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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
2/12/2008
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
July 27, 2008 (Sunday) - 2:20 pm (ET) - ESPN
Age ain't nothing but a number
The huge difference between Mark Martin and the number of other older drivers in the NASCAR series is that Mark Martin has remained competitive since the day he drove the #6 car for Roush Fenway Racing. It doesn't take a statistician to show you the numbers straight up. Just watch a single race that Mark is competing in and you will see a 50 year old driver (January 9, 2009) that is racing up front with drivers that are a half his age. Not only is Mark wise with age, but he is intelligent enough to know that a full-time ride with Hendrick Motorsports for the 2009 season may be his last chance to go for the NASCAR Sprint Championship Cup. Almost everybody in the NASCAR world would agree that Mark Martin deserves it more than any other driver out there.
Front Line Finishers
Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 1st
The only time Kyle Busch does not run well in a car is if someone else is driving. If you have taken notice, a lot of the boo's that has been following Kyle each and every race has slowly changed to cheers. Now all you hear is just a bunch of yelling. Take another bow Kyle, you are winning races and winning over fans. Kyle has raced at IMS three times in his very short career and has 3 Top 10's.
Jeff Gordon
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 6th
Dude, win a race already. I think Jeff needs to stop being the poster child of perfect manners in racing and shake things up a bit. Other drivers are pushing him out of the way to take his spot and he needs to push back. Jeff has success at almost every track on the NASCAR circuit, but can't seem to find victory lane this season. Jeff finished 3rd last year at the Brickyard and holds 4 wins for his fourteen starts. Hopefully Jeff will find his nerve this Sunday and get a chance to embrace the bricks at Indianapolis.
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 9th
Believe it or not, the Brickyard is shaping out to be a track that Kevin is really good at. Kevin has a mere 7 starts with 5 Top 10's and a win in 2003. Kevin may not win the Cup this season, but he is going to look good trying with repeated Top 10's.
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 10th
I think Tony's transition to Stewart CNC Racing was the smoothest this year. There wasn't too much hype that preceded the merger and now it just speculation on what Tony's new team can produce next year. I said it last week and I will say it again, late season wins are typical for Smoke, so Tony get the Home Depot car up front this weekend and keep it there. Tony is the race winner from last year.
Last Lap Challengers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 13th
Clint really did head out this season with really strong finishes, but it seem like the hectic schedule of the NASCAR circuit both Sprint and Nationwide may be tiring him a bit. Clint finished 4th in 2006 at IMS, but 13th the following year out of just two starts. If he can muster up the energy, he may just be able to get a Top 10.
Juan Pablo Montoya
Chip Ganassi Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 20th
It might be a really big stretch giving Juan the chance to run well at the brickyard again because of his 2nd place finish last year, but crazier things have happened there. Pick Juan for your fantasy roster as a last resort if you are left with nobody else.
Bottom 35 Feeders
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated - Chevrolet
Standings: 17th
Martin and crew begged for a second chance to reverse the decision of his latest penalty and the appeal was denied. Denial will be something Martin will have to get used to this week. Last year at the brickyard, Martin almost cracked the Top 10 with a 12th place finish, but with three starts and an average finish of 24th, don't look for a repeat.
Elliott Sadler
Gillett Evernham Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 23rd
The Gillett Evernham teams have been making some strides to become more competitive in the Sprint series lately, but Elliott has not been reaping all the rewards. Elliott has tried to find success at IMS, but out of nine tries and only a pole, a Top 5 and a Top 10, he is looking at an 11% chance of getting back up front.
Track Stats
Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis, IN) - IMS
Allstate 400 at the Brickyard
(Sister Flat Tracks - Pocono, Las Vegas, Phoenix, & New Hampshire)
Allstate 400
(July 29, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Tony Stewart
2. Juan Pablo Montoya
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kyle Busch
5. Reed Sorenson
6. Mark Martin
7. Kevin Harvick
8. Jeff Burton
9. Dave Blaney
10.Matt Kenseth
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">Brett Favre Tried To Help Vikings Recruit LT
(3/15 8:26 PM PT)
The Facts:
Favre hasn't announced his intentions about playing in 2010, but we came across what appears to be a gigantic clue that he'll be back. That clue is this: A source familiar with the Vikings situation told Newsday's Bob Glauber that Favre was heavily involved in the recruitment process late last week for RB LaDainian Tomlinson.
Diehards Line:
According to Glauber, it is believed that Favre spoke to Tomlinson by phone and while recruiting effort ultimately came up short, Profootballtalk.com's Michael David Smith correctly suggests if Favre is actively trying to recruit players for the Vikings' 2010 roster, that's a pretty big clue that Favre himself plans to be on the Vikings' 2010 roster. ... Not that we should expect an announcement or official confirmation any time soon.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Marc Bulger Shows Up For Off-Season Workouts
(3/15 8:24 PM PT)
The Facts:
Bulger’s future in St. Louis may be tenuous at best, but he remains under contract with the Rams. As such, he was among the Rams’ players on hand Monday for the start of the team’s off-season conditioning program.
Diehards Line:
Per the Post-Dispatch, the turnout Monday was good. Among the notable absences was running back Steven Jackson, but he was at Rams Park all of last week. ... Getting back to Bulger, all indications are the veteran signal caller will be moving on. But it doesn't look like he's ready to do anything to force management's hand.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Seahawks Sign WR Ruvell Martin
(3/15 8:21 PM PT)
The Facts:
Martin, who has a background with Seahawks general manager John Schneider from three seasons with the Green Bay Packers from 2006-08, signed a one-year deal with the team.
