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  • NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    NASCAR Top-10 Power Rankings: Pocono

    Note: The quotes in this article are fictional.

    1. Carl Edwards: Edwards dropped a valve 58 laps in to the 5-Hour Energy 500, ending the day early for the No. 99 Kellogg’s/Cheez-It Ford. He finished 37th, by far his worst finish of the year, but remained in front of the  point standings lead, six ahead of Jimmie Johnson.

    “I started with eight cylinders,” Edwards said. “Then there were seven. And that led to six, points, that is, in my lead in the Sprint Cup standings. And look who’s behind me. Jimmie Johnson, winner of five Cup championships. He finished fourth on Sunday. I was running third when my valve broke. Johnson is at number two in the standings. I guess that makes him the one to beat.

    “You may have seen me in the TNT booth after my engine blew, and it’s clear I’m a natural at broadcasting. Whether behind the wheel or in front of a monitor, I’ve got no problem with ‘exposure,’ which is obviously the case when I’m ‘showing my parts’ on national television.”

    2. Jimmie Johnson: Johnson finished a strong fourth at Pocono, posting his fourth top-5 result of the year and taking a chunk out of Carl Edwards points lead. Johnson entered the race 40 behind Edwards; he now trails by only six as the series heads to Michigan.

    “As NASCAR’s five time defending champion,” Johnson said, “and arguably the sport’s best driver, I often wonder if I can get any bigger. Well, the answer is ‘yes,’ in Edwards’ rear-view mirror.

    “I like my position. I’ve got a rival blowing an engine, and rival’s car owner blowing a gasket. Heck, when the Sprint Cup points leader is in the broadcast booth yucking it up with the TNT crew during the race, I can only consider that a good thing for me and every other driver trailing him. Edwards is a ‘show off.’ He put on a ‘show’ off the track. While it may be good for his broadcast aspirations, as a contender for the Cup, he’s all ‘talk.’”

    3. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: Earnhardt scored his fourth-straight top-10 finish of the year, posting a sixth in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono, rounding out a trifecta of Hendrick Motorsports cars in the top 10. Jeff Gordon took first, while Jimmie Johnson finished fourth. Earnhardt improved one spot in the point standings to third, and trails Carl Edwards by 10.

    “Had the No. 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet won the 5-Hour Energy 500,” Earnhardt said, “there would have been a huge conflict of interest in victory lane. Amp Energy Drink is the industry leader among energy drinks. They play second to no one. I wish I could say the same.

    “If we keep running this consistently, the wins will come. 107 races is a long spell to go without a victory, and if I fail to win at Michigan, I’ll then be fighting a three-year victory drought. That’s when Junior Nation becomes ‘Junior Stag-Nation.”

    4. Kevin Harvick: Harvick toyed early with RCR nemesis Kyle Busch, drawing a warning from NASCAR, but otherwise took care of business at Pocono, finishing fifth. Harvick held on the fourth in the point standings, and now trails Carl Edwards, who finished 37th, by 11.

    “I did indeed try to force Busch down the track on the long straightaway,” Harvick admitted. “I figured Kyle needed a good ‘straight left’ after Richard Childress delivered a ‘straight right’ last week. Of course, Kyle did nothing about it. We’ve all heard of Morgan Freeman ‘Driving Miss Daisy’ around Atlanta. Now you’ve heard of Kevin Harvick ‘Driving Mr. Pansy’ down the track.”

    5. Kyle Busch: Busch finished third at Pocono, following big brother Kurt, who finished second, across the finish line. But that was where the good news ended. Kyle Busch’s No. 18 M&M Toyota failed a post-race inspection, which found his front end too low. NASCAR penalized Busch six championship driver points, while Joe Gibbs lost six owner points, and crew chief Dave Rogers was fined $25,000.

    “That’s just great,” Busch said. “One week, I’m decked by Richard Childress. The next, I’m docked by NASCAR. It appears I got ‘served’ by both. According to NASCAR, the left front of the vehicle was 1/16 inch too low, which is outside the tolerance. I’m not surprised, because I’m rarely inside anyone’s tolerance.

    “Harvick certainly puts the ‘ass’ in ‘harass.’ He just doesn’t know when to stop. He certainly doesn’t need to fight Richard Childress’ fights for him. Childress can take care of himself just as well as he took care of me. But I have to thank Harvick for teaching me a valuable lesson—that I’m the bigger man.”

    6. Kurt Busch: Busch won his second straight pole, topping the charts in Saturday qualifying for the 5-Hour Energy 500. Busch led 37 laps on Sunday, but couldn’t get near Jeff Gordon’s No. 24 down the stretch, and settled for the runner-up spot, his best finish of the year.

    “It would have been more fitting,” Busch said, “had Kyle finished second and I finished third. That way, I could have said, for once, that I had Kyle’s back.”

    7. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth came home eighth at Pocono, earning his seventh top-10 of the year and fourth in the last five races. He remained seventh in the Sprint Cup point standings, and trails Carl Edwards by 44.

    “Don’t let Carl Edwards’ broadcast persona fool you,” Kenseth said. “Television-friendly is where the friendly stops.

    “As you may know, my car was sponsored in part this week by Affliction Clothing, apparel favored by several mixed martial arts fighters and those who emulate them. It’s quite on odd pairing, since I probably rank somewhere between Kyle Busch and a sleeping kitten on the toughness scale. Affliction and I have a unique relationship unlike any other between a sponsor and driver: I’m forbidden to wear the product.”

    8. Jeff Gordon: Gordon took charge over the final 50 laps at Pocono, pulling away for his second win this year and 84th career triumph, which tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on the all-time list. Gordon jumped two spots in the point standings to 11th, 81 out of first.

    “With the new wildcard berths,” Gordon said, “two wins all but guarantees a spot in the Chase For The Cup. Let this be a warning to everyone: I think this win is a clear indication that a fifth Sprint Cup is not out of the question. That may not have been the case in 2010. Last year, when I vowed to ‘go for 5,’ many assumed I was declaring my allegiance to Jimmie Johnson’s quest for his fifth Cup title.”

