Speeds jump significantly in second practice

Darlington is a rhythm track, and proof of that was supplied during Friday practice. In the first session, seven drivers -- including veterans Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon -- earned Darlington Stripes. Late in that same practice, Danica Patrick hit the wall hard enough to necessitate a backup car, but the mood changed dramatically for Happy Hour. During the later practice, no one scraped the wall, and drivers who struggled earlier in the day jumped to the top of the speed charts. Biffle posted the sixth fastest lap of 175.987 mph, while Gordon settled into eighth with a speed of 175.836 mph. Patrick improved her speed slightly between the two sessions, a more impressive feat considering how little time the team had to work on the car. The improvements recommend Biffle and Gordon, although fantasy players would be hard-pressed to activate Patrick. Paul Menard posted the fastest single lap in the morning session with a speed of 173.963, but as the track took on rubber and drivers found the groove, the fast lap increased to 177.070 mph in the later session, a speed hit by Juan Pablo Montoya. Menard’s top speed from session one would only ha More

Speeds jump significantly in second practice

Darlington is a rhythm track, and proof of that was supplied during Friday practice. In the first session, seven drivers -- including veterans Greg Biffle and Jeff Gordon -- earned Darlington Stripes. Late in that same practice, Danica Patrick hit the wall hard enough to necessitate a backup car, but the mood changed dramatically for Happy Hour. During More

Once a sure pick, this track has become anyone's win

Drivers often call Darlington Raceway "Too Tough to Tame;" recently, fantasy players have found it tough to handicap. Conventional wisdom long held that Young Guns should be avoided on this egg-shaped, rough-surfaced oval. Drivers like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin were able together string long streaks of top-fives and -10s after years of competition, but recent seasons have not been nearly as predictable. While five drivers enter the weekend with back-to-back top-10s, only one has scored three -- showing a lack of consistency that highlights NASCAR’s search for parity. Statistically, the 2011 Bojangles' Southern 500 was an outlier in several ways. Regan Smith stayed on track during the final caution period and rolled the dice on old tires. Lightly-funded teams often struggle at Darlington -- another strike in his disfavor -- but he managed to keep the veteran Carl Edwards and hard-charging Brad Keselowski at bay. This independent team with a fourth-year driver scored not only Smith's first Cup victory, but his first Darlington top-15. In that race, Gordon snapped a seven-race top-five strea More

Once a sure pick, this track has become anyone's win

Drivers often call Darlington Raceway "Too Tough to Tame;" recently, fantasy players have found it tough to handicap. Conventional wisdom long held that Young Guns should be avoided on this egg-shaped, rough-surfaced oval. Drivers like Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Matt Kenseth and Mark Martin were able together string long streaks of t More

Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports teammates may use the draft; keep an eye on forecast

Related: Aaron's 499 practice speeds | Qualifying order | Complete Talladega coverage There is not a lot that is predictive on a superspeedway. The tight confines of pack racing are inherently dangerous for a player’s fantasy roster because of the likelihood of a multicar crash some time during the afternoon, but even if the Aaron's 499 at Talladega Superspeedway runs green until the checkers, picking a winner is difficult. The draft is chaotic and fluid. Raw speed is essentially meaningless because the pack runs in one massive clump and everyone posts the same speed, and yet drivers and teams continue to practice. One reason to record laps in practice for the Aaron's 499 this week is that qualification may be rained out Saturday. If that occurs, the lineup will be set by the NASCAR Rule Book. The 43 drivers who make the show will be determined by owner points and attempts, but the starting order will be set by the top speeds in the first practice session. If time trials are rained out, Carl Edwards and Martin Truex Jr. will occupy the front row, and it is easier to stay out of trouble at the head of More

Kahne, Hendrick Motorsports teammates may use the draft; keep an eye on forecast

Related: Aaron's 499 practice speeds | Qualifying order | Complete Talladega coverage There is not a lot that is predictive on a superspeedway. The tight confines of pack racing are inherently dangerous for a player’s fantasy roster because of the likelihood of a multicar crash some time during the afternoon, but ev More