NASCAR Fantasy Tool 2009 Average Finish at Atlanta, Texas and Charlotte [24 degree, 1.5 mile quad-ovals]
March 3, 2010
This table show the average finish of 35 drivers in the eight races at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Charlotte Motor Speedway (Formerly Lowe’s Motor Speedway) during the 2009 season. All of these tracks are 1.5 mile long and feature 24 degree corner backing.
| ATL 1 | TX 1 | CHA 1 | ATL 2 | CHA 2 | TX 2 | AVERAGE | |
| Jeff Gordon | 2 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 7.0 |
| Matt Kenseth | 12 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 3 | 7.3 |
| Tony Stewart | 8 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 10.2 |
| Kasey Kahne | 7 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 33 | 11.7 |
| Ryan Newman | 22 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 12 | 11.8 |
| Kyle Busch | 18 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 11 | 12.3 |
| David Reutimann | 32 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 16 | 13.2 |
| Mark Martin | 31 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 17 | 4 | 13.3 |
| Denny Hamlin | 13 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 42 | 2 | 14.3 |
| Greg Biffle | 34 | 3 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 8 | 15.2 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 8 | 34 | 38 | 10 | 1 | 15.3 |
| Brian Vickers | 5 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 34 | 26 | 15.5 |
| Kevin Harvick | 4 | 27 | 41 | 2 | 18 | 5 | 16.2 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9 | 2 | 13 | 36 | 1 | 38 | 16.5 |
| Jeff Burton | 14 | 9 | 25 | 34 | 14 | 9 | 17.5 |
| Clint Bowyer | 6 | 22 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 7 | 17.7 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 10 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 9 | 14 | 17.8 |
| Joey Logano | 30 | 30 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 19 | 19.2 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya | 27 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 35 | 37 | 19.5 |
| Casey Mears | 16 | 21 | 33 | 25 | 7 | 21 | 20.5 |
| Carl Edwards | 3 | 10 | 4 | 37 | 39 | 39 | 22.0 |
| AJ Allmendinger | 17 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 23 | 10 | 22.7 |
| Brad Keselowski | 23 | 12 | 35 | 23.3 | |||
| Paul Menard | 28 | 13 | 29 | 15 | 27 | 29 | 23.5 |
| Robby Gordon | 26 | 39 | 3 | 16 | 30 | 27 | 23.5 |
| Scott Speed | 35 | 18 | 24 | 28 | 18 | 24.6 | |
| David Ragan | 19 | 37 | 24 | 33 | 20 | 17 | 25.0 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 11 | 20 | 40 | 17 | 38 | 25 | 25.2 |
| Elliot Sadler | 20 | 32 | 31 | 21 | 26 | 22 | 25.3 |
| Jamie McMurray | 15 | 38 | 21 | 28 | 33 | 20 | 25.8 |
| Bill Elliott | 36 | 28 | 15 | 19 | 29 | 34 | 26.8 |
| Marcos Ambrose | 38 | 41 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 15 | 27.5 |
| Bobby Labonte | 40 | 40 | 12 | 18 | 31 | 31 | 28.7 |
| Sam Hornish Jr. | 37 | 17 | 16 | 35 | 40 | 40 | 30.8 |
| Regan Smith | 31 | 32 | 31.5 |
NASCAR Fantasy Tool: 2009 Average Finish at Similar Tracks - Atlanta, Texas and Lowe’s UPDATED
November 3, 2009
This table is a companion for my NASCAR Fantasy Racing Preview of the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Below are 32 drivers of fantasy interest and their average finish at three similar tracks: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Lowe’s Motor Speedway and Texas.
Also see my 2009 Average Finish at Chase Tracks Table which is very useful for planning your lineup for the rest of the season.
