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NASCAR Natalie
Whose house, Denny’s house
Pocono 500
by Natalie Anthony
6/14/2007
Citizens Bank 400
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine; you make me happy when they can race
I don’t know about the rest of the NASCAR nation, but I felt shafted after last weekend’s race at Pocono. I had to wait several hours just to watch the race get started because of a rain delay and then only after 107 laps, I got denied 393 laps due to rain. I am not really too happy with the Pennsylvania weather and I live in the state. Well, I checked the forecast for the race this Sunday at Michigan International Speedway (MIS) and it looks like mostly sunny with a high of 90 degrees and 100% of racing. Thank you Mother Nature.
Just a side note for any Sprint car fans, Kasey Kahne and his friends will be racing Wednesday June 27, 2007 at the Williams Grove Speedway in Mechanicsburg, PA. Al the proceeds from the race will benefit the Kasey Kahne Foundation. Tickets are still available for the race and if you are interested call 717-697-5000 or visit www.williamsgrove.com for more information.
The Checkered Four
(Current point standings)
Jeff Gordon (1st) Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet – I know Jeff, like every other driver, would love to win a race by racing, but last weekend’s win is just the cherry on top. He has the drive to bring another win home this weekend at MIS because Jeff consistently finishes in the Top 10 at this track. If Jeff doesn’t take the pole this Sunday and the checkered flag I will be very surprised. Jeff has 4 wins, 15 Top 5’s and 19 Top 10’s out of 28 races.
Matt Kenseth (2nd) Roush Fenway Racing – Ford – If you don’t see a Chevy in victory lane, you are sure to see the #17 Ford. Matt’s worst finish at MIS is 17th place ironically and that is out of 15 tries. If you forget about 4 other races that he has finish in the Top 15, Matt finished the rest of his races in the Top 10. Lay down the green for Matt this weekend and you will come away ahead.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. (14th) Dale Earnhardt Incorporated – Chevrolet – Well since Dale has decided to move to Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he can focus on racing this Sunday. Dale may have a sketchy record at MIS, but his last two races here have left him with a 3rd and a 6th place finish. Given the chance at Pocono, he might have given his fans a better finish than 12th and may have given Jeff Gordon or Ryan Newman a run for their money.
Kasey Kahne (28th) Evernham Motorsports – Dodge – If I could give Kasey anything it would be my wish for him to do better this season. If you have been watching you would know that he is doing just that. Yeah, he is coming up slowly, but at Michigan he has a chance to show us exactly why he won more races last season than any other driver. He finished the June race at MIS first and followed that up in August with a 4th place finish. Kasey can bring his racing around at MIS and this track will give him the finish to prove he is Nextel Cup worthy.
Underdogs
(Current point standings)
Greg Biffle (19th) Roush Fenway Racing – Ford – Well, Greg hopefully solidified his contract into 2008 with Roush Fenway Racing and will not be give his ride up for anybody dressed in red. The #16 should be doing better this season given the progress his fellow team mate’s have had, but no such luck so far. Out of the 5 cars that Roush Fenway Racing has riding this season, Greg is one spot up from the team’s rookie. Hopefully with his past success at MIS, Greg can turn it around. Greg has raced at Michigan 8 times and has 2 wins with 4 Top 5’s and 6 Top 10’s.
Reed Sorenson (25th) Chip Ganassi Racing – Dodge – The boy is cute and can drive at Michigan. His rookie season he finish both races at MIS in the Top 10. Last summer he had a 5th finish and in the fall Reed had an 8th place finish. Give that Target Dodge a little more credit this race and look for Reed to place in the Top 10 again.
Most likely to be a lap down
(Current point standings)
Clint Bowyer (8th) Richard Childress Racing – Chevrolet – Doesn’t look like Clint is going to race responsibly or good for that matter this Sunday. Maybe after the race he can have a Jack and Coke and rethink what the heck happened this race. Clint is going into his sophomore season and MIS is stuffing him in the proverbial locker like a freshman. Clint registered at Michigan twice last season and couldn’t pass better than 33rd place.
Kyle Busch (10th) Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet – I don’t care how many family members Kyle has to wreck, he still will not be able to top a finish better than 20th. Kyle had a 9th finish in 2005, but besides that expect him to finish outside the Top 20 and quite possibly not on the lead lap. Kyle’s 4 tries at MIS has left him with only that 1 Top 10 and not really anything else.
