This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in the Irish Hills of Michigan after a one-week hiatus for this week's The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly, served with Michigan-style corn dogs and hot dogs, cheese fries, and washed down with NOS energy drink. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: he gets this spot as this week's race winner. Even though he didn't lead the most laps, he had the best car in the race. He was able to turn in the corners better than any other driver, and he had enough to survive a GWC finish. With the win, he would take the lead in the points in the Chase, breaking a tie with Kevin Harvick. This team has momentum, and could be the front runner to dethrone Jimmie Johnson at season's end. Good job Kyle!
Jimmie Johnson: he ALMOST got that first career win at MIS. He greatly benefitted from a caution right after he had pitted, giving him the lead for the first time in the race. That was how he was able to gain all that track position. Could this be the turning point in the season for the 48 team? He seemed to get some of that racing luck back.
Brad Keselowski: Bad Brad should be renamed Gritty Gutty Brad. He raced without a brace, gritted through the pain, and finished third with a very strong run, pleasing the home crowd. It helped that he qualified second. He further solidifies his hold on the first wild card in the Chase. (He may just finish in the top 10 after all!)
Mark Martin: he showed why he's so formidable at Michigan. He took two tires to gain track position on a very early pit stop, and came out in the lead. He was able to hold the lead for a long time and when he lost the lead, he didn't drop off that much. Because of all that track position gained, he was able to come away with a top 5 finish.
Clint Bowyer: despite all the distractions of his contract status with RCR, and a bad starting position (p35), he has a solid top 10 run, finishing 8th, but is still 24 points behind Tony Stewart, who sits in 10th place in the standings. Bowyer was definitely the mover of the race, gaining 27 positions since the drop of the green flag.
Matt Kenseth: he was in the top 5 for a great majority of the race, but on the final restart, he got shuffled back to 11th. He was able to make up one position to finish 10th.
Greg Biffle: he looked like he had the car to beat for most of the race, as he led the most laps, but got shuffled back due to bad pit stops late and bad pit strategy. Although he sits in 13th in the standings, he has no wins, and in order to make the Chase, he needs two wins in the final three races before the Chase. Fortunately, all three tracks are favorable to him.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, and Tony Stewart.
THE BAD
JJ Yeley: he was the first start and parker. He drew the short stick at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room. He ran a total of 11 laps before declaring himself done for the day and hotfooting it out of town with his earnings.
Kevin Harvick/Gil Martin: Harvick's crew chief was definitely not on his game. He should have borrowed some Wheaties Fuel from Clint Bowyer this morning. (I think Bowyer ate the whole box; that explains the huge improvement from starting position!) Harvick was running well and at the first pit stop, the crew made adjustments to the 29 car and whatever they did, they pissed the car off. At one point, the 51 car was running better than the 29! Even Andy Lally was leading laps!! On the final caution that brought out the GWC, they could have made it on fuel. They had the PERFECT opportunity to steal at least A DOZEN positions on the track, perhaps even steal a top 5 finish, but they pitted instead. They were losing positions in the pits every time they pitted! Harvick was horrible on restarts, going backwards (by MULTIPLE POSITIONS) each time, so I don't think it would have mattered a hill of beans. Richard Childress will be addressing this issue tomorrow morning. Sounds very ominous.
THE UGLY
Kevin Harvick: losing positions on pit road + bad restarts = NOT being a factor in the race = UGLY. I'm not picking on Harvick; I'm calling them like I see them, and he had a HORRIBLE race; hence being in the Ugly category.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to comment, or to submit different nominees.
Showing posts with label Kyle Busch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kyle Busch. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Quaker State 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is somewhere between Louisville and The Natti aka Cincinnati for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, thoroughbred-style, complete with all the food you can eat, and mint juleps to wash them down. (Be responsible when partaking of the juleps.) Enjoy the inaugural GBU from Kentucky!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: stout. That's one way to describe him. Dominant. The BEST way to describe him. The 18 crew NAILED the setup and I got the feeling about 30 laps in that everyone else was running for second place. I remember reading a piece by Larry McReynolds and he stated that the team that hits the setup right will look like King Kong. Kyle Busch WAS King Kong tonight. It didn't matter which line he was running; he was stout wherever he was running. At times his lead was 10+ seconds over second place. He got away with one bad restart when Dale Earnhardt Jr cut a tire shortly after that restart and brought out a caution. It was his night.
Brad Keselowski: he was the best of the rest, even though he got shuffled back on the final restart. He led 79 laps but finished seventh.
David Reutimann: he was strong, stayed in the top 10 for pretty much the entire race, and kept his nose clean. Kentucky is very similar to Chicagoland, where Reutimann won last season. Had the final caution not come out, he may have stole this one, as Busch was low on gas. With good pit stops and strategy, he was in a position to win or get a strong top 5.
Kurt Busch: he was strong early in the race, being at the point up to the competition caution at Lap 30. He never really dropped out of the top 10, but got shuffled back late. He led 41 laps en route to a ninth place finish.
Denny Hamlin: he started at the rear of the field due to an engine change. Must have worked, because he charged towards the front in a hurry. He even led five laps during a round of green flag pit stops.
Jimmie Johnson: it's been awhile since we've seen you here, JJ. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was strong and stayed within striking distance.
Ryan Newman: he was the beneficiary of good (and lucky) pit strategy, as he at one point pitted out of sequence. But it worked to his favor late in the race. He got a MUCH needed top 5, finishing fourth.
Honorable Mention: Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and David Ragan.
THE BAD
Big Red: they sponsored three different makes of cars--Dave Blaney (Chevrolet), Mike Bliss (Ford), and Mike Skinner (Toyota). Skinner was a start and parker and finished DFL. Bliss did a LITTLE better, finishing 34th, three laps down. Blaney did the best, relatively speaking, finishing one position ahead of Bliss. He also finished three laps down. They'd have done better with JJ YELEY, had he run!
Mike Skinner: start and parker. He hotfooted it out of town with his earnings before the traffic got too bad.
TNT: TOO MANY COMMERCIALS. A sub-Good for the enhanced coverage, though.
