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NASCAR Natalie
Turn 4 Transitions
by Natalie Anthony
11/6/2008
Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
November 9, 2008 (Sunday) - 4:00 pm (ET) - ABC
Chase Watch - Report #9
Could this weekend's race at Phoenix International Raceway (PIR) cause an upset with the top two drivers in the Championship chase; Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards? That is a big resounding 'NO.' Unless Jimmie Johnson decides not to show up this Sunday for the race, then maybe. I wish the chase would have been a little closer for the last two races to give NASCAR Nation that much deserved unexpectedness, but as with last season we are denied the suspense. Technically it is not over until the checkered flag waves at Homestead- Miami next Sunday. What are the odds the outcome will be any different than it has been the last two championship chases? Kudos's to Jimmie Johnson for tying Cale Yarborough's record for winning three consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup championships.
Front Line Chasers
Jimmie Johnson
Hendrick Motorsports - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 1st
Carl Edwards put up one heck of a fight last weekend at Texas Motor Speedway to tighten the points lead between him and Jimmie, but all that effort will have been in vain. Jimmie and his Lowe's Chevrolet have taken the checkered flag at Phoenix the last two times the Sprint Cup series has raced at PIR.
Jeff Burton
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 4th
Jeff has to be one happy race-car driver even if he doesn't win the chase this season. Jeff had a little taste of success last season with his win at Texas in the Spring and he made sure this season he performed even better. Jeff currently has two wins this season and he might possibly get one more this weekend if things play out to his advantage. Jeff's last two races at PIR resulted in two Top 10's.
Greg Biffle
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 3rd
2008 has been a phenomenal season for Greg and this weekend's race at PIR will add to the success he has received so far this year. Greg has inked two Top 10's his last two races at Phoenix and this Sunday will be no different.
Kyle Busch
Joe Gibbs Racing - Toyota
Point Standings: 10th
Before this race for the chase is through, Kyle will have moved up two more spaces in the point's standings. This season's championship chase was given and then taken away from the Joe Gibb's driver, but this will not be duplicated next season. Kyle will be top dog at JGR in 2009. Kyle has two more races to show he has got what it takes to be a champion and he will be giving it all he's got at Phoenix. Kyle is another chase driver that likes to finish in the Top ten at PIR.
Last Lap Challenge Chasers
Clint Bowyer
Richard Childress Racing - Chevrolet
Point Standings: 6th
I don't know if Clint really thought he would do this well in his first chase for the championship, but all Clint's fans should be proud of his success and expect more of it in the future. Clint is still learning how to run this Phoenix track, but short tracks seem to favor him. Clint has knocked out two Top 5's and two Top 10's out of his six starts at PIR.
Bottom 25 Chasers
Matt Kenseth
Roush Fenway Racing - Ford
Point Standings: 8th
It constantly boggles the mind to try and figure out how Matt does it, but every season he makes it into the Championship chase even if he has had a lack-luster pre-chase season. The down side to getting into the chase is that Matt can't seem to make it to the top in point standings. This weekend's race at Phoenix may possibly even put him down a spot due to his inconsistency at the one-mile track. Matt has raced at PIR for a total of twelve times and finishes in the Top 10 about 50% of the time.
Track Stats
Phoenix International Raceway (Avondale, AZ) - PIR
Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500
(Sister Flat Tracks - Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Pocono, & New Hampshire)
Checker Auto Parts 500
(November 11, 2007)
Top 10 Results
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Greg Biffle
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Tony Stewart
5. Ryan Newman
6. Kevin Harvick
7. Martin Truex Jr.
8. Kyle Busch
9. Jeff Burton
10.Jeff Gordon
Subway Fresh Fit 500
(April 12, 2008)
Top 10 Results
1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Clint Bowyer
3. Denny Hamlin
4. Carl Edwards
5. Mark Martin
6. Jeff Burton
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
8. Martin Truex Jr.
9. Greg Biffle
10.Kyle Busch
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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