The Chase – Nascar Fan's View

September 26, 2015September 26, 2015

Chasers Taking On New Hampshire For Chase Race Two from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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It’s already quite evident that the newest Chase format is doing what it was supposed to do since it was instituted last season and continues on through this one. Tensions and emotions are running very high and we’ve only had one race. This second race in the Chase at New Hampshire takes on its own significance and the only one that doesn’t appear to be very stressed this weekend is Denny Hamlin.

One other driver in the JGR camp that seems to have a lot of confidence going into this weekend is Carl Edwards. He took the pole position which was a repeat of what he did at the earlier race in July. Apparently the Gibbs teams are still thriving on the momentum of their performance over the last few months or so. At this track in July they made a very good showing with Kyle Bush taking the win and Kenseth and Edwards finishing in the top ten. (I guess it’s a good thing Denny won last weekend since he was the worst finisher for JGR in July at fourteenth.) Even though all of JGR didn’t make a good showing in qualifying, they still seem pretty confident with their race setups and possibilities.

Kevin Harvick has come to New Hampshire to make up for his bad finish last weekend at Chicagoland. Judging from his performance so far this weekend, I’d say he’s shown up ready to make his presence known. We all know how disappointed he was and that he thought he was wronged by Jimmie Johnson (though some of the blame should probably go to Jimmie, from this fan’s view there is plenty of blame to go around for both of them.) Even though last week’s incident is water over the dam, this fan thinks some thoughts of payback might resurface during the race if the opportunity presents itself. Of course, Kevin knows he can’t let that keep him from his main goal of qualifying for the next round in the Chase so I do think that main goal will override those thoughts. At any rate, he did qualify on the front row for the start of the Sunday’s race. That in itself could give a glimpse of how things might go by the time the checkered flag drops.

Kurt Bush has been quietly flying below the radar and qualified third for the start of the Sunday’s Sylvania 300. After finishing third in last week’s race, at least according to points, he looks pretty solid to move on to the next round in the Chase. Well, that is depending on how he does on Sunday. The thing about this format for the Chase is it doesn’t leave much room for bad finishes. All it takes is a finish like Harvick had last week and Kurt could be in the same boat. With the consistency he’s shown recently, I really don’t expect that to happen.

I think one of the things that puzzles me most so far is the performance of the Hendrick teams. They just haven’t shown the usual strength that always seems to surface around Chase time. It might be a little bit early to start counting them out but after this weekend one or more of them might be in a position of having to win to make it in to the next round.

That can’t be a pleasant thought for them considering they appear to this fan to have been struggling over the last ten races or so. It is unusual, although not unheard of, for them to struggle a bit at times but for none of them to be showing up as contenders at this point has to be cause for concern. I keep hearing the rumblings that Dale Jr has a good chance to win the Championship this year but without them improving their performance and finishes, I just don’t see it happening. Yeah, I do realize we’ve only had one Chase race so far but time is definitely running out for all three of them.

I think it has to be particularly disappointing for Jeff Gordon to run good in a race and finish poorly at the end. Last week he went from the front all the way back to fourteenth in just a couple of laps. Fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it) he did manage to stay in the top twelve in points but I don’t think he wants to go out of this year as an also ran. He and his fans, for that matter, would much rather see him go out on top.

At this point he isn’t even really contending, he’s just scraping by and for a four time cup champ with a bunch of wins I’m sure he would like much more. For Jeff Gordon, it is about winning, something he hasn’t been able to do this season even though he has been close. Although he will prove himself to be an iron man of sorts when he starts this race and becomes the driver with the most consecutive starts without missing one, he wants more. He has accomplished a lot as a premier driver in this sport and I’m sure this is one title he can appreciate but still, he wants more. He won’t want to be remembered as driving in his last Chase for a Cup championship as one that just showed up and quietly rode off into the sunset and faded away. It is this fan’s opinion he would not only like to win this weekend but would also like to be contending for the Sprint Cup Championship as a part of the final four at Homestead in November. Anything less just doesn’t sound like Jeff Gordon. Will he make it? Well, that remains to be seen.

Earlier in the season he was asked if he “had to win” and he answered with an answer from the heart of a true champion. He said, “I don’t have to win… I want to win!” At New Hampshire this weekend he doesn’t have to win… he wants to win and I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he did…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 26, 2015 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 28, 2012

Chasing Martinsville from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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The Cup teams are continuing their Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship on the flat, paperclip shaped track at Martinsville. Depending on how things go for those atop the points standings Sunday afternoon, a lot can happen in the way we view those with a chance of winning the Championship. In fact, I would say this weekend will pretty much set the field for those that will take it down to the final race in Homestead.

