2010 Aaron's 499:
For the second time in 2010 the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers will race on a superspeedway. The massive 2.6 mile Talladega Superspeedway is the only other track (besides Daytona) that forces drivers to race with the horsepower-limiting restrictor plates. The plates make aerodynamics more important than anything else. This causes big drafting packs and a small mistake by any one driver can cause "The Big One," the big multi-car wreck that too often characterizes racing at Talladega.
Tickets:
Speedway ticket office 1-877-Go2-DEGA
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 = 499 miles
The Big Picture:
Once again Jimmie Johnson finished near the front and once again he extended his point lead. For the first time in 2010 the lead caps the 100 point mark as Matt Kenseth is 108 points back in second. The top five in points remain the same this week.
The top twelve are:
- Jimmie Johnson
- Matt Kenseth -108
- Greg Biffle -128
- Kevin Harvick -141
- Jeff Gordon -220
- Kyle Busch -228
- Dale Earnhardt Jr. -235
- Jeff Burton -243
- Kurt Busch -249
- Mark Martin -254
- Denny Hamlin -275
- Joey Logano
Storylines:
In 2009 Talladega Superspeedway saw a big upset when Brad Keselowski surprised NASCAR's biggest names with a dramatic win. Keselowski joins the ranks of Brian Vickers, Bobby Hamilton, Jimmy Spencer and Phil Parsons as surprise Talladega winners.
Can it happen again this week?
Media Coverage:
TV: FOX Sunday, April 25th, 12:00PM Eastern.
Radio: MRN and SIRIUS Satellite
Actual Race: 1:00PM Eastern
Recent Events:
2009 Polesitter: Juan Montoya
2009 Winner: Brad Keselowski
Last Year:
The 2009 Aarons 499 was bookended with two multicar wrecks.
Matt Kenseth and Jeff Gordon were four wide on lap seven when they got together and unleashed "The Big One." In all, fourteen cars received some form of damage in that wreck.
With nine laps to go we saw another "Big One." This one included a total of nine cars. Despite some hard hits thankfully everyone in both crashes was ok.
Then Brad Keselowski turned Carl Edwards within sight of the finish. Keselowski took a shot on the bottom and turned Edwards around. Edwards ended up flying through the air into the fence as Keselowski took the win.
Predictions:
Picking a winner in a restrictor plate race is a crapshoot. "The Big One" can eliminate a top contender in the blink of an eye. Chevy drivers have dominated Talladega since 1999 but Toyota swept both races in 2008. Last year Talladega's wins were split between Chevrolet and Ford.
Jamie McMurray and Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 1-2 in the 2010 Daytona 500. However it was Kevin Harvick who lead the most laps. Harvick proved that his restrictor plate program is solid this season and he makes a great pick this weekend in Talladega.
For my backup this week I am sticking with Richard Childress racing and picking the driver who lead the second highest number of laps in Daytona. Clint Bowyer was fast in February and clearly has a great opportunity to win in Talladega.
