In NASCAR, it's all about momentum
Kenny Bruce
Kenny Bruce is a three-time winner of the National Motorsports Press Association's George Cunningham Writer of the Year Award. He joined Street & Smith's Sports Group in 2001.
As much as everyone wants to talk about how well Kyle Busch has been running this season – and the fact that he has collected wins in the Cup, Nationwide and truck series – you have to wonder just how long the Joe Gibbs Racing driver can continue to succeed at his current pace.
At 23, chances are if he falters anytime soon, it won won’t be because he’s running all over the country competing in the three series. The fuel gauge on his tank still reads full.
But if his red-hot run begins to cool, it will likely be for the same reasons that other drivers go on winning runs only to eventually find themselves playing catch-up.
NASCAR is a sport of momentum, and when a team gets on a roll, it often seems like every break goes its way. Every car comes off the truck fast. Every pit decision works in the team’s favor. Every caution comes at just the right time.
Of course, the opposite is also true – when things are going wrong, it seems like every decision fails to work out.
Sometimes, just maintaining one’s ground is reason for celebration as teams continue to discover what works and what doesn’t with today’s car.
Some of the teams that struggled early this year are beginning to figure out how to give their drivers what is needed to be comfortable, and competitive. Others are still searching. Figuring out the restrictor-plate program, for instance, is only part of the puzzle. Figuring out the 1.5-mile, short track and road-course programs is just as crucial.
No driver wins the race on the first lap, and no team will win the championship based on how well they run during the first portion of the year. Momentum shifts. The competition gets better. Holding steady isn’t an option.
For now, the stage belongs to Busch. But company’s coming. In NASCAR, that’s always the case.
