|| *Comments on the 2012 U.S. Cellular 250:* View the most recent comment <#87> | Post a comment <#post> 1. Brandon posted: 08.04.2012 - 10:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The #44 was a Tommy Baldwin owned car using TriStar owner points 2. 10andJoe posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #3 sponsor: American Ethanol/Poet #30 sponsor: Great Clips/AccuDoc Solutions #39 sponsor: Iowa Donor Network #40 sponsor: The Motorsports Group #44 sponsor: Coal: America's Energy #08 sponsor: Re-Load Wellness Products 3. TaterRacing posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great debut for Brett Moffitt. He tied the best finish for a car bearing the No. 99 this year. Very nice effort. I hope he can land a full-time Nationwide ride next year. Very solid run for Darrell Wallace Jr. once again. He can be a star in NASCAR, and I hope he will be. Jason Leffler proved again that he doesn't belong. He at least twice forced a driver on the top side up the track when racing for position. Luckily, he didn't cause a wreck 4. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Big win for Sadler and puts him in good shape for the title.Also,great runs by Darrell Wallace Jr in only his second start,Brett Moffitt in his 1st start,and Ryan Blaney with a top notch Penske car.Also,kudos for Danica for a 11th place finish and Johanna digging for 13th on lead lap also in a very low buck car.What is with the competition caution deal at lap 50? There were no problems and just let a few teams gain track position due to the pit strategy.Let em race without the bogus cautions. My own opinion. 5. 10andJoe posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The competition caution was because the track was green after rainstorms earlier in the day. 6. Matt posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The Scott Saunders that ran in this race was the one from Australia who made some East Series starts earlier this year, not the American. 7. irony posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Two women in the top 15. Has that ever happened before? Fantastic performance by Johanna. Big day for women and minorities in NASCAR. 8. Spen posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Excellent debut for local boy Moffitt, but I highly doubt we will ever see him running full time. 9. Anonymous posted: 08.04.2012 - 11:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Leffler's 8th place finish is the #30 car's best result since Nelson Piquet Jr.'s Road America win. Not sure what's been going on with Cole Whitt lately. 10. ch posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor changes: #08 - Re-Load Wellness Products #3 - American Ethanol / Poet #30 - Great Clips / AccuDoc Solutions #39 - Iowa Donor Network #40 - The Motorsports Group #42 - The Motorsports Group #44 - Coal: America's Energy #47 - The Motorsports Group Great runs by rookies Darrell Wallace Jr, Brett Moffitt, and Johanna Long. Good solid runs for Danica Patrick, Jason Leffler, and Ryan Blaney. I am kind of upset about Blaney, not because of performance, but because he is now going to be uneligable for ROTY next year since he has 4 races remaining this year (2 with Penske, 2 with TBR). Really thought he would be the 2013 winner... oh well. 11. Rusty posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) What happened with Kurt Busch in this race? I didn't get to see it because I was in Tampa watching the Bucs scrimmage. 12. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:12 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kurt had a RF tire go down with about 15 to go and had to pit under green.Too much camber as tire was really worn on the inside.He had top 5 locked up til then. 13. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) CH,Don't worry about Ryan as Penske would be out of his mind if he doesn't give him a ride.The kid is "good".He turned some heads for sure!! 14. Matt L posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) If only we had this lineup of drivers racing all season in the series. 15. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:20 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #9: sh*t JRM car.. Last two races he is slow.. Both girls had good runs.. I hope Johanna run more short tracks.. If she skips road courses - it isnt big deal.. 16. 10andJoe posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:20 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) re #6: It should be Scott_Saunders_(2), then. 17. ch posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Matt, I completely agree. And richie61nyfan, I'm not worried at all. Ryan's got loads of talent and now has a great relationship with two teams in Penske and TBR. Hopefully Penske will give him the 12 if Sam takes the cup 22, but if not, TBR's Nationwide program seems to be running well! 18. cjs3872 posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #9, #15, this same thing happened with Cole Whitt last year if I remember right. Last year, he ran well enough early in the year to actually lead the points in the Truck Series for a while and then really faded in the second half of the year, and the same thing seems to be happening to him this year. Of course, having Danica, the Team Wrecker as a teammate isn't helping matters, and those two made contact in Saturday's race at least once. Of course, Whitt also hit the wall pretty significantly early in the race. That did him no favors, either. And JR Motorsports is not a real competitive team, either. By the way, with the series heading to two road course events in a row, I wonder how that will affect the championship battle, especially considering that none of the top thre are either any good (Sadler is terrible at the road courses and Stenhouse isn't much better) or very inexperienced (which is the case for Austin Dillon) on road courses, are the next two races where Sam Hornish, Jr. makes his move? And could Roush be entering Carl Edwards at Watkins Glen to be somewhat of a blocker for Stenhouse? After all, Stenhouse is not very good on the road courses (Sadler is actualy worse) and needs to make up ground, and Roush suddenly enters Edwards in one of these races? I hope I'm not making something out of nothing, but something seems off here. Then again, we are talking about Jack Roush, probably the most unscrupulous car owner in the business today. 