Lifelock.com 400 Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com
After eighteen races thus far into the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup series, there have been eleven different winners. Last season, for entire thirty-six race schedule, only twelve drivers made it to victory lane. Of the drivers currently in the top-12 after two races in the Race to the Chase, five of them have not won yet.
Some of the top names in NASCAR like Denny Hamlin, Carl Edwards, and Greg Biffle have yet to win this season despite running well enough to be deeply entrenched in the Top-12. The three drivers combined to win twelve races last season led by Edwards’s nine wins alone.
Edwards’s lack of horsepower this season, at least the kind close to what he had last season, is a mystery thus far. The entire Roush-Fenway organization has struggled to get close to winning ever since Matt Kenseth won the first two races of 2009. In Edwards’s case, other than horsepower, the only other major change is that he that he got married in January.
Coming into this week’s race at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, IL, things don’t look to get any better for Edwards and the rest of the Roush-Fenway team. Despite it being a 1.5 mile medium banked tri-oval, a type of track typically well suited for the Roush set-up in the past, they haven’t been able to win on the track in the eight seasons the race has been run.
Usually we have a basis, or like-track analysis we can compare from one track to another, but Chicago’s facility stands alone and doesn’t correlate with any other track trends. The 1.5 mile layout is identical to Texas, Atlanta, Charlotte, Las Vegas, and Kansas from the naked eye above, but the degree in banking at 18 degrees makes it completely different. While Kansas would be the closest in banking, there is no solid correlation between the two regarding drivers in the same season.
Last seasons winner, Kyle Busch, will be one of the favorites again this week. Last week in Daytona he got beat up pretty badly on the last lap while trying to hold off Tony Stewart for the win. Busch not only didn’t get the win, but the Daytona wall, Kasey Kahne, and Joey Logano all violently crashed into Busch. He was able to walk away without injury, but he was a bit wobbly and shaken.
A lot has changed from this season to last when Busch dominated at Chicago. After nineteen races, Busch was leading in points and had seven wins and had twelve top-5 finishes. This season Busch has three wins, but has only one other top-5 finish. His Daytona run and gamble with a late block attempt on Stewart is a perfect example of what is costing Busch in his all out mentality. That kamikaze all out style is also what got Busch into trouble as the Chase started last season and cost him a possible title.
Tony Stewart extended his points lead by 180 points over Jeff Gordon with his second victory of the season last week at Daytona. He leads everyone in the series with twelve top-5 finishes and has now made believers out of everyone that not only can he contend, but he is becoming the driver to beat every week on all tracks.
We have gone through the first wave of the season and seen just about every type of track and if Stewart’s team is that good the first time out with his new team, how good will he be when they start visiting tracks for the second time. In his first attempt at seeing a track for the second time this season last week, Stewart got the win and pretty much dominated in doing so.
Stewart has the luxury of also being one of two drivers to win multiple races at Chicago with the last being in 2007. In eight career starts at Chicago, Stewart has six top-5 finishes. Couple his history on the track with the current state of the teams’ operation and it’s easy to see why Stewart is the favorite to win this week.
Jimmie Johnson doesn’t have any wins in Chicago, one of the few non-road course tracks that he has yet to win on. However, Johnson does have five top-5 finishes in his seven career starts and is third all time at Chicago with an average finish of 8.1. Johnson has crept closer and closer to passing teammate Jeff Gordon for second in points and sits only 194 points from Stewart at the top.
Johnson is just a machine! The defending three-time NASCAR Cup Champion has just been hanging around, running well, and being very business like week after week taking only what the car will give him and no more. What is truly amazing about Johnson is that he could be looking at going for six straight titles this season because he could have easily won the two previous years before stating his record breaking streak of titles.
Looking at a comparison in styles just between Kyle Busch and Jimmie Johnson and you could use football as an analogy. Busch is the high flying offense that scores lots of points, but allows lots of points scored en route to a 9-7 season. Johnson uses a solid defense to set the foundation and tone for every game plan and uses it to go 12-4 each year.
