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  • The Players – The Best Teams’ 2018 Lineup in NASCAR Cup

    The Players – The Best Teams’ 2018 Lineup in NASCAR Cup

    It’s only a short time until the annual Media Tour at the Hall of Fame in Charlotte. We will learn a lot there, but a couple things are obvious. There will be 24 major teams running next year (10 Fords, nine Chevrolets, and five Toyotas). Each camp has stars in their lineup, but Toyota’s dominance of the 2017 season (with only six competitive cars) is favored. Let’s look at each team’s lineup.

    Chevrolet has the four Hendrick Motorsports cars. HMS fell on hard times last year despite their dominance for several years. Jimmie Johnson will be back in the Lowe’s Camaro. You read that right. The older SS they have fun the last few years is no longer being manufactured, so a change had to be made. Besides, finding a dealer with a Chevy SS was about as hard as finding a needle in a haystack anyway. After Johnson, the rest of the team will be made up of a group of youngsters. Chase Elliott is back, this time taking his father’s No. 9, William Byron, in the 24, and Alex Bowman in the 88. Of this team, only Johnson has ever won a Cup race. You might call this a rebuilding year for HMS.

    Richard Childress Racing will field the 31 for Ryan Newman, the 3 for Austin Dillon, and the 27, with the driver rumored to be Brennan Poole, but nothing has been announced. Both Newman and Dillon won races last year.

    Chip Ganassi Racing will feature Kyle Larson in the 42, coming off an excellent season. Jamie McMurray will be back in the No. 1 Chevrolet.

    Ford will field one more competitive car in 2018. Team Penske has expanded to three cars with Brad Keselowski in the No. 2 and Joey Logano in the No.22 Fords. Ryan Blaney, who earned his first victory in 2017 with the Wood Brothers will pilot the No. 12 Ford. The team’s alliance with the Wood Brothers continues with Paul Menard taking over the driving chores. Penske bought a charter for the No. 12 from Roush Fenway Racing, meaning the No. 16 is not coming back. The Charter was leased to the No. 37 JTG Daugherty team last year.

    Roush Fenway will see their improved team have the same driver lineup. Trevor Bayne in the No. 6 and Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the No. 17. Stenhouse won two restrictor plate races in 2017 and Bayne won the Daytona 500 in 2011.

    Stewart-Haas Racing will see it’s lineup jumbled somewhat. The Ford team will have Aric Almirola move over from the Richard Petty Motorsports No. 43 and drive the No. 10, formerly driven by Danica Patrick. Otherwise, things stay the same with 2017 Final Four driver Kevin Harvick in the No.4, Clint Bowyer in the 14, and Kurt Busch in the 41.

    Toyota saw its field go down a car this year. The Joe Gibbs Racing stable will have the 11 with Denny Hamlin, the 19 with Daniel Suarez, the 18 with Kyle Busch, and Erik Jones, who raced for Furniture Row Racing in 2017 in the No. 20. Much like Team Penske does with the Wood Brothers, Furniture Row and 2017 champ Martin Truex, Jr. will field the 78 Toyota. Furniture Row did not have sponsorship for the No. 77 car, so Toyota’s stable goes from six to five for 2018

    These are the teams that I predict will land in victory lane in 2018. Oh, we may get a surprise winner, but these 24 teams will battle race in and race out for the checkers. We will know more in a couple of weeks when the teams meet with the media in Charlotte, but this how I see it now. A big hole was left in the sport with the retirements of Dale Earnhardt Jr, Danica Patrick and Matt Kenseth at the end of the year. How many will stay away from the sport because these drivers are not in the lineup? Time will tell.

  • The View From My Recliner: Pre-Clash Edition

    The View From My Recliner: Pre-Clash Edition

    After taking the holidays to recharge and fight this never ending cold, it’s time to park myself in the recliner and share my view of what is going on in the world of NASCAR.

    To be honest, the view right now is foggy at best. There are a ton of questions that need to be answered. Some we will never find out the true answer (How long is the contract with Monster Energy and how much did they pay to sponsor the premiere series?) and many others we will find out on the track.

    Last year, the Charter system was going to help give owners something tangible for their teams if they decide to get out. This off-season, we have watched so many charters move around that it is hard to figure out who actually owns charters.

    According to NASCAR.com, here is the updated charter shuffle as we get close to the Clash.

    Premium Motorsports sold this Charter to Furniture Row Racing for its second team, the No. 77. In 2016, the Charter was leased by the No. 46 team of HScott Motorsports.

    Richard Petty Motorsports is leasing the No. 44 Charter to the No. 32 team of Go Fas Racing in 2017 and Roush Fenway Racing will lease the No. 16 Charter to JTG Daugherty Racing’s newly formed second team (No. 37) in 2017.

    Near the end of the 2016 season, Tommy Baldwin Racing sold its Charter to Leavine Family Racing.

    HScott Motorsports’ No. 15 Charter was sold to Premium Motorsports and Go Fas Racing is leasing the No. 32 Charter to the No. 21 team of Wood Brothers Racing.

