Round Table Discussion: 2014 Edition

I know I haven’t been the best writer over the last year. With moving to Virginia and back to Wisconsin has had my head in a spin. BUT, about a week ago, I decided to get back to doing one of the few things I love the most. Writing about NASCAR. Since its start in 2011, the Round Table discussion has always been one of my favorite things to write about. And again since 2011, I have brought in some of my favorite people to help me out with some of the sport’s biggest topics. We’ll cover everything from Rookie Chase Elliott (I had done a spot light article on him as my welcome back last week) to Carl Edward’s departure from Roush. Plus, we give our picks on who we think will be the 2014 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion.  Beware; some of the picks may surprise you.

Let’s look at the panel. Returning for a fourth year are Garrett Beisheim and Steph Piech. These two have been amazing to keep coming back year after year. Returning for his third year is Jason Schultz. I am so glad that all three of them came back without Any hesitation. You’ll get to more about them at the end. Let’s head into the good stuff. The discussion. This past Sunday night, Garrett, Jason, Steph, and I all sat down and discuss the big topic. Let’s take a look:

The Chase format

We all know about the changes that NASCAR made to the Chase. from increasing the number of drivers in to the 'win and in' concept. we've already seen how it's worked, does it work or does it need to be tweaked?

Garrett Beisheim: The chase format was made to model an actual playoff system where the winner takes all in the final race at Homestead. I believe this will be a great system, but we will have to see how long it lasts as it seems NASCAR is always changing something. I also believe this system will be used until a loop-hole is found like last year when Clint Bowyer "intentionally" spun to allow his teammate to get into the chase.

Jason Schultz: The new Chase for the Sprint Cup format is fantastic. The idea of including eliminations, rounds, and a winner take-all finale not only adds excitement, but will make for some of the best racing we have ever seen. Each week will be a thrill and the end of each race will leave fans wanting more. It sounds perfect at the moment. I would only encourage change if it’s obviously needed after how this season's final ten races play out.

Steph Piech: I think it makes the last 10 races the most exciting they have been since the chase was created. It puts the races directly in the drivers’ hands and they decide if they make it or break it. But I agree with Garrett, there will most likely be a loop hole to be found because racers sometimes try to bend the rules a bit. But I think as of right now, it's the best format for the racing and for the drivers

Garrett Beisheim: I believe it could possibly put NASCAR back in the spotlight if we have a surprise championship winner or even just a couple surprise drivers in the final two rounds....,

Samantha Rae: I've watched this sport since before the Chase days and the Chase really helps even out everyone. I like the fact that NASCAR decided to go more towards a football play-off type of way. I would definitely suggest tweaking it. It shouldn't be with the top 30 in points because there are too many races in the first 26 race that could have a winner that nobody would ever think would ever win a race, like Almirola and Allmendinger. It’s good to see first-time drivers in the Chase, but they most likely won't have much success in the Chase.

Chase Elliott

At the age of 18, Chase Elliott is poised to win his first NASCAR championship. Do you think he's ready to win it all at such a young age?

Steph Piech: I'm not sure an 18 year old has had as much poise and talent as Chase has had this year. He doesn’t let anything deter from his focus of winning. He knows what it takes to win and how to do it the right way at only 18. He has a good head on his shoulder and the right person (his dad) in his corner. I think he's ready. Even though Logano was hyped up when he was 18, he didn’t have the poise or focus Chase does. Chase wants it bad, and he has already proven he can handle the pressure

Garrett Beisheim: I believe it may be a bit too early for him to win a championship, but he has proven that he is capable and deserving of it. I do believe that he should still spend 2-3 more seasons in nationwide because of what happened to Joey Logano. If he moves up that fast, it just becomes a lot of un-needed pressure for the younger kids; therefore he should remain in the Nationwide series for a couple more years.

Jason Schultz: The next few months will be very telling for Elliott. His inexperience could pose a threat as any mistake while chasing a title is costly. However, every challenge thrown his way this season, he's conquered. He's proven not having raced at a track before doesn't matter. He is a quick learner and that will help him close in on the title. Unless the No. 9 NAPA Auto Parts team gets caught up in a rookie mistake, I expect them to take home the championship.

Steph Piech: I do agree he needs to stay in nationwide another year though. Let him rack up two years of wins in Nationwide, and he will be ready to be a cup contender!

Garrett Beisheim: I agree with Jason, these next two months will show us what Chase and the No. 9 team can do and how well they can handle the pressure of possibly winning the championship with chase in his rookie season.

Samantha Rae: we always compare young drivers to Joey Logano's early cup career flop because let's all face it. Joey's time at JGR in Cup has to be the worst I have seen in a long time. I don't think Chase is going to flop like Joey. Joey was never really a threat for the championship in the Nationwide series. I think Chase has the talent and maturity to win it all this year. he's got the backing of possibly the best owner in NASCAR and he's got veteran teammate to lean on.

Samantha Rae: With all the hype of Greg Ives going to Hendrick to be Dale's crew chief, it never once slowed that 9 team down

Garrett Beisheim: I believe the only reason Joey "flopped" was because of the added pressure of filling a two-time series champion’s seat. It can't be easy just moving up to cup, but even harder to fill a seat of a guy who has won two championships with the team.

Samantha Rae: look at Chase though. everyone thinks he's going to take over the 24 car

Jason Schultz: Ives' experience with helping Jimmie Johnson compete for titles will benefit Elliott and help make up for some of his lack of experience.

Garrett Beisheim: But if the 24 team wins the championship this year, that gives Gordon another 4-5 years at HMS.

Steph Piech: I agree! Joey is one of my favorites but he being Tony's replacement paired with lack of experience wasn’t going to provide him with what he needed to truly have a tremendous rookie season

Samantha Rae: and then there's the fact that Kasey's contract ends in 2015. Does Rick stick with Kahne or does he go with Chase. I want Kasey to stay at Hendrick

Tony Stewart

This is going to be a two parter, sorta. Tony Stewart and the incident that brought the new rule. was the new rule good and what do you think should be exceptions to the rule?

Garrett Beisheim: Honestly there shouldn't even have to be a rule in place, this is more of a "common sense" type of thing in my opinion.

Jason Schultz: NASCAR had to act after the situation and the rule they came up with will get their point across. I only think drivers should be penalized if they ignore what safety officials tell them or unsafely approach the track. However, I don't expect the rule to be broken often.

Steph Piech: there shouldn’t be a rule but in the heat of the moment, the drivers don’t think about common sense and they do stupid and ridiculous things that they really don’t fully look at until after it happens. sometimes common sense things have to become a rule in order for drivers to start thinking of their actions when they're heated

Samantha Rae: I had said that two weeks ago during the race at Bristol. these drivers should have the common sense not to walking towards at a 3400 pound racecar going 70 miles an hour under caution. Look at Denny Hamlin after being wrecked by Harvick battling for the lead. should he have gone up and thrown his HANS device at Harvick, probably not. we didn't see a penalty for it, so I guess that's okay?

Jason Schultz: I agree with Garrett, it’s a common sense thing but NASCAR had to address the situation and the rule probably won't come into play that much at all.

Samantha Rae: 99% of the time when the driver gets out of the car, they go straight to either pit road or the medical vehicle. If NASCAR felt like they needed to address the issue, then by all means, go ahead

Steph Piech: yeah I agree. now that it's in fine print and it's an official rule, even though Denny got out and threw his helmet, we'll see less of these actions... or, for the next one who does it, NASCAR may make an example out of them depending in the circumstances

Garrett Beisheim: I don't think NASCAR penalized Hamlin because was still standing by his car, and the safety officials had already got to his car. Therefore that doesn't really break that rule...

Samantha Rae: it was just actually the HANS device and he hit Harvick's car, which you really don't see guy actually hitting their target, except for Stewart's two-handed helmet toss last year

which is still my favorite object toss

2015 schedule changes

next topic. 2015 schedule changes. good changes? bad changes? favorite change?

Garrett Beisheim: Well, I would say it's good, but I wanted more. 2015 would have been the ideal year to really change the schedule, add a different track or two and change up the tracks in the chase. It would have been the perfect time since now FOX and NBC will be taking over the coverage for the season. I don't really see the need for the extra off-weekend, just makes the season even longer than it needs to be. My favorite change has to be the fact that they moved Phoenix later in the season, and moved Atlanta to the second track on the schedule. It's the start of a schedule change that I wanted but it's not enough

Samantha Rae: I'm still waiting for them to change up the Chase. the fact that all 10 races in the Chase are still the same. I want variety! I LOVE the fact that Darlington is back on Labor Day. It's the Southern 500. I'm glad that they made changes, but I don't think it was enough.

Steph Piech: my favorite change is bringing labor day weekend back to Darlington. It was a tradition for a long time and I think bringing it back is the best thing to do. I think it will bring more excitement to the weekend and to close out the summer season of the schedule. I think as a 50/50 good-bad change is the west coast sweep for 3 races. The good change is, as they've said, for the fans. They can take a month long vacation and go on a NASCAR road trip after saving up all winter (well, let's just say hypothetically). however, for the race teams I think this first time doing it will take its toll. But, I think there are a few tracks that have proven they deserve a second date, and haven’t received it yet.

