GTP NASCAR Sprint Cup S4 Champs: Akmuq, Hendrick, Chevrolet

[MustangRyan]

At least the third win was claimed in a JGR Toyota last season.

 

[Müle]

Oh yeah,

Can we turn damage off? That would stop all of the problems with unloading that we had last season.

 

[Furinkazen]

Like Mule did for NW, do we get any pre-500 power rankings?

 

[Tom.]

Oh yeah,

Can we turn damage off? That would stop all of the problems with unloading that we had last season.

Like Mule did for NW, do we get any pre-500 power rankings?

Yes please to both.

 

[MustangRyan]

Like Mule did for NW, do we get any pre-500 power rankings?

More or less, the final point standings for S3 would double as the Pre-season power rankings, maybe with a few obvious changes. ACDC and Dowhat would fall out of the top 10. A couple of S1 NW drivers (Carb and Litchi) would move in to the top 10 as S4 Sprint Cup drivers.

 

[Carbonox]

So, how's the Olympic tournament going? Some guys already seem to be in the semi's, but I haven't completed my QF with Litchi yet

 

[MustangRyan]

Daytona 500 Race Preview:​

This is the race that every driver, crew chief, engine builder, mechanic, car owner, sponsor, and fan circles on their calendar as soon as the season ended last year. Some of the non-Chase teams might have even been looking forward to this race before last season had even been completed.

During the offseason and in the past week, the teams have been here at Daytona International Speedway for testing, for practice, for Speedweeks, and for the Bud Shootout. Now, the teams are making their final preparations as race day looms large on the horizon, closing in on them with every passing minute.

The crew chiefs are checking every nut and bolt, looking over every square inch of fender, trying to find anything that might give them an advantage. They are probably bypassing sleep, in an effort to figure out the perfect race strategy, one that can put them in Victory Lane.

These teams are all gearing up for the biggest race on the NASCAR schedule, the Great American Race, The Daytona 500.

Second place is not an option here. Everyone is coming to town with one thing on their mind. They are here to win. Today, everyone thinks that's a possibility. But on Saturday, after 200 laps have been put in the record books, only 1 driver, 1 crew chief, and 1 team owner will get to stand in Daytona's Victory Lane, embracing the coveted Harley J. Earl trophy.

Who will it be? Join us this Saturday for the Daytona 500, and find out!





GTP Sprint Cup Power Rankings - Preseason:

1. RFLX_Niop - Niop comes to Daytona as the three-time defending GTP Sprint Cup champion. He has a giant bullseye on his back this season, as every driver in the field wants to be where he is - at the top. Don't expect it to phase Niop at all. Niop is one of the absolute best drivers (if not the best driver) in the entire GTP NASCAR Association. He seems to perform even better under pressure, if that's possible. At Daytona, Niop's going to be missing Knelly, his reliable wingman from last season's two-car SGR team. But, this season, Niop's got 4 team cars in his HMS stable. Even with Knelly's absence, he still has TomMcD and ACDC to parter with in the tricky Daytona draft.


2. JoeOfTheFire - How close can a guy get to winning a championship but not win it? You would have to ask Joe, who lost last season by a single point because of a lag wreck that occurred while he was running alone in the top 2 at Indy. Joe is the driver most likely to dethrone Niop this season, should anyone ever actually manage to accomplish the feat. Joe had a good season last year, winning the Brickyard 400, and exhibiting his usual road course mastery, with 3 podium finishes in 3 starts. This season, Joe's back for his 4th consecutive season piloting a Ford, and is expecting great results again. Will this be the year that Joe's luck changes for the better? Will it finally result in a championship?


3. Droptop2001gt - Joining Joe at Ford Racing is another driver that might have won the title last season, had he not run out of gas in the Chase race held at SS Route X. Drop is always a threat on the ovals, having won 5 of 10 oval races held last season. Don't expect that feat to be repeated this season, as there are just too many talented drivers in the field for one driver to win like that again and again in a single season. Heading to Daytona, Drop is a favorite among the betting community, according to the local sports book, where a few of the gamblers have made their bets public knowledge. Can Drop win his third Grand Slam race in only his fifth Grand Slam start?