    9. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin led 76 of the first 101 laps in the 5-Hour Energy 500, but a flat tire on lap 161 ended his dominance and left him scrambling to make up ground over the final 39 laps. He remained on the lead lap and finished 19th, ending a run of three straight top 10’s. Hamlin dropped one spot in the point standings to 12th, 84 out of first.

    “The No. 11 Fed Ex Ground Toyota had the field covered,” Hamlin said, “until the flat tire ruined my day. But that didn’t stop me from quoting emerging color commentary personality Carl Edwards when I said to my crew, ‘It’s air time!’

    10. Clint Bowyer: Bowyer, who won The Prelude To The Dream last Wednesday, finished 16th at Pocono, struggling with handling on the two-mile tri-oval. Bowyer did, however, improve one spot to eighth in the point standings, and now is 73 out of first.

    “My name may be ‘Clint,’” Bowyer said, “but I am by no means ‘The Enforcer.’ That would be Kevin Harvick, who, like our boss Richard Childress, takes matters into his own hands. Harvick has an uncanny ability to get into any driver’s head. According to Kevin, it’s particularly easy to get into Kyle Busch’s head, because there’s so much room.”

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Pocono 5-Hour Energy 500

    Under threatening skies in Long Pond, PA and after the ARCA race was called for fog the previous day, the Cup Series took the green flag for one of the longer races of the season.

    Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA.

    [media-credit name=”Gary Buchanan” align=”alignright” width=”221″][/media-credit]Surprising: One of the most surprised at Pocono Raceway was the driver in Victory Lane celebrating his 84th career win, tying the record for third on the all-time NASCAR Spring Cup Series win list, along with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip.

    Race winner Jeff Gordon, driver of the No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, also tied NASCAR Champ Bill Elliott for the most series wins at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It’s so amazing because I was so excited about the win and the hard work that Alan (Gustafson) and his guys have been putting into our speedway program or whatever we call these kinds of race tracks, because we struggled on them and I was just so excited to get that win and see what we’ve been working on,” Gordon said.

    “So, today to see it all come together, I was so caught up in that,” Gordon continued. “Plus my family was here to celebrate it.”

    “I didn’t even think about 84 until they reminded me when I went to do the Speed Channel show Victory Lane,” Gordon said. “And I was like, oh yeah, that’s unbelievable.”

    “I really can’t even express in words what it means because I never thought it would happen for me or for anybody.”

    Not Surprising:  As expected, he new ability to shift, fuel issues, and problems in the pits all played significant roles in the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway. Probably most affected was Carl Edwards, the Series point’s leader, who experienced a valve problem that almost caused him to have an engine failure, however, other drivers struggled as well.

    While Edwards was able to turn a lap towards the end of the race, the driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford, finished 37th, narrowly maintaining his points lead over Jimmie Johnson by six points.

    Another driver Tony Stewart complained bitterly throughout the race about the new-found ability to shift. The driver of the No. 14 Mobil 1/Office Depot Chevrolet finished 21st.

    “I just want to thank NASCAR for having us shift about 100 times today,” Stewart said bitterly after losing third gear. “We could have had a good day.”

    Kevin Harvick, behind the wheel of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had fuel issues early in the race, which relegated him to an earlier pit stop strategy than the rest of the field. Harvick was able to redeem himself, however, and finished top-five.

    “It was a total team effort to get our Okuma Chevy up there,” Harvick said. “It was a good solid day for us.”

    The driver most bit by problems in the pits was Brian Vickers, driver of the No. 83 Red Bull Toyota. Vickers received a speeding penalty and then to make matters worse, sped again as he was serving his penalty.  Vickers finished 22nd.

    Surprising:  Although Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, technically finished third, he along with his crew chief Dave Rogers, were surprised during the post-race inspection when their car officially failed.

    “It’s a huge surprise,” Rogers said. “I didn’t present anything to tech that hasn’t been through tech before, several times.”

    “The car was 1/16th low at the end,” Rogers continued. “NASCAR gives you a range to be in and they give us a yellow range and we exceeded the yellow. We were 1/16th in the red so we were wrong.”

    “We have to go back to the shop and figure out why.”

    Not Surprising: Kyle’s big brother Kurt, who scored the pole position in his back up No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge Charger, finished in the runner up position to race winner Gordon.

    “It was a great run,” Busch said. “The old boy Jeff Gordon had it in him today. We ran him strong, we ran him hard.”

    “We were excited with the finish.”

    Surprising:  It was most surprising to see young gun Landon Cassill, behind the wheel of his No. 41 Security Benefit/Thank A Teacher Chevrolet, lead a few laps towards the end of the race.

    “We were just trying a little pit strategy to see if we could catch a caution or something,” Cassill said. “It’s cool leading laps in the world’s greatest motorsport so I’m proud of that.”

    Not Surprising:  At least two of Jeff Gordon’s other teammates were pretty happy with their run at Pocono Raceway. Old ‘Five Time’ Jimmie Johnson, piloting the No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, finished fourth and NASCAR’S most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, finished sixth.

    “It was a great day,” Johnson said. “Our engine package held up today with the abuse we gave it.”

    “I’m real happy with where I finished,” Dale Jr. said. “The car was pretty good. I was good with the shifting.”

    Surprising:  Yes indeed, most surprising was the fact that Denny Hamlin, who has mastered the ‘Tricky Triangle’ so often, did not win the race. In fact, the driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota Camry finished an uncharacteristic 19th.

    “We were just coasting there at the beginning and just nothing went really right,” Hamlin said. “We struggled a little bit on pit road, we got a little bit tighter, I felt like the front bump rubbers just gave up, and then when we left pit road, we had a flat tire.”

    “When we did that, it sheared the tire and wrapped it around the housing and broke the brake lines so I had no brakes,” Hamlin continued. “It was just a slew of problems there at the end.”

    Not Surprising:  To no one’s surprise, newly named crew chief Chad Johnston encouraged his driver, Martin Truex, Jr., behind the wheel of the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, to a top-10 finish.

    “That was a hard fought 10th,” Truex, Jr. said. “Chad did a good job of keeping me calm. We were just missing a little and I hope we can find it soon because we’ll have some fun if we do.”

