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Tag: Austin Dillon

  • What’s In a Number?

    What’s In a Number?

    As this is being written, we are only 38 days away from the Daytona 500, and the news has come fast and furious leading up to the beginning of the season. It doesn’t surprise me somehow that it began with the number three.

    Many great drivers have piloted a car adorned with the number three over the years. Notables include Al Unser (in 1968), Bobby Isaac (75), Hall of Famer Buck Baker (64), Buddy Baker (68), Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough (71 & 72), Hall of Famer David Pearson (62), Fred Lorenzen (70), Hall of Famer Junior Johnson, Richard Childress (81), and Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt. That’s the rub. Dale Earnhardt was such a huge figure, especially in the 1980’s and 1990’s; many fans refuse to accept anyone other than The Intimidator in a car with the stylized numeral. The fact that the number is owned, or at least leased to car owner Childress doesn’t matter. The debate rages on and probably will for some time to come.

    Among some fans, however, hope rises. Unfortunately, many think that young Austin Dillon, the driver of the No. 3 for 2014 will resurrect that car to the lofty heights that they watched years ago. The theory is that, just like Matt Kenseth, who left Roush-Fenway Racing in 2012 to almost dominate the season (almost is a big word), the chemistry and the good karma that surrounded Earnhardt while in that car will happen for Dillon. Don’t count on it. Remember Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in 2013?

    Stenhouse was fresh off two consecutive NASCAR Nationwide championships, was in a car with a history of winning, and it just didn’t work out. The future is bright for Mr. Stenhouse, and will be for Dillon, but I don’t think it will be in 2014 for Austin. Despite his fast laps at Daytona earlier this month, it’s going to take time, just like Stenhouse, for his talent to become what No. 3 fans want the performance to be. The Sprint Cup Series is ten times tougher than the Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series. My only hope is fans will give the young man a chance to mature in that famous car. Of course I could be totally wrong, but history tells me that’s not going to be the case. Seeing Jeff Burton, Paul Menard, and at times Kevin Harvick struggle in RCR cars over that last few seasons, and considering the domination of the series by Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, it’s not going to be as easy as many think.

    Now that we have that numerology out of the way, think about this for a moment. Last season, we had 36 races and two teams won 58 percent of the races. Chevrolet drivers won 16 times, Toyota won 14 times, and Ford Drivers won six. Hendrick Motorsports drivers won nine races and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers won 12 times. Maybe that’s the competition problem in NASCAR, and not any number of changes the sanctioning body is considering. We will tackle that and other issues next.

  • The Top 20 Sprint Cup Drivers entering 2014

    The Top 20 Sprint Cup Drivers entering 2014

    This was pretty tough to put together. Honestly, anybody in the top 10 outside of first could be ranked in any order, and so many teams are so good it’s tough to put them in order.

    One thing I’ve noticed is that the good drivers keep getting better. In 2005, Tony Stewart won the championship with five top-fives and seven top-10s, with no wins during the Chase. Eight years later, Jimmie Johnson wins the championship with two wins, seven top-fives, and nine top-10s, with all 10 races in the Chase being top-15 finishes. While the quality of racing may not be as good as it was in 2005, nobody can argue the competition has become more fierce.

    Remember though, that this list is my opinion. You are allowed to disagree and give me yours in the comment section below.

    I ranked this using Chase Results, overall season stats, off-season changes and my opinion on the driver. This is not my predictions for final 2014 points, only who is the best going into the season. I do not count Nationwide Series results unless the driver raced for points in that series last season; this is why Kyle Busch isn’t first and Larson and Dillon are where they are.

    Honorable Mention: AJ Allmendinger

    What a comeback year for the 32 year old driver from California. After losing the ride of a lifetime in 2012 after failing a drug test, he gets rehired by Penske Racing to run a few IndyCar and Nationwide Series races and over performs. He won both of his Nationwide races last season and might have won the Indy 500 if it were not for a broken seat belt. Then he gets hired by JTG-Daugherty and gives them the best runs in that car since Marcos Ambrose ran it, with a shot to win Watkins Glen in particular. All of this without mentioning his top-15 runs helping to put the tiny James Finch team in the top-10 in Sprint Cup owner points in the early portion of the 2013 season.

    20: Jamie McMurray

    The 2010 Daytona 500 champion enters 2014 as the veteran driver of Chip Ganassi Racing (CGR). Outside of Loudon and his Talladega win, he really didn’t do much in the Chase. He can make the 2014 Chase, but his two main problems are constituency and he needs to turn top-20s into top-10s, and top-10s into top-fives.

    19. Carl Edwards

    My, how the mighty have fallen. After tying with Tony Stewart for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in points in 2011 (losing on tiebreaker), he missed the Chase in 2012 and had the single worst point finish of any Chaser in history. (Nobody has finished worse than 12th before, Edwards finished 13th).

    18. Greg Biffle

    Biffle is the quietest guy in the Cup Series. I almost completely forgot about him when making this ranking. If he wants to move from 10th in points to top five, he needs to do better than 16th or worse in three Chase races.

