Biggest Surprise And Biggest Dissapointment Of 2013

With every coming season, pundits and fans alike have their preconceptions about how the season will go.  Who will be strong?  Who will be looking for a ride at the end of the year?  And will any newcomers stake out their place at the table?

This year had many story lines, and as I included in my previous post, some of them were not so good for NASCAR as a whole.  One definite story line throughout the season was the constant ups and downs of the Penske Racing Miller Lite team and their driver Brad Keselowski. 

In 2012, the 2 team won 5 races, 2 of which came in the Chase.  They never fell below 12th in the points after the Talladega spring race, which began their gradual climb to the top.  And finally, the Miller Lite team had no DNF's after the first race of the year.  As a whole, the team was consistent, communicated efficiently, and was constantly a threat to win.

After all the banquets, parties, and appearances on late night talk shows, Keselowski and Penske Racing began the process of changing over to Ford from the departing Dodge Racing.  All seemed well as the season began: Keselowski opened up with 4 straight top 4 finishes and 7 top 10's out of the first 8 races. 

Then came Richmond.

Keselowski finished the 3/4 mile track 8 laps down and in 33rd position.  All seemed fine from the outside, but problems adjusting to the new Ford front for the Gen 6 car and other engineering changes for Ford power plants no doubt added to bad luck.  Over the next few races and then during the summer run up to the Chase, the 2 team had 3 top 5 finishes and 4 top 10's in 17 races.  In 2012 they had 2 wins, 8 top 5's, and 11 top 10's over the same stretch.

The frustration was clear.  Team radio chatter showed a break down in communication almost on a weekly basis.  Despite their best efforts, the Miller Lite team came up shy of the Chase cutoff and could not defend their championship, earning them the "Biggest Disappointment" title for 2013.

Entering speedweeks in 2013, most people took for granted that the dominant teams of the season would be, as always, the Hendrick, Roush, Penske, Gibbs, Stewart-Haas and Childress teams, perhaps adding some success by Michael Waltrip Racing.  Although many people in and out of the garage had and will have respect for the driving abilities of Kurt Busch, successfully driving a single car team to the Chase was not thought of as a probability.

2013 would prove interesting for the Furniture Row Racing team.  Their new driver, fresh off season a season of aggravation driving for Phoenix Racing, was coming into the season with the knowledge that if he did not succeed with the 78, and did not do so without controversial on or off track events, he may well be finished.  That is, at least, for the top tier teams.

This season saw some of the brash older Busch, but never crossing the line, always careful to stay away from the press when he couldn't control his tongue.  On track, Busch was back to his old form.  He didn't quite pull off a win for FRR, but a Chase berth for a single car team is just shy of a championship.  After 1 top 5 finish and 5 top 10's for Phoenix Racing, Busch posted 11 top 5's and 16 top 10's in the 78, including 3 top 5's in the Chase.

Although he has gone winless for two straight seasons now, Busch did win a ride for a top tier team, Stewart Haas Racing, and along with it, the "Biggest Surprise" title for the 2013 season.

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Dale Jr's Best Start To A Season...

Prior to the start of the 2013 season, 2004 and 2008 stood out as the best seasons for Dale Jr. out of the gate.  Both seasons were important from different standpoints for Junior: 2004 was Junior's first real title challenge and 2008 was Dale Jr.'s first season with Rick Hendrick.

In '04, Junior started the season with wins at Daytona and Atlanta, a 5th place finish at Rockingham, and a 10th place finish at Darlington.  Although some may say Dale Jr. was better at being aggressive in his earlier seasons, he definitely wasn't as good at taking care of his equipment, which led to a few dissappointing finishes early and late in the season.

All in all, 2004 was a great year for Junior, but had he been able to finish the season the way he started we may all have been calling him a former champion.  His late season finishes of 33rd at Martinsville and Atlanta effectively removed him from the championship hunt.  Even a Phoenix win just before the end of the season couldn't bring him back.

With the 2004 season ending in "What might have been.." Dale Jr. lost his crew chief, Tony Eury Sr., to a "promotion" and began working with his cousing Tony Eury Jr.  Fifteen of Junior's nineteen Sprint Cup wins came with Tony Eury Sr., along with two Nationwide Series Championships.  Even though the '04 season began with promise, iit ended in a change that didn't go as well as many hoped.

The 2008 season, as in '04, began strong, with three top 5's and a top 10 finish.  Everyone was expecting Dale Jr. to show what he could do now that he was finally in Hendrick race cars and away from his stepmother.  The fan fare didn't last long, though, as frustration between he and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. grew from inconsistent finishes which gave way to poor finishes nearing season's end. 

Again, Dale Jr. was left frustrated and confused in the off season.  Soon after, he and cousin crew chief were separated again, and Junior began a long, cold era of his career.

This year, Dale Jr. has started out with 5 straight top 10 finishes, including 3 top 5's.  His average finish so far is 4.4, worlds better than any other season.  He has 47 laps led so far, 5 less than his season total for 2011, a season which he finished 7th in points. 

Dale Jr. is also the current point leader, a spot he has only held in 2 other seasons: 2004 and last year.  Only time will tell, however, if he can hold that spot nearing season's end.

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Drivers To Watch In The Daytona 500

With all of NASCAR's rule changes enveloped in a new car design, this year's Daytona 500 is full of uknowns.  The cars will all be bunched up again into large packs, but the ability of cars to drive up and side draft alone may be greater than it has in years.  With a change in maneuverability and the abandoning of 2 car drafts, it will be each driver for himself (or herself, of course) for more than the last few hundred yards.

This new car design and how it affects the cars in the draft at 195 mph has changed how most drivers view the race.  Some, such as Carl Edwards, say the racing is much more fun.  But others may be unsure about their chances and their strategies entering NASCAR's premier event because they have either never raced this style of restrictor plate racing or they had minimal experience with it prior to the 2 car tandem racing that developed after the COT was put in place.

The wild and aggressive style of racing from this car definitely lends itself to drivers like Kevin Harvick who has won the Sprint Unlimited and his Gatorade Duel.  Also benefited by this style would be drivers like Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch, and Greg Biffle, all who like aggressive racing and are very good at handling cars that are moving around.

Some of the drivers who had plenty of experience and success at the old plate racing style, such as Gordon, Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip, may do well due to their experience at sensing the momentum of various lines and working their way to the front of a pack.  However, Waltrip has had much less seat time in recent years due to his semi-retirement, Earnhardt Jr. has not been pleased with his car's ability it pull up to cars in front of him, and Gordon has not won at a Daytona since 2005 and has an average finish of 20.8 since then.

