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AccuPredict: NASCAR Driver Finish Predictions. It ain't rocket science, but it's damn close!

2011 Texas, AAA Texas 500

Posted on October 30, 2011

Edwards Will Stay On Top

carl-edwards-goes-towards-the-stands

FORT WORTH, TX - APRIL 08: Carl Edwards, driver of the #60 Fastenal Ford, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 300 at Texas Motor Speedway on April 8, 2011 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Tony Stewart won his third race of the Chase and closed to within 8-points of Carl Edwards with only three races remaining this season. It is winding down and there are probably only six serious contenders left in the field to win this years Sprint Cup championship.

This week the drivers head back to Texas for the running of the AAA Texas 500. Another 500-mile race that will test engines after the 400-mile mark. If anyone gets knocked out of a race early now it will be the end of their championship hopes this season.

AAA Texas 500

Carl Edwards: Carl is the points leader at this moment and finished 3rd at Texas earlier this year. He swept both of the races here in 2008 and I look for him to have a great run once again this weekend and hold on to the top spot.

Tony Stewart: Tony is on a roll during this years Chase and he needs to keep pace with Carl this weekend. He won the first race of the Chase on a similar track in Chicago and could repeat that feat once again.

Kevin Harvick:: Kevin has finished in the top-10 in three of his last four starts here but he hardly ever leads laps in Texas. Bonus points are going to be at a premium for all contenders in these last three races.

Brad Keselowski: Brad is not going to go away and will take advantage of any mistakes other drivers make. Brad has struggled a little bit here during his short career but all that goes out the window the way this team is performing right now.

Matt Kenseth: Matt is probably the most consistent Chase driver at Texas Motor Speedway. He won the race here in April and finished 2nd to Denny Hamlin last November. He needs a win in the worst way to move back up in the standings.

Jimmie Johnson: It is go time for Jimmie Johnson right now. He is sitting in 6th place 43-points behind the leader. He finishes consistently in the top-10 at Texas but that probably isn’t good enough at this stage of the season. He needs a couple of wins if he has any chance of winning his 6th straight championship.

Kurt Busch: Kurt won this race back in 2009 and has finished in the top-10 in four of his last five starts here. He is probably out of the running and might be able to really help Brad get a better handle on the track.

Kyle Busch: Kyle qualifies well here but is inconsistent with his finishes. He is pretty much out of the running for the championship but he always tries to win every race he is in.

Jeff Gordon: Since winning the race here in the spring of 2009 Jeff has really struggled. He seems to get caught up in an accident somewhere or loses the handling on his car. These longer races have been tough on this team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior leads laps almost every race here but his finishes are less than he desires. However, if you’re good enough to lead laps as often as he does you can be good enough to lead the last lap of the race.

Denny Hamlin: Denny was pretty much knocked out of contention after the second race in this seasons Chase. However, he swept both races here last year and finished 2nd in the fall race in 2009. They would love to get another win this late in the year as they look towards next season.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for Texas

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Matt Kenseth
  • Denny Hamlin

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Jeff Burton
  • Mark Martin
  • Clint Bowyer

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top-5 Overall at Texas Motor Speedway

  1. Matt Kenseth
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Greg Biffle
  4. Jimmie Johnson
  5. Kevin Harvick

Dark Horse: Mark Martin

Chaser to Stay Away From: Ryan Newman

2011 Martinsville, TUMS Fast Relief 500

Posted on October 24, 2011

Another Chase Race Done. Another Chaser Out.

jeff-gordon-brad-keselowski-martinsville-04-2011

MARTINSVILLE, VA - APRIL 02: Brad Keselowski (L), driver of the #2 Miller Lite Dodge, talks with Jeff Gordon (R), driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger/AARP Chevrolet, on the grid during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody's Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville Speedway on April 2, 2011 in Martinsville, Virginia.

The Good Sam Club 500 restrictor plate race at Talladega Superspeedway took its toll on a number of drivers that are in the Chase and trying to win a championship this season. Many of them now have slim to no chance of winning the championship with only four races remaining. This week they will try to rebound at Martinsville for the running of the TUMS Fast Relief 500.

There are three drivers in the Cup Series who have a combined 17 wins at this Martinsville Speedway. After those three drivers the rest of the field is mediocre at best when it comes to consistency here.

TUMS Fast Relief 500

Jeff Gordon: Jeff leads all active drivers with seven wins at Martinsville. The bad part for him is that he sits 10th in the standings, 82-points out of first. Tough to make up in four races with nine drivers ahead of you.

Jimmie Johnson: Sitting just behind Gordon with six career victories at Martinsville is Jimmie Johnson. He is currently 7th but is still a whopping 50-points behind the leader. Another great option for Martinsville though.

Denny Hamlin: Denny himself has four wins at Martinsville but has had a terrible Chase from the get go. These are the top-3 drivers at Martinsville and after this it drops off dramatically.

Kevin Harvick:: Kevin took a big hit in the points at Talladega but he did win the race at Martinsville this spring. He needs a repeat performance this week as he is within 26-points of the lead yet. He can’t afford to fall further behind.

Carl Edwards: Carl has a 14-point lead over second in the standings. He has finished in the top-10 in four of his last seven starts at Martinsville and he would be very happy to come away with another of those finishes this weekend.

Matt Kenseth: Matt is currently the driver sitting in second place to his teammate, Carl Edwards, in the standings right now. Matt finished 6th here this spring but, he hasn’t been very consistent on this track throughout his career.

Brad Keselowski: Brad is still very much in the thick of this years Chase. His two biggest tests will be this week at Martinsville and at Phoenix. If he can come away with top-10 finishes at these two tracks he will have a chance heading to Homestead for the season finale.

Tony Stewart: Tony hasn’t run well here in his last three races but overall he has had a lot of success at Martinsville. There is no room left for mistakes for any of the drivers any more this season.

Kyle Busch: Kyle still has a shot as he is sitting 40-points out of the lead right now. He has finished in the top-5 in his last two starts here and needs another run like that to tighten up the Chase for himself.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale has also had a very good career at Martinsville. He has nine top-5 finishes in his last 19 starts here and finished 2nd this spring. He needs a win in the worst way this weekend.

