|| *Comments on the 2013 O'Reilly Auto Parts 300:* View the most recent comment <#191> | Post a comment <#post> 1. We need more Onion posted: 04.12.2013 - 6:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Congrats to Bowman, splendid lap. Good to see that Clements did well, just as Lepage. (considering how slow the MHR car is) 2. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 6:39 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Congrats to Alex Bowman on his first NASCAR Nationwide Series pole. I didn't get to see him qualify, but from what I hear, he drove turns 3 and 4 flat-out, which is pretty darn ballsy for a rookie driver. That's why we call him "The Real Deal." From what I read on his Facebook earlier today, Eric McClure briefly practiced Jeff Green's car because Green's car was a lot faster and McClure wanted to see how their setups were different. Needless to say, it didn't exactly work as Green qualified in the top 30 and McClure wasn't even in the top 40 on speed. After a pretty impressive start to his season, I think McClure has fallen back into his mid-to-back of the pack running routine. 3. DaleSrFanForever posted: 04.12.2013 - 6:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Congrats to Alex "The Real Deal" Bowman. And its a good thing he won the pole, otherwise BSPN would have totally ignored him. The Cup regulars were shown climbing into their cars, qualifying, then interviewed afterwards whilenthe NWide only folks didn't even have their laps shown. What a crock. Gotta miss this one tonight, y'all pull Alex through for me. 4. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 6:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) BOWMAN!!!! Not sure if he can contend for a win, but he should have a good run. Hopefully he can make this race (which will most likely suck) interesting. 5. Dave#38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 04.12.2013 - 6:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) yawn, looks like another installment of the Kyle Busch show brought to you by Monster Energy Drink and Joe Gibbs racing. I think I'll just come back this site in the moring and look to see who finished 2nd-40th. 6. New14 & 88Fan posted: 04.12.2013 - 7:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Congrats to Alex Bowman on wining the pole, that's huge for the Robby Benton team. 7. Daniel posted: 04.12.2013 - 7:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In using fastest 40: #46 Chase Miller, #47 Scott Riggs, #52 Joey Gase Out using fastest 40: #14 Eric McClure, #15 Juan Carlos Blum, #23 Robert Richardson Jr. 8. cjs3872 posted: 04.12.2013 - 7:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It might be my imagination, but looking at the qualifying results, combined with what I saw at California, but the Roush cars seem woefully slow this year. I know the Penske cars are up front, but they seem to be Ford's only chance in the Nationwide Series at the big tracks this year. Could it b that Roush has the same problem he had when he competed against Robert Yates and Penske more than a decade ago when they were with Ford, which is a significant lack of horsepower. I know not having a guy like Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the car may be holding them back on some tracks, but the fact that none of the Roush cars were even in the ballpark in qualifying at both California and Texas tells me that they're significantly down on horsepower. I knew Roush would struggle this year to get up front with his driver lineup, especially in the Nationwide Series, but I didn't think he'd be a badly down on horsepower as he seems to be, and I wonder if that's part of his struggles in the Cup Series this year, as well, because they've largely been non-factors at the big tracks in the Cup Series, as well. I think we now know why Roush wanted to be the only main Ford team, because he's struggling against the Penske team, and both organizations now run Fords. 9. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I predicted several weeks ago that Kyle Busch would win 20 Nationwide races this year. I stand by that prediction, and I expect him to lead at least 150 laps here tonight en route to another meaningless Nationwide victory. 10. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Busch brother front row. 11. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For Cup of course. 12. Jim Davis posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "In using fastest 40: #46 Chase Miller, #47 Scott Riggs, #52 Joey Gase Out using fastest 40: #14 Eric McClure, #15 Juan Carlos Blum, #23 Robert Richardson Jr." I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you don't like the way fields are currently set. 13. Kenny posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm pulling for Austin and Dale Jr @ the final gear do you have a FB page? 14. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Marty Smith's "outlaw" gimmick sure is getting annoying. He tries to sound like a badass, yet he's always prancing around with Jimmie and Kasey with their Calvin Klein getups. The Roush cars do seem pretty slow this year CJS. It's either that, or Kyle and JGR are just making them look that bad. 15. Daniel posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) #12, Yeah, I'm one of the "the fastest should race" types. 16. cjs3872 posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Murb, JGR is making Roush look pretty slow compared to them (and everyone else), but that wouldn't explain their lack of speed when compared to the other teams, especially Penske, since Penske is also running Fords. If Penske wasas slow as Roush, you can say that the Fords are slow, but since the Penske cars are among the front runners and the Roush cars are not, and both teams are running Fords again, that shows a definite lack of speed on the part of Roush's organization, but this s how roush's cars often looked in terms of speed a generation ago when Penske and Robert Yates were top flight copetitors that also ran Fords. Their cars were usually faster than Roush's team was. Roush's car handled better, making them more competitive in the race, but on speed, Roush's cars were always slower. Why do you think it took them so long to win at tracks like Pocnno and Daytona, or the Cup championship, and why do you think they've still not won the Brickyard 400 yet? It's because of a lack of speed, which has always hindered the Roush organization. It just hasn't showed up in recent years because there wasn't another top flight Ford team. Now that there is, Roush is getting it's doors blown off again, just like they used to get their doors blown off by Penske and Yates, where the speed of the cars were concerned. In fact, one of the big reasons why Greg Biffle never tried to pass Jimmie Johnson late in the Daytona 500 was because he knew he couldn't, because his car was slow. If handled well, but was just not fast enough to lead, and realizing this, Biffle was content to ride in the best position he could get before Dale, Jr. and Mark Martin passed him on the final lap. But had the draft not been as big a factor, Biffle might not have been able to run 10th in that race, and he nearly finished second. Roush's cars are just slow this year, both in the Cup Series and the Nationwide Series. 17. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jim, Daniel does the "In using fastest 36/40/43, out using fastest 36/40/43" formula for every race, and to my knowledge has nothing to do with who he may or may not prefer to make the race. Go back through the comments on some of the older race pages from 10-20 years ago, and I'll guarantee you he made a similar comment on each of them. murb, explain Marty Smith's "outlaw" gimmick that you speak of. I never watch the ESPN pre-race show or NASCAR Now, so I never see Marty Smith and the way he's prancing around other drivers. Speaking of gimmicks, I just finished watching the "Steve Austin vs. Shawn Michaels" match from Wrestlemania 14. Damn, what a match! Michaels' back was broken and he was still the "Showstoppa" once more in his final match for four years. I cringed every time he took a bump on his back, especially when he ran and flipped into the turnbuckle at full speed, hitting it directly with his back. That is nothing short of ballsy, and just goes to show you how much he loves the wrestling business to go all out with a broken freakin' back. In case you guys haven't noticed, I'm a pretty big HBK fan, and I'm pretty pumped to see him at the track tomorrow as he leads the field for the opening pace laps. 18. Kenny posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) When the hell dose the race start anyway? 19. jabber1990 posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) wow! who did the national anthem? 20. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 8:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Welcome suckers to the Texas Motor Kyleway O'Busch 300 presented by Monster Energy! Thank you for wasting your money to come to the Kyle Busch exclusive practice session tonight, and to the viewers at home, thank you in advance for wasting the next 2 hours of your life 21. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's a good thing Travis Pastrana has had a lot of experience in rally cars, otherwise he might have hit the wall when he was fighting that wicked loose race car. 22. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "murb, explain Marty Smith's "outlaw" gimmick that you speak of. I never watch the ESPN pre-race show or NASCAR Now, so I never see Marty Smith and the way he's prancing around other drivers." He constantly tries to come off as one of the "good ole' boys" by the way he talks and the phrases he uses, but then he goes around wearing aviators and showboating his expensive looking clothes. Not only that, but he's one of the worst "Media Buddies" in the sport because he's always kissing Jimmie Johnson's ass (and to a lesser extent Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin) because they are best friends when they aren't at the race track. I don't personally have anything against him, but his personality and bias reporting just annoys me. Hornish and Brad fighting for the lead. Looks like the Penske guys might have something for Kyle tonight. Caution for the 23 car spinning. 