Fearless Predictions - Talladega

This post is going to be short and sweet, because we want you to get some votes in on the People's Pigskin lineup. But first, we want to give you our weekly predictions for the NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10. Last week's forecasts went 1-3, leaving us with a season record of 42-74.
One from the front: If Jeff Gordon is going to climb back into this Chase, this has to be the week he makes a move. He starts 5th at Talladega, a track where he has won six times and finished 18 times in the top 10.
One from the back: It was a gift from the fantasy NASCAR gods when Kyle Busch qualified 34th, or just far enough in the back to qualify for this selection. He won here in 2008, and he sits only 18 points behind the Sprint Cup leader. Speaking of which...
Two from the middle: Kevin Harvick wants this Sprint Cup bad enough to wreck his wife in an ESPN commercial. So something as petty as qualifying 13th won't stop him from finding the top 10.
Another driver hungry for a championship is Tony Stewart, who starts 12th in this race. Regan Smith probaly won't drive below the bottom line to let him win again, but Stewart does have a dozen top 10 finishes here.
We'll be back with the football poll results, so get those votes in while you can.

Fearless Predictions - Dover

Dover International Raceway has a special place in our hearts here at this blog for reasons we've covered in the past. This week, it gets to host a Chase race, and we're proud to bring you yet another set of predictions for which Sprint Cup drivers will finish in the top 10. Last week's predictions went a dismal 1-3, lowering our season record to 38-66.
One from the front: Carl Edwards is fourth in both driver points and in this week's grid. He won this race in 2007, and, if you're into more recent history, he won the Nationwide Series race on this track Saturday.
One from the back: The fantasy racing gods gave us a gift this week by having Jeff Gordon qualify 34th for this race. Yes, that's 10th from the back, so that makes a driver with four Cup championships, four Dover wins, and three wins this season eligible for this pick. Thank you. The obligatory sacrifice is being prepared.
Two from the middle: Speaking of three-time winners this season, Brad Keselowski qualified 15th. Since he's not starting for the People's Pitstop this week, that makes him eligible for this pick.
And we'll keep the "three win" theme going by heading back to 20th place, where we find Ryan Newman. The Rocket Man has three wins on this track and four top 10 finishes in the last six races of this season.
Be sure to get those last-minute votes for the People's Pigskin lineup in while you can. Those polls will close later tonight. We'll be back with the results.

Have We Run Out of Gas?

Tony Stewart was able to hold on Monday, but the People's Pitstop was not so fortunate.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team scored only 192 points during the rain-delayed Chase-opening race at Chicagoland Speedway. The performance was bad enough that our season total of 7,146 points dropped us from first place to third place in the 9beersfantasysportstavern league. We trail Jeff Gordon Dupont 24 by 63 points and SteelerFan4Tony by 6.
Here are the unpleasant details.
Jeff Gordon: Started 23rd, finished 24th (2 laps behind the leaders) and 44 fantasy points. Gordon was one of the most notable victims of Monday's fuel-strategy finish.
Brad Keselowski: Started 6th, finished 5th, 4 laps led and 92 fantasy points. By far the brightest spot on our roster, Keselowski had enough sense to lead some laps during a caution midway through the race and enough gas to stay on the lead lap at the end.
A.J. Allmendinger: Started 18th, finished 27th (2 laps behind the leaders) and 38 fantasy points. This Tweet might have summed it all up: "Greg [crew chief Greg Erwin] and the boys kept swinging at it, but didn't get where we needed." 
Bobby Labonte: Started 11th, finished 38th (31 laps behind the leaders) and 18 fantasy points. And our drivers who weren't running out of fuel were having trouble with their fuel system.
But this race, like the one for the Sprint Cup itself, is far from over. We have a great chance to rebound at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, but we need your help. And quickly. The lineup polls are now open. They will close Thursday night to accommodate a qualifying session scheduled for Friday. Please get those votes in now.

