Yahoo! Auto Club Preview

If you liked the results last week, stand pat because Auto Club will be more of the same. Nearly all of the Chasers finished 12th or better in the spring Auto Club 500. Check out this week's Yahoo! Preview (.pdf).

Stewart 7th, Newman 22nd at Knoxville Nationals

After winning the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman hoped on a plane for Iowa to compete in the Knoxville Nationals. Tony Stewart finished seventh and Ryan Newman was 22nd in a battle won by Scott Bloomquist.

Our View Maybe that was why Stewart was so cranky in the media center following the race; he wanted to make sue to get to Knoxville.

Stewart, Newman and all of the other drivers in the garage that support grassroots racing have to be applauded.

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Patrick Still in the Rumor Mill

Danica Patrick is still in the rumor mill as a potential NASCAR driver in 2010. SportsIllustrated.com is reporting that Rick Hendrick has confirmed JR Motorsports is in discussion with her to run a handful of Nationwide and ARCA races next year.

Our View With sponsor GoDaddy.com in the mix, this sounds like the most likely rumor we've heard so far. This would allow her to develop before getting tossed into the highly competitive Cup series.

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Stewart Smokes Kansas

Tony Stewart held off a late-race charge by Jeff Gordon and won his second race at Kansas Speedway.

Our View In the end, it was a battle between two tires (Stewart) and four (Gordon) and the winning decision was less than a second on the track. At the start of the week, we predicted the race would be won in the pits.

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Piquet Jr. coming to NASCAR?

With the success that Juan Montoya has finally achieved this year, another former F1 driver is eyeing a career in NASCAR. Nelson Piquet Jr. is scheduled to test a Red Horse Racing truck at Rockingham (N.C. that is – not England, y'all) on October 12th, according to SPEEDTv.com.

Our View Earlier in the week, it was announced Mika Salo would test a MWR Toyota this winter.

Diversity is great for the sport, so long as NASCAR doesn't also lose its connection to their roots. Piquet is young enough to be able to make the transition to the heavier stock cars—if he is actually talented enough to control it.

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Kansas pit stall selections

Jayski.com has posted the pit stall selections, and as expected pole sitter Mark Martin took the final box at the exit of the pits.

Our View Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jamie McMurray, Kasey Kahne and Brad Keselowski also have openings in front of them and will be able to pull straight out. Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer, Scott Speed, Brian Vickers and Jeff Gordon have openings behind them and can pit shallowly to give themselves a little more room.

Kansas has a wide, long pit road, however, and no one should have too much trouble.

Complete List

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Stewart's issue is ignition #NASCAR

For most of the morning practice session, Tony Stewart thought he had an engine going sour, which caused him to turn only eight laps. Between sessions, the team changed an ignition box and the miss seems to have gone away.

Our View Stewart will get to keep his fifth-place grid position and his fans hope the issue is truly resolved. Gremlins can be hard to find, however.

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Ky Busch continues to unravel in Happy Hour practice

Kyle Busch is showing signs of wear and tear after swerving at David Reutimann in Happy Hour for the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods. His frustration in practice comes on the heels of a poor qualification effort.

Our View There is no doubt that the Young Gun has speed on his side, but until he develops some maturity, he is a risky proposition.

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N'Wide: Logano wins Kansas

Kyle Busch dominated the race, but youth was served with three laps to go. Joey Logano used the high groove to pass his teammate and pulled away from the field—just like he did at Chicagoland this summer.

Our View One week after his terrible tumble at Dover, this is the best confidence booster a teenager could have.

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Montoya wins Kansas Happy Hour

Juan Montoya posted the quickest average speed in Happy Hour for the Price Chopper 400 with a speed of 168.214 mph during 23 laps. His fastest lap of 172.018 was fourth-best on that chart.

Our View Montoya didn't post too many laps in either session, but that means he didn't need the extra track time. At his level, Montoya provides the best bang for the buck.

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Johnson fastest in Kansas Happy Hour

Jimmie Johnson posted the fastest single lap in both the morning and Happy Hour sessions, which continues to make him a favorite to win Sunday's Price Chopper 400.

