Picks/Chicago/SunAfternoon
#1
09-09-2012, 10:06 AM
Picks/Chicago/SunAfternoon
REQUEST FROM SCORING AND BOOKKEEPING!!
For those who didn't see it, going forward, please post your picks in the following format to make it easier for me to find your picks as I scroll through these posts each week after a race....
1) Pick
2) Pick
3) Pick.
When your picks fall in the middle of a sentence such as pick pick pick and then keep going, it's harder for me to spot your post and tally up your picks.
Thank you.
Points and Congratulatory Remarks
This is a pretty big week for NASCAR and here on the MCF Fantasy team! For NASCAR, ti is the first week of the chase.... a win here is a springboard into chase, while a crash or early mechanical issues could set you back into desperation mode already! And for us here on the MCF NASCAR Fantasy league, it is the last race of our third segment!! Currently, Mike (03JGMonte) holds that lead by a healthy margin! He just needs to get out of Chicago with at least 71 points, and there is nothing no one can do about him.
So congrats to last weeks winner, Ricks 2006 SS, a "part time" member who won his 2nd race of the year. Congrats to Mike for building up a healhty segment points lead with a 2nd place run last week, and finally, last but not least, congrats to Carl for continuing to hold an ever shrinking overall points lead....
Overall:
1) carlm54stl 2685 Leader
2) JuniorCar 2652 -33
3) SupplySgt 2624 -61
4) 03JGMonte 2624 -61
5) Leprechaun93 2622 -63
6) bblackstone 2572 -113
7) Cowboy6622 2560 -125
8) montecarlo3831 2540 -145
9) zjerry 2528 -157
10) 02 Earnhardt 2517 -168
11) lougreen03 2468 -217
12) butch049 2467 -218
13) 77GP 2419 -266
14) STUMPMI 2256 -429
15) adgm2005 1905
16) silverfish33 1804
17) RocknSS04 1142
18) SuperSportSteve 928
19) Ricks 2006 920
20) 01 Monte SS 908
21) MnteCrloSS47 773
22) nichols2k 578
23) 06 Mistre SS 428
24) Teacher 306
25) yutzybrian 211
26) monte06ltz 92
27) Racebound2 83
28) Possum 77
29) 04chevyboy 76
30) Emily666 61
31) SS Means Super Sexy 60
32) mousehousemoparman 54
Segment 3
1) 03JGMonte 877 Leader
2) SupplySgt 815 -62
3) montecarlo3831 807 -70
4) Leprechaun93 791 -86
5) JuniorCar 789 -88
6) 77GP 779 -98
7) MnteCrloSS47 773 -104
8) butch049 766 -111
9) 02 Earnhardt 763 -114
10) bblackstone 762 -115
11) zjerry 759 -118
12) carlm54stl 753 -124
13) Cowboy6622 726 -151
14) lougreen03 713 -164
15) STUMPMI 711 -166
16) adgm2005 579
17) Ricks 2006 517
18) nichols2k 516
19) silverfish33 184
And all of that brings us to the excitement (HA) that is Chicago!!!!
Chicago History
This place is a little short on history, being its 11th year on the circuit. Kevin Harvick won the first race here in 2001, then backed it up by winning in 2002. Tony Stewart has the most wins of any driver here with 3, including last years win to springboard him to a championship.
Intro to Chicagoland this week
This should be a no brainer. It should be a no brainer that Jimmie Johnson is going to win this race and possibly go on to a championship. The reason I say that is that Chad Knaus set aside that car that won Dover for Indy, and then went to Indy and won again, and they put that car to the side to save it for Chicagoland. That is an amazing car that left the competition scratching their heads both times it raced.
But, one thing changes this weekend for everybody. See, back in about June, NASCAR changed that side skirt rule trying to make the cars less aero dependant and more "racey", and some teams got the downforce back by playing aorund with controversial ride height, spring rates, and track bar adjustments. Jimmie Johnson's team was one of the first to figure this trick out. Now NASCAR has changed the rules to basically ban that "trick" set up. So I think we need to watch a few practice runs to see if the 48 is going to be back up to par....
