NASCAR news

[Garrett Duke]

About the pit crew's...I don't know officially if they will change. In the articles I've read, it only mentions the crew cheifs. I read about the crews on Gordon's fan forum. So maybe it is wrong. Rick Hendrick is suppose to have a press conference tomorrow morning, so hopefully he'll clear up questions such as that one. As for me, I am hoping Gordon's crew will stay with him...

[Garrett Duke]

Well Rick Hendrick had his telecast this morning and he said that it is really only the driver moving, and the crew will have different number and sponsors. So Gordon will have all of Martin's old crew, Martin will have all of Jr's old crew, and Jr will have Gordon's old crew. Gordon and Junior are the two drivers moving buildings.

I still don't know what to make of it...am glad for Junior and feel like this may be the boost that he needs to help him better his racing. Accordong to articles online, Gordon is getting the better deal, but at the moment, I am having a hard time believing that. I am sure Gustufson and his crew are good and talented and may help Gordon out, but am sad to see Steve leaving...especially his crew. He had the best crew working for him until Johnson took them away with two races to go. I am now nervous and excited to see what this change will bring to Jeff Gordon and his new 24 team...it may be the change of scenry and faces that may help earn him his fifth championship in 2011 (I can only hope...) As I said earlier, I have mixed emotions about this. Am sad to see Steve and his crew go to Jr as well as disappointed with Gordon moving garages, but am also excited to see what the changes will do for Gordon compared to this year. I just hope that there isn't any other motive behind this big swap other than to help the three struggling teams at HMS as Mr. H (Hendrick) has said it is about.

Well that is how I am feeling at the moment...how do the rest of you feel about the swap? Would love to hear everyone's opinions...

[Garrett Duke]

Guess I'm the only one to think the garage and pit crew...or should I say driver...swap is a big deal. LOL. Then again, it does effect Gordon. If it didn't, I probably wouldn't think much about it either. Now I have 83 more days to wait to see how all that change will work out for the three drivers. HA HA.

Well as y'all probably know by now, Gordon and Johnson are my two favorite drivers and Hendrick is my favorite racing team. But I do have to admit that I am excited to know that Richard Petty or should I say, his team of cars, will be racing in 2011. It just didn't seem or feel right that the king of NASCAR not to be involved in NASCAR or have a team racing in NASCAR. It was reported that RPM (Richard Petty Motorsports) will be racing in 2011, but has cut his four car team in half and will have two cars racing. It will be AJ Allmindinger who had a good season this year for RPM and Marcos Ambrose who had signed up to take over Kasey Kahne's number 9 car next year before RPM stated their financial problems. (I am also happy for AJ and Marcos to know that they will be racing next year. Am sure they both were worried about next year at the end of this season...)

Also, it was reported that George Gillett...the man who owned most of RPM and went bankrupt has left RPM and Richard Petty has a new co-owner of his team. I am hoping them all the best in 2011 (After Hendrick Motorsports...of course. )

Congratulations to Jamie McMurray and his wife Kristy who welcomed a baby boy into the world on Thanksgiving morning. (This year seems to be the year of NASCAR wives to have babies...LOL. Elliot Sadler, Juan Pablo Montoya, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Ryan Newman's wives all had babies this year...hopefully I am not missing anyone there. LOL)

[HossC]

Congratulations to Jamie McMurray and his wife Kristy who welcomed a baby boy into the world on Thanksgiving morning.

It seems like a perfectly reasonable day to have a birthday .

[Garrett Duke]

It seems like a perfectly reasonable day to have a birthday .

Yeah born on Thanksgiving...and oh yeah, your birthday too! Sorry couldn't help myself. Thought of that as well when I posted your belated birthday wish on your page.

[Garrett Duke]

Red Bull has fired Scott Speed to make room for Kasey Kahne. Red Bull was clear that they were only to have two cars in 2011 as they did in 2010. (Brian Vickers, who was out most of the season due to blood clots, and Scott Speed). But with Vickers coming back at Daytona in February and Kasey Kahne being hired on for a year before he comes to Hendrick in 2012, it did leave everyone wondering who was going to be leaving and how Red Bull would have room for Kahne. Well now they have room for Kahne with Speed being fired.