  • What Went Down In The 5 Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway

    [media-credit id=62 align=”alignright” width=”227″][/media-credit]On a day where one Jacques Debris reigned supreme, Jeff Gordon was able to win the 5 Hour Energy 500 at the Pocono Raceway. It was Gordon’s 84th career NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win, which places him in a tie on the all time wins list with Hall Fame inductee, Bobby Allison, and 2012 class nominee, Darrell Waltrip. It was the second win of the 2011 season for Gordon which just about guarantees him a wild card spot in the chase.

    Denny Hamlin once again looked as though he was going to make the Pocono Raceway his personal playground early on in the race. That all came to an end after the 11 team suffered a flat tire coming off of pit road. Denny was able to nurse the car back to the pits without doing too much damage to his race car. His day was a different story however. Denny was never able to recover from the flat as he then lost his brakes and finished the day in the 19th position. The day wasn’t a total lose though, Denny now moves into the 12th spot in the point standings, which currently qualifies him for the elusive wild card birth.

    For the second straight week, both of the Penske entries were solid. Kurt Busch started on the pole for the second consecutive week and ran strong in his Pennzoil Dodge. Kurt finished in the second position after running up front and leading laps throughout the day. His teammate however, wasn’t as lucky. Brad Keselowski’s day started out well. For a moment, he had his blue deuce just outside of the top ten. The team then had to make an extra pit stop for a vibration thought to be caused by a loose wheel. That was not the case. The problems wound up being much more severe for last weeks winner as he was forced to limp the car around for the remainder of the race and finish in the 23rd position. It may not sound like a good day, but the team is making improvements every week. Look for both Penske machines to be weekly contenders in the coming weeks.

    After how dominant Juan Pablo Montoya has been at Indianapolis, it was only a matter of time before he got his arms around the Pocono Raceway. Montoya ran most of the race in the top 5 and at one point had a lead that wasn’t even worth Denny Hamlin chasing down. The Target team made some interesting calls by taking two tires on numerous pit stops which left a lot of people scratching their heads. When the black flag with white squares flew, Montoya was in the seventh position. It’s only a matter of time before Juan picks up a win on an oval.

    Two drivers that you rarely see run well at Pocono did just that on Sunday. Kevin Harvick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. This is just the run these drivers needed as they further their case as championship contenders. By running good at a “weak track”, they and their team prove that they are “in it to win it”. Look for this to be the case from not only them, but all of our title contenders this season.

    Speaking of Harvick, he and Kyle Busch come of their probation next weekend in Michigan. But in the beginning of the race, they sure didn’t race like it. Harvick was seen running Busch down to the water on the front stretch and beating on his bumper. Harvick said after the race, “He’s got one comin’”. “It says a lot about his character” said Busch when asked about Harvick. I know all you fans, including myself, can not wait to see what transpires between the two in the coming weeks.

    With Pocono now in the books, the eyes of the NASCAR world look towards the Irish Hills of Michigan. Will we see the fuel mileage battle that is so common at MIS and lately in NASCAR? Will the Harvick and Busch fued resume? All these questions and more will be answered next Sunday.

    Next Race- Heluva Good! Sour Cream Dips 400
    Sunday on TNT at 12pm EST. MRN Radio

  • Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    Jeff Gordon Improves Chase Chances With Second Win of the Season

    [media-credit name=”Kirk Schroll” align=”alignright” width=”240″][/media-credit]Jeff Gordon, sporting the familiar No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet colors, scored his second win of the 2011 season, moving ever closer to Chase contention. This is Gordon’s fifth top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth victory in 37 races at Pocono Raceway.

    Gordon also reached another significant milestone with his win in the 5-Hour Energy 500. The victory ties Gordon with Bobby Allison and Darrell Waltrip for third on the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series win list.

    “It certainly helps us,” Gordon said of his Chase chances. “Our focus has to be the same all the time, try to win races, to lock ourselves in.”

    “I’m just more excited about the momentum coming toward us,” Gordon continued. “The things that we believe in are starting to come true.”

    “You question that at times,” Gordon said. “Days like today show how serious we are. At this point in the season, to get our program turned around, the timing couldn’t be better and hopefully we can keep that going.”

    “This is a tough place to win.”

    Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not agree more with his driver.

    “There are a lot of things at a track like this that are so difficult,” Gustafson said. “We were a little nervous. To win in this sport, you have to have everything on the edge.”

    The Busch brothers, Kurt and Kyle, gave Gordon a run for his money, scoring second and third respectively. Kurt Busch posted his 11th top-10 finish in 21 races and Kyle Busch posted his fourth top-10 finish in 13 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “It was a great, hard fought battle for us on the No. 22 car today,” pole sitter and second place finisher Kurt Busch. “It was a nice, steady run and we were able to have smooth pit stops and we had a great handling car.”

    “It was a great genuine day for our team to run in the top five all day,” Busch continued. “It’s pleasing to see that result.”

    “I was giving it all I had and I just couldn’t quite close the gap.”

    Busch admitted that there were many things to balance in the race, especially as he engaged in the heated battle with race winner Gordon.

    “It was an interesting day with shifting,” Busch said. “We shifted quite a bit today and had to keep track of the temperatures and the revs on the engine and fuel mileage as well. There was a lot to balance inside the car today.”

    Baby brother Kyle Busch, driver of the No. 18 M&Ms Toyota, was also pleased with his third place finish.

    “For us, we had a long way to come from since we started deep in the field,” Busch said. “We worked our way towards the front steadily and methodically for most of the race.”

    “We had good pit stops all day and the guys did a good job giving me the right adjustments,” Busch continued. “The restarts played in our favor and we passed a few cars there. That last restart is where we got most of our track position.”

    “Kurt was so much faster than I was that last run of the race that it wasn’t going to do me much to hold him up,” Busch said “So, I tried to let him go and see if he couldn’t catch the 24 and make a race out of it.”

    “We just tried to bring home a solid third.”

    Unfortunately, Kyle Busch’s car failed post-race inspection due to a height issue, too high on the left. “Being a parent, it means more to experience that with them,” Gordon said of having daughter Ella in Victory Lane. His car is being transported back to NASCAR’s R&D center for a more-in-depth look.

    In contrast to Gordon and the Busch boys, the point’s leader coming into the race, Carl Edwards had a miserable day. The driver of the No. 99 Kellogg/Cheez-It Ford finished 37th after he broke a valve in the engine.

