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Jimmie Johnson wins the Sprint All-Star race.....again
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 19, 2013
Five-time is now four-time when it comes to the Sprint All-Star race. Coming into Saturday night’s race, Johnson was tied with Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt for most wins in the annual event with three wins. Johnson bided his time, restarted the last segment in the second spot, dueled Kasey Kahne for two laps to secure the lead and pulled away to a convincing win. Joey Logano started the last segment in the seventh position, took advantage of a slip up by Kyle Busch on the start of the final segment, and ultimately came home in the runner-up spot. Kyle Busch rebounded from his slip up to muscle his way back to third. Kahne started the final segment on the pole but couldn’t hold off Johnson on the first few laps of the restart and ended up fourth. Kurt Busch won two segments, was the first on pit road for the money pit stop, but finished the event in fifth place. Jimmie Johnson summed up his results in two words, “we’re lucky”. It was tongue in cheek but Johnson was poking fun at the people who continue to accuse the No. 48 of preferential treatment, fixed races, and a blind eye to cheating. Johnson has one of the highest winning percentages in NASCAR history and it comes from natural talent and chemistry with his crew. This race also now ties Johnson with Davey Allison as the only two drivers to win the race in back-to-back years. Logano and Busch visited with the media after the race to speak about their runs. Logano was understandably upbeat about his second while Busch was quite dejected, having another All-Star race slip out of his grasp. Kahne spoke about the elephant in the room that is the length of the segments in the race during his post race availability on pit road. He noted that the inherent problem with the format is that the car is designed with downforce, on a track that is cool and has a bunch of grip. The only way to make the races exciting after the first couple of laps of racing would be to extend the segments to the The first 20 lap segment was won by Kurt Busch. Segment two went to his brother Kyle. That segment win allowed Bruton Smith to breathe more easily since he put up a $1,000,000 bonus to anyone who won all four of the segments. Segment three also went to the younger Busch, while the fourth segment win was tallied in brother Kurt’ s account.
Kyle Busch wins the North Carolina Education Lottery 200
posted by Mike Neff
Friday May 17, 2013
‘Rowdy’ Busch was back in his familiar No. 51 truck at his favorite track on the Truck schedule. Busch led 80 laps and thought he should have led more but had a fuel issue on pit road that resulted in him having to battle back through the field. The race was slowed by eight cautions that helped him work his way back through the field. Busch beat Brendan Gaughan to the finish by .488 seconds, while Max Gresham chased them both to the line for his first top three finish of his Truck career. Matt Crafton came home in fourth place after having to battle through a couple of tire mishaps during the event. Ty Dillon rounded out the top 5 for his first finish that high this season. Busch led the race three times for his 80 laps. Miguel Paludo was second on the laps led board with 33. Gaughan, Gresham and Dillon also scored bonus points for leading laps. There were two cautions in the first 72 laps of the race while 29 of the last 62 laps were completed under the yellow flag. Jeb Burton started the race on the pole but did not lead a lap. He did however end the race as the Rookie of the Race for his 13th place finish. Matt Crafton leads Burton by 22 points in the season standings after five races this season.
