2016 NASCAR Season Thread

[dfwabel]

27 minutes ago, Dalcowboyfan92 said:

I think changing the pace up at the Brickyard every other year (road course odd years, main course even years) would help out the track.

Goodyear hadn't gotten tires at Indy correct for the last decade, now you want them to now deal with a road course every other year?

 

Ha!

 

Others earlier are correct. While NASCAR and ISC are separate, publicly shared ISC needs privayely run NASCAR for their tracks to support the shareholders.  Only The Glen is run by ISC and no other road course is, so for both ISC and SMC (Charlotte/TMS/LVMS) neither wants to give up Cup dates and $$$.

 

Dover and Pocono are the lone two* who will fight to keep both Cup dates. Plus TMS will any race going to Austin.

 

 

*-IMS doesn't really matter as the 500 makes the track it's annual income.

[Needschat]

Do we need Texas AND Kansas in the Chase?  

 

In the past, people have objected to two Pocono races, but now with their repave AND Goodyear getting that track's tire right, the drivers like going there.  I've been there.  It's one of the more family friendly tracks, a typical Northeast track.  

[dfwabel]

17 minutes ago, Needschat said:

Do we need Texas AND Kansas in the Chase?  

 

In the past, people have objected to two Pocono races, but now with their repave AND Goodyear getting that track's tire right, the drivers like going there.  I've been there.  It's one of the more family friendly tracks, a typical Northeast track.  

Kansas is owned by ISC and TMS is a Smith track, so YES both are needed.

[Needschat]

1 hour ago, dfwabel said:

Kansas is owned by ISC and TMS is a Smith track, so YES both are needed.

 

Needed or just GREEDED?  

[BengalsJunkie]

This Mid-Ohio race is probably the most entertaining race of the past 5 years.

[dfwabel]

4 hours ago, Needschat said:

 

Needed or just GREEDED?  

Which local track do you own and if you actually owned a track, would you be happy if you lost a weekend?

[Dalcowboyfan92]

On 8/13/2016 at 6:02 PM, BengalsJunkie said:

This Mid-Ohio race is probably the most entertaining race of the past 5 years.

 

That race was utter chaos; but also utterly entertaining, I agree.

[See Red]

Yeah that was a pretty crazy race. Seems like every few seconds they were switching the camera to show a car in the grass. 

[Needschat]

On 8/13/2016 at 9:12 PM, dfwabel said:

Which local track do you own and if you actually owned a track, would you be happy if you lost a weekend?

 

Two Kansas races

Two Texas races

 

Both have on in the Chase.

The Chase has TOO many 1.5 mile tracks in it.  How does that show driving talent?  It just shows who has the better engineering - and like last year who has the ONLY pure factory backing. 

[dfwabel]

1 hour ago, Needschat said:

 

Two Kansas races

Two Texas races

 

Both have on in the Chase.

The Chase has TOO many 1.5 mile tracks in it.  How does that show driving talent?  It just shows who has the better engineering - and like last year who has the ONLY pure factory backing. 

The two Texas races have the highest race purses outside of the Daytona 500.  They are keeping two. 

Kansas is an ISC track, thus it isn't moving usless it is for another ISC track. 

[Needschat]

9 minutes ago, dfwabel said:

The two Texas races have the highest race purses outside of the Daytona 500.  They are keeping two. 

Kansas is an ISC track, thus it isn't moving usless it is for another ISC track. 

 

Purses are academic now.  

[dont care]

36 minutes ago, Needschat said:

 

Purses are academic now.  

Care to explain?

[Needschat]

21 minutes ago, dont care said:

Care to explain?

 

In Cup, with the advent of the Charter system, the drivers receive a salary, as do the crew members.  Purses, which in the past went to the driver and crew but still do with local tracks, aren't going there.  A driver makes the same amount of money if he wins the first Texas race as he does if he wins at the Glen.  

[DCarp1231]

On the front of races in the Chase, Miami-Homestead is a terrible last race. Swap it with Martinsville. Simple effective fix.

 

In other news, Hendrick Motorsports has signed William Byron and will drive for JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series in 2017. Byron is currently a rookie in NCWTS and has posted a rookie record 5 wins and leads the points standings. He also has experience and familiarity driving for Dale Jr's Late Model Program.

[LAWeaver]

Just came here to post that. Here's the link:

http://www.jrmracing.com/media/2016/08/18/william-byron-returning-to-jrm-to-drive-xfinity-series-in-2017

 

This is a good signing by Hendrick. For a while there I thought Byron would stay in the JGR farm system considering his success this season. The kid sure knows his way around the track. 

