NASCAR Notebook: Talladega
Barry F. Hess
April 27, 2007
NASCAR Notebook: Talladega
Sweet Home Alabama
This weekend the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit runs the second of four restrictor plate races, this time on the largest track in the sport, Talladega Super Speedway.
Over two and a half miles of high banking, high speeds and even higher emotions as 43 drivers strap in for what is known as one of, if not the, most stressful and pressure packed events on the entire schedule.
In recent years you didn’t talk restrictor plate racing without talking Hendrick MotorSports, well that has changed…because now you don’t talking racing period without mentioning the dominance Rick Hendrick and his armada have established in the early going of 2007.
The leader of the talented group, oh yeah and Casey Mears too, Jeff Gordon is fresh off his first career win at Phoenix International Raceway and tying the late Dale Earnhardt for third among the all time win leaders with 76.
Look for Gordon to compete for his third straight pole award as he continues what could very well be the best season of his illustrious career before all is said and done.
After yet another week atop the point standings look for Gordon to race a smart race Sunday, keeping his car in the only position on the track not prone to “The Big One”, out in front.
The last time the Nextel Cup traveled to the great state of Alabama Dale Earnhardt Jr. was half a lap away from his sixth career victory on the super speedway before Brian Vickers wrecked both he and Jimmie Johnson after miss judging a pass for second place.
Junior has an average finish of 11th at Talladega, including eight top 10 finishes, seven of which were second or better.
Look for Junior and the revitalized DEI restrictor plate program to shine once again in the Alabama sun.
Never one to fall to the back early on look for the No. 8 Budweiser Chevy to qualify near the front and stay there before making a late run and the checkers just as he did last year…and with Brian Vickers a hardly a threat to even make the race this time around maybe he will actually make it to the start/finish line in one piece this time around.
Fresh off his fifth top 10 finish of the season Tony Stewart can’t wait to get back on the track and race.
After barely missing out on his first win of 07’ Stewart has a great shot to get of the snide, if it’s even possible to be on one with just three finishes outside the top 10, this weekend.
The driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevy clearly had the car of the field in Daytona, only to get involved in a wreck that landed him 43rd.
Look for Stewart, currently seventh in the point standings, to qualify among the top 10 starting positions before making a run at both the checkered flag a well as the most laps led award.
If he can keep his nose clean, something easier said than done at Talladega, Smoke will be in position to take home the win.
Jamie McMurray took the white flag in this very race last season with the lead before gladly finishing fifth in a season he would soon like to forget, this year, however, the driver of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford heads to the race track not only looking for a top five but for a win.
McMurray, currently 12th in points, is off to the best start of his career since becoming a full time Nextel Cup driver in 2003.
Look for McMurray to qualify in the middle of the pack before possibly drifting toward the back until the later stages of the races.
With the ability to utilize the high line at most tracks McMurray will be in good position to make his move if he can avoid the big wrecks and maintain a solid draft as he did in Daytona.
Prediction: Just a few short weeks ago it appeared as though Kurt Busch and the rest of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team were on their way back to the drawing board after a less than ideal start to 2007.
Despite recording just one top 10 thus far, Busch has scored three straight top 20 finishes which has bumped him up to 13th in the point standings, just one spot out of the vital final Chase position.
Look for Busch to qualify near the front and keep his car there for much of the afternoon much like he did at Daytona.
With a much improved restrictor plate program and a car that seemingly works very well in the draft expect to see Busch compete for the race lead on more than one occasion.
If he can keep his mistakes and bad luck to a minimum and let his pit crew do their jobs the famed blue deuce will end the afternoon in a familiar spot…Victory Lane.
Stewart Says the Fix is In
Maybe Tony Stewart should retire.
I’m sure his two Nextel Cup championships and almost 20 years in the motor sports business had to have produced quite the 401k scenario.
And if not I’m sure his significant other, a high end Home Depot executive, would be more than capable of keeping the couple from ever wanting.
Recently Tony has become that disgruntled employee that can’t find a reason to smile and would rather be complaining about something, you know the one I’m talking about, every office has at least one.
After all, we are only eight races into the season and already Tony has complained about two driver’s behavior on the track, heavily criticized the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and those who own it, put down the Car of Tomorrow just about every chance he’s got and most recently accused NASCAR of fixing races by throwing caution flags for debris to keep leaders from pulling away from the competition much like Stewart did for much of last weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.
It's like playing God,” Stewart said earlier this week on his Sirius Satellite Radio program. “They can almost dictate the race instead of the drivers doing it. It's happened too many times this year.”