There are a few new drivers who may do well this weekend.  All of the media's attention is on rookie of the year candidate Danica Patrick for getting the pole for this weeks race.  She does have a very fast car, but more attention should definitely be paid to drivers such as Austin Dillon who finished 3rd in his Gatorade Duel behind Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne.  In that race he had an impressive driver rating of 111 due to his ability to not only finish near the front, but to have maintained that position most of the race.  Also, Daytona 500 winner Trevor Bayne was quite strong in his Gatorade Duel, leading most of the race prior to wrecking.  If the 21 crew has a strong backup, Bayne may be seen near the front at the end of Sunday's race.

On particular driver who be a bit of a sentimental favorite for many this week is Mark Martin.  Martin has said he does not plan to come back next year for Michael Waltrip, and although he may still drive a limited schedule, the likelihood he will be in a top tier, or near top tier, ride at Daytona in the future is slim to none.  After coming close so many times, it would be great to see him finally win on NASCAR's largest stage.

Whoever wins Sunday, you can guarantee their will be plenty of passes, some extremely fast racing, and yes, some large wrecks.  As drivers are just becoming accustomed to the Gen 6 car's handling and how the drafts and "air bubbles" are being affected, as we have seen in the past week, there will be plenty of torn up cars going back to the garage. 

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'01 Til Now, With Dale Earnhardt...

This week marks 12 years since the 2001 Daytona 500 which ended in the tragic death of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt.  In the wake of Earnhardt's death, NASCAR embarked on the largest safety renovation in its history, resulting in the safety of the sport in 2013.  After NASCAR celebrated the coming Daytona 500 with a remebrance of Dale Earnhardt, one must think about what might have been.

How would the sport have progressed in the past 12 years had Earnhardt not died?  Would safety measures have been made and what other differences would their be?  Lets take a look back at how the past 12 years would have been with Dale Earnhardt around.

Imagine the victory lane celebration February 18, 2001 when Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Dale Earnhardt finished 1, 2, 3.  Earnhardt now has an established NASCAR Cup Series team, capable of winning and competing each week.  He just finished second in the points in 2000 and is on the upswing again in his career.  After winning a couple races in 2001 he finishes a close second to Jeff Gordon in the 2001 Cup Championship.

In the next couple of years, driver injuries and another driver death add to the recent deaths of Kenny Irwin and Adam Petty to force NASCAR into further safety measures.  Only a handful of drivers still use open-faced helmets, but all drivers use some form of head and neck restraining device.  NASCAR is also developing safety measure in the cars to absorb more force on impact.

After finishing 5th in the 2002 Cup Series Championship points, Dale Earnhardt decides to retire after the 2003 season.  Dale Jr. finished the 2002 season 3rd in points propelling him to a Championship challenge in 2003.  New talk by NASCAR about a wider, taller, safer car with identical front ends for all manufacturers is met by contention from NASCAR veterans.  NASCAR adapts the front ends to incorporate more brand identity.

In 2004 Dale Earnhardt joins Darrell Waltrip in the broadcasting booth for a few races to add commentary, but decides against a long term contract citing too much hot air in the booth coming from Waltrip as a reason to stay on pit road.  With late season coaching from his father, Dale Jr. wins the 2004 Championship, giving DEI its first Championship and the Earnhardt family its eighth. 

Over the next few years NASCAR sees many changes amongst teams.  There is an addition of a 4th DEI team, as Earnhardt has recruited Tony Stewart away from Joe Gibbs Racing, making the DEI stable every bit as strong as NASCAR powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.  Hendrick, losing hardheaded driver Kyle Busch to JGR, adds newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya from F1 in a single car partnership with Chip Ganassi and adds Mark Martin from Jack Roush's stable, outbidding startup owner Ginn Racing.

Heading into the current decade, NASCAR has now begun to eclipse the NFL in total market share, and continues to expand into new markets, despite a steep downturn in the economy.  However, fans still appreciate NASCAR's roots, such as its annual Labor Day weekend at the Southern 500 at Darlington, South Carolina.

No, that is not how things turned out, and probably light years from how it may have happened, but one could definitely see how the sport would have been different had the '01 500 ended differently.  Dale Earnhardt was a huge part of the sport's success, not always perfect, but always a part of the conversation.  No doubt NASCAR would be different, but one can only speculate in what ways.

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2012: In With A Bang, Out With A Kes

NASCAR's 2012 Sprint Cup season is over and gone, but before we begin to speculate about what may be for 2013, lets take one last look at the wild ride that was the 2012 season.

The 2012 season story began with several before/after stories.  To begin, Kyle Busch, a perennial threat with the ability to win every week, won the Budweiser Shootout.  Many people would have thought the 18 bunch could have put together a strong run this year, but shortly into the season their wheels would fall off.  He did manage a points win at Richmond, but that would be all for him in 2012, his lowest win total since 2007.

The next before and after story would have to be the before and after photos of Daytona International Speedway after Juan Pablo Montoya played demolition derby with a jet dryer.  Fortunately nobody was hurt, but the ensuing fire and inspection of the track caused the Daytona 500 to end well into the night.

Another early season story we saw was Matt Kenseth's dominance.  He won the Daytona 500 and ended up the points leader by mid season, but his contract talks with Roush Fenway Racing fell apart.  Probably the largest blunder RFR has made, Kenseth ended up signing to drive for Joe Gibbs Racing in 2013, effectively ending the teams ability to race for the 2012 championship.

Returning to challenge for the Sprint Cup points lead this year was driver 88, Dale Earnhardt Jr.  After beginning the year with a large stretch of top 10 runs, he finally returned to victory lane at Michigan with a dominating performance.  Although he did reach the points lead briefly during the summer, his season slowed after an initial concussion at a Kansas tire test in August, then totally stopped with a second concussion and ensuing 2 week break at Talladega. 

One of the most entertaining stories of the season was the tension and on-track altercation between Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer.  After consistent contact between the 15 and 24 for a couple races, Gordon finally had all he could handle and wrecked Bowyer during the final laps of the Phoenix Chase race, effectively ending Bowyer's chances at winning the championship.  The ensuing melee in the garage area brought about probations and fines a plenty and added to the drama when the two drivers finished first and second in the season ending race at Homestead.  I doubt the two will be drafting partners at Daytona come February.

The final story of the season came down to Brad Keselowski and Jimmie Johnson.  Many people wondered whether the young driver could handle the pressure and hold back the five time champion for the 2012 Sprint cup, but as the end of the Chase grew closer, it was Johnson, Knaus, and the 48 crew that did not stand up to the pressure.  Keselowski obtained the points lead after a misstep by the Lowe's team at Phoenix and did not let it go.

