Cyber Monday meets NASCAR: The year of the Tweet
NASCAR drivers were once thought of as elusive figures. Heroes who were more likely to be seen instead of heard; behind pit walls, in the garage or through the television screen. [media-credit name=”twitter.com” align=”alignright” width=”150″]
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But, just as the good ‘ole days of dirt tracking, the Intimidator and the King, pre-COT days and when rubbing was racing and no one complained about it, times of drivers being out reach are gone. Now, drivers are too accessible, at times too open and honest. Yet, it’s not a bad thing, it’s what we’ve all longed for, but my, how times have changed.
With another Thanksgiving again gone, Black Friday happily behind us, we’ve reached what’s become known as Cyber Monday. However, shopping is the furthest thing from mind. NASCAR has changed all beliefs when it came to cyberspace with a 2012 for the digital ages.
The advantages and disadvantages of social networking, specifically Twitter, are well known. The ways in which NASCAR drivers, teams, the media and fans use the tool to connect and offer behind the scenes and up to the minute information, has exploded over the last year.
No longer is it that drivers are only available on the weekends and for a price. Everything is now at the tip of our fingertips. In 2012 NASCAR and Twitter became both synonymous and media worthy. Drivers are now taking their feuds and frustrations to the Internet, a place they’ll last forever.
Brad Keselowski will be remembered not just for his first career Sprint Cup Series championship, but the way he changed NASCAR’s use of Twitter – just look at how many were waiting to see not what Keselowski said on TV after winning the championship, but his first tweets.
And he ended the year doing the same thing he started it with: tweeting a picture from inside his racecar. In February it was during a red flag in the Daytona 500. He simply blew up Twitter in doing so because only here can you see drivers sharing that type of access
LeBron James certainly can’t tweet a picture of himself dunking during an NBA Finals game. What if Ben Roethlisberger tried to snap a shot of the end zone celebration of the Steelers after they scored a touchdown? Keselowski showed drivers – and NASCAR – that this is the new age and it’s time to get onboard and have fun with it.
Twitter handles are now on rear bumpers and driver firesuits. In March, Kenny Wallace tweeted from Phoenix about his sponsorships woes with RAB Racing, claiming that he was watching wealthy fathers come to his hauler to try and get their kids a ride.
Wallace continued to tweet and tweet, upsetting his team owner. But Wallace claimed, he wasn’t embarrassed to ask for help. Throughout the season he continued to send updates about his racing status and how fans could help.
That was just the tip of the iceberg though. Drivers seemed unafraid to tweet this year, so long as they didn’t criticize NASCAR, they’d be OK. As such, they’d turn their attention towards each other. The climax coming when the Twitter war between Kevin Harvick and Cope sisters Angela and Amber, broke out.
At New Hampshire in July Harvick was leading when the lapped and considerably slower Amber Cope found herself in front of him. It slowed Harvick down enough that Keselowski cruised by for the win and afterwards Harvick let Cope know that she shouldn’t be racing. Except, it didn’t end there.
Both Harvick and the Cope twins took to Twitter for weeks and traded barbs. After a while, Harvick stopped responding but the Copes continued to criticize Harvick and the fans who were criticizing them. Taking it a step further, the two seemed to use all attention as good attention. They created a website where fans could donate money in order to help them race in October at Charlotte, writing on the site “to put your money where your mouth is.”
The idea was to help raise money to “even the playing field,” in order to get an upgrade in tires, motors or perhaps a test session before the race. Angela Cope did race in Charlotte, but it lasted only one lap.
For the ugliness that Twitter can bring out in everyone, there have been plenty of lite moments in 2012. Jimmie Johnson used his page to show his quest for a sixth championship, hashtagging six-pack after many tweets. Keselowski may have been the one to gain much attention for his Twitter use, but Johnson’s was just as big.
After every race weekend he’d give away his hat in a contest. He even became quite the cameraman, uploading pictures from the garage, the airplane and everywhere in between. The artsy aspect of his photos were what made them popular.
Johnson’s teammate Jeff Gordon turned into a prolific Twitter user this season. A quick study in Twitter ways, he was soon engaging fans and sharing his disappointment with how his season was progressing. Gordon’s two children, Leo and Ella, constantly make an appearance through pictures posted by both himself and wife Ingrid, seemingly growing up right online.