Kevin Harvick: as big a Harvick fan as I am, I've got to put him here. The 29 crew missed the setup, making for a LONG night. The car started loose and finished loose. No matter what kind of adjustments they made to the car, it would not respond. They would have done well to read the notes from previous Chicagoland races, where they have run well. He was never a factor, and as a result, he drops to third in points, with Kurt Busch looming large in his rear view mirror.
THE UGLY
The race itself: it was a SNOOZEFEST, as most 1.5 mile races are. WHY does NASCAR INSIST on having 1.5 mile races when they KNOW most fans check out before halfway through the race? I'd be in favor of having FIVE races at most on 1.5 mile tracks. I even fell asleep!
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: stout. That's one way to describe him. Dominant. The BEST way to describe him. The 18 crew NAILED the setup and I got the feeling about 30 laps in that everyone else was running for second place. I remember reading a piece by Larry McReynolds and he stated that the team that hits the setup right will look like King Kong. Kyle Busch WAS King Kong tonight. It didn't matter which line he was running; he was stout wherever he was running. At times his lead was 10+ seconds over second place. He got away with one bad restart when Dale Earnhardt Jr cut a tire shortly after that restart and brought out a caution. It was his night.
Brad Keselowski: he was the best of the rest, even though he got shuffled back on the final restart. He led 79 laps but finished seventh.
David Reutimann: he was strong, stayed in the top 10 for pretty much the entire race, and kept his nose clean. Kentucky is very similar to Chicagoland, where Reutimann won last season. Had the final caution not come out, he may have stole this one, as Busch was low on gas. With good pit stops and strategy, he was in a position to win or get a strong top 5.
Kurt Busch: he was strong early in the race, being at the point up to the competition caution at Lap 30. He never really dropped out of the top 10, but got shuffled back late. He led 41 laps en route to a ninth place finish.
Denny Hamlin: he started at the rear of the field due to an engine change. Must have worked, because he charged towards the front in a hurry. He even led five laps during a round of green flag pit stops.
Jimmie Johnson: it's been awhile since we've seen you here, JJ. Although he didn't lead a lap, he was strong and stayed within striking distance.
Ryan Newman: he was the beneficiary of good (and lucky) pit strategy, as he at one point pitted out of sequence. But it worked to his favor late in the race. He got a MUCH needed top 5, finishing fourth.
Honorable Mention: Carl Edwards, Matt Kenseth, and David Ragan.
THE BAD
Big Red: they sponsored three different makes of cars--Dave Blaney (Chevrolet), Mike Bliss (Ford), and Mike Skinner (Toyota). Skinner was a start and parker and finished DFL. Bliss did a LITTLE better, finishing 34th, three laps down. Blaney did the best, relatively speaking, finishing one position ahead of Bliss. He also finished three laps down. They'd have done better with JJ YELEY, had he run!
Mike Skinner: start and parker. He hotfooted it out of town with his earnings before the traffic got too bad.
TNT: TOO MANY COMMERCIALS. A sub-Good for the enhanced coverage, though.
Kevin Harvick: as big a Harvick fan as I am, I've got to put him here. The 29 crew missed the setup, making for a LONG night. The car started loose and finished loose. No matter what kind of adjustments they made to the car, it would not respond. They would have done well to read the notes from previous Chicagoland races, where they have run well. He was never a factor, and as a result, he drops to third in points, with Kurt Busch looming large in his rear view mirror.
THE UGLY
The race itself: it was a SNOOZEFEST, as most 1.5 mile races are. WHY does NASCAR INSIST on having 1.5 mile races when they KNOW most fans check out before halfway through the race? I'd be in favor of having FIVE races at most on 1.5 mile tracks. I even fell asleep!
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Childress/Busch altercation
According to NASCAR.COM and Sporting News wire services, Richard Childress and Kyle Busch got into an altercation after the CWTS race at Kansas. The altercation came as a result of Busch bumping Joey Coulter, driver of the #22 RCR Chevrolet. Coulter had overtaken Busch for fifth place after a spirited battle for the position with one lap to go. Coulter would finish fifth, Busch in sixth.
Apparently Busch didn't take too kindly to Coulter's style of racing, and he expressed his disagreement via the #18 Toyota AFTER THE RACE. Childress saw that, and he confronted Busch old-school style. After punching Busch in the face, he had him in a choke hold until they were separated.
Busch is on probation for ALL NASCAR-related matters until June 15th because of an incident between him and Kevin Harvick after the Southern 500 at Darlington. (Busch punted a driverless #29 Chevrolet as one of Harvick's crewmen was approaching the scene. Harvick threw a punch at Busch through the driver's side net; he is on probation as well.) This qualifies as a NASCAR-related matter. Should a suspension of Kyle Busch be in order for violating his probation? What say you? (ME: I say a TWO race suspension would be in order from ALL NASCAR races as a driver, a two-race suspension of the ENTIRE #18 Truck Series team, a loss of 25 points EACH in ALL NASCAR series, and a loss of 25 owners' points for the #18 Cup Series team. A message needs to be sent, and GOTTEN. But in reality, he'll get his probation extended until the end of the calendar year, and maybe a loss of points.)
Information can be found here.
Apparently Busch didn't take too kindly to Coulter's style of racing, and he expressed his disagreement via the #18 Toyota AFTER THE RACE. Childress saw that, and he confronted Busch old-school style. After punching Busch in the face, he had him in a choke hold until they were separated.
Busch is on probation for ALL NASCAR-related matters until June 15th because of an incident between him and Kevin Harvick after the Southern 500 at Darlington. (Busch punted a driverless #29 Chevrolet as one of Harvick's crewmen was approaching the scene. Harvick threw a punch at Busch through the driver's side net; he is on probation as well.) This qualifies as a NASCAR-related matter. Should a suspension of Kyle Busch be in order for violating his probation? What say you? (ME: I say a TWO race suspension would be in order from ALL NASCAR races as a driver, a two-race suspension of the ENTIRE #18 Truck Series team, a loss of 25 points EACH in ALL NASCAR series, and a loss of 25 owners' points for the #18 Cup Series team. A message needs to be sent, and GOTTEN. But in reality, he'll get his probation extended until the end of the calendar year, and maybe a loss of points.)
Information can be found here.
