Monday, January 24th 'What If' Question

Everyone's done it. Sat there and wondered why the reporters weren't asking the hard questions or asking what the fans and viewers really wanted to know.

As the 2011 NASCAR season begins it will do so with the annual media tour. Media members that cover the sport head to race shops in and around Charlotte, North Carolina to meet with the drivers and owners. Sponsorships may be announced or new paint schemes reveled and as well as a few predictions of what the upcoming season might hold.

Fresh quotes are provided and new stories are produced. Fans that are eager to start the season or are going through racing withdrawls will eat them all up. But again, there are still some that sit there and aren't happy with what is produced, thinking they can either do better or come up with some really good questions.

They want to be the ones who aren't afraid to ask 'that' question. Or maybe just want the opportunity to even be able to ask a question.

So ...

What if you could play media member for a day, which driver would you seek out, what question would you ask and why? #NASCAR

@smokinace88: I'd want to interview Mark Martin and ask how Racing has impacted his life? And The many changes he's seen in racing and what he thinks of the changes from the day he started racing till now..

@StrokerAce90 I'd seek out Danica Patrick. I'd ask her if she's considered racing in NASCAR's oldest division. The NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour. Reason being, she's an experienced open wheel racer & she's stated that she's not used to bumping like the fendered cars do in NASCAR. Open wheel Modifieds may not be known as the highest division in NASCAR but truely they're the most exciting & toughest divison because of the bumping, grinding & rubbing going on with 600 horse power open wheel cars. That being said, she'd learn a lot by giving it a shot!

Wednesday, January 19th 'What If' Question

When year end review videos are put together or yearbooks created, it's very rare that one individual appears over and over and over and over. Very rare that they overshadow some of the biggest stories in their profession. In NASCAR there are normally shared 'big' stories from year to year between a few different drivers and teams.

Jimmie Johnson doesn't like to share.

For the past five seasons it's been all about Johnson. Sure, other big news has occurred but nothing has matched what Johnson and his No. 48 Lowe's team has done. Five straight championships. A Daytona 500, two Brickyard 400s. A Sprint All-Star win. Thirty-five wins, 10 of which came in 2007 in which he won four straight.

He's dominated short tracks, intermediates, superspeedways and finally won on a road course. He's made sure that he goes down in the history books and has yet to give up the spotlight.

Since Johnson has gone on his title streak, we've elected a new president. Brett Favre retired three times. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series and the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup. Michael Vick went to jail for dog fighting, got released and brought the Eagles back to the playoffs.

Jeff Gordon got married and had two kids. Dale Earnhardt Jr. left Dale Earnhardt Inc., came to Hendrick Motorsports, contended for the title and then fell off the map again.

But none of it got near the amount of attention or will be remembered because of what Johnson has accomplished.



But ...

What If @DoubleJ48 didn't dominate 2006-2010 with five straight titles, what would have been the biggest/memorable story(ies)? #NASCAR

@cruetten: Edwards and Hamlin winning their first championships, and Gordon winning his fifth

@NancyatStudioN: Well, for one, JG would have at least one more title...OOPS, that's if they hadn't had the Chase

@ARosser14: Jeff Gordon's fall from relevance, 2007 aside.

@BigBankHank18: I listen to Sirius NASCAR radio, and over the last 5 years there have been far more Junior and Kyle Busch calls then Jimmie

@Talon64: Mark Martin getting his first championship at the age of 50 would've been the biggest of the last 5 years.

@StrokerAce90: The stories would probably be about Jr & his ongoing troubles, driving past his pit w/out looking, arguing w/crew chief ect.

Jason Remillard (via Facebook) Jamie McMurray winning all the big races

William Duane Cox (via Facebook) Jamie McMurray's "comeback" was a big surprise, for sure!

Tuesday, January 18th 'What If' Question

Without the media it would be hard for celebrities and athletes to get the attention they do. Known as a media frenzy, every sport has an athlete or situation that ignites months if not year long coverage of every possible detail.

This past season NASCAR had their own media frenzy when Danica Patrick made her NASCAR debut. Entering the stock car world from that of open-wheel and the IndyCar Series, Patrick became the biggest story of the year. Every move, every word, every action on the racetrack, commercial or appearance was broken down and covered.

Fans were turned off by the constant coverage of 'Danicamania.' It was often heard that she wasn't the only driver on the track. She wasn't good enough to warrant the attention she received. Or that she shouldn't even be in the sport and should have chose just one sport.

Others sat back and enjoyed watching the female try and hang with the big boys. The first half of the year was frustrating as the learning curve was evident. The second half, when Patrick returned to tracks for the second time, change and improvement were evident. One of the biggest days in Patrick and her fans lives from 2010 came when she was spun out at California.

She was running in the top 15 with less than 20 laps to go. James Buescher appeared to have not been pleased with how Patrick was racing him or how close she came to him. Going down the backstretch he turned left and sent her head on into the wall. Her day ended with another 30 something place finish instead of a career best.

Again, the story was fully covered and broken down. Her side, his side, fans side, other drivers side. Everyone had an opinion and got their 15 minutes. Patrick was the top story in NASCAR for 2010.

But ...

What if Danica Patrick had not come to #NASCAR in 2010, in whose direction would the media frenzy been aimed at this season?

@Talon64:They probably would've focused on Denny as the JJ-killer, especially after his run of wins after the ACL surgery. #NASCAR

@BigBankHank18: different media member have their own favorite targets Junior, Kyle, JG, JJ or Smoke, depends on media member

@WhateverJoel: No one. The media just wouldn't have cared about Nationwide.

@cruetten: I think Jennifer Jo Cobb would've gotten a lot more attention and air time.

@MattEmbury: Kelly...do we really want to know that? I hope not. hehe

@StrokerAce90: um, that's a nice "What If" question, if I may say... Was there even a media frenzy in or around #NASCAR before Danica? If so, I never noticed... It was because of the media frenzy that Danica created by coming to NASCAR that I went to Time Warner & got a cable box just so I could get the Speed channel to see her race, assuming that was the channel to view Nascar races on. [I never watched her Indy races] That being said, with out Danica, the 2011 media frenzy would most likely be aimed at the other Jimmy Johnson & his Extenze car because that's what I hear about the most from my non Nascar friends.

Andy Marquis (via Facebook): It'd be endless Jimmie Johnson worship.

Ty McClain (via Facebook): Jr. Who else?

William Duane Cox (via Facebook) I guess the Dale Jr fans would hear about Jr's problems ... again and again... *sigh* I hope he does better... not a Jr fan, the the young guy needs a break... the fan pressure is enormous... And it appears Jennifer Jo Cobb may get a ride in the "B" Series... I'm rooting for her... and I don't hate Danica... just hope she does well as well... she has built a great publicity machine, but that has put a lot of self-inflicted pressure on her.

Wednesday, January 12th 'What If' Question

When the checkered flag falls each Sunday there are drivers and their teams as well as the fans who don't leave the racetrack satisfied.

Some wish for better results or more points. There are thoughts of what could have been after a day goes bad. Fans wonder how things would have turned out if there were just a few more laps or a giant wreck didn't take out their favorite drivers.

No one ever gets what they want. Except maybe the winner. Looking back at the Daytona 500 what would have happened if there was one more lap? Would Jamie McMurray still have won or would Dale Earnhardt Jr. have caught and passed him? During the truck race at New Hampshire, had the caution not come out would James Buescher have won his first career race?

There's no finding out, everyone's left to deal with what happened. Better luck next time, it's said. Or, there's always next year. As we approach the 2011 season I gave the fans a chance to again look back and pick a race where they would have changed the outcome.

What if you could go back to one Truck, Nationwide, or Cup race from this season and change the outcome. What race and why? #NASCAR

@rconboy1964 I would have Mark Martin win the Daytona 500 because to me he is what is good about racing #NASCAR

@tamgil I'd go back to the 2nd NNS race at Fontana & prevent Beuscher from wrecking Danica, love to see how she would have finished.

@Talon64 Infineon Cup race. Marcos Ambrose doesn't stall the car and gets his first career Cup win.

@MisanAkuya 1st race of the give Tony Stewart 1 more gallon of gas. Who knows how the chase would have been like if he won.

Monday, January 10th 'What If' Question

He's not the most hated man in NASCAR but if Jimmie Johnson keeps winning championships he might start to become one.

Now a five-time Sprint Cup Series champion, a five consecutive time champion, Johnson and his No. 48 Lowe's team led by crew chief Chad Knaus have the look of can't be beaten. Since entering the Cup Series in 2002 the due have won 25 poles, compiled 203 top 10s, 53 wins and five titles.

Johnson has been called the great driver in NASCAR history or at least in this generation. Knaus has been called one of the great crew chiefs in the sport. He's also been called one of the great cheaters as well. But whatever they're being called it hasn't slowed them down and they will go down in history as one of the most dominate teams the sport has ever had.

Or any sport since that matter.

Of course, the doubters have always been there. Saying Johnson is nothing without Knaus and vice versa. Beyond doubters have been those who blame Jeff Gordon for giving Johnson a ride in the first place when he approached him back in 2001 during a Nationwide Series race.

At the time, Johnson was a no-named Nationwide driver that had one win in 81 starts. Gordon gave him a shot in the Cup Series and Rick Hendrick paired him with Knaus.

The rest they say is history.

But ...

What If Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson were not paired together in 2002, where would Johnson be in terms of accomplishments today? #NASCAR

@jlaracefan14 that is a very good question. #nascar

@Talon64 About 25 wins and one championship, either 2006 or 2009. Which means Mark could be a champ, Jeff 5-time. #NASCAR

@NancyatStudioN I don't know, but I wish JG would have gotten him instead.

@cruetten if the two never got hooked up, JJ would still be a mediocre driver in the NNS series

@denver2u He's talented as a driver,and with the same racecar setup..probably would have won at least 1championship,possibly 2.

@StrokerAce90 Pretty sure JJ wouldn't be at the level he is at today. (he & Chad click very well together) Maybe two Championships at best.

@NewKing48 The same. #fivetime

@ronsracing88 I think he would have a lot of wins, maybe not as many championships.