Earnhardt Rigged This Roulette Wheel – Fantasy Insight Talladega 1

May 1, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Dale Earnhardt, JR

Every time the NASCAR Sprint Cup circus heads to Talladega Superspeedway we hear about how this race is a crap shoot, a flip of the coin or a spin of the old roulette wheel. People make this sound so unpredictable.

Oh sure, there are big crashes that sometimes take out the top guys and let a longshot win the race. But for every longshot winner there is a solid pick. If this race was such a crap shoot or a spin of the roulette wheel how did Dale Earnhardt win ten times? How did Dale Jr win four in a row? Maybe the Earnhardt family rigged this roulette wheel.

One thing that has made this race a little more unpredictable this year is the unknown over whether the two-car push will work at all here. Earlier this season at Daytona the restrictive rules and a change to the front end of these Gen Six cars seemed to make the two-car tandem difficult to pull off for any length of time.

But this is Talladega where the transitions in the corners are not as severe. This is Talladega where the tires don’t wear as bad as Daytona. My gut feeling is that we will see pack racing until the closing laps and then we will see a few guys figure out how to make the two-car push work. But if tandem racing goes away we might see a return of Earnhardt dominance of this roulette wheel. (And since Lori Munro from Doin’ Donuts on RaceTalkRadio.com has picked Junior this week include him on your race team).

Good luck with your fantasy racing picks this week and don’t forget to send in your pick for “Whiteboard Fantasy Racing” this week for Talladega.

Send in your pick to win this week’s Cup race to dennis@racetalkradio.com for a chance to win a copy of the National Speedway Directory from SpeedwaysOnline.com.

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 Weather Report

Mostly Cloudy with a threat of showers, high temp in the upper 60s

If you have a question about Fantasy Racing send it to dennis@racetalkradio.com and get it answered next week.

 NASCAR by the Numbers

Using a proprietary race analysis technique we take the fans inside the numbers every week. DMIC’s rating system has been in use since 2002 and has proven to pick the contenders from the pretenders!

Consistency is King (Last Five Races)

Driver

Last 5

J Johnson

93

M Kenseth

92

C Edwards

91

K Kahne

91

R Smith

90

K Harvick

90

C Bowyer

89

A Almirola

89

Ky Busch

88

J Logano

87

 Horses for Courses (Track Rating)

Matt Kenseth

 

Driver

Course

C Bowyer

93

G Biffle

90

B Keselowski

90

M Kenseth

86

J Burton

86

J Gordon

86

M Truex

86

K Harvick

85

K Kahne

84

J Johnson

84

 Type Casting (Track Type Factor)

Driver

Type

M Kenseth

92

G Biffle

92

D Earnhardt Jr

90

B Keselowski

90

J Burton

89

R Newman

86

R Stenhouse Jr

86

Ky Busch

85

B Labonte

84

C Bowyer

84

Power Rating (240 Minimum to Qualify as Contender)

Driver

Power

M Kenseth

271

G Biffle

268

C Bowyer

267

B Keselowski

265

J Burton

259

K Kahne

259

D Earnhardt Jr

257

K Harvick

256

J Johnson

255

Ky Busch

255

J Gordon

254

P Menard

253

M Truex

253

R Smith

252

C Edwards

251

A Almirola

251

J Logano

251

R Newman

247

T Bayne

247

T Stewart

242

M Waltrip

240

R Stenhouse Jr

240

J McMurray

238

D Ragan

237

T Kvapil

236

D Reutimann

236

B Labonte

235

M Ambrose

234

D Gilliland

233

C Mears

231

Ku Busch

229

D Blaney

228

JP Montoya

226

D Patrick

225

D Stremme

213

DMIC’s Fantasy Picks presented by Speedwaysonline.com

Each week we will take you beyond the numbers to handicap the field from top to bottom to help your Fantasy Racing team succeed. You are also invited to join Lori Munro and I on “White Board Fantasy Racing” every Monday night on “Doin’ Donuts” at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com. Win fun prizes by picking just the race winners in our unique format. Send your picks to info@racetalkradio.com to enter.

Top Pick (Last Week Finished 2nd)

Kevin Harvick

Clint Bowyer- Much better luck at Dega than Daytona

(12 to 1 Odds)

 Best Long Shot (Odds of 20-1 or More) (Last Week Finished 38th)         

Jeff Burton- RCR factor and Burton is smart plate racer

(40 to 1 Odds)

Top Dogs (Group A in Yahoo) (Last Week Finished 12th)      

Kevin Harvick- Love those RCR cars here

(12 to 1 Odds)

Second Class (Group B in Yahoo) (Last Week Won Pole and Finished 24th)      

Dale Earnhardt Jr- If pack racing is back this could be Dale’s race to lose

(12 to 1 Odds)

Middle Packer (Group C in Yahoo) (Last Week Finished 16th)

Michael Waltrip- Came so close to winning here last season

(40 to 1 Odds)

Crazy 8s for Talladega

Each week Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen battle in the most unique racing game around! We pick one driver each from each 8 driver group using the current points’ standings. Our picks can help you round out your fantasy racing lineup!

Lori won 3-2 in week 9 and leads the game 7-2 for the year

Group 1: Lori picks Dale Earnhardt Jr and Dennis picks Clint Bowyer

Group 2: Dennis picks Kevin Harvick and Lori picks Matt Kenseth

Group 3: Lori picks Tony Stewart and Dennis picks Jeff Burton

Group 4: Dennis picks Denny Hamlin and Lori picks Danica Patrick

Group 5: Lori picks Michael Waltrip and Dennis picks Trevor Bayne

Do you have what it takes to handicap the races? Join Lori and Dennis every week and play in the Whiteboard Fantasy Racing Series! Send your pick for the Cup race to info@racetalkradio.com to enter. Weekly prize given away! 

Filed Under: Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

The 2013 Models Present Teams, And NASCAR, With Wealth Of New Challenges

December 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Matt Kenseth not only faces the challenge of competing in a new car, a Toyota, in 2013, he’s also the newest member of Joe Gibbs Racing.

In 2013 it will be sort of a clean slate for NASCAR. An entirely new fleet of car models will compete on the Sprint Cup circuit, the Toyota Camry, the Ford Fusion and the Chevrolet SS.

These cars are intended to be very fast, of course, while at the same bear a more similar appearance to their street counterparts – which, among other things, is intended to help fans more closely identify with each model.

Gone from NASCAR is Dodge, which, ironically, claimed the 2012 Manufacturers Championship with Penske Racing and driver Brad Keselowski.

That said, there is always uncertainty when teams adopt new car models. Changes and adaptations, some big and some small, are always present.

I might add that has been the case every time NASCAR has made any competitive alterations, be they in car models, engine displacement, aerodynamics, wheelbase size and so forth.

So it follows that the team, or teams, that make the quickest adaptations to the new cars, and the rules that come with them, will be the first to gain a competitive edge.

Boy, I have a great grasp for the obvious, don’t I?

But it is a fact.

