Fantasy NASCAR Scouting Report – Homestead

[themify_box style=”light-yellow” ]NOTE: This post is a recap of what happened in the fall 2014 Homestead race[/themify_box]

Homestead Top Ten Starters

1. Jeff Gordon
2. Kurt Busch
3. Matt Kenseth
4. Brad Keselowski
5. Kevin Harvick
6. Clint Bowyer
7. Kyle Busch
8. Denny Hamlin
9. Joey Logano
10. Martin Truex Jr.

Full Homestead Starting Lineup

Homestead Pre-race Notes

Paul Menard started in the rear of the field for an unapproved adjustment.

Brian Scott started in the rear of the field for an engine change.

Homestead Race Notes

Jeff Gordon started on the pole and he selected the inside groove. He led the first 12 laps until the first caution came out. His car was strong running the high-line.

During the first caution on lap 12 Kurt Busch took two tires. Everyone else took four. Tires are very important here and he fell back pretty quickly.

Running order on lap 17: 4,24,11,20,22,41,88,15,2,48 … 78,18,5,14,42,31,99,47,1,51 … 21,55,10,9,13,3,16,17,43,23 … 27,95,34,33,40,26,38

Joey Logano had a great car running the high-line.

Early in the race Kevin Harvick drove his car conservative and took care of his equipment.

Running order on lap 35: 24,4,11,22,88,20,2,48,15,5 … 78,31,18,41,42,1,55,99,47,51 … 10,3,27,21,16,43,17,33,14,9 … 13

Notable Moment: On lap 36 Kurt Busch radioed his team and said his transmission was vibrating so badly he might need a bungee cord during his next pit stop.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car was really fast when he ran the high-line.

Ryan Newman was pleased with his car early and he was moving up through the field at a steady pace.

Running order on lap 50: 24,22,4,11,88,2,48,5,20,15 … 78,31,18,42,55,1,41,99,27,47 … 51,3,10,16,43,17,33,21,14,23

Notable Moment: Around lap 58 while running in 6th Brad Keselowski tried to short pit and came to pit road early but was burned by a caution when the 66 car got into the wall. That dropped him deep in the running order into the twenties.

Over long runs Jeff Gordon was extremely strong.

Ryan Newman was up to 7th on lap 73.

Running order on lap 75: 24,4,48,11,22,31,5,15,18,88 … 42,55,47,99,20,78,1,27,10,41 … 51,2,16,3,9,43,21,13,14,36 … 23,17

Running order on lap 83: 24,11,4,22,48,18,42,31,20,5 … 15,2,88,99,78,47,27,41,55,3 …1,10,16,51,9,43,21,13,86,17 … 34,14,

Notable Moment: On lap 98 Dale Earnhardt Jr. was on pit road for an unscheduled stop from 13th place. He pitted because of a flat tire. He lost a lap as a result and dropped to 32nd.

Running order on lap 100: 24,4,11,22,48,22,18,31,42,20,2 … 5,15,27,99,47,41,55,3,78,1 … 16,51,10,9,43,13,21,17,14

Jeff Gordon really liked his car. His speed drop off wasn’t as much as others.

Notable Moment: On lap 116 Alex Bowman got into the wall and brought out the caution.

Big Moment: On lap 116 Carl Edwards was on pit road after getting into the wall hard in the middle of turns 3 & 4.