Micah Roberts Top 10 Driver Ratings
Budweiser Shootout
Daytona International Speedway
Saturday, February 18, 2012 - 5:10 pm (PDT)
Rating Driver Odds Practice 1 Practice 2 Start Pos. 2011 Shootout*
1. Kevin Harvick 8/1 12th DNP 22nd 7th
Two-time Shootout winner (2009, 2010), using winning car from 2010 Daytona Firecracker.
2. Tony Stewart 12/1 9th DNP 15th 11th
Three-time Shootout winner, the last coming 2007, and 16 wins overall at Daytona.
3. Jamie McMurray 15/1 4th 1st 4th 2nd
Shootout Runner-up in 2009 and 2011, third in 2010; using same chassis from 2011 and 2010.
4. Jeff Gordon 10/1 21st DNP 14th 6th
Two-time Shootout winner (1994, 1997); finished sixth or better in last four starts.
5. Dale Earnhardt Jr 10/1 24th 12th 8th 19th
Two-time Shootout winner (2003, 2008); hasn’t finished better than 11th in last three starts.
6. Clint Bowyer 25/1 10th DNP 17th 9th
Best finish of ninth last year; had fastest time in one of the Daytona pre-season test sessions.
7. Jeff Burton 20/1 2nd DNP 12th 8th
Best finish was fifth in 2001; using chassis from Harvick that ran in three 2011 plates races.
8. Kurt Busch 20/1 15th DNP 6th 1st
Won Shootout last season (new team this year); fastest overall in Daytona pre-season testing.
9. Juan Montoya 30/1 23rd 2nd 25th 20th
Best finish of 10th in 2010; tandem racing with McMurray. Using 2011 sixth-place Daytona 500 car.
10. Kasey Kahne 12/1 17th 4th 19th 24th
Runner-up in 2010; teamed with Gordon in Daytona pre-season testing and worked very well.
Note: The Budweiser Shootout is a 75-lap non-points race consisting of drivers that finished in the top-25 final standings last season, won a past Budweiser shootout or a past points paying Daytona race.
* Results from last season’s Budweiser Shootout.
Odds courtesy of the LVH Super Book.
Bud Shootout Plays
Even though Kurt Busch was involved in an accident during Friday’s practice, I still think he’s got a great shot of winning this race. He took the least punishment of the five cars involved and won’t have to go to a back-up like the others have to. I also like Clint Bowyer, Jamie McMurray and Jeff Burton to have a great showing in this race and they all have excellent odds.
The match-up I would go after is Jeff Burton at pick ’em against Brad Keselowski, and not just because Keselowski is using a back-up car -- likely the Daytona 500 back-up car, but more so because I think Burton has a great shot at winning and running up front for most of the race. Of all the match-ups on the board, this one stands out the most.
As with any plate race, the best advice is to look at playing almost all of the match-ups that are showing plus-money. These type of races -- especially a non-points plate race -- are too much of a crap shoot to have anyone favored too much.
Match-up of the week:
JEFF BURTON -110 vs. Brad Keselowski
Odds to win Selections:
Kurt Busch 20/1, Clint Bowyer 25/1, Jeff Burton 20/1 and Jamie McMurray 18/1
Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more Roberts insights and post-practice analysis on the race, go to VegasInsider.com, TheLinemakers.com or follow MicahRoberts7 on Twitter.
Showing posts with label Jamie McMurray. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jamie McMurray. Show all posts
Friday, February 17, 2012
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
McMurray and Montoya Bringing Great Cars to Budwesier Shootout
Budweiser Shootout Drawing Party: Drawing for the starting positions in the Budweiser Shootout will be featured on the Budweiser Shootout Drawing Party live on SPEED 8PM (ET) on Friday February 17th.
A Fresh Start: Notable changes to the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) organization include a new Team Manager, Max Jones and Technical Director, John Probst. Jones most recently oversaw the merger of Yates Racing and Petty Enterprises in 2009-10 as President and General Manager. Probst comes to the team from Red Bull Racing.
