What Have We Learned From 2013?

Close the book.  Another year in the history of NASCAR has come to a close.  All of the preparation of the garage for the new Gen 6, the plate races, the summer stretch, and the Chase - over.  No more "Five Time", Jimmie Johnson now has 6 in his attempt for the most cups.

With everything over and written down, just what have we learned this season?  What bits of wisdom has 2013 imparted to us to clarify what is coming in 2014 and beyond?

First, we have re-learned that Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus are nowhere near finished dominating the sport.  It is utterly amazing how much their combination is made for the Sprint Cup setup and would not work without one of the two.  Johnson has a 1 win to every 6.6 race ratio in Sprint Cup, an unbelievable fact when placed beside his 1 win to 93 race ratio in the Nationwide Series.

Many people say that the 48's success lies solely with Chad Knaus or is only because of Hendrick money.  Those people should think about the 3 races Johnson drove in Hendrick cars without Knaus with an average finish of 31st.  They should also consider that in 35 Sprint Cup races without Jimmie Johnson, Knaus has zero wins, zero top 5's, and only 1 top 10 with an average finish of 24th.

No, Knaus, Johnson, and Hendrick make a mixture precision, determination and, yes, money, that will be successful as long as the three are combined.  Will there be a 7th championship?  Probably.  Will they continue forever?  Nothing lasts forever, but for now there is no end in sight, so get used to it.

Second, we learned that the fall from dominance and competitiveness is a steep one.  Last year we had a young and exciting new champion who looked like he would carry his success forward with a new make, but Brad Keselowski's change from Dodge to Ford proved anything but successful.  Penske Racing did not change crews, kept the same crew chief, the same driver, and merely changed engines and decals.  Still, the blue deuce ended up 14th at the end of the season and was not able to compete in the Chase to defend their championship.

Yes, Keselowski still had a win, and yes he led laps, but after the trouble began in mid spring after a penalty for questionable parts sidelined his crew chief, they could not rebound.  They began the season with 4 straight top 5's, then had a 10 race run in the spring that saw them outside the top 20 for 6 races and aggravation became disappointment when his new teammate made the Chase and he did not.

Finally, we learned that the more things change the more they stay the same.  NASCAR has spent years and dollars changing the image of the sport from the "if you ain't cheatin, you ain't tryin", brawling blue collar sport of the 50's, 60's and 70's.  Yet what did we get this year?  "Is your arm starting to hurt?....Itch it..."  And, "Good job man, hopefully we'll get something out of that."  For any readers who don't get the reference, these were radio transmissions from the Richmond race where drivers, crews, and owners reportedly conspired to affect the points so particular drivers could make the Chase.

With these three things in mind, an outlook on 2014 would have to conclude that Johnson will be strong, Keselowski will be looking to make a point, and NASCAR drivers and owners will continue to do anything they think they can get away with to win.  All three of these probabilities should make for another great season.

How many days until Daytona?

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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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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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Is Kenseth's 2012 A Replay Of Edwards In 2011?

Another Sprint Cup season for Roush Fenway Racing and again they have a couple of drivers in serious contention to win the Sprint Cup Championship.  Last year, Carl Edwards started the season strong.  He won at Las Vegas and quickly rose to the top of the Sprint Cup points standings.  This year, both Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth have had the points lead, which is currently Kenseth's.

However, soon conversations in 2011 began to focus on the fact that Carl Edwards was a man without a contract.  His contract with RFR was to end and the finish of the 2011 season, and much speculation was given to the possibility of him leaving RFR for Joe Gibbs Racing.  For weeks reporters would ask Carl if he would be driving a orange toyota in 2012, and for weeks they would get his patented smile and a kind comment about RFR working on a contract.

The questions were soon answered as the summer began to end, and Edwards and the 99 crew were able to finish the season out with a tie for the points lead which resulted in a second place finish (due to a tie-breaker rule.)  However, Edwards did not dominate any more races and had no wins, in the Chase or otherwise, after his one early-season win at Las Vegas.  Had he won ONE more race he would have won the Championship.  Period.

Now, in 2012, rumors have been swirling around Kenseth's future.  His RFR contract is over at season's end, and many have wondered if he would leave his long-time home.  Now, this week Roush reports that defending Nationwide Series champ Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be replacing Kenseth at RFR in the 2013 season.  Will Kenseth be driving a Toyota in 2013?  Will he bring Ford back to Penske Racing?  We will likely know by week's end.

What we do know is that for a second year in a row, Roush has a driver who is hot and contending for a championship, yet they are unsure about their future.  Yes, Edwards did have a successful year in 2011, but few would doubt that he could have won another race had contract talks been completed prior to the 2011 season, which would have led to his first championship.  Add on top of that, Kenseth will be dealing with going to a new team, who will be his crew chief, who will be his sponsor, etc, and the likelihood that the 17 will be celebrating after Homestead becomes low.

