NASCAR 2015

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR announced their all-star format today. The first four segments will be 25 laps each instead of 20 with final segment being 10 laps. There is no 10 year all star race winner or cup champion exemption rule. All past cup championships and all star race winners are allowed in this years all star race if they are full time cup drivers. The minimum of cup drivers in the all star race is 20.

The Sprint showdown format is a 2 segment race with 20 laps each. How it works for getting in depends on if a driver wins one or both segments. If there is two different winner in two different segment, both get in without the 2nd place of the 2nd segment getting in. If a cup driver wins both segments, the 2nd place driver gets in.

There will be 1 or 2 drivers get in the all star race by fan vote. It depends on if Kyle is back in the 18 car for the All Star and if any drivers that aren't in the all star this year yet, get in by winning a race between now and Kansas.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR decided not make the all star race basically a test secession for the 2016 cup. I think it might be a good thing due to the 2016 car is supposed to be at least 700 pounds lighter than this years cup car and it would make the car much faster as result. Basically the 2016 cup car would weight as much as a NASCAR modified car and be the lightest cup car ever at 2600 pounds.

I know there was rumors the 2016 car may or not be used in the 2016 season before this despite NASCAR's original plan of not using the 2016 car package for 2015.

 

[MinnieM123]

NASCAR decided not make the all star race basically a test secession for the 2016 cup. I think it might be a good thing due to the 2016 car is supposed to be at least 700 pounds lighter than this years cup car and it would make the car much faster as result. Basically the 2016 cup car would weight as much as a NASCAR modified car and be the lightest cup car ever at 2600 pounds.

I know there was rumors the 2016 car may or not be used in the 2016 season before this despite NASCAR's original plan of not using the 2016 car package for 2015.

Now that's a piece of information I hadn't heard anything about! How in heavens can they make the car 700 pounds lighter? Makes me ponder what the heck they've been hauling around in these race cars for years, if they can just lighten it up by 700 pounds! (Will they still keep the engine in it??!! )

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Now that's a piece of information I hadn't heard anything about! How in heavens can they make the car 700 pounds lighter? Makes me ponder what the heck they've been hauling around in these race cars for years, if they can just lighten it up by 700 pounds! (Will they still keep the engine in it??!! )

I don't know how they can make that design of a car 700 pounds lighter without making it a modified car or an indycar. A NASCAR Modified series car weight 2,610 pounds. An Indycar currently weights at 1,575 pounds.

All I know is NASCAR is defeating the purpose of lowering the horsepower of the cars for 850 to 720 by doing that since I thought they cut down the horsepower for slowing down speeds.

 

[MinnieM123]

I don't know how they can make that design of a car 700 pounds lighter without making it a modified car or an indycar. A NASCAR Modified series car weight 2,610 pounds. An Indycar currently weights at 1,575 pounds.

All I know is NASCAR is defeating the purpose of lowering the horsepower of the cars for 850 to 720 by doing that since I thought they cut down the horsepower for slowing down speeds.

I'm lost trying to figure out these new changes, although I'm not a car mechanic. Even so, I just can't imagine what dropping 700 pounds is going to do for the sport. It seems like every few years, they start messing around with the cars and it creates new problems. (Yet, I'm sure some racers and fans would call all this progress. Perhaps some of it is.)

But, I think back to 2007, when they first rolled out the "Car of Tomorrow" in a NASCAR race, and some racers didn't like how it handled at all, etc. (It was, however, supposed to have some new safety features, which I think was a good thing.) The COT went through a series of adjustments, etc. over the years, and certain improvements were made. (So, if it's at the point now where the drivers can race in these cars, then why "fix" them, by dropping 700 pounds?)

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I'm lost trying to figure out these new changes, although I'm not a car mechanic. Even so, I just can't imagine what dropping 700 pounds is going to do for the sport. It seems like every few years, they start messing around with the cars and it creates new problems. (Yet, I'm sure some racers and fans would call all this progress. Perhaps some of it is.)

