Tag Archives: The NASCAR Chase

Crowning the Cup Champ at Homestead from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Crowning the Cup Champ at Homestead from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Crowning the Cup Champ at Homestead from a NASCAR Fans View
When all is said and done this weekend at Homestead, one thing is certain – the Sprint Cup Champion will be crowned by the end of the race. That is about the only thing that is definite for the race this afternoon. After all of the “excitement” that transpired at Phoenix, one has to think this could prove to be an interesting race, but not necessarily for the actual Championship part.

You see, this fan is not one of those that is trying to keep people interested in the actual Chase between Jimmy Johnson and Brad Keselowski like a lot of the commentators have been most of the week. Most say Brad Keselowski has the Championship all but wrapped up even before the race starts and they could be correct. Unfortunately, my imagination runs a little different path than some.

You see, there are two ways of looking at the way the #48 has been performing this weekend and even I am not sure why. It could be that they just haven’t found the speed which would be sort of normal for the Hendrick Teams at Homestead. As far as I remember, they have never won a Cup race at Homestead and that could be why they just don’t appear to have a chance at taking the victory or the Championship. Then again, it could be the #48 is just playing head games, knowing they have the speed but not wanting to show it.

Yeah, it could all be part of a master plan to blow by all of the competition this afternoon and simply walk away with the win. Of course, if that is the plan, then they must be expecting Brad Keselowski to have an extremely bad day and they just want him to get frustrated as they walk away from all of the competition, hoping he will make a mistake or two that completely puts him out of the competition for the top spot in the Championship.

Ok, I know you’re all wondering if I’ve lost my mind or if I’m living in some dream world. Hey, I told you my imagination runs wild at times and even I have to admit this all sounds really far fetched. If the honest to goodness truth be known, I’m not so sure Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski is going to finish near the front today. I know both are going to be trying their absolute best to take the win and the Championship but I also know there are some Fords and Toyotas that look like they have a better chance at winning. I’m not going to make any predictions as far as that’s concerned but I do know Homestead can be a place of big surprises and I’m not expecting everything to go as expected today.

Hey, it could even happen that Dale Jr, Kasey Kahne or even Jeff Gordon have better days than the top two in the Chase for the Championship but, in the end it is going to depend on where Brad Keselowski finishes compared to Jimmie Johnson. If Brad finishes 15th or better, no matter what else happens, he will be the Sprint Cup Champ for 2012 and give Roger Penske his first Cup Championship, something everyone in all of NASCAR believes he deserves. I can’t say I disagree with that in any way.

No matter what has been said by those involved in last weekend’s “disagreement” between the Gordon and Bowyer teams or what NASCAR has handed down as “punishment”, many fans are going to be interested in seeing what might go down between Clint and Jeff if and when they are close to each other on the track.

From my view, I don’t expect any more confrontations (at least not on the track today) and I expect Jeff Gordon to give Clint all the room he needs to get by especially if Bowyer is noticeably faster. I don’t think that means Jeff will lay down and die. He is much too competitive for that, but if he has a chance to pass Clint I do expect them both to be reasonable. I do hope they don’t accidently get into each other because that will definitely come under scrutiny and we all know NASCAR will be watching for any signs of payback especially since Jeff is on probation until the end of the year. As a side note and from this fan’s view, I do think they will put this all completely behind them but only time will tell.

The reality is, Clint Bowyer wants to finish ahead of Kasey Kahne and I don’t expect him to be looking for anything other than track position when it comes down to the race today. I think he will be doing all he can to win because that’s what it’s all about anyway. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t still some hard feelings between the #15 and #24 teams but there isn’t a lot either of them can do to change what has already been done either. Both will move on and who knows – they just might end up the best of friends (or not… )

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

Is The Chase Really Down To Two at Phoenix? from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Is The Chase Really Down To Two at Phoenix? from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Is The Chase Really Down To Two at Phoenix? from a NASCAR Fans View
Hardly anyone talks about anybody but the top two in the Chase anymore. That is, unless you consider the honorable mentions Clint Bowyer (and sometimes Kasey Kahne) get as a side note in just about any conversation about the Chase. Since Bowyer is 36 points behind the top two and Kahne 58, it probably is down to the two (at least from this fan’s view.)

Much like last year with Stewart and Edwards, the drama is pretty thick for the competition between Johnson and Keselowski but this weekend at Phoenix could prove to make things a little more interesting. Jimmie Johnson will be starting 24th and Keselowski 14th and, though it isn’t likely, either one or both of them could have a bad race and it could actually tighten up the standings and put both Kahne and Bowyer back in the hunt for the finale at Homestead next weekend.

