-
Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
-
Latest Headlines: NASCAR
-
-
Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Games
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
- Home
- TV Shows
-
TV Schedule
-
SPEED Showcase
-
- NASCAR
- Formula 1
- Auto Racing
- Moto Racing
- Cars
- Bikes
- Store
- Social
- Mobile
- Deals
- Videos
- Photos
Sprint Cup
CUP: Will Momentum Of ‘11 Continue In ‘12?
The 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season finished on a high that could carry over into 2012...
NASCAR president Mike Helton (Right) joins driver Tony Stewart as Stewart celebrates winning the 2011 Sprint Cup title last November at Homestead-Miami Speedway. (Photo: Getty Images)
The 2011 Sprint Cup season, by most every account, was just what the doctor ordered for NASCAR.
Surprise first-time winners, lingering and often deeply-embedded feuds, and a championship battle for the ages lit a fresh fire under a sport that had witnessed overall interest wane in recent years due largely to a rugged economy.
With former IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick set to make her Sprint Cup debut in next month's Daytona 500, along with a host of other compelling storylines, enthusiasm remains high with the official start of the 2012 season just over a month away.
Patrick's plan to run 10 Cup races in preparation for a likely full schedule in 2013 is just one of several factors generating considerable buzz about the forthcoming campaign.
Major off-season shakeups, highlighted by Kurt Busch's move to Phoenix Racing and 2011 championship crew chief Darian Grubb's switch to Joe Gibbs Racing, raise intriguing questions about how new faces will fare in new places.
Others questions at the forefront of many observers' minds, include:
• After a much-improved 2011, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally put it all together and win for the first time since June 2008?
• Will Kyle Busch, who enjoyed a stellar 2011 before characteristically stumbling in the Chase, stay out of trouble and get a better handle on his emotions?
• Can Carl Edwards, last year's championship runner-up on the basis of a tiebreaker, win the title rather than slipping as runner-ups historically do in the following season?
• Can Steve Addington, Tony Stewart's new crew chief, fill the shoes of Grubb and lead the outspoken owner/driver to a second straight title?
• Will Jimmie Johnson, winner of a record five consecutive titles before 2011, return to championship form and recapture his former magic with crew chief Chad Knaus?
NASCAR president Mike Helton, for one, expects the 2012 season to open with the same wind at its back that carried the sport through the final weeks of 2011.
"There have been seasons where we get through them and you'd be at this point in the next year, and you'd say, 'Well, this is a clean sheet of paper, thank goodness,'" Helton said. "So now we're sitting here after 2011 with a clean sheet of paper and it's still 'thank goodness' because we've got a nice wave of momentum behind us from the 2011 season to push us into '12."
With the United States economy improving but still not on par with its condition prior to the recession of fall 2008, Helton is cautiously optimistic about a possible uptick in sponsorship dollars in the new season.
"I think what we're beginning to see is the return of the level of energy around attendance at the racetracks, viewerships, that contribute to the interest level of sponsors and other partners to be involved in a sport," he said. "But it's always a work in progress. It always has a lot of work to do to maintain. But we've seen cycles before, but this is the one that we're in now, so that's the one we have to pay the most attention to."
Helton is confident that most, if not all, races in 2012 will feature a full 43-car field despite just 32 teams participating in last week's preseason test at Daytona.
"I think there is a good deal more activity out there than is represented by testing and some of the other things, and the fact that there will be in excess of 43 cars trying to make the Daytona 500, and we've been through cycles, particularly when we get to the June-July stretch, where we may only have 43 cars show up at the racetrack," Helton said. "But I don't see us going below 43 this year.
"I may be surprised, but I think just knowing the chatter and the conversations that we've had with race teams and organizations that either have participated or are going to participate that we'll have full fields."
Jared Turner is an Associate Editor for SPEED.com, covering NASCAR and Formula One, and is an Editor for TruckSeries.com. His professional motorsports writing career began in 2005.
Surprise first-time winners, lingering and often deeply-embedded feuds, and a championship battle for the ages lit a fresh fire under a sport that had witnessed overall interest wane in recent years due largely to a rugged economy.
With former IndyCar Series star Danica Patrick set to make her Sprint Cup debut in next month's Daytona 500, along with a host of other compelling storylines, enthusiasm remains high with the official start of the 2012 season just over a month away.
Patrick's plan to run 10 Cup races in preparation for a likely full schedule in 2013 is just one of several factors generating considerable buzz about the forthcoming campaign.
