Fearless Predictions - Charlotte

OK, so the quest to lift our NASCAR predictions to .500 for the season will fall a little short. Big deal. We can still finish this season with a bang. Here are this week's picks for the Sprint Cup drivers to finish in the top 10. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, leaving us with a season record of 41-71.

One from the front: It's hard to ignore Jimmie Johnson (who starts 9th tonight) at this time of year and at Charlotte Motor Speedway in particular. He has a whopping six wins on this track. And he finished 3rd in this race last year on his way to a fifth straight Sprint Cup title. Let someone eles pick another driver from the top 10.

One from the back: The pickings in the bottom 10 are as supermodel slim as ever. This week, we'll take a flyer on Dave Blaney, who starts 35th and has finished in that position or better in the last five races. You don't do that if you're going to start and park.

Two from the middle: Don't count Kevin Harvick out of it yet. He's starting 14th tonight, but he's still 2nd in the points standings. Also, he's finished in the top 10 in five of the last six races this season, and he won the 600-mile race at Charlotte in May. And you have to respect a driver willing to wreck his wife just to star in an ESPN commercial.
For our final pick, we're going to reach all the way back to the 20th starting spot for Kurt Busch. He finished in the top five here in May, and he won a race here last year. Besides, the best way to snuff out questions about your crew chief is to have a strong day at the track.

Remember that you can still vote on the fantasy football polls on right side of this page while you watch the race. The People's Pigskin needs to mount a comeback, and we need your help to assemble the lineup. Please vote now.

We'll be back with the football poll results.

Fearless Predictions - Kansas

As we approach Columbus Day, it's time for the NASCAR predictions to chart a course to undiscovered territory: the .500 mark. But it won't be easy. Last week's picks went 1-3, leaving us with a season record of 39-69.
One from the front: The one pick that worked for us last week was Carl Edwards. He starts in second place this week and finished second in Saturday's Nationwide race at Kansas Speedway to Brad Keselowski, who starts for the People's Pitstop. He also has finished in the top 10 the last two times the Sprint Cup drivers have taken on this track.
One from the back: This week, we find Juan Pablo Montoya in 34th place, but this pick is more of a prayer. We are praying that Montoya can avoid all the people who have reason to have grudges against him.
Two from the middle: Here are a few things you should know about Kurt Busch, who starts 17th in this race. His win last week in Dover was his fourth top 10 finish in five weeks. He jumped five spots in the point standings, to a very respectable (and in contention) fourth place. And he finished ninth at the Kansas race in June.
And then we have last week's runner-up, Jimmie Johnson. Yes, he starts in 19th place this week. But he's finished in the top 10 in the last five Kansas races. And speaking of five, there's always this.
There are still a few hours to vote on the People's Pigskin lineup for this week. Get your votes in now. We'll be back with those results.

Fearless Predictions - Chicago

We'll have our second fantasy football selection set of the season shortly. For now, let's ease you into your Sunday morning with some predictions for the NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers who will finish in the top 10 at today's Chase-opening race at Chicagoland Speedway. Last week's forecasts went a pedestrian 2-2, leaving us with a season record of 34-62.
One from the front: Kurt Busch has plenty going for him this week. He's starting third, putting him in front of all the other Chase drivers. He has five top 10 finishes on this track. He has finished in the top 10 the last two weeks. And he certainly wouldn't be the first champion in the history of sports to have angry confrontations with reporters.
One from the back: We haven't had a lot of luck lately trying to pick a driver from the bottom 10. This week, we'll try Mike Bliss, who starts 42nd. Since joining the Sprint Cup series in May, his worst finish has been 36th. In other words, he (unlike some other drivers we could select) has avoided the "start and park" disease.
Two from the middle: This is the time Jimmie Johnson, who starts 12th this week. usually puts the pedal to the metal. He has finished in the top 10 in five of the last six weeks. He has seven top 10 finishes at Chicagoland. And then there's the whole "Five Time" thing.
OK, Dale Earnhardt Jr. It's time, in the words of Woody Harrelson to nut up or shut up. You're in the Chase for the first time since 2008. You're at a track where you have won before. You're starting in the 19th spot for this race. If you want to stay in Madison Avenue's sights for something other than your name, you need to produce some results.
And we need to produce some fantasy football poll results and predictions. Those will come shortly.

