|| *Comments on the 2013 STP 300:* View the most recent comment <#192> | Post a comment <#post> 1. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 12:50 pm Rate this comment: (5) (0) Best webmaster in the world. 2. Tyson posted: 07.21.2013 - 12:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First race since Road America that Dexter Stacey has actually qualified for without another car withdrawing first. 3. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 1:00 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "First race since Road America that Dexter Stacey has actually qualified for without another car withdrawing first." He was still out-qualified by Eric McClure (congrats on the Top 20 qualifying run, Eric!), Tanner Berryhill, Joey Gase, T.J. Bell, Ken Butler, Matt DiBenedetto, Kevin Lepage, and Carl Long. 4. Paul posted: 07.21.2013 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Eric McClure out-qualified two Turner cars. That's pretty surprising. Matt Crafton seems to fit in with that #33 Nationwide very well, based on his race at Kentucky and his weekend so far at Chicago. Maybe it's time for him to get out of the Truck Series and move up to Nationwide in 2014. 5. DB1995 posted: 07.21.2013 - 1:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think thats a great idea Paul, Get Matt the truck title this year bring Menards full time with him to nationwide in the 33 , and get Brett Moffit in the 88 for 2014 6. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 1:54 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Massive props to Joey Gase, I'm pretty convinced that he has just qualified 26th in total junk. The race itself looks promising with only Logano trying to mess with regulars. 7. ch posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I'd like to give props to Matt DiBenedetto. He actually got what was by far the WORST car yesterday into the field! 8. Ken posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Glad to see a great qualifying run for McClure. Also, another week, another Regan Smith starting spot outside the top ten. He isn't much of a qualifier but sure can finish them. 9. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Travis Pastrana may never win a NASCAR race, but I have mad respect for him because, at least to me, it seems like he's one of the few drivers that come off as completely legitimate when he talks about how thankful he is for the fans. I think after a Nationwide race at Richmond last year he said he was going to into the grandstands and sign autographs for all the people who wanted them. 10. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Maybe this good start for Crafton will make him think, "Hmm, have I been in Trucks long enough? I should try my hand at Nationwide next year." Time will tell. 11. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) With Logano being the only Insurance-Whacker, I have high hopes for this race. 12. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, when Nationwide is the highlight of the weekend as far as motorsports goes, one would think NASCAR might choose a more exciting track like Rockingham, a road course, or a short track. Hell, maybe even a second Darlington race. But no, we're at one of the most bland tracks on the schedule. I'm actually not one who cares much if NASCAR races in big cities away from their supposed roots, but why oh why not build a good track in those cities? 13. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Matt Crafton seems to fit in with that #33 Nationwide very well, based on his race at Kentucky and his weekend so far at Chicago. Maybe it's time for him to get out of the Truck Series and move up to Nationwide in 2014." Honestly, if I were a driver I'd be nervous about moving up because history has shown that success in one series doesn't necessarily translate into a good career in others (hence only B. Labonte, Biffle, and Keselowski have ever won a championship in more than one NASCAR touring series.) Then again, being mediocre doesn't mean you'll have a bad career in other series either (Johnson and even Gordon). 14. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You mean "claim jumper", murb. 15. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't dislike ESPN as much as some of you do, in fact I actually really like Nicole, but she, Rusty, and Brad are more or less saying Elliott Sadler should become a vigilante on the track. It wasn't so much that they were encouraging him to be rough as it was that it seemed like they were implying nice guys can't win. 16. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't watch ESPN enough to dislike it; mainly because I can't. With me, if there's a race on TV, I'm watching it. 17. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Of course, I'm sure you all would do the same. 18. Greg Gruver posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ESPN races are great on TV...IF you mute the sound! I listen to PRN of MRN on the computer. 19. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Listening to MRN right now. Does anyone else think that Matt Crafton sounds like a slightly more Southern version of Tony Stewart? 20. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ah yes, the Pure Michigan commercials are back. Frankly, I love those commercials. They have beautiful scenery and the beautiful soundtrack to Cider House Rules (which actually has a NASCAR connection because they played it in a tribute video for Dale Earnhardt at the beginning of the 2001 Dura Lube 400 at Rockingham or maybe it was at his memorial service, can't really remember but its on YouTube) playing in the background. Most importantly, it actually achieves its purpose by making me want to visit Michigan. Well, there's my feminine post for the day. 21. Anonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @12, the highlight of the weekend? there was a lot of other racing on tv 22. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "@12, the highlight of the weekend? there was a lot of other racing on tv" None of which reach the popularity of even the Truck Series in the United States so yes, the Nationwide Series is the highlight of the weekend. Highlight means the most popular race, not necessarily the best. I knew there would be someone who just couldn't resist calling me out on that. 23. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm surprised that ARCA is actually running after today's race. I just assumed it would've been run on Saturday like last year's race. 24. LeClair posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I agree with Zackary @9. Pastrana, who has improved qualifyingwise (as he should in Roush cars), is really a good dude. My cousin went to Loudon last year when he was racing for RAB and said he was clearly one of the nicest guys in the garage. I'd love to see him return in 2014 in some capacity, he might not win a race but he's good for the sport I think. 25. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I'm surprised that ARCA is actually running after today's race. I just assumed it would've been run on Saturday like last year's race." I could be wrong, but I feel like that might have something to do with Chicagoland wanting to actually get to use the lights they spent millions of dollars on to install back in 2008. Then again, during the summer that may not even come into play due to daylight saving time. 26. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:13 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) "You mean "claim jumper", murb." That's a good one too, but I like to include the word "whacker" in it, since that's what these knuckleheads are for ruining this once great series. ESPN has stepped up their game a ton since they first came back in 2007, but they still have work to do with the pit studio. It's mainly Brad Daugherty that has no business as a Nascar analyst. He has absolutely no idea. Nicole Briscoe annoys me sometimes too, but at the same time I have respect for her because her husband (Ryan) is an IndyCar driver (seriously, I can't imagine what it's like to see a loved one out there essentially risking their lives every week). She's annoying sometimes, but at least she has some sort of emotional connection to the sport, unlike Daugherty. And as for Rusty, yeah, he's corny, but he's still Rusty Wallace, so in my mind he can say whatever the hell he wants. 27. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Zachary Shawn, American Le Mans Series races on TV normally draw a 1.0 rating. When you add that more than half the viewers are on computers at ESPN3, they get more viewers the Trucks. 28. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 52 car blows up right on the start of the race. Caution's already out. 29. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great qualifying run by Gase goes up in smoke. :/ 30. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Zachary Shawn, the fact is nice drivers don't have the success on track as the mean ones. The drivers with the most success were not nice guys on the track. Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon (don't let his polished on camera personality fool you, he is a shark on the track), and Johnson wre/are not nice guys at there. Logano, you look like a tool out there. Hate that for Joey Gase 31. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, that was fast. Looked like Gase maybe missed a shift at the green. 32. New14 & 88Fan posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Joey Gase didn't even make it to turn one before his engine went kaput. ouch 33. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Zachary Shawn, American Le Mans Series races on TV normally draw a 1.0 rating. When you add that more than half the viewers are on computers at ESPN3, they get more viewers the Trucks." Maybe so, but I don't know how anyone can argue that NASCAR races aren't the most looked forward to in the UNITED STATES (which is what I was talking about so shame on me for not specifying in my original post) with the exception of Memorial Day (and that's a big maybe) and when all NASCAR series are completely off. 34. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Definitely not Zach, but the ALMS/soon-to-be-USCR is the fastest growing racing body (ratings-wise) in the world. 35. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) How many Mid Westerner does it take to clean up an oil spill :) 36. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Zachary Shawn, the fact is nice drivers don't have the success on track as the mean ones. The drivers with the most success were not nice guys on the track. Petty, Earnhardt, Gordon (don't let his polished on camera personality fool you, he is a shark on the track), and Johnson wre/are not nice guys at there." I was gonna counter with Mark Martin, but then I remembered...no championships (and that's not a jab at Martin, I really like him). All I can come up with since I've been following NASCAR is the Labonte brothers, and Kenseth, but you're right...all of those are champions but they aren't the type to win a lot of races. He died when I was very young, but Davey Allison might be one person in somewhat modern times who would be an exception to the rule, but we'll never know I suppose. 37. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Does anyone else besides me hate how the Nationwide Camrys look? I think it's the huge "grille" that bothers me. I really like the Camaros and the Challengers. I hated the Impalas too (again it was the huge "grille") and the Mustangs are OK, but I think they could look better. 38. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I agree on the Camrys Zackary, but imo the Fords are looking really nice, my favorite NW car this year is easily the #79. (Too bad that I'm neutral towards the team or their driver...) 39. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I agree on the Camrys Zackary, but imo the Fords are looking really nice, my favorite NW car this year is easily the #79. (Too bad that I'm neutral towards the team or their driver...)" Yeah that car does have some cool schemes. I just wish the area under the "grille" and "headlights" (where it usually says MUSTANG for most Ford teams) stuck out a little more like it does on the street version. 40. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:51 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Does anyone else besides me hate how the Nationwide Camrys look? I think it's the huge "grille" that bothers me. I really like the Camaros and the Challengers. I hated the Impalas too (again it was the huge "grille") and the Mustangs are OK, but I think they could look better." I think the biggest problem is that it's simply out of place. The Camaro, Challenger, and Mustang are all muscle cars, while the Camry's just a standard mid-size car. Unfortunately, Toyota doesn't have a pony car so they're pretty limited here. It's really a shame they quit making the Celica as I think it would have made a better NASCAR racer, but I think the Avalon would look better as a Nationwide car than the Camry. 41. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 3:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution after Harrison Rhodes blows up. 42. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Tough break for Hornish. He sped on pit road. So are we now officially recognizing this season as one of those "Nobody Wants This Championship" years? 43. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Does Hornish getting a speeding penalty pretty much guarantee Logano will win the race? 44. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Logano doesn't seem to have as fast of a race car as some of these other guys. 45. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:04 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Hmmm...a former Indy 500 winner with a dominant car in a NASCAR race speeds on pit road even though there's no reason to be pushing the issue like that. Where have I seen that before? 46. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Davey didn't take any crap on the racetrack. He pissed off my two least favorite drivers, Darrell and Bodine, and also Rudd who I really didn't like at the time, but grew to respect his toughness and grit. I miss Davey. Was hoping for a better run from Johanna today. Hopefully she can run full time next year. And for a better funded team. 47. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Logano doesn't seem to have as fast of a race car as some of these other guys." I'm admittedly not watching the race right now. I guess I'm still in the mindset of Logano dominating Nationwide as he did when he was with Gibbs. 48. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sam is looking like JJ in cup today. 49. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, the stream I watched got taken down, so I'm not watching either. Guess I'll go with the 2002 Daytona Truck race. 50. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Facing a dilemma right now, stream is back up, but I've already got to lap 9 of the trucks... 51. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just when I was going to say, "ESPN's coverage hasn't been too bad today", Briscoe started to talk about Parker Kligerman, but was interrupted by Brad Daugherty, who was singing the praises of Sam Hornish and how good his car is. In other words: never mind. 52. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Crap, I just realized I still need to watch the Truck race from Iowa, and Eldora isn't too far away. 53. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Crap, I just realized I still need to watch the Truck race from Iowa, and Eldora isn't too far away." This belongs on First World Problems. 54. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) What happened to Bowman? He was running mid teens before pit stops and now 31st with no mention from the broadcast team. 55. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Blown tire for Pastrana. 56. LeClair posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) @54 Broadcast talked about it and showed him in pits, apparent battery problems. 57. Schroeder51 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) They mentioned that Bowman had to have a battery change on a green flag pit stop. Damn, Pastrana just has NO luck at all. 58. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:36 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "What happened to Bowman? He was running mid teens before pit stops and now 31st with no mention from the broadcast team." Battery issues. And they did mention it on ESPN. 59. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Travis Pastrana: Snake Bit 60. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For the uninformed and detached, what lap is it, and who is leading? 61. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I don't know why those Sperivia elephant commercials annoy me so much... 62. Schroeder51 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:46 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Why do I have a hunch that Austin Dillon will be the Nationwide champion this year...? 63. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great runs for Mike Bliss and Johanna Long so far. 64. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Regan Smith spins. Nobody wants this championship. 