Joe Gibbs Racing On Pace To Set Nationwide Records

by Matt Mercer, Special To Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I'm the new guy at Bench Racing and I'm supposed to be the younger perspective. I'm the guy behind The Catfish Show, which you can access through the links on the right.

July 7, 2008 9:52 am CDT 2 Comments

The two cars ran from the Joe Gibbs Racing shop could very well be headed towards history in the Nationwide Series. Taking a look at the stats following this week at Daytona, the level of domination has been nothing short of incredible. Consider that through 19 races in the season, the two cars from Gibbs, the #’s 18 and 20, have a total of 12 wins, 18 top 5s, and 20 top 10s. I’ve been trying to rack my brain and remember how many races one team has won in a season. Last season, RCR drivers Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton, and Clint Bowyer teamed up for 13. I know Roush has broken double digits as well. Personally, I’m more impressed with the Gibbs performance, because it has been done fielding one team full-time and one team part-time. Roush has put a mind-numbing 7 in the field in the past, and RCR used three last year.A lot of drivers and owners have been complaining that the Toyotas are much better than the Fords, Chevys, and Dodges, especially in this series. That’s possible, but I think it’s the result also of four supremely talented drivers – Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart, and Joey Logano – in good equipment. On the Cup side, Busch has won 6 times, Hamlin once, and Stewart has had multiple races slip from him. I enjoy seeing records broken, and I’m anxious to see what these guys can do throughout the rest of the year.Doing my best Bill Weber impression, I’ve done the research… so enjoy:

#20 – 9 wins 12 top 5s 14 top 10s

Daytona - Stewart - pole, 1st
California – Stewart – 1st
Las Vegas – Stewart – 27th
Atlanta – Busch – 24th
Bristol – Hamlin 26th
Nashville – Busch – 16th
Texas – Stewart – 10th
Phoenix – Hamlin – 3rd
Mexico City – Busch – 1st
Talladega – Stewart – pole, 1st
Richmond – Hamlin – 1st
Darlington – Stewart – 1st
Charlotte – Hamlin – 2nd
Dover – Logano – 6th
Nashville – Logano – pole, 31st
Kentucky – Logano – pole, 1st
Milwaukee – Logano – 2nd
New Hampshire – Stewart 1st
Daytona – Hamlin – 1st

#18 – 3 wins 6 top 5s 6 top 10s

Daytona – Busch - 2nd
California – N/A
Las Vegas – Busch – 31st
Atlanta – N/ABristol – N/A
Nashville – N/A
Texas – Busch – 1st
Phoenix – Busch – pole, 1st
Mexico City – N/A
Talladega – Busch – 16th
Richmond – N/A
Darlington – Hamlin – DNQ (!)
Charlotte – N/A
Dover – Hamlin – 1st
Nashville – N/A
Kentucky – Busch – 30th
Milwaukee – N/A
New Hampshire – Busch – 3rd
Daytona – Busch 2nd

Filed under: Busch Series, Clint Boyer, Daytona International Speedway, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Joey Logano, Kyle Busch, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, Richard Childress Racing, Roush Racing, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: Busch Series, Clint Bowyer, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Burton, Joe Gibbs Racing, Joey Logano, Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, NASCAR, Nationwide Series, rcr, Roush-Fenway Racing, Tony Stewart, Toyota

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Fantasy NASCAR Thoughts on the Coke Zero 400

by Charlie Turner

I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot.

July 5, 2008 8:53 am CDT No Comments

Tony Stewart remains win-less so far in the 2008 Sprint Cup Series. So close, so many times, it seems inevitable that Smoke will break through soon.

Stewart has the best Driver Rating - 108.1 - for Daytona International Speedway for the last seven races run in NASCAR’s Loop data stats. In fact Smoke has led 32.2% of all the laps run in those seven events - 415 total . He’s a two time Daytona winner. Often stated and maybe, overrated is the fact that Stewart has a history of getting hot when the weather does. He had the best car and led the most laps last week at Loudon, until the rain screwed him - and most of the rest of the field - up. Maybe that was a sign. But 2008 doesn’t have the feel of a Stewart championship season. Maybe it’s karma. I’d pick him this week, but not with confidence.

It ain’t all Smoke though.

Many of the drivers who have been tough this year, score poorly in Daytona Loop data.

2008 race winners, Carl Edwards, Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin have Driver Ratings of 78.1, 78.4 and 72.2 respectively. Newly re-signed, Roush- Fenway pilot Greg Biffle is tied with Elliott Sadler at 78.8.

Ryan Newman is second best, no doubt helped by his Daytona 500 win in February, with a Driver Rating of 98.6, but no individual stats jump out.

Jimmy Johnson is a past winner and third in the Loop DR with a 95.5. Johnson has run the most laps in the top 15 with 985 for 76.5% and has a series best Ave Position of 9.8.

Johnson is followed by the Busch brother tandem - Kyle at 95.3 and last week’s winner Kurt with a DR of 93.00. Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon are next, also in the 90’s. Earnhardt Junior, the former king of the plate tracks is tenth with a 87.5 Driver Rating and a couple wins.

I have to go with Stewart, but as I said, I’m not real sold on it. Other than Smoke, I like Dale Earnhardt Jr. He was strong in February and has been the best of the Hendrick Motorsport drivers so far in 2008.

For a dark-horse - and sooner or later you won’t be able to call him that - Red Bull Racing’s Brian Vickers.

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media, Inc.

Filed under: Car of Tomorrow, Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Denny Hamlin, Greg Biffle, Hendrick Motorsports, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Kasey Kahne, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, NASCAR Fantasy Gaming, Ryan Newman, Sprint Cup Series, Tony Stewart

Tagged with: blog, Brian Vickers, Coke Zero 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona, Jeff Gordon, Jimmy Johnson, Kyle Busch, Matt Kenseth, motorsports, NASCAR, Ryan Newman, Tony Stewart

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Coke Zero Taste of Victory Video

by Charlie Turner

I'm Charlie Turner co-host of the syndicated, mostly NASCAR radio show On Pit Row. Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. Oh yeah, Steve is an idiot.

July 4, 2008 8:53 am CDT No Comments

Coca Cola sent us this video promoting the Coke Zero 400 Challenge. It’s short and pretty funny. Check it out.