http://justafansview.com Just a fan's view of Nascar Sprint Cup Racing Sat, 12 May 2012 17:50:18 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Just a fan\'s view of Nascar Racing Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing skynorm@embarqmail.com skynorm@embarqmail.com (Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing) Copyright Rusty Norman 2006-2010 Just a fan's view of Nascar Sprint Cup Racing http://justafansview.com/wp-content/plugins/powerpress/rss_default.jpg http://justafansview.com TV-G http://justafansview.com/2012/05/12/nascar-at-darlington-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/05/12/nascar-at-darlington-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sat, 12 May 2012 17:47:00 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2789 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/05/12/nascar-at-darlington-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 http://justafansview.com/2012/05/11/after-talladega-from-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/05/11/after-talladega-from-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Fri, 11 May 2012 14:43:20 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2782 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/05/11/after-talladega-from-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 http://justafansview.com/2012/05/06/nasacar-at-talladega-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/05/06/nasacar-at-talladega-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sun, 06 May 2012 11:45:53 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2775 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/05/06/nasacar-at-talladega-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/28/nascar-at-richmond-from-a-nascar-fans-view-2/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/28/nascar-at-richmond-from-a-nascar-fans-view-2/#comments Sat, 28 Apr 2012 18:30:35 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2771 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/28/nascar-at-richmond-from-a-nascar-fans-view-2/feed/ 0 Nascar Fan,Nascar Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ****************************************************************************** *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) *****************************************... Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:16 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/22/the-stp-400-at-kansas-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/22/the-stp-400-at-kansas-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sun, 22 Apr 2012 11:11:41 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2767 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/22/the-stp-400-at-kansas-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar fan opinion,Nascar Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ****************************************************************************** - *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) ****************************************************************************** (http://nascarfansview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/091218_iPhoneCamPixes-060-003A-150x150.jpg) A J Allmendinger will start from the pole Sunday afternoon and it seems as though it is as big a shock to him as it was anyone. Although he didn't think it was that fast of a lap and he was one of the last to qualify as the track temperature was rising, he did pull off the fastest lap. In fact, he was one of the fastest that faced the higher track temperatures of the later qualifying group and one has to wonder if that gives any insight into how his race will go Sunday afternoon. Once again, this fan wonders if the qualifying speeds tell anything at all about how the race will go. Lately (or maybe I should say, usually) having a fast car for qualifying and being able to stay up front during the race haven't been the case. You don't have to think back long or hard to see that qualifying hasn't generally been the deciding factor in the 2012 NASCAR season. In fact, you don't have go any further back than last weeks race in Texas. Martin Truex Jr didn't fair all that well last weekend even though he sat on the pole. (Now admittedly, sixth isn't all that bad but not at all like his qualifying speed suggested he might do.) Just for a reality check, just look at how Kevin Harvick finished at Martinsville after starting second. Kasey Kahne didn't have anything to show for his fast race cars even after winning two poles and Denny Hamlin finished eleventh after starting on the pole at Fontana. This fan still stands by what he said last weekend... One or two fast laps does not a race make. I really don't think the winner of the STP 400 is necessarily going to be the one of the ones starting on the front row. Of course, I could be wrong and one those two could get lucky, but I just don't know that it will happen for them. What I am looking for in today's race winner will be the consistency of the lap times and the one that has the fewest mistakes, whether it be on the track or in the pits. I do admit, the Penske teams (and Allmendinger is one of them) do look awfully strong and all three of them qualified in the top eleven. I can't rule out the Toyotas either since there are five of them starting in the top eight. There are only three Chevys in the top ten but there are seven in the top sixteen. From this fans view, I think many were surprised at the lack of speed shown by the Roush Fords in particular and all of the Fords in general. After last weekend and the level of performance of Greg Biffle and Carl Edwards, I expected the Fords might flex their muscles again and not only start up front, but finish up there, too. As it is, the three Roush Fords qualified 17th, 18th and 21st and all three of them have their work cut out for them and their teams if they intend to be up front at the end of the STP 400 today. One thing that is going to be working against all of the teams is the track. This fan thinks there are going to be a lot of yellows (well, at least enough to keep good tires on the cars and fuel in the tank) but I'm not so sure of that to think it won't be a fuel mileage race in the end. I am expecting more than the usual number of cautions and I do think they will have something to do with who actually takes the trip to Victory Lane. So what does all this say about those top qualifiers? Well... what it says to this fan is just about anybody in the top twenty five could win this one and I'm still not at all convinced it will be A J Allmendinger or Kevin Harvick. I see some very strong cars spread out through those top twenty five and I'm figuring it may just well be one of the Hendrick cars for that 200th victory. Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:12 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/19/texas-a-triumph-for-biffle-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/19/texas-a-triumph-for-biffle-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:57:28 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2759 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/19/texas-a-triumph-for-biffle-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar,Nascar Fan *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ******************************************************************************************* - *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) ******************************************************************************************* (http://nascarfansview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/20100220RSNTest001-120x150.jpg) Greg Biffle won the Samsung Mobile 500 last Saturday night... but then, you already knew that. He also broke a 49 race drought of being in Victory Lane... but that's just about all you heard about his victory all week, too. So, what else is there to talk about when it comes to the race at Texas Motor Speedway? Well... I guess that depends. You see, Greg Biffle not only has the points lead, but he has a victory to go with it. Some would say he is on a tear (while others may say “on a roll”) and that's okay because either one fits. Compared to last year, he is doing great and is running consistently up front. Even if he runs into some rough races in the weeks ahead, that victory will carry some weight along the way for him, but, he will probably need more than one if the bottom does drop out for him. Add to all that the fact that Roush teams have a tendency to run well at 1 ½ mile tracks and it is very possible he could win at least one more (and probably more than that.) Some have already crowned him the Cup Champion for the year and they could be right. Even with the new points system, he really needs to stumble for most of the field to even stay close to him, but this fan thinks it is way to soon to be naming someone to take the Cup Championship. Yeah, it's true he has looked unstoppable so far and all of his finishes are in the top fifteen but that doesn't always mean he will continue with his present stats. Admittedly, it does look like he is going to continue with his strong showing but, this is not quite 1/3 of the way into the season. From this point on, anything can happen even if it is someone (or several someones) hitting a hot streak and the #16 team just having decent finishes outside the top ten. If that does happen, there is always the possibility Biffle and his team could start trying to press their own envelope to try and regain the performance levels they've enjoyed in this early part of the year and begin to fall backwards in the points. Of course you know this is just speculation from this fan's view but it could happen. Once again, the Hendrick teams didn't score the 200th victory for their boss, Rick Hendrick but all of them did have a good day at TMS. (I hate to state the obvious, but two of them, Kasey Kahne and Jeff Gordon, really needed it.) It did appear that Jimmie Johnson was going to take home the trophy and the honors for scoring number two hundred for Hendrick MotorSports, but Biffle's power slide past him as they dealt with lap traffic late in the race put an end to that possibility. Michael Waltrip Racing had a very good showing with two from that camp finishing in the top ten. Mark Martin lead the way for MWR finishing third and Martin Truex Jr finishing sixth. It is very obvious that MWR has turned a corner on performance issues of the past and all three teams are showing up every weekend with fast cars and good race-day runs. That doesn't mean they are perfect yet, but it does mean they could be in Victory Lane at any time in the near future. From this fan's view, Texas proved just how close the main teams are running these days and how important track position is every week. It also showed that Roush Racing has a strong grip performance-wise on the 1 ½ mile tracks and that could prove to be a good thing, in particular for Greg Biffle and the #16 team. It just may mean that Greg Biffle does have a chance at staying at the top of the points, at least up to Chase time. Then again, it could mean absolutely nothing at all for him or Roush Racing when the Chase begins. Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 5:58 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/14/the-samsung-mobile-500-at-texas-from-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/14/the-samsung-mobile-500-at-texas-from-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sat, 14 Apr 2012 19:38:53 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2754 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/14/the-samsung-mobile-500-at-texas-from-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar Fan,Nascar Sprint Cup Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ********************************************************************************************* *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) ********************************************************************************************* (http://nascarfansview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/091218_iPhoneCamPixes-060-003A-150x150.jpg) The track at Texas is fast... really fast. It is also tricky when it comes to entering the turns, especially when the bumps show up entering into turns one and two. So what does that mean for tonight's race at TMS? Well... from this fan's view, it means the one that can consistently run the fastest lap times, deal with the bumps and not have problems in the pits will probably end up in Victory Lane. Oh yeah... and it could turn out to be a fuel mileage and tire management race, too, and that could prove to make it a very interesting night for sure. Martin Truex Jr will sit on the pole for tonight's race but this fan wonders whether or not that will actually translate into a victory for Michael Waltrip Racing (or even whether it will translate into a victory for Martin Truex Jr.) As was obvious in qualifying, one fast lap does not (and will not) a race make. What do I mean by that? Well... many of the cars ran fast on their first qualifying lap but none that I noticed ran as fast, or faster, on their second lap. That makes it fairly obvious that the drop-off in speed with the tires is pretty quick and that should make it interesting when it comes down to the longer green flag runs. That could mean a big difference in which cars start out up front and the ones that actually finish up front. Of course, one of the