A Look Ahead to NASCAR Cup 2012 from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Rusty Norman

I don’t know how you feel about it, but from this fan’s view, the more things change, the more they stay the same when it comes to NASCAR. This fan thinks that NASCAR 2012 is gonna be a lot like last year even though there will be some very big differences. What with the driver changes, the loss of some sponsorship dollars and some drivers and teams determined more than ever to win their first or another Cup Championship, I don’t see how there could not be change. But even though there will be a lot of differences in the coming year, I think a lot of things are going to stay the same. I believe the drivers and the teams are likely to be just as competitive, if not more so than last year, and I expect to see some real excitement all throughout the first 26 races and the last 10 races when we get to the Chase.

But wait a minute… I may be getting way ahead of myself.

It may sound strange to make this statement at this time, but even though there has been a major change to the power plants under the hoods of the cars, I still expect the competition to be as close, or even closer than it was last year. Of course, everyone knows the major change in the power plant is fuel injection and it still remains to be seen how it will affect the individual Cup teams over the long haul. I expect there will be some challenges along the way, but I also think the engine builders and engineers will have it all figured out in very short order (if they haven’t already done that.)

Personally, I am glad they had the testing sessions in January at Daytona and can’t wait to see how the teams and NASCAR put it all together for speed weeks at Daytona this February. (In reality, I don’t expect there to be much of a change in performance (which was pretty much proved out at the test sessions), but with some of the changes NASCAR is making to try and break up the now expected and continuous two-car-drafting at the Super Speedways, it could prove to be a very interesting Daytona 500. What effect that may have on the other tracks will remain to be seen, but at Daytona and Talladega, fans could see at least a partial return to pack racing and less tandem drafting.

I really don’t think we as fans will know until they get down to the actual racing and, if I know anything about the Cup teams, they will find the fastest way around the Super Speedways, even with any changes NASCAR may make to the rules. Believe me when I tell you, that is NOT a statement against NASCAR. Over the years, they have proven they want what is best for the fans, the teams and the competition amongst those teams. (And just as a side note, they do seem to learn from and correct their mistakes, but maybe not as fast as some fans think they should…)

Yes, it’s true, 2012 could prove to be a very, very different year even while the level of competition remains quite the same. All of us are going to have to learn to associate different driver names with different car numbers and team owners (and let’s not forget, Danica Patrick is going to be full time in NASCAR, too.) Even though she was involved part time in the Nationwide series last year, this year will see her focusing on the NASCAR Nationwide and Cup series instead of the Indy cars and all of us expect a lot of attention to be focused on her, at least early in the season.

I’ve been listening to all the speculation from many sources about the 2012 season over the last month and a half or two and I agree with some and disagree with others, but overall, I’m ready for the season to begin and can’t wait to see how things pan out… How about you??

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© January 30, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Just A Fan’s View and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Merry Christmas to all you NASCAR fans out there

Posted on December 24, 2011 by Rusty Norman

MERRY CHRISTMAS to all you great NASCAR fan’s out there from Just A Fan’s View. I appreciate every one of you and hope you enjoy the video Christmas Card too… Merry Christmas! Have a great New Year! Looking forward to the 2012 NASCAR season…

I’m wishing you the Merriest Christmas and the Happiest New Year
Hope you enjoy the video Christmas card!!!

See ya next time… Rusty
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© December 24, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and JustAFansView.com
(All audio and video productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PCNProductions.com)

Chase Championship Race at Homestead from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on November 20, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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And so it comes down to this… the 2011 NASCAR Cup Championship is all about winning, or at least, three points. Tony Stewart needs to win at Homestead or at least finish four points ahead of Carl Edwards by the end of the race Sunday afternoon and he will be the Cup Champion. Carl Edwards needs to win or finish just behind or just ahead of Stewart and he will be the Cup Champ. Either way, there is truly no way of knowing until the race is over, (or one or both of them drop out because of and accident or major failure) which one it will be.

