2013 NASCAR Rants

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.

Top 10 Reasons I Am Looking Forward to 2013

10 - More NGTC = Better BTCC

It's a bit early in the year for motorsport over here but with drivers being announced and the prospect of more NGTC cars on the grid, 2013 should build on the momentum the series gathered last year.
 

9 - New NASCAR race cars
 

8 - Grand Am Daytona Prototypes, last year before "merger"

2013 is the last year for the Grand Am Series as we know it as next year it will merge with the ALMS series. I like the Daytona Prototypes. They look good, sound good, and as last years championship and this years Rolex 24 at Daytona show, they race good too! I hope the newly merged series keep the Prototypes as the top class next year, and don't let the overly technical, expensive, irrelevant European machinery wreck their own homegrown championship!

7 - New NASCAR race cars

 

6 - Year 2 for the new Indycar Series

With a year in the books the Indycar Series should produce more good racing as hopefully more teams and drivers will be competitive in the DW12 chassis this year. Roll on Indy 500!!

5 - NASCAR Trucks on Dirt

NASCAR Camping World Truck Series... at Eldora... on dirt... What's not to look forward to?

4 - New Air Titan technology for NASCAR
 

For a sport which relies on dry weather, the last couple of NASCAR Sprint Cup seasons have been blighted by rain delays early on in the season. The most famous effect of rain was the JPM vs track drier fireball incident at last years Daytona 500. This new technology, developed by NASCAR basically blows the water off of the track so the track driers can dry the track and not the water on the track. Once the water is on the apron another machine sucks the water up. It is a bit like washing your hands and then using a hot air hand drier, the quickest way to dry your hands is to shake the water off and then put your hands under the drier. This should dramatically reduce rain delays. Simply put, in the event of rain, more racing, less waiting!
 

3 - New NASCAR race cars
 

 

2 - Mercedes and Nissan join V8Supercars

The new spec V8Supercars look great! Mercedes and Nissan have joined stalwarts Ford and Holden on the grid this year under the championships new rules package. The Mercedes is especially tasty!! I can't wait to see how they race. The only pity for me is that after years of supplying the pace car, Chrysler have not joined the grid with the 300C SRT, oh well at least the pace car is still a Mopar!

 

1 - New NASCAR race cars, have I mentioned it?

OK I am in love with the new Ford, Chevy and Toyotas in the Sprint Cup Series! You might have gathered, I am of the opinion that if a car looks right it probably is right, and these look... right! I hope the American press and the fans give NASCAR, the teams, the drivers and Goodyear the time to get the racing package right at all tracks. The prospect of 43 of these 2 and 3 wide, nose to tail at all types of race track is one I look forward to. This will be a learning year but the sport has the right goals for this car!
 

Now Thats What I Call Racing!!

NASCAR at Talladega!!!

The last restrictor plate race of the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season was a good'un.

The "big pack" was definately back with the "tandem draft" of the last few years now gone, replaced by old fashioned big pack bump drafting!

Dale Jr is complaining... Get over it! That was a good 'plate race!




This is the end of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, again from Talladega... pity they did not get to race back to the line.



And finally the end of the Nationwide Series race... A great last lap slingshot... maybe the tandem was not all bad...




Whether you like the "tandems" or the "big pack", if there is one thing NASCAR can still do, it's put on a great show at Talladega!!

To me the best balance for the Cup Series is a combination of the "big pack" but with the ability to race one-on-one, slingshot if you will, on the last lap for the win...

Don't want much do I?

2011 Review Gallery

To Finish First... First You Must... Start

To Finish First...

Another Chase race and another good one.

At one of NASCARs fastest tracks the top two in points went head to head, Carl Edwards vs. Tony Stewart... And Smoke came out on top. Que cheesy headlines, "Stewart Smokes 'Em", etc.

Stewart did what he had to do, win, while at the same time Edwards did what he had to, shadow Stewart.

At Texas that was enough but it will not be enough from now on. At Phoenix, with only three points seperating them, they will be all out for the win, again.

Just how a Championship should be decided then!

... First You Must Start!

Was I supposed to be surprised by the actions of Kyle Busch in last weeks Truck race? Oh good, 'cos I wasn't.

Was I supposed to be surprised that Mike Helton threw the NASCAR rulebook at Kyle? Good, 'cos I wasn't.

Was I supposed to be surprised that the majority of fans think Kyle should loose his job as a result of what he did? Good, oh you get the idea.

