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

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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

NASCAR Sprint Cup at Richmond After Thoughts from A Fans View

Posted on September 13, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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

The race for the 2011 Chase is done and the field is set. Even though the night was not without controversy, intrigue or drama, the top twelve pretty much remained the same and the ones that were in at the beginning of the night ended up being in at the end of it.

So… does that mean it was a ho-hum Saturday night of racing and the stands full of fans spent the night yawning in boredom? Not at all. From the minute the green flag dropped there was action on the track and though Kevin Harvick led the most laps for the race, his trip to Victory Lane was by no means definite until the last laps were done. Not only did Carl Edwards (who finished second) try his best to be the first to the checkered flag and almost was, but Jeff Gordon was leading when the final yellow flag came out inside of twenty laps to go and was looking to win his eighty-sixth career race in the Cup series. He finished third, but I’ll talk a little bit more about that later.

It appeared to this fan, (and many others), the ones that had any kind of chance at making the Chase were doing everything they could to miss out on making it. Clint Bowyer really mixed things up for the whole night when he spun himself out on lap nine while under David Reutimann. His backing into the wall caused a major pile up putting some of the ones whose futures were only somewhat in doubt, further in doubt as the accident collected Dale Jr and Denny Hamlin.

Both of their teams had their nights work cut out for them if either one was still going to make the Chase. Both Steve Letarte, Mike Ford and their crews came through and the two of them finished far enough up in in the field at the end of the night to make the Chase with Earnhardt in tenth and Hamlin in twelfth. I think the only thing fortunate about the incident was the timing. Had it happened later in the race it would have probably sounded the death knell for both of them for 2011. As it was, both had the opportunity to make multiple stops and adjustments to continue on with Hamlin finishing ninth and Earnhardt finishing sixteenth.

From this fan’s view, one thing I think is destined to carry over into the last ten races is the continuing feud between Kurt Bush and Jimmie Johnson. Although from watching the race it is hard to tell the intention of Kurt Bush sliding into Johnson’s left rear spinning him and putting the #48 into the wall, there is no doubt the two of them have had issues in the past. From my view, it appears Kurt Bush tries his level best to convince us (and Jimmie Johnson) his actions are always taken by “Five Time” in the wrong way and that it was just a racing incident.

No matter what he says, I personally don’t see it that way. If he weren’t playing games, he wouldn’t always try to make the point he is inside Johnson’s head and the driver of the #48 only sees it the way he does because Bush is getting to him. From my view, he has done this to more drivers than just Johnson and, eventually, his actions will prove themselves out. I do find it fascinating how NASCAR’s statement of “boys have at it” has changed the amount of time that passes from when a driver thinks he has been wronged and the time he decides to “handle it.” It does appear the adrenaline of the moment rules over most everything else. It does tend to make it exciting though, especially on a short track where tempers are a little less in control and on a Saturday night under the lights.

This is where I insert a little bit of a “black helicopter” observation about the last caution flag. I haven’t heard anyone mention it (at least not yet) and I have to admit, I am just a little bit surprised. From this fan’s view, it appeared Paul Menard spun into the infield at just the right moment. It was just far enough from the end of the race to maybe not draw obvious attention to the spin or the reason for it.

You see, I’m thinking he spun on purpose because he had nothing to lose by then. It was fairly obvious Jeff Gordon was going to win if the race continued on without a caution and Menard wasn’t going to make the Chase anyway. I don’t think there were team orders but I do think he made a conscious decision to make something happen and give Kevin Harvick and his team a fighting chance and see what would happen in the pits. Harvick’s team did allow him to beat Gordon out of the pits. Harvick’s car was much better on short runs than Gordon’s as was Carl Edward’s.