    Circle Sport and The Motorsports Group merged operations to field the No. 33 team with the Charter Circle Sport had. In 2016, Circle Sport partnered with Leavine Family Racing to field the No. 95 for the season.

    BK Racing sold the No. 83 Charter to Front Row Motorsports, who is leasing the Charter to TriStar Motorsports for the 2017 season.

    This charter shuffling makes me worry about the sport’s future. That is something we can attack later in the season.

    Three big questions in 2017:

    1. Will the new even lower downforce package help the racing product?
    2. How big are the sponsor issues at Stewart-Haas Racing with plenty of inventory available on the 10 and 14 cars?
    3. Will there be a surprise driver who makes the playoffs like Chris Buescher did in 2016?

    Three things I think will happen:

    1. Dodge will announce they will return to the sport with a surprise team in the lead of the effort.
    2. Danica Patrick will be replaced at Stewart-Haas Racing by Matt Kenseth.
    3. William Byron replaces Kasey Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports, Erik Jones replaces Kenseth at Joe Gibbs Racing and Kahne replaces Jones at Furniture Row Racing.

    Enjoy the wreck fest this Saturday and we’ll talk next week with my thoughts on the Clash and the new race formats.

  • Blaney Rebounds with Sixth Place Finish at Las Vegas

    Blaney Rebounds with Sixth Place Finish at Las Vegas

    Ryan Blaney drove his No. 21 Wood Brothers Racing Ford to a sixth-place finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, capturing his first top-10 of the season. It was especially gratifying after a last-lap crash at Atlanta the previous week relegated him to a discouraging 25th place result.

    The 22-year-old was also the highest finishing Sunoco Rookie of the Year contender and moved up seven spots to 14th in the series standings.

    “It was good to get a good finish after last week’s disappointment,” he said.

    Blaney began the Sprint Cup Series race in 14th but by lap 36, made his way into the top 10, running as high as fourth on lap 150. It was no easy task considering the high winds and rain that delayed the start of the Kobalt 400.

    “If a gust hit you wrong it was ‘hang on tight’ between (turns) three and four,” he explained. “I actually almost caused a big one on a re-start because a huge gust of wind hit us. It was really unpredictable but the spotter does a great job of telling you what’s going on.”

    Blaney described the incident in more detail in the media center following the race, saying, “I got blown into (turn) three  pretty hard one time and almost took the 88 (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) out and that would have been terrible.”

    Joey Logano, who finished second in the race, quipped, “You would have been hated as much as me, maybe more.”

    Amid laughter, Blaney answered, “That was in my mind actually as I was sliding to him.”

    The finish was not only a morale boost for the team but inspires confidence as they head to next week’s event at Phoenix. Blaney spoke about the impact moving forward.

    “(It was) very significant,” he said. “Especially after Atlanta, last week, getting spun out on the last lap, kind of got us down a lot. To come here and have a solid run all day really ups the spirits. This team is working very well together. We kind of had a trial run last year running part-time. Now we brought in some new personnel this year. They’ve done a great job since Daytona.

    “It’s a big, big accomplishment for the Wood Brothers team today,” Blaney continued, “and hopefully gives us some good momentum for Phoenix.

    “We were good all day,” he emphasized after the race. “We were able to drive up through the field early and we made the car better throughout the day. It’s a great day. It’s a good way to get our season back on track after Atlanta. We had a good run and it always makes you feel good going into next week.”

    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Phoenix International Raceway next weekend as Blaney and the No. 21 team hope to capitalize on their success as the season progresses.

  • Dave and Ryan Blaney Taking Big Steps in the New Year

    Dave and Ryan Blaney Taking Big Steps in the New Year

    Both Dave Blaney and his son Ryan are taking big steps in the New Year, with Ryan stepping into a full-time Cup ride and Dave taking a bit of a different path, stepping more fully back into his dirt track racing roots.

    “This is a big step for Ryan going full-time with the Wood Brothers 21 car and with Team Penske,” Dave Blaney said of his son’s recently announced opportunity. “But there have been lots of big steps along the way here for Ryan. The first big step was getting a great opportunity with Team Penske and Brad Keselowski’s truck team in 2012.”

    “The next big step was to get into the XFINITY car and then came the huge step of moving to the Wood Brothers’ car last year.”

    “And now another step is running full-time. It’s big steps all the way. It’s a big leap for any young driver to do all that.”

    Although he refuses to take any credit for it, Blaney also acknowledged that his son’s calm demeanor has helped him take the steps in his career that have led to his Sprint Cup racing opportunity.

    “Ryan does have a good head on his shoulders and a bit of a mild-mannered approach,” Blaney said. “He doesn’t run a million miles an hour until he hits something. He’s never been that way.”

    “So, that’s helped him through this process because he doesn’t have big setbacks. He is consistent so he doesn’t lose confidence and his team doesn’t lose confidence in him. That part has served him pretty well and that will continue to be that way.”

    While dad Blaney acknowledges that he has been there to guide his son during his rise in racing, he also credits others, such as the Team Penske drivers, as well as his new crew chief for what will be his next steps in the New Year.