big questions is whether or not tonight's race will mean Rick Hendrick and Hendrick MotorSports gets that 200th Cup win. Once again Kasey Kahne is starting in the top five, but with the way his year has been going, not too many are putting much stock in his chances for a win tonight. That's not a statement against Kasey's abilities, it's just that he hasn't had the best of finishes even though he has had fast cars every weekend this season. He and Jeff Gordon are pretty much in the same boat when it comes to their racing luck this year and there are two ways this fan looks at that. Either they are getting all of their bad luck out of the way long before the Chase and are going to finish strong then, or, they just won't be factors at the end of the year. I'm sure there are some of you that disagree with me and that's okay. I'm just as sure there are others of you that figure they are already out of the running and won't even make the Chase. Personally, I think it is a little early to start talking about which drivers will and won't make the Chase. We're only about one quarter of the way into qualifying for the Chase and there is still a lot of time for others to run into some disappointments before we get there and it may be some of the present front runners, too. I'm not saying that will happen, but I am saying “racing luck” is a finicky beast and can affect anyone at anytime and, unfortunately for some, for extended periods of time. As far as the other Hendrick teams of Johnson and Earnhardt Jr, well... they are starting in good spots and their chances for ending up in Victory Lane are at least fairly good. I'm not convinced they will, but I have been surprised more than once so far this year. A quick look at the top of the lineup for tonight is interesting in itself and I am still not convinced starting up front amounts to a hill of beans when it comes to time for the checkered flag to drop. The Roush Fords of Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth look strong and the 1½ mile tracks seem to always be some of their strongest showings. Could that mean either one of them (or even their team-mate, Carl Edwards) takes home the trophy tonight? Yeah, it could but, Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:33 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/11/after-martinsville-from-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/11/after-martinsville-from-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:23:14 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2748 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/11/after-martinsville-from-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 motorsports,Nascar fan opinion,Nascar Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ********************************************************************************************* *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) ********************************************************************************************* (http://nascarfansview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/20100220RSNTest001-120x150.jpg)After Martinsville many of the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams welcomed the week off and hoped to re-group or get a fresh start when things pick back up in Texas this weekend. The short track in Virginia claimed a few victims and some that were expected to do well, didn't. Even though he started out strong, Kevin Harvick struggled for most of the day and his team-mates didn't fair much better. To say the RCR teams underperformed may be a little dramatic but it is true and the week off was hopefully beneficial to them. Martinsville turned out to be a rough day for most of the Hendrick teams, too and they didn't come away with number 200 for their boss, Rick Hendrick. Jeff Gordon dominated the day but he didn't end up in Victory Lane. Jimmie Johnson came from the middle of the pack and worked his way near the front, was clocked speeding on pit lane and put at the end of the longest line. He proceeded to move back to the front and was leading on lap #496, but he didn't go to Victory Lane either. As for pole-sitter, Kasey Kahne well... it was just another typical day for him in the year 2012 and he didn't even finish the race. Now, Dale Jr... well he had a pretty decent finish and is now second in the points. To say Martinsville had a surprise ending would be more than a little bit of an understatement... From this fan's view (and looking at the race with six laps to go) it looked as if there was going to be a real shootout between Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson and no matter how it turned out between the two, Hendrick Motorsports was going to come away with its 200th victory in Cup. All of that went out the window with the throwing of the yellow flag with about three laps to go. The caution was exactly what Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson did not need, or want, to see. I know it has been analyzed and talked about and analyzed again, but I just have to put in my two cents from this fan's view. It is very obvious that the yellow flag could have been avoided and probably was a bad decision by David Reutimann and his team to try and continue but it is just one of the beasts that has reared its ugly head because of the top 35 rule. Reutimann admitted the only reason he was still on the track was because he was trying to stay in the top thirty five in points. We all know how it affected the outcome of the race and we all know how badly Reutimann felt about having changed the outcome of the race. What doesn't seem to be very clear (at least to this fan) is how that situation can be completely avoided in the future. Had it not been for the top thirty five qualifying rule, he wouldn't have had to make that decision at all. As it is, it is a decision that affects how all of the teams struggling to stay in the top thirty five think about how to get as many points as they can. As anyone will tell you, especially in NASCAR Cup, it is a whole lot easier to get and keep sponsors interested in you if you are guaranteed to be in the race. That is what the top thirty five rule does and this is not the first time it has been brought up in the last several years. As this fan remembers, the last time it was really questioned was when teams were making the races even though there were cars that had faster qualifying times but weren't in the top thirty five so the slower cars made the race. Now, I'm not saying there is anything wrong with the rule, but I am saying it does affect the racing week in and week out and as it stands, everyone knows about and has to deal with the top thirty five rule whether good or bad. From what I can tell, Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:09 http://justafansview.com/2012/04/01/some-need-good-things-to-happen-at-martinsville-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/04/01/some-need-good-things-to-happen-at-martinsville-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sun, 01 Apr 2012 11:31:18 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2744 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/04/01/some-need-good-things-to-happen-at-martinsville-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar Fan,Nascar Sprint Cup Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ********************************************************************************************* *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) ********************************************************************************************* (http://nascarfansview.