Jason Schultz: The 2015 schedule is interesting. While fans have called for change over the years, the adjustments made weren't necessarily the ones fans wanted. I hope one day the tracks included are shaken up, but as for where we will go next season, I like it for the most part. It will be fun going to Atlanta for the second race of the season and staying in the south to kick-off the season. Moving Bristol to April is a great move which will benefit the track and fan attendance. Shaking up the schedule at the end of June is necessary to give NBC a big kick-off in Daytona but what puzzles me is why there is an off-week between Michigan and Sonoma when a week off after Sonoma would be a good break between the two networks' coverage. Moving Darlington to Labor Day Weekend will return prestige to the speedway and create an electrifying atmosphere. I'm excited to see how everything plays out once 2015 arrives.

Steph Piech: I agree with Sam! change up the chase! add a road course! bring I. road America or some track that NASCAR, as a league or these series, doesn’t race very often to get teams to think strategy and throw them off their game a bit

Samantha Rae: I have want Road America in the Cup Series for like three years! it's my home track!!

Garrett Beisheim: I want 4 road courses on the schedule with one of them in the chase

Steph Piech: I think that would be fun! I’m not a huge fan of road courses, but I do think we need more of them to have a full variety for drivers to truly show they are the best at every type of track

hell, let's add a dirt track too

Carl Edwards

Earlier this year, Carl Edwards announced that he was leaving Roush Fenway. everyone wondered where he was going to go. Then, just a few weeks ago, Edwards announced that he was joining Joe Gibbs Racing for the 2015 season. was this the right decision by not only Edwards to move, but JGR to expand to four teams?

Jason Schultz: Edwards' move was the best one for his career. He gave it a good go at Roush-Fenway Racing but just couldn't win a title. Changing things up will greatly benefit him. Out of all teams in the garage, JGR is the one that could succeed most with a four-car team. If they find more speed, I expect all four teams to be competitive next season.

Garrett Beisheim: Seeing the state of RFR right now, I believe Carl Edwards made a smart move, if he wants to win a championship; he can't win it at RFR right now. now what made him think he can win it at JGR confuses me. SHR expanded to 4 cars and seems to only have 1-2 cars running competitively every week. Maybe Carl thinks he can do what Kenseth did his first year at JGR and that is win, win and win. But with Carl joining a brand new team, there will be growing pains. JGR can't even run 2 of the 3 cars competitively, let alone 4

Samantha Rae: I for one was very surprised that Carl decided to leave Roush Fenway, but Roush isn't the same power house that they were just a few years ago. Carl decided that it was the best move for his career and his did it before it was too late. Carl had said that he's going to give it 100% the rest of the year and try to win the title for Jack. a few teams have tried the four car thing, so it's going to be an interesting thing to see JGR try and do it

Steph Piech: I think Carl has dealt with the same thing over and over again and in order for his career to move forward, he needs a change of scenery with another great team with all the resources Roush has. I think it's a perfect match for both of them. Gibbs wants another championship, and Carl is still hungry for his first. The only thing that scares me is what happened with Matt last year compared to this year. Carl is a top caliber driver, and maybe his experiences and his opinions will help progress all 4 teams into chase contention next year

Samantha Rae: the strength of Roush has fallen off in the last few years. unless Jack makes a change, they aren't going to be around much longer

Steph Piech: unfortunately, I agree. it doesn’t seem like they have the top tier equipment they had a few years ago when Carl was challenging for the title

Garrett Beisheim: Jack needs to either downsize and work from the ground up again, or try to attract some top-drivers over to RFR to help build the team up

Samantha Rae: even when Matt was still there. something is off with their Cup program. even their Nationwide program isn't the same as it used to be

Steph Piech: I think with Carl leaving he needs to focus on the 16 and 17 and get them into contention before adding another driver so I agree with that as well

Samantha Rae: Trevor is going to be full-time in the 6 car next year

Steph Piech: well still... I love Trevor... but in order for RF to get back to its full potential, he has to do something maybe with him being full time, they'll be able to find some speed or maybe get help from the race team alliance group

Samantha Rae: what gets me is the fact that Roush and Penske both use the same engines in Roush Yates Engines, so it has to be somewhere else they are having problems.

Samantha Rae: one quick question. Roush: sink or swim without Edwards? I say sink if they can't find speed

Jason Schultz: I say barely swim. They won't go off the map completely but it'll be a battle to get one car into the Chase.

Garrett Beisheim: Sink if they don't get it figured out by next year, you can't tell how good a driver is if the equipment isn't good and the team isn't up to speed

Samantha Rae: Biffle shouldn't have made the Chase, made it by the skin of his teeth

Steph Piech: I agree. they don’t really have a standout top 15 driver anymore once Carl leaves. sink.

NASCAR Power House

Who is the new Power house? is it still Hendrick or have JGR and Penske come to spoil the Hendrick party?

Garrett Beisheim: I would put Penske up there with HMS, even though the team is half the size; they definitely have shown that they can both compete for the championship

Steph Piech: Penske is definitely proving they are two of the teams they have to watch out for every week. Both drivers have the talent and equipment to compete for the championship. Penske is smart in fielding only 2 cars so both the teams get equal equipment, and not one being more superior over the other, as we can sometimes tell week to week with Hendrick and JGR

Jason Schultz: Based off of what has happened this year, it’s still Hendrick Motorsports. They have been arguably better than ever with three of their teams making it to victory lane three times. I expect them to compete for at least half of the finalist spots in Miami and take home the title.

Steph Piech: Hendrick is still on top, but they have to look in the rearview mirror because Penske is right on their bumper

Samantha Rae: I agree that Hendrick is still the power house, but Penske and JGR both have proven that they can hang with those big boys. Adding Logano to the roster has proven to be one of the best things Roger has done. Going to Penske has also been Logano's best career decision.

Garrett Beisheim: JGR can compete but they're nowhere close to where Penske and HMS compete every week

Trucks and Nationwide Series

I wanna talk about Trucks and Nationwide and decrease in Cup driver winners. is the talent in the lower series better than it's been in recent years?

Jason Schultz: With the youth movement ongoing throughout the sport, I definitely think the talent in both series' has increased. It’s fun to watch the young drivers doing well and before long, they will keep up in the wins column with the veterans.

Steph Piech: I think the flood of younger drivers with Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney, and obviously, Chase Elliott, has improved the racing in both series. I think all three, and the other rookies as well, have spent more time in their previous series to make sure they had that experience for two of NASCAR's top series

Garrett Beisheim: there seems to have been an increase in young talent in the lower series. they have shown that they can compete with the cup.

Samantha Rae: Kyle Busch won 46% of the races in 2013. This year? 12%. of course that stat was from a few weeks ago at Bristol, but look how dramatic that decrease is. of course Kyle is still an angry little gremlin when it comes to losing. but 12%!

Garrett Beisheim: Chase Elliott and Darrell Wallace Jr are the two that come to mind, they can compete week-in-week-out for the win and they race like they have been in the sport for years.

Steph Piech: I think cup guys like Busch have taught the young guns what they need to do, which is ultimately one of the reasons that cup guys haven’t totally been banned from NW. the NW and NCTS help the young guys compete with cup guys and develop and fine tune their talent to their benefit

Samantha Rae: it's crazy to think that Busch's winning percentage has decreased as much as it did. that goes to show how well this new batch of young drivers is

The Chase

I think we all know what's left. The Chase for the Sprint Cup. Keselowski, Gordon, Earnhardt Jr., Logano, Johnson, Harvick, Edwards, Ky. Busch, Ku. Busch, Hamlin, Allmendinger, Almirola, Kahne, Kenseth, Newman, Biffle. contenders and pretenders. who's a threat and who's not

Garrett Beisheim: The 43, 47, 16 and probably the 5 won't make it past the first round; I see the 24, 88, 4, 48, 2, 22 and the 20 as being the true contenders

Samantha Rae: I think Kahne could possibly make it at least out of the first round. he's been more consistent than Alimrola, Allmendinger, Newman, and Biffle.

Steph Piech: for me, the top 3 who have been the most consistent all season have been Gordon, Logano, and Keselowski. so I think coming down to Homestead it will be these three along with either Junior or Harvick. Allmendinger, Biffle, Newman and Almirola I don’t think will make it too far because they haven’t had that consistent top 10 finished week in and week out. Kasey I think will make it through to the contender round and have another good run at Charlotte

Samantha Rae: Kyle has been tanking lately and Hamlin hasn't been any better.

Garrett Beisheim: Newman has been quietly finishing top 12 every single week, while the no. 5 team isn't as consistent, and then Biffle's team is either hit-or-miss every week, his car is either top 5 or a 20th place car, you never know what that team is going to bring to the track Kyle and Denny haven't been running well lately so unless they can step up their game another level for the chase, they won't make it past the second round

Samantha Rae: taking Bristol, Daytona, and last night's 17th place finish, Kasey has finish no worse than 15th for the last few months. this has been one of Kasey's worst season, but I think he may be consistent enough to make it to at the high top eight

Jason Schultz: The biggest threats will come from Keselowski, Gordon, Logano, Johnson and Harvick. I believe they will all make it far and have a great shot at the title. Earnhardt Jr., Edwards and Kenseth will be mid-pack and still pose a threat. The pretenders this season have to be Kyle Busch, Kurt Busch, Hamlin, Allmendinger, Almirola and Kahne. I have not seen them run consistently enough to expect a title run. Overall, I anticipate a Team Penske or Hendrick Motorsports driver raising the trophy in Homestead-Miami.