65. Schroeder51 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Regan Smith spins. Just when it looked like he was a lock to win the championship a month ago, now it looks he's going to fall out of contention for the title. 66. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Michael Annett with a new pair of trousers. 67. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wait, I thought Regan had the championship locked up like 5 races ago? 68. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:51 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Honestly, why are we surprised? Both of these drivers were demoted from Cup 69. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) *Cup.* Smith and Hornish, that is. 70. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No one answered my query in post #60. 71. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "For the uninformed and detached, what lap is it, and who is leading?" 60 to go, Logs is in the lead. 72. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:58 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) If Hornish can somehow get that clean air again, I'm pretty sure he'll be untouchable. 73. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 4:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thanks, murb. 74. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Three way battle for the lead!!! 75. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) Looking forward to the Iowa race so, to prove I am unbiased when it comes to claim jumpers (love that term), I can type out "Brad, you look like a tool out there". 76. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Guys, anyone here knows if there was a Busch/NW race with all the cars running at the end BESIDES the 1998 Pepsi 200? I guess there wasn't. 77. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:07 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) "Looking forward to the Iowa race so, to prove I am unbiased when it comes to claim jumpers (love that term), I can type out "Brad, you look like a tool out there"." Wow, is he really running Iowa? He must have made that decision when he was drunk at Homestead last year. 78. joey2448 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This year is starting to resemble the 2003 championship battle...right? 79. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hornish is now catching Sadler for the lead. He's easily the best car out there today. 80. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Sorry for jinxing Bliss, guys. 81. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Mike Bliss spins, caution comes out with 30 to go. Should be an interesting shootout here. 82. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I must have missed it. Must have been when my daughter knocked all the drinks off the end table. 83. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hornish takes the lead on the restart, but Sorenson is in the wall for another caution. 84. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) My bad, Sorenson actually blew up. 85. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Third straight engine failure for Sorenson in three weeks. 86. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Seriously? Sorenson again? He is on a streak of blowing engines. TMG engines, tuned by Bud Moore. 87. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "TMG engines, tuned by Bud Moore." And secretly built by TuRD. 88. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Lol murb @77 89. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brad Daugherty just said Kyle Larson is on the verge of winning a race. Larson has led 4 laps all season. 90. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I noticed the blue spoiler on Vickers' car and thought it was a design feature, it actually looks decent on the yellow car IMO. But I just realized all the Dash4Cash cars have them. Pretty nice little throwback to the No Bull 5 program. 91. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Lol murb @77" Seriously though, doing a back and forth trip between Pocono and Iowa is a "Kevin Harvick in 2006" type of move, especially when you consider how close Brad is to falling out of the Chase. "Brad Daugherty just said Kyle Larson is on the verge of winning a race. ...Larson has led 4 laps all season." Another instance of Daugherty not knowing what he's talking about. I've been impressed by Larson's ability to stay out of the wall for the most part lately, but he's still not a championship contender like Daugherty wants us to believe. 92. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Larson has led 4 laps all season." I would not be shocked if Larson won this year. 93. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I would not be shocked if Larson won this year." I wouldn't be shocked either, but Daugherty just said that he thinks Larson can still win the championship. That's a hell of a stretch. Logano leading. Man I hope he doesn't win. 94. Kyle posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:36 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) And this is why the nationwide series is in the crapper 95. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wouldn't be shocked if Larson won either, but for someone to be on the "verge" of winning a race, you would expect they have been one of the win-contending drivers in recent races, and he's been a 2nd half of the top 10 driver lately. Still, I could see him picking up a win near the end of the season. 96. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:36 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) God damn whichever one of you said Logano didn't seem to have enough speed to win. 97. Schroeder51 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:36 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) Go figure. We have only one Cup series driver in the field, and he's going to win the race. Go figure... 98. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:37 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) I swear, if Logano wins this I am gonna lose my shit! 99. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:38 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) "God damn whichever one of you said Logano didn't seem to have enough speed to win." That was me, but it's not my fault. Blame these shitty ass cookie cutter "clean air is all that matters" race tracks, and blame Nascar for failing to realize that these tracks suck. 100. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This is one of the few situations in racing where I wouldn't mind team orders coming into play. 101. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:39 pm Rate this comment: (5) (0) Get ready, folks! DSFF is going to defecate in the living room! 102. We need more Onion posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ugh, should have just watched that old truck race... 103. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) *Donny Lia* 104. Schroeder51 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Logano wins. HELL NO. 105. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:41 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Something smells awful... DSFF, bad boy! 106. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Now I wish I hadn't tuned in, I just knew he was going to win. 107. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I have no idea why I am laughing at NRF's posts. 108. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Well that was a terrible finish to an otherwise fun race to watch. Hope the truck race goes better in a few days. 109. joey2448 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:45 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) I think this win really cements Joey Logano's place in NASCAR history. I mean, can Dale Earnhardt say that he won a Busch race at Chicagoland Speedway? He would've been hard-pressed to beat guys like Randy LaJoie, Jeff Green, Jason Keller, Elton Sawyer and David Green... 110. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:47 pm Rate this comment: (4) (1) I swear the Nationwide Series makes me hate life. Joey Logano, you are a sad little man. How pathetic that you have to drop to a lower Series and win races to feel like you don't suck, news flash moron, you DO suck. Two fluke Cup wins, one by a miracle rain storm and the other by punting a legend. You think these NWide races make you anything besides pathetic? It doesn't. I hate this f***ing Series. 111. SpeedWorld97 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:47 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) So much for an "opportunity race" for Nationwide regulars. 