    17. Kyle Larson

    This guy has a lot of talent, as has been said before. He’s a huge question mark this season. Is it too early? Can CGR compete with other teams? “The Knife” could have a typical rookie season, be incredibly successful or be like Danica Patrick and finish 27th in points.

    16. Kasey Kahne

    Next year’s champion?  Every single year I see people say this will be Kahne’s season, almost more so than a certain driver in a bright yellow Toyota. In reality, almost every season he struggles to make the Chase. Then if he does make the Chase, he usually doesn’t do much or is too inconsistent to do much. Last season in particular, I think his big hurdle is that when it gets down to it, he can’t close and get the win. Just look at his awesome duels with Kenseth all throughout 2013 and who ended up going to Victory Lane in every one of them.

    15. Ryan Newman

    It was a roller coaster season for the “Ogre from South Bend.” First he loses his ride, then that very week he wins at his home track in Indianapolis. Then he gets screwed out of the Chase due to Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) shenanigans, but was put in it anyway. Now he’s with a new Richard Childress Racing (RCR) where the only returning driver is Paul Menard. It’s going to be interesting to see what Newman will do in the No. 31 compared to Jeff Burton, who did a lot of nothing over the past two years.

    14. Ricky Stenhouse Jr.

    Here’s my crazy prediction for this season – Stenhouse will contend for the Chase and win a couple of races. He’s got a year under his belt now and he has his old Nationwide championship winning crew chief now. He scored all three of his top-10s in the last 11 races of the season. I think he’s also going to continue being way ahead of Danica Patrick. When she said that she wanted to be the one among the two who got the first victory, I really doubt I was the only one who out and out belly laughed.

    13. Denny Hamlin

    Everything since 2010 Homestead has been downhill for Hamlin. Yes he won five races in 2012, but only one of those was in the Chase. Winning races is good and all, but at this point in Hamlin’s career, you need to be competing for championships year in and year out. Even if he wasn’t knocked out of action at Auto Club Speedway, I really doubt he would have competed for one in 2013. The only reason he’s this high on the list is because of four top-10s in the final six races along with a win at Homestead.

    12. Joey Logano

    Logano finally buckled down and made the Chase last season, even though he was too inconsistent to do much. He didn’t make many friends last season at all, but he finally grew as a driver and is starting to live up to his potential while breaking the 22 car curse. A great thing going for him is his teammate. Say what you will about Brad Keselowski, but it isn’t like Logano had a former champion to help him out back with Gibbs.

    11. Clint Bowyer

    This team might have very well won the championship or at least could have been a contender before Richmond. It took a lot of momentum from MWR as a whole and Bowyer’s team might have suffered the most with them being in the center of the controversy. He may change things in 2014 but he enters it at an all time low.

    10.  Austin Dillon

    Dillon is the favorite to win Rookie of the Year (ROTY) and the Nationwide Series championship. Yes, he didn’t win a race last season in Nationwide, but that’s primarily because of Sprint Cup drivers winning 26 races last year (28 if you count AJ Allmendinger, which I don’t.) He’s going to have enormous pressure coming into this season, as would any driver stepping into that No. 3 Chevy.

    9. Kurt Busch

    He took a tiny team into the Chase and gave all of the bigger teams a run for their money. Now he’s finally back in a car with the best equipment in the business and with a championship winning team in Stewart-Haas Racing (SHR). Don’t call it a comeback, because he never really left.

    8. Brad Keselowski

    The 2012 Champ started off 2013 wrong and it just kept getting worse and worse. Part of the problem has to have been Roush-Yates engines not being ready to support two more full time teams, as the Fords in general struggled this year.

    7. Tony Stewart

    Okay, he might be a strange choice to be in the top 10, but let me explain. I think he’s one of the best pure drivers in NASCAR, and I think he’s going to enter this season ready to make up for lost time.

    6. Jeff Gordon

    Just missing out on a top five spot in 2013, Gordon’s Chase personified his career the past few years. He’ll do consistently well, even winning a race, before something happens, in this case, a wreck at Texas on lap 75. If you don’t count that, he’s in the top 15 in every single race from Bristol onward.

    5. Matt Kenseth

    Yes, I know I’m going to get a lot of hate mail for this. It seems really strange having the runner-up in points who won seven races last year, only fifth, but I think the runner-up hangover is just too strong to get over. Bowyer couldn’t, Edwards couldn’t, and it’s still affecting Hamlin four years later. I don’t see how he’s going to be that different.

    4. Kyle Busch

    The 18 team are the Dallas Cowboys of NASCAR. They either fail to make the playoffs against all odds, or they do and choke away the championship either way.  And like Dallas, it’s really sad to see it happen, because outside of the play-offs they are supremely talented and always a threat every week. You also either love them or hate them. There is very little middle ground.

    3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

    I think Earnhardt’s big problem this year is the new crew chief search. That will always distract a driver when it happens to them, in some way. It’s a shame too, because he and Letarte finally started clicking together this season, the final eight races in particular.

    2. Kevin Harvick

    The only problem Harvick might have next season is that SHR is spreading itself a bit thin. Otherwise, he has all the momentum and now he’s in absolute top of the line equipment, not the RCR stuff that only he can win with.

