So how am I feeling about this years NASCAR season?
What are my views on the recent controversies?
Strap in, hold on, and here we go...
First lets get the big one out of the way... The idea of anyone manipulating the results of a NASCAR race, other than the odd caution for debris, is appalling. It's probably a good thing my surname is not France as I would have banned all parties involved in the nasty MWR incident, crew chiefs, drivers the lot, for life! NASCAR is about racing plain and simple. F1 may dabble in the team orders debate from time to time but in NASCAR... never... not even debatable... To paraphrase an old Blackadder line, if there's anything bigger than NASCARs ego around here I want it caught and shot now! Spinning on purpose to bring out a yellow and help a team mate... get out and don't come back! Am I surprised their sponsor left them, no not remotely.
Moving on...
JPM out... not surprising but a shame nevertheless. JPM back to Indycar sounds like a good move. JPM to Penske, wow, that will be fun!
Should Dillon run the 3 in the Cup Series? I can see both sides, but yes I think he should. If NASCAR were going to retire the number for good then why have we had drivers not only running "that" number but also "that" font ever since that tragic day, albeit not in the Cup Series. 3 is Dillons number now, let the kid run it and move NASCAR forward.
Have the new cars really worked? They have cetainly brought the sport back to the manufacturers as the cars now look like the same as those in the showroom., but is the racing better? Erm not sure. They can race closer together now but until the rule makers slow the cars down the racing will never be as good as it could be.
SHR moves to 4 cars!? Pardon... lets face it the move to 3 cars hasn't been a huge success. I fear the politics behind signing Kurt could overshadow the more important stuff. Don't get me wrong, I hope SHR bounce back next year. Stewart, Harvick, and Kurt is one hell of a lineup, oh and Danica. To be fair she is still a rookie so lets give her time.. not a lot... but a bit...
Trucks on dirt... two words... huge success! Should they do it again... two more words... you bet! The slippin', the slidin', the beatin', the bangin'. Easily my highlight of the year so far!
Speaking of the Trucks, I like the look of next years Toyota Tundra. Looks more like the early Craftsman Trucks, squarer, more "stock". Looking forward to the 2014 Ford and Chevy trucks!
Nationwide Series? Too many races won by Cup regulars. I am glad NASCARs rules now mean the Championship will won by a Nationwide driver, not a Cup regular, but I still believe more should be done to stop the Cup drivers dominating the feeder Series races. Hornish vs. Dillon sounds good, I hope Hornish gets it!
The 2013 Cup Series looks like it will come down to Johnson vs. Kenseth. Personally I would love Harvick to get it.
2014? I hope NASCAR, sooner or later, makes some changes to the schedule. As always less mile-and-a-half tracks, more short tracks. The Chase should include a, third, road course, finish at a short track, and I still say a lot of races should be shorter.
The sport of NASCAR is in a good place, a few tweaks and it could be in a great place.