Our View The best way to silence his critics is to dominate. Fantasy players need to put personal feelings aside and ride this pony until he goes lame.

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Stewart has possible engine problem

Tony Stewart heard something he didn't like in his engine during morning practice and spent most of the session looking for the gremlin. The team will need to decide whether to change powerplants in between the morning and Happy Hour sessions.

Our View if he changes engines, he will have to give up his fifth-place qualification effort. The Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods can be won from the back, but that will still be a seriously blow to his chances for a first-place finish.

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Johnson wins Kansas Sat. a.m. practice

Jimmie Johnson posted both the quickest single lap of 173.388 mph during the morning practice session and the quickest average speed of 168.765 during 23 laps.

Our View That gives him a great balance of speed and durability. He was one of our favorites at the start of the week and he remains a favorite.

Actually, Tony Stewart posted quicker average speeds, but he was battling an engine problem and made less than a handful of very short runs.

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Biffle spins in Kansas Sat. a.m. practice

Greg Biffle spun off the track in the Saturday morning session at Kansas Speedway. He did not do any apparent damage.

Our View His confidence has to be shaken, however. This is his second spin of the day after previously crashing in Nationwide qualification. It's hard to recommend him for the Price Chopper 400 unless he shows a ton of speed later in the day.

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N'Wide: Kligerman steals Kansas pole

Parker Kligerman will make his Nationwide debut in style. He stole the pole for the Kansas Lottery 150 over Kyle Busch and a long list of Cup veterans.

Our View Now that is impressive, but his youth will almost certainly get the best of him during race conditions.

Be patient; there will be plenty of opportunities to start this kid in the future.

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Kansas

Qualification matters little at Kansas, but Mark Martin and Dale Earnhardt Jr. will take consolation in knowing they will start up front. Brad Keselowski was the surprise dark horse of the afternoon, however, and this week's Yahoo! qualification story (.pdf) tells of just how fast Hendrick Motorsports was.

N'Wide: Bowyer crashes in Kansas practice

Clint Bowyer slammed the wall hard in practice for the Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 150 and will have to roll out a backup car.

Our View The good news is that Bowyer was third on the speed chart at the time and his RCR-prepared No. 29 is liable to have a goo backup.

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Kansas qualification order

Jayski.com has posted the qualification order for the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods.

Our View It shouldn't matter who goes out when at Kansas because the biggest contributing factor will be the unpredictable wind, but for the record, Tony Stewart rolls off the grid first.

Complete Lineup

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Newman fastest in Kansas Practice 1

Ryan Newman posted the fastest single lap in the first practice session for the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods with a speed of 173.745 mph.

Our View If he wants to reclaim the title "Rocketman," Newman is going to have to start winning poles again. So far in 2009, his only top start came at Lowe's for the Coke 341—er… that is, the Coke 600.

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McDowell, K Hamlin and Gilliland in jeopardy

Michael McDowell (in the No. 36 this week), Kevin Hamlin (37) and David Gilliland (04) were the three slowest drivers among the go or go homers and as such are in the greatest jeopardy of going home.

Our View Each of these drivers are most likely start and park drivers, so fantasy owners will be unaffected if they fail to make the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods.

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Salo coming to NASCAR?

According to Autosport.com, Mika Salo will test a Michael Waltrip Racing Toyota this November. "It will be great to get to test a NASCAR at last," Salo told AUTOSPORT magazine, "After two years of trying, I finally met the person who could make it happen. Racing sportscars in the US has definitely helped.

"My hope next year is that I can do some races in Nationwide, maybe even a full season - but I understand that I may have to raise some money to make it happen."

Our View This time is right to try and make a move with Juan Montoya currently running so well. This has to increase recognition for former F1 drivers.

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Wind may be an issue at Kansas

Chicago is supposed to be the windy city, but nestled on the plains outside of Kansas City, wind may play a huge role in practice, qualification and the race at Kansas Speedway.

Our View It's going to be hard to dial the cars in under these conditions. Kansas is traditionally kind to dark horses, and this uncertainty will contribute to some comers and goers at the top of the grid.

