Wednesday, July 4th 'What If' Question

Prior to the 2012 NASCAR Nationwide Series season domination used to belong to two drivers: Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.

If they weren't battling each other they were fending off Busch's teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, Joey Logano. Now Logano has picked up where Edwards and Busch have left off. Halfway through the NNS season Logano has five wins, the most of anyone in the series.

Even more impressive, he's only competed in 12 of the 16 races. When he's not winning races he's leading a ton of laps (468) or capturing poles (3). Anytime he's behind the wheel of the No. 18 he's become the driver to beat. Deja vu for competitors when Busch used to be that driver.

At first glance many would be shocked to see that Busch has not yet won a NNS this season. Look closer though and you see that this season different for Busch. His team, Kyle Busch Motorsports, moved to the NNS after coming off a Camping World Truck Series owners title in their first year.

Moving up the ladder however, is hard. Something that Busch fully recognizes. Older brother Kurt delivered the team's first, and so far only, NNS win back at Richmond in April. Not to say that Kyle hasn't come close to winning a few races himself but luck and circumstance just got in the way.

So, as he fights to make his own company contenders, Logano enjoys the role of dominator. The good news for NNS drivers is that Logano will not be in this Saturday's event at New Hampshire as Ryan Truex gets another start in the No. 18.

Kyle Busch will be entered in his No. 54 Monster Energy Toyota. He's won the last three New Hampshire races.

But ...

What if Kyle Busch still ran NNS races for Joe Gibbs Racing, would Joey Logano still be as dominant as he's been this season? 


@mattwoodruff29 No he wouldn't.......

@HD388 Logano wouldn't be dominating NNS if Busch were there. Busch is the far more superior driver & would have 3 wins by now. Logano probably would only have 1

@31SpazCat15 not really answering the what if? But I think it proves that given the same equipment and resources.... Joey is a winner too

Sunday, January 29th 'What If' Question

Think of it this way, since the season finale in Homestead the last few months could have been spent talking about Carl Edwards being the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion.

There would have been talk about him entering 2012 defending a title he captured after winning one race. How he brought team owner Jack Roush his third title in nine years after Roush had to wait 15 years for the first one courtesy of Matt Kenseth in 2003. Or maybe there would have been the columns about Edwards and Nationwide Series teammate Ricky Stenhouse Jr. giving RFR two titles in one year.

That could have happened but it didn't. Instead the talk as been primarily about Tony Stewart, who did win the championship and did so in history making fashion. Stewart was just one piece of a bigger puzzle that seemed to do Edwards in. It started by Stewart making the Chase, after running poorly through the summer months but not as poor as those trying to knock him out of the Chase.

Here are a few other pieces: Edwards would have been the champion if Stewart's gasman hadn't gotten enough fuel in the car at Chicagoland and New Hampshire, leaving him to run out and win the first two races of the Chase, earning those points. He would have been champion had Stewart not been able to pass Chevrolet teammate Jeff Burton at Phoenix, the second to last race of the year, to earn a few more points. He would have been champion had the rain in Homestead been nice enough to stick around for a while and made NASCAR call the race early.

And of course, he would have been champion had he been able to run down Stewart in the final laps at Homestead and beat him. But alas Edwards didn't and he entered the offseason looking to put a great season with a disappointing ending behind him. In 2012 he'll be again be a favorite for the title and has already started preparing to ensure he doesn't come up on the wrong end of a points tie again.

Earlier this month Edwards announced that he does not plan on running in the Nationwide Series unlike he's done ever since his NASCAR career started. Even when he moved to Cup he still kept a full NNS schedule on his docket, even winning the driver's championship in 2007 and bringing home the owner's title for RFR last season.

The decision perhaps has to do with both the fact that starting in 2011 Edwards and any Cup driver are ineligible for the NNS title and the fact that he badly wants a Cup title on his resume. With the announcement Edwards says that he hopes that not running in the NNS will help him focus more on his Cup efforts either through not having to lose practice time or spending more time with the team discussing the car, although he has learned things while racing on Saturday that helped him on Sunday.

And Edwards has also said that while right not he's not committed to running any races that doesn't mean he won't. Should he start getting an itch or have a hard time sitting still on Saturday's he says there's a possibility they would discuss letting him race.

But ...

What if Carl Edwards had won the Sprint Cup championship last season, would he still be opting to not race Nationwide this year?

