Race Weekend Central

Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Lifelock 400 at Kansas Edition

Jeff Gordon – Gordon won the first two Cup races at Kansas and finished fifth in his third start at the track. He hasn’t had a top five here since then, though, and last year suffered a mechanical DNF. Tony Stewart – Stewart won this race last year, coasting to the finish line out of …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: 2007 Lifelock 400 at Kansas Edition

Week three of the Chase finds the traveling road show in the Heartland of America at Kansas Speedway, the newest of the “cookie-cutter” tracks that have come to dominate the schedule in recent years. The first of five intermediate events on the rest of this year’s schedule, the race should give fantasy team owners a …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Dover Fall Race

Jimmie Johnson – Johnson won both Cup races at Dover in 2002, as well as this event in 2005. He has top-10 finishes in seven of 11 Cup starts here – but has missed the mark the last two times out. Jeff Gordon – It’s a tale of two tracks for Gordon. On the plus side, …

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Fantasy Picks ‘N’ Pans: 2007 Dodge Dealers 400 at Dover Edition

The Chase is on! With one week officially in the books, there wasn’t much movement at the top of the Nextel Cup standings; Chasers actually took home seven of the top 10 spots at the 1-mile oval up in New Hampshire. While there was one notable exception – Kurt Busch‘s bad carburetor cost him a …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not OUTSIDE the Chase: 2007 Sylvania 300 at Loudon Edition

NASCAR’s playoffs may be full steam ahead after Loudon – but that doesn’t mean the other 31 drivers stop racing each week. Whether they’re building momentum for 2008, out there fighting for a job or just infused with the plain ol’ desire to win, each one has something to strive for as the races wind …

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Driver Handicaps: 2007 Sylvania 300 at NHIS

Jimmie Johnson – The top seed in the Chase with six wins, Johnson won both NHIS Cup races in 2003 and is averaging an 11th-place finish here after 11 starts. Jeff Gordon – Gordon has won three times at New Hampshire. He’s also finished second here three times, including his runner-up result here this summer …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Richmond Fall Race Edition

Jeff Gordon – Gordon has won here twice and has top-10 finishes in 17 of 29 starts… but his track record lately at Richmond is worrisome. His fourth-place finish in the spring arrested a streak of four straight finishes of 30th or worse, including a disastrous performance in 2005 that locked him out of NASCAR’s …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Nextel Cup: 2007 Sharp Aquos 500 at Fontana Edition

Three things easily sum up this weekend’s race at California Speedway in Fontana: hot, hot and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Countless Earnhardt fans were on the edge of their seats just waiting to see if one of the drivers at the bottom of the top 12 would slip up, giving their man a chance at making …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Fontana Summer Race Edition

Jeff Gordon – Gordon won the inaugural race at Fontana in 1997 and has won two additional Cup races here. He finished second at the track this spring and has top-five finishes in half of his 14 Cup starts. Denny Hamlin – Hamlin has been lukewarm to mildly hot at Fontana. In three Cup starts, …

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Who’s Hot/Who’s Not in Nextel Cup: 2007 Sharpie 500 at Bristol Edition

For some, the racing at Bristol Saturday night was the best it has been in years. For others, it was a Bristol race in name only, with no fireworks and little excitement. But no matter which side of the fence you are on, there were plenty of winners and losers coming out of the annual …

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Matt McLaughlin’s Driver Handicaps: 2007 Bristol Night Race Edition

Jeff Gordon – Gordon has won five Cup races at Bristol, but only one of those wins was in the August Night Race. Still, with 18 top-10 finishes in 29 starts here, Gordon figures to be a factor Saturday night. Denny Hamlin – Hamlin finished sixth in this race last year. This spring, he led …

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