2024 NASCAR

[wdwfan4ver]

Xfinity series driver Spencer Gallagher is going to retire from NASCAR after this season as a driver and will be part of management of his families race team. What makes this a big deal is His family tried to get the BK racing charter this summer. I'm guessing his drug suspension earlier this year affected him from a sponsor standpoint.

What I know is this is could be a big deal for the xfinity series from a driver standpoint because Gallagher Motorsports has a good xfinity series program. I think this ride is one that some cup drivers losing their ride might consider such as Trevor Bayne or some Xfinity drivers such as Ryan Reed.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

The biggest shock to me is how Brad and Kyle Larson did in this round.

Since the final race is done of this round. I'm doing my take. Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick are almost a lock for the final round.

For some reason, I don't like Truex going to homestead. The 78 team only made it to this round due to Kansas. The team speed wise is not as dominating as the last couple years.

I like Chase Elliott in this round because of Phoenix and Martinsville. While the 9 car had speed at Kansas with it being a top 3 car, I'm not sold with them at Texas. he only reason Chase won at Kansas was due to Kevin's mistake on pit road.

I think the 4th spot is going to between Truex and Logano. Logano is very steady this year although he is not as fast as a couple years ago.

I don't have Aric Almirola making it to homestead for a reason. I've seen the pit crew of the 10 giving away races and Aric also had problems sealing the deal at Dover. While they won at Talladega, Aric and the pit crew cost the team multiple wins this year. Aric is a good upgrade, but the pit crew needs work.

I don't have Kurt Busch for a reason. I don't know what to expect in Texas from them, and Kurt only has 6 top 5's this year. You need at least 2 top 5's this round to go to the final round.

I don't have Clint making it for Homestead for multiple reasons starting with I don't see Clint getting 2 top 5's this round. The 14 team only has 2 top 10's at 1.5 mile tracks this year including a 9th at Texas. Clint as a driver before Stewart-Haas is traditionally not a great 1.5 mile driver despite his Charlotte mileage win at MWR and what he's doing at Stewart-Haas at 1.5 mile tracks is no different than the past. Clint needs a top 5 at Phoenix, but the last time did that at Phoenix was 10 years ago. While Clint is a nice short track driver, I think it is going to hard for him to sweep at Martinsville.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Comcast is no longer discussing purchase of NASCAR.

 

[artvandelay]

Martinsville this week. Usually, a great and entertaining race.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Jimmie Johnson gets a new sponsor for 2019 and 2020. They get Ally Financial for all the races for the next two years.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

My take on what happened at Martinsville between Truex and Logano is typical short track racing. Logano did drive dirty, but I've seen that style many times through the years on short tracks in NASCAR.

 

[JPPT1974]

Seen a lot worse than Logano there in years. Not a big NASCAR fan but a lot more worse occurs on short tracks then long ones.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Tyler Riddick will be racing in NASCAR's xifinity Series next year for RCR. I don't know who will be taking Tyler's Junior motorsports ride.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

JGR finally announced Martin Truex Jr and Cole Pearn are going to JGR in 2019.

This was one of silly Season's worst kept secrets before the announcement was made.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

There is huge news for NASCAR penalties. NASCAR discovered during the post race tear down at the NASCAR Research & Development Center that Kevin Harvick's car had a spoiler problem. The 4 team by making their own spoiler and pass it off as something they can get from a vendor.

The 4 team did this because it would cause an aerodynamic advantage and NASCAR is giving the 4 team big penalties as a result.

Kevin Harvick's win does not count for going to Homestead. The 4 car also is getting 40 driver and 40 owner points taken away. Kevin is only 3 points ahead of Kurt Buch for the 4th spot going for the championship at Homestead.

Kevin Harvick Crew chief and car chief is suspended for the final 2 races of the year. Kevin's crew chief Rodney Childers also will be fined $75,000.

Kevin Harvick will have Tony Gibson as his crew chief for the final 2 races of the year.

Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney also failed post race inspection with each driver having 20 driver and owner points taken away. Those two had their car chiefs suspended and the Crew Chiefs fined $50,000 each. The 12 team had the problem of a door front crush panel violation and that can cause an aerodynamic advantage. That violation is the filler panels didn't remain permanently attached.

The 20 team of Erik Jones had the problem of a package tray violation. I don't know anything related to package tray violations.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

I read stuff that NASCAR is considering changes to penalties. If NASCAR does changes to penalties, I expect the announcement after the season.

I'm bringing up something that NASCAR has to if they decide to take away cup wins, if they fail post race inspection. NASCAR currently does not inspect all cars at NASCAR R & D Center after the race. The problem with that is NASCAR R &D can discover stuff that inspectors can't catch.

NASCAR currently inspect the top 2 cars after the race and a random car in the top 10 at NASCAR R& D Center. NASCAR for the Texas Race only inspected 3 cars I believe after the race and all 3 failed post race inspection.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

There is potential news and I think it would open up to a lawsuit if does happen.

NASCAR makes offer to acquire International Speedway Corporation. This would cause a lawsuit because people that own ISC actually is part of NASCAR. The France family owns ISC and runs NASCAR. NASCAR for years had criticized for conflict of interest since the France Family owns NASCAR and a race track company and there has a few lawsuits in the past due to this fact.

