2011 NASCAR Thread: 48 wins 'Dega; 99 maintains points lead

[Teller]

It's that time of year again! Time for the engines to roar to life; the smell of exhaust fumes and burning rubber hanging in the air, picking peanuts off your shirt as the cars roar out of Turn Two! NASCAR begins it's 2011 season (unofficially) at Daytona this Saturday night with the Bud Shootout.

Lineup/NASCAR.com story here: http://www.nascar.com/news/110107/2011-bud-shootout-lineup/index.html

And this year, you definitely can't tell the drivers/sponsors/cars without a program. And Jayski has the best NASCAR "program" on the net. Check out the 2011 paint schemes here: http://jayski.com/schemes/2011cup.htm

Boogity, boogity, boogity! Let's go racin' boys!!!!

[pjfootballer]

I am officially on NASCAR boycott until someone besides Jimmy Johnson wins the title. I won't watch any race this year.

[Hdf561]

I am officially on NASCAR boycott until someone besides Jimmy Johnson wins the title. I won't watch any race this year.

Im kinda with you....this is a pivitol year for me. I have season tickets to the Richmond race, and a camping spot, plus I go to both Martinsville races i just buy whatever ticket is available. I was very close to giving up my season tickets and camping spot after last year, but I didn't. I am not going to martinsville though.

This is a pivitol year for me as a race fan....I have been a fan ever since I was a kid, but I can not keep supporting the same thing over and over again. I am going to give it one more year but I will be honest I am not optomistic for a different outcome, and I definetly will not change my schedual to watch a race like in years past.

I root for Joe Gibbs racing but at this point its anybody but Jimmie, I hate Dale Jr. with a passion but would rather see him win than JJ.

Hopefully someone will knock him off his thrown.....GO JGR 20,11,18 Denny, Joey, and ROWDY!!!!!

[Teller]

Don't y'all worry your pretty little heads now. I'm sure the Ford boys will have the FR-9 figured out this year. And I fully expect the next 36 races to go the same way the last two last season did....backflips for everyone!!!!

[Hdf561]

Don't y'all worry your pretty little heads now. I'm sure the Ford boys will have the FR-9 figured out this year. And I fully expect the next 36 races to go the same way the last two last season did....backflips for everyone!!!!

I dont like that John Elwayl ook alike fake nice guy Carl Edwards either but....Ill take him winning the Championship over JJ....like I said willing to set aside all hatred to see JJ go down!!!!!!!!!

[Boss_Hogg]

Hopefully someone will knock off the #48.

I don't care who, keselowski, busch brothers, etc.

My wife and will be in Richmond for the Nationwide and Cup races. I'll br the guy holding up a sign that reads:

"$20 for anyone that wrecks the 48!"

[Bubble Screen]

I am officially on NASCAR boycott until someone besides Jimmy Johnson wins the title. I won't watch any race this year.

That's dumb. Btw, "Jimmie".

---------- Post added February-9th-2011 at 01:40 AM ----------

Hopefully someone will knock off the #48.

I don't care who, keselowski, busch brothers, etc.

My wife and will be in Richmond for the Nationwide and Cup races. I'll br the guy holding up a sign that reads:

"$20 for anyone that wrecks the 48!"

I can tell you there's ZERO chance of Keselowski doing it. Not sure why you included him.

But seriously, all you guys saying you're not gonna watch or whatever because Jimmie might win again, is pretty silly. I'm not a 48 fan either. But give the guy his due! Its incredible what he and his team have accomplished the last 5 years. What you're witnessing will never happen again...ever.

I say this every year. But the best cure to how you're feeling (that "blah" feeling) about racing is to join a fantasy racing game. They're everywhere now. Nascar's website has a free one. Granted, it doesn't pay anything to win it. But just being in a league makes following the races INFINITELY better. Seriously, when you're in one of these fantasy leagues it honestly doesn't matter who is winning the races. You're so preoccupied with where your drivers are running that you couldn't care less about Johnson. I normally would recommend Pay The Fan, the site I've been playing at for going on 3 years now. But I just learned that they've raised the entry fees, while also lowering the payouts this year. I'm not a happy camper. But other good sites I've heard about are: fantasysports4u, fantasysportslive. There are a few others, but I can't remember them at this time.

[endzone_dave]

Im kinda with you....this is a pivitol year for me. I have season tickets to the Richmond race, and a camping spot, plus I go to both Martinsville races i just buy whatever ticket is available. I was very close to giving up my season tickets and camping spot after last year, but I didn't. I am not going to martinsville though.

