Tony Stewart
Pull Those Belts Tight! (Race Preview) The “Bermuda Triangle” Edition
Up Next: The Pocono 500, Sunday, June 8, 2008 at Pocono Raceway, Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Green flag: 2 p.m. EDT, 11 a.m. PDT. Broadcast: TNT- TV with Bill Weber, Wally Dallenbach & Kyle Petty. Radio Broadcast on MRN & Sirius Satellite Radio.
Track Facts- The first race ran here on August 4, 1974. Richard Petty took the checkered flag on the track that started out as a .75 miler when it was opened in 1968. The track was re-done in 1971.
Pocono Raceway is a 2.5 mile tri-oval track nicknamed “The Bermuda Triangle.” This track looks like a coat hanger with a front stretch of 3,740 feet, a short stretch of 1,780 feet and a back stretch of 3,055 feet. There is no banking on the straights, and 6 to 14 degrees of banking in the turns.
Track Records: Bill Elliott takes the honors as the leading winner at Pocono with 5 to his credit. Since Elliott is semi-retired, we should also mention that Jeff Gordon has 4 victories here as well.
Last year- Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch won the Pocono events. Gordon won a rain-shortened Spring race, just edging out Ryan Newman in a controversial finish in which some fans felt favoritism was shown towards Gordon.
The qualifying record is held by Kasey Kahne. Kahne ran a lap time of 52.164 seconds on June 11, 2004 with a speed of 172.533 miles per hour. Bill Elliott and Ken Schrader have captured the most poles with 5 each. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Ryan Newman won poles in 2007.
The fastest race was run by Rusty Wallace. The “Blue Duece” won the July 21, 1996 Miller 500 with a time of 3 hours, 27 minutes, and 3 seconds.
The oldest winner at Pocono is…..who else? Harry Gant. “Mr. September” won the June 7, 1990 AC Spark Plug 500 at the age of 50 years, 5 months, and 7 days. The youngest winner?….who else? Jeff Gordon, at age 24 years, 10 months, and 12 days. The win came at the June 16, 1996 Teamwork 500.
The caution flag waved a record 13 times twice- the most recent in June, 2005. The fewest “yellows” waved in the July, 1978. 1 waved on that day.
Some have referred to Pocono as a “drivers track.” Each turn provides its own unique set of challenges. The high RPM’s can contribute to a large number of engine failures. Six weeks separate the two Pocono events. Commentator Ricky Craven has commented that most teams will use the same set-up for the August event as the June race. It’s an idea that seems to work as Denny Hamlin swept the Pocono races in 2006 (he also captured both poles), Jimmie Johnson did in 2004, Tim Richmond did in 1986 and Bill Elliott in 1985.
This will kick off a challenging 6 week stretch for drivers as they encounter a different track style every week. After this race, the tour will move on to an intermediate in Michigan, a road course in Sonoma, a 1-miler in New Hampshire, a super speedway at Daytona, and a mile-and-a-half tri-oval at Chicago.
Other active winners include Bobby Labonte (3), Denny Hamlin (2), Jimmie Johnson (2), Kurt Busch (2), Ryan Newman (1), and Tony Stewart (1). Race analyst Kyle Petty has a win at Pocono too.
Check out my “Fearless Forecast” this Saturday, and I’ll offer up my forecast for the race winner.
NASCAR Terminology- A NASCAR For Dummies Primer
Contact patch: Sounds like a name for a football field. Actually, the “contact patch” is the portion of the tire that makes contact with the racing surface. The size of each tire’s contact patch changes as the car is driven.
Crankshaft: Before you get the idea that this is what FOX announcer Chris Myers calls pit report Dick Berggren, a crankshaft is “The rotating shaft within the engine that delivers the power from the pistons to the flywheel, and from there to the transmission.”
Magnaflux: What this is not is the condition you get from eating the red hot dogs at Martinsville. Magnaflux is “Short for “magnetic particle inspection.” A procedure for checking all ferrous (steel) parts (suspension pieces, connecting rods, cylinder heads, etc.) for cracks and other defects by utilizing a solution of metal particles and fluorescent dye and black light. Surface cracks will appear as red lines.”
That’s all for now. Until next time “Keep it off the walls.”
NASCAR Stocks (Power Rankings): Sadler Shakes It Up
I’m quite sure this is notoriety that Elliott Sadler would rather live without. Without meaning to, the driver for Gillett Evernham has muddled our “Top 10″ by initiating a crash at Dover that wadded up 6 of the top 12 point getters in the 2008.
