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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
7/10/2008
LifeLock.com 400
July 12, 2008 (Saturday) - 6:30 pm (ET) - TNT
Sonnet of Speed
Forty three drivers are ready to race,
All chancing their luck trying to finish first,
Only one has the pole to set the pace,
If they come in last, they finish the worst.
Lap by lap cars operate at top speed,
Steering clear of the walls through every turn,
Passing and passing to try for the lead,
Maintaining every position they earn.
Who will take the checkered flag at the end,
And celebrate in victory lane?
The driver who is first at the last bend,
That has shown he/she is the driver to reign.
If you win in NASCAR, you've beat the best,
Take your trophy for defeating the rest.
Front Line Finishers
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 5th
Jimmie statistics at CS are averaging one race short than most of his peers, but that has not hindered his impressive performance. Jimmie has 6 starts with a remarkable 4 Top 5's and 5 Top 10's. Oh, and a pole. The only thing left for Jimmie to complete his circle of achievement is a win.
Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 9th
Um, someone clear this one up for me. What great feats got Matt into 9th in points for the chase? I thought Jeff Burton was sneaky with his under toned success, but Matt nearly scared the stuff out of me. I don't know how Matt does it, but it looks like he will be making the chase again this year. Matt's record at CS is normal, but definitely not average. Out of 7 starts he has 2 Top 5's and 3 Top 10's. Maybe Matt could also be looking for his first win at Chicago.
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 12th
Good-bye to you. Tony is making his way towards the owner/driver arena next season with Haas CNC Racing. I say good luck and hope you can get some good drivers for your new team. Will it be Stewart Haas Racing or CNC Stewart Motorsports? Tony ditched his ride last weekend at Daytona, but hopefully he is feeling up to the challenge this Saturday at Chicago because he runs pretty well there. Tony has 7 starts with a whopping 5 Top 5's and 10's with 2 wins.
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 13th
Kevin is ranked number one for the best average finish at CS (8th). His success at this track may be what he needs to put him into the chase for the Sprint Cup. Kevin is tied with Tony Stewart for the most wins (2) with 7 starts as well.
Last Lap Challengers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 10th
Clint runs positively well at Chicagoland Speedway for having only two starts. In 2006 he finished 9th and in 2007 he finished 10th.
Reed Sorenson
Chip Ganassi Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 32nd
Reed in another driver like Clint Bowyer who has only had two starts at Chicago's 1.5 mile track with absolute success. Reed finished 7th in 2006 and 12th in 2007.
Bottom 35 Feeders
Kasey Kahne
Gillett Evernham Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 8th
I really pray that I am wrong about Kasey's expected performance at Chicago. Kasey is only 33 points away from being 13th in the points and being out of contention for the Sprint Cup. Kasey if you pull out a Top 10 this weekend, I will not write another negative thing about you the rest of the season. Kasey's record at CS right now is 4 starts with a best finish of 23rd.
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated - Chevrolet
Standings: 18th
Poor unfortunate driver. Martin got docked 150 driver points and his crew chief is suspended. Are teams really cheating or are they just alternating who gets to suck at matching a stock car to a template. At minimal, most teams has 36 races, 2 cars per race, which equals 72 chances to make a mistake. I guess penalties will just have to cycle through the garage until everybody gets hit. Martin your chances for the Cup were nearly depleted with your recent penalty and now with your lack luster performance at CS (2 starts with both finishes outside the Top 15), all I have to say is, "Better luck next year."
Track Stats
Chicagoland Speedway (Joliet, IL) - CS
LifeLock.com 400
(Sister Intermediate Tracks - Atlanta, Lowe's, California, Homestead-Miami, Kansas Dover, Darlington, Michigan & Texas)
USG Sheetrock 400
(July 15, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Tony Stewart
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Carl Edwards
4. Kevin Harvick
5. Casey Mears
6. Kurt Busch
7. Jeff Burton
8. Ryan Newman
9. Jeff Gordon
10. Clint Bowyer
Reader Board
"Is Joe Gibbs Racing actually thinking about putting Joey Logano in the #20 once Tony Stewart abandons it in 2008?"
Matt - Pennsylvania
If Joe Gibbs put Joey Logano into the #20 Home Depot car full-time next year, I think he is making a huge mistake. Joe Gibbs needs to fill that ride with a seasoned driver and give Joey an opportunity to race in the Cup Series for a very few and specially selected tracks. Anymore than that and JGR is looking at disaster.
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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