The People's Choice - Chicago

Another work week has come and gone, and you, the Internet, found time once again to vote on the People's Pitstop lineup. Your votes, combined with Saturday's qualifying session, give us these starters for Sunday's NASCAR race at Chicagoland Speedway, the first race in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
A List: As we've said before, it's hard to bet against Jeff Gordon these days. He won this week's poll, with Kevin Harvick as the runner-up, and he will start by virtue of qualifying 23rd (versus 30th for Harvick).
B List: Brad Keselowski is having a heck of a run these days, too. He won this week's B List poll, followed by Dale Earnhardt Jr., A.J. Allmendinger and Mark Martin. The only thing Keselowski didn't do was earn us bonus points. He did get a start by qualifying 6th. Allmendinger (18th) beat out Earnhardt (19th) and Martin (25th) for the other starting spot.
C List: This poll resulted in a tie between Bobby Labonte and David Gilliland. The qualifying session turned out...differently. Labonte (11th) easily earned a starting spot over Gilliland (38th).
We'll be back with some predictions for both the NASCAR race and the People's League fantasy football matchups. Speaking of which, you still have time to vote on the players who will take the field for the People's Pigskin this week, so please vote now.

A NASCAR Playoff Primer

A NASCAR season that started in February has finally reached its post-season. Twelve lucky Sprint Cup drivers will compete over the next 10 weeks (and you thought hockey had a long playoff) for the right to lift the aforementioned cup, which technially isn't a cup, but we'll save that for another post.

The Chase for the Sprint Cup begins Sunday with a race at Chicagoland Motor Speedway. And here's what the makeup of that Chase can teach us.

First of all, we have to answer the question everyone has been asking since NASCAR unveiled yet another change in its scoring procedure: Do wins matter?

Well, in one sense, they don't. Two drivers -- Tony Stewart and Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- made it into this year's Chase without winning a single race. Five other drivers, including the winner of the Darlington race and the winners of both Daytona races, are on the outside looking in. Trevor Bayne (who became ineligible the moment he decided to chase a Nationwide Series title) is the fourth Daytona 500 winner in as many years to fail to make the postseason. Bright side: We may be approaching the day when talking heads stop referring to the Daytona 500 as the Super Bowl of motorsports.

In another sense, wins do matter. At least, they matter more than a stellar regular-season performance. In most sports, the top performer of the regular season would be rewarded in some way for it -- a bye week, home field advantage, etc. In NASCAR, Kyle Busch watched his points lead evaporate the moment Kevin Harvick crossed the finish line first last week in Richmond, equalling Busch's win total for the season (four). Both drivers will start the season with 2,012 points.

And if your Chase spot came via the wild card route, wins don't matter at all. You remember Stewart and Earnhardt, who got into the Chase without a single win? They start the Chase with 2,000 points -- the same number as Brad Keselowski, who won three times this season. Jeff Gordon's three wins are worth nine bonus points. Keselowski's are not.

Some wins are more equal than others.

And if Jimmie Johnson manages to win a sixth straight Sprint Cup, no one will notice that he won only one race during the regular season.

Got all that? Good. Now vote on the polls (fantasy NASCAR and fantasy football) on the right side of the page.

Fearless Predictions - Richmond

It's going to be a busy weekend for this Website. NASCAR has a Saturday night special at Richmond International Raceway, and most of the National Football League will kick off the 2011 season on Sunday. Before those things, though, we have predictions for the Sprint Cup drivers who will finish in the top 10 tonight. Last week's forecasts went 3-1, lifting our season record to 32-60.
One from the front: Insert the Gomer Pyle "Surprise, surprise, surprise" sound effect here. Jimmie Johnson leads the pack in driver points as the Chase approaches. He finished second last week and starts fifth at Richmond, where he has won three times and finished in the top 10 in the last two races.
One from the back: The usual gang of idiots occupy the bottom 10 spots in this race, and our pick last week (Dave Blaney) developed kidney stones Monday and became the first driver to return to the garage on Tuesday. This week, we'll go with Robby Gordon, who starts 37th and at least has a top five finish at this track on his resume.
Two from the middle: Right now, how can you pick against Jeff Gordon? Last week, he not only won the race at Atlanta, earning sole possession of third place on NASCAR's all-time win list, but he also met Justin Bieber! This week, he starts 17th, but he's not a good bet to finish there.
OK, Tony Stewart. It's time to put up or shut up. True, you're starting 22nd, but you had a strong finish at Atlanta, and you have three wins on this track. You also have a tenuous hold on the 10th and final automatic berth in the Chase, and you can wrap up that playoff spot by working your way toward the front. As Robin Williams said in "Good Will Hunting," it's your move, chief.
Don't forget to get those votes in for the People's Pigskin lineup. Those polls will close Saturday night. We'll be back with predictions for the first week of the fantasy football season.

