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It was a hot day in Alabama. Brad Keselowski and Roger Penske weren’t disappointed with the heat or the Talladega race but they were in the minority and it was likely because they were sitting in Victory Lane. As expected, there was a lot of drama from the drop of the green flag but not a lot of it was because of the racing in the large pack. Most of the drama was coming from the concern the drivers had for the water and oil temps and how closely they needed to watch their gauges. Unfortunately, fans and drivers alike thought it was more about water and oil temperatures and lot less about actual racing.

From this fan’s view, even though there was the large pack of cars running nose to tail, two and three wide, there wasn’t a lot of racing for position going on. It appeared the drivers were trying to keep a reasonable distance between each others bumpers to maintain a lower water temperature, (which, of course, would lead to a lower oil temperature), so they might at least still be running when it came down to the final laps. Yes, it was obvious they wanted to maintain a certain position on the track and not fall too far behind, but it was also obvious that there was more concern about maintaining the temperatures than anything else.

Even with all of the efforts to maintain what was considered to be safer operating engine temperatures, there were still a lot of engine failures although admittedly it was hard to tell if some of them were normal part failures or temperature related. In fact, from this fan’s view, I don’t think any of the failures were related to overheating, but that does not mean that it didn’t affect the racing as a whole.

It is my opinion, and I am usually on NASCAR’s side and do respect what they do but, this time I think they blew it. I have to agree with the words of several drivers that insinuated there has to be a better way to control the tandem drafting than with temperatures. Surely they can come up with “something” other than that.

It is also my opinion that this is what happens when a sanctioning body tries to run things by audience poll. I’m not saying they shouldn’t listen to input from the fan base and it has been my experience over the years they don’t usually make “knee-jerk” decisions but, I think they tried a quick fix that may have worked for one track and one type of condition. All tracks have a different character and it is a definite given that air temperatures change pretty much daily in any location. Maybe the best way to solve the problems of today’s high-tech racing is to use some of the old technology, (as Michael Waltrip has said several times in the last several years when asked his opinion.)

Look, I’m not a real fan of the tandem drafting but it does have an advantage for passing in today’s restrictor plate racing. In fact, I really do like the large pack racing we used to see in the plate races. Now it appears, at least from my view, we have the large pack again but very little racing going on. It is mostly follow the leader and watch the gauges until there are only a few laps remaining. Surely NASCAR, with the state of the technology they have available and have allowed and introduced, can come up with a way to keep the two-car drafting from being so advantageous and still make it an interesting and drama-filled race. (I have to admit that personally, I was not on the edge of my seat at all during this plate race…)

I don’t know, maybe it is next to impossible to undo what’s been done. (But then this is NASCAR and I don’t really believe that either, do you… ?)

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© May 10, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Martin Truex Jr will sit on the pole for tonight’s race but this fan wonders whether or not that will actually translate into a victory for Michael Waltrip Racing (or even whether it will translate into a victory for Martin Truex Jr.) As was obvious in qualifying, one fast lap does not (and will not) a race make.

What do I mean by that? Well… many of the cars ran fast on their first qualifying lap but none that I noticed ran as fast, or faster, on their second lap. That makes it fairly obvious that the drop-off in speed with the tires is pretty quick and that should make it interesting when it comes down to the longer green flag runs. That could mean a big difference in which cars start out up front and the ones that actually finish up front.

Of course, one of the big questions is whether or not tonight’s race will mean Rick Hendrick and Hendrick MotorSports gets that 200th Cup win. Once again Kasey Kahne is starting in the top five, but with the way his year has been going, not too many are putting much stock in his chances for a win tonight. That’s not a statement against Kasey’s abilities, it’s just that he hasn’t had the best of finishes even though he has had fast cars every weekend this season.

He and Jeff Gordon are pretty much in the same boat when it comes to their racing luck this year and there are two ways this fan looks at that. Either they are getting all of their bad luck out of the way long before the Chase and are going to finish strong then, or, they just won’t be factors at the end of the year.

I’m sure there are some of you that disagree with me and that’s okay. I’m just as sure there are others of you that figure they are already out of the running and won’t even make the Chase.

Personally, I think it is a little early to start talking about which drivers will and won’t make the Chase. We’re only about one quarter of the way into qualifying for the Chase and there is still a lot of time for others to run into some disappointments before we get there and it may be some of the present front runners, too. I’m not saying that will happen, but I am saying “racing luck” is a finicky beast and can affect anyone at anytime and, unfortunately for some, for extended periods of time.