Major off-season shakeups, highlighted by Kurt Busch's move to Phoenix Racing and 2011 championship crew chief Darian Grubb's switch to Joe Gibbs Racing, raise intriguing questions about how new faces will fare in new places.
Others questions at the forefront of many observers' minds, include:
• After a much-improved 2011, will Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally put it all together and win for the first time since June 2008?
• Will Kyle Busch, who enjoyed a stellar 2011 before characteristically stumbling in the Chase, stay out of trouble and get a better handle on his emotions?
• Can Carl Edwards, last year's championship runner-up on the basis of a tiebreaker, win the title rather than slipping as runner-ups historically do in the following season?
• Can Steve Addington, Tony Stewart's new crew chief, fill the shoes of Grubb and lead the outspoken owner/driver to a second straight title?
• Will Jimmie Johnson, winner of a record five consecutive titles before 2011, return to championship form and recapture his former magic with crew chief Chad Knaus?
NASCAR president Mike Helton, for one, expects the 2012 season to open with the same wind at its back that carried the sport through the final weeks of 2011.
"There have been seasons where we get through them and you'd be at this point in the next year, and you'd say, 'Well, this is a clean sheet of paper, thank goodness,'" Helton said. "So now we're sitting here after 2011 with a clean sheet of paper and it's still 'thank goodness' because we've got a nice wave of momentum behind us from the 2011 season to push us into '12."
With the United States economy improving but still not on par with its condition prior to the recession of fall 2008, Helton is cautiously optimistic about a possible uptick in sponsorship dollars in the new season.
"I think what we're beginning to see is the return of the level of energy around attendance at the racetracks, viewerships, that contribute to the interest level of sponsors and other partners to be involved in a sport," he said. "But it's always a work in progress. It always has a lot of work to do to maintain. But we've seen cycles before, but this is the one that we're in now, so that's the one we have to pay the most attention to."
Helton is confident that most, if not all, races in 2012 will feature a full 43-car field despite just 32 teams participating in last week's preseason test at Daytona.
"I think there is a good deal more activity out there than is represented by testing and some of the other things, and the fact that there will be in excess of 43 cars trying to make the Daytona 500, and we've been through cycles, particularly when we get to the June-July stretch, where we may only have 43 cars show up at the racetrack," Helton said. "But I don't see us going below 43 this year.
"I may be surprised, but I think just knowing the chatter and the conversations that we've had with race teams and organizations that either have participated or are going to participate that we'll have full fields."
Jared Turner is an Associate Editor for SPEED.com, covering NASCAR and Formula One, and is an Editor for TruckSeries.com. His professional motorsports writing career began in 2005.
Shake and Bake: Recent Posts
-
Last Lap: Kyle Busch Makes History At Charlotte Motor Speedway »
-
Charlotte Motor Speedway President Marcus Smith Dishes Out the Goods »
-
NASCAR Teams Lend Helping Hand To Oklahoma Tornado Victims »
-
Singer Chelsea Bain's Dad Loves Her Music, Doesn't Love Her Choice Of Clothing »
-
Mr. E Would Rather Watch Soap Operas & Teletubbies Than 4 Hours Of Single-File Racing (Video) »
-
Krash Kab Invades Darlington With Jimmy Spencer And Monica Palumbo (Video) »
-
Sebastian Vettel's Monaco GP Helmet Has A Nearly Naked Pinup Girl »
-
Last Lap: Despite Struggles, Danica Patrick Unlikely To Return To IndyCar »
2013 All Star Race
LATEST HEADLINES: NASCAR
-
NNS: Kyle Busch Scores Again
Kyle Busch registers his sixth Nationwide win of the season…… -
CUP: Saturday Charlotte Notebook (UPDATE 10)
Kyle Busch won the History 300 at Charlotte Motor Speedway... -
CUP: France – Schedule Good As It Is
NASCAR chairman Brian France says he prefers fall race to stay in… -
CUP: Keselowski Still Confident Despite Slump
Brad Keselowski is seventh in points heading into the Coca-Cola 600…… -
HAMMOND: 600-Mile Race Will Tax Drivers, Equipment
I expect we will see a lot of green-flag runs Sunday, making for… -
CUP: Menards Signs Renewal With RCR
Multi-year partnership renewal was announced today... -
CUP: Man On A Mission
Denny Hamlin going all out in pursuit of a shot at the championship…… - More News