While some would like to think there are more than five that can win the Championship, this fan thinks it is down to three after this weekend. Of course that depends on whether or not the Chase begins to unwind for those sitting in the top three positions at the moment. As much as I might like to see things tighten up in the points and the last race in Homestead be more dramatic, I really don’t see much changing over the next few weeks.

Martinsville is a difficult short track and a lot things can happen both on the track and in the pits but that won’t necessarily translate into major changes in the standings. Jimmie Johnson sits on the pole and that could spell a race win for him and a tightening of the points battle between him and Brad Keselowski who has a long way to go from his 32nd starting position.

Denny Hamlin absolutely has to figure into the mix and, with his truck win this weekend, he definitely needs to be considered for ending up in Victory Lane at the end of the Tums Fast Relief 500.

Clint Bowyer is starting eighth but isn’t guaranteed a top finishing spot by any means. Although he and his MWR running mates have been showing some real strength over the last several weeks, I’m not so sure this short track will be good to him. He has to keep on finishing in the top five if he really wants to be considered as a real threat for the Championship. He has to make up twenty five points on Brad Keselowski and, with the way Keselowski has been running lately, that just might not be a possibility. In fact, with the present points system NASCAR has in place, it is going to be difficult for anyone to make up the amount of points needed to get in to contention for the Championship.

Kasey Kahne is in the same predicament as Bowyer and it doesn’t appear to this fan he will make up a lot of points on the top spots even though he has been running good. Unfortunately, good isn’t good enough unless there is a major change in the way Johnson and Keselowski have been finishing.

One interesting statistic that stands out to me is the qualifying times. There is only a little over a half second separating the fastest qualifier and the slowest. That can only mean one thing when it comes to the race – it will be hard to pass and track position is going to be golden. That puts a lot of pressure on the crews to perform during the pit stops and adds to the possibility of them making mistakes. If mistakes happen, the drivers are more likely to let their emotions get the better of them. If emotions do take over, it could mean they make a mistake that can really put them in a hole (at least from this fan’s view.)

Of course, all of this speculation on today’s race depends on whether or not it rains and whether or not someone other than the Chasers run up front. There is a very good possibility someone outside the top twelve could win today. Bryan Vickers was very fast in the final practice and could end up taking first place at the end of the day for MWR. No one should overlook the possibility of Kyle Bush being up front at the end of the day either. After all, he did qualify third and knows how to navigate this short track which is two dragstrips with turns at the end of them.

When all is said and done at the end of this one, I expect the biggest winner to be the track. It is the challenge for the drivers for this race and, because it is a short track, it could be a “game-changer” for the top Chasers. Going in, this fan thinks Jimmie Johnson has the advantage. After the green flag drops, it is anybody’s guess what will happen and who will win.

After all… this is a flat short track shaped like a paperclip where emotions run high and passing is difficult to say the least. Track position and getting off the corners will be the keys to winning this one and with only a half second separating the fastest from the slowest… well… it’s Martinsville (and you know what that means… )

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 28, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

September 23, 2012

Looking for Magic at the Magic Mile from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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After last week’s disastrous start to the Chase for some teams, those same teams are looking for magic to happen at the Magic Mile at Loudon, NH this weekend. With the new points system, making up points lost is a bit harder than it used to be. The answer is still winning but, consistency will still play a part in the last nine races in the Chase.

Jeff Gordon, as everyone already knows, had the worst luck of the twelve Chasers last weekend and has the most to make up in the weeks ahead. Had it not been for that stuck throttle putting him in the wall, (while he was running fourth, by the way), his task could be completely different on this Sunday afternoon. As it is, he needs to finish ahead of the rest of the Chase contenders and that means he needs to win. He has already shown the #24 team has come ready to make a fight of it by taking the pole position but anyone that knows anything about NASCAR knows it will be a struggle and he needs to finish this week off with a win. From this fan’s view, that would make a powerful statement to the rest of the Chase contenders.

Many expect Denny Hamlin to make his own statement this weekend. After running out of gas last weekend, he made the statement that he would win this week at NHMS. He will definitely have to quit talking about what he’s going to do and just start doing it. You might be asking why I say that, but it should be a little more than obvious. He ran out of gas last weekend and finished much further back than he was going to and they had the wrong tire pressures for qualifying this weekend. I don’t know about you but from this fan’s view, I’d say they need to stop making miscues or they just might find themselves at the bottom of the list of the Chase twelve.

