THE LEFT TURN

NASCAR: Cook Out Southern 500 preview

NASCAR: Cook Out Southern 500 preview
The big favorite this week has to be Martin Truex Jr. Photo by Wiki Commons.

The NASCAR Cup Series heads for the track they call too tough to tame, Darlington Raceway. This is undoubtedly the most challenging racetrack on the schedule as its abrasive concrete surface is one of the most difficult to drive on. Recently turn two has been repaved making this corner much quicker, so we should see a lot of passes here throughout the race. Overall though, the track will remain mostly the same as it's always been. The wall will be lurking at every corner and with this race being a high horsepower race it will be easy to overdrive the corners. Getting through traffic will also be a big point of contingency as well.

Last week at Daytona was a wild one as Ryan Blaney was able to avoid the chaos and take his second consecutive victory. It's been a breakout season for the #12 team as they have now scored more than two victories in a season for the first time in Blaney's career. The race was mired by three multi-car crashes that took out the likes of Kevin Harvick, Martin Truex Jr, Brad Keselowski, and Austin Dillon. These incidents would have major implications on the playoff standings, and we never really knew who was going to get the final spot. When the dust settled, Tyler Reddick was able to limp his way into the playoffs by finishing ahead of his teammate Austin Dillon.

In a silly-season update, it was announced the morning before the race began that 2004 champion Kurt Busch would be moving to a newly formed second team for 23XI racing next season. Many considered this the worst kept secret in the garage, as there was a lot of speculation that went all the way back to the summer that he was being considered. Kurt will be driving the #45 Monster Energy Toyota, this is significant as it was co-owner Michael Jordan's basketball number when he returned in 1995. When making this move, they are hoping that adding a veteran voice to the fray will help their other driver, Bubba Wallace, and have another contending driver to make the playoffs. With things looking like they will relatively return to normal next year with practice and qualifying more than likely returning, this team should improve dramatically.

The big favorite this week has to be Martin Truex Jr. Not only did he win here back in May, but he has been one of the fastest drivers when it comes to these 750 horsepower races. He has accumulated more fastest laps than anyone with 132.5 and has two victories to his name. A win in the opening round would be a huge statement for this team after being swept up in a crash last week at Daytona and on the bright side, they start tenth this week, so track position won't be too much of an issue on Sunday. Look for the orange #19 to be a contender when the green flag drops.

The driver that I am picking to win this week is Chase Elliott. Last season, Darlington was tough on the defending champion. In all three races, he had an excellent car that could win but in two of the three, he was swept up in an accident that was not of his making. This year he is out for revenge and will be starting fourth after a quiet ninth-place finish last week at Daytona. Elliott may not have the best numbers but mainly because he was run into by either Kyle Busch or Martin Truex Jr in both races. If he can stay out of trouble, he should be the car to beat on Sunday.

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The Rangers beat the Astros, 7-3. Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images.

Wyatt Langford homered with a career-high tying four hits and Adolis García added a solo shot to lead the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Friday night.

The Rangers jumped on Lance McCullers Jr. (2-4) early. There were two outs with the bases loaded in the first when Evan Carter’s single to right field knocked in a pair to put the Rangers up 2-0.

The AL West-leading Astros cut the deficit to 2-1 when Cam Smith scored on a groundout in the bottom of the inning.

García homered for a second straight game with one out in the third that made it 3-1. Carter walked with two outs before a single from Jake Burger. Jonah Heim’s double to right field scored them both to extend the lead to 5-1.

McCullers allowed six hits and five runs in three innings as Houston’s losing streak reached a season-high four games.

Langford’s blast came with two outs in the seventh to push the lead to 7-3.

Jack Leiter (5-6) yielded five hits and three runs while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings.

Christian Walker singled to open Houston’s fourth before Victor Caratini’s home run to right field got the Astros within 5-3.Burger was replaced in the middle of the sixth inning with discomfort in his left quad.

Houston’s top prospect, second baseman Brice Matthews, went 0 for 4 with with three strikeouts in his major league debut.

Key moment

Heim’s two RBI double in the third that pushed the lead to four.

Key stat

The Rangers forced McCullers to throw 36 pitches in the first inning.

Up next

Houston LHP Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.90 ERA) opposes RHP Jacob deGrom (9-2, 2.29) when the series continues Saturday.

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