Kurt Busch is only 304 points out of first and sits fourth in the standings. The elder Busch is running a smart season and has compiled quality finishes all year. He had only one race where his car was the best on the track in Atlanta, and all the others he’s just been smart and looking at the broader picture. If there is one thing that can get Kyle Busch motivated, it’s seeing his brother do better than him each week.
Top 5 Finish Prediction:
1) #48 Jimmie Johnson (7/1)
2) #14 Tony Stewart (6/1)
3) #18 Kyle Busch (7/1)
4) #2 Kurt Busch (15/1)
5) #17 Matt Kenseth (15/1)
Driver Highlights - Chicago
VegasInsider.com
Note: All driver statistics that follow are from Chicagoland Speedway. The Loop Data statistics – Driver Rating, Average Running Position, etc. – in this release, however, cover the last four races at Chicagoland. NASCAR’s scoring loops began collecting data for statistical purposes in 2005.
Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford)
# One top five, one top 10
# Average finish of 12.8
# Average Running Position of 12.6, ninth-best
# Driver Rating of 98.2, seventh-best
# 39 Fastest Laps Run, eighth-most
# Series-high 271 Green Flag Passes
# Average Green Flag Speed of 167.539 mph, seventh-fastest
# 713 Laps in the Top 15 (66.6%), eighth-most
# 114 Quality Passes, sixth-most
Kyle Busch (No. 18 Interstate Batteries Toyota)
# One win, two top fives, two top 10s
# Average finish of 7.8
# Average Running Position of 6.6, third-best
# Driver Rating of 115.3, second-best
# 72 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 168.135 mph, fifth-fastest
# 959 Laps in the Top 15 (89.5%), fourth-most
# 142 Quality Passes, third-most
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy Drink/National Guard Chevrolet)
# One win, two top fives, three top 10s
# Average finish of 15.3
# Average Running Position of 11.5, seventh-best
# Driver Rating of 95.0, eighth-best
# 55 Fastest Laps Run, sixth-most
# 226 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 167.422 mph, eighth-fastest
# 787 Laps in the Top 15 (73.5%), seventh-most
# 121 Quality Passes, fifth-most
Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet)
# One win, four top fives, five top 10s; one pole
# Average finish of 10.1
# Average Running Position of 11.8, eighth-best
# Driver Rating of 93.4, ninth-best
# 56 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most
# 232 Green Flag Passes, sixth-most
# 802 Laps in the Top 15 (74.9%), sixth-most
# 146 Quality Passes, second-most
Kevin Harvick (No. 29 Shell/Pennzoil Chevrolet)
# Two wins, five top fives, six top 10s
# Average finish of 7.4
# Series-best Average Running Position of 5.6
# Driver Rating of 114.9, third-best
# 37 Fastest Laps Run, ninth-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 168.173 mph, fourth-fastest
# Series-high 1,031 Laps in the Top 15 (96.3%)
# 111 Quality Passes, ninth-most
Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet)
# Five top fives, six top 10s; one pole
# Average finish of 8.1
# Average Running Position of 8.6, sixth-best
# Driver Rating of 109.3, fifth-best
# 87 Fastest Laps Run, third-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 168.193 mph, third-fastest
# 923 Laps in the Top 15 (86.2%), fifth-most
# 141 Quality Passes, fourth-most
Matt Kenseth (No. 17 R+L Carriers Ford)
# Two top fives, four top 10s
# Average finish of 9.8
# Average Running Position of 6.4, second-best
# Series-best Driver Rating of 120.4
# Series-high 156 Fastest Laps Run
# Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 168.543 mph
# 976 Laps in the Top 15 (91.1%), second-most
# Series-high 148 Quality Passes
Tony Stewart (No. 14 Burger King Chevrolet)
