gNA$hCAR Notes
Atlanta is Edwards' gym
More backflips for Carl Edwards at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday. Clearly this kid has something for this place, as this is the second straight race he's won there and he did it in convincing fashion.
The track looked pretty good following repairs in the wake of tornado damage from Hurricane Cindy back in July. The same could not be said for some of the Chasers, three of whom are as good as toast after this race.
GLENN'S TEN (4-for-10... I don't like Atlanta much.):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- Jimmie's car was mediocre and got worse late in the race. He wound up 16th after getting lapped and picking up the lucky dog. Now 46 points behind Tony Stewart.
* Ryan Newman -- 23rd, This place is like a curse. He wins the pole at this track for the seventh time and encounters bad luck yet again. The car became too hard to handle late in the race and he was lapped twice.
* Carl Edwards -- 1st, Carl left little doubt about this one. He was loose and fast from the drop of the green, almost hitting the wall a coulpe of times. That looseness made him unbeatable on the long green runs near the finish. Still needs some work on the backflip.
* Mark Martin -- 3rd, Car looked strongest early, but he was in the thick of it all afternoon.
* Kyle Busch -- 12th, Kyle's biggest problem was that he had to run into the forbidden grass to avoid hitting Greg Biffle during a pit stop. That got him sent to the end of the longest line and he never looked as strong as when he led the race early in the day.
* Tony Stewart -- 9th, This was not a strong race for Tony, but he got a top 10 and had the good fortune that Jimmie Johnson and Greg Biffle also had tough days. We won't even talk about Flyin' Ryan again.
* Bobby Labonte -- This pick was a bust from the start. Never moved above about 30th and was laps down early.
* Brian Vickers -- 15th, Well, he was in the top 10 briefly. Car faded down the stretch.
* Jeff Gordon -- 2nd, Jeff moved up in a hurry and then settled into the top 5. He briefly looked like he might have something for Edwards on the final green run, but Carl was simply too strong.
* Kurt Busch -- 36th, Dang! I'm not upset Kurt crashed hard when a tire went down and limped home, his title hopes effectively shot -- I'm upset that I picked him.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 4th, Nice run for the Bud boys. Led the most laps, but the guys who finished ahead of him adjusted better on their cars down the stretch.
* Matt Kenseth -- 5th, Got dinged for speeding in the pits, but a nice recovery.
* Jamie McMurray -- 6th, Could be on his way to Roush earlier than expected if a deal gets worked out this week.
* Greg Biffle -- 7th, Three of the drivers on my "also watching" list made the top 10. Foo.
* Jeff Burton -- 8th, So easily forgotten because it's been so long since these finishes were commonplace.
* Elliott Sadler -- 10th, When he blew to the front early I thought this might be a bid day after all. Then he proved my earlier prediction almost correct by barely making the show. At least he didn't crash out.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Michael Waltrip -- 11th, From 37th! And in the top 10 a good part of the race. Way to go, Mikey!
* Kasey Kahne -- 35th, Got an unwanted up-close look at the nose of Reed Sorenson's car.
* Rusty Wallace -- 37th, Game over man. Not his fault that he was in the right place at the wrong time when Mike Skinner's tire blew.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 38th, What the heck are these guys doing changing crew chiefs in the middle of a championship run? OK, so they weren't much in it, but odd nonetheless.
* Mike Skinner -- 43rd, Beware any starting grid that includes Skinner's name. His tire problem was the one that took out Kevin Lepage and caused the demise of Rusty Wallace's race.
Next week: Two-steppin' into Texas Motor Speedway for the inaugural fall race in the Lone Star State.
Week 33 -- Atlanta (Chase Round 7)
I can't believe that the Speed Channel guys, during Friday's qualifying for this race, actually said there are only two drivers with a legitimate chance to win the Nextel Cup. Have they looked at the point standing recently? Sure, Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson are nip and tuck at the top, but Ryan Newman and Greg Biffle are well within striking distance, and with the possible exception of Jeremy Mayfield there are five other guys who are still mathematically alive should something happen to the leaders.
That's why they run the races, and Atlanta is one of those places that -- as we saw last year -- can dramatically impact the fortunes of the Chasers. Had Jeff Gordon not crashed in this race last year we would be talking about five-time champ Gordo instead of that guy Kurt Busch who "stole" the championship. Or perhaps it would be Jimmie Johnson going for his second title. Remember, he was 226 points or something like that behind after the first two races and he made almost all of it up by Homestead.
