Sprint Showdown Preview
By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com
This Saturday Night the NASCAR Sprint Cup teams begin a stretch where most of them will likely be home for close to three weeks. Just about everyone involved with a NASCAR Cup team lives around the Charlotte area. This week they have the NASCAR All Star race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway and then the following week they’ll run the Coca-Cola 600 on the same track before heading to Dover on June 1st. The trip from last weeks race at Darlington is only about an hour and a half away from the Charlotte area so everyone should be relaxed, comfortable, and well rested for the next few weeks.
The Format for the All-Star race is set to ensure the winners from the last year are all involved. There is a qualifying race that allows for some of the lesser drivers to race their way in and then there is a fan vote that allows for one driver to be voted in. In all, there are 24 drivers that will be participating for their share of the $3.3 million dollar purse. The winner of the event will win over $1 million. Needless to say, that kind of cash will not produce the traditional type of All-Star game like other sports have where everyone goes through motions, all smiles and joking with each other.
The stakes are so high in this one that the only loyalty a driver has on the track is for himself. There are no teammates, no friends or family. Last season in this race, Kyle Busch wanted to win so bad he pushed his car to the limit until it ultimately wrecked himself into his brother, Kurt Busch, ending the race for both of them. That one scene of two brothers wrecking each other is the perfect synopsis to what this race is all about.
To narrow down the top candidates to win, we have to begin looking at the results from this seasons races at Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Texas because of how similar Charlotte is to those three facilities. Whoever had things figured out in those three races will be on their game this week for the All-Star race as well as next week in the Coca-Cola 600. The list of top drivers in those races begins with Carl Edwards who won at Las Vegas and Texas. The Jack Roush team really has things figured out on the high banked mile and a half tracks. Last season it was Jimmie Johnson who dominated on all those tracks and the previous year it was Kasey Kahne. If there is one thing we saw in each of Johnson and Kahne’s cases was they just didn’t stop at winning two, they just about won them all.
Edwards will definitely be the driver to beat and he’ll likely win the Coca-Cola 600 next week, but this race seems like its destined to be either Dale Earnhardt Jr’s or Kyle Busch’s. The two have a great rivalry going and both have a little bit of a mean streak in them that makes it possible to believe they would bump anyone out of the way for $1 million. Junior seems to be the choice of the two because he has become the King of non-points races, which this one is. Junior won the Bud Shootout and a Gatorade Duel at Daytona, but hasn’t won a real race in 73 races.
So we’ll go with Junior to win the race because of his attitude and also because he’s got a pretty good car. At Vegas, Junior finished second to Edwards. In Atlanta, Junior was third and in Texas he was 12th. He won this race as a rookie in 2000 and was chosen to do so by Lowe’s Motor Speedway president, Humpy Wheeler. Wheeler has picked 10 of the last 19 winners in the All-Star race, however, he has been in a two year slump. Wheeler is supposed to reveal his choice on Wednesday and we’ll definitely be taking notes on it here in Las Vegas. I’ll say Humpy breaks out of his slump and chooses Junior.
TOP 5 All-Star Race Finish prediction:
#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr (4/1)
#18 Kyle Busch (6/1)
#99 Carl Edwards (9/2)
#11 Denny Hamlin (8/1)
#20 Tony Stewart (10/1)
Montoya unsure of what to expect in All-Star Race
May 13, 2008
CONCORD, N.C. (AP) -A win last year on the road course at Sonoma has Juan Pablo Montoya locked into the All-Star race, where he'll run for the $1 million grand prize this Saturday night at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Although it's an all-out dash-for-cash, Montoya isn't quite sure he'll share that mentality. For starters, his Chip Ganassi Racing team will field the weaker of the two cars it has prepared for the two weeks of racing at Lowe's.
``I don't know how to approach it, because I am more focused on points,'' Montoya said. ``We've got one really good car, but we want to leave it for the 600 because the All-Star race has such a good chance of wrecking. It's just a little bit too risky to use a good car for that event. So we'll see.''
Still, with nothing but a big payout on the line, there's a good chance crew chief Jimmy Elledge will pull out all the stops to give the No. 42 a chance to win. Elledge is renowned for his willingness to gamble, and it's likely he already has a few ideas up his sleeve for Saturday night.
