I didn’t have one idea that I wanted to focus on with my last blog post before the 2011 season gets under way this week, so instead I’ve got a bunch of mini topics to touch on. Feel free to comment on any or all of them.
New Points System I’ve been asked by a few people what my opinion is of the new points system NASCAR has instituted for this season, and I’ve got to say, I don’t really care. It seems on initial inspection that it isn’t a ton different then the old system, and I really don’t believe it will change the way teams race. Teams will still try like hell to win races, and when they can’t, they will do whatever is necessary to get the best possible finish they can. You will also still see teams try and get their race cars back on track after a wreck in order to ride around and get as many points as they can. The mindset won’t change. So I guess if the new system makes things easier for the fans, cool, but other than that, I don’t care.
Final Pit Procedure Thoughts We’ve talked quite a bit around here about the new pit road procedures with the elimination of the catch can position, but I just wanted to offer a few final points. I encourage you to really pay attention to pit stops at Daytona, because you will definitely see some differing techniques among the teams. I also wouldn’t be surprised if it appears as though one or two teams use a system that works better than the others, and for the other teams to follow suit shortly. It will be kind of a “monkey see, monkey do” situation once the teams get a chance to scout each other. These changes will also have a significant impact on pit strategy and what adjustments will get made. It’s a whole new ball game for crew chiefs and engineers now, and I think there is a much larger emphasis now on the decisions they make during the races. You will see a lot more races decided based on pit strategies – at least in the short run.
Important Season For Many Drivers, Teams, and Sponsors There are quite a few drivers and sponsors this season that have contracts that will be expiring after Homestead in November. Lee Spencer from FoxSports.com recently had a bit up about all the Cup drivers who are in the final year of their contracts in 2011 (see it here). This really could be a year that we look back on and say that this was the year that made or broke driver X or team Y. There will be a lot of pressure on those drivers and teams to put in solid performances every week in order to help secure their futures. With the economy continuing to a be a big factor with sponsorships, these teams don’t want to give these companies any reason to either switch to another race team, or pull out completely. It will certainly be an interesting story line to watch.
Nationwide Series Changes I’m really curious to see how the 2011 season unfolds for the Nationwide Series after the championship eligibility changes were made. Will it really help bring the series back to being a developmental series, or will the Cup drivers continue to dominate regardless? We haven’t had a solid Cup rookie class in a couple of years, and the deterioration of the Nationwide Series has certainly played a part in that. In order to keep the talent coffers full of new young drivers, it’s vital that the NNS get back to being a place where these kids can learn how to race.
Championship Predictions We don’t normally do a ton of predictions around here, because they are mostly useless, and it’s pretty much impossible to get them right. But with that said, I’m going to give you my picks on who I think will win each of the top three championships. In the Truck Series, I believe the addition of Jeff Hensley to KHI will pay off big and Ron H0rnaday will return to dominance. Hornaday ran really well last season, but just had a lot of bad luck. Expect that to change for 2011. For the Nationwide Series, I think the pick has to be Elliott Sadler. The Joe Gibbs Toyotas are pretty much unstoppable, but since neither Joey Logano nor Kyle Busch can win the championship, the balance shifts towards KHI. Sadler has the talent and will have the equipment to be a contender every week, and I don’t see any of the younger drivers putting it together for 34 races. And finally, the 2011 Cup Series champion will be Denny Hamlin. The bitter taste of being the runner up to Jimmie Johnson in 2010 will be serious motivation for this team to take the next step, and with Hamlin being 100% healthy this season, he will put it together and unseat the 48 bunch.
The off season has ended, and teams will head to Daytona this week. The next time you hear from me, we’ll have our first race winner (even if it is an exhibition race), and the front row will be set for the Daytona 500. Welcome to 2011!
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The 2010 season is finally here! And with it comes a big batch of reader questions! If you don’t know what this post is, we answer any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From Ric:
How many different measurements are taken before and after a tire is used in (race, practice, time trials, etc)?