Kyle Busch is NASCARs marmite, you either love him or hate him, or you love to hate him. Regardless of what fans thought of this one incident, if you ask the question a lot of fans will want Kyle out of the way.

The problem with Kyle, as has been well documented, is, to paraphrase Forrest Gump, "Rowdy is as Rowdy does".

Drivers lose their cool from time to time. However Kyle seems to loose his, not so cool, more often than most and when he does he also looses any sense of what to about it.

Have NASCAR been a bit heavy with the penalties? I think not. They have always said they would encorage "boys have at it" but there is a line in the sand and cross it at your peril. No one can debate that what Kyle did crossed that, until know, unseen line. As I said after Martinsville, retaliation on a short track is one thing, at a fast mile-and-a-half, something else. And lets face it this incident is the latest in a long line.

Whether Kyle will be out of a ride in a couple of weeks time, I would have thought is down to how patient Coach Gibbs and his sponsors are. I am not a Kyle Busch fan but I will openly admit that he has some of the best car control in the sport... And the sport is better off with contraversial drivers like him around...

If only he could reign in his ego he could win Championships... But then so could I if I only had his talent... And thats not going to happen... If only...

NASCAR Draws The Line

Crossing Over To The Other Side

Why can I not get excited about Kimi Raikkonen testing and racing a NASCAR Craftsman Truck?

When Juan Pablo Montoya started in NASCAR I thought he was the sort of driver who could do well. He had raced in the IRL and won the Indy 500, and he had never really fitted in in F1 as he was a “racer” not a corporate “driver”. He was more likely to crash trying to overtake you than execute the perfect pit stop strategy and win.

I guess I don’t see Kimi as that sort of driver. Maybe I am being harsh. We are talking about a driver who went rallying, because he wanted too! To give him credit, he is starting out his NASCAR adventure in the Craftsman Truck series. Many non-American drivers have tried to break into stock car racing by jumping straight into a Cup or Nationwide car and then failed to learn the craft or make an impact.

If you are going to make it work you have to do your time, earn the respect. Obviously you have to learn to drive the cars, but for a driver from a “European” background you also have to learn the etiquette. Grooves are an alien concept in most European racing, especially single seaters and that includes F1. In Europe we have a racing line, not grooves, we have no idea of spotters and quite frankly not many race cars even have three pedals anymore.

So which non-American drivers would I like to see testing or racing a NASCAR Craftsman Truck?

If, like me, you are from this side of the pond, you may have a favourite short oval driver who you would like to see have a shot at the big time. You may even have a favourite ex-ASCAR or Pickup Truck driver who could give it a go, or a BTCC driver you think might make it. But in terms of F1 or other international series?

With moderns form of communication and transport the world is not as big as it used to be, however in racing terms I still believe the world to be a big place.

I believe different parts of the world have different styles of racing that work in their own markets but don’t necessarily work in other parts of the world. In the UK we like F1 and touring cars. In Australia they love touring cars too, but theirs are very different to the UK machines. The same applies to Germany. In Japan they like a different sort of racing again. Americans love NASCAR, but we are not talking about moving championships, we are talking about drivers crossing over. Drivers like Marcos Ambrose, and JPM have switched disciples successfully. Others like Sam Hornish and Dario Franchitti found it much, much harder.

Would I like to see Messrs Hamilton or Button in a Cup car? No. I would rather NASCAR concentrate on developing the next generation of American stock car drivers.

I have nothing against international drivers racing in NASCAR as long as they earn their place, and as long as the series for the “good old boys” stays true to that.

Keep The Points System Simple Stupid

If the rumours were to be believed then NASCAR was looking to introduce a simpler points system for the 2011 season as an attempt to help fans understand the points race more easily... Keep It Simple Stupid...

On the surface what NASCAR have announced sounds nice and simple, but I simply don't get it.

So - 

In each race the driver finishing 1st gets 43 points, 43 drivers in a Cup race remember. 2nd place gets 42 points, 3rd gets 41, and so on to 43rd place receiving 1 point. So far so simple...

If you lead a lap you get an extra point, lead the most and get another point. So far so simple...

If you win the race you get an additional 3 bonus points... Hang on... so actually you get 46 for first, 42 for second, and 41 for third blah blah blah. This is the points system for all three of NASCARs top touring series. So far, erm, getting a bit complicated...

But what of the Chase...