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Kansas using Auto Club tires

Goodyear has brought the same tire to Kansas Speedway they used at Auto Club Speedway earlier this year.

Our View That might favor drivers who were fast there: Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon were the class of the field in the Auto Club 500. The California track is slightly longer at two miles in length, but it bears a lot of similarities in shape to the 1.5-miler in Kansas.

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Patrick mum on 2010 plans

Last week it was reported that Danica Patrick had signed a three-year deal with Andretti-Green Racing. Not so fast, it seems; Patrick has been mum on the subject.

Our View According to the Associated Press, "Patrick refused Wednesday to confirm widespread reports that she's agreed to a three-year extension of her IndyCar contract with Andretti Green Racing. Asked specifically about the extension, Patrick simply shook her head, not saying a word."

Come on over, girl – diversity needs to be served.

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N'Wide: Cobb to attempt Kansas

Kansas City native Jennifer Jo Cobb will attempt to make the Nationwide Series Kansas Lottery 150 this week. if she is successful, it will be her fourth start.

Our View It wild be great to see a female driver in the field, but in two of her three previous starts, Cobb crashed and finished last. Last year, however, she finished 30th in this race.

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Johnson, Martin "too close" to tolerance from Dover

According to FoxSports.com, Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin's cars were "too close" to tolerance on fitting the templates at NASCAR's R&D center. Martin was barely under; Johnson was barely over. No penalties are forthcoming, but they were told not to bring the cars back to the track.

Our View As the story developed into Friday morning, however, John Darby reported neither car was illegal (according to a trackside Tweet from @BobPockrass). The teams that win are going to get as close to the line as possible, so Johnson and Martin are still favorites for the Price Chopper 400 by Kraft Foods.

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Gilliland in second Robby Gordon car at Kansas

David Gilliland will pilot a second Robby Gordon Motorsports car at Kansas this weekend.

Our View This keeps Gilliland in the field while Bobby Labonte takes over the Racers Group ride. Keep an eye out for a sponsor on the quarter panels of the No. 04, because this car has been known to start and park in previous events.

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Yahoo! Kansas Preview

Five of the final eight races will be run on similarly-configured, 1.5- and two-mile tracks, so this week will set the tone for the rest of the Chase Find out who'll be strong in this week's Yahoo! Preview (.pdf).

Johnson sweeps Dover

Jimmie Johnson completed the sweep of Dover after leading the most laps and dominating the closing laps of the AAA 400.

Our View If Johnson wasn't your favorite to win a fourth straight championship before today, you have to give it some serious thought now.

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Possible problems for Ku Busch

According to a tweet from @BobPockrass, Kurt Busch had electrical issues this morning, mot likely because of the heavy moisture. The team believes this problem is fixed, however.

Our View Unfortunately, electrical problems are pesky little gremlins. Busch will probably be all right, but you want to be aware of the possible problem.

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Dover pit stall selections

Jayski.com has posted the pit stall selections and as expected, Jimmie Johnson took the final stall leaving pit road.

Our View Juan Montoya and Ryan Newman are the only two other drivers with openings in front of them and this pit is extremely tight, so those are the only truly good stalls.

Greg Biffle, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne each have an opening at the back.

Pit stall selection can often be the final piece of the puzzle for fantasy owners.

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Competition caution coming at Dover

NASCAR will throw a competition caution on lap 25 at Dover because of heavy rain overnight and this morning that washed the rubber off the track—whenever the AAA 400 starts, that is.

Our View Of course, Mother Nature has her own plans and rain keeps popping up and the race will most likely be delayed. The afternoon forecast is for clear skies, however.

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Hamilton wins Singapore GP

Lewis Hamilton posted his second victory of the season by winning the Singapore Grand Prix after starting from the pole.

Our View Hamilton's first win this season didn't come until race 10 and the Hungarian Grand Prix and previous to that his best result was fourth in the Gulf Air Bahrain Grand Prix. Since Hungary, however, Hamilton has three poles and two wins in five races plus another runner-up result in Spain.

