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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
Natalie Anthony
9/21/2006
$ Cha-Ching $
How would you like to earn $17.00 a second? Well, on average, the drivers that are in the ten spots for Nextel Cup contention do at Dover’s International Speedway (DIS). DIS is a one mile intermediate track with 4 turns and banking so high that you can’t see the drivers in the turns if you are too low in the grandstand. Here’s a break down of their potential earnings. The Dover 400 is 400 laps. Duh! Every time a driver makes a left hand turn, they make $100.00. With 4 turns, multiplied by $100.00, you get $400.00 for every lap. It takes about 23 seconds to complete a lap (depending of the driver), and every second they bank $17.00. Now do the rest of the math. Again, figures are based on an average. 400 laps multiplied by $400.00 a lap equals $160,000 for the race.* Man, besides going really, really fast and getting to crash into things, there’s another turn on to racing.
*Earnings based on track purse for June 4, 2006 at DIS and only include average earnings by drivers in the chase for the Nextel Cup.
The Checkered Four
(Current point standings)
Technically, you could pick any driver in the Chase for the Nextel Cup for this race. Every one of them finished in the 12th position or higher in the last race here in June.
Jimmie Johnson (9th ) Hendrick Motorsports – Chevrolet – Poor Jimmie. It was just 4 races ago and he was our point’s leader. He moved down to second by a few points under Matt Kenseth and then New Hampshire happened. I couldn’t believe it; I thought the #48 was untouchable this season. How many times has he been spun around this season? He pulled off the impossible in qualifying last June at Dover and got loose and never hit a thing. When he gets turned around during a race, he avoids contact like the plague. In one race, bad luck came knocking. Luckily for Jimmie, he can come back with a win at Dover. Shoot, he has already won here 3 times and that’s out of 9 starts.
Kyle Busch (10th) Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet – I don’t know if it was the game plan for Hendrick to have teammates following suit at New Hampshire, but Kyle should have disobeyed orders. Fortunately for him, Dover will play nice. In every start he has had here (3), he has finished in the Top 10. With one bad race, there is no way Kyle will let that happen again. Top 10 will not do it for him this time; he will be making every effort to be in the Top 5.
Ryan Newman (16th) Penske Racing South – Dodge – This is by far the best track for Ryan to run on. He will take his lead early and will not give it up without a fight. The only way drivers are going to be able to get Ryan out of first is too wreck him, but see if they can catch him. When Ryan takes the lead, he takes it by several car lengths. Ryan has won 3 times at Dover out of 9 starts and he finishes on average in the 7th spot.
Mark Martin (6th) Roush Racing – Ford – I love to watch Mark race at Dover. Mark is our race winner at Dover. He is tied for 4 wins with Jeff Gordon, but he has more poles, more Top 5’s, and more Top 10’s. Of course he has more starts than Jeff, but who doesn’t like Mark better at Dover. He trudges along doing his driving thing, staying out of trouble and ends up finishing in the Top 5.
Underdogs
(Current point standings)
Jamie McMurray (19th) Roush Racing – Ford – Jamie has the opportunity to redeem himself at Dover. The last race at Dover in June, he finished 2nd. 2nd! That’s the best finished he’s had all season. While I don’t foresee a repeat due to all of the traffic up front by the chase contenders, Jamie will however squeeze in somewhere in the top 15.
Bobby Labonte (27th) Petty Enterprises – Dodge – What about Bob? The risk with Bobby is either he will do really well or really not. He does not seem to have a happy medium. He has won at Dover before and sat on the pole 3 times. As a matter of fact, Bobby’s first NASCAR Nextel Cup race was at Dover in 1991. So, this track has sentimental value to him. Ahh! Solid Top 15 for Mr. Labonte.
Most likely to be a lap down
(Current point standings)
Casey Mears (15th) Chip Ganassi Racing – Dodge – Ya know, Casey was doing so much better last season before he switched to the #42 car. Chip’s probably thinking that it takes about a season to break in a new driver. Have you seen the great things done by Elliott Sadler since he moved over to Evernham Motorsports just 5 races ago? I don’t know, but if Jamie McMurray hopped rides that easily, Casey could be in the same position as Jeremy Mayfield was. He has 7 starts at Dover with 1 Top 10 and that was before he made the leap to Ganassi Racing.
Martin Truex Jr. (23rd) Dale Earnhardt Incorporated – Chevrolet – Martin has had a mediocre rookie season. Lately, he can’t stay off the wall or stay in his pit box. Instead of performing like he should since it is the later part of the season, he is driving like he just came off the Busch series. He needs to step it up. I hope for his sake he signed with DEI for more than one year. He too could possibly be looking for another ride soon. Martin made his NASCAR Nextel series debut here in June and finished 22nd.