Either Roush has the worst timing and luck in the NASCAR garage, or someone seriously needs to question their wisdom about personnel management.  Had Edwards won the 2011 championship, sponsorship and money woes would have undoubtedly been less of a strain in 2012, and he may have kept the Cup another year.

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Darrell Wallace Jr: Logano, Round 2?

Four years ago, Joe Gibbs Racing began to introduce a new star to the sport of stock car racing. "Sliced Bread" was to be the next Richard Petty, was the greatest young driver ever seen by some, and was expected to make NASCAR his playground.

Over the next few seasons, Joey Logano has gained mutual respect from other NASCAR drivers, but has failed to wow fans and has won just one race. He has, however, dominated at times in the Nationwide Series where he and his JGR teammates have been the cream of the crop over the last three years.

Perhaps Logano was brought all the way up to the Cup Series before he was ready. JGR was looking for a replacement for Tony Stewart at the time who was leaving, and was, no doubt, looking for a bright, young face that could keep some sponsors. That they got.

With his 12 wins in the Nationwide Series it's easy to think that Logano would have won a Nationwide Championship by now and could have eased his way into the upper level. Perhaps his confidence would have been kept in tact and he would have had an easier time acclimating to the Sprint Cup Series. Who knows?

With Wallace Jr., however there is yet another piece of the NASCAR pie on the line. Wallace Jr. is the best new hope of NASCAR's Drive For Diversity program. Wallace Jr., an African American, has had great success in the K&N Series, and will be expected to continue that progression in the Nationwide Series for JGR. Hopefully the Gibbs organization has learned some lessons from Logano.

One benefit Wallace Jr. will have is that, although JGR may be looking to add a 4th car at some point to its Cup stable, there is no superstar seat to fill to make them do so in a hurried fashion as they did with Logano. JGR has the ability to allow Wallace Jr. The time to mature in the Nationwide Series and become accustomed to the press, fans, and everything else "NASCAR."

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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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NASCAR: State Of The Vvrroomin

After watching the State Of The Union address last night on TV, I began to wonder just how the state of NASCAR was.  No, I am not going to wax political and tell you all of my personal political beliefs, although, yes, I do have them.  But I just want to take a look at just how well NASCAR is doing, especially in comparison with the past few years.

Unlike in Washington where goal posts move one way or the other depending on which party is in power, lets have some clear issues that we are comparing.  First, how is NASCAR doing in popularity and following.  Second, how is NASCAR fairing in competition and in having a level playing field.  And third, how is NASCAR preparing for future seasons.

As many sports and sports venues have experienced the recession after 2008, attendance had been seriously slowed.  Part of this has been combated by the lowering of ticket prices at some of NASCAR's tracks, and attendance has somewhat recovered do to that along with a slow recovery in the economy.  NASCAR's TV ratings have also slowly been rising over the past few years, a trend that should continue over the next year after such a close points battle in 2011.

One area to look at to see if NASCAR's popularity is strong is advertising, both TV spots and sponsorship money.  Over the past few years we have seen cars with empty spaces on them indicating just how deeply the recession has affected NASCAR's ability to round up sponsorship money.  Gladly, although sponsorship is still tough to get, I believe we may have seen a "bottom".  EGR, fresh off a thoroughly disappointing season, just reported they have no primary sponsorship opportunities available for 2012.  For a second tier team that just underperformed the heck out of 2012, that is solid.  Yes, there are teams looking for sponsorship, but there always will be, however, the loud stampede of sponsors running away from teams due to tight budgets has definitely quieted.

Parity is one area where there was a definite gain for NASCAR in the 2011 season.  The Sprint Cup Series had 17 winners in 2011, four more than in 2010.  There were also 5 first time winners.  Another snapshot is how many wins came from teams with only one or two cars, this gives you an idea how level the playing field really is.  In 2011, 14 of 36 races were one by teams with only one or two teams.  Also, mostly due to NASCAR's revision of who can compete for the Nationwide Championship, there were 15 different winners in the Nationwide Series, including 5 drivers that were not Cup Series competitors.

On top of the season-long statistics being compared to prior years, one simply has to look at the 2011 points battle that came down to the last lap of the last race.  Not only were the top two battling within a couple points of each other for most of the race, but they came to the finish in the top two positions.  Ending the 2011 season with a Champion being congratulated after a tie-breaker rule was implemented is the largest reason that the 2012 season could be the most watched, most anticipated, and hardest fought season in recent years.

Finally, NASCAR's future was something that was somewhat in question several years ago.  I doubt anyone thought that NASCAR would dwindle away, but many doubted that they would continue to rise in market share and battle with the NFL for the most watched sport in the USA.  Although many of us have not liked all of the changes that NASCAR and Brian France have made over the past 10 years, not to mention those of you stuck in the '80's, we have to admit that even though most hated the look of the COT, didn't understand the Chase any better than its points system predecessor, and we absolutely dreaded a 6th Johnson championship in a row, all NASCAR fans must admit that the points system changes for 2012 and the new rule on racing in multiple series were great changes for 2012.  No, they are not perfect!  But they did produce a great season.

