Monday, April 25th 'What If' Question

If the fastest car won each week there wouldn't be much drama, excitement or even much competition in NASCAR. It would be a runaway with the fans having a pretty good idea who was going to take home the trophy maybe before the race even started.

The fastest car doesn't always win though and it helps set up some of the most intense racing on any given weekend. In May of 2008 the fastest car at the Richmond International Raceway was Denny Hamlin who spanked the field and led 381 of 400 laps. The problem for Hamlin was that when the pay window opened and the laps wound down he wouldn't be around for the finish.

On lap 383 Hamlin lost the lead to Dale Earnhardt Jr. as his right-front tire started to go down. Eventually the tire went down and Hamlin would stop on the track to bring out the caution. He would be penalized by NASCAR for doing so and set up a six lap fight to the finish for Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer.

With three laps to go Earnhardt Jr. was sideways and into the turn three wall off the front bumper of Busch who from that day forward would become public enemy No. 1 to Junior Nation. Meanwhile, Clint Boywer would go on to win as Busch fought off Mark Martin for second.

The win was second of Bowyer's career and the first of the 2008 season. For Earnhardt Jr., he was three laps away from taking home his first win in 71 races. It wasn't meant to be as Earnhardt Jr. would have to wait until a month later to snap a 76 winless streak at Michigan.

But ...

What If @DennyHamlin hadn't stopped & brought out caution in 2008, would Dale Jr. have won or would KyBusch have caught & beat him #NASCAR
@18Winning: Dale Jr would of won and saved Kyle and Junior both a lot of grief, but if Clint didn't win, would be as successful today?

@Tmac2824: NOOO!

@88myjr: I was so pissed! DH was being a baby again bc he had a flat. Jr wld have won that race!

Monday, April 18th 'What If' Question

Noah's Ark racing. Two-car tangos. Dancing partners. Speed dating.

The list could go on to describe the new style of drafting that has taken over the racing at Daytona and Talladega. Drivers pair up for three in a half to four hours and never leave the back bumper unless they're perfecting the switch. There are no longer big packs of racing where drivers are three and four wide row deep for hours on end where one wrong move can cause a 20 car wreck.

While many can sit and compare and contrast the racing and whether or not they like it, that's a conversation for a different day, there have been fantastic finishes in 2011 with the new style of racing in both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series. In the season's first exhibition race, the Budweiser Shootout, the finish had Kurt Busch and Denny Hamlin side-by-side at the line and even though Hamlin was disqualified, it was still a photo finish.

In the season-opening race for the Nationwide Series they too had a photo finish when four cars, two-by-two crossed the finish line with Tony Stewart beating Clint Bowyer. In Saturday's Talladega Nationwide race it could have been a photo finish had the race ended under green. Kyle Busch was being pushed by teammate Joey Logano on the outside while Joe Nemecheck was being pushed on the inside by Brad Keselowski heading into turn three on the final lap.

And then on Sunday it was a four-wide finish with eight cars coming to the line as Jimmie Johnson beat Clint Bowyer by 0.02 seconds, the closet in NASCAR history since they went to electronic scoring. The finish actually ties that of Kurt Busch and Ricky Craven at the Darlington Raceway in March of 2003.

On Sunday there were also again a Talladega record tying 88 lead changes.

It all through the new style of racing that drivers will 'swap' at the last possible time to get a big run on their competitors with a fresh new pushing. In doing so they close the cap to those in front of them and come down to the finish line

But ...

What if Sunday's race was old style plate racing with big packs, would the Aaron's 499 still have ended in a three-car photo finish? #NASCAR
@MattEmbury: Nope, wouldn't of happened

@Talon64: It probably would've only finished 2-wide at best, with the usual spread-out by guys getting every last position possible.

@nathanmedic: Probably. Either way, it would have been exciting for 25 laps and a parade (1x1 or 2x2) for the rest.

@DonRohr: yes

@DRLDeBoer: No

@RoushGirl17: Doubt it. Probably more like last year with two cars.

