Wednesday, October 15th 'What If' Question

Back when tandem drafting was a thing, the Hendrick Motorsports foursome put on a show at Talladega Superspeedway.

It was May 2011, and the only way to draft was by picking a partner and sticking your nose on their back bumper. Jeff Gordon was the best car at the Aaron’s 499 with then teammate Mark Martin his tandem buddy. Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. were the other pair.

They came from 11^th and 12^th with two laps to go to see Johnson pushed to victory in a four-wide photo finish. Earnhardt Jr. ended up fourth. Johnson’s margin of victory was 0.002, the closest in NASCAR history.

The Lowe’s driver made no bones about it that it wasn’t possible without Earnhardt Jr., as the two never left each other throughout the day. Even feeling as though he needed to give Earnhardt Jr. the checkered flag before heading to Victory Lane. Taking it a step further, however, Johnson and Chad Knaus acknowledged they now owed their teammate one the next time around.

It never game to fruition at Talladega or Daytona, though many never forgot. And Johnson took heat in a subsequent July Daytona race for where he and Earnhardt Jr. ended up.

This weekend the series returns to Talladega with both Johnson and Earnhardt Jr. needing a victory to keep their 2014 Chase hopes alive. Tandem drafting no longer applies as restrictor plate racing has gone back to the traditional pack of screaming machines.

It leaves drivers more in control of making their own moves in the pack and not having to worry about the person tagging along.

But …

What if Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. work together again at Talladega, with both needing a win, would and should Johnson return that favor and push Earnhardt Jr.?

@JR88Elves All bets are off if they are in that position on Sunday..

@modifiedcrazy No chance! #88

@kartracer3886 I wish he would lol. But he would go for the win if he could get it. And he wouldn’t be doing his job if he didn’t go for it

@playingjust14 I think someone should help @TonyStewart for the win!

@JoJo_6040 Nope. All favors are out the window for this chase

@AlecWiseman If one is pushing the other, 2nd has a good chance of moving on to the next round, and the CC will let them know

@LeftTrnLutheran I’d like to see a @DaleJr and @KyleLarsonRacin tandem, one’s looking for a win, and the other a championship

@ladyndewgreen88 Never happen…..JJ will never be second just ask Junior how many times he pushed JJ

@denver2u ..absolutely…JJ has enough championships for now…Time to share and help DaleJr to the next round…if need be!!

Tuesday, May 6th 'What If' Question

Brad Keselowski is a Nationwide and Sprint Cup Series champion who makes more good moves than bad.

His peers will admit that, like Jeff Gordon did, and some of them did Sunday in Talladega. But only because they were left trying wonder about the move that Keselowski made to race with the leaders while six laps down in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

It was fine for nearly the entire event. Keselowski believing he just needed a few cautions and he could take his car that was certainly fast enough, back in to contention. And then with 51 laps to go he spun in front of the field and took out 12 cars behind him. The subsequent reaction was anything but friendly, with Matt Kenseth (whom Keselowski had a problem with racing a week ago in Richmond) saying that if roles were reversed, Keselowski would be lecturing others.

The accident since sparked a debate about whether Keselowski should have been running where he was. The No. 2 Miller Lite Ford was indeed one of the fastest cars in the field, however he found himself multiple laps down after he spun from earlier contact with Danica Patrick. While restrictor plate racing is known for its large and numerous wrecks, Keselowski was playing the hoping game of having just enough that he could get back on the lead lap.

And it was certainly possible. Jamie McMurray, who was also numerous laps down, did get about five laps back and finished 29^th after running dead laps for much of the event. Unfortunately for Keselowski, he didn’t have as quiet a day with the first big wreck, which many admitted they knew was coming, occurring because of a driver who was multiple laps down and was racing with the leaders.

But …

What if Brad Keselowski had only been a lap or two down when he spun in front of the field, does furious reaction towards him still hold?

@MooreNASCAR Don’t agree with it, but I say it’s definitely still highlighted by lots when expressing their opinion.

@88isDaleJr One lap I can see. But Not 6! It was shear stupidy!!

