Waiting For The Truck Race

February 23rd, 2012 Journo 5 comments

Today’s Gatorade Duels set the field for the Daytona 500 and count me among those who are excited for the season to kickoff. What I’m more excited about though is the start of the Truck season.

Last year marked the end of two of the series’ storied organizations, Kevin Harvick Inc., and Randy Moss Motorsports.

Then Morgan Dollar Motorsports’ first foray into the sport was 1997 and while the team never won any championships, it was a consistent contender for many years. KHI followed RMM five years later in 2002. The team racked up 43 wins and 2 championships.

The loss of two series stalwarts was no doubt a big loss, but the rise and birth of some other teams in the sport provide reason for excitement.

Ron Hornday Jr. moved to the relatively new Joe Denette Motorsports; series championship winning team Richard Childress Racing adds Ty Dillon (who is a promising prospect); Cale Gale is running a full season with Eddie Sharp Racing; young Dakoda Armstrong is running for ROTY honors with ThorSport and former NASCAR D4D driver Paulie Harraka is making his NASCAR national series debut with series veteren Richie Wauters.

With KHI out of the picture keep your eye on ThorSport and veterans Matt Crafton and Johnny Sauter, and immediate past champions Richard Childress Racing. Joe Denette Racing with funding and a past champion behind the wheel could also be a sleeper to do big things this season.

The Truck season kicks off tomorrow at 7pm on Speed. Not a bad way to start the season if you ask me.

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Why Thursday Won’t Be As Dramatic As You’d Hoped

February 21st, 2012 T.C. 15 comments

Qualifying is already in the books for the Daytona 500, but because of the 500′s unique format, the lineup hasn’t yet been set. Only the drivers that qualified on the front row (Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle for this year) know where they will start. Where teams finish in Thursday’s Gatorade Duel races will determine where they start in the 500. But while you might think that could lead to a good show, don’t expect any drama from those already locked in the race. Only those drivers looking to race their way into the Daytona 500 will be looking to take chances and possibly put on a good show.

Last Saturday night’s Bud Shootout was a crazy start to the 2012 season. Several big crashes took out key players, and we had the closest finish ever in that race. Only 12 of the 25 cars that started the race were running at the finish, and only 10 of those were even on the lead lap. But while the return to pack racing appeared to cause crazy racing, don’t expect that trend to continue on Thursday.

What the Duel races provide is a classic risk vs. reward situation. And in this case, the risk greatly outweighs the reward. The benefits of contending for the Duel win and a starting position for the 500 closer to the front aren’t enough of an incentive to push these drivers to race hard and take chances.  It’s just too important for the teams to keep their primary cars intact for the start of the 500 on Sunday.

Because of a dizzying array of factors, what we now see is that the usual benefits of qualifying well are diminished at restrictor plate tracks. The better track position is nice, but it can be gained or lost in a matter of moments. And because track position isn’t as big of a deal, the importance placed on pit stops, and thus pit stall selection is diminished. Tires hardly wear at Daytona, so you’ll see a lot of no-tire and two-tire stops in the 500, with the emphasis being on getting the cars full of gas. When it doesn’t matter what stall you have, that added benefit of qualifying well becomes a moot point.

Teams spent all winter tweaking and massaging their cars for the 500, and they will be much less apt to put those cars in a position to be wrecked when the rewards aren’t great. Expect many of the top name drivers to take it easy in the Duel races, and also avoid the remaining practice sessions if possible.

The drivers to focus in on during the Duel races for drama are Kenny Wallace, Dave Blaney, Michael Waltrip, Joe Nemecheck, Michael McDowell, Mike Wallace, Robert Richardson, Robby Gordon, and JJ Yeley. They are all currently on the outside looking in and need a good finish in their respective Duel for a shot at the 500.

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Well Played Hendrick…

February 16th, 2012 Journo 16 comments

**I know I’m a couple of days late on this, but I wanted to weigh in with a little post-mortem on the deal.

It was announced on Monday HendrickCars.com would provide various forms of sponsorship for three teams at the Daytona 500, one at the March race at Bristol and one for July’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona – this is in addition to existing sponsorship on Chase Elliott’s K&N East car and Kasey Kahne’s Cup car. The move was obviously met with surprise since none of the announced three are WHOLLY owned by Rick Hendrick.

The caveat here is that Phoenix Racing and JR Motorsports are on the Hendrick engine deal and JR Motorsports went through a “merger” with Hendrick’s Nationwide program a few years. Obvious partners for a Hendrick owned entity to put money into. The third team though, Richard Childress Racing, is another story. Why invest sponsorship dollars in a competitor?

For Hendrick though it presents an interesting opportunity to blanket two different series with relatively high profile sponsorship during NASCAR’s most watched weekend. Sponsorship rates are not what they used to be and for teams looking for last minute opportunities, you can bet that already discounted rate was even lower. I’ll bet Hendrick Automotive Group got one hell of a deal on its buy.

