NASCAR Notebook: Darlington
Barry F. Hess
May 12, 2006
Darlington Nights
For the second straight week the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit will race for the checkered flag under the lights, this time in Darlington. With a unique egg-like shape Darlington is like few other tracks on the schedule and as we have already seen in both Phoenix and Richmond making the transition from day conditions to night conditions can make some teams and break others.
After a second place finish at Richmond, his best career finish in the Nextel Cup circuit, Denny Hamlin will be looking to win his first points race this Saturday night.
Currently 16th in points Hamlin is without question the leader of the strong pack of rookies to infiltrate pit road this season.
With five top ten finishes to his credit already the exciting young driver of the No. 11 Fed Ex Chevy is making giant leaps and bounds each and every week.
Just three positions out of the Chase heading into the weekend look for Hamlin to qualify well and drive a smart race to gain as many points as possible. He?s surrounded by great, veteran leaders in Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs now all he has to do is put together a string of good finishes in a row and he will solidify a slot in the Chase.
It has been a weird year for Kurt Busch.
Busch has run 97 percent of the possible laps this season, earned a win at Bristol and ran very well at both Daytona and Talladega.
But despite all that Busch is currently 18th in points and has just three top ten finishes to his credit.
Though Dodge is beginning to make improvements with the new Charger model Busch will have to start making up a lot of ground over the next few weeks if he wants to make the Chase for the third year in a row.
A strong qualifying position may help the situation, something he has not done a lot of this season.
Matt Kenseth finally had the hick-up he and the entire Dewalt Racing team was hoping they could continue to avoid.
Last week in Richmond Kenseth finished almost 80 laps off the leap lap after all sorts of trouble sent him into the pits for repairs, dropping him to third in points, 99 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.
Look for Kenseth to bounce back this weekend at Darlington and put together a strong run.
With just two finishes all season not inside the top 15 Kenseth has proven he will be a contender for the Chase all season.
After a 15th place finish at Daytona Kenseth followed up with a win at California, after his 13th place finish at Atlanta he followed up with a third in Bristol and after his 24th place finish Martinsville he followed up with a second place finish at Texas.
Will he continue to rebound this week at Darlington?.the odds say yes.
When Jack Roush decided to make changes to both the 26 and 99 teams in order to get Jamie McMurray going he received heavy scrutiny but after just a few weeks it appears to have worked.
Not only has Carl Edwards made a push to just outside the top 10 in points McMurray is finally putting strong races together for solid finishes, four top 20 finishes in his last five races.
Look for McMurray?s consistency to continue at Darlington.
After finishing sixth in this race last year McMurray will have to qualify well and run up front all evening to solidify his chances at making the Chase this season.
Leading a bunch of laps at Talladega may have been just what the doctor ordered to get the entire No. 26 Crown Royal team going.
Prediction: All year long one of the biggest stories has been the bad luck of Greg Biffle. Week after week Biffle would either give up the lead or a position inside the top 10 because of engine failure, or trouble with another car on the track, or a bad pit stop and the list goes on.
Last Saturday night in Richmond the stage was set for yet another disappointing evening but after falling behind one lap Biffle and the National Guard Ford team battled their way back on the lead lap and inside the top five when the checkered flag came out. The poise of Biffle earned him his first top 10 in four races and leaped his team three positions to 20th in the point standings.
That performance may have been just what Biffle needed to get his confidence back to make a Matt Kenseth-like run at the Chase in the second half of the schedule before the Chase begins. After a dominating performance at Darlington last year look for Biffle to repeat and add his name to the hat of contenders for the Championship.
To Move or Not To Move?.That is the Question
No?don?t adjust your calendars folks?.yes it is May and yes we are already talking about Silly Season-like scenarios for next year.
With the looming announcement from Michael Waltrip this Saturday as to who will be joining him in Toyota?s inaugural season in NASCAR?s Nextel Cup all sorts of speculation and gossip is filling the pits.
At first drivers like Robbie Gordon?s name began to sneak through the cracks but lately it has been the driver of the No. 88 UPS Ford and former Nextel Cup Champion, Dale Jarrett, whose name appears to be the likely choice.
