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THUNDER'S BLOG  |
September 3, 2010
"Baby Busch & The Attack Of The Busch Army"
Over the last few weeks as Kyle Busch was tearing thru all three of NASCAR's major series, I continually received questions from fans regarding the top drivers in the sport, and the always intriguing, "who would you start a team with?" question. WOW, did I piss some people off.
If any of you think Kyle Busch doesn't have any fans, which I hear constantly, "Oh, he wins a lot, but he doesn't have any fans...everyone hates him!", you are sadly mistaken. In fact, I may have heard from every one of them over the past week. And trust me, none of it was pretty. It was the attack of the Busch Army!
When asked the question, "Thunder, what four drivers would you start a Sprint Cup team with today, and if you could only pick one driver who would it be?", I answered with my brain instead of my heart. You see, my heart says I want the fastest bad-ass stock car driver with a take no prisoners get the FUCK out of my way attitude. A driver who will not be denied victory, a driver who will risk his life and everyone else's to get to victory lane, a driver who slides his car sideways and wave's at you as he passes you at 200 mph. But not a whiner...aka Kyle Busch.
But, my brain tells me to choose a driver who has 'many' of those qualities...just not all of them. I'm not a big fan of cry-baby's, drivers who sell-out their own crews, drivers who stomp their feet and hustle off pit road when they don't win, and gigantic sun glasses that look like snow boarding goggles.
So, my ideal 'four-car' team for 2011 and the next four-years (assuming all drivers sign 5-year deals) would look like this: Jimmie Johnson, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, and Denny Hamlin.
Johnson is a lock with his vanilla image, professional attitude, sponsorability (is that a word?), and four-straight championships. He is still in his prime and is hungry for more championships. Chad Knaus is an amazing crew chief and a brilliant engineer, but he receives way too much credit for the success of the #48 team...Johnson can flat out drive a stock car.
Edwards is a tough choice to say the least. I obviously believe he is one of the most talented drivers in the sport or he wouldn't have made my Top-4, but man oh man can he be an asshole. They call that wrestler on TNA 'Mr. Anderson' an asshole, but he aint got nothing on Cuzin Carl. Now, I should clarify my self here...Carl is an asshole at the racetrack, but away from the track he's a great guy. He has hung out with my son at the quarter midget track, signed crap for the kids, taken pictures, etc. But, he certainly isn't winning any friends in the garage area...and not that he cares too.
Kyle Busch, or as I have been calling him for at least five years..."Baby Busch" is a lock for anyones Top-4. Kurt is "Big Busch" and Kyle is "Baby Busch", it makes perfect sense right? And WOW does Kyle's name fit him! He wins more than anyone, is breaking records it seems weekly, has the HOTTEST girlfriend with the greatest rack on pit road, and yet he whines like a little baby whenever a microphone is stuck in front of that ugly mug (try getting a tan dude, it 'might' help a little). I can't even begin to tell you how much this kid makes my blood boil when he throws his own crew under the bus, blames his crew chief for pit strategy, storms off pit road, or hides behind his snow boarding goggles.
Let me be clear when I say this, NO ONE, and I mean NO ONE in any of NASCAR's three series has as much pure and genuine talent in a race car as Kyle Busch. Robby Gordon Motorsports driver Kevin Conway told me that Kyle Busch waved to him as he passed Kevin on the outside at 'Dega while driving 200 mph. Right now, he is the best there is and I don't think anyone can argue that. He wins in everything he drives...and God help those dirt trackers that push him around at The Prelude if he decides to start dirt tracking, he'll win it that every year too! Yeah I said it, every year! Sorry 'Smoke', if 'Baby Busch' gets involved even at a modest level in dirt racing, you are all in serious trouble.
My fourth driver is also the driver I would choose if I could only sign one. Denny Hamlin. Hamlin is Busch's closest competitor in terms of pure talent, but he doesn't come with all of the baggage Busch brings along. Oh, Denny has had his moments there is no denying that. But, nothing like 'Baby Busch'. Hamlin has grown up a lot over the past two-seasons under the tutelage of Joe and J.D. Gibbs. He says the right things after races, he acts like a pro, he is great with the sponsors (not that Kyle isn't, Kyle is one of the best at plugging sponsors), and he wins. One thing I would love to see is Hamlin running the same Nationwide and Truck schedule that 'Baby Busch' runs...that would be fun!