Fearless Predictions - Michigan

As we creep closer to another fantasy football season, we have results from our first football poll of the season. We asked you, the Internet, which quarterback the People's Pigskin should target first in our upcoming draft. You overwhelmingly chose Peyton Manning, so we'll have to hope his most recent neck surgery causes him to miss as many games as his previous neck surgery (none). We'll also have to hope he's available when our team drafts.
In the meantime, we have some races to consider. The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers take on Michigan International Speedway on Sunday, and it's time to offer some predictions for top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, lowering our season record to 25-55. That's a batting average of .312, which is good if you're Shane Victorino but not so good if you're a fantasy NASCAR site. Time to raise the average.
One from the front: Ryan Newman is ineligible for the People's Pitstop, having used up his nine starts, but he's still eligible for our predictions. This week, he's starting in third place, and he's seeking his third victory at Michigan.
One from the back: Clint Bowyer didn't do himself any favors by qualifying 35th, but he did us a huge favor by giving us someone to pick to come out of the back 10. He's one of several drivers on the bubble as the Chase for the Sprint Cup (NASCAR's version of the playoffs) approaches. He currently sits 11th in driver points, and since he has no wins so far this season, he's going to need to work his way into the top 10 to ensure a playoff berth.
Two from the middle: It's safe to say Kurt Busch didn't have a good time at last week at Watkins Glen, where he finished 38th and dropped two spots in driver points. Fortunately, he should have a better time at Michigan, where he's already won twice and finished eight times in the top 10. He starts 13th.
For those interested in more recent history, you can look to Paul Menard, who starts 11th this week and finished in fourth place at the last Michigan race in June.
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the results.

Fearless Predictions - Indianapolis

It's a good day to be a racing fan. The NASCAR Sprint Cup drivers bring their act to one of the world's most famous tracks, Indianapolis Motor Speedway. And the People's Pitstop has a good chance to retake the lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern standings.
All you need now to round out your Sunday is a dose of predictions about which drivers will finish in the top 10. Our most recent forecasts (two weeks ago, back when the National Football League still had its head up its rectum) went 2-2, leaving us with a season record of 22-46.
One from the front: The numbers are trending in Kurt Busch's favor. He has finished in the top 10 in three of the last four Sprint Cup races. He currently sits third in driver points -- only 11 behind leader Carl Edwards. And he starts fourth this week, making him the top driver not starting for the People's Pitstop.
One from the back: The statistics for this week's bottom 10 starters are almost as sad as the attendance forecasts for this race. Almost by default, we're going with David Gilliland, who starts 37th and does have a pair of top 10 finishes this season, including a third-place finish at the Daytona 500.
Two from the middle: Denny Hamlin, who starts 14th, is a good pick for several reasons. For one thing, he finished third in our last race at New Hampshire. For another thing, he sits in 10th place in points, and he probably doesn't want to take his chances with a wild card. Staying in the top 10 would allow him not to worry about whether one win is going to be enough to secure the last Chase spot.
And since we're in Indianapolis, we have to give our final selection spot to Casey Mears. After all, the Mears family has a pretty strong history on this track. (Admittedly, Mears made this pick easier by qualifying 11th.)
Enjoy ESPN's first race of this Sprint Cup season. We'll be back with the results.

