Talladega

Race Re-Cap: Draftin’ & Dealin’ In ‘Dega

Denny Hamlin said it best- “If you didn’t like this race, you don’t like racing.” Right down to the bloody, bumping end, there were at least a dozen drivers in contention for the win. Can you believe this top 10?

1- Kyle Busch, 2- JP Montoya, 3- Denny Hamlin, 4- David Ragan, 5- Brian Vickers, 6- Travis Kvapil, 7- Casey Mears, 8- Ryan Newman, 9- Clint Bowyer, 10- Dale Earnhardt Jr.

How crazy was this race? Tony Stewart looked like the man to beat, but wasn’t even there at the end, after trying to thread a hole between Bobby Labonte and Dale Earnhardt Jr. This screwed up Day Two of a seemingly ongoing alliance between Smoke and Junebug. Michael Waltrip looked at moments like HE would win this race! At last count this race had 17 different leaders!

I have a nickname for Denny Hamlin- “The Chauffeur.” How many times did he hook up with a driver to escort them to the front? On several occasions, the combination of two cars tail to bumper made it look like we had a limousine on on the track.

I kept hearing about ”patience” from Jeff Burton. He’s right! This race reminded me of the big local 10-mile road run (ya know the kind on two legs instead of four tires). Once the gun sounds (or the flag lowers), you find your stride, and you size up how you’re doing that day, and sizing up the field around you. Who’s going to have something for you? Who do you avoid because they’re going to be trouble? Once you ind your groove and your stride, it’s good to find a partner. Someone who’s company you can enjoy as you pass the miles away. Someone who can help you throw a rough patch if you hit one. Then one you hit the big hill in the middle you have to bear down a bit and not do anything to beat yourself in terms of expending too much energy, or getting tangled up in anyone else’s mess. THEN….as you approach the end, it’s every man for himself. Some crazy stuff can happen. Some will have enough gas in the tank to “kick” at the end. For others, it’s just a matter of trying to hang on and make it. Unfortunately, some who looked good early won’t make it. For a driver, this place keeps you on the edge of your seat at all times- perhaps the most challenging track on the circuit.

Like him or not, Kyle Busch overcame a pit mishap and numerous other challenges to come out on top. We knew it’d be a battle pitting the Gibbs Toyota’s versus the Hendrick bowties, but I’m really not sure anyone really envisioned a Shrub win here. Stewart and Earnhardt for sure. Of course Jimmie and Jeff and even denny would be in the mix. But Busch (who’s previous Talladega best was 11th) a winner and Casey Mears in the top 10? It wasn’t what I was thinking. And don’t lie to me, you didn’t either.

It was a heckuva race, maybe the best we’ve had all year, even if the wreck at the finish kind of deflated things. You can always count on soemthing wild at Talladega.

Today did not disappoint.

   

Fearless Forecast: Smoke Will Sweep at Talladega

It’s just a hunch. By now, every serious NASCAR fan knows how Tony Stewart has finished 2nd 6 times in Cup competition. He’s been knocking on the door for quite some time….and tomorrow Tony Stewart’s kicking it down.

Here’s what I’m expecting tomorrow…..the teams that have put forward the stout engines will run up front. Look for strong (and victory worthy) performances from the HMS boys: Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Casey Mears. Remember that Junior has won at ‘Dega 5 times and Gordon 6. There’s no reason to believe they won’t be in the mix.

This assumption also bodes well for Stewart and his Gibbs’ teammates Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin. In fact, I number Hamlin, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman as my dark horses. Yes, I expect Dodge to be well represented tomorrow, so that means Kurt Busch could be a part of the action.

With that extra horsepower, I expect other Toyotas to run well…..you should not be shocked if Michael Waltrip (a super speedway specialist of sorts), Brian Vickers (also a former Talladega winner), or even A.J. Allmendinger make a substantial amount of noise. In fact, I considered using Mikey as my “upset special” pick. Now that’s a fearless forecast!