This is a pivitol year for me as a race fan....I have been a fan ever since I was a kid, but I can not keep supporting the same thing over and over again. I am going to give it one more year but I will be honest I am not optomistic for a different outcome, and I definetly will not change my schedual to watch a race like in years past.

I root for Joe Gibbs racing but at this point its anybody but Jimmie, I hate Dale Jr. with a passion but would rather see him win than JJ.

Hopefully someone will knock him off his thrown.....GO JGR 20,11,18 Denny, Joey, and ROWDY!!!!!

I think I'm cutting way back. I'm tired of watching 2 1/2 minutes of commercials every 5 minutes of green flag racing. I'm tired of lucky dogs and race arounds. I'm tired of the top 35 cars automatically qualifying. I'm tired of the flat boring tracks like California, Kansas, and Chicago. I'm tired of the first 26 races being a test session for the 48 team.

I'll just drop in the last 50 laps and watch those.

[pjfootballer]

Im kinda with you....this is a pivitol year for me. I have season tickets to the Richmond race, and a camping spot, plus I go to both Martinsville races i just buy whatever ticket is available. I was very close to giving up my season tickets and camping spot after last year, but I didn't. I am not going to martinsville though.

This is a pivitol year for me as a race fan....I have been a fan ever since I was a kid, but I can not keep supporting the same thing over and over again. I am going to give it one more year but I will be honest I am not optomistic for a different outcome, and I definetly will not change my schedual to watch a race like in years past.

I root for Joe Gibbs racing but at this point its anybody but Jimmie, I hate Dale Jr. with a passion but would rather see him win than JJ.

Hopefully someone will knock him off his thrown.....GO JGR 20,11,18 Denny, Joey, and ROWDY!!!!!

When Earnhardt Senior died, I didn't have a driver. I hooked onto to Kurt Busch about 4 years ago (2 yrs past his championship) because he was having some run-ins with Tony Stewart and my neice likes Tony. I just wanted to start soome crap with her, but now I root for Kurt all the time.

[Busch1724]

That's dumb. Btw, "Jimmie".

---------- Post added February-9th-2011 at 01:40 AM ----------

But seriously, all you guys saying you're not gonna watch or whatever because Jimmie might win again, is pretty silly. I'm not a 48 fan either. But give the guy his due! Its incredible what he and his team have accomplished the last 5 years. What you're witnessing will never happen again...ever.

It's amazing when you consider how much NASCAR tries to level the playing field from year to year. The cars are so equal and yet he continues to come out on top at the end of the chase. I didn't think I'd see anyone better than Petty (I saw the tail end as a kid), Earnhardt, Waltrip, or Gordon but what Jimmie has done the last five years is something that won't be duplicated.

[pjfootballer]

That's dumb. Btw, "Jimmie".

---------- Post added February-9th-2011 at 01:40 AM ----------

I can tell you there's ZERO chance of Keselowski doing it. Not sure why you included him.

But seriously, all you guys saying you're not gonna watch or whatever because Jimmie might win again, is pretty silly. I'm not a 48 fan either. But give the guy his due! Its incredible what he and his team have accomplished the last 5 years. What you're witnessing will never happen again...ever.

I say this every year. But the best cure to how you're feeling (that "blah" feeling) about racing is to join a fantasy racing game. They're everywhere now. Nascar's website has a free one. Granted, it doesn't pay anything to win it. But just being in a league makes following the races INFINITELY better. Seriously, when you're in one of these fantasy leagues it honestly doesn't matter who is winning the races. You're so preoccupied with where your drivers are running that you couldn't care less about Johnson. I normally would recommend Pay The Fan, the site I've been playing at for going on 3 years now. But I just learned that they've raised the entry fees, while also lowering the payouts this year. I'm not a happy camper. But other good sites I've heard about are: fantasysports4u, fantasysportslive. There are a few others, but I can't remember them at this time.

Jimmie, Jimmy, who gives a ****. My family and I have been doing our own fantasy NASCAR since 2001. We actually used our own points system that NASCAR just stole from me. Ours was 43-1 with points, 25 for wining a race, 10 for a pole, 5 for leading a lap and 10 for leading the most. You could earn a maximum of 93 points in our system for your driver in a race. The family decided they didn't want to do it this year because their passion for racing has been snuffed out by the 48's dominance.

