Preview: Goody's Fast Pain Relief 500

Readers, this is the first race that has the top-35 locked in. It became even more evident why everyone was trying so hard to lock in last week, when this week's qualifying was rained out. Unfortunately, I didn't get this posted as soon as I would have liked, but had Jimmie Johnson on the pole, but that doesn't matter. I am going to post my finish results by this afternoon. I have them already written down, so I will go ahead and post a rough order, but please check this after 2 PM CDT today if you want an updated version. I will also put a note in above the order I have chosen.

1. #24 - Jeff Gordon
2. #48 - Jimmie Johnson
3. #33 - Clint Bowyer
4. 18 - Kyle Busch
5. #29 - Kevin Harvick
6. #11 - Denny Hamlin
   
7. #88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr
8. #14 - Tony Stewart
9. #42 - Juan Montoya
   
10. #1 - Martin Truex Jr

Dark Horses

• #16 - Greg Biffle
• # 6 - David Ragan
• #31 - Jeff Burton
  

Pole:----- Lap Leader: Jeff Gordon

thanks for reading.
-DT

Clint Bowyer got in some donuts this week

His actual finish in California was 19th, and 1 lap down, but he was able to get some donuts in anyway.

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

Preview: Food City 500

Here we are, time again to return to Thunder Valley. Bristol Motor Speedway, the world's fastest half-mile. This eastern Tenn. track that always gets the fans riled up and ready to go. The next off week won't be for some time, but regardless, this is where the season really gets revved up. This year's Food City 500 brings to us many unusual situations, mainly I'm referencing the top 35, people being in danger: Mark Martin and Ryan Newman to name just two. However, this is NASCAR and I want to focus on the [potential] winners, here are my predictions for this weekend's race.

1. #2 - Kurt Busch : After winning 2 weeks ago in Atlanta, there is no reason for him to not try that backwards victory lap again. Kurt has had great success at Bristol with 5 wins. Keep an eye on the blue deuce this Sunday.
2. #29 - Kevin Harvick : Statistically Harvick may not be the lock-in choice for the 2nd spot, but with RCR's performance in this race last year coupled with the way the 29 Shell/Pennzoil team has been running, watch out for Harvick to be there at the end.
3. #33 - Clint Bowyer : It's the power of teammates again, Clint Bowyer should be on the heels of Harvick most of the weekend, the numbers in their Nationwide starts show them to be nearly equal. With the added power of Shane Wilson instead of Gil Martin, Bowyer should be a force at many more tracks this season.
4. #11 - Denny Hamlin : Hamlin has always been good at short tracks, honestly, he should of won this event last year, but due to a faulty oil pump, it left him wanting more with only a few laps left and a late-race restart.
5. #24 - Jeff Gordon : He's back, I wanted to pick him for the win, but I just don't think this is the track for Jeff to snap his losing streak. I'd really like to put him higher. Call it a hunch.
6. #1 - Martin Truex, Jr : He's the leading man at Earnhardt/Gannassi, he's been good here in the past, I just call into question the equipment. Regardless, I think Truex really has a chance to start turning the Bass Pro Shops team to the right direction.
7. #31 - Jeff Burton : He's not typically an aggressive guy that you would think of for Bristol, but the RCR stable has been great a short tracks lately and there is no reason for Burton to finish outside the top-10 (except that anything can happen at Bristol).
8. #18 - Kyle Busch : If he has any chance of winning the championship he should probably start doing that winning thing again, compared to last year, he's sort of behind. No, but seriously, The Brothers Busch are an excellent duo at Bristol. I think Kyle Should be strong, but others may be stronger.
9. #88 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. : This could be a good weekend for the 88 Amp crew. The thing that they need to concentrate on is working together, he doesn't need Tony Jr. getting riled up at him when tempers are already on edge at this half-mile speedway.
10. #5 - Mark Martin : Martin has always been a producer; he knows when it's time to go and if he doesn't go this weekend, he may be on the outside, looking in to the top 35. He's done great here before, he's also tried to go to victory lane a lap early here. Watch out, Mark just might be back.

Dark Horses

• #42 Juan Montoya - This track suits his style, if he can keep his temper under control , he just may be up there challenging by the end of the day.
• #6 David Ragan - This one is also pretty much a hunch. I really think he has a chance to do well here; the UPS Ford Team will end up in victory lane by season's end. Bristol could be that place.
• #14 Tony Stewart - Stewart can run well at Bristol, he too could have easily won this even last spring if it weren't for those meddling oil pumps. Stewart could very well challenge for at least a top-ten. This is an example of another team looking to turn it around.

Pole Qualifier: #24 Jeff Gordon
Lap Leader: #11 Denny Hamlin

Enjoy "racin' the way it oughtta' be". Next week, after the lock of the top 35, I will revamp my predictions for the final points standings. They shouldn't change much. Enjoy the races!
-DT

Recap: Shelby 427 and Kobalt tools 500

Well here I am again apologizing for missing a week. It's tough being in college and bogged down with all kinds of other priorities. Regardless, I was still at least able to watch the races.
The Shelby 427 let us know a few things about this season heading forward. Matt Kenseth is not immune to failure, he finished 43rd after losing an engine on lap 7. So that blew my predictions right there. However, Jeff Burton, who I had second, did finish 3rd behind a dark-horse pick of Clint Bowyer. Kyle Busch, though, was back at the top, and was able to incite the fire that lead him to so many victories last season. This was the first "standard" track of the year; yes, technically Autoclub speedway is "intermediate" but I don't like to consider the 2 mile tracks as intermidiate, they are all very different than the mile-and-a-half tracks.
I want to point out one thing. There were a lot of naysayers at the beginning of the season calling that Clint Bowyer will not make the chase. No, he hasn't won yet, but I think getting a crew chief other than Gil Martin was the best thing to happen to his career thus far. Las Vegas helped prove that. Martin probably would've called Bowyer in, he was never much of a gambler. However, Shane Wilson, #33 Crew Chief, did gamble and was able to keep Bowyer in second.

As far as Atlanta, I think there is more to come from the 33 Cheerios/Hamburger Helper team. I didn't get predictions posted, but I had some preliminary ones on paper, and Atlanta was more kind to them. RCR is back, Kevin Harvick, Clint Bowyer and Jeff Burton all had decent days at Atlanta. The exception would be the #07 Jack Daniel's team. If Casey Mears doesn't start producing, even top 10s I don't know how long he'll be in that team. Honestly, the first change I'd make would be putting Gil Martin back to the Nationwide series with the 29 Holiday Inn Monte Carlo and bringing up Dan Deeringhoff to coach the Jack Daniel's bunch.
It was a pretty interesting race, I don't understand why people don't believe Atlanta deserves two dates, I think they are entitled to both of them. That being said, I think it's time to give out the first "What in the world?" award of 2009 (I just made it an award instead of a feature): First recipient of the season, JIMMY WATTS. Although his name wasn't familiar before the race, the Gas-man for Marcos Ambrose's 47 Camry became a household name instantly. During the first round of green-flag pit-stops, a tire had gotten away from the crew. It didn't just get a little bit away, it was already a penalty for equipment leaving the box, that's not the award winning part. Mr. Watts, lacking judgement, decided to go after it, and when he couldn't catch it, he kept going and going, all the way to the infield while the cars were running at race-speed. NASCAR, with the safety of Mr. Watts being prime, threw the caution flag, thus trapping a majority of the cars off the lead lap. He was punished by NASCAR, suspended for the rest of the event and, announced Tuesday he will also be suspended until April 22nd. I don't know if he's the first Gasman to achieve suspension, but either way, Jimmy Watts, you are the "What in the World?" award winner for the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500!
However, honorable mention goes to Kurt Busch, who "after a few too many Miller Lites", along with some buddies, decided to do his victory lap in reverse. It appeared he would do the Polish victory lap, but instead put it in reverse and slowly drove around the track. I, for one, liked the inventive celebration, good job Kurt Busch.
Everyone enjoy the off-week (what an ironic statement) and be sure to come back next week as I'm going to revamp my championship predictions a little bit, now that we've been able to see who falls where after a few races.
Thanks for reading -
DT