Fantasy NASCAR: Brickyard 400

The most prestigious race track in the world will be occupied by nearly 300,000 spectators this weekend when the NASCAR series takes to Indianapolis. Since 1994 the series had made their annual stop in the middle of the summer whereas the Indy circuit stops here during Memorial Day Weekend. The winners of the Brickyard 400 are a list of who's who. From Jeff Gordon to Bill Elliot the best drivers show up to race and at the end, kiss the bricks.

The drivers are coming off of a bye week in preparation for this event. Teams have had time to set up and tweak as much as they can. Now it is showtime on this 2.5-mile track. It's a long flat track with four distinct turns making the track look much like a square rather than an oval. Consider this the Kentucky Derby of NASCAR and here's how the hundreds of horses finish.

1. Jimmie Johnson - It's a coin-flip for me. How can you go against Jimmie Johnson. He won here last year and in 2006. Last year Johnson started on the pole and won. It all depends on where Johnson starts. When he starts 10th or worse his average finish is 28th when he starts 9th or better his average finish is 14th.
2. Tony Stewart - Then again, how can you go against Tony Stewart. He won in 2005 & 2007. He is an Indianapolis boy and has been the best driver by far this year. In the last 10 races here he is 2nd in points with 6 top 10s.
3. Mark Martin - If Tony Stewart is the best driver this year then Mark Martin is the hottest. All the pieces are falling together and with some great Hendrick Motors parts and excellent teammates, his confidence is at an all time high. Over the last 10 races here Martin is 4th in points with 5 top-10 finishes.
4. Jamie McMurray - The Wild Card. In six career races here he has finished in the top-10 in three of them. In 2007 McMurray finished 21 laps down, the only time he has failed to finish on the lead lap. I have a feeling about him coming on strong this week.
5. Matt Kenseth - Another Roush Racing car to finish in the top 5. Remember way back when at the beginning of the year when he won the first two races? Well mark this race as the race that gets him off the bubble as he currently sits 12th in points. In 9 races Kenseth has 4 top 5's.

And Now You Know!: NASCAR HOF

Finally, the nominations are in for the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. How many people can you put in an inaugural hall of fame class? That is the debate brewing in NASCAR these days. The first class won't be until 2010 but with so many historic drivers in the last 50+ years, can they all go in first-class?

MLB had five in their first class. There was Cobb, Ruth, Wagner, Mathewson, and Walter Johnson. These five players received the required 75% of the vote to get into the hall. Lately, it seems as if only a few players each year are elected into the Hall as voters are very cautious who they let into the fraternity of brothers.

In the NBA in 1959 there was an inaugural induction class consisting of 15 players, coaches, referees, and contributors along with the First Team and the Original Celtics. Not exactly a list of the big names going in on the first ballot for the NBA, in fact the only name you might recognize is Dr. James Naismith. Every year the NBA lets in a half-dozen or so members as their Hall expands exponentially.

The NHL opened their doors in 1945 allowing 12 players to enter on first ballot along with two builders of the game. Of those 14members, it'd be hard to find one name that stood out amongst all others but at the time the NHL felt all men were worthy of the Hall.

In the Pro Football Hall of Fame it consists of more than just the NFL's short existence. The Hall of fame opened it's doors in 1963 shortly around the time of the merger. The inaugural class had 17 members some more prolific than others including Jim Thorpe, George Halas, and Red Grange, to name a few.

So that brings us back to the NASCAR inaugural class. Is there something to be said about being the first drivers in? Well looking back across the other four major sports in the United States, one would see that MLB appears to be the most strict when allowing members in and maybe NASCAR will follow suit. The nominees though are essentially the top 25 drivers of all time with the exception of possibly Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Tony Stewart?

From Dale Earnhart to Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough or Richard Petty, the list of these top 25 drivers will all eventually get into the Hall of Fame so would it be wrong to put them all in right away?

And Now You Know! (And Knowing is Half the Battle)

Fantasy NASCAR: Lenox Industrial Tools 301

Welcome home, so to speak. The NASCAR series heads to New Hampshire this weekend, a track I am more than familiar with. Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this race but I must say, no matter what the track a NASCAR event is truly an event one must attend to enjoy. I get excited thinking about going, the people, the entertainment, and the pure smell of gasoline and rubber.

New Hampshire faces what would be a difficult task given today's economic woes. The track has sold out for 27 consecutive races and is close to selling out for #28. Where other tracks this year have failed to sellout New Hampshire is still holding strong as the only race in New England.

New Hampshire Motor Speedway is only a mile long and it is unique in which the turns are relatively flat. The track is wide enough for passing all around which makes for excitement at every turn. Ford typically dominates at this track but has only won once here in the last eight races. Here's how it should all break down come Sunday.

1- Jeff Burton: One of the most successful drivers at this track. Although he hasn't won here in nearly a decade Burton has been one of the top finishers here constantly. He has more wins, 4, than any driver here and 13 top-10 finishes. Burton sits 15th in points and can easily jump into the top 12 with a win on Sunday.
2- Kurt Busch: I'll be honest, I'm not a big Kurt Busch fan but he shows up when they race here. He won both races here in 2004 and again for last year's spring race. It doesn't matter for Busch where he is in the points, he knows this track well. Expect him to finish in the top-5.
3- Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has the 3rd best career average finish here at NHMS, 9.9. He won this race back-to-back times in 2003 and in 14 races has 9 top-10 finishes. The last time he finished outside the top-10 here was in 2006. Last year he led 96 laps in route to a 2nd place finish.
4- Martin Truex Jr.: No driver has accumulated more points here than Truex Jr. In the last four races he has finished 7,4,5,3. Truex has had a strong year overall and a top-5 finish is not out of the realm for this team.
5- Mark Martin: Martin has never had a DNF at this track in 24 races, the only driver to hold that claim. He has never won here and this hasn't been his best track but with six straight top-15 finishes and a great year thus far it would be no surprise to see Martin competing near the front all day long.