Stewart then went on to compare the current state of NASCAR to the ranks of professional wrestling, where the outcomes of the events are predetermined.
I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too,'” said Stewart. “I can't understand how long the fans are going to let NASCAR treat them like they're stupid before the fans finally turn on NASCAR… I don't know that they've run a fair race all year.”
Unfortunatly for Stewart, it’s not NASCAR the fans have begun to turn on…but him instead.
Stewart has received voiserous boos from both the crowds at Texas Motor Speedway after his run in with Dale Junior as well as in pre race ceromonies at PIR last week.
It was the unfamilar boos that got Stewart talking retirement in the first place.
At first I was just like evey other grumpy sports columist in the country that love to write for athletes to be suspended and fined for actions or statements they make off the respective field, court or race track.
But after thinking it over I agree with NASCAR’s decision not to do anything.
Afterall, Stewart’s comments are more like something you’d hear from a sophmoric Jeff Gordon hater at any race track across the country after Gordon won a race.
Why punish a guy for being stupid?
Instead NASCAR officials responed with more class and decourum than Tony had the decency to show them, radio show or not.
NASCAR has been running races since 1948, and we place the safety of the drivers at the top of the list,” said spokesman Jim Hunter. “We have more people and more resources than ever officiating our races. The safety of the drivers is our first priority. It has always been that way and will continue to be that way.”
Hunter went on to say, “There are thousands of talented race drivers out there who would consider it an honor to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.”
A glowing endorsement of Stewart’s retirment if I ever heard one.
Random Thoughts
Just to show that I really am an objective journalist and not just a guy that hates Tony Stewart let me start off this week’s Random Thoughts segment by saying his daring three wide pass late in last weekend’s race was without question the best pass I’ve seen since I begun to follow NASCAR.
After three races in the Car of Tomorrow I have to admit that while they may not be the easiest things in the world to look at they certainly do produce better racing all around.
Mark Martin may be in the twilight of his racing career but his racing style will live on well after he’s retired thanks to former teammate Matt Kenseth, or as I like to call him Mark Martin reincarnated.
After blowing two golden opportunities to take the checkered flags at both Texas and Phoenix I cant help but think that somewhere down the road Denny Hamlin is going to really miss those 20 extra bonus points rewarded for winning races.
Sweet Home Alabama
This weekend the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit runs the second of four restrictor plate races, this time on the largest track in the sport, Talladega Super Speedway.
Over two and a half miles of high banking, high speeds and even higher emotions as 43 drivers strap in for what is known as one of, if not the, most stressful and pressure packed events on the entire schedule.
In recent years you didn’t talk restrictor plate racing without talking Hendrick MotorSports, well that has changed…because now you don’t talking racing period without mentioning the dominance Rick Hendrick and his armada have established in the early going of 2007.
The leader of the talented group, oh yeah and Casey Mears too, Jeff Gordon is fresh off his first career win at Phoenix International Raceway and tying the late Dale Earnhardt for third among the all time win leaders with 76.
Look for Gordon to compete for his third straight pole award as he continues what could very well be the best season of his illustrious career before all is said and done.
After yet another week atop the point standings look for Gordon to race a smart race Sunday, keeping his car in the only position on the track not prone to “The Big One”, out in front.
The last time the Nextel Cup traveled to the great state of Alabama Dale Earnhardt Jr. was half a lap away from his sixth career victory on the super speedway before Brian Vickers wrecked both he and Jimmie Johnson after miss judging a pass for second place.
Junior has an average finish of 11th at Talladega, including eight top 10 finishes, seven of which were second or better.
Look for Junior and the revitalized DEI restrictor plate program to shine once again in the Alabama sun.
Never one to fall to the back early on look for the No. 8 Budweiser Chevy to qualify near the front and stay there before making a late run and the checkers just as he did last year…and with Brian Vickers a hardly a threat to even make the race this time around maybe he will actually make it to the start/finish line in one piece this time around.
Fresh off his fifth top 10 finish of the season Tony Stewart can’t wait to get back on the track and race.
After barely missing out on his first win of 07’ Stewart has a great shot to get of the snide, if it’s even possible to be on one with just three finishes outside the top 10, this weekend.
The driver of the No. 20 Home Depot Chevy clearly had the car of the field in Daytona, only to get involved in a wreck that landed him 43rd.
Look for Stewart, currently seventh in the point standings, to qualify among the top 10 starting positions before making a run at both the checkered flag a well as the most laps led award.
If he can keep his nose clean, something easier said than done at Talladega, Smoke will be in position to take home the win.
