2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series

[Ramon Alonso]

First Kimi ain't jack in NASCAR. Right now Danica can blow his doors off. He's starting with the pick-up trucks, not even running around the ARCA cars for a couple of races. The only one who can help him I guess would be Nelson Piquet Jr. who I think is in the trucks full time this year. But I can understand him, NASCAR is a bigger challenge than any other. One thing Montoya said when he made the switch was that NASCAR gives you the opportunity to race more than any other. He can pretty much race every weekend, compared to WRC, DTM, LMS who don't have as many.

 

[Eric Estes]

Well, well - if he races for this team it could be interesting (via jayski):

Raikkonen is set to have his maiden stock car test next week, driving for Kyle Busch's Truck Series team. Raikkonen is set to drive a Toyota Tundra for Busch, who has fielded the #18 Truck entry since 2010. Team officials confirmed contact with Raikkonen and also a test being set for Monday at Gresham Motorsports Park, a half-mile track in Jefferson, GA, where the former Ferrari and McLaren racer will get his first taste of an oval

 

[Ramon Alonso]

Kimi's got some bucks, and I'm sure he's got a few connections that he can get a good car to start with. I hope Kyle Busch helps him out. Kimi's no scumbag, he's a CHAMP, he deserves the best equipment!!!

 

[Juen-Jen Wang]

I find it personally interesting that Kimi has such a huge fan base.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...9eb880c31a6f49

^ LOL @ the F1 fan comments. To be fair to Montoya, I would disagree that NASCAR is the most exciting but F1 fans (and i mean PURE EXCLUSIVE F1 fans) have been one of the most narrow minded and snobbish group of fans I've ever had the displeasure of running in to. Honestly, I'd rather talk to WWF fans than F1 fans at times and that's really saying something

If he does.. what a waste of talent

 

[Ramon Alonso]

Now that Kimi is going to give NASCAR a shot I started wondering when some kid from Europe will get into the Sprint Cup series? There are racing fans all over and someone is going to get hooked on stock car racing. I'm betting it might be from the UK. They started showing all the NASCAR races there on tv, sooner or later some kid will be watching and get hooked on it, and wanting to run the ovals. If you saw NASCAR last race at Fontana, man that ending was incredible, how can you not like that, Kevin Harvick led 1 lap, the 1 that matters most. I know NASCAR is not some peoples cup of tea, but it just takes one to make it, it's a numbers game.

 

[Rob Butler]

It's being shown on Premier Sports, I don't think you understand how few people have this channel. No pubs I know of do, and it seems only people that support football teams in the Blue Square Premier subscribe to the service, due to the coverage of games in that league, which is £7.99 a month.

 

[Eric Estes]

I agree UK would be most likely, due to having a number of short tracks (Birmingham Wheels, Northampton, one other 1/4 mile?) and Rockingham UK (not familiar if any still exist elsewhere in Europe, except Lausitz & test tracks like Miramas). Surprised no-one has made the jump yet.

Maybe a open-wheel road (Formula Ford/Renault/karts) -> Indy Lights/Indycar -> NASCAR route? (James Jakes?)

Otherwise, I'd think some amount of acheivement in another series, where that experience could be used, would be necessary (think Marcos Ambrose from Australia). I was hoping to see more of Ekström this year (maybe between a DTM round?) - he did run on the Richmond oval last year.

I would also think that anyone who had grown up doing Scandanavian racing/rallying (and the type of car control that requires) would be able to excel in sprint cars etc. on the dirt ovals (turning right to go left, as Doc Hudson put it). That's an oversimplification, but the general concept works, I think. Tony Stewart and Jeff Gordon started out on those tracks.