Saturday, April 30, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Crown Royal presents the Matthew & Daniel Hansen 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Richmond to bring you this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, mid-South style, complete with BBQ and washed down with NOS Energy drink. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: he gets first billing as the race winner. He was stout, leading 235 laps and was stellar on the restarts. With the win, he puts himself in position to make the Chase, as he won his second race of the season. Good job Kyle!
Denny Hamlin: he sorely needed this good run. He led 33 laps en route to the runner up finish. Home cooking is what he needed and it tasted sweet.
Kasey Kahne: like Hamlin, he sorely needed a good run, and he got it. Now if he can put together a couple of wins, he could make the Chase as a wild-card.
David Ragan: great run by the UPS Ford tonight. The fourth place finish was his first top 5 finish in 2 1/2 years. I think he's putting together a very good season and a win isn't too far away.
Carl Edwards: he leaves Richmond still in the points lead as a result of his top 5 finish.
Honorable Mention: the rest of the lead lap finishers.
THE BAD
JJ Yeley: he was the first start and parker, running 38 laps and declaring himself done for the day.
THE UGLY
Juan Pablo Montoya/Ryan Newman: they met up on more than one occasion. Newman got loose and got into him the first time, and Montoya got payback.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: he gets first billing as the race winner. He was stout, leading 235 laps and was stellar on the restarts. With the win, he puts himself in position to make the Chase, as he won his second race of the season. Good job Kyle!
Denny Hamlin: he sorely needed this good run. He led 33 laps en route to the runner up finish. Home cooking is what he needed and it tasted sweet.
Kasey Kahne: like Hamlin, he sorely needed a good run, and he got it. Now if he can put together a couple of wins, he could make the Chase as a wild-card.
David Ragan: great run by the UPS Ford tonight. The fourth place finish was his first top 5 finish in 2 1/2 years. I think he's putting together a very good season and a win isn't too far away.
Carl Edwards: he leaves Richmond still in the points lead as a result of his top 5 finish.
Honorable Mention: the rest of the lead lap finishers.
THE BAD
JJ Yeley: he was the first start and parker, running 38 laps and declaring himself done for the day.
THE UGLY
Juan Pablo Montoya/Ryan Newman: they met up on more than one occasion. Newman got loose and got into him the first time, and Montoya got payback.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2011 Jeff Byrd 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Thunder Valley at the Bullring, aka Bristol Motor Speedway for this week's serving of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, southern BBQ-style, and washed down with plenty of NOS Energy Drink. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was dominant when he needed to be. He led the last 25 laps of the race in becoming the new master of Bristol, sweeping the NNS and Sprint Cup races. He becomes the fourth different winner of the season. Good job Kyle!
Carl Edwards: he won the pole and looked strong throughout the race, and for awhile it appeared he would get his second win this season, and fourth in the last six races. He gains a spot in the standings, going from third to second. An extra Good for running the fastest lap of the entire race.
Jimmie Johnson: he led the most laps in the race, and was in position to win his second consecutive spring race, but a bad final pit stop put him in the bottom half of the top 10. That bad stop cost him any chance to win. One small consolation, he's going home next week to Fontana, where he is dominant.
Matt Kenseth: he took a page out of Kevin Harvick's book as the field asked, "Where did HE come from?" Although he was in the top 15 for much of the race, he wasn't a factor until the end, when he came from seemingly nowhere to finish fourth. He never led, but the 17 crew made his car better as the race went on. Kudos to the crew for getting the job done.
Paul Menard: at the Chase, he finally began to show his potential as a driver, and had good results despite less than stellar equipment. Since joining RCR, he's finally starting to put it together with stellar equipment and getting good runs on a consistent basis. The Menard/Slugger Labbe pairing of driver and crew chief is really paying dividends this year. For the first time in his career, he LOOKED like a front-running driver. He led very early in the race and was in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race. He's currently carrying the banner for RCR at sixth place in the points standings. Good run Paul!
Kevin Harvick: he looked like he had a car that could contend for the win, as he was especially good on short runs, and Bristol always seems to have a late race caution to set up a short run. Happy wasn't so happy late in the race when he checked up to avoid a loose Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin plowed into his left rear quarter panel, spinning out Harvick. He restarted 17th and fought all the way back to finish sixth, just behind his teammate Paul Menard. He moves up five spots in the standings, from 20th to 15th. After a very slow start at Daytona, where he blew an engine early and finished 42nd, he's looking like the Happy of last season, when he was consistently ripping off top 5's and top 10's.
Honorable Mention: Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, and Ryan Newman. (ANOTHER top 10 in the Tornados Chevrolet for Newman!)
Honorable Mention #2: Jon Jones (UFC fighter)--he foiled a robbery several hours before his championship fight in UFC 127. This has nothing to do with NASCAR, but Mr. Jones deserves kudos for foiling a robbery. (It did have a chase, where Jones chased down the robber on foot and held him down until police arrived.)
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he was the first to start and park, running 35 laps and declaring himself done for the day. He drew the short stick this week at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room.
Jimmie Johnson's crew: they cost him a win, plain and simple, with that horrible final pit stop. Although Johnson made up a spot on the track, it wasn't enough. Give Kyle Busch a lead of that size and he'll take advantage of it. One of his crew members slipped on that final stop, costing him a few spots.
THE UGLY
Clint Bowyer: he must have felt like a ping-pong ball today, with him slapping the wall a couple of times. He was put out of his misery late in the race when his engine blew as a result of the nose of his car blocking the radiator and preventing air from getting in and cooling the engine.
Ol' DW: shillin' for Toyota again!!! DW, you seem like a good person at heart, and you're very likeable, but your shilling for Toyota is growing tiresome. I know your brother owns a couple of Cup teams and they run Toyotas, but enough already!
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He was dominant when he needed to be. He led the last 25 laps of the race in becoming the new master of Bristol, sweeping the NNS and Sprint Cup races. He becomes the fourth different winner of the season. Good job Kyle!
Carl Edwards: he won the pole and looked strong throughout the race, and for awhile it appeared he would get his second win this season, and fourth in the last six races. He gains a spot in the standings, going from third to second. An extra Good for running the fastest lap of the entire race.
