Welcome to this week’s edition of “He Said, She Said”, where members of the racing community sound off on a variety of topics in the Motorsports community.
This year’s panel includes current writers and editors and a former driver providing a plethora of angles from all forms of the industry.
This week’s edition includes a look back at the NASCAR action at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway, plus our thoughts on some news and driver discussions and a preview of this week’s events for the season finale at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway.
The 2013 Panel:
Ross Bynum (@theRossBynum): Ross Bynum, a frequent contributor to Queers4Gears joins CATCHFENCE.com exclusively to offer his opinions on varying topics. His in-depth reporting and analysis on the IndyCar series as well, makes him a welcome fit to the He Said, She Said panel.
Erin Crocker Evernham (@CrockerErin): Erin Crocker is no stranger to racing. A veteran and prominent winner of the USAC tour, she is the only female driver to win an ARCA Superspeedway challenge championship. She also has starts in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and Nationwide Series. She is the wife to former crew chief and team owner Ray Evernham.
Kelly Crandall (@KellyCrandall): Kelly Crandall is a current managing editor at Popular Speed and columnist with Speedway Media. She joins the panel as a guest contributor.
Roger Holtsclaw (@rogerholtsclaw): Roger Holtsclaw is the Managing Editor of ONPITROAD.com and Assistant Editor of SPEEDWAYMEDIA.com. Roger spent several years as a NASCAR crew member in the top three national touring series and twenty years as a short track racer in the southeast. He joins the panel as a guest contributor.
Chris Knight (@Knighter01): Chris Knight is the assistant news editor, senior staff writer and director of driver communications for CATCHFENCE.com. In addition to those roles, he is also known for his public relations duties for a variety of different race teams and an active motorsports sponsor.
Adam Niemeyer (@adamniemeyer): Adam Niemeyer is a NASCAR-affiliate based in Ohio with experience in reporting and writing for multiple news network in the Indiana and Southern Ohio area. He also has his own NASCAR-blog.
Cary Strome (@CaryStrome): Returning to CATCHFENCE.com after a seven year absence as a staff writer, Cary Strome joins the He Said, She Said panel for his insight on the latest happenings.
Lori Tyler (@lorityler): Lori Tyler is a long-time staff writer at CATCHFENCE.com and one of the original contributors to “He Said, She Said.”
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series:
• Kevin Harvick took advantage of Carl Edwards misfortune Sunday afternoon at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway on the final lap of the Advocare 500k netting his fourth win of the season and ultimately mathematically keeping him a contender for the championship with one race to go. Thoughts on the race?
Ross Bynum: At least Jimmie Johnson didn’t run away with it!
Kelly Crandall: It was a competitive race but lacked in excitement until the final lap. There were many different leaders from Harvick and Edwards to Gordon and Logano, yet it never seemed that any driver was in control and had the race locked up. But besides the two times that Jimmie Johnson should have waded his car up – Busch gave him a break the first time, his driving skill saved him the second – there was really nothing memorable about this Phoenix race, which is a shame because the last two years this race had plenty of those moments.
Chris Knight: Carl Edwards without a doubt had nothing to lose and everything to gain and unfortunately for him, this time it didn’t pan out. Kevin Harvick though was consistent all day and had one of the strongest cars – if not the strongest car in the field for sure. I agree with Adam, I was expecting more hype going into the race and it never really materialized.
I wasn’t expecting fireworks like we saw with Jeff Gordon and Clint Bowyer, but I was expecting some drama. I guess they are saving it for Homestead this weekend.
Adam Niemeyer: Honestly, I thought the race lacked a lot of drama. Perhaps that’s because Matt Kenseth was terrible all day and despite the fuel strategies playing out at the end there wasn’t much excitement in the final 60 or so laps.
• We saw Matt Kenseth have his worst performance of the Chase on Sunday afternoon with a 23rd place finish after the Joe Gibbs Racing struggled with the handling of the No. 20 Dollar General Toyota Camry. Some say the Nationwide race was a distraction. Do you think that was the case?
