No Time To Slow Down

Nov. 29, 2011 | Filed under: The View From Arthur’s World | Posted by: Arthur Wyman

NASCAR is all about speed. It’s roots go back to prohibition, with moonshiners trying to stay one step ahead of the revenuers by having a car that could go fast enough to keep them out trouble.

Fast-forward to the present. Last week the 2011 season ended in south Florida, and this week NASCAR crowns it’s Champions out in Las Vegas. But it has already been a fast and furious week even before the celebration week gets started.

Yes, we all knew many changes were coming long before Tony Stewart took the checkered flag and the Sprint Cup Trophy at Homestead. But very few saw his own change of crew chief coming. And who could blame Steve Addington from finally deciding he’d had enough of Kurt Busch and decide to look for employment as a crew chief elsewhere?

Many driver changes and the employees at Red Bull not yet knowing if they will have a company to work for next week have been known for months. Some drivers only found out their services would not be needed, while others still don’t know if their own ride is secure yet for 2012 or not.

The dreaded pink slips have been flying, potential Championship quality teams are closing, and the 2012 Truck schedule finally comes out, 3 races shorter than this past year.

There is nothing so constant as change.

This past season started with a very popular win, with Trevor Bayne taking the Wood Brothers back to Victory Lane at Daytona, and ended with a very popular win, with Tony’s win and Championship. NASCAR got a boost with The Chase being a tight two-man sprint to the finish.

Unfortunately, it’s not enough to overcome the realities of the current economy.

In 2011 we were also treated to several first time winners, as well as a very popular number returning to its Championship ways. We also got to see the fall and rise of a driver, only to fall again. But Kyle was not the only Busch brother to have a meltdown on the track.

NASCAR will be different at Daytona in February, 2012, but just like the moonshiners of old, NASCAR teams will do all they can to stay just ahead of those realities trying to take them down.

The 2011 season was a roller-coaster ride, For now, though, it is time for all of us to sit back and reflect on the year that was, while simultaneously looking forward to what 2012 will bring.

As always, it will be it’s own ride. Buy your ticket early.

About Arthur Wyman

I have always been a race fan, especially NASCAR. I'm a Maine native who grew up "in exile" just a few towns away from Bryar Motorsports Park, which is where New Hampshire Motor Speedway was built. Currently living in Downeast Maine, several towns away from where Ricky Craven grew up. My perfect job would be going across the country from track to track, reporting "live"...