My parents live down the street from Charlotte Motor Speedway and they have season tickets to both races. They have 10 seats and most of my family have already said they may not go. I haven't been in 3 years. My mom is the Jimmie Johnson fan in the family.

And why is it dumb? It's my choice, my life and my decision. The NFL is my main passion and I've pretty much given up on the NBA because of the dominance of certain teams in that league. Despite Dale Sr., Petty and Jeff Gordon winning multiple titles, you at least knew you had a chance. Their titles were more spread out. I really thought Denny Hamlin would take it last year, but as usual, Johnson pulls another horseshoe out of his ass (to quote Harvick).

It so weird how every race, you can count on Gordon, Martin or Jr. to have an ill handling car. Gordon has problems, Martin has problem and Jr. just sucks. But not Johnson. The only time he ever finishes out of the top 10 is if he's involved in a wreck. It's almost comical that Johnson NEVER has an ill handling car. He NEVER has problems. You'd think that out of 36 races, he would have a "junk" car a few times a year. I'd love to watch a race just one time and see him get lapped because the car is a peice of crap. You know, like most other drivers go through.

---------- Post added February-9th-2011 at 10:39 AM ----------

I think I'm cutting way back. I'm tired of watching 2 1/2 minutes of commercials every 5 minutes of green flag racing. I'm tired of lucky dogs and race arounds. I'm tired of the top 35 cars automatically qualifying. I'm tired of the flat boring tracks like California, Kansas, and Chicago. I'm tired of the first 26 races being a test session for the 48 team.

I'll just drop in the last 50 laps and watch those.

Add in the former champions provisional. Seriously, does the 1985 NASCAR Champion Bill Elliott deserve to be in a race because he won a title when big hair, Milli Vanilli and parachute pants were in style? I used to like the lucky do, but now I don't like it. Your qualifying time should be your time. End of story. You qualify 47th, you're out, no matter what your name is.

[Bubble Screen]

^^ Wow man, where do I even begin.

For someone that has grown up with racing, and even attend races every now and then as you said, you sure as hell don't have a very good idea of what's going on.

I said your line of thinking was "dumb" for the simple fact that you aren't giving the guy any credit for winning those 5 titles in a row. You say stupid things like he pulled them out of his ass, he's lucky, he never has problems. Ever thought that just maybe the guy is GOOD? And its not just him, his whole team is incredible. And its a total team effort to succeed in this sport. They have the best team in the sport. They have the best crew chief. They have the best driver. They have the best owner. EVERYTHING is in place to succeed as a driver at Hendrick Motorsports. And Gordon has had alot of success lately as well. He isn't winning races like he once did, no. But he's still very competitive. Same with Mark Martin. He won 5 races two years ago, and nearly won the points. He struggled a bit last year, but still came on towards the end. About the only thing you got right was about Jr. The guy just plain sucks. There's no help for that loser.

---------- Post added February-10th-2011 at 02:49 AM ----------

Btw, your comment that you should have to qualify each race or not race is so ridiculous I shouldn't respond. But I will. Its about sponsorship, dude. It rules the sport. Have any idea what some of those sponsors fork over to have their name on a car? Its mind-boggling. And guess what, if some of those bigger-name drivers didn't make a race, and therefore that sponsor wasn't out on the track, there would be no sponsors! Furthermore, even the best drivers out there are gonna have setbacks in qualifying. Johnson could run over some oil left by the previous qualifier, and spin out and hit the wall. Is that really his fault? Having the top 35 being automatically in a race each week is a NECESSITY in this sport. You have alot of close-minded opinions on Nascar. And Bill Elliott is a past champion. He's also won countless most popular driver awards. People WANT to see him out there! And he deserves to be out there. He's EARNED it!

---------- Post added February-10th-2011 at 02:53 AM ----------

I wasn't around when UCLA was winning all those titles in a row in basketball, but I can imagine they were getting alot of this same hatred back then. I think what Johnson has accomplished these past 5 years won't truly be appreciated until he's retired. Again, we're witnessing something that will never be accomplished ever again in this sport. Instead of making light of what he's done, you should actually be lucky you are around to witness it.

[endzone_dave]

^^ Wow man, where do I even begin.