112. jabber1990 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) yea, I don't think Jeff Gordon has won a nationwide race at Chicagoland either! 113. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kyle Larson is not on the verge of winning. I have followed his dirt career for along time and he has never had this much of a hard time adjusting to different cars. He is not struggling by any means, but he hasn't fully wrapped around these cars yet. He has also only ever been to a single track more than once(Daytona going from 13th to 6th). He will get his share of wins but I don't see it right around the corner. It will be sometime late in the season or next year. 114. This is why NNS sucks posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:52 pm Rate this comment: (3) (1) Woo hoo! Way to go Joey! Hey Joey, I think there are some 5 years olds racing tricycles in the infield -- why don't you see if Penske can hook you up with a souped-up trike and you can make it a clean sweep! 115. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:55 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) You know, when I pray, I almost never ask God for anything. I only thank him for all the blessings in my life. The only exception is asking God to grant health to the ailing and comfort to the grieving. But I may pray that Iowa gets rained out so Brad can't run it, and that his replacement wins in his place. I hate to do that to the kick ass Iowa fans who have supported that track and made it undoubtably deserving of at least one Cup date. But this is too much. The Captain wants an NWide owners title for the #22 car? HOW ABOUT ANOTHER CUP TITLE?!?!? Back2Back maybe? I hate this f***ing Series. 116. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thanks, Rogers. 117. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Logano is a legend alright. ...At being a Cup Series double dipper running for HIS CUP TEAM that has superior equipment to all but one other team (JGR) in the field. He's one of the all time greats when it comes to that. It's just a shame what this series is now. Earlier this week, I watched the 1999 Busch Series race at Pikes Peak, and it was a god damn INCREDIBLE race. You had the young bucks (Earnhardt Jr and Kenseth) battling with the veterans (Jeff Green and Randy Lajoie), and you had an underdog in junk equipment (Andy Santerre) drive up to win the race. To me, THAT is how this series should be. It should be the minor league series where non Cup guys can make names for themselves. And yeah, every now and then, throw a Cup guy in there to mix it up with them. But now, it's just the Preliminary Cup Series. Cup guys EVERY WEEK driving for their cash filled Cup teams getting undeserved wins. Depressing as hell. 118. DB1995 posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Roger Penske himself asked Joey to run, and im sure Herts had a part in it to, if your a racer and all you want is to race, why pass it up? especially when you got a great chance at victory. You guys are harder on Joey on running in the 22 car than you are Kyle Busch running the 54 car, which is a WAY better car than the 22 is. and for the record it is pretty pathetic that Joey, Kyle, and Brad Keselowski (my favorite driver) have to run here even in standalones. 119. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:57 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "yea, I don't think Jeff Gordon has won a nationwide race at Chicagoland either!" But Jimmie Johnson has, so I guess that settles the Gordon vs Johnson debate once and for all :) 120. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 5:59 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "The Captain wants an NWide owners title for the #22 car? HOW ABOUT ANOTHER CUP TITLE?!?!?" Hertz wanted Logano in the car. Penske's and Logano's hands are tied. 121. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:01 pm Rate this comment: (3) (2) " You guys are harder on Joey on running in the 22 car than you are Kyle Busch running the 54 car" We have given Kyle all sorts of shit for his "legendary" NWide exploits. I think this year we are just fatigued from hating him so much. Plus his winless campaign last year in his own equipment (that his brother won in) showed he is only a product of his equipment. 122. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Roger Penske himself asked Joey to run, and im sure Herts had a part in it to, if your a racer and all you want is to race, why pass it up? especially when you got a great chance at victory. You guys are harder on Joey on running in the 22 car than you are Kyle Busch running the 54 car, which is a WAY better car than the 22 is. and for the record it is pretty pathetic that Joey, Kyle, and Brad Keselowski (my favorite driver) have to run here even in standalones." So, you're bashing us for being hard on Joey, yet in your last sentence you say it's pathetic for him to be running this race. With all due respect, that sounds like a bit of a contradiction. 123. David posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) On the bright side, we had a pretty awesome paint scheme visiting victory lane. 124. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Penske should nut up then and say "No!" 125. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Overall this actually was a decent race though. I'm just so freakin' tired of watching these Cup guys just coast to the win every week. 126. DB1995 posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 122, Murb I'm sorry i have been told i do that alot, and i cant stop it, i ment that your being to hard on Joey, more so than you are to Kyle Busch from time to time,I still think its pathetic though, if that makes sense, I hope next year discount tire chooses to want Ryan Blaney in the 22 full time and Joey and Brad dont get to run any Nationwide races 127. Anonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:10 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I haven't been watching NNS races much recently because of the Cup domination, but I figured, ehh, only one Cup guy, pretty good chance an NNS regular will win. Nope. So I guess I'll keep not watching NNS races then, at least until there's an NNS race with no Cup guys in it. 128. murb posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I hope next year discount tire chooses to want Ryan Blaney in the 22 full time and Joey and Brad dont get to run any Nationwide races" Now that I agree with. There are a ton of young guys coming up right now that need good quality full time rides. The sooner the sponsors and owners realize this, the better. 129. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:14 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) I've said it a thousand times. They just need to cap the number of the Top 3 series at say 45 points paying events. That would allow each Cup regular 9 event across Nationwide and Truck a year where team sponsor could be satisfied. 130. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:15 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Penske should nut up then and say "No!"" How often do you tell your boss "No!"? 131. Baker posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) DSFF is hard on Joey Logano than Busch, Hamlin, Kenseth and Keselowski whether he likes to admit it or not. He will post until his fingers bleed that he is not but it damn sure is obvious. I have just learned to deal with it. I'm not family member of Logano and he is not one of my favorites, so really I don't care. 132. Jack posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:22 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The Cup drivers should be subject to rookie rules when running in another series. 7 events per year. 133. Eric posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:32 pm Rate this comment: (2) (1) I am still hoping that a driver with no Nationwide wins this year win the Nationwide championship. I am saying that because that would for NASCAR to make more changes to the series. 134. ch posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Changes: 00 - M&W Transportation 15 - FAIRGirls.org / KOMA Unwind 17 - NationalCashLenders.com / Keller Williams Realty 21 - Winfield (No Capital F for consistency with his truck starts. Should also be w/out capital F for his two other NW starts) 24 - SR2 Motorsports (Blank car) 32 - International Trucks Sponsor on the #70 is right, and it should be the same for Kentucky since it was the same paint scheme. Sponsor on the #99 is right, and it should be the same for Fontana as well. 135. ch posted: 07.21.2013 - 6:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sorry, but I messed up on one and forgot another... 17 - National Cash Lenders / Keller Williams Realty 37 - National Cash Lenders (Should also be this for Charlotte / Dover) 136. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 7:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I say Cup drivers should be limited to 5-7 combined Nationwide and Truck events while being completely barred from all standalone events except Eldora, where all Cup competitors should be heavily encouraged to participate. 137. DB1995 posted: 07.21.2013 - 7:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Why should eldora have different rules, because its different than other tracks? 138. NoLongerAnonymous posted: 07.21.2013 - 7:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I just think it would be awesome to see the Cup guys on the dirt in NASCAR vehicles. Cup will never return to the dirt, so Cup guys in Trucks on the dirt would be the next best thing. 139. SpeedWorld97 posted: 07.21.2013 - 7:38 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "It's just a shame what this series is now. Earlier this week, I watched the 1999 Busch Series race at Pikes Peak, and it was a god damn INCREDIBLE race. You had the young bucks (Earnhardt Jr and Kenseth) battling with the veterans (Jeff Green and Randy Lajoie), and you had an underdog in junk equipment (Andy Santerre) drive up to win the race." Unfortunately that was during a time when sponsors had very little say in who drove their Nationwide cars. It seems like starting about 10 years ago, sponsors began to tell the team owners who they wanted in the car they sponsored, and if the owner disagreed, then the sponsor would leave. The sponsor has gained too much control in this series since. 140. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 7:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I laid out a plan where Cup guys were only eligible for a handful of pre picked out races, which I will amend at some point cause, if I remember correctly, I let them be in 15 races. Too many. I'll redo it at some point. I think it is on the 2010 Summer Gateway page, aka Carl tries a second time to kill Brad race. This was during 2009 and 2010 when guys like Carl, Denny, and Kyle were taking turns "teaching Brad a lesson" by intentionally wrecking him. Lets have a rundown 3 years later: Cup Series Championships Brad Keselowski: 1 Carl Edwards: 0 Denny Hamlin: 0 Kyle Busch: 0 141. 83andJoe posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As I've mentioned before and I'll probably mentioned again, if we're having the "pick a series for points" rule sticking around, the solution is to not allow drivers who are in the top 35 in Cup, who are entered in a weekend's Cup race, to compete in any other National Touring Series (= N'wide/Truck) event taking place on the same weekend. That wouldn't keep Logano from running this race, but, as I've said, I have /no problem/ with Cup drivers running the stand-alone races, as that is where the "they draw fans" argument actually applies. And (as has been mentioned) the bashing of Joey for running this race and Brad for running Iowa is a bit misplaced, as it's Roger Penske who instructed Joey to run Chicago (when Logano hasn't intended or wanted to originally) and Brad to run Iowa so that The Captain can tick 'won Nationwide owners' championship' off his bucket list. 142. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I laid out a plan where Cup guys were only eligible for a handful of pre picked out races, which I will amend at some point cause, if I remember correctly, I let them be in 15 races. Too many. I'll redo it at some point. I think it is on the 2010 Summer Gateway page, aka Carl tries a second time to kill Brad race. This was during 2009 and 2010 when guys like Carl, Denny, and Kyle were taking turns "teaching Brad a lesson" by intentionally wrecking him. Lets have a rundown 3 years later: Cup Series Championships Brad Keselowski: 1 Carl Edwards: 0 Denny Hamlin: 0 Kyle Busch: 0" "He'll get a ride and hang around here for a couple years then people will realize he's not good."-Denny Hamlin. Words cannot describe how much I wish a member of the NASCAR media had the balls to ask Hamlin about this quote in retrospect of recent history. I would laugh my ass off seeing him squirm. 143. 83andJoe posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As a footnote: in the races where Harrison Rhodes is in the #23, the car is fielded by Rick Ware Racing, with R3 Motorsports as the "paper owner". 144. startandparkfan posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:10 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Logano wins, what a suprise. If you didn't notice, I was being sarcastic. (well duh.) 145. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:19 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) ^The Simpsons 146. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.21.2013 - 8:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I love rewatching that Denny interview on YouTube. Over and over again. 147. The Long Shot posted: 07.21.2013 - 10:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "As I've mentioned before and I'll probably mentioned again, if we're having the "pick a series for points" rule sticking around, the solution is to not allow drivers who are in the top 35 in Cup, who are entered in a weekend's Cup race, to compete in any other National Touring Series (= N'wide/Truck) event taking place on the same weekend. That wouldn't keep Logano from running this race, but, as I've said, I have /no problem/ with Cup drivers running the stand-alone races, as that is where the "they draw fans" argument actually applies." I agree with this idea. This would also prevent any Cup drivers from completing the so-called "trifecta", where they would sweep the Truck, Nationwide, and Cup races in the same weekend. 148. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 11:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "I agree with this idea." Unfortunately, the "idea" does not address the issue at hand. The issue is how to a) keep Cup drivers from running lower series events while b) simultaneously keep the relevant sponsors in the series. Sponsors like Hertz, Monster, Great Clips, Discount Tire, etc have no interest in sponsoring drivers like Mike Bliss, Johanna Long, and Cole Whitt full time. Ideas like "Cup drivers should only be allowed to run x Nationwide events" that don't address the sponsor problem are just pointless. 149. 83andJoe posted: 07.21.2013 - 11:42 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) The trouble is that's a problem that CAN'T be solved. You can't say "sponsor should be required to sponsor X instead of Y" because then the sponsor will say "lolnope" and take all their friends with them. What CAN be done is limiting the Cup drivers' participation - once this is done some sponsors WILL go to the "regular" drivers becasuse the temptation to sponsor a "Proven Cup Winner" instead won't be there anymore. Now, if you want to make sponsorship more affordable, you need to /genuinely/ make the cars less expensive to run, something that NASCAR has proven singularly unable to do (seeing as all their "to cut costs" changes have made things MORE expensive). However, one idea (that might, in and of itself, discourage the "getting extra practice time" Buschwhackers) would be to go back to V-6 engines, as the series used through 1994... 150. Chives5150 posted: 07.21.2013 - 11:53 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I loved the V-6 engines buzzing down the track back in the day. Sounded like 30+ hornets out there. 151. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 11:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "What CAN be done is limiting the Cup drivers' participation - once this is done some sponsors WILL go to the "regular" drivers becasuse the temptation to sponsor a "Proven Cup Winner" instead won't be there anymore." I think this is just wishful thinking. If Kasey Kahne is taken off the table Great Clips is not going to say "Well, we'll just have to sponsor Brad Sweet full time, then." Much more likely, they'll say "Well, we'll have spend our advertising budget somewhere other than NASCAR." 152. Jim Davis posted: 07.21.2013 - 11:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "However, one idea (that might, in and of itself, discourage the "getting extra practice time" Buschwhackers) would be to go back to V-6 engines, as the series used through 1994..." Abandoning the V6 *was* a cost cutting move. 153. DB1995 posted: 07.22.2013 - 12:08 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Roger Penske probably wants to win the nationwide owners championship because its probablt one of only like 2 things he hasnt accomplished as an owner, the other being the Brickyard 400 i think, right? 