We’ve seen it countless times. It happened as recently as the coming of the “Car Of Tomorrow” a few seasons ago.

That diabolically different car – which only vaguely resembled anything we saw on the street – had the vast majority of teams bamboozled.

They didn’t know what to do with it. They kept fooling around with various setups and things of the sort – which put some of them in hot water with NASCAR – until, slowly, a few began to solve the mystery.

It seemed one team, Hendrick Motorsports, found an advantage and for a period of time put a very competitive COT on the track.

But, as it almost always happens in NASCAR, its rivals caught up and were a competitive match.

Brad Keselowski (right) the 2012 champion, will drive Fords next season after Dodge’s pullout from NASCAR. He’ll also have a new teammate in Joey Logano.

Since that time teams have been, for the most part, relatively equal. Now I’m not saying one didn’t have an edge here and there because it did. But I do believe that where it did have an advantage, its rivals held sway elsewhere. So things were reasonably balanced.

I remember that when the COT was introduced I said it would be only a matter of weeks before the teams had it figured out.

Turns out it was a matter of months.

But I think there is ample evidence that, indeed, they did it. And I think they will also get the measure of the 2013 models. Uh, I think I’ll refrain from saying how long it may take.

As said, teams have always had to find a way to adjust to NASCAR changes, whatever they may be. But it’s highly likely that an entirely new car model, which we’ll see in 2013, is going to present a myriad of challenges.

NASCAR has already provided organizations opportunities to adjust, the latest being the test sessions at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Dec. 11-12.

So far teams have been very cautious. They have proceeded slowly and, to me, have tried to be very precise when it comes to analyzing the information they’ve gathered – and it hasn’t been all that much.

They will learn more during added test sessions scheduled into 2013.

For more than one team testing will provide clues to something beyond just a new car. Champion Keselowski, for example, will have to deal with an entirely new manufacturer.

So will Matt Kenseth. He’ll have a different manufacturer but, because he has ended his long tenure with Roush Fenway Racing, he will also have to amend to a new organization, Joe Gibbs Racing, and a new crew and crew chief.

Keselowski will race Fords in 2013. Kenseth will compete in a Toyota.

They are fully aware of the challenges.

“It’s hard to get a great read on the whole manufacturer change because, obviously, it’s a different car,” Keselowski said. “But I think all the signs are there that we have the potential to be just as strong, if not stronger, than we were last year, which is very, very encouraging. We still have to work for it and make it happen.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do. We’re only a half-a-day into two really important days, not only for Penske Racing but for the sport itself and, hopefully, we can
continue to show progress.”

Keselowski will have a new teammate in 2013 as Joey Logano moves over from Gibbs. That, too, will require adjustment.

Keselowski is confident.

“I think Joey has the ability to unload at a place and just instantly be fast and that’s not my style,” he said. “It’s something that I would like to add to my arsenal because there are times where that’s really, really helpful, so those are some of the things I look
at.”

As for Kenseth, the 2004 champion, he will readily admit that his adjustments are going to be obviously plentiful. They not only include a new car, but also an entirely new team.

“A lot of the guys have been around for a long time so I know who they are and I’ve spent a little time over at the shop,” he said. “I certainly don’t know them as good as I’m going to or want to and all of that.

“So, yeah, it was different. I’ve got to be honest, it was probably the first time I’ve been nervous in a race car – getting in there and going out for the first time – in as long as I can remember.”

As for that new car, a Toyota, Kenseth takes a cautious approach, as do many others.

“I don’t know what the rules are going to be for sure,” he said. “I don’t have any idea how much they’re going to change or not change. That’s more of a NASCAR call than ours.

“They haven’t really had us testing anything yet and so I’m not sure how different they will be when we come back.”

At this admittedly early point in the development of the 2013 cars, it is reasonable to say teams are not certain of what they have, or of what they many eventually have.

Some will find that sooner than others, for whatever reasons.

In time, these teams will be the ones to move to the forefront and gain a competitive edge.

But, if we look to the past, it doesn’t seem likely NASCAR will let them have it for very long.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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“U-Boat Captain” Matt Kenseth Won’t Alter His Goals This Season, Or Himself

July 5, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Matt Kenseth has announced that he will leave team owner Jack Roush after 14 seasons. With Roush, Kenseth has won 22 races and the 2003 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship.

I think there are a couple of conceptions, images if you will, that a lot of fans and media members share about Matt Kenseth.

He seems intelligent but rather quiet. He’s friendly but certainly not all that outgoing. He doesn’t make waves, carelessly call attention to himself or ignite controversies.

As a race car driver he’s a noted talent, a winner and a past champion. His style is not overly aggressive, something that has served others well and enhanced their reputations.

Oh, but Kenseth is most effective. For the most part he is cold and calculating. Many times during the course of a race he is practically invisible. Then, at the crucial finish he’s there; he’s a contender and sometimes he’s victorious.

He’s like a German U-boat in the North Atlantic during World War II. Allied ships didn’t hear or see it until it was too late.

Well, that might be stretching it a bit, metaphorically.

I’ve heard of a nickname given him – “The Silent Assassin.” Sounds like a B-movie, but hey, he might like it.

It will be a bit difficult for Kenseth to avoid attention, especially from the media, for the remainder of the season.

That’s because he’s a lame duck driver for a team that could win this year’s championship. He’s announced that he will end his 14-year relationship with Roush Fenway Racing and compete with a new team in 2013.

We don’t know which team it will be. Kenseth does.

That Kenseth is moving on is one of those very surprising splits that happen between star drivers and their winning teams.

They may be rare, but they most certainly happened: Petty departs Petty Enterprises, Darrell Waltrip leaves Junior Johnson and Associates, the vastly successful David Pearson-Wood Brothers association breaks down early in a season – and more.

I think one other reason that Kenseth’s exit announcement was so unexpected is that many of us thought he would be glued to Jack Roush’s hip for the remainder of his career.

Kenseth won this year's Daytona 500 and returns to the track for this year's Coke Zero 400 looking to be the first driver since 1982 to sweep both races at Daytona.

After all, the 40-year-old driver from Wisconsin stared his NASCAR career with Roush. Their association appeared rock solid – to some, a father-son thing – and it was certainly successful.

Kenseth won the 2003 championship in Roush Fords and earned 22 victories, including this year’s Daytona 500.

Back at Daytona for Saturday’s Coke Zero 400, Kenseth has a chance to become the first driver since Bobby Allison in 1982 to sweep both Daytona races in a single season.

But, assuredly, while he prepares for the race he’ll be asked questions about how it feels to race with a team he will depart.

Let’s get one thing straight. Even in a lame duck situation, Kenseth and Roush are going to race hard for victories and another championship.

Given that Kenseth is currently No. 1 in points, and has been for five weeks, to do any less would be foolish – no, make that stupid.

Even so, the situation has created changes, even if subtle ones.

“There are certain things that are a little awkward at Roush because you know you are not going to be there next year and they know that,” Kenseth said. “But I think you just work through that.

