News and Views – Volume 1

For the Week of November 14, 2011, volume 1

With this introduction of News and Views, Fan4Racing is realizing it’s vision to create a place for fans to express themselves on current racing events. News and Views will present the current topics for discussion from the previous weekend of racing, with specific questions for fans to consider. By commenting to these questions, fans have an opportunity to express their personal views. You can choose to respond to all questions or specific questions. But be assured, at Fan4Racing your views are encouraged and respected.

Throughout the remainder of the week, fans will be invited to expand their views by posting a blog. Again, it’s up to you, if you want to be a Fan4Racing blogger. The important point here, is you have a safe place, among friends for your voice to be heard. The success of this vision, of course, is dependent on fans taking the time to share their view of the news.

So come along and invite your friends to join in the discussion!

Kyle Busch & Interstate Batteries

While Kyle was booted for the last two races of the season by his primary sponsor M&M’s, long time Joe Gibbs Racing sponsor, Interstate Batteries picked up the Phoenix and Homestead races for the number 18 car. Nice marketing move for them, because Kyle Busch was still a hot topic of conversation in the news coverage this weekend.  

 
What are your thoughts about the outcome of Kyle Busch’s stormy week at JGR?  

Ryan’s Comment: Joe Gibbs is no stranger to handling “difficult”    personalities. Before Kyle Busch, there was Tony Stewart. But, Kyle is making Tony Stewart look like a choir boy. This year alone there have been probations and suspensions resulting from altercations between other team owners; remember Richard Childress at Kansas? And other drivers; remember Harvick at Darlington? With Denny Hamlin and the #11 car struggling this year and the #20 car pretty much a non-factor, Busch and the #18 car are pretty much all JGR has to work with right now. Kyle has all the talent in the world. He has proven his ability in Nationwide, Camping World Truck Series, and of course, the Sprint Cup Series. He needs to get his head straight. If Joe Gibbs can’t help him, maybe nobody else can. What are your thoughts? Post your thoughts in comments below.

 
Phoenix track reconfiguration
After the spring race in Phoenix earlier this year, the track went through a major track reconfiguration. Teams have been testing since the project was completed in September. The results of those tests, led to extensive efforts to lay more rubber on the track to create more grip as the track was icy and slippery without any rubber. However, by the time Sprint Cup race day arrived, mother nature played her hand and washed away all the rubber build up efforts. The result for fans, is they saw racing with and without rubber on the track and there was still a lot of action for both the Nationwide and Sprint Cup races.
 
Comparing the track to previous race weekends, was the racing better, worse or the same at Phoenix Raceway this weekend?
 
Elliott Sadler & Jason Leffler
Watching the Nationwide race on Saturday, fans saw Elliott Sadler cut below the yellow line at the end of the dogleg to avoid an accident. In easing back into race traffic, Sadler’s car went up the track into the path of Jason Leffler, resulting in Sadler spinning into the safer barrier and ending his championship title hopes. Leffler says he tried his best to avoid the accident.  Sadler, of course, was upset and felt Leffler could have eased up and avoided the incident.
 
What is your view of this incident? Was it intentional or an accident? Should Leffler have been penalized?
 
Matt Kenseth & Brian Vickers
Similar and at the same time very different is the incident with Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers in the Sprint Cup race on Sunday. Similar in that, the already slim championship hopes of Kenseth were in effect eliminated when the two collided on track.  Different because many felt the ongoing feud between the two had already been effectively retaliated the previous week.  While Vicker’s says it was unintentional, Kenseth says he’s been told otherwise and that Vickers had stated throughout the week, his intentions to wreck the 17 car at Phoenix. 
 
What is your view of this incident? Was it intentional or an accident? Should Vickers have been penalized?
 
Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart and the Chase
NASCAR modified the Chase to a more simplified points system, with the intention of creating more buzz for fans during the final weeks of the season. With Jimmie Johnson’s five year championship reign coming to an end, fans will see a new champion for the 2011 season. At the close of the Phoenix race, the two contenders left standing, with just three points separating them, are Carl Edwards of Rousch Fenway Racing backed by Ford and Tony Stewart of Stewart Haas Racing backed by Chevy. Which one will be  champion is still undecided going into the final race of the season at Homestead.
 
Is the new points system better or worse than previous Chase years?  Who will win the championship at Homestead?  Carl Edwards or Tony Stewart?  What is motivating your choice?


Here is a poll question posed by Jeff Gluck at SB Nation asking… 

Who do you want to see win 
the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship?

 



Are you surprised by these results? or Not?

 
 
Now it’s your turn to share your view of the current racing news…
 
 
 
 
 



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