Yahoo Picks for Martinsville

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Jimmie Johnson
  • Jeff Gordon

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Jamie McMurray
  • Ryan Newman
  • Clint Bowyer

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top-5 Overall at Martinsville Speedway

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Jeff Gordon
  3. Denny Hamlin
  4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  5. Tony Stewart

Dark Horse: Clint Bowyer

Chaser to Stay Away From: Kurt Busch

2011 Talladega, Good Sam Club 500

Posted on October 17, 2011

NASCAR Rule Change Increases Talladega’s Unpredictability

blaney-burton-harvick-bowyer-aarons-499-talladega

TALLADEGA, AL - APRIL 17: Dave Blaney, driver of the #36 Golden Corral Chevrolet, and Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Cat Financial Chevrolet, lead Kevin Harvick, driver of the #29 Budweiser Chevrolet, and Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 BB&T Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway on April 17, 2011 in Talladega, Alabama.

We are now halfway through the Chase as the series heads to Talladega Superspeedway and the biggest crap-shoot left on the season. Nobody knows exactly what to expect now that NASCAR has changed the rules a little bit for the upcoming race. I think they are restricting the openings on the front of the car to make them overheat faster if a driver tries to stay inline too long. Leave it to NASCAR to throw a loop at everybody in the midst of the season with a Championship on the line.

Good Sam Club 500

Kevin Harvick: Kevin has three straight top-5 finishes at Talladega and won the race here last spring. He currently sits 2nd in the standings only five points behind Carl Edwards. I look for a lot of the Chase drivers to play it safe until the end of the race and Kevin is very good at that.

Carl Edwards: The current points leader finished 6th here this spring and he and teammate Greg Biffle worked well together in moving to the front of the pack. If it comes down to the end of the race you want to be pushed by a teammate who is not in the Chase. He won’t try and pass you.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale owned this track from 2001-2004 when he finished in the top-2 in seven straight races including five victories. Since that time he has had good cars but hasn’t had the finishes that he expects. He finished 4th here this spring and should have a car capable of giving him a shot for the win once again this weekend.

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie’s title hopes took a big hit at Charlotte on Saturday night when he crashed late in the race and ended up finishing 34th. However, he won the race at Talladega this spring when he came from nowhere at the end and nipped Clint Bowyer by .002 seconds.

Clint Bowyer: Clint has won here before and could have easily won this spring. He could team up with Kevin Harvick but he ran much better with Jeff Burton at the plate races this season. The question is if he is with Harvick does he let him win? Clint is in his last season as Harvick’s teammate.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff teamed up with Trevor Bayne at Daytona and with Jimmie Johnson at Talladega this year and has had cars capable of winning each of those races. Look for him to do the same once again this week.

Brad Keselowski: Since winning his first Sprint Cup race here back in 2009, Brad has had a few struggles at this track. I think that the other drivers will trust him more after what he has shown during the season and will not be afraid to team up with him out on the track.

Matt Kenseth: Last week’s winner hasn’t finished in the top-10 at Talladega since 2006. I look for him to lay at the back of the pack until late in the race and then try and make a move to get to the front.

Kyle Busch: Kyle got a win here back in the spring of 2008 but hasn’t been very consistent at Talladega. He will probably team up with Joey Logano or Denny Hamlin who will both have cars capable of helping Kyle make it to the front and contend.

Kurt Busch: Kurt is another driver who doesn’t have the consistent good finishes at Talladega. What hurts him is that he only has one teammate on the track in Brad Keselowski. You can team up with anyone on the track but if they aren’t a teammate you can’t really trust them at the end of the race.

Tony Stewart: After six runner-up finishes at Talladega in his career, Tony got his first win here back in the fall of 2008 while with Joe Gibbs Racing. Since moving to his own Stewart-Haas team he has struggled mightily here. In five races his best ever finish has been 16th and that isn’t good enough to win a championship.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for Talladega Superspeedway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Kevin Harvick
  • Jimmie Johnson

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Clint Bowyer
  • Jeff Burton
  • Joey Logano

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • Regan Smith
  • Paul Menard

Top 5 Overall at Talladega Superspeedway

  1. Kevin Harvick
  2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  3. Clint Bowyer
  4. Jimmie Johnson
  5. Carl Edwards

Dark Horse: Paul Menard

Chaser to Stay Away From: Tony Stewart

2011 Charlotte, Bank of America 500

Posted on October 10, 2011

He’s Back! And Now Jimmie Johnson Heads to His House

Jimmie Johnson climbs in car at Charlotte Motor Speedway Coca-Cola 600

CHARLOTTE, NC - MAY 26: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Summer Salute Chevrolet, prepares to start practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2011 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Congratulations to Jimmie Johnson who won the race at Kansas Speedway with a dominating performance. In the process he has let everyone know that he is definitely in contention to win his 6th straight Sprint Cup championship.

This week the series heads to Charlotte for a Saturday night race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. Another 1-1/2-mile track in the heart of NASCAR country. With the extra 100-miles in the race this week, compared to last week, I think we will see some of the Chaser’s have engine issues before it is all said and done.

Bank of America 500

Jimmie Johnson: Lowe’s sponsor’s both the track and Jimmie’s car. It almost seems like Jimmie owns this track himself. He has six wins here during his career and always seems to run well in the fall race. This is bad news for the rest of the field. Especially with Johnson coming off a win last weekend on a similar track.

Kyle Busch: Kyle runs better here in October than he does in May. A shorter race that is run at night is probably the reason for this. I believe that Kyle is the best night racer in the series. He has five straight top-10 finishes in October here.

Carl Edwards: Carl won the All-star race here this Spring and has a good handle on this track. He is the current points leader and needs to avoid having a start like last weekend at Kansas where he went a lap down early before rallying to come home with a top-5 finish.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin won the 600-mile race here in May and sits just one point behind Edwards for the lead. He had a poor car early in the race at Kansas last week but, like Edwards, he improved the car as the race went on and came away with a top-10 finish. Consistency and overcoming adversity will win you championships.

Tony Stewart: Tony had a good car at Kansas last week and made a mistake in the pits late in the race that cost him a good finish. Tony has struggled at Charlotte during points races since moving to his own team in 2009. He won the All-star race that year but has no top-10 finishes during the regular season with his new team.

