Begins in 22 days and already there is some sh!t to talk about. In realizing last year+ was a huge turd in terms of product on the track, they HAVE listened to the fans and made some changes that not many thought would occur. There is a list! A) Earlier start times for all races. B) Larger restrictor plate for the Daytona 500, maybe more. C) NASCAR will police less during the race, want the drivers to police themselves which = more bump drafting, more emotion, more_____. D) Replace the rear wing with a rear spoiler. Begins in March at Charlotte. That is a mouthful coming all in just one season. You can't help but be excited about these changes. I am impressed by this change from the top and for the most part, because they listened to both the fans and the drivers. Only five signed up for the fantasy league this far. The norm has been 15 or 16 so if you need some kind of question askin done, get up on and shoot a brotha a PM. We won't leave you hangin.
NASCAR didn't have much of a choice. They had to make changes. I read in the off season that their TV ratings fell off the map and the attendance at the races had dropped significantly.
Yeah, pretty dead geauxing over the last couple of seasons and to the point I have started to give up. Over the last couple seasons they made little changes in areas that did not even matter like the all star race and the bud shoot out, oh BTW, there are changes to the bud shootout this year! Finally they make changes that will actually affect what might be the outcome for an entire season and then those to follow. I look forward to how things may develop.
I'm not so sure about the larger restrictor plates. Probably cause even more "Big Ones" but maybe thats what they want. It sells tickets
These are all excellent moves, especially the earlier start times. And as usual the non-NASCAR talking heads on ESPN have it all wrong, all saying the fans are happy because there will be more crashes now. The reason the fans are happy is that the changes will promote more RACING, and less driving around with no passing. Not to mention, I hate the whole "people just watch racing to see a crash" attitude. Makes us sound like we're ancient Romans waiting to see the lions eat the Christian. Accidents are exciting, but we all want them to end the same way, with the driver climbing out of the car and waving to the crowd to signal he's OK.
I am only guessing but I think the larger plate, with the increased HP is gonna spread the field out a bit. There were those that once did not worry so much about engine speed cause they knew they had the draft. I think them fellers are gonna be stuck in the middle on back. NASCAR has lifted the bump drafting rules at the plate tracks so the potential for a cluster has certainly increased. Yellow lines remain although I believe they are currently talking about that. Word is the drivers want the yellow line lifted on the last lap for a free for all. Wow, not enough last lap wad em up's I guess. The beginning of spoiler testing in March ought to bring some good to drivers that had a hard time getting used to the COT get back into good graces. I think the spoiler alone will put Jr. back in victory lane. It may also make those that were great, get even better. NASCAR is, and has been testing fuel injection. They are looking to roll it out next season. I think this is an item that will level the playing field tremendously. A lot of money gets poured into engine tuners, fuel injection should make finding the sweet spot a lot easier for some. This year is, and shall remain, the "anybody but jimmy year". Enough already...
I predict that JJ won't win it again this year. Its incredible that he has gone 4 consecutive years without the kind of "racin' luck" that would cost him points. I do think the the Cup winner will most likely be using Hendricks engines, unless Joe Gibbs has something up his sleeve for Kyle Bush or if Denny Hamlin can really improve on what was a breakout year for him in 2009. Cup winner will be one of rhe below drivers: Tony Stewart Jeff Gordon Mark Martin Carl Edwards (if RR can give him the engines to compete with Hendricks) Denny Hamlin Kyle Bush Darkhorse: Junior. No matter what you think about him the truth is that he can still drive the hell out a race car. He has the best equipment that money can buy and with the rule changes and the fact that he has Lance McGrew as crew chief might push him to the top
Ahhhh a new NASCAR season is upon us. Some rule changes, some driver/team swaps, I wonder if my feelings will change any?