Matt Kenseth Snatches Victory from the Jaws of Defeat at Darlington
posted by Mike Neff
Sunday May 12, 2013
Kyle Busch appeared to be headed for another weekend sweep after winning the Nationwide race at Darlington on Friday night. However, a funny thing happened as they were bringing out the dustpan. Matt Kenseth chased down the dominant car of the night, passed him with relative ease and then strolled away to a 3.165 second victory. Kenseth led the final 13 laps after Busch had held the point for 265 of the 354 laps leading up to Kenseth’s race winning pass. After Kenseth worked around Busch, the No. 18 slid rapidly backwards over the final eight laps to fall from second to sixth place. Joe Gibbs Racing did manage a 1-2 finish after sweeping the podium in Friday night’s Nationwide tilt. Denny Hamlin, in his first full race back in the car since his vertebrae fracture at California, soldiered through the pain of his arms, neck and shoulders more than his recovered back to wrestle a second place finish away from the Lady in Black. Coming home in third was Jeff Gordon, who turned his 700th career start into a top 3 finish. Jimmie Johnson and Kevin Harvick rounded out the top 5 in the Bojangles Southern 500. Kurt Busch started the race on the pole and led the first 51 laps before coming to the pits for a green flag stop. After the stops cycled through Busch was back at the point for 18 more laps before his brother began his domination. The race went green for the first 302 laps save a seven lap caution stint from lap 125 to lap 131. The final 65 laps saw four more cautions that flew for accidents involving Regan Smith, Brad Keselowski, Casey Mears, Kurt Busch, Josh Wise, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne. The race saw four leaders including Jeff Gordon in addition to the Busch brothers and Kenseth. The win is Kenseth’s 27th of his career and breaks a tie between himself and his teammate Kyle Busch. The win is Kenseth’s third this season which is the most among all of the competitors in the Cup series. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was the Rookie of the Race. Jeff Gordon’s top 5 finish was his 300th of his career. He joins Richard Petty, David Pearson and Bobby Allison as the only four drivers in the history of the sport to accomplish such a feat.
Busch Dominates at Darlington as JGR Sets Nationwide Series Record
posted by Amy Henderson
Friday May 10, 2013
Kyle Busch dominated the VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 on Friday night en route to his 56th career Nationwide Series victory and fifth series win of 2013. Joe Gibbs Racing in general was the class of the field all night at Darlington Raceway, claiming four of the top 5 finishing spots, with only fourth-place Joey Logano keeping them from sweeping the top four spots. It was a historic night for JGR, as no team has ever before placed four cars in the top 5. Elliott Sadler finished second to Busch and Brian Vickers third, with Logano and Matt Kenseth rounding out the top 5. Busch led 107 of 147 laps on the way to the win. Sadler was the best among the Nationwide Regulars, finishing second despite an early spin in Turn 2, and gained points on leader Regan Smith, who finished seventh. Kyle Larson continued to impress at the Lady in Black, posting a sixth-place finish in his first Darlington start as he runs for rookie honors. Sam Hornish, Jr., who remained second in points, finished eighth while Kasey Kahne and Justin Allgaier filled the top 10. Smith now leads Nationwide Series points by 28 over Hornish. Sadler jumps two spots to third on his second-place run as Justin Allgaier fell one place to fourth. Vickers gained three sports and is now fifth, 49 behind Smith. Austin Dillon, Parker Kligerman, Brian Scott, Alex Bowman, and Kyle Larson round out the top 10.
Joe Gibbs Racing Penalties Reduced Following Appeal
posted by Summer Bedgood
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Joe Gibbs Racing had many of their penalties for the No. 20 team reduced during the appeal process on Wednesday. Driver Matt Kenseth and owner Joe Gibbs had their points penalties reduced from 50 to 12 points. Crew chief Jason Ratcliff’s suspension has also been dropped from seven races to one, though he will still be forced to pay the $200,000 fine. Not all of the penalties were reduced, however. Toyota Racing’s manufacturer points penalty was increased from five points to seven. All other penalties were dropped, including the suspension of Joe Gibbs’ owners license, the loss of bonus points for the Chase earned at Kansas Speedway, and the loss of eligibility into the Sprint Unlimited garnered from the pole at Kansas Speedway. JGR has accepted the penalties and will not appeal further. Following a dominant win at Kansas Speedway a few weeks ago, Kenseth’s car failed post-race inspection when it was found that a connecting rod was 2.7 grams below the minimum weight. Toyota Racing Development accepted the blame for the incident. The reduction moves Kenseth up to fourth in points, 66 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson. JGR has not announced who will replace Ratcliff this weekend in Darlington. The appeal was heard by Mark Arute, Dennis McGlynn, and Jack Housby. NASCAR cannot appeal the revised penalties.
Penske Has Suspensions Reduced On Appeal
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 8, 2013
Roger Penske’s team got some relief Tuesday from NASCAR’s Chief Appellate Officer John Middlebrook, as he chose to reduce penalties assessed to that organization at Texas Motor Speedway in early April. Middlebrook, after hearing the evidence from both sides Tuesday chose to reduce all suspensions in the case from six to two weeks, plus NASCAR’s All-Star Race on May 18th. That means the final consequences for both teams are the following: No. 2 car No. 22 car Other Middlebrook’s official statement was short, simply stating, “After looking at all the facts, data, and interpretations from the rule book, I have decided to uphold the original fines and points penalties. However, I have decided to reduce the suspensions of the seven team members involved from six points races and the All-Star race to two points races and the All-Star Race.” However, it seemed both sides, after presenting their cases were far more pleased with how the case was handled during this portion of the appeal. “We were able to talk about areas we worked in,” said Roger Penske, referring to the “gray area” of the NASCAR rulebook officials ultimately felt stepped over the line. “I’m very happy with the outcome. This sport has been built on innovation. All of us have tried to innovate in areas not defined in the rulebook. We were in that area.” In conversations with the parties involved, it was clear the controversy surrounded parts designed to increase the rear-end angle at the back of both cars. In past years, with innovation limited through the Car of Tomorrow templates teams have played around with suspension systems designed to make the rear end of the car easier to “move.” The more the car skews in the corner, the easier it can be to handle and gain extra speed. However, NASCAR had made rules designed to curb those types of innovations this year and made the determination Penske parts to build the rear suspension were unapproved. Why they had gone undetected in previous inspections was never addressed, along with claims someone else in the garage had alerted officials to possible inappropriate car construction. One thing Penske did admit, though is had this decision been issued by the initial appeals panel, he would not have pressed his luck with Middlebrook. “All of us,” he said. “Have lost points for certain infractions over the years. The key thing is to have people back at the racetrack operating in full control.” The end results leave Logano 18th in points, 146 behind championship leader Jimmie Johnson and 43 outside a Chase position. Keselowski is far more stable; fifth in points, he’s 69 behind and 45 ahead of 11th-place Matt Kenseth. Neither of the Penske cars have won a race this season. “Moved on from last few weeks,” Keselowski tweeted Wednesday morning. “And ready to focus on @TooToughToTame (Darlington Raceway).” The next round of NASCAR penalty appeals, focusing on Joe Gibbs Racing and Matt Kenseth will be heard on Wednesday morning. Connect with Tom!
Penske Racing LOSES Penalty Case, Will Appeal To NSCRC John Middlebrook
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday May 1, 2013
A three-member panel Wednesday unanimously upheld penalties assessed to Penske Racing after pre-race inspection at Texas Motor Speedway. Comprised of Pocono President Brandon Igdalsky, Bowman-Gray President Dale Pinilis and former NASCAR VP Paul Brooks, the trio determined the sanctioning body’s evidence was enough to “convict” Penske to the tune of points lost, suspensions given and $200,000 in fines. Roger Penske, in response has pledged to send a final appeal to National Stock Car Racing Commissioner John Middlebrook. That hearing will occur Tuesday, May 7th at NASCAR’s Research and Development Center. Here’s a quick list of what penalties are pending (everything but the points deductions will be deferred, pending Middlebrook’s approval until after the final appeal): No. 2 team No. 22 team Both teams NASCAR’s representation included Sprint Cup Director John Darby but not Vice President Robin Pemberton, who was whisked away to Florida on jury duty. Owner Roger Penske was in attendance to defend the allegations along with Team Manager Travis Geisler, Tim Cindric, Walt Czarnecki, Joey Logano’s crew chief Todd Gordon along with several other key principles. UPDATE: The National Stock Car Racing Commission issued a brief statement, reviewing the penalties and then explaining the following. “Upon hearing the testimony and carefully reviewing the facts, it was a unanimous decision by the National Stock Car Racing Appeals Panel to uphold the original penalties assessed by NASCAR.” “The Appellants have the right under Section 15 of the rule book to appeal this decision to the National Stock Car Racing Chief Appellate Officer.” Connect with Tom!
