The Question Everybody Is Asking: What happens to the No. 10 Target Car?
Following a wreck in the final race of the season, Dario Franchitti injured his back. He has been told that he will fully recover from the injuries, however has been told that he will not be able to race again due to concerns of sustaining a worst injury if he wrecks once again.
While everyone has taken time to adjust to the news that Franchitti won’t be back in 2014, another question has surfaced amongst the discussions – who will be behind the wheel of the No. 10 Target IndyCar?
In speaking about the situation surrounding Franchitti, team owner Chip Ganassi stated that he has Target’s full support on the situation and hopes to be able to announce something in the future.
Original plans had Target-Ganassi Racing having four teams in 2014 – Franchitti, Scott Dixon and Charlie Kimball. Those plans have slightly been adjusted as of this announcement from Franchitti.
As the same with this past season, he will have Dixon aboard the sister Target car with Kimball aboard the No. 83 car. Ganassi has also signed Kanaan to jump on board with the team for 2014 and drive the team’s No. 8 car. Kanaan may jump into the No. 10 with Franchitti’s old team, Ganassi says that it’s not public information yet as there’s a decision to be made.
“I understand where you’re going with that question,” Ganassi commented. “The question was, if you were to ask, is he a possibility for the 10 car, I would answer by saying it’s not out of the question.”
Ganassi says right now he is faced with the questions as to whether he wants to sign someone who has proven to be talented, or take a chance on one of the young up-and-coming drivers.
“We’ll confer with everyone,” Ganassi commented. “I mean, we’ve always taken the best driver that’s available at the time. We sort of followed that rule that we learned from a great mentor of all of ours, a guy named Morris Nunn. When you had a driver position available, Morris always said, ‘You need to take the best driver available, and don’t even think about anything else’.”
Ganassi says part of the battle in finding someone is whoever fills that seat will have big shoes to fill and need someone that can be a valuable teammate to Dixon, Kimball and Kanaan.
“It’s not just a single-faceted job to get in that car,” Ganassi added. “That car is part of a team that I think for years has run at the front of the pack, and everything that goes along with running at the front in terms of scoring points for championships and helping teammates win championships.”
That’s why most likely they were probably be a seasoned veteran in that car rather than a young driver, however all options will be evaluated.
“Quite frankly, for the last couple days we’ve been thinking more about Dario, to tell you the truth, than we have filling the seat,” Ganassi expressed. “ Whether we fill the seat this week or next week I think is not going to make any difference. We have somebody that’s on our team that’s been dealt maybe some cards he doesn’t want to play right now, but he’s going to have to.
“Our thoughts are with him right now, making sure that we get him in the right seat, if you will. We’re not so much worried about ourselves as we are others right now.”
NASCAR Class of 2013 Yearbook Memories
The 2013 season of NASCAR will be remembered as one of the most tumultuous in recent memory. The year would not be complete without a few snapshots to commemorate the highs and lows.
Favorite Couple: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte
The partnership between the most popular driver and his Hendrick Motorsports crew chief continues to improve with each passing year. In 2013 the pair had their best season together earning fifth place in the Chase point standings.
Dale Jr. had an impressive run during the final 10 races of the Chase with five top-5s that included three runner-up finishes and 8 top-10 finishes. His most disappointing result was due to a blown engine at Chicagoland Speedway.
“I don’t know what would have happened if we could have done Chicago over but we ran so good in the other nine races, we’ve just got to be real proud of ourselves,” Earnhardt said.
“We’ve got nothing to be disappointed about. We’ve gotten better each year, and that’s what we’re supposed to do.”
Worst Breakup: Kevin Harvick and Richard Childress Racing
Few in NASCAR will ever forget how Harvick took over the vacant seat at RCR after Dale Earnhardt’s tragic death in 2001. They were shoes that could never be filled but Harvick handled the challenge with humility and respect.
When Kevin Harvick first announced that he was leaving Richard Childress Racing after the end of the 2013 season, many were surprised. However Harvick emphasized that he and the team were committed to finishing the year on a positive note by contending for the championship. From the outside, it appeared to be an amicable split.
But appearances can be deceiving.
During a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway, tempers flared between Harvick and Ty Dillon as they were competing for second place during the final laps of the race and got together. The two drivers spun out and continued to show their displeasure with each other on the track. Things disintegrated further when Dillon’s crew members got involved by going after Harvick on pit road.