19. Neal posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johanna Long is impressng the hell out of me. She's shown noticeable improvement all year. She does twice as much as Danica with less than half of the resources. Danica has the advantage in every category except talent. Johanna is a much better driver. 20. murb posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) cjs, I disagree with you about Sadler being that bad on road courses. Of course he's no Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart, but he really isn't that bad. He had top ten runs at all three road races in 2011, and he was running top ten earlier this year at Road America until he got together with Jacques The Destroyer. He also had some decent runs at the road courses during his Cup career. I remember he was running really well at Sonoma in 2010 just before Gordon lost it and starting wrecking everyone, including him. You're making it sound like he is dire when it comes to these tracks. But I think if anyone in the top three is gonna have an advantage in these upcoming races, it will definitely be Elliott. As you said, Stenhouse still hasn't figured them out, and Dillon is gonna be in only his second road race ever, if I'm not mistaken. (Actually, he may have run some in the East series, but I don't know. For sure though, it will be just his second NNS road start.) 21. Jeffrey posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:59 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Here is a thought on Cole Whitt: Maybe he's not as good as everybody thinks he is. I have 4 things that back this up. 1.He couldn't win a race in the Red Bull Racing EAST SERIES car[you can't tell me their equipment was so bad he couldn't win there.] 2.While he may have had the points lead at one point he still couldn't win in the truck series even though he had TWO teams helping him [Turn One Racing & Red Bull Racing]. 3.He's not even performing as well as Aric Almirola did in that car last year. 4.Brandon Whitt was better than him,At least he won a Friggin' truck race. Still think he's that good now? 22. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #19: I dont think Johanna has bad car.. She is some good qualifications when she beats some drivers from better teams.. In Iowa race she beats some drivers from better teams.. Her team improves her car.. Good for her.. 23. DaleSrFanForever posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Best run for Johanna on a short track. Outstanding performance for a mid dollar team. She also got a full length feature written about her on ESPN's website in the women's section (the driver who finished just two spots ahead of her with over 10 times the resources at her disposal gets a weekly article written about her, but still) so others are taking notice of her incredible talent and racing ability. 24. Neal posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:25 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #22 - You're delusional if you think Johanna's team or equipment is even remotely comparable to what Danica has. Danica should be running top 5/top 10 every week given the ridiculous amount of cash being thrown her way. Take the go daddy beer goggles off and rejoin reality. 25. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #24 - Yep JRM has top5 equipment - last 3 from 4 races Cole didnt finish in top15 - Loudon 18th, Indianapolis 17th, Iowa 19th.. That is top5 equipment.. I am fan both girls and I watch their and Cole's times - in Indy Johanna was faster than Cole, in Iowa she was faster than Cole.. Imho top5 equipment has Cup teams - that is 3 Gibbs cars, 3 Childress cars, 2 Penske cars, 1 Roush car and maybe 1 Petty car.. 26. Jim Davis posted: 08.05.2012 - 2:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) It seems that every time this "Mary Ann" vs. "Ginger" thing that Long and Patrick have going on gains a little traction Long's limited schedule kicks in and sucks the momentum right out of it. Long's not running the two road courses coming up in the next two weeks and by the time we see her again in Bristol Patrick has had two whole races to shove her back into obscurity. Long really needs 2 or 3 races with a top tier team to raise some eyebrows. But whom? Childress, Gibbs, and Roush are deep in talent and JRM is committed to Patrick. Kyle Busch has expressed some admiration for Long's talent but loyalty to Kurt ties his hands. Long's youth works in her favor but she can't afford to fall completely out of the spotlight of a national series. 27. 10andJoe posted: 08.05.2012 - 5:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) >Kyle Busch has expressed some admiration for Long's talent but loyalty to Kurt ties his hands. That and the fact the sponsors get the vapors when you suggest bringing a "unknown kid" in instead of a Cupper. 28. Damon posted: 08.05.2012 - 5:05 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) For those breathlessly kissing Johanna Long's butt about her performance so far this year, just take a look back at what David Stremme did in the 70 car last year and he's not exactly Jimmie Johnson either. 13 races in the 70 car for Stremme in 2011, 4 top 15 starts, 7 top 15 finishes, 6 lead lap finishes, 18.2 avg. start, 17.2 avg. finish In 14 races so for in 2012 for Johanna: 6 top 15 starts, 2 top 15 finishes, 3 lead lap finishes, 19.9 avg. start, 21.5 avg. finish BTW- In 24 career Trucks races for Johanna, an average start of 18.7, an average finish of 24.5, just 2 top 15's (best of 11th at Texas) and 8 DNF's (including 6 by way of crash). 