Kyle Busch: Tight in Turn Two and Loose Everywhere Else

Did a broken $2 bolt really cancel out a season of NASCAR dominance like we’ve never seen before? 

Maybe and maybe not.  Kyle Busch’s run-and-pout act after the New Hampshire Motor Speedway Chase kick-off didn’t help.  The guy seems to handle success just fine.  It’s the little bumps in life’s road that challenge him.  That doesn’t make him unusual.  But it may not make him a champion either.

Dodge’s NASCAR status is seeing some of those bumps as well. Dodge announced they were dumping the Craftsman Truck Series last week.  And now they may be going from dumper to dumpee, as the team that brought them into the Sprint Cup Series may be jumping ship. 

Bruce, of NASCAR Bits and Pieces  goes Tight in Turn Two with me on the whole deal.

If the rumors turn out to be true, and Gillette-Evernham Motorsports buys Bill Davis Racing and becomes a Toyota team, is it a good thing for NASCAR and the sport?

Charlie: Well, it would weaken the Dodge presense in a serious way.  On the other hand, it would probably strengthen GEM and save Bill Davis Racing’s No. 22 team, which has been pretty good for the most part.  With Dodge pulling out of the Truck Series, the future of their involvement in NASCAR’s other series is cloudy. 

Dodge needs to show that they are in this thing to compete for the long haul, on a level with the other three manufacturers.  Not sure they have everyone convinced of that right now.  You can’t blame GEM or BDR for making a move like this.  I say, what’s good for the teams —and competition on the track —is good for the sport.

Bruce: Though technically, GEM switching to Toyota would weaken what Dodge presence there is, would it really?  The Dodge teams are all struggling, per se, with the highest spot they hold in the standings right now at 13th, (Kahne) then Newman in 17th. 

GEM has to look out for itself, and that’s that. More fans could balk at more Toyota’s in the field, but it would seem that Toyota has proven itself sufficiently.  Dodge needs to show they are in it for the long haul, but even a little thing like pulling out of the Truck Series can’t help that endeavor.

The economy just isn’t there for them any more.  Maybe they should have already put more into NASCAR…too little, too late?

That’s what we think.  What do you think?  Let us know your opinions on this topic and Bruce’s own query…

If NASCAR  insists on limiting the year-end competition to top performing drivers, are 12 drivers too many?