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2009 OPer Awards: Worst NASCAR Team

I’m sorry Junior Nation. Your boy’s team sucked in 2009.

The Hendrick Motorsports team was the exception that made the rest of that organization’s dominance of Sprint Cup 2009 season seem sort of mortal.

But the combination that was the no. 88 Amp Energy-National Guard team was like the old “Gang that couldn’t shoot straight”.

Who knows where the blame should go. Dale Earnhardt Jr gets way more than his share. But it didn’t cost him his job. Tony Eury Jr got a bunch of the flack too. And a pink slip.

NASCAR Fantasy Experts Picks: Tums Fast Relief 500 from Martinsville

Expert	Website	Pick to Win	Finish	Experts Avg
Ryan Rantz	On Pit Row	Jimmie Johnson	2	7.35
James Jones	On Pit Row	Jeff Gordon	5	7.84
Mike Harmon	FOX Sports	Jimmie Johnson	2	9.84
Dennis Michelsen	RaceTalkRadio.com	Jimmie Johnson	2	10.03
Roger Rotter	FOX Sports	Jimmie Johnson	2	10.13
Gerritt Ritt	FOX Sports	Kurt Busch	17	10.16
Yahoo Users	Yahoo! Sports	Jimmie Johnson	2	10.23
Cheryl Lauer	Speed Couch	Jeff Gordon	5	10.68
Eric Brewer		Jeff Gordon	5	11.42
Darren Fauth	Fantasy NASCAR Names	Jimmie Johnson	2	11.65
Lou Lauer	USAR Fans	Jimmie Johnson	2	11.81
Eric McClung	On Pit Row	Jeff Gordon	5	11.87
Charlie Turner	On Pit Row	Jimmie Johnson	2	12.06
P J Walsh	FantasyNASCARPreview.com	Jeff Gordon	5	12.52
Eric McGuire	FFToolbox	Jimmie Johnson	2	13.10
Bob Ellis	NASCAR Ranting and Raving	Jimmie Johnson	2	15.77
Jon Rodgers	Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner	Kyle Busch	4	18.52

NASCAR Fantasy Racing Preview: Price Chopper 400 from Kansas Speedway

Kansas Speedway may only host one race per season but its sister track, Chicagoland Speedway, held its race in mid-July and offers useful information for deciding a fantasy lineup for the Price Chopper 400.

Kansas features slightly less banking but the action reaches the same speeds. Both are 1.5 mile, D-shaped ovals and fall into the cookie-cutter mold. The most recent cookie-cutter race was held at Michigan International Speedway in August but MIS is a two-mile track with much faster racing. Qualifying is important but not definitive, like most other cookie-cutters the top cars tend to get to the front of the pack in a hurry- even those that start in the middle. The results of this race should be telling for what to expect in next week’s Pepsi 500 at Auto Club Speedway in California. Fontana is the same D-shape with similar banking in the corners but is a longer race track with higher speeds.

Be sure to check out my 2009 Average Finish at Chase Tracks Table which lists the results and average finish at eight of the 10 Chase tracks that held events earlier this season.

Here’s an explanation of the highlighted text in the rankings. Download a printer-friendly version here.

• Y! A/B/C - The top options in the Yahoo! Fantasy Auto Racing game by driver list.
• Strong qualifier - History of winning poles or qualifying inside the top-five.
• Good qualifier - History of qualifying inside the top-10.
• Value play - Good recent history at this week’s track. Drivers to consider as low-rent salary cap options or alternative options in allocation formats.
• Risky play - Good overall history at this week’s track but poor recent finishes.

