Hot Results from Phoenix (and New Football Polls)

We'll get to our special football polls in a moment. But first, we picked a heck of a week for the People's Pitstop to have one of its best outings ever.

The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up an astounding 335 points during Sunday's Chase race at Phoenix International Raceway. The season total of 9,270 left us in 4th place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, but we got more points than anyone else in the league this week. So, no, we might not win the league, but we got feel what it's like to win a week.

Here is how we got here.

Tony Stewart: Started 8th, finished 3rd, 160 laps led and 106 fantasy points. Stewart got 10 bonus points for leading a lap and 10 more for leading the most laps. But he'll probably focus on the fact that he has turned the Chase for the Sprint Cup into a two-way race.

Kasey Kahne: Started 10th, finished 1st, 14 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Now, that's how you finish a season. Kahne made his 9th and final start for the People's Pitstop. In his nine starts, he scored an average of 51.2 points and had an average finish of 23.3. His worst performance came in Richmond in September, when was collateral damage in a get-together between Marcos Ambrose and Brian Vickers. His best (other than this week, of course) was in Kansas in October, when he finished second to Jimmie Johnson. And it's nice that he got Red Bull Racing something to celebrate before its potential breakup.

Marcos Ambrose: Started 3rd, finished 8th and 79 fantasy points. Once again, all that was missing was leading a lap.

Bobby Labonte: Started 31st, finished 21st (1 lap behind the leaders) and 50 fantasy points. You know it was a good day when the lowest scorer on your fantasy team got 50 points.

The NASCAR folks have one race to go -- at Homestead-Miami Speedway -- and for once, it will be more than simply a coronation. We have one more lineup to field for the People's Pitstop, so the lineup polls are upon once more. Qualifying is Saturday, so these polls will close Friday night. But feel free to get your votes in today.

Speaking of polls, the People's Pigskin has some decisions to make. The bye weeks return this week and will claim both our starting defense/special teams (the Pittsburgh Steelers) and our starting kicker (John Kasay). Since we have no backups at their positions on our roster, we need to hit the waiver wire to get their substitutes or replacements. And since this is a fantasy sports democracy, we have polls for you, the Internet, to help us make our choices. Which kicker and D/ST should we pick up? Who should be kicked off the roster to make room for our newcomers? The polls are now open. These polls will close Tuesday evening, since the waiver wire transactions will be processed Wednesday morning. Please get those votes in right away, too.

We'll be back with the football results for this week.

The People's Choice - Phoenix

We have reached the second to last weekend of the NASCAR season, and, unlike Kyle Busch or David Reutimann, the People's Pitstop has a chance to end its season on a strong note. Here are the drivers who will represent the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team during Sunday's Chase race at Phoenix International Raceway.

A List: There was no doubt about how you, the Internet, felt in this poll. You gave all your votes to the two drivers who have the best chance to hoist this year's Sprint Cup: Carl Edwards and Tony Stewart. And it looks like they'll really have to work to get some separation from each other. Stewart qualified 8th, or one spot in front of Edwards, so he gets the start.

B List: The winner of this week's poll was Brad Keselowski. Jeff Burton tied for second with a surprise latecomer to the party, Marcos Ambrose. The fourth spot on our roster went to Kasey Kahne by virtue of the points tiebreaker. And the surprises did not end there. Ambrose qualified 3rd, earning a starting spot for himself and 3 bonus points for the People's Pitstop. Kahne (10th) earned the other starting spot over Keselowski (12th) and Burton (14th). Kahne will be making his ninth and final start for us of the season. His next start for us will be as a teammate of Jimmie Johnson's.

C List: All the votes in this poll went to David Gilliland and Bobby Labonte. And Labonte (31st) got the starting spot over Gilliland (42nd).

Thanks as always for voting, and don't forget to get your votes in on the fantasy football polls tonight. We'll be back later with some racing predictions.

