2024 NASCAR

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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
I thought Bristol had a great race last night. I am not sure if Dibenedetto was going to win the race if Newman didn't block and give damage because Hamlin had the best car even before Newman was being his usually self for being the hardest driver to pass reputation.

As far as Dibenedetto, NASCAR should be lucky this is 2019, not 2020 due to NASCAR's playoff system since the final race is at Phoenix next year. NASCAR's playoff system is if you win a playoff race in the first round, you automatically makes it to the next round of the playoffs. If a playoff driver in the top 12 in the 2nd round wins a race, that driver automatically goes to the 3rd round. If a driver in the top 8 wins a race in the 3rd round , the driver automatically goes to the final race.

The reason is the team Dibenedetto is with has outdated equipment compare to the current equipment Joe Gibbs Racing has, but is capable at winning at some tracks despite the difference in equipment. If Dibenedetto somehow makes to the playoff this year, by winning a race, he could make to homestead in theory despite the the team Dibenedetto is with, stinks at 1.5 mile tracks due to outdated equipment.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
artvandelay said:
Jimmie Johnson failed to qualify for the playoffs. This is the first time he failed to do so since the Chase/Playoffs began in 2005.
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I can't say I'm surprised. Jimmie's decline to me is partly caused by the decrease of horsepower in the cup cars along with less weight. Jimmie Johnson was at his best with heavier and more horsepower of the cup cars compare to the Xfinity series. Jimmie's decline started in 2016 to me despite winning the championship that season.

Jimmie in 2017 and 2018 only having 11 top 10's in each season shows a bad trend despite being only 42 and 43. Hendrick's cars this year are better than last year and it is easy to determine that Jimmie is on the decline this season. I've seen drivers having great results from age 41 to 44 before and this makes Jimmie's decline odd.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Here is my thoughts on the drivers that are in the chase in order of points starting the chase from 16 to 9:

Ryan Newman - I think he has a chance to get out of a round 1, but round 2 is another thing. Having only one top 5 is going to hurt him.

Clint Bowyer - He could go into the 2nd or 3rd round, but could go out of the chase after the first round. Clint is extremely streaky this year.

Aric Almirola - I don't like him in the chase at all. He only had 4 top 10 in the last 19 cup races. He did finish a lot in the top 15, but needs more than that going into the 2nd round.

William Byron - Chad Knaus on the pit box has helped him some, but could be out after the first round or he will likely be out after the 2nd round of the chase. The problem is William this year for the first round is William did not get a top 10 at short track this season and he finished outside of the top 10 in both road courses and the Charlotte roval is coming up this round.

Ryan Blaney - His stats are improving each season, but Blaney has bad tacks in the 2nd round for him in Dover and Talladega.

Kyle Larson - He is a round 1 or a round 3 driver for the chase due to how streaky he is. The problem with him he does wreck a good amount this year. I like his teammate better in the chase.

Erik Jones - He's a round 2 or round 3 driver after a slow start of the season.

Alex Bowman - I think he's round 1 and done driver in the chase. Alex really cooled off after his Chicagoland win.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Kurt Busch - He is round 2 or round 3 driver. Kurt is more steady than Kyle Larson, but reaching the final 4 is a tall order unless he wins in the 3rd round.

Chase Elliott - He should be anywhere from a 2 round to a final 4 despite what his stats say this year. Chase is an upcoming very good road course racer and should be one of the favorites on the Charlotte roval. Chase has won once at Talladega already this season.

Brad Keselowski - He can be final 4 driver since he won at Martinsville earlier this season or barely miss the final 4.

Joey Logano - He can be a 3rd round to a 4th round driver this season.

Kevin Harvick - He can be a final 4 driver this year. There is no real reason he can't with the team being red hot with 3 wins in the last 7 races. Kevin is 43, but is like dealing with Bobby Allision with it just being a number with no drop off in performance.

Martin Truex Jr. - He could be a final 4 driver.

Denny Hamlin - He's anywhere from a 2nd round to a 4th round driver. Denny in the 2nd round has Talladega and Dover. Talladega is a crapshoot and Denny's average at Dover.

Kyle Busch - There is no reason for him not being in the final 4. His season is extremely strong.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Paul Menard announces he is retiring from being a full time cup series driver in 2020. Matt DiBenedetto is the new Wood Brothers driver for 2020.

I do know Paul's dad is going to be 80 years old next year. That is a big deal because John Menard Jr. is the founder and owner of Menards, a home improvement chain in the Midwest that got its start in Wisconsin. I'm guessing Paul is going to involved in the family business. I do know Menards has been involved in different forms of racing for decades as a sponsor since Paul's dad is known to enjoy auto racing and John Menard did have an indycar race team at one team that won 2 championships including 1 with Tony Stewart.

The other thing I know is Paul Menard and Matt DiBenedetto are good friends off the race track and it sounded like Paul talked to the Wood Brothers to replace him with Matt.

What I know is the 21 car is keeps their sponsors including Menards (love that store, they do have other stuff like baby back Ribs on sale at times:hungry:). This is interesting because Matt DiBendetto was one of the two drivers that Front Row Racing wanted to replace David Ragan. The other one is Cory Lajoie.

I do know that Wood Brothers is getting an upgrade in driver talent while having Penske equipment. Paul Menard is a decent driver that bring a car home, but is not on the talent level as Ryan Blaney or Matt DiBendetto.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Richard Childress Racing announced Daniel Hemric is out of his ride after the end of this season. It is pointing to Tyler Reddick taking over the ride next season.

