Daytona - crapshoot race, don’t use your studs here. I’m thinking:
A: Kurt Busch/Gordon
B: Jr./Bowyer/Ragan/Vickers
C: Regan Smith/Waltrip
California - possible fuel mileage race. Probably won’t use Jimmie this early. Kyle Busch is a lock along with Kenseth and Edwards. Big race for Car Companies. Also sister track to Michigan.
Las Vegas – Since repavement Jimmie not as good here. Kenseth, Kyle and Harvick are musts here. Labonte top 5 last year here too.
Atlanta – Fast 1.5, Edwards, Stewart, Kyle B, Kenseth, and Kahne are solid picks. Texas and Lowe’s similar to Atlanta configuration.
Bristol - Edwards better in the 2nd race, Kyle very good here, Gordon’s lost something since the repavement here. Speed qualified front row last year. Like Labonte’s experience here. Do not save starts.
Martinsville - One of my favorite tracks. Johnson, Hamlin, Bowyer, Harvick, Burton and Labonte are musts. Hamlin beat out Gordon. Do not save starts here.
Texas – Been my achilles heel along with Daytona and Talladega. Michael Waltrip Racing has this place figured out. Stewart, Kenseth, and Burton are musts here. Good place to save starts.
Phoenix – track was made for IRL cars but that didn’t work out. Johnson, Burton, Harvick, and Labonte are musts here. Keep an eye one guys with open wheel backgrounds.
Talladega - Don’t burn guys you know you’ll need 9 starts out of. Usual suspects here Gordon, Kurt Busch, and Jr. are musts. Good place to throw off a bit.
Richmond – Hamlin, Stewart, Kyle B, Harvick, Bowyer are musts.
Darlington - Another favorite of mine. Only select the best wheel men here. Don’t not save starts. Johnson, Martin, Biffle, Hamlin, Gordon are all very good here. Tough A list choice. Ford very good here.
Lowe’s – Jimmie’s house and a good place to save studs. Jimmie, Kahne, Burton, Labonte, Edwards, are all good candidates if not musts.
Dover - Place is also one of my faves. Johnson, Kenseth, Edwards, Kyle, and Martin are very good here. This is a Ford track. It’s like a bigger version of Bristol.
Pocono – Fun track to drive, not so fun to watch. Gets slicker every year just ask Smoke. Good place to throw off. Hamlin is a must though.
Michigan – Another big one for auto makers. Ford owns this place, figuratively. Edwards, Kenseth are must haves. Fuel mileage race is likely, so good place to save starts.
Infineon - Road Course time and good place to save some starts. Fuel mileage comes into play here some. Stewart, Montoya, Ambrose, Harvick, Robby Gordon are musts although Robby is checkers or wreckers usually.
New Hampshire – Is like a bigger, faster version of Martinsville. Johnson, Hamlin, Gordon, Montoya, Harvick, Stewart all very good here. Burton and Bowyer are also musts on the B list.
Chicagoland - Is similar to Kansas. Fuel mileage races are prevalent here, so not a bad place to use sleepers. Harvick, Stewart, Vickers and Kenseth all must haves here.
Indianapolis - Use your studs here as the cream always rises to the top. Stewart, Gordon, Johnson, Montoya are all awesome here, so tough choice on A list. I think you gotta go Stewart and Johnson but man it’s tough to leave Montoya off.
Watkins Glen – Tony Stewart is the man here on this road course. Montoya, Harvick and Ambrose must be on your team too. Robby Gordon better here than Infineon.
Kansas - As stated above, similar to Chicago and comes down to fuel mileage a lot. Biffle, Johnson and Kenseth all very good here.
Homestead – Usually comes down to whatever driver needs a good run. Johnson is usually on cruise control here so don’t save him for the last race. Truex Jr, Biffle, Edwards, Kenseth all love this place. Ford sponsors this race and this is a Ford track.
Ray,
According to Darrell Waltrip, all the Fords have the new engine in right now, and the teams will reevaluate whether to run it in the 500 later this week.
Hey Ray, it does look like we have to downgrade the “Ford” tracks a bit after 2009. But the only problem is that these things change so much, we can only analyze on a season to season basis. Ford, and more specifically Roush Fenway, certainly could have to gone to work in the offseason and might come back to dominate the 1.5-2 mile racetracks.
The next three races after Daytona are Auto Club, Las Vegas and Atlanta, so we should have a decent idea pretty early into the season just how the Fords are going to run on the “Ford” tracks.
As for the new Ford engine, I’ve heard some teams will use it on and off at the beginning of the season, but it might not be fully implemented until somewhere around the Coke 600 in May. This is all just speculation, so take it with a grain of salt.
after 2009,has the “Ford tracks” lost credence?
Whats the story on new ford engines?
How much has COT cars made past?
would appreciate some input. thanks Ray Miller