29. 10andJoe posted: 08.05.2012 - 5:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The difference between the 7 and 70 is that Danica is treated as the best thing since sliced $10-a-loaf bread, while Johanna is acutally performing at the level a driver of her experience is expected to - better, even, given the quality of her team. Stremme may not be Jimmie Johnson, but he's still a more experienced driver. 30. Anonymous posted: 08.05.2012 - 6:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I believe Eric McClure blew an engine or fuel pump with less than twenty laps left. Michael Annett might make it to Cup. 31. Damon posted: 08.05.2012 - 8:22 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 10andJoe, Johanna has made 24 starts at the Trucks level, just one less start than Danica made the last 2 years in Nationwide. So the big time stock car (Trucks,NW,Cup) experience level was relatively the same going into 2012 despite their ages, plus you can't tell me somebody who grew up trained for stock cars isn't going to have an easier transition to it than somebody who didn't like the open wheel drivers have. 32. the Great Dave posted: 08.05.2012 - 8:24 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Debuts for Dusty Davis, John Blankenship (from my home town), Justin Jennings, Scott Saunders, and Brett Moffit 33. cjs3872 posted: 08.05.2012 - 10:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Murb, Sadler did okay at Sonoma in his years in the Cup series, but was terrible at Watkins Glen, only finishing better than 15th there twice, and RCR is not very good when it comes to road racing, either. It's for those reasons why I think Hornish, who has been fourth in the standings for months, could move up. And I think my fellow posters greatly overestimate JR Motorsports, the team with which Cole Whitt drives for. Their team is terrible, and have been for a couple of years now, and I think there are two significant reasons for this. First, it's owner, Dale, Jr. can not focus on that team, as he has been busy rejuvenating his Cup career, which has been fully rejuvenated this year, to the point where he's leading the Cup standings. Secondly, there's Danica. There's a reason that I called Danica Patrick "Danica, the Team Wrecker" in post #18. She has wrecked every team she's been a part of. Taking her on will end up being the dumbest thing Tony Stewart has ever done, because she'll just wreck his team like she did Michael Andretti's, Bobby Rahal's, and now JR Motorsports. They seemed to run better last year in the races Danica didn't run, because they didn't have that distraction hanging over their heads. But among the fully funded Nationwide teams, JR Motorsports is at the bottom of the barrel. 34. Scott Bonin posted: 08.05.2012 - 10:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Darrell Wallace Jr, Ryan Blaney, and Brett Moffitt all with top 15 runs. They are the future of the sport along with Chase Elliott, The Dillion's and possibly Cole Whitt. They will be the Big boys in 5 to 10 years, so get used to them. 35. cjs3872 posted: 08.05.2012 - 11:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In fact, Scott Bonin, they all had top ten runs. Wallace was seventh (and led the first 36 laps), Moffitt was ninth, and Blaney tenth. Talon64 will give you a more in-depth stat's-eye-view of this race as only he can in a couple of days. 36. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.05.2012 - 11:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cjs,great post.I too think Hornish will get the Penske ride due to loyalty.Also,I will bet Andretti's team had a huge party the day the media darling left for NASCAR.Andretti's crew worked hard to provide her a great car and all she did was complain it was the cars fault.Same thing now with JR when she has a bad finish.Her fans are already calling for Tony Eury's head.Heck,she thinks she is so great that she is ready to run Indy 500 and Coke 600 on same day if she gets a "car capable of winning".Who is she going to hire to drive it? She has crashed 11 cars this year too. Would have liked to see the look on Smokes face when he saw his cup car after she crashed it tire testing at MIS.Yeah right,blown motor.Tony will find out next year about his mistake for sure.She has a huge ego and loves the media attention. 37. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 11:56 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #33: Bull, Rahal was last team with Panoz cars and also Paul Dana's fatal crash didnt help.. Imho Bobby Rahal fired Meira and hired Dana only for money from Ethanol.. Andrettis team struggled from 2006 (except season 2007).. Michael had big team - Dario, TK, Herta and Wheldon.. They struggled from 2006, because Dario and TK didnt want to work with Marco.. Dario said it.. Same think they did with Danica.. Kanaan never worked with young teamates.. Imho he isnt working with Viso in KV.. Michael and his poor management killed his team.. Imho Andretti won championship in 2004 and 2005 because Ganassi had troubles with engines from Toyota.. This year again Ganassi has troubles with engines and results is: Andretti is fighting for title. But Marco is struggling whole year, Hinch is struggling last races.. JRM isnt top team because JRM isnt Cup team.. Look on KHI.. Last year Smoke won only Daytona race.. Childress bought that team and look team won many races.. JRM has 2 rookies with two different styles - that also dont help.. Also Tony Eury jr made some mistakes this year.. He is average under pressure (dont forget - Eury was Dale jr.'s crew chief and Hendrick fired..). Before Talladega JRM also changes Cole's crew chief.. 