Who Will Win The All-Star Showdown?

Lowe's Motor Speedway -- 05/17/08

Author: Jeremy Dunn

Published: Wednesday May 14 2008 9:35am

The All-Star Sprint Showdown at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway is the 40-lap (or 60-miles) race that decides who will join NASCAR’s cast of All-Stars in the main event. The drivers who participate in this race are drivers that failed to win a race in 2007 or 2008. The top two finishers will move on to the Sprint All-Star Challenge. Additionally, the driver who receives the most votes will also receive an entry into the main event.

1. 6-David Ragan- +350 Odds

One of the drivers who seem to be bound for a breakthrough is David Ragan. He has quietly put together a solid sophomore season. Following a fifth place finish at Darlington, this kid has a steam full of momentum heading into the 40-lap showdown. The key is to qualify well since it is a short race. If Ragan qualifies in the top ten, he should advance.

Ragan’s average finish at Charlotte is 38.5.

2. 9-Kasey Kahne- +350 Odds

Kasey Kahne’s advantage heading into this race is that he is a fan favorite, and should easily advance by virtue of the fan vote. Moreover, he is an excellent qualifier, especially at tracks such as Lowe’s Motor Speedway, so he will likely have the preferred track position. Unfortunately, Ragan is consistently faster, but Kahne should be a solid bet for the showdown.

Kahne has two career wins at Charlotte, and an average finish of 15.8.

3. 28-Travis Kvapil- +1500 Odds

Travis Kvapil is the driver that lurks in the shadows of the likes of Kahne and Ragan. He has enjoyed a surprising season thus far, as he owns three top ten finishes. Kvapil’s downfall has been qualifying. If he can qualify near the front, he could steal the show. It would nice to see the number 28 Ford back in the All-Star race.

Kvapil has an average finish of 22.8 at Charlotte.

4. 83-Brian Vickers- +800 Odds

In 2005, Brian Vickers wrecked Mike Bliss on the last turn to advance to the All-Star event. He is a favorite to win the showdown again in 2008. His Red Bull team usually performs respectably on the 1.5-mile tracks, so Vickers should feel good about his chances. He will face some formidable opponents in Ragan, Kahne, and Kvapil.

Vickers has one top five finish, two top ten finishes at Charlotte, and an average finish of 22.9.

5. 41-Reed Sorenson- +1000 Odds

If Reed Sorenson qualifies near the front, he should finish among the top five. I do not think that he can outrun Ragan, Kahne, or Kvapil, but he could capitalize on unforeseen mistakes by the frontrunners. A win for this team would be huge as they have been one of the season’s disappointments since their top five finish in the Daytona 500.

Sorenson has one top five finish, two top ten finishes at Charlotte, and an average finish of 20.0.

6. 38-David Gilliland- +1200 Odds

Like Kvapil, David Gilliland needs to post a solid qualifying speed in order to have a shot. Gilliland has vastly improved since last year, and could be a surprise winner Saturday night. The Yates Racing cars have performed about the same overall; however, Kvapil has put together a string of solid finishes over the past few weeks. Gilliland should contend for a top five finish.

Gilliland has an average finish of 31.0 at Charlotte.

7. 19-Elliott Sadler- +800 Odds

This team has yet to improve since replacing Jeremy Mayfield with Elliott Sadler. Sadler is a solid qualifier, so that could work to his advantage, but based on performance, he will likely fade as the race progresses.

Sadler has two top ten finishes at Charlotte, and an average finish of 26.5.

8. 22-Dave Blaney- +1500 Odds

Dave Blaney is the ultimate darkhorse. Very few expect him to win the 40-lap showdown, but if he qualifies well, he has the potential to run away with the win. Since switching to Toyota, Blaney has performed well on the intermediate-style venues such as Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Blaney has two top ten finishes at Charlotte, and an average finish of 24.3.

9. 15-Paul Menard- +2000 Odds

Last year, Paul Menard’s DEI teammate Martin Truex, Jr. advanced to the All-Star Challenge by winning the race. Could Menard duplicate that featΔ Probably not, but he has improved over the course of his sophomore season. If he were to win, it would be an upset.

Menard has an average finish of 18.0 at Charlotte.

10. 00-David Reutimann- +2000 Odds

Like Blaney, David Reutimann is a solid darkhorse pick. If he qualifies near the front, he may hang around the top ten, but a win seems highly unlikely for the Michael Waltrip Racing driver. He will be driving the 00 car, as Dale Jarrett will return to the 44 car for the All-Star Challenge.

Reutimann has an average finish of 25.5 at Charlotte.

Also, keep an eye darkhorses such as- Scott Riggs (+2000), Regan Smith (+4000), Michael Waltrip (+2500), and Robby Gordon (+2000)

Fan Vote- Obviously, Kasey Kahne is the fan favorite among this group.