Busch set to start out front at MIS
Fri 13th, June 2008
Brooklyn, MI (Sports Network) - Kyle Busch will start on the pole after qualifying for Sunday afternoon's LifeLock 400 at the Michigan International Speedway was rained out.
Eleven drivers had made their qualifying runs when the rains came, but by NASCAR rule, if all drivers have not completed their laps the starting grid is based on owner points.
Greg Biffle was the fastest of the 11 that had taken to the track, with a fastest lap of 38.545 seconds (186.795 m.p.h.).
Starting alongside Busch will be Jeff Burton. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards will make up row two.
Other drivers of note and their starting positions: Denny Hamlin (fifth), Jimmie Johnson (sixth), Biffle (seventh), Jeff Gordon (eighth), Kasey Kahne (ninth), Kevin Harvick (10th), Tony Stewart (12th), Matt Kenseth (16th) and Bobby Labonte (20th).
The Pocono 500 cost Busch 121 of his 142-point lead leaving him with just a 21-point edge over Burton. But in truth, only qualifying for the 10-race "Chase for the Sprint Cup" is of importance and Busch still has an almost insurmountable 477-point lead over 13th place David Ragan.
No matter what Busch does at MIS, he will make the "Chase" as will Burton, Earnhardt Jr. and 2007 LifeLock winner Edwards. Also likely in are Hamlin and two-time defending series champion Johnson.
But the fun begins in the battle for the final six positions. With still a dozen events left before the cutoff, there are 15 drivers who can claim a legitimate shot at the "Chase."
Currently "in" are Biffle, four-time series champion Gordon, Pocono 500 winner Kahne, Harvick, Clint Bowyer and two-time series champion Stewart. But let's look at those "outside" looking in.
There is youngster Ragan, Daytona 500 winner Ryan Newman, 2003 Sprint Cup champion Kenseth, Martin Truex Jr., Brian Vickers, Travis Kvapil, Labonte, Juan Pablo Montoya and 2004 Sprint Cup champion Kurt Busch all within 180 points of 12th place.
The green flag is scheduled to drop on Sunday around 3 p.m. (et).
Johnson: "We don't know exactly what's going on."
June 13, 2008
BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) -So much for Hendrick Motorsports lapping the competition again this year.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon and Casey Mears are winless through 14 races, while Jimmie Johnson has picked up the lone victory for the star-studded team that won half of the 36 races last year.
``We don't know exactly what is going on,'' Johnson acknowledged Friday before rain wiped out qualifying for the Lifelock 400 at Michigan International Speedway.
Earnhardt, with six top-five finishes, ranks third in the standings. Johnson is sixth, Gordon eighth and Mears is lagging at 26th with just two top-10 performances.
Credit - or blame - for Hendrick falling back to the pack seems to be tied to the Car of Tomorrow being used exclusively in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series this year, creating parity today.
``Right now, we're just trying to catch up,'' said Johnson, the two-time defending Cup champion. ``There are guys that have figured it out and are doing a great job with it. We're working hard to try to figure it out.''
Hendrick's teams seemed to have the answers last season.
When the standardized car was phased in last season for 16 races, Hendrick won nine of those events - including the first five.
A year ago Friday, Earnhardt Jr. officially left his late father's company to join Hendrick and ended five weeks of recruiting for NASCAR's most popular driver.
``I've got less stress on me, but I haven't changed a whole lot,'' Earnhardt said.
Junior replaced Kyle Busch, who moved to Joe Gibbs Racing and leads Cup with four wins. Busch, who will start from the pole, goes into Sunday's race 21 points ahead of Jeff Burton in the standings.
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BIFFLE TO THE BANK: Gregg Biffle and Roush-Fenway Racing are nearing an agreement on a three-year contract.
``The reality is we're really close.'','' said Biffle, who has been trying to complete this deal for several weeks.
Biffle said last week at Pocono that he hoped to have his deal done by Sunday's Lifelock 400, but now expects it to be completed next week.
