[Bob Tanner]

Looks Like Kevie didn't look any farther than the mirror to find a replacement for Jack Sprague for Martinsville:
Harvick to pilot the #2; You Crate to sponsor: KHI co-owner Kevin Harvick will once again pilot the #2 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series for KHI, and has new colors on the #2 truck this weekend in Martinsville. YOU CRATE, an R+L Carriers Company, will appear on the Chevy driven by Harvick.(KHI PR)

[SteelPhoenyx]

I thought I read somewhere he was going to drive the #2 truck either until the end of the season, or until he found somebody else to drive it.

Too bad Bowyer is running full NNS as well as Cup. I love it when he runs in the Trucks.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by SteelPhoenyx

I thought I read somewhere he was going to drive the #2 truck either until the end of the season, or until he found somebody else to drive it.

Too bad Bowyer is running full NNS as well as Cup. I love it when he runs in the Trucks.

I very respectfully disagree. CTS DOES NOT need Cup Raiders, any time, any where, any reason. Look what they did to Cup Lite, nee BGN. I don't mind if they come back to CTS, like Benson, Musgrave, The Onion, Hornaday and Sprague have done, as long as they make CTS their primary focus. But double dipping, just to get track time and some relatively easy money. My feeling is that they should just stay home.

[SteelPhoenyx]

In principle, I agree with you. Its just that completely illogical part of myself that loves to watch my favorites drive, whenever, wherever. Especially when I know they just love to get out there and race.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by SteelPhoenyx

In principle, I agree with you. Its just that completely illogical part of myself that loves to watch my favorites drive, whenever, wherever. Especially when I know they just love to get out there and race.

Which puts you in the majority of race fans. Nothing wrong with that.

It's just the contrary curmudgeons such as myself, whose "favourite" drivers are long gone, who have an extremist view of Cup interlopers.

[DOF_power]

Originally Posted by Bob Tanner

I very respectfully disagree. CTS DOES NOT need Cup Raiders, any time, any where, any reason. Look what they did to Cup Lite, nee BGN. I don't mind if they come back to CTS, like Benson, Musgrave, The Onion, Hornaday and Sprague have done, as long as they make CTS their primary focus. But double dipping, just to get track time and some relatively easy money. My feeling is that they should just stay home.

I agree, Cup raider drivers and/or teams will just push the costs up and the racing down in the medium to long term.
Ofcourse that (banning raiders) could mean the ratings gains of recently could reverse and with the implosion of the truck market the CTS will be no more.
It's a tough choice.

[Bob Tanner]

Originally Posted by DOF_power

I agree, Cup raider drivers and/or teams will just push the costs up and the racing down in the medium to long term.
Ofcourse that (banning raiders) could mean the ratings gains of recently could reverse and with the implosion of the truck market the CTS will be no more.
It's a tough choice.

Since Kyle Busch has been the only Cup Raider running CTS with any degree of regularity this season, I don't see the Raiders as being a factor in the increasing popularity of the series. I believe the word is getting around that CTS is where you can see NA__AR, more or less, as it once was. Non-common template vehicles which actually look kind of like the tricks we see on the street, and racing where winning and not points are the mitigating factor of competition. A series where a one-truck team with a good driver actually has a chance of competing for a top five finish, if not a win, each week. It's a series were the drivers and crew chiefs can lead more or less normal lives and aren't household words who have the media and paparazzi covering them 24/7. So far the raiders have shown up only one or two at a time, not in a horde.

Maybe it's just my slanted view but I think race fans actually appreciate that and show it by following CTS closer and closer.

[jks812]

I agree with Bob. Raiders are not the reason for the ratings in the truck series, they don't really race there. Ratings are up there because it is by far the best racing of the weekend. In fact I think the raiders don't go there, because they can't hang with the truck drivers. Those guys race wide open from the drop of the green flag til the checkered flag, ain't no just riding around there.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by jks812

I agree with Bob. Raiders are not the reason for the ratings in the truck series, they don't really race there. Ratings are up there because it is by far the best racing of the weekend. In fact I think the raiders don't go there, because they can't hang with the truck drivers. Those guys race wide open from the drop of the green flag til the checkered flag, ain't no just riding around there.

Most of the cup boys don't like being raced the whole time or don't know how to race the whole time as they pussyfoot to much. That's why Kyle Busch is the only one that does well when he steps foot into a truck. Because he let's it all hang out from the drop of the green flag.