It's The Tires?

While taking a lap around the on-line auto racing news outlets today I came across an article on SB Nation that was very interesting. Basically it was a short Q & A between SB Nation's NASCAR commentator Jeff Gluck and Joe Gibbs Racing's Denny Hamlin. What got my attention was Denny's contention that Goodyear has done too good a job in producing tires that meet all the specs NASCAR and the racing teams have asked for. This is a relatively new achievement and according to Denny the new higher quality tires are responsible for all the new drivers visiting Victory Lane this year. The tires have leveled the field by allowing less experienced drivers to push their cars through situations that would have (with lesser tires) been impossible to survive. Here's a quote from Hamlin: "In the last year, guys are driving corner entry way harder than what they should be allowed to," he said. "And I think that's some of the reason you see some of the new drivers winning this year. You just don't pay a price anymore for overdriving your race car because everything is just so good now."

Hamlin also spoke about drivers like Mark Martin, drivers who have made their living in NASCAR by knowing how to save a vehicle, losing their advantage since the tires are so much more resilient and forgiving of hard driving.

Hamlin said the long running tires have effected the number of green flag pit stops that are now necessary too. This plays in on a crew chief's pit strategy. Fuel mileage rather than tire wear has become the primary concern. These new tires, making longer runs possible, have brought fuel mileage and driving to save fuel to the forefront... Denny contends this has lowered the importance of driving skill and has made pit strategy a much more important component.

Hamlin's answer? "I would like to see in the future tires that we run fast for a lap or two, but then drop off tremendously. That would force teams to pit for tires and not attempt a fuel mileage gamble or other pit strategy quite as often."

I'll ask you longtime NASCAR fans: Have you ever seen so many races in NASCAR's three major series being won by drivers whose vehicles are about to run out of fuel?

I keep thinking of that CWTS race last week when several of the trucks, right at the end of the race, suddenly started slowing down, out of fuel...

Then there was this finish at the Coca Cola 600 this year.

(You Dale Jr. fans might not want to watch this...)

Here's the link to SB Nation's article: http://www.sbnation.com/nascar/2011/9/3/2402903/denny-hamlin-nascar-atlanta-motor-speedway-2011

Grist for the NASCAR Rumor Mill

The talk started a few weeks back. Now with the announcement that Red Bull is planning to pull out of NASCAR at the end of the 2011 season, the speculation has kicked into high gear concerning who is going where prior to 2012.

First off, if it’s true about Red Bull, Brian Vickers will be looking for a new ride. Based on the fact that Red Bull bought out Ginn Racing a couple of years back, talk is now swirling that a new investor may step forward and take over the operation. Who might do such a thing has led to rumors that Mark Martin could be interested in leading a group to buy the team but as recently as yesterday Martin squelched that rumor stating in an interview on WindTunnel that he has no interest in owning a team. Then there’s talk that Red Bull’s general manager Jay Frye might try to line up an investor group to take over the organization. If something like that happens then Vickers may not have to leave. If a strong enough group steps forward and they remain a two car operation, then there will be a Sprint Cup ride available since Kasey Kahne is moving to Hendrick Motorsports next year. Here again there’s speculation that Martin would be a logical choice to move into this new team. Another rumor has Carl Edwards, who for some reason (more money?) hasn’t re-upped with Roush-Fenway, being the lead man in a buyout of Red Bull. This seems like a stretch to me, but who knows? Why hasn’t Carl followed right along with Greg Biffle and got a deal done with Jack Roush?

Speaking of Edwards, his lack of activity on a new contract has led to a lot of conjecture. One popular rumor that I can’t fathom has Joe Gibbs signing Cousin Carl and putting him in the Home Depot number 20 Toyota and either cutting Joey Logano loose or going to a four car Sprint Cup organization. This has been fueled by talk that Home Depot isn’t happy playing second fiddle to Lowes and their five time champion Jimmie Johnson. Now I have to admit Carl strikes me as being a do-it-yourself type of guy and would be much better suited to representing a company such as Home Depot while Joey is better suited to what, video games? All that talk about Joe Gibbs Racing makes me think Carl might have started the rumor to give himself leverage in negotiations with Roush. Now that strikes me as feasible. Roush has called Edwards a “Rock Star” so maybe Carl’s shooting for rock star wages (!) and Roush is sorry he ever said such a thing. Here again, who knows?