Brad Keselowski: Another very impressive race by Brad at Kansas last weekend. It is hard to tell how Brad is going to do on a weekly basis because he is so young. I can tell you that he has a lot of confidence in his ability and his teams ability to win races and that is contagious in the garage.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff had terrible luck at Kansas last weekend when he lost his engine with three laps to go. He is another driver that excels at Charlotte during the fall race and needs to have a great race to try and get himself back in contention.

Matt Kenseth: Matt is one of the more consistent drivers on the 1-1/2-mile tracks and has been quietly having a good Chase. He needs to keep the consistency going and take advantage of races where he has a car capable of winning and he could find himself at the top of the standings.

Kurt Busch: Kurt won the spring race here last season and can get around this track just like he does at Atlanta. He is another driver that needs to make the most of his opportunities when they prevent themselves. With only six races remaining in the season a poor finish could be the end for any driver.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale has improved a lot as this season has progressed and needs to make that one final step to get his cars to contend for the win on a weekly basis. This weekend is going to be a big test for this team as Dale typically struggles at Charlotte. However, like I said, this team is getting better each and every week and he needs to make that step now.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for Charlotte Motor Speedway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Jimmie Johnson
  • Kyle Busch

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Joey Logano
  • Kasey Kahne
  • Brad Keselowski
  • Mark Martin

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • David Ragan
  • Regan Smith

Top-5 Overall at Charlotte Motor Speedway

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Kyle Busch
  3. Matt Kenseth
  4. Jeff Gordon
  5. Kasey Kahne

Dark Horse: Joey Logano

Chaser to Stay Away From: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2011 Kansas, Hollywood Casino 400

Posted on October 3, 2011

Kansas Speedway is similar to Chicagoland

Jeff Gordon Kansas Speedway STP 400

KANSAS CITY, KS - JUNE 03: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, and A.J. Allmendinger, driver of the #43 STP Ford, practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 400 at Kansas Speedway on June 3, 2011 in Kansas City, Kansas.

Congratulations to Kurt Busch on winning the AAA 400 at Dover International Speedway this past weekend. As I said in my article last week, Tony Stewart stumbled a little bit and there are nine drivers within 20-points of each other for this years Chase with seven races to go.

This week the series heads to Kansas Speedway for the running of the Hollywood Casino 400. This track is almost identical to Chicagoland Speedway where the first race of this season’s Chase was held. The weather should be different than it was in Chicago but the racing should be good.

Hollywood Casino 400

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has a streak of five straight top-5 finishes at Kansas Speedway and has won there twice in his career. He currently sits 9th in the standings after a disappointing finish at Dover but he is only 19-points behind the leaders. A win this weekend would be huge.

Tony Stewart: Tony also has two career wins here with his last victory coming in 2009. After winning the first two races of the Chase he had a poor finish at Dover and lost the points lead but could move right back to the top with a win this weekend.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin’s best finish here was a 3rd place finish in 2010. He currently is tied with Carl Edwards for the points lead and would do well to come out of Kansas with another top-10 finish.

Carl Edwards: Currently tied with Kevin Harvick but with three less wins on the season. Carl has six top-10 finishes in his last seven races at Kansas with his best finish a 2nd place back in 2008. These are the types of tracks Carl needs to take advantage of in the Chase.

Jimmie Johnson: The five time defending NASCAR Cup Series Champion had a strong 2nd place finish at Dover last weekend and pulled himself back into contention once again this season. He has a streak of five straight top-10 finishes at Kansas and won here back in 2008.

Kurt Busch: Kurt has struggled a bit at Kansas throughout his career with only three top-10 finishes in 11 races. He needs to ride the momentum from his win at Dover into Kansas next weekend.

Matt Kenseth: Matt historically runs well at the 1.5-mile tracks on the circuit and has three top-10 finishes in his last four starts at Kansas. If he can pull out another top-10 finish this weekend he will remain in the hunt for his second championship.

Kyle Busch: Kyle has really struggled here during his career but he can win anywhere on any given weekend. He needs to have a good race this weekend and then take advantage on the tracks that are left on the schedule where he has run well during his career.

Brad Keselowski: Brad battled all day at Dover and did a good enough job to remain in the title hunt. He won the race here in June so he should have a good idea with how they want to setup their car going into the weeekend. Another victory here would open up a lot of eyes.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale can’t afford another poor finish in the Chase if he wants to have any chance at winning the championship this season. He finished 2nd to Keselowski this June here and should have another good run this weekend and give himself a chance in the Chase.

Ryan Newman: Ryan had a tough weekend at Dover and needs to rebound at Kansas this week. He finished 2nd in the first two races ever run at Kansas and then he won the 3rd race. He needs to get back to that kind of a setup and give himself the opportunity to climb back into the Chase this weekend.

Denny Hamlin: Denny has run very well at Kansas over the past few seasons but he is going to need a miracle to get back in contention. He is 68 points out of first place and with 11 drivers ahead of him in the standings it will be a monumental task to pass them all with just seven races left in the season.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for Kansas Speedway

Yahoo Group A Picks

  • Jimmie Johnson
  • Jeff Gordon

Yahoo Group B Picks

  • Brad Keselowski
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Clint Bowyer
  • AJ Allmendinger

Yahoo Group C Picks

  • Paul Menard
  • David Ragan

Top 5 Overall at Kansas Speedway

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Jeff Gordon
  3. Carl Edwards
  4. Tony Stewart
  5. Brad Keselowski

Dark Horse: Clint Bowyer

Chaser to Stay Away From: Ryan Newman

2011 Dover, AAA 400

Posted on September 26, 2011

Can Jimmie Get Back In The Title Hunt?

jimmie-johnson-chad-knaus-dover-2011

DOVER, DE - MAY 13: Jimmie Johnson (L), driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, talks with crew chief Chad Knaus (R) in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series FedEx 400 Benefiting Autism Speaks at Dover International Speedway on May 13, 2011 in Dover, Delaware.

Tony Stewart took a big step towards winning another championship on Sunday in New Hampshire by winning his second race of the Chase. Granted, there is a lot of racing left yet with eight races to go in the season but he has momentum on his side right now. Can he keep up this pace?

This week the series heads to Dover for the running of the AAA 400 at the Monster Mile. This is another 1-mile track but with a lot of banking in the corners. This track is just like a larger version of Bristol in my opinion and the racing is just as exciting.