| Atlanta 1 | Texas | Lowe’s | Atlanta 2 | Lowe’s 2 | AVERAGE | |
| Jeff Gordon | 2 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 4 | 5.8 |
| Kasey Kahne | 7 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 7.4 |
| Matt Kenseth | 12 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 2 | 8.2 |
| Tony Stewart | 8 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 13 | 11.0 |
| Ryan Newman | 22 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 11.8 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9 | 2 | 13 | 36 | 1 | 12.2 |
| David Reutimann | 32 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 15 | 12.6 |
| Kyle Busch | 18 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 12.6 |
| Brian Vickers | 5 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 34 | 13.4 |
| Mark Martin | 31 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 17 | 15.2 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya | 27 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 35 | 16.0 |
| Greg Biffle | 34 | 3 | 20 | 10 | 16 | 16.6 |
| Denny Hamlin | 13 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 42 | 16.8 |
| Brad Keselowski | 23 | 12 | 17.5 | |||
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 8 | 34 | 38 | 10 | 18.2 |
| David Stremme | 23 | 14 | 22 | 14 | 19 | 18.4 |
| Kevin Harvick | 4 | 27 | 41 | 2 | 18 | 18.4 |
| Carl Edwards | 3 | 10 | 4 | 37 | 39 | 18.6 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 10 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 9 | 18.6 |
| Jeff Burton | 14 | 9 | 25 | 34 | 14 | 19.2 |
| Joey Logano | 30 | 30 | 9 | 22 | 5 | 19.2 |
| Clint Bowyer | 6 | 22 | 36 | 29 | 6 | 19.8 |
| Casey Mears | 16 | 21 | 33 | 25 | 7 | 20.4 |
| Paul Menard | 28 | 13 | 29 | 15 | 27 | 22.4 |
| Robby Gordon | 26 | 39 | 3 | 16 | 30 | 22.8 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 11 | 20 | 40 | 17 | 38 | 25.2 |
| AJ Allmendinger | 17 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 23 | 25.2 |
| Bill Elliott* | 36 | 28 | 15 | 19 | 29 | 25.4 |
| Jamie McMurray | 15 | 38 | 21 | 28 | 33 | 27.0 |
| Bobby Labonte | 40 | 40 | 12 | 18 | 31 | 28.2 |
| Sam Hornish Jr. | 37 | 17 | 16 | 35 | 40 | 29.0 |
| Marcos Ambrose | 38 | 41 | 26 | 23 | 22 | 30.0 |
*David Gilliland drove the No. 21 Wood Brothers in the second race at Atlanta. Bill Elliott cracked three ribs during a dirt bike accident and was unable to race. Elliott finished 19th two weeks ago at Kansas Motor Speedway in his first race back.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Chase Edition Week 6
October 20, 2009
All of Jimmie Johnson's biggest competitors fell wayside at Lowes and the 48 team capitalized on the situation with a win. The only team that can beat the 48 team right now is themselves. Performance/ Schedule wise I believe that my pre-Chase championship pick is the only team that has anything for the 48 right now. He'll need a little bit of help to catch up, but when it he does the 48 will be in trouble. If your a Mark Martin fan then you knew the bubble would burst somehow. I'm not saying that he's out of it yet, but the remaining races in my opinion give the others drivers an edge over the 5 team. Juan Pablo Montoya arguably had the fastest car at Lowes until his COT tank didn't hold up very well to the damage. Montoya now sits 6th in the points 195 points out of the lead. Lowes was a tough track on the Chase drivers and only 4 of them finished in the top ten. Kurt luckily was one of them, but don't expect Martinsville to be an easy task for this team. Martinsville and Talledega are "do or die" races for this team. If Stewart doesn't finish in the top 5 in both of these races and gain ground on Johnson then his Chase chances are effectively zero. If Kasey Kahne didn't have problems on the race restarts then the 9 might very well have been the car in victory lane. I expect Kahne to move up to about 7th in the points this season before his points progression stops. Hamlin had another good run but now he's back to 11th in the point standings. If you take away Hamlin's rookie Chase appearance then I believe Hamlin almost has to fall into people's conversations of who's the biggest choke in the Chase. Somehow Greg Biffle has managed to score the 8th most points in the series over the last 6 races. At Martinsville I expect this team to have a rough day. Roush cars usually always struggle at this track. If Newman's going to win a race this year then I believe it will have to happen either here at Martinsivlle or Talledega. These are both "skill tracks" which Newman has excelled at this year. It's shocking how uncompetitive Carl's been in the Chase. Last year Edwards was a challenger all the way until the end and this year they're not even close to being competitive. Jimmie Johnson isn't the only driver who's on the verge of making history this year. Vickers is on pace to easily surpass Hamlin's 2007 Chase record of finishing 580 points behind the champion. Vickers currently is 485 points behind.Charlotte
Who's Up
Who's Down
Biggest Gain This Week:
Kasey Kahne: 10th to 7th
Biggest Drop This Week:
Carl Edwards: 9th to 11th
No new drivers this week.
No drivers dropped out this week.