Nope, too early to count folks out. But this race could change everything.
GLENN'S TEN:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- Jimmie is trying to "get inside" Stewart's head. I think it's working -- about as well as Jimmie's car will be working Sunday. He had emotion going for him in getting the victory here last year. Sunday he will have Chad Knaus and Robbie Loomis and the whole Hendrick know-how working to get him to the front. This is Jimmie's year and he can smell it. This will be the race where he takes command and doesn't look back.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- On the pole again, but I don't expect better than a top 10. This one could be trouble. Hoping he'll stay off the wall.
* Carl Edwards -- Spring race winner. Second on the grid. Loves this place. Hmmm. That translates into a top 5 from my perspective.
* Mark Martin -- He'll keep the Viagra Ford up front.
* Kyle Busch -- Young guns seem to do well here because they're fearless. He won the truck race Saturday in slam-bang fashion. Fearless.
* Tony Stewart -- Atlanta is a Gibbs-friendly track. Points leader has too much at stake to have a bad race here.
* Bobby Labonte -- Yeah, I know he starts 35th. See note for Stewart.
* Brian Vickers -- No. 25 and Atlanta always work well together, no matter who's driving.
* Jeff Gordon -- Bad memories of recent disastrous races here abound. But starting 24th is a nice spot from which to work his way forward.
* Kurt Busch -- Once again I have to pick him. This is supposed to be a good track for the Roushketeers. We'll see.
ALSO WATCHING: Greg Biffle (Keeping an eye on all Roushers.) ...Matt Kenseth (Ditto.) ...Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Former winner at this track. Could surprise.)... Kasey Kahne (One of the Young Guns who should do well here. I never know anymore with him.)
Way to go, Gordo!
Guess I should have followed my original hunch and picked Jeff Gordon to win Martinsville. In getting the sweep of this year's races there -- his 7th victory there overall -- he did all the things that he could have and should have done the rest of the season that would have gotten him a spot in the Chase.
This was a fun race, despite its record 19 cautions, as short track races usually are. Most of my picks finished on the lead lap and I feel good about that.
GLENN’S TEN (6-for-10):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- 3rd, Jimmie held his best stuff until the finish, but he never got to lead a lap and got passed by points leader Tony Stewart near the end of the race. Now trails Stewart by 15 points.
* Jeff Gordon -- 1st, Jeff had a winning sort of day, making slow but steady progress to the front from his 15th-place starting spot. The car never looked dominant, even when it finally got out front after staying out on a caution when everyone else came in to take tires. First win with new crew chief Steve Letarte. Fourth win of the season and 73rd overall, just three shy of Earnhardt Sr.
* Tony Stewart -- 2nd, From the pole, Tony led the most laps and appeared to have the car to beat all day -- until Gordon got the lead. He had a chance on the final restart with three laps to go, but he couldn't get underneath the #24 for the pass.
* Ryan Newman -- 10th, This is something like his 5th straight top 10 at this track. Keeps him third in the points.
* Rusty Wallace -- 19th, Rusty got screwed yet again in the final laps. He was running in the top 5 when he got booted from behind by Jeff Burton. It wasn't really Burton's fault, as Rusty inadvisably tried to go three wide in a spot where only two cars fit.
* Bobby Labonte -- 4th, Quietly had a good day. This is one of his best tracks, so that sort of figures.
* Kurt Busch -- 6th, Despite a one-lap penalty for rough driving after spinning out Michael Waltrip, Kurt worked his way back to a decent finish. But he loses more ground on Stewart, so I can't feel too bad.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 18th, Little E had a decent run going until he got caught up in a wreck. He stayed on the lead lap but wasn't able to get back up front.
* Greg Biffle -- 20th, A long day for The Biff. He got caught a lap down and then proceeded to interfere with the race leaders for several laps while trying to make it up. Tony Stewart after the race called biffle an "idiot. Now I know why Kevin Harvick wanted to kill him."
* Ricky Rudd -- 11th, Just got edged out of a top 10. He was running second, easily the only guy who could have challenged Stewart for the lead at that point, when he became the innocent victim in a wreck that put him deep in the field. The car wasn't as good after that, but he did manage a respectable finish.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Jeff Burton -- 5th, I came very close to picking him. Guess I should have taken him over Rusty Wallace.
