2013 Nascar Silly Season

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by Clive Brown

So in this relationship, who will wear the pants?

Yes

[Paradise City]

ricky and tricky

[MJ_N_09]

Well, we have another ROTY entry for Cup, as Timmy Hill will drive for the #32 Fas Lane team for the races that Terry Labonte and Ken Schrader aren't scheduled to be in the car. Obviously, he won't be anywhere as good as Patrick or Stenhouse, but can't blame him for making a jump into Sprint Cup.

Someone here was excited about Wallace Jr having some NNS races coming, but he has now signed a deal to run for the championship in the truck series for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Kyle Larson will be full time in NNS for Turner as one of Piquet's teammates. Then, we have Jeffery Earnhardt also running for ROTY with one of the smealler teams (Go Green Racing) in NNS.

Just wanted to tell you guys about some rookies (some very talented or some overrated) coming through the ranks. If I find more, I'll let you know.


And early, but for 2014, Austin Dillon is quite possibly going to run the #3 when he goes to Cup for RCR.

[JHamilton]

Does Nascar have a rule on what trimester you have to stop racing?

[HJJ]

PRETTY OBVIOUS? – Asked if there were early indications that the Ricky Stenhouse Jr.-Danica Patrick romance was taking shape last year, Joey Logano said, “Yes. Ray Charles could see that one coming.”

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[HJJ]

Chip Ganassi selling to John Menard? One of the hottest stories in the garage Thursday was intense speculation that veteran team owner Chip Ganassi may be considering selling his two-team NASCAR operation to John Menard. Menard, who owns the Midwestern home improvement chain Menards, is a long-time racer, and he is currently sponsoring his son Paul's NASCAR team, part of the Richard Childress organization. Ganassi and Childress are both Chevy men. Childress supplied Ganassi's two teams (with #1-Jamie McMurray and #42-Juan Pablo Montoya) with engines until this season, when Ganassi switched to Hendrick motors. Of the sport's top eight team owners, Ganassi this season ranks seventh in finishes. Of particular disappointment is Montoya, who is averaging a 27th place finish; Montoya's last top-10 was at Michigan last June, and his last tour win was at Watkins Glen in the summer of 2010. McMurray's seventh at Martinsville last weekend was his best finish in over a year.(MikeMulhern.net)(4-12-2013)

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[FordCosworthPanoz]

Amazing how poorly The 'Great' Chip Ganassi performs when he's in a series with bigger fish than he is. Even in Indycar the supposedly all-time great car owner is struggling behind Penske and Andretti.

I'm sure he'll be thrilled when he wins his 4th consecutive Grand Am championship this year and whatever'th Rolex 24 with his Riley in DP next year, that truly is the top flight of motorsport.

[gomick]

Ganassi did win Daytona 500 & Brickyard 400 with McMurray - but yes, they have been disappointing of recent times. They should have moved Montoya on this season...

[Paradise City]

Ganassi do punch above their weight; they are not a big squad. They win when they get top line factory support whether via Honda and Toyota or when the series is technically straight forward as in Grand Am. Take nothing away from them. They have no unique advantage in NASCAR though, a team Ganassi shares with the Earnhardt widow. It's a pity Montoya is imprisoned in NASCAR with a only a little bit of annual parole at the Daytona 24.

[MJ_N_09]

EGR was great with Montoya in 2009 and McMurray in 2010. Terrible since. Nothing has helped Montoya, who's become a laughingstock in Cup. McMurray has shown improvement this year, even if marginal.

If John Menard buys up the team, what happens with Paul? Stays at RCR or moves over with his dad?

[HJJ]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

If John Menard buys up the team, what happens with Paul? Stays at RCR or moves over with his dad?

I'm sure John see's the handwriting on the wall at RCR. Harvick leaving next year, and the team being set-up for his two grandson's driving. I'm sure see doesn't want to see his ca$h funding that.

IMO the best thing for RCR would be to get the Dodge deal.

[NaBUru38]

The Sears Point and Watkins glen races will have a new qualifying format: two groups of 20-ish cars. It's unknown the length of the sessions.

[MJ_N_09]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Sears Point and Watkins glen races will have a new qualifying format: two groups of 20-ish cars. It's unknown the length of the sessions.

Quite cool. It reminds me of GT qualifying in a few ways. I wonder if in the future, Nascar can implement something like this at all their tracks.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by NaBUru38

The Sears Point and Watkins glen races will have a new qualifying format: two groups of 20-ish cars. It's unknown the length of the sessions.

It's about damn time. Single car qually on a road course is absurd, just hope the stockcar drivers know how to yield to others on a hot lap. Regardless, it'll make at least 2 q-ing sessions worth watching this year....the rest? Just show me the results, please.

[MJ_N_09]

We get the first rumors of Harvick's future number for next year over at SHR:

#4 for Harvick in 2014? Stewart-Haas Racing has applied for the trademark for the (4) Standard Character Mark or the #4. Supposedly to be used by Kevin Harvick when he moves over to Stewart-Hass Racing in 2014. You can see the trademark application / info at uspto.gov (do a search under Stewart-Haas). Other rumored numbers for Harvick at Stewart-Hass Racing: take the #29 with him from Richard Childress Racing with RCR using the #3 for Austin Dillon. Have heard some rumors the #8 could be in play.(4-30-2013)

This all makes alot of sense. Harvick's racing team used the #4 and #8 until 2011. The #29 has been his number in Cup from the start and the 3 is very likely set for Austin Dillon next year.

[gomick]

How many cars are SHR having in 2014 - 3 or 4? Ryan Newman gone? Danica Patrick staying?

[GTRMagic]

Are we taking bets as to whether Mr Ambrose is staying in the #9 next season? His body language on the coverage, and some of the words used in his conversations with the media directly and in print are not the usual, bouncy, happy Tasmanian...

Is he over it?

[Paradise City]

Well Ambrose was initially grinning from ear to ear driving for Richard Petty. Who wouldn't be? But given the woes that team has experienced I knew that behind the dazzle he'd flounder there.

I don't want to be a glib about it but it really does depend on how he fares for the rest of the season. He needs to be outstanding in that car rather than merely competent.

[GTRMagic]

Originally Posted by Paradise City

Well Ambrose was initially grinning from ear to ear driving for Richard Petty. Who wouldn't be? But given the woes that team has experienced I knew that behind the dazzle he'd flounder there.

I don't want to be a glib about it but it really does depend on how he fares for the rest of the season. He needs to be outstanding in that car rather than merely competent.

You would imagine though that the other drivers are respecting his abilities, I mean its like any time they go road racing somewhere, Mr Ambrose seems to be called on for advice.

A shame Mr Ambrose was not drafted into the second Penske seat.. maybe we would have seen how good he could go

[gomick]

Needs to win both road course rounds - car is pretty good, Almirola is going well. Ambrose needs a change in luck & they gotta start taking some risks in strategy towards the end of races, finishing 18th on the lead lap does my head in

[FAS33]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

You would imagine though that the other drivers are respecting his abilities, I mean its like any time they go road racing somewhere, Mr Ambrose seems to be called on for advice.

A shame Mr Ambrose was not drafted into the second Penske seat.. maybe we would have seen how good he could go

maybe he needs to get into the other drivers ears and ask for advice to drive around the ovals? I doubt he'll ever win one with RPM, but the money he's on in NASCAR, he'll stay as long as he wants to, or teams wanting him to. I'd like to see him in Sportscar racing once he retires, he would be a mean driver in one of those DP cars.

[MJ_N_09]

Originally Posted by gomick

How many cars are SHR having in 2014 - 3 or 4? Ryan Newman gone? Danica Patrick staying?

Sponsorship dependent, but honestly. I don't see Newman having problems keeping his current ones, so SHR will have 4 cars next year, or 3 depending on what Newman does (He really wants to stay though).

[MJ_N_09]

In an interview with Michael Waltrip, he stated that the plan for the #55 is to have Brian Vickers drive it, hopefully with Aaron's coming back or approving to have Vickers represent their brand.

[HJJ]

Phoenix Racing to exit NASCAR: Unable to find a long-term sponsor for his #51 Sprint Cup team, James Finch is eyeballing an exit from racing all together. "I'm contemplating finishing up this year, and I don't know if I want a sponsor," Finch said Monday. "Sunday was my 776th start in NASCAR between the Nationwide and Sprint Cup. That's a lot of weekends. I'm considering pulling the plug later in the summer." Finch, 62, said Phoenix Racing will not enter any races after the Brickyard 400 scheduled for July 28 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He said he intends to wrap up team operations before the Chase for the Cup begins in September. "I have not been able to get the right amount of funding, the economy is pretty bad, and a lot of people don't want to do it," Finch said of his team's fruitless search for a permanent sponsor. "I'm getting kind of burned out. I think it is time for me to do something else." Finch's decision comes in the midst of one of his most successful seasons as an owner. Finch currently is tied for 13th in NASCAR's owner points standings with 276 points, just a handful of points outside the Top 10. Phoenix Racing enjoyed a fourth-place finish with Kurt Busch behind the wheel for the Nationwide race at Talladega this past weekend, and Regan Smith steered the team's #51 car to a sixth-place finish in Sunday's Aaron's 499. The team's success, which includes a pair of Top-10 finishes and five Top-15 results, did not appear to help the team find a full-time sponsor, however. The team has found sponsors for individual or small blocks of races, but the lack of a permanent sponsor has forced Finch to cover his team's considerable costs on his own. "I don't want to lose everything I've got trying to outrun people," Finch said. "I can't do that. It's time to do something else and go from there. I've still got some cars I haven't torn up. And I don't want to build any new ones." Finch said he will help his 18 employees find work with other racing teams if they want to remain in the sport.(News Herald)(5-7-2013)

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[MJ_N_09]

Again?!! He's said this ever since 2010....I'll believe it when they are off the entry list and a shutdown notice is posted.