When it comes to picking the biggest story so far this season, that’s a tough one considering all that had gone on in just the first four races (Daytona, Monday in California, Las Vegas and Atlanta), so what are the top four?
First, the manufacturer war between not just Chevrolet and Toyota, but Ford and Dodge has started to step up too.
When Toyota signed Joe Gibbs Racing last year, it gave Toyota a huge piece of the puzzle that they were looking for to compete with the Detroit big three on a weekly basis and since the beginning of the season at Daytona, all four manufacturers – Chevrolet, Ford, Dodge and Toyota have all been running up front, first Dodge won at Daytona with Ryan Newman, then Ford won with Carl Edwards back-to-back races at California and Las Vegas and just this past weekend at the not so hot Atlanta, Kyle Busch in his Gibbs Racing Toyota gave Toyota there first Cup Series victory. A major part of Toyota’s success right now is Gibbs racing and Kyle Busch’s victory.
While the battle is all four manufacturers right now, I still believe that by the end of the season in the most wins category and for the championship, it will be a duel between Chevrolet (mainly Hendrick Motorsports, but look for RCR Racing to contend) and Toyota (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Second, the better racing of the full-time COT.
So far this season except for Atlanta, there has been better racing all the way around and I believe that to be mainly because of the COT. The safety is also better with the COT, but more can be done.
Third, the two penalties handed down by NASCAR to first Robby Gordon after Daytona for an unapproved nose and second to Carl Edwards for an oil lid being found several inches off and loose bolts on the side rear window.
I can’t believe that these penalties in reason weeks have been the headline grabbers even with the better racing on-track, but when you have a one size fits all penalty that is handed down for any COT infraction, you are bound make headlines let along the infractions themselves. First after Daytona was the Robby Gordon penalty that was over turned in the appeals process to just a fine, a real big fine of $150k which goes to the NASCAR foundation, is NASCAR looking for donations? While the Gordon penalty has concluded and was over turned, I can’t say the same for the Carl Edwards penalty, ironicly enough, the penalty he got could fit the bill, well there’s a first for everything.
There has been more and more info coming out about this controversy, but how much of it is true? “My Take”, after hearing and seeing a couple of examples of what happened, I find it hard to believe that 3 threaded bolts all backed off and came off, resulting in the oil lid being found several inches off and to top it off, there are pictures showing that the side window had loose bolts on it and that would open letting the gas out. I’m amazed that fans haven’t heard of this sooner and for that matter, why hasn’t teams tried this sooner?
Fourth, believe it or not, the Top 35 in owners points vs. the Go or Go Home drivers.
Since NASCAR created the top 35, it really hasn’t been much of an issue until last year and this year it’s even worse, it has created a whole new story that really shouldn’t be (at least 35, why not 22?), anyway, next week’s race at Bristol marks the final time that the 2007 owners points for the top 35 will be used and then starting at Martinsville, it will be the current 2008 owners points and there’s were it gets fun. Over the off season, one story was Penske racing robbing #2-Busch’s points to give to #77-Hornish, now Hornish Jr. finds himself outside the top 35 along with among others and what will be the next new story, the #45-Kyle Petty, what story? Petty Enterprises is considering swapping the #43-Bobby Labonte’s points with #45-Kyle Petty because like I said, the slow car of Petty is outside the top 35, just one question, I understand since Jarrett is retiring after Martinsville and Busch is back in the top 35, Labonte would be the next champion in line for the championship provisional, but what happens when the #45 drops again? Not cool to even think of and in mid-season. That's not the only point swap, Penske Racing could make the switch again sending Busch outside the top 35 with 5 championship provisionals left, plus other teams could do it as well.
NASCAR, see loop hole, fix it please.
So after looking at all four chooses and taking into account all four races (Daytona, California, Las Vegas and Atlanta), and even though the penalties raised a lot of headlines, I would still say that the manufacturers war is the biggest story of the season so far, why? While the penalties are big, those have and will fade, the manufacturer wars one the other hand has made huge headlines from the very beginning even before the Daytona 500 and with three manufacturers winning this season including Kyle Busch’s victory for Toyota, its finally somewhat equal (I think Toyota does have more power, but NASCAR will study that). The biggest surprise that I don’t think will continue is Chevrolet not winning even though Dale Jr. among others Chevy drivers has been right there.
Before I go, I would like to say three things, 1) the Atlanta race wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good. 2) I have noticed that Kyle Busch is getting better with his interviews, I see a little of Joe Gibbs in him, I think Gibbs has really talked to him and told him how to handle himself, good job. 3) The COT isn’t anything like the Nationwide car nor last year’s Cup Series car, it needs a totally different tire, nothing like what we have now, I like Ray Evernham’s suggestion on NASCAR Now, he said maybe it’s time for the COT to have a wider right side tire or a different size tire… Think about this, the Modified Tour Car that run at New Hampshire Motor Speedway among other tracks, run a wider right side tire and it looks like it works. Comments.
- Racedriven