Jimmie Johnson: he led the most laps in the race, and was in position to win his second consecutive spring race, but a bad final pit stop put him in the bottom half of the top 10. That bad stop cost him any chance to win. One small consolation, he's going home next week to Fontana, where he is dominant.
Matt Kenseth: he took a page out of Kevin Harvick's book as the field asked, "Where did HE come from?" Although he was in the top 15 for much of the race, he wasn't a factor until the end, when he came from seemingly nowhere to finish fourth. He never led, but the 17 crew made his car better as the race went on. Kudos to the crew for getting the job done.
Paul Menard: at the Chase, he finally began to show his potential as a driver, and had good results despite less than stellar equipment. Since joining RCR, he's finally starting to put it together with stellar equipment and getting good runs on a consistent basis. The Menard/Slugger Labbe pairing of driver and crew chief is really paying dividends this year. For the first time in his career, he LOOKED like a front-running driver. He led very early in the race and was in the top 10 for pretty much the whole race. He's currently carrying the banner for RCR at sixth place in the points standings. Good run Paul!
Kevin Harvick: he looked like he had a car that could contend for the win, as he was especially good on short runs, and Bristol always seems to have a late race caution to set up a short run. Happy wasn't so happy late in the race when he checked up to avoid a loose Kasey Kahne and Mark Martin plowed into his left rear quarter panel, spinning out Harvick. He restarted 17th and fought all the way back to finish sixth, just behind his teammate Paul Menard. He moves up five spots in the standings, from 20th to 15th. After a very slow start at Daytona, where he blew an engine early and finished 42nd, he's looking like the Happy of last season, when he was consistently ripping off top 5's and top 10's.
Honorable Mention: Kurt Busch, Kasey Kahne, Greg Biffle, and Ryan Newman. (ANOTHER top 10 in the Tornados Chevrolet for Newman!)
Honorable Mention #2: Jon Jones (UFC fighter)--he foiled a robbery several hours before his championship fight in UFC 127. This has nothing to do with NASCAR, but Mr. Jones deserves kudos for foiling a robbery. (It did have a chase, where Jones chased down the robber on foot and held him down until police arrived.)
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he was the first to start and park, running 35 laps and declaring himself done for the day. He drew the short stick this week at the start and parkers' meeting in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room.
Jimmie Johnson's crew: they cost him a win, plain and simple, with that horrible final pit stop. Although Johnson made up a spot on the track, it wasn't enough. Give Kyle Busch a lead of that size and he'll take advantage of it. One of his crew members slipped on that final stop, costing him a few spots.
THE UGLY
Clint Bowyer: he must have felt like a ping-pong ball today, with him slapping the wall a couple of times. He was put out of his misery late in the race when his engine blew as a result of the nose of his car blocking the radiator and preventing air from getting in and cooling the engine.
Ol' DW: shillin' for Toyota again!!! DW, you seem like a good person at heart, and you're very likeable, but your shilling for Toyota is growing tiresome. I know your brother owns a couple of Cup teams and they run Toyotas, but enough already!
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Saturday, February 12, 2011
The 12 Chase Drivers for 2011
Greetings my fellow NASCAR fans! A new season is upon us. This is where you hope SOMEONE will be able to dethrone Jimmie Johnson THIS season. Having said that, here are my 12 drivers that will make the Chase this season, in predicted order of finish, starting with 12th. (An asterisk next to their name denotes wild card.)
- Jeff Burton*: he'll finish just outside the top 10, but will make it based on his three wins going into the Chase. But there are too many other good drivers ahead of him for him to make serious noise in the Chase. Predicted finish: 12th.
- Clint Bowyer: he'll be more consistent than last season. Predicted finish: 11th.
- Tony Stewart: I'm probably going to catch some flak from Smoke fans, but I see him having one bad race early in the Chase that will have him trailing the field. That one bad race will cost him a chance to win his third title. He'll do his best to catch up, but I only see him gaining three spots. But, if he avoids that, he'll be in contention. (I hope he's consistent, and he's in contention heading into Homestead.) Predicted finish: 10th.
- Jeff Gordon: we'll see him in Victory Lane this season. Paired with Alan Gustafson, I won't be surprised to see him contend for the title. However, I see him falling a bit short. Predicted finish: 9th.
- Kyle Busch: he'll be the only Busch Brother in the Chase. It's either going to be hit or miss. He'll have a few misses along with a lot of hits. He'll run better than last year, but the competition is very intense, and he'll fall short. Predicted finish: 8th.
- Greg Biffle: we'll see Biff in Victory Lane a few times this season, and he'll be strong heading into the Chase. But I see a late season fade. Predicted finish: 7th.
- Denny Hamlin: last year had to be demoralizing, when he had the championship lead going into Homestead, but made that crucial error allowing Jimmie Johnson to overtake him. I see some hangover this year. Predicted finish: 6th.
- Matt Kenseth: he'll be his usual consistent self in the Chase. He'll finish where he started in the Chase. Predicted finish: 5th.
- Jamie McMurray*: he'll finish behind Burton in the regular season standings, but get in based on his three wins going into the Chase. I see him getting on a roll and winning a couple more races in the Chase. He'll be in contention heading into Homestead, but struggles at Homestead will cost him a chance at a championship. He'll learn and grow from this. Predicted finish: 4th.
- Carl Edwards: he ended last season on a roll, winning the final two races and establishing himself as a contender. IF he finishes as strong as he starts, he COULD end up dethroning JJ. But I don't see it happening, at least not this year. He'll be stout, but fall just short. Predicted finish: 3rd.
- Kevin Harvick: he had arguably the best season of his Cup career. He led the points for much of the season. Due to the bonuses in the Chase, he started in third and finished there. He'll start in third and improve a position. Predicted finish: 2nd.
- Jimmie Johnson: he'll be here until someone dethrones him. I look for him to win a very tight battle between him, Harvick, and Edwards. Your 2011 Sprint Cup Champion: JIMMIE JOHNSON. Predicted finish: 1st and still Champion.
Those are my 12 Chase drivers for this year. It was very hard deciding on WHO was going to make the Chase, as I think 15 drivers could be Chase contenders. Just as I see these drivers I think could win it all: Johnson, Harvick, Edwards, McMurray, Stewart, Gordon, Kyle Busch, and Hamlin. LET'S GO RACIN' BOYS!