Fearless Predictions - Daytona

Some traditions just make sense, like racing at Daytona on Independence Day Weekend. And then there are traditions like the People's Pitstop predictions, which we all tolerate before moving on to more pressing matters. Maybe we need to get some special help for these picks for the NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10. Last week's predictions went 0 for 4 (again), dropping our season record to 16-40.
In bowling, they call hitting three strikes in a row a "turkey." Is there a term for three gutter balls in a row? Let's hope we don't have to find out.
One from the front: We can't pick the polesitter, Mark Martin, because he's in our starting lineup for this week. (Thank you, voters.) However, since Daytona has become a "dance with your partner" type of track, we can pick the Hendrick Motorsports teammate who has publicly committed to pairing up with Martin. That would be Jeff Gordon, who starts in 4th place and should have little trouble finding Martin.
One from the back: Kyle Busch had a dreadful qualifying session. He will start in 38th place, but he has won this race before. Also, despite an early spin, he finished in 8th place the last time these drivers were here. If anyone can climb from the back, it's Mr. Pink Car.
Two from the middle: Jeff Burton needs to make a move -- quickly. He currently sits 24th in driver points, so he's in real danger of missing the Chase, even if he manages to win a race. Luckily, Daytona has been kind to him over the years. He has nine top 10 finishes on this track, including a 5th-place finish in this race last year. He also starts in 12th place on Saturday.
Kurt Busch has already made his move. He didn't just win last week's road race at Sonoma; he dominated it. He starts in 25th place for this race, but he has finished in the top 10 in a dozen Daytona races, including the last two straight.
Enjoy the race and the holiday, and remember why we celebrate it. We'll be back with the results.

Fearless Predictions - Michigan

While the fathers out there deal with their new ties and after-shave (or more modern gifts), it's time to offer our weekly predictions for the NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10 at Michigan International Speedway. Last week, our forecasts went 3-1 for the second straight week, raising our season record to an almost-respectable 16-32. Can we make it three in a row this week?
One from the front: If you want to know about the phrase "three in a row," you might consider asking Kurt Busch about it. After all, he's won the pole for the third straight week, and he has finished in the top 10 in the last three races. Looks like all he had to do was chew out his crew.
One from the back: Most weeks of the NASCAR season, we have at least one driver make a surprising appearance in the back 10 of a starting grid. This week, that "honor" goes to Brad Keselowski, who qualified 41st. This isn't some start-and-park operation. Keselowski won two weeks ago, and he has taken the checkered flag at two Nationwide races on this track.
Two from the middle: Our first pick from the middle starts in 15th place. However, like Busch, this driver has finished in the top 10 in three straight points races. He also sits third in the driver standings. That's right; it's Dale Earnhardt Jr., the driver America seems to love to hate.
Our other pick is Trevor Bayne, who starts 17th and has (hopefully) fully recovered from whatever ailed him earlier in the season. His recent results have not been all that spectacular, but he drives for Glen Wood, who was selected this past week for the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Having a Hall of Fame car owner has to count for something, right?
Happy Father's Day. Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the results.

Fearless Predictions - Pocono

(Editor's Note: The following post was written Sunday morning but did not publish because of a Web error. We apologize for the delay.)
Sunday morning is upon us once again, and with it comes the People's Pitstop predictions for NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10 today at Pocono Raceway. The forecasts bounced back last week by going 3-1, raising our season record to 13-31.
One from the front: This time, we're going all the way to the front by picking Kurt Busch. He sits on the pole for this race, and he won the Pocono race where the people who bring you this blog learned what this sport is all about.
One from the back: Staying within the family, Kyle Busch has had an interesting few days. After being attacked by a rival owner, he was cast (unfairly) as the villain in the dispute. Now he finds himself starting in 34th place. He probably won't stay there very long.
Two from the middle: What do Tony Stewart and Jimmie Johnson have in common these days? Plenty. Both are two-time winners on this track. Both finished in the top 10 in both Pocono races last year. And they will start next to each other (Johnson in 14th, Stewart in 15th) in today's race.
Enjoy the festivities from Pennsylvania. We'll be back with results.

Fearless Predictions - Richmond

NASCAR has decided that Saturday night's all right for racing, and we at the People's Pitstop are getting ready with the site's official beverage and a new set of predictions.
The forecasts (for four drivers who will finish in the top 10) are finally showing signs of life. They went 3-1 at the Talladega drag race, raising our season record to an almost-respectable 7-17. Let's keep the ball rolling.
One from the front: This pick worked last week, and he managed to qualify in the top 10 again. Jeff Gordon has a strong track record at Richmond International Raceway, including two victories. And his car is finding its way to the front; he has three finishes in the top 10 so far this season, and he starts sixth on Saturday.
One from the back: Another odd name pops up in the back 10. His name is Kurt Busch, and when he's not selling gasoline, he's putting up top 10 finishes (five of them this season). But he only qualified 36th at Richmond, a track where he has won before. He won't stay in the back for long.
Two from the middle: Maybe Denny Hamlin needs to tear up his knee again. Or maybe he just needed to return to Richmond. He qualified 11th for Saturday night's race, but he's won two races here in two days. This should be where the turnaround starts for him.
Our other pick is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who may be known for his work on restrictor plate tracks but actually has three victories at Richmond and currently sits in third place in driver points.
Enjoy the race, everybody. We'll be back with results and some fresh lineup polls.

Fearless Predictions - Fontana

This version of the fearless predictions will be brief, since the people who bring you this blog are in Las Vegas (BABY!) and will be watching this week's Sprint Cup race from one of the various sports books available here.
Here's hoping our luck at the blackjack table is better than our luck so far with these predictions for NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10. Once again, last week's forecasts went a pitiful 1-3, leaving us with a season record of 2-8. But here come another set of predictions anyway.
One from the front: We're going with someone who always seems to do well at tracks the size of Auto Club Speedway. Tony Stewart starts in fifth place and should be able to at least hold on to that spot.
One from the back: It's not the strongest of fields this week, in part because only 43 cars signed up for this race, so everybody qualified. When in doubt, you go with a former Sprint Cup champion. And we'll go with Bobby Labonte, who starts 34th.

Two from the middle: Lots of drivers to choose from here. Our choices are the current points leader, Kurt Busch, who starts 23rd, and Jimmie Johnson, who starts 16th and owns the Fontana track.

Enjoy the race, everybody. We'll be back with results.

Fearless Predictions - Version 2.0

As NASCAR fans get ready for this week's Sprint Cup race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, it's time to offer the first set of predictions for this season.
Only this time, we're going to do things a little differently.
Let's be honest; an elephant throwing darts could pick 10 drivers and get half of them into the top 10 each week. And since we're fresh out of darts, we need a new system, so here goes.
Each week for the rest of the season, the fine folks who write this blog will pick four drivers -- one starting in the top 10, one starting in the bottom 10 and two starting somewhere in between those ranges. We will not pick drivers starting for the People's Pitstop that week, but we will do our best to pick drivers who have a good shot of finishing in the top 10 for one reason or another.
Here are the picks for this week.
One from the front: This week, it's particularly challenging to make this pick, since three of the top 10 starters (Kyle Busch, A.J. Allmendinger and Ryan Newman) are in our starting lineup. We'll go instead with a driver who's in the top 10 in both today's starting grid and the Sprint Cup point standings: Mark Martin, who won Saturday's Nationwide race on this very track.
One from the back: The pickings are pretty slim back here in the land of start-and-parkers (or, in the case of Robby Gordon, start-and-perp-walkers). However, believe it or not, we have another driver currently in the top 10 in points: David Gilliland. He's as good a bet to move up the pack as anybody.
Two from the middle: The only driver in this group who is ineligible is Paul Menard. Instead, we'll go with Jeff Gordon, the driver who ended a 66-race losing streak last week, along with the driver who currently sits right behind his brother at the top of the point standings: Kurt Busch, a Las Vegas native who probably doesn't want to see your Elvis impersonation.
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the results.

Getting Better All the Time

If Jeff Gordon can break a 66-race slump, then the People's Pitstop certainly can break a 1-race one, and we did.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored 282 points during Sunday's Sprint Cup race in Phoenix, sponsored by the folks who think they invented the word "footlong." We rose 2 spots in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group rankings, to 11th place.
Here's how we did it.
Kurt Busch: Started 2nd, finished 8th, 31 laps led and 91 fantasy points, including 5 qualifying bonus points and 10 points for leading a lap. Yes, we would have gotten more if we had started his brother, but we'll take it anyway.
Ryan Newman: Started 14th, finished 5th, 7 laps led and 92 fantasy points. If the early results are any indication, Newman is leaving 2010 in his rear view mirror.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 15th, finished 9th and 74 fantasy points. All that was missing from his Sunday was a lap led, but you get the feeling that's just a matter of time.
Regan Smith: Started 5th, finished 34th (99 laps behind the leaders) and 24 fantasy points. We all knew the Daytona 500 would have a major wreck, but the one that collected Smith on Sunday had to be a surprise.
This week, NASCAR loads up its haulers and heads to Las Vegas. And we at the People's Pitstop need your help once again in picking the eight drivers that will fill our roster in Sin City. The polls will close Thursday night, so feel free to vote now. And tell a friend.