 

[Ross Balfour]

I find it personally interesting that Kimi has such a huge fan base.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...9eb880c31a6f49

^ LOL @ the F1 fan comments. To be fair to Montoya, I would disagree that NASCAR is the most exciting but F1 fans (and i mean PURE EXCLUSIVE F1 fans) have been one of the most narrow minded and snobbish group of fans I've ever had the displeasure of running in to. Honestly, I'd rather talk to WWF fans than F1 fans at times and that's really saying something

I'm willing to argue at great length at this.. everyone who can even compare NASCAR to F1 in level of skill hasn't got a clue

 

[Bram Hengeveld]

I still think its an april fools day joke Why else would Kimmi announce such breaking news in a local finnish newspaper

On the other hand, with a sponsor like Red Bull you never know

 

[Kimmo Kokkonen]

It's official now, grats Kimi, good luck!

http://www.nascar.com/news/110402/kraikkonen-kybusch-kbm-deal/index.html?eref=/news/headlines/truck

 

[Eric Estes]

Glad to see he's trying it with KBM instead of Gillet - at least he'll get an honest opportunity in decent equipment to start.

So, what do you think: Will he succeed more like JPM (or better) or not succeed - like Jaques Villenueve (or worse)?

 

[Christopher Aponte]

Although I am not a fan of Kyle Bush, you cannot deny that this guy not only has talent on the track, but also knows how to run his team program. Just look at last years result and you see any guys who raced for KBM finished well in their races. So with this they get a great opportunity to show their talent.
Kimi now has the right equipment, now show your talent.
I will gladly be watching him.


I think he will be around JPM....these guys do love the challenge of driving other cars than open wheel


Ross....drivers who went from F1 to NASCAR only said that they feel more at home there, due to the nature of guys sharing and helping eachother out with problems that they might find on the track. Where F1 is everyone for themselves.
Plus the purse is much bigger there with sponsors and such.

 

[Juen-Jen Wang]

http://www.kylebuschmotorsports.com/news/entry.php?nid=133

Best news I've heard tbh. I was very nervous with Gillet and I'm glad he's not working with that hackjob anymore. Honestly, Raikkonen will get no where with Follet Gillet.

I'm willing to argue at great length at this.. everyone who can even compare NASCAR to F1 in level of skill hasn't got a clue

Why compare? Can you compare the level of skill between F1 and WRC? Or F1 and D1GP? Why can't we just accept that they are all different disciplines requiring vast amounts of skill? Why do we need to prove that "one is superior" in every way to another? The belief that there can ONLY be ONE form of motorsports that's the best ever is narrow-minded thinking

 

[Juen-Jen Wang]

I would say UK. Oval racing actually first started in the UK before the 1900s. It was just never monopolized and was never turned into anything more than club guys having some fun. But the UK already has an oval series that's very local but at the same time very established and fairly popular. It's called the Pickup Truck Series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickup_Truck_Racing

Europe also recently started a late model series based on in mainland europe called the European Late Model Series: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Late_Model_Series

I'm glad nascar is getting more attention in europe and I think they should have a race there. I hope NASCAR develops more of an international fanbase cause to be honest, some of the local US fans can get annoying

 

[Eric Estes]

I hope NASCAR develops more of an international fanbase cause to be honest, some of the local US fans can get annoying

You're not lying. Same can be said of F1 or any series, but NASCAR seems to have more than it's fair share (and I'm near the center of it all).

 

[Ross Balfour]

Why compare? Can you compare the level of skill between F1 and WRC? Or F1 and D1GP? Why can't we just accept that they are all different disciplines requiring vast amounts of skill? Why do we need to prove that "one is superior" in every way to another? The belief that there can ONLY be ONE form of motorsports that's the best ever is narrow-minded thinking

Very true I suppose, I appreciate your way of thought :thumb: but with Kimi's vast talent in single seater racing, why would he waste it going to WRC and NASCAR.. seems he is trying to "win at everything" but in the end his reputation has been diminished slightly IMO.

 

[Eric Estes]

NASCAR Non-US winners - surprisingly short list:

Mario Andretti - Italy (Daytona 1967)
Earl Ross - Canada (Martinsville 1974)
JPM - Columbia (2 Races so far)

 

[Chris Butcher]

IMO, this has got nothing to do with the "racing", it's all about the $$$.

 

[ufunacaoenn]

IMO, this has got nothing to do with the "racing", it's all about the $$$.

It have always been like that.

 

[Linus Broström]

and of course he had to sign with the biggest i***t in NASCAR history.......