So there you have it fans, I love the way 'Baby Busch' drives but I respect Denny a little more as an individual at this point. Kyle will continue to win races, so will Denny, and Kyle will continue to aggravate the shit out of me. I gotta tell you, sometimes I seriously want to just shake the piss out of him and smack him in the face a few times. But, then I remember what I was like at 22 or 23 years of age....what an ASSHOLE.
Enough of that crap. I'm stoked for a rocking Labor Day weekend. My co-host on the 'TWISTED METAL' with Captain Thunder Show, 'The BIG Man' will be visiting Thunder Ranch this weekend. Plenty of booze, beach, four-wheeling, pool, maybe shoot some guns and light off some fireworks! Y'all be cool and have a safe and enjoyable Labor Day holiday.
If you would like to e-mail me or 'The Big Man', you can send your messages to Captain Thunder or The Big Man Make sure all of you satellite radio subscribers tune in to listen to my live segments on 'The Scott Ferrall Show' EVERY Friday night during the Sprint Cup season LIVE on Sirius Satellite Radio, "The Scott Ferrall Show", channel 101 The Howard Stern Network. Each week, I preview the upcoming race, give out my Legendary Top-5 and pick to win the race, and take questions from NASCAR fans. Check out scottferrall.com , scottbeatstheman.com , & sirius.com You can dial in to the show by calling 888-STERN-101. Our LIVE show, "Twisted Metal" is an UNCENSORED show and is NOT for those under the age of 18. If you are not a prude or an old lady, check out "Twisted Metal" , it is the wildest show on radio and is not for the timid! "Twisted Metal" will air every Wednesday evening at 8:00 PM e.s.t. and replays are also available in our RADIO REPLAYS section. You can listen live clicking here - LIVE RADIO Keep the pictures coming! We encourage you to send us the wildest race pictures you have. Please email them to us and we will post them in our photo section. Remember to check the site every day! We will continue to update it daily with all of the breaking NASCAR news from around the country! See You At The Track,
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| CAPTAIN THUNDER'S 'DICKIES 500' PREVIEW PAGE |
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THE INTERNETS LARGEST RACE PREVIEW PAGE
EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO PREPARE FOR THE
"DICKIES 500" FROM THE TEXAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY
INCLUDING "CAPTAIN THUNDER'S LEGENDARY TOP 5", AND HIS PICK TO TAKE THE CHECKERED FLAG SUNDAY AFTERNOON

CLICK "READ MORE" FOR THE COMPLETE RACE PREVIEW PAGE
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(THIS PAGE IS UPDATED DAILY AS RACE INFO COMES OUT...CHECK BACK EACH DAY FOR MORE NEWS & INFO)
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DICKIES 500 - ENTRY LIST
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O'REILLY CHALLENGEÂ - ENTRY LIST
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WINSTAR WORLD CASINO 350 - ENTRY LIST
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"DICKIES 500"Â Â PREVIEWS - DRIVERS, TEAMS, & MANUFACTURERS"
(previews are posted throughout the week as teams release them)
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"DICKIES 500" RACE PREVIEW - RACE 34 OF 36
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The Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup heads west to Texas Motor Speedway in Ft. Worth, Tex. this week, for Sunday’s Dickies 500 – the eighth event in the Chase.
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In addition: - The NASCAR Camping World Truck Series will also be at Texas, with the WinStar World Casino 350 on Friday night - The NASCAR Nationwide Series returns to action at Texas, with the O’Reilly Challenge on Saturday afternoon
The Chase, Week 8
Jimmie Johnson Close To History Making Fourth Consecutive Title
Jimmie Johnson’s sixth-place finish at Talladega enabled him to build his series standings lead to 184 points over Mark Martin. Johnson is inching closer to a truly historic accomplishment – an unprecedented fourth consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.
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Johnson has been unstoppable during the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, finishing in the top 10 in all of the first seven races, including three wins (Dover International Speedway, Auto Club Speedway and Lowe’s Motor Speedway), and five top fives.
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Johnson’s Texas Motor Speedway resume is stout. In 12 starts he has posted one win, six top fives and nine top 10s, including finishing second behind Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon in the spring.Â
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Dominating Season Sparks Clinch Scenario Talks With his seventh top-10 finish in the seven Chase races this playoff season, Jimmie Johnson’s average Chase finish is at 3.4.
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The dominance has opened up a rather clear path to his historic fourth consecutive championship. If Jimmie Johnson averages a 10th place finish, or an 11th place finish and at least one lap led in every race, or a 13th place finish and the most laps led in every race – he will clinch the championship no matter what any other driver does.
His statistics thus far in the Chase are championship worthy: three wins, five top fives, a Driver Rating of 125.5 and an average Running Position of 7.0.
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Carl Edwards Looks To Flex Some Muscle In The Lone Star State
Carl Edwards comes into the Texas event still without a victory this season, which is hard to believe considering Edwards had a series-high nine wins last year. Edwards’ eighth 2008 victory was in the Dickies 500, so maybe it’s time for him to end the drought, with this return to Texas.
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Edwards leads the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series in wins at Texas with three after grabbing his first win at the 1.5-mile speedway in 2005 and sweeping both races last season. He finished 10th at Texas earlier this season.
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Four-Time Series Champ Looking To Sweep Texas And Climb Back Into Title Contention
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Don’t count four-time series champion Jeff Gordon out of the title race just yet. Gordon is third in the standings, 192-points behind the leader. But Gordon won the spring race at Texas Motor Speedway, and could possibly turn his Chase around by repeating his performance and sweeping both Texas events.
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Gordon has made 17 starts at Texas, posting one win, seven top fives and nine top 10s. Before his 20th-place finish at Talladega last weekend, he had strung together five consecutive top-five finishes.
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Spoiler Role Could Happen Two Weeks In A Row
Jamie McMurray took the checkered flag at Talladega Superspeedway last Sunday to become the first non-Chase driver to win a Chase race this season. This weekend could prove to be more of the same.
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If you’re looking for “spoilers” outside the 12-driver Chase field at Texas, consider Matt Kenseth. He has the series’ best Driver Rating at Texas, 105.8. Kenseth has top-10 finishes in his last five Texas starts.
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Also, with the recent announcement of Lance McGrew as his full-time crew chief it would be wise to keep an eye out for Dale Earnhardt Jr. this weekend. Texas Motor Speedway is the home of his first series win and he posted three top fives and seven top 10s in his 14 series starts there.
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One stat not in favor of the spoilers this week is that eight of 12 Chase drivers [Carl Edwards (3), Greg Biffle, Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Mark Martin, Ryan Newman and Tony Stewart] have won at least once at Texas Motor Speedway.
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Reigning and three-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe’s Chevrolet) is exactly where he likes to be in early November — at the head of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup class.
And as series teams prepare for Sunday’s Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway, he’s staring down some personal and historical benchmarks.
No driver has won four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup titles. Johnson could be the first.
But the 2009 Chase hardly is over. Beginning Sunday, three races remain, which means Johnson has plenty to do to cement his position and fend off pursuers.
The closest are a pair of Hendrick Motorsports teammates — Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg’s/CARQUEST Chevrolet) and Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet), in second and third place, respectively, in the Chase standings.
One, Martin, is a four-time series runner-up. The other, Gordon, is a four-time series champion himself.
Neither will yield.
Aside from Gordon and Martin, another Texas threat comes in the form of 10th-place Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford), who swept both 2008 races there.
Gordon Looking To Complete 2009 Texas Sweep
Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon did more than simply win this past April at Texas Motor Speedway. He excised 12 years’ worth of frustration, finally capturing a victory at one of the few tracks where he hadn’t yet triumphed.
Sunday, he’ll begin Sunday’s Dickies 500 with larger stakes. In third place in the 2009 Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Gordon trails leader and Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson by 192 points and second-place (and teammate) Mark Martin by only eight points.
A rigorous climb? Yes, but Gordon does have the chops and stamina to capitalize should Johnson and Martin falter. The April win gave him seven top fives and nine top 10s in 17 Texas starts, plus the confidence to find his way to Victory Lane there.
Johnson isn’t the only Chase driver with momentum; prior to last Sunday’s 20th-place finish at Talladega Superspeedway, Gordon had amassed five consecutive top-five finishes.
