Homestead and 2011 Season After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on November 22, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Homestead and 2011 Season After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

This is old news I know, but Tony Stewart is the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion and he did the old fashioned way… he and his team worked for it. When the Chase started, many thought they were probably the least likely to win and they may have been right. That didn’t detour the now three time champion or his team and all they needed were a few things to go their way and they would build on the momentum and race their way to ownership of the most treasured title in NASCAR.

I don’t think anyone will deny that the #14 Team made gutsy calls, pressed the competitive envelope and NASCAR fans everywhere were treated to a hard charging driver that refused to let circumstances get him down and, even when things weren’t going well during a race or a weekend, he lifted himself and his team above the problems and ended up winning five of the ten Chase races, something no one really expected to happen. Every race saw Tony Stewart pressing to win and being aggressive from the start of every race, especially the last five in the Chase.

At no time in the Chase was he willing to accept just running a careful points race and several times during the last few races, he took what many called unnecessary chances. In the end, it all came down to him passing one more car, Jeff Burton, to gain one more point on the last turn of the last lap of the race at Phoenix and that kept him within 3 points of Carl Edwards going into the last weekend at Homestead. Had it not been for his determination to get every point out of every race in the Chase, he would have probably finished second in the Championship. (Well… we all know how that turned out, don’t we?)

Carl Edwards had a great season and even though it turns out he tied Stewart for the Championship, he finished second because of his lack of trips to Victory Lane. Don’t misunderstand what I am saying here. Carl Edwards had a great year and is a great driver. One can only think he learned from this loss and will be an even more formidable competitor for the Championships in the future. Just a quick glance at his stats for this year shows he was the most consistent finisher with 26 top tens and that says something about the year he had. I just don’t see him laying down and being less competitive in the future. In fact, this fan expects to see him coming on strong again next season.

Probably the two most disappointed drivers, (at least from this fan’s view), would be the Bush brothers. Kyle had another disappointing Chase and I am sure he wonders why when they get to the Chase he seems to go backward for one reason or another. Of course, he can only blame himself for part of his twelfth place finish in this one. His actions at Texas definitely put him in a hole and his twenty-third place finish at Homestead didn’t help a bit. It wasn’t that he wasn’t trying, but it did appear to this fan he was just trying to get through this race and looking to a fresh start in the 2012 season. From my view, he is maturing and will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

Kurt Bush’s blown transmission put a cap on a disappointing Chase for him. It seems to me, his rants and raves on the radio this year didn’t do a thing to stop unexpected part failures or improve his position in this Chase. He dropped three positions to eleventh, just sixteen points ahead of his brother in twelfth. I understand he is high strung and gets pumped when in race mode, but eventually there has to be more than complaints coming from the driver’s seat over the radio. It may be only my opinion but it would have to get old if I were a crew chief or crew member on his team. I’m not taking anything away from his talent as a driver because I know he is a very good one. I’m just saying working on developing a few people skills might help the entire team do better in the end.

Of all the Hendrick teams, Jeff Gordon may have had the most satisfying Homestead race of them all with his fifth place finish. He had a car that could run up front but they did lose the handle on it just slightly as they transitioned into the darkness. I would think he and his crew will take their top five performance into the new season and take another stab at winning Jeff’s fifth Championship.

Richard Childress Racing had three cars in the top ten but one of them, Clint Bowyer, will be moving to Michael Waltrip Racing and taking his hopes and momentum with him. I don’t see him looking back, though. I am sure he is looking forward to a fresh start in 2012 with MWR.

From this fan’s view, 2011 was a stellar year for NASCAR. The Cup series saw as good a racing as any year in the recent past. It seems every decision NASCAR made from the points system to the front end of the cars was the right move for the sport. I’m not saying there isn’t still some controversy about some of the decisions they made during the season, but overall, they proved why NASCAR is still at the top of the list in the racing world.

This past year was one of the best I can remember and the finale at Homestead couldn’t have been more dramatic. It went exactly as I hoped it would and the championship was in doubt until the checkered flag dropped, ending the season and seeing both Tony Stewart and Carl Edwards tied in points and the one with the most victories named the 2011 Cup Champion.

