Official 2013 NASCAR Thread

• GoChiefs

  

  Figured I'd start it before the Apocalypse came and it was too late. Some more changes in 2013.
  

  • The big one being the new car. From what it sounds like so far, the drivers are really liking it. They head to Daytona to test January 10-12.
  • Dodge will be absent from the series this year. Will they be able to put something together for 2014?
  • Penske swaps from Dodge to Ford.
  • After banning testing in '08, NASCAR will again allow a driver to test at 4 NASCAR sanctioned tracks in '13.
  • NASCAR has removed the Top 35 qualifying rule that was implemented in 2005. The top 36 starting positions will be set by qualifying speed. Positions 37 to 42 will be set by provisionals (based off owners points). Similar to previous seasons, the forty-third position will be given to the most recent series champion who didn't qualify on time or the next available team in owner's points. Unlike in previous years, the previous years' Owners points will only be used for the first three races of a season instead of five. Also, NASCAR instituted a random draw to determine qualifying order instead of inverting the first practice speeds. NASCAR stated the change was made due to teams manipulating their first practice run to get a later qualifying draw.
  • The change that I'm most excited about, NASCAR announced that the Craftsman Truck Series will race in the dirt at Eldora! That's going to be a must see.

  Significant Driver changes for 2013
  Danica Patrick will run full time in the Cup Series in the #10 car of Stewart-Haas Racing.
  Kevin Harvick says 2013 will be his last season at RCR.
  Kurt Busch gets probably one last chance as he will be behind the wheel of the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet. He will look to build on his season ending 3 straight Top 10's.
  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will move up from the Nationwide Series and get behind the wheel of the #17 Ford at Roush Fenway.
  Matt Kenseth will now drive the #20 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing.
  Joey Logano gets his shot wheeling the #22 Pennzoil Ford at Penske.
• Ironman92

  

  Does Mike Skinner still drive in the truck series?
• GoChiefs

  

  Skinner has just been racing a very limited schedule. Only 1 start in the Trucks in 2012, and 4 in the Sprint.
• Ironman92

  

  GoChiefs;1343933 wrote:Skinner has just been racing a very limited schedule. Only 1 start in the Trucks in 2012, and 4 in the Sprint.

  
  I knew he was one of the bottom half guys in NASCAR for some years but was pretty big in the truck series. His wife graduated two years before me from Jackson.....smokin
• GoChiefs

  

  Ironman92;1344059 wrote:I knew he was one of the bottom half guys in NASCAR for some years but was pretty big in the truck series. His wife graduated two years before me from Jackson.....smokin

  
• GoChiefs

  

  In case you didn't see it...here's video of testing at Eldora.
  
  [video=youtube;6V7GJdn9rZE][/video]
• Ironman92

  

  GoChiefs;1344069 wrote:

  
  Hot cheerleader in high school.....she is 40 now. Is that pic from her FB?
• Classyposter58

  

  That race is going to be an absolute demolition derby
• GoChiefs

  

  Ironman92;1344141 wrote:Hot cheerleader in high school.....she is 40 now. Is that pic from her FB?

  
  Just a google image.
• GoChiefs

  

  Classyposter58;1344224 wrote:That race is going to be an absolute demolition derby

  
  Considering most drivers come from a dirt background, I don't think it will be too bad.
• Speedofsand

  

  ARCA was testing at Daytona this weekend. Martinsville president Clay Campbell is driving. Pretty cool guy. He always comes in Feb because he is just that much of a race fan.
  "2013 Motorsports Thread" would have been a better title. Daytona is busy from now until middle of March. ARCA, GrandAm, Nascar testing, then Speedweeks, Bikeweek.
  I just heard last week about Mike Waltrip investing in the SPARC track in Cbus where Cooper stadium is. My dad worked right next door to that place. I got Mickey Mantle's autograph when I was a kid there. I am surprised they can build a track there because of noise in the city. Is the CMS track on Williams Rd still open?
• ts1227

  

  GoChiefs;1344230 wrote:Considering most drivers come from a dirt background, I don't think it will be too bad.