The stories of the 2012 season were plenty and were fun to follow.  There were great races, a good Chase, and even some altercations in the garage.  Here's hoping the 2013 season will rise to the occasion.

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Comparing Dale Jr. To His Father, Off The Track

NASCAR fans, like those of other sports, are tremendously loyal to their favorite driver.  They wear the numbers, watch religously, and cheer in good times and bad.  When children, or even grandchildren, of drivers have begun racing careers they are instantly compared to their fathers, older brothers, or grandfathers.  Pettys, Bakers, Jarretts, Wallaces, Earnhardts and more have had to prove themselves worthy of carrying their own name.

So many people have compared Dale Earnhardt Jr. to his late father, especially while he was trying to recoup from dissappointing finishes the last few seasons.  They often compared his ability to draft or "see the air" to his father's ability at NASCAR's restrictor plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega.  They have even compared his less aggressive style to his father's aggressiveness that got him the nicknames Ironhead and Intimidator.

Junior's inability to be 'Dale Earnhardt' has often been discussed, but almost always in reference to their on track talents, not their off track successes.  So just how does Dale Jr. compare to his father from monday to thursday?

In Earnhardt's later years he was known as one of NASCAR's best business men.  Earnhardt owned car dealerships, was part owner in a minor league baseball team, started and ran a multi-car NASCAR Sprint Cup team (Winston Cup at the time), and had by far the most successful merchandising machine selling Dale Earnhardt, #3, and DEI merchandise by the millions.

Dale Earnhardt's marketing business was eventually sold to Action Performance, which is currently owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and International Speedway Corp., owners of most of NASCAR's tracks, marketing and more.  His head of marketing that helped build his empire was Joe Mattes.  Where does Mr. Mattes currently work?  You guessed it, as VP of Merchandising and Licensing for JRMotorsports.

JRMotorsports began as a management company for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but has grown into a merchandising company and Nationwide Series racing team combined.  In 2006, JRM began running Nationwide series races and since has begun the NASCAR careers of both Danica Patrick and 2012 Sprint Cup Chamption Brad Keselowski.

Whether you are a fan of the 88 on the track or not, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a huge amount of success off the track.  He has appeared or done voice work in movies like Talladega Nights and Cars.  He has appeared in music videos for Sheryl Crow, Jay-Z, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Trace Adkins and more.

Ok, so you say that has all come because of his last name... Yeah, probably, but he has taken that opportunity and ran with it.  His enjoyment of NASCAR history was the foundation to his ownership of Hammerhead Media, a production company that produced his show Back In The Day which aired on the Speed Channel and Shifting Gears which aired on ESPN2.

Earnhardt Jr.'s latest ventures include opening two large-scale bar/nightclubs in both Charlotte, NC and Jacksonville, FL called Whiskey River and two car dealerships in Tallahassee, FL which he ownes in conjunction with Rick Hendrick.

No, Junior will never win seven championships.  He may not win the first one. But whether you believe he is worthy of driving a Cup car (I do) or not, he most definitely learned much from his father off the track as well.

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A 2013 NASCAR Wish List

With Christmas quickly approaching, the 2012 season firmly in the rear view mirror, and January's testing season on the horizon, many possibilities surround NASCAR's Sprint Cup teams.  Drivers are wondering how the new cars will race, Crew Chiefs are trying to adjust their track notes to the chassis changes, and fans are hoping bowl season will keep their minds off the lack of racing to watch.

Below are my top 5 NASCAR wishes this Christmas; wishes for fans, for drivers, and with crew members in mind.  Please include some NASCAR wishes of your own in the comment section below!

Wish #5: Repaired Restrictor-Plate Racing

During the past few years, racing at Talladega and Daytona has been odd, sometimes boring, and always leaves at least half of the fans dissappointed.  With "tandem racing" becoming the norm, even with small adjustments by NASCAR, the racing has been an evolving mess that has determined itself.  Sometimes the racing is good, but races with only 10 or so cars being competitive for the first 90% of the race will not keep fans, or even drivers satisfied.

The new car template that has given teams a more product-identifiable image has a more rounded, less flat front bumper, so one would hope that staying linked up will be more difficult, but only time will tell.  As long as drivers feel they can link up with another driver, for however long, and pull away, tandem racing will remain.  However, if NASCAR could continue to allow more speed, be it with smaller plates or not, drivers will feel less comfortable having someone shoving them around the track.

Wish #4: A New Rivalry

Ok, so most of us have paid attention to the on and off track "dissagreeent" between Jeff Gordon and Clint Boyer.  Perhaps that will continue into 2013, perhaps not, but what NASCAR needs is another great ON TRACK rivalry.  I don't mind hearing a driver  "jaw-jacking" before or after a race about another driving, but prove it on the track!  Yes, Gordon and Bowyer did somewhat the last race, but neither were racing for a championship at that point.

The problem with this generation of drivers is that they don't quite have the "showmanship" that yesteryear's drivers did.  Yes, they are polished and great for sponsors, but that is not what I mean.  Instead of playing up on-track tensions or throwing out a taunting challenge, leading to added tension and raised efforts, they show their aggravation on track by tearing up cars or try to "fight" in the garage.  Usually that is all followed up by a stone faced "pretty boy" trying to sound good for their sponsor.

Lets see a Petty-Pearson rivalry, or a Earnhardt-Waltrip rivalry.  Run your mouth all you want, but prove who is best at racing, not who is best at wrecking.

Wish #3: More Cars On The Track

For the past few years, more and more owners of small teams have seen it more profitable for them to "start and park" their cars. They make a race only to run a few laps and call it a day. In turn, they spend less on tires, take less risk of wrecking, and can use an engine more, lowering their overall operating costs leaving more for pay.

In turn, less lower tier drivers and teams can make a name for themselves and/or move up through "the ranks" of the sport. Whether or not they have bettered or worsened the overall sponsorship market around the sport is for someone else to decide. The simple fact that drivers are starting and parking, simply being satisfied with being an "also ran" is just a sad comment on the sport in general.

Wish #2: More Fans In The Stands

The state of the economy and everyone's tightening wallet was very apparent during the 2012 season.  Empty seats at Bristol, Martinsville, and Daytona were amazing, not to mention the attendance at less important races.  People are having some difficulty buying 2-4 $60 and up tickets, yes, but spending that $240 plus the two night stay at a motel, concessions and a tshirt and not too many families can handle a family race weekend these days.

Is there anything NASCAR can do about it?  Not much, in my opinion.  It is possible that tracks could charge even less, especially for Nationwide and Truck Series races, which survive mostly on sponsor money, not track attendance money.  Either way, the likelihood that the entry-level price to attend a race will drop to bring in fans is miniscule.  A better overall economy and more door banging are the only things that can fill all the seats.