If there was ever a time there could be a non-Chaser win one of the Chase races, it could happen this weekend. Kyle Bush starts outside pole next to Jeff Gordon on the front row. Even with all of the bad luck he has had this year, that still makes him one to be watched to take the trip to Victory Lane. I’m not saying it is going to happen and, considering the way things have gone for the #18 team in the later part of the “regular”season, I’m not even willing to say look for it. What I will say in as definitive way as I can, is he has a chance.

The two Toyotas of MWR that are in the Chase need to be included in the mix for this afternoon. Both Martin Truex Jr and Clint Bowyer showed promise in the practice sessions and I just don’t think it would be a good idea to overlook them. Truex Jr not only can win but would like nothing better than to win today. Even though he made the Chase on points, he didn’t score any victories to get into it. It has been a long time since he actually took a trip to Victory Lane and to end up there today would do wonders for him, his team and his owner, Michael Waltrip.

As for Clint Bowyer… well… let’s just say he really likes this track and could quite possibly end up in Victory Lane and cancel out Denny Hamlin’s statement about winning this weekend.

From this fan’s view, I think this could be one of the most competitive races of the Chase. The biggest reason for my saying that is how competitive the field is. After that, I would have to remind everyone it is only a three hundred lap race. To this fan, that means there won’t be a lot of laying back until the final laps. Oh sure, they may not go flat out all the time, but there isn’t a lot of time to make up track position.

In observing the the practice sessions (and the qualifying), it was pretty obvious there was a big difference between the first lap and others. The tires don’t come in for a lap or two at the very minimum and that could make the double file restarts very interesting.

Except for qualifying, Denny Hamlin appears to be the one to watch and if his last race at Loudon says anything, he could easily make up the 30 some spots it would take to put him out front. Of course, we all know he has been fast at the Magic Mile, especially this weekend. As long as his team doesn’t make any mistakes (whether large or small) he should end up with the checkered flag and take a lot of momentum with him into week three. He is confident entering into the Sylvania 300 but his luck can turn on a dime just like it did for several at Chicago. As you can tell, this fan just isn’t willing to throw the trophy his way just yet.

Of all the races in the Chase, the one this afternoon could be the most dramatic of any we will see in the next nine weeks. Of course that is not taking into account what the rest could be like if the points battle gets really tight. If the Chase turns out to be anything like the first 26 races and the uncertainty of the final results entering into Richmond, well, let’s just say Homestead could be very interesting. (Notice I used the two words “could be” more than once here.)

Personally, I think the Championship is still wide open and I, like several others, think Jeff Gordon still has a chance to win his fifth. Of course, there are a bunch of drivers and teams that think they have a chance too and who am I to say they are wrong… ?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 23, 2012 – all rights reserved
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

November 10, 2011

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

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Texas was big for the Chasers and, unless something really goes wrong for the top two drivers in points in the coming two weeks, this fan thinks we are down to a two man race. Tony Stewart did exactly what he needed to do and he now trails Carl Edwards by only three points as the NASCAR teams head for Phoenix this coming weekend.

Okay, okay… I admit it is still just a tad early to be counting out anyone in the top six of the Chase standings, but if the only thing you’re hoping for is mathematical elimination to make being out a reality, then you’re obviously an optimist. I’m sure there are some that still hold on to the hope that Brad Keselowski or Jimmie Johnson can still be a force in the final race at Homestead, but the likelihood of them picking up the amount of points they need over the next two races would mean the four ahead of them would have to have absolute disasters and finish in the last spots for both weeks.

You say, “Well, it could happen…” and I say, “Ain’t likely… and your a bigger dreamer than anyone I know.”

Now you may not know this if you do feel those two do have a chance, but the chances of the top four finishing as far back as possible and spots five and six finishing at the front two weeks in a row are astronomical. I still say emphatically, “It ain’t gonna happen!!” and there are more than just a few that agree with me.

So what are the chances of Matt Kenseth and Kevin Harvick pulling ahead of Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart? Well, better than the other two but still, it would mean Carl and Tony would have to have extremely bad races in Phoenix and Homestead. That is about the only chance I see for Harvick and Kenseth but they only have to make up 33 and 38 points to pass the leaders over the next two races. That’s not impossible but it isn’t easy either.

