2021 NASCAR thread

Home to the most boring race from the past twenty years:

https://youtu.be/N-G8IpySqS0

 

New Hampshire Stats over the past 10 years: (if you're a bettin' man)
Easy pickings here given the dominant drivers this season and their strength at this track. Hamlin and Harvick are your best odds with Kenseth as the darkhorse driver.

Wins:
Toyota-8
Chevy-6
Ford-4

Drivers:
Harvick-3
Kenseth-3
Hamlin-2
Ky Busch-2
Bowyer-1
Johnson-1
Newman-1
Keselowski-1
Logano-1

Source: https://www.racing-reference.info/tracks/New_Hampshire_Motor_Speedway

Best Averages:
Truex
Ky Busch
Hamlin
Kenseth
Blaney

Source: https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/track_avg.php?trk_id=16

 

#MK42

 

21

 

I read that as well. But now, I read that Richard Petty is offering a contract extension with partial ownership of Richard Petty Motorsports. WTF

 

Top 10... I'll take it.

 

Brad won't be in the 48 next year. He signed a contract extension with pusske.

 

Only for a year. Reminds me of the good ol’ days when drivers had handshake deals to drive for a season before hopping to another team.

Edit: this is good leverage for Brad next season. He’ll also have no time to rest on his laurels as he’ll have to put up results, fast. It shows he has confidence in his abilities.

 

I have my carryover tickets for Bristol but am itching for more racing action.

Roval tickets aren't available, Talladega seating is limited (and expensive), and I don't want to be out of state for Martinsville (also expensive) the weekend before the election. That said, I'm kinda thinking about going to Daytona for the 400 but afraid it'll rain out.

 

I haven't watched a full race since SR's death in 01. And with all the current fiasco's and BS. I never will.

 

CUP: Michigan at 4pm, another Sunday at 4:30
XFINITY: Daytona at 12pm

 

And the Trucks Friday at Michigan 6:00 !!!

 

I think Xfinity is at Road America this weekend.

 

Ope. That's right.

 

Michigan Speedway Stats (past ten years):

Manufacturer Wins:

• Toyota 4
• Chevrolet 8
• Ford 8

Source: https://www.racing-reference.info/tracks/Michigan_International_Speedway
​

Driver Wins (active):

• Harvick 3
• Logano 3
• Hamlin 2
• Johnson 1
• Ky Busch 1
• Ku Busch 1
• Kenseth 1
• Bowyer 1

Source: https://www.racing-reference.info/tracks/Michigan_International_Speedway​

Top Driver Stats (active):

1. Elliott
2. Kenseth
3. Harvick
4. Keselowski
5. Logano

Source: https://www.driveraverages.com/nascar/track_avg.php?trk_id=15​

 

Damn, wonder where Jones will land?

 

Got my Bristol camping reserved.
Ordered my Roval tickets.
Decided against Daytona.
*Might* do Talladega instead.

 

This chart can help navigate: https://www.jayski.com/nascar-cup-series/2021-nascar-cup-series-team-driver-chart/
It's tough. Not many open seats. Fewer competitive seats. Contracts are smaller than they used to be. More drivers have to bring their own sponsors to get a seat. Sure, some of the smaller teams could try and bid for a higher-level driver, but what good is a decent driver in junk equipment? So much emphasis is put on the driver when there are many other, equally or more important elements at play. Kind of like buying a fancy guitar and a crappy guitar amp. A Gibson Les Paul Goldtop won't shine through a Blackstar amp. This year's silly season pales in comparison to what will be on the horizon for the 2022 season. We'll see a wholesale transition in the series. I predict most of the big names will be going or gone by then. Harvick, Ku. Busch, Kenseth (again), Keselowski, Newman, Almirola, Bowyer, Truex.

I could see Truex moving to Hendrick making room for Burton at JGR.
Bowyer retiring on to make room for Briscoe at SHR.
Harvick retiring to make room for Deegan at SHR.
Keselowski retiring to make room for Cindric at PR.
Kenseth re-retiring to make room for Chastain at CGR.
Kurt Busch retiring to make room for Jones or Wallace at CGR.

This is the fun of silly season. I'll tell you what I want for Christmas and the 2021 season: Chase Briscoe in the #21.

 

Harvick sweeps Michigan