Did You Notice?

Did You Notice? … The Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series playoff picture is taking shape? It’s hard to believe but we’re already eight races into 2019. If the regular season was just one big race, stage one would be wrapping up sometime during the middle of Saturday night’s showdown at Richmond …

Did You Notice?… NASCAR’s parity problem? The new, low-horsepower handling package at intermediate tracks combined with several new 2019 rules have been designed to bring the field closer together. In many ways, the field is tighter than ever. But that parity has occurred within teams rather than the full 40-car field itself. Seven races in, …

Did You Notice? … The 2020 NASCAR schedule brings with it real, meaningful change? It’s just the tip of the iceberg for an overhaul that could be even larger come 2021. For now, the 36-race schedule kept all tracks signed under the current five-year sanctioning agreement that expires at the end …

Did You Notice? … We’re now five races into the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series season? The sport’s new handling package, qualifying debacles and Kyle Busch’s 200 have stolen the headlines since Daytona Speedweeks. It seems like a lifetime ago Denny Hamlin was celebrating in Victory Lane for the Daytona 500. …

Did You Notice? … Four races into the 2019 season, the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series has the same four drivers in position to repeat. The sport’s reigning champion Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. remain the best positioned to get back to the Championship 4 at …

Did You Notice? … How NASCAR officials have made a big impact thus far in 2019 with calling pit road violations? You could argue in the past two races speeding penalties have cost the two fastest cars in those events, Kyle Larson and Kyle Busch, a trip to Victory Lane. A …

Did You Notice? … Kyle Larson has developed a nasty habit of leaving NASCAR wins on the table? He’s now failed to win nine of the last 10 Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series races where he’s led the most laps (or tied for the most). It’s a perplexing pattern for one …

Did You Notice? … NASCAR’s final restrictor plate race reminded us why the sport is trying a different approach? Don’t get me wrong; the 2019 Daytona 500 exceeded expectations, especially after some shaky opening acts. Drivers were willing to break in an inside groove they’d been hesitant to try all Speedweeks …

Did You Notice? … NASCAR enters 2019 with a slew of major changes? Among them: a new handling package designed to bring the cars closer together, the end of restrictor plates, disqualifying race winners that fail inspection. But, most importantly, there’s a new CEO (Jim France) and new President (Steve Phelps) …

Did You Notice? … Martin Truex Jr. and Kevin Harvick have the sport’s new playoff points format to thank for their inclusion in this weekend’s Championship 4? Both men, after spectacular regular seasons underachieved during much of the postseason. Depending on how Homestead works out, Truex could be the first driver …