23. Kenny posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Eather this a boreing race tonight or there isn't alot of ppl hear this evening 24. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's deja vu all over again for the #14 team. Just like last year at Texas, Eric McClure is sick and Jeff Green will be taking over the car in relief of McClure. Hope McClure isn't too sick, but I'm glad that Green at least gets another shot at running a full race. 25. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh poor Kyle Busch, his sign is too shaky 26. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "The best thing about this series when you're a Cup driver is that you can have a bad run and still come back and get over it tomorrow." - Carl Edwards. In other words, this series means nothing to them. Thanks for the clarification. I understand sponsor commitments and everything, but when one driver in need of relief (Eric McClure) is going to be relieved by his teammate already in the field (Jeff Green), why not just have Green drive the #14 and have McClure park the #10 if he's just going to go out of the race anyways? 27. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow, they all just missed Larson spinning. I picked that up too Paul. Yeah, you Cup guys might get another shot tomorrow, but for many of these guys, this is the only race they have. So don't ruin it for them. 28. Kenny posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can someone tell me where Austin and Dale jr are running please? Thank you 29. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I can't recall ever seeing a driver come back up the race track at Texas through the quad oval like Kyle Larson just did right there. Doesn't anyone know how to turn the wheel to the left while spinning out in order to avoid coming back up into traffic anymore? Luckily he wasn't hit, but trying to save the car after it's already spun out is going to bite someone in the ass one of these days. 30. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There goes Kyle Larson for a spin And Paul, McClure might have wanted to try and run the full race but decided he couldn't do it after the race started. And you're right with interpreting what Carl said. That perfectly personifies the attitudes of Kenseth, Busch, Hamlin, Logano, Keselowski, Harvick, and all the other Buschwhackers who run the Nationwide series more than a few times a year. Interesting question to pose here now. Would you rather see 1/3 of the Nationwide field start and park or 1/3 of the field be full-time Cup Drivers? 31. Jim Davis posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I understand sponsor commitments and everything, but when one driver in need of relief (Eric McClure) is going to be relieved by his teammate already in the field (Jeff Green), why not just have Green drive the #14 and have McClure park the #10 if he's just going to go out of the race anyways?" McClure was probably hoping he could gut one out. 32. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:30 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Kyle Larson just almost did a great Juan Pablo Montoya impression 33. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) murb, that reminds me of the infamous Denny Hamlin/Brad Keselowski confrontation at Charlotte '08 in the media center after the race. Denny's whining about Brad not giving him any room and blames it on Brad's lack of Cup experience, and Brad comes back by stating he only gets to run 200 laps every week and the Nationwide race is his only chance to prove himself. Totally different mindsets between the "fat cats" of Cup and the hungry young guns of Nationwide. Is it official that Kyle Larson is an idiot? 34. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kyle Larson just ABOUT took out a safety truck. Shades of Montoya at Daytona last year... 35. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson moronically drives back around too fast on a flat tire and blows it out, almost hurting the people in the safety truck. His disregard for safety that he has shown this year (not only here, but also at Vegas where he took the steering wheel off as he was still crashing) has made me dislike him a lot. 36. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Honestly, I'd rather see a field full of Nationwide drivers than have a few Cup drivers in the field and taking rides from drivers that could actually use one. I don't care how many of those drivers wind up start-and-parking, I'd just like to see a pure field for once in this series. 37. Rusty posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) We almost had Montoya 2.0, smart move by Larson to hit the wall and avoid the truck. 38. joey2448 posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:33 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Yeah, that was a near disaster! Holy cow did he barely miss that truck! Also, Kenny, do you ever even watch these races??? 39. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kenny, Dillon is scored in 8th and Jr 10th right now according to DirecTv Scoreguide 40. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) These drivers aren't even using the brakes. Aside from taking their foot slightly off the the gas pedal on corner entry, the drivers in this race are pretty much dependent on how good the car is, no matter how talented they are. 41. Kenny posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'd love to but we only have 1 tv and my family have something like a 1 race pre weekend rule(and I'm the only one in this house who likes NNS)and with it being a nite race ill haft to fight with my mother about watching the cup race tomorrow night so I'm gonna haft to go throu some shit this weekend saddly :( 42. Matt L posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was pretty happy when I saw the DNQ's for this race. 43. jabber1990 posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) poor Larson...everything he's done this season has been epic 44. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The top five cars didn't take tires, possibly to save their final set for later in the race, since the Nationwide Series teams only have four spare sets of tires in this race. 45. DaleSrFanForever posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jeez, got a chance to see Larson's near miss with the truck. Kinda dumb. 46. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Any pics or video of Larson incident? I was out when it was replayed. 47. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 9:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Is Brian Vickers' nickname seriously "The Vick"? What the hell is a "vick"? On the Martinsville Cup page, I made a post about that NFL Top Ten list I watched last night about things that are missing from the NFL today that used to be prominent years ago, and one of them was great nicknames. Looks like that trend of bad/lazy nicknames has made its way to NASCAR. 48. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thanks ESPN for FINALLY showing the replay. 49. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:05 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Is this TMS or Atlanta? Loving this race and the tire combination so far. 50. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:11 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Paul, I think Vickers' nickname is "Spincycle" or "The Martinsville Mauler." "Vick" is just what BSPN wants to force on people 51. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sam Hornish, Jr. went from 16th to 2nd in four laps. That sounds a lot like Curtis Turner from the 1958 Convertible Division race at Daytona Beach, when he went from 12th to 1st in just three laps. 52. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Elliott Sadler on pit road for a vibration. He might have used up his tires during that last green flag run, and not changing tires under caution bit that team right in the ass. 53. DaleSrFanForever posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why is Johanna 4 laps down? 54. Jim Davis posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:17 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Why is Johanna 4 laps down?" Broken axle cap during pit stop. 55. joey2448 posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:17 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Man this is unexpected. Great racing at Texas! Kenseth is a beast when it comes to managing old tires, as evidenced by his ability to keep the lead for a while on that restart, but then Hornish charged his way through the field to take the lead, and now Kandy Kahne passed Hornish for the lead! Tires making a difference....love it. 56. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cluck Fomercials 57. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 2nd spin of the night for Richardson, tough race for that team 58. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nice job by Richardson to turn the wheel to the left after he spun towards the grass. I just wish the other driver whose number has a 3 and a 2 could have done the same. 59. AveryNH posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Busch has an awful pit stop and loses eight positions. Dropped lugnuts to blame. 60. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:23 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Blake Koch leads a lap under yellow. 61. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As good as Kenseth was at conserving his tires for that last green flag run, he just messed everything up by speeding on pit road. 62. AveryNH posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also I can't imagine the Richmond race will be simulcast on SPEED. I don't get ESPNNEWS so I may have to turn to MRM's live radio stream. 63. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It figures that the one race where I leave in the middle of it turns out to have great racing (from what you guys are saying). I'm back now though, so hopefully the rest of this race will be good too. 64. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Koch is a pretty good young driver, and he seems to be getting the most out of that SR2 ride. He's finished in the top 25 in the three races that he's finished this year (both DNFs were mechanical), and was the only SR2 driver to make tonight's race. I like where he is right now, driving for a small team and everything, and I hope he gets a chance in better equipment in a few years when he's more experienced. Considering how he hadn't raced in a stock car until about 2008, I'd say he's done pretty well so far. 65. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can somebody tell me if they're racing a similar/same tire combination as the Cup Cars this weekend? 66. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Too bad for Pastrana. 67. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow, that was kind of a dumb move. 68. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dexter Stacey spins out. 69. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dexter Stacey and guess who, Robert Richardson again, spin 70. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Dexter Stacey's car just kissed the wall as he spun out. Richardson made a killer save to not t-bone Stacey, opting to safely spin himself in the grass instead. 71. Jim Davis posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Tire: Goodyear Eagle Speedway Radials Set limits: Sprint Cup: 5 sets for Thursday, 5 sets for remaining practice/qualifying and 11 sets for the race; Nationwide: 7 sets for the event Number of Tires: Sprint Cup: Left-side -- 1,725, Right-side -- 1,725; Nationwide: Left-side  575, Right-side -- 575 Tire Codes: Left-side -- D-4392; Right-side -- D-4418 Tire Circumference: Left-side -- 87.2 in. (2,215 mm); Right-side -- 88.4 in. (2,246 mm) Technical Inspection Inflation: Left Front -- 30 psi; Left Rear -- 30 psi Right Front -- 50 psi; Right Rear -- 47 psi Minimum Recommended Inflation: Left Front -- 23 psi; Left Rear -- 22 psi; Right Front -- 51 psi; Right Rear -- 47 psi Notes: Teams in both the NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Series run the same tire codes at Texas this weekend . . . these teams have run this left-side tire code (D-4392) at Texas in both 2011 and 2012 . . . this right side tire code is new to teams in these two series, though it has been run by teams in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series at Texas for the past two seasons . . . compared to what Sprint Cup and Nationwide teams have run at this track recently, this right-side tire has a tougher compound for better wear . . . Goodyear held a test with the Gen-6 car at Texas on October 9-10, 2012 . . . teams and drivers participating in that test were No. 16 Roush Fenway Ford with Greg Biffle, No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota with Kyle Busch, No. 27 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet with Paul Menard and No. 42 Earnhardt Ganassi Racing Chevrolet with Juan Pablo Montoya . . . as on all NASCAR ovals greater than one mile in length, teams are required to run inner liners in all four tire positions at Texas . . . air pressure in those inner liners should be 12-25 psi greater than that of the outer tire. 72. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) My mistake on the "dumb move" comment. I didn't realize he was chasing it like that. I thought he just turned dead right back onto the race track. 73. AveryNH posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Richardson gets a free pass on that one, his only choice was to spin out. Sadler will benefit greatly from this yellow. 74. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thanks Jim, this bodes very well for tomorrow night's cup race. Probably Gordon's best chance to win this year. 75. Jim Davis posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:40 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Thanks Jim, this bodes very well for tomorrow night's cup race." This is all on jayski.com for anyone who might not know. 76. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kasey Kahne came in and got a set of scuff tires on the car, leaving the last set of sticker tires on the pit wall for their final pit stop. 77. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Damn it, Hornish gets torn up. 78. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sideways Sam! 79. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It doesn't matter whether Clements came up into him or if Hornish came down, Hornish was too low on the race track for that 3-wide situation to work. 80. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:43 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Amazing how much better Jayski is than the trash known as NASCAR.com 81. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) And just like that, it looks like the rest of the competition has a BIG opportunity to cut into Sam's points lead. 82. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #80-Because NASCAR.com is only geared towards the casual "peanut gallery" fans...or 90% of NASCAR fans. 83. AveryNH posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Trevor Bayne was strong on that restart, went three wide on Junior and held on. Now's his big chance with Sam's day all but over. 84. Mr X posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Other then the live leader board www.nascar.com has no reason to exist. Period. 85. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Dale Jr has a great shot to win this thing. Trevor is overheating. Bad break for him. 86. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 10:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Of course it does! It needs to exist to help hype up Danica! Trevor Bayne is about to blow up. 87. AveryNH posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hornish in the garage, and Bayne losing time on pit road, Reagan Smith, the time is NOW! 88. Mr X posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Oh yeah because before the new NASCAR.com I had never heard of Danica or her countless accolades. 89. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Why don't they just rename this series the NKBS (NASCAR Kyle Busch Series)? 90. Mr X posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In qualifying she is almost like Ayrton Senna! 91. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Blake Kock oh my god... 92. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) NASCAR: Screwing up potentially classic races with stupid debris cautions since 2003. 93. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:06 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Why don't they just rename this series the NKBS (NASCAR Kyle Busch Series)?" Presented by Monster Energy. 94. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ...Live on ESPNNews 95. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:10 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Seriously, if he stays at Joe Gibbs for the rest of his career, races in NASCAR until he's 40-45 or so, and wins at least 10+ Nationwide races a year, he's on pace to win 200+ Nationwide races. ...That is just sad. 96. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:11 pm Rate this comment: (3) (1) Joe Gibbs winning useless Nationwide races is his speciality. Yet every year in cup he gets his ass kicked by Papa Rick. 97. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Time to put Nationwide on the Food Network. Similar level of predictability. 98. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Check out the points battle now that Hornish has had troubles. Regan Smith is now just one point back. 99. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's too bad Carl isn't running these Nationwide races anymore, otherwise he and Kyle could battle it out and try to close in on Petty/Pearson for most 1-2 finishes in a NASCAR series. 100. Schroeder51 posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:21 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) I can't wait until Kyle has 199 combined wins between Cup, Nationwide, and Trucks so ESPN can hype up the big moment where he "ties" Richard Petty's record, and the moment when he "surpasses" it. I just can't wait. 101. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:22 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) zzz... 102. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Late Model Sportsman where are you??? 103. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:23 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) ///ZZZ 104. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:23 pm Rate this comment: (5) (0) BREAKING NEWS: Kyle Busch to run 15 ARCA races with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2014. 105. David posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:24 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) "BREAKING NEWS: Kyle Busch to run 15 ARCA races with Joe Gibbs Racing in 2014." I almost checked this. 106. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wonder if we'll see another "Kyle Busch: Epic Texas Meltdown" in the Cup race tomorrow. 