2012 Darlington Southern 500 Odds & Ends

At Darlington Raceway:

History

·         Built as a 1.25-mile paved superspeedway in 1949-50, Darlington Raceway hosted the first 500-mile race in NASCAR history and the first on asphalt on Sept. 4, 1950.

·         The track was re-measured to 1.375 miles in 1953.

·         The track was re-configured to 1.366 miles following the spring race in 1970.

·         The track was repaved in 1995.

·         The 2005 race was the first Saturday night race at Darlington.

·         The track was repaved again prior to the 2008 season.

Notebook

·         There have been 108 NASCAR Sprint Cup races at Darlington Raceway since the track opened in 1950.

·         There was one race per year in 1950, 1951, from 1953-1959, and again every year since 2005. Darlington held two races a season in all other years.

·         Curtis Turner won the first pole, in 1950.

·         Johnny Mantz won the first race, in 1950.

·         47 drivers have posted poles at Darlington.

·         David Pearson leads all drivers with 12 poles at Darlington.

·         45 drivers have won races at Darlington; 25 drivers have won more than once there.

·         David Pearson leads all drivers with 10 victories, followed by Dale Earnhardt with nine.

·         Jeff Gordon is third overall and leads all active drivers with seven victories.

·         Hendrick Motorsports has won 13 races at Darlington, more than any other organization.

·         19 races at Darlington have been won from the pole, the most productive starting position. Dale Jarrett was the last driver to win from the pole in 1997.

·         The deepest in the field that a race winner has started was 43rd, in the track’s inaugural race in 1950 by Johnny Mantz. That race had a 75-car field.

·         Darlington is the site of one of the closest race finishes in NASCAR history. Ricky Craven edged Kurt Busch by 0.002 seconds on March 16, 2003 – which is tied with Talladega (April 17, 2011) as the two smallest margins of victory since NASCAR instituted electronic timing in 1993.

·         Youngest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Darlington Raceway winner: Kyle Busch (05/10/2008 – 23 years, 0 months, 8 days).

·         Oldest NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Darlington Raceway winner: Harry Gant (05/06/1991 – 51 years, 7 months, 22 days)

 

Darlington Raceway Data

Race #: 11 of 36 (05-12-12)

Track Size: 1.366 miles

Race Length: 501.322 miles

Banking Turns 1 & 2: 25 degrees

Banking Turns 3 & 4: 23 degrees

Banking/Frontstretch: 6 degrees

Banking/Backstretch: 6 degrees

Frontstretch: 1,229 feet

Backstretch: 1,229 feet

 

Top 12 Driver Rating at Darlington

Jeff Gordon.............................. 116.2

Greg Biffle............................... 109.7

Denny Hamlin.......................... 108.3

Jimmie Johnson....................... 100.6

Ryan Newman......................... 100.2

Kyle Busch............................... 99.6

Kasey Kahne............................ 96.7

Dale Earnhardt Jr...................... 92.5

Carl Edwards............................ 92.4

Martin Truex Jr.......................... 91.5

Tony Stewart............................ 88.1

Brad Keselowski....................... 87.3

Note: Driver Rating compiled from 2005-2011 races (seven total) at Darlington.

 

Qualifying/Race Data

2011 pole winner: Kasey Kahne (181.254 mph, 27.131 seconds, 05-06-11)

2011 race winner: Regan Smith (129.678 mph, 05-07-11)

Track qualifying record: Kasey Kahne (181.254 mph, 27.131 seconds, 05-06-11)

Track race record: Kyle Busch (140.350 mph, 05-10-08)

 

Driver Ratings for Winners

Driver	Year	Driver Rating	Series Driver Rating Rank
Regan Smith	2011	62.7	28th
Denny Hamlin	2010	112.5	4th
Mark Martin	2009	85.8	12th
Kyle Busch	2008	85.7	13th
Jeff Gordon	2007	112.4	4th
Greg Biffle	2006	144.4	1st

* Pre-Race Driver Ratings of the year the driver won at Darlington (last six races).

 

NASCAR in South Carolina

·         There have been 218 NASCAR Sprint Cup races in South Carolina.

Track Name	City	NSCS
Darlington Raceway	Darlington	108
Coastal Speedway	Myrtle Beach	2
Columbia Speedway	Columbia	43
Gamecock Speedway	Sumter	1
Greenville-Pickens Speedway	Greenville	29
Hartsville Speedway	Hartsville	1
Lancaster Speedway	Lancaster	2
Newberry Speedway	Newberry	1
Piedmont Interstate Fairgrounds	Spartanburg	22
Rambi Race Track	Myrtle Beach	9

 

NASCAR in South Carolina

·         133 NASCAR drivers (all-time) have their home state recorded as South Carolina.

·         There have been 11 race winners from South Carolina in NASCAR’s three national series:

Driver	NSCS	NNS	NCWTS
David Pearson	105	1	0
Cale Yarborough	83	0	0
Rex White	28	0	0
Cotton Owens	9	0	0
Tiny Lund	5	0	0
James Hylton	2	0	0
Johnny Allen	1	0	0
Joe Eubanks	1	0	0
Larry Pearson	0	15	0
Jason Keller	0	10	0
Butch Lindley	0	6	0

Darlington Southern 500 Storylines

The Lady in Black will be handing out some Darlington Stripes again

There’s no time for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competitors to exhale as arguably the toughest two back-to-back weekends on the 2012 schedule continue this week at Darlington Raceway. The track “Too Tough to Tame” plays host to the 63^rd running of Bojangles’ Southern 500 on Saturday night (FOX, live 7 p.m. ET). NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway event follows Sunday’s nail-biting Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, won by Brad Keselowski.

 

Darlington dates to 1950 and as the series’ first asphalt oval over a ½-mile in length ushered in the sport’s future. A couple of facts looking back on the track’s first race, won by Californian Johnny Mantz in a six-cylinder Plymouth: gas, leaded of course, cost 18 cents a gallon, the average price of a new automobile was $1,510 and the average wages were $3,210.

 

Regan Smith was the surprise winner of last year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 – the second of three, first time winners of NASCAR’s biggest events. Trevor Bayne had won the Daytona 500 and Paul Menard scored a Brickyard 400 victory later in the summer.

 

Greg Biffle, Darlington winner in 2005-06, continues to head the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings by seven points over Roush Fenway Racing teammate Matt Kenseth.

 

Hendrick Motorsports’ quest for a 200^th victory continues at Darlington where the organization has the most victories (13) and Jeff Gordon boasts the most wins (seven) among active drivers. Dale Earnhardt Jr. can set a career record for consecutive top 10 finishes. Earnhardt’s sixth straight top 10 (ninth) at Talladega matched his 2004 streak.

 

NASCAR Nationwide Series kicks off the weekend’s action, with a new – yet familiar – points leader, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. Stenhouse will attempt to fend of previous points leader Elliott Sadler in Friday night’s VFW Sport Clips Help a Hero 200 at 7:15 p.m. on ESPN2.

 

There is one more week off the track for NASCAR Camping World Truck Series teams. They continue to prepare for the May 18 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES

 

Tough Accurately Describes Darlington Competition

Darlington Raceway, built in a South Carolina cotton field, is tough for several reasons. The racing line is narrow, an abrasive track surface quickly takes the “new” off a set of Goodyear tires and the track’s two sets of turns are dramatically different.

 

Greg Biffle, who shows no sign of abdicating his throne as the NASCAR Sprint Cup points leader, looks for his third Darlington victory. Yet Biffle is under no illusion he’s got Darlington’s number. “There's no opportunity to correct or to gather it back up when you're that close to the wall, but you've got to run there because that's where all the speed is and the grip,” he said.” So if you make a little mistake or your car gets away from you a little bit, you've got a Darlington Stripe, and hopefully just a Darlington Stripe because you're going so fast, it can damage the car quickly.”

 

Virtually every car will show damage to varying degrees when the checkered flag falls – even the winner. Last year’s race saw the caution flag wave 11 times over the course of nearly four hours of competition.

 

Smith Looks To Southern 500 For 2012 Turnaround

Regan Smith caught lightning in a bottle at Darlington Raceway in 2011 winning his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race. Smith would like to duplicate that victory to turn around what’s been a dismal start to this season in which the New York native has finished among the top 15 just once in 10 starts.

 

’Dega Victory Gives Keselowski Much-Needed Momentum

Don’t expect Talladega winner Brad Keselowski to slow down at Darlington Raceway. He finished third in last year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500, 12th in 2010 and seventh in 2009 – his first NASCAR Sprint Cup start at the 1.366-mile track. Keselowski’s second victory of the season was good news for his Penske Racing team, which had been plagued by early season mechanical problems. That’s the biggest reason Keselowski remains outside the top 10 in points – but not far out of a qualifying spot for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™. He gained one position to 12^th and trails 10^th-place Clint Bowyer by just three points. Keselowski stands first in line for one of the Chase’s two Wild Card qualifiers. Penske’s two Darlington wins came in 1975 with NASCAR Hall of Famer Bobby Allison at the wheel of the organization’s AMC Matador.