    1. Jimmie Johnson

    Who were you expecting to be up here? If Jimmie wins nine races and the championship this season, he’ll match Earnhardt Sr. in wins and championships in roughly five less full-time seasons. And the scary thing is that I think nobody in the entire sport would be shocked if he has that kind of season. Case in point: his worst finish in the Chase was a 13th at Talladega, the place where luck takes priority over talent or equipment. Other than that, he had seven top-fives, a sixth at Kansas and a ninth at Homestead, where he was more concerned with finishing the race rather than getting the best result possible. Can anybody stop Johnson? Possibly but I wouldn’t bet on it.

  • Marshall’s Madness: Rookies vs. Veterans

    Marshall’s Madness: Rookies vs. Veterans

    The quest begins as a multitude of drivers strap into their machines this season hoping and praying for a victory and the overall goal, a championship. Many competitors are seeking their first career win and championship, including Kyle Larson, Austin Dillon and other young rising stars. However, they’ll be competing against veterans of the sport, like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and other former champions. Youth vs. experience will begin this season and it’s bound to be one of the best brawls NASCAR has ever witnessed. There’s only one question remaining. Who will prevail?

    Jimmie Johnson will continue his dominant career after winning his sixth championship last season. The expectations won’t be raised this year for Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, but certainly won’t be lowered. Johnson’s a championship away from being tied with Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt for the most championships in NASCAR history. However, talent is swarming through the racing ranks, meaning time could be running short for Johnson to tie Petty and Earnhardt. But, if there is anyone who can do it, it’s certainly Johnson.

    Austin Dillon sails into NASCAR’s top series anticipating immediate success. He’s already made headlines when he and Grandfather Richard Childress decided to bring back the iconic No. 3 – which was driven by Dale Earnhardt and wasn’t expected to return to the series. He’s a former Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series champion and will attempt to become the first competitor to win a title in each of NASCAR’s top three divisions. Dillon and Larson will headline the rookie drivers this season but they’re just two of the seven ROY (Rookie of The Year) contenders. Regardless of the yellow stripes on his bumpter, many drivers don’t consider Dillon a rookie driver. He’s experienced and determined to become a successful driver and deliver the hardware back to Richard Childress Racing.  ‘

    Johnson and Dillon are considered the leaders in their classes, obviously Johnson leading the veterans and Dillon the rookies. However, many other drivers won’t be defeated easily.

    Below I’ve ranked the top five drivers, in my mind, that are the greatest in their classes at this juncture. We’re entitled to our opinion meaning if you don’t agree, then comment with your top five below!

     

    Top Five Rookie Drivers

    1. Austin Dillon
    2. Kyle Larson
    3. Parker Kligerman
    4. Michael Annett
    5. Cole Whitt

     

     Top Five Veteran Drivers

    1. Jimmie Johnson
    2. Kevin Harvick
    3. Matt Kenseth
    4. Kyle Busch
    5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Sprint Cup, Nationwide Rookies Show Promise In Testing

    Sprint Cup, Nationwide Rookies Show Promise In Testing

    The cars are on the track, the teams are meticulously preparing their race cars for the beginning of the 2014 season, and the rookies are outshining the veterans, at least in testing. Starting with the Sprint Cup Series, Austin Dillon, the 2013 Nationwide Series Champion, had the fastest car in Sprint Cup Preseason Thunder Testing at 195.109 mph. He was followed by his RCR teammate and fellow rookie Brian Scott.

    Fans were delighted to see the eldest Dillon brother rise to the top of the speed charts since his car carries the prestigious number 3 on the doors. Fellow rookie competitor Kyle Larson was fifth quickest at 193.411 mph.

    As for the Nationwide Series, the story remains the same. The rookies are showing a lot of promise and one driver has shown that he is the clear favorite for the pole if not the win: Dylan Kwasniewski. In the Saturday morning test at Daytona, Kwasniewski was had the fastest car, posting a speed of 183.408 mph. He was also fastest in Sunday’s morning test and was the only driver to break the 190-mph barrier. Kwasniewski, who was the 2013 K&N Pro Series East Champion, was also ninth in the Saturday evening session. Fellow Nationwide rookies Chase Elliott and Chad Boat paced the Saturday and Sunday afternoon sessions respectively.

    So the question remains: What does this all mean? In reality, not much, other than the fact that Austin Dillon and Dylan Kwasniewski are major threats to win the pole in their respective series. Other than that, it’s too early to determine whether or not Dillon or Kwasniewski (or any other rookie) will actually win a couple of races in 2014.

    However, I will predict that Austin Dillon will win a race in 2014, which will most likely come on a restrictor plate track. How will much-hyped Kyle Larson fair in 2014? It’s very difficult to say, but something tells me that his season might be statistically similar to Ricky Stenhouse’s season last year. So, are these test speeds foreshadowing great things to come for the 2014 NASCAR Rookie Class? Only time will tell.

  • The Earnhardt Legacy Continues to Evolve

    The Earnhardt Legacy Continues to Evolve

    With Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona International Speedway, thoughts of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and his legacy on the sport of NASCAR are only natural.

