Top 12 Countdown to Daytona: Carl Edwards

     Carl Edwards. At the end of the 2010 season, he was a man you didn't want to mess with. Carl, who is coming off winning the final two races of the 2010 season, is ready to get going in 2011.
     Not only is he excited on the racing side of life, but on his family side too. Carl and his wife Kate are expecting another baby, after welcoming their little girl Annie, early in the 2010 season. Even though he has been adjusting to life as a father, he hasn't lost site of his racing goals. Carl wants to show his little girl and new little bundle of joy, that hes got lots a racing left in him, and wants that Cup the most this year.        
     Sure, Carl gets my #1 spot in WANTING the cup, do I personally think he will get it this season? No. Now, I'm not one of those people who says if these guys have babies that they will start to stink at racing. That only had positive influence on my opinion. I think babies make these guys want to do well even more so than before they were fathers. I just think that Roush-Fenway is still a little bit to far behind for Carl to reach his full potential.
     Who knows, maybe in 2012, Carl might not even be at Roush-Fenway anymore...
What do you guys think? Email me @ kaseykahnefan9889@yahoo.com or leave a comment, or tweet me at @GoPackGo_4Kahne on twitter! :)

NASCAR gets handed a 6.2 million dollar lawsuit

     As many NASCAR fans know, NASCAR has the "NASCAR Performance" line of products, ranging from cleaning supplies for you car, to the internal workings of it. Many companies pay NASCAR millions upon millions of dollars for the "NASCAR Performance" logo to be placed on their products. This week though, one partnership that practically ended before it started has been dealt another hand to the sticky situation.

     In October of 2009, NASCAR and Advanced Fluids Solutions, which wanted to market its new EXP4 fuel and oil performance additive in NASCAR's performance line, signed on to pay over 6.2 million dollars over the next seven years to sport NASCAR's logo. This arrangement was suppose to start in 2010, but was terminated in December of 2009. NASCAR says that the company failed to pay the first $500,000.00 dollar payment of the deal by the due date they agreed upon. Due to the breach of contract, NASCAR terminated the contract.
     Advanced Fluids claims that NASCAR did not give them adequate notice of the payment being past due, and had no right to terminate the contract. The company said that they were securing funding when NASCAR decided to terminate the contract, and that they planned to pay NASCAR. The company is fighting to get the sponsorship reinstated with NASCAR.
     NASCAR has publicly said that they were in full terms of the contract to terminate it. The NASCAR organization issued a motion to have the courts dismiss the case before going to trial.
     Advanced Fluids claims that NASCAR waived its rights to have payment constraints, which NASCAR clearly defines as a lie, due to the fact that they have it in their policy not to ever wave any payment options in contracts.
     No dates have been set to determine the status of the case, but NASCAR and Advanced Fluids want to settle the case out of court and as quickly as possible.

OPINION: Is there even a point to the chase anymore?

     Today, there has been much speculation out about the expansion of the chase in NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series. I have to ask though...why expand it? I thought that the chase was made to narrow the Field for the cup series, not to give everyone a prize. I can't help but compare it to today's society. We feel a need to reward everyone, per say at kids sporting events. Not that boo kids who all get trophy's, but if they didn't earn it, why should they get it?

     If NASCAR implements a 15 man chase to the championship in the 2011 season, I believe it will hurt the sport even more. NASCAR is pretty much saying that if you can just about average a little better than a top 20 finish for the first 26 races, you will have a chance at the championship. Tell me, why does 15th place get the same chance as 1st place in points at the championship? Obviously 1st place preformed much better, had more wins, and was more consistent. Why does a winner have to compete with a mediocre driver for the award that goes to the most successful driver after an overall season?
     
     Lastly, is there even a point to have the chase anymore then? If most of the field gets to compete for the championship anyway, why have this big lead up to the chase, when virtually no driver that is a substantial fan holder will be unable to compete for the championship? I'm sorry if I'm blunt, but i just have to ask. I personally think that NASCAR simply wants to do this too make sure there drivers that draw the biggest crowd always make the chase. Personally, if a fan really likes their driver that much, they will be backing him week in and out regardless if he is in the chase or not. I personally don't think him being in the chase will draw more fans to the television. The ones that are watching now, will more than likely be watching later regardless of his status in the chase.
     I personally say this because I have been in this position. Since 2002, I have been a very dedicated Kasey Kahne fan, and regardless if he makes the chase or not, I stand behind him and watch every race no matter what. Its not a determination in my own or many other fans, fan ship as NASCAR is seeming to put it. Fans are fans. If NASCAR really knew their fan base, they would realize that we don't jump around with our drivers. We are in it to win it, regardless of how long it takes, and we don't like NASCAR adjusting the system just to get us in because our drivers "draw ratings" as they claim.              
     Overall, I think NASCAR expanding the chase to 15 drivers is a drawback to the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, not only because its childish, but it may also offend some people in the long run, due to the reasoning simply being to gain ratings only, and not trying to have a classy, well ran sport.