Welcome to TimersSports
Sleepers -
Aric Almirola - Almirola should be a solid pick this weekend at Texas. He's very happy with his car and his team seem to like his chances, too. The driver of the No.43 Ford has started off the season with 5 Top 20 finishes in 6 races so far. I would say that this is his best yet. It comes a surprise that his best car would be on a intermediate track. But I am not shocked one bit about the speed that he is showing. The No.43 team has had it since Daytona. Another thing that standout to me? He's qualified inside the top 20 for just the second time since Daytona. Usually he's start in the high 20s/low 30s. I think the 43 car can definitely contend for a top 20 finish and maybe more.
Michael McDowell - McDowell has looked fast this weekend at Texas. McDowell qualified 13th and showed speed in every practice session since unloading on Friday. This is by far the best car he has had this season so far. I think it is realistic to think that, he will finish inside the top 20 in the race. I had high hopes for him last week and he didn't deliver. This week, however, I have even higher hopes for him. So let's just hope he doesn't fail to meet my expectations. Unless something happens to him, then I would think his likely finish range is 17th-23rd. I think 16th or better will simply gravy for McDowell. Even though, I wouldn't be shocked one bit about it, either.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr - Stenhouse Jr is having a tough season, with some bad finishes. But that's okay because I think he can get things turned around. In last season's event here in the spring, he was a standout driver. He ran top 10 all race long and was running in the top 5 or top 6 at one point. Until Austin Dillon spun in front of him. Then his car was never the same really. This weekend, he has a pretty good car overall. Both of the RFR Fords showed speed at some point this weekend. Stenhouse Jr qualified well in 11th and had the 4th-best ten lap average in final practice. Hard to say what he really got, but Stenhouse Jr could be a nice play, if he can keep it in the lower-teens in the race. I think he can, too.
Dark Horses -
Chase Elliott - Elliott has a fast car, but he is starting way in the back. I am not too worried about that though. I think the No.24 car will make his way through the field with the other cars back there. Elliott will likely contend for a top 10 finish before it is over, but I doubt he's dominate though. Elliott has a fast enough car where I don't think it matter much that he is starting so deep in the field. However at the same time, you have to wonder if he will ever make it to the top 5. I think he can get to the top 10, but will he take that next step? With a one-groove track, I think he will have to use pit road as a equalizer to get the track position. Or at least a portion of it. I think track position will be pretty big.
Ryan Blaney - The driver of the No.21 Wood brother Ford been fast all season long and Texas has been no difference. Some people would categorize him as a ''sleeper''. But I disagree with that assessment of him. Yes, he hasn't really had that breakout performance which is commonly associated with trendy dark horse picks. At the same time, sleepers are typically drivers under the radar. Nobody has him under the radar. He has enough speed to contend for a win right now and that's enough for him to be consider a dark horse in my mind. The 21 car is very quick this weekend overall. Qualified very well and seems to have a car that is more than capable of staying in the top 10. If he doesn't do something unwise, then expect the 21 car to be in the top 10 all day long.
Clint Bowyer - Bowyer is having a great season so far. I think the one thing that has stood out is his performance on the intermediate tracks this season. He has ran top 15 at all of them and is coming off a top 10 run at Martinsville. As for Texas, he's qualified 3rd and seems to be good enough to have potential to finish inside the top 10 or maybe at worst somewhere in the lower teens. The Fords this weekend look really good. More specificallhy the Fords from SHR and Penske. The Fords seems to have found something that other teams haven't yet. Bowyer is one of the drivers I expect to be a surprise. With all of the momentum this 14 team has, I wouldn't be shocked to see Bowyer run in the top 5 at some point in the race.
Question or want to chat?
Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com
Twitter - @Garryy12
Sleepers -
Aric Almirola - Almirola should be a solid pick this weekend at Texas. He's very happy with his car and his team seem to like his chances, too. The driver of the No.43 Ford has started off the season with 5 Top 20 finishes in 6 races so far. I would say that this is his best yet. It comes a surprise that his best car would be on a intermediate track. But I am not shocked one bit about the speed that he is showing. The No.43 team has had it since Daytona. Another thing that standout to me? He's qualified inside the top 20 for just the second time since Daytona. Usually he's start in the high 20s/low 30s. I think the 43 car can definitely contend for a top 20 finish and maybe more.
Michael McDowell - McDowell has looked fast this weekend at Texas. McDowell qualified 13th and showed speed in every practice session since unloading on Friday. This is by far the best car he has had this season so far. I think it is realistic to think that, he will finish inside the top 20 in the race. I had high hopes for him last week and he didn't deliver. This week, however, I have even higher hopes for him. So let's just hope he doesn't fail to meet my expectations. Unless something happens to him, then I would think his likely finish range is 17th-23rd. I think 16th or better will simply gravy for McDowell. Even though, I wouldn't be shocked one bit about it, either.
Ricky Stenhouse Jr - Stenhouse Jr is having a tough season, with some bad finishes. But that's okay because I think he can get things turned around. In last season's event here in the spring, he was a standout driver. He ran top 10 all race long and was running in the top 5 or top 6 at one point. Until Austin Dillon spun in front of him. Then his car was never the same really. This weekend, he has a pretty good car overall. Both of the RFR Fords showed speed at some point this weekend. Stenhouse Jr qualified well in 11th and had the 4th-best ten lap average in final practice. Hard to say what he really got, but Stenhouse Jr could be a nice play, if he can keep it in the lower-teens in the race. I think he can, too.
Dark Horses -
Chase Elliott - Elliott has a fast car, but he is starting way in the back. I am not too worried about that though. I think the No.24 car will make his way through the field with the other cars back there. Elliott will likely contend for a top 10 finish before it is over, but I doubt he's dominate though. Elliott has a fast enough car where I don't think it matter much that he is starting so deep in the field. However at the same time, you have to wonder if he will ever make it to the top 5. I think he can get to the top 10, but will he take that next step? With a one-groove track, I think he will have to use pit road as a equalizer to get the track position. Or at least a portion of it. I think track position will be pretty big.
Ryan Blaney - The driver of the No.21 Wood brother Ford been fast all season long and Texas has been no difference. Some people would categorize him as a ''sleeper''. But I disagree with that assessment of him. Yes, he hasn't really had that breakout performance which is commonly associated with trendy dark horse picks. At the same time, sleepers are typically drivers under the radar. Nobody has him under the radar. He has enough speed to contend for a win right now and that's enough for him to be consider a dark horse in my mind. The 21 car is very quick this weekend overall. Qualified very well and seems to have a car that is more than capable of staying in the top 10. If he doesn't do something unwise, then expect the 21 car to be in the top 10 all day long.
Clint Bowyer - Bowyer is having a great season so far. I think the one thing that has stood out is his performance on the intermediate tracks this season. He has ran top 15 at all of them and is coming off a top 10 run at Martinsville. As for Texas, he's qualified 3rd and seems to be good enough to have potential to finish inside the top 10 or maybe at worst somewhere in the lower teens. The Fords this weekend look really good. More specificallhy the Fords from SHR and Penske. The Fords seems to have found something that other teams haven't yet. Bowyer is one of the drivers I expect to be a surprise. With all of the momentum this 14 team has, I wouldn't be shocked to see Bowyer run in the top 5 at some point in the race.
Question or want to chat?
Email - briggs_garry48@yahoo.com
Twitter - @Garryy12