    “I think the main thing is Brad took a liking to him and put him on his team and took him under his wing,” Blaney said. “Hanging around with Brad, Joey (Logano), everybody at Team Penske, there are a lot of smart people over there. They have definitely molded him into the driver that he is becoming.”

    “I also really like Jeremy (Bullins, crew chief),” Blaney said. “I’ve known him for a while. I think he’s got a lot of desire, just like Ryan. He is out there to prove himself as well.”

    “Sometimes you wouldn’t think a pretty new crew chief and a pretty new driver is the way to go.  But I think in this case it really is, especially since they have Team Penske to fall back on with their drivers and crew chiefs.”

    “Jeremy and Ryan are two talented guys and together I think they will work well.”

    While dad Blaney plans to be at as many of his son’s races as possible, he too is taking big steps in his racing. His big steps, however, are in a different direction than Ryan’s as he steps back to concentrate more fully on his dirt track racing career.

    “I think I’m planning on being at about half of Ryan’s races this year,” Blaney said. “Part of that is that I’m going to race sprint cars myself on a part-time basis along with that.”

    “I think I have a few years left in dirt racing so I don’t want to miss that. I’ve had my own team the last couple of years but I’ll be driving for Dan Motter this coming year. He’s got a national team, a top team, and he’s wanting to cut back to a part-time schedule. So, that works for both of us.”

    One step that both father and son share is the desire to make it into Victory Lane and to celebrate that accomplishment together. Yet that is something that Dave Blaney is reluctant to even mention for fears of jinxing it.

    “I don’t even want to say anything out loud,” Blaney said. “If I say what I think is going to happen, well I just can’t go there. I do have a feeling of what is going to happen. I think it’s going to be really good for Ryan.”

    “And I am excited about having Chase Elliott in the 24 car and Ryan in the 21 car. I think that’s going to be a cool Rookie of the Year race. And then with Chris Buescher in Cup as well as a rookie, that is going to be something.”

    Most of all, Blaney is humbled to even think about that next steps for his son and his own racing career.

    “I sit with Ryan and think this is incredible that he is taking this next big step in his career,” Blaney said. “I’m really looking forward to it.”

    “He’s going to step up and have a really good year.  And I’ll be there for it.”

  • Wood Brothers Returning to Full Time in 2016

    Wood Brothers Returning to Full Time in 2016

    The Wood Brothers are returning to full-time competition next season.  The team held a press conference at 1:30 p.m. today to make the official announcement. 2016 will be the first full season for NASCAR’s oldest team since 2008.

    Eddie Wood, team co-owner, said that everyone with the team is “beyond excited to make this announcement about going back to full-time competition. It has been something we’ve worked toward since 2009 when we started running limited schedules. I have to thank Ford’s Dave Pericak and Raj Nair, Edsel Ford, our technical alliance partners Team Penske and Roush Yates Engines, as well as everyone at Motorcraft, for working with us to make this day possible. It’ll be fun to see just how good Ryan Blaney, Jeremy Bullins and our team can be over a full season. Lastly, it’ll be great not to have to worry about rain anymore on qualifying day.”

    Ryan Blaney will remain the driver of the No. 21 Ford.  He has been a development driver with Team Penske since 2012. He has four wins in both the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series.

    “This is every driver’s dream come true,” Blaney said, “getting a chance to run for the NASCAR Sprint Cup. I’m really looking forward to running a full schedule with this historic Wood Brothers team and hopefully get them their 99th and 100th wins sooner rather than later.”

    In 15 starts this season for the Wood Brothers, Blaney has one top-five and two top-10 finishes. His best was a fourth-place finish in the GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway in May.

    Motorcraft will remain the team’s main primary sponsor. No announcement has been made on who else will sponsor the car next season.

  • Driver and Team Changes for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season

    Driver and Team Changes for the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season

    As one season ends and a new one approaches, teams begin a self evaluation that often results in changes among key personnel. Here’s your guide to some of the new alliances we will see in 2015.

    Hendrick Motorsports

    Dale Earnhardt Jr.:

    As Steve Letarte departs for the television broadcast booth; Greg Ives will take over the role of crew chief for the No. 88 team. Ives will have big shoes to fill as the pairing of Letarte with Earnhardt in 2011 was the catalyst for resurgence in Earnhardt’s career. He’s coming off his first multiple win season since 2004 and running out of time in the championship hunt.

    While some question his lack of experience in the Cup series, Earnhardt is confident that Ives is the right person for the job.

    “I don’t think it’s a step back, I think it’s a step forward,” he said. “This is a guy that engineered Jimmie (Johnson) to five championships, won the Nationwide Series championship last year, almost won it with Regan (Smith) the year before. Basically, in more than 50 percent of the years he’s been in the sport, he’s won a championship.”

    The No. 88 Chevrolet will also have a new sponsor in the Sprint Cup Series as Nationwide Insurance takes over as Earnhardt’s primary sponsor, replacing National Guard. Nationwide will sponsor 21 races each year of the next three seasons.