Well let’s see if I can remember them all. The tires’ circumference is measured to check stagger and pressure for both the tire and applicable inner liner is measured and measured again. Tire specialists also use a tread depth gauge to check tire wear and a pyrometer to check tire temps at various points on the tire. I think that’s everything. – T.C.
2. From David:
Hey TC, any idea how much more power a cup engine out front would make than say a car back in 8th place at say Watkins Glen? I know cooler air makes more power than warmer air. Just thinking about exhaust from cars up front, make any sense?
Well, they always say the cleaner air out front is best. I’m not sure what effect that has on engine performance though. They are usually referring to clean air on the nose for good downforce. You have to remember that exhaust dumps out the right side, down low; while the engine’s intake is at the base of the windshield in the cowl area. There may be a small difference, but it would be minimal at best. – T.C.
3. From Andrew:
What are you guys looking forward to most this season? A certain race, an event, a potential win, or something else?
I’m just looking forward to getting the season going period. I hate the down time during the offseason, and am always chomping at the bit to get going again come Daytona. I’m with a great team this year, and I’m excited for the opportunity to win some races. – T.C.
Like TC said, I’m just happy the season is back going. As is always the case, there are going to be great stories, and great races. I’m just ready for everything to start happening. – Journo
4. From Kenny:
Why is there significant variance between the primary car and the back-up they bring to different races? Aren’t both cars built to the same specs, with the parts and components coming from the same manufacturers and fabricators?
With the bigger teams anymore, there isn’t much difference between a primary and a backup car. Often times you will hear a driver say their backup actually felt better then a primary after a wreck. Sometimes though, for what appears to be no reason at all, some cars just run and feel better to a driver. And a driver who has confidence in his race car can be a very powerful thing. – T.C.
5. From Ross:
Did Danica Patrick have any on track practice in a Nationwide or Cup car before she started talking to teams about making the move?
I believe several years ago she went out and ran some laps in a car, but nothing substantial. Her first real chance to run a stock car was at that ARCA test last December. – Journo
6. From Scott:
While watching practice from Daytona I have noticed that cars are carrying alot less associate sponsor decals around the front fenders this year. I think most noticeable are the Hendrick cars. Is this a sign of a lack of companys sponsoring NASCAR or are teams just not opting into the sponsorship deals for other reasons? Thanks for your time and love your website!
I can’t say I noticed a difference. I went and looked at some pictures from over the weekend and it looked similar but I can’t say for certain. You might have noticed some of the teams that choose not to take advantage of the contingency program like Red Bull or Penske. Roger Penske for instance is a real stickler for how his cars look, so you don’t see too many. I wouldn’t read too much into this. And thank you! We’re glad you enjoy the site. – Journo
7. From Christopher:
I understand that if a driver changes an engine or car after qualifying, he must start at the end of the pack (43rd). But what happens if multiple drivers have to start at the end? How do they determine who starts 43rd, 42nd, 41st, etc.?
To be honest with you, I’m not sure on this one. I would imagine it’s one of two things: the highest in owners points gets the spot or the faster qualifier gets the spot. The rulebook doesn’t spell this one out specifically. – T.C.
8. From mangopants:
I’m so ready for racing! Hey – watching the Danica Show (the ARCA race today) I started to wonder… do drivers know when the in-car camera is on and showing what’s going on? Like a red light turns on or something? Followup – are drivers compensated for being the “in car reporter”? Do drivers find the radio/TV interviews *while racing is going on* a nuisance, or do they like it?
I don’t believe there is a red light, but I honestly can’t give you a definitive answer there. Generally the in-car camera’s are paid for by teams or sponsors for obvious exposure (that isn’t necessarily always the case). As far as the nuisance question goes, I would imagine it depends on the driver. Some guys are much more willing to talk than others. – Journo
9. From Keith:
Any word on what Jimmy Means is up to?
