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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
2/20/2008
Toyota/Save Mart 350
June 22, 2008 (Sunday) - 3:30 pm (ET) - TNT
Road Course Specialists - "Ringers"
By definition, road course ringers are invited to a road course race by NASCAR teams to either replace an inexperienced Sprint Cup regular, or to boost the point standings of a Sprint driver that is not particularly keeping up his side of the driver's contract. These replacement drivers can be classified however it is deemed necessary, but road course warriors put their expertise into every turn of every lap and make sure that these few special races are so much more fun.
Some of the selected road course drivers that will be gracing us with their genius this Sunday.
Brandon Ash
Ron Fellows
Terry Labonte
Max Papis
Scott Pruett
Boris Said
Brian Simo
Front Line Finishers
Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 2nd
This silent wonder will quite possibly be taking over the point standings after this weekend. In the last two seasons, Jeff has finished 7th and 3rd.
Greg Biffle
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 8th
Greg's definitely the Roush driver that has taken centered stage for the Ford team. Yeah, we know Carl Edwards is higher in the point standings, but he should be. Greg is the team member at Roush that has really cranked things up this season. Greg surprisingly runs really well on this particular road course. Two Top 5's in the past two seasons.
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 9th
You hear a lot of talk about how Hendrick Motorsports is not performing as well as they have in the past few seasons, but if you take a look, you will find that teammates Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, and Jeff are all contenders for the chase this season. They may not be winning a lot of races, but they sure have been consistent as a whole. Jeff has a great chance to put the #24 in victory lane this Sunday. Jeff has a total of five wins at Infineon and came in 7th last season. Jeff's last win was only in 2006.
Ryan Newman
Penske Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 17th
It is very sad to see the change of events that has taken place for Ryan since his win at Daytona. Ryan is five spots out of the chase, but with his success at IR, he might just be able to pull one more spot out for the chase if he follows up his 2 Top 5's and 4 Top 10's out of his six total starts.
Last Lap Challengers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 12th
Clint is a driver that has discovered he can run consistently well at certain tracks and believe it or not, they are not cookie cutter tracks. Clint's experience at California is very minimal (two starts), but a Top 5 and a Top 10 is pretty impressive for a newbie.
Juan Pablo Montoya
Chip Ganassi Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 22nd
Juan is the defending race winner for the Toyota/Save Mart 350, but with the animals he will be forced to race this weekend, Juan may not be winning this race a second time his second time out.
Bottom 35 Feeders
Kasey Kahne
Gillett Evernham Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 7th
No matter now much momentum and no matter how much I really would like for Kasey to do well at Infineon this weekend, it is just not going to happen. Kasey will be facing his 5th try at IR and will probably not be breaking out of the Top 35.
Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing Motorsports - Ford
Point Standings: 14th
I thought Kasey Kahne had poor performance at Infineon, but Matt's record gives new meaning to not knowing how to drive left and right and left and right. Eight times out and not even a Top 10.
Track Stats
Infineon Raceway (Sonoma, CA) - IR
Toyota/Save Mart 350
(Sister Road Courses - Watkins Glen)
Toyota/Save Mart 350
(June 24, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Juan Pablo Montoya
2. Kevin Harvick
3. Jeff Burton
4. Clint Bowyer
5. Greg Biffle
6. Tony Stewart
7. Jeff Gordon
8. Kyle Busch
9. Boris Said
10. Denny Hamlin
Reader Board
"Is Kyle Busch serious about bailing out of the Nationwide Series?"
Emily - Wisconsin
Unfortunately, I think that is exactly what Kyle Busch is doing. I don't know if Joe Gibbs wants to make sure that new team member Joey Logano gets all the attention in the Nationwide Series or because Kyle is just angered at the fact that he isn't in first place in the Nationwide Series. Lucky for us, he is still participating in the Craftsman Truck Series and the Sprint Cup Series.
-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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