1. Mark Martin… Won in ‘05, third in ‘06 at Kansas- average finish of 15.0 in ‘07-‘08. Dominated at Chicagoland in July victory, leading 195 of 271 laps. Y!-A1
2. Jimmie Johnson… Strong qualifier. Has won three poles at Kansas, including the last two- average start of 4.9, best among all drivers. Won last year’s race from the pole. Chicagoland in July: started third, finished eighth, average running position of second. Y!-A2
3. Jeff Gordon… Won the first two Kansas races in ‘01 and ‘02, finished fourth last year and fifth in ‘07. Runner-up at Chicagoland in July. Y!-A3
4. Denny Hamlin… No top-10 finishes in four career Cup starts at Kansas but finished a career-best 11th last year, plus won the Nationwide race. Started fourth, finished fifth At Chicagoland in July. Y!-B1
5. Tony Stewart… Won in ‘06 but finished 39th (accident) in ‘07, 40th last year. Average finish of 6.5 from ‘01-’06. Finished fourth at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B2
6. Kurt Busch… Has started where he’s finished in the last two Kansas races: ‘08- 31st/30th, ‘07- 12th/11th. Started 22nd, finished 17th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B3
7. Juan Pablo Montoya… Average finish of 24.0 in two career Kansas races. Started 42nd, finished 20th last year. Finished 10th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B4
8. Brian Vickers… Finishes where he starts at Kansas: average start 13.8, average finish 13.3 in four career starts. At Chicagoland in July: won the pole, finished seventh, average running position of fourth. Y!-B5
9. Ryan Newman… Runner-up in ‘01 and ‘02 races at Kansas, won in ‘03 but has not finished better than 16th since- average finish of 27.0 in those five races. Finished sixth at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B6
10. Clint Bowyer… Average finish of 7.7 in three career starts at Kansas, his hometown track- three straight top-fives in Nationwide races. Started fifth, finished ninth at Chicagoland in July. Y!-A4
11. Kasey Kahne… Erratic performance at Kansas. Started eighth, finished 21st last year. Started 29th, finished ninth in ‘07. Finished third at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B7
12. Kyle Busch… Started 27th, finished 28th in last year’s race at Kansas, average finish of 26.8 in five career starts. Started sixth, finished 33rd (engine) at Chicagoland in July.
13. Greg Biffle… Won in ‘07 at Kansas, finished third last year. Laps led in four of the last five Kansas races. Started 35th, finished 31st at Chicagoland in July.
14. Carl Edwards… Runner-up in last year’s race at Kansas, DNF (accident) in ‘07. Average finish of 4.5 in ‘05 and ‘06 races. Started 25th, finished 14th at Chicagoland in July.
15. Matt Kenseth… Started third, finished fifth in last year’s race at Kansas. Average finish of 29.0 in ‘06 and ‘07 races. Finished 23rd at Chicagoland in July.
16. Kevin Harvick… Strong value play. Has finished sixth in two consecutive races at Kansas. Finished 19th at Chicagoland in July.
17. Marcos Ambrose… Strong value play. Started 20th, finished 36th in last year’s race, first career start at Kansas- finished 11th in the Nationwide race. Finished 11th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-C1
18. David Reutimann… Strong value play. Started 40th, finished 19th in last year’s race at Kansas- average finish of 15.3 in three Nationwide races. Finished 12th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-B8
19. Casey Mears… Strong value play. Started 10th, finished 14th in last year’s race at Kansas. Average finish of 4.7 from ‘05-’07. Finished 28th at Chicagoland in July.
20. AJ Allmendinger… Strong value play. Started 14th, finished ninth in last year’s race, first career start at Kansas. Finished 13th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-C2
21. Dale Earnhardt Jr…. Average finish of 11.0 over the last three races at Kansas. Finished 15th at Chicagoland in July.
22. Joey Logano… Started 28th, finished 39th in last year’s race, first career start at Kansas- finished ninth in the Nationwide race. Finished 18th at Chicagoland in July.
23. Jeff Burton… Average finish of 18.0 in eight career starts at Kansas. Started 23rd, finished 37th at Chicagoland in July.
24. Bobby Labonte… Weak value play. Average finish at Kansas jumps to 19.2 when excusing three DNFs due to accident. Finished 21st at Chicagoland in July. Y!-C3
25. David Ragan… Weak value play. Average start 15.0, average finish 12.0 in two career starts at Kansas- finished third in last year’s Nationwide race. Finished 25th at Chicagoland in July.
26. Elliott Sadler… Weak value play. Last two Kansas races: average start 9.5, average finish 9.0. Finished 27th at Chicagoland in July.
27. Sam Hornish Jr…. Started 23rd, finished 33rd in last year’s race, first career start at Kansas- average finish of 6.9 in seven IndyCar Series starts. Started 16th, finished 38th at Chicagoland in July. Y!-C4
28. Jamie McMurray… Finishes where he starts at Kansas: ‘08- 16th/17th, ‘07- 20th/24th, ‘06- 41st/42nd (accident). Finished 22nd at Chicagoland in July.
29. Martin Truex Jr…. Three career starts at Kansas, starting position improving but not finishes, ‘08- fifth/43rd (transmission), ‘07- ninth/38th, ‘06- 23rd, 11th. Finished 16th at Chicagoland in July.
30. Brad Keselowski… Long shot value play. No career Cup starts at Kansas, finished sixth in last year’s Nationwide race.
31. Bill Elliott… Long shot value play. Started seventh, finished 25 at Kansas last year. Started eighth, finished 29th at Chicagoland in July.
32. Paul Menard… Finished 27th in ‘07 and ‘08 races at Kansas.
33. Michael Waltrip… Finished 35th at Kansas last year, 20th at Chicagoland in July.
34. Reed Sorenson… Finished 26th at Kansas last year, 24th at Chicagoland in July.
35. David Stremme… Finished 17th in ‘07, most recent Cup start at Kansas. Finished 26th at Chicagoland in July.
36. Robby Gordon… Finished 37th at Kansas last year, 35th at Chicagoland in July.
37. Scott Speed… No career Cup starts at Kansas. Started second, won the ARCA Re/Max Series race last year. Started second, finished 36th at Chicagoland in July.
38. Erik Darnell… No career Cup starts at Kansas. Started last, led 20 laps, finished runner-up in ‘07 ARCA Re/Max Series race.
39. John Andretti… Finished 33rd in ‘07, most recent Cup start at Kansas. Finished 30th at Chicagoland in July.
40. Max Papis… No career Cup starts at Kansas.
41. Joe Nemechek… Finished 38th at Kansas last year, start and park at Chicagoland in July. Won from the pole in ‘04.
42. Michael McDowell… No career Cup starts at Kansas. Finished 11th in ‘07 ARCA Re/Max Series race.
43. Dave Blaney… Finished 31st at Kansas last year, start and park at Chicagoland in July.
44. Mike Bliss… Has not started at Kansas since ‘05, start and park at Chicagoland in July.