For my part, it will be hard to hold that against the drivers involved. However, there’s no denying that the race to some degree altered the outcome and opened the door for the likes of Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon to move up.
Here’s how things shake out today:
#10- Kasey Kahne- (unchanged from last week)- of all the top runners collected in the lap 18 wreck, Kahne had the best finish at 31st. I guess he can take comfort that in the old car, his day would have likely been done. I don’t think this is the follow up that Kasey had in mind to his win at Lowe’s.
#9- Denny Hamlin- (down 3 from 6th)- Denny came darn close to falling out with his last place finish, the result of the “big one” at the “Monster Mile.” What helps Hamlin is 9th place standing in terms of average finish with a 15.2 for the season. Weird to think he was the “hot one” just a few weeks back.
#8- Jimmie Johnson- (unranked last week)- Good “comeback week” for Jimmie. The defending champ never really challenged for the win, yet a 7th place finish cannot be ignored.
#7- Clint Bowyer- (down 2 spots from 5th)- It’s been a rough “go” for Bowyer since his win at Richmond. What helps his standing now is that win, as well as his 3 tops 5’s, and 7 top 10’s.
#6- Greg Biffle- (unranked last week)- What a run for Biffle! Not only did he dominate the front end of the race at Dover, he also had a strong effort at Lowe’s, leading us to believe is he is the “real deal” for breaking into the Chase this year, after an up-and-down 2007.
#5- Jeff Gordon- (up 2 spots from 7th)- He may not have broke into the win column yet for 2008, but let there be no doubt that the “Rainbow Warrior” has it going in the right direction as of late with an average finish of 8.0 over his last 5 races- 2nd among our top 10.
#4- Dale Earnhardt Jr.- (down 2 from 2nd)- Like his teammate Gordon, Earnhardt is one of the top drivers without a win. Junebug’s 9 top 10’s ties him for second with Jeff Burton and Carl Edwards. Junebug’s 5 top 5’s puts him 4th behind Kyle Busch, Edwards and Gordon. The naysayers are silenced, let it be known that Junior belongs!
#3- Jeff Burton- (up 1 spot from 4th)- “Mr. Consistency” comes through once again with his 8th place finish at Dover. Thi guy knows how to finish a race, even if his is not the best one out there. Finishing matters, and there’s no one better at it than Burton.
#2- Carl Edwards- (up 1 spot from 3rd)- He’d be in 2nd in the points, were it not for the penalty at Las Vegas. “Cousin Carl” solidifies his place near the top with his 2nd place run Sunday. Look for the Busch- Edwards rivalry to last for years to come. These guys ain’t going anywhere.
#1- Kyle Busch- (unchanged)- Busch is starting to get a little separation from the field. With his Dover victory, “Shrub” is the undisputed leader in wins and holds a 142 point lead over Burton in the Sprint Cup standings. What’s weird is to think that his Sprint Cup car was not as good last weekend as his Nationwide car or his truck. Busch gave credit to the shop and the crew, reminding us that even in this sport, where the driver gets all the glory, teamwork still matters.
Falling out: Tony Stewart becomes a hard-luck casualty after finishing 41st.
Knocking On The Door: David Ragan is still contending with an average finish of 10.6 over his last 5 races…For all the talk of bad luck, Matt Kenseth still has 7 top 10’s to his credit…Don’t discount Ryan Newman, especially if he can put a streak together…Kevin Harvick is a survivor. He could use a hot streak right about now.
Dark horses: If Brian Vickers could avoid the errors, and if Jamie McMurray and Dave Blaney can keep it up, they just might find their stock rising all the way into the top 10.
We’re heading down the straights coming out of the first turn, a lot can happen between now and the finish line.
Race Re-Cap: Muscle On The Monster Mile
I’m honestly not sure that big wreck on lap 18 really did much to affect the outcome of today’s race. Today’s real contenders were nowhere near this mess as it seemed that before we even got here, the race at Dover was about the Roush-Fenway Racing team, the old guard at Hendrick Motorsports, and the ever-present Kyle Busch. He wrestled the Monster Mile and made it cry “Uncle.”
Did you ever have a premonition? I swear when they went to Elliott Sadler’s on-board camera, I was thinking “Watch- he’s gonna wreck.” Sure enough, ol’ “Rabbit Release” moves down on David Gilliland, goes sideways on the track- and next thing you know, a collection of racers- including top runners like Kevin Harvick, Junior, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Clint Bowyer are all wadded up. Could this change the outcome? Note the absence of Greg Biffle, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Jamie Mc Murray from this mishap.
