2017 season thread

[Hitman Hart]

Ty probably had a top 5 locked up if not for getting in that speedy dry and his teammate wrecking him.

Was talking about Harvick, but both the Dillon bros had a decent outing.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Was talking about Harvick, but both the Dillon bros had a decent outing.

Hopefully they get these Fords figured out by the time the Chase rolls around. Harvick has only really had a real shot to win at Atlanta this year, and he blew it on the last pit stop. Running solid, but I'm used to him leading laps and being a factor for the win in most every race.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

Soon to be 8 Time was a bit lucky yesterday but you have to have a bit of luck to be good.

I like Larson. He races hard.

 

[jeffro151]

Bubba Wallace in the 43 until Almirola is ready to return.

 

[Chewbaccer]

Ryan Blaney with the win. Cool to see the 21 back in victory lane. So glad he got his first win before Chase Elliott.

And LOL @ Kyle Busch's frustrating season continuing.

 

[pitman]

Great to see Blaney and the Wood brothers get the win. This kid has talent.

 

[jeffro151]

I don't see how Penske can delay that 3rd team for Blaney past this season. Eventually someone is going to throw Blaney an offer he can't refuse. Hendrick #5 and SHR #10 will probably both have rides open at the end of the year.

 

[Gopherfan84]

I don't see how Penske can delay that 3rd team for Blaney past this season. Eventually someone is going to throw Blaney an offer he can't refuse. Hendrick #5 and SHR #10 will probably both have rides open at the end of the year.

The 2 will be open after Keselowski moves to Hendrick to take over the 88 after this season.

 

[jeffro151]

The 2 will be open after Keselowski moves to Hendrick to take over the 88 after this season.

You think Kes has forgiven Hendrick for being passed over for Kahne?

 

[Gopherfan84]

You think Kes has forgiven Hendrick for being passed over for Kahne?

I think if he moves on from Penske, it's going to be to Hendrick. Kahne wasn't the issue when it came to Hendrick (his 1st season at Hendrick was 2012, when Brad won the Cup title), it was Mark Martin wanting to keep racing after he started winning races for Hendrick just before Brad won at Talladega and threw a monkey wrench into the plans. I get the sense that Brad understood that, but he wanted to go full time in Cup and Hendrick couldn't guarantee when he'd have a seat for Brad so he had to look elsewhere.

1. Penske is down this season. Just look at yesterday, the past couple of seasons you put Brad in that spot he puts the race away. He didn't have the speed to do it yesterday.
2. His crew chief and primary sponsor's deals are also both up this season so he could potentially take both of them with him.
3. When Brad left for Penske, Hendrick said he wouldn't let him get too far away. Plus Roger and Rick at least seem to be good friends.
4. If you look at Hendrick's driver lineup going forward, I think it makes the most sense for him to put a veteran in the 88 instead of another kid. Kahne's deal is up after 2018 and he'll never be a title threat. Chase probably won't be ready to step up as a major title contender until 2019. That leaves only Johnson as a title contender if Hendrick puts a kid in the 88. Keselowski and Kenseth are the top drivers potentially available after this season. And Johnson and Kenseth are both nearing the twilight of their careers.

 

[Hank Kingsley]

That was one helluva smack Johnson took.

 

[Chewbaccer]

That was one helluva smack Johnson took.

I'm not a fan of JJ, but I am relieved he just got the breath knocked out of him. I was worried for a minute there when he had to sit by the wall after he got out.

All the way from the apron to the wall with no brakes at one of the fastest tracks on the circuit is gonna hurt.

 

[jeffro151]

I think if he moves on from Penske, it's going to be to Hendrick. Kahne wasn't the issue when it came to Hendrick (his 1st season at Hendrick was 2012, when Brad won the Cup title), it was Mark Martin wanting to keep racing after he started winning races for Hendrick just before Brad won at Talladega and threw a monkey wrench into the plans. I get the sense that Brad understood that, but he wanted to go full time in Cup and Hendrick couldn't guarantee when he'd have a seat for Brad so he had to look elsewhere.

1. Penske is down this season. Just look at yesterday, the past couple of seasons you put Brad in that spot he puts the race away. He didn't have the speed to do it yesterday.
2. His crew chief and primary sponsor's deals are also both up this season so he could potentially take both of them with him.
3. When Brad left for Penske, Hendrick said he wouldn't let him get too far away. Plus Roger and Rick at least seem to be good friends.
4. If you look at Hendrick's driver lineup going forward, I think it makes the most sense for him to put a veteran in the 88 instead of another kid. Kahne's deal is up after 2018 and he'll never be a title threat. Chase probably won't be ready to step up as a major title contender until 2019. That leaves only Johnson as a title contender if Hendrick puts a kid in the 88. Keselowski and Kenseth are the top drivers potentially available after this season. And Johnson and Kenseth are both nearing the twilight of their careers.

Brad Keselowski is still a free agent but the Team Penske driver said he won't be for much longer. Keselowski:

 

[bksballer89]

What's up with all these 3 PM EST for races in the eastern time zone? I don't get it. I prefer 1 or 130 starts for races in the eastern time zone. First Pocono and now MIS.

 

[Retroram52]

M-O-N-E-Y, bksballer.

 

[Chewbaccer]

What's up with all these 3 PM EST for races in the eastern time zone? I don't get it. I prefer 1 or 130 starts for races in the eastern time zone. First Pocono and now MIS.

I like it. Doesn't interfere with as much of the 1:30 Braves game(not that it mattered today as I was visiting my folks and missed the entire Braves game and the first 2 stages of the race)

 

[bksballer89]

Solid top 10 for Junior.

 

[bksballer89]

M-O-N-E-Y, bksballer.

Must be. All of EST races were starting between 1 PM & 2 PM until last week but this seems like the norm for the rest of the season. All races on Sunday from now through August will be a 3 PM EST start. Once the chase starts then it is a mixture of 2 PM and 3 PM starts.

 

[Retroram52]

The marketing research for the screw-ups at NASCAR have discovered that on Sundays, many of the potential fans they think will be watching, are just now getting out the rack on the west coast. The real issue is that the NASCAR product is so bad, nobody wants to get out of bed to watch a race that will put them right back to sleep.

 

[pitman]

It's good to see little Larson get the win. He has finished 2nd like 5 times this year.