Wish #1: A Return To What Works!

One of the best moves NASCAR is making for the 2013 season is a return of auto brand identification to the cars.  This brings back some, however small an amount, of the old school character of the sport.  No, there will not be any huge spoilers or bench seats, but seeing a car that I could imagine driving down the highway beating and banging with a driver I can't stand makes me want to watch more racing.

What NASCAR needs to do is to continue a return of some of the 'old school' aspects of the sport that truly worked.  Bringing back a Labor Day race at Darlington, for example, would be a move that would not only make older fan's happy, but it could also be a way to accquaint new fans with some NASCAR roots.  Along those same line, NASCAR could dedicate one or two races each season that they would move around between a set of 4 or 5 tracks.  Iowa, Milwaukee, Rockingham, Road America, or even a street race similar to Indycar's Grand Prix of Baltimore would be great races to have every other or ever third year to bring something different to NASCAR and bring NASCAR to some new markets.  Could you imagine a NASCAR race through the streets of a metropolitan city?

There, those are my top 5 NASCAR wishes for next year, what are yours?
 

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What You Missed In Daytona

After a few years of not attending a race and over a year of sharing my rants and raves here on this blog, I returned to Daytona this past weekend for the Coke Zero 400.  For weeks, I had readied everything with anticipation of a great weekend and up-close NASCAR, and Daytona did not disappoint.

First of all, the weather was beautiful.  Yes, Florida is hot in July, but there was a decent breeze for most of the afternoon that made tailgating a blast.  I have been to a Daytona race at which a few people were injured by a lightning strike, and a Daytona race that left most people sunburned and dehydrated.  This weekend was about as good as Florida can be in July.

As we have never really done hard core tailgating at Daytona, we had planned to eat at a local restaurant prior to entering the track.  Instead, we parked next to two Firefighters from Moultrie, GA, and a retired Army veteran and his wife from the Tampa, FL area.  They made certain to show my wife and I, and our two friends, exactly how tailgating is done NASCAR style.  They had grilled burgers, hotdogs, bratwurst, and corn, along with tents, chairs, radio, etc.  The most important thing they had were welcoming attitudes and plenty of conversation.  Since me and my friend are Firefighters, we had plenty to discus with the other Firefighters and had an awesome time.

I rambled on about all that to say this: NASCAR fans are amazing.  Whether you are a Junior fan or cheer for a Busch brother, they are willing to share their food and time with you.  If you have never tailgated NASCAR style, you should give it a try!

Also, I have shared on multiple posts about how much can be learned or experienced by following NASCAR and NASCAR personalities on Twitter.  This weekend I was able to join a "TweetUp", a meeting at the track of people who follow NASCAR on Twitter, all the way up to those who write about NASCAR in print and online media.  As there are often visitors, both drivers and otherwise, I was eager to see who would show.  The coordinator of the meetings, Jeff Gluck (motorsports editor at SBNation.com), had said there would be a big guest, and he did not lie.  A few minutes into a question and answer session with some Daytona administration personnel, in walks Train, who were scheduled to sing a prerace concert.  A few minutes later, Landon Cassill, driver of the #83 Burger King car, walks up right beside me to watch.  All because I follow some NASCAR people on Twitter.

NASCAR is a great sport folks, but NASCAR Nation totally rocks.  If you haven't experienced all of it, you should!  And for those of you who make it what it is, I thank you for another great experience!

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Is Rubbin' Still Racin'?

Rubbing is racing.  We have all heard it and 99% of us has said it on multiple occasions.  Since NASCAR began, quarter panels and bumpers were made to take a beating.  Different from the open wheel racing of Indycar, NASCAR promotes close racing and in many cases a gentle nudge is the only way to set up a pass.

This rough-neck racing has made for driver spats, fan fights, and many trips to the NASCAR hauler.  The whole while, NASCAR has expanded its following, multiplied its marketing, and carved its place among the top sports franchises in the world.

However, over the past few years, blatant wrecking and on and off track retaliation have followed NASCAR's famous "drivers, have at it" rule.  NASCAR has clarified and penalized yet most drivers have not quite taken the point.  This past week, especially in the Nationwide Series, has been case in point.  Drivers have opted to simply wreck someone out of the way rather than loosen them up and take the spot.

Perhaps they need to be reminded of "Harry Hogge's" quote from "Days of Thunder", the WHOLE quote.  He said, "No, no, he didn't slam you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you... he *rubbed* you.  And rubbin, son, is racin'."  Not slamming, rubbing.

As much as it pains me to say, the best example of "rubbin" this past week had to have been Kurt Busch.  Yes, I said it, and yes it hurt.  He rubbed the bumper of Clint Bowyer's #15 Toyota on multiple occasions coming to the end of the race.  Although I waited for it to happen on every turn, he never punted him off course.  Yes, he did lose, but he did not lose what little bit of dignity he is trying to regain.  I don't know if he gained any fans on Sunday, but Kurt Busch definitely regained some respect from drivers and fans alike. 

Perhaps Busch has remembered one of Hogge's other quotes from the movie, "Oh he can drive. He can drive beyond the limits of the tires, the engine, the car or anything else. If the sum' b___ listened to me we wouldn't hardly ever lose a race!" 

I would be remiss if I did not include a quote for Jacques Villeneuve.  I wouldn't be surprised if Danica Patrick is heard on the radio at Montreal (road course) quoting "Russ Wheeler" with a " if he comes near me I'm gonna put him in the wall. Simple as that."

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I Have My Tickets, How About You??

With every NASCAR season their is plenty of complaints to go around.  Some years there are complaints about one make having an advantage over another, some years there are complaints about too much domination by one team.  In 2012 there have been no shortage of complaints, by commentators, analysts, drivers, and especially fans.

People have been complaining about how long the races are, how long the season is, how uncompetitive the races have been and about knowing just what brought out the debris cautions.  One definitely concerning complaint has been where are all the fans...  I haven't seen a race this year and thought, "Wow, how did they pack all those people in there." 

Well, NASCAR fans, there is one certain way to get over the complaining about everything NASCAR: get to the track!  Yes, I said go to a race!  Nothing makes me less concerned about how crooked the cars look going down the straightaway than actually trying to see them because they are going so fast.  The best way for me to forget about how much I can't stand a particular NASCAR on air personality is to not be able to hear anything but the roar of 43 cars (at the beginning of the race, obviously) flying past me.  And the only way to care less about the semantics of the sport, how to grow the viewing audience, and what tracks need less races, is to remember first hand exactly why you fell in love with the sport.