Scott Speed had admitted he'd have done the same thing due to his poor performance this year. I think they said he finished 30th. And with Vickers and Kahne both having past experience in the chase, he was the odd man out so to speak. But he did have a problem with how Red Bull went about firing him and frankly, I don't blame him. I'd be upset as well. Red Bull fired Speed over a fax. He said they saw him at the end of the racing season or somewhere and didn't say anything to him. Talk about a cowardly way of firing someone...and waiting this long, he'll probably have a harder time finding another ride.

Am not really a Scott Speed fan, but it does irritate me that Red Bull would fire someone the way that they did. Speed did have his lawyers, but I don't know if he'll do anything or not. I do hope that he will find another ride for 2011.

They had this video at the end of the article and I thought it was funny to watch, so I looked it up. Looks like Speed and the other guy drank too much Moutain Dew...or perhaps Red Bull with too much caffiene. LOL.

Well Hoss, call me dumb and forgetful, but I forget what type of racing you follow. Is it F1? I was thinking it was F1 for some reason. If it is, you'd probably know Scott Speed...looks like he drove F1 before switching to NASCAR.

[Garrett Duke]

Just read that Scott Speed has filed a 6.5 million dollar lawsuit against Red Bull for a breach of contract.

Also read that he is looking for a ride, but is hard to find one when you start looking for in December. He said that in his twitter account I guess...

Don't know if suing them is the answer, but do feel like Red Bull has dealt Scott Speed wrong by not telling him sooner and not telling him in person. I don't blame Speed for being upset.

[Garrett Duke]

Well this is definately NOT newsworthy news, so don't go snooping on all them fancy NASCAR sites in order to seek my source or to expect an article on it...LOL. (My lips are sealed...I won't reveal my source. Mainly because I don't have one. LOL) But I had to write it somewhere and this seemed to be just as good as any place to put it...

Today is December 20th, which means that there is two LONG months untils the 2011 NASCAR season officially starts with the Daytona 500...NASCAR's superbowl! OK two months don't sound like a long time, but for me, they will be the longest two months to wait...but at least it is two and not three as it was when the season ended for 2010. Right?

As I said, definately wouldn't be considered newsworthy to anyone, but as my countdown til Daytona goes down, the more excited I get. (Just wait until Christmas is over, then I really begin counting down the days...LOL) Ain't it too bad that NASCAR can't be a year round sport? (Or am I the only one to feel that way?)

[Garrett Duke]

Well I finally have a little newsworthy news to share with y'all...

The Budweiser Shootout will be held on Saturday, February 12 at 8:10 on the Fox channel. This will be the 33rd Budweiser shoot out that is of 75 laps and will be broken into two segaments: first one is 25 laps seperated with a ten minute break and then a 50 lap segament. There will only be thirty drivers that are able to race in the Shootout: the twelve chasers, past Cup winners, Daytona 500 and Coke 400 winners, past Shootout winners, and Rookie of the Year winners from the years 2001-2010. (Kevin Conway won the Rookie of the Year in 2010...only because he was the ONLY rookie to race. Sad way to win, but at least he won the honor and will be included within the thirty racers on the twelveth...)

They will have the annual Budweiser Shoot out Draw party on Friday, February 11 at 8:00 ET on the SPEED channel where the drivers will get to draw their starting positions for the Budwieser Shoot out race.

This will be the first race to be raced on the newly repaved Daytona track...though they have been testing on the track. Kevin Harvick has won the past two Shootout races...(I for one am hoping for another driver to win it this year...the driver of the 24 car...LOL my opinion of course.)

35 more days until the Shootout then another eight days for the Daytona 500race equals 43 more days until the 2011 season to start! Don't know about y'all, but am starting to find a little hope that Daytona may eventually get here. A little hope to seeing my NASCAR withdrawl come to an end...

[RogerDuke]

It's about time!

Is it just me or did anybody else notice Garrett gets a little grumpy when NASCAR's out of season?

[Garrett Duke]

It's about time!