On top of that was the serious chatter about the move on various social media channels and news sites. I found at least a dozen articles written and I know there were hundreds of tweets in the hours that followed the announcement. Remember, this was a simple sponsorship buy! What’s better than a whole lot earned media to go along with that paid media?

It was without a doubt an unusual move, but one that I bet pays off for Hendrick Automotive. Well played.

UPDATED 2/27/2012 1:48pm

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Would Qualifying Heat Races Work For NASCAR?

February 14th, 2012 T.C. 22 comments

It’s floating around the web today that IndyCar’s first year race director Beaux Barfield is planning on using qualifying heats to set the field at Iowa this season. The plan, revealed to the Associated Press, is to test the format for possible full time use in 2013. The proposed procedure will include three 30 lap heats, with starting spots determined by practice speeds. My question to you, is if you think this is something NASCAR should consider.

The only race where NASCAR uses a similar format is at the Daytona 500. Qualifying sets the front row, and than every other starting position is determined by where drivers finish in their respective Duel race. Every other race uses the standard single-car run procedure.

In recent years NASCAR has tinkered with qualifying to make it more exciting and hopefully improve TV ratings. They’ve made changes to the go-or-go-homer qualifying and to the qualifying order. Outside of knowing what TNI regular reader Neon thinks (he has suggested qualifying heats many times) do you think qualifying heat races could be the answer?

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People Dislike Kurt Busch? Go Figure

February 8th, 2012 Journo 28 comments

Forbes Magazine released a poll on Wednesday ranking America’s most disliked athletes. Making the list were the infamous like Plaxico Burress and Michael Vick and the overexposed like Tiger Woods and Kris Humphries.

Joining those mentioned above and others was the only NASCAR driver to register in the top 12, Kurt Busch. Perhaps not surprisingly, 42% of respondents said they disliked him.

Busch, as Forbes points out, is notorious for his outbursts against his crew and crew chief and tantrums (like the one below) that led to his ouster (which may or may not have been mutual) at Penske Racing.

Busch’s position as most disliked NASCAR driver in this survey is interesting if only for the fact that I don’t think it’s true with fans of the sport. I suspect Kurt’s brother Kyle holds a more negative position in the minds of fans.

No doubt Kurt Busch is toxic right now. Richard Petty intimated (or I suppose outright said) as much last month. He said:

Nobody at the time wanted to pay the bill for him. That’s how simple it was.

And this is probably why he even made it into the psyche of people surveyed.

This season is going to be pivotal for Busch as he attempts a comeback. Can he make changes and be a more tempered – and likeable – figure? Time will tell.

Before I go, one more time for your viewing pleasure, the straw that broke the camel’s back…

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Big Changes To Pit Crews For 2012

February 6th, 2012 T.C. 4 comments

As we have talked about before around here, the crew guy silly season can be just as crazy as the one involving drivers and sponsors. You won’t see press releases about changes, but teams vying for the top pit crew talent can be very competitive. I have absolutely no data to back this up, but it seems like there has been an inordinate amount of changes to pit crews coming into 2012 versus previous years. Between guys retiring, teams shutting down, and contracts ending, pit road will look very different this season.

Outside of the usual turnover based on contracts and performance based moves, the turmoil at the team level was certainly a driving factor in why we are seeing so much change. Roush Fenway lost a car, as did Richard Childress Racing, and Red Bull went away completely. Those moves pushed a lot of guys into the market, and the team added at Michael Waltrip Racing only added six new jobs.

From what I can gather, it appears as though only a handful of pit crews remain unchanged from the end of 2011. If my math is correct, it looks like better than 80% of the teams on pit road have made a change to at least one position on their crews for 2012. That is a tremendous amount of turnover.

Just to give you a few examples of what I’m talking about, I’ll point out changes to both Jeff Gordon’s 24 crew and Greg Biffle’s 16 team. For 2012, the 24 crew will look very different from last season, with new changers at both ends of the car and a new carrier. And for Biffle, his Fords will be pitted by an entirely new group this season. The majority of the crew who serviced David Ragan’s 6 car last season have slid over and will now pit for Biffle.

Chemistry is a big deal for any team, and as the season begins, it will be interesting to see how all these changes pan out. Don’t be surprised if it takes a few weeks for your favorite driver’s crew to really gel together.

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Get Rid Of Owners Points Swaps? Not So Fast…

February 3rd, 2012 Journo 12 comments

Remember that time Bobby Ginn was part of the Childress ownership group? And Chip Ganassi was a partner in that back marker Nationwide Team? Or how about when Jim Harris become a partial owner up at the now-defunct Randy Moss Motorsports? Yeah, not too memorable, right?

Every year around this time the screaming begins about the absurd points swaps (sales) that take place between teams in search of a guaranteed starting position.

This year, the honor for best thinly veiled ownership/partnership deal (points sale) goes to Stewart-Haas Racing and Tommy Baldwin Racing. According to the team this is a “collaborative partnership” that will have TBR fielding a car for Danica Patrick (of course, out of the SHR shop).