As far as the other Hendrick teams of Johnson and Earnhardt Jr, well… they are starting in good spots and their chances for ending up in Victory Lane are at least fairly good. I’m not convinced they will, but I have been surprised more than once so far this year.

A quick look at the top of the lineup for tonight is interesting in itself and I am still not convinced starting up front amounts to a hill of beans when it comes to time for the checkered flag to drop. The Roush Fords of Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth look strong and the 1½ mile tracks seem to always be some of their strongest showings. Could that mean either one of them (or even their team-mate, Carl Edwards) takes home the trophy tonight? Yeah, it could but, it may mean nothing other than they do have pretty decent records at the Texas Motor Speedway.

When it comes right down to it, (at least from this fan’s view), there isn’t that much separation in lap times between most of the teams. It’s not how fast you go… its where you finish that makes all the difference and in tonight’s race… well… I’m thinking we’ll all be surprised at who actually wins. The big question is, will Jr Nation be happy at the end of the night… ?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© April 14, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Justafansview.com and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

I’m sure some are glad there will be a week off to regroup after the Goody’s Fast Relief 500, if for no other reason, than they get a chance to breathe and think about the way the season is going this year. For others, they may not want to break their momentum and would prefer to just keep on going without a break. As for this fan, I think a week off will do some good for everyone.

Once again, Kasey Kahne has shown up with a fast race car and easily took the pole for today’s race. From my view, and judging from the way the truck race went for Kevin Harvick after starting from the pole, Kasey also has an excellent chance to get his first win as a Hendrick driver and it would be the 200th for Hendrick Motorsports. That is something all of the Hendrick teams have been trying to get for their owner since last season.

Of course, with the way Kasey’s luck has been running this year, sitting on the pole and having a fast car hasn’t meant a trip to Victory Lane this year. So far, he has shown up with fast cars every weekend and is sitting 28th in points (a great disappoint to him, his team and this fans.) He just hasn’t been able to finish anywhere near the front most weekends.

Another that is looking for something good to happen would also be a member of Hendrick Motorsports. I’m sure everyone knows that would be Jeff Gordon and he hasn’t had the kind of year anyone expected him to have. It’s not that he hasn’t had fast equipment and hasn’t been performing well, it’s just that he has had a problem with that beast called “racing luck” too.

One thing about Jeff Gordon though… he won’t throw in the towel until there is no hope left. Even then, he won’t go down without putting up a valiant fight. There is nothing that would be better for him and his team than to finish in the top five today or, better yet, get that 200th win for his boss Rick Hendrick. From my view, that would be a great way for the #24 team to go into the week off and possibly gain some momentum for Texas. No matter how you look at it, this is a week Jeff Gordon needs a good finish.

Unfortunately, there are a lot of good drivers and cars that intend to make it very difficult for either Kahne or Gordon to get that 200th win for Hendrick Motorsports. Just to mention a few of them would be names like Harvick, Hamlin, Bowyer, Newman, Vickers and Keselowski. All of them can win at Martinsville and none of them intend to pull over and let those other two just drive by them. If either Gordon or Kahne do end up in Victory Lane today, it won’t be because they didn’t work for it.

Another wrinkle for the #5 and #24 teams would be their teammates of Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. Both of them want to be the ones that deliver that 200th win to Mr Hendrick and I expect both of them to be right in there fighting for the win when it comes down to the final laps.

From this fan’s view, the most obvious thing I’ve noticed about the Cup teams is that most of them are fast this year and there is very little speed difference between them. That means this short track experience today could be very interesting. No one can afford to lose track position in the pits and I expect that could mean there might be a few short tempers displayed, especially near the end of the day. (You know I’m not just talking about tempers flaring between drivers, crews and crew chiefs, don’t you?)

However it goes, the emotions will be running high today and, without actually picking a winner, I do expect to see a Hendrick team in Victory Lane when the checkered flag falls after 500 laps. Of course, I could be surprised, but then, probably not…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 31, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

If they hit them wrong while racing in a pack it could mean a major accident that claims a bunch of cars. If it happens when they are relatively alone, it could mean a trip into the wall or through the infield. What ever the case, the seams are not the racers friend.

