Congratulations Duane. My daughter graduates from college this year also. My picks:

1. Jimmy Johnson
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Jeff Gordon - just because....

 

I am the only one who voted for REgan Smith being the next drive to get screwed out of a win? No one remembers when he was screwed out of that win at Talladega in 2008?


Tony Stewart Regan Smith Talladega Finish 2008 - YouTube

 

I remember that one. I hope this is a really good race as I am excited to see it.

 

#1 JR. #2 HARVICK #3 JIMMIE JOHNSON

 

ood Morning. Ok I'm here. I think Dale JR has been racing his *** off the last month. he's come so close the last couple of races. So # 1 pick goes to The 88 car of DALE JR Then it has to go to Tony Stewart,Then I hate those two brothers. But just to get a win. I'd sayKY Bush. There's a reason I call him KY

 

Practice is today, qualifying tomorrow....

Last day of being a college student is today. I might have to borrow Brent's drinking hat tonight....


In the meantime, here are some fun Talladega stats...

20 -- Twenty races at Talladega have been decided by a last-lap pass (second only to Daytona's 23), including nine of the past 13 and the past four. Clint Bowyer, Jimmie Johnson, Dale Earnhardt and Cale Yarborough have the most last-lap wins, with two each. Three drivers were passed twice each: Earnhardt, Darrell Waltrip and Buddy Baker. Seven drivers have both won and lost on a last-lap pass: Johnson, Earnhardt, Waltrip, Kevin Harvick, Jeff Gordon, Brian Vickers and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

__________________________________________________ ___

Track Tidbits

.002 -- Five of the past six races at Talladega have had a margin of victory of less than one-tenth of a second, including the .002 MOV last spring, tied with Darlington (2003) as the closest since the inception of electronic scoring in 1993. The 'Dega MOV has been less than four-tenths of a second in the 30 races since (not including the seven that ended under caution).

6 -- There have been six green-white-checkered finishes at Talladega, ranking second behind only Daytona (nine) for the most at a track. The April 2010 race at 'Dega is the only race in series history to have three attempts at a G-W-C finish; it went an extra 12 laps (32 miles).

20 -- There have been 20 or more different leaders in each of the past 13 races at Talladega. It is the only track with races (eight) that have had 25 or more leaders. Two-car tandem racing led to 26 leaders in each of the past three races, and a series-record 29 in April 2010.

Recent Trends

3 -- Richard Childress Racing has won three of the past four races at Talladega and leads all teams with 12 wins (nine by Dale Earnhardt, who had 10 total; his first came in 1983 in the No. 15 Ford of Bud Moore). Only one current RCR driver has won at 'Dega: Kevin Harvick in April 2010. Clint Bowyer, now with Michael Waltrip Racing, has won the past two fall races.

4 -- Kurt Busch has finished a track-best third four times in 22 races at Talladega, most recently in April 2007. Busch has the most restrictor-plate race top-fives (17), top-10s (25) and laps led (372) of all drivers who have never won a restrictor-plate race. He has finished in the 30s in four of the past eight races at 'Dega, including three DNFs (crash).

7 -- Jimmie Johnson has seven DNFs (four crash, three engine) in 20 races at Talladega, three more than any other track. However, he has only two DNFs (both crashes) in the past 10 races and in the past 12 starts has two wins (including last spring), two runners-up and three other top-10s.

©Racing Resources and Services -- Statistics ©Racing Recall®

 

Fastest car in practice: Aric Almirola, in a BLUE OVAL!


But as we know, practice doens't mean much, qualifying means even less at Talladega.
Pos Car Driver Laps Best Speed Last Speed Avg. Speed Best Time Last Time Avg. Time
1 43 Aric Almirola 21 199.172 191.413 186.490 48.08 50.03 51.35
2 55 Michael Waltrip 21 198.343 188.556 183.711 48.28 50.79 52.12
3 17 Matt Kenseth 18 197.986 189.879 188.031 48.37 50.43 50.93
4 24 Jeff Gordon 17 197.843 192.626 189.013 48.40 49.71 50.66
5 29 Kevin Harvick 13 197.725 193.478 186.913 48.43 49.49 51.23
6 2 Brad Keselowski 30 197.623 192.921 189.737 48.46 49.64 50.47
7 13 Casey Mears 11 197.447 186.304 181.012 48.50 51.40 52.90
8 39 Ryan Newman 16 197.212 188.396 181.503 48.56 50.83 52.76
9 31 Jeff Burton 21 197.195 192.475 182.374 48.56 49.75 52.51
10 27 Paul Menard 10 197.151 197.122 172.429 48.57 48.58 55.54
11 34 David Ragan 16 197.106 188.645 188.986 48.58 50.76 50.67
12 14 Tony Stewart 26 197.033 188.824 186.236 48.60 50.71 51.42
13 11 Denny Hamlin 16 196.847 194.666 184.099 48.65 49.19 52.02
14 18 Kyle Busch 25 196.830 196.025 188.626 48.65 48.85 50.77
15 99 Carl Edwards 23 196.689 193.026 185.797 48.69 49.61 51.54
16 20 Joey Logano 16 196.628 193.337 186.158 48.70 49.53 51.44
17 56 Martin Truex Jr. 24 196.411 163.773 176.750 48.76 58.47 54.18
18 51 Kurt Busch 21 196.278 192.862 187.813 48.79 49.65 50.99
19 9 Marcos Ambrose 10 196.254 192.405 183.813 48.79 49.77 52.10
20 5 Kasey Kahne 19 195.888 191.084 179.730 48.88 50.11 53.28
21 42 Juan Pablo Montoya 16 195.832 194.417 183.066 48.90 49.26 52.31
22 15 Clint Bowyer 16 195.640 192.324 183.574 48.95 49.79 52.16
23 78 Regan Smith 12 195.425 131.187 180.716 49.00 73.00 52.99
24 16 Greg Biffle 15 195.257 132.919 176.890 49.04 72.04 54.14
25 1 Jamie McMurray 17 195.170 194.583 179.162 49.06 49.21 53.45
26 22 A.J. Allmendinger 11 194.872 194.872 171.933 49.14 49.14 55.70
27 88 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 15 194.741 194.480 186.969 49.17 49.24 51.22
28 32 Terry Labonte 14 190.609 188.086 178.296 50.24 50.91 53.71
29 21 Trevor Bayne 7 190.158 190.158 178.456 50.36 50.36 53.66
30 48 Jimmie Johnson 17 189.819 189.819 168.487 50.45 50.45 56.84
31 38 David Gilliland 7 189.193 189.193 178.532 50.62 50.62 53.64
32 26 Josh Wise 3 188.853 188.853 177.535 50.71 50.71 53.94
33 30 David Stremme 7 188.270 187.971 177.228 50.86 50.94 54.03
34 47 Bobby Labonte 8 188.038 188.038 177.933 50.93 50.93 53.82
35 97 Bill Elliott 3 187.651 187.651 176.130 51.03 51.03 54.37
36 10 David Reutimann 2 187.214 187.214 168.540 51.15 51.15 56.82
37 87 Joe Nemechek 3 186.896 186.896 176.907 51.24 51.24 54.13
38 49 J.J. Yeley 3 185.581 185.581 175.973 51.60 51.60 54.42
39 23 Robert Richardson Jr. 3 185.524 185.524 173.127 51.62 51.62 55.31
40 83 Landon Cassill 6 185.409 185.409 172.352 51.65 51.65 55.56
41 98 Michael McDowell 2 185.015 185.015 172.468 51.76 51.76 55.52
42 36 Dave Blaney 8 184.801 184.801 175.713 51.82 51.82 54.50
43 93 Travis Kvapil 6 184.242 184.235 173.063 51.98 51.98 55.33
44 33 Tony Raines 3 183.610 183.610 173.396 52.15 52.15 55.23

 

Ford top 3 fastest in final practice... but as I already confessed, practice and qualifying don't mean a thing at Talladega.

 

14-18-29

 

Im stickn with my original pics....(Page 1)

All Chevys....(the winningst manufacturer at Dega)

Almirola will fall by the wayside in his "blue oval"....(no restrictor plate experience)

Once again jimmy johnsons going to also continue his issues at Dega...
Gordon really cost me the last time i picked him....Hes still a failure! (Bad Pick)

Of course PYLE busch.... we all know hes gonna crash....early...
I cant wait for sunday...if its gonna be anything like the arca race.....
If your in the back.....Hang on...your more than likely going for a ride !!!
Like the corkscrew at Cedar Point....
(ask carl edwards) hehehehehehehehees

40mins til Qualifying

Thanks for the stats Duane...
But your right: Practice dont mean squat at Talladega !