Did you catch Tony’s interview? Some fans were saying, “Wow, this is a different side of Tony. He’s taking responsibility for the mess. Why?” I think they missed the sarcasm. Basically, Tony was so much as saying that it’s his fault for being anywhere near Elliott Sadler. That’s the second time in the last few weeks the two have gotten together. I also got a kick out of Smoke’s “dune buggy” line. I appreciate his sense of humor about the whole thing.
By the time the smoke cleared, and Smoke was cleared, it was obvious that there was really only three serious contenders for the win at Dover. Greg Biffle put together another fine effort before mechanical problems set him back. Teammate Carl Edwards once again showed himself to be light on his wheels on concrete. The Roush Gang sure got it done today. Not only did Biffle and Edwards shine, but Matt Kenseth is becoming the 2008 edition of Lazarus as he seems to be bringing his Chase hopes back from the dead. Jamie Mc Murray is running like a guy who wants to stay with the team. But really, but late race, it was obvious that barring a catastrophe, there would be only one real serious contender.
Kyle Busch is just on one of those runs that drivers have from time to time. Don’t get me wrong, you have to be talented and have good equipment to do it, but it also helps to have Lady Luck in your corner. She’s got a real affinity for “Wild Thing” right now. But again, remember that “Luck is where preparation meets opportunity.”
If you don’t like him, give him credit for this much: he spread the love around. Busch was quick to credit his crew for good stops, to Joe Gibbs for their top flight organization, and for all his fans and all NASCAR fans.
Maybe’s he’s learning something. Nobody likes a champion who is not gracious.
The way he’s going right now, I wouldn’t bet against him. All the ingredients are there to take it all in 2008. I still think Edwards, Junior, Jimmie and maybe even the old guard like Gordon, Smoke, JB or even Biffle may have something to say about that- right now, it’s “Rowdy’s World” and we’re living in it.
Other random thoughts…
Brian Vickers’ pit penalties sure screwed up a good opportunity to have an awesome finish….did you see Paul Menard weave through that big wreck? Dinging the inside barrier looked like a better altnernative than getting crumpled up in the middle of the crash….FOX reported their NASCAR ratings were up this year, so much for the death of NASCAR, huh?….Jeff Hammond made a good point and I must concede that I agree. Unlike free-agent-to-be Greg Biffle, who’s stated he’d prefer to stay at Roush, you don’t hear how Smoke want to stay at Gibbs. He may be gone- or he’s screwing with the media big-time…The speculation that Franchitti will give up NASCAR was something I foudn interesting. There seems to be a school of thought that this “stock car thing” is harder than it looks…According to Darrell Waltrip, even Sam Hornish is not sure a sure bet to stick around.
It’s all the drama that keeps us watching, and helps us endure a race like today.
Fearless Forecast: Empire Strikes Back
It just seems like certain TEAMS own certain race tracks. It’s kind of odd how it works that way. I mean you expect certain drivers to have a particularly good feel for certain surfaces and distances. Jeff Gordon does very well on the short tracks and road courses. Bobby Labonte has 6 of his 21 career wins at Atlanta. You may not be able to count on Michael Waltrip to win too many races, but he’s a darn good bet on super speedways, as well as his former teammate- Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kasey Kahne rules on the intermediates, as does fellow young gun Carl Edwards. Speaking of Edwards, he’s known as the “King of Concrete.”
Dover is a concrete track, a one miler with a short track feel, loads of banking and changing elevations, giving it a roller coaster ride effect. It’s interesting to know then, that while Edwards is ordinarily awesome on concrete tracks (Nashville, for example), Edwards is just well,, ordinary at Dover. His driver rating of just over 98 puts him at #8 among active drivers. His starting position of 14th is not something get all tingly over either. At the same time, this is a track where Roush-Fenway has a solid track record. For tomorrow’s race, Roush driver Greg Biffle is one the pole and Jamie Mc Murray is in the #5 spot. Biffle has the best driver rating here at 113, while another Roush veteran, Matt Kenseth is second with a rating of 111. Just about the only driver that’s an unknown quantity at Dover is David Ragan- who’s been on a roll lately.
Speaking of drivers on a roll, Kasey Kahne is coming on an all-star win and a trip to Victory Lane at the Coca-Cola 600. Kahnehas a poor track record at Dover, with a driver rating of 86. His starting position of 15th is nothing to write home about.
As far as driver ratings go, the top 5 at Dover are Biffle, Kenseth, Mark Martin, Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch. Something tells me “Rowdy” won’t be that great this week. Just a feeling.
