Monday, October 20th 'What If' Question

Brad Keselowski did what he needed to do on Sunday afternoon in Talladega, win to stay in.

Keselowski’s victory in the GEICO 500 advanced him into the next round of the Chase, which he would not have done without the checkered flag. While Keselowski drove a masterful race and had the will to win, he also had two other teammates doing all they could to help. Late on Sunday Joey Logano threw furious blocks while running second and youngster Ryan Blaney also stayed glued to the No. 2 bumper when coming through the field.

It didn’t surprise many that teamwork was in play. After all, Logano was already locked into the next round, and Blaney was there for experience. Roger Penske had no hesitation in admitting during the winner’s press conference that coming into the weekend there were team orders.

According to Penske, all the drivers were sat down and instructed that they were there to ensure that Keselowski won the race. Logano played his part with his big blocks at the end, though it relegated him to an 11th place finish.

“I think he obeyed orders pretty well,” Penske said.

Keselowski and Logano, who have both been considered the class of the field this season, move on in the Chase. Keselowski now leads the series with six wins on the season, Logano the second-best with five.

But …

What if you were Joey Logano behind Brad Keselowski on Sunday, do you push / block or try to win and kick a strong car / teammate out of the Chase?

@TheAngryBirdie Brad and Joey seem to have a good friendship, so no

@lilmom88 ha, he had his orders.

@jpuryear91 I’d try and keep all the strong cars out. Not sure why you’d want a strong competitor even if it is a teammate.

@handsanfeet That’s a tough one. I guess help if I don’t have a chance to win myself. Bottom line though, win!

@Joturn33 No question go for the win at Talladega, or anywhere for that matter. Who knows if you’ll ever have that opportunity again?

@CBWFAN silly question, of course not. Winning is one thing, pay check is another

@mschub0928 I think we got our answer already. Looked like gave Brad a push then tried blocking when one of the lines got a run on him

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

Thursday, January 26th 'What If' Question

A big part of any NASCAR season is not just what takes place on the track in terms of winners, great finishes, boring races, rivalries or any other such events.

Before long the rumblings and rumors start about which drivers could be where the following year. It's called silly season and sometimes appropriately so with all the moves that teams make. It starts with drivers who become free agents, those with contracts about to end with their current team, and snowballs from there and 2012 will be no different.

There have already been plenty of changes heading into the season but it won't stop the talking. One drivers who will hear the whispers, again, will be Joe Gibbs Racing's Joey Logano whose contract ends after this season. Logano enters his fourth fill NSCS season behind the wheel of the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota that he inherited, perhaps prematurely, when Tony Stewart left JGR to form his own team.

Logano has one win, rain shortened at New Hampshire in 2009, on his resume but not much else. He's never finished higher than 16th in points (2010), hasn't contended for the Chase and fails to impress in the statistical categories of top 10s and top fives. That was with champion crew chief Greg Zipadelli, a veteran in the garage and on top of the pit box who won two championships and 33 races with Stewart.

Zipadelli has moved to Stewart-Haas Racing to reunite with Stewart as the company's director of competition. He'll also serve as part-time crew chief for rookie Danica Patrick in select events. It left a void on Logano's team that has been filled by Jason Ratcliff, a crew chief in the NNS for JGR.

Ratcliff used to work with teammate Kyle Busch, the two winning the driver's title in 2009 and owner's title in 2010. He has 11 NNS seasons under his belt and 36 wins on his resume, 33 coming from Busch. Now he'll lead the Home Depot as he ventures into the Cup Series as a crew chief, looking to turn Logano into a winner and Chase contender like his teammates.

Says Logano of the upcoming season, “I definitely feel like it’s my team now. With Jason there, I can voice my opinion and I think we’re all working together very well. We value each other’s opinion a lot and with the accomplishments we have, we respect each other a lot.

“I think it is going to be a very positive change for us. And I think it is a positive change for Zip. It is a good change for him. Every once in a while, you’ve got to hit the reset button and go at it again.”

But ...

What if Joey Logano does not show improvement in 2012 with his contract up at the end of the season, will he be come a free agent? #NASCAR

@ARosser14 Probably. Might end up in a Roush Ford, either with RFR, RPM, or the Woods.

@HarpAmyStabler Possibly. He also might get another shot with his own team now that Zippy is gone. Give that time to work now.

@StrokerAce90 I would think so, It's got to be oh so tempting for JGR to want to put Kurt Busch in that 20 car if Joey don't improve soon.

Monday, December 19th 'What If' Question

Not even two hours after he won his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship with Tony Stewart, crew chief Darian Grubb revealed that he had been informed weeks earlier that he would not be back in that position in 2012.

Whether he stayed with Stewart-Haas or moved on wasn't yet known but rumors quickly started. The biggest was that Grubb would stay would SHR in a management position and that Stewart would be reunited with Greg Zipadelli, who he worked with at Joe Gibbs Racing when he entered the sport in 1999 to his departure in 2008. The two were the longest running driver-crew chief combination up until Stewart left and they were one of the most successful.

They won two championships together, 2002 and 2005, and over 35 races. Every high and low that could be thrown there way was and they battled through it. The two have always been close, acknowledging it's almost like they're brothers they say. To some though, it seemed highly unlikely that Zipadelli was going to leave JGR and driver Joey Logano, at least there certainly wasn't any indication.

While the two were never very successful - winning only one race, never making the Chase and their best point finish being 16th in 2010 - Zipadelli had always denied the rumors thrown his way about his departure. He felt a loyalty to JGR, one reason he didn't initially leave with Stewart in 2008. Zipadelli always appeared off the table when deals were being made.

Except when Grubb was named crew chief for JGR driver Denny Hamlin did the odds look better. Perhaps it would be a trade, Zipadelli for Grubb. That's exactly what happened when it was announced that no, he wouldn't be Stewart's crew chief, that job going to former Kurt Busch crew chief Steve Addington, but Zipadelli would become SHR's competition direction. And just as an added bonus, he would be a part-time crew chief for the races that Danica Patrick ran, including the season opening Daytona 500.

The news is some of the biggest in an offseason where no organization is sitting still and enjoying the holidays. With Zipadelli and Stewart back together it's a great feeling for their fans. Long awaited too. They know each other, they know success and with the company attempting to back up their first championship in 2012, they have the right people in place to do so.

But ...

What if Joey Logano & Greg Zipadelli had had better success from 2009-2011, would Zippy still be leaving to head for Stewart-Haas? #NASCAR

@Spacie_Stacie I honestly do think so, Kelly, Zippy has young kids who he is missing a lot of their growing up, this way he will be around.

@NancyatStudioN Definitely - He'd have had to win Championship to even consider not rejoining Stewart

@rcracer20 with what has gone on with kyle,i would get away myself,plus beening able to CC for @DanicaPatrick #priceless:)

Beth Robinson Bunch (via Facebook) I Think So.