My Thoughts: NASCAR Makes Huge Changes to Chase Format

         Yes, it is twenty three days until the 2014 Daytona 500, but it is not time for my thoughts for this offseason week. Yesterday marked a landmark moment in the history of NASCAR. Brian France and other notable leaders in NASCAR announced huge changes to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Chase system, which has been in effect since 2004. The changes include moving to sixteen championship eligible drivers, more emphasis on winning, the addition of eliminations after every three races in the Chase, and a final race battle between the four drivers left out of the sixteen. The driver who finishes highest in this four person battle at Homestead will be the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Champion along with other years after this one. Before I jump into my opinions on this move, I want to give you guys a detailed overview of what this move entails throughout the season.

        After the final regular season race of the year at Richmond, the Chase order will be set like this. The 15 drivers with the most wins, who are in the top 30 in points and have qualified for every race, will make up the Chase field. If the leader of the points after the final regular season race does not have a win, he will be the sixteenth driver in the Chase lineup. If the points leader does have a win, he will go in order based on his wins and the next driver with a win in line will make the Chase field or, if no other drivers have wins, the highest driver in points without a win who isn't in the Chase will be the sixteenth driver. If less than sixteen drivers win during the regular season, the rest of the Chase lineup will be based on points positions before the Chase reset with drivers higher up without wins getting the extra spots. If more than sixteen drivers win a race, tiebreakers will be used starting with most wins and then, if the tie is not broken, points position before the Chase reset will be used. Chase races number 27 through 29 will be known as the Challenger Round and the field will be whittled down to twelve drivers after race 29 at Dover. Chase races number 30 through 32 will be known as the Contender Round and eight drivers will remain after race 32 at Talladega. Chase races number 33 through 35 will be known as the Eliminator Round and four drivers will remain after race 35 at Phoenix. Race number 36 at Homestead will be a battle between these four drivers and the driver who finishes highest in the race will be the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. In case you don't understand or don't want to read through this, this is what the Chase field would have looked like in 2013 had this format been used.

2013 Chase Reset After Richmond (Using New Format; Win Total Does NOT Include Chase Wins)

1. Matt Kenseth (5 Wins)

2. Jimmie Johnson (4 Wins)

3. Kyle Busch (4 Wins)

4. Carl Edwards (2 Wins)

5. Kevin Harvick (2 Wins)

6. Kasey Kahne (2 Wins)*

7. Joey Logano (1 Win)

8. Greg Biffle (1 Win)

9. Ryan Newman (1 Win)*

10. Martin Truex Jr. (1 Win)

11. Tony Stewart (1 Win; Assuming He Wasn't Injured)#

12. David Ragan (1 Win)

13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No Wins; Highest in Points Without Win)

14. Clint Bowyer (No Wins; Next Highest in Points Without Win)

15. Kurt Busch (No Wins; Next Highest in Points Without Win)

16. Jeff Gordon (No Wins; Next Highest in Points Without Win)

(*: In new system, Kahne and Newman would get bonus points for race wins unlike previous system where wild card drivers couldn't.)

(#: Had Stewart not been able to compete in the Chase, Jamie McMurray would have been the sixteenth driver to make the Chase.)

         Before I jump into my thoughts on this issue, I want to point out a couple of things based on this Chase lineup. For one, all thirteen drivers who were apart of the 2013 Chase are on there. The only exceptions are Martin Truex Jr., who originally made it into the Chase, David Ragan, and Tony Stewart, who might have made the Chase if he hadn't been injured. I just find it odd that pretty much the same drivers were in the Chase using the old format as well as the new format. The second and final thing is something that I feel makes Brian France, who made the Chase move, seem like a huge hypocrite. His whole basis for this move was to make winning the most important part of the season, but here is the catch. Had this format been used in 2013 for the Chase, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would have won the championship. Yes, Junior Nation, you can use that as reason to have hope for the future. The thing about that is he did not win a single race in 2013 while the actual champion, Jimmie Johnson, won six races. Those are just some odd things I want to point out about this new format right before we jump into my personal thoughts on this move.

         I will start off by wanting to know exactly what drug Brian France is using. Whatever it is, it should never make its way into the public scene. I mean, this is the dumbest idea I have, honestly, ever heard. I do have one thing I like about the move. That is the addition of four more drivers to the Chase. I have always wanted more drivers in the Chase and that is a very good part of this for me. But everything else is just absolutely appalling. First, we will start off with this “winning is the most important thing” concept. If you have ever read anything of mine about NASCAR, I believe in consistency. I believe the last true champion we have had in NASCAR was Matt Kenseth in 2003 because he won the championship not only with a win, but also consistency throughout the year. I just don't believe this Chase format allows for a driver to be a champion because it is completely based on a ten race stretch instead of an entire season. Consistency should be the most important thing for NASCAR. Second, I do not like these eliminations. Yes, drivers are typically eliminated from Chase contention as the Chase progresses, but this just causes too much media scrutiny. I mean, the drivers who get eliminated will almost surely be asked the next week about being eliminated from Chase contention. If I am a driver, I don't want to answer questions about that. I want to talk about the race or anything else, honestly. Without the eliminations, it doesn't seem to come up as much because people didn't find out about about the eliminations as easily. Finally, I hate with a supreme passion this fight to the death at Homestead in the final race for the championship. You have four drivers go in there and the one who finishes the best out of this group wins the championship. Why did we even have the other thirty five races if we decide the champion in this one race? There is absolutely no reason to have the first thirty five races if you are just going to see who can finish the best in the final race. I mean, I can't even begin to describe the junk storm that would happen if the non-championship drivers raced these four championship drivers hard in the final race. Every single person in the media would just blast this driver along with NASCAR's sanctioning body. I mean, Brian France is trying to create excitement, but that final race will be like four kids running around the neighborhood with bubble wrap on and nobody can touch them or even look at them. It just doesn't make sense to me at all.

         Now, I ranted a good bit in this critical article of the new NASCAR Chase format, but I will never stop watching the sport. I mean, you could have four cars in every race and I would still watch it because I have so much passion for this sport. Don't get me wrong. I know Brian France is making this move because he wants to attract newer viewers to the sport, but I would have to gear every move I make to the fans the sport already has. I guess that is the opinion of a lifelong NASCAR fan, but it is just how I feel. I thank you guys for reading through this short edition of my thoughts. If you have your own opinions of the new Chase format or about anything else mentioned in this article, please let me know in the comments down below. I know I have made a ton of these same promises, but the 2013 NASCAR Season Recap will be up tomorrow. That is an absolute fact. I have two final paragraphs to do along with a little proofreading and it will be up sometime during the day. My thoughts for this offseason week will be up on Sunday at its usual time. I hope you guys enjoyed this reading and until we meet again.




