Rusty Reckons: Talladega

Y'all excited yet? Rusty sure is! Talladega's my favorite track on the circuit for several reasons. First, it's the home of JR nation. The fans in attendance for Sunday's race are overwhelmingly JR fans. When (not if) he takes the lead, you will be able to hear them roar over the thousands of horsepower on the track. Second, it's plate racing!

Like Dale-tona, 'Dega is a plate track where the cars are equipped with horsepower zapping restrictor plates. These plates cut the air flowing into the engine and make the cars run together in tightly bunched packs. Where Daytona's 2.5 mile configuration requires a good handling race car, Talladega's 2.66 mile asphalt is all about speed. The cars at 'Dega will bounce and move around like no other track, and winning the race comes down to pure speed and horsepower. This also leads to "The Big One". At some point, somebody will make a mistake and a huge wreck will ensue. Tempers will flare, and the post incident interviews will be priceless. This is what many 'Dega fans wait for every time NASCAR comes to Alabama.

All of these factors make picking a fantasy lineup difficult, but there are a few teams that seem to have a handle on the biggest track on the circuit. Hendrick and DEI have battled back and forth over the last few years as dominant forces at Talladega, and while Hendrick has gotten the better of the deal the last few years, don't count DEI out. For obvious reasons, I'm taking Hendrick cars for my A and B team list, but I've got DEI slipping into the C List. Other potential good picks would be the RCR team or that orange #20. I would like to think the entire JGR team could do well here, but I think Shrub's checkers or wreckers mindset does not translate to an ill-handling plate track like Talladega. Whatever the pick, it's all a gamble, because "The Big One" can take out anyone.

A List
- J Gordon (24)
B List
- D Earnhardt Jr. (88)
C List
- P Menard (15)

Talladega . . . Rusty's Nirvana!

TALLADEGA!!!!

I tell ya what, Rusty's more excited than a wide eyed kid on Christmas morn. And why's that? Cause 'Dega's coming!!!! 3 and 4 wide at nearly 190 mph . . . GREAT DAY ALMIGHTY!!!!!

For those of you not "in the know", this is the same Dega that was immortalized in the Will Ferrell classic, Talladega Nights, a movie yours truly had a non-speaking cameo in, but that's a story for a different time. The April race at 'Dega is a scene reminiscent of Mardi Gras. The infield gets packed with over worked blue collar boys just itching to trade in some cheap beads and a few cold Budweiser's for a few seconds of mammary delight! It's a party like no other. Fortunately for everyone involved, Rusty's not going to be present, but only in body . . . he'll be there in spirit.

Amid all the infield debauchery, there's actually a race, and if you ask me, one of the best of the year. Talladega's horsepower zapping restrictor plates (which were enlarged this time around) create a scrum of tightly packed cars clawing and scraping for every inch of real estate. Inevitably, a large crash called "The Big One" ensues, giving every casual fan three seconds of pure joy as the 3000 lb race cars become nothing more than piles of twisted metal.

The die hard fans in true Payne-like fashion, jump up on their coffee tables screaming at their television sets, "DID MARK GET THROUGH? DID MARK GET THROUGH?".

If you've never watched a race, Rusty begs, pleads, implores and hopes to cajole you to watch this coming Sunday. At least watch the last 100 or so laps. It'll sure to be NASCAR at its best. The trick is picking the fantasy team, so be sure to watch for that later this week.

Y'all come back now, hear?

Rusty Reckons: Atlanta

Called the fastest track on the circuit, Atlanta should prove a very exciting event with the COT. Now, for those new HHR fans who may question how Atlanta at only a mile and half can post speeds faster than Daletona and Dega, which are a mile longer and have more banking, I've got two words: restrictor plate. The horsepower zapping plates keep cars at the two plate tracks under 200 mph, usually in the high 180's during a race. Atlanta doesn't have restrictor plates, and therefore cars reach speeds in excess of 200 mph. Front Row Joe even told Rusty one time that cars reached speeds over 200 at Lowe's a few years back. Nemechek said they cannot show that kind of speed on TV because some tracks aren't insured for speeds that fast. So, the TV fudges the telemetry numbers a little bit to keep Humpy happy (and insured). Now, this is only hearsay, but it came from a Cup driver, so I reckon it's pretty accurate.

But back to Atlanta, the COT hasn't gone this fast yet, so driver's might have a lot of question marks about how the flying brick is going to like being throw into turn 1 at over 200 mph. They may have question marks, but I'm excited, especially cause I feel like June-bug's on the verge of winning. Enjoy the speed this weekend, cause after Atlanta the boys are heading to Martinsville and Bristol for some short-track beating and banging!

And last but certainly not least, the very thing you came here for, Rusty's fantasy picks. This week I'm going to try and ride Mr. Ed's hot streak. Atlanta's a good track for him, so let's hope he stays hot for my sake.

A List
- Carl Edwards (99)
B List
- Martin Truex Jr. (01)
C List
- Ken Schrader (49)