Hard Turn
by Jeff Owens
Jeff Owens has been covering NASCAR since 1991 and began covering the circuit full time in 1993. He has been with NASCAR Scene since 1998.
Is Biffle NASCAR's new hard-luck driver?
May 15, 2008
I’m starting to think that Greg Biffle is the next Mark Martin.
Read MoreIs Busch-Earnhardt comparison fair?
May 13, 2008
Last week I wrote columns on SceneDaily and FoxSports.com comparing Kyle Busch to Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Read MoreNASCAR needs a bad guy
May 9, 2008
For years, fans have complained about NASCAR's stars being too boring, too vanilla and not mixing things up or showing any emotion.
Read MoreFantasy Week 11: Dodge Challenger 500
May 7, 2008
You might want to stay away from points leader Kyle Busch this week. Dale Earnhardt Jr. probably won’t put him into the wall at Darlington, but his fans might. Busch’s biggest worry this week might be dodging Junior fans who are still livid over Busch spinning Earnhardt Jr. last week at Richmond. Darlington Raceway has some of the rowdiest fans on the NASCAR circuit, and many of them bleed Earnhardt black and Junior green and white (boy, that just doesn’t sound right). Busch will have to watch himself when he leaves the garage and stay as far away from the Darlington infield as possible. He may want to be on the lookout for flying beer cans while on the track, as well. If he survives driver introductions, it will be miracle. Busch will need to be on his toes on and off the track at Darlington. The track that is “Too Tough To Tame” is not for the faint of heart, and typically it is the most experienced drivers who excel there. Group A This will be Jeff Gordon’s best shot yet at snapping his winless streak. Gordon won last year’s race and has seven wins at Darlington, more than any active driver. He also tested at the resurfaced track for Goodyear, giving him perhaps a slight edge. Jimmie Johnson also knows how to get around NASCAR’s toughest track, sweeping both races there in 2004. Also keep an eye on Carl Edwards. He has three wins on 1.5- and 2-mile tracks this year, and though Darlington is an odd-shaped, 1.3-mile oval, Edwards could be dominant again. Group B Denny Hamlin, fresh off his dominant performance at Richmond, could be a factor again at Darlington. He finished second there last year, showing a knack for negotiating the track’s challenging turns. Ryan Newman, Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne are all tempting as well, but a better bet might be too battle-hardened veterans. Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle each have two wins at Darlington, Burton winning both races in 1999 and Biffle winning in both 2005 and 2006. Burton has enough patience to be around at the end of a long, 400-mile race at Darlington. And no one drives a loose, sliding race car better than Biffle. Biffle also tested for Goodyear at Darlington, giving him a jumpstart on the weekend. Group C With Juan Pablo Montoya and Jamie McMurray up one week and down the next, this is becoming the hardest group to pick from. But, again, this is a week to go the safe route and pick a savvy veteran. Bobby Labonte has won at Darlington before and has the experience and patience to stay out of trouble on the difficult track. Expect him to be in the top 15 or top 20. Group D David Ragan has climbed to 14th in points and is becoming, week after week, one of the best choices in this group. The Roush Fenway cars should be stout at Darlington, so stick with him again. Brian Vickers and Scott Riggs are also worth considering. Group E David Reutimann, Regan Smith and Sam Hornish all had respectable finishes at Richmond. You should stay away from Smith and Hornish at Darlington, though. They both have no experience at the tough old track and are likely in for a rude awakening. Reutimann ran there last year and should have the edge in this group, along with teammate Michael Waltrip.
Read MoreFantasy Week 10: Crown Royal 400
May 1, 2008
Here is perhaps the most significant stat so far this season: Joe Gibbs Racing 3, Hendrick Motorsports 1. Or, Kyle Busch 2, Jimmie Johnson 1. Or, Kyle Busch 2, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. 0. In a season in which Hendrick Motorsports was expected to dominate, Joe Gibbs Racing suddenly has the edge, with Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin leading the Toyota-backed team. The next act of the Gibbs-Hendrick showdown should come this weekend at Richmond. Group A Hendrick’s Jimmie Johnson won both races at Richmond last year and could be a force again given his victory on the flat track at Phoenix April 12. Look for Busch to pose a strong challenge, though. He has finished second in two of the past three races at Richmond and has momentum after his win last week at Talladega. Teammate Tony Stewart also has three wins at the .75-mile short track. Also keep an eye on Richard Childress Racing teammates Kevin Harvick and Clint Bowyer. Harvick is usually a contender at Richmond and won there in 2006. Group B It has now been exactly two years since Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a race, his last victory coming in 2006 at Richmond. He has won three times at Richmond and should be a contender for his first win with Hendrick. His good friend, Denny Hamlin, could stand in the way, though. Hamlin is as good as any driver on the flat tracks, winning earlier this year at Martinsville, and carries extra incentive at his home state track. Points leader Jeff Burton, Kasey Kahne and Ryan Newman are also former Richmond winners and worth considering. Group C No one in this group finished in the top 10 last year or produced anything noteworthy. The best bet is probably Juan Pablo Montoya, whose runnerup finish at Talladega should give his team a big boost. Others to consider are Jamie McMurray, Bobby Labonte and David Gilliland. Group D David Ragan turned some heads last week with his fourth-place finish at Richmond, and he could do it again at Richmond, where he finished third last September. Brian Vickers also continues to impress, finishing fifth at Talladega, while Paul Menard is also coming off a strong run. Group E David Reutimann’s best race of the season last year came at Richmond, where he finished 13th. Also keep an eye on Johnny Sauter, who was a surprising fifth for Haas CNC Racing at Richmond last year and returns to that car this weekend.
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