 RACING |
The early stages of this past weekends NASCAR race couldn't have gone any more smoothly, as more than one-third of the race expired before the first driver went behind the wall. The week before in Las Vegas, only two drivers retired from the race. Hope you enjoyed the relatively stress-free racing, for the demolition portion of the schedule is about to commence. That would begin this week at Darlington, which DW referred to as "the Track To Tough To Pave", where a dozen or more cautions are guaranteed. Then the scene shifts to the cereal bowl/bullring known as Bristol, where more tempers will no doubt flare. Then, after a week off, the series moves to the newly repaved track at Texas, which usually degenerates into a crashfest even on a non-virgin surface. It is safe to say that we'll not be seeing too many green-flag stops in the coming weeks. Enjoy the races, and take plenty of antacids along.
ATLANTA RECAP
Pre-race favorites Bobby LaBonte and Jerry Nadeau turned out to be major disapointments. It's never a good sign when a driver like LaBonte is complaining about the one-engine rule to the media after happy hour. Bill Elliott started on the pole, but fails to capitalize to lead even a single lap. Ryan Newman would go on to lead the early laps before giving way to Tony Stewart due to a loose condition. Matt Kenseth started at the back of the field due to needing a new engine but makes his presence felt moving up to 32nd, 26th, 23rd, 21st, and 19th with every 10 lap increment. Michael Waltrip even made a charge into the top ten, that would not last. Stewart would be the first of the leaders to pit on lap 55, 5-10 laps earlier than anticipated, the other drivers would quickly follow suit. Newman gets a round of wedge while Dale. Jr is forced to break, then pit diagonally to avoid the machine of Kevin Harvick. Junior was also complaining of a vibration. Meanwhile, Bobby LaBonte was complaining about his cars performance into the wind. To make matters worse, four seconds were blown on his pit when the jack fell.
The first caution would eventually fall due to debris on the racetrack, by that time only 29 cars were on the lead lap. Junior comes out of the caution with the lead while Nadeau fights a loose condition, although the crew tells him he has the best car out there. As the run wears on Stewart regains control of the lead. Kurt Busch continues another strong run, though he nearly wrecks Mike Skinner and Stewart in the process. We eventually race to another round of green-flag stops. Jimmy Spencer would turn arond LaBonte on pit-road. Spencer sustains damage while the incident put the #18 car a lap down, and would ultimtely prove to be the beginning of the end. Spencer is then told to report to the trailer after the race. Meanwhile, the Goodwrench crew loses a lugnut on Kevin Harvick's pit stop, relegating the #29 car to 30th and pissing Harvick off. After the stops, Junior reports that his motor was "starting to miss" - another false alarm. Kurt Busch was also complaining of a vibration. We're now down to 20 cars on the lead lap, though LaBonte is closing in on teammate Tony Stewart to unlap himself, a yellow would potentially help at this point. That would prove mute when the #18 car drops off the pace due to a cracked cylinder head, and eventually goes behind the wall for 36 laps.
The attrition begins in earnest soon after that. Dick Trickle wobbles and crashes head-first in scary fashion, entirely flattening the front end. Trickle would be OK though. Ricky Craven would become a big loser on the ensuing round of stops, falling from fifth to 20th. Harvick and Jeff Green would also blow engines soon after. '02 has been a nightmare so far for the #29 car, under the weight of expectations that did not exist last year. Matt Kenseth continues to climb into contention. Meanwhile, tempers start to flare as Junior and Newman go at it coming off pit road, for what reason I'm not sure.
Matt Kenseth now has the lead after that round of stops, with 63 laps remaining, which Jack Rosch and crew chief Robbie Reiser figured out would be enough to make it till the end. That all goes out the window after a four-car tangle involving Johnny Benson, John Andretti, Bill Elliott, and Jerry Nadeau. Kurt Busch would endure more late-race heartbreak on the ensuing round of stops, dropping from third to 12th. Kenseth would fare worse with an uncharacteralistly bad stop, dropping to 16th. Ward Burton's crew rolls the dice and takes on only two tires, and comes out on front. Ward has a way of stealing races late, as he did at Daytona as well as Darlington last year. Jeff Gordon finally fights his way into the top ten, but drops a cylinder and finishes 16th. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart resumes control and takes the checkered flag, with Dale Jr. second. Jimmie Johnson again outraces his mentor and places third, while Matt Kenseth had the best car running and scrambles back to fourth. Ricky Craven finishes fifth while Rusty Wallace fights back from provisional-land to place sixth, followed by Ward Burton and Mark Martin. Sterling Marlin had a quiet, but efficient run and placed ninth, followed by Ryan Newman and Kurt Busch. Buckshot Jones had one of his best runs ever and placed 12th while teammate Kyle Petty finishes 15th, even leading a lap. Other notables included Jeff Burton in 21st with what was referred to as "a junk car", as well as Jerry Nadeau in 30th, Bill Elliott (35th), Bobby LaBonte (37th). Five cars officially succumbed to engines (compared to eight last year) including Brett Bodine, Kevin Harvick, Michael Waltrip, and Jeff Green - who finished from 38th through 41st respectably.
