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NASCAR Natalie
by Natalie Anthony
10/17/2007
Pocono 500
June 8, 2008 (Sunday) - 2:15 pm (ET) - TNT
Most Likely…
In High School there is a gamut of theoretical awards that every senior wishes to win or avoid for their participation in their education. In NASCAR, it is the same, but the fans pick the winners or the losers.
Most likely to star in a toothpaste commercial: Patrick Carpentier
Most likely to get a date just with a look: Kasey Kahne
Most considerate and respectful: Carl Edwards
Most likely to be hated: Kyle Busch
Most likely to toy with the law: Tony Stewart
Most likely to whine about everything: Jeff Gordon
Most likely to be overshadowed by their parent: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Congratulations to Tony Stewart for winning the 4th annual Prelude to the Dream Race at Eldora Speedway and for donating $1,000,000 to the Victory Junction Game Camp.
Front Line Finishers
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 6th
Finally, a race this season that Jeff most likely could win. Jeff will be defending his win from last June and trying to finish better than 4th like he did in the August race. Jeff has a lot of "wow" factor at Pocono. Jeff is almost guaranteed to finish in the Top 10 based on his 10th place average finish.
Denny Hamlin
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 9th
Denny is definitely a driver that will most likely win on Sunday. Denny's record at PR speaks for itself. Denny has 4 Top 10's and 2 wins out of 4 starts. Denny didn't come home with a win last season, but he did get 6th and 3rd place finishes out of the summer and fall races.
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 11th
What a way to end the week. Tony wins his own charity event and will most likely give chase for the checkered flag at the end of the race on Sunday. Tony boasts an amazing 13 Top 10's out of 18 starts. What did he do for the other 5 races? Well for two of those races he suffered from an accident and an engine problem. That leaves 3 races out of 18 where Tony's worst finish was 27th. Not too bad Smoke.
Mark Martin
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 24th
Mark did not perform as well as I thought he would last weekend at Dover, but he will most likely not repeat that performance this weekend. Mark finished last season at PR with 2 Top 10 finishes and generally is a driver whom will be in the Top 10 at the end of these 500 lap races in Pennsylvania.
Last Lap Challengers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 8th
If Clint keeps driving at Pocono like he did last season, he will most likely improve his average finish from a desolate 20th spot to perhaps 15th. Clint squeezed into the Top 10 last season for the two races at PR.
Casey Mears
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 25th
Pocono is probably the only track this season that you are going to see Casey driving up front. Don't expect Casey to take the lead at any point of the race but he will most likely end the race in the Top 15 or better. Casey finished 4th and 10th in the summer and fall races last season.
Bottom 35 Feeders
David Ragan
Roush Fenway - Ford
Point Standings: 13th
Rumor has it that Roush Fenway will be shortening the list of drivers by the end of 2009, but it will most likely not be David. Jack Roush has a lot of faith in David's driving ability, but Pocono is not a track where his driver will back up that assurance of skill. David's best finish out of two starts is 26th.
Robby Gordon
Robby Gordon Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 29th
Robby showed that he has a variety of talent by finishing 2nd to Tony Stewart tonight at Smoke's charity event at Eldora Speedway. However, Robby will most likely not be show casing any aptitude at Pocono by ending his day early in the garage. Robby has 13 starts at PR with only 2 Top 10's.
Track Stats
Pocono Raceway (Long Pond, PA) - PR
Pocono 500
(Sister Flat Tracks - Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Phoenix, & New Hampshire
Pocono 500
(June 10, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Jeff Gordon
2. Ryan Newman
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Casey Mears
5. Tony Stewart
6. Denny Hamlin
7. Mark Martin
8. Kyle Busch
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Clint Bowyer
Pennsylvania 500
(August 5, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Kurt Busch
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Jeff Gordon
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Tony Stewart
7. Ryan Newman
8. Clint Bowyer
9. Mark Martin
10. Casey Mears
Reader Board
"Is Dario Franchitti going to return to the Sprint Series this weekend or should we look for him at a race down the road?"
Leslie - Canada
As a matter of fact, Dario Franchitti is on the entry list for the race this Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Dario is 42nd in owner points, so he will have to qualify on time to race in the Pocono 500 this weekend.