Bringing up Johnson’s name reminds us that “Team Hendrick” is strong here too. You don’t see Jeff Gordon’s name on that top 5 list, but the veteran leads active drivers at Dover with 4 wins (Gordon is joined at the top by Bill Elliott and Mark Martin). Johnson has 3 wins here, and the newest addition to the HMS stable, Dale Jr. has one of his 17 career wins on this track (the MBNA Cal Ripken 400 in 2001).
In fact, I’m going to say that a Hendrick driver is going to pull off the win. A driver ready to bounce back. It’s tempting to go with Jeff Gordon, but I’m going to say that….
Jimmie Johnson will win tomorrow’s race.
The Lowe’s “48″ will start out of the #4 hole, and all the adjustments being made seem to be working for Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus. Johnson, a two-time defending champion is hungry after some less-than-satisfying recent runs. Johnson has a way of doing constructive things with that kind of hunger. Hendrick has only one victory in 2008 after owning the NASCAR schedule in 2007, but I think they’ll add another win tomorrow- whether it’s Johnson or Gordon.
I also look for other drivers to bounce back tomorrow. Kurt Busch ran some great laps last week and Matt Kenseth isn’t giving up. Never give up on Tony Stewart, who has two wins at DIS.
Now a sure sign of a Kahne resurgence would be a win here.
Other young guns that bear watching include the ubiquitous Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger- who qualified in the 8th spot, and A.J.’s Red Bull teammate Brian Vickers. The North Carolinian qualified 6th and was wicked fast at Lowe’s before the infamous “wheel incident.” Ryan Newman’s looking good, in spite of all the complaint he’s recently logged in his Yahoo! blog.
Drivers seem to have a lot of fun at this track. It also seems that the shorter the distance with the new car, the better the racing.
I can’t wait.
NASCAR Buzz: Denny, Kez and advice from Harv and Jr.
There’s never a dull moment in the world of NASCAR. I’m really starting to get the feeling that Smoke really is going to leave JGR, that Gibbs is looking hard for his replacement (and they have someone in mind), and that NASCAR really can be as capricious as some fans accuse them of being. On top of that, I have to say there’s a driver in the Gibbs garage that I like that should have received some kind of reprimand and didn’t.
My “cred” is taking a beating.
I can understand a certain amount of wanderlust on Stewart’s part as he has been with Gibbs his entire Cup career and he’s got an itch to become an owner a la Dale Earnhardt. Makes sense, after all Tony Stewart is starting to push forty and he has to think beyond his racing career. By the same token, if it’s Haas-CNC he’s talking to, Smoke needs to do what Nancy said and “Just say ‘no.’” If the “Rushville Rocket” wants to win , he should stay put. JGR is a top flight time and will put him in the best position to win. They’re getting maximum coin from Toyota, and when you look at what’s happened so far, the Gibbs-Toyota match is one made in Heaven. If Tony really is this loyal guy, then where is his loyalty to the comoany that’s stood by him all these years? If I were Tony, I’d only go to another team if it were a sweet deal from a team with it’s act together like RCR, Hendrick or Roush.
What makes me think he’s leaving is what came out when rumors were out that Juan Pablo Montoya was trying to woo JGR. In response, the word is that Gibbs is saying “No way” to the former IRL and F-1 star, partly because they had someone else in mind. Hmmm.
Meanwhile- back at the ranch- how does Denyy Hamlin not get a fine for his part in the incident at Lowe’s with Brad Keselowski? Granted, I think Kez is getting too big for his britches and needs a trip to the woodshed to remind him of his place in this sport. For my part, I think that Kez is carrying himself as an old veteran who’s arrived, and he’s simply not there yet. His boss, Dale Earnhardt Jr., has as much said the same. That said, I think Hamlin has to be called on the carpet for no other reason than the damage he did to Keselowski’s car. Now if Denny kicked his butt in the pits after the race, that’s another story. Those cars cost bucks, and damaging the fender was an overreach. You just don’t that, and yet somehow, all the punishment falls to the “88″ team. This does nothing to douse the fires of conspiracy thinking prevalent among NASCAR fans. Kezelowski and his crew deserve reprimands and a certain amount of fining. He started it. BUT you can’t ignore Hamlin’s culpability in this matter.
That, or you could shine the whole thing on.
Junior says he needs to spend a little more time mentoring and guiding young Brad. Not a bad idea. It shows good leadership on his part. This ownership business sure carries a lot of responsibility. It will be good training for fatherhood too.