One of the big questions from this fan’s view is which lane most of the drivers will choose to run in today. It doesn’t appear there is that much difference in whether they run high or low, but it is my opinion the fastest way around will be on the high side. That’s where I expect most of them to spend much of their time until the race comes down to the last 40 laps or so. No, that doesn’t mean I think they’re going to run around single file and play follow the leader but there is a thing called momentum on the high side and I think many are going to take advantage of it as often as they can.

From my view, it is hard to tell which brand has the advantage because both the Toyotas and the Chevys look very strong in practice and qualifying. Of course, there is the obvious fact that the Toyotas are starting from the first three spots and two of those are from the Joe Gibbs camp. Uh, and I guess you noticed that a Joe Gibbs Toyota won the Nationwide Series race on Saturday. That just might mean something come lap 199 this afternoon and it could be Denny Hamlin or Kyle Bush being interviewed in Victory Lane.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying one of those two are going to win, but I am saying the JGR Toyotas are looking very good for doing well in today’s race.

And then there’s that “old guy” Mark Martin starting third out of the Michael Waltrip Racing camp and he can’t really be counted out of the realm of possible winners for today’s race. In fact, I would go so far as to say it is possible this could be a weekend the winner could be one of the the MWR cars. They have been running good all year and this fan wouldn’t put it past them with the way they’ve looked in practice and qualifying over the last few weeks. Clint Bowyer went last in qualifying which means he has a very fast car, he just didn’t have a good qualifying run.

A quick look at the top ten qualifiers shows five Chevys, four Toyotas and the lone Ford of Greg Biffle. However the race turns out, this fan doesn’t see an advantage to one over the other simply because the qualifying and practice lap times are so close together. In fact, that is one of the major complaints mentioned by the drivers; they could pass if it weren’t for the fact that so many of the cars are running so close in lap times.

There are several drivers and teams looking for a turn around in their racing luck this weekend at Fontana. In particular, that would be Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Carl Edwards. Of the three, Carl Edwards is doing the best but isn’t at all where he wants to be in performance or points. After the way the season ended last year, this fan expected him to pick up where he left off and be at, or near, the top of the list in points.

Kasey Kahne has had fast cars every week but hasn’t had the finishes to go with it. In fact, he sits 32nd in points and has to start finishing in the top ten on a regular basis to get anywhere close to where he wants to be. Soon, without a change in his luck, he just might have to wait until next year.

Jeff Gordon is kind of in the same place as Kahne. He has had cars capable of winning but hasn’t been able to capitalize on having competitive equipment because of an engine failure earlier in the year and a trip into the wall last weekend. At the moment he sits 23rd in points, not at all where he hoped he would be. The only thing other than better finishes that can get him and the other two into the Chase is winning a couple of races and a chance for a wildcard slot. Yeah, I know we’re only looking at starting the fifth race of the year, but none of these three can continue having the finishes they’ve been having if they want to get into the the top ten in points.

If the weather holds, this afternoon’s race winner will be the one who maintains track position and that, in my opinion, will once again put pressure on the pit crews to perform fast and flawlessly, especially late in the race. I’m thinking there may be a rain delay or even a rain shortened race depending on when the rains fall. However the race goes it should be a good one and I’m looking forward to it.

Uh, did I mention I’m expecting an unexpected winner…?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 25, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Las Vegas is in the rear view mirror but Tony Stewart isn’t looking back at last year any longer. After a dominating performance last year that didn’t end with him celebrating in Victory Lane he was determined to make it there this year and he did. He even did it with a new crew chief. I can’t say it was unexpected for him to run well there again this year, but sometimes and especially with a new crew chief, things don’t always work out. The pressure was on both Stewart and Addington since former crew chief Darian Grubb had won with his new team in Phoenix.

Just one more quick statement about Vegas before we move on to Bristol. The Vegas track was fast and so were the cars and it proved to be very hard to get back to the front if a driver (and his crew) lost spots going to the pits. More often than not (and as I expected) track position was critical to getting, or staying, up front.

To say this year is going as I expected it might so far this year would definitely be a stretch, but it is going well for Greg Biffle. Much like his teammate, Carl Edwards did most of last year, Biffle is running strong and consistently finishing near the front and he now leads in points and has a hope of staying there for a while. He is even sitting on the pole for the race this weekend at Bristol.