In all honesty (at least from this fan’s view) it would take both of the two points leaders having not just a bad day, but a terrible day. The chances of both of them having that kind of day is about zero and none but, one of them could and make next week all the more uneventful. Let’s just say one of them (and I really don’t care which one you insert at this point) has an unexpected failure and finishes somewhere around 35th or so. The outlook for the race at Homestead would be more about who finishes second and third instead of all the focus being on which one might be number one. Do you think that would put a crimp in the excitement and attendance? Unfortunately, this fan thinks it would…

Sure I know the chances of it happening that way probably don’t even enter into the realm of possibility in most people’s minds and there are good reasons for that. I can’t even say I think it is that possible but, I do understand there is at least the slightest chance of either Jimmie Johnson or Brad Keselowski having an unusually bad race.

You see, I like to think about the most outrageous possibilities happening simply because I know they can. Not because they’re likely, but because they’re unlikely. Besides, we’ve all seen some very interesting things happen during runs for Championships and last year is a prime example. I mean who would have thought last years battel would come down to a tie-breaker?

Yeah I know this sounds a little far-fetched but I also know this could be the weekend in the Chase that neither Johnson or Keselowski wins the race. In fact, Kyle Bush looks to be the most likely but I’m not ready to hand it to him on the platter yet. With the way his luck has been running this year, it is quite possible he could drop to the back like a rock after the green flag drops. Now, I don’t think Kyle thinks too much about what might happen (since everything that could go wrong probably has this year) but he probably isn’t quite thinking he’ll be pulling into Victory Lane just yet either. All he knows for sure is that he is sitting on the pole with a new track record and had the fastest speeds during the practice sessions, too. After that, even Kyle will admit anything could happen to his chances of winning (although they do look very good for him at the moment.)

As I’ve mentioned more than once this year, there’s something to be said for “racing luck” and he’s had his share of it this year (along with several others.) Of course you know I’m talking about “bad” racing luck as opposed to that other kind, don’t you? He and several others have certainly had a lot of it in 2012. (Don’t worry… I’m not going to go through that list again – I’m sure you all have it memorized by now.)

The way I see it (and maybe I should add, at least from my view) is there are two or three ways this race is going to go down. The first is that a non-Chaser is going to win (and I’m not assuming it will be Kyle Bush.) Aric Almirola, Kurt Bush, Paul Menard and Regan Smith have all had their moments this weekend and, depending on how things pan out at the end of the day any one of them could end up in Victory Lane.

A second possibility is that someone other than the top two in the Chase will win and there are several to choose from. Unfortunately, it is not easy to pick just one over the others. Clint Bowyer, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin are all possible winners and I really can’t rule out Martin Truex Jr or Tony Stewart either. In fact, any of the twelve Chasers have a chance even though I don’t expect it.

I do expect the race this afternoon to be a fuel mileage race even though I’m expecting more than a few cautions. It has been pretty obvious during the practice sessions that staying in the black worked much better that drifting into the grey. (Of course you all know I talking about staying in the groove, right? … Right.)

Oh… and that third possibility? That’s easy. Brad Keselowski finishes ahead of Jimmie Johnson, makes up all the necessary points and we go to Homestead with them in a tie or only separated by a couple of points…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 11, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Continuing the Chase at Texas from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Continuing the Chase at Texas from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Continuing the Chase at Texas from a NASCAR Fans View
Most people will tell you the Chase is down to just two drivers, Jimmie Johnson and Brad Keselowski but I’m not so sure we should draw that line just yet. Yes, it is true they are only two points apart and the next closest driver is 26 points behind. Of course that would be Clint Bowyer and I don’t think he is ready to throw in the towel just yet, either.

If anyone thinks the two at the top of the standings are immune to something happening like happened to Denny Hamlin last weekend, then they just don’t understand Texas Motor Speedway. It is a fast track and can be treacherous for any and all the drivers, especially at the entry to turn 1. It only takes a second for fortunes to change and it could happen to anyone, including Johnson and Keselowski.

Okay, now that we all understand that, what will really happen when the NASCAR Cup teams take to the Texas track this afternoon?

Well, at least from this fan’s view, a lot can happen. You see, I don’t think Jimmie Johnson showed all he had in the practice sessions even though he did knock off a very fast lap and qualified on the pole for the second week in a row. I could be wrong, but he and crew chief, Chad Knaus, do know how to play the game when it comes down to mind games in the Chase. (After all, they do have five Championships so far and that kinda proves they do know what they are doing.)