It was Harvick’s comments after the race that sealed the end of this partnership.
“The 3 just dumped me,” he said. “Exactly the reason why I’m leaving RCR because you’ve got those kids coming up that got no respect for what they do in this sport and they’ve had everything fed to them with a spoon.”
Although Harvick later apologized, it was obvious that the relationship had actually ended long before the season came to a close.
Most Popular Race: Eldora Speedway – The Mudsummer Classic Camping World Truck Series race
The race at Eldora Speedway was one of the most highly anticipated events of the 2013 NASCAR season and it lived up to expectations. It wasn’t the biggest or the fastest but it showcased the best short track competition that NASCAR has to offer.
Austin Dillon won the inaugural event becoming the first driver to win a Camping World Truck Series race on dirt.
The event marked NASCAR’s first national series dirt race since 1970. It was filled with side-by-side racing action, exciting passes and enough beating and banging to keep the sold out crowd on their feet. This back to basics, stripped down version of racing is the heart and soul of a sport that many feel has lost its way.
Biggest Controversy: The September 7th race at Richmond International Raceway
The final race of NASCAR’s 2013 regular season will be remembered as a turning point in the sport’s history. A suspicious spin by Clint Bowyer led to an investigation and NASCAR determined that Michael Waltrip Racing (MWR) manipulated the race results at Richmond. Penalties were issued, points were deducted and as a result MWR teammate Martin Truex Jr. lost his spot in the Chase to Ryan Newman.
But that was only the beginning. Further allegations of cheating by two other teams led to more investigation by NASCAR and an unprecedented decision to add a 13th driver, Jeff Gordon, to the Chase for the Championship.
Brian France explained, “We believe that there were too many things that altered the event that gave an unfair disadvantage to Jeff and his team, who would have qualified. It’s just the right thing to do. I have the authority to do that, and we are going to do that.”
Many fans applauded NASCAR for doing the “right thing” but just as many were appalled at what they saw as NASCAR “fixing” the Chase to include one of its most influential drivers. The fact that Gordon drives for Hendrick Motorsports, arguably the most powerful team in NASCAR, only added fuel to the fire.
Has the integrity of NASCAR been irreparably damaged by this incident? Only time will tell.
Most Likely to Continue to Succeed: Jimmie Johnson
Jimmie Johnson’s sixth championship title has catapulted him into an elite group of NASCAR champions. Only Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt have more with seven each. Johnson already has the record for most consecutive championships with five titles between the years 2006-2010. It is entirely within the realm of possibility that he will not only equal but surpass the record set by Petty and Earnhardt.
There is no doubt that Johnson has earned his place as one of the best drivers in the history of NASCAR and he’s not done yet. The more intriguing question is this. Does success equal greatness?
Best Move: Matt Kenseth
Matt Kenseth’s move from Roush Fenway Racing to Joe Gibbs Racing has provided what Kenseth called an “unbelievable” year.
“Obviously it’s been a great year, best year I’ve ever had,” said Kenseth. “I think when you look at our season overall, when I talk about it being the best season of my career, we didn’t come up with the championship, the championship is the ultimate goal, you always want that, but from a competitive standpoint it’s been by far the best season of my career.
“We lead the most laps, qualified the best, most wins, all that stuff. From a competitive standpoint, it was our best year.”
Kenseth scored a career best seven Sprint Cup wins in one season, a career best of 1,783 laps led and captured three poles along the way.
Most Significant Victory: Darrell Wallace Jr.
When Darrell Wallace Jr. won the Kroger 200 Camping World Truck Series race at Martinsville Speedway in October, he became the first African-American driver to win a NASCAR national series race since Wendell Scott’s win on December 1, 1963.
After the race, Wallace spoke passionately about the impact of this win.
“It means everything,” Wallace said. “This is an emotional one for me, especially to do it in Wendell Scott’s backyard. I love coming here to Martinsville. It’s always good to me, and it finally paid off.”
He also hopes that it will help propel his career forward.
“Winning, there’s nothing better than winning,” he said. “And I think that’ll help kind of pave its own way there, and hopefully get my name out there even more. Winning this big race can always do that, and that’s what I’ve been trying to do all year is to get my name out there, to keep pushing, to strive for kids younger than me to get in the sport and be here sitting here talking to you guys one day.”
