Kyle Larson in Nationwide full time

Nationwide season got a lot more interesting today as Kyle Larson got added to the Turner for the full schedule.  Not sure if he'll have the car to run up front, but he won't be short on talent.  Should be fun to see him progress during a full year in tin tops.  It will be a shame not seeing him as much in sprint cars this year though. 

Yup, Nationwide just got alot more interesting...........


28  9  43

I'm really looking forward to the Nationwide Series this season. Hopefully there aren't too many full time Cup guys in there ruining it.

I think this is going to be one of the better Nationwide seasons in awhile.  Just looking at all the young talent that are getting full-time shots, I'm not sure having a bunch of Cup guys is going to stop them from winning.  Bayne, Larson, Dillon, the part timers Ty Dillon and Brad Sweet, etc.

I'm really looking forward to the Nationwide Series this season. Hopefully there aren't too many full time Cup guys in there ruining it.

You mean helping ticket sales and interest.

Lets see, Joe and JD saw the numbers, Kyle Busch is a much better driver when he isnt just watching and his good finishes are much greater when he runs the NNS that cup weekend, that is why Kyle is scheduled to run 25 races in a JGR car not KBM car in 2013. If RFR was smart they would have done the same thing with Carl Edwards, he will continue to be wasted in the #99 Ford.


Let see, Keselowski is scheduled to run several races in the #22 Mustang, Joey Logano will also run some races in Penske Fords. Tony Stewart already has a ride for Daytona with Jr. Motorsports and Jimmie Johnson also is schuduled in the #5. Kevin Harvick will run 10 to 15 races, Matt Kenseth is scheduled for 10 races in the #18 JGR car, so that means Bubba Wallace will get seat time in the #18 and Kyles JGR #54 this year. Denny Hamlin will also run some in the #18. Dale Junior will certaintly will run the plate tracks with TaxSlayer, So hoping not many cup drivers in the NNS races will not happen, the economy is to bad and the sponsors want their cars up front. Parker K. will be running the KBM #77 full time with Toyota sponsorship so he is who I will be watching every week and hope he take the title, But Sadler in the #11 JGR car should win the title, But I look for Kyle to win 6 to 8 races out of the 25 he will race in, and that should and will bleed over to a very good Cup year for the Rowdy one...... Spikes.       

Never hurts to dream Spikes...

I hope you're right BearDawg, I'd love to see the Nationwide drivers defend their turf and shove it up the Cup drivers' behinds more weeks than not. I have had zero interest in that series for years and it used to be my favorite series before the Cup teams came down and ran all the smaller independent owners off. Go Nelson Piquet, Jr!

You mean helping ticket sales and interest.

I'm probably in the minority but I'm more turned off from the Nationwide Series today because the Cup drivers that compete each week.  To me it's more fun to watch a group of young drivers race on a weekly basis that gives the series an identity that is not the "Saturday Warm-Up" for the Cup Series.  It's sad to see these drivers get only a liminted number of good races to show what they can do in a good car.  A guy like Darrell Wallace Jr. should have a full-time ride in a Nationwide Car this season but he doesn't.

As far as ticket sales go, I don't think these Cup drivers are making a significant increase in getting people to the Nationwide events.  The stands are bare as can be already, so it's not like they're attracting a bunch of people to these events.  If there is a big Nationwide crowd, it's usually because the support from the location of the track.

I also won't buy that Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch didn't run well in the Cup Series because they weren't driving in the Nationwide Series.  That's just making an excuse for their poor performance on the track last season.  Drivers are going to have down years and Kyle will most likely bounce back this year regardless of how many races he's running in the Nationwide or Truck series.

Honestly I have no idea if more racing does or doesn't help with the Cup car, but if history says it does and the driver thinks it does then you should stick with what works. 

True and I can't disagree with that.  That said, I strongly feel that no matter how many races Kyle Busch drives a weekend he will never be a Cup championship threat until he learns to manage pressure situations. 

Kyle has all the talent in the world to do accomplish whatever he wants, but until he fixes that serious flaw in his approach he will continue to fail much like he did at Richmond this year.  He sets the world on fire when things are going well, but any time he faces adversity he continues to self destruct and make problems worse.  I still cannot believe with 60 laps left at Richmond this year he just gave up.  So many things could have happened and to radio "I don't (expletive) care" when asked about how the car is handling showed me he's still not ready to take the next step.  With the chase system, I don't see him ever being a threat because of his inability to handle adverse situations regardless of how well a regular season he had.  At some point in every chase there's going to be a problem to overcome for every driver and not being able to handle that type of problem is fatal.  It's incredible how much of a threat he would be if he could fix that one issue.  Alright, enough ranting about Kyle.  I guess it frustrates me to watch guys with so much talent shoot themselves in the foot for 4 years in a row.

A guy like Darrell Wallace Jr. should have a full-time ride in a Nationwide Car this season but he doesn't.

He will get plenty of seat time, he will run most if not all of the 11 races Kyle doesnt run in the Monster #54 JGR Camry, them he is slated to run several races in the JGR #18 also. Not bad as sponsorship is thin, if not for the cup guys he wouldnt have a ride at all because of no sponsorship.