Delana and Kevin Harvick did the same with new son Keelan. He was introduced to the world via Twitter, before making an appearance on pit road in front of the cameras. Now the Harvick’s can’t resist showing pictures of Keelan, after initially hesitating on the idea of sharing him with the world.
Cyberspace has become a way for NASCAR fans to see their drivers as human. Not just the superstars and heroes they idolize and cheer so hard for on the weekends. But it’s also become a place that NASCAR is continually trying to take advantage of, getting involved with and hoping to reach out to new fans.
How far that will go, only time will tell. For as much as it was embraced in 2012 and with how much came from it – breaking news, etc. – how it affects the sport next year or years to come will be the bigger story. There are already rules for drivers using Twitter, Keselowski might have gained NASCAR some attention through his behind the wheel tweeting, but he didn’t get off easy with it.
It was a fun and memorable season, one made more so by the way in which we enjoyed it. There was the experiment of the NASCAR hashtag page, as well as tweets on TV during the summer months when TNT read fan and driver comments on air. ESPN then had the “tweet your seat” feature for fans. Even commercials were made about using Twitter.
As we move forward and get ready to begin a new year, it is with the hope that things will get bigger and better. Cyberspace isn’t going anywhere anytime soon; it’s only going to become more a part of things. NASCAR has already shown great interest in being right there with it.
But it will mean nothing if the opportunity lying ahead isn’t met with optimism and preparation. That being to continue to grow the current fan base and their access while reaching out and bringing in new fans and new media attention.
So, tweet on drivers, teams, media and fans. Who knew that cyberspace would be so much fun?
A few other memorable NASCAR tweets from 2012:
- Mark Martin putting “Epic Swag” above the door of the No. 55 after his account was hacked and Twitter named was changed to that.
- Kenny Wallace vs. Ryan Truex on sponsorship and money. Wallace was taken out of his car at Texas and Truex was put in because he had a sponsor, Wallace claimed he bought the ride.
- Elliott Sadler’s numerous tweets after Indianapolis, when he was black-flagged from the lead when NASCAR declared he jumped the restart.
- Denny Hamlin calling his shot before New Hampshire. Then making good on it.
- Anything Clint Bowyer tweeted
CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS”
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NOVEMBER 23, 2012 DICK JORDAN CLAUSON, EAST, HAGEN TOP DECEMBER 7 “NIGHT OF CHAMPIONS” JOHNSON, MENZIES, LOVELL & DeJONG TOP TORC HONOREES The “Night of Champions” USAC National Awards Dinner is scheduled for Friday night, December 7, at the Indiana Roof Ballroom in downtown Indianapolis, Ind. Champions of USAC’s 2012 racing series will be honored during the gala evening. Bryan Clauson of Noblesville, Ind. has locked up his third consecutive USAC National Drivers Championship and among his championship awards are a scholarship from INDYCAR. Clauson also secured USAC’s 2012 AMSOIL National Sprint Car title. Bobby East of Brownsburg, Ind. will be celebrated as USAC’s Traxxas Silver Crown and Darren Hagen of Riverside, Calif. emerged as the 2012 Mopar National Midget Car Champion. Ricky Johnson of Trabuco Canyon, Calif., Bryce Menzies of Las Vegas, Nev., Brad Lovell of Colorado Springs, Colo. and Mitchell DeJong of Temecula, Calif. will be honored as 2012 USAC TRAXXAS TORC Off-Road Truck Champions presented by AMSOIL. Johnson claimed the Pro 4x4 title, while Menzies won the Pro 2WD crown, Lovell is the Pro Light 2WD titlist and DeJong won the inaugural Pro Buggy championship.. The affair will be held again this year in conjunction with the International Motorsports Industry Show (IMIS), which will be held December 6-8 at the Indiana Convention Center, located just one block south of the banquet facility. In addition to the various series championship awards, numerous other performance awards are part of the ceremonies as well as special recognition awards. USAC’s Mopar .25 Midget “Generation Next” Champions will also be featured at the banquet, which gets under way with a cocktail hour at 6 pm and dinner to follow at 7. Reservations for this special evening are being accepted until November 30 by Nikki Wilke at the USAC headquarters at nikki@usacracing.com or by calling 317-247-5151 (Ext. 214). Tickets for the banquet are priced at $60 each. Emcees for the affair are renowned broadcasters Jim Tretow and Pat Sullivan. The Indiana Roof Ballroom is located at 140 W. Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis.