Fantasy NASCAR: Save Mart 350

The series this weekend takes to the first road course of the year. A road course is a completely different beast for those who are used to turning left only. This week the teams are in Sonoma, California for the Save Mart 350. It's a 2.5-mile track with 12 turns including a horseshoe turn right before the start finish line. For those not accustomed to road races this one may not be the most exciting but it brings a whole new skill level to racing.

This weekend you will see new guys near the front of the pack. Some drivers are signed onto teams just for this race. These drivers excel at road racing better than regular tracks and have the ability to maneuver the car in and out of turns where other drivers are unfamiliar with breaking so often. Over the past eight years at Sonoma there have been six different winners. Usually you stick to the top name drivers but road courses are the exception. Here's how it will play out.

1. Tony Stewart - I sound like a broken record but seriously, when you're hot you stick with what is working for you and Tony Stewart has been on fire lately. Stewart has won here twice over the past eight years and is a former Indy Car driver used to racing road tracks. Stewart has more points than any other driver at this track over the past 10 races. Everything is clicking for him. The only thing to keep him from winning is an inexperienced driver crashing into him.

2. Jeff Gordon - Gordon has been in a bit of a slump lately but this is what we call a 'slump buster'. Gordon has the second most points over the past 10 races here and has more wins, 5, than any other driver at this track. Gordon is one of the best, if not the best, driver in NASCAR today. He succeeds at every track especially on the road courses. This could jump start him going into the last 10 races of the regular season.

3. Elliot Sadler - Sadler starts eight at Infineon Raceway and over the last 10 races only two other drivers have accumulated more points at this track than him. Sadler races a full season but this is a track in which he makes his biggest splash and earns the most money for his team. You can bet that anything outside of the top 5 will be a disappointment for him.

4. Juan Pablo Montoya - Juan Paubs has always been a road racing guy. His first NASCAR win came on a road course in Mexico. Coming from Indy Car racing he is a very skilled driver on this course. He won here two years ago after starting in 32nd, no other driver has finished further back in the pack to win here.

5. Borris Said - Said hasn't raced all year but comes out of the woodwork for this race. Over the past eight races at this track, Said has the 7th best points total. He is a road track warrior and you will hear a lot of his name on Sunday even if you've never heard of him before. Also keep an eye out for Robby Gordon. Said starts 9th.

Fantasy NASCAR: LifeLock 400

We are just 12 races away from the Chase in which the top 12 drivers will compete for the Sprint Cup. There is still a lot to be determined as just 155 points separate drivers 9-16. This weekend the teams head to Michigan International Speedway. Since 2000, there have been 17 races here and 12 different winners. This weekend could be a big weekend for some drivers looking to help secure a spot.

Michigan is a D-Shaped 2-mile track wide enough for three-car racing all around. Its a fast track with speeds reaching near 200 mph. In 1998 in a CART race, three spectators were killed after an accident caused debris to fly into the stands, fortunately there haven't been any NASCAR wrecks of that magnitude here and you aren't likely to see "The Big One" that you see at Daytona or Talladega.

1. Greg Biffle - The cards are stacked for Biffle. First, Ford has won more times at this track, 31 times, than any other car and Roush Fenway Racing has 11 victories of their own. Biffle won back-to-back times in 2004-05 and starts in the middle of the pack in 20th. This is his race to lose. Biffle has 7 top-10 finishes at MIS.

2. Tony Stewart- There is no hotter driver in NASCAR and the current point leader starts 11th on Sunday. His average finish at this track is 12.4. A driver's confidence is crucial in a track like this one. I should list him to finish 1a rather than 2nd. When a driver is hot you can throw away the numbers. But looking at the numbers he has 9 top-5 finishes here.

3. Kurt Busch- Busch last won here in 2007 and prior to that in 2003. His average finish here is 13.5 and has 37 top-5 finishes at intermediate tracks. He dropped a spot last week in the standings but is poised to rebound as he starts 5th on Sunday.

4. Carl Edwards- Edwards is on the rise lately as he jumped up 5 spots in the standings after last weekends race. He has been quiet all season long but is finally getting things going at the best time. Although he starts 29th he has not always been a man to start near the top. Another Roush Fenway Ford is a lock for the top 5. Edwards has 5 top-5 finishes and is the top active driver in average finishes, finishing on average 6.6

5. Mark Martin - He has finished on the leap lap at this track a record 31 times but has never brought home a win. Martin starts near the back of the field and the worst starting position for an eventual winner is 28th. It'll be tough for Martin to get a win but a top-5 finish is not out of the realm. Martin sits 13th in points and a great finish could push him into the top 10.

Fantasy NASCAR: Autism Speaks 400

After a disappointing rained out race weekend last weekend we move forward to Dover, Delaware for the Autism Speaks 400. This 1-mile track has an abundance of history and no driver has won two races in a row since 2003 when Ryan Newman won both races in 2003. Three of the past four races here have been won by a different car company with Dodge not winning since... 2003. This race used to be 500 miles long until NASCAR limited 500-mile races for tracks longer than 1-mile. With all the history here is what I see going on this Sunday.