# Two wins, six top fives, six top 10s; one pole
# Average finish of 10.3
# Average Running Position of 6.7, fourth-best
# Driver Rating of 114.3, fourth-best
# 114 Fastest Laps Run, second-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 168.393 mph, second-fastest
# 976 Laps in the Top 15 (91.1%), second-most
# 113 Quality Passes, seventh-most
Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota)
# One top five, two top 10s
# Average finish of 9.3
# Average Running Position of 8.6, fifth-best
# Driver Rating of 104.8, sixth-best
# 31 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most
# Average Green Flag Speed of 167.762 mph, sixth-fastest
# 669 Laps in the Top 15 (83.2%), 11th-most
Odds and Ends - Chicago
VegasInsider.com
Chicagoland Speedway Data
Race #: 19 of 36 (7-11-09)
Track Size: 1.5 miles
Race Length: 400 miles (267 laps)
Banking/Corners: 18 degrees
Banking/Backstretch: 5 degrees
Banking/Tri-Oval: 11 degrees
Driver Rating at Chicagoland
Matt Kenseth 120.4
Kyle Busch 115.3
Kevin Harvick 114.9
Tony Stewart 114.3
Jimmie Johnson 109.3
Brian Vickers 104.8
Greg Biffle 98.2
Dale Earnhardt Jr. 95.0
Jeff Gordon 93.4
Kurt Busch 85.9
Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2008 races (4 total) at Chicagoland.
Qualifying/Race Data
2008 pole winner: None (weather)
2008 race winner: Kyle Busch, (133.996 mph, 7-12-08)
Track qualifying record: Jimmie Johnson (188.147 mph, 28.701 secs., 7-8-05)
Track race record: Kevin Harvick (136.832 mph, 7-14-02)
Estimated Pit Window: Every 50-55 laps, based on fuel mileage.
ODDS TO WIN THE LIFELOCK 400
Tony Stewart +600
Jimmie Johnson +600
Kyle Busch +600
Jeff Gordon +850
Carl Edwards +1000
Greg Biffle +1150
Kurt Busch +1150
Mark Martin +1300
Matt Kenseth +1400
Denny Hamlin +1600
Ryan Newman +1800
Brian Vickers +1850
Kasey Kahne +1850
Dale Earnhardt Jr +1500
Kevin Harvick +2000
Clint Bowyer +3000
Jeff Burton +3000
Joey Logano +3000
David Reutimann +3500
Martin Truex Jr +3500
Field (All Others) +1500
How can you have two races with the same name
How can you have two races with the same name
These days they are lucky to even have a sponsor :-
LifeLock.com 400 PreQ
Things have been going extremely well for Tony Stewart ever since he has taken over the points lead. A couple of trips to victory and a runner-up finish have helped push his lead to nearly 200 points over the next nearest competitor. One has to remember, however, that Stewart usually makes a big run through the summer months before returning to earth later in the fall races. Still, Stewart is now the front runner to win the championship this season – his first as owner/driver. He has run well at Chicagoland Speedway in his career posting a pair of wins with six top 10s in eight career starts for an average finish of 11th place. Stewart is one a roll this summer and fantasy players should jump on the #14 Old Spice Chevrolet bandwagon while he is hot.
The driver that Stewart was racing for the win last weekend, Kyle Busch, may be looking for some payback this weekend in Joliet, Illinois. Stewart turned Busch as the duo was fighting for the lead coming to the checkered flag last Saturday night at Daytona. While Stewart went to victory lane, Busch hit the wall and was pushed across the finish line by Kasey Kahne finishing in the 14th position. You can bet that Busch will not forget about that move for quite some time and he could get even this weekend in the LifeLock.com 400. Busch has run very well at Chicagoland in his career averaging an 8th place finish in four career starts and is also the defending race champion. Race fans could once again see a dramatic finish if Busch and Stewart are battling for the win.
