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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
2/12/2008
Pepsi 500
August 31, 2008 (Sunday) - 8:00 pm - ESPN
Two and then their through
Did anybody notice that the last three races before the chase have and will be night races? I know that Richmond has always been a night race, but have the fall Bristol and California races been under the lights in the past? I personally like the transition because drivers are faced with a bigger battle because practice and qualifying are under the natural rays of the sun and the actual race is seen under artificial light. Thank goodness it is Labor Day weekend, or NASCAR nation would be dog tired on Monday.
Front Line Finishers that will establish a place in the Chase
Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards have great racing history at the Auto Club Speedway, but both drivers already are in the chase.
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 4th
If Jimmie duplicates his finishes the last two times he raced at California, he will be mathematically placed into the 3rd or 4th position in the chase depending on the outcome of other driver points. During the spring race this season, Jimmie finished 2nd to Carl Edwards and for the race last September, Jimmie was the race winner and Carl Edwards finished 2nd. Jimmie has the best average finish of active drivers at 6.4.
Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 5th
Jeff can definitely bring home a Top 10 this Sunday, and the points should put him ahead enough to ensure him a spot for the chase. Jeff had a Top 5 in September of last year, but missed a Top 10 in February by two spots.
Tony Stewart
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 6th
Team mate Kyle Busch has already slotted a spot for the chase two races ago, now Tony has a chance this weekend to clean up and keep his 4th place spot and just have some fun next weekend and not worry about getting into the chase anymore. Tony finished 7th this past February.
Kevin Harvick
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 8th
Ok, Kevin doesn't have a win to his name this season and he is in the running for the chase. Kevin's history at ACS is not so nice, but he did break into the Top 10 in February. If Kevin has issues this race, he always has Richmond next Saturday and that seems to be one of Kevin's signature tracks.
Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 10th
Matt definitely knows how to play clean up at the end of the pre-chase season. Matt finished in the Top 10 last fall and in the fifth position this past February. Matt has been to victory lane twice at ACS and is looking for another chance to take the checkered flag. If Matt does fall short some how this weekend, than his 10th place standing right now may put him in jeopardy for the Richmond race and the last race of the chase.
Last Lap Challengers for the Chase
Kasey Kahne
Gillett Evernham Motorsports - Dodge
Point Standings: 14th
Kasey got a raw deal last weekend at Bristol thanks to some really avoidable situations by other drivers and spotters, but don't count Kasey out until the math tells you. Kasey does have a little something to smile about this Sunday. The last two races at California resulted in Top 10's for both races. Kasey just needs to be solid for the next two races. Don't forget Kasey did get his first win at Richmond, which is next on the Sprint Cup Series schedule.
Brian Vickers
Red Bull Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 16th
Brian's dream about making it into the chase may be something that is just a dream, but what is unknown to many; Brian seems to like running Cali because he finished 8th last season during the fall race and 11th this past February. Brian just might sneak his way into the chase. I don't mind if he does, as long as he doesn't bump Kasey Kahne out of the way.
Martin Truex Jr.
Dale Earnhardt Incorporated - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 17th
With Martin's contract at DEI extended, he can focus on sliding his #1 car into the chase. It may be a long shot for Martin, but don't give up until they make you. A lot can happen in 500 laps and luck can change its mind whenever it wants to.
Bottom 35 Feeders who never had a chance in the Chase
Reed Sorenson
Chip Ganassi/Sabates Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 31st
Guess what? Young Mr. Sorenson will be making a move over to the Kahne, Sadler, and hopefully Carpentier stable next season with Gillett Evernham Motorsports. I guess NASCAR wants to put all the cute drivers on one team. When Chad McCumbee moves up to the Cup Series full time, I hope Ray Evernham and George Gillett considered him for GEM too.
Juan Pablo Montoya
Chip Ganassi/Sabates Racing - Dodge
Point Standings: 21st
I hope Juan wasn't expecting to rally through the ovals and make it into the chase his first full time season. If only the entire season could be a road course. Juan is working on his fourth attempt at the 2 mile track and working on making his first Top 10. Juan's best finish was 20th at the February race this season.
Track Stats
Auto Club Speedway (Fontana, CA) - ACS
Pepsi 500
(Sister Tracks - Lowe's, Texas, Homestead-Miami, Kansas
Dover, Chicagoland, Michigan, Darlington, & Atlanta)
Sharp Aquos 500
(September 2, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Carl Edwards
3. Kyle Busch
4. Jeff Burton
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Matt Kenseth
8. Brian Vickers
9. Kurt Busch
10. Kasey Kahne
Auto Club 500
(February 24, 2008)
Top 10 Results
1. Carl Edwards
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kyle Busch
5. Matt Kenseth
6. Martin Truex Jr.
7. Tony Stewart
8. Kevin Harvick
9. Kasey Kahne
10. Ryan Newman
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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