Atlanta Herd of Turtles

7

71Fan

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More like a stampede but here ya go.

#49-Derrike Cope…..........842…42nd
#09-Geoffrey Bodine……….546…44th
#66-Frank Kimmel…….….…298....47th,
#74-Tony Raines……..…....409….46th,
#89-Morgan Shepherd..…252.…50th
#59-Carl Long………...…..…239…..52nd
#16-Greg Biffle…………...….183…..56th,
#27/72-Kirk Shelmerdine.180…...57th,
#00-Buckshot Jones…......152……59th
#27-Scott Wimmer………....146…...60th,
#60-Jack Sprague………....…80...…65th
#83-Kerry Earnhardt………..41……69th
#54-Ron Hornaday……….…..0…….82nd
#23-Kenny Wallace....…..out of provs

53 entries so far and if ya think I got enuf on the ball to figure the back of the pack out this week, you got yerself another think coming. Sorry people but yer on yer own.

About the only thing I can say is that I seriously doubt any one of these drivers will be able to use a prov to get in. Looks to me like it’s go fast or go home for all of them, and maybe a couple of the 40 regulars too (Kenny Wallace included)
:D
 
A lot of drivers going home this week.

Most interesting is Frank Kimmell in the #66 this week, I guess Carter is letting him race again since Kimmel did help that team survive earlier this season, even though he wasn't that great.
 
Well I tell ya rp, by the time I got thru figuring out where all these guys stood in the standings my brain is going oh yea, we can do this.

Kick out the worst cars and ya still got more than a few that might just pull out a good lap. Way too much for my feeble mind to figure.
 
I'll be rooting for Kenny Wallace, Carl Long, Scott Wimmer, and Frank Kimmel out of that group. But I always like seeing a few turtles crack the starting grid. :)
 
Based on the mass amount of entries, I think we'll see a few regular drivers getting DNQs, even if they don't have any yet this year. People such as Skinner, Atwood, and Andretti come immediatley to mind as possibly not making the show.
 
I wouldn't be surprised with all these turtles that a couple of the regulars might not make the race. Qualifying will definitely be interesting to see.
 
Wow, lot of entries. Brett Bodine may be SOL.

As much as I admire his determination, it don't look good for Carl Long. I'd like to see him make a race just to offset some of the bills from trying so hard.

I hope Wimmer makes it too. IMO, Raines has a good shot, as does Kenny Wallace. Otherwise, who knows?

With that many entries, I would have expected someone to make a go of it in the 71.
 
Originally posted by paul
How do you figure these out anyway 71?
Click to expand...

My guess would be a couple drinks and a dartboard :p

Thanks for all the hard work 71fan
 
I'm pulling for Scott Wimmer to make the field this week, but when don't I?

It would also be interesting to see what Kerry Earnhardt and Buckshot could do in the race, Buckshot with the better chance of qualifying.

I think Biffle has a pretty good shot, too, so this is going to be interesting. Only one or two of these turtles might make the field, or we might have a real shake-up this weekend and have a couple regulars go home.
 
Couple regulars going home wouldn't bother me. I'd like to see a shake-up. Makes for a fun Sunday.

I guess I should start my anti-rain dance now!
 
Good ol Jayski puts out a list of non-regulars....after that I check his owner points/provisional page and put em in order.

If Wallace is the only one on the list to crack the field on time, the final 3 starters will be Cope, Bodine, and Kimmel. If Cope and Bodine make the field on time (not out of the question) it doesn't change a thing for Kimmel. He still gets the last spot.

Problem is that in this bunch there are at least a half a dozen quality cars back there with experienced drivers in the seat going after only 3 available spots on the grid. When it's only four or five it's pretty easy to handicap and then figure who gets the last three spots and who doesn't. Like Stride's Power Ratings for the front runners, I've got a mental power rating for the turtles.

IF it's not obvious, I start checking qualifying stats and other stuff like that. Trouble this week is that some of these cars are pretty much unknown, some of these drivers are very experienced, and then there's a couple hot shoe kids to make it even more confusing.