154. JRacingFast posted: 07.22.2013 - 12:26 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) 12. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.21.2013 - 2:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, when Nationwide is the highlight of the weekend as far as motorsports goes, one would think NASCAR might choose a more exciting track like Rockingham, a road course, or a short track. Hell, maybe even a second Darlington race. But no, we're at one of the most bland tracks on the schedule. I'm actually not one who cares much if NASCAR races in big cities away from their supposed roots, but why oh why not build a good track in those cities? I just thought of a crazy idea NBationwide already has plenty of road courses but i dont think nearly enough short tracks. Why not either go to South Boston again or even better Bowman Gray! God those races would be amazing! 155. 83andJoe posted: 07.22.2013 - 1:43 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) >Abandoning the V6 *was* a cost cutting move. Yes, back when you could run the same engine in Cup and Busch by swapping the carb and fiddling with the compression ratio. You really can't do that anymore. 156. AveryNH posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:49 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just watched the re air of this over on the deuce. My god there must have been less than 5000 people in those stands! Extremely pathetic. Especially for a stand alone event. I echo what some of you already said. Put this race at Iowa or some other short track or road course! It was boring and unexciting with some side by side passing. I mean a handful of fun battles like the one between Sadler and Hornish. But in the end Joey wound up winning. Bleh. Either move this race or dump it. Simple as that. 157. 83andJoe posted: 07.22.2013 - 3:17 am Rate this comment: (2) (1) >I echo what some of you already said. Put this race at Iowa or some other short track or road course! *cough* Milwaukee *cough* 158. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.22.2013 - 7:03 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) Know what else Roger has never accomplished as an owner? Winning back to back Cup titles. That should be the priority. You guys know how much I love Brad, but at Iowa, I hope his engine blows up on the pace laps. 159. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 9:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Eric (#133), with Austin Dillon winless and just eight points out of the lead now, that stands a better than average chance of happening. If Austin doesn't win any of the next three races (IMS, Watkins Glen, or Mid-Ohio), he probably doesn't win this year because every race after Mid-Ohio is a companion race with the Cup race that weekend, and eight points can be made up in the snap of a finger, so I think Austin Dillon could very well win the championship this year without winning a race. Also, remember this. The championship-eligible drivers can't take an unnecessary chance to win a race, especially against a Cup or Truck Series driver, who's in it just to win, because of the points ramifications if that chance doesn't pay off, so the championship-eligible drivers have to be a little more conservative anyways. I think we saw that at New Hampshire. Rodney Childers, the crew chief of the #55 car knew none of his drivers could win a championship, and with a driver ineligible to earn championship points in that car, he gambled on wining the race with a fuel strategy, and it worked. If that gamble had not worked, they would not have really lost anything. But in that same race, Tony Stewart's team took an even bigger risk trying to win, and it cost Stewart 25 points by not making it, but Vickers lost nothing because he was not eligible to get any points, so he and his team really had nothing to lose. As they say, they were playing with "house money", and they walked away with the real thing. Unless one of the NNS regulars has a dominant car, as was the case with Sam Hornish, Jr. at Las Vegas, I doubt we'll see any of those battling for the championship win a race, because they can't afford to take the risks necessary to win a race, because the price for a failed gamble is just too steep. What they'll do is just race those they have to beat for he championship. In other words, once the race at Mid-Ohio is over, if the points look just the way they are, what you'll probably see is Sam Hornish, Jr., Regan Smith, and Austin Dillon do is just race each other, and possibly Elliott Sadler and Justin Allgaier, because those are the only drivers they have to worry about as far as the championship is concerned, and forget about race wins, unless they have a dominant car. If that means battling for tenth in the race, then so be it if that's where the other championship contenders are running. And if anyone needed an indication of the difference between Penske and Roush, they need to look no further than this race. The Penske cars finish 1-2, while the Roush cars are barely noticed, with one of them even getting lapped. And I don't think it's the drivers. Penske's always had an aggressive attitude toward how he sets up his engines. Frankly, that's one reason why he didn't win the championship in 1993 and/or '94, because they suffered too many mechanical problems. But Roush has always been conservative when it comes to engine setup, and it showed. That's why he has not won as many titles as he should have won. Penske and Roush may have similar engines, but Penske will always have the edge because his teams have always been more aggressive when it comes to setting them up, while Roush always sets up his engines to finish, and if it means not being competitive with the leaders and finishing seventh, then that's okay with Roush. Note that the only race Roush has won this year was on a short track where horsepower doesn't mean very much, but he's not been competitive on high-speed tracks where horsepower is important, and that's due to engine setup because Roush has never really been a risk taker there. 160. Jim Davis posted: 07.22.2013 - 9:34 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Yes, back when you could run the same engine in Cup and Busch by swapping the carb and fiddling with the compression ratio. You really can't do that anymore." Do you really think that Nationwide teams *want* a different engine block? I think there would be very little enthusiasm for going back to a V6. 161. SpeedWorld97 posted: 07.22.2013 - 11:03 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Here's an interesting stat to prove winning Nationwide races doesn't help Cup drivers in Cup: The top 5 in points right now (Johnson, Bowyer, Edwards, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr.) have made a total of 9 Nationwide starts this year (Johnson-1, Harvick-5, Earnhardt Jr.-3) with no wins among them. Meanwhile 6-10 in points (Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Biffle, Keselowki, Kahne) have made a total of 37 Nationwide starts this year (Kenseth-8, Kyle Busch-14, Keselowski-8, Kahne-7) with 10 wins among them. My point: winning Nationwide races makes you a less consistent Cup driver. 162. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 11:57 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I'm not sure I entirely agree with that, SpeedWorld97. Remember that a large part of the problems that Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch have in that regard is attributable to Toyota's engine problems, so I wouldn't put the blame for that on running the Nationwide Series. Brad Keselowski's problems are largely due to not having the chemistry between him and his crew chief, who he lost for three races to a suspension, as well as the fact that Ford is behind on the Cup side in almost every way imaginable. And Kasey Kahne's problems are due to the fact that he's best on a specific kind of track, though his one win is not on that kind of track. (He's also blown at least two, and possibly three races he should have won.) Also, they've lost steam as the year's gone on. But I don't think running the Nationwide races has anything to do with that. And also, Hendrick Motorsports is beginning to look like it did in both 2008 and '10, with one, and only one driver capable of winning races the later in the season it got, while all the others struggled, indcating that HMS, as a group, is beginning to fall behind. With the #5 now struggling, the #24 having no speed at all on the speed tracks, and the #88 relying on consistent top 10 runs instead of leading races, that leaves the #48 team as the only HMS left to battle for victories. Actually, it might be beneficial to Roush to start running their Cup drivers in some Nationwide races in a third car, if only to straighten out their problems over there and possibly learn something for the Cup races, because Roush is well behind in both series. 163. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.22.2013 - 12:50 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) I just wanted to take a moment to say that while I am new here and I don't necessarily agree 100% with everything that's posted here, I have nothing but mad respect for all the posters here and their knowledge of motorsports. Words cannot describe how thankful I am that I found this site. It's nice to know that there is a site that, while we might argue and get at each other's throats sometimes, we can have mutual respect respect for each other as members of the NASCAR/motorsports community. Compare that to someone like Jim Utter, who is apparently some "reporter" who runs his own website. All he does is rant on Twitter 24/7 and imply that NASCAR fans are dumb and hypocritical as if his opinion is the only one that matters. If you state yours and it is in disagreement with his he responds with a smartass comment and then blocks you. 164. David posted: 07.22.2013 - 1:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thank you for that testimony, Zackary. We're glad you like it here. 165. The Long Shot posted: 07.22.2013 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cue the Aretha Franklin music: (singing) "R-E-S-P-E-C-T, find out what it means to me..." In all seriousness, while we have our arguments and disagreements (and I've seen and been part of some nasty ones, even though I've only been on this site for 3 and a half months), we all have a tremendous amount of respect for each other as NASCAR fans, so we can come back after even the worst of arguments, apologize to each other, and continue conversing with one another as if nothing had happened. That is what makes this the best forum in all of sports. 166. murb posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Brad Keselowski's problems are largely due to not having the chemistry between him and his crew chief, who he lost for three races to a suspension, as well as the fact that Ford is behind on the Cup side in almost every way imaginable." The problem is more with Ford and less about chemistry with Wolfe. I also think the new Gen 6 might be throwing them for a loop. 167. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Murb, the only reason I mentioned the chemistry with Paul Wolfe is because of the suspension, because it would take time to get that back after nearly a month without Wolfe as his crew chief. But if Loudon is any indication, they may now have that back, but I don't think it will be until after at least the race at Loudon that we'll know for sure. I don't blame the "Gen-6" car because they've even been behind Joey Logano most of the year, and Logano drives the other Penske car. A problem for them and Roush (and Petty, as well) is that Ford's behind in the Cup Series in almost every way imaginable. 168. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Frankly, that's one reason why he didn't win the championship in 1993 and/or '94, because they suffered too many mechanical problems." They knew they had to tune them to the edge to keep up with Dale. As great as Rusty was, and as much as I fully endorse him as a first ballot HOFer, he just couldn't hang with Dale week in and week out straight up. Even when he beat him in '89, he needed Dale to have a mediocre run at Martinsville when he was literally gift wrapped the pole, blow up on the 13th lap of Charlotte, endure The Great Wilkesboro Incident Of Eighty Nine, then Rusty needed to dump Dale himself at Rockingham. And he didn't get close to Dale in '93 until he wrecked Dale on a restart at Dover then went on to win. Geez, now I'm starting to think Rusty didn't need to throw that bottle at Dale after Bristol '95, he needed to just take his medicine. "Brad Keselowski's problems are largely due to not having the chemistry between him and his crew chief, who he lost for three races to a suspension" I think Brad and Paul have the best chemistry in Cup. By far. And I think that is the #1 reason for their success. Hell, this year they have had everything imaginable go wrong, yet they are still Top 10 in points. Their chemistry is way batter than Chad and Jimmie's. Their secret? The car. 169. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sorry cjs, didn't see your explanation until after I posted that. 170. Rexrobe posted: 07.22.2013 - 2:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Brad Keselowski's problems are largely due to not having the chemistry between him and his crew chief, who he lost for three races to a suspension, as well as the fact that Ford is behind on the Cup side in almost every way imaginable." I think the Chase has more to do with Brad's performance than anything else. He is sitting in the bottom half of the top ten where the danger zone of not making the Chase is. There's no real incentive for him to go out, show all his cards, and win when doing so may end up hurting you (see Stewart, Tony). I hate that Nascar has turned into that, but that's just the way it is, unfortunately. 171. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 4:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) But DSFF, Penske has always had a more aggressive attitude towards his engine setups, because back when he raced (and he was one of the better drivers of his time), it was believed that the way you won races was with the most horsepower, so most of the teams back then ran aggressive engine setups get top-end speed down the straightaways, and if the engine failed due to the stress, then so be it. Remember that in Penske's first two Indianapolis 500 wins, one his drivers dominated and another won the race, and Penske came from that old-school mentality of aggressive engine setups. Meanwhile, Jack Roush, who came to NASCAR from an extensive road racing background, believed that better handling was more important, because in road racing, handling was more important than horsepower, so he always focused more on handling than on engine setups, even after entering the NASCAR ranks in 1988, and conservative engine setups have always been a Roush trademark through the years, something that wasn't exposed the last few years because his was the only top-tier Ford organization until Penske rejoined the Ford ranks this year. But once Penske and his more aggressive engine setups rejoined Ford, we found out just how far behind Roush still is on his engines. And not only that, but another real tell on that is Matt Kenseth's performance this year. Kenseth drove for Roush for 13 years, and he never ran the way he's running this year at any time in his 13 years with Roush. Kenseth's been the best performer in the Cup Series this year, despite his sixth place ranking in the points. It's just that, for the first time in his 14-year Cup career, he's got the horsepower in his engines to match his talent. Many including me suspect that Kevin Harvick will find out next year what Kenseth found out this year, and that is how good he can be when he's got a engine that matches his talent. I think Harvick's the best full-time driver out there today that hasn't won a championship (and that includes Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch), a fact proven by his versatility and big race wins, as he's won every big race except the Southern 500 at least once, and next year at Stewart-Haas, he's getting the one thing many feel that he's never had, and that's an engine to match his ability. While many dislike his attitude, including myself, I also think that Harvick may be the most underrated driver in NASCAR today. You don't win at the places he's won at, and you don't win the races he's won by being an above-average driver. You win those races and at those places by being a true top-tier driver, and that's what Harvick is. 172. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 4:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The problem, Rexrobe, is that you actually have to make the Chase, and Keselowski, who hasn't finished better than third this season, is in serious danger of not getting in. I think Brad does get in, if for no other reason, because of the deficiencies of others, but what does he do once he gets in, if he gets in, is the question. 