THE LEFT TURN
NASCAR: Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 preview, picks
Mar 18, 2022, 11:59 am
Start your engines! Photo via: Wiki Commons.
The NASCAR Cup Series heads to the Atlanta Superspeedway and its new configuration for the Folds Of Honor QuickTrip 500. The track’s banking is much wider and the front stretch has been completely revamped. After some test runs, Cup Series regulars Chris Buescher and Ross Chastain described the new track layout akin to a mile and a half version of Daytona International Speedway. An interesting caveat to this race we’re hearing is the similarities to pack races we see at larger tracks, like Talladega. This is uncommon with smaller tracks, such as Atlanta. We are in for quite the unknown on how this will play out come Sunday when the green flag drops. The race will also feature the yellow line rule we see on those tracks as well, it will be important for drivers to stay on the racing surface when passing.
Last week, Chase Briscoe went on to capture his first career victory at Phoenix Raceway. Briscoe made the race-winning pass on Ryan Blaney with 14 laps remaining and never looked back en route to the victory. Throughout the course of the season, Briscoe has been showing great signs of improvement from his rookie season, and It was only a matter of time before he would get his first victory.
For the past couple of seasons, I’ve had high praise for California driver Tyler Reddick. He continues to impress week in and week out, and last week’s third-place effort was no different. Each race, he just gets closer and closer to that elusive first victory. Over the past four races, no one has led as many laps and if it wasn’t for a flat tire, there is no doubt that he would have won at California. It has been a thrill to follow his improvement from his rookie season to now. All he needs is a clean race and much like Briscoe, he will get that first career victory.
While Briscoe and Reddick are in the midst of a hot streak, on the opposite end of the spectrum lies Austin Cindric. It’s been rough sledding for the rookie after his surprise victory at Daytona. He’s been in a bit of a slump with multiple accidents at Auto-Club and Las Vegas and a poor 24th place finish at Phoenix. There could be a multitude of reasons for this, including his inexperience and this new racecar. On a positive note, they have shown how fast they are on superspeedways, so Atlanta can be a chance to turn it around for the #2 team
While there have been so many impressive showings from the new drivers, in the end, the cream always finds a way to the top and the familiar faces usually come out ahead. This week will be no different as the driver I have winning is Kevin Harvick. Last season was quite possibly his most disappointing as he failed to win a race for the first time during his tenure at Stewart-Haas racing. At first, Harvick and his team were considered the championship favorite, but in the end, 2021 just was not their year, and now they are coming back with a vengeance. After an impressive sixth-place finish last week in Phoenix, this team seems to be on a much more consistent path and closer to a victory. And what better place to go back to victory lane than the track where he got his first win. Look for Harvick to continue to build off his teammate’s victory with a win of his own come Sunday.
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.