Changes NASCAR has on the horizon could make things very interesting.  The new car changes for the 2013 season may even make the traditionalists happy.  The ability NASCAR has given the auto makers to build car designs that more closely mimic their street cars may actually bring NASCAR closer to "stock car auto racing."  Now lets not get to excited:  the shape will be about the only thing that resembles a street car.  I seriously doubt that NASCAR will make owners install airbags, reach a certain fuel economy, or even make every driver have a wife in the passenger seat berating them for their poor driving.  That would be stock car.  But any change that more closely marries the sport to its history cannot be a bad thing.  I mean, short of moonshine...

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Can Kyle Busch Focus?

Over the last 10 years, no drivers have been compared to the late Dale Earnhardt more than Kyle Busch with exception of Dale Jr. and possibly Tony Stewart.  Kyle Busch has been known for his smirky grins, his dented front bumper, and his ability to let his temper both push him to win and at times push him to be called on the carpet by NASCAR.  There is probably no closer copy of Dale Earnhardt's early years in NASCAR.

Long before the black #3 had millions of fans and won 6 championships in 9 years, Dale Earnhardt drove a pink #2 followed by the yellow #3 Wrangler car.  Those cars and Earnhardt's long hair and bushy mustache were synonymous with on-track beating and banging.  Yes Earnhardt won the championship in 1980, his second year, but he did not produce consistent domination until he developed his ability for long term focus. 

There is no worker in the garage, fan in the stands, or commentator on Sunday afternoons that doubts Kyle Busch's ability for short term focus.  Every driver in NASCAR knows exactly how far Busch will go if he ends up on their rear bumper with 10 to go.  But what Kyle Busch has lacked is the ability turn winning races into winning Sprint Cups.

Part of what has been in Kyle's way of winning Cups is the fact that the season is long.  Thirty years ago when Dale Earnhardt was wrecking Waltrip and Labonte the season was 29 or 30 races long.  Today Busch is driving in 36 Sprint Cup races per season.  That is, when he can control himself.  Sure that is only 6 more races, you may say, but that is a month and a half more of a season.  Multiply on top of that the fact that Busch has been racing Nationwide races and truck series races and managing his own truck series team.  No wonder that by mid October he may not remember exactly where NASCAR's line is.  I'm sure they are more than happy to point it out for him when needed.

Some of that packed schedule may be thinned for the 2012 season.  Word out this week is that Busch will possibly run a small Nationwide schedule with little to no truck series races.  Although Busch would rather be behind the wheel than anywhere else, perhaps given some time to sit and watch could do him good, especially as the season progresses.

In the past 4 years Kyle Busch has had one of the best winning totals in NASCAR, 19 wins, just two behind Jimmie Johnson.  However, in those years when he should have contended and possibly won championships, Busch had zero wins in the final 12 races of the year.  Actually, Kyle Busch has only one Chase win in his career and that was in 2005.  Also, in 2008 when Busch dominated victory lane with 8 wins, he had no wins in the final 14 races.  All of the 8 wins came in the first 22 races.  Yes, 8 out of 22 is domination, but 0 for 14 allows championships to slip away, especially in the Chase format.

Will a thinning of his itinerary and a tight grip on the reigns by Joe and J.D. Gibbs propel Busch to contend and perhaps win the championship in 2012 or beyond?  Time will tell, but I don't foresee him wrecking any cars under caution or spinning any unmanned cars on pit road during the 2012 season.  That, of course, doesn't mean he can't "rattle their cage" every now and then...

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NASCAR's Burning Busch...

As everyone who follows NASCAR knows, this past weekend NASCAR "benched" Kyle Busch, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing number 18 M&M's Toyota, not only for the Nationwide Series race on Saturday, but also for the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.  After spinning Truck Series driver and championship contender Ron Hornaday during a caution flag lap, Busch was called onto the carpet by NASCAR for what may be the worst penalty of his career.  May be...

I say that because NASCAR has made it clear to great drivers in the past and no doubt has made it clear to Mr. Busch now that NASCAR races will continue whether he is in a car or not.  Past greats such as Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip have made comments in the past that they have been cut down to size by NASCAR as well, so the sentiment is not new, but one has to wonder just how Kyle Busch will receive it.  Will Busch continue to burn out of control or will the fire be put out?  Hopefully for Kyle Busch and JGR it will be somewhere in the middle.

This season supposedly brought out the "new and improved" Kyle Busch after JGR had to reassure sponsors last year that Busch would play by rules and be a good face for their brands.  The new calmer and less "Rowdy" Busch, who most of the year looked as though he had gained a few pounds after his off-season marriage, won less races during the 2011 season but seemed poised to make a serious run for the Sprint Cup as he entered the Chase.  No doubt the let down of another Cup slipping away from his grasp fanned the flame in his Toyota Tundra last Friday night.

