NASCAR Panel: Talladega

Published 1:15 am Saturday, October 30, 2010

In light of driver changes and financial issues at RPM, do you think they

will be on the track in 2011?

Ken Mays: I think they will keep doing about the same as before. I also look for the 2011 season as being their last year as a team or no more than two more seasons. I think that the fan base for NASCAR is losing ground and quickly.

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Jason Cannon: It’s not looking good. Considering that RPM doesn’t really have a “name brand” guy next year, I would say no. However, if they manage to put

something together, I would look for it to be a one-man team in the 43 car.

Mark Trest: Not being one of the stronger teams as it is, and watching top-tier teams struggling to obtain sponsorship, I do not look for RPM to be able to field a team. If they do, the team will be well underfunded and uncompetitive. Top-tier teams like Stewart-Haas are having troubles finding sponsors, and if I was a sponsor looking to enter the sport, it would be with Stewart-Haas long before RPM.

Do you believe Kurt Busch when he says he was sucked around into Jeff Gordon on Lap 384 last week?

Ken Mays: Not a bit. Kurt would never say that he made someone wreck on purpose whether he did or not.

Jason Cannon: No. Gordon gave him a little nudge and Busch nudged him right back. I didn’t really see a problem with it other than it ruined the 24’s chances at

a title this season. It may have happened but the timing seems odd.

Mark Trest: Who knows? Kurt Busch is part of the whiners club when things don’t go his way anyway. Whodunnits in NASCAR never have a guilty party, so should the 2 and 24 meet again on the track, you can bet it wasn’t a slip this time.

Was Denny Hamlin’s win at Martinsville the most important victory of his career?

Ken Mays: No. His biggest wins this year came right after his knee operation.

Jason Cannon: Without a doubt. If the 11 was going to take a chunk of out the 48’s lead in the points, he had to do it at Martinsville and he did it. If Hamlin wins the Cup it will be because of what he did in Virginia.

Mark Trest: Not necessarily the biggest in his career, but the biggest at the moment, being that this race keeps his momentum going strong, and puts him in position to vie for the championship moreso than ever before.

Is Sunday do or die for Kevin Harvick and the No. 29 team’s title hopes?

Ken Mays: He really needs to win this race because he does really well on the fast tracks and a win would put him into a good position to win the Cup.

Jason Cannon: Pretty much. He’s a distant third and this weekend’s super speedway race is the best chance he has to climb back in the hunt. If he doesn’t finish well here, I think the Chase is down to a two-dog race between the 11 and

48.

Mark Trest: Not yet, but Talladega is a track where he expects to make a move toward the top much like Hamlin at Martinsville last week. If he should encounter problems, it surely won’t help his cause. Now if he has a poor finish, and the 11 and 48 finish Top 5, yes, he is toast.

Who is your pick to win this weekend?

Ken Mays: I am going with Dale Junior, and the 88 team. They need to win a race as bad as I need to win the lottery, This is his track and him winning at this track is a better chance then me winning the lottery.

Jason Cannon: I like Richard Childress cars at Talladega so I’ll go with Kevin Harvick. He needs it, bad.

Mark Trest: Harvick has been the man at the restrictor plate tracks the last couple of years.