Kyle Busch Wins Denny Hamlin Short Track Showdown
posted by Thomas Bowles
Friday April 26, 2013
Who says Joe Gibbs Racing teammates don’t get along? Kyle Busch is certainly receiving gifts, from Denny Hamlin in the form of shiny trophies from winning the latter’s annual charity event. Rowdy was romping through the field again at Richmond Thursday night, taking control at the race’s midpoint and cruising during the latter stages to win the Showdown for the third time in the past six years. In a race that benefits the Denny Hamlin Foundation, created to help those with cystic fibrosis Busch had his late model hitting on all cyilnders down the stretch. Pulling away from fellow Cup driver David Ragan, in the final segment of the 75-lap race the outcome was simply never in doubt following a 5-minute break for pit stops prior to Lap 47. Ben Rhodes, Ronnie Bassett, Jr., and Garrett Campbell rounded out the top-5 finishers. Other Cup drivers, including defending race champion Tony Stewart were in the field but never a factor up front. Smoke, actually extending his slumping start to 2013 into this race got wrecked before the halfway point and wound up 28th. Matt Kenseth, still distraught after a midweek penalty virtually negated his win at Kansas was never truly competitive, either; he finished 22nd. Also on Thursday night, African-American driver Ryan Gifford won the first K&N Pro Series East race of his young career. Surviving a five-lap shootout, following a red flag he cruised home over Brandon Gdovic. Connect with Tom!
Matt Kenseth, Joe Gibbs Racing, Toyota Penalized As Engine Fails Kansas Post-Race Inspection
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Until the end of time, Matt Kenseth can say he crossed the finish line first at Kansas Sunday. NASCAR Record Books will say the same. But after a harsh series of penalties announced on Wednesday, should they stand that’s about the only thing Kenseth can hang his hat on after a successful weekend turned sour. According to multiple reports, officials at the NASCAR R & D Center in North Carolina discovered a connecting rod on Kenseth’s engine, brought in for Kansas post-race inspection weighed three grams less than the minimum weight of 525g. The consequences, announced today are crippling for both driver and team. Kenseth, along with car owner Joe Gibbs have been docked 50 driver and owner points, actually reducing their overall totals heading into Kansas even though the No. 20 car won the race. That lost chunk of points drops Kenseth from eighth to 14th in the standings. More importantly, the win “won’t count” for either bonus points in the Chase or determine postseason eligibility; that means the driver, now in “Wild Card” position is considered to have one win so far this season instead of two. That’s just the tip of the iceberg on these consequences. Crew chief Jason Radcliffe, fined $200,000 based on the infraction has also been suspended for the next six Sprint Cup points events, along with the All-Star Race. Toyota, whose TRD engine department ultimately supplies the JGR powerplants has had five points deducted from its total in the manufacturer’s championship. And finally, Joe Gibbs himself, already docked 50 owner points has had his license suspended by NASCAR, which means he’s ineligible to accrue owner points for the No. 20 until the next six Sprint Cup Series points races are completed. Gibbs, NASCAR has clarified will still be able to travel to the racetrack despite a suspended license. In a tersely worded statement, the owner says he’ll appeal the ruling, which violated three parts of the series rulebook. The one most pertinent is Section 20-5.5.3(E) which states only magnetic steel connecting rods, with a minimum weight of 525.0 grams will be permitted. Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing) and 12-4J, which gives officials the right to penalize for parts they claim do not conform to NASCAR rules were also cited in the sport’s official release. Toyota Racing Development’s Lee White, in a statement released early this afternoon took responsibility for the violation. During NASCAR’s routine post-race tear down of Matt Kenseth’s race-winning car and engine from Kansas Speedway,” he stated, “One of our engine connecting rods weighed in approximately three grams under the legal minimum weight of 525 grams. None of the other seven connecting rods were found to be under the minimum weight. We take full responsibility for this issue with the engine used by the No. 20 Joe Gibbs Racing (JGR) team this past Sunday in Kansas — JGR is not involved in the process of selecting parts or assembling the Cup Series engines. It was a simple oversight on TRD’s part and there was no intent to deceive, or to gain any type of competitive advantage. Toyota is a company that was built on integrity, and that remains one of the guiding principles of the company. The goal of TRD has always been — and will continue to be — to build high-performance engines that are reliable, durable and powerful, and within the guidelines established by NASCAR.” Kenseth, who has led 482 laps this season, two higher than his total last year has been one of the strongest competitiors on the Sprint Cup track in 2013. His engines have also passed several previous inspections.