Now look, before you get all bent out of shape, I’m not saying this is what really happened, but I am saying this is what may have happened. After all, there was quite a full moon in the sky over the track, and everybody that loves racing knows what can happen on a night like that…

Oh well, that doesn’t really matter much now. Richmond is over and the twelve teams are set for the 2011 Chase. Does this mean all of the drama is over? No, it means the second wave of drama is just beginning and this Chase just might be the most exciting one yet…

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

Sprint Cup at Bristol After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Sprint Cup at Bristol After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

It’s two to go to make the show and there are more than ten drivers that still have a chance to make the Chase, depending of course on how well they perform this coming weekend at Atlanta and how poorly some of the others perform. Yes, it is true, some of them are extreme long shots and it would almost require divine intervention, yet the possibilities are there. But that’s getting just a bit ahead of what went on in Bristol last Saturday night under the lights.

There is no way you can’t know that Brad Keselowski has had a stellar four weeks since his accident during a test session at Road Atlanta, but there is no denying he has been out-performing almost everyone in the Cup series. Since this is NASCAR (and you can never tell when a streak is going to start, or end) he may or may not have another outstanding performance this coming weekend, but he has definitely taken advantage of what looked to be a bad situation. As just about everyone must know, he now has three victories, is in eleventh place in the points race to get in the Chase and looks to be one of the top contenders for the Championship when the Chase actually gets started.

To say this fan has been surprised by his performance in the last four weeks could just be added to the growing list of understatements I’ve made over the last couple of months, but, let me ask you this question; “Did you think he was going to make the Chase after YOU heard about that testing accident ?” (Uh, huh… that’s what I thought…)

I’m thinking you thought, much as I did, he should forget about the Chase, focus on next year and just turn the rest of the season into R&D, at least until he healed up a bit. Man, you talk about adversity turning a season around… this has to be one for the books and Brad Keselowski has sure stepped up to the plate, driven through pain, a sore back and a broken ankle and delivered some stunning blows to several NASCAR drivers that still hold on to slivers of hope, as far as the Chase is concerned. The only thing he has to do over the next two weeks is stay in the top twenty in points and he will definitely be in the Chase. In fact, from my view, unless he cools off a bit performance-wise, he is going to be one of the ones to watch as the top twelve contend for the Championship (and could very well end up being the top dog when it’s all over for this year.

Now, don’t get your underwear in a wad… I only said “he could” do these things. It is no where near definite and it is nowhere near time to start calling him the 2011 Champ yet. Still, it is amazing what he has done in this latter part of the season.

There was another situation that surprised this fan just about as much as seeing Keselowski take the checkered flag last Saturday night and that was how strong of a car, Jeff Gordon had and how close he came to winning. As it was, we all know he finished third, after battling Martin Truex Jr for second place over the last several laps and all but locked up his spot in the top ten for the Chase. He and Kevin Harvick are tied at the moment for fifth place and both only need to be forty-nine points ahead of eleventh place to be locked into the top ten no matter what else happens. Say what you will about the four time Champ but he is definitely running strong (and honestly, I don’t think he’s peaked just yet…). I’m not really making a statement one way or the other here at the moment, but Jeff Gordon has been running strong over several weeks now.

I’m sure you noticed that Kyle Bush and Jimmie Johnson are already locked in and tied for first while Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards are also locked in to the Chase. Matt Kenseth has been quietly running consistently good enough to be in third place for much of the season and Carl Edwards has appeared to be struggling over the last several races. They say they’re not, but perception is reality and they are perceived to be struggling (and not just from my view either.).

The race at Bristol this last weekend was one of the more interesting Bristol races and yet it was essentially the same. One thing that appeared to be missing, at least from this fan’s view, was an over abundance of hot tempers at the end of the night. I just didn’t see that much tension between different teams (although David Reutimann may disagree with me about that.)

