Who will upset who first?

The 2014 Nascar season is upon us, here’s four big questions going into 2014

1. Can JJ win number seven?

If Jimmie Johnson wins again, he can join The King and The Intimidator as the only seven time Cup Champions. Does he have a shot? You bet, no one is as good as JJ when it comes to title time. Hendrick Motorsports have some of the best cars, Chad Knaus is still on the pitbox and Jimmie is one of the best drivers. Expect the 48 to be a player when it comes to Chase time.

2. Will Drama Occur at Stewart Hass this year?

With a lineup of Danica, Smoke, Happy Harvick and Kurt Busch the real question is not if but when. Our prediction is that the fireworks will come from the new boys Harvick and Busch as they’ll become unhappy with someone else on the team and the fireworks will start. Could it start as early as Daytona?

3. Which Rookie will shine?

Austin Dillion steps up to grandpa Richard’s team and carries the number 3. Can Dillion thrive under the pressure of racing for RCR and carrying the famous number three. While Austin’s been a champion in Nationwide and Trucks, however he didn’t dominate when he won his Nationwide championship last year. What will be considered a successful year for the new 3?

Kyle Larson steps up to the show after wowing everyone with his talent in the lower series. The questions is, is it too much too soon? Our prediction is Austin wins Rookie of Year and Larson gives us more “wow” moments out of the two.

4. Is this Dale Jr’s year?

If you ran last year’s championship to the new chase format, Dale Jr would have been champion. Junior has gotten better and better over the past few years and all that’s lacking is more wins. If he can maintain his consistency while winning a few races he could be a serious contender. Plus. 2014 is Steve Letarte’s last season on top of the 88 pitbox, don’t you think they want to go out in style?

Less twitter, more this

Nascar was the first form of racing I fell in love with when I was four years old. As young child watching races on ESPN the colors and speed of the cars was my first step into loving motorsport. However, over the past few years I’ve become a bit discouraged with the sport I grew up loving. A majority of the races are 50-100 laps too long, the tracks are cookie cutter and many of the driver’s have become whinny babies.

My major annoyance with Nascar has been the passive aggressive nature of drivers and the use of twitter in their feuds. The latest example has been the Denny Hamlin/Joey Logano feud where the two have decided to feud less in person and on the track but more on twitter. Hamlin recently tweeted a remark about if Logano had an issue with him he has his “DM” and other social media/texting info.

I’m terribly sorry, but I can’t picture Dale Earnhardt and Rusty Wallace or Cale Yarborough and the Allison brother’s stooping to such passive aggressive levels in their feuds back in the day. Driver’s tweeting feuds doesn’t excite fans; two driver’s running into each other during a race and having words after the race with a little pushing and shoving does. Then to really get the blood flowing, after the words and pushing, blasting each other on the track PA, to the TV cameras and to the media so it’s in the Monday morning sports section.

Remember this is a sport that many would say made it to the mainstream when Cale Yarborough fought the Allison brothers on live national TV during the 1979 Daytona 500. Hardly anyone remembers who won the race  but everyone remembers the fight.

Over the past few years there has been a decline in attendance and sponsorship dollars in Nascar. My solution is simple: ban the driver’s from twitter except for news related items, fan interaction and sponsor promotion. Have driver’s feud the way the legends of the sport did who allow the current breed of drivers to have multi-million dollar salaries and private jets.