Fast Forward ~ The Quaker State 400 At Kentucky 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: The Kentucky Speedway
Location: Sparta, Kentucky
Length: 1.5 Mile tri-oval
Banking: Turn 1-4, 14 degrees
Frontstretch, 10 degrees
Backstretch, 4
degrees
Pit Road Speed: 45 MPH
The Race: The Quaker State 400
267 Laps, 400 Miles
Defending Champion: Matt Kenseth, 131.948 MPH
Most recent winner: Matt Kenseth, 131.948 MPH
Track Record: Brad Keselowski, 145.607 MPH
Race Record: Brad Keselowski, 145.607 MPH
Qualifying record: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,
183.636 MPH, 6/28/2013
2013 Purse: $5,088.336
TV:TNT, 7:30PM
EST 6/28/2013
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN)
Sirius XM 90; www.GOPRN.com
The History:
1998-Groundbreaking at the track
2000-Track construction completed
2008-Track was purchased from original
ownership committee by Speedway Motorsports, Inc.
7/29/2011-Kyle Busch wins the first Sprint
Cup race held at Kentucky. Busch is also
the youngest winner at 26 years, 2 months, 7 days. This date is also the closest margin of
victory. Busch defeated David Reutimann by 0.179 seconds.
6/30/2013-Matt Kenseth becomes the oldest
driver to win at Kentucky, 41 years, 3 months, 20 days.
The Contenders:
Top 10 Driver Ratings at Kentucky:
#48-Jimmie Johnson 125.9
#18-Kyle Busch 125.2
#20-Matt Kenseth 109.3
#2-Brad Keselowski 104.8
#5-Kasey
Kahne. 98.2
#11-Denny Hamlin 98.1
#99-Carl Edwards 94.5
#24-Jeff Gordon 91.8
#78-Martin Truex Jr 90.7
#41-Kurt Busch 90.6
Note: Driver Ratings
compiled from 2005-2013 races (three total) among
active drivers at Kentucky Speedway.
Race Picks!
JIM
FITZGERALD: Greetings all, and welcome to another roundtable discussion of who
we think has the best chance of winning this weekend at Kentucky. Of course, before we get into this week,
let’s show the stats and standings after the race at Sonoma last week.
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
|
Mr. Pole |
1 |
41 |
649 |
690 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
|
Mr. Seven |
48 |
38 |
637 |
675 |
-15 |
0 |
0 |
|
Mr. Winner |
78 |
29 |
624 |
653 |
-37 |
1 |
1 |
|
Vivian |
14 |
25 |
605 |
630 |
-60 |
2 |
2 |
|
Jim Fitzgerald |
41 |
32 |
585 |
617 |
-73 |
0 |
1 |
|
Nate |
9 |
37 |
568 |
605 |
-85 |
0 |
1 |
|
Darrell |
24 |
43 |
560 |
603 |
-87 |
2 |
2 |
|
PattyKay Lilley |
24 |
43 |
553 |
596 |
-94 |
1 |
0 |
|
Brian Marchetti |
9 |
37 |
532 |
569 |
-121 |
0 |
1 |
|
Barbara |
24 |
43 |
519 |
562 |
-128 |
1 |
2 |
|
Alabama Fitz |
15 |
35 |
484 |
519 |
-171 |
1 |
3 |
|
Kevin Abraham |
47 |
9 |
507 |
516 |
-174 |
1 |
3 |
|
If Playoff Started Today |
|
|||||||
Player |
Selection |
Race Pts |
Previous Pts |
Total Pts |
Behind |
Wins |
DNFs |
Chase Pts |
Mr. Pole |
1 |
41 |
649 |
690 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
2009 |
Vivian |
14 |
25 |
605 |
630 |
-60 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Darrell |
24 |
43 |
560 |
603 |
-87 |
2 |
2 |
2006 |
Mr. Winner |
78 |
29 |
624 |
653 |
-37 |
1 |
1 |
2003 |
PattyKay Lilley |
24 |
43 |
553 |
596 |
-94 |
1 |
0 |
2003 |
Barbara |
24 |
43 |
519 |
562 |
-128 |
1 |
2 |
2003 |
Alabama Fitz |
15 |
35 |
484 |
519 |
-171 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Kevin Abraham |
47 |
9 |
507 |
516 |
-174 |
1 |
3 |
2003 |
Mr. Seven |
48 |
38 |
637 |
675 |
-15 |
0 |
0 |
2000 |
Jim Fitzgerald |
41 |
32 |
585 |
617 |
-73 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Nate |
9 |
37 |
568 |
605 |
-85 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
Brian Marchetti |
9 |
37 |
532 |
569 |
-121 |
0 |
1 |
2000 |
JIM
FITZGERALD: We had a few here hoping that Jeff Gordon would have put the bumper
to Carl Edwards a little more…but Sonoma was a good race! Who wants to get us started for Kentucky this
week?
ALABAMA FITZ: Brad or Kyle.
They both do well here...I’m taking Kyle in the #18.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Short and sweet, huh?
ALABAMA FITZ:
Yep...short and sweet. I seem to tend to
over-think results, so I took one look at the drivers and their records and
decided.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Interesting….Kevin?
KEVIN
ABRAHAM: My pick is Kasey Kahne.
He is having my season except for a win.
This week will change that and give Kasey one win,
and me a second W.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Kevin, I can't pick Double K right now....he's like
Kenseth....there's just something wrong there.