    Even with that bad finish, Edwards did, however, maintain the points lead with the narrowest of margins. He is now just six points ahead of Jimmie Johnson, who finished the race in the fourth spot.

    In a somewhat bizarre turn of events, Edwards joined the broadcast booth to provide commentary while his team worked furiously on his car in the garage. He was able to turn one last lap to avoid the DNF.

    “I was very careful not to overdrive,” Edwards said. “One of the valves got in an argument with something in the engine and lost.”

    Kevin Harvick, driver of the No. 29 Okuma Chevrolet, had an eventful day but still managed to finish fifth in the 5-Hour Energy 500. Harvick survived problems early when his crew did not get all the fuel in and he then got off the sequence of pit stops.

    Dale Earnhardt, Jr., in the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, Juan Pablo Montoya, piloting the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 17 Affliction Clothing Live Fast Ford, Ryan Newman, behind the wheel of the of the Haas Automation Chevrolet, and Martin Truex, Jr., in his No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota, rounded out the top ten.

    Unofficial Race Results
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/race.php?race=14
    =========================================
    Pos. No. Driver Make Points
    =========================================
    1 3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 47
    2 1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 43
    3 34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 42
    4 14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 41
    5 32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 39
    6 21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 38
    7 16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 38
    8 27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 36
    9 8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 35
    10 31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 34
    11 19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 33
    12 17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 32
    13 9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 31
    14 2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 30
    15 5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 29
    16 12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 28
    17 11 6 David Ragan Ford 27
    18 10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 26
    19 4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 27
    20 33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 24
    21 15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 24
    22 23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 22
    23 20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 21
    24 25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 0
    25 28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 19
    26 40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 18
    27 37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 17
    28 18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 16
    29 30 34 David Gilliland Ford 15
    30 35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 14
    31 41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 0
    32 24 71 Andy Lally * Ford 12
    33 13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 11
    34 7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 10
    35 26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 0
    36 38 37 Tony Raines Ford 8
    37 6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 7
    38 42 7 Scott Wimmer Dodge 0
    39 43 150 T.J. Bell * Toyota 0
    40 29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 0
    41 36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 4
    42 22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 2
    43 39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 0
  • Kurt Busch Snags 14th Career Pole at Pocono; Paul Menard Scores Second

    Kurt Busch Snags 14th Career Pole at Pocono; Paul Menard Scores Second

    [media-credit name=”Ed Coombs” align=”alignright” width=”209″][/media-credit]After crashing his No. 22 Shell/Pennzoil Dodge in practice and having to pull out a backup car, Kurt Busch was despondent, especially thinking that if qualifying was rained out, he would start the 5-Hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway dead last.

    But the racing gods were with him, the weather held, and Busch snagged his 14th career pole, with a speed of 171.579 mph and a time of 52.454 seconds. This was Busch’s first pole in 21 races at the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “There were quite a bit of different emotions out there today, especially after having to bust out the backup car from yesterday’s  mishap,” Busch said. “If it were raining today, we’d be starting last.”

    “Now luckily the weather held out and we’re on the pole,” Busch said. “It’s an amazing swing of events and an honest thank you to my guys. To pull the backup out as a pole winning car is really something you wouldn’t hear about back in the day.”

    Busch’s pole also signified the third straight pole for Penkse Racing and his teammate Brad Keselowski was the winner of last weekend’s event at Kansas Speedway. Busch admitted in the media center after his pole run that Penske Racing has indeed turned a corner.

    “We haven’t changed a lot of things since Richmond and it’s just been some procedures and processes and maybe looking at the data a bit differently,” Busch said. “It’s great to come back out and get on the pole again.”

    Busch also referenced his superstition, feeling that he was stuck on the ‘unlucky 13’ pole.

    “To be number 14 already, really feels good,” Busch said.

    Busch’s crew chief, Steve Addington, echoed his driver’s feelings about the pole run.

    “I want to thank everybody on this Shell/Pennzoil Dodge,” Addington said. “The work they did to get this car ready was awesome.”

    “To lay down a lap like that is pretty impressive,” Addington continued. “And that guy that sits behind the steering wheel isn’t too damn bad either.”

    Paul Menard, driver of the No. 27 Pittsburgh Paints/Menards Chevrolet, scored the outside pole, with a speed of 171.422 mph and a time of 52.502 seconds. This was Menard’s fifth top-10 start of 2011 and his first such start in nine races at Pocono.

    “We definitely thought it would rain out qualifying today,” Menard said. “So, we tried to post a good time early in practice and felt that would be our qualifying run.”

    “We were hoping for rain, honestly,” Menard continued. “To qualify second and actually put a lap down was pretty cool. It was much more meaningful that way.”

    Four-time champion Jeff Gordon posted his 22nd top-10 start at Pocono Raceway. He qualified third in his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports, with a speed of 171.350 mph and a time of 52.524 seconds.

    “I’ll be honest, prior to that run, I was kind of hoping it was going to rain,” Gordon said with a laugh. “We made a couple of qualifying runs yesterday and we weren’t really thrilled with the pace.”

    “The track was definitely a lot different as it was hot and slick,” Gordon continued. “We did our fastest laps in race trim and so we weren’t really sure what to expect today.”

    “We looked at the lap times and seeing just how fast the track was today, it gets you anxious when you ran a 54.10 and guys were running in the 52s,” Gordon said. “It was interesting because right before I left the truck I told Alan (Gustafson), ‘It looks like half a second per corner’ and as a driver, a half a second a corner just isn’t fathomable.”

    “As a driver, to go out there and do that and put up a good lap and be third, I’m thrilled,” Gordon said. “I’m very, very happy.”

    Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Ground Toyota and past master of Pocono Raceway, qualified fourth with a speed of 171.174 mph and a time of 52.578 seconds.

    Regan Smith, behind the wheel of the No. 78 Furniture Row Racing Chevrolet, continued his hot qualifying hand and rounded out the top five, with a speed of 171.164 mph and a time of 52.581 seconds.

    Starting Lineup
    5-Hour Energy 500, Pocono Raceway
    http://www.speedwaymedia.com/Cup/qual.php?race=14
    Pos. No. Driver Make Speed Time
    1 22 Kurt Busch Dodge 171.579 52.454
    2 27 Paul Menard Chevrolet 171.422 52.502
    3 24 Jeff Gordon Chevrolet 171.35 52.524
    4 11 Denny Hamlin Toyota 171.174 52.578
    5 78 Regan Smith Chevrolet 171.165 52.581
    6 99 Carl Edwards Ford 171.057 52.614
    7 9 Marcos Ambrose Ford 170.836 52.682
    8 39 Ryan Newman Chevrolet 170.532 52.776
    9 0 David Reutimann Toyota 170.348 52.833
    10 5 Mark Martin Chevrolet 170.2 52.879
    11 6 David Ragan Ford 170.177 52.886
    12 33 Clint Bowyer Chevrolet 170.126 52.902
    13 1 Jamie McMurray Chevrolet 169.908 52.97
    14 48 Jimmie Johnson Chevrolet 169.872 52.981
    15 14 Tony Stewart Chevrolet 169.856 52.986
    16 42 Juan Montoya Chevrolet 169.702 53.034
    17 4 Kasey Kahne Toyota 169.671 53.044
    18 47 Bobby Labonte Toyota 169.607 53.064
    19 20 Joey Logano Toyota 169.52 53.091
    20 2 Brad Keselowski Dodge 169.501 53.097
    21 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet 169.447 53.114
    22 46 J.J. Yeley Chevrolet 169.444 53.115
    23 83 Brian Vickers Toyota 169.441 53.116
    24 71 Andy Lally* Ford 169.37 53.138
    25 51 Landon Cassill Chevrolet 169.307 53.158
    26 38 Sam Hornish Jr. Ford 169.278 53.167
    27 17 Matt Kenseth Ford 169.224 53.184
    28 43 A.J. Allmendinger Ford 169.176 53.199
    29 87 Joe Nemechek Toyota 169.17 53.201
    30 34 David Gilliland Ford 169.119 53.217
    31 56 Martin Truex Jr. Toyota 169.113 53.219
    32 29 Kevin Harvick Chevrolet 169.084 53.228
    33 31 Jeff Burton Chevrolet 168.932 53.276
    34 18 Kyle Busch Toyota 168.89 53.289
    35 13 Casey Mears Toyota 168.666 53.36
    36 66 Michael McDowell Toyota 168.218 53.502
    37 16 Greg Biffle Ford 167.773 53.644
    38 37 Tony Raines Ford 167.395 53.765
    39 181 Scott Riggs Chevrolet 167.264 53.807
    40 36 Dave Blaney Chevrolet 167.057 53.874
    41 32 Mike Bliss Ford 166.867 53.935
    42 7 Scott Wimmer+ Dodge 162.414 55.414
    43 150 T.J. Bell* Toyota 166.633 54.011
  • Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    Jeff Gordon’s Crew Chief Alan Gustafson Likes It Hot, Hot, Hot

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”242″][/media-credit]After a scorching race weekend in Kansas, the Cup Series is at an equally warm Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, PA this weekend.  And yet, Jeff Gordon’s crew chief, Alan Gustafson, could not be happier.

    “I love the heat,” Gustafson said. “I would much rather be hot than cold.”

    “I think mental toughness in the driver and the team comes out under those conditions,” Gustafson said. “And if you’re mentally tough and strong, that will give you an advantage.”

    “Obviously the slicker and the hotter the conditions, it is more difficult, but that’s where the best come out,” Gustafson continued. “I do think the hotter conditions also help better cars.”

    “When it’s cool, anybody who gets out front is going to be good because the grip is there,” Gustafson said. “But when it’s hot and slick, it doesn’t matter, the good cars get on it.”

    “I prefer the heat,” Gustafson said. “I hope it stays hot and gets hotter. I think that will be an advantage to us.”

    [media-credit id=18 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]Gustafson is not only happy with the heat but also with his evolving relationship with his driver, four-time champion Jeff Gordon.

    “I think the relationship is good,” Gustafson said. “Personally we get along really well and the communication’s been good.”

    “There has been a little bit of a learning curve knowing his driving style and what he needs in the car,” Gustafson continued. “Early on that was a hurdle that we struggled with and had to get over.”

    “But now as of late, I feel like we’ve got a really good handle on what Jeff needs and what he looks for in his adjustments,” Gustafson said. “So, that’s going good.”

    “It’s always going to be an evolution for anybody, even if you’ve been together ten years,” Gustafson said. “Tires change and cars change and rules change so you’ve got to continue to work hard and to grow and improve.”

    “But I feel like we’re getting to the point where we should be, competing for top-10s and top-fives every week,” Gustafson continued. “We’re getting a whole lot closer to that.”

    Gustafson knows that these next few months are going to be critical for his Hendrick Motorsports team. He also knows that driver Jeff Gordon needs to get a few more wins under his belt to make it into the Chase whether by the wild card or on points.

    “For me the summer’s the most important stretch of the season,” Gustafson said. “That’s when you’re in a position for the Chase and gives you the momentum in the Chase.”

    “We may have struggled early but we had to put ourselves in the position to be going through this summer push and really strong in the Chase,” Gustafson continued. “We’ve got ourselves in a really strong position.”

    “But we’ve got to win,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we’re going to get in on points and that’s our goal, but I’d still like at least two more wins. That would put us in really good position.”

    Gustafson has been working around the clock on his strategy, especially fuel mileage strategy, to continue to get his driver into Chase contention.

    “We work really hard and you have to utilize all hours of the day,” Gustafson said. “I feel like we can work on a little bit of the extracurriculars or the intangibles, like fuel mileage.”

    “At Kansas, we had a car to win and things didn’t work out,” Gustafson continued. “As we evolve and improve, not only do we have to have fast cars but we have to have the fuel mileage to go with it.”

    Fuel mileage is obviously on Gustafson’s mind, as well as on the minds of all of the crew chiefs as they attack the ‘Tricky Triangle.’

    “This is a fuel mileage track,” Gustafson said of Pocono Raceway. “If you’re just working on your fuel mileage now, you’re too late.”

    In addition to fuel mileage, crew chiefs and drivers alike will have to deal with another wrinkle at the ‘Tricky Triangle,’ that of being able to shift.

