Talladega Cup Race Thread

[Erki]

30 cars into the qualifying, and it's Toyota 1-2-3-4 with JV being 4th.

I think he won't make the race.

[dont_be_jack]

WALTRIP ON THE POLE?! Someone better check for some illegal substances...

[Jonesi]

Cup Grid
55 MICHAEL WALTRIP
22 DAVE BLANEY
83 BRIAN VICKERS
78 JOE NEMECHEK
00 DAVID REUTIMANN
27 JACQUES VILLENEUVE
49 JOHN ANDRETTI
43 BOBBY LABONTE
9 KASEY KAHNE
19 ELLIOTT SADLER
--
20 TONY STEWART
45 KYLE PETTY
1 MARTIN TRUEX JR
96 TONY RAINES
88 MIKE WALLACE
12 RYAN NEWMAN
18 J.J. YELEY
2 KURT BUSCH
11 DENNY HAMLIN
48 JIMMY JOHNSON
--
16 GREG BIFFLE
31 JEFF BURTON
42 JUAN MONTOYA
07 CLINT BOWYER
7 ROBBY GORDON
17 MATT KENSETH
8 DALE EARNHARDT JR
38 DAVID GILLILAND
41 REED SORENSON
25 CASEY MEARS
--
15 PAUL MENARD
99 CARL EDWARDS
6 DAVID RAGAN
66 JEFF GREEN
40 DAVID STREMME
24 JEFF GORDON
26 JAMIE McMURRAY
5 KYLE BUSCH
29 KEVIN HARVICK
01 ARIC ALMIROLA
--
70 JOHNNY SAUTER
21 KEN SCHRADER
44 DALE JARRETT

DNQ
84 AJ ALLMENDINGER (9th fastest overall!)
60 BORIS SAID
4 WARD BURTON
37 KEVIN LEPAGE
10 SCOTT RIGGS
06 SAM HORNISH JR
36 JEREMY MAYFIELD
09 STERLING MARLIN

[harvick#1]

tough break for AJ and Boris, but I guess this is what happens for an impound race, all the guys in the top 35 were one race trim, while the others were all in Quali mode

[RaikkonenRules]

mega tough break for AJ failing to qualify despite being 9th quickest. Plus Dale Jarrett having to start last despite being 8th quickest.

The 11 quickest were all non Top 35 cars. Talk about topsy turvey grid.

Another fact all of the non Top 35 cars would have made the race if it wern't for the qualifying rule.

[RaceFanStan]

The "Make it on Speed or Go Home" Group probably won't race good ...
all of them are on qualifying set-ups & are also "taped-up" ...
the best they can hope for is an early caution ...
to make some adjustments & take some tape OFF the grilles !

The "Make it on Speed or Go Home" Group :
01. Michael Waltrip
02. Dave Blaney
03. Brian Vickers
04. Joe Nemechek
05. David Reutimann
06. Jacques Villeneuve
07. John Andretti
43. Dale Jarrett

The 7 front runners will probably drop fast ...

[dwboogityfan]

While qualifying was a shambles due to the top 35 rule - which IMO NASCAR seriously needs to change - congratulations to Michael Waltrip on his pole position.
Mikey has had so much negative publicity this year that this is a great reward for NAPA and Toyota for standing by MWR. I've been really impressed by the improvements the MWR organisation has made recently and wouldn't count Mikey out tomorrow as he understands the draft as well as anybody.

[Vez]

#2-Busch and #6-Ragan failed postrace inspection for being too low in the front. Their times will be disallowed, forcing them to start at the rear Sunday.

Chase Drivers:
11. Tony Stewart
13. Martin Truex Jr
18. Denny Hamlin
19. Jimmie Johnson
21. Jeff Burton
23. Clint Bowyer
25. Matt Kenseth
31. Carl Edwards
34. Jeff Gordon (Set by Owner Points)
36. Kyle Busch (Set by Owner Points)
37. Kevin Harvick (Set by Owner Points)
41. Kurt Busch (did qualify 25th, but after all the bumping out of half the non 35 in points guys, ended up 18th) (Set by Owner Points)

Congrats to Mikey for getting the pole especially after the rough season he has had.

Though great qualifying run by all non 35 in points guys, but shame that half of them were made to go home because of the top 35 in points rule.

But as always it's where you finish in the race that counts.

[RaceFanStan]

Michael Waltrip managed to make the race lineup on speed for the 3rd consecutive week ...
it is only for the 11th time this season Waltrip has made the race on speed ...
Michael Waltrip earned his 4th career pole & 1st since June 2005 @ Pocono.
Waltrip turned a pole-winning lap of 189.070 mph @ Talladega.

"I felt confident yesterday we would make the race," Waltrip said. "I wasn't thinking about the pole ...
Honestly, it's more important to me that we have all 3 Michael Waltrip Racing cars as the top 8 qualifiers."

"I told my guys last night, "If we get in, we'll have a chance to win,"
the two-time Daytona 500 winner said. "I think we'll definitely be ready to go."

[Jonesi]

The "Make it on Speed or Go Home" Group probably won't race good ...
all of them are on qualifying set-ups & are also "taped-up" ...
the best they can hope for is an early caution ...
to make some adjustments & take some tape OFF the grilles !

The "Make it on Speed or Go Home" Group :
01. Michael Waltrip
02. Dave Blaney
03. Brian Vickers
04. Joe Nemechek
05. David Reutimann
06. Jacques Villeneuve
07. John Andretti
43. Dale Jarrett

The 7 front runners will probably drop fast ...

Tape on grill & tire pressures are a couple of the things they can adjust before the race.