    Yet, in spite of his being gone for thirteen years now, with his fatal crash in the Daytona 500 in 2001, his legacy continues to not only live on but evolve significantly.

    One of the biggest evolutions in the legacy of Dale Earnhardt Sr. is of course the return of his infamous No. 3 car to the track with Richard Childress’ grandson Austin Dillon behind the wheel.

    Both Childress and Dillon were most mindful of their impact on the Earnhardt legacy as they made the announcement prior to the start of the season.

    “I know in my heart, today, as I sit here, Dale Earnhardt is smiling down,” Childress said. “He would want to see this 3.”

    Childress also stated that he believes the return of the No. 3 car actually will serve to preserve the legacy of his friend ‘The Intimidator’ and will provide teachable moments about his place in the sport to new and the new and up and coming fan base.

    “My hope is that Dale Earnhardt fans will be re-energized,” Childress said. “We are going to do our best to make them proud and I know Austin will.”

    “I think the new fans will learn a lot about the great Dale Earnhardt by watching this.”

    Indeed, the No. 3 car has indeed been the talk of the town during preseason testing, atop the speed charts at 195.109 mph when the rain finally stopped enough for the Cup cars to take the track.

    An additional evolution in the Earnhardt legacy occurred this week with the announcement of the dropping of the Earnhardt name from the Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates banner.

    While Dale Earnhardt’s widow Teresa Earnhardt has not been involved in the ongoing operations of the team, it is unclear what, if any, her role is moving forward.

    “It’s been an honor to have the Earnhardt name affiliated with our team,” Chip Ganassi Racing President Steve Lauletta said. “Dale and Teresa have done a tremendous amount for the sport.”

    “We’ll continue to do business with those (DEI) companies,” Lauletta continued. “The relationship with Teresa and DEI was a benefit to the organization and we certainly want to continue to be affiliated with them.”

    “But for our partners and for the way we operate the organization, we’re changing the brand to Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates.”

    While the Earnhardt name may be going away at the Cup level, the legacy continues on with another team that is affiliated with that famous moniker, JR Motorsports.

    This team, headed by General Manager Kelley Earnhardt Miller, daughter of Dale Earnhardt, Sr., recently announced their new up and coming driver Chase Elliott. The 18 year old will be behind the wheel of the No. 9 NAPA car in the Nationwide Series and will team with Regan Smith.

    “This will be the strongest lineup we’ve put on the track since we started racing full time in 2006,” JRM General Manger Kelley Earnhardt Miller said. “He’s that good.”

    Another major evolution in the Earnhardt legacy occurred this week as well, with the announcement that NASCAR’s most popular driver and reigning Earnhardt heir Dale Junior will be losing his crew chief Steve Letarte in 2015.

    NBC Sports made it official that Letarte will be joining the network in the broadcast booth, leaving the pit box of Earnhardt Jr. after this season.

    “I had a pretty good understanding what his decision was going to be when I left Homestead, so I’ve had time to really wrap my brain around it,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It was a huge shock at first, just for me personally.”

    “I sat down with him and talked about it, the more it made sense and the more I understood his situation and I could put my own selfishness aside and kind of understand what was important to him and how this was good for him.”

    While Dale Earnhardt Jr. is experiencing his own changes, the next generation of Earnhardts are experiencing their own evolutions on the track.

    Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt Sr., announced this week that he will be racing full-time in the Nationwide Series. The 24 year old driver will be behind the wheel of the No. 4 Chevrolet, teaming up with Landon Cassill, for JD Motorsports.

    “It’s a great opportunity for me,” Jeffrey Earnhardt said. “This sport runs in my family, and it’s where I want to be every week.”

    “Racing with Johnny and Gary and the guys will give me a shot at running well every week and adding on the experience I need.”

    The final cog in the Earnhardt legacy evolution is another grandchild, however, this one is female. Twelve year old Karsyn Elledge, daughter of Kelley Earnhardt Miller, has been making her own name in the sport, racing her grandfather’s No. 3 in sprint cars with sponsor Nickelodeon.

    “I didn’t get to meet him, but I know that it makes my mom and my dad proud that I run this number,” Earnhardt Elledge said. “I’ve only heard how great it was with this number and this legacy and I am excited to carry it on.”

    Perhaps Dale Earnhardt Jr. summed up the evolution of the Earnhardt legacy best, as he discussed the changes in his own professional career including his crew chief.

    “Life is full of change,” Junior said. “And we have to adjust and be able to move forward.”

  • NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Austin Dillon

    NOTES FROM THE NASCAR NATION: Austin Dillon

    From the very moment Richard Childress Racing (RCR) announced that driver Austin Dillon was moving up to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and would be in the No. 3 Chevrolet, the response was immediate among the NASCAR media and the fans of the sport.

    When the official press conference was held last fall and the cover was removed from the No. 3, the pressure was on for young Austin Dillon. That was perfectly understandable and he expected it.

    He also responded to the pressure in a very big way during the Friday, January 10th, NASCAR Preseason Thunder test at Daytona International Speedway. Dillon turned a practice lap of 195.109 mph. That effort placed him on top of a 41 car speed chart and that’s where he stayed throughout the practice session.