Don't get me wrong, if you have read any of my other posts you know I love to tell my opinion about every aspect of the sport.  It just seems to me that there are too many fans today that would rather complain about NASCAR than brag about it.  Has anything changed?  Yes, of course things have, but there are still 43 drivers giving it everything while riding 200 mph a foot from a concrete wall.  There are still pit crews dodging cars driving 45 - 55 mph down pit road.  And no matter how much some of you bemoan the sport, you still get on the edge of your seat when your driver is slinging it 3 wide on a restart.

Yes, NASCAR needs to hear every point of view and should continue to find ways to keep the fans happy, but the rest of us need to take a step back and remember why we love the sport: the screaming fans, the smell of burning rubber, the car coming out of turn 4 with the right rear sliding out from under it.  I, for one, am ready for my reminder.

I will be going to the July race at Daytona International Speedway, which will be my first race in over 4 years.  It has been a long cold winter, indeed.  I will try to listen out for anyone complaining about the new points system during the race, not likely to hear them though.

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Danica Looking For Restrictor Plate Redemption

Danica Patrick's first full time season in NASCAR's Nationwide Series started out with a bang.  Literally!  Bang! Right into the wall.  She won the pole for the season opener at Daytona International Speedway and, considering her short restrictor plate resume, many people were optimistic that she could finish very high.  Everything was in place for her to become the story of the year in NASCAR.

Bang!

After leading some laps and trying to stay out of trouble she received an ill-timed, although well intentioned, push from her teammate, rookie driver of the 88, Cole Whitt.  Her damage from the turn 3 wall ended her day and put a cloud over her start to her full time NASCAR career.

Although there are many people who like Danica, many of them female fans and drooling males, there are droves who think she is overrated and not deserving of such a high profile opportunity in NASCAR, let alone all of the attention.  The never ending "Danica Watch" during the Daytona races by the sportscasters was enough to drive some detractors mad.  However, I have maintained that Patrick does have some strong tracks to make some statements at this year (nope, I'm not a female fan, and not drooling...currently).

Restrictor plate tracks are definitely a place I feel Danica can do surprisingly well.  In her two Daytona races last year she averaged a 12th place finish and even led 13 laps in the summer race.  Although many were concerned with how she would react to the close quarters racing with bumps and shoves a plenty, Patrick has adapted fairly well to NASCARS high speed tracks.  Considering how she has adapted at Daytona, February's race not withstanding, one should think she would do well at Talladega, where handling is even less of a factor and the trioval area is much easier to navigate.

One thing is for certain, a good finish this week at Talladega would help Patrick forget the beginning of this 2012 season and possibly in, if not close to, a top 10 spot in the Nationwide standings.  No doubt, she should be much closer to the top 5, which is where her teammate, Cole Whitt is (6th).  Points aside, I would love to see her finish better simply to hear those that can't stand her complain about her coverage!

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Appeal Turns Hendrick Week From Bad To Good

Although prospects for Hendrick Motorsports is always good at Bristol Motor Speedway, especially with 5 time Bristol winner, Jeff Gordon, Hendrick luck went downhill as the race went along last weekend.  First, early in the race, Kasey Kahne was knocked out of contention in a pile up in the top ten.  Then later in the race, Gordon's left rear tire was cut down after minor contact from Dale Earnhardt Jr., a teammate, no less.  Then to top things off, as Dale Jr. was running at the back of the top 5 and looking for a possible top 3, the 88 team received a speeding violation which dropped them to a 15th place finish for the day.

Johnson, the only Hendrick car to finish in the top 10 (9th), salvaged his day after early damage from the Kahne wreck by slowly taking what he could get.  After a few weeks of fines, points taken away, crew chief suspension and on track troubles, Johnson was probably glad to post a top 10 and go home.  With one more opportunity for appeal to the judgement NASCAR handed down for their Daytona violation, off track preparation to get the 48 back on track to compete for a 6th Sprint Cup was, no doubt, in high gear.

Well, thanks to the appeal judgement by John Middlebrook, Johnson will not have to go 6 races without crew chief Chad Knaus.  Although he and car chief Ron Malec will face a probationary period, their track privileges will remain in tact for now.  Johnson will also regain the 25 championship points that were taken after Daytona, which, along with his 9th place finish on Sunday, will bring him to 12th in the early season standings. 

Although a lack of wins for the Hendrick stable just four races into the 2012 season is hardly a reason for concern, with much invested over the off season into each of the teams, some dividends are probably expected soon.  Most people probably did not expect the new 5 team of Kahne and Francis to exit the gate with wins, but becoming the weekly appointment for the first caution flag has to be aggravating.  Also, some results from the 24, which started 2011 hot, and the 88 that many people feel is getting close, will be expected soon, especially with Martinsville and Texas just around the corner.

For now, the Hendrick family will have to be happy knowing that everyone will be packing to go to California for this weekend.

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Great Restarts, For Vegas And Biffle

The 2012 Kobalt Tools 400 in Las Vegas this weekend had some great racing.  Although there was not as much side by side racing in Vegas as there may have been in the past, the competitive restarts were enough to make up for it.  Seeing the Sprint Cup drivers slinging it three wide at the start finish line and having cars rubbing bumpers and fenders is the best way to see drivers easing into their 2012 season.

No, there were no jet driers exploding in flames, and the only fuel mileage issue was when Brad Keselowski had fuel pump issues after stretching his fuel.  I, for one, am glad not to see jet driers.  Although as a firefighter I did enjoy watching the flames at Daytona, whilst screaming "Put foam on it!!" while the fire crew extinguished the flames slowly, I think we have all seen enough rain delayed races to hold us until at least Darlington.  They did move it back to Labor Day weekend right??  No?  Well they should!!

This weekends race saw two drivers coming back from a rough 2012 start.  Tony Stewart, the winner of this weeks race, had a horrible week last week with a engineering issue relegating him to a 22nd place finish at Phoenix, and started the season with two finishes outside the top 15.  Although many people felt Stewart would cool off a bit, at least in the near term, with a crew chief change (he replaced Darian Grubb with Steve Addington in the offseason), two bad finishes to start the season after winning 3 of the final 4 races of 2011 would have been though a stretch.  Stewart dominated the end of Sunday's race at Las Vegas, however, so he and Addington may be warming up quicker than most thought.

Jimmie Johnson, after wrecking on the second lap of the Daytona 500 and finishing 42nd, found out a week later that he would probably be without his crew chief, Chad Knaus, for 6 races and down 25 more points to the field of Sprint Cup teams vying for this years Chase.  He did, however, get a great 4th place finish at Phoenix, but during final practice at Las Vegas, Johnson hit the wall and began warming up his backup car to start at the rear on Sunday.  Before half way through the 400 mile race, the 48 had made its way to the front and at the end of the race was just shy of Stewarts pace to the finish line. 

