# NASCAR 2018



## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

They are calling it 'Stabilization mode'. Trying not to make a lot of changes this season since the sport got a lot of flack for rules changes throughout the year last season. Set the rules, start the season, try to get to the end without a lot of adjustments.

Here are NASCAR.COM stories on changes:
2018 rules updates: 'Stabilization mode' entering new season | NASCAR.com
On pit road, emphasis returns to the athletes | NASCAR.com

Body changes to reduce downforce and reduce lift off speed for speedway cars. An interesting combination as the former reduces how much the cars are glued to the track and the later helps keep the cars from flying. (Unmentioned in the article, but I expect that the use of that gluey "sticky stuff" that NASCAR used to increase traction will continue or expand.)

Expanding last year's Xfinity aero package for Indianapolis to Michigan and Pocano is a good idea.

Incident Data Records will include crash cameras aimed at the drivers to see what happened to them in a wreck. Hopefully we have a safe season and this will not be an issue.

Xfinity flange fit bodies and optional standardized engines for trucks. Moving closer to a kit car to keep costs down for teams. I am glad to see that the third party engine is optional. The closer NASCAR gets to kit cars the less interest there will be from manufacturers to develop cars for the sport. If the only difference between a Ford, Chevy and Toyota is the nose and decals it would be easier for Dodge to get back into the sport with a set of decals ... but how can one have manufacture rivalries with third party kits? The more NASCAR can keep the named manufactures in the game the better. I want to see if a Toyota built engine will blow up halfway through a race or outrun the other manufacturers. That is part of the rivalry.

Pit road changes (less people over the wall, standardized pit guns): NASCAR will issue and reclaim guns and hoses (my new indi band?) for each race. No more innovation (although it puts the burden on NASCAR if there is a gun failure that affects the race). The gas man is the gas man ... no other work ... and the teams get to figure out how to maintain the car with four other people (although the extra person is allowed to service the driver ... so there will be six people over the wall if teams want to have a driver service person).

The road crew will be limited per vehicle ... 12 engineers etc, plus 5 over the wall, plus three or four organizational people (owners and public relations not counted) based on the number of cars. That should help level the field between one and two car teams and the four car teams. No more unlimited swarms of people fixing a failed car behind the wall. The specific people assigned to the car have to maintain it. Team members will be identified by car and position which will make it easier for fans to follow the roles of all players and not just the drivers and crew chiefs. Violating the number of crew members will lead to ejecting the additional "man on the field" plus an additional person of NASCAR's choosing.

Hawk-Eye will take over for the Laser Inspection System. Hopefully a fast process so cars can get through faster. Practice time penalties will be served at the end of practice (black flag, take the car to the garage and cover it up) instead of having cars sit on pit road.

So ... "nothing has changed".  Hopefully that will be the end of the changes. Set the rules, run the races.

Things I do not want to see changed:
All laps count - Please keep counting caution laps ... the races do not need to be extended. (Make the second stage five laps longer than the first stage if one wants a similar number of racing laps per stage.)
Timed races - Run the races based on the published number of laps. Cut the race short only for weather, darkness or an accident or other delay that would add hours of red flag to the event. No "drive around for three hours then throw the white flag when 180 minutes have passed" type races.
The race finish is the finishing order - No revisions to the finishing order after race day. If NASCAR cannot disqualify or penalize teams on race day don't come back and take away the win/positions days later. Continue the current practice of taking away enough points that the finish doesn't matter (including having encumbered finishes) but don't try to pretend that the finish fans saw didn't happen by changing the finishing order after race day.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

And a Fruit Basket turnover of drivers, crew chiefs and swapping manufacturers of teams this year also.

Teams will now have real time Loop data.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I have been a little busy so I missed the three race sweep of Harvick (or two races and a third trophy). It is good that he won the other two so we do not have to hear about the race he was penalized for all year long. It looks like the team was trying something with aluminum bear bond. It will be interesting to see if NASCAR says anything about that for future races. It didn't help Harvick so I expect no penalty but I can see NASCAR making it clearer that tape is tape not metal.

I like the qualifying announcement NASCAR made for the Xfinity series - if you don't qualify not only do you start in the back but you must take a pass through penalty after green. I'd make it simpler: if the car does not run a qualifying lap you start at the end one lap down. There needs to be a penalty for failure to qualify. Moving next week's qualifying inspection to post qualifying should make for a better outcome. All cars on the track but if you fail post qualifying you start in the back. Do not put an illegal car on the track. (I still like adding "one lap down").

With the smaller fields there is not a lot of penalty for intentionally qualifying in the back.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

CNBC just showed and announced that the France family is exploring selling the business.
Wow.

Link to an article:
Exclusive: Majority owners explore sale of NASCAR

Strange that they just bought the ARCA series in the last couple of weeks.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

NASCAR is a strange sport to be owned (primarily) by one family. While the sport is not dead nor dying (they are still making plenty of money) there have been struggles over the past few years. Struggles that have been met by NASCAR becoming more secretive. Attendance down? Stop reporting it. Issues with how teams are paid? Stop reporting winnings. The rules remain a closely guarded secret - the public only hears what is in the rulebook when something is violated.