An interesting perspective has been shared on the matter of one Kyle Busch. Kevin Harvick, a guy known to have ruffled a few feathers during his early career had a few words of wisdom. Yes, this is the same Harvick that had early career run-ins with Ricky Rudd and Greg Biffle- among others. The 8-year veteran says that someday- that hot streak that “Wild Thing” will end. While he’s not in the business to gain friends and sympathy- having some friends around can be a good thing when you’re down on your luck. That help can come in the form of advise, maybe the offering of a ride, should you need one, or even just a little more room on the track.
Think about Mark Martin’s mistake in a Nationwide race that wrecked out Carl Edwards on the way to a Martin win. Though Edwards was upset, he KNEW that “The Kid” meant no harm nor malice, it was just a racing incident. Now put Kyle in that car. Do you think Edwards would have felt the same way?
Nobody’s doubting Busch has talent. I enjoy Shrub’s aggressiveness and willingness to make tough passes and gamble in the same mold as Dale Earnhardt. But by the same token, Busch has been out of line with a number of things, and worse yet, he’s hacked on his crew. If Kyle isn’t careful, he’s destined to become a real life “Lightning Mc Queen“- a talented guy no one wants any part of.
It’s be shame, because being alone is a sad place to be. Sadly, it overshadows Busch’s considerable talents, and the fact, that he really does a lot of good things with his spoils.
“Good on” Kevin Harvick. Busch would do very well to heed the words someone who has been there.
“Pull Those Belts Tight!”- The “Monster Mile” Edition
Up Next: The Autism Speaks 400 presented by Best Buy, Dover International Speedway- Sunday June 1, 2008. Green flag start- 2 p.m. EDT, 11 a.m. PDT. Broadcast on FOX-TV network with Mike Joy, Larry Mc Reynolds and Darrell Waltrip. Radio broadcast- MRN, Sirius Satellite Network.
Track Facts- The first race ran at the Deleware track on July 6, 1969 as the Mason- Dixon 300. “The King”, Richard Petty won that race, the first of his 7 victories on the “Monster Mile.”
Dover International Speedway is a one mile track with 24 degrees of banking in the turns and 9 on the straights. With the banks and changing elevation on the track, drivers liken the ride on the concrete track to riding on a roller coaster. Another interesting fact: there are only 42 pit stalls for the 43 drivers. Two of them will have to be nice and share.
Track Records: Richard Petty and Bobby Allison are the all-time leading winners with 7 victories at Dover. Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin are the leading winners here among active drivers with 4 each in Cup competition.
Last year- Martin Truex Jr. and Carl Edwards won the Spring and Fall events respectively. For the New Jersey born Truex it was his first and so far, only career victory at the Cup level.
The qualifying record is held by Jeremy Mayfield, who did it in a Dodge for Ray Evernham on June 4, 2004 with a speed of 161.522 m.p.h., for a lap time of 22.288 sec. David Pearson, who won 105 NASCAR Cup races, holds the record for poles at Dover with 5. Ryan Newman and Jimmie Johnson started out front in the Spring and Fall of 2007.
Who’s the fastest at Dover? Mark “The Kid” Martin finished the MBNA 400 in a time of 3 hours and 50 seconds with an average of 132.719 m.p.h. on Sept. 21, 1997 driving a Roush Racing Ford.
The oldest race winner at “DIS” was Harry Gant won the race the age of 52 years, 4 months and 21 days on May 31, 1992. The youngest? Jeff Gordon at 24 years, 1 month and 13 days on Sept. 17, 1995. Ever hotice how these guys always show up on this one?
The yellow flag waved a record 16 times on Sept. 16, 1993. There were NO cautions waved at the June 6, 1971 edition of the Mason- Dixon 500.
When fans think of Dover, they think of crab cakes and concrete. Given his record of excellence on concrete tracks, be on the look-out for “Cousin Carl.” Because the surface is concrete, there will be no need to worry about changing track conditions like we had at Lowe’s. With it’s positioning in the Northeast United States, this is the closest thing to a home track for Martin Truex Jr. and Todd Bodine. Don’t think being close to home matters? “The Onion” (Bodine) has won 3 Nationwide races at Dover, Randy Lajoie 2 in the “second series.” Martin Truex has won a Cup race and 2 Nationwides at DIS.
Some other active winners here include- Jimmie Johnson and Ryan Newman have 3 wins at Dover, Tony Stewart has climbed the fence in Delaware twice. Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bobby Labonte, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Petty, and Ken Schrader all have a single win at Dover.
We’ll be keeping all these things in mind as we prepare for the “Fearless Forecast” this Saturday. Hopefully, rain won’t be the factor it was last year, though I should warn you the long range forecasts call for a significant chance of rain Sunday. Thankfully, if that be the case, by virtue of being a radio sports guy I have to (oh darn) watch the race at work!
