Latest Headlines

Comments

J.C. McKinney on Dave Marcis vs Terry Labonte: NASCAR’s 64 Greatest Drivers Match Up
Earl Stoudt on NASCAR Pictures from Pocono Raceway Saturday
Pauline on NASCAR Transporters
C5Speed on Would You Rather be NASCAR Driver Kyle Busch or Dale Earnhardt Jr?
steve schloz on NASCAR! Danica Patrick and Tissot Watches are Giving it Away

Sections

Fantasy Pick’Em: 2011 Coke Zero 400

by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2012 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I do weekly Fantasy Pick'Em columns here at OPR, as well as the occasional opinion and analysis piece. I also provide the IZOD IndyCar Series coverage. For more on that, head to my site, OpenWheelAmerica.com. My Twitter handle is @christopherlion.

July 1, 2011 8:57 pm UTC No Comments

#88 Dale Earnhardt Jr Michigan International Speedway spr heisler 11

Ah, Daytona. The crapshoot of the year in the Sprint Cup Series (apologies, Talladega; that’s just the way it is until your race becomes the equivalent of the Daytona 500 and a 20-year-old wins it). And, thus, a complete and utter Charlie Foxtrot (if you get what I’m saying) for fantasy NASCAR team owners.

Let me put it this way: there is nothing that I can do to help you this weekend.

Chances are, if I make three picks like I usually do, two will be good cars. One, if not both, of them will get caught up in an accident late in the race, possibly running in one of a likely three green-white-checkered finishes. The third will be slow as hell but wind up 20th due to the accidents, and you’ll come out of the weekend wishing you’d have listened to this advice instead of listening to any particular driver that I picked.

That’s precisely the reason why I delayed this column to the day before the race. Sure, you can look at the speed charts in the one practice session from yesterday, or who’s starting where in the field, but it may not do you much help. Mark Martin‘s on the pole, with the aforementioned Trevor Bayne starting alongside him, if that helps any.

But let’s be honest. If the stars align, anyway, and a bunch of bad things don’t happen, there’s only one guy in the field that can win this race anyway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., of course.

Think about it. The No. 88 team has been so close these past couple of months. There was the disappointment in the Coca-Cola 600 of running out of fuel on the very last lap when they absolutely could have won that race. There have been plenty of strong runs all season. They’re gelling as a team since Steve Letarte and the crew were shifted away from Jeff Gordon in the offseason, and now that they get to work with the dynamic duo (Jimmie Johnson/Chad Knaus) in the Hendrick shops.

Add that to Earnhardt Jr.’s history at Daytona, which need not be explained once again, and you can only come up with a two word statement: It’s time.

It’s time for Junior Nation to get excited. It’s time for them to celebrate a driver who is undergoing a career renaissance with one of the sport’s biggest teams. But most of all, it’s time for them to help their driver celebrate his first win in over three years on Saturday night.

Junior for the win. Calling it right now.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona International Speedway, NASCAR Fantasy Gaming

Tagged with: Coke Zero 400, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Fantasy Pick'Em, Mark Martin, Trevor Bayne

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

NASCAR Video: Post-Daytona Fast Lap Show

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

July 14, 2010 10:49 am UTC No Comments

The Coke Zero 400 was the big race in Daytona. But it was the NASCAR Nationwide Series’ Subway Jalapeno 250 that stole the weekend. And this time, it wasn’t Danica Patrick grabbing the NASCAR news. Dale Earnhardt Jr and his Wrangler sponsored #3 car won that race. Charlie and Steve stirred the pot too.

[media id=41]

Turn 1 – When “The Big One” happens on a plate track, is it inevitable or is it really, always, Kurt Busch’s fault?

Turn 2 – “America’s Race Team” will sell partnerships to NASCAR fans, as a way to fund the new Cup team. Can it work?

Turn 3 – Dale Earnhardt Jr says he has driven the no. 3 for the last time. Is that a good, or bad thing for the sport?

Turn 4 – Was the Nationwide Series race on Friday at Daytona fixed?

Let us know what you think. Leave your opinions in the comment section.

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona International Speedway, Fast Lap Posts, Fast Lap video, Kurt Busch, NASCAR, NASCAR Rumors, NASCAR video, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: America's Race Team, Coke Zero 400, Fast Lap Show, Subway Jalapeno 250

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

Fast Laps: Chicagoland

by Matt Mercer, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2012 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

I'm the former blogger of The Catfish Show NASCAR Blog and a contributor to On Pit Row. Follow me on Twitter: @mattmercer

July 8, 2009 6:26 pm UTC 5 Comments

This may be for Chicagoland, but I’m still hung up on the finish of the Coke Zero 400. If you’re reading this you know the deal. Kyle Busch comes out of turn 4, blocks Tony Stewart, Stewart moves to the outside, Busch tries to block, gets spun, get’s clobbered. Twice. The finishes of these plate races has officially jumped the shark. We now know that the leader at the end of the race will end up in the wall just before the start/finish line. It’s not anyone’s fault, per se. The drivers have voiced frustration at NASCAR for the situation they’re put in. I began thinking, is there anything that can change? I started looking at some plate races from the late 90s when the fad was diving below the line on the front and backstretch. Perhaps the most famous example was Jeff Gordon diving below race leader Rusty Wallace with 11 laps to go heading into turn 1 with a slowed Ricky Rudd on the apron. Gordon was just a few feet from Rudd when Wallace moved up, gave Gordon the room on the inside, and watched him win his 2nd Daytona 500. Today, Rusty says he wouldn’t have given Gordon the room. If the yellow-line rule is lifted, would we see a situation like that again? Who knows. I just know that something’s got to be done to change the finishes of these races, because I’ll take the money in my pockets and bet someone all the money in theirs that the finish at the fall race at Talladega will look very similar to those that saw Brad Keselowski and Tony Stewart end up in victory lane instead of Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch.