 

Only Tony Stewart has won more races (seven) in 2011-12 than Keselowski, who shares second on the two-season victory list with Kyle Busch at five wins apiece.

 

Junior Must Regain Darlington Edge To Continue Top-10 Streak

Dale Earnhardt Jr. must reverse his recent Darlington trend – two finishes outside the top 15 in his past three starts – to add to a career-matching top-10 streak that reached six races on Sunday at Talladega. Earnhardt finished 14^th in last year’s Darlington race. He was fourth in his first start with Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, his fourth consecutive top 10 at the South Carolina track. Earnhardt stands third in NASCAR Sprint Cup points.

 

Hendrick Motorsports’ quest for its 200^th victory could end at Darlington. Jeff Gordon’s seven victories include three consecutive wins in 1995-96. Gordon produced HMS’ most recent Darlington win in 2007. Jimmie Johnson swept both races in 2004, the last time the track scheduled two races in the same season.

 

JGR Good At Darlington As Kyle Busch’s Fortunes Improve

Joe Gibbs Racing owns victories in two of the past four Bojangles’ Southern 500s and three wins overall. Kyle Busch gave Toyota its first Darlington victory in 2008 while teammate Denny Hamlin won in 2010. JGR’s other win, by Bobby Labonte, came in 2000. Hamlin and Busch have combined for three victories this season. Busch won at Richmond on April 28 and finished second to Keselowski at Talladega to join partner Hamlin in the top 10 in the points standings.

 

One Win Down, To Remain On Stewart’s ‘To-Do’ List

Three-time series champion Tony Stewart has failed to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup race on just two tracks on the current schedule: Darlington and Kentucky Speedway, which staged its inaugural race in 2012. Stewart erased Las Vegas Motor Speedway from his “to-do” list in March. Stewart’s Darlington record is so-so: three top-five and 10 top-10 finishes in 19 starts. His best finish, third, came in 2009. Stewart finished seventh in last year’s Bojangles’ Southern 500.

 

Patrick Returns To Series To Face Biggest NASCAR Challenge

Danica Patrick faces her greatest challenge since coming to NASCAR as she competes in her second Sprint Cup race on Saturday. Her No. 10 Chevrolet, prepared by Stewart-Haas Racing, has a guaranteed starting position by virtue of owner Tommy Baldwin’s 33^rd ranking in Owners Championship standings. Patrick finished 38^th in her series debut at Daytona in February. She will do double duty also competing in Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race.

 

NASCAR Sprint All-Star Berth On Line At Darlington

Saturday’s Bojangles’ Southern 500 is a last-chance race for automatic admission to the May 19 Sprint All-Star Race. Drivers yet to qualify include Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Burton, Jamie McMurray, Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr., Jeff Burton and former NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Bobby Labonte. Absent a Darlington win, a driver still can qualify via fan vote or transfer from the Sprint Showdown race.

 

Mother’s Day Special To NASCAR Competitors

NASCARMedia.com has a photo gallery of drivers with their mothers, including a picture of Denny Hamlin with his mom in Darlington’s Victory Lane with the Southern 500 trophy: http://bit.ly/nascar-moms-photos  

 

Here are several comments from drivers about Mother’s Day and their moms:

Denny Hamlin: "She was very critical to me getting where I'm at for sure. If it wasn't her arguing with my dad all the time saying we had to keep going, then we probably wouldn't have been. It's a great weekend for her.”

Jeff Gordon: “It’s a very special time around our house and with my family and my mom and my dad. We give thanks to them because they sit there and watch us with our kids and laugh at us and say, ‘Yeah, see? You didn’t know we went through all this, did you?’”

 

NASCAR Sprint Awards Returns To Vegas

NASCAR announced Monday that the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards – and all of Champion’s Week – will return to Las Vegas, Nev., and remain there for the next three years. For the fourth-consecutive season, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Awards will take place at Wynn Las Vegas on Friday, Nov. 30, a culmination of a week-long celebration for the series champion – and NASCAR fans. As in past years, fans can expect the traditionally exciting and interactive week of activities.

 

- NASCAR Media Services

Keselowski Takes Dodge to First Talladega Win in 36 Years

Keselowski wins at Talladega for the second time in his career (Getty)

NASCAR Wire Services

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Brad Keselowski got a push from Kyle Busch to take the lead and proceeded to run away from his dancing partner to win Aaron's 499 on Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway.

The victory was Keselowski's second of the season, second at the 2.66-mile track and the sixth of his Sprint Cup Series career. It was the first win for Dodge at Talladega since Dave Marcis took the checkered flag 36 years ago.

Busch finished second, followed by Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne and series leader Greg Biffle. Clint Bowyer, David Ragan, Trevor Bayne, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Burton completed the top 10.

Keselowski's victory ended a wild final quarter of the race, which extended six laps past a scheduled 188 because of a flurry of late cautions.

As the field began a round of green-flag pit stops with 45 laps left, a massive chain-reaction wreck in Turn 3 eliminated a handful of contending cars, including pole-sitter Jeff Gordon.

Contact between Aric Almirola and Dave Blaney triggered the crash, which also collected Martin Truex, Carl Edwards and Juan Montoya, among others.

"It was like a wreck at a stoplight," Edwards said. "Everybody started checking up and hitting each other."

With the herd thinned considerably, Paul Menard led the field to a restart on Lap 151. Hamlin, who had regained a lost lap as the highest-scored lapped car when NASCAR called the caution on Lap 143, surged to the front, where he swapped the top spot with Brad Keselowski.

Kenseth restarted at the back of the field under a penalty for pitting too soon under the Lap 143 caution, but he quickly worked his way forward, wresting the lead from Denny Hamlin on Lap 167, with Keselowski and AJ Allmendinger lined up behind him.

Five laps later, Hamlin found an opening between Kenseth and Keselowski and took second, but a Lap 175 wreck that started when Casey Mears cut a tire, scrambled the field for a restart with nine laps left in regulation.

As the field crossed the finish line on Lap 181, contact from sent Kurt Busch spinning into the inside wall at the entry to Turn 1. Kenseth led the field to a restart on Lap 185.

The green flag lasted only moments. As soon as the cars crossed the start/finish line, Hamlin ducked to the inside, and Allmendinger tried to block the middle lane. The nose of Hamlin's car, however, was already inside Allmendinger's bumper, and contact between the two cars started a wreck that ruined the chances of Hamlin, Menard, Kevin Harvick, Tony Stewart and Michael Waltrip.

Aaron's 499 Results


Talladega Post Race Notes
• Brad Keselowski won his sixth Sprint Cup Series race in his 99th start.
• Keselowski last won in March at Bristol, with five starts between the victories.
• Keselowski joins Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart as the only repeat winners of the season; each has two wins.
• It was Keselowski's second Talladega win in his seventh start and his second restrictor-plate win in his 13th start.
• He led twice for 10 laps, including the final two.
• Keselowski got his fifth Cup win in his past 34 starts.
• It was the 73rd Cup victory for Penske Racing and first at Talladega.
• Dodge got its fourth Talladega win and first since Dave Marcis in fall 1976.
• Kyle Busch (second) got his second top-five finish in 15 starts at Talladega and his third top-five of the season.
• Matt Kenseth (third) got his first top-10 finish in the past 11 races at Talladega; he led 73 laps, the most of all drivers.
• Kasey Kahne (fourth) had his fourth consecutive top-10 finish after starting the season with six straight finishes of 14th or worse.
• Greg Biffle (fifth) earned his second top-five finish in his 19th start at Talladega; his sixth top-five finish of 2012 leaves him as the points leader.
• David Ragan (seventh) hadn't finished in the top 10 since Sept. 2011 at New Hampshire, where he was seventh.
• Trevor Bayne (eighth) got his third career top-10 finish in his 22nd start.
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. (ninth) had his sixth consecutive top-10 finish, matching his career longest streak.
• It was the seventh race at Talladega to end with a green-white-checkered finish, second most among all tracks behind Daytona (nine).
• Nineteen cars failed to finish, the most of the season (11 at Daytona).