Of the two top Chaser’s, this fan thinks if anyone is due for a bad week it is Carl Edwards, but not both him and Stewart on the same weekends. As it stands right now, this Chase is Carl Edwards to lose and this fan thinks Tony Stewart is going to do everything he can to take advantage of any mistakes the #99 team makes and, also from my view, Stewart is the hot shoe at the present.

Kasey Kahne had the best finish of the non-Chasers and has had an exceptional Chase (even though he isn’t in it.) The Red Bull team is making a strong showing even though they’re losing the driver and probably won’t be involved next season. It is a good thing for Kasey and for his team though, because even with the adversities they’re facing, they have shown what they are made of and it could be a plus for all involved no matter what happens for them next year.

I know I mentioned in the pre-race article that I had noticed kind of a trend that dealt with most multiple win drivers appearing to be three and done. Because of that trend, I didn’t think “Smoke” would win at Texas (or possibly any place else this year.) Well, I reckon I might have to adjust that statement a bit and, to be honest, I’m not sure that he won’t win at least one of the two final races. He has that old glint in his eye that says to this fan and his competitors, “Look out, you may have thought I didn’t have a chance, but I intend to win this Championship and it’s up to you to stop me.”

Honestly, from this fan’s view, it is good to see the fire back in Stewart’s eyes even if it was only missing for a few weeks before the Chase started.

A quick look at the Texas finishing order tells an interesting story about the possibilities for the race coming up in Phoenix. Of the top twelve finishers at Texas, six were non-Chasers and it could be the same happens this week. I’m not saying I really expect Edwards or Stewart to have bad finishes, but I am saying they may have to race a non-Chaser for the lead this coming weekend.

One thing the Texas race showed us was Tony Stewart is quite capable of doing exactly what needs to be done in his quest to win his third Cup Championship. Tony not only won the race but got all the points he could get in one race. Another thing is he looks as confident as I have seen him look in several years and that could spell trouble for Edwards and his team. Carl has readily admitted they have been lucky in more than one race in the Chase and, personally, I think he hopes they don’t have to be lucky again this year. It is my opinion the #99 team would rather have at least one dominating performance out of the next two and have a comfortable lead over Stewart and his team.

Will that happen? Well, only time will tell and ‘by the time they get to Phoenix’, the picture may be a bit clearer but I wouldn’t count on it. Now after they leave Phoenix, well…. that’s a whole different story…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 10, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

November 5, 2011

Chase Race Eight at Texas from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Well, the fireworks have already started for the Texas Motor Speedway but who would have thought something in the Truck series would have an effect on the Cup Series Chase for the championship. It is old news now and I know you’ve all heard about the incident between Kyle Bush and Ron Hornaday – (uh, how could you not have heard?) – but Kyle Bush will not be racing in any of the three NASCAR series for this weekend. That will kill his chances for making any impact in the Chase for the Cup this year and it is unknown by me at this point if further actions will be taken.

It is interesting to note that an action like this isn’t often taken by NASCAR, but it is also something that has happened before, just not on the same scale. This is the first time it has affected a competitor across all three of the series in a weekend. Although it will obviously leave a bad taste in the mouths of many, it was probably a necessary action for the sanctioning body to take to be able to maintain control and govern the three series. Without some sort of drastic action like this, there would be little control they would be able exert.

Since the advent of “Boys, have at it…” there has always been the question raised when the line would be crossed and, obviously, that question has now been answered. Kyle Bush obviously crossed the line (although I know many may disagree) and now those actions will not only affect one in the truck series but it will affect teams in the Nationwide and Cup series as well. By the way, let’s not forget there was more to that statement than just, “Boys have at it…” they also included the words “and have fun…” I don’t recall them saying, “anything goes” although some may have interpreted it that way.

I understand Kyle has a very competitive nature, is a great driver but can have a volatile temper at times. I also understand almost all racers at one time or another, do things they regret when their system is filled with all that adrenaline generated by the sport they love. Racers also know, (or hopefully quickly learn), there may be consequences for those actions that may seem unfair at the time, but are meant more to protect them and keep them safer in an already dangerous sport. (By the way, from this fan’s view, I think NASCAR made the right decision in this instance and I know it got a lot of people’s attention, especially in the Cup Series.)

Well, now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, I guess we should spend at least a little time talking about the Cup series race coming up Sunday afternoon. The actions taken by NASCAR won’t change the intensity already evident in the Cup Series but it may cause some (especially in the Cup Series) to consider their actions may have greater consequences than they thought. Considering the tightness of the competition in the top six of the Chase, it may not only affect how they race on Sunday, but also how others outside the top twelve race, too. In past weeks there have been those that have said they have nothing to lose, but now it appears they may have a lot to lose, if their actions step over the line as Kyle Bush’s did in NASCAR’s opinion.