Of course, I wish good things for those unexpected front-runners. I mean, who here expected Joe Nemechek and Ken Shrader in the top 5? Hear that sound of silence?

All speculation aside (and Heaven knows I;ve heard more insane tea leaf reading than I care to think about this week), here’s what you need to know…..

Tony Stewart will win (again) at Talladega!!

 

 

 

Pull Your Belts Tight!- Talladega Edition

Up Next: The Aaron’s 499, Talladega Superspeedway, Talladega, AL- Sunday, April 27, 2008 at 2:00 p.m., broadcast on FOX- TV.

Bill France Sr. unveiled this track in 1969- designed to be “the world’s fastest speedway.”  Due to driver concerns regarding tires on this 2.66 mile track, many Cup drivers sat it out. France tried to prove the safety of the track by running laps himself, but the argument fell on deaf ears. A handful of Cup drivers ran with Grand National and ARCA drivers on that first race in September of 1969. Richard Brickhouse picked up his only NASCAR Cup win.

Talladega Superspeedway is a 2.66 mile ”superspeedway” with 18 degrees banking on the tri-oval, 2 degrees on the back stretch, and 33 degrees on the turns.

Track Records: While Brickhouse won the first race, Dale Earnhardt won the most at this track in the heart of the deep South. ”The Intimidator” won 10 races at Talladega. The “Pole King” here is Bill Elliott. “Awesome Bill from Dawsonville” has captured 8 poles, including  the fastest qualifying speed ever in NASCAR Cup competition, a blistering 212.809 m.p.h., making a lap time of 44.998 seconds. Mark Martin ran the fastest race in 1997, running a time of 2 hours, 39 minutes, and 18 seconds, his average speed was 188.354 m.p.h. “Mr. September,” Harry Gant, is the oldest Talladega winner- he won just 3 months after his 51st birthday in 1991. The youngest? Bobby Hillin Jr. was 22 when he won at the Alabama track in 1986. The record for the most cautions is 11- in April of 2004. No cautions waved 3 times, the most recent in October of 2002.

Some races are races, some races are events. Talladega is a NASCAR event. Talladega’s race may not occur on or near a holiday, and it may not be the “Superbowl of NASCAR” like Daytona, and it’s not the first or last race of the season- but it’s still a big deal. Dale Earnhardt Jr., a 5-time winner at Talladega, likens the infield to Mardi Gras, and from the images I’ve seen, I’d just say this may not be a race i’d take my kids to. The fact that fans threw beer cans (some full, some not) at winner Jeff Gordon this time last year says a great deal for the condition of a lot of fans by Sunday evening when it all ends. Talladega is also home to some of the most famous crashes of all time- Elliott Sadler’s spectacular wreck a few seasons back stands out. The speeds reached are just outrageous, and Elliott’s qualifying run was one of the reasons why restrictor plates were introduced to tracks like Talladega to slow things down.

Talladega may very well be the “House of Earnhardt.” Between Cup and Nationwide racing Dale and Dale Jr. have won 17 races.

This track is a “House of Champions” and a “House of Wild Cards.” Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart boast the best driver ratings here among active drivers. This place also represents the place where Brian Vickers has his only Cup win, as well as Bobby Hillin, Richard Brickhouse, and Phil Parsons- plus Michael Waltrip, Sterling Marlin, Dave Marcis and Bobby Hamilton picked up rare career wins here as well.

With speed being the word of the day, I expect that the extra power the Toyota engines have will help Joe Gibbs, Red Bull, Bill Davis and Michael Waltrip make things interesting. By the same token- Chevy’s have dominated at Talladega, thanks to the Earnhardts, 6- time winner Jeff Gordon, Ernie Irvan, and Marlin among others. This bodes well for Richard Childress and HMS- the premier bow tie teams. Don’t count the Dodges out- Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman looked great in practice today- as did Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne.