@Matt_Kacar wouldnt of mattered either way. If they had nationwide sponsorship for him he would be running that series in 2012

@mbauerherzog Yes, because he'd have a taste of the championship and would want another one.

@Fishnwhistle He has nothing to prove in NNS, and everything in Cup.

@rcracer20 the way things went at the end,every driver should concentrate on primary ride,could be gone tomorrow #sponsorship$

@cruetten no. After achieving his main goal of winning a championship, he would be able to cut loose a little and have some fun in NNS!

@tvsmike Yes--he even said last season he wouldn't have run the entire 2011 NW season had he not already committed to it…after the "pick only one series" change.

@StrokerAce90 Carl had the NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship in the bag and lost it to Smoke worse than Denny Hamlin did to Jimmie Johnson in 2010, so i'd say yes, Carl's opting outta NNS because he feels he needs to be more focused on Cup.

Monday, November 28th 'What If' Question

The season finale in Homestead-Miami was more than anyone imagined it would or could be. Sure, everyone had hoped that it would come down to the last lap with Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart going at for the championship. But no one actually thought that it would come down to the last lap with the two drivers chasing each other to the finish line with the winner taking all.

Or that after 36 races, 22 tracks, over 10,00 laps and 10 months of racing that it would end in a tie.

That's exactly what happened though when Stewart won the race and the championship for the third time in his career. He capped off an incredible Chase where he won five of the 10 races and became the first owner-driver to win the championship since Alan Kulwicki did so in 1992. The title, as mentioned third for Stewart, was the first for his organization, including co-owner Gene Haas and crew chief Darian Grubb. Stewart now sits behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt (seven), Jimmie Johnson (5) and Jeff Gordon (4) in the championship history books.

It didn't come easily though. Stewart started the day 15th on the grid while Edwards was on the pole. Then just eight laps into the race Kurt Busch lost his transmission which flew through Stewart's front grille. The damage sent Stewart to pit road and the back of the field, 40th, for the restart. As Edwards racked up the most laps led, 119 of 267, Stewart charged to the front.

More repairs sent him to the back of the field again where he again didn't stay long, going three and four wide as the No. 14 flew through the field, never feeling the affects of the damgae. Suddenly the race was on as Stewart earned the lead and Edwards started trailing him. Through the second half of the race the two never left the top five, even waited out a rain delay, before closing the season in dramatic fashion with a fight to the finish.

Stewart won the race, Edwards finished second but lost the championship because Stewart had the tie breaker. It will go down as the closest finish in NASCAR history and to some the best finale in history. Either driver would have been a deserving champion, both turning out gutsy performances through the Chase. Yet it led them into Homestead where it all came down to wins.

But ...

What if Stewart never had hole in front grille, would he have raced Edwards all day for most laps led & avoided points being a tie? #NASCAR

@MattEmbury Don't think it would've changed his style, that was "Tony being Tony"

@Talon64 Robert And he still has the pit stop gaffs? Then he probably doesn't lead the most laps either way.

@mrnascar2488 That my dear friend we will never know about #TonyStewart

Friday, November 18th 'What If' Question

In about 24 hours from now the NASCAR world will know who the 2011 Sprint Cup Series champion is.

Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart are separated by just three points heading into the season finale in Homestead-Miami. They've been throwing down since they arrived in town on Thursday, they've practiced and now qualified for the Ford 400. Edwards will start his quest for his first championship from the pole, while Stewart will have to come from the 15th position to win his third.

Edwards has an impressive NASCAR Cup resume and a Nationwide Series title to his name. Sunday though, he's going for the big trophy, one that Stewart has taken home twice. The Indiana native is in position for his third championship and should he accomplish the feat he'd go into the history books under a few different categories.

Smoke won his first championship in 2002 when NASCAR was still running under the point system that they had been in place since it's inception. It was also still called the Winston Cup Series then. In 2005 Stewart outran Jimmie Johnson for his second title under the newly invented Chase format. That title came in the Nextel Cup Series. Sunday, Stewart would win under a different Chase format and in the Sprint Cup Series.

Maybe even bigger accomplishments is that Stewart would be adding a third title to his trophy room. He would join many Hall of Famers with those three titles and be behind Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt's seven championships, Jimmie Johnson's five and Jeff Gordon's four. Oh, and Stewart would become the first owner-driver to win a championship since Alan Kulwicki did so in 1992.

There are many scenarios and headlines heading into Sunday's race. For the first time in many seasons the championship will truly not be decided until the final lap. Anything can happen.

