Ekstrom in NASCAR!

E-racer · 9 Jun 2010, 17:54 (Ref:2707582)

Any predictions for Ekstroms first NASCAR race ? I suspect top ten qually but nowhere in race as he struggles to keep the tires alive and work with the set up throughout the race...

**FIRE** · 9 Jun 2010, 19:16 (Ref:2707656)

I agree with you. Good qualifying result but struggling in the race because of tires and brakes.

It's great to see him in NASCAR.

E-racer · 9 Jun 2010, 19:37 (Ref:2707666)

I'm planning to watch my first NASCAR race for many years next week. Really look forward to see how he will get on. He is a very versatile driver - remember his rallying and race of champions sucesses in the past...

fieldodreams79 · 10 Jun 2010, 01:03 (Ref:2707914)

not knowing too much about the guy, other than he races in a touring car series in Germany and does quite well, i can only base a prediction on what he'll accomplish in his first nascar race on past ringer performances.

if all goes well for the Matt, i'll go with the others that he'll have a good starting spot, hang around the top 15 most of the day. however, i'll go out on the limb and say that he'll end up getting punted by Robby Gordon or Kyle Busch.

**FIRE** · 18 Aug 2010, 18:11 (Ref:2746686)

Ecky maybe driving at Richmond.

http://www.motorsport-total.com/usra..._10081802.html

Matt · 19 Aug 2010, 06:27 (Ref:2746942)

Quote:

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

...that he'll end up getting punted by Robby Gordon or Kyle Busch.

Oooh, wrongo. The correct answer would have been Brad Keselowski, haha.

Jacques Rabbit · 19 Aug 2010, 16:24 (Ref:2747194)

I hope Ekström gets to race Richmond, and perhaps even more, if he'd like to. Reed Sorenson's actually done worse than Casey Mears (based on average finish, even with that ninth), and Mears wasn't doing well at all to begin with! Ekström can hardly do worse and it's a great chance for him to evaluate a future in stock cars and for Red Bull to evaluate his potential if he's needed in the future (if Vickers, for example, cannot return, and they do not re-sign Speed).

Matt · 19 Aug 2010, 17:32 (Ref:2747227)

Khane is going to RBR next year.

Jacques Rabbit · 19 Aug 2010, 17:56 (Ref:2747234)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

Khane is going to RBR next year.

Yes, but he cannot drive both the 82 and 83, and if both Vickers and Speed do not return next year, someone has to drive the other.

I fully expect it to be Vickers alongside Kahne, of course, and Speed re-assigned by Red Bull, with Ekström remaining in DTM, but you never know. And if they do go to three cars, they could choose to take Ekström over Speed if his oval performance is better. It's a good opportunity in the event they need him; not a big possibility, but not a little one. They could also put him on an ARCA/CWTS/Nationwide program of some such if he decides to pursue NASCAR and leave DTM, and then have him replace Kahne after 2011 when he goes to Hendrick.

**FIRE** · 19 Aug 2010, 18:52 (Ref:2747265)

Speed is confirmed for next season.

dj4monie · 19 Aug 2010, 19:07 (Ref:2747275)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Speed is confirmed for next season.

I wouldn't advocate throwing Mattias into the deep end either...

Do it right, Trucks, Nationwide, maybe the Cup races on Road Courses to keep his confidence up.

TRD South and Red Bull have plenty of resources to bring him up to speed slowly. I think this was a mistake to bring Scott Speed up to Cup so soon, he's struggling, but you see flashes here and there.

Trust me its these non-Southerns that keep me watching Cup without wanting to throw stuff at the TV.

Jacques Rabbit · 19 Aug 2010, 19:31 (Ref:2747289)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Speed is confirmed for next season.

Is he? I'd just read Speed saying he can't talk to other teams, and Red Bull (the company, not the team) still having him under contract. The team have only actually confirmed Kahne, and have said they will try to keep Scott Speed (i.e. third car or Nationwide), but I've yet to see them confirm with 100% clarity that Scott Speed will retain the 82 in Sprint Cup next year. I've just seen that they're trying and Speed hasn't spoken with anyone else.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

I wouldn't advocate throwing Mattias into the deep end either...

Do it right, Trucks, Nationwide, maybe the Cup races on Road Courses to keep his confidence up.

TRD South and Red Bull have plenty of resources to bring him up to speed slowly. I think this was a mistake to bring Scott Speed up to Cup so soon, he's struggling, but you see flashes here and there.

Trust me its these non-Southerns that keep me watching Cup without wanting to throw stuff at the TV.

I agree that Speed was moved up too quickly. He was fine in ARCA, fine in Trucks, and looking solid in Nationwide. Had he run the full Nationwide in 2009 and maybe even again in 2010, he would have been fine.

Matt · 19 Aug 2010, 19:35 (Ref:2747291)

Quote:

Originally Posted by dj4monie

Trust me its these non-Southerns that keep me watching Cup without wanting to throw stuff at the TV.

Care to explain why?

You do realize that very few Cup drivers are from "the South" nowadays, right?

fieldodreams79 · 19 Aug 2010, 19:42 (Ref:2747294)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Matt

You do realize that very few Cup drivers are from "the South" nowadays, right?

What?! When did that happen?!

**FIRE** · 19 Aug 2010, 20:01 (Ref:2747305)

Read on another forum Speed is confirmed for next season. Maybe it's wrong.

Jacques Rabbit · 19 Aug 2010, 22:55 (Ref:2747379)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Read on another forum Speed is confirmed for next season. Maybe it's wrong.

