2021 NASCAR Thread

[DCarp1231]

21 minutes ago, sc49erfan15 said:

I really enjoy the roval-type road courses -  it feels like there are more variables involved. Aerodynamics still matter, but they're downplayed. Brakes and tires are critically important. Never know when someone's going to completely screw up a turn or LEEEEROY JENKINSSS a deep dive into a corner. Seeing them go 4-5 wide into the first corner is just plain fun. The unnecessary rain caution sucked for sure, but it didn't ruin it for me. I hope they keep these - variety is nice.

Considering this season we’ll see an unprecedented 7 road course races (5 after the 2 Daytonas), I think they’ll be around a while.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

AJ wins at Las Vegas and punches his ticket into the Xfinity playoffs. After having all 3 start in the Top 10, all 3 Kaulig cars came home with Top 10s. Sure, Gibbs and Penske are giants of the circuit; but this Jason has potentially 3 rocks in his slingshot. He's got one ready to wind up and fire. Just needs two more.

[See Red]

Kyle Larson wins Vegas. We'll see how long he goes without a sponsor.  Wouldn't be surprised if he gets one soon. 

[Dalcowboyfan92]

14 minutes ago, See Red said:

Kyle Larson wins Vegas. We'll see how long he goes without a sponsor.  Wouldn't be surprised if he gets one soon. 

 

Techinically, he was sponsored by HendrickCars . com, but yeah. He might as well have run this race with an unsponsored race car. I guess companies still want to wait and see with Kyle to see he truly turned over a new leaf. These things happen to armost everyone. But it's how you rehabilitate your image that really matters.

 

Are you really sorry that it happened? Or, just really sorry you got caught? I hope for his sake; it's the former.

[LAWeaver]

I've always been a fan of Hendrick Motorsports, but something was telling me all throughout the offseason that Larson wouldn't earn a victory in 2021 and would possibly struggle at times. Boy was I wrong. Happy for the team, and as @Dalcowboyfan92 mentioned, we'll see if Larson has actually changed. From the sit-down interviews and behind-the-scenes looks of what he's been up to since "the incident," it seems as if he has - but it's yet to be seen if potential sponsors agree. 

[PrimalCookie]

2 hours ago, See Red said:

Kyle Larson wins Vegas. We'll see how long he goes without a sponsor.  Wouldn't be surprised if he gets one soon. 

Depends on how the media treats this win. If it goes largely unnoticed, chances are we'll see a few sponsors on the car before the end of this month. If it's all over the news as "guy who said n word last year wins" he'll probably be stuck with HendrickCars.com for a while.

[DCarp1231]

On 3/7/2021 at 8:53 PM, Magic Dynasty said:

Depends on how the media treats this win. If it goes largely unnoticed, chances are we'll see a few sponsors on the car before the end of this month. If it's all over the news as "guy who said n word last year wins" he'll probably be stuck with HendrickCars.com for a while.

He was able to at least get Freightliner Trucks for Bristol.

 

Speaking of Bristol... this dirt track experiment is wild

[sc49erfan15]

I like this a lot. As a once-a-year gimmick? Sure, why not? I'd prefer they rotate it around to a few different tracks (they literally announced the 2022 Bristol spring race would be on dirt as I'm replying), but it's fine as a novelty.

[dont care]

2 hours ago, DNAsports said:

He was able to at least get Freightliner Trucks for Bristol.

 

Speaking of Bristol... this dirt track experiment is wild

They were already a Hendricks sponsor nothing new

[DCarp1231]

1 hour ago, sc49erfan15 said:

I like this a lot. As a once-a-year gimmick? Sure, why not? I'd prefer they rotate it around to a few different tracks (they literally announced the 2022 Bristol spring race would be on dirt as I'm replying), but it's fine as a novelty.

I wonder how well a Martinsville dirt race would work out

[dont care]

1 hour ago, sc49erfan15 said:

I like this a lot. As a once-a-year gimmick? Sure, why not? I'd prefer they rotate it around to a few different tracks (they literally announced the 2022 Bristol spring race would be on dirt as I'm replying), but it's fine as a novelty.

It’s fine, I would have rather they had it at a real dirt track like eldora. To influx some money into a new market, and require less maintenance than they had to do this week. 

[dont care]

1 minute ago, DNAsports said:

I wonder how well a Martinsville dirt race would work out

I think it’s too narrow, flat, turns too tight, and straightaways too long to create and run a dirt track. All dirt tracks you see they have long sweeping turns and are wide with fairly short straightaways.

[sc49erfan15]

37 minutes ago, dont care said:

It’s fine, I would have rather they had it at a real dirt track like eldora. To influx some money into a new market, and require less maintenance than they had to do this week. 

 

I think the real chance for Eldora would've been during crowdless events, since the infrastructure really isn't there. Or hell, sit people in the grass if we're really going for the dirt track experience. Go all in.

 

And yeah, Martinsville on dirt would be terrible. The trucks race on dirt in Knoxville in a few months, maybe that'll be an option if it goes well.

[PrimalCookie]

I don't love that we had to lose a regular Bristol race because of this (if nothing else, they should've kept the All Star Race there instead of giving it to Texas), but I think dirt is a cool thing to do once a year (and only once a year, please NASCAR don't get crazy like you have with road courses). I'd prefer a real dirt track as well, but realistically none come close to the facilities and, more importantly, seating capacity that Bristol has. This event could also help spark attendance for the spring race again, which was doing so bad in recent years that I think the race this year with COVID restrictions had more people there. Certainly looked that way, anyway.

 

And since no one brought it up here, they're doing a Chicago street race in the iRacing Pro Invitational Series in a few months. $10 says that'll be a real event next year - I doubt NASCAR has given up on the Chicago market yet, even though Chicagoland is dead and probably will be turned into a warehouse or mall or something.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

Martinsville and dirt would not mix. The track's just too flat. At least with Bristol you have their steep banking.

 

And, I don't know if this was discussed but apparently giving the All-Star race to Texas is/was a peace offering to Gossage for losing a date and having to share space with CotA.

[AustinFromBoston]

TALLADEGA. DIRT. RACE. 

 

Yeah won’t happen, but imagine. 

[infrared41]

16 hours ago, AustinFromBoston said:

TALLADEGA. DIRT. RACE. 

 

Yeah won’t happen, but imagine. 

 

It would be awful.

[Dalcowboyfan92]

Brad Keselowski to accept the role of Owner/Driver with Roush in 2022. This probably means Cindric goes directly to the 2, and hopefully Matt DiBenedetto gets to stay with the Wood Brothers and the 21.

[sc49erfan15]

51 minutes ago, Dalcowboyfan92 said:

Brad Keselowski to accept the role of Owner/Driver with Roush in 2022. This probably means Cindric goes directly to the 2, and hopefully Matt DiBenedetto gets to stay with the Wood Brothers and the 21.

 

Weird move. I guess somebody's got to make Roush relevant again - Keselowski's as good as anybody to do it. I'm taking the under on that happening, though.

[infrared41]

22 minutes ago, sc49erfan15 said:

 

Weird move. I guess somebody's got to make Roush relevant again - Keselowski's as good as anybody to do it. I'm taking the under on that happening, though.

 

That's where I'm at on this as well. He's been OK to occasionally good this season in a Penske ride. Going to what used to be Roush doesn't feel like the move that would improve his chances, but stranger things have happened, I guess.