Tuesday, July 10th 'What If' Question

Before the green flag in Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona there had already been plenty of headlines made.

There was Austin Dillon defending his Kentucky win after a failed inspection, Brian France delivering his state of the sport address and saying there would be no mandatory cautions as Bruton Smith suggested. There was Danica Patrick in a way calling her shot to win before Dillon won the pole and again failed inspection.

Matt Kenseth, going for the Daytona sweep, started it off right by winning the Cup pole. While eventual winner Tony Stewart failed post qualifying because of the same reason Dillon did. Kurt Busch went out and won a wild Nationwide Series race for James Finch and Joey Logano became the latest driver to fail inspection.

On Saturday, in what is normally a lazy day before the Cup race that evening, was anything but. Kevin Harvick flew wife DeLana back home to NC in order to rest before the birth of their first child. Son Keelan would be born the next morning. Austin Dillon thought he might get behind the wheel of the No. 29 until NASCAR nixed that idea, so Kenny Wallace was put on standby.

Bobby Bowden came into the media centered and entertained everyone, while Train rocked out on the frontstretch for the fans. Then came the biggest news of the entire weekend, seemingly out of nowhere.

At 6:00 p.m. ET NASCAR's senior vice president of racing, Steve O'Donnell, walked into the media center to announce that Penske Racing driver AJ Allmendinger had been suspended because of a failed drug test. He had been chosen as the random driver a week before in Kentucky and his "A" sample came back positive.

Sam Hornish Jr. flew back to Daytona from Charlotte, NC to pilot the No. 22 in the race. And since then the talk has been all about Allmendinger. Even though there was Stewart winning his fourth Daytona race in the last eight attempt, as well as the numerous penalties handed down on Tuesday after the infractions found in inspection.

Dillon will now be without his crew chief and car chief for two weeks and lost another six points in the owner and driver standings, Adam Stevens and the car chief of the No. 18 in the NNS was fine and put on probation as well as lost six owner points. And Stewart lost six driver/owner points while his crew chief and car chief were both placed on probation.

Yet, it all went in one ear and out the other. It's all about Allmendinger right now. Speculation has run wild from what caused the failed test, to whether he intentionally  took something, and of course, whether he'll ever be back behind the wheel.

As of Wednesday, Allmendinger was waiting on the results of his "B" sample while he camp released a statement that he had tested positive for a stimulant. What the stimulant was is still a guess, but Allmendinger was said to be going through all his medications and supplements to determine what could have caused the failed test.

With Allmendinger working with NASCAR to determine what has gone on while waiting on the results of his "B" sample, Hornish will again drive the No. 22 this weekend at New Hampshire. Everyone else is left offering their own opinions and theories.

But ...

What if there were no AJ Allmendinger suspension, what would be the big story and have us all talking after Daytona?


@mattwoodruff29 The Harvick's having there first child and the penalties from Daytona.

@HarpAmyStabler 2 complete green flag pit cycles and the outside line not being able to go. No pack drafting excitement 4 passing ... My dad, son, and I were all at the NNS and cup race. NNS race was exciting and fun all the way through .... The cup race was boring and we struggled to stay awake there until lap 120. Shouldn't be that way ... Dad and I have been going to Daytona since 2004 and loved it. We'll go again, but the racing has gotten progressively worse with the exception of the tandem racing. I remember the 1st to 30th & back to 1st in a few laps back in 2004-2008. That was fun for the pack drafting. Bring back tandems if it's not going 2 improve ... I thought that it was sad how sparse the midway & souvie trailer area was. Econ=bad. :(

@NancyatStudioN The big story would be the Army leaving SHR. It could open a whole can of worms. Will the National Guard leave Jr? And why are they paying so much more than Army paid SHR? If Ryan can't get a sponsor to stay there, where will he go? He can't go back to Penske  and can't go to Roush without a sponsor. In fact, can he go anywhere if he can't bring a sponsor? And, will Kurt get a sponsor and take it to SHR? After all, Tony said he'd hire him in a heartbeat.


