2022 Silly Season

ChexOrWrex said:
As much as Denny loves him, I hope he puts Matt in a 23XI ride and Kurt goes to Trackhouse.

Matt has had his share of bad runs but it’s also coupled with bad luck and pit road mistakes out of his control. Just hasnt had a good first half of the season at all.
Click to expand...
With all due respect to DiB, 23XI needs a strong veteran driver in the second car to help them 1) evaluate the program and 2) help mentor Bubba to get him to the top level. Matty D isn't that at all. Kurt Busch would be perfect.
 
Dr_B_UNC said:
With all due respect to DiB, 23XI needs a strong veteran driver in the second car to help them 1) evaluate the program and 2) help mentor Bubba to get him to the top level. Matty D isn't that at all. Kurt Busch would be perfect.
Click to expand...
Bubba already has 3 teammates at JGR to fill both of those roles

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
wi_racefan said:
No but I'd be willing to bet that Bubba and/or 23XI team members are over at the JGR Monday morning meetings

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
They share notes and data.

There is a TRD debrief, however they still have their own things to discuss. Sharing data only does so much.
 
Kiante said:
They share notes and data.

There is a TRD debrief, however they still have their own things to discuss. Sharing data only does so much.
Click to expand...
So what evaluation of equipment and mentoring would he not be getting from the guys over at JGR? They all know what equipment they have and what everyone is running for a setup.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 
Burton is young, has a bit of sponsorship coming along with him he was selling, and Matt was frankly static. Wood Bro's and Penske are betting on the come. He won't be there long either if he doesn't do well. He knows that and so do we.
 
wi_racefan said:
So what evaluation of equipment and mentoring would he not be getting from the guys over at JGR? They all know what equipment they have and what everyone is running for a setup.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
The leftovers of what Leavine had.

Those chassis are probably considered "ancient" to what the primary team is using. Maybe a year or two older than what JGR has and this is where limit of data sharing goes.

When Matt D had that second place run at Bristol, the chassis he was running was a year or two older than what JGR had at the time.

All alliances are like this, teams maximize what they pay for.
 
wi_racefan said:
So what evaluation of equipment and mentoring would he not be getting from the guys over at JGR? They all know what equipment they have and what everyone is running for a setup.
Click to expand...
Hamlin is certainly mentoring him ... for obvious reasons. The other 3 are competitors.

23XI receives as much wind tunnel, sim and shaker rig data as they're willing to pay for. That's the way the B 2 B relationship works. There are several of them in place among the Cup entry list.
 
Kiante said:
The leftovers of what Leavine had.

Those chassis are probably considered "ancient" to what the primary team is using. Maybe a year or two older than what JGR has and this is where limit of data sharing goes.

When Matt D had that second place run at Bristol, the chassis he was running was a year or two older than what JGR had at the time.

All alliances are like this, teams maximize what they pay for.
Click to expand...

Everyone will have new chassis and equipment next year, therefore they can't even run anything "ancient" if they wanted to
 
wi_racefan said:
Everyone will have new chassis and equipment next year, therefore they can't even run anything "ancient" if they wanted to
Click to expand...
There is some sanity. 23 whatever has two owners who don't know squat about running a racing team. Marks at least has had some experience with running a racing team
 
Last edited:
I'm a big fan of Matt DiBenedetto. [I hate it when the TV announcers call him "Mattie D" as that cutsie little name seems lazy and disrespectful, but I digress.]

DiBenedetto elevated the Go Fas #32 when he was there. He elevated the Leavine Family team, and got a raw deal there IMO. But he landed on his feet, secured a ride in the famed Wood Brothers 21 car and had it for two years. His results in the 21 have underwhelmed. And it is very un-cool to now start throwing the team under the bus.

I thought Matt deserved getting a shot with a quality team. He did get that shot, and frankly he hasn't done enough with it. I'm not at all sure that Harrison Burton will be better, but I'm entirely A-OK with a change being made at Wood Brothers Racing.

As for the Watermelon Man, I continue to believe he has a good chance to secure the Trackhouse seat alongside Daniel Suarez. I'd hazard a guess that Ross Chastain has a higher ceiling in Nascar than DiBenedetto does. I wonder if DiBenedetto might have a shot at the #37 for JTG-Daugherty??
 
Matt has known all year long that he wasn't going to be around. So far this year with a fire burning under his ass, I have never seen him run elbows up in a race or last year for that matter, both of which could have helped his standings with Penske/Wood Brothers. I sure as hell don't see him getting a better ride/opportunity in Nascar. Young Harry jumped right into the fire, it's going to be interesting if a very green rookie can succeed under those circumstances with the overwhelming odds against. Gutty call by Penske/Wood Bros. IMO.
 
AdoubleU24 said:
Matt D has had a few grade A chances to get wins and has failed to close the deal. I understand why people like him but at the end of the day you have to win. Erik Jones won a few races for JGR and they couldn't wait to boot him out the door for someone younger who was the hot name after just a few seasons. And to this point, that move has been a wash imo. Just the way the game goes
Click to expand...