He has a car entered for the Daytona Nationwide Series race, with Donnie Neuenberger listed as the driver. You will most likely see more of the same from Means’ team. They’ll make as many starts and as many laps as the money will allow. – T.C.
10. From David:
Since Harvick did not practice the Shootout car, why was he allowed to start where Bowyer drew his spot and not start at the rear of the field?
David, you’re very correct that under normal circumstances a driver would have to practice the car in order to keep their starting position. There was some confusion about this over the weekend, but I can tell you, as far as I know, it was never really cleared up. I would imagine given the situation and the nature of the race, NASCAR didn’t feel it necessary to penalize this. It is NASCAR though. – Journo
11. From Michael:
A question about the Ford NW series cars – why don’t the Fusions have the new light / grill stickers like the COT does? I find it strange that the NW cars are an older look. Thanks.
I have seen at least one NNS paint scheme with the new headlight decals. I don’t know why they wouldn’t switch though, but it might be that the nose pieces are still molded for the old body style. – T.C.
12. From Kevin:
Hey guys, last week in the Shootout the Hendrick guys were never really players. How much of that do you think was them maybe trying some out of the box stuff or how were they seriously lacking horsepower/handling? Tony Stewart ran up front, and he is driving the same cars for the most part. Also, good to see some Childress/Earnhardt engines upfront, that combo has been terribly underwhelming in the past few years. Maybe they are on to something. One more thing: how good would Kasey Khane have to finish this year to consider re-upping with RPM (or whatever it is called now) and Ford considering all that has happened between them. It would sure be hard for him to leave a Chase team wouldnt it? Thanks, and looking forward to a new season with TNI.
Remember Daytona is perhaps not the best indicator of how a team will run for the remainder of the season. As long as you’re fast, good in the draft and lucky, you’ll probably finish pretty well. Remember last season Matt Kenseth won the first two races out of the box and then was off and on for the rest of the year. Likewise Kevin Harvick won the Shootout last year, and we all know how he and the other RCR cars did. We’re going to need a couple of months to assess how things have changed. On the Kasey Kahne front, I would say how he finishes isn’t as important as how comfortable he is with the situation. He ran well last year despite the chaos at the team; and as we heard in his late season comments, that wasn’t the problem. If he chooses to leave he’s going to have a lot of good opportunities available to him, and you would think he would have to consider those. My early feeling on the situation is that RPM is going to have a hard time hanging on to him. – Journo
13. From Loren:
Are the two pole sitters(Dale Jr./M Martin) required to run in the Duels or is it optional?
Yes, the rule says a car must compete in the Duels in order to race in the 500. – Journo
14. From Amy:
What exactly does the “shark fin” on the cars do? They mentioned during the Bud Shootout broadcast that it was considered safety equipment…but what does it do and why do the cars not have one on each side?
From my understanding, the shark fin makes the cars more stable when they turn sideways. Think of it as a spoiler, but for a car moving broadside. Besides the roof flaps, NASCAR and the teams are trying to find other ways to keep these cars on the ground when they get turned sideways and backwards at tracks like Daytona and Talladega. – T.C.
15. From Anonymous:
Can you bring me up to date on what is happening with the Ford FR9 engine. Will it run at Daytona? Does it have problems? Etc.
I know for sure that the Wood Brothers team will run the FR9 at every race they run this season. I also know that the Roush teams have not yet fully implemented the new design yet. I believe they used it at the Shootout, but will switch to the old Ford engine for the 500. I’m not aware of any specific problems, but keep in mind that developing a whole new engine from the ground up takes time. – T.C.
And that brings yet another “Ask The Insiders Wednesday” to a close. Thanks to everyone who sent in questions. And remember, if you’d like to be a part of next week, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send your question in!
