By NASCAR.COM
March 27, 2008
03:07 PM EDT
1. In tribute to the ongoing NCAA basketball tournament, who would your top four seeds be if we placed the Sprint Cup drivers in a bracket? And who are the potential Cinderellas or bracket busters?
Joe Menzer: I like this opening topic, but then I love basketball and the NCAAs. Is there a better time of year for a sports fan? Now, I just need some clarification -- are we going strictly off this year, or a driver's complete body of work?
David Caraviello: We're going off this year, Joe, just as the NCAA selection committee would. And Kyle Busch has to be your overall No. 1. He leads not only the points, but also NASCAR's Driver Rating. And since he's also doing so well in Nationwide and Trucks, I guess he'd be in the NIT and CBI as well.
Raygan Swan: Dude, the acronyms ... help. Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch, Tony Stewart and Dale Jr. are my fabulous four! But I'm hoping Ryan Newman can pick it up a bit and make up for what Indiana basketball failed to do: win! I follow Indiana basketball, so can you blame me? I'm optimistic, to say the least. And I cheer for people for random reasons: personality, uniforms, hot coach, etc.
Joe Menzer: OK, so we're going strictly off this year. So I say you have to give No. 1 seeds to the four guys who have won races -- Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards the top two seeds, followed by Ryan Newman and Jeff Burton.
David Caraviello: But guys, Edwards is like 16th in points now because of that penalty. He's like a great college basketball team that hit the skids because of injury. He'd be like a 4 or 5 seed, but a very dangerous one.
Joe Menzer: No way, DC. You can't make the guy who has won two races a No. 4 or 5 seed. Praise the Lord that you're not on the NCAA selection committee.
David Caraviello: My three other No. 1s would be Kevin Harvick, Jeff Burton and Greg Biffle. But Burton's heart probably isn't in it any more since his beloved Dukies gagged against West Virginia. And I stick to my assertion about Edwards. Dangerous, yes, but he's got a few losses on his resume. He's the Pittsburgh of NASCAR.
Joe Menzer: Actually, it is beginning to sound like Raygan could very easily work for the NCAA selection committee. Maybe their rules and infractions department, too.
Raygan Swan: Hey the American voter thinks like me as well. Hillary's wardrobe clearly hurt her this year!
Joe Menzer: I need a ruling, by the way, on another aspect of this question: what exactly is the difference between a Cinderella and a bracket buster? Never have really understood that.
David Caraviello: A bracket buster is an underdog team you think will advance. A Cinderella is one that surprises you. Jimmie Johnson, now 13th in points, would be a bracket buster. Auggie Vidovich would be a Cinderella.
Joe Menzer: Since I have listed the correct No. 1 seeds, I guess my bracket busters would have to start with Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon, with Clint Bowyer, Dale Jr., Biffle and Harvick added in. None of those can be called Cinderellas.
Raygan Swan: Auggie! Wow, I can't believe you remember him! Nice guy, but what happened to him? VH1 called and wants to know, "where is he now?"
David Caraviello: No idea, Raygs. Just my favorite driver name ever.
Auggie Vidovich is like Belmont. Well, almost.
Raygan Swan: Ha! He was a Nationwide rookie a few seasons ago. Yeah, his name is unforgettable. Maybe all this talk will bring him back.
Joe Menzer: If we're going to talk great NASCAR names, nothing tops Lake Speed, a No. 1 seed in any racing name game.
David Caraviello: Joe, Biffle and Harvick are second and third in points. You can't seed them that low. You're treating them like Butler, which got jobbed with a 5 seed by the NCAA.
Joe Menzer: Oh, I forgot the other Gibbs guys -- Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Bracket busters, for sure. Although Raygan gave Tony a No. 1 seed, I guess because he's from Indiana.
Raygan Swan: Joe, you can always count on me for Hoosier loyalty
David Caraviello: Joe, do you even watch basketball? Stewart would be a No. 2 or 3 seed, right there with Gordon and Dale Jr. Hamlin -- well, right now, he'd be hoping the glass slipper fits.
Raygan Swan: Tony is lighter now that they waxed his back, guys
David Caraviello: More aerodynamic. Less drag.
Joe Menzer: Did he get a haircut, too? Sure to make him go faster.
Raygan Swan: Maybe he's growing it out for Locks of Love. He is among the most generous driver in NASCAR, charitably speaking, of course. Team president J.D. Gibbs offered $15,000 to take some off his neck as well.
David Caraviello: Suddenly I have scenes from 40 Year Old Virgin running through my head. "We're gonna need more wax!"
Joe Menzer: Man, usually we don't stray this far off topic until late in Question No. 3!
Raygan Swan: Ha! David, I just choked on my coffee
Joe Menzer: Time to name my Cinderella picks: I'll take Juan Montoya and Bobby Labonte -- even though you guys tried to accuse me of disliking JPM last week.
Raygan Swan: Joe I'm going with you on that one, I like JPM for a Cinderella pick, and David Ragan, only because I love his last name. See what I mean by random reasoning?
David Caraviello: I'll take JPM as well, with Brian Vickers. And I'll see you all in San Antonio. (Continued)
It's great to see Jeff in their picks! 