“We had been so close in the past,” Gordon said of his Texas travails. “But, whether it was me hitting the wall late in the race while leading or an electrical issue while leading, we just never were able to win – so to get that first win here was great for us. To get another win, though, we’ll need to take another step forward. If we showed up this weekend with the same setup we used in April, we’d run 15th. That’s just the way the sport is. Everybody is constantly learning and the competition is constantly getting better and quicker.”
Loop Data Says: Look Out For Roush Fenway Racing At Texas
Last Sunday at Talladega, Jamie McMurray (No. 26 Crown Royal Ford) ended quite a few droughts.
First, he ended a personal 86-race winless drought that dated back to July 2007.
Second, he ended a Roush Fenway Racing drought that dated back to this year’s first Auto Club Speedway race, won by teammate Matt Kenseth (No. 17 DEWALT Ford). That was 30 races long.
Third, he erased the slate on the non-Chaser race-win drought. That slump lasted 23 Chase races, all the way back to teammate Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M /Super 33 Tape Ford) at Kansas in 2007.
Well, good things might come in bunches.
Though McMurray doesn’t own the best statistics at Texas, his teammates – and a couple other non-Chasers – do.
Topping the statistical list is Kenseth, both a member of the Roush Fenway stable and a non-Chaser. Kenseth won at Texas in 2002, and has finished in the top 10 in five consecutive Texas races. Since the inception of Loop Data in 2005, Kenseth has a series-best Driver Rating of 105.8, an Average Running Position of 9.0 (second-best), 143 Fastest Laps Run (sixth) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 80.8%.
Also strong at Texas is Carl Edwards, who swept there last season, but is still looking for his first victory of 2009. In his nine-race Texas career, Edwards has a Driver Rating of 102.4 (fourth), an Average Running Position of 11.5 (fifth) and 260 Fastest Laps Run (second).
Biffle, who is coming off two consecutive top-five finishes at Texas, should factor into Sunday’s victory scenarios. Since 2005 at Texas, Biffle has a Driver Rating of 95.7 (fifth) and a series-high 263 Fastest Laps Run.
Also an interesting study this weekend is Kyle Busch (No. 18 M&M’s Toyota), who will be with new crew chief Dave Rogers for the first time. Busch failed to make the Chase, and is looking to end a drought of his own: nine races without a victory.
Busch has yet to win at Texas, but he’s come close, finishing in the top 10 in four of the last six Texas races. In his nine-race Texas career, Busch has a Driver Rating of 94.8 (seventh), an Average Running Position of 12.9 (eighth), 127 Fastest Laps Run (eighth) and a Laps in the Top 15 percentage of 62.1% (eighth).
Race-Best Driver Rating at Texas (2005-Present)     Driver             Date       Rating  1. Tony Stewart    11/06        149.7  2. Greg Biffle       4/05         149.2  3. Carl Edwards   11/08        146.7  4. Carl Edwards   4/08         139.8  5. Jeff Gordon       4/07         136.3
Race-Best Average Running Position at Texas (2005-Present)      Driver               Date     ARP  1. Tony Stewart     11/06     1.9  2. Jeff Gordon        4/07       2.1  3. Jimmie Johnson 4/08       2.3  4. Carl Edwards   4/08        2.4  5. Carl Edwards   11/08      2.6
  -  Information provided by nascar media
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Chat with other race fans about this weeks race MESSAGE BOARDS - UNEDITED & UNCENSORED - MESSAGE BOARDS
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NASCAR SPRINT CUP STANDINGS
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NASCAR NATIONWIDE STANDINGS
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NASCAR CAMPING WORLD STANDINGS
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Completed : 1996 Distance : 1.5 miles Shape : Quad-oval Banking : 24° turns
5° straights
Frontstretch : 2,250 feet Backstretch : 1,330 feet Seating : 159,585Â
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BUY TICKETS TO THE RACE HERE
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TEXAS MOTORÂ SPEEDWAY RACE HISTORY
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FIRST SPRINT CUP RACEÂ Â - 1997Â -Â JEFF BURTON
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MOST CAREER VICTORIES -Â CARL EDWARDS (3)
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MOST ACTIVE CAREER WINS -Â CARL EDWARDS (3)
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MOST CAREER TOP-5 -Â JEFF GORDONÂ (7)
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MOST CAREER TOP-10 - JEFF GORDON, MATT KENSETH, TONY STEWART, MARK MARTIN, JIMMIE JOHNSONÂ (9)
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DEFENDING RACE WINNER - CARL EDWARDS
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APRILÂ 2009 WINNER - JEFF GORDON
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MOST WINS BY MANUFACTURER -Â FORDÂ (9)
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TRACK RACE RECORD -Â CARL EDWARDSÂ - 2005 -Â 151.055 MPH
