2011 Subway Fresh Fit 500 – Post-Practice Expert Predictions and Preview: With all practice sessions for Sunday’s Cup race at Phoenix in the books, the cream is beginning to rise to the top. By looking at the top speeds and average speeds of all the drivers, it becomes much clearer which drivers deserve your money on race day. Past results still count for a lot, but there is no substitute for on-track speeds.
Post-Practice Top 5
1. Kyle Busch: He posted the best 10-lap average speed in the first practice session, and he posted the top overall speed in Happy Hour. Busch led the most laps at Phoenix last April, but he failed to win when pit strategy shuffled the running order late in the race. The No. 18 appears to be fast once again, and while he tries to cash in this time around, gamblers should do the same.
2. Carl Edwards: He posted the third-best 10-lap average speed in Happy Hour, and he compiled the best overall average speed between all the practices. Edwards won the fall race at the track last season and hasn’t finished outside the top-two in his last three starts overall. Back-to-back wins at Phoenix in a definite possibly for Edwards.
3. Denny Hamlin: Hamlin put down the third-fastest lap in the opening practice Friday, and he had the second-best 10-lap average speed. That all-around performance is a big reason he led a race-high 190 laps at Phoenix last fall. Hamlin is still looking for his first win at the track, but his car appears to be more than capable of getting the job done this weekend.
4. Ryan Newman: Both Stewart-Haas Racing drivers ranked in the top-five in terms of 10-lap average speeds in Friday’s opening session, but Ryan Newman is the more lucrative member of the team. After finishing first and second at Phoenix last season, his strong showing in practice instantly makes him one of the favorites.
5. Greg Biffle: Biffle displayed plenty of versatility in Happy Hour. He ranked in the top-five in terms of both fastest lap and 10-lap average speed. He is coming off a fourth-place finish in the fall race at Phoenix last season, and the No. 16 has the right combination of short and long-run speed to get him over the hump and into Victory Lane.
Post-Practice Top Sleeper
1. David Ragan: His past performances at Phoenix don’t exactly warrant money to be thrown his way, but his practice speeds sure do. Ragan posted the second-fastest lap in Happy Hour, the second-best 10-lap average speed, and the top overall average speed. Ragan’s practice times are tough to ignore, and at 100/1 odds, the potential for a huge payday is there.
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