Of course, Brad Keselowski is known as one of the tough guys right now and he has proven himself to be able to take adversity and turn it into an advantage over the last couple of years. He and his crew chief, Paul Wolfe, have made a lot of good decisions to get to where they are in the standings and they do appear to be weathering the pressure of the Championship Chase pretty well at the moment.

There are those that think the #2 Penske Dodge has just been lucky (and that does have to be considered simply because there is a thing called “racing luck” that rears its ugly head at times.) Most any driver will tell you they make their own luck and being in position to take advantage of situations that arise in a race is what it’s all about.

I simply don’t agree with that assesment though.

I think at least two drivers just might agree with me on this and they would be named Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin. Had it not been for a broken spring bracket and a bad master switch, both might be sitting in whole different places in the points for the 2012 Sprint Cup Chase. Had it not been for those bits of what this fan calls “racing luck”, Jeff Gordon might be contending for his fifth Championship and Denny Hamlin might be more of a contender for his first.

Of course we all know parts break, things fail and it can happen to anyone but, there are 43 cars in a race every week and for Chase contenders to have things like that happen and put them out of contention says more about bad “racing luck” than it does about making your own luck. (Well, at least to this fan it does.) Some people do prefer to consider
things that happen out of the ordinary as being out of their control and call them “challenges.” I guess I can accept that explanation in some ways but no matter how you look at it, it all comes down to “luck” in my book.

Kasey Kahne is quietly staying in contention and is only three points behind Clint Bowyer. I’m sure either one or both of them will gladly take advantage of any possible “challenges” the top two face and gladly accept any tightening of the points battle. In fact, I would even be willing to say it wouldn’t bother them which of the two terms might be picked to describe their possible good fortune should something happen to Johnson and Keselowski. They would just welcome the “opportunity” to get that much closer to possibly winning the Cup Championship.

On the other hand, there are several other cars that can win the AAA Texas 500 this afteroon and it may or may not be someone in Championship contention. It could be it comes down to a fuel mileage race and I have to admit, this fan hopes it doesn’t. I would rather see a couple of double file restarts and some really tight competition when it comes down to the end of the race than wondering which one of the teams might run out of fuel. Now, I’m not saying a fuel mileage race wouldn’t be interesting, I’m just saying what I would rather see.

Who knows… maybe I’ll get “lucky”…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© November 4, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chasing Martinsville from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Chasing Martinsville from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chasing Martinsville from a NASCAR Fans View
The Cup teams are continuing their Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship on the flat, paperclip shaped track at Martinsville. Depending on how things go for those atop the points standings Sunday afternoon, a lot can happen in the way we view those with a chance of winning the Championship. In fact, I would say this weekend will pretty much set the field for those that will take it down to the final race in Homestead.

While some would like to think there are more than five that can win the Championship, this fan thinks it is down to three after this weekend. Of course that depends on whether or not the Chase begins to unwind for those sitting in the top three positions at the moment. As much as I might like to see things tighten up in the points and the last race in Homestead be more dramatic, I really don’t see much changing over the next few weeks.

Martinsville is a difficult short track and a lot things can happen both on the track and in the pits but that won’t necessarily translate into major changes in the standings. Jimmie Johnson sits on the pole and that could spell a race win for him and a tightening of the points battle between him and Brad Keselowski who has a long way to go from his 32nd starting position.

Denny Hamlin absolutely has to figure into the mix and, with his truck win this weekend, he definitely needs to be considered for ending up in Victory Lane at the end of the Tums Fast Relief 500.

Clint Bowyer is starting eighth but isn’t guaranteed a top finishing spot by any means. Although he and his MWR running mates have been showing some real strength over the last several weeks, I’m not so sure this short track will be good to him. He has to keep on finishing in the top five if he really wants to be considered as a real threat for the Championship. He has to make up twenty five points on Brad Keselowski and, with the way Keselowski has been running lately, that just might not be a possibility. In fact, with the present points system NASCAR has in place, it is going to be difficult for anyone to make up the amount of points needed to get in to contention for the Championship.

Kasey Kahne is in the same predicament as Bowyer and it doesn’t appear to this fan he will make up a lot of points on the top spots even though he has been running good. Unfortunately, good isn’t good enough unless there is a major change in the way Johnson and Keselowski have been finishing.

One interesting statistic that stands out to me is the qualifying times. There is only a little over a half second separating the fastest qualifier and the slowest. That can only mean one thing when it comes to the race – it will be hard to pass and track position is going to be golden. That puts a lot of pressure on the crews to perform during the pit stops and adds to the possibility of them making mistakes. If mistakes happen, the drivers are more likely to let their emotions get the better of them. If emotions do take over, it could mean they make a mistake that can really put them in a hole (at least from this fan’s view.)