Another question is what assurance can Joe and JD Gibbs give their #18 sponsors heading into the 2012 season that this will not occur again?  Will any of their sponsors look elsewhere to spend their money?  Only time will tell.  I am sure that if Busch begins to stack up wins again that the sponsors will be happy to ride along, no matter how bumpy the road.

It may well be a good idea for JGR to seek sponsorship money for the #18 from UFC, WWE, or perhaps having him do some public awareness ads showing him teaching police officers how to properly spin cars out with the PIT maneuver.  Give him a black paint job, buy the #13 for him, and embrace the image.  Or better yet, buy him the #2 and paint the car pink.  To much, Earnhardt fans?  Don't tar and feather me, I am one of you.

The simple fact is that a "Rowdy" Busch is good for NASCAR.  Does NASCAR need Kyle Busch, no more than they need in-car cameras or double-file restarts.  But they sure make the races more interesting.

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Top 6 Things To Watch In The 2011 Chase

With the Chase for the Sprint Cup Championship beginning this weekend at the Chicagoland Speedway, fans are gearing up to watch what may well be the closest Chase to date and perhaps one of the tightest Championship races in NASCAR history. Many fans will cheer for their driver that is in the Chase or for someone locked out of the Chase looking for some wins before the end of the season. Fans will also be looking for more drama that has already been evident in the 2011 season.

Here is my list of the top 6 things to watch in this year’s Chase.

#6 - Who Will Jump To An Early Lead? In the 7 years of the Chase system, 5 times the eventual champion finished in the top 6 in the first race. With only 10 races to go, there is no time to get up to speed. Teams will have to come out of the shoots with everything they have. In three of the above years, the champion finished first or second in the first race. Look for the Chase contenders, especially those from 6th back, to aggressively push for the lead Sunday. Their Chase may depend on it.

#5 - Who Will Move To Another Team? Although the Chase beginning, “Silly Season” is by no means over. With plans up in the air at Red Bull Racing, a part time seat open at Stewart-Haas Racing, and a few drivers looking at possible rides, the 2011 Chase will also have some action from non-Chase drivers. Will any Nationwide regulars move up? Will Red Bull close their doors? Will Mark Martin retire…again? The next 10 races will tell.

#4 - How Will The “Wildcard” Drivers Do In The Chase? With the changes to this years points system and Chase format, the last two drivers in the Chase were based on win totals for drivers between 11th and 20th in the points standings. Since these drivers have been focused on winning, not points racing, and have built up some momentum, how will they fair over the next 10 races. Will they surge ahead with their momentum or will they fizzle out due to exhaustion of will and resources?

#3 - Will The Real Rowdy Busch Please Stand Up? Although some may describe him as slim (although gaining weight since being married) or shady, this season Kyle Busch has kept his frustration and anger on a tighter leash. Yes, the emphasis was on tightER. I do remember the pit road bumper cars with the 29, but he has been nowhere near as obnoxious as years past. Some say he is looking at the big picture to win a championship. Others say he will pop eventually. I’m willing to bet both might happen.

#2 - Which Car Will Get Wrecked First, The 48 Or The 22? Over the past several races, many fans have seen that Jimmy Johnson is not as “Vanilla” as most fans had thought. He and Kurt Busch, driver of the Penske owned 22 car, have repeatedly sparred, both on track and off track verbally. Both of these drivers are not likely to give up their Championship chances to wreck the other, but should both be near the back due to misfortune, look for some “have at it” to occur.

#1 - Can Anyone “Out Chase” Jimmy And Chad? For the last 5 years, nobody can deny that Chad Knaus and Jimmy Johnson have perfected the “Chase Run.” They have figured out just how to prepare in the spring and summer for the 10 races that decide the Champion, all while staying competitive and winning throughout the season. There are only two drivers in the Chase that can string wins together like Johnson, Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon, neither of which have shown the late season surge that Johnson has made his trademark. Will Johnson’s nickname change to 6-time? Will Busch’s new attitude pay off? Or will “Big Papa” take the 24 back to the Championship for the first time since 2001?

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Why The Dislike For Danica?

Among NASCAR faithful, there are always discussions as to who the best is, who is strongest on certain types of tracks, and who is getting close to winning. Rarely do fans and commentators alike flat out say that someone is undeserving of a ride. However, this is exactly what some people are doing/have done with the talk of Danica Patrick getting a limited ride in 2012 with Stewart Haas Racing in the Sprint Cup Series.

It is understandable that some fans and reporters would be unimpressed by her IRL career. One win in seven seasons is hardly impressive. To make it worse, she had nothing but horrible finishes in her first partial season with JR Motorsports in the Nationwide Series- all but one finish was outside the top 20.

But even so, it is unlike NASCAR to outright say someone is undeserving of the ride. That is what Kyle Petty, former Sprint Cup driver and son of the “King” Richard Petty, said as a commentator on Speed during Sprint Cup coverage on Friday. Petty inferred that there were other drivers more deserving of the ride and that she (Patrick) has not yet beaten Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch in the Nationwide series.