NASCAR's Founding family buying their track company under the NASCAR name would prove their is a conflict of interest for creating a NASCAR schedule.

 

[MinnieM123]

There is huge news for NASCAR penalties. NASCAR discovered during the post race tear down at the NASCAR Research & Development Center that Kevin Harvick's car had a spoiler problem. The 4 team by making their own spoiler and pass it off as something they can get from a vendor.

The 4 team did this because it would cause an aerodynamic advantage and NASCAR is giving the 4 team big penalties as a result.

Kevin Harvick's win does not count for going to Homestead. The 4 car also is getting 40 driver and 40 owner points taken away. Kevin is only 3 points ahead of Kurt Buch for the 4th spot going for the championship at Homestead.

Kevin Harvick Crew chief and car chief is suspended for the final 2 races of the year. Kevin's crew chief Rodney Childers also will be fined $75,000.

Kevin Harvick will have Tony Gibson as his crew chief for the final 2 races of the year.

Erik Jones and Ryan Blaney also failed post race inspection with each driver having 20 driver and owner points taken away. Those two had their car chiefs suspended and the Crew Chiefs fined $50,000 each. The 12 team had the problem of a door front crush panel violation and that can cause an aerodynamic advantage. That violation is the filler panels didn't remain permanently attached.

The 20 team of Erik Jones had the problem of a package tray violation. I don't know anything related to package tray violations.

OMG ... that news about Harvick's situation in particular, (in addition to the rest of the above), is disturbing to say the least. His crew chief and car chief suspended for the final 2 races of the year? That's quite a blow to the driver and team. Sad, and it sounded very preventable. I've read down through the years, that sometimes teams "try" things and think they can get away with stuff, but usually it's always found out--and not worth the big penalties. Just really disappointed, as I like Kevin Harvick.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

For Homestead, I have it between Logano and Kyle Busch with me giving the slight edge to Kyle Bush.
I think Truex and Harvick are the two underdogs.

Martin Truex Jr. in the chase seems to have bad luck happen to him when it looks like he's going to win.

Kevin Harvick's problem is having Tony Gibson as a crew chief. While Tony is very experienced crew chief and is a 3 time championship winning car chief, he never made pit calls that could effect his drivers championship hopes before.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

There is some big news. NASCAR legend David Pearson died at the age of 83 today.

What I saw of David Pearson, his reputation was well earned as the "silver fox". The only thing with Pearson is he has a what if he ran more full seasons in NASCAR. Back in David's prime, cup championship did not pay much as some single NASCAR races did in his time. The other problem is not a lot of NASCAR drivers back in the 1960s and early 1970s because the cup schedule had anywhere from 44 to 62 cup races a year.

I did not see a lot of the races David Pearson raced in. I did not follow NASCAR back in the 1980s and I was not alive when David Pearson was in his prime. The races I saw David Pearson race was on ESPN Classic and on Dale Juniors old NASCAR race tv program called Back in the day.

RIP to one of the true legends of NASCAR.

 

[MinnieM123]

For Homestead, I have it between Logano and Kyle Busch with me giving the slight edge to Kyle Bush.
I think Truex and Harvick are the two underdogs.

Martin Truex Jr. in the chase seems to have bad luck happen to him when it looks like he's going to win.

Kevin Harvick's problem is having Tony Gibson as a crew chief. While Tony is very experienced crew chief and is a 3 time championship winning car chief, he never made pit calls that could effect his drivers championship hopes before.

Wonder if this could be Logano's year? I think you called it mostly right with Kyle Busch and Logano, but I'd also add Kevin Harvick to the top 3 for the title. Yet, if I was to bet on which one, I'd probably go with Kyle Busch at Homestead. We'll see -- should be a very interesting race.

 

[Santa Raccoon 77]

Wonder if this could be Logano's year? I think you called it mostly right with Kyle Busch and Logano, but I'd also add Kevin Harvick to the top 3 for the title. Yet, if I was to bet on which one, I'd probably go with Kyle Busch at Homestead. We'll see -- should be a very interesting race.

I would go with Happy for the title. Tony knows how to get it done at Homestead and am sure he will be in Kevins box all weekend.
Logano i can't see doing it as he has upset too many this season .

 

[wdwfan4ver]

Denny Hamlin will be having a new crew chief next year, but there is not announcement on who yet.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

There is big news out of Homestead. Denny Hamlin won the poll Yesterday, but he decided to leave the best pit stop on pit road to his teammate Kyle Busch as a way from trying to win the cup championship.

 

[wdwfan4ver]

NASCAR had their state of the sport conference today and it appears like Brian France is no longer the CEO and Chairmen of NASCAR, but don't know for sure.

The president of NASCAR Steve Phelps said our Chairman and CEO is Jim France during the state of the sport conference 4 times, but he also did say he didn't know Brian is coming back to NASCAR.

I also get from the state of the sport conference that everything is in play for getting NASCAR out of its downturn.

Steve Phelps said nothing is off limits in discussions for the 2020 schedule. It sounds like it may include doubleheaders, midweek races, a tightened schedule, shorter races and even a potential shared event schedule with IndyCar.