High speeds and cautions:
After two weeks of short track racing the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup drivers head to Texas Motor Speedway for this Sunday's Samsung/RadioShack 500. With speeds at the end of the straightaway exceeding 200MPH and qualifying laps over 190MPH average don't expect the full-contact
NASCAR racing like we saw in Bristol and Martinsville. Texas also has a history of multiple cautions. Of the 8 races held so far at the track half have had double-digit numbers of yellows.
The Track:
Texas Motor Speedway is a 1.5 mile quad-oval. With 24 degrees of banking in the corners the NEXTEL 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.
The Big Picture:
This is race number 7 of the 36 race season. The interesting points battle at the moment is for tenth. Dale Jarrett holds the spot but Carl Edwards, Sterling Marlin and Kevin Harvick are all within 11 points of the all-important top ten.
The current points top ten are: 1. Jimmie Johnson 977. 2. Greg Biffle 817. 3. Elliott Sadler 795. 4. Mark Martin 779. 5. Tony Stewart 774. 6. Jeff Gordon 772. 7. Rusty Wallace 771. 8. Ryan Newman 753. 9. Kurt Busch 746. 10. Dale Jarrett 732.
Storylines:
2005 marks the first year that Texas Motor Speedway has two NEXTEL Cup races, with the second being part of the Chase For The Cup. After a long battle with NASCAR Bruton Smith finally achieved what he had long called "Mission Impossible" that is, getting a 2nd race date for Texas.
Media Coverage:
TV: Fox 12:30 PM Eastern
Radio: MRN and XM Satellite
Actual Race: 1:20PM
Last Year:
Texas native Bobby Labonte put his car on the pole in 2004 with a non-track record 193.903 MPH lap. Jeff Gordon was strong and looked like he was going to get his first Texas win but engine trouble dropped him out of the lead with just 28 laps to go. The memorable moment of the race was the photo finish as Elliott Sadler held off hard-charging Kasey Kahne by just .02 seconds to continue Ford's domination at Texas Motor Speedway. Ford has won 5 of the 8 NEXTEL Cup races run at the track.
Predictions:
The Hendrick Motorsports teammates of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have been strong all year long and Jeff nearly won this race last year. But lets not count out the Roush Racing teammates Mark Martin, Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Kurt Busch who all find themselves in the top 11 in points.
I'm going to pick two, both the leaders of their respective teams, Jeff Gordon or Mark Martin will take the win this week.
