Yahoo! Qualification Story – Daytona

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Qualification was rained out for the Coke Zero 400—not that it matters. Winners can come from anywhere in the field and the pole sitter is as likely to crash as a back marker, as we point out in this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

Yahoo! Daytona Preview

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Restrictor-plate superspeedway races are defined more by luck than skill, so we dug out our lucky coin and came up with the favorites in this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Qualification Story – New Hampshire

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This week, we've added two new features: in addition to where the winner has started, you will now find a chart detailing where the pole sitter has finished. Beginning with the Lenox Industrial Tools 301, the highest qualified driver in each Group will always be detailed, so check out this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf) and let me know if the new features are helpful.

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Yahoo! New Hampshire Preview

If not for the threat of retaliation from half the field against the other half, this would be an easy race to handicap. After the shenanigans at Infineon, check out our best choices in this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Qualification Story – Infineon

It can be extremely difficult to pass on the road courses, but in recent years coming from the back of the field has been the norm. Who'll earn top-10s from the front and who'll come from the back? Check out this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf) for our best guesses.

Yahoo! Infineon Preview

Cup drivers are not accustomed to turning right and left in a race, but some are better than others. For the top regulars and road ringers, check out this week's picks in the Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Qualification Story – Michigan

"You've got what you've got?" Not quite here at Michigan International Speedway. Find out who'll be coming and who'll be going in this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

Oh yeah, and please send me a note to tell me if the next stats under each showcased driver are helpful.

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Yahoo! Michigan Preview

Another green-white-checkered finish wrecked the finish of the Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 last week. Undaunted, it's time to reload and check out this week's picks in the Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Qualification Story – Pocono

This week, you will find two new stats that should help you set your Gillette Fusion ProGlide 500 roster. Check them out in this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf), and then Tweet me @FantasyRace to tell me if you believe they were helpful.

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Yahoo! Pocono Preview

Parity continues to reign supreme as only four drivers have swept the top 10 at Pocono Raceway during the last two seasons. There are still some solid picks in this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Charlotte Preview

Only 12 weeks into the season and NASCAR is coming off yet another off-week. Refreshed, the drivers are ready to tackle 600 miles at Charlotte Motor Speedway, so check out our best picks in this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

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Kahne wins Dover HH

Kasey Kahne posted the quickest average speed in Dover's Happy Hour with a 151.805 mph during 33 laps. That far outpaced his fastest single lap of 152.912 mph, which was only 17th best.

Our View Kahne has not yet cracked the top five at Dover, but last year, he swept the top 10. If he fits the final niche on your roster, he's worth considering, but you don't want to build a roster around him.

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Ky Busch posts fastest lap in Dover HH

Kyle Busch posted the single fastest lap in Dover's Happy Hour with a speed of 154.209 mph; his average speed of 151.387 mph in 56 laps was fifth-best on that chart.

Our View Since winning the spring 2008 race, Busch has not cracked the top 20 at Dover in the Cup series. That makes him a questionable pick this week regardless of his speed.

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Hamlin wins Dover Sat. a.m. practice

Denny Hamlin had only the seventh fastest single lap in Dover's morning session, but he posted the quickest average speed of 152.955 during 26 laps.

Our View Last week, he proved just how tough he is by sweeping victory lane at Darlington Raceway in the Cup and Nationwide Series. Dover is not his best track, but with the momentum he has this season, he should still be considered a favorite.

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Johnson posts fastest lap in Dover Sat. a.m. practice

Jimmie Johnson set the fastest single lap in the Saturday morning practice session at Dover International Speedway with a speed of 154.999 mph; his average speed of 152.099 during 33 laps was eighth best.

Our View Johnson continues to try and prove that the accidents he suffered in two of the last three races are not going to affect him. By the numbers alone, he should be considered a favorite, but the intangible factor of luck may not be on his side.

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Dover

Nearly 80 percent of Dover's winners have started on the first five rows, giving 10 drivers a distinct advantage on Sunday. Find out if your favorite is among them in this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

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Sadler destroys primary car

Elliott Sadler cut a tire and slammed the wall in the early minutes of practice; he will roll out a backup car.

Our View Sadler probably thought this would be a good day after qualifying on the outside of the front row for the Craftsman Truck Series race. His primary car was only 30th on the speed chart at the time of his incident and it's unlikely his backup will be much better.

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Yahoo! Dover Preview

The toughest tracks on NASCAR's circuit are often the most predictable because it allows the cream to rise to the top. This week, the best picks are in Group A, so check out this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf) to see who we think will win.

Yahoo! Qualification Story – Darlington

Three drivers broke last year's track record and that increase in speed is part of the reason why this track has become so tricky this year. Statistically, your best choices will come from drivers starting near the font; check out this week's Yahoo! qualification story to find out who they are.

