Points and Congratulatory Remarks

Congrats to Lougreen03 for winning New Hampshire with the tie-breaker, first time a winner has been determined in that manner! As this was the first race in Segment 3, he will also be the Segment points leader so long as he can hold it!

Brent held the overall poitns lead... 8 points separate the top 4!


1) JuniorCar 1843 Leader
2) Cowboy6622 1842 -1
3) 77GP 1836 -7
4) montecarlo3831 1835 - 8
5) RocknSS04 1778 -65
6) lougreen03 1748 -95
7) KidSpace 1735 -108
8) zjerry 1689 -154
9) BocaReject 1009
10) silverfish 412
11) carlm54stl 374
12) 03JGMonte 344
13) nichols2k 252
14) Teacher 116
15) LnLSS06 91
16) Nocturnx 85
17) odessadude 73
18) dustybird3 34

I love how many people have participated.... I just wish we could get everyone in every week!! Make me work harder! I'd love to have more points to calculate.... well, better not hope for TOO many, I don't want 100 or anything, but still.... would take more than 11.

Indy History

Indy is a history that needs not be repeated. Indianapolis and racing go together like bread and butter. NASCAR came here for the first time in 1994... Jeff Gordon won and did 2 victory laps to wipe the tears from his eyes.... awwww.

Some Torino history... the '68 Torino convertible was the pace car for the Indy 500! I believe it was crashed as the President of Ford drove it and crashed it while drunk...

‪1968 Ford Torino Indy 500 Pace Car May 30 1968‬‏ - YouTube

There is some video footage of Ford testing the car to make sure it would have the power, handling, and aerodynamics to run Indy....

My signature will be Tony Stewart and Smokey Yunick's Torino this week... Tony Stewart for his success here in NASCAR and Indy cars, and the black and gold Smokey Yunick Torino because of his love for Indy... he loved the "small rule book" it had ni the 50's and 60's. He won one year I believe...

Coincidence?

For several years, the winner of this race went on to be the series champion. Dale Earnhardt won this track and the his last championship in '95, Gordon won it in route to his 97, 98, and 01, Bobby Labonte in 99 going to a championship, Dale Jarrett in 2000, I think Bill Elliott broke this streak in '02 when he won.

Plus, I think Jimmie won here in '06 to his first title, Stewart won here going to a title... so could the champion be foretold this Sunday?


This Week

With the long straightaways, 4 corners, and the general characteristics of the track, it is tricky to say who will win. Generaly, the champion of the season was considered to have won becasue of the handle the team had on the car that year in general. It takes a lot of horsepower to power down those straightawyas, an excellent feel for the track and car to get a set up, and a focused driver to sit through 160 laps of this place.

Also, watch out for guys who have Indy experience here...

I don't think any driver has ever backed into a win at Indy. You've got to be good all year, you've got to have a fast car on Sunday, and you have to keep it in the right place.

Plus, major races on the schedule have seen some strange winners this year... Regan Smith at Darlington, Trevor Bayne at Daytona.... and Carl Edwards was 2nd to both.

Hendrick Motorsports

I'm watching Jeff Gordon. He has more wins here than anyone. He also has Alan Gustafson, a man known for being able to figure out what a car wants on a flat track. Jeff Gordon's wins this year have come on flat tracks (and tracks that start with a P). Also, Mark Martin nearly won here in '09 with Gustafson. Gordon is hot and cold this year.... but I look for him to be on fire Sunday.

Jimmie and Chad know how to figure this place out. The pit crew could screw them over though... starting to worry about those guys here.

Mark Martin and Dale Jr.... hard to sya with these guys. Jr. ran good here back in Bushs first term... last year, Juan Pablo wiped him out.

Stewart Haas

I'm not looking for NEwman to back up his victory with another, although Newman seems to be a good flat tracker. (Why isn't Newman good at Martinsville then? Is he and I not realize it?) Tony Stewart has a couple of wins here though, and his hot summer is midway through with no wins... Stewart loves the summer time and the summer tracks, so I look for Stewart to heat it up Sunday. The team obviously figured out what kept them from being competitve earlier in the year. I believe after having a few races stolen from him already this year, Smoke is going to be on the prowl.

Penske

Kurt Busch is on fire right now! the guy is prone to streaks of good driving. Plus, as long as he doesn't have a blow up in the shop over running out of fuel, I think the combination of power and handling and feel for the cars that Penske has right nwo could add up to an excellent combination for Kurt Busch on Sunday. I've got my eye on him. Keselowski would catch me by surprise though.

Roush Fenway Racing

I think Biffle has had some good runs here.. but Kenseth isn't a guy you think of when you think flat tracks. David Ragan is a superspeedway restrictor plate guy. Carl Edwards can run well almost anywhere, but Indy isn't his place... I most likely won't have a Ford on my team. I'd say the best bed though for this week if you want a Ford is Edwards. The FR9 could pull those cars down teh straightaway nicely and change things this year.

As I mentioned earlier, Edwards was 2nd in Daytona and Darlington... look for him to possibly finish 2nd to some asshat from nowhere this week.

Petty Motorsports

Allmendinger has run Indy before with those cars, hasn't he? He might be a guy to look out for. Ambrose isn't really on my watch list. The thing about the Ford's is that htey have always been good 1.5 mile track cars.... atleast for hte last several years... Torino's were fast everywhere they went

Earnhardt Ganassi

These guys figured things out last year. Juan Pablo Montoya, for one, has dominated this race for 2 years in a row. But like he always does, he finds a way to blow it. Whether it be in hte pits, the calls, or just a screw up on the track, no one can throw away a race that is in the bag like Juan Pablo Montoya!! If this thing had a right turn somehwer,e he might finish it.

And when Juan Montoya threw it all away alst year, he gave it to McMurray. McMurray isn't the same team as lasty ear, so I'm not looking to see McMurray steal one from Montoya this week...

Joe Gibbs

I really don't see a Toyota being a threat this week. Kyle Busch is good anywhere, and he ran well at Pocono, but I just don't see him winning Indianapolis. He could, hard to say.... but I don't think so. Hamlin is known for being a flat tracker... but Indy seems to be an exception to me. He may figure it out this year though. And Logano probably will go a few more weeks without a breakthrough.


Other teams....

I'm going to group up these ugys.. I just don't see Red Bull, Waltrip, or any other halfass team stealing Indy. I really don't. Major teams with major drivers win... Kasey Kahen, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart... those guys win this place. Usually, they also drive bow ties.



My Picks

I'm going to go with a Dodge this week... I'm going to ride this Penkse/Busch wagon as long as I can! Plus, Gustafson and Gordon are a good combination. and Harvick has been the man stealing some races this year.... I'd like to pick Montoya, but I just don't see him doing anything but falling apart with 20 to go if he doe well..

1) Kurt Busch
2) Jeff Gordon
3) Kevin Harvick




Good luck guys... hope you enjoy Indy1

 

reminder: this race is 2 weeks away on July 31st!

 

Duane is just getting an early start on things.

 

Yeah... maybe I should edit that into the title... only I can't edit titles. Either way, Indy is pretty predictable.

 

I am pretty sure who I am picking. I have the home track advantage. LOL. We are going down for qualifications and practice on Saturday the 30th. If my work doesn't screw mw around, I will be PO'd. Oh heck, Might as well post them.
1. Stewart
2. Kurt Busch
3. Jimmy Johnson
Good luck and subject to change.

 

Here's my pick's
1)Jeff Gordon
2)Tony Stewart
3)Kevin Harvick

 

carl edwards

david regan

kurt busch

 

I'm a big Elliot fan myself (grew up watching him) but now a days I wouldnt pick him for top 10. If he did make top 3 I would be jumping for joy all over the place.

Jeff Gordon

Carl Edwards

Jimmie Johnson

 

I think Bill Elliott just takes a shot at Daytona each year.... nothing else.