@DonRohr reason the midway is sparse is because of the heat, the cost, and the ROI in July. overflowing in February ... I thought the race itself was just fine. decent beginning, filling in the middle and balls out at the end

@JoJo_6040 The pack v tandem or Sprint v Nationwide races. I kinda like the combo of pack and tandem. :)

Sunday, December 18th 'What If' Question

It can't and never will be said that the brothers Busch, Kyle and Kurt, don't show enough emotion.

In fact, it's been their inability to not show emotion during certain situations that continually land them in hot water. Near the end of the 2011 season while fans and media were speculating whether Kyle would be keeping his ride at Joe Gibbs Racing following his actions in a Camping World Truck Series event in Texas, it was Kurt who became the big story. Just days after the season ending banquet in Las Vegas it was announced that Busch and Penske Racing had mutually agreed to go separate ways.

Busch would not be driving the No. 22 Shell Dodge any longer, leaving the organization that he joined in 2006. An organization that took him in after he left Roush under less than pleasant circumstances when he was arrested in late 2005 for suspicion of drunk driving and was cited for reckless driving. He won 16 races at Penske, contended for championships and helped put Dodge back at the top.

Now he's at the bottom, looking for a ride just a month before Speedweeks in Daytona. How Busch got to where he is can be because of a few different things that occurred in 2011. It was a far cry from where he's been the last few years when he was winning races in the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge and being the leader of Penske. This year though, he was left in the background of teammate Brad Keselowski's success.

Busch was constantly upset with his team, then again in the heat of the moment during races all drivers vent, but Busch seemed to always be a little more wound up than others.

He didn't have the success that he thought he would, coming out of the gate in Daytona by winning the first two non-point events of the year. Except he didn't win a points paying race until Sonoma in late June and scored his second win in the Chase at Dover. However, he never seriously contended for the championship, finishing 11th in the final standings.

Then of course, came what some are calling the final straw: Busch's candid camera moment in Homestead. After finding himself in the garage after just eight laps when he blew his transmission Busch went on an expletive filled rant on ESPN pit road Jerry Punch, who was attempted to get a live interview with Busch about the incident.

The moment was caught on a cell phone camera, then uploaded to YouTube and soon linked to social media sites where everyone suddenly got ahold of it. It spread like wildfire and Busch was left to apologize after it became a big viral hit. Soon thereafter it was announced that his crew chief, Steve Addington, had left the team to head to Stewart-Haas Racing. Shortly followed by the announcement that Busch was leaving as well.

But ...

What if Brad Keselowski hadn't been put in Kurt Busch No. 2 car then won more races than Busch & contended for the championship, would Busch still have been as miserable as he was this year, lost his cool so many times and ultimately his job at Penske? #NASCAR

@nuccionino I don't think the change would of mattered. If he is that jealous of a teammate, he shouldn't be in NASCAR. Go drag race.

@ARosser14 Yes because he's been a petulant, miserable little man for years now. And it was really the 2 team, just in Shell colors.

@cruetten I don't think it would've happened to Busch this year, but he was a time bomb waiting to go off--would've happened eventually

@HD388 I'd say Kurt would of still lost his job no matter what car he was driving, guy is a powderkeg when things aren't going his way & Penske would of gotten tired of him running off good Crew Chiefs & engineers

@31SpazCat15 trying to figure out why he lost his mind....I am going with Family Trait!!

@JanisRothermel U could say what would have happened if the last three races did not have 22 Team errors (not driver) & a Dega fluke. No ifs

Dustin Parks (via Facebook) Honestly, I think Kurt cost himself his job. He put down the team, plus the car, and the manufacturer. If he wanted to make things better, he'd say what was wrong more than ridicule. Busch cost himself the job. Remember, he won the Bud Shootout and then the Duel race to start the season, so it was a great start with the 22 car. It was AFTERWARD where the ridicule began.

William Hildebrand (via Facebook) It's all about the driver, not the car/team. Joey Logano is an excellent example to my point.

Monday, August 8th 'What If' Question

In order for any team to be successful they need to have the right combination. People, parts and everything in between.

For Brad Keselowski and his Penske Racing team that seems to be the case this season as he's won two races and sits 18th in points, but most importantly he's in the first wildcard position for the Chase. Ask anyone this time last year if they ever thought Keselowski would be in this position they might have thought you were crazy.

