do is finish better than two of the others by a certain amount and the one that does, wins the championship. It is a fitting end to a racing season that many consider to be the best ever in NASCAR history and I can’t say I disagree.

From this fan’s view, I really do think the 2010 season has been one of the best I can remember and I’ve been a NASCAR fan since the 60’s. Sure, there were moments during the year the racing seemed a bit humdrum and boring, but overall, every race had some kind of excitement and drama that capped off every week with a desire to see what would happen the next week. Whether it was the result of previous rule changes like the double file restart, up to three green-white-checker finishes or the statement from NASCAR at the beginning of the year that said, “Boys, have at it…” I’m not sure. All I know is this has been a different year for NASCAR and its fans than many previous ones.

We have all been inundated over the last week with the closeness of the points between the top three, but contrary to popular opinion there is a pretty darn close race going on in the rest of the pack of twelve, too.

A quick look at the 9^th to 12^th positions shows a couple of things. Probably one of the most surprising things I notice is Clint Bowyer isn’t in 12^th; Jeff Burton is and that is despite the penalties Bowyer was assessed after the first race in the Chase along with a poor performance in the second race. I have to say that is one thing I didn’t expect to see.

Next is the points spread between Kurt Bush and Clint Bowyer. Kurt is only 5 points ahead of Clint and depending on what happens Sunday, one of the two could move up or down a spot. I really don’t think Tony Stewart will move backwards from 9^th with the separation of 41 and 46 points between him and the other two, (although, stranger things have happened), but he is only 39 points behind Greg Biffle.

Now that is where is does start to get interesting, (if we ignore the top three for just a few more moments.) There is only 2 points separating Greg Biffle and Kyle Bush for the 7^th spot, just 11 separating him and Jeff Gordon (in 6^th) and a mere 38 separating him and his teammate, Matt Kenseth who is in 5^th. (Aw heck, let’s go ahead and include Carl Edwards in the conversation for a moment, too.) Although he leads Biffle by only 85 points, I think he is most likely going to finish just where he is in 4^th spot.

Aside from the major story of the top three competing for the Championship, from this fan’s view, the order of the top twelve (including those top three) could be shaken up in a major way Sunday afternoon in the Ford 400 at the Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Still avoiding the major story of the top three for at least one more minute, (which is all we’ve heard all week long from every possible angle and source), one of the things I find most interesting for this weekend is what will happen IF, (and that’s a mighty big if), AJ Allmendinger wins the race. AJ has been qualifying fairly well over the last several weeks, but has been unable to back it up with performance in the race. If he does actually pull off the win, 43 fans will win a new Ford. (Now I know there will be quite a few fans that will be watching where he is running a lot more than those other guys running for the Championship.)

Well, as I said to start this off with, it doesn’t really matter who wins the race this weekend. This Sunday’s race could be won by someone in the top twelve or it could be won by one of the other thirty-one drivers. It could even be pole-sitter, Kasey Kahne, pulling into Victory Lane to claim the trophy for the Ford 400, (who has had his share of adversity in the last month), and it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise to me.

There are those that threaten to stop following NASCAR if Jimmie Johnson wins his fifth straight Cup Championship. To them I say a very quiet and hardly noticeable, “goodbye.” No matter how much you think you will be missed, believe me, you won’t be missed near as much as you think you will. As fans, we all hope you reconsider, but you have to do what you have to do. I will say this… if Jimmie Johnson and the #48 Hendrick team do win the championship on Sunday, they deserve it and no one, absolutely no one, can deny they worked for it. It wasn’t handed to them on a silver platter and no one moved out of the way so they could make history again.

When all is said and done at the end of the race on Sunday afternoon, either Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson or Kevin Harvick will leave the track as the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion. To those ends I say, “Have at it boys!”

See ya next time… Rusty

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman and NascarFansView.com

(All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PCNProductions.com)

November 17, 2010November 19, 2010

NASCAR at Phoenix After Thoughts: It Just Ain’t Over ‘Til It’s Over

Denny Hamlin not only led the Cup race at Phoenix and the most laps, looked like he was going to have a big points day over Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick and then… had to pit for fuel. Yes, it looked like Denny would be traveling to Homestead with the other two having hardly a chance at catching him in points, but… yeah, that’s right… he had to pit for fuel. He literally dominated the race in Phoenix, was biding his time until the checkered flag would fall and then… Carl Edwards passed him with 46 laps to go and he… (yep, you got it)… had to pit for fuel. According to the way the day was going, he was just the first of many that should have had to pit for fuel and possibly tires on the last long green flag run of the day and, as the checkers fell, he was the one left out in the cold finishing twelfth while his closest competitors in the Chase finished 5^th and 6^th without a pit stop.

Yeah, for a day that looked like it was going to lead to the #11 JGR team heading to Homestead with a fairly good cushion of points (as most Chase leaders have in the past), well, it just didn’t turn out that way. In fact, there are three teams that will arrive in Homestead for the final race in the 2010 Chase with a chance of being the 2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion; (in case you’re really out of touch), that’s Denny Hamlin now leading Jimmie Johnson by only 15 points and Kevin Harvick by a mere 46.

From this fan’s view, that is exactly how the 2010 NASCAR season has been going. This has been one of the most competitive seasons (at the very least) and we fans have been the beneficiaries of how NASCAR can make rule changes that make racing more exciting for all involved. I know there are those that disagree with me, but it is awfully hard to argue with the facts.

Many thought Jimmie Johnson would do what he has consistently done at Chase time and jump out to a comfortable lead and coast to his fifth straight championship. Although there was a moment it looked like that may happen, so far, it hasn’t materialized. Jimmie and the #48 Hendrick team have had to fight for every point and use every tools in the tool box to stay in contention.