“Maybe it’s a little bit different walking in and talking to Jack or doing some of that other stuff, but, again, you just work through that.”

Kenseth agreed that he, and his team, could do no less than their best. The potential rewards are too great.

“We are going to go out and try to race as hard as we can to the end of the year,” Kenseth said. “We are going to try to, hopefully, win more races and have a shot at winning the championship.

“That’s what it has always been about and that’s what it is still all about.”

Kenseth will certainly be listed as a favorite for this weekend’s race because of his February victory and that, lately, Ford has seemed to exhibit newly found strength in restrictor-plate races. It has won the last three races at Daytona.

“You have to have fast cars and at Daytona, the cars seem to have more to do with your success than at some of the other tracks,” Kenseth said. “So you have got to have that at plate tracks.

“We’ve had that so far at plate races. Hopefully our car will run like it did the last two weeks and we’ll be fast enough to work out to the front and, hopefully, stay there.”

Kenseth knows that he is a bit more high profile now than at almost any other time in his past. And there are reasons for that: He’s this season’s Daytona 500 winner. He’s leading the point standings. And he’s leaving Roush.

Things like that tend to call attention to a driver.

“I honestly don’t know where to go with all that,” Kenseth said. “I didn’t know I was going to be any more high profile or low profile than I am today.

“I think we’ve had a pretty super year winning he 500 and I think I’ve had a pretty good run with Roush Fenway as well, so I don’t know what all that means.”

Even with success and the now-existing undercurrent of change, do not expect Kenseth to become a different man – or, for that matter, a different driver.

He’s been around – and been who he is – far too long for that to happen.

“I’m a different guy away from the track than at the track,” Kenseth said. “I’ve been here since 2000 and I’ve been the same guy ever since, so I think most people probably know who I am and who I’m not.

“I don’t think that’s going to change next year. I am not, all of a sudden, going to change after all these years.”

 

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Will The Champ Be The Winner Of An Earnhardt Jr.-Kenseth Battle?

June 22, 2012 By 8 Comments

With his victory in Michigan, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has solidified his position as a contender for the 2012 championship. In the point standings he trails rival Matt Kenseth by only four points.

As the NASCAR world celebrates – or in some cells maligns – Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s win in the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan International Speedway, there is quieter activity that is taking place amidst the hoopla of late.

Before Earnhardt Jr.’s win all eyes were on Hendrick Motorsports for its all-important 200th win. Jimmie Johnson pulled that off at Darlington before the All-Star break in May.

Next was the debate over when Kasey Kahne would score his first win for Hendrick. That came at Charlotte in the Coca Cola 600.

Johnson won again in Dover, continuing Hendrick’s forward momentum, which prompted many rumblings that this indeed was another year for Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus to win a championship.

Joey Logano’s victory at Pocono followed. It was a good thing for Logano’s struggling Cup career, but it did little to sway the belief that Hendrick was in the hunt.

Then came Earnhardt Jr.’s win at MIS. After a four-year, 143-race drought, and a solid 2012 season that has seen him finish among the top 10 more than any other driver, Earnhardt Jr. finally won. Jubilation set in immediately for him, his team, and the countless fans of the “Junior Nation” that steadfastly, patiently and unconditionally supports their driver.

But that’s not the real story if one looks at the situation from afar. Once enough distance is made and the balloons and confetti are cleared, it is evident the story isn’t Johnson, Kahne, or even prodigal son Earnhardt Jr.

It’s all about the man known as “The Silent Assassin,” Matt Kenseth.

Kenseth, the winner of the Daytona 500, has earned a reputation as a driver who quietly gets the job done. He's now No. 1 in points, but, among other things, he faces a challenge from Earnhardt Jr.

While fans of the Hendrick drivers have had much to celebrate of late, their drivers have not once been in the Sprint Cup points lead this season. Roush-Fenway driver Greg Biffle dominated in the top spot for most of the first part of the season, and now teammate Kenseth has tacitly ascended to the position.

Kenseth currently has one win this season, at the celebrated Daytona 500. His consistency, which is widely recognized, has bolstered him to the top of the points after Pocono this year.

Kenseth has eight top-fives and 11 top-10s this season.

Now, Earnhardt Jr. has one win amid a consistent season with six top-fives and 12 top-10s. He sits comfortably four points behind Kenseth.

These men are not unaccustomed to this scenario. Throughout their NASCAR careers, from the Busch Series through Cup, they have found themselves in direct competition with one another.

In 1998 and 1999 Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back Busch Series championships, edging out Kenseth.

Kenseth beat out Earnhardt Jr. for Raybestos Rookie of the Year honors in Cup in 2000.

Kenseth is the only one to have Cup title. He earned his in 2003. That season, with Kenseth’s one win and domination of the points lead for an unprecedented 33 weeks, led directly to the implementation of the Chase for the Sprint Cup.

Now these two competitors are neck and neck. They are once again becoming NASCAR’s primary rivals and a battle on the tracks is taking shape.

Consistency is definitely key for a championship and both of these drivers are proving that week in and week out. But, as history has shown, consistency plus wins is the formula that creates a title.

Do either of these drivers have what it takes to hoist the NASCAR Sprint Cup at season’s end – or will Johnson, Biffle, Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin or Brad Keselowski have something to say about it?

We’ll just have to keep watching to find out, obviously.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Featured Stories Tagged With: , , , , , ,

This Time For Sure For Dale Earnhardt Jr – Fantasy Insight Texas 1

April 11, 2012 By 1 Comment

Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Regular readers of Fantasy Insight know that my handicapping system for NASCAR races has its roots in horse race handicapping. This week I am going to go against the wisdom of my Dad’s first rule of horse picking: “Thou shalt not pick a horse to win that is coming in off a long losing streak.” This is sound advice but sometimes there is a pick that rises to the top that defies that simple logic. As the famous philosopher Bullwinkle T. Moose might say, “This time for sure Dale Earnhardt Jr. Fans.”

The concept of occasionally picking a “Horse” in the middle of a losing streak comes from a trip to the harness races over 30 years ago. My handicapping system was still in the development stages but it was already showing promise by picking a solid percentage of winners at good prices. Anyone can pick the favorites and find winners but the secret to success at the horse races is picking the occasional longshot. When I showed my Dad the figures on a horse called Dusty Magoo N and told him he was going to win my Dad laughed. But would I have the last laugh on this night?

Dusty Magoo N was winless in fourteen races since coming over from New Zealand and was starting from the outside post position, which is like starting 43rd and last at Martinsville! But the figures showed that if this horse got a good trip he was due to break through with a win. Since the horse was going off at 80 to 1 odds if he won that $2 bet would earn me a $160 profit. The horse had a driver change and an equipment change to go with coming off a string of strong but losing efforts. Dale Jr. is this week’s Dusty Magoo N heading to Texas Motor Speedway.

Dale Jr. has been successful at Texas in the past with his first Cup win coming here. When NASCAR switched car types his performances at TMS became very poor. But the last two races Dale Jr. has posted top 10 finishes. This season he has been one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR’s Cup division. Expect a strong effort by Dale Jr. this week and a good chance to end his winless drought of almost four years.