38. Dave#38 Fan posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) annett probably will end up in cup one day, he's driving for a team that already runs in the cup series, and his sponsor, pilot travel centers, is partially owned by annett's dad i believe. but i think he needs at least one more year in nationwide. 39. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 12:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #36 Eury is average under pressure.. Dale jr. was bad with him and Dale jr. with Letarte is great. Eury jr. is good crew chief, but under pressure isnt good.. He wasnt good with Dale jr., because pressure arround Dale jr. didnt help him, pressure around Danica also doesnt help him.. Before season everybody was thinking she will stronger on 1.5 milers and she wont good on short tracks.. Now she is struggling on superspeedways and she is better on short tracks - last 2 races she beats Cole and Iowa1 and Dover she was fighting with Cole.. On other hand she wasnt fighting with Cole on 1.5 milers.. Problems are on both sides.. 40. cjs3872 posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Palo_s, there's a big hole in your theory as to why JR Motorsports is not competitive, and that hole is called Turner Motorsports. Both get help from Hendrick, yet Turner Motosports is, and has been vastly superior to JR Motorsports on virtually every front. Turner won three times last year with three different drivers (Martin, Allgaier, and Sorenson), and has won twice this year with two more drivers (Buescher and Piquet, Jr.), so that puts a big hole in your theory right there. The big difference is that JR Motorsports is owned by perhaps the highest-profile driver in the Cup series, while Turner Motorsports has kept it's eye on the Truck and Nationwide Series. Neither is a Cup team and get help from the same place, yet one is consistently outperforming the other. And as for the struggles of KHI last year, remember that Roush had a big handling advantage, and Roush and Gibbs won almost all the races, excepting for the three I mentioned and Stewart's win at Daytona that you mentioned, palo_s. But also, you mentioned Rahal's releasing Vitor Meira, that was probably done because Meira just could not win, as well as for financial reasons. But that team had already been torn apart by that time. It was a championship-caliber team when Danica Patrick got there, and when she left, it was in tatters. The same for Michael Andretti's team when Danica got there. They had drivers capable of contending for the title in 2007, but by 2009, Danica's third season there, it too had crashed, and only Tony Kanaan was able to hold it up, but even Kanaan had enough by 2010, and left at season's end. Now certainly the added weight of having Marco on the team didn't help, either, but Danica has seemingly wrecked every team she's been with, which is no surprise that JR Motorsports ran better last year when she wasn't around. And as for your assertion of guys like Franchitti and Kanaan not willing to help younger drivers, I'm not sure I agree with that. They were probably willing to help, but Danica and Marco Andretti were too stubborn to take any advice they were given, and E.J. Viso crashes, or causes someone else to crash seemingly every time he races, so he would probably also be beyond help. Remember that Marco had Bryan Herta and Dan Wheldon for teammates, and he really didn't take whatever advice they gave him, either. 41. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #39 Turner Motorsport has experienced driver Justin Algaier.. But team still isnt good like Cup teams.. JRM has two rookies, both rookies had different styles.. Last year JRM had experienced driver - Aric Almirola.. Rahal hired not talented driver - Paul Dana.. It is like he hired Milka Duno.. 2009 - And it is Danica's mistake, when Michael hired Mutoh as replacement for Franchittti? That is Andretti's mistake not Danica's.. Imho Kanaan didnt leave team, Michael fired him, because he lost sponsor.. Once again it nothing do with Danica.. Imho Dario and Dixon didnt help Rahal and Kimball.. 42. cjs3872 posted: 08.05.2012 - 1:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well palo_s, if what you say about Turner is true, then why has Allgaier not won in over a year while two drivers who don't even run the Nationwide Series ful-time have victories in Turner's cars? Yes, I know Buescher's win a Daytona was a fluke and Piquet won on a road coruse, but Allgaier nearly won that same road course race last year, and he was never a factor in it this year. and on top of that, until last night, the most assertive a Turner Motorsports car had been on a non-RP or road course race this year had bben at Michigan, when Buescher, not Allgaier pushed Joey Logano all the way to the finish. And Aric Almirola didn't really do that much better last year than Cole Whitt has been doing in the #88 car this year. He had only two really strong races last year, one of the Iowa races and the second race at Phoenix. And your assessment about Andretti hiring Hideki Mutoh as Franchitti's replacement in 2008 is spot on. That was Andretti's folly and you probably know more than I do regarding Tony Kanaan's departure from Andretti. But my point was that it had gone into shambles in the years that Danica had been there, and probably needed Franchitti's and Dan Wheldon's leadership during those years. But as for the situation with Ganassi's IndyCar team, as it relates to Franchitti and Dixon helping Rahal and Kimball, Ganassi's operation is really two different two-car teams, an "A" squad (Franchitti and Dixon) and a "B" squad (Rahal and Kimball), and the "A" teamers and "B" teamers really don't commuinicate with each other. Yet, on more than one occasion, the "B" squadders have outperformed their more famous "A" squad stablemates, as each have a second-place finish, one of which should have been a win (Rahal at Texas). In fact, had someone been on the radio and tried to slow Rahal down late at Texas, he wouldn't have hit the wall, which leads me to believe that Chip Ganassi himself really has no input on what happens with Rahal and Kimball, her than sigining the checks, as he's more concerned with what happens with Franchitti and Dixon. Rahal figured this out, which is apparently why he's leaving at season's end. 43. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 3:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For rookies like Danica, Cole, James, Brad or Nelsinho in their first days in NW is good teacher every good experienced driver like Aric and Justin, because they helped with basis about NW.. Experienced driver easier right setup than rookie and etc.. Imho Kasey Kahne is driving for Turner part time, that is also big help for Turner.. On other hand JRM has two rookies.. If they have problem, they is struggling.. JRM needs experienced driver.. Also I dont think Dale isnt interesting about his team.. Kelley manages that team.. Cup teams are best, because NW teams and Cup teams have same shop, if NW guys have problem, Cup guys help. Once again - Andretti's problems began in 2006.. Season 2006 was worser than 2008 and 2010.. They had same issues from 2006.. In 2006 Dario and Tony didnt want to working with Marco, in 2007 Dario and Tony didnt want to working with Marco and Danica, in 2008 and 2009 Tony didnt want to working with Marco, Hideki and Danica, in 2010 Tony didnt want to working with Danica and Marco.. You are writing about Kenseth leaving from Roush is bad thing, how good was Terry leader and etc.. Look on Andretti team - that team hadnt leadership.. Part of problems was drivers - part had Danica, part had TK, part had Marco and etc.. But biggest part had Michael Andretti, because he is boss and it was his poor management and his responsibility.. Ganassi - B team is for future replacements, when Dario and Scott retires.. Imho I forgot something about Bobby Rahal - in 2007 he hired Scott Sharp.. Scott had big sponsor.. In middle season Scott and Bobby had big argument.. Result was Scott left team with his sponsors.. After that Bobby had financial issues, because he didnt find new sponsor.. 44. palo_s posted: 08.05.2012 - 3:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #43: little correct - I dont think that Dale interests his team.. 45. the Great Dave posted: 08.05.2012 - 3:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) sponsor correction #43 Northland Oil / Flying J / 1-800-The-Lost 46. irony posted: 08.05.2012 - 5:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) When are people going to learn that you don't know what drivers are going to be the future of the sport until that day comes? Darrell Wallace, the Dillons, Chase Elliott, Ryan Truex have done well in the minors with the best that $$$ can buy. The only thing clear about the future is that nepotism is going to be an even bigger part of it than it has always been. I hate that. It looks bad on racing. I like Ryan Blaney's chances better than the rest just because he has been successful at so many different things. 47. NicoRosbergFan posted: 08.05.2012 - 6:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Blaney has done much more as his father has done it in the traditional family style. Ryan drives for Dave, and until 2 weeks ago he was in no driver-development program. 48. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.05.2012 - 8:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Palo,After reading your post I think that it is very clear that the problem with Andretti's team was Danica. The team is doing fine this year and I predict a championship. Remember,It's not always the car.Driver attitude is huge and Danica proved that and is still proving it as when something goes wrong it is never her fault.Huge,huge mistake by Tony putting her in cup next year.My opinion. 49. palo_s posted: 08.06.2012 - 1:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #48: If you look stats, they are doing better after RHR replaces Mutoh.. They are doing better when TK left.. Before this season: Danica and Conway left team, Newman-Haas left Indycar (dont forgot Servia was 4th last year), new car and Michael had only 3 cars.. That means 4 factors why Andretti is better.. Look on Ganassi - drivers are same, still 4 cars, Newman-Haas fought with Andretti not with Ganassi.. Ganassi is doing worser Ganassi changed only car.. Dixon had 6 blown engines, Dario was on pole (Milwaukee) and he lost engine before race start.. Honda won only 4 races (Dixon 2, Franchitti 1, Wilson 1), Chevrolet won 8 races (Power 3, Hunter-Reay 3, Castroneves 2).. Stats and numbers dont lie - Chevrolet is better than Honda and Ganassi had many blown engines.. Ganassi stays with Honda, Honda is worser, Dario is struggling.. Dixon is fighting for championship, but blown engines cost him a lot.. Result is Andretti is doing better, because Andretti make right decision about engines.. Good for him and his team.. 50. 10andJoe posted: 08.06.2012 - 4:57 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) >Darrell Wallace, the Dillons, Chase Elliott, Ryan Truex have done well in the minors with the best that $$$ can buy. The only thing clear about the future is that nepotism is going to be an even bigger part of it than it has always been. I hate that. I find it amusing you accuse Darrell Wallace as owing his success to nepotism. He's no relation to the other racing Wallaces; he got his position with JGR on his talents. 51. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.06.2012 - 11:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 10 and Joe, I'll bet Rusty,Kenny or Mike Wallace would be proud to have Darrell Wallace as a son.Gives a great interview too!! 52. Paul posted: 08.06.2012 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There are 48 cars on the Watkins Glen Nationwide entry list. Here's some notes: - Derek White in the #00, attempting his Nationwide debut - Daryl Harr in the #4 - Ron Fellows in the #5 - The #08 is TBA - Jeff Green moves back to the #10 - Chris Cook in the #15 - Joey Logano returns to the #18 - Ryan Truex in the #20 - Brad Keselowski returns to the #22 - The #23 is TBA - Casey Roderick in the #24 - John Young in the #26 - Miguel Paludo in the #30 - Paul Menard in the #33 - Kasey Kahne in the #38 - Matthew Bell in the #39 - TMG puts Matt DiBenedetto in the #42, moves Josh Wise to the #47 - Mike Bliss moves back to the #44 - The #52 is TBA - Eric Curran in the #53, attempting his Nationwide debut - Kyle Busch returns to the #54 - Kyle Kelley in the #59 - Carl Edwards in the #60, attempting his first Nationwide race of 2012 - Tony Raines in the #70 - Kenny Habul in the #75 - Alex Kennedy in the NEMCO #87, Joe Nemechek moves to the #97 - Victor Gonzalez Jr. in the #99 53. cjs3872 posted: 08.06.2012 - 3:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Palo_s, I wouldn't say Ganassi is doing a lot worse ths year (in IndyCar, that is). True, he's not doing as good as normal, but a big part of that is the law of averages finally catching up to Dario Franchitti. The Indianapolis 500 win aside, he's had nothing but bad luck this year, including not even getting to start a race he won the pole for in Iowa, due to engine failure. Scott Dixon is certainly doing his part, and is now back in championship contention. And with Franchitti's bad luck, it's up to Dixon to carry the banner for the team. And even though his team consists of four cars, they're really two two-car teams, with Franchitti and Dixon making up the "A" squad and Graham Rahal (who appears to be leaving at season's end) and Charlie Kimball making up the "B" squad. Also, Helio Castroneves (Penske Racing) and Andretti Autosport (mostly through Ryan Hunter-Reay) have returned to life this year, so that also takes from Ganassi's team's success. 54. 10andJoe posted: 08.06.2012 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #88 sponsor: Clean Coal - America's Power 55. Rusty posted: 08.06.2012 - 4:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was told that Phoenix Racing tried to get an entry for Watkins Glen with Kurt Busch, but with no sponsor it just cost too much money to build a road course special car for this race. 56. Peter posted: 08.06.2012 - 4:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Whoever said we are kissinng Johanna's butt for her great run...ughhhh you're a hypocrite and an idiot; this is exactly what Danica's fans do everywhere she goes 57. 10andJoe posted: 08.06.2012 - 5:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) >10 and Joe, I'll bet Rusty,Kenny or Mike Wallace would be proud to have Darrell Wallace as a son.Gives a great interview too!! Oh, absolutely! The kid has talent out the wazoo and has the Greatest NASCAR Name Ever to boot. 58. Paul posted: 08.06.2012 - 6:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 10andJoe, not to mention a great nickname: "Bubba". Reminds me a lot about the nickname given to DeWayne "Tiny" Lund. 59. 10andJoe posted: 08.06.2012 - 6:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This just in: Billy Johnson will be running the #60 for Roush at Montreal. 60. cjs3872 posted: 08.06.2012 - 10:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well 10andJoe, it's obvious that Roush wants to keep that #60 team afloat, especially considering that Trevor Bayne's going to be in it at Bristol in a car commemorating legendary Volunteers' women's basketball coach Pat Summitt. What happens after Bristol is unknown. It may also be that Roush has finally figured out that not having a second car is hurting the efforts of Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., as far as defending his Nationwide title is concerned, something I thought might happen. After all, Penske has two cars (12 and 22) and Childress has three (2, 3, and 33), and they're the two teams that have drivers battling Stenhouse for the Nationwide Series championship this year. 61. irony posted: 08.06.2012 - 11:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't believe I ever said that Darrell Wallace was related to Rusty Wallace. I mentioned Darrell Wallace and nepotism in the same post, not the same sentence. Maybe hitting the enter key would of been a good idea, but I guess I just trust people to have common sense. 62. palo_s posted: 08.07.2012 - 6:23 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #53: I dont say Ganassi working worser.. I say they have issues with engines.. Dixon lost 6 engines.. In Long Beach race Kimball, Dixon and Franchitti lost engines.. Iowa - Franchitti won pole, but lost engine before start.. On other hand Andretti has Chevrolet, Chevrolet is better engine.. Helio is back in life, but AA is hard say.. RHR was fast last year, but he made many mistakes.. This year he didnt make many mistakes.. Marco is struggling whole year, Hinch is struggling some last races.. 63. cjs3872 posted: 08.07.2012 - 10:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Palo_s, perhaps you should read your own posts, because in post #48, you say that Ganassi was doing "worser". Granted that has a lot to do with engines, as you astutely mentioned, but as I previously mentioned, it also has to do with the fact that the law of averages have finally caught up to Dario this year. But the rest of your most recent post also backs up what I mentioned as to another reason why Ganasi is not having as much success, and that is the return to form of Helio Castroneves with Penske Racing, as well as Andretti Autosport's return to the front of the field, especially with Ryan Hunter-Reay winning three consecutive races (on both ovals and road/street courses, unlike Will Power, who can win only on road/street courses). 