But Montoya isn't so sure tricks will get it done. The race is 100 laps spread over four 25-lap segments, and Montoya is pretty sure it will take a strong car to win it.
``I don't think it's that much `Just go for it' mentality,'' he said. ``I've never done it, but the race is long enough that if you have a decent-handling car, you are still going to pass everybody. If you don't, you will still go to the back. I've not been very lucky at the track, we went three times last year and I believe I had three wrecks.
``And in the shootout to make the All-Star, it was go or go home. And it turned into more of a going home thing for me. But that was OK, because I got to back to Colombia earlier.''
So Montoya is instead looking forward to the Pit Crew Challenge, which his team will compete in Thursday night. He'll fly in from Miami earlier in the day to cheer on the guys who service his Dodge each week.
``I think we have a pretty decent one and a chance to win that event,'' he said.''
Unlike last year, when he spent the week between the All-Star race and next weekend's Coca-Cola 600 in Colombia, he plans to stay in Charlotte with a trip to a candy convention in Chicago breaking up the time.
``That's going to be great. I am going to get so much candy,'' he said. ``I'm going to get a ton of gum and the lifesaver gummies. Oh, they are the best. The sour ones. Incredible.''
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Montoya's Q&A with AP Auto Racing Writer Jenna Fryer.
Q: You handed out roses to fans in honor of Mother's Day before the race on Saturday. How was that?
JPM: It was funny. I was thinking `If my wife sees a picture of this, she will not appreciate it.'
Q: Why? Were you just randomly walking up to women and giving them a rose?
JPM: No, no. They had an organized group, like they always do and all the mom's had little stickers and I gave them a flower. It was a pretty neat deal.
Q: So what did you get Connie for Mother's Day?
JPM: Earrings. Diamond earrings.
Q: Nice ones?
JPM: Very nice.
Q: How big?
JPM: I don't know. I see them on the Internet, order them and I haven't seen them yet.
Q: Ordered them on the Internet?! What if they aren't real.
JPM: It's the real (expletive).
Q: How do you know? If you get them on the Internet, they may send you glass.
JPM: I don't buy my stuff from the same place you buy your stuff. These are real.
Q: I buy legitimate stuff. I have a `diamond guy,' you know?
JPM: Oh yeah. Well mine is called Hearts On Fire.
Q: How much did the earrings cost?
JPM: You don't want to know.
Q: Wow, you spoil Connie.
JPM: I know. I'm OK with that. She spoils me, too.
Q: I'm not sure how that's going to translate in print.
JPM: We'll see.
Driver to win the Sprint Showdown
Kasey Kahne +175
David Ragan +300
Brian Vickers +400
Travis Kvapil +750
Elliot Sadler +850
Reed Sorrenson +1000
Field +350
Driver to win the 2008 Sprint Cup All Star Race
Carl Edwards +600
Kyle Busch +600
Jimmie Johnson +650
Dale Earnhardt Jr +650
Jeff Gordon +850
Tony Stewart +950
Denny Hamlin +950
Greg Biffle +1450
Matt Kenseth +1550
Kevin Harvick +1550
Martin Truex Jr +2150
Jeff Burton +2150
Clint Bowyer +2150
8Mark Martin +2850
Kurt Busch +2850
Ryan Newman +2850
Casey Mears +3300
Juan Montoya +4000
Field +1650
All-Star Odds and Ends
VegasInsider.com
The NASCAR Sprint Showdown
# The NASCAR Sprint Showdown started in 1986 as a pre-cursor to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
# Beginning in 1987, the race allowed more drivers the opportunity to participate in the All-Star event by “racing their way in.”
# Over the years, 20 different drivers have gained entry into the All-Star Race via the Showdown. There have been a total of 32 transfers into the All-Star Race.
The NASCAR Sprint Showdown By-the-Numbers:
22 – Races
189 – Drivers
17 – Winners
32 – Transfers to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
7 – Years more than one driver transferred to NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: 1991 (three), 1996 (five), 1992 (two), 2000 (two), 2001 (two), 2002 (two) and 2007 (two)
5 – Most transfers into the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, driver (Sterling Marlin)
5 – Most transfers to the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, season (1996)
4 – Most wins in the NASCAR Sprint Showdown (Sterling Marlin)
2 – Transfer drivers who went on to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race: Michael Waltrip (1996) and Ryan Newman (2002)
NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race
Format
# Time trials will be three laps, including a four-tire pit stop. Total elapsed time of the three-lap qualifying run will determine starting positions for the race. The pit road speed limit will be in effect when cars enter pit road but will not be in effect when cars exit.
# The 2008 edition of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race will run a total of 100 laps on the 1.5-mile tri-oval – making it the longest in the event’s 24-year history.
# There will be four segments – with each being 25 laps. (The first four-segment race was held in 2007 with four equal segments of 20 laps each.)
# All restarts will be double-file and the “Beneficiary” rule will be in effect throughout the race.
# Green and yellow-flag laps will count in the first three segments. In the final segment, only green-flag laps will be scored.
All Star Notes
# There are 17 race winners from 2007-08, two past All-Star race winners and two past series champions not otherwise eligible in the event
# All but one of the All-Star races has been held at Lowe’s Motor Speedway. The lone exception was the second event in 1986, which was held at Atlanta Motor Speedway.
# Terry Labonte participated in 20 All-Star races, more than any other driver.
# Rusty Wallace holds the record for consecutive appearances with 19 – a mark which will be tied by Mark Martin this season. The race has featured a field that ranged from 10 drivers in 1986 to 27 in 2002.
# 16 different drivers have posted All-Star race victories; five have won more than one.
# Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990 and 1993) and Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997 and 2001) are the only three-time winners of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
# Davey Allison (1991 and 1992), Terry Labonte (1988 and 1999) and Jimmie Johnson (2003 and 2006) are the only other drivers to post multiple victories in the All-Star race. Allison is the only driver to ever win consecutive All-Star events.
# Dale Earnhardt Jr. (2000) and Ryan Newman (2002) are the only drivers to win the All-Star race in their rookie season.
# Jeff Gordon is the youngest winner of the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race at 23 years, 9 months and 18 days (1995). Mark Martin is the oldest at 46 years, 4 months and 12 days (2005).
# Jimmie Johnson has a 5.17 average finish in six appearances in the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, the best of any driver with more than two appearances.
# The NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race has been won from the pole position three times; all three came in consecutive years: Dale Earnhardt (1990) and Davey Allison (1991 and 1992).
# Dale Earnhardt (1990), Davey Allison (1991) and Jeff Gordon (1995) are the only drivers to sweep all segments en route to an All-Star race victory. Earnhardt and Allison did so in a two-segment race, while Gordon’s was three.
# Michael Waltrip (1996) became the first driver to win the All-Star race from a “transfer” position. Waltrip, who finished in the final transfer spot (fifth) in the NASCAR Sprint Showdown and therefore started from the rear of the main event, came from last (20th) to post his first All-Star victory.
# In 2002, Ryan Newman won a “last chance” race – an extension of the NASCAR Sprint Showdown, and secured the final transfer spot (27th). Newman went on to win the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race.
# Brothers Terry Labonte (20 races) and Bobby Labonte (13) have identical 10.0 average finishes in the All-Star race.
# Hendrick Motorsports drivers have won six All-Star races: Jeff Gordon (three), Jimmie Johnson (two) and Terry Labonte (one).
# Five drivers have won the NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race and the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship in the same year: Darrell Waltrip (1985), Dale Earnhardt (1987, 1990, 1993), Rusty Wallace (1989), Jeff Gordon (1995, 1997, 2001), Jimmie Johnson (2006).