[DCarp1231]

18 minutes ago, mr.nascar13 said:

Just came here to post that. Here's the link:

http://www.jrmracing.com/media/2016/08/18/william-byron-returning-to-jrm-to-drive-xfinity-series-in-2017

 

This is a good signing by Hendrick. For a while there I thought Byron would stay in the JGR farm system considering his success this season. The kid sure knows his way around the track. 

It's a multi-year deal and he's only racing with JR Motorsports for 2017. That makes me think that if Kasey Kahne can't get his crap together by next season's end, Byron might be fast tracked to drive the 5 for Hendrick Motorsports.

[TBGKon]

1 hour ago, DNAsports said:

On the front of races in the Chase, Miami-Homestead is a terrible last race. Swap it with Martinsville. Simple effective fix.

 

I never liked Homestead as the Championship Weekend either, but it's tough to pick a place for it.

 

My suggestion would be to have it in Vegas.  They already have the awards ceremony there, might as well have the Championship race.

[dont care]

3 hours ago, DNAsports said:

It's a multi-year deal and he's only racing with JR Motorsports for 2017. That makes me think that if Kasey Kahne can't get his crap together by next season's end, Byron might be fast tracked to drive the 5 for Hendrick Motorsports.

Or Jr. if the concussions continue to be a problem

[LAWeaver]

Great news: Matt Tifft, who underwent surgery on July 1 to remove a brain tumor, has been cleared by doctors to return to racing. Tifft will hop behind the wheel of a race car on Sunday to test a late model car at Hickory Speedway.

 

Meanwhile, if Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is unable to race at Michigan (which seems likely), Jeff Gordon will not be the one to pilot the #88 around the two-mile oval, as he told NBC Sports last night he would have to miss the race due to a "prior commitment".

 

So let the speculation begin: Who drives at Michigan? It's unlikely Justin Allgaier or Elliott Sadler will be called up to drive the car as the Xfinity series is racing at Road America. William Byron hasn't even set foot inside an Xfinity car, let alone a Sprint Cup car, so I don't see him making the jump that soon. Alex Bowman seems like the best choice to return to the 88 after his decent performance at New Hampshire.

 

EDIT: I don't remember seeing it posted here, but Penske announced that they will field a second full-time Xfinity car once again for the 2017 season. a driver & sponsor will be announced at a later date.

 

As for tonight's Sprint Cup race at Bristol, keep an eye out for Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. In the closing laps of last night's race, while battling for the lead, Keselowski (outside) clipped the rear quarter-panel of Kyle Busch, turning him into the outside wall, which also collected Ty Dillon. Busch called Keselowski a "dirty racer" while Brad said it was just racing.

 

This could be very interesting to watch as both of the qualified in the top 10 and should run up front all night. 

[Needschat]

5 hours ago, mr.nascar13 said:

Great news: Matt Tifft, who underwent surgery on July 1 to remove a brain tumor, has been cleared by doctors to return to racing. Tifft will hop behind the wheel of a race car on Sunday to test a late model car at Hickory Speedway.

 

Meanwhile, if Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is unable to race at Michigan (which seems likely), Jeff Gordon will not be the one to pilot the #88 around the two-mile oval, as he told NBC Sports last night he would have to miss the race due to a "prior commitment".

 

So let the speculation begin: Who drives at Michigan? It's unlikely Justin Allgaier or Elliott Sadler will be called up to drive the car as the Xfinity series is racing at Road America. William Byron hasn't even set foot inside an Xfinity car, let alone a Sprint Cup car, so I don't see him making the jump that soon. Alex Bowman seems like the best choice to return to the 88 after his decent performance at New Hampshire.

 

EDIT: I don't remember seeing it posted here, but Penske announced that they will field a second full-time Xfinity car once again for the 2017 season. a driver & sponsor will be announced at a later date.

 

As for tonight's Sprint Cup race at Bristol, keep an eye out for Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. In the closing laps of last night's race, while battling for the lead, Keselowski (outside) clipped the rear quarter-panel of Kyle Busch, turning him into the outside wall, which also collected Ty Dillon. Busch called Keselowski a "dirty racer" while Brad said it was just racing.

 

This could be very interesting to watch as both of the qualified in the top 10 and should run up front all night. 

 

 

As of right now, it's Alex Bowman in the 88 if Dale Jr can't race, and be there to finish up if Junior can't finish.

 

As for Kyle calling Brad dirty, it's your typical Kettle-Pot situation.  And it's funny.  That was just racing, Kyle was NOT clear,