Fearless Predictions - Atlanta

Today's post could be called a hybrid, since it covered both fantasy football and NASCAR.
Let's take care of the football news first. You, the Internet, were kind enough to vote in our polls about the People's Pigskin and which players it should target first in Monday night's People's League draft. You decided that we should target Larry Fitzgerald as our primary wide receiver (OK, as long as we don't have to pay him) and Jason Witten as our tight end. Those are the players we will try to pick up for those positions.
Now, we turn our attention to NASCAR. The Sprint Cup drivers will spend their Sunday night taking on Atlanta Motor Speedway, and the people who bring you the People's Pitstop will spend it hoping the drivers we pick for the top 10 don't make us look like clowns. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 29-59. All in all, it's still been a better season than Jerry Lewis is having.
One from the front: It probably wouldn't shock you to learn that Jeff Gordon has won four Sprint Cup races at Atlanta. It also probably won't shock you to learn that he's finished in the top 10 in four of the last five races. Given all this, it probably shouldn't shock you that Gordon starts tonight in 5th place.
One from the back: The pickings in the back 10 are particularly meager for this race. If hard pressed, we'll go with Dave Blaney, who starts 35th tonight and sits highest among the bottom 10 drivers in point standings (30th).
Two from the middle: Brad Keselowski did not qualify well enough (14th) to earn a starting spot this week, but a busted oil pan has been his team's only misstep since the Road America test. Keselowski has finished in the top 10 in the last five races, including two that he won outright.
Right in front of him tonight, in the 13th starting spot, we find Denny Hamlin. He currently holds the final wild card spot, but he probably would prefer one of the top 10 automatic qualifying spots. And he got a top 10 finish last week at Bristol.
Enjoy the race (and the telethon), everybody. We'll be back with results and new polls.

Fearless Predictions - Bristol

Tonight, instead of watching reporters throw themselves in the path of a hurricane to demonstrate why you should stay away from it, you can watch NASCAR drivers throw themselves into harm's way -- and one another -- for your entertainment. Seems like an easy choice.
The Sprint Cup drivers will take their talents to Bristol Motor Speedway, and we at the People's Pitstop will throw our talents into predicting some top 10 finishers. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, lifting our season record to 27-57.
One from the front: The Jeff Gordon renaissance continues. Last week, he finished 6th at Michigan and moved up a spot in the driver standings, to 6th place. This week, he starts 4th at a track where he has won five times and finished 14 times in the top 10.
One from the back: Tony Stewart probably would like to borrow a little bit of Gordon's mojo right about now. He starts 42nd in this race, but he has won at Bristol before. Also, even though he might not deserve it, he currently holds the 10th and final automatic berth in the Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Two from the middle: Don't look now, but the real Five Timer is moving into the position of a contender. Jimmie Johnson walks into Bristol in 2nd place in the driver standings. He won here last year and starts 13th in this race. Triskaidekaphobes, calm down. He won't stay in that position for long.
The driver he trails, Kyle Busch, is the first one to clinch a spot in this year's Chase. He did that with his big weekend in Michigan (as longtime readers of this blog will recall). He may be starting 23rd this time, but he knows how to find the front of the pack, as he did Friday night, when he won his 50th Nationwide Series race.
Obligatory reminder: The fantasy football polls are still open and will remain open through Saturday night. You will help the People's Pigskin determine which running back and which quarterback to target in our upcoming People's League draft.
Enjoy the race, everybody. If you're in Irene's path, stay safe. If you're not, pray for those who are, including the reporters.

Fearless Predictions - Watkins Glen

It's raining today in the Northeast, but optimistic NASCAR fans will tell you the sun will shine just long enough on Watkins Glen to get Sunday's Sprint Cup race run. That means it is worth our while to predict some drivers who will finish in the top 10. Last week's forecasts went 2-2, raising our season record to 24-52.
The pessimist probably has stopped reading this post already. So we don't have to worry about the pessimists for the rest of this post. (Whew.)
One from the front: It's hard to ignore these facts. Juan Pablo Montoya has two Sprint Cup wins under his belt. Both of them have come on road courses. Montoya won the Watkins Glen race last year. He starts fifth today. This week, we'll ignore the fact that he is having a hard time making friends in NASCAR.
One from the back: How on earth did Denny Hamlin qualify 42nd for this race? Did he do it just to make our bottom 10 pick simple? If so, we'll take it. He has four top 10 finishes on this track, including a second place finish in 2007. And it was just last year when people were saying he had a chance to dethrone Jimmie Johnson.
Two from the middle: Every year, a few road course specialists (or ringers) show up at Sonoma and Watkins Glen to show the regular Sprint Cup drivers how to turn right. One of them is Boris Said, who is known as much for his hair and he is for his driving. He starts 15th tonight and is quite comfortable with hairpin turns.
Jeff Gordon isn't a specialist, but he would be able to make a great living at it. He has four wins on this track. He also has top 10 finishes three of the last five races this season. He starts 17th this week and is always a good bet to find the front.
Enjoy the race, everybody, and think sunshine. (They are in upstate New York, after all.) We'll be back with the results, whenever they're available.

The Last Time We Were in Pocono

For the second time this season, NASCAR takes its Sprint Cup drivers to the weird triangle that is Pocono Raceway. For those of you who picked that week to go on your summer vacation, here's a brief look at what happened.
The race was a monumental one for Jeff Gordon. His victory tied him with Darrell Waltrip and Bobby Allison for third on NASCAR's all-time list. Kyle Busch probably remembers this race a little less fondly. He finished third, but his car failed inspection afterwards, costing him 6 driver points and a bunch of money.
It also wasn't such a hot day for the People's Pitstop. The Internet's favorite fantasy racing team scored only 228 points that race. That included a grand total of 18 from Carl Edwards, who spent most of his day in the TNT booth because of an early engine problem. Good thing he didn't sign that Roush Fenway extension that weekend. That would have been awkward.
Anyway, now that you know a little history, you can use it to our advantage by voting in the lineup polls, which will close this evening. 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.

The Last Time We Visited Daytona

This week, NASCAR resumes one of its long traditions. No, not restrictor plate racing or sponsor hopscotch or drivers blaming everyone around them. This week, NASCAR makes the first of many return trips to tracks it visited earlier in the season -- in this case, the incomparable Daytona International Speedway. In football, a team doesn't return to an opponent's arena unless there's a playoff game (or tons of snow on your own artificial field). In this sport, if at first you didn't succeed, there's a good chance you'll get an opportunity to try, try again.
Thank the deity of your choice for that.
This week, the People's Pitstop starts an occassional series of flashbacks to tracks we've already visited. When George Santayana said those who can't remember the past are doomed to repeat it, he might have been thinking about the Internet's favorite fantasy racing team.
In the first week of the season back in February, the People's Pitstop trotted out this lineup for the Daytona 500: Jeff Gordon, Jeff Burton, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip. Two of those drivers (Earnhardt and Waltrip) had won races before at Daytona. All four of them qualified in the top 10 for this race. Earnhardt grabbed the freakin pole, while Gordon and Burton started in the front four.
This normally would have gotten us bonus points, but the Daytona 500's unique qualifying structure precluded that. Still, with a lineup like that, you would have expected the People's Pitstop to start the season on the highest of notes. Instead, we racked up a grand total of 142 points, our lowest total of the season by far (so far). No starting driver finished better than 24th, and Waltrip limped home in 40th place. In the ultra-competitive 9beersfantasysportstavern league, which we currently lead, we started out in 13th place.
Meanwhile, some kid who was making his second career Sprint Cup start (and who, according to his official biography, still can't legally drink in America) won the Great American Race.
The lesson: You can't relax after the qualifying session, whether you're a driver or a fantasy NASCAR player.
Speaking of the fantasy game, you have until Thursday night to make your picks for the People's Pitstop lineup. Two from the A List, four from the B List and two from the C List, please. Your votes will determine who starts for us.
And whether we've learned from the recent past.

Winning's the Only Thing? Are You Sure?

We are halfway through NASCAR's "regular season," and Mike Helton and Company are probably hoping things change in the second half.
Back in January, NASCAR announced some rule changes, including changes to the way it selects drivers for its Chase for the Sprint Cup. Under the old system, the top 12 drivers in points after 26 races (in other words, after the fall race at Richmond International Raceway) were given spots in NASCAR's version of a playoff. It did not matter how many wins those drivers had -- or even if those drivers had won at all. Points were all that mattered. Now, NASCAR will give playoff spots to the top 10 drivers in points, and it will award two "wild card" spots. Those spots are for the drivers ranked 11th-20th in points who have the most wins in the first 26 races.
This "wild card" has gotten the nickname "the Jamie McMurray Rule," because McMurray won last year's Daytona 500 (along with the race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway) but missed the Chase because he didn't have enough total points. That nickname is unfair to McMurray, since his Chase miss was hardly a fluke. In 2009, Matt Kenseth won the Daytona 500 (and the following week's race in Fontana) but missed the Chase and finished 14th in points. In 2008, Ryan Newman won the Daytona 500 but missed the Chase and finished 17th in points.
Clearly, something had to be done. After all, the Daytona 500 is allegedly the Super Bowl of NASCAR, but the winner of that race is 0-for-the-last-3 in Chase qualification.
Lots of people saw it as a good thing for the sport to put more emphasis on wins. In this post on fines, Jay Busbee of Yahoo Sports cites the changes as one of the ways "this sport has taken more steps to address fan concerns than any other." And Joe Menzer of NASCAR.com tells us the wild card rule is "having its intended impact" by stoking fan interest and making drivers think about winning.
But take a look at how things stand now.
Of the current top 10 drivers in points, five of them (Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kurt Busch, Tony Stewart, Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman) have no wins under their fan belts so far this season. And when you look at the next 10 drivers -- the ones eligible for a wild card -- only one driver has the requisite victory. That would be Jeff Gordon, who won the spring race in Phoenix. Yes, Brad Keselowski, our most recent winner, currently sits in 21st place, and it would not be shocking for him to be in the top 20 next week. But it also would not be shocking for the current top 10 drivers and Jeff Gordon to monopolize the rest of the wins this regular season. If that happens, and something unforeseen happens to take Keselowski out of the top 20, what happens to that last wild card?
Look further down the standings. Down in 29th place, you'll find Regan Smith, the proud owner of a victory at another iconic NASCAR track, Darlington Raceway. Unless he gets into the mother of all grooves, he's unlikely to make the top 20, and his win will go to waste, too.
Oh, and let's get back to the Daytona 500 for a moment. Do you remember who won that race this year? Trevor Bayne. And even if he didn't have his unfortunate illness this season, you wouldn't see him getting a wild card. That's the result of another rule change NASCAR made in January. It told drivers they could compete for only one series title. And Bayne now sits in 15th place -- in Nationwide points.
Make that 0-for-4.

