SPENCER: I Hope I’m Wrong

Sprint Cup

SPENCER: I Hope I’m Wrong

Many fans right now want to know how the top drivers will fare this year. I have a few theories on this subject...

Jimmy Spencer | Posted March 02, 2012 Charlotte, NC

Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on SPEED. (Photo: SPEED)

Anyone who knows me knows that I’m wrong sometimes. Okay, even those who don’t know me know I’m wrong from time to time. But at least I’m not afraid to admit it.

However, there are a few situations I’m looking at in the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season where I truly hope I’m wrong.

Before I go into that, I’d like to tip my hat to NASCAR and Daytona International Speedway for proving a lot of us wrong earlier in the week. When we were watching that jet dryer burn Monday night in the Daytona 500, I initially didn’t think NASCAR would get the race restarted. But NASCAR and the track busted their tails to get the cars back to racing and give the fans a full 500 miles. I don’t know if that would have been the case a few years ago, but NASCAR has made a point to listen to the fans in recent months and try to give them everything they want.

Additionally, the work the sanctioning body did to break up the two-car tandems at Daytona paid off. We didn’t see much tandem drafting and we certainly didn’t see the pairs able to overtake the pack and get a good lead on them. Although we didn’t have the staggering number of lead changes we had last year, I personally would rather see pack drafting than a record-breaking number of swaps for the lead. I applaud NASCAR for working so hard over the past few months. They gave the fans what they wanted this time for sure.

Many fans right now want to know how the top drivers will fare this year. I have a few theories on this subject.

Everyone is asking if Tony Stewart can repeat as champion. I’m going to say “no” because he has too many demands on him this season. Not only does he have all the media and track obligations that come with being the defending champion, he also has the personal pressure of backing up his title. But let’s not forget he also has a new responsibility with Danica Patrick to go along with his track ownership duties. They can say she drives for Tommy Baldwin Racing all they want, but we all know she really drives for Stewart Haas Racing, and Stewart is responsible for making sure she has good equipment and is prepared for her 10 Sprint Cup races. I think Danica will run well this season, but I think this added responsibility will pull on Stewart a bit.

Additionally, I don’t think Stewart and his new crew chief, Steve Addington, are as good a match as Stewart and Darian Grubb were last season. Stewart and Grubb had a little bit of friction between them from time to time, something we see with Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson. That is good in a driver/crew chief relationship because it allows them to disagree and therefore try different things to better themselves. I can’t see Addington standing up to Stewart like that. But I hope I’m wrong.

Along the same lines, Kevin Harvick wanted a new crew chief and now has Shane Wilson. Once again, I don’t know that Wilson is the right personality to be calling the shots for Harvick, and I think Harvick’s performance will suffer as a result. Harvick can act like a spoiled driver at times, so he needs a crew chief with a strong will and personality. I don’t see that in Wilson, and I think he and Addington are more of “yes men” than the type of crew chiefs Stewart and Harvick need. But I hope I’m wrong.

I think 2012 is Joey Logano’s last chance. That kid is on the hot seat this year to perform and if he doesn’t, he’ll be out of that No. 20 car. They have to get the Home Depot car competing up front like the Lowe’s car, and Logano hasn’t been able to do that. I hope I’m wrong, but I’m not. And I think Kurt Busch will go in that car next year if Logano doesn’t step up his game. Yep – it could be two Busch brothers driving for Joe Gibbs – that is, as long as Kyle Busch keeps his head screwed on straight this year.

Kyle Busch also is on the hot seat but it has nothing to do with performance. With him, it’s all about his attitude and temper management. Kyle needs to prove he can make amends with his fellow competitors and fans for his past transgressions, keep his nose clean and reform his image a bit. Joe Gibbs Racing won’t be able to keep him around if he has more high-profile problems because their sponsors aren’t willing to give him another chance.

Kurt Busch knows how important 2012 is to him. As much as I’d like to say he and James Finch’s team will contend for wins, they’ll have to claw and scrap just to make the top 20 in points. That’s a huge step back for Kurt, who was a weekly contender with Penske Racing, but it’s also a reality check for him. He has to prove he is willing to start over and can do it in a polite and respectful manner, even when he isn’t running up front. For his sake, I hope I’m wrong and Kurt is a perpetual contender, but I doubt it.
Well, I’ve given myself plenty of opportunities here to be wrong this season. Do you think I got it right or wrong?

Jimmy Spencer calls it like he sees it on NASCAR Race Hub on SPEED. He retired from driving with two NASCAR Sprint Cup, 12 NASCAR Nationwide and one NASCAR Camping World Truck Series victory, putting him in an elite group of drivers who have logged wins in all three of NASCAR’s premier divisions. In 478 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts, Spencer amassed 28 top-five and 80 top-10 finishes. He won back-to-back NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championships in 1986 and 1987 on the heels of 15 victories, becoming the first driver ever to earn consecutive titles in the series. He earned the nickname “Mr. Excitement” for his flamboyant and aggressive driving style early in his racing career.
The opinions reflected herein are solely those of the above commentator and are not necessarily those of SPEED.com, FOX, NewsCorp, or SPEED

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jimmy Spencer

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