By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
There is zero doubt that the level of competition in the Sprint Cup Series is at an all-time high. So high that each and every week, there are 20 or more cars and drivers on the track which are capable of winning races. So high that no teams or drivers [...]

NASCAR has fined Kurt Busch $50,000 for his actions during the Nov. 20 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
NASCAR determined that Kurt Busch, who drives the No. 22 car for Penske Racing, violated Section 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing – inappropriate hand gesture; abusive language) of the 2011 NASCAR Rule Book.

The [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Jimmie Johnson was still a couple of championships shy of the five in a row he would eventually win when a couple of reporters approached Richard Petty in the infield at Daytona.
Petty was, as absolutely always, unconcerned about how his answers to questions would be received by the rest of [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Kurt Busch has gone through another crew chief and, apparently, has used up more good will on his Penske Racing team.
The team announced Tuesday that Steve Addington, which whom Busch has feuded during radio communication in races, will not return as Busch’s crew chief next season.
Penske Racing also issued an [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
A quick thought:
It wasn’t so much the fact that the 2011 Sprint Cup championship was so close that it had to be determined by the NASCAR tie-breaking system which qualifies it for instant-classic status.
It wasn’t so much that it came after several weeks of colorful verbal interplay by the two [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Tony Stewart knew there was only one way he could assure himself of a third career Sprint Cup championship in the days heading up to Sunday’s season-ending Ford 400 Sunday at Homestead-Miami Speedway; win the race.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Stewart won Sunday’s race to pull even with Carl Edwards [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Best Chase ever? That will depend on what happens this afternoon at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Today’s championship-deciding Ford 400 could be an anticlimactic dog. Yep, like a Super Bowl. Or it could be terrific.
One thing for sure is that the buildup for it has been pretty darn good. Thanks, primarily, to [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Ricky Stenhouse finished second in  the Ford 300 season-ending NASCAR Nationwide race Saturday at Homestead-Miami Speedway and that was plenty good enough to secure him the 2011 series championship.
Had the race gone another lap, he might have capped off his championship-securing run with a race victory.
Instead, Brad Keselowski held Stenhouse [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
The end? Perhaps just half time Jimmie Johnson said when asked about his five-year reign as Sprint Cup champion coming to an end this season.
Perhaps 2011 was just his and his Hendrick Motorsports team’s way of catching its breath before going after more records. Perhaps he will still become the [...]

By Jim Pedley | Managing Editor
RacinToday.com
Austin Dillon became the youngest-ever Camping World Truck Series champion Friday night when he finished 10th in the rain-shortened, season-ending Ford 200 at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
The 21-year-old Dillon, who was a two-time race winner in 2011, won the title in just his second full season in the series. His championship came by [...]