Thursday, April 14th 'What If' Question

There's a joke in the NASCAR garage that Michael Waltrip could interview himself. If that's the case one must wonder how he would ask himself to sum up his career and if he thought he'd ever make it to this point. The younger brother of three-time NASAR champion Darrell Waltrip followed in his brother's footsteps into the NASCAR world but with vastly different result.

Michael is now team owner of Michael Waltrip Racing with the occasional out of retirement race for himself such as this year's Daytona 500 as well as this weekend's event at Talladega. Waltrip began his full-time Cup career in 1986 when he was picked to drive the No. 23 Kool-Aid car for Bahari Racing. He stayed with the team until 1995 before moving to the Wood Brothers until the 1998 season. Next came Mattei Motorsports where he stayed until 2001.

In his first 462 starts Waltrip had never won a race. He did win the Winston Open in 1991 to transfer to the All-Star event later that night and won the Winston in 1996. Those, however, are non-point events and didn't count in the win column. Waltrip had also never finished higher than 12th in the point standings.

In late 2000 though Dale Earnhardt came calling. Waltrip would become his third driver of his DEI team under the NAPA banner in the No. 15 Chevrolet. Suddenly Waltrip became a contender winning two Daytona 500's (2001, 2003), the 2002 Pepsi 400 at Daytona July as well as the 2003 fall event at Talladega. He stayed with DEI until 2005 when he moved to Bill Davis Racing before eventually forming his won team in 2007.

In the season-opening Daytona 500 that year, Waltrip's team caused major NASCAR controversy when it was found that his No. 55 had jet fuel in its engine. His qualifying time was disallowed, crew members were suspended and fines were handed down and the car confiscated. That year Dale Jarrett and David Reutimann drove under the MWR banner.

In 2009 Waltrip won his first race as a team owner when Reutimann won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte. He also signed Martin Truex Jr. to drove for his team beginning in 2010.

Waltrip has also become a SPEED broadcaster over the last few years, calling Camping World Truck Series races. He's also appeared on other NASCAR programming and recently wrote a book about his 2001 Daytona 500 victory and the death of Dale Earnhardt which became a best seller.

But ...

What If Dale Earnhardt didn't hire @MW55, would he be Daytona 500 (2)winner/broadcaster/author, etc or have raced into obscurity? #NASCAR

@RoushGirl17: Now that is a thinker. I will have to back to you on that one.

@phathead: we could only hope

@DRLDeBoer: no. that is, nothing.

@Matt_Kacar: he would of raced into obscurity. NAPA was with dei so waltrip would of raced with bad teams rest of his career

@weizdawg: this is tough daytona winner no. But the other things i think so. If dale were still here i think he would be alot farther to into wins dale was a huge part in him and that company for what he did for waltrip. for sure broadcasting also he is a good person for that!

@cruetten: no offense to Mikey, but all of his good fortune is because of Dale Earnhardt/DEI.

@NancyatStudioN: He'd never have won a race cause no one else believed in him. He probly would have still been an announcer

Wednesday, April 13th 'What If' Question

Before Dale Earnhardt Sr. there was Adam Petty. The fourth generation driver of the Petty family was just beginning to make his mark on the NASCAR world when he was killed at the age of 19.

Petty was practicing for what was then a Busch Series race at the New Hampshire Motor Speedway when his car hit the wall in turn three. Many believe his throttle stuck which caused his No. 45 Chevrolet to head for the wall on May 12, 2000. The grandson of Richard Petty, the son of Kyle, Adam wanted to follow in their footsteps and make it into the Sprint Cup Series.

If he ever did make it to the top and when the time came for his father and grandfather to step away from racing, Adam was in a great position to help take over the family business. Petty Enterprises would be there for Adam to lead but instead his memory is left behind in the Victory Junction Camp which was built in his honor. The camp hosts children who suffer from illnesses at no charge to their families and is continually supported by many NASCAR drivers.