But ...


What if Tony Stewart goes on to win the title Sunday, will it be remembered more for coming after Johnson's reign or because it's his third?

@Spacie_Stacie I really think Carl is going to win, but it will be a big deal for whomever wins it cause it is the first new one in 6 years!

@HendrickGuy Both, and because he'd be the first owner/driver to win since Kulwicki.

@Talon64 Robert More as a 3-time champion, but also as the guy that book-ended JJ's title streak more than just ending it.

@FashionL14 because he has bookended JJ. and so far the only driver to get winston and nextell/sprint cups.

@mbauerherzog It will be remembered as the Championship that broke the reign.

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) Smoke will be remembered more for the man who ousted the 5X Champ! Stroker Ace Smoke would also be remembered as the only driver to win a championship from all three cup series sponsors: Winston, Nextel and Sprint.

Jason Remillard (via Facebook) I say he's remembered for winning pre-Chase, post-Chase and as an owner-driver.

Tuesday, November 15th 'What If' Question

It seems like just yesterday the NASCAR garage was buzzing about the start of the 2011 season and the Daytona 500. Here we are though heading in the final race of the season with the championship yet to be decided.

For the first time in five years Jimmie Johnson will not be among the drivers contending for it. Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart head to Homestead-Miami separated by only three points as they fight to be the new Sprint Cup Series champion. The title would be the first for Edwards, the third for Stewart.

While Stewart is the hottest driver on the circuit, winning four of nine Chase races, it is Edwards who holds the point lead. Having only won one race in 2011 along with the non-points Sprint All-Star race, he's maintained a steady and consistent pace to stay ahead of the competition. When it seems that he's going to have a bad finish, like Talladega or Martinsville, his contenders fall by the wayside and suddenly he's in the top 10.

Should Edwards win the championship this Sunday he would join an elusive club of drivers who have done so with only one win on the season. The last to do it was Edwards teammate Matt Kenseth in 2003. He would also join those who have a Nationwide Series championship and a Sprint Cup Series title. And Edwards would also be just the fourth driver to win under the Chase system since its conception in 2004.

But ...

What if Carl Edwards wins the championship Sunday after only winning 1 race this year, would you want #NASCAR to change point system again?

@RBleakley no! First time in years I've given a damn about racing after about the sixth chase race!

@Talon64 I'd like to see them change back to no Chase. Doesn't matter what system, you'll get runaways, 1 wins and/or "game 7's".

@DarthHendrick YES!!! They need to make it so anybody who's Father won 7 championships gets a 200pt bonus! Except the Petty's #Nascar

@ampdalejr89 No I would be happy with Carl Edwards. Wins aren't everything. Consistency is just as important.

@bfellin i dont think they will...this points system created drama at Richmond for the wild card, created a "game 7" scenario. exactly what NASCAR wanted

@AnnTRoberts No...Its like a side pot.

@twittmitch nope. Just ban Edwards from the sport. I hate that dude.

@Harvichick29 No...but I will want to puke. #GOSMOKE

@HotDog388 I say yes, overall point system is fine but still need to put more emphasis on winning need to award 5 to 10 points for the race winner instead of 3 points

@rcracer20 op 5 and top10 is what your after,win 5 crash in 20?if #nascar wonts to change something,all races a night race #yeabuddy

@smokinace88 yes the winner should get more points

Andy Marquis (via Facebook) I've been wanting to change the point system since 2004; a 36 race Chase with 43 drivers.

Dustin Parks (via Facebook) No, because the new system is simpler to understand. 43 for 1st, 42 for 2nd, etc. Way I see it, the system gave us exactly what fans wanted all year long. Carl ran well all year long, and wins don't always translate to championships (hence 2008 when he won the most races all year and still finished 2nd in the title hunt). Consistency will ALWAYS win championships.

Kyle Rickey (via Facebook) The 47-1 system is fine. Chase needs to go. Without it makes years like 1990 and 1992 more special with fans feeling it wasn't fabricated....or sorts

Stephen Taylor (via Facebook) hell to the no-drivers have to be penalized for bad finishes-we award victories as wildcards plus extra points-edwards, as kenseth did in 03 deserves the position he is in.

------------------------->

Following a 'What If' question I hardly ever throw anything else out about it. But after reading many responses and opinions following Sunday's race in Phoenix I wrote that many believe winning "should mean more" and that NASCAR intended for their new point system to show that. Compared to the run that Stewart has been on in the Chase, some have said that Edawrds has been mearly point racing and riding around, something that no one wants to see a potential champion do.