107. Rusty posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:25 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Kyle couldn't find his way in his own equipment, but back in JGR stuff he is back to winning practically every race. He is a great driver, but he is proving that his equipment is a big reason for his insane Nationwide sucess. 108. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:25 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Cancel Nationwide except the 6 standalone races. 109. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:26 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) Congratulations to Kyle Buschwhacker on another meaningless Nationwide win, the prelude to another shoot-yourself-in-the-foot-with-your-child-mentality-and-finish-23rd-tomoorow raceday on the Cup side. It was absolutely disgusting listening to Adam Alexander the last 20 laps. He has his lips so far up Kyle's butt he can taste whatever Kyle's eating 110. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Joe Balash and Brian France after consulting from Bill France Jr. have destroyed one of the best racing series in the country. 111. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "He has his lips so far up Kyle's butt he can taste whatever Kyle's eating" Ew. 112. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 4 of the top 10 have no business being in Nationwide, maybe 5 if you throw in Kahne 113. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:29 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Congratulations to Austin Dillon, who won the NNS race tonight. And congratulations to Kyle Busch and Joe Gibbs Racing for winning the preliminary Cup race. 114. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:30 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Funny how Kyle doesn't even have the balls to run races like the Martinsville truck race where he has struggled. What a joke. 115. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:31 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) I hope the person who disliked my comment on the Martinsville page about there being too many Cup drivers in this race is happy, because all six of the competitive double duty drivers finished in the top eight in this race. The only way I can watch a pure Nationwide race these days is by playing NR2003 and setting up the rosters so that only Nationwide drivers can compete. Only two more months before a stand-alone Nationwide race. *Sigh* 116. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Look at all dem' empty seats all night. Bet you more people will be at the Rock Sunday. At least Logano is racing in Sub-par equipment. 117. Anonymous posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Time for a rule for Buschwacking its insane to think one driver will most likely win 20 nationwide races in a year if it wasnt for Trevor Bayne i would not even watch this shithole of a series 118. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) When does ARCA come back on TV? 119. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "When does ARCA come back on TV?" Once Kyle runs his 15 next year, lol 120. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "When does ARCA come back on TV?" May 3rd at Talladega. 121. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:36 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) So is Lewis Hamilton going to follow Kyle's lead and run 10 GP2 races this year? That ought to help him win the WDC in F1. 122. 83andJoe posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:36 pm Rate this comment: (5) (8) Welcome to the weekly Racing-Reference Whinefest, brought to you by Kyle Busch. Yeah it's annoying that he stomps the Nationwide fields, but really, some people need to get a grip. 123. Mr X posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:37 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) So in what year is Kyle Busch going to start his career in quarter midgets? 124. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "The Real Deal" Alex Bowman is now 8th in the points, just 3 points out of 6th place. "The Next Big Thing" Kyle Larson wrecked himself out of the top ten in points, and is just 8 points ahead of Mike Bliss, who has been driving unsponsored most of the season. It's time for BSPN to give us some in-depth featured footage and interviews on Bowman, who has driven like a true veteran from day one and doesn't have a big head from all the hype. At one point in the race, Hornish had a full race lead over second place. Now his lead is only 2 points over Regan Smith, and three other drivers (Austin Dillon, Brian Scott, Justin Allgaier) are within 9 points of his lead. This championship battle just got interesting. 125. MStall41 posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:41 pm Rate this comment: (4) (5) The Nationwide Series is the healthiest it's been since 2010. It sucks that the same guy is winning but sometimes that's what happens. Get over it. 126. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:46 pm Rate this comment: (4) (2) "Welcome to the weekly Racing-Reference Whinefest, brought to you by Kyle Busch." Yeah you're right, we should just sit down in front of the TVs like good little robots, complete with our Dale Jr. hats, Danica t-shirts, and have Monster-flavored drool drip from our mouths as we stare aimlessly at our TV sets, while repeatedly saying "History. History. History. History. History." It'll turn us into mindless human beings with no opinions of our own, but at least we won't "have the nerve" to fill up the comments section with our repetitive "slander" and why we think this series sucks nowadays. Glad that we got that straightened out. 127. murb posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:48 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) "The Nationwide Series is the healthiest it's been since 2010." Yes it is. The Nationwide Series is full of a bunch of great young drivers who are proving themselves for sure. But the Preliminary Cup Series race within the NNS race is getting out of hand. Four or five Buschwhackers (or Insurancewhackers - whatever we're supposed to call them now) are fine, but having nine or ten of them in each race driving for THEIR CUP TEAMS is absolutely ridiculous and doesn't need to be happening. 128. Paul posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) "Get over it." That right there is the type of attitude that sets a once great series back and helps it become a Cup preliminary race with no true identity of its own. 129. 83andJoe posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) ^ No, but reading through 120 comments that, distilled, would yield "Kyle Busch wins another meaningless Nationwide race ick barf puke" makes y'all look just as bad as the "Danica is History" people. I have seen the enemy, and he is us. 130. MStall41 posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) NASCAR didn't actively seek out Cup drivers to fill NW seats. The Cup invasion has occurred organically over time and while it sucks, it's what we got right now. And I would argue the Buschwhacking was far worse in the mid-late 2000s 131. Sky Warrior posted: 04.12.2013 - 11:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) How are we supposed to react then, pretend to be happy that Kyle Busch is acting like a god for winning another minor league race? ANOTHER minor league race?? It's disgusting to not only watch the Buschwhackers destroy the competition and take rides and sponsors from young, deserving talent on a full-time basis, but also to listen to Adam Alexander and company praise them like the second coming for doing so 132. Mannoroth posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:06 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Hey guys, if you're sick of these guys racing in the lower series, just don't watch the Nationwide and Truck races and you don't have to get angry. It's simple. You can't do anything about it, anyway. If they want to race in lower series, they'll just race there and I'm sure they don't read this discussion. 133. cjs3872 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) Paul, let's just hope that Alex Bowman can get away from the sorry team he races for, because he's just wasting the season there. Trust me, his performances for a team that just isn't the quality of those he's racing against, are not going unnoticed by the other team owners, who know that there may not be a driver in any of the top three series so far this year that has outperformed his own team like Bowman has. The very team he won the pole for this race with was the same one that was struggling to even finish in the top 15-20 last year, no matter who they put in the car. I would not be surprise if someone like Jack Roush or Richard Childress put him in one of their cars next year. To show how pathetic that team is, Bowman was up near the top 5, and after the first pit stop, he's running outside the top 15. Don't be surprised if Bowman's in the #2 or #6 NNS car next year. If he's not elevated to a better ride, his career may go nowhere. And also, the only thing that could make this championship race interesting happened as Sam Hornish, Jr. was involved in a late crash. Actually, his problems began when his team flubbed that pit strategy by not taking on tires. But his team was the only one that was caught up in something because of it. But while that incident allowed the top five to close to within 11 points of Hornish, I still think that only two of the other four (Regan Smith and Austin Dillon) can seriously challenge for the title. And Trevor Bayne's hopes went up in smoke tonight when he had overheating problems while running sixth (Carl Edwards thinks a water hose may actually have come loose because the smoke and steam were coming from an odd location). He's one driver that can't afford any failures, espcially considering the Roush cars' lack of speed. The only reason he was in postion to challenge for the top five was because his team actually got the strategy right, as his was a 10th-12th place car. But as I said before, that team was overdue for a run of bad luck, and unfortunately, Bayne is bearing the brunt of it. A broken drive shaft where they never break (Daytona), and now the possibility of a water hose coming off (when's the last time anyone's heard of that happening?). There's a reason why no car's ever won the championship in that series three years in a row, no matter the driver. As Darrell Waltrip said about his season in 1983, they had the trouble that year they didn't have the previous two years, because it was due to happen. That same thing is happening to Roush's #6 NNS team this year, but it's Trevor Bayne, who appears to be this generation's version of Donnie Allison, that's bearing the brunt of it. 134. Schroeder51 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:07 am Rate this comment: (4) (0) What bothers more than Kyle Busch is the fact that Brad Keselowski is running most of the schedule as well. He just won the Sprint Cup Championship last year...what purpose does he have to be in this series exactly? 135. Eric posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have an answer for cutting down the amount to wins Insurancewhackers get. What needs to happen is only allow one third the Nationwide series. 136. Daniel posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:09 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #130, I would argue they did by getting rid of more of the stand-alone races and making more double-header weekends. Looking at the Nationwide schedule now, the only tracks they race at that Cup doesn't race at are Iowa, Mid-Ohio, and Road America. 137. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:10 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Does anybody know why the number of start and parks seem to be down in all series this year? Very good trend and I hope it continues. 138. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:14 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Agree S51, this is certainly not a Kyle Busch issue but instead a Cup drivers in general issue that angers me. Carl Edwards in 2007 angered me even more. I actually like the guy in Cup. 139. Talon64 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:15 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Paul, let's just hope that Alex Bowman can get away from the sorry team he races for, because he's just wasting the season there. Trust me, his performances for a team that just isn't the quality of those he's racing against, are not going unnoticed by the other team owners, who know that there may not be a driver in any of the top three series so far this year that has outperformed his own team like Bowman has. The very team he won the pole for this race with was the same one that was struggling to even finish in the top 15-20 last year, no matter who they put in the car." I think RAB Racing's a better team than you're giving them credit for. When they had good or experienced drivers like Bowman, Brett Moffitt and Kenny Wallace in the car last year they were regularly in the top 15 and competing for top 10 finishes. And Kenny was pretty regularly in the top 10 when he drove full time for them in 2011. This is pretty much the perfect team for him. A competitive single car team where there isn't the pressure to do amazing things like there would be with one of the Cup teams or even TSM. 140. Bill posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (6) Stop crying about someone winning alot that is racing. 141. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:17 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Jimmie Johnson was with Herzog and that wasn't exactly the best of teams and look what happened to him. Sometimes I wonder if climbing up the ranks under the radar at first can be a bit of an advantage. 142. Eric posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) My post on 135 meant to post is "What needs to happen is Insurancewhackers should only to race one third of the Nationwide series races. 143. b4il3y posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Drivers have to learn how to drive up front and learn how to manage a lead. These young guys can't get that experience while clowns like Busch keep driving in the series. This isn't like it was in the 80's and 90's, because the cup drivers didn't run EVERY WEEK. Busch is a good driver and really doesn't need to run in the lower series is the point everyone is trying to make.. just feeding his ego is all he's doing. Maybe it would be different and not as bad if he was a decent guy off the track.. but he's shown his ass too many times and everyone is pretty tired of it. 144. David posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Insurancewhackers" Let's change that to "Claim Jumpers". 145. 83andJoe posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:33 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) As I've said before, the solution is simple: if you're in the top 35 in Cup driver points and entered in a weekend's Cup race, you can't run in other national touring series events that weekend. Bam. Now to solve whirled peas. 146. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:38 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "There's a reason why no car's ever won the championship in that series three years in a row, no matter the driver." BACE Motorsports won three straight Busch titles from '95-'97; once with Johnny Benson and twice with Randy LaJoie. "Agree S51, this is certainly not a Kyle Busch issue but instead a Cup drivers in general issue that angers me. Carl Edwards in 2007 angered me even more. I actually like the guy in Cup." Totally agree. I like Kyle, Brad, and Kenseth in Cup, but when they're dipping down into Nationwide and consistently running in front in that series, it just gets annoying seeing them dominate what is essentially a "B League" (especially Kyle and Brad, who are both running about 25 races this year). But what annoys me even more is when fans basically tell us "nay-sayers" to shut up and deal with it. NFL players don't play in the CFL or AFL, Formula One drivers don't race in GP2, and MLB and NHL players only play on the "farm team" when they've been scratched from the active roster. If NASCAR was run the same way and at least had limits as to how many total races could be run between the top three series, you wouldn't hear any complaints from me. While there is more young talent in the Nationwide Series this season than in past seasons, there are hardly any in top tier rides that can compete with the Cup guys, and there is a much larger gap in competitiveness in this series than any other NASCAR series. "Jimmie Johnson was with Herzog and that wasn't exactly the best of teams and look what happened to him. Sometimes I wonder if climbing up the ranks under the radar at first can be a bit of an advantage." I think all drivers should start out with a smaller team and have to work their way up from there. It tells you which drivers really want it and work hard to improve, and which ones are just content with being in a good ride. When you have to work for a great ride, you're more likely to race harder and smarter in order to get that ride, and then maintain that type of attitude once that top ride comes along. If a driver starts out in a top ride, I think they're more likely to underachieve because they've already "earned" that top ride in a very short period of time, and may get "fat happy" and content with themselves very quickly. 147. cjs3872 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Talon64, that's why I say that someone like Roush or Childress should take a look at him for next year, because RAB Racing is just going to drag him down. Putting him in a Nationwide ride for a Cup team for this year would have been too risky, but if he's in that car next year, his career may start to go down the tubes because that team is not of the quality of the runs he putting forth in that car. That's also why Michael Waltrip has put in quite a bit of backing into that team, because he sees Bowman as possibly the future replacement for Martin Truex, Jr. in his #56 Cup car within three years. I agree that a ride such as that (RAB Racing) may be good for him for this year, but he's already shown that he deserves something much better for next year, because he's already done more in that car than anyone else has ever done, save for Boris Said on the road course. I believe the other teams know that's not a top quality team, whch is why Bowman's services will be highly sought out for next year, and he may already be a top candidate for a ride with either Childress or Roush next year in the Nationwide Series, and others may start to take a look at him if he keeps running the way he has so far this year. It wouldn't surprise me if he finished fourth, fifth, or sixth in points, though I doubt he'll win this year, mostly due to his weak team. Talladega might be his bast chance to win, since any driver can overcome the deficiences of his team there. I also think he could finish as high as fourth because there are now only three drivers I think can with the title, and Bowman may be the best of the rest, including Brian Scott and Justin Allgaier, who I expect to crash in the points soon, especally Scott, though Allgaier might be able to hang in there a little longer. But the battle to finish in the to five may be a batter one than the one for the championship, especially since 6th-10th are separated by five points, but none of those drivers are in championship contention any more, in my opinion. But of those teams in the top 11 in points, Bowman's is by far the weakest, an thusly, most prone to collapse. If I had to predict right now where I thought Bowman might finish in the points, I'd say about 9th-12th. 148. cjs3872 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) TeamPlayersBlue, Jimmie Johnson would likely have never gotten anywhere if not for a chance encounter with Jeff Gordon at Michigan in 2000. And let's not forget what happened to Jimmie when he raced at Herzog in 2000 at Watkins Glen when his brakes gave out entering turn one. But how many drivers get lucky like that? 149. Mannoroth posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:47 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) At least Kyle won't win more than 4 races in a row, because he won't race at Talladega. 150. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:51 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 83andJoe, both of those are great ideas, but sadly they probably never happen. I give your plan to limit the number of double duty drivers a better chance at happening than world peace, just because the Nationwide Series used to be pure once upon a time, while world peace has never existed to my knowledge. "Bowman may be the best of the rest, including Brian Scott and Justin Allgaier, who I expect to crash in the points soon, especially Scott, though Allgaier might be able to hang in there a little long." I'll admit I'm a bit skeptical on Brian Scott just because of how rocky and wreck-prone he was during his tenure at JGR (driving their 3rd car, by the way), but so far he seems to have adopted the RCR philosophy of just finishing the race, which he has done a really good job of so far, earning five top ten finishes and a worst finish of 11th through six races (his 11th place finish is the best worst finish for drivers that have been in all six Nationwide races this season. But his lack of top fives will prevent him from being a serious title contender, and that will knock him out of contention as soon as he has a bad race. 151. Schroeder51 posted: 04.13.2013 - 12:56 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 83andJoe, that is an extremely great idea. One that could really benefit this series in the long term; it's a very practical idea. Which means that NASCAR will NEVER adopt that idea. 152. Mannoroth posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:15 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sure, great idea. And 2 years later they'll have to cancel NW a Trucks because of low ratings. Do you look at grandstands during the races? They're more than a half empty sometimes. And if Cup drivers dissapeared completely from lower series, it would buried the lower series. 153. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:31 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) Yet Truck and Nationwide TV ratings were up significantly last year despite an overall lack of cup drivers winning in the series. 154. Jim Davis posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The dilemma is that if the cup drivers leave the series their sponsors also leave the series. Travis Pastrana is probably the only regular Nationwide driver that could hope to land a sponsor like Monster Energy drink. Monster will not give the time of day to Landon Cassill, Blake Koch, or Johanna Long. The alternatives to the Cup drivers at present are more Curtis Key and Phil Parsons type entries. Personally, I'll take the Cup drivers. 155. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:46 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Or are the ratings low BECAUSE of the high number of Cup drivers running double duty. I'll compare it to the ratings of the WWE in the '90s. Ratings were down from '93-'96 because they did such a terrible job of building new stars, and ratings started to go up in '97 when they started making new stars like Steve Austin, The Rock, and Triple H, before taking off and reaching all-time highs from '98-'01 when all those stars that they were developing in '96-'97 had finally peaked and the younger guys like Kane and Chris Jericho started to come into their own in '99 before being elevated into the top tier in 2000. The problem with NASCAR is that there have been very few rising stars in the sport from any level. Other than Joey Logano (who has been a bust up to this point) and Brad Keselowski, no stars have been made since 2007 when the sport really took a downturn in the ratings. They're on a good path right now with the likes of the Dillon brothers, Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., James Buescher, Nelson Piquet, Jr., Alex Bowman, Kyle Larson, and Trevor Bayne becoming "stars of the future" based on their success in the lower levels of NASCAR over the past few seasons. Part of the reason is because fewer Cup drivers are running in the Nationwide Series, opening up rides for younger drivers to make their own names. This trend will only continue if fewer Cup drivers run the majority of the schedule and more begin to run only select races in the near future. The ratings are all up from 2011 when it truly was a Cup preliminary race (three Nationwide drivers won four races in 2011) and about the same as they were last year. If the lower level series can continue to build their own identities and create their own stars like they had once upon a time, that will make those series more appealing because you'll get to see some of the rising stars of NASCAR make names for themselves, while also getting to see some familiar names running up front (i.e Sadler, Vickers, Smith, Hornish, and any Cup driver making a select appearance). Maybe it's just me, but I'm more interested in watching stars get made in series like Nationwide and Trucks than I am in seeing the stars of the Cup Series, and I think there are enough other fans out there with similar viewpoints to support the lower series' if they manage to decrease the number of Cup drivers in their respective races. That would also work both ways because it would make the Cup drivers with a habit of double dipping (such as Busch, Harvick, Brad, Kahne, and now Kenseth) more appealing in Cup because they're not being overexposed every weekend, while making their Nationwide/Truck appearances more appealing because it would truly be a guest appearance. Case in point, Jimmie Johnson's Nationwide race at Phoenix this year was far more appealing and truly was a guest appearance just because he rarely runs double duty weekends, which made his appearance far more special than a usual double duty driver like Kyle Busch or Brad Keselowski. Adding restrictions as to how many races in a different series that each driver can compete in would be beneficial not only to the Nationwide/Truck Series because it would help give them their own identities and allow them to create their own stars, while at the same time making the Cup drivers more appealing to the hardcore fan and making their double duty appearances more special at the same time. It works in both ways, and I can only hope that 83andJoe's plan either happens, or a modification of that said plan happens in the near future. 156. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:55 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "The dilemma is that if the cup drivers leave the series their sponsors also leave the series." Which is why I would slowly phase out the Cup drivers from the Nationwide and Truck Series year-by-year. It would give the teams and sponsors a chance to find new drivers to represent, perhaps from a few one-off races during the course of the season, in hopes that a full-time deal can be made that would put either a younger driver or a veteran driver that may have had past success in Cup (like Brian Vickers or Elliott Sadler). I agree that it would be bad for sponsors and for teams if they weren't able to sponsor big-name Cup drivers right away, which is why I would try to start this process right away and get a head-start on phasing out the Cup drivers. Even if this process takes 5-10 years to come into fruition, it would be a great step in the right action if NASCAR were to take action on some level right now in hopes of eventually phasing out the Cup drivers. I think it's at least worth a shot to try to create new stars and identities in the other series, and I think this would be the best way to do it. 157. 83andJoe posted: 04.13.2013 - 3:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) ^ Unfortunatly, sponsors are more likely to leave, instead of transferring to other drivers. Remember what happened to Tayler Malsam and Brian Ickler when Kyle Busch tried to put them in his Trucks - sponsors refused to have anything to do with them, but fell over themselves to have Kyle in the truck. 158. Watto posted: 04.13.2013 - 4:07 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) cjs- Penske & Roush both run Roush-Yates engines, so unless the Roush teams are tuning them in very different ways, they're probably pretty close in terms of horsepower. 159. NicoRosbergFan posted: 04.13.2013 - 5:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) What was the name of that story.... the one where the guy is walking in the middle o fhte night and gets taken by the robot police to be executed because he isn't sitting at home watching his "viewing screen"? I sometimes wonder if Kyle Busch really is the hack out there. Think about it... unless he has a car that is so superior a monkey can win in it (e.g. having a $50,000,000 NNS car again $50,000 NNS cars), he NEVER wins. He absolutely must have the best equipment available or he is going to run mid-pack... notice we never have mentioned the great "Kyle Busch Never Say Die" moments because he can't squeeze an extra position or two out a crummy car based on his driving ability. Some food for thought... 