I look forward to the New Year with hope that the best is yet to come and I am turning my gaze away from the politicians (who are all a disappointment so far) and the current event media (who only seem to focus on the negative) and looking to the “Hills from where my help comes”.

There is no hope greater than the hope the Creator can put in us and there is no help greater than Him. He is our source and He is our provider. It isn’t government and politicians, (no matter how many times they tell us they are); it isn’t the movement toward “green technology” (even though they tell us it is our only hope for the human race) and it isn’t the strength of the not so strong economy.

No… the best is yet to come because there is a God who cares for us more than we care for ourselves and He is alive and well and in full control, (no matter who tells you He is dead or doesn’t exist.) He is still seated on His throne and is in “full control” of everything (whether you believe it or not) and nothing escapes His gaze. He sees your struggles and eagerly waits for you to call upon Him for help…

The best is yet to come because He cares, (no matter who tells you He doesn’t) and all He asks is that we trust and believe in Him and in the one He sent to rescue us… His son, Jesus…

Welcome to 2010… from Rusty’s View

Okay, maybe I should back up a little bit.

It all came about one day while I was praying.  It was a day like any other day.  There was absolutely nothing unusual about it . . . just another day.  If anything, it was a bit more hectic than usual.  Nothing to be upset about and not a whole lot I could do to change the way it was going, but, I had finally reached a point where I could take a break.

I sat at the table and read a little and began to think on the things going on in the world.  I was a little overwhelmed with some of those thoughts and decided to go to my favorite place of prayer.  I guess you could say it was, ‘just one of those days’.  I began to pray about whatever came to mind.  For a while my mind was jumping from one thought to another and then I settled into one of those special times you mostly only hear about.  I was praying for the needs of friends and acquaintances and it seemed that there would be no shortage of needs entering my mind.

I began to pray for certain needs that were on my own heart.  I had some friends that had some very urgent needs and really needed an answer or some encouragement soon.  I brought up several more concerns I was familiar with, and then, (I remember it very vividly), I was praying for the upcoming services.  While praying, I mentioned how God might call some of us to minister in special ways to those that would be coming to the altars and be anointed and prayed for.  He might call some of us to lay hands on someone and they be healed by His mighty power to heal and our obedience to the Holy Spirit’s urging.  He may ask of us to give sacrificially of our finances.  He very well could call on some of us to do great things for the kingdom and then — are you ready for this? – He may call on some of us to ‘just pray.’

Did you catch that?!? I said, “You may call on some of us to, ‘just pray’. It was as though I had just been hit by a brick.  I almost felt like my heart had stopped.  ‘JUST pray’.  I couldn’t believe what had come out of my mouth and I had said it in passing.  JUST pray.

Has that ever happened to you? You’re going along, doing something and, WHAMO!! the Holy Spirit stops you dead in your tracks and demands your attention.  It was like He was saying to me, “Is that all it means to you?  WAIT A MINUTE!  Hold on, back up!”  The interruption definitely grabbed my attention.

I’ve been thinking on that subject a lot lately.  It sometimes seems to me, prayer is one of the hardest things to get the American Christian to do, at least on a consistent basis.  I don’t know whether it is because we have so filled our lives with so many things to do, or just because we are slowly becoming as “cold-hearted” as the rest of the world thinks we are.

Think about it for minute.  Of course we pray when we face a struggle or severe need in our life.  It is no trouble getting us to pray when someone close to us is in dire need.  In fact, we are more than willing to pray when someone asks us to support them with prayer when they have pressing needs on their own hearts.  The most bothersome thing I notice about our prayer lives, (or may be it is just mine), is that we pray without vision.  WE JUST DON’T REALIZE HOW IMPORTANT OUR PRAYERS ARE, nor do we realize, WHAT AN IMPACT OUR PRAYERS CAN MAKE.

When we are overwhelmed for the moment, we pray with fervency.  It is much harder for us to pray with fervency and a vision, and do it on a regular basis, to make a difference in our city, county, state, country or world.  For some reason, we seem to need to see immediate results for us to continue to pray for something specific on a regular basis.

If you think what I’m saying isn’t true, then try this as a test.  Commit to only one half- hour a day, (for thirty days), set aside for prayer.  Be specific about a time and keep it.  Go one step further. Make up a prayer schedule ahead of time and stay true to it.  Pray for someone or something or someplace with specific results in mind.  See how you feel about it after a few days and try to evaluate your effectiveness and persistence.

Now I realize some may say, “But, I already do that!”  (Wonderful!) Some may say, “I pray when I feel like it and when I am moved to pray.”  (That’s great!!)  But, consider this; how many of us pray on a regular basis for someone or someplace that we are not familiar with just because the Holy Spirit has laid that task on us? Do we pray as if that person or place would not be helped if we did not pray? You see, that kind of prayer – prayer with a vision, committed prayer, or offensive prayer (as opposed to defensive prayer) if you will – requires discipline and determination.  Discipline takes commitment and effort.  All too often, we’re too busy to pray or we’re not praying because we just don’t know what to pray for.  Let’s let the Holy Spirit expand us and our vision for prayer.  Let’s become more disciplined in our prayer lives to pray on a regular basis and to actually pray with effective intensity for those things.