Fearless Predictions - Darlington

Before everyone turns their attention to the other people racing today, it's time to offer our weekly predictions for the NASCAR drivers who will finish in the top 10 tonight at Darlington Raceway. Last week's forecasts returned to their usual performance level by going 1-3, leaving us with a season record of 8-20.
One from the front: It has worked before, so we'll go with Jeff Gordon again this week. He starts fifth in this race and has seven victories on this track. If he can just avoid the non-SAFER-barrier walls, he should do just fine.
One from the back: They say experience is essential at Darlington. Well, Ken Schrader starts 40th but has experience to spare. The soon-to-be-56-year-old has 737 races under his belt. Let's just hope he didn't send a cardboard cutout to drive for him again.
Two from the middle: Kyle Busch starts 14th tonight and won Friday night's Nationwide race on this track. Jimmie Johnson starts 19th and has his usual resume.
Enjoy the races, everyone. We'll be back with results and fresh polls.

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 - Talladega

NASCAR is mere minutes from dropping the green flag at its biggest oval track, Talladega Superspeedway. The People's Pitstop has an outstanding lineup for this Sprint Cup race. Now all we need to do is improve the predictions for drivers that will finish in the top 10. Last week's predictions improved (if that's the word for it) to 1-3, leaving us with a season record of 4-16. Maybe this is the week we turn things around.
One from the front: Only one driver starting in the top five is eligible for selection. Fortunately, that driver won the pole and has won a record 12 times on restrictor plate tracks. Jeff Gordon may not like how plate races work, but he knows how to do well on them. He'll continue that trend today.
One from the back: We have a surprise driver in the back 10 this week. Kevin Harvick only qualified 38th, but he won on this track last year. He's a good bet to get things done.
Two from the middle: Nothing says "confidence" like getting a contract extension from your car owner and sponsor. Greg Biffle may be starting 17th, but he knows where he's driving in the near future, and that kind of momentum can propel him to the top 10.
Our other pick is Matt Kenseth, who qualified 25th but showed last week that he still knows how to win a race.
Enjoy the race. We'll be back with the 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.

Time to Bounce Back

The Daytona 500 was a great time to be a rookie but a rough time to be a piece of sheet metal, or the People's Pitstop.
The Internet's favorite fantasy NASCAR team compiled only 142 points during the Sprint Cup season opener. That leaves us in 13th place (out of 14) in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group on Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing.
Here are some of the details.
Jeff Gordon: Started 2nd, finished 28th (35 laps behind the leaders), 1 lap led and 46 fantasy points, including 10 for leading a lap.
Jeff Burton: Started 4th, finished 36th (116 laps behind the leaders), 5 laps led and 30 fantasy points.
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Started 1st (technically), finished 24th (6 laps behind the leaders), 9 laps led and 54 fantasy points. So much for that conspiracy theory.
Michael Waltrip: Started 8th, finished 40th and 12 fantasy points. Waltrip was our only started who did not lead a lap. Maybe he should stick to talking.
Anyway, we have a chance to rebound this weekend in Phoenix. The race is Sunday, and qualifying is Saturday. The polls are now open and will remain open through Friday night. Please vote now.
We'll be back.

The People's Choice - Daytona 500

We are just minutes away from the season-opening race on the NASCAR Sprint Cup schedule (the Daytona 500, in case you're living under a rock), and the People's Pitstop has the lineup to take the early lead in the 9beersfantasysportstavern group on Yahoo Fantasy Auto Racing. Here are the drivers that you, the Internet, selected.
A List. Jeff Gordon, who will start on the front row of today's Great American Race, edged out Matt Kenseth for the starting spot. This week, we used starting position as a tiebreaker, but next week, we'll start using points, since the lineups will have to be set before qualifying.
B List. On the 10th anniversary of his father's death, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is officially the polesitter (even though a practice crash will send him to the back). He's also one of our starters this week, along with the leading vote getter, Jeff Burton. Martin Truex Jr. and Kasey Kahne (winner of a five-way tie by virtue of starting position) will be on the bench.
C List. This is also the 10th anniversary of Michael Waltrip's first Daytona 500 victory, so it's fitting that he's the starter for this week. His better qualifying position gives him the edge over Paul Menard.
The poll results appear below, and a very simple poll is now available for voting. We'll be back with the results. Until then, enjoy the race.

[polldaddy poll=4582796] [polldaddy poll=4582852] [polldaddy poll=4582815]