Of course, all of this speculation on today’s race depends on whether or not it rains and whether or not someone other than the Chasers run up front. There is a very good possibility someone outside the top twelve could win today. Bryan Vickers was very fast in the final practice and could end up taking first place at the end of the day for MWR. No one should overlook the possibility of Kyle Bush being up front at the end of the day either. After all, he did qualify third and knows how to navigate this short track which is two dragstrips with turns at the end of them.

When all is said and done at the end of this one, I expect the biggest winner to be the track. It is the challenge for the drivers for this race and, because it is a short track, it could be a “game-changer” for the top Chasers. Going in, this fan thinks Jimmie Johnson has the advantage. After the green flag drops, it is anybody’s guess what will happen and who will win.

After all… this is a flat short track shaped like a paperclip where emotions run high and passing is difficult to say the least. Track position and getting off the corners will be the keys to winning this one and with only a half second separating the fastest from the slowest… well… it’s Martinsville (and you know what that means… )

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 28, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chasing the Unknowns at Kansas from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Chasing the Unknowns at Kansas from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chasing the Unknowns at Kansas from a NASCAR Fans View
When the Cup teams take the to the Kansas track Sunday afternoon they will have spent a lot of time on the reconfigured track but there will still be a lot of unknowns. Already the question has been raised as to whether a Chase race should take place on what essentially is a brand new track, but from this fans view, I think the NASCAR teams are up to the challenge. Whether it be teams in the actual Chase or the other thirty-one, all of them have the ability to figure out the essentially new track and the extra practice sessions haven’t hurt either.

This fan thinks NASCAR knew racing on the reconfigured track would be a challenge for the teams and that’s why they allowed the extra practice sessions. Still, the problem isn’t the challenge of very few (or no) valid notes on the track, it is that a new surface is constantly changing during the practice and qualifying sessions and will continue to do so throughout the entire racing. (That’s just the nature of newly re-surfaced tracks and has been shown to be true in the past.) The cool weather for qualifying day, showed the track could change over night and will probably do so more than once before the end of the race Sunday afternoon.

Another problem (at least from this fan’s view) is that no one yet knows very much about how the conditions will change over a longer period of actual racing time on the track. We already know it is a much faster track (since all cars qualified faster than the old track record) but it remains to be seen how it will race. It is suspected that it will be hard to pass and that track position is going to be essential for the one that finishes up in Victory Lane.

So, from this fan’s view, it looks as if two things will have great importance Sunday afternoon concerning what goes on in the pits. The first will be how the crews perform in the pits. There will be no room for errors and being just a few seconds off will translate to a lot of lost track position. The second will concern the driver and his performance entering and exiting the pits. There won’t be room for speeding penalties and controlling the entry to the pits will definitely be the drivers responsibility. With the reconfiguring, Kansas can be a bit precarious making the transition from the progressive banking to the flat apron.

This fan wonders if this race will become a fuel mileage race and has to admit he hopes it does not. I do understand fuel mileage is part of the strategy in Cup races in these recent times but I do not necessarily like how important it has become. Fuel mileage races can become a bit boring from this fans view. Oh sure, I understand it does add some drama to the end of a race but essentially it is just a waiting game rather than a competition for position.

Personally, I like side by side, nose to tail, bumping and running races and I would like to see more “rubbing is racing” finishes than wondering who will finish and who will run out of fuel. While I’m at it, I would also like to see more than just one or two racing for the checkered flag at the end of a race. The more the merrier when it comes down to taking the win sounds good to me and, as close as the competition is in Cup, there should be more than one or two cars that are capable of winning on any given weekend. I know there will be those that will disagree with me, but honestly, wouldn’t you rather watch an end to a race where the competition is tight and three or four (or even more) are fighting it out the the very end?

This is a critical race for all of the Chasers and after this weekend, it is this fan’s opinion we will really know who is in and who is out of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Although no one is actually mathematically eliminated yet (other than probably Dale Jr) it will take some miraculous intervention over the next five races for some to actually be back in it. In my opinion, if the front four Chasers continue finishing as they have, it will be hard for anyone to catch or pass them.

When it comes down to performance, no one will argue Clint Bowyer and Mark Martin of MWR have been showing just how much has changed at MWR this year. All three MWR teams have been showing strength but Bowyer and Martin in particular over the last few weeks. Either one of them might end up in Victory Lane Sunday afternoon.

Personally, (or maybe I should say from this fan’s view), this race is just about as much of a wild card as the race at Talladega. I don’t think anyone knows how many yellows there “might” be and whether or not someone that starts up front is going to finish up front.