``I was planning on being out of the country. I've changed my plans,'' he said. ``We're going to do a brake test on Wednesday, so I think I'm going to have some time to get things resolved.''
Biffle, who has five top-five finishes, is seventh in the standings. He has won 12 Cup races in his career.
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SHOCKED BY SUIT: At least one driver was taken aback by a $225 million lawsuit filed Tuesday against NASCAR by a former official, who accuses the series and several management officials of racial discrimination, sexual harassment and retaliatory termination.
``I was certainly shocked to see that,'' Jimmie Johnson said. ``Our sport is a big sport and I don't think it matters - race or gender. We see it work in the sport every day.''
Mauricia Grant, who is black, worked as a technical inspector for NASCAR's second-tier Nationwide Series.
NASCAR chairman Brian France has said the racing circuit learned of her claims for the first time when the lawsuit was filed.
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JUST VISITING: IndyCar star Tony Kanaan was spotted in the Sprint Cup paddock Friday, but he quickly cut short any thoughts that he might be the next open-wheel driver to make the jump to NASCAR.
The Brazilian driver was here to visit former teammate and old friend Dario Franchitti, one of the open-wheel stars who has made the move to stock cars.
``Don't start anything, please,'' Kanaan said, grinning. ``I'm just here to support my friend.''
Kanaan has raced at MIS in the past, but he said this visit was very different.
``I came here as a race fan today. First of all, I drove here from Indianapolis,'' he explained. ``I've always flown before. And I've never had go to registration before. I did laps around the place trying to find it.
``And I've never been here with so many people,'' he added, referring to the fact that open-wheel races at MIS in recent years had sparse attendance. ``This is NASCARtown. It's a whole different place with all these people.''
Kanaan said he was just here for the day.
``I have a wife and eight-month-old son at home in Miami, so I have to get home for Father's Day,'' he said.
Fantasy Picks 'N' Pans: How To Get Maximum Fuel Mileage From Your Team At Michigan
Bryan Davis Keith and Mike Neff
Michigan is a wide open two-mile track that offers drivers plenty of options and room to make moves which, hopefully, will lead to on-track passes and its fair share of racing action. But for fantasy players that worry about their drivers being caught up in someone else’s problems, they can rest assured that it generally will not happen at Michigan. You have all of the racing room of a multi-groove track to thank for it; but on a serious note, driver history at a place like Michigan will frequently dictate future success, thanks to the multiple racing grooves offered by the wide open surface. The cream will rise to the top at this speedway; and hopefully, your fantasy team will rise right along with it.
So, will Michigan be a repeat of recent years, or will someone who has achieved recent success surprise and steal a win? Will Dale Earnhardt, Jr. finally break his losing streak, and what driver should you avoid at all costs? Only this week’s Picks ‘N’ Pans will tell … read below to find out.
Bryan’s Race Rewind:
Carl Edwards and Martin Truex, Jr. battled for the win last year at Michigan, but how do our fantasy racing experts feel he will fare this weekend in the LifeLock 400?
At this time one year ago, Carl Edwards hadn’t won in 52 races — it was as hard to believe then as it is now — but that all changed at Michigan. Edwards overcame a pit-road speeding penalty and outran a red-hot Martin Truex, Jr. to take the checkers, winning his first race since Texas in 2005. It was just the second win for Roush Racing in 2007 as they struggled to keep up with the Hendrick juggernaut. Truex, Jr. continued his blazing month of June with a runner-up finish, while Tony Stewart, Casey Mears, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. rounded out the Top 5. It was a strong day for Hendrick Motorsports, who saw three of their cars finish in the Top 10 (Casey Mears fourth, Kyle Busch sixth, and Jeff Gordon ninth). Jimmie Johnson ran with the leaders all day, but poor pit strategy resulted in an 18th place finish for the No. 48 once he got off sequence. The Dodge teams also struggled royally, with their best finish coming from Reed Sorenson in 23rd.
Mike’s Keys to the Race:
Michigan is an extremely wide open race track that offers racing grooves from the bottom to the top. Drivers during the race this weekend can make their car work depending on where they choose to run on the track. If the car is too loose or too tight, the drivers can move around and find a groove to make their car work well until the team can adjust it.
