2008 Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway

2008 Dickies 500 At Texas Motor Speedway:

The 2008 Sprint Cup season is drawing to a close. For teams that have had a rough 2008 there are only three races left to start a winning tradition and build momentum for next year.

Jeff Gordon is winless so far in 2008 and is running out of time to get into Victory Lane. Can the former champ break through this weekend in Texas?

Tickets:

Speedway ticket office (817)215-8500

Buy online from TicketsNow (direct link)

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:

Carl Edwards' win last week in Atlanta popped him up two spots in the standings to second place. He is now just two points ahead of teammate Greg Biffle in the battle for second.

Jimmie Johnson finished secong and extended his point lead. Jimmie will win his third Sprint Cup Championship in a row.

1. Jimmie Johnson -0
2. Carl Edwards -183
3. Greg Biffle -185
4. Jeff Burton -218
5. Kevin Harvick -307
6. Jeff Gordon -312
7. Clint Bowyer -314
8. Tony Stewart -401
9. Matt Kenseth -413
10. Dale Earnhardt Jr. -419
11. Denny Hamlin -425
12. Kyle Busch -465

Storylines:

With the Championship picture becoming clear the focus shifts away from the Chase towards other big stories.

For each of the last fourteen seasons Jeff Gordon has won at least two races. Yet here we are at the end of 2008 and he has been shutout so far. Unfortunately for Gordon fans it doesn't look promising. Gordon has never won in Texas or Homestead and those are two of the three remaining 2008 races.

Will Jeff Gordon break out of his slump before the end of 08?

Media Coverage:

TV: ABC Sunday, November 2th, 3:00PM Eastern.

Radio: PRN and SIRIUS Satellite

Actual Race: 3:30 p.m. Eastern

Recent Events:

2007 Winner: Jimmie Johnson

2007 Polesitter: Martin Truex Jr.

Last Year:

For the second time in as many years Jimmie Johnson came into the 2007 Dickies 500 second in points.

In 2007 Johnson won an exciting late race battle with Matt Kenseth to leave Texas with the point lead. Johnson then hung on all the way through Homestead and claimed his second Sprint Cup title.

Predictions:

I look for this Sunday's race to be a replay of the 2007 event. Jimmie Johnson has been tough to beat on the mile and a half tri-ovals in 2008. Coming off his hard charging Atlanta finish he now brings a ton of momentum into Texas Motor Speedway. Jimmie has to be a favorite again this week.

For my backup I'm going with a bit of a dark horse. Although Jeff Gordon has never won at Texas Motor Speedway and is still winless in 2008 I think he still makes a good pick this weekend.

Gordon can get a proven setup from his teammate Jimmie Johnson and pull out all the stops to score the win. He doesn't need to race for points and can gamble for the win.