With the uncertainties and possibilities, the points battle could have a major shakeup this weekend. Unfortunately only race day will tell that story. This could be one of the most exciting and dramatic races of the Chase or it could be one of the least exciting and least dramatic.

What we definitely know about the reconfigured Kansas track is it is definitely fast but I don’t think any of us know is how it is going to race…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 20, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chasing Talladega from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Chasing Talladega from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chasing Talladega from a NASCAR Fans View
Talladega was made for speed. It’s big, it’s wide and it has high banks which were made for high speed racing. In fact, as one of the two super speedways left on the NASCAR circuit, and it is one of the biggest reasons we have restrictor plate racing. Oh, I know there are those that will disagree with me about that but I still say it and believe it to be true.

Even though there are other tracks NASCAR races at that are just as fast without restrictor plates, both Daytona and Talladega could have much higher speeds if it weren’t for restrictor plates. The restrictor plates allow NASCAR to keep the speeds closer to a maximum of 200 miles per hour rather than higher speeds that have proven to be much more dangerous for stock car racing. With all of the technology being used by NASCAR to make racing as safe as possible for the drivers, crews and fans, restrictor plates have been one of the most reliable ways of controlling the maximum speeds they could be running these days.

One of the things I liked most that came about because of restrictor plates was a thing called “pack racing.” There is just something about 43 three cars running nose to tail and door handle to door handle at close to 200 mph for lap after lap and only breaking up to stop for fuel and tires, (when necessary). I don’t care what some may say, it is quite an awe-inspiring site to behold. For NASCAR fans, it is something they often looked forward to.

And then one day, the drivers discovered a thing called the tandem (or two car) draft. After that, it was goodbye to pack racing and hello to multiple two car hookups and multiple radio channels so the drivers could communicate with their chosen drafting partner (or partners) so they wouldn’t wreck each other trying to outrun the other two car tandem drafts.

Of course, we all know what happened next. NASCAR (at the request of the fan’s I might add) started a series of rule changes that would hopefully eliminate the two car tandem and get the field back to pack racing. Well… they did finally make it, and from this fan’s view, have not only made the two car tandem acceptable but, have returned Super Speedway racing to an even more acceptable level. The latest combination of pack racing and two car tandem offers NASCAR fans everywhere renewed interest in something they loved and now have added the new dimension of pack racing and two car drafts along with tension and drama galore.

This fan loves the latest Super Speedway racing at Daytona and Talladega and enjoys the fact the results generally are unknown until the last straightaway as they pass under the flag-stand. (Who could ask for a better way to end a race?)

Now you might be asking if I care that the drivers have very mixed emotions about driving the restrictor plate races and that many (especially those in the Chase) hope they aren’t caught up in the proverbial big one. Many of those same drivers say their stress level is the highest at this type track as any other they race at and they mostly just endure them and are quickly ready to move on to the next “normal” race.

As for how the race will go this afternoon in Alabama, everyone has already called it as a race anyone could win. The regular Chasers hope to finish somewhere in the the top ten or fifteen rather than in the garage area and way back in the finishing order after “The Big One” while others hope to gain back some points on those ahead of them. I can’t say I disagree with the assessment and it is true… this is one race that anyone of the 43 could win and it is just as likely it will be someone other than a Chaser.

From this fan’s view, this is one race I love to watch from beginning to end even if they do tend to play follow the leader at times. I also admit that I would like to see the points battle heat up a bit more because of this race at Talladega. I would like nothing better to see the top two or three drivers finish very near the back of this one just so the others can play some catch up. Of course, that does mean all of the others in the top twelve would have to finish at the front end of the field if they hope to gain any positions in the standings.

Now, I do have to ask this one question of you concerning Jeff Gordon. Do any of you think he has a chance of winning this afternoon and actually gaining some points on the leaders??

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© October 7, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Chasers Must Tame the Monster Mile This Weekend from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Chasers Must Tame the Monster Mile This Weekend from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chasers Must Tame the Monster Mile This Weekend from a NASCAR Fans View
For those not in the top four or five of the Chase standings, their job is to tame the Monster Mile this weekend at Dover. Of course that doesn’t mean those in the top four or five don’t have the same job but, their’s isn’t as critical as the rest. Unfortunately, after only two Chase races there is a growing separation between the top five and the rest (okay, it’s actually six). Also unfortunate… that separation is harder to make up than ever before because of the new point system.