Ross Bynum: No, I think the Nationwide race would’ve helped. Although the cars are different to an extent, they can help the drivers understand how the track will change over the distance of a race. I think it would’ve been worse had he not raced in the Nationwide race.
Kelly Crandall: Absolutely not and I thought it was hypocritical that ESPN brought it up on the broadcast. You never hear them criticize Kyle Busch, Kevin Harvick, Brad Keselowski or even Carl Edwards, when they would run Nationwide races about how it affected their Cup efforts. Busch is constantly praised for it and how it’ll be beneficial to get the track time. So when they started blasting Kenseth and saying that’s why he was running so poorly, I was very displeased.
The 20 team just had a bad race. It happens. It’s just unfortunate that it happened in such a critical part of the Chase but I highly doubt that their car being that bad was because Kenseth was running Saturday’s race. They just missed the setup and paid the price.
Chris Knight: I was so surprised by the effort of Matt Kenseth and the entire Joe Gibbs Racing crew at Phoenix. It really hasn’t been like them to be as “out to lunch” as they were last weekend. It seems no matter what they did to adjust the No. 20 Toyota Camry, the car would not react. They missed the setup big time and may have paid the ultimate price, their legitimate shot at the championship.
To touch on the Nationwide deal too – you could not convince me to sway my opinion. I don’t think the Nationwide race had anything to do with it. Matt really, truly didn’t miss that much time with the Cup car because of his Nationwide effort and honestly Joe Gibbs Racing must feel the same way, because he is also running the Nationwide race on Saturday at Homestead as well.
Adam Niemeyer: No. I don’t think it was as big of a distraction as many would think. Didn’t Kevin Harvick run in the Nationwide Series race on Saturday too? Turned out pretty well for him. So I don’t buy into that theory that he was distracted on the Cup side by the Nationwide race.
• The buzz in the garage area at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway was that Jeff Burton has been rumored to drive the third part-time car at Michael Waltrip Racing in 2014. Your intake on the rumor?
Ross Bynum: I think Jeff Burton would be wise to take the opportunity. He won’t be in a full-time, top ride in 2014. Why ride around in the back for a few years tarnishing your career? At MWR he will still have a chance to win races, and he just may enjoy himself again.
Kelly Crandall: It honestly sounds like it would be the perfect scenario for Burton as it seems as though he doesn’t want to run full-time next year as he prepares to start pulling out of the sport to take on other adventures. Running part-time, in a decent car like MWR, is the best case for Burton. There aren’t many other decent rides out there and he’ll be competitive with MWR and not just ride around and consider 15th a good day. If this turns out to be a truthful rumor, it’s a good decision by Burton and MWR.
Chris Knight: You would think that Mark Martin would have first dibs for the partial deal in the No. 56 car next season, but it doesn’t appear he really wants to do any racing. With a handful of drivers available for the seat next season, Jeff Burton is a good fit. Not only is his feedback good and consistent, but I think he still has it inside him to win. Something, I feel like Bobby Labonte has as well.
If Burton does sign with MWR, I would not expect it to be a long-term deal, as I feel the direction with Burton will take him to the booth or expert panel with NBC in 2015.
Adam Niemeyer: As a long-time Mark Martin fan I was more concerned with Mark’s announcement but know that Mark, Jeff Burton and Bobby Labonte, in whatever roles they may fill in 2014, will be around the sport. Jeff Burton needs to be involved. He’s so well spoken. And if he wants to drive for MWR, I say let him.
• Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway will mark the end of an era between Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing. Together, they’ve enjoyed a lot of success, but also faced controversy. Still, they’ve made the partnership work. Your take on this turbulent, but dynamic relationship.