Probably the best restart going on in NASCAR at the moment is the restart occurring in the #16 garage.  Although Biffle is always a possible front runner on any given weekend, his end to the 2011 season was weak to say the least.  His 2011 season in general was out of character for the Vancouver, WA driver, as he posted only 3 top 5 finishes for the year and no wins.  During the offseason, no team has turned around as well as the RFR #16 bunch.  Although they have not posted a win in the first three races, they have already tied their top 5 mark from 2012 with 3, scoring a 3rd place finish in each race.  Biffle has also not started outside the top 10, which is great for a driver who is known for driving harder when he can see the leader.

Whatever the 3M RFR team is doing, it is working!

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Will Earnhardt Jr. And Letarte's 2012 Achilles Return?

One day after finishing the first ever nightime Daytona 500, after racing all night, fire balls and all, NASCAR's Sprint Cup teams are loading up the cars to start the "rest of the season."  As the Daytona 500 is NASCAR's "Super Bowl", it is different than the rest of the season and often produces winners that may stumble during the rest of the early season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew chief Steve Letarte begain their first season last February with a pole award for the Daytona 500 and if their primary car had not been wrecked would have had a good 500 finish to go along with it.  They did not start the next several races as well, however.  Over the next 9 races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would start in the top 20 only once.  In fact, over those 9 races, team 88 would average a starting spot of 26th.

During that time span, Earnhardt and Letarte would hone their communication skills.  Letarte would better learn how Earnhardt wanted his cars to handle, and Earnhardt would learn what information Letarte would need to make the cars better.  The two would continuously better the car throughout the races and made some good finishes.  However, they were constantly begining well behind the leaders and having to work hard to get those finishes.

By late season, the 88 team had made good progress on starting positions, averaging a 14th place start over the final 10 races of the season.  Although they did not get the finishes they hoped for during the Chase, the 88 team was definitely unloading better cars that were better prepared for the race weakend.

The question the 88 fans must be asking themselves heading into this Phoenix weekend is will team "Earntarte" pick up where they left off or will they have to rebuild their foundation.  If Junior and Letarte can come out this weekend and next with cars that are fast from the hauler and comfortable for the driver, team 88 could get a great start on the 2012 season.

Yes Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a great Daytona 500, and although many Junior fans can't wait for the next plate track for the 88 to flex its muscle, the meat of the season lies in the 1 mile and the 1.5 mile tracks and there is where the path to competing for a championship lies.  We watched the 88 driver make soem good moves in the final laps of Daytona, but lets see what he has up his sleeves for the rest of the season. 

A couple weeks ago during media days Dale Jr. said he was eager to get to the non-restrictor plate tracks to see where they are as a team.  Well, here we are.  Bring it.

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Dale Jr. Lone Hendrick Horse In First Gatorade Duel

Of and on, during the Budweiser Shootout Saturday night and during Daytona 500 qualifying, you could hear announcers and commentators talk about how the racing for this years 500 will be different: a combination of pack and tandem racing.  Many have suggested that the change could benefit some of the more traditional restrictor plate racers, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. who had much early career success at restrictor plate tracks.

Junior may be glad to see the change for Sunday's race, but he is likely to be relieved with the change going into Thursday's duel qualifying.  Out of the four Hendrick Motorsports cars preparing for the Daytona 500, Earnhardt Jr. is the only one that will be in the early qualifying race.  As the duel lineups are set by qualifying, odds in the early race and evens in the late race, Earnhardt entered the early lineup with a 3rd place qualifying effort.  The other Hendrick cars, Gordon 6th, Johnson 12th, and Hendrick newcomer Kahne 24th, will all be in the later duel.

One other plus this year is that Junior qualified so well.  Although Earnhardt Jr has qualified well for the Daytona 500 before (he has one pole), the stout showing by the teams with Ford engines had most people feeling as though the Fords had the pole locked up.  Apparently, the changing winds that had been pushing the cars around all afternoon worked somewhat to Earnhardt's advantage, because coming through turn 3 and 4 he began to pick up steam and rose from 5th to almost 2nd on the speed tracker.  Also I am sure Earnhardts knowledge and experience at the track helped him find a little speed.

Whether Earnhardt Jr wins the Daytona 500 or another more traditional pack racer like Gordon, it is safe to say that after the showing on Saturday night that the product of NASCAR's changes will be a wild finish.  No doubt there will be pack racing, and like it or leave it there will be small bursts of tandem racing.  I guess its a little of each and a whole lot of speed.  If you don't love Daytona, you don't love racing.

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Which Way To Daytona??

Do you remember a certain Daytona 500 moment as your favorite?  Many people point towards such legendary moments as the fight in the grass, Dale Earnhardt's win in '98, and Darrell Waltrip's 500 win as some of their most memorable moments in the sport.  My personal Daytona 500 memory that spurred me from just a fan to a fanatic was the 1997 Daytona 500 finish.  No, not because of the 1-2-3 Hendrick Motorsports finish with Jeff Gordon winning.  At that time I couldn't stand the 24.  I loved that ending because after the big wreck that took Dale Earnhardt out of contention, sending him down the racetrack on his hood, he still had the grit to get back in the car and drive it to the finish line.

The Daytona 500 is a true roller coaster of emotions for everyone from fan to tire changer to driver.  You look forward to the race for weeks, have the build up of speedweeks, and by the time the race is over you have either dug your nails into the La-Z-Boy, yelled at the television, or totally ran your spouse out of the room.  It is a drug that we cannot do without but so long, and I need a fix.

The 2012 Daytona 500 is even more anticipated due to several reasons.  For one, we have just come off the closest points finish in NASCAR history which ended a crazy 2011 Chase to the Cup.  We are all eager to see who comes out fast, who sputters, and who downright flops.  Second, with the late Superbowl date this year, the beginning of the NASCAR season is a week late.  I know, most of you did not know we had any two sport stars driving this year, but apparently NASCAR drivers are among the few in the United States that can still afford an NFL ticket, so their presence, and money, was needed elsewhere.

For blogger, opinion-givers, Monday morning crew chiefs, and the rest, there is only so much prognosticating one can do for 3 months.  I have heard enough, and written enough (read for yourself), about Kurt Busch changing teams, all the crew chief swaps, and whether or not Dale Jr will win this year.  Lets see some green flags already!  Now don't get me wrong!  I am a NASCAR fan and as such love to make my opinion known, and will probably not slow down in doing so.  But I am more than eager to be glued to the television or standing in my seat at a racetrack.

So as you prepare for the coming week or so of speeding cars, NASCAR rule changes, grumbling about restrictor plates and the rest, just think back over the past two months and be glad that finally, yes finally, it is time for some racing!

