Trouble in Turn2

In a move that may well have saved Robby Gordon Motorsports, NASCAR overturned the penalties from Daytona regarding an improper nose. The 100 point penalty was revoked, moving Gordon from the precipice of the top 35 to a safe spot in 21st place. Had the penalty been upheld, Gordon was in serious danger of falling outside the top 35 in owner’s points after Bristol. The added cushion means Gordon can now settle in and focus on scoring good finishes rather than simply surviving. NASCAR made the right move, and it results in a win for the small teams of NASCAR trying to run with the big boys. Gordon said he will now focus on making the Chase. It’s a little far-fetched, but on the bright side he did gain 210 points on Carl Edwards without driving a lap (that has to help with sponsors, right?).

Meanwhile Edwards and the #99 team were
penalized for a misplaced oil lid. The team lost 100 points and Bob Osborne was also suspended for 6 races. Edwards was also deducted the ten bonus points for winning the race that would have otherwise carried over to the Chase. Although Edwards was allowed to keep his Las Vegas title belt, NASCAR did force Edwards perform a reverse backflip to “undo” his win. Again, NASCAR made the right call to penalize the #99 team. The standard penalty for a violation on the CoT is obviously 100 points and a six race suspension for the crew chief. Now the question is what happens on a second offense? This is actually the second violation on the CoT since last September. At some point there needs to be some kind of escalation in penalties.

Atlanta Preview

For the third straight week, the tour heads to a fast intermediate track that emphasizes downforce. The nice thing about Atlanta is that the combination of steeper banking and a weathered track allows for more passing lanes. Tire wear has also been an issue in recent races necessitating the need for a fast car that will handle well on long runs. Well, that and avoiding water getting into your fuel tank.

• Bad news for the bubbles teams is that there is a 60% chance of rain on Friday in Georgia. That means qualifying is once again a dicey affair. It could also mean a greener track come Sunday, making tires even more risky in the early going.

• Casey Mears has zero top tens in ten career starts, outdone only by John Andretti’s 0-22 mark. Mears climbed back into the top 35 last week at Vegas and a top ten would give him significant breathing room heading to Bristol.

• Jimmie Johnson has scored the most points over the last four Atlanta races. And the last five, six, seven and well, he’s scored the most points at Atlanta over any interval of races back to 2003. That counts for three wins, 7 top fives and 8 top tens in his last 10 starts at Atlanta.

• Bobby Labonte is the active leader with six Atlanta wins. Labonte has run well in his first three starts this year, finishing 11th, 25th, and 17th. Labonte has had some nice runs in the last two years with Petty Enterprises at Atlanta, he led 13 laps in 2006 before losing an engine and also has finished 12th and 16th. Nothing would signal the return of Petty Enterprises like a win. In fact, it would likely be one of the stories of the season.

Champs, Chumps and Sleepers

Atlanta is a funny track. Some drivers can run very well at tracks like Texas and Charlotte that you would assume translate to Atlanta, but that’s not always the case. Atlanta has its own characteristics, so it’s best to find drivers that specifically shine

Champs: Reed Sorenson No matter how inconsistent he’s been in his young career, he’s been a rock at his hometown Atlanta track. Three top tens in five career races including a 3rd place run last fall.

Chumps: Kevin Harvick Since his memorable rookie win at Atlanta, Harvick has not enjoyed his stays in Georgia. He scored top 3 finishes in his first two starts, but hasn’t scored better than 15th since. Whatever you do, don’t assume Martin Truex will be a chump this week. Looking at his 28.7 average finish would be a mistake. He consistently runs well at Atlanta but had a few rough finishes in the closing laps. He led 135 laps last fall before a freak accident took him out with seven laps left.

Sleepers: Clint Bowyer. Beyond Jeff Gordon no one else looks very appetizing in the drivers above 20th place. Bowyer has two top tens in 4 career starts and also does a good job of avoiding trouble. He may not score a top five for your team, but at least he will minimize the points blow.

My pick to win: Dale Earnhardt Jr I’m not picking him based on last week, but because he always runs well at Atlanta. No matter how the rest of his seasons have gone, Atlanta is a track where he can almost always manage top 5’s. Now he has a little more horsepower and a car with a little better handling and that makes the difference.

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