A Kansas Comeback

Don't count the People's Pitstop out just yet.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team piled up 308 points during Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway. The season total of 7,956 lifted us two spots in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, to 4th place. We are just over 100 points behind the leader, so winning the championship is more than a mere mathematical possibility.
Here are the more detailed results.
Kevin Harvick: Started 14th, finished 6th and 80 fantasy points. These results probably would look even better if we hadn't benched the eventual race winner. Harvick slipped just enough late in the race to trail Carl Edwards in the points standings by a single point.
Kasey Kahne: Started 5th, finished 2nd and 88 fantasy points. The remarkable thing isn't that Kahne got so close to the front but never led a lap. It's that he got so close to the front after an early problem on pit row left him in 40th place.
Brad Keselowski: Started 12th, finished 3rd, 5 laps led and 96 fantasy points. The truly encouraging thing about Keselowski's day is that he was hungry for more when it ended. He'll be somebody to watch next year on the A List.
Regan Smith: Started 16th, finished 24th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 44 fantasy points. Frankly, this is probably as good as we can expect from the C List drivers available to us for the rest of the season.
And if you debated whether to watch this race or the Sunday afternoon NFL games (or if you sprained your finger switching back and forth), this is the week for you. NASCAR is taking its act to Saturday night for a Chase race at Charlotte Motor Speedway. The qualifying session is scheduled for Thursday, so we're going to need to pick our drivers by Wednesday night. The polls are now open. Please note that both Kahne and A.J. Allmendinger are down to their last starts for us. And please vote accordingly.
We'll be back with the fantasy football results.

The People's Choice - Kansas

Clint Bowyer may be switching teams, but we at this blog are glad that you, the Internet, are demonstrating your loyalty. You turned out yet again to pick a roster for the People's Pitstop. Your votes, combined with Friday's qualifying session, have combined to produce this starting lineup for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team for Sunday's race at Kansas Speedway.
A List: You could call this week's poll the Once and Future Kings poll. There was a tie between Kevin Harvick and Jimmie Johnson. We will start Harvick, who qualified 14th, or five spots in front of Johnson.
B List: Apologies to anyone who voted for Ryan Newman. His appearance in this poll was erroneous, since he's already used up his nine starts for us this season. Among drivers who may still represent the People's Pitstop, the top two vote getters were Brad Keselowski and Dale Earnhardt Jr., followed by Kasey Kahne and A.J. Allmendinger. The two K drivers, Kahne (5th) and Keselowski (12th) will start over Earnhardt (18th) and Allmendinger (22nd).
C List: The new champion of this "everybody else" poll appears to be Regan Smith. He got the most votes, and his 16th-place qualifying spot earns him a starting place over poll runner-up David Gilliland (30th).
Remember that you have until Saturday night to decide what to do this week with the People's Pigskin. The Internet's favorite fantasy football team needs your help to bounce back, so be sure to vote in the polls on the right. Thanks.
We'll be back with your weekly dose of NASCAR predictions.

On to the NASCAR Playoffs

We'll get to the fantasy football results in just a moment. First, now that we've recovered from chasing Wes Welker, it's time to tell you about the People's Pitstop weekend. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored precisely 200 points Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway. It wasn't all that impressive, but our season total of 6,954 is just good enough to keep us in first place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. Our lead over Dale Jr Amp National Guard 88 is down to 46 points. Obviously, we'll need all the help we can get this week, but more on that later.
Here is how we did on the last week before the Chase for the Sprint Cup, NASCAR's version of the playoffs.
Kyle Busch: Started 13th, finished 6th and 80 fantasy points. All in all, not a bad effort for someone with nothing at stake. Busch had already secured at least a tie for the top spot in the Chase standings.
Clint Bowyer: Started 5th, finished 22nd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 48 fantasy points. Bowyer came into this race having an outside shot at making the Chase. But then he got to close to you know who.
Kasey Kahne: Started 12th, finished 38th (350 laps behind the leaders) and 16 fantasy points. Given the way Kahne's night went, you might be tempted to say he's ready for his season to end. But then you have to consider the fact that his sponsor is pulling out when his season ends.
Regan Smith: Started 23rd, finished 18th and 56 fantasy points. Sometimes, the best you can hope for from your driver is a post-race headline that contains the phrase "avoids wrecks."
Now it's time for the Chase, which begins this year at Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, Illinois. We have a fresh set of polls available for your voting. They will close Friday night, because the qualifying session is scheduled for Saturday. (Please note the "LAST TIME" next to Bowyer's name. He's down to his ninth and final start for us.)
We'll be back as soon as possible with the football results.