I am absolutely convinced there is no higher calling for us.  There are some things not all of us are called to do, but prayer isn’t one of them.  We are admonished by the word to pray for one another and to pray fervently.  The word also tells us to pray in all things.  We can change the world.  We can break down strongholds that prevent people from hearing the truth that will set them free.  We can pray for God to supernaturally intervene in lives throughout the world.  It will take effort and determination on our part, but, we can do more than “JUST PRAY!”

Parting Thoughts:

I have to ask this question of myself and you.  Is our prayer a vision, or is our vision PRAYER?  We can all do more than JUST pray.  We can PRAY!!!  (Let’s do it with fervency.)

See Ya Next Time . . .

Rusty

© Sept 1993 & June 2009 – all rights reserved

Rusty Norman Blog – Rusty Norman – LivingLifenotes.com

Let there be no misunderstanding, I support the tea-bag demonstrations because I think the politicians in power have lost touch with the American people.  Their knee jerk reaction seems to always be, throw money at a certain problem or situation no matter what it is and no matter who has to foot the bill.  This is my opinion and contribution on this day of  tax day tea-bag demonstrations…

One thing has become completely clear to me in the last eight months; We can no longer give free reign and full trust to any, (and I stress the word, any), of our politicians whether local, state or national. Our trust and respect has been abused by them and they must earn back our respect and trust and we should not make it easy for them. They must prove themselves as deserving of  our trust and then, maybe, we will trust them once again.

I know … I hear you saying …”So, when should we have ever trusted them??”

Well, for a while I guess I was just to busy, (poor excuse, I know), to pay close enough attention and I actually thought they cared, at least somewhat, about us and our great country. It has been a long time since I have actually trusted any politician, but for some reason, I did want to give them at least some benefit of the doubt.

That was absolutely the worst thing I could have done at any time, especially now. I have neglected the thing that made our country great and that is paying attention to what my elected officials do or don’t do and, I have to admit, I am shocked at the arrogance of the politicians — all politicians — and their inability to understand what the American people are trying to say, especially on this day – tax day – in the United States.

It has also been a long time since I have been this disappointed with politicians on this scale and I am not just talking about the present administration. This is not a Democrat or Republican thing. This is about the American people, all American people, and where their elected officials have been, and are, leading them and the Nation.

This is about elected officials that are supposed to represent the people and about them doing what they have a tendency to do, make excuses and try to focus the blame on others rather than take responsibility for what they themselves have caused (or, at the very least  greatly influenced by their detachment from the very people they are supposed to represent.)  None of them are blameless and none of us are exempt from participation in trying to reign in this over-sized and out of control government.

“We the People” of these United States should remember our responsibilities. It is our job to hold these arrogant, out of touch, non representing representatives responsible for their actions and to be vigilant about it.

A quick check of the dictionary tells us that the word “vigilant” means, “to keep watch, stay awake: alertly watchful – especially to avoid danger.”

• Can we afford to not take these words to heart?
• Should we just blindly follow people that have lost touch with those they are supposed to represent?
• Should we trust them to lead us when they cannot bring themselves to take responsibility for their own actions?
• Should we blindly allow them to walk all over the Constitution they are sworn to uphold?

We no longer have the luxury of depending on them to do what is right for us because it seems they think their solutions and their own interests are the only ones of importance and we just don’t know, or understand, what is right for our nation and our families. We should “trust” them to do what is necessary and “correct” for us all.

I cannot disagree with this more strongly!!!

They are the ones that are, or should be, under suspicion and they are the ones that should have to suffer. They should lose their jobs and they should loose them immediately. They should  have to experience first-hand what their actions, or lack thereof, have caused. They must hear the voices of all Americans and not try to diminish the voices of those that speak loudly by their responsible actions and voicing their concerns of where the politicians of this day are leading us as a nation.

Unfortunately, history proves that politicians, dictators and all who seek power over their detractors do the same thing. These people try to:

• focus attention on others (in this instance, those with conservative values), that have legitimate concerns and try make it look as if “they” are the ones standing  in the way of progress.
• That “they” should be feared because “they” are the ones to blame for the present circumstances.
• If it weren’t for “them” standing in the way, this “new direction” would “solve” all of the problems “they” caused.

Does this sound preposterous to you? Does this sound as if it CANNOT happen?

Believe me, fellow Americans, these things absolutely can, and do,  happen when good people stand by and do nothing. We cannot ignore what is really going on and we cannot stick our heads in the sand and hope it will all go away somehow if we ignore it.

My fear is that the politicians will ignore the message of the people on this day and either marginalize or diminish their message by continuing their political rhetoric of denial saying this is a fringe group of far right conservatives; that they do not speak for more than a small fraction of the country; that their voices should be ignored  and that they should be considered as trouble-makers and spreaders of hateful actions and speech and possibly even considered as social terrorists…at the very least, extremists.

Nothing could be further from the truth as I see it. These people care about their nation and their children’s future as well as their own.

This is a critical time for our United States. The actions of our elected officials need to be scrutinized and those that have brought us to this point should not be blindly trusted to lead us to their vision of “paradise” without that scrutiny.

We need to be vigilant and we need to be so, NOW!! We can no longer go on allowing them to say one thing and do another. We must hold them accountable  to their words and actions even as they expect us to be accountable for ours.