64. Talon64 posted: 08.07.2012 - 5:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "For those breathlessly kissing Johanna Long's butt about her performance so far this year, just take a look back at what David Stremme did in the 70 car last year and he's not exactly Jimmie Johnson either. 13 races in the 70 car for Stremme in 2011, 4 top 15 starts, 7 top 15 finishes, 6 lead lap finishes, 18.2 avg. start, 17.2 avg. finish In 14 races so for in 2012 for Johanna: 6 top 15 starts, 2 top 15 finishes, 3 lead lap finishes, 19.9 avg. start, 21.5 avg. finish BTW- In 24 career Trucks races for Johanna, an average start of 18.7, an average finish of 24.5, just 2 top 15's (best of 11th at Texas) and 8 DNF's (including 6 by way of crash)." Except Stremme has a huge advantage in the experience factor. Johanna's only 20 years old, while Stremme's 35. And going into last season, Stremme had 119 Cup starts and 133 Nationwide starts (with 49 top 10's in those Nationwide starts) while Johanna's just a rookie with only those Truck starts under her belt. It's why DW Jr. and Ryan Blaney did a good job getting top 10's in equipment that more experienced drivers, like even Michael McDowell, get top 5's in: the age and inexperience factor. Inexperience would be a good excuse for Danica Patrick's struggles, if Cole Whitt weren't handily beating her over the course of the season. Although it looks like JRM's fallen off as a whole lately. 65. Talon64 posted: 08.07.2012 - 5:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elliott Sadler gets his 9th career Nationwide Series win from his 14th career pole, and career-high 4th win of 2012. Sadler had 2 wins in the first 4 races of the season, but went 13 straight without one before winning 2 of the last 3. And given the Indianapolis Screwjob 2.0 (see: 2002 Indy 500), he should have 3 wins in a row and a complete stranglehold on the championship. Sadler ties RCR teammate Austin Dillon and Ricky Stenhouse Jr., all the top 3 in points, for the most top 10's this season with 15. Justin Allgaier led a career-high 101 laps in the race, the first time he's topped 100. His previous high was 88 laps led from the pole at Gateway in 2010 (finished 3rd). After finishing no better than 5th in the first 17 races of 2012, Justin Allgaier now has 2 top 3 finishes in the last 3 races. Sam Hornish Jr. wins the 4th and final $100k Dash 4 Cash award with his 3rd place finish. Hornish extends his top 10 streak to 8 straight, the 2nd longest of anyone this season (Stenhouse Jr. has the longest with 9 in a row). After finishing no better than 4th in the first 18 races of the season, Hornish now has back-to-back top 3 finishes. Michael Annett gets his season-high 3rd straight top 10 finish, and 4th top 5 in the last 6 races (none in his first 119 starts). He's 4th in points scored over that stretch, just 1 less point than Hornish and Sadler and 3 less than Stenhouse. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. ties Austin Dillon for the most top 5's this season with his 11th, 4 of them coming in the last 5 races. However, his run of consecutive wins at Iowa comes to an end at 3. Michael McDowell improves his numbers with JGR since last season to 8 top 10's and a 6.6 average finish in 9 starts, including a 4.5 avg fin in 4 starts in 2012. Darrell Wallace Jr. starts from the front row in just his 2nd career Nationwide start, led the first 36 laps of the race and and tops his 9th place finish in his debut with a 7th. In his first Nationwide start of 2012, returning to Turner Motorsports for whom he drove full time last season, Jason Leffler picks up his 107th top 10 in 293 career starts. K&N Pro East Series point leader (by 19 points after Iowa) Brett Moffitt finishes 9th in his series debut. Ryan Blaney, in his first start for Penske, gets his 2nd top 10 in 5 Nationwide starts this season (20.4 avg fin). Danica Patrick's 11th is her 2nd best finish of the season (8th at Texas). After having just 3 top 20's, with a best of 19th, in her first 8 starts of the season (23.8 avg fin), Johanna Long has 2 top 15's and 4 top 20's in her last 6 starts (18.5 avg fin). For the sake of the Danica/Johanna argument, Danica Patrick has 3 top 15's but a 20.2 average finish in those last 6 races that Johanna's run. Danica's wreck at Daytona doesn't help though. 66. 10andJoe posted: 08.07.2012 - 10:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Annett and the No. 43 team were socked for six points for failing post-race inspection (rear ride height). 67. Anonymous posted: 08.07.2012 - 11:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) how many people have had the exact same penalty this nationwide season alone?? 68. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.08.2012 - 12:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) irony,no one including 10andJoe accused you of saying Darrell Wallace Jr was related to Rusty Wallace or any of the Wallace's.It's fine if you want to use the word Nepotism ,as in related like in "the boss's son".Every driver you mentioned including Ryan Blaney in your last sentence really,really smells of Nepotism.When I saw the entry list for the May race,I said Gee Wally!Is Darrell Jr one of Rusty's,Mike's,or Kenny's boys? I saw his interview and said Gee Wally,I know the answer!!I trust you use "common sense" a lot when explaining it to other race fans while hitting enter.You think Rusty,Kenny,or Mike would be proud to have Darrell as a son? 69. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.08.2012 - 12:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Paul,Thanks for posting the Glen list.Interesting to see Kyle Busch,Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards in the race.3 cup drivers needing to find a edge or something to help in that wild card chase.No Jacques Villeneuve as the bad guy.Who will the 3 TBA drivers be? Will be a good race but don't be surprised if it rains. 