Turn 4 Transitions

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

By Natalie Anthony

 

Coke Zero 400

July 4, 2009 (Saturday) 8:00 pm – TNT

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

           

 

New Hampshire Motor Speedway (NHMS) seems to like to put NASCAR nation on edge for the races that are hosted there in June.  It is only once a year, but for the last two June races in a row, NHMS has yielded to Mother Nature and prompted a driver to win that took a chance to stay up front based on fuel mileage.  I don’t like the predictablity of the outcome, so I hope next year NHMS takes charge and finishes the race.

            It takes a little while to get adjusted to the fact that the Coke Zero 400, which is show cased at Daytona International Speedway (DIS), the same track as the Daytona 500 is not categorized as a race that is of the same importance as the Daytona 500.  Yes, the Daytona 500 is 100 more laps, but the Coca - Cola 600 is 100 more laps than that at Lowes Motor Speedway and no one cares about that either; even though that track is only 1.5 miles in length.  So, if Kyle Busch wins again this July, it is just another race that will get him a win and that’s about it. 

            Dale Earnhardt is usually the driver to bet when it comes to Daytona or Talladega.  Maybe his lack of success these past couple seasons doesn’t show his true worth, but between 2003 and 2006, Dale couldn’t help but make it into the Top 10.  What is even stranger, is that Dale is ranked 3^rd for the best average finishes of active drivers and that is behind Marcos Ambrose who has only one start at Daytona and Terry Labonte who has a whopping 56 starts.  Really no true comparison there.   The only other drivers who are even considered an equal around Dale is Clint Bowyer, Tony Stewart, and Jeff Gordon, who are all in the Top 10 of best average finishes.

Hot topic of today is Jeremy Mayfield’s lifted suspension.  It looks as though we will see Jeremy attempt to qualify on time this Saturday.  What a nice independence day for him.  This freedom to race may be short lived because NASCAR is going to fight Mayfield all the way.  Take a look at Yahoo.com and Mr. Mayfield is ranked 7^th of the top searches of the day.  Pretty good press for the sport of NASCAR.  Everybody loves a scandal. 

 

Happy 4^th of July!!!

 

 

Coke Zero 400

 

(July 5, 2008)  

Top 10 Results  

1.  Kyle Busch

2.  Carl Edwards

3.  Matt Kenseth

4.  Kurt Busch 

5.  David Ragan

6.  Robby Gordon

7.  Kasey Kahne

8.  Dale Earnhardt Jr.

9.  Clint Bowyer

10.Mark Martin

 

 

 

Track Stats

Daytona International Speedway

(Daytona Beach, FL)

 

 

 

 

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