Tony Kanaan heading to NASCAR with Joe Gibbs Racing?

BobbyFord said:
I think if you can drive a stock car, you can drive anything.
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Cant say that without proof. no one has gone from Nascar to F1. Who knows what these open wheel guys would do if they came up under stock cars first.
 
They wouldn't but if the money was equal, I dont think some would even leave open wheel.
 
Lazyking said:
They wouldn't but if the money was equal, I dont think some would even leave open wheel.
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But more have left open wheel and failed in stock car racing than vice-versa. Everyone has heard of Dale Earnhardt. Ask how many know who Tony Kanaan is.
 
My point is, Stock car drivers that trained for it their whole life, most of them haven't switched to vastly different form of racing in the middle of their career.

I'm done with this, going around in circles, take on someone else :)
 
Johali said:
Wasn't it Jeff Gordon who drove Montoyas F1 car consistently at a competitive 1:17 at the Indianappolis road course, of course that wasn't a race but its still impressive.

http://www.gordonline.com/archive/061203.html
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From the link you posted.

To put Gordon's laps in perspective, the pole at last year's U.S. Grand Prix was 1:10 while the slowest speed in the field was 1:13. Montoya then turned a few more laps in Gordon's Chevrolet, clocking in less than a second slower than Gordon's fast lap on the Indy road course during preparations earlier in the day.
 
shark77 said:
From the link you posted.

To put Gordon's laps in perspective, the pole at last year's U.S. Grand Prix was 1:10 while the slowest speed in the field was 1:13. Montoya then turned a few more laps in Gordon's Chevrolet, clocking in less than a second slower than Gordon's fast lap on the Indy road course during preparations earlier in the day.
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Thank you for that splendid interpretation, we were trying really hard to figure that out, again thank you.
 
I'm sure NASCAR cars, Indy cars, and F1 cars all require their own unique skill sets. I don't think you can necessarily say one requires more skill than the other, they're just different. We've seen more examples of open wheel drivers flopping in NASCAR just because there really isn't anybody going from NASCAR to open wheel. I know Kurt Busch has kicked around the idea of running the Indy 500. I'd love to see it happen, I'd be curious to see how he'd do.
 
Open wheel compared to Cup is in a depressed condition.
The 500 probably averaged more than 60 serious entries every May in the glory days. In short you had to be better than many more drivers than today were only bumping only one or two is the norm.

USAC also ran a lot more stock car racing then, events that often included Foyt, Andretti, the Unsers, Johncock etc.
I realize Foyts overall cup record may not impress many, but I do remember the races he ran in the Wood Brothers car and he was very good. The open wheel guys were just better at crossing over then.

I am not trying to put the current Indy guys down, but todays crop came from go cart racing and other related developmental series. There arent many coming through Saturday night oval tracks, very few even used a path like Tony Stewart (aka essential development for successfully running in cup)

Kanann is likable I respect him, I enjoyed the 500 win, but he would be out of his element in a Cup car.
 
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KevinWI said:
"I like NASCAR, so NASCAR is the greatest form of auto racing, NASCAR drivers are the greatest and everybody else is stinky."
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Not my thoughts, just different
 
Greg said:
I am not trying to put the current Indy guys down, but todays crop came from go cart racing and other related developmental series. There arent many coming through Saturday night oval tracks, very few even used a path like Tony Stewart (aka essential develop for successfully running in cup)
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Because most of those open-wheel sprint car guys are going to NASCAR, like Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne or even most recently Kyle Larson. Most of the people who are still interested in open-wheel racing at the guys who came up karting. BTW, karting is nothing to laugh at. Adult shifter karts aren't anything to laugh at. These aren't the $5 go-karts next to the mini-golf place. I've seen shifter karts reach like 140mph at the front stretch at Road America.

I think Ed Carpenter is the only guy who came up in USAC/Silver Crown sprint type deals currently racing in IndyCar.
 
KevinWI said:
Because most of those open-wheel sprint car guys are going to NASCAR, like Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne or even most recently Kyle Larson. Most of the people who are still interested in open-wheel racing at the guys who came up karting. BTW, karting is nothing to laugh at. Adult shifter karts aren't anything to laugh at. These aren't the $5 go-karts next to the mini-golf place. I've seen shifter karts reach like 140mph at the front stretch at Road America.

I think Ed Carpenter is the only guy who came up in USAC/Silver Crown sprint type deals currently racing in IndyCar.
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Agreed I just raced Briggs engines and that tough.
 
KevinWI said:
Because most of those open-wheel sprint car guys are going to NASCAR, like Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne or even most recently Kyle Larson. Most of the people who are still interested in open-wheel racing at the guys who came up karting. BTW, karting is nothing to laugh at. Adult shifter karts aren't anything to laugh at. These aren't the $5 go-karts next to the mini-golf place. I've seen shifter karts reach like 140mph at the front stretch at Road America.

I think Ed Carpenter is the only guy who came up in USAC/Silver Crown sprint type deals currently racing in IndyCar.
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an lake speed only nascar guy ta win euro world kart title . guess that's still true ?

accordin ta him...... 200 in a stock car ain't nuthin .....vs doin 140 ......an inch off pavement.
 
hawg dawg said:
an lake speed only nascar guy ta win euro world kart title . guess that's still true ?

accordin ta him...... 200 in a stock car ain't nuthin .....vs doin 140 ......an inch off pavement.
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Ha, when you put it that way!
 
Kanaan is a very likeable guy......the right sponsor would love him......I just cant for the life of me figure out who that is.
 