With just two more races to go until the Chase starts, there has to be concern in the Richard Childress Racing camp. They didn’t just have a bad night, they had a terrible night and that is worth taking notice of as the Cup teams head for Atlanta. I’m sure if you ask them, there is no time like the present to start showing some muscle and gaining a little momentum…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© August 02, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Sprint Cup at Bristol from a NASCAR Fans View

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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Go ahead, ask any driver and they will tell you they love short track racing because it is more like what they grew up doing and are used to. Not only is it a Saturday night race but there’s beating and banging and leaning on each other to make a move past someone.

One thing they won’t tell you is how short their temper might be when someone leans a little harder on them than they think they should or when someone sends them up the track to move them out of the way to pass them. That’s just one of the things many fans like about the short tracks NASCAR visits and a big reason why Bristol is one of the fan favorites of the entire season. It is why there will be one hundred and sixty thousand people in the seats surrounding the track at a place they call “the world’s fastest half-mile.”

This fan finds the closeness of the qualifying times for tonight’s race lineup very interesting. There is only around four tenths of a second separating the first starting position from the fortieth and if that won’t make it hard to pass, I don’t know what will. Sure, I know those are only one lap speeds and consistent lap times over the course of the race are what really counts, but still, that is a a powerful statement of the tightness of the competition in Sprint Cup these days. No matter how you look at it, it tends to point toward a very competitive race in Thunder Valley tonight.

I know the statistics say a driver has a better chance of winning if he starts near the front and I don’t totally disagree with that. From this fan’s view, starting out front is important but getting there and staying there are just as important and that can depend on a lot of things as the night progresses.

In tonight’s race, there is going to be an extreme amount of pressure on the pit crews to be mistake free the whole night. The drivers will have extra pressure on them to not speed in the pits and to protect their tires and cars and yet be aggressive and advance as far as they can toward the front. The crew chiefs will “only” have to have the perfect strategy all night long and make the perfect adjustments all during the race to keep their driver as happy and stress free as possible. (Now that doesn’t sound as if the crew chiefs have it difficult at all, does it…?)

From this fan’s view, even though a Chevy qualified for the pole and a Ford is on the outside pole, with the competition as close as it is, it is going to be another hard one to pick the winner of before the race starts. I know it doesn’t matter much what I think, but I still like to give my opinion of which ones to watch for taking the checkered flag at the end of the night. The Chevys and Fords looked very fast in practice and qualifying, but I still can’t discount the Toyotas or the Dodges. This is one of those races anyone can win from anywhere in the field in any brand.

Ryan Newman and Carl Edwards have a great shot at winning tonight simply because they start on the front row but so do about thirty others even though they don’t start on the front row. Even though I think some may choose to run the night cautiously, I still think some are almost in the desperation mode and will be trying just about anything they can to advance themselves in the points or get a win. Because of that, I’m thinking tonight could see just about any of the top thirty five starters could end up in Victory Lane tonight. Yes, I know some have a much better chance than others, but this is Saturday night short track racing and just about anything can (and usually does) happen.

Do I think Kyle Bush is going to win? Well, he sure has a great chance to, but then so does Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Jamie McMurray, Jimmie Johnson and Kurt Bush also. Could this be a night where someone totally unexpected walks away with the trophy? Hey, I’m not going to rule that out either. It could be Marcos Ambrose or “the Dinger,” but honestly, I don’t think it is going to be Robby Gordon, although stranger things have been known to happen on a Saturday night at Bristol.

This night race is one of the more colorful night races in the sense that it has all of that beating and banging adding up to those short tempers and paybacks which makes the whole race eventful, especially at the end. With the extra intensity of qualifying for the Chase included in the night, this fan expects and even more eventful night of racing than usual. There is just too much on the line for too many drivers trying to seal the deal for getting into the Chase for it not to be a little different Bristol race tonight…

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

Watkins Glen After Thoughts from A NASCAR Fans View

Posted on August 17, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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There’s definitely one advantage to an extended rain-delay when it comes to TV; When the thing is drawn out until they just have to move it to the next day, you find out a lot of things about the drivers they wouldn’t normally have time to tell you about. I just happened to be able to watch most of what went on for the three plus hours before they called it and moved it to the Monday morning time slot and it was fun to listen to them in a more laid back atmosphere.