But, I think back to 2007, when they first rolled out the "Car of Tomorrow" in a NASCAR race, and some racers didn't like how it handled at all, etc. (It was, however, supposed to have some new safety features, which I think was a good thing.) The COT went through a series of adjustments, etc. over the years, and certain improvements were made. (So, if it's at the point now where the drivers can race in these cars, then why "fix" them, by dropping 700 pounds?)

I have no idea why NASCAR wants to drop 700 pounds for the 2016 rule package outside of the aero push. I can't remember having cup car having this many changes in short off time from different generation of cars to the weight of the cars. Since 2007, I noticed NASCAR has been messing weight more than they did prior to that. The problem with the generation of cars before the car of tomorrow aka the 1992 to 2007 period was how aerodynamic sensitive the car were to the point of the drivers actually politicking for nose changes to the cars back in the late 1990's.

The 4th generation of cup cars is where the term aero push got started and I'm gussing NASCAR is thinking getting a rid of the weight is going to get a rid of the aero push. The term aero push actually started in the mid 1990's with it being the 1995 Brickyard 400. What happened in the 1995 Brickyard 400 that Dale Earnhardt Sr. was Rusty had the faster car, but Dale win due to aero push.

I don't think the amount of weight is the answer. I'm guess someone in NASCAR has been watching Indycar racing.

I am saying that because back in late in 1990's and early 2000's CART put on Auto Club Motor Speedway races and Michigan International Speedway races that were better than anything NASCAR was producing at those 2 tracks. Michigan from 1998 to 2001 produced 63, 29, 52 and 60 lead changes in 500 mile Cart races. Auto Club from 2000 to 2000 had 57,73,and 44 lead changes with 3 of the 4 racing going 500 miles. The race with 73 lead changes actually happened in 440 miles.

That lead changes in CART happened Auto Club and Michigan was due to the rules package they had and it had nothing to do with weight. The rule pack CART had actually didn't involve a restrictor plate. What happened at those tracks for CART was what happened with NASCAR at Talladega back in the 1970's and 1980's at Talladega before NASCAR added restrictor plates.

 

[MinnieM123]

Just a reminder that this week's Duck Commander 500, at Texas Motor Speedway, is on tonight at 7:30 PM, (Eastern), on Fox. (I get used to the Sprint Cup races being on Sunday afternoons, and it's easy to forget that sometimes they race on Saturday evenings as well. )

Four out of the top 5 on the pole tonight are driving Chevrolets. Top 5 on the Duck Commander 500 pole: Kurt Busch; Kevin Harvick; Brad Keselowski (Brad is racing a Ford); Kasey Kahne and Jimmy Johnson.

"Gentlemen, start your engines!"

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Duck Commander 500, Texas

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.

 

[MinnieM123]

Although I missed the race yesterday, I read that there were a number of rain delays at Bristol. Here are the top three for the Food City 500:

1. Matt Kenseth (#20, Toyota)
3. Jimmie Johnson (#48, Chevrolet)
3. Jeff Gordon (#24, Chevrolet)

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Although I missed the race yesterday, I read that there were a number of rain delays at Bristol. Here are the top three for the Food City 500:

1. Matt Kenseth (#20, Toyota)
3. Jimmie Johnson (#48, Chevrolet)
3. Jeff Gordon (#24, Chevrolet)

Thanks, I was getting to it but had a family issue.

" I STAND UP FOR STEVE BYRNES"

 

[wdwfan4ver]

There is sad news. Steve Byrnes has died today at the age of 56 from his battle of head and neck cancer.

Thoughts and prays go to the Byrnes family especially his 12 year old son Bryson. Steve left behind a wife of 22 years and a 12 year old son. It has to very tough for Bryson losing his dad at such a young age.

At least Steve was honored at the Bristol race before he died.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Sad news indeed. His tweets after the race were so jovial and upbeat.