Final Talladega Ratings Following All Practice Sessions

Micah Roberts’ Top 10 Driver Ratings
Aaron’s 499
Talladega Superspeedway
Sunday, May 6, 2012 -  10:16 am (PDT)

Rating    Driver     Odds         Practice 1   Practice 2   Qualified    Daytona*

 1. Matt Kenseth 15/1                 3rd              2nd            10th           1st 
No top-5 finishes since 2006, but has the best of the Fords just as he did winning Daytona 500. 
 2. Kevin Harvick 8/1                  5th             DNP           20th            7th
2010 winner with three runner-up finishes; great plate racer who sees the air better than most.
 3. Dale Earnhardt Jr. 8/1          27th            22nd           18th           2nd
Five-time winner, the last coming in 2004; using the same runner-up chassis from Daytona 500.
 4. Jeff Gordon 12/1                   4th             11th             1st            40th
Six-time winner, the last coming in 2007; has most restrictor-plate race wins (12) in history.
 5. Brad Keselowski 15/1           6th              20th            13th         32nd
2009 winner, his first ever win; finished fourth last fall. Both Penske cars should fare well. 
 6. Aric Almirola 100/1               1st               1st              4th           33rd
Best finish of 13th in 2008; outstanding practices running in packs showing Fords with the edge. 
 7. Greg Biffle 15/1                    24th             3rd              6th            3rd
Only one top-5 finish in 18 starts, but has advantage with Fords; using third-place Daytona car.
 8. Carl Edwards 12/1               15th             14th            7th             8th
No wins in 29 restrictor-plate races, but has been coming close last 3 years; using Daytona car.
 9. Clint Bowyer 18/1                22nd            10th            24th          11th
Winner of 2010 and 2011 fall races, now with new team; using 10th-place Bud Shootout car. 
10. Jeff Burton 20/1                    9th              DNP          29th           5th
Runner-up last fall, his best finish in 36 starts; using Harvick’s plate chassis from last season.

* Results from the Daytona 500 held February 27, 2012. Talladega and Daytona are the only two tracks that use a restrictor-plate package.

Note: With a smaller radiator used in plate races, several cars are likely to over-heat in the hot Alabama sun while running in packs with no clean air, which further adds to the race being a crap shoot.

Odds courtesy of the LVH Super Book.

Micah Roberts, a former sports book director, has been setting NASCAR lines in Las Vegas since 1995. For more Roberts insights and post-practice analysis on the race, go to VegasInsider.com, TheLinemakers.com or follow MicahRoberts7 on Twitter.


Betting Notes: The Fords all look to have the best set-up at Talladega led by Aric Almirola and Matt Kenseth. But their teammates will also be fast and ready seize the moment if it should ever present itself. I was also impressed with both Brad Keselowski and AJ Allmendinger in their Penske Dodges.

Now, after having said all that I’m going with Jeff Gordon in a Chevrolet for the win. Being on the pole doesn’t mean anything, but his experience in the draft does. Now that they are pack racing again, Gordon can regain some of that edge he has on the other drivers in plate races. On the same note, Dale Earnhardt Jr will benefit as well. Both should be up front in the final pack helping each other out.

You also have to take a poke with Almirola just because of the large odds. Another driver with high odds who is worth a shot is Jeff Burton, who might just find himself capturing his first Talladega win.

This is basically a race where you can’t count anyone out which makes there no argument against any driver. Ryan Newman has an equal chance with Jimmie Johnson, as does Marcos Ambrose with Clint Bowyer. Because it is so wide open, the best bet to make in match-ups is just find a few of the plus-money prices in driver matchups and play them which leads me to Jeff Gordon against several drivers.

Matchup of the Week: Jeff Gordon +110 vs. Jimmie Johnson
Johnson won this race last year, but has also finished 30th, 31st and 26th in three of his last six starts. Gordon hasn’t been much better, but the point is that here is a great driver with good equipment getting +110 for no good reason, so take it.

Aaron's 499 Starting Lineup

NASCAR Betting: Analyzing The Aaron's 499 Driver Matchups

By Frederic Crespi

The folks at Don Best (http://www.donbest.com/) have already slotted this Sunday's driver vs. driver matchups and after two practice sessions earlier today, they have added another twelve to the already solid menu.  Basically, it makes a lot of sense as anyone who has followed NASCAR and any of the races at Talladega, knows that this race is completely WIDE OPEN so the more the merrier in my opinion.

With that said, let's take a look at what we can expect to see once the prices on these matchups come out sometime late Saturday afternoon.  I will quote my prices on these matchups based upon a 30 cent line (-150 favorite = +120 underdog). 

NOTE: We all know the drivers and teams that are the “favorites” to do well at Talladega, therefore there will not be much statistical information (avg. finish/driver rating, practice sessions and so on) in handicapping the prices on these matchups. 

Nothing but a jumbled mess at Talladega, but it's awesome! (Getty)

#29 Kevin Harvick vs. #88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr.: With his 2nd place finish at Daytona, it sure seems like this venue should finally end the 138 race winless streak and get the much anticipated 200th victory for Hendrick Motorsports.  Sorry, but RCR has been way too stout at ‘Dega recently and Harvick has been really solid staying out of trouble as well. “Happy Harvick” should roll out at -125. 

#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. vs. #18 Kyle Busch: This matchup looks to be pretty even-up to me.  Kyle Busch and JGR have been sneaky good at plate races over the last few years but have yet to translate that into wins.  However, Dale and his team are obviously dialed in so far this year, and outside of Kyle’s win at Richmond last week, he has basically struggled.  Dale Jr. -135 in this one.

#18 Kyle Busch vs. #14 Tony Stewart: Stewart has always been an incredible plate race driver over his 13 year career and should be the favorite in this matchup.  Not by much of course, but “Smoke” at -125 here.

#14 Tony Stewart vs. #48 Jimmie Johnson: Talk about a tough one here as the Lowe’s Chevrolet is the defending winner of this race and has been more consistent than Stewart’s Chevy in terms of finishes at Talladega.  Based upon that, let’s go with Jimmie Johnson at a -125 favorite.

#48 Jimmie Johnson vs. #24 Jeff Gordon: Gordon has been more consistent than Stewart over the years, but setting up these prices is largely based upon perception, and the perception is that Stewart has dominated at Daytona and can easily do so at Talladega. This should be a pk ‘em matchup, but Johnson at -130 is much more likely.

#24 Jeff Gordon vs. #99 Carl Edwards: Sure seems like Edwards is always near the front at the end at Talladega only to have craziness ensue. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see Edwards join his teammates and pick up that seemingly elusive restrictor plate win. This is a dead even matchup in my opinion, but I like Edwards to break through on Sunday. Edwards -125 over Gordon in this matchup.

#99 Carl Edwards vs. #17 Matt Kenseth: Yet another very even matchup here, but let’s give the most recent plate race winner some props and install him as a -120 favorite in this one.  Biffle, Kenseth and Edwards will all be there at the end with that Ford horsepower. 

#17 Matt Kenseth vs. #2 Brad Keselowski: There is no denying that the Miller Lite Dodge has all the horsepower needed in order to finish well at Talladega. We all remember his unlikely victory in the James Finch owned No. 09 car in 2009, but this once again comes down to perception.  Kenseth’s Talladega results have been poor to say the least (one top 15 finish in the last 10 races), but we know better than that.  Matt Kenseth should be no lower than -140 in this matchup.

#2 Brad Keselowski vs. #5 Kasey Kahne: Kahne and his team have finally started to take fast race cars to solid finishes, coming into Talladega with three straight top 10’s.  This looks dead even to me with a slight lean to the Miller Lite Dodge based upon previous Talladega results.  Keselowski at -125 in this one.

#5 Kasey Kahne vs. #11 Denny Hamlin: Hamlin is another one of those drivers that is primed and ready to bring home a restrictor plate win.  Much like teammates Busch and Logano, he has always been fast but has backed that horsepower up with solid finishes. Hamlin is the clear favorite in this matchup to the tune of -135.

#11 Denny Hamlin vs. #1 Jamie McMurray: This is a very interesting matchup here in my opinion. At first glance, you have to think it’s all about the Fed Ex Toyota but McMurray has always been pretty solid in plate races in his various rides. Still, Hamlin should come in around -145 in this matchup.

#1 Jamie McMurray vs. #16 Greg Biffle: When I first saw this matchup slotted, I immediately thought this was a mismatch, even at Talladega. The points leader has been good everywhere and had a great chance to pick up the hardware at Daytona.  He is just way too steady and dialed in so far this year, and while it can be dangerous to hang too big a price at this track, Biffle should be a favorite of at least -165.  Just can’t see anyone wanting to bet on McMurray here.

#16 Greg Biffle vs. #15 Clint Bowyer: No driver has dominated Talladega recently like Clint Bowyer, but that was with Richard Childress Racing. Michael Waltrip Racing is no slouch when it comes to their plate program, but you have to give RCR the upper hand.  You cannot discount Bowyer’s success recently, therefore Biffle shouldn’t be much higher than -140 in this matchup. 