Perhaps new ownership would be willing to take a new approach. Although if they are purchased by a major company or media concern it may affect finding series sponsorships and (when contracts expire) media partners.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Wednesday and NASCAR ... (sigh).


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Hall of Fame Day ...
Jeff Gordon (What a surprise! Only 96% of votes)
Jack Roush (the cat in the hat - 70%)
Roger Penske (the captain - 68%)
Davey Allison (63%)
Alan Kulwicki (46%)

Landmark Award: Jim Hunter


Not a bad list.

I didn't expect Gordon to be eligible. I thought drivers had to wait three years after their last race and Gordon drove for Dale Jr less than three years ago. And after Alan Kulwicki's tie for fifth last year I expected more people to make sure he got in this year. Two more top owners to go with the two current owners put in last year. They cannot put everyone in who is on the ballot. At least this year there was no one I thought should not have been put in.


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## boukengreen (Sep 22, 2009)

James Long said:


> Hall of Fame Day ...
> Jeff Gordon (What a surprise! Only 96% of votes)
> Jack Roush (the cat in the hat - 70%)
> Roger Penske (the captain - 68%)
> ...


They said 3 years from full time racing plus the said that since he was an injury fill in for Dale Jr it wouldn't go against his hall of fame clock. They said that when it was announced Gordon was going to sub for Dale


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Finally!

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1026216814840344576

__ https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1026223248038612993
Good to see the 48 push the 9 after the race. Hopefully Johnson will be able to stay in the playoffs (new winners make that harder on points).
(Looking forward to seeing Bill back in the car fro the Xfinity race too.)


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

NASCAR Chairman Brian France arrested for driving while intoxicated


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Road to recovery time for the OWI and oxy possession. I hope he gets straight quickly.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Holey Moley !
The 78 team is shutting down at the end of the year from a lack of a sponsor.
A few minutes later on Race Hub they announced that Martin Truex and Cole Pern will go to Joe Gibbs racing and take over the #19 car.
Wow !


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

I am glad to see that they can keep Martin and Cole together. They still have a shot of winning a second championship this year ... which is an odd thing to say about a team that is going out of business. (Meanwhile seven time is only making the top 16 on points. Weird year.)


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

James Long said:


> I am glad to see that they can keep Martin and Cole together. They still have a shot of winning a second championship this year ... which is an odd thing to say about a team that is going out of business.


Lowes is dropping the 48 team at the end of the year.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

jimmie57 said:


> Lowes is dropping the 48 team at the end of the year.


The last run of "one team" is not promising this year.


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Rain - Postponed the BMW classic golf
Rain - Postponed the Xfinity Race
Rain - Postponed the Cup race
Rain - knocking out my signal today so I can't watch any of that. Mercy !!
Yeah, It is all back on finally after 1.2 inches of rain in an hour.
Uh Oh, Lightning now. Shutdown the TV and Receiver. AARRRHHHH !


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

On the bright side . Jr at Richmond!


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

James Long said:


> The last run of "one team" is not promising this year.


The last run of "one team" has Chad and Jimmie going to separate teams in 2019 (Chad gets the 24).


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

OK ... I have a new favorite driver. 
(I have been in limbo since Carl Edwards retired. Chase is a good choice and he should be around for a while.)

Stewart-Haas seems to be doing better this year. Even the 10 car managed to find Victory Lane.


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## 4HiMarks (Jan 21, 2004)

James Long said:


> OK ... I have a new favorite driver.
> (I have been in limbo since Carl Edwards retired. Chase is a good choice and he should be around for a while.)


I felt the same after Bill Elliott retired. I adopted his replacement in the #9, but Kasey never really did anything for me. I was pumped when Chase moved up to Cup level. It was disappointing to see him take so long to get win #1, but now that he has a few under his belt, I expect lots of good things from him.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

Win on Sunday ... lose on Wednesday ...

No. 4 team assessed L1-level penalty, docked 40 points | NASCAR.com


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

James Long said:


> Win on Sunday ... lose on Wednesday ...
> 
> No. 4 team assessed L1-level penalty, docked 40 points | NASCAR.com


I really do not like how they do this penalty stuff.
I think if they are found cheating for something like this after the race they should be disqualified, period.
The way they do it, it is just a matter of how much are you willing to pay if it will possibly be the difference in a win.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

In happier news ... it is official ...

Martin Truex Jr., crew chief Cole Pearn to join Joe Gibbs Racing in 2019 - NASCAR MOBILE
https://www.nascar.com/wp-content/themes/ndms-2016/native/article.php?post_id=152457


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

Anyone noticed that the Cup Championship is on NBC,
and,
at the same time there is a program on NBCSN that is called NASCAR Hot Pass ?
Live coverage of the 4 contenders.

I am recording them both.


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## James Long (Apr 17, 2003)

NBC has done that the past two or three years. I watched it two years ago and still have the recording of last year. I also have today's race set to record on both NBC and NBCSN.


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