Another one that is looking pretty tough this season is Kevin Harvick. He is second in points at present and, from this fan’s view, looks much more relaxed than he has in the last couple of years. I’m sure it has much more to do with him giving up his race team and focusing on one thing for now. (Of course you know that one thing is he wants to win a Cup Championship.) He is looking at a life changing event this year other than a Cup Championship and of course that would be becoming a father. All things considered, I find this to be an interesting year for him and Delana.

I’m sure many have noticed that Dale Jr is in fourth place in points and he has been running strong every weekend. The only thing he and crew chief Steve Letarte need to do is put the end of a race together with great qualifying and first parts of a race and he will be in Victory Lane. I don’t know about you, but this fan really thinks he will end up there sooner than later this year and this weekend could be the sooner. Of course, this is Bristol and anything can happen just as quickly to dampen his success this weekend, too.

From this fan’s view, I don’t see any one team really dominating the rest of the field this season. What I mean is every brand has been well represented so far this season. There are some that are struggling slightly, but it is my opinion it is more because everyone is running so fast that ll they have to be is a few thousandths off on lap times and it looks like they are falling through the field like rocks. This is one year that might reveal the parity NASCAR has been striving for is finally going to happen. I just hope the races don’t become like the old I-Roc series.

For those that may not remember it, the cars were supposed to be set up exactly the same and the racing was much like restrictor plate racing. There was hardly any advantage to any other than the ability of the drivers. It is just my opinion, but I have to say there is a good possibility of the Cup series becoming a lot like that is the competition gets any closer. Fortunately, these races are not quite the same as the I-Roc series and a lot more depends on the pit stops and track position which could mean my fears are pointless. (Hey, I’m just sayin’… I’ll leave the rest to your imaginations.)

The most important things for this weekend for the Food City 500 at Bristol will be keeping a cool head and maintaining track position. That means a lot of pressure will be on the drivers to stay cool and the crews to not give up anything in the pits. I expect the Fords will be fast but I’m not saying a Ford will end up in Victory Lane. I’m leaning more towards it being a Chevy and it just might be someone that didn’t show that much in the last couple of weeks.

A lot will depend on how the yellows fall as to whether or not it totally becomes a fuel mileage race. Just remember, Bristol is well know for long green flag runs but it is also a short track known for the unexpected happening. By unexpected, I mean it could be someone just loses their temper long enough to mess up theirs’, or someone else’s, day and opens the door for the unexpected winner… And then, there’s always that driver named Kyle Bush…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 18, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

From this fan’s view it does look like NASCAR has managed to make the two car draft a lot less effective than it has been in recent Super Speedway races. The biggest problem seemed to be over heating in short order if they did try the two car draft and, at times, even when they were drafting in the pack. This fan wonders what kind of a problem that will be when the teams visit other tracks and Super Speedways and experience warmer temperatures than they had at Daytona.

As for the EFI addition, the jury is still out but, it did appear there were very few problems with it. One noticeable problem was fluctuating fuel pressures and it did affect more than one car. It does appear the problem is somewhat related to the fuel pickups in the fuel cells but more input is needed from different tracks before it should be considered a major issue, at least from my view.

As expected the Fords were fast and Matt Kenseth put his racing prowess and the horsepower under the hood to use to take the victory over Dale Jr and Greg Biffle out of the final turn. It does appear, at least for the time being, that one car is as fast (or maybe a little faster) than two when it comes to those final dashes for the flag. Side drafting works again and timing is everything in the last 1000 feet or so to the finish line. That was one thing that was evident, at least to this fan, in all of the Cup races this last weekend.

Danica Patrick had a rough start to her Speed Weeks and entry into the NASCAR circuit full time. Some said she was in over her head and others said she shouldn’t be there. I, however, disagree with the negativity she may have endured during Speed Weeks. From this fan’s view, her accidents had very little (or absolutely nothing) to do with her actions on the track. Her accidents were caused by others she was racing with and she suffered the crashes much as Jimmie Johnson did with a little help from Elliott Sadler in the first two laps of the 500 Monday night. There was nothing he could do and there was nothing she could do after the contact. Both of them were, “along for the ride,” and Danica more than once over the last weekend.