Jamie McMurray took the white flag in this very race last season with the lead before gladly finishing fifth in a season he would soon like to forget, this year, however, the driver of the No. 26 Crown Royal Ford heads to the race track not only looking for a top five but for a win.
McMurray, currently 12th in points, is off to the best start of his career since becoming a full time Nextel Cup driver in 2003.
Look for McMurray to qualify in the middle of the pack before possibly drifting toward the back until the later stages of the races.
With the ability to utilize the high line at most tracks McMurray will be in good position to make his move if he can avoid the big wrecks and maintain a solid draft as he did in Daytona.
Prediction: Just a few short weeks ago it appeared as though Kurt Busch and the rest of the No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge team were on their way back to the drawing board after a less than ideal start to 2007.
Despite recording just one top 10 thus far, Busch has scored three straight top 20 finishes which has bumped him up to 13th in the point standings, just one spot out of the vital final Chase position.
Look for Busch to qualify near the front and keep his car there for much of the afternoon much like he did at Daytona.
With a much improved restrictor plate program and a car that seemingly works very well in the draft expect to see Busch compete for the race lead on more than one occasion.
If he can keep his mistakes and bad luck to a minimum and let his pit crew do their jobs the famed blue deuce will end the afternoon in a familiar spot…Victory Lane.
Stewart Says the Fix is In
Maybe Tony Stewart should retire.
I’m sure his two Nextel Cup championships and almost 20 years in the motor sports business had to have produced quite the 401k scenario.
And if not I’m sure his significant other, a high end Home Depot executive, would be more than capable of keeping the couple from ever wanting.
Recently Tony has become that disgruntled employee that can’t find a reason to smile and would rather be complaining about something, you know the one I’m talking about, every office has at least one.
After all, we are only eight races into the season and already Tony has complained about two driver’s behavior on the track, heavily criticized the Las Vegas Motor Speedway and those who own it, put down the Car of Tomorrow just about every chance he’s got and most recently accused NASCAR of fixing races by throwing caution flags for debris to keep leaders from pulling away from the competition much like Stewart did for much of last weekend’s race at Phoenix International Raceway.
It's like playing God,” Stewart said earlier this week on his Sirius Satellite Radio program. “They can almost dictate the race instead of the drivers doing it. It's happened too many times this year.”
Stewart then went on to compare the current state of NASCAR to the ranks of professional wrestling, where the outcomes of the events are predetermined.
I guess NASCAR thinks 'Hey, wrestling worked, and it was for the most part staged, so I guess it's going to work in racing, too,'” said Stewart. “I can't understand how long the fans are going to let NASCAR treat them like they're stupid before the fans finally turn on NASCAR… I don't know that they've run a fair race all year.”
Unfortunatly for Stewart, it’s not NASCAR the fans have begun to turn on…but him instead.
Stewart has received voiserous boos from both the crowds at Texas Motor Speedway after his run in with Dale Junior as well as in pre race ceromonies at PIR last week.
It was the unfamilar boos that got Stewart talking retirement in the first place.
At first I was just like evey other grumpy sports columist in the country that love to write for athletes to be suspended and fined for actions or statements they make off the respective field, court or race track.
But after thinking it over I agree with NASCAR’s decision not to do anything.
Afterall, Stewart’s comments are more like something you’d hear from a sophmoric Jeff Gordon hater at any race track across the country after Gordon won a race.
Why punish a guy for being stupid?
Instead NASCAR officials responed with more class and decourum than Tony had the decency to show them, radio show or not.
NASCAR has been running races since 1948, and we place the safety of the drivers at the top of the list,” said spokesman Jim Hunter. “We have more people and more resources than ever officiating our races. The safety of the drivers is our first priority. It has always been that way and will continue to be that way.”
Hunter went on to say, “There are thousands of talented race drivers out there who would consider it an honor to compete in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series.”
A glowing endorsement of Stewart’s retirment if I ever heard one.
Random Thoughts
Just to show that I really am an objective journalist and not just a guy that hates Tony Stewart let me start off this week’s Random Thoughts segment by saying his daring three wide pass late in last weekend’s race was without question the best pass I’ve seen since I begun to follow NASCAR.
After three races in the Car of Tomorrow I have to admit that while they may not be the easiest things in the world to look at they certainly do produce better racing all around.
Mark Martin may be in the twilight of his racing career but his racing style will live on well after he’s retired thanks to former teammate Matt Kenseth, or as I like to call him Mark Martin reincarnated.
After blowing two golden opportunities to take the checkered flags at both Texas and Phoenix I cant help but think that somewhere down the road Denny Hamlin is going to really miss those 20 extra bonus points rewarded for winning races.
Print
Email