Now it’s your turn to do battle with Steve and Charlie, along with who else might show up. 100 words, 100% attitude. Let’s roll:

1. Will someone get killed during one these plate race finishes, as suggested by Carl Edwards?

2. Has the yellow-line rule outlived its usefulness?

3. What will Martin Truex Jr. do in his first year at MWR?

4. Does Chicagoland deserve a second race ahead of Kansas?

Photo credit: Icon Sports Media

Filed under: Brad Kesolowski, Carl Edwards, Chicagoland Speedway, Daytona 500, Daytona International Speedway, Jeff Gordon, NASCAR, Rusty Wallace, Sprint Cup Series, Talladega Superspeedway

Tagged with: Brad Keselowski, Chicagoland Speedway, Coke Zero 400, Daytona 500, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr., Michael Waltrip Racing, NASCAR, Rusty Wallace, Sprint Cup Series, Tony Stewart

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

Sandwiches for Everyone! Make Steve’s Crow

by Mindy Monday, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2012 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

July 4, 2009 10:02 am UTC 1 Comment

[media id=9]

Steve’s bold claim that Joey Logano wouldn’t make it to the July date in Daytona didn’t get by Mindy Monday. Neither did Charlie’s prediction of a Sliced Bread win before the 4th.

Speaking of the 4th – where the hell did the Firecracker 400 go anyway?

There’s more, including Danica, man-boobs and Tony George. Watch the newsest Monday Morning Crew Chief.

Filed under: Danica Patrick, Daytona International Speedway, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Joey Logano, Monday Morning Crew Chief, NASCAR, NASCAR video, On Pit Row The Fastest Two Hours on Radio

Tagged with: Coke Zero 400, Mindy Monday, Tony George

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

Daytona Fantasy Racing Live Chat: Thursday at 7 PM ET

by Charlie Turner

July 2, 2009 11:07 am UTC No Comments

Join us tonight on the Bench Racers Live page for an hour or more of live NASCAR fantasy racing advice and discussion.

You can sign up to be reminded in the box below. Hope you can stop by as Ryan Rantz shares his expertise for the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca Cola at Daytona International Speedway.

Filed under: Daytona International Speedway, Live blogs, NASCAR, NASCAR Fantasy Gaming, Sprint Cup Series

Tagged with: Coke Zero 400, Fantasy live chat

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

One and Done: Coke Zero 400

by Chris Leone, Special To NASCAR commentary and driver pictures, 2012 NASCAR schedule, video, Bench Racing With Steve and Charlie

July 2, 2009 12:39 am UTC 1 Comment

The Coke Zero 400 signals the halfway mark of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season. When the winner crosses the finish line on Saturday night, we’ll be 18 races into the 36-race season, and only eight events away from the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The venue is historic Daytona International Speedway, site of the season-opening Daytona 500 and the birthplace of the sport.

Daytona, like its restrictor-plate superspeedway cousin Talladega, is often wildly unpredictable, with top cars often getting taken out of the race due to the “big one.” Surviving a restrictor-plate race is all about luck. It’s about not getting shuffled to the back of the pack at the wrong time, and not running into the back of another car during the wrecks.

But, assuming we have one of those rare restrictor-plate races where no crash occurs and everybody survives, here are some picks:

Marcos Ambrose: It’s Daytona. Crashes happen. Crazy things happen. Anybody can, provided they avoid the big one, win this race. Ambrose avoided trouble in his first Daytona start, has run solidly all season, and could, just as easily as anybody, avoid the wrecks this time around and win. Then again, so could anybody. It’s always a crapshoot.

Matt Kenseth: Well, he did win the Daytona 500… At the same time, he’s also got an incredible record in summer Daytona races, finishing in the top 10 in five of the past six races.

Kyle Busch: You know how it is with Shrub. He’s a factor to win every week, and the defending champion of this race. And if we know anything about Shrub, just because he triggered a melee last weekend, doesn’t mean he won’t be afraid to set off an even bigger one on the superspeedway. He’s going to make every move available to win the race.

Jeff Gordon: You know, neither Gordon or teammate Jimmie Johnson has been too stellar over the past few years at Daytona, aside from a fifth by Gordon in this race two years ago. But Gordon’s led laps in his past four Daytona races, and 12 of his past 15 starts at the track. It’s a solid bet that you can’t keep him down for long.

Tony Stewart: At this stage of the game, Stewart-Haas is one of the top teams on the circuit, and Smoke’s the undisputed leader. He’s won at Daytona before, and this is traditionally the time of year he starts to heat up. Imagine Smoke getting even better? That’s a scary thought for the opposition.

Filed under: One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing

Tagged with: Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway, One and Done NASCAR Fantasy Racing

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

« Previous Articles