In this fan’s opinion, Danica is a good racer and a grand addition to both the Nationwide and Cup series and just a good addition to the overall picture of NASCAR. How she will do remains to be seen but it is this fan’s opinion she will do well. The more seat time she gets, the better she will do and let’s not forget, when it came to finishing the Daytona 500, hardly anyone believed she would finish ahead of four time Champion, Jeff Gordon or five time Champion, Jimmie Johnson, but she did. Yeah, I know Jeff’s engine blew near the halfway point of the race and Jimmie’s car was pretty much destroyed in the accident that took him out on lap two, but Danica was also caught up in Johnson’s accident. After her team put her car back in race-able shape, she ran well the rest of the night in “the pack” and finished 38th.

Well, as I said in the earlier article for Daytona, it was unpredictable. I don’t think anyone expected the postponement for rain and I know no one expected one of the Jet Dryers to be caught up in a collision with one of the Cup cars, burst into flames and delay the running of the last forty laps for two hours. All in all, Daytona didn’t disappoint this fan and, from the looks of the fan-filled stands on Monday evening, Daytona will always be Daytona.

As we look forward to this coming weekend in Phoenix, two things I’ll be looking forward to finding out. First – Will the EFI have any different effect on the competition than it did in Daytona? Second – Will the new racing surface have aged enough to cause any drastic difference in what the teams experienced on their last visit there?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© March 01, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

If there is one thing that is evident to this fan, it is that this Daytona 500 is going to be about as unpredictable as any in recent history. Oh sure, there will be those that will tell you they’ve all been unpredictable, especially since the changes NASCAR made over the years like restrictor plates and then the COT cars, but though highly criticized, most everything they’ve done has made the race safer and more interesting.

With the introduction of Electronic Fuel Injection to the Cup cars, many didn’t know what to expect but it really didn’t change much. Yes, there a re still some unknowns as to how it will change the strategies and competition for the 500, but from this fan’s view, fans are going to see a great race. The EFI change will mostly be noticed by the engine builders and not from the stands.

Whether it was the Duels on Thursday afternoon, the Camping World Truck race on Friday night or the Nationwide Series race Saturday afternoon, racing this weekend at Daytona has been different, and yet, has remained the same. There has been plenty of action and drama along with a lot of torn up race cars.

Probably the most noticeable change this year was the return of “pack racing.” That in itself has brought back a dimension to the Daytona Super Speedway this fan has missed for a couple of years. Once the drivers discovered the two car tandem allowed them to go faster, the racing was interesting and good for a while but quickly became less exciting over the whole race. (Well, even I have to admit, the restarts were much more exciting while everyone tried to hook up with their chosen drafting partners.)

The two Duels revealed at least two possibilities for this afternoon’s race. The first showed how the changes made by NASCAR to the cooling systems and the aerodynamics made the cars a bit more unstable and did accomplish minimizing the two cars tandems. There was a lot of two and three wide pack racing, also two car tandems and again, a lot of torn up race cars.

The second showed how things can get a bit strung out at times and saw a bit more separation than the first but there weren’t as many torn up cars. It also showed how the changes to the cooling system might have an effect on the whole race this afternoon. Because the air temperature at race time for the second Duel was a bit higher than during practices, many drivers noticed their engines were running hotter than expected. They quickly found they (maybe I should say the Chevys in particular) couldn’t run the two car draft without highly elevated water temperatures. This caused some to lay back and lose ground to the front runners making sure they ran cool to the end. In the end it was a two car draft at the front in both Duels and that may be the only predictable thing about the 500.

As I said at the beginning of this article, this afternoon’s Daytona 500 will be unpredictable and I am standing by that. There are just too many variables. I expect to see at least one “Big One” but it will more likely be nearer the end. When that does happen, (and I’m sure it will) it could quickly lead to another one on the next restart. I do expect to see the Ford’s running strong all day and contrary to some, I expect most of the Hendrick camp to be right there in the mix at the end.

The salvation for the engines today just might be the cooler weather that’s expected. If it is cooler, it means we could see racing a lot like the Nationwide Series went Saturday afternoon. With cooler air temperatures we just may see a lot more of the mixture of the two and three wide pack racing along with more of the two car draft. However it goes, I expect the end of the race may not be pretty and there could be a major “Big One” coming at the flag stand.

Yeah, I know the Fords have looked strong all weekend and it is possible we could hear the name Carl Edwards a lot this afternoon. Although I expect her to make a good showing, I don’t think Danica will end up in Victory Lane this afternoon. This is anybody’s to win and everybody’s to lose.