    Kasey Kahne:

    Keith Rodden, formerly of Chip Ganassi Racing, will assume crew chief duties for the No. 5 Chevrolet in 2015. Rodden worked with Kahne at Hendrick Motorsports as team engineer from 2004 until 2013. He replaces Kenny Francis who has been with Kahne since the end of 2005.  The successful partnership of Francis and Kahne produced 16 of Kahne’s 17 career Sprint Cup wins but floundered in 2014. Kahne only had one victory and barely made it into the Chase. Francis moves to the new position of vehicle technical director and will also serve as Chase Elliott’s crew chief for five races in 2015.

    “I worked with Keith for years, said Kahne.”We’ve got a great relationship, we’re friends, and it’s exciting to know we’ll be working together full time again. I think he brings a lot to the 5 team.”

    Chase Elliott: After winning the XFINITY championship and becoming the youngest NASCAR Touring Series champion last year, Elliott has been named as Jeff Gordon’s successor in the No. 24 Chevy in 2016. As preparation for that role, he will run five Cup races this season in the No. 25 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet with Kenny Francis by his side as crew chief. Those five races include Martinsville Speedway in March, Richmond International Raceway in April, Charlotte Motor Speedway in May, Indianapolis Motor Speedway in July and Darlington Raceway on Sept. 6.

    Joe Gibbs Racing

    Joe Gibbs Racing ended the 2014 season with only two wins and as Carl Edwards moves from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing in 2015, J.D. Gibbs, president of JGR, is using the opportunity to make some changes.

    “With the expansion of our NASCAR Sprint Cup Series operations to four teams next year with the addition of Carl Edwards,” he stated, “we have been able to take a step back and evaluate each of our teams and make decisions that we feel are best for our organization long term.”

    Kyle Busch:

    Adam Stevens will move from the XFINITY Series where he and Busch combined for 19 wins, to partner with Busch in the Cup Series as crew chief for the No. 18 Toyota.

    Busch had one Cup win in 2014 and advanced to the Chase but was eliminated from championship contention in the second round. The frustration of the season sometimes disintegrated into heated exchanges between Busch and Rogers, undoubtedly putting a strain on their relationship.

    Denny Hamlin:

    Dave Rogers (Busch’s crew chief for five seasons) will join Hamlin’s No. 11 team as crew chief.

    Hamlin scored one victory last season and advanced to the final round of the Chase. He led 50 laps in the championship title race at Homestead-Miami Speedway but Darian Grubb’s decision not to pit for fresh tires late in the race was costly.

    Carl Edwards:

    Edwards, the newest member of the JGR team will be paired with Darian Grubb (Hamlin’s former crew chief) in the No. 19 Toyota.

    Richard Petty Motorsports

    Sam Hornish Jr.: Three-time IndyCar champion Hornish signed a multi-year deal to replace Marcos Ambrose in the No. 9 Ford this year after Ambrose announced his intention to return home to Australia at the end of the 2014 season. Drew Blickensderfer will continue in his position as crew chief.

    Hornish is optimistic about his future stating, “I feel like having the opportunity is great for me, and above and beyond, to be able to drive for Richard Petty now is just awesome. I’ve worked four years to get back to this point, and I feel like as a driver I’ve come a long way. ”

    Roush Fenway Racing

    Trevor Bayne:

    Bob Osborne will return to RFR as the crew chief for the No. 6 when Bayne begins his first full-time Sprint Cup season in 2015. Osborne was Carl Edwards’ longtime crew chief and a guiding force behind his 18 career wins.

    Ricky Stenhouse Jr.:

    After a disappointing season with only one top-five finish, Nick Sandler will take over crew chief duties for the No. 17 of Stenhouse in 2015, replacing Mike Kelley who will continue as car chief.

    “Nick has a strong engineering background with the company”, Jack Roush explained, “and his time working hand-in-hand with Jimmy Fennig over the past few seasons will prove invaluable as he takes the helm of the No. 17.”

    Wood Brothers Racing

    Ryan Blaney:

    Blaney will replace Trevor Bayne as the driver of the famed No. 21 Ford Fusion this year in an expanded 18 race Sprint Cup schedule as Wood Brothers Racing enters its 65th year in NASCAR with a new technical alliance with Team Penske.

    Blaney is optimistic about the upcoming season saying, “We have a very fast car for the 500 and a fast car for this whole year. They’ve worked really hard on our speedway car and they are very confident going into it.

    “Just the history of this car with that race, it would be just amazing. I hope we can pull a Trevor Bayne moment.”

    Jeremy Bullins will reunite with the team to serve as the crew chief for Blaney. Bullins first worked with Wood Brothers Racing in 1999 and from 2000-2002 was the race engineer for the No. 21 in the Cup Series.

    Furniture Row Racing

    Martin Truex Jr.: Truex’s first year with the team failed to produce any wins and only one top-five in the No. 78 Chevrolet. In his sophomore season with the team, he will be paired with former team lead engineer Cole Pearn who will replace Todd Berrier as crew chief.