Since the Cup cars will be turning left AND right this week on the road course in Sonoma, I figured we’d take a strange turn of our own here to start out Ask The Insiders Wednesday. The much talked about “guyliner” question kicks off edition #28. If you don’t know what this post is, until further notice, we will be answering any and all reader questions every Wednesday, right here. So if you’ve got one, click on the ”Ask the Insiders” tab at the top of the page and send one to us. On to the questions…
1. From windowlicker & Ross:
So I was sitting in Whisky River on Sunday afternoon with my friend Ross. The bartender was wearing copious amounts of guyliner. I’ve been to several NASCAR themed bars up north & the bartenders don’t wear any guyliner (at least during the day). My friend Ross says guyliner on a bartender is appropriate during the day at Whisky River because WR is edgy (it’s got a mechanical bull). I disagree, the guyliner should be saved for Friday nights when the hipsters are out, not Sunday afternoons when the real Jr. faithful are there to watch the race. What’s your guys’ take on the state of NASCAR & guyliner?
Hmm. Guyliner. Well I believe as with most things ‘to each his own.’ In my life the only men I have ever known who have seriously gone to makeup counters at department stores have been on television. Even then they weren’t buying eyeliner. Does it look a little ridiculous, in my opinion yeah. But again to each his own. - Journo
2. From Jessica:
Hi guys- love the site! After watching the Stewart/Reutimann/”Billy Bad Butt” incident at the Coca-Cola 600, I was wondering how common it is for crew members to get involved in disputes between drivers. Also, do drivers and other crew members think this sort of involvement is a good thing or a bad thing? Thanks!
I don’t know if I would say it’s a common thing, but it definitely happens. When race cars get torn up, the crew guys are naturally going to be angry, as it was their blood, sweat and tears that put those cars together. Also, a lot of crew guys will look to protect their drivers in certain situations. Some team people even encourage this. As to whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing, I guess it depends on how far the situation is taken. Watching crews duke it out on pit road is probably not a good thing. - T.C.
3. From Muggs:
Where do the guys/gals that drive the motor coaches to the track stay? Do they go to a local motel until they are needed to drive the motor coaches home again?
You are right on. They get hotels nearby. Most though do spend the weekend with the coach. A lot of these guys are almost personal assistants to the drivers and their families so they are expected to be at the track all weekend. - Journo
4. From yankeegranny
I am a JR fan and am having a hard time understanding how he is running an average of 2-4 miles slower than the other HMS and SHR cars. I don’t see much difference with the new crew chief and thought the HMS had an open book with information that is shared amoung the crews. Can the driver and his driving style make that much of a difference? If it is how does the team :fix: the problem: more driver time in the simulators, practice at other tracks, setting up the cars differently back at the shop.? There really seems to be a difference between the 88 and the other HMS teams. Love your column.
Once the decision was made to make McGrew Junior’s crew chief, I certainly didn’t think there was going to be a change overnight. It is going to take time for McGrew and Junior to learn each other and what works best for setups and communication. And it’s not as simple as putting Jimmie Johnson’s setup on Dale Jr.’s car. Each driver is different in what kind of feel they want from a race car, and they may not match up. I think another big part of this situation is Junior’s confidence. He’s been struggling for so long, his confidence in his own ability has to be low. McGrew and that team need to start showing him some gains and help him get back that confidence he needs to push his race car that extra little bit. Give them some time, they will figure it out. - T.C.
5. From Walt:
Did Carl Long have the engine (that was too big) built by the Elliotts or did his team put it together from block up? One other thing, any job that i have applyed for has always had drug testing. What i am trying to say is that nobody will tell you what you are being tested for and some employers will let different things slide.
The engine was originally built for Ganassi. And Ernie was Ganassi’s engine builder, so I’m guessing his guys built it. But it was not purposely built for Long, and it wasn’t built by Long’s guys. - T.C.
6. From Ric:
A follow up question to my question last week (Insider #27, Q #14). On the various job positions teams have at the track. What are some of the more unique jobs / titles that you have heard of?