Is it just me or did anybody else notice Garrett gets a little grumpy when NASCAR's out of season?

Well Roger, I think it is just you to feel that way, if I do say so myself. Afterall, this year, I resorted to watching football to pass the time during the off season in hopes of fighting away this withdrawl. Now instead of getting grumpy that there is no NASCAR to watch, I only get grumpy when my team doesn't win. LOL

Though you are right about something...it is about time that there is at least a little light of hope of Daytona getting here. May be enjoying football right now, but would still rather be watching NASCAR. With the news of the Shootout being made official, it only proves that the Super Bowl of NASCAR is slowly getting closer.

[Garrett Duke]

Four days later and here I am with some more NASCAR news I am just a little excited to finally start getting some newsworthy news on NASCAR...can't you tell? I am assuming now that it is slowly getting closer (40 more looooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnngggg days until Daytona 500!) that more news will start to come out. Or perhaps that is just wishful thinking. I know there has been word since the season ended in November that Brian France (NASCAR CEO...or something like that.) has been talking about changing the chase around. So far I have only heard rumors about what that may be and in my opinion I hope the rumors are wrong. . .but I will wait until it is made official before getting too excited about it.

Anyway, NASCAR has finally made a small step in the right direction when it comes to the Nationwide Series and perhaps the truck series. NASCAR has now made it so a driver has to chose which series he wants to contend for a championship in. He may still race in all three series, but can only win or go for the championship in one series.

So drivers like Kyle Busch, Carl Edwards, Brad Keselowski, Kevin Harvick will have to chose whether they are going for the Sprint Cup (which I assume they would) or the Nationwide series.

For example this year's point standings Brad Keselowski was first, Carl Edwards was second, Kyle Busch was third (all Sprint Cup racers), and the fourth driver was Justin Allgaier (who is just Nationwide Series driver) - So if they finished in that order this year, instead of the championship going to Brad who finished first, it would go to Justin Allgaier who finished fourth.

In my opinion, they shouldn't allow Sprint Cup drivers to race in the Nationwide series...at least the full time racers. As it was, last year in the top ten in the Nationwied series standings, six of them were full time Sprint Cup racers. Four of those were in the chase.

I guess I understand NASCAR's position that they need those top names in the Nationwide Series to attract more fans to the track and on TV. As well as the announcers and so forth and that perhaps those are the only races some people can see the Cup drivers race in. But still...in my opinion, if they want to seek talent in that level, they should be racing others with the same talent and not drivers who have years of experience of racing on NASCAR's top tier of racing.

[Garrett Duke]

Tony Stewart, driver of the number 14 car, was down in Australia to do some dirt track racing when he complained to the co-owner of the track about track conditions. It turned into a fight where supposed punches and a helmet were thrown. Stewart was held for questioning by the police, but charges were not being placed upon Stewart, and is on his way back the US.

Reading this yesterday and the follow up article today, was half surprised to see Tony fighting...again. Tony use to be a driver with a temper and had been known to throw a punch here and there (punched a news reporter and another driver in different occassions, plus had a fight with his own pit crew) but that was a few years ago when he was still at Gibbs racing. He had seemed to calm down the last year or two and not so easily upset as he use to be. Then again, the article didn't say who threw the first punch...so maybe Stewart was defending himself. Guess we may never know, just glad to see Tony on his way back to the US...

In other NASCAR news...they had advertised for the Daytona 500 during the Bears and Seahawks game on Fox today. One of the highlights of the game, if you ask me. They said with the repaved track, they'll be racing three wide...I am looking forward to it. (Can't you tell?)

[RogerDuke]

Garrett, I saw that advertisement during the football game and thought of the biggest NASCAR fan I know-YOU.

I was just commenting not long ago that Tony's temper had settled down. I know from experience that happens when you get older. I hope you're right and it was self defense.

I'm dropping Jimmie Johnson as my favorite driver and going with Kurt Busch this year. I wasn't really loyal to Jimmie anyway but I am loyal to the Dukes and Kurt is the biggest Dukes fan out there amongst the NASCAR drivers. (Well, actually I'm not sure but I suspect he is, so until I hear otherwise, KB is my fave)

[Garrett Duke]

Garrett, I saw that advertisement during the football game and thought of the biggest NASCAR fan I know-YOU.