    Everyone was watching. That No. 3 got a lot of Fox Sports 1 television time throughout the day and Dillon was highly sought after for interviews.

    “I’m honored to be in the 3,” said Dillon, adding, “this is special and walking into this (NASCAR Sprint) Cup garage this weekend is pretty cool. There are so many heroes in this garage for me, and just being in this garage is going to be pressure.”

    That black No. 3 RCR Chevrolet is, of course, forever linked to the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. who won nearly all of his seven NASCAR championships in that ride. It was also that same black No. 3 that elevated Richard Childress to team owner super status. That alone has created a lot of reverence towards that particular car and number.

    All throughout the 2013 NASCAR season, there was a lot of speculation that said Childress was seriously considering the return of the iconic No. 3 Chevrolet.

    Some of the immediate fan reaction praised the resurrection of the return of a car, number and paint job that created so much racing history. Some said NASCAR should have officially retired the number, following Earnhardt’s tragic death back in 2001. Still others said what’s the big deal? It’s only a number. These are all valid points.

    You also have to consider the thought that there are two additional big winners, besides Dillon and Childress, connected to the return of the No. 3. That would be the team’s primary sponsors, Dow Chemicals and Cheerios.

    That fact was evident based on the large number of live television shots of the No. 3 during the Daytona test session. Dillon and his No. 3 Chevrolet clearly will be generating a lot of attention all through 2014 and that’s going to translate into some huge publicity numbers for any company that has its logo on the car. In fact, it’s safe to say that the last time any driver and car generated this much attention was the arrival of Danica Patrick to NASCAR racing.

    Despite all of this attention and any sense of pressure that may come with it, Austin Dillon seems to be cool, calm and collected. He certainly proved it during the Daytona test.

    We will all be watching this driver and team throughout the season and don’t be too surprised if some very impressive accomplishments comes early and often from Dillon and the return of the No. 3.

  • Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking Back at NASCAR’s 2013

    Looking back at the 2013 season, NASCAR had the usual ups and downs but this year would be different. NASCAR unveiled its new GEN-6 car to mixed reviews and fans waiting to see what this new car would bring to actual racing.

    It started with the horrific wreck during the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) season opener at Daytona International Speedway (DIS).  Unfortunately, we watched the same scene played out at most restrictor plate tracks like Daytona, only this time when the “big one” happened the fence didn’t hold and fans were hurt, some seriously.  Everyone waited and listened the rest of the day for updates on those injured and looked back in amazement that the car of Kyle Larson, which had hit the fence, was destroyed, yet he walked away.

    The next day at the Daytona 500 we all waited and watched, held our breath and prayed that the scene the day before would not repeat itself and thankfully it didn’t. The 55th running of the Daytona 500 went off without any major issues with Jimmie Johnson in his 400th start taking the prize. That perhaps was a sign of the year to come.

    It was the fifth race of the season in Fontana, California that Joey Logano and Denny Hamlin got together with six laps to go and ended up wrecking each other. Denny Hamlin suffered a compression fracture in his back that most thought would sideline the driver for the season.  But Hamlin worked hard at his recovery and was able to return to race at Talladega.

    Talladega was a rainy day and eventually the race was red flagged due to the rain. The red flag was three hours and 36 minutes long and darkness had started to fall but with the rain stopped, NASCAR made the decision to go ahead and race. A late race caution bunched the field up with 20 to go. By this time the skies were even darker and the “big one” happened sending Kurt Busch flipping and landing on top of Ryan Newman’s car. In all 14 cars were involved and Newman went on to criticize NASCAR for continuing the race in the dark.

    It was at Iowa Speedway where Tony Stewart crashed hard into a car that spun in front of him. Stewart was taken to the hospital where it was determined by doctors that he had broken both his tibia and fibula in his lower right leg. Stewart would be sidelined for the rest of the season, after undergoing several surgeries and then physical therapy, so that he would be ready for the 2014 season.

    There was a lot of hype over Danica Patrick joining the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) for the 2013 season. There was a lot of expectation put on her but she was still a rookie and ended up with a best finish of 8th, her only top-10 finish, which came in the Daytona 500 where she had also won the pole.  Her boyfriend, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, competed with Patrick for Rookie of the Year in which Stenhouse took home the prize.

    Jamie McMurray won at Talladega, his second at that track, and his seventh win overall in his NSCS career. The win snapped a 108 winless streak for McMurray.

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. would see the 2013 season close without a win.  But it was a consistent season overall and he ended up fifth in the series standings.

    We had the announcement that Mark Martin had decided to retire along with Ken Schrader. Martin ended a long career with NASCAR starting in 1981 in North Wilkesboro and giving him a career with 40 wins, 453 top 10′s and 56 poles. Schrader started his career in 1984 in Nashville and went on to have four wins, 184 top 10′s, and 23 poles. NASCAR will not be the same without these drivers and they will both be missed in 2014.

