Raceday: Measuring up?
Saturday, Jun. 04, 2011
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Greg Biffle might have had a tough night in the Coca-Cola 600, but that won’t slow him down this week, returning to the track where he won one year ago.
2. Want a good measuring stick of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s progress this season? See how he does this weekend at Kansas, where he hasn’t finished better than 22nd the past two years.
3. This is the first year Kansas has hosted two Cup races. Its lone race has typically been in the fall. It’s likely the hot race weekend in June will change the dynamics of who is in contention and who isn’t.
OBSERVATIONS
When Kansas Speedway opened in 2001, fans had to purchase season tickets for all the track’s events in order to attend the Cup races. That typically led to sellout crowds for both the Nationwide and Cup races each season.
This season, with the addition of a second race weekend, track officials elected to offer single-race tickets for sale. Without the requirement of season ticket purchases, it will be interesting how the crowd this weekend compares with those of seasons past.
And will a sub-par crowd this weekend foreshadow more problems for the fall?
The new qualifying procedures in Nationwide, Truck and Cup should help make the process more interesting and could provide an opportunity for drivers outside the top 35 in owner points to win a pole.
I applaud NASCAR's effort to spice up qualifying, but how about making it a little more relevant? All this work just to get the best pit stall?
Isn’t the time and money invested to go through this process worth at least a few points for winning a pole?
Jeff Gordon appears to be the first driver – at least publicly – to declare his team’s best chance at making the Chase now rests with wins and one of the "wild card" slots.
That’s after 12 of the 26 races that decide the Chase field. That leaves a lot of racing still ahead. It will be interesting to see how Gordon’s strategy plays out.
JUST THE FACTS
STP 400
Where: Kansas Speedway, Kansas City, Kan.
Track type: 1.5-mile banked, paved quad-oval.
Race distance: 267 laps or 400.5 miles.
When: Green flag is 1:16 p.m. Sunday.
Weather: Sunny with high in the mid-80s.
TV: Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. on Fox.
Radio: Motor Racing Network.
PICKS
JIM UTTER Kansas Speedway is still looking for a hometown hero to visit Victory Lane. That wish is granted this week.
Winner: Carl Edwards.
BOB HENRY
He’s won almost as many championships as Jimmie Johnson, which could make him the hungrier of the two. And the Kansas track is one of those he knows his way around very well.
Winner: Jeff Gordon.
NOTES
Chevy pleased with engine results
Tony Stewart may believe everyone is “bringing a knife to a gun fight right now” when it comes to competing with Ford engines, but that is not necessarily the view of Chevrolet officials. “I have seen the (chassis) dyno numbers and we are pleased with them,” said Alba Colon, the GM Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup series program manager. “We have seen the numbers. We have discussed the numbers with our teams. I am pleased so far we just have to keep working on it.” NASCAR tested engines from each manufacturer following last month’s race at Dover, Del., on its chassis dynamometer, which measures rear-wheel horsepower. Colon pointed out in the 12 Cup races so far this season, Chevrolet drivers had won six races and five poles. “We want to win them all but we are constantly working on our parts - us and the teams,” she said. “We are constantly looking to get better.” On Friday, Stewart was asked how engines at Stewart-Haas Racing (which come from Hendrick Motorsports) stack up with those from Ford. “I think Ford definitely has an advantage right now over the whole field,” Stewart said.
“They’ve been working on this motor for a long time and we’re still on about a six-year-old model.”
Ford was the last to complete an upgrade to its engine, which debuted in the Cup series last season.
Penske makes it two in row
Kurt Busch doubled down on the pole run last week at Charlotte by his Penske Racing teammate, Brad Keselowski.
Busch made it two poles in a row for Penske by capturing the top starting spot in today’s STP 400 at Kansas Speedway. It’s Busch’s first pole since last season.
“This is a great feeling especially after (Friday) where we spun in practice and had to repair the front end damage,” Busch said. “The feeling of being so close, yet so far away.
“I have to thank my guys for standing by me, not just through (Friday) but some of the tough times we’ve been through of late.”
Juan Pablo Montoya qualified second, Kyle Busch third, Brian Vickers fourth and Joey Logano fifth. Points leader Carl Edwards will line up seventh.
Logano car carries Joplin store decal
Joey Logano’s No. 20 Toyota will carry the logo of the Home Depot store in Joplin, Mo., which was destroyed by the recent tornado to hit the city.
In addition, Logano and members of his team will visit Joplin on June 14 and help in rebuilding the store.
More racing news, blogs, photos and more at www.ThatsRacin.com.
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