160. DaleSrFanForever posted: 04.13.2013 - 6:32 am Rate this comment: (1) (1) All this early success and the lauding of a "new, mature Kyle Busch" bodes well for yet another epic late season meltdown. In a sort of perverse way, it is almost a shame Jeff had such an epic driving performance last year at Richmond which totally (and deservedly) overshadowed Kyle's meltdown after the botched pit strategy. The truth is I am completely bored with Kyle. I am turning my "hate" to the guy that can actually get the job done: Jimmie Johnson. Really? Your last name is "Johnson" and you name your kid "Jimmie"? What is his middle name, Dick? 161. Anthony posted: 04.13.2013 - 6:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I just woke up. Once again another Kyle Busch moment. I wish Kyle Larson can win a race or Trevor Bayne Austin Dillon anyone of these young drivers even Alex Bowman. Sam Hornish, Jr. Now has a 2 point edge on Regan Smith. Man if only Kyle were not so like Jimmie Johnson he should let drivers who are running 4 points so that it makes it fair. There plain & simple 162. Anonymous posted: 04.13.2013 - 7:35 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) Why are Kyle and Brad running these races? It's simple Monster Energy and Discount Tire want to see their cars win. 163. Daniel posted: 04.13.2013 - 9:16 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) #152, not if they started racing at tracks that don't have any NASCAR races. 164. jabber1990 posted: 04.13.2013 - 9:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Vick" isnt he that guy who killed dogs? look at 2012, there were a low number of drivers who commited "double duty" or "claim jumpers" look at how shitty the cup series racing was in 2012 165. cjs3872 posted: 04.13.2013 - 9:58 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Watto, Roush's team has always been known as being one of the most conservative in setting up their engines. That's one reason why they seem to struggle later in the year, especially when they're in a championship battle, because their conservative engine setups result in a lack of horsepower compared to their competition. And of course, Penske's organization has always tried to push the envelope, something that goes all the way back to the days of Mark Donohue more than 40 years ago. In the early 1970s, it was Penske that really pushed the aerodynamic envelope with the McLarens at Indy, even more than the McLaren team did, and it was a Penske car that ran the first 200 MPH lap at Indy with Tom Sneva in 1977 when it was expected that one of the more established drivers would be the first to run a 200 MPH lap there, so Penske has always pushed the envelope, while Roush has always seemed to be one of the most conservative teams when it comes to setting up engines. And it was Penske that figured out the low gear setting for qualifying in 2000, so much so that NASCAR actually tore apart one of Penske's engines after one of Rusty's nine poles that year to find out just what they were doing, but it was several more years before other teams caught on to what Penske was doing after Ryan Newman scored pole positions at a record rate. So Penske has always pushed the envelope, much like Hendrick does. So it should come as no surprise that Penske's engines make more horsepower than Roush's engines do, even though they come from the same supplier. Penske will take the chances with engine setup that Roush will not. 166. TeamPlayersBlue posted: 04.13.2013 - 10:01 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, on average Truck Series TV ratings so far are up while Nationwide is down. Due to a great TV timeslot that trend will likely continue Sunday. 167. ch posted: 04.13.2013 - 10:17 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Changes: 6 - Cargill Certified Ground Beef 10 - TriStar Motorsports 14 - Hefty / Reynolds Wrap 18 - Reser's Fine Foods 19 - TriStar Motorsports 33 - Hunt Brothers Pizza 40 - The Motorsports Group 42 - The Motorsports Group 44 - American Custom Yachts 60 - Roush Fenway Racing 98 - DenBeste Trucking / Carroll Shelby Engine Co. Owner Change: 98 - Fred Biagi (Same change needed for Fontana, as Mike Curb has absolutely nothing to do with this team) 168. CBASS posted: 04.13.2013 - 10:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #88 Hellmann's/ Sam's Club #33 Hunt Brothers Pizza #18 Reser's Fine Foods #31 Brandt Professional Agriculture #98 DenBeste Trucking/ Carroll Shelby Engine Co. #19 Radisson #79 Uponor Plumbing Systems/ Nuts Off #6 Cargill Our Certified Quality Beef #24 Compassion/ Daystar #14 Hefty/ Reynolds/ Kroger #23 Willbros #32 Cessna #60 KMC Wheels #51 US Petroleum/ ETS Oil Field Service #44 American Custom Yachts 169. David posted: 04.13.2013 - 10:55 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "As I've said before, the solution is simple: if you're in the top 35 in Cup driver points and entered in a weekend's Cup race, you can't run in other national touring series events that weekend. Bam. Now to solve whirled peas." The only problem with that rule is that it is made specifically to ban Cup drivers from entering lower series races. I would propose a slightly different rule: keep the preseason picking of series, and whichever series you are in, you cannot compete in more than seven races in a LOWER series. 170. WoWisback posted: 04.13.2013 - 11:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) This is just disgusting. I hope Kyle comes to his senses sooner rather than later and realizes he's killing the nationwide series with this BS 171. Matt L posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:20 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I've given up complaining about the Cup drivers and just turn it off when I find it boring to watch. Last night, I turned the tv off around lap 90. Before I checked the results this morning, I predicted that Busch or Keselowski would be listed as the winner. They finished 1-2. Anyway, some notable info: - Reed Sorenson earns a 15th place finish - his best finish so far driving the #43. His results haven't been spectacular during his audition. It will be interesting to see how Annett does in the car when he returns. - Mike Wallace moves the #01 team back into the top 30 with a 21st place finish. This bumps Juan Carlos Blum and the #15 Rick Ware Racing team back out. - Landon Cassill's first race with JD Motorsports ends prematurely with mechanical problems. - The #70, #00, and #4 need a miracle at Talladega or else their top 30 chances are pretty much over. 172. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 1:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "- Reed Sorenson earns a 15th place finish - his best finish so far driving the #43. His results haven't been spectacular during his audition. It will be interesting to see how Annett does in the car when he returns." Sorenson was in a pretty good battle for 13th place late in the race, along with Elliott Sadler, Alex Bowman, and Kevin Swindell, successfully finishing in front of the other. I don't think it's so much Sorenson's fault for the team's top 15-20 running position on a regular basis, as he ran a lot better just two years ago while driving for Turner (which is not a 1st tier Nationwide team). I think RPM's Nationwide program has just fallen a little bit this season, and I think the addition of a second Roush car (Travis Pastrana) and Penske switching to Ford has led to the slower RPM cars in the Nationwide Series. 173. 12345Dude posted: 04.13.2013 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ""- Reed Sorenson earns a 15th place finish - his best finish so far driving the #43. His results haven't been spectacular during his audition. It will be interesting to see how Annett does in the car when he returns." Sorenson was in a pretty good battle for 13th place late in the race, along with Elliott Sadler, Alex Bowman, and Kevin Swindell, successfully finishing in front of the other. I don't think it's so much Sorenson's fault for the team's top 15-20 running position on a regular basis, as he ran a lot better just two years ago while driving for Turner (which is not a 1st tier Nationwide team). I think RPM's Nationwide program has just fallen a little bit this season, and I think the addition of a second Roush car (Travis Pastrana) and Penske switching to Ford has led to the slower RPM cars in the Nationwide Series." I don't care what RPM's equipment has been doing. This was probably Sorenson's last shot in good equipment for his career. He was labeled as the next Jeff Gordon and hasn't done anything. After finishing 3rd in points in nationwide he get's canned. He should of been motivated as hell and willing to run up front. To prove that he could still race. And he did nothing with the final opportunity he will ever have. 0 Top 14 finishes. A complete waste. This is the problem with the cup guys dominating. There running for cup teams. There the best drivers, with by far the most experience, with the best pitcrews, the best sponsors, and the best equipment. How can you compete against that? Compare Kyle's and Kevin's stats when they were racing with their own equipment vs. when they were racing with cup teams. Compare Greg Biffle's stats for when he was racing with cup teams vs. his time with Clarence Brewer/Mike Curb. Another thing, now all the competitive teams in nationwide are all cup teams. I picked 2002 randomly because it was the first year I watched NASCAR. OK 2002 in the nationwide series "non cup teams" had 13 of the 15 top spots in the nationwide standings. "Non cup teams" won 17 of the 34 events. The competitive nationwide regular teams currently: Turner and ....................................................... That's the other problem. This should make you guys feel better though. The next nationwide race is at Richmond. The last 17 nationwide Richmond races have been won by cup drivers. The last nationwide regular to win at it. Kyle Busch in the first race of 2004. He's currently a cup driver. 