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Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Getting Too Old To Compete?

Ok, it is just over 3 weeks to Daytona.  The NASCAR season is about to begin.  The front stretch of Daytona International Speedway is cooling down from the 24 hours of racing last weekend at the Rolex 24.  It will not be long until Speedweeks arrives, Dale Earnhardt Jr. does well in either Daytona 500 qualifying, the Gatorade qualifying races or both and Junior haters will begin saying he is overrated, incapable, in over his head or any number of other detractions. 

I never have understood why people so fervently hate Dale Earnhardt Jr.  I know he has a ton of fans that can, admittedly, become obnoxious at times.  I know he has had a ton of coverage and will continue to do so.  But just what is it that makes their blood boil?

I am sure a large part of the anger is the TV, print, and internet coverage he gets.  Let’s admit it:  programs get more views, articles get more reads, and blogs get more clicks when the name Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes into play.  But do the Jr. haters think their driver deserves more attention?  Perhaps!  However, when asked, most of them will not tell you who their favorite driver is.  Odd.

One of the main things Jr. haters throw out is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t getting any younger.  I have even seen this little thought grace the lines on ESPN, NASCAR.com, and many other blogs.  So just how hold is he and is he past his prime, which the Jr. hater would say never came?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was born October 10, 1974.  Entering the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season he will be a ripe old 37.  He has no Sprint Cup Championships and 18 Sprint Cup wins to show for 12 years of full time Sprint Cup racing.  Will he amass a huge sum of wins?  Can he win a championship or more than one?  Or is he just a few years away from climbing from the car, grabbing hold to his walker, and hobbling off into the sunset?

Well, let’s compare Dale Jr. to some great racers from the past.  I know most people, especially Jr. haters, will compare him to his father.  Comparing someone to the best is interesting, but not always sensible.  Let’s see how Dale Earnhardt Jr. compares to some other drivers, such as Dale Jarrett and Cale Yarborough.

I know that many fans would not consider Jarrett one of the greatest, but he is a past champion and had 32 Cup wins.  Earnhardt Jr. is entering his 13^th year in Cup and has 18 wins and 0 championships.  Entering his 13^th season, Jarrett also had 18 wins and 0 championships.  No, Dale Jarrett was not 37.  Indeed, he was 42.

So just how did Jarrett fare in the 5 years after?  Well, he had 13 wins and 1 championship, with an average season finish of 9^th.

Cale Yarborough is widely thought of as one of the toughest NASCAR drivers ever.  It is often said that he could manhandle any car in any situation.  It is no shock then that he was able to have success in his later years.  Yarborough raced in 284 races winning 31 times over a 18 year period before winning his first championship at the age of 37.  Yarborough went on to win 40 times, 3 consecutive championships, and had an average points finish of 2^nd over the next 5 years.

No, don’t blast me yet.  I am not saying that Earnhardt Jr. is on the edge of a run like Yarborough had.  Nor do I think he is as tough.  But the simple fact is that 37 is not entirely that old in NASCAR.

Yes, there have been huge gains by young drivers over the past 15 years or so.  But handfuls of wins aside, Sprint Cup Championships don’t tend to be won by the “Young Guns”.  For example, there has not been a Champion younger than 25 since Jeff Gordon did it at 23 in 1995.  On top of that, it has only been done that one time since Bill Rexford did it at 23 in NASCAR’s second year, 1950 (which was, by the way, more impressive since he did not race in 2 of the 19 races.)  There have only been 11 champions under the age of 30 since NASCAR’s inception 63 seasons ago, most recently Kurt Busch in 2004.

One other number: the average age of the Sprint Cup Champion over the last 10 years is 32.

No, Earnhardt Jr is not too old to win.  No, he is not too old to win the championship.  Debate his skills.  Hate the attention he gets.  Say he is the worst driver in the garage (stretching it quite a bit).  But he is not too old.  Let me know when he starts growing the beard solely to produce hair plugs, or his prostate will only allow him to run 200 mile races.  Then we can talk.

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Prediction Time In NASCAR Country

Every year NASCAR fans have a quick change of mood.  It happens shortly after the final lap of the Homestead race.  They may be walking from the track to find their car or they may be getting up from watching the race to eat a Sunday supper.  Either way, NASCAR fans quickly move their thoughts from the great racing they have just seen to the long, cold offseason that is squarely in front of them.

Sure they can watch some NFL, get ready for NCAA bowl season, or try to remember for whom they have to buy Christmas presents.  Not good enough.  At least not for me, was it for  you?

So here we are.  We have made it through just over half of the offseason.  The cars have now been back to the track and our appetites have been stirred by the speeds over 200 mph and the pack racing, flying around Daytona International Speedway.  Its time to ponder over who will win this year, both the Daytona 500 and the Sprint Cup Championship.

First, this years Daytona 500 will definitely be a wild one.  With NASCAR doing everything in their power to bring back pack racing, their will be huge packs running up until the final laps.  Remember, these drivers have not raced in a large pack in the past several plate races.  Be prepared to see some carnage.  However, most drivers predict that the final laps of this years race will still be decided by tandem racing, linked up to sprint across the finish line.

With that said, a wise prediction to win this years 500 would be a driver that has done well with tandem racing and is also good at pack racing.  To further decide, you have to assume that without having raced in packs in a bit, the give and take leading up to the final laps will be mostly take.  Therefore, I would think that the winner would need to be someone who likes to stay up front in the pack, not lay back. 

The first few names that come to mind that fit this description are Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, and Ryan Newman.  Now, I should include that it is never wise to write off a Hendrick or Roush driver, but given the situation, I think these guys are well suited for the 2012 Daytona 500.  Which would I choose?  I think due to RCR's plate program and Harvick's ability on plate tracks he is one to watch, but I'll call it for Denny Hamlin.  Hamlin has shown a great ability to hook up and quickly pull away in a two car draft, which is what will be needed with a lap or so to go.

So, with the Daytona 500 decided (tongue in cheek) lets turn our attention to the Sprint Cup Championship.  I will go ahead and write off Stewart, Johnson, and of course Kurt Busch.  Sorry guys.  I cannot, however, overlook Jeff Gordon, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski, and Matt Kenseth.  Each of these drivers showed promise in 2011 in one way or the other.

Harvick and Edwards have competed vigorously the past few years for the Cup, both coming up short.  Edwards had 5 finished in the top 3 in the 2011 Chase.  Had he converted just one of those to a win, no tie breaker would have been needed.  Harvick, on the other hand, has been a threat to win the Championship for the past few years, but he has not won a Chase race since 2006.  Will either of these drivers win the Cup?  I don't think so, not this year.

