Turn 4 Transitions
Friday, April 23, 2010
By Natalie Anthony
Aaron’s 499
April 25, 2010 (Sunday) 1:00 pm – Fox
Brad Keselowski - 2009 Aaron’s
499 Winner!
Brad Keselowski to your left adorns the image of the
winner of the Spring race at Talladega Superspeedway
(TSS) only because of a last lap pass between him and Carl
Edwards. Invariably you have
watched the race, caught highlights from the event, or seen a picture posted on
the Internet. The accident that was a
result of the winning pass has already made its ranks into the Top Ten of
NASCAR worst crashes. Inevitably, the
replay of the horrific crash that left a few NASCAR fans with permanent
injuries to brandish that race into their minds forever will be played all
weekend long. For true fans of NASCAR,
those images will make you shutter and look away. The accident only needs to be seen once to
get the full impact and the long lasting effects. I hope and pray with the change to the
spoiler and the constant reminder of what wicked things could come that NASCAR
can end Sunday’s race will all 43 cars right side up and all four wheels
rolling.
Talladega and any
restrictor plate track always amounts to continuous and heightened
excitement. Out of the 36 races that the
Sprint Cup holds every season, Talladega
and Daytona are revered as must see races for non-NASCAR fans. Many of our favorite drivers have a sore spot
for superspeedways because of the almost guaranteed shortening of their work
day. A driver can run well and be in
contention for a Top 5 or 10 and maybe even for a win, but if that driver gets involved
in the predictable wreck that usually occurs later on in the race when drivers
are vying for positions or the restart gets jammed up; that driver is done and
to no fault of their own. And if that wreck didn’t take them out of the race,
just wait a couple more laps and it will most surely happen again. There exist a few drivers that are naturally
talented at restrictor plate tracks or are just basically lucky. Put an Earnhardt
in a car at a restrictor plate track and Voila you
have a winner. Many of the veteran
drivers have hit or miss races, but several like Greg Biffle, Jeff Burton, Kurt Busch, and Jeff Gordon
(5 wins) seem to know how to draft and have been around long enough to earn the
respect that you need at a plate track.
Rookies like Brad Keselowski (I think a driver
is a rookie until he has earned the respect of his peers) are leaning to more
of the lucky side of racing. I don’t
expect Brad’s luck to hold out this Sunday at TSS because of his abrasive
nature on the track and with other drivers.
Brad won’t have too many friends that he will be able to work with in
the draft this weekend. Joey Logano, who is another
rookie, on the other hand ranks 2nd in best average finish and
should expect another Top 10.
Track Stats
Aaron’s 499
(April 26,
2009)
Top 10
Results
1. Brad Keselowski
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3. Ryan Newman
4. Marcus Ambrose
5. Scott Speed
6. Kurt Busch
7. Greg Biffle
8. Brian Vickers
9. Jeff Burton
10.Carl
Edwards
AMP Energy 500
(November 1,
2009)
Top 10
Results
1. Jamie McMurray
2. Kasey Kahne
3. Joey Logano
4. Greg Biffle
5. Jeff Burton
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Michael Waltrip
8. Brad Keselowski
9. Elliott Sadler
10.Bobby
Labonte
Post Questions
& Comments to:
NASCARNATALIEANTHONY@yahoo.com
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