NASCAR is very strange compared to other sports when it comes to contracts. People don't always just go to other teams, they sometimes say they're leaving a year later.

It's very bizarre, though I understand technically why it happens since contracts have to be honored. But it sets up a very awkward situation for the entire season.

And as a result, Richard Childress Racing will have a very tough 2013.
Kevin Harvick is gone as of 2014, as he'll move to Stewart-Haas Racing -- which has eclipsed RCR as the second best Chevy team on the track.

To add insult to injury, Harvick's likely to take most of his sponsors with him when he goes -- so Childress not only loses a top-notch driver, but he also loses a lot of sponsorship money that will need to be replaced.

The driver part isn't so bad, as Austin Dillon will jump into the ride -- probably with the No. 3 on the side of it too, and I look forward to that. But the money leaving is harder to swallow, as that's hard to come by these days in NASCAR.

In the meantime, the Childress team has to get through 2013, and it won't be pretty. No doubt, old Richard sees Kevin as a bit of snake, so the animosity between them will be so thick you can cut it with a knife. They'll both want to win races, but it'll be with a catch.
Think about it from Childress' perspective. How much do you want to let Harvick know about the technical details of the operation with these new Gen 6 cars, when you know he can just take that info over to the new team in 2014? It's almost a smart bet to let Paul Menard and Jeff Burton get the better equipment and setups, and hopefully make the Chase, and let Harvick flounder while not giving him all the info.

That probably won't happen, but in the back of his mind Childress has probably thought about it. I certainly would in this scenario.

Bottom line: This lame duck season will almost certainly be a disaster for the 29 team, and perhaps Richard Childress Racing as a whole since one bad apple can spoil the whole bunch pretty quickly. RCR is nowhere near the threat they once were, and this kind of distraction can't exactly help the team come together. In fact, it will create division, something you never want on a team.

The future is bright at RCR though, as both the Dillon boys -- Childress' grandsons -- will be at RCR in Cup before within the next few years, and they have the potential to get him lots and lots of wins and potential titles. In fact, his extreme dedication to developing the Dillon boys is rumored to be part of the reason people like Elliott Sadler and Kevin Harvick wanted out of RCR, as they may have felt a little ignored.

But in the meantime, it's not going to be pretty at the Childress team. Harvick might get lucky and squeeze out a win or two, but I don't think the team overall will be a factor on a weekly basis. Harvick might make the Chase and flounder in the back, but there's no way he will contend for a title with the circus atmosphere surrounding his leaving after 2013.

Sorry Richard, but you better stock up on some Goody's Headache Powder; you're going to need it a lot this season.

Brad Keselowski will make appearance at Detroit Pistons game Tuesday

Fresh of his Cup title, Michigan native Brad Keselowski returns home to support his hometown NBA team, making an appearance when the Detroit Pistons play the Milwaukee Bucks.
Several ticket packages are offered, some that just include a customized Pistons/Keselowski T-shirt, and others that include a VIP reception before the game that will be attended by Keselowski.

For more details, visit www.pistons.com/keselowski.