My Thoughts: 2014 Charlotte

         I have said this a lot during certain editions of my thoughts, but it bears repeating. Mile and a half tracks are the meat of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule and, thus, they are the most important events of the season. Well, May has been full of them. Two weeks ago, it was the mile and a half track of Kansas where Jeff Gordon walked home a winner after a great night race. One week ago, it was the exhibition Sprint All-Star race at Charlotte where Jamie McMurray took a one million dollar prize. The race did not mean anything to the point standings, but it will affect tonight's race as the series will run again at Charlotte and points will be on the line in the six hundred mile Coca-Cola 600. The importance of last week's All-Star event is simple. Both races will finish at night and notes from the All-Star race will help in the Coca-Cola 600. Plus, last week's All-Star race will help determine who will be a factor tonight. Expect Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Jamie McMurray, and others to be good once again. But here is the huge catch. Last week's exhibition was a short ninety laps and the event tonight will encompass four hundred hard fought laps. That means some drivers who were good in a short race last week could experience problems throughout the event and they wouldn't be around late. Let's summarize this up. Tonight's race is going to be almost unpredictable and after six hundred miles of torture to equipment, teams, and drivers, the winner will have earned the win. Before tonight's race gets underway, I have some topics I want to discuss with you guys. Topics include a driver moving up to Cup full time next year, a driver who has picked it up recently, a discussion of Jeff Gordon, a discussion of a driver looking to pull a rare feat, and, of course, my pick to win. Well, let us jump into these topics in preparation for the longest race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.

1. Trevor Bayne Running Full Time in Sprint Cup Next Year: My Expectations For Him
        Yesterday, a piece of great news was announced for Trevor Bayne. Roush Fenway Racing announced that Bayne would run full time in Sprint Cup next year in the number six with full sponsorship from Advocare, which is his Nationwide sponsor this year. If you recall, Bayne was the 2011 Daytona 500 champion and he has taken two NASCAR Nationwide Series wins in his tenure there. I have been waiting for this announcement for about a year now. I mean, Bayne has more than proven he was worthy to drive in the Cup Series, but, of course, that is just my opinion. I do want to discuss with you guys my expectations for Bayne in his first full time season next year. I, honestly, believe he will do pretty good next year. One reason is the abilities he has shown in the Nationwide Series and his few Cup starts the past few years. In the Nationwide Series, he has started in one hundred and twenty nine races and he has finished in the top ten in sixty, which is nearly half the races. That proves he has a lot of consistency and can jump behind the wheel of a car and give it the best finish it has in it. Plus, you have to consider that Daytona 500 win. He battled all day long and he held off some good drivers late to take the win in NASCAR's most famous race. He showed so much maturity and that bodes well for him. A final reason is the situation he is moving into. Next year, he will join a Cup team with a few veteran and experienced drivers. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. will be in his third full season and he will be able to show a lot of things to Bayne. Greg Biffle will be in his thirteenth full season at Roush Fenway and he will be able to show Bayne even more things to help him out. I think the key driver, though, is Carl Edwards. Edwards was a position away from being the 2011 Sprint Cup champion and he will be able to be one of the best role models Bayne can have. The key thing is Edwards has to remain at Roush next year. He has been rumored to be in talks with Joe Gibbs Racing, but those rumors could mean nothing. Couple all those experienced drivers on Bayne's team with his abilities behind the wheel, Roush Fenway Racing is looking pretty formidable for next year and the 2011 Daytona 500 champion looks to be in great hands. 