4. Knelly - Knelly was the other half of the SGR express last season, continually running up front with team owner and three-time series champion, Niop. Knelly recorded his first multi-win season, and his first career podium finish on a road course. He was in a great position to compete with Joe for the overall championship heading into the finale weekend, but just never caught a big enough break to make it happen, despite his team's best efforts. This season, with a bigger team full of strong drivers, you can expect to see Knelly near the front, running for more strong finishes. Will his steady improvement continue? Will it be enough to put him in championship-winning position again heading into the last race this season? Will the extra teammates bring more support or extra competition to his efforts?


5. MULE_9242 - Mule had a very good rookie season last year, finishing fifth in points. Knowing his own personally high expectations for himself, he was probably a little disappointed with the overall result last season. For his first real full-time season, he shouldn't have been disappointed at all. He had some great runs that didn't always deliver great finishes, but most of the bad finishes were not of his own making. In the offseason, MULE went from being the lead driver on a two-car team, to a driver among equals on a three-car Ford team that had all three drivers win a race and finish top 5 in points last season. Mule has definitely surrounded himself with talent, in the hopes of chasing down a championship this season.

6. Tom_97_COD - Tom had a promising debut season in the Sprint Cup last year, until it was derailed with reliability issues in the Chase. This prevented him from showing what he could do during the five most important races of the season. In the last race he actually completed, Tom finished within mere inches of claiming the Brickyard 400 trophy. Alas, his teammate Joe barely beat him to the line, claiming the trophy for himself. If his reliability issues are squared away, it should be exciting to see if Tom can pick up where he left off last season, competing for wins. With Niop, Knelly, and ACDC teaming up with him, he will certainly have high expectations. Tom is my bet to be the next first-time winner in the Sprint Cup series, and it's going to happen this season. It's probably going to happen more than once this season for the reigning IndyCar champion.

7. GTP_Litchi - Litchi came on last season, and made an immediate impact in both the NW and Sprint Cup series. He won a NW race, and was likely to win another if not for an engine failure. In his first Sprint Cup start, he finished on the podium at HSR. He ran 4th at Daytona a few races later. He made a miraculous run through the field after venturing off-course at Suzuka East, earning a SPRINT award for the best comeback all season. With a full-season schedule in front of him, he could turn a lot of heads in a hurry. Don't be surprised if he gets a win at one of the Road Course events this season.

8. Mudd - Most people have probably forgotten that Mudd finished 6th in points in season 2. I'll bet Mudd hasn't forgotten. With a fresh start at JGR, I think Mudd will pick back up where he left off at the end of season 2, where he really started making a positive impression on the other drivers. With a three-car team, Mudd and the entire JGR team are in a good position to use teamwork to their advantage.

9. Furinkazen - Last season's most improved driver is back this year as a car owner, and looking to continue his improvement. He's getting more consistent every time he hits an oval, and his road course skills have always been solid. Furi is another driver that I think might wind up notching his first career Sprint Cup victory this season. Doing it with a two-car team might prove difficult. But, if he runs all of the races, he's bound to find some success.

10. ACDCROCKS123 - This is the hardest driver in the field to judge, without a doubt. ACDC has top-level talent, but a busy schedule that prevents him from running full-time in most seasons. It wouldn't surprise me one bit to see the defending Daytona 500 champion doing victory burnouts in the infield following this weekend's race. He might well be in the #1 spot in the power rankings at this time next week. The real question is, will he keep showing up enough to stay there, or will he be back to tenth, or completely off the board after week 6?

 

[Furinkazen]

I think i can grab a win, but this will not be easy, the field has never been better.

 

[Matty]

I think i can grab a win, but this will not be easy, the field has never been better.