After posting that, many more responses came through...

@mbauerherzog I think winning should be rewarded more but consistency should be rewarded too. Maybe they should get rid of resetting points

@mrnascar2488 No riding around is finishing like 15th or so Carl is at least in the top 3

@denver2u I don't like that u can win a cup championship w/o winning a race in the chase.Maybe change the points just for the chase

@jlaracefan14 I say that @NASCAR should just change it to where the driver with the most wins is champion!

@SD80MAC Regardless of who wins, I think there needs to be a bigger points bonus for wins. Maybe 5 points? Not sure, but I want to see drivers racing for the win every race. Hanging in the back for a safe points day like at Talladega IS NOT RACING!

@NickBrincks No, an average finish under 5 over 9 races is impressive enough. If winners limit mistakes, they'll win. Leave it alone.

@LLH713 No, consistency pays off. Not a last minute dash to finish line. Tortoise & Hare. Plus this is a great chase finish

@JohnBarlak t's all good. He was consistent the year so there are no issues for me.

Jose L Acero (via Facebook) yes he has! #teamsmoke2011

Dustin Parks (via Facebook) Well, think about this...when Edwards was struggling at Martinsville, he wasn't just riding around to collect points...he went out, had the team get the car running better, and finished strong. The last two weeks he's been doing everything he can to get around Tony, and Tony has raced him very hard for position, but did so clean. If that's riding around, where your adversary is just as good as you, I'll take it. Still, I think even though the Chase is 10 races, you can't help but look at how well he did in the other 25 races that he ran before the Chase. I just really think the Chase determines the champion, but the entire season determines the champion-caliber drivers. They may want winning to mean more, but just like anything else, when you're not winning, you need to be running strong. CONSISTENCY wins championships

Andy Marquis (via Facebook) Best driver wins.

Stephen Taylor (via Facebook) if you count multiple 2nd and 3rd place finishes, a win in vegas, an all star victory, and a worse finish of 11th since Bristol in August riding around then so be it-if any other driver can do that be my guest. remember his 3 point lead is the bonus points from his regular season win-something tony didnt have-if he did he would be tied or leading right now. honestly I think its a silly arguement-everyone plays under the same system-whoever does it best deserves to win-theyve each taken different paths to end up where they are at-and honestly both will deserve it if they win

William Hildebrand (via Facebook) They went with this new points system because nobody knew how it worked before (of adding points etc), in other words, it was confusing as hell. THAT and they wanted a close battle for the championship, not running away with it like JJ did in 2007, 2008, & 2009.

------------------------>
Even a representative of NASCAR had come across the question and the opinion of Edwards riding around. The following is the conversation between NASCAR's Josh Hamilton and myself on the topic (thanks for the time Josh!):

@joshahamilton absolutley not!!!!!! the dude has finished in the top 10 in 8 of 9 races, including 6 top 5s!!!! how is that riding around??

@KellyCrandall to @joshahamilton I'm just throwing out there what some have said to me

@joshahamilton to @KellyCrandall obviously strongly strongly disagree

@KellyCrandall to @joshahamilton I disagree to a point LOL. But was looking to spark a discussion, which it has :-)

@joshahamilton to @KellyCrandall again, sorry, but no discussion. to claim that a guy w/6 top 5s (3 runner ups) in 9 races is 'riding' around, then well....

@KellyCrandall to @joshahamilton Well, there are still those who don't feel winning means or is worth enough

@joshahamilton to @KellyCrandall now that is a discussion, i will give you that. but completely different than saying carl is riding. guy is digging.

Monday, November 14th 'What If' Question

This Sunday in Homestead-Miami it will be the end of a five-year era.

Jimmie Johnson will not be crown Sprint Cup champion, instead it will be Carl Edwards or Tony Stewart taking home the big trophy. Johnson and team will be looking to preserve a top five point finish instead. Five-time goes out without putting up much of a fight for a sixth straight championship, left in the dust of Edwards and Stewart who have blazed through the Chase and into the finale.

For the past five years Johnson has been at the top of the mountain as everyone else just shook their heads and watched. Some welcomed his accomplishments more than others. Sure, he may have been respected for making history but it didn't make it any easier or fun to watch him do it year after year.