    General Manager Joe Garone emphasized the struggles they experienced last year will make them stronger going forward.

    “What we went through last year, our performance was horrible and we hadn’t gone through that as a team yet,” Garone said. “We’ve been through that, we looked at where we were weak, where we had things where we were off base, and we’ve realigned it and we’re going to prove it this year.”

    HScott Motorsports

    Michael Annett: Annett, who brings sponsorship from longtime backer Pilot Flying J, joins the organization for the 2015 season as they expand to a two car team.

    “This opportunity came very late, but it was one that I couldn’t pass up and definitely wanted to jump on,” Annett said. “I know there’s going to be some growing pains. We don’t even have a car number yet, let alone a crew chief.”

    Tommy Baldwin Racing

    Alex Bowman: Bowman will drive the No. 7 Chevrolet in his second full-time year in the Sprint Cup Series after a rookie season at BK Racing.  Kevin “Bono” Manion will remain with TBR as Bowman’s crew chief.

    Owner Tommy Baldwin Jr. said, “Alex is the future of TBR, and he will be a great representative of our team. He is a young driver who displayed a great talent in both the Xfinity and Sprint Cup Series the past few years. We are pleased to give Alex the opportunity to further showcase his skills behind the wheel of the No. 7 Chevrolet this season.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400

    As the Florida sun faded to darkness at Homestead-Miami Speedway and a first-time champion was crowned, here is what was surprising and not surprising in the season’s final race, the Ford EcoBoost 400.

    Surprising: Although Stewart-Haas Racing has always touted its Hendrick Motorsports partnership, it was surprising to learn in more detail just how important that connection has been to the new NASCAR champion and the winning race team.

    Kevin Harvick, winning his first ever NASCAR Cup Championship, specifically and repeatedly paid homage to Hendrick Motorsports six-time champion Jimmie Johnson in his post-race and champion-clinching comments.

    “Jimmie Johnson was a huge help in just helping — he’d show up in the trailer after every practice and called and texted to Rodney (Childers, crew chief) and myself,” Harvick said. “You’ve got to remember, Jimmie and I have — we’ve known each other for a long time. We slept on those same couches at Hornaday’s house adjacent to each other in the game room.”

    “He’d go race his ASA cars, and I’d go race the trucks for the Spears bunch, so we spent a lot of time together as friends and have grown to be better friends as we’ve gone past the last few years for sure.”

    Tony Stewart, co-owner of Stewart-Haas Racing, echoed his driver’s comments about the HMS connection.

    “We’ve got a great partnership with Hendrick Motorsports, and like Kevin just mentioned, when you’ve got eight drivers that are sharing information, it’s a lot easier to race seven guys than it is to try to worry about racing 34 or 35 guys.”

    Not Surprising: Although they are three very different drivers, in age, size and style, they all had one thing in common after the final race was run. All three races were visibly despondent, from Ryan Newman, who finished the best of the three contenders in the second spot, to Denny Hamlin who finished seventh and Joey Logano who finished an even more disappointing sixteenth.

    “We had a couple pit stops that kind of put us back,” Newman said. “It is disappointing, don’t get me wrong, but there’s no point in being a sore loser. We came back for the entire season to make our best finish our last finish.”

    “The race did not go too well for us,” Hamlin said. “Obviously we had a championship-type car, championship-type effort, but those last breaks just didn’t go our way. We just struggled with restart speed.”

    “Obviously our race was not too good,” Logano said. “We knew what we had to do, we just didn’t execute from every angle it seems like. I hit the wall a bit early in the race and then we came down pit road, made a mistake and went to the tail end of the lead lap.”

    Surprising: Jeff Gordon and crew chief Alan Gustafson had a surprisingly testy exchange at the end of the race, all about whether or not to pit from the front of the pack for tires in the latter part of the race.

    Gordon was one of the few drivers who stayed out late in the race and when another caution came, he desperately pleaded for tires. Crew chief Gustafson argued against giving up track position but Gordon was insistent and down pit road he came.

    After starting mid-pack, the driver of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet rallied back to finish tenth.

    Not Surprising: Who knew that Kyle Larson, officially named Sunoco Rookie of the Year, had his own bandwagon?

    “There was a lot of room on the Kyle Larson bandwagon on to start the season,” Larson said. “I think a lot of people chose Austin Dillon to win it, and I was pretty confident in myself and in my team that we could do it.”

    “I knew there would be some ups and downs, but I felt like we would be the top contender once we got halfway through the season, and we definitely were. We’ve gotten better throughout the season, and just is a huge honor to win this title with all the other names that have won it.”

    Surprising: During the race, NASCAR made a surprising announcement that Chad Knaus was called to the NASCAR hauler for disobeying a NASCAR directive. The issue, involving the team’s use of a wheel spacer, turned out to be much ado about nothing as confirmed by Robin Pemberton, Vice President for Competition.

    “We just had a discussion on pit road between our official and Chad and really it was just to discuss it,” Pemberton said. “It was really not a big deal. We were just trying to clarify what went on, that’s all.”