DARLINGTON PREVIEW � WHO TO WATCH FOR
If you are relatively new to NASCAR, it cannot be stated enough that Darlington is the roughest, trickiest track on the circuit. It is also the oldest track, kind of the Fenway Park of the sport. The only saving grace this time around is that the Spring race is only 400 miles and the weather is much cooler than it will be come September. But tire wear will be as big an issue as you will see at any race, will speeds falling 10 MPH and more after just a handful of laps on new tires. Look for four fresh skins to be taken at every opportunity and look for the pit crew Olympics to go a long ways towards determining matters. At last check, exactly 43 cars are entered so no one will be going home after qualifying. Also provisionals now go on this year�s owners points, now giving drivers such as Jimmy Johnson and Ryan Newman a safety net. The list of favorites is as follows�
Dale Jarrett � Some have to wonder if DJ is falling from the elite tier of drivers, we should get a much better gauge after this weekend � as Darlington is by far Jarrett�s favorite track. Jarrett has a mind boggling eight top five�s in his last ten Darlington outings, three wins included. If the car doesn�t get knocked out he should be in the mix.
Jeff Gordon � A five time winner here, last time in 1998, along with 10 top fives in his last 14 Darlington races. Led 72 laps of the spring race along with 138 in the fall. Again, teams with great pit crews benefit well here.
Matt Kenseth � Track similar to Rockingham in regards to pit/tire strategy. Do not expect Robbie Reiser and company to drop the ball again.
Ward Burton � September race winner to go alone with his spring 2000 win and was right there in Atlanta as well.
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KB is quickly gaining some admirers, YOWZA!!!!! |
Ryan Newman � Jeremy Mayfield was money in recent years here with the #12 car, with five top fives in eight races. That should transform well for Newman.
Jeremy Mayfield � Led 53 laps here last September, we�ll see how he does in the #19 car this time around.
Tony Stewart � Don�t look now but #20 is now no. 5 in the standings, take out the Daytona debacle and he�s right there.
Sterling Marlin � Not bad when you�re car is off and still finish in the top ten. Finished fifth in this race last year.
Jimmy Spencer � Getting his act together, and this is his type of track where he was fourth in the 2001 spring race.
LONG SHOTS
John Andretti/Buckshot Jones � Both drivers are on the hot seat, but both fared well in Atlanta. In addition, Andretti finished sixth in the spring last year. Can Petty enterprises keep up the momentum from last week?
Ken Schrader � Had one of last year�s better runs in September, starting eighth and finishing tenth.
DO NOT LOOK FOR
Steve Park � Park actually led this race for a race high 164 laps last year and finished second. But coming back for his first race in six months not much can be expected.
Jimmy Johnson � JJ has rung the bell two weeks in a row, but the Lady in Black is never kind to rookies.
Robby Gordon � Last year�s win in the season finale is proving to be a mirage in a race that clearly meant more to him than other drivers that day. Robby is proving to be every bit the disappointment to RCR racing that Mike Skinner was.
Look for the race to end up as follows: 1. Marlin, 2. Stewart, 3. Kenseth, 4. Jarrett, 5. J. Gordon, 6. Newman, 7. W. Burton, 8. Dale Jr., 9. Busch, 10. Mayfield
Race odds (for informational purposes) are as follows: W. Burton, 3-1, J. Gordon 4-1, Stewart 9-2, J. Burton 5-1, B. LaBonte 6-1, Marlin 7-1, Jarrett 8-1, Elliott 9-1, Rudd 10-1, Harvick 11-1, Martin 12-1, R. Wallace 13-1, Kenseth 14-1, Dale Jr. 15-1, Newman 16-1, Busch 17-1, Park 18-1, Mayfield 19-1, Johnson 20-1, Spencer 22-1, Nadeau 24-1, Craven 26-1, Hamilton 28-1, Benson 30-1, Schrader 32-1, T. LaBonte 34-1, Nemechek 36-1, Andretti 38-1, Waltrip 40-1, J. Green 42-1, R. Gordon 44-1, Blaney 46-1, Sadler 48-1, Buckshot 50-1, B. Bodine 55-1, Skinner 60-1, Stricklin 65-1, Atwood 70-1, Petty 75-1, #71 car 80-1, Compton 85-1, Mast 90-1
As far as Shawna Robison is concerned lets put it this way, you would had been just as well picking Winthrop to win the NCAA'S.
ANDY HOUSTON AWARD
No one went out early this week, so Tony Stewart, Stacy Compton, and Bobby Hamilton remain the lone qualifiers thus far.