2010 NASCAR Sprint Cup Round 16: Toyota/Save Mart 350, Infineon Raceway

[fieldodreams79]

With increased interest among the 10-tenths crowd, figured this race thread deserved an early start.

JAYSKI Race Page

Ringers:
#83 Mattias Ekström (in for Casey Mears)
#07-P.J. Jones
#09-Jan Magnussen
#13-Max Papis-has competed in most? of the races this season
#26-Boris Said
#36-Brian Simo

Taz and John Paul have got to be among the favorites this weekend.

Weather? Southern Cali-like

[fieldodreams79]

Courtesy of Jayski:

2010 Sprint Cup Driver Championship Points Standings:
[after Michigan, race 15 of 36]:
rank, car#, driver, points, behind
1) #29-Kevin Harvick [1 win], 2169
2) #18-Kyle Busch [2 wins], 2147, -22
3) #11-Denny Hamlin [5 wins], 2122, -47
4) #2-Kurt Busch [2 wins], 2051, -118
5) #17-Matt Kenseth, 2019, -150
6) #48-Jimmie Johnson [3 wins], 1999, -170
7) #24-Jeff Gordon, 1987, -182
8) #31-Jeff Burton, 1945, -224
9) #16-Greg Biffle, 1865, -304
10) #99-Carl Edwards, 1856, -313
11) #14-Tony Stewart, 1840, -329
12) #5-Mark Martin, 1826, -343, +43 ahead of 13th
Chase for the Sprint Cup - Contenders:
13) #33-Clint Bowyer, 1783, 43 points out of the chase
14) #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr, 1745, -81
15) #39-Ryan Newman [1 win], 1735, -91
16) #56-Martin Truex Jr., 1733, -93
2009 Chase Drivers not in top 16
20) #42-Juan Pablo Montoya, 1637, -189
21) #9-Kasey Kahne, 1621, -205
31) #83-Brian Vickers, 1158 [out season with illness]

[MJ_N_09]

Yes, Papis entered all the races this year, but S&Ped some of them.

[Axeman444]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Taz and John Paul have got to be among the favorites this weekend.

as long as Ambrose's engine makes it through Quali (and indeed the race , and he doesn't get Rear Of Grid'ed and have to fight through again...

[FPV8U]

As above Ambrose/47 Team is dealing with not only a unreliable engine, but one thats down on HP certainly going to make it hard in a competitve field like Sonoma.

JPM/42 Team have been so close on so many time on ovals late last year and early this year, maybe a win here is all they need to get going.

Really hoping Ambrose can break through for his first win, but i feel between Busch Brothers, Stewart, Hamlin & JPM thats someone is going to have better equiptment come the business end of the race.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by FPV8U

...but i feel between Busch Brothers, Stewart, Hamlin & JPM thats someone is going to have better equiptment come the business end of the race.

i agree but I also think we need to keep an eye on Sliced Bread this weekend...not totally excluding his comments after the race.

the 20 has been quick on road courses and he (Logano) has been consistently been running towards the front....as for his road course expertise, we shall find out...

[FIRE]

Hope John Paul Montana will win.

[MJ_N_09]

I can tell that there will probably be alot of interest for this thread.

[MJ_N_09]

You guys forgot about the #02 of Brandon Ash. He annually enters this race and was very competitive last year until getting taken out by someone else.

[broadrun96]

Only Cup race I watch in full and it has to be the weekend I'm moving and not on broadcast, cable's not getting hooked up until late next week at best. At least I can look forward to the Nationwide race at Road America later this year, I haven't missed it have I?

[skells22]

same weekend as this race

[FIRE]

Originally Posted by MJ_N_09

I can tell that there will probably be alot of interest for this thread.

They should dump N'wide Series, make Trucks 2nd level and start a 3rd series which races only on road courses.

EDIT This is even better: Dump GrandAm and replace it by a NASCAR road car series.

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Weather? Southern Cali-like

You might want to look at a map..

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by picchiofan

You might want to look at a map..

Technically speaking, he's right.

http://www.weather.com/outlook/healt...ekend/USCA1076

[broadrun96]

Originally Posted by skells22

same weekend as this race

Couldn't they at least split up the road course weekends for those of us that only watch them?

And weren't they planning on calling GA the NASCAR road racing series a couple years ago?

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by broadrun

Couldn't they at least split up the road course weekends for those of us that only watch them?

it is a little silly, isn't it?

[CampDaddy1990]

I'm really looking forward to this race, largely because I've always wondered how the COT's new spoiler would perform on a road course.

[CampDaddy1990]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

it is a little silly, isn't it?

I've suggested that the fall Talladega race be replaced with a 300-mile race at Barber Motorsports Park, which is approximately 40 miles away. This is because I believe that there should be five road course races per year (Sonoma, Watkins Glen, Barber, Portland, and Road America), and I also believe that the only track that should be allowed to have two races per year is Daytona. Talladega would keep its spring race, though.

[broadrun96]

Would be a good idea to hit Barber, only 3 hours away from my new place and would consider that for a road course Cup race.

[gomick]

Am looking forward to this round for obvious reasons. Hopefully Ambrose can get something out of a poo season thus far...
Saying that, i dont like Sears Point as a race track. It's not even in the ballpark of a circuit like Road America - something about Californian tracks i dislike, Laguna Seca is poo too...

[FPV8U]

Originally Posted by gomick

Am looking forward to this round for obvious reasons. Hopefully Ambrose can get something out of a poo season thus far...
Saying that, i dont like Sears Point as a race track. It's not even in the ballpark of a circuit like Road America - something about Californian tracks i dislike, Laguna Seca is poo too...

Hrrm can't say i agree with Laguna Seca, but Infineon/sears point is dead average and i can't see why it would be getting the nod over Road America or VIR, but then again Watkins Glen isn't exactly a shining star.

[JHamilton]

I like the full course, but it was too hard for the good ol' boys.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Would be a good idea to hit Barber, only 3 hours away from my new place and would consider that for a road course Cup race.

Barber wouldn't let them on his course. It's too technical and narrow... and nice. They'd tear up all his grass.

[picchiofan]

Originally Posted by broadrun96

Couldn't they at least split up the road course weekends for those of us that only watch them?

They do usually. Road America was a last minute addition after Milwaukee went tits-up, they didn't really have much room to rearrange the schedule.

[fieldodreams79]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Barber wouldn't let them on his course. It's too technical and narrow... and nice. They'd tear up all his grass.

...and how painfully slow would stockcars be at Barber? i mean the back side of the track is quick for even DPs, but still...