2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season

[oddball]

Rain coming to Phoenix the same weekend as Nascar.

Who though up this potential disaster?

It's February. It's winter people. No matter where you go, you're going to battle rain. Heck, if it was back at Fontana, Saturday's forecast is 70% chance of rain. The issue is that they need to get rid of at least 6 dates and start the season in the middle of March and end at the end of October.

[infrared41]

So all three race winners from Daytona aren't the points leaders in their respective circuits....that makes a helluvah lot of sense.

It makes perfect sense to me. None of the winners planned to run the full season in that series, so what's the benefit of them leading the points? Heck, Bayne is the only one of the three who has solid plans to run again in the series in which they won at all.

Because they won the god-damned race?

With this simplified points system, it seems to me that it's easier to miss a race or two and still contend for the lower seeds of the Chase. Nascar is doing a disservice to it's drivers competing if they aren't getting credit for what they've accomplished.

It makes no sense that the Daytona 500 winner....the Super Bowl of the Sprint Cup series...will finish the year with 0 points. It'd be like saying Appalachian State wouldn't get to count it's win over Michigan in the win-loss column just because they play in different football leagues.

The fact that none of the Daytona winners got points has nothing to do with the new simplified scoring system. The Cup race was the only place where the new rule stating that you can only run for points in one series didn't work as it's supposed to. This past weekend was a complete fluke. Trevor Bayne was indeed like Appalachian State beating Michigan but the flip side is that the other two races were like the Yankees winning the Triple A and Double A playoffs. The truth is that Trevor Bayne isn't going to make the chase and Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip aren't going to run enough Nationwide or truck series races for any of this to make a difference in anything. The rule worked just like it's supposed to.

[HedleyLamarr]

Was it really that much of a big deal that Sprint Cup drivers were collecting points in the Nationwide series? If Sprint Cup drivers aren't collecting Nationwide points, does that mean they can't still race every Nationwide race? I've always seen the Sprint guys racing in Nationwide as just merely getting practice laps that just so happen to be points races in the minor circuit.

It likely won't happen, but it's mathematically possible for it to take 26 races before Jimmie Johnson passes Bayne in the points standings. Even if guys aren't running in Sprint full time, it still makes no sense to not reward/credit them for what they've accomplished, even if they won't win the title.

[BlueSky]

Just wondering...my interest in NASCAR faded over the years pretty much in lockstep with the move away from real production vehicles. Frankly, I just don't see the point of identical cars with model-specific front and back decals racing, even if they have different engines. It just got worse with the CoT. Does that make me a purist?

What is the prevailing feeling here on that issue?

Other than the frame and body templates, the cars aren't "identical." Most of the "sameness" you see in the vehicles today is in the interest of safety. The Nationwide cars have taken some pretty significant steps to try to look more like their "street" counterparts.

Granted, they still look like current NASCAR vehicles but at least they're making the effort. Hopefully the Cup Series will follow suit.

Those old cars were so awesome that is when NASCAR was at its best.

Your memory is failing you Francis. From a competitive standpoint, NASCAR was hardly "at it's best" back then. Back in the day of David Pearson and the Purolator 21 it was not uncommon for the race winner to be ahead of the entire field by a couple laps or to see a race finish with just a few cars still on the lead lap. I've been a NASCAR fan since I was a kid. I grew up on the sport. The truth is that the racing has never been more competitive or exciting than it is now. (look it up and see for yourself) But feel free to keep believing that NASCAR of the 70's and 80's was "better" than it is today. It wasn't but there's probably no convincing you of that.

1. Um, aren't those just model-specific decals stuck on the same body? Yeah, yeah, looks just like the production version.

2. So what? Doesn't that just mean the other guys need a better car? Instead of appeasing them with rule changes, why didn't NASCAR just tell them to get more competitive?

And let's say you're right, you get "better" (i.e. more competitive) racing with everybody in an identical vehicle. Fine. But stop calling it stock car racing because those cars are nothing close to stock. It'll still be NASCAR, the 's' will just stand for 'same.'

[DelayedPenalty]

Was it really that much of a big deal that Sprint Cup drivers were collecting points in the Nationwide series? If Sprint Cup drivers aren't collecting Nationwide points, does that mean they can't still race every Nationwide race? I've always seen the Sprint guys racing in Nationwide as just merely getting practice laps that just so happen to be points races in the minor circuit.

