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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
6/28/2008
LENOX Industrial Tools 301
June 29, 2008 (Sunday) - 12:30 pm (ET) - TNT
Predictability is not very predictable
Last weekend's race at Infineon should have been a no brain-er for drivers that usually have success at road courses. Results from Sunday's race proves the opposite of that. The road course ringers finished in the back and a lot of drivers that are usually outside the Top 20 finished in the front. The COT is taking away from the predictability that tracks usually offer. This Sunday, the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are back on an oval to hopefully show that predictability, was last season's job.
Front Line Finishers
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 5th
Plain and simple for the #48 car. It came in 5th and 6th place last season.
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 6th
Two 2nd place finishes last season is not going to keep Jeff from trying to take over the first place spot this Sunday at New Hampshire. Jeff may get a run for his money, but he will sure be taking a lot of it to the bank.
Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 12th
I bet Matt's Top 10 finish at a road course really gave new life to his driving game this 2008 season. Matt will be able to follow that success up with the addition of another Top 10 this Sunday at NHIS. Matt is ranked 2nd of the active driver roster for the highest finishing average (10.5).
Ryan Newman
Penske Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 16th
New Hampshire International Speedway is a comeback track for Ryan. Ryan's racing record at NHIS is phenomenal. Out of a total of 12 starts (ironically), the #12 car has 4 poles, 2 wins, 5 Top 5's, and 9 Top 10's. Ryan may be having sponsor logo issues, but that is not going to effect his speed racing this Sunday.
Last Lap Challengers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 10th
Clint did take home the checkered flag for the last race NASCAR hosted at Loudon (September), but with a total of four starts and grabbing that win from out of no where does not make Clint consistent at NHIS. Clint will try hard again this season to finish up front, but putting all of your faith on him this early is slightly risky.
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 17th
Did I hear a rumor that Martin's future at DEI is questionable? Hang in there Martin because this weekend's performance will show momma Theresa that there is more of you to offer than a shadow to fill. Martin has a 3rd and a 5th place finish last season at New Hampshire, However, just like Clint Bowyer, Martin needs more experience to hang with the big drivers.
Bottom 35 Feeders
Juan Pablo Montoya
Chip Ganassi Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 19th
I could have swore last weekend that NASCAR Nation was going to witness some Columbian fist flying after Juan's run in with a few of the other road course racers. We were denied a back flip from Carl Edwards for his win in the Nationwide Series race Saturday night and we were denied a brawl Sunday afternoon. What happened to the emotion of our NASCAR drivers? Juan made a really good comeback to finish in the Top 10 at Infineon, but with only two races under his belt at NHIS; no such replay.
Elliott Sadler
Gillett Evernham Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 25th
I may be being a little hard on Elliott to place him in such a low rated category. He does actually have 4 Top 10's. Wait, here is the kicker. It is out of 18 starts. No, I am not being too hard on Elliott, he just doesn't drive well in Loudon.
Track Stats
New Hampshire International Speedway (Loudon, N.H.) - NHIS
LENOX Industrial Tools 301
(Sister Flat Tracks - Indianapolis, Phoenix, Las Vegas & Pocono)
Lenox Industrial Tools 301
(July 1, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Denny Hamlin
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Martin Truex Jr.
4. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
5. Jimmie Johnson
6. Jeff Green
7. Jeff Burton
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Matt Kenseth
10. Ryan Newman
Sylvania 300
(September 16, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Clint Bowyer
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Tony Stewart
4. Kyle Busch
5. Martin Truex Jr.
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Casey Mears
9. Ryan Newman
10. J.J. Yeley
Post questions & comments to:
NASCARNATALIEANTHONY@yahoo.com
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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">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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