Everyone knows Texas is a fast track. Things can happen fast at a place like this and there is no way of knowing who or how someone in contention for winning the Chase may be affected. Probably the greatest fear of those at the top of the Chase is something happening, either of their own making or someone else’s, that takes them out of the top spots. Of course, the opposite holds true for those trying to make up spots in the Chase. They hope something does happen to those front runners that gives them a chance to get back in the hunt and that they don’t get caught up in any of it.

Somehow, Carl Edwards has managed to hold onto the points lead, even though he hasn’t been the dominate player week in and week out. Tony Stewart has made a charge since the Chase began, but has also struggled at times. Between these top two, there is now a little bit of “mind-gaming” going on and it looks to make this weekend’s race, not only exciting but also more intense. I don’t see Carl Edwards just running around for 500 miles hoping the rest of the players in the Chase don’t make gains on him, but I do expect him to be competitive and yet cautious.

When it comes to Tony Stewart, well, he has already said he intends to press the envelope and he hopes to best Carl by better than eight points and take home the trophy, too. His level of confidence and intensity are very obvious, even to the casual observer, and I expect him to be pressing toward the front even while being protectively cautious of the position he is now in.

There is no way I can count out anyone in the top six at the moment. Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson are still in it as far as this fan is concerned. Now, I may feel a bit different when this weekend is over, but any one of the four can break right back into contention if they run up front and something happens to the front runners. I know that little word “if” can loom very large, but all things considered and something does happen to Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart and they both finish far back in the field, suddenly the points battle shapes up completely differently.

To put it bluntly, there are a number of drivers that can win this weekend and only twelve (well, really eleven) are in the Chase. One of them sits on the pole (namely Greg Biffle) and the rest lineup somewhere behind him. This could very well be another one of those races a non-Chaser takes the trip to Victory Lane. It could also be a race there is a collective groan from many as Jimmie Johnson gets back to within striking distance of his sixth consecutive Cup Championship…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 5, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

November 4, 2011

Martinsville After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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The Martinsville race went just I and several others expected it would and I have to say it even surpassed the level of intensity I thought might be prevalent from at least the Chasers. Instead of just being intense, it was like many of the drivers were running for the championship and trying to win it as if they were all within a few points of the leader. Of course we all know only a handful actually were (and are) but that’s not what it looked like, from this fan’s view. What it looked like was a local Saturday night short track shootout for big bucks (and, of course, we all know that wasn’t the case either.)

Martinsville showed once again what fans like about short track racing, especially when the NASCAR teams show up. There was the complete package with fast cars, tight racing and an all-out attitude evident from almost every driver in the forty-three car field including those in the Chase and out of the Chase. There was the typical assortment of beating and banging, pushing and shoving and a lot of high emotion resulting in some not-so-nice paybacks along with some displays of frustration more visible on the short tracks than at other locations. Whatever the case, from this fan’s view, it looked like the fans’ got their money’s worth. ( I know I did.)

It appears Tony Stewart waited until the Chase to start his usual latter part of the summer higher performance level and has now won three of the Chase races. He now sits in second spot, with only three to go to in the Chase. Although he has won three of the Chase races, it remains to be seen how these next three weeks go and whether or not he will finish consistently in them or if he will have the up-and-down results the #14 team has experienced a lot this year.

If I could, I would just like to interject an observations from this fan’s view and believe me, I’m not trying to jinx the efforts of the #14 Stewart/Haas team. It is just something I have noticed over the extent of the season so far. Except for Kevin Harvick and Kyle Bush, it seems there has been a three wins and they’re done syndrome. If you look at the multiple winners for this season, you find an interesting statistic glaring at you at least a little bit.

It has to do with those that were running good and then they got those three wins over the course of the first thirty-three races this year. For most of them, their racing luck turned sour after their third victory and for those other two, Kevin Harvick has been only fairly consistent and Kyle Bush has had nothing but struggles, especially since the Chase began. Does that have an ominous sound to it as the NASCAR teams visit the Texas track or is it just a statistic that appears obvious to me but has absolutely nothing to do with anything?