So what happened to Dusty Magoo M back at Arlington Park? Not only did he win his race letting me cash a huge winning ticket he went on a four-race win streak! (Dad cashed a huge exacta wager because he trusted my picks) This time for sure, Dale Jr. fans.

Good luck with your fantasy racing picks this week and don’t forget to send in your pick for “Whiteboard Fantasy Racing” this week for Texas.

Send in your pick to win this week’s Cup race to dennis@racetalkradio.com for a chance to win a copy of the National Speedway Directory from SpeedwaysOnline.com.

 

Whiteboard Fantasy Racing Winner Last Week

Shari and Carbon Super Sport were the winners last week.

 

Whiteboard Fantasy Racing Top Ten After 6 Weeks

Pos

Player

Total

1T

Carbon

12

1T

Shari P

12

3

Gertie

11

4T

LAM

10

4T

RA

10

6

Grainger

9

7T

Chris U

8

7T

Mike N

8

7T

Pops

8

10

Aaron C

7

 

Weather Report

Variably cloudiness, Green Flag temp of 78°F,

Isolated showers & thunderstorms expected

http://raceweather.net

 

Fantasy Racing Question of the Week: Gary in Texas - Which rating is most important; track rating, track type or consistency? Can a driver be a strong pick if he is weak in one of the ratings?

Answer – All three ratings are important which is why all three ratings are weighted the same in the power rating analysis. The good handicapper looks beyond just the raw numbers to trends. You can also allow one weak rating depending on the reason for the poor performances. (IE: Consistency rating due to accidents, rain shortened races or pit road penalties)

If you have a question about Fantasy Racing send it to dennis@racetalkradio.com and get it answered next week.

 

NASCAR by the Numbers- Lubricated by TheOilMedics.com

Clint Bowyer

Using a proprietary race analysis technique we take the fans inside the numbers every week. DMIC’s rating system has been in use since 2002 and has proven to pick the contenders from the pretenders!

 

Consistency is King (Last Five Races)

Driver

Last 5

J Johnson

93

G Biffle

92

M Truex

92

T Stewart

91

R Newman

91

D Earnhardt Jr

91

K Harvick

91

M Kenseth

89

D Hamlin

88

B Keselowski

87

 

Horses for Courses (Track Rating)

Driver

Course

M Kenseth

94

G Biffle

94

D Hamlin

92

K Harvick

90

C Bowyer

89

D Ragan

88

T Stewart

88

M Ambrose

88

M Martin

88

J Johnson

87

 

Type Casting (Track Type Factor)

Driver

Type

T Stewart

97

C Edwards

95

M Kenseth

92

K Harvick

91

J Gordon

91

R Newman

88

K Kahne

87

G Biffle

87

M Truex

87

D Hamlin

87

 

Power Rating (240 Minimum to Qualify as Contender)

Driver

Power

T Stewart

276

M Kenseth

275

G Biffle

273

K Harvick

271

D Hamlin

267

J Johnson

264

R Newman

264

D Earnhardt Jr

263

C Edwards

263

C Bowyer

261

M Truex

261

AJ Allmendinger

256

M Martin

253

J Gordon

253

M Ambrose

250

P Menard

249

K Kahne

248

J Burton

247

B Keselowski

245

Ku Busch

244

Ky Busch

244

D Ragan

243

J Logano

241

JP Montoya

239

J McMurray

238

A Almirola

238

R Smith

235

D Reutimann

225

C Mears

223

B Labonte

222

T Kvapil

219

L Cassill

216

D Gilliland

212

D Blaney

212

 

Matt Kenseth

DMIC’s Fantasy Picks

Each week we will take you beyond the numbers to handicap the field from top to bottom to help your Fantasy Racing team succeed. You are also invited to join Lori Munro and I on “White Board Fantasy Racing” every Monday night on “Doin’ Donuts” at 8pm ET on RaceTalkRadio.com. Win fun prizes by picking just the race winners in our unique format. Send your picks to info@racetalkradio.com to enter.

 

Top Pick (Last Week 14th)

Dale Earnhardt Jr- This could be the week Junior Nation gets to celebrate

(15 to 1 Odds)

Best Long Shot (Odds of 20-1 or More) (Last Week Winner)

Clint Bowyer- MWR revival is real; both Bowyer and Truex are good longshot picks

(20 to 1 Odds)

Top Dogs (Group A in Yahoo) (Last Week 12th)

Matt Kenseth- Super consistent and Ford has won 10 of 22 Cup races at TMS

(10 to 1 Odds)

 

Second Class (Group B in Yahoo) (Last Week 3rd)           

Greg Biffle- Could get that elusive win and can almost guarantee top ten finish

(12 to 1 Odds)

Middle Packer (Group C in Yahoo) (Last Week 17th)    

Bobby Labonte- Best of a weak group; ride him the next couple of races

Special Pick for Texas- AJ Allmendinger

This week I have a special hunch pick for Texas Motor Speedway based on my tried and true handicapping method at this track based on who would look sillier in a cowboy hat. There is no doubt “Dinger the Kid” would look silliest of all so he might win!

Crazy 8s for Texas

Each week Lori Munro and Dennis Michelsen battle in the most unique racing game around! We pick one driver each from each 8 driver group using the current points’ standings. Our picks can help you round out your fantasy racing lineup!

Last Race at Martinsville: Dennis won the matchup 5-0

Season Record: Lori and Lori are tied at 3-3

Texas Group 1: Dennis Picks Greg Biffle and Lori Picks Tony Stewart

Texas Group 2: Lori Picks Jimmie Johnson and Dennis Picks Carl Edward

Texas Group 3: Dennis Picks AJ Allmendinger and Lori Picks Jeff Gordon

Texas Group 4: Lori Picks Mark Martin and Dennis Picks Kasey Kahne

Texas Group 5: Dennis Picks Trevor Bayne and Lori Picks Travis Kvapil

Do you have what it takes to handicap the races? Join Lori and Dennis every week and play in the Whiteboard Fantasy Racing Series! Send your pick for the Cup race to info@racetalkradio.com to enter. Weekly prize given away! 

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Daytona 500: Folks, You Ain’t Never Seen Anything Like This

February 28, 2012 By 3 Comments

Matt Kenseth and his Roush Fenway team worked together and overcame obstacles and that allowed Kenseth to win his second Daytona 500 in two years. He led a strong overall Roush performance.

After the Daytona 500 was rained out for the first time in its history and then its original reset start at noon on Feb. 27 was also changed due to inclement weather, NASCAR made a bold decision:

The race would start at 7 p.m., which, of course, made the Daytona 500 a night race.

Fans love night races.

So does television, in this case, the Fox network. It is almost always assured of a much bigger audience for any program that is aired at evening rather than during the day – especially on a Monday.

So Fox touted that the Daytona 500 would be a “wildly exciting event on prime time television.”

Oh, the race was exciting all right. Viewers got an eyeful. Heck, they got a double eyeful.