@jrm1219 If your one lap down you still only need to race any other cars one lap down & wait for a yellow 

@jackrlewis if he was battling for the free pass fine, otherwise he didn’t belong there

Tuesday, October 9th 'What If' Quesiton

Sometimes all it takes to ruin the perfect moment or the perfect race, is one split second decision. Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Tony Stewart found himself in that position when he came down the track to block Michael Waltrip's big run and caused a 25 car wreck.

Stewart, who was leading at the time, was trying to win the race. When he quickly found himself in the sucker-hole, the middle of the track with cars flying past on the outside and inside, he made the only decision he could: try to protect his position.

Stewart ended up getting turned by Waltrip who was being pushed by Casey Mears. When the dust settled and the checkered flag was shown, Matt Kenseth was declared the winner with only Kyle Busch and Jeff Gordon making it through the carnage behind him. Stewart did apologize for starting the wreck and took responsibility, but many others weren't happy with the type of racing they had seen.

Most vocal was Dale Earnhardt Jr., who we learned later had suffered a concussion. He'll be sitting out the next two Sprint Cup Series races.

The wreck also shook up the point standings. Brad Keselowski extended his lead to 14 over Johnson, who wrecked while Keselowski was able to save his car and drive to a seventh place finish. Anything could have happened had the pack made to the finish line as they were, instead one mistake on the final lap, in the final corner changed everything.

Such is the life in NASCAR.

But ..

What if Stewart and Waltrip didn't get together and start last lap crash, of that big pack coming off turn four, take your pick: who wins Talladega?

@TheOrangeCone Josh Wise

@Anthony_Stuart Kenseth: not enough time was left for them to get by him

@FurnitureRow_78 Waltrip definitely would have won!

@NaScArFaN995 michael waltrip or casey mears

@Gman1439 Waltrip vs Kenseth, I say Waltrip would of won

@31SpazCat15 I think Mikey wins!!

@philenespanol Mikey. He had a full head of steam (hence getting into smoke) and probably would have settled it between him and Clint

@mattwoodruff29 Harvick he was right on Kenseth's and could had went for the win!

@NancyatStudioN Michael Waltrip

@chuckallen2 @mw55 was going to win, no doubt in my mind. His momentum, getting pushed in the perfect spot on track were just enough

@Rasenna Tony! He's the man!

@HarpAmyStabler I think that Mikey or Casey Mears would have duked it out for the win.

Wednesday, May 9th 'What If' Question

Leave it to Brad Keselowski to throw out all the logic that comes with racing and winning at the Talladega Superspeedway.

After much anticipation and tweaking by NASCAR, it was back to pack racing at the restrictor plate tracks of Daytona and Talladega. Last weekend drivers went door-to-door and bumper-to-bumper around Talladega for over 180 laps before setting themselves up for a tandem pairing at the end.

On a green-white-checkered finish the driver who had dominated all day, Matt Kenseth, hooked with teammate Greg Biffle and started to pull away from the field. Behind them Kyle Busch started pushing Brad Keselowski and the two began to make headway.

Kenseth though took his eyes off the prize for just a split second and it caused him to become unhooked with Biffle. That lead to Keselowski and Busch blowing by and the win going with them. Keselowski took the white flag as the leader and logic said he wouldn't be the leader when they came back for the checkered flag.

Except just as there's logic which says you can't race and certainly can't win with a broken ankle, Keselowski proved everyone wrong. Coming out of turn four Keselowski took his No. 2 blue deuce and pulled himself off of Busch by moving from the middle lane down to the bottom.

Busch wasn't expecting it and the move gave Keselowski just enough steam to head back to the finish line untouched. Afterwards he said it was a move he had in mind for a while and was saving for the right occasion and that didn't help Busch or Kenseth feeling any better about what had happened.

But ...

What if the Kenseth/Biffle tandem hadn't come apart, would the Keselowski/Busch tandem still have caught them and who wins Talladega? 

@cruetten I'm sure they would've caught them, but I doubt they would've passed them--Kenseth and Biffle would've held tight as a team.