If you don’t believe that, just look at how little ground Jeff Gordon made up last weekend. Even after finishing third, he only made up two points on the leaders. That means he is still in twelfth place and 45 points behind. He did make up some ground on those in seventh to eleventh, but because of that devastating Chicago finish after contact with the wall, he has to go all out to make gains on the top spots. He cannot afford any more problems, he has to finish in the top three from here on out (and even that may not be enough.)

The Toyotas of JGR and MWR are looking awfully strong for this afternoon’s race and there are a couple of non-Chasers that are starting in a position that could mean a non-Chaser winner. Just so you won’t be in suspense about which drivers I’m talking about, it would be Sam Hornish Jr, Kyle Bush and Ryan Newman. Any of these three could take the trip to Victory Lane if they can tame the Monster in front of the rest of the field. I think it will make the Chase more interesting if there are two or three non-Chase winners in the next eight races but then, that’s just me.

Anyway, getting back to those Toyotas… Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr both qualified in the top five and would like nothing better than to come away from the weekend with a win for Michael Waltrip. In fact, I think they would be very happy for themselves too. Both of them would like nothing better than to shake up the competition by finishing up front, possibly even a one – two finish. (Wow! Wouldn’t that shake up the rest of the field?)

Of course, everyone knows Kyle Bush would just like to finish a race on the lead lap for a change. Between him and Jeff Gordon, I don’t know which would qualify for the “Worst Racing Luck in a Season” award. Both have shown up week after week with strong race cars but definitely not great racing luck. (In other words, if it could go wrong, it has gone wrong quite often for both of them.) Kyle qualified fifth and I know he would like nothing better than to dominate the field (including his team mate, Denny Hamlin) all afternoon.

Speaking of Denny Hamlin… he qualified on the pole for today’s race and he is very confident he is going to perform well. What a big turn around for the JGR #11 Fed Ex driver from last year. Personally, I don’t think it’s all is because of his newest crew chief, Darian Grubb, but, I am willing to admit he does have a little more than something to do with it. (Really, this fan wonders if Tony Stewart is having second thoughts right about now. Oh sure, he’s in the top five like Hamlin but he doesn’t look near as strong as the #11 JGR Toyota.)

From this fan’s view, Denny Hamlin is probably one of three top contenders at the moment. I just wonder how he might handle some of the setbacks his team mate, Kyle Bush has had to face in recent weeks. I’m not so sure he will exude the confidence he does right now. Actually, at least in this fan’s opinion, he hasn’t really had to face much adversity in the Chase so far. One wonders how he will handle some major failures over a couple of weeks in row. If his fortunes change or become more challenging over the next few weeks, this fan wonders if he is seasoned enough to take it on the chin, tough it out and turn it all around. (However, as strong as he has been running, I do admit those are some pretty big “ifs.”)

The Roush Fords are mysteriously silent so far in the Chase. Between Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth, there just hasn’t been much noise made from the Ford camp. They seem to be lacking speed so far and they picked a bad time to be in a slump. Of course, it only takes a few hundred laps to turn everything around and whose to say it can’t happen today at the Monster?

In all honesty though, here’s what this fan expects at Dover this afternoon. I expect the Monster to be sent whimpering off into the sunset after being tamed by many of the the Chasers to lick his wounds until next year. I don’t know who will win but I do know there are several that are up to the task.

Whether it will be someone everybody expects I’m not yet ready to say. What I am ready to say is that I think one of the Chasers is going to take the win this afternoon and it very well could be someone named, Jeff Gordon. This fan actually thinks he still has a chance to take his fifth Championship. (And that’s not to mention I can think of nothing more dramatic than him coming all the way from where he did before the Chase started to holding the Sprint Cup Championship trophy up in Victory Lane at Homestead in November.)

But then again, people always have called me a dreamer. Be that as it may, just remember when it does happen as I say… I told you so…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 30, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

Looking for Magic at the Magic Mile from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio Looking for Magic at the Magic Mile from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

******************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Looking for Magic at the Magic Mile from a NASCAR Fans View
After last week’s disastrous start to the Chase for some teams, those same teams are looking for magic to happen at the Magic Mile at Loudon, NH this weekend. With the new points system, making up points lost is a bit harder than it used to be. The answer is still winning but, consistency will still play a part in the last nine races in the Chase.

Jeff Gordon, as everyone already knows, had the worst luck of the twelve Chasers last weekend and has the most to make up in the weeks ahead. Had it not been for that stuck throttle putting him in the wall, (while he was running fourth, by the way), his task could be completely different on this Sunday afternoon. As it is, he needs to finish ahead of the rest of the Chase contenders and that means he needs to win. He has already shown the #24 team has come ready to make a fight of it by taking the pole position but anyone that knows anything about NASCAR knows it will be a struggle and he needs to finish this week off with a win. From this fan’s view, that would make a powerful statement to the rest of the Chase contenders.

