So here we are, with 8 races down in 2011. I think we're getting an idea right now of where everyone is and who will be the championship contenders. Jimmie is back to 2nd in points, showing that he is still someone to contend with, even though Hendrick is arguably having a bit of an off year... I still say they're good, but not great. Hendrick made a very impressive showing at Talladega, but where have they been on the short tracks and intermediates this year? They've just been floating around with top 10 cars... nto top 5 cars or winning cars. I think they're abotu to turn a corner though.

This year has also seen the comeback of Dale Earnhardt Jr.!!!! The guy sits 3rd in points after 8 races, and at this point, it's no fluke. Little E had some of that enthusiasm back in the post race interviews at Talladega, and he's going to what in the beginning of his career was one of his better tracks: Richmond.

So if Hendrick is just "good" this year, who is great? Well, this is the year of the RCR Chevrolets and the Roush Ford's as far as I am concerned. The Ford's seem to have the intermediates figured out, with RCR right on their tails, but RCR has been good everywhere else. The two teams have more wins between them any other team at this point, they've got a lot of their cars in the top 10.... and Hendrick is probably just a few races away from turning this thing around and being a great team and end up back on the top of the sport again.

So who's good and who's great begs the question: who is bad? Toyota haters rejoice, because Gibbs cars will not win a championship this year, nor will they win many races unless they get things squared away over there. Kyle Busch showed a flash of brilliance at Texas for awhile, and he won Bristol, a short track, but everywhere else... even if you factor out their engine problems, they're still not quite where htey should be. Yeah, Kyle dominated California, but his win was overshadowed when the Chevrolets got it together at the end, and it was also overshadowed by Denny's engine problems. And the thing about the main two Toyota guys is that both have a tendency to just throw their team under the hauler when things go sour. However, this year, I really think we have begun to see a little bit of this "New Kyle Busch" that he has been trying to brand to us for a few years... he has actually been a little bit more mature this year..... maybe he's married and settling down a little now.

And look who has come from nowhere.... the Petty team!!! They're not running great... they're hardly even running good.... they have the intermediates figured out, just like hte Ford's, and when the Chase rolls around, that will be big for them because so many intermediates are in the chase now, especially with Chicagoland added now. Roush admitted the used some of Petty's front end geometry to get to where they are now. It's a crazy season right now. And by the way... speaking of Petty, has anyone looked at who the official owner of the 21 is on NASCAR.com? How come Petty owns his famed 43 and his famed rival, the 21? Kind of quirky.

So it's a classic Ford vs. Chevy show down this season, guys. May the best team win!

And please, post your own thoughts on 2011....

 

Hi `Duane, I have nothing to add but my thanks for your time/expertise & dedication to your NASCAR Member's thread...Thanks for making it fun & exciting. Congrat's on being #1 in the MCF NASCAR Contest 4-Sure

 

I agree with everything the famed historian said. RCR is on a roll and looking good except for the 31 Burton team. Has he passed his peak? Should he run for governor of Virginia or something? His team has been a disappointment this year. While Menard has looked good. Harvick I think is the man who will challenge and hopefully put an end to Jimmy's drive for another.

 

I definitely agree on the whole Burton thing. This guy seems to have reached the Dale Jarrett/Bill Elliott stage of his career where they just can't seem to have any luck and can't seem to get anything done anymore. It's weird how that happens.... there have been times lately where Jeff Gordon looks like he is slipping into that stage. Ironically enough, Burton just signed a contract extension too!

http://www.nascar.com/news/110419/jb...ion/index.html

I think I was too harsh on Hendrick.... I mean, 2 cars in the top 3 in points is big really. They've been good on the flat tracks... they had cars contending at Martinsville, which is historically the best Hendrick track, and Gordon won Phoenix, another flat track. The thing is, where were they at Las Vegas and Texas? They were good... not great. With several mile and a half intermediate tracks in the chase, Hendrick needs to get their program together for these tracks by the end of the year. I think they realize that too, and I think they're going to turn a corner this season somewhere and Jimmie will be contending for #6 unfortunately.

 

Definately not enough praise for Hendricks! All 4 drivers are flirting with the championshio - no other team can say that. Martins out right now, but that will likely remedy. Harvick is clearly hot for RCR, but Bowyer only lukewarm. Burton is cold and Menard is spiralling into the crapper. Roush in on, but won't achieve Hendrick status till they lose their Menard - by that I mean David Ragan

 

`ed to put on Page 1

Sprint Cup
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NEXT Sprint`Cup RACE: Richmond 7:30 p.m. ET April 30

============================================
Until then:
Camping World tonight
|
NEXT RACE: Nashville
-
8 p.m. ET Friday

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Nationwide
|
NEXT RACE: Nashville
-
3 p.m. ET Saturday

 

Below posted for our MCF NASCAR Historian `Duane.
Happy Easter from the MCF & thanks
==========================================
NationWide Results +more


Victory Lane: Edwards celebrates second win of 2011


Final Laps: Edwards strums his way to Victory Lane



Post-Race Reactions: Drivers reflect on Nashville 300



Little give-and-take between leaders in the Music City

26

Caraviello: Race for survival for original Nashville track

925

Busch dominates, wins Truck Series race at Nashville

 

Yesterday, during post race interviewing, Carl said that the trophy guitar would be auctioned with the money going to charity.



It takes 150 man-hours to make one of those Nashville Les Paul Gibson trophy guitars. I don't know how much money it will fetch but I know a thing of beauty when I see it. Thousands of dollars will go to a good cause , thats for sure.

Or you could do it the Pyle Buschit way:

... and the guy couldn't even get it done.
They cut the thing up with a saw eventually

 

`Space 2 `Brent (jrcar) ~> Contact ~> Thank U ~*
Happy Easter : )~*LOL

 

I know a lot of people believed that Pyle O'Bulschit proved the moron he was when he bashed that trophy. He ended up giving a piece of it to all the people on his team..... whcih I would love to have a splinter as a gift, thanks.

One last thought... the media is biased for the Ford's, that is all there is to it. They make a lot of that new FR9 engine... but I think the Earnhardt-Childress Chevrolet engine package is one to watch out for.... every week it seems like one of those guys climbs out of his car talking about how great the ECR package is is. They were the strongest cars at Talladega too! And Clint Bowyer was giving Matt Kenseth a run for the money at the end of Texas.