1- Kyle Busch: He won here last June and to be honest, he is due. I have this feeling that he will break out this weekend. In 8 career races here he has 5 top 5 finishes. That is amazing considering that 3 of the last 5 races here he has finished 43, 40, & 17th. Last year he finished last because of a bad engine, but I feel good about this with him starting 6th.

2- Matt Kenseth: His name really hasn't been mentioned since he won the first two races of the year, but I am putting him back on the map. Over the past 10 races at this track, who has led more laps than Kenseth? No one. He won here in 2006 and his team has been trying to piece together what they had early in the season. Kenseth knows this track and starts 14th. Welcome back to the top-5.

3- Tony Stewart: I am still sold on him. He is my favorite driver and you have to go back to 2000 to find the last time he won here. In fact he won both races in 2000. Those stats are irrelevant now but when a driver is hot, you don't get off the bandwagon. His stats at this track don't add up to a top-5 finish but you go with the hot driver.

4- Mark Martin: Speaking of hot drivers, how about Mark Martin. Let's be honest, you were expecting a "Morgan Sheppard" type year (If you don't know who he is look him up). Over the last 10 races at Dover, he is 2nd amongst active drivers. So while he was struggling the past few years he was still succeeding at Dover. NASCAR is a skill sport but age is irrelevant. Martin has it even at the age of 50.

5- Greg Biffle: Biffle is that guy that has the most points over the last 10 races at Dover. Two wins and five top 10s during that span can't be matched. Biffle starts 5th on Sunday and should stay up near the top the entire race. Biffle has been quiet all year but this might as well be a breakout weekend for some of the quiet guys. Dover is a special track to most drivers with the history it possesses and Biffle will captialzie.

Fantasy NASCAR: Coca Cola 600

This race is one of my favorite races of the year. It is the longest race distance wise and it comes on the heels of the Indy 500 in the afternoon. A couple years ago drivers such as Tony Stewart and Robby Gordon used to attempt to race both the Indy 500 in the afternoon and then fly to Charlotte to race the Coca Cola 600. A total of 1100 miles in the day. For me this race kicks off summer. It's Memorial Day weekend and it's time to go racing.

We saw last weekend in the All-Star event Tony Stewart capture victory in an exciting race to the finish. It served as a practice run for every team to see how their car would handle at night and allowed them to make the right adjustments before this weekend.

This race will test a driver's abilities and endurance. During the pit stops drivers will be topping off their gas tanks as well as grabbing a bite to eat periodically. It gives a whole new meaning to "Fast Food". Over the 50 year track history, no Toyota has won a Sprint Cup Race. Toyota has claimed victory in the Nationwide Series but never in the big show. Could things change this weekend at the 1.5 mile track? Here are my top 5 drivers for Sunday night's race.

1. Tony Stewart- When you are on a roll and you've just won $1 million, you don't go against the best horse. Stewart just celebrated his 38th birthday and a great way for him to celebrate would to bring home his first official victory for his race team, Stewart-Haas Racing. Stewart now has 8 top 10 finishes in 11 races this year and will continue his hot streak on Sunday. The winner of the All-Star race has gone on to win the Coca-Cola 600 six times, most recently Kasey Kahne last year.

2. Jimmie Johnson- It seems as if every track the series stops at, Jimmie Johnson is one of the active all-time points leaders at that track. Johnson won here 5 times in a 6 race span from 2003-05. He knows this track and his average finish over the last 10 races here is 7.7. Johnson starts 5th and was 2nd quickest in practice.

3. Ryan Newman- If you saw the end of last week's race you'll know that Ryan Newman found his way to the top with a handful of laps remaining and probably should have won if not for the aggressive driving of Kyle Busch. You have to believe that as Tony Stewart's teammate that he is getting the same information that Tony is and that can only help him. Newman sits on the pole for Sunday night's race and was 9th quickest in the first practice run. I like him to have a great race.

4. Mark Martin- The 50-year old is doing wonders this season and is not letting up anytime soon. Martin is a savvy veteran of this track. He first won here in 1992, or in other words, when Kyle Busch was just 7-years old. What more can you say about this guy? He starts 4th and had the fastest practice session. Over the last 10 races here Martin has raced the 6th most laps, staying in contention each and every time. He is a three-time winner at Lowe's and would love to make it 4.

5. Kasey Kahne- Speaking of 3-time winners, this has to be Kahne's favorite track. 3 of his career 9 victories have come here at Lowe's Speedway including winning the Coca-Cola 600 twice. As defending champion he starts 6th on Sunday night is the only Dodge car to win here since 2003. If you aren't going to go with a Chevy driver I would sit heavily on Kasey Kahne.

Fantasy NASCAR: All-Star Weekend

We aren't half way through the year but yet here is the All-Star weekend for NASCAR. How do you have an all-star event when you don't have teams and essesntially every weekend is an all-star event?

It is a race open to race winners (either as a driver or a car owner) from the previous season as well as the current season, plus the past ten event winners and past decade's Cup Series champions. Drivers are also eligible if they are one of the top two finishers in the Sprint Showdown qualifying race (a 40-lap race in two 20-lap segments for drivers not qualified for the main event) or remain on the lead lap in the Sprint Showdown and get the most votes in a fan vote.

Here is what that means. There are 18 guys competing this Saturday night for $1 million. That's it. No points, just money. It serves as a practice for next weeks big event, the Coca Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway, but this weekend is still a fun exhibition and allows drivers to pull out all the stops for just money.

So with no fantasy points on the line this weekend I offer a few ways they could modify this All-Star weekend, in order to make it more exciting.

1- They already have the pit crew challenge in which pit crews compete for the fastest time.