 

[MinnieM123]

Uh oh . . .weather forecast is for rain showers at the Richmond International Raceway, which is expected to cause delays or even a possible cancellation of the Toyota Owners 400 race. Scheduled racing start time is 7:15 PM, Eastern, on Fox. Fingers crossed, that the rain doesn't cancel the race.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Uh oh . . .weather forecast is for rain showers at the Richmond International Raceway, which is expected to cause delays or even a possible cancellation of the Toyota Owners 400 race. Scheduled racing start time is 7:15 PM, Eastern, on Fox. Fingers crossed, that the rain doesn't cancel the race.

Race postponed until tomorrow. 1 pm

 

[MOXOMUMD]

A very nice tribute to Steve Byrnes. I didn't think a few of the announcers were gonna make it through.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Toyota Owners 500, Richmond

1. Kurt Busch
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jimmie Johnson

 

[MOXOMUMD]

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Driver updates:

Danica needs a new Sponsorship next year with Go Daddy Leaving after this year with Danica's contract being up this year also. I don't think Danica Patrick getting a sponsorship is going to be hard, but I don't know if she will stay with Stewart-Haas.

David Ragan will be in the 55 car for rest of the year starting at Kansas.

Jeff Gordon also will be driving the pace car for the Indy 500.

 

[MinnieM123]

Driver updates:

Danica needs a new Sponsorship next year with Go Daddy Leaving after this year with Danica's contract being up this year also. I don't think Danica Patrick getting a sponsorship is going to be hard, but I don't know if she will stay with Stewart-Haas.

David Ragan will be in the 55 car for rest of the year starting at Kansas.

Jeff Gordon also will be driving the pace car for the Indy 500.

My heart goes out to Brian Vickers, with no projected date in sight for his return.

As for Jeff Gordon, I wonder how he was chosen to dirve the pace care for the Indy 500. Do you think that the big, powers-that-be are trying cross-over marketing techniques with the big-name drivers, to catch the interest of Nascar and Formula fans--thereby increasing the fan base of both types of racing?

 

[wdwfan4ver]

My heart goes out to Brian Vickers, with no projected date in sight for his return.

As for Jeff Gordon, I wonder how he was chosen to dirve the pace care for the Indy 500. Do you think that the big, powers-that-be are trying cross-over marketing techniques with the big-name drivers, to catch the interest of Nascar and Formula fans--thereby increasing the fan base of both types of racing?

My Heart does too with Brian Vickers and I don't like Brian's feature in NASCAR as a driver.

I think this is a combination of things of why Jeff Gordon is going to driver the pace car for the Indy 500. I think the big powers to be had something to do with this to some extent compare to years past. In years past, NASCAR really didn't cater starting times of the 600 partly due to the France Family saw the 500 as competition. The same thing was true with Indycar.

The other reason I feel Jeff was picked was due to the fact he grew up actually wanted to race the Indy 500, not the Daytona 500 with him growing up in the state of Indiana. He want to race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

When Jeff was racing in USAC back in the 1980's, he did so for wanting his dream of being a Indy 500 driver and he said that in the past unlike Ryan Newman. Jeff Gordon was a great USAC driver as a teenager and was a great racing prospect despite his young age. Jeff stopped racing open wheel regularly after 1990 when he got a full time Busch Series ride.

Jeff back in 1989 didn't have a bright feature for driving the Indy 500, because USAC wasn't the division CART owners preferred young drivers coming from to become an Indy car driver and didn't have a sponsor with him to buy a ride unlike the days of A.J Foyt and Mario Andretti. The only reason Tony Stewart was able to run Indy Cars from doing the USAC route before becoming a NASCAR driver was due to the open wheel split from CART caused by Tony George.

Jeff's Stepfather matter of fact asked advice from Dale Earnhardt Sr. for the route of being a NASCAR driver and Dale helped Jeff out at a time that drivers didn't need to bring a sponsorship with them for going to NASCAR.