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Fantasy Pick’Em: 2010 Daytona 500

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

February 10, 2010 6:48 pm CST 2 Comments

We’ll be two months and three weeks removed from the last points-paying NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race by the time the checkered flag drops at Daytona for the 52nd running of the Daytona 500.

Of course, everybody’s going to be extra hungry to take the checkered flag in the first and biggest race of the season - especially those drivers who are running limited schedules this season or others who failed to register a victory in 2009. But as we all know, only one will claim the victory and the Harley J. Earl Trophy.

This year’s fantasy column is going to run similarly to last year’s. I’ll pick five drivers with a shot to win, with one singled out as my pick and one left-field pick as my dark horse. It’s up to you folks playing fantasy racing games online to do the rest. Without further ado:

Tony Stewart is my pick to win the Daytona 500. Stewart-Haas Racing proved it was no pushover last year, and with a year under their belts they’ll be even stronger in 2010. Smoke is certainly hungry for a win in the 500, as his teammate (Ryan Newman) and crew chief (Darian Grubb) have both already won the biggest race. He’s got the stats to back him up too: In the 14 Daytona races since 2003, he has only failed to lead laps three times, and in both 2005 races he led over 100 laps. He’s also got three Daytona Cup wins, the most recent coming in last year’s Coke Zero 400.

My dark horse pick is another former Daytona winner, John Andretti. Running a dream schedule of major Cup events and likely the Indianapolis 500 this year, he’ll no longer have to worry about points racing and keeping a car in the top 35. He can run as hard as he wants when he races and go for victories. Keep in mind how Mark Martin elevated his game in 2007 with the pressure of points racing off his back, and nearly won the 500.

Three other drivers you can expect to do well on Sunday:

Marcos Ambrose has an average finish of 11.5, best among active drivers at Daytona. True, he’s only made two starts, but he hasn’t taken a big hit in the Cup cars, and he’s learned plenty from his Nationwide experience, including what it feels like to wreck at the superspeedway. He successfully avoided the accident at the end of last July’s race to finish sixth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. desperately needs a strong run after a dismal 2009 that saw him sink to 25th in points, his worst ever showing in Sprint Cup. He qualified second, a sign that he’ll be fast on race day, but he needs to avoid the bad luck that plagued him at Daytona (as well as seemingly everywhere else) last year.

Finally, one cannot count out pole sitter Mark Martin. Sunday will mark the third time in four races he’ll sit on the front row of a Cup race at Daytona, and his first pole at the track since the 1989 Pepsi 400, in which he finished 16th. But shockingly, Martin has never won a points-paying Sprint Cup event at his home track (he lives in nearby Port Orange); in his 50th start at the track, can the 51-year-old win the 52nd Daytona 500?

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona International Speedway, John Andretti, Marcos Ambrose, Mark Martin, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Tony Stewart 

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Sponsor Switches in NASCAR Just Part of the Business

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

December 24, 2009 4:41 pm CST No Comments

I saw the weirdest thing a few days ago.

I was in the middle of one of my thrice-daily Jayski.com runs, checking the paint scheme gallery for some of the cars that will run next year, when I saw a No. 99 Roush Fenway Racing Ford for Carl Edwards that had Kellogg’s and Cheez-It decals plastered all over it.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I had been aware of this sponsorship switch for at least a month. I knew it was coming. But something about seeing a tangible representation of the scheme just felt weird.

For one, it maintained the bright yellow that Kellogg’s had been using with Hendrick Motorsports since 2004, as well as the red and blue that had been accent colors. I knew they were Kellogg’s colors, but something about them felt more like Hendrick colors. Keep in mind that before Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the team, all four cars ran that shade of yellow in their numbers. The blue also matched up best with CarQuest Auto Parts, a remaining Hendrick sponsor that had partnered with Kellogg’s on the No. 5 car for the past few years.

It felt kind of like a Hendrick Motorsports Ford, and kind of like somebody’s Photoshop project for a NASCAR computer gaming website. It felt like one of those ideas that sounded good at the time, but didn’t quite work out.

That’s when I remembered that it was a real car, due to hit the track in 2010, and that the 16-year relationship between Hendrick and Kellogg’s was no more.

It’s just part of the business - sponsors go wherever they feel they can get the most bang for their buck. Two races with the young and fit Carl Edwards made more sense to company execs than 18 races with the older (but similarly fit, and better performing on-track) Mark Martin.

Sponsor loyalty cannot be relied upon in the business anymore. How else can one explain Valvoline returning to Roush in a primary sponsorship role with Matt Kenseth next year, nine years after leaving Mark Martin for an ill-fated experiment in team ownership?

For what other reason would Subway shift its loyalty from Greg Biffle to Tony Stewart to Carl Edwards over the past three years?

It happens with every team, both big and small. Richard Childress Racing snagged two defectors; Caterpillar ended a 10-year relationship with Bill Davis Racing after the 2008 season to back Jeff Burton, while Cheerios ended an eight-year pact with Petty Enterprises to sponsor Clint Bowyer. Budweiser spent seven years with DEI from 2001 to 2007 before putting their money on Kasey Kahne when Earnhardt Jr. left. DeWalt had been with Kenseth since the late 1990s before leaving this year, although the company has chalked that up to not having the marketing dollars.

Regardless, it’s rare to see a driver, team, and sponsor stick with one another for any significant length of time anymore. We just don’t see as many Richard Petty-STP, Robert Yates-Texaco, or Morgan-McClure Motorsports-Kodak combinations anymore.

Sure, there will always be a DuPont car for Jeff Gordon, a Lowe’s car for Jimmie Johnson, and a Menards car for Paul Menard. Miller Lite will continue to adorn the hood of a Penske car, Interstate Batteries and the Home Depot will stay with Joe Gibbs Racing, and Michael Waltrip will always be able to bank on NAPA sponsorship dollars. Red Bull owns its own team. Aside from that, it’s a free-for-all.

NASCAR has gotten considerably more expensive as of late, with most team owners fielding at least two to three cars. Everybody wants to have four. This facilitates an environment in which sponsors are, as of late, less willing to be patient or stick with a good thing in place. Instead, they’re always trying to take the next step up, looking for a way to align themselves with a better driver for less money, even if it means sponsoring fewer races.

It’s unfortunate that it’s the way of the business, but it’s the nature of the beast these days. So when you see Jeff Gordon rejoin the Coca-Cola Racing Family, Tony Stewart appear on Cheerios and Wheaties boxes, or Joey Logano someday pitching Budweiser, don’t say I didn’t warn you.

I mean, Mark Martin’s a GoDaddy driver now, after all. It can’t make any less sense than that.

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Hendrick Motorsports, Mark Martin, Matt Kenseth, Roush Racing 

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Pat Tryson May Get Kicked Out of the Crew Chief Union

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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. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

November 14, 2009 10:09 am CST No Comments

Well that’s what Mindy thinks anyway. I mean how can a guy show up one day a week and out think 42 full-timers on the pit boxes of NASCAR?

Mindy has a business proposition for JR Motorsports too. It’s all here in the latest Monday Morning Crew Chief video with our Mindy Monday. Watch it now.

Get the Flash Player to see the wordTube Media Player.

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Chase for the Cup, Danica Patrick, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, Monday Morning Crew Chief, NASCAR, NASCAR video, Penske Racing, Texas Motor Speedway, jimmie johnson 

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The Busch Brothers Crashed the Hendrick Party at Texas

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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. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

November 13, 2009 2:36 pm CST No Comments

The Chase to the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Championship has turned into an intramural match race for Hendrick Motorsports teammates Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin and Jimmie Johnson.

Not what most of the subjects of the Kingdom of France wanted it seems. But that’s what we have.

Jimmie still has a headlock on the Cup if you ask me. But that’s why they run the races.

At least the Busch brothers made for a little drama at TMS.

I was really pulling for Kyle Busch to pull off the weekend sweep of the three top series events. Maybe this week he can.

And Kurt Busch continues to show - along with Kasey Kahne - that Dodge isn’t ready to act like Fiat did in the 70s and pull out of the market.

On to Phoenix.

Photo credit: Round girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler - On Pit Row

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, Jeff Gordon, Kurt Busch, Kyle Busch, Mark Martin, NASCAR, Sprint Cup Series, Texas Motor Speedway, jimmie johnson 

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Martin Realistic After Johnson’s Debacle At Texas

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

November 9, 2009 8:41 pm CST No Comments

Despite gaining 111 points on defending champion Jimmie Johnson in Sprint Cup points after the Dickies 500 at Texas, Mark Martin isn’t expecting his Hendrick Motorsports teammate to gift-wrap the title based on one poor performance.

Rather, the one they call “The Kid” is expecting a fight in the final two races just to stay a bridesmaid.

“I still have got my hands full for the top-six positions with all those guys — two guys that knocked me out of championships are breathing down my neck, so the race is still on,” Martin, 50, told the media after the race, in which he finished fourth. “I don’t know why everybody tries to cap this thing out and doesn’t just wait and watch. There are still two races to go and still things that can happen.”

One of those things happened to Johnson early in the race, after Sam Hornish Jr. sent him into the wall before the race was five minutes old. Losing dozens of laps while in the garage for repairs, Johnson returned to the track to finish 38th.

What had been a gimme championship, considering Johnson’s track record over the past few years, is now slightly more interesting.

True, Martin left 35 points on the table by failing to win and/or lead the most laps at Texas; the No. 5 car didn’t see the lead all day. A 38-point difference is much easier to overcome than one of 73 points - in the former scenario, were Martin to win at Phoenix, Johnson would lose the lead by finishing outside of the top five. In reality, Johnson only needs to crack the top 15, something that he has never failed to do at Phoenix.

That’s right. Johnson’s worst Phoenix finish is 15th, which occurred both in the fall of 2002 and the spring of 2005.

When a driver accrues as many strong finishes as Johnson has over the past few Chases, it’s easy and realistic for a driver to concede the title a few weeks early. But if any driver can challenge Johnson, it’s going to have to be Martin, who is the only driver within two figures of the three-time champ heading into the final two races of the season.

But while anything can happen (or has happened) to knock challengers out of title contention, even the almighty Jimmie Johnson is not immune to misfortune.

So while Mark Martin can talk about Johnson’s track record all he wants, there’s nothing to say that the same exact thing won’t happen next weekend at Phoenix. Being realistic is a positive, but resigning oneself to a bridesmaid?

Considering the way that 1990, 1994, 1998, and 2002 worked for him, it seems that second-place finishes are being realistic for NASCAR’s elder statesman.

Filed under: Chase for the Cup, Mark Martin, jimmie johnson 

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One and Done: Dickies 500

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by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary,NASCAR video,NASCAR pictures, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

If OnPitRow.com was a NASCAR team, I’d be the development driver of the bunch. In the same way that young hotshots like Joey Logano have been driving since they were in grade school, I’ve been following and writing about all forms of motorsports since I was barely old enough to talk.

November 5, 2009 11:35 am CST No Comments

Three races remain on the Sprint Cup Series schedule as the teams head to Fort Worth for the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. This is the third and final “cookie cutter” (1.5-mile tri-oval) race of the Chase, and its defending champion is Carl Edwards.

Going into Texas, the championship is all but settled, as Jimmie Johnson only needs to finish 10th or better in the next three races, even if second-place Mark Martin wins all of the next three races and leads the most laps, to clinch the title. It’s a magnificent achievement if Johnson can pull it off, as it will be his fourth consecutive title (a Sprint Cup record). A 10th-place finish should be easy for Johnson at Texas, who has only failed to finish in the top 10 three times in 12 starts at Texas.

And, oh yeah, there are other drivers competing too. Sorry, forgot about that. Since this column is about One and Done, and I have a format that I prefer to follow, I’ll get into some other picks too. But first and foremost of those picks:

Jimmie Johnson (avg. fn. 8.5): With one win and three second place finishes in his last six Texas starts, he’s just too good. Does anybody else think it’s time to Jimmie-proof the Chase? Texas wants to move this race date anyway - it’s the opening week of deer hunting season in the state.

Tony Stewart (avg. fn. 12.6): He won this race in 2006, led laps here in the spring and has an average finish of 8.5 in the four times Texas has had a November date. It’s not on par with Johnson, but it’s the best you’re going to get.

Carl Edwards (avg. fn. 13.4): Look, I know Cousin Carl hasn’t been himself this year. The broken foot doesn’t help. And to be honest, his Texas record isn’t all that impressive other than the three wins - his only other top 10 was a 10th this spring. But hey, he does have two more wins than Johnson here, and in three less starts - meaning he wins at a 33.3% clip. I think that even despite his off year in 2009, that winning percentage merits a long, hard look.

Mark Martin (avg. fn. 13.8): Martin has no choice but to do well at Texas. After his wild ride at Talladega, he’s mired in quite a hole in points, 184 back of Johnson. Simply put, he has to win, and not only win, but dominate. They’ve been hot and cold all season; this weekend we’ll see how good the 5 team really is.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (avg. fn. 13.9): I know, I’m breaking my own rule - no picking drivers outside the Chase - but this one just felt right. Junior had six top 10 finishes in his first seven Texas starts, winning the first, and has led at least one lap in all of the past six Texas races. He also had the best driver rating last week at Talladega, and you never know what even the weakest link in the Hendrick Motorsports chain can do with a little bit of momentum.

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing, Tony Stewart, jimmie johnson 

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