The People's Choice - Phoenix

Thanks to all of you voted in our polls for the People's Pitstop lineup this week. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team will take the track with these drivers.
A List: This poll was all about family -- no, not that kind. The two poll winners were Kurt Busch and his brother, Kyle. Kurt qualified 2nd (giving us 5 bonus points), so he'll start over Kyle, who qualified 4th (giving us 1 bonus point).
B List: Four drivers found their way to the top of this poll, so we needed a qualifying session to select the two starters. Ryan Newman (qualified 14th) and A.J. Allmendinger (15th) sent Juan Pablo Montoya (22nd) and Mark Martin (23rd) to the bench.
C List: Michael Waltrip isn't entered in this field (thank goodness), so we needed some newcomers to step forward. Regan Smith had the votes and the lap speed (qualifying 5th) to get into the starting lineup. David Ragan will cool his heels on the bench.
The poll results appear below, and we have a new poll on the new NASCAR scoring system, because anyone who watched last season knows that what NASCAR needed to do more than anything else was change the way it keeps score. <Insert eye roll here.>
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with results.
[polldaddy poll=4612033] [polldaddy poll=4612052] [polldaddy poll=4612071]

Fearless Predictions - Watkins Glen

It's time once again to predict which NASCAR drivers will finish in the top 10 at Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Watkins Glen International. Last week's forecasts went 6-4, leaving us with a season record of 95-105. That's right; we're back to the point where a perfect week of predictions (how hard can that be?) would bring us back to .500.

1. Tony Stewart. Two words: defending champion.

2. Kevin Harvick. Two more words: points leader.

3. Marcos Ambrose. He won his third straight Nationwide race at this track on Saturday. Eventually, that has to translate into Sprint Cup results.

4. Kyle Busch. He's the last driver other than Stewart to win at this track, but you already knew that.

5. Jeff Gordon. But did you know he's won more road races than any other driver in NASCAR history? Well, you do now.

6. Juan Pablo Montoya. He's starting third today, and he may need a road course to get his second win in a Sprint Cup car.

7. Clint Bowyer. He seems to be handling the pressure of holding the last Chase spot rather well.

8. Mark Martin. Meanwhile, guess who lurks only 34 points behind Bowyer?

9. Denny Hamlin. We can't really back Jimmie Johnson or Kurt Busch until they settle the whole he said/he ran me over thing, so we'll go with this season's other five-time winner, who, by the way, has finished in the top 10 in each of his four starts at Watkins Glen.

10. A.J. Allmendinger. This week's medium to long shot is starting second and is hoping to have a better day than last week's pick for this spot did. (Sorry about that, Elliott.)

We'll be back after the race with results and new polls. Be sure to get your vote in for which fantasy football player the People's Pigskin will target first.

Wrapping Up Michigan

The People's Pitstop took a step backward Sunday, but it could have been worse. Just ask Robert Green.

The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 252 points during the Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. That leaves us with a season total of 3,973, good enough for 64,241st place overall in Yahoo Sports and 84th place in the Fans of From the Marbles league. Here are the details.

Kurt Busch. Started 1st, finished 3rd, 60 laps led and 106 fantasy points. That total includes 10 bonus points for starting on the pole and 10 more for leading a lap. Take a nice, close look at those bonus points. They are the only ones the People's Pitstop collected this weekend. Kurt and Denny Hamlin were the only drivers who spent any significant time in the lead.

Jeff Burton. Started 5th, finished 8th and 76 fantasy points. The only headlines he made Sunday were for failing to wrest 7th place from Dale Earnhardt Jr.  (You know, the guy who wants you to watch the World Cup.)

Ryan Newman. Started 8th, finished 32nd (1 lap behind the leaders) and 28 fantasy points. Three-quarters through the race (look for lap 150 on this NASCAR.com report), Newman reported hitting some debris that did something to his car. Eight laps later, Hamlin lapped him. Coincidence?

Paul Menard. Started 22nd, finished 25th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 42 fantasy points. Look on the bright side: Menard did better in this race than he did in the Nationwide series race in Kentucky on Saturday.

But enough about Michigan. Now it's time to get back on the road -- the road course in Sonoma, that is. And it's time for a fresh set of lineup polls, which will stay up until Thursday night. Please vote now. Here are the results of the two other polls.

[polldaddy poll=3333673] [polldaddy poll=3333678]

The People's Results - Michigan

Our thanks go out to everyone who voted on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Michigan International Speedway. The voting was close across the board, but here are the results.

A List. There was an absolute logjam (kind of like the one at the end of last week's race) in this poll. This week, we've had to use both of our tiebreakers. First, by virtue of points, we're using the Busch brothers, Kyle and Kurt, in some order. Whoever gets the start will depend on whoever qualifies better.

B List. Here we have a three-way tie for first place. Congratulations to Clint Bowyer, Jeff Burton and Ryan Newman. Two of them will start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team. The third will share the bench with Martin Truex Jr.

C List. There was a clear winner for the starting spot here: Paul Menard. The tiebreaker for the bench spot went to A.J. Allmendinger.

The lineup poll results appear below. Today we have two new polls. One is a response to a column by Jenna Fryer of Yahoo Sports about TV channels using NASCAR team owners in their broadcasts. The other is a response to this week's publications of the first fantasy football preview magazines of the season. We'll be back with qualifying results.

ADDED 10 p.m. EDT. The results are in, and once again the People's Pitstop has the pole! This time, it was Kurt Busch who did the honors, so he'll start in the A List slot. As far as the B List members are concerned, the two starting spots go to Jeff Burton (who qualified fifth) and Ryan Newman (who qualified eighth). Clint Bowyer, by virtue of qualifying 25th, earned a spot on the bench.

[polldaddy poll=3311765] [polldaddy poll=3311785] [polldaddy poll=3311798]

All-Star Updates

This post will offer occasional updates on tonight's All-Star festivites.

11:17 p.m. EDT The final segment of this race (only 10 laps, officially) took nearly as long to complete as the first one. That's because Kyle Busch wrecked, and then Jimmie Johnson spun out. In the end, Kurt Busch won. As I write these words, Kyle is still waiting to confront his "teammate" Denny Hamlin about the way his race ended. Good thing they won't have to contend with a 600-mile race next week or anything.

10:30 p.m. EDT The third segment is over, and now we have what has to be the most random element in the entire All-Star Race: a 10-minute break. All the teams get 10 minutes to work on their cars (but not to change the tires; at the end of the break, the cars will drive back to pit row for a mandatory four-tire change).

If anyone can explain the logic behind this, I'd love to hear it. After all, they've run a grand total of 90 laps so far, and they're getting ready to run only 10 more. And this is the third break they've had so far tonight.

If you want to put a 10-minute break into a Charlotte race, wouldn't you want to put it into the 600-mile race they'll be running a week from Sunday?

10:04 p.m. EDT The second segment just ended, and over in the Yahoo Sports chat room, we've had ... well, I'm not sure if it's a hoax or something that would have been better suited for another forum:

"10:03 [Comment From thats what she said] JENNY- I know you are on this chat since you texted me right now....i wanted to ask you if you will take my hand in marrige?"

No word yet on whether she said yes. But really, what more could she want from a future husband?

9:44 p.m. EDT The first segment of tonight's four-segment race (and, at 50 laps, the longest one by far) has just concluded. And Darrell Waltrip, in his infinite wisdom, just told the Speed TV viewers that now the exciting part of this race will begin. Thanks, DW. Thanks for telling those of us who turned on our sets in time to watch the start of this race just wasted their time.