Track Stats
Dover International Speedway (Dover, DE)
Dover 400
September 24, 2006 (Sunday) – 12:30 pm - TNT
(Sister Tracks – Atlanta, California, Homestead-Miami, Lowe’s
Kansas, Chicagoland, Michigan, Darlington, & Texas)
(Tracks in bold represent tracks in the Chase for the Nextel Cup)
Neighborhood Excellence 400
(June 4, 2006)
Top 10 Results
1. Matt Kenseth
2. Jamie McMurray
3. Kevin Harvick
4. Jeff Burton
5. Kyle Busch
6. Jimmie Johnson
7. Kasey Kahne
8. Greg Biffle
9. Mark Martin
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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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">Steven Jackson Setting Modest Goals, Looking For More
(5/12 12:21 AM PT)
The Facts:
Last June, Jackson announced he was shooting for 2,500 total yards from scrimmage. He wound up with about half that, rushing for 1,002 yards and adding 271 receiving yards in 12 games. He missed four games with injuries, and the Rams tumbled to 3-13 and last place in the NFC West. "My goal right now until (training camp in) July is to (learn) this offense, so I can play fast," Jackson said. "When I'm playing fast, I know what I'm doing."
Diehards Line:
Assuming he -- and his offensive line -- avoid the injuries that caused so many problems last year, Jackson, heading into the final year of his rookie contract, figures he can rebuild his stats and enhance his bargaining power at the same time. A monster season would push Jackson, 24, even further up the potential-earnings chart, and he's counting on putting up big numbers. "Well, we all know what happens in a contract year: you ball out," he said with a laugh. "So, I expect to."
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr2')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Michael Turner Among Falcons On The Mend
(5/11 12:24 PM PT)
The Facts:
Several veteran players recovering from injuries took part in the Falcons' first mandatory mini-camp on Saturday. Turner (shoulder) participated in most drills after being medically withheld from a voluntary mini-camp in April.
Diehards Line:
Turner had surgery on the shoulder earlier this year and is expected to be fully recovered before training camp. ... Meanwhile, QB D.J. Shockley and WR Brian Finneran, both trying to make comebacks from season-ending knee injuries, went through the majority of the dual practice sessions. For Finneran, who wore a heavy brace on his right knee, just going through a non-contact practice is a huge step. He tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in consecutive years during practice. He last played in 2005.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr3')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">GM Disappointed, But Not Ready To Bail On Cedric Benson
(5/11 12:22 PM PT)
The Facts:
GM Jerry Angelo expressed disappointment that Benson put himself in a situation last weekend that resulted in his arrest near Austin Texas, but Angelo said the team isn't rushing to judgment in the case and that he expects Benson to be at training camp competing for the starting job in July. "The thing that I am most disappointed in is the fact that he put himself in a position to be the victim," Angelo said.
Diehards Line:
Coming off arguably the worst of his three disappointing seasons with the Bears, Benson was expected to face an uphill battle for playing time against second-round pick Matt Forte even before the legal problems. Benson is still in the process of rehabbing the latest injury, but he hopes to be 100 percent healthy by the start of camp July 23.As reported in this week's Fantasy Notebook, there has been speculation that the Bears might release Benson, but Angelo dashed those rumors. "There's no plans to cut him," the Bears' GM said.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr4')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Saints' Interest In Jeremy Shockey Ongoing
(5/11 11:16 AM PT)
The Facts:
The talk of the Saints' interest in acquiring Shockey is seemingly never-ending. When asked about whether or not improving depth at tight end is a priority in the offseason, HC Sean Payton said, "If the right player was available and we felt like he could come in an compete with the guys we currently have on our roster, than we'd be interested in doing that."
Diehards Line:
In light of Payton's comment, it might be worth noting a Newark Star Ledger report this morning in which Giants OC Kevin Gilbride's said he's not sure if Shockey will play another down for the Giants or if he'll be traded. "It's so nebulous right now. I just have no idea what's going to happen," Gilbride said. Gilbride said he has spoken to Shockey recently, but wouldn't say what the TE's feelings were. The coach also suggested the team's improvement with Shockey on the sidelines late last season had more to do with Steve Smith's presence than Shockey's absence.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr5')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Torry Holt Unsure About Long-Term Future With Rams
(5/11 11:15 AM PT)
The Facts:
On Saturday, in his first comments to St. Louis reporters since the end of the 2007 season, it was clear that Holt is taking a realistic view about his future with the Rams. "I have this year and next year, and hopefully I can finish those years out," Holt said. "Then, I'll see where I'm at. I'll see where I'm at physically. I'll see where I'm at emotionally, financially."