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Darlington Raceway: 50th Anniversary

Darlington Stripes

"The Lady in Black" continues to be "Too Tough to Tame" and the first Darlington stripe came barely five minutes into the first session. According to @NASCAR, Joey Logano was the first driver to get a stripe.
 
Our View Here is a ongoing list of who has scraped the wall so far:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (backup) and then he striped the backup as well. Practice 1
Clint Bowyer (backup) Practice 1
Scott Speed (backup) Practice 1
Greg Biffle (backup) Happy Hour
Joe Nemechek, hard crash (backup) Happy Hour
Casey Mears, hard crash (backup) Happy Hour
Marcos Ambrose, crash (backup) Happy Hour

Joey Logano Practice 1
Travis Kvapil Practice 1
Jamie McMurray Practice 1
Kyle Busch Happy Hour and qualification

Juan Montoya, very slight Practice 1
Kurt Busch, spin without contact Happy Hour

Darlington International Raceway 1950-1967



Darlington Raceway: 50th Anniversary

Johnson wins Darlington Happy Hour

Jimmie Johnson had only the seventh fastest single lap in Darlington's Happy Hour, but he was quickest over the long run with a speed of 175.316 mph during 11 laps.

Our View With six top-fives in the last eight Darlington starts—including a sweep of victory lane in 2004—he has to be one of the favorites to win the Showtime Southern 500.

Most importantly, he kept from hitting the wall, which is something 13 other drivers could not report. For a complete list of drivers involved in incidents in the combined practice sessions, check out Darlington Stripes, a rolling list of drivers who have made contact with the wall this weekend.

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McMurray fastest in Darlington Happy Hour

Jamie McMurray slapped the wall late in the first practice session, but he apparently got the car repaired; he posted the fastest single lap in Happy Hour practice with a speed of 178.064 mph.

Our View His average speed of 171.089 mph during 24 laps wasn't too bad and it ranked him ninth among drivers in the top 35 in owner points.

For a complete list of drivers who hit the wall in the combined practice sessions, check out Darlington Stripes, a rolling list of drivers who have made contact with the wall this weekend.

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Allmendinger wins Darlington's first practice

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A.J. Allmendinger posted the fastest single lap of the first practice session with a speed of 173.271 mph. He also posted the quickest average speed among drivers inside the top 35 in points with a mark of 170.542 mph during 34 laps.

Our View Most importantly, he avoided the wall and was not one of the seven drivers who suffered a Darlington stripe. For a complete list of these drivers, check out Darlington Stripes, a rolling list of drivers who have made contact with the wall this weekend.

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Yahoo! Darlington Preview

Darlington is "Too Tough to Tame," but over during the years, certain drivers have found the right whip. To find out which six drivers have four or more consecutive top-15s, check out this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Richmond

Fantasy owners took their lumps at Talladega. By comparison, the short track of Richmond should be kinder. Check out this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

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Yahoo! Richmond Preview

Texas had one "Big One" crash, so not to be outdone, Talladega featured three. If that were not enough to decimate your roster, then four cautions in rapid succession at the end of the Aaron's 499 completely shook up the lineup. Now the series rolls onto a nice, safe short track. Check out this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Yahoo! Qualification Story – Talladega

Starting the race by points is as good a way as any at Talladega SuperSpeedway. This week, we've added a chart showing where the winners have come from and as expected it's all over the board. Check out this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

Yahoo! Talladega Preview

After last week's "Big One" crash at Texas Motor Speedway, it would seem that matters couldn't get worse at Talladega SuperSpeedway. Then again, this has always been a lottery, so you will want to read this week's Yahoo! Fantasy Racing preview (.pdf).

Hurtin' Hamlin wins at Texas

Denny Hamlin's ACL surgery doesn't seem to be slowing him any: he held off the "cookie-cutter" king Jimmie Johnson to win the Samsung Mobile 500.

Our View Another late caution set up another wild finish. This time, a lap-311 yellow stacked the field up and contributed to a nine car accident that eliminated the dominant driver of the day when Jeff Gordon rubbed Tony Stewart in a three-wide incident that started the melee.

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Texas

An overwhelming 78 percent of Texas' winners have started on the first four rows. Find out how your team lines up in this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf).

Biffle fastest in Texas practice 1

Greg Biffle posted the single fastest lap in the first practice session for the Samsung Mobile 500 at Texas Motor Speedway with a speed of 190.813 mph.

Our View Biffle enters the weekend with three consecutive Texas top-10s, but only one of those came after he started on one of the first five rows. He should be able to improve that record in time trials.

Yahoo! Texas Preview

Cookies were never so sweet. Four green-white-checkered finishes in the first seven races have created havoc in fantasy owners' lineups and it will be nice to get to a track type that should be predictable. It would be nice, that is, if the "cookie-cutter" tracks were still predictable. Find out why this may not be true in this week's Yahoo! fantasy racing preview (.pdf).

