****NASCAR in 2015****

  • Thread starter Thread starter JRS
  • Start date Start date

JRS

JRS

JRS

Soldato
Joined
6 Jun 2004
Posts
19,729
Location
Burton-on-Trent
So, February is upon us and the NASCAR season will soon be getting underway.

Sprint Cup Series.

Driver and team changes.

A few driver changes this year. Trevor Bayne is running full time in Cup competition for Roush Fenway Racing in the #6. This has been made possible by RFR no longer running the #99 car for Carl 'Braindead Moron™' Edwards - he's now driving the #19 for Joe Gibbs. The Wood Brothers #21 will still run a limited schedule, Ryan Blaney will drive. Marcos Ambrose has returned to Australia to race again in the V8 Supercars, Sam Hornish Jr will drive the #9 for Richard Petty Motorsports. Cole Whitt moves from BK Racing to drive Front Row Motorsports' #35. Alex Bowman also moves from BK Racing, he'll drive the #7 for Tommy Baldwin Racing. Michael Annett leaves TBR to drive a second car for HScott Motorsports, the #46.

Over at Michael Waltrip Motorsports, Brian Vickers is sitting out the first two races of the year while he recovers from heart surgery - Mikey will be in the car for the Daytona 500, Brett Moffitt will sub at Atlanta.

A few team changes as well. The Motorsports Group are fielding a Cup car, the #30 - Ron Hornaday Jr will drive. Tommy Baldwin Racing have reportedly sold the #36 entry to Jay Robinson Racing, though I don't believe that's been confirmed yet.

Schedule changes.

Atlanta moves to the second race of the season, and the spring Bristol race has moved from March to April. So now the teams get a three race stint in the west without having to head to Tennessee just to come back. Daytona's second race (Coke Zero 400) will be held for this year only on the Sunday night rather than Saturday. Kansas and Charlotte have swapped their Chase races. And joy of joys, the Southern 500 at Darlington returns to Labor Day weekend after 11 years.

Other news.

So....qualifying for the Daytona 500. Always an anomaly, this year it's getting a new tweak - group qualifying for the pole.

NASCAR.com said:
Qualifying will consist of three rounds with the first round divided into two groups based on a random draw. Vehicles drawing an odd number will be in the first group with even numbers in the second group. The first round is five minutes, and the 24 fastest cars advance to the second round. Following a 10-minute break, the second round will be five minutes with the fastest 12 advancing to the third and final round. A seven-minute break will precede the third round, which will last five minutes. The top two cars will make up the front row for the Daytona 500.
Click to expand...

The rest of the field is set, as always, by the Duels.

NASCAR.com said:
The Duel at Daytona, two 150-mile qualifying races, will determine starting positions for the Daytona 500 beyond the front row. The fastest qualifier in Coors Light Pole Qualifying will be on the pole for the first Duel at Daytona, and the second-fastest qualifier will be on the pole for the second Duel at Daytona. In the event of cancellation, the field will be set according to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book.

Those cars earning odd-numbered positions from qualifying will be assigned to the first Duel race. Those cars earning even-numbered positions from qualifying will compete in the second race.

The starting positions for each Duel race will also be based on qualifying times.
Click to expand...

That bit's pretty much as it's always been for the 500.

So the line-up will be....

NASCAR.com said:
Daytona 500 lineup

• The two fastest qualifiers during Coors Light Pole Qualifying earn starting positions one and two.

• The highest 15 finishers in each Duel race -- excluding the already locked-in front row -- will earn a spot in the Daytona 500, and fill positions 3-32.

• Based on their finishing position in the first Duel race, the top 15 will line up on the inside row (odd-number starting positions).

• Based on their finishing position in the second Duel race, the top 15 will line up on the outside row (even-number starting positions).

• Positions 33-36 will go to the four fastest cars from any round of Coors Light Pole Qualifying that have not already earned a spot.

• Positions 37-42 will be provisional positions, and go to the highest six cars in 2014 owner points that are present, have entered by the entry deadline and have not already qualified via the Duel or Coors Light Pole Qualifying.

