NASCAR Thread.

[wrcsti]

Tell Juan to go! He's a pro.

Quote of the year for sure.
Also someone knock some sense into Harvick after that incident. Sheesh!

 

[opendriver]

I really wanted to go to this. Only a short drive from my house.


To bad I had to work, went to this last year and got to hang out with Denny Hamlin in the FedEx VIP tent.

 

[JohnBM01]

Congrats to Kurt Busch on winning this race. There was some mentioning during some of the TNT broadcast in which Kyle Petty talked about how you don't think of one driver (I forgot which one) as a road racer. So this leads me to debate:

John's Debate! - Under-rated! (Clap, Clap, clap clap clap)?
Who would you say is the most underrated road racing driver in NASCAR (NOTE: It can be an active driver or a retired driver)?



And here's a Just-for-Fun question:

Just For Fun: NASCAR Road Racing to the Daytona Power!
Let's say NASCAR had a special challenge in conjunction with the Grand-Am Road Racing Association. Let's call it the NASCAR-Daytona Prototype Challenge, in which 43 drivers take on the same Stock Car-type road course at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway). Who do you think would win the same 110-lap race if campaigned in Daytona Prototypes?

I would probably say that those who been in DPs would know how to race them. I'd probably favor Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson since they are two active NASCAR racers who campaigned in DPs at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. I'm not sure if there are drivers that may not fit into a DP.

 

[RACECAR]

Congrats to Kurt Busch on winning this race.

That would be Kyle, buddy.

 

[Solid Fro]

Karma Busch.

 

[JohnBM01]

Again... not perfect. Thanks for setting a brother straight.

 

[TS]

Tell Juan to go! He's a pro.

Best. Radio. Transmission. Ever.

kyle's grid position was 30th and he ends up putting a 20+ second gap between him and 2nd at one point in the race. this guy is a beast.

His strategy helped him get into position, he was one of the cars that pitted around lap 25 before the caution came out and that's what got him all the track position. (and Greg Biffle spinning into the dirt and JPM slowing up also helped him)

Harvick must of been braindead during that 4 car incident. he went for a gap that cant even fit half his car into and collects Stewart and the rest

You try controlling a car that's wheel-hopping. Bill Weber gets kudos for saying "The further we go the crazier things get" (or something of that nature), and that's exactly what happened yesterday at Infineon.

You can't blame him for driving hard in the closing laps.

Congrats to Kurt Kyle Busch on winning this race. There was some mentioning during some of the TNT broadcast in which Kyle Petty talked about how you don't think of one driver (I forgot which one) as a road racer. So this leads me to debate:

John's Debate! - Under-rated! (Clap, Clap, clap clap clap)?
Who would you say is the most underrated road racing driver in NASCAR (NOTE: It can be an active driver or a retired driver)?

Kevin Harvick and now Kyle Busch.

Just For Fun: NASCAR Road Racing to the Daytona Power!
Let's say NASCAR had a special challenge in conjunction with the Grand-Am Road Racing Association. Let's call it the NASCAR-Daytona Prototype Challenge, in which 43 drivers take on the same Stock Car-type road course at Sears Point (Infineon Raceway). Who do you think would win the same 110-lap race if campaigned in Daytona Prototypes?

I would probably say that those who been in DPs would know how to race them. I'd probably favor Jeff Gordon or Jimmie Johnson since they are two active NASCAR racers who campaigned in DPs at the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. I'm not sure if there are drivers that may not fit into a DP.

I would say Tony Stewart, he came awfully close to winning the 24 at Daytona a few years ago before his suspension failed on him.


BTW, let the 2008 NASCAR Silly Season Begin

Sources: Martin to leave DEI, replace Mears in No. 5

By David Newton and Marty Smith
ESPN.com

SONOMA, Calif. -- Casey Mears and Mark Martin look to be on the move, and their futures might be linked.

Mears' future with Hendrick Motorsports appears in jeopardy, ESPN.com has learned. Although Mears has one year left on his contract, team owner Rick Hendrick would not commit to the driver of the No. 5 car beyond this season.

"I'm committed to him right now," Hendrick said on Sunday at Infineon Raceway. "I'm committed to him making that car run better right now."

Earlier on Sunday, sources told ESPN.com that Martin would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. Later, ESPN.com learned that he would replace Mears, making one last full-time run at a championship.

John Story, the vice president of motorsports at DEI, said there are plans to put Aric Almirola into a full-time ride next season. Almirola currently is splitting the No. 8 with the 49-year-old Martin. He indicated the full-time ride would be in the No. 8.

"Aric is ready for a full-time ride," Story said. "There's a lot of interest in sponsorship for Aric. He's a bright young guy and a hell of a race car driver.

"He fits a lot of company's demographics with his age and Hispanic background. And first and foremost he can drive. We have to get him in a car full time somehow, someway."