It likely won't happen, but it's mathematically possible for it to take 26 races before Jimmie Johnson passes Bayne in the points standings. Even if guys aren't running in Sprint full time, it still makes no sense to not reward/credit them for what they've accomplished, even if they won't win the title.

Kyle Busch can run every Nationwide race, win every Nationwide race, but cannot collect points because he declared himself to be running for the Sprint Cup. They're just doing it for checks and trophies now. The idea was to have the truck series and Nationwide series as legitimate AA and AAA series to feed the Sprint Cup Series with talent.

I don't think SC drivers will stop racing in either series, because most of them just do it for fun anyways (except for Keselowski and Edwards who were planning to run for the title this season). Even if they were "just running practice laps" they were taking points away from drivers who were running for a title. Since the 2006 season, all the champions have been SC drivers, or "Busch-wackers" as they used to call them.

I think it's a good rule, and it will be nice to see a Nationwide driver win the Nationwide title.

[infrared41]

1. Um, aren't those just model-specific decals stuck on the same body? Yeah, yeah, looks just like the production version.

No. I've seen the new cars in person and they do look different from one another. Not as different as you probably want but they are different.

[oddball]

Was it really that much of a big deal that Sprint Cup drivers were collecting points in the Nationwide series? If Sprint Cup drivers aren't collecting Nationwide points, does that mean they can't still race every Nationwide race? I've always seen the Sprint guys racing in Nationwide as just merely getting practice laps that just so happen to be points races in the minor circuit.

It likely won't happen, but it's mathematically possible for it to take 26 races before Jimmie Johnson passes Bayne in the points standings. Even if guys aren't running in Sprint full time, it still makes no sense to not reward/credit them for what they've accomplished, even if they won't win the title.

Yes, it was a problem. The last five (Kesolowski, Kyle Bush, Bowyer, Edwards, and Harvick were all full-time Cup drivers who won the Championship. The last non Cup driver to win the Nationwide Championship was Martin Truex who won it back to back years('04-05). Also six out of the top 10 drivers in the final standings were full-time Cup drivers. So yes, it was a huge problem.

[epper]

Never been a big Jeff Gordon fan, but happy to see him back in Victory Lane, where he spent most sundays of my childhood.

- Busch Brothers 1-2 in points

- AJ Allmendinger (!) in 4th! Love it.

[vicfurth]

Been a Jeff Gordon fan for about 16 years now. I was ecstatic to finally see him win again.

[Jigga]

It's about damn time, Jeffrey! I hope this is a sign of good things to come for the 24. He (somewhat) dominated the regular season a couple years ago, but was a non-factor in the chase. I don't care if he wins it all, but I just want to see him in the thick of it until the end, kinda like Harvick was last season.

[oddball]

The greatest thing about this weekend? The reality check that hit Trevor Bayne and the hype of this kid. 3 cars wrecked in one week, and now he'd gone from Superman, to another driver. I don't hate Bayne at all, as a matter of fact, I think Mikey Waltrip screwed it up by not finding sponsorship for him when he proved last year that he could drive the Nationwide cars. I have nothing against Ryan Truex who pretty much bumped Bayne out of a ride, but you have to make room for talent and not let it get away. As far as the Bayne hype, I was sick of it last Monday night. He drove a great race and put himself in a position to win and won, just the hype was way too much. Now that he wrecked 3 cars in one weekend, can we get back to reality and racing? 34 races until we call Jimmie "6 Time".

[Matito]

The greatest thing about this weekend? The reality check that hit Trevor Bayne and the hype of this kid. 3 cars wrecked in one week, and now he'd gone from Superman, to another driver. I don't hate Bayne at all, as a matter of fact, I think Mikey Waltrip screwed it up by not finding sponsorship for him when he proved last year that he could drive the Nationwide cars. I have nothing against Ryan Truex who pretty much bumped Bayne out of a ride, but you have to make room for talent and not let it get away. As far as the Bayne hype, I was sick of it last Monday night. He drove a great race and put himself in a position to win and won, just the hype was way too much. Now that he wrecked 3 cars in one weekend, can we get back to reality and racing? 34 races until we call Jimmie "6 Time".