Best Comeback: Shane Hmiel
Shane Hmiel’s story is one of triumph over adversity. As he made his way through the ranks of the Busch Series (now Nationwide Series), his career was put on hold when he failed a drug test in 2003 and was suspended indefinitely. He was reinstated in 2004 but over the next couple of years failed two more drug tests and in 2006 was banned from NASCAR for life.
Hmiel fought his way back to sobriety and began competing in the touring divisions of the United States Auto Club (USAC) Series. Then, in 2010 he faced the biggest challenge of his life.
While attempting to qualify for a USAC Silver Crown race, his car hit the outside wall and rolled several times. The roll cage was damaged and Hmiel suffered head and spinal injuries that left him paralyzed. He wasn’t expected to live but once more, Hmiel defied the odds.
In January 2013 his recovery took another leap forward when he was given the chance to get behind the wheel of a racecar one more time at Rockingham Speedway.
Accessible Racing co-founder and president, Brian Hanaford, Hmiel’s mother, Lisa, and Andy Hillenburg, president of Rockingham Speedway, were instrumental in giving Shane this unique opportunity. Randy LaJoie whose company ‘Joie of Seating’ makes custom seats for race cars, provided the specialized seats.
Hmiel drove 10 laps around the track and as he headed into the pits, the huge grin on his face spoke volumes.
“I don’t want to get out, let’s go again,” he exclaimed!”
Shane Hmiel’s tenacity is a testament to the strength of the human spirit.
“It felt so great to be back,” he said. “The conceited side of me loves this. It proves to people, do not quit. You can always do more. Believe in that. It’ll get you so far.”
These are only a few of the most memorable NASCAR moments in 2013. Records were broken, champions were crowned and controversy abounded. The new season begins in less than three months. Will you be watching?
Hot 20 over the Chase 10 – Jimmie Johnson was not perfect, but more than good enough in 2013
A mulligan is a do over, a chance to remove from consideration what one has done in the hopes of replacing it with something done better. This year in the Chase, a mulligan was no more than the name of a steam shovel operator from a book in primary school.
So, what would constitute a mulligan in Jimmie Johnson’s world? The closest he came during the Chase would have been his 13th place finish at Talladega. It was the only track he failed to record a Top Ten, one of just three he was not in the Top Five in those ten events. Matt Kenseth was 20th at Talladega and 23rd at Phoenix. Kevin Harvick was 20th at Loudon. Dale Earnhardt Jr had a 35th place result in Chicago, and 15th at Charlotte. All in all, pretty darn good, just not good enough when compared to the six time champion.
Johnson won the title by 19 points over Kenseth in the official standings and he was best over the ten Chase races by 22. Even if we went old school with a 36 race tally, Six Pack would have beat out Harvick by 41 points over the season and Kenseth by 56 to claim the crown. In short, Johnson did not allow any mulligan’s to be used, as a finish outside the Top 13 pretty much ended one’s hopes. His average finish in the Chase was a very hot 5.1.
The good news is that his standard, this hot streak, can, and has been done better. From August 12 through October 1st in 1967, Richard Petty’s average finish was 1…with a record of ten straight victories. Yes, it can be done but something tells me that this might not offer much solace to those hoping to keep J.J. from tying the King and the Intimidator in season championships in 2014.
Here is a look at our hottest 20 drivers over the ten Chase races.
|
Driver |
W |
T5 |
T10 |
Ave |
Pts |
|
|
1 |
Jimmie Johnson |
2 |
7 |
9 |
5.1 |
407 |
|
2 |
Matt Kenseth |
2 |
6 |
7 |
7.4 |
385 |
|
3 |
Kevin Harvick |
2 |
3 |
8 |
7.3 |
379 |
|
4 |
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. |
0 |
5 |
8 |
8.5 |
363 |
|
5 |
Kyle Busch |
0 |
5 |
7 |
9.5 |
352 |
|
6 |
Jeff Gordon |
1 |
3 |
5 |
11.3 |
337 |
|
7 |
Clint Bowyer |
0 |
2 |
6 |
10.9 |
336 |
|
8 |
Brad Keselowski |
1 |
2 |
5 |
12.9 |
321 |
|
9 |
Joey Logano |
0 |
3 |
5 |
12.6 |
320 |
|
10 |
Greg Biffle |
0 |
1 |
3 |
12.6 |
318 |
|
11 |
Kurt Busch |
0 |
3 |
3 |
13.3 |
309 |
|
12 |
Martin Truex, Jr. |
0 |
1 |
4 |
13.4 |
307 |
|
13 |
Jamie McMurray |
1 |
2 |
3 |
16 |
286 |
|
14 |
Ryan Newman |
0 |
0 |
6 |
16 |
286 |
|
15 |
Kasey Kahne |
0 |
3 |
3 |
16.2 |
283 |
|
16 |
Jeff Burton |
0 |
0 |
1 |
16.5 |
278 |
|
17 |
Carl Edwards |
0 |
1 |
3 |
16.9 |
276 |
|
18 |
Denny Hamlin |
1 |
1 |
4 |
17.8 |
268 |
|
19 |
Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. |
0 |
1 |
2 |
17.6 |
265 |
|
20 |
Paul Menard |
0 |
1 |
2 |
18.9 |
251 |
The Best Season Ever? Surely not 2013
It took me awhile to collect my thoughts after the 2013 NASCAR season. What did I think of the racing? I didn’t think much of it and it has nothing to do with who did or did not win the championship. I couldn’t care less about that. Once upon a time, winning races mattered, but today it’s the Chase from February until November.