In prior years, Roush Fenway, Penske, and Gillett Evernham have been very strong at Michigan, scoring 12 of the last 13 race wins. Roush and Evernham have also been running well as of late, so it might bode well to pick up some of their drivers for this weekend. Also, don’t count out the teams who are notoriously good at making in-race adjustments, especially the Hendrick Motorsports bunch.
Mike’s Picks:
Crank ‘Em Up:
Carl Edwards has been on fire on intermediate tracks this year. He has three wins, a ninth at Charlotte and a 42nd at Atlanta — a race he dominated before his engine failed. Edwards was strong this past weekend at Pocono before a race strategy move left him a ninth place finish, and he’s also finished second at Dover and Darlington. His average finish at Michigan is 7.3, and he only has one finish outside of the Top 10 in seven career starts. Don’t be surprised to see him bring home the checkers again this weekend.
Martin Truex, Jr. has had some strong runs this season, but the finishes have not reflected how well the team has been running. Pit road mistakes and untimely tire issues have resulted in finishes further back in the pack than what the car was capable of. But with Truex’s recent strong runs at Michigan, and his effort at the similar track in Fontana early in the year resulting in a sixth place finish, expect to see him pull off a strong run to propel them back towards the Chase this weekend.
Sit ‘Em Down:
Clint Bowyer started off this season very strong and was quietly in the Top 7 in points without much fanfare. But unfortunately for Bowyer, his luck has begun to fade in recent weeks since his win at Richmond. He followed that race with a 15th place run at Darlington, a 25th at Charlotte, and two finishes in the 30s at Dover and Pocono. That backwards slide — all done while heading into a track where his average finish is 26.3 and where he’s never finished higher than 16th— leads me to believe that the stars are not lining up for a good run for Bowyer this weekend. He may be fighting for his Chase life after the checkered falls at Michigan.
Juan Pablo Montoya was in the Top 12 in points after his second place run at Talladega, but since then has only finished higher than 23rd once. He’s also lost another crew chief and is now running with one who had not had any Cup experience before he got on the box for Montoya at Charlotte. His history at Michigan is also less than impressive with an average finish of 34.5 in his two previous starts. Until the series hits Infineon the following weekend, its best to keep Juan Pablo on the bench.
Roll the Dice:
Rolling the dice is just that, a gamble on a driver that has the potential for a good finish. This weekend, Casey Mears falls into that category. Mears has finished in the Top 16 over the last five races at Michigan, with a Top 5 and two Top 10 finishes. While his success over the last five races this season has not been good, his history at Michigan gives some indication that he could surprise us with a strong run this weekend. With the No. 88 and No. 48 teams looking real strong, Mears could come out of his recent slump… and that possibility is worth taking the chance this weekend.
Bryan’s Picks:
Crank ‘Em Up:
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. isn’t necessarily who fantasy gamers would think of when it comes to Michigan International Speedway, but the stats speak volumes as to his ability to navigate the wide grooves of the track. In the last four races at Michigan, only Carl Edwards has scored more points than Earnhardt. Earnhardt has scored three Top 10s in the last four events and has an average finish of 6.5 — and let’s not forget Earnhardt’s affiliation with the same Hendrick Motorsports team that owned MIS in this race one year ago. Dale Jr. has been fantasy money all season with consistent Top 10 runs, and there’s no reason to think this is the weekend that’ll stop. Plus, there isn’t a hungrier driver in the Sprint Cup garage.
Jimmie Johnson has had success at Michigan International Speedway (though it’s not among his best tracks), and this showed in the last June race, where he led 56 laps before having pit strategy backfire on him. Fantasy gamers ought to give the No. 48 serious consideration for a roster spot this Sunday based solely on momentum alone … because the No. 48 team is knocking on the door. Johnson led laps and was at the front all day Sunday at Pocono, looking a lot more like the behemoth driver that he was in 2007. He’s also led laps in the last three Cup races, and would have easily had three consecutive Top 10s had he not lost an engine at Charlotte. Johnson’s team is hitting their stride just in time for the run to the Chase, and they’re going to be a fantasy goldmine this weekend and in the weeks to come.
