Points Standings and Congratulatory Remarks

Congrats to JuniorCar for winning last week at Kansas and for taking the points lead!!!

Overall:

1) JuniorCar 1315 Leader
2) 77GP 1308 -7
3) Cowboy6622 1290 -25
4) montecarlo3831 1288 -27
5) RocknSS04 1283 -32
6) lougreen03 1187 -132
7) KidSpace 1186 -133
8) zjerry 1100 - 215
9) BocaReject 1009
10) carlm54sl 374
11) 03JGMonte 100
12) Nocturnx 85
13) odessadude 73
14) dustybird3 34


Chris still dominates the Segment 2 thing though...

1) montecarlo3831 419
2) JuniorCar 405 -14
3) 77GP 405 -14
4) lougreen03 395 -24
5) Cowboy6622 371 -48
6) KidSpace 369 -50
7) RocknSS04 367 -52
8) zjerry 355 -64
9) BocaReject 201


Pocono Background and this race... not much history this week

Pocono is sometimes called hte "tricky triangles" for it's unique shape. Sometimes, the race is called the 24 Hours of Pocono. It does take forever to run this thing some years.

I think one of my favorite Pocono races was this one with Ricky Rudd and Dale Jarrett in about 2000... I distintively rememeber watching this race as a kid for some reason.

I don't think this is the week to make long shoot picks. Although exceptions are always out there, and eventually someone new has to become a Pocono regular, for the most part the guys who have been good at Pocono in the past are going to be good there again this year.

AS FAR AS TEAMS GO, if you watch NASCAR.com, you'd know that last week, Penske fired some major figure and replaced him, and Penske ran really well last week! This week, Truex has a new crew chief, and someone else at Stewart-Haas got fired.

I also understand that this week, NASCAR has changed the rules so that some of these teams might be shifting off the turns to get a little more power. That coudl factor into who wins this week... might see some new guys this week.

Joe Gibbs Racing

If Denny Hamlin does not win this race, or atleast dominate and get a really good run in, then it's time to hit the panic button. Not in the top 10, and if he doesn't get a win between this and Richmond, then it is time to worry about maknig the chase. The guy swept in his rookie year, and has always ran really good at this place. In the last couple of weeks, we've begun to see flashes of that #11 team of last year.

Although he has had flashes of brilliance (basically, a green flag run usually) of Kyle Busch at Pocono, he usually doesn't seal the deal and the track doens't really suit his driving. Joey Logano has been having a severe junior slump... guys needs to pull something together and he has done alright at this track in the past.

Rick Hendrick

Jimmie Johnson has been another solid force to be reckoned with at this track. He wins races, he runs top 5, and even on their "off years", Johnson is good at Pocono. He's right where he needs to be to make that drive for 6. I think Johnson could squeeze off win number 2 at Pocono

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ought ot know exactly waht to do if this thing comes down to rain, green white checkered, or fuel mileage, as they have been so close twice. Third time could be a trophy.

Jeff Gordon... hot and cold all year. We've seen a few flashes of that old 24 team, but they haven't been altogether there this year.

Mark Martin... hard to say. He and Jeff Gordon seem to be in that what I like to call Bill Elliott/Dale Jarrett phase of their careers.

Stewart-Haas

Tony Stewart is another guy who, even on an off year, pulls off excellent runs at Pocono. And as one of the NASCAR.com writers said a year or so ago, if summer were to have a spokesperson, it would have to be Tony Stewart. Tony Stewart gets it done in the summer and fall, and Pocono is one of this better tracks. With a recent firing, maybe Tony Stewart can pull off his first win of 2011

AS far as Ryan Newman goes, this guy is more of a February/March kind of driver. He could luck into a win, but he's not one of the guys to look out for in my opinion.

Roush-Fenway Racing

Carl Edwards is probably one of the guys to watch out ofr here. He's had bad runs, but he seems to run well at Pocono. The new FR9 is hitting it's stride. Edwards has been close in several races since that Las Vegas win, and he could come close or even win again at Pocono.

Kenseth and Biffle are hit and miss. David Ragan has been running much better this year than in any years prior. It's probably because he's constantly looking over his shoulders for when Ricky Stenhouse or Trevor Bayne get a shot at his ride.

Petty Motorsports

Typically, Ambrose is a good road racer, and some guys say that Pocono runs a little like a road course. Yet Ambrose doesn't really get it done at Pocono. I don't think is going ot be the week Richard Petty breaks through to victory lane.

Richard Childress

When I think Pocono, I don't think Richard Childress drivers. However, I can recall two times in the closing laps when Kevin Harvick got into a wreck with another driver... like 5-6 years ago, Harvick wrecked Kenseth, and last year, Harvick wrecked Logano. Both times saw Harvick finish well. I don't thin ka Childress driver has won here since Earnhardt Sr. though.

My Picks

I've been getting risky with my picks lately and have had mediocre results. I need a solid run at Pocono. I think I will have a solid run with

1) Dennis Hamlet
2) Pony Stewart
3) Jimmie Johnson



Good luck, and if you stay awake throughout the whole race, great job. I might be outside working on something and listening on hte radio.

 

I'm shooting for doing a run down on Wednesday afternoon or evening. I'm sorry, but I'm working 9-10 hours a day right now on a '50 Chevrolet 4 door car. It needed body work on two fenders, the rest of the car was done and in primer. I took over the job at that point. Plus, my nieces last two tee-ball games were the last two days and I'm leaving home at 7:00 a.m. and getting home at 8:30 and 9:00... I love writing these run downs, and I'm looking forward to writing one for Pocono, but I just need a little time... tomorrow I'm only going to work a few hours and then I'm going to be back home for the afternoon to relax (I hope and think).

 

Not my choice of poll, but if I gotta throw down... I'll say JuniorCar! The badges almost say it all: 4 points races, 1 exhibition race and the Indy 500 trophies. Not to mention the current season points leader.

But more then anyone I keeps it real when I take to the streetz in ma BudChev... I'z the only rolling in da number 8 deez dayz witchall you in the trailer park wearin' ma gear! I keeps it real!

Firepants yo...

 

Its cool - take it easy! Its only Tuesday! Lots of time to get the thread going before Sunday

 

Do you figure you won hte Indy 500 because no one else entered or something?

 

Yes `Brent is declared the Winner
If a member enters a Race & no one else does ~> then the only person that enters the race becomes the winner....4-Sure..
Congratulations `Brent

 

Still want to know how Brent figures he won the Indy 500....

 

When you race alone as Spacerider said, you're the winner. We all know this is a Hamlin track.......

 

I dont' remember him making picks and went back through that Coke 600 thread.... either way.... apparently he just doesn't like having an odd number on that little signature because the odd one looks weird or something.

 

My picks were in the Indy 500 thread here. Nobody else made picks. I don't think anyone else even watched (I said I wouldn't, but actually watched from the hotel). Watching it at all has to get me some bonus points!

But I was surprisingly into the race and commented on the forum throughout. It was a pretty cool ending too, forshadowing National Guard cars that day