NASCAR @ Homestead

I couldn't be any happier to be a Kevin Harvick fan than today! Champion at last!

Well, let's all be happy that it at least I wasn't Hamlin. The fact that he won at Talladega and did pretty much nothing else the whole season, just to be in contention at Homestead. If this stupid format was not in place, I don't think he would've even finished in the Top-20 in points.

crl wrote:

RetrogradeRenegade wrote:

kensethfan wrote:Still psyched for Harvick. Say what you will, I think he's a great guy.

I'd be all for Harvick winning if it wasn't for that classless shit he pulled in Charlotte.

Don't you mean Texas?

Yes. Yes I do. Got my fights at cookie-cutters mixed up.

Since Harvick won the "Championship" and won the Race, does the Free Bloomin Onion promotion get supercharged or is the lone silver lining for Harvick Closing for once in his life remain the way it's been for the last while?

Okay race. Harvick wins...Kind of indifferent to be honest but there was two other drivers i'd rather not see Nascar champion next to their name. Newman did not go down without a fight, good on him.

Time for the void that is the off-season.

RealRacingRoots wrote:Since Harvick won the "Championship" and won the Race, does the Free Bloomin Onion promotion get supercharged or is the lone silver lining for Harvick Closing for once in his life remain the way it's been for the last while?

There was going to be free Bloomin' Onions tomorrow regardless of what happened this race, because Harvick had such a good season. Then on the 21st and the 24th, there'll be free desserts at Outback. I could only hope that the Bloomin' Onion promotion is supercharged though...

What happened at Texas with Harvick doesn't matter much to me. I like his personality, I like that he's actively competitive, I like that can seal the deal 9/10 times when it matters most. Plus, Harvick getting in fights isn't unheard of, I can't hate him for that.

Best case scenario for this Chase format being scrapped is that NASCAR axes it just for the sheer fact that Newman still managed to finish second in the points without a win. Otherwise the Gordon fanbase might just have to whine loudly enough before NASCAR considers anything.

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Newman would've wrecked himself if he tried honestly, Harvick was way too fast.

kensethfan wrote:

Best case scenario for this Chase format being scrapped is that NASCAR axes it just for the sheer fact that Newman still managed to finish second in the points without a win. Otherwise the Gordon fanbase might just have to whine loudly enough before NASCAR considers anything.

Watching this race honestly infuriated me, seeing Gordon be in 1st or 2nd for the majority of it and not in contention for the championship.

There's something wrong with your championship structure if a driver finishes 2nd and in effect loses ground to somebody that didnt win.  IstillblameBowyer

First congrats to Harvick. He and that team worked their butts off the last two races. He deserved it.

But, I have to chime in on the Chase debate. The system's biggest fault is how badly a driver is hurt when he has a bad race. Both Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski won multiple races going into the Chase while Newman did indeed squeak his way in. Yet, why did Newman race for a title today (and come just a bit short) and not Gordon and Keselowski? Simple, he didn't have a bad race in the Chase. Keselowski had crashes at Kansas and Martinsville while Gordon had his problems at Texas. Points are still key. Hell going into Phoenix no Chase driver had won the other two races in that round. So, points determined it.

The Chase will not go away, not after what this year ended up producing. NASCAR may make small changes (much like they did with the original 2004 format), but those that are expecting NASCAR to dump in all together, keep dreaming.

Honestly, with the exception of a few people on this particular forum, most of those complaining about the system are doing so because their driver didn't make the final round or win the title this year.

I didn't have a problem with who was going to win it this year. Though I was pulling a bit more for Joey (mainly for Ford having not won a title since 2004, and Penske trying for his 2nd in 3 years), I'm ok with Kevin winning it, especially with how close he came in 2010 to getting it.

Overall, I thought this year was above average, not spectacular, but not deafly boring either. The race as well was the same. Not the best, though certainly not the worst.

But, now it's time for the off-season and me to try to find something to occupy my time for the next 3 months.

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Or he just gagged.

I'm sure Dale Earnhardt would have had no problem rubbing fenders for a championship

PYLrulz wrote:

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Or he just gagged.

I'm sure Dale Earnhardt would have had no problem rubbing fenders for a championship

Eh, he had two tires, and Harvick had four. I think if he'd tried to lunge, he would've put himself in the wall, as Alta said, he was that far back.

Anyway, Marcos Ambrose's Sprint Cup swansong (maybe, unless Penske decides to field him a car during V8 off-weeks) sees him finish in 27th. I think in a top-level car, he could've done great things, but, he showed his loyalty to Ford for getting him to America and sticking with him when he wasn't exactly in great equipment at Petty. Farewell, Aussie.

crl wrote:

PYLrulz wrote:

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Or he just gagged.

I'm sure Dale Earnhardt would have had no problem rubbing fenders for a championship

Eh, he had two tires, and Harvick had four. I think if he'd tried to lunge, he would've put himself in the wall, as Alta said, he was that far back.

Anyway, Marcos Ambrose's Sprint Cup swansong (maybe, unless Penske decides to field him a car during V8 off-weeks) sees him finish in 27th. I think in a top-level car, he could've done great things, but, he showed his loyalty to Ford for getting him to America and sticking with him when he wasn't exactly in great equipment at Petty. Farewell, Aussie.

>tfw still salty that Penske chose Dinger instead of Ambrose for the 22 in 2012.

PYLrulz wrote:

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Or he just gagged.

I'm sure Dale Earnhardt would have had no problem rubbing fenders for a championship

Dale Earnhardt would have done many things on the track that most of the field won't dare to now. It's honestly useless to compare Earnhardt to anyone in the field...

PYLrulz wrote:

crl wrote:http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/2014/11/16/newmans-show-of-restraint-and-class-could-teach-other-drivers-valuable-lessons/

Or he just gagged.

I'm sure Dale Earnhardt would have had no problem rubbing fenders for a championship

Like I said, he ran his car way too hard at the end. There wasn't much he could do, but he did go for it.

I have a friend who is a cousin to Chrissie Newman, so naturally they were watching the race yesterday evening. I heard there was much rejoicing when Logano did everything but wreck to screw up his race.

Congrats to Harvick on winning his 1st championship. He's had a helluva year, but it's still bittersweet after what he did at Texas.

This was a great season, but I just wish that the Chase format never happened in the first place. Oh well. On to 2015.

So is there a report on why Jeff Gordon pulled in to pit with 10 or so laps to go when he had a shot to win the race or no one still knows?

RealRacer4 wrote:So is there a report on why Jeff Gordon pulled in to pit with 10 or so laps to go when he had a shot to win the race or no one still knows?

Supposedly Gordon was really pissed when only him and Hamlin stayed out, and he had no confidence they could beat everybody else on older tires, so that's why they pitted. Gordon did come back to finish 8th though.