By Matt Tuck
Contributing Editor
July 13, 2007
It has been nearly two months since the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers got to bring out their unrestricted, intermediate cars and they will be more than ready to use them this week after tearing up a bunch of SuperSpeedway cars at Daytona International Speedway.
Chicagoland Speedway is much like its "cookie-cutter" brethren. It is a 1.5-mile unrestricted, intermediate speedway whose banking and general layout are very similar to the other tracks of that size, namely Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway. The funny thing about Chicagoland is that it is particular about who it likes.
There are some drivers who have excelled at Chicago but struggle on the other such tracks, such as Kevin Harvick. Then there is someone like Carl Edwards, who has done well on the other 1.5-mile ovals, but has yet to crack the top-10 at Chicago, which means fantasy owners need to look at the overall picture. If a driver can handle the other "cookie-cutter" tracks, then he can handle Chicago.
Favorites
What separates a driver from the rest of the pack this week is not only performing well at Chicago, but having a proven track record on all the "cookie-cutters," and for the last 10 years, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have shown the way on these tracks.
Jimmie Johnson has never won at Chicagoland, but he has never finished lower than sixth there, either. In fact, that sixth-place finish last year was the first time in four tries that he didn't earn a top-five. He already has two wins on the "cookie-cutter" tracks this year, giving him five top-fives and six top-10s at those tracks since last fall. Start him with confidence on Sunday.
Tony Stewart is the only driver who can rival Johnson's claim to the "cookie-cutter" throne. He won three of the last four 1.5-mile oval races in 2006. "Smoke" ran second at Atlanta and was on his way to another "cookie-cutter" victory at Lowe's when he pitted for fuel, leaving the lead to a few gamblers. He limped home 32nd last year at Chicago, but prior to that, he had a win and four consecutive top-fives there.
Dark Horses
The "cookie-cutters" have been good for dark horse picks this year. In March, Juan Montoya surprised just about everyone by racing his way to a top five in his first trip to Atlanta. When filling out the fantasy roster, don't forget about your sleeper picks.
Reed Sorenson is not having the greatest follow-up to his rookie season, but he is proving to be a consistent threat on the "cookie-cutter" tracks. He earned three top-10s on the 1.5-mile ovals in 2006, which includes a seventh in his first career start at Chicago. Sorenson is having another strong "cookie-cutter" season this year, as he was seventh at Atlanta and fourth at Lowe's.
Going into the Coca-Cola 600, J.J. Yeley knew that he was driving for his job. That weekend, he had his strongest run of the season, stayed inside the top 10 throughout most of the race and grabbed a second-place finish for his effort. He will keep that pace going at Chicago, where he earned a 10th last season. It doesn't hurt that the No. 18 Chevrolet has a history of success on the unrestricted, intermediate speedways.
Avoidance Principal
Rhythm is a key ingredient to winning on a "cookie-cutter" track. Whether it is on race day or in the preceding weeks, having positive momentum can get a driver into the top 10 on these tracks. At the same time, problems have a way of being amplified on such speedways.
Kasey Kahne had an amazing season in 2006 and he dominated on the "cookie-cutter" tracks. He is far from that pace this year, but he actually started losing his momentum on the 1.5-mile ovals at Chicago. Entering that weekend, he had three wins and four consecutive top-fives on the "cookie-cutters." He ended that day in 23rd. In the four such races after that, he had a win sandwiched by three finishes of 33rd or lower. He has yet to earn a top-10 on anything but a SuperSpeedway in 2007, so there is nothing to suggest that he is ready to contend this weekend.
Since Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500, things have not gone his way. He has especially struggled on the "cookie-cutters" this year, not having earned anything above a 21st on those tracks in 2007. "Happy" tends to bring his best game to Chicago; he won the first two races in Illinois and he has never finished outside the top 20 there. However, with his troubles this season, he should be taken with a cautious approach.
Contributing Editor
July 13, 2007
It has been nearly two months since the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series drivers got to bring out their unrestricted, intermediate cars and they will be more than ready to use them this week after tearing up a bunch of SuperSpeedway cars at Daytona International Speedway.
Chicagoland Speedway is much like its "cookie-cutter" brethren. It is a 1.5-mile unrestricted, intermediate speedway whose banking and general layout are very similar to the other tracks of that size, namely Atlanta Motor Speedway, Texas Motor Speedway, Kansas Speedway, Las Vegas Motor Speedway and Lowe's Motor Speedway. The funny thing about Chicagoland is that it is particular about who it likes.
There are some drivers who have excelled at Chicago but struggle on the other such tracks, such as Kevin Harvick. Then there is someone like Carl Edwards, who has done well on the other 1.5-mile ovals, but has yet to crack the top-10 at Chicago, which means fantasy owners need to look at the overall picture. If a driver can handle the other "cookie-cutter" tracks, then he can handle Chicago.
Favorites
What separates a driver from the rest of the pack this week is not only performing well at Chicago, but having a proven track record on all the "cookie-cutters," and for the last 10 years, Hendrick Motorsports and Joe Gibbs Racing have shown the way on these tracks.
Jimmie Johnson has never won at Chicagoland, but he has never finished lower than sixth there, either. In fact, that sixth-place finish last year was the first time in four tries that he didn't earn a top-five. He already has two wins on the "cookie-cutter" tracks this year, giving him five top-fives and six top-10s at those tracks since last fall. Start him with confidence on Sunday.
Tony Stewart is the only driver who can rival Johnson's claim to the "cookie-cutter" throne. He won three of the last four 1.5-mile oval races in 2006. "Smoke" ran second at Atlanta and was on his way to another "cookie-cutter" victory at Lowe's when he pitted for fuel, leaving the lead to a few gamblers. He limped home 32nd last year at Chicago, but prior to that, he had a win and four consecutive top-fives there.
Dark Horses
The "cookie-cutters" have been good for dark horse picks this year. In March, Juan Montoya surprised just about everyone by racing his way to a top five in his first trip to Atlanta. When filling out the fantasy roster, don't forget about your sleeper picks.
Reed Sorenson is not having the greatest follow-up to his rookie season, but he is proving to be a consistent threat on the "cookie-cutter" tracks. He earned three top-10s on the 1.5-mile ovals in 2006, which includes a seventh in his first career start at Chicago. Sorenson is having another strong "cookie-cutter" season this year, as he was seventh at Atlanta and fourth at Lowe's.
Going into the Coca-Cola 600, J.J. Yeley knew that he was driving for his job. That weekend, he had his strongest run of the season, stayed inside the top 10 throughout most of the race and grabbed a second-place finish for his effort. He will keep that pace going at Chicago, where he earned a 10th last season. It doesn't hurt that the No. 18 Chevrolet has a history of success on the unrestricted, intermediate speedways.
Avoidance Principal
Rhythm is a key ingredient to winning on a "cookie-cutter" track. Whether it is on race day or in the preceding weeks, having positive momentum can get a driver into the top 10 on these tracks. At the same time, problems have a way of being amplified on such speedways.
Kasey Kahne had an amazing season in 2006 and he dominated on the "cookie-cutter" tracks. He is far from that pace this year, but he actually started losing his momentum on the 1.5-mile ovals at Chicago. Entering that weekend, he had three wins and four consecutive top-fives on the "cookie-cutters." He ended that day in 23rd. In the four such races after that, he had a win sandwiched by three finishes of 33rd or lower. He has yet to earn a top-10 on anything but a SuperSpeedway in 2007, so there is nothing to suggest that he is ready to contend this weekend.
Since Kevin Harvick won the Daytona 500, things have not gone his way. He has especially struggled on the "cookie-cutters" this year, not having earned anything above a 21st on those tracks in 2007. "Happy" tends to bring his best game to Chicago; he won the first two races in Illinois and he has never finished outside the top 20 there. However, with his troubles this season, he should be taken with a cautious approach.
