NASCAR Fans - Pick Your Top 5 for Loudon NH (Corrections made page 4)

[ToriLammy]

Yea, no more off weeks until the chase is done! While I feel sorry for the drivers and crews I'm happy for me (although yesterday we went to see I, Robot so I didn't miss racing too much - my family is so nice to me.)

Pick your top 5 favorites to win and a spare in case one of your top 5 doesn't make the race. Picks must be in by the start of qualifying which is Friday, July 23rd at 3:05 ET. Qualifying will air live on TNT.

Last year's winner was Jimmie Johnson. Driver with the most wins is Jeff Burton.

My picks:

1. #48 - Jimmie Johnson (needs to catch up to Jeff win wise)
2. #24 - Jeff Gordon (always on my list)
3. #6 - Mark Martin (this veteran is on a mission to make the top 10)
4. #88 - Dale Jarrett (another one trying for the top 10)
5. #20 - Tony Stewart (making up for lost time)

Spare - #2 Rusty Wallace.

If you folks get CMT (Country Music Television) you need to try and catch this week's top 20 countdown show. Cledus T. Judd has done a parody of Toby Keith's I Love this Bar named "I love NASCAR." It's funny. He names a lot of drivers (and sponsors). Maybe NBC will show it on Sunday

 

[vald1977]

Here are my picks:
1.) Dale Jr. (I read he will be racing this week after that horrifying crash on Sunday. He could sure use this win )
2.) Kevin Harvick
3.) Michael Waltrip
4.) Kurt Busch
5.) Ryan Newman

spare: Jimmie Johnson

 

[Cinderellafifi]

Here are mine:

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Jimmie Johnson
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jamie McMurray
5. Kasey Kahne

Spare: Brian Vickers

Under the circumstances, I left Jr. out of my list. I hope he has a "speedy" recovery and doesn't race if he is not up to it.

And, as always, GO TONY!!

 

[BabyTigger99]

#8 Jr
#42 Johnson
#24 Gordon
#9 Kahne (still waiting for that first win!)
#19 Mayfield

spare: #41 Mears


Good luck everyone!

 

[Fire14]

#20 Tony
#9 Kahne
# 88 jarret
# 38 M+m
# 12 Newman

Spare: 48 johnson

 

[workinggal]

1. #48 Johnson
2. #24 Gordon
3. #9 Kahne
4. #97 K. Busch
5. #12 Newman


Alt: Bobby Labonte

 

[jrydberg]

1. #24 Jeff Gordon
2. #20 Tony Stewart
3. #48 Jimmie Johnson
4. #2 Rusty Wallace
5. #99 Jeff Burton

spare #88 Dale Jarrett

 

[shoes99]

Here are my picks:
1. #9 Kahne
2. #88 Jarrett
3. #20 Stewart
4. #48 Johnson
5. #24 Gordon

Spare: #8 Jr

 

[Lanshark]

1 Jeff Gordon
2 Jimmie Johnson
3 Kevin Harvick
4. Tony Stewart
5. Matt Kenseth

Spare Rusty

 

[princessariel]

OK, here are my picks for this week:

1. #48 Jimmie Johnson

2. #20 Tony Stewart

3. #12 Ryan Newman

4. #99 Jeff Burton

5. #38 Elliot Sadler

spare is #99 Dale Jarrett

Scarey crash for Jr fans! Thank God he's ok!

 

[Beauty]

1. Jimmie Johnson (my #1 will ALWAYS be JJ!)
2. KKahne
3. Jeff Gordon
4. Kenseth
5. Jr.

Spare - Tony Stewart

 

[Big Dude]

Let's see:

1) #88 Jarrett

2) #2 Rusty

3) #48 Johnson

4) #8 Jr.

5) #12 Newman

Spare will be #18 B. Labonte

Adam aka Big Dude

 

[DukeStreetKing]

J. Gordon
J. Johnson
D. Earnhardt, Jr.
R. Wallace
K. Harvick


Spare:
M. Waltrip

 

[Jet88]

My Loudon picks are:

1.) 20 Stewart
2.) 48 Johnson
3.) 24 Gordon
4.) 29 Harvick
5.) 19 Mayfield

spare 8 Jr. Hope he's feeling better.

Good luck everyone. Thanks Tori.

 

[xABearx]

Picks for Loudon:

1) #20 - Stewart
2) #48 - Johnson
3) #8 - Jr.
4) #29 - Harvick
5) #12 - Newman

Spare: #17 - Kenseth

Good Luck everyone and have a great week !! Andy

 

[gdulaney]

Here are my picks:

1) #48 - Johnson
2) #17 - Kenseth
3) # 8 - JR
4) #20 - Stewart
5) #29 - Harvick

Spare: #38 - Sadler

Good Luck everybody!!
Ginny

 

[WDWLVR]

Here are mine:

#8 Jr.

#24 Gordon

#48 Johnson

#12 Newman

#29 Harvick

Spare - #18 Labonte

 

[Lanshark]

The top priority is that Jr is okay but I though about how devastating it would have been to that team if he had to sit out a race or two due to injuries. I assume there will be some contract stipulations next season limiting the big name drivers.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been released from a California hospital and is recovering from burns received in a crash on Sunday, but the debate over the risks NASCAR drivers take when they race in other series continues.

Earnhardt suffered second-degree burns on approximately 6 percent of his body -- mostly his legs and chin -- when he backed a Chevrolet Corvette into the wall while practicing for Sunday's AmeriÂcan LeMans Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, Calif.

The crash ignited gasoline that had spilled from the filler neck that is used to fuel the car, but Earnhardt scrambled away from the inferno.

His injuries are not expected to prevent his full participation in the Nextel Cup race this weekend at Loudon, N.H., but they do raise questions about whether drivers such as Earnhardt, who is second in Cup points and has three wins this season, should risk injury by running in non-NASCAR races.

Atlanta Motor Speedway president Ed Clark said sponsors, some of whom spend more than $15 million a year to fund NASCAR race teams, may try to crack down on their drivers' extra-curricular racing.

"I'm sure as time goes by more sponsors will take a harder look at outside stuff like that," Clark said. "If I had a ton of money invested in a top-10 team, I'd feel funny about them going out and doing something else, but to the drivers that kind of racing is their golf game, their way to relax."

But, Clark said, it's doubtful any team owner or sponsor can really control a driver who is as big in the sport as Earnhardt.

"Dale Jr. is going to do what Dale Jr. wants to do," Clark said. "But he may think about it a little more now."

Len Wood, co-owner of the No. 21 Ford driven by Ricky Rudd, said it's difficult for a team owner or sponsor to say what risks their driver can take off the track.

"We had a tire changer one time that broke his leg skiing and was out four months," he said. "Where do you draw the line?"

Wood agreed with Clark that it's difficult to tell top stars not to race.

"If you tell Dale Jr. he can't do this and can't do that, it's the beginning of the end," he said. "He'll go somewhere he can do what he wants."

Home Depot spokesman Eric Oberman said company officials know Tony Stewart could be hurt in a crash, but they allow him to run open-wheeled sprint cars and USAC Midgets.

"We're always concerned about our driver's well-being, whether it be on the Nextel Cup circuit or in any other racing discipline," Oberman said. "We defer to Joe Gibbs Racing to monitor the scope of Tony's extra-curricular racing activities."

Roush Racing president Geoff Smith said provisions for extra-curricular racing are a part of every contract he's signed with drivers for at least 10 years.

"We get permission for our drivers to be in IROC, Busch and [Craftsman] Truck series races because we think that participation can enhance their performance in the main event," Smith said.

At least one of Earnhardt's sponsors agrees.

"Although there is always risk in all forms of motorsports, we support Dale Jr.'s efforts to become the most successful driver he can be," Budweiser spokesman Tony Ponturo said.

Defending Cup champion Matt Kenseth, who drives for Roush, has run several Late Model races recently, but only with Roush's approval.

"We reviewed the safety of the team and the preparation of the cars," Smith said, adding that drivers also are cautious about what they drive because they know their paychecks will stop if they get hurt and can't compete.

Still, Smith said, the sight of Earnhardt in a burning race car sent a shiver across the entire industry.

"That's NASCAR's franchise there in the car," he said. "That makes everybody pucker."

 

[WendyZ]

My Loudon picks....

1. #8 Jr. (Here's to a good week for him...he deserves it! )
2. #48 Johnson (Have to pick him...he finished 1st last yr. )
3. #17 Matt
4. #12 Ryan
5. #24 Gordon

Spare....#15 Mikey

Here's to another week of racing!!!
Good luck to all!!!

 

[ToriLammy]

Originally posted by Lanshark
The top priority is that Jr is okay but I though about how devastating it would have been to that team if he had to sit out a race or two due to injuries. I assume there will be some contract stipulations next season limiting the big name drivers.

It would have been very bad for the 8 team if he did have to sit out. I'm glad he doesn't (I want Jeff to win the Championship without any question marks ). It is nice to know that the 8 team is planning to have Truex available Sunday if Jr finds that being strapped in a hot car for 3 hours is not a good thing. Jr would still get the points as long as he starts the race so here's hoping he doesn't try to push himself to hard. From NASCAR.com:


Truex to stand by for Earnhardt Jr. at NHIS
By Marty Smith, Turner Sports Interactive
July 20, 2004 12:13 PM EDT (16:13 GMT)

MOORESVILLE, N.C. - -- Uncertain how conditions inside the car will affect Dale Earnhardt Jr's comfort level during the coming race weekend, Busch Series driver Martin Truex has been summoned to stand by during the Siemens 300.

Earnhardt Jr. suffered burns to some six percent of his body -- mainly to his chin and inner legs -- in an accident Sunday morning during American LeMans Series practice at Infineon Raceway.

Team spokesman Jade Gurss said Junior plans to see a specialist Thursday to have his burns checked and re-wrapped before flying to New Hampshire.

Gurss also said the team is also adding a cool box and additional venting to the No. 8 Chevrolet to help keep Junior cool during the race.

Gurss said the team does not think the safety belts will be in direct contact with the burn areas.

Junior was injured when the Corvette C5-R he was driving spun and impacted a barrier in the Turn 8 section of the road course track, and then caught fire.

Earnhardt quickly exited the car on his own and was then assisted by safety crews.

He was airlifted to the University of California-Davis Medical Center, where he stayed overnight for observation. He was released Monday and returned home.