Track Stats
Michigan International Speedway (Brooklyn, MI)
Citizens Bank 400
June 17, 2007 (Sunday) – 2:00 pm - TNT
(Sister Tracks – Lowe’s, California, Texas, Kansas
Dover, Chicagoland, Homestead-Miami, Darlington, & Atlanta)
Michigan 400
(August 20, 2006)
Top 10 Results
1. Kasey Kahne
2. Carl Edwards
3. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
4. Greg Biffle
5. Reed Sorenson
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Casey Mears
8. Jeff Gordon
9. Kurt Busch
10. Kevin Harvick
3M Performance 400
Top 10 Results
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kasey Kahne
5. Mark Martin
6. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
7. Greg Biffle
8. Reed Sorenson
9. Denny Hamlin
10. Elliott Sadler
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Our latest Cheat Sheets updated constantly through September.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr1')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Marvin Harrison Denies Involvement In Shooting
(5/13 12:31 AM PT)
The Facts:
Harrison assured the Indianapolis Colts he was not involved in a shooting last month in his hometown of Philadelphia. Owner Jim Irsay said Monday he hopes that's the case. "At this point I'm keeping my fingers crossed," Irsay said. "We've done everything we could do in our diligence to try to discern what happened. He said he was not involved in that shooting and. ... The authorities have said there is nothing imminent."
Diehards Line:
Irsay said the Colts' security department has been in contact with NFL security in Philadelphia as well as with Philadelphia law enforcement. ... To review: A gun that Harrison owned has been linked to the shooting in which a man suffered a gunshot wound to his hand and a small boy was cut on the face by flying glass from a windshield. Six of the bullet casings found at the April 29 shooting near Harrison's car wash were from his gun, ESPN's Sal Paolantonio reported last week. But Harrison is not considered a suspect at this time.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Terrell Owens Happy With Situation In Dallas
(5/13 12:21 AM PT)
The Facts:
Owens' contract situation has been a backburner subject this offseason, as the team has dealt with the draft, getting Zach Thomas and Pacman Jones in the fold, and working on extensions with unsigned, but protected veterans Marion Barber and Ken Hamlin. So could there be a problem, with the star receiver's deal expiring at the end of the season? Owens says no.
Diehards Line:
"I definitely want to end my career with the Dallas Cowboys, and go into the Hall of Fame as a Dallas Cowboy," Owens, who told DMN staffer Albert Breer that he's got "3-5 years" left in the game, said. He also mentioned that getting a ring is what really matters at this stage of his career. And he believes the group to get it done in 2008 is there. "No doubt," Owens said. "The makeup is there. ... We're a step closer every year. We're ready."
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Patriots Meet With Kevin Jones; Nothing Imminent
(5/13 12:18 AM PT)
The Facts:
Last week, New England very quietly hosted a visit -– and no team can do things as quietly as the Patriots -- with Kevin Jones, whom Detroit released in March.
Diehards Line:
According to NFL Network insider Adam Schefter, Jones appears to be a couple of months away from recovering from the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered late last season, but he is far enough along that the Patriots brought him in for a look. Schefter believes there are teams that think Jones will be able to contribute in training camp, others wonder if he will miss the start of the season due to his knee injury.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Randy McMichael Happy With New OC
(5/13 12:16 AM PT)
The Facts:
No Rams player may be more excited about Al Saunders being OC than McMichael. "As soon as I found what was going on and they had hired coach Saunders, I got really excited," McMichael said. "This is the kind of offense that I have dreamed my whole career of playing in."
Diehards Line:
Saunders has a reputation for making the tight end an integral part of his passing attack. Kansas City's Tony Gonzalez averaged 80 catches per season in his six seasons with Saunders calling the offensive plays. Under Saunders, Washington's Chris Cooley caught 57 passes for 734 yards and two touchdowns in 2006 and 66 passes for 786 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007. "He said the funniest thing to me the first time I met him," McMichael said of Saunders. "He said, 'I've had a Pro Bowl tight end eight straight years."' Now, the pressure is on McMichael to keep that streak going.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Roddy White Skips Final Workout With Sore Hamstring
(5/12 7:24 PM PT)
The Facts:
White was held out of practice Monday after a slight hamstring problem Sunday afternoon. "Roddy tweaked his hamstring," HC Mike Smith said. "It's just precautionary. We don't want to put ourselves in a position with a guy this time of year that may hurt himself more by going out there."
