Turn 4 Transitions
Friday, March 5, 2010
By Natalie Anthony
Kobalt Tools 500
March 7, 2010 (Sunday) 1:00 pm – Fox
Kurt Busch - 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 Winner!
I believe I misspoke last week when I
commented that the race at Las Vegas was going
to trump the action of the race at California. The races were almost exactly the same. The same left-turned
ho-hum, the same filching of second place’s hope of a win, and the same winner. The only difference was the lack of palm trees
outlining the track at Las Vegas. Now, it is up to Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS)
to drag NASCAR out of its slump and produce a racing experience that will get
NASCAR Nation excited about the next week’s race at Bristol.
Well, that shouldn’t be too hard, its Bristol isn’t it.
There are
two drivers that are relishing the fact that they are returning to AMS. Kevin Harvick and Jeff Gordon
have each been smacked down by a Jimmie Johnson
win the last two races of the Sprint Cup’s regular season (pre-chase. Both drivers have completed the 325 lap Atlanta race in the Top 10
for the 2009 season. If you take a more
detailed look at the stats, Gordon was the runner-up driver in the March race
and Harvick was the runner-up driver in the September
race. It is going to be a dead heat race
in Hotlanta between the #24 and the #29 car this
Sunday.
Speculation
has been surrounding Kasey Kahne,
a Richard Petty Motorsports (RPM) driver, because of the cyclone of changes
that have been affecting RPM and the new Ford #9. Kasey sits 33rd in the point
standings right now and he knows that he has a chance to dig himself out. With Kasey’s last win coming in the September
race at AMS, Kasey is going to destroy the point’s ladder and climb into a Top
25 position, ensuring a chance to get into the impending chase.
Another driver that has a lot of
work cut out for him this season is the habitual underdog Brian Vickers.
There are a few selected tracks on the Sprint Cup schedule that yield to
the power of the #83 Toyota and Atlanta will surrender
this weekend. Brian may not be the first
racer across the finish line, but he will make his Red Bull presence know up
front all race long and definitely finish in the Top
10.
Jimmie Johnson may be ranked with the best average finish (10th)
at AMS, but I think he is peaking way too soon.
Heed the potential fallen leader.
Track Stats
Kobalt Tools 500
(March 8,
2009)
Top 10
Results
1. Kurt Busch
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Carl Edwards
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Brian Vickers
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Tony Stewart
9. Jimmie Johnson
10.Martin
Truex Jr.
Pep Boys
Auto 500
(September 6,
2009)
Top 10
Results
1. Kasey Kahne
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Juan Pablo Montoya
4. David Reutimann
5. Mark Martin
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Brian Vickers
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Ryan Newman
10.Greg Biffle
Post Questions
& Comments to:
NASCARNATALIEANTHONY@yahoo.com
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