Garrett Beisheim: I believe 2 HMS cars will be super competitive, the first being the 48 since he is so good in these final races, and the second will come down between either the 24 or the 88 both of them have shown that they can win like the 48 but I believe only two of the cars in the final round will be from HMS

Samantha Rae: I'm going to pick Gordon over Junior. Gordon has been much more consistent than his teammate

Final Four

Final four heading into Homestead? Champion?

Garrett Beisheim: 48, 24, 4, 22

Jason Schultz: I say the 48-4-2-88

Steph Piech: 24, 2, 22, 4

Samantha Rae: 22, 48, 24, 2

Steph Piech: I just see a hunger in Jeff more than I haven’t seen in past years. He really wants it

Garrett Beisheim: I think a Penske car has the best shot at knocking down the 48, but the 48 will still prevail at homestead

Samantha Rae: I'm actually going to go with Logano. I've seen something in him this past season that I have never seen in him before. He's more confident and I think he is definitely the dark horse in this Chase

Jason Schultz: The No. 88 team is driven to win it all and Steve Letarte is going to give it everything he's got for a chance to becoming a championship-winning crew chief before transitioning to the TV booth.

Official Championship picks:

Jason Schultz: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Steph Piech: Kevin Harvick

Garrett Beisheim: Jimmie Johnson

Samantha Rae: Joey Logano

I’m glad these three decided to come again and be a part of something like amazing and insightful! We cold have talked and talked about NASCAR for hours, but we didn't have that much time.  We had some laughs (I called Kyle Busch an angry little gremlin), we got down to the serious stuff (A little bit), and we all talked about something all four of us are passionate about! I hope that, with everything that we talked about and discussed, everyone can get a clear picture of that fact that this sport is amazing, complicated, and definitely not perfect. And I thank you for reading. Stay tuned for more from all of us in the near future.

Get to know the panel!

Samantha Rae: 23-year-old small-time writer and avid NASCAR fan since the mid 1990’s. Kasey Kahne and Ryan Truex fan. Slowly working my way to North Carolina and a shot at a job in NASCAR. I went to my first race at the age of 22, last October at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Since then, I’ve seen races at three different tracks, seen six races, and have met 15 drivers. My other hobbies include rooting for the New York Giants and the Philadelphia Flyers. You can find me on twitter @HurriKahne_5. Like my Facebook page NASCAR Racing Is A Sport!

Stephanie Piech: 22 year-old motorsport and NFL fan. Joey Logano fan. Carolina Panthers and the Pittsburgh Steelers are my football teams. Redhead. College graduate: Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication, and triple minors in marketing, sociology, and business administration. Currently working on my dream for a career in a sports marketing or communication office. Now that I’ve moved to South Carolina, I'm becoming a regular at Charlotte Motor Speedway and Bank of America stadium. Lover of dogs and good music.

Jason Schultz: Racing has been my passion ever since I was 7-years old. Now at 16, I aspire to work in the public relations field of NASCAR. I hope to attend college in the sport’s hub – Charlotte, NC – in the near future and move one step closer to achieving my dream. I have been writing about the sport I love for almost three seasons. You can find my work on Turn4RacingNews.com along with PopularSpeed.com. In addition, I contribute to different social media outlets including being social media manager on @SpeedwayMedia. Last May, I was fortunate enough to be a part of the Drive for Autism Celebrity Golf Tournament in Delaware during Dover race weekend. Many NASCAR personalities came out to support the great cause and I was able to provide social media updates throughout the day. Just like any fan, I enjoy attending races. I have been to events at Dover International Speedway, New Hampshire Motor Speedway, Daytona International Speedway, Watkins Glen International, Bristol Motor Speedway, Darlington Raceway and Pocono Raceway. Follow me on twitter @NASCARJason to stay up-to-date on my travels, experiences, articles and much more.

Garrett Beisheim: I have been following the sport for a dozen years now. I'm a fan of Tony Stewart and the whole Stewart-Haas Racing team. I live in upstate/western New York just an hour a half from the road course of Watkins Glen. I went to the glen this year and witnessed AJ Allmendinger lock himself into the chase for the sprint cup. I am currently a senior in high school and am thinking about pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering either here in NY or in NASCAR city of Charlotte, NC. Along with NASCAR my other interests/hobbies are soccer and hockey, GO BUFFALO!

Rookie Status: Chase Elliott

Elliott. A last name everyone should know. Made famous back in the 1980’s and 1990’s, Awesome Bill from Dawsonville started his NASCAR career in 1976, at the young age of 20 years old, 19 years before son Chase was born. During his career, Bill Elliott racked up 44 wins, 320 top fives, and 55 poles. Bill also holds the record for the fastest qualifying speed of a 212.809 MPH. Bill is a legend who paved his own way through NASCAR. Now, it’s his son’s Chase’s turn.

At 18, Chase Elliott has accomplished what a lot of racers wish they could. In February of 2011, Chase signed a three-year developmental driver contract with power house Hendrick Motorsports, making Chase, at 15, the youngest driver on the Hendrick roster. Chase raced in a number of different lower tier series for Hendrick Motorsports before running a select few NASCAR Camping World Truck Series races in 2013 at the age of 17. In his nine starts in the series, Chase racked up 1 win, 5 top fives and 7 top tens.

That one win came with a lot of controversy. Chase was racing Ty Dillon for the win when Chase put a bumper to Ty and Ty spun, resulting in Chase’s win. Was it right for Chase to spin Ty for the win? At the time, Chase had said that’s not the way he races, but he also had said that he felt like it was the right thing to do. Dillon didn’t give him an inch and Chase decided to take that inch. It’s all water under the bridge now. Early this year, at Indy, Chase had come out to congratulate Ty on his win.

Let’s talk about the fan base. Most of Chase’s fans have come from his father, Bill. That’s definitely not unusual. We saw it when Dale Sr. died. 95% of Sr.’s fans are now Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fans. I have seen firsthand on how many people actually are Chase Elliott fans. I had taken a 4.5 hour trip from Wisconsin to Chicagoland Speedway last month when the Nationwide Series had their stand-alone race. There were only two Cup driver in the field: Kyle Larson, and Chase’s teammate Kasey Kahne. Chase had dominated that race and when he did his burnouts, you could hear the roar of the cheers coming from every single section at the speedway, myself included. Chase’s fans are just in one age group. They range from fans as old as his father to fans younger than my 23 years of age, including my cousin who never seen a full NASCAR race until that night. Needless to say, she’s a fan.

Let’s back track to Daytona of this year. Chase’s Nationwide Series debut. It’s hard to believe that Chase never started a race in the Nationwide series before Daytona in February. In his debut, Chase finished 15th. Kind of lack luster, right? Since then, Chase has been consistent, which has him sitting atop not only the rookie standings, but as of right now Chase is the championship points leader. He lead his teammate, Regan Smith, by 15 points (all stats are current through 9/2/14). This kid has been outstanding as a rookie. In his 25 starts, Chase has racked 3 wins, 11 top five finishes, and 17 top ten finishes.

Let’s look at his wins. Texas, Darlington, and Chicagoland. Three tracks that have absolutely nothing in common, except for one thing. Chase. Let’s take a look at his first win. Texas. Texas is a 1.5 mile oval with 24 degree banking in the turns. Chase started 6^th, led 38 laps to win it. Now on to Darlington. The Lady in black. The track ‘Too Tough Too Tame’. Darlington is a 1.366 mile track with 25 degrees of banking in turns one & two and 23 degrees of banking in turns 3 & 4.  How does a rookie lead 52 laps AND win? That has been on everyone’s mind. Darlington is such a tough track to race and Chase goes there for his first ever start at Darlington and wins it. Let’s skip a few ahead months to July. Chicagoland. Nationwide Series stand-alone race with only two Cup regulars in the field. No one had anything for Chase that night. he led 85 laps and cruised to Victory at the 1.5 mile track.

Chase has been consistent and good right out of the box. JR Motorsports has backing from Hendrick Motorsports, which make them a power house in the Nationwide Series. Chase’s average finish so far is 8.7 with a pole at his home track Atlanta this past weekend. Chase’s average finish is 8.4, factoring in his fifth place finish at Atlanta. It’s hard to believe that Chas is only 18. He just graduated high back in May.

Let’s talk about the future. It’s already been announced that Chase will make his Cup debut in 2015, but the race is still to be determined. Which track would be the best place for Chase to make his debut? A short track like Richmond or Bristol? A Super Speedway like Daytona or Talladega? Maybe a track like Charlotte or Atlanta. Let’s skip to Chase’s first year in Cup. Will that be in 2016? 2017? Will he replace Jeff Gordon if he retires in the next few seasons? Will Chase go somewhere else for his rookie year? Time can only tell.

Chase may be only 18 years old, but he races like the veterans and act mature beyond his years. It’s going to be fun to watch this kid climb his way to the top and I hope I’m there to see it.

Follow me on twitter!

@Hurrikahne_5

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NASCAR Racing IS A Sport!

2013 Edition of Round Table

What do you get when you put five highly opinionated people together to talk about NASCAR more current topics of interest? You get magic. If you’re reading this you have officially started to witness the third annual Round Table! Yay for you! Returning for a third year are two of my favorite people Garrett Beisheim and Stephanie Piech. Jason Schultz has decided to return after last year’s round table. New to the craziness is writer Kristen Schneider. Last Saturday, the five of us put out heads together. We took some of the biggest topics over the last two or so months and I guess you can say this is the best we came up with. We talked about Silly Season, Clint Bowyer, The Chase, Richmond, and NASCAR’s latest decision. Let’s take a look shall we…

Is Kyle Larson ready for Cup?

Kristen: I don't think he's ready. He has had no success in NNS, and he's attempting to leap frog that vital step. Yes, Kasey Kahne, Tony Stewart, and many others have thrived in Cup without much NNS experience, but this is a different era. It's the era of "if you don't progress fast enough, you're done," and I'm worried that will be the thing that bites Larson.

Sam: It’s really hard to tell. One on hand, he’s basically just like Gordon, Stewart, and Kahne. All three come from dirt roots and all three have had success in the Cup series. I think Larson fits very well into that group. Larson has been amazing in everything he has sat in. On the other hand, he doesn’t have a lot of experience in NASCAR. Sure, he’s won a race, but that doesn’t exactly give you a free ride into the Cup series. You have to work hard and earn it. Look at Ricky Stenhouse Jr. His rookie year in Nationwide Series wasn’t the greatest, especially getting benched during the summer of 2010. BUT, when he did come back, he went on a tear and beat out Brian Scott for rookie of the year by 16 points. Ricky spent 2011 improving on 2010 by winning the championship and spent 2012 improving on 2011 by winning more races and winning the championship for the second year in a row. I don’t’ exactly think Kyle earned the spot, but if Chip thinks he’s ready, I’m not going to question it.

Steph: hhmmmm so far, he's had some really decent finishes, but he needs time. Look what happened with Logano: Gibbs put him in a little too early and it took his Cup career a little while to get on the track. His first couple of seasons were a bit of a stumble and he didn't get the results Gibbs was hoping for. I would like to see him run a full NW schedule next year, get some wins, contend for the championship, and then move to Cup. That would be the right way to do things.

Sam: Logano is the perfect example of being thrown into Cup too early. but look at him now, he's starting to come into that talent we all know he has. I just hope Kyle doesn't fail and he won't get the chance like Joey has running the Nationwide series, helping him run better in Cup

Steph: yes, he's really competitive but seat time is what he needs. I just hope Larson has grown enough from his little bit of nationwide experience to cope with the differences in the cars and with the media attention

Kristen: Also, what about Danica Patrick? She was shoved in the Cup series way too early. I think they suffer from the same issue: hype. So much hype surrounds them both, and it's difficult to support them with little results in stock cars.

Sam: The difference between the two of them though is Kyle has a little bit more success in a stock car than Danica has. I think that give Kyle a little better advantage going into Cup in 2014.

Garrett: In my opinion it is still a year early for Kyle Larson, like you all said, Logano is the perfect example. Just because he can drive everything and get a top 10 a majority of the time doesn't mean he is ready for cup. I think he should have stayed in nationwide series for one more season.

Kristen: I'm just saying the concepts are the same. Trust me, it's evident Larson is more talented than Patrick, but they're both being powered by hype.

Steph: exactly! and I don't want a talented guy like Larson to not live up to the hype because he deserves to have a pretty successful career

Sam: media pressure. Logano had, Danica had it, and Larson has it now.

Jason: No he isn't ready. One year in the Nationwide Series is far too little. He may be very talented, but being rushed up the NASCAR ranks won't be good for his career. A tough season will be in-store for the rookie in 2014.

Where will Jeff Burton and Juan Pablo Montoya end up?

Kristen: I see Burton going to Furniture Row, with the RCR connection and the fact that Burton still has a contract with Childress. Montoya may have no choice but to go back to Indy Car

Garrett: I know there hasn't been much said about burton, but it makes me think FRR will take him in, I think Montoya is going back to Inday Car

Jason: I see Jeff Burton ending up at a smaller team and helping them grow. His racing knowledge is arguably the best in the garage and he would be a great asset to any team. Juan Pablo Montoya will fall to Furniture Row Racing. He's the best option for the team and they could be a good fit to win some races. If not Furniture Row, then not in NASCAR.

Sam: Again, it’s hard to tell. There aren’t many open spots left for these two. The fact that RCR sped up the end of Burton’s contract is a little fishy with me. Of course he’s a good driver, but he hasn’t won since 2008. He hasn’t had a Chase appearance since 2008, which was his last shot at winning a championship. He hasn’t been a contender for years. Burton knows how to race, but I think he may have hit his peak already. I like Jeff Burton, but I think it may be time to hang up the racing helmet soon. On to Montoya.  Where do I start? How about the lousy two wins since his rookie year in 2007? Sure, he won rookie of the year and he’s got a Chase berth, but that’s it. Eight years to really do something and what does he have to show for it? Two road course wins. Sure, there have been some near misses, but if he was good enough, a lot of those could and should have been made up. It just came down to whether or not Chip wanted mediocre over fresh talent and he chose fresh talent.

Steph: I think with Juan's unfortunate (for him) success in NASCAR, his only choice would be to go back to Indy Car if he still wanted to have some success. He obviously hasn't quite figured the Cup cars out

Will Ryan Newman find success at RCR?

Garrett: Ryan Newman WILL find success at RCR; he is finding his strength again for the chase. Richmond was a perfect example, Borland told him he had to win and he "rocketed" to the front. First few races may be rough but it shouldn't be a problem. I just hope they focus on Newman and not all on Dillon

Jason: Newman will be extremely successful at RCR. That team seems like a perfect match for the Rocket and the Chase will definitely be in reach. A win or two will be easily accomplished for the team. Look for Newman to have much more success at RCR than he had at SHR.

Sam:  I think he will find some sort of success, but he will have the Chase controversy on his back. Not like Clint will, but it will be there. This will be the third team Ryan has run for since 2008 when he decided to leave Penske for Stewart Haas. He will also have the sting of his best friend not wanting him back on the team, telling him they didn’t want to go to a four car team. Plus the even bigger sting of Gene Haas turning around and hiring Kurt Busch to the team. Ryan will have a lot of obstacles to jump over, so this isn’t me saying he’ll go out and win the 2014 Cup.

Steph: I think Newman needs a solid team and I think RCR will give him what he needs. SHR was and is still trying to find its place in Cup. Yes they have Tony's money and everything, but as an owner, Tony hasn't had much success in Cup and if Newman wants to win, RCR will give him that stable team he needs I don't think he'll win the Championship next year, but he may get a win or two and more solid finishes than he has gotten with SHR

Kristen: Newman won't win the championship next year solely on the trial and error that will be in effect. The year after that? STRONG contender.

Sam: I think Ryan's biggest obstacle will be learning how Childress equipment works. He's known Hendrick power the last four years, so that's going to be a big change

Garrett: Agreed, no championship for Newman next season, the question is, how much will RCR put into Dillon over Newman

Steph: But I think with his engineering background and getting time in the car next year, he'll be able to figure out what he needs to do as a driver to get himself into that contender position

Kristen: Exactly, Garrett. Even with a new team, Newman may not get the attention he needs/deserves.

Garrett: My long time opinion has been that RCR puts all the $$$ into the Dillon’s cars

Sam: I think that RCR will give Austin a little more attention because of the fact that it's going to be Austin's rookie season. Newman is a veteran. He'll know what to do. He'll be top dog at RCR

Kristen: Which I can understand, since they're his grandsons, but they're talented enough to not be coddled. They could be successful on their own.

Steph: agreed, Kristen! give him the equipment he needs, and let him race! he obviously knows how to

Will Kevin Harvick and Kurt Busch mesh well with Stewart and Patrick at SHR?

Garrett: Talk about the team with multiple personalities, they should be fine, but I'm just worried about 4 cars, not sure if it’s gonna work well or not. RCR struggled that one year they had 4 cup cars, that's my reason as to why I'm worried

Kristen: I think they'll definitely mesh with Stewart, seeing as they're all similar. Harvick and Stewart are also buddies. But it will be unbalanced. Nobody mentions Patrick when talking about next year. This will be a very rough patch in her professional career. In a four car team, there's always one that lags, and it will be Patrick. Other than that, it will be an explosive mix.

Sam: I think they’ll mesh well with Stewart, I don’t know about Danica. Danica seems like she wouldn’t belong in this group. Kurt and Kevin are already meshing really well before becoming teammate. It’s really just a test of time whether or not the entire organization will work well together. Kurt has a temper that could get him in trouble in 2014, but he’s been pretty good since his blow up in 2011, which got him fired from Penske. He’s been working really well on controlling his temper, just having very little slip-ups since. He’s a former champion, so he could possibly bring SHR their second title. But so can Harvick. Harvick is The Closer. He knows what he’s doing in a crunch. You never know with Harvick. He’ll have weeks were he’s one of the best cars on the track and then the next week, he’ll be struggling. It may be different since Harvick has run Childress engines since the beginning of his career and now will run his first Hendrick engine. There is a big difference between Childress power and Hendrick power and it will be interesting on how Harvick will use it. Busch is used to the Hendrick power with Furniture Row Racing getting resources from Hendrick over the years. It will definitely be something to watch out for.