  I think it'll fall somewhere in between. They have the dirt background, but they aren't used to drifting around with something with a HUGE ass end on it like a truck. They're used to those trucks staying in line.
• GoChiefs

  

  ts1227;1344799 wrote:I think it'll fall somewhere in between. They have the dirt background, but they aren't used to drifting around with something with a HUGE ass end on it like a truck. They're used to those trucks staying in line.

  I'm sure they will have more practices than usual to be able to get used to it though.
• Enforcer

  

  Why isnt Dodge going to be running in the series this year?
• Gardens35

  Bobby Labonte is predicted to win the championship again in 2013.
• WebFire

  GoChiefs;1344893 wrote:I'm sure they will have more practices than usual to be able to get used to it though.

  And the'll pack the track so hard that it will almost be like asphalt. ARCA does, or at least used to, run a mix of asphalt and dirt tracks. You could hardly tell the difference.
• GoChiefs

  

  Enforcer;1344956 wrote:Why isnt Dodge going to be running in the series this year?

  
  The only team Dodge had was Penske, and he switched to Fords. They couldn't secure another team to run Dodge's in 2013.
• Classyposter58

  

  Hopefully these new cars are better at passing than the previous COT, that thing was boring
• said_aouita

  

  ts1227;1344799 wrote:I think it'll fall somewhere in between. They have the dirt background, but they aren't used to drifting around with something with a HUGE ass end on it like a truck. They're used to those trucks staying in line.

  I wonder how much slower the trucks will be than the late models who normally run at Eldora.
• GoChiefs

  

  Classyposter58;1345088 wrote:Hopefully these new cars are better at passing than the previous COT, that thing was boring

  Here's an article about some drivers opinions after Charlotte testing. I've yet to hear anyone say anything negative about it. The drivers really seem to love it so far.
  
  http://www.nascar.com/news/121211/2013-car-testing-charlotte/
• Speedofsand

  

  Austin Dillon tested the #3 Nationwide car at Mid-Ohio yesterday
• Gardens35

  GoChiefs;1343893 wrote:Figured I'd start it before the Apocalypse came and it was too late. Some more changes in 2013.

  • The big one being the new car. From what it sounds like so far, the drivers are really liking it. They head to Daytona to test January 10-12.
  • Dodge will be absent from the series this year. Will they be able to put something together for 2014?
  • Penske swaps from Dodge to Ford.
  • After banning testing in '08, NASCAR will again allow a driver to test at 4 NASCAR sanctioned tracks in '13.
  • NASCAR has removed the Top 35 qualifying rule that was implemented in 2005. The top 36 starting positions will be set by qualifying speed. Positions 37 to 42 will be set by provisionals (based off owners points). Similar to previous seasons, the forty-third position will be given to the most recent series champion who didn't qualify on time or the next available team in owner's points. Unlike in previous years, the previous years' Owners points will only be used for the first three races of a season instead of five. Also, NASCAR instituted a random draw to determine qualifying order instead of inverting the first practice speeds. NASCAR stated the change was made due to teams manipulating their first practice run to get a later qualifying draw.
  • The change that I'm most excited about, NASCAR announced that the Craftsman Truck Series will race in the dirt at Eldora! That's going to be a must see.

  Significant Driver changes for 2013
  Danica Patrick will run full time in the Cup Series in the #10 car of Stewart-Haas Racing.
  Kevin Harvick says 2013 will be his last season at RCR.
  Kurt Busch gets probably one last chance as he will be behind the wheel of the #78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet. He will look to build on his season ending 3 straight Top 10's.
  Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will move up from the Nationwide Series and get behind the wheel of the #17 Ford at Roush Fenway.
  Matt Kenseth will now drive the #20 Toyota at Joe Gibbs Racing.
  Joey Logano gets his shot wheeling the #22 Pennzoil Ford at Penske.

  
  Is this an OFFICIAL thread?
• GoChiefs

  

  It pains me to announce this, but per Jayski's, Robby Gordon does not plan on running in NASCAR races in 2013. That should bring the average caution flags per race down a little bit.
• WebFire

  Thank goodness.
• Speedofsand

  

  Tim Tebow's old Tbird getting overhauled in Petty's Garage. It will be auctioned for charity.