    “Everything is fine.”

    Not Surprising: Greg Biffle ended his difficult year with a blowout, of the unfortunate tire type. He was having a solid run when he blew a tire, hit the outside wall and had to go to the garage for repairs.

    Biffle finished 41st in the season finale and ended 14th in the championship standings.

    Surprising: The crew chiefs, teams and drivers that were racing together for the very last time sadly did not finish on the best of terms.

    “It had gotten dark, and the track was doing just what Trevor and Donnie expected,” team co-owner Eddie Wood said. “The track was coming to us, and Trevor was running some really good lap times. He had gotten in the lucky dog position, which would have gotten us back on the lead lap when the next caution came out.”

    “Unfortunately, that caution flag wound up being for us.”

    Carl Edwards and Jimmy Fennig also parted ways after the season finale, with Edwards going to Joe Gibbs Racing and Fennig ratcheting his time down on the box.

    “Jimmy Fennig is an unsung hero at Roush Racing,” Jack Roush, owner, said. “He doesn’t do things that create a personal image away from the driver or away from the sponsor or away from the team. He’s the trooper that’s back there doing everything that he can every day.”

    Probably one of the most dynamic driver/crew chief duos also did not finish off their relationship in quite the manner that they wanted.

    Dale Jr. and Steve Letarte raced one last time as driver and crew chief, finishing 14th in the Ford EcoBoost 400. The two summed up their feelings on Twitter as Letarte leaves for a television broadcasting career next season.

    “Me and Steve didn’t count on becoming such great friends,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That’s just really been a bonus to the whole thing.”

    “I might not be talking to @DaleJr thru the headset any more but we will still be friends,” Letarte tweeted. “Taught me a bit about racing and a lot about life.”

    Not Surprising: Chevrolet had a big night at Homestead-Miami Speedway, with their driver winning the championship, six Chevy drivers in the top-ten, and securing their 12th consecutive manufacturer’s championship.

    “Winning the Manufacturers’ Championship is one of the goals we set at the beginning of every season,” Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports, said.

    Surprising: Matt Kenseth had a surprisingly good weekend, as the highest finishing Toyota and also winner of the Nationwide race.

    “It’s been a long time since I won a race in anything, so just happy for Kevin (Kidd, crew chief),” Kenseth said. “He’s been trying to get a win over here for a long time, and he’s going on to something different next year.”

    “Happy to send him off with a win here; that was pretty good.”

    Not Surprising: There was at least one drive ready for Daytona after his third place run in the season finale.

    “Yeah, it was a heck of a season, not just for me but for all of Team Penske,” Brad Keselowski said. “I’m kind of wishing it wasn’t over, but we still have some work to do to continue to work and get better.”

    “In some ways, I hate to see the season come to an end, and honestly I’m ready to be at Daytona next week for the 500. That’s probably not the most popular comment in the world, but sometimes I’m not the most popular guy.”

    Final Note: In a most unusual year with the brand new Chase format, it has been a pleasure to share the surprising and not so surprising moments of the season. So, sit back, enjoy the off-season and as Brad Keselowski said, see you in Daytona!

     

     

     

  • Marshall’s Madness: Greg Biffle’s Options Heading Into 2015

    Marshall’s Madness: Greg Biffle’s Options Heading Into 2015

    While speculation increases about Greg Biffle, who’s  in his contract-year at Roush Fenway Racing, I’ve decided to compile a list of prospects that could be looking to land ‘The Biff’ following the conclusion of this season; keep in mind, Biffle will have loyal and long-time sponsor 3M Company funding him wherever he lands.

    Below (not in any order) are a few organizations that Biffle could be interested in and possibly sign with, after his current contract concludes.

     

    Joe Gibbs Racing

    Biffle – who was a former teammate with current Joe Gibbs Racing driver, Matt Kenseth – could enter a new atmosphere next season: the Toyota camp.

    PROS: Gibbs – which currently fields three drivers – could be interested in landing a seasoned veteran like Biffle, especially with funding behind him.

    CONS: Gibbs could be leaning towards signing another driver though, especially with Carl Edwards, Biffle’s current teammate, being on the market.

    Also, despite having the sponsor funding, Gibbs may be unable to ‘work in’ another competitor to a developing roster.

    Nevertheless, Gibbs will certainly be eyeing Biffle; however, the dominos might not land the right direction.

     

    Richard Childress Racing

    Maybe, though, Biffle takes a different direction and heads to a manufacturer that’s had endless success at NASCAR’s top level – the Chevrolet squad.

    PROS: Like Gibbs, Biffle could be a perfect fit for Richard Childress Racing – especially being a funded competitor.

    However, at this team, Biffle could offer limitless mentoring towards up-and-coming drivers Ty Dillon and Austin Dillon – two drivers almost guaranteed lifetime contracts at Childress’ team.

    CONS: After adding Ryan Newman, last season, three drivers – with Ty Dillon on the way to a Cup Series ride at Childress – then Biffle may not be even considered for the spot.

    Therefore, to me, this is a definite reason of why Childress won’t give Biffle a thought.