I’m not sure how you feel about it, but there is something to be said for that thing called, “racing luck” and it does have to figure in somewhere along the route to the championship. If it weren’t for racing luck, Carl Edwards would not be in first place for the Chase. If you don’t believe me, ask him, (or at least, listen to his interviews) and look at how he has fared in the Chase races so far. From my view, Carl Edwards is riding a wave of consistency through the Chase, but he really hasn’t looked like the front runner that he is at the moment. Of course I do realize his plight could also be considered as something called “in the cards”, but, that also sounds like racing luck to me.

I know there are those of you that think he is just running conservatively and that is why he has not looked that good in the Chase so far and you may be right. Consider this, though. Carl Edwards knows as well as anyone, he has been lucky and that they haven’t been running as dominate as their position seems to show. He also knows (along with a whole lot of the rest of us) had it not been for “racing luck”, Matt Kenseth would probably be leading the points right now and he might have been as far back as third or further.

After the way the race went at Martinsville, this fan thinks it is still a pretty wide open race for the Chase to the Cup, but I do think it is all over but the shouting for those in the seventh to twelfth spots. Sure, they can still race to better each other for those lower spots, but I think it is obviously over for them to take the Chase. Does that mean there may not be a complete surprise? No, but it sure would take miraculous intervention for it to really happen, (at least that’s my opinion of the situation.)

After Martinsville, I agree with those that think it is still a five man Chase, possibly even a six, even though it is going to take some big reversals for it to be that way. The one that is really a big question mark is Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he is in sixth place and many have already ruled out him winning his sixth Championship, but he has been ruled out before and still managed to win five Cup Championships in a row. After the race in Texas, the picture should be a lot clearer, but if the unexpected does happen, it could be a lot foggier.

As it stands right now, and especially after the way Martinsville went, Carl Edwards is going to have to deal with Tony Stewart breathing down his neck carrying a lot of momentum into the coming race along with several others not yet willing to call it quits either. One thing this fan knows for sure; Carl Edwards and the #99 team cannot continue to count on just being lucky. They are going to have to perform better than they have and they are going to have to contend with more than just Tony Stewart. There are several more that are just waiting for Carl to have a bad race or two instead of just being lucky…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 04, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 29, 2011October 29, 2011

Talladega After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Chase race six at Talladega turned out to be exactly what many of the twelve Chasers feared it would be… unpredictable and a race they would have rather not had to run. It was also a race that separated the ones that can win the championship from the ones that can forget about it this year and, at least from this fan’s view, the real players are coming into focus. A quick glance at the finishing order show only three of the twelve Chasers in the top ten, so, even though some of the top guns had bad days, those behind them had worse days and Carl Edwards still sits first place in points.

One good thing came out of it for Denny Hamlin, he finished eighth and that was good enough to move him up in the field. Now he is no longer twelfth in points and happily turned that spot over to Ryan Newman, at least for now. He is separated from Jeff Gordon in tenth spot by only two points and just ten points from Dale Jr in ninth. As I said before, those three are falling back faster than Denny when it comes to the points and, unless his luck changes soon, Jeff Gordon could be battling Ryan Newman for the Twelfth spot. They’re only separated by six points at the moment and neither one of them can seem to catch a break since the Chase began.

There was a lot of chatter about how some of the teams chose to ride around in the back while others chose to race out front. (Notice I purposely chose the words ‘ride’ and ‘race’…) The complaint seems to come from the journalists section in particular and they suggest the fans are being cheated by those that choose not to race until the end of the race. I do understand where they’re coming from, but I do not necessarily agree with them.

Restrictor plate racing with the COT and especially at Talladega has become a strategy race. The teams absolutely have to do what they think they have to do to be around at the end of the race or they have no chance at winning it. Yes, it has changed the way the race looks now, but until NASCAR and the teams find something that works differently, this fan thinks we need to accept what we have knowing that NASCAR will do what it thinks is necessary to improve the situation. I am confident, they will eventually find a happy medium to remedy the situation. As it is, the racing isn’t that bad anyway, at least from my view.

One noticeable thing about the racing and the choices being made along the way as strategies and partners had to change. It didn’t matter much whether teams or partners chose to run in the front or the back. Apparently it wasn’t safe anywhere and accidents that gathered more than one Chaser happened in both places and in the middle, too. From this fan’s view, it just goes to show they’re not 100% safe no matter where they choose to run in this type of racing. It didn’t happen to those running out front, but either their partner or the ones that tried to pass or run with them could have caused the front runners difficulty as well.