AAA 400

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie has won three of the last five races at Dover and needs a win to get back in the hunt. So far, in the Chase, he has run out of gas and had an ill handling car at New Hampshire which almost caused him to take out Kyle Busch late in the race. He should be good this weekend.

Matt Kenseth: Matt won the race at Dover this spring and has finished in the top-5 an impressive six times in his last seven races here. Matt is definitely a driver you want on your fantasy team this week.

Carl Edwards: Carl is another one of the most consistent drivers at Dover. In 14 career starts here he has never finished worse than 18th. He has also finished in the top-10 10 times and lead laps in nine of those races.

Kyle Busch: Kyle has won twice in the last seven races at Dover and has finished in the top-10 in three straight races here. I think this team is going to come out with their A-game this weekend.

Tony Stewart: Tony hasn’t won a race here since sweeping in 2000. He has also lead a race only once here in his last 14 starts. This could be the race that the rest of the field could move back into contention if Tony falters once again.

Kurt Busch: Kurt is usually a good qualifier here but his finishes are on again, off again at this track. After a disappointing race at Loudon last weekend, Kurt needs a good run here to get back in the fray.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has five top-10 finishes over his last 10 starts at Dover and needs to have one of those types of performances once again this weekend. He currently sits 5th in the standings and can gain a bit this weekend.

Brad Keselowski: Brad is impressing me every week. Last week I had him as my Chase driver to stay away from and once again he made me look foolish. He has only run three Cup races at Dover in his career and has done fairly well in each of those starts.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin currently sits only seven points behind Stewart in the Chase standings. However, Dover is not one of his better tracks to race on. He has lead only one lap in his last 15 races here and has only three top-10 finishes over his last 10 races here.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Likewise for Dale, he has only lead three laps in his last 15 starts here and has four top-10 finishes during that stretch. He can get a lot of help from his teammates who run well here like Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin if they are willing to help him and he is willing to let them.

Ryan Newman: Ryan had a disappointing finish at Loudon last weekend when he had tire issues late in the race. Look for him to qualify well and race well once again this weekend at Dover. He needs a little luck on his side to get back into contention.

Denny Hamlin: Denny is in last place in the Chase standings after having mechanical issues at Chicago and then running out of gas late in the race at Dover. He will need a miracle to have any chance at winning a championship this season after all of the horrible luck he has had. Dover is not one of his better tracks on the circuit either.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for Dover

Yahoo Group A Picks

  • Jimmie Johnson
  • Matt Kenseth

Yahoo Group B Picks

  • Ryan Newman
  • Mark Martin
  • Jeff Burton
  • Clint Bowyer

Yahoo Group C Picks

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top 5 Overall at Dover

  1. Jimmie Johnson
  2. Matt Kenseth
  3. Carl Edwards
  4. Kyle Busch
  5. Jeff Gordon

Dark Horse: Mark Martin

Chaser to Stay Away From: Kevin Harvick

2011 New Hampshire, Sylvania 300

Posted on September 20, 2011

A Day Late And A Gallon Short

tony-stewart-wins-2011-geico-400-chicagoland

JOLIET, IL - SEPTEMBER 19: Tony Stewart, driver of the #14 Office Depot/Mobil 1 Chevrolet, celebrates with the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series GEICO 400 at Chicagoland Speedway on September 19, 2011 in Joliet, Illinois. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images for NASCAR)

The Chase got it’s start a day late and Tony Stewart took advantage of it, winning his first race of the season at a perfect time. Eight Chaser’s finished the Geico 400 at Chicagoland Speedway in the top-10. Four ran out of gas on the last lap. Another had mechanical issues with their car.

Last year Stewart ran out of gas in the first race of the Chase and never recovered from it. Is the same fate awaiting for those whom it happened to this year?

Week #2 of the Chase takes us back to New Hampshire Motor Speedway and the running of the Sylvania 300. Loudon is a slightly longer than 1-mile flat track that means new chassis for all of the drivers this weekend.

Sylvania 300

Tony Stewart: With momentum on his side and a track to his liking, Tony Stewart could win the first two races of this years Chase. Tony finished 2nd to teammate Ryan Newman in July here and has three top-5 finishes in his last five races here.

Jimmie Johnson: After running out of gas on the last lap at Chicago last week and luckily finishing 10th, this team needs to go on a run if they want to get back into the thick of the Chase and win their 6th consecutive championship. Jimmie has finished in the top-10 in eight of his last nine starts at Loudon. This Chase isn’t over.

Ryan Newman: Ryan won this race in June and has four straight top-10 finishes here. The Stewart-Haas teams are peaking at the right time but one poor finish can cost you dearly during the Chase. That doesn’t happen to Ryan this weekend.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has finished in the top-15 at Loudon in twelve straight races including three runner-up finishes here. He is another driver that ran out of gas at Chicago last week on the final lap and has some ground to make up right now.

Kurt Busch: Kurt has six top-10 finishes in his last seven races at Loudon. These short, flat tracks are the favorites of Kurt all over the circuit. He always seems to have a great car and the right mentality to go to victory lane every time he visits one.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin leads the point standings right now but has struggled at New Hampshire recently. Kevin has three top-10 finishes in the last eight races here and has lead laps in only one of those. He needs to step it up if he wants to maintain that lead this week.

Kyle Busch: The third driver to run out of gas at Chicago on the last lap of those in the Chase, Kyle has three top-10 finishes in his last five starts at Loudon. This is a week that Kyle will do whatever it takes to get himself back in contention for the Championship.

Carl Edwards: Carl finished 4th at Chicagoland last week and now he heads to a track that he has struggled at throughout his career. In 14 career starts at New Hampshire, Carl has only two top-10 finishes. He is going to need to right that ship to remain in contention this weekend.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale had a great run at Chicagoland with a 3rd place finish. This is the way he needed to start the Chase. He has had his good and bad days at Loudon during his career and needs to have another one of his good days here. He has finished in the top-10 in three of his last six starts here.

Matt Kenseth: The 4th driver to run out of gas at Chicagoland. Matt was pushed across the finish line by J.J. Yeley which is illegal and finished a disappointing 21st. Matt is another Roush/Fenway driver who struggles at Loudon. His best finish in his last seven races there is 17th.

Denny Hamlin: Denny had a vibration that cost him a lap last week at Chicago and he could never get it back. However, he is one of the better drivers at Loudon and has finished in the top-3 in three of the past four races there. He needs to get a win this weekend and he can’t worry about what the rest of the field does.