     

     Chip Ganassi Racing

    Biffle – which would make sense – could join Chip Ganassi Racing, a team that hasn’t been granted a Chase berth in seasons.

    PROS: Ganassi, who only fields two machines in the Sprint Cup Series, could be interested in adding a third competitor, at least until Dylan Kwasniewski – a current Ganassi development driver – reaches the Cup Series.

    Again, like all the other teams, funding could play a major role in landing Biffle as well.

    CONS: Biffle, if knowing he’d have to re-sign after Kwasniewski makes it to the Cup Series, may overlook this contract.

    Nevertheless, Ganassi may consider this; however, he’d have to really consider what lies ahead for his organization.

     

    Wood Brothers Racing

    Trevor Bayne, who just announced a full-time deal, won’t return to the Wood Brothers next season, allows Biffle an opportunity to hop into the No. 21 Ford – keeping him in the same camp he’s been most of his career.

    PROS: Like now ALL the other teams, funding could play a major role, however, that’s the only pro for the team and driver in this instance – the funding would also help the team run their intended goal of a full-season.

    CONS: However, this wouldn’t turn out good for Biffle, as the Wood Bros. haven’t scored a victory since Bayne’s heroic Daytona 500 triumph a few seasons ago.

    Nevertheless, anything is possible, right?

     

    ‘Comment’ below which team you believe would be best fit for Biffle, whether it be staying at Fenway or moving to another of the other teams.

     

  • Sprint Media Tour – Day Three Continued – Front Row Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing

    Sprint Media Tour – Day Three Continued – Front Row Motorsports and Wood Brothers Racing

    Day Three of the Sprint Media Tour concluded with visits by Front Row Motorsports, the Wood Brothers racing team and Team Penske. Team Penske will be addressed with a separate article. It was all a part of Ford Day at the four-day program. Front Row introduced their returning drivers – David Ragan, winner of their first race at Talladega, and David Gilliland, but there was a new face on the stage.

    Eric McClure will pilot a Ford Mustang in the Nationwide Series for FRM during the 2014 season. He also will start the 2014 Daytona 500 in the No. 35 Ford Fusion.

    “I’ve only recently been cleared to compete so a lot of dominoes are starting to fall into place,” McClure said. “The plan is the Daytona 500 for sure, Speedweeks too, and hopefully we will qualify.” McClure admitted that the Daytona 500 is on his bucket list and his ride will be sponsored by Hefty.

    Front Row Motorsports drivers agreed that the new qualifying procedure could benefit small teams.

    “I think that we’ve got to continue to evolve our sport based on the fans that we have in the world as it changes,” said Ragan, who drives the No. 34 Front Row Motorsports Ford. “The fundamental parts are always going to be there. You’re going to have 43 cars you’ve got to go and race, and the best guy is going to win. But I’m excited about the upcoming season, the possible changes. I think that it definitely fits into our favor as a smaller team trying to grow in this world. It’s a big benefit if we can be in the Chase, for our sponsors, for our team, for everyone. I think it’s a good thing to help everybody grow.”

    Gilliland went a step farther.

    “I think they said with David (Ragan) winning at Talladega last year, if the points were the exact same this year, he possibly would have made (the Chase),” Gilliland said. “That’d be a huge shot for Front Row Motorsports, so that’s kind of what we’re focusing on, all the while keeping focus on getting our whole team elevated to run better each and every week.”

    Appearing with the Front Row gang was the legendary Wood Brothers Racing team. The Woods’ will once again feature Trevor Bayne in its Ford Fusions for 2014. Only 12 races are scheduled this year, but Ford Racing boss Jamie Allison mentioned that the Woods only needed two wins to reach 100 all-time NASCAR wins and looked at Bayne for approval. “That would be a tall order if we’re only running 12 races.”

    Bayne has had his ups and downs on and off the track with Wood Brothers Racing, but through it all, including a Daytona 500 win and being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, he’s kept an even keel.

    “It is a diagnosis, but to me it has not changed my way of life or any daily activities or anything like that so for me that’s all it has to be right now is a diagnosis,” Bayne said of learning to live with MS. “It changes one thing about your mindset… you appreciate every day and you make the best of it.”

    Team co-owner Eddie Wood says that with sponsorship, the team could run 15-16 races a year.

    “We’d love to do it (more races), but the money just isn’t there,” Wood said. We bought four new cars this year—four intermediate cars and our Daytona car, and that’s about all we can do. We have all the good stuff that Roush has. Donnie Wingo, (crew chief) has all the stuff they’ve learned right on his computer every day. We’re ready to roll, but the sponsors just haven’t stepped up.”

  • Trevor Bayne Emerges from Cone of Silence; Kyle Busch Sticks to His Story

    Trevor Bayne Emerges from Cone of Silence; Kyle Busch Sticks to His Story

    After five weeks of being out of sight due to an undisclosed illness, Trevor Bayne emerged from the cone of silence that had been surrounding him and his condition. Although Bayne will not race this weekend, he will return to his Nationwide ride at Chicago and his Cup ride in a few weeks at Michigan.