“Baldwin will maintain a hands-on presence with the No. 10 car and will work closely with Greg Zipadelli, who serves as SHR’s director of competition.”

Sure Baldwin will.

This annual theater of the absurd could easily be solved by NASCAR either allowing point sales to occur, unencumbered, or by banning the practice all together. I’m not sure there’s much appetite in Daytona to do either.

In a sport that doesn’t franchise and whose greatest barrier to entry is buying equipment and showing up on Sunday, owners points represent the only thing of value the sanctioning body gives successful team owners.

It seems only reasonable if an owner goes to the trouble of fielding a team he/she should be able to benefit financially from that team running competitively week-in and week-out should they choose to cash out.

Either way, I think it’s a periphery issue that NASCAR could stand to provide some clarity to.

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Opportunities Abound For New Teams In 2012

February 1st, 2012 T.C. 10 comments

The last several NASCAR offseasons have all shared an unsettling common theme: contraction. 2011 was no different. In the Cup Series alone, we lost both Red Bull cars, a team from both Childress and Roush Fenway, and the privateer TRG Motorsports. And there were several more losses from the Nationwide and Truck Series. For those that work in and around the sport, it’s been a tough few years. But there is hope for the future, even if it’s small. Those empty spots on the grid mean opportunity for small teams and unknown drivers looking to break into NASCAR.

In the Cup Series, it seems new teams are coming out of the woodworks to compete. Names like Robinson Blakeney, and Sinica have announced plans to race full or part time schedules. Add to that teams like RAB Racing, Turn One, Go Green Racing, and Means Motorsports, who have competed at lower levels but will now attempt one or more Cup races.

Fewer top teams also means that existing small teams will have an easier time making races and competing. Tommy Baldwin Racing, Front Row Motorsports, FAS Lane, and Inception are all examples of teams that will benefit.

In the NNS and CWTS, car count help is coming in the form of new teams and existing teams expanding. Richard Petty Motorsports, Kyle Busch Motorsports, and Tommy Baldwin Racing are all adding Nationwide programs. Eddie Sharp will now have two full time truck teams, as will Joe Denette Motorsports. RAB will run the full truck schedule with John Wes Townley, and Thorsport is now a three truck operation with the addition of Dakoda Armstrong. Veteran crew chief Richie Wauters has started his own truck team with Paulie Harraka driving, and Ward and Jeb Burton have teamed up with the Hillman’s for a new truck effort.

For some of these new small teams, the probability of doing anything more than starting and parking is low. Sponsorship is still very difficult to come by and many of these teams are without significant resources. But if a few are able to find a foothold, than the sport will be all the better because of it.

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No, We Aren’t Dead

January 13th, 2012 T.C. 28 comments

We’ve received some concerned tweets, emails, and comments about our whereabouts and I just wanted to drop in and ease your minds. No, we aren’t dead, haven’t been laid off, or been abducted by aliens. We are still deeply entrenched where we’ve always been. But after nearly four straight years of working on the blog with very few days away, we’ve been on a bit of a hiatus. I promise we will be back soon with what the future holds for TNI.

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A Turbulent Start to the NASCAR Off-Season

November 29th, 2011 Journo 18 comments

We’re just a week into the NASCAR off-season and the changes are coming fast and heavy.

Layoffs Around

The shoe hasn’t dropped everywhere just yet, but so far Roush Fenway has undertaken a massive layoff that we’ve heard was as many as 125 employees. This included many long-time Roush employees. What’s loyalty worth in this sport?

Yesterday, we heard there were layoffs at Turner Motorsports with more potentially on the way. Red Bull Racing has vowed to keep its people through the end of next week, but after that many more will join the unemployment line. We’ll see if anymore follow.

Crew Chief Changes

You win the championship, so what next? How about a crew chief change? That’s what Tony Stewart did Monday, booting Darian Grubb in favor of Steve Addington. Never mind it was Grubb’s call that put Stewart in a position to win the championship, and his leadership that helped the owner-driver to 11 wins, 33 top-fives, 59 top tens and three straight Chase appearances since 2009. Who wouldn’t have made a change, right?

Up at Richard Childress Racing, longtime Roush Fenway crew chief Drew Blickensderfer replaced Luke Lambert on top of the box for Jeff Burton. Lambert took over on an interim basis after the team released Todd Berrier earlier in the season. Blickensderfer has made the rounds through RFR including most recently as David Ragan’s Cup Series crew chief.

NASCAR Fines A Busch

Fining the Busch brothers is quickly becoming a favorite past time down in Daytona. After elder brother Kurt’s profanity laced tirade to an ESPN crew, NASCAR’s $50,000 penalty was probably warranted (here is the link to the video – fair warning there is language).

NASCAR though drew a line in the sand – it’s OK to physically go after Joe Menzer, which Busch did just a couple of months ago, but do not direct profanity at Dr. Jerry Punch.  In the future, Busch would be well suited to remember this simple mnemonic device: mess with Menzer, but don’t pull any Punchs.

Another handy tip would be to not attack media members, verbally or otherwise, when there are video cameras around.

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