On the racing side, much has happened to Petty Enterprises. They've had name changes, new faces in charge and more failure than success. Drivers AJ Allmendinger and Marcos Ambrose are doing their best to bring the King back to the forefront and victory lane in the newly formed Richard Petty Motorsports. It's still a long, hard fought battle as they push onward.

It was not the way that things were supposed to go for the Petty family and the business. Things were supposed to fall right into place, passed from father to son to grandson. However, it just wasn't meant to be as the loss of Petty and many other NASCAR drivers have changed much about the sport over the last 10-12 years.

But ...

What if Adam Petty were alive and racing, how different would the now named Richard Petty Motorsports look? #NASCAR

@jenniferisindy: About Adam Petty you mean> It did, I was sad first then thought the answer would depend on how successful he would have been

@Talon64: Petty Enterprises would still be around, and Kyle Petty would've stayed involved with the team.

@The_Bumpdrafter: the original RPM never would have been screwed up by Gillete.

@jlaracefan14: If Adam Petty would still be with us I believe he would have already won a bunch of races maybe a title as well and the famed Petty Enterprises would be one of the powerhouses in NASCAR. The boy was TALENTED and drove like The King!

Thursday, April 7th 'What If' Question

Every driver needs their big break, something that will propel them into the spotlight and catch the eye of team owners who are looking for a new, fresh face to put in one of their cars.

In late 2007 that's what happened to Brad Keselowski. He got a call from Dale Earnhardt Jr. to come and run the remainder of the season in his No. 88 Navy Chevrolet. Keselowski had impressed Earnhardt Jr. in what he was accomplishing in less than well funded equipment as well as the substitution job he had done for Ted Musgrave's Truck team.

Earnhardt Jr. then signed Keselowski to a full-time deal for 2008 and 2009 in the Nationwide Series. He went out won his first career race and then kept on winning. In both years he finished second in the championship points. In 2009 he was on top of everyone's radar including team owner Rick Hendrick and James Finch. Both let Keselowski drive one of their cars in select Cup Series events.

In Talladega, Keselowski went out and won after a finish with Carl Edwards that won't soon be forgotten. Since then he's been snagged away from the a potential HMS job by Roger Penske and won the 2010 NNS championship. He now runs full-time in the Cup Series and searching for his second career win. Keselowski has officially made it to the top. Just as Martin Truex Jr. had done before him with the help of Earnhardt Jr. and JR Motorsports.

But ...

What If Dale Jr. didn't take a chance & sign @Keselowski to Nationwide deal in 07 would he have ever become big name/winning driver? #NASCAR

@KaitlynVincie: Hard question, without Jr.'s financial backing it may not have been possible. We know success is not solely based on talent.

@ladybug388: No as its all bout opportunity & there was his. Thou he may have with running more truck races for the team & then moving up

@cruetten: doubtful. i think he would've continued his mediocre performance in NNS (before signing w/JR),& stayed permanently in trucks.

@JoJo_6040: Yep! Some other team owner would've noticed his talent. Must admit, I paid more attn. to BK when he started driving for JR

@chuckallen2: his good run subbing in the truck race defined his career. Cinderella story for sure, and why racing is cool.

Wednesday, April 6th 'What If' Question

At New Hampshire Motor Speedway in June of 2009 a kid from Connecticut became the youngest winner in NASCAR history. Joey Logano, driving for Joe Gibbs Racing, broke the record held by teammate Kyle Busch of 20 years, four months and two days when he won at the age of 19 years, one month and four days.

Had it not been for NASCAR rule change however, Busch may have won at a younger age. He started racing at six-years-old and immediately made his mark. After setting his native Las Vegas on fire in 2001 with 65 wins and championships in Legends cars, Busch moved onto Late Model Stock cars where he again found victory lane. By late 2001 he was already signed to a NASCAR deal with team owner Jack Roush.