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Newman wins Phoenix

Ryan Newman has not visited victory lane on one of the short, flat tracks (Phoenix, New Hampshire, Richmond and Martinsville) in his last 37 attempts, but he had the right stuff Saturday night in the Subway Fresh Fit 600k. He got a great restart and beat Jeff Gordon back to the line.

Our View His last victory on this track type came in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire and top-fives have been hard to come by, but he rewarded his faithful fans this week.

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Yahoo! Qualification Story – Phoenix

It was the "Revenge of the Group C Drivers" in qualification—but can they stay up front of 375 laps? Read this week's Yahoo! Qualification story (.pdf) for our take.

Martin wins Phoenix Happy Hour

Mark Martin posted the quickest average speed in Phoenix's Happy Hour with a speed of 129.775 during 10 laps.

Our View None of the drivers at the very top of the list posted very many laps, so it is difficult to put too much emphasis on his time. However, Martin won this race last year, so one must assume he knows what he needs to feel.

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Gordon posts fastest Phoenix HH lap

Jeff Gordon posted the single fastest lap in Happy Hour with a speed of 131.444 mph.

Our View His average speed of 126.672 mph during 28 laps was way down the list, however. Gordon has some strong runs at Phoenix, but for the most part this has been one of his less successful tracks. Leave him in the garage this week.

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Johnson is the latest spinner

Add Jimmie Johnson to the list of drivers who spun during Happy Hour. His incident came at the 42-minute mark.
 
Our View Tony Stewart, Kyle Busch and Marcos Ambrose preceded him, which is a smorgasbord of experience levels. Qualification could be an interesting session.
 
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Ambrose loops at Phoenix

Moments after the track went back to green following a spin for Kyle Busch, Marcos Ambrose sent his car into a spin cycle. Like Busch and Tony Stewart, he avoided contact with the wall though.
 
Our View as a former road racer, Ambrose should be solid on this short, flat track, but he has yet to completely prove himself in a brief career.
 
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Harmless spin for Ky Busch in Phoenix Happy Hour

Kyle Busch got behind on his steering in turn two at Phoenix International Raceway at the 15 minute mark of Happy Hour and spun harmlessly to the bottom of the track.
 
Our View Busch has been mediocre at Phoenix since winning in his rookie season. His last three years have not been all that bad with a worst result of 17th, but his best run netted a seventh.
 
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Hurting, Hamlin at top of Phoenix speed chart

He may be hurting after his ACL surgery last week, but it certainly didn't mar Denny Hamlin's speed: he topped the fastest lap chart with a 131.210 mph circuit around the one-mile Phoenix International Raceway.
 
Our View Hamlin is a flat track master and at the start of the week, we suggested making him a race day decision. So far, it appears his knee is not slowing him any, but wait until this afternoon for the final determination.
 
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Cold Black Hearts

Stewart spins w/o contact at Phoenix

Near the end of the first practice session for the Subway Fresh Fit 600k, Tony Stewart went into the spin cycle. He avoided contact, however, and drove back into the garage.
 
Our View Last year, he was hit-and-miss on this track with a second in the spring and a 25th in the fall.
 
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Yahoo! Phoenix Preview

If you were successful last week at Martinsville, you may want to stand pat; if you were not, you may wish to check out this week's Yahoo! Preview (.pdf).

The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities, and Trivia

Hamlin wins a Martinsville stunner

Four tires with less than 10 laps remaining gave Denny Hamlin the grip he needed in a green-white-checkered finish as the front of the field was characterized by a lot of bumping and banging to open a lane for the hometown driver.
 
Our View From the second row, Matt Kenseth bumped Jeff Gordon to get him a lane high, Denny Hamlin bumped Ryan Newman to knock him out of the way and then the No. 11 knocked the 17 around.
 
After the smoke cleared, it was a Joe Gibbs Racing one-two finish as Hamlin led Joey Logano across the line. Gordon finished third, Newman was fourth and a surprising Martin Truex Jr. rounded out the top-five.

Kenseth was the biggest loser. He finished 18th.

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Bill France Jr.: The Man Who Made Nascar

Montoya remains fast in Martinsville HH

Juan Montoya had the second and third quickest average times in Saturday's practice sessions with a speed of 94.323 mph during 43 laps in the morning (second best) and 94.342 during 36 laps in Happy Hour (third best).
 
Our View His biggest challenge is going to be overcoming his grid position of 22nd since the race will be started by owner points. He's experienced bad luck in the early races, but he's run much stronger than his position suggests. The bottom line is that he should be on most fantasy owners' rosters.
 
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Juan Pablo Montoya Restart

Earnhardt wins Martinsville HH

Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted the quickest average during Happy Hour at Martinsville with a speed of 94.453 mph during 67 laps. His fastest circuit of 95.675 mph was seventh best on that chart.

Our View Earnhardt was one of our dark horses at the beginning of the year and he is living up to projections. He's been consistent in 2010 and with a little luck, he could challenge teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon for the victory.

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The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities, and Trivia