Credits:
-Full Story:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/1/30/chase-for-the-nascar-sprint-cup-championship-format-changes.html
-Full List of Questions and Answers About the Chase Format:
http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-media/articles/2014/1/30/chase-for-the-nascar-sprint-cup-facts-faq-new-format.html
-Chase Bracket:
http://static.nascar.com/content/dam/nascar/download%20schedule/2014/Chase%20Grid%20Horizontal.pdf/_jcr_content/renditions/original
-Image:
http://static.nascar.com/content/dam/nascar/articles/2014/1/30/main/Chase-Grid-Horizontal-main.jpg/jcr:content/renditions/original

My Thoughts: OffSeason Week #10

        The tenth week of the 2013 NASCAR offseason has drawn to a close. The Rolex 24 at Daytona began yesterday and the twenty four hour endurance race has just finished. That always means the Daytona 500 is only a few weeks away. Actually, it is exactly twenty eight days, which equates to four whole weeks until the green flag waves at Daytona. I can't express my excitement in just a few simple words. The Daytona 500 is the epitome of legendary when it comes to racing and it signals a grueling nine month battle until another champion is crowned in all three of NASCAR's highest series. Plus, the great finishes and great moments from the history of the 500 just make it that much more special each and every year. Each year, as well, new history is made. A fair amount of history will be made this year as eight drivers begin their rookie campaign, hoping for rookie of the year in the series. One of those drivers is Austin Dillon, who will hope to bring back the number three in style. Along with that, some drivers will begin new eras in their careers. Ryan Newman, Kevin Harvick, Kurt Busch, and many more look to make a splash with their brand new team. It should be a great race and season, but we still have a little time to wait. Hopefully, my thoughts make that wait seem shorter. Today's topics include two drivers starting their rookie campaigns in 2014, a renowned driver grabbing two new sponsors, another driver starting his rookie campaign in 2014, a a very controversial vice president of a team being reinstated, and NASCAR making changes to a very key part of the race weekend. Let us go ahead and jump in to some very important thoughts on these very important topics.

1. Ryan Truex and Alex Bowman to Drive For BK Racing; Good or Bad Move?
      A piece of expected, but surprising news came out during the week. BK Racing announced that Ryan Truex and Alex Bowman would take over for the team in 2014. If you recall, David Reutimann and Travis Kvapil drove for the team in 2013, but they will not be behind the wheel in 2014. Also, Alex Bowman drove for the RAB Racing team in the NASCAR Nationwide Series last year before making this move. Ryan Truex, who is Martin Truex Jr.'s younger brother, is most notable for almost winning the 2012 Nationwide Series race at Dover along with running a few Cup races last season. I stand kind of in the middle on this decision. For one, both of these guys can drive the wheels off a race car. Bowman drove extremely well with a middle of the road Nationwide team last year and Ryan Truex has won a good many races along with running well in limited experience in NASCAR's three highest series. It just seems like they have a knack for driving a car, but here is my problem with them both jumping into NASCAR's highest series. Neither one of them have a ton of experience in NASCAR's lower series. I preached rather recently that I wanted to see drivers run full seasons in NASCAR's lower series before making the jump to Cup. Yes, Bowman has a full season of NASCAR Nationwide Series experience, but it still isn't enough for me. Truex hasn't run a full season and I just haven't seen enough from him even though, in the limited stuff I have seen, he is fairly good. Plus, they have to drive for BK Racing, which isn't exactly high quality Cup equipment. I just don't want to see Truex and Bowman flame out because they didn't have the perfect car at the right time. Hopefully, BK Racing picks up their act and the two turn out great rookie seasons in NASCAR.

2. Brad Keselowski Picks Up Two Sponsors; Will This Help Keselowski in 2014?
        A great piece of sponsorship news came out for Brad Keselowski and Team Penske this week. Penske announced that Wurth and Alliance Truck Parts would run a few races as sponsor for the number two of Brad Keselowski in 2014. If you recall, Alliance and Wurth sponsored Sam Hornish Jr. in the NASCAR Nationwide Series the past two seasons, but he has moved on from the Penske ride. This opened up the door for the sponsors and they will now sponsor Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion. This is really great news for Keselowski. He absolutely struggled last year in missing the Chase. This was after he completely took hold of the sport with his title run in 2012. With these two new sponsors, Keselowski and the team have a little bit more money flow and this year could turn out well with at least three main sponsors on the car. Also, this move also gives the sport a little more publicity if you ask me. Keselowski is a notable driver, I would say, and a few advertisements with him on it could change the image of the sport a little bit. Hopefully, these two new sponsors will help Team Penske and Brad Keselowski make a title run in 2014.

3. Phoenix Racing Announces Justin Allgaier as 2014 Driver; Is He a Legitimate Contender For Rookie of the Year?
        A piece of expected news came out during the week. Phoenix Racing announced that Justin Allgaier would drive the number 51 in his rookie campaign in 2014. If you recall, Allgaier has been driving the number 31 for Turner Scott Motorsports the past few years in the Nationwide Series and he made some Cup starts last year for the Phoenix Racing team. I believe this a very good move for the Phoenix Racing team. For one, they get a great driver like Justin Allgaier to pilot their car. He has proven he has the abilities in the Nationwide Series and I believe he could make some waves this year. My only problem with Allgaier taking this ride is the fact that it isn't the greatest ride out there on track. No, it isn't a terrible start and park ride in the Cup Series, but it also isn't Hendrick Motorsports power. All I'm saying is I would rather see him in a very high quality ride because I don't want to see him flame out as a driver. It seems like that happens way too much in today's NASCAR, but I want to see those guys who don't seem to be known well make it great in NASCAR. I think Allgaier could be one of those guys who comes out of the shadows to be a great Cup driver. Hopefully, we see Justin Allgaier succeed in NASCAR this year and in the future.

4. NASCAR Reinstates Ty Norris; Smart or Not?
         NASCAR made a splash with a rather surprising piece of news this week for one of a team's high ranking personnel. Ty Norris, who is the vice president of Michael Waltrip Racing, was reinstated by the sport. If you recall, Norris was suspended indefinitely after his role in the Chase scandal around MWR after the team attempted to manufacture the end of the race. They hoped to get Martin Truex Jr. in the Chase and they did, but he was taken out after Clint Bowyer's spin and Brian Vickers pitting on the final restart looked to be very suspicious. This, to me, is something NASCAR really shouldn't have done. Honestly, what happened at Richmond wasn't really as bad as we see it. Yes, it was cheating and it makes the sport look bad in the public eyes, but it isn't something we aren't unfamiliar with. We have seen it before in the sport and it wasn't really brought out too much. Still, this was something totally different in terms of manufacturing how the championship could work out. That is why I don't see why NASCAR reinstated him. Norris could have completely changed how the championship came to a close and that is really wrong and doesn't deserve a reinstatement into the sport. Hopefully, Norris has learned his lesson from this situation and he will lead his team just the way he did before the whole scandal.

5. NASCAR Announces New Qualifying Format; Is It Good or Doomed to Fail?
         NASCAR made one of the biggest announcements of the offseason this week. NASCAR announced the brand new qualifying format for all three of its highest divisions. The qualifying is set up like this. At tracks larger than 1.25 miles, qualifying will consist of three rounds. The first round has all drivers run a twenty five minute session. The twenty four fastest will move on while the rest of the order is set based on provisionals. A ten minute session for the twenty four fastest will lead to twelve left. These twelve will have five minutes and the pole position will go to the fastest driver in this session. At tracks less than 1.25 miles, the format will consist of two sessions. The first session will have all cars and trucks run thirty minutes. After this session, the top twelve will move on while the back of the field will be based on provisionals. After a ten minute session, the fastest driver out of the twelve will take the pole position. If you need anymore information on qualifying, just visit NASCAR.com to find all the info. I feel this is a great move for NASCAR, honestly. I mean, qualifying does get occasionally boring with single cars run, but this will be a race within itself. No, cars won't be fighting for the win, but just the pole. Still, there could be a good bit of battling and I welcome that in the sport. Plus, could you imagine someone chasing someone else down because they wrecked in qualifying? I really don't want to condone wrecking in qualifying, but that would be amazing to see. I hope this session works very well for NASCAR and the excitement continues to pick up, which I'm sure it will.