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N'Wide: Bowyer wins at Dover

Kyle Busch dominated Dover early but Clint Bowyer had the right handle when it mattered most. He held off late-race charges by Busch, Mike Bliss and Brad Keselowski to win his second career race on the concrete high banks.

Our View In addition, Bowyer now has a seven-race top-10 streak there.

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Johnson wins 1st Sat. Dover practice

Jimmie Johnson had the quickest average speed in Dover's first Saturday practice session with a speed of 148.984 during 29 laps.

Our View Johnson's fastest single lap of 151.989 was fourth best, which makes him just as appealing as Kurt Busch. He's bound to be a little more expensive in salary cap games, however.

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Ku Busch fastest in 1st Sat. Dover practice

Kurt Busch posted both the single fastest lap of 153.035 and the second quickest average speed of 148.943 mph during 33 laps.

Our View Last week, Busch was also fast in practice and at the end of the Sylvania 300 he was battling for the lead. If you were on the fence about him; this might push you over the edge.

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Finch to run fulltime in 2010?

NASCAR has requested that James Finch field a fulltime car in 2010, according to Lee Spencer, which reveals that the economic situation is not expected to be any better next year and full fields will be hard to come by.

Our View From a competitive standpoint the start and park drivers—which has been Finch's role in most of this year's races—have been frustrating, but it limits fantasy owners choices and makes their job just that much easier.

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Dover

Jimmie Johnson, Juan Montoya, Ryan Newman, Greg Biffle, David Reutimann and Kasey Kahne provide you with a diverse list of marquee drivers and sleepers on the first three rows, which makes the game interesting this week. Check out the Dover edition of the Yahoo! qualification story .pdf story.

Danica staying in IndyCar

According to the Indianapolis Star, Danica Patrick will be staying in the Indy Racing League for three more years after signing a three-year deal with Andretti-Green Racing.

Our View One has a sense that this story is not complete yet. Could we still see Patrick in one of the junior NASCAR series during the next three years?

That would allow her to truly decide if she wants to race the heavier stockers and make her a more well-rounded driver.

Johnson wins Dover pole

Jimmie Johnson backed up his fastest time in practice with the fastest time in qualification and will lead the field to the green on Sunday after posting a lap of 157.356 mph.

Our View Johnson was the winner this spring and he is well positioned to earn a second consecutive Hendrick Motorsports victory in the Chase.

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Johnson fastest in Dover practice 1

Jimmie Johnson posted the fastest single lap of practice at Dover International Speedway in practice for the AAA 400. His top lap of 158.026 was more than one mile per hour faster than second-place Ryan Newman with a 157.020.

Our View The top of the board was dominated by Chasers. In addition to Johnson and Newman, Juan Montoya (156.986), Greg Biffle (156.952) and Kurt Busch (156.474) rounded out the top five.

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Yahoo! Dover Preview

Last week the Chasers got off to a strong start at New Hampshire. Guess what, the same thing is going to happen again this week at Dover. Find out why in this week's Yahoo! preview (.pdf).

Montoya wins NH Happy Hour

Juan Montoya completed his sweep of fast times with another first in Happy Hour. His lap of 130.376 mph was joined by the fastest time on Friday (132.485), the fastest time in Saturday morning (130.131) and the pole for the Sylvania 300 (133.431).
If that were not enough: Montoya also had the quickest average speed of 128.337 during 39 laps in Happy Hour.

Our View This is just too good to overlook, but fantasy owners know all too well that the race is a living organism and trouble can strike at any time.
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Hamlin wins NH Sat. am practice

Races are won during long runs and Denny Hamlin posted the quickest average speed of 128.303 during 43 laps.

Our View Hamlin was our pre-weekend favorite and his fourth-place qualification effort and this practice only confirms our opinion.

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Montoya fastest in NH Sat. am practice

Juan Montoya posted the single fastest lap in the morning practice session for the Sylvania 300 with a speed of 130.131 mph. This proves his pole winning run on Friday was not a fluke.

Our View You are seeing a lot of Montoya's name this weekend. Expect him to keep his strength into the race and record a solid top-10 finish.

His average speed wasn't bad either. With a 128.208 during 33 laps, he landed third on the grid.

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