The problem of the Chase takes away some of the appreciation of other drivers who had good seasons, but realistically those who had no chance at a championship. For example, let’s look at the season turned in by guys like Joey Logano, Greg Biffle, Ryan Newman, 2012 Champ Brad Keselowski, Jamie McMurray, and Martin Truex, Jr. They all won this year, and yet who paid any attention to them?
Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards won twice this year, but did it mean anything? Apparently not, because there wasn’t much coverage of them on television. The whole season revolved around six time champ Jimmie Johnson (6 wins), Matt Kenseth (7 wins), Kyle Busch (4 wins), Jeff Gordon (1 win), and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (0 wins). Even Kevin Harvick, despite his four wins was under the radar most of the season. Once upon a time a win, even a lone win by someone like Ricky Rudd or James Hylton was special. Today, you don’t even have to win to get national coverage. That is, unless you happen to be Austin Dillon, but that’s another story. Try to find a diecast in your local Wal-Mart for anyone but Johnson, Earnhardt, Gordon, Edwards, McMurray, or Stewart, good luck!
I was in the press box at North Carolina Speedway when Matt Kenseth clinched the 2003 championship. The No. 17 crew celebrated, but not many people noticed. All the attention was on Bill Elliott who won the race. Elliott was escorted to the press box for media interviews, but nowhere was Kenseth to be found. It was the win that mattered. Yes, Kenseth celebrated at a race later on, but he was forever to be chastised as the champion who only won one race. He was the father of the Chase, something that I imagine he’s not too proud of, if truth be told. It all changed in 2004. After Kurt Busch won in 2004 and Tony Stewart’s win in 2005, seven of the last eight championships have been won by Hendrick Motorsports or satellite teams. Six of those championships were won by Jimmie Johnson and the other by Tony Stewart, whose team had a technical alliance with Hendrick.
Prior to the Chase, 25 of 55 champions were from different drivers. From 1980 until 2003, we had 14 different champions. What does it tell me? Lots of people dominated, but not everyone ran all the races. It just wasn’t that important. David Pearson and Fred Lorenzen had tremendous winning percentages. They didn’t run all the races (I can remember a time when there were over 50 races each year), and didn’t care. The win was more important. Today, we start counting points and calling people out at Daytona. The most exciting races I saw this season included Brad Keselowski’s tremendous moves at Charlotte at the fall race and Carl Edwards’ dramatic win at Richmond. Neither win had anything to do with the Chase. Neither mattered because it was all about the points.
Railing on about NASCAR’s playoff system falls on deaf ears. Someone somewhere is convinced the system is the way to go. Never mind tacks eliminating seats or somewhat lower television ratings, baseball, football, and basketball have playoffs, so it has to be the way to go, right? Here’s a hint. I travel to races about 10 times a year. I camp like so many do. Most of them are flying Dale Earnhardt flags. Why? It’s because although he won seven championships, he was exciting to watch. I’ll always remember Benny Parsons as he yelled, “here comes Earnhardt.” I remember the late 60’s and 70’s when King Richard Petty was going through the field in the late laps.
Today, it’s all technology and money. That’s what is turning off fans. It’s hard to express the thrill of a Trevor Bayne win at Daytona or a David Ragan win at Talladega, not to mention a McMurray win anywhere. Only problem is, when you count up the points afterward, it’s still the championship that matters. We’ve created a monster and there is no turning back.