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/091218_iPhoneCamPixes-060-003A-150x150.jpg) NASCAR Sprint Cup teams are back to short trackin' at Martinsville today and for some, it is time for something good to happen or they just might not be in the Chase this year. Sure, I know it is very early in the season and this is only the sixth race of the year but, that means there are only twenty weeks left after this one is over. To some, that sounds like a lot of time and maybe it is, but, points add up fast in both directions whether you're leading or losing... and some just can't afford to keep on going the way they are. I'm sure some are glad there will be a week off to regroup after the Goody's Fast Relief 500, if for no other reason, than they get a chance to breathe and think about the way the season is going this year. For others, they may not want to break their momentum and would prefer to just keep on going without a break. As for this fan, I think a week off will do some good for everyone. Once again, Kasey Kahne has shown up with a fast race car and easily took the pole for today's race. From my view, and judging from the way the truck race went for Kevin Harvick after starting from the pole, Kasey also has an excellent chance to get his first win as a Hendrick driver and it would be the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports. That is something all of the Hendrick teams have been trying to get for their owner since last season. Of course, with the way Kasey's luck has been running this year, sitting on the pole and having a fast car hasn't meant a trip to Victory Lane this year. So far, he has shown up with fast cars every weekend and is sitting 28th in points (a great disappoint to him, his team and this fans.) He just hasn't been able to finish anywhere near the front most weekends. Another that is looking for something good to happen would also be a member of Hendrick Motorsports. I'm sure everyone knows that would be Jeff Gordon and he hasn't had the kind of year anyone expected him to have. It's not that he hasn't had fast equipment and hasn't been performing well, it's just that he has had a problem with that beast called “racing luck” too. One thing about Jeff Gordon though... he won't throw in the towel until there is no hope left. Even then, he won't go down without putting up a valiant fight. There is nothing that would be better for him and his team than to finish in the top five today or, better yet, get that 200th win for his boss Rick Hendrick. From my view, that would be a great way for the #24 team to go into the week off and possibly gain some momentum for Texas. No matter how you look at it, this is a week Jeff Gordon needs a good finish. Unfortunately, there are a lot of good drivers and cars that intend to make it very difficult for either Kahne or Gordon to get that 200th win for Hendrick Motorsports. Just to mention a few of them would be names like Harvick, Hamlin, Bowyer, Newman, Vickers and Keselowski. All of them can win at Martinsville and none of them intend to pull over and let those other two just drive by them. If either Gordon or Kahne do end up in Victory Lane today, it won't be because they didn't work for it. Another wrinkle for the #5 and #24 teams would be their teammates of Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. Both of them want to be the ones that deliver that 200th win to Mr Hendrick and I expect both of them to be right in there fighting for the win when it comes down to the final laps. From this fan's view, the most obvious thing I've noticed about the Cup teams is that most of them are fast this year and there is very little speed difference between them. Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:26 http://justafansview.com/2012/03/25/the-auto-club-400-at-fontana-from-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/03/25/the-auto-club-400-at-fontana-from-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sun, 25 Mar 2012 12:37:34 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2739 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/03/25/the-auto-club-400-at-fontana-from-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar Fan,Nascar Sprint Cup Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ********************************************************************************************* *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) *****************************************... Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 7:03 http://justafansview.com/2012/03/24/thoughts-after-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/03/24/thoughts-after-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sat, 24 Mar 2012 19:42:45 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2734 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/03/24/thoughts-after-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0 Nascar fan opinion,Nascar Sprint Cup Racing *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 ********************************************************************************************* *************************Two Buck Themes ad **************************** MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10 (http://twobuckthemes.com/amember/go.php?r=10&i=l1) *****************************************... Just A Fan's View of Nascar Racing clean 6:55 http://justafansview.com/2012/03/18/a-look-back-at-vegas-and-ahead-to-short-tracking-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/ http://justafansview.com/2012/03/18/a-look-back-at-vegas-and-ahead-to-short-tracking-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/#comments Sun, 18 Mar 2012 12:25:16 +0000 Rusty Norman http://justafansview.com/?p=2730 Continue reading →]]> http://justafansview.com/2012/03/18/a-look-back-at-vegas-and-ahead-to-short-tracking-bristol-from-just-a-nascar-fans-view/feed/ 0