Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Kasey Kahne

     Kasey Kahne had a quiet season in 2010, he just was hanging around, going with the flow. He not a part of any drama, or a main story line. We all know, absolutely nothing happened with Kasey Kahne in the 2010 season. Oh wait...something little happened didn't it?
     Kasey Kahne made the biggest headline of the 2010 season, when he announced his departure from Richard Petty Motorsports, (formally Gillette Evernham Motorsports...) (formally Evernham Motorsports...hummm and they wonder why he left?). Kasey had no intentions in announcing the departure so early in the season, but on of NASCARs more popular media members found out about the situation, and leaked it to the rest of NASCAR nation. Kahne stepped up, and announced not only his departure, but what he will be doing in the 2012 season. Kahne will be stepping into the #5 Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, displacing Mark Martin. But wait...what about 2011? At the time of the Hendrick announcement, no one knew. Rick Hendrick told Sirius radio that he was "working on it" at the time that Kasey signed on. Kasey put all of his marbles in Rick's basket, and Rick was going to have to decide which team to send him off to in 2011 season.
    Months went by, and Kasey would be up one week, and down the next with RPM. In the late summer, Rick and Kasey finally announced that Kasey would be heading to Red Bull Racing for the 2011 season, and would be teammates, with Brian Vickers, who at the time was on a medical leave of absence. Kasey was pleased with this placing for the 2011 season, and so was Red Bull Racing. But neither group expected what would happen next.
    The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stayed at home for week five of the Chase to the Championship, in Charlotte, North Carolina. Kasey went into this race with excitement, since Charlotte is one of his best tracks. This race wouldn't have any happy memories though. Kasey had a horrific car all day, and was given no brakes at all. He eventually wreaked, due to the lack of brakes. Kasey was disgusted with how bad the car was, not to mention, on top of that, he had the stomach flu. Kasey refused to get back in the car, not only because he was sick, but he wasn't going to drive that bad of a car. Then, an undisclosed crew member insulted Kasey, questioning his commitment to the team. That was the last straw for Kasey. Kasey left the track and went home.
     That Wednesday, RPM announced that Kasey was leaving the team. Kasey was ecstatic. Kasey moved on to Red Bull Racing five races earlier, pulling off better results better than he had done all season in the #9 Budweiser Ford.
     This season, I think with Kasey's boosted confidence, and the lack of pressure on his shoulders will allow him to do well. I think Kasey will pull off 7th in points, and win 4 or 5 races, just like his Red Bull Racing teammate Brian Vickers. Again, just like Brian, Kasey doesn't have the best luck, so I think that a few crashes will take away his chance at the Cup, but I think for being at the team for one season, Kasey will be very successful at Red Bull Racing.

Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Brian Vickers

Brian Vickers has had a lot to be thankful for over the past year. Brian faced adversity, and got the love of life taken away from him for three quarters of the 2010 season. Racing. Brian wasn't feeling good one night earlier in the 2010 season, and was rushed to the emergency room. The doctors found blood clots all over his body, which was slowing him down. Brian was not only worried about his life, but about his racing career. The doctors also found a whole in his heart, that was going to have to be repaired, which worried him more, knowing he would have to go through heart surgery. But Brian has pulled through. Due to Brian being on blood thinners, his doctors found it safer for him to stay out of the car, which broke the young drivers heart. He was doing well at the beginning of the season, and was looking forward to fighting for his spot in the chase again. Brian took time to step away from racing during his medical leave, and spent more time with his family, and realized he needed to do that more often. Brian put his priorities in order, and not only did he make more time for family and enjoying life, but he realized what he really wanted to be when it came to racing. Regardless of being pulled out of his car at Red Bull Racing for most of the 2010 season, Brian has kept a smile on his face. Brian has a new view on life unlike other drivers, where he is just grateful that he has the ability to race. Brian Said, "The new perspective of love and appreciation and renewed energy that I have of and for what I do for a living, the love I have for racing, and the love I have for NASCAR, is now something in my life I need, and want to maintain." (NASCAR Media Day, NASCAR Now, February 2011) I believe Brian will come back strong this year. He has a motivation unlike any other driver in NASCAR, which will take him a long way. I believe luck might bite him as it has in past years, and cause him to get involved in a few bad wreaks that will mess with his points position. Regardless, I think he will easily slide into one of the wild card slots, with a good 4 or 5 wins this season. And, I'm sure I can speak for most of NASCAR nation in saying, we WANT Brian to get those 4 or 5 wins.

What better time to start a blog than now?

Hey guys! Thanks for coming to my blog :) What a better time to start a racing blog than right at the beginning of the season? I dream of being a NASCAR Journalist one day, so I've decided to work on my skills online now, outside of the classroom! On here I will post NASCAR updates as they come out! And just like I said before...What better time to start a blog right now? Well now the real question is, What better time than to post my first NASCAR artical than now? :)