Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Talladega
[themify_box ]This post is a recap of how the fall 2014 Talladega race played out.[/themify_box]
Talladega Top Ten Starters
- Brian Vickers
- Jimmie Johnson
- AJ Allmendinger
- Ryan Blaney
- Brad Keselowski (changed his alternator, started in the back)
- Michael McDowell
- Travis Kvapil
- Kasey Kahne
- Terry Labonte
- Michael Annett
Full Talladega Starting Lineup
Talladega Pre-Race Notes
Notable: Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Justin Allgaier missed the race because they failed to post a qualifying lap.
Brad Keselowski started in the back because he changed his alternator.
Matt Kenseth started in the back due to an engine change.
This was Terry Labonte’s last race.
Talladega Race Notes
On the first lap Carl Edwards dropped below the yellow line to fall to the rear of the field.
Jimmie Johnson led the first lap and then ducked to the low line of the track.
On the second lap Ryan Newman started dropping back in the running order.
Ryan Blaney who was driving a third Penske car took the lead on lap 2 and lead until lap 14 running the high-lane.
On lap 3 Dale Earnhardt Jr. was in 8th after starting in 28th.
4 laps into the race the high-line was clearly the fastest groove around the track.
On lap 10 Jimmie Johnson started forming a line around the low-groove and they started moving towards the front.
On lap 13 it was reported Jamie McMurray had some type of leak.
On lap 15 Jimmie Johnson took the lead from Ryan Blaney. He then went on to lead the next 11 laps.
On lap 21 Keselowski was leading the top groove around the track.
Running order on lap 21: 48,88,5,2,11,1,22,4,43,40 … 12,7,9,42,27,95,10,83,93,78
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Notable drivers near the back on lap 23: Clint Bowyer, Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Ryan Newman, Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch.
On lap 25 Kevin Harvick pulled out of the front pack because of viability issues after being behind McMurray.
On lap 26 Brad Keselowski passed Jimmie Johnson for the lead.
Running order on lap 32: 48,11,2,22,88,21,42,5,93,78 … 7,83,27,36,1,40,10,9,12,95
On lap 33 Jamie McMurray’s team was contacted by NASCAR and were told that they would need to fix his oil leak during his next pit stop. Kyle Larson also had a little oil leak at the time.
On lap 39 the first round of pit stops begun.
Notable: During the first round of pit stops Hamlin led a lap and after that he essentially went into protection mode and drove conservatively trying to avoid wrecking.
On lap 42 near the end of the first round of pit stops Jeff Gordon essentially pitted by himself.
On lap 44 the first round of pit stops concluded after Danica Patrick and Tony Stewart pitted with each other.
Running order on lap 49: 1,5,2,22,21,41,43,7,48,34 … 55,16,36, 78,42,33,9,4,95,83 … 88,40,23,12,13,26,14,10,20,27 … 38,3,24,11,99,15,18,47,31,56
On lap 53 Ryan Newman lost the draft and was running all by himself. During his first pit stop he had a little trouble getting his car restarted.
Big Moment: On lap 61 Jamie McMurray had some type of problem and shot down the track into Brad Keselowski’s right side door. Also during the McMurray spin Logano dove into the grass and got slight damage to his front nose / splitter. Kyle Busch also got some minor damage in the accident. McMurray’s left rear tire was cut.
Notable: Due to repairs from the accident Joey Logano dropped a lap down.
The McMurray caution was a huge break for Ryan Newman who lost the draft.
Notable: Jamie McMurray came back to pit road on lap 67 for further repair.
Running order on lap 71: 48,88,9,10,78,83,41,13,12,7 … 2,7,27,43,4,42,40
Notable drivers running near the back on lap 80: Jeff Gordon, Clint Bowyer, Newman, Edwards, Kyle Busch, Hamlin
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