Brad Keselowski: There aren’t a lot of people who give Brad a chance to win the championship this year. Well, after a strong 5th place finish at Chicago last week, Brad is right where he wants to be, in contention. Brad hasn’t done very well at Loudon in his four starts there but he has a teammate in Kurt Busch who can help him out a little bit. This weekend will tell us a lot about Brad’s chances.

Yahoo Fantasy Picks for New Hampshire

Yahoo Group A Picks

  • Tony Stewart
  • Jimmie Johnson

Yahoo Group B Picks

  • Ryan Newman
  • Clint Bowyer
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • David Reutimann

Yahoo Group C Picks

  • Bobby Labonte
  • David Ragan

Top 5 Overall at New Hampshire

  1. Tony Stewart
  2. Jimmie Johnson
  3. Ryan Newman
  4. Jeff Gordon
  5. Kurt Busch

Dark Horse: Juan Pablo Montoya

Chaser to Stay Away From: Brad Keselowski

2011 Chicagoland, Geico 400

Posted on September 12, 2011

Richmond was a great race, but the Chase remains the same

Since NASCAR adopted the Chase format, the race at Richmond had always burst someone’s bubble but that wasn’t the case this weekend. The drivers that were qualified for the Chase has remained intact over the last month. Kevin Harvick’s win did put him in a tie with Kyle Busch for the most wins on the season and those two will start at the top of the driver point standings as the Chase commences this weekend.

So, it is on to Chicagoland Speedway this weekend for the running of the Geico 400. This is the first year that Chicago has been in the Chase as it has always started out at Loudon in previous seasons.

Geico 400

Jeff Gordon: Jeff is my pick to win the first race of this year’s Chase. In the 10 races run at Chicagoland, Jeff has finished in the top-5 six times including a win in 2006. He also won the race at Atlanta two-weeks ago that is a similar track.

Tony Stewart: Not to be outdone by Jeff Gordon, Tony has seven top-5 finishes in the 10 races he has run at Chicagoland including two wins. The only problem I have with Tony right now is that he hasn’t been very consistent this season. If this team can turn it on right now he will be a contender for the championship.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin won the first two races ever run at Chicagoland in the Sprint Cup series and has five top-5 finishes here. Kevin is always a threat here and after winning the race at Richmond last weekend he has momentum and confidence on his side.

Jimmie Johnson: The 5-time defending Sprint Cup champion is no slouch here either. Although he has never won a race here yet, Jimmie has finished in the top-5 five times in his nine starts here. If he gets off on the right foot this weekend it will be cause for concern for the rest of the Chase field.

Kyle Busch: Kyle has only run six races at Chicagoland in his career and has won a race there. He has only been in the top-10 twice but, has finished in the top-20 in five of those six races.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale has a win here also, but has only finished in the top-10 three times in his 10 starts at Chicagoland. I think that Dale runs well at these types of tracks and should have a decent run this weekend.

Ryan Newman: Ryan is the last Chaser with a win at Chicagoland in the Sprint Cup series. He has five top-10 finishes here during his career and has been more consistent then his teammate, Tony Stewart, this season.

Carl Edwards: Carl finished 2nd here last season but has not run consistently well at the 1.5-mile tracks this season. There are enough of these types of tracks on the Chase schedule that a driver needs to be consistent if he wants to be crowned champion.

Matt Kenseth: Matt has been the bridesmaid twice here and would like to finally get a win at the track that is the closest to his hometown in Wisconsin. His worst finishing position in 10 starts here is 23rd over 10 seasons.

Kurt Busch: Kurt has 5 top 10 finishes during his career at Chicagoland. As I said earlier this track is similar to Atlanta and Kurt has run very well there recently. He could be a contender once again this weekend.

Yahoo Picks for Chicagoland Speedway

Yahoo Group A Picks

  • Jeff Gordon
  • Tony Stewart

Yahoo Group B Picks

  • Kasey Kahne
  • AJ Allmendinger
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Brian Vickers

Yahoo Group C Picks

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top 5 Overall at Chicagoland Speedway

  1. Jeff Gordon
  2. Tony Stewart
  3. Jimmie Johnson
  4. Kevin Harvick
  5. Denny Hamlin

Dark Horse: Brian Vickers

Stay Away From: Brad Keselowski

2011 Richmond, Wonderful Pistachios 400

Posted on September 6, 2011

Wonderful Pistachios 400

Kyle Busch: Kyle is my pick to win the race at Richmond and start out the Chase ahead of everyone else by virtue of all the wins he has this year. He has won 3 of the last 5 races at Richmond and finished in the top 5 in all of those races.

Denny Hamlin: Denny sits as the #2 wildcard driver right now unless Clint Bowyer wins the race at Atlanta. Denny has won the 2 races at Richmond that Kyle Busch didn’t win over the last 5 starts there and really could use a win here to help with the momentum heading into the Chase.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has always run well at Richmond and will be looking to get a jump on the Chase with another good run this Saturday night. It just does a guy a lot of good to finish well the race before the Chase.

Carl Edwards: Carl has 3 straight top 10 finishes at Richmond and likes to race on the short, flat tracks. He sat on the pole for this race last year and led 95 laps before settling for a 5th place finish.

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie has won 3 races here during his career and would like to have a good showing before starting to defend his title in this years Chase. He is tied with Kyle Busch for the points lead right now but, hasn’t been real consistent this season.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin has finished in the top 10 here in 11 of the last 13 races he has run. That is the kind of consistency you are looking for when selecting your starting lineup on your fantasy teams.

Clint Bowyer: Clint has run well at Richmond during his short career and needs a win either at Atlanta or Richmond to make the Chase. He has a chance at both tracks but if he doesn’t get it at Atlanta he is going to let it all hang out at Richmond on Saturday night.

Tony Stewart: Depending on the outcome of the Atlanta race, Tony might need to get a win to make the Chase himself. He currently sits 21 points ahead of Brad Keselowski in the 10th spot but, he doesn’t have a win yet this season and if he gets knocked out of the top 10 there are 3 other drivers with wins that will get the wildcard over Tony if they stay in the top 20 in points.