173. David posted: 07.22.2013 - 5:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Someone wrote this about Logano's win: "The socialmediasphere questioned Logano's participation in Sunday's standalone race, but the reason for it is perfectly clear. By having to strategize for victories in Penske equipment instead of pressing the gas for automatic wins in JGR cars, Logano is developing as a racer in a manner that should have happened six years ago." (Guess the author) What if he's right? He also mentioned that Logano ranked fifth in average green-flag speed (behind Sadler, Hornish, Dillon, and Vickers; my findings, not his). Not that I still support Logano's claim jumping, I just thought that was an interesting take on his participation. I agree that Keselowski and Paul Wolfe have the best chemistry in Cup by a wide margin. It's just baffling as to why they're struggling this year. It has to be the switch to Ford. 174. Anonymous posted: 07.22.2013 - 6:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #4 Landon Cassill crew chief--Johnny Davis 175. Daniel posted: 07.22.2013 - 6:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Indianapolis entry list: -David Green in the #00 -Kasey Kahne in the #5 -Matt Kenseth in the #18 -Kevin Harvick in the #21 -Robert Richardson Jr. in the #23 -Ken Butler III in the #24 -Paul Menard in the #33 -Josh Wise in the #42 -Cole Whitt in the #44 -J.J. Yeley in the #46 -Kyle Busch in the #54 -David Starr in the #55 -#74 TBA -Morgan Shepherd in the #89 -Kevin Swindell in the #98 176. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.22.2013 - 6:26 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Despite all the NWide wins, the problem is still the same for Lozano: all these claim jumping wins aren't helping his Cup runs one bit! No matter how many minor league wins he gets, he is still a 16th to 19th place driver, and is in his normal spot in Cup points now. 177. DB1995 posted: 07.22.2013 - 6:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Joey is in the midst of his best cup season so far, remember he was in the top 10 in points after Kentucky, but 2 straight weeks with tire problems that led to 40th place finishes , and for awhile he was outrunning cup champ teammate Brad Keselowski, albeit Brad was having horrendous luck. 178. 12345Dude posted: 07.22.2013 - 8:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) " Murb, the only reason I mentioned the chemistry with Paul Wolfe is because of the suspension, because it would take time to get that back after nearly a month without Wolfe as his crew chief" CJS with the technology of today I don't think crew chief suspensions even matter. When Jason Ratcliff was suspended earlier this year he was even joking around with people about "being seperated from his driver". He made the whole thing out as a joke. I also think its completely insane to not have top cup guys in the nw series. It helps these drivers so much learning from these guys. Imagine never racing against any cup drivers your whole career, then your moved up to Sprint Cup and your facing 43 of them? Just have the cup guys run for non-cup teams 179. cjs3872 posted: 07.22.2013 - 8:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 12345Dude, the driver still can't communicate with the crew chief at the track if he's suspended, and that's where the chemistry break-up and the delay in it's return comes in. And if it takes time for that chemistry between the driver and the crew chief to return, it still will stunt the progress of the team. Sure the crew chief can communicate with other team members via phone and other electronic devices, but that doesn't help were the driver/crew chief communication comes in. The crew chief actually has to be at the track to be able to communicate with the driver and know what he's feeling inside the car, and that's where the loss of the team chemistry between the crew chief and driver comes in 180. DaleSrFanForever posted: 07.22.2013 - 8:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Despite the decent stretch there for Lozano, we have seen and heard this before. Remember 2010, during the chase which he missed by a mile, he had like 7 straight Top 10s, most of which were Top 5s, leading to all the " Joey has figured it out now, will easily make the '11 chase, and start winning a lot"? But he always falls back to the back of the 20s no matter how many bogus wins like this one he gets. 181. The Long Shot posted: 07.22.2013 - 8:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @173: Is it your favorite, the one and only David Smith? 182. David posted: 07.22.2013 - 8:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ding ding ding! The Long Shot got it. Yes, it is the one and only, the incomparable David Smith. He is my favorite for a reason. 183. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.23.2013 - 6:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Ding ding ding! The Long Shot got it. Yes, it is the one and only, the incomparable David Smith. He is my favorite for a reason. " No motorsports writer is trustworthy. 184. NicoRosbergFan posted: 07.23.2013 - 10:57 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I'm REALLY hoping that Sam loses the title by either fewer than 4 points or on a tiebreaker to make Penske pay for letting Hertz bully him into running Logano in this race. 185. David posted: 07.23.2013 - 12:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "No motorsports writer is trustworthy." Yeah, well Smith is less untrustworthy. 186. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.23.2013 - 1:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's more or less official that ABC/ESPN and TNT are out as broadcast partners for 2015 and will be replaced by NBC. What's yet to be seen is whether any races will be on NBC Sports Network. I hope not because ratings always seem to be better on network TV and not cable TV, but I feel like there will be at least a few which sucks because Fox will inevitably move some races to Fox Sports 1 as well. Also, Jayski says that they will only have half of the Nationwide schedule, so I'm wondering where the other half will go and if Fox will pick it up. There will be a press conference at 3pm Eastern, presumably to confirm all of this. 187. The Long Shot posted: 07.23.2013 - 1:25 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "It's more or less official that ABC/ESPN and TNT are out as broadcast partners for 2015 and will be replaced by NBC. What's yet to be seen is whether any races will be on NBC Sports Network." My guess is that most of the Nationwide races will be on the NBC Sports Network. I would assume that all the Truck races will remain on Fox Sports 1. 188. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.23.2013 - 1:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Interestingly, the Sports Business Daily article that broke this news says that the not only the first half of the Nationwide schedule is still available, but also the 6 TNT races. Will be very curious to see where they go. Hopefully, at the very least they go to a station available on basic cable, but it'd be cool to see someone like CBS try to get back into it. 189. Zackary Shawn posted: 07.23.2013 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, the new TV deal still sucks for fans who either don't get NBC Sports Network, or can't afford cable. Bad move on the part of NASCAR, I think and this is coming from a guy who isn't as hard on NASCAR as others are. 190. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 07.24.2013 - 1:42 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) At this point, I've sadly gotten used to seeing Cup drivers dominate the lower tier NASCAR Series. I still think it is ridiculous, and Brad running the Iowa race is as well. He won last year's Cup championship, yet he will be traveling to a track that Series doesn't even race on (and a track that he won on when he was still a Nationwide regular) to run a Nationwide race. I'm hoping that's a sponsor-influenced decision and that Roger or Brad didn't decide themselves to do so. Hopefully Brad's good race at Loudon last week will be motivation for him and the #2 team to get the overall performance there turned around to where they can win races and perhaps make another scare for the title. 191. 12345Dude posted: 07.24.2013 - 8:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Some good points CJS. Thanks for the reply. 192. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 07.12.2014 - 5:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I also think its completely insane to not have top cup guys in the nw series. It helps these drivers so much learning from these guys. Imagine never racing against any cup drivers your whole career, then your moved up to Sprint Cup and your facing 43 of them? Just have the cup guys run for non-cup teams" Prospects in sports like NHL, NFL, NBA, and MLB, etc., all get to the top level without ever having played against the current top players in their respective sport. Motorsports should be the same. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: