Thursday, December 30th 'What If' Question

Nothing can grab attention and headlines faster than a driver saying they want to race the No. 3.

SInce the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the 2001 Daytona 500 the number hasn't seen the track in full-time competition. It's been raced by his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., on a few occasions and most of the time it won. But heading into the 2010 season it was announced that the number was going to be back full-time in the Camping World Truck Series.

The grandson of Richard Childress, who was the team owner of Earnhardt Sr. and the No. 3, was giving Austin Dillon a shot in the truck series. Dillon was going to not only race the No. 3 but it was going to be on a black truck with sponsor Bass Pro Shop. A black truck and a white No. 3, much like what Earnhardt Sr. used to race.

Attention getter.

Dillon went out and completed a more than successful season for a rookie. He won two races, captured seven poles and in 25 races had 16 top 10s and seven top fives. After finishing fifth in points it's safe to say that he's one to watch from this point on as as a serious championship contender.

Fans have flocked to the 20-year-old and he's been welcomed into the sport with open arms. His success makes him easier to cheer for. Everything is going right for the driver/college student, who wouldn't want to be him?

But ...

What if Austin Dillon was not driving a black truck with a white No. 3 on the side, would he still get as much attention as he does? #NASCAR

@NancyatStudioN Yes

@crutten yes. while i enjoy seeing the #3 on the track again, i don't think dillion gets attention because of it. i think he gets attention because he is a growing talent AND RC's grandson

@ronsracing88 Yes, because he is Richard Childress' grandson and he did a lot of winning. #NASCAR

@morganhargrove Yes, he is a 20 year old who won ROTY, finished 5th in points, won 2 races, and got 7 poles, that's pretty newsworthy.

@RoushGirl17 Yes, I think he would. He's shown that he has the right stuff, winning, ROTY, and finishing in the top 5, all big things

@StrokerAce90 Funny that you asked that for a #NASCAR #WhatIf question cause I often joke about how much they say his name. I would say No.

Monday, December 27th 'What If' Question

It's hard to remember the time that no one could touch Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Daytona International Speedway.

Little E had picked up where his dad left off, by winning something whenever NASCAR was in town. In the Sprint Cup Series: the Pepsi 400 (2001), Budweiser Shootouts (2003, 2008), Gatorade Duel races (2003, 2004, 2008), and the Daytona 500 (2004). In the Nationwide Series (2002, 2003, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010).

But lately it's been a struggling in anything that Earnhardt Jr. has sat in, not winning a point paying race in the Sprint Cup Series since June of 2008 and being shut out of victory lane in Daytona since the Nationwide July race in 2006. He did win the July race this past season.

Before that however, Earnhardt Jr. was back in the season-opening race for the Nationwide Series looking for another win. In order to do so he would have to beat the Kevin Harvick Inc. car of Tony Stewart, who has won the last two February events. Earnhardt Jr. was a contender, as always, back in February, driving his own No. 88 Hellmann's Chevrolet.

Running third on lap 92 of 120, Earnhardt Jr. was suddenly flipping down the backstretch instead of charging into turn three. Carl Edwards had turned right, clipping Brad Keselowski who clipped the rear end of Earnhardt Jr.'s machine and sent him for a wild ride. Stewart went on to win his third straight race.

For Earnhardt Jr. it was an expensive day. With the No. 88 mangled, as well as the No. 7 of Danica Patrick who also crashed, JR Motorsports he said would have to go back and balance their check books. The bright spot though, was that his crash was spectacular, he didn't want to go flipping and not have it be worth it he said.

But ...

What If @DaleJr didn't flip in February NNS race @ Daytona, could he have ended Tony Stewart's win streak (Stewart won 3rd straight)

@ARosser14 No. And that isn't bias. KHI's cars were far better. A guy collected in that crash, Kevin Harvick, would have if anyone did.

@smokinace88 I believe June could have won it he had a strong powerful car all day

@cruetten if Harvick hadn't wrecked too, it would've been Jr, Stewart, and Harvick at the end with Jr winning the race--not Stewart.

@RoushGirl17 Yes...I think he had the car, and the confidence to have won that race. He was running right up front and doing a great job when he flipped. Just look at what he did in the 500...right up the middle and almost caught McMurray.

Sunday, December 26th 'What If' Question

One was racing for a Nationwide Series championship. The other was racing for history and like he races every week, flat out. But it didn't stop Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch from putting on yet another good show in the Nationwide Series.

The Food City 250 at Bristol was dominated by two drivers that always seem to find themselves at the front of a NNS race. As the laps wound down point lead Keselowski was racing a hard-charging Busch, who was going for his second win of the weekend. The two battled lap after lap, trading the lead on numerous occasions, each sizing up the other.

Then on lap 219 Busch decided to end the battle. Coming off turn four, Busch spun Keselowski who hit the wall, thus ending his chance at victory. Thirty laps later Busch had his win while Keselowski was left to wonder what the problem was with a little bumping and rubbing.

Before Keselowski was spun by Busch, he had tagged the back of the No. 18 a lap before, as Busch tried to pass him for the lead. The contact made Busch bounce off the wall and made him a little upset with 'Special K,' which led to the spin.

Busch later said, “That’s Brad Keselowski. So I went into the next corner and dumped him. He does it to everybody else. Why can’t I do it to him?” Busch had also spun out another competitor, Jennifer Jo Cobb, in the Truck Series race just a few nights before, making it clear that no one was going to stand in his way that weekend.

Keselowski said he was going to go to work next week and the week after that and work on beating Busch's ass. The next night he used the Bristol PA system to tell the crowd that Kyle Busch "is an ass."

It was two nights in Bristol that no NASCAR fan will forget.

But ...

What if Kyle Busch didn't put @Keselowski in the wall @ Bristol during Nationwide race. If they race to the finish who wins?

@WilliamCheerboy Danica Patrick.

@jerracing7 Brad wins

@cruetten Kyle Busch still wins. I am not a Busch fan, but he has more talent and drive to win than anyone since Dale Earnhardt.

@kbm18 RT I Agree w/You 100% :o} #kylebuschfan4LIFE #KyleBuschRocksNascar

Wednesday, December 22nd 'What If' Question

Everyone has a moment in their life that they would love to get back or moments we would love to have been able to enjoy more.

In NASCAR there have been so many great races in its 62 year history that fans are left wondering what it would have been like to able to see those races. They may live on in history through highlight reels or even old video tapes, but some moments are just those you need to be there for.

Seeing your favorite driver win his first race. Or just seeing them win any race. Seeing a champion crowned in Homestead-Miami or attending the Daytona 500, the biggest race of the year.

Or there are times when a race fan had the chance to attend an event but decided not to. When that race is one of the most memorable in NASCAR history as well as one of the most emotional, that guilt will live with them forever. That's what happened to my father and his friend.

Back in 2001 after the death of Dale Earnhardt they talked for months and months about how they should go to the Pepsi 400 that July, the return trip to the Daytona International Speedway. They never went and watched from home as Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled off an emotional victory at the track that took his father's life.

While they regret not attending, it turned out well for me. Watching the race on TV left me to watch as well, it was my first ever NASCAR race and I was hooked from just that one. The rest I guess you could say is history.




For some fans their chance to attend a race they always wanted to is just that, history. They won't get that back and will have to wait until they purchase their next set of tickets and hope that event will be another memorable moment in NASCAR's biography.

But ...

What if you could go back in time and attend a race of your choosing. Which race would you choose and why?

@Talon64 #NASCAR, the 2003 Busch/Craven Darlington race. Racing in general, any Monaco #F1 race.

@hillbillyDem 1992 Atlanta Journal 500, Kulwickis championship, the Kings last race, Jeff Gordons first race, 6 guys going for championship

@Jrocket10 2001 Daytona 500 and change the last lap result!!! RIP Dale Sr.!!!!

@ARosser14 2006 Bass Pro Shops 500. I was going to be there until the Thursday before the race, and Tony dominated and won.

@Crutten I would go back to see Dale Sr win the 1998 Daytona 500. Dale Sr was the reason I started watching nascar in the early 90s, and to see him capture that historic win would've topped any race I've ever attended.

@Shaggy_5150 '98 Daytona 500...Grrew up an Earnhardt fan...no further explanation needed :)

@amarquis32 NASCAR -- 2003 Kroger 200 at Indianapolis Raceway Park, an instant classic! Any race -- 2006 ARCA outlaw late model Glass City 200 at Toledo Speedway.

@ronsracing88 98 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt win.

@robwright11 l I would want to be in the grandstands in Darlington when Ricky Craven and Kurt Busch had their photo finish. Just the way the last few laps played out, and how Ricky Craven was my favorite driver.

Tuesday, December 21st 'What If' Question

It's because they love to race. It's because NASCAR hasn't made a rule saying they can't.

Those are some of the arguments NASCAR fans hear when tossing out complaints about Sprint Cup Series drivers dropping down into the minor leagues and dominating. The Nationwide Series is constantly infected with Cup drivers who have much better equipment and sponsor dollars helping them get all the attention and in essence, take over the series.

Some fans are sick of it. They haven't seen a NNS full-time driver win the championship since 2004-2005 when Martin Truex Jr. won it driving for JR Motorsports. Since then it's been Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Clint Bowyer, Kyle Busch and Brad Keselowski. Not only are championships being won, but nearly every race.

In 2010 of the 35 NNS races, only one of them was won by a regular NNS driver. The rest were won by Cup drivers - although Boris Said won the road course in Montreal, he is neither a full-time NNS or Cup driver.

Rides are being taken away from young drivers who are trying to make their way into the sport. Sponsors are going to the big names instead of helping a young team get on the track. There are plenty of negatives to why Cup guys shouldn't be allowed to race in the NNS, but some say there's a positive.

Without the big names, fans wouldn't show up or watch. Whether or not that's fact or fiction has yet to be seen. The first step though might come in 2011 as NASCAR is considering changing the rules to limit Cup drivers in the NNS. They may still be allowed to run, but not earn any points toward winning the driver's championship.

Some agree, others don't believe it's fair.

But ...

What if Sprint Cup drivers didn't run full-time in Nationwide Series. Would you still watch and who would you pick for the title?

@smokinace88 yes and I would pick Colin Braun Or Aric :)

@BigBankHank18 I watch all the NNS and NCWTS races, because @KyleBusch is such a big part of them if he wasn't? NO FREAKIN WAY! #KBshow

@Emily_8388 I would probably pay more attention. Simply because it wouldn't be all about Busch and Edwards.

@88Summerstars I would still watch and I'm thinking I'll be rooting for Aric A...

@ronsracing88 Yes, I would watch more of the NWS if Sprint Cup drivers didn't run full time and Aric Almirola or Justin Allgaier

@MattEmbury Good question...maybe whoever drives the Roush-Fenway/Gibbs cars. They can block the Cup guys all they want, the problem is they won't be able to block the Cup teams too, they will still win

@nascarjaj yes, and justin allgaier should be champ

@crutten I would still watch, but I think the viewership would drop due to big names such as Busch and Harvick not racing each week. As a fan, I like the idea and would like the NNS to go back to being a true "minor league" series. I can see, however, the drawbacks from the business side: It's a bad idea because those same big names such as Busch and Harvick attract viewers, ratings, and sponsors/money. For the title winner, and in light of recent news, I pick the Herminator, Kenny Wallace!

@StrokerAce90 I'd still watch the Nascar Nationwide series race's for the same reason I started watching them in the 1st place, "to see Danica race". I feel I'd get to know the regular Nationwide drivers a bit better if the Cup Stars weren't out there hogging up the show & then I'd be better able to pick one of them as to who would win the championship, but until Nascar stops their cream of the crop Chase contenders from racing in lower class's its a no brainer as to who to pick to win the championship.

Monday, December 20th 'What If' Question

With 15 laps to go at the Phoenix International Raceway in mid November, Denny Hamlin was "sitting pretty."

He had just racked up the 10 bonus points for not only leading a lap but the most laps and was running second behind Carl Edwards. His Chase competitors, Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson were well behind him and just about out of the championship hunt thanks to Hamlin making sure they hadn't led a lap all day.

All he had to do was get to the checkered flag and he would be 60 points or more ahead of the two drivers heading into the season finale in Homestead-Miami. His first ever Sprint Cup Series championship was in his grasp, he could see it, taste it and feel it.

Then it was gone.

With 12 laps to go Hamlin was called down pit road by crew chief Mike Ford. Not wanting to gamble on fuel mileage and risk losing the championship lead, the 11 team pitted and went from potentially finishing second to finishing 12th ... well behind Harvick and Johnson.

The point lead going to Homestead was down to 15 points.

At Homestead Johnson went out and cruised, he started sixth and ran in the top five all day long to capture his fifth straight title. Hamlin's day was a complete nightmare. He started 37th, spun out and damaged his splitter and was never able to keep ahead of Johnson for a long run. He wound up finishing 14th and lost the championship by 39 points.

But ...

What if Denny Hamlin finished second at Phoenix instead of 12th and losing those points. Would he still have lost the championship?

@jerracing7 No. I think he would of won the championship

@WilliamCheerboy No, Clint Bowyer would of won it all.

@ronsracing88 I think Jimmie & Chad still would of found away to win.

@NASCARJeannie NO... he would have saved face and won the Championship. lol

@cruetten JJ and Knaus are the masters of the chase. They would've still won anyway; Denny Hamlin just made it a little easier for them

@ARosser14 His chances would've been better, he likely wouldn't have gotten into a situation where he got spun.

@StrokerAce90 Of course Denny would've still lost the championship. #Nascar's own Magic Johnson would've just pulled out more golden horseshoe power, which in turn would've resulted in Denny doin some "more" big smack talkin, then wrecking due to his own bad created karma.

Monday December 13th 'What If' Question

The Daytona 500 is both the season-opening race and one of the biggest races of the NASCAR season. A driver's name lives on in the history book for infamy, there face becomes engraved on the Harley J. Earl trophy for life and their winning car sits in Daytona USA for an entire year.

No matter what happens for the rest of the season or even their career, the driver who wins the Daytona 500 can't have it taken away from them. They can say they won the Daytona 500. It's that big of a race and that big of a weekend and it's not good when something goes wrong as the entire world is watching.

The 2010 Daytona 500 decided to shake everything up.

Things started off without a hitch but then things started to get a little bumpy inbetween turns one and two. On lap 122 of 200 as Clint Bowyer led, NASCAR brought the red flag out and had the drivers come and park on pit road because a pothole had formed on the track. Crews quickly got to work to repair the hole so the race could finish its listed distance even though it was already an official race.

After an hour and 45 minutes of repairs the race restarted.

But on lap 159 the red flag came out again, this time with Kevin Harvick leading, because the pothole had formed again. NASCAR officials again went to work, determined to finish the race. An hour later the race was restarted again and would go to it's conclusion but not without two green-white-checkered finishes that saw Jamie McMurray take the lead on the last lap and Dale Earnhardt Jr. charge to second.

McMurray won his first Daytona 500 in his reunion with Chip Ganassi while Earnhardt Jr. finished an exciting second.

But ...

What if Daytona 500 was run straight through (no red flags/pot holes). Would it still have had dramatic ending/Jamie McMurray win?

@TJIngerson Daytona 500 should end under lights, and no pothole means it wouldn't have had that great ending

@NASCARJeannie yes I believe it would have had the same outcome just maybe not as dramatic.

@mwoodruff8829 No because Kevin Harvick had the most dominating car that day and he would had won it ether way pothole or not.

@cruetten yes. Both Daytona and Talladega have had mostly dramatic finishes lately, regardless of race circumstances.

@garrettu88 doubt it very much

@MattEmbury Dramatic ending yeah, maybe a different winner...probably Harvick.

Wednesday, December 8th 'What If' Question

Reviewing the 2010 season brings forth thoughts of best driver, best comeback, best race, etc. And while Jimmie Johnson took home the Sprint Cup Series trophy for the fifth year in a row and is deserving of driver of the year, it might not be hard to make a case for Jamie McMurray being the storyline of the 2010 season.

After being released by Roush-Fenway Racing in 2009 when they needed to cut a car to meet NASCAR's required four-car minimum, McMurray went into the late part of the year not knowing if he was going to have a job. Fortunately, Chip Ganassi came calling and asked McMurray to come drive the deserted No. 1 Chevrolet at Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing.

Ganassi gave McMurray his break in 2003 when he won Rookie of the Year. Then he went to FRF and now was getting a second chance with a man that McMurray considers one of his best friends. They started the year winning the Daytona 500 then the pole at California the following week.

At Talladega in April he finished second Kevin Harvick in a photo finish. McMurray then won the second biggest race of the year, the Brickyard 400 and capped the season off with a third win in Charlotte. Besides making the Chase, it's hard to think that McMurray could have wanted anything else in the season. He was awarded with winning the most poles at the season-ending banquet and became a father during the Thanksgiving weekend.

This was a career year for Jamie McMurray.

But ...

What If @JamieMcMurray didn't return to Earnhardt-Ganassi Racing. Where would he have landed/would he had same results as w/EGR?

@smokinace88 I Think Jamie would have been out of a job had he not returned to EGR

@ARosser14 Without the #1 team its hard to think of anywhere else he could've gone. Maybe the 26, but no he wouldn't have had success.

@Matt_Kacar he probably would of been in nationwide or truck series with a smaller team then egr so he would not of had the same results

@Talon64 I can't imagine Jamie would've found another competitive Cup ride. Might've had to settle for Nationwide.

@cruetten sadly, i think he would've gone to a very under-funded team or no team at all; and no, he wouldn't have had the same results.

@Emily_8388 I think he would have ended up in the Nationwide Series. Possibly JRM instead of Bires.

@nascarjaj im thinking he might not have had a cup ride so he wouldnt have the results

@BigBankHank18 he got the right place at the right time, maybe he could of raced for JR Motorsports

@RoushGirl17 I think he would have had to go to NNS or NCWTS, so he wouldn't have had that kind of success he's had with EGR. #NASCAR

@denver2u That's a darned good what if...Still thinking about my answer...

Tuesday, December 7th 'What If' Question

In just her first full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Jennifer Jo Cobb got everyone's attention.

Cobb drives and owns her own team, which is underfunded, but that hasn't held them back. In 2010 she earned his best career finish at Texas, 14th, and then duplicated it at Darlington, one of the toughest if not the toughest track on the circuit. Her attitude and positive spirit have kept her team on the track, constantly digging and has kept the fans along for the ride and cheering the entire way.

At Talladega Super Speedway in October not only were her fans cheering but she might have had some others as well. The female of the series was sticking tough with the guys, working her way through the field and eventually making it to the top 10. It wasn't a fluke, Cobb's truck was strong enough to stick with the lead back for an entire fuel run and was strong enough to finish there as well.

Except luck wasn't on the No. 10 team's side.

Had they pitted one lap earlier Cobb may have earned her best career finish, instead it was a day to forget. Stretching the fuel mileage in fear of pitting alone and losing the lead pack, Cobb stayed on the track and ran out of fuel near the start-finish line. She had to limp back to pit road, going a lap down, and the day just went downhill from there.

Talladega was the one that got away, however it didn't hurt Cobb's chase for history at seasons end. She now goes into the record book as the highest finishing female in NASCAR point history, finishing the year 17th in points.

But ...

What If @JenJoCobb's team didn't stretch fuel mileage at Talladega and go a lap down. Would they have gotten their first top 10?

@NASCARJeannie #JJC would have absolutely gotten their first top ten. Bruce "the truck" was on the way to the top.

@Nascarnoll YES!!!!!!

@Riz23 YES!!!!!!

