May 19, 2009

Yahoo! Lowe's Preview

From the toughest race on the circuit to the longest; it's time to stock up on the snacks and settle in for 600 miles at Lowe's. Read this week's Yahoo! Preview (.pdf) for a list of who's hot.

N'Wide: Last five Lowe's races

Brian Vickers doesn't make every Nationwide race, but he made the most of his efforts last year by sweeping the top five. Those are his only two starts in the last five races, which gives him an average finish of 4.0.

On the surface, that seems impressive, until you look one position further down the grid and notice that Kyle Busch won both events last year. He also finished second in fall 2007, eighth in spring of that year and 12th in fall 2006—giving him a slightly worse average result of 4.8 in his last five starts, but after finishing second in the Camping World Truck Series race last Friday night, fantasy owners know that "Shrub" cannot be discounted in any series on any track.

Especially at this level, Lowe's is all about consistency and Clint Bowyer is another driver who not only swept the top-10 last year, but has also finished that well in each of his last five starts. His five-race average finish is a more than respectable 5.6.

The next active driver on the grid appears to be much further back with an average finish of 10.0 during his last five races, but that number is skewed by a 35th in fall 2006. Burton's last four attempts have all been in the top 10 and he was perfect one year later by winning the fall 2007 event.

Average Finish
Last five races

DriverAvg Finish2008.22008.12007.22007.12006.2
Michael Waltrip 2.00



2
Stacy Compton 3.00



3
Dale Earnhardt Jr3.50
43

Brian Vickers 4.0035


Kyle Busch4.80112812
Clint Bowyer5.6046837
Jeff Burton10.00281435
Mike Skinner10.00



10
Aric Almirola11.00

41415
Ashton Lewis 11.00



11
Kevin Harvick 11.2061910129
Denny Hamlin12.25
25348
Scott Lagasse Jr13.0013



Paul Menard13.00



13
Joey Logano14.0014



Casey Mears 14.00


226
Stephen Leicht14.00

181014
Matt Kenseth 14.00

3174
Scott Wimmer14.33

13921
Tony Stewart 16.00



16
Dave Blaney 16.2517
36111
Kelly Bires16.337339

Todd Kluever16.50


1518
Kasey Kahne 17.60111617143
David Ragan17.6012962536
Jon Wood 18.00


1323
Brad Keselowski18.6083113734
Carl Edwards 19.00513331727
Ward Burton19.00


19
Kenny Wallace 19.331623

19
Bobby Labonte 19.33

142222
Casey Atwood 19.50

22
17
Robby Gordon 19.50

732
David Stremme19.673112
16
Mike Wallace 19.801022152329
Andrew Ranger20.0020



Brandon Whitt21.0021



Brad Coleman21.00
21


Regan Smith 21.00


537
David Reutimann22.002411124320
Marcos Ambrose22.2515144020
Danny O'Quinn Jr22.5040


5
Jeremy Clements23.00

23

Jamie McMurray 24.009
381831
Ted Musgrave Sr24.00



24
Jimmie Johnson 24.60331032642
Greg Biffle 24.75
7302141
John Andretti25.00



25
Mike Bliss 25.5019152939
Jason Leffler 25.601832193128
Tony Raines 26.0026



Bobby Hamilton Jr26.0037181633
A J Allmendinger26.00

26

Jason Keller 26.67291734

John Wes Townley27.0027



Bryan Clauson27.00303120

Richard Johns27.00

27

David Gilliland27.00


27
Steve Wallace27.333220
30
Brad Teague 28.00
28


David Green 28.00


28
Brad Baker 28.33
2728
30
Stanton Barrett 29.0028352429
Kyle Krisiloff29.50

2138
Cale Gale30.00
30


Johnny Sauter 30.3349

366
Shane Huffman31.50


2439
J J Yeley31.67

372632
J J Yeley31.67

372632
Danny Efland33.002343


Auggie Vidovich33.00



33
Justin Allgaier34.0034



D J Kennington35.0025
45

Jeff Green 35.0035



Brent Sherman35.00


35
Reed Sorenson35.00

254238
Blake Bjorkland35.00

35

Chase Miller36.003636


Kevin Lepage 36.673926
45
Josh Wise37.005024


Eric McClure37.202229444447
Sam Hornish Jr39.00
39


Bobby Santos III39.00

39

Kertus Davis 39.25452542
45
Jay Sauter40.00



40
Juan Montoya40.00


40
Burney Lamar41.003844


Kurt Busch41.00


41
Carl Long41.50
4241

Derrike Cope 41.674334

48
Terry Cook42.0042



Morgan Shepherd 42.67483743

Johnny Chapman43.504146


Kenny Hendrick 43.504641


Andy Ponstein43.504740


Mark Green 44.0044



Tim Sauter 44.00



44
Robert Richardson45.335238

46
Brett Rowe46.00
46


Bill Elliott46.00


46
Travis Kittleson46.00

46

Blake Feese47.00


47
Larry Gunselman50.0050



Justin Marks52.0052