I’m not really sure on this question. Most teams have basically the same jobs, as it takes a certain mix to run a team. They may have different titles, but most of the jobs are the same, team to team. - T.C.
7. From Brian:
In a Sprint Cup car (or any of the other NASCAR series) is clutch control performed electronically (like F1) or manually? Keep up the great work.
Clutches are manual in NASCAR. There are no computer systems in today’s Cup, Nationwide, or Truck Series vehicles. - T.C.
8. From Corey:
What is the rule about entering your pitstall? I am under the assumption that you are allowed to use the pitstall directly in front of you or the enterance to the garage such as in the incident that happened to Brendan Gaughan during the Nationwide race.
The rule says drivers can’t drive through more then three stalls entering or exiting their pit stall. - T.C.
9. From Justin:
I am going to Infineon for Father’s Day. First time and I got pit passes. Any advice?
Very lucky for your first time. First and foremost if you are going to be in the pits make sure you wear closed toed shoes and long pants. They won’t let you down there if you aren’t wearing the proper attire. Be prepared at Infineon to do a lot of walking and be prepared for traffic. You may also want to consider getting a scanner and/or one a Sprint FanView. The view from pit road there and anywhere for that matter is not going to be a good one. Also be sure to bring water and sun screen as it is going to be hot and sunny. Beyond that make sure you stay out of the way and have fun! - Journo
10. From Ric:
With all the various sponsors for NASCAR and individual teams, are there certain products (tools, pop, phones, clothing, food, etc.) that you have to use, or are not allowed to use.
Most definitely. If your team is sponsored by Snap-On Tools, don’t let them catch you using a Craftsman wrench. It looks pretty bad if you are sponsored by a company, yet you are using their competitors products. It comes off like you either don’t really endorse that company, or their products aren’t good enough to use. I’m aware of teams threatening termination for crew members breaking this rule. NASCAR’s product sponsors don’t necessarily affect the teams’ product sponsors though. - T.C.
11. From Savannah:
Hey guys, as insiders in the sport, do members of the media feel the same way about some of the NASCAR reporters as the fans? I recently read an article on nascar.com and couldn’t believe that the reporter was taking the angle she did. The article involved the “bromance” between Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart. One Internet forum was alive with criticism of the reporter. As a reader, I was disappointed that the reporter choose the angle she did to write about a strong friendship. Not too mention, some of the broadcasters are just as bad. Who, in your opinion, are the best broadcasters and the most objective reporters in the NASCAR affiliated media? Of course, we know that Journo is the best reporter!! Thanks for answering this question.
There are definitely those in the garage who have more respect than others. As far as broadcasters go I like Mike Joy, Jerry Punch and Bill Weber, and most of the pit reporters for all the networks are very good at what they do. As far as other non-broadcast reporters go, I think a lot of Jenna Fryer with the AP. Of course Monte Dutton (Gaston Gazette), Ed Hinton (ESPN) and Bill Fleischman (Philadelphia Daily News) are very well regarded. The guys over at NASCAR Scene all do a good job. Really most of them do a good job objectively reporting on the sport. I think the problem we are running into is the want and need to do opinion pieces and the necessity to do honest reporting. I have mixed feelings on the subject. I think it’s necessary in this day and age to do the opinion thing, but like you pointed out it can really open up legitimate journalists to criticism. A very fine line has to be walked. Talking about “bromances” in the sport is probably not the best topic choice. - Journo
12. From Bobby#7Fan:
Several years back Benny Parsons had a standing offer to pit crews that he would pay each member $100 for a below 12 second pit stop. As I recall it was collected a few times. My question is why have pit stops slowed down? You don’t see any 12 second 4 tire stops anymore. Is it just a product of the new car?
