NASCAR Nationwide Series:
• Kyle Busch won yet another race in the NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the Dollar General 300. Sporting a pink-themed Monster Energy paint scheme in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Not only did Busch win, but he also donated all of his race winnings to the Pretty in Pink project. Your thoughts on the race?
Chris Knight: No doubt that after a winless 2012 season, Kyle Busch is back and in rare form in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. You could tell that the Pretty in Pink project really meant something to him and his wife, Samantha. That’s awesome for this sport.
It’s great when people, whether it be a driver or a team owner, who have greater blessings than others give back and make a difference. That’s what life should be about.
Adam Niemeyer: I didn’t get to see the race, but the comments I read made it seem like it was another Kyle Busch dominant performance in the Nationwide Series. Plus he swept the season at Charlotte in the Nationwide Series, and it was only his 11th win of the year. Dude is just good in the second-tier series.
Lori Tyler: Good run for Kyle Busch and a generous decision to donate winnings for a very important cause, really just shows how much he truly does care about things.
• It was a big weekend for Kyle Larson, who made his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series debut for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing driving the No. 51 Target Chevrolet SS. He also continued his full-time duties in the NASCAR Nationwide Series. Do you believe in the hype centered on the former NASCAR diversity driver?
Chris Knight: Without a doubt, Kyle Larson has talent. But, I’m just worried about him climbing the fence to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series too soon. I know that Jimmie Johnson had limited success in the Nationwide Series early in his career, but times are much different now.
I think under the leadership of EGR, Larson very well could be the next Jeff Gordon, but only time will tell. Nonetheless, I was very impressed with what I saw out of him in both races at Charlotte. I’m excited for him, but also nervous for him too.
Again, it’s one of those situations, where only time will reveal the end result.
Adam Niemeyer: I can’t buy the hype yet. Don’t get me wrong, Larson is a great driver, and he’s proven it this year in the Nationwide Series and in a few truck starts. But that’s it. He’s been in the Nationwide Series for this year and this year only. I’d love to give him at least another year in the Nationwide Series before he moves up. There’s no doubt 2014 will be a “baptism by fire” for the youngster in the Cup Series.
Lori Tyler: Kyle Larson certainly appears capable, and I an quite certain that if he continues in this direction, that he could definitely live up to or even exceed the hype that surrounds him.
• Still making news is Nelson Piquet Jr’s penalty for using a gay-slur towards fellow driver Parker Kligerman. While, Piquet insists that the slur was a joke, NASCAR did not take the incident lightly and penalized him $10,000.00 and ordered him to sensitivity training. Earlier in the year, Jeremy Clements was suspended for two races for using a racial slur. Do you agree with Piquet’s penalty?
Chris Knight: First, let me say this, I like Nelson Piquet Jr. a lot. I’ve had some very good conversations with him and I really believe he is a good International ambassador for the sport.
However, I think his comments were completely out of line and very much in the same fixture and content of Jeremy Clements. NASCAR’s inconsistency to penalize Piquet Jr. for similar infractions just leaves me shaking my head.
In my eyes, I believe that what Nelson did may actually have been a little worse, knowing how many NASCAR fans and members of the Gay community could have seen it. Just not a good situation.
I’m almost positive that Nelson learned a lot from this incident, but in my eyes, he was handed a “Get Out Of Jail Free” card, by not sitting out Charlotte or Texas.
NASCAR should give Jeremy Clements max points for his missed races to make up for their inconsistency, but I know that will never happen. Still nice to dream though.
Adam Niemeyer: Remember what I said earlier about NASCAR being inconsistent? Well, it applies here too it seems. It’s almost as if NASCAR is OK with the gay slur but drew a hard line with the racist remark earlier this year. And Piquet’s Twitter back-and-forth where he told one fan something like “Hey bud this isn’t the 1950s anymore” certainly didn’t help his cause either. I think he’ll live and learn from this and I think no matter what the outcome we all learned that some “jokes” are better left unsaid.
Lori Tyler: Yes. Agree or disagree, this sport must maintain a positive public image. This clearly puts a negative spin on that increasingly important public image. When the public is watching, and millions of dollars are on the line, drivers are going to have to realize that their words and actions have consequence. Here’s just another example.
• Just three races left on the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series schedule, who will win the championship in your opinion? Who are you most impressed with? Most disappointed in this year?
Chris Knight: Like Adam, I also have my money on Austin Dillon. At this point, it’s his championship to lose, especially with two intermediate tracks on deck. Those are Austin’s killing points as far as I’m concerned.
Sam Hornish Jr. has been impressive and cannot be written off by any means, but they are in for the fight of their life over the next three races. They can do it for sure, but that No. 3 is going to be intimidating as hell coming down to Homestead-Miami Speedway. If Hornish Jr. does become the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, I would expect NASCAR to jump-in and help him find a ride for 2014.
I’ve been impressed with Brian Scott at RCR. He’s been incredibly solid and close to victory twice, something we never saw with him at Joe Gibbs Racing. Scott easily could sneak in a win before year’s end.
As far as disappointment, I think it’s a toss-up between Trevor Bayne and Elliott Sadler. While Bayne has a win at Iowa Speedway, his inconsistency on the track has really boggled my mind this year. For Sadler, many thought that the move to JGR would be that of somewhat similar to Matt Kenseth, but for whatever reason the has yet to materialize.