When NASCAR resets the points for the 12 driver "Chase" the top 10 in points will be in. So far so simple...

The last two Chase spots will be given to the drivers who have the most wins from the drivers who finish the regular season in positions 11 to 20. If none of the 11th to 20th place drivers win a race then the 11th and 12th place drivers in regular season points will get spots in the Chase. So far, erm, getting complicated... again...

NASCAR have not announced the base line points for the Chase (i.e. the amount of points the drivers are given to separate them from the remainder of the field), but each race win in the regular season will count for another 3 bonus points when the Chase starts... I think... but only if you finished in the top 10 in points... not for the "Wildcard" drivers in the 11th and 12th chase spots, if they won any races... So far, well, what's the opposite of simple...

Everybody is going to have an opinion whatever NASCAR do, and making the points system simpler is a good idea if you are trying to access more fans. I am simply not sure if what NASCAR has done is any simpler than the old system. If you are simply aiming to put more emphasis on race wins then the new system may achieve that, but not simply. 

The basics of 43 points for first, 42 for second and so on are great. Awarding a bonus point for leading a lap and another for leading the most laps is good. After that it just gets more and more complicated. If you are going to award 3 bonus points for a win, every time, then they are not bonus points, the winner simply gets 46 points, and second gets 42. This is fine, why not just say that? I get the feeling that the Nationwide Series and the Truck Series have got the better end of the bargain with the new points system.

So is the new system a case of "Keep It Simple Stupid", or "Keep It Complicated Stupid," or "Stupidly Complicated", or "Stupidly Complicate it"??

NASCAR Media Tour Answers Questions... Well sort of...

NASCAR Update -

• Drivers can race in any series but are only eligible for one championship... If a Nationwide only driver finishes a race in second, behind a Cup driver, they will receive the points and money for the second place finish...

This was rumoured, and is now confirmed. I am sure drivers like Harvick and Rowdy will still race in all series when they feel the need, but now they will not earn any points or money in the Nationwide and Truck Series. Hopefully this will put the emphasis on the new, younger drivers in the Nationwide and Truck series, while also allowing them to race against some of the top Cup series names!

• NASCAR wants simpler points system - but no announcement yet, rumours of 43 points for 1st, 42 for 2nd, 41 for 3rd etc with bonus points for wins, watch this space...

The current points system has been around since the dawn of time, and to be fair it isn't the easiest system to follow, but changing it would be another move away from tradition. Making the Championship points race easier to follow would be an attempt at making NASCAR more accessible for fans who maybe find it hard to follow at the moment. While I may like the tradition, this has to be a good thing...

• NASCAR is thinking about changing which drivers are eligible for the Chase... maybe to include top 10 in points plus top 2 race winners not already eligible...

Again only a rumour at the moment. It sounds like NASCAR are trying to put more of an emphasis on race wins. Not sure of the implication of this one yet. To an "old school" fan the Chase, in any format, is wrong, and to a new fan the Chase is what it is, so I am not sure what NASCAR is trying to achieve with this sort of restructuring.

• No fuel injection for 2011, maybe introduced for 2012...

At a time when sponsorship money is in short supply NASCAR were never going to rush a change as dramatic as moving from the prehistoric carbs to fuel injection. This year's change is the new fronts on the cars, next years may be the fuel injection, and 2013 may bring more wholesale changes to the bodies of the cars. Bit by bit NASCAR are upgrading the race cars as they learn what works, while also minimising the financial pressure on the teams.

• NASCAR are happy with the testing speeds of just under 200mph for the Daytona 500. Sounds good to me... can't wait!! 

The Daytona 500 could be a good un!! New tarmac, slightly higher speeds but still with the ability to draft and overtake! Bring it on...

• Is this years watch word CREDIBILITY or K.I.S.S!?

The question of...  "How do you credibly keep it simple stupid?" seems to be the one question facing NASCAR from the inside. While they are attempting to lure back fans and sponsors, the media seem to be questioning the credibility of late decisions and late announcements. As long as the show is good, then give NASCAR some space guys. As I have said before... you can't keep everybody happy all of the time... 

• New Sprint Cup Director - Position still open!!

Where do I apply...

The NASCAR Intravenous Drip Kicks In

BIGGER SHOOTOUT AT THE BUDWEISER CORRAL!

Historically the Budweiser Shootout was the pre-season, crowd pleasing event for all drivers who earned a pole position in the past season. It was a bit of high speed fun, a good way to get fans interested in NASCAR again, a week before the season opener, the Daytona 500. 