Martin, who has been running a part-time schedule the past couple of seasons, was unavailable for comment.

Martin has been pivotal in mentoring DEI's young driving stable, especially Almirola and Regan Smith.

"He's been very good to us and very helpful, and good to our other drivers, so we're working through what's best for Mark, for Aric and for DEI," Story said. "We have five guys we'd like to run full time, and Mark doesn't want to run a full-time schedule.

"So he's looking at something very similar to what he has today. That's the challenge we have. We talk every day trying to make that work."

Hendrick would not address whether Martin could replace Mears. He also would not give Mears a strong endorsement.

"We're looking at everything right now," he said. "We're not ready to make any announcements. Guys, give me a break. What's there to tell? We just want to get in the Chase, we want to run good, we want to win races."

Mears was 27th in points before Sunday's race. He has finished 17th or worse in the last six races and 26th or worse in five of six. In 51 races at HMS he has one win and only 12 top 10s.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who joined the organization this season, has a win and 11 top 10s in 15 races.

Mears has been confident in his return to HMS over the past couple of months. There was doubt in his voice on Sunday, before he went out and finished fifth at Infineon, his best showing this season.

"I don't know yet," he said when asked if he would return in 2009. "Obviously, we haven't had a good season. I think anything could happen. Right now, I don't really have anything good to talk about."

David Newton covers NASCAR for ESPN.com. Marty Smith covers NASCAR for ESPN.

Read the full article, don't jump to conclusions that Mark is retiring.

And with Silly Season unofficially beginning, Jayski's now have their silly season chart up and running.

 

[Earth]

Anyone else notice Kyle Busch drive away from Montoya to a 5 second lead on a road course? I thought Montoya was letting him go to save fuel but they pitted on the same lap.

His F1 test may be just for show, but right now he is one of the most talented drivers in the world.

F1 would be crazy not to give one of the best American drivers a proper test.

And I hate how guessing when to pit under green decides if you're first or 20th.

And in the race I heard refrences to Formula 1 and Le Mans, so much for NASCAR drivers and commentaters for not knowing other motorsports exist outside of NASCAR.

 

[TS]

Anyone else notice Kyle Busch drive away from Montoya to a 5 second lead on a road course? I thought Montoya was letting him go to save fuel but they pitted on the same lap.

His F1 test may be just for show, but right now he is one of the most talented drivers in the world.

F1 would be crazy not to give one of the best American drivers a proper test.

And I hate how guessing when to pit under green decides if you're first or 20th.

And in the race I heard refrences to Formula 1 and Le Mans, so much for NASCAR drivers and commentaters for not knowing other motorsports exist outside of NASCAR.

Montoya would've held off Kyle if he didn't slow up with Biffle ran wide on teh restart and went into the dirt.

 

[Earth]

Montoya would've held off Kyle if he didn't slow up with Biffle ran wide on teh restart and went into the dirt.

But to be on the same level as Montoya, someone who spent their whole career road racing, even with what is likely a superior car, is impressive in my opinion

At NASCAR.com Montoya said he let Kyle Busch go and took it easy. He said when he pushed he could match Busch's times

I'm not sure if that is true or not, considering they both pitted on the same lap under green. You would think if Montoya saved his tires better or fuel he would pit later.

Anyways, I doubt there are many cup drivers who can open up a 5 second lead on Montoya on a road course, even if he does take it easy

 

[RACECAR]

Some notes this weekend,

-Kenny Wallace makes his 754th start

-Rumor has it the Jr. Motorsports may cease to exist at the end of the season

-Casey Mears will no longer drive the #5 car and his rumoured replacement for part time is Mark Martin and Brad Kesseloski.


And the Busch race is about to start.

 

[RACECAR]

Tony Stewart wins the Camping World Sales 200 and Toyota scores a dominating 1-2-3

 

[Lee]

Kahne will win again tomorrow, just you wait.

 

[Metar]

Hamlin 2nd

 

[TS]

Some notes this weekend,

-Kenny Wallace makes his 754th start

-Rumor has it the Jr. Motorsports may cease to exist at the end of the season

-Casey Mears will no longer drive the #5 car and his rumoured replacement for part time is Mark Martin and Brad Kesseloski.


And the Busch race is about to start.

1. Good for the 'shy one', a shame that he's not driving for a more high profile team.

2. I've heard different from Dale Jr., he's thinking about taking the team cup racing with Keselowski if NASCAR decides to implement a COT into the Nationwide series.