He went out at 16-years-old and made his Camping World Truck Series debut at O'Reilly Raceway Park in Indianapolis. He qualified 23rd and finished ninth. He ran a few more Truck races that year and nearly won one of them. It appeared that Busch was going to quickly follow his older brother Kurt, into the premier level of NASCAR. That was until officials made a rule change to the age limit.

Busch was forced to wait until he was 18-years-old to move any further in his NASCAR career. In 2003 he was signed by Hendrick Motorsports and ran races in both the ARCA and Nationwide Series where he found victory lane. In 2004 he competed full-time in NNS and won Rookie of the Year and five races but finished second in points to Martin Truex Jr. A year later he was in the Sprint Cup Series where he won his first race at California in September of 2005.

The rest as they say is history. Busch is now one of the most successful drivers in NASCAR history and a threat to win each weekend. No matter if he's driving in Truck, Nationwide or Cup everyone knows that Busch is going to be a factor.

But ...

What If #NASCAR didn't change age limit & @KyleBusch was able to make debut at 17yrs old would he still have made it to where he is today?

@Jrocket10: Yep! he's just got that talent..

@kellijo75: interesting but remember Kurt was.always there...doesn't hurt to have had the trail cleared already, so probably.

@NobleWarrior88: as much as I dislike Kyle, the fact is he could've started at 15 or 16 and still been as successful, kid's got talent

@cruetten: a lot of young drivers, i feel, are pushed up the ladder too quickly. not KB. if he debuted earlier, he would still be with JGR, but with more wins, more records, and possibly even a cup by now.

Tim Simmons (via Facebook) He's where he is today because he left hms. If he was still at hms he would only be racing cup. He should thank dale jr

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) Yes, he would still be an ASS. :)

Tuesday, April 5th 'What If' Question

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was three laps away from winning his first Sprint Cup Series race in nearly three years last Sunday at the Martinsville Speedway. After taking the lead from Kyle Busch with less than 20 laps to go it was all about counting down the laps for the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, until Kevin Harvick showed up on the scene.

Harvick took the lead and the win with three laps to go and Earnhardt Jr. held off Busch for the second spot. Afterward the talk of whether or not Earnhardt Jr. was back and could contend for the title became the headline early in the week. For Junior Nation it was a close but no cigar moment yet they were proud of how their driver had performed and are anxious for the weeks to come. No more than ever do they feel a win may be around the corner.

For some though it is not enough as attention has turned to how Earnhardt Jr. should have won on Sunday. During a discussion on NASCAR Now on Tuesday it was stated Earnhardt Jr. let Kevin Harvick pass him for the win. Comparisons of his father have always followed Little E, but by not winning on Sunday many feel as though he let his old man down. He should have wrecked Harvick or roughed him up they say.

Yet, for those who really know Earnhardt Jr. and as he stated on Sunday, he doesn't want to be the bad guy. Never one to be overly aggressive and just take someone out, Earnhardt Jr. opted to race Harvick the same way that Harvick raced him, clean. A complete failure he's been called because he is not his father and never will be. In settling for a second place finish it was as if some thought Earnhardt Jr. just let Harvick have it and moved over.

In his post race comments that was far from the truth as Earnhardt Jr. said,"I was thinking at the end that I was meant to win that damn race. Hell, I'm not sitting there leading that thing by seven car lengths thinking I'm about to lose."

But ...

What if Dale Jr. had moved and/or wrecked Harvick for the win, would you have thought any less or more of the win? #NASCAR

@mwoodruff8829: Since being there I would had not thought less if Jr had moved him I like seeing competitive racing between my two favorites!

@MCs_nascargang: I wouldn't have minded if Jr had moved Harvick for the win, not wreck him, but put his nose in there and take the win

@leesdog1966: I would have loved it, its racing like harvick said I am in it to win it, Go dale jr

@kartracer3886: id be happy anyway he won. But I'm fine with the way he raced.

@weizdawg: if jr would have wrecked him that would of been his move to win not on purpose but to win anyone else would have done it to.