Jarrett admitted this week to speaking with Waltrip and members of team Toyota but said nothing as far as reaching a deal of any sorts.
Members of Robert Yates Racing have also admitted to having discussions with Jarrett about leaving the team he has been a member of since 1995 but that no decisions have been made as of yet.
If Jarrett does prove to be the next face of Toyota along side Waltrip the choice is certainly a calculated and smart one on Toyota?s part.
After winning a championship in 1999 the past champion provisional Jarrett brings to the table will no doubt help the progression of the race team as they can focus on race trim and not a strong qualifying time to get into the first five races of 2007.
Of course if Jarrett does leave there will be a void to fill in the premium No. 88 ride.
As to who would fill that position members of Yates Racing have said nothing. Jarrett has gone on record as saying he believes he has another championship in him before retirement but one has to wonder if making a move to a new team with a new model is the smartest thing to do for a man in his position.
The announcement is set for 12:30 eastern standard time this Saturday at Darlington.
Random Thoughts
After receiving several emails from fans that enjoyed the random thoughts section in last week?s report I?ve decided to make it a weekly addition?..what can I say I aim to please folks!
I can?t help but scratch my head when I hear everyone talking about how Richard Petty Racing is finally back. Unless I missed something the last time I checked Bobby Labonte is 27th in points with only three top 10 finishes and Kyle Petty is 33rd in points with just one top 10 all season?..so what have they been doing right again????
Bone head moves like not pitting with the rest of the field last Saturday night in Richmond, which proved to cost him the race, is exactly why Kevin Harvick and crew chief Todd Berrier will NEVER win a Nextel Cup Championship.
Does anyone else share my way of thinking in that the championship will be between Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth this year and everyone else is just racing to keep up?
Last Saturday was Kyle Busch?s fifth top 15 finish in seven races?say what you want about him but the kid is flat out getting it done this year.
NASCAR Heaven??.The Fox broadcasters (Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip) with NBC?s coverage?.and of course no commercials!
For the second straight week the NASCAR Nextel Cup circuit will race for the checkered flag under the lights, this time in Darlington. With a unique egg-like shape Darlington is like few other tracks on the schedule and as we have already seen in both Phoenix and Richmond making the transition from day conditions to night conditions can make some teams and break others.
After a second place finish at Richmond, his best career finish in the Nextel Cup circuit, Denny Hamlin will be looking to win his first points race this Saturday night.
Currently 16th in points Hamlin is without question the leader of the strong pack of rookies to infiltrate pit road this season.
With five top ten finishes to his credit already the exciting young driver of the No. 11 Fed Ex Chevy is making giant leaps and bounds each and every week.
Just three positions out of the Chase heading into the weekend look for Hamlin to qualify well and drive a smart race to gain as many points as possible. He?s surrounded by great, veteran leaders in Tony Stewart and Joe Gibbs now all he has to do is put together a string of good finishes in a row and he will solidify a slot in the Chase.
It has been a weird year for Kurt Busch.
Busch has run 97 percent of the possible laps this season, earned a win at Bristol and ran very well at both Daytona and Talladega.
But despite all that Busch is currently 18th in points and has just three top ten finishes to his credit.
Though Dodge is beginning to make improvements with the new Charger model Busch will have to start making up a lot of ground over the next few weeks if he wants to make the Chase for the third year in a row.
A strong qualifying position may help the situation, something he has not done a lot of this season.
Matt Kenseth finally had the hick-up he and the entire Dewalt Racing team was hoping they could continue to avoid.
Last week in Richmond Kenseth finished almost 80 laps off the leap lap after all sorts of trouble sent him into the pits for repairs, dropping him to third in points, 99 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson.
Look for Kenseth to bounce back this weekend at Darlington and put together a strong run.
With just two finishes all season not inside the top 15 Kenseth has proven he will be a contender for the Chase all season.
After a 15th place finish at Daytona Kenseth followed up with a win at California, after his 13th place finish at Atlanta he followed up with a third in Bristol and after his 24th place finish Martinsville he followed up with a second place finish at Texas.
