Theme for '13: Good expectations

Watch closely, people. The 2013 NASCAR season will likely be 1 to bear in mind.

I am counting on it, if not betting on it.

Several items are likely to transpire in NASCAR this year which have under no circumstances occurred ahead of. In addition to a number of issues may well occur that nobody has noticed in several many years.

Let us start off which has a couple of positive items, or practically confident factors:

" 43 many years ago -- The final time NASCAR raced on dirt. It had been Sept. 30, 1970, about the fairgrounds in Raleigh, N.C. Richard Petty won to the 1-mile oval.

NASCAR goes vintage racing this year which has a Camping Globe Truck Series occasion within the dirt at Eldora Speedway in Rossburg, Ohio, a half-mile oval owned by Tony Stewart.

This race will likely be among the list of most anticipated occasions in the season. It will take spot on July 24, a Wednesday evening ahead of the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis (90 miles away) 4 days later on.

The field might be restricted to 30 trucks. Eldora has 16,000 seats, but more grandstands will probably be brought in for any probable sellout crowd.

" A female to start with -- No female ever has run a complete Cup season, except for that six-race inaugural NASCAR season in 1949, when Sara Christian raced in all 6 occasions.

She completed 13th all round, finest ever for any female, but a six-race season hardly counts by today's requirements.

Danica Patrick will come to be the very first girl in the present day era to race a complete Cup routine (barring injury or suspension) this season when she runs total time for Stewart-Haas Racing.

By contemporary specifications, Janet Guthrie posted the ideal ranking for the lady when she completed 23rd while in the 1977 standings although operating 19 of 30 occasions, earning 4 top-10s.

Equaling that mark is really a tall activity for Patrick, but not unattainable. Bobby Labonte was 23rd while in the 2012 standings with two top-5s and an regular finish of 22.six. Patrick might be inside a much better vehicle (Hendrick Motorsports tools) than Labonte has.

Right here are quite a few other points that may occur for that initial time inside a lengthy time and a few some others that might be a to start with in NASCAR:

" 51 many years ago -- The 1962 season marked the final time NASCAR had 3 consecutive seasons wherever a group proprietor won a Cup title for that very first time.

It'll occur this year if Michael Waltrip Racing claims its to start with title with both Clint Bowyer or Martin Truex Jr. Each guys manufactured the 2012 Chase, and Bowyer completed since the championship runner-up to Brad Keselowski.

"We possess the capability to enhance on our good results from final season," stated Scott Miller, MWR's vice president of competitors. "We designed a system final season to acquire from point A to point B, and we located many achievement with all the system. We are going to make use of the very same course of action to assist us together with the advancement of your 2013 automobile.

"Toyota Racing Improvement is doing work seriously tricky to the engines to provide us much more reliability and even more energy. I believe we are able to elevate our plan this season and compete to get a championship once more."

Stewart's 2011 title was the very first Cup crown for Stewart-Haas Racing. Keselowski gave Roger Penske his long-awaited Cup championship in 2012.

Rex White (1960), Ned Jarrett (1961) and Joe Weatherly (1962) gave crew owners first-time championships half a century ago. The intriguing matter is the fact that all 3 of them ran races in individuals championship many years for over one particular group proprietor, not unusual in people days.

" 32 many years ago -- Darrell Waltrip won the 1981 title in his very first season driving for Junior Johnson. Nobody has performed it considering that, but Matt Kenseth features a very good shot at it this year in his initially season for Joe Gibbs Racing.

" 17 many years ago -- The 1996 season was the sole time a driver won the championship twelve many years eliminated from his final one particular. Terry Labonte did it at Hendrick Motorsports. Jeff Gordon could equal the feat this year for boss Rick Hendrick. Gordon's fourth and final Cup title came in 2001.

" 14 many years ago -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his 2nd consecutive Nationwide title (the Busch Series on the time) in 1999. That was the final time the Earnhardt title had a championship banner.

You will discover two techniques that may transpire this year. Earnhardt could win the Cup crown in what may well be his finest opportunity ever. And Regan Smith could win the Nationwide title driving his 1st complete season for JR Motorsports.

" 13 many years ago -- Bobby Labonte's Cup championship in 2000 was the final time NASCAR had a driver who was the brother of the champion win a title inside the similar series.

Ty Dillon could win the Camping Globe Truck Series crown this year, two seasons right after his brother, Austin Dillon, won it.

Austin also is often a contender for that Nationwide Series title this year, so they could develop into the initial brothers to win titles while in the very same season.

" ten many years ago -- Brian Vickers won the Nationwide title in 2003. He's on the list of favorites to win it this year in his initial season driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. If he does, he'll develop into the 1st guy to win championships while in the series ten many years apart.

" Back-to-back titles in two series -- That by no means has occurred, but Ricky Stenhouse Jr. features a shot at it this year. Granted, it can be an extended shot, but he's driving a high-quality car or truck to get a group that created the Chase final year. Stenhouse, who won the previous two Nationwide titles, replaces Kenseth at Roush Fenway Racing.

Keselowski and Greg Biffle came near to accomplishing this feat. Keselowski's Cup crown final year came two many years immediately after he won the 2010 Nationwide title. Biffle won the 2002 Nationwide championship two many years following winning the CWTS title.

Keselowski and Bobby Labonte would be the only Nationwide champs (to date) who went on to win a Cup title.

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