2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Season

[fieldodreams79]

Who cares?!

[gomick]

Petty dumps the #9 and brings back the #44...

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by gomick

Petty dumps the #9 and brings back the #44...

Now that is interesting. And I know what canamman wants!

[canamman]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Now that is interesting. And I know what canamman wants!

It would be great for the sport. I think Hendrick should at least buy the rights
to the #9 and throw it on the shelf for another day. Got a feeling Hendrick
is not ready to mothball the #24. One step at a time with this transition.
I bet Chase could care less.

I am going to wait for cars to get on the track before I post much on this
thread, even though the incredible intro is enticing!

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by canamman

It would be great for the sport. I think Hendrick should at least buy the rights
to the #9 and throw it on the shelf for another day. Got a feeling Hendrick
is not ready to mothball the #24. One step at a time with this transition.
I bet Chase could care less.

I am going to wait for cars to get on the track before I post much on this
thread, even though the incredible intro is enticing!

Yeah I'm done with the championship and the series. I'll try to follow Chase and watch the races I want to. It would be very cool to see #9 with an Elliott in it but I think it's just as neat the kid steps into the #24. Big shoes rarely get filled. We'll see.

[GTRMagic]

Will having #44 on the car *really* make a difference to its racing performance?

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by GTRMagic

Will having #44 on the car *really* make a difference to its racing performance?

No, but putting "Hot Wheels" on the side of it just might:

[R.Lee]

Hello everyone. Well today, we are at 37 days until the Daytona 500, which means that Speedweeks is just around the corner. I always consider the end of the college football season to be the doldrums of sports, but fortunately, it seems that this year, college season was a little longer and that they are seem to be extending the pro season (I really don't care that much for the pro game, but I'll watch it, just so I will have something to watch) a little as well. So the doldrums (the gap between football season's end and racing season's beginning) is a little narrower this year.

Some moves over the off season, of course Jeff Gordon is retired and starting his TV broadcast career. Tony Stewart's final year in the Cup Series. Truex Jr. will be in a Toyota instead of a Chevy, new rules package, that should provide better racing, though Johnson says, after the test that the cars are faster then last season, exactly the opposite of what NASCAR wanted. A whole lot more. Looking forward to season starting and our discussions for this coming year.

[HJJ]

The 34th Annual Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour – typically referred to as the NASCAR Tour – kicked off as usual with NASCAR Chairman Brian France's state-of-the-sport address, and it contained some newsworthy bits, and one disappointment for those hoping for a certain big story.

Here's a summary:

THE DISAPPOINTMENT: Some of the 250-plus members of the media were expecting some details on the pending NASCAR Sprint Cup team "charter" system, which would make NASCAR teams actual franchise holders, with the ability to sell their franchise, or parts of it, to teams that want to be part of NASCAR.

As it is – and as it has always been – those who want to compete in NASCAR are essentially free to do so, providing all the rules have been met. But NASCAR teams owners that fold, such as Michael Waltrip Racing did at the end of last season, they are left with nothing of value beyond the hardware they have to auction off, typically at pennies on the dollar.

France said that he is "very optimistic" about the negotiations between an association of team owners, led by Rob Kaufman, part-owner of Chip Ganassi Racing and himself a millionaire financier. But they have nothing to announce, nor is there a timeline for it.

THE CHASE: Like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship? Then you will probably love the Chase for the Xfinity and Camping World Truck Series, which begins this season. The idea is that as with Sprint Cup, four drivers will still be eligible for the championship as they descend on Homestead-Miami Speedway for the season finale.

Sprint Cup will continue to pare it down from 16 drivers to four, Xfinity from 12 to four, and Camping World trucks from eight to four. France said that he thinks consistency in the championships is important, and that young drivers starting in the two lower classes will get a feel for how the Chase works.

COMPETITION CAUTION: In an arguably made-for-TV innovation, Truck Series races will be interrupted every 20 minutes by a "competition caution," which is a mandatory caution flag that will allow for optional refueling and tire changes. It should benefit lower-income teams and possibly younger drivers, who may not have the money or experience to field a top-tier, ultra-fast pit crew. If there are cautions occurring naturally, the 20-minute clock will be reset after each one.

NOTES: What is the biggest challenge facing France and NASCAR this year? "Rain, rain, rain" ... Six drivers were announced for the Drive for Diversity class of 2016; most of them Hispanic ... Lesa France Kennedy, who has spearheaded the $400 million makeover of Daytona International Speedway, said that Phoenix and Richmond are the next two most likely tracks to be selected for a makeover.