70. irony posted: 08.08.2012 - 4:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't know why they wouldn't. He seems like a good kid. 71. Dave#38 Fan posted: 08.08.2012 - 10:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) updates to the entry list: Ryan Ellis in the #52 (he also drove for the team at Road America) Louis-Philippe Dumoulin in the #08. 72. 10andJoe posted: 08.08.2012 - 4:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Correction: Annett got socked for /front/ ride height, not rear. 73. cjs3872 posted: 08.08.2012 - 5:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 10andJoe, that would make more sense because a lower front ride height would give a team a considerable advantage on just about every track, because they would get better front downforce by having the front end closer to the ground, and better rear downforce by raising the rear end up in the air, which would result in getting the spolier up in the air more. On the other hand, having too low a rear ride height would not provide any advantage at all. In fact, it would provide a disadvantage, because it would get the rear spoiler out of the air, which would decrease rear downforce, and probably raise the front of the car up, which would decrease front downforce. We now know why the #43 NNS team has been doing better now, because they've probably been doing this for some time. That's why I keep saying that for every time a team is caught cheating, or at least having a car outside the parameters of the rules, they get away with it at least ten times, if not more. After all, for what they've just been penalized, it's well worth it, especially when you consider the $100,000 bonus they got at Indy in the "Dash for Cash" sweepstakes. If you tell a team that they might be able to fudge the rules and go outside of them and get a $100,000 bonus (which the #43 NNS team got at Indy), realizing that if caught they'd only get fined $10,000, wouldn't you take it, because I know I would. Just as long as it isn't blatant, and this violation certainly wasn't blatant by any means. 74. palo_s posted: 08.10.2012 - 6:48 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #63 - No, I wrote they are worse because they have engine issues.. I didnt write they are worse because they are doing worse.. That is two different thinks.. Andretti Autosport won 3 races last year, this years AA won 3 wins.. Yes RHR won 3 races, but Milwaukee because Dixon had penalty, Iowa - Franchitti's engine help and Toronto - Power wrecked himself.. RHR is better, because he didnt make many mistakes.. 75. palo_s posted: 08.10.2012 - 7:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Inexperience would be a good excuse for Danica Patrick's struggles, if Cole Whitt weren't handily beating her over the course of the season. Although it looks like JRM's fallen off as a whole lately." Cole is stock driver, Danica is open wheel driver.. Every open wheeler has longer learning curve in NASCAR.. Imho it seems only Cole is worser.. Problem is they have two rookies.. Turner has 2 wins - Buescher's lucky win and Piquet is former Formula One driver.. Kahne's experiences helps a lot, but Allgaier doesnt look better.. 76. Dave#38Fan posted: 08.10.2012 - 7:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) according to their respective official facebook pages, canadian tire series driver dexter stacey will drive the #23 nns car at the glen and montreal and alex popow will replace tayler malsam in the #19 nns car for at least watkins glen. 77. 10andJoe posted: 08.10.2012 - 11:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) >Cole is stock driver, Danica is open wheel driver.. Every open wheeler has longer learning curve in NASCAR Cole Whitt came up through midgets. Guess who has more stock car experience? It's not Cole... 78. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.11.2012 - 11:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Palo and 10 andJoe, one more point.Lots of people forget the Indycar driver is a professional "race car driver" as well as the "stock driver" is a professional race car driver. Cole Whitt qualified 12th at the Glen and Danica in 23rd. 1st time at the Glen for Cole. Must be Cole has the better car huh?? 79. palo_s posted: 08.11.2012 - 2:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #78: And point is? Cole made good job.. I never said she had worse car than Cole.. 80. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.11.2012 - 3:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #79, The point is,I never did say that you said that she had a worse car than Cole.I will agree with you that Cole made a good job. 81. palo_s posted: 08.11.2012 - 4:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #80 I dont understand your point.. 82. Richie61NYfan posted: 08.11.2012 - 5:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #81,Let's just leave it at that.I guess I don't do a good job of explaining. 83. CBASS posted: 09.10.2012 - 7:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Should be noted that the official name for this race was the "U.S. Cellular 250 presented by Enlist." It says so on the track's website. 84. Jared DiCarlo posted: 08.18.2013 - 8:23 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marty Reid said that the winner of this race is Elliott Sadler, Jr. 85. Windows Millennium Edition posted: 03.13.2016 - 1:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: WD|Scott Riggs|75|Rick Ware Racing|Rick Ware|Ford 86. Sandy posted: 11.17.2018 - 8:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brett moffitt made his nationwide (now xfinity) debut 6 years before he won the 2018 truck series champion 87. Altracing posted: 12.14.2018 - 1:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This would turn out to be Jason Leffler's final Nationwide career top ten finish just 10 months before his death ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: