Nascar - ATL, The Penultimate Race To The Chase Race And N-Wide, Trucks Road Racing

GA_Boater

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Penultimate, I always wanted to use that word. :D The next to last Cup race before the Chase begins, followed by Richmond. The weekend also includes Nationwide at Atlanta and Trucks are running at Canadian Tire Motorsport Park in Ontario.

Here is the weekend schedule, with a double-header on Sunday. Trucks early and Cup late;

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29
2:30 p.m.-4 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 1
4:10 p.m.-5 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series practice, FOX Sports 1
5:30 p.m.-6:50 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series final practice, FOX Sports 1
7:10 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 1

SATURDAY, AUGUST 30
9:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series practice
11:35 a.m.-1 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series final practice
3 p.m.-3:50 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice, FOX Sports 2 (
4:10 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Coors Light Pole Qualifying, FOX Sports 2
5:40 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Keystone Light Pole Qualifying
6 p.m.-6:50 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series final practice, FOX Sports 2
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Nationwide Series Great Clips 300 to benefit Feed The Children (195 laps, 300.3 miles), ESPN2
SUNDAY, AUGUST 31
1:30 p.m.: NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Chevrolet Silverado 250 (64 laps, 157.37 miles), FOX Sports 1
7:30 p.m.: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Oral-B USA 500 (325 laps, 500.5 miles), ESPN

The weather is kinda shaky. Friday is good, but Saturday has a 60% chance of storms and Sunday is 50%. The dart tossers are waffling around on the forecast because it started with much higher rain chances. Keep your underbellas handy just in case.


I'll hazard a guess that with two races to go to be eligible for the Chase, Kenseth is probably in, even if we have two first time season winners. Newman could be iffy with only 16 points between him and the bubble spot, Biffle. If Newman, Bowyer or Biffle don't win, they maximum points to remain contenders, And if anyone under them wins at Atlanta or Richmond. Current points/seeds for the Chase;
Standings
RKDRIVERPOINTSMONEYWINSPOLESTOP 5TOP 10
1Jeff Gordon845$5,037,82832816
2Dale Earnhardt Jr.818$4,766,154301116
3Brad Keselowski776$5,267,406331012
4Joey Logano761$4,675,343311014
5Jimmie Johnson726$4,851,26831714
6Kevin Harvick721$4,552,76125712
7Carl Edwards716$3,607,60720510
8Kyle Busch629$4,410,9801269
9Denny Hamlin594$4,175,43110510
10AJ Allmendinger586$3,129,7891024
11Kurt Busch582$2,935,3191066
12Aric Almirola559$3,607,3041024
13Matt Kenseth751$4,544,86201915
14Ryan Newman710$3,008,4040028
15Clint Bowyer699$3,703,05500310
16Greg Biffle694$3,870,5490039
*** Chase for the Sprint Cup cut-off ***
17Kyle Larson668$3,497,81001510
18Kasey Kahne661$3,168,7140029
19Austin Dillon654$3,780,4390113
20Paul Menard649$3,633,59600411
21Jamie McMurray634$4,576,0550127
News
Biggest item is Smoke. He is running for the first time after sitting out the last three races. Since he didn't attempt to qualify or race for two races, Nascar would have to waive the eligibility requirements in order to run in the Chase, even if he won. Currently he is almost 160 out of the bubble spot. He needs a win and a waiver.

Keso won his first Truck race ever in his own truck last week. He also got whacked owner points for fail the post-race inspection, The spoiler was too high. Two other teams joined him is failing post-race for the same reason.​
Nascar had two announcements this week. First no change in the money split in 2015 when the new TV contract kicks in. In my opinion, for what it's worth, this the the reason for the RTA. The TV deal is worth 46% over the current, expiring contract. Tracks and team will get more paid out, 65% and 25% respectively, since 65/25% of 8.2 billion is more than 65/25% of 4.5 billion, but there is no word on increased purses yet.​

The second is race schedule changes. Basically, Atlanta will be run the week after Daytona, March 1 in 2015. Next years Spring Bristol race will move
to April 19, so the "West Coast Swing will start a week later with three consecutive races. And by moving Atlanta to earlier in the year, Darlington is returned it's traditional Labor Day spot. I don't know, the first of March can be awfully dicey weather-wise in Atlanta.​
Fantasy Live
Sam60 was the best performer, beating out aspeck and 64osby. Sam got his third :first: place trophy in the last four races. He also moved up from the bottom of the overall standings to mid-pack. Speaking of the overall, 64 has padded his lead over FlaCowboy to 380 points.

So make your picks and put some ribs or brisket in the smoker and enjoy the race. See ya during the race!
 
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aspeck

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NASCAR waived their restriction for Smoke ... If he wins, he is in ...
 

MTboatguy

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NASCAR waived their restriction for Smoke ... If he wins, he is in ...

I was just going to post that, that means he will be on fire this weekend, or he will have lost his edge, hope things go well for him.
 

WIMUSKY

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I think Tony just wants to finish the race and try and see if he can get his head back in the game. Not sure he's going to be worried about winning this weekend...
 

aspeck

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I agree, Musky! His interview was not one that inspired hope and confidence. He is a racer, not an actor. He was still visibly shaken and there were no signs of his normal confident, or over-confident, self. I think he just wants to drive his cares away. He was 14th in practice, so that bodes well for him.
 

MTboatguy

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I agree, Musky! His interview was not one that inspired hope and confidence. He is a racer, not an actor. He was still visibly shaken and there were no signs of his normal confident, or over-confident, self. I think he just wants to drive his cares away. He was 14th in practice, so that bodes well for him.

I agree, think he is going to have to run this race to get some confidence back, been a couple of tough years on him, if you have watched NASCAR as long as I have, you have seen this happen before, despite my frustrations over the years with him, I actually feel for him, man it has to be hard.
 

GA_Boater

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Qualifying results:
  1. Harvick, 190.398mph, his first Atlanta pole. Not a record
  2. Keselowski
  3. Larson
  4. Newman
  5. Kenseth
  6. Truex Jr.
  7. Almirola
  8. Busch
  9. Gordon
  10. Kahne
  11. Edwards
  12. Stewart
So after a three race absence, Stewart has a good qualifying run. That should be good for his head. A good race finish will do even more.
 

64osby

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Harvick with the pole and the Nationwide victory. He just dominated.

Made my picks and sticking with them.:car: :juggle: :popcorn:
 

GA_Boater

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Yep - Harvick owned the track tonight. He might be a good bet for the Cup race.
 

GA_Boater

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Any second now, 'speck. They're working out the butterflies. :smile:
 

aspeck

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Guess I should have taken Smoke back ... He is running possessed!
 

GA_Boater

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Ya gotta love Nascar's Live Leaderboard. On Lap 9, "Gordon takes second from Gordon." I'm as confused as they are. LOL
 

aspeck

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Someone throw a cat out there in front of Cowboy ... He is starting to pull away ...
 

aspeck

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The squirrel isn't wearing a helmet, he is a real squirrel! Ha!
 

aspeck

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Caution ... For the cat, the squirrel, or the strap on the front of JJ's car?
 

GA_Boater

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After Ambrose blew his motor, The Twerp ran across the front of Stewart pushing into the wall. Tony's crew has plenty of work to to do and will take a few pit stops. Ambrose sure threw a lot of oil down pit lane - That's gonna be fun.
 
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