2009 Season Preview

Here are the starting lineups in the THUD League for the Daytona 500:

Hansen:
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
Greg Biffle
Matt Kenseth
Clint Bowyer
Kasey Kahne

Stillwell:
Jeff Gordon
Carl Edwards
Kyle Busch
Mark Martin
Jeff Burton

Dogger:
Tony Stewart
Jimmie Johnson
Denny Hamlin
Kevin Harvick
Martin Truex, Jr.

In 2009, we decided to deviate from the THUD League format that had been with us for 8 years. We decided to cut down our active drivers to 5 total so that we have more difficult decisions to make on race day. We hope that this will stimulate more driver substitutions and require a little more "fantasy attention" throughout the season. We'll see how it works out.

Here are some pressing questions as we look forward to the season:

1) How will Tony Stewart do running his new team?

2) which team will dominate - Hendrick or Rousch?

3) Can Kyle Busch rebound from his Chase slump?

4) Is Carl edwards the real deal, or was 2008 a fluke?

5) Can Jimmie do the impossible - 4 straight titles?

6) Will Jeff Gordon get a win? I still can't believe he went winless last year!

7) How will Mark Martin do in his final full season of competition in great equipment?


Does Hansen stand a chance this year? Can Jimmie do it for Dogger once again? We'll see!!!!!!

2008 THUD Season in Review

2008 was another great year in Nascar's Premier Fantasy Racing League: the THUD League. The clear highlight of 2008 was the 1st THUD League championship for Team Hansen. It took 8 years, but victory never tasted sweeter for Hansen and his team!

Let's look at the questions that were posed at the start of the season and see how they were answered by the time the season ended.

The first 26 races of last year can be summed up in 5 words: Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. There was nothing else to discuss during those races as the two of them battled it out for the victory in nearly every single race. When it came to the Chase, though, Mr. Consistency stepped it up for the 3rd straight year as Jimmie dominated in winning his 3rd Cup Title. Considering that Team Hansen had both Johnson and Edwards last year, that pretty much summed up our THUD League battle. Stillwell hung around for awhile, and even held the overall lead heading into the Chase, but Jimme and Carl were just too strong during the final ten races.

As to whether or not Hansen watched a lap last year or sleeps in the nude, we'll have to ask him on that one.

Let's see what 2009 has in store for us!

Dogger gets a huge win

Chris opened up 2008 with a convincing win at Daytona, stealing 5 out of the first 6 spots. That has only been done a handful of times in THUD history. His point total was just shy of 1300 points, which gives him a commanding 400 point lead heading to California. How will the Gibbs Toyotas do on a non-restrictor plate track? We'll find out! Hansen came in second this week with just over 900 points, while Stillwell was in the 800's. Good luck next week everybody.

2008 THUD Season Preview

This season looks to be a strong 3-way battle. I know that's what is said every year, but this should be close for several reasons:

1) All three teams have a solid 8 drivers who are locked securely inside the top 35
- In past years, one or two of the teams have had a couple of very inconsistent drivers which have really hurt their team

2) This year, all 3 teams are relying heavily upon veterans - not rookies, as in years past

3) This year, there is no clear cut favorite among superstar power for each team

We should have tight battle all year long.

Questions as we face 2008?

1) How will the teams do driving the car of tomorrow at every track?

2) Will Handrick and Gibbs continue their C.O.T. dominance?

3) How will Dale Jr. do with his new team?

4) How will Gibbs do in Toyotas?

5) Will Michael Waltrip finish a race?

6) Will Hansen watch a race?

7) Does Hansen sleep in the nude?


It will be hard to crown a THUD champion until these questions are answered. But when they are, it should make for a great year.

2007 THUD Season in Review:

We took a year off in 2007 from blogging on the THUD website, but it was a great year nonetheless. Stillwell took a strong lead from the start and never relinquished the lead. The interesting part of 2007 was the Titanic drop of Hansen's team and the emergence of Team Dogger. If Dogger would have had a more solid 7 and 8 drivers, he could have challenged for the title. Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart really carried his team, but Brian Vickers' failure to qualify consistently really hurt his chances. Stillwell's title was his 5th in the 7 years of the THUD league.

Final Standings:

1) Stillwell - 38,275 points

2) Dogger - 36,815

3) Hansen - 34,929

2006 Final THUD Standings:

1) Stillwell - 39,745 points

2) Hansen - 38,668 points

3) Dogger - 33,110 points

Jimmie's amazing comeback in the Chase propelled Jimmie to his first Cup title and Stillwell to the THUD crown. Unbelievably, the THUD season came down to the final race once again. Amazing. Thanks for a great season, Jeff and Jimmie. You can't beat 'em. Gordon and Johnson, the best teammates in Nascar History.

UNBELIEVABLE - Stillwell Nearly Takes The Lead!!!