This track has just not been that kind to Kasey Kahne in his career. In five career starts Kahne is averaging a lowly 29th place finish with four finishes coming outside the top 20. Last season he was able to finally record his first top 20 finish at the track but it was still just a 15th place finish. Kahne recently inched his way into the top 12 in the point standings, the final position to make the Chase for the Championship. However, there are plenty of drivers that are hot on his tail including David Reutimann and Mark Martin. It will be a tough battle for those few precious spots remaining to make the Chase and it is doubtful that Kahne will be in the top 12 at the end of the day this Sunday. Kahne gets the “Buyer Beware” label for this race.
profantasysports.com
Good point
LifeLock.com 400 HOT! Sheet
The top three names on our sheet this week haven’t been on the circuit for very long, but that’s just an example of what kind of impact they’ve had. For Joey Logano, he’s been under pressure all season because of the expectations. But for the most part he has lived up to them. He’s been running up front consistently, and it’s been paying off. Although he’ll likely miss out on the Chase this year as he currently sits in 20th in the standings, he’s on his way up. We see him as a good option for your fantasy team each week.
As you can see below, one of the most consistent drivers recently has been Juan Pablo Montoya. In only his third full season in a stock car, he is flirting with making the “post season” thanks to five top 10s in the last seven races. Even when the #42 team seems to run into problems, they have found a way to rebound. Last week at Daytona, the car sustained some body damage in an early wreck but they were able to make the right adjustments and go home 9th. He should be able to hang on and stay in the Chase.
Even being so sick that he needed IV fluids couldn’t slow down Marcos Ambrose. That was the case last Saturday night at Daytona. But he still decided to get in the car and muscle his way up through the field from an 18th place staring position to a 6th place finish. Afterwards he said he felt like he won the race. That was his third top 6 finish in the last six weeks. He is really making a charge at the midway point of his first full season in NASCAR and you may want to add him.
Although earlier this year he was one of the feel good stories, it hasn’t been so feel good lately for Mark Martin. Even though he did win at Michigan, his average finish in the last seven weeks is about 19th. It has plummeted him out of the top 12 and on the verge of missing the Chase. That would be strange considering he has two other victories as well. In the last three years, his average finish at Chicago is about 16th. You may be taking a chance if he’s on your list this week.
The miserable season continues for Reed Sorenson. He has not finished inside the top 10 since his 9th place showing in the rain shortened Daytona 500. His best finish in the last nine races was a 17th place run at New Hampshire, another rain shortened event. Last week when all was said and done he was scored 14 laps down in 33rd place. He’s still pretty safely inside the top 35 so he will be in the starting lineup. But we don’t see him gaining too many points. Stay away.
profantasysports.com
Vickers leads Red Bull romp in qualifying at Chicagoland
Joliet, IL (Sports Network) - Brian Vickers recorded his Sprint Cup Series- leading fifth pole of the season while his teammate, rookie Scott Speed, surprisingly qualified second to give Red Bull Racing the front starting row for Saturday's LifeLock 400.com at Chicagoland Speedway.
Vickers lapped the 1.5-mile oval at 184.162 m.p.h. (29.322 seconds) in his No.83 Red Bull Toyota. He has won the last three qualifying sessions in NASCAR's top division, taking the pole at Sonoma, CA and Michigan last month. Qualifying at New Hampshire and Daytona was rained out, with Tony Stewart awarded the pole based on owner points.
"That car was just unbelievable," Vickers said. "It was good when we unloaded it, and (the team) made it better."
Vickers became the eighth different pole winner in nine races at Chicagoland. Qualifying here was rained out last year.
Speed, the last driver in the 46-car field to qualify, posted a lap at 182.958 m.p.h. to secure the outside pole, equaling his best starting position in his Sprint Cup career. He also started second in last year's season-finale at Homestead.
"The lap that Brian made was amazing, so in the back of my mind, I didn't think we had a chance for (the pole), but I was hoping for a top-five starting spot," Speed said. "It's a whole Red Bull front row, which is probably the first time for that, so obviously we're doing something right here."
Speed failed to qualify three weeks ago at Sonoma.
Jimmie Johnson qualified third, followed by Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer.
"We started in race trim and made a lot of good gains and then switched the car into qualifying trim and it was fast there," Johnson said.
Kyle Busch, the defending race winner, Jeff Gordon, Bill Elliott, David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose completed the top-10.
Stewart, who currently holds a 180-point lead, qualified 32nd, while fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. came in 13th.
Saturday's race is scheduled to start just after 8:00 p.m. (et).
Driver Handicaps: Chicagoland
RacingOne.com
JOLIET, Ill. - This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series heads to Chicagoland Speedway for Saturday's LifeLock.com 400. To help you make your fantasy racing picks, RacingOne brings you our weekly detailed look at some of the field for the 267-lap event.
Who's HOT at Chicagoland
• Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick are the only multiple winners.
• Kyle Busch led 165 laps en route to his 2008 win.
• Matt Kenseth has captured two runner-up finishes and has led 300 laps.
• Jimmie Johnson has five top-five finishes.
• Jeff Gordon has one win and five top-10 finishes.
Keep an Eye on at Chicagoland
• Brian Vickers and Carl Edwards have posted an average finish of 8.5 on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
• 2005 Chicago winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. was one of the four drivers that participated in the Goodyear Tire Test in May.
• Greg Biffle scored his first top five at Chicagoland last year.
• Kurt Busch has led the most laps (236) on 1.5-mile tracks this season.
• Although Chicago hasn't been a good track for him, Kasey Kahne has posted an 11.0 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
• David Reutimann is the latest winner on a 1.5-mile track.
• Mark Martin is piloting the same car that won at Darlington.
• RCR teammates Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton each have finished in the top 10 in two of their last three Chicago starts.
2009 Track Performers
Jeff Gordon leads all drivers with a 5.8 average finish on the 1.5-mile tracks in 2009. Gordon won in the series' third trip to a 1.5-mile track this season after taking the checkered flag at Texas Motor Speedway. Brian Vickers and Carl Edwards are tied for second with an average finish of 8.5. Kurt Busch, who has an average finish of 16.5, has led the most laps (236) after dominating the Atlanta race en route to a victory. Kyle Busch, Gordon, Greg Biffle and Jimmie Johnson are the only other driver that has led more than 100 laps. Based off 1.5-mile tracks: Las Vegas, Atlanta (1.54-mile), Texas and Lowe's.
Qualifying Tidbits
The eight Cup races at Chicagoland Speedway have all been won from a different starting position, all of which were scattered throughout the field. Kyle Busch became the first winner from the pole last year, but didn't earn the pole in qualifying since it was cancelled due to rain. That marked the first time that qualifying was cancelled at the track. Six of the seven past pole winners will be in the qualifying field for this Saturday's race, trying to become the first repeat pole winner at the track.
RacingOne Staff Picks
Jeff Wackerlin: Brian Vickers
Pete Pistone: Carl Edwards
Rachael West: Kyle Busch
Kym Opalenik: Kevin Harvick
Top 30 Driver Notes - Ordered by Current Standings
1. Tony Stewart: Won the Chicago race in 2004 and 2007; Only finished outside the top five twice in eight starts; Chicago lap leader with 395; Has a 14.3 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 493) that finished 19th at Lowe's.
2. Jeff Gordon: Won this event in 2006 after leading 20 laps; Has finished in the top 10 in five of his eight starts; Will be driving the same car (chassis No. 484) that finished sixth in the All-Star race.
3. Jimmie Johnson: Chicago is one of six tracks where he's yet to visit Victory Lane; Coming off his second runner-up finish, and fifth top five, in seven starts at Chicago; Will race the same car (chassis No. 552) that finished 22nd at Michigan.
4. Kurt Busch: Will make his fourth Chicago start with Penske Racing; Two of his five top 10s came with Penske; Will race the same car (chassis No. 608) that finished 16th at Darlington.
5. Carl Edwards: Chicago is his worst non-resrictor plate track based on his average finish of 23.5; Only top 10, a third-place finish, came in 2007; Will be racing the same car (chassis No. 565) that finished 32nd at Darlington after a late-race accident.
6. Denny Hamlin: Has a 23.7 average finish in three Chicago starts; Best finish, of 14th, came in first track start in 2006; Will pilot the same car (chassis No. 232) that finished 12th at Texas.
7. Ryan Newman: Winner of the 2003 Chicago race; Coming off his fourth top 10 in seven Chicago starts; Will make track debut with Stewart Haas Racing.
8. Kyle Busch: Led 165 laps en route to the win in this event last year; Swept Chicago weekend in 2008 in his track debut with Joe Gibbs Racing; Scored one top five in previous three Chicago starts with Hendrick Motorsports; Will race the same chassis (No. 236) that finished 14th at Michigan.
9. Greg Biffle: First top 10 (fourth) came in this event last year; Will be making his seventh Chicago start; The car (chassis No. 634) he will drive is the same that finished 20th at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
10. Matt Kenseth: Has posted two runner-up finishes in eight starts; Finished in the top 10 in three of his last four Chicago starts; Led in six of the eight races at Chicago for 300 laps.
11. Juan Pablo Montoya: Posted an average finish of 16.5 in two Chicago starts; Will drive the same car (chassis No. 903) that finished sixth at Michigan.
12. Kasey Kahne: as posted an average finish of 29.4 in five starts; Best finish of 15th came in 2008.
13. Mark Martin: Will make Chicago start with Hendrick Motorsports; Last respective Chicago finishes of 14 and 17th have come in a Chevrolet; His three top 10s came with Roush Racing; This weekend he will drive the same chassis (No. 527) that won at Darlington.
14. David Reutimann: Finished 14th at Chicago in 2008; Has a 12.0 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks this season; Is the latest winner at a 1.5-mile track (Charlotte).
15. Jeff Burton: Finished in the top 10 in two of his four Chicago starts with Richard Childress Racing; Best finish (second) came when he won the pole in 2006; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 280) in the LifeLock.com 400.
16. Clint Bowyer: Two top 10s in three starts; Best finish, of ninth, came in first track start in 2006; Will be driving the same car (chassis No. 264) that finished 10th at Michigan.
17. Brian Vickers: Has posted an average finish of 9.2 in four starts; Best finish with Team Red Bull was sixth in 2008; Has posted an average finish of 8.5 on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
18. Marcos Ambrose: Will make Sprint Cup debut at Chicago; Has posted an average finish of 31.3 on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
19. Jamie McMurray: Will be making fourth Chicago start with Roush Fenway; First, and only, top 10 at Chicago came with Ganassi in 2003; Will be racing the same car (chassis No. 640) that finished 14th at Dover.
20. Joey Logano: Will make Chicago debut this weekend; Has posted a 20.5 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009; Will debut a new chassis (No. 231) in the LifeLock.com 400.
21. Dale Earnhardt Jr: Finished 16th in his Chicago debut with Hendrick Motorsports in 2008; 2005 win was one of three top 10s with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. at Chicago; Will be racing the same car (chassis No. 490) that finished 27th at Richmond.
22. Casey Mears: Two top 10s in six starts at Chicago; Led five laps en route to his best finish (fifth) after starting from the pole in 2007; This weekend will be his Chicago debut with Richard Childress Racing.
23. Elliott Sadler: Only top 10 in eight starts came with Yates Racing in 2003; Has posted an average finish of 22.5 in his two Chicago starts with Richard Petty Motorsports.
24. Martin Truex Jr: Posted first top 10 (ninth) in three Chicago starts in 2008; Will race the same car (chassis No. 082) that finished sixth at Darlington.
25. Sam Hornish Jr: Finished 37th in only start at Chicago in 2008; Has posted an average finish of 21.5 on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
26. Kevin Harvick: Winner of the first two Chicago races; Coming off three consecutive top fives; Will debut a new car (chassis No. 281) in the LifeLock.com 400.
27. Bobby Labonte: Has made eight starts at Chicago; Has yet to finish in the top 10; Will make first Chicago start in a Ford.
28. Reed Sorenson: Posted a 16.7 average finish in three starts with Ganassi; Will make Chicago debut with Richard Petty Motorsports this weekend.
29. AJ Allmendinger: Made only Chicago start in 2008 and finished 13th; Has a 29.0 average finish on 1.5-mile tracks in 2009.
30. David Ragan: Finished eighth at Chicago in 2008; Will be racing the same car (chassis No. 638) that finished 24th in the Coca-Cola 600; Has yet to lead a lap at Chicago.
Practice Update - Chicago
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com
Many Crew Chiefs who had success at Michigan brought the same Chassis for this Saturday Night’s Lifelock.com 400 at Chicago Speedway. Friday’s two practice sessions were the final tune-up prior to Saturday night’s race and if the times are any indication at all, Michigan’s top performers from last months race are all equally as good as they were then.
The pole sitter for Michigan is again atop the qualifying charts for Chicago. While in race trim, Brian Vickers is just as fast managing a ninth fastest lap in the first session averaging the second fastest lap times among all drivers who ran at least twenty laps.
During happy hour, Vickers came out with the third fastest lap on the first of thirty-eight laps run. Vickers was very good at Michigan as well before the race, but settled for a ninth place finish which had to be somewhat disappointing considering how good they were in practice there.
The top three cars from Michigan combining practice and actual race performance were Jimmie Johnson, Greg Biffle, and Mark Martin. Johnson led the most laps while his Hendrick teammate had the best practice sessions. Greg Biffle had a great practice and race as well.
Johnson was dominant in leading the race but ran out of fuel just prior to getting the white flag. Greg Biffle was in second and had about two seconds of excitement as being the leader and then he then ran out of fuel on the last lap enabling Martin to get the win.
If we look at the practice times from Friday, sitting at the top of each session are the Hendrick teammates again. Johnson led the first of the day and had the fastest average times among all those that ran at least 20 laps. Martin was fastest in happy hour, the final session, just like he was in Michigan.
Biffle, who had been fourth fastest in Michigan happy hour, turned out to be fifth quickest in Friday’s first session making the entire Chicago race look like a serious case of Deja-vu.
Clint Bowyer had a very good couple of sessions Friday, just as he had at Michigan. More encouraging for the struggling Childress group, beyond Bowyer’s second fastest lap in happy hour, was seeing Jeff Burton run the fifth quickest lap in the final practice. Disappointing however, were the lap times of two-time Chicago winner Kevin Harvick who was twenty-sixth and twenty-fifth fastest.
Two very good runs, which were somewhat as a surprise, came from the Toyota’s driven by David Reutimann and Marcos Ambrose. Reutimann was solid in all his average lap times and was fourth fastest in the first practice. Ambrose was consistently good in all sessions, running smart fast laps, especially on older tires.
Last Year's Chicago winner, Kyle Busch, came out possessed in both Friday practices and ran the most combined laps of all the teams. Busch finished with the seventh fastest lap in each of the sessions. It is a normal occasion for Busch to run several more laps than others, but the pressure is building for the No. 18 team and it is likely there is a sense of urgency to at least get a top-5 finish, let alone a win. Busch has gone eight consecutive races without a top-5 finish. His last one was a win at Richmond.
The two drivers who showed up strong that could really mess up this week’s Deja-Vu party is Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne who led happy hour with the fastest average times. Gordon is a past Chicago winner who really needs to get that next win and carry momentum into the Chase.
Kasey Kahne has a new engine, a win under his belt, feels good, is fast on long runs, and is currently in the Chase after it looking impossible several weeks ago. Things are definitely looking good for Kahne this week.
Biffle and Carl Edwards were the top performing Ford’s who are looking to get manufacturer it’s first Chicago Cup win ever. As good as Roush-Fenway has been on all the 1.5 mile tracks along with Michigan and California, it is very strange to have not seen a Ford in the winners circle in a period in which Roush had dominated.