Thanks, I know I'm good.

 

[Furinkazen]

Thanks, I know I'm good.

Hey, you've actually surprised, me your driving is smoother than your internet (wait thats not hard )

 

[Akmuq]

Don't care what everyone else predicts, I'll get 3 wins this season.

Not aiming for the actual title, just to establish myself.👍

 

[Furinkazen]

Don't care what everyone else predicts, I'll get 3 wins this season.

Not aiming for the actual title, just to establish myself.👍

Chase spot firstly for me, then a title run.

 

[MustangRyan]

Don't care what everyone else predicts, I'll get 3 wins this season.

Not aiming for the actual title, just to establish myself.👍

If you win three races, you're going to be in the title hunt, no doubt about it. Knelly won two races last season, and went into the final weekend with the potential to race for the title.

 

[Furinkazen]

If you win three races, you're going to be in the title hunt, no doubt about it. Knelly won two races last season, and went into the final weekend with the potential to race for the title.

I'm going to have a Marcos Ambrose year again I reckon

 

[Matty]

I'll come one spot of having a draft pick again..

 

[Müle]

I honestly think I'll be more likely to win an oval this season than a road course. Between Niop, Litchi, and a Joe with actual setup help, I'll be happy just finishing 4th.

Not to mention I suck at High Speed Ring.

 

[Akmuq]

If you win three races, you're going to be in the title hunt, no doubt about it. Knelly won two races last season, and went into the final weekend with the potential to race for the title.

Well I'm usually no good at Daytona, and the only track I see in the Chase that I might win at is Motegi, well, that's the track I go faster at and save tyres better then anyone, but you never know with one of the others, we still running super-easy Indy specs?

 

[Matty]

I love HSR, will have high hopes there.

 

[Litchi]

I'd love to win a road course. But something says me that the competition will be very hard this season...

 

[Furinkazen]

I don't like Indy and Motegi but I have an Indy tune I have developed, and I have a 1.5 miles set up ace as well...

 

[Knelly]

Great write up Drop. Antes, this is the strongest field we've ever had. Every single race is going to be a fight.

Good luck to all on Saturday.

 

[Akmuq]

I love HSR, will have high hopes there.

2 wins and a second there in TOCA Legends against Lexus's that went 5MPH more then me last week.

I'd love to win a road course. But something says me that the competition will be very hard this season...

Yup, I'm in this season.

I don't like Indy and Motegi but I have an Indy tune I have developed, and I have a 1.5 miles set up ace as well...

Awwww shucks.

 

[Matty]

2 wins and a second there in TOCA Legends against Lexus's that went 5MPH more then me last week.

I missed it

 

[Tom.]

I'm just looking for a win; if I can get one to cap off this year, I'll be happy. Oh yeah, and a chase spot obviously.

 

[Carbonox]

More or less, the final point standings for S3 would double as the Pre-season power rankings, maybe with a few obvious changes. ACDC and Dowhat would fall out of the top 10. A couple of S1 NW drivers (Carb and Litchi) would move in to the top 10 as S4 Sprint Cup drivers.

I didn't

 

[RedPartyhat]

Didn't get a single win last season. =\
And I'm sure many of you think Redbull will be irrelevent this season. We'll just have to see about that...

 

[Carbonox]

People seem to be pretty obsessed with high single race results

Me, I just worry about the Chase, and I need lots of consistency in only 7 rounds.

 

[Matty]

People seem to be pretty obsessed with high single race results

Me, I just worry about the Chase, and I need lots of consistency in only 7 rounds.

We all think about the WildCard you see...

 

[Carbonox]

Hmph. I still think it's a stupid rule TBH, doesn't promote good old consistency one little bit.

 

[Tom.]

Hmph. I still think it's a stupid rule TBH, doesn't promote good old consistency one little bit.

Well it's not healthy to rely on the fact that you think you'll get a win.

Reasonable consistancy will get you in the Chase anyway.