I could be wrong, too. I'll check it out. Thanks!

picchiofan · 22 Aug 2010, 15:32 (Ref:2748346)

Quote:

Originally Posted by FIRE

Read on another forum Speed is confirmed for next season. Maybe it's wrong.

Given that Vickers announced that he had open heart surgery and the stint placed in his leg, I'd say it's very doubtful that he will be running a full season in cup, if at all next year.

I'd say Kahne slots nicely into that seat on a single year basis. Given that Vickers is a former hendrick driver as well, there is probably some under-table business going on.

Jacques Rabbit · 22 Aug 2010, 16:13 (Ref:2748367)

On the contrary, Vickers is very likely to be back in 2011.

Quote:

But they gave me full clearance for next year. I will be back next season. I’ll be racing in January, and I’m really excited about it.

http://tinyurl.com/26fks9m

I think Speed's going to be shifted elsewhere. The team are struggling as it is; adding a third car wouldn't be wise, and to be quite honest, Speed isn't good enough to justify such an investment. They have Cole Whitt in the K&N Pro Series for the future, too, though that's a bit distant, but still...Speed just doesn't fit into this team's future. I guess it will be like his departure from STR: Red Bull will still want him, but the team they fund will not. They're going to run out of things to do with this guy.

As for Ekström, well, it would be nice if Red Bull could fund another car for him at Infineon (i.e. Nemechek's like they used to do when Speed FTQ'd) or even for some Nationwide races. I imagine if he runs Richmond it's just for fun really.

picchiofan · 22 Aug 2010, 17:26 (Ref:2748409)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

On the contrary, Vickers is very likely to be back in 2011.

"He would like to be back racing". He was also supposed to "be back" in the middle of this season originally. I doubt we'll see a full season cup run for Vickers next year, nationwide likely, but not cup.

Jacques Rabbit · 23 Aug 2010, 00:30 (Ref:2748712)

Quote:

Originally Posted by picchiofan

"He would like to be back racing". He was also supposed to "be back" in the middle of this season originally. I doubt we'll see a full season cup run for Vickers next year, nationwide likely, but not cup.

If he's cleared for Nationwide, though, he's cleared for Cup. Red Bull will run him if he's cleared, and he seems rather confident that he will indeed be cleared. The only reason he isn't cleared yet, of course, is that he is still on blood thinners, but his doctors told him he'd be off of them in time for the 2011 season, and he'll therefore be ready to go.

It's not a guarantee he'll return, but all signs are pointing to a comeback. I don't think they would be talking about coming back for 2011 if he wasn't going to.

Speed better be prepared to make a decision...stick with Red Bull, the only partner he's ever had, and go where they can find work for him, or see if he can find something on his own (I have a hard time imagining him having that ability).

Mr Pink · 23 Aug 2010, 16:03 (Ref:2749017)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jacques Rabbit

As for Ekström, well, it would be nice if Red Bull could fund another car for him at Infineon (i.e. Nemechek's like they used to do when Speed FTQ'd) or even for some Nationwide races. I imagine if he runs Richmond it's just for fun really.

I think, like someone mentioned, that it would be a way to evaluate a series that he's very intrested in.

And if he run I think he would do better than most with zero oval experience, he is extremely good at adapting to new cars and circuits (or gravel roads..).

Jacques Rabbit · 23 Aug 2010, 19:47 (Ref:2749157)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr Pink

I think, like someone mentioned, that it would be a way to evaluate a series that he's very intrested in.

And if he run I think he would do better than most with zero oval experience, he is extremely good at adapting to new cars and circuits (or gravel roads..).

I'd love if his evaluation went well and he could fit into Red Bull's NASCAR program, as I too think he could learn NASCAR quickly if he ran the lower series a bit, but I'm not sure where he really would fit. They have three drivers for two cars...add Ekström and now we have four for two, and add young Cole Whitt in K&N Pro who could move up and we have five Red Bull-backed stock car guys for a two-car Cup team with no Nationwide, Truck, or ARCA programs. Perhaps they could add a Nationwide car...have Ekström run when it doesn't conflict with DTM, Whitt when it doesn't conflict with K&N Pro, and Speed for the others. But, that's their money to spend, and not mine to spend for them.

I really do hope we see Ekström at Richmond and beyond, whatever the case may be. Reed Sorenson lacks talent; the inexperienced Ekström, I think, would run as well, if not better, than he does. We already know where Sorenson stands on the stock car spectrum (the bottom), so why not evaluate Mattias? I think he'd be better even though he's never raced an oval.

**FIRE** · 7 Sep 2010, 18:02 (Ref:2755830)

Ecky will drive at Richmond next weekend.

Mr Pink · 14 Sep 2010, 16:39 (Ref:2759329)

I'm not shure if it's possible to view this outside of Sweden but here's an interview with Jimmy Elledge, http://playrapport.se/video/2145124.

Basically he says that he and the team are happy with Mattias and would be glad to have him at more of the remaining races if it's possible with his DTM schedule.

Edit: How did you guys think he performed at Richmond? I didn't have time to watch the race.

chernaudi · 14 Sep 2010, 19:45 (Ref:2759442)

Did better than Jr.! 'Nuff said there. Ekstrom was 32nd, 4 laps down to winner Hamlin, Jr was 34th, 6 laps down. Expected Ekstrom to finish about there depending on attricion and his inexprience, but didn't expect Jr. to finish so far behind him.

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