Hard Turn

A NASCAR BLOG BY Jeff Owens

TEXT SIZE: Increase Text Size Decrease Text Size Reset Text Size
No Comments. Leave a Comment

Digg This
Add to Del.icio.us
RSS Feeds
Email
Print

Fantasy Week 11: Dodge Challenger 500

May 7

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.