God, PLEASE, forgive us for the neglectful way we’ve handled our oversite of the Nation you’ve blessed us with…and…God… PLEASE… bless America by Your grace, with strength, wisdom and understanding as we pursue, with your help, restoring health to our nation…

It seems to me that we – (the United States) – are in for no change with the new Obama administration, (other than the media will probably support everything he does and paint it in a positive way.) Even though that is what his campaign touted as what we needed and he would bring. It almost seems he hasn’t the confidence on his own so he is bringing in a bunch of Clinton administration folks to make it, “Less change than we told you there would be from people you already know what to expect.” It also seems that we, the American public, can now echo what was said during the Biden speech at the Democratic convention directed at the Republican party, “That’s NOT change, it’s just MORE of the same!”

I don’t care how many times the president elect gets on radio and Tv and says how bad this present disaster is for us nor do I care  how often he tells how concerned he is for us and how quickly he needs to move to minimize the damage. To me, this is the same as the last time a democrat was elected to the white house. They immediately came out with an excuse as to why they wouldn’t be able to fix the problems the nation faced at that time and that, “Things were worse than they thought.”

My opinion of the matter is that partisan politics put us where we are and partisan politics and “blame gaming” will do no good for the present state of affairs.  Until the politicians admit they are the ones to blame and they take full responsibility for their actions NOTHING WILL CHANGE.

Both parties were asleep at the switch and both parties should stand up and take the bull by the horns, forget about what will keep them elected and do what needs to be done. I personally, don’t think this will happen and I don’t expect ANY quick fixes. I do expect higher taxes and more pork than ever before. I even expect them to come out and say, “You’re going to have to trust us if you want us to fix this and make change really happen and you will have to see that we are re-elected and that we can change the constitution to bring about the necessary safeguards to “protect your future”. After all If you don’t trust us and give us the time, it will most certainly be more of the same, (because the previous administration left us such a mess.)

My question is, why should we trust them and their judgment and why should we trust them with our future?  They (both parties) have only been playing politics and accomplishing nothing for years, (other than the present state of affairs which leaves us all in a very deep hole.

I have to say I am more than a little disappointed to see so many old administration faces in a new administration that promised all Americans so much change. I do hope the media and the pundits remember what was promised and what actually happens from this point on. We’ve experienced the same thing over and over again.

Why is it that politicians are allowed to exaggerate the truth to such a large extent and so many voters only see the forest and no trees? Why is it that, more often than not, voters vote for the “charisma” and not the truth? Eloquence does not equal excellence, or anything close (and actions still actually speak louder than words.)

I am not at all against change for the better nor am I against change that really is change and, contrary to what some of my friends may think, I am not concerned with which party a responsible politician is associated with.  I just want what is best for all of us and I want all politicians to be as responsible for their actions as they expect large corporations and small businesses alike to be. (Just so there is no misunderstanding, I am not a liberal by any stretch of the imagination.)

Unfortunately, the only thing this election proved to me is that once again it doesn’t matter what the politicians say, it is more important  to remember they are just looking for a job that we as taxpayers pay for. They seem to forget that they are supposed to be the servants of the people and that those people should be able to trust what they say and do.

I for one am tired of reading and hearing about all of the different scandals so prevalent throughout all levels of government. Why should we as a nation of people be expected to accept corruption in government? Are we expected to “toe the line” while politicians continually fail us both morally and lawfully?  I guess when it comes to politics, trust is a relative term meaning, “You need to believe what I say not what I meant when I said it and don’t hold me to the same standard I think you should be held to.”

I know this is just rambling on, but I am sick of what politicians on both sides of the isle have failed to accomplish. We could talk of Wars, but, Wars will always be with us and it has very little to do with what I am talking about here. The place they have most completely let the American people down is in the preparing of the nation for the future and financial areas.  That is what affecting most people throughout these United States and the politicians have completely failed us in this area. This is the area that is now costing people their jobs, savings and their hope and futures.

How long will we allow ourselves to be fooled by so much rhetoric? Why is that we the American people are continually asked to bail out people that have been completely irresponsible? Why should we only be able to experience politics as usual? When will the ridiculous deception of the people, supported by what is called the main stream media, end?

It is more obvious than ever that the truth the people need to hear the most will never be told by the media as long as it does not agree with their view of the way America, and all the earth, should be.  For the most part, the media is a propaganda machine which cares little for individual rights or concerns. It continually convinces people that what they believe is wrong and only the truth the media preaches can be believed.

How sad that we the people must continually suffer from the untruth and editorializing of the main stream media and those that control it. Do they really think we are so weak that we cannot handle the “Real Truth”?

I for one intend to stand against the liberal media view. Does this mean I am conservative? Probably. Does this mean I only look at things from one point of view? Of course not … I want the truth, not propaganda. I want the truth not some sugar coated rhetoric that makes me feel safe and comfortable while the nation crumbles around us. Give me the true facts, not the slanted editorializing that only tries to propagandize us.

I long to see the day when I can truly believe what I am told rather than some shaded interpretation of someone’s idea of what I should be told for my own good.

This nation and all of its people deserve much more. I firmly believe that now is the time for politics as usual to end. The United States’ future depends on facing the real truth of where we are and what we must do to get to where we want to be…

See ya next time…

Rusty

©2008 Rusty Norman

all rights reserved

This will be a short report on the After Season-After Chatter. Not because there’s not a lot to talk about, but, perhaps I jumped the gun just slightly. I fully intended to have the new site up and running on its own, but, I need at least one more week. When I make the move it should be fully functional. That’s when I hope to have the RSS feed info available and all the other little details that I want to be there for you.