    To everyone’s astonishment we also had what was dubbed “Spingate” which was Michael Waltrip Racing’s (MWR) attempt to manipulate the chase for the championship. This not only marred MWR but their reputation was further damaged by Clint Bowyer who is believed to have spun to cause a caution in order to get a teammate into the chase.  These issues actually made NASCAR add a 13th spot to the chase, to the benefit of Jeff Gordon being that 13th driver. This put another mark on NASCAR for adding the 13th spot but with the chase outcome in question, it was the only course of action NASCAR could see to attempt to right what MWR had attempted to change. The biggest loser in that whole deal was Martin Truex Jr. who had done no wrong but paid a penalty all the same.

    Matt Kenseth probably had one of his best years of his career and in the end was truly the only driver in contention with Johnson to take home the big prize. Kevin Harvick, having a good run of his own, was unable to catch Kenseth and Johnson. Kenseth did everything he could and came out strong at the end but it was Johnson who would bring home the 2013 Sprint Cup Series trophy, the sixth of his career, making him at the moment the only driver with the chance to tie or surpass Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt’s seven championships.

    When we look back on the year there were tragedies as well.

    On June 12th 2013 on a Wednesday night we heard of a serious crash at Bridgeport Speedway involving former NASCAR driver Jason Leffler in a Sprint car. We would find out later that Jason “LEFturn” Leffler had died from the injuries that he sustained in the accident. He left behind one son, five year old Charlie. The biggest tragedy of all is learning that if Sprint cars used the same neck restraints as NASCAR does, he may have survived the accident.

    It was May 16th that I learned of the death of my friend, Richard Leroy Trickle, aka Dick Trickle; he had taken his own life after years of struggling with chronic pain. He had raced in NASCAR becoming the oldest Rookie of the Year at age 48 in 1989. He was best known for his career in the Midwest. Known best as “the White Knight,” it is estimated that he ran well over 2,200 races in his Midwest short track career and his many loyal fans will remember not how he died, but how he lived.  He will be remembered wearing snakeskin boots, a cigarette in one hand, and a cup of coffee or barley pop (beer) in the other, signing autographs and even going down to his knees to be eye level with children who wanted an autograph.

    With a new season beginning, questions remain to be answered.

    • What will the 2014 NASCAR season bring?
    • Which rookie will come out on top, maybe Kyle Larson or perhaps Parker Kligerman?
    • Who will win their first race this season?
    • Will Austin Dillon, driving the number three, live up to the expectations of fans that are waiting to see if he will do the number three proud?
    • Who will take it all? Matt Kenseth or maybe it will be Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s breakout year, or will it be Jimmie Johnson again, tying that seventh championship.
    • What new rivalries will form, and what old rivalries will manage to put it behind them?

    Hopefully in 2014 there will be no injuries or tragedies as we’ve seen this year. Perhaps it will be NASCAR’s best year yet. We won’t have to wait long as it’s right around the corner!

  • NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories

    The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.

    Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte

    The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.

    Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.

    “I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.

    “We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”

    Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing

    Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.

    When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.

    But appearances can be deceiving.

    During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.

    It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.

    “The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”

    Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.

    Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race

    The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations.  It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.

    Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.

    The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.

    Biggest Controversy:  The September 7th race at Richmond International Raceway

    The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.

    But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.

    Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”

    Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.

    Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.

    Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson

    Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each.  Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.

    There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?

    Best Move: Matt Kenseth

    Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.

    “Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.

    “We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”

    Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.

    Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.

    When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.

    After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.

    “It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”

    He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.

    “Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”

    Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel

    Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.

    Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.

    While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.

    In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.

    Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.

    Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.

    “I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”

    Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

    “It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”

    These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?

     

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Homestead Ford EcoBoost 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Homestead Ford EcoBoost 400

    With the crowning of just one last champion to join Matt Crafton, Truck Series Champion, and Austin Dillon, Nationwide Series Champion, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the final race of the season, the Ford EcoBoost 400, at Florida’s Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    Surprising:  For someone used to winning championships, especially after his sixth, Jimmie Johnson was surprisingly emotional in Victory Lane, especially as he remembered his grandmother who had passed away and when he saw his wife and daughter Genevieve appear to congratulate him.

    “I know there was an angel, at least one, but maybe four angles riding on this car,” the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet said. “My Grandmother passed away a month or so ago, and I am without grandparents now which is a sad thing.”

    “But, I know my Grandma and my other grandparents were helping me guide this car around this car around the track,” Johnson continued. “This one is for her.”

    “She was my biggest fan.”

    Johnson became most emotional when he talked about his wife and mother of his two children Chandra.

    “She is the strongest woman on the planet,” Johnson said. “She makes me who I am, and makes me a better man.”

    “She does a fantastic job raising these kids and keeping me in line; I am her third kid,” Johnson continued. “I am so thankful to have her as wife.”

    “We are going to have a lot of fun and enjoy this moment.”

    Johnson finished the Homestead race in the ninth position, which put him 19 points ahead of Kenseth for the Sprint Cup championship. This was the 11th championship for Hendrick Motorsports and makes Johnson only one of three competitors, including Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt, to win six or more championships.

    Not Surprising:  There were at least two drivers, the second and third place finishers at Homestead-Miami Speedway, that along with many fans have one simple wish – that the season would not end.