Happy Hour practice - Practice #3 - Fastest Times:
#5-Martin 175.861
#33-Bowyer 175.547
#83-Vickers 174.899
#24-Gordon 173.823
#31-Burton 173.796
Slowest: #96-Labonte 170.627 & #09-Bliss 169.972
Best Average Speeds among those running at least 30 laps:
1) #24 Gordon 171.161 (55 laps)
2) #9 Kahne 170.607 (53 laps)
3) #48 Johnson 170.572 (35 laps)
4) #18 Ky. Busch 170.471 (65 laps)
First Friday Practice - Practice #2 overall - Fastest Times:
1) #48-Johnson 177.200
2) #99-Edwards 176.881
3) #11-Hamlin 176.725
4) #00-Reutimann 176.091
5) #16-Biffle 176.039
Slowest: #71-Gilliland 170.138 & #96-Labonte 169.534
Notes: The session was cut down from 45 to 35 minutes so NASCAR could get two practices in before the Nationwide race on Friday, which was won by Joey Logano.
Best Average Speeds among those running at least 20 laps:
1) #48 Johnson 171.220
2) #83 Vickers 171.214
Using the final Practice as a barometer close to race conditions, I like what Gordon looks like this week followed by Johnson, Martin, Kyle Busch, and Kasey Kahne.
LifeLock.com 400 PostQ
Jimmie Johnson jumps to the top of the PostQ forecast but he didn’t have to come too far. After sitting in the 2nd position on the PreQ forecast he moved up the one spot thanks to his 8th place average finish in seven career starts at Chicagoland Speedway. Although Johnson has run very well in his career at the track but has yet to get a win here. That could come to an end this weekend in the LifeLock.com 400. Johnson had a great qualifying run and will be starting from the 3rd position. He was also among the fastest on our Speed chart. Cap that with a top 5 rating in NASCAR’s Driver Rating and Johnson will be a force to be reckoned with this weekend.
Brian Vickers makes a solid move from the PreQ forecast to the PostQ forecast as well for the race in Joliet, Illinois. Vickers has the best time during qualifying taking the pole position for the race. That helped him propel to the top of the Speed chart as well. With Vickers holding down the top spots as well as a top 10 rating in NASCAR’s Driver Rating Vickers should be in store for a good finish. He has finished all four starts in his career in the top 15 at Chicagoland and had a 6th place finish here last season. It would be a wise move to add him to your lineup.
It has been a long weekend for Greg Biffle already. Biffle was among the top 10 on the PreQ forecast but has fallen all the way to the 20th position due in large part to his struggles in the practices sessions. He ranks just 39th on our Speed chart after posting some of the slowest times among all drivers in the three practice sessions. Not only did he struggle during practice but Biffle was also among the slowest in qualifying as he will start the race in the 35th position. He has never finished outside the top 20 in six career starts but will have his work cut out for him this weekend. He gets the “buyer Beware” label for the race.
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Lifelock.com 400 Preview and Predictions
By Smooth44
Last year marked the first time this event was moved to a late night start under the lights and it provided for an exciting race with a thrilling finish. The move also allowed drivers to enjoy improved track conditions because they no longer had to race under the blazing hot sun making track conditions more slippery and harder to handle. Chicagoland Raceway is a 1.5 mile oval and represents what most of the tracks will look like down the stretch in the race for the chase. As the race for the chase continues to heat up several drivers remain under pressure to perform well and place well. As a result look for another exciting week in racing and perhaps a few more surprises on the leaderboard when it's over. Here are my selections:
1. Tony Stewart at 9-1: How do we not take a stab at one of the best drivers who is starting to heat up like he does every summer. He has won this event twice before so there is no reason to think he can't get it done again!
2. Juan Montoya at 30-1: Montoya continues to be a threat every week and at this price is worth a shot especially because he needs a good run tonight to strenghten his position in the chase.
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. at 30-1: I took Dale last week as one of my faves but unfortunately he crashed and never had a chance. This week I will take a shot with him again given the fact that he has enjoyed some success here in the past. Currently sitting at #21 in the chase he needs a strong performance to move back into contention.
Enjoy the race!