"carcrasher88" (carcrasher88)
02/07/2015 at 17:08 • Filed to: NASCAR, Sprint Unlimited, Motorsports
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"carcrasher88" (carcrasher88)
02/07/2015 at 17:08 • Filed to: NASCAR, Sprint Unlimited, Motorsports | 5
| 4 |
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It's Saturday, the 7th of February. That means we're just a week away from the first race (albeit, a non-points one) of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
This year's event looks to be a pretty exciting one, with new eligibility requirements and one of the largest fields in the history of the event.
Previously, the requirements to be eligible to run were either to have won a pole in the previous season (poles that were awarded because qualifying was rained out don't count, nor do All Star Race poles) or have won the Unlimited in the past.
Late last year, NASCAR added two more requirements: Either have won the pole for the Daytona 500 in the past, or be a driver that made last year's 16 driver Chase for the Cup.
That brought the amount of eligible drivers up to 25, one of the largest potential field.
Since then, three of those drivers announcing that they won't be running the Unlimited: Brian Vickers (health issues, will also miss the first two races of the regular season), AJ Allmendinger (2014 Chase driver) and Brian Scott (2014 pole winner).
Because of this, NASCAR is allowing the three drivers highest in last year's driver's points that were otherwise ineligible to run.
Now, a rundown list of the 25 drivers that will run in this year's Unlimited.
#1 - Jamie McMurray - Chevrolet SS - Chip Ganassi Racing (2014 pole winner)
#2 - Brad Keselowski - Ford Fusion - Team Penske (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#3 - Austin Dillon - Chevrolet SS - Richard Childress Racing (2014 pole winner/Daytona 500 pole winner)
#4 - Kevin Harvick - Chevrolet SS - Stewart-Hass Racing (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#5 - Kasey Kahne - Chevrolet SS - Hendrick Motorsports (2014 chase driver)
#10 - Danica Patrick - Chevrolet SS - Stewart-Hass Racing (Daytona 500 pole winner)
#11 - Denny Hamlin - Toyota Camry - Joe Gibbs Racing (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#13 - Casey Mears - Chevrolet SS - Germain Racing (eligible due to the #47 of AJ Allmendinger not competing)
#14 - Tony Stewart - Chevrolet SS - Stewart-Hass Racing
#15 - Clint Bowyer - Toyota Camry - Michael Waltrip Racing (eligible due to the #55 of Brian Vickers not competing)
#16 - Greg Biffle - Ford Fusion - Roush-Fenway Racing (2014 chase driver)
#18 - Kyle Busch - Toyota Camry - Joe Gibbs Racing (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#19 - Carl Edwards - Toyota Camry - Joe Gibbs Racing (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#20 - Matt Kenseth - Toyota Camry - Joe Gibbs Racing (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#22 - Joey Logano - Ford Fusion - Team Penske (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#24 - Jeff Gordon - Chevrolet SS - Hendrick Motorsports (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#27 - Paul Menard - Chevrolet SS - Richard Childress Racing (eligible because Brian Scott isn't competing)
#31 - Ryan Newman - Chevrolet SS - Richard Childress Racing (2014 chase driver)
#38 - David Gilliland - Ford Fusion - Front Row Motorsports (2014 pole winner)
#41 - Kurt Busch - Chevrolet SS - Stewart-Hass Racing (2014 chase driver/previous Unlimited winner)
#42 - Kyle Larson - Chevrolet SS - Chip Ganassi Racing (2014 pole winner)
#43 - Aric Almirola - Ford Fusion - Richard Petty Motorsports (2014 chase driver)
#48 - Jimmie Johnson - Chevrolet SS - Hendrick Motorsports (2014 pole winner/chase driver)
#78 - Martin Truex Jr. - Chevrolet SS - Furniture Row Racing (previous Daytona 500 pole winner)
#88 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Chevrolet SS - Hendrick Motorsports (2014 chase driver/previous Unlimited winner)
Then, there's the format. The race will be 75 laps (187.5 miles), split into three segments, the first and second segments being separated by a competition caution after the 25th lap of the segment.
As with any other NASCAR sanctioned race, the Green-White-Checkered rule applies if a late race caution causes the final segment goes past it's advertised distance (in this case, the 25 laps of the final segment). The Unlimited has gone to a G-W-C finish in 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2012.
Now, a few Sprint Unlimited facts:
- The furthest back a Sprint Unlimited winner has started in the field is 27th, by Kevin Harvick in 2009.
- The manufacturer with the most Sprint Unlimited wins is Chevrolet, with 20. That's more than the total number of wins by all other manufacturers that have won combined (which is 5 brands (Ford, Toyota, Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile, with Ford in second place (7 wins) and the other 4 with 2 wins each).
- Dale Earnhardt holds the record for the most Unlimited wins with 6, Tony Stewart and Kevin Harvick are tied for the most among active drivers with 3.
This year's Sprint Unlimited is looking to be an exciting one, with one of the strongest fields in the history of the event.
Veterans with many wins and championships behind them, young drivers with plenty of talent, and smaller teams that are certainly underdogs. It really is anyone's race.
The Sprint Unlimited will be run next Saturday, February 14th. Coverage will start at 8pm EST on Fox, with the green flag expected to drop at 8:29pm EST.
The race will also be covered by radio through Motor Racing Network affiliated stations, and on SiriusXM Satellite Radio Channel 90 (SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).
Now for the good part. Predictions. Who do you think has the best shot to win, and who is the biggest underdog?
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For Sweden
> carcrasher88
02/07/2015 at 17:15 |
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LSXforYourSuperCar
> carcrasher88
02/07/2015 at 17:47 |
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I know NASCAR has the shortest off season in pro sports but still seems like forever!
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carcrasher88
> LSXforYourSuperCar
02/07/2015 at 17:49 |
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It certainly does.
CTSenVy
> carcrasher88
02/07/2015 at 18:17 |
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Best shot, probably somebody with a Hendrick engine under the hood, if I had to put money on it I would pick either Dale Jr. or Jimmie.
For a long shot, maybe Danica since she has actually had some success (compared to her normal record) at Daytona during February, pretty much the only time I would consider her for a race win.