That’s because they got to see what will go down in racing history as the most unusual, strangest and most bizarre – pick your word – Daytona 500 ever run.

 

**** Anyone who saw the 500 knows exactly what made the race, uh, shall we say, weird.

While the race was under caution on lap 160 of 200, Earnhardt-Ganassi driver Juan Pablo Montoya left the pits at high speed.

Suddenly something broke on the rear of his car and Montoya crash into a jet dryer truck – on the track to perform routine cleanup –, which was loaded with jet kerosene fuel.

The truck erupted in a ball flame that burned consistently despite fire fighters’ best, untiring efforts.

Finally the blaze was contained. Montoya was not hurt and the truck driver, Duane Barnes – who was carried away from the blazing vehicle by an intrepid fellow safety worker – was taken to the infield Halifax Medical center, where he was treated and released.

A car crashing into a jet dry truck, a blazing inferno and the immediate concerns that the track had been too damaged to continue the race, all combined to make the entire episode a first at Daytona – or just about anywhere else, for that matter.

No one, again, no one, had ever seen anything like it. Even Leonard Wood of Wood Brothers Racing, who has been around almost as long as NASCAR, said he couldn’t recall anything remotely similar.

It took speedy-dry, Tide detergent, gallons of water and lots of manpower to get the track ready to race again.

After a fiery incident caused by Juan Pablo Montoya's crash into a jet dry truck, cars were parked on the track during an extensive red-flag period.

The entire process lasted over two hours and four minutes and assured the Daytona 500 would not end until the morning of Feb. 28.

“I told them when I left the pits something wasn’t right and I felt a weird vibration when we were with the pack,” said Montoya. “Every time I got on the gas, it vibrated.

“So, I came back in and they checked all the rear-end and they said it was OK. I was going down the back straightaway, and I was going in fourth gear, but, we weren’t even going that fast.

“Every time I got on the gas I could feel the rear really squeezing. I got on the brakes to travel up and, while I was, I planned to tell the spotter to have a look on how the rear was moving. Then the car just turned right.”

Montoya added he heard the explosion and felt the flames, which burned his helmet. He also suffered a sore foot but otherwise walked away unscathed.

“I’ve hit a lot of things,” he said, “but never a jet dry truck.”

The incident was an unwanted spectacle that, in all probability, will have NASCAR looking for ways to avoid a repeat in the future.

 

**** NASCAR put out the red flag after the fiery incident and, at the time, Dave Blaney, driving for Tommy Baldwin Racing, was the leader.

Don’t think for a moment folks didn’t notice that.

Everyone was keenly aware of the supreme irony that would exist if Blaney won the race.

When Stewart Haas Racing affiliated with Baldwin, it accumulated TBR’s standing within the top 35 in car owner points, which assured a Stewart driver would qualify for the first five races of the year.

That privilege was bestowed upon Danica Patrick, on board at Stewart Haas for 10 developmental Sprint Cup races, including the Daytona 500.

While she got the free ride into the event, Blaney had to work to get his start. Which, not unexpectedly, he did. He was 24th when the green flag fell.

And then, with 40 laps to go, he was the leader.

Was this ever tantalizing. If Blaney could win it would be so ironic that he did so over Patrick. Many fans viewed it this way: The blue collar, veteran driver triumphs over one who received the fruits of his labor.

Realistically, however, that was never going to happen. Blaney was in the lead only because he had yet to make a final pit stop – which he absolutely had to do.

When the race restarted Blaney did what he had to do – he pitted under the caution. Naturally, he lost the lead. But he expected that.

“I can still hang in the pack just fine,” said Blaney, whose car sustained some right-front damage earlier in the race. “When it comes right down to it, it’s going to hurt me, but it’s not killing us. We are still in the race with it. Yeah, we’ll be fine.”

Indeed he was. Blaney finished 15th and after one race is right back to the good in the owner point standings.

Patrick, meanwhile, crashed out of the race to finish 38th.

 

**** Speaking of Patrick, her first Daytona weekend was, by her own description, “up and down.”

She crashed in a Gatorade Duel, won the pole and then wrecked again in the Nationwide Series event and lasted just two laps in the 500 before being swept up in a multi-car accident.

This multi-car crash on just the second lap of the race ruined the hopes of five-time champion Jimmie Johnson and Danica Patrick, making her Daytona 500 debut.

Lest anyone be quick to criticize Patrick’s efforts, it should be said none of the accidents were her fault. She did nothing wrong.

But her 38th-place finish meant that it will be up to David Reutimann, who will drive her No. 10 car in 26 races this year, to return it to the top 35 in the next four races. He’s capable.

The accident that involved Patrick was caused by Elliott Sadler’s tap on Jimmie Johnson’s rear. The contact was made on the left-hand side, an explicit no-no in plate racing.

Johnson, who has won five-straight championships, finished 42nd. Other notables involved in the accident included last year’s Cinderella race winner Trevor Bayne, David Ragan, a winner at Daytona last July, Kurt Busch and Patrick.

Things may get worse for Johnson as his Hendrick Motorsports team faces NASCAR penalties for unapproved parts found on its Chevrolet last week.

 

**** Few were overly surprised when Matt Kenseth won the 500 for the second time in four years and the Roush Fenway Racing driver became the first repeat winner in 10 seasons.

Throughout Speedweeks it became obvious that the Fords – particularly those of Roush – were exceptionally strong at Daytona.

When Roush driver Carl Edwards won the 500 pole, and teammate Greg Biffle qualified second, it accentuated Ford’s power.

As expected, Kenseth and Biffle worked masterfully together at the head of the pack throughout the race and were right there on the closing laps.

With Kenseth leading, Biffle made some blocking maneuvers to keep Dale Earnhardt Jr. out of the way.

On the last lap, however, Earnhardt Jr. moved to the outside to avoid Biffle. The strategy netted him second place as Kenseth pulled away for the victory.

Biffle was third and Edwards ninth, which gave Roush three cars among the top 10.

“I think Greg had one of the strongest cars all week and ours was right there as well,” said Kenseth, who earned $1,589387. “Our car for some reason was a lot faster out front than it was in traffic.

“Once we were in the front it was hard for anyone to get locked on to us. We had enough speed and once we took the white flag I felt sort of OK about it. By the time I got to turn three, I saw they couldn’t get enough speed mustered up to try to make it move.”

Kenseth, however, did not enjoy a problem-free race, which became abundantly clear when, early in the event, hot water spewed from his car.

“We had a lot of problems and almost ended up a lap down,” Kenseth said. “I had my radio break and my tach break and we pushed all the water out and had to come in and put water in it.

“But the guys did a great job. They never panicked and I think they enjoyed their day more because they couldn’t hear me on the radio with my radio problems.

“When I woke up this morning I didn’t feel we could win, so this feels really good.”

 

**** Tidbits: Kenseth is, of course, first in points and Earnhardt Jr. is second – a good start for him and his long-suffering fans.

Richard Childress Racing put three drivers among the top 10 – Jeff Burton (5th), Paul Menard (6th) and Kevin Harvick (7th).

Joe Gibbs Racing added two among the top 10, Denny Hamlin (4th) and Joey Logano (9th).

Michael McDowell, the journeyman driver who turned emotional when he made the 500 field against the odds, finished 30th.

More important, he earned $292,175, a fitting reward for his efforts.

During the red-flag period Brad Keselowski captured everyone’s attention when began Twittering repeatedly and took various photos.

The social media loved all of it and Keselowski gained thousands of followers is a remarkably short period of time.

It was a funny episode. The question now, however, is will NASCAR join the NBA and put an end to the activity, especially during events?

Probably.

 

 

 

 

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If Evidence Is Anything, Edwards Earns Title Sooner Than Later

December 13, 2011 By 1 Comment
Edwards

Carl Edwards did all he could to win his first career Cup championship in 2011. He was the points leader for most of the Chase, but in the last race of the year he gave way to Tony Stewart, who won five times in the last 10 races. Edwards has learned from the experience and should again be a title contender.

If most of the media picked up on the vibes Carl Edwards emitted during Champion’s Week in Las Vegas, which I think they did, they got the sense that the Roush Fenway Racing driver enjoyed himself.

But he also clearly felt the disappointment of losing the Sprint Cup championship by the closest margin in NASCAR history.

Shoot, do you really have to be told that? NASCAR drivers are intense competitors who love to win and hate to lose.

To have a championship within grasp only to see it snatched away at the last moment has to be agonizingly frustrating.

Throughout NASCAR’s history there have been many types of competitors, ranging from those who raced as an expensive hobby, to those who won multiple championships and became legends.

There have also been some who have come very close to winning a championship, but never did so throughout their careers.

I don’t think Edwards is going to be one of them.

First, if experience in championship tussles means anything, Edwards has lots of it. He finished third in 2005, second in 2008 and fourth in 2010.

Of course, there followed the 2011 season. Edwards was the point leader going into the final race at Homestead, where he finished second.

Unfortunately, rival Tony Stewart won the race to forced a tie in points with Edwards at 2,403.

Stewart became champ on the tiebreaker, which was the most seasonal wins. Stewart had five – all in the Chase – and Edwards had only one. That proved to be his Achilles’ heel.

Second, Edwards has said that, rather than succumb to disappointment and continually bemoan his fate, he is going to learn from the experience and do just a bit better in 2012.

Edwards knows, and has told us more than once, that his team was clearly championship caliber in 2011. At no time during the Chase did he, or it, make a mistake too large to overcome.

Nor did either give in to Stewart and his Stewart-Haas team. As the season came to an end, Edwards and Stewart fought for every point they earned in the Chase. One never attained a significant gain over the other.

Edwards lost the title by, perhaps, the only way he could have: because of a scintillating, come-from-behind performance in the Chase by Stewart.

Edwards looks at racing as his career, during which he wants to get better with each passing season. Therefore, he looks at 2011 as a stepping stone, something from which he has learned valuable lessons.

He vows he will not let emotions rule performance. If he slips competitively in 2012 it won’t be because “We got messed up in the head over not winning the championship.”

Let’s add proper attitude to experience as another ingredient for a championship.

Edwards has both.

Which is why I think that sooner or later – most likely sooner – he’s going to earn one.

As an aside, it’s going to be interesting to see how hard Edwards presses for victories next year. Something else I suspect he learned in 2011 is that the more he wins, the better his chances will be to emerge a champion if it all goes down to the wire.

If the outcome was disappointing, nevertheless Edwards’ championship run was the high-water mark for the Roush organization in 2011.

Edwards and his team took the lead in the four-car organization. Those that followed had seasons rated very good to unexpectedly unproductive.

Matt Kenseth was the only other Roush driver to join Edwards in the Chase. After the reseeding, he was fourth in points with two wins, one position ahead of Edwards.

Kenseth had five top-five finishes in the Chase, including a victory at Charlotte.

Matt Kenseth

Matt Kenseth (left) put up some good numbers for Roush Fenway Racing and joined Edwards as the only team drivers to make the Chase. Greg Biffle did not have the type of season expected of him and wasn't eligible for the Chase. He was 15th in points when the 10-race "playoff" began.

He rose as high as second in points following Talladega, the sixth race of the Chase, but finishes of 31st at Martinsville and 34th at Phoenix greased the path for his fourth-place standing at season’s end.

Kenseth, the 2004 champ, can certainly claim another title for Roush. His team can, and does, win races. However, perhaps a little more consistency would seal the deal.

Greg Biffle never figured in the Chase. With no wins, only one top-five finish and seven among the top 10, when the Chase began he was 15th in points and on the outside looking in.

I’m pretty sure Biffle – and Roush – are not pleased with all of that and I don’t think it’s too harsh to say that something needs to be done at Biffle’s team. I strongly suspect that is something the organization already knows.

With his victory in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona, David Ragan won his first career a long way toward fulfilling the potential Jack Roush saw in him.

Ragan flirted with making the Chase, hoping that the victory would be enough to land him in one of the final two slots in the 12-car field.

It didn’t work out that way and Ragan finished 19th in points.

It seems all but certain he won’t be with Roush next year. The UPS sponsorship his team enjoyed has moved on and with no new financial backing on the horizon, Roush has released Ragan to search for work elsewhere (Penske?).

It appears Roush will be a three-car team next year – and it still needs to locate sponsorship for Kenseth’s team.

While Roush may be one of several organizations downsizing – or closing – because of the economic situation, I don’t think anyone should be surprised if it puts, at the very least, one car into the Chase in 2012.

Nor should we be surprised if that car is driven by Carl Edwards.

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With New Sponsor And Increased Confidence, Things Are Good For Stewart

November 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Stewart

Tony Stewart announced that his Stewart-Haas Racing team has received new sponsorship for this year and next from Quicken Loans, which will serve as a primary backer for Ryan Newman in 2012. It's all going well for Stewart, whose win at Martinsville put him just eight points behind Carl Edwards with three races remaining.

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. – Right now things are going along swimmingly well for Tony Stewart.

Four days ago he won the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. The victory propelled him into second place in the point standings, just eight points behind leader Carl Edwards.

There are just three races left in the Chase for the 2011 title and more than a few predict that it all could be settled between Edwards and Stewart at the last event of the year at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

As pleasing as all that might be for Stewart the driver, perhaps now he is as equally satisfied as Stewart the team owner.

On Tuesday, Stewart announced that Quicken Loans would join Stewart-Haas Racing as a primary sponsor for the No. 39 Chevrolets driven by Ryan Newman and an associate on the No. 14 Chevys raced by Stewart.

Quicken will be Newman’s primary sponsor for nine races in 2012, coming on board with the U.S. Army, slated for 21 events and Tornados, which could be the principal backer for as many as five more.

It’s anticipated that Stewart Haas will make at least two more sponsor announcements in the future.

For any NASCAR team to acquire new financial support is a significant achievement. Sponsorship is the lifeblood of every organization and it has not been easy to gain in the last few years, largely because of the sagging economy.

As a result some organizations have gone out of business while others – make that several others – have had to enact massive layoffs.

It’s a situation that continues today and has already affected the NASCAR landscape. Two of Sprint Cup’s most powerful teams – Roush Fenway Racing and Richard Childress Racing – will likely be reduced from four teams to three because of a lack of sponsorship.

Nearly all organizations now have multiple sponsorships for their teams. This allows them to implement the competitive budgets they need without having to pitch one company for full-season financial support.

Where single sponsorships were once common, they are now prohibitively expensive and a very hard sell.

“There is still a loot of value in NASCAR and announcements like we made today prove that,” Stewart said. “But the economy is tough. I always talk to sponsors about how aggressive our team is. We are young and we’re able to step outside the box. Some of the organizations which have been around a long time kinda get in the mode of, ‘This is who were are and this is how we do it.’

“I don’t think we are stuck in that rut. We find creative ways to take what potential sponsors’ goals and objectives are and make it work for them.

“It’s nice to have multiple cars to work with. Ryan’s car has not had a single season-long sponsor and that makes it very appealing to that partner that doesn’t necessarily want spend all the money it takes to sponsor one car for one year. They can share.

“We saw that a couple of years ago with the No. 88 team (Hendrick Motorsports with partner sponsors Amp Energy Drink and the National Guard). That arrangement made things very attractive for other sponsors.”

There’s no doubt that Stewart’s victory at Martinsville enhanced his team’s value and made it more rewarding for its present sponsors with increased appeal to potential new ones.

“NASCAR racing is a performance-based industry all the way around,” Stewart said. “Whether you are on the competition side or the business side, it’s very important to win races.

“But it’s also important to be able to figure out things outside the box and not just about asking partners to write checks. It’s about how they can use the sport to grow their business.

“It is still every bit as difficult as it was two years ago when the economy fell off. We talk about the competition on the track but it’s just as tough off the track. It’s very competitive today and that is what makes having an announcement like this one very special.”

While Stewart the businessman has already achieved a measure of success, he will play a different role in the championship hunt.

It will be Stewart the competitor that gets the job done on the track. The native of Columbus, Ind., knows exactly when to make the identity change; when to put on the game face.

“I’ll put it on Thursday like I always do,” Stewart said. “I’ve been in this sport long enough to know where and when to put the right focus.”

Stewart’s win at Martinsville bolstered his, and his team’s, confidence largely because they were successful at a track on which routinely they haven’t performed well.

Stewart was so elated with the victory, and how he stood in the Chase, he suggested Edwards would be so worried he would suffer a lack of sleep.

Stewart maintains those sentiments and admits increased confidence has a lot to do with that.

“At Martinsville we had a car that, after 200 laps, looked like it was going to be one or two laps down at the end of the day,” he said. “It didn’t and that’s what gives us the sense of confidence.

“We are through the Talladegas and the Martinsvilles and now we are going places where I feel like we can control our own destiny.

“It’s nice to know that you don’t have to rely on anyone else having problems. It’s nice to know we can control our own destiny.

“It’s an awesome position to be in right now.”

Stewart feels his team can do very well at the three upcoming tracks – Texas, Phoenix and Homestead.

“Everybody in the organization has worked hard. It’s not like we’ve done something different,” said Stewart, whose three victories this year have all come in the Chase. “We are coming around to the tracks where we run well. At Martinsville, we were at a track where we don’t run well, and we got it turned around.
“But I’ve said it a million times and I’ll say it again over the next three weeks. You take it one day at a time. I said before the Chase started I didn’t think we were one of the teams that deserved to make it. I wasn’t on my list of guys I thought could win this thing.

“Now, we can win it. But we still have to go out and do our job. We have three tracks ahead that are really good for us and we look forward to running them.

“And that’s a perfect position to be in right now.”

 

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Edwards, Kenseth On Top, But Situation Is Tenuous At Martinsville

October 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – At least four drivers, perhaps five, have to be considered leading contenders for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup championship over the final four races of the Chase.

The first of the season-closing quartet of events is Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway. As the only short track on the 10-race “playoff” schedule, the flat, 0.566-mile track – the smallest and oldest in NASCAR – will offer its own unique set of challenges for the competitors.

Believe me, they know it.

The top two drivers in the current point standings, leader Carl Edwards and Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth, who is just 14 points in arrears, have to be a little leery at Martinsville.

Neither one of them has an impressive record at the track. Edwards’ average finish is 16.8; Kenseth’s is 15.8.

Edwards indicated he would be pleased if he got out of Martinsville with a decent finish, much less a victory.

“This place has been a really tough race track for me and our team,” he said, “but we have had some really good runs here.

“Matt’s good run in the spring (sixth place) is really what gives us the confidence we have here, and, hopefully, we can go run well and keep this points lead or extend it moving forward toward some tracks that we’re really confident about.”

Kenseth is also fully aware of what could be at stake at Martinsville.

“I really struggle at the track,” he said. “It hasn’t been one of my best tracks. Yet we’ve run really well the last two or three races so I’m looking forward to it.

“Unlike it was last week at Talladega, at Martinsville you have a little more to do, I think, with your finish at the end of the day. So I’m looking forward to that.”

I’ve said before that unless they put up some good numbers, Edwards and Kenseth are vulnerable. Waiting to pounce are third-place Brad Keselowski, 18 points out of the lead, fourth-place Tony Stewart, 19 points down and Kevin Harvick, who stands fifth, 26 points back.

Kyle Busch stands sixth and is 40 points down, followed by five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, who is 50 points in arrears. The odds are heavily against both drivers.

However, that doesn’t mean they have given up.

“As long as we are mathematically in it, I’m not going to give up hope,” Johnson said. “I just never have been one to lay down on something, to quit or not to try.

“We have four races left of the schedule and stuff can happen.”’

It’s obvious Keselowski and Stewart are in the best position to challenge Edwards and Kenseth and thus break the Roush grip on the top point positions.

However, being in a good position to do something is not, certainly, the same thing as actually doing it.

Johnson alluded to that when he said there are four races left and anything can happen.

Kenseth would agree with that – fact is, all the others would as well.

“It is hard for me to comment about racing Carl down the stretch because, honestly, there is so much racing to do,” Kenseth said. “I haven’ t really looked at the points. I don’t know who is out of it or who is in it.

“I know we are in a pretty good spot right now but yet I think we have to outrun Carl every week. It seems he’s been able to get good finishes, even on his bad days. But I also think we’ve run better on all the tracks except Dover.

“So we just have to get the good finishes, too, and I won’t race Carl any different than I do any other driver out there.”

While Edwards knows full well that his teammate is his most serious challenger, he echoed the sentiments express by all the contenders: Anything can happen and anyone can win.

“I think all of those guys (Kenseth, Keselowski, Harvick and Stewart) are gonna be tough,” he said. “I know how tough Matt can be. He could literally go win three out of the next four races and dominate this thing.

“I think from what we’ve seen out of Brad this year, I think he’s a huge threat. He hasn’t made any mistakes. He’s done a really good job.

“Tony is a two-time champion and only 19 points out. I think all of those guys are tough – even Jimmie. I know a lot of people are discounting Jimmie, but those guys (the No. 48 Hendrick team) can definitely win this race and any of the others.”

Given that anything can happen, it follows that it won’t take much at Martinsville to alter the point standings and thus the Chase.

Logic dictates that for Edwards and Kenseth to avoid that, they are going to have to perform well Sunday on a track on which their performances have been mostly mediocre.

“Martinsville has been one of those tracks, to me, that I come to and, I guess for the last few races, I’ve come to it dreading it a little bit,” Edwards said. “But now I come to it just realizing, ‘Hey, I’ve got my work cut out for me. I have to perform well. I have to go out there and give everything I’ve got.’

“To me, to come out of here with a top 10 would be a success. So I don’t dread it as much any more. Now, I just look at it as, ‘Hey, this is going to be a challenge.’ ”

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NASCAR’s Smallest Track May Be Big Player In Championship Outcome

October 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

H. Clay Earles, the late founder of Martinsville Speedway, had a goal of making his half-mile track one of the most unique in all of motorsports. He succeeded as the track today is one of the most fan-friendly in NASCAR. It's also been the site of some good racing and it could play a key role in this year's Chase.

MARTINSVILLE, Va. – I truly believe that one of the goals the late H. Clay Earles had when he built the half-mile Martinsville Speedway was that it become a track that mattered; one that gained some notoriety in the world of professional auto racing.

When the speedway was completed in 1948 that goal didn’t seem difficult to attain. With the exception of Indianapolis and a few other large tracks in the Midwest and Northeast, every racing oval in the Southeast was the same – dirt, wooden fencing and rickety grandstands.

A fan that went into the outhouses that served as restrooms didn’t find much in the way of plumbing. There was a flat wooden seat with a hole to the ground and the floor was dirt. So, uh, take you pick.

Earles wanted Martinsville to be nothing like that. He didn’t want his track to be a place fathers told their daughters never, never to go. That edict was prevalent in the ‘40s and ‘50s.

Earles’ reasoning was logical and financially sound.

He determined that if he converted his speedway into a place where a man would feel comfortable taking his family for a Sunday outing, Martinsville could attract more people, and sell more tickets.

So over the years Earles constantly made improvements and added amenities.

He paved the track in the ‘50s after he saw those few female fans that attended Martinsville races leave with their high heels full of dust. Many swore never to return.

To Earles plumbing was a good thing. So restrooms became exactly that – real bathrooms with flushing toilets, toilet paper, sinks, soap, paper towels and everything else. And there were plenty of them.

As time passed there was something else. These restrooms were actually attended by folks whose job was to see that the facilities were cleaned and restocked.

That was an Earles innovation that other NASCAR tracks didn’t adopt for years.

Earles didn’t have a problem with folks bringing beverages, or lunch into the track. But he reasoned that if he provided good food at his concession stands for a very reasonable price, fans would be more inclined to purchase rather than brown-bag.

He provided bargains. For many years the most expensive item on the menu was a hamburger for $2. A hot dog cost a buck.

As any NASCAR aficionado knows, the Martinsville hot dog has become famous – at least among those who like it, and there are plenty of them.

It doesn’t cost a dollar any more but that doesn’t stop anyone. Drivers and crew members have been seen leaving a concession stand with boxes, yes boxes, of them.

Some folks like to brag about how many of them they ate over a weekend. I’m sure someone has eaten more but I’ve been told by one rather hefty fan he once ate 16.

When International Speedway Corp. purchased Martinsville Speedway a few years ago it decided to make some changes, which, admittedly, is routine under new ownership.

But ISC tampered with the hot dog. It was a simple change. Instead of being wrapped in wax paper the dog was served in a Styrofoam tray.

There was outrage and a near mutiny in the garage area, so great you might have thought NASCAR had ruled all drivers must race in the nude.

It took less than a day for the issue to be settled. You buy a hot dog today and it’s still wrapped in wax paper.

As the years passed, Martinsville continued to make changes in an effort to remain a part of NASCAR’s elite Cup circuit.

Like what was done at other speedways, more seats and amenities were added and the garage area was completely renovated.

Martinsville remains one of just three short tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule. It joins Bristol and Richmond, which, like Martinsville, are unique in their own way and remain popular with competitors and fans.

Earles accomplished what he set out to do. After his passing others maintained his legacy.

It might be the smallest track in NASCAR and one not located in a major United States venue, but Martinsville is still a competitive lynchpin in virtually every season.

I don’t think that will be any more obvious than this weekend when the Tums Fast Relief 500 is held on Oct. 30

It will be the first of four races remaining in the Chase and could well determine which driver emerges as the champion.

If you think that is hype or at best far-fetched, consider the following:

Carl Edwards is presently first in the point standings and has a 14-point lead over second-place Matt Kenseth.

The Roush Fenway drivers have records that could be politely described as mediocre – or more bluntly, that stink.

Edwards has made 14 starts at the track, has never won, has only one top-five and four finishes among the top 10. His average finish is16.9 and he wound up 23rd in the speedway’s spring race.

Kenseth has 23 starts, no wins, two top-five runs, seven among the top 10 and has an average finish of 15.8. However, he finished sixth in the spring.

Given their past at Martinsville, I think it would be reasonable to assume that, this weekend, both Edwards and Kenseth would take any positive result they could get and be thankful for it.

That’s because the numbers clearly indicate both are vulnerable.

There are a few drivers who have to take advantage of this vulnerability, or at least turn it good performances, else their championship hopes are dashed.

Jimmie Johnson, who has won five consecutive titles, is in seventh place, 50 points in arrears. He has to gain ground at Martinsville or he’s finished.

Kyle Busch is one spot ahead of him and is 40 points in arrears. His brother Kurt is in eighth place, 52 points down and has to rely on a good run at Martinsville lest he is mathematically eliminated.

Judging by past records Johnson might be in good shape. He’s won six times at Martinsville and has an average finish of 5.0. Good stuff.

Kyle Busch has no wins and six top-five finishes but his average finish is just 15.0. His brother Kurt doesn’t have much to crow about. Yes, he’s won, but otherwise his average finish is a poor 21.0.

Of course, this is all about numbers, but it clearly establishes a very important Chase scenario.

Unless two drivers, who are, incidentally, atop the standings, can reverse their past fortunes at Martinsville it’s like they will fall prey to others.

Three drivers whose title hopes are fading will either see them restored or dashed altogether at Martinsville – and only one has a record to suggest any sort of positive outcome.

All of this helps make the Martinsville race intriguing. Indeed, all sorts of scenarios could play out, but then, that just adds to the anticipation of what might happen at the half-mile track Earles built.

His speedway has long since gained the notoriety and significance he sought.

And now, it’s likely to be a major player in the outcome of what may become one of the closest fights for a championship in NASCAR’s history.

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