Although I think I'd put Kasey's something in the luck department, and
not performance, like I would for Kenseth.
ALABAMA FITZ:
At Sonoma, Kasey looked pretty decent for a while there and I thought he had a
good shot. I think Bowyer's is in the
luck department also. He should have had
one already and possibly two if he and McMurray hadn't met by ACCIDENT at
Sonoma.
PATTYKAY
LILLEY: Dang it, you're making it rough Fitz.. Ya see, I did my homework on Kentucky and it didn't take
long. This track has low banking in the curves and almost flat on the
straights. Sound familiar? This track was built in 2000 and has never been
repaved, so it's starting to get all lumpy and bumpy. Sound familiar? Everyone
says the track resembles Kansas. I say, not a bit, but it does resemble another
track on which we've already raced this year. Cup cars have only raced at
Kentucky three times. When I took a fair comparison of the past 3 races at the
"other" track, one driver has an overall average for those races of
1.333, with two wins and a second place. The race before that, he was third.
Yeah! That's what I'm talkin' about!
BRIAN
MARCHETTI: So, what’s the other track?
PATTYKAY
LILLEY: That "other" track would be Fontana, the track we all hated
until it reached just the age that Kentucky is now. Fontana was built in 1997.
Yes, different weather conditions and asphalt compound, but the results are
turning out to be the same. This could be a good race coming up,
and kiss of death or not, Mama is riding with Rowdy Busch at
Kentucky this weekend. He pretty much owns Fontana, and I think
he's taken out a mortgage on Kentucky as well.
ALABAMA FITZ:
MamaK, you're right that Cup cars have only run three times here, but Kyle has
also won here in Nationwide and, I think, trucks. That is what gave him the nod for me. I also saw that Austin Dillon is the last
(and only?) back to back winner here...I thought about him.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Kyle was definitely on my short list, Mama. After running it for years in trucks and
ponies, he had a very big edge when they went there for the first time a few
years ago.
PATTYKAY
LILLEY: So, are you going to make a pick?
JIM
FITZGERALD: Well, kids...I don't know that I've ever been up in the air about
picks as I am now. Kenseth is the
defending Champion, and should always get a nod,
however that team just seems to be off right now. I'd like to take Harvick but you don't know
which one will show up. Jimmie Johnson
and his Hendrick (not Hendricks, there only one Rick Hendrick) power plants
are, if you believe Brad K., a year in advance of everyone else, but he's never
won here, and then there is Kyle Busch who won here three years ago. I sit here at this table with you all, and I
can see on a couple faces that you would have to agree with me when I say that
this season has been different. Guys who
should be winning are not, and guys who normally are not have taken their
places. There are only ten races before
the Chase begins, so that means there are sixteen of them in the books already,
and here I am, sitting here on the outside looking in because I cannot for the
life of me pick the right driver to win a race.
Jimmie, you told me at Dover that records and wins still mean something
after all this time. When a carrot is
dangled in front of a driver, they seem to be able t
step up and grab it. Well, I'm dangling
the carrot. Jimmie, you've never won a
race at Kentucky, and you never will.
You're going to run like garbage and be the first car lapped. So, I'm taking Jimmie Johnson to win at
Kentucky.
ALABAMA FITZ:
Do I see reverse psychology in action here?
It didn't work for me, but then, I'm me.
I don't know what magic you have misplaced this year, but I feel
confident you will find it and be there with the rest of us at the end.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Well, I have been using logic, and it’s just not working. As I said, it’s an odd year. Speaking of odd, Brian, are you going to
pick?
BRIAN
MARCHETTI: Matt Kenseth.
BRIAN
MARCHETTI: Sorry, I couldn't help myself.....just thought I'd jump in on the
short and sweet band wagon.......thought about just saying MK instead of his
name, to maximize the shortness, but I did what I did, and with purpose. Matt has good numbers here, and at Fontana,
as Mama pointed out the similarity, so I still say he's hungry for a win, and running
out of time.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Speaking of time, it’s time t check in
with our fan panel and hear what they have to say
about this weekend!
Barbara: Well,
I feel Matt feels he is now owed one (or two). He’s been good at Kentucky and I
believe the #20 Matt Kenseth has a Wisconsin set to his jaw. We shall gamble
with him again.
Nate: So far
Kentucky seems to be a "Toyota" track so far (save for the win by
Keselowski in a Dodge). I think I'm
going to take my chances on Kenseth.
Darrell: Today
I feel happy! So it will have to be Happy Harvick for me!
Vivian: There
will be a new and different winner at the Kentucky track this year so I am
picking Jimmie Johnson to win under the lights Saturday night.
JIM
FITZGERALD: Okay folks…there you have
it…nine opinions about winners for the race this weekend. Enjoy the race on Saturday night, and come
back next week to see how we did. Until
then, keep the shiny side up!
Our Picks For This Week!
Kevin AbrahamTotal Wins: 3 This Year: 1
|
Alabama FitzTotal Wins: 2 This Year: 1
|
Jim FitzgeraldTotal Wins: 7 This Year: 0
|
PattyKay LilleyTotal Wins: 5 This Year: 1
|
Brian MarchettiTotal Wins: 3 This Year: 0
|
DarrellTotal Wins: 2 This Year: 2
|
NateTotal Wins: 0 This Year: 0
|
Who is YOUR pick to win this week?
Correctly choose the winner before the green flag drops on Saturday, and you'll be entered into a drawing to win some racing stuff!