I don't know that it's fair to say he wrecked three cars at Phoenix. Yes, he was involved in three crashes, but the practice crash on Friday was caused by failed brakes and Saturday he was running in the top 10 when a tire blew. Neither of those were of any fault of Trevor. The wreck with Kvapil on Sunday was the only one where the blame was on Trevor.

[gingerbreadmann]

The greatest thing about this weekend? The reality check that hit Trevor Bayne and the hype of this kid. 3 cars wrecked in one week, and now he'd gone from Superman, to another driver. I don't hate Bayne at all, as a matter of fact, I think Mikey Waltrip screwed it up by not finding sponsorship for him when he proved last year that he could drive the Nationwide cars. I have nothing against Ryan Truex who pretty much bumped Bayne out of a ride, but you have to make room for talent and not let it get away. As far as the Bayne hype, I was sick of it last Monday night. He drove a great race and put himself in a position to win and won, just the hype was way too much. Now that he wrecked 3 cars in one weekend, can we get back to reality and racing? 34 races until we call Jimmie "6 Time".

Edit: nvm. I just think you're contradicting yourself a bit. He won the sport's biggest event, and he was on top of the world for a week. No big deal.

[oddball]

The greatest thing about this weekend? The reality check that hit Trevor Bayne and the hype of this kid. 3 cars wrecked in one week, and now he'd gone from Superman, to another driver. I don't hate Bayne at all, as a matter of fact, I think Mikey Waltrip screwed it up by not finding sponsorship for him when he proved last year that he could drive the Nationwide cars. I have nothing against Ryan Truex who pretty much bumped Bayne out of a ride, but you have to make room for talent and not let it get away. As far as the Bayne hype, I was sick of it last Monday night. He drove a great race and put himself in a position to win and won, just the hype was way too much. Now that he wrecked 3 cars in one weekend, can we get back to reality and racing? 34 races until we call Jimmie "6 Time".

Edit: nvm. I just think you're contradicting yourself a bit. He won the sport's biggest event, and he was on top of the world for a week. No big deal.

How am I contradicting myself? No one is talking Trevor Bayne are they? Jeff Gordon, sure, Trevor Bayne? Nope.

[gingerbreadmann]

The greatest thing about this weekend? The reality check that hit Trevor Bayne and the hype of this kid. 3 cars wrecked in one week, and now he'd gone from Superman, to another driver. I don't hate Bayne at all, as a matter of fact, I think Mikey Waltrip screwed it up by not finding sponsorship for him when he proved last year that he could drive the Nationwide cars. I have nothing against Ryan Truex who pretty much bumped Bayne out of a ride, but you have to make room for talent and not let it get away. As far as the Bayne hype, I was sick of it last Monday night. He drove a great race and put himself in a position to win and won, just the hype was way too much. Now that he wrecked 3 cars in one weekend, can we get back to reality and racing? 34 races until we call Jimmie "6 Time".

Edit: nvm. I just think you're contradicting yourself a bit. He won the sport's biggest event, and he was on top of the world for a week. No big deal.

How am I contradicting myself? No one is talking Trevor Bayne are they? Jeff Gordon, sure, Trevor Bayne? Nope.

I misread your post--I thought that you meant Bayne was the "talent" that they can't let get away. Now I see that is not the case.

But still, I have honestly heard more excitement over Gordon's win this week than Bayne's at Daytona. Admittedly, I'm a huge Gordon fan, but I think the fact that talk about him has died down so much already speaks to the fact that there wasn't that much over-hype. I mean, when a 20-year-old wins Daytona, you can't expect people to be all mum about his future.

[Jahgee]

It seems like since 2009, every time Jeff Gordon wins, he goes and makes another kid.

[Matito]

It seems like since 2009, every time Jeff Gordon wins, he goes and makes another kid.

Considering that before Sunday, the last time he won was in 2009, and he's had one son since then, that's a fair statement.

[sc49erfan15]

It seems like since 2009, every time Jeff Gordon wins, he goes and makes another kid.

Considering that before Sunday, the last time he won was in 2009, and he's had one son since then, that's a fair statement.

"Boy I say boy, that's a joke, son, a joke. You missed it. Flew right by ya."

[raysox]

Carl wins at Las Vegas, and Tony says "Second sucks."

[NEW.ERA]

Well if Tony didn't speed down pit road and didn't take 2 tires too soon on a pit stop, Tony may have won.