One might remind Mr. Petty that there were several drivers on Sunday that could not beat Edwards or Busch on Saturday. Those would include J.J. Yeley, David Stremme, Erik Darnell, Jason White, Andy Lally, Landon Cassill and others. Not to mention half of the Sprint Cup regulars for that matter. In fact, I’m not sure even Kyle Petty ever beat Kyle Busch or Carl Edwards. I’m not saying he or the others aren’t good drivers, it’s just not practical to say that unless a driver beats NASCAR’s current best in the NNS that they should not get a ride in the Cup series.

Now don’t get me wrong! I do not think Patrick is going to take NASCAR by storm, at least, not on the track. I do not discount her and say that she should do more to prove herself than say Dario Franchitti, Sam Hornish, or any others who have attempted the move to NASCAR.

In my previous posts I showed how Patrick has improved her finishes in 2011 over 2010. She has not posted a lower finish on any return trip to a track which shows she is adapting and learning. Will she be able to step into a Cup ride and immediately compete for top 10’s? There aren’t many Cup drivers that could do that if moved to another team, so how is that a sane assumption?

If anything, NASCAR fans and reporters should allow Patrick to make it or break it on her own. Don’t hold her in contempt simply because she seemingly gets some “passes” off the track due to her looks and her sex. Would Paul Menard have been given a ride at DEI if he did not come with his father’s sponsorship money? Would Kyle Petty have made it to the Winston Cup Series had his father not been the “King”? No. But that does not mean that the two could not drive, nor does it mean that they were unworthy of a ride.

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Danica Patrick: The NASCAR World Awaits!

From her courting of NASCAR in 2008 to her limited seasons in 2010 and now in 2011 with JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Danica Patrick has been sought after by NASCAR fans and owners alike. Her fan base, sponsor backing, and her ability to place a female in NASCAR’s Cup Series make her a worthy investment.

Now, with Carl Edwards solidly at Roush Fenway Racing, Danica is far and away the highest sought after driver in both the Sprint Cup and the Nationwide garage.

The past year and a half, rumors have run wild that she was going to move to NASCAR full time and leave her IRL career behind. Yet at the end of 2010 she resigned with Andretti Autosport to drive for owner Michael Andretti. Now rumors are spreading that she will be signing to drive full time with JR Motorsports full time in 2012 and possibly will be driving a limited Sprint Cup schedule for Stewart Haas Racing, a close ally of JR Motorsports and Hendrick Motorsports.

Many fans and commentators were very unimpressed by Patrick’s performance, both in IRL and in her first partial year in the Nationwide Series. In IRL she has only had one win in 7 years of racing and her highest season finish is 5th. In her 2010 Nationwide Series stint she had only 1 finish out of 13 inside the top 20: the last race of the season at Homestead.

Many commentators felt she would not pursue a NASCAR career due to a lack of ability to get good finishes in stock cars. Many bloggers said she was a hack and could never compete in NASCAR.

It seems as Danica Patrick was on the edge of giving up on NASCAR, something began to click. With veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and driving coach Johnny Benson, former Sprint Cup driver, coaching her on NASCAR’s tracks and stock car driving styles and lingo, Danica became more and more comfortable.

With 6 races left in her 2011 season, Danica has posted 1 top 5, 3 top 10’s, and only 1 race outside the top 20. Probably more impressive is the fact that at every track Patrick has returned to in a Nationwide car, she has always finished better than the time before. At Daytona she has finished 35th, 14th, and then 10th. At Chicagoland she finished 24th then 10th when she returned. At Phoenix she finished 32nd in 2010 then finished 17th in 2011. And most impressively, at Las Vegas she finished 36th in her first year and 4th this year.

Say what you want, Patrick’s ability to settle into stock car racing is promising. Whether you like her or not, you cannot argue with the numbers. Granted, the Nationwide Series is not Cup racing, where I am sure she will have more difficulty. But the fact is that she IS competing at the Nationwide series with a short time in the car.

The next question for Patrick, who is rumored to drive an Indy car for only the Indy 500 next year, is will a full time schedule with no IRL propel her to compete at an even higher level. She will have to show a little more ability and nerve in her Sprint Cup appearances if she wants to be taken seriously at that level.

I, for one, won’t doubt that she can do it. I mean, have you ever told a woman she “can’t” do something?


Follow JD on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Danica To The Lead, In Silly Season

While the 2011-2012 Silly Season is in full swing, it has, to this point, been less than dramatic. The main players (Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle, Juan Pablo Montoya, Brian Vickers, and Mark Martin) have either already signed with their current team or aren’t generating much buzz. That is, with exception to Carl Edwards.

Edwards’ contract with Jack Roush and Roush Fenway Racing comes to a close at the end of 2011, and although most people have all but signed the contract for him, Edwards is still a free agent…kind of. He is weighing his options, yet few people think he would leave a team that has made him a contender for a few years now. Be that as it may, his top suitor, Joe Gibbs Racing according to rumors, will continue to gain his attention.