Unfortunately, from this fan’s view, NASCAR has a very difficult task ahead of them in 2012. Can next season top this one…?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 22, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

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

Posted on November 17, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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

After the Phoenix race it is down to the two top contenders, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, as the NASCAR Cup teams make their way this coming weekend to the finale in Homestead. They came into the weekend at Phoenix separated by three points and they left separated by three points and that should make the race this coming weekend very interesting. Tony has to finish at least three points ahead of Carl to tie and then I think it becomes all about the wins, (and we all know how many Carl Edwards has.)

I have to admit, the track came in much quicker than I thought it would and all of us were treated to a great race Sunday afternoon. It appears to this fan, Goodyear definitely brought the right tire, the teams either had a grip on the track or they didn’t and the racing, well, it was very good. Once again, fuel mileage had something to do with the finish, even though it wasn’t the total determining factor for winning. Kasey Kahne ran good all day and had the others covered at the end of the day taking his first victory in a long time.

For the #4 Red Bull Racing team, it was a welcome relief to take the victory especially with the uncertainties Red Bull Racing faces for the coming year. For Kasey Kahne and his crew chief, Kenny Francis, it could be the shape of things to come as they head off after the season’s end to Hendrick Racing. I reckon we’ll find how that transition goes, but for now, Kasey’s Red Bull team has been one of the strongest in the Chase, (other than Tony Stewart, that is) and they haven’t even been in the Chase. Even though they will be switching to their new home at Hendrick, in my opinion, they will making the move with confidence.

As I mentioned earlier, some of the teams just never got a hold of the new track surface at Phoenix and struggled all day. Of particular interest to this fan was the plight of the Hendrick teams. All of them seemed to struggle most, if not all of the weekend. In fact, I would go so far as to say, they just haven’t performed with their usual consistency for the whole Chase. From my view, the year was not a good one for them and it appears they have a little regrouping to do for the coming 2012 season.

Both Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon have performed with complete inconsistency during this Chase and had to be a let down for them. Jeff Gordon looked very strong coming into the Chase, but when he got there, it was as if the wheels came off and he was dropping like a rock most of the Chase. From this fan’s view, he could very well be fighting Kyle Bush for the twelfth spot this weekend.

If Homestead is anything like his weekend in Phoenix, it could be a very long winter for Jeff. I’m not expecting much, but I’m sure he would be very pleased to have at least a top five this coming weekend and it would be very interesting to see the Hendrick teams in general do more than their usual struggling at Homestead.

Now speaking of Kyle Bush, it seems to this fan, when the wheels came off at Texas, they really came off for him and the end of his season. Two engine failures in one weekend don’t give a driver much to go forward with after being set on the sidelines for a weekend. From this fans view it appears to this fan he is having one of those character building moments many seem to face in life and, even though he has come a long way with his attitude this year, it is pretty obvious tho this fan, he still has a ways to go. I’m thinking this has been good for him and I expect he will bounce back from all of it next year.

I’m not so sure how he and his team will do this weekend though. He may do well or there could be more of those character building moments ahead for him this weekend, but I am sure he is glad to have the Texas and Phoenix tracks behind him. If nothing else, owner, Joe Gibbs, needs to have a less eventful weekend at least as far as the negatives go. No matter how you look at it, it has been a tough year so far for Joe Gibbs Racing,

With one race to go to name the 2011 Cup Champion and Phoenix in the rear view mirror, this fan has to admit facing the coming weekend with mixed emotions. On the one hand, I am looking forward to some time off and spending the holidays with family and friends but I will miss the weekends of racing we have been witness to this year. Contrary to what many believed when we started this year with the new points system and a few other tweaks to the sport we love, it has been a very good year for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.

There has never been a lack of drama for the whole year whether it was the fuel mileage races or the tandem drafting at both Daytona and Talladega. I really can’t say I expected the competition to be this close or this exciting. So far, emotions and competitiveness have been quite evident all year and there has been no letting up on anyone’s part.

