Picks/Darlington, Sat. Night/Absentee Vote Rule
 

So a lot of things to cover.... First off, for those of you in a hurry, I'll make this easier to read with some bold print sections. If you're just concerned with the race this week, scroll down to this weekend's race.

I'ts finals week here at Campbell.. guess I'm just in long paper writing mode. I know there's a lot of stuff here, but I tried to get to my points as quickly as I could.

Absentee

So two people have missed a race by either forgetting it was Saturday night or just not getting here on time. Now, the first thing, I don't want to punish the 7 guys who haven't missed a race yet. At the same time, the guy makes an honest mistake doesn't want to get penalized either... here's my thoughts, and I've put up a poll: If you are an established regular, you will get either 50 points as an "ante", or take your last weeks picks and give it say, a 25-50 point penalty. I could also set up something where we make a thread and you just make 3 generic picks... 3 guys you want for any race, and if you miss, I use those picks with like a 25 point penalty. Or, I could just let you get knocked out of contention, you snooze you lose, etc.

Darlington History, Just for Fun

A lot of history at this track... it really was one of the first "superspeedways." However, when you hear this, keep in mind that up until the mid 70's or 80's, any track over 1 mile was counted as a Superspeedway... even a place like Dover. Today, we define superspeedways as over 2 miles. It was one of the first paved tracks too....

Also, this track has been repaved a few times, and each time widened the track. It was originally banked at the top intending to catch cars that spun out before they hit the wall. Then some guys figured out you could actually drive faster by just running on that patch that was banked, which at the time was literally wide enough for one car. Today, they say that... but you can run 2 cars... then, it was literally about an 8' wide patch. It was repaved once in the early 60's or so and that made turns 1-2 wide enough for two cars (the turns that are now 3-4 actually), and then in 1969, they repaved 3-4 to make it wide enough for 2 cars, and those turns are actually now turns 1-2.

Torino's and Darlington

Torino's dominated in 1968-9 in Darlington. David Pearson broke a 7 year superspeedway drought (refer back to my definition of superspeedways) in the spring Rebel 400. Pearson and Holman-Moody also figured out that the bigger 427 engine was not necessarily better to run on the big track with tight corners, thinking that perhaps the 396 engine, being lighter, woudl be better for handling. And no, that 396 was not a Chevrolet engine... it took me a bit of reserach one day years ago when I first saw 396 on the hood of a Ford to learn about Ford's 396 race engine... it was basically just the way teh cam and the stroke was set on a FE block engine, which is actually waht is in my Torino.... :)

So anywho, when they went back to Darlington in the fall of '68, the Wood Brothers and other Ford teams caught on to what Holman-Moody and Pearson did in the 400 miler and ran Ford 396 engine for the Southern 500.... here was the result.. You can see in turns 3-4 how the track was just wide enough for 1 car, and wide enought to almost pass in 1-2. Enjoy!

[1968 Southern 500 Finish]

YouTube - 1968 SOUTHERN 500 Part 2

For those without enough time to watch.... Cale Yarborough holds off David Pearson, beating him by a couple of car lengths.

I happen to have these videos called "Guts and Glory: 1962-1969 NASCAR" and have watched the ABC Wide World of Sports sections for these races. 1969 saw Lee Roy Yarbrough and Junior Johnson sweep Darlington with the #98 Ford Torino Talladega.

By the way.... the spring Darlington race, and even the one run on this weekend, was always run on the weekend closest to Confederate Memorial Day, held on May 10 of each year in North & South Carolina.... the winner of the races always carried a confederate flag in the passenger window. The race normally referred to as the "Southern 500" was run on Labor Day.

Historic Finishes

The place has had a lot of great finishes... and some winners who never went on to really accomplish anything else too. File Ward Burton, the 2000 winner, into this category... also, Ricky Craven beat Kurt Busch in '03, but now he is nothing more than a commentator. But there have been some other great finishes....

For instance, the 1997 Southern 500 between Jeff Gordon and Jeff Burton
YouTube - Last Lap of 1997 Southern 500

That win gave Jeff Gordon 3 of the 4 major races, and he won the Winston Million with race.... people still ask Jeff Burton to this day why he didn't wreck Jeff Gordon that day. Watch the video to see why.

