|| *Comments on the 2014 Quicken Loans 400:* View the most recent comment <#499> | Post a comment <#post> 1. 111111 posted: 06.13.2014 - 4:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No Penske in the top 5! When was the last time that happened? 2. numbah10hatah posted: 06.13.2014 - 4:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That was fast! It hasn't even gone off the air yet! 111111: Talladega. 3. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 06.13.2014 - 4:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Withdrew 77 Dave Blaney Amy R. Fochler Veterans Law Attorney LLC/www.Valor4vets.com Randy Humphrey Ford Crew Chief Peter Sospenzo 4. Anthony posted: 06.13.2014 - 4:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) WOW BLAZING FAST!!!!! 5. 111111 posted: 06.13.2014 - 4:59 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 2: oh well how about on a non-restrictor plate race? 6. joey2448 posted: 06.13.2014 - 5:00 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Man, Harvick has just had so much speed each and every week! He is certainly the favorite in my opinion to win the title this year. He has it all right now, just needs to have the luck to go with it. Haha Kasey Kahne and Kyle Busch starting next to each other... 7. joey2448 posted: 06.13.2014 - 5:04 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Juan Pablo Montoya takes advantage of an off weekend for the IndyCar series to run NASCAR. I still think it's funny seeing Montoya run a Penske car after all those years with Chip Ganassi in both stock cars and open wheelers... 8. 18fan posted: 06.13.2014 - 5:22 pm Rate this comment: (6) (3) The speed advantage the 4 team has is ridiculous. If the 48 team was doing what they are doing fans would be saying they are doing something illegal, but nothing like that is being said. If it is considered with the 48 team it has to be considered with the 4 as well. 9. Daniel posted: 06.13.2014 - 5:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In using fastest 43: #83 Ryan Truex Out using fastest 43: #32 Travis Kvapil 10. startandparkfan posted: 06.13.2014 - 6:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Heading down to Wall Stadium Speedway in New Jersey tomorrow, where the Truex brothers got their starts. 11. Kenny posted: 06.13.2014 - 6:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Dale Jr 3ed(love to see him win again this week):D 12. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.13.2014 - 6:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I didn't get to see qualifying, I'm surprised that not 1 of the Gibbs cars made it to the final 12. Were there any issues or are they leaning back a little in case of a fuel mileage race? 13. Destroyahirismix666 posted: 06.13.2014 - 6:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ok, not quite as fast as mid-80's Dega. But still blisteringly fast! 14. murb posted: 06.13.2014 - 6:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "The speed advantage the 4 team has is ridiculous." I think most of it is just that Harvick and Childers have really clicked with each other. I'm not really sure if they have THAT much of a speed advantage. I think when it comes to raw speed the Penske cars are still the fastest out of everyone (including Harvick). "Were there any issues or are they leaning back a little in case of a fuel mileage race?" Pretty sure they just didn't have that much speed in qualifying trim. I have to imagine they'll be fine in the race though. They interviewed Denny and he said he's happy with his car overall, and surely Kenseth and Kyle will be good come race time too. 15. Kubica Fan Ireland posted: 06.13.2014 - 7:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Murb I have to disagree, Harvick has had the fastest car in about half the races with a top3 car in almost every other. Harvick has had as much car speed as the 48 has had during its dominant chases (2008,2009,2013). Also, Farmers Insurance have resigned for 12 races a year for the next 3 years. Funny enough Nationwide Insurace will sponsor the 88 for 12 races a year for the next 3 seasons as well. In terms of Kahne staying at Hendrick Motorsports, this boosts his chances as Farmers came on board at the same time as him. Also, while Hendrick may have Elliot in the wings he may not want to let Kahne go as 3 of his drivers will be past 40 in 2 years time. Has anyone heard any news on Knaus resigning, his current deal is up at the end of this year. He has said recently that he is as happy as he has ever been so I was kind of assuming he would stay as crew chief for another 3-4 years. Has anyone heard anything on Dale Jr's new crew chief thanks. 16. 1995z71 posted: 06.13.2014 - 7:29 pm Rate this comment: (2) (3) Jet Dryers beware: The 2014 debut of Juan Pablo Montoya. 17. BluesTravelerFan posted: 06.13.2014 - 7:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @15:KFI I can't speak for the Knaus situation, but as for Dale Jr's crew chief it was said a while back they would wait until after the season to make any announcements so as to avoid any more distractions. 18. Sarf52 posted: 06.13.2014 - 7:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Truex, who actually had the fastest qualifying time of his 3 BK Racing teammates, misses the race. BKR is embarrassingly slow here at Michigan, though. 19. Eric posted: 06.13.2014 - 7:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have no idea on Chad's situation, but I did hear the same thing as BluesTravelerFan on the crew chief announcement. There is one thing to look at with Crew chief announcements for the next year and that is they usually get announced late or after the season unlike the top cup rides. 20. Anonymous posted: 06.13.2014 - 8:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Truex won't be in the 83 car next year 21. DB1995 posted: 06.13.2014 - 9:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Truex broke a fuel pump during qualifying as was said on tweeter, i dont know how much that has to do with it, but it happened 22. Rusty posted: 06.13.2014 - 9:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Truex shouldn't really be in Cup, driving a crapbox on wheels doesn't help either. He should be a fulltime Nationwide driver IMO. Idk why RPM won't put him in the 43 instead of Dakoda Armstrong. 23. 02Justin10 posted: 06.13.2014 - 9:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #22- "Idk why RPM won't put him in the 43 instead of Dakoda Armstrong." Because Dakoda brings his Winfield sponsorship. Come to think of it, that #43 NNS team has been using drivers with money the past couple of years. 24. ii posted: 06.13.2014 - 10:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson's time isn't there for some reason. He posted a 35.800 @ 201.117 MPH 25. Spen posted: 06.13.2014 - 10:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, Michigan is BK's second best track in terms of average finish. 26. Eric posted: 06.14.2014 - 12:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @24, I think Kyle Larson didn't do a lap in the final round of qualifying and the lap time you mentioned happened in the 2nd round. 27. DH101 posted: 06.14.2014 - 4:21 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think the odds on Jimmie Johnson are a little high considering he has no wins at this race track. Anywho Kyle Busch and Kasey Kahne starting side by side.. Im scared to think what that could produce... 28. 18fan posted: 06.14.2014 - 4:27 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson's battery died after the 2nd round. 29. Jim Davis posted: 06.14.2014 - 8:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I think the odds on Jimmie Johnson are a little high considering he has no wins at this race track." It bears keeping in mind that these odds, like all other odds in Las Vegas and elsewhere, are set not by expectations of winning but by how people bet or are expected to bet. Casinos want equal action on everyone so no matter who wins, they win. 30. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.14.2014 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (4) (1) Brad Keselowski claims that the "U.S. does not produce quality race engineers." Well Brad, I guess that the U.S. has such bad race engineers that an American run team with American engineers (Corvette Racing) is currently LEADING in the GTE Pro Class in the biggest sports car endurance race in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans against the likes of Porshe, Ferrari, and Aston Martin. Brad really needs to shut up sometimes. 31. DB1995 posted: 06.14.2014 - 1:52 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) Way to blow what Brad said WAY out of proportion, he just said there was a shortage of them, i can see you dislike Brad so much you would say anything to make him look bad. 32. numbah10hatah posted: 06.14.2014 - 1:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ryan Truex almost made the race. David Stremme was outside the top 36 for quite a while, but with just under 5 minutes left in the first round, he went up to 36th. If Stremme wouldn't have jumped up, he would have gone home. The #33 is 41st in owner's points compared to 40th for the 83. 33. New14 & 88Fan posted: 06.14.2014 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Way to blow what Brad said WAY out of proportion, he just said there was a shortage of them, i can see you dislike Brad so much you would say anything to make him look bad." While some members of this site do blow things out of proportion(Jimmie Johnson), you gotta admit that Brad even by his own admission has said some pretty stupid things in the past. 34. DB1995 posted: 06.14.2014 - 2:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yes he has, but not this time, he just completely twisted Brads words. 35. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.14.2014 - 2:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I know he said that there was a shortage of engineers, but he also went on to say that "it's hard to find quality American race engineers who can bring success to the U.S." In other words, Brad was saying that the few American engineers left are not top notch, when that's clearly not true. 36. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.14.2014 - 3:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "The speed advantage the 4 team has is ridiculous. If the 48 team was doing what they are doing fans would be saying they are doing something illegal, but nothing like that is being said. If it is considered with the 48 team it has to be considered with the 4 as well. " Knowing that Stewart-Haas pretty much serves to extend Hendrick Motorsports to an 8-car team... 37. numbah10hatah posted: 06.14.2014 - 3:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 111111: Martinsville last year, when Keselowski started 6th and JoLo 11th. 38. murb posted: 06.14.2014 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Brad's true kills shine behind the wheel of a race car, not behind a microphone." - Dale Jr last year 39. murb posted: 06.14.2014 - 4:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) *skills 40. 111111 posted: 06.14.2014 - 5:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 37: lol thanks I didn't realize it was that long ago. So therefore it's the 1st non-plate race of the year w/o a Penske in a top 5 starting position. It's such a meaningful statistic I know! 41. Daniel posted: 06.14.2014 - 9:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Go Gordon! 42. 1995 Subaru WRX STi posted: 06.14.2014 - 9:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Brad's true kills shine behind the wheel of a race car, not behind a microphone." - Dale Jr last year Sadly i think Brads mouth is faster at spitting words out then Brad himself is at driving. 43. Anthony posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:25 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) more speed just means more aero push and terrible racing 44. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:19 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Here's hoping we get a race without "debris" interference! 45. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.15.2014 - 9:28 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) In other racing news... Audi yet again wins at LeMans, making it 13 wins in their last 15 tries. The new Chevrolet Corvette C7 #73 comes in second in the GTE Pro class. Not bad considering the C7.R is still a fairly new race car. 46. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 9:50 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Audi yet again wins at LeMans, making it 13 wins in their last 15 tries." Of course, only once were they actually beat, in 2009, which they responded to by throwing insane amounts of money at Peugeot's drivers to get them to leave the team and come to Audi. In 2003, they paid Bentley to run the Audi drivers and even serviced the car themselves! They just wanted a year off due to the insane costs. In spite of the bizarre rules, this was a very good race. There was competition in all of the classes and lots of bizarre mechanical issues, which I like. 47. An Aussie Commentator posted: 06.15.2014 - 9:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Full Moon, gonna be interesting. I'll be sleeping while the race is on (Side-effect of being 10-12 hours ahead of US) but I might be able to catch a few parts of the race in replays on Speed. And on the Ryan Truex situation, I think he's just out for a Road-Course Ringer to go into the 83 (Wouldn't surprise me) Have the road-course ringers been confirmed yet for Sprint Cup? 48. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.15.2014 - 10:10 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "In spite of the bizarre rules, this was a very good race. There was competition in all of the classes and lots of bizarre mechanical issues, which I like." I really think the race was very good too. The heavy rainstorms in the first few hours made things very interesting, and best of all the race was a lot safer than last year's. 49. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 11:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Have the road-course ringers been confirmed yet for Sprint Cup?" Preliminary Entry List (NOT OFFICIAL; this was made solely by my research): 1-Jamie McMurray 2-Brad Keselowski 3-Austin Dillon 4-Kevin Harvick 5-Kasey Kahne 7-Michael Annett 9-Marcos Ambrose 10-Danica Patrick 11-Denny Hamlin 13-Casey Mears 14-Tony Stewart 15-Clint Bowyer 16-Greg Biffle 17-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. 18-Kyle Busch 20-Matt Kenseth 22-Joey Logano 23-Alex Bowman 24-Jeff Gordon 26-Cole Whitt 27-Paul Menard 31-Ryan Newman 32-Boris Said 33-Alex Kennedy 34-David Ragan 36-Reed Sorenson 38-David Gilliland 40-Landon Cassill 41-Kurt Busch 42-Kyle Larson 43-Aric Almirola 44-J.J. Yeley (although I could see someone like Brian Simo step into this ride) 47-A.J. Allmendinger 48-Jimmie Johnson 51-Justin Allgaier 55-Brian Vickers 66-Joe Nemechek 77-Dave Blaney 78-Martin Truex Jr. 83-Ryan Truex 88-Dale Earnhardt Jr. 98-Josh Wise 99-Carl Edwards Nationwide: 01-Landon Cassill 2-Brian Scott 3-Ty Dillon 4-Jeffrey Earnhardt 6-Trevor Bayne 7-Regan Smith 9-Chase Elliott 10-Jeff Green 11-Elliott Sadler 13-Derek White 14-Eric McClure 15-Carlos Contreras 16-Ryan Reed 17-Tanner Berryhill 19-Mike Bliss 20-Kenny Habul 22-Alex Tagliani 23-Ryan Ellis 28-J.J. Yeley 31-Justin Marks 39-Ryan Sieg 40-Josh Wise 42-Dylan Kwasniewski 43-Dakoda Armstrong 44-Blake Koch 46-Matt DiBenedetto 51-Jeremy Clements 52-Joey Gase 54-Sam Hornish Jr. 60-Chris Buescher 62-Brendan Gaughan 70-Derrike Cope 72-John Jackson 74-Bobby Reuse 76-Tommy Joe Martins 87-Kevin Lepage 93-Carl Long 99-James Buescher 50. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 12:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If this race is 50% as good as the truck race i willgive everyone 5 dollars. 51. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 12:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just kidding im broke as a joke 52. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 12:52 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "32-Boris Said" What exactly did Boris say? I'm sorry for my 4th grade humor... 53. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Over/under on how many "debris" cautions we will have today? I'm saying 2. 54. kidracer posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Good to see Almirola start 4th and Ambrose 6th. Hope they contends today instead of fading to 26th by Lap 50. 55. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Once again, TNT has audio issues. 56. kidracer posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) So, a command huh? 57. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nice friggin' job TNT...nice friggin' job. 58. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Poor Eric Ebron (Detroit Lions' draft pick), the microphone didn't work! 59. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:15 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I'll work on getting a 24 Hours of Le Mans result for this site later tonight for those who like endurance racing. 60. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Eh, I like Michigan. But I don't think it really deserves to have 2 races. 61. Sarf52 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @49 Owen Kelly and Billy Johnson will probably be in that race in some way, shape, or form. 62. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Over/under on how many "debris" cautions we will have today? I'm saying 2." I'm going to say at least 3. 63. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Are my eyes deceiving me, or did Jeff Gordon actually get a good start? While I type that, Brian Vickers crashes and collects Travis Kvapil. 64. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Vickers slides up and hits the wall in turn 3. Then comes down and smacks the 32 car. 65. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) We don't make it through the first lap. Brian Vickers smacks the fourth turn wall, spins out, and takes out Travis Kvapil. 66. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brian Vickers goes for a spin, and he collects Travis Kvapil. 67. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) *third turn wall. 68. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) HARD hit for Kvapil, who was committed to the bottom and was at the wrong place at the wrong time. 69. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It seems to me that lately Michigan almost always has a caution flag for a spin or a crash in the opening few laps of the race. 70. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Vickers crashes out of the top-10. 71. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can we complete a single lap under green? 72. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne crash. Good grief. 73. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) C'mon guys. Let's get one lap complete under green. 74. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) They don't even make it to the backstretch this time. Kyle Larson and Kasey Kahne both loop it around and bring out the caution. 75. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson and Kahne wreck. 76. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Around goes Larson and Kahne in separate incidents. 77. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can I still get the OVER option on our caution over/under. 78. epzik8 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Slow start to this race with two wrecks already. 79. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) A green car slide into the wall...either Cassill or Stenhouse. 80. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That could have easily been a huge crash right there. 81. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Stenhouse clipped the wall off of turn 2 behind the Larson crash. 82. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) *slid 83. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Stenhouse also clipped the wall behind Larson's spin. 84. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) He done ran out o' talent 85. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Out of all the guys that have wrecked already, why can't Johnson be one of them? 86. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The record for cautions here is 10. If this keeps up, that record may be in danger of falling... 87. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I get the feeling Brett Bodine is going to lead a lot of laps today. 88. Cumulonimbus posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The track seems scary slippery. But if they make it through the first few laps after the restarts the cars probably won't be so loose in clean air and we're gonna have the long green runs we're used to at Michigan. 89. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:36 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Out of all the guys that have wrecked already, why can't Johnson be one of them? Just before Vickers' accident, he and Kurt Busch were close to having their annual meeting of the minds. 90. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) First complete lap run under green today. 91. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #51, #23, #40, #26, #66, #32, #55 have wrong numbers. Finch-style #51 R3-Style #23 Ganassi-style #40 Roush-Style #26 PRISM #66 FAS Lane #32 (it's the Go Green-style #32 this week) Front Row 2011-Style #55 92. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gordon with the power move on the outside to take the lead. 93. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That's how it's done. 94. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:46 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Trevor Bayne in the vintage Roush chassis is running ahead of Edwards, Biffle, Ambrose, and Ricky Stenhouse. 95. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bayne is really underrated. 96. epzik8 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nice to see Junior's Superman scheme again. I thought that was just a one-race thing at Charlotte. 97. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) TNT interrupted commercials with 3 laps of racing. 98. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Seeing how spread out the cars have gotten, I'm guessing that Jacques is going to eventually show up at some point... 99. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Martin Truex Jr. Is having a horrible run right now. He's currently 41st, 2 laps down. 100. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Did something happen to Brett Moffitt or is he actually running that bad? That's disappointing if he is, because he's actually in a legit MWR car this week. 101. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Gordon is getting into debris caution territory with his lead :x 102. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Edwards is back to 28th while Biffle is 20th and Ricky is 30th, Trevor is still 17th staying consistently 2 seconds in front of kenseth. Im wearing this out but this shouldnt be happening at Michigan of all places. 103. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Stenhouse is getting passed by David Gilliland as he is just about to get lapped. Man, he really HAS gotten worse this year... 104. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @99 Didn't Truex get involved in a wreck earlier? That would explain why. 105. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Martin Truex Jr. Is having a horrible run right now. He's currently 41st, 2 laps down." I saw some damage on the nose i guess from when Larson spun in front of him. 106. Sarf52 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) TNT is incredibly lazy when it comes to stylyzing their running order numbers correctly. A lot are the wrong shapes/colors for the cars today. 107. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) is that legal?, i just saw a superman uniform go grab Danicas runaway tire i think. 108. Christian posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @103 his car has some damage from earlier. 109. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "TNT is incredibly lazy when it comes to stylyzing their running order numbers correctly. A lot are the wrong shapes/colors for the cars today." remember last year Brad Keselowski's 2 was backwards, that was annoying 110. Christian posted: 06.15.2014 - 1:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @108 Stenhouse's car I mean 111. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:00 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "TNT is incredibly lazy when it comes to stylyzing their running order numbers correctly. A lot are the wrong shapes/colors for the cars today." lol, Logano drives the Bill Davis #22. 112. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "@103 his car has some damage from earlier." True, but he's still been legitimately running that poorly in the overwhelming majority of races this year. He probably would only be a few spots higher than he is right now without the damage. 113. Mamorese posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Of course nascar will use a debris caution soon and screw jeff very soon. 114. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh wait, nevermind, they actually fixed Logano's this week. 115. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Edwards is already a lap down? Jeez. 116. Jordan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Please let this play out, gordon never gets a fair shot at winning due to debris cautions 117. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gordon's lead over Harvick is nearly three seconds. Careful, Jeff...if you get too far ahead, Jacques is going to show up... 118. Christian posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @112 And he was running so well in the Nationwide Series in 2011 and 2012 too. He even finished 11 in his 1st Cup start for the Wood Brothers at the 2011 Coca-Cola 600. Maybe Danica's suckyness is rubbing off on him now that he's dating her. 119. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson's back in the top 20 after his early spin. 120. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) murb: Cole Whitt is driving Roush's #26 this week. 121. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Allgaier is having a great run in 14th. 122. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "murb: Cole Whitt is driving Roush's #26 this week." I know, the recycled numbers on the ticker are comical. 123. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) THANKS A LOT DANICA. 124. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gordon loses the lead to Harvick. 125. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Danica holds up Gordon, allowing Harvick to take the lead. 126. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You know Kahne is having a bad year when Danica Patrick passes him. 127. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wow TNT. 128. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The 4 car was a factor on the first run was a factor on the first run. Good grief, not THIS again. 129. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) TNT, what the hell is your problem? 130. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:12 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) They are the best at commentating, but literally the worst with every other aspect of production. 131. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not-so-bold prediction: either Regan Smith or Chase Elliott will be in the #5 car next year. 132. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Not-so-bold prediction: either Regan Smith or Chase Elliott will be in the #5 car next year." Farmer's just resigned with Hendrick, so that means that it's about a 90% chance that Kahne will be back. If I was Hendrick though, I think I would just put Chase Elliott in there. It may be a little early, but he's clearly got tons of talent. I'm sure he could at least run as good as Larson has this year. 133. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:16 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Normal TNT coverage: "And as you're watching Joey Logano drive the Bill Davis #22 drive the Bill Davis #22, we've had a pass for the pass for the...*audio cuts out*...Marty?" 134. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Debris" caution count: 1. 135. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jacques makes his weekly appearance. I knew he was going to show up soon... 136. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Speaking of silly season, good idea resigning with Roush, right Biffle? Debris caution. 137. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hey, Jacques. Good to see you. TNT's audio is way out of sync right now. 138. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just make mandatory competition cautions a thing Nascar, if you can't handle the idea of cars not being constantly bunched up with each other. 139. Jordan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:20 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Nascar has been abusing cautions liberally for over a decade now. Is there any realistic shot that nascar will ever go back to using cautions how they are supposed to? I mean really, no other series abuses cautions like nascar does. 140. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) f**k JIMMIE CAME OUT FIRST. 141. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I'm gonna go get the papers get the papers." That's all I can think of when TNT has their weekly audio problems. Gold star to whoever can tell me which classic gangster movie that's from. 142. Christian posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @139 Only when Brian France croaks or steps down as CEO. 143. Jracingfast posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) So where was the debris...... 144. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Yes, that was a bullshit caution. 145. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sigh.. This is why I joined the fan council. They get to hear from me about this just about every week. No response. No changes (except after Bristol it seemed to stop for a few weeks). 146. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "That's all I can think of when TNT has their weekly audio problems. Gold star to whoever can tell me which classic gangster movie that's from." Godfather? Scarface? In non-racing news, R.I.P. Casey Kasem. 147. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:25 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I think Nascar likes throwing out more yellow flags than refs at NFL games do. 148. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Goodfellas. It was Goodfellas. Credit to Google. 149. Kirk posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #141: Goodfellas. 150. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) SO tired of this "hard to believe Jimmie hasn't won at Michigan" stuff. I honestly wouldn't mind him winning just so we could stop hearing about it. 151. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:26 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Sigh.. This is why I joined the fan council. They get to hear from me about this just about every week. No response. No changes (except after Bristol it seemed to stop for a few weeks)." Unfortunately for you, the fans who actually want these cautions to bunch up the competition significantly outnumber you... 152. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kyle's dropping like a rock. 153. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Big problem for Kyle Busch on the restart. 154. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) KyBusch with problems? 155. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kyle Busch has trouble getting going on the restart. 156. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) So much for Danican't turning the corner. *chuckles* 157. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:29 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Kyle Busch to the garage. 158. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Wait, Schroeder51, There is fans that WANT bullshit "debris" cautions? 159. Jracingfast posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Can i also raise to question of. how many laps these debris cautions take....they were under caution for like 10 minutes are so.....Debris cautions should only be at max 3-4 laps 160. Jordan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:30 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) You can't even get excited about your driver leading early and crushing the competition because you know nascar will just bunch them back up. What kind of sport is that? I took a hiatus for 2 or so years for this reason and have recently been watching more races just because gordon has been having a great season and would love to see him go out on a high note, but man has it been brutal. 161. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:30 pm Rate this comment: (4) (1) "Here's hoping we get a race without "debris" interference! " Thank you, NASCAR, for stomping on my hopes and dreams. You have absolutely ruined my day with pure malice, spite, and hatred. You are egregiously battering the fans with your inimical behavior. Why?! Just why?! Can't you ever give us a RACE! Nooooooo! You always have to b*tchslap all of your fans with this @ss backwards bullsh*t. How can you look at yourselves in the mirror?! Is there any justice? 17 years ago you threw the BS cautions to help the #24; now you throw them to hurt the #24. Where is the rationality in that? Are you bipolar? Damn it, Jim; I want a race! I don't want ANY debris yellows, whether or not they hurt my driver. And to top it all off, we get to watch TNT's broken record convention. Blast it all to hell! *Steps of soapbox and takes off tinfoil hat* *Switches to MAVTV for real racing* 162. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Wait, Schroeder51, There is fans that WANT bullshit "debris" cautions?" I'm sad to say that yes, there are... 163. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:32 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) This is why Formula One is king. No dumb cautions. 164. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Schroeder51: I'm afraid this is probably true. The "idiot" fan is the fan that NASCAR wants anyways. They buy more tickets, buy more gear, and bring similar minded friends. Everybody else gets IndyCar and F1. I'm sure this is their marketing strategy. It's working. I'm going to Mid-Ohio for the IndyCar race rather than then Sprint Cup race in Kentucky earlier in the summer. 165. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "In non-racing news, R.I.P. Casey Kasem. " Scooby-Doo, where are you?! Rover here! Sadly, both the original Shaggy and the original Scooby are gone now. 166. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (4) Go Jimmie! :D (Since I don't like the officiating, I want the most boring driver to win :D ) 167. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:37 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Jimmie just drove by Logano like he had nitrous (which I'm not ruling out, knowing his crew chief). 168. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson's running in 9th with a damaged car right now. Week after week he continues to do nothing but impress. As I and several others have said for a while now: REAL DEAL. 169. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @164 I don't have a problem with that. Rosberg and Hamilton are going to have a fantastic duel for the championship this year. 170. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) -_- Fans that like "Debris" cautions, Danican't, Jimmie still dominating...CAN NASCAR GET ANY WORSE? 171. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Cowboy Hat is running pretty good today too. As is Allgaier. Nice day for the rookies. Kyle Busch's problem was a broken hub. 172. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:41 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "I'm afraid this is probably true. The "idiot" fan is the fan that NASCAR wants anyways. They buy more tickets, buy more gear, and bring similar minded friends." I've thought this for quite a long time now. I really do get the feeling that NASCAR cares more about those simple-minded fans with short attention spans who want silly, gimmicky stuff over those who actually want to see real racing... 173. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:41 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Biffle 24th Edwards 26th Stenhouse 31st I think there's an issue that swapping crew chiefs for the 100th time can't fix. 174. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:42 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Scooby-Doo, where are you?! Rover here! Sadly, both the original Shaggy and the original Scooby are gone now." What's remarkable to me is that the original voice of Fred, Frank Welker (whose prowess in vocal impressions has made him sort of a modern-day Mel Blanc), is still doing the voice for Fred (and Scooby as well) even now, almost 50 years after the original show's debut. 175. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Thank God Moto GP is on :) 176. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) My opinion: I don't like the debris cautions, but I don't let them ruin a race for me because I don't take NASCAR very seriously to begin with. I watch it to be entertained and have something to do on a Sunday afternoon and have something to talk about on Monday morning. 177. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ragan spins to bring out the caution. 178. KFC Bone Eater posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I've thought this for quite a long time now. I really do get the feeling that NASCAR cares more about those simple-minded fans with short attention spans who want silly, gimmicky stuff over those who actually want to see real racing... " C'mon June Bug! Let's eat dem bones and watch "Gimmick Theater"! 179. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution flag for a spin by David Ragan. 180. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) David Ragan spins out, caution is out. Daddy don't like that. 181. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "What's remarkable to me is that the original voice of Fred, Frank Welker (whose prowess in vocal impressions has made him sort of a modern-day Mel Blanc), is still doing the voice for Fred (and Scooby as well) even now, almost 50 years after the original show's debut. " Of course, Frank is literally the most accomplished voice actor ever (literally), including my favorite cartoon, Garfield and Friends! 182. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I mean hell, in F1 a guy can wreck and there still will be no cautions called at all. And the racing in that series is still fantastic. 183. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jeff Gordon takes four tires, which puts him near the tail end of the lead lap as almost everyone else took two. 184. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Holy hell, TNT. You're a huge corporate entity; there's no excuse for such a shitty production job. 185. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What the f**k happened to Gordon on pit stops?? He wasn't even in the top 10 off of pit road!!! 186. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never mind... 187. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 4 tires versus 2. That's how. 188. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Of course, Frank is literally the most accomplished voice actor ever (literally), including my favorite cartoon, Garfield and Friends!" If you've seen anything animated in the past half century, you have definitely heard Frank Welker at some point-either doing a voice or providing sound effects. 189. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Stupid idea by the 24 team (probably Gustafson) to take four tires. Now they're gonna have to spend the rest of the race getting all that track position back. 190. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) To add to my post #176... I'm also emotionally invested in the drivers which is another reason why I don't let the debris cautions ruin the race. For me, it's just as much about the drivers as it is about the race itself. 191. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Frank Welker (whose prowess in vocal impressions has made him sort of a modern-day Mel Blanc), is still doing the voice for Fred (and Scooby as well) even now, almost 50 years after the original show's debut." Ironic factoid: Mel Blanc--who, as everyone should know, was the original voice for Bugs Bunny--was allergic to carrots. 192. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Of course, Frank is literally the most accomplished voice actor ever (literally), including my favorite cartoon, Garfield and Friends!" True statement, considering Blanc's work was almost exclusively for Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera. Not to mention that his impressions were mostly centered around the same two or three voices with slightly different inflections, whereas Welker's span a vast array of different types. 193. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:50 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Roush Fenway Racing, a team once synonymous with Michigan International Speedway, has all three cars one lap down. That team is falling apart. 194. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:50 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "I think there's an issue that swapping crew chiefs for the 100th time can't fix." Roush seriously looks to be on a free fall to complete mediocrity. Edwards is getting out at the right time. 195. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:50 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I should also add...when I think of the kind of fans NASCAR seems to care more about, I can't help but think of the loud-mouthed jackass who sat behind me at Darlington last year, who loudly burst out under a late race caution flag: "This race is BORING! I came here to see big flaming wrecks and flying fenders!" I wanted to PUNCH that guy. And I can't help but get the feeling that that's the kind of fan NASCAR actually wants... 196. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I will be brief and to the point... Alan Gustafson is a dumbass. 197. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Ironic factoid: Mel Blanc--who, as everyone should know, was the original voice for Bugs Bunny--was allergic to carrots." I actually read that that wasn't true somewhere... 198. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Fantastic day for Ganassi. Larson's currently fourth and McMurray is fifth. 199. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brian Vickers is back out, the #55 Toyota has been repaired with a spare pure white front end. 200. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "I should also add...when I think of the kind of fans NASCAR seems to care more about, I can't help but think of the loud-mouthed jackass who sat behind me at Darlington last year, who loudly burst out under a late race caution flag: "This race is BORING! I came here to see big flaming wrecks and flying fenders!" I wanted to PUNCH that guy. And I can't help but get the feeling that that's the kind of fan NASCAR actually wants... " Jason Leffler blog... 201. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Trevor Bayne would seriously be better off staying with the Wood Brothers. Alex Bowman in the wall. 202. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Caution is out for Alex "Bad Luck" Bowman. 203. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Alex Bowman wacks the wall and brings out the caution. 204. Sarf52 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Ah Bowman :( 205. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bowman in the wall. What horrid luck he's had this year. From now on, BK Racing will stand for "Bad Karma Racing". 206. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Seriously, turn over to the Moto GP race on Fox Sports 1. 3 way battle for the win with 3 to go :) 207. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I will be brief and to the point... Alan Gustafson is a dumbass. As hard as these tires seem to be, they may not have to change left sides the rest of the race. 208. RaceFanX posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What is wrong with my boys at Roush? I hope this is just an off year like 2003 but with their trouble finding sponsors in the Roush Fenway era I wonder if the problem runs deeper. 209. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:55 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) "Seriously, turn over to the Moto GP race on Fox Sports 1. 3 way battle for the win with 3 to go :)" See, that might be cool to see, but I can't force myself to care about 3 drivers I've undoubtedly never heard of and thus don't care about whether they win or not. That's why i stick with NASCAR...I care about the drivers. 210. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "From now on, BK Racing will stand for "Bad Karma Racing"." Last year they were "Broken Kar Racing" with all of their mechanical problems, and this year they're "Bad Karma Racing" with all of their bad luck. 211. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ""Ironic factoid: Mel Blanc--who, as everyone should know, was the original voice for Bugs Bunny--was allergic to carrots." I actually read that that wasn't true somewhere..." I don't believe he was allergic to carrots, but I have heard that he hated the taste of them so much that his normal recording process was to take a bite out of onesay the "What's up, Doc?" line, then immediately spit it out into a garbage can. 212. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson could legitimately win this race. 213. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Battle of the Beers up front. Kyle Larson gets a bad restart. 214. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (2) (3) "See, that might be cool to see, but I can't force myself to care about 3 drivers I've undoubtedly never heard of and thus don't care about whether they win or not. That's why i stick with NASCAR...I care about the drivers." This is ridiculous. To be blunt, there once was a time where you could not have given a shit less about the drivers. Over time, you came to understand their nuances, and eventually you looked at the TV one day and thought, "You know what, I am going to root for that guy over there." Thus, you got hooked. Guess what, that's how grow to "care" about any series. 215. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ... Even though he just had a godawful restart. 216. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brett Moffitt spins, caution back out AGAIN. 217. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Moffitt spins. 218. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Moffitt spins. 219. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brett Moffit loops it around, bringing out another yellow flag. 220. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 2:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @209 I understand, but at some point you didn't know any of the NASCAR drivers or care about them either. Start watching other series and you'll start to feel the same way about every series. 221. Sarf52 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Michael Annett's running order number is a leftover from when Robby Gordon drove the 7 car... 222. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Seems no bumper is a huge advantage for Larson 223. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "I think Michael Annett's running order number is a leftover from when Robby Gordon drove the 7 car... " TNT stands for something other than "Turner Network Television" 224. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "This is ridiculous. To be blunt, there once was a time where you could not have given a shit less about the drivers. Over time, you came to understand their nuances, and eventually you looked at the TV one day and thought, "You know what, I am going to root for that guy over there." Thus, you got hooked. Guess what, that's how grow to "care" about any series." I was also 6 year old with a dad who loved NASCAR when I got involved. Now I'm almost 22 and have absolutely no connection to Moto GP at all. It would make no sense for me to change the channel away from the sport I have grown to love (but not take too seriously) to watch something I have no connection to. That's how I feel and I'm right because I can't be wrong about things that apply only to me. 225. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Seems no bumper is a huge advantage for Larson" Or, y'know, he might be talented... 226. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh, and a random tid-bit. I just got back from a visit to Daytona. A tour guide said that the backstretch grandstands there are going to be moved to Phoenix. Where is Phoenix going to find people to sit in 48,000 more seats? All other tracks are looking to take out grandstands. I know they usually sell-out near race day (other than the hill), but I don't see them needing any more than 5-10,000 more seats. Not to mention 48,000 seats :x 227. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:04 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It seems that Larson's bumper is catching on with the other drivers. 228. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:06 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) "I was also 6 year old with a dad who loved NASCAR when I got involved. Now I'm almost 22 and have absolutely no connection to Moto GP at all. It would make no sense for me to change the channel away from the sport I have grown to love (but not take too seriously) to watch something I have no connection to. That's how I feel and I'm right because I can't be wrong about things that apply only to me. " Then let me be fair to you: that is not a love of racing; that is loving your dad, and that is absolutely different. 229. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson gets another bad restart. 230. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Larson gets another bad restart. " The next Jeff Gordon is similar in more ways than one... 231. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #221: It's Dave Blaney's Florida Lottery number last year. Almirola and Hamlin wreck, and Almirola is stuck. 232. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Aric Almirola and Denny Hamlin spin out, bringing out ANOTHER caution. And Danica gets the free pass. 233. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Yeah, that's more of a nostalgic connection. I'm a huge sports fan in general and no one in my family ever cared about sports at all. So I have no nostalgia to it. 234. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) TNT: Terrible NASCAR Television. 235. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:10 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "I was also 6 year old with a dad who loved NASCAR when I got involved. Now I'm almost 22 and have absolutely no connection to Moto GP at all. It would make no sense for me to change the channel away from the sport I have grown to love (but not take too seriously) to watch something I have no connection to. That's how I feel and I'm right because I can't be wrong about things that apply only to me." To each his own, but I had never watched an entire F1 race before last week's Canadian Grand Prix, and by choosing to watch it, I was rewarded with one of the best races of the decade. Almirola's stuck pretty firmly in the grass after that one. 236. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Never mind, Hamlin was the first car a lap down, so no free pass. 237. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #232: Actually, nobody gets the free pass. Hamlin would have been the free pass car, and since he was involved in the wreck, no one gets the free pass. 238. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:11 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I think Tony just told Larson to get off his lawn. 239. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:13 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Hooray I start watching the race and I see my guy (Carl) 25th a lap down behind Annett, Patrick and allgaier. I thought 2014 was supposed to be a year they challenge for the championship. 240. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ""Seems no bumper is a huge advantage for Larson" Or, y'know, he might be talented..." Or, y'know, i could have just been repeating what junior said... 241. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Hooray I start watching the race and I see my guy (Carl) 25th a lap down behind Annett, Patrick and allgaier. I thought 2014 was supposed to be a year they challenge for the championship. " Is this a joke? 242. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ""Seems no bumper is a huge advantage for Larson" Or, y'know, he might be talented..." As much as I agree with the second statement, no bumper did win the 1982 Daytona 500 for Bobby Allison. Mel Blanc also had a few appearances on The Jack Benny Program, and they were usually pretty hilarious (as most things involving Jack Benny are). 243. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:17 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "To each his own, but I had never watched an entire F1 race before last week's Canadian Grand Prix, and by choosing to watch it, I was rewarded with one of the best races of the decade." See, I looked that up because everyone was talking about it (and I have watched F1 before because I actually sort of care about it, but it's low priority--same with IndyCar) and it was visually dazzling, but whether or not Daniel Ricciardo won or not didn't matter to me. Dale Jr. winning got me way more excited than that. I prefer to get more involved with the driver/team/player in sports than I do the event itself. Maybe its the result of going to a big college football school (and high school for that matter) where that type of thing is ingrained into your very soul. Whatever, we all have different points of view and I understand the frustration because it frustrates me too. 244. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Did Brad pit under the last yellow because he's already up to 3rd. 245. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Montoya in the top-10. 246. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I believe BK got fuel only, and Harvick as well. 247. Sarf52 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This is not too bad a race, but TNT sucks and Kyle Petty sucks too. I've always had this unexplained dislike of Kyle Petty, may it be for his stupid ponytail or years of running around in 35th in the Petty car when I first started watching NASCAR. He just gets on my nerves. But he really is the least of TNT's problems. 248. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 241: 2005, 2008, 2011 were all years he challenged the championship so mathematically 2014 is supposed to be the next year! If that post humored you then I don't know what doesn't humor you.. 249. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Harvick didn't pit, my bad 250. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I like to enjoy as much as I can. If I'm not familiar with a sports participants and I enjoy that sport I try to watch it more. It makes that sport more enjoyable and expands my sports entertainment options (which means that if I don't like the way one is going I can cut it off without much loss). Sadly, this weekend Moto GP and NASCAR are the only motorsports running. Because of this I've picked up watching the World Cup off and on, and have been glad that I have. The bond created in childhood to a sport is unbreakable (as I became familiar to NASCAR in a similar way), but my dad now feels the same ay I do about NASCAR, but he's often bored on weekends because he refuses to attempt to follow other forms of motorsports after he came to dislike the one that he followed. Variety is the spice of life :) (I've only once watched Moto GP prior to today, and it was a very good experience for me today unlike the last time). 251. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Harvick to the lead. 252. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:26 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Allgaier is running 10th. Absolutely great run for him today. 253. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Allgaier top 10!!!! Watch his engine blow. You guys say Alex bowman has bad luck but allgaier is wayyyyy more unluckier. 254. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think Donny Lia would do a better job in the 5 than Kasey Kahne.. okay, I'm kidding. 255. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Allgaier is running 10th. Absolutely great run for him today." Unfortunately, I feel certain he was one of the drivers who didn't pit. 256. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Allgaier top 10!!!! Watch his engine blow. You guys say Alex bowman has bad luck but allgaier is wayyyyy more unluckier. " Your grammar is giving me heartburn... Way more unluckier? 257. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Debris caution. 258. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Unfortunately, I feel certain he was one of the drivers who didn't pit." Regardless, he's been in the top 15 for most of the race. 259. Jacques posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Hi everybody!!! 260. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) @bscottracing: Haha haha haha haha @aric_almirola ! I just lost all respect for Brian Scott, f**kstick tweeted this after Aric spun never again will i pull for that rich spoiled little daddys boy. 261. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jacques makes another appearance. Danica gets the free pass. Bold prediction: She will finish ahead of Gordon. 262. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "allgaier is wayyyyy more unluckier" *sound of grammar nazis mobilizing their ranks* 263. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 257: no, wayyyyy more unluckier. 264. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hi Dr. Nic-I mean, Jacques! 265. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Nascar plays god. 266. Jordan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well this ruins any chance of gordon making a comeback 267. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:31 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "@bscottracing: Haha haha haha haha @aric_almirola ! I just lost all respect for Brian Scott, f**kstick tweeted this after Aric spun never again will i pull for that rich spoiled little daddys boy." Wait, does he have a bone to pick with Aric or something? 268. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, my over/under count was right. :D 269. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:31 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I guess Brett wanted the extra point for leading the most laps. 270. Jordan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well if was big enough for larson to run over, show a replay of it. 271. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #267 Look up Fontana's race. 272. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Larson gets a speeding penalty. 273. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) On behalf of Idaho, I apologize for Brian Scott's jackassery. And yeah, he's had an ongoing feud with Almirola for a couple years now (going all the way back to when Aric drove the #88 in NNS). 274. Jacques posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hi Schroeder51!!! 275. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Woah chill out about my grammar I'm wayyyy more smarter than you guys. 276. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "@bscottracing: Haha haha haha haha @aric_almirola ! I just lost all respect for Brian Scott, f**kstick tweeted this after Aric spun never again will i pull for that rich spoiled little daddys boy." Are we sure he wasn't just laughing about Almirola's getting stuck in the grass? 277. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:34 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) "On behalf of Idaho, I apologize for Brian Scott's jackassery." At least you don't have the driver with the itchy arm. 278. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:34 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) And what's wrong with having a feud? I think NASCAR needs more of those. 279. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Larson gets a speeding penalty." It's because his missing back bumper is making him so fast. 280. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:35 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) SCREW ALL THE OTHER STATES I GOT NORM BENNING!!! :D 281. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Woah chill out about my grammar I'm wayyyy more smarter than you guys." My eyes are bleeding because of the grammar and my brain is spiraling because of your claim that you're smarter than the entirety of this board. 282. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Apparently, Kenseth is mad at Jamie Mac. 283. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "My eyes are bleeding because of the grammar and my brain is spiraling because of your claim that you're smarter than the entirety of this board." And I'm laughing because you dignified his post with a response. 284. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Woah chill out about my grammar I'm wayyyy more smarter than you guys." He would only need to say "I am so smrt" and I would be fully convinced that 111111 is actually Homer Simpson. 285. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (3) (1) I am so smart. I am so smart. S-M-R-T... I mean: S-M-A-R-T! 286. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Alabama has a lot of great drivers as I'm sure you all know. 287. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) F**k you all, I have Mike Garvey and Jerick Johnson. *fist pump* 288. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:38 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 281: I hope you're being sarcastic about not noticing my sarcasm. Otherwise I probably am actually more smarter than you I guess! 289. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have Jeremy Clements. Woooo! 290. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I have the Nemecheks! 291. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 285: HOLY COW I got a pretender omg omg omg! I swear post 285 is NOT me! And I'm not Homer Simpson I just pick 111111 because it's cool. 292. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:41 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I also have the Andrettis, Bobby Gerhart, Benny Gordon, Mark Donohue, Sage Karam, Rowan Pennink, Kirk Shelmerdine, and Jimmy Spencer. 293. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I have Jim Roper and Rick Mears. Read it and weep. 294. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:43 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) To borrow a line from NRF: Piss off, Johnson! 295. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well David, I got the Andrettis. Michael, Marco, Mario, etc. BEAT THAT. 296. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I also have the Andrettis, Bobby Gerhart, Benny Gordon, Mark Donohue, Sage Karam, Rowan Pennink, Kirk Shelmerdine, and Jimmy Spencer." All positive value that could have come from that list is negated by the presence of the last name on it. 297. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:43 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I also have Cale Yarborough, the Pearsons (David and Larry), Kertus Davis, Ron Barfield, and Jody Lavender. 298. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) That really sucks if HMS ordered McMurray to fall back and help Jr clean his grille. 299. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "To borrow a line from NRF: Piss off, Johnson! " I am honored, young chap. 300. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) You have Jimmy Spencer, numbah10hatah. I do not envy you in the least. And Mario Andretti was not born in America. 301. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:45 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) "That really sucks if HMS ordered McMurray to fall back and help Jr clean his grille. " Given that Hendrick can pay NASCAR to not penalize his drivers when they get caught blatantly breaking the rules... no surprise here. NEXT! 302. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Paul Menard came out really close to Johnson. 303. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "285: HOLY COW I got a pretender omg omg omg! I swear post 285 is NOT me!" Trolled troll trolls trolls. 304. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) C'mon, man. 305. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What's wrong with Mr. Excitement? 306. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I wouldn't be shocked at all if Jacques made another appearance before the end of this race. 307. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If Jr needed that much fuel, they could've just spent another 1-2 seconds and put the other 2 tires on. 308. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I hate to say it, but I'm pretty sure Johnson and Knaus have played the strategy well enough to get them a win today. 309. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) What we're listing drivers from our states? Let's see I have: the bodines, Steve park, and regan smith! 310. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, he may not have been BORN here, but his house is in Nazareth, PA!!! I've driven past it. 311. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "What's wrong with Mr. Excitement?" *Mr. Excrement 312. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:50 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Looks like Jimmie has this one in the bag. Le sigh. 313. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) BK just came in and only needed a couple seconds of fuel. 314. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) David: You also have Jennifer Jo Cobb and Chase Austin, so, that's a downgrade. 315. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What's even cooler is that regan smith shares my birthday! 316. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "What's wrong with Mr. Excitement?" First of all, DSFF had it right last year when he said that Spencer's nickname should be "Mr. Excrement". He certainly deserves it for some of the things that have come out of his mouth. And secondly, his driving abilities are highly overrated. 317. dennyfan11 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I taped this race and started watching an hour ago, but I managed to catch up to the live race because of commercials. Also, ALLGAIER! 318. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The only way I see Johnson not winning is: 1) Caution 2) Some of those back markers have been saving fuel and can stretch it. 319. dennyfan11 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I was At Wall Stadium. 320. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "David: You also have Jennifer Jo Cobb and Chase Austin, so, that's a downgrade." I'm not exactly boasting about them. However, neither one of them is nearly as bad as Spencer. 321. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kasey Kahne goes to the lead. 322. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Ha, murb and I both recalled the "Mr. Excrement" moniker by DSFF. It's good to be back. 323. dennyfan11 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) WHen this cycles through,Dos Jotas will win. 324. The Crimson King posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I really, really hope Larson could somehow save enough fuel to win this but I doubt it. 325. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 111111: You also have JR Bertuccio, Justin Bonsignore, George Brunnhoelzl III, Sean Corr, RICHIE EVANS, Janet Guthrie, Andy Lally, Donny Lia, and others. 326. epzik8 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Kasey Kahne got in a wreck earlier but has worked his way up front. 327. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) If Kurt Busch finishes, he would've ran the last half of the race on the same left tires. Maybe they should soften the tires a little for the August race. 328. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) For some reason this is starting to remind of that crazy fuel race here in 2005 that Mayfield won. 329. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:58 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 111111: Also, Paul Wolfe. 330. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 3:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Austin Dillon is now the leader. 331. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) PISS OFF, JOHNSON!!!!!!!! 332. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hearing reports of debris in turn 3. 333. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) Shit in a hat, Johnson, and pull it over your head! 334. Jacques posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I would come out and say hi, but NASCAR doesn't want me to appear because Jimmie would win. 335. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Problems for Austin Dillon. 336. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Austin Dillon comes back to the pits. 337. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Austin Dillon had to pit twice for some reason. 338. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dillon has a broken axle. He's wobbling all over the place. 339. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 325: Woot Donny Lia! (Isn't he famous for puking or something?) 329: I need to leave the state if that's the case! 340. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Austin's wiggling again coming out of the pits. 341. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I think I saw a piece of debris come off of Dillon's car. 342. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:02 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Dillon comes back to the pits again. 343. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) The one time where I'm actually rooting for a debris caution... 344. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Apparently there's debris all over the race track, but Nascar won't throw the caution. 345. dennyfan11 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (1) Odd...The one time there is debris,there is no caution 346. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:03 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 332: there's never debris with Johnson leading! 347. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:04 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "Apparently there's debris all over the race track, but Nascar won't throw the caution." Who's leading the race? 348. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:04 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) LOL No debris = Caution Debris all over = Let them go to the end Total joke. 349. Jacques posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:04 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) I TOLD YOU GUYS NASCAR ISN'T CALLING ME BECAUSE JIMMIE'S LEADING!!! 350. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Leave by way of urination, Johnson. 351. Jacques posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:05 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) Yup, just got a text from Brian France: "You can get the rest of the day off." 352. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Calm down TNT. This isn't like Dale Sr's Daytona 500 curse. 353. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:06 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) At least this one isn't like about 90% of Johnson's wins, where he runs an average lap of of 27.5 seconds while no one else's best lap is better than 28.4 seconds. 354. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:06 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I'm surprised there hasn't been any engine failures. 355. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:07 pm Rate this comment: (6) (4) Jimmie finally wins at Michigan ... and no one gives a shit. 356. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Johnson is one lap away from that first Michigan win... 357. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:07 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) Honestly, this is one of the few tracks where I think clever pit strategy should work, even if an arrogant shithead gets the win. 358. The Long Shot posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:08 pm Rate this comment: (1) (2) Total joke. 359. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jimmie Johnson finally breaks through at Michigan. ...Hooray. 360. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:08 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) I wonder if everyone on pit road will line up to high five him like when Dale won the Daytona 500. 361. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (2) (3) Amazing how once Jeff won he magically can't contend for wins anymore while Jimmie wins every week. Thus continues the pattern: Jeff whips Jimmie's ass, Chad throws a fit, and all the good stuff is moved to the 48 shop, but for once the 48 is sharing with the 88. 362. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) And Bayne beats all 3 Roush cars, hahaha 363. Schroeder51 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Bold prediction: Johnson will be the points leader within a week or two. 364. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I'm sure Chad will let Jimmie sleep with him tonight. 365. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (2) (2) I wonder if this race will also have an all-time worst rating. 366. 111111 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:09 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) 358: except it's NOT funny :( 367. Jracingfast posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) .......No comment to how this race went at all! 368. epzik8 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In three weeks, Jimmie went from being winless to being the winningest driver so far this season. 369. David posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Not to worry guys, I am working on a blog post at this moment which will provide us with a diversion from this sad race. 370. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:12 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) Time for an unpopular opinion: Le Mans was 10 times better than this. 371. Rusty posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) TNT was trying way too hard to jinx Jimmie at the end there. 372. Matt posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) little late to comment on this but after watching the replay, kvapil I think misses Vickers easily if grass didnt mean death for these splitters 373. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:14 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) But hey, the 48 did a great job with that strategy. I just wish Nascar would have at least looked into throwing the caution for that piece of Dillon's axle (or whatever it was) that came out. Their officiating once again comes out looking downright laughable. They throw fake yellows all day, and then when there is finally a reason for it, they let the race play out. On the bright side, double road courses next week!! 374. New14 & 88Fan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) It was just a matter of time before JJ put it all together at Michigan. And to be honest, after all the crazy ways he's lost races here he deserves to get a good break. 375. Jracingfast posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) .....that corny sponsorship promo in victory lane 376. New14 & 88Fan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Also, another great run for Paul Menard to go with his win yesterday. The Menard Empire should be pleased. 377. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) At least there is the U.S. Open, which is at least a professional sport. 378. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:27 pm Rate this comment: (4) (0) I will say this... Even though I don't let the debris cautions ruin the race for me, I don't understand how the NASCAR media lets NASCAR get away with it and then defends them by saying it (and moments like then end of this race when there was clearly debris) is a judgment call. I could buy the judgment call argument in situations like the end of the race if they didn't continuously throw yellows for debris that no one else sees. 379. startandparkfan posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Excited for the races next week. I may not be able to see Road America, so I am very disappointed. As for the conversation earlier, I have all the people 111111 has, which is a great bunch. As for the specific area I live in, I have.... ... ...Michael Marsal? Who even is that? Also... lets see... Jesse McCartney! I guess he counts! He was in a pro/celebrity race. and... nah, I got nothing. 380. Daniel posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:44 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I've got the Elliotts, the Siegs, Ron Young, Reed Sorenson, David Ragan, Tammy Jo Kirk, Buckshot Jones, the Butler Brothers, Casey Roderick, Kyle Fowler, Chris Cockrum, Delma Cowart, Sara Christian. 381. murb posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:45 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) 100% agree with Zack. I really wish the media would trash Nascar for their inconsistencies. 382. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:46 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Delma Cowart! Damn, man...is he still partying?? 383. We need more Onion posted: 06.15.2014 - 4:55 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Time for an unpopular opinion: Le Mans was 10 times better than this. " Why unpopular? Le Mans was GREAT this year. I'm biased, because I have just arrived home from there, but I'm sure many would agree. 384. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 5:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sounds like some BS surrounded the finish of the race. I went to walmart and missed it 385. Destroyahirismix666 posted: 06.15.2014 - 5:21 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) This makes like...5 points-paying Hendrick wins in a row? And three out of 4 for Johnson? (Sits back and sighs satisfied) Sadly I missed the race, it was Father's Day and my gift was to do yardwork. Also, TNT...I have never liked their coverage. Never. I know lots of people hate on FOX and ESPN, but even with FOX going way down the drain in the last 4 years, and ESPN being...Post2000 ESPN, TNT is still considerably worse. Where did Montoya and Larson finish? How did Montoya do, specifically? 386. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.15.2014 - 5:45 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Why unpopular? Le Mans was GREAT this year. I'm biased, because I have just arrived home from there, but I'm sure many would agree." Man I'd love to go to Le Mans one year. It looks like a fun event to go to (and I'm not just saying that because I've seen Justin Bell's infield tours of the fans partying). Seriously though, you should watch his midnight infield tour for FS1 on YouTube if you haven't. It's hilarious. 387. MarkMartinFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 5:49 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Justin Allgaier was pretty impressive today. 388. Evan posted: 06.15.2014 - 6:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) * Welcome back, Juan-Juan Pablo Montoya races for the first time since Homestead and finishes 18th in the SKF #12 for Roger Penske. * There were some wild moments, Brian Vickers did not even get his water hot and he got caught up in a wreck on the first lap, and Kyle Busch had to spend a long time in the garage to get an electrical issue fixed. * Brett Moffitt gets contracted to drive as a development driver for MWR this week. * The race was not all that bad, but it was an old-school green flag pit stop marathon. There was not a lot of drama or crazy finishes in this one. Jimmie Johnson wins victory number 69 which puts him 7 behind Dale Earnhardt on the all time list who is Jimmie Johnson's next target in wins at 76 and championships at seven, a record Earnhardt is tied with Richard Petty. 389. Dense Drip posted: 06.15.2014 - 6:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Annett had another decent run today. 20th and 21st for the last two races. He's taking TBR in the right direction. 390. DB1995 posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) â?¢Congrats to Trevor Bayne on beating all of the Roush cars and Petty cars, Trevor hasnt finished outside the top 20 except at Daytona and Talladega where he got caught up in wrecks. â?¢Great job all day by Justin Allgaier finishing a career best 16th â?¢Starting to believe Michael Annett is more talented than his equipment, he did really good with Petty in 2012 (Dakoda Armstrong is struggling to put it nicely) and he has over the last 3 races been competing for the top underdog award. â?¢Brad Keselowski looks back to championship form and should be a favorite for the win at Kentucky but probably not Sonoma â?¢I think Jimmie Johnson has taken over as speed king over Harvick now Overall a very lackluster race less than a hundreth of the race that gateway was 391. Daniel posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:14 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Go Gordon! 392. 1995 Subaru WRX STi posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:16 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) In my Dads words "Well, that was bound too happen." Serously did anyone on here think Jimmie wasn't going too ever win a race at MIS? Between this race and US Open, this race is/was much better then the US Open. Martin Kaymer is just demolishing the field, while everyone else isn't doing anything except playing in the sand and trees. So much for the "new and improved" Pinehurst No.2 being harder. 393. numbah10hatah posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) #40 Sponsor: CRC Brakleen FiberLock. 394. Canadianfan posted: 06.15.2014 - 7:37 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Just saw Ray Fox has passed away he was 98. Thank god this week is over too many famous NASCAR people dying. 395. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 8:16 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Being an affiliate of Living Legends of Auto Racing, of which Ray Fox was President, and having met him, this is a hard loss. 396. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.15.2014 - 8:20 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) And actually I just got Ray's autograph in February. Glad I met him while I could. 397. Cornys posted: 06.15.2014 - 9:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Not a bad race actually. I would have liked to see how the race would have been without the "debris" cautions. I think it would have been more interesting. 398. WinstonCupStandings posted: 06.16.2014 - 12:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Top 25 (that are on the big teams) 1) Jeff Gordon (2168) -Leader 2) Jimmie Johnson (2129) -39 3) Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (2108) -60 4) Matt Kenseth (2091) -77 5) Brad Keselowski (2042) -126 6) Joey Logano (1904) -264 7) Carl Edwards (1898) -270 8) Kevin Harvick (1897) -271 9) Kyle Larson (1867) -301 10) Kyle Busch (1858) -310 11) Ryan Newman (1807) -361 12) Denny Hamlin (1793) -375 13) Paul Menard (1765) -403 14) Clint Bowyer (1754) -414 15) Greg Biffle (1730) -438 16) Tony Stewart (1700) -468 17) Brian Vickers (1684) -484 18) Kasey Kahne (1675) -493 19) Austin Dillon (1671) -497 20) Jamie McMurray (1637) -531 21) Aric Almirola (1623) -545 22) Marcos Ambrose (1593) -575 23) Kurt Busch (1450) -718 24) Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. (1404) -764 25) Danica Patrick (1292) -876 399. murb posted: 06.16.2014 - 1:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) RIP Ray Fox. It's been a brutal couple of weeks with the deaths of a lot of racing alumni. 400. Watto posted: 06.16.2014 - 4:24 am Rate this comment: (2) (0) "Amazing how once Jeff won he magically can't contend for wins anymore while Jimmie wins every week. Thus continues the pattern: Jeff whips Jimmie's ass, Chad throws a fit, and all the good stuff is moved to the 48 shop, but for once the 48 is sharing with the 88." Throw out as many far-fetched excuses as you want, but the fact remains that Jeff Gordon disagrees with the idea that his car today couldn't have contended for the win, and he literally ran 1st or 2nd for half of the race. Once strategies got all crazy and he was dealing with traffic for the 5 restarts between lap 104 and 150, he faltered and the car was way loose, but he still made a comeback and drove up into 6th with what he felt was a car that deserved way more. Also, factor in the simple fact that Jeff Gordon had a couple of races this year where he clearly could have won, but he wasn't a winning contender *every single week*. He's not going to be the best car every week, and it's not a conspiracy! Maybe the guy with 69 wins in 12 years racked up those wins because he's good, and not because his crew chief has Rick wrapped around his finger screwing every other car in the stable, and not because Rick spites Jeff Gordon, who he has undying loyalty for. As it is, Jeff Gordon is the main reason Rick even hired him! Are you going to believe these theories all your life just so you can sleep at night? Do you even actually believe this stuff? 401. Ryan posted: 06.16.2014 - 10:35 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) So will it be the Nascar Comcast Series or Nascar Xfinity Series. Would they change the second tier series to cup name? Xfinity Cup, Comcast Cup 402. WinstonCup4Ever posted: 06.16.2014 - 11:40 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) @130 murb, I agree. Turner has been known to fall behind with the times in terms of tv production. When races aired on TBS, Turner was the last network to ditch text to screen graphics for 1996 well after CBS did with 1992, ABC with 1993, TNN with 1994, and ESPN towards mid to late 1994. Plus with the first centralized deal, when the racing switched to TNT, NBC and TNT were getting criticized for lack of production meanwhile FOX and FX were being praised for being innovative in the broadcasts. Finally, TNT has been running the same graphics package throughout this whole second centralized contract, meanwhile FOX SPORTS and ESPN produced races continue to see innovation added into them. I'm not saying Turner is innovative in their races because they can be. I'm just pointing things out from a critic's standpoint. 403. DB1995 posted: 06.16.2014 - 1:03 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) This week started out good, Michael Schumacher is out of coma. And some useless 'Stats' Last week the sport was plagued by losing many legendary figures in just 1 week, and Jimmie Johnson wins the race. Last year we had a whole season that was plagued by several people dying (Jason Leffler, Dick Tricklr, etc) and Jimmie Johnson wins the title. My point is that Jimmie can be directly linked to feeding off of dead souls to make him win. If you think i was serious about those dead souls i wasnt, its obviosly the illuminati's fault 404. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 06.16.2014 - 1:28 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "So will it be the Nascar Comcast Series or Nascar Xfinity Series. Would they change the second tier series to cup name? Xfinity Cup, Comcast Cup" Well, considering how many cup drivers run the second tier series, they might as well. Call if the Nascar Comcast Cup Light series. 405. AveryNH posted: 06.16.2014 - 1:29 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ^Obviously In non illuminati news, I read on jayski that Richard Childress was apparently offering Edwards a ride in a fourth car. An offer which he smartly declined. 406. Anonymous posted: 06.16.2014 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) Kyle Larson has 7 TOP 10's AND 3 TOP 5's this year...The silver spoon kid has just one top 10 he earned at Daytona by wrecking half the poor field. Larson is on his way to ROTY and all Richard Childress can do is watch. LOL!!! 407. 18fan posted: 06.16.2014 - 2:14 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Gordon said that his car belonged in Victory Lane in his post-race interview. His biggest problem, other than restarts, is that Gustafson has no clue how to call a race and seemingly has not improved since he was Kyle's crew chief and made many head-scratching pit calls. 408. Nascar Lead Lap Points posted: 06.16.2014 - 3:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor Updates #5 Farmers Insurance/Team Stream #42 Target/Clorox 409. cjs3872 posted: 06.16.2014 - 3:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) What started with the racing community last month has unfortunately spread throughout the sports, and for that matter, the entertainment world. In addition to the recent deaths mentioned on this board (Jack Brabham, Hoss Ellington, Ed Negre, Junie Donlavey, and John Bishop), others in and out of the sports world community that have passed on over the last few days include the following: -ex Dodgers and A's pitcher Bob Welch, who was the last to win 25 games in a season, doing so in 1990. -Legendary NASCAR mechanic Ray Fox, who was the crew chief on the car that was the one that Junior Johnson showed just how beneficial the effects of drafting can be. -Chuck Noll, the man that built the Pittsburgh Steelers into the dynasty we know now. Noll is still the only coach to have won four Super Bowls. -Casey Kasem, the legendary host of the countdown of the top 40, who also was a legendary voice actor, voicing iconic characters as Shaggy from "Scooby-Doo" and Robin (of Batman fame). And now we can add Tony Gwynn to that list of legends to have passed away. Gwynn, an 8-time NL batting champion and the only man to play on both of the San Diego Padres' World Series teams (1984 and '98), died today (6/16/14) of cancer at the age of 54. Every one of those luminaries who were greats in their individual fields has died within the past week (and yes, I do consider Bob Welch to be in that group, not just because of his 1990 season, but also because of his World Series duels with Reggie Jackson in 1978). It kind-of reminds me of 1993, when so many big-time sports figures from across the sports world died, from Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, and Roger McCluskey in auto racing to Don Drysdale and Roy Campanella in baseball, to Celtics star Reggie Lewis, and that's just to name a few. And 1995 Subaru, the U.S. Open was, like the Masters, dull and boring for the most part, but it was not short of stories. Sure, we wish there would have been more excitement, but the U.S. Open rarely has rarely ever been about exciting golf. For instance, when was the last truly memorable moment in the U.S. Open? Tiger winning on a broken leg in 2008? That was more about courage than actual golf. The last truly memorable golf-related moment in the U.S. Open was the collective collapse of about five players at the end of the 2006 event at Winged Foot (the same Winged Foot that saw Hale Irwin win at seven OVER par in 1974). The plain truth is that this year's U.S. Open was decided by early Friday afternoon, when Germany's Martin Kaymer set a new 36-hole scoring record of 130 (10 under par). He actually shot 1-over par on the weekend, and still increased his lead by two shots over the weekend (from six to eight), but that's actually common for that event. But there were stories, and some weren't even difficult to find. But I had predicted that an international player, probably a European player, would win, and I thought they would dominate the top five, and that none of the top American players would challenge, and I was right on two of three counts. (I was wrong only on my prediction on international players dominating the top five.) One of those that tied for second, Erik Compton, has had two heart transplant operations, which is an incredible story. But the goal of the USGA has always been to identify the best player, and they certainly did that. And 18fan, Jeff and Rick Hendrick are certainly in a quandary there. He does have a crew chief that keeps bungling races (I didn't watch this one, so I don't know exactly what happened this time), but he consistently has great cars that put him into position to win. Frankly, I'm not sure he'd do any better with a crew chief that's better at calling races, but may not him give cars capable of contending, so he may be better off with Gustafson calling the shots because of the high quality of the cars he has, rather than a crew chief that's a better strategist, but one that isn't that good with the cars themselves. If he's on a track where the tires give more, his chances are better, but the tires don't give at Michigan, so the importance of tires is lessened, and the importance of strategy is increased. The restart situation is one that comes with being in the sport for so many years, which results in him not being willing to take the risks some of the other drivers are winning to take. Remember that Jeff has NEVER been aggressive in traffic. I think that one of the best examples of this came in the 1999 Daytona 500. Late in that race, he and Dale, Sr. were ninth and tenth on a late restart, and Dale rocketed up to the front, moving up to second or third in just one lap, because he was aggressive in traffic. On the other hand, Jeff took a more methodical approach, getting them one at a time, including Earnhardt, which set up the winning pass on Rusty. Jeff's always been one of those drivers that would not take chances with the field bunched up, and would rather let the field thin out before making his moves, and that's really shown up in more recent years. Jeff's always been a tactician, not a gambler, and given the choice, he'll give up the positions on a restart rather than chance it, knowing he'll get the positions back later anyway. His other problem when it comes to restarts is the gear ratios the HMS cars run, which make them slower getting up to speed, but give them an advantage when they get to high-speed. And by the way, it seems that what's happened with Ricky Stenhouse, Jr., who again struggled to finish in the top 25 (and he again failed to do so), has now affected the other Roush teams (at least at ultra high-speed Michigan), as none of them finished better than 20th. In fact, Trevor Bayne, driving the #21 Wood Brothers car, finished ahead of ALL of the Roush cars (the #21 car was 19th and no Roush car was better than 20th), and behind only the Penske cars (including the third Penske car, driven by Montoya) among the Ford teams. Roush does have a problem, and it's under the hood with their engine setups. At least Carl Edwards seemed smart enough to realize that the only team as conservative, or more conservative than Roush is when it comes to engines is RCR, which I think may be why he reportedly turned them down. He knows that, as bad a situation as Roush is, RCR is even worse. After all, there's a reason why the Penske cars, the Petty cars, and even the Wood Brothers car, at times, are faster than the Roush cars are on the high-speed tracks. They actually run more aggressive engine setups, and if ever that shoed up, it was at this race. 410. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.16.2014 - 4:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Interestingly enough, despite only having two top fives among all three drivers (both of which were earned by Paul Menard, which is interesting in and of itself), two of the three RCR drivers are currently in the Chase Grid and Austin Dillon was in before his bad luck this week. This could all change of course, but I think it's interesting. 411. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.16.2014 - 4:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Actually, speaking of Menard, he is almost certainly going to have a career year this year considering he already has 8 top 10s less than half way through the season and his previous high is 9. 412. murb posted: 06.16.2014 - 4:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Great news about Michael Schumacher. And CJS, if you're wondering, what happened to Gordon yesterday was that Gustafson threw away all their track position by taking four tires when everyone else took two. They spent the entire last part of the race making up all their track position. I definitely feel for the Gordon fans, because once again Gordon easily had one of the three best cars (along with Johnson and Harvick). As for Carl Edwards, great move by him to turn down RCR. Going from Roush to RCR would be a lateral move. As I read more about Carl, JGR is still looking like the best bet. They are declining to comment on Carl's situation, so that tells me that they are indeed probably trying to put a fourth team together. And as for Roush, like I said yesterday, they seem to be on the fast track to mediocrity. The worst part is that it's not even just their race cars. Even if they get their cars better, I think they're still in a pretty big hole. Stenhouse clearly isn't the future there, Biffle (apparently coming back) is still mostly competitive, but he is getting older, and while I think Trevor Bayne has a lot of upside, I don't think he's the type of driver that can put an entire organization on his back and lead them to the promise-lands. And also, their development program is pretty mediocre now too. I think Chris Buescher is decent at best, and Ryan Reed seems to be a poor man's Stenhouse at the very best. So unless something crazy happens where they acquire another star driver to replace Carl (like Kahne if he is replaced by Chase Elliott in the 5 car, but that's a major long shot), then I think Roush is gonna be in a pretty big hole for a while. 413. numbah10hatah posted: 06.16.2014 - 5:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Only 43 on the Cup Entry list for Sonoma: Boris Said in the #32 Alex Kennedy in the #33 Joe Nemechek in the #66 Michael McDowell in the #95 #21 not entered 414. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.16.2014 - 6:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (2) "Throw out as many far-fetched excuses as you want, but the fact remains that Jeff Gordon disagrees with the idea that his car today couldn't have contended for the win, and he literally ran 1st or 2nd for half of the race. Once strategies got all crazy and he was dealing with traffic for the 5 restarts between lap 104 and 150, he faltered and the car was way loose, but he still made a comeback and drove up into 6th with what he felt was a car that deserved way more. Also, factor in the simple fact that Jeff Gordon had a couple of races this year where he clearly could have won, but he wasn't a winning contender *every single week*. He's not going to be the best car every week, and it's not a conspiracy! Maybe the guy with 69 wins in 12 years racked up those wins because he's good, and not because his crew chief has Rick wrapped around his finger screwing every other car in the stable, and not because Rick spites Jeff Gordon, who he has undying loyalty for. As it is, Jeff Gordon is the main reason Rick even hired him! Are you going to believe these theories all your life just so you can sleep at night? Do you even actually believe this stuff? " You can say all you want to convince me that Jeff's problems are his problems, but you can't convince me that Chad doesn't not have the entire race team wrapped around his pinking finger. 415. Eric posted: 06.16.2014 - 6:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Brad already mentioned on his twitter account that Carl already signed elsewhere. 416. cjs3872 posted: 06.16.2014 - 7:08 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Well, thanks for cluing me in, murb. I did not watch the race because I was watching the U.S. Open, as I always do on this particular weekend. And Alan Gustafson's call sounds more like a conservative call than a bad one. And Gustafson has always been one of the most conservative crew chiefs when it comes to race strategy. He's always liked to go with the four tire call because it leaves the least amount to chance after the tire change. But we must also remember that it likely would not have made much of a difference, because if the pit stop in question came during a caution period, then whatever track position Gordon would have had, he would have lost on the restart anyway, because of his conservative restarts. So he would have lost out either way. The only change would have been that Gordon would have had to rally from about 15th-18th with four tires, instead of 9th-14th with two tires because of his conservative restarts, losing about 5-7 positions on the restart either way. But also, going from Roush to RCR would not have been a lateral move, as Roush is still clearly better than RCR. It would have been a move downward, because Roush is still a good organization. Their problem lies in their engine department. On the shorter tracks to the 1-mile tracks, they're still very good, but the bigger the track, the worse they perform, and that goes straight to how they prepare their engines, because the more horsepower becomes a priority, the worse they perform. No matter how they get the cars driving, they are still not going to be a factor on the bigger tracks until they get more aggressive with their engines, and I don't see that happening any time soon. There's a reason why it took so long for them to win at Pocono and even Daytona, and why they still have not won at Indianapolis, and why it took them so long to win a championship and why they've lost about five or six championships they could have, and should have won. As long as they continue to be more conservative on their engine setups, they will continue to struggle on the bigger tracks. Saying that, I would not be surprised at all if one of their cars contend this week at Sonoma, because horsepower will not be an issue there, nor at Loudon several weeks later. And just look at where their best runs have been over the last year and a half. Except for Greg Biffle's surprising win at Michigan last year, all of their great runs on non-RP tracks since the beginning of last year have been on the shorter tracks, where horsepower is not only not important, but can be a detriment. Carl's two wins last year were at Phoenix and Richmond and his only win this year was at Bristol, Greg Biffle's best race this season was at, of all places, Martinsville, and the only place where Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. looked like a competent Cup driver this year was in the race at Bristol that Edwards won. All those races were on tracks one mile or shorter in length. 417. Jim Davis posted: 06.16.2014 - 7:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Roush does have a problem, and it's under the hood with their engine setups." The operative word here is "setups". It's remarkable that the Penske cars, also using engines from Roush-Yates, seem to have power on par with Hendrick powered cars. 418. cjs3872 posted: 06.16.2014 - 7:41 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Jim, that's why I've always said that there's nothing wrong with the engines themselves at Roush, but rather in the conservative way they're set up. There's a reason why Greg Biffle has finished so many races successively without a DNF, and why even Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. has had so few DNFs in his brief, and disappointing Cup career. It's because Roush sets up his engines to make it to the finish, rather than to take chances with the setups and go for the win. But that's also the difference between the situation at Roush and at RCR, which is struggling to even stay as a viable organization. Their engines lack power (they're the only major Chevrolet team that doesn't use Hendrick engines), their drivers don't measure up to standard (the fact that Paul Menard is outperforming Ryan Newman as frequently as he is may be one of the biggest surprises this season), and the entire organization (NNS included) seems like a rudderless ship, going nowhere yet too full of experienced and competent people to sink. The loss of Clint Bowyer likely set these events in motion, but it may also be a case of Bowyer knowing what he was doing when he left following the 2011 season. 419. Rick Allen posted: 06.16.2014 - 7:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) An amazing race at Michigan.. 420. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:07 pm Rate this comment: (1) (6) I know this is irrelevant, but it just seems disturbing. I have grown to pretty much ignore the thumbs up/down feature, but it is pretty creepy that one of the regular posters here (who I don't know) seems to Ctrl+F and search my name and just go through and thumbs-down my posts no matter what I say. Now I know the last couple were pretty deserving of it, but it seems pretty insane that someone has to hate on my posts just because I wrote them. It's just... weird... that someone, probably a troll, feels the need to come along and say "Richard Petty sucks" if I say "Richard Petty is an all-time great." Before anyone responds to this, go ahead and check it out for yourself. Maybe it's because I don't do it myself to anyone that it seems insane... 421. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (5) In fact, going through I find some troll did just that, and not only that but they also did the same to anyone who agreed with me. 422. Eric posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) cjs3872, It is more than the loss Clint Bowyer in terms of RCR. Remember Scott Miller left RCR before the end of the 2011 season and started the events of RCR. Scott Miller was the reason why Clint went to MWR. Scott Miller was the person responsible for RCR's resurgence in 2010 after having a poor year in 2009. Scott Miller already was responsible for how much better MWR was in 2012 than 2011. What is really happened to RCR is a key people left the organization that started with Scott Miller and Clint Bowyer. At the same time, Furniture row racing not having Kurt Busch has hurt RCR because of the information Kurt Busch and his crew chief helped RCR last year in terms of sharing information. 423. murb posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:30 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I actually don't think RCR is that bad. Their problem is that they just rely way too heavily on that conservative mindset. I think their cars are capable of contending for wins, but their strategies are what hinder them the most. Roush on the other hand has a plethora of problems, like I said. They are not only slower than molasses on the track, but the uncertainty of their future driver lineup (other than Trevor Bayne, who has potential) also raises a lot of questions. 424. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "I know this is irrelevant, but it just seems disturbing. I have grown to pretty much ignore the thumbs up/down feature, but it is pretty creepy that one of the regular posters here (who I don't know) seems to Ctrl+F and search my name and just go through and thumbs-down my posts no matter what I say. Now I know the last couple were pretty deserving of it, but it seems pretty insane that someone has to hate on my posts just because I wrote them. It's just... weird... that someone, probably a troll, feels the need to come along and say "Richard Petty sucks" if I say "Richard Petty is an all-time great."" For what it's worth, although I disagree with your posts far more often than I agree with them, it is NOT me who is doing this. Also, I don't know how many people are watching, but the USA just beat Ghana in the their first game of the World Cup which brings me to a point that's relevant to something we talked about during the Michigan race. I don't like soccer, but I watched this game because I care about the USA. I think that's one of the problems I may have getting involved with F1...there's no successful American F1 team with American drivers. If there were I may care more than I do, which I do care (more than soccer, even), but it's something low on my priority list. 425. Scott B posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:47 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) #406 "Kyle Larson has 7 TOP 10's AND 3 TOP 5's this year...The silver spoon kid has just one top 10..." Not only that, Justin Allgaier had his career best Cup finish at Michigan, and Michael Annett had another decent mid-pack run. You have to wonder what the rookie standings would look like if the gap in team resources wasn't so big. 426. Scott B posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) ^^^^ That said, I don't think AD is having a horrible rookie season, under most circumstances his performance would be considered decent. He just hasn't justified the media hype that accompanied him leading up and just after the Daytona 500. 427. DB1995 posted: 06.16.2014 - 8:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Austin Dillon actually had a solid top 10 car and run going, he had that problem at the end though 428. JG24FanForever posted: 06.16.2014 - 10:08 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) This was Gordon's 400th career Top 8 finish. The first to reach 400 in the Modern era. 429. Jim Davis posted: 06.16.2014 - 10:11 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I think that's one of the problems I may have getting involved with F1...there's no successful American F1 team with American drivers." I think you have to give it more than one race. Last year I decided to give the Australian V8 Supercar series a try. Even though it was shown delayed (on Speed) for at least a week and the broadcasts were trimmed down to fit time slots I found myself becoming more and more attached to the series as time went on. Once I became familiar with the drivers and the teams and learned to process heavy Australian accents a bit better I enjoyed the series immensely. I was quite excited by the time the Austin race rolled around. Unfortunately, the series was a casualty of the switch from Speed to Fox Sports 1. It really is funny what you can become attached to if you give it half a chance. In the late '80s while I was in graduate school and keeping late hours the America's Cup yacht races were being broadcast live from the waters around New Zealand. You might think that yacht racing would be about as exciting as paint drying but the broadcast team did a superb job of making it all compelling. F1 I never warmed up to though admittedly it's been years since I gave it a try. It just seems so much more about the car than the drivers. 430. cjs3872 posted: 06.16.2014 - 10:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) JG24FF, Jeff's not the first driver to reach 400 top 10s in the modern era. Ever heard of Mark Martin? He's currently second on the all-time list with 453 top ten finishes, and his career started in 1981, which certainly is in the confines of the modern era. And murb, I'm not sure I agree with you on RCR not being able to win because the driver are capable of winning. Ryan Newman is, though not regularly, but I don't think Paul Menard's capable of winning races. Sure, he won the Brickyard a few years ago, but that was a fuel mileage derby he lucked into. He might have been top five, but he was not going to win that one if not for it coming down to fuel mileage. And the jury's still out on Austin Dillon. But Kevin Harvick sure didn't have problems winning in that equipment for that team the last few years. I think the drivers, and not the equipment is the problem at RCR, and have said so for a couple of years. On the other hand, I'm not sure I entirely agree with you regarding Roush. Certainly, I think they're lacking in a number of areas, but I don't think the driver lineup is as bad as you say it is. Greg Biffle is reliable and Roush needs to put the whip to Stenhouse, just as he did a few years ago when he was struggling in the NNS. In that case, he got turned around with his performance at Daytona in July of 2010, and we know what happened with him in the NNS from there. I'm also not sure about Trevor Bayne's long-term future there, only because of him having MS, which attacks the central nervous system. If my suspicions are right, he's now been racing with MS for three years, so he's definitely on the clock, when it comes to how long he can race actively in NASCAR's highest series. He can only hold it off for so long before it begins to affect him. Bayne may be able to make it for a few years, or he might not make it for one year, or he might not even make it through this year and possibly never get a chance full-time in Cup, in which case, Roush may be in real trouble with the future of his team, which I think he's gambling on Bayne not being affected by MS for years, and if Bayne doesn't pan out, then I think Roush's team may go with him. 431. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.16.2014 - 11:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In my opinion, the problem at RCR is, Richard is still setting up those cars conservatively like he did when Dale Earnhardt was his driver. The reason he had to do that for Dale was because he knew the equipment would break if he didn't, because Dale would absolutely drive those cars on the edge. Now he has drivers who don't drive on the edge, so nowadays that conservativeness is what hurts them. 432. cjs3872 posted: 06.16.2014 - 11:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Having drivers incapable of winning doesn't help them either, RCRandPenskeGuy. You might be right about how Childress sets up his cars, but that didn't seem to hurt Kevin Harvick the last few years, did it? Aside from Harvick, Childress hasn't had a driver capable of winning since Clint Bowyer left, and Ryan Newman's been somewhat of a disappointment in terms of his on-track performance. Paul Menard certainly isn't capable of winning, and the jury's still out on Austin Dillon, and will be for a few years. Childress was counting on Newman to be producing results, and while he's been consistent, he's not run as good as Childress had hoped he'd run. Sure, you have to have cars capable of winning, but you also have to have drivers capable of winning, and right now, Childress has neither. Even if he got his cars running better, his current drivers are not capable of putting them in victory lane. His drivers, not his equipment is why I predicted that RCR as a group would have only about five top 5 finishes this season. The surprise is that Menard, and not Newman possesses those two top 5s. 433. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.17.2014 - 6:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) "Also, I don't know how many people are watching, but the USA just beat Ghana in the their first game of the World Cup which brings me to a point that's relevant to something we talked about during the Michigan race. I don't like soccer, but I watched this game because I care about the USA. I think that's one of the problems I may have getting involved with F1...there's no successful American F1 team with American drivers. If there were I may care more than I do, which I do care (more than soccer, even), but it's something low on my priority list. " Xenophobe! JK, I understand. There needs to be some kind of connection. Even as an American, though, I sometimes find it hard to root for the USA in international competition for various reasons. 434. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.17.2014 - 6:52 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) "For what it's worth, although I disagree with your posts far more often than I agree with them, it is NOT me who is doing this." But this is pettiness we are speaking about. You're not petty. Now Richard IS Petty :P 435. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.17.2014 - 6:54 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) "It really is funny what you can become attached to if you give it half a chance. In the late '80s while I was in graduate school and keeping late hours the America's Cup yacht races were being broadcast live from the waters around New Zealand. You might think that yacht racing would be about as exciting as paint drying but the broadcast team did a superb job of making it all compelling. F1 I never warmed up to though admittedly it's been years since I gave it a try. It just seems so much more about the car than the drivers. " A) As a person thinking of grad school, the late hours scare me. B) I agree that good announcers can make competitive grass growing interesting. C) It's all too much about the car and then which driver the team likes better. 436. MarkMartinFan posted: 06.17.2014 - 7:13 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) I see a lot of people on this site that always bash how bad of a crew chief Alan Gustafson is. But it's crazy how he can be so bad and have 16 wins as a crew chief, coupled with a runner up points finish is 09 with Mark Martin. Let's compare those stats to my favorite crew chief who happens to have started the exact same year as Gustafson. Steve Letarte has 13 wins with also only one runner up finish in the points in 07 with Gordon. 