2. Danica Patrick: Is She Finally a Contender in the Cup Series?
         If you haven't heard yet because your rock doesn't get television service, Danica Patrick has greatly improved recently in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in the past two races. She qualified seventh at Talladega and ended up finishing twenty second after a few problems late. But Kansas went extremely well for the Roscoe, Illinois driver. She shocked everybody as she took a ninth place starting spot at Kansas. Everybody was expecting her to come into the race and fall back immediately, but she didn't. She battled up front all night and passed a good many drivers as she walked away with a seventh place finish, which was her best career finish in NASCAR's highest series. After not making the All-Star race a week ago, she bounced back in Coca-Cola 600 qualifying by taking a fourth place starting spot, which is her best non-restrictor plate start in the Cup Series. Well, all that information leads me to a question for Patrick. Is she finally a contender in the Cup Series? I really didn't expect to say this, but it seems like she has this thing figured out. I mean, at the start of this year, I was pretty mad at her and Tony Stewart because Stewart, basically, screwed Ryan Newman out of a ride just for his money maker in Patrick. It seemed like all that was becoming true to start the season as she was struggling. Then, Kansas came and she blew me away. She made moves on that speedway I did not know she could do. She looked like a veteran and she battled some of the best in the sport all night to a seventh place finish. All this seemed to come about after she had some talks with Kevin Harvick. Harvick gave her some ideas for Kansas and they worked well. According to a few sources, they talked again this weekend and Danica is back starting out front. I didn't think I would ever say this, but we might see a woman win in NASCAR. Danica Patrick seems to have things figured out and she has certainly proven me wrong. I hope she does prove the haters wrong and we see her in victory lane soon.

3. Jeff Gordon: Is He Finally in Line to Take His Fifth Cup Title?
        Along with Danica Patrick succeeding at Kansas two weeks ago, Jeff Gordon was also stellar himself. He battled all night long and took the win in the end after a charge from second place finisher, Kevin Harvick. The win was Gordon's first of the year and the win will practically guarantee him a spot in the 2014 Chase. Really, it was just an added bonus for Gordon because he was and still is leading the points after eleven races. Gordon's recent success and abilities put one question in my mind for today's edition of my thoughts. Is Jeff Gordon finally in line to win his fifth Sprint Cup title? On Friday, when I decided on these topics, I was pretty sure he was, but now I have some questions after Saturday morning's early practice session. Near the end of practice, FOX Sports 1 did an interview with Gordon and he reported he had experienced back spasms all of the session and he would be sitting out happy hour practice later. That, to me, sounds very scary for Gordon. I've never had back spasms, but it seems like whenever an athlete has them, they are very uncomfortable. Don't quote me on this, but I believe the reason Tiger Woods, the golfer, had this back surgery that has put him out for a few months is because of back spasms. If I was Gordon's team, I would be worried. I mean, I'm not saying he is going to have to have surgery, but he is going to need to be careful. If Gordon does heal from these injuries rather quickly, I wouldn't worry. He has been very good this season and he will be a winner if he stays behind the wheel of the car. If he does manage to race the entire season without problems, Gordon will be a contender for this year's title.

4. Kurt Busch Doing the Double: How Will He Perform?
          Kurt Busch, driver for Stewart-Haas Racing in the number forty one, will perform a rare feat this afternoon and one that has received a lot of attention around the racing world. Busch will run in the historic Indianapolis 500 this afternoon and he will head on a flight after the race to run tonight's Sprint Cup Coca-Cola 600. For you math guys at home, that is 1,100 miles of auto racing in one single day. The feat has been done before, but this is the first time Busch will attempt “The Double” as it has been called. I have one single question for Busch as he embarks on this endeavor. How will he perform in the two races today? I, honestly, think he will do pretty good in both races. First, we will discuss the Indy 500. Busch qualified twelfth there and he has done great all of his time at Indy, except for a practice crash last week. Busch was forced to a back-up car, but he will start in the same spot he was scheduled for. Still, I think Busch is going to have a great race. He has been performing well and he has the ability to finish in the top ten and even win this race. Finally, let's talk about the Coca-Cola 600. Busch will roll off in a measly twenty eighth place and he has been pretty deep in the practice charts all weekend, but I'm not worried about all that. Busch won the 2010 running of this race and he has been good at Charlotte in his career. I expect him to take a good many laps to become accustomed to the stock car and by the end of the race, he will be in contention. We could be watching history unfold this afternoon and I am ready to see it take place as Kurt Busch looks to run 1,100 miles over one single day.

5. My Pick to Win
        Charlotte Motor Speedway used to be what some people called “Jimmie Johnson's House”. Recently, though, Johnson hasn't been running as well at Charlotte compared to some other drivers. In fact, take a look at the last three Coca-Cola 600 races. In 2011, Kevin Harvick passed Dale Earnhardt Jr. as Earnhardt ran out of fuel in the final corner to take the win. In 2012, Kasey Kahne dominated the entire night and took the win in style over the field. In 2013, Kasey Kahne was up to his usual domination, but a strategy call late handed Kevin Harvick the win at Charlotte with Kahne finishing second. Last week's All-Star race was, basically, the same story. Harvick and Kahne dominated the early part of the race, but they ended up out of contention late. The point is that Kahne and Harvick are going to be two guys to watch in tonight's event. I would also consider Jimmie Johnson, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch, and Matt Kenseth as contenders in the race. Ricky Stenhouse Jr., Aric Almirola, Danica Patrick, Jamie McMurray, and Ryan Newman are underdog drivers to look at as contenders as well. Still, though, tonight's race is going to be an unpredictable affair. Equipment, patience, and the will of some drivers will be constantly tested. It is going to be a good show to watch and I am excited to see it. I won't be able to write about it, but I will definitely be watching it. Well, that is all for me today and until we meet again.





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My Thoughts: Charlotte

            After the caution fest that was the fall race at Kansas, the series heads to the high banked and fast mile and a half in Charlotte, North Carolina. The only Saturday night race in the Chase is destined to be one of the best at the home track for most of the teams in the Sprint Cup Series. The contenders for the championship have become clearer in the past couple of weeks. Matt Kenseth and Jimmie Johnson still remain at the top of the battle while Kevin Harvick placed himself in the battle with a win last week at Kansas. Kyle Busch, who was third in points before the race at Kansas, had several incidents and fell all the way back to fifth in the points standings. He has a good many points to make up at Charlotte, but he is still in the battle for the title. All of this knowledge leads into my thoughts for the fall race at Charlotte. Topics today include a new challenger in the battle for the title, my predictions for two brand new starters, a race date change that affects me the most, a driver arrested for assault, and the main topic of my thoughts: my pick to win. A lot of crazy topics today that make me want to go ahead and get started.

1. Is Kevin Harvick a New Challenger in the Championship Battle?
        If you were unable to catch the race at Kansas, let me recap. Kevin Harvick took the win in the race after fifteen cautions and three of those that involved Kyle Busch, who was third in points. Now, Harvick is third in the points and Busch is sitting deep in the standings in fifth. This leads me to my question: Is Kevin Harvick a new challenger in the championship battle? That is a definite yes. One reason is the tracks that are coming up. Tonight's race is at Charlotte. Harvick has won at the track a good bit in the past few years. Then, the series heads to Talladega. Harvick is a good driver at the restrictor plate tracks and especially at Talladega. Then, we go to Martinsville. Harvick has been decent at the smallest track on the circuit in his time in the series. All this means is that he should get a good many points since he is so good at the tracks coming up. Now, I know previous track record somewhere doesn't mean anything really, but since he is so close to the point lead, it does mean a good bit. Finally, Harvick has been very consistent all year. Harvick hasn't really finished bad unless he wrecked or had a car that wasn't up to what he needed. Because of this, Harvick has had a lot of good finishes and this has continued in the Chase. All this means is that one slip up by the guys in front of Harvick could lead to points gained in the championship. With this said, Harvick could be a good pick for his first championship in the Sprint Cup Series. 