#15 Clint Bowyer vs. #31 Jeff Burton: Boy does this matchup bring up some unpleasant memories, as I was sitting on 40-1 on Jeff Burton at Talladega last fall, and figuring on that last lap that there is NO WAY Richard Childress wants his 100th win coming from a driver that had already committed to another team the following year. Still can’t believe that happened.  Jeff Burton will once again be heard from this coming Sunday and should be the favorite in this matchup even though he won’t be.  Jeff Burton in the -125 range and if this comes the other way with Bowyer, this will be a matchup that I will be playing for sure.

#31 Jeff Burton vs. #51 Kurt Busch: As much as I like Burton’s chances for a very solid run and finish on Sunday, I also like the chances of Kurt Busch, as he has always been a very solid driver in restrictor plate races.  He is a solid mid-pack long shot (25-1 or better) for the win, but I still trust Burton and his RCR team a little more.  Jeff Burton at -130 in this one.

#51 Kurt Busch vs. #56 Martin Truex, Jr.: You can basically toss a coin in this matchup, but Truex, Jr. deserves to be the favorite based upon his momentum. The NAPA Toyota should be right around what Jeff Burton should be over Kurt Busch or maybe a touch higher due to his propensity to finish very well so far this year. Let’s go with Martin Truex, Jr. at -135 here.

#56 Martin Truex, Jr. vs. #39 Ryan Newman: Newman has really struggled finish wise the last few years at Talladega, but we all know his Stewart-Haas machine can easily find its way to the front.  With those glaring recent finishes and Truex, Jr. being a top 10 machine so far, this price has to come no lower than -145 on Truex.

#39 Ryan Newman vs. #22 A.J. Allmendinger: Call me crazy but I like the chances of A.J.’s Pennzoil Dodge this weekend.  He has stated that he plans to try and run up front for most of the day in the hopes of avoiding the inevitable mid-pack carnage. Newman should still be the favorite based upon his pedigree, but not my much more than -135.

#22 A.J. Allmendinger vs. #21 Trevor Bayne: Bayne never really had any chance to defend his Daytona 500 win this year as he was caught up in an early race wreck.  This Wood Brothers entry is still a part-time team but we know they love to shine at high horsepower tracks like Talladega.  Bayne will get some love for his Daytona win, but A.J. should be at least -130 in this matchup.

#21 Trevor Bayne vs. #42 Juan Pablo Montoya: With back to back third place finishes by Montoya at Talladega in 2010, we know he can negotiate the draft and put himself in a position to win. The only problem is that it’s few and far between and Montoya simply cannot be trusted with anyone’s hard earned money. I wouldn’t play this matchup unless any driver is +150 or more and we know that’s not going to happen.  Montoya should come -120 and no higher in this one.

#42 Juan Pablo Montoya vs. #27 Paul Menard: I make it no secret that I really like RCR at plate races, and Paul Menard is no exception.  This is another under the radar driver that has a solid shot at taking the checkers on Sunday, and with that said, Menard should be at least -150 over Montoya.

#27 Paul Menard vs. #9 Marcos Ambrose: Even with my man crush on Menard this Sunday, you cannot fall asleep on the Richard Petty Motorsports car of Ambrose.  He will be fast as he and teammate Aric Almirola will be tail to bumper all afternoon hunting the lead. I would favor Ambrose over Montoya, so Menard should be -140 in this matchup.

#9 Marcos Ambrose vs. #78 Regan Smith: We once again have a sneaky pick in the Furniture Row Chevy of Regan Smith, as he and his team usually find themselves running up front at the plate races.  I think name recognition will result in Ambrose coming out as the favorite, but I would actually lean to Smith in this one to the tune of -125.

#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. vs. #2 Brad Keselowski: This matchup price will easily be over-priced by at least 20 cents in my opinion.  And for good reason as this is Dale Jr.’s house right? Uh, yeah…that was 10 years ago.  All kidding aside, we know this Hendrick Chevy will be very stout this Sunday, but anything higher than -160 would be a mistake in my opinion, even though I could easily see this price come out at -180.

#18 Kyle Busch vs. #48 Jimmie Johnson: I just prefer Johnson in this matchup and based upon the fact that Stewart should be favored over Busch and Johnson favored over Stewart, this number should easily be Johnson in the -135 range.

#29 Kevin Harvick vs. #18 Kyle Busch: I will very likely be in the minority with my opinion on this matchup as I most likely was with my price on Harvick over Dale Jr., but I just trust RCR and especially Harvick more than I do Kyle Busch.  Kevin Harvick at -140 in this battle.

#88 Dale Earnhardt, Jr. vs. #14 Tony Stewart: This is as dead even a matchup as you can have, but based upon perception, Dale Jr. will come out as the favorite in this one.  Anything higher than -135 may be too much however.  These two drivers have always liked running with each other so it will be interesting to see if they hook up or hang with their teammates.

#99 Carl Edwards vs. #2 Brad Keselowski: With Kenseth being a very slight favorite over Edwards and Kenseth at least -140 over Keselowski, Edwards should roll out as a minimum of -135 in this matchup.

#15 Clint Bowyer vs. #56 Martin Truex, Jr.: Nice solid battle of teammates in this matchup.  A great 2012 season so far or a dominating Talladega recent resume? You can’t really go wrong with either driver in the -125 range, but let’s go with Truex based upon his momentum.

#31 Jeff Burton vs. #39 Ryan Newman: Once again, it’s the stout RCR plate program vs. an equally accomplished plate racer in Ryan Newman.  As stated, Burton should be there at the end so a -145 price should be justified.

#22 A.J. Allmendinger vs. #27 Paul Menard: And some more RCR love in this matchup.  Based upon previous prices involving these two drivers, Menard should come in around the -150 neighborhood. Hoping it comes lower though.

#51 Kurt Busch vs. #78 Regan Smith: This would actually be a solid matchup in most of the races that the Sprint Cup Series visits on a weekly basis. These are basically two single car teams and the rumor that Kurt Busch may join Front Row Motorsports as part of a two team operation in 2013 makes this even more interesting. Do not be surprised to see these two drivers very close to each other all race long.  Based on experience, Kurt Busch should be the favorite here, but not by much more than -140.

#42 Juan Pablo Montoya vs. #9 Marcos Ambrose: As mentioned previously, I just don’t trust Montoya to deliver on a weekly basis, and this Sunday is no exception. I prefer the tandem of Ambrose and Almirola way more than Montoya and McMurray; therefore Ambrose should be at least -130.

#29 Kevin Harvick vs. #14 Tony Stewart: Stewart has all kinds of 'Dega street cred but I still favor Harvick in this matchup. Much like many matchups that involve the elite drivers and programs, this matchup can’t be much more than Harvick -125.

#48 Jimmie Johnson vs. #99 Carl Edwards: See previous post on Harvick vs. Stewart.  Edwards is due at a plate race for sure, but Jimmie has the edge with the previous trophies.  The Lowe’s Chevy at -125 in this one.

#13 Casey Mears vs. #47 Bobby Labonte: Love this matchup! Would like to see a David Ragan vs. David Gilliland and a Michael Waltrip vs. Tony Raines matchup too!  Seriously, at Talladega, anything goes and anyone can get there.  What about Dave Blaney after his “almost” super improbable win at Daytona?  I digress, but in this battle, you have to go with the experience of Bobby Labonte in this matchup as I wouldn’t be surprised if this No. 47 car hunts the top 15.

Have a great and profitable race everyone!

Frederic Crespi has been in the Las Vegas sports book industry since 1994. His favorite sport to bet on is NASCAR and the prices listed above are his opinion on what the rotation matchup odds should be. His betting notes will be available weekly after the final practices.

Talladega Practice Notes: Almirola Fastest in Both Practice Sessions

 By Micah Roberts

Almirola's best finish at 'Dega: 13th in '08

Aric Almirola showed once again in Friday’s final Talladega practice session that he was faster than everyone while in the draft. Almirola had the top speed of the first session earlier in the day and then laid down a fast lap of 196.725 mph in the final practice.

Joining Almirola for the second straight practice atop the charts was Matt Kenseth at 196.685 mph, good enough for the second fastest speed. Kenseth had been third quickest in the earlier session.

Only 34 of the 46 drivers attempting to qualify even attempted a lap in this final session because they got all they needed to know earlier and, of course, there is no need to wreck the car for data that can’t be translated into race conditions. There isn’t a way to simulate what is actually going to happen in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499, but there is a strong possibility that something bad can happen out there while practicing making it pointless for some.

Although the No. 43 car has run well in plate races of late, it is still kind of a feather in the cap for Mike Ford who is making his debut as Almirola’s crew chief this week. Ford had been Denny Hamlin’s chief for the last six years, and all six years they made the Chase. Being fastest in both practices shouldn’t hurt their confidence on Sunday.

Sunday's race will definitely be a crap shoot with almost everyone who qualifies having a chance. Even after practice, the best formula to deciding who will win still comes down to throwing darts blindly at a bunch of numbers. Although, if the dart lands on No. 43, you might feel a little more comfortable with your chances on Sunday. Incidentally, Almriola's odds to win at the LVH Super Book in Las Vegas were 100-to-1 prior to this practice.

 Practice 2 Top-5 Speeds:
1) Aric Almirola 196.725
2) Matt Kenseth 196.685
3) Greg Biffle 196.105
4) Denny Hamlin 195.692
5) Regan Smith 195.620

Practice 2 Speeds


Almirola Fastest in First Practice Session

Ricky Bobby themed Kurt Busch car (Getty)

Aric Almirola captured the fastest speed in Friday’s first practice session at Talladega Superspeedway going 199.172 mph. The fast lap came within the first five minutes of the 45 minute session amongst a pack of cars that all set top speeds as well.

The biggest dilemma for all the teams is trying to keeps their cars cool, which allows for each driver to get, maybe, five laps in while tucked in behind a car before the radiator starts to heat up. Because of trying to keep cool, several drivers moved in and out from behind a car, nearly clipping the driver in front in and around turns. Kyle Busch looked as though he was going to wreck Joey Logano several times as he tried to keep his car cool.

When these cars raced at Daytona in February -- remember, the race was at night, a very cool night -- the drivers got away with a lot more than they can now just because of the hot Alabama sun.

The individual lap times of the drivers don’t hold the same weight they do for other races just because each driver’s time is dependant upon two or three other drivers. When teams try their mock qualifying attempts in the final practice today, those times will be irrelevant as well, because no car will ever be by themselves during the race.

It’s kind of a waste of time to even discuss who or why a driver might be fast in these practices. The bottom line is that anyone can win this race. Nothing that happens in practice will help formulate an early opinion like can be done with other tracks. Not that Almirola's speed should be diminished or dismissed as a candidate to win, because he could win, but it just doesn't tell enough of the story.   

The best thing that happened in today’s practice was Kurt Busch sporting a ‘Talladega Nights’ theme on his car with a Cougar on the hood, the word ‘Me’ on the side panels and hood, along with ’I Wanna go Fast’ painted on the rear. It was an awesome look, just too bad that isn’t their sponsor as they are still searching for support. Busch finished with the 18th fastest lap at 196.278 mph.

Practice 1 Top-5 Speeds:
1) Aric Almirola 199.172
2) Michael Waltrip 198.343
3) Matt Kenseth 197.986
4) Jeff Gordon 197.843
5) Kevin Harvick 197.725

Practice 1 Speeds

How About Trevor Bayne to Win at Talladega with 60/1 Odds?

Trevor Bayne paid out 100-to-1 odds with Daytona 500 win in 2011 (Getty)

For most of the 62 years that the Wood Brothers have been competing in NASCAR, races truly were a test of man and machine.

Often in the early days, components would fail and cars wouldn’t finish races. It was an accomplishment just to be running at the end of a 500-mile grind.

In recent years, the cars have become almost indestructible from a mechanical standpoint, but Donnie Wingo, the crew chief of the No. 21 Motorcraft/Quick Lane Ford Fusion, said this weekend’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway could become a real test of engines.

The NASCAR rules implemented to limit two-car tandem racing have made overheating a big concern. Heat was on Wingo’s mind back at Daytona in February and even more so this week.

“At Daytona, it was cool and at night,” Wingo said. “We’ve got the same package at Talladega, and the temperature is going to be in the low 90s.” Wingo said that even though he doesn’t expect any heat-building tandem racing until the closing laps, he believes that even running in the pack could make temperatures rise.

“You’re going to really have to take care of the car and the motor,” he said. “The heat is going to be an unknown for all of us.”

Wingo’s far more upbeat about the car he’s taking to Talladega. It’s the same Fusion the team ran in the Daytona 500. It was fast there, but driver Trevor Bayne was involved in a Lap 2 crash, ending any hopes the team had of repeating as Daytona 500 winners.

“It’s all fixed up,” Wingo said. “I feel really good about it.”

For Bayne, having fast cars at Daytona and Talladega has become almost a given.

“The Wood Brothers always have fast cars at the superspeedways,” he said. “I just have to make sure that we make it to the end. Having a fast car is half of the battle.”

But the first step for Bayne and the Wood Brothers team is securing a starting spot for Sunday. Because they run a limited schedule, the Woods are not among the top 35 in car owner points and therefore not assured of a starting berth.

But Wingo said he believes that’s one hurdle the team should clear.

“I’m pretty confident,” he said. “Barring any unforeseen issue, we should be fine.”

Qualifying for the Aaron’s 499 is set for Saturday at 11:10 a.m. (12:10 Eastern Time), and the race is scheduled to get the green flag at noon (1 p.m. Eastern) on Sunday with TV coverage on FOX.

- Wood Brothers Racing

Any Takers? Regan Smith 100/1 to Win at Talladega

Regan Smith is 100-to-1 to win race; has good shot  (Getty)

DENVER, Colo. (May 2, 2012) – He might not call it a fantasy, but Regan Smith’s goal this weekend is to have a clean-free, mistake-free and controversial-free race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

“It is possible to have that kind of race at Talladega, but history will tell you the probability of it happening doesn’t carry good odds,” said Smith, driver of the No. 78 Furniture Row/Farm American Chevrolet. “But we set our goals high and are always looking for that perfect race.”

While Smith would love to have the perfect race in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 Sprint Cup race at the 2.66-mile oval, he would most likely settle for a solid effort and strong finish, which would end a three-race slump that saw him drop from 18th to 25th in driver points.

“After the past three races (finishes of 23rd, 24th & 27th) we need a turnaround performance to give us a jump start in the right direction,” explained Smith.

There’s probably not a better venue than at a superspeedway for Smith to achieve that much-anticipated performance.

“Superspeedway racing has been a strong suit for both Furniture Row Racing and me,” noted the 28-year-old Smith. “Maybe not the finishes, but the performances over the years at Daytona and Talladega have proven that fact. We’ve been right there contending for a win, but something has always seemed to bite us. We’ve had mechanical malfunctions, been collected in multicar wrecks, and of course that controversial penalty at Talladega (October 2008) that cost me a victory.”

After crossing the finish line first in the 2008 fall race at Talladega, NASCAR ruled that Smith passed Tony Stewart below the out-of-bounds yellow line. The victory went to Stewart while Smith dropped from first to 18th in the finishing order.

“The only way to forget about what happened back in October 2008 is to take the checkered flag again and then drive to Victory Lane,” stated Smith.

Along with being at a superspeedway Smith is also excited that pack racing has returned to the big tracks, replacing the two-car tandem draft.

“From all indications pack racing will be back in Talladega and I am sure the fans are going to love the close side-by-side racing,” said Smith. “We could see some of the two-car tandem drafting, but for the most part it will be the old-fashioned restrictor-plate racing at Talladega. Personally that’s the way I prefer it to be.”

Smith has started nine Sprint Cup races at Talladega. He has three top-15 finishes with a best result of 12th in the 2010 fall race.

- DMF Communications for Furniture Row Racing

Talladega Preview: Throwing Darts a Good Handicapping System

By Micah Roberts
VegasInsider.com

The unexpected is expected in every Talladega race (Getty)

When restrictor-plate races come around, it has usually been a foregone conclusion that a Chevrolet would wind up in the winner’s circle just because they usually did.

From 2001 to 2007 a Chevy won 11 of the 14 races at Daytona. From 1999 through 2007, a Chevy won 17 of the 18 Talladega races. Between the program of Hendrick, DEI and Childress, they pretty much gobbled up all the competition and wins.

In 2009, that dominance was over,  and between a few changes in aero-dynamics and other technical aspects to slow the cars down, the racing has never been more equal at Daytona and Talladega. At Daytona, we’ve seen a Ford win four of the last seven races. At Talladega, Chevy has won four of the last eight, the last four coming in a row heading into this Sunday’s race.

Just the thought of racing four-wide, with the driver’s foot mashed on the pedal for the entire Talladega race gets most fans juiced up like no other race. It’s the biggest, baddest track on the circuit and while some fans won’t admit that they like crashes as part of their intrigue in watching NASCAR, it is Talladega that offers some of the most spectacular wrecks of the year. It’s that type of racing and possibility of ’The Big One’ happening that keeps fans on the edge of their seats for the entire duration.

From a betting standpoint, the problem with having more parity than ever before and a high propensity for massive wreckage is that it’s one of the hardest races of the year to handicap. In a usual race week, we have past trends and then get some valuable data from practices. But at Talladega, all that goes out the window and when wagering on the race. It’s almost like throwing darts.

The last four races at Talladega have gone to favorites like Kevin Harvick, Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer twice, but just prior to that, Brad Keselowski and Jamie McMurray won at huge odds. If we throw Daytona into the mix, we’ve got the likes of Trevor Bayne, David Ragan and Matt Kenseth winning at large odds.

It’s a tough race to handicap, but no matter how much your mind tells you to limit the normal bankroll for the race, the heart tells you that you have to have action on the race because it’s Talladega and just maybe, this might be the week to hit a 100-to-1 long shot like Bayne or 125-to-1 odds like Keselowski had.

If we use this years Daytona 500 as a reference, we can identify a few drivers that should compete well Sunday. The Roush Ford’s were strong led by eventual Daytona 500 winner Matt Kenseth. For whatever reason, Kenseth hasn’t fared too well Talladega with his last top-5 finish coming there in 2006. But we know the Roush program is strong and anything is possible, so Carl Edwards, Greg Biffle and Kenseth all have to be considered.

For Biffle, he's got a lot of reasons to be excited this week. Not only is he bringing his third-place Daytona car, but he can seemingly do no wrong thus far as he leads the series in points.

“I’m really looking forward to Talladega; we had such a good run at Daytona," said Biffle. "We feel like the Roush-Yates engines will be the talk of the weekend again about how fast our cars will be in Talladega. I’m hoping for good side-by-side racing, big-pack racing, sort of like it was at Daytona. You’ve got to be there at the end to have a shot. It’s going to be a two-car tandem push for the win and hopefully the No. 16 3M / O’Reilly’s Ford will be out front.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr will be one of the favorites this week and might find himself being one of the top bet drivers as far as ticket counts go. Talladega would seem like the appropriate place for him to end his massive winless streak and he comes off a runner-up finish at Daytona, as well as runner-up last week at Richmond. It could be argued that he is having the best year of all the Hendrick drivers which is high praise for a team that has five-time Cup champion Jimmie Johnson and four-time winner Jeff Gordon.

One of the long shots to take a strong look at this week is Kurt Busch. I was high on him coming into Daytona and he would have ran well, but got involved in an accident early on. He is one of the drivers that could pull off the upset, driving in the same car that Keselowski won with at Talladega at big odds in 2009. Because of his poor finish at Daytona, and not doing anything spectacular in the other seven races, his odds should be quite high for this race and fetch over 50-to-1.

Remember, you can’t think of the obvious for this race like we do everywhere else. This is a race where David Gilliland and Dave Blaney also have a shot to win, something we would never think about in the 32 other races. Had the Daytona 500 not been completed because of the fire Juan Pablo Montoya ignited, Blaney would have been the winner.

So while Earnhardt Jr, Harvick and Bowyer get a lot of the attention this week, don’t forget about the Aric Almirola’s, AJ Allmendinger’s, Regan Smith’s and Kurt Busch’s. Throwing darts can sometimes pay off pretty big under these circumstances.

Top-5 Finish Prediction:
1) #16 Greg Biffle (25/1)
2) #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr (12/1)
3) #99 Carl Edwards (25/1)
4) #29 Kevin Harvick (10/1)
5) #51 Kurt Busch (60/1)

Jeff Gordon Going for 13th Restrictor-Plate Win at Talladega

Jeff Gordon says key at Talladega will be to keep radiator cool (Getty)

TALLADEGA, Ala. (May 1, 2012) - With temperatures expected to approach 90 degrees at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend, overheating may be an issue. But in a perfect world, Jeff Gordon wants the engine in his No. 24 DuPont “20 Years” Chevrolet to “blow up.”

After he takes the checkered flag.

With new rules that affect engine temperature cooling in place at the restrictor-plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega, the amount of time one car can push another has decreased. While that time has decreased, two-car tandems will still make an appearance in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 according to Gordon.

“We had pretty nice conditions at Daytona when we ran that race,” said Gordon, who finished 40th in the season-opening event after engine issues sidelined him on lap 81. “For us, we didn’t have an overheating problem. We found a hole in a water hose and we’re not sure exactly how it got there. It pretty much drained the water and that’s why we blew up. So our goal is to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“(This weekend) you’re going to have to really watch those gauges and pay attention to them and have some more ‘gap’ between you and the other cars to let that radiator breathe. But you go faster ‘connected,’ so we’ll be pushing toward the end of the race.

“At the end of that race, your ultimate goal is to push that other guy as long as you possibly can and cross (the finish line) blowing up the engine.”

In 38 starts at the 2.66-mile track, Gordon has six wins (most among active drivers), two poles, 14 top-fives and 18 top-10′s. The four-time NASCAR Cup Series champion has led 832 laps – 123 more than the nearest active competitor.

“In practice, you’ll see cars ‘hooked’ together to see how long they can run,” said Gordon, the all-time leader in restrictor-plate victories with 12. “So, in the closing laps of the race as wide as the race track is, I think that is what you’ll see. That’s what we’ll work on in practice and see just how it’s going to work out.

“So it’s going to make the dynamics of the race – the first half to three quarters – very interesting. And the finish will be exciting, too.

“But you’ve got to survive to get there first.”

- Performance PR Plus for DuPont Motorsports

Driver Notes & Quotes for 2012 Aaron's 499 at Talladega

Roush-Biffle combo might capture first Talladega win (Getty)

GREG BIFFLE ON TALLADEGA: “I’m really looking forward to Talladega; we had such a good run at Daytona. We feel like the Roush-Yates engines will be the talk of the weekend again about how fast our cars will be in Talladega. I’m hoping for good side-by-side racing, big-pack racing, sort of like it was at Daytona. You’ve got to be there at the end to have a shot. It’s going to be a two-car tandem push for the win and hopefully the No. 16 3M / O’Reilly’s Ford will be out front.”

BIFFLE CREW CHIEF MATT PUCCIA ON TALLADEGA: “We are taking our Daytona 500 car to Talladega this weekend. Talladega is a typical superspeedway race where you’re going to have to survive the whole race to be there at the end. This new package that NASCAR started for us at Daytona allows for a lot more old conventional style drafting and we’ll look for that again in Talladega like we had in Daytona. Qualifying is important with the new package, since you don’t have as much of the tandem slingshot coming from the back like with the old style.”

BIFFLE CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary - RK-781 Last ran Daytona 500 – finished third; Backup - RK-794 Last ran Bud Shootout – finished sixth

CARL EDWARDS ON TALLADEGA: “If we can go to Talladega and work with my teammates the way we have and do the things we have been doing at superspeedways then we will be good. It is still that bottleneck in the season where anything can happen. We don’t have any points to give up so we will go with a different attitude I am sure than my teammates. That is one race that scares our team because we don’t want to be 15th in points right now. We want to be up there marching toward the top five. If we can run there the way we have the last six or eight restrictor-plate races then we will be okay.”

EDWARDS CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 99 Fastenal Blue Team will be unloading chassis RK-712 this weekend at Talladega. This car won the pole for the Daytona 500 and finished eighth in the race.

MATT KENSETH ON TALLADEGA: “I think this is the most I have ever looked forward to going to Talladega. Our Speedweeks in Daytona was really good with Carl and Greg starting on the front row, and our 17 team being able to win our qualifying race and the 500. I feel like as a group we had, throughout all of Speedweeks, really fast race cars. Without the tandem racing you can actually make some moves for yourself and are racing against everyone else, which is fun and refreshing for plate racing I think. This is probably the most I have ever looked forward to getting there, but you never know what is going to happen when you get there.”

KENSETH CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary: RK-793 (Last run at Bud Shootout)

ARIC ALMIROLA ON TALLADEGA: “Well, this is a big weekend for a couple of reasons. First, and most obvious, is our new crew chief. This will be the first race that Mike (Ford) and I will be working together. It’s a little bit of a different track to start working together since it’s a plate race, but I’m still anxious to work with Mike. He’s a proven winner in our sport and I think he can elevate our program to win races.

“Second, we have VeriFone Sail on the car this weekend. It’s pretty cool to have VeriFone come on board as a team sponsor for us. This has been a pretty exciting week already for us. I think everyone at VeriFone is seeing all the excitement around the race team and we want to continue that this weekend."

ALMIROLA CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 43 team will race chassis No. 716 this weekend. The chassis has never been raced by the team, but has served as the backup for other restrictor plate races.

MARCOS AMBROSE ON TALLADEGA: “I’ve had a few days to rest and recuperate after having back issues in Richmond last weekend, and I’m feeling better and ready to get back in the Stanley Ford this weekend. Richmond was tough, but hopefully the worst is behind me and I’ll be in tip top shape for Sunday’s 500-mile race. The biggest thing we’ll have to concentrate on in Talladega is avoiding the big wrecks and finding a good partner in the draft. I’m looking forward to working with Aric Almirola in practice and during the race this weekend. We worked well together earlier in the year at Daytona, so I know he’ll be a big help this weekend.”

AMBROSE CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 9 RPM team has prepared chassis No. 795 for this weekend’s race at Talladega Superspeedway. This Stanley Ford was run previously this season at Daytona.

JIMMIE JOHNSON ON IF THE TYPE OF RACING WILL BE LIKE DAYTONA: “Well, I was around for about 2.5 miles in Daytona (laughs). But I do think we will see some of the same type of racing. I think the warmer temperatures are going to play a factor, especially with the pack-type racing we will have. The elevated temperatures are going to make it harder for us to push and keep cool in the pack. It’s definitely going to be a thinking man’s race.”

JOHNSON CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis No. 698 is a new chassis and serves as the primary for Johnson at Talladega. Chassis No. 482 serves as the backup.

DALE EARNHARDT JR ON WHAT TYPE OF RACING HE LIKES BEST IN PLATE RACES: “I feel like the style of racing we had in the Daytona 500 this year suits me better. I feel more confident in that style than I do the tandem. With the tandem, it is difficult to commit to someone all day long. The way we did it in the (2012 Daytona) 500 was nice, but the tandem is going to win the race, which is fine with me. I do like having more control of my destiny and making my own decisions for myself. I want to look out for No. 1 and my team all day long and try to do whatever I can to put myself in position to win the race. That is really what I feel like I have been doing all my life. To do anything different just doesn’t feel comfortable. It feels odd to me.”

DALE EARNHARDT JR CHASSIS CHOICE: This weekend at Talladega, crew chief Steve Letarte and the No. 88 team will unload Hendrick Motorsports Chassis No. 88-699. This is the same chassis Earnhardt raced to a second-place finish in February at the 2012 Daytona 500.

RYAN NEWMAN CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis No. 39-606 makes a return trip to Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway this weekend after making two previous starts at the 2.66-mile oval. The chassis’ first start at the superspeedway was October 2010, when Newman qualified eighth. He attempted to make a late-race charge but finished 23rd. Although it wasn’t the finish the team had hoped for, it marked the first superspeedway finish for the driver and team in more than a year. The chassis returned to Talladega for last spring’s Aaron’s 499. Newman, who had one of the strongest racecars in the field, was spun twice in two laps – due to inopportune bump drafts – with just a handful of laps remaining. While he was able to save his racecar from sustaining any damage during both mishaps, the incidents put him too far back in the pack and, without a strong drafting partner to help him get back through the field, he finished 25th. After taking a trip to Daytona (Fla.) International Speedway in February as the team’s backup car, Chassis No. 39-606 will return to action for the first time in 2012 this weekend.

TONY STEWART CHASSIS CHOICE: This car debuted during Daytona (Fla.) Speedweeks in 2011. It set the 10th fastest time in Daytona 500 qualifying, which slotted it fifth for the Gatorade Duel. In that race, Stewart drove Chassis No. 14-634 to a 12th-place finish, which gave him a 25th-place starting spot for the Daytona 500. While he never led a lap in the season-opening race, Stewart was a top-10 mainstay – that is until the final lap, when he was shuffled out of the draft en route to a 13th-place finish. It had numerous sessions in the wind tunnel between Daytona and the April 17 race at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway,
where in its third career start, it finished 17th after starting 30th. It returned to Daytona in July for the Coke Zero 400, where it started 19th and finished 11th. It returned to Talladega in October where it notched its fifth career start and last of the 2011 season with a 12th-place qualifying effort and a seventh-place finish.

Chassis No. 14-634 was refined for 2012 and tested extensively at Daytona Jan. 12-14. It returned to action in February in the non-points Budweiser Shootout at Daytona, where it started 15th and led seven laps until Kyle Busch ducked out from behind Stewart as the two entered the trio-oval with the checkered flag in sight. Busch nipped Stewart at the line for a margin of victory of .013 of second – the closest finish in
Shootout history. The car will make its seventh overall start, but only its fifth point-paying start, in the Aaron’s 499 Sunday at Talladega.

JAMIE McMURRAY CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis #1009 - Crew Chief Kevin “Bono” Manion and the No.1 Bass Pro Shops/Tracker Boats team will be bringing the #1009 chassis in Aaron’s 499. This same chassis was used in last season’s Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway, finishing 22nd.

JUAN PABLO MONTOYA CHASSIS CHOICE: Chassis #1215 - Chris “Sunshine” Heroy and the No. 42 Target team will be bringing a brand new chassis, Chassis #1215, to Talladega this weekend.

KEVIN HARVICK ON TALLADEGA: “I like racing at places like Talladega (Superspeedway), you spend a lot of time anticipating the other guy’s next move, so you have to be mentally prepared for a race like this. This a good track for me, and we’ve done well in the past. As a team we need to remain focused, and as long as we don’t make any little mistakes, I think we have a good shot to put the Rheem Chevrolet in victory lane this weekend.”

HARVICK CHASSIS CHOICE: Kevin Harvick will pilot Chassis No. 238 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis was most recently driven by Elliott Sadler at Daytona International Speedway in February as the No. 33 RCR Chevrolet, and was utilized in 2011 by the No. 31 team.

JEFF BURTON CHASSIS CHOICE: Jeff Burton will race chassis No. 343 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This chassis, built in 2011 for RCR’s No. 29 entry with driver Kevin Harvick, competed in three superspeedway events last season including the Daytona 500 where an engine failure relegated Harvick to a 42nd-place finish. Harvick also guided this machine to a top-five finish at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2011 (started-38th, finished-fifth) and a top-10 finish in July in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway (started-31st, finished-seventh). Burton got behind the wheel of this Chevrolet in the 2012 Budweiser Shootout at DIS where he was involved in an early incident but battled to an 11th-place finish.

PAUL MENARD CHASSIS CHOICE: Paul Menard will pilot Chassis No. 388 from the Richard Childress Racing NASCAR Sprint Cup Series stable. This No. 27 Chevrolet was last seen on track at Daytona International Speedway in February, where Menard earned a sixth-place finish in the Daytona 500.

DAVE BLANEY CHASSIS CHOICE: Blaney will pilot the No. 27 chassis this weekend at the Talladega, Ala., track. He most recently piloted the chassis in last season’s fall event at the 2.66-mile speedway, where he posted the team’s best finish of third. He drove the chassis at Daytona International Speedway for the Coke Zero 400, as well as the Daytona 500, in 2011. He also drove the chassis at Talladega Superspeedway in April 2011, where he led 21 laps before a late-race spin spoiled a solid run.

DAVID REUTIMANN CHASSIS CHOICE: Reutimann will pilot the No. 331 chassis, a new chassis made by Richard Childress Racing during the off-season. Blaney drove the chassis in this year’s Daytona 500, where he led six laps and finished in 15th place.

KYLE BUSCH ON WHETHER WE'LL SEE PACK RACING AT TALLADEGA: “I think we kind of saw a little bit of that at Daytona – there wasn’t much tandem-style stuff going on. You do just overheat too fast and you can’t take a chance in overheating and pushing water out and hurting your motor. It’s a long race. It’s going to be a 500-mile race and the thing about Daytona we may or may not see in Talladega is, at Daytona, it was hard to get the outside lane moving. It seemed like once you got single-filed out on the bottom, the bottom was too strong to hold, and to hold off the outside lane or any progress from the outside lane. Talladega is wide enough that there could be a middle lane and guys could shoot up through the middle and really make some evasive moves or aggressive moves, sometimes. Hopefully, it’s a better race and puts on a better show than my opinion of how the Daytona race played out.”

DENNY HAMLIN ON HOPING TALLADEGA RUNS LIKE DAYTONA DID: “We hope so. I think that we hope it has the same effect. I think that the pack-racing that we had at Daytona was amazing. I thought it was great racing. The two car tandem didn’t win the race — that’s a good thing. Really, they got us to where we were running a fast enough speed that handling became somewhat of an issue. So, all those things I think will equal good racing at Talladega if they keep everything the way that it was. In Daytona, we kind of did our own thing and obviously I had a great shot to win. If the rules stay the same it will be a pack mostly because the temperatures were just so high at Daytona. So, I think that you really won’t have a partner until the very end when you try to link up on the last restart or something like that — like we tried to do at Daytona.”

MARTIN TRUEX JR ON TALLADEGA: “The rule package is similar to Daytona. The pressure relief valve is a tiny bit different. With those two things said and a lot warmer temperatures expected for Sunday, I think it will be harder to keep the cars cool. The two-car tandem should not come into play until maybe the very end. It’s all going to be about how long we can push and keep our engine together. With a certain amount of laps to go, I think we will see teams pairing up and pushing to the end. That’s my prediction. It’s hard to tell how it will unfold considering how the track changes, the actual temperature and what teams have done to improve their overall superspeedway package. Hopefully in the end, the NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota will be the car out front.

“The NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota that we are bringing will be similar to Daytona, but a lot different from what we had at Talladega last year. It will come down to how well we have prepared for this race. We might not know how good our car really is until the closing laps.”

CLINT BOWYER CHASSIS CHOICE: Primary Chassis No. 679 raced to a 10th place finish in the 2011 Budweiser Shootout as the No. 47 JTG-Daugherty Toyota. It also served as the backup No. 56 Toyota at Talladega last fall and Daytona EFI test car, but never raced. Chassis No. 705 will serve as the backup and previously raced to an eighth place finish in the 2012 Bud Shootout.

BRAD KESELOWSKI CHASSIS CHOICE: The No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge Charger team will race chassis PRS-645 during Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway. This is a new chassis to the No. 2 fleet.

- From Team PR Releases

Talladega Storylines for 2012 Aaron's 499

Dale Earnhardt Jr was a runner-up at Daytona with pack racing (Getty)

NASCAR Sprint Cup and Nationwide Racing continue on the sport’s biggest stage – 2.66-mile Talladega Superspeedway – this weekend. Aerodynamic and other procedural changes returned traditional pack racing to Daytona International Speedway in February and should have a similar effect at Talladega.

Still, last year’s Aaron’s 499 was statistically compelling with a record number of lead changes and a margin of victory – 0.002-seconds between winner Jimmie Johnson and Clint Bowyer – that matched the NASCAR Sprint Cup record.

Five-time Talladega winner Dale Earnhardt Jr. could bag two birds with the same slingshot on Sunday – giving Hendrick Motorsports its 200th victory and in the process snap a 138-race winless streak dating to June 2008. HMS has won 11 times at Talladega, one fewer victory than Richard Childress Racing. RCR has won three of the last four Talladega races.

Saturday’s Aaron’s 312 is the Nationwide Series’ only 2012 visit to Talladega Superspeedway. Kyle Busch, the defending winner, climbs back into his No. 54 Kyle Busch Motorsports Toyota. Older brother Kurt Busch gave the team its first series victory last weekend in Richmond. Ricky Stenhouse Jr. continues his bid for a second consecutive championship. He’ll need to better last year’s 38th-place finish, one of just two DNFs in his title season.

The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series continues on hiatus as teams prepare for the May 18 North Carolina Education Lottery 200 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. Several drivers – Justin Lofton in a Nevada off-road race and James Buescher in the NASCAR Nationwide Series at Talladega – will step outside their trucks for racing this Saturday.

Pack Is Back At Talladega After Successful Return Of Pack Racing At Daytona
Traditional pack racing returned to Daytona International Speedway in February making this year’s Daytona 500 one of the memorable in history. Look for more of the same in Sunday’s Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, at 2.66 miles in length the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ longest track. Talladega equals excitement: Last year’s Aaron’s 499 matched series records for lead changes (88) and closest margin of victory (0.002 seconds). Fact: every Talladega race finishing under the green flag since introduction of electonic scoring in 1993 has recorded an MOV of under a half second.

Daytona 500 Winner Matt Kenseth On Pack Racing:
“I think you will see racing similar to Daytona. I don’t know why it would be much different. Daytona has the new pavement and a lot of grip just like Talladega. It is the same rules package so I think you will see racing like you did during Speedweeks.”

AJ Allmendinger On Pack Racing:
“I’m excited to get back and hopefully have that big pack racing again. Hopefully, that kind of stays the same as Daytona. To me, to get back in the big packs and getting back to that will be a lot better than over the last couple of years. Hopefully, it continues the same way it was at Daytona. Daytona, to me, was great racing throughout the whole race. I wouldn’t say that I’m ever excited to go to Talladega, but I look forward to getting back to how big pack racing used to be there.”

Denny Hamlin On Pack Racing:
“I think that the pack-racing that we had at Daytona was amazing. I thought it was great racing. The two car tandem didn't win the race -- that's a good thing. Really, they got us to where we were running a fast enough speed that handling became somewhat of an issue. So, all those things I think will equal good racing at Talladega if they keep everything the way that it was."

May Day for June Bug?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. last led the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series points standings after his fifth and last win at Talladega in October 2004. He has four top-10 finishes in the last five spring races at Talladega and a 13th-place finish in the fifth, two years ago.

Following his second runner-up finish of the season at Richmond last weekend, Dale Jr. said: “The team is confident, we're feeling good. We feel like we're competing well. Really close to winning a race. We ain't really raced for a win yet and lost one, so I wouldn't count tonight. But we're getting better at running the top 5 and top 10s. We'll just try to keep doing that. There's too many variables going into races at Talladega whether you feel confident winning or not. There's just too much going on there.”

RCR On A Roll At Talladega
Richard Childress Racing has won three of the last four races at Talladega Superspeedway, and Childress has more wins (12) than any other owner at the track. Childress began his driving career at the track in 1969, and on Thursday, the NASCAR Hall of Fame nominee will be inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame by NASCAR President Mike Helton.

Kevin Harvick had this to say about his team’s success at Talladega: “I think if you really look a little deeper into that, there’s some days where we just finish the last few laps and run probably slower than we need to run. But that’s always been something that Richard (Childress) has pushed on the guys is to make sure that when you start something, you do your best to not have that DNF on the chart. So, they do a good job at fixing things and getting them back out on the race track. We’ve definitely torn-up our share of stuff at Talladega as well. But it has been a good place for us. Hopefully we can keep putting ourselves in the right spot and keep that record intact.”

Harvick and fellow RCR drivers Jeff Burton and Paul Menard have yet to win in 2012. Harvick ranks seventh in points.

Bowyer Hopes To Carry Dega Success To MWR
Clint Bowyer has several reasons to be excited about racing at Talladega Superspeedway this weekend. Bowyer finished second in last year’s Aaron’s 499 and won the track’s fall race in 2011. He’s also fighting to a spot in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup™ having just missed qualifying for NASCAR’s post season a year ago. Bowyer, 12th in the standings but just 14 points out of 10th-place, left Richard Childress Racing at season’s end and bids to carry his Talladega success to Michael Waltrip Racing. Teammates Martin Truex Jr. and Michael Waltrip logged top-10 finishes in last year’s fall race. MWR has a single top-five finish at Talladega: David Reutimann’s fourth in the fall of 2010.

Hendrick #200 wins Watch
In addition to reaching the 200-win mark in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, Rick Hendrick is a win away from tying Richard Childress for most wins at Talladega with 12. Jeff Gordon has the most wins among active drivers with 6 while teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. has 5. The all-time winner is Dale Earnhardt with 10. Gordon’s last Talladega victory came in 2007 when he swept both spring and fall races. Five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson is the defending winner of the Aarons 499.

Newman Coors Light Pole Watch
A Coors Light Pole away from 50, Ryan Newman heads to Talladega, where he has no poles and a 14.3 starting position.

Shaking Out The Points
With nine races in the books, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series has passed the one-third mark of the 26-race regular season. Just two who didn’t qualify for the Chase a year ago – leader Greg Biffle and Martin Truex Jr. – appear in the top 10 of the standings following the April 28 Capital City 400 at Richmond International Raceway. Ten of the current top 13 qualified for last year’s Chase either via top 10 or Wild Card route. Jeff Gordon (17th) and Kurt Busch (26th) are pretty much consigned to seeking Wild Card berths if they are contend for this year’s championship.

This Date In Talladega History
The Aaron's 499 has been run on May 6 four times. In 1973, David Pearson won against the biggest field in the track's history (60 cars). In 1979, another NASCAR Hall of Famer and a member of the Alabama Gang, Bobby Allison, won. In 1984, a third NASCAR Hall of Famer, Cale Yarborough went to Victory Lane. All three won from the pole. In 1990, Dale Earnhardt claimed his third of a record 10 wins.

Bill Elliott will be appearing at Oxford and Pell City Walmarts on Saturday as part of Walmart’s 50th anniversary Legends of Racing initiative. Saturday, May 5 is the 27th anniversary of overcoming nearly a two-lap deficit under green-flag conditions to claim the win on his way to becoming “Million Dollar Bill” at Darlington later that year.

Bowtie Brigade Savors Talladega Competition
Since 1999, Chevrolet has won at least one race every year at Talladega except 2008. Chevy has won the last four races at the track and four of the last five. Jamie McMurray hopes to repeat his victory of fall 2009 and snap a 48-race winless streak. Teresa Earnhardt – part of the Earnhardt Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates ownership – won five consecutive Talladega races from 2001-2003.

Kyle Busch Celebrates 27th Birthday This Wednesday
Busch, who recorded his 24th Sprint Cup victory at Richmond last weekend, said: “To go to Talladega next week, anything can unfold there. I think I've been crashed all but one time, and that time I didn't crash I almost crashed and won the race, so that was cool.” Busch joined older brother Kurt in 26th on the series’ all-time victory roster and with his 105th NASCAR national series victory stands one win behind second-place David Pearson.

- NASCAR Media Services