Ross Bynum: It’s only fitting that an opportunity born of tragedy has been so turbulent. Despite various controversies, Harvick is a great driver and certainly keeps things interesting on the track. I just think the relationship had run its course. It is time for both parties to move on to, hopefully, greener pastures…plus the Dillon boys need rides. :)
Kelly Crandall: This is something that I wrote about this past week for Popular Speed and I said that these two have been through more in their career together than most in NASCAR. It was a relationship that was born from tragedy but built on success. They’ve fought like family and they’ve succeeded like family and that’s normal. Harvick and Childress are very much alike in their personalities, they love what they do and will fight to defend themselves and their beliefs. So, when they clash it results in the ugliness that we saw at Martinsville but never once did I feel it was genuine. Heat of the moment and the way these two acted after their Phoenix win and how they talked about their relationship and career, that was the real Harvick and Childress bond and it’s nice to see it ending on a happier note because Martinsville was just a good story.
Chris Knight: In a sense, the Richard Childress and Kevin Harvick partnership should have never worked. But, Richard and Kevin let each other be themselves, no matter what the scenario. Because of that, they have been able to work through hard times and smile during the good times.
Obviously, their friendship may have sunken to a level of jeopardy at Martinsville last month with his comments about the Grandsons, but time heals all wounds and I think we’ll look back on that in a couple of years and agree.
The bottom line is they respect one another and that’s been the key ingredient in making the relationship work, which ultimately has resulted in wins.
Adam Niemeyer: Well, I’ve never been much of a Harvick fan (see above comments about me being a Mark Martin fan, and as much as I try to be an unbiased media member, the “fan” part of my life still can’t get over the 2007 Daytona 500, I’m sorry) but he, like Greg Biffle, Carl Edwards or Denny Hamlin, has been on the cusp of winning the title a few times. Why he couldn’t make it work is beyond me, and probably has something to do with Jimmie Johnson being so dominant too.
• The Ford 400 is set for this upcoming Sunday. Someone will be crowned a champion and someone will go to victory lane. What do you expect in the season finale?
Ross Bynum: Jimmie Johnson will be champion. *Yawn*
Kelly Crandall: Without a miracle by Matt Kenseth or even Kevin Harvick, it’ll be Jimmie Johnson winning another championship. Kenseth and Harvick will run well, Phoenix was a fluke for that 20 team, but it’s not going to be enough to take the title away from Johnson. History is happening before our eyes and he’s going to be one closer to the great Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty. That’s what everyone should expect and accept in terms of the championship.
But the race is still up for grabs and this could very well be the weekend that Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally gets to Victory Lane. He tested here, he’s run well here and he’s just due to close it out. There’s also Carl Edwards who also runs well at Homestead, trying to shake off the bitter Phoenix defeat. Honestly, Homestead is always a race that I look at as a crapshoot, anyone can win this race because no one has anything to lose since the season is over and everyone wants to head into the offseason a winner.
Chris Knight: It’s going to be hard to say what exactly we will see on Sunday. Matt has to give no mercy in order to even have a remote chance of grabbing the championship from Jimmie Johnson. Kevin Harvick will also be in that same boat.
I think you’ll see the likely contenders, while I’m keeping my eye on Denny Hamlin and Martin Truex Jr. as potential sleepers.
Adam Niemeyer: Jeff Gluck said it best: “It’s Jimmie Johnson’s world, we’re just living in it.” So there won’t be much drama on the title hunt front. I’m interested to see who ends 2013 on a strong note. Jeff Gordon won the race last year and rode some momentum into this season. Can someone do that again for the 2013-2014 offseason?
NASCAR Nationwide Series:
• Kyle Busch recorded an amazing 12th win of the season Saturday afternoon at Phoenix (Ariz.) International Raceway in dominant fashion. Thoughts on the race?
Ross Bynum: I assumed he was going to win so I didn’t bother watching. A decision well-made I’d say.
Kelly Crandall: This might have been one the most calm and uncompetitive races this season, to put it that way. We’re used to Busch running away with wins but the race as a whole wasn’t anything to remember. It was a solid day for Austin Dillon, which he needed to protect his point lead, while Sam Hornish Jr. had to dig out of a hole again. Other than that, what was there to talk about?
Chris Knight: In all honesty, did you expect much less? The two-point contenders put on a good show, especially with Austin Dillon and Justin Allgaier coming to the white flag, but other than that – it really was the Kyle Busch show.