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QUALIFYING RECORD -Â BRIAN VICKERS -Â 2006 - 196.235 MPHÂ
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MOST CAREER POLES -Â RYAN NEWMAN, BOBBY LABONTE, DALE JRÂ (2)
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MOST CAUTIONS -Â (12)Â 2004 & 2006
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CLICK HERE TO SEE 'ALL' HISTORICALÂ TEXASÂ SPRINT CUP WINNERS
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WEEKEND RACE SCHEDULE
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GREEN FLAG: 3:31Â PM SUNDAYÂ NOVEMBER 8THÂ - ABC
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QUALIFYING (Two laps for positions 1 - 42) : FRIDAYÂ NOVEMBERÂ 6THÂ - 4:40Â PM - SPEED TV
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PRACTICE: FRIDAY NOVEMBER 6THÂ - 1:00 PM - 2:30 PMÂ - SPEED TV SATURDAYÂ NOVEMBER 7THÂ - 9:45 AMÂ - 10:30 AMÂ - SPEED TV
HAPPY HOUR: SATURDAY NOVEMBER 7THÂ - 11:00 AMÂ - 12:00 PMÂ SPEED TV
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CAPTAIN THUNDER'S LEGENDARY TOP 5
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MARK MARTIN - WINNER
#5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.8
2009 Rundown • Five wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; seven poles • Average finish of 14.3 • Led 23 races for 805 laps
Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, five top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 13.8 in 17 races • Average Running Position of 14.2, 11th-best • Driver Rating of 86.8, 13th-best • 496 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most • 1,902 Laps in the Top 15 (63.1%), seventh-most • 243 Quality Passes, 13th-most
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JIMMIE JOHNSON
#48 Lowe's Chevrolet
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 113.6
2009 Rundown • Six wins, 14 top fives, 22 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 10.8 • Led 27 races for 1,972 laps
Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, six top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 8.5 in 12 races • Average Running Position of 10.6, fourth-best • Driver Rating of 103.8, third-best • 180 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.670 mph, second-fastest • 2,173 Laps in the Top 15 (72.0%), fifth-most • 270 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), eighth-most
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TONY STEWART
#14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3
2009 Rundown • Four wins, 15 top fives, 22 top 10s • Average finish of 9.8 • Led 18 races for 371 laps
Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, four top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 12.6 in 15 races • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.8 • Driver Rating of 105.4, second-best • 229 Fastest Laps Run, third-most • Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.715 mph • 2,445 Laps in the Top 15 (81.1%), second-most • 286 Quality Passes, seventh-most
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DENNY HAMLIN
#11 FedEx Toyota
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.4
2009 Rundown • Three wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 18 races for 1,307 laps
Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 11.6 in eight races • Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best • Driver Rating of 95.2, sixth-best • 288 Quality Passes, fifth-most
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CARL EDWARDS
#99 Aflac Ford
• Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.2
2009 Rundown • Seven top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 14.5 • Led 12 races for 164 laps
Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Three wins, three top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 in nine races • Average Running Position of 11.5, fifth-best • Driver Rating of 102.4, fourth-best • 260 Fastest Laps Run, second-most • 520 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.583 mph, fifth-fastest • 2,311 Laps in the Top 15 (76.6%), fourth-most • 313 Quality Passes, third-most
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SLEEPER PICK (always outside of the Top 20 in points)
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JAMIE MCMURRAY
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CHECK OUT CAPTAIN THUNDERS NEWEST WEBSITE...
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www.RaceMySpace.com
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The ONLY Social Networking Site Made Just For NASCAR Fans!
Captain Thunder has done it again! RaceMySpace.com is all about YOU...the Race Fan! Build your own web page and show off the colors of your favorite driver. Talk smack on the message boards, post your pictures & videos from the race track, buy & sell race tickets in the classified section, and find true love by meeting other NASCAR fans just like you! Think My Space for Race Fans!
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Check out www.RaceMySpace.com
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THUNDER'S PERSONAL 'RACE MY SPACE' PAGE
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THUNDER'S 'FACEBOOK' PAGE
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TEXASÂ MOTOR SPEEDWAYÂ TRACK HISTORY
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Texas Motor Speedway's construction began in 1995. The original configuration called for an unusual dual banking system that had 24 degrees of banking for stock cars and 8 degrees for open-wheel cars.
On April 5, 1997, Mark Martin won the first NASCAR event at TMS, a Busch Series event. Jeff Burton won the inaugural Cup Series race in front of a sellout crowd on the next afternoon.
In 1998, Turn 4 at Texas Motor Speedway was reshaped to ease the transition from the turns to the front straightaway. That April, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s career got a boost after his first Busch Series victory.
But after that race, a second renovation started and was completed in less than two months. The project eliminated the dual banking and gave the track its current configuration.
In 2005, TMS was awarded a fall Nextel Cup date to go with its April date. That 2005 event was the 34th race of that season's 36-race schedule. - www.nascar.com
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TAILGATING
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Getting there
From Ft. Worth: Take I-35 W north from Fort Worth. Exit on SH 114 and turn under the overpass to reach the speedway
From Dallas: There are a variety of routes from Dallas to Texas Motor Speedway. The following route is recommended: Head north from Dallas on I-35 E to Denton. At the junction of I-35 E and I-35 W, head back south on I-35 W. Exit right on SH 114 to the speedway.
From Denton: Take I-35 W south from Denton and exit right on SH 114. Alernate: Take U.S. 380 W from Denton and turn left on FM 156 south to SH 114. Take a left on SH 114 and continue to the speedway.
Parking and camping
The direction you come in from will determine where you park.
On race days, general parking is free at TMS. Daily VIP parking is available with prices ranging from $25-$75. Express parking ranges from $20-$40.
Speedway camping: Tent City -- There are two areas on the east side for tent campers. Unreserved tent sites will be approximately 10 feet x 15 feet. No generators are allowed in Tent City areas. Fees range from $50-$75. Unreserved camping is on the west side of the speedway for the NASCAR weekend races only. There will be 1,000 sites, approximately 20 feet x 40 feet, available on a first-come, first-served basis for a price of $50. Reserved camping is available at various sites.
What to bring
Texas Motor Speedway allows each guest to bring the following:
• A cooler no larger than 14 x 14 x 14 inches and containing no glass. You may bring alcoholic beverages into the grandstand areas. Only one cooler per ticketholder is allowed in the grandstands.
• Bags such as backpacks, fannypacks, etc. are allowed, but are subject to inspection by security officials and can be no larger than 14 inches in all dimensions
• Binoculars, seat cushions, scanners and cameras are allowed inside the speedway. - By Jo Ann Hlavac, Special Contributor to www.nascar.com
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CAPTAIN THUNDER RACING T-SHIRTS ONLY $15.95
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The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Top 12 -- And Beyond
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1 - Jimmie Johnson (No. 48 Lowe's Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 113.6 2009 Rundown • Six wins, 14 top fives, 22 top 10s; three poles • Average finish of 10.8 • Led 27 races for 1,972 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, six top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 8.5 in 12 races • Average Running Position of 10.6, fourth-best • Driver Rating of 103.8, third-best • 180 Fastest Laps Run, fourth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.670 mph, second-fastest • 2,173 Laps in the Top 15 (72.0%), fifth-most • 270 Quality Passes (passes of cars in the top 15 under green), eighth-most
2 - Mark Martin (No. 5 Kellogg's/CARQUEST Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 99.8 2009 Rundown • Five wins, 12 top fives, 19 top 10s; seven poles • Average finish of 14.3 • Led 23 races for 805 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, five top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 13.8 in 17 races • Average Running Position of 14.2, 11th-best • Driver Rating of 86.8, 13th-best • 496 Green Flag Passes, 12th-most • 1,902 Laps in the Top 15 (63.1%), seventh-most • 243 Quality Passes, 13th-most
3 - Jeff Gordon (No. 24 DuPont Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 102.1 2009 Rundown • One win, 16 top fives, 23 top 10s • Average finish of 10.2 • Led 18 races for 816 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, seven top fives, nine top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 15.2 in 17 races • Average Running Position of 14.1, 10th-best • Driver Rating of 92.2, ninth-best • 136 Fastest Laps Run, seventh-most • 1,869 Laps in the Top 15 (62.0%), ninth-most • 249 Quality Passes, 11th-most
4 - Juan Pablo Montoya (No. 42 Target Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 94.1 2009 Rundown • Seven top fives, 17 top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 13.0 • Led 11 races for 388 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top 10s • Average finish of 20.4 in five races • Average Running Position of 16.1, 13th-best • Driver Rating of 80.2, 17th-best
5 - Tony Stewart (No. 14 Office Depot/Old Spice Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 100.3 2009 Rundown • Four wins, 15 top fives, 22 top 10s • Average finish of 9.8 • Led 18 races for 371 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, four top fives, nine top 10s • Average finish of 12.6 in 15 races • Series-best Average Running Position of 8.8 • Driver Rating of 105.4, second-best • 229 Fastest Laps Run, third-most • Series-best Average Green Flag Speed of 172.715 mph • 2,445 Laps in the Top 15 (81.1%), second-most • 286 Quality Passes, seventh-most
6 - Kurt Busch (No. 2 Miller Lite Dodge) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 98.9 2009 Rundown • One win, eight top fives, 18 top 10s • Average finish of 13.6 • Led 19 races for 537 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One top five, eight top 10s • Average finish of 14.8 in 13 races • Average Running Position of 15.0, 12th-best • Driver Rating of 89.3, 10th-best • 100 Fastest Laps Run, 10th-most • Series-high 583 Green Flag Passes • 306 Quality Passes, fourth-most
7 - Greg Biffle (No. 16 3M Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.4 2009 Rundown • 10 top fives, 15 top 10s • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 13 races for 551 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 22.1 in 11 races • Average Running Position of 16.3, 14th-best • Driver Rating of 95.7, fifth-best • Series-high 263 Fastest Laps Run • 526 Green Flag Passes, fifth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.591 mph, fourth-fastest • 288 Quality Passes, fifth-most
8 - Ryan Newman (No. 39 U.S. Army Chevrolet) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 82.5 2009 Rundown • Five top fives, 15 top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 14.3 • Led 15 races for 213 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, three top fives, three top 10s; two poles • Average finish of 23.3 in 12 races • Average Running Position of 23.1, 25th-best • Driver Rating of 65.8, 23rd-best
9 - Kasey Kahne (No. 9 Budweiser Dodge) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.3 2009 Rundown • Two wins, seven top fives, 14 top 10s • Average finish of 14.7 • Led 8 races for 248 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One win, two top fives, two top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 21.9 in 10 races • Average Running Position of 16.6, 16th-best • Driver Rating of 81.7, 16th-best • 144 Fastest Laps Run, fifth-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.082 mph, 12th-fastest
10 - Carl Edwards (No. 99 Aflac Ford) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 88.2 2009 Rundown • Seven top fives, 13 top 10s • Average finish of 14.5 • Led 12 races for 164 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Three wins, three top fives, four top 10s • Average finish of 13.4 in nine races • Average Running Position of 11.5, fifth-best • Driver Rating of 102.4, fourth-best • 260 Fastest Laps Run, second-most • 520 Green Flag Passes, seventh-most • Average Green Flag Speed of 172.583 mph, fifth-fastest • 2,311 Laps in the Top 15 (76.6%), fourth-most • 313 Quality Passes, third-most
11 - Denny Hamlin (No. 11 FedEx Toyota) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 101.4 2009 Rundown • Three wins, 12 top fives, 17 top 10s; one pole • Average finish of 14.2 • Led 18 races for 1,307 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • Two top fives, five top 10s • Average finish of 11.6 in eight races • Average Running Position of 12.3, sixth-best • Driver Rating of 95.2, sixth-best • 288 Quality Passes, fifth-most
12 - Brian Vickers (No. 83 Red Bull Toyota) • Season-to-Date Driver Rating: 84.1 2009 Rundown • One win, four top fives, 13 top 10s; six poles • Average finish of 16.4 • Led 10 races for 101 laps Texas Motor Speedway Outlook: • One pole • Average finish of 22.2 in 10 races • Average Running Position of 22.1, 22nd-best • Driver Rating of 65.8, 22nd-best • 501 Green Flag Passes, 11th-most - nascar media
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