Anything prepared with DEI help has a shot but with Buckshot and Kerry???. The wunder-kids might get hot. The 49's been getting in on time at the cookie-cutters. Bodine? If he hits the set-up, he's in there. Carl, Kirk, and Morgan might as well not waste their tires, but compared to renting a track for testing this is probably cheaper. Frank and the 66? Not a good shot but might surprise us. "Might surprise us" can be said for at least 10 of the 13.

While "might surprise" is not that much of a factor at the front, it sure is at the back and there are just way too many of them to even come close.

Was that way too long an answer?
 
No, it wasn't too long.

What does Kirk have to do to get it done? Will he ever?
 
Horsepower, bodywork, hitting the set-up, scattered clouds, and guts enuf to drive that baby deep in to the corners on the edge of disaster.

Those be the keys at Atlanta. Any one of these drivers could ride a fast horse to a top 25 starting spot if they drive deep, but they ain't saddled up on fast horses. I've always felt it's more horse than rider. Shucks, put any of these guys in last springs pole winner and he'll make the top 25 easy on horsepower alone. Do a deep drive and it's top 10.

Drivers don't get anywhere near Winston Cup if they don't know how to hustle a car. Even ol Back Row Joe could break the top 25 in Ryan Newman's car. Shucks, we could all raise the money to send ol Hardscrabble to racing school for two months and even HE could do it on a wide open track like Atlanta if he didn't wimp out.;)

So what's it gonna take? Money and guts.
 
Kirk was in one Pocono race this year, basically as field filler. With Brett Bodine having troubles with his own team, I doubt he's been able to really focus on trying to get Kirk's team up to speed.
 
Yea, both cars are owned by Hooters, so those two teams work together. Granted Shelmerdine has never really qualified for a race, so like Carl Long I'd like to see him make it, but I doubt he will.
 
Remember how Kirk Shelmerdine tried to qualify for the Daytona 500 car earlier this year? Well, when he missed the race, Brett Bodine went over and talked to Hooters about sponsoring his team. To convince them to sign on with him, he even offered to field a car for Kirk on a limited basis that would have a better chance of making the fields. So Hooters got to keep their driver, Kirk, and sign on with Brett.
 
Cool.....and Brett gets the extra practice dates. Always had a soft spot for the Bodines as owner/drivers even if they have been Dave's main back of the field competition. Something about the independents going up against the big dogs.
 
Guess Morgan decided it was a waste of good tires....down to 52.

#49-Derrike Cope…..........842…42nd
#09-Geoffrey Bodine……….546…44th
#66-Frank Kimmel…….….…298....47th,
#74-Tony Raines……..…....409….46th,
#59-Carl Long………...…..…239…..52nd
#16-Greg Biffle…………...….183…..56th,
#27/72-Kirk Shelmerdine.180…...57th,
#00-Buckshot Jones…......152……59th
#27-Scott Wimmer………....146…...60th,
#60-Jack Sprague………....…80...…65th
#83-Kerry Earnhardt………..41……69th
#54-Ron Hornaday……….…..0…….82nd
#23-Kenny Wallace....…..out of provs
 
so ,

IF that is IF, qualifying is rained out, what is the lineup?

Hour to hour forecast from the handy dandy weather link says that sprinkles move out around 3PM but back in around 7PM.
 
The rain-out line-up? Geesh, not that again.

40th.....23...Kenny Wallace.....race winner
41st.....49...Derrick Cope........17 attempts
42nd.....74...Tony Raines........10 attempts
43rd....59...Carl Long.......... .....8 attempts

37th thru 39th goes to 32 attempts/points with 36 and above lining up by points.
 
oops....strike that....the 23 is 31st in points and will start there instead
 
Getting in the race by number of race attempts is sort of strange, I think it really should be awarded to teams that have been able to make races and run well, like Greg Biffle, Scott Wimmer, and Geoffrey Bodine.

But with this rule, I have to give a hand to Carl Long. He's kept trying and kept trying, and finally perseverance is starting to pay off for him. Granted he was slowest in practice, but hey, he's in the field and you have got to start somewhere.
 
LOL Ciggie. It is Carl's 2nd race this year, he made some last year but has since changed teams. This team he's with I think made a race or two earlier this year, so it was a good match for them. Carl Long has 9 Dodge motors he owns and brings to each he drives for, which was one reason why he got that ride. Low-funded team, driver that comes with motors, good match. The team is slow, but again, they made a race now with him and they can build off that.
 