Adam Niemeyer: Well, it sounded like another Kyle Busch beat down. Move along folks, not much to see here.
• With just eight points separating Austin Dillon and Sam Hornish Jr., in your opinion, who would you like to see win the championship and why?
Ross Bynum: I’m totally Team Hornish. I’m partial to the former open-wheel champion, and he’s certainly had some rough days since changing to tin-tops. Plus, I just can’t stand the Dillon boys. Never mind that they somewhat bratty and spoiled, those cowboy hats are just unbearable. Make it stop!
Kelly Crandall: Either one is going to be a good story because as I talked to Dillon about in Charlotte, a winless Nationwide Series champion would be a first in NASCAR history. And as he moves to the Cup Series in 2014 it gives him titles in both series that he graduated from. He’ll join Greg Biffle in the Cup Series as a driver trying to win all three national championships.
But, I can’t help but silently root for Sam Hornish Jr. He’s just a great story and we don’t know what his NASCAR future is going to be. Dillon is set for life, let’s be honest. He’s going to be in this sport and in good cars. Hornish on the other hand, is fighting to just say in NASCAR right now and a championship would be nice to see him add to his resume. Already an IndyCar legend, Hornish could become one of the few drivers in motorsports history to come to NASCAR and not only succeed but become a champion. That’s a great story.
Chris Knight: For me, it’s hard, because I’m a fan of both Austin Dillon and Sam Hornish Jr. I think both would be a great champion in this sport, but if statistics speak for themselves, I’m leaning on Dillon to persevere and be crowned the 2013 champion.
I think however what would be more mind-boggling if Dillon takes the championship honor will be doing so without winning a race in the season. Of course, he’ll have a shot on Saturday. It will go to show everyone that you don’t have to win in order to secure a championship, you just have to be consistent.
There’s nothing hiding around the fact that Sam Hornish Jr. could surprise us all and net the championship in his final ride for Penske Racing. With the points so tight, the race is going to be intriguing to watch, so I invite you to stay tuned!
Adam Niemeyer: While I don’t have a rooting interest here I can justify the choice for either driver. I would love to see Austin Dillon win the title because it would prove he is actually a good racecar driver and has a lot of talent. I would love to see Sam Hornish win it to prove that he can drive a stock car and be a championship caliber driver like we all know he can be.
• Who needs to end their season a high note at Homestead on Saturday?
Ross Bynum: Anyone not named Busch or Dillon.
Kelly Crandall: There are two drivers who come to mind: Elliott Sadler and Parker Kligerman. For Sadler, this season has not gone as anyone predicted and there hasn’t been a whole lot to write home about. He’s winless but sitting in the top five in points so the best for him this weekend is to go out and have a great race. Meaning contending for the win and making sure he finishes in the top five in points.
For Kligerman, it’s all about keeping the positive attention on him as he tries to find a ride for 2014. He’s sitting 10th in points but could move up a few more spots depending on how he runs and he needs a solid, competitive race to make sure people are paying attention to what he can do behind the wheel. The other good thing is that he’ll be running another Cup race, too, and he performed quite impressive in his debut a few weeks ago. Kligerman needs to keep impressing so he can lock a job up for the future.
Chris Knight: I really feel someone like Elliott Sadler and Parker Kligerman need a good run going into the Saturday afternoon’s season finale. By their standards, I feel like that these are two guys who expected and wanted more out of their prospective rides.
Sadler is going to stay with JGR and return to Nationwide next year and with Kligerman’s future uncertain, I would expect he’s going to give everything he has.
I think two other drivers looking to close out their season on a high-note: Michael Annett and Kyle Larson. Both have shown some speed and of course, Larson has big things lined up for the future, but both have been blasted with some bad luck in the final stretch and need to head into the off-season with some much needed momentum.
Adam Niemeyer: I would like to see Trevor Bayne step it up. Bayne and Elliott Sadler have been surprisingly average this year in a year where they were supposed to contend for the Nationwide crown. I think those two drivers need to step up and perform in the Ford 300 on Saturday.