.

[rustyfan]

Don't really know what to say in regards to the 'caution clock'. At a loss for words, to be honest

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by rustyfan

Don't really know what to say in regards to the 'caution clock'. At a loss for words, to be honest

Yes. VERY dumb.

Track record wise, this will be instituted in the other series as GWC were first tried out in trucks. Really sucks because trucks were the only series of the big three I actually enjoyed the ontrack experience last year, when I could view it.

[NaBUru38]

http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/122537

Xfinity Series events at Bristol, Richmond, Dover and Indianapolis will now be comprised of two heats and one final race

Odd-numbered qualifiers will start the first heat, with even-numbered qualifiers in the second. The results of each heat will set the starting positions for the main race.

The top two Xfinity regulars in each heat will become eligible for the Dash 4 Cash bonus. The highest-finishing driver of those four will then awarded $100,000.

I wonder about the length of the heats and main race.

[Paradise City]

Messy, confusing and it's going to irritate fans. Has young France gone mad?

I suppose I'll take small comfort that they are now upfront about these bogus cautions.

[fieldodreams79]

They appear to be pulling everything from the cheap trick bag they can at once.

Paradise City, I think the Young France-n-steen may be mad, attempting to "up stage" the old man and gramps, when he should've kept throwing coal on the fire that they built.

[JHamilton]

I mean... I don't even know what to say. I'm actually embarrassed for them.

[FIRE]

In my opinion the Trucks was a great series to watch. Why implementing the chase and caution clock?

[gomick]

They should have got rid of Cup drivers from both Xfinity & Truck series...

[R.Lee]

Originally Posted by canamman

It would be great for the sport. I think Hendrick should at least buy the rights
to the #9 and throw it on the shelf for another day. Got a feeling Hendrick
is not ready to mothball the #24. One step at a time with this transition.
I bet Chase could care less.

I am going to wait for cars to get on the track before I post much on this
thread, even though the incredible intro is enticing!

Same here canamman, not going to post too much until the season starts, which fortunately, is only a couple of weeks away. Good thing, there won't be much of a sports doldrums (time between the Super Bowl and the start of the Cup Season) this year. I won't have to be hunting for something to watch on Sunday afternoon, for very long.

[R.Lee]

Not good news for Tony Stewart! Just saw this at Jayski's:

Stewart hospitalized for a back injury: #14-Tony Stewart is being hospitalized for a back injury he suffered in a non-racing accident while driving an all-terrain vehicle, Stewart-Haas Racing announced Tuesday. Stewart is awake, alert and able to move his extremities, according to a statement from Stewart-Haas Racing spokesman Mike Arning, who said the accident happened Sunday on the West Coast and wouldn't specify where Stewart is hospitalized. Fox Sports reports that Stewart flipped a sand buggy outside of San Diego and was airlifted to a hospital. Arning said the team is not expected to make any further announcements about Stewart's condition until Thursday afternoon. Stewart was in Arizona on Saturday night at the Barrett-Jackson auction in Scottsdale and was interviewed on live television from the event. "We have received word from Stewart-Haas Racing of Tony Stewart's accident and injury," NASCAR chairman Brian France said. "On behalf of everyone at NASCAR, I wish Tony a full recovery and look forward to seeing him back in our sport when he's ready to return."(ESPN)(2-2-2016)

[fieldodreams79]

Smoke just can't seem to stay out of the news off the track these days. He's a true throwback but he's no longer a spring chicken. I wish him a speedy recovery and hope he gets back in time for the 500 but that may not be feasible.

[fieldodreams79]

Smoke got a broke back. Missing AT LEAST the 500.

[JHamilton]

Overtime line: http://www.nascar.com/en_us/news-med...-charters.html

[fieldodreams79]

Keep fixing it and adding rules to confuse the proceedings and lessen the value of your product, NASCAR.

[rustyfan]

Given how annoyed I've been with some GWC finishes ending around the time the field hits turn one/two I'm actually looking forward to seeing how the "overtime line" plays out.

Not looking forward to seeing 'just' 40 cars out on track though. End of an era.

[canamman]

Cars are on track and excited for the new season.
I like the look of some these new front ends. The
Furniture Row #78 in a gloss black really looks
dynamite.

My Favorites for the year:
Elliott, Patrick, Jr., and Edwards. (and Smoke when he is back).
Just saw a replay of Smoke on periscope shown on Race Hub.
Yikes - he showed the surgery area, Uffda!

Good luck to Vickers. Be great to see him get a win while he is in the seat.