[media-credit name=”charlottemotorspeedway.com” align=”alignright” width=”232″]
[/media-credit]This week’s picks will be short and sweet as I had a rather poor showing in last week’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race, have not been able to watch much of this week’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice sessions, and am starting a long weekend in Philadelphia this afternoon and have limited access to stats. I can’t even say I will be able to watch much of the race on Sunday evening, but I know from the way last week’s All-Star race shook out, Sunday’s Coke 600 will surely turn out to be action packed with plenty of drama. There was no holding back last week in Concord, and being one of the more prestigious NASCAR Sprint Cup Series trophy’s, the 43 drivers making the start Sunday will push for each and every position in NASCAR’s longest race.
All-Star Race Recap
There was a lot to pick last week, and I did not capitalize on the opportunity to improve my stats this year. I picked the Sprint Showdown, Sprint Fan Vote, four segment winners in the Sprint All-Star Race, and the million-dollar Sprint All-Star Race Winner. I picked one of the four segment winners but nothing more than that…
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not on my radar for more than the Sprint Fan Vote last week, but came out of nowhere to win the Sprint Showdown, and the fourth segment of the 2012 Sprint All-Star Race. Jimmie Johnson was my segment two pick, whom managed to win the first of the four stanzas last Saturday. It was Johnson that went on to win the cool million after the 10-lap shootout, and it was me left shaking my head when my winner pick crossed the line in 15th-place.
Coke 600 Picks
Winner Pick
I think Jimmie Johnson is bringing the car to beat again this week to Concord. He drove to the front in fairly commanding fashion last week, and has the endurance to withstand the onslaught from the rest of the field for 600 miles on Sunday Night. Johnson will start immediately behind pole-sitter Aric Almirola, inside the second row, and will avoid trouble back in the pack. He was 11th on the charts during Sprint Cup Practice yesterday in Concord.
Dark Horse Pick
I’ve been watching this guy on 1.5-mile intermediates for the past season or so, and am thinking this may be Marcos Ambrose’s ‘Oval Coming Out Party’. He raced very well in last weekend’s NASCAR Sprint All-Star race, and was able to finish in the Top-5 in 3 of the 4 20-lap segments last week. He finished the 10-lap sprint to the cool million in 7th place, respectable for the road-course specialist. the No. 9 DeWalt Ford was the fastest car on the track during Thursday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Practice, and will start on the outside of the front-row for Sunday’s 53rd Annual Coca-Cola 600.
Bonus Pick: Indianapolis 500
I can’t let one of the world’s most famous races go by without adding my insight… I’ve been watching May’s Indy 500 practices and qualifying, and am excited to watch my first IndyCar race of the season. The lime-green GoDaddy car has caught my eye in each of the month’s practice and qualifying sessions, and I have been gripped by the personality of James Hinchcliffe as well. He’s starting second on the grid in the first race on Sunday, and I am looking at him to make a statement and drinking the milk on Sunday.
That’s all for this week so until next time, you stay classy NASCAR and INDYCAR NATION!