Oh I know drivers get interviewed before every race, sometimes to ad-nauseum, but for some reason on Sunday afternoon, it just felt different. It seemed the drivers were more candid and less corporate; in other words, from this fan’s view it seemed we got a better feel for who they really are as opposed to when they put on the game face. It was a nice change of pace. (Who knows, maybe it was because it was at a road course.)

Monday morning may have been gray and overcast but it was not at all dull on the track and the intensity started right at the beginning of the race and didn’t let up until the very last official lap they ran. From this fan’s view, there was something going on just about everywhere in the field at one time or another and the race strategies for each team changed on a regular basis. That is, for at least thirty-five of the forty-three starters while the others just hoped to survive the weekend.

As it turned out there were more than eight or ten that needed to do more than just finish. Of course there was more than one that needed the race to go just slightly different than it did. too. One of those would be Tony Stewart, while Paul Menard and David Ragan would be a couple of more. Menard and Ragan looked as if they were going to come away from The Glen by closing the gap a bit on Denny Hamlin. Because of late race incidents, neither of them was able to do much at all. Menard cut down a tire which put him in the wall and Ragan was involved in a spectacular accident involving him, David Reutimann and several others. Needless to say, Ragan’s day was not at all what he needed to him to take advantage of the one victory he has this season.

Since I mentioned Denny Hamlin, this was another weekend he couldn’t buy a break if his career depended on it. It has been proven more than once over the years, that when you have a bad year, you have a bad year and it seems there is nothing you can do about it. Hamlin is in one of those years that comes along every now and then in a drivers career and to say things have gone unexpectedly wrong for him and his team this year is about as obvious as sunshine during the daytime. He is definitely having a bad year.

Unfortunately, it just doesn’t seem to get any better for the guy many thought was going to be the one to stop Jimmie Johnson from winning his sixth straight Cup Championship this year. Unless things change in a hurry for him and the #11 FedEx team, it looks like it is going to be up to someone else to take care of that (but I’m going to wait on talking about that until we get a few more weeks of racing done. After all, with the way things are going, things can change several times around those ninth through twelfth points spots before we actually get to the Chase.)
The end of the race was enhanced, at least competition-wise, by the blown tire of Paul Menard. Had it not been for that, the race would have likely finished under green and it would have still been a shootout. Of course we’ll never know, but, I still think it was going to be won by Marcos Ambrose, although it was going to be close. It was great to see him finally win his first NASCAR Sprint Cup race and makes the next few weeks all the more interesting.

I know everyone has talked about it, but still, Brad Keselowski has really stepped up to the plate since his accident while practicing at Road Atlanta. This fan has noticed two things about him since that accident. First, he is a bit more humble and appears to appreciate life more than before it happened. Second, he has proven he is as tough as they come when it comes to dealing with adversity. I think many have gained much more respect for him after observing his performance over the last two weeks and seeing how determined he is. If he makes it into the Chase, which is a good possibility, this fan looks for him to make even more of a statement than he has in the last two weeks.

From this fan’s view, this was one of the more exciting and eventful races I’ve ever seen at The Glen and it wasn’t unexpected. The new points system and the fact the Chase is winding down to its conclusion has brought a whole new intensity to this time of the year, and it is showing in the attitudes of the drivers and teams, (whether they are in contention or not), and it has definitely added a lot of excitement and unknowns to the year. Don’t look for things to settle down over the next few weeks either, because they’re just not going to…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© August 17, 2011 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

NASCAR at the Glen from A Fans View

Posted on August 14, 2011 by Rusty Norman

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There’s something different about Road Racing and it wasn’t always like it is today. It is a big difference and if you haven’t been around NASCAR all that long, you probably don’t recognize it, but trust me… it is much different than it used to be.