Last fall’s CoT race at Talladega was a bit of a bore as it seemed racers were reluctant to let it all hang it out in the middle of Chase, but let’s see how it goes Sunday. With extra cockpit time comes greater boldness, so let’s hope for a better race this time.

Drafting will be a factor here. “Smoke” has finished 2nd 6 times at Talladega. It’s his opinion that this a place where a driver needs help in the draft to win. One thing for sure the design of the new car does allow for better bumper-to-tail contact. Stewart says this race will be a “chess match.” He says he’s better at checkers.

Due to scheduling constraints, there will be no “NASCAR Terminology” in this weeks edition. Look for that to return next week.

I gotta run. Late tomorrow night, I will give you my “Fearless Forecast” for Sunday.

Happy racing!

 

NASCAR Stocks: Who’s Contending? Who’s Pretending?

We’re coming off a Sunday break from Cup racing, so there’s no real sense in attempting to update the power poll going into Talladega. However- this break in the action allows us to assess how the field is shaping. In fact, I’ll go as far as to say how I think is contending and who is pretending.

The Gladiators: The personalities and nameplates differ, but here’s what I think ALL of the front runners have in common: they’ve got a fire in their belly and an iron will to make victory lane. Right now- I’ve got to think the most serious Cup contenders are: Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. You have to love the diversity- we have a Toyota, a Ford and two Chevy guys. You’ve got the personable Edwards, the business-like Johnson, the bad boy Busch, and the popular Earnhardt. These guys have demonstrated the total package- equipment, funding, skill and passion.

Ready to pounce. There’s a second group of drivers close behind that stand poised to capitalize on any mistake by the first group, and frankly they’re no less contenders. Jeff Burton, Tony Stewart, and Denny Hamlin are all right there- and Burton and Hamlin havewins to boot. Stewart is a notorious second half runner, Burton is a savvy driver (and also solid first-half guy) and Hamlin has charged hard as of late.  

Still on the lead lap: Just a little further back are guys who shouldn’t be counted out, because they know how to win and they’re due for some good luck. Kasey Kahne, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, and Kevin Harvick need to put something together and they have the teams to do it.

Lucky dogs: These guys could all make runs and make it interesting. At times, they’ve all looked very promising but can’t seem to close the deal. Martin Truex Jr., David Ragan, Kurt Busch, Jamie Mc Murray and maybe even Bobby Labonte or Brian Vickers still have a small chance. I never really imagined the elder Busch on the outside looking in, but he’s been invisible since Daytona. Mc Murray and Ragan look determined in the chase not to be cut by Jack Roush, Ragan may have more upside. Tuex may break the top 12 yet. Sentimentally, I’d love to see Labonte get in, but there are doubts about the equipment he’s got.

So there you are- there’s 18 drivers who are at least somewhat in the mix. The field may be even deeper than that if Juan Pablo Montoya, Elliott Sadler and Paul Menard can put something together.

What you have is a season with more twists and turns so far than Watkins Glen. Here’s hoping we still have something to talk about by the final turn.

 

NASCAR Stocks: Moving Up, Going Down (Top 10 Drivers)

If the top driver rankings were a race it would look like this: there’s a pack of drivers shifting spots like a draft pack on a super speedway. While they shift a little, it’s still the same group of guys. Then there’s a driver in between packs, followed by another group of drivers fading back, but ahead of the rest of the field.

As we make our way deeper in to Turn One of the 2008 season, we may be able to identify trends that will set the stage for the remainder of the season. A driver can always zig-zag his way from the back a la Dale Earnhardt, but I think we have a pretty good idea who the top contenders are.

Here’s how my Top 10 shapes up this week:

#10- Greg Biffle (down from 9th)- I must admit that I’m surprised to re-discover that Biffle finished 9th at Phoenix. That has to be about the quietest top 10 there is. You may take out of this that the Vancouver, Washington native is still very solid, but there are others moving past him. Still, Biff is having a much better season than 2008 as he and his Roush teammates log one solid finish after another. He may not be a front-runner right now, but he’s looking like a Jeff Burton-type, hanging around, in position to win should somebody up front mess up.