Jimmie wasn't the only team running that set up. Keselowksi accused the whole Hendrick camp of running it. Roush hinted that they talked to NASCAR about it and confirmed it was a legal set up, so they may have been running it. I don't really know about their "affiliates" Stewart-Haas and Petty Motorsports.
With all that being said, lets get into the rundown, shall we?
The Favorites
I still think Jimmie Johnson has to be the favorite. It's the chase, and that means it's Jimmie time. Despite that side skirt and rear end change, this team is the best no matter what. when the rules changed, Chad Knaus found a legal way to fix it. And now that they have changed the rules again, Chad Knaus will find another way to make that 48 strong.
But will the rest of the Hendrick camp be up to the same par? Junior traditonally runs mediocre in the chase, except for that first year in 2004 when tracks like Darlington were in this chase. Back before Kansas spoiled the fun, before Texas had a 2nd race... those times.
I think the other set of favorites honestly have to be the Toyotas. Denny Hamlin is strong, and that gamble with rain and fuel mileage at Richmond screwed him out of a win or a top 5. I think Hamlin has to be out of vengance at Chicago. He needs to prove that he is over 2010, over Richmond, and going into the chase as the points leader is not a fluke.
Tony Stewart has to be thought about this week... going into the chase, Hendrick equipment, he peaks at the end of the year.....
Also, Martin Truex Jr has been on the hinge of winning all season, especially on 1.5 milers.... and I don't think the Toyotas have been playing with the rear ends.
Also, Brad Keselowski definitely hasn't been playing with rear end set ups, and Brad K needs to show that now that the cars are on an "even" playing field, that his team can prove they cna now beat the Hendrick cars. I list him as a favorite this week for that reason.
Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Jr have to be the last of my favoites. They aren't my top favorites because of the rules change this week, but I still look for them to contend. I do wonder though, if Jeff Gordon just wore himself out getting into the chase. Or, will he be the "Tony Stewart" who slides into teh chase by the skin of his teeth and then wins teh whole thing....
The last of my favorites this week is Greg Biffle. I think the Roush organization is in a slight slump the last few weeks, but Biffle needs to be rebound.
The Ones to Watch
Every year wehn we go into the chase, there is that one driver who misses the chase, goes on a tear, and the stats show that had they made the chase, tehy would be like 3rd in points. One year, that was Jamie McMurray, another year, Joey Logano. Last year, it was Kasey Kahne.
I think the guy who missed the chase who will be solid will be Carl Edwards this year. But, I am going to be looking for my "guy who just missed the chase and contend in the last 10 races" over the next couple of weeks.
Edwards car suddenly has the speed to it. However, luck, circumstances, and crap like that are just killing him over and over again. He's kind of like me.
Matt Kenseth has hit on a little bit of bad luck the last several weeks, and I just have to wonder how good his equipment will be now that everyone knows he is leaving Roush.
Another guy I have to watch is Sam Hornish... guy is racing for a job here!!! He has done well in that 22....
Clint Bowyer seems to have bad luck on the big tracks... road courses and short tracks are his specialty it seems.
Also, we have to watch that 55 car.... Mark Martin is solid these last few weeks, and the Toyotas are strong anyway right now!!!
The ones to avoid
Whoever I pick, avoid the **** out of them!!!
My Picks
I don't think most Chevrolet loving fans here will have issues avoiding my picks!
1) Denny Hamlin
2) Martin Truex, Jr
3) Brad Keselowski
For those who didn't see it, going forward, please post your picks in the following format to make it easier for me to find your picks as I scroll through these posts each week after a race....
1) Pick
2) Pick
3) Pick.
When your picks fall in the middle of a sentence such as pick pick pick and then keep going, it's harder for me to spot your post and tally up your picks.
Thank you.
Points and Congratulatory Remarks
This is a pretty big week for NASCAR and here on the MCF Fantasy team! For NASCAR, ti is the first week of the chase.... a win here is a springboard into chase, while a crash or early mechanical issues could set you back into desperation mode already! And for us here on the MCF NASCAR Fantasy league, it is the last race of our third segment!! Currently, Mike (03JGMonte) holds that lead by a healthy margin! He just needs to get out of Chicago with at least 71 points, and there is nothing no one can do about him.
So congrats to last weeks winner, Ricks 2006 SS, a "part time" member who won his 2nd race of the year. Congrats to Mike for building up a healhty segment points lead with a 2nd place run last week, and finally, last but not least, congrats to Carl for continuing to hold an ever shrinking overall points lead....
Overall:
1) carlm54stl 2685 Leader
2) JuniorCar 2652 -33
3) SupplySgt 2624 -61
4) 03JGMonte 2624 -61
5) Leprechaun93 2622 -63
6) bblackstone 2572 -113
7) Cowboy6622 2560 -125
8) montecarlo3831 2540 -145
9) zjerry 2528 -157
10) 02 Earnhardt 2517 -168
11) lougreen03 2468 -217
12) butch049 2467 -218
13) 77GP 2419 -266
14) STUMPMI 2256 -429
15) adgm2005 1905
16) silverfish33 1804
17) RocknSS04 1142
18) SuperSportSteve 928
19) Ricks 2006 920
20) 01 Monte SS 908
21) MnteCrloSS47 773
22) nichols2k 578
23) 06 Mistre SS 428
24) Teacher 306
25) yutzybrian 211
26) monte06ltz 92
27) Racebound2 83
28) Possum 77
29) 04chevyboy 76
30) Emily666 61
31) SS Means Super Sexy 60
32) mousehousemoparman 54
Segment 3
1) 03JGMonte 877 Leader
2) SupplySgt 815 -62
3) montecarlo3831 807 -70
4) Leprechaun93 791 -86
5) JuniorCar 789 -88
6) 77GP 779 -98
7) MnteCrloSS47 773 -104
8) butch049 766 -111
9) 02 Earnhardt 763 -114
10) bblackstone 762 -115
11) zjerry 759 -118
12) carlm54stl 753 -124
13) Cowboy6622 726 -151
14) lougreen03 713 -164
15) STUMPMI 711 -166
16) adgm2005 579
17) Ricks 2006 517
18) nichols2k 516
19) silverfish33 184
And all of that brings us to the excitement (HA) that is Chicago!!!!
Chicago History
This place is a little short on history, being its 11th year on the circuit. Kevin Harvick won the first race here in 2001, then backed it up by winning in 2002. Tony Stewart has the most wins of any driver here with 3, including last years win to springboard him to a championship.
Intro to Chicagoland this week
This should be a no brainer. It should be a no brainer that Jimmie Johnson is going to win this race and possibly go on to a championship. The reason I say that is that Chad Knaus set aside that car that won Dover for Indy, and then went to Indy and won again, and they put that car to the side to save it for Chicagoland. That is an amazing car that left the competition scratching their heads both times it raced.
But, one thing changes this weekend for everybody. See, back in about June, NASCAR changed that side skirt rule trying to make the cars less aero dependant and more "racey", and some teams got the downforce back by playing aorund with controversial ride height, spring rates, and track bar adjustments. Jimmie Johnson's team was one of the first to figure this trick out. Now NASCAR has changed the rules to basically ban that "trick" set up. So I think we need to watch a few practice runs to see if the 48 is going to be back up to par....
Jimmie wasn't the only team running that set up. Keselowksi accused the whole Hendrick camp of running it. Roush hinted that they talked to NASCAR about it and confirmed it was a legal set up, so they may have been running it. I don't really know about their "affiliates" Stewart-Haas and Petty Motorsports.
With all that being said, lets get into the rundown, shall we?
The Favorites
I still think Jimmie Johnson has to be the favorite. It's the chase, and that means it's Jimmie time. Despite that side skirt and rear end change, this team is the best no matter what. when the rules changed, Chad Knaus found a legal way to fix it. And now that they have changed the rules again, Chad Knaus will find another way to make that 48 strong.
But will the rest of the Hendrick camp be up to the same par? Junior traditonally runs mediocre in the chase, except for that first year in 2004 when tracks like Darlington were in this chase. Back before Kansas spoiled the fun, before Texas had a 2nd race... those times.
I think the other set of favorites honestly have to be the Toyotas. Denny Hamlin is strong, and that gamble with rain and fuel mileage at Richmond screwed him out of a win or a top 5. I think Hamlin has to be out of vengance at Chicago. He needs to prove that he is over 2010, over Richmond, and going into the chase as the points leader is not a fluke.
Tony Stewart has to be thought about this week... going into the chase, Hendrick equipment, he peaks at the end of the year.....
Also, Martin Truex Jr has been on the hinge of winning all season, especially on 1.5 milers.... and I don't think the Toyotas have been playing with the rear ends.
Also, Brad Keselowski definitely hasn't been playing with rear end set ups, and Brad K needs to show that now that the cars are on an "even" playing field, that his team can prove they cna now beat the Hendrick cars. I list him as a favorite this week for that reason.
Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, and Dale Jr have to be the last of my favoites. They aren't my top favorites because of the rules change this week, but I still look for them to contend. I do wonder though, if Jeff Gordon just wore himself out getting into the chase. Or, will he be the "Tony Stewart" who slides into teh chase by the skin of his teeth and then wins teh whole thing....
The last of my favorites this week is Greg Biffle. I think the Roush organization is in a slight slump the last few weeks, but Biffle needs to be rebound.
The Ones to Watch
Every year wehn we go into the chase, there is that one driver who misses the chase, goes on a tear, and the stats show that had they made the chase, tehy would be like 3rd in points. One year, that was Jamie McMurray, another year, Joey Logano. Last year, it was Kasey Kahne.
I think the guy who missed the chase who will be solid will be Carl Edwards this year. But, I am going to be looking for my "guy who just missed the chase and contend in the last 10 races" over the next couple of weeks.
Edwards car suddenly has the speed to it. However, luck, circumstances, and crap like that are just killing him over and over again. He's kind of like me.
Matt Kenseth has hit on a little bit of bad luck the last several weeks, and I just have to wonder how good his equipment will be now that everyone knows he is leaving Roush.
Another guy I have to watch is Sam Hornish... guy is racing for a job here!!! He has done well in that 22....
Clint Bowyer seems to have bad luck on the big tracks... road courses and short tracks are his specialty it seems.
Also, we have to watch that 55 car.... Mark Martin is solid these last few weeks, and the Toyotas are strong anyway right now!!!
The ones to avoid
Whoever I pick, avoid the **** out of them!!!
My Picks
I don't think most Chevrolet loving fans here will have issues avoiding my picks!
1) Denny Hamlin
2) Martin Truex, Jr
3) Brad Keselowski
#2
09-09-2012, 10:27 AM
Jeff Gordon
Kevin Harvick
Dale earnhardt Jr.
Thanks for the run Down Duane...
As always!
Kevin Harvick
Dale earnhardt Jr.
Thanks for the run Down Duane...As always!
Last edited by STUMPMI; 09-16-2012 at 10:22 AM. Reason: official picks: changed finishing order...
#4
09-09-2012, 03:12 PM
Im headed out to the race Thursday hot pit passes all weekend! Scratch that had a mix up with nascar they made a mistake and didnt get our passes to go through for some reason which sucks, oh well off to kansas in october now hopefully.
1.) Dale Jr
2.) Martin Truex Jr
3.) Jimmie Johnson
1.) Dale Jr
2.) Martin Truex Jr
3.) Jimmie Johnson
Last edited by 02 Earnhardt Monte Carlo SS; 09-11-2012 at 08:43 PM.
#6
09-09-2012, 06:49 PM
Im basically out of this. SO!!! I will pick who I want to do badly. Again. Just like I did last week. Put Tony in the three seed.
1)- 88
2)- 16
3)- 11
1)- 88
2)- 16
3)- 11
#7
09-12-2012, 03:37 PM
Here is something for all you Junior fans... it makes it hard for me to hate Junior like I used to...
Note to Self: Dale Earnhardt Jr. - CBS News Video
Note to Self: Dale Earnhardt Jr. - CBS News Video
#9
09-12-2012, 07:41 PM
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 5,611
I don't think Hornish is doing to well in the Sprint Cup car. He's running well and has a couple of decent finishes. But he's still tearing up cars alot. In 10 races he has 1 top 10 and an average finish of 18.2. I think Joey can do better then that. I was impressed with Rory the RacingCar for about 5 minutes there tho.
I dunno if I like the Junior video. He looks kinda like a pus... Of course he's likeable.
I imagine Carl will come alive now. And watch, if/ when Kenseth falls off enough to be out of the running for the Chase, Jack will yank him from the seat and get Stenhouse in that car before the seasons done. The Cat in the Hat has been known to be a vendictive SOB.
This race will suck. Which make good picks more important then usual. Cause win the pool will be the only excitement of the race.
1. Dale Jr
2. Pony Stewart (I have never picked him!)
3. Jimmie Johnson (I always pick him)
I dunno if I like the Junior video. He looks kinda like a pus... Of course he's likeable.
I imagine Carl will come alive now. And watch, if/ when Kenseth falls off enough to be out of the running for the Chase, Jack will yank him from the seat and get Stenhouse in that car before the seasons done. The Cat in the Hat has been known to be a vendictive SOB.
This race will suck. Which make good picks more important then usual. Cause win the pool will be the only excitement of the race.
1. Dale Jr
2. Pony Stewart (I have never picked him!)
3. Jimmie Johnson (I always pick him)
#10
09-12-2012, 08:37 PM
Junior did an all access interview with RaceHub and talked about how for years he was depressed going to race tracks, and built that "Whiskey River" bar at his house so he could get drunk with his close friends and not go out in public to do it. He just went to his house, went to the shop, went to the track... never went to places around the track or anything. He says he didn't look forward to going to races and the man who turned it around for him was Steve Letarte because Letarte likes going out to eat, visiting places around the track, and he drug Junior out with him and kind of taught Junior how to enjoy the spot light... and Junior really believes in old Steve Letarte.... and people who know me know that I am also a Steve Letarte hater.
Kenseth yanked Kurt Busch because, like Roger Penske, he was tired of being Kurt Busch's public apologist and didn't feel like putting up with all the $hit from that alleged DUI incident in Maricopa County, AZ that year. It turned out, Kurt Busch was innocent, but still... not in time for Roush to put Kenny Wallace in the car for 2 races.
IT was just one of those deals where Kurt Busch proved he can fall apart at the end of hte year...
Silly season is falling into place. We know where Kenseth, Logano, and Stenhouse are going... Newman just signed on with Stewart for one more year, and Finch annoucned with a new car coming up next year, he is going to shut the door son his team after Homestead. Kurt Busch has no ride for next year.... that Furniture Row Racing thing fell apart. His only chance is that they fire Regan Smith in favor of him.
Kenseth yanked Kurt Busch because, like Roger Penske, he was tired of being Kurt Busch's public apologist and didn't feel like putting up with all the $hit from that alleged DUI incident in Maricopa County, AZ that year. It turned out, Kurt Busch was innocent, but still... not in time for Roush to put Kenny Wallace in the car for 2 races.
IT was just one of those deals where Kurt Busch proved he can fall apart at the end of hte year...
Silly season is falling into place. We know where Kenseth, Logano, and Stenhouse are going... Newman just signed on with Stewart for one more year, and Finch annoucned with a new car coming up next year, he is going to shut the door son his team after Homestead. Kurt Busch has no ride for next year.... that Furniture Row Racing thing fell apart. His only chance is that they fire Regan Smith in favor of him.