Another problem with the two car tandem drafting reared it’s ugly head again at the Talladega track and that was what happens to one driver’s chances when his planned running partner runs into problems or they get separated for some reason. This last weekend showed a lot of people being left without their running partner at one time or another during the race. Plans had to change on the fly and sometimes people were left out in the cold causing some disappointments for more than one.

From my view, it appeared there was a lot of tension, resulting in impatience and the usual split second mistakes in judgement that caused accidents or some other sort of problem for several. It was clear the strategy chosen by some worked out well and for others, not at all.

One thing was definitely apparent at the end of the day. With all of it’s problems and drawbacks, restrictor plated racing is still unique and this fan finds it quite entertaining and exciting. I don’t think anyone can argue with the way this Talladega Super Speedway race finished between Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton. It was another close one and was decided on the final part of the final lap and from this fan’s view, generally, you just can’t hardly get better than that. Well… that is unless you wanted someone else to win… )

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 28, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

October 22, 2011

Chase Race Six at Talladega from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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The Chasers and the rest of the Cup teams take to the Talladega track Sunday afternoon and one thing is certain… there will be a lot of uncertainty of how the race will go. NASCAR has made some interesting rule changes and many of the drivers and others are questioning some of those changes and think it is going to make the likelihood of something big happening even greater. Some are questioning why they have chosen to change the cooling system pop-off valve eight pounds (from 33 to 25 lbs) and others wonder why they eliminated greasing the bumpers. Some have said these are the dumbest rule changes ever and many fans are in agreement.

So what’s the big deal about all this? Well you see, Talladega used to be about speed. It was the biggest and fastest oval track in NASCAR and it used to be a place where a very few cars dominated all the rest and put them laps behind over the course of a race. In this fan’s opinion, given the choice of a few cars running for the trophy and the rest just running around the track, NASCAR chose to change the rules and that led to large packs of cars running nose-to-tail, side by side and a thing called restrictor plate racing.

Of course, there were many good reasons for making those changes other than just to bunch up the cars into those large packs. Since the racing speeds were increasing to over 200 miles per hour, to protect the fans and the drivers from cars that were beginning to take flight with regularity putting those fans and drivers in jeopardy, NASCAR opted for the restrictor plates to lower the speed of the cars on the super-speedways and hopefully keep their wheels on the ground. That and other tweaks to the rules led to the large packs of cars running in the draft and yet kept any one of them from really separating themselves from the rest.

Then came the new car called the C-O-T (car of tomorrow for those of you new to, or not familiar with NASCAR) and something new happened to the racing on the super-
speedways. The drivers and crews discovered that two cars running nose-to-tail could run up to fifteen miles per hour faster than a pack of cars or cars running by themselves. The longer the two could run together in tandem, the longer they could maintain that speed advantage. With the repaving of the larger tracks, making their surfaces smoother, the drivers now choose a running partner and the field runs in packs of two for the whole race.

NASCAR has been trying to find ways to break up those extended two car tandem runs and the latest try at fixing it is the rule changes concerning the pop-off valves and not allowing the teams to grease the bumpers. (Just to refresh your memory, greasing the bumpers made it easier to run in tandem without upsetting the the front car in the tandem, or worse, causing an accident and sometimes, a big one.) Of course, it does appear the teams are finding a way around that “no-grease” rule already…

All of these new developments lead us into this weekend at Talladega and the certainty of uncertainty and makes this fan wonder how all of it will shake out when the race is over. I’m still one of those that loves restrictor plate racing and has already grown accustomed to the two car tandem drafts. What I would like to see happen is the continuation of the close racing and finishes we have all witnessed lately and I don’t think that is going to change. From my view, the drivers are just whining a bit at the increased stress level they will have to endure and it will be particularly more stressful on the ones in the Chase that need to have very good finishes this weekend.

So, a quick glance at the qualifying times tells a Chevy story. Just looking a the top ten shows seven Chevys and three Fords. If we look just little further back we see there are two more Chevys and still only one more Ford in the top thirteen. Of course, you know there is not much about qualifying that says how the race will end up, especially at the super speedways, Talladega in particular.

From this fan’s view, (and several others), it’s not about how fast the cars run by themselves but how fast they run with their chosen tandem drafting partners and how they move through the traffic. That’s just how this tandem racing goes and it is going to be important how the different partners come out of the pits and how fast they can pair up. That puts extra pressure on the pit crews and the crew chiefs to perform and it makes every stop important. The adjustments that will need to be made and the strategy calls to keep partners together and out front will be as important as ever and still, the strategy calls made on the fly will be the ones that can make or break the race for anyone.