Rank: 1st
Change: 0
Jimmie Johnson- 6 Wins, 20 Top Tens
Rank: 2nd
Change: +2
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 22 Top Tens
Rank: 3rd
Change: -1
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 18 Top Tens
Rank: 4th
Change: -1
Juan Pablo Montoya- 6 Top Fives, 16 Top Tens
Rank: 5th
Change: 0
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 18 Top Tens
Rank: 6th
Change: 0
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 21 Top Tens
Rank: 7th
Change: +3
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 13 Top Tens
Rank: 8th
Change: -1
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 16 Top Tens
Rank: 9th
Change: -1
Greg Biffle- 9 Top Fives, 14 Top Tens
Rank: 10th
Change: +1
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top Tens
Rank: 11th
Change: -2
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 13 Top Tens
Rank: 12th
Change: 0
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top Tens
NASCAR Fantasy Experts Picks: NASCAR Banking 500 from Lowes
October 14, 2009
| Expert | Website | Pick to Win | Finish | Experts Avg | |
| Ryan Rantz | On Pit Row | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 7.53 | |
| James Jones | On Pit Row | Mark Martin | 17 | 7.93 | |
| Gerritt Ritt | FOX Sports | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 9.93 | |
| Mike Harmon | FOX Sports | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 10.10 | |
| Dennis Michelsen | RaceTalkRadio.com | Mark Martin | 17 | 10.30 | |
| Roger Rotter | FOX Sports | Ryan Newman | 11 | 10.40 | |
| Yahoo Users | Yahoo! Sports | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 10.50 | |
| Cheryl Lauer | Speed Couch | Kasey Kahne | 3 | 10.87 | |
| Eric Brewer | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 11.63 | ||
| Darren Fauth | Fantasy NASCAR Names | Kyle Busch | 8 | 11.97 | |
| Eric McClung | On Pit Row | Jeff Gordon | 4 | 12.13 | |
| Lou Lauer | USAR Fans | Marl Martin | 17 | 12.38 | |
| Charlie Turner | On Pit Row | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 12.40 | |
| P J Walsh | FantasyNASCARPreview.com | Jeff Gordon | 4 | 12.77 | |
| Eric McGuire | FFToolbox | Jeff Gordon | 4 | 13.47 | |
| Bob Ellis | NASCAR Ranting and Raving | Jimmie Johnson | 1 | 16.23 | |
| Jon Rodgers | Gillette Young Guns Challenge Winner | Carl Edwards | 39 | 19.00 | |
NASCAR Fantasy Racing Preview: Bank of America 500 from Lowes
October 14, 2009
With two points-paying races per year, the Showdown and the All-Star Race, there is no shortage of data to analyze for Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Plus its 1.5-mile quad-oval configuration is similar to that of Atlanta Motor Speedway and Texas Motor Speedway. I have put together a table with the average finishes from the two Atlanta races plus the events held at Texas and Lowe’s earlier in the year. Check my NASCAR Fantasy Tool: 2009 Average Finish at Similar Tracks - Atlanta, Texas and Lowe’s here.
Four drivers averaged a finish better than 10.0 in those four races: Jeff Gordon (6.3), Brian Vickers (8.3), Kasey Kahne (8.5) and Matt Kenseth (9.8). Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart both averaged 10.5.
Keep in mind the May race at Lowe’s was called early due to rain. David Reutimann, Ryan Newman and Robby Gordon finished in the top-three but had a combined average running position of 17.0. The race had only six caution laps, ending a streak nine races with at least 10 cautions.
Because the track is prone to mishaps, fantasy owners in allocation formats should consider saving their remaining starts of elite drivers for next week’s race at Martinsville Speedway, where the cream rises to the top. Talladega Superspeedway and Texas will follow; Dega is another race to save starts. The results of his week’s race will be important for setting the lineup for Texas.
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.
- Jimmie Johnson… Strong qualifier at Lowe’s, three poles including last year. Five-time winner (’03, ‘04 sweep, ‘05 sweep). Runner-up in both ‘06 races. 12.0 average finish in ‘07 races. DNF (engine) and sixth-place finish in 08. Started fifth in May race, finished 13th but an average running position of fifth. Has led laps in 15 of 16 career starts at Lowe’s. Y!-A1
- Jeff Gordon… Five-time winner at Lowe’s (’94, ‘97, ‘98, ‘99, ‘07) Seven poles (none since ‘00) Average finish of 6.0 in ‘08. Started third, finished 14th in May. Started fourth, finished eighth in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-A2
- Mark Martin… Four-time winner at Lowe’s (’92, ‘95, ‘98, ‘02) Two poles (’91). Since ‘07: 9.6 average start, 13.6 average finish. Finished fifth in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-A3
- Juan Pablo Montoya… Started ninth, finished eighth at May Lowe’s race, career bests. Finished third in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B1
- Tony Stewart… Won at Lowe’s in ‘03. Average finish of 6.5 in ‘07. 14.5 last year, led an average of 32.5 laps. Started 28th, finished 19th in May. Finished 11th in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B2
- Kasey Kahne… Three-time winner at Lowe’s (’06 sweep, ‘08) Winner, runner-up in ‘08 races. Started sixth, finished ninth at May race. Started second, won the Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B3
- Carl Edwards… Average finish of 10.0 in nine career starts at Lowe’s- only one finish worse than 15th, 33rd at last year’s Chase race. Y!-A4
- Greg Biffle… Average start 3.5, average finish 4.5 in ‘08 races at Lowe’s. Started 16th, finished 20th in May. Finished 10th in Sep Atlanta race.