In 2010 Keselowski's team struggled to put it mildly. They finished 25th in points and only had two top 10 finishes. Before the halfway point of the season team owner Roger Penske was already making an announcement about the company's future. Sam Hornish Jr. would be out of a ride, the No. 77 shut down for lack of sponsorship and performance. Kurt Busch would move from the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge to the No. 22 Shell / Pennzoil Dodge.

It moved Keselowski from the No. 12 team into the 2 car and Paul Wolfe was eventually promoted to be his crew chief. The two had just won the Nationwide Series title and Keselowski and Jay Guy weren't clicking. Heading into 2011 expectations were high for the newly reconfigured team.

It started with Busch winning two of the three races during Speedweeks in Daytona before Keselowski won a fuel mileage race at Kansas. Busch than answered back by winning at the road course in Sonoma before Keselowski won again this past weekend in Pocono.

Both drivers are looking toward the Chase and Keselowski has suddenly become a serious contender in the Sprint Cup Series. A driver that is not to be overlooked, even when he has a broken ankle.

But ...

What if Brad @Keselowski wasn't switched into the 2 car & Paul Wolfe wasn't promoted, does he still have the same success this year? #NASCAR

@ARosser14 No. Brad and Paul have "it."

@mikegieseler good what if... I'd say no, he probably wouldn't have same level of success

@smokinace88 Well... thats tough lets be honest here must first time cup drivers don't have the greatest seasons... Its not easy to tell If Brad would have had the same success had Jay Guy stayed or not.... I like to think it doesnt matter.. But.. Paul and Brad had great success with the nation wide program winning the 2010 Champion ship.. Hard to say... Sorry i wrote novel

@Talon64 Robert No way, the #12 team last year was total crap and big changes were needed. Guy/Keselowski didn't work at all.

@racecrazy what talon said haha

@MattEmbury The thing that's helped Penske? Downsizing the organization, keeping Hornish, dragged both Kurt and Brad last year. #NASCAR

@hillbillyDem I give @KurtBusch22 most of the credit for @Keselowski success this year, without his tirade this would've been a lost season

Thursday, May 12th 'What If' Question

As Tony Stewart announced his departure from Joe Gibbs Racing in late 2008, the dominoes began to fall. JGR had to find his replacement in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota and would do so in speeding up the career path of Joey Logano. For the 2009 season and beyond the JGR stable would consist of Denny Hamlin in the No. 11 FedEx Toyota, Kyle Busch in the No. 18 M&M's Toyota and now Logano.

Stewart though wasn't done. He would hire Ryan Newman away from Penske Racing to drive the No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet. That left Penske searching for a replacement for the No. 12 and found one in David Stremme who would drive without a sponsor that season. Their lineup now consisted of Kurt Busch in the Miller Lite No. 2, Stremme in the No. 12 and Sam Hornish Jr. in the Mobile 1 No. 77.

Since that time a lot has happened to all organizations involved. Stewart became a championship contender in 2009, as he lead the point standings through the first 26 races before stumbling in the Chase. Newman won his first race since 2008 when he found victory lane at Phoenix in 2010. Joe Gibbs Racing has never been better with Busch and Hamlin tearing up the series as they too became championship contenders with Hamlin falling short of dethroning Johnson in the last race of the 2010 season. Logano has also become the youngest Sprint Cup Series winner with a victory in a rain shortened race at New Hampshire.

Penske Racing has gone through many changes. Kurt Busch is now the driver of the No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge while Brad Keselowski who was hired in 2010 has moved to the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge. Sam Hornish Jr. has moved to a part time Nationwide Series schedule as the No. 12 and 77 are no more.

But ...

What If Tony Stewart didn't start his team w/Newman & stayed at Joe Gibbs Racing, how different would JGR & Penske Racing be today? #NASCAR

@Talon64: Tony would leave JGR after contract over, maybe still form own team. But Newman would've already left Penske for another team

@Lady31RCR: Where would Joey be....sad face....and I didn't like Tony back then...but he is my #2 driver now!!

@Jrocket10: great "what if". I think the 20 car would be performing much better w/ smoke in it.. Meaning JGR would overall be better

@cruetten: I think Home Depot would be happier,and I never thought Newman and KuBu were that great together--would've gotten worse.