Filed under: Chase for the Sprint Cup, Nationwide Series, NASCAR
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The Chase for the Sprint Cup saw a shake-up this last weekend with Denny Hamlin winning the 2010 NSCS at Texas. Hamlin now sits atop the the Sprint Cup standings with 33 points separating him from four-time champion Jimmie Johnson. Hamlin has won 8 races this season with Sunday being his second win of the year at Texas Motor Speedway. The 29-year-old Joe Gibbs race car driver has never won the Sprint Cup in his career, but did finish 3rd in 2006. I for one would love to see Hamlin win it all just to break Johnson’s stranglehold on the sport. Johnson’s dominance is incredibly impressive, but some change would give new life to NASCAR. Hamlin is having a career year and deserves to be the champ. The Chase will come down to the Kobalt Tools 500 in Phoenix and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in Miami later this month.
As the Cup Series enters its final three race stretch, NASCAR finally has the championship race the Chase promised (a familiar refrain I know). With just 38 points separating first from third, this is still a wide open fight. Look to the two lower series though and there is a very different story.
For all intents and purposes the championship races in the Nationwide and Truck Series have been over for a while. In the Nationwide Series, Brad Keselowski has run away from the pack (thanks in large part to Kyle Busch’s partial schedule). Going into the final three races he has a 485 point lead over second place Carl Edwards. It looks like the Captain will finally get a championship in NASCAR.
Then there’s Todd Bodine in the Truck Series. Though he fought early on in the season with young guys like Timothy Peters and Aric Almirola, he’s held a convincing lead for the last couple of months. As it stands right now, Bodine has a 216 point lead over Aric Almirola in second place.
The dichotomy of these two points systems is interesting in the continuing debate over the Chase. While we still have a race and a story in the Cup Series (on top of the actual race every week), we’re only watching the other two series – barring any unforeseen circumstances – to see the individual events .
This is of course what NASCAR has been trying to find since they implemented the Chase in 2004. This playoff like system has been hailed by the sport, but not very well received by many fans. I think that’s in large part due to the fact that it really hasn’t worked like planned. On top of that the same guy has won the championship the last four years (and is in the points lead right now).
I know I’ve written a ton of Chase related posts here before, but given the points situations, where we have a lock in two series and a wide open race in the other (thanks to the Chase system), which system do you prefer (if they’re working like they should)? Which system do you think is working?
Increasingly, I’m not sure which I prefer. I do know I’d like to see some uniformity throughout the sport, but that’s honestly neither here nor there.
So what do you think? Are you interested in the Chase this year? Do you like what you’re seeing? Do you prefer a system that allows us to have a runaway winner? Or do you like it’s traditional consistency? Feel free to talk amongst yourselves.
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It’s official… NASCAR has released the schedules for the 2011 season, and seasons of speculation are finally over – both Kentucky and Kansas got their long-anticipated Cup dates.
I’ve never been the biggest advocated for giving Kentucky a Cup date and Kansas a second Cup date. They’re really just more of the same. That said, I’m glad NASCAR, ISC and SMI are bringing racing to fans who appreciate it.
Though I haven’t been the biggest proponent of adding dates to those two tracks, I (and TC) have been a proponent of taking a date away from California. The racing is never very good and for whatever reason the crowds just couldn’t be maintained. Some markets just cant support two dates.
I believe that’s the story in Atlanta. Though I like the track and the racing it produces, it too was having issues with attendance. From a business prospective it made more sense giving its second date to Kentucky – a place I think will be able to support the event.
Other welcome news was that SMI didn’t pull a date from New Hampshire – I thought for sure Bruton would use the police issue in Loudon to give Las Vegas a second date. The man in the gawdy sunglasses surprises.
Overall, while the 2011 schedule does bring us changes, there aren’t really a ton of surprises. As always, the internal politics of NASCAR, ISC and SMI keep the possibility of changes to a minimum. I’d certainly like to see a Chase that was more representative of the whole schedule, but I’m good with what is hopefully just the beginning of a truly improved schedule in NASCAR.
Some Thoughts on the Truck Series Schedule
With 24 scheduled events for the 2011 season, and another one TBA, the Truck Series schedule is much improved over this year’s. Gone is the three week break between Daytona and Atlanta, and the two week break between Atlanta and Martinsville. Those successive breaks were a little excessive – not to mention they killed the momentum of the season.
There are a couple of two week breaks early on in 2011, and a month long break in the middle of the summer, but all in all they’ve done a much better job keeping the series flowing.
As far as filling that TBA date, why not have a triple-header at Richmond in September? There might be some logistical issues with the haulers, but who wouldn’t love to see the trucks make their RIR return?
I’m not sure what NASCAR is working on for that date, but my plea is that they keep them at a short track.
And finally a couple of disappointing spots. Pocono is back on the schedule. I think we all know my thoughts on that. And I don’t really understand the reasoning for moving the Phoenix date. It’s going to be weird for them to have an off-weekend before the season-finale at Homestead – and we’ve had such great end of season showdowns there.
What are your thoughts on Kentucky and Kansas and all three schedules for the 2011 season?