• The 43rd starting position will be assigned to any car owner who has the most recent eligible past NASCAR Sprint Cup champion who did not make the field by any other method, providing the driver had competed in the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. If the 43rd position remains unused, it will be assigned to the next highest car in 2014 owner points not already locked into the field.
Click to expand...

Tony Stewart and defending Cup champion Kevin Harvick are both on record as not being madly in love with group qualifying at restrictor plate tracks. If it turns into a giant cluster **** at the 500 I suspect we won't see it again.

So....anything else, anything else....oh yeah, just one thing but barely worth a mention - it's Jeff Gordon's last full-time season.

*blink*

:eek:

He's not using the word 'retirement' yet, and you'd suspect that he'll stay very involved in the NASCAR scene (and more than likely with Hendrick). But this year will definitely be the last Daytona 500 that he enters, and his last chance at a fifth Cup title. The #24 will be driven from 2016 on by Chase Elliott, who will defend his Xfinity (formerly Nationwide) title this year and drive a limited Cup schedule in the #25 for Hendrick.
 
Last edited:
Xfinity Series.

So yeah, new year and new title sponsor for the series. Just after I'd gotten used to calling it Nationwide and not Busch :rolleyes::p

A few driver and team changes here as well. Turner Scott Motorsports has disbanded, the remnants merging with Chip Ganassi. Dylan Kwasniewski and Kyle Larson will share driving duties in the #42. Daniel Suárez will run a full schedule for Joe Gibbs' #18, and Darrell Wallace Jr is also running a full schedule - he'll drive the #6 RFR car that Trevor Bayne is vacating. Eric McClure is leaving TriStar Motorsports, he'll drive the #24 for JGL Racing who are switching to Toyotas. Cale Conley will drive his old ride at TriStar in the #14, and Blake Koch is also in at TriStar to drive the #8. And Ross Chastain is replacing Jeffrey Earnhardt at JD Motorsports in the #4, Earnhardt will drive the #55 Viva Motorsports car.

Similar schedule changes to the Cup series - Atlanta for the second race, the 'west coast swing' through March, Labor Day weekend for Darlington.
 
Camping World Truck Series.

Ah, my favourite of the big three NASCAR series. I really wish a UK broadcaster would show some love for the trucks, they truly are one of the best shows in town!

So, driver and team changes. Tyler Reddick will drive the #19 full-time for Brad Keselowski Racing. Erik Jones and Justin Boston will run the full season for Kyle Busch Motorsports in the #4 and #54 respectively, with Darrell Wallace Jr having gone to the Xfinity series. With TSM shuttering and Ganassi taking over what was left, Ben Kennedy has moved over to Red Horse Racing to drive their #11 truck. And a lack of sponsorship has seen Joey Coulter's ride disappear - he stays on with GMS Racing as a 'team relationships coordinator', whatever the hell that is. Hopefully he'll get a drive again, 43 top 10s in 91 truck starts is a pretty decent showing.

Schedule - the trucks will run a Saturday double-header with the Xfinity series at Atlanta, Xfinity race first at 2pm ET with the trucks at 5:30pm.
 
Indy500 said:
Hopefully you don't abandon this thread as quickly as the 2014 one, JRS ;-)
Click to expand...

Meh, no-one seemed to be bothered. I'll post if other people are posting. Otherwise it's just me talking in an empty room!

Indy500 said:
Good to see new talent moving up without needing to bring millions in sponsorship with them...something the European ladder system could learn from.
Click to expand...

It is, though sponsorship dollars are still critical - see Joey Coulter.
 
Sprint Unlimited on Sat 14th. And eligibility has changed again.

This race, like the All-Star race at Charlotte later in the year, doesn't pay points. It's just about prize money. This year, the field will be as follows:

  • the 16 drivers who qualified for the first part of the Chase
  • drivers who won pole positions (not counting those on the pole when qualifying was rained out and practice speed set the grid)
  • previous entrants in the Unlimited who entered at least one race last year
  • anyone who started on the front row at the Daytona 500, if they didn't get another pole position last year
  • remaining spots to make up a minimum 25 car grid to go to the highest finishers in the championship last year who don't otherwise qualify for a spot under any of the above rules
An extra spot has opened up on the entry list because AJ Allmendinger won't be running his #47 car in the race. The late change to the eligibility rules caught out his team (JTG Daugherty Racing), their budgeting for the year only accounted for the 36 races of the regular Cup season and it was a bit late to consider screwing around with things just to make the Unlimited. Better to focus on the regular season and making a good start to things at the 500.