From this fan’s view, this is exactly what NASCAR hoped for when they started the Chase format for the Championship and there couldn’t be a better way to end the year. (Well, there are those that think it would be better if the points were closer throughout the top twelve and more than two could win it.) This is not the first time the points battle has been close, but it is the first time it has been this close with the new points system and with the competition throughout the cup teams being as close as it has ever been.

I probably don’t have to remind you again, but this fan doesn’t generally put much stock in qualifying. Everybody knows it’s not how fast you can go for one or two laps but how fast you can consistently go over many laps. Preferably, it is important for a driver to be able to gain places on the track, maintain a faster speed than his competitors and have his pit crew pick up even more time for him in the pits and maintain track position.

It is important to notice where Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards qualified however, if for no other reason than who is going to be in clean air first (and possibly most often.) Carl Edwards qualified on the pole for today’s Championship race while Tony Stewart qualified fifteenth. I’m not so sure that was exactly how Tony wanted to start the race but he did seemed to be more pleased with his race trim than qualifying trim.

That’s where the importance of those consistently fast lap times I mentioned earlier come in. It was obvious Tony and crew chief Darian Grubb were working on the race trim during their practice times much more than qualifying. One of the biggest problems I see with where he is starting is how many possibilities for getting caught up in something not of his own making. In other words, it is possible his chances for moving forward or winning could be hurt by someone else’s mistake.

By starting on the pole, Carl Edwards has a definite advantage. From my view, his first worry is whether his crew chief, Bob Osborn’s setup is good for the beginning of the race and he pulls away from the field out into clean air. There is always the possibility the setup could be missed by just enough to cause him to fall back into the field, as has happened in the recent past, and open up the possibilities for problems (much like Tony Stewart could face from the start), and I hate to put a damper on the whole day, but neither one of them may even be close to the front for the whole race.

Now you may ask, “Do I really think that’s what going to happen?” Well… no… but, I won’t rule out the possibility either. NASCAR is way to competitive right now to think that everyone is going to move over and let the top two just work it out between themselves. I do have to admit, I don’t think Homestead is the place there are going to be a lot of paybacks for something, but I do know the competitive spirit will be very evident throughout the race.

Let’s not forget that NASCAR is all about winning and, although I know there only two that can win the Championship, there are more than two that want to finish the year with a trip to victory lane. In fact, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Bush and Brad Keselowski would like nothing better than to finish ahead of both Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart and won’t think twice about putting them behind them or making it hard for them to pass them.

If you’re wondering why I feel this way about it, it’s all because of a thing called adrenaline. No matter what attitude a person may have before the race starts, when the green flag drops, the “bull-hockey” stops and the adrenaline kicks in. If recent weeks tell us anything, not everyone of the drivers will make good decisions about how they’re treated by their fellow competitors or handle every situation with cool, calm deliberation. No, several will react without considering the consequences of their actions and how they might affect even the most innocent of bystanders. (It wouldn’t be the first time that someone reacted and took out someone other than they intended, especially this year.)

So, from this fan’s view, the hope is the race will come down to Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart battling for the win on the final laps and one of them coming away with the win and the Championship.

Will it be a race that Carl Edwards dominates and Tony Stewart struggles all day or, possibly, the other way around? That’s a good question and one that will only be answered as the race progresses.

Is it possible that both, Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards fall back and it is just a points battle between them while someone else dominates the race? I don’t know, but it is a possibility. In fact, with only three points separating the top two drivers, anything can and probably will happen. The only thing I really hope is that it isn’t a complete blowout by one of them and the whole race becomes a ho-hum experience. I really would like to see the race to come down to the final lap and some doubt as to who might win until they cross the finish line.

So… will it be Tony Stewart or Carl Edwards that wins the 2011 Cup Championship? Yep, it will…

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

Chase Race Nine at Phoenix from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on November 13, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Nine at Phoenix from a NASCAR Fans View

One thing you won’t hear from the NASCAR teams at Phoenix this weekend is that it’s business as usual. The resurfaced and reconfigured track is throwing many a lot of curves and basically they don’t have any information to work with. I know during the week you’ve heard the experts say it is like the crew chiefs are working with a blank piece of paper. (From this fan’s view, I wonder how many new notes they will have to throw away before they find some they want to keep.)