-NASCAR Natalie
Post questions & comments to:
NASCARNATALIEANTHONY@yahoo.com
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr1')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Jermicheal Finley Says No Progress On Contract Yet
(2/3 11:45 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Finley is a free agent this offseason and there hasn't been any movement on a new contract. "Hey, it's the NFL," Finley said Friday. "With business right now, I don't even know what's going on. ...You just have to play that (waiting) game. It's the Green Bay way. "I don't know anything. I'll just hope for the best."
Diehards Line:
As Journal Sentinel staffer Tyler Dunne notes, if Finley does receive the franchise tag from the Packers, it's expected that he will seek to be classified as a wide receiver. An arbitrator would make that final call. The franchise tag number for wideouts will likely be around $9 million. This season, Finley had 55 catches for 767 yards and eight touchdowns.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Report: Chiefs Going With Daboll As OC
(2/3 10:00 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the previous item. ... ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Chiefs hired former Dolphins assistant Brian Daboll as their offensive coordinator.
Diehards Line:
Daboll, most recently Miami's offensive coordinator, has a history with general manager Scott Pioli and he was selected over QBs coach Jim Zorn and former Raiders OC Al Saunders.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Report: Bills, Rian Lindell Agree To New Contract
(2/3 9:32 PM PT)
The Facts:
According to a league source, the Bills and Lindell have agreed on a contract that will keep him in Buffalo. Lindell was set to become an unrestricted free agent on March 13, but the two sides have hammered out an agreement.
Diehards Line:
Lindell has spent nine seasons as the kicker for Buffalo since arriving from the Seattle Seahawks. From 2003 to 2010, Lindell didn't miss a single game for Buffalo. It wasn't until this past season that he missed eight regular season games due to a shoulder injury. In his career in Buffalo, Lindell has connected on 204 field goals out of 246 attempts, a field goal percentage of nearly 83-percent. He's also missed only one extra point, that coming on a block against the Chicago Bears at the Rogers Centre in Toronto in 2010.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Super Bowl XLVI Injury Report; Final Edition
(2/3 4:25 PM PT)
The Facts:
Friday's final Super Bowl XLVI Injury/Status Report is now available for your review.
Diehards Line:
Under NFL rules, teams are only required to list if a player practiced or not until Friday. Then they must reveal the player's status for the game (out, doubtful, questionable, or probable). That information can now be accessed HERE.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Ryan: Sanchez, Holmes Have Talked; Hope To Meet Soon
(2/3 2:02 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on a previous item. ... Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes have talked by phone in an attempt to repair their relationship, and they're planning to meet soon for a kind of quarterback-wide receiver retreat. HC Rex Ryan told ESPN.com Friday that Sanchez and Holmes have discussed the possibility of taking an entire weekend to hash out their differences -- a couple's getaway, NFL style. "I'm not sure if they're going to or not, but that's something they mentioned," Ryan said. "I'm not sure where it would be or anything like that. I know they had mentioned that to me."
Diehards Line:
Ryan said he has spoken individually to Sanchez and Holmes, whose year-long rift became public at the end of the season. Asked if he planted the seed for the get-together, Ryan smiled and said, "I'm not going to take credit for that." Owner Woody Johnson revealed Thursday that he's planning to have dinner next week with Sanchez, and the team also has to make a final decision on Holmes' contract. If they wanted to cut him, they'd have to do it by Wednesday, according to a clause in the five-year, $45 contract he signed last summer. If he's still on the roster by Wednesday, his guaranteed money increases from $7.75 million to $15 million. Ryan, reiterating the team's public stance on Holmes, said there's no chance of him being released. "That's not going to happen," he said. ... We'll see.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Bradshaw, Nicks Listed As Probable For Super Bowl XLVI
(2/3 2:01 PM PT)
The Facts:
Ahmad Bradshaw didn't participate in practice Friday, the final session before Sunday's Super Bowl. Defensive back Tyler Sash and defensive end Osi Umenyiora (ankle, knee) were limited. All three players are listed as probable, along with wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (shoulder), cornerback Corey Webster (hamstring) and linebacker Jacquian Williams (foot).