It definitely would not look good on the sport if you had the reigning champion (in any division) sitting on the sidelines.
Adam Niemeyer: I think the title is Austin Dillon’s to lose. He’s been good all year, as has Sam Hornish Jr., but Dillon has had a better stretch run here in the past two months. I’m very impressed with Brian Scott this year. He’s had multiple chances to win races (including Indianapolis). I’m disappointed in Trevor Bayne and Brian Vickers more than anyone else. They haven’t had many DNFs this year but just haven’t had the finishes they’ve needed to compete for the title. That surprises me.
NASCAR Camping World Truck Series:
• The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series returns to action this weekend at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Will this be the best race of the weekend and who do you have your eye on?
Chris Knight: Much like the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, I’m anxious to see the trucks in action on Saturday afternoon for the same reason. It’s probably going to be one of the most exciting races of the season, so I hope if you’re not able to be at the track, you’ll be glued to Fox Sports 1, because I feel it will be a race you won’t want to miss.
I’m really focused on Ross Chastain this weekend. He is very hungry and has done a superb job for Brad Keselowski Racing this season. I think he’s going to be one to watch and someone you’ll have to contend with for the trophy.
James Buescher, Brendan Gaughan, Johnny Sauter and maybe even someone like Clay Greenfield or Chris Fontaine may get up there and try to steal the win. If you qualify for the race, you have a shot.
Adam Niemeyer: I’ve always said to people that don’t follow NASCAR the Truck Series is one of the most interesting races you’ll ever watch because there’s about 15-20, maybe 25, trucks and teams that have enough funding to run for wins and everyone else falls behind early. But even with that gap between first and last, the racing up front is always entertaining. And it seems someone new wins every other week. Will they put on the best show this weekend? I don’t know. But will it be worth your time to watch them? Probably.
Lori Tyler: Talladega is always exciting! These truck races are so competitive, it’s hard to predict. We will just have to watch and see! Don’t be surprised if you see a first-time winner though, it happened last year and it’s bound to happen again.
• Is this Matt Crafton’s championship? Do you think he will hold them off and win his first title for him and ThorSport Racing?
Chris Knight: Let’s be frank, Matt Crafton has had an unbelievable year for ThorSport Racing. 16 top-10 finishes in 17 races is nothing to be ashamed of. With five races left, Crafton holds a 41-point lead, but one or two bad races and Buescher could be right back in the thick of this championship chase.
Crafton has some wild card races ahead of him, Talladega and Martinsville in particular. James Buescher, however isn’t afraid to put it out all on the line and I expect him to hold nothing back till Homestead. I think Buescher will win another race before season’s end.
Buescher and Michael Shelton will not go quietly into the night and Buescher’s driving style is a little more aggressive in my opinion than Crafton’s, which could be to his benefit.
Whoever wins the championship, I don’t think it will be decided until the conclusion of the Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Adam Niemeyer: Matt Crafton not only will have to face serious trouble this weekend to let others back in the championship race, but he’ll pretty much have to tank in the other two races as well. I think we’ll see Matt Crafton raising the trophy on Friday Nov. 15 in Homestead.
Lori Tyler: It would be great to see Matt grab his first championship. I think he will certainly give his all, and this just may be the year he pulls it off.
• Todd Bodine has been on the sidelines since Pocono (Pa.) Raceway in August. He is a two-time NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion, who has still proven he can win races, yet the sponsorship hasn’t materialized to allow him to race. Do you feel that Bodine will return or retire?
Chris Knight: Todd Bodine has done a lot for the sport, especially the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series and manufacturer, Toyota.
It truly is a shame that he is on the sidelines, especially heading into Saturday’s fred’s 250 at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway, a place where Bodine is always a threat. There are a lot of drivers fighting the sponsorship problem, no matter what their age, but I feel Bodine will race again. I’m just not sure if it will be a full schedule or not. I would hope it would be, but only time will tell.
Bodine can still win, he’s proven that this year, despite his results. I think if you put him in the right situation, he will excel. I would like to see him get one last shot at a good ride in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, preferably at Daytona or Talladega. I would like to see Bodine join his brothers as winners in NASCAR’s top series.
When (and if) Bodine is ready to hang up the helmet for good, he will be a great mentor, driver coach, spotter, whatever for any of these up and coming drivers, so I don’t look for him to exit the NASCAR door anytime soon.
Adam Niemeyer: Todd Bodine, Mark Martin, Jeff Burton, Bobby Labonte and so many other great, yet older drivers seem to be on the outside looking in right now. It’s so hard because I’ve grown up as a Mark Martin fan, and I like the older guys, but at the same time I’m a younger guy that likes seeing all this new talent blossom and grow into the sport. I hope he can get some funding to come back and race and prove to everyone he’s still got it. Because I think he’s still got it. Heck, I think all of those older guys still have it. They just need a chance. We’ll see if anyone gives them a shot.
Lori Tyler: I hate to even contemplate questions like this, but with sponsorship dollars as hard to secure as they are in today’s economy, it may be an uphill battle for him. Who knows, maybe he will surprise us all and announce a deal for next season. A lot of people like Todd and I’m not ready to see him out of the scene for good.
Thanks for reading, enjoy Talladega!
