Poll Explanation

77GP posted his sons picks, which turned out to be 1-2-3, for Michigan. So I'm just curious if anyone would object to having a 12 year old join up and run with us? I don't have any objections myself.

Points and Congratulatory Remarks

Congrats to Lougreen03 on yet another big and fast track victory! That victory goes well with his Talladega and Fontana victories.

So at this point, the overall standings have tightened up again.. .top 5 within 36 points again. Plus, Segment 2 has 3 more races to go.

Overall:

1) JuniorCar 1500 Leader
2) 77GP 1492 -8
3) Cowboy6622 1477 -23
4) RocknSS04 1472 -28
5) montecarlo3831 1464 -36
6) lougreen03 1373 -127
7) KidSpace 1350 -150
8) zjerry 1316 -184

Segment 2:

1) montecarlo3831 595 Leader
2) JuniorCar 590 -5
3) 77GP 589 -6
4) lougreen03 581 -14
5) zjerry 571 -24
6) Cowboy6622 558 -37
7) RocknSS04 556 -39
8) KidSpace 533 -62
9) BocaReject 201


Sonoma History


This track seemed to replace the old Riverside road course, which was in Southern California many years ago... a track Torino's used to run well on It was the site of Earnhardt Srs only road course win.

YouTube - ‪1995 Save Mart 300 Finish‬‏

Only about 5 minutes of this are actually racing.

I know you guys love to see a Chevrolet outrun a Ford

Do Road Course Belong?

I love a good road course race, but i don't think this is a good road course.. I'd like to keep Watkins Glen and drop this one in favor of that Circuit Gilles Villeneuve in Canada or Road America in Wisconsin myself. This track just doens't seem to suit stock cars to me. I think there are better tracks.

But does stock car racing belong on an oval? Do road courses belong on an already tight schedule?

Summer is boring enough in NASCAR, and many fans kick the Z's in high gear when NASCAR reaches the road courses. Personally, after Kansas, Michigan, and Pocono, I'm ready for a big change... road course and Daytona, lets go!

So post some opinions... I'd love to hear your thoughts.

This Weeks Race

The road courses have been tricky the last few years. A couple of foreigners who grew up on the things are running well, and people like Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, and Jimmie Johnson, names normally not associated with road courses, have won them.

I remember a time when some major names in the sport would have "ringers" run the road courses for them. Guys like Boris Said, Scott Pruett, and others would turn up and run these things and sometimes run ok... usually they were lucky to get a Top 10. Now the regular drivers are starting to run these tracks and run well..

Plus, Jeff Gordon was once the road course king... seems like the last few years he's been in wrecks or end up in the teens somewhere at these things. I don't know what to make of him for this week.

Hendrick Motorsports

As mentione,d Jeff Gordon used ot be the man... when Ray Evernham was his crew cheif and he was winning championships as well. Anymore, it's hard to say.

Martin is a good road course racer, but his crew chief should never be allowed on a pit box again as far as I can tell. Maybe we should make a facebook group demanding Lance McGrew be fired.

Johnson won last year, but Johnson has had some rough luck this year. I wonder how in the world he is as far up in points as he is.

Earnhardt Jr.... well ,refer to what I said about people coming out of no where to win. He could, but I think the winless streak will extend to at least Daytona. He's just not that good of a road racer.

Stewart Haas

Watkins Glen tends to be more Stewarts road course. I think he has won this track, but he definitely prefers upstate New York. Summer is Stewarts time, so watch out. Ryan Newman will not be getting picked by me this week.

Childress Racing

The way Kevin Harvick has been hte last year or so, never count him out. He's not a guy you think of when you think road courses, but hey, you don't think of him when you think Charlotte either, do you?

And while wer'e talking of guys who don't tend to win road course races, what about the rest of that RCR Group? Paul Menard doesn't tend to win anywhere... Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton may put down some decent runs though... but I wouldn't expect them to contend for a win.

Roush Racing

Carl Edwards has won a few Nationwide Road Course races here lately, and he's had solid runs at Watkins Glen in a cup car, but I think he is hungry for another win after having some fast cars at the end of the races and not winning. However, Edwards is the only Roush driver i think I will consider this week. Kenseth and Biffle aren't too sharp on them to my recollection.. I'd have to check the stats myself.

Petty Motorsports

Although Earnhardt's winless streak will most likely continue to Daytona, I think Ambrose's winless streak is in severe danger. The guy has run good on mile and a halfs, and if he had just realized he couldn't coast up hills last year, I think he would have won that race instead of Jimmie Johnson. Plus, he has better equipment this year.. he was driving that Brad Daughtery car last year, now he is running a Petty Ford with an FR9, and I think Ambrose will be a serious thread this week.

Allmendinger is another one of those opne wheel turned cup guys who might have a good run this year.

Earnhardt Ganassi

Montoya has 2 cup wins, both on road courses. He wants an oval win, but I think he's more likely to get another road course win myself. He hasn't been excellent on this track though... he won that one he got on gas mileage to my recollection. AS long as he and Ambrose don't wreck each other, I think Montoya might just be a contendor this week.

As far as the McMurray goes, not count on it.

Joe Gibbs Racing

None of these guys are ones you think of when you think road courses. Kyle Busch swept them in 2008, however. Denny Hamlin is starting to turn the corner, but between his luck and the state of that organization, I woudln't look for a road course win out of Hamlin or Logano this week.

Penske

Hard to read these guys... don't think much of Kurt Busch on road courses, but h'es qualifying well, and track position means a ton with the way these cars run lately. I think Kurt Busch is one of those long shot guys to look out for.

Red Bull

Kasey Kahne is another of your long shots. With Vickers still getting into the groove of things, I wouldn't look for a good road course run out of him this week.

Summary

Basicaly, you have ot know the good guys... Gordon used to be, now it seems to be Harvick, Stewart, Ambrose, Edwards, Montoya, and some long shot guys who you'll have to figure out for your onw... they seem to come nad go every year.

My Picks

I've been holding back on my picks, but I think I'm going to step on out this week, because I personally like road courses and tend to think about them weeks in advance.. have for years, just weird.

1) Marcos Ambrose
2) Jeff Gordon
3) Juan Peblo Montoya


I haven't won since Bristol and I'm getting hungry for a victory.

EDIT: I swapped my #2 pick, Carl Edwards, for Jeff Gordon

 

I'm sure he's a future Monte carlo owner and a future car guy being around all of Jerrys sweet rides. And Im sure he's not a kyle busch fan

 

Monte Carlo-yea maybe
Shrub fan(Busch bros) Those two are his favorites. Has both their shirts.

 

TRAITOR!!!!

EDIT: Without a secondl ine, it won't let me type one word in all caps.

BLOODY JUDAS!!!!


And not to put any members on teh spot, but in case no one has seen it, we have a statistics thread that I maintain here:

https://montecarloforum.com/forum/na...tistics-26054/

 

Now rumor is that Red Bull is pulling out of NASCAR... so much for that small glimer of hope that Red Bull may have been able to talk Kahne into staying with them instead of going to Hendrick....

But in all their years of existance, they accidently made the chase in '09 to do nothing and won one race at Michigan. Vickers was their star, he should have never left Hendrick. They dumped everything they could on Vickers. Then they had Scott Speed, AJ Allmendinger... nothing doing.

 

Now rumor is that Red Bull is pulling out of NASCAR... so much for that small glimer of hope that Red Bull may have been able to talk Kahne into staying with them instead of going to Hendrick....

But in all their years of existance, they accidently made the chase in '09 to do nothing and won one race at Michigan. Vickers was their star, he should have never left Hendrick. They dumped everything they could on Vickers. Then they had Scott Speed, AJ Allmendinger... nothing doing.

 

Probably be more with the economy as it is. Surprised some of those companies are still in the sport.

 

I've never been to Infineon Raceway, but I was at Watkins Glen back in '94 and it sucked! Couldn't see crap! Infineon looks like it might be set up for better visability from the grand stands then most road courses, which is kind of cool. Its lack of in person visability at road courses that make oval racing better and more developed.

I don't know who I'm picking, but I will after qualifying. Probably not another track where qualifying is more important. I'm not expecting to see Junior win this one either, but he'll lock up Daytona next week. I'm way more excited about that forth coming race.

Jamie McMurray is a great road course racer BTW. He should have been able to beat Peblo when Peblo got his first win, but he didn't have Peblo's "magic gas tank" and ran out of gas (he should have had 2 laps more then Peblo). EGR still puts no stake in McMurray tho. When in Concord I visited Earnhardt Gassi Racing. First thing you notice is that it is really Ganassi Racing (no Earnhardt). The museum/ showroom showcase only Gannassi achievement. Not a spec of info or trophies from any old DEI days from any driver. In the shop they have 2 McMurray winning cars (from the Daytona500 and Brickyard wins) - Peblo has nothing to showcase. But in the gift shop it is all Peblo merchandise - hardly anything McMurray. Not a lot of shoppers in there. I can't imagine anyone buying that crap and I can honest say I didn't see one person buy a Peblo shirt...

 

Yeah, well, Chase made 50,000 of those shirts and have sold 6 so far. Four of those have been featured on Unsolved Mysterys.

Did you ever make a thread about your trip to Charlotte?

 

WoW, a lot of information above...(Thanks `Duane & Members)...I voted that Jerry's son should be able to submit his picks : ) I'm sure he will do better then that other `Kid that isn't doing 2 good : ) His dad `Jerry will put him in faster cars : )
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LOL `Brent, what R U do'in 2 the REAR of that Race Car ? Close to being X-Rated or were your practicing your human draft'in
Great Photo's (They Jump `out @ ya)
I have no idea of who to pick for this weekend, but I will guess later this week...Peace/Out