437. SpeedWorld97 posted: 06.17.2014 - 10:32 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Also, I don't know how many people are watching, but the USA just beat Ghana in the their first game of the World Cup which brings me to a point that's relevant to something we talked about during the Michigan race. I don't like soccer, but I watched this game because I care about the USA. I think that's one of the problems I may have getting involved with F1...there's no successful American F1 team with American drivers. If there were I may care more than I do, which I do care (more than soccer, even), but it's something low on my priority list." I can definitely see where you're coming from. F1 really hasn't had a successful American in the series since Mario Andretti in the late 1970s, and he was not even an American born citizen but raced under the American flag since he was a U.S. citizen. I would not count Eddie Cheever as a "successful" F1 driver because other than a few podiums, he was never a threat to win championships. It all has to do with money; drivers from other countries bring in more than those in the U.S. It's the reason why Max Chilton, whose F1 career is staying afloat thanks to his dad's insurance company in Great Britain, has a ride over American Alexander Rossi, whose chances of making it into F1 grow slimmer by the year. Chilton is only taking up a spot on the grid thanks to his money when he's depriving actually talented drivers from making it to F1. In fact, F1 is currently suffering tv ratings declines worldwide, but I think much of that has to do with their wrongful switch to hybrid V6 engines this year I felt the same way watching the 24 Hours of Le Mans this past weekend. Did I want another Ferrari or Porsche team from somewhere in Europe winning in the GTE Pro class? No, I was pulling for the American Corvette Racing team because they were representing the U.S. on the world scale. IndyCar however is the one series where I don't care who wins; just as long as the driver have a good personality. I mostly cheer for Tony Kanaan (Brazil), James Hinchcliffe (Canada), and Josef Newgarden (USA). They all have 100x better personalities than most F1 drivers, so I want them to win regardless of their nationality. Of course with NASCAR, it's never really a issue when at least 40 of the 43 competitors every week come from America. 438. Scott B posted: 06.17.2014 - 10:39 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) The problems at Roush this season could have roots going back a few years. The loss of Matt Kenseth and his leadership (the role that Mark Martin also filled for so many years), and the decision to cut back of the development program in the lower series (ditching Trucks completely after 2009). That feeder program not only developed drivers, but young engineering talent that could be moved up. Those things may not have an immediate impact, but over time they catch up with an organization. 439. Sean posted: 06.17.2014 - 1:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "It's the reason why Max Chilton, whose F1 career is staying afloat thanks to his dad's insurance company in Great Britain, has a ride over American Alexander Rossi, whose chances of making it into F1 grow slimmer by the year." Chilton finished 4th in GP2 in 2012 before he went to F1, winning 2 races. Rossi finished 9th in GP2 last year winning 1 race, and is doing significantly worse this year. Yes, Chilton was driving for Carlin while Rossi is driving for Caterham, and I know Carlin is better, but still... Rossi, much like Conor Daly, is being overrated by the American public BECAUSE he is American. Maybe you could POSSIBLY argue Rossi is doing as well if you count the equipment difference, but I'd find that a rather hard sell. Chilton did more than Rossi and Daly have. If Chilton is not deserving of an F1 ride, they aren't either. And Chilton's done a nice job of finishing races despite his poor equipment at least. When GP2 championship contenders like Sam Bird and Luca Filippi can't even sniff F1 rides, it's hard for me to feel sorry for Rossi and Daly, who don't seem to have distinguished themselves that much in GP2/GP3 (at least enough to deserve an F1 seat). Rossi is better than Daly, but Daly is irritating me even more because it seems like he and his father have a sense of entitlement and seem to EXPECT either IndyCar or GP2 rides to be handed to Conor when he has merely shown to be okay, not great, in both Indy Lights and GP3. When Sage Karam and Sam Bird have to do one-offs all over the place because nobody is interested in hiring them full-time and the Dalys act like they should get those kind of opportunities even though Conor has been much less successful, I get annoyed. There hasn't been an American in F1 because there hasn't been anyone good enough who wanted to do it since Mario. Danny Sullivan's Tyrrell teammate Michele Alboreto won a race (looking at his season I'm sure he lucked into it) while Sullivan was an F1 reject (and wildly overrated as an IndyCar driver in my view because he drove for Penske during the era of CART when it was almost impossible for anyone outside Penske, Patrick, and Newman-Haas to win races). Bobby Rahal wasn't given a serious shot. Eddie Cheever in the grand scheme of things wasn't very good. Michael Andretti would have been able to do it but didn't take it seriously (trying to commute to races rather than devoting his life to it like his teammate Senna was doing). Scott Speed, much like Rossi and Daly, was hyped solely for being American with questionable accomplishments. I think the teams would hire American drivers if there was somebody coming up through the ladder who deserved it. I don't think there has been anyone, and the F1 teams aren't taking IndyCar seriously as a place to look for American talent (and never did take NASCAR seriously, where most of the American talent is...) As far as American road racing talent, Ryan Hunter-Reay is the best but is too old, and Jordan Taylor is the second best and the right age but doesn't seem seriously interested in launching an open-wheel career. (That's assuming that the best road racers aren't Cup drivers...that might have been debatable inthe Gordon/Gordon/Stewart era on the road courses, but I don't think any American road racer in Cup is at THAT level now...given Ambrose coming in and dominating in questionable equipment.) You can absolutely say that Max Chilton is crowding out talent who did better on the F1 ladder (Fabio Leimer, Sam Bird, Luca Filippi, etc...) But it's hard to say that Chilton is keeping Americans out of F1, when I think Rossi and Daly have both done less than Chilton. 440. Sean posted: 06.17.2014 - 1:32 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "I see a lot of people on this site that always bash how bad of a crew chief Alan Gustafson is. But it's crazy how he can be so bad and have 16 wins as a crew chief, coupled with a runner up points finish is 09 with Mark Martin. Let's compare those stats to my favorite crew chief who happens to have started the exact same year as Gustafson. Steve Letarte has 13 wins with also only one runner up finish in the points in 07 with Gordon." I find Letarte wildly overrated (he tends to get hyped for being good while Robbie Loomis tended to get criticized much more, which never made sense to me since Loomis was way more accomplished). I do give Letarte points for getting Junior (slightly) motivated again, but I don't think he's all that great (except for car setups). I agree with both cjs and murb about Childress and Roush. Both teams are using way too conservative setups, but I also think Carl Edwards is the only driver on either team who has any killer instinct at all (seriously, I now think Menard has the second most killer instinct on those two teams, and that's just sad). All the other drivers just drive around and don't really fight for positions, much like Kahne is doing. Sure, any of those drivers can luck into a win now and then, but they'll have to luck into wins (as Ryan Newman has been generally doing since he left Penske...he was never that great but only looked great because of Matt Borland's strategies in his early years...) Austin Dillon may be wildly overrated, but I think Kyle Larson has been even more overrated. He's being talked about like a future champion when he hasn't even led a lap not due to an exchange of pit stops yet. I think most people expected this from Larson, while after his winless championship, nobody expected much from Dillon. Everybody's going on about Larson being better than Montoya. He's been more consistent, but Montoya was actually fighting for race wins and I think the Ganassi cars are better this year... He's the best rookie, but I'm not all THAT impressed. I'd love to see what Allgaier could do in Larson's car. I wouldn't be surprised if he could do better. 441. Eric posted: 06.17.2014 - 1:39 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Scott B, It is more than Matt Kenseth and the decision to cut back of the development program in the lower series in terms of the roots of the problems Roush is having. Penske joining Ford in 2013 didn't help matters since it looks like Penske is Fords number 1 team. There also is the fact Roush downsized in cup teams after 2011 when UPS left Roush and David Ragan was gone from Roush as a result was UPS left Roush. The sponsor dollars UPS gave Roush was a huge amount and that meant Roush could spend more money on his races teams than he does now, but David Ragan was the wrong driver for that sponsorship. 442. JoeFan#66#87#8 posted: 06.17.2014 - 1:48 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Tomy Drissi is driving the #66 with sponsorship from Hercules. 443. cjs3872 posted: 06.17.2014 - 3:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) I'm not sure about Paul Menard being #2 among the Childress and Roush drivers when it comes to having killer instinct, Sean (#440). After all, Ryan Newman has, on more than one occasion, showed that killer instinct in late-race duels. He and Tony Stewart had a great battle at Loudon in a Chase opener on one occasion, and let's not forget his last lap pass to win the 2008 Daytona 500. You don't win the biggest race on the circuit with a last lap pass without that killer instinct, which is exactly what Newman did that evening. And last year, he won another of the big ones, the Brickyard 400, and when he got the lead on that last pit stop, he was running lap times at least equal to that of Jimmie Johnson, who was trying to chase him down. And let's not forget him not backing down from Dale, Jr. and becoming one of just two rookies ever to win the All-Star Race in 2002, and he nearly beat Matt Kenseth in the All-Star Race two years later, despite Kenseth having a much faster car. And unlike Carl Edwards, who has never shown the ability to get it done on the biggest stages, Newman has wins in both the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400 to his name, so he has gotten it done on the big stage, and while both have a win in the All-Star Race, Newman's came against much sterner competition. In fact, of the six drivers that drive full-time for Childress and Roush, I'll take Newman over any of the other five any day, and I'll also say this. Not counting Newman, I'll take Greg Biffle over the other four, mainly because he has successive victories in the Southern 500 to his name, and if not for some shoddy pit work in the Chase in 2005 (specifically in the race at Texas), Greg Biffle would likely have won the championship that year. I'll take Biffle and Newman over any of the other four any day. Edwards might be the best of that group overall, but on the bigger stages, I'll take Biffle and Newman over Edwards any day. The only reason Biffle has never tried to take the lead late in a plate race the last couple of years is because he knows that there was nothing to gain from trying to do so, either because he knew his car wasn't fast enough, or because he knew he would have been freight-trained by Chevrolets that were bracketing him on the track. And I also disagree with you regarding Kyle Larson. Sure he may not have led a lap under full racing conditions this year, but we must also remember what organization he happens to be racing for. The mere fact that he's challenged as much as he has in that particular car shows just how good he may end up being, and that he's as good as advertised. I look for Tony Stewart to find a way to put him in the #14 car when he hangs it up, if he's not with another top-notch team before that. He's currently with a team that can only carry him so far, and when that time comes when they've taken him as far as they can, he'll have to go somewhere else to reach his full potential. But there's not a driver that is superior to his team this year as much as Larson is superior to his team. The fact that Kyle Larson moved up to seventh in points, while Jamie McMurray's struggling to even stay in the top 20 is proof of that. 444. Sean posted: 06.17.2014 - 3:16 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "The fact that Kyle Larson moved up to seventh in points, while Jamie McMurray's struggling to even stay in the top 20 is proof of that." No, it's proof that he's been lucky. Jamie McMurray is 13th in average driver rating which means he is running better than he's finishing, mainly because he's been unlucky. Kyle Larson is 14th in average driver rating which means he is finishing better than he's actually running, mainly because he's been lucky. McMurray won the all-star race so I think Ganassi's had good equipment in general, especially compared to last year. Larson is the best rookie this year but much like the RCR drivers, he's finishing better than he's running. I think that has far more to do with luck than skill. Running position is what matters in reflecting future performance. The finish is the last data point. As for Ryan Newman, he has a history of lucking into his wins, usually based on his team giving him the lead and him holding onto it (including last year's Brickyard...he may not have CRACKED under the pressure, but he didn't really do anything either). I don't recall him forcefully taking the lead in very many of his wins (Loudon 2005 comes to mind). As for the 2008 Daytona 500, his line had more speed and he had his teammate pushing him...I wouldn't say HE really did much there either. I think he mostly lucks into wins everywhere... I say Greg Biffle lacks killer instinct (especially now) because much like Kahne, he doesn't even seem to TRY to contest wins anymore (recent Daytona 500s). Biffle once DID have killer instinct (2005-2006), but not so much anymore... As usual, you give way too much credit to drivers for winning specific races. I rate the short tracks and road courses way higher as far as pressure is concerned, but I wouldn't fault any driver NECESSARILY for not winning on one and I wouldn't elevate a driver or state that they could handle the pressure solely due to winning on one. I look for continued dominance. Newman was never really dominant except in qualifying but Borland made him look good. Biffle WAS dominant, very briefly, then fizzled out. 445. Anonymous posted: 06.17.2014 - 3:49 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sean (#439): Max Chilton was in his third year of GP2 in a relatively weak field, Rossi did his first season last year and the current rules seem to favour experience over raw talent (Vandoorne, Marciello and Palmer's results are evidence of that - Palmer is a fourth year GP2 driver vs the former who are series rookies). Aside from 2012 Chilton's open wheel career is very weak - 2 wins in 3 years (66 races) of Formula 3 competition. He's in F1 based on money, not skill. If it were about skill, then the likes of Robert Wickens and Sam Bird would be in F1 instead of the mediocre paydrivers Chilton and Ericsson. 446. Sean posted: 06.17.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Oh, I agree there were better choices than Chilton. What I wrote was more about criticizing Rossi and Daly being hyped solely because they're Americans. I don't think any of them deserve it in an ideal world but if Chilton doesn't Rossi doesn't either. I realize that junior formulas greatly reward experience (Zach Veach suddenly coming out of nowhere to be a dominant Indy Lights driver this year), but Rossi is doing worse this year than he did in the past... It was just SpeedWorld's argument that Rossi should be there and Chilton shouldn't that didn't sit well, when I don't think Rossi has really done anything to distinguish himself from Chilton. I wasn't saying there weren't better choices than Chilton, and I mentioned some (Bird, Filippi)... 447. cjs3872 posted: 06.17.2014 - 4:05 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sean, the thing with Biffle when it comes to those recent plate races is that, if he had tried a move in the closing laps, it's a guarantee that he would have gotten freight-trained, because either his car wasn't fast enough (as was the case in the 2012 Daytona 500), or he was bracketed from all sides by Chevrolets, which would have meant that if he had tried to make a move from second, he would have been lucky to have been anywhere in the top ten because if he tried to make a move on a Chevrolet, and had nothing but Chevrolets behind him, he would have gone straight to the back, and he knew it. And the same goes if he had been bracketed on all sides by Toyotas. And in the recent race at Talladega, his was the only competitive Ford left because all the others (2, 21, 22, 34, 38, and 99) were wiped out in crashes, or by mechanical failures (and the 17 and 43 were too far back to be of any assistance), so he had no help at all, because no Chevrolet or Toyota was going to directly help a Ford if they could help it. In short, in those races, he was essentially stuck in jail, with no decision but to stay in line until the final corner, but before he could make such a move, either he got moved on or the caution came out because of a crash behind him, eliminating any chance of him making a move. 448. murb posted: 06.17.2014 - 5:03 pm Rate this comment: (3) (0) I disagree about Larson being overrated. Is he talked about a little too much by the media? Maybe. But as a driver, I think he's absolutely meeting expectations, and in many cases, surpassing them. Even if he has lucked into a few of his good runs (I can only count two or three off the top of my head), the fact is that he is only in his third year TOTAL in stock cars. He's only going to get faster, smarter, and better overall as a driver as he gets more races under his belt. The thing I see in him that makes me such a believer is that he never panics when something goes awry. A good example was at Texas where they were complete garbage in all the practices, but he still finished 5th (and at one point he held his own in a great back and forth duel with Jeff Gordon, IIRC). Richmond is another example too. He got turned by Bowyer on the start, but he drove from dead last all the way through the field to finish well on the lead lap (yeah, with some help from the Lucky Dog and wave around, but if you're gonna discredit him for that then you have to discredit everyone else too). I do agree that Ganassi has improved their cars a TON this year (I think McMurray is gonna win a race at some point and make the Chase, and I also wouldn't be shocked if Larson makes the Chase either through points or a surprise win somewhere), but Larson is showing on the race track that he has everything it takes to be a really good Cup driver. He's aggressive but doesn't shoot himself in the foot by being over-aggressive (like Stenhouse), and he also has a really good head on his shoulders and doesn't throw in the towel when things get tough (like several drivers do). And like I said, the scary part is that he's only gonna get better. For his first year in Cup and only his third year total in stock cars, he's running superb. Honestly though, I've been impressed by all the rookies this year (except Ryan Truex). Dillon has done a good job and would be better if he and RCR weren't so damn conservative, Allgaier has REALLY impressed me in quite a few races now (I'm starting to think that he would be damn good if he could get a legit ride), Annett has had some impressive races where he has outrun people like Stenhouse, Danica, and Ambrose, and when Alex Bowman isn't suffering from BK's complete shitboxes, he has done as good a job as anyone else has in those cars. So I think this has easily been the best rookie class since 2006 (Hamlin, Bowyer, Truex). I think all of these guys (again, except Ryan Truex) are proving that they belong in Cup. 449. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.17.2014 - 7:02 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "I disagree about Larson being overrated." I agree. The last rookie to be this high in points after 15 races was a fellow named Jimmie Johnson and I'm not sure if any of y'all have ever heard of him, but he's actually gone on to have a pretty decent career. "Dillon has done a good job and would be better if he and RCR weren't so damn conservative" I had high hopes for Dillon, but at this point I think he may turn out to be a Ryan Newman-esque driver. Win a decent amount of races (including a few of the big ones), maybe be a legit threat for the championship one or two years, but that's about it. "I also wouldn't be shocked if Larson makes the Chase either through points or a surprise win somewhere" Would it really be a surprise at this point if Larson won a race? It wouldn't surprise me. 450. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.17.2014 - 7:11 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "You don't win the biggest race on the circuit with a last lap pass without that killer instinct, which is exactly what Newman did that evening." I remember that race very well and I'd say Newman winning was a result of Tony Stewart's lack of instinct (or faulty instinct) on the last lap, more than it was anything Newman did. He pretty much let Stewart make the wrong move then cruise to victory. Now I'm not taking anything away from Newman, he was in position and had to hold the guys behind them back, but if Stewart hadn't moved low on the last lap he probably would have won that race. 451. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.17.2014 - 7:19 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Jamie McMurray is 13th in average driver rating which means he is running better than he's finishing, mainly because he's been unlucky. Kyle Larson is 14th in average driver rating which means he is finishing better than he's actually running, mainly because he's been lucky." Couldn't that also be proof that Kyle Larson is just better at finishing races than McMurray? Or that McMurray is a choke artist? Those stats (as with most stats) can be interpreted pretty much any way you want. 452. DB1995 posted: 06.17.2014 - 9:34 pm Rate this comment: (0) (1) "Or that McMurray is a choke artist?" I have never seen anything that would say this is true 453. Chad's Hair Plugs posted: 06.17.2014 - 10:27 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Allgaier has REALLY impressed me in quite a few races now (I'm starting to think that he would be damn good if he could get a legit ride)" I think a good part of that is Turner stepping up and bringing in Steve Addington whose had experience with several top organizations rather than doing what might be the more popular and cheaper move in promoting Allgaier's crew chief in Nationwide up to Cup. On another point, I hope y'all like pink. I saw a report that when Sprint and T-Mobile merge, the Sprint name and imaging is going away. So the Cup series may have another title sponsor in name for 2015, 2016 or both years. 454. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.17.2014 - 10:33 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I have never seen anything that would say this is true" Nor have I. I was merely showing that the driver rating stats the Sean quoted could be interpreted any way the reader of those stats wanted to interpret them. 455. David posted: 06.17.2014 - 11:22 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "I was merely showing that the driver rating stats the Sean quoted could be interpreted any way the reader of those stats wanted to interpret them." Of course, it might bring up another discussion to say that Driver Rating has its flaws. "Couldn't that also be proof that Kyle Larson is just better at finishing races than McMurray? Or that McMurray is a choke artist?" Sure, finishes are important, but probably as often as not, luck (to use the term loosely) plays a significant role in them. That's why it's important to know how a team has been performing all season, whether it be in the pits, on the track, or even on Fridays. Racing will always have a greater degree of luck playing into it than other sports. That's just the nature of the game. 456. cjs3872 posted: 06.17.2014 - 11:36 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jamie McMurray is a choke artist? C'mon, Zack? There's no way anyone seriously could call a driver that has won both races at Daytona, the Brickyard 400, the All-Star Race, two races at Talladega, where anything can, and usually does happen, not to mention win in his second start with a capable past champion such as Bobby Labonte shadowing him for much of the end of the race on one of his best tracks a choker. McMurray's not the kind of driver that gets into position to win very often, but when he does, he almost always cashes in, and when he cashes in, it's usually in one of the sport's biggest events. In fact, he's the exact opposite of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch. When they get into position to win a big event, you figure that they're almost inevitably going to find a way to lose it. But at the same time, they're both frequent contenders, as their stats show. On the other hand, McMurray rarely gets into contention by comparison, but when he does, there's a better than average chance that he's going to pull through, and he almost never makes a mistake under those circumstances. There's no doubt that Busch and Edwards are better drivers than McMurray is, but under the bright lights, I'll take McMurray over either of those two any day. What I was implying by saying that Larson had moved up top seventh (eighth in reality, since he's tied with Joey Logano for that spot) while McMurray is struggling just to stay in the top 20 is that, while he runs well, McMurray just can't seem to get to the finish of a race without some kind of misfortune ruining his chances, usually not of his making, while Larson has been able to get to the finish, hence his high placing in the standings. Frankly, the one thing I think Larson has learned from McMurray is the ability to get to the finish of a race, because he was having trouble doing so before. In that respect, McMurray is doing an almost perfect job of being a mentor for Larson, just as he was mentored by Sterling Marlin more than a decade ago. And given how good a road racer McMurray is, if he were to win this coming week at Sonoma, I'm not sure it would be much of a surprise. If he gets into position, there's a good chance he may pull off the victory. 457. Rusty posted: 06.18.2014 - 7:11 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Has there really been anyone not named Kevin Harvick to have success at RCR since Dale's death? Jeff Burton had a brief resurgence in his career and then randomly went back to being a 20th place driver and Clint Bowyer had his moments here and there before ditching for MWR. But really, they just are a mediocre team and I think Harvick got the most out of those cars. He's performing at a higher level than his teammates at SHR this year two and two of them are Cup champions. The dude is an underrated wheelman, but I think his mental issues have kept him from putting it all together and getting a Cup title. So in general, RCR being poop this year doesn't surprise me since they lost the only driver they've managed consistent success with since Earnhardt and Dale was the only guy to string together a LOT of success for that organization. Their stable of drivers this year is a conservative rookie coming off the least impressive NASCAR championship ever, a mediocre driver whose managed a long career because of dad's money (Don't get me wrong, he's managed to improve and become respectable, but if it weren't for the Menard's money he would've been out of Cup before he started to get his solid level) and a has-been who was never that good. RCR should've pulled out all the stops to keep Kevin and I think they'll regret letting him walk. As for Roush, I'm slightly puzzled by their struggles but their performance has slowly declined over the years so it isn't shocking. I don't think Stenhouse is that talented and his career will probably follow a similar path of David Ragan's, by going to a junk organization to keep racing. Maybe he'll be as lucky as Ragan and manage to win once or twice. Biffle is always up and down, as is Edwards except his ups tend to be a lot higher than Biffle's (I mean he practically won the Cup title in 2011, no driver had more points than him, he just lost on a tiebreaker). 458. The Long Shot posted: 06.18.2014 - 9:04 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "On another point, I hope y'all like pink. I saw a report that when Sprint and T-Mobile merge, the Sprint name and imaging is going away. So the Cup series may have another title sponsor in name for 2015, 2016 or both years." I've also been hearing that Xfinity could potentially become the sponsor of the Grand National Series once Nationwide's deal ends. So we could be looking at the T-Mobile Cup Series (I like that title, actually; kind of like the TM Cup Series), the Xfinity Grand National Series, and the Camping World Truck Series by 2017. As for Kyle Larson, I've said all I need to say about him. I've watched almost all of the races this season, and he has looked damn impressive. He's aggressive, but at the same time shows incredible finesse with his car, is an intelligent racer, and most importantly, doesn't lose his cool during tough situations. It's for that last reason alone that I say that he is a better prospect than Kyle Busch was (everywhere else the two are pretty equal), and Kyle was maybe the best prospect of the decade. Sorry, but I really don't see where this "overrated" talk is coming from. 459. 18fan posted: 06.18.2014 - 3:56 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The only place the Kyle Larson overrated talk is coming from in my opinion is the media, especially from Darrell Waltrip. They seem to act like he's the only rookie who's run this well at his age (And they mention his age a lot more than they mention his extremely limited experience in stock cars, which makes his immediate success more impressive than his young age). I do think McMurray has had more bad luck than Larson has, as he has had problems not of his own making multiple times while running in the top 5 (Bristol and Kansas come to mind). Like Sean said, the one thing I would like to see Larson do is get up front and lead laps. 460. Sean posted: 06.18.2014 - 4:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I guess I'm responding to an argument that I've seen all over the place from a lot of dirt racing fans on IndyCar sites who act like dirt racers are the only "real racers" and grassroots prospects outside of dirt racing aren't worth noting. As I've said, I've been a bigger IndyCar than NASCAR fan lately and I've been reading and commenting on a LOT of Racer articles and it seems like 3 or 4 times a week there's somebody whining about how IndyCar "lost" Kyle Larson to NASCAR and how if all the USAC drivers who eventually dominated in NASCAR had made it to CART instead of the "unrelatable foreign drivers" (who were usually more likable than the American prima donnas emerging in NASCAR) who supposedly couldn't attract an American audience (even though most American sports fans LIKE the U.S. vs. the world aspect, I think) then all of IndyCar's problems would be solved and IndyCar would still be on the summit. I have been reading Robin Miller going on and on and ooooooon about Kyle Larson for almost five years hyping him the way the NASCAR media hyped Joey Logano while he tends to ignore American road racing prospects (i.e. the ones who are actually following the current IndyCar ladder - the USAC to IndyCar ladder broke in 1974 when USAC banned rear-engine sprint cars). Miller is always half good, half crap and always has been, so he's still worth reading. As if any driver at this point is seriously going to IndyCar instead of NASCAR if they are exclusively driving on ovals and have NASCAR opportunities? Tony Stewart was driving for billionaire John Menard in the IRL, who certainly could have afforded to pay anything to keep him, but couldn't or decided not to or whatever. USAC drivers are clearly better suited for NASCAR now (given oval racing and front engines), yet people are constantly whining about how those drivers have been "lost" to NASCAR, when USAC, not CART, severed that cord in the '70s. Besides back then the USAC IndyCar stars pretty much raced EVERYTHING, not just IndyCars, sprints, and midgets. Everything is specialized now so this would not be seen today. Even if that ladder HADN'T been cut, I doubt that USAC sprints and midgets would be good training for IndyCar today (although if that hadn't happened, I'm also almost certain there would never have been a split). The emerging road racing talents are pretty much ignored by the "old school open wheel fans" (because apparently the road racing grassroots drivers are "stuck-up snobs" and the sprint car drivers are "breaths of fresh air" when neither of those are remotely accurate statements) and the USAC drivers are hyped on and on and on as the future of racing (even ignoring the failures of J.J. Yeley, etc...) I guess I'm not criticizing the NASCAR reaction to Larson as much as the open-wheel reaction to Larson. Robin Miller was barely mentioning Sage Karam at all while going on endlessly about Larson, and the same for most of the traditional fans. I DO accept that they're both really hot prospects, but it seems like one type of driver is valued and the other is not, and that kind of disgusts me. I'm not one of those people who sees road racing as superior to oval racing (those European snobs annoy me too!), but I don't see oval racing as superior to road racing either, and stars at BOTH should be recognized (arguably, Karam is a better oval racer than road racer admittedly anyway). Ganassi certainly sees the value in both of them, although it's hard for me to fathom him having Karam sitting on the sidelines when he's employing Ryan Briscoe, but whatever... Larson has the right background for NASCAR, he will be successful, he will be a winner, he is the best rookie since Denny Hamlin in 2006, blah blah blah. I'll agree with all that. The context of the open wheel hype machine goes something like this: "We've lost Jeff Gordon, we've lost Tony Stewart, and now we're losing Kyle Larson too!" The implication from those dirt fans are that Larson is going to be as dominant as Gordon and Stewart and as big a star. Well, he won't be as big a star because NASCAR's popularity is plummeting and will continue to plummet now that it's going on FS1/NBC Sports next year. You know how the Logano hype got really old really fast for most of us including me (although he's good now)? When we saw Logano wreck Peyton Sellers to win the All-Star challenge before being stripped of the win and when he arguably shouldn't have even been in the race because he was becoming a Cup driver that season, he really got annoying very quickly. That's kind of how I feel about Larson. He's being hyped as the "great all-around driver" even though he lucked into his K&N East title in 2012 because Brett Moffitt got punted by Tyler Reddick on the last lap of the last race when Moffitt was going to win that championship (and now Larson's America's Great Hope while Moffitt can't even get a full-season Nationwide ride, although he probably will get one next year?) Larson was consistent there too but wasn't doing much dominating. Then he went winless in Nationwide (although he showed well). Then he was easily the worst of Ganassi's drivers in the 24 Hours of Daytona speeding in the pits seconds after entering the car (while Karam, with just as little experience in those sort of cars, ended up leading more laps than Dixon and Kanaan in his 2nd start at Sebring...) Then he made a horrible first impression at the Daytona 500 with his endless spinning. Then he lucked into a 2nd place finish on a green-white-checkered sending the hype machine into overdrive. YES, he's improved. YES, he's the best rookie since 2006. YES, he deserves his hype a bit more than Logano did in 2009. But ultimately, he's been hyped ridiculously by the open-wheel fans when he's merely been pretty good. The NASCAR response has been fairer, but still overblown. I guess I'm criticizing an argument that hasn't seriously been made here (but one that has deeply annoyed me elsewhere), so for attacking a straw man, I'm sorry. 461. Sean posted: 06.18.2014 - 4:01 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) The other thing that really bothers me is the comparison between Larson and Montoya/McMurray. Yes, Larson is more consistent than Montoya has been as far as running in the back half of the top ten. However, I think the Ganassi cars are a lot better this year (and I think Hendrick engines generally are a lot better this year, and Ganassi is reaping the benefits just as the #4 team is). Jamie McMurray won the all-star race. Did Kyle Larson win the Showdown (as I honestly expected he would)? Nope. Montoya took worse cars last year and actually fought for wins, yet the rap on Montoya is that he was a "total bust in NASCAR" or "totally worthless" (from the oval-only NASCAR fans who insist that CART/F1 cars solely drive themselves, and NASCAR's where the only "real racers" are) and he was ultimately the butt of jokes ("run into any jet dryers lately", even when that was just a freak accident). If Montoya is a total bust in NASCAR (and I'll agree he was disappointing, and is disappointing in IndyCar this year...I really expected him to be faster than Castroneves), what does that make Larson, who hasn't even made a pass for the lead yet in Cup? Yet it seems like he's been completely free from criticism, and everybody is going on about how Larson is doing SO MUCH better than Montoya (it's close, and I probably would take Larson's consistency over Montoya's less consistency and two near-misses) when he really isn't and how Larson is doing so much better than McMurray when again he really isn't... I expect Larson will accomplish some big stuff, but right now I'm thinking much more on the Newman/Kahne level than the Gordon/Stewart level, yet his hype runneth over, and at the expense of plenty of other drivers I don't really consider to be worse... One last point: if Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart HAD gone to IndyCar instead of NASCAR, CART still would have had no idea how to promote them. All the IndyCar sanctioning bodies (USAC, CART, AND IRL) had no idea how to promote their drivers to the degree NASCAR did, so NASCAR was going to win regardless of which series was putting on superior racing or which series had superior drivers (I think it was really close in the early '90s...) I don't think Gordon and Stewart would have been as successful against a full field in IndyCar as they were in NASCAR, but I still think they'd have been good. Maybe Greg Moore/Gil de Ferran level stars, and how famous were THOSE drivers relative to the drivers emerging in the same period in NASCAR? Marketing drives everything. That's why I guess it irks me to see IndyCar reporters and fans hyping Larson to oblivion as he's an emerging NASCAR driver. It's really bizarre to hear IndyCar fans who don't like NASCAR being the cheerleaders who turn NASCAR rookies into household names, while IndyCar's like Mikhail Aleshin are treated like the butt of jokes even though he did beat Daniel Ricciardo for the Formula Renault 3.5 championship, and Ricciardo just won the last F1 race... I'll give that my argument is more about drivers from outside sprint cars being UNDERVALUED in this country than that Larson is necessarily being overrated, even though I believe both. How many recent NASCAR late-model-style drivers have broken through without being related to a past driver or being part of the Drive for Diversity program (not that I have a problem with either of these things, per se)? Not nearly enough. Larson having a full-time Cup ride while Moffitt is making one-offs in Cup but isn't being given a full-time Nationwide or truck ride speaks volume. 462. murb posted: 06.18.2014 - 4:51 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "what does that make Larson, who hasn't even made a pass for the lead yet in Cup?" I'm not really judging Larson on his ability to lead laps in Cup yet, since he's not even halfway through his rookie season. The reason I'm so high on him is purely because of his massive potential. And as far as "Larson vs Montoya" is concerned, I think ultimately Larson will end up being ions better than Montoya in Cup, but that also doesn't mean that I think Montoya was a bust in Cup, because he certainly wasn't. I think the biggest knock people have against Montoya's Cup career is that he never won an oval race. But if you think about it, there's at least four or five oval races that he SHOULD have won (2009 Indy if he doesn't speed on pit road, 2010 Atlanta where he probably would have passed Kurt Busch if Carl Edwards doesn't go apeshit on Keselowski, and 2010 Indy where Brian Pattie screwed up pit strategy - and there's also Spring Dover last year where he was really close to winning before Tony passed him - AND he was really close to winning one of the Richmond races last year, I think). But yeah, I definitely disagree with those people who say Montoya was a bust in Cup. I do think Larson is going to be a way better Cup driver than Juan, but Juan still did a great job in Ganassi's cars when they weren't that good (2008 comes to mind - Ganassi was pathetic that year but Juan still had quite a few great runs). Also real quick, I know Gordon and Stewart have been the go to comparisons for Larson so far (understandably so), but I've actually seen a lot of Matt Kenseth in him this year. Not necessarily in his driving style, but just the way he works on his car and winds up getting overachieving finishes quite a bit reminds me a lot of Kenseth. His driving style reminds me of a young Gordon, and the way he kind of methodically races reminds me a bit of Kenseth. I think that's a pretty interesting hybrid. 463. Jack Kevorkian posted: 06.18.2014 - 5:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Hello, I'd like to speak to Vicente del Bosque! 464. RCRandPenskeGuy posted: 06.18.2014 - 11:12 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Going into this season, I thought Larson was going to be more like Logano in '09 (although he had a full season's worth of starts in Nationwide compared to the handful Joey had going in to '09). I thought it was a mistake putting Larson in Cup this early, and that he would surely struggle, not just because of inexperience but because of Ganassi's equipment as well. I was wrong on both counts, as Larson seems to be ready and Ganassi cars have actually had speed in them this year. But yeah, some people in the media do act like he's the first rookie to run this well. We've had tons of rookies come into Cup and be an actual threat from the get-go (Edwards, Hamlin, Stewart, Johnson etc.). And to add to the RCR discussion, nobody except Harvick won a lot for them after they lost Dale. Even Harvick was a streaky driver at first, but he's improved as a driver and has complained less on the radio in recent years. Greg Biffle seems to do what his car does nowadays. As I have said before, I think he's on the way to backing out of his Cup career similar to how Geoff Bodine did. 465. numbah10hatah posted: 06.19.2014 - 10:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (1) Tomy Drissi now in the #66 466. NicoRosbergFan posted: 06.19.2014 - 10:53 am Rate this comment: (0) (2) "I wonder if this race will also have an all-time worst rating. " It did... lowest since 1996. 467. Sarf52 posted: 06.19.2014 - 12:15 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Where have the ringers gone? Only Said and Drissi in the cup race, and waaaay less than usual in the NNS race. 468. jabber1990 posted: 06.19.2014 - 1:23 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There is a rumor Edwards is going to the #18, and Kyle brings over Monster Energy 469. Rusty posted: 06.19.2014 - 1:38 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) I think the hype for Larson's performance as rookie stems from the fact that we haven't had a real competitive rookie in a while. Look at who has won ROTY the past few years. 2013 Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. - Wasn't horrible, but wasn't competitive either. 2012 Stephen Leicht - I actually wasn't even aware he won until just now. 2011 Andy Lally - lol 2010 Kevin Conway - Don't even get me started. 2009 Joey Logano - Wasn't exactly successful as a rookie. 2008 Regan Smith - Had no top 10s, though some argue over the controversial Talladega race. 2007 Juan Pablo Montoya - He did win but only had 6 top 10s and finished 20th in points. Denny Hamlin was the last successful rookie of the year winner back in 2006. Larson being in the top 10 in points is impressive and is drawing hype since most rookies these days are back markers. 470. murb posted: 06.19.2014 - 2:37 pm Rate this comment: (2) (0) "Edwards is going to the #18, and Kyle brings over Monster Energy" I don't know if Carl would be in the #18 car, but he would takeover the M&M's sponsorship while Kyle's new sponsor would be Monster. I actually hope this happens, if for nothing else, so Monster and Kyle could hopefully stop running 25+ NNS races. 471. The Crimson King posted: 06.19.2014 - 3:47 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I still think Larson will win a race before the year is over. Is he a bit overhyped? Yeah a bit, but the kid's got a lot of talent and I think he can cash in on it at least once before the chase starts. Will he win the title? Disregarding an unbelievable string of luck going his way, absolutely not. 472. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 06.19.2014 - 5:18 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Where have the ringers gone? Only Said and Drissi in the cup race, and waaaay less than usual in the NNS race." I believe several factors are at work. 1. It takes a lot of money just to run 1 race these days, Kenny Wallace said last year to get in a competitive car owners want AT LEAST $100,000 PER RACE. For ringers, they are only in the race to win and getting in a car that doesn't have a chance at winning is pretty much useless, and they aren't as many open spots at race winning teams as there used to be. Plus, with such a gap in speed and horsepower between the have's and have not's in the Nationwide series, there's just a handful of spots worth buying for the race anyway. There's maybe 3-5 cars during companion weekends and 8-12 cars on standalone weekends that can win an NNS race no matter who's driving, and even that might be a generous number. 