NASCAR Pick 'Em Matchups for the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky

Allan- #16 Greg Biffle
Goody- #48 Jimmie Johnson
Flo- #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Jimmie- #17 Matt Kenseth
Fan Pick- #24 Jeff Gordon
Goody Sr.- #14 Tony Stewart
Sarah- #11 Denny Hamlin
Lucas- #29 Kevin Harvick
Rudy- #56 Martin Truex Jr.

NASCAR Pick 'Em Standings after the Savemart 350 at Sonoma

1. Allan- 570pts 1 win, 4 top fives, 10 top tens
2. Goody- 557pts 0 wins, 7 top fives, 12 top tens -13pts
3. Flo- 556pts 2 wins, 7 top fives, 11 top tens -14pts
4. Jimmie- 545pts 0 wins, 6 top fives, 11 top tens -25pts
5. Fan Pick- 543pts 3 win, 7 top fives, 8 top tens -27pts
6. Goody Sr- 516pts 2 wins, 6 top fives, 8 top tens -54pts
7. Sarah- 514pts 0 wins, 4 top fives, 8 top tens -56pts
8. Lucas- 484pts 0 wins, 4 top fives, 8 top tens -86pts
9. Rudy- 444pts 1 wins, 4 top fives, 6 top tens -126pts

NASCAR Matchups for the Savemart 300 at Sonoma

Allan- #9 Marcos Ambros
Goody- #22 AJ Allmendinger
Flo- #51 Kurt Busch
Jimmie- #24 Jeff Gordon
Fan Pick- #48 Jimmie Johnson
Sarah- #42 Juan Pablo Montoya
Goody Sr.- #29 Kevin Harvick
Lucas- #14 Tony Stewart
Rudy- #7 Robby Gordon

NASCAR Pick 'Em Matchups and Standings for the Quicken Loans 400 at Michigan

Picks

Flo- #18 Kyle Busch
Allan- #48 Jimmie Johnson
Goody- #14 Tony Stewart
Jimmie- #29 Kevin Harvick
Sarah- #16 Greg Biffle
Fan Pick- #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Goody Sr.- #17 Matt Kenseth
Rudy- #5 Kasey Kahne
Lucas- #99 Carl Edwards

Standings

1. Allan- 533pts 1 win, 4 top fives, 9 top tens
2. Goody- 522pts 0 wins, 7 top fives, 11 top tens -11pts
3. Flo- 514pts 2 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top tens -19pts
4. Jimmie- 506pts 0 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top tens -27pts
5. Fan Pick- 504pts 3 win, 6 top fives, 7 top tens -29pts
6. Sarah- 504pts 0 wins, 4 top fives, 8 top tens -29pts
7. Goody Sr- 488pts 2 wins, 6 top fives, 8 top tens -45pts
8. Lucas- 442pts 0 wins, 3 top fives, 7 top tens -91pts
9. Rudy- 439pts 1 wins, 4 top fives, 6 top tens -94pts

What's Dodge's Answer?

Dodge unveiled their new 2013 Charger for the for NASCAR Sprint Cup Series earlier this season at Vegas with high expectations, but since then things seem to be hopeless for the manufacturer. Penske, the only team that was fielding two Dodges full time in the Cup series full time, announced that they will be switching back to Ford after leaving them for Dodge back in the 2003 season.

One of the options for the team was to see if longtime Dodge supporter Richard Petty Motorsports would return to them. Another problem for them, RPM doesn't make their own chassis or engines thus making the switch to Dodge expensive and almost impossible. It would be an expensive move to get RPM in the right direction, a price tag of almost a half a billion dollars.

But there may be one last glamour of hope, and that may be Robby Gordon. He was the only other driver to race Dodges this season, but is currently part time. He already has the facility to support what Dodge is looking for, and that is a shop and team that builds his own chassis and engines which can be capable of being competitive if the proper backing was given to him. It would be a much cheaper option for the manufacturer but it would more than likely only be one car and probably a part time car as well for Robby Gordon as he will continue his off road truck career, his first racing love.

It will be interesting to see what move Dodge will make. Will they go the very expensive road and transfer RPM to build Dodges? Or does sticking less money into Robby Gordon Motorsports that already has the resources to get the ball rolling make more sense? Maybe the most logical answer for them will be to pull out of NASCAR all together. Only time will tell, but as of right now those are the only three options that Dodge has right now. What will be their answer? Stay tuned.



Pitting it Safe

After having one of the more dominate cars on Sunday at Pocono, Dale Earnhardt Jr's winless streak continues at 143 races. Noticed how I said winless streak and not losing streak like some others might say....first off it's not a win or lose sport like it is when only two teams play like in all other ball and stick sports.

But on Monday on thing can be debated, should of Dale Jr. pitted with 22 laps to go while having one of the fastest cars on the track? Many think he NEEDS to break this winless steak as soon as possible and gamble, while others (like myself) still say that there is a bigger picture than just winning and that's securing a spot on this years Chase for the Cup.

Don't get me wrong I would love to see that winless streak end, but not being a fair weather fan or media member, I know that racing is one sport that has a bigger picture than winning a race or two. The way Jr. is running so far this season he needs to continue to put himself in position to lock himself in the top 10 guaranteeing him a spot in the Chase. With the gamble being a big one, if he would of ran out of fuel at the end of the race he could of ended up as bad as 28th, only 47 points out of 10th. That might seem like a lot but after watching Jr. over the years this is the part of the schedule that he really struggles, take the 10 tens while you can, running out of fuel could be a momentum breaker for that 88 team. If he would of ran out while running in the top 3 it would of been like last year at the Coke 600, while leading, the media and fans would second guess if he can return to victory lane. I think an 8th place finish with a fast car looks better than a 28th place finish with an almost and a fast car.

I think once we go to some of these tracks for a second time will be where Jr. and Letarte will take some chances to get some checkered flags. When they go to Pocono again in August and baring Jr. is still running as consistent as he is currently, if put in the same situation, he would more than likely go for the checkered flag.

It seems that the only ones that are hung up on the winless streak are the Jr. haters and the media that doesn't follow the sport on a week to week basis. If Jr. keeps this momentum he will return to victory lane and when he does the wins will come in bunches.

NASCAR Pick 'Em Standings after the Pocono 400

1. Flo- 502pts 2 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top tens
2. Allan- 494pts 1 win, 3 top fives, 8 top tens -8pts
3. Goody- 479pts 0 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top tens -23pts
4. Jimmie- 472pts 0 wins, 6 top fives, 9 top tens -30pts
5. Sarah- 463pts 0 wins, 3 top fives, 7 top tens -39pts
6. Fan Pick- 456pts 2 win, 5 top fives, 6 top tens -46pts
7. Goody Sr- 446pts 2 wins, 5 top fives, 7 top tens -56pts
8. Rudy- 428pts 1 wins, 4 top fives, 6 top tens -74pts
9. Lucas- 409pts 0 wins, 3 top fives, 7 top tens -93pts

NASCAR Pick 'Em Matchups for the Pocono 400

Flo- #99 Carl Edwards
Allen- #17 Matt Kenseth
Jimmie- #16 Greg Biffle
Goody- #11 Denny Hamlin
Fan Pick- #29 Kevin Harvick
Sarah- #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Goody Sr.- #48 Jimmie Johnson
Rudy- #24 Jeff Gordon
Lucas- #14 Tony Stewart

Hit The Road Kurt

James Finch might have some serious thinking to do. His driver Kurt Busch has been suspended after an altercation with a pit reporter after the Nationwide race at Dover last Saturday. So sometime this week Finch and Busch will have a serious meeting this week in regards to Busch's future with the James Finch Racing Team. In my mind it's a no brainer, Kurt Busch has got to hit the road. Here are some bullet points on my reasoning's!

•  Just half a year after getting fired with Penske for a similar incident, it proves that he is way to far away from being a changed man
• He had been notoriously hard on his crew members in the past, so why put your guys through that?
• If you seen in that picture, the car has no decals on it. And continuing having an ass drive your car is unlikely to change that
• Busch is too talented to be in that car, so many times it puts him in the situation to where he has to overdrive the car and either blow something up or wreck it.
• It seems at every point in Kurt's career it came with some baggage; a feud with other drivers, getting nailed for drunk driving while having a alcoholic sponsor, trouble with the crew, and the media
• Kurt only planned to be with the team for this season only, Finch tried, and it's clearly not worth the headache.

Kurt Busch the Rageaholic

Well Kurt Busch had some more problems with the media again after the Nationwide race at Dover on Saturday, this little incident below is the reason why he will not be racing at Pocono this weekend. 

NASCAR Pick 'Em Standings after the Fed Ex 400 at Dover

1. Flo- 469pts 2 wins, 6 top fives, 10 top tens
2. Allan- 456pts 1 win, 3 top fives, 7 top tens -13pts
3. Jimmie- 451pts 0 wins, 6 top fives, 9 top tens -18pts
4. Goody- 439pts 0 wins, 5 top fives, 9 top tens -30pts
5. Fan Pick- 426pts 2 win, 5 top fives, 6 top tens -43pts
6. Sarah- 426pts 0 wins, 3 top fives, 6 top tens -43pts
7. Goody Sr- 406pts 2 wins, 4 top fives, 6 top tens -63pts
8. Rudy- 403pts 1 wins, 4 top fives, 6 top tens -66pts
9. Lucas- 368pts 0 wins, 2 top fives, 6 top tens -101pts

NASCAR Pick 'Em Matchups for the Fed Ex 400 at Dover

Allan- #99 Carld Edwards
Flo- #24 Jeff Gordon
Jimmie- #29 Kevin Harvick
Goody- #56 Martin Truex Jr.
Goody Sr.- #18 Kyle Busch
Fan Pick- #88 Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Sarah- #17 Matt Kenseth
Rudy- #48 Jimmie Johnson
Lucas- #16 Greg Biffle