I know it's his 2nd, but I never saw the first, so I can see this one. On tape delay, but I'll see it.
 
Well, the race he made earlier this year he wrecked pretty badly...
 
And last year at AMS he wrecked pretty bad early on. And the fact that he is so slow, I doubt he will last very long.
 
We'll see, I say that team will be out within 20 laps b/c of motor problems.

Too bad we couldn't see what Buckshot had in store for this weekend. Wonder if they'll enter him anywhere else now.
 
Well, Carl's only a gazillion mph off the pace. Hope his sponsor at least gets a little air time.
 
Team BAM is not that slow to begin with. They made a number of races on time when Shawna was behind the wheel, and I think their main "race" problem was gear selection. I never saw Shawna have a problem holding three wide, tho at times she did seem more concerned with keeping it off the wall than pressing the limit. With good cause considering the number of times that car turned around coming out of the turns.

As for Carl and company, hard saying where they are missing but EVERWHERE might explain it. Motor, shocks, springs, oreo. About the only thing that probably isn't lacking big time on that car is the driver, but having never seen Carl in a competitive car it's hard telling if he's an edgewalker or not.

And then ya get back to the finish well or show what ya got and blow it up dilema. Young Dwayne was kicking it yesterday in the 81 car, but for how long? 20, 25 laps....picked up 8 spots before the first caution and then the car lost it. Tranny went according to bgnracing.com but it looked to me like he hurt the motor early cause suddenly he could not even keep up.

Anyways, rpallen is probably close with 20 laps but I'm figuring a little longer. Depends on the pit stops. A lot of times a motor will semi-hold untill ya let the rpm's drop to near the bottom so I'm thinking a bit longer if the race stays green.

Personally, I'ld rather see him kick it for a few laps than just ride around if he can. Pass a few cars in competition is about the most anyone can hope for, and even that's a stretch.
 
Carl Long isn't going to be passing too many cars being 10mph a lap slower than the leader in practice and 3mph slower than 42nd.

Don't get me wrong, 71fan, I pull for the underdog teams that try to make their mark in the sport. That often involves them struggling early on, but if they keep at it sometimes the little team can prevail. Team BAM has made significant strides in improving that team and they are starting to get better results. It was a shame how they just put Shawna Robinson to the side and pretty much killed her career, but sometimes that's just the way it goes.

I wish Carl Long the best of luck, but from what I've seen of that team earlier in the season when Randy Renfrow made the race, they will be lucky if that motor lasts more that 20 laps. And if that engine drops off any more speed, they will probably be black flagged for not maintaining the minimum race pace. Atlanta is a fast track, and not exactly the best place to just be riding around.
 
Not getting you wrong at all RP. Realism counts, and yer thoughts are realistic if nothing else. 50 to 100 miles on a cheap motor at full tilt boogie is about as far as they go.

Just hoping they got a bit more full tilt to get out the dern thing.
 
Carl managed to finish 11 laps shy but finished. Hard to say if it had not been rain shortened if that would have been the case. A couple times when they showed speeds along with the running order along at the top of the screen, his speed was borderline of being "garage bound" according to Nascar's rules. A few of the times his speeds were competitive. The difference may have been how busy he was staying out of everyone's way and while I like Carl I am not too impressed with "staying out of the way" efforts of any driver. Drive it like ya stole it....that's what I like more than anything!

I hope his next effort is more rewarding, for him and the fans. I'm glad the car stayed together for him finally!

Kel
 
Well, I thought Carl drove a good race. His car was slow, but he kept out of the way well enough not to get run over. 11 laps down on speed is pretty bad, but they finished the race and that's what counts. That made their sponsor happy (which I couldn't tell what it was happy) and the team doesn't have to worry about repairing a car or a fried motor. They can build on this weeks race and possibly do better on their next attempt. All in all, not a bad day for them.

I'll also give a call to the other underdog that made the field, Tony Raines. Kept the car out of trouble and came home with a decent 29th place finish. That team is slowly starting to make an impression in the Cup series, and it looks like moving up from the Busch series might have been the right idea after all for them.
 
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