2014

on

The Final Lap Weekly Podcast LogoSHOW #293 – Guest: Ford Motor Company’s Tim Duerr – We have tons of NASCAR news coming your way, including Danica Vs. The King, Smoke Rising, Lt. Dan waves flag, Morgan Shepard, Kyle Busch makes good on Superbowl bet, plus we have racing this weekend! Have you heard? The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona as well as Daytona 500 Qualifying. Hosted by Kerry “Phenomenal Man” Murphey and Toby “Sub-Par Man” Christie. Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly #293 NASCAR Podcast – The Sprint Unlimited at Daytona – Ford’s Tim Duerr”

on

Patrick to Open 2014 NNS Season in No. 30 Florida Lottery Chevrolet Camaro

MOORESVILLE, N.C. (February 12, 2014) – It was announced today that Danica Patrick will pilot Turner Scott Motorsports’ (TSM) third entry in the NASCAR Nationwide Series (NNS) race at Daytona International Speedway. Patrick, who will compete in her second full-time season in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) in 2014, will be behind the wheel of the No. 30 Florida Lottery Chevrolet Camaro in the season-opening DRIVE4COPD 300. Veteran crew chief Mike Greci will once again be calling the shots from atop the pit box. Continue reading “Danica Patrick Returns to NNS with Turner Scott for Daytona Race”

on

ENTRY LIST

Entry Veh # Driver Owner Crew Chief Veh Mfg Sponsor

1 1 Jamie McMurray Felix Sabates Keith Rodden 14 Chevrolet Cessna
2 2 Brad Keselowski Roger Penske Paul Wolfe 14 Ford Miller Lite
3 4 Kevin Harvick Tony Stewart Rodney Childers 14 Chevrolet Jimmy John’s
4 9 Marcos Ambrose Richard Petty Drew Blickensderfer 14 Ford Stanley
5 10 Danica Patrick Tony Stewart Tony Gibson 14 Chevrolet GoDaddy
6 11 Denny Hamlin J D Gibbs Darian Grubb 14 Toyota FedEx Express
7 14 Tony Stewart Margaret Haas Chad Johnston 14 Chevrolet Mobil 1-Bass Pro Shops
8 17 Ricky Stenhouse Jr John Henry Michael Kelley 14 Ford Nationwide Insurance
9 18 Kyle Busch Joe Gibbs Dave Rogers 14 Toyota M&M’s
10 20 Matt Kenseth Joe Gibbs Jason Ratcliff 14 Toyota Dollar General
11 22 Joey Logano Walter Czarnecki Todd Gordon 14 Ford Shell Pennzoil
12 24 Jeff Gordon Rick Hendrick Alan Gustafson 14 Chevrolet Drive To End Hunger
13 31 Ryan Newman Richard Childress Luke Lambert 14 Chevrolet Caterpillar
14 32 Terry Labonte Frank Stoddard Jr Daniel Stillman 14 Ford C&J Energy Services
15 41 Kurt Busch Gene Haas Daniel Knost 14 Chevrolet Haas Automation
16 48 Jimmie Johnson Jeff Gordon Chad Knaus 14 Chevrolet Kobalt Tools
17 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Rick Hendrick Steve Letarte 14 Chevrolet National Guard
18 99 Carl Edwards Jack Roush James Fennig 14 Ford Fastenal

on

WRITTEN BY: Jonah Rens is 12 years old, and is a junior NASCAR reporter/writer for The Final Lap. His opinions are his own, and not necessarily those of The Final Lap. Follow him on Twitter @NascarRens

Recently NASCAR announced changes to the Chase for the Sprint Cup. Here are the changes: NASCAR’s playoff system will include the field being increased from the original 12 drivers to 16 drivers. Now how did NASCAR decide to increase the field to 16 drivers?

Well some of it may have had to do with last years controversial race at Richmond International Raceway when Clint Bowyer spun off of turn four allowing Jeff Gordon out of the Chase and Joey Logano into the Chase. A week after the race Brian France held a press conference at Chicagoland Speedway saying, “we’ve decided that due to the totality of the events that were outside of Jeff Gordon’s — his issues, we’re going to add a 13th position to the field, and Jeff Gordon will qualify for the championship this year, the Sprint Cup Championship.”

For the first time 13 drivers were in the chase field. Now at the Chicagoland Speedway night race, Matt Kenseth won the event and reduced his points from Jimmie Johnson even more. Johnson would be the eventual 2013 Sprint Cup Series Champion.

NASCAR will also for the first time include elimination rounds to eliminate drivers from the Chase. The elimination rounds will be in effect during the third, sixth, and ninth races of the chase. NASCAR will do this to even the playing field because there will be a four top drivers in the points race and the winner of the final race at Homestead becomes the Champion.

Now here’s my thoughts: Personally I think that the Chase needs to be eliminated from NASCAR because the same driver (Jimmie Johnson) keeps winning every year and just 12 drivers get in the Chase. NASCAR new Chase will increase the field to 16 drivers, so the cutoff race to get in the chase at Richmond International Raceway should be interesting.

Now Jr. Nation would be on their feet if this system was in place last year because Johnson would not have gotten his sixth championship because Dale Jr. would have been champion. Like I said the Chase for The Sprint cup championship will be interesting with NASCAR’s new Chase changes. We will see who will be champion this year with the changes.

EDITED BY: KERRY MURPHEY

on

KC tough faceSHOW #292 – Guest: Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon – We are getting pumped for the coming 2014 NASCAR season! We hit you with news of the week, discuss the massive changes to the Chase, and massive changes to NASCAR’S penalty system, and more. Hosted by Kerry Murphey and Toby Christie. Continue reading “The Final Lap Weekly #292 NASCAR Podcast – Miss Sprint Cup Kim Coon / Massive Chase Changes”