The 2010 Sprint Cup season has reached the one quarter mark after a thrilling race at Talladega last weekend, perhaps the most competitive race ever based on the record number of lead changes.
Assessing the season so far, we do not want to get carried away with the perception that a fifth Jimmie Johnson championship is inevitable. Despite a dreadful performance wrecking out of last Sunday’s race, he is still atop the points standings and also has the most victories, three so far. The expertise of this team and skill of this driver appear unmarked and destined for legend status in the sport. Meanwhile, the sport’s other current legend, Johnson’s teammate who lured Johnson to Hendrick Motor Sports in the first place has commented during the last two weeks expressing his frustration with his encounters with the #48 team on the track.
Surely, the fortunes of Richard Childress teams improving after a miserable 2009 are worth noting with Kevin Harvick leading the pack.
The onset of an especially early silly season finds the star of Richard Petty Racing, perhaps Ford’s best rising star, moving on to Hendricks for the 2012 season with speculation where he will race next year. Surely, Hendrick’s clout will find him a cozy seat for his year in waiting if a ride isn’t opened up outright on the mothership.
Shell/Pennzoil is moving to Penske for 2010 in a multi-year deal which includes tie-ins with Penske’s IRL cars as well. Kurt Busch will drive the Shell/Pennzoil car to be numbered #22. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski will pilot the “Blue Deuce,” the #2 Miller Lite Dodge.
The start and park phenomenon remains at least an annoyance for most races this year with the Triad operation, Tommy Baldwin’s team, and Joe Nemechek as the primary offenders. Now that they have taken spots in the race from teams with sponsors and full crews makes the matter more serious. How long NASCAR will continue to allow teams that don’t field a full crew nor have the resources to even change one set of tires remains to be determined. Folks aren’t buying the argument that for some, qualifying is their race. Baloney!!!
The real story for 2010 was played out in part at Talladega, but has been visible throughout the season. NASCAR has shown a willingness not to over regulate competition allowing for more on track competition. Ensuring a competitive finish, the field now has up to three green/white/checker sequences to keep a race from finishing under caution. Aerodynamics have been tweaked, and now for the last four races, Sprint Cup cars once again sport a conventional spoiler rather than the “aero-wing.”
The results have been exciting, five out of nine races finished under “green/white/checker” finishes. Cars are much more engaged with more side by side races and lead changes than in recent years.
Other stories include a lack of blue ovals in the winner’s circle. While Roush teams finish reasonably well, they’re not winning. Fords are not qualifying near the top too often. Ford teams have been slow to introduce their new engine into competition.
With hopes other teams will hotly pursue the top spot, ignoring the #48 team holding down the top spot, the rest of the action is among the hottest in years. NASCAR deserves praise for working to make the sport as enjoyable as possible for its fans.
Assessing the season so far, we do not want to get carried away with the perception that a fifth Jimmie Johnson championship is inevitable. Despite a dreadful performance wrecking out of last Sunday’s race, he is still atop the points standings and also has the most victories, three so far. The expertise of this team and skill of this driver appear unmarked and destined for legend status in the sport. Meanwhile, the sport’s other current legend, Johnson’s teammate who lured Johnson to Hendrick Motor Sports in the first place has commented during the last two weeks expressing his frustration with his encounters with the #48 team on the track.
Surely, the fortunes of Richard Childress teams improving after a miserable 2009 are worth noting with Kevin Harvick leading the pack.
The onset of an especially early silly season finds the star of Richard Petty Racing, perhaps Ford’s best rising star, moving on to Hendricks for the 2012 season with speculation where he will race next year. Surely, Hendrick’s clout will find him a cozy seat for his year in waiting if a ride isn’t opened up outright on the mothership.
Shell/Pennzoil is moving to Penske for 2010 in a multi-year deal which includes tie-ins with Penske’s IRL cars as well. Kurt Busch will drive the Shell/Pennzoil car to be numbered #22. Meanwhile, Brad Keselowski will pilot the “Blue Deuce,” the #2 Miller Lite Dodge.
The start and park phenomenon remains at least an annoyance for most races this year with the Triad operation, Tommy Baldwin’s team, and Joe Nemechek as the primary offenders. Now that they have taken spots in the race from teams with sponsors and full crews makes the matter more serious. How long NASCAR will continue to allow teams that don’t field a full crew nor have the resources to even change one set of tires remains to be determined. Folks aren’t buying the argument that for some, qualifying is their race. Baloney!!!
The real story for 2010 was played out in part at Talladega, but has been visible throughout the season. NASCAR has shown a willingness not to over regulate competition allowing for more on track competition. Ensuring a competitive finish, the field now has up to three green/white/checker sequences to keep a race from finishing under caution. Aerodynamics have been tweaked, and now for the last four races, Sprint Cup cars once again sport a conventional spoiler rather than the “aero-wing.”
The results have been exciting, five out of nine races finished under “green/white/checker” finishes. Cars are much more engaged with more side by side races and lead changes than in recent years.
Other stories include a lack of blue ovals in the winner’s circle. While Roush teams finish reasonably well, they’re not winning. Fords are not qualifying near the top too often. Ford teams have been slow to introduce their new engine into competition.
With hopes other teams will hotly pursue the top spot, ignoring the #48 team holding down the top spot, the rest of the action is among the hottest in years. NASCAR deserves praise for working to make the sport as enjoyable as possible for its fans.
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