Some will be celebrating not only an Edwards or Stewart championship, but the fact that Johnson won't be winning another. It is a day that some thought wasn't going to come any time soon. After three, then four and especially five, Johnson was expected to just keep going and going. It's why when he wasn't all that spectacular in 2011 and didn't open a can of whoop ass on the competition when the Chase started it was surprising yet welcomed.

It doesn't however, mean Johnson and his No. 48 Lowe's team won't win another championship. They'll come back in 2012 looking to get back to where they belong and add another page to the record books. There are only two other drivers ahead of Johnson in the history books with more championships, Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. It is certainly possible that he could go on to tie and surpass them in that category. He'll have to wait until next year though (something that hasn't been said about him since 2005) before he gets a chance to do so.

But ...

What if @JimmieJohnson comes back in 2012 and wins his sixth championship, will it be more accepted than his five in a row were? #NASCAR

@HarpAmyStabler I think that it depends on if he's dominant or not. If he goes a few years in btwn, then maybe it's okay to break records.?.

@golic_2004 Well the world will not end, as Johnson would need to win 7 straight championships.

@racebird if he and his team wins why wouldn't they be? Takes a team to win!

@ladybug388 I think it will be as a lot of people r now looking at how significant his 5 in a row was

@StrokerAce90 Yes, it would be more accepted. @JimmieJohnson joined twitter, showed #NASCAR fans he weren't vanilla and won over more fans.

@JoJo_6040 Break from JJ winning is nice. For yrs I've said when he doesn't win it, I'd root for him again & I will. Congrts to 5 time!!

Tuesday, November 8th 'What If' Question

Trevor Bayne finally won his first career Nationwide Series race on Saturday afternoon in Texas as he beat out the dominant car in teammate and Sprint Cup Series driver Carl Edwards.

Bayne however, wasn't the big story. That came a few hours earlier when NASCAR President Mike Helton announced that Sprint Cup Series driver Kyle Busch was being parked for the weekend following his actions in Friday night's Camping World Truck Series race. Busch would not participate in Saturday or Sunday's events. The news became the only topic of the weekend.

Denny Hamlin drove Busch's car to a second place finish on Saturday and Michael McDowell drove the No. 18 to a 33rd place finish on Sunday night. Bayne's win though, was popular enough and a long time in the coming. Driving for Jack Roush in the NNS series, Bayne quickly caught notice as a rising star and after he won the Daytona 500 for the Wood Brothers, that star got much brighter.

Yet, on Saturday's he started to struggle while his Roush teammates outshone him. Midyear Bayne was sidelined with an illness but after he returned he was better than ever and he inched ever closer to that first win. By beating the best in the business on Saturday Bayne again impressed many and his victory was welcomed with open arms.

But ...

What if Kyle Busch wasn't parked in Texas, would he & Carl Edwards have battled for Nationwide win or does Trevor Bayne still win? #NASCAR

@HotDog388 I say Kyle probably wins the Nationwide race, Carl finishes in top 5, Bayne top 10

@rcracer20 dont think kyle would have finished the race,hornaday would be in the race,he could have bought a ride ,easy you think

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) I'd say Kyle Busch would not be a factor at all because someone would have either put him into the wall or punted him into the infield and Trevor Bayne would still go on to beat Carl Edwards for the win.

Beth Robinson Bunch (via Facebook) Ditto.

Wednesday, November 2nd 'What If' Question

The paperclip track in Martinsville, Virginia is known for it's hard racing, great finishes and classic rivalries. Last weekend though, it became known as a junkyard that was run by Brian Vickers.

The official count had Vickers involved in five of the 18 cautions at Martinsville, but to viewers it seemed like a whole lot more. The No. 83 Red Bull machine always seemed to be where the action was, either starting it or being on the receiving end of it. It doesn't make it surprising then that Vickers played a role in determining the outcome of the Tums Fast Relief 500.

With less than 10 laps to go Vickers retaliated against Chase contender Matt Kenseth, bringing out the caution. Jimmie Johnson, a friend of Vickers, had been leading the race over Tony Stewart by over a second and was looking for his third win of the season and to close the gap in the championship. Instead, he would lineup side-by-side with Stewart and on the restart with two laps go, Stewart smoked him and went on to win.

Johnson finished second and only moved up one spot in points, gaining just seven points on the leader. Johnson was none too happy with his friend, saying that it was frustrating to see the same cars end up in all the cautions at the end. While it wasn't the only reason that he lost, Johnson did not want to see the final caution that Vickers caused.

Stewart on the other hand was the big winner, literally and figuratively. He moved to second in points after his third win of the Chase and sits just eight behind leader Carl Edwards with three races to go. In victory lane it caused Stewart to send a message to Edwards on national television, saying, "he better be worried, that's all I've got to say. He's not going to have an easy three weeks." The response got a rise out of everyone who heard it, except Edwards who said that Stewart was just wound up from the win and his biggest challengers are the ones behind Stewart.

A few days later, Vickers said four of the five accidents weren't his fault. He also said that he doesn't regret what he did to Matt Kenseth and that Kenseth was the one who took himself out of the championship. Kenseth, says Vickers, won't win the championship anyway. More importantly, Vickers believes that his performance of driving a beat up racecar will attract potential team owners as he searches for a ride in 2012.

But ...

What if Brian Vickers hadn't gone after Kenseth, causing last caution does A) Tony Stewart still win & B) still trash talk Edwards? #NASCAR

RT @cruetten Stewart would still have probably won--he was pretty fast at the end//Vickers will always talk trash, no matter what happens.

@14Patti14 He wouldn't have won but still would trash talk.

@HotDog388 Don't think Stewart wins without that last caution think Johnson was too far ahead, think Stewart still talks trash Edwards

Tuesday, August 9th 'What If' Question

David Ragan, Greg Biffle, Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards, that's the current lineup for Roush Fenway Racing. At least for the next few years.

Right now those four drivers are under the watchful eye of Jack Roush, or the Cat in the Hat as he's known. Edwards, who is currently leading the Sprint Cup Series points, is often said to be the face of the organization with Kenseth being the veteran and champion. Three of the four drivers have won races this year and all four still have a shot at making the Chase one way or another.

While Roush is still working on sponsorships for some of the teams, things are set at the Cup level with those drivers in place. On the Nationwide Series side there are two other drivers waiting in the wings, Trevor Bayne and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Bayne might for all intents and purposes be set with the Wood Brothers should he ever decide to come to Cup full-time. He won the season opening Daytona 500 with the team but he races for Roush in the NNS where he has yet to win.

Stenhouse Jr. on the other hand is having a dream season, at least so far. He's won two races and is leading the points. Coming off a year where he was taken out of the car but then came back to win Rookie of the Year, Stenhouse is making the most of every opportunity that's sent his way. This week both Bayne and Stenhouse said they are set for 2012 by most likely staying where they are.

Except, it's never too soon to start thinking about the future. Not just for Bayne and Stenhouse Jr. but for the entire RFR organization. Yes, with the four still signed for years to come it's always fun to wonder what RFR will one day become. Stenhouse and Bayne could very much move up with the company and become Cup stars or they could move to other teams and curve their own path that way.

After winning his first career race earlier this year in Daytona, the driver of the No. 6, David Ragan, is still trying to show people that he belongs in the Cup Series. When Biffle, Edwards and Kenseth move on he could become the face and future of the organization. Will he be teammates with young drivers who make their way into the series or with whoever becomes the biggest free agents in years to come?

But ...

What if Roush Fenway's lineup one day was Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Trevor Bayne, David Ragan & Ross Kenseth, top performer/driver is? #NASCAR

@HendrickGuy Ricky Stenhouse Jr. probably.

@JJohnson51Fan David ragan. He has the most expierance and would be a veteran by then

@mikegieseler Stenhouse Jr or Trevor Bayne....they're both hot new talent and getting better...edge to Stenhouse

Tim Kaufman (via Facebook) Big $$ @ Ross Kenseth! :)

Andy Marquis (via Facebook) Stenhouse.

Dustin Parks (via Facebook) Hmmm, I'd say I'd give the advantage to Bayne as far as top performer. If you think about it, his toughness to come back from illness after having the biggest win of his life, coupled with Roush's constant commitment, he'd be hard not to bet against.

Andy Marquis (replying) Toughness doesn't win races. Talent does. Stenhouse has had less time in Nationwide than Bayne and has won more races. Bayne has one NASCAR win in a race that pretty much anyone in the field can win.

Tim Kaufman (replying) Bayne's pretty smart, though. He's earned the respect of Bobby Labonte, Jeff Gordon and other stars, while Stenhouse is already rattling cages w/ his teammate, Carl Edwards. I think we all know Sunday is the "BIG SHOW" and if ur not good @ give/take, you'll get taken alot more (See: Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, numerous others).