Then, of course, the '03 finish... we've all heard the Fox broadcast.. heres the video with MRN calling it though..
YouTube - Last Lap of 1997 Southern 500

This Weekend's Race

I think you want the guys who've run Darlington a few times and know there way around... I dont' think this is the week to go out on the Joey Logano limb, KidSpace ;) He may make a liar of me, but I'm not counting on it. You want those "seasoned" veterans with a lot of Darlington laps under there belt.

Hendrick Motorsports:
4 drivers who could all win this thing... Jeff Gordon has a few Darlington wins, most recently in '07... but he hasn't finished outside the Top 5 at Darlington since 2004! Jimmie Johnson has won this thing... Mark Martin won it in '09 I believe. I think Gordon has a little of hte magic back... Johnson is just kind of creeping out there this year... not really making a lot of noise til the end of the races... which can pay off for those veterans too at this track. I would worry about Mark Martin with Lance McGrew though... I just think another crew chief change is in order out there at Hendrick... just no a believe in McGrew with nearly anyone. Martin was 16th last year, and aside from a win in '09, the last couple of years have been so-so for Martin. Junior I just odn't know about... he was good here until he went to Hendrick, with a good run his first time in '08, but not so much since then. With Steve Letarte and his new team, I think he might make a good run at Darlington.

Roush Racing:
I've been watching Carl Edwards... seems like he always finds a Darlington stripe here... I remember a nationwide race one time where the guy took off into turn 1 on the first lap and messed his car up to the point of having to go to the garage with it. HE has a 2nd and a 5th here, but the last copule of years haven't been that nice to him, not since the new car. I'm probably not going to be picking my man Edwards to win this week. Biffle won here twice though, with mediocre results since, and Kenseth might not be a bad pick, he's been consistent here in recent years... and with the Ford's having their act together, I think either of these two drivers might be a good pick.. don't bet on David Ragan to carry that Richmond top 5 very far though. So if you want a Ford, just watch them in practice... Edwards is hot this year, but I'm thinking Kenseth may be the Ford to watch this weekend.

Petty Enterprise:
Not worried about either of those guys this week. Ambrose might surprise someone though. I just dont think either driver has competed at Darlington quite long enough to not nail the wall. Allmendinger's throttle stuck last year and wrekced Johnson though.

JGR:
Hamlin is the defending champion, and after running 2nd last week, maybe getting a little momentum going, this could be just what Hamlin needs to really get 2011 back on track. In his 5 starts, only in 2009 did he not finish in the top 10... and that was a 13th. Kyle Busch has won this thing before, and he may just be the right type of aggressive to win it again. However, he is feast and famine at this place... eitehr a win or top 10, or in the 30's for him.

Penske:
Kurt Busch hasn't made much noise here since that near win with Ricky Craven that I know of. Second that year, then 3rd last year... not that much in between. Brad Wreckalotski falls under the experience category I mentioned. However, he has two finishes... 7th and 12th.

Michael Waltrip Racing:
Haven't seen much out of them this year, not looking for much more this week.

Childress:
I don't know about Bowyer and this track. He might be good, might not... He had a top 10 in '07, he's been junk since then, finishing in the 30's the last 2 years. Harvick might be a good pick for this week though. He was 6th last year, but he was mostly junk before that. I think Harvick is championship caliber again this year, and RCR admitted at Texas that they were figuring some things out. Don't count out that ECR engine... I know they make a lot of the Ford FR9, but this ECR is one to look out for too. Watch out for the 29 this week. Burton might be a good guy to watch out for too. The guy has a lot of experience, has turned a lot of laps at Darlington, has won at Darlington, and even though he is just ridden with bad luck, he might be able to turn out a good finish at Darlington this week.

Stewart-Haas
As long as Montoya and Newman stay away from one another, Newman might be okay. Stewart may be a solid pick for this track too... he's been good on the mile and a halfs this year, and even though Darlintgon is close to a mile and a half, I do'nt know that you can apply much of hte other tracks to this place. I do think Stewart should be due for a Darlington win though. Stewarts results have been kind of so so at Darlington though... he does good some years, bad others.... kind of like his whole career.

Earnhardt Ganassi
I don't know what to say about McMurray. He was second last year, but he's had lots of mediocre-bad runs too. But Montoya is far too aggressive to not nail the wall at some point at this track... the Lady in Black will bite the 42, so stay away. He was 5th last year, but he was in the 20's every year before that.


So I think that covers a lot of people for this week.... hopefully that covers who is and isn't on my radar screen for Darlington. Happy picking, and happy voting. And remember, this race is Saturday night. Hopefully you guys made it ot the bottom of this post to read that.

Cheers!

What does the NASCAR fantasy league do???? Snooze = lose. This is a league. If it was baseball and you snoozed, it's a forfeit. Or any other sport. You don't show up for a bowling league, same thing. Just cuz this is the internet, it's still a league, and we all knew this going in. We also knew that there ARE Saturday night races. It's up to us to know when the races are.

I have a crap 3G connection, and if I wait until the last minute, I might not get my votes in. LadyT has bailed me out a couple of times now with her smart phone, which has a WAY better connection than this stupid 5 spot. Forget coming in the last minute in the NASCAR league.

I haven't been on here a lot lately, but I still joined the MCF NASCAR league. If I miss a week, I'm probably done. BUT, someone else could forget to make a pick later, also.

If you miss, too bad, so sad. Fair is fair, and it's fair to everyone. You snooze, you lose. My 2 cents.

I take my vote back and agree with the other 2. That is true. If your'e gonna play-Play

Alright, just wanted to get some some opinions! But I notice you're the guys hwo haven't missed a race too ;) I wanted to throw it out there and see what you guys think.... not quite like Brian France who just does sh!t.

So anywho, if you guys want some help setting your team, aside from my long winded post, try this 5:36 video from NASCAR.com

Fantasy Showdown: Darlington - May 03, 2011 - NASCAR.COM Video

The studs they go with are Jeff Gordon and Denny Hamlin. Providing hte Toyota's get some reliability going, I think Hamlin is a good pick. Speaking of reliability, kind of funny how the race cars went to crap at the same time all the recalls came down?

Their duds: They picked Harvick and Bowyer as the duds. Inconsistent finishes in the past... but RCR is a little different this year, I think the RCR guys are even better this year than they were last year! I think that could cahnge.

Their ones to watch: Martin Truex Jr. and Brad Keselowski. Truex has had a bad pit crew in the alst few weeks, but this jsut in: 4 of them have been fired. So a new pit crew, they may work well, they may not. Keselowski worries me being in a Dodge... NASCAR.com had a Head2Head about if Penske is at a disadvantage since there aren't any other Dodge teams to share information with.

Have fun picking guys.... and please, keep up the input. If something else is going wrong, or something that may need some improvement, I'm willing to entertain the idea. May not do anything about it, but I'll think about it anyway.

You are going to pick Harvick Duane, or you wouldnt have changed your sig again. At least I think you did.

I don't know.... I'm doing some thinking. Everytime I pick Jeff Gordon this year, he flops on me. It's funny how when I didn't make picks in my first post, no one else has either. Apparently, everyone needs me to go out on the limb first. Hahaha.

Duane, I love the Harvick in your sig! My suggestion on the picks would have been just use the members lastweeks picks with no panalty but the members have spoken "you snooze you lose"! I like how when you post the next weeks race you put the day of the week the race takes place in, maybe also put the time in, could be more helpful, thanks dude

OK, I will break the ice here.
1. Kevin Harvick
2. Kyle Busch
3. Denny Hamlin
Good Luck fellow Racefans

Heres my picks Duane,
1) Kyle Busch
2) Jeff Gordon
3) Tony Stewart

Well Chris, you're still a member with a voice too! So far, only like 4 votes. There's 9 of us who regularly participate. And congrats on that big win in Richmond last week again!

And no pressure on the picks guys ;)

My suggestion for hte "last minute" guys would be to come on here and post your picks early, then change them later. That way, if you don't get on here later, you still had picked somebody to keep you in the running. Space used to post the date on the forum... half the time, I forget the date anyway and just know what day ti is this week... so I decided to take on his old ways and put the day in the post. I try to put it as quick as I can so that when you scroll down the forum, you see the race and the day of the race, and hopefully the day isn't so far over that you can't see it on the little quick read.


And I have 3 of these signatures... you guys have seen 2. I'm just going to keep rotating them out. Thanks though!

https://montecarloforum.com/forum/av...ine=1262665700
Hi `Duane, another great thread & information.
I voted that if you snooze, you lose :(:D It's like `Life :)
Yes, Joey L. isn't doing as well as I expected this year, but I think he would be good for Henrick's : )
I have no idea on who to pick for this week...I am way behind, because I've been playing to much online...
I need to get caught `up...Thanks again for your time & dedication...It's appreciated...Peace`Out from `Space

Johnson, Gordon, Harvick.