Because I really do believe anybody can win this one, I don’t want to pick a winner, but it is very possible Jr Nation could come away from today very happy…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© February 26, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Speed Weeks at Daytona really picks up steam from now through Sunday afternoon and evening. Starting on Thursday afternoon with the Duels, there will be no lack of action over the next four days. Friday night will be the Camping World Truck Race and Saturday afternoon will see the Nationwide cars hit the track and then Sunday afternoon the Cup teams hit the track again for the Daytona 500.

Yeah, we all know there is a lot going on at Daytona right now and along with all of the action there are still a few unknowns. It still remains to be seen how the cars will handle in the packs and how the drivers will utilize the Two Car Tandem.

I think you would be hard-pressed to find someone that hasn’t taken some sort of interest in how Danica will do now that she’s full-time in NASCAR and shouldn’t have very many distractions other than making the laps. Personally, I am willing to give her time to learn as much as she can about these cars and racing stock cars at this level on a regular basis. I expect she will surprise a few and disappoint others but overall, I think she’s going to be a marvelous addition to 2012 NASCAR season.

As I wrote a few articles ago, the more NASCAR changes the more it stays the same. Even though this is going to be a year of many changes I expect the racing to be as good or better than it has ever been. With EF I (electronic fuel injection) now on the Cup cars and other changes and improvements that have been made over the last three months, I don’t see how it could be anything but better. Sure I know there will be those that disagree with me but, I think that the racing that we witness over the next 26 weeks in particular, will be very interesting and probably some of the closest competition we’ve seen yet.

Honestly folks, there’s a lot going on at Daytona and Daytona is only the first race track the NASCAR teams face. There are still a lot of unknowns ahead at the tracks they visit in the future. It is the hope of many that the Shootout wasn’t a fluke and that the competition and racing for the Duels and the 500 will see a lot of pack racing and of course, some of that Two Car Tandem stuff.

Once again, at the risk of sounding repetitive, I think the changes that NASCAR has made to break up the Two Car Tandem and return Super Speedway racing more to that two and three wide pack racing is one of the best things they’ve done in two years. I know that maybe a little bit of an overstatement because they have done a lot of things over the last couple of years that have been very good for the sport. I don’t know how you feel about it, but there is something to be said for “pack racing” over the “Two Car Tandem” and it will make the race more exciting as long as they don’t run a lot of single file laps.

Personally, I can’t wait for the drop of the green flag and see where the rest of the season takes us. I’m looking forward to the Duels if for no other reason than to see what Sunday’s race might be like. I’m relatively sure the drivers will be a tad bit more cautious during the Duels than they were during the Shootout, but from what I can tell from listening to them, they’re gonna go out and be competitive and some are going to press the envelope more than others. Does that mean we might see a Big One in each of the duels Thursday afternoon? Well, that is a very real possibility and along with that possibility there could be some teams that tear up some more cars.

Each one of the Duels is 60 laps of differing agendas. Some will be trying to race their way into the 500 while others are just racing and putting in the laps hoping to learn something that will help them on Sunday afternoon. The ones that are trying to get into the race will probably take more chances than the others and could very possibly cause something to happen that may take out someone’s favorite car for the 500 and cause them to have to go to a backup. Of course you know, this is all pure speculation from this fan’s view and there is the possibility that there could be 120 laps of racing take place without a Big One happening. From what we’ve witnessed in the practice sessions and the Shootout on Saturday night, I think there’s more of a chance there is going to be more wrecked cars than there is a chance of them all coming away unscathed.

There is no doubt that everyone is going to have to make at least one pit stop for fuel and probably tires. I think most will take four tires but, I imagine there will be a few that take two. As to who might win in each of the Duels, I don’t even want to venture a guess – there are just too many variables.

The only thing I hope doesn’t happen is that the cars all line up in single file and play follow the leader for most of the 60 laps in each of the races. I don’t think it’s going to happen that way simply because everyone seems to be feeling really good about their cars and how competitive they’re going to be. When it comes down to it, I really think we’re going to see a fair amount of what we witnessed during the Shootout and that would be two and three wide pack racing and maybe a couple of breakaways at times but, no matter what, I intend to be watching to see what does happen…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© February 22, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman and Nascarfansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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