I was just commenting not long ago that Tony's temper had settled down. I know from experience that happens when you get older. I hope you're right and it was self defense.

I'm dropping Jimmie Johnson as my favorite driver and going with Kurt Busch this year. I wasn't really loyal to Jimmie anyway but I am loyal to the Dukes and Kurt is the biggest Dukes fan out there amongst the NASCAR drivers. (Well, actually I'm not sure but I suspect he is, so until I hear otherwise, KB is my fave)

What an honorable title, Roger...the biggest NASCAR fan. I like it! (Just heard it is under 30 days now until the Budweiser Shootout...is it just me, but January is going by slloooowwwwllly?)

As for Tony...I was hoping it was in self defense as well. But I just read an article that said that Stewart didn't like something...perhaps track condtions, and allegedly hit the co-owner in the face with the helmet. The co-owner punched him in return. According to the article, Tony may have left Australia with a black eye from the incident. . .(once again, wasn't any fact that seemed set in stone in the article with words such as allegedly and might have placed in there. . .)

*GASP* You...dropping Jimmie Johnson? I was fearing that was what you had in mind when you asked that question. I can't believe anyone would want to drop JJ from being their favorite driver...especially for...

Well never mind, I will keep my opinions and thoughts to myself. After all, everyone has a right to who their favorite driver is. Kurt is a talented driver and for your sake, Roger, I hope he does well this season. (Just not better than Gordon and Johnson...)

[RogerDuke]

One reason I've struggled to become a serious NASCAR fan is that I just don't know who to root for. With other sports it's easy because you pick teams by which cities you like (well, in most cases....in some cases folks follow certain athletes and make whichever team they currently play for their favorite team).

In my case, I like teams from Pittsburgh because I'm from western Pennsylvania.

You also pick for other reasons. For example I like Atlanta teams because of the Dukes.

But with NASCAR it's so hard to pick a favorite driver. After Garrett told me Kurt Busch was a Dukes fan I've found my favorite. As I said in a previous post, If anybody knows of a driver who's a bigger Dukes fan than Kurt I'll switch my loyalties. Until then GO KB!!!

By the way, if Cale Yarborough ever comes out of retirement, I'm dumping KB as my favorite. LOL

[Garrett Duke]

I agree. In most sports it is easy to chose a favorite team by the city or a certian athlete. Chicago is the closest city with a pro team in it since Iowa doesn't have a pro sport...so I went with the Cubs. And then the Bears. NASCAR you are outta luck if you chose by city unless you live in the city or state that a certian driver is from and decide to go for them. But other than that, I guess one goes by the info they know of the driver as to who to root for. Or something like that. I got to be a fan of Jeff Gordon originally due to a magazine that had a picture of him in it with a list of info about his racing career up to that part of time.

Though I hate to disappoint you, Roger. I don't know whether or not Kurt Busch is a Dukes fan or not. He picked the theme song to be his song in that race intro, but I don't know if it is because he likes the show or just thinks of himself as a Good ol' Boy. But he could also be a huge Dukes fan. So far that is the only Duke related theme I found in NASCAR amongst the drivers.

With that said, Roger, I am glad that you found a driver to root for (even though it isn't JJ...poor JJ... ) That is one of the MANY great things of NASCAR you have a huge selection of drivers to chose to go for or to go against. HA HA. I hope finding Kurt Busch to root for will help you to become a serious NASCAR fan!

Well Roger, I wouldn't be holding your breath for ol' Cale to come out of retirement any more so than I would for Richard Petty. Though it would be a great and amazing thing to see...though despite his Duke connection and all the great accomplishments he has done in his career and life, I'd still be going for Jeff Gordon. Gordon will always be number one in my book.

GO JEFF GORDON!!!!!!!!!!!

[RogerDuke]

I suppose I should research the NASCAR personalities and then pick a favorite.