In typical fashion, there is at least one more thing that will be almost certain for the full 500 miles. The drivers have to keep their cars cool and they have to stay cool themselves, but that’s really not the one more thing I’m talking about. What I am talking about is that the race is 500 miles and anyone of the 43 starters can win it, and of course, the points could be well shaken up when this one is over…

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

October 15, 2011

Chase Race Five at Charlotte from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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Chase Race five in Charlotte tonight will draw the line for some that would like to be in contention for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship for 2011. Those at the bottom of the top twelve in points absolutely have to have a good finish tonight and hope that those above them in points have really bad finishes. Of course, just between you and me, the chances of that happening are about slim and none.

I can’t help but mention, (again), unless things really change for Denny Hamlin over the next six races, he is definitely out of contention from my view, (and many others, too.) The odds of him winning several of the remaining races and ALL of the others having extreme reverses in their fortunes are completely astronomical. (Uh, in case you’re wondering, that’s a nice way of me saying, “It ain’t gonna happen!”)

The way I see it, his only hope is that some continue to do worse and he can move up out of the twelfth position. If you listen to interviews with him, it appears they are trying to deal with the rest of this season and focusing on their hopes to be major contenders next season.

Ryan Newman is almost in the same boat as Denny. Being fifty-four points out and considering the drivers that are ahead of him, he would almost have to have miraculous intervention to move anywhere close to the first spot. Now, don’t get me wrong, he isn’t 100% out of the picture and I know he is starting sixth in the lineup tonight, but unless he consistently finishes the next six races in the top five with some wins, he is clearly on my “also-ran” list for the 2011 Sprint Cup Championship.

Where it really begins to get interesting, and one of the things that makes tonight’s race so important at Charlotte, is where Dale Jr and Jeff Gordon are in the points standings. They are in ninth and tenth and forty-three and forty-seven points out of first respectively. They are definitely not out of contention but they do have a lot of work to do and neither one of them can afford to finish out side the top ten again. Even if they do finish in the top ten for the next six races, their future depends on how the ones now in the top eight places finish over that same time. From this fan’s view, unless they start finishing in the top part of the top five from here on out, they both need to start thinking about next year.

Next on my list would be Kyle Bush. Kyle has quietly been running fairly consistently, but if he wants to win his first Sprint Cup Championship, he’s going to have to turn up the wick a bit. I have heard rumors they’ve just been working their way through some of their not-so-favorite-tracks and some performance issues at JGR, but many are beginning to wonder if the Chase is just a bit out of his reach yet.

We all know he can drive, and win, but from this fan’s view, I expected more from him in this Chase just like I expected more from Jeff Gordon. With Kyle’s improved attitude this year and his ever increasing maturity and mellowing-out level, I truly expected him to be in the top four or five by now. Sure, I know twenty points isn’t that far out, but it doesn’t leave much room for error over the next few weeks either.

Tony Stewart sits on the pole for tonight’s race but it’s going to take a top five performance from him to make me see the #14 team has a chance at taking the Championship. Yes, his two wins were impressive but his performance has been a bit lacking most of the last half of the year. I’m thinking the Stewart/Haas teams are both a little concerned about their performance so far.

A quick look at the lineup shows seven Fords, four Chevys and one Toyota in the top twelve starters. I know you already know what I think about using qualifying spots to give an idea of who might win the race, but even I have to admit, the Fords are looking very strong for tonight.

Not only is it just Fords, but the Roush Fords of Kenseth, Edwards and Biffle have all qualified in the top five. Taking that in to account and considering how the Roush teams usually perform at the Charlotte Motor Speedway, they do have to be highly favored for a possible trip to Victory Lane tonight. Am I picking one of them to win? Nope, but I will keep an eye on them to see if they can maintain their speeds for more than a lap or two.

The race tonight is once again one that could see a non-Chaser in Victory Lane. Kasey Kahne has been running very strong during the Chase races and looks like a strong contender for tonight’s race as well. I can’t really rule out several others either. AJ Allmendinger, Marcos Ambrose and Paul Menard could pull off the victory tonight and it wouldn’t be that big of a surprise. Look, it wouldn’t even surprise me if someone like Trevor Bayne ended up pulling into Victory Lane at the end of 500 miles, but, that’s not really what I’m expecting. I’m expecting to see names like Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth and a couple of others at the top of the scoring pylon by the end of the night; but then again, this is NASCAR and I do expect the unexpected, too…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 15, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions