This week it’s the Shelby 427. Thanks to Ford generously suggesting 27 more laps, the race now has a built-in “competition caution”. First it was the Aaron’s 499 and now the Shelby 427, but this idea of sponsors dictating race lengths is a little ridiculous. However, I will change my mind when I see ads for the WD-40 at Pocono.

Here’s a quick list of events that will happen this week with our thoughts on the frequency.

Over/Under

The most obvious thing to watch for(avoid?) this week is the terrible Vegas related puns. Gambling on fuel, rolling the dice on two tires, ad infinitum. Over 12

Did you know the Busch brothers are from Vegas? Over 5 (unless there is a prerace feature on the boys’ homecoming, then under 5)

Mentioning the phrase “progressive banking”. Under 4

Driver causing multiple cautions. No driver won this award last week, although some dude named Rain (not Tony) kept causing yellows to fly. This week it’s Scott Speed’s turn to do the double.

The Jeff Hammond Challenge

This week I’d like to introduce a new game to play while waiting for the green to drop. Listen to Jeff Hammond talk about anything beyond the technical realm of racing (where he is very good and knows his stuff), like when he’s talking about who will win or what driver ‘A’ must do to have a good day. Count up the number of cliches and generic phrases. For even more fun, try to guess what he’ll say ahead of time. You’d be surprised how easy it can be. For example: Driver ‘A’ just has to be aggressive, keep his nose to the grindstone and hope to catch some lucky breaks. It’s a long season and you don’t know what will happen before the Chase.

Any ideas for things to watch for during the race? Got any bad Vegas puns to add to the list?

“They say that ‘A picture is worth a 1000 words.’ But sometimes, I’m more interested in just what it was that they were saying.

What I think Kyle Petty is saying: “Whoa, dude. Jamie. Don’t you know they are testing for that stuff now??”

What is The C-List?
The weekly guide on getting the most out of low-rent fantasy drivers; C-List drivers in the Yahoo! game and/or drivers valued at $20.00 or less in salary cap games. Each week I’ll give you my favorite options, plus one to stay away from.

Marcos Ambrose (Nationwide Series starts, last season: 28th, 2007: 10th)
OK, Ambrose hasn’t exactly set the world on fire this season, 19.5 average finish, but he’s done well in his two Nationwide starts at Las Vegas, including a top-10. Last season, he was running 17th when he spun out late, eventually finishing 28th.

Reed Sorenson (last season: 18th, 2007: 31st)
In three career races here, Sorenson has improved his finish each time– although he lost position in two of them. Thus far, Sorenson has an average finish of 15th which is highlighted by a top-10 at Daytona.

Bobby Labonte (last season: 17th, 2007: 13th)
Labonte has four career top-10s in Vegas, but none since 2004. So far this season, Labonte has lost an average of seven spots per race.

This week, I’m putting Ambrose and Sorenson on my provisional roster and starting whoever qualifies better. Fair enough? At first, Labonte may look like the best play but I think you’ll just be chasing ghosts.

The selection in the Y! game looks pretty underwhelming at the moment. Heck, I’d take Michael Waltrip, who is coming off a seventh place finish at Daytona and finished 15th last week, if he was available. But if you are squeezed for cash in salary cap formats, Waltrip is a decent play– just hope the music doesn’t stop this week.

C-List results last week @ Auto Club 500:

Starts: AJ Allmendinger (29th), Kasey Kahne (12th)
Sit: Bobby Labonte (20th)

C-List 2009 season tally:

Starts average finish: 16.5
Sits average finish: 31.5

“Matt Kenseth put his Ford Fusion into Victory Lane in the Auto Club 500 in California this past weekend. The win made for his second in a row– this time without the rain. This gives Ford a six point lead in the Manufacturer’s point championship race.

Matt became the first driver to win the season’s opening two races since Jeff Gordon did it in 1997. It may come as no surprise then that Jeff Gordon actually had the better run on Sunday by besting Kenseth in many Loop Data Statistics categories. Jeff had a higher driver rating; completed 100% of his laps inside the top ten; had an average running position of 2nd, and was passed only 11 times under the green flag. Alas, it is the final lap that matters the most.

The team’s car haulers make the trek back across the country to Las Vegas for this weekend’s race. Below are the drivers from each manufacturer who I believe will give them the best chance for a win this week.

Kicking off the season with two consecutive wins certainly helps put you on the “Favorite to Win” list. Regardless, Matt has to be Ford’s best hope at a win in Vegas. In the last four races there he’s posted an average finish of 8.5 with finishes of 8th, 2nd, 4th, and finally a 20th in last years event. He has collected an average of 148 points in each of those four races.

I’m going to say that Jeff Gordon will be Chevy’s best chance for a win. Not only did he best Kenseth in loop data stats at California, but Gordon pretty much matched Kenseth in Daytona as well. Jeff’s Vegas stats alone make him a natural choice to win. In 2008, while running 4th in the final laps of the race, Gordon was caught up in a crash. Had he maintained that 4th place finish, he would have posted four consecutive top 5 finishes in Vegas since 2005. With an average running position of 7th in Vegas, and a wave of momentum in 2009, Gordon has a great chance to break his winless streak.

Las Vegas is the Busch brothers hometown, yet neither of them have taken the checkered flag there in Sprint Cup competition. After winning both the Truck and Nationwide series races in California, Kyle failed to get the 3rd win for a California sweep. However, he could get that 3rd NASCAR win of the season this Sunday. Over the last four Vegas races he has collected an average of 154 points per race. His average start, closer position, running position, and finish position is 6th.

Kurt Busch and Kasey Kahne have very, very similar loop data statistics at Las Vegas. I feel that both drivers were hit-or-miss throughout the 2008 season with the advantage going to Kahne. However, Kurt has started the year off right with consecutive top tens and he has slightly better numbers in some key loop data categories. I don’t look for either Kurt or Kasey to compete for a top ten finish, much less a win this weekend. However, momentum and the fact it’s Kurt’s home track make him Dodge’s best hope for a win.

My Pick To Win?

With three wins in the last four Vegas races, Jimmie Johnson will likely be most everyone’s favorite to win. However, I’m going to say that Jeff Gordon will claim his first of multiple wins this year. Be sure to check out who the “experts” think will win in Las Vegas.
“

Similar Track Concept

The theory behind this chart is that there are similar tracks (aka sister tracks) within the NASCAR schedule in terms of banking, distance and shape that a driver may excel at.

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

I am prone to look at a drivers performance more recently then over their career. So, this table is sorted by 2008 averages rather then over the length of the drivers career. That stat is still in the table though.

The Tracks

This week’s race is at Las Vegas Motor Speedway in Nevada. So, the similar tracks we are going to look at are: Las Vegas, Bristol, Homestead-Miami, Darlington & Dover.

The Similarities

This may seem like an odd combination of tracks. It is the ‘loosest’ of all our are similar track associations. I group these tracks together though based on these similarities: They are all relatively steeply-banked tracks ranging from 20° – 25°’s with Bristol all the way up to 36°. These tracks don’t adhere to the typical cookie-cutter design like Texas, Charlotte & Atlanta. Some are concrete (Bristol and Dover) and some are former flat tracks converted to a steeper banking (Homestead-Miami and Las Vegas). Historically, this group of tracks have worked out well together.

By the way, this table also shows the drivers median finish which I think is better than the average.

Rank	Driver	Vegas	Bristol	Homestead	Darlington	Dover	Starts	Avg	‘08 avg
1	Carl Edwards	10.0	12.0	5.0	7.0	3.0	32	7.4	3.0
2	Jeff Gordon	15.0	7.0	6.0	3.0	7.0	89	7.6	11.2
3	Kyle Busch	9.0	8.5	29.0	15.0	5.0	29	13.3	12.5
4	Matt Kenseth	8.0	9.0	21.0	19.0	8.0	71	13.0	12.7
5	Travis Kvapil	26.0	22.0	29.5	30.0	22.0	22	25.9	13.1
6	Mark Martin	6.0	14.5	9.0	10.0	5.0	84	8.9	13.2
7	David Ragan	22.0	23.5	17.0	16.0	18.0	15	19.3	13.6
8	Kevin Harvick	12.0	4.0	7.5	15.5	19.5	60	11.7	14.0
9	Greg Biffle	8.0	9.5	13.0	12.0	7.0	45	9.9	14.7
10	Denny Hamlin	9.0	10.0	8.0	7.0	24.5	22	11.7	14.8
11	Clint Bowyer	28.0	7.5	10.0	15.0	10.0	21	14.1	15.0
12	Martin Truex Jr	15.0	26.5	8.0	14.0	9.5	22	14.6	15.2
13	Scott Speed	0.0	0.0	16.0	0.0	0.0	1	16.0	16.0
14	Jeff Burton	7.0	12.5	12.5	9.5	10.0	89	10.3	17.0
15	Kasey Kahne	6.0	16.5	16.0	16.5	28.5	36	16.7	17.2
16	Dale Earnhardt Jr	16.0	9.0	21.0	10.5	18.5	68	15.0	17.6
17	Jimmie Johnson	6.0	16.0	8.5	5.0	7.5	53	8.6	17.7
18	Jamie McMurray	19.0	18.0	14.0	13.5	14.0	45	15.7	17.9
19	Juan Pablo Montoya	20.5	18.0	17.0	23.0	21.5	15	20.0	20.3
20	David Gilliland	22.0	30.0	32.0	25.0	24.0	17	26.6	20.6
21	Dave Blaney	26.0	29.5	22.0	26.5	25.0	60	25.8	20.7
22	Ryan Newman	11.5	15.5	21.0	5.5	8.0	53	12.3	21.0
23	Tony Stewart	8.5	15.0	12.0	11.0	6.5	76	10.6	22.0
24	Casey Mears	11.0	31.0	21.0	34.5	21.5	44	23.8	22.7
25	Aric Almirola	41.0	13.0	35.0	0.0	0.0	5	29.7	22.8
26	David Reutimann	37.0	22.5	22.5	26.0	18.0	10	25.2	24.1
27	Bobby Labonte	13.0	21.5	17.5	14.0	14.0	89	16.0	24.3
28	AJ Allmendinger	0.0	35.0	11.0	31.5	35.0	10	28.1	24.6
29	Scott Riggs	29.0	24.5	14.5	30.0	24.5	34	24.5	24.7
30	Bill Elliott	14.0	19.0	17.0	11.0	18.0	59	15.8	25.3
31	Brian Vickers	23.5	20.0	33.0	24.0	21.0	35	24.3	26.5
32	Kurt Busch	18.0	9.0	21.0	12.5	18.0	61	15.7	26.7
33	Paul Menard	27.0	24.0	30.0	33.5	21.0	13	27.1	26.7
34	Michael Waltrip	22.0	22.0	35.0	25.0	22.5	84	25.3	27.7
35	Elliott Sadler	24.0	24.0	28.0	18.5	18.5	77	22.6	28.4
36	Reed Sorenson	31.0	33.5	25.0	32.0	26.5	22	29.6	28.5
37	Regan Smith	34.0	25.0	34.0	29.0	29.0	8	30.2	29.2
38	Robby Gordon	30.0	26.5	27.0	28.0	22.0	60	26.7	30.6
39	Joe Nemechek	19.0	27.0	21.0	21.0	26.0	82	22.8	33.4
40	Sterling Marlin	18.0	13.0	26.0	16.5	27.0	82	20.1	35.3
41	Sam Hornish Jr	41.0	33.0	37.0	38.0	30.0	7	35.8	35.5
42	Marcos Ambrose	0.0	0.0	42.0	0.0	32.0	2	37.0	37.0
43	Joey Logano	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0	0.0	0.0

“Before heading to Atlanta, the NASCAR Cup series will remain on the West Coast for one more week to run the Shelby 427. The race will be held at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, a 1.5 mile tri-oval that features steep banking.

Last season, this race was won by Carl Edwards which broke a streak of three victories by Jimmie Johnson. But all eyes will be on Matt Kenseth, the driver who won this event the two years previous to Johnson.

Matt Kenseth – (last season: 20th, 2007: fourth)
Kenseth has started his impressive season with back-to-back checkered flags but a third would make history. Allocation owners should ride the hot streak and assume Kenseth’s lovefest at Las Vegas will earn him at least a top-five. Among drivers with five or more starts, Kenseth has the best average finish, ninth place.

Last season ended a five year streak of top-eight finishes in Las Vegas for Kenseth. That run of success was started with consecutive victories in 2003 and 2004. He leads all drivers in laps led by a wide margin. In nine starts, he has led 179 more laps than Mark Martin, who has 11 starts.

Mark Martin – (last season: 10th, 2007: fifth)
In the first two races of this season, Martin has lost an average of 18 spots per race. Las Vegas is a great place for Martin, who won the first Cup race held here, to get back on track. Martin has the most top-10s among all drivers with nine. Martin is not a flashy start but he’s been very solid here. I like his chances for a strong finish.

Kasey Kahne – (last season: sixth, 2007: 35th)
Kahne has lost an average of 12 spots per race thus far, but is another rebound candidate in Vegas. In formats like Yahoo, where points are awarded to the top starting positions, Kahne should be on your provisional roster. In addition to winning two poles here, he has complied two top-fives and three top-10s through five starts. I really like Kahne’s record of strong qualifying runs but using him on race day with hinge upon what row he starts in.

Clint Bowyer – (last season: 28th, 2007: 36th)
Among the A-List drivers in the Yahoo! game, Bowyer is clearly the worst option this week. In three Vegas starts, Bowyer has finished 15th, 36th and 28th. Count me among the haters this week.

L2H Results last week @ Auto Club 500:

Love: Jimmie Johnson (ninth) Great start but failed to make the right adjustments to remain a front-runner
Likes: David Ragan (17th), Kasey Kahne (12th) Ragan lost a few spots, had issues with overheating and got into the wall. Kahne gained 10 spots but was otherwise pretty quiet.
Hates: Jamie McMurray (16th) Had excellent starting position but lost 13 spots, a trend he’s had at this track.

L2H 2009 Season Tally:

Love/Like average finish: 14.5
Hate average finish: 26

“

1	With back to back victories Kenseth is developing a firm grip on the #1 spot. After his impressive performance at California the 17 team will definitely be a championship contender in 2009. The upcoming schedule is also extremely friendly to Kenseth.
-	Matt Kenseth
2	Kyle had an impressive weekend but only Sunday counts. Busch finished 3rd and ran in the top ten all day. Expect the Las Vegas native to dig deep and put on a good performance at his home track. Busch has an average finish of 13.2 at Las Vegas and he won the pole last year.
+1	Kyle Busch
3	Johnson had a mediocre performance at California. He finished 9th, led 74 laps, and started second. Something was wrong with the 48 car at California; he just seemed to lose the handle on the car in the later phases of the race. At Las Vegas Johnson has 3 wins and has an average finish of 9.3
-1	Jimmie Johnson
4	Jeff Gordon is inching closer and closer towards getting back into victory lane. Gordon does have a win at Las Vegas, but statistically speaking it is his second worst Intermediate track. Last year he was running in the top 5 until a late horrific accident relegated him to a 35th place finish.
+1	Jeff Gordon
5	Tony Stewart had an excellent showing with his new team at California. Having good performances at Intermediate tracks are crucial for any driver’s championship aspirations. Perhaps his car really is a Hendrick car.
+2	Tony Stewart
6	The 99 team just lacked something at California. A 7th place finish isn’t bad, but Carl Edwards fantasy owners expect more from him at this type of track. He is the defending champion at Las Vegas and has an average finish of 11.8.
-	Carl Edwards
7	Kevin Harvick had a good day at California until his tire cut down. I knew the constant talk about his non-DNF streak would result in something bad. He did have a 4th place finish last year at Las Vegas but RCR as a whole needs to improve their Intermediate program.
-3	Kevin Harvick
8	Greg Biffle had a 4th place finish at California but a late pit mishap put his team back in the pack. His charge through the field at the end of the race was impressive, but this team shouldn’t be back there in the first place.
+3	Greg Biffle
9	Mark Martin is a savvy veteran who suffered engine problems at California. The engine problem appeared to be a Hendrick B (Mark Martin, Dale Earnhardt Jr.) motor problem. At Las Vegas Martin scores a top ten finish 81% of the time.
-1	Mark Martin
10	Denny Hamlin finished 6th at California and is ready to build on the 11 teams momentum. At Las Vegas in 3 races he has 3 top tens. His average finish of 7.3 isn’t something to be overlooked by fantasy players.
+4	Denny Hamlin
11	In 2008 Kurt Busch really struggled at the Intermediate tracks. At California he finished 5th and it appears those problems might be solved. With good performances at Las Vegas and Atlanta Busch will be a big mover in the power rankings.
+4	Kurt Busch
12	Richard Childress Racing was by far the weakest super power team at California. A 19th place finish at the first Intermediate track in 2009 should be a wake up call for RCR’s Intermediate track engineers.
-3	Clint Bowyer
13	David Ragan had a good day going for him until he hit the wall. His car was never the same after this incident. The UPS car finished a lap down in the 17th position.
-3	David Ragan
14	Dale Earnhardt Jr. started in the back of the pack and worked his way up to the top 10. Then the 88 car suffered engine problems. In 2008 Earnhardt Jr. finished 2nd at Las Vegas, but his average finish there is a miserable 18.7.
-1	Dale Earnhardt Jr
15	Jeff Burton is on shaky ground in the power rankings this week. His performance at California is something he would like to forget about. Burton finished 3 laps down in the 32nd position. Burton is one of three drivers at Las Vegas who has multiple wins there.
-3	Jeff Burton

Two Wins Down, Kenseth Going For Three

In a display of virtual perfection on and off pit road this past Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, Matt Kenseth (No. 17 USG Ford) and crew became the fourth team in NASCAR history to win the Daytona 500 and the following event.

What is even more impressive is the No. 17 team has the opportunity to become the first to win the first three races of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, and just might do it.

Kenseth joined some elite company by starting off 2-0. Ironically, the last driver to pull off such a feat was four-time series champion, Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) in 1997, winning Daytona and Rockingham. Gordon, incidentally, battled Kenseth last weekend in the closing laps at ACS, finishing second.

The other two drivers to open with two wins are three-time series champion Cale Yarborough (1977, Daytona/Richmond); and seven-time champion, Richard Petty (1973, Daytona/Richmond).

After going all of 2008 without a win, the No. 17 team has turned it around by adding crew chief Drew Blickensderfer.

“I just feel great about the group we have assembled,” said Kenseth. “Everybody’s having fun. Everybody’s loose. Everybody’s performing at the same time. I think that, Drew has given the leadership and the spark they (the team) kind of needs.”

Kenseth heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway ready to keep the streak alive. He has a Loop Data Driver Rating of 107.8 at LVMS and an Average Running Position of 10.771 .

Kenseth has posted two wins, four top fives and five top 10s at Las Vegas in nine starts. Kenseth is first in the series standings 85-points ahead of Gordon.

Busch Brothers Head Home, Seeking Elusive Las Vegas Win

Las Vegas is the home of the Busch Brothers, Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota) and Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge), who grew up racing on the “bull-ring” dirt track across the street from Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

The Busch brothers had much success at the dirt track, but surprisingly, neither have won a NASCAR national series race at LVMS.

Both have kicked the ‘09 season off to a good start. Kurt Busch is third in the series standings with a 10th-place finish at Daytona, and a fifth-place finish at Auto Club Speedway. Kurt has posted one top five and two top 10s in eight starts at LVMS. He has a Driver Rating of 89.9 and an Average Running Position of 13.354 at the 1.5-mile oval.

Kyle Busch is 18th in the series standings after finishing 41st in the Daytona 500 and third in the Auto Club 500.

He became the first driver ever to win a NASCAR Nationwide Series and a NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race in the same day this past Saturday, sweeping the doubleheader at Auto Club Speedway.

Kyle will attempt to carry his momentum to Las Vegas this weekend. He has two top fives, three top 10s and a pole (2008) at LVMS. Loop Data has him ranked first at the track in Average Running Position with (6.777), third in Driver Rating (109.8), second in Quality Passes with (174) and second in Laps in Top 15 (93.1%).

Gordon Second In Points — And 11 Laps Shy Of  20,000 For His Career

Turning up the heat. That’s exactly what Jeff Gordon did at Auto Club Speedway, battling for the lead with Matt Kenseth.  

Gordon, for the second week in a row, had the best finish by a Hendrick Motorsports driver, finishing second in the Auto Club 500. That followed a 13th in the Daytona 500.

As a result, Gordon is second in the series standings 85-points back from Kenseth.

This weekend ,the No. 24 team heads to Las Vegas with the confidence that comes with improvement.

“I’m so excited about this race team right now,” said Gordon. “I just think we’re head and shoulders above where we were (last year).”

Gordon has posted one win, five top fives and five top 10s at LVMS in 11 starts.

The Las Vegas-specific Loop Data has him ranked second in Average Running Position (7.446), second in Driver Rating (111.4), first in Quality Passes (186) and first in Laps in Top 15 (93.5%).

Gordon has the opportunity to reach a career milestone this weekend at LVMS. He is currently 11 laps shy of 20,000 laps run in his NASCAR Sprint Cup Series career.

Gordon’s teammates have not shared the same early success.

Of the three Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet) is fairing the best. He is 19th in the series standings after posting a 31st at Daytona and a ninth at the Auto Club Speedway.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway is a perfect place for Johnson to get the ball rolling.

Johnson has three consecutive wins (2005-’07), three top fives and four top 10s in seven starts at LVMS.

Mark Martin (No. 5 Pop-Tarts/CARQUEST Chevrolet) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) had their weekends cut short at Auto Club Speedway after both their engines expired.

Martin is 27th in the standings but is likely to turn out a good finish at LVMS. He won the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup race there n 1998. He has since then posted five top fives and nine top 10s in 11 starts.

After being projected as a title contender in ‘09, Earnhardt can’t seem to catch a break this season.

After finishing 27th at Daytona, and his engine letting go at Auto Club Speedway en route to a 39th-place result, he is 35th in the series standings.

Roush Fenway Racing Picks ‘09 Up Where They Left ‘08 — Victory Lane

Jack Roush and his five-car team Roush Fenway Racing are building on the momentum left over from the end of 2008.

Not only has Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 and the Auto Club 500, but Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford) finished the 2008 season winning three of the last four races including the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway.

Roush also has four of his five cars in the top 10 in the 2009 series standings.

Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) is fifth in the standings after a 20th-place finish at Daytona and a fourth-place at Auto Club Speedway.

David Ragan (No. 6 UPS Ford) is eighth in the standings after a sixth-place finish at Daytona and a 17th-place at ACS.

Carl Edwards is ninth in the standings after an 18th-place finish at Daytona and a seventh at ACS.

Roush has accumulated five straight NASCAR Sprint Cup Series February wins at Auto Club Speedway.

The one catalyst that has sparked the No. 17 team and the whole Roush Fenway Racing organization this season is Drew Blickensderfer, crew chief of the No. 17.

As a rookie NASCAR Sprint Cup Series crew chief Blickensderfer is 2-0.

He began his motorsports career seven years ago when Roush Fenway Racing hired him as a tire changer. Since then he has worked his way up to crew chief.

“Drew has brought magic to the team,” said Jack Roush. “He knows how to capitalize on the energy within a team. We needed that.

“We had all the right team with the right skill sets on the team; we just needed somebody to create the magic. Drew has done that.”

The Roush Fenway camp heads to Las Vegas Motor Speedway this weekend looking to keep there undefeated season alive.

Jack Roush leads all other car owners with six wins at LVMS.

Data Delivering Positive Outlook For Jimmie Johnson, Going Into Las Vegas

After two races, a number of 2008 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup participants are facing a daunting uphill climb if they want to make the 2009 edition.

Luckily for them, Las Vegas should be a perfect place for many to erase their early season woes.

On the top of that list is Jimmie Johnson, winner of three consecutive Las Vegas races from 2005-2007. Johnson currently sits 19th in series points, but a launch up the standings seems likely – if his statistics hold true.

Johnson owns series-best stats in Driver Rating (112.0) and Fastest Laps Run (149) and has solid numbers in Average Running Position (11.6), Green Flag Speed (164.583 mph) and Laps in the Top 15 percentage (70.2%).

Vegas native Kyle Busch is a spot ahead of Johnson, in 18th. That should improve this weekend, as Busch has a third-best Driver Rating of 109.8, a series-best Average Running Position of 6.8 and the fifth-most Fastest Laps Run (64).

Most figured Mark Martin would immediately jump to the top of the standings after rejoining the series on a full-time basis. That has yet to happen. Martin sits a surprising 27th, but is strong at Las Vegas. Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, at Las Vegas, Martin has a Driver Rating of 96.8 (sixth-best), an Average Running Position of 12.2 (seventh), 36 Fastest Laps Run (eighth) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 72.8% (fifth).

Even further back of the pack is Jeff Burton, who has made the Chase the last three years. Currently, he’s well off that pace – in 30th-place. But he, too, is strong at Las Vegas. At Vegas, Burton has a Driver Rating of 95.4 (seventh-best), an Average Running Position of 10.5 (third), 268 Green Flag Passes (second) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 80.9% (third).

Last Sunday at Auto Club Speedway, Kevin Harvick ended a record-setting streak of 81 consecutive races running at the finish. His DNF knocked him to 16th in the standings. That position could improve, as he has a Driver Rating of 88.8 at Las Vegas.

Big Names “On The Bubble” Of The Top 35 Owner Standings

For the first five races of the season, the top 35 teams from the final 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series car owner points get guaranteed starting spots. After the first five weeks, the guaranteed berths are based on the 2009 owner point standings. Already, there are some concerned teams out there.

For example:

Robby Gordon (No. 7 Jim Beam Toyota) Is currently 33rd in car owner points. As a car owner and driver, he has all the weight on his shoulders to stay in the top 35.

Gordon posted a 31st at Daytona and a 12th at Auto Club Speedway. His best finish at Las Vegas Motor Speedway was 12th in 2006.

Ryan Newman (No. 39  Haas Automation Chevrolet) joined Stewart-Haas Racing and car owner/driver Tony Stewart (No. 14 Old Spice Chevrolet) this season. He is currently 34th in car owner points after posting a 36th at Daytona and 28th at Auto Club Speedway. Newman has amounted one top five, four top 10s, and a pole  in eight starts at LVMS.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88 Amp Energy/National Guard Chevrolet) has had a rough two weeks to start the season and comes into Las Vegas 35th in car owner points. He finished 27th at Daytona and 39th at ACS.

Earnhardt has NEVER missed a race since becoming a full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup driver in 2000. Earnhardt has posted two top-five and three top-10 finishes at Las Vegas in nine starts.

Aric Almirola (No. 8 TomTom Chevrolet) is 36th in the car owner point — two points behind 35th.  Driving for Earnhardt Ganassi Racing he has posted a 30th at Daytona and 35th at ACS.

Almirola has only one NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start at LVMS in 2007 — he finished 41st.

Joey Logano (No. 20 Home Depot Toyota) and Joe Gibbs currently are 37th in car owner points — 14 points back from 35th. In ’09 Logano has posted a 43rd at Daytona and a 26th at Auto Club Speedway. Practice on Friday, Feb. 27 will be the first laps Logano has run in any of NASCAR’s national series at LVMS. 

Michael Waltrip Racing Continues To Improve In 2009

During the 2009 NASCAR Media Day in Daytona Beach, Fla. Michael Waltrip (No. 55 NAPA Toyota) said, “If I don’t see the results that I think can get the 55 car the results it deserves, then as an owner, I want to get somebody in there that can post those results."

Apparently, by putting himself “in the hot seat,” he has elevated the entire Michael Waltrip Racing organization.

Waltrip is seventh in the series standings after a seventh-place finish in the Daytona 500 and a 15th in the Auto Club 500.

Waltrip’s teammate, David Reutimann (No. 00 Aaron’s Dream Machine Toyota) has also started the season well. He is 12th in the series standings after posting a 12th-place finish at Daytona and a seventh at ACS. 

A lot of the early success can be attributed to the shuffling of the crew chiefs at MWR. 

This season Robert “Bootie” Barker has come on board to crew chief the No. 55 and Rodney Childers has come on for the No. 00.

It will be interesting to see if MWR can carry their early momentum to Las Vegas; a track both drivers have struggled at.

Waltrip has made 11 starts at LVMS and he has only one top-five finish. 

Reutimann has started two races in the  NASCAR Sprint Cup Series at Las Vegas with a best finish of 25th last season.

Off The Track …

Thursday, Feb. 26:
What: Las Vegas Strip to host the 2009 NASCAR Hauler Parade. The transporters will be staged at approximately 10 a.m. in the right lane of Las Vegas Boulevard just south of Russell Road. The haulers will proceed north, roughly five miles, to Sahara Avenue before returning to LVMS.
When: 10 a.m.
Where: Las Vegas Boulevard

Thursday, Feb. 26
What: NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers Greg Biffle, Elliott Sadler (No. 19 Stanley Dodge), Casey Mears No. 07 Jack Daniel’s Chevrolet), Aric Almirola and retired driver Kyle Petty will take time out of their Las Vegas NASCAR race weekend schedules to attend the 11th annual Speedway Children’s Charities NASCAR Driver Auction at Sam’s Town Live!, inside Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nev. Proceeds from the event benefit the Las Vegas Chapter of Speedway Children’s Charities.
Fans will have the opportunity to bid on a ride around the speedway in a convertible with their favorite NASCAR Sprint Cup and NASCAR Nationwide Series stars during driver introductions prior to the start of the Shelby 427 on Sunday, March 1 and before the Sam’s Town 300 on Saturday, February 28
When: 6 p.m.
Where: Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall in Las Vegas, Nev.

Thursday, Feb. 26
What: Kurt Busch Foundation’s Inaugural Sprint For The Kids Charity Event. Participants will compete side-by-side in a celebrity endurance kart race featuring some of NASCAR’s finest drivers and celebrities. Jamie McMurray (No. 26 IRWIN Ford), Sam Hornish Jr. (No. 77 Mobil 1 Dodge), David Stremme (No. 12 Penske Dodge), Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota), Greg Biffle, and Jamie Little are among those scheduled to attend and race in the charity event along with other drivers and celebrities to be announced.
When: 6-8 p.m.
Where: Pole Position Raceway
For more information visit:
www.kurtbusch.com/foundation

Sunday, March 1
What: Country singer and The Biggest Loser star Dan Evans to participate in Speedway Children’s Charities Track Walk at Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Sunday morning.
When: 9 a.m.
Where: Las Vegas Motor Speedway
For more information visit: ww.speedwaycharities.org

Gordie Brown Part Of Pre-Race Lineup

Gordie Brown, a multi-talented impressionist, singer and entertainer, will headline the pre-race show prior to the Shelby 427 on Sunday.

NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Milestones

Jeff Burton (No. 31 CATERPILLAR Chevrolet) will reach a career milestone this weekend at Las Vegas Motor Speedway. It will be his 450th consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series start.

Other career milestones this week include:

Mark Martin making his 750th start in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.

Greg Biffle making his 225th start in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.

Jamie McMurray making his 225th start in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition.

Up Next: Atlanta Motor Speedway

The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series journeys back east in Week 4 to Atlanta Motor Speedway in Atlanta, Ga., for the KOBALT Tools 500.

The Sunday, March 8 event will be televised by FOX and the pre-race show starts at 1:30 p.m. ET with the race starting at approximately 2 p.m.

Kyle Busch is the defending champion of the KOBALT Tools 500, while Jeff Gordon leads all active drivers in career victories at AMS, with four.

The KOBALT Tools 500 will be the 50th NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Atlanta Motor Speedway, dating back to the debut event in 1960, which Fireball Roberts won.

Fast Facts

The Race:  Shelby “427”

The Date: Sunday, March 1

The Place: Las Vegas Motor Speedway; 1.5-mile tri-oval

The Time: 4:30 p.m. ET

The Distance: 427.5 miles/285 laps

TV: FOX, 3:30 p.m. ET

Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite; (Local PRN affiliate KDWN-AM 720)

2008 Polesitter: Kyle Busch

2008 Winner: Carl Edwards

Schedule: (All times local PT) Friday—Practice, 12-1:30 p.m.; Qualifying, 3:40 p.m. Saturday—Final Practice, 11:45 a.m.-12:50 p.m.

2009 Top 12 Drivers
   Driver                       Points
 1  Matt Kenseth             385
 2  Jeff Gordon                304
 3  Kurt Busch                294
 4  Tony Stewart             294
 5  Greg Biffle                 268
 6  Clint Bowyer              266
 7  Michael Waltrip          264
 8  David Ragan              262
 9  Carl Edwards             260
10 Juan Pablo Montoya   256
11 Elliott Sadler              248
12 David Reutimann        248

The OBW Experts will get together the day after the Sprint Cup race to discuss the hot topics of the week.

This week we chat about Fontana, Matt Kenseth’s attempt for a three-peat, Kyle Busch’s near trifecta and striking the windshield with various items. We’ll also take a peak ahead to Sunday at Las Vegas.

Matt Kenseth has won the first two races of the season. His average finishing position at Las Vegas is 9.0– best among drivers with more than three starts. Should he be considered the early favorite in Sin City?

Ryan Rantz: I don’t see how Kenseth couldn’t be viewed as the favorite. His performance at California was very impressive. He started towards the back and worked his way all the way up to the front. Plus, good things happen with a pit crew like his. His toughest competition at Vegas will come from his own teammates, and he can always look at their notes.

Mike Maruska: Despite an off-day last year, Johnson has three wins and a 112 driver rating at Vegas. Plus, Busch, Gordon and Biffle have all look pretty stout early on.

James Jones: First, I have to wonder if Matt’s team snuck into the shop during the off-season and swapped cars with the No. 99 team.

In the last four races at Vegas, only Jimmie Johnson and Kyle Busch have outscored Kenseth. During those same four races, Kenseth has led more laps than any other driver (Johnson is a close second). So yes, Kenseth has to be a favorite to win. The question is whether Matt can continue to hold off Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Kyle Busch.

I love witnessing record setting accomplishments in racing, so I would love to see Kenseth set a record by winning the first three races of the season.

At Fontana, Kyle Busch finished third but won the truck and Nationwide races at California. Even though Busch didn’t pull off the trifecta, how impressive is a trio of top-three finishes in a two-day period?

James Jones: I find it even more impressive when he pulls these sorts of performances off while driving for different car owners and teams. Once again, I love witnessing record setting accomplishments in racing, so I was really pulling for Kyle to get the win.

Mike Maruska: It’s as impressive as Kobe Bryant scoring 50 points in an NCAA game, D-League game and NBA game on the same weekend.

Jeffrey Gutowski: Don’t forget that Kyle could have won all three races at Daytona a week earlier! Love him or hate him, you have to admit that he can drive most anything. Before Kyle arrived on the scene, big brother Kurt told people that he was much better than him. This season, I wouldn’t be surprised if the shrub wins more than the total of 21 races he won last year.

During the TV broadcast, Jeff Hammond took a baseball bat to a model stock car to demonstrate the strength of the windshield. What test would you want to see?

James Jones: Over the years we’ve seen helmets, heel protectors, gloves, and water bottles throw at other cars. I’d love to see some sort of mechanical sling-shot that could fire a helmet at the windshield as hard as those drivers wished they could have thrown it.

Mike Maruska: Clint Bowyer’s piercing glare.

Eric McClung: A cinder block dropped off the drop of a ladder.

Eric Brewer: I would like to see the lug nut flying out from under a tire and hitting the windshield in super slow-motion.

Jeffrey Gutowski: I would like to see the comparisons to the forces of a crash between the SAFER barrier and a plain old wall. Run two cars into each wall at 60 MPH and show the force of the impact so you can see how much of that force is now absorbed by the SAFER barrier.

This past week had some go or go-homers in the Champs section to pick from. I hope you didn’t choose one of them.

On the other Hand, I hope you had a few of these guys….

Champs
J. Gordon = 175
Biffle = 165

Chumps
Harvick = 49
Allmendinger =76

Sleepers
Hamlin = 150
Johnson= 143

Total 508

Pretty Remarkable. Kenseth pulled off another victory with his new crew chief, but I imagine this week in vegas it will either be a teammate or a west coast driver.