You see the problem is that I went away on a short vacation for Thanksgiving and just didn’t keep after the work side.  I goofed off and I needed it. Now I am back and I am running just a little behind, but I will catch up soon…

All of that aside, Nascar has really been buzzing with all of the challenges and situations that have come about because of the economic downturn here in the United States and around the world. It seems that everyone on the outside looking in has a suggestion for Nascar to help, “save the sport”, whether they need the help or not. I have listened and read  with interest and amusement as people have let their thoughts be known.

Some of the insight from seasoned writers and fans has been interestingly sound. Some has been outrageously out of touch and one-sided. A few have exposed their obvious envy of the ones that make the most money because they think those people should not be paid as much as they are and that their salaries should go to those that may be let go because of economic reasons. That seems to be the impression of more than a few but is usually because they are comparing the work they do with the “work” they think the drivers and others do. Hey, business is business and I think those that are successful right now, must know what they’re doing or they wouldn’t be successful.

Yes, it’s true, I have my own opinion as I know others do, but, let me say right here and now, you can’t fix it if it ain’t broke. There is a lot to talk about and a lot to consider but let”s remember that some of the facts are just now coming available. I know there is a lot we all should consider as fans and interested parties of the Nascar sport, but for some of the picture to clear up, we’re just going to have wait and see how it all plays out.  We can jump into the fray or we can wait a week or two and most of the foggy stuff will clear up and we will have a better view of the coming season and what really needs to be thought about for the good of all involved.

I don’t think there is anyone I know that has not been affected by the economy. Even while I was on my short little vacation in the southeastern United States I could tell the economy is affecting many people. In fact, you don’t have to listen very closely to find many of the conversations turning towards the times we are facing as individuals and a nation.

Those involved in Nascar are no different than those in any other “business” and those involved have to make hard decisions as much as the next guy. The situation is, times are tight and expenses have to be brought under control in one way or another. You can’t continue to spend money you don’t have unless you want to face some dire circumstances. There is absolutely no reason to spend money if you don’t have to. Isn’t it interesting how even big businesses have to face tight economics the same as small businesses only on a different scale and this downturn makes this more obvious than it might normally be.

Well, I think I’ve said about all I need to say on the subject for this week. Next week, look for more on taking a look back to this last season, thoughts on the C.O.T. and looking ahead to what teams (and fans) may find themselves facing in the new year.

See ya next time …

Rusty

©2008 PCN Productions and Rusty Norman

all rights reserved

As the whole nation, (Nascar Nation, that is), already knows, Jimmy Johnson became only the second person in Nascar history to win three Cup Championships in a row.  Joining him in that place in history with Cale Yarborough is his crew chief, Chad Knaus; the only crew chief ever to win three consecutive championships. The after chatter about the possibility of a fourth for the 48 Team has already started.

Although I know the airwaves, blogwaves and netwaves have been buzzing with the Jimmy Johnson three-peat, I have to say a few things about the weekend, but I’ll try not to bore you to death with repetition. I have my own view of the weekend and I just have to speak out about it and not all of it is just about the cup series.

It was no big shocker to me that Jimmy Johnson won the Sprint Cup and took his third consecutive title in Nascar. The 48 team, (and I purposely stress the ‘team’ part) is hard to beat.  They have definitely raised the bar higher and could very well repeat this scenario again next year.

I do think several others will want to weigh in before they let that be accepted as gospel for 2009, though.

I know for a fact, Carl Edwards and Bob Osborn will have something to say about that. They ran exceptionally well this year and, except for some bad luck, could have very handily taken the Sprint Cup Title this year. I know they will be tough again next year and their performance over the last year warrants more conversation from this “Just A Fan’s View” during the off season. (This is another subject that will be run into the ground between now and Daytona in February, I’m sure.)

Along with the 99 team will undoubtedly be strong performers from this year like Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt, Jr, Kyle Bush, Kevin Harvick and, yes, even Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton and Tony Stewart. Although Tony is going to have his own team this coming year, I expect him to make some noise and show some  strength in the 2009 season. I do expect all of these teams to show their strength starting with Daytona in 2009 and the new season is sure to be an interesting mix of several teams flexing their muscles for the entire year, possibly even some that haven’t been mentioned that much in the last year.

If there was anything that frustrated me while listening to the broadcast version of the Cup series race, it was the constant pumping by certain commentators in trying to keep the listeners on the “edge of their seats.” I have never heard so much overkill in recent memory.  It seemed to me the commentators thought if they didn’t keep the viewers thinking that anything could go wrong at any moment, the viewers would change over to some other program and their ratings would plummet into the tank. They just kept on reminding us “if this, or that” happened it would be “The Thing” that would ultimately change the outcome. In fact, at times it seemed they hoped something would happen just so they could say, “See, I told you so.”

Hey … Commentators … Nascar fans watch Nascar races because they want to and they do it in their own way. They don’t tune in just to hear you talk and they may not watch every second of the race any more than the people in the stands do but they definitely know what’s going on.

I think the commentators often sell us, “the fans”, a little short. Maybe I should say, a lot short. It is almost as if they think we are completely ignorant of what the race is all about.  You see, fan’s know that a part could break, a tire could blow or a driver make a mistake and end the drama in the actual competition for the championship. I find it more than a little disappointing that they think we, as fan’s, are completely in the dark without their input. That if they don’t tell us not to go away during the commercial breaks we could miss ‘the moment’ that changed the outcome.