The People's Choice - Richmond

There will be no bonus points for the People's Pitstop this week, but we still have a solid lineup. You, the Internet, voted on the NASCAR drivers who should represent us at Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Richmond International Raceway. Your votes, combined with Friday afternoon's qualifying session, have produced these results.
A List: In the last race before the Chase for the Sprint Cup begins, you split your votes even between a driver who's locked into the Chase (Kyle Busch) and one still fighting to get in (Tony Stewart). Busch qualified 13th, or nine spots in front of Stewart, so he will get the start.
B List: The co-winners of this poll were Brad Keselowski and Clint Bowyer, followed by Kasey Kahne and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bowyer (5th) and Kahne (12th) get the starting nods over Keselowski (19th) and Earnhardt (27th).
C List: Two new favorites have settled into the top spots of this poll. Bobby Labonte got the most votes, while Regan Smith finished second. In qualifying, the order was reversed. Smith will start 23rd, or nine spots in front of Labonte.
We'll be back with predictions for this race. In the meantime, feel free to vote in the fantasy football polls still available on the right side of this page. We want the People's Pigskin lineup to be as strong as possible, and we need your help. Thanks.

Flying High in the Poconos

Some weeks, it all just comes together. The People's Pigskin had one of those weeks, and we have you, the Internet, to thank for it.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team racked up 302 points this weekend at Pocono Raceway. It was the second time in nine weeks we cleared the 300-point barrier. Our season total of 5,712 still leaves us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, but we have trailed our deficit against Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 to just 53 points.
Here are the juicy details.
Carl Edwards: Started 4th, finished 7th, 2 laps led and 89 fantasy points. Edwards stayed in the top 10 pretty much throughout the race. Guess that's what a new contract will do for you.
Brad Keselowski: Started 13th, finished 1st (as in ... winning!), 19 laps led and 100 fantasy points. Maybe Keselowski should bust up his ankle every week. With his second victory of the season, he went from hanging on the edge of the top 20 to all but wrapping up a wild card spot.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 41 fantasy points. Any glimmer of hope Kahne's team had left evaporated when he got together with a certain driver. Which one? Here's a hint: He has his own Facebook fan page (sort of).
Paul Menard: Started 7th, finished 10th and 72 fantasy points. Menard showed his Indianapolis victory was no fluke. Unfortunately, he's proven so reliable for you, the Internet, that he has only one start left for us this season. That's why he, like Ryan Newman, now sports the "LAST TIME" next to his name in this week's polls.
Speaking of which, the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers are taking their act on the road again with a race at Watkins Glen. We have qualifying on Saturday, so these polls will stay up through Friday evening. Please feel free to vote now, and invite everyone you know to do the same. You can be the spark that lifts us back to the top.

