Stock Car Insider – July 10th Issue

Upcoming Events in the World of NASCAR

Next week, the NASCAR Nextel Cup teams head to the largest sporting venue in the Northeast, New Hampshire International Speedway, NIS. As it turns out, the friendly residents of New Hampshire who live by the state creed of “Live Free or Die” are huge NASCAR fans and regularly pack the seats to the tune of 100,000+.

The mile long oval with its low-banked turns can be considered a close relative to Martinsville Speedway. Just like at Martinsville, the racing at NIS offers hard-braking & nail-biting passing in the turns but with the added benefit of a second grove. Drivers push their cars and each other to the limits as they jockey for position and sometimes “lean” on each other for support.

Of all current drivers with 2 or more career starts at New Hampshire, Ryan Newman, who also holds the track qualifying record with a speed of 133.357mph and who sports an average finish of 8th, leads the pack.

Also expect the following drivers to do well next week:

Other drivers to note:

Jimmie Johnson – Average Finish 9th

Matt Kenseth – Average Finish 11th

Mark Martin – Average Finish 12th

Next Week’s Schedule:

Nextel Cup: @ New Hampshire International Speedway

7/15/06 – 10:05pm NASCAR Nextel Cup LENOX Industrial Tools 300 Practice

7/14/06 – 03:10pm NASCAR Nextel Cup LENOX Industrial Tools 300 Qualifying

7/16/06 – 02:10pm NASCAR Nextel LENOX Industrial Tools 300

Busch Series: @ New Hampshire International Speedway

7/14/06 – 02:00pm NASCAR Busch Series New England 200 Practice

7/15/06 – 03:10pm NASCAR Busch Series New England 200 Qualifying

7/15/06 – 03:00pm NASCAR Busch Series New England 200

Craftsman Truck Series: @ Memphis Motorsports Park

7/14/06 – 07:45pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly 200 Practice

7/15/06 – 05:00pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly 200 Qualifying

7/15/06 – 08:15pm NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series O’Reilly 200

Who’s Hot?

It always helps when your Belgian supermodel girlfriend says, “I do”, and it certainly has helped Jeff Gordon. Now I don’t mean to discredit all the hard work put in by the countless number of employs at Hendrick Motorsports and I definitely do not mean to discredit Jeff Gordon’s driving abilities, but the only difference between the last 3 weeks and the first 15 races of the 2006 season (and not to mention all of the 2005 season) is that Jeff has a new future wife in Ingrid Vandebosch.

I’ve done some research of my own, and have determined that if I were to pick my very own supermodel to assist in my racing career, that she would indeed have to be from Belgium. To no avail, I’ve been racking my brain trying to determine a clever way to weave Belgian supermodels back into a NASCAR track for success. It’s just that Belgium is a land of beautiful people.

All jokes aside, Gordon is driving like his a$$ is on fire, and it’s up to the competition to figure who or what lit it. He has won 2 of the last 3 races, and now sits in 10th position in the driver’s standings. Next week at New Hampshire International Speedway, expect Gordon to keep the fire burning. In 22 races at NIS, he finishes in the top ten 55%, and in the top five 41% of the time.

Perhaps Tony Stewart, and the rest of the backsliders who are dropping down the points standings, needs to visit a few Belgium mail-order bride sites.

Who’s Not?

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that Carl Edwards is a definite non-qualifier for the Chase for the Championship. Currently, Carl sits 193 points out of tenth and 625 points out of first.

After a dazzling rookie season, many set high expectations for Carl and thought he would back flip his way through the 2006 Nextel Cup schedule. However, the careers of all NASCAR drivers can be compared to a race at Bristol. Sometimes you’re racing in the inside grove smoking everyone, sometimes you’re in the outside grove watching everyone smoke you, and sometimes you’re going around the track a$$-end first looking at your competitors in eye before they dip down to pass you. Right now, I would say Carl is definitely in the outside grove watching the world go by.

Carl’s performance at Chicagoland Speedway left a lot on the table for a Roush driver who normally dominates the 1 1/2 mile super speedway events. Carl’s 20th place finish is all drivers like Greg Biffle, Denny Hamlin, and Jeff Gordon needed to give them a chance to make the Chase for the Championship.

Last Week’s Headlines

There were a number of winners at yesterday’s USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway. The principal winner was Jeff Gordon who had the car to beat for most of the day. After starting 13th, Gordon rocketed his way to the front before making a pit stop that would leave him behind the leaders for much of the day. However, when the time was right, Gordon pushed his way to the front and outlasted a gasoline starved field to take the checkered flag.

The other big winner of the day was NASCAR’s “Car of Tomorrow” set to make its debut next year. The “Car of Tomorrow” has received lots of flack from NASCAR purists who think the car’s boxy look and rear-winged spoiler make it even further removed from a stock car. However, NASCAR’s intentions in developing this car were to make for better side by side racing.

Future races at Chicagoland, and at every other 1 1/2 mile super speedway, will be more entertaining because the “Car of Tomorrow” will allow the drivers trailing the leader to make runs at the leader. Often times during the USG Sheetrock 400, the car in front wasn’t the most powerful or the best handling car on the track. Instead, it had the benefit of breathing clean, less turbulent air. The cars following the leader couldn’t make runs or even pass the leader while bouncing around in his turbulent wake. Not until Matt Kenseth was slowed by Casey Mears could Jeff Gordon make his winning move (or wrecking move as some angry fans will call it).

Other key finishes of the day were Tony Stewart (32nd) who slid fast after running out of gas with two laps to go. Matt Kenseth fell on hard times after getting the boot from Jeff Gordon. Shortly after in the ensuing caution, Kenseth also ran out of gas. He was able to recoup, and explode across the start/finish line in 21st place sideways.

Kenseth’s finish moved him 48 points out of first place currently occupied by Jimmie Johnson. Jimmie had a non-eventful yet typical day finishing 6th after starting 5th.

The big point’s mover of the day was Jeff Burton who finished in 2nd place. Burton gained 3 spots in the points, and now occupies 4th.

Yesterday’s USG Sheetrock 400 at Chicagoland Speedway marked the halfway point in the 2006 Nextel Cup season. The race featured 18 lead changes between 10 different drivers, and 8 total cautions.