It looks as if the naysayers were wrong when they said there was going to be a lack of competition and a lot of laying back until the end of the races. Often, at least from my view, it was all out from the drop of the green flag to the waving of the checkers in most every race. From this fan’s view, with only three points separating the two that can actually win the Championship this coming weekend, I look for more of the same and I expect to see Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart trying to get every point they can in the weekend ahead. As for the rest of the racers and Chasers, well, it may sound funny, but I expect them to be doing the same thing, too…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 17, 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 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

The Monster Leaves Its Mark on the Chase – from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 The Monster Leaves Its Mark on the Chase from a NASCAR Fans View

The Monster Mile at Dover left its mark on the top twelve contenders in the Chase for the 2011 Sprint Cup Championship. Shaking up the points a bit was only part of the story as the day was a struggle for some but there’s one thing it wasn’t… it wasn’t a fuel mileage race. Even though several of the teams did experience problems, mistakes on pit road and often changing track conditions (mostly due to the differences of rubber in the racing groove), the points race tightened up, at least in the top nine spots.

The biggest losers on the day (as far the Chasers) were Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Ryan Newman and Brad Keselowski. All of them finished twentieth or worse and that was not what any of them wanted or needed. With these four finishing where they did, it helped tighten up the points, (at least somewhat), and makes the coming weekend in Kansas all the more interesting.

From this fan’s view, Jimmie Johnson appeared to be about the only Hendrick or Hendrick associated team that had any kind of handle on the concrete Monster and he finished second to Kurt Bush. Things may have turned out a bit different if it hadn’t been for two cautions close to each other near the end of the race and he did lead the most laps. Compared to him, the rest of the Hendrick teams struggled all weekend and Sunday afternoon was no different.

In my opinion, it appears the Hendrick engineers have a little work to do on their concrete surface setups. The problem with that statement is that Jimmie Johnson ran well. I’m guessing the rest of the teams are wondering why he was hooked up so well and they weren’t. I’m also guessing there will be some figuring going on amongst the engineers and the crew chiefs in the days ahead.

Although the finishing order for the race was part of the puzzle, the biggest shift took place in the points of the top twelve. Even though Jeff Gordon dropped four places in the points, he still closed the gap slightly points-wise bringing him to within nineteen points of leaders, Kevin Harvick and Carl Edwards. Brad Keselowski had a few problems during the race and he dropped three places to sixth. Tony Stewart dropped two places to third, Kyle Bush dropped two places to eighth and Dale Jr dropped two places to tenth. The biggest gains were made by both Kurt Bush and Jimmie Johnson. They both gained five spots each putting them fourth and fifth in the points battle.

A quick look at the finishing order did show there are more than just Chasers running well and Kasey Kahne finally had a finish that matched his overall performance in the race and he finished fourth on the day. Teammates AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose both finished in the top ten along with Clint Bowyer.

Denny Hamlin is continuing his struggle for the 2011 season. He didn’t have a stellar day but nothing really major happened and he did finish eighteenth. That means he didn’t loose a lot of ground on those ahead of him in the Chase, but from this fan’s view, he is pretty much relegated to finishing twelfth in the Chase. He is only sixty-eight points behind, but with the different points system this year, that is a lot of ground to make up. I kinda feel for his fans, but sometimes in racing you just go through a bad stretch. It looks like the 2011 season is one of those for him and his fans can only hope his luck either turns around quickly or, at the very least, it doesn’t carry over into next year. Some would call this a character building time and it remains to be seen how he and the #11 team come away from this.

I have to agree with the assessment of many and the the way they said this year’s Chase would go. More than one said early on this Chase would go right down to the last race in Homestead before the Championship was decided. I’m not going to go that far just yet, but I will say depending on how things shape up over the next two to three weeks, they could be absolutely right.