I would merely present these as a couple of “What If” scenarios that very well could have happened on Sunday.

‘What if’ there would have been a major accident at the very start of the race that took Jimmy Johnson completely out of the race and him finish 41st or worse. I wonder how they would have tried to keep the fans interested then. What do you think the would have talked about for the rest of the broadcast?

‘What if’ Carl Edwards engine would have blown at lap 63.  How would they have tried to generate interest until the end of the race.

‘What if’ both of these things had happened? What then …?

My point here is that anything could have happened, including these two I mentioned. Anything could have happened to remove the drama from the race and we, “the fans”, knew it. That’s why we watch it and why we don’t lose interest when certain things do, or don’t, happen. That’s why they call us fans!

Oh well, we can, and will talk about this and more in the “off-season”.  I think that’s enough on that subject for now, though. (Feel free to leave a comment on the subject yourself, if you want.)

Since I first started this, I’ve focused mainly on The Cup series and I will continue to devote a lot of time to it next season too, but I am planning on expanding to covering the other two series, also. There will be plenty of stuff to talk about since there is so much going on throughout Nascar and I don’t want to ignore any of it. With all of the changes going on and with the economy’s impact on the sport, I know that there will be a need to look at it from “Just A Fan’s View” and that is what we will do.

In fact, I would like to start with a few thoughts on the Nationwide and the Truck Series championships in this week’s “After Chatter”. I just want to give you some thoughts as I reflect on the season ending races this last weekend in Homestead.

I was thoroughly impressed with the level of competition for all three series. In particular this weekend though, I acquired even more respect for the man, Ron Hornaday. He is not only one heck of a racer, but he is also one heck of good sport. Some of the situations he faced this year would have devastated others but he handled them with class and humility.

I have watched how he handled personal situations this year and how he handled the outcome of the championship race for the Truck series and I am more firmly convinced than ever, he is definitely a man of distinction, character and class. Although he was disappointed with not winning the championship, he was an impressively good sport about the loss. He even made a point in an after race interview that he intended to congratulate Johnny Benson on winning and then he went down and did it on camera.

He also had an impact on two other racers, one I knew about and one I did not. Kevin Harvick and  … Jimmy Johnson. It has been interesting to watch Kevin Harvick mature as a person and an owner/racer over the last several years and I have more respect for him now than I ever did. As for Jimmy Johnson … well, he is … the three time champion. What more can I say?

As I watched the laps wind down to the end of the Nationwide championship, I found myself hoping that Clint Bowyer would win, just because … but I couldn’t help pulling for Carl Edwards. I think it is the first time I have watched a Nationwide series race all the way through in a long time, but it didn’t have anything to do with the drama of who might win. I just wanted to see who did win.

Just a little sidenote that I know others have already pointed out, Carl Edwards finished as runnerup in two of the three series this year. Wow, what does that say about his chances for next year’s championships?

Well, this is the end of the year for Nascar racing, but not the end of “Just A Fan’s View” for this year. We will be back the first week of December and, hopefully, every Tuesday after that with our “Just A Fan’s View” until Daytona when I hope to get back on the twice a week schedule.

Hey … this is Russ … and I hope to see you December 2nd here at “Just A Fan’s View”. Until then, Have a great Thanksgiving!

See ya next time …

Rusty

©2008 PCN Productions and Rusty Norman

all rights reserved

This weekend officially ends the 2008 season for all the Nascar series and will be a welcome end for some and an unwelcome time of finding out what the future may hold for others.  Although ‘The Sprint Cup’ series could prove to be a historic event for Jimmy Johnson, the end of the race may still hold some drama for all Carl Edward’s fans out there.

The Chase is still slightly in doubt, but a lot of things have to go wrong for the 48 team for the outcome to be different than I expect it to be. I’m not so sure his qualifying spot needs as much attention as it is getting, but, a lot can happen that is completely out of their control when a team starts that far back in the field.

Because of being wa-a-a-a-a-y to busy this week, I didn’t get to hear, or watch, the qualifying attempts and couldn’t help but notice that the big three of the Hendrick camp apparently struggled (as usual) at Homestead. The fourth member, Casey Mears, was the best out of the camp and he is starting 12th.

On the surface, it doesn’t appear to be the way the 88, 48 and 24 teams wanted to start the final race of the year.  (Maybe they were just sandbagging or were teasing the competition? Or maybe they were lowering their competitors’ expectations of them for next year hoping to gain an advantage on the “No Testing” rule recently instituted for next year. (I doubt it … I do expect them to move to the front once the race starts. Maybe I am just dreaming, though.)

Barring the unforeseen, it is likely Carl Edwards will finish at, or near, the front of the field simply because of the strength the Roush Teams always demonstrate at these type tracks.  While we’re at it, let’s not discount the determination the 99 team has shown to take this championship away from the 48 team. Carl has, and will continue, to drive aggressively, and all out, to win this final race and hope that Jimmy has unexpected problems that cause him to finish at least thirty eight places behind him. (That is, ‘IF’ Jimmy Johnson actually leads a lap during the course of the race.)

I’m not going to be able to gather any input from the Cup practices on Saturday because of previous commitments but I am sure they will give a better idea of how all of the competitors will fare in the race on Sunday. That just means I will have to give you my opinions without the benefit of that input. (Ah well, worse things have happened … I suppose.)

