Fast Forward ~ The Go Bowling 400 At Pocono
Fantasy Race Picks And Preview
“The future is like a corridor into which we can see only by the light coming from behind.”
–Edward Weyer, Jr.
The Track: Pocono Raceway
Location: Long Pond, Pennsylvania
Length: 2.5 Mile Tri-oval
Banking: 14 degrees in turn 1;
8
degrees in turn 2;
6 degrees in turn 3
Pit Road Speed:55 MPH
The Race: The Go Bowling 400
160 Laps/ 400 Miles
Defending Champion: Kasey Kahne, 129.009 MPH
Most recent winner: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: 139.440 MPH
Track Record: Rusty Wallace, 144.982 MPH, July 1996
Race Record: Rusty Wallace, 144.982 MPH, July 1996
Qualifying record: Denny Hamlin, 181.415mph, June 2014
2013 Purse: $5,069,140
TV:ESPN, 1:00PM EST 8/3/2014
Radio: Motor Racing Network (MRN) Sirius XM 90; www.MRN.com
The History:
1968- Opened as a ¾ mile track.
1971-First race on the 2.5 mile track was held
8/4/1974-The first Sprint Cup Series race was held at
Pocono, won by Richard Petty
6/17/1990-Harry Gant becomes the oldest winner at 50 years,
5 months, 7 days.
2011-Track was repaved
6/10/2012-Loey Logano becomes the youngest winner at 22
years, 7 days.
The Contenders:
Top 10 driver ratings at Pocono:
Denny Hamlin............................ 109.0
Jimmie Johnson........................ 108.7
Kurt Busch................................ 105.5
Jeff Gordon.............................. 101.8
Tony Stewart............................... 98.9
Carl Edwards.............................. 96.0
Kyle Larson................................ 96.0
Ryan Newman............................. 95.8
Brad Keselowski......................... 92.8
Kasey Kahne.............................. 91.5
Note: Driver Ratings compiled from 2005-2014 races (19 total) among active drivers at Pocono Raceway.
The Picks:
JIM FITZGERALD: Well, things certainly got interesting around here last week. Brian, Nate and I all needed a win, which Jeff Gordon was more than happy to provide for us. That win moves us all up into the our Chase field, and effectively eliminated Mr. Seven’s chances at a Championship. Poor Mr. Seven…
So, let’s check out the point standings…
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
|
Mr. Pole |
4 |
37 |
791 |
828 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
|
Mr. Seven |
42 |
38 |
786 |
824 |
-4 |
0 |
0 |
|
Vivian |
88 |
35 |
742 |
777 |
-51 |
3 |
2 |
|
Darrell |
5 |
40 |
715 |
755 |
-73 |
2 |
2 |
|
Mr. Winner |
31 |
33 |
718 |
751 |
-77 |
1 |
2 |
|
Jim Fitzgerald |
24 |
47 |
691 |
738 |
-90 |
1 |
2 |
|
PattyKay Lilley |
2 |
32 |
702 |
734 |
-94 |
1 |
0 |
|
Nate |
24 |
47 |
680 |
727 |
-101 |
1 |
2 |
|
Barbara |
48 |
30 |
664 |
694 |
-134 |
1 |
2 |
|
Brian Marchetti |
24 |
47 |
636 |
683 |
-145 |
1 |
2 |
|
Alabama Fitz |
16 |
31 |
605 |
636 |
-192 |
1 |
4 |
|
Kevin Abraham |
2 |
32 |
601 |
633 |
-195 |
1 |
4 |
|
If Playoff Started Today |
|
|||||||
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Chase Pts |
Mr. Pole |
4 |
37 |
791 |
828 |
0 |
4 |
2 |
2012 |
Vivian |
88 |
35 |
742 |
777 |
-51 |
3 |
2 |
2009 |
Darrell |
5 |
40 |
715 |
755 |
-73 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Mr. Winner |
31 |
33 |
718 |
751 |
-77 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
24 |
47 |
691 |
738 |
-90 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
PattyKay Lilley |
2 |
32 |
702 |
734 |
-94 |
1 |
0 |
2003 |
Nate |
24 |
47 |
680 |
727 |
-101 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Barbara |
48 |
30 |
664 |
694 |
-134 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Brian Marchetti |
24 |
47 |
636 |
683 |
-145 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Alabama Fitz |
16 |
31 |
605 |
636 |
-192 |
1 |
4 |
2003 |
Kevin Abraham |
2 |
32 |
601 |
633 |
-195 |
1 |
4 |
2003 |
Mr. Seven |
42 |
38 |
786 |
824 |
-4 |
0 |
0 |
2000 |
ALABAMA FITZ: Congrats to this week’s winners. Alright, now it gets seriously serious !! Looks like I may be the first one in this week. Why not? I was last one in this week. Here's my pick : six of last seven have been Top 10's, the last three straight have been Top 5's, including the win this spring. Put my name next to Dale, Jr. I'm thinking he doesn't want Gordon and Johnson getting too far ahead. He needs another win, and I need my second.
JIM FITZGERALD: Nice pick Fitz... The most recent winner is always a good choice baring weird circumstances. Wait. . There are weird circumstances. The reason Earnhardt won that one is because the guy who was supposed to win made a mistake and tried to remove trash from his grille using a slower car. I'm taking that guy. Brad K. gets his redemption win this week and I get locked into the chase.
ALABAMA FITZ: Yes there is that....but there is also the Kahne, Kyle, and Keselowski thing, so I stayed away from that whole show. My dark horse pick, if he can keep it together would be the elder Busch, who has two Top 5s and a Top 10 in his last three here.
KEVIN ABRAHAM: This week is the week to put distance on Fitz. I am taking Kasey Kahne for the win. I was impressed by his run at Indy and he's showing promise.
ALABAMA FITZ: Kevin, you haven't caught me yet, sport. Besides, as you have been finding out all year, catching me is one thing, passing me is quite another.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: So far, I am seeing a pick for Junior, sealed with the Kiss of Death, a pick for Kasey the hard luck Kid and a couple or more for BK. That's a shame, 'cause I really like Brad, here or at most tracks, but that car was junk at Indy and the two tracks are ever so much alike. I love Jeff, but two in a row is seldom his style these days. Jimmie has impressive stats... everywhere... but something about that team is not quite clicking. Maybe it's just that it's summer and Chad is in experimental mode, but no thanks to the 48 until Chase time. Seriously, I'm down to two drivers, and it's tough to choose between Tony and Denny. There was a time when Denny pretty much owned Pocono and left no doubts about it. That time is not today. Tony has obviously been struggling for a comeback from broken bones if not a bit of broken spirit or pride. Then came Indy... Tony finished a lackluster 17th with nary a lap led. Denny finished a very respectable 3rd, thank you very much, sandwiched right between second place Kyle Busch and 4th place Matt Kenseth, Gibbs cars all. Oh yes, and who was it that sat on the pole here in June? Why, I do believe it was young Denny Hamlin, who finished 4th here in the earlier race. Good enough for me. Mama will be riding shotgun in the Fed-Ex #11 come Sunday with Denny Hamlin.
JIM FITZGERALD: That's a strong pick, Mama, but I'm not sure the Denny you're looking for is the Denny who will show up. He's going to have a little 6 point distraction this week to deal with as well.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: Yeah, but I don't think Denny... or Joe Gibbs... are afraid of the big bad wolf, or NASCAR. That's just incentive to drive faster this coming week... at least that's what it says here.
ALABAMA FITZ: I think I agree with Jim on this one, but my reasoning was different and I can't find my homework. I guess the dog ate it.
BRIAN MARCHETTI: I'm gonna do what none of you will do, but before I go there, I wonder why with the two tracks being similar, Indy and Pocono, that some drivers excel on both tracks, and others excel on one, and flop on the other......just looking at the numbers, and I paid careful attention to the Busch brothers, Jr, Gordon, Brad, and a few others, but ignored Johnson for obvious, or not so obvious reasons, and Denny who I loved at Pocono back in the day, just doesn't have my gut feeling yet (Mama will surely prove me wrong....again).....so where did none of you go? The only way for me to gain points on our group, is to pick someone nobody else picked. So, I'm staying with the 24 this week, and ordering me a rainbow sherbet on Sunday! His numbers are too good to ignore, just because he won last week. Jeff is a Top Ten Driver on both tracks.
JIM FITZGERALD: Sorry to interrupt, gang, but the news wire just lit up like a Christmas tree. Here we go:
Daytona Beach, Fla. (July 29,
2014) — The No. 11 team that
competes in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has been penalized for a rules
infraction discovered in post-race inspection July 27 at Indianapolis Motor
Speedway.
This
infraction is a P5 level penalty which is outlined in Section 12-4.5 A (9) of
the 2014 NASCAR rule book:
Approved parts that fail or are improperly installed to fail in their
intended use of great importance (e.g.; rear wheel well panels that fail and
allow air evacuation in the trunk area; oil box cover that fails and allows air
evacuation in the driver compartment; shifter boot cover that fails and allows
air evacuation through the floor pan).
This
infraction violates Sections:
12-1 - Actions detrimental to stock car
racing;
20-2.1 – Car body must be acceptable to NASCAR officials and meet the
following requirements:
K – Any device or ductwork that permits air to pass from one area of
the interior of the car to another, or to the outside of the car, will not be
permitted. This includes, but is not limited to, the inside of the car to the
trunk area, or the floors, firewalls, crush panels and wheel wells passing air
into or out of the car;
L – All seams of the interior sheet metal and all interior sheet metal
to exterior sheet metal contact point must be sealed and caulked. This
includes, but is not limited to, floors, firewalls, wheel wells, package trays,
crush panels and any removable covers;
20-3.4 - All references to the inspection surface in sub-section 20-3.4
have been determined with the front lower edge of both main frame rails set at
six inches and the rear lower edge of both main frame rails set at eight
inches. For driver protection, all firewalls, floors, tunnels, and access
panels must be installed and completely secured in place when the car is in
competition;
20-3.4.5 - A rear firewall, including any removable panels or access
doors, constructed using magnetic sheet steel a minimum of 22 gage (0.031 inch thick), must be located between the trunk
area and the driver’s compartment and must be welded in place. Block-off
plates/covers used in rear firewalls in place of blowers, oil coolers, etc.,
must be constructed of 22 gage (0.031 inch thick) magnetic sheet steel.
Block-off plates/covers must be installed with positive fasteners and sealed to
prevent air leakage. Carbon fiber or aluminum block-off plates/covers will not
be permitted.
Per
Section 12-4.5 B, the minimum P5 penalty includes:
Loss of 50 championship driver and owner points, regardless of whether
the violation occurred during a championship race or not;
$75,000 to $125,000 fine;
Suspension for the next six series championship races, plus any
non-championship races or special events which might occur during that period,
for the crew chief and any other team members as determined by NASCAR;
·
Probation
through the end of the calendar year for all suspended members, or for a
six-month period following the issuance of the penalty notice if that period
spans across two consecutive seasons.
Since
this infraction is a P5 level penalty and was discovered in post-race
inspection, Section 12-4.5 C (1,2) also applies:
If the infraction is detected during post-race inspection, then the following
penalty elements will be added:
o Loss of an additional 25
championship driver and owner points; regardless of whether it was a
championship race or not;
o
Loss of an additional $50,000.
As
a result of these violations, crew chief Darian Grubb has been fined $75,000
plus an additional $50,000 post-race fine for a total of $125,000. Grubb has
also been suspended from NASCAR for the next six series championship events,
plus any non-championship races or special events that might occur during that
time period. Grubb will also be on NASCAR probation for the next six months.
Car
chief Wesley Sherrill has been suspended from NASCAR for the next six series
championship events, plus any non-championship races or special events that
might occur during that time period and will be on NASCAR probation for the
next six months.
This
infraction has also cost the No. 11 team the loss of 50 championship driver and
owner (Denny Hamlin and J.D. Gibbs) points plus an additional 25 post-race
points for a total loss of 75 championship driver and 75 championship owner
points.
JIM FITZGERALD: So…that’s big.
PATTYKAY LILLEY: I’m changing my pick to Tony Stewart.
JIM FITZGERALD: I’m not sure I blame you. Let’s see who our fans are picking this week!
Vivian: Looks like another Chevy track but I am going with Ford because it is time for Brad K to do it again, so I pick him to win because I can't count on Harvick's pit crew.
Nate: Pocono..hmmmmmmm. I want to pick Denny Hamlin, but something is telling me to pick Keselowski. Yup...I'm going with Keselowski at Pocono.
Darrell: Well what to this week? Think I have to go with Brad K this week. So many possible choices this week but this is what stuck to the wall.
Barbara: We’re all taking Keselowski, then, I guess!
Good luck to everyone everywhere. We hope your picks are pointful! We’ll come back next week and do it all over again, but until then, keep the shiny side up!
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin Abraham |
Alabama Fitz |
Jim Fitzgerald |
PattyKay Lilley |
Brian Marchetti |
Darrell |
Nate |
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Sunday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!