NASCAR OFF SEASON WITHDRAWAL AND THERAPY THREAD

Local and Internet ^ | 12/10/2014 | Self

[mabarker1]

1998

[mabarker1]

Pit Road

[mabarker1]

I’ve been banned by the Local PD- tried it last year;)

[CodeToad]

Well, put the lawn chair away from the road next time and stop acting like you have front row seats. I like to back off just past the fence...makes me feel like I am really at the track. :)

[mabarker1]

OK

They never said I was banned from that, just the Riding Lawnmower on the road...

[RetiredArmy]

And for the 19t hundred consecutive year, June-yur DID NOT win the title, yet remains the sports most popular driver. He had his best year in years, but Dale Junior is no Dale Senior and will never come near daddy’s record for winning championships. Jimmy has what now, six?? Junior will never come near that. Maybe one. Two if big time lucky. Even that Kill-wash-ski guy has one and Jr. none. Good luck Junior. Go Jimmy. Get another one.

[CodeToad]

Riding lawn mower? Jeez, everyone knows you have to wait until a yellow flag is out! Ya just can’t enter traffic without everyone slowing down first.

[Chode]

was always partial to #3, but, if #1 had just a few more knots he'd a been in a world of sh!t for sure...

[Chode]

[ican'tbelieveit]

Off season thread, race fans.

and, a pop song with some related lyrics for withdrawal symptoms:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oh2LWWORoiM

You’re gone and I gotta stay high
All the time to keep you off my mind

[mabarker1]

Definitely not SR. This should have been JR’s year but IMO He screwed the pooch at ‘Dega Spring race.

As far as 6whine, he and squirrel boy CHEATED their way to those! Only got them by NOT getting caught enough times to make the difference.The last incident was 2013 or maybe 2012 when after 6whine “won” the race and was doing the burnout donuts squirrel boy says over the radio “be sure to hit the wall with the back of the car to cover us” ON LIVE TV!!! And 6whine replied "I know"

Brad would not be in Cup if not for JR giving him a ride in a Busch car at JRM.

Thank You for Your Service BTW.

[mabarker1]

Kurt Busch prepares for this weekend's Race of Champions: Champions and driving greats from the world's major racing series are sizing up their opposition for this weekend's Race Of Champions, to be held at Bushy Park Barbados on Dec. 13-14, following Tuesday's draw for the event. The annual end-of-season race, which has been running for more than 25 years, brings together some of the world's best drivers from motorsport's major disciplines and sets them free to battle head to head in identical machinery on a unique track with two parallel lanes linked by a crossover bridge. This year's track at Bushy Park will be twice as long as recent years, leading to even more speed. There are two prestigious titles up for grabs over the weekend, which will feature over 60 individual duels. First, on Saturday, Dec. 13, the drivers pair up in teams based on country/region for the ROC Nations Cup. Then on Sunday, Dec. 14, all friendly cooperation goes out of the window in the Race Of Champions as they slug it out to be crowned individual "Champion of Champions." The ROC 2014 field includes this year's Indianapolis 500 winner, Ryan Hunter-Reay, who will partner with past NASCAR champion Kurt Busch for Team USA. The pair will have to compete against drivers including Hunter-Reay's own brother-in-law, Robby Gordon.(AutoWeek)(12-10-2014)

Thanks Boss for the Big Ping!

[mabarker1]

Target Shifting Funds, one Indycar team; one NASCAR team: Three-time IndyCar champion Scott Dixon will return for a 14th season with Target Chip Ganassi Racing, though he will be one of only two drivers piloting the red and white bulls-eye cars next year. Target will go from two sponsored IndyCar entries to just one in 2015 as the retailer shifts spending to promoting its drivers. Target also sponsors #42-Kyle Larson, who just wrapped up NASCAR's top rookie honors in the Sprint Cup Series. "We are just reallocating dollars, there's no difference in anything else," said Dan Griffis, vice president of experiential marketing and alliances at Target. "I would put our investment in racing as the only full-time sponsor in both IndyCar and NASCAR, against any other sponsor in the sport." Ganassi and Target celebrated their 25th anniversary this year. The partnership began in open wheel, eventually grew to the sponsorship of two IndyCar entries, and expanded into both NASCAR as a primary sponsor and sports cars as an associate sponsor. "You don't know how fortunate I feel to begin another season partnering with Target in both IndyCar and NASCAR," Ganassi said Tuesday. "They have been far more than a partner for a very long time and have been so committed to the sport of auto racing. I am also very much looking forward to their new marketing campaign that supports the racing program. I know it will be fantastic." But as the retailer increased spending on the sponsorship of cars, it got away from the popular commercials it produced in the 1990s starring Vasser, Alex Zanardi, Montoya and an occasional cameo by Ganassi. Target will now try to recapture some of that buzz in new marketing strategies that will debut next year and feature Dixon and Larson. Griffis said the two drivers will not appear together in any broadcast spots, but each ad will have different versions.(Associated Press)(12-10-2014)

[mabarker1]

Brian France: no changes planned to the Chase in 2015: NASCAR Chairman Brian France was a guest on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio, Tuesday, December 9th with SiriusXM Speedway hosts Dave Moody and Angie Skinner. One question concerned the 2015 Chase rules:
Dave Moody: "Do you anticipate any changes or tweaks or massaging of the Chase format for next year?"
Brian France: "No, I don't. We're obviously pleased with everything. And there may be some adjustments down the road. They'll be very small. Nothing, for '15, nothing anybody would notice. But if we can make an already great thing better we will always look at that but we are very content that we have the right positioning of elevating the drivers to have moments as I just described, and then also balancing this whole thing in auto racing, which is very difficult to balance, which is how do you balance winning and consistency? And they don't necessarily always go together. And how do you have any kind of a championship run that represents that? I think we've done the best job that we think we can do to balance that."
In the interview (which lasted about 15 minutes) France also talks about;
- The elevation of competition.
- Kevin Harvick pulled him aside in Las Vegas and said he wasn't a big fan of the new format when it was announced but once they got into it, it made them dig up talent and effort they never thought possible.
- The prospect of having a winless champion. Would not have bothered them at all if Newman won.
- Truck and Xfinity series formats - Will look at it in offseason. Doesn't anticipate a big change.
- Bubba Wallace - As puzzled as anybody else that he has trouble attracting sponsorships, tells you the market is difficult. What NASCAR does to help.
- Drop in gas prices is a welcomed development, hopes it stays that way.
- Building on the momentum for 2015.(link to interview at SiriusXM NASCAR Radio)(12-10-2014)

[mabarker1]

Kyle Busch Undergoes Scheduled Offseason Foot Surgery: Kyle Busch, driver of the #18 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) had successful surgery on his left foot this morning. Busch is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of the 2015 NASCAR season in February. The scheduled offseason surgery was performed to relieve a recurring source of inflammation in his left foot. The surgery was performed by Dr. Robert Anderson of OrthoCarolina.(JGR)(12-11-2014)

Just taking some of that lead out so the Mooresville PD/ Iredell County SD and State boys don't give Kyle as many tickets...;)

[mabarker1]