* Jamie McMurray -- 7th, Should have known he would do well here. He's still vying for the 11th spot in the points.
* Denny Hamlin -- 8th, Another top 10 for the FedEd car and this hot young driver. Take note, this may be your rookie of the year in 2006.
* Kyle Busch -- 9th, And this will be your ROTY for 2005. Nice run.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Matt Kenseth -- 12th, Still clinging to life in the Chase, but fading.
* Kyle Petty -- 14th, Got as far forward as 8th. Looked strong most of the day, which is becoming less rare.
* Carl Edwards -- 26th, Average to awful day for the Roush drivers.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 28th, Stick a fork in it, Jeremy. Your Chase is about over.
* Mark Martin -- 34th, Ditto.
Next week: We get to see how Atlanta Motor Speedway has recovered from tornado damage suffered over the summer.
ALSO WATCHING: Denny Hamlin (Qualified 5th in the FedEx car. This kid’s proving himself for next season, and he loves this track.)... Carl Edwards (Got stopped for speeding on his way to the Busch race Saturday. At least he wasn’t flagged for driving too slow in the fast lane!)... Matt Kenseth (Starts a Kenseth-like 25th. Could sneak his way in.)... Mark Martin (Will starting in a backup car at the rear of the field be a hindrance to Victory Lane? My guess: yes.)
Week 32 -- Martinsville (Chase Round 6)
The focus on this week’s race at Martinsville will undoubtedly be on the first anniversary of the plane crash that claimed 10 members of Hendrick Motorsports. It was perhaps the greatest tragedy in the gNA$hCAR community since the death of Dale Earnhardt.
But as teams pause to reflect on Sunday, they’d better not miss the drivers in their rearview mirror. Those would be Hendrick teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who although they aren’t starting on the front row will be drivers to watch in the Subway 500.
GLENN’S TEN:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- The emotion tied up in this race is huge, and coupled with last week’s comeback win at Lowe’s, Jimmie is poised to make a championship run. A win here is possible (as he proved a year ago) and necessary if he hopes to keep ahead of some stiff competition. Hendrick drivers have proved they respond well to pressure.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Jeff Gordon -- It’s been an abysmal season, but what better way to get it turned around for next year than a good day at a track where you’ve won five times?
* Tony Stewart -- Never bet against Smoke when he’s on the pole. If he doesn’t get the win, he’ll be a factor in the closing laps.
* Ryan Newman -- Won’t win, but will find a way to hang out in the top 10 all day.
* Rusty Wallace -- Chase motivates, and this is his last short track race ever. Think he’d like to win it?
* Bobby Labonte -- Another driver limping into the off-season, but Martinsville is a place where that could change -- if only for a weekend.
* Kurt Busch -- I hate that I have to keep picking him to make the show.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- The meek may not inherit the earth, but they could rise up to confound the Chasers on Sunday.
* Greg Biffle -- Will have to use some pit strategy and quick stops to work his way to the front because no one’s going to be letting him pass.
* Ricky Rudd -- Rudd’s been showing good stuff lately. If the car holds together, this could be a big day for him.
ALSO WATCHING: Denny Hamlin (Qualified 5th in the FedEx car. This kid’s proving himself for next season, and he loves this track.)... Carl Edwards (Got stopped for speeding on his way to the Busch race Saturday. At least he wasn’t flagged for driving too slow in the fast lane!)... Matt Kenseth (Starts a Kenseth-like 25th. Could sneak his way in.)... Mark Martin (Will starting in a backup car at the rear of the field be a hindrance to Victory Lane? My guess: yes.)
Lowe's once again Johnsonville
Well, I said it was time for Jimmie Johnson to have a breakthrough race and he did just that Saturday evening at Lowe's Motor Speedway. While everyone else was battling tire issues, Jimmie overcame his own series of troubles to hold off Kurt Busch in a green-white-checkered shootout.
This race was marred by tire problems. Seemed like about every 20 laps someone else was smacking the wall, including the leader on at least two occasions. Despite the fact that some of my picks were caught up in the evening's disasters I still managed to have a decent night.
GLENN'S TEN (6-for-10... plus the winner!):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- Winner! Let's not forget that the #48 had to start at the back of the pack because of engine work following qualifying. He also suffered a punctured tire -- under caution -- and crunched his front left fender after making contact with Ricky Rudd late in the race. That and the two-lap shootout at the finish could easily have sunk this team, but when you've won three straight at a track you consider your home, it gives you added incentive. Now you can make it four straight wins and five of the past six -- and a tie for the points lead.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- 7th, Ryan overcame his early-laps flat tire and used two-tire pit strategy to get up to the front. Still managed to lose two spots in the points standings, but now he is just 17 points back, thanks to...
* Tony Stewart -- 25th, A hugely disappointing night for a driver who quite possibly could have won. Stewart was leading mid-race when the back end of the car came around and he smacked the wall. It looked as though he might lose a bundle more points than he did, but he limped the car to the finish and capitalized on high attrition to remain tied for the points lead.
* Kyle Busch -- 39th, This was looking like a great pick until he crashed just after grabbing the lead. Flat right-side tire.
* Carl Edwards -- 10th, Didn't hear much from Carl all night. Then he quietly made his way into the top 10 and stayed there.
* Greg Biffle -- 3rd, Told you he wouldn't stay in the back long. One of the three best cars on the track much of the night.
* Mark Martin -- 5th, These picks almost make me look like a genius. Well, Mark did his job anyway by finishing in the top 5 as predicted. He's right back in the hunt for the championship.
Rusty Wallace -- 24th, Shouldn't have been this low. He had a top 15 going until he wrecked going three-wide late in the race. The car wasn't severely damaged, but his chances for a good night were. Speeding on pit road during a stop for tires didn't help.
* Kurt Busch -- 2nd, Ack, phooey! Only thing worse than seeing Busch get a good finish is having to listen to him explain it. I always cringe when the NBC reporters corner Kurt with their microphones.
* Matt Kenseth -- 26th, Tore up the fender with a flat tire, wound up 10 laps down.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Joe Nemechek -- 4th, Only Joe's mom thought he had a legit chance at winning. Good finish nonetheless.
* Casey Mears -- 6th, Just can't seem to get over the the top-5 hump. Must be that ugly pink breast cancer awareness paint scheme.
* Denny Hamlin -- 8th, Who? Don't worry, you'll have time to get to know him better next season if this performance is any indicator. One of the rotating FedEx team drivers, Denny succeeded in getting what I believe is the #11's first top 10 of the year -- and in just his second start.
* Ricky Rudd -- 9th, Got to lead a few laps late in the race. Still doesn't have the winning equipment, but Fatback's crewing has made the Iron Man competitive again.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Kyle Petty -- 15th, Man, Kyle's starting to make a habit of this.
* Elliott Sadler -- 27th, led the most laps from the pole. Didn't lead the last one.
* Jamie McMurray -- 29th, I almost picked him. Now I'm glad I didn't. Got tied up with Michael Waltrip.
* Michael Waltrip -- 30th, A terrible shame that Mikey crashed out after leading for a bit. This looked like he might be headed for at least a top 5 if not his first win at a non-restrictor track.
* Jeff Gordon -- 38th, King of Bad Luck finds it again, scraping the wall early in the race and being retired well before he should have been.
Next week: A track where Jeff Gordon can win if the car doesn't crap out early... Martinsville.
Week 31 -- Lowe's (Chase Round #5)
This is the only Saturday night race in the Chase and frankly, I'm glad. Saturday night races are great during the summer, but come Autumn there are other things to fill my Saturday nights, like planning for Sunday's NFL picks... cruising the Internet... sleeping.
At least on the West Coast they finish with the gNA$hCAR action by bedtime, but out in North Carolina, where this race takes place, it will be close to midnight or (more likely) later.
So who will prevail in the dark on the newly resurfaced Lowe's Motor Speedway?
GLENN'S TEN:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- It's time for Jimmie to do something in the Chase, and this is the track where it is most likely to happen. Jimmie has owned this track in recent seasons. I see him having a breakout night and visiting Victory Lane.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- Won the Busch race last night and always runs well here.
* Tony Stewart -- Smoke in the dark. Have to like.
* Kyle Busch -- Nothing to lose and a track that favors those Hendrick Chevys.
* Carl Edwards -- Starts 8th. Says this is one of the tracks he likes. A lot like Atlanta, where he has already won.
* Greg Biffle -- How did he end up starting 21st? He won't stay there long.
* Mark Martin -- One of his best tracks. Maybe not a win, but top 5 seems likely.
* Rusty Wallace -- I'm finally giving Rusty his due. So what if he's starting 27th?
* Kurt Busch -- Must I pick him? Yes.
* Matt Kenseth -- Perhaps we can sneak him into the show.
ALSO WATCHING: With 9 of my 10 picks Chasers, there aren't a lot of drivers left to watch, but I'll go for Jeff Gordon (should run well here, but hasn't lately)... Elliott Sadler (starts on the pole, but I'm not convinced)... Brian Vickers (like Hendrick drivers' chances here)... and Jamie McMurray (site of first and only career victory three years ago).
Martin wins Kansas yawner
Think I'm being too harsh in that assessment? I'm not yawning because Mark Martin won a race he deserved to win; I'm yawning because mile-and-a-half ovals in general make for dull race, and because this one in particular reached new depths in dullness. On a scale of 1 to 10 on the snoozer scale I'd rate this one about an 8.5. No passing, few surprises, and a predictable finish with the Roush cars nabbing four of the top five spots. Is it any wonder at all that gNA$hCAR is planning to limit the number of teams allowed in multi-car operations starting next year? Nothing against Roush. Those guys have their act together and are clearly the class of the field this season. But who wants to see a Chase with nothing but Roush cars -- or Hendrick, DEI, Penske or anyone else for that matter -- which is where the free market eventually will lead if nothing is changed. You'll wind up with two or three mega corporations owning all the 43 teams. Then why bother running the races at all? You could do what they did today, which was basically watch the Roush parade around Kansas Speedway from green to checkers, then shell out the championship checks to the big corps to let them buy yet more teams.
I didn't intend for this to be a rant, but that's one of the dangers of watching boring racing. Leaves the mind free to wander. I expect boring races from my local dirt and asphalt tracks, but not from the entertainment geniuses who have built gNA$hCAR into the multi-billion dollar operation it has become. But enough. I have to review my picks.
GLENN'S TEN (7-for-10... and I could have done better if I'd added Rusty Wallace.):
* Carl Edwards (winner) -- 3rd, The car was getting better toward the end, but he didn't have enough time to run down his teammates. I didn't realize until today that Kansas is sort of like Carl's home track, as he is from Missouri.
* Ryan Newman -- 23rd, Couldn't make good on his pledge to avoid wreckage. He got sandwiched against the wall by a spinning Brandon Ash, who was punted from behind by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ryan was behind the 8 ball from the start, having been sent to the rear of the field for changing a transmission. The car never looked very good, but the crash sealed the dismal day. Still second in points, but lost 71 of them.
* Matt Kenseth -- 5th, Got shuffled back for a while after leading most of the first 60 laps when he developed a tire vibration. Got back together in pit stops and fought to a great finish.
* Jeff Gordon -- 10th, Just squeaked into the top 10. A better run than many he's had lately. After starting 3rd it looked like he would grab the lead and run with it for a while. But the car started fading, as it always seems to do, and for a long time he was running in the high teens. This isn't where he should be running, but it's a start.
* Greg Biffle -- 2nd, He had a shot at catching Martin, but lap traffic got in the way.
* Tony Stewart -- 4th, By finishing here, other Chasers make little or no progress toward the top spot today. Tony's loose and having fun.
* Kurt Busch -- 14th, More trouble for the defending champ. He got caught a lap down, but managed to make it up and got back quite a few sports he lost. One Roush car not in the show.
* Joe Nemechek -- 20th, Finished about where the car deserved to. Joe two-tire stopped his way into the top 10, with predictable results.
* Mark Martin -- 1st, I can't fault Mark for winning his 35th victory in such dominant fashion. I just wish he wasn't the guy in Victory Lane. First points win since Dover last year. He thinks it doesn't matter because after last week he is too far out of first to make a bid for the championship. I think that's just four times as runner-up talking. If Tony Stewart suffers a bad race it will change the whole dynamic.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 6th, Jimmie gets the good finish he needed... and still loses ground to the points leader.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Rusty Wallace -- 7th, As usual, I counted him out when I shouldn't have.
* Casey Mears -- 8th, Remember him? Yeah, still likes to finish 7th or worse when he does make the top 10.
* Ricky Rudd -- 9th, Backed up last year's 2nd place finish.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Ken Schrader -- 17th, Ran up in the top 10 for quite a while.
* Dale Jarrett -- 38th, Not what you want to do after pulling a huge victory.
Next week: The last Saturday night action of the season as the Chase heads to the unpredictable racing surface at Lowe's.
Week 30 -- Kansas (Chase Round 4)
I don't have a good read on this race. Kansas is a place where the Hendrick drivers had been pretty good, but recently we've seen some oddball finishes such as Joe Nemechek's close win over Ricky Rudd a year ago. And I look at the starting lineup for today and see some unusual presences in Scott Wimmer and Kevin Lepage, which makes me think this will be a wild race.
So I'll give it my best shot at predictions:
GLENN'S TEN:
* Carl Edwards (winner) -- Carl rolls off 5th and has been sort of a wild card in the Chase thus far. He escaped with good-enough finishes in the first three Chase races to be in serious contention for a title, and now he says he's coming to tracks where he and the Roushers do well at. This place seems like one where Edwards should be able to win.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman -- Won here two years ago. Says he won't wreck this year, which took him out of contention in 2004.
* Matt Kenseth -- Starts on the pole, which usually means he's in for a big day.
* Jeff Gordon -- One of these days he's gonna start to click with his new crew chief and start winning again at tracks where he should.
* Greg Biffle -- Figure that Chase contenders will step up.
* Tony Stewart -- See note for Biffle. Starts 9th.
* Kurt Busch -- Could he possibly suffer another downer of a day?
* Joe Nemechek -- Car not as good as the one that won here last year, but I figure if you know how to win in a place you've got a good chance of at least making the show.
* Mark Martin -- Quietly puts together solid finishes (when not racing at Talladega),
* Jimmie Johnson -- Has to step it up after disastrous say last week.
ALSO WATCHING: Elliott Sadler (Starts second, but will he be able to run well?)... Dale Jarrett (How will last week's win affect his future performance?)... Jeremy Mayfield (Always underrated, but he's still in the hunt for the championship.)... Rusty Wallace (Starts 33rd, but will he use strategy to get to the front?)
Jarrett stuns them all at 'Dega
Now there's a country seldom heard from! DJ said his car was good before the start of Sunday's wreck fest, and he made good on that statement by grabbing the lead as the final caution flag flew. It was great to see this old veteran back in Victory Lane after a drought that began after Rockingham in February 2003.
Wreck fest doesn't begin to describe what we saw at Talladega. Nearly half the field was in tatters at the end of this one, including several of the early favorites to win it.
GLENN'S TEN (4-for-10... Great, all things considered):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- 31st, Jimmie made headlines, but not the way he would have liked. He was blamed for triggering the Lap 20 crash that took out pole sitter Elliott Sadler, fellow Chaser Mark Martin and both the DEI cars. Jimmie suffered some damage himself, which was compounded later when his tire popped and ripped of hir rear quarter panel. Jimmie spent some time behind the wall and hobbled home. Another dismal day at 'Dega for the #48.
* Rusty Wallace -- 25th, Suffered some damage in the Lap 66 crash. Took a hit in the points.
* Kurt Busch -- 8th, Trouble found Kurt once again, only this time he was able to recover from it to post a decent finish. He blew a tire while leading. At least he didn't wreck the car.
* Brian Vickers -- 6th, I had my doubts about this pick after finding out that Brian had to start 27th. But he was one of the few drivers who stayed out of the problems around him.
* Ryan Newman -- 4th, Penske cars both looked good. Ryan ran his best race here ever Sunday. He had a shot at the win but got shuffled back. The caution flag froze the field, taking away the extra half lap that might have helped him get back toward the front. Just 4 points out of the lead...
* Mark Martin -- 41st, Martin's day ended in the Lap 20 crash, his car suffering some of the heaviest damage as he coasted into the wall with his hood flapping in the breeze. He's bitter about the rules that lead to tight packs of cars that often lead to the Big One. He wants the fans to do something to change this style of racing. But the fans love it (me included) and aren't likely to rise up against gNA$hCAR to protest.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 40th, Day ruined by the Lap 20 crash.
* Michael Waltrip -- 42nd, Too many of my picks finished in the 40s, thanks to being in the wrong place at the wrong time on Lap 20.
* Greg Biffle -- 27th, Never led a lap. Finished 18 laps off the pace.
* Tony Stewart -- 2nd, Tony had what looked like the car to beat, leading the most laps in dominant style, and somebody beat him. But the strong finish puts him back atop the points standings.
REST O FTHE TOP 10:
* Dale Jarrett -- 1st, Way to go, DJ! Car owner Robert Yates was practically in tears over this one. Dale has been reunited with former crew chief Todd Parrott, which has already paid dividends in just one race.
* Matt Kenseth -- 3rd, I doubted that he would avoid calamity.
* Carl Edwards -- 5th, Another great finish for Carl has put him in the hunt for the Cup.
* Sterling Marlin -- 7th, Often excels at the restrictor tracks.
* Joe Nemechek -- 9th, Benefited from the high attrition.
* Kevin Harvick -- 10th, Finally gets another top 10.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Jamie McMurray -- 12th, Looked destined to get a win or top 5 but got hung out to dry in the final mad dash to the finish.
* Kyle Petty -- 24th, Crahsed on the final lap to bring out the caution, then limped his ruined car across the finish line to great applause.
* Scott Riggs -- 36th, Took the day's wildest ride on Lap 66 when the car barrel rolled.
* Jeff Gordon -- 37th, Bad luck continues. He was caught up in the crash involving Riggs.
Next week... We travel somewhere over the rainbow to Kansas Motor Speedway.
Dover recap
One of the hazards of taking a week to actually get around to watching one of these races is the possibility that you will find out the results before you watch the tape. I was traveling through New Mexico and Arizona when the Dover race took place, and between ESPN, USA Today and NASCAR.COM I picked up enough little snippets of info that probably would have tainted my predictions, so I can't say that my results accurately reflect what I would have predicted if I'd made the call before race day.
I tried to remain true to my heart in making these late picks, but I had hunches about Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin that sort of spoiled the suspense. Here's a quick look at how I fared:
GLENN'S TEN (6-for-10... For what it's worth):
* Tony Stewart (winner) -- 18th, Lousy day for Tony. This was a brand new car and didn't perform well. He wound up two laps down.
* Ryan Newman -- 5th, Ryan racks up his second top 5 of the Chase. Just 12 points out of the lead.
* Rusty Wallace -- 3rd, A great duel with Mark Martin down the stretch to hang onto the position. Second in points.
* Jimmie Johnson -- 1st, USA Today had his car pictured with a Friday preview of the Talladega race. I figured that wasn't a coincidence. I would have picked him in the top 10 regardless, but I don't know that I wouldn't have picked him to win.
* Kyle Busch -- 2nd, Jimmie had to fight off his teammate to the checkers in the green-white-checkered finish.
* Kurt Busch -- 23rd, This makes two straight races in which the defending champ has performed poorly. After leading the most laps, Kurt suffered a flat tire under green and then compounded his woes by speeding on pit road.
* Jeremy Mayfield -- 7th, A quiet day that ends with a solid finish.
* Greg Biffle -- 13th, The Biff recovered well from problems that put him a lap down at one point.
* Mark Martin -- 4th, I caught a peek of something on NASCAR.COM that led me to believe Mark won this race. I would have picked him top 10 regardless. He was in the top 5 most of the day. Two tires on the final pit stop was a bad call.
* Jeff Gordon -- 37th, Jeff's car was getting better as the race went along, but then he wrecked. Typical bad luck.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Elliott Sadler -- 6th, Two-tire strategy played out well.
* Kyle Petty -- 8th(!!), A very rare top 10.
* Carl Edwards -- 9th, Chaser came from 32nd on the grid to notch the top 10.
* Casey Mears -- 10th, Pit strategy paid off.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 31st, Little E put himself in the hole early when he thought his brakes failed and spent 7 laps in the pits.
* Matt Kenseth -- 35th, Had a tire problem and tagged the wall hard.
Next week... It's already happened, but high speed hijinx at Talladega.
Week 29 -- Talladega (Chase Round 3)
Still playing catch-up, but I wanted to post my "predictions" for the restrictor plate race before I post my recap of Week 28 at Dover. The race has already happened as I write this, but I can make a few educated guesses as to the outcome.
GLENN'S TEN:
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- Coming off his big win at Dover last week, Jimmie could do a back-to-back if he gets the benefit of Hendrick's know-how at the restrictor tracks. Jeff Gordon has owned the plate races the past two seasons, but with his current problems and JJ's need for strong finishes to stay in contention, I think Jimmie will get the breaks and make it to the Winner's Circle for the first time in a plate race.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Rusty Wallace -- Will find a way into the top 10.
* Kurt Busch -- Has had horrible luck the first two races of the Chase. Will turn it around today and could challenge for the win.
* Brian Vickers -- Another Hendrick car that has been good in plate races but hasn't caught a break.
* Ryan Newman -- This has always been a weak spot in the Alltel team's program. I think the pressure of the Chase will see him step it up for a top 10.
* Mark Martin -- Somehow he'll find a way.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- Back with Tony Eury Jr. will make the difference in keeping him up front.
* Michael Waltrip -- DEI doesn't dominate here these days, but don't tell Mikey, who has victory here. All of his four wins have been on plate tracks.
* Greg Biffle -- Roush drivers always a threat to have a big day.
* Tony Stewart -- He'll hang out at the back until the final 20 laps.
ALSO WATCHING: Kasey Kahne and Jeremy Mayfield (Teammates could surprise)... Kyle Busch (Inexperience still might be a factor)... Scott Riggs (#10 often runs well at this track)... Kevin harvick (Which Harvick will show up today? Will his car remain mechanically sound to the finish?)... Jeff Gordon (I didn't quite pick him, but given all his past success here I just can't cast him aside so easily.)
Week 28 -- Dover (Chase race #2)
I'm still a week behind. Before I watch the tape I wanted to post my predictions (sans comments):
GLENN'S TEN:
* Tony Stewart (winner) -- Wants to get a win here soon to keep the momentum going. Dover a place where it could happen.
REST OF THE TOP 10 (in no particular order):
* Ryan Newman
* Rusty Wallace
* Jimmie Johnson
* Kyle Busch
* Kurt Busch
* Jeremy Mayfield
* Greg Biffle
* Mark Martin
* Jeff Gordon
ALSO WATCHING: Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Newman takes Chase Round 1
This is pretty old news now, but I have been vacationing for two weeks and taped the race to see it when I got home, and the wait was definitely worth it. I'm a huge Ryan Newman fan and have been down much of this year about his performance on the track. He barely squeaked into the Chase, but at Loudon he proved that he deserves to be here.
I'm trying to make up for lost time, so here's an abbreviated recap of my picks...
GLENN'S TEN (6-for-10... a good day):
* Jimmie Johnson (winner) -- 8th, This is what he'll need to do the next nine races.
* Kurt Busch -- 35th, The first casualty of the race, put into the wall when Scott Riggs got loose. Don't count him out of the championship yet.
* Jeff Gordon -- 14th, New crew chief didn't get him a top 10, although he ran near the front for a while. Will be interesting to watch how the chemistry of this team gels over the final nine races.
* Ryan Newman -- 1st, Ryan shows he doesn't have to win the pole to have a winning day. His late-race duel with Tony Stewart was some great racing, and it was Ryan who prevailed after getting passed for the lead with about five to go. I'm psyched.
* Tony Stewart -- 2nd, Tony had perhaps the car to beat until he clipped Dale Earnhardt Jr. when the latter was pitting. Loss of aerodynamics probably kept him from winning.
* Matt Kenseth -- 3rd, Stuck lugnut set him back, but didn't keep him down.
* Greg Biffle -- 4th, A good start to the Chase.
* Mark Martin -- 7th, Slugged it out with Rusty Wallace but couldn't get the 6th spot in the final laps. Had Kurt Busch's winning car from Richmond.
* Kyle Busch -- 27th, Got into Kasey Kahne and then got roughed up in a retaliatory move by the #9. Then he wrecked on his own a few laps later.
* Kasey Kahne -- 38th, Kyle Busch took him out inadvertently, but Kasey's "payback" was uncalled for.
REST OF THE TOP 10:
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- 5th, Reunited with Tony Eury as crew chief. Seems to have worked this time.
* Rusty Wallace -- 6th, Solid performance. I don't give him enough credit.
* Jeff Burton -- 9th, My dark horse gets a top 10.
* Kevin Harvick -- 10th, He had a good car, but he had bad pit strategy.
OTHER NOTABLES:
* Robby Gordon -- 37th, Had an altercation with Michael Waltrip and blamed Mikey for putting him into the wall. Threw his helmet at the NAPA Chevy and used a certain four-letter word to describe Mikey's actions. Same behavior cost Dale Earnhardt Jr. cash and points a year ago. They could dock Robby, but he's so far behind in the standings what good would it do?
Next week: Can Newman make it two in a row at Dover?