It is much like the NBA Skills Challege. But lets make it more like the NBA and add a contest with judges. Who has the best victory celebration? Drivers compete doing flips, burnouts, bows, or anything else that would entertain the crowd and judges. It'd be interesting to see a 1-mile burn out.

2- A tag-team event. Take two drivers, picked at random to compete together in a race. Driver transfer and all as the race goes on. Thing of it as an Olympic event, 2 x 400, or something like that.

3- Let a fan drive a car with these guys. Let your imagination play this one out and see that it would be quite entertaining. He or she will sign a waiver and we'll see just how skillful the other drivers are.

These are just some things that could be played out for all-star weekend. Leave your comments on what you would like to see.

Fantasy NASCAR: Southern 500

The drivers take the track at Darlington tonight, one of the most historic tracks on the circuit. The close to 1.5-mile track is almost 60 years old and has a long standing history known as the "Track Too Tough To Tame" The race resumes with the "Southern 500" title after many people thought it was offensive and the race was changed to the "Dodge Charger 500" for the past few races.

Dating back to 2000, this track has seen 10 different winners in the previous 14 races. Names of those winners include Terry Labonte, Ricky Craven, and Ward Burton, popular names in the 90s but faded towards the end of their careers in the early 2000s but still had the experience to win at Darlington.

Experience is a key factor at this track which is why when you look at the stats for this track, you will find a copious amount of veteran drivers with the most top-10 finishes over the past 10 races. There is something about this track that can at times, give young drivers fits (with the exception to Kyle Busch's win last year). Here's how I see it going down tonight.

I'll prep you for one of the closest NASCAR finishes in history.



1- Jeff Burton: I wanted to go with a different Jeff (Gordon) for this spot but I feel that Burton will have a better night. Burton won back-to-back in 1999 here and had the second fastest practice time on Saturday. Burton has 16 career wins at tracks of this size and has the experience I spoke about in order to win here. The last seven winners at Darlington have started 11th or better and Burton starts 6th. He is my pick to win.
2- Tony Stewart: Stewart has never won at this track in the Sprint Cup Series but when a driver is hot, you stay with them no matter what. In fact, he has only led 8 laps here in his career. He has completed 98% of the laps run here over the past 10 years and that number would be higher if he didn't crash 10 races ago. 14 of his career 33 wins have come on tracks 1-2 miles long. I think he gets his first victory, or at least another top-5 tonight.

3- Greg Biffle: Biffle has been quiet of late and is slowly slipping out of the top-12 in points. Biffle has two wins here in just eight races and starts 11th. He won back-to-back in 2005-06 and looks to return to the winner's circle tonight.

4- Mark Martin: Just announced that he will race a full schedule next year and can you blame the 50-year old who sits 15th in the points standings? Martin has 5 top-10 finishes this year, good for a tie for 5th best this year. Martin is familiar with this track and has 5 top-10 finishes in his last 10 races here. I expect more good things from him.

5- Jimmie Johnson: I'll tell you the bad first. Johnson starts 42 for tonight's race which gives him an up hill battle to the finish line. The good news is that since 2000, three drivers have won this race since starting 30th or worse. Johnson won back-to-back in both races here in 2004 and there is nothing I don't believe that this team can't do. This team will find a way to be in contention all night long.

Fantasy NASCAR: Aaron's 499 (Follow Up)

Please watch and be amazed at this finish in today's race. If you missed the race you missed two huge crashes not including this one at the end. Thank God for NASCAR safety. Glad to see Carl Edwards has a sense of humor about it all to run across the line much like Ricky Bobby.

Fantasy NASCAR: Aaron's 499

We are back to the super speedways and this weekend the circuit is in Alabama as they race at Talladega. They say that the infield at the 2.5-mile track is the largest party of the south for patrons and to be honest the race itself can be a party at times with groups of cars bunched up at all times throughout the race.

When people think about Talladega they think of one thing, the Big One. The Big One is a common happening at super speedways, especially at 'Dega. As with any restrictor plate race the cars are usually bunched together throughout the entire race making for excitement around every turn and lead changes come in dozens. But with all these cars together there is that chance for a large wreck. The Big One is not partial to anyone as leaders and lapped cars alike are subject to its wrath.



With that being said, it is hard to predict winners at this track but looking at past results I've come up with my top 5 for this weekend.

1- Jeff Gordon: Why not? Have we not learned anything this year from my column? Jeff Gordon has the most career victories at this track than any other driver, ever! Gordon has raced here half as many times as most other legends and still has more victories. Some teams are set up for these type of races and Jeff Gordon is one of those. Starting near the front will keep him out of trouble.

2- Kyle Busch: Busch won this race last spring and has the 2nd most points at this track over the past year. Busch has been involved in the Big One a few times because of his aggressive style of driving. Busch is itching to get back to victory lane although he has already won this year. Aside from Jeff Gordon, Busch is my lock for a top-5 this weekend.

3- Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Once upon a time DEI Racing was a formidable foe for restrictor plate races. Dale Jr. has taken all of his knowledge and brought it with him to Hendrick Motorsports and is poised for a great finish. Dale Jr. once won this race four straight times and has five total victories here. His track record speaks for itself and speaking of someone looking to end a winless streak, not winning since June of 2008.

4- Jimmie Johnson: Over the last five races Johnson is one of three drivers to have three top-5 finishes at Talladega. He has also completed the most amount of laps over that same time than any other driver. His last win at this track came in 2006 but the way he has been racing since, its a surprise he hasn't won more at this track. Johnson has more points than any other driver at this track over the last 5 races here.

5- Tony Stewart: Your defending champ at this track is looking to repeat. He is back in the Chevrolet and the past few weeks have been great for his team. Tony Stewart has the most points at this track over the past ten races and has led the third most laps over the past 5 races here. Tony is hot and there is no reason not to expect the same this weekend.

Fantasy NASCAR: Subway Fresh Fit 500

It seems like forever since the last NASCAR race. Of course last weekend was Easter and the circuit took off for everyone to spend time with family and friends. Now the cars head to the desert for a race in Phoenix for the first time this year for a Saturday night race.

What do we know about Phoenix International Speedway? It is a flat 1-mile track which somewhat resembles a track like New Hampshire's but has higher banking. It seems more than any other track that fuel mileage comes into play here so strategy will be key with pit stops. The corners provide enough room for passing so starting position is not as important although the last five winners have started in the top 7.

Jimmie Johnson has won the last 3 races at this track and just 5 drivers have won the last 10 races here. 9 of those 10 winners drove a Chevy.

1- Jeff Gordon: When you're hot you're hot. He just won and ended his 47-race winless streak and if anything, last weekend's off day may have hindered Gordon. He has 15 top 10 finishes in 20 career races at Phoenix but just one win. I give the Dupont Chevy and the Rainbow Warriors the checkered again this race.

2- Jimmie Johnson: It seems redundant each week seeing the names Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in the top five. But with Johnson's track record and performance last year it is hard to not put Johnson up front. Aforementioned, Johnson has won the last three races at this track and starts 10th. Unless an engine blows up for him he will be at the top.

3- Kevin Harvick: Harvick has led the third most laps at Phoenix over the last 7 races. He has 5 top 10 finishes during that span including 2 top 5's. It will be a task for him to come through the pack as he starts 33th but he reminds me a lot of a guy like Matt Kenseth, someone who starts slow but finishes near the top often enough.

4- Tony Stewart: I'm telling you, he is ready to win with his new car. The past two races have been an amazing stepping stone for his team as last race he brought home a top 5 finish. In the past 7 races in Phoenix he has the second most points. Stewart feels right at home in the Chevy this year and with his 7th place qualifying position a top 5 or even a victory is foreseeable.

5- Juan Montoya: My dark horse for this race is Montoya. He hasn't had the best of races at Phoenix with an average finishing of 20th. Aside from the glaring numbers at Phoenix, Montoya has been inching closer to the top. His last three races he has finished 7, 12, and 9th. Don't be surprised to see Montoya's name near the front at the end. He starts 20th.

Fantasy NASCAR: Samsung 500

I am happy to see the Series leave the short tracks and make way for the 1.5-mile oval. As much as I enjoy the chaos of the short tracks it makes it that much harder to predict where everyone is going to finish. Nonetheless, the guys are in Texas this weekend and here's what you need to know.

I am happy to see the Series leave the short tracks and make way for the 1.5-mile oval. As much as I enjoy the chaos of the short tracks it makes it that much harder to predict where everyone is going to finish. Nonetheless, the guys are in Texas this weekend and here's what you need to know.

This track doesn't have the history that most tracks have although the track has been in existence since 1997 compiling of 16 races. In the 16 races there have been 12 different winners with Carl Edwards (3) and Jeff Burton (2) the only multiple winners.

Here's my rundown for Sunday's race.

1. Tony Stewart: He notched his first Top 5 finish of the year last weekend and his other car that he owns finished in the Top 10. What a thrill for his team, Stewart-Haas Racing, and it is only going to get better from here. Tony will carry the momentum on Sunday and get his first victory of the season.

2. Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has 8 top 10 finishes in 13 races at this track. He has led the third most laps at this track and mind you, he already has two victories this season. He is the happiest person to see the short tracks go away for a few weeks. Kenseth will regain his dominance and get a Top 5 finish.

3. Carl Edwards: Aforementioned, Edwards has the most career victories at Texas including back-to-back victories last year. Edwards was the most dominate car last year at this track but he has been slow to start this year. Edwards would obviously prefer victory but a Top 5 finish would get his team back on track.

4. Jeff Gordon: Like I said last week, I will most likely pick Jeff Gordon each week to finish in the Top 5. Gordon starts second on Sunday and we've seen all season long how well his car performs when he is at the front with clean air. If the race has very few cautions, expect him to dominate.

5. David Reutimann: Can we start paying attention to this kid, please? Almost an unknown going into the season, Reutimann has been in the Top 12 in points all year long and now sits atop the pole for Sunday's race. It seems as momentum is slowly building and he is poised to breakout much like Kyle Busch did last year. Don't sleep on this kid.

Fantasy NASCAR: Food City 500

With a week off from the schedule the drivers get ready for the most exciting track on the circuit, Bristol Motor Speedway. This track is only a half-mile long and shaped like a bowl with bankings in the corner up to 30-degrees. In comparison, the bankings at Daytona International Speedway are 31-degrees.

This track is extremely unpredictable. It is a demolition derby at times where you'll be hard pressed to find a car on the track without a tire mark on it. Tempers will flare at this track.



In the midst of the economic times Bristol Motor Speedway continues to sellout, all 160,00 seats. NASCAR has seen a decline in attendance each race and has yet to sell out any event but I assure you that this track will be packed.

So looking at recent years on man you will consistently find near the front is Dale Earnhardt Jr.. Over the past 10 races, including night races, Earnhardt's average finish is 7th. It's no surprise that Earnhardt's name is synonymous with Bristol his father's average lifetime finish at Bristol was 9th including 9 victories.

Looking at other drivers who have had success at this track, you can look no further than last race's winner Kurt Busch. Busch along with Jeff Gordon each have five career victories at Bristol, more than any other active driver.

Where are these guys all going to finish? Over the past eight races at this track the eventual winner has started on average inside the top 10. Makes sense considering that there are fewer chances to wind up in a crash and it keeps you from being lapped.

1- Jeff Gordon: Like I said, start in the top 10 and tops amongst active drivers at Bristol in his career. The thing that makes Jeff Gordon so much better this year is his workout regimen. People don't understand how much energy goes into driving a car 500 miles without destroying it. It's hard to go against a man who has rededicated himself to the sport and has always been near the top.

2- Greg Biffle: Biffle injures his ribs this week and is forced to sit out Saturday's Nationwide race, so what does he do. He goes and qualifies 4th for Sunday's race. In 12 career races at Bristol Biffle has never won but has 7 top 10 finishes.

3- Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Jr. qualified 34th for Sunday's race which goes against the grain of what I said about starting near the top, but what I didn't tell you is that in those past 10 races when Jr.'s average finish was 7th, his average starting spot in each of those 10 races was 25th.

4- Scott Speed: I haven't really given any rookie any credit this year. Scott Speed came onto the seen for Team Red Bull like a Bull in a China Shop. Speed had a great qualifying run and starts 11th. Toyota has really got things going this year and I feel that Speed can make a name for himself. Speed got his first career top 10 at another .5-mile track last year in a spot start, we will see what he can do at Bristol.

5- Aric Almirola: If you are looking for a dark horse this race look no further than Almirola. In three races at Bristol Almirola's average finish is 19th but he has finished his last two races on the lead lap, which again is a big deal at a small track like Bristol. Bristol produces a lot of interesting happenings and it wouldn't surprise me to see Almirola finish in the top 5.

Fantasy NASCAR: Kobalt Tools 500

[Editor's Note: SportsJudge's Chris Carmona continues his Fantasy NASCAR coverage with this weekend's Kobalt Tools 500. Be sure to check back each Saturday afternoon at 1pm for more in-depth race previews and Fantasy NASCAR picks.]

This week the Series heads to Atlanta and I have very fond memories of this track. Back in 2001, I was lucky enough to be at one of the closest finishes in NASCAR history.



As you can see, this win was even more special because it came just three races after Dale Earnhardt's tragic death.

Fast forward to this weekend and it is the 100th NASCAR race at this facility and every one has been almost as exciting. The thing with Atlanta Motor Speedway is that it is only 1.5 miles long, but it is the fastest track on the circuit. Cars will easily reach an excess of 190 MPH on this short track, a few miles slower than those speeds on the Super Speedways, Daytona and Talladega.

Last year's spring race winner was Kyle Busch while Carl Edwards picked up the victory in the fall race. In the past 24 races at this track only once has the driver won the race from the pole. That doesn't sit well for Sunday's pole sitter, Mark Martin. On the other hand, over the last 10 races, the average starting position of the winner has been 5th and over the entire 100 race history here, the average starting position of the winner has been 8th.

Says a lot about the track. This isn't a restrictor plate race which means the cars won't be bunched up together so the guys in front won't be jostling for position with mediocre drivers. So how is it all going to shake out?

1- Jimmie Johnson: He starts 7th and is currently 19th in points. He won both races in 2007 and in the past 10 races here he has eight top-10 finishes. Johnson has been the most dominate driver on this track, completing 97% of the laps run here, more than any other driver as well. Johnson has gotten off to a quiet start this year but he will help remind others that he is defending three-time series champion this weekend.

2- Kyle Busch: Did you not see him last weekend? Has his status as last year's most dominate driver gone to the wayside because of his fall in last year's Chase? Busch won last year and his confidence is building per lap. The most exciting driver on the track starts 9th and unlike last week he won't have to go to the back of the field and win from there because of engine problems.

3- Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Hendrick Racing has got their engine problems taken care of and Dale will be up front competing the enter way. In 10 races at Atlanta he has 1 win and five top-5 finishes. He has racked up the third most points by any driver at this track over the past 10 races as well.

4- Kevin Harvick: Did you think that I could leave him out of the top 5 after watching that video? This track will always be sentimental for Harvick because of that win. He hasn't fared too well in the last 10 visits to this track but in his last three races here he has finished 15, 7, and 13 so things are getting better. He starts in 10th on Sunday and is 11th in the standings.

5- Carl Edwards: Speaking of drivers getting off to a quiet start, has everyone forgotten about Carl Edwards? He had a poor qualifying session but has a good history at this track. In is nine race history at this track he has seven top-10 finishes and three victories. You can even disregard his engine failure last year in which he was the most dominate car of the day but hit some bad luck with 50 laps to go.

Fantasy NASCAR: Shelby 427

[Editor's Note: SportsJudge's Chris Carmona continues his Fantasy NASCAR coverage with this weekend's Shelby 427. Be sure to check back each Saturday afternoon at 1pm for more in-depth race previews and Fantasy NASCAR picks.]

That is how last year's Vegas Race ended for Jeff Gordon, arguably one of the hardest impact crashes you will see. This year Jeff Gordon is fully healthy and he is back at the track that almost ended his career.

The Shelby 427 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway is 27 miles longer than normal, thanks to creative sponsorship. You might think that the 27 miles don't mean anything, but when teams rely on every drop of fuel to get them around the track the fastest, you better believe those last 27 miles are going to matter.

Congrats first to Matt Kenseth for winning two straight races to start the season, no driver has ever won the first three though. If you look at that video you will notice that with five laps to go, Kenseth was in position to possibly claim victory before Gordon tapped him. He wound up finishing 20th after leading 70 laps.

So could this be history this weekend? Kenseth is a two-time winner at this track, winning in 03 & 04. In nine races at this track, Kenseth has four top 5 finishes and has led more laps than any other driver. Who is going to stop him, assuming he can get out of his own way first, starting 40th this week.

Well for beginners, there is Jeff Gordon again. Gordon almost caught Kenseth in the last few laps last weekend, but wound up finishing second. Gordon is looking like the driver from 2001, the last time he won in Vegas and also went on to claim the Championship. An average qualifying spot might be too much for him to overcome though this week.

Let's take a look at how the I see the top 5 finishing.

1- Jeff Burton: Burton already has two wins at this track in its 11 year history, but that hasn't been since 2000. Burton starts 14th on Sunday and only four times has the race winner started in the top ten. Burton is struggling to start this season but can quickly turn things around. Burton finished 5th last year and has the most points at this track over the past ten years.

2- Mark Martin: The fan favorite won the inaugural race here in Vegas and hasn't won a race since Kansas in 2005. The guy has nine top 10 finishes in 11 races at this track and it helps that he is starting 8th. Better to be ahead early and often.

3- Denny Hamlin: You have to expect one of Joe Gibbs guys to be up at the front at the end. Kyle Busch is going to the back of the pack after changing he engine although he got the pole so Gibbs second best driver, Hamlin will have to carry the workload for this team. Fortunately Hamlin has the second best average finish out of all drivers in the circuit, only behind Mark Martin.

4- Greg Biffle: My reasoning on this one is that he is quietly near the front in every race. Last week he had the fastest car but his pitting blunder caused him the race most likely. Biffle finishes what he starts so you can expect him to be around at the end. I like a hot team and I like Biffle.

5- Tony Stewart: Stewart has never won in Vegas but has finished in the top 5 four times. More than half of Tony's 33 wins have come on 1.5 tracks. His race team seems to be leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the start up teams. One thing is for sure is that Tony knows how to race a car and as long as the thing has four wheels on it, you can expect Tony to drive... the wheels off it.

Fantasy NASCAR: Auto Club 500

[Editor's Note: With last weekend's Daytona 500 officially kicking off the 2009 NASCAR season, SportsJudge's Chris Carmona will bring you in-depth race previews and fantasy NASCAR picks each Saturday afternoon at 1pm.]

This weekend's crew is heading out West for a Sunday evening race in California. The Auto Club Speedway is a 2-mile flat track in which drivers are prone to race three-wide the entire track around going 180 MPH.

Let me give you a brief history of this Spring race (since they race two times a year in California). Last year Fontana, California experienced rain showers the entire weekend and they had trouble drying the track for Sunday's race. NASCAR spent hours trying to dry the track and it wasn't until 2am EST that they decided to postpone the race until Monday. Yes, 2am! I wasn't too happy that I stayed up for no reason.

Carl Edwards is the defending spring race champion while Jimmie Johnson won last fall. Over the past 10 races in Fontana Jimmie Johnson has been the most consistent driver while Rouche Racing teammates Matt Kenseth and Edwards are second and third.

The keys to winning at Fontana are simple. The average starting position of every winner in Fontana is 13. Jimmie Johnson qualified second but will lead the pack to the green flag because Brian Vickers had to switch engines after qualifying on the pole. NASCAR rules state that if you have to change engines or cars after qualifying that you must start the race at the back of the field.

Over the last nine races there have been an average of nine cautions per race. That says a lot for a two-mile open track. You won't have the big crash that you see in Daytona or Talladega but you will have guys banging as they go three-wide. Again, this plays huge for drivers near the front of the pack as they have fewer chances to get caught up in multi-car accidents.

This race seems to be dominated by Rouche Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. In the last four races at the Auto Club Speedway, the two teams have combined for 11 of the 12, top 3 finishers.

With that, my prediction for winner on Sunday is Jeff Gordon. Gordon, the California native, has three wins at this track, tied for most all time, but hasn't won here since 2004. Gordon came in third in last year's spring race while leading 68 of 250 laps. He looked solid last week and may have had a chance to win if it wasn't race shortened. I like Hendrick's team this weekend and I like Jeff Gordon.

Rounding out the top 5:
2- Kyle Busch: Last weekend Busch was in the wrong place at the wrong time, although he was leading the race when he was a victim of Dale Earnhardt's bonehead racing. He is seeking revenge and a top five finish would erase last week's memories.
3- Jimmie Johnson: Johnson will run up front the entire race. He also has three victories at this track and is one of the most consistent drivers in NASCAR, let alone in California. Starting up front can only help his cause.
4- Jamie McMurray: In the past ten races at this track, McMurray has been quietly lurking. He has finished int he top 10 half of the time and has finished 95.7 % of the laps raced. McMurray starts third on Sunday and there is something about this track that brings out the best in him.
5-AJ Allmindinger: My sleeper pick for this race because this man is racing for a full-ride. He is only scheduled to run eight races this year, but if he continues to race like he does, this kid has to get a full season from some team. Allmindinger had a great finish at Daytona, 3rd, and qualified 8 for this race. Keep an eye on him to lead a few laps and if he can avoid slipping back early, he will be a contender the whole way.

And Now You Know!: Boogity Boogity Boogity, Let's Go Racing!

I scoured the Globe for any type of predictor for who would win this weekend's Daytona 500. The main idea for this weekly column is to offer insight into sports that you may not have spent much time considering.I guess that if I wanted to do that this week I could explain the basic rules of NASCAR and you would all be blown away by the wealth of knowledge that you just received.

Instead I dissected the Daytona 500 in every which way to try and give perspective to relate to those who are still trapped in a world where racing isn't consider sport.

So a quick history about the, "Super Bowl" of NASCAR. The Daytona 500 has been raced for 50 years, this being the 51st, and when you think Super Bowl, you think of championship at the end of the year. But nearly 200,000 people show up for this spectacle to kick off the NASCAR season and the winner of this race rarely even matters come season's end.

Over the 50 years only 8 times has the winner of the Daytona 500 gone on to win the championship, the most recent being 2006 when Jimmie Johnson started his three-peat with victory on the beach. In fact, since 1975 the average finish of the eventual champion is 14.6. Tony Stewart in 2002 and Cale Yarborough in 1976 finished dead last and they still went on to win the Cup.

It doesn't matter where you start, it is all about the finish. Only nine times has the winner started from the pole position and in 2007 Kevin Harvick came all the way from 37th position to win.

So all the hoopla surrounding the weekend is just like Opening Day in MLB. To get you warmed up though, here are a few highlights of some of the best Daytona 500 finishes. If you can watch a pitcher throw 9 pitches to a batter, or watch a Quarterback sit under center for 30 seconds before snapping the ball, you can take time to watch a few minutes. Oh they are doing this at 190-200 MPH.









So when looking for a Champion this year, you can't really trust the "Super Bowl of NASCAR". The man who wins the Daytona 500 tends to be more lucky than good at times. Just looking at the past few years, the winner of the race has only lead an average of 16 laps in the race. You have to go back to 1998 to find the last time that the winning driver led at least half the race and it has only happened three times in the past 20 years.

It is a coin flip as to who will win on Sunday because of the packed field, but I can guarantee that it will be exciting and worth the watch.

And Now You Know! (And Knowing is Half the Battle)

And Now You Know!: Three Peats

When you think of Three-peats you might first think of Pat Riley's trademark of the terminology. If not, maybe you are thinking of Tom Emanski's instructional videos in which he claims that his coaching helped bring AAU's back-to-back-to-back National Championships. Thank You Fred McGriff. But when I think three-peat, I think of something that rarely ever happens in sports. A sign of a true dynasty, none of this, "You win 3 times in a decade and you are the team of that decade".

I got to thinking, this blog needs a bit more NASCAR in it, and rest assure I will deliver as the weeks go on. Many people do not give enough credit to Jimmie Johnson and his current three-peat that he has currently, so I wanted to examine just how rare a three-peat was in sports. And maybe to be honest, it isn't all that rare after all?

For this I looked at the 5 major sports, (NASCAR included) and also briefly touched upon Horse Racing's Triple Crown. I set up a timeline and plotted each three-peat or longer on the chart to see exactly what we were dealing with, dating back to 1930. Here is what I found.

Beginning in 1930, MLB, NHL, and the NFL had all formed leagues. The NBA and NASCAR didn't come around until 1946 & '47 respectively, and they had officially been keeping track of the Triple Crown since 1923.

The first three-peat known is actually something that many sports fans believe to never existed, a three-peat in the NFL. Starting in 1929-31 the Green Bay Packers ruled the NFL. Granted the NFL didn't have a Championship game, rather they just gave the title to the team with the best record each year and it just so happened that the Packers had that claim for three straight years. Call it what you want, but the record books still call it championships. Ironically, that wasn't the only three-peat in the NFL.

Once you get past the Yankees four-peat in 1936-39 you will find the Cleveland Browns and their four-peat from 1946-49. What is strange about this is that the Browns were originally part of the AAFC (All-American Football Conference, which later merged with the NFL), though the NFL refuses to acknowledge that these Championships existed while the Hall of Fame clearly labels them as Champions. Regardless, there have been 0 three-peats in the NFL since the Browns.

So without going through all the numbers of three-peats, like the Montreal Canadians of the late 50s, the Celtics of the early 60s, or the Canadians again in the late 70s, let's just look at the numbers.

In the 1950s, there was a dominance of the Minneapolis Lakers (1952-54) and the aforementioned Canadians (1956-60). That was a span of 7 years that decade during which there was a three-peat dominance. This trend continues throughout our history. In fact, in the last 78 years, since 1930, a team has been in the midst of a three-peat or longer for 52 of those years, or 66% of the time.

Reread that last paragraph if I lost you, but basically, a three-peat in sports isn't as rare as you might think. There have been 18 instances of three-peats or longer in professional sports, but when you extrapolate the years, you notice that a good portion of our lives are run by one team constantly winning. There have been 11 Triple Crown winners in horse racing with the last being in 1978.

There are three-peats that I am not even counting, whether it be golf events, tennis majors, Olympic medals, or NCAA champions. So when we look at Jimmie Johnson and see that he is only the second NASCAR driver ever to win back-to-back-to-back Sprint Cup Titles, maybe he doesn't deserve all the accolades considering how often they occur (Since 1990 there have been five three-peats). Who knows, we could be at the start of another three-peat whether it be the Phillies, the Steelers, the Celtics, or the Red Wings.

I'll close on saying that there is one impressive streak that stands out in my mind, and that would be Jim Kelly and the Buffalo Bills' back-to-back-to-back-to-back Super Bowl losses. I couldn't find any other instance in sports in which a team had three-peated in defeat. Will anyone step up to the plate and take this four-peat away from the Bills?

And Now You Know! (And Knowing is Half the Battle)