While all of this has been slowly developing, Danica Patrick has been fulfilling her obligations to Andretti Autosport in the Indy Car series, until Friday night. She returned Friday to race in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona International speedway for JRMotorsports.

When she raced there in February, Patrick was timid at best in the two car packs. Although she managed a respectable 14th place finish there, she wowed few. However, in this week’s race Patrick seemed aggressive and comfortable. She was even more comfortable for all of the off-track conversation.

Patrick has been asked before whether she will move from Indy Car to a full time NASCAR ride, a topic she has kept at arms length. This week, though, she simply reacted as if the intention is there but the deal just has not been signed. If she is truly interested in a 2012 ride, the season will definitely get silly.

Danica is no doubt one of the best marketing opportunities that has come to NASCAR in quite a while, but to this point had not proven herself worthy of a full time ride and a shot at a Sprint Cup ride in the future. Although I am sure any team would have jumped at signing her, she is much more profitable to them if she is contending for wins.

In 2010 she had only one finish inside the top 20, often finishing several laps behind the leaders. Yet in 2011, it seems as though Patrick has gotten more comfortable with both the different car and the different style of racing. In only 6 races she has posted 3 top 10 finishes and has only one finish outside the top 20. That is definitely a turnaround from a year ago.

The main question that will have to be answered is where will she go? JRMotorsports would surely be glad to sign her for a full season in the Nationwide Series for 2012, but they do not have a Sprint Cup team, which she will probably want for at least a few races in 2012. No matter where she goes, plan on hearing about it for the rest of this year.

Oh yea, has Carl Edwards signed yet??

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Should NASCAR Add One Or More Road Courses?

Ok, so we all new this question was coming this week. I saw several people on Twitter lament that we would have to listen to the commensurate road course talk. “Why does NASCAR only race two road course races?” “Will the ‘Road Course Ringers’ perform?” However, the question does deserve an answer.

For the past few years we have seen an influx of interest from open wheel racers from Indy car and Formula 1. It is only natural that with that interest will come fan interest from those loyal to open wheel racing. Wanting to take advantage of that interest, along with new international fans of drivers like Juan Pablo Montoya, from Colombia, and Marcos Ambrose, from Australia, NASCAR should consider adding another road course venue.

Understand, as a NASCAR fan I do not necessarily want another road course. I enjoy the two we currently see at the Sprint Cup level, Sonoma and Watkins Glenn, but two seems to be enough to quench my thirst. I simply think that NASCAR should consider the possibility that adding one could garner international fan support and, more importantly, viewership.

NASCAR has definitely begun recuperating its ratings and viewer losses of the past couple years, but if it could get a boost internationally, why not?

One of the biggest roadblocks to this decision in the past has been a cold response, at best, from its largest fan base, the Southeastern U.S. Most of the lifelong fans did not enjoy the road course racing in the ‘90s due to the slower, green-flag, racing with little side by side action.

However, with the addition of two-wide restarts a couple years ago, racing at these two stops has gotten more aggressive. Also, more teams have shown strength there in the past few years, a departure from 15 years ago when only a handful of teams had a realistic shot at victory. These two changes have helped make road course racing a little more appealing to the average NASCAR fan.

A fellow blogger, “Walking Eagle”, suggested the same in a comment on this site which spurred this article. I replied back to him that I agreed that they should look at it, and possibly look at adding a road course race in the Chase. I understand, and agree, that most fans would emphatically disagree, which is why I think NASCAR should look at it along with a couple other changes.

I think that NASCAR should immediately (2012) move the Southern 500 at Darlington back to Labor Day. The Fontana race has done so-so and would do just as well on another weekend. Give the fans back a great tradition!

I also think that NASCAR should move the Chase finale back to Atlanta. Weather in Homestead is great in November, no argument. But the racing is mediocre at best. They have made strides with the graduated banking, I agree, but they don’t have the checkered flag finishes like Atlanta. Leave the fans with a show and they will walk out of the stands (or away from the TV) eager for Daytona.

Well, there are my thoughts on the matter. Now I don’t have to mumble under my breath every time Wally Dallenbach says “wheel hop” this Sunday. Please let me know your thoughts on the matter!


Follow me on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Harvick-Busch Adding Spice To A Lively 2011

The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season has already been a lively one. There have been angry Colombians (Juan Pablo Montoya), steaming engineers (Newman), cursing on the "In Car" radio (almost all drivers), and an appearance by the next Donald Trump (Truex firing his pit crew). Heck, even Jimmie Johnson has been pissy a few times with Chad Knaus on the radio. Shocking, I know!!

Now, to top it off, the two most volatile personalities in the garage, Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch, have decided to yet again fill the "NASCAR Bad Boy" role. The only problem is that they apparently decided to do so at the same time.