You aren’t seeing 12 second stops during races right now for a few different reasons. The first being this new longer stud rule. It takes extra time to get the lugnuts off, and put them back on. Another is the COT. It’s a little bigger then the old car, and moving around it will add just a tick of extra time. Also, the rule NASCAR put into effect last year regarding rolling tires back to the wall has slowed stops a bit. Carriers and jackmen now have to be more careful. Actually though, 11 and 12 second stops happen every day in pit practices. - T.C.
13. From Justin C.:
How can fans get excited about races like Mich. or pocono? The only exciting thing about these races was who would run out of gas. RCR is calling for less horsepower by using restrictor plates. Why not smaller engines that would allow a decent throttle response? Increase the tank size and get rid of races being decided by gas milage. We want to see racing that is decided by the best car and driver.
I don’t know if there is a good answer to your question. I think if they put restrictor plates on the cars, the races would like a lot like they do at Talladega and Daytona. A lot of close racing, which also means a lot of wrecks. As far as fuel mileage goes, I would argue that in those cases the best car and driver did win. They did what it took to win. I think we need to realize these tracks for better or worse are on the schedule and the racing just isn’t as good as it is other places. Unfortunately it is the nature of the beast. - Journo
14. From Mike:
First, who decides what souvenir trailers come to the track, the tracks, Nascar, the teams? I was looking for Truck series merchandise and couldn’t find any and also for the ARCA series too. Second, while watching prerace pit road activities for the Truck series I noticed one of the teams (#4 to be exact) using a bug/deck sprayer throughout the pit stall spraying back and forth and along the cracks of the concrete. Were they spraying some sort of stick’em to the concrete for grip during the pitstops for the crew and the truck? This was the only team I saw doing this up and down pit road. Thanks for taking the time to read these questions and comments keep up the great work on an awesome site!!
Really, if you want to break it down to it’s most basic level, you the consumer decides what souvenir trailers show up. If people aren’t buying t-shirts off a certain driver’s or series’ trailer, it won’t come back. Simple supply and demand. In regard to your other question, some teams have started using chemicals like VHT in their pit stalls. VHT is a very sticky liquid resin often used in drag racing to help tires adhere to the tracks better. See more about it here. - T.C.
15. From Steve:
I sometimes hear of a crew chief building ‘adjustability’ into their car. What is it and why wouldn’t every crew chief do so if the alternative was having to stick with a particular setup?
Most teams take steps to build adjustability into their cars so they can make changes during the race to improve the car’s handling. It usually means doing things like adding spring rubbers instead of just putting in a stiffer spring. That way, if the car is handling poorly, spring rubbers can be removed, instead of trying to change an entire spring during a race. Crew chiefs must balance many different factors of a car’s handling including springs, shocks, tires, sway bars, track bar, wedge, and caster & camber. They must find a way to have a car that handles well, but is also adjustable. - T.C.
16. From Neon:
In light of your recent post about “perception” and then there was the post on where Truex may end up next, I asked the question if bloggers considered Truex a “Tier 1″ driver. In that, I qualified a Tier 1 driver as “should” consistently make the Chase, have a legitimate shot at the CUP and can win a min 1-3 races a year and I dare say w/ relative ease. Basically, a top 10 runner in hypothetical “equal” equipment and zero pts for popularity. From an insiders perspective, my question to both of you is: can you list for us who you consider to be “the” current top 10 Tier 1 drivers? And maybe 3-4 that are on the bubble?
This is from both TC and myself in no particular order except for the top tier split decision.
Top-tier: 1. Jimmie Johnson 2. Tony Stewart 3. Jeff Gordon 4. Carl Edwards 5. Kyle Busch 6. Mark Martin 7. Matt Kenseth 8. Greg Biffle 9. Kurt Busch 10. Denny Hamlin/Ryan Newman (we put these two at the end because both are good and consistent, but neither has really wowed this season like those above them; that could change of course). On the bubble (again in no particular order): 1. Clint Bowyer 2. Kasey Kahne 3. Juan Pablo Montoya 4. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 5. Jeff Burton