Race Season '09

[Lessen]

I just think there should be a limit to the cup drivers driving in the lower series. They just win all the time so none of the full time truck guys can.

This is a touchy subject. There are many many angles to this but I'm not a huge fan of seeing cup guys run the other series either... at least not fulltime.

 

[Candyman]

I see both sides. Promoters love it because having blue chip drivers in the Truck or Nationwide races will put butts in seats. Drivers do it to get more seat time or to get their driving fix.
Other drivers probably hate it because it's not entirely fair. In it's essence the Truck and Nationwide series were designed as developmental series. So having accomplished Cup drivers drop down is kinda like Tiger Woods popping into Q-school just because he wanted to get another round of golf in.
Personally, I don't like it. When I watch a Nationwide race, I'm far more interested in the Nationwide regular who finishes highest. And I LOVE when a regular wins the race. When someone like Kyle or Harvick or Edwards wins a race, it's meaningless in my eyes. And when they win the Nationwide Championship like has been the case in the last 3 seasons, it makes it even that much more unfair. It has gotten to the point where the Nationwide race is merely the Saturday version of the Cup race. Watch the race Saturday. Then tune in Sunday for the second half.

 

[Lessen]

I agree completely with your stance Jeff. When a guy who can dominate at the cup level wins a nationwide race or a truck race it doesn't really mean much to me. It's certainly not impressive unless he's been racing a competitive cup driver the whole race (Nationwide Series). You can even tell the drivers themselves are less excited. Watch Kyle get out of his truck after he wins... his excitement level isn't even close to what he's like when he wins a cup race. Now granted, the atmosphere in victory lane is not as intense but stil... you just won a national event. It doesn't even mean much to them. It's just a way to practice.

I mean, why does Carl E. need to be a full time Nationwide driver? He's already won the championship and he dominates along with other cup drivers every week. If a baseball player is the best in AAA then he will eventually makes the bigs. Unless his playing suffers he will continue to compete at the highest level. Now take a guy like Brendan G. He was total crap in the Cup series back in what... '04? He couldn't even finish a race in that Kodak car. Now in the truck series he's competitive and he's even got some wins. Some people will just not ever have what it takes to compete at the highest level and along with development drivers that (IMO) is what the lower two series should be for.

 

[Lessen]

I absolutely HATE these type of races. It's unfortunate that it has to happen at a racetrack that provides good racing but I can't FN stand it when an ill-timed caution just absolutely obliterates the field.

 

[Candyman]

I'm already taking a break. If there's only like 10 cars on the lead lap, then there's not much to watch. I was hoping for a quick caution after the restart just to get the field back in order. But I guess not. It's going to be a long uneventful day at this pace.

 

[Lessen]

It's going to be a long uneventful day at this pace.

Yep, I hate it. It just crappy... sooo early too. It's a shame. 1/3 the through and there's less than a dozen cars on the lead lap. That's racin' and it is what it is but it just sucks. There's some good cars back there a lap down, Biff, Tony, Newman.

Tell you what though.. Jaime may get 1 of 2 laps back, he's only gotta get my Tony and A.J. at the moment.

 

[grgbulldog]

Took the clips yesterday, they're ok.

 

[Lessen]

ooh, video.. cool!

I'll have to take our vidcam to Martinsville. We're in the front row so I should get some great shots.

 

[Lessen]

Well, I have to admit. The race did pan out to be pretty good considering how jacked up the field got early on. Jaime was just the first car too far back in that jumble to be able to get back to the lead lap. He had a top 5 car with 100 to go but that doesn't do much good being 2 laps down.

 

[Candyman]

Yeah, they managed to pull some excitement out of their butt. And Jeff came in 2nd again. That'll keep him in the points lead. And he's already showing more promise this year from last.
Heck, even DW said that they're finally getting their in-race adjustments right. Like me, he said they always seemed to make the car worse during the race. And he thinks that looks better already this year.

 

[grgbulldog]

As much as I hate that it was a Busch Brother, at least it wasn't Kyle again. kyle has won the last 3 NASCAR events I've been too.

 

[NCNitro]

As much as I hate that it was a Busch Brother, at least it wasn't Kyle again.

Amen to that!

 

[Lessen]

I think I'm too new of a fan to hate Kurt Busch like so many people seem to. Since I started following Nascar in the '04 season I've never seen anything from him that would warrant a dislike. I guess I missed his bad days but I kind of like him actually. :shrug:

 

[grgbulldog]

He's not as bad as he used to be, its just him and kyle are both jerks. His DUI he got at Pheonix a few years back also didnt help him.

 

[SMaxxin]

It's nice to see that 24 in the hunt again!




The only thing Kurt Bush ever did that I didn't like was win the fing championship. He edged out Gordon and Johnson in the last race of the year...the mofo wrecked during that race and still won!

He has wrecked another car so he could win and that made him very unpopular but any good driver has "bumped" another car once or twice to get a trip to victory lane.

 

[Lessen]

I'm just glad Jaime was able to pull out a solid run after getting the shaft after that jumble with the caution early in the race. 15th isn't too bad considering the circumstances. It did move him up 4 more spots in the standings to 18th. He's slowly and quietly making his way up the list since his 37t place finish at Daytona.

A week off and on to Bristol. I have mixed feelings about that race. Back in Jaime's 42 days he and Donnie Wingo put together a string of top 10's there but he has been very lackluster at Bristol in the new car at Rousch. I'm pretty excited to see if they can get back together on setup and put Jaime in contention like they used to.

 

[godale03]

After that caution right at the end of those green flag stops made most of the race a snooze. It seemed alot of cars were extreamly loose.... more than normal at Atlanta. It would have been interesting to see how the cars would handle if the tires were just a bit softer compound.

It made for an exciting finish to the race though. Three cars going for the win at the end... it doesn't get any better than that. It didn't hurt my feelings to see Kurt win... he has matured a bunch since his championship. It sure didn't hurt my feelings to see Kyle down three laps!

 

[Lessen]

hey Jeff, what do you think about Brawn BGP?? I'm excited! I've been pullin for Button since I started following F1 and now it looks like he and Rubens might have a car that can actually compete. I'm pretty stoked about it all. :thumbup:

 

[godale03]

hey Jeff, what do you think about Brawn BGP?? I'm excited! I've been pullin for Button since I started following F1 and now it looks like he and Rubens might have a car that can actually compete. I'm pretty stoked about it all. :thumbup:

All you F1 guys need to get a room!

 

[Candyman]

Meh. I haven't even begun to check up on F1. I'm hoping that some more of the new guard will get the chance to show their faces soon. Button. Kubica. Heidfeld. Rosberg. These are kids who I think have talent. Unfortunately there's such a desparity in equipment and teams that these guys don't really get a fair shake. It does get difficult if it's another Ferrari vs. McLaren season again.

As for Brawn BGP, it'll be interesting to see. He's been so firmly entrenched in F1, I am curious to see how he'll do running the show. He's been the man behind the curtain on so many stellar teams. I would just love to see more parity. More on-track action. Give F1 that, and it could easily draw all the American fans back that it lost. Oh, that and for Bernie to stop being such a peepee and get another American Grand Prix on the schedule.