Yahoo Picks for Richmond International Raceway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Kyle Busch
  • Denny Hamlin

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Clint Bowyer
  • Ryan Newman
  • Jeff Burton
  • Juan Pablo Montoya

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • Bobby Labonte
  • David Ragan

Top 5 Overall at Richmond

  1. Kyle Busch
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Jimmie Johnson
  4. Carl Edwards
  5. Kevin Harvick

Dark Horse: Joey Logano

Stay Away From: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2011 Atlanta, AdvoCare 500

Posted on August 28, 2011

Jeff Gutowski

2011 NASCAR Champion…Brad Keselowski?

Kurt Busch looks on during practice

BRISTOL, TN - AUGUST 26: Kurt Busch, driver of the #22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge, looks on during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series IRWIN Tools Night Race at Bristol Motor Speedway on August 26, 2011 in Bristol, Tennessee.

Brad Keselowski is on a major roll right now and he is doing it with a broken ankle. After winning his third race of the season at Bristol he is positioned to make the Chase and compete for a championship at NASCAR’s highest level.

This week the series heads to Atlanta Motor Speedway for the running of the AdvoCare 500. With only two races left before the Chase begins Tony Stewart needs to stay in the top-10 and has a 21 point lead of Keselowki as of right now. Without a win this season he will be on the outside of the Chase looking in if he falters during the next two races.

AdvoCare 500

Kurt Busch: Kurt has won two of the last four races run at Atlanta. This team was hot earlier in the season and this could be the place where they get the momentum to swing back in their favor.

Brad Keselowski: Brad is hot right now and being a teammate of Kurt Busch means that he will also have a car capable of winning the race at Atlanta. If he pulls off that feat he is probably the favorite to win a championship this season.

Carl Edwards: Carl is another driver who has struggled a little bit over the past month. Atlanta could be the cure for what ails this team. Carl has finished in the top-3 in seven of the 13 races he has run here during his career. That includes three wins and two runner-up finishes.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin is another Chaser that has struggled a little bit lately. Atlanta is a track that he has always run well at and if he can avoid any mechanical issues in this long 500-mile race he will be a contender at the end.

Kasey Kahne: Kasey has had his ups and downs this season but has qualified and raced well at Atlanta throughout his career no matter who he is driving for. He should have a fast car once again this weekend.

Jimmie Johnson: It’s go time for Jimmie if he wants to defend his title this year. This team hasn’t hit their stride yet this season and he needs to have a good showing this weekend to get his confidence up even though he is tied with Kyle Busch in points.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has put together a very good season with two wins and he is solidly locked into the Chase. He has finished in the top-10 here in eight of the last 11 races he has run and hasn’t finished outside of the top-20 during that stretch.

Kyle Busch: Kyle is currently tied on top of the points with Jimmie Johnson right now but, he has more wins on the season than anyone else and he can win on any given weekend. He has qualified very well at Atlanta recently and finished 5th in this race last year.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Juan is not usually a driver that you think of when you are talking 1.5 mile tracks. This is one of those tracks that you had better keep an eye on him because he has three straight top-10 finishes here including two 3rd place finishes.

Tony Stewart: Tony won this race last season and as I said earlier, it’s go time for him right now. If he falters over the next two races he will not make the Chase but, then again, it probably won’t matter because you need to be consistent to win a championship.

Yahoo Picks for Atlanta Motor Speedway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Kurt Busch
  • Carl Edwards

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Brad Keselowski
  • Juan Pablo Montoya
  • Kasey Kahne
  • Clint Bowyer

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top 5 Overall at Atlanta Motor Speedway

  1. Kurt Busch
  2. Carl Edwards
  3. Brad Keselowski
  4. Jeff Gordon
  5. Jimmie Johnson

Dark Horse: Brian Vickers

Stay Away From: Joey Logano

Will Clint Bowyer Make The Chase?

Posted on August 26, 2011

Clint Bowyer NASCAR

SPARTA, KY - JULY 08: Clint Bowyer, driver of the #33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper Chevrolet, sits in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway on July 8, 2011 in Sparta, Kentucky.

Three races to go before the Chase starts and Clint Bowyer is in 11th place only 24 points out of 10th in the NASCAR Cup Series point standings. Basically the difference between the winner of a race and about finishing 23rd. Put that way it doesn’t seem to far fetched to think he can make it in. But, Tony Stewart will be working really hard not to let that happen.

So will he make it in?

It’s a great question and test to see if we can make the right assumptions. Thanks to site subscriber, Brandon, for posing it.

The Averages Don’t Make It Look Good For Bowyer

Driver averages by track are definitely a go to tool for most fantasy NASCAR players. But, there is so much more to add to the mix. Brad Keselowski’s averages did not show that he would score the same amount of driver points over the last four races as Kyle Busch. Based on Keslowski’s last five races at the last four tracks he should have only scored around 94 driver points. Yet, he and Kyle share the #1 ranking in driver momentum over the last four races with 167 points each. That’s a difference of 73 points.

My take is that Bowyer will not make the Chase. I also think it is likely that Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Tony Stewart will swap the 9th and 10th positions. If I understand the wildcard correctly I think if Bowyer wins one of the next three races (and it doesn’t put him in the top-10 in points) and if Denny Hamlin doesn’t win any more races (which would put him at two wins) then Bowyer could be in the wildcard spot as long as he maintains more points then Denny.

The table below looks at where Clint sits in the standings ahead of or behind the drivers around him. How many points Clint has gained or lost to each driver over the last two and three races. And, the number of points each driver averages over the next three races.

In Relationship to Bowyer   Gained or Lost by Bowyer Last Three Races Before Chase  
+/- Driver Rank Last 2 Races Last 3 Races Bristol Atlanta Richmond Tot Avg Wins
+52 Kurt Busch 8th +54 +38 37.0 35.8 29.8 102.6 1
+30 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. 9th +11 +2 33.2 29.0 17.4 79.6 0
+24 Tony Stewart 10th +18 +11 24.8 35.0 30.8 90.6 0
  Clint Bowyer 11th     21.6 27.2 35.0 83.8 0
-28 Brad Keselowski 12th -14 -35 27.7 13.5 18.3 59.5 2
-34 Greg Biffle 13th +31 +20 31.8 24.8 24.2 80.8 0
-35 Denny Hamlin 14th +53 +48 25.6 27.6 40.8 94.0 1
-38 AJ Allmendinger 15th 0 +1 17.6 29.0 28.8 75.4 0

What do you think? Will Clint Bowyer make the Chase?

2011 Bristol, Irwin Tools Night Race

Posted on August 22, 2011

Three Races Until the Chase

kyle busch bristol motor speedway

BRISTOL, TN - MARCH 18: Kyle Busch drives the #18 M&M's Toyota during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Jeff Byrd 500 Presented By Food City at Bristol Motor Speedway on March 18, 2011 in Bristol, Tennessee.

Kyle Busch has moved into sole possession of first place in the point standings with his 4th win of the season at Michigan. Now the series heads back to Bristol for the Saturday night running of the Irwin Tools Night Race. There are only three races left until the Chase and there are quite a few drivers who have a shot at moving into the top-10 right now.

Irwin Tools Night Race

Kyle Busch: Kyle is my pick to win yet another race this weekend at Bristol. He has won 4 of the last 5 races at Bristol and I don’t see any let up in sight. This guy has the attitude that it takes to win at this short high banked oval.

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie is the only driver to win during Kyle’s streak at Bristol. He has also finished in the top 10 in 4 of his last 5 starts there and sits 10 points behind Kyle in the standings right now.

Kurt Busch: Not to be outdone by his little brother. Kurt won 4 out of 5 races here from 2002-2004. Right now he is on a streak of 4 straight top 10 finishes at Bristol and very well could extend it this weekend.

Greg Biffle: Greg also has a streak of 4 straight top 10 finishes here. After sitting on the pole at Michigan and having a good run through the race he looks like he might be ready to get his first win of the season very soon.

Matt Kenseth: Matt also had a very good run at Michigan last week and has 4 straight top 10 finishes at Bristol too. This team always has a chance when they race here and this weekend should be no different.

Ryan Newman: Ryan changed tires under a late race caution last weekend at Michigan and made the most of the new rubber during the green-white-checker finish. He has finished in the top 10 at Bristol in 5 of his last 6 races here.

Carl Edwards: Carl will be looking to rebound after engine troubles at Michigan dropped him to 4th place in the standings. He has 2 wins at Bristol during his career and finished 2nd to Kyle this spring.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale had a good run at Michigan until he faded a little bit at the end of the race. He has run very well at Bristol during his career and won in dominating fashion here back in the fall of 2004.

Denny Hamlin: Denny always has a great car at Bristol but, something always seems to go wrong for him during the race. If it isn’t an accident it’s a mechanical problem or pit crew problem. He needs to have his luck change soon and this might be the weekend that happens.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has 5 wins at Bristol during his career and it looks like his team is showing up with good equipment and the right attitude on a weekly basis this season. This could be another win for Jeff as we get closer to the Chase.

Yahoo Picks for Bristol Motor Speedway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Kyle Busch
  • Kurt Busch

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Ryan Newman
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • Mark Martin
  • Kasey Kahne

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • Paul Menard
  • Bobby Labonte

Top 5 Overall at Bristol Motor Speedway

  1. Kyle Busch
  2. Kurt Busch
  3. Ryan Newman
  4. Jeff Gordon
  5. Jimmie Johnson

Dark Horse: Marcos Ambrose

Stay Away From: Joey Logano

2011 Michigan, Pure Michigan 400

Posted on August 15, 2011

15th Different Winner of the Sprint Cup Season!

Marcos Ambrose won his first ever Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen on Monday after the race was rained out on Sunday. It was a wild and accident-filled race that came down to a green, white, checker finish. Congratulations Marcos!

Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards are tied for the points lead heading to Michigan this weekend with four races left before the Chase. Brad Keselowski has solidified his spot for one of the wildcard spots in the Chase with a great finish at Watkins Glen last week and Clint Bowyer remains on the outside looking in right now.

Pure Michigan 400

carl-edwards-michigan

Carl Edwards, driver of the #99 Aflac Ford, leads the field into turn one during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400 at Michigan International Speedway on June 19, 2011 in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Carl Edwards: Carl is my pick to win this week’s race at Michigan. He has five top-5 finishes in the last six races run here including a win back in the fall of 2008. He needs at least one more win before the Chase to position himself a little bit better.

Denny Hamlin: Denny had a very hard crash towards the end of the race at Watkins Glen on Monday and I’m sure that he will be very sore this week. However he has won 2 of the last 3 races at Michigan and finished 2nd in the other race so that should at least make him feel a little better mentally heading to the track this weekend.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has finished in the top 5 in 3 of the past 5 races at Michigan and needs to get back on track on these types of tracks. There are a lot of these during the Chase and drivers have to be consistent on them if they have any chance at winning a championship.

Matt Kenseth: Matt is probably the single most consistent driver at Michigan in the entire field. He finished second to Hamlin in June here and would like to really make a move for the better as we close in on the Chase. If your team is not on top of their game when the Chase starts you are going to fall behind in a hurry.

Greg Biffle: Greg has struggled for most of this season but he usually runs well at Michigan. He could be handed down a fine and maybe probation for an altercation with Boris Said after last week’s race but that will not affect him in the least.

Tony Stewart: Tony just can’t quite get his car as good as he needs it to win a race right now but he is very close. He has excelled at Michigan over the past few season finishing in the top 10 in 4 of his last 5 starts there.

Kurt Busch: Kurt had a rough race at Watkins Glen last week and hopes to turn his fortune around at Michigan this weekend. He has sat on the pole in 2 of the last 3 races here and he could win it from there this weekend.

Brian Vickers: Brian has finished in the top 10 here in his last 6 starts. He won this race back in 2009 and sat on the pole in 3 straight races before missing last season. However, since Red Bull announced that they are leaving racing at the end of the season their cars don’t seem to do as well as they did previously.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Dale has been improving as the season has wore on and he is starting to be a contender each and every time he heads to this type of track. He would love to get a win and solidify his spot in the top 10 heading to the Chase.

Kyle Busch: Kyle can get it done on any track on any weekend. He could get his 4th win of the season this weekend and remain on top of the point standings and have one more win in the series than Kevin Harvick.