   That said, I strongly feel that no matter how many races Kyle Busch drives a weekend he will never be a Cup championship threat until he learns to manage pressure situations. 

Lame, you mean the pressure the way Tony Stewart handled himself throwing his second helmet in one year, the pressure Jeff Gordon showed he had spinning a chase driver. You seem to be living in the past. Kyle didnt get called not one time to the trailer in 2012, not one time had a run in with anyone or anything, yeah and it really paid off didnt it. Go year to year with your comments and if a guy steered clear of trouble the way Kyle did all year you should give him credit, but you cant do that can you. I know why.....


Joe and JD seem to think Kyle running the NNS is the thing to do and Joe was adamant that Kyle not only race the NNS but he demanded he drive a JGR car. But that did give Darrell Bubba Wallace a ride for most of the season between the 18 and 54. Just ask me and I can explain this stuff to you so you understand the racing business. On a side note Kyle isnt racing much in the trucks, but he did give a full time ride to a youngster and he will race Daytona. Also Kyle gave a full time ride to Parker K. in the NNS in the KBM #77 but you surely wont give him credit for that either.

Just observing the hatred and inconsistencies that seems to always be here, and yes still po'ed with the Jeff and Clint deal and Tony can kill somebody and youd say nothing....imagine that. Spikes.      

   

Spikes, I apologize for not being clearer.  When I was talking about Kyle Busch and his lack of maturity, I'm ONLY talking about how he handles adverse situations inside the race car.  Truth be told I couldn't care less what he does after the race when he's out of the car or how he talks to reporters.  Out of car events have very little to do with a drivers' performance on the track from my own racing philosophy.

As I stated before, I strongly believe Kyle has a problem dealing with adverse situations inside the car.  His inability to adjust to problems and take a different approach cost him a chance at making the chase last year.  Whether you want to admit it or not, he gave up with around 60 laps left in that race.  Every position counted and when your crew chief asks how the car is handling so he can make adjustments for a final pit stop, "I don't (expletive) care" is just totally unacceptable.

I'm not saying Kyle can't be upset with what's happening because that's perfectly normal.  To give up is a completely different thing.  If Kyle cannot do a better job in handling a day going poorly, I feel he will never become a Sprint Cup Champion or a threat to win a championship.  I'm sure Jeff Gordon wasn't happy when he was almost two laps down early in that same race at Richmond, but he didn't stop communicating with his crew chief and give up when asked what the car was doing.  They both worked together and continued to fight until the end no matter how crappy that car was driving.  If Kyle can learn to do that, he will be absolutely unstoppable in this series.

Kyle has shown glimpses of being able to do that recently.  I thought he handled his various issues in the Shootout last season was a prime example of that.  He was involved in two or three crashes that night and kept fighting back and back and won that thing.  The Shootout wasn't a pressure situation though.  If Kyle can learn to transfer the mentality he brought during the Shootout to pressure situations like Richmond last year, he will be unbeatable.

One last thing:

Just observing the hatred and inconsistencies that seems to always be here, and yes still po'ed with the Jeff and Clint deal and Tony can kill somebody and youd say nothing....imagine that. Spikes.    

Please check your facts regarding certain issues before stating false information.  I actually said numerous times here during the week of November 11th, 2013 that Jeff Gordon should have been suspended by NASCAR following the incident with Bowyer at Phoenix.  There are plenty of people here who can vouch for me and back that up.

Make that November 11th, 2012.  As much as I would like to, I do not know future events.

Please check your facts regarding certain issues before stating false information.  I actually said numerous times here during the week of November 11th, 2013 that Jeff Gordon should have been suspended by NASCAR following the incident with Bowyer at Phoenix. 

You know Cowboy I do remember you saying that and I have miss quoted you before and for that I sincerely apologize.

I will in the future be more careful quoting you or misinterpret your post, I enjoy our conversations and another reason I love race fans, we are the best, but we are fans and yes I am a Rowdy fan, but I have and will call him out when he is wrong, he just wasnt very wrong much last year and Dave Rogers made a bad mistake not pitting with the leaders at Richmond that cost the chase and I dont blame Kyle for being upset, but at the same time take away any one of the 3 engine failures in a row during the summer, that would have gotten them in the chase, so in reality no single race cost you the chase, its the whole season.


We both know DuPont was running a special scheme at Homestead and that played a major role why Jeff wasnt suspended the last race of 2012, the Busch suspension of 2011 taught Nascar a lesson and I think someone with Major sponsorship, even a Busch will really have to near bout kill someone for that driver to be suspended in the future. We may see that put to the test in 2013.


Good points on the shootout, Thanks my friend and I am looking forward to the 2013 season with the CBS Racing board once again. Spikes.          

It's all good.  After all, what fun would this board be without a difference in opinion?  I just think if Kyle can fix that one issue I stated, he could win about 4 championships in a row.  He's putting everything together and it's just only a matter of time before he breaks through in a big way.

You're just doing what any good and loyal fan would do by defending your driver.  That's something that nobody can fault and I'm definitely looking forward to 2013, too.

Good news for K.Larson. I see something special in this Kid. I hope he proves me right and keeps moving on up.