Filed under: Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Tracks, Sprint Cup, NASCAR
The first race of the 2011 Chase For the Sprint Cup will be held just outside Chicago, IL at the Chicagoland Speedway. The announcement could be a sign that NASCAR is looking to tap into the massive Chicago market by awarding the city one of the 10 Sprint Cup races. Chicagoland Speedway played host to the LifeLock.com 400 last month that saw underdog favorite win his second Sprint Cup Series race. The 1.5 mile track has also hosted the Dollar General 300 on the Nationwide Series since 2001. Kyle Busch claimed the $81,570 prize last year finishing in 1st place. Located in Joliet, IL, the Chicagoland Speedway has been in operation for nine years. The $130 million stadium seats 75,000 spectators on race day. The Chase For the Sprint Cup opening race in Joliet will be followed by a race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway.
Motorsports fans are going to need to find a good NASCAR ticket broker for all of the great upcoming races. The Sprint Cup Series will return to Daytona Motorspeedway this weekend for the Coke Zero 400 on Saturday. Kevin Harvick is right now is the only man keeping Jimmie Johnson from his fifth consecutive Sprint Cup title. The #48 car has already won 5 times already this year and doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. The next race is The LifeLock.com 400 in Chicago where Mark Martin will try to defend his title. Then NASCAR head to Indianapolis for the Brickyard 400 where an expected crowd of 250,000 will watch the world’s best stock car drivers compete. Jimmie Johnson has won the race the two previous years, but former winner Tony Stewart could prove a stiff test. This truly is turning out to be an exciting summer for NASCAR maniacs!
Perhaps right now is not the best time to be comparing anyone to Tiger Woods, but in terms of dominating his sport, Jimmie Johnson is starting to fit the mold. Johnson has won the last four Sprint Cup Series and he already looks unbeatable this season winning at Fontana and Las Vegas in February. Don’t be surprised if see Jimmie Johnson in the winner’s circle at the Kobalt Tools 500 in Atlanta. Johnson has won seven races each of the last two seasons and doesn’t appear to be slowing down on bit. Some fans are so sick of seeing Johnson win that they’re cheering on anyone who crashes into him. The fact remains that if Johnson keeps up his incredible form on the race track then he should be considered as a elite athlete in the world on par with the a certain Mr. Tiger Woods. If Johnson and his Loews’ Chevrolet can claim another Sprint Cup next year than he’ll half way to a decade of pure dominance. I wouldn’t put it past him either.
After coming off last year where Jamie McMurray won the Sprint Cup Series’ 2009 Amp Energy 500, the 34-year-old driver has moved back to Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and is preparing for the 2010 season. The driver of the #1 Bass Pro Shops Chevorolet Impala SS has been quite busy this off season testing race cars, competeing in go-karting, and getting to know his new team mate Juan Pablo Montoya. The two will compete in the Rolex 24 at Daytona as part of four man EGR team. McMurray is happy to back with the racing team that he left four years ago for Rousch Fenway Racing. McMurray says its nice to working with people he knows and with race cars that have a high level of craftmanship. With McMurray and Montoya driving in the Sprint Cup Series, 2010 should be a very intersting year for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing.
From the moment the news leaked earlier in the week that Sprint Cup Series Director John Darby was moving to a new position within NASCAR, speculation has run rampant that he’s being pushed out, demoted, or being made a scapegoat. Even fans have gotten in on the act, applauding Darby’s move (in a bad way).
Now lets be fair. John Darby’s got one of the most difficult jobs in the garage. He spends much of his year away from home and gets to deal with a bunch of “creative”, ego-maniacs (though I don’t think he’s complaining).
Is he a dictator? Some would probably make that argument. The truth is, if you’re not you’re going to get walked all over very quickly. He’s got to serve as the policeman, the judge, the jury and sometimes the executioner. Despite all of that he’s one of the most respected guys in the garage. That says something about his character.
I know what you’re saying, “he was a supporter and propagator of the COT.” And while that may be true, we fail to remember, that arguably is his job. He’s got to be one of the chief supporters of NASCAR’s initiatives. If you’re looking for someone to blame for the COT I’d suggest starting with Gary Nelson and Brett Bodine.
As far as decision making goes, remember he does have people he answers to. John Darby is by no means the be-all-end-all at NASCAR or even over the Cup Series. Often when you get called to the trailer, you get the pleasure of meeting with both he and Mike Helton; and sometimes others.
I don’t believe John Darby was forced out. I don’t think NASCAR had any reason to do it, and I think their actions would indicate that’s probably true.
The fact is no one’s perfect; John Darby included. Has he made mistakes? Sure (who hasn’t?). But can we blame him for everything that’s wrong with NASCAR? Absolutely not.
As the old proverb goes “before criticizing a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” Even if you don’t respect his tenure as Cup Series Director, respect his commitment to the sport. John Darby is a good man.
Condolences to the Davis Family
We here at TNI want to send our condolences to Marc Davis, his family and friends on the passing of Marc’s father Harry.
Harry, a former NBC News cameraman, was a big guy with a big heart. He was a fierce advocate of his son and his son’s career. Though he was a relative newcomer to the sport, Harry will be missed. The sport could use more people like him.
Click here for a writeup from his former employer.