8:48 p.m. EDT Well, I'd like to say that your vote in the All-Star poll helped put Jeff Burton over the top and into tonight's main event. Alas, it wasn't meant to be. That spot went instead to Carl Edwards. Uh, oh. One of the drivers who already qualified for the race: Brad Keselowski. Hopefully, they won't get together tonight.

8:13 p.m. EDT The Sprint Showdown has just concluded, with Martin Truex Jr. and Greg Biffle earning spots in the All-Star race. This was preceded by what may be the proudest moment of my race chatting career. The details below. To set the scene, Juan Pablo Montoya had just nearly gotten into two different wrecks by trying to squeeze other drivers off their lines.

"7:45 [Comment From peoplespigskin] Over/under on number of laps until Montoya actually wrecks someone?"

"7:46 Jay Hart: CAUTION"

"7:46 Jay Hart: JPM wrecked."

"7:47 [Comment From Robby Gordon Fan Club] peoplespigskin is a clairvoyant. Does he know tonight's Powerball numbers?"

How can I top that? Stay tuned.

Dover Results and an All-Star Poll

I'm sorry this post couldn't go up sooner. I was busy installing a still in Charlotte.

Anyway, the People's Pitstop had a fairly conclusion to the spring portion of the NASCAR Sprint Cup season. The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team collected 270 points at Sunday's race in Dover. That brings the season total to 3,085, good enough to move us up to 125th place in the Fans of From the Marbles fantasy league. Congratulations to Dick Trickle (the league, not the driver) for winning the spring segment of our league. Here are the details on our results:

Kurt Busch. Started 12th, finished 19th (2 laps behind the leaders), 1 lap led and 64 fantasy points.

Jeff Burton. Started 17th, finished second, 1 lap led and 98 fantasy points.

Clint Bowyer. Started 7th, finished 17th (1 lap behind the leaders) and 58 fantasy points.

Paul Menard. Started 23rd, finished 21st (2 laps behind the leaders) and 50 fantasy points.

Now the NASCAR drivers are back home in Charlotte, getting ready for the opening of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Some drivers are preparing for Saturday's All-Star Race. Others are hoping to earn their way into that race one of two ways. They can win their way in by finishing first or second in the 30-car Sprint Showdown preceding the race. (By the way, if baseball wants to make its All-Star Weekend more exciting, it can try reserving a spot in the All-Star Game for whoever wins the Home Run Derby.) Or the drivers can hope that they win the fan vote that will decide a spot.

That's where the latest poll comes in. We've taken 10 of the drivers eligible for votes in the All-Star popularity contest. If you're favorite driver isn't on this list, it means either that driver is already in the All-Star Race or you need a new favorite driver. Anyway, the poll will stay up until Saturday. The JaMarcus Russell results appear below. We'll be back.

[polldaddy poll=3170463]

The People's Choice - Dover

Thanks to everyone who took time this week to cast their votes on the People's Pitstop lineup for Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup race in Dover. Here are the results.

A List. We had a two-way tie in this week's vote between Jeff Gordon and Kurt Busch. To break that tie, we go to qualifying order. Busch qualified 12th, or three spots in front of Gordon, and he gets the start for the Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team.

B List. Here we had another two-way tie, but in this case, that was a good thing, since we had two starting spots to offer. They went to Jeff Burton (who qualified 17th) and Clint Bowyer (who qualified seventh -- yes, the People's Pitstop has a top 10 starter). Watching this race from our bench will be Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth. I wonder if they could stop by the Race Book and drop off a bet for us.

C List. This was the one poll where we had a clear-cut winner: Paul Menard. He gets the start, while A.J. Allmendinger gets the bench spot.

The poll results appear below. We'll be back before race time with the usual predictions. In the meantime, here's a free bonus forecast: Take Paddy O'Prado to win the Preakness Stakes, aka the People's Race. (You've got to love that slogan.) How did I come up with that prediction? The same way I come up with all the others.

[polldaddy poll=3176755] [polldaddy poll=3176770] [polldaddy poll=3176778]