If someone had an orange 01 NASCAR car my choice would be easy but for now I'm making my selection on who has the strongest Dukes ties and so far, Kurt Busch is the best I got.

None of them NASCAR fellers are related to Cale are they?

[Garrett Duke]

Well Roger, I don't think there is any correct way to pick a favorite driver other than whatever suits you best. So if it is that link between the Dukes and Kurt that works well, then go for it. You could research the drivers if you wish to as well...or you could just watch them on the track and go from there. (Though you are proving yourself a bigger Duke fan than I am by going by a driver that has a Duke connection where as I just picked one out of a People's Magazine...LOL.) As fo 01...there is not a 01 that I am aware of. Though Jamie McMurray drives the 1 car and it is kind of an reddish orange color with black...

As for any relation with Cale, I am unaware of any of the drivers being related to Cale out there.

[Garrett Duke]

Well I have some more NASCAR news to share with y'all...though it isn't official as of yet. It sounds like more news and info will be brought forward either at the end of the week or next week...

Last year, 2010, Brian France...NASCAR chairman...made it clear that he was wanting to change the chase in some way. Well, the chase last year was the best chase they have had yet in the Chase four year history. So it sounds like there will be a few changes, but not as much as expected. The field will stay at twelve, but may consist of ten chase drivers with the remaining two spots be given to non chase drivers with the most wins. The best part for me, is the fact that they are not going to be eliminating drivers within the chase as it was rumored.

Though they are considering changing the point system that has been set in place since 1975. As of right now the driver who wins the race gets 175 points and the driver coming in last gets 34 points (unequal increments). Under the new point system, if they do go with it, the winner will get 43 points, second place would get 42 points...and then all the way down to the last driver getting one point. They are unsure with what they would do with the bonuses...leading a lap, most laps lead, and winning.

Well I for one would love NASCAR to just get rid of the chase and go back to the old point system and see a lot of people saying the same thing online. But I don't see them doing that no matter how many people complain about it and though I didn't have a problem with the old point system, am excited about the new system they are thinking about. Makes much more sense to me. Though it is sad to see them be away with a part of NASCAR history. As it is, if they went under the new point system this past season, Kevin Harvick would have been the champion, Edwards would have came in second, and Johnson would have finished third. (Gordon would have finished 6th...)

As I said, it isn't official. The article I read said that more will be coming out during Preseason Thunder that starts this Thursday as well as next week. I guess they have a conference or something at a track that they will come out with more news. I will let y'all know as soon as I hear or read about whatever else is going to change or happen...

Don't know about y'all, but I'm gettin' excited for Daytona!!!!!!!!! (32 more days!!!!!!!!!!! )

[Garrett Duke]

Well I guess more word will come out next Wednesday at Brian France's meeting he has in North Carolina (I think). Perhaps all this waiting will help strengthen my patience. LOL. (And people at Yahoo Sports must have different opinions, because an article I read today said that Jimmie Johnson still would have won under this new points system this year. Who knows...)

Tony Stewart has came out and said he was embarassed over what had happened between him and the co-owner of the track. Stewart says he had been racing at the track for about five weeks and found the track conditions to be unsafe...that it was more than just one incident that led to the incident. He may face farther questioning by the Australian police.

From today's date...it is exactly a month until Daytona 500...the season opener of the NASCAR season...

[HossC]

Though they are considering changing the point system that has been set in place since 1975. As of right now the driver who wins the race gets 175 points and the driver coming in last gets 34 points (unequal increments). Under the new point system, if they do go with it, the winner will get 43 points, second place would get 42 points...and then all the way down to the last driver getting one point. They are unsure with what they would do with the bonuses...leading a lap, most laps lead, and winning.

From what I've read around the internet, this seems to have been met with mixed responses. Most seem to agree that simplification is a good idea, but most also say that the new system would give no real incentives to go for the win. A couple of alternative suggestions have been put forward including allocating the points as above after each quarter of the race. Others have said that the system needs to be top-heavy to reward wins. The points system in F1 has been tweaked over the last couple of years and worked well last year:

1st – 25 points

2nd – 18 points

3rd – 15 points

4th – 12 points

5th – 10 points

6th – 8 points

7th – 6 points

8th – 4 points

9th – 2 points

10th – 1 point

With 12 teams (24 drivers) in it this year, 14 drivers will go home with no points, so there's normally good midfield racing at the end as they scramble for the last point. Also the big gaps at the top give a good incentive to win. The points total at the end of the year plays a part in pit position and revenue in the next year.