Btw, your comment that you should have to qualify each race or not race is so ridiculous I shouldn't respond. But I will. Its about sponsorship, dude. It rules the sport. Have any idea what some of those sponsors fork over to have their name on a car? Its mind-boggling. And guess what, if some of those bigger-name drivers didn't make a race, and therefore that sponsor wasn't out on the track, there would be no sponsors! Furthermore, even the best drivers out there are gonna have setbacks in qualifying. Johnson could run over some oil left by the previous qualifier, and spin out and hit the wall. Is that really his fault? Having the top 35 being automatically in a race each week is a NECESSITY in this sport. You have alot of close-minded opinions on Nascar. And Bill Elliott is a past champion. He's also won countless most popular driver awards. People WANT to see him out there! And he deserves to be out there. He's EARNED it!

They used to give drivers provisionals so if they did have bad luck, they wouldn't be out of the race. You're right, NASCAR is driven by sponsors, not the fans. Their neglect of doing what fans want has dropped track atttendance AND tv viewership. NASCAR in the last 10 years has been a big money grab and now they've lost tons of fans, even fans who used to watch every lap of every race like me.

[pjfootballer]

Why did the "best" crew get benched the last 2 races?

I can admit Johnson is good. Nobody wins 5 in a row that isn't good. All I'm saying is, he IS extremely lucky also. And basically Kevin Harvick said he pulls horseshoes out of his ass, not me. Fans don't want their drivers to just be competative with Johnson, they want their drivers to win the title. Dale Earnhardt was once asked by a report that he did well finishing in 2nd place. Dale said, "2nd place just means you're the first loser." Why watch if you know who will win it every year? If everything is available at Hendrick Motorsports, how come only one of their 4 drivers never seems to have any problems and wins all the titles, while the other three have struggles during the season and never win a title?

The qualifying thing is just my own personal opinion. So we should continue to give Bill Elliott a pass because of something he did 25 years ago? He races 4 times a year. So because he presents a rusty trophy from 1985, we get to watch him run around the track in 30th place, 4 laps down? How exciting. Put a young driver in there and give him track time. That's how the younger drivers learn. And most diehard NASCAR fans I know, don't want Bill Elliott out there.

[HOF44]

NASCAR in the last 10 years has been a big money grab and now they've lost tons of fans, even fans who used to watch every lap of every race like me.

With you a 100% here Dave. I used to never miss a race. The homogenization of NASCAR has ruined it.

[Busch1724]

With you a 100% here Dave. I used to never miss a race. The homogenization of NASCAR has ruined it.

I was the same way, but I wouldn't say for me it was the homogenization. For me it was the over exposure. The season is just too long, there's nothing to look forward to. When you show practice and qualifying, then follow that up with a 4-5 hour race. There's nothing left to talk about and I just got bored. At that point just not watching practice or qualifying still kept me bored because I was desensitized to the excitement. That's the thing the NFL has the other sports haven't figured out is the length of the season must be short for people to keep people coming back for many decades. I hope the NFL don't fall into the overexposure crap. Although the NFL is a year round story, the actual season is short. So for those interested in all othe off season stuff, you have something to do but the casual fan still has something to look forward to each September.

Another reason started getting bored with it when North Wilksboro and Rockingham races were taken for California, Las Vegas, Chicagoland, and Miami. The short track racing and exciting tracks were gone.

[Mongo2365]

---------- Post added February-10th-2011 at 02:49 AM ----------

Btw, your comment that you should have to qualify each race or not race is so ridiculous I shouldn't respond. But I will. Its about sponsorship, dude. It rules the sport. Have any idea what some of those sponsors fork over to have their name on a car? Its mind-boggling. And guess what, if some of those bigger-name drivers didn't make a race, and therefore that sponsor wasn't out on the track, there would be no sponsors! Furthermore, even the best drivers out there are gonna have setbacks in qualifying. Johnson could run over some oil left by the previous qualifier, and spin out and hit the wall. Is that really his fault? Having the top 35 being automatically in a race each week is a NECESSITY in this sport. You have alot of close-minded opinions on Nascar. And Bill Elliott is a past champion. He's also won countless most popular driver awards. People WANT to see him out there! And he deserves to be out there. He's EARNED it!

So does this mean that just because a sponsor has forked over millions of dollars for, let's say Tony Stewart, that he is automatically guaranteed a spot in the race? Even though some other team with bare bones sponsorship had a much faster qualifying time they get screwed because of the amount of money they spend? That's just ridiculous. The top 35 in owner points rule is one that needs to go away. I do agree with sponsorships ruling this sport (just like any other sport) but to say one person doesn't have to qualify well and is automatically in the race is unfair.