The Chase this year has been an interesting one indeed and I don’t expect much to change over the next week or two. It is possible, someone, (in fact anyone), could hit a hot streak, rack up a lot of points and put all of this speculation in the rear view mirror. From this fan’s view though, I don’t expect that to happen for many reasons but the biggest are because the competition is just too tight and there are a few unknowns still out there.

The next couple of races are good tracks for more than one or two drivers and I expect the unexpected for them. A little later in the Chase, there is still that new surface and renovation of the Phoenix track. If there is a game changer in the mix of the final races for the Chase, it could very well be that one…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 5, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chase Race Two After Thoughts from A NASCAR Fans View

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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Chase race number two for the NASCAR Sprint Cup series didn’t really go as I expected except for one thing and that was that it was a fuel mileage race right down to the wire (which I did say it would be in my pre-race article.) Now, let me remind you, I’m not bragging but it does feel good to be right more often than it does to be wrong.

I don’t have to point this out (but I will) and that is the fact, Tony Stewart waited all year to win a race and now he has won the first two Chase races. A few weeks ago he was lamenting how poorly they were running and they weren’t likely to do well in the Chase (even if they made it) and now he sits atop the standings in the run for the 2011 Cup Championship and even though his lead is slim in points, he is one that absolutely has to be considered as one of the major contenders for the Championship.

I am somewhat surprised at how many people are complaining about the number of fuel mileage races there have been this year. Another surprising complaint is how those that complain, in particular, seem to think NASCAR should do something about it and that the race should not be decided on fuel strategy. (It strikes this fan as peculiar when all the rest of the time these same folks complain that NASCAR tries to alter the outcome of a race by throwing debris cautions and now it sounds as if they want them to throw a caution so the race won’t be decided by strategy.)

Let me just say, I do understand what they are saying, but, I do think the strategy for fuel and tires is just part of the overall picture when it comes to racing in NASCAR these days. Yeah, I understand what they’re saying, (especially when the driver I would rather see win loses because of a late race caution which alters his track position by erasing a large lead or some other advantage he may have acquired because of an extended green flag run.) But I also understand that fuel mileage is not a result of some miraculous or hidden agenda, or because one make has an advantage over the others (although there is that possibility even though NASCAR tries its level best to keep things as even as possible). It is a calculated item and the engine builders and crew chiefs figure what they need to accomplish with the amount of fuel they have and yet perform well and then they put it in the hands of the drivers to “save” all they can and still be at the front with fuel still in the tank when the checkered flag falls.

I guess I just don’t see what is wrong with fuel mileage deciding the result of a race. From my view, it makes the end of the race just as dramatic and just as much a mystery until all of them drive across the finish line. I mean, over the last two races we have witnessed a large difference in the finishing order over what it might have been just a lap or two earlier. If you don’t think it is dramatic, just ask those that have run out of fuel and lost a bunch of spots and points on those last two laps.

(Uh… can anyone say, Denny Hamlin?) He has to be one of the most disappointed drivers actually in the Chase with the kind of things he has suffered in the 2011 season. I’m sure he and his team are looking over their shoulders to see what lurks there. If it can go wrong, it has gone wrong for them this year, (and unless something big happens, I just don’t see them anywhere in the mix for the Championship at all.)

His teammate, Kyle Bush, didn’t have a great day either, but he did manage to pick a few spots back up from last week’s terrible performance. It seems to this fan, history repeats itself as he is struggling in the openers for the Chase. I don’t expect him to continue struggling every week, but id nothing else, it does make the conversation interesting when it comes to his chances for winning his first Cup Championship.

Jeff Gordon and the #24 team did exactly what they needed to do to get back in the hunt and, if it hadn’t been for running out of gas at the time for their last pit stop, had an excellent chance to win Chase Race two. As it was, he could only pull off a fourth place finish, but a top five made up for last weeks poor finish and moved them up six places in the standings. He is another one that has to be considered as one of the major contenders along with Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick, in particular, to unseat Jimmie Johnson from his dominance of the last five years at Chase time.