- Denny Hamlin… Average finish of 20.0 in ‘08 Lowe’s races. Finished 11th in May race at Lowe’s. Finished sixth in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B4
- Kurt Busch… Finished 34th at Lowe’s in May but an average running position of 13th. Average finish of 9.5 in ‘08. No finish better than 26th from ‘06-’07. Y!-B5
- Ryan Newman… Strong qualifier, eight poles at Lowe’s including the May race. Won both poles in ‘07 (DNFs in both). Average start of 27.0 last year, finished 21st in both. Runner-up in May race but had an average running position of 16th. Finished third in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B6
- Brian Vickers… Led an average of 58.5 laps over the last four Lowe’s starts. Finished fifth in only ‘07 start at Lowe’s. DNF (crash) and 18th place finish in ‘08. Started eighth, finished fifth at May Lowe’s race. Finished seventh in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B7
- David Reutimann… Won the May race at Lowe’s but had an average running position of 12th. Finished 10th in last year’s May race, finished 32nd in last race’s Oct race but had an average running position of 19th. Finished fourth in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-B8
- Kyle Busch… Led at least one lap in eight of the last nine Lowe’s races. Average finish of 4.0 over the last four races at Lowe’s. Started second, finished six and led 173 of 227 laps at May Lowe’s race- average running position of second. Finished 13th in Sep Atlanta race.
- Matt Kenseth… Won at Lowe’s in ‘00. Started 30th, finished 10th in May race. ‘07-’08: two DNFs, seventh and 12th-place finishes. Finished 12th in Sep Atlanta race.
- Clint Bowyer… Runner-up in 10/07 race at Lowe’s but average finish of 24.3 in the three races since. Finished 36th in May.
- Kevin Harvick… Only three top-10 finishes in 17 career starts at Lowe’s, two came as a rookie ‘01. Average finish of 13.5 in ‘08 races. Started 22nd, finished 41st in May race. Runner-up in Sep Atlanta race.
- Bobby Labonte… Strong value play. Two-time winner at Lowe’s (’95, ‘00) Has not finished worse than 18th since ‘98. Average finish of 13.0 since ‘07. Finished 12th in May race, 18th in Sep Atlanta race. Y!-C1
- Joey Logano… Started 14th, finished ninth in May race- first career Cup start at Lowe’s. Finished fifth in May Nationwide race at Lowe’s. Finished fifth in the Showdown, eighth in the All-Star Race.
- Sam Hornish Jr…. Strong value play. Average finish of 17.0 at Lowe’s since ‘08. Finished 35th in Sep Atlanta race. Won the Showdown. Y!-C2
- Jeff Burton… Three-time winner at Lowe’s (’99, ‘01, ‘08) Started 40th, finished 25th in May race. Five finishes of sixth or better in the seven races since ‘06.
- Marcos Ambrose… Started 23rd, finished 26th in May race- first career Cup start at Lowe’s. Average finish of 14.5 in ‘08 Nationwide races. Y!-C3
- Casey Mears… Won at Lowe’s in ‘07 but an average finish of 28.0 in the four races since.
- Dale Earnhardt Jr…. Finished fifth and led 76 laps in last year’s May race at Lowe’s, 36th in the Oct race. Finished 40th in May race.
- David Stremme… Weak value play. Average finish of 13.0 in ‘07 races at Lowe’s. Started 35th, finished 22nd in May race. Finished 14th in Sep Atlanta race. Finished third in the Showdown.
- Martin Truex Jr…. Average finish of 23.6 at Lowe’s since ‘08. Won the pole, finished 26th in Sep Atlanta race.
- Bill Elliott… Long shot value play. Two-time winner at Lowe’s (’84, ‘87) Started 10th, finished 15th at the May race. Y!-C4
- AJ Allmendinger… Finished 20th, DNF (crash) in last year’s races at Lowe’s- 32nd in May race.
- Brad Keselowski… No career Cup stars at Lowe’s. Average finish of 6.3 in ‘08-’09 Nationwide races at Lowe’s.
- Jamie McMurray… Won as a rookie in ‘02 at Lowe’s. Finished fifth in last year’s Oct race, 21st in May race.
- Robby Gordon… DNF, 30th in last year’s races at Lowe’s. Finished third in the May race but had an average running position of 16th in May race. Finished 16th in Sep Atlanta race.
- David Ragan… Average finish of 11.0 in last year’s races at Lowe’s. Started 34th, finished 24th in May race.
- Scott Speed… Started and finished 18th in May race, first career Cup start at Lowe’s. Started 14th, finished 11th in May Nationwide race at Lowe’s.
- Elliott Sadler… Average finish of 19.6 at Lowe’s since ‘08. Finished 21st in Sep Atlanta race.
- Michael Waltrip… Average finish of 27.0 at Lowe’s since ‘08. Finished 32nd in Sep Atlanta race.
- Reed Sorenson… Average finish of 18.5 in last year’s races at Lowe’s. Started 42nd, finished 35th in May race.
- Paul Menard… DNF (overheating) and 26th in last year’s races at Lowe’s. Finished 29th in the May race, 15th in Sep Atlanta race.
- Travis Kvapil… Finished 26th, DNF (crash) in ‘08. Only four Cup starts this season. Average finish of 10.8 in four Truck series starts (’03-’08) at Lowe’s.
- John Andretti… No Cup starts at Lowe’s since ‘07.
- David Gilliland… Average finish of 30.6 at Lowe’s since ‘08.
- Dave Blaney… Average finish of 24.0 at Lowe’s since ‘08.
- Max Papis… Started 32nd, finished 42nd at the May race, first career Cup start at Lowe’s.
- Terry Labonte… No Cup starts at Lowe’s since ‘06.
- Joe Nemechek… Finished 37th in May race at Lowe’s and last year’s Oct race.
- Mike Bliss… Started seventh in the May race at Lowe’s, start and parked- first Cup start at Lowe’s since ‘06.
- Sterling Marlin… Likely start and park. Won in ‘01. Only six Cup starts this season. Started 26th, finished 31st in last year’s May race.
- Michael McDowell… No career Cup stars at Lowe’s. Started sixth, finished 20th in May Nationwide race at Lowe’s.
- Mike Wallace… Likely start and park. Started 40th, finished 31st in last year’s Oct race at Lowe’s. DNQ for seven of nine Cup races this season.
NASCAR Fantasy Tool: 2009 Average Finish at Similar Tracks - Atlanta, Texas and Lowe’s
October 14, 2009
This table is a companion for my NASCAR Fantasy Racing Preview of the NASCAR Banking 500 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Below are 31 drivers of fantasy interest and their average finish at three similar tracks: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway and Lowe’s. The table will be updated with this week’s results to be used for the upcoming Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway on November 8th.
Also see my 2009 Average Finish at Chase Tracks Table which is very useful for planning your lineup for the rest of the season.
| Atlanta 1 | Texas | Lowe’s | Atlanta 2 | AVERAGE | |
| Jeff Gordon | 2 | 1 | 14 | 8 | 6.3 |
| Brian Vickers | 5 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 8.3 |
| Kasey Kahne | 7 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 8.5 |
| Matt Kenseth | 12 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 9.8 |
| Denny Hamlin | 13 | 12 | 11 | 6 | 10.5 |
| Tony Stewart | 8 | 4 | 19 | 11 | 10.5 |
| Juan Pablo Montoya | 27 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 11.3 |
| David Reutimann | 32 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 12.0 |
| Ryan Newman | 22 | 15 | 2 | 9 | 12.0 |
| Carl Edwards | 3 | 10 | 4 | 37 | 13.5 |
| Kyle Busch | 18 | 18 | 6 | 13 | 13.8 |
| Mark Martin | 31 | 6 | 17 | 5 | 14.8 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9 | 2 | 13 | 36 | 15.0 |
| Greg Biffle | 34 | 3 | 20 | 10 | 16.8 |
| David Stremme | 23 | 14 | 22 | 14 | 18.3 |
| Kevin Harvick | 4 | 27 | 41 | 2 | 18.5 |
| Kurt Busch | 1 | 8 | 34 | 38 | 20.3 |
| Jeff Burton | 14 | 9 | 25 | 34 | 20.5 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 10 | 25 | 23 | 26 | 21.0 |
| Robby Gordon | 26 | 39 | 3 | 16 | 21.0 |
| Paul Menard | 28 | 13 | 29 | 15 | 21.3 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 11 | 20 | 40 | 17 | 22.0 |
| Joey Logano | 30 | 30 | 9 | 22 | 22.8 |
| Clint Bowyer | 6 | 22 | 36 | 29 | 23.3 |
| Casey Mears | 16 | 21 | 33 | 25 | 23.8 |
| Bill Elliott* | 36 | 28 | 15 | 19 | 24.5 |
| Jamie McMurray | 15 | 38 | 21 | 28 | 25.5 |
| AJ Allmendinger | 17 | 34 | 32 | 20 | 25.8 |
| Sam Hornish Jr. | 37 | 17 | 16 | 35 | 26.3 |
| Bobby Labonte | 40 | 40 | 12 | 18 | 27.5 |
| Marcos Ambrose | 38 | 41 | 26 | 23 | 32.0 |
*David Gilliland drove the No. 21 Wood Brothers in the second race at Atlanta. Bill Elliott cracked three ribs during a dirt bike accident and was unable to race. Elliott finished 19th two weeks ago at Kansas Motor Speedway in his first race back.
NASCAR Power Rankings: Chase Edition Week 5
October 13, 2009
I know Pat Riley has the term three-peat patented, but I'm not sure if anyone owns four-peat? If you go to four-peat.com then you'll find that the site is currently under development. So do you think Jimmie Johnson might be the owner of that? Martin's put up a valiant effort so far but in order for him to win the championship he needs to start winning some of these races again or somehow find a way to deny Johnson. Could you imagine the gripes that would happen in NASCAR nation if Montoya won the championship winless!! Montoya's running good enough for it to happen and history could be made. The 24 is getting back on track and there's still plenty of time for Gordon to make his move. Somehow he needs to overcome his 105 point deficit on his own because you can't count on the 48 having problems. Each week the 2 car has been losing ground on the leaders and they really haven't even had any real problems yet. In order for them to win the championship they must be competitively mistake free for the remainder of the Chase. I have no clue how this team is only 84 points out of the lead. They certainly haven't really been on par with the other leaders consistently in the Chase. Hamlin did crash at California and finish very poorly but the important thing to note here is that he was leading at the time. His championship hopes are now smashed because he now sits -219 points out of the lead. In terms of Chase competitiveness Biffle and below in my Power Rankings is the dividing line of the "Have's and the have not's". Biffle and the other drivers below him are not on par performance wise with the higher ranked drivers. Edwards was about a 20th place car until late in the race when the cautions started. The 99 team was able to take advantage of the situation and raced up to 6th place with their fresh tires. Kasey Kahne might not be making a splash in the Chase this year but he is leading the phantom caution discussion which is an important topic. Ryan Newman's biggest friend at California was attrition and caution flags. At Lowes Motor Speedway I'm going to put my money on Megatron because I know Optimus Prime won't be competitive. Vickers is lucky that he's locked in the top 12 otherwise he would be racing for about 20th about now. In the four Chase races this year Vickers average finish is 23.75. California
Who's Up
Who's Down
Biggest Gain This Week:
Jeff Gordon: 6th to 4th
Biggest Drop This Week:
Mark Martin: 1st to 2nd
No new drivers this week.
No drivers dropped out this week.
Rank: 1st
Change: +1
Jimmie Johnson- 5 Wins, 19 Top Tens
Rank: 2nd
Change: -1
Mark Martin- 5 Wins, 18 Top Tens
Rank: 3rd
Change: 0
Juan Pablo Montoya- 6 Top Fives, 16 Top Tens
Rank: 4th
Change: +2
Jeff Gordon- 1 Win, 21 Top Tens
Rank: 5th
Change: -1
Kurt Busch- 1 Win, 17 Top Tens
Rank: 6th
Change: -1
Tony Stewart- 4 Wins, 21 Top Tens
Rank: 7th
Change: 0
Denny Hamlin- 2 Wins, 16 Top Tens
Rank: 8th
Change: 0
Greg Biffle- 9 Top Fives, 14 Top Tens
Rank: 9th
Change: +1
Carl Edwards- 7 Top Fives, 13 Top Tens
Rank: 10th
Change: -1
Kasey Kahne- 2 Wins, 12 Top Tens
Rank: 11th
Change: 0
Ryan Newman- 5 Top Fives, 14 Top Tens
Rank: 12th
Change: 0
Brian Vickers- 1 Win, 13 Top Tens
NASCAR Fantasy Tool: 2009 Average Finish at Chase Tracks Table
September 15, 2009
This table designed primarily to help fantasy NASCAR owners with deciding on how to spend their remaining driver starts as we progress through the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The table ranks the 26 most relevant drivers by their average finish at the eight Chase tracks that held their first Cup event earlier in the season.
| Loudon | Dover | Fontana |
Lowe’s | Martinsville | Talladega | Texas | Phoenix | AVG | |
| Tony Stewart | 5 | 2 | 8 | 19 | 3 | 23 | 4 | 2 | 8.25 |
| Jimmie Johnson | 9 | 1 | 9 | 13 | 1 | 30 | 2 | 4 | 8.63 |
| Kurt Busch | 3 | 5 | 5 | 34 | 18 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 10.25 |
| Greg Biffle | 18 | 3 | 4 | 20 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 11.00 |
| David Reutimann | 4 | 18 | 14 | 1 | 20 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 12.75 |
| Ryan Newman | 29 | 8 | 28 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 16 | 13.38 |
| Carl Edwards | 19 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 26 | 24 | 10 | 10 | 13.38 |
| Matt Kenseth | 22 | 4 | 1 | 10 | 23 | 17 | 5 | 27 | 13.63 |
| Denny Hamlin | 15 | 36 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 13.75 |
| Jeff Gordon | 2 | 26 | 2 | 14 | 4 | 37 | 1 | 25 | 13.88 |
| Kasey Kahne | 10 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 36 | 19 | 13 | 15.25 |
| Kyle Busch | 7 | 23 | 3 | 6 | 24 | 25 | 18 | 17 | 15.38 |
| Juan Montoya | 12 | 30 | 11 | 8 | 12 | 20 | 7 | 24 | 15.50 |
| Mark Martin | 14 | 10 | 40 | 17 | 7 | 43 | 6 | 1 | 17.25 |
| Joey Logano | 1 | 15 | 26 | 9 | 32 | 9 | 30 | 21 | 17.88 |
| Brian Vickers | 35 | 25 | 10 | 5 | 33 | 8 | 16 | 19 | 18.88 |
| Jeff Burton | 31 | 16 | 32 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 9 | 15 | 19.13 |
| Sam Hornish Jr. | 8 | 13 | 23 | 16 | 34 | 34 | 17 | 9 | 19.25 |
| Casey Mears | 11 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 21 | 16 | 21 | 20 | 19.38 |
| Marcos Ambrose | 23 | 20 | 22 | 26 | 14 | 4 | 41 | 14 | 20.50 |
| Dale Earnhardt Jr. | 13 | 12 | 39 | 40 | 8 | 2 | 20 | 31 | 20.63 |
| Clint Bowyer | 20 | 11 | 19 | 36 | 5 | 39 | 22 | 26 | 22.25 |
| Jamie McMurray | 33 | 14 | 16 | 21 | 10 | 42 | 38 | 11 | 23.13 |
| Martin Truex Jr. | 37 | 21 | 27 | 23 | 29 | 33 | 25 | 7 | 25.25 |
| AJ Allmendinger | 32 | 29 | 29 | 32 | 9 | 35 | 34 | 35 | 29.38 |
| Kevin Harvick | 34 | 17 | 38 | 41 | 11 | 38 | 27 | 30 | 29.50 |
NASCAR Power Rankings: Dover
May 27, 2009
Dover
Who's Up |
Who's Down |
Biggest Gain This Week:Kyle Busch: 4th to 2nd |
Biggest Drop This Week:Jeff Burton: 8th to 11th |
New This Week:
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Dropped Out This Week: |
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Rank: 1st
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Jeff Gordon- Had an up and down day at LowesThe 24 started at the front of the pack but they fell back very quickly at Lowes because of their ill handling racecar. Pit strategy is what saved their day. Expect a rebound for Gordon at Dover where he has a COT average finish of 8th. |
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Rank: 2nd
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Kyle Busch- All bad luck since 200 win talk beganEver since Kyle started talking about 200 career NASCAR wins look at what's happened to him at Darlington and Lowes in both the Nationwide Series and the Sprint Cup Series. The runs have been good but not the deserved results.
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Rank: 3rd
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Mark Martin- Pit penalty in short race = problemThe series veteran had an early pit road mistake but the shortened race just didn't allow enough time for him to overcome the problem. If the race went the scheduled distance I think he would have. |
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Rank: 4th
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Tony Stewart- Looking forward to DoverTony was a 10th place car at best at Lowes and he never really challenged for anything. If the 14 truly wants to contend for the championship they need to be much better in the fall race. |
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Rank: 5th
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Jimmie Johnson- Not the quite Power of Pride CarIf Lowes was still bumpy (blame Humpy) then it would still be Jimmie Johnson's house. Dover is also a good track for Johnson where he started his career there 2-0 in his rookie year. |
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Rank: 6th
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Ryan Newman- Is he really back?????Did you know Newman has scored the most points over the last 6 races? So is he back? I say let's wait until he has some strong runs on the typical Intermediates first (not Darlington or Dover). |
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Rank: 7th
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Kurt Busch- Only front runner with problemsKurt had a tough day at Lowes and finished 34th. Last fall at Dover he also finished 34th. Dover hasn't been friendly to the elder Busch because in COT races his best finish is 20th and his average finish is 31.25!!!! |
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Rank: 8th
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Greg Biffle- Most recent Dover winnerBiffle wants to leave Lowes behind in his rearview mirror because Dover is perhaps his best track. The last race he finished outside the top 10 at Dover was back in 2005. His average finish in COT races at Dover is 3rd. |
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Rank: 9th
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Matt Kenseth- Good Dover pickMatt Kenseth now has his first consecutive back to back top ten finishes (10th both races) since his Daytona and California victories earlier this year. Did you know that Matt Kenseth made his Cup debut at Dover in 1998 and finished sixth. |
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Rank: 10th
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Denny Hamlin- Pocono is coming upHamlin has the 4th best average running position (10.3) in 2009, but he still needs to improve on the Intermediate tracks. He has the short tracks and flat tracks mastered. |
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Rank: 11th
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Jeff Burton- Best RCR carBurton may be the best RCR car right now but is that an honor? RCR appears to have fallen behind technologically to the competition because as a whole the RCR Intermediate track program is not on par with the competition. |
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Rank: 12th
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David Reutimann- First win in the rainDavid Reutimann won his first career race for MWR in the rain Monday at Lowes. My question now is why didn't anyone else ahead of him try the same strategy? |
*** The Lowes Power Rankings is being skipped to keep all Onpitrow.com Fantasy Racing content in sync with one another.
From Dancing with the Stars to Dancing with the Cars
May 23, 2009
Gold-Medal Gymnast and “Dancing with the Stars” Champion Joins Festivities to Celebrate Historic 50th Running of NASCAR®’s Longest Race
CHARLOTTE, N.C., May 21, 2009 – As a world champion gymnast, celebrity dancer and honor roll student, Shawn Johnson is used to living life in the fast lane, but things will get much faster this weekend when she is introduced to the world of NASCARâ.
Johnson has been named an Honorary Race Official for one of NASCAR®’s crown jewels, the Coca-Cola 600. Johnson will be on hand to help celebrate the historic 50th running of NASCAR’s longest race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway on May 24
(5:00 p.m. EST on FOX).
The 17-year-old Johnson won four medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, then came home and won America’s heart as the youngest-ever winner of the popular ABC television show “Dancing with the Stars.” As an Honorary Race Official for the Coca-Cola 600, Johnson will take part in a number of activities, including interacting with fans, attending the driver’s meeting and greeting all of the drivers during pre-race introductions.
During weekend events, Johnson will get a true NASCAR® experience when she climbs into an actual race car for a 160 mph ride-along with fan favorite and Coca-Cola Racing Family member Kyle Petty. She’ll also tour the garage at Lowe’s Motor Speedway where she’ll try her hand at typical pit crew jobs such as jacking a car, working an air wrench and changing tires.
Johnson has been featured on Olympic-themed packaging as one of the Coca-Cola “Six-Pack” of Olympic Athletes. She also serves as a Coca-Cola “Ambassador of Active Living” to help encourage and inspire people to lead active, balanced lives.
The Coca-Cola 600 is the longest continuous race sponsorship in NASCARâ. Coca-Cola is the Official Sparkling Beverage of NASCARâ and has been involved with stock car racing for more than 40 years. A signature part of Coca-Cola’s innovative NASCARâ program is the Coca-Cola Racing Family – a group of top drivers that includes Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Bobby Labonte, Jamie McMurray, Kyle Petty, David Ragan, Elliott Sadler, Tony Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Aric Almirola and Joey Logano.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with nearly 500 sparkling and still brands. Along with Coca-Cola, recognized as the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio includes 12 other billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, POWERADE, Minute Maid and Georgia Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of nearly 1.6 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our Web site at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.