Johnny Sauter Penalized For Fuel Cell Infraction At Kansas
posted by Thomas Bowles
Wednesday April 24, 2013
Thorsport Racing, along with former Truck Series point leader Johnny Sauter are reeling this Wednesday after a major penalty involving their No. 98 Toyota. On Wednesday, NASCAR announced the team was fined $10,000, crew chief Joel Shear has been suspended for four races and 25 owner points were taken away as a result of a faulty fuel cell, confiscated during pre-race inspection at Kansas. Driver Sauter was also hit was a loss of 25 points, completely reshaping the championship Chase heading into the next race of the season at Charlotte May 17th. According to NASCAR officials, the team violated multiple sections of the rulebook. The key ones involve Section 20B-16 and 20B-16.1B, regarding the proper size and functioning of fuel cells. “Once a fuel cell or fuel cell components have been certified,” the rules say, “Modifications of any kind will not be permitted.” The 16.1B portion refers to black safety foam, with a minimum height of eight inches that must be used as a safety mechanism when putting together the fuel cell itself. By violating that rule, NASCAR is insinuating the team modified or enhanced the cell in some way by cutting back / replacing that foam. Section 12-1, actions detrimental to stock car racing was also listed as a rules violation along with 12-4K, which gives NASCAR Officials the leeway to penalize teams when they feel previously legal equipment was modified, in any manner after being initially inspected. Thorsport, as of yet has not said whether they plan to appeal. The penalties mean Matt Crafton becomes the new Truck Series point leader, by 13 over Jeb Burton while Sauter gets pushed back into a tie for second place. |
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Cami Starr and Mike Neff · Wednesday April 18, 2007
Sunday's race at Texas was a disaster for many fantasy players as big names like Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, Kevin Harvick, and Kyle Busch all appeared at the bottom of the results page following the Samsung 500. Still, along with those disasters came plenty of the sport’s other top drivers pulling through with solid finishes, giving those lucky enough to pick a driver named Jeff or owned by Roush a chance to salvage a decent week. The quality of the carnage shows the underlying problem with any fantasy prediction; all the stats in the world can turn into a pile of mush when Lady Luck decides to go from a smile to a frown.
As the series leaves Tornado Alley for the Valley of the Sun and you try and rebuild from the wreckage left behind, what drivers should have a good finish waiting for them just over the horizon? Let's find out in this week's Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans:
Cami's Race Rewind:
Kevin Harvick used a strong fuel mileage strategy to complete the weekend sweep at Phoenix last season. Harvick ended his 39-race winless streak when he passed Greg Biffle with 10 laps to go in the 2006 Subway Fresh 500. Biffle dominated the race, but needed to conserve fuel late in the going and couldn't challenge Harvick for the lead. In the end, there wasn't much Biffle could have done anyway; he ran out of gas just two laps shy from the end of the race. Tony Stewart finished second after coming from the back of the field following a mixup with the set of tires he qualified with. Roush Fords claimed the next two positions, with Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards coming in just ahead of rookie Clint Bowyer, who finished fifth. Kyle Busch won the pole for the race, but that was the end to his good fortune. On lap 100, Busch was caught up in two wrecks. The first happened when Busch made contact with Casey Mears and went spinning into the wall. Then, an angry Busch chased down Mears and spun him again, earning him a five lap penalty from NASCAR.