#9- Kevin Harvick (down from 8th)- After a run of 4 top 10s and a 2nd place finish at Bristol, “Happy” hasn’t been so joyful over the last 3 events. His 19th place in the Subway Fresh Fit 500 is once again testament to his ability to overcome challenges, but Harvick’s got a group ahead of him getting better results.

#8- Clint Bowyer (up from 10th)- Bowyer snuck his way up front to a 2nd place finish Saturday- his 5th straight Top 10, and the closest the Kansan has come to victory lane in 2008. His recent average finish over the last 5 races of 6.2 is quite impressive and gives one the impression he may kick the door down soon.

#7- Tony Stewart (down from 4th)- Though the 3 place drop may seem dramatic, the fact is “Smoke” is just getting warmed up for his second half run. After the Atlanta debacle, Stewart has put forward a yeoman’s effort with an average finish of 8th over the last 5 races. Nothing to get real excited about, but 7th is still a very good place to be at this juncture of the season.

#6- Kyle Busch (down from 3rd)- Joe Gibbs’ newest addition hasn’t quite attained the same lofty results he’s had in the other series, as “Shrub” is fighting off a bit of inconsistency. He can be great one race, and pretty ordinary by Busch standards the next. By the same token, I’m sure there are 50 other NASCAR drivers who’d love to be 2nd in the point standings.

#5- Dale Earnhardt Jr. (no change)- I was just sure “Junebug” had a win in the bag Saturday. Earnhardt led for 87 laps before giving way to Mark Martin, and eventual winner Jimmie Johnson. Junior hasn’t closed the deal yet, but Talladega is in his “wheelhouse”, so look for #88 to keep building on a good start in 2008.

#4- Denny Hamlin (up from 6th)- I really like what Hamlin is doing right now. He’s reminding me why there was so much hype over he and Clint Bowyer at the beginning of 2006. Denny has 3 top 5s in a row, including the win at Martinsville. So….who thought #11 would be Joe Gibbs hottest driver at this point in the season? Hey- don’t lie to me! I’ll watch with interest how he handles the high speeds and wide open racing at Talladega.

#3- Carl Edwards (down from #2)- He may have never led at Phoenix, but he fought his to 4th, another nice finish after the 42nd place debacle at Atlanta. If not for the 100 point penakty resulting from the loose oil tank lid at Las Vegas, 2008’s leader in wins would be 2nd in points.

#2- Jimmie Johnson (up from 7th)- Johnson’s performance is becoming too difficult to ignore. While a “3-peat” may be asking too much of ANY driver, no matter how GOOD he is, there can be no question that the Lowe’s/Kobalt Chevrolet will be a factor. In fact, I’ll go as far as to predict that the final top five (not necessarily in order) will be Johnson, Edwards, Earnhardt, Kyle Busch and Tony Stewart.

#1- Jeff Burton (no change)- I came very close to giving this spot to Johnson, BUT you have to give J.B. props for being the most consistent driver of 2008. This is what sets Burton apart from upstarts like Edwards and Busch, who may be more spectacular. The 40-year-old just doesn’t drive himself into trouble. that can work two ways though, and if the aforementioned youngsters keep piling up the wins, Burton will eventually fade.

Ready to Strike: Martin Truex, Kasey Kahne, Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman are all poised to move up. Truexmay be the guy to really watch in this mix with some good recent runs. Kahne, Newman and Kenseth have been snake bit of late. But as Frankie Stallone used to sing “I am down, but far from over.” (Pop culture reference of the day). 

We may have had some races that haven’t been that thrilling, but you must admit- there’s a lot more suspense in the driver’s standings than we’ve had in some time. You can’t get around the fact that the drivers at Roush, Childress, Hendrick and Gibbs are head and shoulders above the rest, but I still see Penske, Evernham and maybe even Ganassi, or Red Bull or perhaps even Michael Waltrip pulling off wins in 2008.