Garrett: Kurt is a wheelman and Kevin is also good, SHR Is gonna be really competitive next season

Steph: I don't think SHR is ready to have 4 cars. They've been struggling with the teams they have already and to add up to the max amount of teams may not be the best idea. Yeah, they have some of the best in the business, but the equipment has to get better for next season. I think Harvick, Busch, and Stewart won't have a problem with each other but they'll have to help Tony with "training" Danica I think. It will be good for her because she'll get to talk with these guys to give her some pointers

Jason: I think they will. Being teammates will allow them to help each other in order to make SHR better. Each will bring something to the table which will put them in better contention overall. More wins are in the future for the team.

How will AJ Allmendinger’s first full season since 2011 go?

Garrett: From what I heard, the 47 team is looking to go to Chevy possibly for 2014 IF that happens and they are backed by RCR or HMS, he will be competitive, if not, he is just gonna be like bobby Labonte and ride around until the 2 road course races. I'm just glad AJ made it back to NASCAR, he deserves a second chance, and he is making the most of it

Kristen: Allmendinger will struggle, getting use to everything and all, but a win or two could be possible. He's more focused and grounded than he's ever been, and he plans on doing as much as he can to get back into the top tier...because he never thought he'd be back again.

Sam: It’s tough to tell. On one hand, AJ hasn’t been full-time since 2011 and hasn’t been in many races since. On another hand, AJ has been doing well in those races and even won for Penske in the Nationwide Series. JTG Daugherty hasn’t been a big threat in the Cup Series, but with AJ behind the wheel, they could be a threat for top five’s and possibly a win. This is one of those things were you just have to wait and see.

Jason: There will be some rough patches, but overall it will be successful. He has proven he runs well with the No.47 team and once he gets in a rhythm next season, consistent top 15's will come easily. I don't know, he can do good with 47, just not consistent IMO

Steph: I think he's going to have his struggles, but also a few decent finishes. I'm not too sure if he'll get a win next season because he hasn't had a full season ride in a couple years, and he may be a little rusty with a full schedule

Did Kasey make the right decision by not wrecking Matt Kenseth?

Garrett: Kasey Kahne made the right decision, as much as I wanted him to wreck Matt, he did what he thought was right. He is still in the chase, so there really isn't a problem as to if he should have or not

Sam: Kasey showed everyone what kind of driver he was by not wrecking Matt Kenseth even after being wrecked several times by JGR this season. Kasey had said himself that he would never wreck another driver for a win. Does Kasey have ‘balls’ after not wrecking Matt? Hell yeah! One decision doesn’t make or break a driver by any means. Of course Kasey has been mad at a driver during a race, but he doesn’t go as far as ruining both his and someone else’s day. He’s not doing to go all Danica Patrick on them and wreck them and himself in the process. He has more respect for his competitors than that. The fact that Kasey had said he wanted to wreck him after the checkered flag should say something. He was mad, but you can’t go around saying he has no balls for not wrecking Kenseth. That would have ruined everything Kasey stands for.

Kristen: Yes, because that's who Kahne is. If he had, he would've carried guilt for the longest time, and he knew it was the right thing to do. He doesn't care about what others think he should've done, he cares about his morality. He didn't need his mindset compromised going into The Chase.

Steph: I think so. It just shows that Kasey is a class act. He's not on the track to wreck other drivers and start fights. He's doing his own thing and being his own person. He could've easily taken Matt out but what would that have proved? He didn't have anything to prove because he doesn't have to wreck others to win

Jason: Kasey Kahne's move for not wrecking Matt Kenseth may have kept him out of the media cycle, but it didn't help his Chase berth any. A win at Bristol would have maybe gave the team some momentum which could have carried his team into the top 10 where they could have used their wins for something. Wrecking Kenseth for the win would have helped Kahne immensely.

Did Chase Elliott rightly choose to wreck Ty Dillon for the win?

Steph: As a young guy trying to gain respect from his competitors? Probably wasn't the best decision to wreck them. I think there was a way to race for the win and not flat out dump him, but he made that decision. I guess sometimes the drivers are going to do what it takes to win and in some situations, that's the outcome

Garrett: Now there easily two arguments for that question. From what I saw, Ty Dillon took away Chase's line going into that final turn. BUT it also looked like Elliott drove in that corner way too fast.......Ty Dillon lost his respect, but I don't think Chase really cared.......

Sam: Chase is a young guy. and at his age, there will be hard decision for him to make. like 'moving' a competitor out of the way. was it right? probably not. was it what Chase thought needed to be done to win? Probably. making enemies at a young age isn't the best thing to do. Chase said he felt bad and that wasn't the way he raced, but he still did it. Ty voiced his opinion after that race and he said Chase wouldn't finish the next race. Chase didn't, but it wasn’t Ty's doing. You just have to be careful who decide to be rough with

Kristen: Elliott wanted it more, plain and simple. He knew what he was doing, and he has to live with it.

Jason: Chase Elliot's move was dirty. Turning someone for the win is something, but blatantly wrecking someone isn't right. Elliot didn't just get into Dillon in the last turn, he was going to run Dillon out of line and try and win. Your first win is special, but wrecking someone for it wasn't the right thing to do.

Who will win the 2013 title?

Kristen: Matt Kenseth has found new life with JGR, and I see him competing for the title. He is more focused than anyone in the playoffs. That with 15 bonus points equal confidence that will trump Jimmie Johnson's.

Sam: I have Carl Edwards. I think his newly found confidence will help him finally get that title he's been searching for.

Garrett: Jimmie Johnson vs. Matt Kenseth, with Kenseth prevailing at the end. The 48 team has struggled the past 4 (maybe 3?) races, but they always are strong for the final 10 races, don't count him out. Nobody thought Matt Kenseth would win as many as  five races so far this season, he will wheel that car to a fourth championship for Joe Gibbs Racing in his first season with them since leaving RFR

Sam: I know this is a far stretch, but I wouldn't count out Logano either. no one has earned more points in the last 5 races than Logano has. Richmond was a mulligan for Logano, but he has all this confidence (despite that little controversy from this past weekend) I think Logano will be a surprise contender

Jason: Five-time will become six-time this season. Jimmie Johnson has shown how dominant he can be this season with the Gen 6 car and that will propel him to the championship. Wins will fall easy for the No.48 team in the Chase and they will go into Homestead in November and take home the championship.

Who will surprise everyone in the Chase?

Kristen: Kurt Busch. People will expect him to contend for the title, but he'll fail to burst through. On the other end, Logano will shock with a strong streak. He's fueled by this controversy to prove himself, and that's exactly what he'll do.

Garrett: Newman, Borland told him he had to win and he almost did at Richmond, if Borland can set up his cars so they are decent at the start of the races, maybe Newman can take a few wins and constantly finish top 10, and he could win the trophy. And Kurt Busch, he is a wheel man and can win! He likes to be known as the underdog (which he is) and he could surprise everyone

Sam: I've got Logano. I mean, it may be his first Chase ever, but look what he's done to get there. Logano may surprise everyone and finish this Chase strong. he's got the mindset for it. we all heard it Saturday and he proved it by winning the pole at Chicagoland. I just hope Joey's downfall isn't something completely out of his hands. you always have that factor. Kurt Busch is another. Kurt is racing for a single-car team this year. I think all the experience Kurt has with winning a championship will help him

Jason: I say Kasey Kahne. He has the ability to run well and that ability could lead him into the championship discussion. Starting 11th won't help him any, but having a great start and maybe winning a race or two will definitely do him good. He will remain in contention all the way to Homestead.

Sam: I think Logano has something for this Chase. It's a feeling I have. Never had this before. I never doubt Kasey's ability. Look what he did with his wildcard spot last year. 4th in the points!

Garrett: I'm still shocked Keselowski missed the chase

Kristen: I think Kyle Busch may be a contender in the end. He seems different this year, and that may call for a championship.

Garrett: Kyle seems more mature IMO, doesn't let as much get to him as he did 2-3 seasons ago

Kyle seems more mature IMO, doesn't let as much get to him as he did 2-3 seasons ago

Sam: that is 100% Kieslowski’s fault though

Kristen: I also think finding The Lord helped Busch, too. He'll be one to watch.

Garrett: True, but that 25 points didn't help him after (Fontana?)

Sam: Logano lost those points too, but Logano did something to turn it around, Keselowski didn't

Steph: I don't know who will win the title but I think Kenseth and Busch will be two really strong drivers and Busch has the momentum and confidence in himself to get the job done. Johnson has been struggling the past few races, so it will be interesting to see what he does in the chase! Strong contender will definitely be Logano. I think he's been surprising a lot of people with his consistency

Which drivers are basically done before it begins?

Kristen: Dale Earnhardt Jr. I haven't seen any fire from him. Also, Greg Biffle has never seemed like a champion. That mindset isn't there. Those two are the big ones.

Sam: I have five drivers. Bowyer, Newman, and Gordon, solely based on the controversy. I think these three will have a hard time focusing because of everything that has gone on. Bowyer has guilt on his mind. Newman and Gordon will have Truex on their mind. he lost his spot for something he was never a part of and Newman and Gordon are in. the other two are Junior and Biffle. you haven't heard much noise from these two this season. just quietly recording top fives and to tens. I don't think they will do much in the Chase.

Garrett: Dale Jr, Greg Biffle haven't done much all season, I don't see them doing much in the chase

Jason: Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon. Neither have momentum right now and without momentum, the Chase is a tough game to play.