So, what do I think is going to happen this weekend in Homestead? Hmm … Just looking at the starting lineup tells me that some were definitely prepared for qualifying and were able to run quick qualifying times while others were not.

I don’t think being able to run a couple of fast laps is going to make much of a difference on Sunday though. However, I do believe that being able to run laps consistently faster than the competition throughout the race will make an enormous difference in the final finishing order on Sunday.

I firmly believe ‘the long green flag run’ is going to be the norm on Sunday; that it will almost make the race seem boring at times and that decisions made in the pits to gain spots on the track will ultimately determine who the winner of the race will be. It is my opinion that the winner of the race may have no relation at all to who ends up winning the Sprint Cup. I firmly believe that will ultimately be decided when Jimmy Johnson can finish no worse than 36 places behind Carl Edwards due to possible accidents and normal attrition during the race.

Depending on what happens early in the race as far as accidents or part failures, the actual Chase for The Cup could be decided long before the race ends. Hopefully, the winner of the race will get a few moments of fame before all attention is turned to the Champion of the Nascar Sprint Cup Series.

I think this week is the absolute hardest week to pick an actual winner of the race, at least for me. I am thinking it could be a first time victory for someone or, at least, a first time victory for someone at this track.

I do believe the Roush cars are going to be very strong and that the winner could be from their camp. It is also possible that the winner could come from Michael Waltrip Racing or Roger Penske.  I even like the possibilities for Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton of Richard Childress Racing and I would be extremely lax if I didn’t mention the possibility of Kyle Bush, Tony Stewart or Denny Hamlin out of the Joe Gibbs garages. As much as it may hurt some for me to say this, Kyle Bush could very likely finish out this year with another trip to victory lane in what has been an extraordinary year for him in all of three of the Nascar series.

All in all, I do not think the race winner will come from Rick Hendrick racing. That being said, I would like to see Jeff Gordon get a victory this year if for no other reason than continuing his record of winning every year since his first victory in the early nineties. It would not be a total surprise to see Casey Mears pull the unexpected victory out of the hat to finish off his year and career with Rick Hendrick Racing.

So, I guess that brings me down to the “Just A Fan’s View” choice of who will win the race in Homestead and my JAFV choice for The Nascar Sprint Cup champion for 2008.

Man … this is tough … but … I think it is a toss up between Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle for the race victory and I do believe it will at least be an interesting race, not necessarily an exciting race, right down to the finish. Probably the worst thing that could happen would be a green-white-checker finish for the one that finishes second.

Although that green-white-checker thing is always a possibility, I don’t think that will have an affect on who ends up winning The Sprint Cup. I do think that will be Jimmy Johnson and I do think he will finish in the top ten when all is said and done Sunday afternoon.

See ya next time …

Rusty

©2008 PCN Productions and Rusty Norman

all rights reserved

Well … I would say Jimmy Johnson did exactly what he needed to do to keep distance between him and Carl Edwards in his attempt to win his third consecutive Nascar title … and once again … I called it before it happened, right down to the him leading the most laps.

So … who cares? Well, I do for one.

I know it sounds like I’m bragging, but I’m really not … I’m just glad I do call it right sometimes.  I’m sure it sets me up for being humbled in the future, but, it feels good at the moment.

Besides, I have a very good friend that has a saying that goes something like this:

“He who tooteth not his own horn, the same remains untooted.”

This week, I tooteth it — Next week, who knows … maybe it could happen again.

Oh, well … enough about me and the “Just A Fan’s View” prediction of who would win the race in Phoenix over the weekend. Let’s talk a little bit about the events of the race.

To me, it seemed Carl Edwards struggled to move up through the pack unlike last week when it seemed nothing could hold him back. He was definitely mired back in the frenzy that went on most of the day for quite a while. Even when it seemed he was going to make up some positions something else would go wrong either in the pits or on the track.  It just took a lot of time for him to move up into position to possibly catch Jimmy Johnson. He finally finished fourth.

The thing I find missing so far in the ‘after chatter’ of Phoenix is the incidents between A J Allmendinger, Matt Kenseth and Tony Stewart, (and let’s not forget Juan Pablo Montoya for the second week in a row.) Although I have heard a couple of things said about the situation, for the most part it didn’t make the headlines. At the checkered flag, it was pretty obvious from “A Fan’s View” that what happened was a little payback from Matt Kenseth to A J and it resulted in a lot of damaged cars, including Tony Stewart’s for the second time in the race and Montoya for the second, (actually third) week, in a row.

I’m not against payback, but I am surprised by the lack of chatter about it.  Maybe that is because ABC decided to terminate their broadcast of the race to “honor their obligations” to “America’s Funniest Home Videos” instead of finishing their coverage of the race.

I think they made a drastic error in judgment and It is my opinion that ABC should be terminated from coverage of Nascar racing in the future. These are strong words I know, but, this is inexcusable.

First of all let me say, I understand more people watch the races when they are broadcast on the major networks and I can appreciate that. I just don’t think that ABC should be allowed the privilege of prospering from the popularity of Nascar in the future.

I realize this means possible problems for the future and I understand the situation but I also know that no one else would have interrupted another sports broadcast until it was over. That speaks very loudly of whoever made the decision to transfer the coverage to ESPN2. Contrary to popular opinion, not everyone has ESPN2 to turn to. I personally wouldn’t have it because I hardly watch ESPN anything and don’t like the expense it adds to my monthly bill. I know it is popular for others, I just don’t watch it because I just don’t watch it. It’s a personal thing and I won’t get into that right now. (Maybe someday I will.)