Like that little dog in the Disney movie that Cheech Marin did the voice for said: “If this is torture, chain me to the wall.”
NASCAR Terminology- A NASCAR For Dummies Primer
Fire extinguisher switch- Did you know that the cars had one of these? All you do is pull the switch and fire-suppressing chemicals are released into the driving compartment. How cool is that?
Axle- (Not to be confused with Axel, as in Rose)- Rotating shafts connecting the rear differential gears to the rear wheels.
Gears- Circular, wheel-shaped parts with teeth along the edges. The interlocking of these two mechanisms enables one to turn the other.
That’s all for now! Until we meet again, “Keep It Off The Walls.”
NASCAR Stocks (Top 10 Rankings): Movin’ Up, Goin’ Down
It’s a tight field in the top ten, and the ranks keep shifting. What I like about this season, is you never really know what’s going to happen. I was lucky enough to predict Kasey Kahne’s victory, but the truth is that there’s very little separation from driver to driver. Things are a little different this week, and I think you’ll be surprised where some guy landed.
#10- Kasey Kahne- (unranked last week)- Can a little confidence make that much difference? Apart of the reason, I predicted a Kahne win was the way he carried himself during his press conference after the All-Star win. He’s gone from acting like a top 15 driver to acting like a champion. Gillett Evernham has benefited greatly on Ray Evernham’s emphasis on the racing side of things. They keep this up, and we’ll see Elliott Sadler in the chase!
#9- Greg Biffle- (unranked last week)- The two week run at Lowe’s has been good for “The Biff” too. Except for Kahne’s Coca-Cola 600 win, Biffle is better across the board than the “9.”
#8- Tony Stewart- (unchanged from last week)- A flat tire was all that kept him from winning at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. But have no fear Smoke fans, it ain’t July yet, and history tells us that Stewart heats up with the weather. Statistically, the “Big Orange” is just ahead of Biffle in terms of average finish, 14.7 to 15.1.
#7- Jeff Gordon- (up 2 spots from 9th last week)- Based on the way he ran most of the race, I never would have imagined him here. The way Gordon’s talking right now, he’s the “anti-Kahne.” Take it easy Jeff, you’re getting better. Your average finish of 9.6 is 4th behind Kyle Busch, Junior, and Jeff Burton.
#6- Denny Hamlin- (down 3 spots from 3rd last week)- I’m quite sure some members of Junior Nation feel like Denny’s 24th place finish was just desserts after Hamlin swatted JRM driver Brad Keselowski in the Nationwide Series Saturday night. Hamlin’s starting to fade, but his 4th place standing in the points reminds us of what he’s accomplished up until recently.
#5- Clint Bowyer- (up 1 spot from 6th last week)- Bowyer’s been kind of quiet since the traveling NASCAR circus came to Concord, but 1 win, 3 top 5s, and 7 top 10s cannot be ignored.
#4- Jeff Burton- (up 1 spot from 5th last week)- “Mr. Consistency” racked up another top 10, 6th in Sunday’s marathon race. All race long, you kind of forget he’s around, then, the checkered flag drops, and by golly, there he is. Burton is 2nd in the points, and tied for 3rd in top 10s with Carl Edwards- both racers have 8.
#3- Carl Edwards- (down from 2nd last week)- Did Edwards really race Sunday? I gotta say that’s just about the quietest top 10 anyone’s ever run. I think Carl lucked up on attrition, but hey, it’s all about where you are at the end, and the Missourian managed to miss all the mid-race fireworks and kept gas in his car.
#2- Dale Earnhardt Jr.- (up 2 from 4th last week)- Give Junior props for not quitting on his team Sunday. It would have been a legendary finish if he could have come back from the wreck with J.J. Yeley to take the checkered. Kinda makes you think of Earnhardt’s old man, doesn’t it? The only drivers more consistent than Lil “E” have been Kyle Busch and Burton.
#1- Kyle Busch- (unchanged from last week)- Love him or hate him, you can’t ignore him. Give “Rowdy” props for fighting through mechanical problems to finish 3rd at Lowe’s behind Kahne and Biffle. I thought the altercation with Gordon was childish, but that doens’t affect the points, it just solidifies his standing as “NASCAR’s resident bad boy.” Still, Busch keeps running like a scared jackrabbit.
Falling Out- Sorry Johnson fans, Jimmie’s 38th place finish hurt him this week. He’ll be back. David Ragan didn’t last long in the top 10, BUT Ragan’s 12th place run Sunday reinforces the idea he’s capable of running up front and staying there.