Sit ‘Em Down:
Jamie McMurray might seem like a no-brainer to sit this weekend, given the way the No. 26 team has been running, but consider this a friendly reminder to keep him far from your roster this weekend. Don’t let his status as being under the Roush Fenway Racing banner fool you: McMurray is way too risky. He’s scored only one Top 10 at Michigan during his tenure with Roush Racing, and perhaps more relevant is his record on intermediate tracks in 2008. McMurray finished a distant 22nd at Fontana, Michigan’s flatter sister track, and has yet to score a single Top 10 on tracks longer than one mile this season. Roush Fenway Racing is primed to dominate MIS this weekend, but the No. 26 will assuredly be bringing up the end of their parade.
Ryan Newman has won two Cup and two Nationwide Series races at Michigan, but consider those wins as what they are, relics of Newman’s past success. Since winning the June 2004 Cup race at MIS, Newman has not scored a Top 10 in Cup competition there. Newman’s results at MIS have been even more lackluster the last two seasons, with only one Top 15, as well as finishes of 25th and 37th. Newman’s team has also struggled on intermediate tracks of late; since a fourth place run at Texas, the No. 12 struggled royally at Charlotte and Pocono. Newman’s qualifying has been in a backslide this year, leaving no reason for fantasy gamers to give him a roster slot this weekend.
Roll the Dice:
Kurt Busch and his No. 2 team is looking much like they did in 2007, digging a hole and then getting hot to get out of it. If the way Busch has been running of late is any indicator, the No. 2 team is starting to figure out their cars and priming to make a late push for the Chase. Pat Tryson and his crew have figured out something to make their Dodges run on the longer tracks, as Busch led 64 laps at Charlotte and posted a convincing Top 10 at Pocono last weekend. MIS has been kind to Busch in the past (he has two wins there, including one last August) and, much like Matt Kenseth’s team, is showing signs of life that a fantasy gamer ought to pay attention to. The blue deuce just may be a gamble worth taking this Sunday.
frontstretch.com
LifeLock 400 PostQ
We have been touting Carl Edwards and he has not disappointed so far. Edwards remains atop the PostQ forecast after ranking 3rd on our Speed chart while starting in the 4th position thanks to the qualifying session getting rained out. Edwards has run very well on the high-banked superspeedways this season as well as in is career. In the last 50 high-banked superspeedway races Edwards is averaging an 11th place finish with seven wins and 34 top 10s. The #99 Office Depot Ford is one of the favorites to win this Sunday. Make sure you have Edwards in your lineup for the LifeLock 400.
There are a few cars that look like they will compete with Edwards for the win and one is the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet driven by Jimmie Johnson. Johnson has looked solid this weekend as he sits atop our Speed chart after leading the way in two of the three practice sessions and ranking second in the other session. Johnson has a fast car and that is not good for the rest of the field. In the 56 high-banked superspeedway races Johnson is averaging a 10th place finish with 10 wins and 39 top 10s. No driver has been better than Johnson on the high-banked superspeedways than Johnson. Expect the #48 and #99 to be battling for the win at the end of the day.
Ranking in the 3rd position on the PostQ forecast is Greg Biffle. Biffle has had an up-and-down career at Michigan International Speedway. In 10 career stars he has two wins with six top 10s. Biffle, however, did not place in the top 15 in either race last season and had a horrible run in this race last season finishing in 38th place. Biffle does have eight wins in the last 56 superspeedways races and has yet to make it to victory lane this season. He ranks second on our Speed chart while sitting in the 3rd position in the Driver Rating category. Biffle has had some exception runs this season and is looking to sign a contract extension with Roush Fenway Racing soon. Getting a win would be the perfect thing for the #16 3M/Dish Network Ford.
While we have been high on Edwards this week there has been one driver we have been recommending to avoid in Juan Pablo Montoya. Montoya has not figured out the high-banked superspeedways in his short career. In 18 starts he is averaging just a 23rd place finish with just two top 10s. Neither of those has come at Michigan. Montoya has looked bad on Saturday in the two practice sessions ranking outside the top 25 in each run. Montoya will start in the middle of the pack and it is unlikely that he will not move up much further than his 21st starting position. Stay away from the #42 Havoline Dodge.
A.J. Allmendinger had a solid race at Pocono posting his first top 15 finish of the season as he attempts to work his way into the top 35 in the point standings. Allmendinger, however, has not looked that good at Michigan and with qualifying getting rained out will have to start well back in the pack. Ground can be made up at Michigan but it may be difficult for the #84 Red Bull Toyota team as Allmendinger has not looked good in the practice sessions. He ranks 31st on our Speed chart and was not any higher than 20th position in any of the three sessions. Allmendinger has displayed the skills to make it this level but Michigan looks to be a track where he will need to gather more experience before he is worth adding in your fantasy lineup.
profantasysports.com
LifeLock 400: Roush at Michigan
by Brian Gabrielle
Last Week: We hate Pocono. It's a boring track, a boring race, and we posted our first shutout week of the season, losing all three of our straight-up bets and watching the guy we selected for our head-to-head wager, Kyle Busch, finish 43rd after wrecking early. Gah. We're happy to get the heck out of rural Pennsylvania. For the week, we lost 1.5 units; for the season, we've profited 6.2 units on 20 units wagered, a return of 31%, and we've given you winning weeks in 12 of 14 events. (Note that if you'd eschewed the relatively conservative betting pattern we outline below, and simply bet one unit per wager we recommend, last week you'd have lost four units, but for the season, that would still leave you with a profit of 14.74 units on 55 units wagered, a return of 26.8%. But there's clearly a bit more week-to-week risk associated with that strategy.)
Take Carl Edwards (+500), 1/6th unit. This week, the Smokeless Set heads to the Irish Hills of Michigan for a far more enjoyable race to watch (and hopefully to wager upon). Edwards has won three events this year, and all have come at aero-sensitive tracks like Michigan International Speedway. Also, he was dominant at MIS's sister track in Fontana back in February. He's got six top 10s in seven starts at this track, so you know he'll be close. I think he's got a great shot at taking his fourth win of the season.
Take Kyle Busch (+500), 1/6th unit. And if it's not Edwards, it'll likely as not be the younger Busch. The kid screwed us with that last-place finish in Pocono, but given what a beast he's been on downforce tracks this year, I expect him to be strong on Sunday. Plus he's got a serious attitude, and wants to show last weekend was a fluke. P.S. - it was. Before last week, Busch was riding a five-race streak in which he'd finished third or better in every event. Expect him near the front all day on Sunday.
Take Matt Kenseth (+1000), 1/6th unit. The No. 17 has definitely perked up over the last month. Just a few weeks ago it looked like Kenseth was dead in the water, but since then he's inched up to 15th in points, just three spots from the Chase, with four consecutive top-10 finishes. It definitely can be said that sometimes Kenseth lacks the killer instinct to close the deal and win races, but he's got two career victories at MIS, is part of the Roush team that dearly loves to do well at this venue because it's so close to its corporate headquarters, and he's got eight top 10s in his last 10 tries here.
VEGAS-RUNNER NASCAR LIFELOCK 400
1.) CARL EDWARDS +500 (1*)...Ford and Dodge have dominated at Michigan, winning the last 13 races there and although I have seen a lot of bettors back Biffle to get it done here today, which have driven his odds down to 4-1 and worse...but I think that Edwards should be the Ford to beat in that 99 car and although I've heard a lot about Chevy being due...if the 13 race win streak does come to an end, I feel that it will be Toyota who gets it done in the COT....
2.) TONY STEWART +1200 (1*)...Now I know that when you look to Toyota, you have to look no further than Kyle Busch, especially since he has the pole this afternoon...but the price on his Gibbs teamate, "Smoke" is just too much to pass up and if you are a fan of the "due" factor...Stewart is definately the driver to back.