        With that, week #10 of the 2013 NASCAR offseason has come to a close. It was a very simple week in terms of news, but that last piece was definitely something very big for the sport. Qualifying is a key part of a weekend and it shapes how the race will turn out. I am glad NASCAR made some changes to it to make sure it is a key part of the weekend, but also a exciting part. I thank you guys once again for reading through my thoughts. If you have any questions about the issues at hand, let me know in the comments down below. I was planning at least one story about the Rolex 24 at Daytona for this year, but FOX kind of messed me up. In my area, they showed the start on tape delay and I was planning on doing a story live, but that is how things go. I hope to do something Tudor United Sportscar Championship related during the year so stay tuned. I hope to have the NASCAR Season Recap up tonight, but if I don't, I will most likely have it up tomorrow night. I thank you guys for being patient with that and I hope you enjoy it. Well, that is it for me and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Daytona_International_Speedway_2011.jp

My Thoughts- OffSeason Week #9

           Week #9 of the 2013 NASCAR Offseason has drawn to a complete close. The Daytona 500 is so close I can almost smell it. I hope that didn't come off as weird. Nonetheless, we are a week removed from the annual testing for NASCAR at the famed Daytona International Speedway. It is referred to as Preseason Thunder and it is typically filled with tons of thunder as cars roar around the 2.5 mile track at nearly 200 miles per hour. It is quite a thrill after going months without cars on a race track. Unfortunately, it goes by too fast and we are left without racing for at least a month and a half. Luckily, this year's Preseason Thunder left a lot of news on the table. Talks of the rookies in all three series running successfully have still been topics of NASCAR news a week later. Stories of Austin Dillon heading out on track in the number three and running the fastest lap in Sprint Cup Series testing keeps diehard 3 fans forever happy. So many other news stories are still circling after the testing event and it is just great to have that time to talk about NASCAR before the Daytona 500. Now, instead of focusing on anything else, we are now fully focused on the Daytona 500. We are ready for the green flag to drop and the race to begin, but we have thirty five days left to wait. Hopefully, those days will fly by with my thoughts every single weekend. Today's topics include an owner interested in another division of racing, a sponsor extending with a team, a driver extending with the same team, a reinstated crew chief looking for another job, and NASCAR, possibly, making a landmark change to a very important aspect of the season. I am extremely excited to talk about all these topics today and let us go ahead and get started.

1. Gene Haas Interested in Formula 1 Team; Why Would He Be Interested?
         A piece of extremely shocking news came out during the week. It was announced that Gene Haas, part owner of Stewart-Haas Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, had put in an application to start a Formula 1 team as soon as 2015. In case you don't know anything about Formula 1, I will share a little bit of knowledge that I know. Formula 1 is an open wheel racing division centered in Europe with races at tracks across the world including China, the United States, Brazil, and many more. Now, this move seems ridiculous to me in all honesty. I mean, not to jump too much into Formula 1 talk, but the series is pretty predictable. Sebastian Vettel wins pretty much every race and it seems almost impossible for any other driver to even challenge him for the top spot. I know that isn't all of what happens because I watched a little bit of Formula 1 this year, but Vettel seems to be without competition. That is what doesn't make sense to me about this move for Gene Haas. Unless he gets somebody really good to drive the car, he isn't going to have a chance to have success in the sport and he could lose a lot of money. But it also could be good for one thing. Haas in Formula 1 could attract a lot of new sponsors and drivers to NASCAR. I mean, if he goes over there with an American driver, he very well could attract the attention of a lot of investors to NASCAR competition and a good many sponsors. That would help his NASCAR side of the situation along with helping a little bit of his Formula 1 side. If Haas is able to make this work, we could see a lot of new revenue to the sport we love so much: NASCAR.

2. Smithfield Extends Relationship with Richard Petty Motorsports: Is It Worth It?
        A piece of great news for NASCAR sponsorship came out during the week. Richard Petty Motorsports extended its relationship with Smithfield Food Companies. If you recall, Smithfield has been the major sponsor for Aric Almirola since 2012 when he joined the team. This is great news not just for the team, but the sport altogether. Whenever a sponsor extends a relationship with a team, so many great things happen for the team and sport. More people are brought into the sport, more revenue is raised for the team and sport, and drivers get their chance to be great in NASCAR's highest series are just some of the great things. The only question with this move remains: is the move worth it with Richard Petty Motorsports? It most certainly is. Think about it. RPM isn't the highest level team in the sport, but Richard Petty leads it. Whenever you can have the name Richard Petty tied to anything, it is definitely a worthwhile move. I mean, you could go to the highest part of Alaska and somebody there would know who he was. That just adds to what Smithfield gets with this extended relationship with one of NASCAR's most famous people. With this sponsorship relationship, Aric Almirola could become one of the best of 2014 and take a Chase spot along with being set for the future.

3. Aric Almirola Gains Three Year Extension with Richard Petty Motorsports; Is He the Best Fit?
        Another piece of news came out of the Petty camp during the week. Richard Petty Motorsports announced that the driver of the number 43, Aric Almirola, had signed a three year extension with the team to continue driving the car. If you recall, Almirola took over the number forty three in 2012 from A.J. Allmendinger after Almirola had spent some time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. I really feel this is a good move for Petty and the rest of the team. For one, Almirola doesn't deserve enough credit for his abilities as a driver. I mean, he was top 10 in points for the first half of the season last year before falling off a bit during the last half of the year. Now, I know how it is. We don't count first half success in the grand scheme of things when we make it to the end of the year, but it has to count for something. Secondly and finally, Almirola seems just on the edge of his first win in the series. I mean, he is really close to being one of the better drivers in the series. If everything lines up right for him one week and he has the track position, he very well could take the win. Honestly, I would love to see it because I want him to be successful in the sport along with his team at Richard Petty. With this extension, we could see Aric Almirola remain in NASCAR's highest series for a good many years and he could be very successful at it.

4. Todd Parrott Back Looking For Work; Will He Find a Crew Chief Job Soon?
        A rather expected piece of news came out during the week. Todd Parrott, who was the previous crew chief for Aric Almirola, was back looking for work at Daytona during Preseason Thunder testing. If you recall, Parrott was suspended indefinitely by NASCAR in October of 2013 for violating the sport's substance abuse policy. He was subsequently fired by Richard Petty Motorsports, but he has now been reinstated and is looking for work. Now, let me make this clear before I make my opinion on this subject. I, personally, do not believe a person who uses a substance that is illegal in a sport should be reinstated and allowed to work in the sport again. To me, Todd Parrott is really no exception. I have said before that he knows how to run a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series team and it would be stupid not to hire him, but that is too much to risk. I would be absolutely embarrassed if the crew chief for my team failed a drug test. I would fire him so quick and I think he shouldn’t get another job. Now, he might be a last resort for some teams. I can understand that, but he would not be my first choice for a crew chief. Still, I respect Parrott's abilities as a crew chief and brilliant NASCAR mind, but I don't want him on my pit box and I feel other teams don't want him either.