Can someone please explain to me the logic here. Why does JGR want a guy with no stock car experience and at 38 is probably in the twilight of his career? I don't get why they would want him for their Nationwide program unless he brings sponsor dollars. Shouldn't they be developing their younger guys and the Cup drivers of the future? Surely they don't expect Kanaan to be a contender on the Cup circuit, or do they?
 
I think any good driver with good instincts for car control can learn to drive anything. So far, the rear engine, open wheelers haven't done very well in NASCAR. Montoya is the best of the group driving a second tier car. It has taken Hornish a few years to become competitive in Nationwide.
 
ted@economy said:
I don't know anything about Indy car racing drivers or their fans , but both sound like they look down their snoots at backwoods Nascar racing. Seems to me , they all find it ' not too distasteful ' when they need work . I'd like to hear Robin Miller give an opinion on the line up of Indy drivers at the Nascar window.
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The hillbillies don't take too kindly to women, foreigners, Obama, non-confederates and non-whites. Acceptance of open wheel racers is a challenge as well.
 
Matthew2470 said:
The hillbillies don't take too kindly to women, foreigners, Obama, non-confederates and non-whites. Acceptance of open wheel racers is a challenge as well.
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Nah you just need to get out some more, meet some people and learn that idiots can be found anywhere.

You sure as hell dont know anything about the hillbillies I spend my time with here in the Carolinas and Georgia. The majority are good hearted people in spite of your hyping the negatives.

I guarantee I could come to Michigan and find some idiots too, I just have better non condescending things to do.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Can someone please explain to me the logic here. Why does JGR want a guy with no stock car experience and at 38 is probably in the twilight of his career? I don't get why they would want him for their Nationwide program unless he brings sponsor dollars. Shouldn't they be developing their younger guys and the Cup drivers of the future? Surely they don't expect Kanaan to be a contender on the Cup circuit, or do they?
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$$$ is the reason for the season.
 
Matthew2470 said:
The hillbillies don't take too kindly to women, foreigners, Obama, non-confederates and non-whites. Acceptance of open wheel racers is a challenge as well.
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To be fair not too many folks are liking Obama much anymore.
 
Honestly it can't be easy going from either or because none of them are that easy, we sit here as fans and question the moves drivers make, or any of that but honestly every single of them of them is doing better then we can, and that stuff isn't easy. If one of the top Nascar Drivers went to Indy Car, I don't seem them doing much just like who comes from Indy Car or F1 or any of that doesn't do much.

Only a select few have been able to pull it off, Tony Stewart probably the one who did it best, he won a championship in both, anyone else do that?
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Can someone please explain to me the logic here. Why does JGR want a guy with no stock car experience and at 38 is probably in the twilight of his career? I don't get why they would want him for their Nationwide program unless he brings sponsor dollars. Shouldn't they be developing their younger guys and the Cup drivers of the future? Surely they don't expect Kanaan to be a contender on the Cup circuit, or do they?
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I don't think anybody in their right mind would do it. Unless he brings a wheel barrow load of money along with him.

Matthew2470 said:
The hillbillies don't take too kindly to women, foreigners, Obama, non-confederates and non-whites. Acceptance of open wheel racers is a challenge as well.
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I've met some pretty good people in Michigan when I used to go up there a lot. They worked the docks, not in the high tower you think you come from. Of course I never met you, there is always "one" wherever you go. The designated a-hole.
 
3wideinturn1 said:
Is TK bringing a boat load of it? If so then it makes perfect sense.
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There is one other thing that means a lot . That is a name that is known . Names like Montoya , Kanaan , Patrick , etc . are known outside of racing . Like Tiger Woods is known outside of golf . Names like Timmy Hill are not even well known in Nascar , sponsors say WHOOO ?
 
A.J Foyt.
128 sprint Cup races, 7 wins for a 5.4 winning percentage.
297 USAC starts, 67 wins for a 22.5 winning percentage.

Just sayin'....
 
FenderBumper said:
A.J Foyt.
128 sprint Cup races, 7 wins for a 5.4 winning percentage.
297 USAC starts, 67 wins for a 22.5 winning percentage.

Just sayin'....
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Thats sounds good Fender but AJ never ran more than 20 % of the Cup (Grand National) races in any given season, if he had run full schedules he would have went on to HoF credentials.

When he did have the good solid equipment he was at least among the five best in 1971and 72.
He ran 9 races for the Woods Brothers and won 4 of them. He had an avg fin of 4.56 during the short tenure and he won the pole 7 times.
The only Woods Bros drivers with better averages ran a combined total of 3 races, he had better percentages than all of the great ones who drove their cars including Pearson (note -Flock had a better percentage but he only drove one race in the 21).

When Foyt left the 21 due to scheduling conflicts Donnie Allison starting driving the Wood Bothers car the results suffered (and I respect Donnie he is a great open wheel story himself, just stating the facts).
When Pearson went to the 21 afterwards, they started running like they had before with Foyt.

In 1972 he won the Daytona 500 it was no fluke, in 1971 he won the pole and finished 3rd.
He won the 1964, 400.
I was about 10 at the time and a huge Petty fan in 1971, and I was happy to see Foyt leave the 21 car. Because I knew he was the toughest guy for Petty to beat at the time.
 
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ChexOrWrex said:
Ricky Craven won the Southern 500. Brad Keselowski won at 'dega in a Junior Motorsports car. Kurt Busch did much better than expected in the 51 last year, he's also kicking ass and taking names in RCR's backup car every weekend. Mark Martin is subbing for Stewart and cant drive the thing to the front, and THAT is nearly top equipment. Point is, it's about 70% driver and 30% equipment. Put TK in a good race car and watch him go to work on those young guns
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BK won Talladega in a Finch car not a JR Motorsports car
 
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