Fantasy Nascar News 2007

[Hache Man]

Mid-pack Attack: Daytona '07
Track history

Daytona International Speedway has been hosting two major NASCAR races each season since 1959. Unlike any other sport, where the goal is getting to and winning the final game at the last venue, the Super Bowl, World Series, Stanley Cup and other sport season finales, NASCAR starts its season with the Daytona 500, dubbed "The Great American Race". Drivers will compete for bragging rights in the first of 36 points races on the 2007 NEXTEL Cup schedule.
Banking in turns on the 2.5-mile track is 31 degrees. Banking in the tri-oval is 18 degrees and 3 degrees on the backstretch. The frontstretch is 3,800 feet and the backstretch is 3,400 feet.

First Cup race

The inaugural Cup race at Daytona was held on February 22, 1959. Bob Welborn won the 50 lap Qualifier two days earlier to sit on the pole in the No. 49 W.J. Ridgeway 1959 Chevrolet. Lee Petty, 3-time Series champion, won the event in his No. 42 Petty Enterprise '59 Oldsmobile.


As fantasy players, your team budget won't allow you to pick all track favorites so Mid-pack Attack is here to help. A mid-packer may not win the race but has as good a shot at a top 15 finish as track favorites Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart. There were 61 cars on the entry list for this weekend's Cup race. The 43 drivers who qualified will be competing in front of 168,000 fans in the grandstands for a total purse of $18,386,023. Here are our picks for Sunday's Daytona 500 in Daytona Beach, Florida.



Mid-pack picks

There's one thing in common with all four of our picks this week; they're all in Chevrolets. Even though the front row is made up of Fords, the bowties ran well (and won) in the Bud Shootout and in the Duel 150s.


Sterling Marlin finished 36th in the 2006 point standings but ran a fast enough qualifying lap last Sunday to be locked in to a 500 start. He's done well at Daytona, scoring three Cup wins including back-to-back Daytona 500s in 1994-95. Marlin has an average finish of 16.4 in 49 Cup starts while racking up 21 top tens. His No. 14 Chevrolet has been among the top 15 in Pre-season Thunder testing and as high as 2nd in this week's Daytona 500 practice.


Casey Mears debuts his new Hendrick Motorsports ride in the 500. He was near the top of the speed chart in Wednesday's practice session, clocking a 3rd fastest lap of 188.135 mph under drafting conditions. We think he'll turn out to be the best pilot of the No. 25 Chevrolet in recent years.


We like sophomore driver Martin Truex Jr. in the No. 1 Chevrolet for this event. He had a win, a pole and an average finish of 8.8 in five Busch Series starts at this track. Truex had finishes of 2nd, 5th and 6th in his three IROC Daytona start. He told his crew chief during his Duel 150 qualifier race that this was the best handling car he's ever driven at Daytona.


Our deepest pick is the squeaker story of the week. Mike Wallace raced his way into the 500 with last lap dash in the second Gatorade Duel 150 qualifier to secure the final transfer position into the field. He did it by not much more than a bumper. Wallace practiced the No. 09 Chevrolet well this week posting a 2nd fastest lap during the February 14th session. He owns one Busch Series and one Craftsman Truck Series Daytona victory as well.

[Hache Man]

Chasing The Field: Daytona 500
A look at Sunday's Daytona 500 from a fantasy perspective.

Chasing the Field takes a look at to see how our top 10 picks from our Daytona 500 preview article finished.

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Tony Stewart (Joe Gibbs Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 1
Finished: 43
Qualified: 3
The race: Stewart won nearly everything during this year's Speed Weeks at Daytona. The No. 20 car bested the field during the Bud Shootout and then cruised to an easy win during his Gatorade Duel 150 race. He appeared to have the equipment in place to win his first Daytona 500. Stewart thought he might have hit some debris around lap 80 when Kyle Petty shredded a tire. The No. 20 car went to the pits to change all four tires and was blocked when David Gilliland and Robby Gordon got into each other. After not being able to move he raced out of the pits and was caught speeding. The penalty dropped him to the end of the longest line. Stewart quickly moved up through the field following the penalty and regained the lead on lap 150. While in the lead he got a little too far onto the apron and bobbled a bit. He lost a little speed due to the bobble and Kurt Busch, who was running second, got into his rear. The contact sent both cars into the outside wall and ending their chances to win the race.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 43
Average Position: 17
Laps Led: 35
Race for the Chase: Stewart is in 40th place in the championship standings 151 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Stewart finished ninth in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 15.9 and finish is 17.8.


Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 2
Finished: 39
Qualified: 21
The race: Johnson is the defending Daytona 500 winner, but his car didn't looked particularly fast during the Speed Weeks leading up to the race. He thought he finally got a correct setup during the final practice on Saturday. Johnson got a bit loose on lap 42 and slapped the wall. The damage to the car appeared to be minimal. Johnson's team made significant changes during the lap 65 pit stop in an attempt to tighten the car up a little bit. He fell to the back of the pack after needing to pit twice during the second caution of the race when he ran over some debris on the track. Johnson continued to struggle with his car's handling throughout the race. With 25 laps remaining in the race he lost control and smacked wall and then was hit by several cars. The damage to the car ended his day.
Highest Position: 11
Lowest Position: 41
Average Position: 25
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Johnson is in 38th place in the championship standings 144 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Johnson finished 11th in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 11.4 and finish is 8.


Dale Earnhardt Jr (Dale Earnhardt Inc.)
Race Preview Pick: 3
Finished: 32
Qualified: 5
The race: Earnhardt Jr has been good latelyat Daytona, but he hasn't been able to find victory lane for several years. His team made some adjustments to his handling-package for the race which he thinks might get him his first win at the track since 2004. Junior had a little smoke coming out of the rear of his car during the first 10 laps of the race in turn two. It is speculated that the cause of the smoke is a tire rubbing. Junior never seemed to be happy with his car's setup. His hands could be seen throughout the race shifting back and forth to keep it on the track. He finally started to move up to the front in the final 25 laps and was in a position to finish in the top five when he got collected in the lap 197 accident. Junior suffered severe damage to the front of his car when he ran into the back of Ricky Rudd in the accident. He limped to the garage ending his day.
Highest Position: 3
Lowest Position: 35
Average Position: 13
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Earnhardt Jr is in 30th place in the championship standings 123 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Junior finished second in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 20.2 and finish is 19.3.


Kyle Busch (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 4
Finished: 24
Qualified: 8
The race: Busch had a very fast car early in the race, but complained his car was a little tight. His team made a significant track bar adjustment during the first caution which gave him even more speed. Busch seemed to take a lot of chances during the race. He blocked drivers from passing him for the opening laps until the very end. His aggressive style finally caused his downfall when he got into the side of Matt Kenseth during the final corner of the race. Rather than finishing in the top three the accident caused both Busch and Kenseth to fall outside the top 20.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 25
Average Position: 5
Laps Led: 4
Race for the Chase: Busch is in 22nd place in the championship standings 94 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Busch finished eighth in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 12.2 and finish is 13.2.


Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 5
Finished: 10
Qualified: 42
The race: Gordon won his Gatorade Duel 150 race on Thursday, but the No. 24 car failed post-race inspection after the rear panel was measured about an inch too low. The infraction dropped Gordon to the 42nd starting spot in the race, but because the issue was believed to be unintentional he will be allowed to keep his victory in the race. He slightly brushed the wall in turn two on lap 14. The damage appeared to be very insignificant. His team continued to make adjustments to his car throughout the race and the changes seemed to work. Gordon moved up through the field during the final few laps and avoided the huge final lap accident to finish in 10th place.
Highest Position: 7
Lowest Position: 38
Average Position: 21
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Gordon is in eighth place in the championship standings 56 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Gordon finished fifth in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 12.6 and finish is 11.8.


Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 6
Finished: 27
Qualified: 10
The race: Kenseth's crew chief Robbie Reiser was suspended for four races, including the Daytona 500, after the No. 17 car failed a post-qualifying inspection. He has been one of the top crew chiefs in NASCAR for the past few seasons so not having him on the top of the pit box will certainly hurt the team. Kenseth was also docked 50 championship points. Kenseth was running in the top 10 on lap 45 when he felt he was losing a little air in his right rear tire. The problem must have just been a handling issue since he didn't need to pit early to change the tire. Kenseth car continued to be loose throughout the race no matter how many changes his team made. He still managed to guide the car into the top five and was poised for a top three finish when he and Kyle Busch crashed into each other on the final corner. The accident sent both cars spinning uncontrollably and dropped Kenseth to 27th place.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 36
Average Position: 9
Laps Led: 6
Race for the Chase: Kenseth is in 25th place in the championship standings 103 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Kenseth finished seventh in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 21.5 and finish is 11.6.


Elliott Sadler (Evernham Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 7
Finished: 6
Qualified: 30
The race: Sadler's crew chief Rodney Childers was suspended for two races, including the Daytona 500, after Sadler's car failed a post-qualifying suspension. He was also docked 25 championship points. Sadler's car was never one of the fastest during Sunday's race, but he did an excellent job avoiding the crashes. He was in the lead group on the final laps of the race and escaped significant contact in the Kyle Busch/Matt Kenseth accident for a sixth place finish.
Highest Position: 3
Lowest Position: 39
Average Position: 23
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Sadler is in 19th place in the championship standings 65 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Sadler finished 13th in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 20.9 and finish is 21.2.


Kevin Harvick (Richard Childress Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 8
Finished: 1
Qualified: 34
The race: Harvick had a mechanical failure during the Gatorade Dual 150 qualifying race and as a result he started from 34th place. His team has worked out the issue that slowed him on Thursday and he was poised to win his first restrictor plate race. Harvick's car was great throughout the race and he used a huge push from Matt Kenseth on the final lap to shoot past Mark Martin for the lead. Martin and Harvick battled down the final straightaway with Harvick taking the checkered flag and the win by a few feet.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 37
Average Position: 10
Laps Led: 4
Race for the Chase: Harvick is first in the championship standings. He is 15 points ahead of Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Harvick finished 15th in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 22.3 and finish is 21.1.


Casey Mears (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 9
Finished: 20
Qualified: 17
The race: Mears took the green flag behind the wheel of the No. 25 car for the first time. He looked decent during Speed Weeks, but it might take him a few races to get comfortable in the new equipment. Mears never was much of a factor in the race, but he avoided significant damage to his car and managed a top 20 finish.
Highest Position: 4
Lowest Position: 39
Average Position: 21
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Mears is in 18th place in the championship standings 87 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Mears finished 14th in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 19.7 and finish is 20.9.


Kurt Busch (Penske Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 10
Finished: 41
Qualified: 4
The race: Busch was the top Dodge during the Speed Weeks prior to Sunday's race. He started fourth and quickly moved into second place. Busch took the lead after the first caution pit stops. He led 95 of the first 154 laps of the race. He was running in second place when he got into the back of Tony Stewart. The contact sent both drivers into the wall and ended any chance for a strong finish. When interviewed from his garage following the incident Busch took full blame for the crash even though replays showed that Stewart clipped the apron causing him to lose speed.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 41
Average Position: 12
Laps Led: 95
Race for the Chase: Busch is in 36th place in the championship standings 140 points behind leader Kevin Harvick.
A Glimpse Ahead: Junior finished 27th in his last race at California Speedway. His average career start at the track is 11.1 and finish is 12.

[Hache Man]

Auto Club 500
Fresh off a fiery finish to the Daytona 500 the NASCAR Nextel Cup series stops at California Speedway's two mile oval for the second race of the 2007 season. We have looked at past performances and season trends to predict how the field might finish during Sunday's Auto Club 500.


When: Sunday, February 25, 2007 at 3:00 p.m./et


Weather: Sunny with high around 68; wind out of the NW at 13 mph. Chance of precipitation 10%.


The Track: California Speedway

California is a 2 mile long D-shaped oval. It has intermediate (14 degree) banking on the corners which allows for drivers to run their cars nearly wide-open the entire way around the track. The aerodynamic package in the car is very important.


Key to Race: AERODYNAMIC PACKAGE RULES

This is a race that can be won or lost in the wind tunnel. The team's engineers who help determine the fastest setup are the most important people on the team prior to this race. Expect the multi-car teams like Roush, Hendrick, and RCR to have a big advantage.


Qualifying Procedures:

52 cars will attempt to qualify for 43 spots. Starting positions 1-43 will be determined by two lap qualifying runs that will be done on Friday, February 23 at 6:10 pm/et. Cars that were in the top 35 in owner's points during the 2006 season are guaranteed a spot in the race.


Fantasy Cheat Sheet:

Tier 1

No. 17 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth won last year's edition of the Auto Club 500. He is still without crew chief Robbie Reiser, but with six top 10 finishes in 10 career starts at Fontana he is our top pick.
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Edwards has finished sixth or better in every Cup race he has run at California. This is one of his favorite tracks and we like his chances on Sunday.
No. 9 Kasey Kahne: Kahne, like Carl Edwards, is great at California. He has four top 10 finishes, including a win, in six career starts at the track.
No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has finished in the top five in four of his starts at California and hasn't finished worse than 16th. He is an excellent pick.
No. 5 Kyle Busch: Busch has finished in the top 10 in the past three races at California. He is a good pick to finish in the top five on Sunday.


Tier 2

No. 16 Greg Biffle: Biffle led the most laps during last February's race at California, but he blew an engine prior to taking the checkered flag. He is a great pick to finish in the top 10.
No. 26 Jamie McMurray: McMurray has five top 10 finishes in seven career starts at California. Look for him to get back-on-track on Sunday.
No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior brought a good car to the August race at California. We have to think he will use the same setup on Sunday so we like his chances to be in the top 10.
No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon has won more races (three) at California than any other driver. He will finish in the top 10 on Sunday.
No. 07 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer finished 14th and third at California in 2006. He is a great sleeper pick.


Tier 3

No. 31 Jeff Burton: Burton did a nice job at Cali in 2006. We think he is a lock to finish in the top 15.
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin was great at California during his rookie season. He is another driver who should be a lock to finish in the top 15.
No. 2 Kurt Busch: Busch captured the pole in both 2006 races at California, but his car wasn't good in traffic. We think he is a great third fantasy driver on all fantasy teams
No. 20 Tony Stewart: California is one of the four Nextel Cup tracks that Stewart has never won a race at. We think he will be in the top 15, but there are much better weeks to use him.
No. 29 Kevin Harvick: Harvick has never run the Cup series very well at California. He will be lucky to crack the top 15 on Sunday.
No. 19 Elliott Sadler: Sadler has a victory at California on his resume. He is a decent third driver on all fantasy teams.
No. 25 Casey Mears: Mears was good at California in 2006. He could be even better behind the wheel of Hendrick Motorsports No. 25.
No. 01 Mark Martin: Martin has six top 10 finishes in 13 races at California including one win. He won't do as well without Roush Fenway's equipment, but he showed at Daytona he is still a good shoe.
No. 18 J.J. Yeley: Yeley had one of the best races of his career during the February race at California. He is a strong option on Sunday.


Tier 4

No. 12 Ryan Newman: Newman has three top 10 finishes at California, but we don't expect him to be much higher than 20th on Sunday.
No. 44 Dale Jarrett: Jarrett has six top 10 finishes in 13 races at California. He could give Toyota a strong finish.
No. 41 Reed Sorenson: Finished 21st in both races at Cali in 2006. He should finish around there again.
No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya drove a very conservative Daytona 500. We think he will continue to be cautious until he becomes comfortable with his fellow Nextel Cup drivers.
No. 6 David Ragan: Ragan ran a smart race during the Daytona 500, but he has never raced at California in the Cup series. We think his chances to make the top 20 are remote.
No. 38 David Gillliland: Gilliland was the surprise of the Daytona 500. Look for him to come back to earth on Sunday.
No. 10 Scott Riggs: Riggs has been a great qualifier at California, but he has just one top 15 finish. We wouldn't use him for much more than a fifth fantasy driver.
No. 40 David Stremme: Stremme was terrible at California in 2006. We still don't recommend him.
No. 15 Paul Menard: Menard missed the Daytona 500, but he has tons of talent and should be one of the better rookies this season. He will make the race and could crack the top 25.
No. 66 Jeff Green: Green should be in the mid-20's on Sunday.
No. 83 Brian Vickers: Vickers missed the Daytona 500. He will make this weekend's race, but we have almost no confidence in him.
No. 88 Ricky Rudd: Rudd came back to earth after an impressive qualifying effort for the Daytona 500. He will be a middle of the packer.
No. 13 Joe Nemechek: Nemechek had a nice run during the Daytona 500. He could make the top 25.
No. 14 Sterling Marlin: Marlin was another member of Ginn Racing who had success at Daytona. He is still a reach as a fifth member of your fantasy team.


Tier 5

No. 43 Bobby Labonte: Labonte has four top five finishes in 13 starts at California it is too bad his current car isn't nearly as reliable as his old rides.
No. 7 Robby Gordon: Gordon has been awful at California the past four races. We advise you to avoid him.
No. 21 Ken Schrader: Schrader isn't worth using in Sunday's race. He will be lucky to finish in the top 30.
No. 22 Dave Blaney: Blaney has a top 10 finish at California, but he will do well to finish around 30th.
No. 96 Tony Raines: Raines isn't much of an option. The best he can hope for is to crack the top 25.
No. 00 David Reutimann: Reutimann finished 38th in the Daytona 500 we think that is about where he will wind up on Sunday.
No. 84 A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger has plenty of talent, but it might be awhile before he can get used to the Cup series.
No. 70 Johnny Sauter: Sauter was a force in the Daytona 500. He will struggle to consistently make races.
No. 55 Michael Waltrip: Look for him to finish a few laps down at the end of the day.
No. 45 Kyle Petty: Petty will finish around 35th.


Field Fillers

No. 37 Bill Elliott: Awesome Bill has a Past Champions provisional available to use if he doesn't make the race during qualifying. He won't factor in the race.
No. 4 Ward Burton: Ward missed the Daytona 500, but he should have much better luck making this week's race. He is still not worth using in fantasy leagues.
No. 38 Jeremy Mayfield: Mayfield will struggle to make the field.
No. 49 Mike Bliss: Bliss was the last car to miss making the Daytona 500. He will have better luck making Sunday's race.
No. 78 Kenny Wallace: Might be the slowest car to make the field
No. 39 Regan Smith: Smith will be lucky to make the race.
No. 34 Kevin Lepage: The TBA Dodge won't make Sunday's race.
No. 72 Brandon Whitt: Whitt won't make the field.


Brownie's Picks

Top Four:

1. Matt Kenseth
2. Carl Edwards
3. Kasey Kahne
4. Jimmie Johnson

Sleepers:

1. Clint Bowyer
2. Jamie McMurray

Busts:

1. Tony Stewart
2. Kevin Harvick

[Hache Man]

Mid-pack Attack:The Left Coast
Track history

From World War II until the end of 1983, this Fontana, California site was home of Kaiser Steel. After Kaiser went bankrupt, the site was left to deteriorate into rusting rubble. In November 1993, Roger Penske and Kaiser Ventures Inc. started discussions on cleaning up the site for a possible superspeedway. On Nov. 22, 1995, after getting race dates from NASCAR and CART, a work force that numbered in the thousands began demolition and construction. More than 21,000 tons of hazardous waste was removed. Then a million more tons of rubble was removed. The final cost of the 2-mile California Speedway was around $120-million. Since then, they have added road courses and a drag strip to the racing complex. The facility hosts NASCAR, IRL, Motorcycle Racing, NHRA, the IROC Series and Grand American sports car racing. It is also the home of six different racing schools. About 71,000 fans attended the first NASCAR Cup race in 1997.
In 1998, 15,777 seats were added raising the grandstand capacity to 86,232. The following year, 28 skyboxes were added to the rim of the grandstands, which currently hold about 92,000 fans. There is still plenty of room for expansion at this 568-acre facility. In August 2007, the speedway showcased its multi-million dollar Midway redesign which included Wolfgang Puck's Apex restaurant, a town center and new concert stage.


First Cup race

Joe Nemechek put the No. 42 Felix Sabates owned Chevrolet Monte Carlo on the pole for the June 22, 1997 California 500 Presented by NAPA with a qualifying lap of 183.015 mph. Jeff Gordon, driving the Hendrick Motorsports No. 24 Chevrolet at an average race speed of 155.012 mph, took the inaugural win.



As fantasy players, your team budget won't allow you to pick all track favorites so Mid-pack Attack is here to help. A mid-packer may not win the race but has as good a shot at a top 15 finish as track favorites Carl Edwards, Jimmie Johnson, Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth. There were 51 cars on the initial entry list for this weekend's Cup race. The 43 drivers who qualified will be competing in front of 92,000 fans in the grandstands for a total purse of $6,065,926. Here are our picks for Sunday's Auto Club 500 in Fontana, California.


Mid-pack picks

Since this is only the second race of 2007, about half of the drivers who finished in the top fifteen at Daytona are still considered sleepers this early in the season. Matt Kenseth, who is 40th in the points right now, will likely be contending for the win at Fontana.

When Clint Bowyer made his first Cup appearance at the California Speedway in this race last year, he qualified back in 32nd but finished a solid 14th. He came back in September, started 3rd and finished 3rd. Bowyer did well at this track in the Busch Series as well. In four NBS starts, he scored two poles and averaged a 9th place finish. Hopefully he'll cross the line with the Goodyear's down this week.

Elliott Sadler knows how to win here (2004) but, with the exception of his 8th in the 2005 spring race, he had struggled at this track with his old team. In his first trip here with his current ride, he led some laps and finished 13th. Coming off a 6th at Daytona, Sadler's a pretty good pick for a top 15 or better this weekend.

Jamie McMurray averaged an 8.9 finish in his seven California Cup starts. McMurray has scored 28 top tens in 74 starts on these intermediate size tracks. Among active drivers with more than 5 starts at Fontana, his top ten percentage is the best. If you're going to use McMurray any time soon, this is the weekend.

In the mid-pack points range (25th) we find Greg Biffle. He'll probably be up in the top 10 in a few weeks, but he's fair game this week. With the exception of 2005 (a win and a runner-up), Biffle's Cup stats have not been impressive. This doesn't always tell the whole story. In last year's race, he led 168 of the 250 lap event but finished 42nd after his engine went south on lap 226. Fontana owes Biffle one.

[Hache Man]

Auto Club 500
A look at Sunday's Auto Club 500 from a fantasy perspective.

Chasing The Field reviews Wednesday's column to see how our top 10 picks finished.


Matt Kenseth (Roush Fenway Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 1
Finished: 1
Qualified: 25
The race: Kenseth has been the most dominating driver on two mile tracks in the past three seasons and he is the defending champion of the Auto Club 500. He didn't have the best qualifying effort for the race, but when the race went green he quickly moved up through the field. Kenseth took the lead on lap 30 for the first time and started to run away. He complained his car was just a little loose throughout the race, but loose is fast and he was the class of the race. He fell behind Jimmie Johnson in the final 50 laps, but a caution flag came out with 24 laps remaining and Kenseth's team got him out of the pits in first place. He held onto the lead for the remainder of the race.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 35
Average Position: 4
Laps Led: 133
Race for the Chase: Kenseth is 12th in the championship standings 103 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Kenseth finished second in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 15.7 and finish is 8.1.


Carl Edwards (Roush Fenway Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 2
Finished: 29
Qualified: 21
The race: Edwards complained his car was too loose during the first 50 laps of the race. His team adjusted air pressure in the tires to help tighten the car up a bit. The adjustments worked a little, but Edwards could never get the speed he needed. He wound up finishing a very disappointing 29th place.
Highest Position: 6
Lowest Position: 39
Average Position: 28
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Edwards is 26th in the championship standings 165 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Edwards finished 26th in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 20.5 and finish is 20.0.


Kasey Kahne (Evernham Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 3
Finished: 38
Qualified: 2
The race: Kahne had a great car at the start of Sunday's race. He took the lead as soon as the race went green and held onto it for the first 20 laps. Once he lost the lead Kahne's car was much slower in traffic. Kahne joined the group of drivers who had engine issues when he coasted to the garage on lap 70 without power. He returned to the race, but was around 40 laps off the lead.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 38
Average Position: 30
Laps Led: 20
Race for the Chase: Kahne is 32nd in the championship standings 185 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Kahne finished fourth in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 4.3 and finish is 14.7.


Jimmie Johnson (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 4
Finished: 3
Qualified: 23
The race: Johnson had a great car during the practice sessions prior to Sunday's race. He only needed small air pressure adjustments during the early laps of the race. Johnson had a little issue with his ignition around lap 71. His kill switch caused the car to shutoff. He was able to re-fire without losing very many positions. The ignition issue wasn't a factor the remainder of the race. Johnson stayed in the top 10 and was one of the only cars that was able to give Matt Kenseth any pressure for the lead. He had the lead from laps 200 to 226 until a caution came out for debris. Kenseth's team had a much faster pit stop than Johnson and the No. 48 was never able to return to the lead.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 38
Average Position: 7
Laps Led: 31
Race for the Chase: Johnson is 15th in the championship standings 119 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Johnson won his last two races at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 11.8 and finish is 7.0.


Kyle Busch (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 5
Finished: 9
Qualified: 12
The race: Busch complained he was having trouble getting out of the corners. His team made a slight chassis adjustment during the second pit stop of the race. Busch fell a lap down when he made a green flag pit stop and he used a free pass during the fifth caution to get back on the lead lap. Busch got loose and scraped the wall on lap 100. He kept going and didn't lose any positions. He did a good job dealing with his loose car and managed a top 10 finish.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 36
Average Position: 10
Laps Led: 9
Race for the Chase: Busch is ninth in the championship standings 96 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Busch finished third in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 10.7 and finish is 15.3.


Greg Biffle (Roush Fenway Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 6
Finished: 15
Qualified: 13
The race: Biffle led the most laps during the Auto Club 500 last season. He had just an average car during Sunday's race. He fell a lap down with 135 laps remaining in the race and needed a free pass during the sixth caution to get back on the lead lap. Biffle was able to lead lap 161 when every other driver ahead of him needed to pit. Once he pitted he fell back to 13th place.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 38
Average Position: 19
Laps Led: 2
Race for the Chase: Biffle is 17th in the championship standings. He is 124 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Biffle finished eighth in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 4.3 and finish is 18.0.


Jamie McMurray (Roush Fenway Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 7
Finished: 37
Qualified: 35
The race: McMurray was collected in an accident on lap seven. His car suffered serious damage to the front and rear end. The damage was serious enough that McMurray needed to limp to the garage to get his car worked on. He would return to the track after the repairs, but wouldn't be better than 37th place.
Highest Position: 27
Lowest Position: 41
Average Position: 40
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: McMurray is 36th in the championship standings 213 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: McMurray finished 23rd in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 14.3 and finish is 18.5.


Dale Earnhardt Jr (Dale Earnhardt Inc.)
Race Preview Pick: 8
Finished: 40
Qualified: 5
The race: Earnhardt Jr was extremely happy with his car during Saturday's practice sessions. His DEI teammate Martin Truex Jr blew an engine on lap seven which raised some questions about the strength of Junior's own engine. He blew a tire around lap 20 and had to slow down and enter the pits to have the tire changed. Junior went a lap down as a result of changing the tire during green. He got back on the lead lap prior to the fourth caution. Junior started to lose oil pressure on lap 65 signaling his engine was dying. Junior finally took his car to the garage to have it looked at on lap 69. His team fixed the car and he returned to the race about 30 laps later, but the engine didn't last long. A few laps later it blew up in a smoky mess. Junior stepped out of his car and took a bow for the crowd following the spin.
Highest Position: 5
Lowest Position: 40
Average Position: 36
Laps Led: 0
Race for the Chase: Earnhardt Jr in 40th in the championship standings 225 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Junior finished 27th in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 25.1 and finish is 22.1.


Jeff Gordon (Hendrick Motorsports)
Race Preview Pick: 9
Finished: 2
Qualified: 1
The race: Gordon wasn't happy with his car's setup following Saturday's Happy Hour practice so his team changed his car to match the exact setup that Jimmie Johnson was using. As a result Gordon started the race a little cautious and fell back from the pole when the race went green. His team continued to adjust his car the first few pit stops to help loosen it up a little bit. Gordon complained that his car was "junk" in turns three and four during the late laps in the race. After adjustments during the final caution Gordon was able to get into the top three and hold off teammate Jimmie Johnson for a second place finish.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 33
Average Position: 7
Laps Led: 2
Race for the Chase: Gordon is third in the championship standings 26 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Gordon finished fifth in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 12.1 and finish is 14.1.


Clint Bowyer (Richard Childress Racing)
Race Preview Pick: 10
Finished: 6
Qualified: 6
The race: Bowyer drove his favorite car "Betsy" during Sunday's race. "Betsy" is the same car he used to finish third at California in 2006. He complained he was a little loose entering the turns early. His team made some small air pressure adjustments to help the car handle a little better. Bowyer's car was strong the entire day as he stayed in the top six for most of the race.
Highest Position: 1
Lowest Position: 34
Average Position: 6
Laps Led: 2
Race for the Chase: Bowyer is sixth in the championship standings 71 points behind leader Mark Martin.
A Glimpse Ahead: Bowyer finished 15th in his last race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. His average career start at the track is 20.0 and finish is 15.0.

[Hache Man]

UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400
The NASCAR Cup Series moves to Las Vegas Motor Speedway for Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. LVMS has undergone a major overhaul since last March's race we looked at this year's Vegas practice sessions, past performances, and season trends to predict how the field might finish.


When: Sunday, March 11, 2007; 4:30 p.m./et


Weather: Sunny with a high around 81; wind out of the NE at 7 mph. Chance of precipitation 10%.


The Track: Las Vegas Motor Speedway

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a 1.5 mile tri-oval that has been reconfigured since last March's race. The banking on the corners has been increased from 12 degrees to 20 degrees. Roush Fenway Racing and Hendrick Motorsports have dominated the track since it opened in 1998.

Key to Race: BEAT THE BIG BOYS

There have been nine races run at Las Vegas Motor Speedway since it opened and cars from the Roush Fenway and Hendrick Motorsports have won eight of them. The ability of these teams to experiment with different aero packages and setups means any of their cars could win the race.


Qualifying Procedures:

54 cars will attempt to qualify for 43 spots. Starting positions 1-43 will be determined by two lap qualifying runs that will be done on Friday, March 9 at 6:10 pm/et. Cars that were in the top 35 in owner's points during the 2006 season are guaranteed a spot in the race.


Fantasy Cheat Sheet:

Top 5

No. 48 Jimmie Johnson: Johnson has won the last two races at Las Vegas. He is our top pick on Sunday.
No. 5 Kyle Busch: Busch has back-to-back top three finishes at Vegas. He is a great option.
No. 17 Matt Kenseth: Kenseth has two wins in seven starts at Las Vegas. He is one of the favorites to find his way back to victory lane once again.
No. 9 Kasey Kahne: Kahne finished second in the 2004 race, was running well in 2005 before crashing, and finished fourth in 2006. After a good during test session at Vegas earlier this year a top five finish is expected.
No. 20 Tony Stewart: Stewart has been a top five finisher at Vegas four times. There is a great chance he could find his way to victory lane for the first time at the track.


5 to 10

No. 24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon has four top five finishes, including a win at Las Vegas. He has been excellent so far this season and is a great option on Sunday.
No. 29 Kevin Harvick: Harvick has had back-to-back solid efforts at Vegas. He should be in the mix to win this weekend.
No. 25 Casey Mears: Mears has always been strong at Las Vegas. Behind the wheel of a Hendrick Motorsports car he should finish in the top 10.
No. 16 Greg Biffle: Biffle has been one of the top drivers in the past two races at Vegas. We think he will lead some laps and should crack the top 10.
No. 01 Mark Martin: Martin has seven top 10 finishes in nine races at Las Vegas, including a win. He has been terrific in the No. 01 car this season and is a great option


10 to 20

No. 2 Kurt Busch: Busch seems to be a new man this season. A top 15 finish in Vegas should be expected.
No. 31 Jeff Burton: Burton has five top 10 finishes in nine career starts in the desert. He is a decent option to crack the top 15.
No. 19 Elliott Sadler: Sadler had one of the best cars at Vegas during testing. Look for him to be quick on Sunday.
No. 11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin finished 10th in his first Cup start at Vegas. He is should be in the top 15 again on Sunday.
No. 99 Carl Edwards: Edwards hasn't had much success at Vegas in his career, but Roush Fenway cars are always tough on 1.5 mile ovals. We think even though this isn't his best track he should make the top 15.
No. 07 Clint Bowyer: Bowyer has been excellent so far this year and was fast during testing in Vegas. He is a good option in this race.
No. 13 Joe Nemechek: "Front Row Joe" has finished in the top 20 in five straight races at Vegas. He should finish there once again.
No. 18 J.J. Yeley: Yeley has been awesome so far this season. We think he will crack the top 20 once again this week.
No. 26 Jamie McMurray: McMurray has had awful luck so far this season and unfortunately this isn't a track where he has had any success during his career. We think he is a risky pick.
No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Junior has been a mess this season. He finished second at Las Vegas in 2003, but we think a top 10 finish this week will be out of the question.


20 to 30

No. 10 Scott Riggs: Riggs was a rocket during the test sessions at Vegas this winter. He is a decent sleeper pick.
No. 40 David Stremme: Stremme has avoided the sophomore slump so far this season. He is a great fifth member of any fantasy team.
No. 1 Martin Truex Jr.: Truex Jr has had good cars this season, but zero luck. We think he is due for a top 20 finish.
No. 42 Juan Pablo Montoya: Montoya is riding a wave of momentum following his Busch Series win in Mexico City. He won't be as aggressive in the Nextel Cup series, but we expect him to take a few more chances than he has in the first two races of this season.
No. 12 Ryan Newman: Newman has three top 10 finishes in six starts at Vegas, but he crashed and took 43rd last year. He is a risky pick this week.
No. 38 David Gilliland: The new "Candy Man" has done very well this season. He could surprise on the new faster Vegas configuration.
No. 06 David Ragan: Ragan has been impressive so far this season with two top 20 finishes. We don't think his beginners luck will last in Vegas.
No. 7 Robby Gordon: Gordon has run seven races in Vegas and has finished an average 27th. He will do better than that this year, but not much.
No. 14 Sterling Marlin: Marlin has a win at Las Vegas, but we think he will be doing well to make the top 30.
No. 43 Bobby Labonte: Labonte has been great at Las Vegas during his career, but that was before he got behind the wheel of the 43 car.


30 to 40

No. 41 Reed Sorenson: Sorenson was awful at Vegas in 2006. A finish in the low-30s will be a big improvement for him.
No. 83 Brian Vickers: Vickers hasn't been great at Vegas during his career, but he could be Toyota's best option.
No. 15 Paul Menard: Menard is a talented rookie. He will make the race and could be a great sleeper pick.
No. 88 Ricky Rudd: Rudd's return to NASCAR has been average. He isn't worth using on fantasy teams.
No. 44 Dale Jarrett: Jarrett has done nothing to earn our confidence so far this season. We advise avoiding him again this weekend.
No. 21 Jon Wood: Wood should have a decent engine, but will need to get lucky to finish in the top 30.
No. 66 Jeff Green: Wasn't good during test sessions at Vegas and isn't worth gambling on this weekend.
No. 22 Dave Blaney: Blaney will do well to finish around 35th.
No. 96 Tony Raines: Raines hasn't made a Cup start at Vegas since 2003. He isn't a fantasy option.
No. 45 Kyle Petty: Nice guy, but no chance.


Field Fillers


No. 37 John Andretti: Will make the race, but will be lapped quickly.
No. 36 Jeremy Mayfield: Mayfield's move to Toyota has been a disaster so far. He will do well to make the race.
No. 00 David Reutimann: The "Pizza Man" has made both races and should qualify for this race.
No. 55 Michael Waltrip: Waltrip is one of the better field fillers, kind of a little like Kenny Wallace.
No. 4 Ward Burton: Burton will make the race, but should be in the rear of the field.
No. 80 Aric Armirola: Armirola ran a few decent laps during testing at Vegas this winter. He could sneak into the race.
No. 47 Ken Schrader: Schrader leaves the No. 21 car for the No. 47. He will struggle in the new ride.
No. 84 A.J. Allmendinger: Allmendinger's next Cup start will be his first.
No. 39 Regan Smith: Smith is yet to make a race this season.
No. 34 Kevin Lepage: Lepage will get in the race, but don't expect much.
No. 49 Mike Bliss: Bliss will struggle to make the race.
No. 78 Kenny Wallace: Wallace shouldn't make the race.
No. 70 Johnny Sauter: There is too strong of a field for him to make the race.
No. 72 Brandon Whitt: Whitt's car will be on the hauler after qualifying.


Brownie's Picks


Top Four:

1. Jimmie Johnson
2. Matt Kenseth
3. Kyle Busch
4. Kasey Kahne


Sleepers:

1. Casey Mears
2. Greg Biffle

Busts:

1. Juan Pablo Montoya
2. Dale Earnhardt Jr

[Hache Man]

Mid-pack Attack: Las Vegas
Track history

The Las Vegas Motor Speedway, situated on 1600 acres northeast of Las Vegas, Nevada, opened for business in 1996. The facility covers over a dozen forms of racing, including a go-kart track, a 4,000-foot drag strip, a 3/8 mile "bullring" oval, a couple of road courses, paved and dirt short tracks, motocross circuits, and a NEXTEL Cup Superspeedway. They are also home to several racing schools like the Richard Petty Driving Experience and the Mario Andretti Racing School. With Las Vegas food and entertainment nearby, and its 130,000 affordable hotel rooms available, LVMS is a favorite of race teams and fans alike. The speedway was opened September 15, 1996 with the Indy Racing League Las Vegas 500k, won by Richie Hearn. NASCAR Cup racing came to LVMS in 1998 with the Inaugural Las Vegas 400. The superspeedway is a 1.5 mile tri-oval. The backstretch runs 1,572 feet and the front is 2,275 feet.
This weekend, the Cup guys will be competing on a brand-new track configuration. The 1.5 mile track now has 20 degree banking compared to the previous 12 degrees in the turns. For the fans, pit road has been relocated 150 feet closer to the grandstands and the new fan-friendly garages will debut this weekend as well.


First Cup race

Dale Jarrett ran a 168.224 mph qualifying lap in Robert Yates Racing's No. 88 Quality Care Ford to start on the pole for the March 1, 1998 Las Vegas 400. He led 40 laps but dropped out on lap 219 after losing the engine. Mark Martin put Roush Racing's No. 6 Valvoline Ford 7th in the lineup, led 82 laps and took the inaugural victory with a race speed of 146.554 mph.


As fantasy players, your team budget won't allow you to pick all track favorites so Mid-pack Attack is here to help. A mid-packer may not win the race but has as good a shot at a top 15 finish as track favorites Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth, Kyle Busch and Jeff Burton. There were 54 cars on the initial entry list for this weekend's Cup race. The 43 drivers who qualified will be competing in front of 142,000 fans in the grandstands for a total purse of $6,381,100. Here are our picks for Sunday's UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400 in Las Vegas, Nevada.


Mid-pack picks

Since it's still early in the season, mid-packers aren't necessarily mid-pack in the point standings at this time. Some are in the top 15 but will drop like stones after four or five races. Others, deep in the standings, will likely be moving up. That said, other than the track favorites, we'll be picking from all over the standings for the next couple of weeks.

All six starts for Kurt Busch at his home town track were from the top ten in the lineup. Even with one DNF, he still managed a 16th place average finish. At Daytona, Busch led the most laps but got into a wreck with Tony Stewart and finished 41st. He's coming off a strong 7th place finish at Fontana. This might be his best shot at a top 5 or better this weekend.

Greg Biffle has an average start of 4.3, including last year's pole, for his three Cup starts at LVMS. He averaged a 7th place finish for the last two. In the Busch Series, his worst Las Vegas finish for five races was a 10th. Oh yeah, let's not forget his two starts in the Craftsman Truck Series. He started both races 5th in the lineup, finished the first in 5th and won the other.

After sliding across the finish line on his roof for an 18th place at Daytona, Clint Bowyer came back with a 6th at Fontana. For his Cup debut at LVMS last year, he posted a respectable 15th place finish. In the Busch Series, Bowyer had two top ten starts at this track with finishes of 9th in both events. We think he's been the most consistent of last year's rookie crop and should be running up front this weekend as well.

Joe Nemechek is currently 7th in the standings but might slip back after a few more races. He and Jeff Burton are the only two who have made it to the finish in all nine Cup races at this track. Nemechek has great Las Vegas Busch numbers. In nine NBS starts, he's averaged an 8.4 finish including a win in 2003. On the Cup side, he's average a 17th place finish for the past three years. With a 9th at Daytona and a 14th at Fontana, it's not a stretch to figure Nemechek for a top 15 this weekend.