Did You Notice? … By Wednesday, no one seems to care who triumphed on the greatest weekend in racing? That the biggest story from both the Indianapolis 500 and Charlotte Motor Speedway’s Coca-Cola 600 had nothing to do with who won? It’s not just that both races suffered through ratings declines (both were down 13 percent). Other sideshow-like …
Did You Notice? … The 2018 NASCAR Cup Series schedule features real change? The sport keeps saying they’re actively listening to fan feedback. Well, this time they’ve finally backed up those words with real action. I see some great long-term positives here that are hard to criticize after several years of nothing but the status quo. By switching around the …
Did You Notice? … Two big-name drivers have already turned down the No. 43 ride to replace an injured Aric Almirola? Carl Edwards, once highly coveted by Richard Petty Motorsports many years ago has said no, he can’t go back and run the car through Sonoma on June 25. It’s not the first time Edwards has said …
Did You Notice? … Team Penske’s final appeal was denied for Brad Keselowski? After finishing fifth at Phoenix in March, the car failed post-race inspection for having too much skew in the rear suspension. The violation, which NASCAR claimed could improve the car’s handling, led to a $65,000 fine, a three-race suspension for crew chief Paul Wolfe …
Did You Notice? … The difference a year makes for Joe Gibbs Racing? This time last year, JGR had won five of nine races and had all four drivers firmly within playoff position. This time around? The organization is 0-for-9. Of its four-driver team, only Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin are in playoff position. Matt Kenseth hadn’t even led a …
Did You Notice? … Dale Earnhardt Jr. is retiring at the end of the season? Are you surprised? I think we’re all lying if we say we aren’t. The move, while expected to come in the next couple of years, not this one, was kept nicely under wraps. A well-orchestrated press conference Tuesday afternoon was not sniffed …
Did You Notice? … The other milestones Jimmie Johnson could be chasing soon? Sure, the eighth championship stands out above all others. But Johnson’s 81st victory a little over a week ago came as a reminder he’s entering exclusive territory. That Texas triumph marked the 16th straight year Johnson has earned at least one Cup Series …
Did You Notice? … NASCAR is throwing an All-Star Race Hail Mary? A litany of changes announced Tuesday (April 11) for the sport’s main exhibition are designed to return it to a state of former glory. Twenty-five years after “One Hot Night,” the infamous 1992 race in which Dale Earnhardt and a victorious Davey Allison spun in …
Did You Notice? … A Sports Business Journal report surrounding the value of NASCAR franchises? If true, charters have been sold the last year or two at an average value of $2-3 million. According to the article, Tommy Baldwin Racing was one of the higher-end examples of what franchises have been worth. The team, which spent …
Did You Notice? … The sport’s oldest drivers are the ones having the hardest transition into NASCAR’s new point system? Matt Kenseth (45), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (42), and Jimmie Johnson (41) are the three oldest competing full-time. (Sorry, Derrike Cope. 1990 was a loooong time ago.) The trio, despite being competitive at times has come up …
Did You Notice? … The effect NASCAR stage racing has had on the point standings to date? Perhaps the most important shift occurred Sunday with Ryan Newman’s win. Newman, who won on late-race pit strategy after struggling most of the day is the first victor in the sport’s modern era to score fewer points than the second-place finisher. Kyle Larson …
Did You Notice? … Kyle Busch‘s problem with NASCAR’s “Boys, have at it” rule? It’s certainly not the sport itself. Thrilled with the national publicity caused by Sunday’s scuffle, they’re leaning towards no penalty for Busch. Officials are happy that a spontaneous show of emotion overshadowed a ho-hum race and breathed life into the sport. Problem is, they …
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