Steph: I think Gordon and Jr are basically done. Jeff hasn't gotten the results he's wanted this year and it shows in his interviews. For some reason, the $24 crew isn't hitting their marks and aren't that championship caliber team again yet..... same with Jr. He hasn't done anything to really wow me the past few races

Where will everyone finish

Kristen: Kenseth KyBusch Johnson Kahne Edwards Harvick Logano KuBusch Bowyer Newman Earnhardt Jr Gordon Biffle

Sam: Edwards, Johnson, Kenseth, Logano, Kahne, Kurt Busch, Harvick, Kyle Busch, Bowyer, Biffle, Newman, Junior, Gordon

Garrett: 1. Matt Kenseth 2. Jimmie Johnson 3. Kurt Busch 4. Kyle Busch 5. Ryan Newman 6. Clint Bowyer 7. Kasey Kahne 8. Kevin Harvick 9. Carl Edwards 10. Jeff Gordon 11. Joey Logano 12. Dale Jr. 13. Greg Biffle

Jason: 1. 48 2. 18 3. 5 4. 20 5. 99 6. 22 7. 15 8. 29 9. 39 10. 88 11. 78 12. 24 13. 16

Steph: 20, 18, 48, 5, 22, 78, 29, 99, 15, 16, 39, 88, 24,

Did Clint Bowyer spin intentionally?

Kristen: He blatantly spun on purpose. You could see it in his body language.

Garrett: Yes he did, radio pretty much explains it all, poison oak or not, it happened

Steph: Hell Yes.

Sam: As much as I love Bowyer, I agree. he did it on purpose.

Garrett: Is there a question as to if the MWR penalties are fair? Cause that's what upsets me

Sam: they weren’t by any means. Truex gets nailed and Bowyer gets off scott free.

Kristen: Oh, the penalties are crap because Bowyer got off.

Steph: yeah.... he was the one who spun the damn car! "team effort" my ass because no one else was in that car to make that decision but Bowyer yet he still gets to compete for a championship -.-

Garrett:  Penalties are crap, points deduction for bowyer should have happened after chase reset, but they would have to decide what to do for Truex, can't do one prior and one after chase reset

Jason: Bowyer did spin intentionally. Dale Earnhardt Jr. said it was obvious along with other drivers. The radio communication isn't normal either, further enhancing the case that he did spin on purpose. He has also been apologizing for something all week, but hasn't said what for. We all know what it was for, an intentional spin that through NASCAR for a loop all weeklong.

Kristen: Truex had NO idea what was going on, and he actually won and earned his spot in The Chase. It's horrible what happened to him.

agreed! punish the drivers who manipulated the race, not the one who raced his way in

Sam: you could tell Clint felt extremely guilty about what he did, but he wasn't going to admit there was team orders there

Steph: YEP! I think that's what ticks me off the most about it

Garrett: Bowyer should have been kicked out, but he was locked in prior to Richmond so that wouldn't have been right

Kristen:  Then they shouldn't made sure he would finish last. But NASCAR didn't.

Did Penske get Logano help to get into the Chase?

Garrett: No, Logano got in based on the "ripple effect" of bowyers spin, that agreement between 38 and 22 was just to help him get an extra point, he was already in prior to that. Besides, Penske doesn't come across as the guy to do something like that, but like smoke said, "it's all about the money"

Kristen: He was already in The Chase, but some fishy work did go on

Sam: I agree. Logano worked hard for that spot in the Chase. I don't think Roger would have risked that to get  him help. Joey did it on his own and that's all that counts

Jason: Although the hard evidence isn't there, the No.38 team's radio proves that they did. Penske couldn't stand the idea of not having a car in the race, so when Logano's race wasn't going well, he looked into his options to assure Logano's Chase spot. They got the No.38 team's position and even though that wasn't the spot that got them in, they attempted to make sure that they wouldn't miss. This situation is very similar to the MWR one, expect Front Row/Penkse didn't get caught.

Steph: the radio communications on the #38 do sound suspicious but there's nothing on the Penske side to delineate that there was a deal there. If Logano didn't race his way in, he most likely would've gotten a wild card position

How far will one team owner go to get their driver a win or a spot in the Chase?

Kristen: As far as they can without being blatant about it.

Sam: Pretty sure they will do anything they can, without breaking the rules. Unless you're MWR

Garrett: Teams are gonna always bend the rules, honestly if bowyer wins the championship, that 300k is nothing to MWR after the championship earnings

Steph: As long as there are rules, there will be people willing to break them, and obviously, sports are no exception. Drivers and teams have always bent the rules since the sport started in the late 50's! It's obvious they will do anything they can before they get caught

Jason: The Chase means so much to each teams that they will literally do anything to make it in. That was shown at Richmond when teams resorted to cheating to make the Chase. So much money is involved in this sport that fixing the outcome seems alright since the money in the Chase is so important. This shouldn't be true, but in NASCAR today, money speaks volumes.

How has NASCAR’s recent decisions affected the sport and the Chase?

Garrett: The sport has definitely had its reputation damaged, it's fine that there is 13 chase spots, just wish it happened when they announced that Newman was in and Truex was out

Steph: IMO, I don't know if the fans think the Chase is credible anymore. Adding Jeff Gordon as a 13th car? Yes he is a deserving driver who has had bad luck but what next year? 15 cars? There has to be some consistency, which we all know, is quite lacking right now

Kristen: The sport now has a black eye over it. Changing everything just to cater one driver? Pitiful.

Sam: I think after all the controversy this year, NASCAR need to have a sit down and rethink what they've done. if they go back down to 12 drivers after what they did for Gordon this year, says a lot. they lost a love of respect in my book for their moves this week

Garrett: I'm kind of disappointed with the sport, but I'm not gonna be that person who just stops watching NASCAR because of this....

Sam: this definitely changes the way I am going to look at NASCAR from now on, maybe we need new people running this sport

Steph: yeah agreed! my love for the sport outweighs their bad decision making but for people on the outside looking in, I don't think it helps I just hope something happens quick

Garrett: We just need a body of people who can make consistent calls. Jimmie Johnson's idea of red flagging to make the right call is a good idea, but it could make the race long beside the current people can't make decisions on the spots with restarts and all that

Jason: NASCAR's recent decisions have questioned the sports integrity like never before. Bending the rules before the playoff cutoff is unheard of in sports, but that just happened in NASCAR. The sport will need to make sure this never happens again because losing the integrity is unacceptable in my eyes. Hammering the concept of not cheating into the teams' head may be a difficult task, but it absolutely needs to be done.

How will the new 13 man field impact the 2013 Chase?

Kristen: I don't think much will change. Gordon doesn't have any momentum to pull an upset.

Garrett: It shouldn't affect it, I don't see a problem with it. Just don't like how it took NASCAR 6 days to make a decision on Gordon's chase status

Sam: it's a bit of a new ball game, but it's basically the same. just one more driver to beat on the race track. just one more driver to get more points than

Steph: Unfortunately, Gordon hasn't been strong enough this year to show that he's a championship contender. I don't think it's going to affect the other drivers much, but I do hope that it gives Gordon some hope into turning his disastrous '13 season into a fruitful '14!

Jason: I don't think the 13 man fields will affect the Chase too much. Just another car to watch during the race will likely be the extent of the differences.

The season is always changing. People’s opinions are always changing. One this is definitely for certain. Someone is always going to have something to say about what’s going on in this sport. There is always going to be someone who has a different opinion as someone else, not everyone is going to have the same thing to say as you or anyone else. There will always be that one person that will disagree with you.

I love working with these four people. These four are the more opinion people I have ever met and I’m glad. Let’s meet my panel:

Garrett Beisheim: I live in Western New York and one day I would like to work for a NASCAR team. I would like to become an engineer of some kind and be a part of the sport. You can follow me on twitter @Gman1439 or go to my website http://racingtothecheckered.blogspot.com where I will try to keep you updated on the chase!

Kristen Schneider: I am the owner/writer for my blog, Up Top The Pit Box. I also contributes to Skirts and Scuffs and Popular Speed. I am a Senior in high school and plan to work for a sports network covering NASCAR.  You can follow me on twitter @KristenGoRawr

Jason Schultz: My dream is to one day work on the PR side of NASCAR. I'm currently chasing my dream in every way possible. I write for many racing websites including PopularSpeed.com, StartNParkBlog.com,SpeedwayMedia.com along with others and my own, Turn4RacingNews.com. Racing is my passion and I share my perspective on everything going on in NASCAR through my writing. Follow me on twitter, @NASCARJason

Steph Piech: 21 year old college graduate looking to pursue a sports marketing career either in the NFL or NASCAR. I would love to work for either a certain driver or player or either sport as a whole. If you want,  follow my personal twitter account @Stephisahotmess.

Samantha Young: 22-year-old aspiring sports journalist. I have hopes to become a NASCAR journalist or work in public relations or even work for a race team. Other than running my own blog, I run a Facebook age NASCAR Racing IS a Sport! You can follow me on twitter at @HurriKahne_5 and like my page by clicking this link.

I thank Garrett, Kristen, Jason, and Steph for doing this with me this year. Their insight and opinions are amazing. I thank Garrett and Steph for doing this for the past three years. And thanks to Jason for coming back from last year. I thank Kristen for coming aboard for her very first year. I hope you all enjoy the 2013 edition of Round Table and I hope you all come back next year.