• The Ford 300 on deck Saturday afternoon. Who do you like? Any surprises?
Kelly Crandall: Expecting nothing more than a battle between Kyle Busch and Joey Logano, who will be back in the 22 for Penske Racing. Dillon will run as he needs to in order to protect the championship but he’s not going to push it too far and try to win the race. Busch and Logano are each trying to lock up the owner’s championship for their team.
Has there been any indication that this weekend will be any different than what the whole season has seen? Yet, if we’re going to hold out hope that the season finale will be different, just remember that Regan Smith came out of nowhere last year to win in his first race with his new team. Who knows, maybe someone we least expect can do the same this year.
Chris Knight: Of course, Kyle Busch is an obvious pick, but I feel like that Penske Racing is going to be a factor also. Brad Keselowski is entered in the No. 48 and if push-comes-to-shove, Keselowski could offer some payback for their run-in at Kansas Speedway.
Heck, we keep pointing at the Cup guys to be factors, but someone like Brian Scott, Austin Dillon or Kyle Larson could surprise them all and strut their stuff to win the Ford EcoBoost 300.
Adam Niemeyer: It wouldn’t shock me to see Logano and Keselowski battling for the lead at the end. I’m rooting for Parker Kligerman to make some noise here in the final race of the year too.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series:
• Erik Jones scored the win on Friday night in the Lucas Oil 150, becoming the youngest winner ever in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series, surpassing Chase Elliott who took that honor in Canada. Your thoughts on the race?
Kelly Crandall: This has been one of the best seasons in CWTS history. The talent that is in that series right now is quite impressive and they are all drivers who will be the future of this sport. From Chase Elliott to Jeb Burton then Bubba Wallace and now Erik Jones, and they all keep getting younger!
Jones did an impressive job in that KBM truck, he was in the right equipment and he showed what he’s capable of. That win will certainly help keep him around for a while.
Chris Knight: No doubt that Erik Jones has been able to accomplish a lot in a very limited time. He is a good young man, with a lot of racing on his horizon. I think he impressed everyone at Phoenix the most, because he had never been there before.
The past month has been quite big for Kyle Busch Motorsports and it may be evident that Kyle Busch won’t be the top gun at that organization for long.
Adam Niemeyer: It never hurts to have young talent in the sport and the late race battle between Jones and Ross Chastain was good. Jones looked like a natural on Friday evening, especially late in the race.
• Darrell Wallace Jr. came under some scrutiny for his actions in a practice crash with another competitor on Thursday night. Your intake of the situation?
Kelly Crandall: Being frustrated in one thing, embarrassing yourself and coming off as better than another driver is a different thing. That was my initial reaction to Wallace’s actions. It certainly seemed like he was there punching the other driver, although it’s being passed off as slapping him. Either way, Wallace had a right to be upset when you’re wrecked in practice, especially but a much slower truck. However, he went a little too far in my opinion and coming off the big win a few weeks ago and all the attention that’s been on him, it made him look like it was all going to his head and he deserved to have Frewaldt pull over for him.
Chris Knight: Believe me, I can feel for Darrell Wallace Jr. But, after the incident I left myself asking – “What was he thinking?” A lot on the line and to lose your cool for a driver that you won’t see, but maybe once a year. I feel like maybe Bubba crossed the line as his actions could have been deemed “bullish,” but he expressed remorse about the situation almost immediately. So, you take the “heat of the moment” factor into the situation.
In all retrospect, Thursday night’s incident took a slice in his bid for Rookie of the Year honors and might have been the “kiss of death.” Only time will tell. We’ll see.
If Darrell Wallace Jr. could go back and change what happened, he would.
Adam Niemeyer: I think it’s a matter of learning when to pick your battles. Wallace is good, and fast, and probably could have taken a different line in the corner to avoid the slower truck. He’ll learn in due time when to try and run hard and when it’s best to scrap a run or miss a line in practice for one lap to save a truck from getting damaged.