Saturday, August 21, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- 2010 Irwin Tools 500
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Thunder Valley for one of NASCAR's crown jewel races, the Bristol night race from the Bullring, for this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with plenty of BBQ and washed down with plenty of NOS Energy Drink. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. WOW. What a weekend! To say that he was awesome is an understatement. He won EVERY race in dominating fashion. He became the first driver to win all three of NASCAR's touring division races on the same weekend. That may well be the good of the year. And an extra good goes to Hanny for winning the Kylefecta! Regardless of whether or not you like Kyle, you have to admit he is an amazing talent. One year, he's going to be the first driver to win both the Cup and Nationwide championships in the same year. Busch has won three of the last four Bristol races.
David Reutimann: he led a number of laps, and hung out in the top 5 all race long. He was strong, but was racing for second, as it was all about Kyle.
Jamie McMurray: he had a strong car and it looked like he had something for Kyle. But on the last pit stop, he felt like the left front was flat and was not able to catch Kyle.
Clint Bowyer: he had a GREAT run at the most crucial time. He was on the Chase bubble and came through with a solid fourth place finish. Even more important, he's 100 points ahead of 13th place, so he has a bit of breathing room.
Kasey Kahne: a very strong run by the #9 Ford. He was in the top 10 for much of the race. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, as his chances of making the Chase got dimmer.
Jimmie Johnson: he was stout at the beginning, and it looked like he was going to run away with the race if not for JPM spinning him out. He was the best car in the first half of the race.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he ran a grand total of 16 laps before declaring himself done for the day. NASCAR stated it was due to an "engine". But in reality, he drew the short stick at the Start and Parkers meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race.
Jamie McMurray's crew: they certainly did him no favors by making small mistakes on EACH pit stop, causing him to lose positions on each stop. A sub-Good to Jamie for making up positions on the track. If they were HALF as good as Kyle Busch's crew, Jamie Mac would be celebrating in Victory Lane with his crew.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I've gotta call him out for turning Jimmie Johnson when there was room for JPM to check up and let Johnson go. But from JPM's perspective, perhaps there was some bad blood from a previous race and he decided to take matters into his own hands.
ESPN's coverage: TOO MANY DAMN COMMERCIALS! Enough said.
THE UGLY
ESPN: I'm already longing for DW and Company's coverage next season! Yeah, DW may be a bit bombastic, but he has a certain charm to him. Rusty's got the charm of a pissed-off rattlesnake.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. WOW. What a weekend! To say that he was awesome is an understatement. He won EVERY race in dominating fashion. He became the first driver to win all three of NASCAR's touring division races on the same weekend. That may well be the good of the year. And an extra good goes to Hanny for winning the Kylefecta! Regardless of whether or not you like Kyle, you have to admit he is an amazing talent. One year, he's going to be the first driver to win both the Cup and Nationwide championships in the same year. Busch has won three of the last four Bristol races.
David Reutimann: he led a number of laps, and hung out in the top 5 all race long. He was strong, but was racing for second, as it was all about Kyle.
Jamie McMurray: he had a strong car and it looked like he had something for Kyle. But on the last pit stop, he felt like the left front was flat and was not able to catch Kyle.
Clint Bowyer: he had a GREAT run at the most crucial time. He was on the Chase bubble and came through with a solid fourth place finish. Even more important, he's 100 points ahead of 13th place, so he has a bit of breathing room.
Kasey Kahne: a very strong run by the #9 Ford. He was in the top 10 for much of the race. Unfortunately, it was too little too late, as his chances of making the Chase got dimmer.
Jimmie Johnson: he was stout at the beginning, and it looked like he was going to run away with the race if not for JPM spinning him out. He was the best car in the first half of the race.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Juan Pablo Montoya, and Greg Biffle.
THE BAD
Michael McDowell: he ran a grand total of 16 laps before declaring himself done for the day. NASCAR stated it was due to an "engine". But in reality, he drew the short stick at the Start and Parkers meeting held in the Todd Bodine Meeting Room before the race.
Jamie McMurray's crew: they certainly did him no favors by making small mistakes on EACH pit stop, causing him to lose positions on each stop. A sub-Good to Jamie for making up positions on the track. If they were HALF as good as Kyle Busch's crew, Jamie Mac would be celebrating in Victory Lane with his crew.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I've gotta call him out for turning Jimmie Johnson when there was room for JPM to check up and let Johnson go. But from JPM's perspective, perhaps there was some bad blood from a previous race and he decided to take matters into his own hands.
ESPN's coverage: TOO MANY DAMN COMMERCIALS! Enough said.
THE UGLY
ESPN: I'm already longing for DW and Company's coverage next season! Yeah, DW may be a bit bombastic, but he has a certain charm to him. Rusty's got the charm of a pissed-off rattlesnake.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to chime in!
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Autism Speaks 400 (2010)
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Dover to bring you this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, complete with crab cakes, Philly cheese steaks (GO FLYERS!) all the fixin's, and plenty of beverages of your choice to wash them down with. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had a dominant car the second half of the race, and overcame radio issues early. He became the first driver to sweep Dover since September 1991, when Harry Gant did it at age 51. He now is second in the points, 69 points behind Kevin Harvick. Good job Kyle!
Jeff Burton: he led one lap during a round of green flag pit stops. The 31 car got better as the race went on. He ran a typical Burton race: quietly moving forward without much fanfare, but was there at the end. No shame in being runner up to Kyle Busch, especially today.
Roush Fenway Racing: I have to put this group here because three of their drivers all having strong races--Matt Kenseth (3rd); Greg Biffle (6th); and Carl Edwards (8th). This is the best they have run in quite some time. Could a victory be in the not too distant future?
Joe Gibbs Racing: in addition to Kyle Busch (winner), JGR's other two drivers (Denny Hamlin (4th) and Joey Logano (10th)) also had strong races. Hamlin matches his career-best finish at Dover, and Logano's top 10 was huge for that team, particularly with the problems besetting Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray.
David Reutimann: he was strong throughout the race, and for once he wasn't snakebit. He even led a lap during a round of green flag pit stops. He was in the top 10 for much of the race, eventually finishing 5th. Good top 5 run by the Aaron's Dream Team!
Kevin Harvick: the points leader was ALMOST lapped by Jimmie Johnson early in the race. A timely caution caused by Marcos Ambrose cutting a tire and hitting the wall kept Happy from going a lap down. Kudos to the crew for keeping up with the changing track conditions and not only making the right adjustments, but in consistently gaining ground on the stops. Dover is one of Harvick's worst tracks, and to come away with a top 10 is HUGE. If he has the points lead after Indianapolis, look for him to start racing for wins.
Tony Stewart: Smoke got better as the race went on. This was his best finish in quite awhile. He slowly climbed into the top 10, finishing 9th. Good job Smoke!
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Johnny Sauter: he drew the short stick at the Start and Parkers meeting and was the first to park.
Sam Hornish Jr: he was the cause of TWO cautions for spinning out. C'mon Spinning Sam, you can do better than that!
David Ragan: sorry Melissa, gotta call your driver out this time. As good as his Roush Fenway teammates were, he was about equally as bad. UPS isn't paying all that jack to see its car finish consistently near the back of the pack!
Dale Earnhardt Jr: your sponsors aren't paying all that bank to see you finish in the 30s due to mechanical problems or other issues. They want to see you in the top 15 at least.
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: twice he cut tires to bring out cautions. On one of them I was thankful because Harvick was about to go a lap down. Here's hoping you find more consistency.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had a dominant car the second half of the race, and overcame radio issues early. He became the first driver to sweep Dover since September 1991, when Harry Gant did it at age 51. He now is second in the points, 69 points behind Kevin Harvick. Good job Kyle!
Jeff Burton: he led one lap during a round of green flag pit stops. The 31 car got better as the race went on. He ran a typical Burton race: quietly moving forward without much fanfare, but was there at the end. No shame in being runner up to Kyle Busch, especially today.
Roush Fenway Racing: I have to put this group here because three of their drivers all having strong races--Matt Kenseth (3rd); Greg Biffle (6th); and Carl Edwards (8th). This is the best they have run in quite some time. Could a victory be in the not too distant future?
Joe Gibbs Racing: in addition to Kyle Busch (winner), JGR's other two drivers (Denny Hamlin (4th) and Joey Logano (10th)) also had strong races. Hamlin matches his career-best finish at Dover, and Logano's top 10 was huge for that team, particularly with the problems besetting Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray.
David Reutimann: he was strong throughout the race, and for once he wasn't snakebit. He even led a lap during a round of green flag pit stops. He was in the top 10 for much of the race, eventually finishing 5th. Good top 5 run by the Aaron's Dream Team!
Kevin Harvick: the points leader was ALMOST lapped by Jimmie Johnson early in the race. A timely caution caused by Marcos Ambrose cutting a tire and hitting the wall kept Happy from going a lap down. Kudos to the crew for keeping up with the changing track conditions and not only making the right adjustments, but in consistently gaining ground on the stops. Dover is one of Harvick's worst tracks, and to come away with a top 10 is HUGE. If he has the points lead after Indianapolis, look for him to start racing for wins.
Tony Stewart: Smoke got better as the race went on. This was his best finish in quite awhile. He slowly climbed into the top 10, finishing 9th. Good job Smoke!
Honorable Mention: Jeff Gordon, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman.
THE BAD
Johnny Sauter: he drew the short stick at the Start and Parkers meeting and was the first to park.
Sam Hornish Jr: he was the cause of TWO cautions for spinning out. C'mon Spinning Sam, you can do better than that!
David Ragan: sorry Melissa, gotta call your driver out this time. As good as his Roush Fenway teammates were, he was about equally as bad. UPS isn't paying all that jack to see its car finish consistently near the back of the pack!
Dale Earnhardt Jr: your sponsors aren't paying all that bank to see you finish in the 30s due to mechanical problems or other issues. They want to see you in the top 15 at least.
THE UGLY
Marcos Ambrose: twice he cut tires to bring out cautions. On one of them I was thankful because Harvick was about to go a lap down. Here's hoping you find more consistency.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Heath Calhoun 400
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew presents this week's The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, BBQ-style, complete with all the fixin's that only Saturday night racing can deliver. Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had the dominant car for the first half of the race; at one point, only nine cars were on the lead lap. He led the entire first half of the race, but had to scramble late in the race and beat Jeff Gordon on the final restart. He led a total of 226 laps. Good job Kyle!
Jeff Gordon: he had a stout car in the second half of the race but was snakebit yet again. He was the victim of a great Kyle Busch restart. He'll get that win soon--I'm predicting at Sonoma.
Kevin Harvick: he started sixth and quickly moved his way forwards. He was in the top 5 for much of the race, and overcame a bad pit stop. He led a couple of laps during green flag pit stops. With his third place finish, and Jimmie Johnson's 10th place finish, Harvick takes over the points lead by 10 points over Johnson.
Jeff Burton: not to be outdone, Harvick's RCR teammate got stronger as the race went on. The #31 crew was on top of the changing track conditions, and made the correct adjustments. He led a few laps, which was popular among the fans.
Carl Edwards: I think this is the first time I've put Cousin Carl in this category this year. He started way back in the pack (28th) and slowly worked his way towards the front. He led his first laps OF THE SEASON. Hopefully for Edwards and the #99 crew, this race will turn around their season.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Marcos Ambrose, and Jimmie Johnson.
THE BAD
Tony Raines: normally, I would put the last place driver (READ: start and parker) in this position, but Joe Nemechek's day ended due to an accident before he started and parked. Raines was officially the first start and parker.
Scott Speed: he went backwards from the drop of the green flag. If not for the wave around, he'd have finished double digit laps down.
Tony Stewart: he was another beneficiary of the wave around rule. His finishing position isn't an indicator of how bad he really was tonight. It was a very un-Smoke like performance. He missed big-time on the setup and had his hands full. A sub-Good FOR finishing on the lead lap.
THE UGLY
Dale Earnhardt Jr: he cut a tire under green and had to pit, going several laps down in the process. Then he had a speeding penalty on pit road. All in all, a bad day for Jr. He drops five positions in the standings, to 13th, out of Chase contention for now.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he gets first billing. He had the dominant car for the first half of the race; at one point, only nine cars were on the lead lap. He led the entire first half of the race, but had to scramble late in the race and beat Jeff Gordon on the final restart. He led a total of 226 laps. Good job Kyle!