Diehards Line:
Martin, 27, played eight games for the St. Louis Rams in 2009 and caught six passes for 99 yards, including two for 60 yards against the Seahawks in a 27-17 Seattle win on Nov. 29. The 6-4, 220-pounder has 58 career receptions for 848 yards and six touchdowns in his NFL career. Martin's best season for Green Bay came as a rookie in 2006 when he pulled in 21 passes for 358 yards, including seven catches of 20 or more yards.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">JaMarcus Russell Absent As Raiders Get To Work
(3/15 1:48 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Raiders kicked off offseason voluntary workouts today at team headquarters. No visible sign of Russell, though.Several players who have been at the facility for weeks said they have not seen the former No. 1 overall draft pick. When asked if he'll show today, one starter laughed and said "That's a horror show." Another starter said "don't hold your breath."
Diehards Line:
Meanwhile, fellow QBs Charlie Frye showed up, saying he signed his original draft pick tender. Bruce Gradkowski has been there all along, rehabbing his knees and preparing to compete for the starting job. ... For what it's worth, Russell did show up for last year's off-season program a week after it started. And it should also be noted that the workouts are voluntary.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Broncos Release Chris Simms
(3/15 12:47 PM PT)
The Facts:
According to Mike Klis of the Denver Post, Simms has been released.
Diehards Line:
With Brady Quinn now under contract at a base salary of only $700,000, the Broncos were able to part ways with Simms, who was last season's primary backup. Simms was due to earn a base salary of $2.54 million in 2010. Last year, he earned $1.96 million. The move leaves the Broncos with three QBs under contract: Kyle Orton, Quinn, and Tom Brandstater. ... For what it's worth, ESPN insider Adam Schefter suggests that Brandstater might be the best long-term prospect of the group.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Ben Roethlisberger Absent For Start Of Workouts
(3/15 10:04 AM PT)
The Facts:
The Steelers started offseason workouts today and there is one notable absence. Roethlisberger is not working out with his teammates and is not at the Steelers' practice facility.
Diehards Line:
Roethlisberger has stayed out of sight since getting accused of sexual assault in Milledgeville, Ga. It's not clear if the decision to stay away is exclusively Roethlisberger's. The QB has met with team officials, who are said to be very disappointed with the situations he finds himself in. It would't be terribly surprising to learn all involved are on board with the absence as part of an effort to avoid distraction.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Kyle Orton Likely To Remain Denver's Starting QB
(3/14 5:59 PM PT)
The Facts:
With former first-round pick Brady Quinn now shipped from Cleveland to Denver, there's a question as to whether Quinn or Orton will be the starting quarterback for the Broncos. Mike Klis of the Denver Post reports that the new guy won't supplant the holdover; per Klis, Orton will start.
Diehards Line:
Though Orton's status could change, PFT's Mike Florio points out the decision makes sense, for a couple of reasons. First, Orton is a restricted free agent, tendered at the first-round level. His base salary is $2.62 million, nearly four times greater than Quinn's $700,000 compensation. Then there's the fact that Quinn will unlock $5.9 million in 2011 escalators if he takes 70 percent or more of the snaps on offense this season. By making him the backup, the Broncos are guaranteed to get two seasons out of him at a total payout of a paltry, relatively speaking, $1.4 million.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Matthew Stafford Ready For Off-Season Work
(3/14 4:50 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Lions begin their off-season conditioning program next week and HC Jim Schwartz said Stafford, who is coming off December knee surgery, should be ready to go. "There's probably some things that he'll take maybe a little slower, but I don't think he'll have a whole lot of restrictions," Schwartz said.
Diehards Line:
The Lions will bring Stafford along slowly and build his workload as he goes along. "He's had some rehab time where he hasn't been able to do as much maybe as other players," Schwartz explained. "But there is nothing he can't do, it's just a matter of getting him back up to speed and back into the shape he needs to be in. ..." With Daunte Culpepper an unrestricted free agent, the arrival of QB Shaun Hill, acquired in a trade with San Francisco, will provide the team with another arm to help keep receivers busy as Stafford works his way up to speed.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">LaDainian Tomlinson Agrees To Terms With Jets
(3/14 3:18 PM PT)
The Facts:
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, it's official: Tomlinson is a Jet. He reached agreement on a two-year contract. Done.
Diehards Line:
Stay tuned on this one. ... It will be very interesting to see how Tomlinson's contract compares with the one Thomas Jones signed in Kansas City (two years, $5 million). It's widely believed Jones, a very popular figure in New York's locker room, gave the Jets an opportunity to match the Chiefs' offer. It's not clear how the arrival of an aging running back on the decline (LT) will go over given the departure of a more popular -- and still very productive veteran -- might go over. ... Meanwhile, it's safe to say Tomlinson will open the season behind second-year man Shonn Greene. ... Again: More to come.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Browns Trade QB Brady Quinn To Denver
(3/14 2:17 PM PT)
The Facts:
Jay Glazer of Fox Sports is reporting that Quinn was just traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Denver Broncos in exchange for Peyton Hillis and two conditional draft picks.
Diehards Line:
As PFT's Michael David Smith points out, we've known since the Browns acquired QBs Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme that Quinn was available. Now he'll battle Kyle Orton for the starting job in Denver. Orton has to be considered the favorite based on experience in HC Josh McDaniels' scheme. But there are those who believe Quinn was never given a fair shake in Cleveland and he's capable of more than we've seen. Either way, the Broncos' QB competition just became more interesting.
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