Will he continue to rebound this week at Darlington?.the odds say yes.
When Jack Roush decided to make changes to both the 26 and 99 teams in order to get Jamie McMurray going he received heavy scrutiny but after just a few weeks it appears to have worked.
Not only has Carl Edwards made a push to just outside the top 10 in points McMurray is finally putting strong races together for solid finishes, four top 20 finishes in his last five races.
Look for McMurray?s consistency to continue at Darlington.
After finishing sixth in this race last year McMurray will have to qualify well and run up front all evening to solidify his chances at making the Chase this season.
Leading a bunch of laps at Talladega may have been just what the doctor ordered to get the entire No. 26 Crown Royal team going.
Prediction: All year long one of the biggest stories has been the bad luck of Greg Biffle. Week after week Biffle would either give up the lead or a position inside the top 10 because of engine failure, or trouble with another car on the track, or a bad pit stop and the list goes on.
Last Saturday night in Richmond the stage was set for yet another disappointing evening but after falling behind one lap Biffle and the National Guard Ford team battled their way back on the lead lap and inside the top five when the checkered flag came out. The poise of Biffle earned him his first top 10 in four races and leaped his team three positions to 20th in the point standings.
That performance may have been just what Biffle needed to get his confidence back to make a Matt Kenseth-like run at the Chase in the second half of the schedule before the Chase begins. After a dominating performance at Darlington last year look for Biffle to repeat and add his name to the hat of contenders for the Championship.
To Move or Not To Move?.That is the Question
No?don?t adjust your calendars folks?.yes it is May and yes we are already talking about Silly Season-like scenarios for next year.
With the looming announcement from Michael Waltrip this Saturday as to who will be joining him in Toyota?s inaugural season in NASCAR?s Nextel Cup all sorts of speculation and gossip is filling the pits.
At first drivers like Robbie Gordon?s name began to sneak through the cracks but lately it has been the driver of the No. 88 UPS Ford and former Nextel Cup Champion, Dale Jarrett, whose name appears to be the likely choice.
Jarrett admitted this week to speaking with Waltrip and members of team Toyota but said nothing as far as reaching a deal of any sorts.
Members of Robert Yates Racing have also admitted to having discussions with Jarrett about leaving the team he has been a member of since 1995 but that no decisions have been made as of yet.
If Jarrett does prove to be the next face of Toyota along side Waltrip the choice is certainly a calculated and smart one on Toyota?s part.
After winning a championship in 1999 the past champion provisional Jarrett brings to the table will no doubt help the progression of the race team as they can focus on race trim and not a strong qualifying time to get into the first five races of 2007.
Of course if Jarrett does leave there will be a void to fill in the premium No. 88 ride.
As to who would fill that position members of Yates Racing have said nothing. Jarrett has gone on record as saying he believes he has another championship in him before retirement but one has to wonder if making a move to a new team with a new model is the smartest thing to do for a man in his position.
The announcement is set for 12:30 eastern standard time this Saturday at Darlington.
Random Thoughts
After receiving several emails from fans that enjoyed the random thoughts section in last week?s report I?ve decided to make it a weekly addition?..what can I say I aim to please folks!
I can?t help but scratch my head when I hear everyone talking about how Richard Petty Racing is finally back. Unless I missed something the last time I checked Bobby Labonte is 27th in points with only three top 10 finishes and Kyle Petty is 33rd in points with just one top 10 all season?..so what have they been doing right again????
Bone head moves like not pitting with the rest of the field last Saturday night in Richmond, which proved to cost him the race, is exactly why Kevin Harvick and crew chief Todd Berrier will NEVER win a Nextel Cup Championship.
Does anyone else share my way of thinking in that the championship will be between Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth this year and everyone else is just racing to keep up?
Last Saturday was Kyle Busch?s fifth top 15 finish in seven races?say what you want about him but the kid is flat out getting it done this year.
NASCAR Heaven??.The Fox broadcasters (Mike Joy, Larry McReynolds and Darrell Waltrip) with NBC?s coverage?.and of course no commercials!
Print
Email