The People's Choice - Pocono

Now that the Pro Football Hall of Fame has finished its induction ceremonies, we can turn our attention back to the People's Pitstop and its effort to retake the lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern fantasy NASCAR league. You, the Internet, voted on our lineup, and the drivers who got the most votes used the qualifying session to demonstrate whether they deserved to start for us this Sunday at Pocono Raceway. Here are the drivers who proved both popular and worthy.
A List: It should surprise absolutely no one that Jeff Gordon, who has more wins on this track than any other active Sprint Cup driver, won this poll. Carl Edwards tied for second but got the roster spot by virtue of the points tiebreaker. What was truly surprising was Gordon's performance during the qualifying session. He wound up in 31st place, while Edwards qualified fourth, earning a starting spot for himself and a bonus point for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.
B List: The top four vote-getters in this poll were Kasey Kahne, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Brad Keselowski and (in a points tiebreaker) Mark Martin. The qualifying session put Keselowski (13th) ahead of Earnhardt (19th) and Martin (25th). But Kahne was the star of our show. He qualified second, behind only record-setting polesitter Joey Logano, and got us 5 bonus points in the process.
C List: It feels as if this poll is going to come down to David Ragan and Paul Menard every week until one of these drivers runs out of starts. This week, Ragan won the poll, but Menard qualified better (7th vs. 15th), so he'll start for the eighth time for the People's Pitstop.
Thanks again to everyone who took the trouble to vote. We'll be back with the weekly predictions.

Better Than a Brick to the Head

Many people weren't happy that Sunday's race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway turned into a contest of MPG instead of MPH, but the way we see it, things could have gone a lot worse.
The People's Pitstop did manage to score 256 points at this weekend's NASCAR race, including the 18 we pocketed for having the three top qualifiers. Our season total of 5,410 is good enough to keep us in second place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league, though Jeff Gordon Dupont 24's lead has grown to 105 points.
Here are all the gasoline-infused details.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 3rd, finished 19th, 1 lap led and 67 fantasy points. Johnson just hasn't been his usual self this season. Maybe part of him is still freaked out by a certain shower visitor. (Here's a hint: If you're going to talk to Mr. Johnson while he's in the shower, you'd better answer to the name "Mrs. Johnson.")
Joey Logano: Started 20th, finished 25th and 42 fantasy points. The only noise Logano made on Sunday was in his postrace comments (about halfway down this Toyota quote sheet), when he said, "Seems like anyone can win these things these says." Almost anyone, apparently.
Kasey Kahne: Started 2nd, finished 18th, 48 laps led and 81 fantasy points. Kahne pocketed 10 bonus points for leading the most laps. Kahne dominated the first quarter of the race, but a late spinout by Landon Cassill forced him on to the grass, which did enough damage to the front end to ruin his chances.
David Ragan: Started 1st, finished 23rd, 1 lap led and 66 fantasy points. Yes, we started the polesitter and benched the driver who won the whole thing. These things happen in fantasy sports.
But fantasy sports is a week-by-week thing. A win or loss one week doesn't necessarily guarantee results next week. And this week, NASCAR sends its Sprint Cup drivers back to the tricky triangle of Pocono Raceway. We have until Friday night to select the People's Pitstop lineup, and the polls are now open. Please feel free to vote now.

The People's Choice - Indianapolis

Sorry this post is late. Guess that "holding out for a new contract" idea was pretty lame.
Anyway, you, the Internet, were asked to select the People's Pitstop roster for Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And, as we shall see shortly, you did a heck of a job with your selections.
A List: Two former winners on this track dominated this poll. Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon got to qualify their way into the starting lineup. Johnson took the starting spot by qualifying third, and he got the People's Pitstop 3 bonus points for doing so.
B List: The voters were all over the map this week. The top four vote-getters were Kasey Kahne, Ryan Newman, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Joey Logano. Logano (20th) edged out Earnhardt (22nd) and Newman (23rd) for one of the two starting spots. Kahne took the other one by storm. He qualified second, earning the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team 5 points.
C List: This poll was the piece de resistance. For the umpteenth time, you selected David Ragan and Paul Menard for our roster. Ragan made the most of this opportunity. He put his car on the freaking pole and got us 10 bonus points.
That's right; before they even drop the green flag on this race, we have scored 18 points.
Hopefully, we can keep this dominance going during the race and with our predictions, which are coming up in the next post.

As the Engines (and Tempers) Cool Off...