    “For me, when you’re running good, you kind of don’t want the season to end in a way,” Matt Kenseth, runner up in the last race and in the championship, said. “You want to keep going to the track.”

    “To me as I get older, the seasons go faster and faster honestly,” Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota, continued. “It was more fun this season so in a way, you don’t want it to end.”

    Third place finisher Dale Earnhardt Jr. could not agree with Kenseth more.

    “Ever since I started working with Steve (Letarte, crew chief) and that whole team, I hadn’t wanted the year to end,” the driver of the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet said. “We seem to get better as the season goes.”

    “You would just love to go to another race next week.”

    Surprising:  After a surprisingly tough season of injury, recovery and struggles, Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Express Toyota, scored his first victory in the last race of the year. This was Hamlin’s second win in nine races at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

    “It was just an amazing drive,” Hamlin said. “Just proud of Darian (Grubb, crew chief) and this whole team for giving me a race-winning car.”

    “It just gives us huge momentum,” Hamlin continued. “We started kicking things into gear about two months ago and then last week with a horrific effort and that kind of gets your spirits down, but then to come here to Miami and back it up with a win — this is something we can think about for the entire winter.”

    Not Surprising:  The reigning champ of 2012, Brad Keselowski, was the highest finishing Ford, bringing the Blue Deuce to the checkered flag in the sixth position.

    “We definitely had the car on the short runs, but just weren’t close on the long runs,” Keselowski said of his last race of the season. “If we could have got the long run speed to go with the short run speed, we would have killed them tonight, but we just didn’t have that.”

    Even with a solid top-ten finish, Keselowski could not help but reflect on the championship year that ended when Jimmie Johnson hoisted the champion’s trophy.

    “A champion is forever,” Keselowski said thoughtfully. “It might not be reining, but you’re still a champion forever.”

    “I’m proud of that.”

    Surprising:  Kevin Harvick is looking forward to a surprisingly new adventure with now former team owner Richard Childress.

    “I think Martinsville brought a lot of things to a head and we were able to talk about a lot of things,” Harvick said of the controversy between him and Childress. “Really this was the way I would want to leave with everybody shaking hands and happy that we have been together and been successful together.”

    “I can’t wait for our first hunt together as friends,” Harvick continued. “That will be good times.”

    Harvick, in his last race with the ‘ole two niner’ finished tenth at Homestead and third in the championship points, 34 points behind six-time winner Jimmie Johnson.

    Not Surprising:   In his first year with Penske Racing and with an eighth place finish in the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Ford at Homestead, Joey Logano pronounced his year good.

    “I’m more impressed with our year,” Logano said. “We did a good job this year and learned a lot about each other, and learned a lot about where we could have done a better job in races and where we need to improve next year and where to work on our cars during the off-season.”

    “I had a lot of fun this year and this was my best season personally,” Logano continued. “We’ve got areas we need to improve and we’ll do it.”

    Logano also had a significant moment off the track to top off the 2013 season as he got engaged as well.

    Surprising:  One of the most surprising moments of the race occurred when Paul Menard, who had sustained damage during a wild restart, came to pit road in flames. The right rear tire then exploded sending parts and pieces flying throughout pit road.

    Thankfully no one, including the driver of the No. 27 MOEN/Menards Chevrolet, was injured. Menard, who at times was in the top-five running order, finished 39th.

    “That was pretty wild,” Menard said. “We were having a great day.”

    “On that restart, everybody kind of checked up and we got some right rear damage and had a flat tire,” Menard continued. “I guess a bunch of rubber got wrapped up underneath around the axle I guess.”

    “Came in a couple of times trying to fix the damage and try to get the rubber off,” Menard said. “We didn’t get it all and I guess it just caught fire.”

    “I didn’t really know it until there was a little bit of spark coming in the car and landed on the window net, thought that was kind of weird,” Menard continued. “About a lap later they said I was on fire; I lost my brakes, then the damn wheel blew right off (the car).”

    Not Surprising:  Even four-time champions can make a mistake or two and Jeff Gordon did just that, spinning his wheels on a restart, with almost catastrophic results for at least one of the championship contenders.

    “Yeah, I was trying to get some momentum and he (Denny Hamlin) checked up and it just messed the whole thing up and I got wheel spin,” Gordon said. “That is the second time this year I have done that right in front of Matt (Kenseth) and he has drove right into the back of me and about wrecked us both.”

    “The last thing I would want to do in front of Matt is that, but you can’t run into the guy you know,” Gordon continued. “It was a bad unfortunate situation and it just trickles on back from there.”

    “It could have been even worse.”

    Surprising:  Danica Patrick had a surprisingly good run for the last race of the season and in fact was the highest finishing rookie in 20th. This was Patrick’s eighth top-20 of her rookie 2013 season.

    “It’s one thing to have the yellow stripe on the car,” Patrick said. “It’s another thing with all the things being a rookie signifies, which a lot is, ‘I don’t know what I’m doing.’

    So I think that’s what I’m most pleased about is, now I’ve done the whole season, I’ve gone to every track and learned a lot about a lot of things — not just cars but about the team — and it just makes me more prepared for the future.”

