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Gifts For Her! 2008 NASCAR Tickets & NASCAR Schedule
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5 drivers in search of a Talladega turnaround Posted:0535hrs by Bill Marx,Sporting News NASCAR Wire Service When you first look at the five guys who have the best driver rating the past three years at Talladega, you struggle to identify something they have in common -- but then it comes at you faster than a Cup car speeding down the track's 4,000-foot backstretch.
They all have reasons for needing a win Sunday in the Aaron's 499, but despite their success at Talladega, only two have been to victory lane there. Jeff Gordon He swept both Talladega races last year as part of his six victories, his most since 2001. But 2008 has been nothing like 2007, when Gordon had one win and an average finish of 4.5 through the first eight races. This year, his average finish is 18.9, including three DNFs after having just one all of last year. Team 24 is struggling with setups and needs a win to restore its confidence. Kurt Busch He hasn't done anything since pushing teammate Ryan Newman to victory in the Daytona 500 and finishing second. In the seven races since, Busch hasn't led a lap, hasn't posted a top 10 and has an average finish of 21.9. Whether it's the cars or the driver, it's time for Busch to turn around his season. He is 16th in the standings but only 58 points out of 12th, the cutoff for making the Chase. Although Busch is winless in 14 starts at Talladega, he has finished in the top 10 in his past seven races there. Tony Stewart He has put together a fine start -- he's sixth in points -- but is winless, the position he often finds himself early in the season. Stewart has 32 career wins but only two before the 11th race of a season. Like Busch, Stewart has 11 top 10s and no wins at Talladega. Jamie McMurray With only two career wins, he seems out of place in this group. But McMurray finished fifth in the past three spring races at Talladega, which was good enough to counter back-to-back 37th-place finishes there in the fall. Now, he's desperate for a win. He fell out of the top 35 last month after Bristol, a truly embarrassing moment, but has rebounded and enters Sunday's race 26th in points. Brian Vickers On the positive side, Vickers is tied for 18th in points -- he was 41st after eight races last year. But he has not really participated in the Toyota surge that the Joe Gibbs Racing teams have enjoyed. The No. 83 team has one top 10 in 2008, but it should have more. Vickers is comfortable at Talladega, the site of his only Cup victory, but it's time for him to produce more consistently.
NOTE: I'm a one man show, not supported by anyone. If you wish to donate to help offset expense, it would be appreciated:
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