3. I've heard different, according to ESPN, Mark Martin will take over that 5 ride full time in 2009 and will make one last run to win the Sprint Cup title. Tony Stewart has also shown interest in taking that ride. (rumor has it that Smoke will leave Gibbs racing at the end of the year, buy a share of Haas CNC Racing and bring along Ryan Newman to drive both cars)

Tony Stewart wins the Camping World Sales 200 and Toyota scores a dominating 1-2-3

22 Nationwide races at Loudon, 22 different winners.

 

[RACECAR]

1. Good for the 'shy one', a shame that he's not driving for a more high profile team.

2. I've heard different from Dale Jr., he's thinking about taking the team cup racing with Keselowski if NASCAR decides to implement a COT into the Nationwide series.

3. I've heard different, according to ESPN, Mark Martin will take over that 5 ride full time in 2009 and will make one last run to win the Sprint Cup title. Tony Stewart has also shown interest in taking that ride. (rumor has it that Smoke will leave Gibbs racing at the end of the year, buy a share of Haas CNC Racing and bring along Ryan Newman to drive both cars)

1. I agree. He can still drive a racecar so I would like to see him in a car more often.

2.Thats interesting. I heard about this from Nascar.com, but if that comes from Dale Jr himself, then forget everything I said.

3. Thats another thing I heard. I did hear about the rumor of the part-time ownership deal adn that'll be interesting if indeed that becomes reality.

Also, does anyone remember that guy?
[Youtube]rK6BSuPn5ao[/Youtube]

I see this and say "no wonder he's not there anymore"

 

[TS]

Pat Tryson (Kurt Busch's crew chief) deserves an award, that call he made to bring Kurt in on lap 218 and to keep him out on the 2nd to last caution to try to win a race on fuel strategy was epic!

Spoiler

Kurt Busch won, but not on fuel mileage, he won after the race was shortened to 284 laps because of rain

 

[Solid Fro]

Jamie McMurray needs to go back to the Nationwide series if he wasn't paying attention to cars coming on to pit lane.

More karma for Kyle Busch. It was pretty clear that Karma Busch couldn't even look into the camera with a straight face. I appreciate Montoya's straight talk and just admit that yeah, I hit him, he pissed me off.

 

[Lee]

Montoya FTW!!

Oh and how come there was a caution period for Almirola's spin but not for Kahne's? [/fanboy]

 

[TS]

Jamie McMurray needs to go back to the Nationwide series if he wasn't paying attention to cars coming on to pit lane.

Sorry, but Dale Jr. totally at fault for this, one was because McMurray said in his interview that Jr.'s spotter didn't tell Jamie's spotter that he was coming in, plus Jr. suddenly slowed right on the racing line leaving the other cars not much space to go, and when McMurray got there it was too late for him to do anything but hit the 88.

Poor David Ragan though, he had that thing cleared when McMurray's car just slid to a stop in his path.

More karma for Kyle Busch. It was pretty clear that Karma Busch couldn't even look into the camera with a straight face. I appreciate Montoya's straight talk and just admit that yeah, I hit him, he pissed me off.

Yeah, I love how Montoya tells it to you straight, no matter what your view on it was, Kyle started that issue by rubbing him on the restart, and he only made things worse for himself when he rubbed Montoya after the caution came out.

Montoya FTW!!

Oh and how come there was a caution period for Almirola's spin but not for Kahne's? [/fanboy]

Almirola stopped after he spun (I assume he stalled) and Kahne didn't, he just spun it back around.

 

[Solid Fro]

Sorry, but Dale Jr. totally at fault for this, one was because McMurray said in his interview that Jr.'s spotter didn't tell Jamie's spotter that he was coming in, plus Jr. suddenly slowed right on the racing line leaving the other cars not much space to go, and when McMurray got there it was too late for him to do anything but hit the 88.

Jr.'s spotter doesn't have to tell McMurray's spotter nothin'. If you cannot see a car that is slowing down in front of your car, you shouldn't be driving that car.

 

[Metar]

So NASCAR got a taste of the Hamilton/Raikkonen crash.

 

[TS]

Jr.'s spotter doesn't have to tell McMurray's spotter nothin'. If you cannot see a car that is slowing down in front of your car, you shouldn't be driving that car.

The other cars behind Jr. and in front of McMurray barely had time to react when he started slowing down in the racing line, when Jamie got there, Jr. was going slow enough and was in front of McMurray enough to make that crash unavoidable. Even if McMurray had any time to react, he would've wrecked another car and himself.

 

[Solid Fro]

I disagree. Jr. was already below the yellow line. If that's the racing line for that track, then it needs to be changed.

 

[opelgt1969]

I disagree. Jr. was already below the yellow line. If that's the racing line for that track, then it needs to be changed.

If Jr. was below the yellow line then why on earth did he take out the "cone" at pit row?