@RoushGirl17: Not in the least, Harvick would have moved him, and others would have. He stuck to his way though, got to give it to him for integrity. #NASCAR

@ladybug388: Probably felt the same regardless, personally. Though it'd create excitement in seeing what Kevin would do

@4xLeft: When he had a chance to move Kevin, there were too many laps back. 29 woulda moved him back. He was 2 fast to get away from.

@TominBristol: If the 29 didn't have a wrecked rear, Jr's nudge might have been enuff!

@jester_3: Harvick was positioned so he would have come across and destroyed Jrs front, but had he done it... Just Martinsville

@cruetten: I would've been fine with it, but I'm a Jr fan.Any other driver, and I wouldn't have been fine with it. Yes, I admit my bias!

John Gazarkiewicz (via Facebook) More, he needs to be more aggressive, Harvick is...

Stephen Taylor (via Facebook) no I would have applauded!

Monday, April 4th 'What If' Question

When Kevin Harvick won on Sunday beating the favorite son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., he did so without having to go through the Martinsville masters of Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson. Entering the Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500 the two had won the past nine races at the speedway going all the way back to 2006 when Tony Stewart was the last driver not named Hamlin or Johnson to capture the checkered flag.

Sunday though started out like a typical Martinsville race. Both quickly found their ways to the front and led laps. Johnson's No. 48 Lowe's team held serve on pit road during many of the early stops and he began to rack up the laps led. After Hamlin's Joe Gibbs Racing teammate, Kyle Busch, asserted himself as the one to beat both Hamlin and Johnson seemed content to run in the top five as the laps wound down.

That was until the final pit stops of the day shook up and changed the outcome of the race. When the leaders hit pit road Hamlin lost positions and was dropped from win contention. Johnson was caught speeding and had to restart at the tail end of the longest line, also dropping out of win contention. It left Busch, Harvick, Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth at the front and in prime position.

Hamlin came home with a 12th place finish and Johnson finished 11th. Not what the NASCAR world is used to seeing from two drivers who usually settle who takes the Grandfather clock home between them.

But ...

What if @JimmieJohnson doesn't get a speeding penalty & restarts 2nd next to Busch, how different does the race end yesterday? #NASCAR

@Talon64: Dale Jr. restarts 4th and probably loses spots. Harvick takes lead like Dale Jr. did and doesn't look back. JJ 3rd.

@ladybug388: It probably would end the same with Kevin winning as he was coming no matter what. Though he would've finished top 3 #NASCAR

Andy Marquis (via Facebook) The Closer still wins!

Matt Wenzel (via Facebook) I agree with Andy.

An Opportunity with Build A Sign

A few weeks ago a representative, Megan, from (www.buildasign.com) contacted me about an opportunity for our What If blog.

She asked if I would be interested in creating a bumper sticker for my followers. As I have always said, this blog would be nothing without the followers, the ones who send in their answers. I'm simply here to think of a question and make everything look pretty, you all are the ones who need to answer in order for this to work.

So, when given this opportunity I knew it was a great way to give back to everyone. I started exploring the Build A Sign Web site and was immediately impressed with their layout. Everything was easy to find and there was a large selection of things to create. Bumper stickers, magnets, parking signs and many more. From there it was about creating the design and once again it was quite easy to find my way around.

What's really great about the site is that for someone like me, who may not know what they want to create or don't find themselves that creative, there were plenty of tools to play around with. They already have designs you can implement into your overall creation. From seasonal to sports and even people. In doing our bumper sticker about NASCAR there were a selection of different designs such as checkered flags.

Normally, I feel as though NASCAR is something that is hard to find things for and having a selection on their Web site made me very happy to see. Working with Megan was great, she responded to all of my e-mails, questions and thoughts and the site worked very fast in order to make the bumper sticker come to life.

And here they are.

For those that don't feel like designing something of their own there is also already made products. From graduation banners, novelty license plates and even plywood signs, there is something for everyone at Build A Sign. There's anti/pro stickers for President Obama among others and even humor products, which always seem to be a big hit.

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