If both Erik Jones and Christopher Bell end up being busts at JGR, and don't forget how Joey Logano's career at JGR went, then you have to think that team isn't the best for developing young talent at the Cup level. Both drivers are absolute wheelmen and Jones deserves a better ride.
 
LewTheShoe said:
I'm a big fan of Matt DiBenedetto. [I hate it when the TV announcers call him "Mattie D" as that cutsie little name seems lazy and disrespectful, but I digress.]

DiBenedetto elevated the Go Fas #32 when he was there. He elevated the Leavine Family team, and got a raw deal there IMO. But he landed on his feet, secured a ride in the famed Wood Brothers 21 car and had it for two years. His results in the 21 have underwhelmed. And it is very un-cool to now start throwing the team under the bus.

I thought Matt deserved getting a shot with a quality team. He did get that shot, and frankly he hasn't done enough with it. I'm not at all sure that Harrison Burton will be better, but I'm entirely A-OK with a change being made at Wood Brothers Racing.

As for the Watermelon Man, I continue to believe he has a good chance to secure the Trackhouse seat alongside Daniel Suarez. I'd hazard a guess that Ross Chastain has a higher ceiling in Nascar than DiBenedetto does. I wonder if DiBenedetto might have a shot at the #37 for JTG-Daugherty??
Click to expand...

Yep. Ross Chastain's likely a future Cup champion. Matt DiBenedetto might win some races.
 
Dr_B_UNC said:
Starting to get the impression that the weepy, “aw shucks” Matt in a post race interview isn’t the one the guys in the shop have to put up with…
Click to expand...

Why should we be shocked that Matt is pissed over getting let go? Despite all of the great fortune that has had since then, Kyle Busch is STILL butt hurt that he got let go at Hendrick fifteen freaking years ago. I think to some extent Matt is a victim of things he had no control over, like who his crew chief was or the fact that the Fords have basically sucked all year. Hell, swap cars and put Kez in the 21 until the playoffs start and see if HE sets the world on fire there. I will also admit that whether Matt gets let go or not, I REALLY don't get the Harrison Burton thing at all. He may end being a fine Cup driver, but he really hasn't shown me ANYTHING yet to get that excited about, especially considering the cars he has been driving. I would expect Jones or Bell type numbers out of him before I thought he was ready for Cup. This seems like a real reach to me.
 
Formerjackman said:
I REALLY don't get the Harrison Burton thing at all. He may end being a fine Cup driver, but he really hasn't shown me ANYTHING yet to get that excited about, especially considering the cars he has been driving. I would expect Jones or Bell type numbers out of him before I thought he was ready for Cup. This seems like a real reach to me.
Click to expand...

I was thinking the same thing after his struggles in the truck series in KBM equipment. We all know JGR Xfinity stuff is the best you can get.

It seems that WBR is the development cup team for Penske and somewhat Ford so I think maybe Ford looked around and this was the best guy that they could get as a rookie that one of the other manufacturers was willing to let go and isn't under contract. We all know Riley is no where being able to put in a cup car.

Also I have to imagine Harrison is bringing some money along, which never hurts.
 
Formerjackman said:
Why should we be shocked that Matt is pissed over getting let go? Despite all of the great fortune that has had since then, Kyle Busch is STILL butt hurt that he got let go at Hendrick fifteen freaking years ago. I think to some extent Matt is a victim of things he had no control over, like who his crew chief was or the fact that the Fords have basically sucked all year. Hell, swap cars and put Kez in the 21 until the playoffs start and see if HE sets the world on fire there. I will also admit that whether Matt gets let go or not, I REALLY don't get the Harrison Burton thing at all. He may end being a fine Cup driver, but he really hasn't shown me ANYTHING yet to get that excited about, especially considering the cars he has been driving. I would expect Jones or Bell type numbers out of him before I thought he was ready for Cup. This seems like a real reach to me.
Click to expand...
I totally agree with you about Burton. For having come up through a KBM truck and a JGR Xfinity ride, he has 4 wins in 60 Xfinity starts and 0 wins in 38 truck series starts. I really don't get it.
 
Matt is right now a better driver than Bubba or Burton. Burton is being rushed. He's 20 years old with two years in Xfinity. But he's got the Burton name and sponsorship Bubba got the present opportunity because of Jordon coming on board after Bubba took advantage of the BLM movement hype.
 
Mark said:
Matt is right now a better driver than Bubba or Burton. Burton is being rushed. He's 20 years old with two years in Xfinity. But he's got the Burton name and sponsorship Bubba got the present opportunity because of Jordon coming on board after Bubba took advantage of the BLM movement hype.
Click to expand...
I dont think I'd want any of the above as a driver if I owned a team. Well maybe not as my first option is a better way of phrasing.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom