NASCAR season

[digitaldean]

So, for the diehard NASCAR faithful, what are your picks on who'll win the Daytona 500? (and the season championship for that matter?)

[GBRulz]

Nascar faithful...... :lol:

http://www.dowlingsweatt.com/images/FunnyPictures/Nascar%20fan.jpg

[digitaldean]

That is just sick and wrong... :oops:

[Brando19]

I'll pick Dale Earnhardt, Jr. to win the Daytona 500...but as far as the season goes...I'll have to pick Jimmie Johnson to repeat.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I hate the Busch brothers. I don't blame Kurt for the crash on Tony Stewart as it seemed to me that Stewart started getting loose there and there wasn't a whole lot Kurt could do. I still don't like him. I don't like his little brother either. They seem too "on the edge," and oftentimes they wreck somebody at the end of races--even when they aren't trying. I told the dudes watching the Daytona 500 with me that I don't like the #5 car being so close to Matt Kenseth at the end. Sure enough, Kyle gets loose and wrecks Kenseth near the finish line--when a top 3 finish looked assured. I know it's Daytona and those things happen, but there didn't seem to be any reason for him to get loose there. Anyways, Kenseth wrecked and finished 27th.

I've officially determined that my favorite drivers are #1 Kenseth, #2 Bobby Labonte, and #3 Carl Edwards. Others I like are Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton, Dale Jr. I kind of like this Montoya dude also.

My least favorite drivers are Stewart, the Busch brothers, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff and Robbie Gordon. I'm indifferent on the rest.

Stewart was the class of this race. Kenseth did a great job giving himself a chance. Actually, he did some wonderful driving just before the last crash, twice avoiding wrecks a few laps earlier.

[PackerPro42]

Tony Stewart will win the 500, but Kasey Kahne will win it all this season. It will be interesting to see because they'll be implementing the car of the future into about half the races this season. Due to this it will show who the best driver really is, IMO that's Kasey Kahne.

[GBRulz]

I don't follow NASCAR much, but I'm hoping that it's a break out year for one of my old high school buddies, Scott Wimmer.

[PackerPro42]

I'm good friends with his nephew.

[MadtownPacker]

If I had been raised in the south I would have been a NASCAR driver. :(

[red]

If I had been raised in the south I would have been a NASCAR driver. :(

do they even let hot pink low riders with fuzzy white dice race?

8)

[HarveyWallbangers]

I hate the Busch brothers. I don't blame Kurt for the crash on Tony Stewart as it seemed to me that Stewart started getting loose there and there wasn't a whole lot Kurt could do. I still don't like him. I don't like his little brother either. They seem too "on the edge," and oftentimes they wreck somebody at the end of races--even when they aren't trying. I told the dudes watching the Daytona 500 with me that I don't like the #5 car being so close to Matt Kenseth at the end. Sure enough, Kyle gets loose and wrecks Kenseth near the finish line--when a top 3 finish looked assured. I know it's Daytona and those things happen, but there didn't seem to be any reason for him to get loose there. Anyways, Kenseth wrecked and finished 27th.

I've officially determined that my favorite drivers are #1 Kenseth, #2 Bobby Labonte, and #3 Carl Edwards. Others I like are Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton, Dale Jr. I kind of like this Montoya dude also.

My least favorite drivers are Stewart, the Busch brothers, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff and Robbie Gordon. I'm indifferent on the rest.

Stewart was the class of this race. Kenseth did a great job giving himself a chance. Actually, he did some wonderful driving just before the last crash, twice avoiding wrecks a few laps earlier.

[PackerPro42]

My #1 driver is Kasey Kahne, then Ryan Newman, then Eliot Sadler, then Kurt Bush, then Tony Stewart.

I don't like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Bush, Jamie McCmuray, Carl Edwards, or Matt Kenseth.

[PackerPro42]

My #1 driver is Kasey Kahne, then Ryan Newman, then Eliot Sadler, then Kurt Bush, then Tony Stewart.

I don't like Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kyle Bush, Jamie McCmuray, Carl Edwards, or Matt Kenseth.

[Little Whiskey]

I think the hendrick drivers all ran out of talent yesterday, and mark martin just plain ran out of luck!

It looked to me that the stewart/kurt busch tangle was more stewart fault than busch's, but i was not unhappy when they both ended up on the hauler.

bravo to nascar for not thowing a the caution at the end of the race and giving fans what they want, a green finish.

[Brando19]

I'm a Matt Kenseth fan now because I learned he's from Wisconsin and is a DIEHARD Packers fan. That's enough for me.

My dad has a friend who lives on Lake Norman near Charlotte, NC (Nascar Headquarters.) He lives next to a bunch of drivers including Rusty Wallace (retired), Greg Biffle, and Elliot Sadler.

[LL2]

Wisconsin native and die hard Packer fan Matt Kenseth was SOOO close! He was third lead up to the crash on the final lap. I was pissed!

[4and12to12and4]

I hate the Busch brothers. I don't blame Kurt for the crash on Tony Stewart as it seemed to me that Stewart started getting loose there and there wasn't a whole lot Kurt could do. I still don't like him. I don't like his little brother either. They seem too "on the edge," and oftentimes they wreck somebody at the end of races--even when they aren't trying. I told the dudes watching the Daytona 500 with me that I don't like the #5 car being so close to Matt Kenseth at the end. Sure enough, Kyle gets loose and wrecks Kenseth near the finish line--when a top 3 finish looked assured. I know it's Daytona and those things happen, but there didn't seem to be any reason for him to get loose there. Anyways, Kenseth wrecked and finished 27th.

I've officially determined that my favorite drivers are #1 Kenseth, #2 Bobby Labonte, and #3 Carl Edwards. Others I like are Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton, Dale Jr. I kind of like this Montoya dude also.

My least favorite drivers are Stewart, the Busch brothers, Ryan Newman, Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff and Robbie Gordon. I'm indifferent on the rest.

Stewart was the class of this race. Kenseth did a great job giving himself a chance. Actually, he did some wonderful driving just before the last crash, twice avoiding wrecks a few laps earlier.


Good point. I noticed that myself. He really did a great job avoiding two earlier wrecks with some unbelievable driving!!! Yeah, Kenseth chose the perfect time to pull outside and had a car behind him to help draft him into at least a 3rd place finish. The thing I've noticed about Matt is that he is one of the smartest drivers out there. He always seem to be able to linger in the top fifteen spots and just kind of just hang in there every single race not going for it all too soon, just keeping himself within 2 seconds of the leader, and then he always makes brilliant pit decisions near the final 50 laps of the race giving him a chance to finish in the top 5. As far as raw driving talent, no one can touch Tony Stewart, he is a phenom out there who has balls of steel, but Matt is much more cerebal and patient and consistent week in week out. If his friggin' crew can figure out the adjustments they need to get his car as fast as it was at the first part of last season, he will dominate this year. for some reason, after the mid-point of last season, his car is good, but not as fast as Stewarts, Johnsons, or the Busch's. They need to get their heads out of their asses and figure out what adjustments they need to make to get him into that league. the fact that his car is slightly slower (actually usually too loose or tight) yet still able to hang around the leaders each week is a testament to his great racing skills. Good luck Matt, let's get a Championship this year!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[HarveyWallbangers]

Kenseth wins Auto Club 500, sweeps NASCAR weekend at California

FONTANA, CALIFORNIA (TICKER) -- Matt Kenseth has made plenty of visits to Victory Lane at California Speedway of late. But his most recent trip nearly moved him to tears.

Kenseth survived a late caution period and held off Daytona 500 champion Kevin Harvick to win Sunday's NASCAR Auto Club 500 at California Speedway.

It was the 15th career victory for Kenseth, who won this 250-lap event for the second straight season. The win came one day after Kenseth captured the checkered flag in Saturday's Busch Series Stater Bros. 300.

As he emerged from his Ford Fusion in Victory Lane, the usually reserved Kenseth appeared choked up as he splashed his crew with Gatorade in celebration. The Wisconsin native's voice wavered several times during the post-race interview.

The 2003 Nextel Cup Series champion, Kenseth took the lead for good on lap 228, driving past the Chevrolet Monte Carlo of reigning series champ Jimmie Johnson as the two raced off pit road.

Despite having the dominant car over the waning laps, Kenseth had to stave off a furious charge from Harvick. In similar fashion to his late comeback at Daytona, Harvick emerged from the middle of the pack and was less than a second behind Kenseth with 10 laps left.

But Harvick's bid for a second straight win took a hit two laps later, when the Toyota Camry of rookie David Reutimann spun out between turns 3 and 4, prompting a four-lap caution period.

Just as the field prepared for a restart off lap 246, Harvick was forced to pit when his Chevrolet's front-left tire went flat.

[digitaldean]

Great sweep for #17 this weekend!

Leap frogs over 25 spots in the points to move to 12th according to Fox.

Final pit stop sealed the deal.

[Little Whiskey]

how much better he would have been if Kyle busch knew how to drive!! he could have two top 5 finishes. and with Vegas (a track he does very well at) comming up next he very well could be on top of the points!

not sure why he was all teary eyed? kinda strange

[digitaldean]

how much better he would have been if Kyle busch knew how to drive!! he could have two top 5 finishes. and with Vegas (a track he does very well at) comming up next he very well could be on top of the points!

not sure why he was all teary eyed? kinda strange

I think Kenseth was thinking of Reiser since he couldn't be there (suspension). He and Reiser go back a long way so I think that had something to do with it.

#17 would be leading points (or close to it) going into Vegas if it wasn't for Kyle Busch.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Reiser was out. Couple of Wisconsin boys. I think some were doubting Matt after last year's finish. Roush sold half of his team. The tough finish at Daytona. A lot of stuff coming together.

Sort of reminded me of 1999. Holmgren had left. Brett led the Pack to some late comebacks and he was bawling.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Watching this Mexico Busch race makes me realize how little I like road racing. I like when you have cars roaring around the track, bumping, drafting. This racing isn't all that exciting. One car is faster than the other. Eventually, he'll pass the car in front of him.

I don't blame Montoya for that. To me, it looked like he got the edge inside and Pruett brought it real hard inside. Either way, I think it was a "that's racing" moment.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Montoya looks like the real deal.

Jimmie Johnson looks like the top dog again. I think Stewart and Kenseth are the only ones that can keep him from winning another title. Kenseth really should have a 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th on his resume this year--if not for sorry ass Kyle Busch at Daytona. Johnson looks like he has the best car in every race. It kind of bugs me. I know he's a great driver, but I see Tony Stewart do ridiculous stuff. I see Matt Kenseth take cars that are seldom top 2 or 3 cars, and get great finishes. Johnson just looks like he has the best car every week. Credit his team though.

[esoxx]

Jimmie Johnson bothers me. What's funny is I don't know why, he just does.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Bobby Labonte was on the radio today. They asked him if Jimmie Johnson was the best driver in NASCAR. He said Matt Kenseth was the best driver. He said Johnson usually has the best car. He said that when Johnson doesn't have a good car, he doesn't finish that well. He said Kenseth finishes well no matter how his car is. I like Labonte.

What's funny is that I sent in a comment to a NASCAR expert on Yahoo (Ricky Craven) stating almost the exact same thing. Johnson right now reminds me of Richard Petty back in the day. I loved the King, but he always had the best team/car.

[Little Whiskey]

i agree with you and labonte, about johnson and kenseth. but i guess i'm a little bias on the kenseth part.

so was the phantom caution toward the end of the race for johnson's flat tire a bit bogus. I, for one, am going to start the conspiracy theories! Burton is just a class act all the way around. just about anybody else in that position would have dumped busch given the chance. hell, i was yelling for him to punt busch into the wall.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Kenseth impressive by getting more from less
By Terry Blount, ESPN.com

Most people would select Jeff Gordon as the driver of the year if they had to choose now. Jimmie Johnson, with four victories, also would get some votes.

Give me Matt Kenseth. He's the textbook example of doing more with less.

What Kenseth has accomplished in the first 10 races is nothing short of remarkable. Seven of the top eight drivers in the standings are in Chevrolets, but Kenseth is the lone Ford driver in the group, ranking third.

He also is the only non-Chevy driver with a victory this season, winning at California in February. Kenseth has six top-10s. A 25th-place showing in the season-opening Daytona 500 was the only time he finished worse than 14th.

But here's the most revealing stat: Kenseth has finished better than he started in nine consecutive races. His average for improving his position is 15.6 spots. And he's doing it in a car that isn't as good as the Chevys he's trying to beat.

"Our cars aren't performing well enough to run consistently in the top 10 or compete for wins," said Robbie Reiser, Kenseth's crew chief. "But Matt has done an excellent job to where we've snuck out a few top-10s."

[digitaldean]

Had to post something for the last race of the season.

Great to see Kenseth dominate and get the win in his last race with Robbie Reiser. Was a little concerned about Kurt Busch during the race, but Matt held him off.

It pains me to say it, but congrats to Jimmie Johnson.

If Roush would stop ignoring Kenseth (and keep pushing Carl Edwards) they'd have more wins as a team. Kenseth has made chicken salad out of chicken sh** this year for what he has been given.

[LL2]

I like Kennseth. He needs a better car and team. Not that I know much about Nascar, but Kennseth always seems to be in the top 5.

[Little Whiskey]

Had to post something for the last race of the season.



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