5. NASCAR Considering Changes to Chase System; Good or Bad?
        Well, as we continue on in the offseason, NASCAR is considering a change to the Chase that has been a mainstay in the sport since 2004. The Charlotte Observer announced this week that NASCAR was thinking of making landmark changes to the Chase system, which is used to decide the champion in the final ten races of the year. The changes would include a move from twelve to sixteen drivers, elimination style bracketing with four drivers taken out after the third, sixth, and ninth race of the Chase, and four drivers battling with the same amount of points to take the championship in the final race of the season. Along with all that, a win would practically guarantee a driver into the Chase battle. If sixteen drivers didn't take wins, then the final positions would be filled with drivers the highest in points without a win and more than sixteen drivers winning would cause the positions to be based on points before the Chase reset. This is definitely the stupidest thing I have ever heard. At face value, it doesn't seem terribly dumb as an idea, but then you have to read everything. I mean, I preach and preach consistency deciding who wins a championship. With this new system, you could win a race and be in the battle for the championship. Think about this for a minute. Let's say Danica Patrick has everything line up at a superspeedway and she takes the win. She would be a lock for the battle for the championship while a consistent and much better driver like Kurt Busch doesn't win a race and is kept out of the battle for the title. That makes no sense. For years, the championship was based on running good from week to week. Personally, I think that was the best racing NASCAR ever had. Now, it is lay back in the final races before the Chase, if you are in good position, and then go crazy in the Chase. To me, that shouldn't decide a champion. It shouldn't be about winning, but rather running in the top 10 or 15 every week. I don't know if NASCAR will listen to us fans on this point, but I hope, with everything I got, we don't end up in this terribly dumb system.

Well, that was quite a rant on that last piece. That rant brings week #9 of the 2013 NASCAR offseason to a complete and utter close. It was a rather calm week in terms of NASCAR news, but that last piece was definitely something monumental for the sport if it comes to pass. We now sit only five weeks from the greatest race in the history of our sport: the Daytona 500. It is sure to be a great show and I am ready for it to happen. I thank you guys once again for reading through my thoughts. If you guys have any concern with the points I made today, let me know in the comments down below. I thought I would get to a Flashback Friday this weekend, but it didn't happen. It will probably be a couple of weeks before I get to another because I will be pretty focused on the Rolex 24 at Daytona next weekend. I may or may not write a little piece on the event. If I do, it will probably focus on the first day's action along with something talking about the last segment of the event. The NASCAR Season Recap is going really well. With all bad things not considered, you will see it up this week. I can promise you that for sure now. I hope everything continues to go good for you guys and until we meet again.





Credits:
-Image:
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/99/Daytona_International_Speedway_2011.jpg

My Thoughts- OffSeason Week #8

          Two months doesn't seem like a long amount of time when you look at the grand scheme of things. For NASCAR fans, though, we know the offseason wait before cars finally make their way onto the track is the longest two months ever. Well, that long awaited moment for cars to hit the track has passed as Preseason Thunder testing for NASCAR's three series began on Thursday. Well, it was supposed to begin on Thursday, but after a complete rain out Thursday and a short delay Friday, Sprint Cup cars hit the track for the first time since Homestead in November. It was one of those moments that can not be described for us NASCAR fans. We know how terrible it is to have to wait so long for NASCAR to begin again with new faces and old faces with new teams. Plus, so much history was made on that Friday afternoon. Austin Dillon went out on track with the white number three glistening along the roof of his black car. That could make tears come to the eyes of any hardcore fan of NASCAR. The last time that white number three went on track at Daytona in Cup competition was in 2001 and it was with the great Dale Earnhardt Sr. Cup testing has finished along with the first day of Nationwide Series testing at this point. Today brings the final day of Nationwide testing before the Trucks hit the track on Monday and Tuesday. All this is building up to Speedweeks just a little over a month away from today. Along with all that testing, a whirlwind of news came with it. Breaking news flashed everyday and it was almost hard to decide what to talk about this week. Well, I whittled it down to five topics and they are extremely important for this season. They include a driver parting ways with his team from last year, changes coming to an integral part of a race weekend, a recognized crew chief leaving the pit box for the press booth, a promising driver running full time in a NASCAR series, and a commentary on how the testing has went thus far. Well, it was a busy news week with a lot of very interesting topics and I am ready to talk about them all.

1. David Reutimann Parts Ways with BK Racing; Will He Grab Another Shot in NASCAR and Is It Alex Bowman's Time?
        A piece of rather surprising news came out around the time of NASCAR Preseason Thunder. David Reutimann and BK Racing announced that they had parted ways for 2014. If you recall, Reutimann ran 2013 with the team after his time with Michael Waltrip Racing ended in 2011 and he bounced around in 2012. It has been a rather tense offseason for the team and its drivers. Alex Bowman, a rookie in Nationwide competition last year, tested the car at Charlotte in December and tested the #83 at Daytona as well. Travis Kvapil, the other BK Racing driver, tested at Charlotte, but Ryan Truex was the driver of the #93 at Daytona. Before we move to the second part of this topic, I want to talk about David Reutimann's future in the sport. Reutimann's best option is to move to a lower series in NASCAR and try to win some races. Him trying to run Sprint Cup competition with a rather small team is definitely not working for his future. Just a few good runs in a smaller series could very well give him his next Sprint Cup Series option, which I wouldn't mind seeing because he has done a good job before. Now, the second part of this topic. Is this Alex Bowman's chance for a Sprint Cup Series ride? It definitely looks like it. He has tested the number eighty twice already and he could test it a good bit more as the offseason progresses. He seems to be the best fit for the team. I mean, Bowman took a rather secondary level car at RAB Racing in the Nationwide Series in 2013 to a lot of good finishes and races. He could do well in the BK Racing ride in Cup, but I would still want him to wait. He only has that one year in the Nationwide Series and he needs just a little bit more experience, in my opinion. Plus, he needs a better ride to showcase his talents. With David Reutimann leaving the number 83, Alex Bowman has a good shot to make his Cup debut, but I would rather see him run another year of Nationwide along with Reutimann moving to a smaller series to add some victories to his record. 

2. Changes Coming to Qualifying in All Three Series; What I Want to See
        A piece of very interesting news came out during the week for NASCAR. The sport announced that qualifying changes were coming to all three of NASCAR's highest series. If you recall, the sport runs single car runs for qualifying with the exception of the group qualifying session on the road courses. As of today, NASCAR hasn't announced what the new format is going to be, but I have some ideas if they want them. For one, I would love to see some heat races to set the field on race day. I mean, did you see those Eldora heat races in July of 2013? Man, those were great. Could you imagine sending a few cars out at Martinsville and tell them they are going to decide the lineup just based on a few lap race? There would be beating and banging for the ages. I mean, that seems like the coolest option for the sport in terms of making qualifying more interesting. I mean, there are other options like knockout qualifying sessions, group qualifying sessions, and just so many more other possibilities. Personally, I loved to see the single car runs because it was fun to watch cars beat others single handedly, but the thought of a heat race before an actual race is just so amazing to think about. I would love to see those heat races before the event and I hope NASCAR decides on the heat races instead of anything else.

3. Steve Letarte Joining NBC for NASCAR Coverage in 2015; How Will He Do and Is it the Right Time?
        A rather interesting and possibly shocking piece of news came out during the week. Steve Letarte, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief, announced he would be heading to the NBC booth for NASCAR coverage in 2015 along with Jeff Burton and Rick Allen. Letarte will be the key crew chief for the booth along with Burton as the driver and Allen as the main broadcaster. Personally, I think Letarte will do a great job. With this signing, I started thinking about how good Letarte spoke and his knowledge of the sport. He seems to me like the perfect fit for the broadcast booth. He has that easy to listen to voice and he has an amazing knowledge of the sport and its inner-workings. I know that is definitely not a problem, but is it the right time for him to leave? Honestly, I don't see it as the right time. I mean, the opening for the broadcast booth was there and it might not come back again. I see that as the right time, but I don't see at as the right time on the racing side of things. Dale Earnhardt Jr., I believe, is on the edge of greatness. Yes, I have said this about a lot of drivers recently, but I see Junior and Kasey Kahne as having great years this year and even, possibly, championship winning seasons. I don't see how Letarte could leave such a great situation for something that isn't as obviously good as maybe the Hendrick Motorsports situation. Maybe he knows something we as fans don't know. Either way, I think he will do a good job in his new situation and we could be looking at the next great broadcaster in just a few years.

