2017 NASCAR Season

[CheckGameMeBob]

Drivers! Start your engines!

A new year means a new season for America's most popular auto-racing series.  After an interesting offseason including a new title sponsor in Monster Energy, changing the race rules, a few drivers changing teams, and Stewart-Haas Racing leaving Chevy for Ford power, the time has come for race fans from around the country to head to sunny Daytona Beach in Florida to get ready for the most prestigious race on the schedule: The Daytona 500.

For the second consecutive year, Chase Elliot is the polesitter, and his teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr will start right next to him in second place.  As this is a restrictor plate race, the field will be in one huge pack that will be mostly 2 and 3 wide from front to back.  One tiny error can cause a massive pileup, and nobody wants to be caught in The Big One.

My pick to win: Brad Keselowski

Airing info: February 26, 2 Eastern, 11 Pacific on Fox

[wpghi5]

And of course as usual I'm rooting for #88 himself now that Jr is back! 

[CheckGameMeBob]

And of course as usual I'm rooting for #88 himself now that Jr is back! 

Even though Dale isn't my driver, I'm glad he's back too, mate.  The sport is better when he's out on the track.

[jwatson2973]

Been looking forward to it. Glad to see Dale, Jr. back.

[wpghi5]

Even though Dale isn't my driver, I'm glad he's back too, mate.  The sport is better when he's out on the track.

You got that right Bob! 

[CheckGameMeBob]

After a wild race with several huge pile ups, Chase Elliot looked to be in the catbird seat, but his fuel tank gave up the ghost with a few laps to go, and Kurt Busch earned his first Daytona 500 victory. 

What a flying start for Stewart-Haas Racing in their brand new Ford engines. Bad day for Harvick and Dale Jr, as both got caught up in wrecks. 

[wpghi5]

Bad day for Harvick and Dale Jr, as both got caught up in wrecks.

And Jr was leading the race at the time of that crash! 

[jwatson2973]

That was a bummer when Dale Jr. got wrecked as he was leading.

Another thing: Why was the race in segments anyway?

[CheckGameMeBob]

Another thing: Why was the race in segments anyway?

This was a part of NASCAR's offseason rule changes, where every race will be 3 segments and the top ten drivers in the first two segments will earn points, along with everybody getting points at the end of the last segment.

Here's a link explaining further details: http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nascar/2017/01/23/nascar-2017-rules-changes/96963566/

To me, this just is just another unnecessary rule that makes something that should be simple into something more complicated.  Whatever happened to the car at the finish line at the end of the race getting the most points? It's dumb.  Thank goodness F1 and the Indycars don't use gimmicks like what NASCAR is doing.

[CheckGameMeBob]

Here's the Daytona 500 Radioactive.  Listen in on the reactions from the drivers and crew as the race went on.  Good stuff in here.

[UltraPrice]

To me, this just is just another unnecessary rule that makes something that should be simple into something more complicated.  Whatever happened to the car at the finish line at the end of the race getting the most points? It's dumb.  Thank goodness F1 and the Indycars don't use gimmicks like what NASCAR is doing.

I think all these stupid rule changes and gimmicks has hurt NASCAR.  Ratings have taken a nosedive since 2004.

[CheckGameMeBob]

Today, NASCAR rolls into Georgia for 500 miles at the newly repaved Atlanta Motor Speedway.  The Stewart-Haas Fords continue to stay hot, as Kevin Harvick won the pole, and starting next to him is Ryan Newman, who is driving the car that Kevin used to have at Richard Childress Racing, as the two switched teams for the 2014 season.

Airing info: Today at 2:30 Eastern, 11:30 Pacific on Fox

My pick: Jimmie Johnson (sorry wpghi).  He's won the last two races here and he is a lifetime 14/25 top five finisher, and has five wins too.  You can't argue with facts, so there's that.

As for a few other contenders, keep an eye on Dale Jr, Chase Elliot, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch.

[CheckGameMeBob]

The Fords are 2/2 going to victory lane, as Brad Keselowski of Team Penske took the checkered flag.

At least the 48 or 18 cars didn't win...

[wpghi5]

I know we're only two races in but Dale Jr is off to a rough start to the season. 

[jwatson2973]

It seems that being sidelined during the remainder of the 2016 season might've taken its toll on Dale, Jr. The 2017 season is still young & I hope he'll get better.