Chasing My Dreams
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[/media-credit]Dreams.
They come in all shapes and sizes. Little dreams, big dreams. Some dreams include finding happiness in life or dreaming to make yourself a better person. A year ago, I wasn’t dreaming and I had no straight path to success. A year later, I can say my path success is more direct. NASCAR has been a passion of mine since I was seven and writing has been a passion of mine since I was in second grade. I never thought of combining the two until this year and putting my two passions together created endless possibilities.
Before this past NASCAR season started I had the opportunity to write about the Camping World Truck Series for a small blog. After I began writing and writing and writing, I had fallen in love with writing more than ever before. Prior to the Daytona 500, I was writing for my own site which I loved. I enjoyed the idea of writing about NASCAR and I dragged that enjoyment along for a ride. The ride ended when after years of searching and wondering I finally figured out what I enjoyed in life and might like to make a career of it once I finished school. Writing about NASCAR was what I was doing for enjoyment but I thought that one day I could make a career out of it and that’s when I began chasing my dream.
Throughout the NASCAR season I wrote articles, recaps, previews, etc. and I loved doing it so much. For a person to stick to their dream they need to have boosts or compliments from other people and that makes the person following their dream want to achieve their dream that much more. I was fortunate enough to receive compliments throughout the season about my writing and that’s what kept the fire inside me going. Writing about NASCAR wasn’t just a passion anymore; it had turned into a dream. A dream to one day be writing on the big levels and be able to be so great at it, much like Marty Smith is today.
One of the biggest compliments I received throughout the season was by Samantha Busch. I had recently gone to a Kyle Busch appearance and talked to Samantha for what felt like forever. Samantha knew who I was and knew about my dream and she even knew who I wanted to be like, Marty Smith. A day later, I wrote an article describing my encounter with Samantha and Kyle but also Marty who I had met in Charlotte back in August. Once I had written that article and put it out in the world, compliments from lots of people started rolling in.
The best complement I could have received came from the lady who had inspired me to write article, Samantha Busch. Samantha responded to a tweet with the article link and said “You’re so talented I have no doubt you’ll make it big!” That was the compliment that inspired me to keep chasing my dream and never let my dream fade away. If Samantha has faith that I can chase my dream, I should never give up on my dream.
Once the first season of writing about my passion and my dream concluded, I thought how much I would like to continue chasing my dream and keep on writing throughout my life. Being only fourteen now, I have at least four year until I can really come close to achieving my dream. Each day until I achieve my dream, I will be doing all I can to make my dream come true. An inspirational quote regarding chasing your dreams that I follow is “Keep on dreamin’ even if it breaks your heart” the quote is from a song that is sang by the Eli Young Band. That quote is what inspires me to chase my dream and I never plan on my dream breaking my heart, I won’t let it happen. Chasing my dream is what I expect to do throughout the years to come.
Kyle Busch: I’m more excited about this year being over
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[/media-credit]“I’m more excited about this year being over than anything else in my entire life.”
For Kyle Busch, the 2013 season did not go his way at he failed to win a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race, a Nationwide Series race and failed to make the Chase in the Sprint Cup Series.
“I think it’s been well documented that this has been the absolute worst year of my career, bar none, whether it was racing ASA cars or late models or Legends cars or even being here in the big three, winning 20-plus races a year,” he said. “It’s a huge disappointment. You don’t — I mean, Cup races, sure, they’re hard to win.”
In the Sprint Cup Series, Busch had one win, 13 top fives and 19 top 10s, finishing 13th in points. For Busch, it’s not enough as he says he could’ve won the last few races of the season, if not for circumstance.
“The last three weeks I should have won Martinsville, I could have moved Jimmie out of the way, I could have dive bombed the two of them at Texas and probably won that one, and then Phoenix I gave away because I chose the wrong lane on a restart,” he said after the Nationwide season finale. “I can’t seem to put it all together when it matters, and you have to in this sport, otherwise you’ll be kind of shown the door.”
In 22 Nationwide Series starts, he had nine top fives and 14 top 10s – yet no wins. It marks the first time in eight years that Busch hasn’t won a single race in the series.
He ran three truck races this season for his team, scoring top fives in each while leading laps. Though once again, no win was there – ending a streak of a win in each of the last seven years.
