I always look forward to the first couple races of a new season because of all the changes and the anticipation. Not just the cars and the rules, but the new combinations of drivers, teams and crews.
The off-season in NASCAR is normally called “silly season” because changes are always happening. Drivers left current organizations for new opportunities, others were let go because of contracts or disagreements, and even the crews themselves found new assignments. But it’s not until the first few races do fans and teams alike find out what changes will work right away, others that may need some time, and whether some changes just simply were downright bad.
Surprisingly, the last two spring races at the Phoenix International Raceway showcased two of those changes in the best place possible:Â victory lane.
Last year, Jeff Gordon ended a very long winless streak dating back to 2009 at Phoenix. He did so after an off-season where team owner Rick Hendrick made sweeping changes across three of his four teams. Gordon’s old team in it’s entirety would move over to Dale Earnhardt Jr, while the No. 88 team would make the switch to then-teammate Mark Martin. Martin’s team then would go over to Gordon.
Second race out of the box with a new team and crew chief Alan Gustafson, Gordon went to victory lane, giving he and sponsor AARP a much needed momentum swing early in the year.
That team has since won two more races, and made the Chase last season. At the same time, Earnhardt Jr. found that he and new crew chief Steve Letarte worked well together as the season progressed. No wins, but a more confident driver was seen by the end of the year.
This season, the team that made changes and went to victory lane was that of Denny Hamlin. Last year, after a season where he was runner-up in the points, he only had one victory, and finished low in the Chase. It was obvious that he was not the same driver, so owner Joe Gibbs made the choice to release his crew chief, Mike Ford. At the same time, despite walking away from the last race of the season with a championship, Tony Stewart made the decision early on that crew chief Darian Grubb would not return for 2012.
Out of a job, but with a championship, Grubb was offered the same position with the No. 11 FedEx team, and took it.
Now, Grubb can have bragging rights as he got his first win of the season with his new team before Stewart, who is now teamed with former Penske crew chief Steve Addington. Hamlin ran a strong race at Phoenix, but it was evident at Daytona that the change was going to work, as his car was bad fast under the lights.
I’d say keep an eye on Hamlin as the weeks progress, especially when it gets closer to the Easter break, as there are tracks in that time frame he has won at, and can run well on. Will he be this year’s “man to watch”…well it’s only two races in, so let’s all save judgement on that until it gets to September when the Chase kicks in.
RESULTS: 1-Hamlin 2-Harvick 3-Biffle 4-Johnson 5-Keselowski 6-Kyle Busch 7-Truex Jr. 8-Gordon 9-Martin 10-Logano
NOTABLE FINISHES: 13-Kenseth 14-Earnhardt Jr. 17-Edwards 22-Stewart 34-Kahne
CAUTIONS: 7 for 37 laps. Lap 17-20 (Debris), 60-64 (Debris), 112-117 (#13 accident-T2), 134-140 (#1, 22, 27 accident-FS), 229-233 (Debris), 248-253 (Fluid on track), 257-260 (#39, 99 accident-T3).
LEAD CHANGES: 25 among 15 drivers. Martin 1, Stewart 2-10, Johnson 11-16, Harvick 17-59, Johnson 60, Bliss 61, Ragan 62, Johnson 63-64, Kurt Busch 65-66, Johnson 67-112, Kyle Busch 113-140, Harvick 141-144, Kyle Busch 145-168, Harvick 169-183, Keselowski 184-16, Hamlin 187, Gordon 188, Kenseth 189, Burton 190-196, Truex Jr. 197-206, McMurray 207, Harvick 208-228, Hamlin 229, Truex Jr. 230-248, Harvick 249-253, Hamlin 254-312.
TIME OF RACE: 2 Hrs, 50 Mins, 35 Secs.
AVERAGE SPEED: 110.085 MPH
MARGIN OF VICTORY: 7.315 Seconds
POINT STANDINGS: 1. Hamlin, 89 points; 2. Biffle, -6; 3. Harvick, -8; 4. Kenseth, -10; 5. Earnhardt Jr, -17; 6. Truex Jr, -18; 7. Martin, -18; 8. Logano, -19; 9. Kyle Busch, -23; 10. Edwards, -26; 11. Labonte, -31; 12. Keselowski, -37