174. cjs3872 posted: 04.13.2013 - 3:21 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 12345Dude, it's about time someone else has finally figured out that the problem with the Cup drivers being so dominant in the Nationwide Series is not the drivers, it the TEAMS. The Cup drivers drive mainly for the Cup teams they race for. There are exceptions to this, of course. For instance, two of Hendrick Motorsports' current drivers, Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. both drive in the Nationwide Series, but for an organization other than the one they drive for in the Cup Series. And while both are competitive, neither are dominant figures in the Nationwide Series races they run. I have no problem with what Roush does and Penske has occasionally done in the past, making their Nationwide Series efforts for drivers they're developing. After all, Roush has developed Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards, and most recently Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in the Nationwide Series, and are curently doing the same with Trevor Bayne. In his short time in the Nationwide Series, Rick Hendrick did the same thing, developing Brian Vickers and Kyle Busch. But the real problem here is Joe Gibbs Racing basically refusung to do so. That's where the huge imbalance comes in. Now maybe Toyota is behind the fact that Gibbs does not really have a driver development deal within his own organization, so he's using Kyle Busch's team for driver development in both the Truck and Nationwide Series, while running his Cup drivers to gain information for the Cup races during companion weekends. Actually, quite a bit of this goes back to the decision to flip-flop the order of the Nationwide race and the final Cup practice following the 2001 season. And I've brought this up before, but does anyone think it's more than a coincidence that Jeff Gordon's last chapionship came the last year the Nationwide race was followed by the final Cup practice, because when they swtched it for 2002, he became less of a factor because he doesn't run the Nationwide races. The reason being those that run the Nationwide race have a substantial advantage over those who don't because thy know what the track's going to do, and what the tires are going to do before those who don't run the Nationwide Series races do, and that's an advantage that takes well into the race for those that don't run the Nationwide race to overcome, if they ever do. And I still think Carl Edwards' poor performance last year has quite a bit to do with not getting this information, and I think it hurt his Cup performance. Frankly, commentating on the Nationwide race, as Edwards did last night (and will for the next two races), will give him that information, but from a different perspective. 175. Paul posted: 04.13.2013 - 3:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Perhaps the best solution to lowering the amount of double duty drivers running in the Nationwide Series would be to have final Cup practice take place AFTER the Nationwide race, which I remember them doing back in the '90s when the old Busch Series was (aside from Roush and the Cup driver/owners) a mostly Cup-free series. That seems like the cheapest solution to what I consider a problem, and would likely take effect fairly quickly. 176. 12345Dude posted: 04.13.2013 - 4:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) CJS in my opinion the reason why Kyle run's all these races it is gives him extra confidence. The guys pulls himself a part when ever he doesn't win a race. It destroys him. He needs these runs to keep his confidence up. I mean look at how he dismantled himself losing a TRUCK race. Let me repeat a TRUCK race. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GVxMiIi9dWU Go to 22:10 Do I agree with the strategy? No. But that's Joe Gibbs and Kyle's mind set. Speaking of Kyle Busch, he won't be a a factor in the chase. Mark my works. Because they guy can't race under pressure. I've been watching NASCAR for 11 years and I've never seen someone so bad under pressure. This is something that no one has realized about Auto Club. If Joey and Denny don't wreck Kyle chokes AGAIN. Losing another race he should of won. (led 125 of 200 laps) For a guy who is "the master of re-starts" he seems to choke away every race when there is a late re-start where the race is on the line. In the last 31 races that Kyle Busch has led the most laps he has won 7 of them. That would be the last 6 wins in 31 races if Joey and Denny wouldn't of wrecked each other. 177. Rusty posted: 04.13.2013 - 5:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The problem is it is the same Cup guys all the time. Mostly Kyle and Brad. Most of the Cup field stays away from Nationwide. Kenseth, Kahne and Harvick will run around 15 of them but other than that, most of these guys are doing a handful at best. I think Jr. is only scheduled for one or two more races, Menard will run a couple for RCR, Kurt is doing the restrictor plate races. Other than that the Cup field is staying away. I'm blaming sponsors like Monster and Discount Tire pushing for guys like Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski to run most of the Nationwide races while the rest of the field seems content to focus on their Cup rides except for maybe an occasional race for fun. 178. Rexrobe posted: 04.13.2013 - 5:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A solution is really quite simple: A driver can only collect one check for prize money per weekend. Take away the money, and the Cup drivers will be gone instantly. 179. ch posted: 04.13.2013 - 5:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Changes: 14 - Hefty / Reynolds Wrap 88 - Hellman's 180. Peter posted: 04.13.2013 - 6:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Totally agree with you Paul, limit driver to 14-15 races outside of where they're running for the championship, in all levels of NASCAR not just Nationwide and truck 181. Cichon posted: 04.13.2013 - 7:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Dexter Stacey has been quietly finishing races and locking himself in points, albeit spinning in a few races (Saving them from damage in all of them). 182. jabber1990 posted: 04.14.2013 - 11:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "178. Rexrobe posted: 04.13.2013 - 5:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A solution is really quite simple: A driver can only collect one check for prize money per weekend. Take away the money, and the Cup drivers will be gone instantly. " ...isn't that a violation of the 13th ammendment to the Constituion of the United States? 183. jabber1990 posted: 04.14.2013 - 11:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) also, dont mean to sound mean, but does anyone else think that Robert Richardson Jr. should be sponsored by ServiceMaster clean? 184. seyb32 posted: 04.15.2013 - 10:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #149- Yes he is. Kyle is entered in every Nationwide race that isn't a standalone. Those 7 races are going to be great though. But knowing Kyle he'll be on a big winning streak and decide to enter them to try to extend his "streak" I dont care if he wins 20 in a row. It doesn't impress me. I'm more impressed with one cup win like saturday night. Even though he's been lucky to win the 2 cup races he has. He dominates all night then needs luck at the end. At Fontana it was hamlin and logano acting like 12 yr old girls that helped him close (I will admit he MIGHT have got them anyway with that high side run, but it was no given). And at Texas he needed a phantom debris caution and his crew to get past Truex. Both races he blew it on the track and needed other factors to get his win. Same goes for Richmond in 2012 (Carl jumps the restart and Tony falls victim to the late phantom caution). Really Busch should be winless where it matters since late 2011. 185. seyb32 posted: 04.15.2013 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) oops i apologize. looked at wrong schedule. i guess he isnt racing at talladega......yet....lol but i stand by the rest of what i said 186. The Long Shot posted: 04.16.2013 - 8:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I like the ideas about limiting the amount of races Cup regulars can run in Nationwide, but keep this in mind. 10 Sprint Cup regulars were entered for this race (Busch, Keselowski, Earnhardt, Harvick, Kenseth, Kahne, Cassill, Yeley, Riggs, and McDowell), and 3 other drivers were entered who are running full-time Cup schedules, but are competing for Nationwide points (Nemechek, Bliss, Wise). Take those drivers away, and you're left with 30-35 car entry lists, short fields, and most importantly, less revenue for NASCAR. Would the amount of tickets sold be the same with Parker Kligerman and Alex Bowman headlining the field instead of Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski? Of course not. This idea would be nice from a competitive standpoint, but from a financial standpoint, it would be a huge loss for the series and for NASCAR, so no, it's never going to happen. 187. Daniel posted: 04.22.2013 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 46 entered at Richmond: -Jeffrey Earnhardt in the #5 -Scott Lagasse Jr. in the #8 -Ryan Reed in the #16 -Tanner Berryhill in the #17 -Kenny Wallace in the #29 -Kevin Harvick in the #33 -Derek Thorn in the #52 -Johanna Long in the #70 -Joey Gase in the #79 -Morgan Shepherd in the #89 -Kevin Swindell in the #98 188. Mannoroth posted: 05.07.2013 - 11:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow, 4 victories in 6 starts. Only Dale Earnhardt won 6 races in 8 starts in 1987. 189. The Long Shot posted: 06.26.2013 - 11:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew: 86-TBA 190. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 07.02.2014 - 5:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Update #52 Jimmy Means Racing 191. Bodyblower posted: 04.20.2020 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Carl Long practiced the 15 before handing it over to Juan Carlos Blum. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: