Off to Texas!!! Should be a great race, and I'm looking forward to it for a number of reasons, some of which I will mention here. But first off, lets congratulate 77GP on that impressive win at Martinsville... picking 1, 2, and 3 in order!!!! GReat job, buddy!!!

Also, we have a new points leader, Wayne!!! RocknSS04


1) RocknSS04 611 Leader
2) BocaReject 601 -10
3) Cowboy6622 592 -19
4) 77GP 582 -29
5) JuniorCar 566 - 45
6) lougreen03 556 -55
7) KidSpace 542 - 69
8) zjerry 511 -100
9) montecarlo3831 508 - 103
10) carlm54sl 374


Weird stat: The top 2 in MCF Fantasy points have still not won a race yet... the next 4 have...

This week is the first night race of the year, so get your picks in on time guys!!!

So I'm looking forward to Texas for a number of reasons. Statistically, this is Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s best 1.5 mile track, he got his first win here in 2000 and even on his off years, he runs decent here. This year, he has run good everywhere, but hasn't really ahd taht winning car yet.... but a top 10 car nonetheless. He was in the hunt for the win in the final laps at Martinsville, so we're seeing a breaht of life out of that 88 as we go into two of his better tracks in Texas and Talladega.

I'm also looking at this track as it is the second cookie cutter 1.5 mile track we go to. I think this is where we can get a good feel for who is hot this year and in the championship hunt, and who isn't. Although Harvick has been hot, he finished 17th at Las Vegas if that's any indication. He seems to do better on the longer, faster tracks... and Texas is fast.... also, Mark Martin is now the only driver to have completed every lap in 2011... kind of interesting.. and he has good stats at this place... but I do'nt know what to think of Lance McGrew on the pit box right now... I'll let Brent take his chances on Martin this week.

I'm also looking at the Ford's, a Ford won at Las Vegas in Carl Edwards, and the 1.5 mile tracks with banking are Ford kind of tracks, so I'm looking forward to seeing how this new FR9 engine stacks up at Texas. Let's see how the Roush guys, Edwards, Kenseth, Biffle, and Ragan do... but keep an eye on Ambrose and Allemdinger, the Petty Ford's.

Hendrick wasn't completely hot at Las Vegas, so we'll have to see just what those guys have on the mile and a halfs this year.. especially since that was one of the areas they were struggling in last year, and the only Hendrick car that was on fire at Vegas was Stewart, and tha'ts arguably not a Hendrick car (although I call it a "satelite car" to apply some Cold War lingo to it)

I'm staying away from the Toyota's as well.... yeah, Hamlin dominated in the fall race and won the spring race after Jeff Gordon crashed, but the thing is, I'm not betting on that Toyota dependability right now on these longer, faster tracks.... the only places they havne't had engine failures this year has been short tracks. Plus, Hamlin has that tendency to throw the team under the bus when the going gets tough... so although he may have grown out of that now, and although the Toyota's may have even resolved the issues, I'm not counting on it just yet.


My picks for this week, however....

1) Matt Kenseth
2) Kevin Harvick
3) Jimmie Johnson

EDIT: I did initially pick Carl Edwards... but for a good reason.... I didn't really think about Kenseth or Biffle enough to check my statistics.... and both of them have much more solid figures at Texas than Carl Edwards, who is a very "Feast of famine" kind of driver when it comes to Texas... I'm going with the guy who almost took this thing from Hamlin last fall to win it this spring. Plus, he's had some good cars this year... flat tire at Vegas and switching lanes at Martinsville set him back early, and he rallied to a good finish in both races... lets see what he's got for Texas!

Last Place: Landon Cassill
Cautions: 11
1st Caution: Debris

Top 10 Breakdown: 3 Ford's, 5 Chevrolets, 1 Toyota, 1 Dodge

 

Excellent rundown Historian, and thanks for the congrats. Doubt that will happen again. I am not sure this week but here goes.
1. Dale Jr.
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Jeff Gordon

All Chevys, is there any other way to go. I am going with Jr. since he showed some ability last week and seems to be improving overall Plus his confidence level has to be way up. Confidence plays a very major role, I learned that when I was racing. Giving up Harvick, although I do not know why, probably because you picked him. LOL.
Subject to change later this week. Haven't done my research....

 

For everyoen interested, here are some places I do research... I go on NASCAR.com and go to the drivers page, and check recent stats for that track... plus every Wednesday around 11:00, they post the Fantasy Showdown, where they pick a "stud, dud, and one to watch", plus there is usually an article on fantasy and a pre race show.

But lets focus on you again.... tell us about those racing days!! And it looks like you're going with a "3rd times a dud" mentality concerning Harvick?

 

I'm not ready to pick yet. But I will be pickin' Junior for sure! He's hot right now. And Texas is still his kinda track - not Martinsville. The car will need to be fast and stay fast all day to win, so I'm not expecting much of Martin (McGrew).

But its great to see a change in faith regarding Junior these days. Martinsville wasn't the one, but I think hope has changed to expectation again.

 

I hope our last second guys realize the race is Saturday night... of course, if they do miss, that gives the 3 of us who have already posted an easy ride to battling for the points lead.

 

Hi MCF Historian `Duane,
Real enjoy this thread since your creation. I won't be able to watch the Race Saturday night, but will try to listen on the radio...I will post my picks b-4 the start of the race.
I need some Racing Luck Picks 4-Sure

Thanks to NASCAR.com for their coverage for member's like me that can't always watch the Race & post some great recap's of the Race : )
Below is the Martinville's Recap...I EnJoyed & share it : )


Sights and Sounds: Relive all the intensity from M'ville
Click `if you want 2 relive the Experience it's about 3 min's
(At the end of above vid, the next one is about Dale Jr. )

 

I think the Race Rewind gives you a much better sense of what actually transpired in the race, 'Space. Look forward to your picks. I look forward to Texas as well.. I'm going to miss the first hour or so of the race because there is a cruise-in on every second Saturday that I would like to attend, and will thus miss the beginning of the race. I look forward to seeing the second half of it though! By the way, I edited my picks....

 

ima wait for some practices to go through then ill post my picks on here, but the reason i post like a hour before is because of work, we get rushes and then i have to rush to make my picks lol

1) Dale Jr
2)Carl Edwards
3)Jimmie Johnson

and yea cowboy i know its funny lol but i rushed to make all of those pick to cause of work, but this time i got to take my time so lets see how i do this week XD

 

Haha, yeah, I was worried about you and Wayne because of how you guys just barelly get it in there... yet you and Wayne are 1-2 in the points so maybe I should take a page out of that book.... and neither of you has actually scored the most points in a single race yet.... kind of neat.

 

Heres my picks
1)Dale Earhardt Jr
2)Jeff Gordon
3)Kevin Harvick