[Hdf561]

No one ever said that Johnson isn't any good....he deserves credit and I will give it to him....I do think it is more of his team then anything else, If you put him in Roush equipment for example he would still win and make the chase but your not seeing 5 Championships in a row....maybe not even 1. Chad (the cheater, hey its documented can not despute it) Kanus in my opinion deserves the most credit.

I have been to every Richmond race since I was 8 years old, been to countless other tracks multiple times and can tell you I am sick of it. I used to watch a race and even though there were dominant drivers you thought everyone had a chance to win...not today.

I will still watch racing this season but Im not going to follow it as closely, not going to change my day around to follow a race, etc. At this point I would rather go watch out local minor league baseball team than watch a race. The best racing I have seen in the past 5 years is at Southside Speedway, and Virginia Motor Speedway

Bottom line is the sport is a waterd down version of its past....Jimmie could never compete with King Richard, David Pearson, DW, etc.

[Busch1724]

The top 35 is a little too much, but top 25 or 30 is much more reasonable. It gives those lower tier teams a better change to qualify and keeps the sponsors happy for the most part.

The thing is with the Daytona 500 you'll get 50 teams or so essentially racing for 3 or 4 spots in the field.

[Boss_Hogg]

I can tell you there's ZERO chance of Keselowski doing it. Not sure why you included him.

But seriously, all you guys saying you're not gonna watch or whatever because Jimmie might win again, is pretty silly. I'm not a 48 fan either. But give the guy his due! Its incredible what he and his team have accomplished the last 5 years. What you're witnessing will never happen again...ever.

I say this every year. But the best cure to how you're feeling (that "blah" feeling) about racing is to join a fantasy racing game. They're everywhere now. Nascar's website has a free one. Granted, it doesn't pay anything to win it. But just being in a league makes following the races INFINITELY better. Seriously, when you're in one of these fantasy leagues it honestly doesn't matter who is winning the races. You're so preoccupied with where your drivers are running that you couldn't care less about Johnson. I normally would recommend Pay The Fan, the site I've been playing at for going on 3 years now. But I just learned that they've raised the entry fees, while also lowering the payouts this year. I'm not a happy camper. But other good sites I've heard about are: fantasysports4u, fantasysportslive. There are a few others, but I can't remember them at this time.

I guess you missed the point of my post...

I can't stand Keselowski, he's a nuisance. Therefore I wouldn't care if he won.

[Bubble Screen]

Why did the "best" crew get benched the last 2 races?

I can admit Johnson is good. Nobody wins 5 in a row that isn't good. All I'm saying is, he IS extremely lucky also. And basically Kevin Harvick said he pulls horseshoes out of his ass, not me. Fans don't want their drivers to just be competative with Johnson, they want their drivers to win the title. Dale Earnhardt was once asked by a report that he did well finishing in 2nd place. Dale said, "2nd place just means you're the first loser." Why watch if you know who will win it every year? If everything is available at Hendrick Motorsports, how come only one of their 4 drivers never seems to have any problems and wins all the titles, while the other three have struggles during the season and never win a title?

The qualifying thing is just my own personal opinion. So we should continue to give Bill Elliott a pass because of something he did 25 years ago? He races 4 times a year. So because he presents a rusty trophy from 1985, we get to watch him run around the track in 30th place, 4 laps down? How exciting. Put a young driver in there and give him track time. That's how the younger drivers learn. And most diehard NASCAR fans I know, don't want Bill Elliott out there.

Dude, seriously, just stop. With each post you get even more ridiculous. Its very apparent to me that you don't have a clue about Nascar.

To answer your first question: Every team, even a team that had won the previous 4 championships, has bad pit stops and bad races. Johnson was going for a title. His crew was losing him positions each time he pitted. In other words, he was constantly having to pass the same cars after each pit stop out on the race track. Not only that, but they were making very careless, and costly, mistakes. I'll admit I was surprised that Knaus opted to switch out his crew for Gordon's the final few races. But I completely understood his reasoning. And it worked, btw.

Johnson is more than just "good". He's great. And he might just go down as the greatest to ever drive before he's through. And again, you're not giving the man his due. Calling him "extremely lucky" to win 5 titles is nothing short of assinine. You can luck into "a" title, probably. But FIVE? C'mon, think about what you're posting, man.

And I know Harvick made that comment about Johnson. That was at the press conference before the final weekend of last season. He, Hamlin, and Johnson were all within a few points of winning the title. It was Harvick's way of trash-talking and trying to get into Johnson's head. Hamlin tried the same stuff. So did Hamlin's crew chief. How did that turn out?

As for your question about why watch? Well, that's simple. You watch because you're witnessing greatness. You watch because you're witnessing something that will never happen again.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 01:54 AM ----------

^^continued:

And as for the Hendrick question: Again, everything is availabe to each driver at Hendrick. Hendrick has the best resources of any other team in the sport. Why is one guy winning titles and the others aren't? Because Johnson is BETTER than those guys. And in Junior's case, he's a MILLION times better. So is his crew chief. So are the guys working on the car. His pit crew (usually). I already covered this once. And Gordon is usually among the top in the final points each year. He's very competitive. The only thing he doesn't do is win races anymore. And I think a large part of that is he and his crew chief don't mesh as well Gordon and Loomis did in the past. Plus, when you don't win races on a consistent basis (as Gordon was used to) you lose a bit of confidence.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 02:02 AM ----------

Lastly, you're way off base about Elliott. Again, he's a former champion. And he's one of the most popular drivers who've ever driven in the sport. And he still has a tremendous following. Again, he's earned his right to race. Its called a past champion's provisional. They give them to guys like Bobby Labonte, too. He isn't worthy of driving anymore, either? But back to Elliott. He actually raced about a dozen times last year. Not 4. And the Wood Brothers wanted him to drive their car until they got back on their feet. They want to get back into the sport full-time again. A guy like Bill was perfect to drive the car for them a dozen races or so until they found a guy they could put into the ride for an entire season. And they seem to have found that driver in Trevor Bayne. I know, you've probably never even heard of the kid. But in his first ever race in the same car Elliott had been driving, he posted a very respectable 17th place finish at Texas.

Btw, Elliott wasn't always 4 laps down. He was actually alot more competitive than you're leading on. Trust me, I watched every race. And I keep up with the sport more than most since I play in several fantasy racing leagues (you have to in order to be good at it).

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 02:13 AM ----------

I was the same way, but I wouldn't say for me it was the homogenization. For me it was the over exposure. The season is just too long, there's nothing to look forward to. When you show practice and qualifying, then follow that up with a 4-5 hour race. There's nothing left to talk about and I just got bored. At that point just not watching practice or qualifying still kept me bored because I was desensitized to the excitement. That's the thing the NFL has the other sports haven't figured out is the length of the season must be short for people to keep people coming back for many decades. I hope the NFL don't fall into the overexposure crap. Although the NFL is a year round story, the actual season is short. So for those interested in all othe off season stuff, you have something to do but the casual fan still has something to look forward to each September.

Another reason started getting bored with it when North Wilksboro and Rockingham races were taken for California, Las Vegas, Chicagoland, and Miami. The short track racing and exciting tracks were gone.

People stopped going to Rockingham. Attendance had dipped for several years before they decided to stop going there. Plus Nascar is a business. Like any other business, you're in it to make money. Going to places like California (one of biggest markets) was a no-brainer, from a monetary standpoint. True the racing sucks there. But you can't say it was "taken from" them. The PEOPLE decided to stop going. And North Wilkesboro was a dinosaur. It was time to move on from there. Btw, Las Vegas is usually a good race. And its a given to put a track there. Same with putting one in Chicagoland. I do agree that there are too many cookie-cutter (mile and a half) tracks, though.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 02:20 AM ----------

---------- Post added February-10th-2011 at 02:49 AM ----------

Btw, your comment that you should have to qualify each race or not race is so ridiculous I shouldn't respond. But I will. Its about sponsorship, dude. It rules the sport. Have any idea what some of those sponsors fork over to have their name on a car? Its mind-boggling. And guess what, if some of those bigger-name drivers didn't make a race, and therefore that sponsor wasn't out on the track, there would be no sponsors! Furthermore, even the best drivers out there are gonna have setbacks in qualifying. Johnson could run over some oil left by the previous qualifier, and spin out and hit the wall. Is that really his fault? Having the top 35 being automatically in a race each week is a NECESSITY in this sport. You have alot of close-minded opinions on Nascar. And Bill Elliott is a past champion. He's also won countless most popular driver awards. People WANT to see him out there! And he deserves to be out there. He's EARNED it!

