1. Martin Truex Jr. Officially Signs with Furniture Row Racing; Will He Succeed?
Finally, the most expected move thus far this year was officially announced this week. Furniture Row Racing announced that they had signed Martin Truex Jr. to a multi-year deal in the #78. This is a great piece of news. For one, Truex deserves a wonderful ride like the Furniture Row Racing #78. After the raw deal he was cut with Michael Waltrip Racing, he needs anything to get back on track and this is the perfect way. But will Truex succeed in his new ride? I think the answer to that question is a very definite yes. One major reason is the strides Truex has made in the past few years. Truex has transformed from a decent driver with an okay ride to a usual Chase driver with a great ride. Personally, I think FRR has better equipment than MWR. Since the equipment is better, I think Truex can take more wins than he has the past few years. A second and final reason is just the reputation Truex has. Now, he will probably never get away from the belief that he is a cheater due to what happened at Richmond, but as a true fan, we know that he is a down to earth guy and a great driver to beat. This respect in the garage will definitely go a long way to make sure that he has a good ride. I mean, think about it. People are not going to support you or give you a ride if you don't have respect, but they will definitely give you a good ride if you have that respect. I think this will go a long way for Truex in the future and I hope he will succeed well with Furniture Row Racing.
2. Parker Kligerman Making His Sprint Cup Debut; How Will He Perform?
A up and coming driver was given his first opportunity this week in Sprint Cup to perform. It was announced that Parker Kligerman was given his first chance to drive a Sprint Cup Series car with Swan Racing. I think this is completely awesome for Kligerman. For one, Kligerman deserves chances. I mean, he was amazing with Brad Keselowski Racing in the Truck Series, but Keselowski let him go. Then, he went to Red Horse Racing where he took a victory at Talladega last year. Now, he is driving for Kyle Busch in the NASCAR Nationwide Series and has had a lot of success. I think this means he deserves a chance in the highest division of the sport and I thank Brandon Davis and Swan Racing for giving him that opportunity. But will Kligerman perform well in his first start? I think he will perform well compared to his equipment. I mean, Swan Racing is not a top tier team. This means the expectations for a finish shouldn't be extremely high due to the equipment, but you have to factor that in to the finish. If Kligerman finishes in the top 25, that should be a win for himself and his team. Do I want him to finish way better than that? Heck yes. Shoot, I would like for him to win, but I know it is not going to happen so I am going to keep my expectations high, but not crazy. Nonetheless, I think Kligerman will show us something today and he will become a very good rookie driver in the future.
3. Jimmie Johnson or Matt Kenseth: Who is the Biggest Threat For the Title?
There is a key question regarding the championship with three races left to go. Who is the bigger threat for the title: Jimmie Johnson or Matt Kenseth? Based on how everything sits right now, I think that Matt Kenseth is the biggest threat. Yes, that is probably crazy. Jimmie Johnson is always the biggest guy in the battle for the title in the Chase, but you have to look at what has happened thus far this year. For one, Matt Kenseth has been extremely successful on mile and a half tracks. Four of his seven wins this year have come on mile and a half tracks and he has been the best at these races even when he wasn't winning. Jimmie Johnson has not had the same success with no wins this year at the mile and a half tracks. This could go a long way in deciding who walks away with the championship at Homestead. A second and final reason is the amount of consistency Matt Kenseth has shown this year. Whether the series was at a big track or a small track, Kenseth was somewhere in the vicinity of the front. Yes, his finishes don't reflect that sometimes, but racing is just as important as finishing. Jimmie Johnson, on the other hand, was at the front most of the season this year, but he did have some dry spells where he did not finish good. Just based on these examples, I believe Matt Kenseth is the biggest threat for the title, but anything can happen in these last few races.
4. Is Jeff Gordon in the Championship Battle After His Win at Martinsville?
Well, we thought we knew the battle for the championship was between only two drivers, but that all changed last week at Martinsville. Jeff Gordon took the victory at Martinsville and moved his way into the battle with Jimmie Johnson and Matt Kenseth. Even though he is close to the front of the battle, the question is still raised: is he a legitimate contender in the battle? I truly believe he is a legitimate contender. One reason is his consistency in the Chase. I mean, he was added to the Chase two days before it began. This meant he really wasn't supposed to be there, but he definitely is now. Gordon has been the most consistent driver thus far in the Chase and he will gain on the two leaders in the final three races. A second and final reason is just Gordon's credentials in his career. Gordon is a four time champion and has won a lot of races. Yes, he hasn't been a champion in a while. Yes, he hasn't won that many races recently. But the drive never leaves a driver. Occasionally, they fall behind the pack, but they always make it back up. I think this is Gordon's time and he needs to take full advantage of that. With all this evidence in mind, I think it is no longer a two man battle, but a three or possibly four man battle as the series heads into the final stretch of the 2013 season.
5. My Pick to Win
Last week, Jeff Gordon took his first win of the season at the smallest track on the circuit at Martinsville. Last time at Texas, Kyle Busch sat on the pole and took the victory after late strategy gave him the lead. Last time at Texas in the Chase, Jimmie Johnson sat on the pole and won the race. Today, I think that the race will be extremely crazy and one that will not give away the winner until the final few laps. Hopefully, that is the case because a great race sounds like an awesome thing at Texas. Today, I think Matt Kenseth, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Brad Keselowski, Kasey Kahne, and Carl Edwards are good picks to take the victory in the shootout at Texas. I thank you guys for once again reading through my thoughts. If you have differing opinions on the issues I discussed, let me know what you think in the comments below. I will continue to write for you guys as much as possible, but I will not be able to write about the race today. I hope you guys understand and continue to read my writing. Hopefully, today's race is still very enjoyable and until we meet again.
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