The People's Pitstop is hanging on for dear life, but at least it's hanging in there.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 233 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Sonoma County, California. Our season total of 4,402 keeps us in first place in the cutthroat 9beersfantasysportstavern league, but our lead over runner-up Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 has dwindled to 39 points. Another week like this one (without or without mistakes on our part) will put our lead in jeopardy, to say the least.
Here's what we can say about our drivers without risking a secret NASCAR fine.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 12th, finished 7th and 78 fantasy points. Last year's race winner was the only People's Pitstop starter to improve his position from start to finish.
Kasey Kahne: Started 6th, finished 20th and 52 fantasy points. Kahne was heading for a potential top five finish until he was run over by Juan Pablo Montoya, who needs to consider checking this book out of his local library.
Ryan Newman: Started 5th, finished 25th and 42 fantasy points. Newman (and any fantasy NASCAR player considering using him again) had better hope Tony Stewart was kidding on Sunday about wrecking his teammate.
Paul Menard: Started 3rd, finished 17th and 61 fantasy points. Notice that every starting driver finished on the lead lap, which was more than either Denny Hamlin or Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Stewart could say.
This week, the NASCAR caravan hauls back across the country for a Saturday night race at Daytona International Speedway. We'll have more about this race in our next post, but the lineup polls are now up and open for voting. Since qualifying is Friday, you have until Thursday night to make your votes. (And they will be reflected in this week's lineup. Cross our heart.)

Um ... Oops

If the people who bring you the People's Pigskin were invited to speak at one of the many graduation ceremonies taking place this month, we would offer two pieces of advice.
First, never let anyone take pictures of your genitalia. It never turns out well.
Second, always remember to hit "Save."
The people who bring you this fantasy NASCAR blog failed to hit "Save" at a crucial moment. In the words of a famous politician we screwed up.
As a result of failing to hit "Save" on Thursday night, we failed to deliver the roster you selected for Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Infineon Raceway. We have the same eight drivers we had last week.
However, if the qualifying session is any indication, our cupboard is anything but bare.
A List: Jimmie Johnson qualified 12th, or 11 places ahead of Carl Edwards, and get a starting spot.
B List: This was a real dogfight. Clint Bowyer qualified 9th, but he will join Dale Earnhardt Jr. (9th) on the bench, because of the superior efforts turned in by Ryan Newman (5th) and Kasey Kahne (6th).
C List: Maybe it should no longer be surprising when Paul Menard has a surprisingly strong session, but it is surprising nonetheless. He qualified 3rd, earning a starting spot for himself and 3 bonus points for the People's Pitstop. David Ragan will start 34th.
We will be back with our fearless predictions, which we hope will turn out better than our roster-saving.

A Tough Run in the Irish Hills

This week wasn't quite as bad for the People's Pitstop, but no one will be mentioning it in our Hall of Fame speech, either.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored a grand total of 258 points during Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway. Our season of total of 4,169 is good enough to keep us in first place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league on Yahoo Sports, but the top of the standings are pretty tight. We lead the new runner-up, speedway41, by only 110 points.
Here are the complete results from the Irish Hills.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 21st, finished 27th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 38 fantasy points. Is it possible that there was a Hendrick Curse in effect on Sunday? Johnson spun out before many of his fans had gotten to their seats, and he was playing catch-up for the rest of the race. He plunged three spots in the points standings, and he probably took a lot of fantasy teams with him.
Kasey Kahne: Started 8th, finished 28th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 36 fantasy points. Michigan is known as a place where fuel efficiency mattered. And it bit Kahne in the tailpipe. He ran out of gas on his way to his pit box. His engine stalled, and he fell two laps behind trying to restart his car. It's a good thing Kahne is getting out of Red Bull Racing while the getting is good.
Ryan Newman: Started 13th, finished 6th, 3 laps led and 90 fantasy points. It was a good week for the Rocket Man to have a solid outing. Newman's car celebrated both the U.S. Army's birthday and Hall of Famer Bud Moore.
Paul Menard: Started 9th, finished 4th, 2 laps led and 94 fantasy points. You know your career is on the right track when columnists admit to rooting (even briefly) for you to win the race.
Now, it's time to turn our attention to this week's race at Sonoma's Infineon Raceway, a road course. No, NASCAR has not eliminated road races, which are certainly a different breed from the oval races that dominate the schedule. And there's a good chance this week's lineup for the People's Pitstop will look different from last week's roster. But that's up to you. The polls are now open, and they will stay open until Thursday night. Feel free to vote now.