    “It’s another variable which we can use and which I like,” Gustafson said. “We can tune to that and it plays to Jeff and good drivers for sure.”

    “Shifting is going to change depending on how your car is,” Gustafson said. “If your car is not very good, shifting may be a huge advantage but if your car is really good, shifting may not be that big of a problem or that big of an advantage.”

    “I’m glad that NASCAR made the decision to give us that ability,” Gustafson said. “I think Jeff will be really good at it. He’s had the experience of doing it here in the past and he’s really good.”

    Another issue on Gustafson’s mind is the new qualifying rules, which sometime entails further strategy, and even some sandbagging, in order to get into the best qualifying order at each track.

    “It’s just part of it,” Gustafson said. “It’s very counter-intuitive to me for someone to get rewarded for being slow. I don’t think that’s right.”

    “I think NASCAR will look at that, Gustafson continued. “What I would like to see is that the fastest guy chooses when he wants to go in qualifying.”

    “That would be really ideal if in the practice, the guy who is fastest gets to choose if he wants to go first or last,” Gustafson said. “Then that way, that takes the sandbagging out of it. I think being rewarded for going fast is the way our sport is built.”

    Whether fuel mileage, shifting or qualifying strategy, Gustafson feels very strongly that he, his driver and his No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet team have to have the entire package to win, get into the Chase, and win another championship. He sees several factors, including versatility, adaptability and even perfection, as the most critical.

    “It used to be where the strategy didn’t have to be pin-point perfect,” Gustafson said. “Now, you do have to be perfect.”

    “I think what it takes to win these races is to be very versatile,” Gustafson continued. “You have to have a fast car and you have to adapt to whatever circumstances come up.”

    “Now you have to have a good, fast car and the ability to be good in a multiple strategy situation,” Gustafson said. “And that’s a little bit tougher than it used to be.”

    “You can be good on two tires, you can save fuel, you can be good on four tires, you can be good on a five lap shoot out at the end,” Gustafson said. “A champion is going to be good at all of those situations.”

  • 5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway Preview

    5-hour Energy 500 at Pocono Raceway Preview

    Pocono may just be the most interesting race track that the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series visits. No other track has three different straightaways of different lengths and three completely different corners. This creates a challenge for both driver and crew. The driver must be able to adapt to all the elements that the track presents them while their crew chief must not only keep up with the track, but make the car handle the best it can in all three corners of the track.

    [media-credit name=”PoconoRaceway.com” align=”alignright” width=”300″][/media-credit]Many people often ask the question, “What corner is most important at Pocono?’ The most common answer that I have heard is, “The one right before the longest straightaway.” The reason for this is so that the car can carry as much speed as possible down the long straightaway into the next corner. If that is the case, what do you do about the remaining three corners? Most crew chiefs today try to get the car as balanced as possible through all corners of the track, while some make one corner really good and have their driver deal with an ill handling car in the remaining. Both styles of setup have worked before so there really is no one way to go about it.

    Also, for the first time in since NASCAR implemented the gear rule, drivers will be able to shift going down the long straightaways at Pocono. Back in the day, this was common practice and the fast way around the track. A few years back, NASCAR changed the gear that the teams had to run which made shifting the cars a thing of the past. Now that it’s back, it just adds another challenge for these drivers and teams on Sunday. Don’t look for transmission failures like you used to see in the past. These things are bullet proof now and they rarely go out.

    Many fans and drivers alike complain about the races at the Pocono Raceway. Fans think the races are too long, too boring and we should only visit there once a year. Many drivers agree that the races are too long as some drivers have said that 500 miles at Pocono feels longer that 600 miles at Charlotte. It’s not secret that the triangle shaped track doesn’t have a history of exciting racing, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t happen.

    Remember the 2000 Winston Cup Series season? Go back to the day when Jeremy Mayfield and the Dale Earnhardt duked it out on the 2.5 mile triangle. When Mayfield pulled an Earnhardt on Earnhardt. Go back to just last year. Where Joey Logano gave us one of the great sound bites of recent memory when he questioned Kevin Harvick’s role in his family. The late Tim Richmond also pulled off a stellar win at the tricky triangle after coming back from illness. These moments prove that you can have great events happen at Pocono Raceway.

    Now to get down to business.

    Hot Drivers at Pocono

    Denny Hamlin- What more needs to be said about Denny other than he is simply masterful at Pocono. Ever since he has began racing in the Cup Series, he has pretty much owned this joint. In ten starts, Denny has four wins most recently coming in this race last year. Plus, Denny is on a role as of late. This would be a prime weekend for the 11 team to get to victory lane.

    Jimmie Johnson– Johnson is the only other driver to average a top ten finishing position at Pocono( Hamlin is the other). Jimmie has always been extremely solid here and even swept the races in 2004. Be sure to watch that 48 team this weekend!

    Jeff Gordon- In 36 starts at the triangle, the wonder boy has ripped off 4 wins, 16 top 5’s and 25 top tens. His average finish is 10.5 which puts him in elite class at this track. Gordon has not been up to the Gordon standard as of late, but you really can’t count him out for a good run.
    Solid Pick

    Tony Stewart- Pocono was the track where Stewart-Haas Racing picked up their first points paying Sprint Cup win back in 2009. In his last 11 starts at Pocono, Tony has 10 top 10 finishes. If they team can give Smoke a piece to work with, he can get it done this weekend.

    Brian Vickers- Few people remember how strong Vickers was in 2005 at Pocono. It looked as though Brian was going to pull off his first Cup win that day until a late race pace by Carl Edwards. The Red Bull team has fast cars and Brian is back to the Brian of old so to speak. With an average finish of 14.5, Brian could be in for a nice day Sunday.
    Sleeper Pick

    Juan Pablo Montoya- Montoya has really taken to the big flat tracks. With how dominant he has been at the Brickyard, it was a matter of time before it transfered to the triangle.

    Sam Hornish Jr.- I know this one sounds a little bit crazy, but just think for a second how close Sam was to winning here just two years ago. Sam is filling in for Travis Kvapil this weekend in the #38 Front Row Motorsports entry. If he can stay on the lead lap, and get a late race caution with some strategy, watch out for the former Indy 500 champ.
    Stay Away From…

    Marcos Ambrose- While Marcos has had a great year so far, the Pocono’s are not place for the Aussie to get excited about. Ambrose, who finished sixth in his first attempt here, has never finished better than 30th since. Sunday might be a challenge for the tin topper.

    With all that said, my pick for the race is…..
    Denny Hamlin

  • Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas STP 400

    Surprising and Not Surprising: Kansas STP 400

    With emotional visits and relief efforts to the tornado-ravaged heartland of the country overshadowed by an altercation between team owner Richard Childress and driver Kyle Busch after the Kansas Truck Series race, the Cup drivers took to the unanimously proclaimed ‘hot and slick’ track in Kansas City.

    Here is what was surprising and not surprising from the STP 400 at Kansas Speedway.

    Surprising: In spite of all of the reports of Kyle Busch being ‘pummeled’ by Richard Childress after giving RCR’s truck driver Joey Coulter a nudge after the race, Busch arrived at the speedway for the race sans sun glasses and looking surprisingly unscathed.

    It was also surprising to see Mike Helton address the media prior to the race, sharing that NASCAR had met with Busch and Childress, as well as Busch’s team owner Joe Gibbs. Helton advised that all were warned to get through the race before any further actions would be taken by the sanctioning body, which is expected on Monday.

    “I met with NASCAR,” Busch said. “Whatever they feel best to protect their sport and to protect what we have going on here is to their best discretion. I’m all for whatever they decide to do.”

    Not Surprising:  It was not surprising that, in addition to the heat between Busch and Childress, the heat on the track, in the cars and in the grandstands was the other major topic of conversation.

    “It’s hot today,” Dale Earnhardt, Jr., driver of the No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet said. “Did you notice that?”

    “You sit in a sauna for four hours,” Denny Hamlin, driver of the No. 11 FedEx Freight Toyota, said. “That’s pretty much what you’ve got.”

    The only one who found amusement in the heat was iron man driver of the No. 99 Aflac ‘Now Hiring’ Ford, Carl Edwards. During the race the driver quipped that he was a little chilly and would appreciate either some coffee or some hot chocolate.

    Surprising:  In spite of the heat for most everyone else other than Edwards, it was surprising how calm, cool and collected Brad Keselowski was behind the wheel of the Miller Lite Blue Deuce. With the threat of running out of fuel, Keselowski reduced his speed, stayed strategically ahead of his competitors, feathered his throttle, kicked in the clutch and coasted through the corners for most of the final laps of the race.

    [media-credit name=”CIA Stock Photo” align=”alignright” width=”237″][/media-credit]Keselowski, who started 25th, also coasted to the checkered flag, winning his first race of the season and giving his crew chief Paul Wolfe his first ever Cup Series victory. This was Keselowski’s first win since Talladega in April of 2009.

    “You can only put yourself in that position so many times before you’re going to catch the right break,” Keselowski said. “We caught a great break today because of all the hard work by the Miller Lite team. We got great gas mileage and that didn’t hurt either.”

    “It was because of the struggles and bad finishes that I really appreciate this.”

    Not Surprising: Yet again, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was good in a fuel mileage race yet still came up short at the finish line. Junior, who came in second, posted his seventh top-10 finish in 2011 and his fifth top-10 finish in seven races at Kansas Speedway.

    “We shouldn’t have run second today but we have fast cars,” Junior said. “I had a good car, you know.”

    Surprising:  It was a bit surprising that the Roush Fenway Racing bunch were not quite as stellar as expected, particularly given the driver ratings headed into the race. It was also surprising that Missouri native Carl Edwards and Matt Kenseth, with his new sponsor Affliction Clothing on his No. 17 Ford, topped the RFR camp, with fifth and sixth place finishes respectively.

    Greg Biffle, behind the wheel of the No. 16 3M Walgreen’s Ford, who was expected to take home a victory, finished tenth instead, and the driver of the No. 6 UPS Ford David Ragan finished 13th. In spite of not bringing home the trophy, all four of the Roush Fenway Racing team members finished in the top 15.

    Edwards managed to lead 29 laps of the race and his finish ratcheted his points lead to 40 over second place Jimmie Johnson, driver of the No. 48 Lowes/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, who finished seventh. Kenseth held serve as seventh in points, Biffle lost one position to 12th and Ragan moved up one place to the 17th spot.

    “I really wanted to win,” Edwards said, most likely speaking for the entire Roush Fenway Racing crew. “I had a good time though and it is my new favorite race track.”

    Not Surprising:  With the season officially at halfway to the Chase, it was not surprising that two drivers, Denny Hamlin and Jeff Gordon, this week behind the wheel of the No. 24 Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet, were determined to have good days at the track that would move them back into Chase contention.

    Hamlin, who came in third, moved up to 11th in points.

    “I’m proud of our whole FedEx Freight team,” Hamlin said. “We’re battling back and getting ourselves back into position.”

    Jeff Gordon brought his car to the checkered flag in the fourth position, moving him up to 13th in the points as the only driver with a win eligible for the wild card at present.

    “Well, it was an awesome run for our Drive to End Hunger Chevrolet,” Gordon said. “We had a great race car all weekend long. All in all, a great top-five.”

    Surprising:  It was also a bit surprising that pole sitter Kurt Busch, driver of the No. 22 AAA Dodge for Penske Racing who dominated much of the race, and outside pole sitter Juan Pablo Montoya, behind the wheel of the No. 42 Target Chevrolet, did not have better finishes.

    After some fuel mileage struggles, Busch was able to bring his car home in the ninth position. JPM, on the other hand, hit one of the seams in the track and then the wall, relegating him to a 17th place finish.

    “To have a car to lead laps today and be very competitive, I was all smiles,” Busch said. “It’s just one of those days where you’re on the right side and sometimes you’re not. For all my guys, we’ll take this one.”

    Not Surprising:  After a hot and sticky day on the track, it was not surprising that one driver in particular was still smoking, at least in a positive way. Tony Stewart, driver of the No. 14 The Glades/Office Depot Chevrolet, not only secured a top ten finish but now has his eyes and his heart set on The Prelude to the Dream at his race track, Eldora Speedway.

    “Our guys did a great job and we really had a good car today,” Smoke said. “The good news is we get to get out of here and go work at Eldora tomorrow.”

     

  • NASCAR Issues Probation and Financial Punch to Richard Childress

    NASCAR Issues Probation and Financial Punch to Richard Childress

    [media-credit id=22 align=”alignright” width=”225″][/media-credit]
    Permanent Press
    NASCAR announced season long probation and a fine of $150,000 against Sprint Cup team owner Richard Childress for an altercation involving Kyle Busch Saturday night at Kansas Speedway.

    It was reported that Childress grabbed Kyle Busch, administered a headlock and punched him several times about the face. The attack took place in the garage after Saturday’s Camping World Series Truck race.

    Shortly after publishing its findings, NASCAR released a statement.

    “The penalty we have announced today for Richard Childress reflects NASCAR’s response to the incident at Kansas Speedway on Saturday. We feel this action is appropriate and are confident all parties involved understand our position on this matter and will move forward appropriately.”

    Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

    Busch, already on probation for incidents at Darlington Raceway, was cleared of any wrong doing in the most recent altercation.

    Childress, owner of Richard Childress Racing, also released a statement about the altercation.

    “First of all, I’m responsible for my actions, plain and simple. As you know, I am a very principled person and have a passion for what we do at Richard Childress Racing. I believe passionately in defending my race teams and my sponsor partners.”

    “In this instance, I let that passion and my emotions get the best of me. I accept the penalty NASCAR announced today and, as a company, we will now focus on this week’s races at Pocono Raceway and Texas Motor Speedway.”

    Speculation about what provoked the incident centers around Busch and his recent on track aggression towards Childress drivers and equipment.

  • Inaugural STP 400 at Kansas Speedway Preview

    Inaugural STP 400 at Kansas Speedway Preview

    For the first time in NASCAR history, the drivers of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will take on the slick Kansas Speedway in the heat of June. The STP 400 replaces the fall race at the Auto Club Speedway due to a lack of attendance and the new casino to open near the Kansas Speedway. This is just one of the many changes to the 2011 Sprint Cup schedule. Drivers and teams should expect a hot and slick racetrack, unlike what they undertake when they come to the track in October for chase time.

    [media-credit name=”Kansas Speedway” align=”alignright” width=”163″][/media-credit]One question that is on a lot of race fans mind’s coming into Kansas is, “Will the Fords continue their domination like they did over the past two weeks at Charlotte?” All indications are that they will. The Ford camp, especially Roush-Fenway Racing, have been the cars to beat on the 1.5 mile ovals so far this season. Not only are the cars fast, they also handle extremely well. The combination of the two have become deadly as Ford has won four Sprint Cup races this year. It may sound deceiving, but the Fords have been up front at every track. Although they have not always come away with the win, they have been fast and they have been very competitive.

    This weekend, we will see the return of popular of the popular Canadian driver, Patrick Carpentier as he hops aboard Franky Stoddard’s FAS Lane Racing Ford. This will be Carpentier’s first Cup start since last season and it will mark the first time that he will not have to qualify for the race as the number 32 is already locked into Sunday’s starting field.

    As previously stated, this will be the first time that NASCAR’s premier division makes a stop at Kansas in the month of June. When they have came to Kansas in past events, it was always in the cool fall month of October. This race will present a whole new challenge for the teams as they have never dealt with a hot and slick Kansas Speedway. They will be able to use notes from other 1.5 mile race tracks but remember, not all of them are the same. They all have unique quirks to them that give the drivers a different challenge each time they make a stop at them.

    Hot Drivers at Kansas Speedway

    Tony Stewart- Stewart is a two time winner at the Kansas oval and has always ran strong here. Smoke was strong at Las Vegas which is the track that most resembles Kansas that we have visited so far this season. Look for a strong run for Smoke.

    Carl Edwards- Everyone remembers Carl’s dare devil-esk move on Jimmie Johnson here in 2008. In that race, Carl had the best car at the end of the day. With how strong him and his Roush-Fenway team have been this season, you can never count him out.

    Greg Biffle- The numbers say it all about “The Biff” at Kansas Speedway. In nine starts, Biffle has 2 wins, 6 top 5’s, 6 top 10’s and an average finish of 8.1. Needless to say, Greg is very strong at Kansas

    Jimmie Johnson- As is the case at just about every track we go to, you can never count out Jimmie Johnson. Johnson won here in 2008 and has seven top 10’s in nine starts at Kansas. The numbers don’t lie here. With a driver like Johnson and Knaus on top of the box, don’t count out Mr. Five Time
    Pretty Nifty Pick (Solid Drivers)

    Jeff Gordon- In ten starts at Kansas, Gordon has ten top 10 finishes. Even though Jeff hasn’t had the best season this season, when it comes to a strong track for him, he usually runs where he’s supposed to.

    Mark Martin- Mark may just be in for a break through run this weekend. Martin, has started every race at Kansas Speedway and has an average finish of 12.6. Hendrick Motorsports has always had good success at Kansas so don’t rule out a possible win or top 10 for NASCAR’s favorite brides maid.

    Clint Bowyer- When you come to your home track, you always want to preform at your best. That’s no different for Bowyer. The Kansas native has run well here since his rookie season in the Cup series. With the quality of cars he’s had this year, Sunday could very well be the biggest win for the young driver.

    WARNING: DRIVERS LISTED HERE ARE ONES TO STAY AWAY FROM

    Joey Logano- For some strange reason, the Kansas oval has not been kind to the young lad from Connecticut over the course of his short career. It has been that way since his debut here in 2008. With how much bad luck the Home Depot crew has had this year, don’t bank on Joey turning it around here
    Don’t Sleep On Me!!!

    AJ Allmendinger- AJ is having a banner year so far this season. He has shown speed, consistency and many flashes of brilliance. He just hasn’t been able to close the deal. It’s not will AJ get to victory lane, it’s WHEN will he finally put the whole race together. Sunday could be the day.

    David Ragan- Like Allmendinger, its a matter of when the Georgia native will pull into victory lane. Ragan once again proved he does belong in the Cup series with a second place finish in the 600 this past Sunday. 1.5 mile race tracks are what David Ragan lives for. Look at that UPS Ford to be a contender this weekend.

    My pick for the STP 400- Greg Biffle