Not unexpectedly, this return to PIR is like visiting a track for the first time. Even though they have been racing there many times over the last several years, it is like they’ve never been there before. From my view, even the trip they made earlier to do some testing on the new layout hasn’t helped that much. As the track takes rubber, the handling changes on a regular basis and the setup has to change along with it.

From this fan’s view, there are a lot of cars running around the track and that gives a lot of opportunity for more rubber to be laid down, but from watching them run, I see more running in the lower groove than anywhere else. To me, that means it will probably still be a one groove track for this weekend and that will mean track position will be key for the whole race. Also, in my opinion, that could seriously affect the competition level and could make for a less interesting race.

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying to say this race will be boring but I am saying it may not be as interesting as it might have been had they waited until after this race to start the remodeling job. I guess it has thrown an interesting wrench into the Chase races, but I’m not so sure how important it was to add another “wildcard” race into the ten Chase race mix. I’m also not so sure it didn’t just guarantee this to be a two horse race for the next two weeks and that could defeat the purpose for generating more interest in the Chase.

One thing I have noticed during the practice sessions is very little two wide racing during the practices. More double wide racing has been evident as cars pull off the track to try something else and those behind them have passed but are still in the regular low groove. To me, there are two things that doesn’t tell much about. First is how the double file starts and restarts are going to go, and second, will there be more bumper tag being played than actual passing or two wide racing.

Qualifying definitely showed the way the track could react to sunshine and cloud cover for the race tomorrow. One thing is obvious to this fan and that is there may be a little more excitement than anyone thought with this new surface, (including me.) In fact, I would go so far as to say there will be three words you could very possibly hear mentioned a lot between the end of the Nationwide race and tomorrows Cup race. Those words in no particular order will be, treacherous, testy and intense.

Now why in the world would I think those three words would be used a lot? Well for one, with the closeness of the competition between actually the fourth to the first spots, the intensity will be there simply because there’s more than two from this fan’s view that still have a shot at winning this Championship. You see, from this fan’s view, I really think your going to see Harvick and Kenseth pushing the envelope to try and make up as many points as they can on Edwards and Stewart to get back in the hunt.

I think you’ll hear testy because more than one driver is going to get testy over the actions of those in front of them and behind them. From what I observed in the practice and qualifying sessions, it is going to be hard to gain positions on the track and that is going to make track position incredibly more important Sunday afternoon than even on a normal weekend. In fact, you just may see some people leaving upset with some of their competitors when the day is done, (just like at a short track race.)

Don’t be surprised to see anyone doing a little payback here and there along the way. (Well, that is don’t be surprised to see anyone except Kyle Bush letting their emotions show through. Unfortunately, in this fan’s opinion, he is at a disadvantage to the others this weekend because of the scrutiny he will be under for his actions from last weekend.) By the way, just so you know where I stand on last weekend with Kyle, I don’t think this is the time to throw him under the bus, but I do agree with the actions NASCAR took to get his attention. From here on, I say, let’s give him a chance to prove himself. There isn’t one of us that hasn’t done something we regret in our lives and even though at the moment it is easy to point the finger at him, there are still three pointing right back at us.)

From this fan’s view, I can’t wait to see how the Cup drivers handle those double file starts and restarts. We all know from observing the conditions so far it is pretty much a one groove track, at least for now. With all that is on the line for this weekend, there is no doubt in my mind we are going to see some testy, intense racing on a track that might prove to be treacherous at best…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 12, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

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

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Chase Race at Texas After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

Posted on November 5, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Eight at Texas from a NASCAR Fans View

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

Martinsville After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Martinsville After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Seven at Martinsville from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Talladega After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on October 29, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Talladega After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

Posted on October 22, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Six at Talladega from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Five After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Five at Charlotte from a NASCAR Fans View

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

Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing

Just a fan's view of Nascar Sprint Cup Racing

Category Archives: Nascar Racing

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Martinsville After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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

Talladega After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

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

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

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