CUP: SPEED Crew Ready For Kentucky

Sprint Cup

CUP: SPEED Crew Ready For Kentucky

SPEED crew is ready for second visit to Kentucky Speedway...

Megan Englehart | Posted June 28, 2012 Sparta, KY

Aerial shot of Kentucky Speedway from 2011. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

SPEED CREW READIES FOR REPEAT TRIP TO KENTUCKY

Record-breaking heat and Matt Kenseth’s departure from Roush Fenway Racing have dominated conversation this week, but attention now turns to Saturday-night racing at Kentucky Speedway.

Below, the SPEED crew sets the stage for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series’ second stop in the Bluegrass State:

Q: We saw traffic problems of colossal proportions last year at the inaugural Cup Series race at Kentucky Speedway. How important is it for track and state officials to make things right for race fans this weekend?

“I think Kentucky Speedway has done a tremendous job improving the infrastructure and adding to the parking over the last few months. The proof will come Saturday night but early indications are very encouraging.” --Tom Jensen, SPEED.com Editor-in-Chief

Q: Scott Miller left Richard Childress Racing for Michael Waltrip Racing, and so far this year, RCR has only one of three teams in the top 10 in points while MWR has two of three in the top 10. How much of MWR’s success and RCR’s struggles do you attribute to the gain and loss, respectively, of Miller?

“Miller has done a tremendous job for Michael Waltrip. He comes from a winning organization and a tradition of success. I think that background and experience have carried over to MWR, and that’s a big part of why they’re so much better in 2012.” --Tom Jensen, SPEED.com Editor-in-Chief

“We knew MWR was legit about three or four races into this season, while we have seen RCR faltering. It’s hard to believe one person can change an entire organization, but it’s obvious to me that Miller has raised MWR to another level. That’s proven by the No. 55 car because all three of the drivers who share that car run well. Both Clint Bowyer and Martin Truex, Jr., have been strong, as well, and I think that’s all a reflection of the organization and ideas Miller brings to the team.” --Jimmy Spencer, SPEED analyst

Q: Kentucky fans waited so long for a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series date and finally got one last year. You covered a variety of sports while working in local TV for four years in Kentucky. How would you describe fans in the Bluegrass State?

“They have an awesome fan base in Kentucky – not just race fans but a great sports fan base in general. It’s an area renowned for its basketball and horse racing – I always referred to the craze as ‘hoops and horsepower.’ I spent four years covering University of Kentucky basketball, and their games aren’t just another game – they’re an experience and a lifestyle. With Kentucky sports fans so accustomed to a strong winning tradition, they also are coming to expect good experiences in other sports there. So, when NASCAR comes to town, they’re starting to expect the best now that they finally have all three NASCAR series racing there.” --Krista Voda, host of NCWTS Setup and Trackside; former Kentucky sports reporter

Q: Who is your favorite to win the second NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race Saturday at Kentucky?

“I’m going to look at Greg Biffle because we’ve run four races so far this season at mile-and-a-half tracks, and he has top-five finishes at all four, including a win at Texas and an average finish of 3.25. So, I think Biffle is the favorite at Kentucky.” --Tom Jensen, SPEED.com Editor-in-Chief

“We’ve had so many different winners this year that I really don’t know who to pick. We’re still waiting for Carl Edwards to break through and win again. Marcos Ambrose has been running pretty well on the ovals lately. Kyle Busch was great at Kentucky last year. There are so many favorites but also so many who, like Jeff Gordon, could push through and win on any given weekend that I can’t venture a guess other than to say those outside the top 10 without wins definitely will start doing everything they can to get to Victory Lane.” --Jimmy Spencer, SPEED analyst

Q: We talk every week about whether or not Jeff Gordon is out of the Chase yet. Many expected him to get his first win of the season last week at Sonoma. Now that that ship has sailed, are his odds of making the playoffs diminishing?

“There’s still a good chance Gordon will make it into the Chase. Never count him out until they throw the checkered flag at Richmond. He is fully capable of going on a tear, and I still think he will win more than one race between now and then. Gordon is a knock-out punch.” --Steve Byrnes, host of NASCAR Race Hub

“I really thought Gordon would win at Sonoma because he was fast all weekend. But when he had issues such as running out of fuel and the handling going away on the car, him not winning that race makes me feel like he might not make the Chase now. Two of his teammates who are equally as fast are going back to tracks they were very dominant at, and I think they could be the ones who take those valuable wins off the board for him. Gordon has to win.” --Jeff Hammond, SPEED analyst