4. Chase Elliott Running Full Time with JR Motorsports in Nationwide; Is It Time?
        Well, the news finally came. JR Motorsports, owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., announced that Chase Elliott would run full time in the NASCAR Nationwide Series in 2014 behind the wheel of the number 9. If you recall, Elliott won a Truck race in Canada last year and took an ARCA Racing Series win at Pocono. Along with those wins, he had great finishes every time he jumped in a race car and truck in 2013. Of course, the first thing that popped in my mind is the question pretty much everybody asked. Is Chase Elliott ready for this great opportunity? He is ready for this opportunity. I know, that sounds kind of hypocritical for me considering I said just a few months ago that I wanted to see some wins and championships from a driver before he started moving up to the secondary or even top series of NASCAR. Well, throw out the book for Chase Elliott. I mean, the kid can drive. I don't say that about a lot of drivers. There are only a few in NASCAR's two lower series along with Chase that I think have a future in the sport. Yes, Chase doesn't have the wins and full season runs that other drivers have, but he can drive and I feel like it is different with him. He just has so much ability and it may only take him a couple of years before he makes the jump to the Cup Series. This year is really going to be that test year for him and he looks really good in testing. With a couple of wins and maybe a championship in the next year or two, we could be talking about Chase Elliott running for rookie of the year in NASCAR's highest series very soon.

5. 2014 Preseason Thunder; How It Has Went Thus Far in My Opinion
        Test time is always the time where rules are messed with and teams are trying to conform to those rules. Well, this test session can be described just as that. All the rule changes made this offseason were being tested and tried on the superspeedway of Daytona. Thus far, the test session has looked good for the future. When the test session finally began on Friday, we saw some single car runs and it seemed like everybody was stable and definitely fast. As the Cup session began to draw to a close for the week, the drafting began. A few cars were running in packs together and everything looked great. They could pass from just about anywhere and a good many people were able to switch around at the front of the field. I was enjoying it and it seems like the racing will be great in February. Then, the Nationwide Series began testing. NASCAR decided to ban tandem drafting from the Nationwide and Truck Series at superspeedways so a lot of teams were having to test their pack drafting package. The session began with single car runs, but it moved to a lot of drafting practice. Groups of cars began to draft and they looked great as well. Cars were able to pass on the outside and the inside along with being able to switch leaders around. The racing looked good even without the tandem drafting. The Trucks are on the track on Monday and Tuesday and I am sure they will have a great session. All in all, the season looks like it is going to be great just based on the amount of action in the test sessions.

         Well, week #8 of the NASCAR offseason has drawn to a close. Testing is just about over with only the Trucks left to head out on track. The Nationwide and Cup test sessions looked promising, but the wait is now on for Speedweeks at the start of February. I can't wait to see some actual racing as we move ever so closer to the 56th annual running of the historic Daytona 500. The amount of news surrounding the race and the amount of great racing about to happen on track is just going to make this year's 500 so amazing to watch. If you have any issues with the topics we discussed today, let me know in the comments section down below. I thank you guys once again for reading through my thoughts every week. Expect some more stuff in this next couple of weeks. The 2013 recap is almost done. I just need to place the final touches on it before I put it up. I hope you guys are fairly impressed with it. That is all for me today and until we meet again.





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My Thoughts- OffSeason Week #7

          Well, here we are. After what seemed like ages, we remain only a few days before cars hit a race track. No, it isn't the Daytona 500. No, it isn't even a race. No, it isn't even important in the grand scheme of things. But it is the annual PreSeason Thunder testing at Daytona. Before the cars make their qualifying runs at Daytona for the 500 or the Duels occur, PreSeason Thunder testing will allow them to make adjustments for the greatest race of the season. It sure is something I have looked forward to since November. Knowing that cars are going to be on track in just a couple of days, is just a feeling that can not be described for a true fan of the sport. Plus, think of all the history that will be on track in a couple of days. The number three will leave the garage on Thursday and exit towards the track for the first time since 2001 with Austin Dillon behind the wheel. Kevin Harvick will enter onto the hallowed grounds of Daytona for the first time in a Sprint Cup car other than one owned by Richard Childress. There are so many other story lines to go along with this, but these two could be the precedents of Speedweeks for 2014. Well, with all that information in hand, let us start this week's edition of my thoughts. Today's topics include a rookie driver running the Rolex 24 at Daytona, an established NASCAR broadcaster moving to IndyCar broadcasts in 2015, my expectations for the testing beginning on Thursday, a possibly retired driver testing for an injured driver at Daytona, and my Chase picks for 2014. With all those topics in mind, let us jump right into my thoughts for this week.

1. Kyle Larson Running the Rolex 24 at Daytona With Chip Ganassi Racing; Is That Smart?
        A piece of surprising race news for a rookie driver came out during the week. Chip Ganassi announced that Kyle Larson would be a co-driver of one of his cars in the Rolex 24 at Daytona. Larson will drive the car along with IndyCar stars Scott Dixon and Tony Kanaan and sports car racing star Marino Franchitti. In case you don't know much about the race, I will give you a basic description. Every January, teams in three different divisions of sports car racing face off in a twenty four endurance race at the Daytona International Speedway road course. Typically, four or five drivers switch runs for each car hoping to take the victory in their division and only one winner in each division is awarded. It is one of the hardest races on the calendar in racing and that leads into what I want to talk about today. I believe this is a really smart move for Ganassi in terms of making Larson a good driver. I mean, there is only one really bad thing about this and that is that he isn't racing in a Sprint Cup Series car in this race. Other than that, everything else is looking good. First off, he gets to perform some laps on the actual Daytona surface and learn some road course racing along with that. With the Rolex 24 running on the actual Daytona surface and a road course as well, he gets a lot of great experience to add to his experience already. Plus, he learns it from some of the best auto racing has to offer. Dixon, Kanaan, and Franchitti are all road course specialists and that could go a long way in helping Kyle Larson's road course abilities. All in all, there seems to be only one bad move with this, but everything else seems like it will go good for Larson and even Ganassi.

2. Allen Bestwick Moving to IndyCar Broadcasts for 2015 on ESPN Networks; Why Wouldn't He Pursue NASCAR on Another Network?
       A little odd piece of broadcasting news came out during the week. ESPN announced that Allen Bestwick would be the lead broadcaster for all IndyCar races on the network starting in 2015. If you recall, Bestwick has been doing NASCAR on ESPN for a good many years now including the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series. Before that, he was a pit reporter on NBC along with a broadcaster as the years progressed. Also, if you recall, Marty Reid has been doing IndyCar races for a good many years now with ESPN and has called some of the most important IndyCar races in the last few years before being relieved of his duties later in 2013. Now, I have a lot to say about this move. First off, it is a bad move. I mean, Allen Bestwick has been one of the greatest to put on a headset and call a NASCAR race in a good many years, in my opinion. Some agree, but others don't. Don't get me wrong. I will listen to any network broadcast a race. I don't care as much as some people do about the people in the booth. Nonetheless, Bestwick is just so excellent with the race and it is perfect to listen to. But, IndyCar? Why would he settle for that with ESPN and not chase after an opportunity in NASCAR? I guess, a contract with ESPN kept him from moving, but I still don't understand. I mean, yes, NBC and FOX pretty much have their lineup set up, but if that is what you are comfortable with, why not chase after it? To add to this, I don't think he will do a bad job. I watch some IndyCar races anyway, but I might check out a few more with him in the booth. I would just rather have him doing NASCAR races because this could be a bad move for the networks looking towards the future without Bestwick doing NASCAR races.