Mike's Keys to the Race:
Phoenix is a flat track that has two unique corners and a dogleg in the backstretch. The corners are flat, but the radius of turns one and two are far greater than the radius of turns three and four. There is no way to really get a car to work perfectly at both ends of the track, so teams are forced to make a compromise on one end or the other. As a result, the track generally lends itself to drivers talented at getting the most out of a car that doesn't handle perfectly. If you’re looking more at teams rather than drivers, look for the ones that have success on other flat tracks throughout the circuit: that would be RCR, Hendrick, Joe Gibbs Racing, and D.E.I.
Mike's Picks:
Crank ‘Em Up:
Jeff Burton has had quite a bit of success at Phoenix in the past. He has won at the track twice and accumulated eight Top 10s; in fact, Burton doesn’t have a finish outside the Top 15 since 1998. He will be riding the wave of momentum generated by the team's win last weekend, and RCR already has a good handle on making cars go fast at PIR as it is; teammate Kevin Harvick’s won the last two races at this facility. Expect Burton to have an outstanding weekend at Phoenix.
Tony Stewart one of the most talented drivers on the circuit, and Phoenix tends to be a track where the best drivers rise to the top and ultimately win the race. In fact, all but one of the Phoenix races since 2000 have gone to a driver who made the Chase in 2006. Stewart has been struggling of late, but this weekend should be an opportunity for the two-time champ to once again flex his muscle and put his car into Victory Lane.
Sit ‘Em Down:
Ryan Newman is still struggling to finish well on any type of track on the circuit. The Penske organization showed some promise last weekend with Kurt Busch, but the team’s still not showing the kind of success that they are used to. Don't expect Newman to right the ship this weekend. His average finish at PIR is 20.4, and he only has two Top 10 finishes in nine races. This is not the weekend to put Newman into your lineup.
Kevin Harvick has been struggling ever since his victory at the Daytona 500, finishing a lowly 29th at Texas. The No. 29 team has simply not been competitive since Las Vegas, and with their slump they’ve really lost any momentum generated at the beginning of the season. Although Harvick has had quite a bit of success at Phoenix, he is not looking like he is in a position to make a very strong run this weekend. It is purely a gut feeling, going against the stats, but leaving Harvick on the bench this weekend is probably a smart move.
Roll The Dice:
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has won at Phoenix in the past; he has five Top 10 finishes in nine career races, in fact, strong stats to go along with those two victories. The No. 8 team has been on the upswing since the first couple of races of the season; although they've had some bad luck that has cost them good finishes, they have been running near the front of the pack for most of the past month. Expect them to have another strong run this weekend.
Cami's Picks:
Crank ‘Em Up:
Despite leading the points, this year has been frustrating for Jeff Gordon; often this season, he has come close to winning, only to be shut out of Victory Lane at the end of the day. Phoenix is another track where Gordon has yet to win at in his career, but it's a track where he’s run well. He leads the series with an average finish of 6.5 and no finish lower than 12th in the past eleven races held there. Phoenix is the third race with the CoT, and in the first two races, Gordon scored Top 5 finishes; look for the Rainbow Warrior to go three for three this weekend.
After suffering through most of 2006, Carl Edwards seems to have turned things around in 2007. In the past five races, Edwards has jumped from 26th to 8th in the standings thanks to consistent finishes and two Top 10s. He was good at Bristol and Martinsville earlier this year and at Phoenix, he has finished in the Top 10 in the past four races. Edwards may be under some people's radar right now, but he is someone to take a serious look at for this weekend.
Sit ‘Em Down:
Following a decent start to the season, things have taken a downturn for Robby Gordon. In the last three races, he hasn't finished better than 24th, and in the two earlier Car of Tomorrow races, couldn't muster more than 33rd. Looking at his past results at Phoenix, it doesn't look like a turnaround is on the horizon. In the Valley of the Sun, Gordon has two Top 10 finishes, but that is more the exception than the norm. In the other six races he's run, he has just one finish in the Top 30, giving him an average finish of 27.4. My advice… wait until the road course races to contemplate using Gordon.