Jason Leffler killed in Sprint Car accident

As a writer, you never want to write about a driver dying.  As a NASCAR fan, it’s devastating to hear that one of our own has passed. Jason Leffler died last night after an accident in a Sprint Car race in New Jersey. There wasn’t anything Jason loved doing more than racing. Leffler has competed in Indy and NASCAR, with his racing roots in USAC. He began his racing career in USAC, winning three consecutive championships from 1997 to 1999.

This is a hard time for not only Jason’s family, but the entire racing community. Jason was a family member. NASCAR is a family. You always want it to be a nightmare. You just want to wake up in the morning and know that it didn’t happen. This is one of those moments.  Jason was a fierce competitor and a great friend to a lot of drivers. Every driver knows the risk of strapping into any kind of racecar. Jason knew the risks, but he still got in that car to do what he loved the most. Racing. But, the one thing he loved more than racing was his little boy, Charlie Dean. Charlie was born to Jason and his ex, Alison, in 2007.

The racing community has come together to pay their respects to Jason and share great memories of the racer:

Kasey Kahne -Jason & I flew together this past weekend to Pocono. We talked sprint cars, cup cars and Charlie Dean. He loved racing & he loved his son!

David Stremme -We all know the danger of Racing. Our racing family will tell Charlie for years to come how #lefturn loved him and how he loved to race (David changed his profile picture to Jason)

NASCAR Wonka -Awful news about Leffler. I'm heartbroken over the pain and confusion his son must be in; I'm thinking of you today, Charlie Dean. #LEFTurn

Brian Scott -Take nothing for granted, and love those who matter to you. Life is too short and the good ones leave us too early. RIP #LEFturn

landon cassill -Had a great talk with him just the other day. We reminded each other why we love racing and do what we do. He was family. #lefturn

Lisa KKR -Heavy hearts at KKR. Lots of great Leffler stories being remembered. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family

Helio Castroneves -RIP #JasonLeffler. Praying for your family and his kid.

Morgan Shepherd ‏-Saddened with a heavy heart for such a loss, Jason Leffler.Prayers for this family, friends & his young son, charlie. #RIPJason #NASCAR

JR Hildebrand -Man, so sad to hear about Jason Leffler. Obviously such a talented guy, thoughts are with his family and loved ones.

Ricky Stenhouse Jr.  -Still unbelievable this mornin. Prayin for Jason's family and son!! And the racing community!! Great father and racer!! Loved it all!

Darrell Wallace Jr -Just thinking about it brings me to tears, I don't even know leffler that well. Always spoke, just an all-around cool cat.  RIP #LEFturn

You never know what’s going to happen in a race or in life. Life throws everyone different curves and obstacles. Some you learn to dodge and others you can’t. No one is going to forget Jason’s life and what’s he’s done. Everyone is thinking about little Charlie Dean in this tough time, but everyone is going to tell him his father passed away doing what he loved. That was racing. I want everyone to hug your family. Tell them how much they mean to you. Tell them how much you love them. You never know when the last time you will ever see them will be. Jason, we will never forget you, Rest in Peace, Jason. We’ll see you again someday. #LEFturn

Is Keselowski ready to win big?

I am definitely not the first person to say that Brad Keselowski is a great racecar driver. I know I won’t be the last either. Brad Keselowski is currently leading five-time champion Jimmie Johnson with four races to go in the 2012 season. I’m not a Keselowski fan, but I certain do like him as a driver. Brad has a great talent and he’s using it very well.

It’s understandable where Keselowski fans frustration is coming from after Sunday’s race. I’ve felt it so many times over the years since I became a Kasey Kahne fan in 2006. I do think Brad will win a championship, but I think he needs feel the defeat of losing a championship before he can win a championship. look at Denny. Look how his 2010 season went. Almost identical to Brad’s season this year. Look at what happened in the final two races. Denny used 2011 to try and go as hard as he could to get that championship. Didn’t work. He came into the 2012 season a different person and it’s working. I think Brad has to go through what Denny went through in 2010 before winning a championship.

Brad is a good driver, but I don’t think he’s ready to win a championship just yet. Keselowski fans say that he is, but he hasn’t felt the pain of losing a championship and I think that’s key when becoming a champion. I took Jimmie Johnson four years to finally win his first in 2006. Jimmie had never finished lower than 5^th in the points up to that point in his career. This is Brad’s second Chase and he’s doing extremely well. You people are forgetting who he is trying to beat in the championship this year. Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie has been trailing at this point in the chase twice before and won both times. Jimmie and Chad know how to get things done. And no they don’t cheat to get there.

I don’t think Brad is a favorite to win. Just like Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne, Brad Keselowski is a dark horse. Jimmie and Denny have been through this before. Brad made a good effort last year, but hasn’t really been a contender for the championship until this year, just like Bowyer and Kahne. That’s what makes him a dark horse. Everyone else can put him in the favorite category, but he is in the dark horse category.

Hate me all you want for my opinion, but that’s what it is. Long story short, Brad isn’t ready to be the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship yet. Maybe in a year or two. He needs to lose one before he can fully understand what it truly means to be a champion. He needs to know how it feels to lose something as huge as a championship. Jimmie’s bad races have come. It’s time for Brad’s to hit and I have a feeling it’s going to be big.

Round Table Edition

Last year, right after Kasey Kahne’s win at Darlington in the Truck Series, I came out with a round table discussion of what does it mean to Kasey’s momentum. This year, Kasey comes back into the round table, along with AJ Allmendinger. Last year, four people helped me discuss the issues. This year, two of them come back with two new people. Let’s quick meet the panel:

Samantha Rae: Yours truly. Writer for Sam’s Thoughts at http://www.rockmelikeahurrikahne5.blogspot.com. Founder of NASCAR Racing IS a Sport! on Facebook and I currently run @TheBayneWagon on twitter. Been a NASCAR fan since the mid 90’s. Diehard Kasey Kahne fan. Been since 2006. Currently working on getting into University of Wisconsin-Green Bay to major in journalism. I hope to be a NASCAR writer in the next few years. Follow me on twitter at @HurriKahne_5

David Folz is a publisher of two articles in newspapers, the Watertown Daily Times in Watertown, WI and The Herald-Progress in Richmond, VA. Graduate of University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in Broadcast Journalism class of 2011. Cover College football for dailyshootout.com. follow him at @folzybear16

Stephanie Piech is from Connecticut. been an avid NASCAR fan since 2003, and the only races she’s been to have been at Dover Downs.  have a couple drivers that i always root for, but right now her top favorite is Joey Logano. Her twitter handle is @stephisahotmess

She used to write for a blog a few years ago she started. You can find her blog posts at http://thefinishlinebystephpiech.blogspot.com/

Garrett Beisheim lives in upstate New York. Racing is his favorite sport, and hockey is a close second. He has been to Watkins Glen three times and his favorite driver is Tony Stewart. He’s not 100% sure on what I want to do when he gets out of school, but he wants to be involved with NASCAR somehow. He currently have he own blog http://racingtothecheckered.blogspot.com/ and if you want to talk to him. you can follow him on twitter and he will follow back almost immediately @Gman1439

Jason Schultz’s dream is one day to be a NASCAR reporter. Currently 14 and doing all he can to reach that goal and doing so by discussing the sport I love. He’s currently a NASCAR writer for multiple sites including SpeedwayMedia.com and StartNParkBlog.com. He became a NASCAR fan in 2005. His favorite driver then was Ryan Newman. He’s also liked Kyle Busch. He’s been to races at Dover, New Hampshire, Daytona, Watkins Glen and soon Bristol! He’s very excited to attend his first Bristol night race this August. He started his own blog http://www.Turn4RacingNews.com in December of 2011 and he has been keeping fans up to date on all NASCAR news and throwing a creative twist in as well. follow him on twitter at @Nascar_Jason_.

Now that everyone has met my panel, let’s get down to business. The first topic. What do you all think about AJ Allmendinger’s suspension? (this was before the indefinite suspension.)

Steph Piech: I think NASCAR is taking too long to evaluate the second sample... if they really wanted to get it all worked out for both parties

Samantha Rae: well AJ was the one who chose the test date for his B sample so it's not just NASCAR

David Folz: To me, A.J.'s suspension means a lot of things. In a nutshell however it means NASCAR's drug policy does not target anyone, despite what some may want to believe. Their percentage is 100 percent (counting the top 3 series) because they have Jeremy Mayfield, and before that Shane Hmiel, who called NASCAR on saving his life. I found it shocking though that A.J. did take something, regardless of what it is. If it is something like a cough medicine or supplement, then really he should have looked at the labels. He has no one to blame on this but himself. Assuming that A.J's second test comes back the same as the first, he's probably as good as done as far as a Sprint Cup ride. But we can also go through what I will call the Ryan Braun trials of a possible false positive and if that happens, both sides have some serious explaining to do.

Samantha Rae: it could have definitely have been a false positive. we may never actually know

David Folz: that happens, A.J's season is already practically over because he'll miss probably three races, if I am NASCAR, while you don't want a guy to fail a drug test, you almost hope they do for the sake of if he comes back and nothing is in the system you have a Public Relations nightmare waiting to happen

Jason Schultz: I think it'll take a long shot for him to test negative on the b sample but I don't think the b sample comes back positive. The little that I know AJ he doesn't seem like a guy who would jeopardize everything to enhance his performance.