Before Martinsville, Stillwell's team was 600 points behind Hansen, and it looked like there was no chance that one of his drivers could win the Chase. Now, Jimmie has come back with a vengeance and he has a legitimate chance to win it all. Stillwell was nearly 600 points behind Hansen before Martinsville, but now he only trails Hansen by only 16 points. It had first appeared that Stillwell was in fact in the lead, but because of the 25 points for getting the pole, Hansen retains the narrow margin. Hansen has benefited immensely from the pole bonus this year, with his drivers winning nearly 2/3 of the poles this season. (That's a guess, but it sickens me) The scary thing is that we should be looking at Jimmie Johnson's fourth straight win. At kansas, Jimmie clearly had the best car and led the most laps. Had there been a caution anywhere in the last 150 laps, he would have won easily. Because it became a fuel mileage race, he lost and ended up 14th. At Talladega, he had the pass made on Earnhardt before Vickers wrecked him. At Lowe's he finished 2nd to Kahne but led most of the day and it looked like he had teh strongest car - he just needed a longer run at the end to be able to win. And then he dominates at Martinsville. Jimmie is going to win this season. It will not be the 4th straight (what might have been) season, when another undeserving champion is crowned.
As far as the THUD league is concerned, it really looks like the Cup Champion will determine the THUD champion. Harvick still has a chance to win it for Dogger, and in that case, the 500 point bonus will not come into effect. But we are witnessing the third straight season where the THUD championship is coming down to the final race. What Excitement. Here are the past weeks totals:

Talladega: Hansen - 1277, Stillwell - 960, Dogger - 796
Lowe's: Hansen - 1108, Stillwell - 1062, Dogger - 675
Martinsville - Stillwell - 1292, Hansen - 792, Dogger - 820

Total - Hansen - 34,730 Stillwell - 34,714, Dogger - 29,255

Congrats to Dogger for reaching the 800 point mark last week for the first time in a month

PER HANSEN'S REQUEST:

Here are the top 10 drivers, for the season, under the THUD League point system:

1) Matt Kenseth - 4,788
2) Jimmie Johnson - 4,624
3) Kevin Harvick - 4,556
4) Tony Stewart - 4,417
5) Jeff Gordon - 4,302
6) Kasey Kahne - 4,277
7) Jeff Burton - 4,128
8) Denny Hamlin - 4,084
9) Kyle Busch - 4,082
10) Dale Earn. Jr - 4,051

It's quite a bit different than the current top 10 - too bad for Tony!

Quite possibly the closest two-way battle in THUD history!!!!

While we do not how the season will end up, it is very clear that we have had one of the closest two-way battles in Thud history. No offense Dogger, but your team has been, shall we say, "thinking about their golf swings" all season long. For the past nine weeks, Stillwell and Hansen have not been more than 400 points apart. I believe that that is the closest such stretch in league history. We have had several close finishes, where the winner hasn't been decided until the final race, but most of those involved dramatic, unbelievable comebacks where the 2nd place finisher nearly pulled off a miracle comeback - but then didn't. Last year, for instance, Stillwell won the final 7 races of the season, but still lost the championship to Dogger. This year, since mid-August, Stillwell and Hansen have been absolutely neck and neck every single race. With just 7 races left in the chase, it will be very exciting to see if Stillwell and Hansen can hang close together or if one of the teams will run away with it.
It's not looking good for Team Hendrick (and Stillwell), as all 3 drivers are in the bottom half of the top 10. We could witness a rookie win the title this year, as Denny Hamlin has been extremely consistent on every track. He appears to be Stillwell's strongest hope of pulling out the THUD league this year. With Talladega coming up next week, everyone will be holding their breath to see who comes out of it alive and who gets caught up in a wreck, damaging all Chase hopes.
We had something happen in week 26 that has never happened before in THUD history. At Richmond, Hansen and Dogger tied for the win with exactly 1,020 points apiece. Therefore, both teams will get half of a win and be credited with 25 bonus points. Speaking of Dogger, he has come on fast of late and has increased his win total to 6 and a half wins on the season. That is a much better showing than the two wins he had at the season's mid-point. It is, of course, too little, too late, as he still trails the championship lead by several thousand points.

After 29 weeks, here are the THUD standings:

Hansen - 31, 453 points (10.5 wins)
Stillwell - 31, 350 points (12 wins)
Dogger - 26,964 points (6.5 wins)

Only 103 points separate 1st and 2nd place!

Stillwell wins, but Hansen retains lead

Even though Hansen had the 1st and 2nd place cars, Stillwell's 3rd-6th, 8th and 10th place finishers pushed him to a 10 point win over Hansen at California. With only one race remaining until the chase, it will be very interesting to see if Kasey Kahne, with his five wins, can knock out either of the two undeserving old fogies, Mark Martin and Jeff Burton. Although Burton and Martin are nice guys, neither of them have seriously contended for a win all season long. Burton has flirted with the idea all season long, but he has been nowhere near the front at the end of the race. Martin, on the other hand, has been nowhere close to getting a win. Kahne has a series-leading five wins and still is not in - I'd say something is wrong with the points system. Nascar should consider the THUD league - here, we do it right. In our points system, Kasey Kahne is currently in third place overall, trailing only Johnson and Kenseth. I think we need to give the France family a call.

Standings:

Hansen - 27,248

Stillwell - 27,150

Dogger - Who cares

Hansen retakes the lead!!

Stillwell held on to the lead for two consecutive weeks, but after week 24, Hansen retakes a 160-point lead on the driving of Matt Kenseth. That guy's hotter than a pistol - he's on fire like Ricky Bobby after a crash - he's hotter than the inside of Tony Stewart's car during one of his "BBQ rotisserie roaster races." With 2/3 of the season complete, we are in a tight heat race, boys. Whose drivers will stay hot and who will give up? We will see. Hansen won the last two races to make the score:

Hansen: 26,080
Stillwell: 25,922
Dogger: 22,050

Chee-Hoooo!!!!

Stillwell takes the lead!!!!

After 22 weeks, Stillwell retakes the overall lead. He now has 11 wins, Hansen has 8, and Dogger has 3. It is still extremely close, but with Hansen's stacked lineup, it didn't look like he'd be seriously challenged for awhile. Here are the point totals after 22 weeks:

Stillwell - 23,910
Hansen - 23,732
Dogger - 20,311

Good luck all - it looks like the chase winner may again have a huge effect on the THUD league