3. PreSeason Thunder Testing Begins on Thursday; What Am I Expecting?
        It is almost time for the annual PreSeason Thunder testing at Daytona. The testing starts on Thursday and I have been harping the past few weeks on how much history we are going to make with the number three back on track and Kevin Harvick with a different team. Even with all that, I am expecting a great test session. I mean, last year, the first test session with the new car, had great racing and there was even a big wreck to go along with all the good racing. I expect a lot of the same this year. Maybe even a little bit more racing to go with that. I mean, drivers and teams have a bigger notebook to go with Daytona and that could add to how the racing is impacted even in the test session. There is one thing I want to look at closely: the new spoiler size. No, it won't impact a great deal, but I just want to see if anything changes with the racing. Like I have said, though, I don't have an engineering degree and I can't predict how it will result. Also, I want to see who looks good this year in the test session. Legitimately, I am expecting great things from Kasey Kahne in the session. I mean, 2013 was definitely a struggle for him at times and I feel like he is on the verge of greatness for maybe even a championship run in 2014. It should definitely be a wonderful test session to watch and I am pretty excited for the action beginning on Thursday.

4. Mark Martin Testing for Tony Stewart at Daytona; What Will He Bring to the Table for the Team?
         This wasn't actually news this week, but it has been developing for the past few months. Since Tony Stewart is injured, Mark Martin will fill in for Stewart in the first test session of the year. If you recall, Stewart was injured in a sprint car crash in Iowa at the beginning of August. The wreck resulted in Stewart missing the rest of the 2013 season and returning for the 2014 Daytona 500. After Stewart's injury, Mark Martin took over and continues to run the number 14 as the series begins testing. I just have one thought in my mind. What will Mark Martin bring to the team they didn't previously know? I actually think he could bring a lot to the team. The main reason is just Martin's experience in a race car. I know he really struggled when he was racing in the later part of the year for the team, but that is different to me. With him in a test session, they will learn so much valuable information that maybe Stewart couldn't find out. Not saying Tony Stewart isn't a great driver, but Mark Martin has seen it all in his NASCAR career. With Martin behind the wheel, I believe the number 14 will be set on the right track for 2014 and Tony Stewart will just add to his career totals in his return.

5. My Chase Picks for 2014
        Well, we are still about a month away from the Daytona 500 and about nine more before we decide who battles for the title in the final ten races. But I have been thinking along with reading a little bit. I read a prediction article on Racing-reference.info the other day and the writer made his/her Chase predictions. Well, I thought they were terrible to be honest with you guys. That inspired me to go ahead and make my Chase predictions for 2014 even with so much time left. Here are the twelve guys who I think will be running for the title after twenty six hard races in 2014: Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Matt Kenseth, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, Jamie McMurray, and Clint Bowyer. Now, let me give an explanation for each guy. Jimmie Johnson is a given every year of course. Kasey Kahne is going to surprise some people this year and I think he might could take a title in 2014. Kyle Busch has just been so good recently that he can't be left off. Kevin Harvick is going to remain good even with his new team. Matt Kenseth won't be as dominate as he was in 2013, but he will be steady Matt Kenseth as usual. Brad Keselowski had a terrible 2013, but he will be a force to fight in 2014 as he makes his comeback. Joey Logano showed me in 2013 that he wants to drive a race car and be competitive and he will do just that in 2014. Dale Earnhardt Jr. might take a win in 2014, but he won't blow away any competition. Greg Biffle will be the same steady Greg Biffle without much shock in making the Chase. Ryan Newman's move to a new team will be the boost he needs and he might surprise some people. Jamie McMurray is kind of my upset Chase pick this year. He was the best non-Chase driver in the 2013 Chase and he just looked so focused. He could very well steal a Chase spot in 2014. My final pick for the Chase is Clint Bowyer. Bowyer is a decent driver, but I don't believe he will be great in 2014 other than taking the Chase spot. Notable snubs from my list include Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, and Denny Hamlin. Gordon and Busch don't seem to have the drive to make it to the championship battle. Gordon needed a scandal to get in the 2013 Chase and Busch just wanted another opportunity in 2014 so he ran hard to make the Chase. Stewart and Hamlin, on the other hand, could make my Chase list. I just want to see how they perform to start the year after having pretty bad injuries last year. I just think it is crazy to assume anything for those two before seeing some racing. There is my Chase picks for 2014 and we will see how they turn out as the season progresses.

         This edition of my thoughts brings week seven of the 2013 NASCAR offseason to a complete close. The testing in just a few days will be a very welcome sight for me and I hope to see some great action after a long offseason. I would like to do some writing about maybe the Nationwide testing on Saturday, but we will see. If you guys have any issues with the topics we discussed today, please let me know in the comments down below. Flashback Fridays might stop for a little while because I have ran out of recaps, but I will try to get it back going as soon as possible. I kind of slipped up on the season recap, but I hope to have it up today. If I don't get it up today, it won't be very long before I get it finished and up for your enjoyment. Well, that is it for me today guys and until we meet again.





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Flashback Friday- 2000 Goody's Body Pain 500 at Martinsville

(*SPOILER ALERT: This is a summary of a race that some of you may not have seen. If you want to see the race before reading this article, do not scroll down past the point at the bottom of the screen. Here is the link to the race, which is also listed at the bottom of the page: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6y-zJZQIw *)

           When you think of short tracks, do you think of beaten up race cars running around a small track? Well, you should. Whenever a series of NASCAR heads to a short track like Martinsville or Bristol, that is usually what happens. The driver who avoids all that damage and wreckage typically walks out the winner after a five hundred lap battle. This was the case on this day as NASCAR's highest series headed to the Martinsville Speedway for the eighth round of the 2000 season. It was a rather chilly day at the speedway, but that did not affect Rusty Wallace. Wallace was able to dominate the race, but disaster struck during the middle part of the event. He lost a tire in turn 2 of the track and he had to make it to pit road. He did, but the race remained green and he lost a couple of laps. Wallace was able to use the new tires and a set of green flag pit stops to take the lead back in about fifty laps. It seemed like he was meant to win the race, but it would be taken away. Wallace came down pit road during the fifteenth caution for the final time on the race. Mark Martin and others, who came down the previous caution for their final stops, stayed on track and Wallace became mired deep in the pack. Martin held on for the final portion of the event and took the win. It wasn't a simple race for anybody though. A Martinsville record tying seventeen cautions left at least every driver with some damage on their cars. It was definitely a caution fest, but the racing was great along with the amount of stoppages.