So does this mean that just because a sponsor has forked over millions of dollars for, let's say Tony Stewart, that he is automatically guaranteed a spot in the race? Even though some other team with bare bones sponsorship had a much faster qualifying time they get screwed because of the amount of money they spend? That's just ridiculous. The top 35 in owner points rule is one that needs to go away. I do agree with sponsorships ruling this sport (just like any other sport) but to say one person doesn't have to qualify well and is automatically in the race is unfair.

You guys are taking this way too far. Qualifying is overrated, in most cases. Just look at Kevin Harvick last year. Guy was constantly starting mid-20s or deeper nearly every race. Ended up about 50 points from winning the title. Hamlin wasn't a great qualifier either. Finished just a few points behind Johnson in 2nd. Jeff Burton almost never qualifies good, but finishes good. I could go on and one. Granted, at smaller tracks like Bristol, Martinsville, etc its a big deal. But for the most part, its not.

Again, the sport is where it is today because of sponsors. They pay HUGE money to have their name on the cars.And usually those same sponsors are plastered on the stars of the sport. So yeah, you want to have a system in place to make sure these guys race each week. That's a no-brainer. If the sponsors weren't around, the sport wouldn't be nearly as successful as it is.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 02:29 AM ----------

No one ever said that Johnson isn't any good....he deserves credit and I will give it to him....I do think it is more of his team then anything else, If you put him in Roush equipment for example he would still win and make the chase but your not seeing 5 Championships in a row....maybe not even 1. Chad (the cheater, hey its documented can not despute it) Kanus in my opinion deserves the most credit.

I have been to every Richmond race since I was 8 years old, been to countless other tracks multiple times and can tell you I am sick of it. I used to watch a race and even though there were dominant drivers you thought everyone had a chance to win...not today.

I will still watch racing this season but Im not going to follow it as closely, not going to change my day around to follow a race, etc. At this point I would rather go watch out local minor league baseball team than watch a race. The best racing I have seen in the past 5 years is at Southside Speedway, and Virginia Motor Speedway

Bottom line is the sport is a waterd down version of its past....Jimmie could never compete with King Richard, David Pearson, DW, etc.

My gawd, you guys are the biggest haters.

Johnson wouldn't win a title if he weren't in Hendrick equipment? Really?...So why doesn't Gordon (a 4-time champion) win titles? Hell, he doesn't even win races these days. Yet he's afforded the very same resources that are there for Johnson. No one knows for certain how many titles Johnson would win at Roush, or any other organization. But it doesn't matter. He was talented enough for Hendrick to offer him a ride, and he's made the most of it.

And I beg to differ on the number of drivers that can win races today. Actually, there's as many as 20 guys (some weeks more than that) that are capable of winning. That's reflected by the number of different drivers who win races each year. Hell, a guy that didn't even make the Chase last year won about 5 races, and nearly every one of them were the biggest races on the schedule! I'm talking about Jamie McMurray, of course.

And to say Johnson couldn't compete with those other guys is ridiculous. But its hard to compare drivers from different eras, anyway. Hell, there are alot of pundits that don't think Earnhardt would have won even half of the 7 titles (I'm one of them) or 76 races had he driven in "today's Nascar". That whole "Intimidator" bull**** wouldn't fly in today's Nascar. Guys like Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, etc would see to it. There's actually more overall talent in the sport now than at any other time in the history of the sport.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 02:37 AM ----------

The top 35 is a little too much, but top 25 or 30 is much more reasonable. It gives those lower tier teams a better change to qualify and keeps the sponsors happy for the most part.

The thing is with the Daytona 500 you'll get 50 teams or so essentially racing for 3 or 4 spots in the field.

Dude, most weeks, there are only about 45-46 drivers that even show up at the track. Its been extremely difficult lately to get sponsorship. Hell, even guys like Dale Earnhardt Jr (THE most marketable driver) have found the going tough. Alot of guys just show up at the track these days hoping to merely make the race. Then they only a run a handful of laps or so and park. Why? For one, even finishing 43rd each week pays really well. Plus alot of those guys don't even HAVE a sponsor. So its pointless to run alot of laps when you don't have one. Nascar is even worried that in the near future there might not even be enough drivers each week to field a 43 car field. So you guys saying the top 35 is too much are, well, out to lunch. That is a great rule. And its not going anywhere. Its "essential" to the sport.

[endzone_dave]

"People stopped going to Rockingham. Attendance had dipped for several years before they decided to stop going there. Plus Nascar is a business. Like any other business, you're in it to make money. Going to places like California (one of biggest markets) was a no-brainer, from a monetary standpoint. True the racing sucks there. But you can't say it was "taken from" them. The PEOPLE decided to stop going. And North Wilkesboro was a dinosaur. It was time to move on from there. Btw, Las Vegas is usually a good race. And its a given to put a track there. Same with putting one in Chicagoland. I do agree that there are too many cookie-cutter (mile and a half) tracks, though."