Many expect Denny Hamlin to make his own statement this weekend. After running out of gas last weekend, he made the statement that he would win this week at NHMS. He will definitely have to quit talking about what he’s going to do and just start doing it. You might be asking why I say that, but it should be a little more than obvious. He ran out of gas last weekend and finished much further back than he was going to and they had the wrong tire pressures for qualifying this weekend. I don’t know about you but from this fan’s view, I’d say they need to stop making miscues or they just might find themselves at the bottom of the list of the Chase twelve.

If there was ever a time there could be a non-Chaser win one of the Chase races, it could happen this weekend. Kyle Bush starts outside pole next to Jeff Gordon on the front row. Even with all of the bad luck he has had this year, that still makes him one to be watched to take the trip to Victory Lane. I’m not saying it is going to happen and, considering the way things have gone for the #18 team in the later part of the “regular”season, I’m not even willing to say look for it. What I will say in as definitive way as I can, is he has a chance.

The two Toyotas of MWR that are in the Chase need to be included in the mix for this afternoon. Both Martin Truex Jr and Clint Bowyer showed promise in the practice sessions and I just don’t think it would be a good idea to overlook them. Truex Jr not only can win but would like nothing better than to win today. Even though he made the Chase on points, he didn’t score any victories to get into it. It has been a long time since he actually took a trip to Victory Lane and to end up there today would do wonders for him, his team and his owner, Michael Waltrip.

As for Clint Bowyer… well… let’s just say he really likes this track and could quite possibly end up in Victory Lane and cancel out Denny Hamlin’s statement about winning this weekend.

From this fan’s view, I think this could be one of the most competitive races of the Chase. The biggest reason for my saying that is how competitive the field is. After that, I would have to remind everyone it is only a three hundred lap race. To this fan, that means there won’t be a lot of laying back until the final laps. Oh sure, they may not go flat out all the time, but there isn’t a lot of time to make up track position.

In observing the the practice sessions (and the qualifying), it was pretty obvious there was a big difference between the first lap and others. The tires don’t come in for a lap or two at the very minimum and that could make the double file restarts very interesting.

Except for qualifying, Denny Hamlin appears to be the one to watch and if his last race at Loudon says anything, he could easily make up the 30 some spots it would take to put him out front. Of course, we all know he has been fast at the Magic Mile, especially this weekend. As long as his team doesn’t make any mistakes (whether large or small) he should end up with the checkered flag and take a lot of momentum with him into week three. He is confident entering into the Sylvania 300 but his luck can turn on a dime just like it did for several at Chicago. As you can tell, this fan just isn’t willing to throw the trophy his way just yet.

Of all the races in the Chase, the one this afternoon could be the most dramatic of any we will see in the next nine weeks. Of course that is not taking into account what the rest could be like if the points battle gets really tight. If the Chase turns out to be anything like the first 26 races and the uncertainty of the final results entering into Richmond, well, let’s just say Homestead could be very interesting. (Notice I used the two words “could be” more than once here.)

Personally, I think the Championship is still wide open and I, like several others, think Jeff Gordon still has a chance to win his fifth. Of course, there are a bunch of drivers and teams that think they have a chance too and who am I to say they are wrong… ?

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 23, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

And So The Chase Begins – Chicagoland 2012 from a NASCAR Fan’s View

Posted on by

play audio And So The Chase Begins – Chicagoland 2012 from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*************************Two Buck Themes ad ****************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

****************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 And So The Chase Begins – Chicagoland 2012 from a NASCAR Fans View
It’s twenty-six down and ten to go for the 2012 NASCAR Cup series and it is anybody’s guess who might end up with the Sprint Cup. I have heard some claim they already know who is going to end up in the top spot at Homestead but this one could be too close to call for quite a while yet; at least until the first Chase race is in the books.

I do agree with many that say this is one Chase that anyone of the twelve could win. I don’t remember anytime since the Chase format was instituted that the Chase had more possible winners in it than it does this year. Between just four of them there are thirteen Cup Championship titles. Of course those four are Jimmie Johnson (w/5), Jeff Gordon (w/4), Tony Stewart (w/3) and Matt Kenseth (w/1). Any one of them could add another championship to their stats this year and have to be considered when the season winds down if for no other reason than they already have so many Championships between them.