Jeff Gordon: he had a stout car in the second half of the race but was snakebit yet again. He was the victim of a great Kyle Busch restart. He'll get that win soon--I'm predicting at Sonoma.
Kevin Harvick: he started sixth and quickly moved his way forwards. He was in the top 5 for much of the race, and overcame a bad pit stop. He led a couple of laps during green flag pit stops. With his third place finish, and Jimmie Johnson's 10th place finish, Harvick takes over the points lead by 10 points over Johnson.
Jeff Burton: not to be outdone, Harvick's RCR teammate got stronger as the race went on. The #31 crew was on top of the changing track conditions, and made the correct adjustments. He led a few laps, which was popular among the fans.
Carl Edwards: I think this is the first time I've put Cousin Carl in this category this year. He started way back in the pack (28th) and slowly worked his way towards the front. He led his first laps OF THE SEASON. Hopefully for Edwards and the #99 crew, this race will turn around their season.
Honorable Mention: Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Ryan Newman, Marcos Ambrose, and Jimmie Johnson.
THE BAD
Tony Raines: normally, I would put the last place driver (READ: start and parker) in this position, but Joe Nemechek's day ended due to an accident before he started and parked. Raines was officially the first start and parker.
Scott Speed: he went backwards from the drop of the green flag. If not for the wave around, he'd have finished double digit laps down.
Tony Stewart: he was another beneficiary of the wave around rule. His finishing position isn't an indicator of how bad he really was tonight. It was a very un-Smoke like performance. He missed big-time on the setup and had his hands full. A sub-Good FOR finishing on the lead lap.
THE UGLY
Dale Earnhardt Jr: he cut a tire under green and had to pit, going several laps down in the process. Then he had a speeding penalty on pit road. All in all, a bad day for Jr. He drops five positions in the standings, to 13th, out of Chase contention for now.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Gas and Go--Las Vegas
This week's Gas and Go comes from Sin City. If you stop and listen closely, you can almost hear Elvis singing, "Viva Las Vegas." It's gonna be Viva Las Vegas for the driver that visits Victory Lane! Here are some short insights and takes leading into the race.
- While Jimmie Johnson was last week's winner, it was the RCR drivers that are the big winners coming into Vegas. They come into Vegas with Big Mo on their side. Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer are 1-2 in the points coming in, and both drivers have been strong in Vegas. I expect the RCR momentum to continue.
- No driver has ever won this race from the pole. Kyle Busch did win the pole last year, but had to start from the rear of the field. He charged through the field and won in his hometown.
- Kyle Busch made his Cup debut at this race in 2004, but crashed out after 11 laps.
- With 17 laps led in last year's race, Jeff Gordon surpassed 20,000 laps led, becoming only the seventh driver to eclipse that number. For his CAREER, Gordon has averaged nearly 40 laps led PER RACE.
- Speaking of Kyle, I look for a brotherly duel with him and older brother Kurt at some point in the race. I expect both brothers to run well, and I wouldn't be surprised if one of them visits Victory Lane.
- Roush Fenway is the only organization that has had a driver in the top 10 every year of the race's existence. Look for that trend to continue.
- Look for the usual suspects to run strong: Harvick, Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Jimmie Johnson, Gordon, Carl Edwards (2008 winner), the Busch Brothers.
Predicted Race Winner: Kyle Busch. He goes back to back in front of the home crowd. (Unless he runs that Pepto-Bismol pink paint scheme the little girl in the Toyota commercial thought up.)
Predicted rest of the top 5: 2) Harvick; 3) Burton; 4) Kurt Busch; 5) Johnson.
Darkhorse top-10 finisher: Sam Hornish Jr.
That's my G&G for the race. Your insights and comments are welcome!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly -- Bristol (night race 2009)
This week, the Crappafoni Pictures crew is in Thunder Valley, bringing you this week's version of The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly, Southern-style, complete with smoked meat, Southern-style fries, and PLENTY of beer to wash it down with! Enjoy!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He started 15th, and hovered around the top 10 for much of the race before making his move in the last fifth of the race. His car got better as the race went on, and he took the lead late in the race. He had enough to hold off Mark Martin in a dramatic four-lap shootout at the end of the race.
Mark Martin: he led a race-high 240 laps, and had several opportunities to move Busch out of the way, but didn't have enough. Congratulations to Martin on his 1,000th Cup start. He was big-picture racing, knowing his Chase chances got a lot better.
Marcos Ambrose: the likable Aussie scored his career-best finish on an oval with his third-place finish. (He finished fourth at Talladega earlier in the season.) Although he never led a lap, he got stronger as the race went on.
Greg Biffle: he sorely needed a top-5 run, and he got it. He led 76 laps in the race. Great comeback from being barely in the top 15 at one point in the race. He moved up two spots to eighth in the standings because of that solid run.
Denny Hamlin: where the hell did he come from? He started WAY back somewhere around Nashville. (Actually, he started 41st; it only SEEMED like he started somewhere around Nashville.) He even was the beneficiary of a free pass. He took advantage of that to finish fifth, all but locking in his position in the Chase, as he has a 230-point lead over Kyle Busch with two races to go. All he has to do next week is be 153 points ahead of 13th place AFTER the Atlanta race and he's in the Chase.
Other Goods: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for clinching Chase spots.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Matt Kenseth.
THE BAD
Tony Stewart: Smoke was uncharacteristically bad. He had issues starting with his radio and they never let up. He went a lap down early and never recovered. Near the end of the race, his car stalled. Fortunately, he has already clinched a Chase spot, so one bad race won't affect him.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I've gotta put him in this category. He had an opportunity to pit for four fresh tires under a caution when a tire was going down, but opted not to pit. It bit him in the rear at the restart, then he had to pit under green. As a result, he lost two laps, then he took a hit in the points, losing two positions and having a VERY tenuous hold on his Chase position.
ESPN's coverage: they were par for the course, immediately cutting away to SportsCenter for the latest Brett Favre coverage.
Kevin Harvick: he caused a big wreck when he checked up after making contact with his teammate Clint Bowyer, then Jamie McMurray had no room and punted Harvick into the wall. Not-so-Happy ended up with a DNF, finishing 38th.
THE UGLY
Clint Bowyer/Michael Waltrip/Joey Logano: these three drivers were involved in a late crash. Waltrip got turned around and when Bowyer checked up to try to avoid Waltrip, Logano had no room and slammed into Bowyer, turning him around to the point that the rear of the #33 slammed into the front of the #55. Like that crash, Bowyer's Chase hopes took a major hit. In my opinion, Bowyer's Chase chances are gone. They're done.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
THE GOOD
Kyle Busch: as the race winner, he automatically gets first billing. He started 15th, and hovered around the top 10 for much of the race before making his move in the last fifth of the race. His car got better as the race went on, and he took the lead late in the race. He had enough to hold off Mark Martin in a dramatic four-lap shootout at the end of the race.
Mark Martin: he led a race-high 240 laps, and had several opportunities to move Busch out of the way, but didn't have enough. Congratulations to Martin on his 1,000th Cup start. He was big-picture racing, knowing his Chase chances got a lot better.
Marcos Ambrose: the likable Aussie scored his career-best finish on an oval with his third-place finish. (He finished fourth at Talladega earlier in the season.) Although he never led a lap, he got stronger as the race went on.
Greg Biffle: he sorely needed a top-5 run, and he got it. He led 76 laps in the race. Great comeback from being barely in the top 15 at one point in the race. He moved up two spots to eighth in the standings because of that solid run.
Denny Hamlin: where the hell did he come from? He started WAY back somewhere around Nashville. (Actually, he started 41st; it only SEEMED like he started somewhere around Nashville.) He even was the beneficiary of a free pass. He took advantage of that to finish fifth, all but locking in his position in the Chase, as he has a 230-point lead over Kyle Busch with two races to go. All he has to do next week is be 153 points ahead of 13th place AFTER the Atlanta race and he's in the Chase.
Other Goods: Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson for clinching Chase spots.
Honorable Mention: Ryan Newman, Kurt Busch, Johnson, Dale Earnhardt Jr, and Matt Kenseth.
THE BAD
Tony Stewart: Smoke was uncharacteristically bad. He had issues starting with his radio and they never let up. He went a lap down early and never recovered. Near the end of the race, his car stalled. Fortunately, he has already clinched a Chase spot, so one bad race won't affect him.
Juan Pablo Montoya: I've gotta put him in this category. He had an opportunity to pit for four fresh tires under a caution when a tire was going down, but opted not to pit. It bit him in the rear at the restart, then he had to pit under green. As a result, he lost two laps, then he took a hit in the points, losing two positions and having a VERY tenuous hold on his Chase position.
ESPN's coverage: they were par for the course, immediately cutting away to SportsCenter for the latest Brett Favre coverage.
Kevin Harvick: he caused a big wreck when he checked up after making contact with his teammate Clint Bowyer, then Jamie McMurray had no room and punted Harvick into the wall. Not-so-Happy ended up with a DNF, finishing 38th.
THE UGLY
Clint Bowyer/Michael Waltrip/Joey Logano: these three drivers were involved in a late crash. Waltrip got turned around and when Bowyer checked up to try to avoid Waltrip, Logano had no room and slammed into Bowyer, turning him around to the point that the rear of the #33 slammed into the front of the #55. Like that crash, Bowyer's Chase hopes took a major hit. In my opinion, Bowyer's Chase chances are gone. They're done.
Those are my nominees for the race. Feel free to come in with yours!
Monday, May 25, 2009
NASCAR Meeting
NASCAR has scheduled two meetings with the owners and drivers for tomorrow. While I think it's a step in the right direction, an even better idea would be to include the crew chiefs in the two meetings.
I remember last year when the drivers were vociferous in their criticism of the Car of Tomorrow. NASCAR basically told them, "Shut your mouth--this is what you got, and this is what we're going to give you. We're not changing it." Kyle Busch said it best after its debut in 2007 at the spring race in Bristol: "This car sucks." Ironically, Busch won the race, holding off Jeff Burton.
THREE AREAS NASCAR NEEDS TO FOCUS ON:
I remember last year when the drivers were vociferous in their criticism of the Car of Tomorrow. NASCAR basically told them, "Shut your mouth--this is what you got, and this is what we're going to give you. We're not changing it." Kyle Busch said it best after its debut in 2007 at the spring race in Bristol: "This car sucks." Ironically, Busch won the race, holding off Jeff Burton.
THREE AREAS NASCAR NEEDS TO FOCUS ON:
- The car itself. The car doesn't handle very well. NASCAR needs to take a look at the idea of allowing some leeway for crew chiefs to adjust the car in order to make it turn better. While NASCAR has done a tremendous job of improving driver safety vis-a-vis the new car, it has come at the sacrifice of car handling. Basically, NASCAR needs to stop micromanaging the new car and let the crew chiefs have SOME leeway. The current testing ban has allowed Goodyear to catch up in its research and development of a softer tire for the new car. Perhaps a wider tire could be the solution, but it's still at least a season away, if not longer.
- Drug testing. I applaud NASCAR for instituting drug testing. BUT, a more conclusive list of banned substances by NASCAR should be compiled and given out to each member of each team, from the driver down to the crew chief, to the crew members, to the engineers, and so on. NASCAR should also institute a 24-hour hotline for any substance-related questions a driver or crewman may have.
- Schedule. Currently, NASCAR has 36 races, plus two non-points events, the Bud Shootout and the All-Star Race. It's time to revisit the schedule. With 38 events, NASCAR has overexposed itself. Perhaps it's time to pare down the schedule to 30 races and the two non-points events. Reduce the Chase from 10 races to five races. With more off weeks, a race that is rained out could be made up on one of those off weeks. Have your last off week right before the Chase. Have off weeks on Easter and Mother's Day weekends. NASCAR could still start Speedweeks on the first part of February and end the season in early October at the latest. That way, the NASCAR season ends before the baseball playoffs begin.
These are a few suggestions I would make to NASCAR at their meeting tomorrow. Hopefully some progress can be made. We'll see.
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