Here’s another fact I know I don’t need to mention, but, Brad Keselowski had another top five finish to add to his illustrious last two months. To this fan, he has to be the biggest surprise for, first, making the Chase and second, for where he is in the points right now. When summer started, it didn’t look as if he was going to even make the Chase and now, he sits in the third spot, just waiting for someone above him to stumble for a week or two. If that happens, don’t be surprised to see him as one of the drivers to beat when it comes close to Homestead in November for the final race for the coveted Sprint Cup. If things continue on as they have lately for him, he just might be on top by a few points…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 27, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chase Race Two at Loudon From A NASCAR Fans View

Posted on September 25, 2011 by Rusty Norman

After the race Monday at Chicagoland the pressure is on those in the top twelve that had a less than good finish to have a good finish at Loudon. That’s not to say anyone is out of it yet, but some have made it a bit harder on themselves. Some ran out of fuel and finished poorly and others just struggled all day and now have to make up points and places before they get too far behind.

There is something about the Loudon track that makes the race this weekend a pivotal one and it is absolutely necessary for those that did have a bad day at Chicago to make up the lost ground this weekend or face being labeled, “also-rans.” Yeah, I know I’m repeating myself somewhat at the moment, but with the challenge the Magic Mile presents the competitors, it is a make or break race.

Anyone even vaguely familiar with this track knows it is pretty much a flat track and it is hard to pass. Other than having a car that outperforms the rest of the field, the winner this weekend will have to depend on their crew to gain them as many positions as they can on every pit stop or at least maintain their track position.

Just in case you didn’t notice during the last practice session, there is only about a half second separating the fastest from the slowest and if that doesn’t spell pressure and intensity for the limited number of laps, I really don’t know what does. I expect the drivers to press for every position they can as quickly and as aggressively as they can. It is a well know fact when the pressure is on, drivers have a tendency to be a bit impatient and that means emotions will be running high on Sunday afternoon.

If you don’t believe there is a lot on the line this weekend, consider what happened during the qualifying session. The threat of rain was prevalent throughout the session and when the skies did finally open up a bit, there were some major elevated stress levels as the last five cars waited to qualify.

Of course this is old news to most of you, but you did notice the mind games being played by those that actually qualified better than even they expected and they didn’t want to see NASCAR call the qualifying and let the last five start up front based on their speeds in the first practice. Most of the ones that were concerned were those previously mentioned as ones that qualified better than they expected and they would have been doomed to starting much further back in the pack if the qualifying had been cancelled. As it turned out, the wait hurt some of those last five and others did as best they could with the slightly different track conditions they had to work with. Probably the biggest loser was Juan Montoya and he did struggle on his qualifying lap.

Do I think NASCAR made a wise choice to continue the qualifying after the light rain dampened the track? I have to admit, even though it was a difficult choice, it was the right one and it only proves once again, that in NASCAR competition the cream always rises to the top. Considering how things turned out and had the light rain not fallen, I really do think there was a possibility those last five might have qualified better than they did, but other than Montoya, didn’t fare all that bad. Ryan Newman had the fastest car in the first practice session and ended up sitting on the pole anyway, even after the rain, track dryers and the wait.

Today’s race is going to be fast and intense with long green flag runs and lots of strategy. The problem is, most everything from a strategy standpoint was tried last time, so I don’t think there will be many surprises, if any. It is my opinion the winner will come from the top qualifiers and very likely one of the Chasers. I have a couple of favorites, but I won’t go into that right now. I just know the race is going to be a good one and it could be another fuel mileage battle right down to the wire, just like last week.

From my view, this is one race that Kyle Bush and Jeff Gordon have to finish at or near the top in. Both struggled a bit in Chicago and, Gordon in particular, struggled more than the rest of the twelve Chasers. Sure I know Denny Hamlin had an extremely bad day also, but, with the year he has had, I can’t say it was unexpected. From this fan’s view, he is just having one of those years and it seems no matter what they try, something comes up and they end up with a bad finish. Look, I’m not saying it is over for him because we all know that sometimes racing luck turns on a dime. That could happen for him and even though I know there is that possibility, I just don’t see it happening… but then again….

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 25, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Sprint Cup at Chicago After Thoughts from A NASCAR Fans View

Posted on September 22, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Sprint Cup at Chicago After Thoughts from A NASCAR Fans View

The first Chase race at Chicagoland Speedway did two things… it gave Tony Stewart his first victory for the 2011 season and, as is usually the case, shook up the standings for the top twelve contenders in the Chase. Not unexpectedly, it turned into a fuel mileage race and several of the top names ran out of gas in the final laps which mixed up the standings even more and caused a little confusion as the checkered flag dropped. Matt Kenseth benefited from an illegal push on the last lap which cost him his eighth place finishing position and he was penalized by being placed as the first car a lap down. When all was said and done, the teams packed it up and immediately had to get ready to head for Loudon.

Disappointment was fairly obvious throughout the top teams and, in particular for those that ran out of fuel before the end of the race. Matt Kenseth’s situation was probably the most obvious since he sat on the pole and led almost fifty laps on the day. As it was, with the penalty and the empty fuel tank, he finished twenty-first instead of eighth because of being pushed (whether or not they wanted to be pushed or not, by the way) and ended up tenth in the standings after this first race.

Jeff Gordon and Kyle Bush both struggled all day with different problems, but Gordon probably was one of the most disappointed of all. After having a fairly stellar six plus weeks leading up to the first Chase race, this day was a complete struggle and only at the end did he and his crew get the car moving toward the front. As we all know, he ran out of fuel while running twelfth, ending any hope he had of finishing any where near the top ten, or, being able to take advantage of any of the others misfortunes of running out of fuel.

From this fan’s view, there was no doubt the intensity of the race was high and often it was the crew chiefs that bore the brunt of the abuse. I have to say, I don’t know how much crew chiefs get paid, but these days, they earn every penny. Not only do they have to have the proper strategy for all aspects of a race, but they have to handle the attitude of the crews and particularly the driver. From my view, it appears they often deserve more pay than anyone, including the driver. I’m fairly sure that is not the case, but many of the drivers would never make it to where they do without them.

Look, I know the drivers are the “glory boys” and get most, if not all, of the accolades simply because they are the ones the fans come to see and follow. But, think about it for a moment… Could you take some of the garbage the crew chiefs have to put up with and still be the leader of the crews and still keep the driver in the hunt and focused all the while maintaining and attitude of calm. Yeah… I hear ya and that’s kinda how I feel about it, too.

Although I know I mentioned this earlier, the races this season have seemed quite intense even from the drop of every green flag. As a fan, I find it interesting and haven’t quite figured out which rule change NASCAR made for this year that had the most effect on the drivers and their teams. In my opinion, whether it was the way they hand out the points for every race or the way teams were able to qualify for the Chase with those two wildcard slots, I just don’t know. From this fan’s view, something changed and it has been one highly competitive race after another all season. Now, I do admit, had it not been for the fuel situation, the Chicagoland race may not have had quite the intensity it did, but it was a nail-biter for many right down the the finish line.

In reality, I think it has been a combination of several things over the last couple of years that has caused the elevated intensity level. In my opinion, some of it was the additions of the wildcard spots and the way they now count points this year, but, I do think last year’s “boys have at it” attitude and the closeness of the competition also have to be considered. Were it not for all of these changes, this fan wonders if the competition would have been like it’s been or if it would have been a little less intense.

A couple of other things that probably should be considered would be performance issues of some teams and the economic impact on the sponsors. It is a well known fact this has been a tight year for everyone as far as finances go and the impact on every team is obvious. Sponsors are having to re-evaluate their overall financial involvement. The desire of those that are being backed by those sponsors to perform and show they are a valuable asset to those sponsors just adds more to the competition. When it comes to sponsorship of a team, it is expensive and not many can justify spending the amount it costs if the team is not competitive. To this fan, that translates to some of the increase in the intensity on every track the Cup Teams visit and the rest… well… that’s just racing…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 22, 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

Tag Archives: Nascar fan opinion

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