Ready to Strike- Kevin Harvick is actually 7th in points, a couple of good races and he’ll be back. I’d also keep my eyes open for runs by Matt Kenseth, and maybe even Juan Montoya.
Up next is the “Monster Mile”- Dover. Check out tomorrow’s preview as we bring you another edition of “Pull Those Belts Tight!”
Race Re-Cap: Raisin’ Kahne (Here’s to The End of a Long Dry Spell)
Kasey Kahne is back! Fans are witness to a transformation as a rising NASCAR star gets his career back on track. It’s hard to believe that it was only two short years since Kasey Kahne won 6 races in one season. After a winless streak of 52 races, the 5th year driver follows up an encouraging All-Star effort with a win in the 2008 edition of the Coca- Cola 600. If you include last week’s non-points win, Kahne won his 4th race at Lowe’s. It bears repeating: if Lowe’s is Jimmie Johnson’s house, then Kasey Kahne must be renting out a floor from Jimmie.
Kahne looked like a finisher from the green flag. I have to admit, the action was slow enough in the opening laps, I snuck in a power nap. I awoke to find I didn’t miss much. However- over time- I’ve learned some races run in stages and it pays to stick around. After “Rowdy Shrub” Busch played Pied Piper for the first 100 laps or so, things began to get interesting. Kahne hung around, but we got looks at Brian Vickers up front, Kurt Busch looked as good as I’ve seen since Daytona, and Jimmie Johnson and Junior looked predictably good. We had a lot of drama and craziness along the way, but Kahne ran a smart race and he was there to capitalize on troubles for Stewart, Earnhardt and Busch. “The Coke” is a battle of attrition, and the team of Kahne, Kenny Francis and Ray Evernham had it all going for them today.
“The Rocky Balboa Award” has to go to Lil ”E.” I must admit that while Junior was ”rolling fly and lookin’ phat” there was a part of me saying “I wonder how it’s going to fall apart on Junior this week.” And sure enough, Earnhardt brushes the wall and gets rammed by J.J. Yeley. BUT after all that, Dale hung in there and pulled out a 5th place. He will win soon Junior Nation, you can bank on it. Just remember, Junebug is 3rd in points, finishing races and running well. I’d take that over Kyle Petty’s problems any day of the week. Kevin Harvick also had another solid finish, in spite of the fact that “Happy” once again seemed to have a mediocre race car. Harvick looks like he’s been taking lessons in survival from teammate Jeff Burton.
What a bummer for Brian Vickers. It’s obvious that the “83″ really likes Lowe’s and he sure looked like a top 5 today, but what a wreck! That crash will make its way to plenty of crash montages for years to come. Poor David Gilliland takes the loose wheel on the hood and it lands in the infield with the campers. It’s kinda funny, but I’m just glad no one got hurt. It was also an unlucky day for Jimmie Johnson (HMS’ first blown motor since the Bronze Age), and Tony Stewart (blown tire).
It would have been nice to see an old hoss like Mark Martin, Dave Blaney or Bobby Labonte win today, but by the same token I’m happy for Kasey Kahne.
There was a lot of wheel and tire troubles today. It will be interesting to hear what the drivers have to say about this over the course of the next several days.
I may be a West Coaster and get to see the race earlier than a lot of you, but even I was wornout by race’s end.
It wasn’t the best race I’d ever seen, but perhaps we can say it was the best mile and a half race we’ve had all year.
HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY! AND TO ALL YOU VETS OUT THERE, WE SALUTE YOU. THANKS TO YOU, WE CAN ALL ARGUE ABOUT NASCAR INSTEAD OF TILLING CROP IN KOMRADE PUTIN’S GARDEN.
NASCAR Stocks: Headed for Turn Two
Let’s re-visit for a moment my Top Ten Power Poll from last week. Once again, here are the top drivers, in my not-so humble opinion (All-Star race- a non-points race is not factored in):
#1- Kyle Busch- Can’t argue with the wins and being a factor in EVERY race this season.
#2- Carl Edwards- He’d easily be #1 if not for Busch. A kinder, gentler Shrub.
#3- Denny Hamlin- Overshadowed by teammate Busch, he’s charging hard as of late.
#4- Dale Earnhardt Jr.- Only needs the wins to vault towards the top. Is not running bad races.
#5- Jeff Burton- Putting together his typical quietly solid season.
#6- Clint Bowyer- He’s on the verge of really breaking out. He’ll be here at the end of the day.
#7- Jimmie Johnson- This isn’t a bad position for the “sneaky fast” David Pearson-style.
#8- Tony Stewart- Like Johnson, he may only go upward. Look for upward movement in July.