David Folz: right that is a true point Jason. His problem is that first test failed so he's really in a deep hole, and there have really been two reversals of fortune in these (both in baseball) but if AJ's the 3rd false positive, all you know what breaks loose in the NASCAR HQ

Garrett Beisheim: working off of david’ oops working off of david's post about AJ, yea, AJ's season is over, and if it does come back negative i say there will be some problems between NASCAR and AJ

Okay, here’s the second topic. With Kasey Kahne’s win at New Hampshire, what does this do to the wildcard chase? As of right now, Kasey currently holds that number one wildcard spot with six weeks.

Steph Piech: i think Kasey's win will help him a lot! he's got great momentum these past few months and i think it's definitely helped his and his team's confidence! And i know the next couple of races play right into his hand because he's pretty good on all of them and are Kasey type tracks.

David Folz: oh the Wild Card what to make of it except it is totally screwed up this year and will be if that 24 car decides to put a full race together and win. Kasey's second win practically assures him a lock into the Chase since he's on a roll and Tony Stewart decides to show up every other race. For Kasey he shouldn't let up, for he can play a huge role in getting the cup. For this to be completely flipped upside down either Carl Edwards should get to being good this year, Joey Logano/Ryan Newman shock everyone by winning, or as I pointed earlier that Gordon wins. And if Gordon wins, this race for the second wildcard gets so upside down its insane. Arguably other than Kahne, Gordon has been the best of the guys from 11-20 in the standings since Edwards hasn't done anything, Busch's motors can't last, Logano and Newman don't know how to stay away from each other and Kahne is so far away from anyone he's winning in his own area code. Unless any of Busch, Logano and Newman win anything and chances are they may not do it, you have to think Gordon and Kahne could almost be the favorites because Gordon has won so much at Indy, at Atlanta, Bristol, and tracks leading up to the Chase. Only Kyle Busch is Gordon's biggest threat.

Jason Shultz: KK's second wild card victory basically assures his spot in the chase. No 2 wild card contending drivers are likely to win 3 or more races in the next 7 (6 since this conversation happened). Kyle has a great shot at getting that second wild card. Edward's probably won't be able to do anything with a new chief and I don't think JoLo or Newman can win one of these next seven races or past Kyle in the standings. Kyle has the experience in getting into the chase and doing well so experience will pay off. I think JG's waited to long to make a move. He might get 1 win but 2-3 is very unlikely. He needs to become more consistent to start off the seasons

David Folz: Very true, it really comes down to if Kyle's equipment can stay together and if it does, and he wins another one of these, he'll be in.

Garrett Beisheim: I Say unless one of the other wildcard drivers goes on a winning spree, Kasey Kahne will be in the chase, leaving all the others fighting for one more spot. I don't think Joey Logano will be able to do too much, if he does, it will be when they go back to Pocono. I think Newman's best shot at winning will be at Michigan. If Kyle and his team can race well, Kyle has a shot at winning everywhere, in my opinion. I think he will be a big threat when the cup series heads to Watkins Glen.

Samantha Rae: people are going to have a tough time beating Kasey at this point in the season. two wins and only 66 points out of the top 10 with 7 races left.(six since the conversation happened).  I think he can get into the Chase WITHOUT a wildcard spot. he's been too good in this stretch to not make it in. as far as the wildcard spots, If Kasey gets into the top 10, will be Kyle Busch and I don't know who will be the other one. I think Carl is going to miss the Chase. you have to win and be consistent and that team is not. I don't think Chad Norris is going to help that team much before the Chase starts. Joey Logano has a shot, but he needs to kick his ass in gear if he wants to make it into his first ever Chase berth. I think he can do it, IF he wins again and if he stays consistent like Kasey.

David Folz: That is a fair thing but lets assume even with the great run with Kasey recently that the top 10 is set, barring a huge swing of everything happening. Its not far-fetched to say Kasey can get into the top 10 but its really unlikely to happen. Assuming Kasey also has one spot locked up, the key comes down to three things: 1. Does Kyle win somewhere he has dominated (Bristol) or does he falter like he has for the last 2 months? 2. Even with Chad Norris being the guy up top for Carl, do they gel or has Edwards already thrown out the white flag on his year, acknowledging his year is practically done unless someone in the top 10 drops out? 3. He had struggled in every way besides his car spontaneously combusting all over the place to start the year, don't discount Jeff Gordon for the simple fact of he nearly won at Indy and Bristol and did win at Atlanta, he's still not out of it yet, can he throw a wrench into this whole ordeal? These next 7 races will be a lot of fun for anyone to watch.

A day after we had finished the round table, the news of AJ’s indefinite suspension came out. Once again, I took it to the round table.

Samantha Rae: okay, since the new came out today while I was at work, what are your thoughts on the indefinite suspension on AJ Allmendinger?

Garrett Beisheim: I think AJ will get back rather quickly, this is nothing compared to Mayfield's problem. I will still stand behind him, I don't see a big problem with a "stimulant". Sure you don't want someone drugged driving a stock car at 200mph but if it is just exceeded the limit NASCAR allows then I don't think its a big deal. But the NASCAR rulebook sets things straight, so we will just have to see what will happen to AJ. This will definitely screw up his career, but if he can come back fast enough, he might be able to save some of it.

Jason Schultz: I think AJ will take the road to recovery in this situation. But he will never be in as good of equipment as he was in with Penske ever again because of this. This killed his career. He went from being a good guy to a bad guy. He might of accidentally taken the drugs but he wasn't careful about it so he will suffer the consequences. I was hoping this wouldn't happen but whatever the little bit of illegal drug he took, it killed his career.

David Folz: Well A.J. Allmendinger is done...sad but true. If he is stupid he'll try the Mayfield approach of being an idiot about it. Overall, he's done as a top driver. Maybe someone gives him a chance after going through the drug rehab stuff but really we are wishing on shooting stars if he is going to be put into even a decent NASCAR ride again.

Samantha Rae: I don’t think AJ is done. I know that he’s had two failed drug tests, but i think, with the rehab program, AJ will be back in NASCAR. Not this season, but next. The program is at minimum, 6 months, so we all know he won’t be back this season. AJ has the talent to race in NASCAR, I just think he needs to get things straight before coming back.

Steph Piech: obviously, it's not something he wanted to have happen because it definitely not good for him or for the team. However, by him saying he's going into the recovery program is a major step for him and NASCAR. If and when he comes back i don't know if he'll be able to land a top ride that he had before the whole incident. He's a driver with a lot of potential but many of his fans will never know what his future with Penske could've held.

There is so much we could have talked about, but it would have been never ending. All we can really do right now is watch to see if our predictions are right or wrong. Until next time…

Matt Kenseth to leave Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the 2012 season

It had been talked about for a while now. Will Matt Kenseth stay at Roush or will he leave? Today, that question was answer. Matt Kenseth is indeed leaving Roush Fenway Racing at the end of the 2012 season. Kenseth, who just turned 40 in March, has been with the organization since 200, his rookie year. He has made 451 of his 452 starts with Roush and has won 22 races, including two Daytona 500s. What does this mean for that so-to-be vacant 17 seat? What does this mean for Matt in general? Where is he going?

All sources point to Joe Gibbs Racing for Matt’s next home. Already home to Denny Hamlin, Kyle Busch, and Joey Logano, I think Matt could make a good home there. Will he be in the 20 car or a 4^th car, no one knows that this point.

Now back to the 17 car. Jack is going to have to fill it. And he’s filling it with defending NASCAR Nationwide Series Champion, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse, who has won three races so far in the 2012 season and is sitting 3rd in the points, has nowhere else to go but up. I think putting Ricky into that 17 car is going to make Ricky’s career. Ricky is an amazing driver and Jack’s decision to put him in that 17 car is the best decision.

What Matt Kenseth said about the news on his twitter page:

‘I'm very thankful to Jack Roush for the opportunities he's given me over the past 14 years. Together we have enjoyed a lot of success And as a team we are committed as ever to the remainder of the 2012 season and chasing a 3rd sprint cup title for Jack and RFR. Although I have nothing to announce regarding 2013, I feel the timing of this announcement gives RFR ample time to get things lined up. Darien and Tony proved to us last year there is no such thing as a "lame duck" team or season. We will continue to go to work and race hard.’

What do you guys think?

@nascarlinds99_5: It's surprising since he is the point leader and all. I always felt he'd be like Jeff and stay with Roush. But $ woes exist.

@K_Uselman_97: Sad hes leaving Roush..but hes gonna do good wherever he goes! :)

@SNL24: Hope he goes to JGR and replaces Joey Logano, but will most likely replace Dinger since Penske is going to Ford.

@Bri_Smith91: very shocked. Hope he gets a ride that he will be able to still be competitive. Ricky will have an awesome opportunity though.

@sluddy14: kenseth only got a few more good years left, stenhouse needed full time ride or could leave RFR. Kenseth to 43 and Dodge I say

@folzybear16: the end of an era but a new beginning happens for both sides, and Stenhouse gets to prove himself

@tunabully1: I am suprised that he is leaving RFR. Only guy 2 win Roush any championships & leading the points. Nobody is safe

@KristenGoRawr: It won't matter where he goes, Matt will win in whatever he jumps in.

Matt’s always been one of my favorite drivers, not just because we’re both from Wisconsin, it’s because Matt knows how to drive and he knows how to win. It has been a great 14 years for Matt Kenseth and Roush. I wish Matt Kenseth nothing but the best in the coming years and I will follow him where ever fate lands him. Right now, all Matt needs to worry about is winning the 2012 Championship. He is the current leader.