Brad Keselowski ON PIT ROW

Brad Keselowski, driver of the no. 88 GoDaddy.com Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Jr’s JR Motorsporsts in NASCAR’s Nationwide Series joined Steve an I ON PIT ROW this week. We talked about driving for Junior and Brad’s opportunities in the Sprint Cup Series with Hendrick Motorsports too. Check it out.

Photo credit: BethAnne Heisler for ON PIT ROW

2008 OPeR Award: Worst Post Race Interview

Every few weeks ON PIT ROW, the fact that the driver who has won more Sprint Cup races the last four years and now, three straight Cup Series championships, just doesn’t get the respect he deserves.

Jimmie Johnson deserves better. But hell, we’ve even been spelling his name incorrectly for the last three years. Who are we to change now?

J J gets the OPeR for bad post race interviews for the same reason that he probably gets slighted in the respect department. He’s boring. If he’d stop winning and get pissed off once in a while, he’d get noticed more. Well, maybe.

2008 OPeR Award: Best Crew Chief

This was a close one. Bob Osborne, crew chief for Carl Edwards No 99 Office Depot Ford Fusion was a strong contender for our top crew chief. The comments from our original 2008 OPeR post are a good indication. If Bob had won, I would have had no problem with it.

But Ozzy didn’t get the coveted OPeR this time. Chad (yaawwnn) Knaus did. Again.

Once again, Knaus seemingly made all the right moves, the necessary adjustments and took advantage of heading the most stable of all Sprint Cup Series teams, from 2007 to 2008. Somebody’s going to have to beat these guys.

2008 OPeR Award: Worst Crew Chief

I was surprised at the unanimity of agreement on this one. I guess it points out, in a way, just how much pressure having NASCAR’s most popular figure - Dale Earnhardt Jr - as your driver. 

Tony Eury Jr DID get Junior and his no. 88 Amp Energy Drink/National Guard Chevy into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. They won a qualifying race at Daytona, the Budweiser Shootout and the first 2008 race at Michigan International Speedway. That is not, by my definition, a failure of a season.

But I voted right along with Steve and Marc and Matt. Better win it all in 2009 Tony.

2008 OPeR Award: Best Owner/Team

All right all you fans of the Coach and the Cat in the Hat, bring it on. But you will not convince me that, in 2008 - and ‘06 and ‘07 too - Joe Gibbs, Jack Roush or anyone else was the equal of Mr Hendrick in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

A third straight championship probably would have been enough, but throw in the recruitment and successful integration of NASCAR’s biggest box-office star, Dale Earnhardt Jr, the addition for ‘09 of Hall-of-famer Mark Martin (full time too) and a satellite team that includes Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman.

That’s Earnhardt Jr, Stewart, Martin, Newman to go with the seven Cup Championships of  Jeff Gordon and Jimmy Johnson. We rest our case, your Honor.

NASCAR Fans–Do You Believe in Miracles

Bobby Labonte holds the only win at Homestead-Miami Speedway in a Chevrolet, while Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner.

The only Dodge win in the short history of the south Florida track come from the unlikely source of Bill Elliott. Elliott only won four races for Evernham Racing after resurrecting the brand in NASCAR.  Tony Stewart picked off the first two wins ever at HMS in Pontiacs.

The majority of wins have come from the Blue Oval Boys.  Fords of Jack Roush have won five of the nine races.  Kurt Busch started the winning in 2002.  Greg Biffle “owns” Homestead with three consecutive wins in ‘04 through ‘06; while Matt Kenseth is the defending race winner.  While Roush drivers have been celebrating race wins over the last three years at the finale; they have had to watch Jimmy Johnson revel in his championships.

Jack Roush would like nothing better than to be able to celebrate a championship and a race win for Carl Edwards. It’s the long shot of all long shots to believe that JJ can’t pull off a 36th place finish.

photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Do What It Takes To Get By In Phoenix

First of all, my apologies for stretching the deadline here longer than Carl Edwards did at Texas. With 2 races left we may have a title race on our hands again, but it will be no picnic – Jimmie Johnson has won here and usually runs better than Edwards at this track. Then again, Johnson was the defending winner at Atlanta and Texas, so there you go. Jimmie won here in the spring as well, but had far from the best car, instead playing the fuel mileage game as the dominant car of Mark Martin played it safe. Last year at this race Jimmie solidified his advantage over teammate Jeff Gordon and in the process winning an incredible 4-race win streak.

The Chevys have been the car to beat at Phoenix in this race as each of the four winners since the inception of the Chase has piloted a Chevy to victory lane. Thus far in the Chase, some of the “rules” have been broken but some have remained the same. When the checkered falls Sunday evening, we’ll see if this one holds.

The winners:
2007 – Jimmie Johnson
2006 – Kevin Harvick
2005 – Kyle Busch
2004 – Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Champs finish:
2007 – Jimmie Johnson – 1st
2006 – Jimmie Johnson – 2nd
2005 – Tony Stewart – 4th
2004 – Kurt Busch – 10th

Admittedly, this is not one of my favorite tracks to watch a race. For fantasy purposes, here is a list of 5 drivers to choose from. I’m taking Carl for the championship hunt, but feel free to choose one of the others – the winner will likely come from this list.

1. Carl Edwards
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Kyle Busch

Jamie McMurray has been on a roll lately, and he should fare well at Phoenix too. I really like David Reutimann and A.J. Allmendinger this week. Reutimann ran great at Richmond, a track similar in many respects to Phoenix, and Allmendinger has been top 15 since he stepped into the #10 car.

The song this week comes from the Foo Fighters, their hit from one year ago “The Pretender.”

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

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