Now to wait and see if someone comes along with a sackful of sponsor cash to get him into the race :)
 
A few more qualifying drivers have pulled out of the Unlimited.

Brian Scott, David Gilliland and Brian Vickers join Allmendinger on the sidelines. Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Casey Mears and Ricky Stenhouse Jr will race in their place under the final rule I listed above. Guessing financial reasons for all bar Vickers, who won't be starting the season due to recovering from heart surgery.

The 25 car field will be as follows:

  • Austin Dillon, Brad Keselowski, Joey Logano, Denny Hamlin, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon are in based on winning a pole position last season
  • Kurt Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr in due to being previous Unlimited winners
  • Danica Patrick, Braindead Moron™, Martin Truex Jr and Greg Biffle for being former Daytona 500 pole-winners
  • Aric Almirola, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman for making the Chase last season
  • and Menard, Mears, Bowyer and Stenhouse Jr as mentioned
The format this year is a first segment of 25 laps when a competition caution will come, followed by a final 50 lap segment. And the starting order and pitroad positions will be decided by a random draw on Friday done by fans paired with the crew chiefs for the eligible drivers.
 
Lot of racecars got bent up in the Unlimited. Only 12 finishers! Congrats to Matt Kenseth on winning it, must be good to get back to Victory Lane after a winless '14 season.

Group qualifying produced a few talking points. Firstly, the front row is a Hendrick lockout with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson prevailing. Jeff's pole-winning lap is the 5th fastest Daytona pole lap ever.

Secondly, Clint Bowyer is mad as hell, and I can't say that I blame him. Reed Sorenson may not even make the Duels and the 500 now, his team don't have a backup car here.

Thirdly, couple of penalties handed down. Dale Earnhardt Jr's car failed post-qually inspection because it was running too low at the left front. All times disallowed, he'll start 25th in the first Duel. Denny Hamlin's car was found to be running a 3¾in split side-to-side on the track bar, the maximum allowed is 3in. He'll start 24th in the second Duel.

Qualifying results.
Duel line-ups.

Some cars are already locked into the race, some will have to race their way in through the Duels.

Locked in:

Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson - via pole qualifying
Aric Almirola, Ricky Stenhouse Jr, Braindead Moron™, Jamie McMurray - top qualifying speeds
Kevin Harvick, Ryan Newman, Denny Hamlin, Joey Logano, Brad Keselowski, Matt Kenseth - owner points
Tony Stewart - most recent champion provisional

Six drivers find themselves needing to race their way into the main event - Michael Annett, Ryan Blaney, Ron Hornaday Jr, Justin Marks, David Ragan and Reed Sorenson.
 
By the way, a full copy of the Unlimited has been put on Youtube. Not sure what the rules are on linking to it here (it's not on the official NASCAR channel), but it won't take much finding!
 
Junebug and Johnson won their respective Duels.

Duel 1 results.
Duel 2 results.

Barring any engine or car changes, this is how they'll line up for the 500. Going home are Ron Hornaday Jr, Josh Wise, Jeb Burton, Justin Marks, Alex Bowman and Brian Scott.

There was a frank-bordering-on-direct conversation between Danica Patrick and Denny Hamlin post-Duel 2, after once again Danica's car got turned by Denny. He thinks her car setup is way too loose, she thinks he's parking on her left-rear quarter panel and taking the downforce off the spoiler. Either way, time to fix whatever it is.

Trucks tonight. They'll qualify at 16:30 ET and race at 19:30.

Entry list.
 
Wow.....genuinely didn't think that they'd do this. NASCAR indefinitely suspends Kurt Busch in the wake of the restraining order that his former girlfriend obtained recently. He's out of the 500, out of the #41 car until further notice, out of NASCAR competition in it's entirety until further notice. No word yet from SHR over who will take over driving duties.