Denny Hamlin has made it known he and the #11 JGR team had a plan for the season. They weren’t going to show all they had until it was time and they were going to take it to the #48 team. Up until Phoenix, it looked like the plan was working and it did look like they were going to be the “Chased” at the finale in Homestead. Instead, that thing many call “racing luck” took the wind out of their “big Mo” and they enter this coming weekend with only a small lead over Jimmie Johnson and only a little larger lead over Kevin Harvick.

Speaking of Kevin Harvick, for someone that has been “flying under the radar” for so many weeks, he has certainly been the center of a lot of attention lately. If there is someone that could come from third place in points to first in the last race of the season, Kevin Harvick and the #29 RCR team could be the ones. He has consistently been counted out in many races and managed to finish at, or near, the front in more than many want to even think about. Leaving Phoenix with only a 46 point deficit between him and leader Denny Hamlin as opposed to what looked like was going to be 100 plus has to be a tremendous boost to the #29 RCR team.

From this fan’s view, Phoenix just proved what I’ve always said about Sprint Cup. No matter what it looks like is going happen, this is NASCAR and anything can, and probably will happen…

See ya next time… Rusty

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman and NascarFansView.com

(All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PCNProductions.com)

November 13, 2010November 13, 2010

NASCAR at Phoenix: Top Three Dueling It Out in the Desert

The problem with being in the top three in points with two races to go in the Chase is there are more than three cars on the track, about twenty of them could win on Sunday and only three of them have anything to lose, (uh, between the three of them that is.) Those three are dueling in the dessert for the top spot in the points for the 2010 Sprint Cup Championship. The rest just want to win and don’t care too much about where those three finish, as long as it’s behind them.

All eyes, (maybe I should say, cameras and microphones), are focused on the three and many of the others actually look like they will be the ones running up front at the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday at PIR. Honestly, (at least from this fan’s view), the only interesting thing about those top three so far this weekend is the (media perceived) mind games they are playing with each other. It sure hasn’t been about how fast they’re running so far this weekend because they haven’t been at the top of the speed chart. It wasn’t where they qualified because the three qualified 17^th or worse.

So where is the interest this weekend? Well, according to the media, it is in the mental sparring taking place between leader, Denny Hamlin’s crew chief, and the other two in the top three. Yeah, I know that is an over simplification, but from all the talk around the sport this week, you would think there is a lot of mental anguish being felt by the two teams in the top three that were beaten by Hamlin last week.

I’m sorry folks but I disagree…

From my view it appears the “rhetoric” is just smack and the intention is just one crew chief trying to focus the media attention on performance to the other teams and away from himself. One thing he does have going in his favor though; the #11 JGR team did win last weekend and did take over the points lead and the perception is the four time champ, Johnson, is on the ropes and Harvick is just running third.

If you listen to Jimmie Johnson, his #48 Hendrick team is just using the “rhetoric” as motivation to improve their performance in Phoenix this weekend. (Nothing like a little verbal nudge from your competitor to bring your focus back on center.) Contrary to what others may think, or say for that matter, Chad Knaus is not panicking or pulling at straws. (Once again from my view), he is working to make it through a little bit of a rough spot and give his driver the best possible circumstances to work with in the race. If he and the team do their job, their driver, Jimmie Johnson only has to be concerned with his performance on the track, not trying to make up for shortcomings that are out of his control. In other words, it puts it back in the driver’s hands where it should be. Chad’s pulling and replacement of the over-the-wall crew last week in the middle of the race, (when the opportunity arose), just shows me he is thinking outside the box and on top of his game.

Kevin Harvick is just doing what he’s been doing all season long; mostly flying under the radar and finishing consistently near the top every week, no matter how it looks like he might do when practice and qualifying are taken into consideration. He has to perform, yes, but he can also hold back a little, (maybe be patient would better state it) and wait for the other two to mess up, either in the pits or on the track. It doesn’t matter which place it happens for them because he is going to be there ready to pounce on their miscues. He’s been doing it with consistency all year and it has been working for him, too.

So… how’s the race going to shape up between them this weekend? Let’s just look at the obvious, (for a change). Last week, I stuck my neck out thinking the top three would play it a little safe and opt for not making mistakes by pressing the envelope. I was wrong and, if things had gone just slightly different at the end, all three would have probably finished in the top five. This week, they are all starting in the middle of the lineup and all three will have to work their way through traffic and hope they don’t get caught up in someone else’s problem.

Denny Hamlin has a little bit of that thing called the “Big Mo” going for him, based on the win last weekend and just general performance in the Chase. Things have been going the right way for him and it “appears” he is in good shape. Appearances can be deceptive though and, in racing, things can turn against you just as fast as a glance in the mirror or a flat tire. The possibility of him having some challenges is always there.

Lately, Jimmie Johnson has been playing catch-up for one reason or another, which is a little out of character for the #48 team, especially at this time of the year. One could say he’s just been having some bad luck and leave it at that, (but of course you know I have a hard time doing that.) The way I see it, the competition in the Cup series has definitely tightened up this year between all the teams and the #48 team has not been performing at 100% every week. They absolutely have to perform at 100% this weekend and let the cards fall where they will. Just as things haven’t quite gone the way they would like, this could be the week they step it up on the competition and take the points lead to Homestead.

Now that I’ve said all of that, I can’t forget the fact there ARE forty other cars on the track as well and more than one of them looks like they could take the trip to Victory Lane this weekend. It won’t really matter all that much if they do, because all eyes (uh, cameras and microphones), will be focused on Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick and next week at Homestead…

See ya next time… Rusty

All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer

Rusty Norman and NascarFansView.com

(All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PCNProductions.com)