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Got a question, comment, or suggestion about the website or the blog? Still don’t know what a Bump Stop or a 7-Post Shaker is? Or maybe you just want to vent about your driver or the current state of the sport? Whatever the case may be, your Emails matter to us.

It’s why we’ve created Catch Can: The TSS Mailbox. The Catch Can is a place where you, the readers and fans, can send your questions, comments and rants for us to answer and/or address. Each week will take the best Emails from the previous week, respond to them and post them on the blog.

We may not be able to fix the economy, predict the future, or help you get a date with that blonde in your Sociology class, but we here at The Spotter Stand are here for you!

Let’s see what’s inside……

What’s really different about the new testing rules? JBB, Whereabouts Unknown

JBB, there isn’t much to the new testing policy other than NASCAR stamping its official approval on testing at places like South Boston, Greenville, Irwindale (California), etc. Teams were already doing that this year….NASCAR just made it official. Instead of testing at places where the Cup, Nationwide, and Camping World Truck series race, teams can now test at tracks that are official NASCAR Regional Touring series tracks.

Why is there no excitement? No enthusiasm? I mean, this is supposed to be the biggest part of the year in NASCAR. Wade from Myrtle Beach, SC

The lack of excitement and enthusiasm can be linked to a handful of things. First and foremost, the sport’s most popular and controversial figures, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kyle Busch, are not even involved in this year’s Chase. Take away those two guys and the entertainment value drops significantly. Another factor affecting attendance and excitement is the product on the track. The quality of racing has diminished since the COT was implemented forcing fans to watch parts of the race rather than the entire race. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, football season has kicked off. With college football and the NFL becoming bigger and more popular each year, fans find themselves choosing the pigskin over the steering wheel more and more. NASCAR rivaled the NFL, NBA and MLB back in the early part of this decade, but somewhere along the way NASCAR got off track and has yet to regain its foothold in the living rooms and wallets of their fans.

After Loudon NASCAR came out and once again had to explain themselves about the incident on the white flag lap. Why are they always having to give a reason for their reasoning? Kellen from Kansas City, MO

Great question Kellen! I think NASCAR finds itself having to explain their actions and their rulings because NASCAR is, plain and simple, inconsistent in the rules and the interpretation of their OWN rule book. I think at Loudon people got confused because in the past if the caution came out on the white flag lap the field was frozen and the race was over. Well, when the yellow came out at Loudon for A.J. Allmendinger’s spin on the frontstretch NASCAR opted to let the field race around to Turns 3&4 to settle the race. To most, including those calling the race, this seemed to be a blatant and complete contradiction of the rule book. Other examples include Dale Earnhardt Jr. going below the yellow line at Talledga a few years back to pass Matt Kenseth for the win, and Regan Smith’s penalty for passing Tony Stewart below the yellow line at Talladega. One was penalized, one was not. Until the inconsistencies stop, NASCAR will continue to come out and be forced to explain themselves over and over again.

Is it me or does Mark Martin seem out of place among current GoDaddy spokesman? Lonnie from Dallas, Tx

This partnership completely caught me off guard. Then I got to thinking….is there more to this than meets the eye? It occurred to me that there might be a hidden agenda to this. GoDaddy has had a long running relationship with Danica Patrick. Could this be the spot where Danica ends up once Mark Martin finally retires? It sets up nicely if you think about it. What better place for her to start her Cup career than Hendrick Motorsports? What better sponsor to drive for than her current sponsor/partner GoDaddy? Enter the 5 car and its new sponsor GoDaddy. It seems far fetched…but then again it doesn’t. Let’s face it, Danica was NASCAR bound until she and her mentor/partner Tony Stewart realized there was no room for her in the sport. The 4-Team Cap rule, set to go into effect in 2010, kept her from joining Roush, Hendrick or Childress. Stewart would’ve loved for her to join SHR, but he simply didn’t have the resources; even with Hendrick Motorsports in his corner. Just because Danica won’t be in Cup next doesn’t mean she won’t be in a Nationwide car or Camping World truck next season. And if she is, don’t be too surprised if Mr. Hendrick is involved.

Besides Kasey Kahne, who needs to step it up in the Chase? Julie from Pensacola, Fl

Three drivers come to mind Julie-Carl Edwards, Brian Vickers and Tony Stewart. Stewart has not been himself as of late. The incident with Joey Logano could have very easily turned the 14’s run for a championship inside out; but it didn’t. Stewart and company overcame the early mishap and battled back for a respectable 9th place finish. Top 10’s are nice, but we have yet to see this team regain it’s mid-season form and show it has the horses to make a run at this thing. As for Carl Edwards, is it safe to say that Cousin Carl is nothing more than decoration in this year’s Chase? This team has yet to find a rhythm and has not contended for a win since Talladega….and we all know what happened there. Foot injury aside, this team has been nothing short of disappointing. Then again so has the whole Roush organization. The only thing that could turn this season around and jump start a late run to the championship would be to win this weekend at Kansas. And I just don’t see that happening. And finally, Brian Vickers. It seems each year there is one team that busts its tail to get in the Chase and then disappears once the Chase gets started. Enter Brian Vickers. It’s not that Vickers and company are content with just being a part of the Chase, it’s that they don’t have the weapons to keep pace with the mega teams and giants of the sport. Unless this team busts out and starts winning races then I am sure Top 10’s will do just fine. If I had to guess I would say this team is thrilled to be a part of the Chase and would love nothing more than a Top 10 Chase finish and a trip to Las Vegas for the banquet. 

What does the future hold for Jamie McMurray, Reed Sorenson and David Stremme? BRG1975 from Georgia

Well for two of these drivers I personally think the future holds Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series rides. Reed Sorenson and David Stremme may have exceeded their window of opportunity at the Cup level and will have no choice but to hit the reset button and try to revitalize their career  in the sub-levels of NASCAR. At their age they are better off trying to gain solid Nationwide or Truck series rides instead of hopping behind the wheel of a Start and Park team at the Cup level. That would be more disastrous than anything.

The future for Jamie McMurray looks a whole lot brighter. Being the odd man out at Roush, he has taken on the role of a prized free agent now that Brad Keselowski and Martin Truex Jr. have been snatched up. Most of the talk in the garage has him linked to three rides-The 1 car, the 19 and the 07. If I was a betting man I would put money on him being behind the wheel of a RPM/Yates ride next season. With Yates and RPM merging, look for McMurray to stay “in house” with Yates and move over to the 19. According to some folks in the garage, the Yates people would rather work with McMurray (who already has a relationship with Yates Engine department) than Sadler. Another factor in McMurray’s move could be Paul Menard. If Paul Menard decides he wants to bolt for Richard Childress Racing’s newly vacated 07 car and bring his family sponsorship with him, look for Jamie Mac to become the second face of RPM/Yates along side Kasey Kahne. As for the 1 car, it’s a long-shot but keep in mind McMurray and Ganassi have a past and it could be a good fit for the two. Stay tuned!

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