    [media-credit name=”Brad Keppel” align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Kyle Busch, on the other hand, who has been in the spotlight all week due to an excessive speeding citation, is sticking to his story, as well as showing great remorse and contrition. Busch was ticketed for driving 128 miles per hour in a 45 mile per hour zone at 1:52 PM this past Tuesday in a residential section of Mooresville, North Carolina.

    Both drivers faced the media today as part of the racing weekend activities at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Yet the two could not have been more opposite in their reactions on entering the media center, with Bayne ebullient to be back at the track while Busch appeared polite but subdued.

    “I missed you guys,” Bayne, driver of the No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford in the Cup Series and the No. 16 Roush Fenway Ford in the Nationwide Series, as he took to the media stage. “It has been bad being away.”

    “I have been fine for over a week now,” Bayne continued. “Last weekend I took it off as a caution and this week they made me take it off as a caution.”

    The caution was also out for Kyle Busch, but for a very different reason. Busch’s caution resulted from a very speedy shake down behind the wheel of a Lexus sports car that had been loaned to him by the manufacturer.

    “Obviously I had a lack of judgment and just made a mistake,” Busch said as he told his story to the sport’s media corps.

    “And I’m sorry for making that mistake,” Busch continued. “Fortunately there was no one hurt, but that doesn’t make any kind of any excuse for what happened and for my lack in judgment for what I did.”

    In contrast to Busch, Bayne was so anxious to be back on the track and back in a race car that he was even more irrepressibly happy and excited than usual. The 20 year old driver, however, still had no explanation for the double vision, fatigue and general malaise that had kept him sidelined.

    “The cause isn’t exactly sure yet,” Bayne said. “Their biggest hope is that it was an isolated event that is temporary and is gone now.”

    “The diagnosis, I don’t have it yet,” Bayne continued. “It could be just a series of events where you get a bug bite and your immune system is down. Whether that is it or not, only time will tell that.”

    “I still don’t have an official diagnosis but they treated everything they thought it could be and since then everything has gone away,” Bayne said. “To me, they hit something.

    Just as Bayne cannot explain his physical ailments, Busch had no real explanation for his unlawful behavior.

    “I’m certainly sorry that it happened and my actions led me to speed,” Busch said. “It was a lack of judgment and all I can do is apologize to the public, my friends, my fans, my sponsors and everybody.”

    “All I can do is say me piece here and let it be.”

    While both Busch and Bayne could not explain their behavior and illness respectively, the two certainly have one thing in common. They both are taking away ‘lessons learned’ from their experiences.

    “I look at this experience as a learning experience,” Busch said.

    Busch’s team owner, Joe Gibbs, echoed the fact that Busch had much to learn from his offense. In fact, the team owner is even considering possible sanctions.

    “Any disciplinary action is something we’re going through (deciding),” Gibbs said. “That’s things we talk about and discuss.”

    “Obviously we didn’t think suspending him was something we were going to do,” Gibbs continued. “We’re going through a process to try and make sure we do the right thing and treat this as a serious issue.”

    “I’m hoping that somehow out of this something positive will come out of it.”

    Bayne has also learned quite a few life lessons from his time away from the sport being poked, prodded, and tested.

    “I think the biggest thing I have learned through all of this is how supportive everyone in our sport is,” Bayne said. “It has been incredible to me and a real eye opener.”

    “Carl Edwards flew up and saw me in Minnesota and Tony Stewart was using his plane to fly my family back and forth,” Bayne continued. “Everybody in the garage texted me at least once to see how I was doing and that means a lot to me.”

    “Another thing that has sometimes been put into perspective for me is how blessed we are to be race car drivers,” Bayne said. “You get wrapped up sometimes and go through the motions, but when you have to sit there for four or five weeks and watch races you realize how cool it is that you get to be the one driving.”

    “I am actually in a sense thankful for this eye opener.”

    While Bayne has indeed been cleared to return to the track, Busch on the other hand has not been cleared of his charges, with a court date instead of a return to the track date in his future.

    “I leave that to the court system,” Busch said. “This matter will be handled through that as best we can handle it and as best the authorities decide to handle it.”

    Ironically, the young driver Bayne, who has spent so much time recently away from the sport he loves, had this sage advice to share with the more veteran driver Busch.

    “We all need to be responsible and I think we are all young or whatever,” Bayne said. “Hopefully I learn from everybody else and don’t do anything like that.”

    “I am blessed and happy to be a race car driver.”

    Bayne will be on hand at Charlotte to cheer his good friend and teammate Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who will not only substitute for Bayne in the Coca Cola 600 but also make his own Cup debut. Stenhouse Jr. qualified the No. 21 race car in on time and will start in the ninth position.

    “I think he will do a great job in the Cup car,” Bayne said. “I told him to just enjoy it a little bit and not stress out too much about it.”

    Busch will also be busy during the Memorial Day weekend at Charlotte Motor Speedway. He will be running the Top Gear 300 Nationwide race as well as the Coca Cola 600 Cup race.