Did You Notice?

Did You Notice? … Jamie McMurray’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series career could be entering its final stages? Rumors broke this past weekend Kurt Busch could replace him in Chip Ganassi Racing’s No. 1 car next season. Both drivers refused to comment extensively, but it’s been revealed McMurray is in the last …

Did You Notice? … The eerie silence surrounding NASCAR’s executive offices right now? 36 hours after NASCAR Chairman and CEO Brian France announced a leave of absence, there’s nothing official to digest other than a tersely worded, two-line statement installing Jim France as the sport’s interim CEO. Driving under the influence …

Did You Notice? … The degree to which the Big Three have dominated the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series? Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Martin Truex Jr. have now won a whopping 16 of 21 races thus far. That’s 76 percent of the total and the trio shows no sign of slowing …

Did You Notice? … That racing is getting serious lately? In a sport that is regularly placed in a shadow of its past (then again, what isn’t?) it is always important to have a solid show on the racetrack each week. And though we have arguably seen that more times than …

Did You Notice? … Loudon’s lonely spot within the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series? The 25th anniversary of New Hampshire Motor Speedway earning a Cup date is coinciding with its schedule getting cut in half. Loudon had one date, of course, from 1993 – 1996 before owner Bob Bahre conspired in …

Did You Notice? … The sigh of relief among NASCAR officials the second Erik Jones reached Victory Lane? Jones is just the third 20-something driver to win this year, joining Austin Dillon (Daytona) and Joey Logano (Talladega). All of them have won at restrictor plate races, known for parity and a …

Did You Notice? … how gracefully Kyle Larson accepted defeat? From erasing a more than three-second deficit to coming within striking distance, only to smack the wall, lose momentum and get another shot at Kyle Busch with some help from lap traffic, the driver of the No. 42 Chevrolet did …

Did You Notice? … The fab foursome of Martin Truex Jr., Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch and Clint Bowyer were at it again? Sonoma saw them 1-2-3-4 for most of the race; they would have finished that way if not for late-race pit stops designed to try and win. In the end, …

Did You Notice? … Practice doesn’t always make perfect? So often, we analyze NASCAR practice results over the weekend to find clues as to who will do well on Sunday. But do the one-lap fast practice speeds matter over a 400 or 500-mile race the next day? I took the 15 …

Did You Notice? … The number of penalties handed down in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series this season? Joe Gibbs Racing was the latest to get hit hard Tuesday after three of their cars had splitter violations discovered in Michigan pre-race inspection. That led to $25,000 fines and one-race car …