“Should have won last night,” he said, referencing the finale for the trucks at Homestead-Miami. “I had a shot to win Atlanta, had a shot to win Texas, just nothing ever materialized, and why it’s not materializing I can’t tell you.”
When asked for what needs to change, Busch didn’t have a clear answer.
“I’ve got to start living different, I guess,” he said. “I don’t know what it is. I mean, I’ve had plenty of second place and third place finishes in my career. You know, this year I’ve had plenty of those, as well, too. I even have a sixth place from Kansas where I should have won coming out of Turn 4, ran out of gas.”
For a driver that is used to success and winning, it does play heavily on his mind, despite the positives seen in this season with the team that he owns and their venture in both the Nationwide and Truck Series.
“I don’t know if you can keep a job in this sport by finishing second and third every single week or not, but hopefully I can because I seem not to be able to get to victory lane,” he said.
Paul Wolfe Captures Fourth Quarter KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Spotlight Award
Becomes Finalist for KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Year Honor
Roswell, GA (Nov. 21, 2012) – Following Sunday’s final race of the Sprint Cup Series season, Paul Wolfe, crew chief of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge driven by Brad Keselowski, has been named the fourth quarter winner of the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Spotlight Award.
In the prior eight races entering the Homestead-Miami event, Keselowski garnered a victory, a second-place at Texas and five other top-10 results for an average finish of 5.8. The team needed only a 15th-place result Sunday to claim the Sprint Cup Series title, and on cue, 15th was where they finished.
Brian Pattie, crew chief for the race’s second-place finisher Clint Bowyer, was named the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Race at Homestead. Pattie made several key calls to enable Bowyer, who was taken out of the Sprint Cup Series title hunt a week earlier in a late-race incident at Phoenix, to rebound with a second-place effort Sunday.
The KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Year Award will be announced next week. Quarterly winners in 2012 are Darian Grubb, crew chief for the No. 11 FedEx Toyota driven by Denny Hamlin (who won the first quarter and third quarter), Chad Knaus, crew chief for the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet driven by Jimmie (second quarter winner), and Wolfe. Just as the series championship has been fierce, so too has the battle for the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Year Award.
“We have a great group of guys on this team.” said Wolfe, who captured two
KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Race awards during the fourth set of nine races. “It was a total team effort and I am glad to lead them. Make no mistake about it as they were the guys who made it happen. There was a lot of pressure during the final stretch and our guys kept digging. We are thrilled to give Roger Penske his first Sprint Cup Series Championship.”
The weekly race awards were voted on by the expert panel of Penske Racing’s Sprint Cup crew chiefs, Todd Gordon and Paul Wolfe, along with Claire B. Lang of SiriusXM NASCAR Radio and FOX/SPEED analyst and former Sprint Cup Series champion crew chief Jeff Hammond.
“The No. 2 team was a consistent frontrunner during the final quarter of races, winning races, leading laps, securing solid finishes, and putting itself in what would be a two-horse race for the title against the 5-time champions – the No. 48 team (driver Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus),” said Lang. “Paul showed poise and composure, giving his team the self confidence needed to challenge the 48 and to put themselves ahead of the others in the Chase for the Championship.”
“Paul had the weight of the world on him but it never showed coming down the stretch,” added Hammond. “He was trying to accomplish something no other crew chief has ever been able to do – win a championship for Roger Penske and Penske Racing in the Sprint Cup Series. To add to it, they were going against the 48. He was calm and cool in his leadership tactics with the team, he and Brad have an incredible relationship, and their communication with each other is second to none. Congrats on being the fourth quarter winner of the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Spotlight Award.”
Wolfe will be presented a large bundle of KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* products and a check for $2,000 as a result of winning the fourth quarter Spotlight Award. Each quarterly winner was awarded the same prize during the 2012 season.
The coveted KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Year award will be announced next week, and the winner will be presented a $10,000 check.
About the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Challenge:
Gordon and Wolfe, along with Hammond and Lang, serve as the panel for the
KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Challenge. Each week the quartet vote to determine The Crew Chief of the Race, based on which crew chief demonstrates the most outstanding strategy and ingenuity during each race. The winner won’t necessarily be the crew chief that goes to victory lane, but the crew chief that makes the biggest difference to their team. The weekly winning crew chief receives a bundle of KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* products. Each Crew Chief of the Week is in contention to be named one of the four KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief Spotlight awards and will be a guest on Lang’s “Dialed In” program on SiriusXM NASCAR Radio Channel 90 at 8 p.m. EST on Wednesdays throughout the season. The crew chief with the most quarterly wins will be honored as the KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* Crew Chief of the Year and will be presented a $10,000 check and the end of the 2012 season.
About KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*:
KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* partners with businesses to create Exceptional Workplaces for their employees and patrons. KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL* helps transform workplaces making them safer, healthier, and more productive. Key brands in this segment include KLEENEX®, SCOTT®, WYPALL*, KIMTECH* and JACKSON SAFETY*. KIMBERLY-CLARK PROFESSIONAL*, located in Roswell, Ga., is one of Kimberly-Clark Corporation’s four business segments and can be visited on the web at www.kcprofessional.com.
Smith makes grand re-entrance into Nationwide Series
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[/media-credit]Regan Smith had just won his first career Nationwide Series race Saturday night in Homestead. He did so after a five year hiatus in one those cars. And he won with the organization he’ll drive for full-time in 2013.
So, Smith’s first thoughts after he climbed out in Victory Lane were on the 2013 season and what they could have done differently during the 200 mile Ford EcoBoost 200. Gathering data, gaining information, becoming knowledgably for next season was the main goal. Leading 24 laps and finding their way to Victory Lane was proof they’d done all right.
“It feels great. You look at it outside of the champions, there’s only three other people that are going to leave here happy from Homestead this year, and fortunately we’re one of the teams that can,” said Smith after his victory. “First and foremost, I’ve got to thank all the guys at JR Motorsports. They’ve worked really hard all year, and I was just fortunate to get the opportunity to hop in it before the season was over this year.
“Dale Jr. [owner], Kelly [Earnhardt Miller, owner] and Mr. H [Rick Hendrick] for letting me drive these things. I’m pretty pumped up about next year and rightfully so, I think.”
Smith went from driving in relief of Earnhardt Jr. back in October in the Sprint Cup Series to driving for him. Earnhardt JR. sat for two weeks, Charlotte and Kansas, when he suffered his second concussion in six weeks following a wreck at Talladega. In profiling that duty, Smith lost his chance with James Finch in the No. 51, although he did run the final two NSCS races for them.
But Earnhardt Jr. and all those involved liked what they saw from Smith. He’ll race full-time in the NNS next season for the company, running for the championship.
“I’ve seen Regan do some pretty unique stuff and see some flashes that let me know that given the right opportunity this guy can run the laps one after the other, as long as you need him to run them,” said Earnhardt Jr. about his new driver.
“They put a really, really good car underneath him tonight, and he ran the laps, every lap. It was phenomenal the speed they had … So I wasn’t really surprised. I felt like, all right, this is what’s supposed to happen. I know that there’ll be good times; there’ll be bad times in this year. You’re a hero one weekend and a zero the next. But given the right opportunities and everything falling correctly we can compete, and we have the tools to compete, and this sort of legitimizes that.”
Earnhardt Jr. went on to call the win, the organizations 10th, a big lift. Over the last few months there have been many high profile changes of personnel, all with the intention to get to where they were on Saturday. With a driver that Earnhardt Jr. praised heavily – great head on his shoulders, a good job in the car, works tremendously hard – and so forth.
Yet, Smith went to Victory Lane not with his 2013 team, but the one he tried to help do the same on the Cup side. Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief, Steve Letarte, was atop the pit box calling the shots for the No.5. Spotter TJ Majors was on the roof and the No. 88 pit crew was standing at attention on pit road when Smith came in for service.
While that aspect will be different at Daytona next year, Saturday couldn’t hurt in confidence. One race and one win is a good start to a new chapter in his racing life. Especially with how much has changed since Smith had been in a NNS car – his last start being July of 2007 at Daytona.
He was a quick study though, during practice. Learning what the car could and couldn’t do. He’ll have to learn again next season. The next generation of cars will make their debut, many taking great pride in the NNS becoming the muscle car series. Smith will race his Chevrolet Camaro against the Dodge Challengers and Ford Mustangs.
Except, for all the change Smith has experience the last few months, there’s one constant he’ll carry through his offseason. The expectations and goals he’s already set for his 2013 NNS campaign.
“I don’t know that we set the expectations too high. I think that we expect this every week and we’re going to expect it every week next year,” noted Smith. “I think the main thing is going to be to go into the offseason and realize that we’ve got to continue to improve, we’ve to continue to build fast racecars, to find more speed because everybody else is going to do it all offseason.
“But no, I don’t think winning ever sets the standard too high. That’s what we do this for, and it’s what we’re going to do it all next year for, and if we’re sitting out on the frontstretch at the end of the year next year, that’s what the goal is and that’s what the goal needs to be.”
Surprising and Not Surprising: Ford EcoBoost 400
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[/media-credit]In a weekend full of champion-crowning, here is what was surprising and not surprising from the NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Surprising: For a driver known, as ‘bad’, brash and cocky, there were some surprisingly humble moments from the 28 year old driver who brought Penske Racing its first ever NASCAR championship.
“It means the world, it really does,” Bradley Aaron Keselowski, driver of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge and Sprint Cup Champion, said after finishing 15th and securing the ultimate prize. “I’ve got the best team in racing and I’m just so thrilled to be a part of it.”
“From the top down, Roger Penske, Paul Wolfe, everybody else, the crew guys and my family, that means so much,” Keselowski continued. “You can’t do this sport by yourself no matter how good you are.”
“My family made incredible sacrifices and I’m just so fortunate to have them around me,” Keselowski said. “Without them, none of this is possible and they deserve way more credit than I do.”
Keselowski’s parents, who gave up their lives to their son’s racing career, were equally proud and humble in Victory Lane.
“How many people get to realize this dream?” Bob Keselowski, Brad’s dad and a racer in his own right, said. “There’s a million short track racers out there.”
“I’m just so blown away.”
“He has reached the pinnacle of success and I’m so unbelievably proud of my son,” Brad mom’s Kay said. “I’m ecstatic, just ecstatic.”
“I was holding my breath all race long and praying to God that it would all come together.”
Not Surprising: Of course, once the Miller Lite started to flow in celebration of his championship, Keselowski, sporting a good-sized beer glass, returned to his usual self, tweeting from the media center and wise-cracking in fun with all.
“I’ve got a little bit of a buzz going on right now,” Keselowski said after his victory on the show LIVE on ESPN. “I’ve been drinking for a little bit.”
After checking his phone and adding about 6,000 new followers on his Twitter account, Keselowski, with 5 wins, 13 top-five and 23 top-ten finishes, discussed how he will now approach being the NASCAR champion.
“Expect the unexpected,” Keselowski said, with his trademark grin. “That’s my MO, right?”
And on how being the NASCAR champ might change his life, Keselowski replied, “I’ve always wanted to date a celebrity….but not a Kardashian.”
And finally, Keselowski revealed his surprising powers of prediction, especially as it related to the points needed to secure the Sprint Cup.
“I predicted that the champion would need 2400 points to win,” Keselowski said. And that was the exact number of points, 2400 total, that the second driver in history to win the Cup and Nationwide championships had when the checkered flag flew.
“I feel like the best is yet to come,” Keselowski said as he wrapped up his media availability for the final time of the 2012 season.
Surprising: While not surprising to see team owner Rick Hendrick in Victory Lane, it was surprising that he was not there to see his driver Jimmie Johnson crowned six time champion.
Hendrick instead celebrated his team’s first ever win and the first ever win at Homestead-Miami Speedway for driver Jeff Gordon, commemorating his 20 year partnership with sponsor Dupont in the HMS No. 24 Chevrolet.
“Yeah, it’s disappointing,” Mr. H. said. “If you let that destroy you, you’ll never be able to win again.”
“It’s racing,” Hendrick continued. “I’m celebrating Jeff’s win and letting the other deal go.”
Driver and four-time champion Jeff Gordon might have been surprised to even be in the race, let alone Victory Lane, after his fracas the week before with competitor Clint Bowyer. The four-time champ was able to put the drama behind him, however, to score his 87th career victory and his second win of the 2012 season.
“This is just huge,” Gordon said. “It’s been an emotional week and a hard one; one of the hardest ones I’ve ever gone through just looking back on my decision.”
“So to come here and focus on the car with this silver commemorative paint scheme for 20 years of Dupont and to be able to end in Victory Lane, it was just an awesome team effort.”
Not Surprising: Even though starting the race behind the leader in the point standings, five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus seemed on target to parlay some pit strategy into that coveted six pack.
But an uncharacteristic lug nut issue and an even more unusual oil leak that proved fatal closed the door on the championship hopes for the driver of the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet. And Johnson, not surprisingly, found it a bitter pill to swallow.
“You know, to be close, it just sucks to be close and not get it,” Johnson said. “Pretty heartbreaking.”
“We were doing what we needed to and certainly in position to put a lot of pressure on the No. 2 car.”
“Stuff happens,” Johnson continued. “It’s racing.”
“I just have to reflect back on an amazing year.”
Surprising: Probably the most surprised driver coming out of the Ford EcoBoost 400 was none other than Clint Bowyer. Not only did he finish second in the race to nemesis of the week before Jeff Gordon, but he also scored second place in the point standings in his first season with Michael Waltrip Racing.
“To be honest, I didn’t even think I could reach second,” the driver of the No. 15 5-Hour Energy Toyota said of his runner up spot in the points. “That was the goal I’d set.”
“And I just wanted to catch the 24,” Bowyer said of his runner up race finish. “That was the only what-if that went through my mind at the end.”
“Probably went through your mind too.”
“Now I’m going to do whatever I want to do next week.”
Not Surprising: As with every end to the season, there were plenty of farewells to be said. Ryan Newman, who finished third in the season finale, bade farewell to the US Army as his sponsor.
“The US Army Chevrolet, four years strong,” Newman said. “We’re proud to represent them and proud of their support and we wanted to finish on a great note.”
Another farewell was said by Matt Kenseth, leaving the only race team home that he has ever known with Roush Fenway Racing and moving on to Joe Gibbs Racing.
“The team really proved that they gave me all they’ve got this season regardless of my plans for the future,” Kenseth said.
Joey Logano, who leaves Joe Gibbs Racing to partner with new champ Keselowski at Penske Racing, had some interesting words to mark the end of his tenure in the No. 20 Home Depot Toyota.
“And that’s the way the cookie crumbles,” Logano tweeted. “Thanks to all of @JoeGibbsRacing for 7 great years.”
The final farewell was most poignant, however, as Dodge won the championship and bid adieu to the sport of NASCAR.
“It’s been a long run,” Ralph Gilles, President and CEO of the SRT Brand and Senior Vice President of Design at Chrysler Group, said. “I’m still pinching myself.”
“It’s not bittersweet,” Gilles continued. “If anything, it’s an exclamation point on an effort that’s 11 years in the making.”
Surprising: Another Hendrick Chase driver was surprisingly upbeat, particularly since his teammate lost the championship to Keselowski.
And in spite of missing two races due to a concussion, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was also upbeat about finishing the season with a top-10 in his No. 88 National Guard/Diet Mountain Dew Chevrolet.
“I want to congratulate Brad on his championship,” Junior said. “He’s a buddy of mine and he did everything he had to do to win this thing.”
“This has been a really good season for me personally,” Dale Junior continued. “I’ve had a blast.”
“I can’t wait to test the new car and get to Daytona,” Junior said. “It will be a whole new ball game.”
Not Surprising: Yet again, Kyle Busch led the most laps in the race and failed to find Victory Lane, instead coming in fourth. In fact, this was the ninth race in a row where the driver of the No. 18 M&M’s Toyota led the most laps and did not win.
“I think I’ve said it the last five weeks – that’s our year,” Busch said. “It’s just a shame that we were not able to come out here and put it in Victory Lane like we should.”
“We’ll have to see what we look forward to next year.”
Surprising: The driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row Chevrolet not only finished ninth but had a surprisingly record-setting day in the process. Kurt Busch scored his third straight top-10 finish, the first time ever that Furniture Row Racing has had three consecutive top-10 finishes.
“Finishing the season with three straight top-10s and four straight top-15s – you just can’t ask for much more in a short period of time together,” Busch said. “We’ve made a tremendous amount of progress in the last six weeks and that gives us all plenty of confidence heading into the off season.”
Not Surprising: The young driver of the infamous No. 43 for Richard Petty Motorsports continued his great streak of race runs, finishing seventh in the season finale.
“We had a strong car all day,” Almirola said. “That was a great way to go out.”
“I’m excited about next year,” Almirola continued. “These guys give me great race cars so we’re gonna win races.”
As the 2012 season comes to a close, here’s to a Happy Thanksgiving, a blessed Christmas and a truly amazing New Year! See you at Daytona in 2013!