J.J. Yeley has made good progress this season, but I still wouldn't bank on a great finish from him this weekend at Phoenix. His two CoT races produced finishes of 36th and 23rd, finishes that are similar to his performances at Phoenix in the past. In his rookie season, he ran 28th and 20th in his two Phoenix starts, which doesn't give you much incentive to take a chance on him this week.
Roll the Dice:
Kurt Busch and Phoenix will forever be locked together following his off-track issues there in November of 2005. This weekend, Busch hopes to put that behind him with a good finish, and I think he has a good chance of doing just that. Busch won here in the spring race of 2005, and has five Top 10 finishes at PIR in eight career starts. He rebounded from a poor finish at Bristol to finish 12th in the second CoT race at Martinsville, showing Penske has a handle on these new Dodge Avenger. Mix those two thoughts together, and I think you have the recipe for a decent run by this team Saturday night.
Trash Talk:
Mike: So, you think Jeff Gordon is going to continue his string of Top 5 finishes that he’s been laying down?
Cami: Well, he was good in the two earlier Car of Tomorrow races, and despite not winning at Phoenix, he has been good there, too. So yeah, I feel pretty safe with that pick.
Mike: I think you are. Hendrick is one of the teams that seem to have the CoT figured out. Cousin Carl, on the other hand, might be a stretch. I don’t think Roush has much of a handle on the CoT yet. They’re decent, but not dominant like Hendrick and RCR.
Cami: Well, Carl jumped out at me for some reason. He’s been running pretty decent in the last four races and has had some good success at Phoenix. I see you’re expecting the same results out of Burton that I am from Gordon.
Mike: Yeah, I think Burton is going to be riding the wave from his win, and he’s never been out of the Top 15 at Phoenix since 1998.
Cami: Jimmie Johnson has never been lower at 15th there, either, but I see we both stayed away from him.
Mike: Oh, he was a definite consideration, but I think Stewart and Burton are going to have the cars to beat this weekend. Although I think Junior will give them a run, too.
Cami: You might have something there with Junior. He also ran well at Bristol and Martinsville. Plus he needs to bounce back after Texas. Heck, I need to bounce back after Texas. What a crappy fantasy week with all those good guys crashing out.
Mike: Tell me about it. Junior was looking very strong for me before Kyle had all of that trouble finding the brake pedal.
Cami: But at least you pulled through with Martin. Do me a favor though, when I decide to pick Mears… just slap me! Because obviously I hadn’t learned my lesson from the first go round.
Mike: Hahaha, tell me about it. I keep hoping you pick him every week. He’s probably the single biggest reason I am whooping you this season.
Cami: I’ve got a big post-it note on my computer to not pick him again.
Mike: Speaking of being whooped, I am surprised you're sitting Robby Gordon. I actually think he’ll have a good run this weekend. I don’t know why; just a hunch.
Cami: Look at what he did at the previous two Car of Tomorrow races; 33rd and 34th, plus he has an average finish there of 27th. I’ll go with the stats on that one.
Mike: Oh, I agree that stats back it up; I’m just saying I have a gut feeling. And I have a big gut, so that’s a big feeling.
Cami: I guess we’ll just have to see how it pans out.
Scorecard
Season Averages:
Cami:
Crank ‘Em Up- 16.7
Sit ‘Em down- 21.1
Roll The Dice- 22.6
Mike:
Crank ‘Em Up- 13.6
Sit ‘Em Down- 24.8
Roll The Dice- 21.4
Thursday on the Frontstretch:
NASCAR Mailbox: Hall of Fame Anomalies, Career Shifts, and High Expectations
Going The Distance: Fantasy Picks For The Coca-Cola 600
The Indianapolis 500 History Lesson, Part II
Tech Talk: Jason Ratcliff Looks Back On Suspension, Moves Forward To 600
Truckin’ Thursdays: Off Week Observations
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