I think Daniel has not given a fair shake because this is his rookie season and RCR as a whole is bad this year on the cup level.

Daniel is more of a victim of RCR having Tyler Reddick being so good in the Xfinity Series this year and Richard was not going to replace his grandson Austin Dillon.

Austin Dillon was an overrated prospect. Under today's NASCAR rules, Austin Dillion would not have a championship in the Xfinity series in 2013 with him having no wins. The fact was Roger Penske in 2013 cared more about the 22 team's owner championship than his own full time driver Sam Hornish Jr. getting the championship. Back in 2013, cup drivers could race as many times as they want in the Xfinity series and is something they can't do now.

Back in 2013, Sam finished 2nd to his cup teammates multiple times in the xfinity series and yet lost by only 3 points to Austin.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Nick Harrison's report from Medical Examiner came out today. It raises the question of when did Nick Harrison last had a random drug test before he died. Nick Harrison was a NASCAR chief at the time he died.

Some people thought Nick died of heat stroke or heart attack less than 24 hours after a hot Xfinity series race at Pocono when his death was first announced.

The medical examiner found Alcohol, cocaine, and opioids in his system. The medical examiner determined that Nick Harrison died of an accident of acute cocaine, oxycodone and alcohol intoxication.

What is known is Nick Harrison did have an enlarged heart and a history of sleep apnea. I am sure the drugs Nick did, did not help his enlarged heart. I am sure the deadly combination that caused Nick's death did not do his enlarged heart any favors.

I did read that it is very hard for testing positive for cocaine and oxycodone for a drug test because of the amount time those two drugs are in a persons system only up to 3 days compare a dangerous workout supplement that suspended a Nascar crew chief Matt Borland last month.

I don't know how many people in a NASCAR garage does the drugs as Nick Harrison did, but I hope it gives them a rude awakening.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Speedway Motorsports Inc. is now Removed from the New York stock Exchange. They are private company now. Speedway Motorsports Inc. is the company that owns the following race tracks: Sonoma, Las Vegas, Texas, Kentucky, New Hampshire, Atlanta, Charlotte and Bristol.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Hendrick announced a 10 year sponsor deal with tool Manufacturer Cincinnati Inc. The nature of the deal is all teams will have the company as an associate sponsor. Alex Bowman will have the sponsor for as primary sponsor for 1 race this year, and 2 races next year.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
It is announced that Christopher Bell is racing of the 95 car of Leavine Family Racing next year for the cup series. Jason Radcliffe is going to be the crew chief.

This is the worst kept secret in the cup garage before this was announced since Leavine Family Racing announced Dibenedetto will not be returning to the team in 2020.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
Roush is getting a rid of Ricky Stenhouse jr after this season. Chris Buescher is the driver taking Ricky's place.

This move cause JTG-Daugherty Racing completely off guard. JTG-Daugherty Racing planned to have Chris and Ryan back and was no more than a few weeks from getting everything signed.

The Management team of KHI Management was caught off guard that their client Ricky Stenouse Jr. is going to be let go after this season despite the Ricky having contract through 2021.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
There is a bit of information with JTG-Daugherty Racing. I read the Brad Daugherty said on XM that t they haven’t started a driver search yet but they would prefer an experienced cup driver so they don’t have 2 inexperienced drivers.

That information tells me that they are not likely to be interest in Daniel Hemric. This in return brings in Stenhouse, Ross Chastain, Michael Mcdowell (front row is known for 1 year contracts), and Landon Cassill. I mentioned Ross because he has 2 years of cup experience and that is more than Ryan Preece has right now.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
I found out Chris Buescher did have a press statement. Basically Roush still had his driver rights as a driver and he was on loan to JTG-Daugherty Racing all this time. Roush decided to pick up the option of Chris to give a cup car.

I'm guessing that Roush saw Chris was ready based on the improvement he showed in the 37 car this season and how Stenhouse was doing.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
NASCAR announced rule changes for 2020. Here are the rule changes:
  • Each car number will be allowed a maximum of 12 certified chassis designated as “active” at any given time. That means they can't do unlimited chassis anymore.
  • Organizations will be limited to a total of 150 hours of wind-tunnel testing per year. This was unlimited hours in years past.
  • Wind Tunnel rule will be enforced by forcing teams to do their wind tunnel testing at four approved wind-tunnel facilities.
  • Car Manufacturers are not allowed to conduct wind-tunnel tests on current-generation cars.
  • There is no restriction on the amount of wind-tunnel testing and development for the Next Gen car model slated for 2021.
  • New at-track roster limits for the 2020 season for race teams with, reducing the maximum number of “road crew” personnel (engineers, mechanics, crew/car chief, spotters) from 12 to 10 during race weekends.
  • Race Teams must compete in a minimum of eight events with a full long-block sealed engine and at least eight events with a short-block sealed engine.
 
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wdwfan4ver

Well-Known Member
There is an update on JTG Daugherty's driver search for the 37 car.

Kaulig Racing is saying Ross Chastain will be racing for him in 2020. Right the now leading candidates for the 37 car are Daniel Hemeric and Ricky Stenhouse Jr with Michael Mcdowell being a darkhorse for the ride.

JTG Daugherty actually knows Micheal Mcdowell. Micheal raced for them in the Xfinity Series in 2009 before sponsorship problems caused them to get a rid of Michael during that season. There was no bad blood between the owners and Michael.
 

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