2008 AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway

2008 AMP Energy 500 at Talladega Superspeedway:

This weekend Talladega Superspeedway will host the fourth race of the 2008 Chase for the Cup. The three Sprint Cup point leaders have to be extra nervous about this weekend's race. Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards and Greg Biffle have had awful finishes at Daytona and Talladega in 2008. If they don't outperform their 2008 averages this will be a landmark race in the 2008 Chase.

Tickets:

Speedway ticket office 1-877-Go2-DEGA

Buy online from TicketsNow (direct link)

The Track:

Talladega Superspeedway is the longest track on the NASCAR Sprint Cup circuit measuring 2.66 miles. A steep 33 degrees of banking in the corners and 18 degrees in the front tri-oval make handling a secondary consideration. Talladega is big, fast, and all about horsepower and drafting.

Race Distance:

188 laps = 500 miles

The Big Picture:

Last week the top three finishers in the race were the top three in the points. Johnson took over the point lead by ten points over Edwards with Greg Biffle just 30 points behind.

Drivers now effectively eliminated from the Championship battle now include everyone from eighth on back including Dale Earnhardt Jr. Matt Kenseth, Denny Hamlin, Tony Stewart and Kyle Busch.

1. Jimmie Johnson -0
2. Carl Edwards -10
3. Greg Biffle -30
4. Jeff Burton -121
5. Kevin Harvick -136
6. Jeff Gordon -143
7. Clint Bowyer -164
8. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -190
9. Matt Kenseth -192
10. Denny Hamlin -243
11. Tony Stewart -255
12. Kyle Busch -311

Storylines:

Talladega has been called the wildcard event in the Chase since the very first Chase schedule was announced. Talladega is known for "The Big One" which can end a driver's points hopes in an instant.

This year the three point leaders have an extra concern. All three have suffered terrible plate race finishes in 2008.

Carl Edwards is best among the leaders with a dismal 20.3 average finish in the three restrictor plate races held so far this season. Point leader Jimmie Johnson is second best with an average finish of 21st. Greg Biffle is the worst of the three with a 2008 plate racing average of 23.6.

Media Coverage:

TV: ABC Sunday, October 5th, 1:00PM Eastern.

Radio: MRN and SIRIUS Satellite

Actual Race: 2:10PM Eastern

Recent Events:

2007 Winner: Jeff Gordon

2007 Polesitter: Michael Waltrip

Last Year:

The 2007 event was the first ever restrictor plate race for the Car of Tomorrow. Many were concerned coming into the event as no one was quite sure of exactly what to expect.

Fortunately this was the same old Talladega. The race was pretty quiet through the first two-thirds of the event. However, the final 60 laps saw a nine car "Big One" and the finish was a classic Talladega scramble.

Jeff Gordon passed teammate Jimmie Johnson on the final lap to claim the win and complete the 2008 Talladega sweep. Johnson was able to get back in line to push his teammate to the checkers and finish second.

Predictions:

Chevrolet drivers have won seventeen of the last nineteen races at Talladega. Dale Jarret's surprise win in 2005 and Kyle Busch's win this spring are the only non-Chevy victories since Dale Earnhardt Sr. started the streak in the spring of 1999.

I am a believer in recent history though. A look at the finishing order for the spring 2008 Talladega race shows that Toyota took three of the top five spots and the best Chevy driver was seventh. If Kyle Busch can keep his engine running this weekend I think he makes a great pick to complete the 2008 Talladega sweep.

Busch's Joe Gibbs teammate Tony Stewart had the fastest car for most of the day. Stewart was involved in a big wreck late in the race which ruined his chances. Tony Stewart makes a great backup pick for this Sunday's race.