So what is this big difference? Well, once again that is a good question and I am glad you asked it. The difference these days is that there are so many good road course racers in NASCAR that it is getting harder and harder to tell which one of them could win the Cup race this Sunday afternoon. Sure, there are some that are still better at it than the others, but the competition is so tight these days that it could be anyone of most of the field; (Yeah, I know there are some that still just don’t like road courses and simply suffer through them looking forward to next few weeks when they get back to their comfort zones of ovals (both large and small.)

Many of the teams used to bring in drivers with road racing backgrounds called “road course ringers” in the hopes of getting a better finish with the “ringer” than with their normal drivers. Some times they would do better, but there was always the problem of the driver not being able to spend enough time with the crew chief and team for them to be able to communicate well which usually translated into a less than lackluster performance for both.

These days, most of the drivers enjoy the challenge of the different types of tracks they visit during a season and that means road courses as well as ovals. Like I mentioned before, some are still much better at the road courses than others and they generally finish at, or closer to, the front by the end of the race. The others still “suffer through” these races but even they perform better than some of the substitute “ringers” used to.

I’ve heard some ask what the difference is between the track at Sonoma and the one at the Glen. Well, if you ask the driver’s, many of them will tell you that the track in Sonoma is a finesse track and Watkins Glen is much more of an “attack” track. The one is a track that leaves very little room for error and the other is one you have to press the envelope but not overstep the limits to have fast lap times and hopefully end up in Victory Lane.

It is this fan’s opinion, The Glen has a couple of areas that separates the great from the good and one of those is the “S’s” and the other is the “Bus Stop.” If you don’t carry enough speed through the S’s, you will lose ground to your competitors and missing the Bus Stop hurts lap times the rest of the way to the start finish line.

From this fan’s view (and judging from the practice and qualifying sessions) the race this weekend at The Glen could be one of the more interesting road course races. It is awfully hard to argue with the top five or six qualifiers being contenders at the end of the day. Three of those, in particular, should do well and that would be Marcos Ambrose, A J Allmendinger and Jimmie Johnson all starting out front and I guess I shouldn’t rule out Juan Montoya either. This fan’s problem with Montoya running well is that he just hasn’t had the greatest of luck this year and I’m not sure how he is going to do, even though he did practice and qualify with a fast car.
Once again, the Hendrick teams didn’t qualify that well and all of them but Jimmie Johnson will be starting outside the top ten. From my view, that could mean one of two things when the race starts. Either they will adjust to the track conditions and move up toward the front or they will be mired in the middle to back of the field for most of the day. My gut tells me they will finish much better than they qualified but I do see they’re all up against some pretty stiff competition this weekend and it depends on whether those other guys have problems how stiff that competition will be.

The same holds true for the Childress teams too. Their best qualifier was Clint Bowyer and he is starting nineteenth. As for the rest of them, it only gets worse from there. That inspires the thought that they, too, will perform better than they qualified but they do have a long way to go to get to the front, not exactly what any of them were hoping for, I’m sure.

I don’t have to tell you, running one qualifying lap is a lot different than running the whole race and the key to winning is consistency. There are a lot of good road racers in the field for tomorrow and there are a number of them that can win, but they are going to have to consistently maintain track position and fast lap times. Kyle Bush has looked the fastest for the weekend so far and, from my view, he has a great chance of taking home the trophy. I am not at all saying he has a lock on it, but he is starting from the pole and the rest are starting from behind him.

There are two, in particular, that have a very good chance at winning their first NASCAR Cup race this weekend and those are Marcos Ambrose and A J Allmendinger. Both are great road racers and of the two of them, Marcos has the better chance in my opinion.

I am looking forward to a very interesting race and a lot of competition amongst many. The only thing I’m not sure of is whether or not he weather is going to cooperate. If it doesn’t, it could be a a long weekend for everyone…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© August 13, 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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