The two, as any fan knows, got into each other multiple times at Darlington, only to end up making a show on pit lane. The show even included a shove through the window by Harvick only to see Busch push his car into the pit wall. Maybe Busch was in "Bumpdrafter" mode??

The excellent TV has not stopped to this point. This week, the two met again via NASCAR hauler and had separate press conferences to answer about the closed door meetings and on-track horse play. Perhaps NASCAR wanted to capitalize on all of the hubbub. Either way, the two ended up throwing some more verbal "punches" through the press conferences, proving that the dislike is not likely to end any time soon.

As for more on-track issues, NASCAR will likely be as tough on these two as they were on JPM and Newman last week considering they are on a 4 week probation. Whether the 29 and 18 find each other at Dover or not, there will probably be plenty of carnage to go around as the "Monster Mile" is notorious for chewing drivers up and spitting them out in front of coming traffic.

Will there be more tempers this Sunday? I wouldn't bet against it.

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A Familiar Victory Lane For Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Now that Easter break is over for the Sprint Cup drivers, the next five weekends have four night races and some tracks that require a great deal of wheel wrestling and fender banging. Those tracks include Richmond, Darlington, and Dover. Along with Charlotte, the next five weeks include 3 tracks which Dale Earnhardt Jr. has previous wins.

Coming off a top five finish pushing his teammate, Jimmie Johnson, to a victory, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is arguably racing as well as he has in more than four years. He has continually finished in the top ten, finishes strong, and is communicating very well with new crew chief Steve Letarte. Although he may not be the strongest driver in the series, he definitely is back in peoples’ thoughts when contemplating possible winners.

Although he has had poor finishes of late at Richmond International Raceway, he has raced stronger there historically than almost anywhere else. He has 3 wins at RIR, second only to his total at Talladega. He also has 3 wins there in the Nationwide Series.

Many people will think of Dale Jr. racing Kyle Busch when they think of his successes at RIR, but over the past two years, he has been well outside of contention. In fact, in three of the last four races there he has not finished on the lead lap. Most of the viewers this Saturday night will expect a different end than the last few for Dale Jr.

For many viewers and fans, the waiting for Earnhardt’s first win in, now, 100 races is as Tom Petty sang, “the hardest part.” Thinking his breakthrough could come each week leaves his fans a little disappointed at the end of each weeks race, but not nearly as disappointed as watching him fade late and rarely charge. For these fans, a win this weekend would merely fan the flame for the next race. One win would not quench the thirst.

For other fans, commentators, and NASCAR employees, a Dale Jr. win this week would likely be a relief. A feeling that a return to growing ratings and surging merchandise sales has arrived would probably help some of these people relax and feel secure about the future of the sport. After all, NASCAR “needs” Junior to win, right??

Dale Earnhardt Jr. would likely fall somewhere between the two sentiments. I am sure he will feel relieved that his losing streak is finally over. However, most of his fans hope that the long awaited taste of victory will only stir his hunger to reach some more lofty goals.

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Here We Go, It's Time For The Two Car Tango...

It is Thursday night at Talladega and every driver seems to be picking out who will be on their 2 way radio dial come race time.

After watching the 2 car racing at Daytona, much of NASCAR nation remains split over the 2 car drafting technique. Most of those who don’t like it now did not like it before, and likely never will. Those who do like it say it takes more driver ability and less guessing on which line will move and when.

From NASCAR’s standpoint, there doesn’t seem to be much that they can do to change it. Not only does the current restrictor plate range help keep the cars weak enough to make tandem racing a necessity, the aero footprint of the current cars make the hookup more feasible. Even the back bumper and front bumper line up perfectly, making remaining in the 2 car draft much easier.

Of course there are those who would love to see NASCAR take the restrictor plates away and let the horses run. These people feel that enough changes have been made in driver safety that racing in excess of 200 miles an hour is not as deadly as 10 years ago. Although I do agree some great strides have been made in safety, lets face it, NASCAR is going to keep the cars under the 200 mph barrier. Period.

There are some ways of slowing the cars down or changing their aero footprint that NASCAR has chosen not to utilize. I am not certain that this is due to poor effect in testing or if NASCAR ruled them out before giving them a try. One of these changes would include bringing back the strip across the roof that was used several years ago. This strip made closing rates too fast at the time, with the old car, but one would think that a variation of this could make it much easier for cars to bunch up and overtake a two car break away. Another change would be to change the rear downforce on the cars to make it more “uncomfortable” for a driver to be pushed, especially in the corners. I am sure the latter idea would not be very popular with the drivers.

The point is that surely there is an aerodynamic change that can be made to break the cars up a little. The problem may be that the change would require too much change in the look of the cars. You can’t have a restrictor plate car that looks noticeably different than do the cars for the other tracks. Also, NASCAR has worked long and hard to develop the current design, and changing it, as we are seeing now for the 2013 season, is a long and arduous process.