If you've not read a single thing about this case, it really makes for a confusing tale in parts - the accusation from Busch (under oath!) that Patty Driscoll is a trained assassin has to rate pretty high up on the insanity gauge....This one's gonna run and run.
 
Congrats to Tyler Reddick - his first national series win in only his 18th start!

14 trucks on the lead lap by the end, and only 21 finishers. That's Daytona for you.

***edit***

Re: SHR and Kurt Busch - Regan Smith will sub for this race, no decision yet on Atlanta onwards. Wonder if this really is the final straw with Busch's career?
 
Last edited:
Christ, it's a bad week to be a Busch brother. Kyle was racing in the Xfinity series race and involved in a multi-car crash that set him head-on into the inside retaining wall at a point where there's no SAFER barrier. He got out of the car, but he has a compound fracture in his right leg and a fracture in his left foot. He'll be out of NASCAR competition for some weeks. Matt Crafton will sub for him in the Cup race today.

It's one of those bad deals. There are SAFER barriers over most of this track. Physics managed to find Kyle a spot where there isn't one. The president of Daytona International Speedway said that his facility "failed to live up to its responsibility today" and work has been immediately started to get SAFER barriers put in place everywhere on the circuit. They should have tyre barriers in place for the Cup race later today, and SAFER barriers by the time they return later in the season.

Oh yeah, Ryan Reed won the race. Chris Buescher 2nd, Ty Dillon 3rd. Full results here. Video of Rowdy's crash is at the top of this article.
 
Congrats to Joey Logano on winning the Daytona 500 :)

Race results.

Daytona did it's Daytona thing, big wreck during the green-white-chequered that collected Jeff Gordon among others. He was left lamenting track position, having had a great first half to the race (indeed, he led the most laps all told).

Solid day for the subs - Regan Smith and Matt Crafton finishing 16th and 18th respectively. Contrasting fortunes for the other Penske car - Logano wins, Brad Keselowski's engine lets go 161 laps in. Having won two or three times at the other plate track in the calendar (Talladega) he's still not won at Daytona in 12 Cup starts. And Tony Stewart's record of not winning the Daytona 500 continues for another year - he got tight on lap 41 and wrecked. Smoke did rejoin the track after a lengthy spell getting repaired, but ended up retiring.

NASCAR.com said:
"It was fast enough to stay with the pack there," Stewart said. "I actually just stayed with Mike Wallace to try to help my buddy out there, but we ran as many laps as we could to get us to where we couldn't run any more laps and gain anything."

Apart from points, another reason Stewart decided to pull himself out was because of the nature of the race itself.

Superspeedway racing inherently lends itself to big wrecks. Kyle Busch was injured during Saturday's XFINITY Series season-opening Alert Today Florida 300 after a wreck, and Stewart thought there was no reason to take the chance for himself or his competitors.

"The biggest race of the year; the last thing we want to do is stay out there and have something else happen and get in the middle of something else," he said. "That's just letting those guys have their day now."
Click to expand...
 
Kevin Harvick took the victory in the Xfinity series race, his 45th in the series. And Matt Crafton simply blitzed the Truck series race, winning by over 8 seconds :eek:

Xfinity results
Truck results

Cup race later, and Joey Logano is on the pole fresh from his Daytona 500 victory. Qualifying turned into a bit of a mess - this is the first race with the new for '15 rules package (aero tweaks, slightly reduced engine power), lots of cars had to make a second pass through tech inspection and some big names ran out of time to qualify. Some were saved by owners points locking them into the field, some weren't so lucky. Michael Annett was one of them and would have been going home, but Brian Scott (who made it into qualifying and was going to start 32nd) is giving Annett his car for the race. Brian isn't running the full schedule and thus isn't running for points. Annett is, and although he won't get any owners points for this race it does at least mean he can get some drivers points today.

And news of a slightly more bizarre nature - Travis Kvapil's #44 Team Xtreme car got stolen at the start of the race weekend! The car was later found dumped, but by that time the team had withdrawn from the race. They're hoping to regroup in time for the race at Las Vegas.

Cup grid for the race later.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom