2022 NASCAR THREAD

Took me a minute to see it

 

looks like both are Thursday, per tradition.

 

I'm looking way off into the future (like 8 years), but I can see an eventual exodus of superstar Cup drivers and young owners and it's probably for the better. I remember the IRL/Cart split. It was nasty, and while INDYCAR seems to be on its most solid footing this century, it still isn't what it once was (though that may be my rosy-colored glasses reflecting on my youth). If this new driver alliance is successful, I can see them pushing back against the Race Team Alliance (RTA), and whichever side NASCAR leans towards will decide the future of the sport. Teams need drivers, drivers need teams, NASCAR needs both.

https://jalopnik.com/nascar-cup-drivers-form-council-to-serve-as-a-united-vo-1848531172

For a little history, Curtis Turner tried to start a driver's union back in the 60s. He was promptly threatened by Big Bill France with a revolver shoved in his face and banned from NASCAR competition for four years. Big Bill eventually lifted the ban because he had a low car count and few stars to sell tickets. I read Turner's biography several years back. It's a really great peek into old-school NASCAR when the first wave of big money was just flooding in and changing the sport.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtis_Turner#Labor_union

Turner is one of my favorite drivers; for his on-track success, his huge persona off track, and the absolute gall he had to go toe to toe with Big Bill France. He was Tim Richmond twenty years prior. He was known to say "Alright everybody, there's another party starting in 15 minutes!" and he lived up to that with his wild lifestyle. He's the only driver known to have flown into Bowman Gray in his plane, win the race, hop back in his plane, take off, turn it sideways and fly through the goalposts on his way out.

 

Anyone have a favorite new scheme you think stands out this year?

I want to like the #21 scheme and perhaps it'll grow on me. I like the classic paint schemes that follow the lines of the cars rather than the swoopy and overdone graphics that have taken over the sport's design departments for the past two decades.

Harvick's Mobil 1 scheme looks decent, aside from the C-Pillar lines:



Chase Elliott's Hooters scheme is okay. I appreciate the modest fade:



Denny Hamlin has one of the cleanest schemes for 2022:



Harrison Burton rendering, but "Quick Lane" is actually smaller on the real car:


Logano's is as basic as it gets, but it works. Pennzoil cars always worked best when they were basic schemes:


Byron's could be good but the lines seem lost & confused, not knowing where to go. The answer is simple, follow the lines of the car, but NOPE:

 

It'll be fun to keep an eye on all the backmarker guys to see who can break into the top 30 or maybe top 25. Here's my personal idea of the four grade levels for the Cup teams, in numerical order (copied and reorganized from Jayski.com):

A:

• Cindric #2 Team Penske [Menards, Discount Tire, Freightliner eCascadia]
• Harvick #4 Stewart Haas Racing [GearWrench, Busch Light, Rheem, Hunt Brothers Pizza, Mobil1]
• Larson #5 Hendrick Motorsports [HendrickCars.com]
• Elliott #9 Hendrick Motorsports [NAPA Auto Parts, Llumar, Hooters, UniFirst]
  
• Hamlin #11 Joe Gibbs Racing [FedEx]
• Blaney #12 Team Penske [Menards, Advance Auto Parts, Wurth]
• Busch #18 Joe Gibbs Racing [Interstate Batteries, M&M’s]
• Truex #19 Joe Gibbs Racing [Bass Pro Shops, Auto-Owners Insurance]
• Logano #22 Team Penske [AAA Insurance, Shell Pennzoil]
• Byron #24 Hendrick Motorsports [Axalta, Liberty University, Valvoline]
• Bowman #48 Hendrick Motorsports [Ally]

B:

• Dillon #3 Richard Childress Racing [True Velocity, Bass Pro Shops]
• Keselowski #6 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing [Fastenal, Kohler Generators, Violet Defense, Castrol, Wyndham Rewards]
• Reddick #8 Richard Childress Racing [3Chi, Guaranteed Rate, Cheddars]
  
• Almirola #10 Stewart Haas Racing [Smithfield, Farmer John]
  
• Briscoe #14 Stewart Haas Racing [Mahindra Tractors]
  
• Buescher #17 Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing[Fastenal, Castrol, Wyndham Rewards]
• Bell #20 Joe Gibbs Racing [DEWALT, Rheem, SiriusXM]
• Burton #21 Wood Brothers Racing [Motorcraft/Quick Lane, DEX Imaging]
• Wallace #23 23XI Racing [Leidos, DoorDash]
  
• Custer #41 Stewart-Haas Racing [HaasTooling.com]
  
• Suarez #99 Trackhouse Racing [Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge, CommScope, Freeway Insurance]

C:

• Chastain #1 Trackhouse Racing [AdventHealth, Howler Head Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey]
• Lajoie #7 Spire Motorsports [Schluter Systems, NationsGuard]
• Allmendinger #16 Kaulig Racing [Cure Token, ChevyLiners.com, Hermitage Pool Supply]
  
• Haley #31 Kaulig Racing [LeafFilter Gutter Protection]
  
• McDowell #34 Front Row Motorsports [Love’s Travel Stops, Horizon Hobby, FR8 Auctions, Stage Front]
• Gilliland #38 Front Row Motorsports [First Phase, Black’s Tire, Ruedebusch]
• Dillon #42 Petty GMS Motorsports [Black Rifle Coffee Company]
• Jones #43 Petty GMS Motorsports [FOCUSfactor, U.S. Air Force]
• Busch #45 23XI Racing [Monster Energy]
• Stenhouse #47 JTG Daugherty Racing [SweetLeaf, Irish Spring, Food 4 Less/Slim Jim]
• Bilicki/Cassill #77 Spire Motorsports [Zeigler Automotive Group, Pacific Coast Termite, Voyager]

D:

• Ragan/Preece#15 Rick Ware Racing [Select Blinds, Jacob Companies]
• Villenueve #27 Team Hezeberg [Hezeberg Systems]
• Biffle #44 NY Racing [Grambling State University]
• Grala #50 The Money Team Racing [Pit Viper]
• Ware #51 Rick Ware Racing [Nurtec ODT]
• Yeley #55 MBM Motorsports [Malco Enterprises, Hex.com]
• Gragson #62 Beard Motorsports [Beard Oil Distributing]
• Hill #66 MBM Motorsports [Bumper.com]
• McLeod #78 Live Fast Motorsports [SkyView Partners, NASCAR Ignition]

 

Yes, it's the 18 car but the Interstate Batteries paint scheme has always been a favorite of mine

 

Classic! I remember watching Dale Jarret fly by me at the '93 Daytona 500 and I thought that scheme was fire back then. It looked even better on Bobby Labonte's Monte Carlo in the late-90s.

 

Man these new cars look so good!

 

yes, sir! Always a favorite. DJ 1993 Daytona 500

 

4 car could use some work

 

Behind the wheel, for sure. I'm looking forward to seeing Ryan Preece in that car when Harvick steps away.

 

Let's hope Greg Biffle can qualify. 44 car is a beauty!

 

…let’s race!

 

For those that don't remember well like ME can you add Drivers to that list?
Great list BTW.

 

Whatcha got!?

 

Teams are skewing out the cars to crab walk like they did a decade ago. NASCAR updated the rulebook overnight to nip it in the bud. It's funny, NASCAR tried so hard to make a car that was impossible to cheat up and these team engineers still found workarounds. Ya love to see it!

 

Now listen here, buddy! This was more of a workout than I thought it would be. The Long Covid is still fogging up my brain two months after the fact. I couldn't recall half the drivers' names. Here's a great team rundown on Jayski that is constantly updated:

https://www.jayski.com/nascar-cup-series/2022-nascar-cup-series-team-driver-chart/

 

If they don't figure out how to get some travel in those cars the drivers are going to quit half way through the race. For as smooth as that track is the amount the drivers were bouncing around was insane. Also, seeing Harvick use the drivers net as a windshield was fun. I hope they knock that shit off. That looked ridiculous.

 

Though I am glad NASCAR made a change so the cars are not crab walking down the straits, tonight will be a complete shit show with teams making the qualifying lap after being forced to change the setup on the cars without being allowed back on track. They should have given them a 30 min practice after making such a dramatic rule change that is geared so much towards qualifying. In my opinion.