Indycar also has a top-heavy system:

1st - 50 points

2nd - 40 points

3rd - 35 points

4th - 32 points

5th - 30 points

6th - 28 points

7th - 26 points

8th - 24 points

9th - 22 points

10th - 20 points

11th-17th get 19 down to 13 points (single point drops)

18th-24th get 12 points

25th -33rd get 10 points

I think I would agree that the 35-year-old system needs simplifying (I've been watching for a while and haven't picked it up fully yet), but the new system doesn't seen like the right solution.

[Garrett Duke]

I have seen and read both sides of the argument online as well, Hoss, seems people have different emotions about the change they are talking about. As always, there are positives and negatives with the change, as well mixed emotions about them. I can see both sides of the argument and agree, as the change is right now, there would only be one point seperating first from second...leaving little extra incentive for winning. But then again, they have yet to address the bonuses that come in a race, such as in winning.

The point systems that you pointed out Hoss in the other racing sports, do look like they would work out as well. Hopefully NASCAR's new point system will work out and that they will soon make the change official if they are going to make it and come out with all the little info as such as bonuses and so forth. I personally feel that there should be rewards for winning, but the drivers should have incentive to win despite which points format they are under.

Glad to hear what you thought of it Hoss! I am always interested in hearing others opinions on NASCAR and such changes as this. I am excited to see how it works out, but then again, didn't have a problem with the old one either. Would enjoy to hear what others think of the upcoming change...

[Garrett Duke]

Well Wednesday is finally here...LOL. Brian France has yet to have his press conference about the official change in the points. I guess he will come out later tonight with it...hopefully I can get a chance to come back on tonight in time to read about it to actually make an official news message.

Though I did read through Yahoo!'s NASCAR page that they have been told by a source that the chase will now consist of the top ten drivers in points and then the two drivers with the most wins from eleventh place to twentyth will make the eleventh and twelveth spots in the chase.

I've read this earlier too somewhere so I apologize if I had already posted this. This is yet to be made official since France has yet to come out with it to the public. I generally try to wait until www.nascar.com comes out with news to post it here just to make sure it is accureate or at least wait until it is made official. But I got to admit, I am getting impatient for NASCAR to start and will take any news that I can come across right now for a sign of hope that NASCAR is about to start...24 more days!

(As I said, I will try to come back tonight to see if anything has been made official and let y'all know...though do have something to do tonight and tomorrow night. As soon as possible, I will let y'all know the official word. How's that? )

[Garrett Duke]

Well Brian France has made all them changes I had talked about official tonight. . .which is and will stir controversal emotions around the sport as we had talked about earlier.

They are going with the 43-1 point system in all three NASCAR devisions (the last place truck race driver will get eight points instead of the one because they have less drivers in it.) The winner getting forty-three points, second place getting forty-two and down to the last place driver getting one point. Bonuses are...three points will be added into their points once the chase starts (use to be ten) one point for leading the most laps (use to be five) and one point for leading a lap (use to be five). So a winning driver can win up to 48 points.

They are also putting in what they are calling the wild card where the top ten drivers at the end of the first 26 races are in the chase and two drivers with the most wins from 11th to 20th place will be seeded 11th and 12th in the chase. A winning driver that earns his way into the chase by points will have three bonus points added come chase time, where as the two wild card drivers will not get the bonus points.

I also read where they will qualify the drivers by their speed times, lining them up from slowest to fastest. Something like that...which is different. Drivers are allowed five sets of tires instead of six.

I guess the points system won't make much of a difference than the old one when it comes to winning and second place, but makes it easier for fans to follow and understand. But it will hurt a driver who gets a DNF (Did not finish) due to an accident or engine problems or pit problems. Guess that is where they think the wild card system comes in handy.