Diehards Line:
White said he's been working hard to stay healthy with the offseason weight program and looks forward to building on his career season from 2007. "I'm getting a lot more comfortable," he said. "I just have to go out there and continue to work hard and continue to get better every day. If you ain't getting better, you're getting worse." We're looking for White to continue getting better, but much of his success will depend on the team's quarterback.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Robbie Gould Signs 5-Year Extension With Bears
(5/12 6:32 PM PT)
The Facts:
Gould on Monday signed a five-year contract extension with the Bears that runs through the 2013 season. Terms were not disclosed.
Diehards Line:
Gould is the most accurate field goal kicker in Bears history among those with at least 50 attempts, having connected on 84 of 99 tries (84.8 percent) in three seasons. In 2007, Gould made 31 of 36 field goals (86.1), including 17 of 18 (94.4) over the final seven games. His only miss during that stretch, a 48-yard attempt, was blocked. Gould also owns Bears records with 26 straight field goals from Dec. 25, 2005-Nov. 19, 2006 and 22 straight games with a field goal from Oct. 23, 2005-Nov. 6, 2006.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Joe Horn Would Prefer Trade To Reserve Role
(5/12 1:34 PM PT)
The Facts:
Horn said Monday that he would like to be traded instead of remaining with the team as a "just-in-case guy." Horn said he had not approached the team yet about his desire to be dealt but that him and/or his agent would in the near future. When told of Horn's remarks, general manager Thomas Dimitroff said: "He is still part of our team and we still see a future for him here."
Diehards Line:
Horn said that he would be professional for as long as he remains with the Falcons. He said he hopes the Falcons will push to deal him to a team who values him as a contributor. ... During five, just-completed mini-camp workouts -- and during a pre-draft minicamp in April -- Laurent Robinson replaced Horn in the starting lineup alongside Roddy White. Michael Jenkins and rookie Harry Douglas also took reps this weekend, which could have prompted Horn to feel as if he was being pushed down the depth chart. Brian Finneran, Eric Weems and Adam Jennings are also vying to be among the five-to-six wide receivers retained.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Ravens Mulling Use Of 3-WR Set As Base Formation
(5/12 11:31 AM PT)
The Facts:
One of the questions heading into Ravens mini-camp was the pecking order of the WRs. But Derrick Mason, Demetrius Williams and Mark Clayton aren't battling against each other. They are teaming up in pursuit of a common goal. If this unit plays up to expectations, there is a possibility the Ravens could use three wide receivers as their primary formation. "It's not a possibility. It will happen," Mason said. "Using three wides is not far-fetched with the three guys that we have."
Diehards Line:
Whether it was injuries or just former HC Brian Billick's scheme last season, the Ravens rarely spread out defenses. Of the Ravens' 557 passes thrown last season, only 39 percent came in a three-wide alignment. New OC coordinator Cam Cameron wants to be unpredictable and will change up the formations as well as the personnel groupings. "If we had to start a game today, three wide receivers might be our starting group," Cameron said.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Steven Jackson Setting Modest Goals, Looking For More
(5/12 12:21 AM PT)
The Facts:
Last June, Jackson announced he was shooting for 2,500 total yards from scrimmage. He wound up with about half that, rushing for 1,002 yards and adding 271 receiving yards in 12 games. He missed four games with injuries, and the Rams tumbled to 3-13 and last place in the NFC West. "My goal right now until (training camp in) July is to (learn) this offense, so I can play fast," Jackson said. "When I'm playing fast, I know what I'm doing."
Diehards Line:
Assuming he -- and his offensive line -- avoid the injuries that caused so many problems last year, Jackson, heading into the final year of his rookie contract, figures he can rebuild his stats and enhance his bargaining power at the same time. A monster season would push Jackson, 24, even further up the potential-earnings chart, and he's counting on putting up big numbers. "Well, we all know what happens in a contract year: you ball out," he said with a laugh. "So, I expect to."
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Michael Turner Among Falcons On The Mend
(5/11 12:24 PM PT)
The Facts:
Several veteran players recovering from injuries took part in the Falcons' first mandatory mini-camp on Saturday. Turner (shoulder) participated in most drills after being medically withheld from a voluntary mini-camp in April.
Diehards Line:
Turner had surgery on the shoulder earlier this year and is expected to be fully recovered before training camp. ... Meanwhile, QB D.J. Shockley and WR Brian Finneran, both trying to make comebacks from season-ending knee injuries, went through the majority of the dual practice sessions. For Finneran, who wore a heavy brace on his right knee, just going through a non-contact practice is a huge step. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in consecutive years during practice. He last played in 2005.
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