Diehards Line:
Holt went on to explain: "Then, if they would like to do something here, I'll consider it. If not, then I'll have the option to go and explore and give my services somewhere else." Holt raised eyebrows three weeks ago when he talked about reuniting with his brother Terrence -- a safety for the Panthers -- when the final two years of his contract were up. To a degree, it was clear Holt was joking, particularly the remark about "resigning" from the Rams. But he admitted Saturday that if he moves on, Carolina will definitely be the first choice. Still, Holt fully plans to play out the remaining two seasons on his current contract.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr6')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Darren McFadden Showing Off Speed, Versatility
(5/11 12:20 AM PT)
The Facts:
McFadden practiced in his No. 20 jersey, showing speed and burst in both rushing attempts and pass routes. "It's so easy for him to run really fast," HC Lane Kiffin said. "He's running by people and it doesn't look like it's really hard to do. Reggie (Bush) was that way. They don't even have to go to the next level until they really need it."
Diehards Line:
As Chronicle staffer David White pointed out, contact isn't allowed in off-season workouts, so plays were whistled dead when tackles seemed imminent -- not that many defenders on hand looked capable of doing so in an open field. Meanwhile, Oakland Tribune beat man Jerry McDonald notes that McFadden caught a number of passes in Saturday's workouts -- both out of the backfield and while split out wide. He even lined up at QB taking shotgun snaps less than 24 hours after Kiffin cautioned about throwing too much at the rookie too soon.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr7')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Matt Ryan Starting At Bottom Of Depth Chart
(5/10 4:31 PM PT)
The Facts:
The Falcons just finished the first of five mini-camp practices and Ryan made his debut -- as the third-team quarterback. This veteran coaching staff is going to make him earn his stripes. So, for now, he worked behind Chris Redman and Joey Harrington and rotated with D.J. Shockley.
Diehards Line:
The Falcons have yet to tip their hand when it comes to the approach they'll take with Ryan. He could start, or the coaching staff could make him earn his way up the depth chart. But as the AJC notes, the offense is new and Redman, Harrington and D.J. Shockley don't have a big head start on the rookie. That could emerge as a determining factor in the staff's strategy.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr8')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Mario Manningham Slowed By Injured Hip Flexor
(5/10 2:57 PM PT)
The Facts:
Manningham and QB Andre' Woodson were sidelined by injuries Saturday during the New York Giants' mini-camp for rookies and free agents. A third-round draft pick from Michigan, Manningham suffered a hip flexor on his left side running a pull-up pattern early in the morning workout. Woodson pulled a quad muscle in his left leg.
Diehards Line:
Manningham said the injury happened because he did not run his pattern right. "It ain't nothing bad or serious," Manningham said. "If it was serious I would not be walking. ..." HC Tom Coughlin said Manningham, the third-round pick from Michigan, "showed some flashes" before the injury.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr9')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Chris Perry Ready To Contribute
(5/10 9:16 AM PT)
The Facts:
HC Marvin Lewis said Sunday that Perry will be available Tuesday when the team begins voluntary on-field work. Perry was placed on season-ending injured reserve in 2007 after sustaining a serious ankle injury Nov. 26, 2006.
Diehards Line:
According to Enquirer staffer Mark Curnutte, the reason the Bengals didn't take a running back in last month's NFL Draft wasn't because they wanted to sign Shaun Alexander, who had been released by Seattle. The reason is that Perry appears to be healthy and ready to play this year. ... The Bengals want Perry to return to the role he occupied in 2005, when he played in 14 games with two starts and had 51 receptions and a 4.6-yard rushing average as Rudi Johnson's backup. To do so, of course, Perry would have to avoid the kind of injuries that have limited him just 9one full season in four years as a pro.
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class="headline" onClick="expanddiv('tr10')" style="cursor:hand; cursor:pointer" onmouseover="window.status=' ';return true">Kyle Boller Running With First Team; Flacco Impresses
(5/10 1:15 AM PT)
The Facts:
Boller got most of the work with the first team but looked shaky during team drills. He threw two interceptions, including one that was returned for a touchdown by the defense.
Diehards Line:
According to ESPN.com's James Walker, rookie Joe Flacco shared secondary reps with Troy Smith and didn't disappoint. The rookie first-round pick showed off his arm strength with several nice deep balls, including one that connected with receiver Mark Clayton for a touchdown. He also threw crisp slants and check downs to running backs. ... All indications are Boller will be the opening day starter but don't be surprised if the new staff pushes Flacco into the lineup as quickly as possible.
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