The People's Choice - Michigan

Some people may be impressed with the way Rory McIlroy is playing golf right now, but we at this Web site are more impressed with the way you, the Internet, keep coming out to support and vote for the People's Pitstop. Thanks to your votes, and Saturday's qualifying session, here are the drivers who will represent the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team during Sunday's race at Michigan International Speedway, the state's true Big House.
A List: The voting produced a dead heat between Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. The qualifying session nearly produced the same thing. Johnson qualified 21st, just 2 spots ahead of Edwards, and gets the starting nod as a result.
B List: You don't necessarily have to win a People's Pitstop poll to start for it. Ryan Newman and Dale Earnhardt Jr. tied for first place, followed by Kasey Kahne and (on the strength of the points tiebreaker) Clint Bowyer. Kahne drove his car to the 8th qualifying spot and into our starting lineup. Newman did likewise by qualifying 13th, beating out Earnhardt (15th) and Bowyer (27th).
C List: Three drivers have been monopolizing the votes in this poll as of late. This week, the pollsters were split between Paul Menard and David Ragan. Menard settled the matter by qualifying 9th, while Ragan settled for 20th and a spot on our virtual bench.
We'll be back with the weekly predictions.

Well, That Could Have Been Worse

No one is going to call Sunday a red-letter day for the People's Pitstop, but it least we can walk away from it saying that it was only a flesh wound.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team managed to compile only 216 points during Sunday's lightly attended Sprint Cup race at Dover International Speedway. Still, our season total of 3,130 is good enough to keep us in first place in the always-hotly-contested 9beersfantasysportstavern group on Yahoo Fantasy Sports.
Since the qualifying session was rained out, no team earned qualifying bonus points. That's one reason this week's total was so low. Here are the other reasons.
Jimmie Johnson: Started 1st, finished 9th, 207 laps led and 94 fantasy points. That total includes 20 bonus points for leading the most laps. However, Johnson and his crew were on the wrong end of a late pit gamble that helped Matt Kenseth get out front and earn the checkered flag.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Started 3rd, finished 12th, 1 lap led and 78 fantasy points. Like Kenseth, Earnhardt took only two tires during the last pit stop. However, he never seemed to get comfortable with the track conditions. For those of you keeping score at home, his winless streak now stands at 103.
Kasey Kahne: Started 4th, finished 36th (69 laps behind the leaders) and 20 fantasy points. A late engine failure earned Kahne a spot in the Sporting News' "Good, Bad and Ugly" report. (Here's a hint: He wasn't on the "good" list.)
Regan Smith: Started 11th, finished 24th (39 laps behind the leaders) and 24 fantasy points. So much for momentum. A broken track bar mount ended Smith's day and his team's chances of getting a second call from the governor. No, not that kind.
Now, the People's Pitstop gets a week off before dealing with the longest race on the NASCAR schedule. That's because NASCAR will be holding its annual All-Star Race this Saturday. And in the spirit of democracy, we've set up a poll for this race.
Many drivers, including Smith, have already earned their spots in the race through various criteria. Two others will race their way in during a pre-race showdown. NASCAR will let the fans pick a driver to add to the race through its Fan Vote. And the people who run this poll will submit a vote for any driver who gets a vote in this poll, which will close Friday night. The winning driver will get an extra vote, so cast your votes now and give your favorite driver something to do this Saturday.

