| The qualification procedures may be
| |
| | though they've all changed from the
|
| arcane, Speed Weeks may take too long,
| |
| | Taurus to the Fusion, aero tests have
|
| and the kvetching about restrictor plates
| |
| | indicated that they haven't lost much in
|
| may make the Smokeless Set's drivers
| |
| | translation. Watching Elliott Sadler lead
|
| sound like Oprah Winfrey bitching out
| |
| | his qualifying heat last Thursday, you'd
|
| James Frey ("How could you lie to me? I'm
| |
| | have a hard time convincing too many
|
| Oprah"). But once Sunday afternoon comes,
| |
| | drivers that the Fusion isn't sound as a
|
| NASCAR nation is set to be completely
| |
| | drum.But what are we supposed to do with
|
| psyched once again, and so am I.They call
| |
| | all this data? Over the past four seasons
|
| Nextel Cup's the shortest offseason in
| |
| | (what I refer to as the "modern era" of
|
| sports, but the truth is that Homestead
| |
| | Nextel Cup racing), the three drivers
|
| (November's final race) seems like a long
| |
| | with the best average finish at Daytona
|
| time ago. I mean, gosh, way back then,
| |
| | (Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale
|
| the Pittsburgh Steelers were just a
| |
| | Earnhardt Jr.) drive Chevy. The highest
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| glimmer in Bill Cowher's eye, Louisville
| |
| | Ford is Jarrett in fourth, and the
|
| looked like it was going to field a
| |
| | highest Dodge is Marlin in 13th (though
|
| darned good college basketball team, and
| |
| | of course he's moved to Chevy this year).
|
| Dick Cheney had shot as many people in
| |
| | Tony Stewart drives Chevy. Kevin Harvick
|
| the face as you had. Also, Kurt Busch,
| |
| | drives Chevy. And the leading team in
|
| Jamie McMurray, Michael Waltrip, Bobby
| |
| | Ford's stable, Roush Racing, has never
|
| Labonte, Sterling Marlin, Scott Riggs,
| |
| | won the Daytona 500 (Greg Biffle is the
|
| Ken Schrader and Terry Labonte drove for
| |
| | only Roush driver to post a win at
|
| different teams. But the future is now,
| |
| | Daytona, and that was the '03 Pepsi 500
|
| and the '06 season is set to begin with a
| |
| | he won on a fluky fuel strategy). While
|
| bang. Finally.The leading storylines for
| |
| | I'm impressed by Yates, and you can't
|
| the big race will include whether or not
| |
| | help but love the Roush cars, I have to
|
| a Ford or Dodge can break Chevrolet's
| |
| | admit that for the foreseeable future, at
|
| hold on the 500; Chevy has won three 500s
| |
| | plate tracks I'm thinking Chevy.So which
|
| in a row, 10 of the last 13 and 13 of the
| |
| | drivers do I think represent the best
|
| last 17. And the GM cars are just as
| |
| | wagers on the first race of the 2006
|
| dominant overall on restrictor-plate
| |
| | season? Read on!Last Season: I finished
|
| tracks: before Dale Jarrett's
| |
| | +54.6 units in 2005, which is pretty
|
| caution-aided win at Talladega last fall,
| |
| | darned good, and looks even better when
|
| Chevy had won 13 straight races on that
| |
| | you consider that I posted 30 winning
|
| track, and has won more than 70% of the
| |
| | weeks out of 37 events (I include the
|
| events held a the Daytona superspeedway
| |
| | mid-May All-Star Challenge). I selected a
|
| since 1992. Will Dodge break the skein? I
| |
| | correct outright winner in 17 events, and
|
| don't think so. I'm not consoled by what
| |
| | got a head-to-head wager correct in 28 of
|
| I hear between the lines of what Dodge
| |
| | 36 events. Let's see if we can do even
|
| drivers like Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne
| |
| | better in 2006.Note that outright we will
|
| have said about the 2006 Charger, which
| |
| | be quoting our odds direct from this
|
| is basically the same as the 2005
| |
| | season, which may result in release
|
| Charger, which simply didn't run well at
| |
| | delays, but will accomodate a wider
|
| the restricted superspeedways or the
| |
| | audience.Chris Harris covers Nascar for
|
| unrestricted intermediate speedways. Will
| |
| | Brian Gabrielle SportsChristopher Harris
|
| Ford break through? That's a far trickier
| |
| | is a featured writer for the Professional
|
| question. There are some incredible
| |
| | Handicappers League.
|
| drivers and teams that drive Fords, and
| |
| |
|