Diehards Line:
The absences came after HC Tom Coughlin had presented a rosy picture of his team's health while addressing the media Friday morning. "Everyone wants to be a part of it at this point in time," Coughlin had said. "No one wants to be someone who is not able to participate or be a part of this wonderful experience. We’ve had everyone on the practice field, and hopefully, thank God, it will be that way Sunday. ..." As NFL.com's Albert Bree notes, Bradshaw had participated in Wednesday's practice on a limited basis and was a full participant Thursday. It has not been unusual for Bradshaw to play in a game after missing a day or two of practice since he broke a bone in his foot during the regular season.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Irsay Releases (Another) Statement On Peyton Manning
(2/3 1:57 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Colts owner Jim Irsay released a statement on Friday. “Peyton Manning, Jim Irsay and the entire Colts family remain close and unified as we continue to work through all the options that relate to his future with the Colts,” the statement reads. “The present focus is on the Super Bowl and the great game that awaits.”
Diehards Line:
At the risk of sounding cyncial and mean-spirited, the words in the release don't match the actions either side have taken this week. The two sides appear to be using the enormous world-wide stage that comes with the Super Bowl being hosted in Indianapolis to gain some kind of media or public relations advantage in what appears to be the process of separating after a lengthy and mutually-beneficial relationship. And every time they say it's not so, it becomes even clearer that it is. ... We'll further suggest we'd expected more from both sides.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Gronkowski, Welker Listed As Questionable For Super Bowl XLVI
(2/3 1:13 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... TE Rob Gronkowski is listed as questionable on the team's final injury report. Gronkowski participated in Friday's hour-long walk-through. He practiced for the second straight day after being limited in practice on Thursday. The Patriots listed 10 other players as questionable, including safety Patrick Chung (knee), left guard Logan Mankins (knee), linebacker Brandon Spikes (knee) and wide receiver Wes Welker (knee).
Diehards Line:
All 11 players were listed as taking part in a limited portion of Friday's practice and Boston Herald staffer Ian Rapoport advised his readers that Gronkowski is likely to play, as will likely all of the questionable. "This is kind of like Saturday for us," said HC Bill Belichick. "We've had a little bit of extra time this week (to practice). I think we're ready to go. We've worked hard this week Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in practice, and we had good practices back (in Foxboro) last week. We went through some mental-review things out there (Friday). ..." Stay tuned. We'll be posting the full injury report for Sunday's game once it's released by the league office.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Matt Forte Says Intent Of Franchise Tag Will Determine His Approach
(2/3 12:36 PM PT)
The Facts:
Following up on the ongoing story. ... Matt Forte said he would be fine with the Chicago Bears using the franchise tag on him as long as it leads to a long-term deal and is not simply a tactic to keep him off the free-agent market for another season. "It depends on the motive of (the franchise tag)," Forte said Thursday. "If they are doing the franchise tag just to get more time in order to negotiate a long-term deal then I would be OK with it. But if it's just to hold me another year and just 'Let's throw some money at him right now to keep him quiet,' that's not going to solve anything."
Diehards Line:
Bears president and CEO Ted Phillips said on Tuesday that the team has no intention of letting Forte become a free agent. Forte, who made his first Pro Bowl in the final year of his rookie contract, hopes that means an amenable resolution to a contract issue that has gone on since the lockout ended in July. Forte turned down a contract offer from the Bears before the season with $13 million to $14 million in guaranteed money, ESPN.com reported. Now with Phil Emery taking over for Jerry Angelo as Bears GM, Forte is hopeful an agreement can be reached. He said his agent has already spoken with Emery and expects to have more conversations in the next few days. Forte missed the final four games of the regular season after suffering a sprained right medial collateral ligament during the Bears' home loss to Kansas City on Dec. 4. He finished the season with 1,487 yards from scrimmage and returned to play in Sunday's Pro Bowl.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Chiefs Considering Daboll For OC Opening
(2/3 12:29 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Kansas City Chiefs are talking to Brian Daboll about their vacant offensive-coordinator position, according to a league source.
Diehards Line:
As previously noted, the Chiefs have also looked at Jim Zorn as an in-house candidate and have spoken to former Raiders coordinator Al Saunders, who has worked previously in Kansas City. Daboll, most recently Miami's offensive coordinator, has a history with general manager Scott Pioli and several executives expect him to be a top candidate for the job.
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