Kansas: Contender or Pretender
[picapp align=”left” wrap=”true” link=”term=kansas+nascar&iid=6705195″ src=”http://view3.picapp.com/pictures.photo/image/6705195/price-chopper-400/price-chopper-400.jpg?size=500&imageId=6705195″ width=”380″ height=”260″ /]Jimmie Johnson (Contender) – Johnson isn’t from Kansas but the 48 team certainly looks like it has the home field advantage heading into the Price Chopper 400. Johnson won this race in 2008 and last year he was the leader at the midpoint. Johnson also ran the highest number of fast laps in 2009. Also don’t forget it’s Chase time and were talking about Mr. Clutch Jimmie Johnson, not the Survivor contestant.
Martin Treux Jr. (Pretender) – If you’re a big loop data fan then you might consider Martin Treux Jr. at Kansas. His 14.4 average running position is the eighth best in the series, but Martin Treux Jr. is one unlucky guy. Despite his ability to run strong at Kansas his average finish is 27th. Treux finishes poorly because he’s unlucky, and that’s one intangible you can’t fix.
Carl Edwards (Contender) – In recent intermediate track races Carl Edwards has been extremely close to victory lane. In the last three non-concrete intermediate races Edwards has an average finish of 2.3 (Chicago, Michigan and Atlanta). Also don’t forget how close he came to victory lane in 2008.
Ryan Newman (Pretender) – In his first three Kansas races Ryan Newman finished 2nd, 2nd, and 1st. Since then he hasn’t finished better than 16th. His average finish in the last six Kansas races is 26.8. A perfect driver rating is 150, and in the last five Kansas races Ryan Newman has a measly 54.3 rating.
Greg Biffle (Contender) – Biffle is a previous Kansas winner and in the last three years he hasn’t finished worse than 3rd. His average finish in the last five years is the best in the series (4.2). Biffle has also accumulated the most points over this time period. Biffle was strong at Michigan so expect him to be a Contender once again.
Matt Kenseth (Pretender) – Matt Kenseth is a driver who I think you should avoid in the Chase. Before the Chase started I thought he would be the pariah of the Chase. Every Chase has one. Brian Vickers was it last year and there’s a strong possibility it might be Kenseth this year. In the last five years Kenseth has averaged 105.6 points per race at Kansas.