NASCAR will let teams regulate lug nuts during pit stops in 2015: One rule that stands out as a game changer will be the fact that NASCAR is letting teams regulate lug nuts during their stops. Basically, NASCAR won't penalize or monitor missed lug nuts or lug nuts that get knocked off during a stop. The new rule...or lack of rule, could be a huge gain for teams that want to gamble. Everyone knows that it doesn't take all 5 nuts tight to keep a tire on. The tricky part is how many nuts does it take? There are stories floating around pit road of teams that have come into victory lane with 1,2 and 3 nuts on a wheel, and everyone is amazed. Every situation is different and every situation could have a different outcome, but hitting only 3 or 4 nuts per side could speed up a stop and if teams are willing to gamble on that then it could pay off. In the past, teams had to make sure all 5 nuts were on the studs and if an official were to see a nut get knocked off they would hold the car until the nut was put back on. Changers were very aware of the rules and hit nuts with a speed they could control. Jack men were also aware of the rule and MOST would wait on the left side for all 5 to get hit. Now, all that changes.
The risk: there is always risk with reward and there is plenty of risks associated with taking this rule out. The first and most obvious risk is a loose wheel. Most changers are very concerned with the repercussions of a loose wheel and won't risk it for a standard stop. This rule comes into play when teams are at a place that eats tires up and a caution with 10 laps to go comes out and the whole field comes down to pit. This is when teams will gamble and may only hit 3-4 nuts and let it ride. With only a few laps left in the race, why not! That's when this rule will become interesting. It should be mentioned that NASCAR will still penalize a team if a tire comes off the car during a run due to a loose wheel. You don't see that very often but it has and does happen.(Pit Talks)(12-11-2014)

I'm not seeing this turn out well- People are going to get hurt.

[mabarker1]

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• Some Proposed NASCAR testing for the 2015 season:
  Feb. 26: Atlanta (extra day added to race schedule)
  March 11: Charlotte
  April 8: Richmond
  April 15: Kentucky
  April 29: Indianapolis
  May 13: Dover
  June 11: Darlington
  July 15: Chicago
  July 30: Bristol
  Aug. 26: Homestead
  Sept. 16: Kansas
  Oct. 14: Phoenix
  Oct. 29: Auto Club Speedway
  All but Atlanta is an extra day of open testing added to Goodyear tire tests
  

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Testing News

• Proposed 2015 NASCAR testing dates for Sprint Cup Series: When NASCAR announced in September it was banning all private team testing, the perception was teams would not likely see the opportunity to do much on-track testing. NASCAR at the time said it hoped to incorporate more teams into the 12 to 15 tire tests done each season by Goodyear but that plan seemed to hit logistical roadblocks in recent months. The finished product, outlined in the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rulebook, actually provides teams many opportunities to test on series tracks in the coming season. At Atlanta, an extra testing day has been added to the regular weekend schedule. In addition, an extra day of open testing as been added to Goodyear tire tests at Charlotte; Richmond; Kentucky; Indianapolis; Dover; Darlington; Chicago Bristol; Homestead; Kansas; Phoenix; and Auto Club Speedway:
  Proposed 2015 NASCAR testing dates for Sprint Cup Series
  Date: Type of test
  Jan. 19: Goodyear tire test, Las Vegas
  Feb. 26: Open team test, Atlanta
  March 2-3: Goodyear tire test, Atlanta
  March 10: Goodyear tire test, Charlotte
  March 11: Open team test, Charlotte
  April 7: Goodyear tire test, Richmond
  April 8: Open team test, Richmond
  April 13-14: Goodyear tire test, Kentucky
  April 15: Open team test, Kentucky
  April 27-28: Goodyear tire test, Indianapolis
  April 29: Open team test, Indianapolis
  May 11-12: Goodyear tire test, Dover
  May 13: Open team test, Dover
  June 9-10: Goodyear tire test, Darlington
  June 11: Open team test, Darlington
  July 13-14: Goodyear tire test, Chicagoland
  July 15: Open team test, Chicagoland
  July 28-29: Goodyear tire test, Bristol
  July 30: Open team test, Bristol
  Aug. 24-25: Goodyear tire test, Homestead
  Aug. 26: Open team test, Homestead
  Sept. 14-15: Goodyear tire test, Kansas
  Sept. 16: Open team test, Kansas
  Oct. 12-13: Goodyear tire test, Phoenix
  Oct. 14: Open team test, Phoenix
  Oct. 27-28: Goodyear tire test, Fontana
  Oct. 29: Open team test, Fontana
  

[nascarnation]

I agree...not good...pit stops are plenty fast already...this is a “problem” that didn’t need to be solved.

[McGruff]

I'm not seeing this turn out well- People are going to get hurt.

NASAR isn't helping their dumb rednecks image with this change.

[Chode]

i still miss the old IROC series