Of course, everyone knows Denny Hamlin has been on a hot streak and he definitely has to be considered as a strong possibility for winning his first Cup Championship this year. If ever there was a hot shoe coming into the Chase I think he qualifies. With four victories in the first twenty-six races and because his new crew chief this year, Darian Grubb, was last years winning Cup Champion crew chief for Tony Stewart, I’d have to say his chances are pretty high. (At least I think I have to say that until a few Chase races are behind us.)

At this point, those are the five strongest contenders if Championship wins and regular wins on the year this year mean anything. In fact, if you listen to many of the voices making predictions about who will win the championship, they’ve already given the nod to Denny Hamlin.

The problem with that is last year’s Chase which Tony Stewart won by breaking the points tie with Carl Edwards by having more wins. Hardly anyone, including Stewart himself, thought he had a chance at winning the championship until the Chase actually started. He had no wins and walked away from Chicago with a win. He followed that with four more before the Chase was over.

Now, you may be asking why I even bring that up and the answer is because of the twelve that are in the Chase this year. Anyone of them could win and it could be someone completely unexpected. Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, Dale Jr, Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex Jr all have to be considered along with Greg Biffle and Kevin Harvick.

From this fan’s view, there is not one of the twelve that cannot take the Championship if for no other reason than how closely matched the teams are this year. Competition has never tighter and the talent of the drivers has never been more closely matched. All of them are quite capable of winning over the rest on any given day.

Not only are any of the twelve mentioned above capable of winning today at Chicagoland but, there are others in the field that are just as capable. I don’t want to go through the whole list but I will mention Carl Edwards, Ryan Newman, Joey Logano and even Kyle Bush. Any of these could easily end up in Victory Lane this afternoon and the Chasers all racing for points rather than the trophy. Do I think that is going to happen? Well, I really don’t know but common sense says it is more than just a possibility.

What I saw as I watched the practices and the qualifying appeared to be a lot of teams being cautious and unwilling to show all they had. I’m not saying they didn’t all want to qualify near the front, but I am saying it appeared to this fan they were being cautious during the practice sessions and that may have had something to do with the end results. It also looked as though many were having a problem getting a hold of the track. After all, the surface is getting old and has lost its grip and the tires fall off rather quickly.

Of course there are six of the twelve contenders in the top ten starting positions. Jimmie Johnson sitting on the pole already has several thinking he will take his sixth Championship, but from this fan’s view I think it is way too early to make that call. In fact, if last weeks race in Richmond is any shadow of what the Chase will be like over the next ten weeks, the only thing I know for sure is that no one in 13th to 43rd has a chance at winning the Championship…

See ya next time…
All views expressed are strictly the opinion of the writer
© September 15, 2012 – all rights reserved
Rusty Norman, Nascarfansview.com and Justafansview.com
All audio productions by www.podcastnorm.com and PodCastNorm Productions

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

Posted on by

play audio Homestead and 2011 Season After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*******************************Two Buck Themes ad **********************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

*********************************************************************************************
20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Homestead and 2011 Season After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans ViewThis is old news I know, but Tony Stewart is the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion and he did the old fashioned way… he and his team worked for it. When the Chase started, many thought they were probably the least likely to win and they may have been right. That didn’t detour the now three time champion or his team and all they needed were a few things to go their way and they would build on the momentum and race their way to ownership of the most treasured title in NASCAR.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by

play audio Chase Race at Phoenix After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*******************************Two Buck Themes ad **********************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

*********************************************************************************************
20100220RSNTest001 120x150 Chase Race at Phoenix After Thoughts from a NASCAR Fans ViewAfter the Phoenix race it is down to the two top contenders, Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart, as the NASCAR Cup teams make their way this coming weekend to the finale in Homestead. They came into the weekend at Phoenix separated by three points and they left separated by three points and that should make the race this coming weekend very interesting. Tony has to finish at least three points ahead of Carl to tie and then I think it becomes all about the wins, (and we all know how many Carl Edwards has.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Posted on by

play audio Chase Race Nine at Phoenix from a NASCAR Fans View

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

*******************************Two Buck Themes ad **********************************
MUSIC MAKES IT BETTER =>> Get 5 new themes, video tutorials each month for $10

*********************************************************************************************
091218 iPhoneCamPixes 060 003A 150x150 Chase Race Nine at Phoenix from a NASCAR Fans ViewOne thing you won’t hear from the NASCAR teams at Phoenix this weekend is that it’s business as usual. The resurfaced and reconfigured track is throwing many a lot of curves and basically they don’t have any information to work with. I know during the week you’ve heard the experts say it is like the crew chiefs are working with a blank piece of paper. (From this fan’s view, I wonder how many new notes they will have to throw away before they find some they want to keep.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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