Alrighty.... I think I'm going to go with, subject to change:

1) Jeff Gordon
2) Greg Biffle
3) Matt Kenseth

I just don't know about the Toyota engines. At Texas, they all lasted... but the first Toyota finished 15th. They weren't that hot at Las Vegas either... except for the one that caught fire. I just don't know if they have the power/reliability/handling to run these straightaways and take these Darlington corners. I think it's going to be an RCR/Roush/Hendrick kind of day.

The 'Yota drivers might make liars of me. I don't know. We'll see... feel free to pick them, don't let me stop yo uthough! Although I don't think the guys on this Chevy forum have a problem with a reasonable excuse to stay away from a Toyota driver.

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kyle Busch
3. Denny Hamlin

Okay... I'm finally ready to post! Basically, I havenb't posted anything in days because everytime I have logged on I spent all my forum time trying to read through Duane' epic long first post!!! I'm not even joking - it took me days to read the whole thing. And it seems you posted the same Youtube vid twice for the '97 Southern 500 Cowboy. Was the audio different? The video from '68 would have been better without that dry dry commentating - almost as annoying as that british commentating in F1.

But I read the whole thing, and between your follow up posts, I've got nothing more to say.

Except this: Who the hell is TJ Bell? (qualified 33rd)

I agree that Truex is right there, as are Keselowski and Gordon. But I'm after solid, consistent performers. I still haven't got a lot of faith in McGrew/ Martin, to my dismay.

And speaking of dismay, what with all the Toyota love guys? I'll beat you this way...

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Carl Edwards
3. Dale Junior (yes, I said consistent!)

last: TJ Bell
1st caution: Tj Bell
# of cautions: 8

Was there a poll here? Screw you if you miss a week!

TJ Bell was a truck series driver back in the mid 2000's.

And the second video I meant to post was this one...

YouTube - 2003 Darlington - Rick Craven/Kurt Busch Photo Finish - Call by MRN

And about British commentating... how about that British guy who was in the broadcast booth for the '79 Daytona 500? You usually hear Mike Joy and the commentating on that crash between Yarborough and Allison, but there was a British driver turned commentator, David something or nother... he had a tendency to state the obvious....

"And Cale Yarborough is leading right now because he is ahead of all the other cars, and when you're ahead of the other cars, that makes you the leader."

I don't know that he said that, but I wouldn't put it past him.



I'm also willing to offer this compromise on absentee.... if you know you will miss a week, post in a previous week telling us your picks for the next week, or just ask me, and I'll post up a thread for the race you will miss early so you can put your picks in it. It seems that some people like it when I put the day of the race in the title... I will try to continue doing this as well.



Pyle O'Bulschit won the race tonight....

`Space Picks :)
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Carl Edwards
3. Tony Stewart
:rolleyes:~>:confused:<~:D
Sure hope everyone that can watch the
Race enjoys.....
(I'll be work'in, but going to try to
keep track on the radio: )
----------------------------------------
Thanks again `Duane, for your
time & dedication to MCF NASCAR Racing : )

Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Jimmie Johnson
Kyle Busch

Those are my picks!!! But I stole Duanes at Martinsville, so I guess I started it...

1 Kyle Busch
2 Jeff Gordon
3 Tony Stewart

**** i didnt even go through the tread and look, i just posted and took a nap lol, ill change a pick lol

I think everyone has their picks in... about too late now though. Good luck to everyone. Segment 2 begins tonight!

Really no need to change tho. Its no biggie. Some damn good picks. We're locked now ... let's go racing...

2 hours into the race and no updates, come on guys let's hear some chatter......:p

lol Jimmie Johnson didnt spin out, he was drifting, no worrys! XD

What you copy my picks from 5-4-11 ,5:34am.. LOL

are you serious, I didn't even read all the posts prior to this....:eek: did I pick them exactly the way you did? They will either be great picks or bad picks, either way, we'll be tied I guess, sorry man.....

Yea I know how it is either good or bad who knows ,I just thought that it was funny that you picked the same ..LOL

So a lot of guys had Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Jimmy Johnson, or like myself, Matt Kenseth.... and where are they now?

http://reverberated.files.wordpress....t_of_fail1.jpg

Junior really blew it on that pit row entry....

Brent, another Harvick wannabe fight with his helmet on again, wtf,

edit: and his car goes out of control, total asshole move by Kyle Busch...

WHAT A RACE!!!! And congrats to KidSpace for figuring it all out and winning this thing!!!

KidSpace 32 43 38 113
zjerry 34 32 38 104
montecarlo3831 34 32 38 104
RocknSS04 32 34 38 104
JuniorCar 29 43 30 102
77GP 28 34 38 100
BocaReject 30 29 34 93
lougreen03 29 32 28 89
Cowboy6622 32 36 19 87
0

Congrats Kidspace! An exciting end for sure - I'm just thrilled with the outcome! And struggling to type *gurggle*. That one had a lot of drama. Pyle Buschit looked like a big *kitty cat* on that one and Harvick just manned up 2 levels IMO, just like the announcers thought too. Was a weird call when Pyle wrecked Harvick, but it looked like a co-ordinated and opportunistic "hit" - Bowyer was wrecking, so Buschit decided it was a good time to take out Harvick. Seems kinda smart, considering Harvick can't call innocent by-stander. Him and Bowyer got some talkin' to do. But kudos' to Harvick for havin' sack - Buschit wrecked his car with no one behind the wheel and that kinda struck as a first for me. Awesome drama - tv cut it off too soon for me.

I'm so excited for Regan Smith, more deserving of a Nascar win then any other driver ever! He was stripped of a prestigious Talladega win under a buschit call (don't get me started). The guy has never had the best opportunity, but done well with little. Definately a feel good story and a Darlington for the records!

And here are the overall standings.. Teh results are the Segment 2 results right now.


And RCR apparently planned this race to be 475 miles. Think about this... an RCR car (Burton) blows up... caution, the caution results in two more RCR cars crashing, and then Menard blows up at the end.... Childress lost a million dollars tongiht, plus whatever comes of Harvick-Busch.

And speaking of Harvick-Busch... we all came in worrying about Newman and Montoya... turns out, the old Harvick-Busch feud from last year, that we thought was over with Homestead, was over. It looked to me like Busch had that car gathered up and just turned Harvick. I don't know what the hell that was about. I was beginning to think and even about to comment that we were truly seeing a new Kyle Busch... maybe he was maturing, maybe now he would be alright.... but the thing is, every time I ever thought that, he pulls a maneuver like this.

This seems to be the year of cinderella stories... Gordon ends a winless streak, Bayne wins at Daytona... Regan Smith wins at Darlington... historic tracks, historic Cinderalla finishes... makes me wonder about the Coca~Cola 600 coming up. Don't know where in the world Smith came from... thought he was a lap down.

Almost everyone except Space had a pick that went back.... here are the overall standings.

RocknSS 1020
JuniorCar 1012 -8
Cowboy6622 1006 -14
77GP 1003 -17
montecarlo3831 973 -47
KidSpace 930 -90
BocaReject 901 -119
lougreen03 881 -139
zjerry 849

Anyone find it suspect that I took the points lead just long enough to win a segment?

Coca-Cola 600 = Dale Junior! I'm going there to ensure it!

Stats thread updated!!! Providing NASCAR doesn't screw with the finishing positions...

I also put the Harvick car in my signature just in time for him to stir up controversy....

I've been reflecting on this Kyle Busch thing.... and although Harvick may not have been in the right, Busch was much further into the wrong. There were 3 people that I saw on pit road near these cars. When Kyle Busch pushed Harvick's car, he had no idea where it was going. That's the possibilty of 3 lives he endangered when he shoved Harvick's car. Boys, have at it, that went too far... I don't think a points penalty is in order, because I'd have to revise some points if they did (our winner, Kid Space, would not be effected though,) but I do think Kyle Busch needs a penalty of some type, possibly a monetary fine, for endangering the lives of everyone on pit road with that careless and unnecessary action. He would have looked like a chicken $hit backing up, but he wouldn't have killed anyone either. This is the equivalent of that time Jeff Gordon charged up at MAtt Kenseth without taking his helmet off.... un-cool dude.

I edited my post where I congratulated 'Space, which is the most important thing! Congrats KidSpace! But I think its fun to inflict penalties too! We'll see what happens next - that Pyle/ Harvick thing got pretty intense and was definately a dangerous scenario