Official 2011 Nascar thread

• coyotes22

  

  Jr trying to stay positive, which is a good thing for the team:
  

  "I think we can go everywhere and move forward," Earnhardt said. "I feel real good about how we ran this year and I think we've got opportunities any time we show up to put together a good weekend. So I don't have that kind of worry that I used to have in the past, where I was very inconsistent. We run good and we're fast so I feel like any weekend could be an opportunity for us to put some points together.

  http://www.nascar.com/news/110713/drodman-notebook-dearnhardt-jr-new-hampshire/index.html
• GoChiefs

  

  Kyle grabs his 100 victory today in the Nationwide race and also ties Mark Martin as having the most wins in the Nationwide Series. They both are sitting with 49 wins. Kyle did it in 217 races, while Mark Martin did it in 236 races. Also, during a time where not many Cup drivers ran in the Nationwide series.
  
  
• GoChiefs

  

  coyotes22;831507 wrote:I like Bowyer, he has always been one of those drivers that flies under the radar. He seems to get along with all the other drivers. You dont usually hear him complaining about things.

  
  The wife got just a little pissed when he backed it into the wall at Kentucky.
• GoChiefs

  

  coyotes22;831509 wrote:Jr trying to stay positive, which is a good thing for the team:

  
  Yes, but how long can he keep that attitude? If things don't turn around quick, the Jr. of old might rear his ugly head again. His last 4 finishes were 30th @ Kentucky, 19th @ Daytona, 41st @ Sonoma, and 21st @ Michigan. Michigan and Daytona are normally his go to tracks, so that has to bum him out a little bit too. He's dropped from 3rd to 8th in points in just those 4 weeks. Only the top 10 make the chase this year don't forget, so he's close to being on that bubble and on the outside looking in again. Only 21 points separate him and 11th place in the standings. With only 8 races to go until the Chase begins, that's got to be in the back of his mind. Especially when Indy, Pocono, and the Glen, tracks he sucks at, are 3 of the last 8 races left before the Chase.
• Speedofsand

  

  Smoke finished 10th last night in The King's Royal. Tyler Walker won $50k for his birthday, Sammy Swindell was 2nd.
• Gardens35

  PRN's QuickCrete Concrete "Solid Performer" Award goes to Bobby Labonte!
• GoChiefs

  

  Another disappointing finish for the double duece. Up front all day and have to settle for 10th because of fuel. Jr. back another spot to 9th with 7 races to go. Hope he doesn't blow it because NASCAR needs him in the Chase.
• Gardens35

  According to his post race radio interview...Jimmie has a big problem with Montoya.
• skank

  

  Yeah, but he's a rapist....Oops, sorry, wrong thread.
• skank

  

  (smiley face).
• Speedofsand

  

  Newman's crew chief Tony Gibson is from Daytona Beach! Local Talent!
  Kick ass day for Smoke. He barely missed a wreck at The King's Royal that sent Joey Saldana to the Indy hospital for surgery on a shattered arm and to fix some broken ribs.
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;832518 wrote:Another disappointing finish for the double duece. Up front all day and have to settle for 10th because of fuel. Jr. back another spot to 9th with 7 races to go. Hope he doesn't blow it because NASCAR needs him in the Chase.

  
  No it doesn't.
• GoChiefs

  

  WebFire;832934 wrote:No it doesn't.

  
  Disagree 100%. It needs the most popular driver to at least have a shot at the Championship.
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;832937 wrote:Disagree 100%. It needs the most popular driver to at least have a shot at the Championship.

  
  Disagree 100%. He's only been in the Chase 3 times since it started with his best finish 5th place. Nascar will be just fine without him.
  
  One thing I've learned about pro sports over the years is that no 1 player or team is bigger than the sport. When a star falters, another will take over.
• GoChiefs

  

  Exactly. Look at the ratings during those 3 chases he made. That proves my point. Fact is, he is the biggest draw in NASACR. He is by FAR the most popular, and not having him in contention only hurts the sports ratings. It would be ignorant to think otherwise.
• WebFire

  I don't have the ratings. But people used to think the same of Earnhardt Sr., Rusty Wallace, Jeff Gordon, etc. But the sport goes on even after they retire. I don't think Nascar needs them.
  
  We can agree to disagree.
• GoChiefs

  

  I never said it wouldn't survive. That would be a dumb thing to think. I just said it needs him purely for ratings. Again, you'd be dumb to think having the most popular driver not having a shot at the Cup would hinder the final 10 races ratings a bit. I know when Kurt didn't make the Chase, I didn't care at all about the last 10 races.
• WebFire

  Hindering the ratings a bit is not the same as Nascar NEEDING him in the Chase.
• GoChiefs

  

  NASCAR NEEDS him in the Chase to help the ratings during the Chase. What's so hard about that to understand? It's the same thing that I've said from the beginning. Smh.
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;833407 wrote:NASCAR NEEDS him in the Chase to help the ratings during the Chase. What's so hard about that to understand? It's the same thing that I've said from the beginning. Smh.

  
  What's so hard to understand that disagree? Why do they need him? Are they going to fold? Lose money? Not get TV contracts renewed?
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;833407 wrote:NASCAR NEEDS him in the Chase to help the ratings during the Chase. What's so hard about that to understand? It's the same thing that I've said from the beginning. Smh.

  
  Also, this is what you said in the beginning. Nothing about ratings.
  

  Hope he doesn't blow it because NASCAR needs him in the Chase.

• GoChiefs

  

  WebFire;833494 wrote:What's so hard to understand that disagree? Why do they need him? Are they going to fold? Lose money? Not get TV contracts renewed?

  
  Yes, they do lose money. As he becomes less competitive, his merchandise sales decrease, as the last few years have proven.
  
  If ratings don't improve and keep dropping the way they have been, they could risk losing TV contracts as well down the road.
• GoChiefs

  

  WebFire;833497 wrote:Also, this is what you said in the beginning. Nothing about ratings.

  
  Well what else would I be talking about? You are probably the only person that read that and took it as "NASCAR will go under if Jr. doesn't make the Chase." You are honestly going to try and say it doesn't hurt the sport in any way (ratings wise since I guess that needs to be said) when the most popular driver isn't competitive? It would be absurd to think it doesn't.
• GoChiefs

  

  Fact is, NASCAR is in a downward spiral right now. Contribute part of that to Jrs lack of success or just a coincidence? I can see both sides. They need any help they can get. Jr. in the Chase is going to help if he's competitive. You can't argue that.
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;833555 wrote:Fact is, NASCAR is in a downward spiral right now. Contribute part of that to Jrs lack of success or just a coincidence? I can see both sides. They need any help they can get. Jr. in the Chase is going to help if he's competitive. You can't argue that.

  
  Sorry, coincidence. JMO and you don't have to agree.