2. With so many drivers bringing their own sponsorship these days, the days of a sponsor allowing team owners to remove the regular driver for the week to bring in a ringer are over. 3. At least in terms of the cup series, the drivers have gotten better at road course racing and there's no need to bring in ringers anymore. One driver that usually runs the NNS road races for Dale Jr.'s team, Ron Fellows, cannot drive this year because his sponsor (Canadian Tire) apparently conflicts with NAPA and they would not allow Fellow's sponsor to be on the car (even though it would have been the #5 and no logo's would have appeared on the #9 car). 473. murb posted: 06.19.2014 - 5:59 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Erik Jones will drive the JGR #20 NNS car in three races later this year. Cool to see him getting a legit shot in NNS. 474. MarkMartinFan posted: 06.19.2014 - 10:57 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Jayski is reporting that Edwards to JGR is a done deal. Without word on an announcement date. But to go back to somebody's point earlier, I could see Carl going to the 18 and Kyle taking his team with Monster Energy sponsorship to a car numbered 54. 475. 18fan posted: 06.19.2014 - 11:07 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) 474, so that's a situation similar to what Penske did in 2011 when Shell-Pennzoil wanted to sponsor Kurt, so he took what was the #2 team in 2010 and it became the #22 team and Brad and the #12 team became the #2 team. 476. Eric posted: 06.19.2014 - 11:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) There is question with the sponsors of the 99 car since Carl is leaving Rush. I want to know what Subway,Fastenal, Aflac, Kellogg's future plans in NASCAR because that could mean Roush will Replace Carl with another driver for making Roush into a 4 car team in cup. 477. David posted: 06.20.2014 - 12:26 am Rate this comment: (1) (0) I know that it is actually June 20 in the site time, but I thought I'd mention that today was the 65th anniversary of the very first NASCAR Strictly Stock race in Charlotte. And of course, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that fellow Kansan Jim Roper won. 478. cjs3872 posted: 06.20.2014 - 12:44 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Either that, or Roush could simply move the current #99 team to what will be the #6 team next year, Eric. Right now, the last thing Roush needs to do is to expand his team back to four cars, considering that he's having trouble just keeping three competitive. With it being leaked that Greg Biffle staying at Roush is pretty much a done deal, what I see potentially happening is that what is the #99 team may very well be the #6 team for 2015, with Roush staying a 3-car team. Remember that while AdvoCare has signed on to move to the Cup Series with Trevor Bayne next year, I hardly think they'll be his only sponsor next year, and that they may go with Trevor to what would be the #6 car. In fact, I think Kellogg's would be a perfect fit for Trevor, considering the age demographic, and Fastenal has been a Roush sponsor for years, so I don't see anything happening there. Aflac and Subway might be a different story, as they might move with Edwards to JGR, if he is, indeed moving there, go to another team, or leave the sport completely. But given the state of the organization at Roush, expanding would be a terrible idea, because that would only spread the organization thinner and possibly send them on the road to oblivion. After all, with one of the teams (the #17) already not competitive and Trevor Bayne's medical status perpetually up in the air due to his having MS, it makes no sense for them to expand. 479. The Crimson King posted: 06.20.2014 - 1:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) It's painful to watch Roush in this state. 480. DB1995 posted: 06.20.2014 - 2:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I can see Aflac leaving, i mean they sponsor like 3 races a year and they even quit showing Carls commercials. I hope the 99 team does become the 6 team, just because i think Trevor and Jimmy Fennig will make a great pairing together. And i am pretty sure Advocare signed on to be Trevors full time sponsor in every race. 481. 1995 Subaru WRX STi posted: 06.20.2014 - 5:01 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) "It's painful to watch Roush in this state." That would Jacks fault. Jack has had alot of talented (or the very least capable) drivers in his stable and has screwed most of them out of rides. He also askes ALOT of money from sponsers. Jack isn't a cheap guy too work for. Jack going too 2 cars would be the best for him right now. He'll have a vetern in Greg Biffle and a young gun in Trevor Bane. 482. cjs3872 posted: 06.20.2014 - 6:00 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) How do you figure that Roush has screwed many of his drivers out of rides, 1995 Subaru? Most of the guys he's released couldn't cut it in that caliber of equipment, or did as well as they were going to do when they were released (Ted Musgrave is an example of this). The one real blunder he made, in terms of keeping and releasing drivers, was releasing Jamie McMurray when NASCAR forced him to go from five to four cars. To me, that was his biggest blunder where that was concerned. And Jamie was never comfortable in such a high profile ride, or with Roush's setups. But Jamie was a vast improvement over what David Ragan could give him. And as for him not being able to keep sponsors, that's not on Roush. After all, he never had that problem until he got teamed up with the Boston Red Sox. That's when his sponsorship problems began in earnest. Before that, when he lost a sponsor, usually one would come and replace it, but after the Red Sox got involved with Fenway's team, the sponsorship opportunities dwindled, because the Red Sox had a say in what sponsorships Roush could have, and they are much more selective that Roush ever was. There may have been sponsorships that Roush wanted to have, but the Red Sox shot those ideas down because of conflicts with the Red Sox. As I've noted before, at the time Roush partnered with the Red Sox, he had 11 fully sponsored teams spread across all of NASCAR's major series. Now, he has only four or five. Because of Roush's association with the Red Sox, the sponsorship opportunities he has are more limited than other major NASCAR teams that don't have to worry about what another major sports organization thinks about a certain sponsor. But I also disagree that Roush should cut back even more. I think three teams is good, especially with two of them having young drivers. What I'm unsure about is what kind of mentor Greg Biffle is going to be to both Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. and Trevor Bayne. I will say this. If Stenhouse's performance gets better next year (and it can't get any worse) and he becomes a contender, at least for top 5-10 finishes, then something must be said about Carl Edwards possibly dragging the rest of the organization down. We know that Edwards did not get along with Matt Kenseth, and I don't think he's gotten along with Stenhouse all that well, either, and if Stenhouse improves with Edwards gone, it may say something about Edwards being a minor cancer to that organization. Edwards is respected, but I don't think he's well liked at Roush, because when he had his battles with Kenseth, everyone at Roush took Kenseth's side, and I mean everyone. Same thing with him and Greg Biffle last year. I remember that there were a couple of races last year where Edwards complained about Biffle not helping him, especially one of the races at Michigan, where Edwards was upset at Biffle for not slowing down to help him get trash off the grill, and if I remember right, Edwards even confronted Biffle about that afterwards. But that's not Biffle's job. What he was doing there was to ask Biffle to compromise his own race to help him, and I'm glad that Biffle didn't do it. I think when Edwards does depart, we're going to be hearing more and more about how bad a teammate Edwards was. Might we al be missing one big problem at Roush, and that is the negative influence Carl Edwards has seemed to have there, especially with Matt Kenseth gone. Perhaps the best thing that could happen at Roush is for Carl Edwards to leave, because that might actually help the chemistry between all the drivers and teams there. Team chemistry has always been a strength at HMS, and that has seemed to be lacking at Roush ever since Matt Kenseth left, and if Edwards leaves, the possibility exists that the team chemistry Roush has lacked may return. 483. Jim Davis posted: 06.20.2014 - 6:54 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "After all, he never had that problem until he got teamed up with the Boston Red Sox. That's when his sponsorship problems began in earnest." I think the timing here is coincidental. The difficulties in finding sponsorship were due to the tanking economy, not the partnership with the Red Sox. All teams are having sponsorship troubles; Roush could hardly expect to escape them. 484. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.20.2014 - 7:51 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) In other silly season news, considering Farmer's is already having a "Design Kasey's 2015 Car" contest, I think it's safe to assume that Kahne will be back for at least one more season barring injury, death, suspension, or a major falling out with Mr. Hendrick and the sponsors. A sponsor wouldn't spend money on promotion like that unless they had a really strong feeling he would be back. 485. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.20.2014 - 7:53 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "After all, he never had that problem until he got teamed up with the Boston Red Sox. That's when his sponsorship problems began in earnest." I believe we call that post hoc ergo propter hoc... 486. murb posted: 06.20.2014 - 8:40 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Most of the guys he's released couldn't cut it in that caliber of equipment, or did as well as they were going to do when they were released (Ted Musgrave is an example of this)." I can see the point on Musgrave, but there was no way in HELL that Kevin Lepage was gonna do a better job than Musgave in the 16 car (and to no one's surprise, that's exactly what happened). Overall though, there have been plenty of drivers that Roush has screwed out of rides and potentially good careers, including Erik Darnell (won two Truck races and almost always brought home his equipment clean, but Jack decided to develop Stenhouse instead), Danny O'Quinn (won Busch Series ROTY, but then Roush dumped him and he was never heard from again), Colin Braun (another Truck Series winner who also ran mostly good for Roush in NNS), and Todd Kluever (he wasn't great in the lower series, but showed a little potential - he was actually signed on to replace Mark Martin in the 6 car, and then Roush changed his mind in the middle of the off-season and gave the ride to David Ragan - who had even less experience than Kluever). I'm not saying that any of those guys would have became Cup superstars (though I do think Darnell could have been a good Cup driver), but Jack completely gave up on all of these guys while they still had quite a bit of potential left (and in Kluever's case, Jack gave up on him before he even ran ONE RACE in the 6 car). So yeah, I think Jack deserves a ton of flack for screwing over some of these drivers, and ultimately, for why his organization continues to be at the bottom of the "elite teams" list. I don't deny that the Red Sox group that co-owns the team does some sleazy stuff behind the scenes, but the majority of Roush's shortcomings should be blamed on Jack himself. He is impatient with young drivers who aren't blazing fast right out of the gate (Stenhouse and Ragan are the only guys I've ever seen him stick with after their slow starts), he messes with team chemistry too much and is always breaking up driver/crew chief combos, and he also worries way too much about points racing and has his teams run too conservatively (how he lost the 2002 and 2011 titles). Basically, I think all of that is pretty much why Roush Racing doesn't have as many championships as they should. He is one of the greatest owners in Nascar history, but he's also made A LOT of blunders and shafted a lot of potentially good drivers. 487. 1995 Subaru WRX STi posted: 06.20.2014 - 8:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Overall though, there have been plenty of drivers that Roush has screwed out of rides and potentially good careers, including Erik Darnell (won two Truck races and almost always brought home his equipment clean, but Jack decided to develop Stenhouse instead), Danny O'Quinn (won Busch Series ROTY, but then Roush dumped him and he was never heard from again), Colin Braun (another Truck Series winner who also ran mostly good for Roush in NNS), and Todd Kluever (he wasn't great in the lower series, but showed a little potential - he was actually signed on to replace Mark Martin in the 6 car, and then Roush changed his mind in the middle of the off-season and gave the ride to David Ragan - who had even less experience than Kluever)." You forgot Stanton Barrett. Did very well in races in which Greg Biffle wasn't racing in 2003. Jack dumped him. Stanton almost made Jack eat his words when in 2005 he was 5 laps away from winning the Mexico race when he spun out in a underpowered car. All those guys Murb named and Stanton could have had decent NASCAR carrers if wasn't for Jack Roush. 488. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 06.20.2014 - 9:09 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "In other silly season news, considering Farmer's is already having a "Design Kasey's 2015 Car" contest, I think it's safe to assume that Kahne will be back for at least one more season barring injury, death, suspension, or a major falling out with Mr. Hendrick and the sponsors." Was it ever in question that Kasey wouldn't be back next year? I don't think this is a contract year for him. 489. Dave #38 Fan-Go Gilliland! posted: 06.20.2014 - 9:26 pm Rate this comment: (1) (0) Murb, you mentioned that Roush fired Todd Kluever before even giving him one race in the #6 car, but Kluever actually made 4 cup starts in 2006 in the #06 car and was beyond unimpressive, with finishes of 41, 43, 32, and 39 in those 4 races. In addition, he failed to qualify for three addition cup attempts that season. Not exactly a steller cup resume for the guy you're going to potentially put in your flagship car. That being said, David Ragan was an even worse choice in my opinion. Ragan had just two cup starts in 2006, finishing 42 and Dover and 25th at Martinsville. I don't remember exactly but I think he caused a couple wrecks and Martinsville because he was going to attempt the next week's cup race and Atlanta but had to withdraw his entry because Nascar told Roush they would not let him drive a 1.5 mile track after his Martinsville performance. He actually attempted the next week's race at Texas and again at Homestead and failed to qualify for both. Honestly what Roush should have done is move McMurray to the #6 car and maybe dropped the #26 team down to part-time for Ragan or Kluever or someone else. I think long-term, Ragan has ended up being a better cup driver than Kluever would have been, Kluever was pretty uminpressive in trucks (although he was going to pass Dennis Setzer at IRP had a late race caution not come out and Setzer got an amazing restart and pulled away for the win). But the rest of the drivers that have been mentioned were all pretty much screwed by Roush. Erik Darnell was good in trucks in 2006, 2007, and 2008, and Roush "rewarded" him in 2009 by giving him a partial Nationwide schedule, splitting the #6 car with David Ragan, instead of having him drive full-time, while running Paul Menard, Matt Kenseth, and Greg Biffle in a majority of the races that year in addition to Carl Edwards full-time effort. Colin Braun was actually a little better than Stenhouse on average in 2010 (he didn't have the late season turnaround but he never DNQ'd for any races and he wrecked a lot less). Considering how bad Roush's NNS cars were in 2010 overall, Braun should have been given at least another year. Danny O'Quinn Jr. won rookie of the year in the Nationwide series for Roush in 2006, a feat in and of istelf considering that Roush had teams for Edwards, Kenseth, and Biffle in NNS that year and O'Quinn was getting the short stick in terms of attention and equipment, and he still won ROTY. Roush has a history of that actually. Some of his teams get more attention that others and some of his drivers get the short stick. Back in the 90's, Martin and Jeff Burton got the good stuff while Ted Musgrave for the most part, Johnny Benson, and Chad Little got crap. Even recently, Kenseth, Edwards, and Biffle got the good stuff while Ragan and McMurray got crap. I would hate to see the series lose a team but I'd love to see Jack Roush go. In a perfect world he'd hand the team over to someone competent like Robbie Reiser and go on his marry way. I think Penske's performance with Ford this year has proved that the reason that Ford has continually lagged behind Chevy, Toyota, and even Dodge at some points isn't a issue with Ford, it's an issue with Jack Roush and how he runs his team. 490. murb posted: 06.20.2014 - 9:52 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) I agree about Kluever, Dave. I don't think he would have done any better than Ragan did in that car. I'm just saying that it's kind of a dick move to hire somebody (even to the point of officially announcing it - I remember seeing sponsor pictures with Kluever in an AAA uniform standing next to the 6 car), and then change your mind in the off-season and go with a different driver that has even less credentials (which was Ragan at the time) than the guy you originally hired. I agree with you too about how he should have just moved McMurray to the 6 car. I think when he hired McMurray that was actually the original plan (to have Jamie drive it after Mark "retired"), but then the whole Kurt Busch fiasco happened at the end of 2005, so McMurray just ended up replacing Busch. 491. Zackary Shawn posted: 06.21.2014 - 12:33 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) "Was it ever in question that Kasey wouldn't be back next year? I don't think this is a contract year for him." I think there are some who believe that, due to Kasey's struggles in Cup and Chase Elliott's success in Nationwide, that Kahne would be released early. I think this contest all but puts those rumors to rest. 492. Scott B posted: 06.21.2014 - 3:29 am Rate this comment: (0) (0) Chase may make a few Cup starts in 2015 to get seat time, but I don't expect to see him full time before 2016 regardless of how well he's doing in Nationwide this year. 493. Sean posted: 06.21.2014 - 12:13 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) "The one real blunder he made, in terms of keeping and releasing drivers, was releasing Jamie McMurray when NASCAR forced him to go from five to four cars. To me, that was his biggest blunder where that was concerned. And Jamie was never comfortable in such a high profile ride, or with Roush's setups. But Jamie was a vast improvement over what David Ragan could give him." I think we all agree that McMurray is a better driver than Ragan, including Roush, but there's a reason McMurray was released instead of Ragan even though he was superior. Back in 2005 McMurray was considered the hot prospect in Cup and was generally expected to do more than it has turned out he has done, with a massive salary to match because he was wanted by several different teams. Kurt Busch supposedly left Roush because McMurray was being paid more, even though McMurray only had one win at the time while Busch was the defending champion. That means McMurray was being paid a LOT, and surely Ragan was not. Although Ragan did worse than McMurray, he underachieved relative to salary expectations less than McMurray did, so that's why McMurray was released. I'm sure McMurray now has a salary closer to his talent level. He was expected to be a perennial contender in 2004-2005 and it never really turned out that way, but he's still proven to be a good driver. 494. cjs3872 posted: 06.21.2014 - 2:10 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) As I said Sean, McMurray was never comfortable in such a high profile ride, and I believe that was one reason for his struggles at Roush. he was never comfortable there because of how profile a ride Roush was. Frankly, I believe Terry Labonte was never comfortable with Junior Johnson for the same reason. McMurray has always seemed to me to be one of those drivers that doesn't like the limelight of driving for a high profile team, and preferred driving for a lower profile team, such as Ganassi. And when he left Roush and rejoined Ganassi, he had his best season. I also find it odd that Roush had two drivers from the same state that couldn't be any more different. McMurray shunned the limelight of a top team, while fellow Missourian Carl Edwards can't get enough of the spotlight, and as I said, I think that we may learn just what a bad teammate Edwards was when he leaves, and that if Roush improves next year with him gone, we may hear a more about the teamwork and camaraderie between the Roush drivers that hasn't been seen in years, mainly due to the cancer that's been spreading through that organization, because Carl Edwards has seemed to have problems with the other drivers (read post #482 for more on that subject), but the other Roush drivers have rarely had problems with each other, and if the teamwork over there improves with him gone, that will say a lot about the potentially negative influence Edwards had on the Roush organization. 495. David posted: 06.21.2014 - 2:24 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) No one wants to remember this, but one year ago today, I officially lost my mind I discovered HTML code for the first time on here, leading to The Great HTML Battle of 2013. 496. numbah10hatah posted: 06.21.2014 - 8:42 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) How do you do that anyway??? 497. CBASS posted: 07.01.2014 - 6:25 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Sponsor updates #5 Farmers/ Team Stream from Bleacher Report #51 Carcoon Airflow System/ CSS USA #16 3M Aerospace/ D.A.V. #47 Charter/ Kingsford/ Scott Products #17 EcoPower Re-Refined Oil #40 CRC Brakleen/ K&W FiberLock (2 different products) #55 Aaron's "Own It" #83 Burger King/ Dr. Pepper 498. Jimmie4life posted: 07.11.2020 - 2:35 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Practice 1 results: https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/15mis2014prac1.pdf Practice 2 results: https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/15mis2014prac2.pdf Practice 3 results: https://www.jayski.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2019/05/15mis2014prac3.pdf 499. Rich posted: 12.06.2020 - 4:46 pm Rate this comment: (0) (0) Adam Alexander, Wally Dallenbach and Kyle Petty were the commentators. Ralph Sheheen, Chris Neville, Matt Yocum and Marty Snider were the pit road reporters. Larry McReynolds was the in-race analyst. Lindsay Czarniak was the studio host. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ *Post a comment:* Your comment may not appear immediately - all comments must be approved by the moderator. Name: Comment: