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Fantasy NASCAR Preview: Bristol - Jeff Byrd 500

Now that the off-weekend has passed, the Sprint Cup Series will have points-paying races for the next two months straight. In honor of the passing of Bristol Motor Speedway’s long-time president and general manager last October, the event at “The Bullring” this weekend will be named the Jeff Byrd 500 Presented by Food City. Five-hundred laps are set to be run on this 0.533-mile racetrack, and there should be very few that aren’t exciting. Only one of the past five races here have gone past the scheduled distance.

During The Last Race At Bristol…Kyle Busch started 19th but quickly made his way to the front and wound up leading 282 laps before taking the checkered flag–his fourth win at this track. To the surprise of many, David Reutimann backed up his top five qualifying effort with a 2nd-place finish, while Jamie McMurray, Clint Bowyer, and Kasey Kahne rounded out the top five. The spring race at Bristol saw Jimmie Johnson get the win, even though Kurt Busch led the most laps that day (278).

My Recommendation To Fantasy Racers…This is the week to take an underdog or two, as it seems one of them always finds their way to the front (Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose come to mind). On Friday, a practice session will be held (disregard these speeds) and then qualifying. There will then be two practices held on Saturday, which will help you get an idea of who is fast because they will all be in race trim. Starting position definitely helps on this track, but if a driver has a good car and starts in the back, he should be able to stay on the lead lap and eventually get up to the front. During the last race at Bristol, half of the top ten finishers started outside of the top ten.

Top Fifteen Ranking Entering The Jeff Byrd 500:

1. Kyle Busch - Remember a few weeks ago at Phoenix how good Jimmie Johnson was at that track? Same thing here at Bristol with Kyle Busch. “Rowdy” has won three of the past five races at this short track, and his other two finishes were 2nd and 9th. In those five starts, Kyle has led 45.7% of the laps ran. His best starting spot in his career here is 9th, though, so don’t expect a pole run on Friday. Since 2006, Busch hasn’t finished worse than 17th–and that was his only run outside of the top ten. His career average finish of 9.3 at Bristol is best in the series. You will gain major points by leaving Busch off your roster if something happens to him–as most people this week will pick him–but are you willing to take that risk?

2. Kurt Busch - Like “Shrub”, Kurt Busch is an awesome pick at Bristol as well. From 2002 through 2004, the elder Busch brother won four races here in five starts. I made the mistake of leaving him off my fantasy rosters during that time, trying to gain major points in the off-chance his wins were a fluke. They weren’t. Kurt’s results haven’t been as good since joining Penske Racing, but they haven’t been terrible either. He’s on a streak of three top 10s at Bristol and hasn’t finished outside of the top 15 since the spring race in 2007. Look for the points leader to  have another solid top ten finish this week, if not a top five.

3. Carl Edwards - Cousin Carl was just one of three drivers to score five top 10s in the six short track races last year. He’s also off to a very hot start this season, with a win last week in Las Vegas and cars capable of winning in all three races (according to him anyway). He’s won here at Bristol twice and posted finishes of 12th and 6th in 2010. Since 2006, Edwards hasn’t finished worse than 16th. Will the 99 team bring another super-fast Ford to Tennessee this week?

4. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. - If you would have told me before Daytona that Junior would have two top tens (and one of them wasn’t at Daytona) and be 10th in points after three races, I would have called you crazy, but lo and behold, it’s true. The team switches at Hendrick Motorsports seem to have benefited Dale Jr the most–thus far–and he’s on a roll coming into his best track (statistically). Little E hasn’t finished worse than 18th since 2001 and has collected one win at this track (coming in 2004). His career average finish here is 11.5 and his last three finishes at “The Bullring” have been 13th, 7th, and 9th. This ranking may be high to some, but Junior is off to a great start this season and definitely knows how to get around this track (he had seven top 10s in eight starts from 2004 to 2008). I think Junior’s momentum will translate into a top five this week (and maybe even a win).

5. Jimmie Johnson - “Five Time” won the pole here last April, but it was Kyle Busch who went on to win the race. Johnson led 175 laps but finished a disappointing 35th in that race because he got wrecked by Juan Montoya. Jimmie’s previous three starts before last fall gave him finishes of 1st, 8th, and 3rd, but from 2005 to 2008 (eight races) he had only two top ten finishes. I think there are better picks than Johnson this week, but it’s hard to go against a guy who has won five straight championships. I don’t think the 48 team has been running very well at all in 2010, either, so pay attention to the car in practice. Johnson has started in the top five in three of the last four races in “Thunder Valley” and has had the second-best driver rating over that span, though, so it’s not like he hasn’t ran well at this track.

6. Ryan Newman - “The Rocketman” won’t lead a bunch of laps, but don’t be surprised if he posts a solid finish around 6th. In the past seven races at Bristol, Newman has finished 6th or 7th in five of them. When he doesn’t have strong race, though, it’s usually a pretty bad finish (in eight finishes outside of the top ten, six of them have been 30th or worse). The 39 Chevrolet has two straight top tens, and you know I like momentum early in the season.

7. Greg Biffle - “The Biff” disappointed many fantasy owners last week–well, I guess it was his gas man–but don’t expect another sub-par finish this week. The 16 Ford found the top ten in both Bristol races in 2010, and in six of the past eight (the other two were 39th and 11th-place efforts). Biffle has made sixteen career starts in “Thunder Valley” and has just two finishes outside of the top 20. This is his second-best track statistically behind Kansas. Good pick this week? Yes, as long as they got that fuel problem figured out over the break.

8. Matt Kenseth - Like Biffle, this Roushkateer was on a bunch of rosters in Vegas but didn’t have that great of a race. I expect Kenseth to have a good week in Bristol, though: he’s on a three-race streak of top 10s here and has finished there in five of the last six. I have liked the Roush-Fenway Fords in the first three races of 2011, and that hasn’t changed this week. Kenseth won here in 2006, but since then he hasn’t led a lap at “The Bullring” and just one top five. As usual with the 17, pick him if he qualifies near the front (top 15).

9. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin had a great season in 2010, but his Bristol races were less than stellar (19th and 34th-place finishes). Before that, though, he had four straight finishes between 2nd and 6th. His Joe Gibbs Racing teammate is arguably the best here, so one can expect those two teams to help each other. Denny changed an engine last week and came back to record a solid top ten, and they say Las Vegas is the place to start streaks. One food for thought, though: is there something wrong with the Gibbs engines? In addition to Hamlin having to switch engines last week, teammate Joey Logano had engine difficulties in Phoenix and the other Gibbs racer, Kyle Busch, blew an engine at Vegas.

10. Jeff Burton - Does anybody need a good run more than this guy? I know I said the same thing last week, but when will the bad luck end (if you even consider this luck)? Burton is 32nd in points after last week’s 21st-place run at Las Vegas, right in front of Casey Mears by five points (even though Mears has started one less race). I’d like to see the 31 crew look more competitive thus far in the season to recommend him, but the spring race has been kind to them recently: the last four March races have given Burton top tens in each, including a win (2008) and a runner-up finish (2007). One last note: make sure the 31 Chevrolet is fast before putting it on your final roster, though.

11. Jeff Gordon - I expect Gordon will qualify well (his career average start here is 6.8) but won’t stay up front very long. In the last eight races here, Gordon has led only eleven laps, and while he has five wins in “Thunder Valley,” the last one was in 2002. In the last seven races here, Gordon owns just two top tens. He finished 11th and 14th here in 2010, and I think he will fall in right around there on Sunday. Jeff has won five poles at Bristol, though, so he could gain you some valuable bonus points in the Yahoo! game.

12. Tony Stewart - “Smoke” is usually hit or miss at Bristol, but I love picking him when he’s on a roll and I love picking drivers that have momentum to start the season. After last week’s disappointing 2nd-place finish, Stewart comes into a track where he has won before (in 2001) and owns eight top 10s. He finished runner-up to Johnson in the spring race last year and from 2006 to 2008 Stewart led over 30% of the laps ran on this 0.533-mile track. He knows how to get around here, but he will be a risky pick this week. Watch him in practice, and if he is fast in average practice speed, pick him (trust me).

13. Kevin Harvick - If you read anything I said about Harvick in the off-season, you know I don’t expect a lot out of him this year. He’s had good runs, but like his teammate Burton, luck hasn’t been on Happy’s side (but his performance at Phoenix was very impressive). Harvick has one win (2005) and has finished runner-up four times at Bristol, but hasn’t cracked the top ten in the last four races. His career average finish here is 12.3, though, so he knows how to get around the track.

14. Clint Bowyer - He doesn’t have a top ten this season yet, but that could change this weekend. Bowyer ran 4th in the fall race here in 2010 and during the four races in 2007 and 2008, he rattled off four straight top tens. Clint’s best finish at Bristol has been 3rd, which he has done twice (that is also his best starting spot). In ten career races in “Thunder Valley,” Bowyer has usually finished around 16th while starting around 20th.

15. Jamie McMurray - Jamie Mac’s average finish in his first four starts at this track was an impressive 7.3, but over the next twelve races, that quickly plummeted to 18.3. He has had good runs here recently, though, with top ten finishes in both Bristol races in 2010 and an 11-th place effort in the fall race during the 2009 season. I doubt he’ll get a top ten this week, but a top fifteen isn’t out of the question.

Underdogs Entering The Jeff Byrd 500:

Marcos Ambrose - As you may know, I love keeping Ambrose in my mind when it comes to short tracks. The Tasmanian posted two top ten finishes here in his first two starts, but slipped back last year with 33rd and 20th-place efforts. Will he return to 2009 form? They say Las Vegas is a place to start streaks, and Ambrose had an awesome run there.

Paul Menard - I don’t think many people expected Menard to be 6th in points after three races, or be the best driver (thus far) in the Richard Childress Racing stable. Coming off a 12th-place finish at Vegas, I could see Menard getting a career-best finish at Bristol (his current one is 16th in 2008). He has finished worse than 25th only once in seven career starts in “Thunder Valley”.

David Reutimann - He ran strong here the last time the series visited the track, finishing 2nd to Kyle Busch. Will he be able to repeat that performance? Reutty got his best finish of the season in Las Vegas, coming home 13th. He usually qualifies well at Bristol and the last four races here have given Reutimann finishes of 2nd, 38th, 17th, and 12th. A solid top twenty is expected.

Brad Keselowski - Believe it or not, Bristol is Keselowski’s fourth-best track (statistically). He’s raced here twice and finished 19th and 13th. Kurt Busch put some up great runs in the “Blue Deuce” at this track, can BK continue the tradition?

Those To Avoid Entering The Jeff Byrd 500:

Mark Martin - I have been on the Martin “bandwagon” for the last eight or so Sprint Cup races, but I am officially jumping off. It’s obvious he got the short end of the stick at Hendrick, as his finishes have been average at best this season (even though it usually seems it has a good car). Martin has won the pole here in two of the past four races, so you may pick him to get the bonus points in the Yahoo! game, but I think this week will yield another disappointing ending for Mark Martin fantasy owners: he has just three top tens in his past sixteen Bristol starts.

Joey Logano - “Sliced Bread” may look like a good pick this week based on his qualifying efforts at Bristol (average start of 8.8 in four starts), but don’t let that fool you: he’s never finished on the lead lap here and his best finish is 18th. The 20 crew needs a good week to turn their season around, but I don’t see that happening in “Thunder Valley”.

A.J. Allmendinger - The ‘Dinger’s last two spring starts at Bristol have given him 17th and 16th-place finishes, but his five other starts have seen him end up worse than 30th. A.J. slipped in the points after Las Vegas, and I expect him to fall a little further once the checkered flag waves on Sunday.

Bobby Labonte - Labonte should settle into his expected final points position after this week. Ambrose put up a good run in this car last year, but Bobby couldn’t even figure out this track when he was in his prime. In 36 starts at Bristol, Labonte has just ten top tens and an average finish of 20.4.

Anything can happen at Bristol, so don’t take it too hard if you have a bad fantasy week (we all have a couple). Don’t forget to check out my predictions after Happy Hour at ifantasyrace and make sure to check out NASCAR Nation as well.

2009 OPer Awards: Best Post Race Celebration

Carl Edwards pulled an upset of sorts by winning the OPeR for best post-race celebration, even though he the NASCAR stats show that he failed to win a Sprint Cup race in 2009.

Steve convinced me that Carl’s Talladega post-crash dash across the finish line on foot - ala Ricky Bobby - was the best of the year.

My first choice was Kurt Busch’s backwards victory laps. I know they’re a bit hokey, but Kurt stuck with them and at least he got to do a couple by winning some races.

NASCAR Wives and Girlfriends Photos

We find the pics where we can because we know you want to see them. Click the thumbnail for a full sized photo.

Photo credit; Icon Sports Media, Inc

2008 OPeR Award: Best Junior High School Drama

Last year, it was Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth who mixed it up - in a very lame way - in the pits and earned the dreaded “High School Musical” OPeR. Or was it Kevin Harvick and Robby Gordon? Or Kurt Busch and Tony Stewart?

Whatever. This time, there was no mix-up. Happy Harvick and Cousin Carl got into it after practice for a Nationwide Series race and there were plenty of photogs around to catch the action.

If only the ruckus had happened at one of Humpy Wheeler’s races, we might actually have some of those pics.

Wrapped up, but not wiped out

OK, so we’re one episode away from conclusion of the 2008 Jimmie Johnson show. All the Hendrick gear in my possession aside, even I’m bored with this. Nothing against JJ, Chad or crew, but even my 16 year old Baby Ruth T-shirt is fresher than this act. And it doesn’t even fit any more. While their accomplishments the past three seasons are nothing short of miraculous, and like it or not deserve all the press and praise, there’s one thing that comes to mind that a wise old man once told me.

“Luke, you just can’t eat a steak every night for life and not expect it to get old and lose it’s luster. Sometimes you just need a good chicken dinner to liven it up.”

While a bit off-beat, it rings true for many situations. Including this one. As remarkable of an accomplishment as this will be, barring something to knock Jimmie to a 37th or worse finish, fans are looking to the menu for some chicken.

They have shown it with empty seats at places which tend to sell out, or close to it. They have shown it through television ratings, as well as related purchases. While the current economic times play a part, those didn’t really enter the picture until mid to late summer where it would have a huge impact.

Many curse the Chase, although Johnson would still be leading by 56 points. That aside, he would only be heading to Championship #1, not #3.

I read an interesting article yesterday, with some interesting concepts on how bad it is and how it could be fixed. Problem being: “One must recognize, and accept, that there is a problem before work can begin to fix it.” — Luke

A few decent ideas have been thrown around, for sure.

So while we witnessed the last to final episode of the 2008 season of the Jimmie and Chad show, it wasn’t all about the Chasers.

Jamie McMurray continued his romp and stomp with another Top-5 and 3rd place finish. Kurt Busch, hanging it all out, finished second, with David Ragan closing out the Top-10. 30% of your Top-10 were not in the Chase. Surprise, surprise.

With fond memories (thank you Truck Series) from Phoenix in our rear view mirrors, we’re pulling into Homestead with one thing on everyone’s mind. Vacation. Yes, you read that right. Time off. No tracks, no press, no worries. At least for a few days anyway, as work for 2009 has already begun. Think I’m kidding? Kurt Busch and company tested this past Tuesday at the new half-mile “Little Rock”, at Rockingham, getting ready for 2009. No joke.

Homestead is, well, it’s a track. Much like many others composing the meat of the current schedule. It’s a 1.5 mile “cookie-cutter”, and it’s owned by ISC. There you have it. In an effort to improve racing they put in graduated banking, seeing action for the first time in 2003. Las Vegas did the same thing just 2 years ago, in fact. While the show improved, it’s about like watching Johnson hoist the Cup this Sunday.

The cookie track that tried, tried, and tried again has been the “House of Roush” for years. In fact, Greg Biffle is 3 for 4 in the past 4 years here, only losing out to Matt Kenseth in the 2007 showdown when he beat Kurt Busch to the line by .852 seconds. Biffle wound up 13th.

If one had to put some non-Chasers in the Top-10, you can’t help but pick Jamie McMurray and David Ragan. With momentum and history coming into play, they’re odds on favorites to crack the Top-10.

Kurt Busch again? I’m not so sure. Top-20, maybe, but he’s pulling an average just inside the Top-30 for tracks of this nature this year. Needless to say, when they’re on, they’re on. When they’re off, they’re really off. There hasn’t really been an in between at this type of track for the #2 Dodge.

Looking for that ever elusive third possibility, I’ll throw you two and you can take your pick. It’s not out of the question that it could be Kasey Kahne or Travis Kvapil. Yes, I said Travis Kvapil.

Come back next week for the final wrap up on what was the non-Chase 2008.

Roush Fenway Fords Enjoy November Sun in Homestead

While only winning the championship in 2004, the Roush Fenway Fords are dominant at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Greg Biffle won this race three years running and Matt Kenseth capped off the season one year ago with a win. To add to the fun for the Cat in the Hat, Carl Edwards has a very good record here and David Ragan has a top 10 in his first start here last year. For Roush, those are good odds.

The championship is obviously the big story at Homestead, but every year the margin of victory is getting larger. From the incredible drama of Kurt Busch’s 2004 season to Tony Stewart’s and Jimmie Johnson’s solid if unspectacular runs in the years following, the championship chase is still must-watch television and the redesigned Homestead track deserves a lot of the credit. This year almost certainly promises to see Johnson do what only Cale Yarborough has done in NASCAR’s top series unless something freakish happens to the normally unflappable #48 team.

Paging David Gilliland, remember where your engines come from… anyway, lets get a look at the numbers.

The winners:
2007 – Matt Kenseth
2006 – Greg Biffle
2005 – Greg Biffle
2004 – Greg Biffle

Champs finish:
2007 – Jimmie Johnson – 7th
2006 – Jimmie Johnson – 9th
2005 – Tony Stewart – 15th
2004 – Kurt Busch – 5th

Let’s see, let me find a Roush Fenway driver that has had the best season this and won on similar 1.5 mile tracks… oh yeah, if you’re not anticipating Carl Edwards leading nearly every lap and winning this thing Sunday night, I’ll take whatever odds there are for the race. Aside from Edwards, Biffle does have a track record of winning here and could easily do it again.

The two sleepers I’ve pegged for this race are Ragan and Jamie McMurray. Both drivers have performed admirably in the final stretch of the year. The season finale always produces surprises, it should be interesting to see what happens this year. Among the one-off entrants are Brad Keselowski and Mark Martin, and the end of A.J. Allmendinger’s run in the #10.

Finally, it’s been a pleasure to write this weekly column for On Pit Row. I want to thank Steve and Charlie for all of their hard work and I look forward to continuing my contributions to the Bench Racing blog. Journey provides the season finale with the classic karaoke song Don’t Stop Believin’. YouTube is your friend. This won’t be like the Sopranos finale when the music just stops before the

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

The Sun sets on the 2008 NASCAR Season

From Daytona to Miami–NASCAR begins and ends its season in the Sunshine State.

After Hurricane Andrew left its trail of destruction in 1992, longtime Miami motor sports promoter Ralph Sanchez negotiates a deal with the city of Homestead to build a facility that will revitalize the city. Groundbreaking took place for the new 434-acre facility known as Homestead-Miami Speedway one year later.  Businessman and sports team owner H. Wayne Huizenga becomes a partner in the project prior to completion.

Grand opening ceremonies for the Speedway are held in November of 1995 and NASCAR debuts in front of a sold-out crowd. Executives and dignitaries are given the honor of cutting the ribbon, and Dale Jarrett wins the Nov. 5 Jiffy Lube Miami 300 Nationwide race.

In November of 1999, the Speedway hosts NASCAR’s premier division, the Winston Cup Series, and Tony Stewart wins the Pennzoil 400. Prior to the event, Homestead-Miami Speedway nearly doubled its seating capacity and added a massive expansion in Turn 1 under the direction of new track President Curtis Gray.

In 2002, Homestead-Miami Speedway reached another milestone when it was awarded Ford Championship Weekend. For the first time, each of NASCAR’s premier series—the Winston, Busch, and Craftsman Truck Series—concluded its season and crowned its champions on the same weekend at the same track.

The following Spring, the speedway underwent the most technologically advanced track-reconfiguration project in the history of motor sports: a $12 million re-banking project that transformed the track from a flat 6-degrees to a computer-designed 18-to-20-degree variable banking system in the turns.  That Fall the Ford Championship Weekend took place on the new banking, drawing rave reviews from fans.

2004 saw the first Chase for the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup finale takes place at the Speedway, as Kurt Busch secures his first NEXTEL Cup Series championship. One year later, Championship Weekend takes place under the lights for the very first time. Tony Stewart wins the Cup Series Championship and Greg Biffle wins his second consecutive Ford 400.

Jimmie Johnson wins the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship in 2006, and Greg Biffle wins his third consecutive Ford 400.   One year later, Johnson wins his second consecutive NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series Championship, and Matt Kenseth takes the checkered flag in the Ford 400.

Johnson only has to finish 38th or better to secure his third consecutive Sprint Cup Championship.  Carl Edwards is the only other Chaser to have a shot at Johnson.  As Carl said after the race at Phoenix; he still has a chance for the championship, but it isn’t very likely.  Keep in mind though–Roush-Fenway Racing Fords have won over half of the races at Miami.

photo credit: icon Sports Media

This Ain’t Run’s House…

This ain’t Run’s House, not does it belong to anyone else either. Other than the Thunder Lounge, of course, but we’re talking on the track. Let’s check Atlanta’s top non-chasers, then move onto bigger and better things.

Well neither Vickers nor Bobby Labonte did any spoiling at Atlanta last weekend. Jamie McMurray sure did though, with a nice 7th place run, and right in front of teammate David Ragan. Crossing the stripe right before Jamie was Kurt Busch. Both he and Jamie getting a little redemption from Martinsville.

While we leave the warm-up for this weekend behind, we’re not going to Run’s house.

Actually, we’re not going to anyone’s house. Texas isn’t like Charlotte, where you could call it Johnson’s house. Texas has seen very few repeat winners since coming onto the scene in 1997. In other words, the checkers are fair game for all.

The big winner in Texas sure ain’t the Cowboys. Ever see that clip after last season on YouTube? If you have, you know what we’re talking about.

One big winner has to be Babe’s Chicken. If you make it down here, find ‘em.

Oh, that’s right… we’re talking racing.

So here we come to Texas, and wondering which non-chaser has the opportunity to make a showing.

As much as I hate to say it, those that ran well at Atlanta have a good shot at doing so again. While differences exist between the two, it’s a good possibility for more of the same. If you’re betting against Johnson, it’s going to take bad luck to slow his roll anytime soon.

So who can swipe some points this week? Jamie Mac’s a good bet. Other than that it’s Texas, and you’d better know when to run.

The War Drums are Beating…

After the show last Sunday at Martinsville, the war drums have begun beating. Well, louder anyway. Can anyone stop Jimmie Johnson, Chad Knaus and the rest of the #48 team from streaking for a 3rd Championship in a row? Not to discount the effort, but it’s kind of like listening to the same song being played on the radio 100 times a day. Sure it was a treat in the beginning, but it gets old, and fast.

Apparently the television audience thought the same again this week, as the ratings were again lower than last year. Even though Jimmie Johnson pulled it out, with a mid to late stinking of the show, it was still a wail of a show. Bump bump… Coming through… and that was all day, including Saturday. But we’re not here to discuss that wacky Camping World Truck Series race. Not at all. What we’re here to discuss are the other 31 cars that were on the track at Martinsville, and will be out in full force at HotLanta this weekend.

Both Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray had their loans at the Luck Bank called due. Honestly, I have no idea what happened to Kurt. He was there at the start, then he wasn’t. Finally caught that he was in the garage, thanks to the ol’ 454.000Mhz, but I missed out on the what.

Then Jamie got bit by the busted rear axle bug while running very strong inside the Top-10, pushing the Top-5. But hey, I have good news, and it has absolutely nothing to do with car insurance. Looks like a reunion with your buddy Donnie Wingo is in the cards. Now go drive the wheel off that thing.

Then there was Casey Mears. Casey put the hammer down, slammed that chrome horn, and brought it home with a very solid 6th place finish. Not bad at all there, “New Pop”, even though 3 of the Top-5 went to your teammates it was still one impressive run.

So now we’re rolling a little further south, down for some hot, fast laps at Atlanta. Or as we sometimes lovingly refer to it in the depths of Thunder Lounge, the fall test session for Texas.

So who are we going to get into the Top-10 here, that isn’t trying to dethrone Johnsonpalooza?

Roush cars typically run well here, and Jamie McMurray is out for justice. Speaking of being out for justice, look for Brian Vickers to make a play and possibly be in the Top-10 at the end of the day. After getting a massive switch to the butt from NASCAR yesterday, that whole organization is out to prove they’re legit.

Finally, my third selection for the upcoming weekend. I’m going to throw a bone to none other than the 2000 Winston Cup Champion, Bobby Labonte. He knows what he needs at this track, and his resume here is quite impressive and includes 6 wins. For this type of track, he’s rolling with 17 wins, 78 Top-5’s, and 119 Top-10’s. Even the Petty slump can’t keep his bite out of Georgia.

Dark horse? Throw the love to Beak. David Reutimann was pretty good at Martinsville. Until late trouble bit him, he’d been in the Top-10 all day.

Speaking of things MWR and Martinsville. I caught Mikey coming out the back of the Toyota Fan Experience by chance. A little boy all decked out in Mikey gear (hat, jacket and all) that couldn’t have been more then 7 saw him too. He took off on a dead beat run towards the golf cart as they began to pull away. As pressed for time as these drivers are these days, Mikey made them stop the cart, and he took the time to sign the boys jacket and give him a quick squeeze. The way that kids face lit up was priceless. While it’s not just Michael, this is a true representation of our sport at heart. Good people, who just happen to be blessed with making a living doing something most of us can only dream of.

So now that the heartburn is clearing up from all those famous Martinsville hotdogs, just in time to hit the barbecue in Texas next week, we find ourselves in anxious wait to see whether or not Goodyear brings the right tire to Atlanta this time, and whether or not we’ll have a show. Just in case the tire is off a bit, bring something better to the Lone Star state, okay guys?

When Jimmie Goes Down To Georgia

I’m shameless, really. When it comes to NASCAR, Jimmie Johnson has become Mr. October in nearly every sense. While he’ll never be Reggie Jackson, he has been incredible in the October Chase races, which have used Atlanta as the bookend. Every year this race focuses mainly on the Chase drivers and some of the great racing is missed. Maybe ABC will take a cue from that and show the race.

Chase drivers tend to mix in with other drivers at Atlanta, I’ve noticed. Tony Stewart won in 2006, when he also won at Kansas and just aimed for wins during the Chase. One of my favorite victory lane moments came here in that race, when Stewart climbed the fence to celebrate, mingled with the fans in the stands, then told the interviewer that the hat he was wearing came from a fan that gave it to him – one of those old hats that was torn from use, not for design. I felt compelled to share that right here. Equipment will be something to watch here as it really strains the engine. Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, and Carl Edwards will all hope for something like that to happen.

The winners:
2007 – Jimmie Johnson
2006 – Tony Stewart
2005 – Carl Edwards
2004 – Jimmie Johnson

Champs finish:
2007 – Jimmie Johnson – 1st
2006 – Jimmie Johnson – 2nd
2005 – Tony Stewart – 9th
2004 – Kurt Busch – 42nd

I’ve started the last 2 race winners and they’ve delivered 2 wins. Hey, I think I’m getting the hang of this! It’s so tempting to say Jimmie Johnson 12 times and be done with it, but…

JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON
JIMMIE JOHNSON

Or go with Carl Edwards or Greg Biffle. At this point, they’re still the ones in position to make a move if the #48 ends up having trouble.

I desperately want David Ragan to win a race this season. His spring race here wasn’t great, but he has had a lot of solid runs on the intermediate tracks. Plus, it makes for a great story in addition the Chase coverage. As a backup, I’ll take Brian Vickers.

“The Devil Went Down To Georgia” by the incomparable Charlie Daniels Band is the song for this week. I guess the golden fiddle is the Sprint Cup and the devil is either Mike Helton or Brian France as they deal the cards.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

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