This year NASCAR has opened the Shootout field to include the drivers that made it into the 2010 Chase, past Cup Series champions and past Bud Shootout champions, past Daytona 500 and Coke Zero 400 champions and all NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year drivers from 2001 to the present day. This means that 30 drivers will be racing in the Bud Shootout.

Do we care? On one hand it is another step away from tradition for NASCAR, on the other hand it is only the Budweiser Shootout. Did drivers want to get a pole as it gave them the chance to race in the next years Shootout, or did they want to start tomorrow's race from the front of the pack? It's still a short race, still a crowd pleaser, still a pre-season warm up. It gives NASCAR the chance to see how the track / plate / tyre / aero package works before the 500, with the chance to tweak it before the big race. 

To me the Budweiser Shootout is a bit of fun, nothing more, nothing less! As long as the Shootout remains a bit of fun, then the more the merrier!

WHATS YOUR POINT?

Rumours have it that from 2011 NASCAR drivers must choose which series in which they wish to earn championship points. No longer can a driver race in all three championships and earn drivers points in all three, from now you can only earn points in one. What effect will this have? Will it put Cup drivers off racing in the Nationwide or Truck series? Will it encourage the Nationwide only drivers, and put them at the top of the points charts, and back in in the limelight? I hope it does! Until NASCAR make an official announcment we can only speculate... and speculate we will!!

LOST AND FOUND!

Lost - Auto Club Speeday have lost 100 miles off of their only 2011 Cup Series race, making it 400 miles long. Found - New enthusiasm towards the Californian race?

You would hope that with a shorter race length would come a new sense of urgency in the race. Less laps means less time to sort your car out, less time to get to the front, and hopefully more excitement for the fans!

I think 400 miles should be the average NASCAR Cup Series race length. In my world I would have a few 500 mile races, including say Daytona, Darlington and Talladega, a few 500 lap races, Bristol and Martinsville for example, a 600 miler at Charlotte, and even a few 350's at some of the mile-and-a-half tracks, Pocono, and maybe even the second Martinsville race. The rest would be 400 miles long.

Shortening the Auto Club race is the first hint of the changes to come, and to keep us interested NASCAR will keep drip feeding the changes to us for as long as they can.

So NASCAR... if 2010 was "Have at it boys"... What's 2011... Bring it on!?

Favourite Race Cars Part 2 - NASCAR

With the motor racing off season upon us I found myself questioning... what does the author of a topical motorsport based blog write about when there is no racing??

The first answer I came up with is to talk about what I love about racing, starting with my favourite race cars, so here we go...  Part 2...

NASCAR

1952 "Fabulous" Hudson Hornet

Ahead of its time... quick... good looking... voiced by Paul Newman... what's not to like...

 

1967 Plymouth Belvedere - Richard Petty

Good looking, fast, dominatingly fast!! Helped build the legend!!

 
 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 - Mario Andretti

Pretty road car, even prettier race car, one of my favourite drivers of all time!! 

1970 Plymouth Superbird

They may have been a only year only thing but they have a place in NASCAR history for all of their speed and drama. Detroit discovers aerodynamics...

 
Mid 90's Chevy Lumina - Dale Earnhardt

I grew up watching the Luminas, T-birds, Grand prix, even Oldsmobiles going head to head... the "3" Chevy of Earnhardt is my favourite NASCAR car! Dark, menacing, and fast!! RIP!!

1997 Craftsman Truck Series Chevy C1500 Silverado

The trucks were introduced to be the short track NASCAR series and the early trucks were square, flat fronted and looked like the road versions. The late trucks look good, but the early short track trucks are my favourite!

2010 Sprint Cup "Car of Tomorrow"

This may be controversial but, as regular readers will know, I like the latest Cup car! Developed to improve safety and racing, NASCAR has continually evolved the car to improve the looks and the racing... and the racing has been good!! 2011 sees the end of the splitter which I am sure will improve the cars again!!


2011 Nationwide Series "Muscle Cars - Mustang/Challenger"

Next season brings the Mustang and Challenger full time to the Nationwide Series. As with the latest Cup car this new design should improve safety and racing. The fact that the cars look great and have more of an identity for manufacturers is great too!

Cars like these and many more in the NASCAR Hall of Fame... come on America give it a chance!!

Oh one more...

Ker Chow!!

Part 3... Open Wheel...