Now that I’ve said all of that, it is time to look forward to the coming weekend in Homestead. The Chase for the Cup has been narrowed down to two, Jimmy Johnson and Carl Edwards. The rest are racing for the also-ran title. I think it is going to be an interesting race and finish to the Chase. Last week Jimmy Johnson and the the entire 48 team, did exactly what they needed to do.

This week, Jimmy only has to finish 36th or better and that isn’t much of a challenge … or, is it …?

See ya next time …

Rusty

©2008 PCN Productions and Rusty Norman

All Rights Reserved

How can two tracks be so similar and yet so different?

If we take a look at the two tracks, Atlanta and Texas, they are quite similar in size and banking, but much different in age of the asphalt and transition from the banking to the straightaways. Those appear to be the biggest differences from my point of view and it is what gives the Texas Speedway a character all its own when compared to Atlanta.

Both tracks have 24 degree banking and both are one and a half mile in distance, but that is where the similarities stop. According to the drivers, Atlanta is just plain slippery and the surface is old and abrasive, kinda like old Darlington used to be.  It chews up tires quickly and the only thing you can do as the tires begin to wear is slow down or put it in the wall, (which once again according to the drivers is in a lap or two.)

If we look at the last nine laps in Atlanta last week, those that took new tires at the last yellow flag consistently moved to the front past those that didn’t.  Jimmy Johnson was the most noticeable as he went from eleventh to second and, given a another lap or two, may well have passed Carl Edwards and finished first, but that’s just a ‘what if’ statement. The race was what it was and ended the way it did.

So, Texas is just another one and a half mile oval, right? Maybe so, but I’m interested in seeing how the tires hold up throughout a run and how much the drop off in lap times will be.  I think that will be one of the important key factors in the results at the end of the race.

Another thing that will prove to be interesting is that the field was able to qualify this week and the difference in where the Chasers pit is totally different than the last three weeks. It is my opinion this could make the largest difference from the last three weeks in who finishes out front.

This week, the front runners in the Chase are not lined up in the pits according to the standings.

• This week, Jeff Gordon starts on the pole and has the first pit stall and Jimmy Johnson will not have that advantage.
• This week, Martin Truex Starts second and Carl Edwards is beginning the race back in sixteenth. That will also affect Carl’s ability to make anything up in the pits.
• Greg Biffle, instead of starting third, will be mired back in nineteenth place. All of this could make a big difference in the way things wring out as the race progresses.

This week should be no different than other weeks with the C.O.T. Track position will ultimately determine the final outcome of the race and that will be affected by strategies and decisions made in the pits.

I find it interesting that several of those that are situated in the middle to the back of the top twelve in the Chase standings and need any type of advantage to make any advancement in the Chase standings, are starting ahead of the top four.  It makes me ask the questions:

• “Would the Chase standings be closer if we wouldn’t have had qualifying rained out over the last three weeks?”
• “If things were closer would this week’s starting lineup shake things up when the checkered flag drops at the end of the race?”
• “What if all of the top twelve were separated by only 225 points?”

These are all interesting ‘what if’ or ‘if only’ questions, but the facts are that the three straight qualifying rain-outs did give an advantage to those highest in the points at the time.  Whether or not they could capitalize on that advantage depended on how prepared they were for the three tracks they raced at and whether or not they had part or equipment failures of some sort. The facts also showed that not everyone had great luck in that department during those three weeks either.

I guess that is what makes the Chase so exciting, isn’t it?

That brings us to the “Just A Fan’s View” opinion of who will win this weekend and, as usual, it is a hard choice because of the way things are shaking out so far this weekend.

I know how strong Matt Kenseth was at Atlanta last week and how incredibly fast Jimmy Johnson and Carl Edwards were.

Jeff Gordon has not fared well at Texas in the past but consistently ran up front at Atlanta last week. This could bode well for his chances of winning the race this week in Texas, but I’m not sure about that either.

It is very possible the winner this week could be one that is unexpected.  Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer and yes, even Dale Earnhardt, Jr could be in victory lane at the end of the race this weekend.

You see, Jamie McMurray has been running strong over the last several races and is my strongest candidate for a dark horse winner this weekend, but, it is also possible that Kurt Bush could come home with the victory as my unexpected second choice for a dark horse winner.

With the way everyone is all over the place in the line up this week, it is a harder choice for me than usual.

I guess I shouldn’t leave out the one that has been the most consistent and say that Jimmy Johnson is a very strong choice for the visit to victory lane at the end of the race. This is his best chance to finish in the middle of the pack for the race and not lose a lot to those behind him. I do not think he will win but I do admit the possibility.

Carl Edwards is also strong at this type track and with Bob Osborn in the pits as crew chief, his chances are also very good this weekend.

Alright, enough of this avoiding the issue of who will actually win. It is time for the rubber to meet the road, stick my neck out and choose the winner.

I guess my problem is that I think it is a toss up between Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon and I am really torn between the two. Naturally, I would like to see Jeff Gordon end his drought of winning and take the victory but, I know how strong Matt Kenseth is at tracks like these, (which holds true for all of the Roush teams.)

Wow, as I said, this is tough, but here goes.

