NASCAR's Fastest Track:
The 2008 Samsung 500 at Texas Motor Speedway is the first time that NASCAR's new car style will see action on NASCAR's
fastest race track. Last year both Texas races featured the old car. Who will tame Texas this weekend?
Tickets:
Speedway ticket office (817)215-8500
The Track:
Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5 mile quad-oval. With 24 degrees of banking in the corners the Sprint Cup drivers can really haul the mail off into the corners. In order to be fast a driver needs a car that is handling well so they can carry that speed through the turns.
Race Distance:
334 Laps = 501 Miles
The Big Picture:
For the second race in a row Kyle Busch found bad luck on the race track. In Bristol he gave up his cushion. In Martinsville he gave up the point lead. Jeff Burton has been solid all year long and now takes over the point lead.
The top twelve are now:
- Jeff Burton
- Kevin Harvick -39
- Greg Biffle -60
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -69
- Kyle Busch -84
- Tony Stewart -104
- Kasey Kahne -129
- Denny Hamlin -157
- Jeff Gordon -166
- Jimmie Johnson -169
- Ryan Newman -174
- Clint Bowyer -175
Storylines:
In 2008
the former Car of Tomorrow is now the car of today. NASCAR's new car style is running full-time on the NASCAR Sprint Cup series after some trial runs last season.
This weekend will be the first time that the new car style will race at Texas Motor Speedway. How will the new car handle the high speeds and handling challenges that Texas is famous for?
Media Coverage:
TV: FOX Sunday, April 6th, 1:30PM Eastern.
Radio: PRN and SIRIUS Satellite
Actual Race: 2:20 p.m. Eastern
Recent Events:
2007 Winner: Jeff Burton
2007 Polesitter: None (weather)
Last Year:
Last year Texas Motor Speedway lived up to its reputation of being unpredictable. The 2007 SAMSUNG 500 saw a number of top contenders booted from contention over the final 100 laps.
This race was another good one as the lead changed hands twice in the final twenty laps including a last lap pass for the win as Jeff Burton beat Matt Kenseth back to the stripe to become the first repeat winner in Texas Motor Speedway history.
Predictions:
Point leader Jeff Burton leads the Richard Childress Racing stable back to a race that he won in 2007. Take how well he has been running so far in 2008 and the fact that he mastered this tricky speedway in 2007 Jeff Burton is the favorite this weekend in Texas.
For my backup this week I am going with a crowd favorite. Hendrick Motorsports has been shut out of the Winner's Circle so far in 2008. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was running second last year when he was hit from behind when he slowed for a caution. Texas Motor Speedway could see Junior pick up his first win for his new Hendrick Motorsports team.
