Feud: Bad boy Kyle Busch gets new crew chief, Keselowski also a bad boy?
CBSSports.com's Brian De Los Santos and Pete Pistone provide analysis on three weekly racing topics.
We welcome your question submissions. If you have a question or hot racing topic you'd like to see discussed, post it here .
| Pete Pistone | Brian De Los Santos |
| 1. Joe Gibbs Racing has announced Dave Rogers will replace Steve Addington as Kyle Busch's crew chief. Do you believe a change was in order? Do you think Busch will have more or less success with Rogers? | |
| I heard rumblings about this potential shakeup about a month ago in Dover but am still very surprised the Gibbs organization made the change. Despite winning so regularly in the regular season, Busch didn't make the Chase and hasn't come close to playing the spoiler role during the playoffs many predicted, so I can understand the frustration. But the communication and chemistry between Busch and Addington always seemed to be pretty good and as we know the fiery driver isn't always the easiest person to get along with. Rogers is going to be put in a tough spot to get the 18 team from Point A to Point C but head man Joe Gibbs has never been afraid to make a change if he thought it was for the better. Would you expect less from a guy who won three Super Bowls with the Redskins with three different starting QBs? | I do think a change was in order. Although they racked up a fair share of wins together, it always seemed to be an all or nothing proposition. Either Busch's car was near perfect and he was up in the top five challenging for wins or he was struggling just to make the top 15. There was no middle ground. Is that Busch's fault or Addington's fault? Well, one way or another we're going to find out. Without more top 10 consistency on his "bad" days, it's going to be tough for Busch to capture a championship. Whether Rogers is the answer is tough to say until you see them paired together for a few races. I was somewhat surprised Rogers was the choice over Greg Zipadelli. Considering his history of success working with the ornery Tony Stewart, I thought Zipadelli would have been a good fit for Busch, who shares Stewart's passion and fire. |
| COMMUNITY GUEST 'mikeyfan1599': On the surface I would have to say no. Sure Kyle did not make the Chase, but he still has four wins and he has been in the top 10 the last two races. With that said, we have no way of knowing what is going on in the shop and away from the press. It may be that Steve has had enough or both feel they have gone as far together as they can or they could have had a fallen out. We don't know, but Dave Rogers appears to be a very capable crew chief moving up from the Nationwide No. 20 car and I don't think we will see any fall off from Kyle. In fact, things may even be better. After all, Dave has won a championship for JGR, in the Nationwide Series. | |
| 2. Has Martinsville surpassed Bristol as the best short track on the schedule? | |
| This may sound like a copout but I love both Bristol and Martinsville for different reasons. Bristol's high banks, the Roman Coliseum feel of the place, the side-by-side racing that has been commonplace since the track was reconfigured a few years ago and the aura of the August night race make that Tennessee mountain trip something I look forward to every year. But I am equally in love with Martinsville for its slam bang racing, the historic feeling when you walk into the place that is on par with visiting Wrigley Field or Lambeau Field and the unique paper-clip layout of the track. Lately the racing has been a bit better at Martinsville than Bristol and the Chase may have something to do with it as drivers play things a little safer in the August race than in the past, but both short tracks to me are on par as the best two stops on the calendar. | Oh, how I miss the old Bristol. The racing at that track hasn't thrilled me as much since it was resurfaced and variable banking added a couple of years ago. The past few races at Martinsville have been what the old Bristol was all about -- beating, banging, bump and run. That's the kind of short-track racing I'd become accustomed to over the years. You just don't see that as much at Bristol anymore. Martinsville has all the elements and the shootout style restarts only add to the excitement. Now I wouldn't say the current races at Martinsville are on par with the old races at Bristol just yet, but I do think they're better than what the resurfaced Bristol is currently providing. |
| COMMUNITY GUEST 'mikeyfan1599': Actually, I think it is more that Martinsville is catching up with Bristol in the excitement area. The new car has allowed two-wide racing at Martinsville, which was almost impossible with the old car, and the double-file restart has led to some interesting fights for position. At Bristol the progressive banking has led to two-wide racing all around the track. This to some detractors have made the races at Bristol too tame. The biggest problem with both tracks, from a fan's point of view, is the drivers are just too nice. Where are the old, let-me-push-you-out-of-my-way drivers? Even Kyle Busch said he couldn't wreck Brad Keselowski on a short track for the win. What is that all about? | |
| 3. Brad Keselowski is gaining a bad reputation among his peers. Do you think Keselowski is a dirty driver or just a good, hard racer? | |
| I don't think he's dirty by any means but I do think Keselowski is overly aggressive and that style of driving is going to get him in trouble if he doesn't harness it pretty soon. I was actually surprised there weren't more angry drivers in Memphis Saturday after Keselowski ran over several on his way to Victory Lane, including Carl Edwards, who he turned around racing on the backstretch. There is no love lost between Keselowski and Denny Hamlin and when Brad makes the jump to the Sprint Cup Series next year he may be in for a rude awakening. Drivers have long memories and payback can come several races down the line. And the old saying of being raced against the way you race others could come back to bite Keselowski if he's not careful down the road. | Some fans and drivers complain that it doesn't take much talent to run into somebody. While that may be true, it sure livens things up a bit. Plus that's the beauty of stock-car racing, the cars have bumpers and fenders that allow for contact. I wouldn't call Keselowski dirty because I don't think he's intentionally trying to wreck anybody, I just don't think he has quite mastered the art of the bump and run. That doesn't mean those he left in his wake shouldn't be angry. If that's the tactic he chooses to employ, he needs to be prepared for payback. I don't want to hear him complaining when he gets the same treatment from one of his victims or a veteran driver who has watched his aggressive acts from afar. |
| COMMUNITY GUEST 'mikeyfan1599': I think a lot of the old-time fans are going to enjoy Brad when he gets in the Cup because he will have that reputation as doing anything he can to win a race. I know myself and others were hoping this was going to be Kyle's M.O., but after Memphis and Kyle saying he couldn't wreck Joey for the win, well I think that burst a couple of bubbles. I think if the roles were reversed then Brad would have done more than given Kyle a little bump. Brad is a hard charger who grew up in the sport and saw what happened to a lot of the passive drivers of the past. They may win races but if they are not willing to give the car in front a little push with the bumper ... Let's just say they may have over 30 wins as a driver and the drivers and fans like him because he's a nice guy, but he has no championship. I think Brad and his so-called bad reputation will be a much-needed breath of fresh air when he comes on board. | |
| Previous Feud of the Weeks: Sept. 8 | Sept. 15 | Sept. 22 | Sept. 29 | Oct. 6 | Oct. 13 | Oct. 20 | |
