2018 NASCAR Discussion threadNASCAR 

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BKGlover
We've been close to spec for eons though. Short of IROC levels of handing out equipment, I wonder how much tighter they could make the specs.
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The next logical step I see is each manufacturer selecting a designated chassis and engine builder with designated development areas similar to sports cars along with a max asking price. We're pretty much there already so it's not like it would be much of a change either, the only question would be who does GM go with.
 
Dibenedetto leaving the 32 ride at the end of the year. Definitely seems like it’s his choice since he’s by far the best driver that team has ever had. Seems like his best possibilities are the JTG #47, a full-time ride in a 2nd-tier Xfinity team like RCR, or a part-time schedule for someone like JGR in Xfinity. Seems like from how his press release was worded he’ll be bringing at least Zynga Poker with him, probably some of his other sponsors as well.
 
Everything I'm seeing on twitter is suggesting that it's possible that we might race today, but it's looking more and more possible that we race tomorrow.
I hope we race today. I have work tomorrow.
 
Race postponed till tomorrow at 2:00 p.m. Eastern.

Xfinity race will be at 10:00 A.M. Eastern.
 
The Brickyard 400 was not won by the best driver nor the fastest car. But Brad Keselowski and Paul Wolfe played it the smartest, with help from a fairly predictable late-race yellow.
 
I thought this race was kind of good. The lack of passes after restarts was concerning, but the amount of yellow flag periods from everything to competition cautions, actual debris, crashes and the stage breaks made that a bit of a moot point.
 
Missed the race obviously, but saw the highlights. Good to see BK win and give Penske a 400 win, in addition to Will Power's win at the 500 back in May.

Also the first win for Ford at the Brickyard since 1999.
 
Maybe it's just me being overly cynical, but I can't help but parse the phrase "we're in negotiations with drivers" as "expect a rotating parade of part-timers as we desperately try to catch lightning in a bottle".
 
EngieDiesel
Maybe it's just me being overly cynical, but I can't help but parse the phrase "we're in negotiations with drivers" as "expect a rotating parade of part-timers as we desperately try to catch lightning in a bottle".
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I take it more as “how much more money can we squeeze out of Lilly Diabetes and will it offset the amount of wrecked race cars?”
 
Newman exiting RCR at season's end. Says he still plans to compete in Cup full time next year.
 
flip55
Ok, so thanks to Reddit, the emojis might actually serve a purpose.

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So if I read that right, a sponsor can basically get their logo on a bunch of cars for a single fee and the teams split that money between them.

That seems like it has the potential to backfire if a sponsor with some controversy takes that spot. People were raising a stink about the NRA being on the 3 car for one race, imagine how they'd react to seeing an NRA logo on 3/4ths of the field for most of a season...
 
That was a pretty good race, despite all the cautions at the end. Congrats to BK and Penske's 500th.

I'm actually glad this 1st race of the playoffs wasn't at Chicago this year, that would have been a long day. Even if it was much more pleasant here weather-wise.
 
bloodyboyblue
Nothing would make me happier than seeing Jesus Chase eliminated from the playoffs but he’ll probably be strong at the Roval (and probably Richmond as well). Can never count him out.
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Knowing NASCAR, they may script another win for him like the win the "entitled one" received earlier this year.
 
I wanted to go back and unpack our predictions, to see how good we are at guessing...

GTFan24
Calling it now: We wont get another new winner for the rest of the season.
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@GTFan24 definitely missed, as we have had a new winner this season. Chase won at Watkins Glen, Kurt won at Bristol, and Brad just won three in a row.

MustangRyan
At least a few more races won't go that way.

Bowyer has won two races, one he stole from Harvick in a rain-shortened race at Michigan.

Dillon, Logano, and Jones won at the restrictor plate tracks. Jones had to beat Truex back to the line, even though EVERYONE ELSE crashed out.

Best chances for other drivers are Talladega, Watkins Glen, and the Charlotte Roval. Short tracks are also a great equalizer, where aero won't matter.


The SHR contingent of Aric and Kurt have not yet come through, though I think they still might. Aric seems to have cooled of a little, while Kurt is still running strong. Bowyer could win again, since he dominated Martinsville in the spring. Any SHR driver could win at nearly every track right now. Harvick can't take them all.

Brad has won at least one race in each of the previous seven seasons. He will probably grab a race before the year is over. Best bets are Pocono, Watkins Glen, Talladega, and Texas.

Also, Denny Hamlin has never went a full season without winning a race. I have to think he'll find a way to win once. Watch out at Martinsville, Richmond, Phoenix, and Homestead.

Can Jimmie really go a full season without winning? You have to think he will be strong at Dover, Indy, and Martinsville.

Did I miss any other obvious ones?
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I said the three best chances for new drivers were Talladega, Watkins Glen, and the Roval. Watkins Glen was correct, with the other two races still to be held later. I'm still thinking that at least one more new winner comes out of one of those two races. We also still have the short tracks, Richmond, Martinsville, and... does Phoenix count as a short track?
EDIT - Kurt won at a short track, helping my prediction there, even if I forgot about him.

The SHR contingent of Aric and Kurt have not yet come through, though I think they still might. Aric seems to have cooled of a little, while Kurt is still running strong.
EDIT - I'm an idiot and Kurt actually won the Bristol night race, which totally slipped my mind. :dunce:

Brad winning was a good call, though I never imagined he would win three in a row. He whiffed at Pocono and Watkins Glen, where I thought he would have his best chances. He has not yet run at Texas or Talladega.

if Denny is going to keep the streak alive, he has 9 races left to make it happen. All 4 of his best tracks that I listed are still left on the schedule.

Jimmie missed at Indy, but still has Dover and Martinsville left. I have to think that Dover is his single best chance left on the board. I wouldn't bet on him winning there this year, though.

bloodyboyblue
Larson, Busch, Almirola, Blaney, and Keselowski will definitely win before the end of the year.

Hamlin, Johnson, and Elliott have an outside chance. Denny hasn’t looked competitive this year, Jimmie is unpredictable and NASCAR could fix a race at any time to give Chase a win.

The Roval and Talladega will definitely be wild cards, as well as Indy, which I believe will be even more of a wreckfest than last year, especially with so many drivers having to point their way into the playoffs.

Watkins Glen and Sonoma are no longer wild card races in Cup since the onset of stage racing. The Big 3 have been the dominant cars on road courses the past few years.
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Of the 5 listed above as "definite" to win, Keselowski and Kurt have won. Larson feels like he should be able to win somewhere, as he can run 2nd everywhere. Blaney and Almirola feel like long shots at this point.

I just have to give triple credit to @bloodyboyblue for calling it that "NASCAR could fix a race at any time to give Chase a win." I know @yellosnake is proud.

We still haven't seen the roval and Talladega yet. Indy was interesting, where a non-big three driver stole the win away, oddly enough, from Denny Hamlin, not from Kyle/Truex/Harvick. A late wreck from a back-marker was the turning point in that race for Denny and Brad.

The Big 3 did not win at Watkins Glen, with Chase enjoying the victory after NASCAR clearly colluded to give Martin Truex less fuel than the other drivers, just to make sure he couldn't steal the win away from the golden boy from Dawsonville.


MustangRyan
Yup, I totally missed on Larson. He could definitely take one just about anywhere, except the road courses.

I like Blaney, but I'm not sure he's a sure thing to win this season. I'd love to be wrong about that.

If Jimmie can't steal one somewhere, I don't see Chase winning one over him. Hendrick has got to get their cars up to standard, and soon.
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I did totally forget Larson, who feels like he should be able to win somewhere. He will probably win at the Roval, just to make my prediction look doubly bad.

I missed on Chase winning one before Jimmie. I didn't get the memo that the fix was in at Watkins Glen. :dunce:




Anyone else have predictions that we can laugh at after the next 9 races are over?
 
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MustangRyan
I wanted to go back and unpack our predictions, to see how good we are at guessing...



@GTFan24 definitely missed, as we have had a new winner this season. Chase won at Watkins Glen, and Brad just won three in a row.



I said the three best chances for new drivers were Talladega, Watkins Glen, and the Roval. Watkins Glen was correct, with the other two races still to be held later. I'm still thinking that at least one more new winner comes out of one of those two races. We also still have the short tracks, Richmond, Martinsville, and... does Phoenix count as a short track?

The SHR contingent of Aric and Kurt have not yet come through, though I think they still might. Aric seems to have cooled of a little, while Kurt is still running strong.

Brad winning was a good call, though I never imagined he would win three in a row. He whiffed at Pocono and Watkins Glen, where I thought he would have his best chances. He has not yet run at Texas or Talladega.

if Denny is going to keep the streak alive, he has 9 races left to make it happen. All 4 of his best tracks that I listed are still left on the schedule.

Jimmie missed at Indy, but still has Dover and Martinsville left. I have to think that Dover is his single best chance left on the board. I wouldn't bet on him winning there this year, though.



Of the 5 listed above as "definite" to win, Keselowski has won. Larson feels like he should be able to win somewhere, as he can run 2nd everywhere. Kurt could win, but Blaney and Almirola feel like long shots at this point.

I just have to give triple credit to @bloodyboyblue for calling it that "NASCAR could fix a race at any time to give Chase a win." I know @yellosnake is proud.

We still haven't seen the roval and Talladega yet. Indy was interesting, where a non-big three driver stole the win away, oddly enough, from Denny Hamlin, not from Kyle/Truex/Harvick. A late wreck from a back-marker was the turning point in that race for Denny and Brad.

The Big 3 did not win at Watkins Glen, with Chase enjoying the victory after NASCAR clearly colluded to give Martin Truex less fuel than the other drivers, just to make sure he couldn't steal the win away from the golden boy from Dawsonville.




I did totally forget Larson, who feels like he should be able to win somewhere. He will probably win at the Roval, just to make my prediction look doubly bad.

I missed on Chase winning one before Jimmie. I didn't get the memo that the fix was in at Watkins Glen. :dunce:




Anyone else have predictions that we can laugh at after the next 9 races are over?
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Hey, Kurt won Bristol! I’m rolling back on my Blaney prediction since he’s gotten worse as the season has gone on even though Penske is strong currently. I still think Aric will win one and know Larson will. Aric will be strong this weekend at Richmond and at Kansas. Denny is impossible to tell since Gibbs seem to be struggling but he has some good tracks coming up.

Chase will win again.

I also think McMurray will pull something out of ass like he does every few years.
 
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