Andy Marquis (replying) I've seen lots of drivers come and go who have "earned the respect" of veteran drivers early on in their career... very rarely have those guys put up wins or championships. Drivers giving and taking and not racing hard is the reason the racing in the Sprint Cup Series generally sucks just about every race. I seem to remember veteran drivers not liking Gordon, Stewart, Kurt Busch and even Jimmie Johnson in their early careers. Those guys all have championships. How many YEARS did it take David Ragan, David Reutimann, Brian Vickers, Casey Mears, Paul Menard, Jamie McMurray (excluding Charlotte 2002) and Regan Smith to win races? And how many wins to those guys have a piece?

Tim Kaufman (replying) Jamie had his first win in his 2nd start @ Charlotte, subbing for the injured Sterling Marlin.

Andy Marquis ‎(replying) "excluding Charlotte 2002". How many years did it take for him to get a win after Charlotte? Answer: Five years.

Tim Kaufman (replying) Only time will tell..

Wednesday, July 27th 'What If' Question

The NFL isn't the only place where free agent frenzy is taking place.

NASCAR has their own big names on the line this season including who has had all the buzz around him, Carl Edwards. The Roush-Fenway driver, who is currently leading the Sprint Cup Series points, has always been a championship contender and race winner. Whether he stays at RFR or moves to a new organization it'll be a benefit to all.

Edwards has won 19 career NSCS races as well as the Sprint All-Star race. While has yet to win a Cup championship, closest being second in 2008, he has won a Nationwide Series championship and 34 career wins. He's great with the fans and the sponsors and has plenty of bring to a company regardless of how he may be viewed on the track.

The question just becomes where is he going to land if he does indeed do what some are saying is the unthinkable and leave RFR. The biggest rumor for most of this season has been Edwards joining Joe Gibbs Racing. That would set up a few different scenarios, the first being the replacement of Joey Logano. The Home Depot driver hasn't been horrible but the team could be better and some are already putting Edwards in the 20 car.

Another possible scenario should Edwards join the already strong JGR team with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin, would be the addition of a fourth car. JGR has never ruled out the possibility, in fact they ran a fourth car in select races a few seasons ago. If JGR really wants to add Edwards to the fold it wouldn't be surprising if they just expanded the organization.

That's the possibilities should Edwards leave Roush, which as mentioned seem a little far off. The Missouri driver has been with the Cat in the Hat since he debuted in the sport, running Trucks, Nationwide and Cup cars for him. It's the only home he's ever known and it's been a great home for him, one that provides a good opportunity to win a championship. Not many would leave that situation.

But ...

What if Carl Edwards does leave Roush-Fenway, who should they be looking at as a replacement? Or should they bring up @StenhouseJr? #NASCAR

@jasonskow no brainer @Tbayne21

@NancyatStudioN I can't believe Ford will allow Carl 2 leave Roush. They'd B left with no *star* driving a Ford. Can U say "BIG BUCKS"?

@StrokerAce90 They should hire @JenJoCobb if Carl leaves.

@AllHorsepower I don't know if you could find a replacement. If anything, I'd possibly like to see Bayne get the ride. If Roush does in fact lose Edwards, it is going to hurt in many aspects. Right now, he is the face of that organization, and is the guy for RFR in the points. Personally, I don't think Stenhouse is ready for a Cup ride, not yet at least. I'd love to see Bayne get the ride though, it'd be a great reward for the Daytona 500 champion.

@Lady31RCR I think they would bring up @Tbayne21 and @StenhouseJr for a split ride..Part time for both, both stay full time nationwide.

Michael Hirschbein (via Facebook) Well with what Fenway paid to acquire Liverpool FC and then pay Lebron...Its no wonder why they can't afford a guy who does backflips with precision..

Thursday, March 31st 'What If' Question

Nothing makes for better storylines in NASCAR then when it becomes time for drivers and owners to sit down and decide on a new contract.

The last few years it's become quite apparent that big name drivers are no longer off the market and will stay with their big name teams or the organization who may have brought them into the sport. It doesn't seem possible to imagine Dale Earnhardt in anything other than a black No. 3 for Richard Childress or Jeff Gordon leaving Hendrick Motorsports.

Yet, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. following the 2007 season it seemed to open the floodgates. He left DEI and then Tony Stewart left Joe Gibbs Racing, a company that he started his career with and had won two championships for. Mark Martin is no longer racing for Jack Roush in the No. 6.