Rusty Wallace started on the pole. It was the twenty eighth pole of his career and his second pole of 2000. The race went green with Wallace leading the first lap ahead of his brother, Kenny Wallace. The race would quickly go downhill for Kenny with the first caution of the race on lap 4. Kenny Wallace, who was battling with Mike Skinner for a spot in the top 5, had his throttle stick entering turn 3. Wallace's car pointed straight towards the outside wall and he couldn't get it to stop before slamming the outside wall hard. His car rolled to a stop and he had heavy damage that would take away his chances to win the race. Since it was so early in the race, none of the leaders came down pit road. The race went back green and Rusty Wallace held onto the lead. The race would only go a few laps before the second caution waved on lap 16. Coming out of turn 4, Rich Bickle went around after contact with Johnny Benson. Bickle's car rolled to a stop on the frontstretch, but he was able to drive away without damage. Once again, the drivers did not come down pit road. The race went back green and Rusty Wallace held onto the lead. The race went a little bit longer this time, but the third caution of the race waved on lap 50. Jimmy Spencer bumped Scott Pruett in turn 4. Pruett went around and Spencer bumped into him as they entered the frontstretch. Both drivers drove away, but they had a little bit of damage after the stack up. Finally, after three cautions, the first pit stops of the race would occur, but they would be very crazy and race changing.

Before the race at Martinsville, NASCAR had adopted a new rule for pit stops. Before this race, pit crews could leave right side tires on the edge of the pit box until the driver left the box and they could go retrieve them. Well, that was no more for these stops and it would become a factor immediately. Mark Martin, Dave Blaney, Ward Burton, Jeff Gordon, and others took two tires, but Gordon and Burton's crews would make a mistake. Based on the rule, teams have to push the tires back to the pit wall before the car left. Blaney and Martin's crews did this, but Gordon and Burton's crews waited until their drivers left to push the tires back. This resulted in a penalty for Gordon and Burton and they would be at the back of the field. There was also a problem for Dale Jarrett on the stops. Because of the crowded pit road at Martinsville, Jarrett became three wide with a couple of other drivers and they made contact. Jarrett had to slow on pit road to allow everyone to pass by. He had damage, but he had lost a good many spots along with the damage. Fortunately, he would not have to come back in for repairs. All the other drivers took four tires with Mike Skinner beating Rusty Wallace out of the pits to take the lead. It was a crazy set of pit stops and they would set the standard for the day.

The race went back green and Mike Skinner was able to hold onto the lead. He only held it a couple of laps before Rusty Wallace took it back on lap 58. Wallace was beginning to drive away from the field as the fourth caution of the race waved on lap 71. Entering turn 1, Dave Blaney lost a left rear tire. His car slid around and came to a stop near the outside wall. Blaney did not receive heavy damage, but he couldn't drive away without the wheel and he would need repair work on the left rear hub. Pit stops once again did not occur and the race went back green. Rusty Wallace once again held onto the lead. He began to drive away from the field again as the fifth caution of the race waved on lap 104. Ward Burton made contact with Rich Bickle in turn 1. Bickle went around and up the track. He slid back down, but none of the drivers hit him. He was able to drive away without damage. This caution led to the second round of pit stops of the race and more strategy. Ward Burton stayed on track while the rest of the drivers came down pit road. Jeff Gordon, Dale Jarrett, and others took two tires for track position while the rest of the drivers took four tires. This put Ward Burton out front, but he would have to hold off Rusty Wallace.

The race went back green and Ward was able to hold onto the lead. The move did not work for long as Rusty Wallace took the lead back on lap 112. The race begin to enter a groove and Wallace drove away until the sixth caution waved on lap 143. Mike Bliss spun Matt Kenseth entering turn 4. Kenseth went around and up the track. Joe Nemechek couldn't avoid him and slammed into his back. Both drivers drove away, but with some damage. Kenny Irwin Jr. also received some damage in the accident. Pit stops occurred during the caution with some strategy. Bobby Labonte and others took two tires while the rest of the drivers took four tires. This put Labonte in front of Rusty Wallace for the moment. The race went back green and Labonte was able to hold onto the lead. Like his counterpart, Ward Burton, on the previous restart, Labonte could not hold the lead long as Wallace took it away from him on lap 149. The race only went a few laps before the seventh caution of the race waved on lap 158. Coming out of turn 4, Mike Bliss sent Kyle Petty around. Petty came around and rolled to a stop at the bottom of the track. He drove away without damage, but he lost a lap. No pit stops occurred during the caution. The race went back green and Rusty Wallace continued to hold onto his lead and dominate. He didn't get enough laps to drive away as the eighth caution waved on lap 175. Mike Skinner bumped Scott Pruett in entering turn 3. Pruett went around and up the track. Jeff Burton and Jerry Nadeau went high and became blocked in by Pruett. All three drove away undamaged, but they each lost a lot of positions. No pit stops occurred and the race went back green with Rusty Wallace still leading. The race went a few laps before the ninth caution waved on lap 185. Coming out of turn 2, Mike Bliss turned Kyle Petty. Petty went up the track and piled into the outside wall. He rolled to a stop in the middle of the backstretch. He drove away, but he had heavy damage and would have to report to the garage. No pit stops occurred and the race went back green. Rusty Wallace held onto the lead, but his race would quickly change.

After the green flag waved, the cautions stopped for the moment and Rusty Wallace began to run away. The laps clicked by as the race finally reached the halfway point. Only a few laps later, Rusty Wallace's dominating performance would soon take a turn for the worst. Riding through turn 2 on lap 253, Rusty Wallace's car sent out a puff of smoke from the right side, which is the universal sign for a blown tire. Wallace coasted his car to the bottom of the track and down pit road. The race remained green as Wallace creeped down pit road. He came to the attention of his crew and they replaced all four tires. The jackman dropped the jack and Rusty Wallace returned to the race with four brand new tires. Unfortunately for him, he had lost two laps and it would be a quest to make them up. This handed Bobby Labonte the lead, but a battle erupted. Dale Earnhardt Sr. powered to the lead and took it away from the current point leader. Earnhardt ran away from the field, but the race remained calm long enough for green flag pit stops to begin on lap 291. It was a few laps before the leaders came to pit road, but they eventually did. This handed the lead to Ken Schrader, who had not yet pitted, and Michael Waltrip was running second. It was hard to believe who was running third at the time. Rusty Wallace, who had lost two laps just a measly fifty laps before the stops, was now running third. If he could catch a break with a caution, he would be back on the lead lap and in place for a win.

It was definitely Rusty Wallace's day. He received the tenth caution on lap 309 just laps after gaining his laps back. Tony Stewart bumped Jimmy Spencer in turn 3. Spencer went around and up the track towards the outside wall. He stopped before the wall and all the cars behind him avoided. Spencer was able to drive away without damage. Ken Schrader, Rusty Wallace, and Michael Waltrip came down pit road. Because there were only those three cars on the lead lap before the caution, they could pit and have the cars one lap down in front of them on the restart instead of having them behind them. Essentially, Waltrip, Schrader, and Wallace were the only three lead lap cars with the rest in front of them. With that said, the race went back green with Ken Schrader holding the lead. It wasn't long before Rusty Wallace returned to his spot at the front of the field on lap 325. The race went a good many laps before the eleventh caution waved on lap 365. Jeff Gordon bumped Bobby Labonte in turn 4. Labonte went around at the exit of the corner and spun around. Labonte came to a stop, but traffic behind him avoided. He drove away without damage, but he lost a lap. Pit stops occurred under the caution without much strategy. All of the drivers pitted for four tires with Rusty Wallace coming out as the leader. Only one stop would be needed for all the drivers after this caution, but it would be interesting to see how the strategy was played. 

The race went back green and Rusty Wallace held onto the lead. It wasn't long before the twelfth caution waved on lap 382. Rich Bickle ran into Robby Gordon in turn 2. Bickle lifted off the ground slightly and ran into the grass on the inside of the track. He made slight contact with the inside wall and came to a stop. He became stuck in the wet grass and needed a wrecker to pull him out. Both drivers had heavy damage and would need heavy repairs. No pit stops occurred during the caution and Rusty Wallace returned to the lead. The race went a few laps before the thirteenth caution waved on lap 392. The field stacked up in turn 4 and Dale Jarrett sent Ricky Rudd around. Jarrett and Brett Bodine stopped behind Rudd while the field drove around the incident. Jarrett and Bodine did not receive much damage, but Rudd had a good amount and needed repairs. Once again, pit stops did not occur and Rusty Wallace held onto the lead. The race went a short time again before the fourteenth caution waved on lap 410. Kenny Wallace bumped Robby Gordon in turn 2. Gordon went around and went up the track. He avoided the wall and came to a stop. Dave Blaney had to stop to avoid, but he drove away quickly. Gordon also drove away without damage. This caution brought some pit stops that would change the outcome of the race. Mark Martin, John Andretti, and others at the back of the lead lap pitted for four tires while Rusty Wallace and the other front runners stayed on track. These stops would change the landscape of the race and it would be interesting to see how it turned out.

The race went back green and Rusty Wallace held onto the lead. He began to drive away just as the fifteenth caution of the race waved on lap 436. Jerry Nadeau went around in turn 3. He came to a stop next to the outside wall, but he was able to drive away with very little damage. The final pit stops of the race occurred. Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, and others stayed out while the leaders came to pit road. Dale Jarrett and others took two tires while Rusty Wallace and the rest of the leaders took four tires. This put Rusty Wallace, the dominator of the race, at the back of the lead lap while Mark Martin, a driver who had barely seen the top 5, in front of the field. It would be interesting to see how it turned out. The race went back green and Mark Martin held onto the lead. The race went a good many laps before the sixteenth caution of the race waved on lap 466. Sterling Marlin bumped Steve Park in turn 4. Park went around and spun on the race track. He was able to avoid the wall and continue on without damage. Rusty Wallace, Ken Schrader, and others at the back of the lead lap came to pit road hoping to gain some positions with new tires. The race went back green and Mark Martin continued to hold the lead as the action began to pick up in the event.

On lap 478, there was trouble on the track. Rusty Wallace bumped Chad Little in turn 1. Little went up the track and hit Bobby Hamilton. Both drivers spun around and rolled to a stop in the corner. Both quickly drove away and the caution did not wave. Mark Martin continued to battle traffic and the drivers behind him as the seventeenth and final caution waved on lap 489. In retaliation for the lap 478 incident, Bobby Hamilton bumped Rusty Wallace in turn 1. Wallace went around along with Hamilton. Hamilton came to a stop on the inside of the track while Wallace made slight contact with the outside wall. Both drove away, but Wallace had to fix a fender before returning to the track. A race that had looked so promising for him was now over. The field lined up one final time and the race went back green with Mark Martin holding onto the lead. He drove away from Jeff Burton in a couple of laps and took the white flag in stride. He hit every corner perfectly and made it out of turn 4 in sight of the checkered flag. Martin took the checkered flag and grabbed his first of the 2000 season. It was a nice strategy win for Martin, but what the race could have been for Rusty Wallace.

When you go into victory lane and say that your car was junk all weekend, you know luck was on your side. Well, Mark Martin said that in victory lane while he stood tall after a five hundred mile slugfest. Martin didn't even come close to the lead in the first four hundred laps, but his team played the strategy right and came home first in the last hundred laps. This wasn't the same case for Rusty Wallace. He couldn't get away from the lead in the first four hundred laps after recovering from losing two laps after blowing a tire on track, while leading. The strategy in the race pushed him back to the rear of the lead lap in the final hundred laps and he couldn't recover to take the win he fought so hard for. It was definitely a crash fest at Martinsville. Seventeen cautions tied the record for the most at the small track in Virginia. Plus, it made another little piece history as well. Mark Martin was the eighth driver to win in eight races on the season, which set the record for the most races into a season without a repeat winner. It would be interesting to see how long the series could keep that record up. Bobby Labonte remained the points leader even after a spin in the race and a win for the second man in points. But that could all change as the series headed to Talladega Superspeedway the next week for what was sure to be a crazy race at NASCAR's biggest track. Would the series see a ninth different winner in nine races, would Bobby Labonte hold onto his points lead, or would a crazy race result in a new face on top of the standings? We will have to find out on the next installment of “Flashback Friday”.
(More Stats Down Below!)





Cautions:
1st Caution: Lap 4- Kenny Wallace's throttle stuck entering turn 3 and he slammed the outside wall.

2nd Caution: Lap 16- Johnny Benson spun Rich Bickle in turn 4 and Bickle went around in the corner.

3rd Caution: Lap 50- Jimmy Spencer bumped Scott Pruett in turn 4 and Pruett went around, causing both drivers to stop in the exit of the corner.

4th Caution: Lap 71- Dave Blaney lost a left rear tire in turn 1 and came to a stop near the outside wall.

5th Caution: Lap 104- Rich Bickle went around in turn 1 after contact with Ward Burton.

6th Caution: Lap 143- Matt Kenseth spun in turn 4 after contact with Mike Bliss. Joe Nemechek rammed into Kenseth's rear and Kenny Irwin Jr. received some damage trying to avoid. 

7th Caution: Lap 158- Mike Bliss sent Kyle Petty for a spin in turn 4.

8th Caution: Lap 175- Mike Skinner bumped Scott Pruett in turn 3 and Pruett went for a spin. Jerry Nadeau and Jeff Burton became stuck behind Pruett, but drove away without damage.

9th Caution: Lap 185- Mike Bliss turned Kyle Petty into the outside wall exiting turn 2.

10th Caution: Lap 309- Jimmy Spencer went around in turn 3 after contact with Tony Stewart.

11th Caution: Lap 365- Bobby Labonte spun out in turn 4 after contact with Jeff Gordon.

12th Caution: Lap 382- Rich Bickle ran into Robby Gordon in turn 2 and lifted off the ground before coming to a stop in the grass.

13th Caution: Lap 392- Dale Jarrett sent Ricky Rudd around in turn 4 after a field stack up. Brett Bodine stopped behind Rudd, but didn't receive damage.

14th Caution: Lap 410- Robby Gordon went around in turn 2 after contact with Kenny Wallace. Dave Blaney stopped behind Gordon, but did not receive damage.

15th Caution: Lap 436- Jerry Nadeau went around in turn 3.

16th Caution: Lap 466- Sterling Marlin bumped Steve Park in turn 4 and sent him around. 

17th Caution: Lap 489- Bobby Hamilton spun Rusty Wallace in turn 1. Wallace went around along with Hamilton before Wallace hit the wall.

Top 5 Finishers:
1st: Mark Martin
2nd: Jeff Burton
3rd: Michael Waltrip
4th: Jeff Gordon
5th: Dale Jarrett

Notables Not in Top 5:
6th: Tony Stewart
8th: Bill Elliott
9th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
10th: Rusty Wallace
12th: Bobby Labonte
21st: Matt Kenseth
26th: Dale Earnhardt Jr.





Credits:
-My Own Notes
-Special thanks to wfrncsu012 for uploading the full race on Youtube. If you guys want to check it out, here it is:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UH6y-zJZQIw
-Statistics:
http://racing-reference.info/race/2000_Goody's_Body_Pain_500/W
-Image:
http://www.angelfire.com/mn/6mm60/images/2000win2.jpg