Lowe’s Motor Speedway Data
Track Size: 1.5 miles
# Banking/Corners: 24 degrees
# Banking/Straights: 5 degrees
# Frontstretch: 1,980 feet
# Backstretch: 1,500 feet
Participating Drivers
Greg Biffle, Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin, Kevin Harvick, Dale Jarrett, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Bobby Labonte, Mark Martin, Jamie McMurray, Casey Mears, Juan Pablo Montoya, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart, Martin Truex Jr., Winner of NASCAR Sprint Showdown, Second-place finisher of NASCAR Sprint Showdown, Winner of NASCAR Sprint Fan Vote
Eligibility
# Race winners from 2007 and 2008
# Event winners (past 10 years)
# Series champions (past 10 years who have competed in at least one series event during 2007 or 2008)
# Top two finishers in NASCAR Sprint Showdown
# NASCAR Sprint Fan Vote Winner (must finish on lead lap of NASCAR Sprint Showdown)
Format
# Four 25-lap segments
# Finishing order of NASCAR Sprint Pit Crew Race determines order of pit stall selection
# Mandatory pit stop after third segment.
Busch to start up front for All-Star race
Concord, NC (Sports Network) - Kyle Busch and his No.18 M&M's Toyota team captured the pole for Saturday night's 2008 Sprint All-Star race. Busch and his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates completed the laps and the team changed four tires in two minutes, 01.956 seconds.
It was Busch's second pole win of the day, having already won the truck pole in the afternoon.
Jeff Gordon will start alongside the current Sprint Cup points leader. Gordon and his No.24 Dupont Chevrolet team were second quickest at 2:02.494.
"The car drove great on the race track...I was a little conservative getting to pit road...the guys broke off a great stop," said Gordon. "All-in-all a real good effort for the Dupont Chevrolet."
Gordon already has three All-Star race victories on his resume.
Kurt Busch and Martin Truex Jr. will start in row two. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will start 11th in the 24-car field.
Saturday night's race marks the final drive for 1999 Winston Cup champion Dale Jarrett, who has already retired from the Cup Series.
"It's just an opportunity to say goodbye to the fans," said Jarrett, starting a broadcasting career. "The fans that you see come to that All-Star event are the fans that really make up what this sport is about. This is really my opportunity to get in front of a huge crowd in a place that means a lot to me."
Elliott Sadler won the pole for Saturday night's preliminary - the Sprint Showdown, a qualifying race for the Sprint All-Star race. The top two finishers and a fan voted driver will join the 21 drivers already entered for the $1 million "exhibition" race.
There will be 27 drivers entered in the "Showdown," including rising star David Ragan, Michael Waltrip, Kasey Kahne, Bill Elliott and Kyle Petty.
Brian Vickers will start alongside Sadler on the front row.
In last year's preliminary, Truex Jr. and Johnny Sauter earned their way into the "big race." Kenny Wallace was voted into the race by the fans.
In the 2007 All-Star race, Kevin Harvick edged Jimmie Johnson for the million dollar prize.
NASCAR All-Star Weekend
The Sprint Cup Series takes the weekend off, but the drivers don’t get a break as the annual NASCAR All-Star events are on tap at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
The highlights of the All-Star weekend are the Sprint Showdown and the NASCAR All-Star Race, both run at Lowe’s on Saturday night. The drivers may not pick up any points for a win in either race, but the payday for the winner makes them a must-win.
The top names on the NASCAR circuit have already qualified for the All-Star race, but there are still three open spots, which are filled by the top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown and the other through online fan voting.
The Sprint Showdown has a lineup of 29 drivers and is a quick run around the track with only 40 laps. Martin Truex Jr. won last year’s Showdown race, but he’s already qualified for the All-Star race and won’t have the chance to repeat his win. The favorite among this year’s driver field is Kasey Kahne at +175. Kahne has seven career wins on the Cup series, but he hasn’t recorded a win since 2006. Following Kahne on the odds list are David Ragan at +300 and Brian Vickers at +400.
The All-Star race follows the Sprint Showdown, so the top two finishers will have a busy night competing in both events. The All-Star race has 21 confirmed drivers plus the three drivers still to be decided, for a total of 24 racers. Kevin Harvick won last year’s All-Star race, but he’s a big underdog to repeat at +1600. Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch, who lead the series with three wins apiece, are the co-favorites at +550.
Following Edwards and Busch on the odds list are the Hendrick Motorsports boys, Dale Earnhardt Jr. at +600, Jimmie Johnson at +700 and Jeff Gordon at +850. Gordon has won this event three times in the past, while Johnson has claimed the checkered flag twice before.
This weekend’s race also marks the final drive for Dale Jarrett, who retired earlier this season. If Jarrett can finish off his NASCAR career with a win in the All-Star race he would pay +1000 as a member of the field on the odds.