As a new season has begun it means that it's never too early to talk about silly season and who could be where next year. Some big name drivers are again nearing the end of their contracts and a driver that is on the forefront of everyone's mind is Carl Edwards.

Edwards, a Roush-Feway driver in the Sprint Cup Series since 2005, has said he's not focusing on contract talks until a later time. Teammate Greg Biffle recently said he's 'close' to resigning with the organization meaning all the attention will once again be on Edwards. He's one of their most successful drivers in recent years and has been off to a hot start in 2011 and is the current point leader.

He's won a Nationwide Series championship and 29 races with RFR. He's won 19 races in the Cup Series and has a career best finish of second in points in 2008 after he gave Jimmie Johnson a run for his money in the Chase. It would be quite surprising to see Edwards leave the company, however, as previously seen anything can happen.

Biffle though, said it would be a shock if he did in fact not resign with RFR.

But ...

What if for some crazy reason Carl Edwards does not resign with Roush-Fenway Racing, where do you think he will end up? #NASCAR

@Talon64: Red Bull Racing's his only option. Wouldn't fit in at JGR in a4th car, no room at HMS or RCR. Kahne's looked good in #4.

@Matt_Kacar: Joe gibbs racing. Only place he could go and be a championship contender

@racecrazy: J G R

@smokinace88: Wouldnt it be funny if he become team mates with Brad haha

@Emily_488: I hope he ends up back in Missouri or wherever he's from.

@chuckallen2: I'd like to see MWR get a top tier driver to go with the cars. The guys they have are good, but not elite. That's my pick.

@cruetten: Red Bull. Edwards seems to fit the adventurous mold of Red Bull. If not Red Bull, I can see a third team added at SHR for him

@mlarson03: MWR.

@alex141811: I say Penske only because that's who I've heard has been pursuing him seriously.

@ladybug388: Not much out there

@BuckyButler: depends. Is he bringing a sponsor with him? Don't be so short sighted. SHR would love a 3rd team. But they need a sponsor.

@weizdawg: ya think maybe gibbs if there looking for a 4th driver maybe?

@bfellin: id say Red Bull. with Kasey leaving, I think RBR would try and keep two "name" drivers in the stable.

Rich Bohr (via Facebook) Maybe Trevor Bayne will move to either the 6 or 99 car and Carl Edwards will stay with Ford and drive the 21 car. Who knows? Maybe he will drive a 3rd Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy in 2012? Maybe he will bring Aflac and some other sponsers over from Roush Fenway.

Stroker Ace (via Facebook) I think Cousin Carl will end up teaming with fellow Ford driver Jen Jo Cobb. Reason bein... before re-signing with Roush-Fenway Racing Carl does a family tree search on facebook & learns not only is Jen a fellow Ford driver, but she is also his NASCAR cousin!

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.

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.

Wednesday, October 13th "What If" Question

Tracks like the Kansas Speedway and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, California are used to seeing Roush Fenway Racing drivers in victory lane. Two weeks ago Greg Biffle kept up his end of the bargain when he took the checkered flag at Kansas for his second win of the 2010 season.

The win was significant not only for the fact that Ford would be giving his No. 16 team an extra $100,000 for winning a Chase race, but earning the maximum amount of points helped keep Biffle in the championship hunt. Last weekend in California it looked like RFR was picking right up where they left off in Kansas as Biffle, Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth each had contending cars for the Pepsi Max 400.

Then one by one they each went up in smoke ... literally. Biffle was the first to go on lap 40. Edwards came next at lap 60 when his car was pushed to the garage. He later returned but 14 laps down. Kenseth remained on track and up front, swapping the lead with numerous drivers over the course of the event.

Then over the final 10 laps his engine started to smoke and he limped to the finish line. Now the three drivers sit outside the top five in points, Edwards over 100 markers out of first and Biffle and Kenseth over 200 out. It's not impossible but it'll be a longshot for them to get back in title contender.

But ...

What if Greg Biffle's engine did not go 'boom' on Sunday at California. Would he have ended up being a factor for the championship?

@Talon64 He probably would've finished top 5, and would still be within 100 points of the lead. Definitely a factor.

@MisanAkuya He would have snagged a top ten maybe top five, run well at Texas and Homestead but ultimately not be a factor

@Spacie_Stacie I think he really would have been ending up being a factor, you never know what will happen this weekend!

@Ol_Man_Winter Didn't watch Cup race Sun., just going on hearing about it. I say no, JJ & Harvick will be factors, Gordon & Hamlin will drop