• Ron Hornaday Jr. says he was informed minutes before the race on Friday night that he would not drive the No. 9 NTS Motorsports Chevrolet Silverado at Homestead. Turner Scott Motorsports has stepped up to field an entry for him, instead. Nelson Piquet Jr. is rumored to replace Hornaday in the seat. The whole situation seems bizarre, what do you think?
Kelly Crandall: Certainly seems bizarre and out of nowhere. Hornaday and that team fight for everything they earned the last few years and he seemed to fit in well there. Then they just kick him out with no explanation as to why, which leaves us all to wonder and speculate. Either way, Hornaday’s out and it’s great that Turner Scott is going to give him a ride for the season finale. The question is what does he do for 2014?
Chris Knight: We’re not behind the actual doors of NTS Motorsports, so we don’t know what truly happened. There is a lot of “He Said, He Said” about the split, but both parties have moved on and the main factor is that Hornaday will race on Friday night pairing with Turner Scott Motorsports in a sixth truck.
I do however find it odd and bizarre that a Turner Scott Motorsports driver would end up in a NTS truck and NTS driver end up in a TSM piece. A little strange, don’t you believe?
Adam Niemeyer: Ron Hornaday has basically been in the truck series since it got its start in the mid-1990s. He hasn’t won a race since 2011, and hasn’t been producing consistent finishes with his No. 9 team, so you could say they were justified in letting him go. Nelson Piquet has been running in the Nationwide Series this year, so it seems strange to step back into the trucks for this one race.
• Ross Chastain has built a name for himself this season in the NCWTS. Is he a face that you would like to see around for a long time?
Kelly Crandall: Absolutely and he’s proven that in just the 13 races he’s run this year. He’s led over 200 laps in those races with two poles and a couple runner-up finishes. He’s well deserving of a ride in the series and he’s a kid that could go on to become a winner and champion. It’s a shame that he doesn’t have a ride for 2014 and I hope that changes soon.
Chris Knight: I think Ross Chastain will end up somewhere in 2014, but where remains to be seen. While, I think Chastain is a refreshing face for the tour, he isn’t going to get a chance to really strut his stuff, unless he brings the dollars with him.
I hate to say that, but that’s reality at least for right now. I will say I’m really proud of Ross stepping up to the plate in 2013 like he has. The move to Brad Keselowski Racing has paid off in allowing the Florida native to showcase his talent. I hope wherever he moves next season, it’s with a race-winning caliber organization.
No doubt, he’s the future of the sport.
Adam Niemeyer: Ross Chastain will add his name to the list of young stars that need a little bit of time and some more guidance but will probably be around the sport for a long time if he catches a break or two. He’s shown he’s capable of contending for race wins in the BKR trucks this year.
• Season-finale on deck this weekend, the Ford 200. Matt Crafton will win the championship by taking the green flag. Who are you keeping your eye on?
Kelly Crandall: What a great accomplishment for Crafton and that ThorSport team, they’ve been constant in the CWTS for many, many years and work very hard with such great respect from their competitors. It’ll be nice to celebrate a new champion in the series.
But to close down the season this race is almost like the Cup race as I mentioned earlier: anything can happen and there have been some crazy moments in this race. Last year there was a great finish between Cale Gale and Kyle Busch and with the championship not on the line this Friday, it’s all about winning and with the trucks putting on a great show every weekend, this should be a great Friday night race to start the weekend.
Chris Knight: Quite possibility, this could be one of the best races of the weekend, without question. I think you’ll see your normal suspects at the top, but I see someone like Ross Chastain or even Ben Kennedy trying to come in and steal the spotlight.
Cale Gale is the defending champion and is backed by Turner Scott Motorsports this year, so he should be good as well.
For Matt Crafton, this is his moment, his spotlight, his honor. Congratulations to him and the entire ThorSport Racing bunch. With all of the hard work and their relentless effort that they will become the 2013 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion!
Adam Niemeyer: For some reason I’ve been pretty on fire lately with my Truck Series picks. Something tells me that it’s Johnny Sauter’s chance to close out the season the way he started it: with a win in the state of Florida.
Thanks for reading!
