2017 Nascar Thread

Reducing the spoiler size was a good idea but clearly not enough. They MUST get air back under the cars. In order to achieve the great racing from the '80s & '90s (when you could chase down and pass the leader) they should return to the 4&4 rule: 4 inch spoiler, 4 inches of clearance around bottom of car.

 

That 77 car is going no where. They have always wanted a second car. They wouldn't start a team for one season and call it quits. You will see someone in that car next year. Maybe even Kahne.

NASCAR needs to obviously get some air under these cars, that is the obvious. But they need to take the Trucks to short tracks. That whole series should be run at short tracks except for maybe 4 big tracks. They just don't put on a good show in the first place but they would bring so much more revenue going to these short tracks and helping support the local tracks. Having famous drivers show up to Myrtle Beach, Colorado National Speedway, Nashville, Portland, etc. In my opinion, having the trucks and Xfinity go to all the same tracks the Cup cars go to is half the reason so many tracks have gone defunct. Flemington and Nazareth to name a few.

The reason that is so important is because we need to get more fans and starting at your local place is normally the first place a younger kid sees a racecar. They get attached to a driver and will follow them through their career.

 

http://www.espn.com/jayski/cup/2017/story/_/id/19947329/future-77-team-uncertain

http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/07/08/kyle-busch-talks-erik-jones-future-joe-gibbs-racing/

 

Erik Jones leaving doesn't mean the car is done. That seat is very wanted from drivers like Kenseth, Kahne, Bell, Wallace Jr. or others who will be available next season.

That article is just a way of finding sponsors. They will be okay especially with the success they are having.

 

I'd hope so. Jones is 14th in points, on par with last year's rookies at this point in the season. I'm not sure how much of that #77 equipment and team is Gibbs supplied. From what I understood from my buddy the Toyota exec., was Gibbs basically put Jones over there with all their own stuff for a year. Monster came along later putting a kink in sponsorship plans for Jones when he moves to Gibbs. The plan all along was for Kenseth to hold a space for Jones or move to FRR to shake down the car for a season.

And it looks more and more like Kenseth is headed to hendrick based on Kyle Busch and Earnhardt's comments.

 

Yeah, Jones is definitely just a '5th' Gibbs car at Furniture Row. That whole team is supplied with Gibbs chassis and what not. It is just kind of funny how they are winning and JGR isn't.

I'm not sure where Kenseth ends up. Could be Hendrick or FRR but man that would be so odd. Especially him going to the 77, like why not just leave Jones in the 77 one more year and let Kenseth end his career in the 20? Maybe Kenseth will retire after this season. That's what I suspect will happen.

 

The owner said last week they don't have the finances currently to carry a second car next year, so unless they find some money for next year I doubt the 77 car will be racing. They got a lot of help from Gibbs to run it this year. I expect Kenseth will be with Hendrick next year anyway.

 

True, but I highly doubt they won't find funding for it especially with guys like Jones, Bell, Kahne, or Kenseth who could take the seat.

 

Confirmed today from Gibbs is Jones in the 20 next year.

 

First domino. Expect Kenseth in 88, Bowman in 5, and if it's still around, Kahne to the 77. Others: Blaney to 12, Menard to 21.

 

So who is the sponsor???

 

We wont know that for a while, those deals go on and on and on. Kenseth will for sure be in 88 IF he brings a strong sponsor, that team has been leading more to Bowman anyhow.

Danica, Kurt Busch, Keselowksi still have to finalize their deals as well. This could be a crazy as shit silly season or what we expect.

 

Kurt will stay with SHR I bet.

 

I don't think Kurt will move, as nobody would take him. He's burned too many bridges. Gene and Monster like him and that's about it. Danica has a year left on her contract but she's getting dog scraps as far as resources. It shows in her on-track performance. They could farm her and the #10 charter out to another Ford team if the price is right. Put her in the 21 with Andrea Mueller on the box. I bet she'd post consistent top 15 finishes.

Brad isn't budging, just holding out for a bigger slice of Penske pie. He probably wants co-owner rights to Blaney's 12 team.

Based on Jr. Comments, I think Kenseth will be in the #88 with Nationwide as partial sponsor. Mtn. Dew will jump to the #24. Kenseth will do well there. Hendrick has been a good stop for older drivers. See: Terry Labonte, Mark Martin.

I'm holding out hope Bowman gets the #5 seat and Kahne goes dirt racing or jumps to the #77.

 

Those observations seem the most logical for sure, but you never know! sponsorship and money talks!

 

Yeah, pretty safe bets, but still 100% conjecture.

 

Equally potentially accurate as my speculations:

http://www.nascar.com/news-media/2017/07/07/nascar-rumor-mill-generator-silly-season-story-lines/

Also, my legit sources are totally mum right now.

 

Oh baby:

 

From what I've read the 77 is done after this year, how would Kahne go to the 77then?

 

It looks likely that the 77 is done, but IF someone was headed to that ride, Kahne seems logical. FRR is based in Colorado, WAAAY closer to Kahne's Washington state home than North Carolina. Again, just speculation based on some tweets an commentary.