When was the last time California sold out a race? Nobody wants to watch cars on a wide track where the cars rarely get close together. The only time they get close together at California is on the restarts after NASCAR thows out a phantom debris caution. I'd be much more likely to watch a race on tv now at Rockingham than Chicago (again, another flat wide track where the racing stinks). NASCAR was even dumb enough to mess with the racing at Bristol to the point where even that track didn't sell out. Fans are totally pissed that NASCAR messed Bristol up. They can blame the economy but one bad decision after another is causing even the die hard fans to stop watching.

[Popeman38]

Jimmie Johnson has not WON the last 5 championships. Kevin Harvick should be the champion. Jeff Gordon lost a championship due to the chase. The Chase is the single worst idea NASCAR has ever had. Second id the COT. Third is divesting from the SE and going to Cali and Vegas twice. And Kansas. And Chicago. NASCAR abandoned their core fans, and their core tracks.

[pjfootballer]

NoI will still watch racing this season but Im not going to follow it as closely, not going to change my day around to follow a race, etc. At this point I would rather go watch out local minor league baseball team than watch a race. The best racing I have seen in the past 5 years is at Southside Speedway, and Virginia Motor Speedway

Bottom line is the sport is a waterd down version of its past....Jimmie could never compete with King Richard, David Pearson, DW, etc.

I'm really loving minor league baseball in the summer. And after Jimmie won his first 2, Richard, David and Dale would start putting his ass into the wall every week.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 09:39 AM ----------

Dude, seriously, just stop. With each post you get even more ridiculous. Its very apparent to me that you don't have a clue about Nascar.

I've been watching NASCAR for over 25 years. Stop coming off as a pompous know-it-all and try to at least have a decent conversation. It sounds like it's your favorite sport and you're very knowledgeable about it, but come on, you act like I don't a damn thing about it. I'll admit, it's a 2nd tier sport for me. Over the last 4 or 5 years, I haven't followed it as closely as I used to. By the way, I have heard of Trevor Bayne. Sometime the Nationwide series is better to watch because at least more than 1 driver can compete. Stop acting like a pompous know-it-all.

---------- Post added February-11th-2011 at 09:43 AM ----------

"People stopped going to Rockingham. Attendance had dipped for several years before they decided to stop going there. Plus Nascar is a business. Like any other business, you're in it to make money. Going to places like California (one of biggest markets) was a no-brainer, from a monetary standpoint. True the racing sucks there. But you can't say it was "taken from" them. The PEOPLE decided to stop going. And North Wilkesboro was a dinosaur. It was time to move on from there. Btw, Las Vegas is usually a good race. And its a given to put a track there. Same with putting one in Chicagoland. I do agree that there are too many cookie-cutter (mile and a half) tracks, though."

When was the last time California sold out a race? Nobody wants to watch cars on a wide track where the cars rarely get close together. The only time they get close together at California is on the restarts after NASCAR thows out a phantom debris caution. I'd be much more likely to watch a race on tv now at Rockingham than Chicago (again, another flat wide track where the racing stinks). NASCAR was even dumb enough to mess with the racing at Bristol to the point where even that track didn't sell out. Fans are totally pissed that NASCAR messed Bristol up. They can blame the economy but one bad decision after another is causing even the die hard fans to stop watching.

I read that Phoenix Raceway is going to repave the surface after the 1st race and reconfigure the track with some banking to get more side by side racing and make a second grove to compete in.

*** See Bubblescreen, I'm not dumb as you think I am about the sport. I do pay attention***

I told you before, I understand the rationale behind everything you said in regards to the way NASCAR runs their sport (i.e. the top 35, Bill Elliott) it doesn't mean I agree with it. It's my opinion. And apparently there are alot of other NASCAR fans in this thread that are of the same mindset as I am. I guess we're all stupid in here.

[Busch1724]

I think like any sport it goes through phases. They got overexposed. The guys in suits struck while the iron was hot. Ticket prices went up along with sponsorships, purses, and equipment costs. None of it was sustainable in the end. Throw in a bad economy and you have the perfect storm.They need 28-30 races with no weeks off and have an off season for people to get to miss the sport for a period of time.