@JoJo_6040 Yes. And BK wouldn't be able to use his shake on KB. Four car run to the finish and Kenseth wins :)

@HD388 still think Keselowski/Busch tandem would of caught Kenseth/Biffle tandem & pulled away from them with Keselowski winning

Friday, May 4th 'What If' Question

Should you take the movie "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" at face value, that being purely entertainment purposes, it truly is a good movie.

There's plenty of jokes, memorable quotes and moments that would never happen in real life. Will Ferrell plays a racecar driver that doesn't resemble anything of a racecar. He's brash and bold, yet can be because he's damn good at what he does.

Sunday in Talladega there might be the real life version of the story. Kurt Busch will be driving a replica paint scheme to the one that Ferrell drove in the movie, where he and rival Jean Girad (played by Sacha Baron Cohen) flipped down the Talladega frontstretch - in what could be described as the longest crash ever- then exited their cars and ran to the finish line.

Busch's paint scheme on his No. 51 James Finch Chevrolet has many buzzing with joy. And quoting their favorite lines from the movie.

For Busch though, the scheme is about more than having fun, it's also for a good cause. Besides the giant Cougar on the hood and the "ME" logos, there are those for the Armed Forces Foundation. According to their website they're a non-profit organization which dedicates their time to providing for members of the armed forces.

On the rear decklid of the car fans will read "Text AFF to 50555 to donate $5."

Unfortunately, Busch won't be driving with a cougar in the car. Not even the stuff animal he had posted about on Twitter. He will though, have many eyes on him as he takes to the track on Sunday, shouting "Shake & Bake" every time he makes a pass.

He might even say it too. It's all for a good cause as a lack of sponsorship on his No. 51 gave way to this opportunity. Except in the end, all the attention might be a good thing for Busch and the Finch team as they head forward.

But ...

What if Kurt Busch wins on Sunday in the "Talladega Nights" car, should he pull a Ricky Bobby and says he wakes up and [pees] excellence? 


@pablao21 I'd pay his fine if he said it.

@rustywings What? You mean he doesn't...that's what he always led me to believe...#NASCAR

@cruetten Absolutely! As of now, he's not really much of a points contender, so whatever imminent penalty would be worth it!

@HD388 I say yes Kurt should pull a Ricky Bobby if he wins on Sunday, just for the fact that I'd like to see him get fined by Nascar

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.

Tuesday, December 7th 'What If' Question

In just her first full season in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, Jennifer Jo Cobb got everyone's attention.

Cobb drives and owns her own team, which is underfunded, but that hasn't held them back. In 2010 she earned his best career finish at Texas, 14th, and then duplicated it at Darlington, one of the toughest if not the toughest track on the circuit. Her attitude and positive spirit have kept her team on the track, constantly digging and has kept the fans along for the ride and cheering the entire way.

At Talladega Super Speedway in October not only were her fans cheering but she might have had some others as well. The female of the series was sticking tough with the guys, working her way through the field and eventually making it to the top 10. It wasn't a fluke, Cobb's truck was strong enough to stick with the lead back for an entire fuel run and was strong enough to finish there as well.

Except luck wasn't on the No. 10 team's side.

Had they pitted one lap earlier Cobb may have earned her best career finish, instead it was a day to forget. Stretching the fuel mileage in fear of pitting alone and losing the lead pack, Cobb stayed on the track and ran out of fuel near the start-finish line. She had to limp back to pit road, going a lap down, and the day just went downhill from there.

Talladega was the one that got away, however it didn't hurt Cobb's chase for history at seasons end. She now goes into the record book as the highest finishing female in NASCAR point history, finishing the year 17th in points.

But ...

What If @JenJoCobb's team didn't stretch fuel mileage at Talladega and go a lap down. Would they have gotten their first top 10?

@NASCARJeannie #JJC would have absolutely gotten their first top ten. Bruce "the truck" was on the way to the top.

@Nascarnoll YES!!!!!!

@Riz23 YES!!!!!!

@StrokerAce90 Jen was standin on it at dega, truck was hooked up good, so yes, I think she would have had a top 10 finish... (or a big one)

@cruetten absolutely; but in the end, it doesn't matter how she got the finish. she got it, and no one can take it away from her!