Did You Notice?

Did You Notice? … Ryan Blaney could have failed to qualify for a Chase race? That’s certainly a loophole NASCAR was looking to shore up by its decision this week to ensure every team that qualifies for the Chase is guaranteed a spot over the final 10 events. Officials looped …

Did You Notice? … That for many on the Sprint Cup circuit road course racing has become an acquired skill. Sure, the quality of competition has gone up significantly in recent years; months of testing and resources are benchmarked to help series regulars at both Sonoma and Watkins Glen. We’ve seen old road course ringers …

Did You Notice? … Halfway through this Sprint Cup season there’s at least a few new drivers in position to spice up the Chase. Here’s the 16-driver postseason grid after Richmond last September compared to how things stand through 13 races… 2015 Chasers 2016 Chase As Of Now Clint Bowyer Ryan Blaney …

Did You Notice? … The deal Dollar General had with Joe Gibbs Racing runs fewer and farther between in this sport? I took a look at the 2001 full-time Sprint Cup grid, the first year the series went to 36 races and looked at how many teams signed a primary …

Did You Notice? … Jimmie Johnson has won a Sprint Cup race at Dover in six of the past seven seasons? It’s a streak of remarkable consistency in line with Johnson’s overall dominance at the Monster Mile. In total, Johnson has won seven times at this one-mile oval since the start …

Did You Notice? … Jim Utter’s comments on SIRIUS XM Tuesday morning expressing confusion about how more wasn’t made of steering wheels coming off race cars after Talladega? One of Motorsport.com‘s main editors made reference to the fact there was an uproar about restrictor plate racing safety, an issue that’s been front and …

Did You Notice? … Talladega truly is the most unpredictable race on the NASCAR circuit? OK, I know you hear that all the time. But let’s take a look at the type of upsets that have occurred here the last seven years…. Spring 2009. Brad Keselowski wins in a James Finch-owned car that’s a …

Did You Notice? … Only four different engine combinations are currently in position to make NASCAR’s Chase? A quick look at the top 16 gives us the following breakdown…. Hendrick Motorsports: 7 Joe Gibbs Racing (via TRD): 5 Team Penske (via Roush Yates motors): 2 Richard Childress Racing (Earnhardt Childress motors): 2 In a modern racing world …

Did You Notice? … No Sprint Cup race has had more than eight caution flags all season? The 51 laps we ran under yellow at Martinsville were the fewest for that track since 1996; overall, the number of slowdowns have dropped significantly for the first six events. TOTAL CAUTION FLAGS – FIRST SIX RACES …

Did You Notice? … Five races into the 2016 season the door is still wide open for Tony Stewart to make the Chase? Certainly, there’s a lot that would have to happen; the three-time Sprint Cup champion isn’t even expected to return to the series until May. The sabbatical leaves …