Keselowski, after coming on strong to start the 2011 Chase, will be working with a new teammate and although he will win several races, I don't believe he will reproduce last years Chase for Roger Penske.  That judgement is less a negative one for Keselowski than one for Penske's ability to give the 2 car what it needs to win the Championship.

Although I do like Kenseth's chances heading into the new season after a strong showing in 2011, I don't believe he is likely to put together the 10 races he will need for the Chase.  In the 2011 Chase it seemed that coming to the end he had more trouble as his team tried harder to propel him higher in the standings.

Yes, I am picking Jeff Gordon to match 5 time with 5 Sprint Cup Championships.  After his first year with crew chief Alan Gustafson resulting in 3 wins, all of which at intermediate sized tracks (two flat), be prepared to see Gordon rediscover his strength at short tracks and plate tracks.  I don't anticipate another 10 win season for Gordon, but his working relationship with Gustafson could well be his final driver/crew chief pairing, and it will be a good one.

So there are my two stabs in the dark while waiting on the 2012 season to begin.  What are your predictions?


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The Best New Driver/Crew Chief Pairing In 2012?

The 2011 Silly Season has been quite a busy one.  Usually there are drivers sliding from this team to that so fast you can hardly keep up.  While that has not quite been the case this year, there have been a multitude of crew chief changes for drivers that struggled in 2011, and in a couple cases for drivers that did not struggle.

In 2011 there were several new driver/crew chief combinations, most of them were in the Hendrick Motorsports garage.  It was definitely interesting to watch which new combination would win and how each of them would deal with problems that arose.  Although the Gordon/Gustafson combination would top most lists, the Earnhardt/Letarte duo definitely did better than most assumed they would.

In 2012 there will be no less than 11 new driver/crew chief combinations starting in February at the Daytona 500.  There will be at least 3 or 4 of these new combos that will visit victory lane, and no doubt 3 or 4 of them will make the Chase.  Will there be any surprises?  Will any of the new teams gel quickly and become the next Jimmie and Chad or Jeff and Ray?  Well that may be a long shot, but below I have listed the best three of these new combinations along with how they will impress in 2012.

1.  Hamlin / Grubb-  The #11 FedEx Toyota will begin the year with a driver that faded last year after his dominant run in 2010, and a crew chief with something to prove after being let go a couple weeks after winning the Sprint Cup Championship.  Will Hamlin/Grubb win a race?  Without a doubt.  Grubb has never had a season without a win, and Hamlin has never had a full season without a win.  Make the Chase?  Of course.  Hamlin has never finished outside the top 12 in a full season and Grubb has never finished outside the top 15.  Given Hamlin's ability to put a great Chase run together as he did in 2010, combined with Grubb's recent success at Chase race domination, be prepared for a strong charge in the final races of 2012 by Denny Hamlin.

2.  Harvick / Wilson- After the 2011 season, Shane Wilson has been moved over from the #33, formerly driven by Clint Bowyer.  Although Harvick and last year's crew chief, Todd Berrier, had some great success, including becoming the "Closer" and having a great run in the 2010 Chase to challenge for the Sprint Cup Championship, RCR has elected to move Wilson to the #29 for 2012.  Wilson will be working with many of the same people, so all that will change from last year will be the driver, and moving from Bowyer to Harvick is a step up.  Shane Wilson only has 2 Sprint Cup wins, but he does have 14 Nationwide wins, 13 of which were driven by, you guessed it, Kevin Harvick.  With the same crew, same garage, and having already won together, it won't take long for these two to develop the chemistry needed to compete.  Oh, and 7 of those Nationwide wins the two had were at Chase tracks.

3.  Stewart / Addington-  After almost every championship win, the winning team changes a little.  Very few championship teams have been able to field the exact same team in February.  However, that particular type of change has not happened to a championship team since owner Billy Hagan replaced Dale Inman, arguably the greatest crew chief ever, with Steve Hmiel for driver Terry Labonte after winning the 1984 championship.  I could not find the details about how Inman left the position open, someone older than I will have to answer that one.  What I do know is that Labonte did not repeat his success of 1984.  Don't get me wrong, Hmiel was no slouch, but changing the crew chief is no small change.  With that said, Stewart has proven he has plenty of drive left, and after coming up short with Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch, Addington is sure to have something to prove.  Addington has a knack for pulling a rabbit out of his hat and Stewart has more determination that most drivers, so look for these two to get at least a couple of wins and a Chase appearance.

With all of these changes, and more changes to come, February will be a busy time in both North Carolina and Daytona.  Will any of the new duos become the next super team?  Who knows.  Either way 2012 is coming soon, and all of these teams are definitely working to make this season a wild one.

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A Relaxed 2012 For Earnhardt Jr.?

After finishing a season inside the top 10 in points for the first time at Hendrick Motorsports, and the first time since 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be poised for a much more relaxed start to the Sprint Cup season.  He did not win in 2011, nor did he blow any doors off, but he did finish better more consistently than he has in a while, and his cohesion with crew chief Steve Letarte seems to be getting stronger going into the off-season.

It has been quite a while since Earnhardt Jr. entered a season without a ton of questions surrounding him or his team.  Since he joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he has entered Daytona either with a new crew chief, a new team, or lingering issues from the previous season.  In his last 3 season openers while at DEI, Junior either had a new crew chief or a looming showdown with his stepmother over his contract to look forward to.

The last year Dale Jr. flew down to Daytona with a clear mind and a relaxed right foot was 2004.  He had crew chief, and uncle, Tony Eury Sr. and had little question about his ability to win.  In that season he went on to win 6 times and contended for the championship until late in the Chase.

No.  Calm down.   I am not saying Earnhardt Jr. will win 6 races in 2012, but I do think he will win one or two.  If Letarte spends as much time reviewing notes and preparing setups as I think he will in the off-season, the 88 team could be in for a definite improvement on 2011.

The question for Junior, as it has been in most of his seasons, comes in the summer races.  Earnhardt seems to always get bogged down from Sonoma to Richmond.  In the past that has led to missing the Chase or entering the Chase with absolutely no momentum whatsoever.  If the 88 team is going to be in a position to contend in the Chase, they must enter the Chase with a head full of steam.

A definite stepping stone for “team Earntarte” going into 2012 is his improvement at tracks like Pocono, Kansas, and Martinsville.  At the 6 races at those tracks in 2011 he had an average finish of 6.7.  Granted, Earnhardt’s average finish at Martinsville is 13^th, but he definitely improved at Kansas and Pocono where his averages are 17.2 and 17.0, respectively.

Steady foot, clear head, budding driver/crew chief combination…  How many more weeks?? 

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