Jeff Gordon will win this weekend in a tight battle that goes right down to the wire and Matt Kenseth will finish in the top five along with Dale Jr, Jimmy Johnson and Carl Edwards.

Well, that’s my opinion and I’m sticking with it, no matter what.

See ya next time …

Rusty

© 2008 PCN Productions and Rusty Norman

The top twelve in points will start up front again this week because of the third consecutive rain-out of qualifying in Nascar Sprint Cup Racing. That makes pit selection and starting positions easy to figure out, but has caused a lot of fan chatter about the way Nascar handles inclement weather, (especially on qualifying day.)

Because this has been an unusual year of rained out qualifying sessions, (ten to date), it has become one of the hottest fan topics of the year, especially in the the last couple of weeks. There are calls for changes to be made so that it be “fair” to the ones that have to qualify to be able to race in the event of the weekend. This is in addition to the ever running criticism of the top 35 rule. Some have even called it the “top 35 protection rule”. I emphasize the word “protection” because that’s what seems to be the understanding of many of the vocal critics of the rule used to place the top 35 along with the others in case of rain outs and other situations that may arise.

So … I guess my first questions are why is this such a big deal? Why is it that everything Nascar does to keep things going disagrees with so many fans? I’m not sure I know the answer for sure, but I do know that Nascar has been around a long time and they are still going strong and are pretty much as popular as ever.

I know most won’t care to hear about my experience in short track racing, but I’m going to give it to you anyway only because it gives some perspective to the situation.

When I was growing up visiting our local race tracks there were times they had time trials every weekend. When I actually started racing years later, we didn’t have qualifying time trials, we lined up according to points.  During the regular weekly racing, the field was set by the points accumulated by the drivers or car owners except that the field was inverted.  That meant that we had to start further in the back the higher our points were. If someone was new to the track or had no points for the season they also started all the way in the back.

Usually, the people higher in points sort of outclassed the ones that were low in points. Like any other kind of racing, some one has usually figured something out a little better than some of the others and they dominate for a while.  Whether we are talking about local racing or Sprint Cup Racing there is a reason why they call it competition. When someone goes faster than the rest, the others work harder to find the extra speed and be the one out front the others are chasing. That’s just the way it is.

One thing different when I was racing was that we had a mid-season championship and an year-end championship. When those particular races were held during the year, we lined up by high points in front and so on. This worked out most of the time, but there were times that it seemed unfair to us as drivers because we had to dodge the less experienced drivers mishaps. (In reality, sometimes there was no way to dodge ‘em.)

Another difference was, most of the time at our local short track, we didn’t have people that didn’t get to race because we didn’t have more cars show up than could fit on the track and in the pits. Most everyone that showed up got to race and in our class, we generally had two heat races and a feature.

Oh well, we will talk more on this and other subjects in the off season.  For now let’s move on to one of the fastest tracks on the Nascar circuit.

Atlanta’s no restrictor plate racing is what helps make it one of the fastest tracks on the Nascar circuit. The track banking of 24 degrees and configuration completes the ’speed cycle’. That means things happen fast at Atlanta and usually results in some ‘hard hitting’ action when something go es wrong.

I won’t spend a lot of time talking about the line-up because it is pretty obvious form the standings who is going to benefit. What I will spend a little time on is who I think is going to win this weekend in Atlanta.

There is no doubt that Rousche/Fenway Racing is good on the one and a half mile ovals. With that being said, I do expect them to have a very strong showing this weekend. Carl Edwards probably would have won the race in Spring except his engine blew spoiling his chances. Greg Biffle and Matt Kennseth both run strong here also.

I think it goes without saying the Kyle Bush will also be a strong contender this weekend. We know he is anxious to get back on the winning track with his disappointing finishes earlier in ‘the Chase’. Although I  think he is pretty much out of ‘the Chase’ at the moment, I am sure he is interested in finishing out the year with a strong showing.

Richard Childress Racing’s Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Kevin Harvick are without a doubt hungry for points and wins and will be in contention for the win at the end of the race.

Although the Hendrick Motorsports’ teams have struggled at the mile and a half ovals, it is evident that they are making headway. I do think Jimmy Johnson will have a good advantage by having the number one pit stall even though he and the other Hendrick teams have been known to struggle at places like this. I don’t hink he is going to win the race this week but I do think Jimmy Johnson will be in the top five. I am not quite sure where Jeff Gordon and Dale Jr will finish, but I think they will be n the top ten.

So … who do I think will actually win this weekend? I’ll tell you it is a tough choice to make but I have to go with my gut feeling. I think it will be a toss up between three of them, namely, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Kyle Bush.  Any of the three could finish out front and that’s what makes it so hard to choose, but, choose I must. I do think Carl Edwards is going to take the checkered flag although I am having trouble choosing between him and Kyle Bush.

There are also some dark horses out there that could also win this weekend even though I think their chances are less. To name a couple would be Brian Vickers and Jeff Gordon. Brian Vickers runs strong but I do believe his equipment is just not reliable enough yet. As for Jeff Gordon, he can win any race he is in. He has proved that over his career and this week is no different. I personally believe they are just missing a little speed so far. That could change, but, I see next year turning out much better for Jeff.  I think this year he is just doomed (so to speak) to finishing in the top five for ‘the Chase’.

So there it is, my choice for winning the race at Atlanta this weekend is Carl Edwards. That’s the way I see it and I’m sticking with it.

See ya next time …

Rusty

©PCN Productions and Rusty Norman