    Not Surprising:  Even with Patrick finishing ahead of him, boyfriend Ricky Stenhouse Jr. still scored the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rookie of the Year honors.

    “It means a lot, looking at all the other names that have won this award,” Stenhouse Jr. said. “It definitely wasn’t the season that we wanted, but we slowly but surely got better throughout the season.”

    “I was proud of what we did throughout the season, of getting better, qualifying better, having runs up front, and leading laps throughout the year,” the driver of the No. 17 Ford EcoBoost Ford said. “Thought we had a chance at winning some races there, at least being in contention.”

    “I was proud of those moments.”

    This concludes the Surprising and Not Surprising column for the 2013 season. Thanks for all the reads and comments, have a great holiday season, and cheers to an exciting 2014 season, coming in just 100 days at Daytona!

     

  • Dillon wins championship amidst controversial finish

    Dillon wins championship amidst controversial finish

    Brad Keselowski won the Ford Ecoboost 300, but that win was overshadowed by a championship wrapped in controversy.

    Austin Dillon struggled with handling problems most of the night. His team led by crew chief, Danny Stockman, made several of adjustments throughout the race and managed to help the car significantly.

    As the race progressed, Dillon slowly and methodically worked his way toward the front. Even with the improvements, however, he was still a couple of points behind Sam Hornish Jr. who was running in the top-5 for most of the night.

    Race strategy came into play as the eighth caution of the night came out on lap 155. The Stockman led team of Dillon, were watching Hornish to see if they would take tires or wait. Their plan was to copy whatever the No. 12 car did. Hornish’s team installed their last set of Goodyear sticker tires and Dillon’s team followed suit. Several other teams chose to save their final sets until later. This would be a key factor later in the race.

    Regan Smith made contact and brought out the final caution on lap 184 when Regan Smith made contact with Jeremy Clements causing a multi-car crash on the frontstretch. The team who had saved their tires hit pit road to bolt their final sets on and make final adjustments. This set up a scenario where cars that were already as fast as Dillon, now had the extra benefit of fresh tires. Hornish looked to be in good shape as these cars would have had plenty of time to overtake Dillon and give Hornish the cushion he needed to clinch the title.

    The controversy came when it became obvious that the cleanup on the frontstretch would take longer than expected. In a move that has been questioned by many, NASCAR chose not to throw red flag. The field was allowed to run under caution for twelve laps. The race was not restarted until lap 196. If the red had been thrown, the race could have been restarted with at least ten to go, giving the contenders much more time to race for the title.

    Dillon talked about his race and his championship, “I was very close to wrecking that car trying to get more speed out of it, I hit the wall that one time and I told myself, I said if I go out there and the wall the next lap and take ourselves out of this championship, I’m giving it to him. I got to make it to the end and it worked out.”

    When asked about seeing Hornish right in front of him on the restarts, Dillon replied, “Do everything I could do to put stress on him. Make sure that he knew I was there. The last one, I knew with five to go our car was good enough. If I could somehow get him off his rocker, get him frustrated somehow, it would work.”

    A disappointed Hornish commented about the season and the night, “You can’t give away points throughout the year like we did at times – some was the driver’s fault and some was out of our control. We had it for most of the night and I knew that Austin was obviously trying to take care of the everything and make sure that he made it to the end, and then you had the late caution and a lot of guys had tires and came.”

    When asked about all of the caution laps at the end of the race, Hornish replied, “What can I say? Any other time there probably would have been a caution. It’s just one of those things that it wasn’t meant to be tonight so we’ll just take what we learned and try to do the best with it for here on out.”

    The decision to not throw the red flag completely altered the scenario for the race. If the race had restarted with ten to go, Hornish would have the upper hand. By waiting until four to go, Dillon did not have to fend off the challengers with new tires, making the path to the championship much easier.

    Robin Pemberton was asked why the decision was made to not throw the red flag. Pemberton responded, “It really looked like it was going to be a typical clean-up, a typical wreck. You know, you had two cars that had a lot of damage and both of them dumped quite a bit of oil. There was no need to throw a red.  We felt like we could get it in a normal lap segment of that. You know, unfortunately there was a lot of oil – it looked like it kept either seeping back up out of the race track or whatever from the car that was on the outside of the wall. And you know, we went one to go a handful of times trying to get the track ready.”  When asked if there was a time constraint due to TV he replied, “No, there was nothing like that.” Unfortunately, Pemberton was not asked why they did not throw the red once it was realized the clean-up was not typical.

    In this writer’s opinion, we have not been given a valid reason why twelve of the final sixteen laps of the final race of the season, with so much on the line from driver’s championship to owner’s championship to manufacturer’s championship, should have been ran under caution. This was a bad call all around, and there is no other way to say it.

    There needs to be a much more clearly defined policy regarding this situation. The series can never plan for every variable, but it usually reacts very well when a scenario sheds light on a problem. This is one of those times. This championship will always have an asterisk beside of it in the minds of many. Hopefully, NASCAR will rectify the problem and prevent it from happening in the future.