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats Team:
Opening New Doors: Jamie McMurray returns to EGR for the 2012 season in the No.1 Bass Pro Shops®/McDonald’s Chevrolet. The team will once again be led by crew chief Kevin “Bono” Manion . The No.1 Chevy will have a new look for three races in 2012. LiftMaster, Banana Boat and Belkin will each have a primary paint scheme for one race.
Year in Review: In 2011, McMurray finished the season with one pole, two top-fives, four top-10s, 15 top-20 finishes and led 106 laps. In 36 starts, he completed 9,584 of 10,650 (90%). He had an average starting position of 17.8, average running position of 20.6 and average finishing position of 22.2.
Superspeedway Stats: In 37 starts in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) at superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) McMurray has accumulated three wins (Daytona 2007, 2010 Talladega 2009), eight top-fives, 10 top-10s and led 201 laps.
Shootout Success: In 2011, McMurray matched his best Budweiser Shootout finish (2009) with a second-place run, making it his third consecutive top-three finish. Among active drivers he yields the fourth best driver rating in the shootout with a 96.3. In his six Budweiser Shootout attempts (2004, 2006, 2008-2011) McMurray has claimed three top-fives, four top-10s and five top-20 finishes with 19 laps led. His best starting position came during his first attempt (2004), when he started third.
Driver Highlights:
* · 2012 will be McMurray’s tenth full season in the NSCS
* · McMurray will have Bass Pro Shops and McDonald’s as the primary sponsors on the No. 1 for the third consecutive year
* · McMurray has a total of 330 career starts in NSCS heading into Daytona
* · Won a career-high three NSCS races in 2010, including three of the series biggest events, Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Bank of America 500 (Charlotte Chase Race)
* · With his 2010 victory in the Brickyard 400, McMurray became only the third driver (Dale Jarrett-1996, Jimmie Johnson-2006) in NSCS history to record wins in both of NASCAR’s marquee events (Daytona 500, Brickyard 400) in the same season. McMurray’s win at the Brickyard also gave owner Chip Ganassi the Triple Crown of American auto racing – winning the Daytona 500 earlier in the season, and teammate Dario Franchitti winning the Indianapolis 500 in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops, of Springfield, Mo. will enter their seventh season in the NSCS as the primary sponsor of the No. 1 Chevrolet. With 59 retail stores in 26 states and Canada, Bass Pro Shops are visited by over 100 million people annually. Bass Pro Shops also includes Tracker Marine Group, Resort Group and Restaurant Division featuring 30 unique locations.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team:
A Fresh Start: Juan Pablo Montoya returns for his sixth full NSCS season at EGR in the No. 42 Target Chevrolet. The 2012 season has brought a lot of changes in the Team Target line-up, with one of the most prominent changes being the addition of Chris Heroy as the Crew Chief for the No. 42 car. Heroy was previously an engineer on the No. 88 team for Hendrick Motorsports. He also has minimal crew chief experience in the NASCAR Nationwide Series with JR Motorsports.
Year in Review: In 2011, Montoya finished the season with two poles, two top-fives, eight top-10s, 20 top-20 finishes and led 125 laps. The team had no DNF’s (did not finish) and had the highest number of laps run out of any driver with 10,593, including all 12 of the chase contenders. He had an average starting position of 18.2, average running position of 17.2 and average finishing position of 18.5.
Superspeedway Success: In 20 superspeedway starts in NSCS competition Montoya has a best finish of second (Talladega, 2008) three top-fives and seven top-10 finishes with 77 laps led. Team Target performed well at Daytona International Speedway in 2011 with two top-10 finishes.
Target Shootout History: Montoya returns to the 34th running of the Budweiser Shootout for the third time in his career. Last year, Montoya finished 20th after being collected in an on-track incident just four laps into the second segment. In five Bud Shootouts, the Target car has never placed outside of the top-20. In his premier Budweiser Shootout performance in 2010, Montoya finished 10th after starting from the 20th position.
Driver Highlights:
* · Montoya will enter his sixth full-time year in the NSCS in 2012 with Target returning as the sponsor.
* · In 2011, Montoya had no DNF’s and had the highest number of laps run out of any driver with 10,593 (99.5%) including all 12 of the Chase contenders.
* · After his 2010 victory at Watkins Glen he became the first foreign born driver to have multiple wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
* · Only Latino, only Formula 1 driver, and only Indianapolis 500 winner to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
* · Three wins and seven poles in his stock car career (ARCA, Nationwide, NASCAR) with 22 top-five and 53 top-10 results in 206 combined starts. 1,039 laps led.
* · One of only three drivers to win in Formula 1, IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup (Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti).
Target: Minneapolis-based Target celebrates its 23rd season in motorsports with Chip Ganassi in 2012. The partnership continues to rank as one of the longest current sponsor relationships in motorsports. Target serves guests at 1,763 stores across the United States and at Target.com. The company plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.
CHASSIS INFO
No. 1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats (NSCS): Chassis #808. The No.1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats team will bring chassis #808 to the Budweiser Shootout. This is the same chassis that McMurray drove in the Budweiser Shootout in 2010 and 2011, crossing the finish line in third-place and second-place respectively.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1101. Heroy and the No.42 team are bringing chassis #1101 to the Budweiser Shootout. This is the chassis that Montoya drove to a sixth-place finish in the 2011 Daytona 500.
- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
A Fresh Start: Notable changes to the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates (EGR) organization include a new Team Manager, Max Jones and Technical Director, John Probst. Jones most recently oversaw the merger of Yates Racing and Petty Enterprises in 2009-10 as President and General Manager. Probst comes to the team from Red Bull Racing.
Jamie McMurray and No. 1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats Team:
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| Jamie McMurray is 15/1 to win Bud Shootout (Getty) |
Year in Review: In 2011, McMurray finished the season with one pole, two top-fives, four top-10s, 15 top-20 finishes and led 106 laps. In 36 starts, he completed 9,584 of 10,650 (90%). He had an average starting position of 17.8, average running position of 20.6 and average finishing position of 22.2.
Superspeedway Stats: In 37 starts in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series (NSCS) at superspeedways (Daytona and Talladega) McMurray has accumulated three wins (Daytona 2007, 2010 Talladega 2009), eight top-fives, 10 top-10s and led 201 laps.
Shootout Success: In 2011, McMurray matched his best Budweiser Shootout finish (2009) with a second-place run, making it his third consecutive top-three finish. Among active drivers he yields the fourth best driver rating in the shootout with a 96.3. In his six Budweiser Shootout attempts (2004, 2006, 2008-2011) McMurray has claimed three top-fives, four top-10s and five top-20 finishes with 19 laps led. His best starting position came during his first attempt (2004), when he started third.
Driver Highlights:
* · 2012 will be McMurray’s tenth full season in the NSCS
* · McMurray will have Bass Pro Shops and McDonald’s as the primary sponsors on the No. 1 for the third consecutive year
* · McMurray has a total of 330 career starts in NSCS heading into Daytona
* · Won a career-high three NSCS races in 2010, including three of the series biggest events, Daytona 500, Brickyard 400, Bank of America 500 (Charlotte Chase Race)
* · With his 2010 victory in the Brickyard 400, McMurray became only the third driver (Dale Jarrett-1996, Jimmie Johnson-2006) in NSCS history to record wins in both of NASCAR’s marquee events (Daytona 500, Brickyard 400) in the same season. McMurray’s win at the Brickyard also gave owner Chip Ganassi the Triple Crown of American auto racing – winning the Daytona 500 earlier in the season, and teammate Dario Franchitti winning the Indianapolis 500 in the IZOD IndyCar Series.
Bass Pro Shops: Bass Pro Shops, of Springfield, Mo. will enter their seventh season in the NSCS as the primary sponsor of the No. 1 Chevrolet. With 59 retail stores in 26 states and Canada, Bass Pro Shops are visited by over 100 million people annually. Bass Pro Shops also includes Tracker Marine Group, Resort Group and Restaurant Division featuring 30 unique locations.
Juan Pablo Montoya and No. 42 Target Team:
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| Montoya is 30/1 to win Shootout (Getty) |
Year in Review: In 2011, Montoya finished the season with two poles, two top-fives, eight top-10s, 20 top-20 finishes and led 125 laps. The team had no DNF’s (did not finish) and had the highest number of laps run out of any driver with 10,593, including all 12 of the chase contenders. He had an average starting position of 18.2, average running position of 17.2 and average finishing position of 18.5.
Superspeedway Success: In 20 superspeedway starts in NSCS competition Montoya has a best finish of second (Talladega, 2008) three top-fives and seven top-10 finishes with 77 laps led. Team Target performed well at Daytona International Speedway in 2011 with two top-10 finishes.
Target Shootout History: Montoya returns to the 34th running of the Budweiser Shootout for the third time in his career. Last year, Montoya finished 20th after being collected in an on-track incident just four laps into the second segment. In five Bud Shootouts, the Target car has never placed outside of the top-20. In his premier Budweiser Shootout performance in 2010, Montoya finished 10th after starting from the 20th position.
Driver Highlights:
* · Montoya will enter his sixth full-time year in the NSCS in 2012 with Target returning as the sponsor.
* · In 2011, Montoya had no DNF’s and had the highest number of laps run out of any driver with 10,593 (99.5%) including all 12 of the Chase contenders.
* · After his 2010 victory at Watkins Glen he became the first foreign born driver to have multiple wins in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
* · Only Latino, only Formula 1 driver, and only Indianapolis 500 winner to make the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup.
* · Three wins and seven poles in his stock car career (ARCA, Nationwide, NASCAR) with 22 top-five and 53 top-10 results in 206 combined starts. 1,039 laps led.
* · One of only three drivers to win in Formula 1, IndyCar and NASCAR Sprint Cup (Dan Gurney and Mario Andretti).
Target: Minneapolis-based Target celebrates its 23rd season in motorsports with Chip Ganassi in 2012. The partnership continues to rank as one of the longest current sponsor relationships in motorsports. Target serves guests at 1,763 stores across the United States and at Target.com. The company plans to open its first stores in Canada in 2013. Since 1946, Target has given 5 percent of its income through community grants and programs; today, that giving equals more than $3 million a week.
CHASSIS INFO
No. 1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats (NSCS): Chassis #808. The No.1 Bass Pro Shops® / Tracker Boats team will bring chassis #808 to the Budweiser Shootout. This is the same chassis that McMurray drove in the Budweiser Shootout in 2010 and 2011, crossing the finish line in third-place and second-place respectively.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1101. Heroy and the No.42 team are bringing chassis #1101 to the Budweiser Shootout. This is the chassis that Montoya drove to a sixth-place finish in the 2011 Daytona 500.
- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
EGR Preview: Chip Ganassi Goes For Sixth Win at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
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| A Jamie McMurray repeat win could bring some happiness to 2011 (Getty) |
Indianapolis Motor Speedway Advance Notes
Race: Brickyard 400 on Sunday, July 31
Track: Indianapolis Motor Speedway (2.5-mile oval)
Location: Speedway, Ind.
NOTES
Follow EGR on Twitter: Continue to follow Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates on their official team Twitter page. Follow the No. 1 and No. 42 teams throughout the 2011 season @EGRTeams.
Sprint Summer Showdown: The Sprint Summer Showdown presented by HTC EVO 3D is putting $3 million on the line for fans, drivers and driver charities. Any driver that wins an NSCS race between Indianapolis and Bristol will qualify to win $2 million if he is able to win the race at Atlanta during Labor Day weekend ($1 million for the driver, $1 million for their charity). One lucky fan paired with the winning driver also has a chance to win $1 million. Visit www.sprint.com/speed for more information.
Kissing the Bricks: With a victory this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing would join Hendrick Motorsports as the only organizations to win back-to-back Brickyard 400’s (Jimmie Johnson 2008, 2009).
Twice as Nice: If either Jamie McMurray or Juan Pablo Montoya takes the checkered flag at Indy, they will become the first driver to win more than one race at IMS for team owner Chip Ganassi. Montoya won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 giving Ganassi his second of four Indy 500 victories, while McMurray won last year’s Brickyard 400.
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| McMurray has a 14.3 average finish in 8 Indy races |
Indianapolis History: Sunday will mark McMurray’s ninth Sprint Cup Series start at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. His best start and finish at the famed 2.5-mile oval came in 2010, when he won after starting from fourth-place. McMurray became the third driver to win the Brickyard 400 and Daytona 500 in the same season (Jimmie Johnson, Dale Jarrett). In his eight prior events at Indy, McMurray has an average starting position of 15.2 and an average finishing position of 14.2. He has completed 1260 of 1281 laps (98.4%) and has led 38 laps. Including his win in 2010, McMurray has two top-five and four top-10 finishes at IMS.
Defending the Brickyard: McMurray returns to Indianapolis as the defending champion of the Brickyard 400. McMurray took the green for the 2010 Brickyard 400 in fourth-place and raced inside the top-six throughout the 160-lap event. After the decision to take two tires on the team’s final pit stop, McMurray was able to drive away from the field and take his first career victory at the Brickyard.
Two-Timing: With a victory, McMurray would join elite company in becoming only the fifth driver to win two or more Brickyard 400’s. He would join Jimmie Johnson (2006, 2008, 2009), Jeff Gordon (1994, 1998, 2001, 2004), Tony Stewart (2005, 2007), and Dale Jarrett (1996, 1999) in this exclusive club. Also, McMurray has the chance to be only the second driver to win back-to-back Brickyard 400s (Jimmie Johnson 2008, 2009).
With Ganassi at Indy: This weekend, McMurray will be making his fifth start at Indy for team owner Chip Ganassi. In his four previous starts at the Brickyard in Chip Ganassi owned race cars, he has notched one win (2010), both of his career top-fives (2003, 2010) and three out of his four career top-10s (2003, 2004, 2010). He has 38 laps led and has never finished off of the lead lap while driving for Ganassi at IMS.
Taking the Checkers: McMurray has been running at the finish in all eight of his career starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He has also finished on the lead lap in seven of those eight races.
Loudon Review: After qualifying 25th, the team made significant gains during Saturday’s practice sessions and felt that the car would be strong on Sunday. The first caution of the day waived on lap 30, but the No. 1 team decided to stay out and gain valuable track position. McMurray restarted as the race leader and stayed among the top-10 until he was forced to make an unscheduled pit stop on lap 116. After the final stop of the day, Crew Chief “Bono” Manion told McMurray they were several laps short on fuel. The situation became more tenuous, when the team lost radio communication with 50 laps remaining. The fuel pressure eventually dropped as the Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet ran out of fuel with three laps remaining and dropped from eighth to finish 31st.
In the Points: Jamie McMurray sits tied for 28th in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series point standings after finishing 31st at New Hampshire.
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| Montoya was Brickyard runner-up in 2007 (Getty) |
Ride Shotgun with Montoya: This weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Juan Pablo Montoya and the No. 42 Target Chevrolet will be featured on DirecTV HotPass. To ride along with the Montoya and experience the race in heart-pounding HD, DirecTV customers can tune in to Channel 796, starting at 1pm EST on Sunday afternoon.
New Voice on the Radio: The No.42 Target team has made a crew chief change, naming Jim Pohlman interim crew chief heading into this weekend’s Brickyard 400. Pohlman has been with the organization since 2006 and has worked in various roles. “We are pleased to have someone of Jim’s caliber to be able to place into this role. Jim has been with us for a number of years and I have confidence in his abilities to move the team forward,” said team owner Chip Ganassi.
Brickyard 400 History: Montoya has made four career starts at Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the Brickyard 400. In those starts he has one top-five, one top-10 and has led 202 laps (116 laps in 2009, 86 in 2010). Montoya’s best start came last season when he qualified on the pole, and his best finish of second at IMS was in his first NSCS start at the track in 2007. With three front-row starting spots in four races, his average starting position at the Brickyard is 4.5.
A Familiar Place: In 2007, Juan Pablo Montoya made history by becoming the first driver to compete in all three major events at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (Indianapolis 500, United States Grand Prix and the Brickyard 400). Montoya had six starts in the U.S. Grand Prix with a best start of third in 2001 and a top finish of fourth in 2002. He scored a victory in 2000 in his one, and only start for Chip Ganassi Racing in the Indianapolis 500, and has a best finish of second (2007) in four Brickyard 400 starts.
Doubling Up at Indy: If Montoya wins Sunday’s Brickyard 400, he will become the first driver in history to win both the Indianapolis 500 and the Brickyard 400. Also, when he takes the green flag at IMS this weekend, he will have competed at the historic Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the 12th consecutive year, racing in three different series.
Top of the Charts: Since his rookie season in 2007, Montoya has been a factor at Indianapolis Motor Speedway every time the NSCS has raced there. In only four races at the famed track, he has moved to the top of multiple statistical categories including “Fastest Driver Early in a Run”, “Number of Fastest Laps Run”, “Fastest Car on Restarts” and “Number of Laps Led”. He is also second in “Driver Rating” (Tony Stewart 109.3) with a score of 106.4 and fourth in “Average Running Position” with an average place of 11.53.
Loudon Recap: Juan Pablo Montoya was looking to continue a streak of strong performances at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and gain some valuable points toward reaching the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The team appeared to be on the right track as Montoya was second fastest in final practice and followed that up with an eighth-place qualifying effort. The crew spent most of the race playing on pit strategy, expecting the finish to come down to fuel mileage. The Target Chevrolet pitted a total of seven times for fuel, tires and adjustments. The team ran as high as third and as low as 30th throughout the race. While running 13th with two laps remaining, the Target Chevrolet ran short on fuel and coasted back to the finish line for a 30th-place finish.
In the Points: Following Juan Pablo Montoya’s 30th-place finish, the No. 42 team dropped four positions to 17th in points. Montoya now sits 59 points out of 10th, the cut-off for Chase contention.
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| New cars for both teams; each tested at Indy in June (Getty) |
No. 1 Bass Pro Shops / Tracker Boats Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1112. Jamie McMurray will pilot chassis #1112 for the first time in a race this season when the NSCS heads to Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This only other track time that this car has seen was back in June for the Goodyear tire test at Kansas Speedway.
No. 42 Target Chevrolet (NSCS): Chassis #1107. Juan Pablo Montoya will race chassis #1107 for the first time this season at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. This chassis was tested earlier this season at the Goodyear tire test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
- Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, Press Release
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Keselowski Fastest in Final Sonoma Practice, But McMurray Shines The Brightest on Day
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| McMurray's got a little more grip than the others at Sonoma |
The star of the day, though, continued to be Jamie McMurray who finished with the second fastest lap of 91.623 mph. McMurray was fastest in the first session of the day and through the first 15 laps didn't have decreasing lap times as much as the other drivers did. After qualifying second on Friday, McMurray attributed his fast time to having lots of grip, something that most of the other drivers complained they had a lack of.
Kurt Busch continued his strong weekend with the third fastest time (91.591), followed by Juan Pablo Montoya (91.560) and Clint Bowyer (91.361). Montoya, using last years winning chassis from Watkins Glen, was running 17th best until the last 20 minutes of the of the session.
Rounding out the top-ten fastest during “Happy Hour” were Martin Truex Jr (91.339), Ryan Newman (91.331), Kevin Harvick (91.296), Jeff Burton (91.262) and Jeff Gordon (91.207).
The Las Vegas 4-to-1 favorite to win Sunday, Marcos Ambrose, was 15th best and last years Sonoma winner Jimmie Johnson finished 22nd quickest.
Kurt Busch had the fastest average speeds, followed by Bowyer, Truex Jr and McMurray. Bowyer and Truex Jr. each ran considerably less laps than Busch and McMurray which enhances their average speeds. However, average speeds aren't as solid a tool for handicapping road courses during practices as they are for the ovals.
Keselowski ran the most laps in the final session with 31 followed by Burton's 30 and Johnon's 29. McMurray ran 28 laps.
Final Practice Speeds
McMurray Fastest in Saturday's early Practice Session
Jamie McMurray, with a lap speed of 92.295 mph, was the fastest during Saturday's early practice session at Infineon Raceway.
Second fastest with a lap speed of 92.073 mph, was Kurt Busch, followed by Clint Bowyer (91.785), Kyle Busch (91.781) and AJ Allmendinger (91.695).
Rounding out the top-ten fastest in practice were Paul Menard (91.658) who was sixth fastest, Matt Kenseth (91.631), Ryan Newman (91.501), Denny Hamlin (91.436) and Jeff Burton (91.424).
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Joplin Native Jamie McMurray Looking For Third Charlotte Win
By Micah Roberts
I always love the sentimental approach to handicapping games where sometimes teams get up a little more when having a heavy heart. I use it quite often in football and basketball to some degree of success. Jamie McMurray is a Joplin, Missouri native who will definitely have a lot on his mind. Will he be able to focus in a normal capacity or will he be pre-occupied like many of us might be in the same situation?
“My heart goes out to all the people that have been affected by the devastating Missouri tornado on May 22nd, especially in my hometown of Joplin," said McMurray in a prepared statement.
"It is difficult to put into words, the emotions I have when I see the devastation and destruction that was caused by this storm. My thoughts and prayers are extended to all the people who are dealing with so much loss. I would also like to thank all those that have reached out to me to express their concerns for my family. Although I don’t personally have any family in Joplin any longer, there are still many people there that need our support and prayers.”
The combination of what happened at Joplin and how well McMurray has done over his career could be a positive situation on the track. Two of his six careers wins, his first and last win, have come at Charlotte. Last season he was runner-up in this race and then won the fall event.
“I am looking forward to Charlotte this weekend," McMurray said earlier in the week. "Our team had a lot of success at this track last year and this is one of my favorite places to race. However, after last weekend in the Sprint All Star race we learned that we have some work to do if we are going to repeat that 2010 success. We will be working on some changes to our cars for this weekend and as always our guys are giving it 100% commitment to make us more competitive.
The real problem with McMurray having a real shot this week rests with his car. The team hasn't performed close to the level they did in 2010. They're bringing the same chassis from last week that had trouble throughout practice and the race itself.
I will be rooting for McMurray to do well in hopes of maybe bringing some joy to his hometown, but it’s more likely that he’ll perform closer to the level of what he's done this season which would be about 20th-place.
The Las Vegas Hilton Super Book has McMurray listed at 30-to-1 to win the race, which about the same he's been at most other tracks. The odds are a pure indication of this years efforts as opposed to the great success he had at Charlotte last season. In driver vs. driver matchups, where the best finish between the two drivers in the race wins, McMurray is listed as a pick em' against teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.
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| McMurray won at Charlotte last fall |
“My heart goes out to all the people that have been affected by the devastating Missouri tornado on May 22nd, especially in my hometown of Joplin," said McMurray in a prepared statement.
"It is difficult to put into words, the emotions I have when I see the devastation and destruction that was caused by this storm. My thoughts and prayers are extended to all the people who are dealing with so much loss. I would also like to thank all those that have reached out to me to express their concerns for my family. Although I don’t personally have any family in Joplin any longer, there are still many people there that need our support and prayers.”
The combination of what happened at Joplin and how well McMurray has done over his career could be a positive situation on the track. Two of his six careers wins, his first and last win, have come at Charlotte. Last season he was runner-up in this race and then won the fall event.
“I am looking forward to Charlotte this weekend," McMurray said earlier in the week. "Our team had a lot of success at this track last year and this is one of my favorite places to race. However, after last weekend in the Sprint All Star race we learned that we have some work to do if we are going to repeat that 2010 success. We will be working on some changes to our cars for this weekend and as always our guys are giving it 100% commitment to make us more competitive.
The real problem with McMurray having a real shot this week rests with his car. The team hasn't performed close to the level they did in 2010. They're bringing the same chassis from last week that had trouble throughout practice and the race itself.
I will be rooting for McMurray to do well in hopes of maybe bringing some joy to his hometown, but it’s more likely that he’ll perform closer to the level of what he's done this season which would be about 20th-place.
The Las Vegas Hilton Super Book has McMurray listed at 30-to-1 to win the race, which about the same he's been at most other tracks. The odds are a pure indication of this years efforts as opposed to the great success he had at Charlotte last season. In driver vs. driver matchups, where the best finish between the two drivers in the race wins, McMurray is listed as a pick em' against teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.
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