The gossip about Logano possibly being moved out of the Home Depot ride may cool now that he’s finally showing signs of living up to his “Sliced Bread” moniker with JGR. He’s still one of the youngest drivers on the circuit and I expect Gibbs to hang with the guy.

Based on his success, or lack thereof, across the 2011 Sprint Cup season while driving top quality Hendrick Motorsports equipment I have to think Mark Martin is done at the Cup level. Maybe he’ll get back into Nationwide and try to preserve his lead in career wins at that level.

Another top flight driver who has been rumored to possibly be on the move is Clint Boyer. There was talk not too long ago that Clint might be interested in taking over the number 4 Toyota with Red Bull, but that’s all gone away with the Associated Press release last week that Red Bull is done with NASCAR. Boyer strikes me as the type to be an organization’s lead driver and that’s not going to happen in the Childress organization as long as Kevin Harvick is there. So will Boyer move? He’s stated his prime concern is to stay put with Childress.


Then there’s Juan Pablo Montoya and Ryan Newman who both have their deals up for negotiation this year with Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing and Stewart-Haas Racing respectively. I’ve got to say that whether Juan wants to move on or not, I don’t know of much interest for the man anywhere other than with Chip Ganassi. If he stays in NASCAR he’ll be with EGR… As for Newman, I think he knows where he’s well off and that’s with Stewart-Haas.

With all these rumors being kicked around I have to say it looks like the best course for most of these guys is to stay put.

In another vein, there continues to be a question concerning Danica Patrick.
Will she finally stick to one racing series next year? I believe if she’s ever going to be a consistent top driver she’s got to make the move into just one series. Whether her detractors believe it or not, I think she’s shown marked improvement with the fender rubbers in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series and that her best option would be to move full-time to that series and then consider a ride at the Cup level. She has one heck of a following, she’s good for NASCAR and if she follows that course maybe we’ll see her in victory lane. It’s supposed to be about winning isn’t it?

I’m sure I’ve missed out on some of the rumors out there. What have you heard?

The NASCAR Gods…

I’m just curious…

Who made the decision that it would be this at the end of the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega last Sunday…


Instead of this?
There are a couple of possible answers to this question. First let me make it clear I don't think Richard Hendrick would demand a specific outcome, so let's throw out that theory right off the bat.

Do you think it was ultimately an agreement made between crew chiefs? Was it an agreement between the drivers? or... Was it just a matter of timing?

I'm leaning toward one of the drivers making a conscious decision to be a good teammate and if this is so, will Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ever win another Cup race?
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Leading to the first picture up above we all witnessed several hundred feet of this as HMS’s Johnson/Earnhardt tandem sacked their teammates…

How’s that rule about the yellow line go again?

You can tell me that while the 48 and 88 rode the yellow line they weren’t improving their position, but it doesn’t hold water… The simple act of moving to the inside while rounding turn four combined with two sets of cars racing in tandem immediately in front and on a headwind killing angle automatically set up “5 Time” and Junior to be sucked into the lead. The proof is that Johnson won the race…

What did Denny Hamlin do in the Shootout?

Oh… He was below the line at Daytona… Those HMS cars at Talladega were just on top of the line. I see...

You know what? There’s too much gray area involved here. The appearance is that NASCAR is doing a smoke and mirrors deal in terms of who it is, not what they've done. The grand hoopla of NASCAR has gotta revisit this “over the line” rule. I was reading somewhere that in the spirit of “Have at it” NASCAR should throw out their yellow line rule on the Superspeedways for the final, white flag lap of the race only. Let the drivers go for the gusto! This year alone it would have already affected the result on one exhibition race and would have eliminated any potential questioning concerning the outcome of the most recent Cup race…