 

[JohnBM01]

This debate question is not a reflection of a thought or belief I have. Instead, it's a question I just want to ask for your opinions for:

John's Debate! - Divine Intervention?
I have a feeling that some people would think that wins earned because of a rain delay aren't earned. Maybe I think of... okay. There are classical thinkers, then there are the hardcore thinkers. The hardcore types would be like, "Kurt Busch isn't supposed to win this race just because of the rain." A race ended by rain usually means that a driver will win the race for leading at that time as well as whomever have placed well. Former WoO (or sprint car?) star J.J. Yeley was one of the top 5 members. So what I'm asking you all is... do you think wins are earned when stopped by a rain delay? Are you one of the people who think certain racers shouldn't even have placed high enough, but ended up placing high because of the rain delay? Do you think leading at a certain time of the race and eventually FINISHING in that position after rain is an earned victory? And do you think races stopped by rain should be resumed in the future to complete the actual race distance?



I have a strange "ability" to predict what people will say about things. Usually predicting something bad. Like I could imagine some people saying that Danica Patrick shouldn't have won at Motegi earlier this year because of a fuel race. Fact is... she won, didn't she? Some people probably think someone else could have won. Some hardcore types think that even if Dick Trickle was leading a race as leaders were having pit stops and with the race stopped by rain, that Dick Trickle didn't earn the victory (according to hardcore critics). Fact is, the field is frozen in situations like this. Whomever is in the lead and placed highly will keep their positions. Congratulations to the Top 5 from this race.

Up next... Daytona! That track you never saw coming when Gran Turismo 5: Prologue was released. Let speculation begin!

 

[Lee]

Well I think we can all say Kurt Busch didn't have the car to win that race, but he did have the strategy, putting him in the right place at the right time.

If I'm honest though, I don't agree with how NASCAR give the win to the guy who was in first at the point of the rain coming. I would much rather see the win go to the guy who led the most laps in the length that was raced, aslong as they are still running.

And for Daytona, Kahne! I mean, who else?

 

[TS]

I disagree. Jr. was already below the yellow line. If that's the racing line for that track, then it needs to be changed.

That's been one of the racing lines at Loudon since they converted it to a progressively banked track a few years ago. At other tracks it wouldn't have been a problem because at most tracks, when you get below the yellow/white line the cars de-wedge and usually spin out.

This debate question is not a reflection of a thought or belief I have. Instead, it's a question I just want to ask for your opinions for:

John's Debate! - Divine Intervention?
I have a feeling that some people would think that wins earned because of a rain delay aren't earned. Maybe I think of... okay. There are classical thinkers, then there are the hardcore thinkers. The hardcore types would be like, "Kurt Busch isn't supposed to win this race just because of the rain." A race ended by rain usually means that a driver will win the race for leading at that time as well as whomever have placed well. Former WoO (or sprint car?) star J.J. Yeley was one of the top 5 members. So what I'm asking you all is... do you think wins are earned when stopped by a rain delay? Are you one of the people who think certain racers shouldn't even have placed high enough, but ended up placing high because of the rain delay? Do you think leading at a certain time of the race and eventually FINISHING in that position after rain is an earned victory? And do you think races stopped by rain should be resumed in the future to complete the actual race distance?

A win is a win, there's no place in the record book that says 'this win was earned through a fast race car with a good driver' or 'this driver won on good strategy and got lucky'. It doesn't really matter if you're running in the top-5 all day and leading a boat-load of laps (like Tony Stewart did) if you can't finish up front and/or win. It's just a matter of having a good enough race car to stay up front, having good strategy, and having a little good luck also helps you out.

And if there is rain in the middle of the race, NASCAR should at least try to get the race back going again, but they also have to consider the amount of day light left (not all tracks have lights) and they also have to consider how long it might be raining for.

BTW, J.J. Yeley came from USAC, I think he's one of only a few drivers who have won the USAC triple crown.

And for Daytona, Kahne! I mean, who else?

Considering how the Dodge's did in the Daytona 500, you can't rule him out, or other Dodge drivers like Kurt Busch out either.

(but I thought you were on the Brian Vickers bandwagon)

 

[Lee]

Hmm yeah Vickers is fine, he's doing well on my ESPN Fantasy Team. Just I've always loved the Number 9 car and to see it with Budweiser sponsorship this year, that's pretty darn cool. Kasey isn't all that bad either.

And yeah Dodge did do fairly well in the 500, although let's be honest here folks, Newman wouldn't have won without the almost god-like bumpdraft given by Kurt Busch. Realisticly, I'm looking at Kyle Busch, Kyle Busch or erm.. Kyle Busch.

 

[Metar]

A race-win in the rain is just as well, in my opinion. The rain could just as well have been delayed a bit longer, forcing him to stop again, and it would've backfired. The way it is, it was just the right call at the right time - Junior's victory was a fuel-mileage victory, Denny Hamlin won the Nationwide Richmond race with the late-tyres call, and now Kurt Busch wins with the rain - that's the way it goes, sometimes the risky or downright daft idea wins.