#9- Jeff Gordon- Wow. I’m not sure he stays up here. He and his team just look out of sorts.
#10- David Ragan- “David Wreck-Um” has evolved. It’s gotta help he has good mentors at Roush.
Ready to Strike:
The wily vets (they run well, their equipment questionable)- Matt Kenseth (mainly a victime of bad luck), Greg Biffle (like teammate Kenseth, the Edwards mojo hasn’t rubbed off), Bobby Labonte (he and Robbie Loomis have upgraded Petty’s team, but they’re not quite there yet), Dave Blaney (put him with an organization that’s not strapped for cash and he’s a top 15 easy), Kevin Harvick (his struggles are a mystery to me).
The young dudes: Ryan Newman (has real moments of brilliance, and others not-so), Kasey Kahne (he’ll get a lift from the All-Star win), Brian Vickers (can be really fantastic, and at other times as consistent as a paer cup in a wind storm), Juan Pablo Montoya (gives us some foreign intrigue), Martin Truex Jr. (just needs a little luck).
Up Next: “Pull Those Belts Tight!” Race Preview (tomorrow), “Fearless Forecast” (Saturday), “Race Re-Cap” (Sunday), “Road To Glory” *Premier* (Monday).
Fearless Forecast: Who Will Be “The Star” Among Stars?
A million dollar prize ought to be enough motivation for even the most successful of drivers hyped up to make this a premier all-star event. We’re talking about a dash for cash under the lights in NASCAR’s own back yard.
Zeroing in on a favorite requires a little look at history and taking into consderation who might be inclined to run well at the mile and a half speedway.
In terms of history, we’ve got the likes of Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Ryan Newman, Jeff Gordon (who’s won this event 3 times), Dale Earnhardt Jr. have all won the all-star race. What also has to help Martin’s chances is the fact that this will be his 19th consecutive appearance, tying the record held by Rusty Wallace. I guess what I’m sayin here is that because this race is slightly different from a typical Cup event, with a shorter race and a smaller field, there might be ways to parlay that knowledge into an advantage.
As far as success at Lowe’s is concerned, Lowe’s Motor Speedway is the “House that Jimmie Johnson Built.” In addition to his all-star win in 2006, he’s had incredible points race success here at the track that bears the name of his primary sponsor. It sure raises the eyebrows of the conspiracy theorists. Johnson’s teammate and mentor Gordon also has his share of success at Lowe’s with 4 points race wins ON TOP OF the all-star wins. Again, Mark Martin shows up in the mix with 4 Cup race wins, as well as 2 Nationwide Series wins at the Charlotte track.
But history will only take you so far. Teams change and evolve and so do the drivers. Let us also not forget that the the “CoT” also changes things as well. We have to look for any clues we can find from THIS season to help our prognostication. I want to know who’s performed well lately on the high speed tracks. When factoring that in- names such as Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne and Carl Edwards come to mind. I’m thinking about top performers from Daytona, Talladega, Atlanta and Texas to name a few. I’ve gotta think that there smaller field (24) will make speed an even greater factor.
The shorter race will also benefit those who tend to go on mad bursts. Shrub, Junior, Smoke, and Cousin Carl and Denny Hamlin all have their 20-30 lap runs where they just look like juggernauts. If a driver can put it together at the right time, he may just make a route out of tonight’s race.
Then there’s the aggressive and the liberties one may take because it’s “all or nothing”, and because this is not for points. I will predict right now that Kyle Busch will NOT win this race. Don’t think for a moment that Junior or more likely his older brother Kurt might not “loosen him up” if they get near each other. Depending how hard or how obvious the incident is, the offending driver may get nothing worse than “probation.” I’d probably do it if I were somebody, though you don’t want to ruin your own chances in doing so. If that doesn’t happen- I still expect some guys that are known for their aggressiveness to really push the envelope.
The fans should be in for a fun night in the same vein of the Bud Shoot Out.
Oh…you want the winner. I’m gonna go with “Junebug.” Why? Think back to his performance at the Shootout or the Gatorade Duals or any shorter length event. He rocks! If Earnhardt has ha any problem this year, it’s just that his car seems to get away from him and his team as the race wears on. On the other hand, you take the first 100 laps of just about any race this year and you will find #88 at or near the front.
Other possibilities include Busch, Tony Stewart (who’s had great runs of his own), Jimmie, and the Evernham Dodges always look good in these events. You also can’t forget the ever-competitive Carl Edwards- who tends to be RIGHT THERE with Shrub and Junior.
A lot can happen. And it probably will.
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