2017 Nascar Thread

Here's my spot:
http://www.andersonmotorspeedway.com
I plan to hit up Bowman Gray and Greenville Pickens.

 

EDIT: Charlie Daniels Band just confirmed to play the Saturday night concert at 'Dega. Free with race ticket. Seeing as how I'm a country boy and a Southern man, it is my duty to see Charlie Daniels live.

Here's hoping they do the $24 college special again or the $50 weekend deal with kids free. Last time I went, it was $55 for two tickets to Saturday & Sunday's races. We didn't take advantage of the free camping or Saturday night concert.

 

I'm goin to the concert!

 

Where's the last of the cool cats, Dave Marcis? :
http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...-enjoying-retirement-but-keeping-busy-870129/

 

No Excuses: 5 Drivers that Must win in 2017:
Chase Elliott- heir apparent in #24, second in team stats only to Jimmie Johnson.
Austin Dillon- flagship Childress team w/o victory since Harvick's depatrure.
Ryan Blaney- Penske tools w/o Penske performance.
Ricky Stenhouse- Now the top dog at Roush, who didn't match Biffle and Edwards' performance when even they were winning.
Danica Patrick- Four years in and only slightly improving stats.

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/no-excuses-five-nascar-drivers-who-need-to-win-now-870100/

 

Twisted Tea staying in the sport after the #44 team's departure. Moves to the #13 with Ty Dillon and Geico:

http://www.jayski.com/news/schemes/2017/story/_/page/2017-NASCAR-Cup-13-Team-Schemes

 

Dodge could be back in NASCAR by '18 Season:
http://nascar.nbcsports.com/2017/01...urn-to-nascar-by-2018-doug-yates-believes-so/

 

Austin Dillon and Erik Jones will win one this year

 

Them's good picks. . I can see the #3 grabbing a W at a plate track (probably 'Dega), and Jones getting New Hampshire or Pocono on a consistent run and a fuel mileage gamble. Speaking of Pocono, that's where the first One Day show will take place. Qualifying at 12:15, Green flag at 3pm.

 

I thought there was no lights at Pocono?

 

Sun doesn't set until like 8pm in the summer. Plus, they cut Pocono's races to 400 miles several years back.

 

Still hope this doesn't gain traction... I go to all the events in a weekend, but the last thing I wanna do is go watch qualifying and sit in a stand for hours waiting for the race

 

I like these picks too. Not sure about Ricky, Biff is a way better racer, but I think if Roush can pull their head outta there kiester this year, he'd be the one to do it, or the associate Trevor Bayne, unless they're running Penske equipment (I can't remember). And Danica........where to start, really.......hmmm........Come on girl! She has tons of fans and little kids really like her. I'd really like to start seeing at least some consistent top 5 or top 10s at least. She's good for the sport, but is the cost worth it? Time will tell. Not sure about Erik Jones or Austin Dillon either. Austin has shown some strength lately, maybe RCR cars will perform better this year. I think Chase will definitely get a win or two finally. We'll have to see how Erik Jones and Daniel Suarez do in their new rides. I have high expectations for Erik.

 

Erik Jones ran top 10 in Keneseth's car before he got wrecked... He's in Gibbs equipment still

 

Erik Jones Says Low-Downforce Package More Challenging to Drive:

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cu...rce-package-more-challenging-to-drive-871017/

 

I agree, the sport needs her for relevance, though recent rule changes have given them anything but. I think she's over it. It's clear she's diversifying her marketability at this point. She's young and flexible (no kids), so she can go on to do whatever and with enough ad bucks, be a decent success. See her new "Athleisure" line of clothing. A regular lineup of clothing sold at major retail chains, the occasional inspirational book, TV and public appearances, and co-ownership in the sport for connections, will keep her marketable for a long time without having to drive a car. She could start a femme equivalent of the Drive for Diversity, offering a program for up and coming female drivers in K&N, Trucks and Xfinity.
Or, she could take her own cash and go Trans-Am racing and be a big hit competing against Amy Ruman (2-time defending TA champ).

 

I really thought Shawna Robinson was going to do good things. I think she had some grit to her, unlike Danica, but she was stuck racing in lunchmeat ex-49 team that Kenny Schrader retired in. I think if she had Hendrick equipment at the time, and she had just a few more laps under her belt, that she could've pulled off some top tens by her 2nd year, but being in a lunchmeat team means that you really don't ever have the competitive ability, equipment wise, to run with the big dogs. The timing was right, and NASCAR needed Danica to bring a younger and more liberal crowd to the sport. No harm, no foul.

 

"Grit" is a.great way to describe Shawna. Especially considering she beat stage 3 breast cancer last year. Heck, having wheeled '80s Monte Carlos in Arca and not only surviving the massive wrecks of that era, but also winning in that series says a lot about her grit and skill.

 

Looks like Stewart-Haas Racing has an out to drop Danica. Looks too like they are doing their due diligence to keep Danica from suing them when they drop her. If Nature's Bakery can't fund the team, there's no way I see Gene and Tony footing the bill for a car that averages 22nd place finishes. Gene's name is already on 2/3 of Kurt's car each week and they're looking at a sponsorship shortfall for the #14 car this season. They brought Danica on board because of GoDaddy money and merchandising income. If Danica doesn't bring in money, you can bet she's out of a ride by mid-season. I wonder what back-marker team would ditch their driver for Danica's fading star-power?

http://www.motorsport.com/nascar-cup/news/shr-files-lawsuit-against-danica-patrick-s-sponsor-871059/

 

Kurt is good enough for them to cough up the money. Hope the door doesn't hit Danica on the way out