@StrokerAce90 Jen was standin on it at dega, truck was hooked up good, so yes, I think she would have had a top 10 finish... (or a big one)

@cruetten absolutely; but in the end, it doesn't matter how she got the finish. she got it, and no one can take it away from her!

Saturday, December 4th 'What If' Question

There's an old expression about flying cars and how life might be simpler if there were such a thing.

At the Atlanta Motor Speedway in March of 2010, drivers Carl Edwards and Brad Keselowski showed, again, that cars can indeed fly. The end result though, won't be pretty. After contact early in the Kobalt Tools 500 that sent Edwards to the garage, the driver of the No. 99 watched the replay and told the world of TV viewers that Keselowski hadn't done anything wrong.

When the 99 returned to the race 100 laps later however, and saw Keselowski running in the top five he changed his mind. Going down the frontstretch he turned the No. 12 and sent him flipping into the grandstands. It was similar to Edwards flying into the Talladega fence last season off the bumper of Keselowski.

The remainder of the season show many more run-ins between the two. One of the more scary incidents game when they were battling for the win in Gateway during a Nationwide Series race. Keselowski bumped Edwards in turn one and took the lead. Then coming off turn four Edwards turned Keselowski into the fence and won the race. Keselowski came back down the racetrack and was hit by a few other drivers trying to finish the race.

Afterward Keselowski's father Bob said, "He ain't gonna kill my boy" and said NASCAR needed to do something before he tried to handle things. By season's end the two finished first and second in the NNS points with Keselowski winning his first championship.

But ...

What If Carl Edwards & Brad Keselowski didn't give new meaning to flying cars in Atlanta. Would they still had season long rivalry?

@cruetten Probably. I don't think Edwards every really got over being dumped by Keselowski in Talladega the year before.

@ARosser14 Probably. Carl made it clear in Memphis last year that he was to the end of his rope with Keselowski's antics

@tamgil My weigh in on "what if" I believe the intensity of the season long rivalry was a direct correlation to the severity of crash

@denver2u Probably not..Woulda been boring...Now you have the Harvick/Busch rematch hopefully starting in Daytona...

@nascarjaj im thinking if the cars didnt fly, the rivalry would have played out more all season long.

Tuesday, November 30th 'What If' Question

If at first you don't succeed try, try, try again.

For Marcos Ambrose that's what he's been doing in at road course races since he entered the Sprint Cup Series. As one of the best road racers in the sport, Ambrose is always one of the favorites when the series makes left and right turns either in Sonoma or Watkins Glen. This past year Ambrose was again near the front of the field and looking for his first career win as the laps wound down in the Toyota/Save Mart 350 at Sonoma.

With less than 10 laps to go Ambrose had the lead and was driving away from the field when the caution came out. Crew chief Frank Kerr told Ambrose to save fuel, just in case more cautions came out over the final laps and a green/white/checkered finish came into play. Ambrose decided to shut his car off and coast around the track.

When he started to go up the hill in turn one however, the car failed to re-fire and he was passed by second place Jimmie Johnson and about seven other drivers. NASCAR ruled that Ambrose had to restart behind all the drivers that passed him as his car sat idol on the track. Johnson moved into the lead and went on to win the race. Ambrose restarted seventh and ended up finishing sixth.

But ...

What If Marcos Ambrose didn't shut car off @ Sonoma under final caution. Would Jimmie Johnson have beaten him for 1st road course win?

@Talon64 Another late choke like Montreal might've still been possible without the stall, but I think Ambrose would've held on to win.

@cruettten i don't think so; but then again, i never thought JJ would win five Championships either. from what i remember, Ambrose was in a pretty good rhythm, and i didn't think anyone was going to catch him that day.

@garrettu88 no, Marcos had the car to beat all day

@alpinedigital Johnson is a closer, you know that!!

@ShaneMCarroll that's an excellent question. Personally I don't think so, and it would have given Denny an even bigger lead going into HMS.

ronsracing88 I doubt it; Macros seemed to have everyone covered that day.