2. Who Will Finish Better in Their Sprint Cup Debut: Brian Scott or Kyle Larson?
         A highly contested issue this week at Charlotte has been with the drivers making their debut. Will Kyle Larson or Brian Scott finish better when all is said and done? To me, Brian Scott will be the highest finishing driver making his debut after the finish at Charlotte. Wait, what? Doesn't Kyle Larson have more potential according to the sport? There is no doubt that people think that, but let me give my reasons. The first reason is the way Brian Scott drives. Scott is a very patient driver and one that will not get his nose dirty unless he has to. Larson is way different. He will drive the wheels off the car and bump anybody to get his way. Now, in some cases that will work and help out a lot, but it won't help in your debut. With Scott's style, he should have a better chance for a higher up finish. Finally, Scott has better equipment and backing. Scott is racing for Richard Childress Racing who has very good equipment and a lot of drivers like Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton that are good teachers. Kyle Larson is driving for Harry Scott who has all right equipment and Larson has a little bit of help from Jamie McMurray. Even though Larson may have a bit more talent, Scott has pretty much all that matters with equipment and information. Again, these things don't necessarily tell who will finish better. You have to consider luck, strategy, and even weather. Without all these aspects thrown in, I still believe that Scott will have the advantage over Larson in terms of finishing position.

3. Spring Kansas Race Moves to Night and Mother's Day Weekend While the Darlington Race Moves to April
         A bit of schedule news came out during the week. It was announced that the Mother's Day weekend race at Darlington would be moved to April while the race at Kansas would become a night race and move to Mother's Day weekend. The only reason I wanted to discuss this was because of my own life. Some of you may know that I have been to a race at Darlington every year since 2004. The past two have been the Cup race while the years before that were the Nationwide race. This move actually works out for my family and I. When the race was in May, we usually only had a chance to see one of the two because I didn't want to miss school. Now, the race falls on the weekend of my Spring Break and I wouldn't miss school if we went to both. For the past day, I have been looking at hotels and hopefully with a little luck, I will be able to book a hotel for the weekend and we will be able to attend both races. I will let you guys know in the upcoming weeks if we were able to get a room and if we will  be able to attend both races. Either way, it should be an exciting beginning to April whether we get to go to both races or not.

4. Travis Kvapil Arrested For Domestic Assault: What Does This Mean For His Career?
        A bit of surprising news came out during the week. It was announced that Travis Kvapil had been arrested for domestic assault. He was put in jail before he was able to get out a few days before the race today. BK Racing decided to keep Kvapil in the car until he was proven guilty of the crime. I was a bit surprised by the news of the arrest myself. Kvapil has never been one to really raise his voice or get really mad. I mean, I consider him a laid back guy. Now, I know I don't know Kvapil personally and I have never met him, but guys make their reputation on the track and he has made a good one in his career. Now, this also brings up a point of what this does to Kvapil's career. To me, this practically ruins his chances to get a good ride in the future. Beating up your wife is one of the worst things you can do in this time. I mean, you could probably rob a bank and not get looked down upon as bad as beating up a woman. That is just how our society looks at crimes these days. Nobody wants to mess with an accused woman beater. Take Tiger Woods for example. When him and his ex-wife had that altercation that night, nobody wanted to deal with him. In fact, he still hasn't came back to the prowess he held before that night. With Kvapil being an underfunded driver now, it will only get worse for him with the label of wife beater hanging above his head. 

5. My Pick to Win
        Last week at Kansas, Kevin Harvick took the victory over Kurt Busch after a caution filled event. Last time at Charlotte, Kevin Harvick took the win after holding off Kasey Kahne on a late restart. Kahne had dominated the race, but Harvick used his tag as the closer to move in and take the win. Harvick dominated the race last week at Kansas and did not need his tag as closer to take the victory. I think tonight's race could be another wild card race, but it will have some predictable front runners. I think Kasey Kahne, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Kevin Harvick, and Jeff Gordon are good picks to win the race tonight. I thank you guys for reading through my thoughts once again. Make sure you guys leave a comment down below if you feel different on the issues I have discussed. I will continue to write for you guys and I plan on writing for the race at Charlotte tonight. I will see you guys soon and until we meet again.





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