Yahoo Picks for Michigan International Speedway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Carl Edwards
  • Denny Hamlin

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Mark Martin
  • Joey Logano
  • Dale Earnhardt Jr.
  • AJ Allmendinger

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • David Ragan
  • Paul Menard

Top 5 Overall at Michigan International Speedway

  1. Carl Edwards
  2. Denny Hamlin
  3. Matt Kenseth
  4. Kurt Busch
  5. Jeff Gordon

Dark Horse: Brian Vickers

Stay Away From: Marcos Ambrose

2011 Watkins Glen, Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips at The Glen

Posted on August 8, 2011

Chase Wild Card Shakeup

Congratulations to Brad Keselowski on getting his 2nd win of the season and positioning himself into the top-20 in points. If he can remain in the top-20 he will be awarded one of the wildcards for the Chase. With only five races to go before the Chase he is looking like he has a very good chance to do just that.

This week the series heads to Watkins Glen for the running of the second road-course event of the season. This is the race that could dash the hopes of some drivers who are trying to make the Chase.

HELUVA GOOD! SOUR CREAM DIPS AT THE GLEN

Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips At The Glen - Practice

Tony Stewart: Tony is my pick to win the race this week at Watkins Glen. He has won four of the last seven races there and finished second in two of those other three races during that stretch. He is the most consistent driver in the series at The Glen.

Marcos Ambrose: I believe that Marcos will give Tony the best competition based on the fact that in the three races he has run there he has never finished outside the top-3. Even though he is not having a great year in the series he can still get a win at a road-course.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Juan won this race last season and should be a contender once again this year. He has to know that he can’t just try to move everyone out of his way if he loses some spots like he tried to do in Sonoma earlier this season. He will be paid back once again if that is the case.

Carl Edwards: Carl has impressed me with how quickly he has learned to get around the road-courses. He has finished in the top-10 in his last five starts at Watkins Glen and that is all he needs to stay on top of the point standings.

Kurt Busch: Kurt won the race at Sonoma earlier this season with a dominating performance. He will have a good car once again this weekend but, he always seems to drive better at Sonoma than at Watkins Glen for some reason.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff has struggled a lot over the last nine years at Watkins Glen only finishing in the top-10 twice during that stretch of races. He finished 2nd at Sonoma this year and should find himself in the top-10 if not competing for the win towards the end of this week’s race.

Kyle Busch: Kyle has finished in the top-10 here in his last five starts including a win back in 2008. Kyle had a very good run at Pocono last weekend and would like to get another win under his belt before the Chase starts.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin won this race back in 2006 and finishes in the top-10 unless he has a mechanical problem or gets involved in a bad accident most of the time. He is tied with Kyle Busch for most wins on the season right now which helps with positioning once the Chase starts.

Robby Gordon: Robby lives for the two road-course races that are on the Sprint Cup schedule. Even though he has really struggled in the series since starting his own team in 2005 he always has a car capable of winning the road-courses. He needs to qualify on time to make the race but, that shouldn’t be much of a problem for him.

Denny Hamlin: Denny has finished in the top-10 in four of his five starts at The Glen. He stays out of trouble and will give up a spot if he knows there’s a faster driver behind him. He will get better on these tracks as his career progresses and he is doing the right thing on them now to keep himself in contention.

Yahoo Picks for Watkins Glen

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Tony Stewart
  • Kurt Busch

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Marcos Ambrose
  • Juan Pablo Montoya
  • Mark Martin
  • Ryan Newman

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • Robby Gordon
  • Boris Said

Top 5 Overall at Watkins Glen

  1. Tony Stewart
  2. Marcos Ambrose
  3. Juan Pablo Montoya
  4. Kurt Busch
  5. Jeff Gordon

Dark Horse: Ron Fellows

Stay Away From: David Ragan

2011 Pocono, Good Sam RV Insurance 500

Posted on August 1, 2011

Flat Track Racing Continues

Congratulations to Paul Menard for winning the prestigious Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday afternoon. This is Paul’s first career NASCAR Sprint Cup victory.

Good Sam RV Insurance 500

This week the series heads back to Pocono Raceway for the running of the Good Sam RV Insurance 500. Another 500-mile race on a long flat track that could be tough on engines.

Denny Hamlin: Denny is my pick to win this race once again. He very well could have won the race here in June and should have a car capable of getting him to victory lane this time.

Jeff Gordon: Jeff had a great car at Indy this past weekend and he won the June race at Pocono. I look for him to be Denny’s toughest competition in Long Pond, PA.

Tony Stewart: Tony is starting to come alive and he loves to run at Pocono. After having a so-so car at Indy I look for Tony to come to Pocono with a much better machine.

Jimmie Johnson: Jimmie has finished in the top-10 at Pocono in seven of his last eight starts. This team is still struggling to hit their stride and the pit crew is very dismal although they had some pretty good stops at Indy.

Juan Pablo Montoya: Juan had a good car at Indy and he always seems to run well at Pocono. He has finished in the top-10 there in four of the last five races he has run. Including a runner-up finish in 2009.

Kevin Harvick: Kevin has three straight top-5 finishes at Pocono. He has been the most consistent driver over that stretch and should have the equipment to compete for the win next Sunday.

Carl Edwards: Carl had a tough time at Indy and will be looking to turn his fortunes around at Pocono. I’m not sure if his contractual status is affecting him right now but, he needs to make a decision soon on where he wants to race next season.

Kyle Busch: Kyle has a 2nd and a 3rd place finish in his last three races at Pocono. This team is struggling a little bit right now and seem to be finding trouble on the track a lot lately. He can still win at any track on any given day.

Kurt Busch: Kurt sat on the pole and finished 2nd in the race here in June. This is another driver who loves to run on the flat tracks and he should be a contender this coming weekend.

Mark Martin: Although he is not having a very good season, Mark is someone to watch at Pocono. He has never won a race here but he has a multitude of runner-up finishes here. A decent run at Indy last weekend will give this team a little confidence this week.

Yahoo Picks for Pocono Raceway

Yahoo Driver Group A

  • Denny Hamlin
  • Jeff Gordon

Yahoo Driver Group B

  • Juan Pablo Montoya
  • Mark Martin
  • Jeff Burton
  • Brian Vickers

Yahoo Driver Group C

  • Paul Menard
  • Regan Smith

Top 5 Overall at Pocono Raceway

  1. Denny Hamlin
  2. Jeff Gordon
  3. Kurt Busch
  4. Carl Edwards
  5. Kevin Harvick

Dark Horse: Brian Vickers

Stay Away From: Marcos Ambrose

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