The sad truth for those fans who do not enjoy the current way of plate racing, change is probably not coming for at least a few more plate races. If at all. It seems that many in the media and some fans like the fact that many restrictor plate aces are not necessarily as strong at the new form of racing. No doubt Trevor Bayne may have done well had the 2 car draft not dominated the Daytona 500, but without proving himself by pushing one or two cars relentlessly, it is likely he would have been shuffled out of contention near the end of the race.

The fun thing about watching this new form of racing technique is that all of the drivers are having to learn and adapt their own styles. Not only that, they also are having to communicate directly with other teams and drivers to set up the two car runs and to change position to prolong the run.

At any rate, two car drafting is here to stay… For now, at least…



Be sure to follow Joseph Davis on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Danica Silences Critics, For The Moment

Danica Patrick entered the Sam's Town 300 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway looking for a taste of success. A little luck on top of a solid run would give her an idea if this whole "NASCAR" thing would work out.

Patrick has two decent finishes of 14th and 17th already this year, but after a hard-to-swallow partial season last year, Patrick needs to feel like she belongs in NASCAR to stay in NASCAR.

For the past six months or more, most NASCAR articles written about Danica Patrick have been mostly negative. Due to the nature of her current contract with JR Motorsports, much speculation has been given as to whether Patrick will ever fully move over to NASCAR from open wheel racing. With that speculation comes the opinions by many that Patrick is not worthy of a seat in NASCAR.

For the most part, Danica's record in the Indycar series has been mostly unimpressive. She has only one win, at Motegi, Japan, and has never finished in the top three in the championship standings. Patrick only has six podium (top three) finishes in six years on the Indycar circuit. Hardly dominating.

Danica Patrick's poor finishes seemed to follow her to the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2010 while driving a limited schedule for JR Motorsports. Patrick had an average finish of 28th during the 2010 season, leaving little hope that Patrick would find success in NASCAR and opening the door to many critics who point at Patrick's past results as what to expect.

What many of those critics will not tell you is how Patrick has done in the Indianapolis 500. Patrick has raced in the premier open wheel race six times and although she has yet to win, she has consistently finished well. Patrick's best finish in the Indy 500 came in '09 when she finished 3rd to Helio Castroneves. Danica's average finish over the six years is a solid 8.5, which includes top ten finishes in five out of six races.

On Saturday, Patrick began the race in Las Vegas in 22nd. Midfield. Toward the end of the race, Patrick was caught a lap down, in 17th, with little hope of a good finish. Then came that lady who occaisionally visits Las Vegas. Lady Luck. Due to a late race caution, Patrick was able to get her lap back and with a few pitstops by lead lap teams and a car in the wall, Patrick was able to snatch up her first top five finish in NASCAR.

After the race, Patrick was asked how she felt about being the first woman to get a top five in the Nationwide series. Patrick seemed like she was fighting to contain her elation. She had few words. She was possibly just relieved that her critics would be quiet for a bit. Maybe she was surprised. Either way, she probably was just glad to feel like she belonged.


For more by Joseph Davis, visit The Spotter Stand and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Is Rowdy Growing Soft With Age?

Over the past few weeks, much has been made about the "kinder, gentler" Kyle Busch that has emerged since his marriage on December 31, 2010. Busch even made mention that it has matured him in some way. I doubt that Carl Edwards and Clint Boyer would agree. Their memory of him is dominated by the "you can't catch me" sign that was on his rear bumper in the Phoenix CWTS and Nationwide Series races.

Busch has picked up where he left off in 2010 as far as dominating in the two lower series and snatching up as many wins as possible. I am sre that the CWTS and Nationwide Series regulars wish that he would at least share some of the harware he has collected as of late, but I doubt they would hold their breath. Kyle Busch is not one to share.

Ask Carl Edwards. Cousin Carl was knocked off the track on Sunday due to Kyle Busch's unwillingness to share the track. At least, that is how Edwards saw it. It is quite probable that Busch became loose and during an attempt to straighten his car, he came in contact with Edwards' #99 Ford Fusion.

Of course, there is one competitor from Sunday that may like the "new and improved" Kyle Busch. After loosing the lead to Busch late in Sunday's race, mostly due to a caution, Jeff Gordon was left the unenviable task of trying to run down the edgy driver. Gordon did so with a few laps left, and after taking a little air off Busch's rear spoiler, Gordon made it along side the #18 and finally made the pass.

Busch dented in the right side of Gordon in the process... Nope.

Busch bumped Gordon going into the corner to get him loose... Nope.

Busch merely accepted that his car could not keep Gordon's out of first; at least, not at that point of the race.

Perhaps Busch's left driving glove was catching on a new ring and prevented him from trading a little paint in the effort of slowing Gordon down. Perhaps his new cheery disposition caused him to want to share victory lane a little. I doubt it.

More than likely, Busch is tired of looking at race trophies and is making a change to help him stop Jimmie Johnson from changing from "Five Time" to "Six Time."


For more from Joseph Davis, visit The Spotter Stand and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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