The People's Choice - Dover

The people who bring you this fine Web site spent most of this week dealing with NASCAR's probation officer.

(Photo assist to Jack Cone of 9beersfantasysportstavern fame.)

Fortunately, while we were keeping an eye on his single bullet, you, the Internet, were busy selecting the Sprint Cup drivers who should represent the People's Pitstop during Sunday's race at Dover International Speedway. Here are the drivers who made the cut. (No, not that one.)
A List: Carl Edwards had to settle for second last week, but he comes in first in this poll. He'll take the track along with poll runner-up Jimmie Johnson for a qualifying session that will determine our starter.
B List: Ryan Newman knows how to respond to a feud. He finished in the top 10 last week and won this week's lineup poll. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Kasey Kahne tied for second, and Clint Bowyer, the driver who had the most legitimate reason to be ticked off at either Kyle Busch or Kevin Harvick last week, squeaks out fourth place. Two of them will start for the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team.
C List: Regan Smith may have his first win in the Sprint Cup series, but he'll have to wait to say the same about our surveys. Paul Menard dominated the voting, and Smith was lucky come in second.
We'll update this post after Saturday's qualifying session. In the meantime, enjoy your weekend activities, and if you're planning to visit this week's race site, don't forget to check out the Dover Downs sports book, where you can bet on this site's other sport.
UPDATED 4:30 P.M. Mother Nature decided that we didn't need no steeenkin qualifying. The session was rained out, so NASCAR implemented its new rule setting the field according to lap times from the first practice session. That means Johnson earns yet another pole, as well as a starting spot for the People's Pitstop. The three drivers joining him as starters are Earnhardt (3rd), Kahne (4th) and Smith (11th).

The Climb Continues

This week's NASCAR Sprint Cup race could have gone much better for the People's Pitstop, but we'll take what we got.
What the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team got was 255 points at Martinsville Speedway. The season total is now 1,568, and we moved up one spot, to fifth place, in the highly competitive 9beersfantasysportstavern group on Yahoo Sports. And here's how we did it.
Denny Hamlin: Started 5th, finished 12th, 89 laps led and 78 fantasy points. Hamlin surprised even the experts by having to pit early and being less than his usually dominant self in Martinsville.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 6th, finished 14th, 6 laps led and 74 fantasy points. Mr. Allmendinger was one of only two Ford drivers to lead this race. Maybe they should fetch some of the cars they lent to American Idol.
David Ragan: Started 14th, finished 8th and 76 fantasy points. Ironically, the People's Pitstop's only top 10 starting driver at the finish was also the only one who did not lead a lap.
And yes, we've saved the worst for last.
Kasey Kahne: Started 3rd, finished 39th (281 laps behind the leaders), 1 lap led and 27 fantasy points. To the long list of things you never want to hear about your NASCAR driver, you can add this gem from Mike Joy: "That might be the hardest hit I've ever seen at this small a race track."
Everybody walked away, though, and now they can walk (or fly, really) to Fort Worth for a Saturday night shootout at Texas Motor Speedway. The lineup polls for the People's Pitstop are now open, but they will close Thursday night, so we can submit a roster in time for Friday's qualifying session. Please vote now. We'll be back.
(Oh, and by the way, here are the results for the Final Four poll. Apparently, the people who read this poll are not into underdogs.)
[polldaddy poll=4832562]

The People's Choice - Martinsville

We're back from our sojourn in Las Vegas. We'd like to tell you all about the ultimate margaritas, the Michael Jackson impersonator, the world's dumbest roulette player, the 70 beers, the roller coaster, the lions and the man lying unconscious on the Strip, but what happens there stays there. (Really, it's in the contract.)
It's back to work for the People's Pitstop, but you, the Internet, did not take this week off. You came out and selected a lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Martinsville Speedway. Here are your results.
A List. You must have seen something in Jimmie Johnson's near-win last week in Fontana. The five-time defending Sprint Cup champion won this poll, followed by Denny Hamlin.
B List: This race was a lot closer. Three drivers (Juan Pablo Montoya, Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne) tied for first place, while A.J. Allmendinger came in fourth. Good thing we have four spots -- two starting and two bench -- to give them.
C List: Only two drivers received votes in this poll. One of them, surprise, surprise, was Paul Menard. The other was David Ragan. You know the drill by now. Whoever qualifies better will start. The other one will sit.
Thanks again for voting. The results appear below, and a new poll about college basketball's big event is available for voting. We will update this post after the qualifying session.
UPDATED 2 P.M. Kahne has spent a lot of time on our bench this season. Not this week; he qualified 3rd and earned the People's Pitstop 3 bonus points. The other starters are Hamlin (5th), Allmendinger (6th) and Ragan (14th). That's right; Paul Menard, who qualified 16th, finally gets a seat on the bench.
We'll be back with a fresh set of predictions.
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The People's Choice - Fontana

Some people are getting ready to watch college kids compete for spots in the Final Four. Some are getting ready for the start of baseball season, the only season that holds a candle to NASCAR's in terms of length. But we at the People's Pigskin are thanking you, the Internet, for coming out again in droves to vote on our lineup. Here are the drivers that will represent the People's Pitstop this weekend in Fontana, California.
A List: The winner of this poll is someone who was winning back when Charlie Sheen was just a guy in a troubled marriage. Five-time defending Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson took this poll. He and Carl Edwards will compete during qualifying for a chance to start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team on Sunday.
B List: Don't let people tell you stock car racing is strictly for Americans. This poll was won by Colombia's Juan Pablo Montoya. The runners-up were some usual suspects (Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne), but the final spot went to a Tasmanian named Marcos Ambrose. The two drivers who qualify the best will start.
C List: UPS representative David Ragan won this poll, followed by Bobby Labonte.
Thanks once again for voting. The results appear below, and a new poll on rule changes is available for your votes now. We'll try to update this post once the qualifying session is over.
UPDATED 9:45 P.M. You guys are good. And so is Montoya, who took the pole and will earn us a 10-point bonus. He's joined in the starting lineup by Ragan (who qualified 6th), Newman (9th) and Johnson (16th).
[polldaddy poll=4759885] [polldaddy poll=4759909] [polldaddy poll=4759927]

The People's Choice - Bristol

Today, instead of focusing on what's wrong with sports (we'll cover some of that territory over the weekend), we'd like to extend a special thanks to you, the Internet. You found time during your busy bracket-filling (and shredding) schedule to vote in the lineup polls for the People's Pitstop. As a result, the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team has a roster for this week's Sprint Cup race at Brisol Motor Speedway.
A List: One driver ran away with this poll, and he should be familiar to longtime readers of this blog. Kyle Busch, last seen reporting "flames in my face," was the winner. He'll be joined in the roster by runner-up Tony Stewart. Whoever qualifies better Friday afternoon will get the starting nod.
B List: We another clear-cut winner here. That would be NAPA commercial co-star Martin Truex Jr. Three other drivers tied for second place: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Mark Martin and Kasey Kahne.
C List: Paul Menard is threatening to become the first driver in People's Pitstop history to use up all his starts before Independence Day. He won this week's poll yet again, and he'll be joined in the roster by Trevor Bayne, who hopefully celebrated Saint Patrick's Day responsibly, seeing that he's still 20 years old and all.
Again, thanks for voting. The results appear below. A new poll about your weekend plans is now available for your consideration. We'll update this post once qualifying is complete.
UPDATED 11:30 P.M. At least Menard is earning your faith in him. He qualified 4th, earning not only a starting spot but a bonus point for the People's Pitstop. Busch (12th) edged out Stewart (13th). Truex (8th) and Martin (9th) beat out Kahne (10th) and Earnhardt (22nd).
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