Fearless Predictions: Milestone weekend
Friday, June 26, 2009 | 12:01 am
Where did the time go?
Earlier this week I received an email from NASCAR reminding me that this Sunday’s Sprint Cup Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in New Hampshire (11 a.m., TNT) marks the beginning of the Race to the Chase — the final 10 races for drivers to lock in a spot in the playoff by being one of the top 12 in points.
Both the IndyCar and NHRA Full Throttle series are at the midpoint of their schedules. Saturday’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway (5:45 p.m, Versus) is the eighth of 17 races, and the Summitt Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio (final eliminations on tape at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2) is the 12th of 24 NHRA events for 2009.
NASCAR’s other two national series are also nearing the halfway point with their races on Saturday. The Camping World Truck Series MemphisTravel.com 200 (3 p.m on SPEED) is the 11th of 25 scheduled races, and the Nationwide Camping World RV Sales 200 (noon, ESPN2 is the 16th of 35 races the series is slated for in 2009.
Locally, Evergreen Speedway is hosting its Mid-Season Championship on Saturday, with the Super Late Model, Super Figure 8, Street Stock, Mini-Stock and Stinger 8 divisions set to race. It won’t be time for the midseason races at Skagit Speedway for two more weeks, but this Saturday there will be plenty of action with the 360 and Sportsman Sprints, and Outlaw Hornets racing, as well as a demolition derby and stunt show featuring the always-impressive Mr. Dizzy.
Earlier this week I received an email from NASCAR reminding me that this Sunday’s Sprint Cup Lenox Industrial Tools 301 in New Hampshire (11 a.m., TNT) marks the beginning of the Race to the Chase — the final 10 races for drivers to lock in a spot in the playoff by being one of the top 12 in points.
Both the IndyCar and NHRA Full Throttle series are at the midpoint of their schedules. Saturday’s SunTrust Indy Challenge at Richmond International Raceway (5:45 p.m, Versus) is the eighth of 17 races, and the Summitt Racing Equipment NHRA Nationals at Norwalk, Ohio (final eliminations on tape at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN2) is the 12th of 24 NHRA events for 2009.
NASCAR’s other two national series are also nearing the halfway point with their races on Saturday. The Camping World Truck Series MemphisTravel.com 200 (3 p.m on SPEED) is the 11th of 25 scheduled races, and the Nationwide Camping World RV Sales 200 (noon, ESPN2 is the 16th of 35 races the series is slated for in 2009.
Locally, Evergreen Speedway is hosting its Mid-Season Championship on Saturday, with the Super Late Model, Super Figure 8, Street Stock, Mini-Stock and Stinger 8 divisions set to race. It won’t be time for the midseason races at Skagit Speedway for two more weeks, but this Saturday there will be plenty of action with the 360 and Sportsman Sprints, and Outlaw Hornets racing, as well as a demolition derby and stunt show featuring the always-impressive Mr. Dizzy.
NASCAR FACTS AND FIGURES
— There have been 22 NASCAR Nationwide races and 22 different winners at New Hampshire Motor Speedway. That’s the longest streak at an active track in any of NASCAR’s top three series. This weekend that streak could be snapped, as there are no less than seven previous winners entered: Jason Keller, Kenny Wallace, Kevin Harvick, Carl Edwards, Derrike Cope, Bobby Hamilton Jr. and Joe Nemechek.
— NASCAR Cup leader Tony Stewart looks to have a strong weekend. Since 2005 he’s the top-rated driver at New Hampshire with a racing of 106.1, has the top average running position (10.6) and the second-best average finish (12.5) behind Jeff Gordon (12.2).
— Speaking of Cup points, as the Race to the Chase begins this Sunday the bottom four drivers inside the top 12 ¬— Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya — are within 50 points of No. 13, Kasey Kahne. And No. 14 David Reutimann and No. 15 Jeff Burton are just 37 and 43 points, respectively, behind Kahne.
— Ron Hornaday’s NASCAR Trucks win last Saturday at The Milwaukee Mile was his series-leading 41st career victory, and marks the second time he’s won a race on his birthday. Hornaday, who also won on his birthday at Bristol in 1998, is one of just three drivers in NASCAR to celebrate that annual milestone in Victory Lane. Like Hornaday, the legendary Cale Yarborough did it twice, in 1977 and 1983, and Kyle Busch won the Cup race at Richmond this past May.
— NASCAR Cup leader Tony Stewart looks to have a strong weekend. Since 2005 he’s the top-rated driver at New Hampshire with a racing of 106.1, has the top average running position (10.6) and the second-best average finish (12.5) behind Jeff Gordon (12.2).
— Speaking of Cup points, as the Race to the Chase begins this Sunday the bottom four drivers inside the top 12 ¬— Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, Mark Martin and Juan Pablo Montoya — are within 50 points of No. 13, Kasey Kahne. And No. 14 David Reutimann and No. 15 Jeff Burton are just 37 and 43 points, respectively, behind Kahne.
— Ron Hornaday’s NASCAR Trucks win last Saturday at The Milwaukee Mile was his series-leading 41st career victory, and marks the second time he’s won a race on his birthday. Hornaday, who also won on his birthday at Bristol in 1998, is one of just three drivers in NASCAR to celebrate that annual milestone in Victory Lane. Like Hornaday, the legendary Cale Yarborough did it twice, in 1977 and 1983, and Kyle Busch won the Cup race at Richmond this past May.
SCORECARD AND PICKS
My picks have been pretty dismal of late, so here’s hoping the second half of the racing season I can recover. I just need a few correct — the figure-eight divisions at Evergreen Speedway and Pro Stock Motorcycle in NHRA — to complete the Grand Slam of Prognostication.
So let’s start the picks with the figure-eight racers at Evergreen, where I’m going to say two-time defending champion John Carlson climbs victory stage in the Super Figure 8 division and Cody Koroshes does the same for the Stinger 8s. I like Steve Ptacek in the Super Late Model, Tim Widener in the Street Stock and Jon Roberts in the Mini-Stock divisions to become the latest first-time winners.
For the NASCAR races, despite the serious funk Richard Childress Racing is in this season, I’m going out on a limb and picking Kevin Harvick to win the Cup and Clint Bowyer to win the Nationwide races at New Hampshire. For the Truck race at Memphis, let’s say Aric Almirola picks up the Elvis trophy.
I’ll take Dan Wheldon to win the IndyCar event at Richmond, and for the NHRA showdown in Ohio I’ll go with Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
So let’s start the picks with the figure-eight racers at Evergreen, where I’m going to say two-time defending champion John Carlson climbs victory stage in the Super Figure 8 division and Cody Koroshes does the same for the Stinger 8s. I like Steve Ptacek in the Super Late Model, Tim Widener in the Street Stock and Jon Roberts in the Mini-Stock divisions to become the latest first-time winners.
For the NASCAR races, despite the serious funk Richard Childress Racing is in this season, I’m going out on a limb and picking Kevin Harvick to win the Cup and Clint Bowyer to win the Nationwide races at New Hampshire. For the Truck race at Memphis, let’s say Aric Almirola picks up the Elvis trophy.
I’ll take Dan Wheldon to win the IndyCar event at Richmond, and for the NHRA showdown in Ohio I’ll go with Cory McClenathan (Top Fuel), Del Worsham (Funny Car), Allen Johnson (Pro Stock) and Matt Smith (Pro Stock Motorcycle).
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